《I am an Eldritch Entity》 Chapter 1: Breaking of the seal Chapter 1: Breaking of the seal Classified Report on the Sealing of the Eldritch Entity. [Last Updated: 29th May, 237] Operation: Eclipse Mantle Compiled by: Dr. Kirchoff Date: 12th March, 229. Anomaly Class: Apocalyptic - Fracture - Fissure Status: Entity Contained. Incident Overview: An advanced consciousness detection array in Moliken Town spotted a massive anomaly in partial manifestation. Preliminary assessments confirmed basic abilities, including telekinetic disruption and cognitive intrusion, identifying the source as an Eldritch Entity. Containment Measures: Human Vessel Binding: Using the Crucible of Dominion, the entity''s massive form was compressed into a human body. It limited its physical capabilities but the entity retained full mental control. Memory Erasure and Identity Implantation: The Mnemosyne Core erased the entity''s memories and implanted a fabricated identity as "Eryndor," a human integrated into Earth society. Power Sealing: A Hypnotic Imprinting Trinket sealed the entity''s powers under the condition it believed itself to be human. Breach risk arose only if this belief faltered. Outcome: Initial containment was successful. Monitoring confirmed the stability of the implanted identity over 8 years. Eryndor exhibited no awareness of its true nature and integrated seamlessly into society. Containment Status: Year 230 (Age 11): Placed under a couple with a lost child of similar age at Roulin Port. Identity stable. Year 232 (Age 13): Relocated to New Hope City and enrolled in school. Identity stable. Year 234 (Age 15): Developed strong emotional bonds. Identity stable. Year 237 (Age 18): Displayed romantic interests. Identity stable. Subject fully believes himself to be a human. Monitoring ceased due to resource constraints. The entity is deemed self-containing under the seal of self-hypnosis. Closing Notes: Personnel involved underwent standard cleansing and psychological counseling to mitigate exposure risks. End of Report ***** As the report collected dust in the most secured location of the Human Federation, the subject in question was trapped beneath the rubble of a fallen building. Eryndor sat hunched in the cramped pocket of space. The hunger was overwhelming. Are these the abilities I have? No wonder I didn''t die, Passive Regeneration might have played a hand in it. Eryndor understood the meanings of the words, but the terms ''Stable'' and ''Active'' eluded him. He pondered briefly: Are those levels? Ranks for abilities? Which one was better¡ªStable or Active? He shook his head, trying to clear the confusion. There was no point in dwelling on things he couldn''t understand right now. Turning his attention back to the massive doors, he stepped forward and attempted to push them open. Despite his full strength, none of the doors budged¡ªexcept for one. It trembled slightly as he pressed against it. This one... this is the one I can open. Probably. He stepped back, gathering himself, and charged toward the door. He slammed his shoulder into it with all his might. The door shook violently but refused to give way. Panting, he steadied himself, took a deep breath, and tried again. The result was the same, no matter how much force he applied. The door remained unmoved. It feels like I am missing something. Eryndor narrowed his eyes, recalling the flood of information that had crashed into his mind just before he arrived in this place. Most of it was irrelevant, but there were intriguing pieces that seemed to offer him some understanding. Some of those pieces hinted at a way to open the door before him. This world was entirely normal. The Universe only allowed lifeforms of level 0; that is, mortals. But 200 years ago, The Cosmic Limit increased from 0 to 1 ¨C Qi, Mana, Spiritual Energy, and Internal Energy surged in various parts of the Earth. Ordinary people couldn''t feel this subtle shift, but those who had the right techniques could harness these energies, gaining powers beyond the norm. These people could elevate themselves from mortals to something greater. Where did these techniques come from? The Eight Outer Domains that had invaded Earth. The Cosmic Limit was the threshold that determined the level of lifeform allowed by the universe. Two centuries ago, when the Cosmic Limit had risen from 0 to 1, Earth instantly faced the invasion of the Eight Outer Domains. The Cosmic Limit had, in a way, protected humanity on Earth, as it prevented the truly dangerous beings of Outer Domains from entering and wiping out humanity or enslaving them. Only lifeforms at level 1 or below were allowed, ones which could be dealt with by the current technology of Earth. But the Eight Outer Domains weren''t Earth''s only concern. There were also the Anomalies¡ªunpredictable, deadly entities that killed indiscriminately. These creatures had no specific form or power, not even a guarantee of a conscious mind. Their only purpose was destruction, and they were feared and hated by both the Human Federation and the Outer Domains alike. Among the flood of information, one fragment stood out¡ªan unsettling clue that made Eryndor question his very existence. There were places in the universe that weren''t affected by the suppression of the Cosmic Limit. It was theorized that these places were home to beings so powerful they could disregard the Cosmic Limit. These beings were called Eldritch Entities, and the realms they inhabited were known as Forbidden Voids. All known Eldritch Entities had been observed to possess Cognitive Scrying and Telekinesis. Could I be one of them? Would I need to master those techniques in order to open the door? Eryndor knew the Human Federation would soon come to him as his feat of surviving three months without food and water reached them. He had decided to join them, to acquire the practice techniques and know more about himself. Chapter 2: Rescue Chapter 2: Rescue "Have you still not identified the source of that consciousness?" The man in the black windbreaker spoke through clenched teeth, his hands balled into fists. The Cosmic Limit was supposed to prevent the emergence of such monsters. Who, in the current age, could sweep across the entire Earth with their consciousness, casually skimming the minds of countless people? "Sir," an agent replied, "Our field teams are scouring the planet and nearby space. We''ve observed no new anomalies or significant changes in existing ones. "We suspect the entity was merely passing by, and its consciousness brushed Earth unintentionally." The man in the windbreaker, evidently the superior, turned to another agent seated at a nearby computer. "Contact the Eight Outer Domains. See if they''ve uncovered anything. They are in the same boat as us if the entity has even an iota of malicious intent against us." As the agent nodded and began typing, a sharp ring echoed through the room, silencing the activity around them. The tracking, speculating, calculating, and every action regarding the consciousness paused. The man in the windbreaker took a steadying breath before picking up the receiver. He recognized the caller immediately¡ªit was Dr. Kirchoff, the renowned scientist. He alone was half the reason The Human Federation could stand tall and contend with the Anomalies. "Dr. Kirchoff," he began, "Were you also alerted by that consciousness?" The aged voice which replied from the other end was calm, without any hint of panic. "Yes. And let me be clear: the Human Federation has no means of resisting an entity of this scale if it decides to attack us. "Our precious assets were drained ten years ago in the battle against the Eldritch Entity. "There''s nothing to gain by investigating this further. Halt all operations and redirect the resources to the usual tasks of the Federation. "We can''t use the little resources we have to investigate everything which we come across. Learn to recognize and selectively ignore tasks which will bring no results. "Do you understand Operative Fredrinn?" The man digested the words of the scientist, realising the situation was indeed what he spoke about. There was nothing they could do even if they somehow managed to procure some information on the consciousness. "Understood, Sir." "Good." The line went dead. Fredrinn slowly placed the receiver back and gave the order to cease all investigations related to the consciousness. Resources were redirected to routine operations. But that was it. It fell back to place as the force acting on it disappeared. Eryndor felt himself losing consciousness as he overexerted himself both physically and mentally. Just before he felt the darkness consuming him, muffled voices drilled into his ears. "Captain, there''s movement here! Someone might be stuck here!" "Go ahead Jon, take all the equipment with you. I''ll call everyone as soon as possible." A team was gathered shortly, doing their best to remove all the debris. One of them sent a camera attached by a rod into a small hole. "Captain, there''s indeed someone lying down there." "Hurry up boys!" The Captain yelled. In just five minutes they successfully removed all the obstacles and jumped down. Everyone could see the horrible condition of the man laying face down, hardly better than a skeleton. The Captain bent at his knee and placed his hand before Eryndor''s nose, feeling a hint of hot air on his finger. "He is alive. Quickly take him out and call the ambulance." The Captain searched around his body, but couldn''t find any phone or electronics. No wonder no one knew about him being stuck here. If he had contacted anyone, we, or some other team would''ve rescued him far sooner. ***** When Eryndor opened his eyes, what greeted him wasn''t the fallen structure and dust laden surfaces he had grown accustomed to over the course of months. It was a clean room with a myriad of medical apparatus. A nurse was filling a syringe by his bed. Hospital? I am finally out? "Oh? You''re conscious now? Don''t worry, you''ve been rescued and your parents have been called. Don''t move around much, your body is still extremely weak. "You can go back to your normal life after the hospital deems you fit to discharge." Eryndor nodded silently, his thoughts elsewhere. Can I really go back to my normal life? A more pressing question followed. Do I even want to? No. There were too many questions to answer. Chapter 3: Identity Crisis Chapter 3: Identity Crisis Eryndor scrolled through his phone, his eyes widening as he took in just how much the world had shifted during the three months he''d been trapped. Three months. He confirmed after double-checking the date. Surprisingly, no one had questioned him about how long he''d been buried beneath the rubble or how he had managed to survive without food or water. It seemed people had grown accustomed to the possibility of miracles in a world where the extraordinary was becoming increasingly commonplace. Surprisingly, the Human Federation, which had long operated in the shadows, had publicly revealed its existence, along with the truth about the Eight Outer Domains and the threat of Anomalies. As for what had triggered such a monumental shift, Eryndor could only speculate. His best guess was that the Cosmic Limit had increased yet again. With this rise, the four energies¡ªQi, Mana, Spiritual Energy, and Internal Energy¡ªmust have surged in both quality and quantity, this time becoming noticeable even to ordinary people. But this wasn''t just a boon. The increase in the Cosmic Limit had likely raised the upper potential of Anomalies as well, creating an immediate and overwhelming challenge for the organizations. Judging by the chaos reflected in the news, those organizations were clearly losing control. Eryndor skimmed through countless reports of mass killings, with descriptions of strange, monstrous beings wreaking havoc across regions. Anomalies really do come in all shapes and sizes. Earth''s technological advantage over the Eight Outer Domains seemed to have diminished as well. The hot weapons and other types of weapons were less of a threat than before. Sightings of their forces operating openly were now frequent. Some groups were abducting humans en masse and disappearing without a trace. Others committed genocides, seized territories, or even declared dominion over certain areas. A few groups even began distributing cultivation techniques to the masses. In short, the world was descending into utter chaos. Therefore, The Human Federation could no longer operate from the shadows, suppressing information and managing threats behind closed doors. The escalating chaos had forced them to step forward and inform the public about the dramatic changes unfolding in the world. As for why they had concealed the truth for so long? Eryndor could only guess. Either the reasons for secrecy had been resolved, or the situation had spiraled so far out of control that silence was no longer an option. Having spent 20 years on Earth, Eryndor held a deep, albeit complicated, fondness for the planet. It was his home¡ªat least as far as he knew. Naturally, this made him inclined to side with the Human Federation, the one entity seemingly trying to hold everything together. "We have always loved you, and we still love you. "We will continue to love you as our child, we have raised you and watched you grow. The memories we shared for ten years aren''t false. "We simply thought you had the right to know as the person involved. "We know. You might have something to do with The Human Federation. That man in black clothes had the same symbol The Human Federation has. "You might even be an Anomaly for all we know. But remember, you''ll always have a place at home. "And lastly, since you were both raised by the same parents, the previous Eryndor Noctis could be considered your brother too. "He went missing but his body was never found. "With all the miracles taking place we have a small hope that one of them might help us reunite with our child. "Could you keep a look out for him?" Eryndor dumbly nodded his head. Without replying to anything, he closed his eyes and reclined back on his bed. His mind was a jumbled mess. His mom softly spoke for the first time. "We love you, son. Take your time thinking about it. We won''t tell anyone about this." Eryndor took the extra pillow by his side and stuffed his face with it, finding comfort in the suffocating darkness and silence. Turns out 10 years of his 20 years, that is, nearly half of the life he lived on Earth was fabricated lies. His memory when he was before 10 consisted of living with the same parents, but turns out he had been handed over to them when he was 10 years old. Doesn''t that mean those memories he had of before turning 10 were all a set of lies injected into his brain? It took him nearly half an hour to get over the existential crisis. Patting himself on the cheek, Eryndor forced a smile. This also means that nearly half of my life was still true. Half of my memories are all genuine. Keeping a positive outlook helped him stabilize his mentality. He looked down at his hands, realizing that his body was regenerating faster than expected. It was really like he had speculated. His regeneration depended on the energy of the surroundings, the hospital had far better and higher concentration of energy than a narrow cramped space beneath a fallen building. The question was, even if no one asked him about how he survived and how he was regenerating so fast, it was sure to attract attention from organizations who might invite him to their ranks without asking about the specifics of his abilities. Eryndor was already prepared on how to answer them. He anticipated their arrival, particularly of The Human Federation. Chapter 4: Invitation of The Human Federation Chapter 4: Invitation of The Human Federation The hospital didn''t discharge him even though he had already completely recovered on the second day itself. They are deliberately keeping me here. As expected, on the fourth day of his stay at the hospital, a group of three entered his room. Putting aside the book he was reading, he turned to them. His eyes lit up as they fell on the emblem of the Human Federation emblazoned on their armbands. Two women and a man stood before him. One of the women pulled a stool across the room with a low scrape, positioning it directly in front of him before sitting down. She had short brown hair, a few stray strands brushing against her forehead, and a scattering of light freckles between her brows. Like the others, she wore a sleek black tracksuit, though hers was accented with bold red lines that hinted at her higher rank or specialized role. Gesturing to her armband, she spoke. "I hope you already know who we are." Eryndor nodded. Of course he did. "Good, then we can cut to the chase. "The team which rescued you might not have known about it, but we do. The building you were trapped under collapsed three months ago. "Your parents also began the search for you through various newspaper outlets and missing posters three months ago. "Coupled with lack of traces of food and water in the space you were found at, it should be impossible for you to survive. "You can choose not to tell us the specifics about how you survived. Can you at least inform us if it was some sort of ability?" Eryndor had come across this online before. Beyond the techniques practiced by the Eight Outer Domains, another path to gaining power lay in possessing an innate ability. This method was impossible to replicate¡ªeither you were born with the ability, or you weren''t. He nodded gently. Eryndor wanted to be upfront about this. "I awakened something like Passive Regeneration." They had only expected a simple yes or no, but his willingness to be forthcoming subtly surprised them. However, it quickly became clear he had no intention of delving into the specifics of his ability. Still, they weren''t disappointed. Makes sense. Eryndor agreed with her. The agents exchanged a few pleasantries with Eryndor before departing, leaving behind a badge. The badge depicted a bleeding snake coiled tightly around the upper half of the blade of a sword, its lower part piercing through eight distinct hands stacked atop one another. Eryndor quickly deduced the symbolism¡ªthe snake represented the anomalies, while the hands signified the Eight Outer Domains. Quite a bold and provocative badge. Eryndor silently judged it and put it in his pocket. Academy huh? I''ll be learning about how to deal with the Eight Outer Domains and the Anomalies now. Quite an interesting turn of events. I hope I can open that door of my Mind Palace soon. Eryndor got up from the bed, picking up his book and leaving the room. This time he was allowed to leave the hospital without any issues. Should I head straight up towards the local office of The Human Federation? Eryndor had a few friends, but they weren''t close enough that he would inform them of his decision to join The Human Federation. He decided to visit his parent''s home, meeting his parents who were both engaged in odd jobs around the house. They were home because employment all around the world had taken a hit with the apocalypse-like situation of the Earth. He informed them of The Human Federation''s invitation and how he had already accepted it. He eventually decided to have his dinner at their place. Eryndor planned to review the information that night, ensuring he fully absorbed it before heading to the local office. A quick online search revealed that the office was only a fifteen-minute walk away, making it a convenient departure point from his current location. "Good night dad." "Good night mom." After having a talk about their son and telling them how he''ll keep an eye out for him, Eryndor retreated to his bedroom. The Human Federation had long sent him important information he would be needing before joining the Academy. It was time to check it out. Chapter 5: Choosing a power system Chapter 5: Choosing a power system Eryndor reclined on his bed and opened the file sent to him by the agents of the Human Federation. The contents were a word-for-word recounting of his earlier exchange with them, a proof of the file''s authenticity. It was locked with the password they had discussed during their conversation at the hospital, ensuring its security. To confirm their legitimacy, Eryndor had also verified the agents by calling the helpline number listed on the Federation''s official website. He opened it with great anticipation, eager to get in-depth knowledge. It took him about half an hour to read through the entire document. There were two important things which it explained about in general. First was the power system of the Eight Outer Domains. The Human Federation, through a series of confrontations over two centuries, were able to get their hands on techniques of all the Eight Outer Domains. But some of them were incomplete, some had higher restrictions, some had resource limitations. The Human Federation suggested a few power systems out of all, each carefully selected for their cost-effectiveness or suitability to the current situation, among other factors. Eryndor condensed the points listed in the document for his own convenience. This made it easier for him to make quicker decisions, without the need to sift through long, dense paragraphs each time. Cultivation world: Relies on the energy ''Qi''. The power system is about longevity. It has low resource requirements at least in the early stages, fulfilled by the environmental Qi itself, making it extremely cost-effective. Magic world: Relies on the energy ''Mana''. The power system is about knowledge. It has high requirements of knowledge from the beginning stage itself. Need extensive knowledge on the subject to form the related spell model. Not suitable for drop-outs. Mentalist world: Relies on ''Spiritual energy''. The power system focuses on the use of mind. It has low resource requirements, but due to opposition from the higher ups it is strongly discouraged to be pursued in the Academy. Eryndor suspected that people felt uneasy when confronting them, likely due to their ability to read minds, a power that could make anyone wary. As for becoming a mentalist, Eryndor wasn''t interested in the constant surveillance from the Academy, nor did he want to draw unwanted attention or suspicion from the Human Federation. Becoming a martial artist was certainly possible, but he didn''t like the idea of refining body and having limited range to attack. It might be possible at higher realms of power but it certainly didn''t seem feasible at lower ranks. He would end up being a meat shield. Cyborg was a no brainer. Even though he wanted to be quick, it seemed unlikely that the Academy would provide him resources for rank one for free. He would have to work to exchange the materials for it, which would take some time. Beast Taming had the same problem. It was a quick route and even had a higher potential than being a Cyborg where the Federation didn''t have corresponding technology of higher level. But he likely wouldn''t be given the beast for free. He would have to work for it. Same with the Demon techniques. He didn''t want to wait till the Academy was done evaluating him psychologically and gave the pass to cultivate the technique. Lastly, the Buddhist technique. It was also a no-brainer. He had no grandeur delusions of being able to quickly successfully practice a power system the Academy evaluated as one of the slowest. The Academy has said that one person can practice more than one power system but it is difficult and also discouraged since it means more resources were used on a single person for no quantifiable increase in power. It is difficult as it is for a person to power up, adding to that another power system, it is like climbing with an extra load. I can choose other power systems later after making sufficient contributions if cultivation happens to be unbearable or useless. After going through a few more rounds of discussion with himself and searching information on the internet, he ended up choosing cultivation as his path. It would be the quickest and easiest way to power. If it didn''t work out, Beast taming would be his second choice. Chapter 6: Gift from Earth Chapter 6: Gift from Earth The second major point the document mentioned was the working of the academy. He went through it several times and committed the important points to his memory before finally going to sleep. When he woke up in the morning, his parents were quietly eating their breakfast while engaging in small talk. With a smile, he served himself breakfast and joined them. "Mom. Dad. I was thinking about our talk from the hospital. "I realize I still love you both despite half of my memories being false. "The other ten years of my life were still true and you both played a massive part in how I came to value, cherish and enjoy my life." He engaged in a bit of small talk with them, and finally left after finishing his breakfast. He had no idea what to carry so he only took a bunch of clothes and other essentials in his bag before heading towards the office. It took him around fifteen minutes to reach the office. It was a huge twenty floor building. Eryndor entered the lobby and gave the receptionist his name, who quickly escorted him to the fifteenth floor. When he arrived, he realized there were three more people in the room. There was a young man and two young women. The young man was quick to introduce himself and the others with a genuine smile. "Hello, I am Drakarion Sylen." He put his hands on his chest. "And these are Valentina Iztek and Paulina Lockheart." He pointed to the blonde and brunette respectively. "I hope we can keep each other company when we join the Academy since we all come from New Hope city." "It took us a hundred years to steal the first ever practice technique. It was the cultivation technique, also what the majority of them got started in since it was the only one we had. "It also brought us despair, in a way. That cultivation scripture spoke about three levels, and according to it, the person we killed was only at level one. "It meant there were two more levels about it which were restricted by the Cosmic Limit. Our subsequent clashes proved that they had more levels above three, not sure how many. "We put that thought aside and levelled up one after another. "Since then it became easier to steal the other practice techniques, finally completing our collection fifty years ago." Jared was a big man, and it felt especially disheartening and discouraging when he made the face he was making as he continued. "The Cosmic Limit which increased two months ago has begun expanding the Earth. It isn''t instant, but a gradual process. "The distance between cities might increase drastically in the near future, which will make the task of defending Humanity more difficult. "We can already no longer find where the main bases of the Eight Outer Domains went. Our satellites have begun malfunctioning one after another, we think it''s the work of cyborgs. "We suspect that the infusion of four energies two hundred years ago strengthened up the Earth for its eventual expansion, which is now, at the second increase of Cosmic Limit. "We don''t know when the Cosmic Limit will increase again, but please, we can only pin our hopes on the younger generation. "The abilities youngsters awaken might be the gift of Earth to resist the outsiders, as not once in two hundred years have we come across individuals from Eight Outer Domains possessing innate abilities." The big professor took a deep breath and leaned back into his seat. "We, the older generation, will hold the fort as much as possible so you guys can grow. "Yes, I am putting pressure on you. Don''t let us down." Eryndor looked outside the window with a heavy heart, noticing a plane as the bus stopped just near its entrance. "It''s time for the final stretch, c''mon. "Once we disembark near the Academy, you''re on your own. I hope you guys have decided on the path you want to take." Chapter 7: Bleak Future Chapter 7: Bleak Future Eryndor came face to face with one of the largest buildings he had ever seen, and, judging by their expressions, the other three seemed to share his sentiment. Standing before them was supposedly the main building of the Academy. The four of them had already completed their registration at the hall, where they declared the paths they intended to pursue and received their room keys. Surprisingly, they were all assigned to the same villa, with no separation based on gender. The woman at the counter had offered a blunt explanation: if they couldn''t maintain self-control at such a critical stage, they wouldn''t amount to anything¡ªneither for humanity nor for themselves. She also warned that those who succumbed to laziness, lured by the Academy''s luxurious accommodations, would only tarnish their own reputation. This arrangement was part of the Academy''s first test: weeding out the unworthy by scrutinizing their discipline and work ethic. When the four of them reached their villas, they were thrilled to witness the modern and spacious structure before them. The villa had a ground floor which contained the hall, kitchen, gym, lawn, a swimming pool, and a reinforced training area. The first floor had four bedrooms, one lounge and bar, and a playing area which housed four sets of latest gaming devices of all kinds. The villa contained all the up-to-date convenient devices such as coffee maker, a robot exclusively for cooking and one for cleaning, reclinable sofas and a smart AI connected to all the electrical appliances. It had everything one could ask for. The question was, do they dare use it? Or rather, do they dare continuously use it? None of the four felt confident they could resist indulging further after trying the luxuries even once, so they unanimously agreed to avoid them altogether. Eryndor withdrew to the bedroom assigned to him, unsurprised to find the wardrobe already stocked with clothes tailored perfectly to his size. A larger percentage of the clothes were all battle suits, bringing about a sense of anticipation for battle in Eryndor. After hanging up the clothes he''d brought from home, he changed into something more comfortable and rejoined his group to head toward the Academy. Yes, the courses had begun long ago, and they would all need to work hard to catch up. They all went their different ways after reaching the main building as each one of them had taken a different path. "Currently we have only come across Safe, Caution and Unstable ranks. "Next comes the Disruption class. "It is the amount of damage the Anomaly can inflict to the environment and people around it if left alone. "There are five ranks of Disruption classes: Dormant, Fray, Tremor, Shatter, and Fracture in the ascending order. "We have come across Dormant, Fray and a single Tremor rank, which I''ll tell you about later." Professor Rockin took a deep breath and gazed at the entire class, peering into the eyes of each student as he asked. "Do you all understand everything I explained until now?" Seeing that there were no questions, the professor moved on to the final classification. "Containment Class is the calculated probability of difficulty of sealing the Anomaly. "It is also the most important type since no matter how dangerous the Anomaly is or how widespread the destruction it can cause, it''ll all be useless if we can''t seal it. "Containment class contains five ranks as well: Anchor, Threaded, Spiral, Fissure, and Spectral in the ascending order. "Again, we have come across Anchor and Threaded ranks, and a single Spectral rank." He looked at everyone with a grave expression, with the students gradually registering his final line. The Human Federation has already encountered a Spectral rank anomaly! The professor might not have said it but a detailed description of Spectral rank was clearly mentioned in the tablet on their desk. Spectral: Containment is infeasible or impossible currently; requires mitigation or suppression instead. Example: Anomalies with infinite scaling, omnipresent influence, or uncontainable properties that necessitate ongoing suppression rather than containment. It meant they had already encountered an Anomaly which could not be contained in the second Cosmic Limit itself! The future suddenly looked much bleaker to all the students. Chapter 8: Dread Cloud Chapter 8: Dread Cloud Professor Rockin took a look at everyone and suddenly chuckled. The class looked startled. One of them nervously asked, "Professor, were you joking?" Rockin shook his head with a smile. "I just found it cute seeing you all downcast. I''ll tell you about the Anomaly which was classified under Spectral rank in Containment class, it is the same anomaly which was categorized under Tremor rank in Disruption class. "We termed it Dread Cloud. It is a semi-translucent cloud shaped anomaly of pink color. "As the name suggests, its ability is related to Fear. And not normally, it feeds on fear against anomalies. "It was the great scientist Dr. Kirchoff who was able to deduce the conditions of its growth. "The more people know about anomalies, the greater number of people will fear it. "Let''s be realistic. Would a common man be fearless if he faces one of those weird monsters? Some might be, but a greater percentage would feel fear. "As long as even one person exists who feels fear against anomalies then the Cloud of Fear will exist." Professor Rockin spread his hands in a helpless manner. "Don''t you find it strange that no one knew about anomalies up till two months ago? Dread Cloud was the reason we put a blockade on the information. As I thought Eryndor mentally patted himself on the back for being able to partially guess the reason for the blockade of truth. Professor Rockin continued speaking as Eryndor refocused his attention. "The most we can do is imprison it, but once more and more people begin to fear the Anomalies, the stronger it will grow, eventually enough to break free from the imprisonment." The professor heaved a sigh as he concluded. "It''s a relief in a way that its actual ability which is capable of damage puts it under Tremor rank of Disruption class, with its Risk class being of Caution rank. "Else it would''ve been a lot more dangerous." Eryndor asked a doubt which had been brewing in his mind. "Professor, what is its current status?" The man simply smiled. "Not even I am authorized to know such information. This was simply common knowledge in The Human Federation so I shared it with you guys. It went on for a while before everyone was dismissed. There was only a single lecture per day, so Eryndor was free to explore the rest of the building. But he hadn''t lost sight of his original goal. He wanted to quickly get started on a power system to verify something he had on his mind for quite a while now. On his way back to the villa, he met up with Paulina. It may be that he was lost in thought or he didn''t pay attention, but he hadn''t sensed her coming at all. He flashed her a smile, and asked. "Are you done with your class too?" The brunette was shorter compared to his height of 6''1, standing at around 5''7 he guesses. Her facial structure leaned on the cuter side, with a small nose and baby fat still visible on her cheeks. Her small hair swung sideways as she shook her head. "No, I left the class. I already knew everything about the topic the professor was teaching." Eryndor recollected that Paulina had chosen to go down the path of a mage. The magic power system was heavily dependent on the knowledge of the user to form a spell model. Apparently her class was about a theory which she was already well aware of. No wonder she chose to leave. As they walked towards their villa, Eryndor asked about her plans. "Do you intend to form a spell model now?" He didn''t know how the magic power system worked, but he figured it might be related to making a spell model. "Nope, not now. I want my innate spell model to be the best I can aim for. There is a spell model in the academy I am aiming for. "I''ll gather enough credits to exchange for the spell model, which I''ll then modify according to what I have in mind. "It might take a bit of time." By the time she finished, they had already reached the villa. Eryndor wished her good luck and retreated to his room. It was time to take the first step into a power system. He hoped the cultivation was as easy to get started with as they made out to be. Chapter 9: Sovereign’s Cloak Chapter 9: Sovereign''s Cloak Eryndor glanced at the practice technique of cultivation on his personal device. The first stage was surprisingly easy. To step into the Qi Gathering realm, one only needs to be able to sense Qi and absorb it into their meridians. From then onwards, the amount of Qi one can hold in their meridians determines their stage from one to nine at Qi Gathering realm. The practice technique of Cultivation involved visualizing a closed circuit of meridians. The more complete the visualization the higher the chances that one can sense Qi. Once the person absorbs the first ever unit of Qi they sensed into their meridians, visualizing the circuit to keep absorbing Qi wouldn''t work. They''ll then need to control the unit of Qi to go through the circuit of meridians mentioned in the practice technique to keep absorbing the Qi. Eryndor emptied his mind and sat cross legged on his bed, closing his eyes as he began meditating. Thus began his efforts to take the first step in the long journey of cultivation. Grrrr... His stomach growled. His eyes shot open as he looked around the room, his gaze finally resting on the clock. It''s been three hours already? He had made some progress in the visualization of the circuit but he couldn''t feel any Qi yet. Eryndor didn''t ponder any longer. His motto was to not linger on things which couldn''t be solved through thinking. He liked acting on it immediately. He decided that meditating would be better if he ate something first, since it was his hunger which broke his visualization. When he descended the stairs, the rest of his roommates were already sitting on the dining table, each eating their own meal. He made a basic pasta with the already prepared ravioli and joined them on the table. "It was a fight class today, and guess what? I was the strongest despite being one of the latecomers." It was Drakarion who spoke, then tore apart a hefty chunk of meat from the chicken leg with his teeth and began chewing. Eryndor spoke as he placed his plate on the table and sat beside Valentina. "Has no one successfully embarked on Martial Arts yet?" The young man took a while to process the food down his throat before answering. "Plus, the Academy gave you a pet so quickly?" Valentina extended a finger, upon which the small white snake which almost looked like a thread slithered up. "First, I''ve only contracted one of these two guys. "And second, I found them myself where I was living. After verification the academy allowed me to have these two as my contracted beasts." Drakarion grinned. "It was lucky of you to come across two non-hostile beasts. No wonder you chose the path of beast taming. "On that matter, your path uses internal energy too, right? You seemed to have sensed it quickly enough." The blonde smiled, swatting her other hand as she replied. "It''s not actually the case, I got the practice technique a month ago so I had plenty of time to sense internal energy." Each of them dispersed shortly after, heading to do their own work. ***** Deep in the night, a shiny speck of light entered Eryndor''s senses. With his eyes still closed, he tracked the path of the speck of light, watching with bated breath as it entered the envisioned route of meridians. Eryndor instantly felt as if he was undergoing a transformation, both physically and mentally. I''ve read about this. It happens when you sense the Qi for the first time and bring it into your meridians, heralding your start of cultivation. Without paying attention whatsoever to the transformation going on, Eryndor quickly focused on the Mind Palace. Instantly, he found himself in the hall where he last left. Gazing at the door which he failed to open last time, Eryndor took a deep breath and tried again. It took every bit of strength he had, and the moment where the door stood closed as if something hadn''t yet been achieved didn''t take place. Eryndor smoothly passed that hurdle. Indeed, he needed to embark on a power system to open the door. There was an Altar situated in the middle of the room with a cloak hovering above it. There were a few sentences etched onto the Altar, with a bold heading above them. [Sovereign''s Cloak] Chapter 10: Damage Mitigation Chapter 10: Damage Mitigation Eryndor approached the altar, his steps slow and steady as he took in the majesty of the Cloak. The Sovereign''s Cloak was made of a dark black fabric. It was embroidered with golden runes, each of them pulsing faintly with a soft glow. The edges were trimmed with a thin line of shimmering material embedded completely with various patterns. Eryndor returned his gaze to the lines etched upon the altar. [Sovereign''s Cloak] [Grade: Latent] [An inviolable shield that encompasses all forms of protection, including but not limited to: Defense against physical attacks. Resistance to mental manipulation, psychic attacks and mind-reading. Immunity against attempts to scry/divine your location or future. Protection from control-based abilities such as immovability, body manipulation, and possession.] [Note: The Sovereign''s Cloak consumes energy of Consciousness] Eryndor''s eyes widened in surprise, his heart filled with astonishment as he read through its description. Is it mine to use? I mean, of course it would be, but...wow. I wonder what does ''Latent'' mean though. And what is this new energy? No information I''ve come across ever mentioned this energy. Judging by the name, he figured that it was probably an inherent energy which every living being possessed. Eryndor stepped forward, now face to face with the cloak as he raised his hand to touch it, wariness evident in his approach. Fortunately, nothing happened as the Cloak gracefully wrapped itself around his body as soon as he touched it. It''s comfortable. The Cloak brought about a warm comfy feeling to him despite being in his own mental space. He also noticed that the Cloak re-sized itself automatically to fit his personal body measurements. Ahh, this Cloak looks cool as fuck. It''s even better when I wear the hoodie. He excitedly thought while examining the Cloak. After looking around the room, he left after realizing there was nothing else. It was a point of considerable importance because they weren''t common gloves but specially reinforced heavy gloves. Even in the face of Paulina''s accurate strikes he always somehow turned the situation around such that he wouldn''t be the one to retreat. He counterattacked every chance he got, parrying strike after strikes easily to swing his hammer of a fist with deadly force and precision. He seemed to have eyes everywhere, with an almost inhuman combat sense to always respond correctly in any situation. Can I ever reach that level? Even if I practice endlessly? Eryndor hesitated for a moment before a wry smile graced his face. It would be difficult. But he quickly cheered up again. He most likely wasn''t a human, he could afford to not be stuck on limited means of combat. Passive Regeneration Telekinesis Cognitive Scrying And now, Sovereign''s Cloak. He could very easily afford an entirely different style of combat which had zero need to rely particularly on being proficient at basic human level of fighting. The fight ended shortly after, with both of the women panting due to being out of stamina. Drakarion looked the same as always, with no hint of sweat or heavy breathing. Eryndor was curious. "Is your ability combat related?" The young man grinned. "Yes, but I never used it once in this fight. Or more like, I didn''t feel the need to." Without anyone prompting him, he continued with a laugh. "No need to ask, I''ll tell you. My ability is Damage Mitigation. "As long as I am conscious, I can mitigate a part of the damage I received to anyone in my vicinity." The two women had pale faces when they realized how much more difficult it would''ve been if they had managed to even land an attack. Eryndor sighed and shook his head. Fucking monster. Will I be able to defeat him if I use everything I''ve got? Chapter 11: Going on a mission Chapter 11: Going on a mission Eryndor didn''t ultimately follow through with his idea. He didn''t want to expose his abilities to anyone here, not before he trusted them at least. "Want to have a fight?" Drakarion asked with a smile on his face. It wasn''t anything malicious or with ill-intention but simply a basic question. "I can''t fight. I''ve never trained in this." Eryndor shook his head. "I''ll only be asking for a beating if I spar with you." Drakarion was quick to counter-offer after he gulped down water from a bottle nearby. "I can teach you." He hesitated but eventually gave in, it would indeed be beneficial to learn how to fight from someone as trained as Drakarion. Both of them took their stances. The two women retreated to the side, but didn''t leave the Training area. They were eager to learn as well. The sound of training boots scuffing against ground echoed as Eryndor lunged at Drakarion. His punch was wild, straight at the young man''s face. Drakarion sidestepped with ease, his arm snapping out to strike his overextended elbow, forcing his balance forward. "Lesson one: Control." He spun behind Eryndor, his voice sharp. "Overextension kills. Every move should flow¡ªno wasted effort." Eryndor stumbled but recovered, throwing a low kick aimed at his shin. Drakarion caught it with his forearm and twisted, forcing him to hop awkwardly. Before he could regain his footing, the young man''s heel slammed into Eryndor''s shoulder, sending him to the ground. "Lesson two: Stability. If you''re not grounded, you''re vulnerable. Unless you learn to fly of course." Grunting, Eryndor scrambled back to his feet, his movements more deliberate now. He feinted left, drawing into a step, then darted in with a quick jab aimed at his ribs. Drakarion smiled as he redirected the jab to the side and countered with a palm strike to his jaw, stopping just short of impact. "Lesson three: Deception. Feints are good, but only when your opponent doesn''t see them coming. Otherwise, you''re just announcing your plans." [Authority required: 1] [Mission difficulty: 3] [Mission venue: Kantos Town] [Mission timing: The vehicle assigned to the mission leaves in an hour. The entire operation is estimated to last a week.] [Mission Brief: Stray Animal Containment Operation] [Objective: Contain and capture stray animals within the designated area, which has been affected by the local Anomaly.] [Be advised: The animals may exhibit unpredictable or aggressive behavior due to their exposure.] [The Academy will provide all necessary tools and protective gear for this mission. Ensure proper usage to minimize risk.] [Health Advisory: While injuries sustained during the mission will be eligible for healing at an 80% discount, it is strongly advised to avoid harm. Note that treatment for injuries caused by Anomaly-infected animals requires specialized healers, incurring significantly higher costs. Proceed with caution.] [Rewards: Each participant will receive 50% of the realm one materials required to initiate their power system journey. For students following a power system that does not require materials to initiate their journey or have already begun their path, equivalent-value practice materials will be provided as compensation.] [Prepare carefully, remain vigilant, and prioritize teamwork.] When Eryndor looked at the rewards he decided this was the mission he wanted. It would help his roommates and give himself plenty of resources to speed up his cultivation. Coupled with how strong his roommates were, he hesitated less than normal when he read the mission difficulty. Drakarion is very strong, no doubt. Paulina is equally deadly, and Valentina has already contracted a beast, she shouldn''t be weak. If I discreetly use my other abilities, it should easily be a safe and rewarding mission. Authority corresponded to the realm of power system required for the students to take up on the mission. He figured their group''s power already ranked high enough in realm one despite Drakarion and Paulina not having embarked on their power systems yet. "Did you choose the mission?" Valentina asked, she was the first to arrive. "Yes, we''ll leave in under an hour." Chapter 12: Realms of power in Anomalies Chapter 12: Realms of power in Anomalies Paulina joined them a minute later, and Drakarion arrived last after about ten minutes. When each of them stood up to leave, a group of people walking their way caught their attention. A blonde woman was leading the group, her attire was a tracksuit with red linings. Is she a professor? And why are they heading towards us? Eryndor was indeed correct. The leading woman introduced herself with an extended hand which Eryndor was quick to reciprocate. "I am professor Melissa, my team would be travelling alongside you." Upon noticing that all the four newbies before her were confused, she explained patiently. "Your mission is in Kantos town too, right?" Eryndor nodded, but refused to elaborate. "Good, you shouldn''t share your mission details with anyone other than your group. "Anyway, we are the team which is responsible for dealing with the Anomaly." All four of them raised their eyebrows at that, feeling quite surprised inwardly that they were already able to encounter squads which dealt with anomalies. "As your professor and the seniors who constitute the rest of my group, you can ask us if you happen to have any trouble. We''ll try our best to guide you regarding your mission. "But don''t get your hopes up, you''ll still have to carry out the mission yourself." Eryndor agreed with her, and politely responded to accept her help. Out of courtesy, the four of them waited as the Professor took her group to register for the mission. ***** The vehicle had two long rows of seats facing each other. "What kind of anomaly is it?" "Professor Melissa, yesterday was our first lecture at the Academy, and I haven''t yet had the chance to visit the library. Could you tell me about the realms of power in anomalies? "In the lecture, we were taught about the Risk class, Disruption Class, and Containment class. But they are basically an evaluation about its ability right? "There should also be inherent levels of power within them just like our power systems, no?" Professor Melissa had a look of appreciation on her face as she replied. "That''s an astute observation you have there. Most students overlook that point once they are taught about the classification classes of anomalies." She took a look outside through her window then glanced over everyone before resting her eyes back on Eryndor. "We''ve almost reached so I can''t really go into details. Since the Cosmic Limit has increased twice, we''ve assumed the current Cosmic Limit as two. "And since the Cosmic Limit is two, the power level allowed in anomalies is also up to two. "The two realms are Latent at realm one and Stable at realm two. You can find more in depth explanation and examples at the library. "If you want to know even more, you''ll have to increase your authority level. Which I am sure you know how to do." Eryndor nodded his head, making sure to keep everything about himself normal. There wasn''t a hint of abnormality in his expression or any body movement. Latent and Stable huh. Looks like I really am an anomaly sealed by the Human Federation in the past. I wonder what level ''active'' is at? Third level? Doesn''t that mean I have an even greater advantage over others than I initially thought? My abilities are literally above the Cosmic Limit. Unless my opponent''s abilities are so powerful that they can jump realms, it would be difficult to contend with my abilities haha. A minute later the vehicle stopped near a gate. As everyone disembarked wearing the battlesuits they were provided and equipment in hand, Eryndor looked at the signboard above the gate. Welcome to Kantos Town. Here begins my first mission. Chapter 13: Location sensing Chapter 13: Location sensing The good natured senior who volunteered to share some tips earlier stopped by Eryndor''s group as he offered his help again while they were moving into the town. "Here''s my number, if you happen to run into any difficulties, you can contact me." He had distinct short light blue hair with gray eyes. Coupled with his sunny smile, everyone who came across him for the first time couldn''t help but have a good impression of him. As soon as they were far away, Eryndor was quick to throw away the contact number in a nearby dustbin. "Why did you do that?" Valentina asked. She felt it would''ve been a good backup if they had a senior''s number. Eryndor never used his Cognitive Scrying on his roommates, as they had been good to him all this time. It would prick his conscience to read the memories of someone he would be staying and getting along with. Hopefully. But he had used it on the light blue haired senior just now as it was rare that a person would want to offer help despite being told off once. Unsurprisingly, he learned that the senior''s ability allowed him to sense the location of any object he locked on. Eryndor didn''t want a location tracker in his group, but he also couldn''t expose his ability. He simply cooked up a lie. "I don''t trust him. "What if his ability allows him to influence the surroundings of any object he had locked on using his ability? Or something like sensing the location of the object? "If he had locked on that card with the contact number then it would mean little to no privacy for us. What if they sabotage us? "I don''t want to take the risk of trusting any unsolicited help in this broken world. Not to mention he offered twice. "There could be any type of ability out there, before I have complete information on people, I''d like to take a more cautious approach in dealing with them." Eryndor then spread his hands as they headed towards the designated place of lodging mentioned in their information package. "Anyway, all students have access to the Academy''s website. It has all the professor''s information including their medium of contacts up there. "I checked earlier and Professor Melissa indeed has a contact no. which I''ve already saved in my phone. I feel it is far safer this way." Drakarion laughed with a hint of teasing in his tone. Instantly, just like every time he covertly practiced, he got the view of the entire room from a high point. Eryndor focused on increasing the intensity of his Telekinesis. Gradually, the view it gave him began increasing in range. But he could also feel that something within him was draining. The amount of my Qi is as it is. What could it be? He then remembered the fifth energy written on the altar of Sovereign''s Cloak. Energy of Consciousness? It was very likely that energy, as he couldn''t think of anything else. As his view kept increasing, the drain became increasingly large and fast. A pretty fucking broken ability if you look at this insane range, a pity I can''t smell, taste, feel or hear anything though. It is still amazing though. I am pretty sure even realm two Stable level wouldn''t have been able to do this. Finally. He mentally heaved a sigh as he gazed at the contact number written on the card. Carefully, he picked it up and controlled it to move in the other direction. He took care to avoid other people while he controlled the paper, eventually placing it inside the lobby of a certain inn nearby. Don''t blame me for this, you acted first. Eryndor had a very clear understanding about himself. He had never fought any animal, and even considering his abilities, he preferred having backups. If something went wrong, he could always use the contact card to lure that senior into arriving at any location of his choice. It could be to act as a bait, as a diversion, as a meat shield, anything. The ideas were endless. To more effectively use the contact card such that the senior would immediately be able to arrive, he would first need to know the schedule of the other group. After all, even a senior wouldn''t be able to refuse orders from a professor if it happened to be his turn to carry out some task. With a malicious chuckle, he laid down on his bed, intending to take a short nap before meeting with his roommates to decide their plans. Chapter 14: Forming action plans Chapter 14: Forming action plans Eryndor felt refreshed after the short nap just now, it felt like his fatigue had been washed out. I didn''t feel tired from the journey whatsoever. Is it because I used my ability at such intensity that I felt fatigued? It checks out I guess, energy of Consciousness huh. So if I happen to completely drain it while using my abilities, will I be knocked unconscious? He made a mental note of this point and headed towards the living room of their booked apartment. The two women were already present, chatting softly when their eyes caught Eryndor leaving his room. "As always, it''s Drakarion who is late again." Paulina giggled while speaking, glancing at Valentina before continuing. "Alright, I won the bet. You owe me a meal." Valentina had a helpless smile on her face while agreeing to it. They waited for a while before Drakarion finally joined them. "So? How are we proceeding?" Eryndor looked around before posing a question. "We''ll need information." Valentina replied, to which Paulina added. "We''ll need to gather information from all the residents of the town first to have an estimate of exactly how many animals were infected." "Alright, information first then. But we can directly head towards the town''s mayor for information. "We can ask him to notify every member of the town to upload the number of infected animals they''ve seen, preferably with a proof. "I''ll make a basic form where they can upload the data and a document which will record all of it." Eryndor added his own points. He worked in the IT department before he awakened, so this was just one of the many small skills he had. "What next?" Drakarion asked while eating from his bag of chips. "Then we will first target infected animals which are likely to stay alone. "My name is John Altreck. I was informed of your visit. Is there any way I can be of any help to you?" "We''ll need your urgent help regarding information about the infected animals." Eryndor explained to him about what he expected of the Mayor, and he was very open to coordination if it helped the town. He promised to send patrols all over the town to inform people to fill up the form at the earliest. Eryndor was tempted to use cognitive scrying as the matter of the mayor''s opposition dying and falling sick were too suspicious, but ultimately abided by his principles. He had recently been pondering over the issue, and had a rather far fetched guess. He knew that he awakened when he genuinely doubted his identity as a human for the first time. He might very well be an Eldritch Entity before he was sealed, but he had no memories of it. Eryndor therefore had very little attachment to his life before being sealed. If anything, he was simply curious about his past, a few important specifics such as who sealed him, and a hunger to unlock the power locked away within him. The hunger for power was related to protecting his and his closed ones'' lives rather than a selfish desire. A part of what made him human were his memories, emotions, principles and morals. If he let go of his principles, it might be a threat to his identity. Uncontrollable changes might take place. What if he lost all memories if the seal completely broke apart? Reverting him to his Eldritch form? He would be destroying the Earth where his parents and friends lived. He had read in several fantasy books about how truly powerful beings had no personality or a sense of identity. Just actions based on the concept they represented or embodied. What if something similar happened to him? Eryndor didn''t want to take any risks. He simply narrowed his eyes at the mayor before leaving the room. Their team would soon have information on all the infected animals along with the experience of people dealing with them by the night. Tomorrow would be the day they would set out to capture them. Eryndor was looking forward to it. Chapter 15: Mystical Artifacts Chapter 15: Mystical Artifacts In a different inn of the Kantos town, the other group was planning their mission as well. The students sat in various places in the big living room, with professor Melissa standing near the map stuck on a wall. While they were going through their plans, a brown haired student sitting on a table spoke. "How about we unlock our Mystical Artifact first? I don''t want mishaps to happen when our group is fighting against the Anomaly." The idea was clearly well received as several students agreed to it. Professor Melissa had a pensive look on her face as she thought about the proposal. There was a box kept in the center of the room. Attached to it was a circular device. It was a specially made box designed by The Human Federation to contain Mystical Artifacts. Mystical Artifacts, similar to anomalies, came in all shapes and sizes, with all kinds of abilities. If a person wanted to use them, they had to go through the side effects which came with them. Certain Mystical Artifacts were locked when a team applied to use it during a mission. It was so that no one would have to go through side effects when carrying it with them. Some of these locked Mystical Artifacts were bound by a sensor so that the box would only be unlocked when the sensor detected an anomaly nearby. There were various reasons for such an arrangement, with one of the cases being when a Mystical Artifact was hostile to all entities, with increased hostility towards anomalies. In this case it would only be appropriate for it to be unlocked in the presence of an anomaly where the Mystical Artifact would focus all its attention on the anomaly and not attack anyone else. The main difference between Mystical Artifacts and Anomalies was that the former doesn''t have consciousness, while the latter may or may not have it. There was a common saying in The Human Federation. "Have some patience, would you?" Paulina exaggeratedly raised her eyebrows and deliberately made a haughty impression before continuing. "His younger brother is in the other mission team which arrived with Professor Melissa. "His name is Rodrick Altreck." Eryndor raised an eyebrow at that as he responded with a smile. "What are the chances of this happening? That the mission professor Melissa happened to choose was one where he was involved too? A rare occurrence¡ª" He shot a look at Paulina "And rare information indeed." They talked over dinner about a few more random topics, and their life before awakening before they finally retreated to their apartment. All four of them gathered in the living room, their eyes on Eryndor as he checked the document. "There are a few more people who are left to give their inputs, the mayor was really efficient with his task I must say." "True, it would''ve taken us much more time if we individually visited the homes or asked the mayor to compile the information." Valentina remarked. Eryndor glanced at the document then at the clock. "Let''s wait a bit more so that all the people have given their input." In this age, with the Anomalies and the Eight Outer Domains running amok, the common public had long realized that it was only the Human Federation which was willing to shelter them. Therefore, when it came to important matters like dealing with the anomaly or even infected animals, the common populace took it seriously to respond to any demands of the mission teams. They had enough common sense to realize that if a mistake happened on their end, they could very well die if the mistake held back the mission team from dealing with the threat. Approximately half an hour later, all the houses situated in the Kantos town had given their inputs. It was time to check the numbers and traits of the infected animals. Chapter 16: Wrong information? Chapter 16: Wrong information? Eryndor opened up the document and gave them the number. "Well, fortunately it looks like this town didn''t rely much on farming livestock. "A few houses had cultivated chickens but they were easily dealt with by the people of the house themselves. "There are around a hundred infected animals. There isn''t an accurate number because some of the information isn''t reliable or their proof overlaps with others. "The infected animals mainly consist of dogs, cats, wild boars and a couple of bears." "Bears are bad news." Valentina spoke with a frown on her face. Eryndor similarly had a grim expression as he continued. "Yes, and on top of that, both of the bears are in the vicinity of the area which was marked red in the information package. "It is mentioned that we aren''t to intrude, and preferably not go near the red area at all." Seeing that everyone was deep in thought, he continued. "As for the abilities of the infected abilities, their physical parameters have seen an increase in all aspects. "They displayed intense aggression upon seeing any not-infected lifeform, excluding trees. Their teeth and claws transmit poison which acts upon the lungs. "They can be calmed down forcefully by waving big green leaves in front of their eyes. The aggression surfaces afterwards within five minutes of removing the leaves from in front of their eyes." Eryndor took a deep breath and kept aside his laptop, taking a piece of paper from a locker nearby and drawing a crude map on it. He then referenced the laptop and marked various spots on it. "Well, these are the spots where these infected animals are usually found. People are forced to stay indoors all the time, or carry a big leaf with them if it''s a necessity to leave the house." Paulina gave a side eye to Drakarion as she responded. "Makes sense. Even an aggressive cat or dog would be deadly enough for a person. Not everyone is like Drakarion." Drakarion took the remark in stride, smirking and lifting his head in an exaggerated gesture of arrogance. He then spoke as if it was obvious. There were no bears. All the other information was correct, with simply a minute degree of deviation in a few infected animals. But in the case of bears, even if he compromised on the range of other directions to increase it on the side of bears, he found no trace of them. Wrong information? Eryndor felt something was amiss about the whole situation. He endured the intense headache and fatigue holding back his body as he struggled to get his laptop on the bed. There are plenty of people who''ve witnessed the bear, but none of them seem to have any proof though. Normally he would have dismissed it. There was no need for proof if so many people input information about having seen the bear. Although the number couldn''t be said that it was the majority of the people of town or even half of them, it was still a lot. But why would so many people put such information? Or could it be that the bears have moved over deeper into the jungle or that I didn''t search quite thoroughly? The intense headache interfered with his ability to think logically but he was trying nonetheless. An idea finally struck him in a few seconds. He opened a new tab and searched if there was a local website for this town. If not that, he hoped to search for any kind of website or page which would have information about this town. After about a dozen minutes of searching, Eryndor finally stumbled upon pieces of information regarding the town. It was the kind of miscellaneous information not related to the mission so the Academy didn''t deem it necessary to include it in the information package. He went through the information thoroughly, making sure to also check the images with extreme detail. Finally after an hour of working hard, he gathered enough clues to form a point which was almost really the truth. All the people who talked about witnessing the bears are from the mayor''s faction. Eryndor felt genuinely confused. What was going on? Chapter 17: Uneventful first encounter Chapter 17: Uneventful first encounter Eryndor knew something was wrong when things weren''t making sense. He sat down calmly on the bed, his headache finally residing a bit. Did they do it on the orders of the mayor? But why would the mayor deliberately ask his people to send wrong information? Eryndor assumed for a moment that it was indeed the mayor who directed his people to do it. But then he had trouble thinking ''why'' would he do this? What would he get out of sending us incorrect information? And that too one which was so useless? Eryndor termed this incorrect information useless because it was about a strong infected animal which wasn''t present at the first place. If it was incorrect information about a place having a weak infected animal when in reality it had a strong infected animal, it would''ve put his group in lethal danger. At least there would be an outcome. What good would this information do though? The only thing which stood out about this was that the place of bears was close to the red area which the information package prohibited them from entering. Again, what good would that do if we never set foot in the red area though? It was still a uselessly wrong information. Eryndor thought hard about everything, recalling all the information he had including the conversation with his teammates. Aha! He finally recollected something Drakarion spoke about not long ago. He spoke about going from low risk to high risk infected animals as if it was only obvious. The rest of his teammates, including himself, had agreed back then as if it was only logical to do things that way. Why wouldn''t it be? When battling with unfamiliar opponents, everyone wished to get used to fighting by going against a weaker opponent first. By that logic, they would head towards the bears at the very end. It would most likely be the last day of their mission where they would decide to deal with the bears after capturing all the other infected animals. Eryndor''s eyes narrowed in suspicion as he arrived at this point in his train of thought. Everyone followed him, witnessing their target shortly. Eryndor gestured to them by putting a finger on his lips. Then, he directed Drakarion and Paulina to hold the limbs of the cat. Before the cat could even register what was happening, Eryndor took out a tranquilizer and swiftly administered it. Its piercing red eyes sent shivers down his spine as he watched them close gradually. Its meows turned into whispers before the cat fully calmed down. Eryndor was deep into thought as he made a note of one thing. Infected animals seemed to have their senses lowered, else there is very little probability that a cat of all animals would be oblivious to people approaching, unless it was really in deep sleep. I''ll need more data on this. "A rather uneventful first encounter I must say." Drakarion remarked as he dusted his hands. Valentina glared at him. "What? You wanted someone to die instead?" The battle fanatic young man helplessly put up his hands as he defended himself. "Nope, not that intense either, you misunderstood me. I was just looking forward to a good fight." Paulina used a two-wheeler vehicle to deliver the cat back to their inn while the three of them moved to the second location. It was also a cat, this one a bit on the grayer side of color. By the time they reached, Paulina had already returned. "Meowwww." The gray furred cat quickly pounced on the nearest person, who happened to be Eryndor. Not one to be panicked so easily, he quickly used telekinesis to subtly change its direction and avoided the jump by sidestepping. No one noticed what happened. Eryndor mentally heaved a sigh at that and turned around to continue the fight. Chapter 18: Is there a relation? Chapter 18: Is there a relation? As everyone focused on the battle, Eryndor carefully hid the contact card plenty of meters away below a few plants through his telekinesis. I can''t afford to extend my range drastically to move the contact card elsewhere, bringing it along with us is the only option. Eryndor had to make a point to the blue haired senior who could sense the location of the card that they were indeed hunting the infected beasts. As he thought of that, something suddenly clicked in him, but this wasn''t the time to ponder over things so he shelved the thought aside. Drakarion took the opportunity to kick the cat before giving it any time to stabilize itself. The expected moment of the cat shooting off to crash into a tree didn''t take place considering the force Drakarion put into his kick. It only slightly pushed back the cat. The kick only served to further infuriate the infected animal as claws emerged from within its paws. The claws shined with ominous purple lustre even amidst the jungle, showcasing its sharpness. "Uh oh." Eryndor softly exclaimed. The fight''s difficulty just went up by a notch. Drakarion positioned himself between the cat and the group, eager to protect his teammates and also to have the fight to himself. The cat lunged once again. Drakarion had a better response than Eryndor in that he slightly swerved to dodge the claws and launched a heavy punch at its head. The punch landed right below its ear, emitting a heavy sound. Everyone saw the cat''s head snap to the side as it fell on the ground a few distance away due to momentum of its own earlier lunge. "Do we already have the first casualty?" Valentina spoke while glancing at Drakarion. As if to answer their question, the cat stood up once again. But they could see that it was swaying on its feet, no longer able to even walk perfectly. It still had the aggression in its demeanor but it was as if its body wasn''t listening to its command. Clearly, the rest of the teammates thought the same as both Drakarion and Valentina praised her about it. Paulina smiled wryly, but didn''t offer any explanation. Eryndor fell back into thought. So it''s not the blue haired senior after all. Then there is no connection between the location sensing and our team being fed information to head towards the vicinity of the red area? Eryndor felt as if a layer of fog was surrounding all the events. What was the missing link? He heaved a deep sigh and decided to get a quick nap before trying to do a Cognitive Scrying on the blue haired senior. Using Telekinesis on the contact card the entire day had left him feeling pretty tired with a slight headache. It seems I made a good choice by using Telekinesis at a lesser range. The drain seemed to be lesser than last night where he merely tested the limits of his range. So range drains more energy than usage? Or is it because the constant card was so light that my usage was so less? I''ll need to keep experimenting for accurate data. The four of them had a hefty dinner before retreating to their respective rooms. All the captured animals had already been stored in the Academy''s vehicle. After about an hour, Eryndor groggily woke up due to the sound of the alarm. Ah yes, I was supposed to wake up. He didn''t feel tired anymore, nor was there any sign of headache. With a focused mind, he sat up and tapped into his ability. This time he would be using Cognitive Scrying to extend his range and tap into the blue haired senior''s mind. Since both the abilities were at ''Active'' rank, Eryndor hoped this one had an impressive range as well, else his future actions would be quite constrained. As he activated the ability, his vision switched to that of the familiar third person view of his room. Chapter 19: Extraordinary Origins Chapter 19: Extraordinary Origins Eryndor immediately went to work, focusing on extending his view beyond the normal range. Withstanding the feeling of drain, he only increased the range in the inner part of the town. He had seen them walking in that direction the other day. His vision passed over the numerous buildings and a few people who were still loitering out in the chilly night before finally spotting an inn. Eryndor checked all the rooms, but didn''t find the blue haired senior. It''s not this one. He moved over to two other inns before he found the senior in the fourth inn. The entire group was in different apartments, with professor Melissa having one full apartment entirely to herself. He focused on ''Cognitive Scrying'' while gazing at the blue haired senior. Instantly, just like the previous times when he used this ability, his consciousness was transported into a dark place. There were multiple light balls floating around, Eryndor could choose what memory he wanted to read. He could think of commands like ''recent memory'', ''important memory'', ''sad memory'' and many more types. With a little more focus, Eryndor could also do things such as picking a word and filtering it through the memory. He immediately thought of the recent memories and came across his memories starting from a few days ago. He fast-forwarded through most of them, getting to know how Rodrick Altreck looked in the process. From the looks of his memory, it seemed the two were friends. The blue haired senior''s name was Jeremy. Eryndor put a halt on the fast-forwarding scenes when the group meeting came up in the memories. Unlike watching a movie, Cognitive Scrying could enable a person to read a large amount of memory in a few seconds. Shortly after, Eryndor already knew what had happened in the planning session. This time, he went back in time in his memories and only left after finding what he suspected. Returning to the view of his own body, Eryndor massaged his head due to the increasingly severe headache he was experiencing. But the discovery he just made left him feeling unsettled. The period of blankness had appeared in Jeremy''s memories once in the past before. It was just after he told Rodrick about his ability when they were preparing for a test. Eryndor could feel his rising heartbeat as a layer of fog was cleared away. So there is indeed a connection between the location sensor from Jeremy and the information pointing towards the red area from the Mayor. Rodrick is the connecting point. Eryndor thought for a long time before opening the group chat of his teammates and sending a message. "Does anyone know what causes blank space in a memory? And no, the target still has recollection of what took place due to the fact that the memory which belongs in the blank area overlapped with the memory in the part next to blank space." It was a far fetched attempt but he was willing to try anything. From the looks of it, all three of his roommates were trained quite professionally. There was a faint possibility that they might have extraordinary origins, a suspicion Eryndor had harbored for some time. He had first entertained the thought when Drakarion effortlessly overpowered students who had been training at the Academy far longer than him, utilizing its resources to their full extent. Likewise, Paulina not only had a clear concept for her own spell model but also seemed familiar with the Academy''s spell model archives¡ªparticularly the one she had been eyeing as her target to acquire. And lastly, Valentina had already sensed her internal energy and contracted a beast before even joining the Academy, not to mention she had one more in reserve. Both of her beasts had passed the Academy''s verification. Despite having suspicions, Eryndor had always been tactful about it, never posing a question to them. He would only discuss it if they breached the topic themselves. Now, when he had already explored nearly everything, asking his roommates seemed to be a viable choice for further clarity on the situation at hand. Chapter 20: Mind Control Chapter 20: Mind Control Eryndor gazed at the group chat, and immediately saw Paulina typing. After a few seconds she sent a reply. "That''s traces of being mind controlled. One done by a newbie mind you. "That blank space is caused due to the person directly mind controlling the victim. "Since it was them who was controlling the body of the victim in that period, the memory of that time frame is blank. "But to not alert the victim, making them realize that there is a gap in their memory, the mind controllers send their own memory of controlling the victim''s body immediately into their brain so the victims have a recollection of that event and there is no gap in their memory. "Professional mind controllers will ensure that the memory they send back will fill up the blank space, not overlap it with the next part." There was another message from Drakarion just below it. "Another subtle way to check if the person was mind controlled is to go through the emotions and thought process. "The period when they were mind controlled will often have a thought process and emotions which deviates from the victim''s inherent thought process and emotions regarding the event. "For example, suppose that the victim is an animal lover, with emotions of pity, sympathy and helplessness arising when they watch an animal cruelty video. "But if there is a period of time when the associated emotion with animal cruelty is pleasure, and excitement, then you know something is wrong. "Again, a professional mind controller will ensure all the thought processes, decision making and emotions are exactly like the victim''s inherent ones." Eryndor roughly understood the gist of it. It seemed he was indeed correct, both Drakarion and Paulina had plenty of knowledge. Eryndor didn''t have any clue if the above knowledge was available in the library. Therefore he couldn''t deduce if they got their information from the library or somewhere else, so he only noted this point mentally. Just like how he maintained tact about them, the two of his teammates also didn''t ask why he needed the information this late at night or how he got his hands on such information. With those thoughts out of his head, Eryndor''s heart turned cold when he realized the current situation. Rodrick mind controlled Jeremy to use his ability and give us the contact card. There was also a piece of good news, Drakarion seemed to have finally sensed his Internal Energy, boosting his prowess to new heights. To start his Martial Arts journey however, he would still need the resources to refine his physique, stepping into the first realm of Iron Body. When he laid down on his bed that night, Eryndor eventually decided to perform a Cognitive Scrying on Rodrick. He was the one who made the first move, so Eryndor no longer had any scruples. He simply couldn''t do it the previous night because he had already extensively used his abilities, resulting in intense fatigue and headache. Eryndor transitioned into his usual posture and activated his Cognitive Scrying. With the familiar third person view, he began extending his range towards the inn where the other group was living. After arriving there, he began scanning the faces of everyone there, searching for Rodrick who should be sleeping amongst them. Huh? There was no sign of Rodrick anywhere in the inn. Where did he go? Eryndor had no idea where Rodrick had gone. If he blindly extended his range to cover the entire town, he would once again experience the intense exhaustion and crippling headache similar to that day. Not to mention he would also no longer be able to further use Cognitive Scrying on Rodrick. He couldn''t imagine the pain if he pressed on with his ability after extending his range to cover the entire town. After a bit of hesitation, he decided to go through Jeremy''s memories. Although he was a victim to Rodrick''s mind control, he knew through his memories that he used his ability to corner newbies when they were alone and extort their credits along with the rest of his friends. Even though he felt mildly confused why he gave them his contact card with his ability during the mission with professor Melissa nearby, he had still anyway planned to take his group and threaten them if they kept the contact card on them till they returned to the Academy. Soon, Eryndor knew from his memory that Rodrick had taken permission to spend the night at his older brother''s residence. It''s time to go to the Mayor''s house. Chapter 21: Rodrick’s path Chapter 21: Rodrick''s path Eryndor controlled his range and headed towards the Mayor''s house. Through Jeremy''s memory, he already knew where he resided so it didn''t take long to find it. It was a rather magnificent mansion which contrasted sharply with the majority of the houses in the Kantos town. Politicians, all the same. He inwardly sighed but continued nonetheless. He scanned all the rooms, but was startled to discover Rodrick wasn''t present here as well. Might as well search the Mayor''s memories. Eryndor descended and looked at the sleeping mayor, with a thought, his Cognitive Scrying was activated. It took only about a few seconds to scan through the memories of the past few days. It turned out that when they visited the Mayor that day, the person had called his younger brother just after they left. On the call, Rodrick instructed the Mayor to feed their group of four wrong pieces of information. So it is confirmed, it was indeed Rodrick who indirectly fed us wrong information, and also the one who put the location tracker on us. Eryndor didn''t know if anyone in their group had offended Rodrick or if he was plotting against them just for the sake of it. Do we look easy to bully? Eryndor had a dark expression on his face. No one liked being on the receiving end of beating. He couldn''t wait to get to the bottom of this matter so he could foil whatever plans he had. Now that the Mayor was confirmed to be an accomplice, Eryndor went deep into his memories to find out about the misfortune of his opposition in the election. Maybe he could find something? The results didn''t disappoint. John Altreck, the Mayor, had indeed asked his younger brother if there was any way to remove the opposition so his position could be more stable. Rodrick had agreed to his request at that time, and in a span of last few weeks, one of the opposition leaders died through heart attack, one went missing and one fell sick. He had planned to see if Rodrick had taken any mission near Kantos town; that was the only possibility Eryndor could think of which would allow Rodrick to remove John''s opposition. No wait. Eryndor stopped himself in time. The Mayor''s memory showed that there wasn''t even a hint of his younger brother''s shadow anywhere in the town. There is a possibility he was hiding, but why would he hide from his own older brother? Eryndor was pretty sure there were plenty of people who relied on their connections with the Human Federation and the Academy to amass wealth and power. There was no reason for Rodrick to not meet his brother if it was simply to hide from the Human Federation or the Academy. Allowing their relatives to gain power was a subtle way of the Human Federation''s compensation to keep their employees satisfied. They were after all fighting for Humanity, their relatives crawling up the political ranks or earning wealth through their connections was the least of the Federation''s concern. Could it be that Rodrick was not present at all? But then who killed the opposition? Eryndor couldn''t help but feel that the schemes laid down here were each deeper than the last. Rodrick was excellent at hiding, Eryndor couldn''t do anything about it. If nothing else worked, the last option would be to extend his range to cover the entirety of the town once again. He couldn''t do it today since he had already consumed plenty of his capacity for activation of his abilities. Eryndor took a deep breath and once again headed in Jeremy''s direction. Even though there was no information of the missions Rodrick undertook, Jeremy was Rodrick''s friend, and studied in the same class. There might be a slim possibility he knew where Rodrick went. Eryndor pushed through the fatigue and headache while he once again concentrated on Cognitive Scrying. His focus faltered for a brief second due to the headache but he quickly stabilized himself, zooming towards the inn of the other group. Without any hesitation, he once again delved into Jeremy''s memory. Chapter 22: Second stage of Qi Gathering realm Chapter 22: Second stage of Qi Gathering realm The reason he had to keep scanning his memory was because he couldn''t remember the entirety of Jeremy''s life even if he only scanned the past four months. Remembering the overload of memories his brain went through when he first awakened still sent shivers down his spine. So everytime he only filtered what he wanted instead of registering each moment of the target''s life in his own memory. Within a few seconds, Eryndor locked onto the timeframe he wanted in Jeremy''s memory. A month ago, Rodrick had gone missing for a period of time. Since he didn''t tell anyone, Jeremy took a guess that Rodrick might have gone for a solo mission. The Mayor''s opposition died one by one a few weeks ago, considering that Rodrick went missing a month ago, there''s a high probability that he left the Academy for this task. But if he didn''t personally enter the town how did they die? Eryndor knew that mages didn''t have such a high range in the early stages. Jeremy was in the Academy the entire time Rodrick was out removing opposition leaders for his older brother. So he couldn''t have mind controlled Jeremy to carry out the task. If he had a person under him who followed his orders, Rodrick wouldn''t have to leave the Academy. He could''ve just ordered the person to carry out the task while staying in the Academy. That left only one option. Eryndor''s heartbeat sped up just thinking about it. Rodrick might have another person under his mind control. Eryndor wasn''t arrogant enough to think he had considered all the possibilities but the one he thought about had far higher chances of being the correct one. Just as he thought about it, another question soon popped up. Why didn''t he kill the people himself but mind controlled someone to do it? Eryndor couldn''t make sense of this point. As soon as he completed a round, he could sense that the amount of Qi in his meridians had increased. He repeated the procedure, this time controlling a larger amount of Qi to move through the circuit. The amount of Qi one could control to move through the circuit was directly proportional to the amount of Qi they gained after completing one round. But one had to make sure they were controlling only how much they could handle. If they mistakenly sent their Qi in a meridian which was not a part of the circuit or lost control of some Qi during moving it through the circuit, the cultivator would suffer serious backlash. Eryndor only controlled how much he was confident of handling and continued cycling his Qi. Finally, after a certain point, all the Qi in his meridians began boiling. Imaginary warmth spread through his body, giving him an almost lifelike illusion of being submerged in warm water. Suddenly, the sound of a glass breaking rang in his ears as all the warmth disappeared. Clenching his hands, Eryndor controlled his Qi to form on his fists. Within a moment, a silver sheen coated his fists, giving Eryndor a sense of power contained in them. Good, stage two of Qi Gathering realms allows me to manifest my Qi on the surface of my body. Stage one is merely the entry level. I''ll now have more means to protect myself and deal more damage. Having completed his cultivation session, he laid back down on the bed and opened the group chat again. After a moment of thought, he asked another question which was bugging him a few minutes ago. "Is there a situation where one absolutely has to kill someone?" It was Drakarion who replied this time. "It''s not yet confirmed by the Human Federation but killing is absolutely necessary for these beings to survive. A feeling of dread welled up inside Eryndor as he had a faint guess as to what it might be, and indeed, Drakarion''s next message confirmed it. "Anomalies." Chapter 23: First fight Chapter 23: First fight Eryndor grabbed his hair due to frustration of not being able to think of any other possibility. The possibility that Rodrick might have mind controlled an anomaly was too scary. Should I tell other people? Perhaps. That was the only choice left. He decided he would tell his teammates first. As for why he couldn''t just leave all of it aside? He already knew how Rodrick wanted them to head towards the fake bear area. Eryndor could choose to avoid it, as their mission would be completed without heading there. But he didn''t feel like leaving it here. Since he already knew about how Rodrick was trying to drag them deep into some scheme of his, it would leave a bad taste in Eryndor''s mouth if he just let him be. It was also not as if Rodrick was an unsurpassable existence in the face of whom Eryndor could only run. No, with denial of his human identity and an almost certain guess that he was an Eldritch Entity came pride, with it came ego, with it came confidence which was only boosted by his various abilities. Rodrick would pay a steep price. Eryndor had to continue gathering information and strategize how he could change the situation. He slept with restlessness that night, his subconscious brain still trying to come up with solutions. ***** "I have something important to tell you guys." Eryndor spoke in a rather serious tone, his voice cutting through the idle chit-chat his group was having. "There were problems with the blue haired guy who shared us his contact card." Eryndor went on to tell them the result of his findings without exposing any of his abilities. They were free to interpret it anyhow they deemed fit. There was a stark silence on the table as the three of them stared at each other, stunned at the revelation Eryndor had given them. "You sure Rodrick is behind all of this?" Valentina asked. "Huh? Don''t lie, you simply wanted a reason to contact professor Melissa is it not so?" Drakarion grinned. Eryndor helplessly raised both his hands and replied. "Don''t keep accusing me or I''ll beat you black and blue someday. "You can contact her instead. I don''t mind." The rest of them laughed at that, with Drakarion not taking the joke to heart. He simply shook his head while replying. "Don''t worry, I have no interest in these things. Contact her yourself." Eryndor smiled, but told them he would still need to wait a few days for more evidence. Eryndor could feel the shift in atmosphere as they talked about other things over breakfast. It was only a tiny bit more serious. He wasn''t sure if it was because they had confidence in themselves or had a reliance he wasn''t aware of. He simply shrugged. After breakfast, the four of them headed towards the outer parts of the town once again, carrying big green leaves on them. Today they would be fighting infected dogs the entire time as all the infected cats had been captured. So far there wasn''t a single casualty on the side of infected animals. It helped that the storage compartment of the vehicle of the Academy was inscribed with healing spells. They walked leisurely, having already settled on a schedule and how many infected animals to capture. There was no hurry. When they finally reached the location of one such infected dog, Eryndor once again activated his ability. One, to more easily locate their target, and second, to keep manipulating the contact card. After a couple minutes he had already found their first target. Handing the assortment of equipment on him which included safety pills, antidotes, tranquilizers and a few other stuff to Valentina, he walked ahead. Putting a hand on Drakarion''s shoulder, he stated. "Let me handle this one." Chapter 24: Letting off steam Chapter 24: Letting off steam Eryndor was itching to have a good fight ever since he broke through to Qi Gathering stage two last night. With renewed defenses in the form of Qi film over his skin, he had better guarantee of keeping himself safe. His Qi film didn''t have extremely high defense, but a test last night proved that it could still block a casual blow from a kitchen knife. Of course, his Eldritch abilities were his strongest trump cards but he preferred not to expose them. He put on combat gloves and approached the dog who had begun growling at him. This one seems to have been infected at a lesser scale. They had come across multiple such specimens already. An infected animal showed immense aggression to any and all kinds of living beings excluding trees, but some who were infected at a lesser scale displayed a comparatively lower aggression, although still high for their species. As soon as he crossed a certain range, the dog immediately pounced on his legs. Anticipating the movement, Eryndor quickly imbued his leg with Qi. This was the second application of Qi he found while experimenting with it last night. Any part of the body where Qi was imbued would amplify in all physical parameters. Instead of dodging, Eryndor swung his leg at the incoming dog. He took care to watch out for its incoming paw while aiming at its head. A blunt sound resounded as his enhanced leg hit the similarly enhanced head of the infected dog. Eryndor quickly followed up with another kick when the dog fell just beside his other leg due to its initial momentum. The infected animal was stunned from the hit. Trying to get rid of dizziness, it shook its head violently, resulting in its failure of dodging the kick. Thud. A heavy sound resounded as Eryndor''s leg hit its jaw, smashing its teeth together, sending another intense jolt to its brain. Taking advantage of the gap in its reaction, Eryndor imbued Qi in his fist and swung it on its head. The force sent the infected dog right into the ground as Eryndor topped it off with a stomp on its head. Breathing hard, Eryndor released it, muttering, "Stay down." "Now now, trash talking a dog are we? What''s got into you today?" Drakarion laughed, clamping Eryndor''s shoulder as he watched the young women deal with the animal. He simply shook his head with a tired sigh. "Nothing." Eryndor guessed it was likely because he was incredibly stressed. Looking to fight was a subconscious reaction of his body to let off some steam. The last fight beautifully succeeded in that as he returned to his calm self. I need better control over my emotions. The next few battles, Eryndor had some chocolate bars while watching the bloody scenes of battle. It was worth sitting back once in a while to observe how his teammates fought. No matter how relaxed he was though, he didn''t let up on keeping an eye on his surroundings. He always alerted his teammates as soon as a creature entered their range of sights, making sure not to alert them if the beast was far away out of their range of vision even if he had seen it coming their way through his ability. The next few hours were spent capturing the dogs, after which they decided to go back to the restaurant for lunch. They had been having packed meals for lunch and snacks, returning only for dinner. But since they calculated that they had plenty of time to comfortably capture all the infected animals, they decided to go easy on themselves. As they returned to their inn to have lunch in its connected restaurant, Eryndor notified his teammates that he would be back after changing his clothes. He wanted to try wearing the Sovereign''s Cloak. Could he get new leads into the situation? Chapter 25: Powerful snakes Chapter 25: Powerful snakes Eryndor closed the door to his room and quickly focused on the ''Sovereign''s Cloak''. A moment later he felt a uniform sensation all over his upper body. The Cloak, as expected, had automatically worn itself over him, including the arms. He looked at the golden runes over his Cloak and mentally focused on hiding them. Eryndor had no idea what they signified, so he wanted to avoid catching attention. The golden runes over his Cloak and the patterns on its edges both dimmed considerably, eventually vanishing without a trace. Eryndor could feel their existence but they weren''t visible out in the open anymore. For the sake of it, he changed his clothes and held the battle suit in his other hand before going back down. The four of them moved out of the restaurant after lunch and a short break. After restocking their supplies from a local store nearby, the group headed towards the jungle once again. Probably because she was inspired by Eryndor, Valentina asked to fight the next infected dog alone. The jungle was alive with distant bird calls, but Valentin''s focus was on the infected dog which emerged from the shadows of the big tree nearby. She took a steadying breath, her enhanced physique ready for the fight. Beast Tamers obtained a relatively lower enhancement in their physique because the main focus of the power system was on the beasts they contracted with. But like any other Beast Tamer, she could still use internal energy to do basic things like protecting her body and enhancing a certain part of it. It required immense control, but she was talented enough to pull it off. The dog lunged first, its claws swiping wildly. Sarah sidestepped, her movements precise, and delivered a sharp kick to its ribs, sending it skidding. The beast recovered quickly, charging again with unusual aggression. This time, Sarah ducked low, grabbing its front leg mid-leap and twisting. The dog yelped as it hit the ground hard, but it wasn''t done yet. It snapped at her legs as it scrambled up, forcing Sarah to leap back. Being one of the strongest at realm one meant that her snakes had a high chance of continuing to be strong at realm two even after considering the consumption of potential to jump from realm one to two. Everyone is a fucking monster. Only I am normal. Eryndor didn''t feel the least bit of shame when he thought about it. He truly felt he was the only normal one here. He stood up while patting his butt and began leading his group to the next spot. This time too it was Valentina who fought the beast alone, but rather than executing a hand to hand combat, she simply used her white snake to blast the creature. It was truly a wonderful experience for Eryndor to have his mission carried by his teammates. Feels great to simply be the brain of the group and watch the tasks being executed. "Arghh, done. Last animal of the day." Eryndor exhaled heavily and jumped down from the vehicle of the Academy after placing their last captured dog of the day in the storage. With the rest of his group, they headed towards a different restaurant, eager for a delicious dinner since all they had was snacks and protein bars when they got hungry during the evening. After about two hours when it was dark outside, they finally left the restaurant after having a fulfilling dinner. Eryndor walked lightly alongside Paulina, with Drakarion and Valentina walking ahead. They were all discussing some random topic. As he walked, Eryndor spotted a small stone on his path. Instantly, he felt an extreme drain on his existence, the kind he felt when activating his abilities. But no, he very clearly felt it was his Sovereign''s Cloak activating. Due to hiding the runes and patterns, no one could see that a part of them was actually glowing. Eryndor didn''t know what those particular glowing runes meant, but to not alert anyone, he acted nonchalant. He kicked the stone, watching it roll while talking with his group, all the while keeping a watch around himself. Turns out, he had underestimated the drain. It quickly got so intense that a slight headache began assaulting his mind and a feeling of fatigue began creeping in. His Sovereign''s Cloak suddenly disappeared out of existence, as if it finally couldn''t hold on. Chapter 26: Thermometer Chapter 26: Thermometer Paulina who just turned to ask him something tilted her head. "Didn''t you have your cloak on you?" Eryndor didn''t display anything on his face. With an expression of genuine shock as if he just remembered, he replied in a hurry and ran back to the restaurant. "Oh yes! I forgot it in the restaurant. I''ll go get it back." Eryndor didn''t know if it worked, but from what he had observed so far, Paulina had the highest senses in the group and possessed a scary memory to go along with her acute observation skills. She remembered the slightest details about everything and was incredibly attentive about her surroundings. He once guessed that this trait of her might partly be the reason she always replied first in the group chat. Eryndor didn''t know if he had fooled her, but he could use the excuse of the dark surroundings at night time and the black color of his collared t-shirt to proclaim she might have seen incorrectly if she brought it up later. He ran over to the restaurant and quickly left from the other entrance. Arriving at a secluded spot, he focused on having the Sovereign''s Cloak appear once again, all the while thinking of what happened just now, and why the Sovereign''s Cloak disappeared out of existence. Some invisible intangible attack might have been used on me, the Sovereign''s Cloak somehow saved me. Eryndor''s eyes narrowed as he remembered a piece of information. The altar of Sovereign''s Cloak said it was only at the Latent grade, which is level 1. Eryndor knew that the rest of his abilities, however, were at a higher grade. His Passive Regeneration was at Stable grade, which was level 2, and both Cognitive Scrying and Telekinesis were at Active grade, which should obviously be higher than level 2. Which means my capacity for energy of consciousness is enough to handle the use of an Active grade ability. No wonder I didn''t fall unconscious even if my ability was used to its maximum capacity. Eryndor had a slight gist of what transpired. Once he was back alone in his room, he quickly examined the box closely while cross checking with his memory. Alright, this isn''t the box used to store the Mystical Artifact of professor Melissa''s group. With his mind at ease, he opened the box. As was the case with every first aid box, inside were an assortment of equipment and items used for a quick fix or a stop gap measure until real treatment. He took out each one of them and carefully scrutinized it. All the medicines and equipment were in their original containers and fully sealed. Keeping them aside, he took out the thermometer which the kid had made himself. It was round shaped, its glassy surface painted on opposite ends such that an empty strip was visible in the between. There were a few markings and words which he couldn''t make sense of below the empty strip of glass. Attached to the circular thermometer was a small handle ending in a metal tip which was a standard for thermometers. As soon as he took in the entire structure of the thermometer, his eyes narrowed, a faint suspicion in his mind that it resembled something. A moment later his pupils widened after he went through his memory. Eryndor placed the thermometer down on the floor and brought a knife from the kitchen. Holding it tightly, he began scraping the sides of the thermometer. Slowly, the paint began wearing off, exposing a similarly glassy surface with more markings and words. He stabbed the knife into the handle hard, easily pulling off the entire handle. It was a fake made of cardboard, with nothing inside the handle. There was simply a small, but thick rope attached to the circular equipment which the handle had covered, or you could say, hidden away. Eryndor held the unfamiliar equipment under lamp light and gradually became certain of his guess. He carefully examined the markings and the small words which still didn''t make any sense to him. If I didn''t know it wasn''t a thermometer I might have really passed off these markings and words as a childish attempt at making one. He took a deep breath and slowly whispered while keeping his eyes trained on the equipment. Why the fuck did that kid give us an anomaly sensor? Chapter 27: Things coming to light Chapter 27: Things coming to light Was it the kid at all? Did someone else put it there? Who could it be? Unsurprisingly, a single name popped up in his mind. Rodrick Eryndor''s eyes narrowed. Why would you send us the sensor? Eryndor examined the cut off rope attached to the sensor and realized it wasn''t the one which professor Melissa had but one which was attached to the box containing the Mystical Artifact. He had seen it in the memory of Jeremy. It was one of the few instances which he bothered to remember. Eryndor couldn''t make any head or tails of the situation. Why give us this sensor in the night anyway? He could''ve waited a bit. Eryndor couldn''t help but think about that point. After a few minutes he simply stood up and left the room with the anomaly sensor in hand. On the way to the living room, he knocked on his teammate''s doors. One by one, each of them peaked out of their doors, and upon seeing Eryndor''s serious expression, followed him after halting or completing whatever they were doing. When all of them had gathered, he placed the anomaly sensor on the table before them. "Can anyone recognise this?" Contrary to his expectation, no one spoke. Not even Drakarion or Paulina who he thought were knowledgeable. With a grave expression, Eryndor revealed. "It''s an anomaly sensor." Paulina and Drakarion narrowed their eyes, before the former picked up the sensor and carefully examined it. "This may be a recent model, since the anomaly sensor I know of looks different." "Same." Drakarion agreed with Paulina. Eryndor hesitated, and went through his memory once again. A moment later he confirmed that it was indeed an anomaly sensor. "How do you have it?" Valentina asked. Eryndor shot her a playful smile. "Guess." They could always try a new point of view if previous ones reached a dead end. "Professor Melissa will likely always be holding onto to the Mystical Artifact. No way she is letting anyone near it. How will Rodrick get it?" "If professor Melissa is no more." Paulina whispered. Each of them fell into silence. No matter how unlikely, this seemed to be the truth. Rodrick only had a chance of getting the Mystical Artifact if something happened to professor Melissa. "But how will anything even happen to professor Melissa? "I am pretty sure professor Melissa is experienced enough as it is plus the Academy wouldn''t allow students on a mission they weren''t sure of succeeding." Valentina reasoned. Eryndor questioned back. "What if there was an element they didn''t consider?" Eryndor reminded them about his guess of an Anomaly being the second mind controlled existence under Rodrick after Jeremy. The gears in their mind turned as Paulina was the first to lay it out. "Sooooo, they fight an anomaly, but another anomaly under Rodrick''s command joins the fray. "The situation goes south, due to Rodrick''s targeted planning, something happens to professor Melissa and the rest of the group. "Rodrick acquires the Mystical Artifact. Anddd done? What next?" The group fell into silence, each of them thinking hard. Something clicked in Eryndor''s mind after a minute as he spoke. "What if there was mutual destruction? The team and anomaly both destroy each other, of course, with Rodrick''s Anomaly''s intervention that is. "Rodrick takes care of the remaining few people if at all some escape death by chance. "He takes the Mystical Artifact and stores it in the original box which is made to deal with the majority of the influence of anomaly, which means it can also defend against external tracking to an extent. "And then, he''ll take another box which professor Melissa should likely have, which should be given to her by the Academy to contain the anomaly, and throw it at us when we reach that area. "Do you realize what this implies? "It means we are agents of the Eight Outer Domains who brought some one time use Mystical Artifact and tracked the other team through this sensor in our hand. "Then we unleashed it as soon as we got near, causing the demise of the mission team. "Rodrick gets the Mystical Artifact which he''ll hide somewhere and also would have made an achievement by apprehending us." Chapter 28: Entire plan laid out Chapter 28: Entire plan laid out Eryndor looked at everyone with a serious expression. "I know all of you are powerful, but can we deal with a senior? He is a proper Mage, the profession which never fights without preparation, and also has the ability of mind control." Eryndor could try to attack with his telekinesis but if Rodrick had a strong enough shield he wouldn''t be able to deal with it no matter how sharp or heavy the object he controlled was. He couldn''t hold Rodrick through telekinesis high up in the sky and then drop him, expecting him to turn into a meat paste. He had already experimented with the infected animals. It took an extremely high amount of energy of Consciousness to control something with consciousness. And it only increased if the person or beast in question was powerful. Controlling Rodrick who was a genuine mage was nearly impossible. Considering his Telekinesis was at Active grade which had a high probability of being level 3, he had an inkling that he might need to nearly drain himself dry to control Rodrick to that extent. No one answered him. Even Drakarion kept quiet when he heard that Rodrick was actually a learned mage. Eryndor was partly confused when he saw Drakarion''s reaction, shouldn''t he express some intent to fight? Was he the rational kind of battle maniac? Drakarion smiled wryly when he saw Eryndor looking at him weirdly. With an awkward laugh he explained. "My dad is a Mage." Everyone raised their eyebrows at that, no wonder having assumed that his dad would be a Martial Artist given how Drakarion was trained so professionally from childhood. If his dad was a Mage, it made sense why Drakarion would take Mages seriously. Although it was surprising, everyone''s attention soon returned to the matter at hand. "Wait wait." Paulina raised a finger with a frown, then spoke with a confident tone. "Both the boxes actually have the same property. "The one which is used to store the Mystical Artifacts and the one which is used to contain the anomalies are made the same way. Let''s call the former box 1 and the latter box 2 for convenience. "There are also two sensors, both of which can sense anomalies all the same. The only difference is one is connected to box 1. Let''s call this one sensor 1. Sensor 1 also has the function to unlock box 1 after sensing an anomaly. "Anyway, keeping that aside. The Anomaly is most probably not completely submissive yet. "And mind controllers use a very common technique when they encounter such situations of resistance. "Classical conditioning. "Use a hand gesture or any unique signal, fiercely use mind control ability to dominate the mind for a short period of time such that any resistance is futile, then give it a reward. "Over time, the resistance of the mind decreases after the hand gesture, as it associates it to a reward." Paulina once again extended her hand in Eryndor''s direction before continuing. "According to him, Rodrick used his anomaly to kill the opposition of the Mayor. And all anomalies have a compulsory need for killing living beings. "Those opposition party leaders were the rewards. "Are things coming together for everyone? "We just need one chance. Just one chance to witness the hand gesture. "As long as we know the hand gesture, we can perform it and do something else. Like hit the Anomaly or something. Anything which invokes resistance from it. "It will break the psychological conditioning. It will break or, worse, reset Rodrick''s mind control over the Anomaly. "We can tell this to professor Melissa. "As long as Rodrick performs any kind of weird moment, following which a new Anomaly attacks or things start going south, professor Melissa would know it was Rodrick''s work. "It is already proof enough, plus using this she can also disrupt Rodrick''s control on Anomaly, making it free. This will only cement the proof. "Since Anomalies are chaotic beings, there is a chance that they might fight among themselves rather than teaming up, which means the team could be saved." "This will put Rodrick in deep shit." Paulina panted heavily as she stopped talking. Everyone looked at her speechlessly before Eryndor spoke out their collective feelings. "You are fucking brilliant, Paulina." Chapter 29: Alerting The Human Federation Chapter 29: Alerting The Human Federation Paulina smiled and humbly replied . "I didn''t do much, just connected the dots which Eryndor already made an effort to find out. "The appreciation should be credited to him for being cautious and finding out so many hidden things, else we would''ve fallen into a trap without knowing anything at all." Eryndor simply shrugged while smiling. "I mean, thanks. But don''t underestimate yourself, if it was just putting two and two together, I am pretty sure even Drakarion would''ve done it." Drakarion, who had taken out a packet of chips from who knows where, tilted his head to Eryndor. "Looking for a beating are you? I''ll hit you with this pack of chips." Although his mouth was full of chips, everyone still heard his reply. After a good laugh, Eryndor brought out his laptop and immediately pulled up the Academy''s website. He cross checked the number he had saved earlier with the one displayed on professor Melissa''s profile just in case. Seeing that the number was correct, he called professor Melissa and put it on speaker. Everyone watched with bated breaths as the call began ringing. First ring... Second ring... Third ring... Their anxiety kept rising until the last ring, when it was finally picked up. "Hello, Professor Melissa is currently unavailable, how can I assist you?" What greeted their ears wasn''t the professor''s voice but a male voice with professionalism evident in his tone. Eryndor''s first thought was if the Academy disallowed private communications during missions but that was clearly not the case. He could exchange small messages with his friends and parents just fine the past few days. After a moment of thought, he replied. "I wanted to relay some information to Professor Melissa personally, is it possible? It''s extremely urgent." After a bit of consideration, he replied. "Considering that you''re the Academy''s student I''ll relay the information to the verification team. "As much as I hope the information is just a false alarm, I hope you can do your utmost to help from your side if the Federation demands it in the situation that your information turns out to be correct." After a pause he added. "Professor Melissa is my younger sister." The call immediately ended after that. The four of them looked at each other in silence, unsure of what to do now. "Let''s just sleep." Drakarion got up while crumbling the empty packet of chips in his hands. "Don''t put your phones on silent, gotta pick them up in case the Academy contacts us. I reckon it will be an important day tomorrow." Indeed, there''s nothing else left for us to do. Eryndor thought. He too stood up, echoing Drakarion''s statement as he added. "True, get some rest. It''s already too late." The team dispersed into their own rooms after bidding goodbyes. Sitting cross legged on his bed, Eryndor began his daily round of cultivation. He controlled a certain amount of Qi and began circulating it in the circuit mentioned in the practice technique. For the first time in a while, Eryndor felt better in terms of stress. It felt like a heavy load had been lifted off his heart when the complete plot was revealed and The Human Federation was alerted. The fire in his heart to get back at Rodrick was still there but he also realized this was a better option than confronting him personally or even with his team. As mentioned earlier, Rodrick was a Mage who had been treading that path for far longer than even the combined time of all four of their paths, plus an anomaly to boost his prowess. The method Paulina spoke about would only free the Anomaly, with no guarantee of who it might attack next, making their survival an uncertainty. Not to mention it was unlikely they could''ve defeated Rodrick even if he didn''t bring out the Anomaly. Eryndor heaved a sigh, removing those thoughts from his head and focusing his attention back on cultivation. Chapter 30: Increased size of the Orbs Chapter 30: Increased size of the Orbs Eryndor embraced the feeling of growing stronger with relish no matter how small the increment was. With each cycle of Qi he completed, he absorbed more Qi into his meridians, increasing the total reserves of his Qi. This became the maximum amount of Qi he could store. Suppose he used Qi in a battle or while doing some task. He could concentrate on how the Qi in his body felt and focus on absorbing those particles from the environment. This absorption would allow his Qi reserves to be replenished but it won''t go above the maximum amount reached during the circulation of Qi. Eryndor wished he could put these Qi in a particle accelerator and cycle them through his circuit of meridians thousands of times in a second. He wondered if he would immediately break through from the Qi Gathering realm to the Qi Condensation stage if that happened. He shook his head to snap out from his whimsical thoughts and continued cycling his Qi. With his head no longer occupied by immense stress, he found himself being able to control larger amounts of Qi, boosting his practice speed by a significant amount. By the end of his session, he felt like he had solidated his stage two Qi Gathering realm cultivation. Instead of sleeping though, Eryndor continued sitting cross legged with eyes closed and focused on his Mind Palace. After a moment, he appeared inside the vast hall of the Mind Palace. As soon as his eyes laid sight upon the three orbs in the middle of the room floating above their altars, he was shocked. The sizes of these orbs are different. How? Eryndor very clearly remembered that when he first arrived here, all three black orbs were of the same size. Looking at it now, the orb of Passive Regeneration had maintained the same size, while Cognitive Scrying had grown bigger than it. The orb of Telekinesis was larger than both, giving Eryndor clues as to what might have caused such a change. Is it that usage determines their strength? Eryndor knew that he had used Telekinesis the most, followed by Cognitive Scrying and lastly Passive Regeneration which had been of limited help. Frankly speaking, he wasn''t interested in the idea of deliberately hurting himself to make his Passive Regeneration grow but it would be difficult otherwise. As much as he would have loved to try out his conjecture, Eryndor had zero knowledge in what these runes meant. He made a note to ask his group about this later. It may turn out to be crucial information about what abilities the Anomaly under Rodrick''s control had. Just as he was about to turn around, he narrowed his eyes at the Sovereign''s Cloak. Nope, the size still looks the same. Are the conditions for its upgrade different or is it that I just haven''t used it enough? Another note to add to my memory. Eryndor left the room after finding no useful information. Out of curiosity, he approached the second door and tried opening it. Of course, it didn''t open. Without any disappointment, he retreated from the door and focused about going back to his body. Once back in his body, Eryndor yawned loudly, and stretched, feeling extremely light as he went to sleep. ***** In another corner of the town, the other team led by professor Melissa was waiting near the jungle instead of sleeping comfortably at their inn. Each of them recognised it was part of the process for capturing the Anomaly but it still wasn''t something they could get used to. Every single anomaly had a different method in which they can be targeted and sealed, making it difficult for a person to adapt to anything as the requirements kept changing. Melissa turned around, scanning her group of students before setting her sights on one. "Is there any update from Rodrick? He was supposed to meet us here." The student checked her phone, then replied. "No professor. He hasn''t even seen the message, nor is he picking up my calls." Professor Melissa narrowed her eyes as she heard the report. Why is Rodrick not here yet? What is he up to? Chapter 31: Deity of Cheese Chapter 31: Deity of Cheese The Human Federation hadn''t yet contacted professor Melissa as they still hadn''t verified the information. So the red haired professor had no idea about the plot laid out by her student Rodrick. She was simply annoyed about the fact that he hadn''t yet arrived. A few days ago he had asked to stay out of the reconnaissance stage of the mission as he was feeling unwell, informing her that he would join the team near the jungle when it was time to start their process of dealing with the Anomaly. Now that ten minutes had passed since the meeting time, he still wasn''t present, nor could anyone contact him. Just ten more minutes, else he will be punished according to the rules. Just as the tenth minute was about to pass by, everyone saw a figure approaching. "Finally here huh?" Professor Melissa spoke, her voice expressing disapproval. No matter what, Rodrick wouldn''t be getting the complete rewards of the mission. Rodrick''s expression was unnatural and he kept trying to look at his surroundings as if something would pop up to attack him anytime now. Professor Melissa furrowed her brows. "What happened?" A Mage was one of the most diverse paths as the only obstacle stopping them from making a spell model about literally anything was their knowledge regarding the subject. If Rodrick had a very targeted spell model related to sensing, there was a possibility that he might be able to sense things she couldn''t. Rodrick turned to her and absentmindedly shook his head. "Nothing." Furrowing her brows, she dropped the topic. "Alright, everyone knows what to do, try not to make any mistakes or there''s a possibility that you might die." With that she took the lead and headed into the jungle. Rodrick entered at the end of the group, still trying to scan his surroundings with a suspicious look on his face. ***** The Dawn city was the main city of the Humanity as the headquarters of The Human Federation was built in the center of it, with numerous other structures covering it from all sides, forming a mini city of their own. In the headquarters, in a well guarded room, a certain man stood nervously, gazing at the vast screen before him. He suddenly gripped his hair, draining all his energy to drive the mental spells to the maximum limit. "Great Deity of Cheese, is the information correct?" The man panted heavily, nervousness visible on his face. Having drained all his energy, he could feel the acceleration of the invasion of thoughts about cheese. He just had to hold on for a few moments. The expressions on the screen changed several times during the span of a few moments before it finally settled on >_< , along with which the Anomaly spoke through the speaker once again. "The information hath truth." The man bowed. "Mozarella cheese." What came out instead of thank you were simply the thoughts which had occupied his mind. When he left the room, the agent waiting outside patiently asked. "Was the information true, Sir Adam?" "Cheese." The man replied with a straight face. The agent had encountered the situation several times, so he wasn''t surprised. The entire reason he had never been dismissed from this position and was made to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement was because he had witnessed the high and mighty generals and officials of the Human Federation come out corrupted by thoughts of cheese. Unfortunately only those who had reached high realms could deal with the effects. Dispelling and cleansing corruption on a person of lower realm took far more resources and time than performing it on those with higher realms, hence only the few powerful individuals of the Human Federation were authorized to deal with the Anomaly. The agent kept quiet, not willing to antagonize one of the strongest frontline commanders of The Human Federation. He quietly took out a potion made by one of their alchemists following the Cultivator path and administered it to Sir Adams. The man was adamant about not consuming anything which was not cheese but thankfully the corruption wasn''t that deep. This wasn''t even the worst case the agent had handled, so it was quickly resolved. Not willing to stay any longer, Sir Adams only informed the information was correct and left. The agent nodded without displaying any emotions and passed on the result to the Anomaly Containment department. Chapter 32: The Anomaly under Rodrick Chapter 32: The Anomaly under Rodrick "The information is true." As soon as the message was received by the Anomaly Containment department of The Human Federation, they immediately mobilized into action. A stern-looking, blonde-haired man immediately began organizing his team. Unlike Professor Melissa, who trained the Academy''s students with weak or easy to contain Anomalies, he led a team frequently assigned to handle the dangerous ones. As the team began preparing for the upcoming mission, a red-haired man approached the blonde. "I''ll be joining this mission. I want to personally see through the safety of my younger sister." Turns out he was the call operator who had talked to Eryndor earlier. "Get lost, Sander, your days are over. You no longer have the authority you previously had. You can''t force yourself into my team. "The Federation gave you the job of call operator as a pity for your past. Stay in the office, leave the field work for people who are actually capable." The red haired young man, Sander, listened to everything without retorting. In the end he added. "I don''t want anything to do with how you manage your team nor will I interfere with your containment and rescue process. "I just ask that you add my name to your team so I have the permission to leave the headquarters. I wouldn''t even utilize your team''s resources." The blonde simply sneered. "You are dreaming Sander. Go back to your little cubicle. Stop thinking it''s the past where you can throw your weight around." A hint of warning crept into Sander''s voice as he laughed lightly before speaking. "I am being polite here Colt, do you still think we''re rivals? I stopped considering that a long time ago. "I may be injured but I am sure I can still take out trash like you. Wanna have a go?" Just as the blonde man, Colt was about to flare up, warning bells rang in his mind. At a certain point Sander''s knife had already been placed on his neck. Fear flashed in Colt''s eyes as he begrudgingly agreed. No amount of preparation was enough to calm him down when it came to his younger sister. ***** In the Kantos town, Eryndor had just gone to sleep when a notification beep on his phone woke him up. He sat up straight immediately after checking out what the message was. A lot of information about Rodrick had been sent to him from the call operator who had talked to him moments ago. Apparently his name was Sander and was also included in the rescue team which was going to be dispatched. The Human Federation had confirmed the authenticity of his information and would reward their group after the matter had been taken care of. Eryndor opened his laptop and began going through the numerous information about Rodrick. His senior had apparently joined the Academy three years ago with numerous missions under his belt by now. Eryndor went through all of them starting from the beginning, ultimately finding nothing of importance. The only thing which could be gathered was that Rodrick had always displayed cautious behaviour but was willing to take the risks in the moments where the advantages of success far outweighed the disadvantages of failure. Eryndor continued going through his class history, his performance in various subjects and even his battle footage during combat sessions. I can''t fully figure out the intricate details of this battle, maybe I''ll have to ask Paulina about this since she is aiming to be a mage. She would know more details about the spells Rodrick is using. In the information he was given, there was also a section which listed all the anomaly containment missions he had taken under different professors. As Eryndor went through the details of the missions from one to another, one finally caught his eye. Not wanting to miss out on anything, he checked the rest of the missions including the details about the current anomaly containment mission headed by professor Melissa. But nothing stood out as much as the one he found earlier, at least to him. Clicking on the file of that anomaly containment mission for more details, he eagerly waited for it to load. This might be the anomaly which Rodrick is controlling. Chapter 33: Important question Chapter 33: Important question Eryndor once again read through the abilities of the Anomaly which the mission undertakers were supposed to deal with. He went through it thrice and couldn''t help but feel that things indeed fit too well. The abilities of the Anomaly were related to fortune and misfortune. Yep, it could mess with fate to a certain extent. No wonder Rodrick didn''t stay in the inn with his group anymore. Eryndor knew that it was his Cognitive Scrying of Jeremy which might have brought about a sense of misfortune in Rodrick''s fate. The young man must''ve then immediately moved out of the inn, going to his elder brother''s mansion where he felt the same sense of misfortune plaguing his fate. No wonder I couldn''t find him there as well. Rodrick likely kept switching places until he could feel the aura of misfortune fading. All he needed to do was use the Anomaly''s abilities on himself to sense his fate. As to why he didn''t bless himself with fortune? There might be a price. This also explained the time when his Sovereign''s Cloak exerted itself to the limit and disappeared. It was probably an attack of misfortune, and the Anomaly sensor was the ''misfortune'' which plagued their group. The misfortune played out in the manner that he, the paranoid cautious one, left the scene, which allowed the first aid box to be successfully received by the team. But wait, what part of it did the Sovereign''s Cloak block? Eryndor thought hard about it for a few minutes before his eyes widened. Holy shit! Eryndor remembered kicking a small rock when his energy of Consciousness began draining. No fucking wonder! It meant that the misfortune which Sovereign''s Cloak blocked was most likely him tripping on the stone and falling. It would also allow the first aid box to be more easily received. Even him being present wouldn''t be an obstacle as he would have fallen on the ground simply a moment ago, making him more receptive to the first aid box in that particular time frame. But wait, is the Sovereign''s Cloak only capable of blocking misfortune on the level of being tripped? Eryndor furrowed his brows, leaving his bed and pacing around the room. A minute later things clicked into his mind once again, an excited whisper escaped his mouth as he punched his fist into the air. "Yesss!" What was the question I had when Rodrick delivered this to us? Eryndor remembered being confused why Rodrick had chosen the night time. - Each mini-Anomaly causes damage without requiring sleep as a condition, but their destructive capacity is significantly reduced. Defend and Counterattack: - Utilize defensive abilities to block damage from the mini-Anomalies. - Combine Professor Melissa Ashford''s unique ability with the designated Mystical Artifact to deliver damage to mini-Anomalies. Reversion and Containment: - After each mini-Anomaly sustains sufficient damage, it will revert to its original form and become temporarily inactive. - At this stage, approach the Anomaly and secure it within the designated Containment Box. Additional notes: Environmental Considerations: The Anomaly has obliterated all terrain within its radius, leaving a deep pit around it. To enter the range, enter this pit and spend two nights while avoiding sleep. Ladder Formation: The Anomaly resides above a slab of unidentified material which is unaffected by its destruction. The slab also seems to be unaffected by gravity, which means it floats above the pit. To secure the Anomaly upon deactivation, operatives must form a human ladder from the pit''s base to reach the Anomaly and place it into the Containment Box. Extreme caution is advised throughout the operation to prevent collateral damage or operational failure. End of Report ***** Eryndor knew what the classification of the Anomaly meant. Unstable was the third level of Risk class. Considering that it completely annihilated targets, this was a reasonable classification. But he also wondered what kind of abilities would be classified under the last two levels of Risk class. Fray was the second level of Disruption class. It also seemed reasonable considering the Anomaly was immobile. Anchor was the first level of Containment class. This meant that the Anomaly was extremely easy to contain, which was also true given that it only needed one to not sleep and have adequate damage and defense capabilities to seal it. After he was done reading the file, Eryndor finally knew why the question was so important. Why did Rodrick send us the Anomaly sensor at night, and not anytime later? Eryndor looked outside his window at the night sky. Because they are going to start the procedure of dealing with Anomaly tonight. "This is an extremely bad situation." Eryndor whispered. It seemed that their team would need to step up instead of waiting for The Human Federation''s rescue team. Here, I am counting day and night as 12 hours each. So the period of time between two nights would be - First night (12hrs) + Second day (12hrs) + Second night (12hrs) = 36hrs. Chapter 34: One move Chapter 34: One move Since it would only take two nights for the containment procedure, it could''ve happened anytime during the one week time frame. Eryndor didn''t really know the details, but since their own mission had a deadline of one week and that the two teams arrived in this Kantos town together, he simply took one week as their deadline too, considering they''ll head back towards the academy together as well. He knew that the headquarters of the Human Federation was in the Dawn city which was several hours away even by the aerial route. Eryndor hoped the rescue team wasn''t arriving from somewhere so far away, but instead from a nearby town or city. There''s also another problem. Rodrick had probably already sensed the misfortune on him since we''ve deduced his plot. But Eryndor had gone through several packets of information related to Rodrick now. He knew that Rodrick was a cautious man, but also someone who was willing to take the risk if the benefits of success outweighed the risk of failure. Rodrick would surely join the team on their mission. The allure of a Mystical Artifact was too great to refuse. But since he had sensed the misfortune, Rodrick would act as soon as the timing was right. There was no time to wait around for the reinforcements of the Human Federation. Eryndor messaged Sander with a faint hope in his heart. "Where has the rescue team been deployed from? How much time will it approximately take to reach here?" He got a message from Sander immediately, one which made his heart sink. "From the headquarters, Dawn city. Will take a couple hours. Why?" He pondered briefly and sent all his findings, without exposing his abilities of course. Sander knew that the young man Eryndor couldn''t give proof for his speculations but from the experience just now, he figured the young man wasn''t lying. Everyone had secrets, and Sander wasn''t interested in digging too deep. On the other hand, his anxiety simply increased when he read through the message. Who knew the anomaly which was under Rodrick''s control would be one which had abilities related to fate. Before packing up the things, Eryndor sent a message to their group to start getting ready. It was time to move out. Eryndor took out the equipment given by the Academy and administered a particularly heavy dose of tranquilizing serum to a capsule and loaded it onto an injector. He repeated the process with a few more capsules, till the leftover amount was just enough for the remaining infected animals of their mission. He also loaded the pockets of his battlesuit with all the capsules of a specific type of antidote. Paulina had replied to him just a moment ago about the type of poison spell used by Rodrick in the video of his battle during combat sessions of the Academy. She also broke down all the spells learnt by him, giving him a rough idea of his combat prowess, and suffice to say, it was worrying. Rodrick had one poison spell, two offensive spells - one for close range and one for long range, one defensive spell which covered his entire body, one surveillance spell and one movement spell. All of his spells except the poison and close range offensive spell were at the peak stage of Mana Novice realm, which was the first level of the power system of Mages. His remaining two spells were at the mid stage of Mana Novice realm. After packing everything, Eryndor donned his Sovereign''s Cloak over his battle suit. It was uncomfortable, but Eryndor valued his safety over comfort. On top of that, this was the only means of defense he had against fate type Anomaly. He didn''t fear the Cloak would be damaged. He had tried once, and nothing put even the slightest of marks on it. A minute later, Eryndor stood in the living room with his battle suit packed with supplies. Since he had distributed it among the other three, the suits didn''t look bulgy. Eryndor told them the same thing he had explained to Sander, without exposing any of his abilities. The three looked surprised when they found out it was an Anomaly which dealt with misfortune and fortune. All of them were aware of how rare that attribute was even among anomalies, and acknowledged that it would indeed be difficult to go against something as abstract as fate. As they left their inns and headed towards the red area, Eryndor messaged Sander. "I hope the Human Federation has notified professor Melissa about the situation." Seeing that he didn''t get a reply immediately, Eryndor put the phone in his pocket and began leading the group towards the red area. Chapter 35: Location Superposition Chapter 35: Location Superposition It was night time, with silence reigning on the streets. Hardly anyone lingered outside in the cold, and only a few shops remained open. Eryndor led his group towards the red area at a steady jogging pace. While jogging he inched closer to Paulina and took out a piece of paper on which he had drawn the runes of his Sovereign''s Cloak. They were the ones which had been activated when the Cloak defended against misfortune. Paulina took a good look at what Eryndor had passed her. Drakarion and Valentina, drawn towards what was going on, also surrounded Paulina and took a look at the paper. Unfortunately neither of the two recognised any of it as they shook their heads after a moment. Paulina hesitated a bit before passing the paper back to Eryndor and saying. "It might be runes of misfortune." It was indeed misfortune which my Cloak defended against. Good to have certainty. Eryndor didn''t have the slightest bit of knowledge in what runes were, he only saw various designs on his Cloak and termed them as runes. It seemed that there was another thing he would have to gobble up knowledge about. As they were jogging uniformly, Paulina made a gesture of making an announcement, attracting their attention, before speaking. "I''ve stepped into the Mana Novice realm." Everyone glanced at her in surprise, before they began congratulating her. In such times of difficulties every extra boost in power was welcome no matter how small it was. Eryndor asked her, curiosity etched across his face. "Weren''t you waiting for a spell model of the Academy?" Paulina gazed at him in surprise, not expecting him to remember that. It was just said in passing after all. She explained in an excited tone. "Intent can bridge the gap between comprehension of science and making something a reality. "The commander didn''t need to know how the principles behind the spell model worked, just his absolutely monstrous intent for a single purpose made it a reality. His intent bridged the gap for his lack of comprehension. "Of course, anyone who wants to learn this spell model must know the principles behind its working to use it if their intent is inefficient." She went into thought as if to phrase her words and resumed speaking. "I won''t go into the details but I modified the spell such that now, ''the state of my existence'' is connected to the ''state of my mana'' and a few more tweaks. "I hope you guys know about the electron. It is a quantum particle that exhibits location superposition. "In simple terms, this means it doesn''t have a single, definite location but exists as a probability cloud at possible locations. "When observed or measured, this superposition collapses, and the electron is found in one specific place. "I made the spell model such that my mana will exhibit that property of the electron, and since ''my state of existence'' is connected to the ''state of my mana'', I''ll exhibit the same property regardless if the human body can do it or not." Paulina looked around, but found that only Eryndor was barely following through. Drakarion and Valentina both had dazed looks on their faces. "Chuck it, I''ll just show it." As soon as she said that, an extremely exquisite and complicated spell model in a circular shape appeared above her hand as she infused mana into it. It glowed blue in the darkness of night before Eryndor and the other two found multiple Paulinas at several places. All of them talked at once. "I exist in multiple places at the same time. Nothing can affect me since I haven''t yet collapsed into one place in reality. "Of course, my mana isn''t strong enough to stay unaffected by stronger energies exuded by higher realms. I can still be affected if a stronger mana or any other energy interferes with my spell, but within the same realm?" "I¡ª" Mid-sentence, every Paulina vanished, or you could say, collapsed into the one jogging alongside them, who continued the sentence. "Am the sole observer of my existence." Chapter 36: Copying abilities Chapter 36: Copying abilities "That was a cool as fuck line, did you rehearse it or something?" Eryndor raised his eyebrows at her. Paulina blushed but refused to say anything. Drakarion laughed raucously. Paulina smiled, and switched the topic. "I think we should tell each other our abilities so it is easier to cooperate during tense situations. "We already know about Drakarion''s ability, so it''s the three of us. I''ll start, and I hope we''re okay with it." Everyone nodded at her, approving of the idea. "I can sense vital points on anything. Whether it''s on the body or on a shield or a sword in the middle of swinging, anything. "It includes when you''re in different stances of battle, whether you''re attacking or defending, I can sense the vital points in anything and everything. "It also changes with my intent. If I want to sense weaknesses in battle, it shows me vital points for weakness. If I want to heal someone, it shows me vital points important for healing. "You get my point, it shows me vital points which are prominent for the purpose or task I have in mind." "That''s a pretty useful ability." Valentina commented. Drakarion thought deeply for a while before asking. "Did you ever use your ability in our spars?" Paulina smiled cheekily at him while replying. "Never." Wow, she is stronger than I credited her for. Eryndor inwardly thought, and reaffirmed his view of his teammates as monsters. Valentina spoke after things settled down. "Alright, I''ll go next. I can copy abilities." Everyone looked at her in astonishment. This was far bigger than surprise than anything they had come across. In all the years since the Cosmic Limit increased from 0 to 1, and now from 1 to 2, there had never ever been such a broken ability. Eryndor gazed at Paulina who was in the middle of talking to Valentina. There''s also the issue of the Sovereign''s Cloak which Paulina might be suspicious about. Eryndor had wanted to reveal one of his abilities along with Passive Regeneration which he had told the agents of The Human Federation. Since The Human Federation already knew about it, he would of course tell the same to his teammates, but as a sign of trust and to solve some doubts of theirs, he had planned to reveal one more ability. What should I do? He soon had an answer. He would reveal none of the two, but instead Cognitive Scrying. The fact that he had two abilities should temporarily suppress any doubts they had about him possessing more abilities, as it was already incredibly rare to have two. There had never been a case of more than two. Just in time, when their talks died about, Eryndor spoke. "It seems it''s my turn. My ability is Passive Regeneration and Cognitive Scrying." There was silence in the group before Drakarion asked with shock. "You have two abilities? So fucking rare and amazing. Damn it, only my ability seems useless now. I was pretty proud of it back when I awakened it. Now my ability seems like I am simply made to be a meat shield." Eryndor was more or less relieved that their focus was on the fact that he had two abilities rather than how privacy invading his Cognitive Scrying was. But he still clarified himself. "By the way, I''ve never used Cognitive Scrying on any one of you. I can''t really give any proof about it so you''ll just have to believe me. "Another thing, The Human Federation doesn''t know about my Cognitive Scrying. " Valentina beamed at him when he finished speaking. "Did we ask you about your Cognitive Scrying? Chill out, just like how you''ve decided to trust us with your ability, we trust you with our boundaries as well. "On another note, it seems this is how you gathered clues huh?" Eryndor smiled but refused to answer. He went on to tell details about this ability but drastically suppressed their capabilities. When they had finally reached the red area, a voice came from the darkness. "Are you Eryndor Noctis?" Chapter 37: Sedative gas Chapter 37: Sedative gas Everyone turned around to face a man who had been standing there, leaning against a tree. Eryndor narrowed his eyes before speaking. "That would be me. I would need your name to verify your identity." The man chuckled. Eryndor could see a strange emotion whirling in his eyes as he gazed at him. "Identity? I lost mine years ago. People call me Erin now, does that satisfy you?" Eryndor couldn''t quite put a finger on what the strange emotion was and it bothered him to no end. Chuck it. Eryndor inwardly shook his head as he gave Erin a polite smile. "Yes. Thank you for coming to help us." He then turned to his teammates and explained to them what Sander had told him. "You must truly be powerful if Sander himself asked you for help." Drakarion commended with a look that was half respect and half itching to have a battle. Sander wasn''t exactly a secret agent, anyone who researched a bit into The Human Federation would easily know about his exploits. Erin had long black hair flowing freely till his waist, black eyes which were faintly glowing even in the darkness of the woods, and a well trimmed beard. The man respectfully nodded his head. "Sander was the only one who could match me in my realm back then. I don''t know about his recent situation. I''ll only move once to help you, so think wisely before asking me to make a move." Eryndor nodded. ***** Professor Melissa put the phone back in the pocket of her battle suit after she read through the message delivered to her. During the containment process of an Anomaly, all the agents had been trained to switch off their phone. The Federation gave them different devices which they used to contact the agent in case of an emergency. Professor Melissa switched on her heavy-duty torchlight, shining it on the Hand of Destruction, making it easier for the students to see the Anomaly. "Look carefully, this is what we would be dealing with." It was a large shriveled hand, but under the clear light, they could see dried blood on its surface with eyes opening every now and then. It had various sizes of eyes situated on its skin, with some having blue pupils while some had red. Among the seniors there were some who had previously gone on anomaly containment missions while for some it was their first time. Regardless, every anomaly was a new experience since no two anomalies were the same. Melissa led them towards the pit, instructing everyone to descend carefully. Taking out her prepared sticks, she stuck them deep into the slope of soil and slowly descended. The majority of them followed her approach, while a few simply ran down, uncaring if some unfortunate incident might cause them to tumble or the high speed during the steep slope of descent may hurt their bodies. Melissa recognised these few students. Martial Artists, these brutes. Scoffing inwardly, she continued downwards carefully despite fully being capable of running like the Martial Artists. Breaking through from Qi Gathering realm to Qi Condensation realm gave a boost to their bodies along with sharpening their senses. When they finally reached the bottom of the pit, they could directly see the slab holding the Anomaly directly above them. The students, under the guidance of professor Melissa and a few other experienced ones, quickly set up a camp with various tents. In a few minutes they had also started a bonfire with the materials they had prepared beforehand. The group gathered around the fire, eager to keep each other company and to prevent anyone from sleeping. Professor Melissa''s mind was still on full alert when her enhanced sense of smell felt something weird in the air. Suddenly, one of the students sitting near the bonfire had an expression of confusion as he muttered. "Why do I suddenly feel sleepy?" Chapter 38: Repeated attempts Chapter 38: Repeated attempts Professor Melissa''s alertness immediately kicked into action as she activated a wind type cultivation art while yelling at the students. "Anyone who has wind type art or spells utilize it quickly." She herself summoned huge gusts of air which snuffed out the flame of the bonfire. With the help of the students, they successfully drove out the weird smell she smelled earlier. Before she could give further commands though, a student near one of the tents yelled. "Professor Melissa! A lot of our food portions have spilled on the ground. There are also plenty of our food pills among them." Her mind immediately sprang up in action as she headed towards the tent. Fuck, Rodrick doesn''t want to wait at all. But I can''t alert him, not now. He doesn''t know his plan is already exposed, he is in the open while we are in the dark. I''ll just resolve these issues without arousing his suspicion. "Everyone stay where you are. I do not want any ruckus. Don''t move! Keep an eye on each other. The sedative properties of the air were suspicious." She witnessed the prepared food spilled on the ground. Melissa remembered her students placing it securely to avoid such a situation. Her mind was quick to deduce plausible explanations. It would need a certain strength and angle of wind to push the container of the food like this. Our wind spells just happened to move like the most unfortunate way? Is this the power of misfortune at work? She realized that her reaction to use wind to drive out the weird smelling air was predicted by Rodrick and was a part of his plan. Just to ruin the food? Just in time, she heard Rodrick calling out to her. "Professor, I happen to have a few supplies here. As you know my brother is the Mayor of this town. "He said this was his way of helping since there isn''t anything else he could help much with." Before giving her a chance, Jeremy replied to Rodrick. "Phew, thank god we have Rodrick here. Let''s clean up the mess and light up the bonfire again." Later it became clear about why those students were against the search as some of them had barrier protection rubbers while some had suspicious grass in ziplock packets. The hassle amongst the group settled down after back to back episodes of things going wrong. There was a heavy atmosphere in the entire team due to suspicion against each other and another possibility that there might be an external enemy attacking. Professor Melissa kept a strict eye on the group, a complete opposite of how she handled the team outside the mission or even during the reconnaissance phase. This is bad. Rodrick thought. He needed chaos to get his plan working. The highest probability of things going wrong were when people weren''t in the right mind to respond correctly. If he orchestrated something in times of peace then professor Melissa could easily take control and settle things down. Rodrick glanced at Jeremy who had lied down near the campfire while gazing at the stars. A useful pawn. But you need to go. He controlled Jeremy to slightly tilt his body and gradually reduce the talks with his friends. When he was sure no one was paying attention, he stood up and headed towards where he had buried the sedatives. After taking a quick but heavy sniff, he covered them once again before returning to his spot. Rodrick slowly closed Jeremy''s eyes and let the sedatives take effect before quickly breaking off his mind control. He was unsure whether the Anomaly would target him or Jeremy if it was him who slept but used Jeremy''s body. So, to be on the safer side, he used sedatives to put Jeremy into sleep instead of performing the act himself. Immediately after though, he noticed professor Melissa waving her hand, slapping Jeremy awake with her hand spell. "Fucking hell." Rodrick muttered under his breath. Just then, his watch beeped. Hearing that, his expression changed. He had put a few sensory devices on the perimeter to alert him if anyone approached, and one of them had been triggered just now. The uneasiness in him deepened as he gazed at professor Melissa with a dark look. I have no choice. You forced my hand. Chapter 39: The Anomaly appears Chapter 39: The Anomaly appears Rodrick mobilized all his Mana and activated a spell. Of course, he didn''t display the spell model out in the open like Paulina did. Instantly, almost half of the people fell flat on the ground. I didn''t want to use this so quickly in the beginning. His plan had never been the sedatives in the air, or the food prepared by the Mayor, but the emergency rations distributed in a few students'' bags. He wasn''t present in the group these few days, but Jeremy was. When they made the food to pack in all these bags, it was easy for him to mind control Jeremy and tamper with it. Everything else was simply a distraction. The spell he used now was one he had made himself, it triggered the effects of intense sleep. People who hadn''t eaten anything were fine as they could resist it through sheer willpower or other means. Those who had consumed the backup food however found it difficult to resist the spell when the sedative in their body was cooperating with the spell with high efficiency. Majority of these people soon succumbed to sleep no matter how much the other seniors slapped or hit their body. There was instant ruckus in the entire camp as people began moving about chaotically. Rodrick narrowed his eyes and gazed at professor Melissa who was doing everything she could to salvage the situation. He didn''t intend to give her any chance though. Since he could only mind control two people at once, he let go of the connection to Jeremy who was also included in the people who ate emergency rations. Activating all the strength of his ability which he could muster, he targeted professor Melissa. Instantly, his mind felt as if it had run into an iron plate. An intense buzz rang in his ears as everything around him lost its sound, his vision became dizzy for a good few seconds before restoring back to normal. With confusion, he gazed at professor Melissa only to witness a black orb shattering in professor Melissa''s hand. Rodrick''s eyes narrowed dangerously when he looked at the pieces of black orb scattered near her legs. Mental Defense Orbs? Students screamed, absolutely scared out of their wits as they gazed at the horrifying entity which had its mouth open. Can''t go back to the Academy after exposing myself like this, and judging by how professor Melissa knew about my ability and how I might attack her, there''s a high chance that reinforcements are coming. The beep which went off to alert me of someone crossing the sensors on the perimeter might be the reinforcements. Rodrick didn''t know where he had messed up. Everything was perfect for the entire month when he planned this, until a hint of misfortune suddenly began gathering on him in the past few days. Disregarding everything else, he tried to activate his mind control once again. Since he hadn''t actually succeeded in controlling professor Melissa''s mind, his energy of Consciousness hadn''t actually been consumed in that attempt. With frustration of having his plans foiled bubbling in his mind, he targeted professor Melissa again. He felt the resistance this time around as well, but was quickly able to break through. He had finally controlled professor Melissa. A flicker of relief entered his mind amidst the despairing situation. Controlling the professor, he tossed the Mystical Artifact at himself, while making sure to maintain the distance. Due to controlling the Anomaly which was at second realm all this time and now controlling professor Melissa who was also at the second realm of power, the drain on himself was massive. He could already feel his reserves draining, barely half a minute more and he would be sucked dry. He controlled professor Melissa to turn around, afraid that the situation later would intensify her emotions, allowing her to break free from his control. He then proceeded to control the Anomaly and began heading towards the students which were running all around. He wanted to kill them. It was the reward for his Anomaly in order to reinforce his mind control over it. He only had a few seconds, then he would have to escape no matter what happened. Some students ran out of the pit, while some were still trying to wake up their friends, while some had begun stealing. Some of them were too shocked by everything, looking blankly at what was going on. Just as the Anomaly took a step in their direction, a voice was heard from above. "Senior Erin, you can do it now." Chapter 40: Cutting off the mind control Chapter 40: Cutting off the mind control Everyone, including Rodrick''s attention, switched to where the sound had originated from. Their sights turned upwards on the border of the pit where five people stood. Rodrick''s first thought was to run when he heard the voice, but when he actually gazed at the figures which appeared, only a single thought remained. These kids? It was a moment of carelessness. He never underestimated anyone or anything, dedicating himself entirely to finish the task or the person. But just like when a person gazed at an ant, their first instinct was to dismiss it. It was exactly what transpired. Erin sliced his hand in empty air while everyone''s attention was on them. It was a simple motion, no one could make any sense of it. No one felt anything different either, except one. Rodrick screamed, both his connections were severed abruptly in his moment of carelessness. It wouldn''t have happened if he had disconnected but there was no use thinking about it now. Innate abilities and power systems affected each other just the same as anything else. There was no such thing as only innate abilities affecting each other and power systems affecting each other. If one had a fire type innate ability, a water oriented art or spell from one of the power systems would still affect it just as it would normally affect any other fire. The distinctions which lay between the two was the type of energy used and their path of progression. Both of which were still unclear in regard to innate abilities. It was expected that the Human Federation would take a huge leap forward if they were able to find out how to develop innate abilities and what exactly was the type of energy it used. A similar situation took place here. To cut the connection of his mind control which was Rodrick''s innate ability, one didn''t necessarily need an innate ability to go against it. It barely took a few seconds for him to recover from the backlash of having his mind control disconnected forcefully. Seeing that it was only the few beginners whom he had planned to make scapegoat of, a bit of relief washed over him. ***** A few minutes before the team arrived at the pit. Eryndor actually had no idea where the Anomaly was supposed to be. Eryndor gazed down, his vision already having notified him of what was transpiring down below. He held back Valentina, who was about to use her snake''s ability on Rodrick to disrupt him from controlling professor Melissa. She looked at him with confusion and a hint of rebellion on her face. He whispered, knowing her morally-high principled personality. "She will be fine. Trust me, disabling Rodrick''s ability is a far greater priority." Eryndor considered himself a good man, but in times of need he understood the importance of rationality over emotions. He instructed everyone to keep quiet, while he watched with indifference on his face as the events played out at the bottom of the pit. A few moments later, when he saw the look of struggle on Rodrick''s face when he was about to massacre the students, he finally asked Erin to make a move. He was familiar with that look of being low on energy of Consciousness. As soon as the connection was cut off, all four of them began descending down the pit, using the riskiest way of running down due to the situation at hand. They couldn''t afford to be slow. Erin stayed on the top, with hands folded in front of his chest while he watched what was happening. The person Sander had told him to contact was surprising to say the least. He looked forward to how the situation would unfold. With one glance he had already figured out the entire layout. Rodrick was the strongest of the students, standing at the peak of the Mana Novice realm. He was on the enemy side. Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune was at the Stable realm, the second realm of anomalies. After being set free from mind control, he was on the neutral side. But to reduce the casualties of students, they would have to contain him as well, putting it opposite Eryndor''s side. Melissa was at Qi Condensation realm, and on Eryndor''s side. Eryndor and his team of four were weak, and the students were still unorganized. Eryndor''s side was currently at a disadvantage in terms of pure combat prowess. Erin narrowed his eyes when he saw Rodrick sneakily take hold of the Mystical Artifact behind his back. Things look bleak for Eryndor. Erin thought with a mix of curiosity and interest on his face. He was looking forward to surprises. Chapter 41: Organizing the Battlefield As soon as they were below the pit, Eryndor witnessed Rodrick holding something like a doll. It was approximately the length of an arm and resembled a human. It was the kind of plushie you¡¯d find in every kid¡¯s store if it didn¡¯t have a few glaring issues. One of its eyes was simply a button, while there was a star shaped embroidery where the other eye was supposed to be. Half of its hair was white while the other half was black. In place of its mouth was what seemed like scribbling done by a kid with a red pen. The crimson lines of its mouth stretched all the way to the ears. As for the clothes, Eryndor could distinctly make out that they were made of multiple layers of dried skin. Eryndor knew it was the Mystical Artifact as the information he got from Sander included a picture of it along with the description of its powers. It was simple really, the Mystical Artifact worked as a range extender and an amplifier. It had a considerably broad domain of things it could amplify. A few examples included attacks which could be physical, elemental, mental, sound type, or even karmic. For example if you wanted to target a potato, you could instead target the Mystical Artifact with the intent to target the potato. The Mystical artifact would recognise your intent, and forward your attack to the potato with amplified damage or whatever parameter it was that you wanted to enhance. Eryndor felt tension as he approached professor Melissa. Is he targeting me? No right? I should not be a threat in his eyes. A rational person such as Rodrick wouldn¡¯t target me. Eryndor put that thought behind him, and following the plan they had in mind, he ran towards professor Melissa. He couldn¡¯t use Telekinesis nor Cognitive Scrying in this situation even if he had gotten a preliminary hang of using them with his body being active. It was too high stakes of a situation to risk even the slightest mistake. He was approaching professor Melissa to know what was the hand signal Rodrick used before controlling the Anomaly. Eryndor couldn¡¯t shout his intentions from afar, as chances were, Rodrick might sabotage their plan even if he didn¡¯t know the exact details. In the meanwhile, Rodrick held the Mystical Artifact and activated one of his offensive spells. No one knew who he had targeted until he did, and it was surprising. Fuck you Rodrick. She could see the situation above where the Anomaly had already begun dividing itself. Melissa knew she needed to quickly organise her students in order for them to stand a chance against the attacks from mini-Anomalies which would soon rain down on them. While she began organizing them with the help of a few who had figured themselves out earlier than others, she also simultaneously battled Rodrick. It would have been much more difficult if he had the Mystical Artifact to help him. But then again, his energy wouldn¡¯t have lasted long enough to run away from her, awakening the Hand of Destruction was indeed the most efficient choice he could have made. ***** As soon as Eryndor made a run for professor Melissa, Drakarion, Valentina and Paulina ran towards the Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune. Their job was to contain the Anomaly at least for a timeframe of a few seconds in which Eryndor would return with the hand signals. Drakarion tripped over empty ground suddenly in the middle of his run. "This damn misfortune." He cursed, while getting up. Martial Artists were people who cultivated their physique. With the amount of control they had over their body, their power system was among the one with least chances to trip over like this. With a little more presence of mind with regard to control over his body, Drakarion resumed heading towards the Anomaly. Even the power of misfortune wouldn¡¯t work, or would need greater energy consumption from the Anomaly to trip him over if he had greater control over himself. Finally, the three of them stood before the Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune, ready to stall it for a few seconds. Each one of them knew it was in the Stable realm, which was the second level of Anomalies. In comparison, they themselves were at the lowest stage of the first level of their respective power systems. Regardless, none of them were afraid, or felt like they would lose. With the plan they had, it would be difficult for things to go wrong. Chapter 42: Schrodinger’s Step Drakarion stood before the Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune. Their only task was to contain the Anomaly so that it didn¡¯t harm the other students. Seeing that the Anomaly wasn¡¯t moving though, Drakarion and the others weren¡¯t inclined to make a move either. Why unnecessarily engage an Anomaly which was staying quiet? Apparently Rodrick didn¡¯t follow the teachings as he went ahead and awakened the Hand of Destruction just as they were having a silent standoff with the Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune. Drakarion had his entire attention on the humanoid Anomaly before him while Paulina was on the lookout on the battlefield. She was making sure no one would interfere in this, unnecessarily provoking the Anomaly which was standing still all this time. Unfortunately none of them had much information about the Anomaly other than the basics. It was Eryndor who had gotten the detailed information, and he only shared the essence of what was important. Similar to how Paulina was on the lookout so that no one butted into their area, Valentina was scanning through the situation on the bottom of the pit. She was looking for any signs of misfortune appearing on the battlefield which were out of place or stood out ominously. It was so that they could initiate an attack and engage with the Anomaly if the misfortune appearing on the battlefield were deadly. If they attracted its attention, there would be less of a chance that it would deploy misfortune on other circles of conflict. "This is bad." Paulina whispered. Her gaze was locked onto the Hand of Destruction which was multiplying rapidly, while its size continued diminishing. It might start attacking anytime soon. And since the mini-anomalies attacked indiscriminately, there was a high chance that it might attack the Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune. If that happened, it would be difficult to say if it would still continue standing passively like now. Just in time, she was also able to witness Eryndor finish his talks with professor Melissa. He just needs to find the anomaly containment box now. It stood to reason that the destructive capability of mini-anomalies would only be worse, which Paulina could easily defend against given that her Schrodinger¡¯s Step was near uncontested in the first level. Valentina and Drakarion both covered their upper bodies with Internal Energy, because similar to Eryndor, they didn¡¯t have enough Internal energy. A moment later the motes of light rained down on them. Eryndor¡¯s Qi film flickered as the specks of light touched it, but it continued holding on. For the rest of his body though, when the particles of light touched his skin, a burning sensation shot through his mind. It felt as if the motes of light were searing themselves on his skin, except that they weren¡¯t. It was much worse, his skin burned thoroughly, overloading the pain receptors beneath them before moving on to the muscles. But he also immediately felt a cooling sensation as the wound began closing up at speed visible to the naked eye. Eryndor was inwardly shocked at how fast his Passive Regeneration was working. A keener observation revealed to Eryndor that the dots of light in his surroundings had dimmed by a small margin. This observation couldn¡¯t have been more shocking to Eryndor who thought he knew everything about his Passive Regeneration. So the energy which Passive Regeneration absorbs from the environment to heal my body isn¡¯t just from the ownerless, free energy in the surroundings but also from the energy of attacks themselves. Eryndor didn¡¯t know if his Passive Regeneration could only absorb from weaker attacks or could steal energy from stronger attacks as well. When he thought of experimenting though, his mouth twitched. I would have to injure myself to test this out. Jeez, Passive Regeneration is literally a pain of an ability. Nevertheless, Eryndor soon steeled his heart. He had already decided suffering was inevitable on the path to greatness. When he finally reached his team, his attention was caught by multiple Paulinas who didn¡¯t have a single scratch on them. As expected, her Schrodinger¡¯s Step could easily deal with it. When he turned to Drakarion and Valentina though, their injuries were lesser than he expected. Just as he was forming a guess in his mind, the sound of Rodrick shouting was heard by everyone, as if to confirm his speculation. "Arghhh! You assholes!" Chapter 43: Professor Melissa’s ability Eryndor laughed alongside Drakarion, who didn¡¯t seem to mind the small injuries on his body. Valentina was clearly not used to it though, even though her injuries were equally as less as Drakarion¡¯s. "Damage Mitigation?" Eryndor asked. Drakarion smiled and shrugged, while Valentina nodded as well. It wasn¡¯t strange when one thought about it. Drakarion used Damage Mitigation to transfer a part of damage inflicted on him over to Rodrick. Valentina similarly used her ability to copy Drakarion¡¯s Damage Mitigation and targeted Rodrick. Therefore, a part of the damage suffered by both of them was transferred over to Rodrick. Now that I think about it, this kind of ability is unreasonable. You attack me, but I¡¯ll transfer a part of it to you. The harder you hit, the harder you¡¯ll be hit back. You¡¯ll need to have an extremely tenacious physique to win or even last against someone with this ability. Either this, or you need to have an ability, art or spell which can counter the Damage Mitigation. Eryndor remembered a game he had played back in college days. In that game, there were players who picked high HP heroes like tanks and used a build which worked like Damage Mitigation to kill marksmen heroes who had low HP but extremely high attack power. Disregarding the thoughts in his mind, Eryndor glanced at the Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune before them. Surprisingly, not a single mote of light had landed on it. Is it the power of Fortune at work? Eryndor couldn¡¯t help but have this thought. So it¡¯s misfortune for others and fortune for itself? Eryndor didn¡¯t know if this mechanism was fixed or the Anomaly could flexibly use it. Holding the anomaly containment box in his hand, Eryndor continued to stare at the Anomaly. He had to admit, this was one of the better outcomes he had in mind. That Mystical Artifact perfectly complements professor Melissa¡¯s ability. Imagine amplifying the strength of multiple attacks, this can no longer be said to be a slight increase in strength or even doubled. The increase would be insane. Professor Melissa with the Mystical Artifact would be a fucking monster. Naturally, if Eryndor could infer that, the rest of them could do it too. Each of them had looks of amazement in their eyes as they glanced at each other. One could say mind control was really too broken of an ability to be able to control such a powerful person as well. Eryndor suspected that Rodrick¡¯s mind control might¡¯ve been on the second level, or even at the peak of second level to accomplish such feats. The four of them just kept exchanging glances, not knowing what to do now that the Anomaly they were supposed to control wasn¡¯t even doing anything. "Let¡¯s just...wait?" Eryndor tilted his head and spoke. They would still maintain the necessary level of caution but no action was required at this point. The three of them nodded, having similar thoughts. The battle went easier than anticipated. Valentina was also brave enough to recognise the mistake she had made earlier. One could say Rodrick¡¯s mind control being inactivated was the turning point of the battle. If she had intervened at that time, Rodrick might have turned cautious and withdrawn the active control, with there being plenty of energy left still. In that case, the act of Erin cutting the permanent passive connection wouldn¡¯t have mattered as much because Rodrick could simply re-establish the connection. In other words, they would¡¯ve wasted the one-time help of Erin. Eryndor looked at Erin standing on the edge of the pit. Turns out it was completely unnecessary to keep Erin visible to Rodrick to keep him cautious. He thought with some relief. Professor Melissa was way stronger than he had thought, strong enough to suppress Rodrick and the Hand of Destruction at the same time. With Rodrick sustaining more and more injuries, the battle seemed to be heading towards the end. Even the Hand of Destruction had reverted back to its original form after all the mini-anomalies were targeted one after another. As Rodrick¡¯s injuries continued piling up and everything seemed to be coming to an end, something happened. The Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune suddenly moved. Chapter 44: Tricking the Anomaly Fortunately, Drakarion was an experienced fighter who wouldn¡¯t make a rookie mistake such as taking the eyes of an enemy. As soon as it moved, Drakarion instantly swerved to block the attack. Somehow, his leg shifted extremely slightly, which resulted in his right arm extending a bit later. Drakarion, in his high alert state, was easily able to recognise the problem. The Anomaly is using the power of misfortune in extremely small quantities but at precise locations. Damn, is it such a highly intelligent Anomaly? But when he looked over at who the Anomaly was targeting, he couldn¡¯t help but smirk lightly. Over the time spent together their team had familiarised with each other on the basic level, and it was a unanimous consensus that Paulina was the most sensitive one of them. Drakarion didn¡¯t overextend himself to continue blocking the attack but chose another way to engage the Anomaly. As expected, Paulina had already sensed the Anomaly moving and its incoming attack. Without even using Schrodinger¡¯s Step, she was easily able to dodge it with a sidestep. The rest of them were subsequently alerted by the fight and shifted their attention. Eryndor glanced at the Anomaly then at Rodrick. Due to Drakarion and Valentina¡¯s Damage Mitigation, Rodrick¡¯s injuries worsened way earlier and faster than it would normally have. Due to Professor Melissa needing to split her attention for three situations; Rodrick, students and the Hand of Destruction, her damage output, although enough to suppress Rodrick, wouldn¡¯t have injured him as quickly. Damage Mitigation was a sure-shot damage transfer which had the makings of a karmic skill. If Drakarion was attacked on the leg, the damage he mitigated to the other person would also appear on their leg. If even the mitigated part of the initial damage was enough to tear the skin and rupture the muscles, the above mentioned damage would instantly appear on the leg of the other party without any incoming physical or mental indication of an attack. Even using defensive skill on the leg wouldn¡¯t work in this case since it wasn¡¯t an incoming attack but straight up damage transfer. The Martial Arts power system enhanced the mind¡¯s strength a little along with physical enhancement when advancing from the Iron Body realm to the Silver Warrior realm. While this boost wasn¡¯t as significant as the Mentalist power system¡¯s breakthrough from the Mentalist realm¡ªthe first level¡ªto the Telepath realm¡ªthe second level¡ªit still provided a well-rounded increase, despite the Martial Arts path being primarily focused on the physique. Unlike the eight power systems, the anomalies were as always, chaotic in their nature. Some of them got a boost in their physique when ascending from the Latent realm to Stable realm, while some did not. The data showed that about eighty percent of this was related to the ability of the Anomaly. If it was related to the physique, it would get an increase in its physique, else it would very likely not experience an increase. Drakarion blocked the attacks with considerable ease, mitigating a part of the damage to Rodrick despite the Anomaly potentially being at the Stable realm. From this, Eryndor could deduce that this particular Anomaly hadn¡¯t experienced a surge in physical strength. Working in perfect sync with Eryndor, Drakarion withdrew as soon as Eryndor arrived, who positioned himself in front of the Anomaly. He had also cleverly orchestrated the exchange of blows so that, at the exact moment Eryndor stepped in, it was his turn to attack and the Anomaly¡¯s turn to defend. As a result, the Anomaly, caught in the flow of battle, instinctively wouldn¡¯t strike at Eryndor. Taking advantage of the brief amount of the Anomaly¡¯s concentrated focus and defensive posture, Eryndor performed the hand sign. It was the same one which Rodrick had used a while ago to establish active mind control over it. Trained through innumerable repetitions, the Anomaly¡¯s eyes inevitably relaxed as all tension drained from its body, leaving it completely at ease. It was an instinctual reaction of the Anomaly to being mind controlled frequently over the course of months. It had learned to give up resistance and conserve its energy when encountered with the attempt of mind control which always followed after the hand signal. After the time period of being controlled, it would inevitably feel a slight increase in strength from the rewards given by Rodrick in the form of lives of living beings, making it more accepting of the mind control. The same thing happened now. As all signs of resistance abruptly vanished as soon as Eryndor made the hand sign, the young man looked at Paulina and Valentina. It was all up to them now. Chapter 45: Where did I go wrong? Paulina, completely familiar with the plan, held Valentina¡¯s White Snake and continued with the Schrodinger¡¯s Step. Of course, the Schrodinger¡¯s Step wouldn¡¯t extend to the White Snake, so only one of the Paulinas could hold it in her hand. This Paulina would also be the one to approach the Anomaly. Just to be on the safer side, she hid the White Snake and approached the Anomaly, who remained motionless all the same. If danger arose, she could fling the small thread like White Snake and collapse herself into a Paulina of a different location. Everyone knew they only had a small window of time to operate. As soon as she was near, seeing that nothing happened, the multiple Paulinas around the Anomaly collapsed into the one who held the snake. Activating her ability to discern the vital points of the Anomaly, Paulina held the snake before her and aimed it at one of the points. Valentina, who was a little further back, copied the ability at the same exact time. This way extra time wouldn¡¯t be spent on Paulina notifying her about where to hit. The plan was to hit the most important point. The White Snake in Paulina¡¯s hand shot its offensive white beam at the same time as Valentina used White Snake¡¯s ability through her Beast Tamer bond, both hitting the same point of weakness. Both Paulina and Valentina performed the same set of moves, albeit with a little variation, but the reason the former approached the Anomaly and the latter didn¡¯t was naturally to set the base for the next phase. Paulina¡¯s approach was necessary to gauge how the Anomaly would react upon being approached. Seeing that nothing happened, it was time for the next phase of the plan. Since Eryndor had to stay in front of the Anomaly with the intact hand sign, Drakarion approached it with the Anomaly containment box. Since Paulina had deemed it was safe to approach the Anomaly, all Drakarion focused on was speed while he moved towards it. The above procedure beginning from when Eryndor finished performing the hand sign to Drakarion approaching the Anomaly only took two to three seconds. Witnessing the Anomaly containment box, plus no sign of intruding mind control finally brought confusion and wariness in the Anomaly¡¯s mind. It raised its hand to block the incoming anomaly containment box from which it felt a faint sense of threat, which had broken it out of the trance-like state. But it wasn¡¯t of any use, as Drakarion, with the highest physical parameters, among them, opened the box and slammed it on the Anomaly¡¯s head before it could block with its hands. The Anomaly would go after the four weaklings, believing them to be easy food, and then escape with all its might. But who knew the four newbies were so capable? Their cooperation was seamless, as if they had already decided on how to deal with the Anomaly. They knew about everything, even the newbies. They even knew about the Anomaly under my control and how to deal with it. Just where did everything go wrong? Rodrick couldn¡¯t figure it out no matter how much he tried. When the last of the Anomaly was sucked into the box, all hope vanished from his eyes. The Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune was completely sealed. The Hand of Destruction had fallen into an inactive state. The senior students had organized themselves, no longer causing ruckus, although occasional shouts could still be heard. The mysterious man who had cut off his permanent connection of mind control was still standing above the pit, having not moved an inch after he made his move. Professor Melissa still had plenty of energy of both kinds left; Qi and the energy which fueled innate abilities. He, on the other hand, had run out of energy to power his mind control, and was on the verge of running out of Mana. When he eventually ran out of the last of his Mana, the defensive spell shattered due to no longer receiving any input of Mana. The icicle launched by professor Melissa flew unhindered, no longer encountering any kind of resistance as it lodged itself deep into Rodrick¡¯s thigh. Numb from everything, Rodrick kneeled where he stood as soon as the icicle hit his thigh. His hands dropped to the side, no longer holding the Mystical Artifact, which tumbled beside him. When professor Melissa approached him with a rope to tie him with, only a single sentence escaped his defeated self. "Where did I go wrong?" ****** It¡¯s end of arc 1, do read the Creator¡¯s Thoughts of this one. Chapter 46: Messing around Professor Melissa didn¡¯t answer him. She was under no obligation to answer someone who was going to kill her in his plan. Using the makeshift rope, she bound him tightly and glanced at the incoming students. Instructing a few of them to keep watch over Rodrick, she made the leftover students form a human ladder. Using multiple spells and arts, the students kept the ladder stable, and she packed the Hand of Destruction in another anomaly containment box after reaching the slab floating above in the air. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Eryndor thrust the anomaly containment box in his hands to professor Melissa. At some point in time, they had already sealed the Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune, and stood beside the human ladder waiting for professor Melissa. "You¡¯ve done a good job." Melissa nodded with a smile, and added. "To be honest, good would be an understatement. "I¡¯ll make sure the Academy and the Human Federation reward you appropriately." Eryndor nodded at her, he would be an idiot to refuse a reward. "Excuse me, we¡¯ll talk later. I¡¯ve got more work to do." Melissa took the box and left. Eryndor looked past her at the seniors lying around, almost all of the sleeping ones were waking up one by one. He nodded, understanding that she still needed to talk to seniors about confidentiality and other things. It seems those seniors didn¡¯t die. Maybe they wouldn¡¯t die if it was forced sleep or maybe they slept for too less period of time? The fight didn¡¯t even last ten minutes after all. Not to mention almost half of them were successfully woken up by their companions during the fight. Maybe the duration of sleep needed was at least ten minutes or a lot more. The information in the report could be incorrect at times after all. There was also the issue about Erin, maybe professor Melissa needed to have a talk with him? Knowing it was her brother who had invited him to help, she might know him as well. Eryndor took his team and sat down near the campfire, they were tired. Who knew on their first team mission, they would go against a Stable realm Anomaly, and be successful at sealing it on top of everything? It was a wild experience for each one of them. ***** Erin smiled while looking at the bottom of the pit. He waited for surprises and he got plenty of them alright. Professor Melissa was also incredibly strong for her level. He reckoned the result would be unsure if they had fought when on the same level. Sander was confused on the other end. "Wait, what is it about? I don¡¯t understand. Has the situation already been handled?" "Yes, the situation has already been resolved, and Eryndor played a very big role in it. He might have some...abilities which are not welcome or too unconventional. "I haven¡¯t sensed anything, this is just my guess depending on how he found out everything. "I know the Human Federation would feign indifference on the surface but start probing, and collecting information on him. They might resort to some unethical means. "Don¡¯t let them go too far. It¡¯s for the greater good of humanity, yes, but some people have diverted from their initial goals." Sander gave him a helpless laugh. "I know, and I am a victim to that as well. What makes you think I can save him when I couldn¡¯t save myself?" "You were unprepared. This time I am notifying you so you will be prepared. I am sure you have your connections. Questionable ones." Sanders took a deep breath. "I¡¯ll look into it, and thanks for your help." "Don¡¯t mention it, I was simply repaying a favor. "Also, I wouldn¡¯t take Heretics out of the equation either. I see some shadows of them in this plot. "I know the origin of the Mystical Artifact, and I am sure the Human Federation does too. You of all people should know it the best in fact. "The Heretics would stop at nothing to take it back. "Rodrick might very well have been their pawn. This would put Eryndor, the prime contributor in his demise, under their radar." Erin cut the call without waiting for Sander¡¯s reply and took a deep look at Eryndor, muttering softly. "Survive." He then left quietly, without notifying anyone. ***** As if he had sensed something, Eryndor, who was sitting amongst his team, turned his head upwards towards the edge of the pit. No one¡¯s there. Did Erin leave after everything was over? Eryndor shrugged. There wasn¡¯t anything between them, just a connection based on one time help. He turned his attention back to the team and asked. "What do you guys think we will be rewarded with?" Chapter 47: Heretics Eryndor glanced at his teammates after posing the answer. Paulina had already gotten her reward, so it was unlikely she would get rewarded again. As the one who contributed the most, he hoped he would get the most rewards. It wasn¡¯t that he wished for his teammates to get less but that rewards be distributed according to contributions. If they had contributed more, he would have accepted it without any thoughts about wanting as much as them or more. "Just the resources to achieve the Iron Body realm would be enough, to be honest, anything more would be a welcome surprise though." Drakarion responded. He had laid down on the ground with hands beneath his head. Vague sounds of professor Melissa organizing her group could be heard from a distance. Eryndor could make out a statement or two, and it seemed she was communicating with them about taking another mission since this one was practically not a mission at all. Majority of the students disagreed with her idea, wanting to have a break after going through something so terrific. "I¡¯d like resources to upgrade my white snake, and my own stage. It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯m stuck on stage one of Beast Seeker realm" Valentina spoke, while caressing the head of black snake. When a Beast Tamer broke through from one stage to another, their beasts didn¡¯t break through along with them. The beasts they had contracted need to be fed with resources which would facilitate their breakthrough. It was easier at lower ranks, but the resources got more and more individualized according to the beast at higher realms. Paulina looked at Eryndor and asked him in return. "What are you hoping for?" Eryndor tilted his head. There was nothing in particular which attracted him except information. He wanted to know about...himself. He still hadn¡¯t forgotten the outbreak of his powers when he doubted his identity as a Human. But he figured that he would anyway be given information once he got to higher ranks in the Human Federation. And how would he get to higher ranks? Power. "The extra rewards from Rodrick¡¯s case will be calculated separately, or be given alongside it if you wish for it, just like Paulina¡¯s situation. "She got the spell model from the Academy after exchanging both of her rewards." None of them spoke anything else. They also didn¡¯t have any objection to getting their inn switched over. Seeing this, she turned around. "Follow me. You guys might have dealt with the Anomaly, but both of us know how it was sealed. "As the weakest ones, you¡¯ll walk in the middle of the group, surrounded by seniors." As they followed their professor out of the jungle, Eryndor fell into thought. Heretics huh? What could they have gained out of this? Massacre of students? Death of professor Melissa? Or the Mystical Artifact? There could be someone important among the students, or it may be that professor Melissa¡¯s loss would be a heavy blow to the Human Federation. Or there might be more to the Mystical Artifact than he knew. Eryndor didn¡¯t know what they were after. He knew the basic information of the Heretics. They were a group of people with mixed objectives. Some of them wanted to eradicate all the humans of Earth. Some of them wanted everyone to surrender to the Eight Outer Domains. Some of them wished to surrender to the Anomalies, as there were plenty among them who were conscious, human-like intellect, and strong. There were also some who wished the top elites of the humans would relocate to a different planet. All in all, the common thing among them was that their ideals were against the Human Federation who declared their intention to protect humanity on Earth and stand strong without surrendering to anyone. There was a high chance that the Eight Outer Domains would simply take them as slaves and treat them no better than their pets if they surrendered. Eryndor shook his head, removing those thoughts from his head, and refocusing elsewhere. I am looking forward to my rewards. Chapter 48: Defectors Deep into the night, everyone had already reached the inn and settled into their respective rooms. While everyone was sleeping, Melissa was pacing around in the living room of her individual apartment. Eventually after a few seconds, the call she was waiting for rang on her phone. "Where are you?" She asked. Sander, her brother, replied on the other end. "Below the inn, meet me at the nearby bar." "Okay." The rescue team from the Human Federation was finally here. Although it may seem useless for them to be here after everything was over, at least she could rest easy now after giving them all the information and letting them do the rest of the work. The rescue team would secure the captured anomalies, the Mystical Artifact and Rodrick, taking them to the headquarters themselves as it was obviously safer that way. They would also assess the situation, gather information from everyone and piece together the complete situation of what exactly transpired. It was so that they could make a comprehensive report to upload on the Federation¡¯s database. Since there was no active combat needed after everything was over, their roles were limited to such auxiliary tasks. The rescue team would also be responsible for scouring the area, which they would do a far better job at than some senior students. Before leaving they had to make sure to neutralize any and all threats around the area if any remained in the first place. The heretics were a big threat after all. The more of them one killed, the better it would be for the humans. When she came down in the lobby of the inn, the rescue team, headed by Colt, the blond haired man, was already setting up various equipment and had begun doing their job. Some of them were changing into special suits, devised for better utilizing the skills they had, while some suits were better for the tasks they were assigned. She nodded at Colt, and was about to head out of the inn when he said. "Can I have the information about everything related to the mission?" Melissa smiled and replied. "I¡¯ll give them to you after I meet my brother." Only those with the highest level of mastery could manipulate Qi to coat their bodies at stage two of the Qi Gathering realm. In fact, the Human Federation had never produced an individual capable of achieving it. Then, why was this mentioned in the practice technique¡¯s information booklet? Because the information in the technique booklet originated from the Cultivation Outer Domain, where even there, such a feat was rare. As for enhancing parts of the body with Qi at such a low stage? Well, it wasn¡¯t achieved by anyone even back in the Cultivation Outer Domain. Melissa frowned at his words. "I wonder why such dangerous people are still allowed to work at the Human Federation. They are literally defectors. "Can¡¯t we take them out one by one? Or strip away their authority so they can¡¯t access classified information of the Federation?" Sander took a deep breath. "The thing is, we don¡¯t exactly know who they are. They hide themselves really well. If we rashly make a move then it could lead to distrust among the Federation itself." Melissa wasn¡¯t really following her brother¡¯s words. She replied, voicing her doubts. "But they should still leave traces when they make a move right? Just like the time where they made a move against you. "You didn¡¯t deserve to get transferred to the call operator work space. Even if you had gone against the orders and even caused the death of your team, what you achieved was unprecedented. "You were the one who stole the Amplifier Doll which I used in this mission. It caused the ritual of Heretics to go out of control, causing the demise of several of their high ranking members. "It also drained resources from the Outer Domain of Mages, which they still haven¡¯t recovered from to this date. "I refuse to believe the Federation would punish you so severely, making you a call operator and even cutting off your resource supplies. "It was definitely some high ranking defector who made a move, they should have left at least some traces, right?" Sander flashed her a grin. "They did, and I intend to take full advantage of it in a few weeks. This is why I also need your help to protect Eryndor. "I can¡¯t make a move at this critical point, this would put me under their radar once again." Melissa looked at her brother who was radiating a very confident aura. "What do you intend to do?" Chapter 49: Final purge Sander didn¡¯t answer her, but asked her a question in return. "You know why the Cosmic Limit increased from one to two, right? And what happened due to it?" Melissa nodded seriously. "It was a person from Earth who broke through to the second realm, the Cosmic Limit immediately increased after that." That meant when the Cosmic Limit was at one, it was a person from the Earth who broke through to the second realm in their power system which caused the Cosmic Limit to increase to level two. At least that was what the Federation had concluded. No one knew why the Cosmic Limit increased from zero to one, but if the reason behind its increase from one to two was indeed as they had assumed, then there was a possibility the Cosmic Limit would increase the same way in the future. Sander continued instead of her, stating what happened when the Cosmic Limit went from one to two. "Commander Elise, who had reached the Infernal Acolyte realm of the Demon power system, purged some people of the Human Federation who didn¡¯t have the corresponding power to protect themselves." Melissa brows wrinkled. "I have a doubt. Shouldn¡¯t the Eight Outer Domains help those people increase their realm since the Outer Domains would benefit the most from it? They already have people at higher realms after all, it¡¯s only the Cosmic Limit which restricts them." He chuckled. "Good observation. The Human Federation should be making sure no one breaks through to level three of their power system so that their hold on the Earth doesn¡¯t slip away even faster. "But in a way it depends on who breaks through first because that side will hold the initiative. That is also why they don¡¯t want to see the emergence of talents. "Anyway, we¡¯re doing it one final time, because the purge last time was incomplete, the Federation is in a serious need of cleansing right now. After this we¡¯ll be doing what you suggested. "By the way, I have the support from a few of the top ranking members including Dr. Kirchoff for the purge this time." Melissa¡¯s brows suddenly wrinkled in confusion. "Wait what? You have support? For what? Wait what¡¯s going on?" Sander feigned arrogance as he revealed a bit of his aura. Melissa was surprised. "We have allies among the Eight Outer Domains?" He smirked. "None of the eight are of the same mind, why would we not want a few allies? The Federation is developing." Sander stood up, and patted his butt. "Alright, that¡¯s all I wanted to notify you about. Explain it to Eryndor so he doesn¡¯t jump out later like an idiot. Although given his intellect, I doubt he would." ***** Eryndor woke up after a delightful sleep in a long time. The stretching almost felt orgasmic as his body loosened up. "This feels good." He sighed, the weight of his stress and hard work melting away, making the bliss he felt even more satisfying. He had a nice breakfast with his teammates down at the restaurant, then went back up to pack his bag. After finishing up, Eryndor was spending time with his group at their shared apartment when professor Melissa walked in a The air in the room shifted as they gazed at her. She first had a look at everyone, then her eyes finally settled upon Eryndor. "I¡¯ll be reducing your contributions, making it stand out less than before." Drakarion already displayed signs of anger, but Melissa continued. "It¡¯s for your own good. The Human Federation isn¡¯t actually full of good people. Some people don¡¯t want to see a talent rising because of some incidents in the past. "Instead, I¡¯ll compensate you from my side for your contributions. Have you thought of anything?" Suddenly at that point, Eryndor thought of another thing which was a better reward than plain resources, something which could give him information about himself. He nodded at her. "I do have a request." Chapter 50: Bi-annual tournament "Oh? What is it? Resources?" Melissa was familiar with a majority of the requests students made when they wanted to exchange their contributions. Eryndor hesitated, not sure if his request would go through in the first place. After a moment of thought, he spoke up though. He could at least try. "Can I see the most powerful Anomaly the Human Federation has encountered? One which is safe for me to come across of course, and possibly non-hostile." His teammates looked at him in surprise. This was not what he had said last night. But then again, a full night was enough to change a decision. None of them found it weird. Eryndor wanted to meet the Eldritch Entities who were said to be residing in the Forbidden Voids. But he also knew that this knowledge wasn¡¯t common in any way. Even among the employees of the Human Federation, this was classified information. He was able to get a glimpse of this information when his consciousness burst out and scanned the entire population because it was simply not at the most secure level when it came to classified information. But still, since it wasn¡¯t something a person of his status and background could have known about, he had to wish for it in a roundabout way. Melissa¡¯s lips cracked into an amused smile as she considered his request. She looked at the room and took a seat on the sofa nearby. "What I¡¯m about to tell you is classified information, but well, I am not really one to follow the rules." As their professor took her seat, the group quickly followed suit, and made sure not to interrupt her. Melissa continued. "You guys already know about the Cosmic Limit, right? Well, there are a few entities which have truly terrific powers, who have managed to resist the Cosmic Limit entirely by themselves. "The Cosmic Limit cannot suppress their power. We call them Eldritch Entities. The places where they reside are known as Forbidden Voids. "These Forbidden Voids, unlike the Eight Outer Domains which simply opened a portal to our universe, actually exist in our universe. "You might think they are hostile, dangerous to humans, and bla bla bla. But only a few are hostile, a few don¡¯t care, and a few are actually friendly. "Paulina, I believe you already have your reward. What would the rest of you like to exchange for?" Drakarion and Valentina asked for what they had spoken about last night. Their contributions were larger than what they thought, causing them to receive more rewards than they had expected. With everything done, Melissa stood up. "Alright, that¡¯s all. I hope you¡¯ve packed your bags, we¡¯ll be leaving in ten minutes." ***** A few hours later, after completing a few formalities, the four of them lay sprawled on the living room of their villas. It felt good when they were finally back in their safe quarters. "What are your plans?" Eryndor asked them. He planned to begin cultivating after resting for a few minutes. Resources weren¡¯t a big priority in cultivation at such a low realm as the Qi in the environment was enough. Sure, some resources would speed up the rate of absorption of Qi, but Eryndor felt he was fast enough as it is. For a more detailed comparison of how fast he was, he would have to go through the library. "I¡¯ll be preparing for the bi-annual tournament of first years." Paulina said. None of them were aware of what it was, so Valentina asked her about it. "Well, like the name suggests, it¡¯s a tournament which takes place six months after new students are admitted. You get plenty of resources if you manage to win. "Oh yea, all power systems get a separate tournament. It¡¯s in the later years that we¡¯ll have a common tournament." Eryndor said, "Aren¡¯t we kind of late in our path of power systems compared to other students though? We joined a few months later after all." Drakarion gave him a side eye. "Aren¡¯t you excited about it though?" Eryndor matched his gaze. "Oh, I definitely am." Chapter 51: Dual training room "When is the tournament?" Eryndor asked. "In a little more than three months." Paulina answered. "Our chances of winning aren¡¯t low, you know." Eryndor deliberately looked at Drakarion and Valentina. He then also stared intently at Paulina. The three of them had nothing to say about that, because to a certain extent, it was true. Drakarion beat up his class when none of the students had embarked on their Martial Arts power system. Now that he got all the resources to step into the Iron Body realm, there would hardly be anyone who could defeat him among the newbies. Valentina had contracted a beast which had combat prowess of a peak level 1. Only if someone else had a beast at similar level would they stand a low chance at winning. Only a low chance because Valentina could copy whatever abilities were displayed around her, and also store four at a time, making it good for surprise attacks. And lastly, Paulina¡¯s spell model Schrodinger¡¯s Step had a very low probability of being seen through or broken through by someone at level 1. The opponent would have no choice but to get passively beaten up by Paulina until her Mana ran out, unless they had a spell model which could forcefully collapse her quantum state. These monsters. I have nothing like that. Eryndor once again came face to face with his own weakness. Time to increase my cultivation and learn some cultivation arts. Everything can come later. The group engaged in some small talk before each of them went their way. After staying together on the mission, each of them deserved to have some personal time. Eryndor headed towards the library of the Academy. There was a lecture scheduled today, but he skipped it as it was simply cultivation theory, so it wasn¡¯t really useful. Like the majority of the facilities, the library of the Academy was also situated in the main building of the Academy. He gave his student id to the staff at the entrance, who verified it before returning it to him. When he stepped foot into the library, a tablet was thrust before his eyes by a robot standing on the entrance. Holding it in his hands, he realized it gave directions to whatever kind of information you wanted to search for. He input a few requirements about the cultivation art he wanted to begin with, which happened to be a movement art. After an hour of searching and reading, Eryndor finally picked three cultivation arts. One movement type - Shadowstep One defensive type - Crimson armor One offensive type - Internal fist He had entered thinking he would only get one, but midway through browsing the techniques, he figured it would do better if he chose three. That way, he could switch between them if he got bored of one. Mindless persistence wasn¡¯t his thing. Even science said that things would come to you more naturally if you enjoyed doing them. After registering the names of all three cultivation arts under his student id, the staff transferred all the manuals to his personal device. He had to admit, this was truly convenient, as opposed to the various other working systems of the library he had read in novels. While reading through his movement art, he headed towards the training room. The villas assigned to the students were only equipped with the most basic training hall, as opposed to the one in the Academy. The main building of the Academy had four floors dedicated entirely to the training rooms. One could choose different types of training rooms, and training dummies depending on the type of art or spell you were practicing. The room had various equipment which gave real-time data of your progress, like the damage of your offensive art, the limit of your defensive art and so on. Each room had cameras equipped with artificial intelligence which scanned your movements and gave the most optimal corrections based on your physical and mental parameters. Of course, you could always disable them if you valued privacy and didn¡¯t want the Academy keeping records of your combat prowess. Eryndor went through the process of booking a training room. Unfortunately, all the personal ones were booked, so he had to settle for a dual training room. When he opened the door to his assigned room, there was already a young woman training with a wooden sword. As soon as he stepped foot inside, the young lady was notified of his presence. With her back still facing him, she said. "Is it okay for you if I occupy this area entirely by myself? I only need this small area to practice my skill." When a person didn¡¯t want to clarify whether it was an art or a spell, to avoid giving away their power system, they usually mention ¡¯skill¡¯. Eryndor shrugged. "Okay." He wasn¡¯t really losing out anything, plus the lady was polite enough. Eryndor thought of himself as a gentleman. I guess I¡¯ll start with my offensive art. It was finally time to start training and get stronger. Chapter 52: Internal Fist His offensive was the only one which would take up less space, as both his defensive and movement art would need full utilization of the training room. Approaching a screen in the corner, he clicked on the checkbox which asked if you wanted a training dummy. A section of the wall opened up, from which a training dummy held by mechanical tongs was deposited into the empty space of the room. He toggled a few options on the screen regarding the characteristics of the dummy. Simultaneously, he could see a few spots on the dummy light up when he controlled certain options. Eryndor knew they were very likely array formations. He finally had a chance to brush up on basic knowledge regarding it when he visited the library. Between searching for cultivation arts, he had gobbled up a few pieces of basic information regarding the power systems. Turns out there were indeed other fields of mastery in each power system. All Eight Outer Domains had named the three fields differently but in essence they were basically; Array Formation, Alchemy, and Smithing. Each of them were such that if one had a sufficient level of mastery in it, the person could go above their levels. A person at realm one could go make a realm two array formation if they had sufficient mastery in this field. The same was the case with the other two fields. Of course, the records mentioned it became more and more difficult as one¡¯s realm increased. Eryndor had looked through a few examples, but none of the images he looked through matched with the patterns on his Sovereign¡¯s Cloak. But since it was only a few examples, he didn¡¯t jump to the conclusion of his Sovereign¡¯s Cloak being completely different. Back to the present, Eryndor was finally done with making adjustments to the training dummy. Sitting in front of the dummy, Eryndor took out his personal device. He opened the manual of Internal Fist and began reading it. Sounds of a sword swinging through the air was heard, but it was low enough to be ignored. In his increasingly focused state of mind, the sound was soon completely ignored subconsciously by him. It took him approximately fifteen minutes to read the entire manual. It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to belittle others, but that getting a hang of using Qi to move through the circuit required time and care. If the Qi went to an incorrect meridian, it would result in a backlash. She soon stopped paying attention to it. Repeating the process, this time with greater focus, Eryndor punched the training dummy once again. The numbers jumped on the screen, settling on a value of twenty four. One point of increase. Not bad. Eryndor had read in the manual how one would need to continuously refine their control over Qi to accurately move it through the mentioned circuit to bring out the greatest potential of Internal Fist. It was an offensive technique which had the property of bypassing defenses, directly attacking the core part. If someone hit the surface of the body, it would be the organs below which would face a direct blow from the punch. But the increase was kinda fast. What¡¯s going on? Eryndor hadn¡¯t missed how he was able to get it in the first try and also improve its power immediately after. Even when he performed the practice technique, he was easily able to succeed in the first try. Is it related to my extraordinary origins? Eryndor couldn¡¯t make any guesses without having anything to work with. Shaking his head, he once again focused on circulating Internal Fist. He would need to practice a bit more and find out if he was indeed picking up things a bit too early. If controlling Qi really came that easily to him, Eryndor could already imagine himself learning plenty of cultivation arts and pushing them beyond their limits. Time to find out. Chapter 53: Breaking limit by a long shot As soon as his Qi completed the full circuit, his fist heated up once again, prompting Eryndor to hit the training dummy. Twenty six... directly a two point increase. Eryndor was at stage two of Qi Gathering realm, going by the statistics, his current limit was 30. It might not be a fluke. He hadn¡¯t noticed it, but the sound of sword slicing through the air had slowed down considerably. The young lady had unconsciously been distracted by the score on the screen above Eryndor¡¯s training dummy. This... is it really his first time? Syndra was having a difficult time wrapping her head around it. Such a level of progress was something which could only be done by someone who had insane control. But such figures already had their own training rooms. Not to mention the fellow student had an even crazier progress than those figures. Syndra entertained the possibility of the person already knowing the cultivation art, with everything being an act. But just to control the art finely to go in ascending order from twenty three, to twenty four, then twenty six would still require plenty of control, although still lesser than if he had just learnt the art. Unless everything was random and fluke. Her eyes fell on the sword in her hand, and all the distracting thoughts vanished. Her focus was reinstated as she began swinging it with tunnel vision. Whether the person was acting or was genuinely a genius, it had nothing to do with her as he hadn¡¯t disturbed her. She could decide how to deal with him after she finished her daily practice. It was always a good idea to have connections with a genius after all. Eryndor glanced at his hand, and clenched his fist. This time, before trying again, he closed his eyes and imagined the small circuit of meridians in complete clarity. He then plucked out a strand of Qi and controlled it on the path of Internal Fist once again. As soon as he felt the familiar sensation in his fist, Eryndor punched the training dummy, his mind operating at laser focus throughout the entire process. Thirty... I already reached the limit. Huff Huff One time he also reached thirty two, earning an extra glance from the young lady practicing in the corner. One last time. There was only enough Qi left to complete a single circulation. Eryndor stood still and closed his eyes, imagining the circuit with the highest level of clarity he could manage. He persisted in the effort, mentally pushing himself at such lengths that when he opened his eyes, he could still see the circuit of meridians on his arms. Firmly implanting the memory of circuit in his mind, he locked onto the strand of the Qi and controlled it with utmost precision throughout the circuit. Eryndor didn¡¯t know if it was an illusion, but the heat in his hand felt more than the previous times. Immediately, he launched a straight punch to the dummy¡¯s face. The numbers on the screen jumped crazily before settling on thirty four. Eryndor¡¯s eyes widened slightly as he retracted his arm, which was sore from all the practice. Both his arms looked like there was no more energy left in them, drooping loosely by his side. Thirty four...this... this is almost halfway to the limit of stage three of Qi Gathering realm. Both the occupants of the room thought at the same time when the number fully registered in their minds. Syndra remembered the person¡¯s aura she had sensed when he was executing the cultivation art all this time, and it was indeed at the level of stage two of Qi Gathering realm. This was no longer a matter of if he had just learnt the cultivation art or was showing off in front of her. Reaching thirty four points of power as just a stage two put him in the category of a monster with the immense amount of control he possessed. Sheathing the sword, Syndra took her towel from the stand nearby where she kept her essentials. The young lady blotted her face with the towel to deal with all the sweat from training and approached Eryndor, who had sat down to recover his Qi. With a smile on her face, Syndra extended her hand. "Hello, I am Syndra Ravencroft." Eryndor opened his eyes and looked up at the young lady. What caught his attention was both her appearance and her name. He recognized the last name. Chapter 54: Ravencroft family The lady was astonishing in terms of appearance, one could only describe her as enchanting. She had a beautiful oval facial structure with a prominent jawline. Her light blue hair complemented her equally mesmerising ocean blue eyes. Her damp skin from the recent practice only added to her charm, almost making Eryndor unable to extricate himself from admiring her. Like the gentleman he considered himself to be, Eryndor didn¡¯t let the lady wait too long. He immediately stood up and shook her extended hand. "Eryndor Noctis here, pleased to make your acquaintance. Would I be right in guessing you¡¯re from that Ravencroft family?" He asked with a hint of recognition in his expression. Syndra smiled, a trace of pride in her eyes along with other complex emotions, and answered with the same tone he used. "I indeed am from that Ravencroft family." Everyone knew that the emergence of four energies took place two hundred years ago. Superhumans was a common term used for people who¡¯ve embarked on a power system, or possess an ability. Superhumans didn¡¯t emerge among the humans of Earth until much later, but when they did, they began forming factions. Many of these factions were family based. If the inheritance remained intact and successive generations weren¡¯t entirely incompetent, some families could consist mostly of superhumans. Ravencroft was one such famous family of mages, who had their people in various levels of the Human Federation and the Academy. Not many common people knew of them, but those who lived among the superhumans, or were one themselves, all knew about this family. The Ravencrofts originally came from a military background, entrusted with keeping the Magic Outer Domain in check. Edwin Ravencroft, the first superhuman in their family, had embarked on the Martial Arts power system. However, due to frequent frictions with the Magic Outer Domain, they had plenty of opportunities to gain ¡¯inspiration¡¯ in terms of magic practice techniques and magic spells, and ¡¯help¡¯ in terms of resources from their enemies. "It would make sense if you were from a cultivation family indeed." According to her, the only plausible reason why he was in first year and still had such mastery over a cultivation art was because he hailed from a cultivation family. It would¡¯ve allowed him to access these cultivation arts at a young age, allowing him to train in it over the years and achieve mastery in it. Cultivation families didn¡¯t have a heritage as huge as the Human Federation, but they still had a sufficient number of skills in their archives to arm themselves. Eryndor didn¡¯t say anything. Sometimes people are too smart for their own good. You don¡¯t even have to make excuses, they¡¯ll make one for you. "Anyway, I am in the first year as well. Here, my contact number. Let¡¯s keep in touch." She went back to her spot after speaking what she had in mind. Eryndor simply shrugged and pocketed the contact card after saving the number. It was not just the students, the majority of the superhumans carried contact cards on them at all times. It was so that they could expand their connections, and resource channels. The Human Federation and the Academy alone couldn¡¯t satisfy resource requirements for the people under them. So the superhumans who get sent on missions, oftentimes build connections with the local business owners or politicians of the respective mission area. It provided them with an additional resource in hand, granted in exchange for future protection¡ªwhether to resolve threats in their territory or occasionally assist with personal missions. All in all, it was a win-win from both sides. Eryndor resumed his meditation, eager to fill his Qi reserves and get back to practicing. He didn¡¯t regret spending all his Qi on practicing Internal Fist cultivation art. It helped him understand the different difficulties he faced while punching in different ways. If he had done it in a high tension match with less time to think than now, and that too for the first time, chances are, that he might have gone wrong with circulation. Backlash during the match would¡¯ve been extremely fatal, enough for him to lose the match. A few minutes later, he opened his eyes. He had recovered a bit of Qi, but he just thought of a problem. Chapter 55: An update regarding the mission I can¡¯t start practicing my other cultivation arts. He had just revealed to Syndra that the reason he had such a godly level of control was because that was the only cultivation art he had practiced all along. If he displayed other cultivation arts, and exhibited similar levels of progress, then even an idiot would realize what was going on. On the positive side though, the time he had left in the training room could be stored for future use. He approached the screen on the wall and went through the settings. Before he had started his training, Eryndor had already disabled the function which would let the Academy record his statistics. Now, he opened the tab containing various results of his offensive art and erased them all at once. Then, with a quick goodbye, he left the training hall. There was no use staying if he couldn¡¯t do what he had booked it for. Eryndor travelled around the main building, walking through various facilities before he finally came across something interesting to pass time with. Before him stood the Hall of Fame. As soon as he set sights on it, he also remembered a guess he had a while back but couldn¡¯t verify it. He registered his student id and entered the vast hall. Eryndor already had a clear idea of what he wanted to see. Navigating through the various pillars, posters, banners, trophies and other such things, he arrived at the cultivation section. There it is. He moved his legs, arriving before an opened scroll framed meticulously in a glass box. The scroll was beautifully made, decorated with ribbons and gems. The words on it were engraved with eye catching calligraphy. [Fastest Initiate] It was a record of who had broken through the fastest from Qi Gathering stage one to stage two. As to why it wasn¡¯t from a mortal to stage one of Qi Gathering realm? Eryndor already had a guess in mind. There was no concrete data of when the person began their cultivation, finally breaking through to stage one of the Qi Gathering realm. Professor Melissa¡¯s message? Eryndor had an inkling that it might be something about the request he had made in exchange for the contributions she had tampered with. Yep. The message notified him that the request had gone through. The Anomaly Containment Department had allowed him to tag along with a team which would be meeting one of the Eldritch Entities. In fact, he had been told to be present in the mission hall in an hour as the mission was to commence today itself. He immediately sent a message of thanks to professor Melissa. After leaving the Hall of Fame, as he was walking towards the elevator, he figured he might as well notify her about his assumption. Taking out his phone, he immediately pulled up her chat and sent her his guess. Within a few seconds, there was already a reply from her. "Damn. I didn¡¯t think from that point of view." Melissa had indeed not thought about it. All her thoughts regarding the mission were concentrated on the fact that the intention of whoever planned this revolved around the Mystical Artifact as she was aware of its extraordinary origins. If she included Eryndor¡¯s assumption in it though, it didn¡¯t seem too far off from the truth. His guess could indeed be a possibility. With narrowed eyes, she first forwarded the message to her brother, and then praised Eryndor for his keen insight. Eryndor had already put the phone back in his pocket as he raced towards his villa. He had been told to carry a few things with him on the mission, all of which were very obviously in the villa. No one roamed around with travel essentials. "Oh? You are home?" He asked Paulina as he walked by the living room. Without waiting he continued towards his room, hearing Paulina answer loudly. "I never left." Eryndor didn¡¯t reply to it. He had just asked out of courtesy since he passed by her, Paulina knew it too. After packing all the listed things, he notified Paulina about his mission and left. It was finally time to meet an Eldritch Entity. Chapter 56: Team Lockheim On the way to the mission hall, Eryndor also put a message in the group chat about his departure for the mission. There was no timing given on the information sent to him so he couldn¡¯t tell them when he would return either. Picking up his pace, Eryndor made his way towards the mission hall. It was tiresome, but the anticipation and excitement kept him going. Finally, he reached the mission hall. Seeing that professor Melissa, who was supposed to be introducing him to the team, wasn¡¯t here yet, he grabbed himself something to eat. Approximately twenty minutes later when he had finished filling his stomach, Eryndor caught sight of professor Melissa. Instead of the usual tracksuit of professors, she was dressed in casual clothing. Her bright red hair and eyes went well with the light tone of her shirt. The fancier looking track pants paired with sport shoes completed her outfit beautifully, making Eryndor go in a trance for a second. Catching himself in time, Eryndor stood up with his bag and approached her. "Hello, Professor Melissa, can I know when the team will be arriving?" She glanced at her phone, reading a message which had just arrived before looking back up at Eryndor. "They won¡¯t be arriving in the Academy. That team is fully professional with a stage seven of Qi Condensation realm heading it. "They have no business in the Academy which is more of a beginner¡¯s playground. "C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll be meeting them at the gate." Eryndor nodded at her, feeling that it indeed made sense. A team which was qualified to take on the mission of meeting Eldritch Entities would indeed have no job being anywhere near the Academy. Eryndor followed professor Melissa till the gate of the Academy. They didn¡¯t wait long before Eryndor could see a car approaching them. Turning to Melissa, he asked. "Is it that vehicle?" "Just a useless piece of baggage. I don¡¯t know why our great leader would agree with this." Eryndor¡¯s eye twitched, reigning in the impulse to ask what was wrong. He also didn¡¯t want to needlessly pry into other¡¯s minds. Taking a deep breath, he calmed down. Liliana, who had been quietly driving, spoke out. "To me, both of you are useless pieces of trash as well. Should I not have brought you both?" Ken taunted her from the back. "As if Boss Calix would allow that." Liliana still had an indifferent face, replying without a hint of emotion in her voice. "Did you forget about the family behind me? If I exert Sinclair¡¯s influence then Calix wouldn¡¯t be able to stop me either." The situation in Team Lockheim wasn¡¯t harmonious. After the recent retirement of their previous leader, things had only turned for worse, with a possibility of complete division of the team. Calix was the highest ranking member of Team Lockheim after the previous leader, but at a certain point Liliana joined them. Being as talented as she was, Liliana was soon on the same level of Calix in terms of combat prowess. Tensions had already begun rising at that time as the leader back then seemed to favor Liliana more despite Calix being an old member, and also possessing far more authority than Liliana. Everyone thought the Sinclairs, the family Liliana originated from, had bribed him. There were only rumors of this going around, but when the leader retired and declared Liliana the next leader, it completely exploded. With not much things to work around with, Liliana was stranded leading a team with only a few loyal people. Ken shut up when Liliana replied to him this way. He was painfully aware that his Boss Calix had zero power to resist the Sinclairs if things came to a blow. Thankfully, Boss Calix was already preparing for a division, looking to form a new team. I would no longer have to be under this woman when he finishes the procedures. Eryndor¡¯s eyes widened when he heard that Team Leader Liliana was from the Sinclair family. Their situation was far different from the Ravencroft family. Chapter 57: Shx’Trelith, the Outer God of Discontinuation. The Sinclairs were a family which were tasked to deal with the Cultivation Outer Domain. But instead of fighting them like the Ravencroft family, The Sinclairs forged bonds with them. The reason Cultivation Outer Domain was the first ally of the Human Federation among the Eight Outer Domains was largely attributed to the Sinclairs. Now, two hundred later after they first set food on Earth, the Eight Outer Domains had established various bases of operation on Earth. The Sinclair Family¡¯s Headquarters were situated in the main base of operation of the Cultivation Outer Domain. Just like how the Ravencrofts had their members in the Human Federation, the Sinclairs had an even higher number of people in positions of authority in the main base. However, their authority was only limited to the main base of operation. Unlike the Ravencrofts, their future potential was limited, as there was still the entire Cultivation Outer Domain above them, where outsiders would be given limited authority. There were people who called them lapdogs of the Cultivation Outer Domain, but The Human Federation always dealt harshly with them. The Sinclairs had indeed held back the Cultivation Outer Domain after all, be it through making them an ally or submitting to them. There was no rule which stated they had to make an enemy of everyone. Sinclair¡¯s contribution to the Human Federation in terms of resources and information remains one of the highest for the past decade. Damn. I am meeting people with crazy ass backgrounds one after another. Eryndor sighed inwardly. At least, it was a good thing that his backer had a big background. The other two also kept quiet for a long time after Liliana straight up brought her family between their arguments to bully them. They could only shut up. Approximately an hour later when he was starting to get bored, Eryndor caught sight of a massive base in the distance. Passing through the gate, he saw various signs of space technologies. Space? Yea, in hindsight, I should have figured it out. Forbidden Voids couldn¡¯t have been on Earth. He thought, while mentally face palming. The car finally halted near a certain building. Everyone stepped out of it, letting a valet drive the car away. Not knowing what to do, Eryndor could only follow Liliana and the team. "Have you had lunch?" Liliana asked him. Observations suggest it engages in creative behavior when experiencing extreme boredom, notably controlling miniature asteroids to arrange them into patterns and shapes. It was once recorded manipulating a star to add ¡¯colors¡¯ to its drawings. Observed Characteristic: Cognitohazardous Influence: Forces belief in its divinity upon perception. Antimemetic Obfuscation: Causes forgetfulness of its existence. The entity takes both pride and shame in this ability. Variable Behavior: Reacts differently depending on mood. Extreme Social Anxiety: Avoids large groups and may become uncooperative or unresponsive when overwhelmed. Text Manipulation: Ability to read and edit text remotely, effortlessly altering records or inserting new information. It¡¯s known for its mischievous nature, often pranking others by changing the texts possessed by those it interacts with. Secret Revelation: May disclose hidden knowledge if in the mood to do so. Potential Digital Awareness: May detect electronic activity and trace data links under unknown conditions. Telekinesis: Controls asteroids and, on at least one occasion, a star, to create visual patterns in space when experiencing extreme boredom. Retrieval Protocol: Physical access to the AI must be conducted in a controlled, shielded environment. Personnel must communicate with Shx¡¯Trelith only under the most necessary circumstances. AI logs must be manually extracted and verified for potential tampering by the entity. Any anomalous alterations in the retrieved data must be flagged for further analysis. Current Status & Theoretical Suppression: The Film of Forbidden Void serves as a protective barrier against its influence, but the full extent of its containment remains uncertain. The AI remains our best source of insight into Shx¡¯Trelith¡¯s nature, but extreme caution must be exercised to prevent unintended exposure or data corruption. ***** Eryndor had a weird expression on his face as he finished reading the report. This Eldritch Entity is a fucking shut-in introvert. Chapter 58: Level up time Eryndor almost burst out laughing when he finished reading the report. This was NOT the image he had in mind about these transcendental entities who could resist the Cosmic Limit by the virtue of their own strength. Eryndor also understood the reason behind the conflict due to his presence. As funny as it sounded, the Eldritch Entity had extreme social anxiety, so the team couldn¡¯t bring all of its members on the mission. Seeing that only four could go on a mission, there was probably a not-so-friendly discussion which took place for spots. Why would spots be precious? Because the mission rewards of course. One could only imagine the amount of rewards one would get in such a mission, no matter how easy the objectives were. Because one had to be in the presence of an Eldritch Entity, one of the strongest beings of the universe. That alone was extremely dangerous, and could go wrong in many ways. Eryndor shook his head, feeling more grateful than before to Liliana for accepting him. He returned the file to her, and settled back into his place. Eventually, after watching the cold atmosphere of the team with no one conversing, he ordered an ice cream for himself. No pun intended. His stomach always had space for desserts. It took approximately twenty minutes for them to finish their lunch, during which he had finished four to five cups of ice cream, unapologetically choosing dark chocolate flavor every time. He believed himself to be a loyal man. Eryndor followed the team into a different building, which was situated just beside the one they left, one which he thought was something like a restaurant but for specific members. As soon as they entered, a bunch of people wearing lab coats approached them, taking measurements of their physique after Liliana verified the team¡¯s identity. Soon, Eryndor was ushered into a separate room, where a bunch of people helped him wear a spacesuit. For the next few minutes, Eryndor sat there listening to the instructions and guidelines provided by one of the agents. Eventually, twenty minutes later, they were led out of the conference room, and into another section of the building. Finally, Eryndor witnessed the spaceship they would be travelling to space by. Yes, it was a spaceship. With Cyborg Outer Domain¡¯s technology and other extraordinary resources which began emerging after the advent of four energies, it became rather easy to manufacture. Eryndor followed his team into the spaceship, surprised by the comfortably open space inside. Each of them were assigned their own room, while a few more existed for the staff who would manage the aircraft and other purposes. Due to the mission being extremely important, all the staff which were picked were extremely loyal, having been brought up from their childhood in the Human Federation itself. After getting a few pieces of basic information from Liliana, Eryndor retreated back into his room after taking off the spacesuit. So it will take a month to travel to that location huh. Despite the Forbidden Void of Shx¡¯Trelith being the nearest to the Earth, it would still take a month just to reach that location. Eryndor had read that the spaceship, powered by Cyborg technology, was incomparably faster than even the swiftest aircraft built with old-world technology. How much longer would it have taken with the old technology? Jeez, how did those people live with it? Eryndor shrugged, and sat cross legged on the bed. It had nothing to do with him. The total duration of this mission was two months. When he would return to Earth, there would only be a bit more than a month remaining for the tournament. Fortunately though, the Human Federation had already allotted a certain amount of resources to each of the participants of the mission. It was one of the perks of these long term missions, so that the mission undertakers didn¡¯t fall behind in their practice. Eryndor looked at the boxes of resources before him and thought. Time to level up. Chapter 59: Stage three of Qi Gathering Realm The first box he opened up was full of pills. He recognized one of them immediately. Those were level one Qi Gathering pills and a few others which he didn¡¯t know about. I¡¯ll ask Liliana about them later. Qi Gathering pills helped in faster absorption of Qi into the meridians of the body. Level one Qi Gathering pills were used by Qi Gathering realm cultivators, while level two Qi Gathering pills were used by Qi Condensation realm cultivators. It was because the absorption boost provided by a level one Qi Gathering pill was too inefficient for Qi Condensation realm cultivators. Similarly, a Qi Gathering realm cultivator couldn¡¯t use a level two Qi Gathering pill, as the absorption speed provided would be too high for them. It might cause their meridians to burst due to not being able to hold in that amount of Qi or the cultivator might try to control the Qi, only to fail and channel it in the incorrect meridian, which would result in Cultivation Deviation. Did outer space have Qi? Of course it did. The manifestation of four energies took place all over the universe two hundred years ago, not just on Earth. The second had some body forging materials, ones which would be good for a Martial Artist but could be used by a cultivator as well. The third box had a few resources which were good for strengthening the mind. Similarly, it would have better results on mentalists, but a cultivator could use it as well. The fourth had an assortment of miscellaneous pills in case one suffered from backlash during cultivation, was inadvertently poisoned while practicing a poison oriented cultivation art and so on. Eryndor thought. The Human Federation sure is generous for these kinds of missions. No wonder my spot was so sought after. Taking out a bottle of cultivation pill which could be used to boost his practice speed, Eryndor sat back on his bed. Opening it, he took out a pill and popped it in his mouth. Immediately, Eryndor began controlling his Qi to circulate it through the circuit of Qi mentioned in the practice technique. He had already thought about a problem if someone sensed his aura and watched him rapidly climb the ranks of cultivation stages. He simply didn¡¯t need to reveal himself. Every time one executed a cultivation art or controlled their Qi to do something, it exposed their aura. Could it be because I have an ability of Telekinesis? Eryndor never felt his energy of Consciousness draining when he practiced cultivation, so it couldn¡¯t have been that his innate ability was activated. Could it be the experience of Telekinesis? Or something else entirely? Eryndor didn¡¯t have any way to verify it. Popping another pill into his mouth, he once again began cultivating. Half an hour later, all the Qi in his meridians began boiling. Imaginary warmth spread through his body, giving him an almost lifelike illusion of being submerged in warm water. It was all too familiar compared to the last time. Suddenly, an illusory sound of a glass breaking rang in his ears as all the warmth disappeared. Stage three, finally. Eryndor balled his hand into a fist. This wasn¡¯t his limit though. There was a lot of time left before he would be back on Earth. He was eager to find out just how much he could grow. In the midst of his thoughts, his stomach began rumbling. Is it time already? When he tracked all the stuff he did, it turned out it had already been three hours since he had lunch. It was time to fill his stomach. Getting up from his bed, he headed towards the dining room. He notified the staff working that he wanted something to eat. Just as they gave him a small menu to choose from, his personal device rang. "We¡¯ve found some beasts ahead. Want to fight?" Chapter 60: First checkpoint Eryndor looked back and forth between the menu and the message. It was from Liliana. She had also sent an image of the radar of the spaceship. With the speed at which they were moving, they would soon be within the airspace of the planet which housed those beasts. Eryndor felt the rumbling of his stomach once more. I mean, there should still be some time right? Landing the spaceship and all. He told the staff to make something simple quickly. In a minute, they had already placed a sandwich before him. As he felt the spaceship settle itself on the land of the planet, he took the last bite of the sandwich. Glancing at the staff, he asked for something which could be used as a stopgap method to sate his remaining hunger. One of them took out a pill from a small jar nearby and held it out to him. "A low-end fasting pill. Will help you feel like your stomach is full for about an hour." "Thanks." He took the pill from him and messaged back to Liliana. "Yes, I am coming." Navigating through the corridors, he arrived at the main room, where the rest of the team had already gathered. "Don¡¯t we need spacesuits? Or some protective gear?" Eryndor asked, seeing that none of them had worn anything. Liliana shook her head. "Nope, we¡¯ve already done plenty of tests on the planet. The atmosphere, gravity, and environment isn¡¯t fatal to humans. "This is the standard route to the Shx¡¯Trelith Forbidden Void, so any team which picks the mission always hunts on this planet before going their way. "We have several such stops on the way, so you¡¯ll get plenty of fighting experience." Ken gave a mock chuckle, along with Hellen who had a smirk on her face. Eryndor didn¡¯t say anything, but only nodded his head. He calmed the beating of his heart, nervously looking around while following the team. Every tree he came across had an extremely wide trunk. He guessed that around forty people would need to hold hands just to circle the trunk at its base. With every step he took, the dry leaves beneath his feet crunched, tingling his nerves. In hypersensitive state, it was a lot more mentally draining than one thought. Eryndor thought for a second, and unleashed the domain of his Telekinesis. His view changed to third person, rapidly enlarging the range it covered. He didn¡¯t spread it too far, just a bit more than the range he used when hunting anomaly infected animals with his group in their first mission. His range caught sight of a beast soon in the next ten seconds. Without even needing to alert Liliana, he watched as she changed directions, heading accurately where the beast was. Damn, can¡¯t underestimate her. Eryndor inwardly praised the team leader. Liliana told the team to organise themselves. Despite how much Ken and Hellen didn¡¯t acknowledge her as the leader, they didn¡¯t fail to fall into their positions. No one joked around with their lives. Soon, the team was face to face with the beast Eryndor had sensed. He had to admit, the monstrosity before him was absolutely different from the usual creatures of the Earth. Eryndor couldn¡¯t even think of a single animal that could be used as a reference to describe the creature before him. The creature was an abomination of flesh and chitin, its form kept shifting as it travelled, looking like a terribly manufactured existence. If it could be compared to a vehicle¡¯s motion, it was like different parts of the vehicle¡ªexcept the wheels¡ªchanged their location erratically while moving. Jagged mandibles dripped with white sticky substance, likely what it was sucking out of the tree just moments prior. Its multiple mismatched eyes blinked in chaotic, independent rhythms. Its limbs were a similarly a random mix¡ªsome thick and bestial, others spindly and insectoid, while some pure skeletal. A sinuous, pulsating tail coiled behind it, ending in a spiked ball shape. As his instincts tingled continuously, injecting loads of adrenaline into his body, Eryndor inwardly screamed. Just what the fuck was this? Chapter 61: Abberosk Liliana sensed the creature before her and called out to Eryndor. "Eryndor, stay back. This Abberosk is one of the stronger ones." He nodded, not one bit eager to involve himself in the battle. He kept his Telekinesis domain active though. It was always good to have a three-sixty view on a situation, who knew when it would help? As the three readied their weapons, the creature surged forward, its grotesque limbs moving in unnatural, erratic shifts, making it difficult to predict. Its jagged mandibles snapped shut, leaving trails of viscous white fluid dripping onto the forest floor. With a burst of Windflow Steps, Liliana sidestepped just in time, countering with Moonshadow Sword Art. Her blade shimmered, releasing crescent-shaped Qi slashes. The creature recoiled as two slashes struck its chitinous body. Ken capitalized on the moment, launching Infernal Chain Lance. The demonic chain shot forward, wrapping around one of the creature¡¯s thicker limbs. With a roar, Ken pulled hard, forcing the beast off balance. Eryndor, who was standing at the back of the group, could naturally recognize none of the skills used by any of the team. He could only see energies glowing briefly on certain parts of their body, or on their weapons before their effects took place. There wasn¡¯t really much use knowing their names anyway, he could still see the effects their skills were having on the monster. He also got to witness firsthand the difference between the Qi Gathering realm and the Qi Condensation realm. The former couldn¡¯t project Qi to leave their body, while the latter could. It was the reason that Liliana¡¯s Moonshadow Sword Art was able to launch crescent shaped Qi slashes. Back to the fight. As soon as Ken pulled the beast off balance, Liliana ordered. "Now!" Hellen cast Frost Lance, sending a spear of ice into the beast¡¯s side. Upon impact, a thin layer of frost crept along its flesh, slowing its erratic movements. With a bone-chilling screech, the monster twisted its form, suddenly lashing its pulsating tail toward Ken. From Eryndor¡¯s point of view, it was like the tail which had been at the end suddenly shifted its location on the body and lashed at Ken¡¯s direction. "Stay back." Eryndor yelled from the back. Recollecting how his earlier warning hadn¡¯t been false either, the three of them each used their movement skills and jumped backwards. Simultaneously, an extremely thick limb covered in spiked chitin shot out from its mass of flesh with extreme speed. Unfortunately, it hit empty air where Hellen previously stood, before dropping down completely. "That should¡¯ve been its final desperate attack." Liliana commented lightly. She didn¡¯t seem to care that one of her teammates might¡¯ve very likely died in the final attempt of the Abberosk, had it succeeded. Wait, could it be that she had already sensed it but deliberately didn¡¯t warn Hellen? Eryndor suddenly had a thought as he narrowed his eyes at Liliana. The woman seemed to have sensed his gaze, as she turned around to match eyes with him. She immediately smiled. "Your surveillance skills seem to be exceptional, Eryndor. Can I know its name?" Uh oh. This woman is indeed very perceptive. Eryndor tactfully declined her. "It¡¯s nothing extraordinary, just a few redeeming qualities which just happened to help in the battle. "I learned it while browsing through my roommate¡¯s phone, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s recorded anywhere." Sometimes the skills which a family or a local power had acquired, they kept it for themselves instead of handing it over to the Human Federation. Liliana didn¡¯t dwell much upon the topic, and simply nodded. Ken and Hellen sent him kind looks, silently mouthing thanks with a faint expression of shame on their faces. Eryndor had practically saved Hellen¡¯s life and prevented Ken from being critically injured. The three of them bound the creature through several ropes and began pulling it back though the same route they had arrived from. Eryndor, who had always kept the domain of his Telekinesis active, felt a faint movement on its edges. A monster of similar build, but much smaller in size, was in the vicinity of their route back to the base. Was it his turn to fight now? Chapter 62: Brutal fight Wanting to test his guess, Eryndor didn¡¯t notify the team about the monster. With complete silence, the three of them dragged the monster across the forest floor, occasionally stopping to sweep away the numerous leaves which were collecting at the front of the carcass while pulling it. Eryndor watched with his third person view how they were walking towards the monster. There was still no reminder from Liliana. They continued pulling the dead carcass across the route when Liliana finally notified the team of a monster nearby. Eryndor witnessed how the beast was just short of entering their range of vision. This wasn¡¯t your range when you sensed the bigger beast. Did she tone down on her senses, and could only sense it now? Or did she deliberately notify them late? Eryndor had no way of knowing. Eryndor readied his fist, getting into a stance as he looked around, doing his best to act like he didn¡¯t know where the beast was. Liliana spoke up as she held the rope to the corpse, not letting it go. "It¡¯s a small monster. Eryndor, it¡¯s your turn to fight. If you want to, that is. There is no compulsion. "Remember though, mission rewards are distributed according to your percentage of contribution." Eryndor nodded at her. "I¡¯ll fight." Liliana replied, while gesturing to Ken to drop the rope. "Ken, stay on stand by. Rescue him if something goes wrong. And Eryndor, I hope you¡¯ve learned at least something from our previous fight, apply it well." She then proceeded to show Eryndor the direction where the monster was situated. "We¡¯ll continue moving forward along the route while dragging this corpse. Eryndor and Ken, you can take the lead and initiate the battle." Eryndor checked his pockets for the supply of emergency pills and set forth. With Ken jogging behind him, Eryndor focused his sight on the front, soon finding the monster. Just like the previous one, this one had numerous legs of numerous different compositions and a plentiful number of eyes, all blinking randomly with a completely different tempo. Exoskeleton covered some parts of its body while some were left bare, just writhing flesh moving about its structure. What must its skeletal and nervous system be like? Eryndor wondered, as apart from a few legs, literally everything in the creature¡¯s body could be seen to be constantly being rearranged, including its mouth. Pop. Pop. Pop. Numerous crunchy sounds of eyes popping out one after another were heard as Eryndor relished amidst the sound they made while being crushed. Feeling the monster wriggle in his hands, he let it go and pulled back his right arm. Circulating the Internal Fist, he brought it hard on the Monster. Pulling it back, he repeated the procedure. Eryndor didn¡¯t have any sharp object on him, so all he could do was resort to punches to kill the monster. Pull. Circulate. Punch. Crunch. Repeat. Pull. Circulate. Punch. Crunch. Repeat. At a certain point when there were no more eyes left, he kept hitting a single point until the beast stopped moving. Huff Huff Eryndor panted heavily as he gazed at the bloodied mass of flesh before him. "That was brutal." Ken was already standing beside him at a certain point, frowning as he looked at the beast. "Take this rope. You are tying that shit yourself and dragging it to the base." Eryndor held the rope in his hand, looking speechlessly at Ken, who only snapped at him. "What? Don¡¯t make a bloody mess of your opponents if you don¡¯t want to deal with the aftermath. Try learning to fight clean." Watching Ken regroup with the two women and resume pulling the complete, hardly battered corpse, he glanced back at the flattened mass of flesh he had fought with. Eryndor could only sigh and get to work. Chapter 63: Distress call Eryndor dragged the small monster entirely by himself, walking side by side with the other three members who were dragging the bigger one. Similar to them, he had to stop at intervals and clean out the leaves and other things which kept gathering before the corpse when he dragged it through the ground. Finally after half an hour, they were back at the base with two beasts in tow. The agents stationed there took over the task of processing the corpse, while Team Lockheim once again ventured into the forest. They naturally wouldn¡¯t stop at just two beasts. These beasts¡¯ entire body could be processed into different materials, all of which were useful for many different power systems. After selling them, the Human Federation would share a part of the profit. So, the more they hunted, the better. For the next few battles, Eryndor watched from the sides if it was too strong. If it was a weaker beast, he would either go against it alone or cooperate with a member or two to take it down. He was rapidly gaining experience as the amount of monsters he fought increased. Eventually, they came across a different kind of beast, one which was every bit as abnormal as the first type. The first of its kind they encountered towered at a tremendous ten meters, its skeletal frame swaying unnaturally as it appeared before them. Its elongated limbs, thin as spears, extended and retracted with an eerie fluidity, while its eyeless head remained still. Eryndor could make out tendrils lining its back. Does it rely on that to sense? At least, he couldn¡¯t see any other sensory organ like eye, nose, ears or anything as such. Heck, it didn¡¯t even have a mouth, or any kind of opening at all. Liliana narrowed her eyes, not taking her gaze off the creature even for a single second as she gave orders. "This is a Strider, stronger than the first Abberosk we dealt with. Eryndor, stay back, and assist us with your vision if you see anything we might have missed. "Don¡¯t hesitate about calling out whatever you find unnatural, even if you have a doubt that we might already know about it. "It¡¯s better to be safe than sorry when dealing with such dangerous beings." Liliana was the first to issue an order and began running herself. Eryndor, who was already far away, was quick on the uptake. With a turn, he began running towards the base¡¯s direction. Fuck fuck fuck! I should have practiced movement cultivation art first. What good is offensive in this situation? He felt immense regret when he compared his own speed compared to Lilian. Despite having a huge advantage, She had already almost closed the gap in a few seconds. Godddamn! I am going to be left behind! Eryndor greeted his teeth while running. He thought of imbuing Qi into his legs to speed up, he didn¡¯t want to give up, no matter how small the improvement was. Just before he went through with his plan, he felt his legs leaving the ground. Oh oh oh. His initial panic quickly turned into relief when Liliana picked him by his collar and carried him like a sack of potatoes. A Qi Condensation realm in front of a Qi Gathering realm is really like an adult in front of a child. Ken and Hellen weren¡¯t far behind. Both of them were using their own movement skills to keep up with Liliana. By now, Eryndor had already recognised their power systems. Ken treaded the Demon path, and while Hellen was on the Mage path. "What happened back there?" He asked. Liliana answered in between her heavy breathing. "The movement you witnessed on its tendrils is when the Striders call others of their kind. "But the problem is, they only do this when fighting against Abberosks. "Never has a team before encountered a Strider calling for help when dealing with humans, even if it was on the verge of getting killed." Eryndor¡¯s brows furrowed. "What will we do now?" Chapter 64: Reduced to ashes Liliana responded without taking any time to think, as if it was a common protocol. "We¡¯ll notify the base. They¡¯ll prepare the weapons on the spaceship to blast the Striders, if they chase us that is." Eryndor kept quiet hearing the response, it seemed there was no need to panic. The Human Federation already had protocols in place in case of such situations. Due to running at top speed using movement skill, they reached the base in only a few minutes. Eryndor had used the domain of his ability to check the situation behind him all the time. For the fear of extensively draining his energy of Consciousness, he refrained from maxing out his range. Yet, within his current field of vision, he occasionally spotted a few Striders. Were they chasing behind us? Eryndor had no way to know. He got off Liliana¡¯s back and followed them into the base. She had already notified the agents and researchers residing here about the situation in the forest, so all of them were ready at their respective positions. One of the agents was rapidly typing away on a hologram, finally stopping after a few seconds. As soon as he did, Eryndor¡¯s attention shifted to the spaceship where a deep sound emerged from. From the side of the landed spaceship, a massive cannon-like weapon extended outward with a smooth, mechanical glide. Its segmented barrel unfolded like its limb. The cannon had a dark metallic surface, which shimmered with faint blue lines. Eryndor guessed they were filled with energy. Which type? He couldn¡¯t sense from inside the base. There was a massive screen on one of the walls of the base, depicting a situation of the surrounding forest. They were indeed chasing after us. Eryndor narrowed his eyes at the numerous Striders heading their way. As soon as they crossed the jungle and stepped into the clearing, a low hum filled the air, growing into a deep, resonant thrum. Eryndor¡¯s eyes switched over to the cannon, the blue lines on its surface glowing intensely before the weapon unleashed a blinding lance of energy. In an instant, the charging beasts were reduced to ash, their remains swept away by the shockwave that rippled through the ground. Everyone moved around as if it was the most normal thing to take place, but Eryndor stood rooted in place, looking at where Striders were reduced to ashes. No one dismissed his doubt. Liliana took out her personal device and contacted the Human Federation. Everyone watched in silence and tension as Liliana conversed with the authorities. Eryndor took a glance outside the spaceship. They had already left the atmosphere of the planet. After a few minutes, Liliana placed her personal device on the counter nearby and informed them of their future course of action. "We¡¯ll move on from this planet. "The Human Federation has strict rules in places. We can¡¯t deal with a situation which has a possibility of the presence of an Anomaly without having the required tools. "We set out for a mission which has no need for additional items, so currently we have nothing which could be used to deal with the anomaly or even probe for information. "Therefore, The Human Federation has deemed it necessary that we don¡¯t engage with an Anomaly which can control peak Stable realm beasts." The power scaling of beasts was named the same as the Anomalies, as there didn¡¯t seem to be proper distinction of stages or other power systems in beasts. Eryndor went back into his room after it was decided that they would be heading towards the next checkpoint. Taking out a bottle of pills from the box, Eryndor popped one of the pills and sat cross legged to start cultivation. Over the past several fights, he had grown more and more aware of his own weakness. If he could be powerful then why not? The issue was, he had already made a move. Yes, despite deciding otherwise, he had made a move, all because he had already thought of a plan to deal with it. The team Lockheim knew about his cultivation stage now. If he were to take full advantage of the pills and practice hard, he wouldn¡¯t be able to make a move around them in the near future. Technically, Eryndor wasn¡¯t a member of team Lockheim, he had no obligation to follow Liliana¡¯s orders, and be with the team. Could I possibly act alone on the next planet? Chapter 65: Crappy Birds He messaged Liliana, asking if he could act alone on the next planet. Within a minute, a reply came. "Okay. However, it¡¯s not my responsibility if something happens to you." Eryndor was quick to agree to it. For the entire next week, Eryndor holed up inside his room, practicing cultivation all the time, only leaving to have his meals. There were a few instances when he came across members of team Lockheim but there wasn¡¯t much interaction. Eventually, the spaceship neared the second planet they were supposed to make a stop at. Without needing Liliana to remind him, Eryndor left his room and arrived at the main room of the spaceship. Ken was the only one who was present, fiddling with a tablet in his hand. Eryndor didn¡¯t say anything and took his seat in the corner of the room. Until the others arrived, Eryndor reckoned he might as well soak up some knowledge on the planet. The Keltec planet, their second checkpoint on the path to Shx¡¯Trelith Forbidden Void, was a planet rich in plant type resources. A good portion of the Human Federation¡¯s reserves for its alchemists originated from this planet. The threats on this planet were a type of beasts known as Crappy Birds. The naming was done by one of the earliest researchers who had set foot on the planet. They were approximately a meter long, with long beaks and sharp talons. These beasts never fought alone, and if you attacked a lone one, it would quickly fly away, unless you were able to kill it in one shot. When they attacked you in groups, these groups of birds would make several sounds one after another, with some weird ones in the mix, as if they were conversing with each other. That particular researcher returned to the Human Federation and dedicated the next few months into decoding their language. When he finally did so, the researcher named them Crappy Birds. It turned out that these beasts trash talked every time during their battles. On top of that, the strange voices they randomly made were their laughs. He had a brief thought, before dismissing it. Before he could head back to updating himself with the upcoming planet¡¯s information, Ken spoke up. "Hey Eryndor, got a few minutes?" Eryndor glanced at the couple, who were both looking his way. Quite honestly, he didn¡¯t really have anything against them. Their initial aggression towards him was only due to Liliana. Never during the fights had they ever pulled anything shady with him, instead, both of them had even stepped in a few times to save him from serious injury. He nodded at Ken. The man pointed at Hellen and said, "She is my wife, and boss Calix is her brother. "He has always been an honest man, one who worked hard for years and confronted the leader to stand up for the other members whenever the mission rewards were distributed unevenly. "It was infuriating seeing someone who had joined just months ago was able to take away the position boss Calix had worked hard for years. "Even now, when boss Calix is preparing to assist the Ravencrofts to defend against the Mage Outer Domain, this woman here is completing such an easy mission with luxurious rewards. "Sorry for my attitude at that time. I was just hot headed when boss Calix sent us away instead of coming here himself." Eryndor gazed at him with a hint of appreciation. It was not often when people recognized and owned up to their mistakes. He simply shrugged and assured them that it was nothing. He wouldn¡¯t be offended over something as small as that, not to mention how they had saved him so many times in the battles. Ken then went on to tell him about the situation in Team Lockheim, giving Eryndor a clear view of what was going on. He patiently listened to the couple, until Liliana walked in with a smile. "Sorry, I was late. The spaceship is about to land, I hope you¡¯re ready." Eryndor stood up, and replied to her. "I definitely am." Eryndor already had an idea of what to do. Chapter 66: Lifespan increase Everyone got the language converter masks, which they had to put on so that they could deal with the Crappy Birds. The mask could do both, convert Crappy Bird¡¯s language to Human language, and vice versa. It was so that humans would be able to deliver a more appropriate insult if they knew what the Crappy Birds were talking about. Eryndor was new to such an idea of fighting with beasts if he was being honest. I guess there are all kinds of things in the universe huh. After putting on the mask, he followed everyone, disembarking the spaceship, and headed towards the small base. Once he was given a few supplies used to deal with Crappy Birds and essentials needed to wander alone, Eryndor departed from the small base. He didn¡¯t go far though. Eryndor climbed on the branch of a certain tree and let loose his range. Once he had confirmed that team Lockheim had left the small base, he returned. Once inside, he asked an agent for a location tracker. With a deliberately embarrassed expression, Eryndor said. "I am kind of bad with directions, can you not inform team Lockheim about this?" It was the same agent who had patted him on the back and boasted about other energies being not less important than the new four ones. The agent laughed heartily after hearing the request. "It¡¯s alright. Being bad with directions is nothing to be ashamed of, just make sure to keep learning how you can deal with it. "In this era, nearly nothing is impossible. Don¡¯t worry, I got you covered. None of them will know about this." After getting a location tracker, he put it in his pocket and headed into the opposite direction from where the other three went. Naturally, it was all an act, he just wanted to get the location tracker. Why? He wanted to make an evidence for himself just in case. He intended to keep records on what locations he had been to. Glancing at the map of surroundings locations, he moved from tree to tree, eventually arriving at a small clearing. Eryndor¡¯s enhanced memory after cultivating allowed him to remember minute details, not to mention he was already good with numbers before this. Else he wouldn¡¯t have had a job in the IT department. The name of the movement cultivation art he got from the library was called shadowstep. It was one of the more difficult movement arts out there, with there being two modes. First was a normal one, where Shadowstep would increase your speed as soon as you circulated its given circuit once, and the second one was when you stepped onto shadows. If you stepped on a shadow while circulating the Shadowstep, the movement boost one would get would be more than in the normal case. In short, this movement art was best used with multiple shadows around. After making sure the circuit was correct, Eryndor controlled his Qi through the meridians mentioned. As soon as the cycle was completed, Eryndor felt a lightness in his legs unlike anything he had felt before. It lasted only for a few seconds. If he wanted to keep up his enhanced speed, he would have to continue circulating the Qi through the circulation route of Shadowstep. Eryndor made sure to keep his ability in a passive state at all times to use the extended vision. Even if he had deliberately picked a location away from the base and opposite to team Lockheim¡¯s direction, he didn¡¯t want to take any chances. He would also be able to achieve the state of using his ability and moving proficiently at the same time. Eryndor recalled that, up until now, he had only been able to use his ability once during battle. It was during his first mission, when an infected cat jumped on him. Back then, he had used Telekinesis to slightly shift the jump path of the cat. He hadn¡¯t switched to third person view back then. Is it because I acted on instinct? There¡¯s a part in me hidden away which can use these abilities as easily as breathing. From this incident itself, Eryndor knew he was far from being able to proficiently use his abilities. Keeping his range of vision active was exactly because he intended to be able to increase his proficiency. It was time to train Shadowstep and his abilities at the same time. Chapter 67: Ground Walker It was far far more difficult than when he was practicing Internal Fist. Controlling the Qi finely to go through a small circuit of meridians, which in itself were extremely thin, just got countless times more difficult when he had a third person view. He had to concentrate extremely hard to not end up sending his Qi in an incorrect meridian. It was a good thing that he was still able to imagine his circuit of meridians while he was in third person view though. His thinking capabilities, and everything remained the same, mentally and physically, just his sight would change to a third person view. I need to see if I can change that. Third person view was good, but Eryndor preferred being able to switch between first person and third person flexibly according to his needs. That way, he could freely use his abilities when he was in a high-tempo fight. Eryndor continued circulating Qi through the circuit mentioned in Shadowstep, familiarising himself with the speed it brought. It was definitely a welcome addition to his repertoire of cultivation arts, given that he would soon be venturing deeper into the woods alone. For the next couple hours, no one entered his range of vision, while he continued practicing his Shadowstep. At a certain point, he reached a limit in terms of his speed, both out in the open, and in the shadows. I¡¯ve hit the limit of my rank. As to what was his rank? Stage four of Qi Gathering realm. Yes, he broke through yesterday, and consolidated his realm today. One week to go from Stage three to Stage four of Qi Gathering realm? It would be hard NOT to attract attention if word of this got out. Occasionally, he would practice his Internal Fist along with Shadowstep. Before he had started with that though, he briefly halted his ability. After all, using two cultivation arts meant controlling Qi through two different circuits. No one was supposed to be able to do this at his level unless they focused on Qi control all the years. He didn¡¯t want to take a risk. Fortunately, the simultaneous controlling of Qi in two different circuits went smoothly. He resumed his extended vision, and checked once again to see if anyone had come. He moved on to the next step, standing up, and walking around. He could still go on. Eryndor slowly but steadily increased the complexity of his actions, until finally hunger hit him. Maintaining his hold over the Qi, Eryndor began eating his food. Clearly, the act of eating food was more complex than walking, as he had to stop several times when his Qi almost went out of control. Eryndor didn¡¯t think he¡¯d have this much difficulty if he wasn¡¯t in third person view. But it was absolutely necessary to keep watch on his surroundings at all times. Putting the empty box back in, he continued his practice. Finally, after about two hours of single mindedly focusing on the same task, he could now run his practice cultivation technique easily while being in third person view and doing the basic activities. That¡¯s enough for now. Eryndor understood the meaning of training hard if one wanted to succeed, but after achieving a few small goals, it was important to loosen up, or treat yourself. His Internal Fist and Shadowstep were both at the limit of stage four, so his next task was to get started with Crimson Armor, the defensive cultivation art. Before that though, he stretched a bit, and moved deeper into the forest. The trees of this planet weren¡¯t as exaggerated as the first one, being at the level of average height of trees on Earth. After walking for around ten minutes when he was sufficiently deep within the forest, his extended vision caught sight of a glowing flower. It was surrounded by a bunch of smaller flowers which were all similarly growing. Moltrasis flowers. He recognized them as one of the important plants of the planet which the Human Federation harvested. Eryndor¡¯s vision shifted a bit, and as expected, he found a few nests on the trees around the colony of Moltrasis flowers. But it seemed he wasn¡¯t the first one to find the Crappy Birds, as the translator device he had on all this time began emitting sounds. "Hehe! Look at that ground-walker down there." Chapter 68: Suspiciously far away from territory Eryndor stood amidst the trees, his sharp eyes scanning the skies. The moment he took one more step towards the direction of the Moltrasis plant, the air filled with a cacophony of shrill cackles and sharp chirps. The Crappy Birds had surrounded him. There was one thing which brought him relief though. Only one of the Crappy Birds had an aura of the middle level Latent realm. The rest were all in the early stages of the Latent realm, the first level of power system of beasts. As mentioned before, the power system of the Beasts and Anomalies was the same. He exhaled, shifting into a relaxed stance, weight sinking into his heels. It was just as the report described, these pieces of shit were already taunting him. "Gawk-gawk, look at this slowpoke! No wings, no speed, no chance!" "Better give up on the plant, ground-walker, before we pluck your eyes out!" "Hey, why¡¯s he just standing there? Did his tiny human brain freeze? Ha!" Eryndor¡¯s smirk deepened as the birds circled above. He could feel their aggression, their confidence in numbers. But he had read the full report¡ªhe knew exactly how to deal with them. "Your beaks are longer than your brains," Eryndor said, voice even. "I¡¯ve met sewer rats with more backbone than you lot." Eryndor felt like a weight was lifted off his chest. It always felt good taunting cowards who were provoked easily. Even in games, he liked campers who would rush when he taunted them. Result? Easy kills. He was always better than campers in a straightforward face to face fight. The flock screeched to a halt, wings flapping wildly. "What did he just say?" "He insulted us! HE INSULTED US!" "TEAR HIM APART!" As beasts, their intelligence wasn¡¯t really high. The first Crappy Bird dove at him like a javelin, its razor-sharp talons gleaming in the dim light. Eryndor vanished. One step into a shadow, and he shot forward like an arrow. "Don¡¯t you dare say anything about my brother!" "You insulted my mother??!" The rest of the birds hesitated, but swarmed down nonetheless. There was no more any semblance of co-operation between them. Eryndor saw his chance. His feet blurred as he sprinted through the trees, each step on a shadow amplifying his speed. He wasn¡¯t running away, just weaving between the trees, and making sure to stay in the same area. It was all so that he had shadows to step on and the flight of birds could be interrupted. He struck the two incoming beasts¡¯ vital points with pinpoint accuracy. Each blow ignored their feathery armor, sending them crashing into a tree. Continuing his assault, he dealt with the birds one by one. Finally, only one Crappy Bird remained, staring at him with wide, beady eyes. It was only at an early stage of Latent realm. The Crappy Bird at middle stage must¡¯ve died sometime in the fight. I definitely didn¡¯t witness any bird running away. "Uh... You wouldn¡¯t hit a lone bird, would you?" Eryndor dusted off his sleeve. "Depends. Are you still feeling cocky?" "...No." "Good. Now tell me what direction your nest is in." He had spotted a nest with his extended vision just a while ago. Due to some suspicions, he wanted to know if it was their nest or some other community of Crappy Birds. Eryndor had read their entire information after all. These beasts didn¡¯t move around much outside of their territory. When the last remaining Crappy Bird began flying in the direction of that same exact nest, his doubt deepened. A few minutes later, they reached the spot Eryndor had scouted with his third person view. Just like how he had witnessed, there was a large Moltrasis flower in the middle of a small clearing, surrounded by lots of small ones of the same kind. All of them gently swayed about, glowing slightly beneath the dense canopy of trees. One needed to remember that Eryndor had spotted their nest using his extended vision given by an Active level innate ability, not with his naked eyes. What were the Crappy Birds doing so far out from their nest when even their food source was next to their dwellings? He asked the only remaining beast of the community. "Why were you out there so far away from your territory?" Chapter 69: Selected targets The bird tilted its head, then answered. "Our boss took us there, saying it was an order from above." Eryndor furrowed his brows. "Where?" There wasn¡¯t really much expression Eryndor could read on the beast. They weren¡¯t evolved to have such a complex range of expressions anyway. It answered. "Towards the group of humans." "What?" Eryndor inadvertently snapped. What was this nonsense now? "What other group?" He asked. Were there more humans on the planet apart from team Lockheim? The beast raised up one of its wings and pointed at a direction before replying. "The group which was hunting our species in that direction." Eryndor¡¯s eyes narrowed when he looked at the direction the bird was pointing in. No, no extra humans. That was the direction team Lockheim headed in. Eryndor didn¡¯t know if they later changed directions, since it had already been hours since they set out. But at least, that was their original direction when Eryndor witnessed them depart from the small base. "When was the order given?" He asked the bird again. "Don¡¯t know." "Who gave the order?" "The leader knew, I don¡¯t know." "Jeez, what use are you?" "More than you." Eryndor¡¯s eye twitched. You all love trash talking even to the point of death. I wonder how your species survived. On second thought, there was no other species as intelligent as Crappy Birds on this planet. The others wouldn¡¯t know jackshit even if the Crappy Birds cursed their entire family tree. Reigning in the urge to murder it, he asked once again. He just had a suspicion, it would need further evidence to be sure about it. I should head back. Eryndor thought while slinging the bag of Moltrasis flowers over the travel bag he was already carrying. He was taking a slightly different route from when he had arrived, not willing to encounter the flock leader since the rest of the flock had been successful at spotting him on that route. If the flock leader was returning at the same time, it would surely spot him. Approximately two hours later, after a long winding path, he arrived at the small base, beside which the massive spaceship stood. When he approached it, he could see a few people moving about, carrying medicines and other kinds of equipment. He entered through the door and saw Ken and Hellen lying on a floor, being tended to by various staff. Their bodies were badly wounded in various places, almost entirely covered in blood. Fortunately, Eryndor could see the wounds slowly recovering through the use of certain medicines. It truly wasn¡¯t much, but they anyway wouldn¡¯t be staying on this planet for long, he figured both of them would be back on their feet, fully cured by the time their next checkpoint arrived. He checked up on both of them, said a few kind words and left. This isn¡¯t the time to ask them about what happened. He entered another room in the base, and handed in his Moltrasis flowers to one of the agents. For all the valuables which one turned over to the Human Federation, they would get an equal amount of contribution points. Eryndor would be able to buy things more relevant for his current self than a bunch of plants with those contribution points. He left the base and entered the spaceship. The base only had enough rooms for an emergency, to take a rest, and a big one for various kinds of experiments. If someone wanted to have some personal space, they would have to head towards their assigned room in the spaceship. "Haahhh." He heaved a sigh while laying on his bed, after taking a shower and changing clothes. There was still some time left for the evening snacks, so he took out his phone and began going through the messages. "Hello, I heard you¡¯re under Team Lockheim?" One of them stood out, it was from Syndra who he had talked to for a while, in the training room. He had contacted her later to establish a connection, since having a Ravencroft in his network wouldn¡¯t hurt. He narrowed his eyes, thinking of something, before replying to Syndra. "Yes, can I ask you something?" Chapter 70: Progress of the Sovereign’s Cloak Eryndor remembered his talks with Ken and Hellen. They had talked about how Calix, the leader they followed, was preparing alongside the Ravencrofts, to defend against the Mage Outer Domain. Syndra was from the Ravencroft family, so Eryndor hoped there was a chance she might know a bit about them. The young lady was quick to reply. "Yea sure, what is it?" "Do you know the internal situation of team Lockheim?" "Not really, but I know the basic information since each team which is cooperating with our family needs to submit their profile. "Only then can our family screen them and choose appropriately. This attack isn¡¯t a small one after all, we can¡¯t have unworthy people among our ranks. "The Mage Outer Domain has gathered a huge army for some reason, it¡¯s as if they¡¯re sure they¡¯ll win this battle." Eryndor got more information than he had asked for, but it was always welcome. Not wanting her to stray from the topic, he asked. "Do you know about Ken and Hellen from team Lockheim?" "Here it just says they aren¡¯t one of the strongest on the team. Let me look up the more detailed information which our family collected." Eryndor didn¡¯t find anything strange with it. It was obvious your employer would gather more information on you beyond the basic one you sent, if the job was important enough that is. And if defending against the Mage Outer Domain wasn¡¯t important, then nearly nothing was. "Oh yea, found it. Hmm, they might not be one of the strongest on team Lockheim, but surely the most precious ones. "Here it says that Calix treasures his sister, Hellen, like a gem, and by extension, looks over Ken too. Nothing else interesting. "It doesn¡¯t need to be interesting, can you tell me about the rest as well?" "Oh, sure." Unfortunately for Eryndor, there really wasn¡¯t anything interesting in the rest of the information. The earlier information was something he could¡¯ve gotten from the couple themselves as well. Eryndor fell into thought. What would Liliana get by killing Ken and Hellen? Since, there wasn¡¯t really anything he could use as a base to connect the dots, he set aside the matter entirely. Eryndor remembered that the Sovereign¡¯s Cloak had only been used one time significantly. It was when it blocked the attack of misfortune. The rest of the time, it was only used for minor defense, like when the Crappy Birds grazed his arm. He couldn¡¯t reject the idea with certainty though. What if the required number of uses for abilities inside the room to breakthrough, was lower than the abilities out in the vast hall? Not to mention the Sovereign¡¯s Cloak was only in the Latent realm. After taking an extremely thorough look at the progress bar, Eryndor exited the Mind Palace and arrived in his physical body once again. With Sovereign¡¯s Cloak draped over him, he punched himself. No physical sensation was felt, but his energy of Consciousness was consumed by an extremely slight amount. So low that he wouldn¡¯t even notice it while in a battle. Just in case, he punched himself a few more times. After feeling the small drain on his energy of Consciousness, he arrived back inside the Mind Palace. He immediately examined the progress bar. It hasn¡¯t increased. In a way, it was to be expected. Why would the abilities inside the rooms be the same as the abilities back in the vast hall? Eryndor thought hard before a conjecture appeared in his mind. Killing? Anomalies¡¯ abilities increased in strength based on the number of living beings they killed. Could his ability have the same condition? In a way, he could be said to be an Anomaly after all. Eldritch Entities were classified under Anomalies. It would also make more sense this way. Eryndor had killed plenty of Aberrosks, and just recently massacred a tribe of Crappy Birds. If he assumed that all of those kills were the reason his Sovereign¡¯s Cloak began progressing towards the next stage, then it would be a valid guess as well. They would be leaving this planet tomorrow, or day after tomorrow. He would have plenty of time to check if the guess he had in his mind was correct or not. I can check it out tomorrow. Chapter 71: Fiance from the Outer Domain It would open up a lot of possibilities for him if it was indeed correct. I would be able to quickly increase the level of Sovereign Cloak if I find a few more tribes of Crappy Birds. Even if I couldn¡¯t find more tribes, there are always more checkpoint planets where I can slaughter the beasts to my heart¡¯s content. Eryndor was certainly looking forward to tomorrow. When he put the Sovereign¡¯s Cloak on himself, there was no black smoke. I guess that¡¯s for the good. I don¡¯t want any visual effects out in the real world for everyone to notice the abnormality of the Cloak. With a deep breath, he exited his room and travelled to the dining room. The room was empty when he entered. Eryndor silently focused his mind, and began his cultivation practice. With no third person view of his ability, it went rather smoothly. Eryndor ate for the next dozen minutes, all the while circulating his Qi through the big circuit of meridians. Thanking the staff, he left after he was done eating. On the way to his room, Eryndor encountered Liliana. The team leader had a good amount of bandages on her, but when he compared her to the image of Ken and Hellen in his mind, it was a tad bit less. He simply nodded at her, making sure not to expose anything unusual about his expression. The woman, who had her attention on her phone, was quick to lower her phone and nod back when she caught his movement from the corner of her eyes. It was a split second decision, one that was entirely unplanned. Within a fraction of second, Eryndor had unleashed the extended vision of his ability. He passed by her without any change in his movements, entirely relaxed. Internally though, his third person view was scanning what was on the screen of her phone. She had her communication app opened. He quickly looked through the contacts. Of course, his third person view couldn¡¯t zoom in a lot. He still had a lot of room for practice. He was only able to read a few names before she switched off her phone to eat. Lucian Lucy As expected, Syndra replied a few moments later. "Sure. In exchange, you¡¯ll have to spar with me though." Eryndor shrugged. "Cool." After a few minutes of silence, Syndra reappeared online. Just like the last time, the young woman gave more information than what he had asked for. "Mariana and Albert are her parents. "Apparently, she has a bad relationship with her parents because they forced her into marriage. "When she was young, she ran away from home to Polinek city. The Sinclairs had to pay a hefty price to bring her back." Although Eryndor didn¡¯t need the extra story, that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t paying attention to it. As soon as she finished her last sentence, he asked. "Wait. I couldn¡¯t follow through the last part. Why would they have to pay to bring her back?" "Don¡¯t you know? Polinek is a city under the Ravenscroft¡¯s control. Why would they leave a chance to exploit the Sinclairs?" "Fair." Eryndor shrugged. "Well, anyway, Lucy is one of the loyal people under her. She followed Liliana to join team Lockheim, currently assisting the Ravencrofts. "She is also one of the most powerful people in team Lockheim after Calix and Liliana. "Kaylor Byrd is an agent of the Human Federation, a fairly powerful Mage. He is famous for his spell model which has the shape of a Pi symbol. We don¡¯t have much information on him. "And lastly, Lucian is the person she is engaged to. There¡¯s not much information we have on him either, except that he is from the Cultivation Outer Domain." Eryndor thanked Syndra for her information and leaned back on his bed, hands behind his back as he began thinking. She is engaged to a person from an Outer Domain? Damn. On second thought, I hope I could see what the chats with the contacts were. Granted, he could only have been able to see one line at most unless she clicked on a conversation, it might¡¯ve still been enough to give him an idea of her current situation with each of them. Lucian is currently the most suspicious. Eryndor hesitated, but decided against using Cognitive Scrying. With nothing to work on, he soon fell asleep. Tomorrow, it would be the day to verify his conjecture of Sovereign¡¯s Cloak. Chapter 72: Killing a beast The trees of this planet had a rather yellowish shade rather than the ones on Earth which were on the greener side. Eryndor didn¡¯t know the reason behind it, nor was he interested to find out. All these things were better left up to the researchers who¡¯ve tagged along with them. It was them who experimented on various flora and fauna of all the planets they visited, incorporating the results in ongoing projects going on in the Human Federation so that they could develop on all fronts. It was easy to notice the superhumans fighting on all fronts, but difficult to notice the work scientists, and researchers put in to ensure everyone got the best equipment and facilities to increase their chances of winning. Eryndor had already asked Liliana about their schedule this morning, and it seemed they would be leaving today itself in a few hours. He couldn¡¯t help but think that Liliana might be rushing. After all, their first planet was a failure, hardly staying on it for a few hours. Not staying longer on this planet to compensate with more resources seemed like a waste. Is she in a hurry to get to the next planet? Is it to attack Ken and Hellen on the next planet before they could completely recover? Is it something like only one chance per planet? Eryndor could only make guesses for now, so he put it in the back of his mind. Since he only had a few hours, Eryndor decided not to practice his defensive cultivation art but set out to hunt for the Crappy Birds. He was still passively cultivating all this time, which only stopped when he went to sleep. However, it was obvious the passive cultivation couldn¡¯t be as fast as deliberate cultivation along with level one Qi Gathering pills. If Eryndor actively cultivated, it was a given that he would be able to control more Qi to circulate through the big circuit. The more Qi one could control to pass through the circuit of meridians during cultivation, the more Qi they would absorb at the end of circulation. This resulted in a faster progress in cultivation. Obviously, when he wasn¡¯t allotting his entire focus on cultivating, the amount of Qi he could control was drastically less. Eryndor moved through the dense forest of planet Keltec, trying to find a community of Crappy Birds he could take on. He had already passed a few on his way, but they were all way too powerful for him to handle. There were also a few important plants he found along the way which didn¡¯t have any Crappy Birds living around them. Well, I wouldn¡¯t reject free stuff. This time since there was no hurry, he carefully applied the harvesting method taught to them before the mission and collected the plants. The boost in speed it gave when in the shadows was extremely high. The speed it provides in shadows might be at stage five without even trying. If I focused extensively and used it in the shadows, I might have the movement speed of someone at the peak of stage five. Eryndor had only consolidated his realm at stage four. Which meant the boost Shadowstep provided in its shadow mode was more than a complete stage. No wonder it was one of the most difficult movement cultivation art. Eryndor stood in the front of a tree after dodging all this while. He could see the impatience in its eyes, the gaps in its movements compared to before. The beast was losing its touch. The roles of the hunter and the prey would soon switch. As soon as the beast pounced at him again, Eryndor stood his ground this time. Timing his movement precisely, Eryndor only shifted at the last fraction of moment. Now¡¯s my chance. He activated his Internal Fist and drove it hard onto the underbelly of the beast which couldn¡¯t turn in time due to its front claws being stuck on the tree. Eryndor knew he would only be getting a small timeframe to act, and he capitalized beautifully on the chance. The underbelly was where the beast only had plain skin, with no scaled armor to give it protection. It released a wail of agony as it writhed, dislodging its claws from the tree. Eryndor didn¡¯t let it go. The tables had turned. Just before it landed on the ground, Eryndor kicked hard on the underbelly, making sure to land it as accurately as he had intended to. The angles and force all matched, as the beast didn¡¯t get to land securely. The kick had managed to successfully flip the beast. Eryndor didn¡¯t lose even a bit of his momentum as he followed up with several Internal Fists, raining it down on the underbelly of the beast. When the beast finally stopped moving, Eryndor heaved a sigh. Time to check the progress of Sovereign¡¯s Cloak. Chapter 73: Delayed battle Going into his Mind Palace would render him with no defenses in the real physical world. Every time he entered his Mind Palace, he would lose all connection with his physical body. Even if he had his extended third person view of the ability active, it would shut down once he entered the Mind Palace. However, Eryndor didn¡¯t want to return back to the base to get a safe space. He was too restless to confirm his hypothesis. It wouldn¡¯t take too long. Taking a deep breath, Eryndor dived into his Mind Palace. It took barely a moment for him to check if the progress bar had increased. It had. He exited instantly and activated his vision domain. Eryndor threw his back and laughed in the middle of the forest when he confirmed how Sovereign¡¯s Cloak progressed. He had all the more reason to kill the beasts now. No one would want their ability to not break through. He looked down at the early stage Latent realm beast with its blood splattered everywhere. Thank you for taking part in my experiment. With excitement still bubbling inside him, Eryndor stood up and continued moving around the area in search of more beasts. Eventually, around ten minutes later, he met a small group of Crappy Birds. There were just five of them at the early stages of the Latent realm. The community was so small and weak, that there wasn¡¯t even any valuable plant nearby. One needed to have strength to protect the treasure they possessed. Just because they were of the same species, Crappy Birds wouldn¡¯t be kind to each other. Just like in humans, the law of the jungle applied everywhere. Eryndor made quick work of them without even bothering to trash talk. Just as he was on the way to search for more, his phone beeped. Keeping his attention high, he scanned his entire vision to check for danger then took out the phone. It was Liliana¡¯s message. "We¡¯ll be leaving soon. Be sure to start heading back." I guess time¡¯s up on this planet. "That¡¯s true. I hope the mages retreat altogether." "Yep." A few more minutes of discussion then he bid her goodbye. He then checked the chat group of his roommates, where they had already notified him about their intention to join the Ravencroft¡¯s defense force. "Oh? Y¡¯all got the permission to join it? I thought it would only be for senior students." Seeing that there was no reply, he put aside the phone. For the next few hours, Eryndor returned to his usual routine. Lunch. Cultivation. Pills. Dinner. Cultivation. Pills. Late in the night, Eryndor finally began feeling sleepy after completing his cultivation session. It had been an incredibly fruitful session, he was almost at the mark of middle of stage four. A few more days and he would be at the peak of stage four. Which meant, within a week of breaking through to stage four, he would climb to stage five. No matter how slow, Passive Cultivation really gives a great boost since it¡¯s running at all times. Eryndor almost felt unreal witnessing the speed of his cultivation. I must never let anyone know about it before I am strong enough. As he lay in his bed, Eryndor couldn¡¯t help but glance in a certain direction. Liliana¡¯s room is situated there. After a bit of hesitation, Eryndor extended his range of vision in her direction. He had only been a bit curious. Who knew something was indeed taking place? Eryndor hurriedly shifted into a sitting position, his thoughts haywire. What is she doing?! Chapter 74: Absurd relation of delay From his third person view, Eryndor could see Liliana holding a glowing spherical object. The problem was, the spherical object was connected to the wall of the room. Is it connected to the spaceship? Eryndor couldn¡¯t help but think so. The spherical object also had a thin tendril extending out of it, connecting to Liliana¡¯s head. A few seconds later, the spherical orb began glowing with greater intensity, its blue hue illuminating the entire dark room. Gradually, it continued increasing, until the walls of her room began lighting up as well. What¡¯s going on here? Eryndor watched with alarm, as the glowing subsided in a few seconds. He waited a bit more, but didn¡¯t feel the spaceship crashing or anything. He patiently held on for a few more minutes, but Liliana just let go of the spherical orb, which was absorbed back into the walls of her room like a liquid. What just happened? Eryndor expanded his range to the entire spaceship, but nothing unusual was found except a group of operators in the control room being more active than usual. He hesitated a bit, then extended his range outwards. There was nothing out of place. A few moments later, he withdrew his vision. There¡¯s something definitely wrong with Liliana. Unexpectedly though, he never got the feeling that Liliana was trying to kill him. Is it because I am going off alone? He shook his head shortly after. He didn¡¯t want to join back the group just to check if Liliana would try to kill him. He wasn¡¯t stupid enough for that. Eventually, as he began feeling sleepy, his phone beeped. It was a text from his roommates. Drakarion: "It¡¯s indeed only for the senior students but professor Melissa invited us to go along so we agreed." It was just like how a snail wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the difference between a car going at two hundred kilometers per hour, and another car going at four hundred kilometers per hour. Liliana rejected the suggestion of the operator. "Sorry, but after two short checkpoint breaks due to the unusual incidents, the spaceship hasn¡¯t been able to refuel itself at a level enough to support excess consumption without putting us in a risky situation. "I can¡¯t allow this. I am sure we¡¯ll leave this area soon. Be patient. Next topic." Ofc you won¡¯t allow it, you did it yourself. Eryndor silently watched the meeting proceed with a rapidly beating heart. What does Liliana want to do? Why did she hurry up, then suddenly decided to slow down? Eryndor felt that the answer was somewhere between the timeframe of these two decisions of her. His brain furiously processed information, scanning through his memory between these two points of time. Wait! When something suddenly resurfaced in his memory, Eryndor kept his expressions under control through an almost inhuman amount of willpower. When the meeting ended, following the usual procedure, he talked a bit with the dispersing crowd and retreated to his room. He took care not to display even a hint of abnormality in his actions. As soon as he closed his door, Eryndor took out his phone, and scrolled through to his chats with Syndra to cross check something. I wasn¡¯t wrong. He grabbed his head, and let himself fall back on the bed with his back to it. Holy fucking shit, how...and why... is the delaying of the Mage Outer Domain¡¯s attack on the Ravencroft connected to the slowing down of the spaceship? Eryndor dearly hoped he was wrong. They were originally about to reach the Forbidden Void in around three weeks, but it would be delayed now due to Liliana slowing down the ship. Even if he might have heard it in the past, Eryndor didn¡¯t remember it now, or rather, he needed a more official confirmation about the question he had in mind. With shaking hands, he texted Syndra. "According to the Ravencrofts¡¯ calculations, when did the Mage Outer Domain originally planned to attack?" "In three weeks." Chapter 75: Cognitive Dissonance "Why?" Eryndor didn¡¯t know what to tell her, so he just made up a random excuse. As he looked up at the ceiling of the room, Eryndor couldn¡¯t help but scan the unusual parts of his memory. There was really nothing else which stood out, except Liliana trying to kill Ken and Hellen, using the abnormality on the planets. Maybe he could try to investigate those? There were still more checkpoint planets left on their journey after all. But, how would it affect the battle if they kill the two people here? It confused Eryndor, so he simply...just sat there. He contemplated using Cognitive Scrying, but there were some serious implications about it, which he had realized in the past. Cognitive Scrying was essentially invading the privacy of people at the deepest of levels. Respecting others¡¯ privacy was a part of his belief, a part of his identity. His awakening had been when he doubted his identity. Which meant, the concept of his identity was core to his current existence, and survival. If it was somehow changed beyond measure, it might lead to unfavorable outcomes. Eryndor had read about this one thing in the past which he couldn¡¯t help but remember. [You have these lines you won¡¯t cross. But then one day, you cross them. And suddenly you possess the very dangerous information that you can break the rule and the world won¡¯t instantly come to an end. You¡¯ve taken a big, black, bold line and you¡¯ve made it a little bit gray. And now every time you cross it, it just gets grayer and grayer. Until one day, you look around and you think. ¡¯There was a line here once, I think.¡¯] It was even more true in the case of Eryndor whose identity was so important that it could determine his survival. That was not to say that he won¡¯t ever change. People change, he would change too. Cognitive dissonance was the psychological discomfort a person felt when they held conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes, or when their behavior contradicted their beliefs. No. Eryndor was successful in convincing himself. It wouldn¡¯t have been an issue if the person had tried to kill him, or harm him. Eryndor felt zero burden using Cognitive Scrying on Jeremy, who was indirectly being controlled to harm him, and the Mayor, who was also instructed to harm him. But to use it on Liliana? It needed plenty of mental conditioning and roundabout reasoning to justify his actions. Taking a deep breath, he activated the Cognitive Scrying, slipping into the familiar third person view. Looking into Liliana¡¯s room¡¯s direction, he directed his vision there. A second later, he was gazing at Liliana who seemed to be reading a book on her bed. Now that he had already decided what to do, Eryndor didn¡¯t hesitate any longer. He targeted Liliana and felt his consciousness being pulled into her mind. He didn¡¯t resist the pull. Once inside, he gazed at the spherical balls of light floating around. They were the memories of a person. But there was one problem. There was a massive shield which stood in front of the countless motes of light. He lightly made contact with it, then backed away. Eryndor immediately knew what it was. A shield to defend against mental attacks? Damn. It was the first time Eryndor had come across anything like this. The shield was a mental defense treasure at the peak of level two. He had a hunch that his Active realm Cognitive Scrying could definitely break through the shield in front of him without his own mind taking any kind of damage. But the problem was, it would definitely alert Liliana. Eryndor didn¡¯t want that for obvious reasons. He tried various ways to bypass the shield, and access the memories, but no matter what, a slight ripple would spread from the shield which would interfere with his ability. Unless he broke the shield, he wouldn¡¯t be able to access any kind of memory. Unbeknownst to Eryndor, a change had taken place in his Mind Palace. Chapter 76: Horrifying black smoke When Eryndor had targeted Liliana and activated his Cognitive Scrying, his Mind Palace trembled. The enormous structure shook once, then twice, and thrice, before it continued at a higher frequency, eventually vibrating violently. It felt the structure was suppressing something, but was finding it increasingly difficult to do so. The huge lustrous structure continued vibrating intensely before it eventually stopped. Immediately after, a crack appeared in one of the pillars of the Golden Mind Palace. A minuscule trace of thin, black smoke gently drifted out of the crack, barely visible even against the shiny golden surrounding. Around the crack though, the golden lustre of the palace seemed to have dimmed. Nothing else happened later, with everything returning to silence as it had always been. After Eryndor used his Eldritch ability of Cognitive Scrying by going against his human based beliefs, the gap of Cognitive Dissonance between his belief as a human and the action of using his Eldritch abilities became wide enough to end up in a calamitous result. ***** Seeing that there was no way he could access the memories of Liliana, Eryndor gave up, and retreated back to his body. He couldn¡¯t afford to attract her attention. What if she massacred everyone on the spaceship to keep the matter under wraps? Not possessing any killing intent towards him didn¡¯t mean that she would continue to hold no desire to kill him if she became alerted to the fact that her mental defense treasure broke down, and someone on the aircraft might know her secrets. The safest option then would be to kill everyone, and he was pretty sure no one, including himself could resist a Stage Seven Qi Condensation realm cultivator. As soon as he retreated, he witnessed a trace of thin, black smoke inside his body. It was extremely faint, and not even the length of one of his fingers. Eryndor didn¡¯t have the ability to gaze inside his body yet, but he could somehow set sight upon the black smoke existing inside his body. It was as if the smoke demanded his attention, breaking limits of what was possible and what was not, to allow Eryndor to gaze inside his body to witness its form. That wasn¡¯t the only thing, Eryndor felt pure dread from the smoke. The moment his gaze fell upon the wisp of black smoke, a terror beyond words gripped him. It was not fear as humans understood it¡ªit was deeper, more primal, as if his very existence was an offense in its presence. His thoughts crumbled, his sense of self began eroding. Time lost meaning. Were the power systems a counterpart of anomalistic abilities? No one knew. Eryndor gradually felt his ¡¯memory¡¯ reappearing. He suddenly remembered how his parents, how his friends looked, and how insanely handsome he looked. He remembered the Human Federation, the Eight Outer Domains, the Anomalies. He remembered his first mission. How he had been intelligent, smart, brave, cautious, resourceful, and hard carried his own team and literally a professor¡¯s team, all by himself. He remembered how amazing he was. Eryndor had no idea how long it went on for. He also had no idea when he regained consciousness. There was no period of blankness where he could gather his thoughts. One moment he gazed at the black smoke. Next moment its presence weighed down on him. Then the pain arrived with extreme intensity. And finally, he opened his eyes. The first thing he did was inhale deeply, as if he suddenly felt extremely blessed to have lived. Did convincing myself not work? Or was this just a lesser consequence¡ªmuted by whatever gap in cognitive dissonance he had managed to close through the process he had gone through to convince himself? At a certain point, he had fallen flat on the bed. Gathering himself, he sat up and looked at the ceiling. A truly horrifying experience. One which I went through for nothing. He hadn¡¯t managed to gain any kind of information from Liliana¡¯s mind at all, but ended up returning to his body to go through the excruciating pain. I should check out my Mind Palace. He knew that Mind Palace was a mystical location in his consciousness which was the focal point of all his abilities. Since something like this took place, could his Mind Palace have undergone changes? Chapter 77: Nature of Black Smoke Eryndor didn¡¯t immediately enter his Mind Palace. Suffice to say, he was scarred from his recent experience. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Eryndor gazed at the bag he had taken with him to hunt yesterday. Come to think of it, I seem to have forgotten to hand in the flowers. The valuable flowers he had collected yesterday while searching for beasts weren¡¯t handed in at all. Swinging the bag of flowers over his shoulder, he left the room and exchanged it for contribution points from one of the agents. After a walk through the spaceship, he returned with a fresher and more stable mind. Taking a moment to refocus, he closed his eyes and entered the Mind Palace. This time he didn¡¯t immediately head towards his abilities, but scrutinized every corner of the Mind Palace. After around ten minutes, he also left the palace to check if there was something wrong with the Mind Palace. After half an hour of detailed scanning of every inch of the Golden Mind Palace, Eryndor finally spotted a tiny crack. The lustre of gold around the crack also seemed to be a bit dull compared to the other parts of the Palace. This is such a small crack. Eryndor had no idea what to make of it. Had he almost died to a literal strand of smoke which escaped from such a tiny fucking crack? He remembered resorting to cultivation as his last straw, immensely thankful that the big circuit of practice technique came to him as easy as it did because of his bountiful mastery over passive cultivation. But he could also feel that something else might¡¯ve been at play while he controlled it. It resulted in him only needing the briefest of consciousness he had left to control the Qi, and initiate its circulation. Power Systems are a counterbalance against Anomalistic abilities? Eryndor couldn¡¯t help but have this thought. Else there was no way to explain how he was suddenly able to reverse the erosion. Even now, when he looked back on the experience, he couldn¡¯t help but be thankful that he had increased his cultivation realm. Eryndor still remembered needing all the Qi he had to circulate through the big circuit before he could start resisting the identity erosion, else he would¡¯ve surely died if it was any lesser. As to how he controlled all the Qi? He couldn¡¯t do so even when he actively controlled it during his cultivation sessions after all. He reckoned it might be something to do with the strange help he had gotten, it felt like an instinct, but also not. Then, it must¡¯ve been the appearance of the black smoke which awakened the ability in himself. The black smoke, dominated by the Eldritch subconscious, was easily able to take control of him for a brief moment and activate the abilities. It sustained the brunt of mind-reading the entire population, while his own mind bore only the residual strain. The actual pain which he experienced that day was a brief moment of identity erosion initiated by the Eldritch subconscious. But after all, it wasn¡¯t Eryndor¡¯s personal conscious decision to perform the mind reading. Meaning, he had just doubted his identity as a human, but not went against it to use the eldritch ability. This helped the part of the black smoke which was the Human subconsciousness to be able to overpower the Eldritch counterpart and retreat. But now? He had actively used the Eldritch ability to go against his human belief. It allowed the Eldritch subconscious, which was already more powerful, to overpower the Human subconscious, and break out of the seal. The only reason he could resist was by the virtue of his cultivation realm, which his human subconscious controlled and made use of. Yes, it was very likely the human consciousness which took reigns in controlling the Qi through the big circuit once he began the process. This meant that the eldritch subconscious¡ªalready struggling to erode Eryndor¡¯s identity and resist the human subconscious residing in black smoke¡ªwas now also forced to resist the influence of the cultivation realm. It went above its ability to resist, allowing Eryndor to make a comeback, and absorb the eldritch subconscious in return. It was an extremely minute amount, sure, but what was its result? Addition of extraordinary proficiency in Cognitive Scrying. It was obvious the eldritch subconscious contained in even that tiny strand of smoke had enough mastery over its own abilities. But since it was Cognitive Scrying which triggered its release, it was that particular ability which got the increase when Eryndor absorbed it. Lastly, why was it able to control Eryndor the first time but not the second time? It might be because Eryndor was now more aware of his identity, more cognizant of his Eldritch nature. It gave his identity a heavier weight than before. This almost fits all the gaps of understanding. Eryndor didn¡¯t think he had left anything to consider while concluding the nature of the black smoke. Chapter 78: Heavier Existence Eryndor left the Mind Palace after confirming that there were no changes. Once back in his body, he heaved a huge sigh. Everything was back to normal, or maybe not. He could feel something different about himself, he could feel that he was more. As if the weight of his existence itself has been increased. It was a very different feeling, a bit familiar to when he had broken through to Stage One of Qi Gathering realm from being a normal human. But back then, the difference wasn¡¯t that as significant as now. Is it a qualitative change? A very big one? There also seemed to be something more other than just his weight of existence being increased. Before he could put a finger on it, the feeling of being more immediately faded. It was as if he would have to do something to activate it again. Eryndor didn¡¯t understand, nor did he want to. He was tired. Massaging his head, Eryndor drank some water and went to sleep. He didn¡¯t feel like doing anything today, it had been extremely stressful. Both his physique and mind felt more exhausted than ever. That entire day Eryndor slept peacefully on the bed, with no one disturbing after staff knocked on his door twice. They assumed that he must be practicing with extreme focus or was just sleeping. Eryndor who had fallen on the bed in the morning directly woke up in the afternoon of the next day. "Ahhh." Everything suddenly felt better after a good sleep. He wasn¡¯t surprised by the amount of time he slept. If anything, with the fatigue which had overcome him the previous day, he thought he would have slept more. He tried to summon the feeling of his existence becoming heavier but nothing bore results. Chuck it, I¡¯ll try later. He took a quick shower and changed into a different pair of clothes before heading towards the dinner room. He was famished. His Passive Regeneration only regenerated enough to keep him alive. While in battle though, it would recover the wounds and energy he spent while fighting. It would be difficult for them to do so. Every one of them thought it was some space phenomenon, so they wouldn¡¯t think it was a deliberate work of someone to match the timing of the spaceship to the battle. At most, they would chalk it up to coincidence. After donning the battlesuit over his Sovereign¡¯s Cloak, Eryndor moved out of his room and arrived at the main room. It was time for the third planet they would stop at, and it would also be an important one. Important because the spaceship was low on fuel, if they didn¡¯t manage to recover at least enough to reach the fourth and last checkpoint planet, then the situation would turn dire. As everyone was gathered in the main room once again, they went through a few basic information of the planet and some common instructions. Suddenly though, Eryndor could feel his energy of Consciousness draining rapidly. He could feel it was his Sovereign¡¯s Cloak which had been activated. Certain runes lit up upon them, powered by the energy of Consciousness before they stopped. What was that? He kept his expression under control, and acted normally as the short meeting concluded. His first thought was naturally Liliana. Was I exposed? That was nearly impossible, Eryndor had taken no such actions. That only meant that the attack was launched on everyone. But then, I am pretty sure not everyone has a mental defense treasure. Eryndor could see that no one was acting differently, or weirdly. They were just behaving like they usually did. What was the purpose of that? He glanced at Liliana from the corner of his eyes. Who could he doubt other than her? Eryndor made a point to himself to keep a watch on Liliana¡¯s movements the next time something like this happened. Finally, the spaceship landed, and the hatch was opened. Everyone went about their own ways, with Eryndor going off alone. Once he was sufficiently far away, he stopped, and gazed in the direction team Lockheim had left. There was just one thing he needed to do before starting his solo hunt. Chapter 79: Transformation into second form Eryndor took out a piece of paper from his pocket. It had a warning written on it, addressed to Ken and Hellen. During the next hour, he took extreme care in the way he delivered it to Ken through Telekinesis. It was difficult, truly. Eryndor had no idea how Liliana¡¯s surveillance cultivation art worked, nor how far its range was. So he didn¡¯t bother following them to warn them or something of the sort. He was just grateful that both of them had saved him from critical injuries multiple times, and this was the least he could do for them. They were in the middle of a fight, with Ken and Hellen confronting a single beast, while Liliana battling another stronger one alone at a distance away from them. It was sudden, very quick. Ken¡¯s surveillance spell couldn¡¯t have picked up on such a small incoming object, but his eyes caught sight of it despite being in the middle of battle as it floated just before him. It was simply a tiny white folded paper. When Ken read what was written on it, his eyes narrowed. He instantly approached Hellen and picked her up in his arms. Retreating away from the beast, he yelled out loud to Liliana. "Hellen¡¯s wounds have opened up, I am taking her back to the spaceship!" The woman replied back, her voice similarly loud. "This is NOT the protocol when someone is injured. Ken stay back, or you¡¯ll get no mission rewards!" Ken shouted, already heading towards the base. "We don¡¯t care, you can have it all." Liliana taunted, her voice sharp as they reached the ears of the couple. "Fucking disgraces. Just what else could I have expected from people under that rat." Veins popped up on Ken¡¯s head, but he kept quiet, and instructed Hellen to do the same. Liliana attempted to retreat alongside them but the weaker beast blocked her way, consuming her time. "Be quiet, we are going back to the spaceship." Hellen hadn¡¯t seen the white paper, so she was confused. "What¡¯s going on? And can you put me down? I can run by myself." Ken shot her a grin. "No, I am carrying you. You are supposed to be injured." She rolled her eyes at him. "Nice excuse you¡¯ve found yourself. Now tell me what¡¯s going on." After finding a secluded place, he further covered himself until he was completely hidden and accessed the Mind Palace. In the room where Sovereign¡¯s Cloak was situated, he beheld the item on the altar. The Sovereign¡¯s Cloak was trembling as the golden runes etched on it flared, their glow intensifying until the light became blinding. The fabric of Cloak darkened, what was already deep black now felt like an abyssal void that seemed to swallow the light around it. There was a strange, weird, chaotic sense of harmony between the runes which seemed to exude endless light and the fabric which consumed all light. A faint ripple passed through the cloak as the transformation settled. Everything about it suddenly returned to how it had previously been. Its presence exuded an undeniable sense of authority and dominion, before going still. Wow. He only exclaimed, excitement and awe visible in his eyes. Without wasting any extra time, he switched back to his physical body to try out the now upgraded Sovereign¡¯s Cloak. Coming out of hiding, he focused for a moment and instantly felt the Cloak draping over him. It certainly felt more powerful than before. Eryndor wondered if the Cloak would¡¯ve transformed if he was an Eldritch Entity. As soon as he had that thought, the thought about being an Eldritch Entity, his presence shifted. The feeling of his existence becoming heavier appeared. The one he felt a week ago. It reappeared, this time with more clarity. He felt more of himself. Everything suddenly seemed slow. Maybe because he was in a static room last time that he didn¡¯t notice, but out in the open, he could distinctly sense it. The runes which he had hidden on the Cloak to not attract attention suddenly became visible once more, exposing to the naked eye the entire glory of the Sovereign¡¯s Cloak. Eryndor felt his emotions dampening, as he was aware of the fact the excitement he should have felt about this transformation was far less than what he would normally feel. Eryndor couldn¡¯t see it himself, but if someone else gazed at the area above his head, they would be able to make out a faint shape of a majestic crown. So this is something like my second form now? Eryndor brought up his hands and thought. It certainly felt far more powerful. He felt that he could control all his abilities to their highest mastery. But there was a problem, all his powers related to cultivation suddenly felt a bit difficult to use. It was just like how his Eldritch abilities felt difficult to use normally. The roles were switched. Which means I¡¯ll have to practice more from now on. Chapter 80: Testing out second form Eryndor carefully felt the changes in him, it certainly felt far more empowering. He waved his hand at a tree, and the target in question suddenly vibrated intensely, but it didn¡¯t go beyond that. What Eryndor just used was Telekinesis on the tree. He couldn¡¯t uproot it, but he did manage to shake it quite fiercely in the process of doing so. Under no circumstances would he have been able to do this previously. He tried a few more things, and the power of his Telekinesis seems to have been drastically increased. It also had something to do with mastery. Before, he felt like he was controlling an extra robotic arm to pick things up, compared to now where he felt he was simply using his own arm. Lastly, vision. In this form, he could freely switch between first person and third person views. He could also choose to have a split vision, giving him a view of both first person and third person. To add on to that, he could zoom into a specific location to more clearly see the target. Previously, he was only able to do this slightly, and that was difficult in itself. Whenever he unleashed the vision domain, his third person view would be fixed on the top of the domain. That¡¯s a lot of mastery. It truly felt better to use abilities this way, but he was scared about the after effects. But then again, he also needed to have more information about himself in this form, he couldn¡¯t do that switching to this form itself. Eryndor soon took off in a direction, eager to find out the effects of his Cognitive Scrying. Finally, he came across a beast. The beast on the third planet largely consisted of what looked like boars. They had countless types of boars, with some of them even closely resembling the species on Earth. He already had a guess of what it might be. Intending to put it to use, he began scanning through the beast¡¯s memories. This time, due to the black film around himself, Eryndor felt like a complete bystander when going through the memories. Even when he viewed them at a normal speed, going through all the memories without filtering anything, he didn¡¯t feel a single thing. This black film protects my consciousness when using Cognitive Scrying. With a satisfied expression, he left the beast¡¯s consciousness and gazed at its prostrating form. Not a lot of time had passed in the real world. Whenever he used Cognitive Scrying, if he didn¡¯t deliberately waste too much time in the consciousness, only a couple seconds would have passed in the real world. With a wave of hand, he killed the beast through Telekinesis by picking it up and slamming it hard on the ground. Where previously it would¡¯ve been difficult for him to control a living being even if they were weak, now he could effortlessly dispatch the weak ones. He would have to test it against the powerful ones, or at least those at his level. Eryndor continued moving through the forest. The good thing about this form was that it didn¡¯t consume the energy of Consciousness. Just like how he effortlessly stayed in his normal form, he could endlessly stay like this. While moving through the jungle, he had gradually grown aware of the fact that there seemed to be a faint outline of a majestic crown above his head. It was just a feeling he had. He didn¡¯t know what it depicted. He couldn¡¯t touch it, and the baffling thing was, when he switched to the third person view, he couldn¡¯t even see the crown. It wasn¡¯t possible to see the crown in his own reflection on a water surface either. Weird. Eryndor felt there were too many strange things about this form. Of course, he didn¡¯t intend to expose this form in front of everyone. He already had a good plan for this. After checking his surroundings with the extended vision, he switched back to his normal form. As to how he did it? By focusing on being a human, he didn¡¯t need to think much to find that out. Alright, time to find out what¡¯s hidden on this planet. Chapter 81: Maw of Agony Eryndor searched for beasts and continued killing for almost an hour before he got hungry. He took out his food and chewed on it, thinking about his ability¡¯s situation. Cognitive Scrying isn¡¯t breaking through. He had already killed a dozen more beasts after using Cognitive Scrying on them. Of course, he didn¡¯t switch to his second form. He merely played the memories as fast as he could and got done with it. There wasn¡¯t anything strange in any of the beast¡¯s memories. Am I missing something? Or I would just have to continue using it until I break through? Or is it a test of my mastery? That couldn¡¯t be though, my second form already has sky high mastery. When he was done eating the food, he stood up and resumed his routine. Eryndor never initiated a fight with strong monsters, he very much loved his life. If the problem could be solved by fighting weaker monsters then why would he go look for stronger ones? Eventually, Eryndor came across something strange in one of the beast¡¯s memories. The placement of Maws of Agony changed? The Maw of Agony was a structure unique to this planet, blending seamlessly with its natural terrain. Nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding landscape, it was difficult to detect. Once a target gets trapped in them, the Maw of Agony tortures them, but the twist in this was that it didn¡¯t let the victim die. If the living being was about to die due to the torture it inflected, it would instead heal the living being just enough to escape death and spit it out. The good thing about this was that Maw of Agony was a structure of the planet, not a living being. It couldn¡¯t move. Over numerous explorations, the Human Federation had already marked the spots where the Maws of Agony were located. Every team which landed on this planet was given information on their locations, which they avoided at all costs. But now, according to the beast¡¯s memories, the location had changed? So that is what Liliana intends to use this time? But there were two extremely glaring issues in this. Yes, a few machines had started shifting the location of all the Maws of Agony which were near the small base a while back. Why did they move more than one Maw of Agony? Well, Eryndor could easily guess the reason, it was quite simple. It was so that there would be more than one choice for Liliana to choose from. It was not certain that the team would definitely head in a particular direction after all. As a failsafe, multiple of these structures were therefore moved in all the directions. Eryndor looked at the lifeless beast and thought. What now? Machines moved them? Anyone can fucking make machines. He didn¡¯t give up though. He carefully avoided the new location of where the structure was located and continued using Cognitive Scrying on the surrounding beasts. He achieved a breakthrough neither in Cognitive Scrying, nor in the information domain. The beasts had only ever seen machines, not a hint of humans. He had also tried extending the range and scanned the minds of beasts a little further than the Maw of Agony, in hopes that maybe they were directing things from the back. There was no such thing. Chuck it, I at least got one new piece of information. Eryndor thought while retreating. He picked up a few boars of stage three and headed towards the small base. According to them, he should still be at stage three of Qi Gathering realm. Naturally, he had long passed that stage. Eryndor reached the peak of stage four Qi Gathering realm during the past week he had spent practicing. He might step into stage five anytime now. Naturally, the passive cultivation which had stopped when he was in the second form had long since resumed. There was still a week left before the fourth checkpoint, which happened to also be the final one. He had plenty of time to break through to stage five. When he returned to the base, he noticed that a lot of people were gathered in one place. Eryndor already had a guess about what might be going on. Chapter 82: Crimson Armor As Eryndor approached them, their voices gradually became clearer. They are indeed talking about Ken and Hellen. Ken was standing alone, arguing with Liliana while few of the important agents were gathered around. The staff were looking on from behind at what was transpiring. "You do NOT leave your duty like that even if a teammate is injured." "Hellen¡¯s wounds were severe, the situation wasn¡¯t any important or dangerous either. What do you think should be done in this situation? "Don¡¯t tell me you couldn¡¯t handle the extra beast which even me and Hellen were able to beat back?" "Don¡¯t try to be smart, I am telling you the rules. What you did was a violation in how a group acts. "Isn¡¯t Calix a firm supporter of the rules? He preaches fairness and the importance of following orders all the time. "As his subordinate you couldn¡¯t even do that?" Ken held it in when Liliana attacked boss Calix. What he did was indeed wrong, but he didn¡¯t regret it. In no circumstances would he put Hellen¡¯s life under any kind of danger. Seeing him remain silent, Liliana continued. "Where is Hellen? Didn¡¯t you say she was critically injured? Bring her out." "Why? She is resting in her room. No one is allowed to enter." "I just want to see her injury. Can¡¯t I care about my teammate? When you retreated, you said a past wound of hers had opened up." "Sorry, but I won¡¯t allow anyone near her till she recovers." Liliana smirked, "Oh? Then how do we know she was indeed injured?" Ken looked toward one particular staff which was in the medical department of the spaceship. Understanding the intention, he took a step forward and said, Over countless expeditions, the Human Federation had compiled a set of timing for each planet when it wasn¡¯t safe to be out in the open. Eryndor had always adhered to the timing, and he planned to continue to do so. Disregarding if Liliana will even let him, Eryndor himself had no wish to find out what took place in the danger hours. As he walked through the jungle to find a secluded spot, he thought. Well, at least the two of them won¡¯t be targeted anymore. Ken and Hellen would be safe for now, at least on this planet. Finally, he found a place. Crimson Armor was a defensive cultivation art which produced a thin red film over the body. This film resisted both blunt and sharp force, but in the process it would be weakened. If the single attack, or a series of attacks surpassed its capacity to resist, the film on that part would disappear. The next moment, the remaining red film over the rest of the body would weaken and form a new film at the missing part, leveling the defensive capacity all over the body once again. Eryndor took it because he liked how comprehensive it was, and didn¡¯t need manual control once activated. Of course, one could replenish the capacity of the film by circulating the Qi through the circuit of Crimson Armor cultivation art once again. However, from what Eryndor had gathered, the Qi consumption of the Crimson Armor was very high, enough such that the majority of the people wouldn¡¯t bother using it again just to keep the previous red film at its peak state. By the time the deadline was coming near, he had already achieved mastery over it, and put himself through several different situations to get used to using Crimson Armor proficiently. As soon as he was done practicing his defensive cultivation art, Eryndor headed towards the spaceship. A few minutes later he arrived at the base. It seemed he was the last one again as there were only a few people standing guard while all the staff, agents and researchers seemed to have already entered the spaceship. After he returned to the aircraft, the people who were on the lookout outside followed him in, closing the hatch behind them. Everyone had gathered in the main room, discussing several topics, when it happened again. Eryndor felt his energy of Consciousness draining. Chapter 83: The transformation rule of four energies Their discussion was basically about how the day had proceeded for everyone. Was there any new information about the terrain of the planet or about the unexplored area in the direction team Lockheim headed in? Were there any new findings from the researchers? Did the researchers need any kind of beasts or plants from the planet to conduct experiments? The agents announced if the quota of resources to harvest from this planet was filled or not, and if the spaceship had refueled completely. They also took notes if something could be improved in the protocols or in the tasks to be carried out on the planet. As the meeting continued, the feeling of energy of Consciousness draining didn¡¯t lessen one bit. He was grateful he had the Sovereign¡¯s Cloak, and that too an upgraded one now, which provided him immense defense. Not even ten percent of its defense capacity was consumed yet. At a certain point, he had taken a glance at Liliana, and he spotted that on her right hand, the thumb was touching the ring on the index finger. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean Eryndor was sure the ring was the treasure which was executing the mental attack, it could be Liliana¡¯s cultivation art for all he knew. She was certainly capable enough for that. There was a very simple way to verify it though. A few minutes later when the discussion concluded, Eryndor felt the drain on his energy of Consciousness coming to a stop. Simultaneously, he spotted Liliana¡¯s thumb disengaging from the ring. Indeed, it¡¯s very likely the ring. Eryndor made a mental note and retreated to his room. After entering, he soon went to the box of pills. What he took out wasn¡¯t the level one Qi Gathering pills this time but the third box. It was the one which contained pills related to the mind. With Liliana using mental attacks everyday, he didn¡¯t feel safe with just a Sovereign¡¯s Cloak. He needed to strengthen his mind. He had also kept an eye on everyone, and it seemed that there were no changes. Eryndor planned to imitate the changes these people exhibited, if at all they did, so that he didn¡¯t stand out to Liliana. He took out a bottle of Spirit Strengthening pill and held it in his hands. The Qi you absorb through the circulation of practice technique would then be used to temper your mind. Since the meridians weren¡¯t getting the absorbed Qi, one¡¯s realm didn¡¯t increase during this procedure. Unlike the Qi Gathering pill, the effects of Spirit Strengthening pill didn¡¯t depend on time but were fixed. No matter how long you took, as soon as a certain amount of tempering was performed on your mind, the pill would lose effect. Eryndor was just about to take the pill when his door was knocked in a pattern which was for urgent matters. Putting aside the pill, he immediately headed towards the main room. Once everyone had gathered, Liliana addressed all the people in a grave tone. "When I ventured out for the final check for the day, I discovered that the location of all the Maws of Agony near us had changed. We¡¯ll need to be careful, I don¡¯t feel good about this." Everyone¡¯s expression changed, their eyes widening as they realized the implications of it. The strongest on a team had the role of scouting the surroundings at the end of each day so there weren¡¯t any unstable factors near the spaceship. Since Liliana had detected a change, it must be true. No one joked about this matter. All of them had the same thought. Who changed the locations? Was there some unknown dangerous thing about this planet? Was it even safe anymore? All of them except Eryndor. His mind was a jumbled mess. His brain was short circuiting. Isn¡¯t it her, or the people behind her which moved the Maws of Agony? Did she not do it? No, it must be her group for sure. Did she expose the locations since Hellen and Ken wouldn¡¯t be venturing out anymore? Was it so that no other humans were harmed? But that raised more doubts. Eryndor always thought Liliana stood opposite the humans in the battle of Ravencrofts vs Mage Outer Domain. If she cared about humans, that messed with Eryndor¡¯s insights and the predictions he had made. His thoughts grew increasingly jumbled and messed up until collapsing into a single line. What¡¯s going on? Chapter 84: Spirit Strengthening pill The team once again got to discussing measures, this time on how to handle the location change of Maws of Agony. Eryndor himself never had participated in these meetings, just stayed on the side to get updates about the current progress of the team and their future action plans. He felt the drain on his energy of Consciousness, as the Sovereign¡¯s Cloak¡¯s defense mechanism was triggered once again. And indeed, from the corner of his eye, he spotted Liliana¡¯s thumb resting on the ring. He was almost used to it by now, so he didn¡¯t pay any attention to it. His mind was consumed by the thoughts about Liliana¡¯s intentions. Eryndor had come to realise the brilliance of their plan. First planet? Striders, which were mobile threats. Second planet? Crappy Birds, which were mobile threats. Third planet? Maws of Agony, which were stationary threats. Which meant rushing out of the first two planets was also planned, because the issue of fuel consumption could be solved on the third planet itself. The spaceship could continue refueling without being threatened, as the source of danger was entirely stationary. He continued thinking. Just what exactly is Liliana¡¯s goal? First, she wants to hurt the couple. It was logical why she wasn¡¯t doing it herself but using different tactics which couldn¡¯t be traced back to her. Obviously, it was because she didn¡¯t want Ken and Hellen to report back to Calix that Liliana was out for them. It might put him on guard. Second, the two of them might blow up the matter, which would force the agents on the team to contact the Human Federation. In that case, the mission might even get terminated. They couldn¡¯t allow an unstable team to be near an Eldritch being. Second, she cares about the humans. This makes me hesitant which side she is on. She was against the couple, who were on the same side as Calix, who was fighting with Ranvencrofts from the side of humanity, against the Mage Outer domain. On the other hand, she also cared about the lives of the humans. Eryndor was tempted to believe that all of this was purely a personal vendetta, if not for one fact. Just when he was about to take out another one, a beep from his phone caught his attention. Syndra had messaged him. "With this question you are asking, someone would mistake you for a spy." Eryndor chuckled, "You can investigate me with your background if you think so." He didn¡¯t mind it. However big of a family Ravencrofts were, they couldn¡¯t compare to the behemoth of a Human Federation. They wouldn¡¯t be able to find anything on him. "Nah, I¡¯m kidding. About Calix, I¡¯ll send some information which is common knowledge. "As for the more important ones, I¡¯ll have to submit an application to the higher ups about allowing you to view it." "Don¡¯t, I¡¯ll first go through the common one. If I still need more information then I¡¯ll notify you." "Alright, give me a minute." Eryndor tapped his foot against the floor while waiting for the information. Maybe he could find a breakthrough in it? He got the information package a few moments later. After thanking Syndra, he immediately began reading through it. What was mentioned in the file was the placement of team Lockheim and the general structure of the terrain around them. It also included the structure of the wall which team Lockheim had to guard. It was said that the wall was made in recent years by a genius Array Formation master. It was built and installed with such formations that one had to apply equal pressure in multiple locations of the wall for it to break down at the fastest rate. If it was under attack, depending on the inconsistency of the time of damage across these points, it would proportionally take longer to break down. Wait... Eryndor was just normally reading through this piece of information when an old information which perfectly fit this criteria resurfaced in his mind. As his brain connected the dots, his eyes went wide. He hurriedly searched for professor Melissa¡¯s contact number and sent her a message. "That Mystical Artifact - Amplifier Doll, does it have something to do with the Mage Outer Domain?" Chapter 85: Amplifier Doll There wasn¡¯t any delay as the professor immediately replied. "Yes. How do you know?" "I¡¯ll tell you about it later, can I get more information about it?" "Sure." Melissa had trust in Eryndor based on his past actions, so she wasn¡¯t hesitant in doing so again. She told him about her brother¡¯s mission, and its outcome. She also added that this was the primary reason she didn¡¯t want him to come under the Heretics¡¯ radar. It was because she had experienced this first hand. Sander was a famous man with a powerful combat prowess, they could only suppress him through other means. But Eryndor? He was just a new student with no background and connections. He would¡¯ve been dealt with by far stricter methods. Eryndor expressed his gratitude to professor Melissa for sharing the information and put aside his phone. He read through all of it, and a few important tidbits stood out, which rapidly began connecting the dots in his mind. First, Sander had stolen the Mystical Artifact from the hands of Heretics and the Mage Outer Domain. It was said that the Mage Outer Domain had invested a significant amount of resources to acquire the Mystical Artifact, only to lose it afterward, making the loss almost crippling to them. So why are they attacking the Ravencrofts when they are in such a bad situation themselves? Eryndor could only think of one reason. Polinek, a city rich in resources, would significantly boost their recovery. And, the Mage Outer Domain was a hundred percent sure that they would win the battle to capture it. Second, he thought of the Amplifier Doll as soon as he read the information about the special wall because of how well their abilities matched. Or you could say, how well the Amplifier Doll countered it. The wall needed to be damaged at multiple locations at the same time for its quickest demolition. And what was the Amplifier Doll the best at? Amplifying parameters. One could simply launch slow but powerful attacks at the Amplifier Doll one after another while having an ¡¯intent¡¯ to target those certain specific points on the walls. The Mage Outer Domain are inherently stronger than the Ravencrofts, they can handle the main battlefield just fine even if their ambush failed. It is also why Caulin, the Cyborg genius, offered to help and the Ravencrofts agreed. No one offered help to strong people, and the strong ones didn¡¯t accept help because then the spoils of battle would have to be distributed. Eryndor¡¯s thoughts fired off more and more rapidly. The only reason a delay would take place because of a deviation in the plan of ambush would be if the ambush was more important than the main battle. And why would ambush be more important than the main battle? There was no way there would be an extra army or an unexpected amount of troops on the site of the ambush. After being taunted by Syndra, he had begun checking on the news. The Human Federation was keeping an eye on all the Eight Outer Domains, all the conscious intelligent Anomalies, and unexpectedly, they were also keeping an eye on their own forces and allies to look out for betrayal. If there wasn¡¯t an extra army at the ambush then why was it more important than the main battle to the Mage Outer Domain? Eryndor¡¯s eyes narrowed. "Calix." He whispered. Things seemed to be revolving around that man. There was literally no other possibility. This would also explain Liliana¡¯s targeting of the couples, since that was also indirectly going against Calix. He suddenly shook his head. No no no no, everything about this will only be true if the unexpectedness in Mage Outer Domain¡¯s management was because of their deviation in the planning of their ambush. With his hands almost shaking, Eryndor messaged Syndra. "Did you happen to get any information on why the Mage Outer Domain¡¯s attack was delayed?" There was a short display of ¡¯typing...¡¯ before the reply arrived. "It was some Mystical Artifact. We couldn¡¯t get any more information." Holy fucking goddamn!!! Chapter 86: Fifth stage of Qi Gathering realm Eryndor banged his table, and stood up abruptly, his hands almost on the verge of pulling at his hair. "Just what is going on with Calix?" Eryndor whispered to himself. His fists clenched, before loosening up. He took a deep breath, went back to his bed and sat cross legged. No use worrying about it now. Eryndor briefly thought about using Cognitive Scrying on Liliana, but the experience of the pain haunted him. He had seen the symbols on his Sovereign¡¯s Cloak which lit up while resisting against Liliana¡¯s attack. It wasn¡¯t something abstract like misfortune or such, but really just mental attacks. He couldn¡¯t understand how the people weren¡¯t noticing a mental attack, it would¡¯ve been understandable if it was something abstract like fate-based attack instead. Just what kind of mental attack was it? Anyway, since she has attacked me, I can easily make a move on her. He thought with hands on his chin. Eryndor had zero problems retaliating to people who made the move first. But one couldn¡¯t fault him either, the experience of having your identity being erased was extremely horrifying. He didn¡¯t want to go through all of that again. If he didn¡¯t get any other leads, he would¡¯ve chosen to perform Cognitive Scrying on her regardless. But the problem was, she had a mental defense treasure, he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Maybe if my Cognitive Scrying had a breakthrough, I could try again? After deciding on it, he resumed his tempering of the mind. Since he couldn¡¯t do anything for now, he might as well utilize the rest of his time efficiently. For the next few hours, he alternated between Spirit Strengthening pills and Qi Gathering pills. As he completed a revolution of his Qi through the big circuit of practice technique, a certain amount of Qi was absorbed. As soon as the absorbed Qi entered his meridians, it felt like he had broken a barrier. The amount of Qi in his meridians had crossed a threshold. He had taken a step forward in his journey of Cultivation. The familiar sensation which appeared during his previous breakthroughs took place once again before fading away like an illusion. Eryndor opened his eyes, gazing at his clenched fist. Stage five of Qi Gathering realm. He glanced at the one third amount of bottles left of Qi Gathering pills. He was going through them rather quickly. I might be able to reach stage six with the remaining amount. However, he was still able to peek at those words before she completely closed the app and switched off her phone. "Finally, you¡¯ll have revenge for your family." Eryndor returned to his base form and narrowed his eyes. Fucking what now? Revenge? How does that fit into this? Eryndor walked around his room, trying to fit in the new detail in his mind. Is it revenge against Calix? But if Lucian, who is from the Cultivation Outer Domain wants revenge against Calix, why would the Mage Outer Domain put so much attention on it? Eryndor couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation. Another point was that, just like mentioned earlier, Eryndor had kept up to date with the news. The Human Federation was keeping an eye on all groups or people who were strong enough to influence the battle. The Cultivation Outer Domain hadn¡¯t moved at all, not to mention they were an ally of the Federation. Eryndor couldn¡¯t help but feel that something was amiss. He was still missing crucial information. Liliana¡¯s text only seemed to confuse him further. Were there any secret forces from the Cultivation Outer Domain? Was their declaration of being an ally just a farce? Had the Sinclairs betrayed mankind? Eryndor didn¡¯t know where to start with his deductions. He texted Syndra. "Where is Lucian right now? And has he made any moves?" After a minute or two, his text was seen by Syndra, and a reply soon appeared. "Lucian? The one from Cultivation Outer Domain you asked about a week or so earlier? "Yes." "Let me check." A minute later her reply arrived. "The reports mention he is chilling in his estate." Eryndor¡¯s brows furrowed. This guy doesn¡¯t seem like someone who wants revenge. What the fuck is happening? Chapter 87: Another Lucian? After thinking for some seconds, Eryndor asked another question. "What about his family?" "What?" "I mean, is his family alive? If they are alive, how are they doing? Did they encounter any crisis in the past? Or went through something unfortunate?" "Weird questions dude. What are you up to?" "It¡¯s important. You¡¯re the only one I can ask for these things. It might be related to your family¡¯s upcoming battle." "What? Are you sure?" "Yes, don¡¯t notify anyone though. I am not sure yet." "If you say so. Cuz I have a hard time believing it myself." "Thanks." "I¡¯m checking their information, wait a moment." Eryndor glanced around with an empty mind while waiting. "Got it. Apparently, his family has been doing rather good. Lucian is talented enough to rank high in their list of geniuses. "They haven¡¯t encountered any incidents in the past as far as the reports go. I don¡¯t know anything beyond this." "Uh, okay." Confusion was etched across Eryndor¡¯s face as he closed his eyes to think. This doesn¡¯t make sense. Lucian¡¯s family is perfectly alright, he has no reason to take revenge, not to mention he is chilling in his estate. He doesn¡¯t seem to be in the state of wanting revenge either. Eryndor opened the chat group and typed in a message. "You are keeping an eye on a suspicious person, but he isn¡¯t doing anything suspicious at all. And some of the information about him doesn¡¯t match as well. "What do you do in this situation?" Paulina replied first. "Investigate more carefully, there should be clues at least somewhere." Drakarion: "Go and interrogate him. If he¡¯s suspicious then we just need to ¡¯ask¡¯ him ¡¯nicely¡¯ until he responds." Eryndor shook his head at the two answers, they weren¡¯t viable in this situation. Valentina replied a moment later. "What if you¡¯ve got the wrong person?" Eryndor read her opinion and helplessly chuckled. "Just a single spar will definitely not compensate for all the work you¡¯re making me do at this point." "I mean, this is for you, for your family. I am fighting for their survival from my side." "Oh, thanks a lot mister, but we¡¯ll talk about that if you do actually manage to save us, not to mention we can handle ourselves just fine. For now, you owe me a favor." Eryndor helplessly sighed, before replying. "Alright." "That¡¯s how it should be. You offer something before asking for help, not to mention you were asking for it time and time again." "Alright alright, I get it, okay? Now can you help me find if there was someone named Lucian whose family met a rather unfavorable end or went through something traumatic?" "I don¡¯t have the entire humanity¡¯s database, you¡¯re overestimating me." Fair enough, but if he is targeting Calix during this battle in Polinek city, maybe he is someone from there? Maybe he would hide in the city and ambush Calix while he was busy fighting the Mage Outer Domain¡¯s troops? In that case, I still don¡¯t understand why the Mage Outer Domain would need the Amplifier Doll to break down the wall and ambush quickly. But chuck it, let¡¯s set that aside. "You can search in whatever database you have." "I currently only have the database of Polinek city, I¡¯ll search in that." Eryndor didn¡¯t reply to her but simply waited. A few minutes passed by as his mind continued making connections. Finally, she sent a message. "There is only one such record which matches your requirements, and it¡¯s an old record. There was a kid named Lucian whose father died in one of the numerous battles against the Mage Outer Domain. "This is kind of unpleasant, I must say. From the information I have on my hands, it seems that his father seemed to have been caught talking about my uncle behind his back. "His death might not be...natural. I know my uncle very well, that petty bastard wouldn¡¯t take this kindly. I hate him very much. Unfortunately, he is pretty high up in the family, and the Polinek city is under his control. "Which means I come across him daily during meetings. That fucking asshole." Eryndor was pretty used to Syndra adding in extra details while giving him information. She often went off track while talking, several times ranting about her own feelings. After a few more moments of ranting, she was back on track. "It seems his mother and sister also met their end in an unfortunate incident. They were made scapegoats in place of some of the figures in authority who were caught in a crime. "This is sad as fuck. This is also why I hate uncle Pat, all he cares about is money and reputation. He doesn¡¯t care about the people under him at all, he would literally go to any length to get what he wants. "Anyway, this Lucian kid seems to have been declared dead shortly after by the authorities. His body wasn¡¯t found, just that his neighbours reported it to the authorities after not seeing him for several days. "He probably died in some place, as there are no records of him leaving the city. Maybe he got out through some means? Who knows?" Eryndor¡¯s eyes narrowed as she finished giving him all the information. I think this is it. This is the Lucian we need, I might know how he got out of the city. Chapter 88: Friendship when they were young Eryndor thanked Syndra then paced around the room. He had remembered one thing when Syndra was talking about the Lucian kid. It was that Liliana had run away from home because her parents forced her into a marriage. If she had hated her forced marriage to this extent, there was no way the one she frequently chatted with was her fiance. No? I mean, nothing is impossible, but there is something else which is more probable. He remembered Syndra saying that Liliana had run off to the city of Polinek when she was running away from home. Maybe this was when this Lucian kid and Liliana met? Feeling extremely embarrassed, he asked Syndra once again. "When Liliana ran off to Polinek city, was Lucian present there as well?" "Wait, do you mean the one in her chats isn¡¯t her fiance but this Lucian? How?" Eryndor had been asking her about everything, knowing all of that, even someone stupid would be able to make the connections. "I don¡¯t know, I am not sure yet. Just look up the information please." Shortly after, she sent a message. "Lucian was indeed present in the city when Liliana arrived in Polinek. His mom and sister had just died back then. "Oh, Liliana and Lucian were of the same age. Maybe they developed a friendship because of it? Same mindsets you know." As usual, she gave more information than necessary, but he didn¡¯t stop her. Thanking her for nth time, he resumed his deductions. There is a higher and higher chance that this was indeed the Lucian she was chatting with. That also explains how he left the city without being recorded by the authorities. Would the authorities dare check the angry Sinclairs who had just paid a heavy ransom to recover Liliana? Liliana might have most likely helped him out of the city when she herself was forced to leave the city and return to her family. Things are making sense now. He silently thought, before something clicked in his mind. Thankfully, it isn¡¯t a problem for me anymore. What Eryndor did wasn¡¯t fight it immediately, but switched to his second form. Hints of fear appeared in the beast¡¯s eyes as it gazed at the human before him. It didn¡¯t understand the source of this fear. It wasn¡¯t power. It was something greater. Something fundamental. Something primal. Something which was tied to the very fabric of existence. But likely due to the difference in realms, it didn¡¯t completely give in to the fear. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t enough to face the monster before him. Eryndor could feel the massive power of his Eldritch abilities flowing through him as he raised his hand at the beast half-paralyzed in fear. The power of Telekinesis was effortlessly dispatched at his command, acting upon the skull of the beast. Before the creature could realize anything, its skull was crushed in itself due to the enormous outside force. He had realized long ago that this form seemed to be considerably stronger. It drilled into him the fact about how inefficiently he was using his Eldritch abilities in his base form. Or rather, how blocked the Eldritch abilities were in his base form. Just like how his cultivation related abilities seemed to be impeded in his second form. When he sensed the arrival of the two people through his extended vision, he summoned the Sovereign¡¯s Cloak to appear above his battle suit. With his refined control over his abilities, he expanded the Cloak until it fully enveloped his body, concealing his battle suit beneath its shrouded folds. Even his hoodie now draped lower, casting a shadow over his face and keeping it hidden from view. Golden runes resurfaced on the Cloak¡¯s black fabric, faintly glowing beneath the dense forest canopy. Wisps of black smoke curled upwards from the Cloak, their inky tendrils accentuating the luminous brilliance of the runes. Eryndor¡¯s presence seemed to become heavier with passing time as he repeatedly thought in his head about possessing the identity of an Eldritch Entity. Lastly, a faint outline of a majestic Golden Crown appeared over his head, shimmering slightly, as if in excitement. Eventually, the two of them arrived. Their eyes lay fixated on the incomprehensible existence before them. Chapter 89: Calix’s ability A deep dread filled the minds of Ken and Hellen, threatening to overpower their thinking capacity. Just staying in the entity¡¯s vicinity brought pressure unto their souls, as if it was a suppression from a higher being. Never had the two of them felt this way. Not even when they were around Calix did they feel this way. Their boss Calix was supposed to be one of the strongest of humanity, no one knew this yet, but they did. How was the existence before them vastly stronger than boss Calix? It was like the universe itself was threatening them to bow, to kneel in the presence of a superior being. The runes on the cloak of existence glimmered faintly, each of those felt like they commanded a certain law of the universe. The golden crown on the entity¡¯s head kept glittering, pulsing faintly in the darkness, as if it was a symbol of supreme authority. As the two of them stood rooted in their place, Ken finally mustered up the courage and asked, "Who are you?" Eryndor smirked within his hood. With a changed voice, he spoke. "I¡¯ve long forgotten my name. Now I just have a title people call me by." He had already prepared an answer. Before he even spoke, as if the universe itself had anticipated his answer, the very fabric of reality trembled. Invisible threads of fate quivered, resonating with an unspoken truth, and ripples spread across the vast tapestry of space-time. A silent wave rattled through the unseen currents of existence, carrying his title before it ever left his lips¡ªas if the cosmos had long awaited this moment. "Singularity." As soon as he declared his title, tremors shot through the threads of existence, the Entities residing inside the Forbidden Voids each had different reactions. Some were confused, some were excited, some were indifferent, some were nervous, while some cowered in fear. Ken and Hellen felt their minds go abuzz as they bore the impact of his title. For a moment, they forgot who they were, what they were here for, who the person beside them was, everything. It was as if they were unworthy of even comprehending the title, with their identity being a price, a punishment, for even trying to interpret it. The next few seconds he came across uninteresting information, before they finally stopped. Now, he got to the main topic. "Tell me about Calix." Just like the last time, Eryndor only bothered to remember the interesting parts. Calix was an honest, hardworking man. A straightforward personality with a good soul. He wouldn¡¯t give up as long as there was the smallest chance left. He would keep trying as long as he believed there was time. Eryndor also found that Calix was stronger than what the world believed. Everyone thought he was at stage seven of the Telepath realm, which was the second level of the Mentalist power system. This was the same as Liliana, who was at stage seven of the Qi condensation realm. However, in reality, he was at stage eight of the Telepath realm. When they were finished telling him everything, Eryndor furrowed his brows. Tilting his head, he asked. "That¡¯s all?" He used Telekinesis to put some pressure on their skulls. "This is about your life, Calix¡¯s life, about humanity¡¯s battle with the Outer Domains. Don¡¯t leave out anything." Clutching her head with her hands, Hellen cried out loud, "Wait wait, there¡¯s more." Feeling the pressure go off, she put down her hands and gazed at the existence before her with fear in her heart. Was her big brother¡¯s life really under threat? She didn¡¯t know it yet, but her subconscious mind automatically assumed that an entity as unfathomable as the one before them wouldn¡¯t have lied for something as small as a human¡¯s life. She spoke with some hesitation, not caring how tightly guarded this secret was. What use was this if her big bro died? "Big brother has an innate ability which he never told anyone. If the ability ever got out, he suspected that some people might not let him live. "It is something related to management. The more people he has under him, the stronger he will be. I don¡¯t know the specifics of this ability." When she finished saying it, even Ken was surprised, showing how tightly Calix had hidden this secret. Eryndor¡¯s breath was caught in his throat as he heard this ability. Of course, his demeanor didn¡¯t betray anything, but he was extremely surprised internally. This might solve some doubts. Chapter 90: Combined resistance of the Cosmic Limit In a secluded location on Earth, a young man stood while gazing at the sky. Eryndor has joined a mission to contact Shx¡¯Trelith? That¡¯s nice. He opened his hand, embedded on his palm was a glowing symbol, extremely complicated and purple in color. The symbol glowed faintly, before the young man began disappearing, starting from his toes. A few seconds later, no traces were left in the secluded area, which might¡¯ve given away a hint of the young man¡¯s presence. "Erin, my baby! You¡¯re back! How was the trip to Earth?" It turns out the young man was Erin who had helped out Eryndor. A middle-aged lady was ruffling his hair, while asking him about his experience. "It was good, mom. Just not what I expected." "Haven¡¯t I told you countless times? Your original parent¡¯s memories might¡¯ve been changed or sealed, you¡¯ll have to learn the related arts or spells to deal with it. "You always come back saying it¡¯s unexpected when all you do is disguise yourself and ask your parents if they had another kid. Of course they¡¯ll say no. "You¡¯ve almost mastered the required skills, just a few more years and you can use it on your parents. Don¡¯t be upset now." "No mom, this time they remembered." There was a moment of silence as the lady stopped ruffling her head. She looked him in the eye and smiled. "Did they?" There was genuine happiness in her eyes, mixed with a hint of sadness. Erin looked up at her. "Yes, some random anomaly unsealed my mom¡¯s memories. "This time when I talked to them posing as a delivery man, my mom spoke about how she had another kid just the same age as their current one. "That he¡¯s missing, and they¡¯re still looking for him. My mom almost cried talking about it." The middle-aged lady had tears in the corner of her eyes. "Sure, wait a few minutes, it takes time." "I wished I could take you there to meet with my mom." The middle-aged lady looked up. "You know what happened when I opened the portal to the Earth for the first time, don¡¯t you?" Erin nodded, he remembered it very clearly. "Of course, that is why I only said I wished I could take you there. Maybe I can bring my parents here instead? "Chuck it, I don¡¯t want to take the risk." The middle-aged lady nodded at him. "Glad you have some sense. Someone very powerful is guarding Earth. They were alerted when I opened the portal the first time. "Thankfully it was only you, a weak human who was originally from Earth who was going back. "This is also why the portal might be working for you after all. I don¡¯t think the Outer Film of this Forbidden Void would allow me or the others to leave even if that being on the Earth allowed. "Don¡¯t take the risk of bringing your parents here, we don¡¯t want to attract any attention." Erin nodded, he knew all of this. He had a family here, with a few relatives. They individually might not be as strong as the Eldritch entities who resisted the Cosmic Limit alone, but they had still managed to combine their powers and used a formation to resist the Cosmic Limit. His family wasn¡¯t that weak. Someone who could go head to head against his mom, or even be stronger, might be guarding the Earth. He couldn¡¯t mess around there. Eryndor had zero idea how a person of that caliber was able to roam free outside of the Forbidden Voids. Shouldn¡¯t the Cosmic Limit have suppressed them already? Well, it wasn¡¯t his turn to worry about it. His thoughts were all on a single thing, to meet his family on Earth. "The portal is open, where do I drop you?" Erin recollected something, and answered with a smile. "I have a few interesting friends on Earth, my younger brother happens to be doing a mission in the team of one of these friends. "Drop me in Polinek city, he is living there right now. "Maybe I can find a gift for my younger brother there itself." Chapter 91: Including an Eldritch Entity in scheming Erin stepped into the portal and came out from the other end. He had entered the city of Polinek. "Uh-oh, this city seemed to be under martial law. Are they preparing for a battle?" Erin whispered while looking at the state of the city after exiting the narrow secluded alley in which the portal had manifested. I should find Calix fast. Cleverly evading the surveillance, Erin tried finding where Calix was located. On the way though, he found something interesting. This device is interesting. Erin praised the removable physique extension in his hand. He had skillfully grabbed one for himself without anyone noticing. As a person who had peak level of mastery in all eight power systems, he was qualified to see the intricate details of the masterpiece before him. It was thanks to his family that he had such a broken advantage in the early stages, but he also knew would have to rely on himself as his realm grew. When he probed the inner workings of the mechanism on his hand, his eyes narrowed. "Shx¡¯Trelith?" He whispered softly. Now this is something interesting. Erin was confident that only a few people would be able to find what he had. Was it a prank? Or some plot? Erin didn¡¯t care what was happening, he discarded the mechanism and erased his traces before leaving the area. Oh yea, this could be sent to lil bro. He would find a nice gift for him later, but this could be a nice introduction for him to start talking with Eryndor. Since he already had his contact due to the last mission, he quickly found it and sent him what he had found. ***** Eryndor had already arrived back at the spaceship. He was currently sitting on his chair, sending a message to Syndra. If the ambush didn¡¯t arrive on time to suppress the weakened him, there was a high probability that he would counterattack Lucy. Calix would be sure of the safety of Ken and Hellen, since the opposite party had kept them alive till this point, they would continue to keep them alive if they wanted his submission. Calix would try until the very end, but it could also be that he might submit given his sister¡¯s state. Apparently though, Lucian and Liliana didn¡¯t want to leave things up to chance. They wanted to be extremely sure of Calix¡¯s submission. This was also why the ambush was that important. A man as strong as Calix needed several contingency plans to forcefully be contained. This was where Eryndor felt confused. According to the unclear explanation by Hellen, Calix¡¯s ability made him grow stronger the more the people he had under him. But the Mage Outer Domain would never let a human from Earth manage the city in their stead, and if they knew of his ability, they would even kill him as soon as possible. No, what if the Mage Outer Domain didn¡¯t know of his ability? What if Lucian was a human of Earth, and he and Mage Outer Domain were cooperating? But what use did Lucian have of Calix? Assuming the former knew of the latter¡¯s ability, did he want Calix on his side to take revenge against Pat Ravencroft? But then why would the Mage Outer Domain cooperate with Lucian to this extent? What did he give them? Eryndor quickly discarded this idea, it felt like he was forcing things too much. Just then, he got a message from Erin. Why would senior Erin message me? Nevertheless, he still opened it. Erin: Here¡¯s a small welcome gift from my side, I¡¯ll give an actual one later. "All the removable physique extensions for the soldiers and citizens who are forced to participate in the battle are filled with curses towards the Eldritch Entity - Shx¡¯Trelith, such that it will make that entity extremely mad. "But based on a few mechanisms I¡¯ve come across, if the Shx¡¯Trelith indeed comes across these extensions and sees the curses, it will only render the host paralyzed, fully incapable of doing anything. There is no danger to life." As soon as Eryndor read the message, all the dots connected in his mind. Disregarding the first line about a welcome gift, which confused him, the rest of the information was simply the final piece he needed. Literally every piece of information fell beautifully in place like a jigsaw puzzle, forming a terrifying hypothesis in his mind. Chapter 92: Double agent Eryndor leaned back on his chair completely, his head bent backwards enough to look at the ceiling. "Ha." "Haha." "Hahaha." Few small laughs gradually turned into full blown laughter as his right hand slapped his forehead. "Lucian you madman!" Eryndor spoke, his tone laced with regret, relief, amazement, happiness, nervousness, worry. It was everything all at once. If his guesses were true, which they had to be for the jigsaw puzzle to complete, then this was an absolutely crazy plan. Lucian had completely turned over to the Mage Outer Domain. That is, what the Mage Outer Domain thought. But in reality, Lucian would be on the side of humanity. Lucian was aiming for the city of Polinek itself. Eryndor reckoned that Lucian had promised to give the resources of the city, and lives of several authoritative figures, including Pat Ravencroft, to the Mage Outer Domain. This was his way of taking revenge. However, the Mage Outer Domain had to win the city with minimal costs so that they could profit from the battle. Else it was no use if they achieved a pyrrhic victory. And this is exactly what Lucian promised them, an easy victory. This was most likely why they gave such heavy preference to ambush, because that might be one of the only three conditions Lucian had put forward. The second condition might be that Lucian wanted to lead the city, he would give a hefty amount of resources every month, sure, but get to keep the city. He wanted to use Calix as a spearhead so he could use his ability to grow stronger. Calix was at stage eight of the Telepath realm, but that was only the power of the Mentalist power system. His ability made him stronger depending on the number of people under him. But how did it make him stronger? did it increase his realm? Did it increase his physical parameters? His mental parameters? No one knew. He just grew stronger. That was all Eryndor knew. Well, one could start by assuming the lowest value, that his ability gave him a power equal to stage one of level one, after leading his team Lockheim, which had like thirty to forty people. Then, what would happen if he led a city of hundreds of thousands of people? Possibly even in millions since it was a big resource city. Eryndor couldn¡¯t imagine. Calix would instantly reach the peak allowed by Cosmic Limit. This device was connected to numerous removable physique extensions which was almost made compulsory in the army. The extension devices weren¡¯t connected to anything else, so there would be no chance of damage spreading to the entire digital space of Earth. Well, what would happen if the Shx¡¯Trelith traced the connection back to Earth? This was why it was important to match the timing of the mission and the battle. What would happen if Shx¡¯Trelith came across the cleverly hidden curses, roasts, insults aimed at it while it was going through the connections? What if it happened just when the battle was going on? It was an emotional Eldritch Entity with tendency of mood fluctuations, the very likely possibility was that it would burst out angrily, then retreat. But according to senior Erin, that would at most, result in paralysis. And well, isn¡¯t that what everyone wanted? An easy victory. An army which was paralyzed, granting an easy capture of the Polinek city to the Mage Outer Domain. An easy beheading of the authoritative figures of the Polinek city, including Pat Ravencroft. An army which was paralyzed, the one which wouldn¡¯t be killed by the Mage Outer Domain for they had to follow by Lucian¡¯s third condition. Lucian would therefore get the city, with a trump card by the name of Calix, which could be used in important situations to give the hostile forces a heavy blow. Eryndor might¡¯ve been undermining the effect of the ability. What if a city of million people allowed Calix to reach the peak of level three as soon as the Cosmic Limit increased? Lucian¡¯s brilliant master plan was to plant a nail on the side of hostile forces. A nail which they didn¡¯t even know of. He was playing a risky double agent, all for humanity. Hopefully. There was one thing which remained. Anagrams. They were words or phrases formed by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase. The machines which moved the Maws of Agony. The brilliant mechanism of the removable physique extension. Who provided that? The Cyborg Genius - Caulin Which happened to be an anagram of - Lucian. Chapter 93: The Covenant of Omniscience Eryndor was quite confused at the moment. He didn¡¯t know what to do. To interfere? Or not to interfere? Eryndor had initially set out to interfere in this entirely because he was on the side of humanity. If the battle was lost, it could prove to be the start of a domino which would eventually end with humanity being wiped out or kept as slaves. But now? It turned out Lucian was on the side of humanity. Hopefully. I guess I¡¯ll need to be sure of it first. Eryndor was almost certain that Lucian was on Humanity¡¯s side but he would first probe the guy. He suspected that Lucian possessed some information type ability, treasure or a Mystical Artifact. Eryndor wouldn¡¯t introduce himself, but if they ever met in the future and Lucian recognized him distinctly as the one who uncovered his plan, then that would reveal that he indeed possessed something information based. At a certain point, Eryndor had also adopted scheming as a part of how he acted. He didn¡¯t dilly dally any longer, taking out his phone, he sent a private message to Paulina. "Yo, I need some help, are you free?" "For the next few days till the battle, yea. Why?" "Is there any chance that you can meet Caulin? Like would you be allowed?" "The Cyborg Genius of Humanity?" "Are you an idiot? Who else will I be talking about, you dumbass." "...Do you want me to help or not?" "I do." "Is that how one asks for help? Hmph." This woman. Eryndor didn¡¯t trust Valentina enough due to her personality of wanting to be on a moral high ground. Drakarion was a good choice, but he was too straightforward for his own good. Eryndor feared he would spill the secret if he got drunk or too excited. Paulina was the only one left who could help him and keep quiet about it. Paulina nodded, she got what she came here for. Now she just needed to wait for Caulin¡¯s next question which Eryndor had already anticipated and told her about. "Who sent you here? Or rather, who was the one who found out everything which you talked about earlier?" Paulina tilted her head, and gave him the prepared answer. "They said they have long forgotten their name. Only a title remains of what they are known by." Caulin waited for a while, but furrowed his brow when the young woman didn¡¯t speak any further. "They didn¡¯t mention their title?" "No." "Alright, you may leave if there¡¯s nothing else." When the young woman left his room, Caulin¡¯s eyes narrowed. Did they already guess that I have an information based Mystical Artifact? Caulin couldn¡¯t help but feel that he had hit the mark. However, could he resist stepping into this open conspiracy? There was no doubt that Caulin definitely wanted to know who the person who had uncovered his plans was, and if he used his Mystical Artifact, that was as good as admitting he had one if they met in the future, because he would obviously recognise the person. Caulin shook his head. Good one. He would use his Mystical Artifact. Caulin approached his personal bag placed on a table nearby, and carefully took out a book from it. Despite its worn appearance, the book carried an unsettling weight, as if it held something far greater than mere words within its silent, empty pages. The book was ancient, its cover made of dark, weathered leather that felt both smooth and strangely cold to the touch. Faint, intricate patterns were embossed into its surface, shifting ever so slightly when looked at from different angles. The edges of the book were reinforced with tarnished silver, and its corners bore signs of age. The pages inside were a pale, almost parchment-like ivory, yet devoid of any ink or markings. Caulin gazed at it with wariness, but was determined to know the truth. Perhaps if Eryndor hadn¡¯t edged Caulin towards wanting to know the title, or perhaps if Caulin had focused on the name of the one who had found out everything than on the title, the following incident wouldn¡¯t have taken place. Perhaps the only oversight on the part of both Eryndor and Caulin was that they thought about bringing up the title in presence of - The Covenant of Omniscience. Chapter 94: Unreasonable price Caulin¡¯s eyes were on the book before him. When he first came across the book, its information had automatically entered his mind. As if it warned those who wanted to use it of its price. Yes, this Mystical Artifact had a side effect. One had to pay a certain price in order to acquire the knowledge they seeked. The said price was a pact. Depending on the importance, rarity and impact of the answer the user was looking for, one would have to sign a certain pact with the book. The price was bearable in the sense that the book displayed the agreement to you before giving you the answer, making it your decision if knowing the answer was worth entering into a covenant with the Mystical Artifact. However, once you entered into a contract with the book, you had to complete it by any means, else the price was your death. Certain death. Caulin didn¡¯t think that simply asking for the title of the person would have a heavy price. He opened the book, its empty pages contrasting with the rune filled exterior. Without using a pen, he simply used his finger to trace his question over its page. The Covenant of Omniscience recognised any and all kinds of languages. "What was the title of the person who found out my schemes?" When he was finished asking his question, the book began glittering. This isn¡¯t what usually happens. Caulin narrowed his eyes, taking a step back while keeping his eyes fixed on the book. The pages began fluttering, emitting a tiny fraction of noise made by that of helicopter blades slicing through air. The book looks like it¡¯s...excited? Caulin didn¡¯t dare believe his own guess. The book began levitating above the table, its pages still fluttering. Caulin now noticed the runes on the cover beginning to glow with a golden light, casting a faint, radiant aura around the book. From where he stood, Caulin couldn¡¯t see the words forming on the book. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to see them even if he had used all of his skills. {Your humble servant Lo¡ª} Midway through, it suddenly halted. The book stopped levitating, dropping back on the table. The runes went back to their inactive state, and there was no sentence on the page when Caulin looked at it. The plan to use title as a way of recognition backfired, as Eryndor had no idea what he had chosen. He had zero awareness of its implications. ***** "He is on the side of humanity." Eryndor thanked Paulina for doing the task after she told him what Caulin had said. He finally heaved a sigh, and laid on his bed. Caulin, or I must say Lucian, probably isn¡¯t just friends with Liliana like I had believed. They might be lovers. How beautiful it was. Lucian was willing to forgo his hatred towards humanity for Liliana¡¯s sake, while Liliana was willing to embrace the cruelty for Lucian to achieve his goals. Eryndor could only believe the pain she must¡¯ve felt while acting completely different to what she actually was and triggering the traps meant to damage her own teammates. How touching. Eryndor gently sighed. He had almost destroyed their plan. Sometimes it was really appropriate for him to be cautious and not meddle into things when they weren¡¯t harming him. But he knew that passivity shouldn¡¯t be his modus operandi. He needed to experience more and change his beliefs over time to actively use his Eldritch Abilities. Change of beliefs didn¡¯t take place over a short time, not unless there was an extreme catalyst. They took time, and Eryndor would make sure he was going in the right direction. Just a few days left to meet Shx¡¯Trelith. Eryndor had no idea what would happen. Taking a deep breath, he left the spaceship and entered the base camp of this planet. "Are there any updates?" He asked a staff member. "No, sir. Things have been rather normal on this planet." "Very well." Eryndor had only entered the lands of this planet when he had gone to meet Ken and Hellen. All this time he had been cooped up in his room, so he wouldn¡¯t have known about the updates. After stocking on some supplies, he slung the bag over his shoulder and entered the lush red forests of this planet. It was time to hunt. He wanted to try to make a breakthrough in his Cognitive Scrying. Chapter 95: Forced peace treaty Eryndor glanced at the diminishing figure of the spaceship as he ran farther and farther away from it. Oh yea, Ken and Hellen wouldn¡¯t be out hunting on this planet, they might be on the ship. After he knew about the entire plan, Eryndor knew that the physical and mental state of the couple were important for the submission of Calix. Say, if the couple was straight up told to convince Calix to surrender, would it work? It was doubtful. Else Liliana and Lucian would¡¯ve tried that approach. Eryndor just hoped that the plan would go through despite him foiling a part of it. Did he still care about Ken and Hellen? He did, they looked out for him, but in return he had also looked out for them. He wouldn¡¯t meddle anymore though. What was required now for the plan to go through, for Lucian to get his revenge, was just their temporary pain. Eryndor knew how to look at the greater good. He discarded those thoughts out of his mind, and continued deeper into the jungle. Today, he would be fighting the armadimos. Armadimo possess an uncanny resemblance to the armadillo of Earth, therefore their similar name. Armadimos were bigger and more aggressive compared to their counterparts on Earth. Their way of attacking was to curl themselves into a ball and hurtle towards the target¡¯s location with extreme speed. How terrifying would it be if there was an enormous sphere which kept barreling at you at a high speed? The terrain of the planet was also unnervingly smooth, which meant it was perfect for their rolling. The surrounding trees, with their ominous blood-red leaves and rubbery, bouncy trunks, only amplified the threat. Armadimos could ricochet off them, changing direction abruptly and unpredictably. The fate of most of the creatures here was to get rolled into a paste when encountering an armadimo of their level. There was only one beast which could effectively counter it, a lariet. Lareits had lower reproductive rate, and were much less aggressive, therefore they hadn¡¯t completely dominated the armadimos and other creatures of the planet. Lariet was a two legged creature with an exaggeratedly strong physique compared to its level, one which could pick up the rolling armadimo coming their way and slam them on the ground. Compared to armadimos, they were herbivores and reports even suggested that they were fumbling around the basic concepts of farming. In a few years, these beasts might learn the complete basics of farming. He didn¡¯t give the beast any time, immediately using his Internal Fist before the beast could roll into a ball. His punch bypassed the armor on its body before damaging the internal organs. Eryndor had to admit that his offensive art was really good for armored beasts and those which relied on external defense, as they often had a weaker set of internal organs. Before giving the destabilized beast any time to reorganize, he continued using his Internal Fist, eventually pummelling it to death. I¡¯ll need to expand on my offense, I currently only have Internal Fist. It sure was inconvenient when only your fists could dish out increased damage. Eryndor planned to increase his arsenal of cultivation arts once he got his hands on the mission rewards for this mission. Not to mention there was still one spot left for an art he could exchange for free in the library of the Academy. Armadimos had a few scales which were much tougher than the rest of its armor, making them quite precious. On this planet, they were one of the resources which could be harvested in exchange for contribution points. Eryndor took out those scales from the beast¡¯s corpse and put them in a separate bag from the one he wore on his back. Time to go deeper. With his extended vision, Eryndor continued heading deeper in search for more beasts. Approximately ten minutes later, he caught sight of a strange scene, making Eryndor speechless. Should he praise the Lariets or not? He had just witnessed a Lariet force a hallucinogenic plant in an armodimo¡¯s mouth. What is this now? Forced peace treaty? Eryndor suddenly couldn¡¯t imagine the fate of the beasts on this planet. These lariets were a bunch of chill beasts, too chill perhaps. Chapter 96: Unexpected external help Eryndor didn¡¯t attempt to move towards. He continued watching with his extended vision as the armadimo was force fed the entire plant. He could already see that the armadimo had no intent to attack the lariet anymore. Its small beady eyes began rolling around before its armored body began swaying. The lariet bopped its head looking at it, then began moving its body in the same rhythm. Jeez what the fuck. Eryndor couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. What the hell was wrong with these lariets? For the next few hours, Eryndor continued moving around in the deeper parts of the forest, killing many beasts in the process. Before ending their life, he would always make sure to use his Cognitive Scrying. Even when it was time to head back to the spaceship, his Cognitive Scrying hadn¡¯t completed the breakthrough. However, Eryndor could feel that he was getting close. He didn¡¯t know how far he was from breakthrough, but he could feel he was indeed making progress towards it nonetheless. Hope I can do it soon. He suddenly narrowed his eyes when he saw the couple in the base near the spaceship. Maybe this is my chance. Ken and Hellen had come out for some fresh air, spending time in the base going through various experiments performed when the latter¡¯s vision spotted something. Hellen gently alerted Ken, who looked her way before spotting the same thing. A white paper was floating in the corner of the room they were in. It was cut in the same shape as the one which had warned Ken of Liliana. To be honest, both of them were quite afraid after their last meeting. They had expected to meet a human, but a human wouldn¡¯t invoke a terror from just being in their mere presence, would they? They had never come across anyone who could elicit primal fear out of them. As if the existence before them was an apex predator. "There must be some updates." Ken whispered at Hellen. They realized that it was better to at least get to know what the entity had to say. After Eryndor sent the white paper, he walked around the base for a while, only then did he approach the spaceship. He didn¡¯t want the couple to doubt him even in the slightest due to their close time of appearance. "Alright, people. We¡¯ll leave for the Shx¡¯Trelith Forbidden Void tomorrow. You three especially, make sure you get plenty of sleep." Liliana pointed at Ken, Hellen and Eryndor. They nodded at her. When Ken and Hellen entered their rooms, they looked at each other and fell in thought. Ken was the first one to break the silence. "Do you want to do it?" Eryndor had told them a mix of truth and lies, just to get them to convince Calix to surrender. Hellen nodded. "Brother is too headstrong for his own good. If the enemy already knows about his ability, it is better to surrender and live to find a chance to escape." "It¡¯s you." Melissa spoke after opening the door. She recognised the man before her. He was the one who had made a move to cut off Rodrick¡¯s mind control. What was he doing here? As if he already knew the question in her mind, Erin smiled at her. "Get your students out, we need to leave this place." "What do you mean?" Melissa asked, but she began packing up nonetheless. "I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening. It¡¯s just that Eryndor has asked me to take all of you out of the city." Melissa¡¯s eyes narrowed when she heard the name. Did that student find out something again? Should the Human Federation be notified? While contacting the students, she glanced at Erin. He wouldn¡¯t say anything even if I ask. I don¡¯t think Eryndor will explain anything either since he didn¡¯t message me anything. Melissa hesitated if she should contact the Human Federation, but ultimately decided to trust Eryndor. She contacted the rest of the students, gathering the three of them in the main room. "Wait for me, here." Erin then left and entered another building, knocking on one particular door. Syndra opened the door, seeing a strange man standing before her. She instantly took a step back, having no idea how the man before her bypassed all the defenses outside her residence. "Chill out, Eryndor sent me to get you out of the city. Do you trust him?" Syndra remembered all the strange talks Eryndor had been having with her the past few weeks. Did he really find anything? Will we lose? Is it such a certainty that we¡¯ll lose that he is evacuating me? Why did he not notify the Human Federation? Syndra already had a few guesses in her mind based on all the information Eryndor had asked of her, but hesitated and nodded. She would quietly agree to leave without alerting anyone. "Cool, follow me then. By the way, do you have anyone dear to you in this city, like your parents?" Erin asked her. Syndra tilted her head at the strange question, but answered nonetheless. "Nope, all of them are handling different cities which border the Mage Outer Domain." "Alright then, that¡¯s all." Eryndor had asked Erin to ask Syndra this question specifically, and not to Melissa because the latter would have a few students in the army at most. Syndra¡¯s parents on the other hand were Ravencrofts, who would be surely killed since Lucian had promised a complete purge of past authoritative figures. Erin brought her to the room where Melissa and three of Eryndor¡¯s roommates were gathered, and declared. "We are leaving this city." Chapter 97: Rat of humanity Eryndor glanced at the clock beside his bed. He had gotten a good sleep. He had received Erin¡¯s message about successfully leaving the city, making Eryndor sigh in relief. He was all in for Lucian¡¯s plan, but not if that meant his close ones would be trapped there. Syndra had helped him a lot, therefore he asked Erin to bring her out as well. Today was the day when things would go down. The spaceship would remain here on the fourth planet itself, with only four of them being ejected into space in a mini aircraft. The Forbidden Void was only at a distance of half a day from here, but the empty area in the aircraft wasn¡¯t even enough for the four of them to sleep. It was the reason they were instructed to have a good sleep, so that they could stay awake for twenty four - twenty six hours, which was the time required for a round trip. Eryndor had a hefty breakfast and headed towards an empty room. There, he spent an hour or two learning how to wear a spacesuit. When he left the room, he had complete knowledge regarding the subject. He returned to his room and took a bag which contained essentials like food and some books, before heading towards the main room. All the people had already gathered there, ready for the final task. Just like he had expected, Eryndor felt a drain on his energy of Consciousness. The only thing was that it was steadily increasing this time. The people present began checking the four people thoroughly, their bags, their clothes, their spacesuits, everything. The drain on his energy of Consciousness kept increasing, surpassing twenty percent of the Cloak¡¯s defensive capability before stopping. It was eventually Eryndor¡¯s turn to check Liliana. When his hand touched a suspicious object, the drain of energy of Consciousness suddenly spiked, surpassing eighty percent of the Sovereign¡¯s Cloak¡¯s capability, before receding abruptly. It is indeed what I had guessed. Good thing my Sovereign¡¯s Cloak had a breakthrough. He didn¡¯t think his previous Sovereign¡¯s Cloak could have blocked an attack which surpassed eighty percent of the current one¡¯s limit. Eryndor managed to successfully block the attack, meaning he didn¡¯t forget that Liliana possessed the object with connections to Earth. Of course, he didn¡¯t plan to do anything with the knowledge. Twenty minutes later, the checking stopped, with no abnormalities found. Nax, I hope you¡¯re safe. His best friend had taken up the risky task of being a spy in one of the Outer Domains, only promising him that he would be there when Caulin needed him the most. Caulin shook his head of the nostalgic thoughts and focused on the battle. He deliberately approached the main battlefield slowly, waiting for his creations to paralyse the entire army. His revenge was near, he could feel it. Eryndor had gotten one point wrong. One of Caulin¡¯s conditions to the Mage Outer domain was that he would get to kill Pat Ravencroft and those certain authoritative figures who made a scapegoat out of his mother and sister himself. He would torture them in front of the entire world. Didn¡¯t Pat Ravencroft treasure his reputation? What was the most cruel thing to a man like him? It wasn¡¯t death. It wasn¡¯t death through torture. He would announce their crimes for everyone to see. He would tear apart his reputation with numerous cold hard evidence he had collected over the years. Pat Ravencroft wouldn¡¯t go down in history as the man who defended against the traitor Cyborg genius. He would go down as a rat of humanity. A man so corrupt, so despicable, that his actions provoked vengeance on a scale that cost a major resource city¡ªand drove the Cyborg genius to betray humanity itself. The same would take place with his lackeys who accompanied him in all the underhanded tasks. Only that would calm the souls of his family who experienced unjust deaths. ***** Eryndor and the team finally arrived at the Forbidden Void. Everyone experienced intense pressure on their very existence as they gazed at the massive figure before them. Except Eryndor. What he was feeling wasn¡¯t any kind of pressure, but only a single overwhelming emotion. Hunger. Chapter 98: Extreme Hunger A few minutes before... Eryndor and the rest kept moving in the space in a single direction. As far as his sight went, he couldn¡¯t see any heavenly bodies nearby, just a few twinkling dots. Just as he was getting bored, Liliana made a sign on her hand. It meant they had reached the vicinity of the Forbidden Void. Eryndor had read in the reports that one would feel inexplicable pressure weighing down on their very existence as they got closer to the entity. So for a moment, he was confused when Liliana displayed the sign. Because that¡¯s when the pressure should start mounting, but he wasn¡¯t feeling anything yet. Is it because of my Eldritch Origin? He couldn¡¯t help but muse. Maybe it was because of that indeed, as he couldn¡¯t come up with any other reason. As they kept approaching the Forbidden Domain though, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that something was wrong. It was already wrong if he didn¡¯t feel pressured, but the emotion which was welling up inside him was even more wrong. It was hunger. As the distance narrowed, the intensity of hunger only increased. What is happening? Eryndor had zero idea what was going on. This hunger definitely wasn¡¯t his. It felt like something deep within him was craving for whatever it was that was out there. Don¡¯t tell me...hunger for Shx¡¯Trelith? Eryndor didn¡¯t dare continue this line of thought. Enduring the growing hunger, he kept moving. Finally, two minutes later, they reached the place. They could now bear witness to the spectacle before them. In the endless expanse of space, the Forbidden Void loomed like a great abyss, an unnatural rupture in the fabric of existence. It was not merely empty¡ªit was a presence, a wound in reality itself. Its edges blurred and shimmered, as though the universe recoiled from touching it, leaving a jagged, chaotic boundary where laws of reality seemed to wane. It felt like it wasn¡¯t a part of the universe. Encasing this unfathomable chasm was the Forbidden Film, an imperceptible barrier. His hunger had grown too intense. It was like he just needed to stop resisting and his body would do the rest, what it had been itching to do. Apart from the basic reasoning, there was another reason which kept his mind intact and helped him resist the intense craving. Danger. His senses were tingling, informing him of the upcoming danger if he acted on impulse. It was fear of demise. This feeling felt like it originated from him. It was like a counterforce to keep his hunger in check. To keep him from acting rashly. That it was a bad idea to release restraint on himself in front of an Eldritch Entity. His rationality was in place purely through sheer force of will, basic sense of logic, and danger acting together to keep the primordial force of hunger in check. If Eryndor could take a look at his Mind Palace, he would¡¯ve been even more surprised. The entire Palace was shaking intensely, its main doors were closed shut, with wisps of black smoke leaking out of it. Threads of black smoke could be seen wafting out from various places of the palace. If one could see inside the palace, they would find that all the smoke was emerging from the fifth door. The door was opened completely, no one could see what was situated inside, it was just endless black smoke exiting the room which clouded one¡¯s vision. A deep guttural roar escaped Eryndor¡¯s mouth. Fortunately, they were in space, so no one could hear it. With Ken and Hellen resisting the effects and Liliana doing the job alone, no one could see him screaming either. Eryndor knew it couldn¡¯t go on like this anymore. He feared he would lose control. He feared something terrible might happen. With what little was left of his rationality, Eryndor switched on the propellers of his spacesuit and moved backwards. He began distancing himself from the Forbidden Void. His propellers worked in full force as the distance between him and the Eldritch Entity increased. Just then, the Shx¡¯Trelith, which might have been conversing with the AI all along, spoke into their minds again. Although everyone heard it, it was clearly meant for Eryndor alone. "Why are you shaking? Is it fear? What was that human phrase again, bestie?" The AI moved its mouth again, and nodded its head, before Shx¡¯Trelith¡¯s voice was heard once again. "Ah yes. I don¡¯t bite." Eryndor could only think of a single response to it, although he didn¡¯t dare say it out loud. You don¡¯t, but I might take a bite out of you. Chapter 99: Round and colorful As he continued retreating, the hunger within him began receding, allowing his mind to regain an increasing amount of sanity and rationality. His thoughts began popping up one after another. Jeez Shx¡¯Trelith, you are just an eye. How the fuck can you even bite? Eryndor shook his head, shoving that thought aside. He had followed the team despite the hunger thinking that it would be controllable. Who knew it would spike so dangerously high as soon as he entered the vicinity of the Eldritch Entity. What was it though? Was it to consume the Eldritch Entity? Or something else? Unfortunately Eryndor didn¡¯t have any guesses yet. Guesses need to be based off of something, they needed some base, which he had none of. Eryndor waited on their return route for about ten minutes before he saw the rest of his team. When they returned to their small aircraft, Hellen was the first one to speak. "Do you ever wonder if the Eye blinks?" Ken gasped. "Blasphemy! The Eye does not blink! The Eye sees all, always!" Hellen tilted her head. "So... it has eternal dry eye?" "..." Eryndor was speechless. Is this the thing mentioned in reports? About the entity compelling belief in itself? He could see that Liliana seemed to be focusing on them, her eyes containing a bit of fervor as well. It looked as if she hadn¡¯t completely snapped out of it either, but was still faring better than the two judging from her silence. Ken excitedly jumped. "I thought of a hymn about the Eye!" Hellen turned her head at him. "Oh great, let me hear it." "O Eye, O Eye, so round and colorful¡ª" "Stop. Just stop." Liliana raised her hand. Her other hand was massaging her head. Ken was about to lash out at her before his eyes lost focus for a brief second. "Are we out?" He said something else instead. "What was that?" Hellen whispered with a hand on her chest. He clicked on one of them, which described in detail what took place on the other side while he was battling hunger. The only thing which differed from his guess was the part where Caulin would take revenge with his own hands. It seemed that the resources of the Polinek city were more than he thought, enough for the Mage Outer Domain to be more lenient with accepting conditions put forward by Caulin. Caulin proceeded to thoroughly embarrass Pat Ravencroft in front of the entire army. Announcing his hidden vile acts with clear proof. It crushed the man, it crumbled his existence, his identity, more than being tortured in front of countless numbers of people. Caulin publicly criticized the Ravencroft family for turning a blind eye to such trash of a human just because of his strength and the profits he brought. Without batting an eye, Caulin then kneeled in front of the Mage Outer Domain¡¯s current ruler of their advanced base, and swore fealty to him. Eryndor felt that this acting was too real. If he hadn¡¯t known that the guy hadn¡¯t actually betrayed humanity, he might¡¯ve cursed Caulin as well. True to what he had guessed, the entire army was saved, and all the extra help which had poured into the city to help the Ravencrofts fight against the Mage Outer Domain were trapped there now, unable to leave. Unless they resorted to extreme measures, the people would be stuck there forever. Caulin would have to make sure that no one left, if only to keep his act up. If he were to be lenient with it, people could easily suspect him for still holding feelings for humanity. Ravencrofts were currently being heavily criticized by the entire world for their lack of control and discipline over their members. Each member of the family was subsequently investigated by the Human Federation for any past crimes they had committed. Of course, there would always be some people in power somewhere in the world who would exploit their authority for their own benefit even while the rest of humanity was under constant crisis. It wasn¡¯t a situation unique to the Ravencrofts. However, since Ravencroft were currently in the limelight, they were the only ones on the receiving end of insults of related topics. Their reputation had fallen to the rock bottom. It was expected that in the foreseeable future they would face all sorts of difficulties in their usual activities. Be it their members in the Human Federation, their businesses, their personally trained teams, the people of their cities. Everything would be difficult to deal with for the coming few months. Eryndor put down his phone after going through all of the news. He then took a shower and changed into a more comfortable set of clothes before beginning his cultivation session. He intended to use the rest of the month to break through to stage six of the Qi Gathering realm. Naturally, that would require consuming all the remaining Qi Gathering level one pills. Only after an hour when he was getting incredibly sleepy did he stop his session, before making his bed and going to sleep. Tomorrow he would once again resume his efforts to make a breakthrough in his Cognitive Scrying. Of course, he also wanted to check up on the ¡¯peace loving¡¯ lariets. Chapter 100: Is it selfish? In a different room, Ken and Hellen looked at each other in silence, having completely recovered. Just like Eryndor, there were certain things they couldn¡¯t have done in front of the others. It was Hellen who broke the silence. "Could that existence be an Eldritch Entity as well?" Clearly, the two of them now had first hand experience of how standing in the vicinity of such an entity felt. Although they had read the reports of Shx¡¯Trelith, they didn¡¯t connect the two things since they only knew the theory. But now? They knew that the pressure which Shx¡¯Trelith radiated and the one which that mysterious entity who had called them in the forest was one and the same. "How could that be possible?" Ken shook his head. The facts were right before him, but he was having a hard time believing that an Eldritch Entity was out there...free. "C¡¯mon, you know it as well as I do." Hellen looked at him with serious eyes. Ken shrugged helplessly. "What do you suggest we do?" Confusion entered her eyes when met with such a question. Both of them recognised the dilemma. What they were facing was possibly an Eldritch Entity, one which had apparently saved them and also Hellen¡¯s brother, for reasons unknown. If they reported it to the Human Federation, would the entity come to realise that? Would it then begin hunting them? "I think we should just let it be. It hasn¡¯t done anything to us after all." Ken softly spoke. Hellen internally struggled for a moment before finally relenting. Both of them felt guilty, but nonetheless stayed firm on their decision. Shortly after, they went to sleep. This...was the cruel reality of the majority of humans. Faced with the question of immediate personal safety and the collective future safety of the race, they often chose the former. From the point of view of a third person, it was selfish of the first person. But when things came to them, they would choose the same. ****** Soon, he found an armadimo through his extended vision. Wait, is it that same armadimo? Eryndor wondered if it was the same one which was force fed by a lariet to eat the hallucinogenic plant. Because he had just watched the beast tear off a branch of the same type of plant and shove it in its mouth. The armadimo soon began swaying, raising its hand, with its head looking at the sky. Did that lariet teach it the particular movements as well? It looks so similar. Eryndor didn¡¯t stop moving in its direction though. When he finally entered the beast¡¯s sight, it abruptly stopped moving. Will it attack me? Or will it be like that lariet who ignored me? Its eyes didn¡¯t immediately regain complete focus, but still, a hint of clarity surfaced. As Eryndor stood there with his bag tossed to the side, the armadimo let out a roar before curling into a ball. So it still retains its aggressive nature. Eryndor noted that down. Every new information was rewarded with contribution points according to the importance of the said information. He had no idea how much the information that armadimos were still aggressive when high, would reward him with. Eryndor took his stance as the armadimo began rolling towards him. Since the eyes of this creature would also be covered when they were curled into spheres, one might ask, how do they sense their targets? Through the ground. These creatures were incredibly sensitive to vibrations on the ground, allowing them to accurately pinpoint where their prey were. Of course, it meant aerial beasts would be their most natural enemies, but as if they had also evolved to deal with that, armadimos had a good sense of hearing to sense the shifting of air due to flapping of wings. Just as Eryndor was forming plans in his mind for his upcoming combat with the beast, he saw the ball rolling towards him wobble slightly. Huh? As if the wobble had intensified its current condition, the rolling further worsened, as the beast eventually fell sideways in the midst of rolling towards Eryndor. This beast...it began rolling when it was still high. Did it get dizzy and lose balance? Eryndor had a speechless look on his face. It didn¡¯t seem like he would experience a good battle on this planet anytime soon. Chapter 101: Secret realms Eryndor killed the armadimo with an Internal Fist to its head, before taking his bag and moving deeper. Of course, he didn¡¯t forget to use Cognitive Scrying on the beast before killing it. He could feel it. He was close. Approximately twenty minutes later, his extended vision caught sight of another armadimo. It was in the middle stage of Latent realm. I might as well fight it. All this time, Eryndor had been avoiding fighting strong beasts, because...why? Because, if he could fight weaker beasts and still make progress, why would he take risks fighting strong beasts? The tournament is coming, I should have at least some amount of combat experience. Eryndor didn¡¯t know what the tournament would be about. Every year it was different. Paulina had said that each power system would fight in a separate tournament, but when he looked up the information, in certain years when a special occasion took place, they would organize a single tournament with every power system in it. And these single tournaments were all special ones, rather than just one vs one matches. Judging from the news he had read, there might indeed be a special tournament this year. Apparently, one of the highest ranking members of the Human Federation had just returned from a secret realm after ten years. Secret realms also began appearing at the same time as the Eight Outer Domains, and the anomalies. They were pockets of space which could be accessed by their corresponding entry portals. Some secret realms were stationary, some constantly moved around, while some only moved around in a specific pattern or location. Eryndor dodged the path of the beast once again, but this time, he was quick to activate his Internal Fist. As the beast was about to roll past him, he punched it at the side, eliciting another sharp cry from it. The spherical ball wobbled slightly, but still held on. This time it didn¡¯t need a tree, as the ball took a sharp turn itself, producing a rough sound of friction on the ground. Always on alert, Eryndor moved out of the way just as quickly. Being at stage five of Qi Gathering realm, his Shadowstep. under the shade of surrounding trees coupled with his mastery, was almost as fast as someone at the peak of stage six. Peak of stage six was equivalent to the peak of middle stage for beasts. Which meant Eryndor was more than qualified to beat a beast at the middle stage of the Latent realm in terms of speed unless it was a speed oriented beast. Due to not activating his Internal Fist on time, he could only watch as the beast rolled past him. Just as he was anticipating it would return, the beast cleanly steered through the trees and ran away. After a short gap caused by the unexpectedness of the situation, Eryndor quickly gave chase at a much higher speed. Approximately two minutes later, he was able to catch up and pummel the beast to death. Due to the scales being from a beast at the middle stage of Latent realm, he couldn¡¯t harvest them, as he was still supposed to be at rank three for the rest of the team. Nor could he take it back to earth and exchange it there after he advanced to stage four or five. It would be easy to identify that the beast was taken from an armadimo, which didn¡¯t exist on Earth at all. Eryndor took out an energy bar from his bag and munched on it as he continued on his way to find more beasts. In a few moments, he came across a Lariet, which was up to its usual behavior. The lariet was at the middle stage as well, but according to the reports, their strength was extremely high for their level. Which meant, for a lariet in middle stage, its strength parameter was equal to a beast at high stage. Shall I try them? Chapter 102: Breakthrough in Cognitive Scrying He shrugged. No harm trying, I¡¯ll get hurt at most. His Passive Regeneration would take care of that. Eryndor approached the beast, who only looked at him with a dazed expression. Jeez, can¡¯t you show some hostility? Hard to kill a beast which doesn¡¯t care. He steeled his heart and went ahead with it though, punching it straight at its face while it watched with the same glassy eyes look. At the final moment though, its head snapped sideways, dodging the punch. It was able to demonstrate extreme reflexes while being high. What now? Ultra instinct when high? Is this why they actually eat those plants and get high? Before he could think any further, a punch headed his way, which Eryndor narrowly dodged. I¡¯ll need defensive art for this. Quickly, a red film appeared over his body, shimmering slightly. It seemed that although its body language and eyes were completely lax, the beast was actually enraged. Even after Eryndor disengaged with the beast, the two legged creature approached and shot out another punch. The young man had no interest in testing his defense against what was a punch of high stage strength. He cleanly evaded the blow, and lashed out with an upper cut at the outstretched arm straight at the joints between forearm and upper arm. An anguished cry escaped the beast¡¯s mouth as Eryndor¡¯s punch literally broke through the joints, dislodging the forearm. Its right arm hung loosely by its side, as a hint of clarity resurfaced the beast¡¯s eyes. Oh? So only extreme pain can bring them out of their state? Eryndor noted that down mentally and focused on the fight. With one arm gone, the lethality of the beast had gone down quite a bit. Instead of further making a move though, the beast let out a strange cry. Through his extended vision, Eryndor instantly noticed two more lariets heading his way. Fuck you cowards. He had to keep dodging their punches after all, since both of them were at the middle stage of Latent realm. Finally. Final-fucking-ly. He could feel it. Eryndor quickly took his bag and made a run for the outer parts of the jungle. When he arrived at a relatively secluded place, he quickly made a cover and hid himself within it. Within a moment of focusing, he was inside his Mind Palace. He could see it clearly now. The black ball of Cognitive Scrying was rotating rapidly, and had begun glowing brightly. After a certain point the glow was so intense that Eryndor could no longer see the black. Only strong white light radiated from the sphere above the altar. He couldn¡¯t even see if it was spinning anymore. Eryndor waited. Waited. Waited. Approximately two minutes later, nothing had happened. Is it going to take time? Eryndor could feel that he had already crossed the threshold. The Cognitive Scrying had already broken through. What was happening now? Is it because of the Cosmic Limit? But ¡¯Active¡¯ realm is already above the Cosmic Limit, why would one more increase in level matter? He waited for a few more minutes before a change finally took place. The black sphere of his Cognitive Scrying finally came into view again. It was back to its original size and density, looking even less impressive than the two similar spheres beside it. It was as if all the progress had been reset. However, Eryndor could see that the words on the altar had changed. [Cognitive Scrying - Enhanced] Chapter 103: High ranking members of The Human Federation "So in abilities the next realm after ¡¯Active¡¯ is ¡¯Enhanced¡¯?" Eryndor muttered while reading through the description on the altar. Nothing had changed. He took one last look at the ability before leaving the Mind Palace and returning to his physical body. Taking out another protein bar from his bag, he began munching on it before moving on to the Spaceship. He had enough fighting for the day, monsters didn¡¯t give him much challenge. One, they weren¡¯t intelligent enough to actually employ tactics in a fight. Two, they didn¡¯t have skills to compliment their fighting style. For example, lariets would be much more deadly if they had a fist skill which increased its speed or added an element of unpredictability in their fists. It would drastically increase the probability of their punches landing on opponents. Eryndor would much rather completely use the remaining resources and gobble up as much knowledge as he could. As for the extra contribution rewards for killing these beasts and gathering the plants? He couldn¡¯t submit the beasts he actually killed, and beasts which were appropriate to be killed by a stage three Qi Gathering realm cultivator like him gave too little contribution points. He would much rather spend that time cultivating, given how fast he was at it. Eryndor walked back to the spaceship and entered his room after submitting the information on lariets to the research team. Liliana had apparently already discovered what he had, so the rewards would be distributed between them. Eryndor had no problem with that, not to mention he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything even if he did have a problem with it. With a fresh feel, he exited his personal bathroom after showering and changed into another pair. Eryndor couldn¡¯t endure staying in his sweaty battle clothes, so he always took a shower as soon as he entered his room. Sitting on his bed, he went through his phone for some news. Oh? There was one interesting piece of news on the Academy¡¯s website. A first year student had been taken under tutelage by a high ranking member of the Human Federation. Drakarion: "Kron, I guess. I don¡¯t know the last name." Paulina: "Do you know which high ranking member it was?" Drakarion: "It was Guardian Sol." Eryndor marvelled over the good luck of that Kron fellow before closing his phone. People did indeed take students under them in this age. It was just a more serious version of students doing an internship under a specific person who was a master in the field they were pursuing. After emptying his mind of thoughts, he began cultivating. Since he was at stage five of Qi Gathering realm, his meridians could hold much more Qi compared to before. That meant he was also able to control a larger amount of Qi compared to when he was in the lower realms. As long as his control didn¡¯t falter, Eryndor kept trying to manipulate more and more Qi at each subsequent circulation, trying to test what was his control limit. If my control is strong enough, does that mean my speed of cultivation will only get faster? In a sense, it was true. As the amount of Qi in his body increased, his cultivation would only get faster and faster as long as his exquisite control could keep up. Unfortunately, Eryndor still didn¡¯t know the reason behind his godly control. He could only chalk it up to his Eldritch origins. Just like every time, his control once again stopped at half the amount of total Qi. If he tried gathering more Qi to control, his hold would quickly get shaky. Why is it half every time? Is it some limit? Eryndor remembered that even in previous realms his control had been half of the total Qi. Shrugging slightly, he continued cultivating. Clearly, there was no clue as to what was going on, no use thinking about it. Eryndor didn¡¯t leave the spaceship again, opting to continue cultivating with laser focus. By the time the spaceship reached the second checkpoint planet, Eryndor had finally broken through to stage six of Qi Gathering realm. Contrary to his calculations, there were still some pills left. Well, I¡¯ll just use them up before moving up to Body Tempering pills. It was finally time to strengthen his physique. Chapter 104: Body Tempering pills Eryndor wanted to go out and take a walk around the planet, but when he realized this planet was where the Crappy Birds lived, he thought better of it. He would rather get some fresh air on the first checkpoint planet. On that day itself, he finished the remaining Qi Gathering pills, consolidating his cultivation at stage six. Now I am out of both Qi Gathering pills and Spirit Strengthening pills. Eryndor set his sights on the box of Body Tempering pills, before finally making up his mind to use them. There was really nothing else to do. Taking out a bottle, he returned to his bed and sat cross legged. After taking a deep breath, he popped a pill in his mouth. Body Tempering pills worked in the same way as the Spirit Tempering pills. One had to circulate their practice technique after taking the pill. Depending on how much Qi one absorbed, their body would be tempered at a similar rate. They were also similar to Spirit Gathering pills such that their efficacy was dependent on the tempering done rather than time. There was just one difference. The tempering granted by these pills wasn¡¯t as pleasant as Spirit Strengthening pills. And Eryndor was experiencing that first hand. As soon as he realized that his bed might get messy, he stood up and ran to the bathroom, sitting on its floor and resuming his circulation of Qi. Indeed, his physique began aching as soon as he completed one revolution of the Qi. But that was it, he soon felt a cooling sensation all over his body. My Passive Regeneration is taking effect? Eryndor was incredibly thankful about it. It meant he wouldn¡¯t reach a state of extreme pain. When one continued cycling their Qi while the Body Tempering pill was in effect, the pain would keep stacking, transforming your body. Might as well use it at the end of the session. Enduring the sweat on his body, Eryndor continued using body tempering pills. The entire next week, he entered into a new routine. He would stay in the bathroom all the time, exiting after taking a shower only when it was meal time. He could feel his strength increasing each passing day. It also helped that he was at stage six of Qi Gathering realm. The maximum amount of improvement which a body could handle depended on its rank. A body at stage one of Qi Gathering realm would find it very difficult to get tempered till the extent of hurting a stage nine of Qi Gathering realm. The same was the case with Spirit Strengthening pills. One shouldn¡¯t expect to strengthen their minds at stage one such that it could defend against someone from stage nine. Ever since the advent of the manifestation of four energies and eight power systems, a common saying went around that nothing was impossible. No one knew who spread it, but people still adopted it due to the miraculous things they got to witness everyday. But even if something wasn¡¯t impossible didn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t be difficult. Eryndor had no idea what one would need to do or consume to have a mind or body powerful enough to resist attacks above their stages or even realms. He took a look at the pill bottles left in the box and made a rough calculation according to the level of improvement he felt. Well, it seems I wouldn¡¯t be wasting pills due to reaching the maximum limit of my physique. Eryndor reckoned that his cultivation realm would be able to accommodate the remaining amount of pills just fine. After going through his phone for a few minutes, he went back to the bathroom to continue using the Body Tempering pills. During the entire return journey back to Earth, he successfully finished the batch of Body Tempering pills as well. Apart from taking a short walk on the first checkpoint planet, he was cooped up in the spaceship all the time, so when he finally set foot on Earth, he felt excited for his life to return to normal. Finally, back on Earth. It was time to go back to the Academy. Chapter 105: Post-mission safety protocols Eryndor looked at the people he had spent two months with. It wasn¡¯t much, but he had indeed built a bit of bond with them. "Follow us till the headquarters of the Human Federation, you can go your own way after that." He nodded at Liliana. Although he did want to go to the Academy right away to meet with his roommates and start further training, it was a protocol to head towards the headquarters after special missions like these. There, they would check for any abnormalities in the members, and take further actions depending on the results. For their mission which involved contacting an Eldritch Entity, it was even more necessary. The next few hours, he sat in an armored bus while looking outside at the passing scenery. The planet seems to have grown larger. It seemed someone else had the same doubt, and even voiced it out. "The distance between cities seemed to have grown even larger compared to the last time I saw it. Is Earth still expanding?" Ken asked an agent who had arrived to pick them up. The agent nodded his head. "The strange thing is, the expansion doesn¡¯t take place in an area of dense human consciousness. "Which means it hasn¡¯t taken place in the cities, towns and such. This has allowed our infrastructure to stay intact. "It is the places which have minimal human consciousness that are going through expansion. Of course, this doesn¡¯t count the Eight Outer Domains. "The expansion keeps hitting them the hardest, making it difficult for their cities to stand firm. "This is one of the reasons even the hostile ones among the Eight Outer Domains have stopped killing humans, and prefer to instead capture them to bring them to their cities. "Or outright conquer human cities to establish that as their stronghold." Eryndor thought in silence after hearing the answer. So that means this expansion is favoring the humans of Earth in a sense? That would explain why the distance between cities, where no humans resided was expanding, and the cities stayed intact. She still had a possibility of meeting him in the future, so she resolved to keep an optimistic outlook on life to help cope with the current sadness which burst out every now and then. Eryndor tilted his head. "Questions?" Hellen chuckled at the young man. "C¡¯mon. You, a newbie, just went on a mission which involved coming in contact with an Eldritch being. Do you really have no questions?" A thoughtful look emerged on Eryndor¡¯s face. Indeed, with his mission being proof, there were some questions he could ask now without coming off as suspicious. "I see, thank you." Eryndor smiled at Hellen. It was really worth it to have acquaintances or even be on the good side of people. The help and advice they gave sometimes couldn¡¯t have been done or thought out by yourself. "Ken." A lady called out to Ken from across the room. As he stood up, the man looked at Eryndor and said. "It has started, you¡¯ll probably be called in the end." Eryndor nodded. His sight travelled to Liliana who was writing on a piece of paper. She had been doing that since he saw her in the spaceship¡¯s dining room for breakfast. When asked, it turned out to be a report for the mission. Damn, it¡¯s such a pain in the ass to be a team leader. Eryndor wondered if they would have to start writing such kinds of reports as well for the missions available in the Academy. Maybe not for the first years. There should be some report writing lectures where we¡¯ll be taught about how to write one later in the course. Then again, our first mission was pretty tame if not for the overall Rodrick¡¯s issue. The Academy might need reports only for the big missions. As he was deep in thought, Ken came out from the room shortly after. As per safety protocols, he was sent to wait in another room. He saw that Liliana was also done with the report, so she was called in next. Eryndor was looking forward to what would happen during his time. Chapter 106: Some questions answered A few minutes later, Liliana left the room and Hellen was called in. Eryndor only had to wait for a few more minutes before his name was called in as well. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and entered the room. It was a normal room, with white walls, a table in the center with two chairs on the opposite sides. A lady was already sitting on one of those. Without saying anything, he took a seat on the chair opposite to her. "Molina, pleased to be your acquaintance." The lady extended her hand, which Eryndor shook while introducing himself. "Eryndor." "So, Eryndor, I¡¯ll be your guide during this short duration. "As we speak, both of us are being scanned, which is going to take a few minutes. Before you ask why I am getting scanned as well, it¡¯s because I am sitting alongside you. "So during those few minutes, you can ask questions or go through the catalogue of things you can exchange for with your contribution points. "Do you want to exchange it here at the headquarters?" Oh. So I don¡¯t need to do anything during the scan? This is convenient. He answered her question. "I¡¯ll exchange it here itself, and I have a few questions as well." Molina pointed to his pocket where his phone was. "The catalogue for rewards has been sent to your device. The contribution points you¡¯ve gotten as mission rewards will be displayed on top right of the catalogue." Eryndor took out his phone and began browsing through all the stuff. It took him about five minutes to go through all the stuff which he could buy in detail. There were a few which stood out, those he had shortlisted to choose from. "Can I see them before making the choice?" Some of the options he had chosen need to be inspected personally so that he could make a choice. "You want to try them?" Molina chuckled. "It¡¯s allowed, right?" "Yes, just don¡¯t damage them. Although I doubt you can." Eryndor gave her a look but refused to elaborate. "By the way, about those questions." He asked hesitantly. "Now, no one knows who had participated in it back then. Eryndor¡¯s brows furrowed. "That high of a secrecy? Someone must¡¯ve still made a mission report though right? You¡¯d need a complete memory of how the mission went after all. "Not to mention you¡¯ll also need to keep updating it. No?" Eryndor had seen how reports about truly powerful entities were constantly updated to monitor how the containment was holding up, or what actions the entity was taking incase it couldn¡¯t be contained. Molina smiled. "Of course, it was Dr. Kirchoff. He was the one who made the mission report and updated it throughout the years. "Well, to be honest, being the President, no one would¡¯ve known even if he didn¡¯t do anything. "Anyway, he was the one who modified everyone¡¯s memory. "You¡¯d imagine there would be some who wouldn¡¯t agree to have their memories be accessed by someone else. "There were indeed a few people like that, but Dr. Kirchoff was, well, discreet about it. "Only after he had already modified the memories did people realize what had happened. "If not for the support he still had among the majority, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep his post of President." Eryndor nodded after he got the answer. So I wouldn¡¯t be able to get any further answers unless I meet the President. Eryndor then thought of something. Can I take a look at that mission report? No, not to mention if it was even possible, just the fact that he was asking this question was suspicious. It didn¡¯t matter if he had his recent mission as a base. "That was surprising to hear." That was all he replied with. Molina echoed with his answer. "Indeed. I wonder how Dr. Kirchoff did it. He was the one who headed the mission by the way. "It cemented his position at the top when it came to dealing with anomalies." All the more reason to want to meet the man. Eryndor silently thought but nodded at her words. The door to their room opened, with a man carrying the rewards he had asked for. It was time to check those. Chapter 107: Rewards "By the way, is it possible to meet Dr. Kirchoff?" Molina shook her head. "Almost impossible for you. He rarely even meets the other high ranking members of the Federation." Eryndor nodded, and dropped the topic. After gazing at the rewards which had arrived, he first looked at the consumables, which he had decided on exchanging for. First were the bottles of Qi Gathering Pills of level one. They increased Qi absorption speed while cultivating. He didn¡¯t know if he could withstand level two of this type of pills, but even if he could, he wouldn¡¯t have exchanged for them at the Human Federation. He would have opted for a more disguised, less exposed, or less lawful path to acquire those higher ranked pills. No one knew he had already reached stage six after all. Eryndor chose them because they helped with his faster rise through the stages. No other reason. As to why he needed to rise through the stages fast? Well, obviously, because of power. This was a surface level desire, and a kind of disguise for others. His deeper intention was to test his theories of a way to open the doors in his Mind Palace. The faster he rose through the realms, the faster he could test which method it was that would open those doors. The second reward was an expensive and rare pill. Meridian Expansion Pill - it expanded the meridians for better Qi circulation and storage. With more Qi to store, one would be better than their opponents in the same realm as they would be able to last longer, and also afford more Qi expenditure on cultivation arts during battles. Of course, Eryndor didn¡¯t pick up all the treasures on the catalogue just because he had a lot of contribution points. There were some which were useless to him purely because of how good his control was. An example of that would be the Azure Leaf Lotus. The practice technique which Eryndor chose was called Breath of the Lightning God. It improved Qi absorption, storage, and modified your Qi to have properties of lightning. The final reward which he had exchanged for was an offensive cultivation art. Yes, there was still a slot at the academy where he could exchange a skill for free, but the art he exchanged for wasn¡¯t in the library when he browsed through it last time. Which meant, the art he bought just now, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to get it for free in the library since it didn¡¯t exist there at all. It was named Sky Piercing Palm, and had a short-to-mid range compared to his Internal Fist, which was a complete contact based melee offensive cultivation art. Sky Piercing Palm had more than one elemental modification, including Lightning, Fire, and Air. The Sky Piercing Palm was an offensive combat technique that allowed the user to concentrate Qi into their palm before releasing it as a forceful shockwave. This was the only reason he had bought it. Qi couldn¡¯t be expelled out of the body at the Qi Gathering stage, but this offensive art allowed it. Precisely due to how difficult it was, its maximum limit was only mid range, which was already top-tier. It may not have as much lethality as the Internal Fist, but its range allowed it to be listed among the top tier offensive techniques. Its lightning infused version inflicted a paralysis effect. The fire element version inflicted burns on the target upon impact. It was deadly if not dodged in time, or one must have a suitable counter to it. Lastly, its air element version was used to strike soundlessly. It was invisible, and emitted a negligible amount of sound, certainly not what was expected from a shockwave type attack which relied on displacement of air. He heard Molina speak. "Are you satisfied with these? The last one you requested is on the way." Chapter 108: Getting a weapon Eryndor nodded, he was definitely satisfied with the rewards, and was waiting for the last reward. He personally inspected each one of them. Contrary to his previous experiences, the practice technique and offensive cultivation art wasn¡¯t sent directly to his phone but was given to him in an USB. He heard his guide speak once again. "The contents will be destroyed once they are plugged into a device, make sure you are using it on one of your personal items." Turning around, he nodded to her. "It¡¯s here." Molina used her remote to open the door once again, allowing entry to the worker, who dropped a box and left. "It was fortunate that the Federation already had the type of weapon you requested, else we would have to make it from scratch. "But then again, this one is already enchanted. If you don¡¯t like the abilities on it, you can have a custom made one with the ones you have in mind." Eryndor opened the box while replying to her. "I¡¯ll first test it out." He first read through the letter in the box which explained all the functions of the weapon, then held the object in hand, feeling quite heavy even by his enhanced physique¡¯s standards. It was a spiked mace, one which had a detachable upper part, and connected to the handle by a chain. It was a weapon designed for both brutal strikes and unpredictable mid-range combat. At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary spiked mace with a solid, menacing head. However, with a flick of Qi infusion, the spiked mace head detached from the handle, revealing a hidden, retractable chain forged from metals at the peak of level one. This allowed the weapon to transition between a heavy mace for crushing blows and a flail-like form for extended-range attacks, sweeps, and unpredictable strikes. "You would be able to see your opponent¡¯s move as well, so that evens up the field a bit." Eryndor shrugged, and kept quiet. He would have to put up with this minor inconvenience. He swung it around a few times, dislodging the spiked head from the handle, and relying on a chain to move it around. He had to admit, even with the control provided by the Qi based mechanism enchanted on the chain, it was difficult. There was one major reason he chose such a weapon. Telekinesis. He wanted to use his Telekinesis in a way such that it would bring the greatest advantage. He could use a dagger, spear, sword, or other weapons but none of them would bring out the greatest benefit from Telekinesis. At least not from his base form Telekinesis. In his second form, Eryndor was pretty sure he could control a few weapons with top tier handling and force, but in his base form? He was not so sure. So he needed a weapon which could complement his abilities even when he was in base form. What better than a weapon with variable form? His complaint for the glowing enchantment was just for show. In reality, he couldn¡¯t care less. Sure, it would be a pain to battle in front of everyone, he didn¡¯t know who could sense his ability and who couldn¡¯t. But when there was no one around? When the battle was unethical? Where he couldn¡¯t leave witnesses? Eryndor was pretty sure a bit of touch from his Telekinesis at a critical time would be enough to turn the tides. Glowing enchantments? What was that? He could control the chains purely through his Telekinesis. Granted, he wouldn¡¯t be able to put extra force and store it in the spiked head through telekinesis, but he would still be able to give a push through Telekinesis which would increase the damage. His opponent wouldn¡¯t see it coming. Sensing Telekinesis and evading it had a far lower probability than literally watching the enchantments glow and evade it. Eryndor couldn¡¯t imagine the boost in power every one of these rewards would give him by the time the tournament took place. He already couldn¡¯t wait for it. Chapter 109: Unusual reactions "Satisfied?" Molina asked. "Yes." He responded, his eyes still on the weapon. He refrained from exploring the two more functions his weapon had, because he had already taken a lot of her time. He had noticed how the previous three members had come out of the room in only a few minutes, comparatively, he had stayed for much longer. He reckoned that Molina¡¯s patience might already be running thin. While holding the weapon in his left hand, he packed up the rest of the rewards and slung them over his right shoulder. "Thank you." He turned around and said to Molina before leaving the room. After asking a few staff, he headed towards where team Lockheim was. He made some small talk with them before bidding goodbye. "Can I be dropped till the Academy?" He asked one of the agents on the front desk, who swiftly agreed to arrange a vehicle. Eryndor didn¡¯t need to wait for long, in a few seconds, he was sitting comfortably in a car, heading towards the Academy. Scrutinizing his weapon in detail, he recollected the final two functions. The first one was that the mace head could vibrate at high speeds, creating a shredding effect. It¡¯s a pretty nice function, along with the rotating head. Both are cool as fuck. The second one was more of a sub category under chain manipulation but still good enough to stand out on its own. The chain could solidify mid-strike, acting like a polearm. He was definitely satisfied with the weapon. Shortly after, he closed his eyes and took a rest by the time they reached the Academy. "Thanks for dropping me." He expressed his gratitude to the driver, and finally entered the campus of the Academy. Might as well get the last free cultivation art. Carrying all the things, he headed towards the Library and finally exchanged for the fourth free slot. For a complete freedom to use it though? Eryndor didn¡¯t know what he would need to do for that, and he didn¡¯t intend to find out either. "What rewards did you get? If you don¡¯t mind revealing of course." Drakarion asked, he was finished eating his chicken. He could already see the spiked mace, but the bag in his hand was pretty big alright. Eryndor openly displayed to them the contents of his rewards. Except the Spirit-Refining Cauldron, nothing was going to be of any use to them unless they switched to Cultivation path. The three fields of mastery were after all common to all the power systems. When Eryndor explained his rewards, they were straightforward in expressing their competitive intent to not lag behind after realizing how strong he would become after consuming them. After it was over, Paulina asked curiously, referring to the previous question of the stressfulness of the mission. "If it doesn¡¯t go against the rules, what was the stressful part?" Paulina asked with a curious expression. There were some parts of the mission which couldn¡¯t be shared outside, so she specifically asked in the way she did, to not put Eryndor in a tough spot. Eryndor tilted his head. Holding back my hunger in front of the Eldritch Entity? Of course, he didn¡¯t say that out loud. With a smile, he replied. "When you are in front of a truly powerful existence, it feels like you are insignificant. Like you are no different than a dust in front of them. "It exerts pressure directly onto your soul, onto your existence, as if everything about you is about to be pressed into oblivion." He gave a standard definition mentioned in the report about how it felt to encounter an Eldritch Entity. This level of information was alright to be exposed. Valentina¡¯s eyes gradually turned wider as she continued listening to his narration of experience. "Wow." A single word escaped her mouth when he finished. Eryndor was about to nod at her, agreeing with her feelings when he found something wrong. Both Drakarion and Paulina had gone silent. Frowns crossed their facial features. Paulina¡¯s eyes twitched, holding her head as she gazed at Drakarion who seemed to be going through something familiar. Eryndor narrowed his eyes, gazing at them worriedly. "What¡¯s wrong guys?" Chapter 110: Meridian Expansion Valentina also became aware of the situation, her sight falling on her two teammates. Paulina hesitated for a second before revealing. "I think I might have experienced it before." Drakarion nodded, his earlier light-hearted attitude nowhere to be seen. Eryndor asked, trying to gain clarity on the situation. "You are saying you might have experienced this feeling you get when you encounter an extraordinarily powerful anomaly?" Drakarion shook his head. "We have never encountered such an entity, at least our memories say so. What we mean is, we remember the feeling." Paulina interjected. "Remember may be the wrong word as well. It¡¯s like our body, or rather, our existence, remembers that feeling of being pressured. "No, it¡¯s not the same as remembering. This wasn¡¯t in our memories either. "However, when you finished talking about it, it¡¯s like our entire being inexplicably resonated with your words. Like we have gone through something similar." Drakarion loudly agreed with her. "Yes yes, this, I meant this. Paulina is far more articulate than me. This is what I felt as well." Eryndor and Valentina were stunned speechless, before the former hesitantly spoke up. "Memory modification?" Paulina shook her head. "I told you, this doesn¡¯t seem to be related to our memory at all. It was simply our very essence recalling the feeling you spoke about. As if it had happened in the past." Eryndor didn¡¯t press on the issue of memory modification, but clarified what she explained. "So what you want to say is that whenever this event took place, it didn¡¯t register in your memory. Like you have no recollection of it but your existence does? Drakarion hesitated, but nodded his head. "Could it be when you were asleep?" Valentina asked. Passive Regeneration is fucking amazing at these times. Exhaling his breath, he continued circulating his Qi. By the time his second round was about to be completed, the pain brought about by the first round had completely vanished. Which means for the rest of the expansion, I¡¯ll only have to endure pain equivalent to what one feels after just a single circulation. And it was indeed like that, for the rest of the session, his pain from the previous round would already fade away by the time the next round was about to be completed. Finally, the pill completely melted away after an hour. Now, this brought about a minor problem. A temporary drop in his cultivation stage. Stages in the Qi Gathering realm were based on the percentage of Qi stored in the meridians. With the expansion of meridians, that percentage would obviously drop. Imagine this, there was a bottle with markings on it, with water being filled up to the sixth marking. But after the bottle¡¯s size was expanded, obviously the water inside wouldn¡¯t likewise increase in quantity. Therefore, the amount of water which was previously enough to reach the sixth marking, was now only enough to reach the middle of the fourth marking. The same had taken place in reality, as Eryndor¡¯s cultivation dropped to the middle of stage four. Fortunately, power systems were a mystical thing in itself which didn¡¯t follow the rules of reality. Eryndor wouldn¡¯t need to invest much effort in climbing back to his original realm. As he continued circulating his Qi, an absolutely high amount of Qi was absorbed with each revolution. In approximately thirty minutes, he was back on stage six of Qi Gathering realm. Letting out a deep sigh, he gazed at the USB of enhanced cultivation practice technique. Time to move on to that. Growl His stomach suddenly growled in hunger. Alright, I¡¯ll have something first. After he was done eating the noodles he made for himself, he headed back into his room. Of course, he couldn¡¯t escape the good faith shown by Drakarion. It didn¡¯t really hurt, obviously. Seating himself on the chair, he plugged the USB into his laptop, reading to learn the Breath of Lightning God. Chapter 111: Breath of Lightning God Eryndor read through the entire contents of the practice technique before leaning back on his chair completely, and throwing his head back. It was mentally draining alright. This practice technique was more complicated than the basic one. Specifically, the route of meridians of Breath of Lightning God was more complex, and longer than the route of the basic practice technique. In hindsight, it was also a good thing that he was switching his practice technique early. The thing was, as the amount of time one spent cultivating increased, the more they got used to their existing route of meridians of the practice technique. At a certain point, it almost became their instinct, to control their Qi to go through the routes they have gone through countless times. If one switched it later in their path of cultivation, chances were that they would instinctively manipulate the Qi into their previous route while trying to adopt the new route. This would lead to cultivation deviation. The amount of time Eryndor had spent cultivating wasn¡¯t so much that the current route had settled itself firmly in his mind to the point of being an Instinct. Of course his passive cultivation had certainly accelerated the process, but he wasn¡¯t at that point yet. He first put a stop to his passive cultivation, then spent the next hour trying to memorise the new route of meridians which corresponded to the Breath of Lightning God practice technique. A little more to go. Approximately after an additional fifteen minutes later, he had completely memorized the route. Taking a deep breath, he controlled a small amount of Qi and began trying out his new practice technique. The more the Qi which went into the incorrect meridian, the greater the backlash one would suffer from the resulting cultivation deviation. This was the reason he was beginning with a minute amount of Qi. A few moments later, Eryndor sighed gently. Success The new practice technique certainly felt better. This time, he controlled more Qi than the previous time and repeated the process. I can already feel the changes. It was an extremely faint feeling, but he did feel something different nonetheless. It¡¯s too early to pinpoint though. Eryndor couldn¡¯t ¡¯distinctly¡¯ feel what was different, just that there was a change. Shoving aside those thoughts, he began circulating his Qi according to the new path. But he guessed that the amount of Qi he would need to empower a cultivation art would be higher than if he used Lightning Infusion cultivation art to do the same. One could say that Lightning Infusion was an enhanced version of what he could already do. Was it a waste of his free slot? Well, a bit, certainly not so much. The cultivation art used at the Qi Gathering stage was mostly not effective at the Qi Condensation realm. Well, they could use it, but the offense, defense and other such parameters wouldn¡¯t be able to hold their own against an opponent who would be using cultivation art of Qi Condensation realm. Therefore, after breaking through to the Qi Condensation realm, one needed to switch to cultivation arts of the corresponding realm to not fall behind. And matter of fact, all the skills in the Library which were provided for free were at level one. So technically, Eryndor didn¡¯t take much of a loss considering that Lightning Infusion would only be effective till stage nine of Qi Gathering realm, since it would¡¯ve been the same with any other cultivation art. Sighing deeply, he stretched his body, which had gone stiff after being in the same position for hours for cultivation. I feel hungry again. He got up and headed towards the kitchen. After taking a look at what ingredients were already there, he searched through the cookbook if there was something good he could make. It took him about an hour to make fried rice and chicken gravy. After he filled his stomach with the meal he had made, he saw Paulina enter the kitchen as he was putting the utensils in the advanced dishwasher. "Oh hello Paulina. Are you hungry as well?" "Nope, just here to take some snacks." As she opened a drawer to take out a packet of chips, she asked Eryndor. "By the way, wanna go see a match tomorrow? A guy with an interesting ability would be fighting in the battle hall." I should be done with practicing both my cultivation arts today. He thought for a bit, and agreed to her request. After some small talk, he bid her goodnight, even though it was a bit early for that, and left the kitchen. Closing the door to his room behind his back, he plugged in the USB of Sky Piercing Palm. He already had the content of Lightning Infusion in his phone. It was time to learn these cultivation arts before going to sleep. Chapter 112: Sky Piercing Palm With a satisfied tummy, he got to concentrating on the route of meridians of the Lightning Infusion first. Oh wait, I should take this to the training hall. He took his laptop and phone with him to the training hall and put them in a corner. Alright, I think I geddit. After he was done memorising the small circuit of Lightning Infusion, he carefully manipulated his Qi through it. As soon as he finished a revolution, his body felt lighter, and more powerful. He had a faint feeling that his body could somewhat keep up with his thoughts, enabling a greater reaction time which could be easily facilitated by a lighter body. Just like all his other cultivation arts, the state lasted for a few seconds before wearing off. Apparently, when he was out on the two month long mission, someone had bought a few training dummies and placed them in the large training hall. Probably Drakarion. Eryndor made a mental note to ask him how much he was supposed to pay as a part of his contribution. Since he would be using it, it was only logical to pay for it, since training dummies weren¡¯t given out for free by the Academy. The next two hours, Eryndor went through all the situations of using Lightning Infusion. His Passive Regeneration was working all the time to regenerate his stamina and energy. By the end of the two hours which he had spent running around and putting himself through various scenarios, Eryndor was quite tired mentally and spiritually. He simply felt a bit exhausted despite the energy brimming in his body. I guess I can perfectly execute Lightning Infusion now. The speed at which Eryndor learned cultivation arts was almost scary. He learned and gained its mastery at a pace which would take others months, or even years. Despite being in a protected environment, he didn¡¯t let go of his behaviour to only train till fifty percent of Qi storage. It was a part of his habit now, one which he had picked up while training in the wild. If he allowed himself to train till emptying his Qi storage, he would¡¯ve been done with the practice earlier, as earlier, he had spent plenty of time to recover his Qi and resume the practice. Since he didn¡¯t see anyone in the hall though, he assumed they were in their respective rooms. Locking the door behind him, he put the devices on the table before entering his bathroom for a quick shower. After changing into a fresh pair of clothes, he ate a light snack in the kitchen before eventually laying down on his comfortable bed. "Finally, some good incoming sleep." It was not to say that sleeping on the spaceship was bad. The bed was comfortable, and the aircraft itself was definitely stable. He couldn¡¯t explain it, but his ranking of bed went as; his own home > parent¡¯s home > the one in this villa > spaceship. Of course, he had plenty of sleepovers and trips, but he wouldn¡¯t include them all, obviously. Eryndor was so exhausted that he genuinely didn¡¯t have the energy left to go through his daily session of cultivation. While having random thoughts, his mind gradually drifted asleep. ***** "Is it just us two?" He asked Paulina as she locked their villa. "Yep." She turned around and answered before continuing. "Drakarion and Valentina have booked their separate training halls. You must know how difficult it is to get one entirely to yourself. "They couldn¡¯t pass up on that for a chance to watch a match." Eryndor shrugged. "Fair." He remembered how inconvenient it was to practice with someone else in the room, though it was a massive fortune for him to meet Syndra that day. Eryndor gazed at Paulina and asked. "Can you tell me what interesting ability the person has though?" Paulina replied only with a single word. "Regression." Chapter 113: Almost as fast Paulina was quick to continue, by following up with an explanation of the ability. "Before you let your imagination run wild, let me clarify. "It reverts the object he touches to its previous state. Nothing more, nothing less. At least that is what¡¯s been going around." "Ahh." Eryndor exclaimed languidly. He was almost on the verge of bursting into crazy conspiracies and ideas about the person having this ability if it was indeed what he was thinking it was. "By the way, what¡¯s your progress?" Mages had a different form of progression as compared to cultivators. Granted, they also had a magic practice technique to absorb Mana. Just like in cultivators, it determined the absorption speed of Mana, storage capacity and the element of Mana, but the way a Mage increased their battle prowess was different. The first spell model which a Mage made at their current realm was their innate spell model. Innate spell models couldn¡¯t be removed, and if by some near impossible possibility that it was removed, it would cause immense pain and damage to the soul. You could add more spell models after making an innate spell model, but the additional ones needed Mana at periodic times to sustain their existence. So, Mages only kept spell models which they thought were worth keeping, so as to keep their Mana consumption at an appropriate level. As far as he knew, the stages in the first level of Mages were also determined by the amount of Mana they could store. Paulina spoke after a moment of thought. "Hmm, not too bad. The rewards from the first mission and the second one to the Ravencroft¡¯s Polinek city were plentiful. I¡¯m at ¡ª" Before she could say any further Eryndor interjected. "Wait, didn¡¯t the mission of Polinek city get invalidated? It was a grand conspiracy instead of a proper battle after all. "And you guys who left before the battle even started, it was equivalent to abandoning the mission before it even began, not to mention completing it. "Didn¡¯t the Academy get suspicious why you left before the battle?" Paulina shook her head. "Not really. There were a few groups which backed out the previous day after seeing the scale of the army. "So we didn¡¯t really stand out. As for the mission being invalidated, yea it did indeed happen. "But they also compensated everyone who took up the mission for the wrong information on their side." Paulina snorted. "You¡¯ll have to make a move at some point anyway, I¡¯ll know at that time." Eryndor shrugged, and diverted the topic. While going through small talks, they soon reached the main building of the Academy. The huge building very literally had every facility built in it, making it convenient and inconvenient at the same time. Eryndor mentally made a comparison with the Human Federation¡¯s headquarters and realized that the Academy¡¯s main building was considerably larger. I wonder why they made such a big building. Walking through the lobby, they took the lift to the battle arena. "Edward¡¯s battle is on the third layer. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go." So Edward is the name of the guy huh? He followed Paulina, occasionally letting his eyes wander to the various arenas. It took only a moment for him to determine that he could defeat a lot of people here. So I¡¯ve grown this much already huh. He was realizing in greater depth how extraordinary his speed was in both practicing cultivation, and gaining mastery in cultivation arts. Familiar faces who were in the first year and sat with him in the class were only around stage four or stage five with far less mastery over their cultivation arts compared to him despite starting a few months ago. When he finally reached the designated battle arena of the Regression guy, he found a familiar face among the spectators outside the dome, who seemed to sense someone looking at her. Syndra turned around, her eyes resting upon Eryndor. Oh yea, I told her I would talk to her face to face about the issue of Polinek city. Eryndor recalled as he gazed upon the light blue haired girl. Her face didn¡¯t betray any emotions, making it difficult for Eryndor to know what she was thinking. What he had done essentially damaged her family a lot. But on the other hand, she also herself recognised why he did what he did. It was so that Lucian could have his revenge. She doesn¡¯t know that he is still on Humanity¡¯s side though. He internally thought, and he didn¡¯t intend to tell her about it. It was unrelated to her point of concern. When the distance between them closed, he heard her say something completely different though. She softly whispered while looking him into the eyes. "I looked at your information, you don¡¯t seem to be from any major family." Chapter 114: Quickly figuring out the ability The floor of the battle arena was a wide open area with multiple arenas in the lowermost layer. All the arenas were covered by a white film in a dome shape. Between the arenas, staircases were placed which connected to the higher layer. The arenas in the second lowermost layer were less in number than the layer below it, while being larger in size. The arrangement continued onwards till the eleventh layer which was occupied by a single large arena, with dedicated spectator stands unique to the highest layer. Since the match hadn¡¯t yet begun, he walked with Syndra to a secluded corner of the floor, where she continued. "You deceived me back then, and you deceived me now as well." Eryndor raised his hand. "No need to make it so serious. And it wasn¡¯t me who told you I belonged to a big family. You said it yourself." "You didn¡¯t deny it either." He shrugged after a moment of thought. "Fair." He then continued. "Anyway, what would you have done about Polinek? Didn¡¯t you see the crimes Pat committed?" Syndra hesitated, then said. "I would have notified my family, given them more time to prepare for the backlash." Eryndor ruthlessly exposed her delusion. "As if that wouldn¡¯t have alerted anyone." He turned his back on her after leaving a single sentence, unconcerned if she would understand the hidden meaning. "Pat Ravencroft had to die by Lucian¡¯s hands. It was all in humanity¡¯s interest." "All solved?" Paulina asked. She hadn¡¯t followed him out of courtesy and privacy. Eryndor nodded, then looked at the fight which had just begun. Syndra joined shortly after, only uttering a short thank you before focusing on the match alongside him. Suffice to say, it was interesting. Edward was tall, with a beard and heavy build to go along with it. He almost looked like a middle aged man. "The second time he used it, the weapon he had thrown was back into his hand, but there was no change to its shape, even when the battle at that point needed a straight weapon. "He only changed it two seconds later after it was back in his hand." Eryndor put his hand on his chin as he concluded. "So, there must only be one aspect it can regress at a time, with a time limit between each use of his ability. "The first time, he regressed the weapon two seconds back in time in relation to ¡¯shape¡¯. So, the shape of the weapon changed. "The second time, he regressed the weapon two seconds back in time in relation to ¡¯place¡¯. Which resulted in the weapon returning to its hand since that was its ¡¯place¡¯ two seconds ago. "The consumption of his energy might vary depending on the amount of time reversed and the aspect he is referring to." By the time he had finished, a greater number of people were paying attention to him with raised eyebrows and looks of awe. Even Syndra and Paulina, who only had a vague idea, were impressed how clearly Eryndor analyzed the ability in the middle of the fight without being explicitly told. Even Ralph was impressed, but Eryndor¡¯s brows furrowed shortly after. "Wait, I overlooked this, how do you not know your son¡¯s ability? Did he never share it with you? And how is a parent allowed in the Academy? Are you a professor?" Eryndor fired off questions one after another when he realized he had overlooked such a basic thing. Ralph chuckled. "I do indeed know my son¡¯s ability. I just wanted to check if you got it right, since it was rather quick how you said you figured it out just a couple minutes into the fight. "I am a researcher in the Human Federation, of course I¡¯ll be allowed in the Academy haha. It was my son¡¯s first ranked match, so I must obviously watch it. "You are an impressive young lad. Maybe I¡¯ll show you the results of my recent project once it¡¯s completed." Eryndor smiled slightly, and focused his attention back on the match. Just then, the majority of the phones beeped at once. Eryndor, Paulina and Syndra exchanged glances while taking out their devices, checked what it was about. "Oh, the mode of Bi-annual tournament has been announced." Chapter 115: Tournament rules "I¡¯ll read it after the match." Eryndor decided and put the phone back in his pocket. Majority of the spectators made the same decision, while some left after reading the message. The match ended in a few minutes with Edward emerging victorious. Everyone dispersed shortly after, and Paulina began speaking as soon as the dad-son duo were out of sight. "I remember his name. Ralph is one of the famous researchers of the Human Federation. He is known for his random ideas and erratic behaviour, didn¡¯t think I¡¯d meet him here." Eryndor shrugged, with a lighthearted expression. "Well, does that mean I¡¯ll get to witness the result of the project undertaken by a man as famous as him just like that? That was rather easy, haha." "Indeed." Paulina nodded. Syndra bid them goodbye midway as her villa was in another direction. While walking back to their own residence, both of them began going through the message about bi-annual tournament. "It¡¯s going to be a special one indeed." Eryndor murmured. Paulina asked with a curious expression. "From the way you said it, it sounds like you already knew a special would take place." He replied without looking her way. "One of the high ranking members of the Human Federation returned from a secret realm after a long time. "I just guessed that they would make the tournament special this time to celebrate his return." "Makes sense." Paulina nodded, and went back to reading about the tournament. "The tournament is probably in the same secret realm that the member returned from." Paulina spoke up after reading where the tournament was going to be located. Eryndor nodded, agreeing with her. It was worth noting that the information given to them had explained in entirety when the tournament would begin, and the rules of how it would proceed. "It¡¯s exactly one month later," Eryndor whispered. "Yea, a bit earlier than I thought," Paulina nodded. ***** [Tournament Setup] 1. Location A massive forest-like secret realm spanning the size of a state, filled with diverse biomes (dense jungle, misty swamps, ice-covered peaks, etc.). 2. Participants The number of total second years was more or less the same as first years. Which meant only a small number out of the entire batch would be able to participate in the bi-annual tournament meant for first years. There must be some incentives for them if they win, one which were pretty significant, else no one would agree to participate among the first years when they could go on a mission and get greater rewards. Of course, there might be penalties for losing too, else they wouldn¡¯t try hard to make their team win. When they reached the villa, Drakarion was in the training hall, while Valentina was making something for herself in the kitchen. "Guys, did you see the message?" Eryndor asked after calling everyone in the living room. Patting his face with a dry towel, Drakarion asked. "Which one?" "The bi-annual tournament one? I didn¡¯t get time to read it." Eryndor explained to them about the tournament. "We are only four, we¡¯ll need an additional member from the first year, and one from the second year to fulfill the requirements." Drakarion put a hand on his chin and said after they finished listening to Eryndor¡¯s narration. Eryndor was quick to retort with a sarcastic expression. "Thanks for stating the obvious, mr. genius." After a short banter, they focused their attention back to the topic. "How about your friend? That blue haired one?" Paulina asked Eryndor, who had a thoughtful look on his face. "I don¡¯t know what stage Syndra is at." This time Drakarion took a jab at him. He looked at Eryndor with a judgemental look and spoke while shaking his head. "Looking at her stage before deciding to invite her? What kind of friend are you? Tch tch tch hypocrite." After a short light hearted exchange, they spent a few minutes brainstorming, but couldn¡¯t think of anything. They eventually decided they would tackle this later since they still had a month of time. Eryndor retreated to his room and looked at the bottles of Qi Gathering level one pills. That was the only reward he hadn¡¯t yet converted into this strength. Well, the other one was the Spirit-Refining Cauldron, but he didn¡¯t have any pill recipes nor did he have any ingredients. He planned to begin learning alchemy after the tournament. Looking at the pills, he silently thought. Time to strengthen myself as much as I can before the tournament. ***** It is important and I had to write it here because I don¡¯t think a lot of readers read author notes. Anyway, the name of the student who had the ability of regression is ¡¯Edward¡¯ and not ¡¯Kron¡¯. I was reading through earlier chapters when I noticed that Kron is the name given to the person who was taken under tutelage by a high ranking member of the human federation. The regression guy and this guy are different people. I have no idea how I managed to come up with the same name for a different person. Anyway, edits have already been made. Thanks for reading! Chapter 116: Revered Appellation Eryndor settled on his routine once he decided on cultivating. Pop the pill. Circulate Qi. Repeat. Cultivate. Eat. Cultivate. Sleep. Repeat. Fifteen days passed as he finally reached the peak of stage six of Qi Gathering realm. On that day, he got a message that he was invited to witness the results of Dr. Ralph¡¯s project. Eryndor first asked the messenger if he could bring more people with him, who simply nodded. Eryndor proceeded to ask his roommates and Syndra if they wanted to tag along to watch Dr. Ralph¡¯s project results. Unfortunately, none of them were free at the moment. He simply shrugged, and followed the messenger. "Will we have to go to the headquarters?" The messenger shook his head. "Nope, he has been researching his project in the Academy. It gives inspiration to be among so many young minds, he says." Eryndor had no reply to that. The next few moments there was only silence as they walked. The research labs are in the main building of the Academy too? Eryndor thought when he noticed the direction they were walking towards. At this point he was numb. The Federation had simply not bothered with different buildings, putting everything in one structure itself. A few minutes later, Eryndor was standing in a lab, gazing at the table covered with white cloth. There were a few others who stood with him, only one of whom Eryndor recognized. Since they had decided to delay forming their team, all four of the roommates had decided to gather information on potential second years they could invite. Naturally, they set their sights on the ones present on the leaderboard. Starting from the second half of first year, students could start participating in ranked matches to increase their ranks on the leaderboard. Of course, one had to be eligible for ranked matches in the first place. The eligibility criteria was to have a score above ninety five in any one domain of battle, be it speed, defense, or offense. For comparison, twenty was the max limit of stage one, with an increase of ten at each realm, resulting in hundred being the max of stage nine of first level. He picked up the piece of metal upon which the array formation was carved and displayed it to everyone, while explaining. "Like I said earlier, this formation will allow people to give their own energy of Consciousness to a target of their desire. "Battles would be countless times easier since we could now donate our energies to people who possessed truly powerful tide-changing abilities without the fear of them running out of energy." He put it back on the table after everyone got a good look at it. "But like I said, there is just one fault which I wasn¡¯t able to overcome until now. "You see, energy of Consciousness has a unique mark of the owner. The array formation I made could transfer the energy of Consciousness sure, but the target couldn¡¯t use it since the transferred energy still belonged to the sender. "I didn¡¯t know how to remove this mark of ownership. That was, until Dr. Kirchoff gave a little help." He used his index finger to fix his specs and continued. "He said that in the few important books he had stolen from the Outer Domains, there existed information which said that beyond a certain level, people could share their ability. "Of course, it is temporary, the complete ability cannot be shared, and frankly, the process to obtain it is too lengthy and difficult. "But, it is still possible. One just needs their Revered Appellation. It is basically a set of lines which points towards their existence. "Dr. Kirchoff shared the Revered Appellation which he had obtained through one of these books. "He said that this Revered Appellation pointed towards an Eldritch Entity whose authority included what I want." Seeing that some of them took a step back, and had nervous expressions. He waved his hand and convinced them. "Don¡¯t you all believe in Dr. Kirchoff? I may be crazy, but what about him? It was Dr. Kirchoff who said that this Eldritch Entity is a friendly one he has most recently established contact with. "If I pray to him through the Revered Appellation, the Eldritch Entity would agree. Don¡¯t worry." Eryndor spoke up, hesitating. "Have you done it before?" The researcher smiled, "Nope." He then continued, "But no need to worry, trust me. I am starting." Without waiting for their reaction, he prepared everything, and took his stance of prayer, but before Dr. Ralph even began, Eryndor felt a stirring within him. It bewildered him. What? Don¡¯t tell me... Chapter 117: Illusion of invocation Eryndor gazed at the researcher¡¯s preparation. He had put a multitude of things, arranging them extremely carefully as if it was important. It might indeed be important, he just didn¡¯t have enough knowledge regarding this. But then again, there wasn¡¯t any kind of knowledge about revered appellation literally anywhere. It was a completely unfamiliar term he had heard today. He was pretty sure he hadn¡¯t seen it anywhere while gobbling up basic knowledge about the world. On top of it, seeing how Dr. Kirchoff was the only one who had gotten information regarding this, he had no idea if it would spread anytime soon. The stirring within him grew as Dr. Ralph stepped back from the preparations which were made around the array formation. Everyone including him took a step back similarly, but still kept their eyes trained on what was happening. Although they were apprehensive of anything related to those great beings, they still wanted to know the results. This was their first time coming across something like this. They watched as Dr. Ralph took a deep breath before finally parting his lips to speak. What escaped his mouth was a different language, one which was entirely foreign to them. However, Eryndor strangely comprehended every word with extreme clarity. "The Guardian Against The End." As soon as Dr. Ralph began speaking, the surroundings suddenly grew darker, and everyone began looking around. Eryndor noticed the items near the array formation shine briefly, appearing sturdier than before. He didn¡¯t know if it was an illusion or reality. Some people were already nearing the door of the lab, ready to escape at a moment¡¯s notice. Dr. Ralph continued with his invocation ritual. "The Veil Beyond Perception." The atmosphere grew heavy, with the lights in the lab beginning to flicker. It contributed to making the environment darker than it was. Eryndor discovered that he couldn¡¯t see the farther parts of the lab which were visible just a few seconds ago. At this point some people had already left, while some still remained. Eryndor noticed the stirring within him growing stronger. Just what is going on? Do those revered appellations point to me? Does that mean I have authority related to removing the mark of ownership of energy of Consciousness? Did I have that authority when I was a proper Eldritch Entity? The ones who still stayed back heard Dr. Ralph speaking in a normal language, this time fully comprehending what he was uttering. "I humbly implore your divine favor to bless this array formation, granting it the power to erase the imprints of ownership from the sender¡¯s energy of Consciousness." Suddenly, all the chaotic feelings within Eryndor halted. It rapidly converged into something, something concrete, something like a dot. Eryndor felt the weight of that dot. He could imagine it. He could visualize it. It was a tiny golden speck of light. However, it was heavy. The word Eryndor felt best described the sensation that the dot gave him was something skin to an anchor. Eryndor couldn¡¯t take part in what happened next. As if it wasn¡¯t under his will. As if he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. The dot pulsed faintly, and at the same time, Eryndor witnessed the array formation briefly shimmer in golden light. As soon as it was done, the lab reverted to its previous state. The golden threads vanished, the distinction between objects went back to what it was, the darkness receded, and the lights turned back on. Or maybe they never switched off in the first place? It was all an illusion after all. Eryndor could look at the entire lab once again, with no farther parts of it being obscured. Dr. Ralph¡¯s laugh snapped them out of their confusion. The researcher picked up the array formation and showed it to the four people who had stayed behind. "It¡¯s done haha! Finally, it¡¯s done." Although excited, he carefully put it down on the table, and turned back to them. "Let¡¯s try it. Right now! I¡¯ll be the sender since that¡¯s the riskier part." Eryndor watched the second year student volunteer to be the receiver. While the rest of the two were intently staring as the two participants began preparing to conduct the experiment, Eryndor was deep into his thoughts. It really might be pointing at me. He thought so because he came to a rather obvious discovery. The first of the revered appellation. The Guardian Against The End. Guardian... defense...does it relate to my Sovereign¡¯s Cloak? Chapter 118: Related abilities? Eryndor resolved to think about it later, intending to watch the demonstration first. Dr. Ralph was explaining how the array formation worked. "This array formation is small, so it will be a bit inconvenient. If there were more people we would need to make a bigger version of this. "But well, it¡¯s just us two, so it doesn¡¯t matter much really." He pointed to a specific part of the array formation. "Place your hand here." The second year student proceeded to follow the instruction, while Dr. Ralph placed his hand on another spot. Within a moment, the array formation began glowing faintly. Without anyone having to ask him, the young man spoke up. "Yes! I feel it. I feel the infusion of energy of Consciousness. But ughh..it¡¯s painful. It ¡ª" Dr. Ralph was quick to interrupt him. "Stop talking. You can¡¯t hold extra energy of Consciousness, use your ability and consume the energy so that the pain lessens." The young man nodded and quickly conjured fire on his palm. So that¡¯s his ability? Well... Eryndor thought. He had been around rather...less simple abilities, it was probably his first time witnessing a simple element based ability. Dr. Ralph asked the young man. "Can you use the energy of Consciousness I transferred over?" Eryndor could see the nervousness hidden within the researcher¡¯s eyes. He was, in truth, worried whether his project would finally be successful. It hadn¡¯t been easy. The second year student hesitated, but truthfully revealed. "I don¡¯t feel which energy is yours." There was a moment of silence before Dr. Ralph laughed. "Success! Success! Hahaha. Young lad, you couldn¡¯t feel which one was mine, doesn¡¯t that mean you can freely use them?" The student raised his eyebrows, coming to a realization. It wasn¡¯t that he was dumb, but he simply went through a moment of cognitive inertia. When the researcher asked if he could use the energy he had transferred, due to cognitive inertia, the same pattern of thinking led him to instinctively search for the researcher¡¯s energy¡ªonly to immediately register its absence before questioning anything else. But could two entities have overlapping authorities? Eryndor didn¡¯t know. Let¡¯s just assume that it is indeed pointing towards me. The following thought was naturally back to square one. If ¡¯The Guardian Against The End¡¯ truly referred to his Sovereign¡¯s Cloak, did that mean the second line referred to his second ability? The Veil Beyond Perception...hmmm...what could it mean? Was it some disguise related ability? Or something related to hiding? Then the third line -The Law That No Will May Overturn. What could it mean? What ability could correspond with the third line? Is it like setting rules? This third line confused Eryndor the most, as the fourth line didn¡¯t need much thought. The Sovereign Of Unwritten Fate. Something related to fate huh. Sounds exciting. If these revered appellations truly pointed to him and his guesses were indeed correct, he couldn¡¯t wait to truly unlock these abilities. And I seem to have some authority which involves being able to remove the mark of ownership over energy of Consciousness? How great. With a light sigh, Eryndor continued heading towards his villa. It was a rather enlightening day for him, allowing him to know about himself, if his guesses were true in the first place that is. There was no one at the villa when he returned. They¡¯re still busy huh. With a shake of his head, Eryndor went to his room. Only around fifteen days left, I need to increase my stage as quickly as possible. For the next fortnight, he settled back into his previous routine. Finally, on the day before bi-annual tournament, a message was sent to the students. It was about who would preside over the tournament. Eryndor instantly recognised the person. Oh? It¡¯s him? Chapter 119: Sander’s ability In a secluded corner of the headquarter of the Human Federation. There was a room, with an entrance which was hidden. It was one of the secret rooms of the headquarters used only in emergency situations or highly secretive operations. "Do you feel nervous?" A middle aged woman could be seen talking to a red haired man. It was Sander, who was polishing his blade. Read exclusive adventures at novelhall.Co?m "Kind of, you should know the risks of this the most, Commander Elise." It turns out the middle aged woman was Commander Elise, the disciple of Dr. Kirchoff, who had carried out the purge when the Cosmic Limit rose from one to two. The middle aged woman replied indifferently. "I know the risks, that is why I volunteered last time, and this time again. But I don¡¯t know what Dr. Kirchoff saw in you that he agreed to let you be the one to purge this time instead of me." Sander didn¡¯t offer any words of explanation, but continued polishing his blade. It was his way of calming his nerves. A few minutes later, two more people arrived. One was an old woman, and the other was a middle aged man, who had a laptop with its screen opened in his hand. The man spoke. "We¡¯ve locked onto all our targets. Only target number three and nine are confirmed to possess a Mystical Artifact. Target number four, seven and thirteen are suspected to possess one. "All the information regarding them has been passed to you. Make sure to complete the mission without fail." Sander nodded with utmost seriousness. The two before him were the Co-founders of the Human Federation, with that man being the one who had just returned from a secret realm. His name was Morris, while the old woman¡¯s name was Margaret. Margaret handed Sander a bag. "Your resources. Start your breakthrough." Morris sat down on a nearby chair as he typed on his laptop while chuckling. "It¡¯s a good thing that the Ravencroft and Mage Outer Domain incident delayed your purge. It enabled me to be able to take part in this big thing." While taking out a blue colored pill carefully from a glass box, Sander raised an eyebrow in Morris¡¯ direction and asked. They had seen how a few people of the Eight Outer Domains directly ended up dying because their level was higher than the one allowed by the Cosmic Limit. Not even a moment had passed since they stepped on earth did they straight up die without any resistance. Finally, Sander¡¯s aura transformed. It changed qualitatively. It wasn¡¯t a quantitative change like going from one stage to another. It was an increase in the realm. Sander had stepped into the Fiend realm of the Demon pathway, the first third level existence of humanity. Without wasting any time, he stood up and left through the hidden exit with a blade in his hand. He didn¡¯t celebrate, he had better ideas on how to go about it. There was a pin drop silence in the room as everyone felt the ceiling of power increase. It was an instinctual feeling for people like them who stood almost at the peak. Although they weren¡¯t at stage nine like Sander, all the people in the room were either stage eight or seven, not too far. They clearly felt the ceiling of power becoming higher, no longer feeling as constrained. Commander Elise suddenly felt her phone vibrate briefly. Taking it out, she saw that her mentor Dr. Kirchoff had finally replied to her. A few days ago, she had asked him why Sander was chosen instead of her. She opened the communication app and read his message. Dr Kirchoff: "Sander¡¯s ability is far more suited to this task than yours. "The lesser teammates he has around him, the stronger he grows. "The more enemies he is facing, the stronger he grows. "The longer the fight drags on, the stronger he grows." Elise¡¯s eyes widened subtly. No wonder no one knew of Sander¡¯s ability. It¡¯s best kept hidden. There was another message from her mentor. "Don¡¯t worry, this purge will be successful." Or will it? Chapter 120: Stage seven of Qi Gathering realm Eryndor was about to send a message on the groupchat to his teammates about the new announcement from the Academy when he suddenly saw lightning in the sky. Well, some normal one would¡¯ve of course not grabbed his attention, but the thundering was pretty loud, followed by a lightning with a brightness enough to grab his attention from the window. Eryndor furrowed his brows, and approached the opened window, looking up at the sky which was darkening at a rapid pace. Within a few seconds, a heavy downpour began with the abnormally loud thundering and bright lightning still continuing. Eryndor glanced at his phone as a variety of news notifications began popping up. He clicked on one of them. Find your next read at novelhall.Co?m [Breaking news! Natural disasters are happening all over the world!] Eryndor read through the news, and came across an important point. The disasters occuring are either not taking place in the human territory at all, or aren¡¯t as intense to the point of being fatal. I feel like I¡¯ve seen this kind of phenomenon somewhere. His brows furrowed for a moment, before he remembered. It happened when the Earth was expanding. It didn¡¯t target the human populated areas. But, wasn¡¯t that when the Cosmic Limit increased? As if to solve his doubt, one more news notification appeared. [A powerhouse has declared that the Cosmic Limit has increased yet again! Is this a good thing for us? Or will it be a disaster?] No wonder. He abruptly thought of the Outer Domains, and couldn¡¯t resist smirking at the thought that their base of operation might get demolished once again. Shaking his head, Eryndor went back to his bed and resumed what he was about to do. He sent a message on the group chat. "They¡¯ve already announced who¡¯ll preside over the tournament, which begins tomorrow. Shouldn¡¯t we start trying to recruit the seniors we shortlisted?" Drakarion sent a message shortly after. "Don¡¯t worry, I already contacted Edward yesterday. "I guess the fact that Paulina and Eryndor went to spectate his first ranked match, and how Eryndor was also invited by his father to witness his project somewhat formed a faint connection between us. A majority of them were selling all kinds of resources, with some even selling self cleaning and self drying pillows and bedsheets. Eryndor, who considered himself a gentleman naturally didn¡¯t harbor any impure thoughts when he looked at those items. Some of the stalls were also set up by teams who were lacking members. Obviously, Eryndor and his roommates had asked around before waiting so long to start inviting a second year student. It was because most of the other teams were naturally in the same situation, so there was no need to hurry. Eryndor had guessed at that time something like the current situation would take place, with teams placing invites to others at the last moment. The four of them eventually met up with Syndra, then with Edward a few minutes later before standing at a spot. All of them had already packed what they wanted, there was no need to buy anything else. Suddenly, everyone had goosebumps as a massive and dangerous aura appeared in the distance. Eryndor couldn¡¯t help but be startled when he realized who caused it when he looked through his extended vision. Red hair....could it be him? He still remembered the call operator who called Professor Melissa his sister. Professor Melissa also happened to have red hair. The man walked extremely slowly, with two more people behind him. Gradually, everyone realized that he was the source of the dangerous aura, which had still not faded a bit. Eventually, all the students got a good look at him after he ascended the platform. The man had enough blood all over him such that his red hair wasn¡¯t even standing out anymore. He had numerous heads bound to his torso, with the majority hanging from a string around his waist. Everyone¡¯s eyes went wide when discussions slowly spread around about the heads belonging to members of the Human Federation, with some of them even belonging to high-ranking members. Some students broke out crying. Eryndor reckoned they might have seen their relative¡¯s head amongst the ones on the man¡¯s body. Sander raised his crimson red blade high and laughed. "I, Sander, the first level three among humans, have purged the entire Human Federation of all the disgusting dogs. "My geniuses, you no longer need to fear anyone. I¡¯ll hold the sky for you, grow with all your might." Sander panted heavily immediately after the short speech, apparently still fatigued after the continuous fighting for over twelve hours. His injuries weren¡¯t light either. Before they could process what was happening, Sander stabbed the bloodied blade on the platform and announced with an almost crazed laughter. "Let the Bi-annual tournament begin!" Chapter 121: Fight when in danger Sander gasped as he finished speaking. With one hand on his blade, he put the other on the podium to balance himself. One of the two men who were walking behind him quickly stepped forward to hold him but Sander only whispered. "I am fine." He looked at the students and spoke. "By the way, I forgot to introduce you to these two gentlemen." He pointed to one of the men standing behind him. "He is Guardian Sol, an up and coming rising star of the Human Federation. For your information, he graduated from the Academy itself, so he could be said to be your senior." He then pointed to another man after a brief period of panting. One of the heads he was wearing on his body dropped on the platform due to his movement but he didn¡¯t seem to pay it any mind. It was just for show and deterrence after all. "This man... is the one who suggested Guardian Sol to be the head of this tournament. You should know who he is. "Co-founder Morris, the one who returned from the secret realm after being stuck for several years. Yes, it is where the tournament is going to be held." The students clamored about. Even a Co-founder level existence was stuck in that place for so many years, doesn¡¯t that already show how dangerous the secret realm was? This time, the one introduced as Guardian Sol stepped forward, gently putting a hand on Sander¡¯s shoulder and insisting him to rest. "You¡¯ve done your part. You are a hero, it¡¯s time to rest. I¡¯ll handle them." Compared to Sander, Guardian Sol¡¯s voice was much gentler and he spoke with a smile on his face. Turning towards the students below, he explained. "The secret realm has already been thoroughly scanned for any danger above your level, there¡¯s no need to worry." He then pointed to Morris, and continued. "During all those years when the secret realm¡¯s entrance was blocked, Senior Morris along with his team continued to hunt the dangerous anomalies and monsters present in the secret realm. "In the end only he alone managed to return alive, but remember, he fulfilled his goals. To commemorate his achievements and his return, the tournament this year was decided to be special and in the same secret realm. "There¡¯s no need to worry, we wouldn¡¯t send you to a dangerous zone." Morris smiled, continuing where Sol had left. "And...even if it was dangerous, you¡¯ll still have Guardian Sol in the secret realm alongside you. I¡¯ll also be on standby just in case. So he was indeed her brother huh. He then watched as the aircraft descended, landing on an open area beside where the students had gathered, kicking up massive amounts of dust. Explore stories at novelhall.Co?m Sol and Morris headed towards the spaceship, with all the students following after them. "C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go." Eryndor told his team. He held his spiked mace in one hand, its head resting on his shoulder, with a travel bag already worn on his back. Paulina had daggers sheathed in her waist belt, while Drakarion had worn knuckle dusters. Valentina didn¡¯t have any weapon, since her battlestyle was probably the most versatile given how she could copy any ability. Edward used a flexible spear which was made with a material which wouldn¡¯t revert to its original shape quickly, while Syndra used a sword. Eryndor had to admit, he almost fell in love immediately with her sword when he asked to closely examine it. It wasn¡¯t that he liked the weapon itself, but very much liked its design. The markings on it were beautiful and elegant, while the handle was incredibly comfortable to hold. With reluctance he had to return it to Syndra though. The flight took barely an hour, and the spaceship was big enough that everyone could stand comfortably. Yes, stand. There was no sitting area. From above, through the windows of the aircraft, Eryndor gazed at the massive vortex in the sky. Swirling bands of iridescent light twisted around its edges, shifting through various colors. At its center, a vast abyss yawned open, neither black nor empty, but filled with a shifting, liquid-like expanse of distorted stars and warped reflections of distant galaxies. Occasionally, jagged arcs of energy crackled across its threshold, sending brief pulses of unnatural gravity rippling outward. Eryndor knew why the spaceship had halted so far from the portal to the secret realm. The occasional outbreak of energy was decimating any kind of obstacle which it met. It went on for a little more than two minutes before an Agent operating the aircraft announced. "Alright, it¡¯s safe to enter now. We¡¯re heading in." Indeed, Eryndor could see that the energy outbreak had halted. So the tournament will finally start huh? Chapter 122: Shifting Threshold Soon, the spaceship entered the vortex. The outbreaks are periodic huh? Eryndor thought as he glanced around at the changed landscape. It was a desert area outside, but as soon as they arrived in the secret realm, it was lush green forest all around. "Alright, start descending." Guardian Sol called out loudly. It seemed that the hatch of the spaceship had opened at some point. As soon as everyone was out, Guardian Sol pointed at a door in the distance. It stood alone, without any wall, or anything to connect itself to. Just a door placed on land full of grass. Your journey continues on novelhall.Co?m The door loomed unnaturally tall, its warped wooden surface riddled with thin, jagged cracks that formed no discernible pattern. The grain twisted in chaotic spirals, as if carved by an unsteady hand. A faint sheen coated the wood, reflecting light in a way that made anyone who was looking at it see their own reflection, no matter where they stood. It had a narrow frame, and appeared fused with the surrounding space rather than built into it. Eryndor didn¡¯t mind how abnormal the door looked, but its handle stood out the most, even to his tolerant view. It was unnaturally shiny, and there seemed to be black tendrils moving about erratically around it, but that was not the main part. It was that whenever he looked at it, grotesque images of dismembered body parts would appear in his mind. Some of it also seemed to be his own body parts. Sol looked at everyone, only beginning to explain when he noticed looks of discomfort on their faces. "This is a Mystical Artifact - Shifting Threshold. "Everyone will have to pass through this door, to be randomly teleported to any area in this secret realm. "You don¡¯t need to worry, it won¡¯t teleport you to the innermost area where the abyss is located. And the agents from the Human Federation guard it all the time anyway, they would rescue you in a heartbeat. "Since we¡¯re on this topic, I must notify you despite it being common sense." Sol spoke the next sentence while pausing after each word. Eryndor looked at his device where the Academy had already made a website which displayed the scores of all the teams. He could see a few teams already had points, with the first one at eighty five. His own team had sixty, with him, Paulina, Syndra, and Edward each having fifteen individual points. So defending against the corpses successfully gives you fifteen points huh. He then looked at the top score. Eighty five wasn¡¯t divisible by fifteen, so it was clear that someone had already figured out a rule, or might have defeated a beast. Well, it wasn¡¯t really a surprise. A common consensus had spread that ¡¯defeating beasts¡¯ would result in points. This was almost guaranteed to be a rule. Maybe that person was teleported to an area which consisted of a beast. It just wasn¡¯t sure what kind of beasts gave how many points. The secret realm had been sealed for the entire time when Co-founder Morris was stuck inside with his team. Even if people had means of gathering information, it would be difficult for them to know much about this secret realm which opened around a month ago. Therefore, there was no way of knowing what kind of beast resided in these secret realms. Eryndor walked for a few minutes, but still couldn¡¯t see any beast in sight. His team¡¯s ranking had already begun to drop, but it wasn¡¯t fast, because their own points were increasing as well, just not as quickly as the other teams. Valentina had eighty points already, while Drakarion had fifty. Paulina and Edward respectively had thirty points. Only him and Syndra were still at fifteen points. He looked at the message everyone had sent on their team group chat. It mentioned what moves everyone used and what kind of beast they defeated. They also mentioned how much their points grew after slaying the beast. It was Eryndor¡¯s idea as he wanted to see if there were any hidden rules regarding combat. Just as he was reading, his extended vision caught sight of a massive beast in the distance. Ah yes, finally my time to fight. Chapter 123 Chapter 123: Running off Eryndor dropped his bag where he was standing, afraid that it would be damaged in the upcoming fight. With only his spiked mace in his right hand, he shot forward in the direction of the beast. He could already see how it looked. The beast loomed, its gnarled form stretching no taller than the trees that surrounded it. Its body was a mass of sinewy muscle and jagged, overlapping plates, like stone melded with flesh. A thick, matted mane of orange fur clung to its hunched back, trailing down to a ridged spine that pulsed faintly. Its limbs were long, and judging from how each step was sinking deep into the earth, leaving behind cracked impressions, the beast had considerable weight. Its clawed hands flexed with unsettling ease, a bit dexterous for their size Eryndor reckoned. The head was slightly elongated, its maw filled with layered rows of uneven, splintered fangs, while eyes¡ªtoo many for comfort¡ªblinked out of sync across its face, each a different shade of color. The beast looked fearsome, and it was also not in the list of beasts his team had encountered. Then why was Eryndor still approaching it? Because it was in the mid stage of Latent realm. However, according to him, it might have the strength of a beast at the peak of the Latent realm. When it came to beasts, it wasn''t just a matter of stages or realms. For example, take an ordinary beast before the Cosmic Limit increased from zero to one. Let''s assume crocodiles, their bite force was enough to snap a human leg in half. Even in the current era, a normal crocodile at level zero had enough bite force to rival the bite force of beasts not proficient in biting at the beginning of level two. The point was, the strength of a beast varied drastically in the lower stages as it largely depended on their physiques. Eryndor only estimated the beast in front of him to have a strength at peak of Latent realm because it was moving incredibly slowly, with its size greatly affecting it. He remembered the beast crying out loud after being hit by lightning, it couldn''t be resistant to it. But since it was able to move, it was certainly stun resistant. With that thought in mind, Eryndor changed his approach. Since the lightning element''s only advantage was negated, he put the mace in his left hand, which was his recessive hand. Through the mace, he could only use lightning, since he had lightning element Qi and Lightning Infusion cultivation art. But barehand? He could use the fire and air element of the Sky Piercing Palm cultivation art. There was also the Internal Fist which could do pure damage. Jeez, I''ll have to learn some more cultivation arts to go along with the mace. He had this thought as he continued battling, looking for the next chance. It wasn''t really Eryndor''s fault. The first battle he had with the mace just happened to be with some beast which was stun resistant. Lightning did have some increased damage but it was nothing compared to fire or Internal Fist. The beast kept swinging its heavy and elongated arms, as it seemed to be its only form of attack. Eryndor tried not to be anywhere near its swing direction, as its hands were dexterous enough to snap in any direction and catch the prey in its firm grip. Chance! Just as the beast once again swung both his arms towards him, he used Shadowstep to move aside and head for its leg once again. But he didn''t attack it, no. Eryndor began climbing its right leg. Out of the corner of his sight, he saw one of its arms heading towards him. But Eryndor wasn''t afraid. Why? Because the arm was incredibly slow. As expected, its arms are so heavy it can only swing them around. Controlling them upwards is a bit of a stretch and needs some proper effort on its part. When the beast realized Eryndor easily dodged its palm, it turned around and began running. Eryndor''s brain immediately began thinking when he saw the action this beast took. Shit, is it heading in the direction of reinforcements? Or some trap? Chapter 124 Chapter 124: Change of plans Eryndor clung to the beast as it ran. Should I get off? He thought, but quickly denied it. No. I can always check the situation using my extended vision, I better keep damaging it. Eryndor used Telekinesis to pick up his travel bag which he had kept far from the battlefield. He couldn''t leave it there as there were high chances it would get stolen. He wouldn''t have minded if it didn''t have many valuables, but it did. Focusing his attention back on the beast, he activated his Internal Fist. As the humongous creature ran, it suddenly felt a sharp pain in its torso. Eryndor had used Internal Fist on its plain bare flesh when it didn''t have the time to pay attention to him. As the beast ran, Eryndor kept punching it, but the beast didn''t stop. What is so important that it would not care about its life but keep running? Are there really reinforcements there? Is it enough that it believes it would be safe as long as it reaches there? Eryndor didn''t pay much attention, confident in his extended vision. He continued battering the beast with Internal Fist, which was currently the highest means of damage he had in his base form. As the beast turned bloody, something finally appeared in his vision. Turned out he was right. The beast was indeed heading towards reinforcements. He could see approximately five more beasts of the same kind lurking near a cave which was a bit small for their size. Do they keep their stuff there? Will I be able to find something good in there? He quickly pushed that thought to the back of his head and turned his head upwards to gaze at the beast''s head. It had a bit of an elongated head, Eryndor didn''t know if it could extend so he always kept a reasonable distance. He never went anywhere near the neck, but stayed on its chest area to keep bombarding it with Internal Fists. A thought once again crept in his mind as he turned his attention away from its head. Eryndor might not have noticed it, but the position of his team suddenly shot up in first place, with his kill granting him a total of three hundred points. He once again used Lightning Infusion. Even if stun didn''t work on these beasts, he would need every bit of speed and damage when fighting these beasts. Light blue aura once again covered him, including the mace in his hand. White sparks flew up every now and then, which were pretty much harmless to Eryndor. Using Shadowstep, he initiated the fight by closing distance, while two of the five had begun moving in his direction. The ground trembled. The beasts'' elongated arms twitched, claws flexing in anticipation. Their many-colored eyes blinked in erratic rhythm, scanning him from all angles. Eryndor exhaled. Five at once? A cruel challenge. But he definitely felt like giving it a try. One of the beasts curled its arm back and swung, the force splitting the air. Instead of dodging outright, Eryndor lunged forward, closing the distance before it could complete its motion. He channeled Internal Fist, striking its plated leg. It hurt his hand to hit plain hard rock, but judging from how the creature wailed, it might''ve been hurt more. Suddenly, as he was repositioning, a thick bolt of lightning hit the ground before him. Fuck! Change of plans! One of these beasts had an ability! Seeing the beasts had cut off his escape route, he ran into the small cave. It was too small for them to enter, and judging from its structure, it likely had another opening. Dodging the bolts of lightning, he ran deep into the cave before finally slowing down. Suddenly, from the corner of his eyes, he caught something strange. There was burnt yellow paper beneath a rock. With furrowed brows, he overturned the rock, and took a look at the words written on it. Majority of them were burnt or smudged, but when his eyes glanced over the readable ones, his heart leaped up to his throat with intense shock. [.... Eldritch Eryndor....] Chapter 125 Chapter 125: Time for round two His brain quite literally short circuited. He hadn''t read it wrong. He was sure of it. The handwriting was bad, terrible, straight up crap. It felt like it was written by someone who had gone crazy. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire But it was legible. And the words were indeed what he had read. He was sure of it. Eldritch Eryndor...who else but me? Was he not under the radar as he had thought? Had he been on the Human Federation''s radar all along? What was going on here? The first person he thought of was naturally Morris. The Co-founder Morris who had managed to return from the secret realm. Did he participate in the mission to seal me? But then another thing resurfaced in his mind. Didn''t Molina say that Dr. Kirchoff modified everyone''s memory such that no one knew who participated in the mission to seal him? Wait, has the Human Federation sealed some other eldritch entity and I was sealed by someone else? No, how could it be? Eryndor found it difficult to accept that eldritch entities were cabbages. Could one more have been sealed alongside him? No. There was very little chance. So does that mean whoever wrote this line was indeed talking about him? Because even if there was another eldritch entity, there was even less of a chance for them to be named Eryndor as well. Was Molina lying? Did Dr. Kirchoff not modify the memories of everyone? No. What purpose would Molina even have for lying to me? Molina didn''t even know such a small character like him. He literally had no prominent identity in the outside world. She wouldn''t go to the lengths of lying to him. If anything, she just thought of him like any other curious student of the Academy. She answered his questions just like she would to any other person. Eryndor still remembered the genuine but faint annoyance on her expression when he took too long to leave the room. If she knew about his identity and was deliberately lying to him, could she even have the guts to be annoyed knowing she was in the presence of an eldritch entity? There were a few similarities, but it as well did not exist. He was pretty sure even his own handwriting would have some similarities with the one of the yellow paper if he scrutinized it with this intensity. Sigh. A long breath escaped his mouth. Putting the paper in his pocket, he looked around the cave. It was getting pretty dark in here, the only source of light was one coming from the entrance. His enhanced physique had improved his eyesight as well, but it wasn''t to the point of seeing in the dark. If he wanted to find another opening, all he could do was use a torch. But I don''t have my bag with me. My torch is in the bag. His bag was out in the wild, judging from his extended vision, nothing had happened to it yet. He went quiet for a second before coming up with two choices. Do I try to sneakily escape through the same exit? Or do I bring my bag over here to search around for more clues? With the torch in his bag, he could search for more clues like the yellow paper. He soon made his decision. It was pretty obvious. Why would he give up the chance to know more about himself and choose to run away? It would''ve been pretty stupid. With familiar mastery, he began controlling his bag through Telekinesis to bring it up to his cave. Suddenly, he noticed one of the beasts turn its head towards the bag. Slowly, Eryndor halted its movement, causing the beast to turn away. Wait, let me look up what they are called. Eryndor quickly pulled up the tournament website and saw the information about the beast. Terromorph Ravager huh. Eryndor recalled how it could sense the bag just moments ago. Does that one have ability related to surveillance? Or are they naturally sensitive at that range? Well, whatever it may be, his Telekinesis was definitely not as fast as his speed of Lightning Infusion plus Shadowstep under shadow. He couldn''t control his bag to dodge them, and he didn''t want to switch to his second form in this secret realm. To bring his bag in the cave, he''ll have to deal with them. I guess it''s time for round two. Chapter 126 Chapter 126: Good coordination Eryndor couldn''t switch to his second form because the reason was pretty obvious. It was way too close to the two high ranking members of the Human Federation. What if Sol or Morris had some way to sense eldritch presence? The secret realm was as big as a state, true, but he didn''t even know where he had been teleported, there was no map of the secret realm. What if he was in the area right next to the entrance? That was where he saw Guardian Sol was assigned to stay guard. He would be pretty fucked in that case. There was also another way to avoid fighting. He could just go out, take the bag, and return. His own speed was definitely enough to dodge them. But let''s be honest. Did he want that? Nope, I feel like fighting. Passive cultivation had already refilled his Qi reserves. From the looks of it, this cave also looked pretty large, it might take a few hours to explore all of it. He didn''t want those humongous beasts outside during his time in the cave. Even though the cave looked pretty firm and stable, there was no telling if those beasts were capable of collapsing it. His Sovereign''s Cloak and Crimson Armor cultivation art might probably be able to save him but the potential clues, if any, would be lost. As he walked towards the entrance, he typed a message describing the beast''s appearance, how he fought it, his speculations of its weak spots, and how many points he got from it, and sent it to the group chat. Syndra: "Damn what the fuck? When did you get so strong?" Read chapters at My Virtual Library Empire She still remembered he was only in the early stage of Qi Gathering realm when she met him in the shared dual training room. Second stage? Third stage? She didn''t remember, but it was definitely only in the early stages. But now? She had already looked up information about Terramorph Ravagers. Their lowest level in this secret realm was at mid stage of Latent realm, but judging from their physique, their combat prowess was at peak of Latent realm. Doesn''t that mean Eryndor was at least at stage seven of Qi Gathering realm to stand a realistic chance at beating the beast? What kind of monster was he? She was already surprised when she came to know Drakarion, Valentina and Paulina were at stage five of their respective power systems, but this? Fuck. Seeing her reaction, the rest of the team members looked up information about the beast Eryndor had defeated. Without missing a beat, he activated Shadowstep, slipping past the incoming blow. His body blurred, climbing the tall tree nearby at breakneck speed and jumping off a branch, reappearing behind the neck of the second beast. His spiked mace whistled through the air¡ªmomentum, detachment, strike! The unpredictable shift in direction allowed the electrified head to slam into the beast''s exposed nape. Sparks crawled across its flesh. A crackling snap followed¡ªone of its many eyes burst, sizzling from within. It reeled, while Eryndor stepped on its body systematically to descend. The remaining three had encircled him, their coordination was too good, almost unnatural, it was dangerous. One slammed its massive foot down to crush him. Eryndor, whose feet had just touched the ground after being so high up in the air, didn''t have any time to dodge. It was a good thing he already had his Crimson Armor activated, crossing his hands above his head reflexively, he reinforced himself just as the foot landed on him. Blood spurted out of his mouth as he withstood the beast''s attack. Looking up at them, he activated his Shadowstep to quickly move out of the way as soon as the beast lifted its foot. Eryndor ran around the forest, taking several chances to hit the beast while his body dripped blood onto the ground. But it was too difficult. Even if he baited one of the beasts away from the group and hit it, before he could even inflict serious damage on it, the rest would''ve caught up to him. He also wasn''t able to cross check if all the beasts were sensitive to movement or if it was just that one beast, the battlefield was too chaotic, he would need thorough preparations to check that. Second attempt failed, time to run back to the cave. Five well coordinated peak Latent realm beasts were simply too many at his current stage. He would need to come up with more strategies. He didn''t know they were THIS amazingly coordinated. He had already controlled his travel bag and put it in the cave while the beasts'' attention was on him. I''ll be back, you bastards. Eryndor thought, as he ran back to the cave. He would definitely kill these beasts, but now it was time to look for clues. Chapter 127: Inviting Valentina Eryndor looked at the cold dark cave, slowing down his speed once he was sufficiently deep inside. The cave wasn''t one which was formed in a mountain, there was no heavy structure over it, which was why Eryndor wasn''t worried about the collapse of the cave killing him. Placing the bag nearby, he took out some food and replenished himself before getting back to work. Holding a torch in his hand, he began walking deeper into the cave. His extended vision didn''t have much use because even through that third person view all he could see was darkness. Is it connected to my own ability to see? If my basic vision increases it would carry over to my extended vision? Hmmm... He fell back into his habit of thinking while searching for more clues. There weren''t any more yellow papers as far as he could see. A split? There were two tunnels before him. Eryndor didn''t think much, he simply went into the left one and continued searching. He would flash the torch on everything around him, even if it was a small plant somehow growing in this dark dry cave. Eryndor walked slowly, afraid to miss the clues. His thoughts continued to pop up every now and then. Didn''t the Human Federation scan through the area before letting the students come here? I have a hard time believing that they didn''t see such yellow paper. Not to mention that whoever wrote this surely wouldn''t leave it around for others to know right? Eryndor couldn''t make out anything with such little information he had. A few minutes later he came across a dead end, turning back, he walked with the same pace. Even though he had already scanned the route, he still dutifully turned every rock and searched every crevice for any clue. Eventually, he was back at the split with no new findings. There aren''t any beasts in the cave either. Nor can I find anything which those Terramorph Ravagers kept here. Is this cave not their storage spot? He abruptly remembered something as soon as that thought struck. Oh wait, there''s no beast in this cave indeed. Is this why the Human Federation didn''t scan it? They said that they removed any threat which was above the student''s level to handle. Which meant they didn''t touch anything which wouldn''t be too dangerous for the students. Since the cave didn''t have any beasts, it meant they never even glanced at the cave. No wonder he was able to find the yellow paper. But then again, would the Human Federation bother scanning the area so cleanly? Most likely, they only dealt with highly dangerous beasts before deeming the secret realm safe for students. Why would they bother searching every nook and cranny? Anyway, it means there''s a high probability that the clues wouldn''t have been cleaned by them. It also means my secret is less likely to spread. He touched the paper in his pocket before heading into the right tunnel this time. It was wider than the left one, and also had a lot more openings. As he walked with his usual slow pace, his torchlight grazed across something yellowish. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly readjusted the hand holding the torch to light up that area again. Another paper! It was indeed a yellow paper lying around out in the open. He quickly approached it, and held it up under the torchlight. Fuck! The words were unclear. No, it wasn''t because the handwriting was bad. It was simply that it was smudged, the words were a blur. Due to time? Due to water? He didn''t know. If only I were a bit early arghhh. Intense frustration welled up inside him. But he knew it couldn''t do anything about timing. How was he supposed to enter this secret realm which only reopened a month ago? If only I could see it before it turned out like this. Wait...what? Wait... the previous state of this paper, of this handwriting, would certainly be legible right? Eryndor suddenly remembered Edward''s ability. Regression. It could turn things back to their previous state! Eryndor felt as if he had grasped onto the ray of hope, only to end up furrowing his brows. There was one problem, he didn''t trust Edward enough. Eryndor mindlessly walked around before he remembered Valentina''s ability. Right! She can copy Edward''s ability! Did he trust Valentina? No. But he at least trusted her more than Edward. He gathered some stones and placed a marking in the tunnel to let him know his progress in exploring before retreating towards his bag. Taking a seat near it, he typed a message on the group chat of their roommates. "Valentina, are you near Edward by any chance?" When he didn''t get an immediate reply from her, he turned to the ranking website. It turned out the Academy had added information on the beasts of the secret realm at some point. There was also basic information on Terramorph Ravagers. He assumed it was basic because there was no mention of their high cooperation skills. Oh well, of course they wouldn''t give all the information. He also read through the previous chats of their tournament team about how strong he had gotten. No wonder they came to know how strong I am, all the information about Terramorph Ravagers was on the website. As he read through the different beasts his team had encountered, Valentina replied to him on the group chat of roommates. "No, I don''t even know where he is. Why?" Eryndor wasted no time in replying. "I need a favor from you, please. Could you somehow copy his ability and come to my location? Or I can head towards your location if you want. "I just want you to have Edward''s ability." He had no problem going to her location because the cave was only a temporary residence. He reckoned he would be done scrutinizing every part of it in a few hours, then with the yellow papers on him, he could head to Valentina''s location. There was a pause on Valentina''s side before she replied. "Alright, I''ll try. No guarantee though." Sighing lightly, Eryndor looked outside. I''ll fight those beasts again after scanning the remaining part of the cave. Chapter 128: Same direction each time Eryndor stood up after eating a protein bar, then walked back to the tunnel. His short rest was over, it was time to get back to work. He walked back to the previous spot where he left, and began his work. Eryndor stepped carefully through the winding cave tunnel, his boots crunching softly against the uneven stone floor. The flickering light of his torch cast jagged shadows along the damp walls, stretching and shrinking with each slow movement of his arm. He didn''t want to miss a single spot. He swept the torch toward every crevice and crack, its glow revealing nothing but rough stone, the occasional glistening mineral, and some trash once in a while. Maybe it belonged to whoever it was that stayed here? Morris? Or one of his team members? Eryndor didn''t have enough information, he would always move on after remembering what the trash was. Maybe he could trace it back to a specific person later. He ran his free hand along the wall, feeling for any hidden gaps or false surfaces, but there was nothing else. Was this all the cave had to offer? Now and then, he crouched to inspect the ground, peering into small fissures but he would only find them empty, occasionally a few insects which he would crush. Further in, the tunnel narrowed slightly, forcing him to duck beneath an overhanging slab of stone. His torchlight illuminated only more of the same: blank rock, and scattered pebbles. Finally, a hint of light crept in from the other end. An opening? A few minutes later, he crawled out through the other end, surrounded by trees and the same previous terrain. After taking a good look around, he crawled back in and headed back to where his bag was. There was nothing else in the cave ooof. He looked at the few pieces of paper in his hands. Apart from one piece which he had gotten in the right tunnel, the rest were all which he found in one place near the entrance. Too bad only one of them was legible, and even on that, only two words ''Eldritch Eryndor'' were readable. Keeping them safe within his bag, he once again headed out. Might as well pass time battling the beasts outside while I get Valentina''s reply. I''ll decide what to do later. He stretched a bit before heading out once again. Their attention was on him as soon as he dashed out of the cave. One of the beasts lunged, attempting to grab him in its massive grip. He jumped, and pivoted mid-air, using Sky Piercing Palm. A ranged attack of fire element slammed directly into the beast''s fingers, invoking a cry from its mouth. The impact sent rippling heat waves up its arm, charring its flesh. That was exaggerated. Was its flesh resistant to stun effect but weak to fire? Eryndor tried again just in case. Learning from his past mistakes, he never stayed in a single spot, constantly changing positions to keep them from encircling him. At a point he slashed at the bare flesh of one of the beasts with Sky Piercing Palm''s fire element version, but by the time it landed, stone had covered the place, rendering his attack meaningless. It gave Eryndor an important clue though. These beasts can''t cover their parts with stone when they are the one attacking huh. One of the beasts attacked once again, but Eryndor leaped back. He couldn''t dodge forever though. I need to control the fight. He looked at the surrounding trees, and a plan formed in his mind. The next moment, he baited one of the beasts into lunging. Just as it swung, Eryndor ducked and climbed a nearby tree using Shadowstep and Lightning Infusion to increase his speed. All this time the beast had only managed to stop swinging his arm, Eryndor took the opportunity and jumped on its exposed neck. Their hands can''t reach up quickly, this is the only way to defeat them. Two of its allies attempted to bite at him, but Eryndor was prepared, already having anticipated the scenario. Biting was the only option left since their hands were slowed up above their waist level. He threw his mace hard with a flick so that it would roll, watching it detach and arc unpredictably, striking one of the beasts mid-spin. The lightning infusion crackled straight in its head, and since it couldn''t shift the stone while on offense, the mace hit straight at the unprotected flesh of the head. There was no cry this time, the spike mace popped through numerous of its eyes before tearing through the flesh and lodging itself deep into its head. Oh? So the flesh in its head is weak? The beast fell backwards, making a massive sound as it dropped dead on the ground from such a height. A finishing blow. He nimbly dodged the bite from the second beast before jumping on its face, making sure he landed above its razor sharp mouth. Eryndor didn''t care about some strange liquid spraying on him as he popped an eye and used its eye socket to get a grip on its face, all the while as the beast let out a cry. He channeled Internal Fist and punched it on an empty area of the face. Before the other three beasts could act, he had already punched thrice. Realizing the body was falling, he quickly jumped on a nearby tree. THUD Two down, three left. While keeping his eye trained on the three beasts which had stopped and were simply staring at him, he sensed his current location. He lightly furrowed his brows a moment later. I am here again. Everytime he fought those beasts, he somehow always ended up in the same direction. It was as if those beasts were luring the fight in that direction, making him unknowingly follow them without realizing. What''s the deal with them? Once was alright, twice could be chalked up to coincidence, but thrice? No, something was wrong. Taking a last look at the beasts, he turned around and went back to his cave. He planned to travel in the opposite direction. Something was off. His phone beeped, Valentina had replied. "I got Edward''s ability. And I''ve found a great lot of beasts in this place, might as well come here, I''ll describe the location." Alright, time to find out more about myself. Chapter 129 129: Two more rules found Eryndor glanced at the beasts as he dashed out from the front entrance of the cave. His speed was fast enough to evade them. However, this time they didn''t even glance at him. Did the death of their kin wake them up? Eryndor shook his head and glanced at his phone. His team had put together some effort to make a map, of course, it wasn''t complete. A large part of it was still unexplored. The most complete area was the one around Paulina. She had landed in the tundra region of this secret realm. Apparently, she came across a Support Shrine, where she used the points she had earned to exchange for a portion of the map around her. He looked at the total points of the group. Eighteen thousand three hundred forty. His own contribution was a pitiful one thousand one hundred fifteen. They currently stood at thirteenth rank among all the teams. Considering that Eryndor had such a low amount of points, it was rather impressive that just five members were able to climb to that rank. It showed how powerful their group was. After one could only have a single second year student in the group, the rest need to be first years. And among first years, the members of their group quite literally had some of the highest levels. Even Syndra, who walked the path of cultivation power system despite her family mainly consisting of mages, was at stage nine of Qi Gathering realm. As to why she was so powerful? Well, even without the Academy, her family was powerful, rich, and had enough connections to support her. People born with such terrific backgrounds had no need to enroll in the Academy, as the people backing them could provide almost everything the Academy had. Syndra had joined it purely to compete with others of her age. Back to the topic, there was also the fact that using points for exchanging for things in the Support Shrines would decrease your total points. Using resources found in the secret realm, like some specific plants and corpses of some particular beasts would be a better deal if one didn''t want to lose their points. But let''s be honest, why would one do that? All the plants and beasts listed by the Support Shrines which were eligible to be exchanged could literally be used as resources to boost your practice speed. They were special for a reason. Points could be earned again through killing beasts and other hidden rules, but these special resources? It would be difficult to find them again. Anyone in their right mind would only choose to expend their points, even if it dropped their rankings in the short term. The special tournament had a duration of two weeks, and not even a single day had passed yet. Paulina had also uncovered a hidden rule. Simply staying in the tundra region gave her more points. It was difficult to notice because points weren''t given each second. But when she killed a certain beast, it gave her more points than what it gave to Drakarion. After comparing both their fight sequence and other details, the only difference was region. There was also the fact that it gave her more points after covering a certain amount of unexplored area. Hmmm... so cold weather gives a person more points than staying in this normal forest huh? Also, it only gave her points when she defeated a creature or travelled a certain amount of distance. Which means one can''t set up camp in that place to get free points. Did that mean other kinds of extreme regions in this secret realm would similarly give more points too? Very likely. All the teams who had even one of their members teleported to any of the extreme regions would probably be able to figure out this rule. His eyes glanced over at his points before furrowing slightly. I seem to have two hundred more than expected? One Terramorph Ravager was equal to three hundred points, and he killed three of them. Defending against the side effect of the Shifting Threshold Mystical Artifact had granted him fifteen points. The total amounted to nine hundred fifteen. Eryndor typed the fight sequence he had and sent it to the group chat. The last message was sent by Edward, about his fight choreography with a beast and how many points it granted him. It was about fifteen minutes ago, and there was nothing which gave Eryndor any clue as to how his own points increased. A minute later as he was walking through the forest while updating the map to the best of his ability, Paulina sent a message. Activated Eagle''s Eye. Spotted a Snow Mormol lurking near the ice ridge. Used Schrodinger''s Step¡ªinstant displacement closed the gap. The beast reacted, exhaling a freezing mist to blind me. Irrelevant, it didn''t affect me. Casted Ember Surge, hurling a spiraling lance of fire. The beast recoiled¡ªweak to heat. Flames spread across its fur. It cast Permafrost Veil, encasing itself in ice, halting the fire''s advance. The Snow Mormol lunged, claws wreathed in frost. Used Schrodinger''s Step¡ªblinked past its strike. Countered with Ember Surge, a fiery lance launching at it once again at its weak spot(used my ability). The beast howled, rolling to smother the flames. It was not enough. Before it could get up, I cast Environmental Shackles¡ªice tendrils surged from the ground, locking its limbs. Needed a strong blow to kill it. Used Schrodinger''s Step to close the gap, cast penetration and damage enhancement spells on my dagger to end the beast. Points received - three hundred thirty. Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire Abnormality - my points increased by a hundred more. These beasts only give two hundred thirty. Eryndor narrowed his eyes as he compared her fight choreography with his. After a moment of comparing, he cross checked once more to make sure he had not guessed it incorrectly. He then sent a message to the group. "I got two hundred points more from Terramorph Ravagers. "It may probably be because both of us used fire based skills in a short span of time. I killed two beasts so the bonus was two hundred, while Paulina killed one so the bonus was a hundred. "Conclusion - Two members (or probably more, need to experiment) using the same elemental skill within a short duration of each other will get extra points when defeating the beasts they were fighting." Paulina: "Woah, that is one hidden rule alright. Thankfully Eryndor told us to write all our actions in the group chat to figure out the rules." Edward: "Yup, that''s impressive." Eryndor smiled, updated the map once more after looking around and sent a reply. "I don''t have a beast near me, someone please try my hypothesis just to be sure." Drakarion: "I can see a beast in the distance, but I don''t have any kind of element based skill." Syndra: "I''m about to fight a beast, but I have an ice based skill, not fire." Paulina: "I have an ice based skill as well, and I see one more Snow Mormol in the distance, let''s try it." While his group began their experiment to see if the rule Eryndor had theorized indeed existed, he finally spotted a strangely shaped rock. It was one described in the map of the region explored by Valentina! He was finally at least somewhere near her. Eryndor sped up, he couldn''t wait to meet her and restore the yellow papers. Chapter 130 130: Was it a coincidence? Eryndor approached the rock, and carefully compared the details with the one Valentina had mentioned in her map. Even though it looked the same from afar, he had to be certain so that he wouldn''t go in the wrong direction. It has a few differences with what Valentina described. Is it the same rock or a different one? To be absolutely sure, he took several pictures of the surroundings and sent them to Valentina. "Is this the spot you went through?" Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire She must be busy fighting the beasts. He thought when he didn''t get a reply from her immediately. To make sure he wouldn''t be going in the wrong direction, he only wandered around the area of the rock in search of more beasts. He would stay in the same area until he got the confirmation from Valentina. A few moments later, he came across a tall Torrifa. Jeez, why is it another tall monster again? Eryndor was quite frankly tired of looking up at monsters to battle with them. Torrifa were plant based creatures, at least from the looks of it. The creature towered over the treetops, its sinewy, bark-covered body twisting like a big vine with every step it took. Its limbs were unnaturally long, composed of interwoven roots and fibrous tendrils that flexed like muscle. From his teammates'' description and the one on the website, it seemed that these beasts were faster than the Terramorph Ravagers when it came to battle. They could fight like any average human could, just with a very large size. Leaves with thorned stems sprouted along its arms, rustling with every rapid motion, while its head¡ªif it could even be called that¡ªresembled a mass of writhing vines, each shifting to reveal clusters of luminous, amber-like eyes. What is with all these creatures having multiple eyes? This is fucking creepy man. Eryndor inwardly complained as he silently closed the gap with the beast. The beast was said to be as good of a fighter as a human, with its massive size, it would''ve been extremely deadly if it didn''t have one fatal weakness. Despite its overwhelming agility and resilience, its weak point was its core¡ªa hollow cavity within its chest where a single, oversized seed pulsed with life. If shattered, the creature would wither in an instant, its body collapsing into lifeless, brittle wood. With his extended vision, he could see what the description was talking about. A circular region in the center of its chest was literally empty. By who knew what kind of principle, a dark green colored seed floated in the center with nothing attached to it. Employing Shadowstep, he dashed out of the covering, entering the beast''s range of senses as it turned to him. Without any delay, the beast calculated his path of running and stomped where he would pass through. Watching the beast''s move, Eryndor knew he had to act fast. With nothing to hold onto to change direction, he used his mace and swung it hard on the ground, using the resulting force to change his direction, albeit abruptly and with a nasty jerk. He rolled on the ground, but made sure to quickly get up and run in a different direction. Almost dislocated my arm. He thought back to the tactic he had to use for that last second change in direction. None of his cultivation arts could be used to change direction at high speed. That mace was his only option. He added a mental note to find such a movement cultivation art which would let him redirect himself at high speeds. Shadowstep only gave him pure speed, it didn''t help in this regard. Climbing a tree, he ducked suddenly as the Torrifa hand chopped at the trunk just a few spaces above him. He would''ve undoubtedly been smashed by that blow just now if he had kept on climbing. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he leaped onto another tree, and began changing trees while climbing upwards, being careful to keep himself unpredictable. This beast was too good at fighting. When he was at the level of its neck, he lashed out with the fire element version of the Sky Piercing Palm. The creature was literally plant based, a fire based attack would deal great damage to it. The Torrifa, though, had enough intelligence to simply not engage. It dodged instead of trying to block the attack. Only a wisp of ember burned at its nape, which it quickly put off. So yea, it is indeed afraid of fire. Without a delay, he switched trees once again, making sure his path couldn''t be predicted, all the while shooting fire element Sky Piercing Palm at the beast. The creature switched its tactics. Being careful to dodge all the fire based attacks being thrown at it, the beast began uprooting nearby trees. It was difficult, but still manageable for the Torrifa. Why? Because it seemed to have some unknown advantage over the trees, or anything plant based for that matter. Else it shouldn''t have been possible for it to uproot trees which were just a bit below its height. Its motive? So that Eryndor wouldn''t have trees to perch himself on. Eryndor was smart enough to immediately glean information from even this small act of the beast. Why would it not think of dealing with the fire but look to remove my height advantage? Hmm... Could it be that fire does more damage to its upper part than its lower region? If that was so, Eryndor couldn''t let the beast go on. He had to capitalize on the height advantage before the surrounding trees were all uprooted. He waited, patiently waited. His fire based Sky Piercing Palm couldn''t be used repeatedly without any break, and the beast used that gap to uproot trees. He changed his attack speed ever so slightly, so that the beast wouldn''t notice it. By changing his rhythm of attacking, he wanted to bait the beast into believing that it was safe at that one particular point of time while it was uprooting some tree. He would utilize that moment to abruptly jump on it. Before he could go through with his plan though, he noticed something. A team of students were heading his way. If he were to decide to escape now, the only direction would be the direction which the group of Terramorph Ravagers were luring him towards previously. Was it a coincidence? Chapter 131: Chase There was still a bit of time before the students would reach his location. According to his extended vision, the students weren¡¯t really rushing to his location, it was more akin to a jog. Eryndor¡¯s gaze shifted to the Torrifa. Let¡¯s end it. The next few moments played out exactly as he had in mind. The Torrifa was moving according to the rhythm of his Sky Piercing Palm, so when it began to uproot a tree, he immediately jumped on it. Of course, the beast already thought about the possibility that the human would jump on it, but it shouldn¡¯t have means to damage it since his fire based art should be on cooldown. Except, it was wrong. By the time the creature reached out to him, Eryndor slid down and employed Sky Piercing Palm straight at the seed floating within its chest. His cooldown had long ended. Watching as the creature began turning into dry wood after crying out loudly, Eryndor began running away as soon as his feet touched the ground. In his hand was the seed which had been floating in the middle of the hollow chest of Torrifa. More accurately, it was the important inner portion after the outer layer had been burnt away by his cultivation art. It was easy to snatch it with his Telekinesis. Why did he want it though? Because it was an important body tempering tonic, one which could also be used to exchange for information from the Support Shrines. But would he do so? Of course not. Looking back at the students, they somehow seemed to have sped up after Eryndor increased the distance between them. How can they sense me? Is there some surveillance cultivation art which has a higher range than my extended vision? It was very, very, very highly unlikely. His extended vision had been literally the size of a town in the past, if he distributed it equally. And if he only focused in one direction, it was even bigger. Not to mention, after his Cognitive Scrying broke through to the Enhance realm, it had increased even more. The farthest any surveillance skill could sense in first level had the range of only a few blocks. Even the second level could barely have a range of a town. He reckoned that only top class surveillance skills in the second level could have that range. However, even that was far less than his own range of extended vision, and currently him, and the group were at two ends of his vision. How were they keeping track of him? Did they have some kind of tracking ability? Abilities often displayed the means which didn¡¯t follow logic. Was such a figure among the group which was chasing after me? Eryndor narrowed his eyes. He hadn¡¯t offended anyone. Chuck that, he hadn¡¯t even met anyone other than a handful of students. What could be the reason they picked him out? Ahhh. That could be it. Maybe defeating students gave a group way more points than defeating beasts or some other rules? In hindsight, he should¡¯ve thought of that. Why would student battles be limited to the final round? It was a tournament after all. One of the rules was probably that defeating a student granted the team that particular student¡¯s points or something along the lines. Even if it granted fifty percent, that was a lot considering that beasts with strength at peak of Latent realm only gave three hundred points. What if someone defeated a student who had three thousand? One didn¡¯t even need to imagine that far. Eryndor, the only who barely participated in this tournament also had one thousand five hundred to his name. Defeating a Torrifa with a strength at peak of Latent realm gave three hundred eight five points. Eighty five more than Terramorph Ravagers because obviously, Torrifa were stronger. Points didn¡¯t only depend on the realm of the beast. Just defeating Eryndor, who had fifteen hundred points to his name would be massively profitable even if the victor only got fifty percent. He took a look at his phone where Valentina had sent him a message. "It¡¯s a different rock, but don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re nearby. Walk where the sharp edge of that rock points towards and you¡¯ll find the actual rock I described. "From there onwards just follow my directions. By the way, Edward is nearby as well." Nice. He thought and put the seed of Torrifa in his bag, before taking off running in the direction of Valentina. He would have avoided her if she was alone, but if Edward was nearby, he could help by holding off the strong level two student among the group. Could Eryndor take on the entire group by himself? If he used his second form, yes. But he had already resolved not to do that. And it was better to regroup with his team than to foolishly run away in hopes that he would be able to shake off their pursuit. What if they had some Mystical Artifact which didn¡¯t depend on range to find people? Would a group of students have a Mystical Artifact? Chances were low, but never zero. As soon as his speed increased in Valentina¡¯s direction, he noticed the group chasing him had sped up as well. But one thing confused him after he ran for a few moments using Shadowstep and Lightning Infusion. How is this group not as fast as I¡¯d imagined? He thought while keeping an eye on them. The entire group was moving together faster than before but it was still not as much as he had imagined. Are they keeping up with their slowest member? That would explain why their strongest member, the one who was sensing Eryndor¡¯s location, wasn¡¯t running off separately towards him. Well, it works to my advantage. Eryndor carefully dodged all the bushes and trees in his path as he sped through the forest. One would only see flickering images of a figure with silver-blue coating and occasional sparks if they tried to track him through their naked eyes. I am nearby. Chapter 132 132: More confusion He had long kept the phone in his bag after memorizing all of Valentina''s directions. He could already see his teammate through his extended vision, just a few more moments and he would meet up with her. At some point Valentina had turned around, looking in his direction. But seeing how he was running, she quickly took a combat stance. Smart. As soon as he reached her, Eryndor hid his bag under a dense bush nearby and notified Valentina. "I''ve already called Edward, a group is chasing me. It''s time to fight." Valentina nodded, and made a request. "Can I have your Passive Regeneration and Cognitive Scrying?" Eryndor thought for a moment and said. "My Passive Regeneration is already active, helping me restore stamina from the short run I did, you can copy it now. I''ll activate Cognitive Scrying as soon as the enemies come in range, you''ll need to wait to copy this one." Valentina didn''t say anything but nodded. Eryndor rather appreciated Valentina at this moment. For all the moral high ground that she liked to be in, she was rather quick in taking his side and getting ready to fight without any questions asked. There was no annoying question he had anticipated like - "What did they do to you?" "Do you know why they are chasing you?" "Did you steal anything belonging to them?" It was rather childish of him, but one couldn''t blame him. He didn''t know Valentina THAT well. Well, it is true I guess, never judge people. As if she could sense what he was thinking, Valentina smirked, and spoke out while keeping her eyes trained ahead. "People change you know. I am not the same as I once was. I know how to adjust my view points according to reality." Eryndor only gave her a guilty chuckle, but refused to say anything. A few moments later, Edward appeared. "Are they close?" Eryndor nodded, "They are almost here." Just a couple seconds later though, his brows furrowed. They are changing their direction? Eryndor''s eyes narrowed dangerously as he realized their intention. While he was running, the directions had been messed up a bit. But now that he was staying at the same place, these people readjusted the direction in which they would approach him. Result? If their group of three decided to run, they would head in the same direction which the Terramorph Ravagers were luring him in. I guess this confirms it. This is not a coincidence. He told his two teammates. "They are preparing something, let''s attack before they finish it. Follow my lead." Eryndor immediately shot out, with Edward easily keeping up with him. Valentina was lagging behind, with the gap between them increasing, but the other team wasn''t so far away that she would be left behind. Just a few moments later, they spotted the team which was chasing them. Huh? Just as Eryndor had a confused expression on his face, Edward was the same. There was no level two member on the team! From up close, they could recognise the aura of everyone as they employed various techniques to close the gap. The strongest among them was at stage nine of Tinkerer realm, the level one of Cyborg power system. Was it through some cyborg means that he sensed me? Technology was a wonderful thing after all. That just makes things easier. Edward quickly went off to contain the stage nine student and two other stage eight ones. As a person who stood at stage nine of level two, it would''ve been absolutely child''s play for him to take on the entire group alone, but he left some so that everyone could get some practice. Tacitly, Eryndor left three weakest ones for Valentina, and took on three people himself, two at stage six and one at stage seven. It was a group of nine people, equally divided among three people. Why are they so confident? Eryndor thought as he went a distance away, dividing the battlefield. Abruptly, a section of earth emerged before him. With quick reflexes, he managed to evade it, while heading towards one of the guys. Innate ability to manipulate Earth? Gotta take him out first. Manipulating earth in this forest environment was a big advantage, and would allow the person to control the flow of the battle. He couldn''t allow that. There was a look of extreme surprise over the person''s face as Earth abruptly appeared before him, blocking Eryndor''s advance. Why are they so surprised? He got the answer immediately as he calmly swerved and used Sky Piercing Palm''s lightning version. As his lightning stunned the man, one of the two people finally reacted. "How is he at stage seven and so fast? That person gave us incorrect information!" That is why they are surprised? As Eryndor chopped the stunned man in the neck, knocking him unconscious, the words rang loud in his mind. What? They are not here for my points? This way, all his inference was incorrect! Someone was targeting him! This was not about the tournament points at all! Seeing that the two people were hesitating whether to fight him, Eryndor quickly took advantage of the gap and knocked another one unconscious before the last one put some distance between them. Just when he thought he would fight, the person began running. Direction? The same one Terramorph Ravagers were luring him in. Eryndor narrowed his eyes, and quickly gave chase. His speed was enough to close the gap and immediately stun him through the same method, before he swiftly knocked him unconscious. There was simply no fight, just pure one sided bullying. All his cultivation arts were practiced to the point of mastery after all. In the same stage and level he was uncontested unless there was some broken ability out there. Glancing at the unconscious body, he checked if there were any surveillance methods. Nope, same as the other two. He headed towards the other battlefields. Edward and Valentina were done with their battlefields, and had gathered in the middle. He quickly asked the second year senior and his teammate, "Did any of them have any surveillance methods? Like Mystical Artifacts or something?" Edward and Valentina both shook their heads. "Nope." Eryndor''s eyebrows furrowed. Huh? What the fuck? Then how did they sense me? Chapter 133 133: Knowing where the direction leads Eryndor glanced at all the bodies they had rounded up. "Our points increased by a lot." Edward heartily laughed. He had no idea what was going on in Eryndor''s mind. He was just happy to get this unexpected and easy windfall of points. Valentina glanced at her own phone. "It seems we get seventy five percent of the points possessed by the person we defeat. I just got five thousand points all of a sudden." Eryndor looked at her. "How do you know how many points these people originally had to deduce that you got seventy five percent?" Valentina displayed him the screen of her phone. Valentina - 3450 + 5000 (75% of the loser''s points) "I don''t, the percentage stolen is written beside my name here on the website which counts for points. It only appears when you defeat a person I guess. "It also cannot be viewed by anyone else. They would just see a sudden jump in my points." Eryndor had a look of realization. He didn''t have the habit of fighting with any items, especially his phone, on his body. More often than not, he kept them in his bag, so he didn''t know how many points he had gained. Edward chuckled while gazing at his own phone''s screen and said. "Look at the group chat, our members are going ballistic." Eryndor shifted closer to Valentina and peaked at her screen. Drakarion: "Holy shit, how did three of you suddenly get such a huge increase in your points?" Syndra: "Did the three of you find some hidden rule? Does this have something to do with other students?" Paulina: "Defeating them I guess? I can''t think of anything else." If Eryndor had a phone in his hand at this point, he would have undoubtedly mocked Drakarion for being dumb. Look, these two young women already figured it out. He soon saw Valentina typing a response and sending it on the group chat. Valentina: "You have it correct. We defeated a team which was pursuing Eryndor. "Me and Edward happened to be close, so we helped him out." Edward: "It was kind of easy after we came to help, they didn''t even have a single level two among them. They also didn''t expect Eryndor to have helpers nearby haha." On a second thought, not every second year senior was a genius, or had a high level. Breaking through between realms was extremely difficult. Majority of the second years were still in the first level of their power systems. The group likely had one of those second year students acting with them. Drakarion: "It''s always Eryndor with all the trouble around him." [Taunting emoji] The group shared a laugh before it went silent, with new information in their heads. Edward looked at his juniors who were silent, and said. "Alright, there''s nothing else I am needed for, I believe?" Eryndor shook his head. "Thanks a lot, senior. If something comes up I may have to trouble you once again though." Edward chuckled. "That''s exactly why the second years are here for, don''t worry. I''ll keep updating my location on the group chat, so be nearby if you think there''s going to be more trouble." Eryndor nodded, "Noted." After both of them watched Edward leave their sights, Eryndor turned to Valentina and asked. "Did you use Cognitive Scrying on them?" He asked this because he had already scanned through their memories, being nearby, Valentina should''ve been able to copy the ability as well. What he had found was indeed as he had expected, someone had asked these people to force him in that certain direction. If the task was completed, each of them would be rewarded generously. Eryndor almost drooled hearing about those rewards in the memory. Who could have been capable of being so generous? Was it a member of the Human Federation? A high ranking one perhaps? The person who had issued this task had undertaken no measures to hide their face, but Eryndor couldn''t recognise who the person was. He had a faint suspicion that the person might just be a middle man who was instructed to do the task of passing on the message to these students. Valentina shook her head to the question Eryndor asked. "I just wanted it in case the battle proved to be tough, but it wasn''t. I was easily able to knock them unconscious. Do you want me to use it on them now?" He simply shrugged. "I already used it on all of them, you''ll get the same results I did. "I don''t really want to hide it from you either, someone sent them after me after promising them rewards. "You also know about my abnormally high sensing range. They were able to track me without any tracking or surveillance mechanisms on them. "This part is weird as well. How could they track me without any means? Or could it be something else entirely? One which we have no knowledge of yet?" Valentina furrowed her brows when she heard that. "We''ll ask Drakarion and Paulina about it later." Eryndor nodded when he heard her suggestion. Indeed, those two were knowledgeable about a lot of things, but it wasn''t appropriate to talk about this in the group chat. It was better if they discussed this after meeting in the secret realm. As he went into thought, Valentina followed up with another question. "Who was it that instructed them to go after you?" Eryndor shook his head. "I don''t know. I mean, I saw his face in the memory of these people, but there was no mention of his name on the shirt or anything. The students didn''t call him anything apart from ''Sir''. "That person only told them my publicly exposed level and instructed them to force me towards that direction." Eryndor didn''t see any point in hiding it. He pointed his hand towards a certain direction while speaking. Valentina followed his hand to look at the direction before furrowing her brows. Eryndor looked at her and asked, "Do you happen to know what is in that direction?" She answered with a bit of hesitation. "It leads to the Abyss." Chapter 134 134: Words on yellow paper Eryndor''s brows furrowed as soon as he heard what was in that direction. Abyss? Why would they want me to push towards the abyss of this secret realm? Do they want to kill me? His gaze turned a bit dangerous as he looked at the bodies which didn''t show any signs of waking up. They were knocked out by people who were far above them in terms of strength. With controlled techniques and the gap in prowess, they would stay unconscious for a long time unless they had truly abnormal resistance. Valentina also had a concerned look on her face as she gazed at the people who had come to attack Eryndor. Hesitantly, she suggested Eryndor. "I think we should eliminate these people. In that way, even if they wake up, they wouldn''t be able to sabotage you. "Because if we leave them as it is, there are high chances they would come after you if the reward you spoke of is high enough." In this tournament, there was a mechanism which teleported a person beside Guardian Sol if the damage on them passed a certain threshold. It was so that students wouldn''t die or be critically injured in this realm. Unless it was a truly abnormal circumstance where some hidden monster or an anomaly which managed to slip away from the Federation''s cleansing of the secret realm had attacked the students, they would have no chance to get back into the tournament after being eliminated. Eryndor was reluctant to let them get away like this. Elimination was practically an easy way out for what they had done. He didn''t know why they wanted to push him towards the Abyss, but it was said that no one had returned from there. Then wasn''t it obvious that they were out to kill him? Of course, there were agents stationed around the Abyss, but if the mastermind was really some high ranking member of the Human Federation, it would be easy for them to control these agents. With anger bubbling inside him, he nodded at Valentina. "Eliminate them." He carefully remembered the faces of everyone. Even if it was for some rewards, it was still their mistake they came after him. Once they were out of this secret realm, they should be ready to pay for their actions. Without any hesitation, he swung his spiked mace at the overturned body of the stage three unconscious man. If the attack was burst damage which would kill in one shot, or if it was a poison which would kill or cripple with a hundred percent guarantee, you would be teleported out before those attacks landed on you. Whatever array formation, or Mystical Artifact was used to enforce these set of rules was truly a wonder. Valentina didn''t attack, but looked at Eryndor as he brought down his mace. A nasty squelch was heard along with a thud as the spiked mace directly hit the spine. This amount of damage was enough to wake the man as he cried out loud. Eryndor quickly used the lightning version of Sky Piercing Palm to stun him. But his cry had already jolted a few. No one woke up completely, but a few bodies jerked still. He didn''t teleport? Was the damage insufficient? His breath has already turned weaker though. Without suspecting anything, Eryndor swung his mace again, this time on the head. It would hundred percent be life threatening that way. Up until the last moment when Eryndor''s mace finally made contact with the body, it didn''t teleport. Yes. It didn''t. The skull shattered like a watermelon. Eryndor had truly put enough force into it to be judged as a life threatening attack, but what happened? It truly took his life. Valentina gasped softly, her fists clenched by her side, as if she was controlling herself. Eryndor softly murmured, as if coming to a realization. "Teleportation has been turned off?" Valentina matched eyes with him, both of them coming realizing what this meant. The group were about to push Eryndor into the abyss even if it meant killing him and dumping the body! Sure, there could be other reasons, but the teleportation just had to be turned off now? When Eryndor confronted this group? Valentina still remembered seeing notifications of eliminations on the website just a while ago. The teleportation was working completely fine, else an announcement would''ve been sent long ago. It just had to be turned off at this moment? Did that not mean it was truly connected to this incident? To Eryndor''s astonishment, Valentina didn''t say anything, but swiftly began killing the students. Without saying a word, he joined in. Within a few seconds, nine corpses lay on the ground, blood pooling around, staining the surroundings red. Silently, as if in tacit agreement, both of them began burying the corpses far away from the current location. It was because Edward clearly knew this was the place where their fight took place. If the bodies were found here itself, no one knew if he would keep his mouth shut. After meticulously hiding the traces, both of them wandered off to some entirely different place. When enough time had passed, to break the ice, Eryndor took out the yellow paper and displayed it to Valentina. He didn''t show her the wordings, but the blank side. He held it up to her with the words facing him, and the backside to her. No matter how trustworthy she had proven herself to be, this was too close of a secret to him. "Please use Edward''s ability on this paper, and regress its ''state''. Stop when I tell you to." Eryndor spoke the last line because he didn''t want the paper to regress to the point of being completely new and blank. She nodded, not choosing to comment on his secretive actions of not displaying the words. Everyone had a few secrets which they wouldn''t even share with their loved ones. Only a select few with transcendent bonds would share everything between each other. But a possibility of that in this era was truly too low. As she began deploying her ability, Eryndor finally saw the blurry words turn clearer on the yellow paper. Chapter 135 135: A person from Abyss? His heart began beating faster as he gazed at the words which were turning clearer by the second. Finally, when they were completely clear, he told Valentina to stop. Without any wasted movement, he put the paper in his pocket. He had already remembered all the words on it. It was the paper on which only the two words ''Eldritch Eryndor'' were previously visible. The entire sentence was - ''I''ll bring Eldritch Eryndor to you.'' His heart was beating fast as he still remembered that phrase. What does it mean? It is obvious. Someone is trying to plot against me. But then again, who is ''you''? Eryndor''s gaze turned towards the abyss. Could it be? Eryndor didn''t dare confirm his own guess. According to his speculation, someone at the high ranking position within the Human Federation was targeting him, pushing him towards the abyss. Then wasn''t it obvious that this ''you'' was someone from the abyss? What the fuck? And here I thought no one has made it back from the abyss? It was written in information packages at several reputed sites, and even on official sites that there was no information regarding the abyss of the secret realms. Do they know that someone has already known about people, or maybe just a single person or entity existing within the abyss and even made deals with them regarding me? Valentina didn''t say anything, letting Eryndor calmly process whatever he had read on the paper. Eryndor didn''t interact with Valentina either, his mind still occupied by the words and what they could mean. If that person from the Human Federation has made a deal with someone from the abyss, could there be a minute chance they wouldn''t kill me? Nope. Eryndor squashed that thought as soon as he had it. Even the teleport-when-eliminated function was turned off. They didn''t care how they sent him, dead or alive, he just had to be sent. Just who could be inside the abyss that they would want me in any form possible? Eryndor shook his head, and took out other pieces of yellow paper. There were a total of seven pieces, with one just having been decoded. Holding out one before Valentina with the same posture, he asked her to begin employing Regression. The same thing happened all over again, with the blurry words turning more clearer by the second. But before the process could continue, Valentina coughed, and he noticed the progress halt. The words were still illegible. Without having to be told, he asked, "Ran out of energy of Consciousness?" She nodded. "For some reason, I have a lot more than my peers but those papers are still taking a lot of energy." Eryndor fell into thought as he heard her. Does that mean the words were written a very long time ago? No other reason it would take so much energy to regress their state. He nodded at her, telling her to take it easy. Since Valentina would take a considerable amount of time for her energy of Consciousness to recover, and since both of them had just recently gained a windfall of points, none of them was in a hurry. They set up a temporary camp, and took out their rations from their bag. There was only a faint sound of rustling, and unpacking as they took their places and opened their food containers amidst the sound of surroundings. Even with plenty of beasts residing in the secret realm, there were still normal birds which could be seen in large amounts. Their chirping was always present in the background, giving a serene sensation to whoever it was who was hearing it. Valentina took a bite of her double cheese loaded chicken burger, chewing it thoroughly and swallowing before speaking up, breaking the silence of the environment. "In case you think that the killing which I performed earlier was not like me. You know, like... it didn''t suit me, you are correct. "From a standalone point of view, I didn''t have the heart to kill them because they were simply following orders. "However, there is something I''ve gradually come to realize. "I may be someone who looks at situations from a morally good point of view. But what I hold in higher regard are the connections I make with people. "Those people threatened your life, I can make the connections just as well as you did. The teleportation going off, it was obvious they were ready to kill you. "Since they were out for your life, it was fixed in my heart that they had to die. No amount of convincing could make me forgive them." Eryndor was stunned as he heard her. He slowly realized that his perception of her seemed to be all just based on his surface level interactions with her. Only after staying with her and seeing her actions first hand in an important situation did he get to truly know about her. With the burrito still in his hand, he took a big bite out of it as the surroundings returned to silence. When he was done swallowing that bite, he asked her with an amused smile. "What if I had done something morally wrong though? Would you still kill them?" Valentina tilted her head at him and answered after a moment of thought. "I would kill them first before asking you about it. "If by my standards you had indeed done something gravely wrong then I would ask you for your motive behind it. "If it''s acceptable, it will take some time for me to come to terms with it but everything will be fine still. "But if your reasons are not acceptable ¡ª" Valentina''s tone had a touch of sadness, but a similar level of conviction as she spoke the next few words. "Then that would be the end of our friendship." There was a moment of silence before she spoke up once again. "Maybe I have not matured fully yet, maybe I am not a good friend, maybe I value my principles too much even in this era which has broken beyond repair." She hesitated once again before continuing. Chapter 136 136: His own stupidity "People change. I may change in the future too. Maybe I would become the friend who accompanies you no matter what decisions you make. I don''t know. "The future is uncertain. Just ¡ª" She shrugged, and took a small bite of her burger before continuing. "Maybe I am just ranting like a crazy woman now." Eryndor smiled looking at her. "You don''t need to be so pressured. I just theoretically asked you a question. "Like you said, the future is uncertain. Disregarding if I even commit such a thing, no matter what decision you make at that time, I won''t hold it against you." It was like a weight was lifted off Valentina as her shoulders loosened and her body posture relaxed. With a small nod, she went back to eating her delicious double cheese loaded chicken burger with relish. It had only been a few hours since the tournament began so nothing had happened to the burger, likewise with Eryndor''s burrito. But for the remainder of their time here in the secret realm, which was two weeks, they would have to start relying on other sources of food. The most common ones were food pills. They were small, easy to carry, and gave all the nutrients to your body equivalent to a single meal. One would only need three to four food pills per day to keep themselves satiated. Removing the first day where the majority of the students would''ve brought food like burgers and burritos, the rest thirteen days would likely be spent on food pills. Carrying 40-50 food pills would be little to no trouble as it would hardly take any space. One could say it was incredibly efficient, but there were still people who preferred other kinds of food. That would naturally be meat of the beasts found in this secret realm. Of course, a majority of it were inedible, but as time passed by, the website had begun including more and more information, some of which included stuff like this. This information was greatly beneficial to people who preferred meat from animals over food pills. Eryndor took a look at the website as he took a bite from his second burrito. It was cooked with different ingredients from the first one just for the sake of novelty and variety. There is no drastic change to Terramorph Ravager''s information. There were only minute changes like their attack patterns and so on. It still hasn''t included that thing about their unusual cooperation and luring. It was already his third time checking for it, but none of it had appeared in their information panel. Naturally, it led to Eryndor making some guesses. It is very likely that Terramorph Ravagers don''t behave like this. Their minds must''ve been tampered with. That must be why this doesn''t appear in their information panel, because it isn''t normal at all. Eryndor sighed as he reached that conclusion. First the Terramorph Ravagers. Then a group of students. Could whoever it was that was targeting him sense that he hadn''t yet fallen into the abyss? As soon as he had that thought, he thought back to the group''s behaviour and connected the dots. Wait, is that how that group of students were able to sense my location? The person who is targeting me can pinpoint my location and share it with his people? Eryndor fell into deep thought as he realized that his situation was most likely more dire than he had realized. I am growing more and more convinced that Morris might be that person, but there isn''t a single clue which leads to him. What should I do? He glanced at the Sovereign''s Cloak. Oh yea, how was Sovereign''s Cloak not able to block location sensing? Wasn''t it said in its description that it can defend against all kinds of things? Location monitoring should come under that too right? Just had Eryndor had that thought, his Sovereign''s Cloak began consuming his energy of Consciousness. No way? It only acts when I gain awareness about the attack? Nope. He instantly rejected that thought. Eryndor still remembered the attack of misfortune from the anomaly of misfortune and fortune orchestrated by Rodrick. He also clearly remembered the minute mental attack from Liliana regarding making the person forget a specific memory. These all were attacks which he didn''t even know about till they truly happened and the Sovereign''s Cloak activated to help him defend against them. From this, it could be ruled out that Sovereign''s Cloak didn''t need his own awareness of the attack to defend against it. Eryndor then thought about something else. This location sensing mechanism must be placed all over the secret realm to monitor all the students. It was certainly deployed with their own safety in mind. Could it be that the Sovereign''s Cloak didn''t activate because the location sensing was for Eryndor''s own good and not malicious? Nope. He rejected that thought as well. Location sensing might certainly have been for the student''s safety, but when it was used ''maliciously'' with the intention to ''harm'' me, it no longer comes under safety right? The Sovereign''s Cloak should''ve activated at that point. Eryndor thought hard about it. Could the Sovereign''s Cloak have limitations? For the first time, he doubted the ability which came from his eldritch origins. No wait, then why has it activated now? Eryndor finished his burrito, and leaned back against the tree as the consumption of energy of Consciousness by his Sovereign''s Cloak continued. It hadn''t even reached ten percent of the Cloak''s capacity so he wasn''t worried. Inadvertently, his glance fell on the phone in his hand as a flash of insight struck him. Oh wait. Fuck, this is all my own stupidity. The first time, he was simply dropped near the Terramorph Ravagers by the Mystical Artifact. He still remembered the siphoning of energy of Consciousness by the Cloak to defend against the side effect of the Mystical Artifact. What if that consumption was also the Cloak''s attempt to shield him against malicious teleportation straight into the abyss? Eryndor instantly connected a few dots. Chapter 137 137: Guardian Sols ability The time when his Sovereign''s Cloak had consumed energy of Consciousness in the beginning might really be to mitigate the attempt at teleporting him straight to the abyss as well as defending against its side effects. Of course, he wasn''t completely sure. Could that person blatantly tamper with the Mystical Artifact in front of Guardian Sol and Co-founder Morris to send him into the abyss? Or even if that person was Co-founder Morris himself, could he do it in front of Guardian Sol? The only possibility of that happening was if Guardian Sol and Co-founder Morris were both against him. But the possibility of that happening was too low. Because at that point, they could just secretly move against him and dump him into the abyss. Guardian Sol must be the reason Co-founder Morris was keeping himself in check. Or both of them must be the reason that the unknown third person was keeping themselves in check. No matter what, if the Mystical Artifact Shifting Threshold had intended to drop him in the abyss, or if it hadn''t, his appearance near the Terramorph Ravagers were purely coincidental. Eryndor reckoned that whoever was targeting him must have influenced several such beasts throughout the secret realm. No matter where he landed, he was bound to come across them at some point in the tournament. The second point of suspicion was the group of students chasing him. Naturally, it became possible due to his own mistake. He had been updating his location and the map of the secret realm, anyone who could hack into their phones would be able to know his location. As for if his Sovereign''s Cloak could block location sensing attempts done on his phone''s GPS, he wasn''t sure if his ability worked in that direction. Even if they couldn''t hack into his own phone, they were surely capable of intruding on other teammate''s devices. The only point of doubt remaining in this speculation was Edward. Taking the best case situation and assuming that the Sovereign''s Cloak could block location sensing attempts of his phone''s GPS, after he stopped updating his location during the chase after the fight with Torrifa, they must have known his location by guessing that he would run towards his teammates for support. So if the group knew the location of his teammates, and also knew that Edward, a peak level two student, was nearby, why did they still attack? There was only one explanation. The data of this tournament wasn''t spread casually among the members of the Human Federation. It was very likely that whoever was targeting him didn''t have the data that his team consisted of a peak level two student. They also didn''t have any data about his own strength. Of course, Eryndor never let anyone know about that, so that issue had nothing to do with the information gap. Eryndor remembered that on the day Sander arrived with Guardian Sol and Co-founder Morris in two, the students had already gathered into a large crowd with minimal space between each other. It wouldn''t have been possible to tell who was in his team. Even on the spaceship, Guardian Sol and Co-founder Morris were allocated different rooms, arriving only in the beginning and in the end. Even if they had paid attention, the space inside the spaceship was congested with several people standing around Eryndor. It also wasn''t as if Eryndor and Edward were familiar with each other. They hadn''t interacted on the spaceship at all, nor when they were in the line to go through the Shifting Threshold. So just purely based on observation, no one should''ve known that Edward was in his team as all the students were in extreme close proximity the entire time. So it''s a gap in information relating to the tournament? After a bit of hesitation, Eryndor sent a message to Sander. He was one of the only high ranking contacts he had. "Do you know the people who have information about this tournament?" He waited for a minute before his reply arrived. "Only Guardian Sol has it. "That Morris fellow wanted it but Guardian Sol is extremely strict about rules, so he didn''t share it even though Morris might be one of his closest friends. "I mean, this kind of information isn''t really anything valuable. It is often shared among the top brass of the Human Federation. "But it just happened to be Sol fellow this time. He is one of the rigid ones, so he wouldn''t overlook the rule of not sharing information even to the high ranking members of the Federation. Eryndor raised his eyebrow when he read that. So it is true that only Guardian Sol has it? So maybe it can be ruled out that he isn''t targeting me. I am getting more and more sure that it might be Co-founder Morris who is after me. His act of wanting information on the tournament is suspicious after all. He offhandedly reapplied to Sander. "Oh? They are good friends?" Sander: "At least I think so. "That Morris fellow was quite persistent to be Sol''s good friend when he came out of the secret realm. "Several people who knew about this thought Morris had a problem with his sexual orientation after returning from the secret realm. "Or maybe his counseling didn''t go as smoothly haha." Oh? Eryndor''s guess gained greater certainty after reading Sander''s reply. Co-founder Morris chased after Guardian Sol immediately after leaving the secret realm? So much that other people doubted his sexual orientation? I can''t imagine how Guardian Sol must''ve felt. Was Co-founder Morries doing all of this to get information about the tournament from Guardian Sol? Eryndor thought for a moment then discarded this guess when he remembered a piece of information. During Sander''s speech on the platform, he had mentioned that Co-founder Morris was the one who pushed for Guardian Sol to become the highest authority of this tournament. If he had this much authority to declare someone as the one to lead the tournament, surely he had enough to even declare himself as the one who''ll preside over the tournament? Then why did he push forward Guardian Sol''s name? He thought for some time before asking Sander once again. "I''ve thought of this theoretical situation. "Say, if Co-founder Morris had presided over this tournament, could he have enough authority to pull Guardian Sol into the secret realm?" There was a brief silence over Sander''s side before he began typing. A reply soon arrived. "I don''t think so. No matter how lax the information sharing rules of the tournament are, the Federation won''t allow outsiders once the lead authority is decided. "It''s only because Morris is a Co-founder and that he returned from the secret realm after several years that the Federation decided to humor his request of tagging along with Guardian Sol." Eryndor''s eyes narrowed as soon as he finished reading. Oh? Hmmm... He faintly understood the implications behind Co-founder Morris'' actions but wasn''t completely sure. Does he have some thoughts regarding Guardian Sol as well? Is Co-founder Morris targeting Guardian Sol alongside me? Why? Eryndor realized he was still lacking information. Leaning back on his rock, his mind drifted through various memories, trying to come up with something when some instances resurfaced in his mind. Isn''t this situation familiar? Just like during the mission of Shx''Trelith, I kept wondering what was Calix''s role. Turns out it was his ability that was important. Now I am wondering why Co-founder Morris has his eye on Guardian Sol, could it have something to do with his ability? Eryndor continued going along this line of thought. But what use would Guardian Sol''s ability be? Is it to catch me? When all his plans fail he will use Guardian Sol''s ability to catch me? So wait, he isn''t targeting Guardian Sol as well, but only me. That person just happened to be another one back up plan to catch me? Yes, it might definitely be something along the lines. But Sander just mentioned that Guardian Sol was a rigid fellow, the one who followed rules. Even if his ability was useful, would he use it on a student like him? No use thinking, let me just ask senior Sander about the ability first. He quickly typed in his question. Sander: "Good fellow, so many questions, rather personal too, are you up to something once again? "You don''t need to answer me. Just know that you can call on my help if you are in a precarious situation. "And no, our chats won''t be hacked. I am now a high ranking member as well, we have certain such privileges. "As for your question about Guardian Sol''s ability. It is a rather major influence as to why he is called a ''Guardian'' rather than ''Commander''. "It is ''Fortify''. Yes, it is only registered with this simple title. "He can fortify anything, with living beings obviously consuming considerably more energy of Consciousness. "Anything within his range, he can fortify without any contact needed, making it incredibly suited to defense. "The base he guards is one of the extremely few whose walls have never been breached." Eryndor thanked Sander for the information and fell deep into thought. Huh? Fortify? Defense type ability? What use would it be in catching me? Eryndor was truly confused. This wasn''t going like he had thought. Just when he was about to descend further into his thoughts, Valentina called out to him. "I''ve recovered considerable energy of Consciousness, maybe I can completely regress that paper I left midway." Oh yes, maybe I''ll get some clues from that. Chapter 138 138: Daoisto Eryndor quickly stood up and approached Valentina, clearly in a rush to know what was on the paper. Taking out the yellow paper which she had left midway, he held it in the same position in front of her, not showing her the text. "You can start." He spoke. She nodded, and he immediately saw the effects. The blurry words began getting clearer. They were reversing to their previous state. It wasn''t his first time but he marvelled at the ability all the same. It was truly amazing, with a wide range of uses. It could be used to heal, or even damage enemies who were healing themselves or had already healed. Imagine that an enemy had healed themselves during the battle using some medicine or some treasure. But after using the Regression ability, they could regress the state of the area back to when it was wounded. Medicines? Treasures? All wasted. The wound was back. Granted, like all abilities it would be difficult to use it on living beings, but just the thought of it instilled a sense of awe in him. He had simply let his thoughts wander, but his attention had always been on the words of the yellow paper. Soon, they were clear enough to read. To conserve Valentina''s energy of Consciousness, he never asked her to keep going till the point of these words being extremely clear. He would always make sure to stop her when the words began legible, even if they were blurry. "Stop." Nodding slightly, Valentina halted the ability and went back to using her phone. Eryndor read the words written on the yellow paper. "Daoisto!!! Daoisto!!! You must uphold your end of the deal! Else I''ll die!" Eryndor calmly crumpled the paper and put it in his pocket while his thoughts began running wild. Who is Daoisto? Are they the one from the abyss? Is that the person who the high ranking member of the Human Federation is cooperating with? Eryndor fell deep into thought as he remembered the later half of the paper. They''ll die if this Daoisto person doesn''t uphold their end of the bargain? How? Is the person from the Human Federation poisoned? Some curse? So the deal is something along the lines of this Daoisto person to remove this poison or curse whatever and that high-ranking member would deliver me to the abyss? What kind of deal is this? Eryndor had trouble coming to terms with why he was involved in this. Is it because I am an eldritch entity? They want to eradicate my presence completely? They don''t care that I am sealed? Or is it exactly because they think I am sealed that they want to quickly get rid of me quickly once and for all? Eryndor narrowed his eyes, furrowing intensely as he tried to come up with more guesses. He understood the thought process that a nuclear or hydrogen bomb''s fatality didn''t decrease if it wasn''t activated. Just their existence was a massive threat. Similar to his case, just his existence was a massive threat to the human civilization on Earth. Is that why he was being dumped into the abyss? But there was one point which was still difficult to make sense of. Why did Daoisto agree to the deal? Why would Daoisto need a student in exchange for treating what was clearly a very nefarious poison or curse? Or even if Daoisto knew that he was an eldritch entity, why would he want one? He was literally a time bomb. What could be the reason? It''s not even as if they want me alive that they''ll try to pry some secrets from my mouth. Which I don''t even know to be honest. Why would they need an eldritch entity regardless if he was dead or alive? As he was motionless, thinking about the cause of his involvement, suddenly his mind drifted to a piece of memory. A rather horrifying memory. The memory which belonged to his trip to Shx''Trelith Forbidden Void. Hunger. The memory of hunger. Those moments were extremely clear in his memory even now. The hunger he felt when he gazed upon the Shx''Trelith. He remembered it all with extreme clarity. All this pointed to a terrifying guess. Was there an Eldritch Entity within the abyss? One which knows my identity? It wishes to devour me? Eryndor thought with fear. Genuine fear. Was hunger among eldritch entities mutual? He still remembered the details about the Forbidden Voids. The Film covering the Forbidden Void didn''t allow the entities residing inside to have any perception of the outside except visual. It was also why Shx'' Trelith entertained itself by manipulating planets, asteroids and stars outside its Forbidden Void. It was obviously because it could see outside. If it had a complete perception of the outside though? Would it feel the same hunger Eryndor felt after sensing him? After sensing Eryndor''s true nature as an eldritch being? Did it joyously engage in conversation only because it couldn''t sense Eryndor''s true nature? Eryndor had no information regarding this. He thought he was the only one who felt the hunger towards eldritch entities. But wait, does that mean the abyss is a Forbidden Void containing an eldritch entity? No, if the abyss was a Forbidden Void, why didn''t the Human Federation have information about it? There was already information about Forbidden Void out there, what harm would have happened if they also included this information? Literally nothing. Unless this is somehow different? There was one more guess. That was, the Human Federation didn''t have any idea about the eldritch entity in the abyss at all. According to the information about secret realms, each of them had an abyss. Does that mean all abysses contained eldritch entities? Or was it only this abyss? Or was he overthinking? There wasn''t an eldritch entity in the abyss at all and Daoisto needed him for a different purpose? A heavy sigh escaped his mouth as he leaned back on a tree. This was all so overwhelming. His energy of Consciousness was drained by the Sovereign''s Cloak not long ago, there was a high probability that whoever it was that was targeting him was trying to sense his location. No worries, with Sovereign''s Cloak they wouldn''t know. His sight happened to fall on Valentina, then he shook his head. Nope, they can always try to go for Valentina and see if I''m around. And from previous failure, they would definitely send a stronger team this time, or maybe some other measures which would be definitely more dangerous than the last one. Should I gather my team? That seemed like a good idea. He immediately put up a message on their group chat. "Let''s gather at one place. It will be safer that way." He couldn''t openly tell them that he had been targeted. It would alert the person behind the scenes if they monitored their group chats. Drakarion: "Good idea, we should pool our strength incase of a group attack. Where do we meet?" Eryndor: "I thought you''d refuse to cooperate on the grounds of wanting stronger battles like a fool." Drakarion: "...." Paulina: "Maybe y''all can head towards my location? Apart from some inconveniences of living in the cold, the rest is pretty much the same. "Biggest advantage would be more points. Compared to the rest of you who are in the normal terrain, doing the same amount of fighting and killing beasts would result in a much larger point increase. "Who knows, maybe even defeating other teams in the tundra would grant a higher percentage of points?" Valentina: "Fair point." Edward: "I was about to suggest converging at my spot since Valentina and Eryndor happened to be nearby as well. It would be much less effort that way "But Paulina''s point is better. Being in the top ten of rankings doesn''t mean we can''t be at leisure. It''s just the first day. Hunting in the tundra would be better." Syndra: "I actually found a mountainous region with active volcanoes some time ago. I guess it counts as an extreme region too because I am getting a higher number of points after killing beasts in this area. "But yea, tundra region would be far more comfortable than this area. I prefer winter over summer." Eryndor: "Same." With that decided, the team decided to meet up with Paulina in the tundra region. Valentina kept her phone aside and spoke while looking him in the eye. "More attacks on you?" Eryndor knew she was asking if he had asked for the group to convene because there might be more attacks on him. He nodded. "The next attack on me might be more dangerous. You also saw that they wouldn''t hesitate resorting to killing me. "I don''t want to put anyone in danger but ¡ª" Valentina cut him off midway. "Don''t say that. We''re friends. We help each other. That''s the end of it. "Apart from Syndra and Edward whom I don''t know much about, the rest would definitely have the same opinion as me if they knew about your situation. Don''t think about that. "My energy of Consciousness wasn''t expended much, and it has also recovered a bit more. Do you have more of those yellow papers you want to regress?" Eryndor sighed. He definitely didn''t want to use his second form now that there was a possibility of an eldritch entity residing in the abyss of this secret realm. Also the fact that he was being targeted because of his eldritch nature. If by any minute chance, the one targeting him realized that his powers were unsealed, what if they took drastic steps? With no choice to use a stronger form, it would be better to take help from his teammates. "Thank you. And yes, I do have more yellow papers. "Let''s start moving as you use your ability on them." Chapter 139 139: Memory recovery Eryndor began moving to pack up the temporary camp they had set up. It wasn''t much, but it also wasn''t light work. There should''ve been some skills to deal with miscellaneous tasks like this. Eryndor assumed himself to be a hardworking man but that was only when it mattered. For things like this he very much preferred laying back to bask in comfort. Or maybe something like a spatial artifact I read in those novels? I hope something like that exists. Then I can easily put these things in the spatial artifact as it is and take it out just the same. No need to pack up and set up everything. Once he was done packing everything, he took out another yellow paper from his pocket. This was the third one out of the total seven pieces. Eryndor wasn''t in a rush to regress their state. With Edward nearby, Valentina would be able to copy the ability anytime and not to mention it wasn''t difficult to get privacy even if you were in a group. Placing it in the same position as usual, Eryndor displayed the yellow paper to her. Soon, his brows furrowed as he didn''t see any change in them. "Wait. Have you begun using Regression on this?" He immediately asked her in case he was seeing something wrong. Valentina nodded her head. "I was using Regression on the paper until you told me to stop." Huh? Eryndor looked at the words on the paper. The first time, the words had begun transforming rather quickly. The second time, it took longer, so he had guessed that the words might be written too long ago. The third time? There was no change to the words at all. Was it written so damn long ago? Eryndor feared that it would take too long if he waited for Valentina to keep recovering her energy of Consciousness to regress this paper''s state. Hmmm...what can I do? These yellow papers were important for his survival in the secret realm. The clues they provided were very much related to the conspiracy going on related to him. If he couldn''t decode even any one of them, there was a chance that he might miss some important trace or evidence. Sure, I can just move on to other yellow papers. I can see which ones can be easily regressed and which one would need time. But what then? What if I am late in decoding the clues? What if the person targeting me makes moves earlier than I think? With a heavy heart, he made a small fold on the yellow paper to mark it and kept it in a different pocket. Taking out another one, he asked her to use her ability once again. This time, to his relief, the words moved quickly. "Stop stop, it''s done, thank you." Quickly reading the words, he crumpled the paper and put it in his bag. The sentence on this fourth piece of paper was - "The memories oh the no no yes the memories yes haha I have them back I have them back hahahahaha "But but but arghhhhhhhh." The grammar was far worse compared to the previous papers but he ignored it. From the handwriting, he had already deduced that whoever wrote it had very likely gone crazy when they were writing on these papers. Maybe it was some form of coping mechanism for them to write their thoughts on the paper. It would also explain why they didn''t burn the papers. It was literally the doing of a crazy person, of course they wouldn''t perform logical actions. The person was very likely not in the right mind, how would they remember to erase their traces? What do these words even mean though? Memories? Remember them all? What memories? He thought hard about everything that had taken place up till now, all the unusual points. The luring through Terramorph Ravagers to head towards the abyss. The attack of the group to chase him towards the abyss. Co-founder Morris being the most likely culprit. For now I''ll assume Co-founder Morris is that person instead of constantly thinking there might be someone else. He thought after a moment then continued listing down the points. The deal with Daoisto about saving Co-founder Morris in exchange for his body. Daoisto very likely needed him because of his eldritch identity. Wait...eldritch identity? His conversation with Molina resurfaced in his mind where she said that Dr. Kirchoff modified memories of everyone who had participated in the mission to seal him so that no one would know any details regarding the mission, which of course included his eldritch identity. Eryndor remembered his one of the very first guesses when he came across that yellow paper with only two words¡ªEldritch Eryndor¡ªbeing clear. I remember guessing that Co-founder Morris might be one of the very few close ones of Dr. Kirchoff so the president might not have modified his memory. But from the looks of it, I might be wrong. Co-founder Morris'' memories might have been modified along with everyone else''s but he somehow managed to fix it. Oh wait..,fix it? Eryndor and Valentina walked slowly in the silence of the forest to allow Edward to catch up. He was nearby after all, it would be better in terms of safety if they travelled the rest of the journey together. Valentina kept an eye on the surroundings, recovering her energy of Consciousness at the same time while Eryndor continued his train of thought. That wasn''t to say his extended vision wasn''t active but he was clearly more focused on the topic at hand. Who fixed his memories? And who was even capable of fixing the memories which were modified by Dr. Kirchoff who managed to do it without letting anyone in the Federation realise? Of course, that didn''t necessarily mean that Dr. Kirchoff was extremely strong. What if he had some Mystical Artifact which did the work? But no matter what, the fact of the matter was that he did manage to do it. Was it Daoisto who managed to fix the memories? Let''s assume that this Daoisto is an eldritch entity, but can he roam in this secret realm freely? Such that he can even fix the memory problems of Co-founder Morris? Once he established that Daoisto was an eldritch entity themselves instead of being some spokesperson of the eldritch entity, there was no doubt that it would be easy for them to fix the memory modification done by Dr. Kirchoff. After all, was there even a doubt who was stronger between Dr. Kirchoff and an eldritch entity? Granted, the eldritch entity had obviously not entered this secret realm in their true form. If it was their true form, without any extraordinary protection like the Film covering the Forbidden Void, Morris'' mind wouldn''t have stayed intact at all. Not to mention that the Human Federation wasn''t so incapable and useless that they would fail to notice the true form of an eldritch entity even if it was in a sealed secret realm. So it was very likely that Daoisto was a clone or somewhat of an avatar of the eldritch entity in the abyss. But wait, if he can roam in this secret realm freely, why does he need Morris'' help to capture me? There were two guesses Eryndor could think of. One was that the avatar vanished for some reason, and it would take time for the eldritch entity to infiltrate and put a clone in the secret realm once again. The other was that there was some restriction for the clone to act. Of course, these two guesses weren''t mutually exclusive. Both could be the reason as well. "Arghhh." Eryndor softly groaned with frustration and shook his head from all thinking. I really need more information. He took out another piece of yellow paper for Valentina to use Regression on. He had already sensed Edward in his extended vision heading their way. He reckoned there was still some time before he arrived, enough for him to get one paper regressed. A few seconds later he furrowed his brows as he told her to stop. Same thing happened once again. Marking this yellow paper as well, Eryndor didn''t take out the sixth yellow paper as Edward had already arrived. "Yooo people. I hope nothing else happened while I was gone." The man in question spoke with a waving hand as he jumped over a rock in the distance and approached them. Valentina shook her head. "We just had a meal and spent some time loitering around before Eryndor sent the message to the group chat." Edward shook his head. "You all shouldn''t be so wasteful with your time. Being at the lead doesn''t mean we''ll always be ahead." He displayed his phone. "Look, we already dropped by a rank." Eryndor chuckled slightly. "Senior, we know that our rank has dropped but we''re still in the top ten. "There is no difference between who comes first and who comes last in this preliminary elimination. "Only the top ten matters. It''s in the wheel battle later that the ranks would actually matter. "Don''t worry, we''ll put in the effort to stay in the top ten." Edward shook his head. Eryndor was even more of a genius than he was. He very well knew people like them had very high confidence in themselves. It was difficult to convince them. Just as the trio were walking in the jungle. Eryndor''s eyes widened in horror as he abruptly sensed a group heading his way. The problem? All seven of them were in the middle stages of level two, with the eighth one at stage seven of level two of his power system. Fuck, so powerful? I am doomed. Chapter 140 140: Team Yetoren "Run! Quick!" Eryndor yelled, and took off running in Paulina''s direction. He knew the distance was way too great between them that there was no hope for Paulina''s rescue. Not to mention her stage five Mana Novice realm would be nowhere near enough to be of help against all these level two people. He still ran in her direction though. It was at least better than abyss or any other direction. Valentina and Edward took off almost at the same time as him. With Edward easily keeping pace. Eryndor had mistakenly shot off at his highest speed when he ran just now. He forgot that Valentina was only at stage five of Beast Seeker realm. Just when he thought he would have to slow down for her to catch up, or help her in some way, he saw an extremely surprising scene. Oh yea, how could I forget about that? Even Edward turned back along with Eryndor to gaze at the spectacle. The small thread-like white snake which used to always stay coiled around her arm had begun shining. It radiated a white glow as it began enlarging. Eryndor didn''t have any idea that the small thread-like form wasn''t the true form of her white snake at all. Enlargement and Minimization? From the heaps of information I''ve gone through at this point, only a very small amount of beasts can perform that at the Latent realm. What terrifying luck Valentina has. She got two docile non-hostile beasts at the peak of the Latent realm, one of which she has already contracted with ease. Of course, it only took a moment for Eryndor to think all of it. He saw that the white snake had finally enlarged considerably. He could see that four little limbs had grown out from its body, but they didn''t look threatening at all. The surprising part? It had wings. Ones which were big enough that Eryndor had no doubt it could enable the snake to fly. There was no power system which was known to have enabled one to fly as of yet, except of course in Beast Tamer path where you could contract a flying mount. Even Fiend, the third level of the demon power system didn''t grant the ability to fly unhindered. Valentina was quick to mount the snake which was at least as thick as a big bucket and approximately fifteen meters in length. It would''ve been uncomfortable to ride the beast if it slithered on the ground, but flying? That was another matter. Fuck, and here I was thinking about slowing down for her. I am the slowest one now. As he thought that he would be lagging behind, Valentina approached him with the white snake. "Get on, he can bear one more person easily." "Thanks." He didn''t dilly dally with any rules of courtesy. Once he had mounted the snake, sitting behind her, she quickly caught on to Edward. "Senior Edward, sorry but the speed of my white snake would slow down if I get you on board as well. It would be faster if you speed up to a peak level one with me flying alongside you." "No problem. I can easily keep up without any significant energy usage. "I actually also have an escape treasure which has the speed of peak level two. If the situation is urgent I can use it for all of us. It can carry up to seven people easily." Oh? That''s great. Eryndor thought with relief. The man was as easy going as ever even in this situation. Eryndor recalled how the man had no idea that their elimination mechanism was switched off when they fought with the group of students. He still thought that they would be eliminated safely if push came to shove. Edward could''ve ran off with his peak level two strength but he stayed behind as a support. Eryndor wondered if he would run away if he told him the truth. Oh yea, he has strength equal to a peak level two. Even the strongest among the pursuing team is only at stage seven of level two. The rest are in the middle stages of level two. Can he defeat all of them alone? But was Eryndor willing to let Edward battle all of them alone, putting his life at risk for his sake? The main part would be that Edward wouldn''t know his life was at risk at all. Wait, I think we should wait. Eryndor briefly considered using Edward''s escape treasure, but then he decided to wait and see how things would go. Because he saw a clue. Some similarities. He had been with a group. The team Lockheim. He had seen how they dressed and moved. The experience behind their actions. Their coordination in movement. The hierarchy in the group, their formation while moving. This team was somewhat along the same lines. Of course, that doesn''t mean they aren''t hostile. It could very well mean that this is the third wave of attacks directed at me, one where Co-founder Morris stopped using students and directly brought in a team from outside. Eryndor calmed his beating heart and paid attention to the team in his extended vision. He saw that they had picked up pace, rapidly closing the distance between them. When they were close enough, one of them opened his mouth and spoke into a treasure. By now Eryndor had enough knowledge to know the difference between a treasure and a Mystical Artifact. Treasures were a product of one of the domains of mastery, specifically, Smithing. Mystical Artifacts more often than not naturally manifest in nature, or were a by-product of a fallen anomaly. Even at a lower level, Mystical Artifacts had an endless variety of uses. The same couldn''t be said of treasures however. At least at the lower levels, treasures could only be used for basic operations like strengthening an attack, defending and so on. The treasure that the person from the chasing group had taken out was used to amplify the voice of the speaker, just like a microphone but a much better one. Instantly, the three of them heard what the man was speaking. "Students, we aren''t your enemies. We aren''t even a group of students. We are just here to verify something on behalf of the Human Federation. "If your surveillance skills are capable enough, take a look at this. A valid identity, the permission given to us and our purpose in the secret realm. "Please slow down so that we don''t have to resort to less friendly methods." Eryndor narrowed his eyes and took a look at the card taken out by the man. [Team Yetoren Hired by the intelligence department of the Human Federation to investigate the emergence of an anomaly in the Trenek Secret Realm.] Oh? The name of this secret realm is Trenek? Why was it not told to the students? Oh well, nothing important anyway. Eryndor reckoned that the Academy didn''t bother telling them about it simply because it wasn''t relevant. Secret realms were only accessible to top-tier teams and the Human Federation. There was no mission in the Academy which included secret realms. Which basically meant that secret realms were least relevant to the students. Naturally, they didn''t need to know the names and any more in depth information about secret realms. The very reason their tournament was held here was entirely to celebrate Co-founder Morris'' return, else it wouldn''t have been possible at all. But what is this about an anomaly? He thought with some confusion. Edward and Valentina both looked at Eryndor, who simply nodded. He had seen team Lockheim''s badge, it was indeed like this. Even if it happened to be fake, they had Edward''s escape treasure to rely on. As they slowed down, the team caught up to them. The one in lead extended his hand. "I am Ronin. Leader of team Yetoren. Thanks for stopping, we just need a few seconds of your time." Both of them looked at Eryndor, who, out of caution, didn''t step forward to handshake. Eryndor simply spoke. "What do you want?" He didn''t introduce his name out of caution. It wouldn''t do much, but still. Ronin took his hand back and chuckled slightly. "I see, very cautious. We are just tasked by the Federation to scan each student. It''s nothing harmful. We are just checking for an anomaly." He then gestured to one of his men, who took out a basketball sized box. Eryndor''s mind wasn''t on their actions anymore though. What? Scanning people? Did Dr. Kirchoff find out that I''ve been unsealed? No wait, seeing how Co-founder Morris knew my name, it''s pretty obvious he would know too. There''s no need to go to such lengths of scanning each student. It might be a different matter entirely, I am worrying for no reason. But will their scanning reveal that I am not a human? Eryndor didn''t make any weird movement. He was at least thankful that they weren''t here to attack him. When the man opened the box, he saw that there was an eyeball the size of a tennis ball strapped with various different colored chains placed in the middle of the box. The pupil on the eyeball kept moving around, as if it was alive. Jeez, is this a living anomaly? Or a Mystical Artifact? A few seconds later, the man shook his head at Ronin. "They are clean." Ronin smiled at the three of them. "See? That''s all, you''re free to go now." Eryndor just nodded his head and took off in Paulina''s direction with his teammates, still mounted on Valentina''s beast out of caution. With his extended vision, he still kept an eye on the team though. Once they were sufficiently far away, he saw Ronin take out his phone. Not willing to let anything go, he took a peak at the screen. Oh? A familiar name. Chapter 141: Kaylor Byrd Eryndor carefully went through the names which had popped up in Ronin¡¯s contact list again. There was only one which was familiar to him. Kaylor Byrd. Sitting comfortably on the flying snake, he went into deep thought as he recollected information related to the man. He first came across the name Kaylor Byrd in Liliana¡¯s contacts when he was investigating her. Now he was also seen in Ronin¡¯s contact list, that too, in one of his recent communication chats. He is supposed to be a Mage of the Human Federation, and his spell model was said to be in the shape of a Pi symbol. That was all the information Syndra had on him when she checked her family¡¯s database. He put his hand under his chin, and tried to find the reason behind Kaylor¡¯s presence. Oh wait. He immediately stumbled upon a similarity which was very likely the reason for team Ronin¡¯s presence in the secret realm amidst the tournament and Kaylor Byrd being in one of his recent chats. The team Lockheim was tasked with a mission which involved an eldritch entity. Kaylor Byrd was in Liliana¡¯s contacts. According to his previous guesses, Daoisto was a clone or an avatar of the eldritch entity present in the abyss. Now, Ronin was here with his team Yetoren which were supposedly scanning for an anomaly. Kaylor Byrd was in Ronin¡¯s contacts as well. Similarity? Both involved eldritch entities. It was very likely that the anomaly they were looking for was an eldritch entity¡¯s clone or something along the lines of an individual being influenced or possessed by an eldritch entity. Is Kaylor some high ranking member which is responsible for eldritch entities? Eryndor shrugged. Their card said that they were hired by the intelligence department of the Human Federation. Did Kaylor Byrd hold some position in the intelligence department? Or was it simply a cover and anything related to eldritch entities was done separately from the intelligence department? He shook his head. Anyway, it has nothing to do with me. Out of caution, he took out his phone and contacted Sander. He couldn¡¯t put his mind at ease unless he determined they were truly not enemies. "Hey, sorry to disturb you once again. But we recently encountered some people who called themselves team Yetoren. They scanned us for possible anomaly infection. "Is it common for outsiders to be in the secret realm alongside students during this tournament?" Seeing that there was no reply even after a few minutes, he kept it back in his pocket and told Valentina to minimize the snake. There was no threat now, so no need to needlessly consume energy. Valentina had two snakes at the peak of the Latent realm. One contracted and one uncontracted. He didn¡¯t know if she would still choose to contract the black snake at level two though. Beast Tamers could only contract one beast per level. Of course, Eryndor knew that it wasn¡¯t an ironclad law. The term ¡¯nothing is impossible in this era¡¯ wasn¡¯t coined baselessly. There have been similar incidents of even rules of a power system being broken. There must exist some supreme practice technique or some treasure for Beast Tamers which would allow for more beasts to be contracted but he didn¡¯t have any idea about those. As the realms increased, it became more and more difficult for Beast Tamers to contract beasts above their stages. For example, Valentina was able to contract a peak Latent realm beast while she herself was at stage one of Beast Seeker realm. Once she broke through to level two Tamer realm, it would be difficult for her to contract a peak Stable realm beast while being at stage one. Maybe she would need to be at stage two or three. This gap would only need to be minimized the further one¡¯s realm increased. Back to the previous topic, Eryndor knew that Valentina could completely choose to contract a stronger beast rather than a peak Latent realm. But there was this thing about potential. She could wait and practice till stage two or three, then rely on luck to find a beast at peak Stable realm beast to contract. Or...she could contract her black snake and hope that its potential was enough that it would be a peak Stable realm beast immediately after breaking through from peak Latent realm. The beasts of Beast Tamers didn¡¯t go through stages. After breaking through, their power for the next realm was decided based on their potential, and only through treasures could their power be upgraded. For example, if Valentina¡¯s black snake had a high enough potential, once it broke through from Latent realm to Stable realm, it would directly have a power of peak Stable realm. In this case, it would be profitable for Valentina to contract it before it broke through. But if it ended up at stage six or seven? Or lower? That would be disadvantageous since Valentina would have to use expensive treasures to increase its power. Not to mention its potential was already in decline. In the next breakthrough to level three Active realm, it might even end up at stage three or four. Treasures which replenished the potential of a beast were far more rare and expensive than ones which simply increased their stage. It was doubtful if the Human Federation even had one in their treasury. As Eryndor thought about random things while walking with his team, Sander finally replied to him. "You mentioned team Yetoren right? They are one of the top teams who are specialized in dealing with anomalies. "But the secret realm was scanned completely before letting students inside. There should be no such anomaly which would warrant the presence of a top team to deal with it. "Hmm.... "You mentioned they scanned you? Which meant they interacted with a student? That¡¯s even more of a rule-breaking action. "Only Guardian Sol can act on students. "There is a Mystical Artifact as a last backup which protects students from unintended entities. Like beasts or anomalies which weren¡¯t in the scope of the tournament and somehow escaped the cleansing. "There must be some extremely mind boggling anomaly out there in the secret realm which allowed them to enter it, when even high ranking members of the Human Federation can¡¯t. "But then again, who could give such permission? Even Morris, who is one of the Co-founders can¡¯t act on students when the tournament is ongoing, even if it is a simple action such as scanning. "Dr. Kirchoff? Maybe. Do you want me to ask him? Do you feel something weird is going on?" By now even Sander could feel that something was off. Eryndor narrowed his eyes as he read through the message. On top of the elimination mechanism there was another one which protected students from out of scope entities? Is that why Morris used beasts and students to target me, and not some hidden beasts, if any existed at all that is? In that way the artifact wouldn¡¯t have been able to protect me since the attackers aren¡¯t out of scope entities? Damn. Eryndor hesitated slightly, concerned if he should tell Sander about Kaylor Byrd. Fuck it, he probably already guessed that I have unusual abilities apart from Passive Regeneration. He shouldn¡¯t question me about the name. He quickly typed in a message. "Their leader had Kaylor Byrd in his recent contacts." He didn¡¯t mention all the other names since Kaylor was the one which was most likely to have anything to do with all of this. Sander¡¯s reply was quick to arrive this time. "Kaylor? Now that complicates things. Even I don¡¯t have much information on him despite being in continuous contact with Dr. Kirchoff. "Kaylor is the head of the intelligence department as far as I know about his position in the Human Federation. Don¡¯t spread it outside. "Unlike other department heads, his authority is above Co-founders but below Dr. Kirchoff. So it might be possible that he could allow for a team to enter the secret realm and allow contact with students. "I can¡¯t say for sure though. Because it¡¯s extremely rare for Kaylor to act personally, as far as I know. You could have seen a fake name in the contacts for all I know. "You can contact me if something¡¯s wrong." Sander had a good impression of this young lad who saved his sister and exhibited such monstrous talent. He was willing to divulge information entirely because of that reason. He was even ready to take action because, one, he liked fighting, and two, it was always profitable to sell favors to geniuses. Eryndor only sent a simple acknowledgement, and didn¡¯t send any more messages. So Kaylor has that high authority huh? He isn¡¯t even listed publicly in any of the website or information packages. But that¡¯s a given I guess since he is the head of the intelligence department. But then, this team is most likely genuine huh. They are really here for an anomaly, which is most likely this eldritch entity of the abyss? He was more willing to believe that Kaylor Byrd in Ronin¡¯s contacts was a true one. Since why would anyone go to such lengths of having a fake contact to make their act more believable? Eryndor suddenly furrowed his brows midway. Wait. He had previously guessed that Daoisto might be an avatar, because: One - if the real body had descended, Co-founder Morris would¡¯ve definitely not made it out alive, and ¡ª Second - the Human Federation would¡¯ve sensed it even if the secret realm was sealed. Now though? The Human Federation indeed knew of the existence of the eldritch entity. But Morris was alive and kicking. Did the real body indeed not descend but the Human Federation found out through some other means? Or Did the real body descend and Co-founder Morris was not the original Co-founder Morris anymore? Chapter 142 142: Sound recording No. Eryndor immediately rejected the second option. Both the real body descending and the idea of Co-founder Morris being someone else. He had long guessed that eldritch entities couldn''t leave Forbidden Domains due to the Forbidden Film. There should be similar constraints on the eldritch being in the abyss of this secret realm, else it would''ve already taken him. There was no need to rely on Co-founder Morris to plot and push him into the abyss. An eldritch entity somehow replacing Co-founder Morris? Granted, even if it was not a true body but some clone, it would be incredibly difficult to hide under the radar of the Human Federation. The Human Federation wasn''t THAT incompetent that they would fail to notice an imposter existing in their headquarters. Eryndor had plenty of faith in Dr. Kirchoff, the man who led the Human Federation to its current height while protecting humanity from anomalies and the Eight Outer Domains. True, he didn''t do it alone. But when the topic shifts to only anomalies, it wouldn''t be incorrect to proclaim that he handled them alone. Final conclusion, Co-founder Morris was most likely not replaced and the real body couldn''t have descended. So there should be some other means through which they sensed the eldritch entity, or at least deduced its presence. Eryndor briefly considered Cognitive Scrying. But they are just helpers. Would they know the reason behind their own hiring? Eryndor looked at his teammates, and spoke after a few seconds of consideration. "Guys, can you stay here for a few moments? I''ll be back in a while." Edward had a confused expression before it quickly morphed into a look which said ''I understand you bro.'' Jeez, I am not going to pee or anything. Eryndor thought with some repulsion but then considered that it might be a good thing Edward made a reason himself. Valentina gave him an understanding look. She knew he had Cognitive Scrying and could already guess what he would be doing. With a thought, he expanded the range of his extended vision. Good, they aren''t far. In case they sped up and left his domain, Eryndor jogged in their direction, but made sure to not be too close. He was currently using near maximum range of his extended vision, there was a very low chance they would be able to sense him at this distance given that even their highest realm was only stage 7 of level two. He focused briefly to lock onto Ronin, and immediately used his Cognitive Scrying. As soon as he was in the mindspace, he began scrying through the heaps of memory, filtering through them, trying to find a valuable clue. And he did find one. There was one important segment of memory which gave a crucial clue, which happened to make some of his guesses more certain. Ronin indeed had something given by Kaylor to help him with the investigations. It was a recording. Yes. Just a recording of some sound, at least according to Ronin. Because he couldn''t make sense of what it was. But Eryndor could. The recording was given to him by Kaylor to investigate in the secret realm and find out if there was any clue which even remotely resembled the sound in the recording. For example, some beast making a sound similar to the recording. The whistling of the wind resembling the tune of the recording. A series of natural sounds of nature coming together to form that specific sound. There could be many ways in which a sound could exist. It was one of the most important tasks given to the team Yetoren. Ronin might not have recognised it, but Eryndor sure did, word by word. Yes, it was a language. One familiar to Eryndor. It was the one used by Dr. Ralph in the invocation ritual to utter the revered appellations which were aimed at him. He still remembered the golden dot which responded to the invocation, he could even feel it even now, but couldn''t do anything about it. The words in the recordings were - The Hand That Tilts the Scales. Yea, there was only this one line. Hmmm, is it a revered appellation of that eldritch entity? According to my guess, revered appellation might signify the authority or the ability of the being. What could ''The Hand That Tilts the Scales'' signify? Weight? Gravity? Bias? What else could it mean? Eryndor furrowed his brows, and changed his point of view. What if it was tilting an already unbalanced scale? It could also mean equality right? Equilibrium? Balance? Eryndor noted all the guesses of authorities within his mind as he continued with the scrying. Apart from the revered appellation, there was only one more clue in Ronin''s mind. ***** Ronin fiddled with his phone, his gaze trained on the sound file sent to him. He spoke into the empty room. "Can you tell me where this recording came from? "It''s not really a compulsory question for you to answer but it is definitely important. "It gives us important clues as to where to start investigating from. It may not be compulsory but many times it ends up being one of the crucial hints which helped us solve the case. "If you could tell me where this recording came from, me and my team would have a concrete direction to start investigating towards." There was a long silence within the room, but Ronin didn''t seem to be concerned. He also didn''t find it odd to speak in empty air. Ronin knew the person he had been invited to have a talk with was the head of the intelligence department, Kaylor Byrd. Although it was weird for him to not even show his face, he could deal with it. All along, Kaylor had been talking to him through the speakers present in the room. After a long silence, Kaylor finally spoke. "It was through an agent which escaped the secret realm. "Years ago, long before Morris managed to return from the secret realm, one of the agents in his team suddenly appeared from the portal. "Due to the surroundings being under constant surveillance from the members of the Human Federation, he was quickly taken care of. "But we noticed that he seemed to be constantly emitting the sounds I sent you in that recording. "Through certain means, we deduced that the sound relates to the presence, or at least the influence of a very powerful entity. "We tried everything he could but the agent only kept repeating those sounds, he didn''t respond to anything, not even pain. He died a few hours later. "Therefore, that sound is the only clue we have." Kaylor spoke after a moment of thought. "You said that Morris and his team went to that secret realm to clear the powerful beasts and anomalies present there. "But one day you discovered that you could no longer enter the secret realm. "If you think that the downfall of this agent is linked to a powerful anomaly, do you think it is also powerful enough to seal the secret realm?" The same voice was heard from the speakers. "We still don''t know what secret realms are, how they are formed or anything. Your guess might very well be possible." ***** Eryndor''s eyes widened, as he quickly retreated to his team. There was another person who managed to return from the secret realm years before Morris? He seemed to be insane? Lost his mind? Crazy? And he died a few hours later? Damn, just what happened in the secret realm, or rather what was happening in the secret realm at that time? Could it be that the real body of the eldritch entity really descended? No, he had already crossed out that speculation. What else could have made the agent lose his mind? Could it be that an avatar of an eldritch entity was also enough to make someone lose their mind? Hmm... doesn''t seem likely. But what if the avatar used its powers? Hmm, no, that might not be enough still. What if there was some conduit in the secret realm which allowed for the eldritch entity to use their authority? The use of power from their true body? Was the avatar a medium for the eldritch entity to use their powers in the secret realm? Eryndor hesitated denying this guess, but he also felt it was far-fetched. He had previously guessed that the deal was that the eldritch entity fixed Co-founder Morris'' memories, helped him with some curse or poison he had afflicted with, and in return the eldritch would get his own body, dead or alive. But what kind of poison or curse even existed that an eldritch had to use their powers of real body to heal him? In the universe suppressed by Cosmic Limit, there existed nothing which defied the limits of the Cosmic Limit. Except maybe my own abilities. But if an exception like me can exist, could there be other such things too? Whatever it may be, the situation of that agent dying suggests that powers far above his normal limit were used. And as an agent under Co-founder Morris'' command who was to enter the secret realm filled with powerful anomalies and beasts, could he have a low mental fortitude? Could he not be equipped with mental shielding devices? And he still lost his mind? Eryndor began hesitating about a few of his previous guesses. The help which Co-founder Morris spoke of, could it really be to cure him of poison or curse? Could it be that there was some different kind of help which warranted the use of powers far above the limit? Eryndor had long realized that the deal was one of the most important clues if he wanted to understand what was going on in this secret realm. Just what was the deal? Chapter 143 143: Wolcrat Eryndor fell into thought while walking with his teammates. Could there really be a very powerful poison out there which infected Co-founder Morris? Or was the deal something else entirely. Chuck it. He put them to the back of his mind as he walked alongside them. Remembering the yellow paper in his bag, he thought. I should burn the one which has my name. He hadn''t really disposed of the ones which had already been decoded. In case he wanted help, he needed cold hard evidence. Those papers were the closest thing to it. Of course, he would burn the one with his name on it. Giving them evidence didn''t mean they also needed to know about his own eldritch nature. "Oops, we have some beasts up ahead." Eryndor notified his team when he noticed a few beasts in his extended vision. Being engrossed in thoughts didn''t mean he wasn''t keeping an eye out on possible threats. Edward looked back at Eryndor with appreciation. "They were correct, your sensing range is really insane." He didn''t do anything else, not wishing to waste time in a situation of combat. Holding his weapon, he took a combat stance. Valentina stood calmly, while Eryndor looked weirdly at Edward before taking the lead and walking ahead, followed by Valentina. "Wait where are you going?" Edward asked them, still in his combat stance. Eryndor answered without looking back. "Don''t you want to battle the beasts? They haven''t even sensed us yet, what''re you going to do standing here?" "Oh." Edward embarrassedly laughed. He thought the beasts had already sensed their group and were heading their way. As Edward followed after Eryndor, the man in lead couldn''t help but strengthen his grasp around the handle of his spiked mace. He didn''t know if these beasts were another one of Co-founder Morris'' attacks. He headed towards them despite being under suspicion that it might be a trap because the chances of it NOT being a trap were greater. His Sovereign''s Cloak blocked something, which he guessed was very likely a location sensing attempt. But still, his location could obviously be tracked through Valentina or Edward''s phone. He simply didn''t care at this point. Nothing had happened to him, the claim about no one being able to act on students might be true. Only Guardian Sol could act, but he hadn''t yet. He had also refused to share information about students with Co-founder Morris. All clues pointed towards that man not being suspicious. If his location could really be tracked, the beasts should be heading their way. Right? But they weren''t. Granted, if we assume that beasts won''t be able to accept complicated commands like heading towards a specific location and that something was indeed wrong, he could always escape using Edward''s treasure. A few moments later, Edward spoke. "I can sense the beasts NOW. Damn dude, your range is insane if you managed to sense them so long ago." Eryndor didn''t comment on that, but simply looked ahead at the beasts which appeared in everyone''s vision. Wolcrats. They weren''t a beast unique to this secret realm. They were also spotted in many other places. They were one of the very few beasts whose information could be found on the internet as they weren''t really unique to this secret realm. They were called beasts of negligible sanity. Wolcrats were popular for never being in the right mind. Many times they would even attack their companions. You could say that not many beasts had rationality, but they at least had the most basic aggression when seeing a hostile entity, fear upon sensing someone strong, or even the ability to keep themselves alive. Wolcrats though? They had absolutely zero sense or even the most basic instinct of any kind at all. Sometimes they would choose to not breathe, resulting in their death. They might attack someone drastically stronger, resulting in their death. They might mate with some beast of entirely different species, resulting in being beaten by the rest of the other''s species. They would choose to jump from a high place, dying immediately upon impact. They might forget to eat, resulting in dying. Wolcrats would even eat something dangerous, knowing it was bringing them pain and still carry on chewing, dying as they were done eating the meal. It might choose to sleep in the presence of predators. In short, it had absolutely no sense of any kind. Here in this secret realm though, they were previously called beasts of occasional sanity, rather than no sanity. He didn''t know why it was the way it was. There was no information regarding that. There was a slight change in information though. On the rankings website where information about beasts was gradually getting more and more detailed, this beast''s information didn''t see a change. They were still called Wolcrats - beasts of negligible sanity. Even in this secret realm they are no longer called beasts of occasional sanity huh? Chuck it, what did it have to do with him? His job was to fight. They were a medium-sized, amorphous creature, about the length of a large wolf if stretched out, but with no defined limbs. Their body was a fleshy, boneless mass that undulated and rippled, propelling them forward in jerky, inconsistent motions. He could sense roughly twenty to thirty of these beasts. How did they gather without killing each other? He thought as he gazed at their group from afar. Despite being in their vision, the beasts hadn''t attacked them yet. A vaguely rodent-like snout jutted from the front of their shifting form, lined with uneven fangs that seem too big for its mouth. Their eyes¡ªif they even had them¡ªappeared and disappeared at random locations on its body, as if they didn''t know where they were supposed to be. Parts of their body hardened into scale-like protrusions, but in a completely random and unhelpful manner. Eryndor could see some wounds on their bodies. He reckoned that they very likely incurred them through rolling over sharp surfaces or biting themselves out of confusion. They slithered, flopped, or rolled. Some of them were randomly launching itself in a direction, crashing into obstacles, or starting to spin aimlessly in place. But in the end? They were all gathering in a single place. "Want to fight?" He asked his teammates. Edward nodded. "Yea let''s go. These dummies can''t gang up for shit. Don''t be scared of their numbers. I''ve killed plenty of them in missions." Valentina simply shrugged. "Why not? None of them are even at the peak of the Latent realm, if push comes to shove we can outrun them." "Alright then." Eryndor nodded and headed straight to the group. The rest of them soon followed. Pulling the spiked mace over his head, Eryndor slammed it hard on the head of the first Wolcrat he came across. Splat. And just like that, it was dead. Without any resistance. His extended vision caught a flash of purple at the edge of the horde of the beast. One of them quickly lunged, and began digging to get whatever it was. Treasure? But Eryndor didn''t want to cross so many beasts to get on the other side just to check something which the beast might''ve already eaten. Ignoring it, he quickly swung his mace at another beast, which jumped suddenly, dodging the blow. Too bad buddy, my mace can change direction. He abruptly disconnected the head of the mace, and used telekinesis to change its direction, directing the momentum towards the beast which was mid-air. Splat. Straight on its head. Eryndor felt disgusted pulling the spiked mace overhead as it was covered in flesh and blood, what if some fell on his head? Might as well cover myself in Crimson Armor. Yea, the defensive cultivation art was a full body one, which meant it covered the entire body, including the head. Depending on the mastery of the cultivation arts, the user could decide which part they wanted covered. Within a second, he was done using the defensive art, covering his entire body, while he continued swinging his mace. Some of the Wolcrats proved to be a challenge, but many of them were simply too stupid. Somewhere along the way, they also didn''t stay in this particular space anymore, beginning to disperse in all locations. Why even gather here in the first place? He thought while panting, gazing at the remains of the beasts loitered all around. Not many were left now. "That was kind of easy." Valentina spoke, a white thread like snake coiled around her left arm, while a black one coiled around her right one. Eryndor knew not to underestimate those little things. He had seen how with just one use of the white snake''s ability, the body of the Wolcrat was blown up. Edward also hummed deeply while walking towards them, his arm flicking the weapon repeatedly to get the blood and flesh off of it. "There might be some problems." Eryndor spoke, his gaze being held by the four Wolcrats heading their way. Their gait, their eyes which stopped randomly popping up everywhere, their coordination of not crashing into each other. It felt different. So they gained rationality? Is it something unnatural which took place because of Morris targeting me? But what would he gain out of this though? These beasts are literally so weak. The four beasts slithering their way were barely in the middle of Latent realm. They were literally no threat. Is it because of that purple thing? No matter. First they should take care of these beasts. A few seconds later, he glanced at the corpses of the four beasts in the distance, then shifted his gaze below on the dug up ground where he saw something purple. There was nothing. Valentina suddenly shouted from a distance. "Guys look! There seems to be a Support Shrine there." Chapter 144 144: A clue which might confirm something Eryndor glanced in the direction Valentina had pointed in. Indeed, beyond the branches and different obstacles, he could see a large building in the distance. It was common knowledge by now how Support Shrines looked, it was all written in the tournament website. He looked at all the corpses and then at his own teammates. No one had gotten hurt. Maybe this was really not a trap at all. These beasts are too weak and uncoordinated to pose a threat even if I was alone. It might really be a random encounter. He didn''t think Co-founder Morris would place such a worthless trap. "Let''s check it out before heading towards Paulina." He spoke. Valentina and Edward both nodded, having the same idea in mind. Those last four Wolcrats smelled so bad. I think the smell has stuck onto me as well. Ugh, it smells like rotten eggs. He looked at Edward who seemed to have a cleaning spell, and also carried deodorant in his bag. "I never thought a deodorant would come in handy in a tournament." He commented. Valentina chipped in as well. "Same. Unless that Support Shrine somehow has some facility to get cleaned, miscellaneous spells and objects like these would prove to be far more useful than expected." Edward sprayed himself generously before passing it on to Eryndor. He also proceeded to use a water based spell to clean his weapon thoroughly. Eryndor used the deodorant while passing his spiked mace to Edward. "Please spray my weapon too. Also, as a Mage, don''t you find these miscellaneous spell models taxing?" Edward caught the mace and shook his head. "Nope. For such weak and simple spells, the burden is really not as much as everyone thinks. Not to mention I only have a couple more. Rest of my spells are battle oriented." Valentina took the deodorant passed by Eryndor and sprayed it on herself while replying. "Must be nice to have a researcher as your dad if you''ve taken the path of a Mage." Edward only shrugged lightly with a smile. He definitely couldn''t deny the influence of his dad on his path. As they gradually got closer to the Support Shrine, they could witness how big it was. The main building was big, cube shaped with a conical hat-like structure on top of it. On each of its four sides were humongous gates which read ''Support Shrine 9'' on their pillars. Just as he pondered where to enter after passing through the gate, a gap appeared, allowing all three of them to step inside. They immediately entered an air conditioned room, with multiple screens on the walls around them. The room also had a few sofas. Judging from the size of the room, Eryndor instantly knew there must be more such rooms in case different teams arrived at the Support Shrine at the same time. "Let''s not waste time, every moment spent here a few of our points are deducted." Eryndor told them, and approached the screen. Support Shrines offered a lot of comfort. You could deduce that just based on the air conditioning and the sofas. Eryndor had no doubt that one would also be able to exchange for entertainment and all kinds of food in here. But all of it came at a price. Even if one didn''t use the exchange option, just staying in the room cost you your points. All three of them began browsing through the different lists, scanning if there was anything which would be needed for the team. Valentina pointed at something. "Hey look, there seems to be a teleporting option. It''s expensive though, like twenty thousand points for a single person to teleport. "It only teleports from one Support Shrine to another, and doesn''t consider the distance. "Which means that even if you want to teleport to the nearest Support Shrine, it will cost twenty thousand, and same if you want to teleport to one which is further away." Eryndor clicked his tongue. "Could''ve considered it if it wasn''t so unreasonably expensive." It was to be mentioned that he barely had ten thousand points. Edward pointed out from the other end of the room, a separate screen being displayed in front of him. "I mean, it''s just the first day. This tournament is going to last for two weeks. By the end of it, I think twenty thousand won''t be considered expensive for a teleport." Eryndor nodded. "Fair point. But why do you think this teleport option exists at all? I mean yes, people do need to gather and work together. "Being spread out is going to be a problem after all once more and more people realize that eliminating others is more beneficial than earning points through other methods. "But still, could teleportation be only for running away or meeting with teammates?" Valentina glanced at him. "What do you have in mind?" Eryndor narrowed his eyes. "I think there might be something like treasure drops, or beast drops. You get my point. "Being successful in claiming it might get you loads of points, at least large enough that it would be more lucrative than eliminating others. "Only in that way would everyone use the teleport option." Valentina whispered after listening to his guess. "People would want to gather there at the earliest." "That''s a good guess, Eryndor." Edward appreciated. "It would be such a mayhem if Eryndor''s guess actually comes true." Valentina smiled. "Definitely." Eryndor shrugged, and continued looking through the list. "It looks like a map is the only worthwhile option for now in the beginning." Edward spoke out after a few moments of silence. Eryndor nodded, he was of the same mind. So far, there was nothing which could be of benefit to them. At least not immediately. "Do you think we should exchange for a map of an area around ourselves or add onto the explored regions of tundra since we''ll be living there more?" According to the price mentioned for the map, it was currently impossible to buy the map of the entire secret realm even if all of their team members pooled together their points. So they could only choose for the Support Shrine to give them a map of a specific region. Just assume there was a square filled with clouds. The price to get the entire cloud cleared away was astronomical. So they were instead going to have the Support Shrine only clear away clouds in a certain region. It was like unlocking more and more parts of the map in a game. "Adding onto the tundra would be better. I don''t think we''ll return here anytime soon. "Even my guess I told y''all about, if the beast or treasure is dropped in these lands, it should only occur in the end phase, we''ll have plenty of time till then to get the entire map." For the next few minutes, Edward and Eryndor cooperated with Paulina to have the Support Shrine unlock more parts of the map in the tundra region. They needed her support because currently, she best knew the region. She could give more valuable insights like, where is there more likely to be a river? Where would stronger beasts more likely gather? Are there any parts which should be avoided? After completing the task, Eryndor spoke to Valentina. "What''re you up to? Found anything good?" She only chuckled slightly. "Not really, I am just having fun going through the most expensive things. There was an option to filter things so I clicked on it. "I must say, the prices of some of these are outrageous." Eryndor raised his eyebrows, and stood beside her, glancing at her screen and looking through the exchange list alongside her. As she kept scrolling, Eryndor suddenly saw something. "Wait, wait, scroll up, scroll up." Valentina didn''t know what he wanted but scrolled up. "Tap at this." He pointed at an image of an item. [Radish of mental stability] [Image] [Stabilizes the mind in variety of ways, including but not limited to - Helps with mental clarity in battle ¨C Consuming it helps warriors resist fear, confusion, or mind-altering effects, allowing them to stay focused in chaotic fights. Resistance against mind control ¨C Protects against charm spells, illusions, and psychic intrusions, making it valuable for diplomats, spies, and adventurers facing mental magic. Aiding meditation ¨C Helps practitioners maintain a focused state while using their practice techniques. Calming the berserk & possessed ¨C Can be used to stabilize those suffering from berserker rages, after effects of possession, or insanity.] [Extend for more properties.] "Do you want this? I don''t think this is worth it. You''ll find many others with similar effects, but far cheaper prices. "This thing is expensive, probably not because of its effects but the rarity in this secret realm." Eryndor looked at her. "How do you know?" She shrugged. "Guessing. I mean, yea, this is the only option with those effects which can be found in this secret realm. If you find this, you could exchange for a lot of points too. "The other items with similar effects aren''t from this secret realm. They are there in the list for us to use, and they are way cheaper. "But still, it is expensive even if you consider the above points. Can you guess anything else apart from rarity?" Eryndor shook his head and fell into thoughts. That Radish of mental stability is purple in color. That flash of purple I saw before the Wolcrats began digging, could it be this Radish those four Wolcrats ate? Is that why they gained a semblance of clarity? Its properties do indeed say that it helps with insanity after all. Eryndor took a few steps away from her and sat down on the sofa while continuing his train of thought. He had found a great lead to finally confirm one of his previous guesses. He just needed one more piece of information, or rather, confirmation. Chapter 145 145: More pieces of information "Extend it, I want to see more properties." He told Valentina, who proceeded to tap on the ''[Extend for more properties]'' button. Eryndor read through everything, his eyes stopping on one particular property. [Reeks of rotten eggs, with a stench that stubbornly clings to anyone who touches it¡ªeven secondhand contact from someone who used the item won''t spare them.] So that purple thing really was a Radish of mental stability which those wolcrats consumed. No wonder those four wolcrats smelled like rotten eggs, which proceeded to stick onto us. Eryndor put it to the back of his mind and took a look at his teammates, asking. "Are we done here? Or do y''all want to exchange something else?" "Support Shrines indeed have an option of cleaning facilities. I just found it, want to use it?" Valentina asked while pointing to several options. Category: Maintenance & Recovery [Self-Cleaning] ¨C Instantly removes dirt, grime, and blood from your body and clothes. (Mild refreshing effect included.) [Equipment Purification] ¨C Restores weapons and gear to pristine condition. (Removes blood, dust, and corrosion.) [Deep Purge] ¨C Eliminates lingering odors and stains from skin and fabric. (Recommended after intense combat.) [Quick Shower] ¨C A rapid water cleanse with temperature control. (Choose between warm, cold, or refreshing mist.) [Full Bath] ¨C Immerse yourself in a relaxing bath with optional herbal infusions. (Available settings: Hot Spring, Ice Bath, Medicinal Soak.) [Restroom Facility] ¨C A private chamber for necessary relief. (Equipped with sanitation and privacy enchantments.) Both of them shook their heads. Eryndor spread his hands and explained to her. "You see, we are in this secret realm for a tournament. Instead of using it frequently like we did in our villas, we should use it only when necessary. "Not to mention it hasn''t even been half a day since we arrived. We can go on for a bit longer without these things." Eryndor himself was a clean freak, but he knew how to prioritise things. He once again asked. "Anything else? Like some food or something?" Valentina shook her head. "Nope that was all. Paulina seems to have a shrine around her as well, we''ll exchange for good food once in a while if we get bored of food pills or beast meat." Edward didn''t say anything but gestured towards the wall they arrived from. Eryndor walked towards the wall, expecting it to open like it did while entering the room, but a screen popped up instead. [To prevent teams from camping outside the Support Shrines, we''ll be teleporting you a short distance away free of charge. Please choose the direction.] Oh? That''s a valid reason indeed. People could easily set up multiple traps and what not to immediately eliminate students exiting the Support Shrine. He clicked in Paulina''s direction and a white light immediately filled their vision. It felt like someone was trying to squeeze his body from all sides. Not even his head was spared, but instead felt like it was given more attention. It felt like someone was trying to make a ball of his brain by pressing from all sides. Finally, he felt something hitting his leg. By the time his vision cleared up and he realized he had landed on the ground, he had already tumbled, laying flat on the ground. "Jeez. That''s one nasty teleport." He spoke with frustration evident in his tone. Valentina also seemed to have a bad landing, but her white snake was quick to enlarge and coil around her, softening the blow. Edward didn''t fall to the ground, but he had indeed almost lost his balance. "This is one nasty teleport indeed. I wonder what they used. Good thing I already have experience with worse teleports, else I would''ve been on the ground like you newbies." The three of them joked around for a while before resuming their journey. Through the use of the Support System, they now had a concrete idea of how far the Tundra region was. They''d need to walk for at least thirty six hours continuously if they wanted to reach the tundra at their current pace, which was by walking slowly. That was like a day and a half. So they tweaked up their plan a bit. Since all of them had enough stamina and endurance, they would increase their travelling speed during the day, faster than jogging but slower than running and set up camp at night for a short rest. They obviously couldn''t walk for thirty six hours even with their enhanced bodies, not to mention using movement skills, which were even more dangerous. What if some danger cropped up? By then, their energy reserves wouldn''t be at top state to handle it. With that settled, they immediately put their plan in motion. While trailing behind his group and keeping up with them, he finally had some time to think. Now where was I? Yes, that Rabbit of mental stability. The four wolcrats consumed that item and gained a semblance of sanity. Wolcrats were called beasts of occasional sanity in this secret realm. But even until now, the tournament website still displays them as beasts of negligible sanity. Eryndor could guess why. Valentina had mentioned that the reason behind that item''s insanely high price was very likely because of its rarity in this secret realm. If it was so rare, that explained why the information on the tournament ranking would call them beasts of negligible sanity rather than occasional sanity. Not every wolcrat would manage to find a Radish of mental stability, right? The situation they experienced of those four wolcrats gaining clarity in their thoughts might be rare enough that no one had encountered it yet. Which was very likely why the website didn''t change it. That led to more thoughts appearing in his mind. Could it be that Radish of mental stability was more commonly found in the past? After all, these wolcrats were called beasts of occasional sanity in the past in this secret realm. That wouldn''t have been possible if there wasn''t a large number of this item to sustain their seldom clarity in thoughts. And why was there no mention of this Radish of mental stability? Naturally, it was because it was a resource of this secret realm. Why would the Human Federation willingly expose what resources the secret realms under their territories had? Would that not invite trouble if some item happened to be especially precious? What caused the disappearance of this item? Or more accurately, a drastic decrease in numbers? Eryndor already had a guess. Radish of mental stability could be used to treat insanity. Didn''t that mean Co-founder Morris could''ve used it? But to use it to such an extent that it nearly caused the item to go extinct in this secret realm? Just what did he go through? But wait, let me first confirm if it is indeed Co-founder Morris. This is an excellent opportunity. He quickly messaged Sander once again. "Sorry to disturb you once again. I just wanted to ask what Co-founder Morris'' condition was when he came out of the secret realm." The reply was quick to arrive. "I wasn''t present at that time. Let me check with my connections." Eryndor didn''t message anything back but simply waited. A few minutes later Sander sent him an image along with a few messages. The image was Co-founder Morris'' appearance when he appeared from the portal of the secret realm. The man had torn clothes, and overgrown hair all over his body. One of his shoes seemed to be missing, while the other one had a few holes. His eyes held a dazed look, while his mouth was slightly open. The posture made him think that the photo was taken while he was muttering something. And indeed, Sander''s messages below confirmed it. "Morris was muttering ''got it'' repeatedly when the photo was taken, and his mental state didn''t seem to be that great. Just barely holding on. "Didn''t I mention he was sent to counseling? It was because of this reason. Fortunately he was healed back to normalcy." Oh yea, Sander did indeed mention this counseling stuff back in the past. I probably didn''t pay attention to it. Now that I know it though, it fits perfectly with what I had in mind. Eryndor thought while continuing to read the messages. He also paid attention to the ''got it'' part. Could this ''got it'' have something to do with the deal? Does he mean he ''got the healing''? No, it does make sense but there should be something more fitting. What could it be? He made a note of it and continued reading, finally stopping at the last line of the message. "And yea, it was said that he reeked of rotten eggs." Eryndor sent him a thanks as his lips curled up. That confirms it. Something happened to Co-founder Morris that the amount of Radish of mental stability he had to use was enough to push it to the brink of extinction. Which in turn resulted in the wolcrats'' chance at sanity being drastically decreased. But even with that, he seemed to have barely held on, recovering only after dedicated treatment from the Human Federation. He heaved a soft sigh while following behind his team. Up until now, he had only been assuming that Co-founder Morris was the one who was after him. But this confirmed it. But it obviously didn''t stop at that. He wanted to uncover more clues. Apart from the yellow papers, is there anything else? He thought for a few minutes before a helpless chuckle left his mouth. Probably because he wasn''t near them, none of his teammates reacted. Jeez, I gotta contact Sander again. Chapter 146 146: Opening He took out his phone and sent him a message. "I am extremely sorry to disturb you again. I promise I''ll treat you to a good meal after all of this. I have one more question. "Does Co-founder Morris have an ability? If yes, what is it? Do you have any idea?" Just like before, his reply was quick, but he seemed to have focused his attention on something else. "Are you doubting Co-founder Morris? Can you share if you''ve gotten any clues?" Eryndor narrowed his eyes as he looked at the message. I obviously can''t tell him that I''m being targeted because of my eldritch origin. But then, there is also no other clue that Morris might be targeting others as well. This entire matter seems to be personal to me, how do I tell him without including me? He hesitated slightly, thinking extensively before replying. "Co-founder Morris is the reason Radish of mental stability has gone extinct, do you know that?" "Yes. He already submitted a report to the Human Federation about his experience in the secret realm. "After all, the secret realm was sealed completely, even communications were blocked. He couldn''t have said all this earlier while in the secret realm itself. "I don''t know the specific details of the report, but it was said that it was some anomaly with difficult to counter mind related power which was the cause behind everything. "That is why he had to use the radishes to heal himself." Bullshit. Even if it isn''t an eldritch entity in the abyss, there clearly exists something far stronger than just ''anomaly with difficult to counter mind related power'', why else would it have the confidence to confront even my sealed self? So he already gave an excuse to the human federation huh? On second thought, it made sense. If Eryndor could make the connection between previously abundant Radish of mental stability, their present scarcity of them, and Co-founder Morris smelling of rotten eggs, then obviously the Federation could do it too. He would need to give them the reason behind his actions, as Radish of mental stability wasn''t a worthless item. Depleting it to near scarcity would require proper compensation. Oh yea, how did he compensate? Could I get some clues through that? He messaged the same to Sander, who answered. "Contribution points. A lot of them." Tch. No luck here. Eryndor thought for a while and messaged him once again. "I found a few clues which point towards Co-founder Morris communicating with someone. "I know, he had to have teammates at some point, so he could have been communicating with them. "However, it is very likely that he was communicating with someone from the abyss. "They seemed to have made a deal. I don''t know what the terms are." There was a period of silence, with no activity from the other end, not even the small symbol of ''typing''. Just when he thought Sander had gone offline, his message arrived. "Do you have proof?" Discreetly, without alerting his teammates, he took a photo of the second yellow paper, and sent it to him. It was the one with the words - ["Daoisto!!! Daoisto!!! You must uphold your end of the deal! Else I''ll die!"] Sander: "How do you know it was written by Co-founder Morris? And don''t tell me it''s because of the borderline illegible handwriting which resembles that of a crazy person. "If Morris could''ve gone crazy, obviously, his team members would''ve also gone crazy. "What is the guarantee that it was indeed him who wrote it? And what if Daoisto is simply the name of some relative, friend or acquaintance of the team member who wrote the note? "Are there any concrete proofs you have? "Look, I am not really against you. But this is a Co-founder level figure we''re up against. You can''t point fingers against them without solid evidence." Valid questioning. If the note didn''t mention my name, and if those repeated attempts didn''t take place, I wouldn''t have been so paranoid either. No one among Co-founder Morris'' team has survived. He was literally the only one to return alive from the secret realm. If it was anyone else who had written this, why would the attacks still happen to me? They are already dead, therefore their part of the deal, which was to push me in the abyss, wouldn''t have taken place at all. It was clearly because the person was alive that their part of the deal was still going through, that is, the attacks on me, which are an attempt to push me in the abyss. And who is the only one alive? Co-founder Morris. Eryndor: "Aren''t there any Mystical Artifacts which can confirm this? That it was indeed Co-founder Morris who wrote this?" Sander: "I don''t know, the Federation might have it. But even if I were to try to use it, I don''t think I''ll be able to without giving them a valid reason. "If this is the only clue you have then I won''t be able to convince them. If you want my personal help without involving the Federation, I won''t need as much concrete evidence as the Federation but I do hope that you have at least something else rather than just this." Eryndor thought for almost a minute before replying. "I''ll consider and let you know. By the way, you still didn''t tell me about Co-founder Morris'' ability." Sander: "Up to you. By the way, his ability is transformation. "It allows him to transform into any person he wants. Of course, he can only copy their appearance, not powers or anything. "It''ll be my training time in an hour or two, don''t contact me for trivial reasons in the coming days as the training is rather special, the efficiency decreases with the amount of breaks taken. "I''ll let my agent know to notify me as soon as your message comes up, so only send a message if it''s really important as it would mean I''ll be halting my training. "Anything else you want to ask?" Transformation? Huh? Could it be?... He immediately asked his question. "There is a Mystical Artifact which protects us students from outside entities,, right? Does it verify the identity of those ''entities'' through appearance?" "Nope. I know what you''re worried about. But if a simple disguise could fool that Mystical Artifact then it wouldn''t have been used to protect the students." Eryndor: "Please can you wait a few minutes?" Sander: "I told you, I do have an hour or two, take your time." Without wasting any time, he closed the distance with his team and tapped on Valentina''s shoulder while looking at Edward. "I want to talk personally with her for a bit, please excuse me." At this point he couldn''t be bothered with not raising any suspicions. He deliberately lagged behind and increased the gap between Edward and them. Without having to be prompted, she asked. "Is it about the yellow papers?" Eryndor nodded. He couldn''t afford to postpone it any longer after knowing that Sander wouldn''t be available for the next few days. He quickly took out the sixth yellow paper and held it out to her. Unlike the third and fifth paper, there was clearly some movement in the words, they were regressing rather quickly. "jajwbd jajshd that opening..." What the hell does it mean? Opening? Does he mean the abyss? Or does he mean the entrance to the secret realm? Eryndor thought for a few seconds but was frustrated that nothing was coming up even after a while. Maybe it''s because I am under pressure right now? He quickly disregarded it and took out the last yellow paper. Since the previous one hadn''t consumed much energy, it wouldn''t be a problem to use the ability once more. This time the words were quick to shift once again, but he was disappointed when he read through the words. The previous papers all uncovered something which he didn''t know, but this one? He already knew about it. The words on the paper were - "Got it got it got it got it got it got it." Those were the same words Dr. Ralph was muttering when he left the secret realm. Just what the hell did he get? Wait, could it count as a proof? It probably could be counted as proof indeed, but he still didn''t know just what he got. I''ll tell him about it. He did plan to notify Sander about this, but first, he was currently finding things to ask him, since he won''t get a chance later. Eryndor was frustrated as he took out the two pieces of yellow paper on which the writing was too old to regress in one setting by Valentina''s energy of Consciousness. Valentina guessed what he was thinking about, with helplessness evident in her tone, she muttered. "If only I could get more energy of Consciousness quickly." Eryndor nodded while in thought. But he abruptly stopped, and spoke with narrowed eyes. "Wait, what if I could transfer my energy of Consciousness onto you?" Without waiting for Valentina to reply, he took out his phone and searched the array formation made by Dr. Ralph on the website of the Academy. There it is. Shit, it needs energy conducting materials to make it though. Array formations were obviously not just a bunch of designs. They needed to be made through materials which could conduct energy. Depending on the type of array formation, the energy conducted could be Qi, Mana, Spiritual Energy, Internal Energy or even energy of Consciousness. Crap, just where do I even bring these materials from? I don''t have time. Chapter 147 147: Pillars of Mind Palace Eryndor couldn''t go around searching for materials right now, not to mention he didn''t know if this secret realm even had the necessary resources to make an array formation. Can I go back to the Support Shrine? He briefly considered that idea. It had been less than an hour since they left the Support Shrine. Even considering the teleport distance, it would only take them a maximum of one hour to arrive at the Support Shrine again. Sander did say that he had an hour or two left before training, so it definitely could be achievable. I better think more before going back. He didn''t really want to do extra work of going back only to walk through the same route once again to head towards Paulina. His speed slowed down, almost coming to a halt as he got more and more engrossed in his thoughts. Finally, something clicked. Wait. That phenomenon of removing the mark on energy of Consciousness, it was supposed to come under his authority, right? Does that mean he could use it without the array formation? Could he use that ''golden dot'' to directly bypass the need for array formation? No wait, the array formation in the first place was probably only designed to transfer Energy of Consciousness. Does my authority cover that? If it doesn''t cover that, would I still not need that array formation? Ironically unironically, Eryndor couldn''t answer this question which was clearly related to himself. He tried hard to sense the ''golden dot'' inside him, but he couldn''t find it no matter what. Will I need that specific language to invoke my own authority? The problem was, Eryndor didn''t remember the complete pronunciation. He knew the meaning, sure, all four lines, but the exact pronunciation? He only remembered the first line. Damn, will I need to contact Dr. Ralph? Eryndor didn''t know if the researcher would tell him what he wanted though, because what he was asking was pretty important. It was not something which could be given to a student you just exchanged a few words with. Eryndor hesitated lightly. Should I try it myself first? It was related to him after all, could it be that something mystical would take place if he was the one who initiated the invocation ritual? But he was also afraid of one thing. If he mispronounced those words, the meaning might change right? If the meaning changed, what if it pointed to some other entity? What if he attracted their attention? What if they discerned his eldritch origin through the connection formed through invocation ritual? Eryndor was clearly letting his imagination run wild with all the fantasy books he had read in the past. Let''s just try and see what happens. I know the exact wording of the first line, the rest I am not so sure. He wasn''t fond of taking risks, so he would immediately stop if nothing happened towards the end of the first line. Valentina had been quiet all this time, when suddenly Eryndor ran off somewhere after leaving behind a sentence. "Stay here, and tell Edward to stop moving as well. I''ll be back in a few minutes." When he had put sufficient distance between himself and the others, he stopped and took a deep breath. Dr. Ralph did a lot more preparations, but I don''t have any of those materials. I am just invoking my own revered appellation, do I even need to be so pedantic? What could happen? He carefully recollected the pronunciation of the first line of his revered appellation and began speaking. "The¡ª" He spoke slowly, making sure to pronounce each word exactly as he remembered it. Before he had even spoken the word ''The'', as if by some mystical connection, he felt a stirring within him. Even back then, he had felt a stirring before Dr. Ralph began his invocation ritual. It was as if the universe, the existence, the reality, the space-time fabric, already knew he had the correct line stored in his mind. Before I even begin, just the intent, the thought about the complete one line revered appellation has already been sensed? And I feel the reaction even before it begins? How terrifying is this? Well, according to this I think I am at least on the right track. Because none of this would''ve happened if I said something wrong. At least I wouldn''t be the one who would sense the stirring if it went wrong. Wait, does that mean, even thinking about revered appellations might alert the entity it belongs to? Could it be that Daoisto might''ve already sensed me? Realizing that if the gap between words was too long, it might not be counted together, Eryndor stopped his thoughts in time, and spoke out the next word, being careful in his pronunciation. "Guardian¡ª" Eryndor felt that stirring growing stronger within him. It was exactly like that time when Dr. Ralph was doing the invocation ritual. "Against¡ª" The stirring grew stronger. Well, at least it shows that I am still on the correct path. "The¡ª" Black mist had already begun pervading the surroundings at this point. It didn''t bring him any fear though. If anything, it meant that he was on the right path. Most importantly, he felt safe. He knew it was all an illusion, but he felt safe in his black smoke. He took a deep breath, and spoke out the last word. "End." The stirring grew exponentially as he completed the last line. The quantity of black mist increased. Exactly as last time when Dr. Ralph finished speaking the first line, there was a change in the surroundings. His surroundings felt firmer, sturdier, more stable than before. My Sovereign''s Cloak symbolises defense. The first line ''The Guardian Against The End'' also seems like it symbolises defense. Do these illusions, which appear after the first line, display an aspect of defense? He didn''t have the time to think any longer. As something miraculous took place. A hum resounded in his mind, overriding all his thoughts, pushing everything out as it dominated the entirety of his mind. It felt like the hum originated from within himself. It was ancient. It spoke of the vicissitudes of the time. It spoke of the grandeur of the long lost era. If one could see his Mind Palace right now, they would notice that it was not trembling like all the times before whenever something out of ordinary happened to Eryndor. This time it was glowing. Glowing intensely. The golden color was bright enough that one might mistake it for white. The four main pillars surrounding the Mind Palace began going through a change. A bunch of words began carving themselves upon the first pillar. As the same change appeared on the second pillar, thoughts began sprouting up in Eryndor''s mind. It was a bunch of sounds, one which he could clearly interpret. It was the second line of his revered appellation! Without wasting a moment, he resumed speaking. "The Veil¡ª" Even though the pronunciation was directly infused in his mind, he was still careful, speaking slowly and steadily while paying attention to each syllable. "Beyond Perception." As he finished speaking the second line, changes once again took place in the surroundings. What little light was entering through the dense canopy of trees abruptly dimmed. He tested his sight, and indeed, he could no longer see beyond a few meters. The third pillar surrounding the Mind Palace began going through a change. Words began carving themselves on it, while simultaneously a set of thoughts were imbued in his mind once again. Carefully going through the thoughts, he spoke the third line of his revered appellations in one go, more confident in his ability to pronounce now. "The Law That No Will May Overturn." The objects in his surroundings went through a change once again. They became clearer. Outlines appeared on everything. The leaves on the ground, each of them felt distinct, different, like a single entity. The roots of trees which were above the ground, he could see a clear distinction between them and the ground they were buried in. As words embedded themselves on the fourth pillar of the Mind Palace, corresponding thoughts manifested in Eryndor''s mind, who proceeded to speak out the last line. "The Sovereign Of Unwritten Fate." Golden threads manifested everywhere around him as he finished speaking the last line. As soon as he was done invoking the entirety of his revered appellation, he could once again sense the golden dot within himself. Last time Dr. Ralph had to speak out his request, but this time, as if his intention was already known, the golden dot pulsed faintly, and an otherworldly sensation filled his mind. It wasn''t inexplicable, he clearly knew what this sensation was. The ability to transfer Energy of Consciousness without the mark of the owner. It had a limited time effect, and he also somehow knew that he could transfer this ability. For now there is no need. Since I''ll be the one to transfer my own Energy of Consciousness. Words couldn''t even come close to describe the excitement Eryndor felt. It was a successful experiment. Does that mean I can also borrow the abilities related to the last two lines? But I only know that the last line has something to do with fate. Like manipulation of fate? I don''t know. I could try that the next time. The third line though...The Law That No Will May Overturn...laws? I mean, obviously, but what of it? He still didn''t have a concrete idea of what the third line was supposed to be. I don''t think I can be granted abilities without me myself knowing what I want. He shook his head, pushing those thoughts out of his mind as he rushed towards Valentina. He could finally find out what words were contained in the last two yellow papers. Chapter 148 148: All dead Eryndor ran fast, aware of the temporary nature of the ability. How long does it last? He didn''t know, so he had to be quick. As soon as he reached Valentina, he took out the third paper, and directly put his hand on her shoulder. There needed to be a connection to transfer the Energy of Consciousness, even something as simple as putting hand on the shoulder would do. It was the third and fifth paper out of seven which were old enough for regression to not work immediately. He took out the third one first, although the order wouldn''t matter anyway. "Try to use your ability now." He said, his tone touched with nervousness about the possibility if it would work. Valentina didn''t know what was going on, so she simply nodded her head and got to it. Using her ability twice back to back to regress the state of yellow papers had been demanding, she only had a little expendable Energy of Consciousness left. Everyone who had innate abilities had experimented with them at some point. By now it was common knowledge among them that the Energy of Consciousness, which their innate abilities consumed as a fuel, shouldn''t be depleted completely as it led to the person falling unconscious. One should always keep a little for themselves, just to keep them awake and conscious. What did he do? Could he have really succeeded? Valentina thought, but her actions didn''t lag behind. She had already begun using Regression ability on the yellow paper. She saw that Eryndor hadn''t told her to halt even when she was about to consume the expendable Energy of Consciousness. Is it going to be like last time? Just how far back does this paper need to be regressed? Valentina had a faint suspicion in her mind as she gazed at his palm on her shoulder. Thinking back to what he said earlier about transferring Energy of Consciousness and his weird actions of running away for a while, she couldn''t help but think if it was really possible? Just as she was in thought, she suddenly noticed that her ability had actually been going on for a while! Shouldn''t it have been depleted by now? Her gaze travelled to Eryndor who just nodded at her with a meaningful smile. It is really possible? Damn. This guy has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. Even with the copy ability she had, Valentina never felt at ease when facing Eryndor, as if she wouldn''t be able to defeat him no matter what. Her attention was attracted back to the piece of paper, which Eryndor had no intention of taking back. It''s been so long. She asked him while continuing to use Regression on the yellow paper. "Isn''t it done yet?" He shook his head. Even he was quite troubled due to how long the paper was taking. Thankfully though, the words were already going through a change, albeit slowly. Just a bit more and I can read them. With anticipation, he continued transferring his Energy of Consciousness to Valentina, who was quite shocked by now. Just how much Energy does he have? Valentina prided herself on having a large pool of Energy of Consciousness. Even when she compared with Paulina and Drakarion, they noticed that she had a larger pool of energy. But Eryndor? He had been going on for a while and showed no signs of stopping. She reckoned the amount of energy he had spent was already about one and half of her own energy pool. Which meant, fifty percent more. Is it not his own Energy of Consciousness? Is he transferring it from somewhere else? She shook her head, not intending to delve into it. It also sounded a bit stupid, or like an excuse. Finally, she heard him say, "Halt." Eryndor took back the yellow paper and read the wordings. Just like every time, he efficiently used the energy, only regressing the papers till the words were barely legible. Why would he need them to be in complete pristine condition when he would be reading the same words anyway? Since the blurriness was barely readable coupled with the handwriting looking like it was written by a crazy person, just like always, it took quite a while for him to read what was on the yellow paper. The words - "Hahaha, thank you for making an opening Daoist!" Huh? Is it related to the words on the sixth yellow paper? It spoke about opening too. Eryndor was quite confused at the moment. Is this opening a part of the deal? Since Co-founder Morris had thanked him here, is it Daoisto''s part of the deal? What is this opening referred to here? Why would Co-founder Morris want it? There was still not enough information. Eryndor took out the last piece of yellow paper and showed it to Valentina, and put his hand on her shoulder. Just like last time, the words didn''t immediately change. Eryndor had already anticipated this. If the first one proved to be so troublesome, this one couldn''t be any easier. There were also a lot of words on this yellow paper, at least by the looks of it. He was anticipating the regression of this particular piece the most just by seeing the number of words. It might give him the greatest amount of information. If they turned out to be gibberish like ''shcbskr'' ''ebjcigsvhd'' and the likes then he couldn''t do anything about it. But he still hoped there would be valuable information inside. A man can hope, right? Keeping his eyes trained on the paper, he kept holding it up to Valentina, who was certainly not as calm as him. She was continuously using the transferred Energy of Consciousness to use Regression on the piece of paper but her thoughts were completely turbulent. Just how large is Eryndor''s energy pool??!! That question occupied the largest part of her thoughts as a multiple of them came and went each moment. Time passed by as the words went through a change gradually, the same couldn''t be said about Valentina''s thoughts though, which hadn''t stopped jumping around chaotically. Holy shit this is insane. By now, the amount of Energy of Consciousness Eryndor had spent was equivalent to four of her energy pools! Just what kind of monster is he? Valentina thought back to the time when she felt her energy pool increase. She didn''t know the conditions behind the phenomenon, just that one day she noticed that her amount of Energy of Consciousness was a bit higher than before. She had surmised back then that maybe it was her ability that had progressed a bit, leading to her storage pool of Energy of Consciousness increasing. Assuming that her guess was true, didn''t that mean Eryndor''s abilities had progressed much further than her ability? Just who was he? Valentina''s speculation was indeed true. The quantity of Energy of Consciousness increased with the progress in abilities. Once the abilities had a breakthrough, the quantity would similarly see a drastic increase. Eryndor might not have felt it because he simply never tested the limits of his energy pool after that one time when he felt an intense headache and fatigue after stretching his third person vision range to the limit. Who knew how surprised Valentina would be if she knew how close she came to the truth with her guess. Her ability was only at the first realm - Latent, while Eryndor''s Cognitive Scrying was at Enhanced realm. If one assumed that Active realm was the third level, it meant that Enhanced realm was at fourth. There was a gap of three realms between Valentina''s ability and Eryndor''s ability, of course the energy pool would have a similar level of difference in their quantity. Eventually, Valentina simply became numb to the phenomenon. "Halt." A small sigh of relief escaped her mouth as she stopped using the ability. No matter how numb she had become, it was still a relief that she wouldn''t have to bear witness to his monstrosity. Eryndor clearly misunderstood her sigh, and spoke up. "Sorry for troubling you Valentina. How about I make up to you with a meal after the tournament?" How many people do I owe now oof? He was quite tired as he thought about it. Valentina only gave him a complicated look while nodding. She would bring up this matter later when things didn''t seem to be so urgent for him. Eryndor glanced back at the yellow paper in his hand after dealing with Valentina and carefully read what was written. "Arghhhh arghhhh. Dead! Dead! All dead! "Arghhhh. Everyone who participated in the mission is dead arghhhh! I am the last one left! "No one knows! No one knows! "I am scared! I am scared! I want to live!" His eyes narrowed as he comprehended what was written. Eryndor already had an inkling of what mission Co-founder Morris might be talking about. The mission to seal me. He thought with a certain amount of confidence. The clue was there in the third line itself - ''No one knows.'' He remembered the guide Molina''s words. Dr. Kirchoff had modified the memories of everyone such that no one knew who was the one who had participated in the mission to seal the eldritch entity. If it was any other mission where everybody had died, it would create quite a stir within the Federation. There wouldn''t be a situation of no one knowing about it. Even if it was a top secret mission, people with higher or similar authority would still know about it. And quite honestly, given that this entire matter was revolving around him, it was another clue that the ''mission'' Co-founder Morris was talking about could only be the one to seal him. His eyes narrowed as a variety of speculations began popping up in his mind. Chapter 149 149: Future paths Eryndor first compiled all the messages from the yellow papers that he remembered. The first one was - ''I''ll bring Eldritch Eryndor to you.'' The second one - ''Daoisto!!! Daoisto!!! You must uphold your end of the deal! Else I''ll die!'' Third - ''Hahaha, thank you for making an opening Daoist!'' Fourth - ''The memories oh the no no yes the memories yes haha I have them back I have them back hahahahaha ''But but but arghhhhhhhh.'' Fifth - ''Arghhhh arghhhh. Dead! Dead! All dead! ''Arghhhh. Everyone who participated in the mission is dead arghhhh! I am the last one left! ''No one knows! No one knows! ''I am scared! I am scared! I want to live!'' Sixth - ''jajwbd jajshd that opening...'' Seventh - ''Got it got it got it got it got it got it.'' After recollecting the words written on them, he tried to move them around, to see if some specific order of them made sense. It took quite a while, but no new clue came up. I mean, it kind of makes sense. They were all written by someone who went crazy, why would there be some specific order. I feel stupid. He told his teammates to resume their pace of heading towards Paulina, as he once again delved back into his thoughts. That fifth piece of yellow paper, it spoke about how everyone participating in the mission died. That is creepy. It was certainly odd that everyone who had participated in the mission died. It certainly must''ve happened after the memory modification. Only in this way would no one know that every person who died was a part of the mission to seal an eldritch entity. But the point was, who did it? And why? Only one name came to Eryndor''s mind. Dr. Kirchoff. Well, it was pretty obvious. Assuming that he didn''t end up modifying his memory as well, he was the only person left who accurately knew who all participated in the mission. Of course, there should be a mission record as well. Judging from how everyone''s memories were modified though, he reckoned that only Dr. Kirchoff would have the authority to view it. After all, if more people could view it, why even bother modifying the memories in the first place. Did they even make one? No matter what it was, the biggest possibility was that Dr. Kirchoff having all his memories intact, and also being the one behind the killings. Why did he do it though? Eryndor wondered. The one who was affected the most through this was undoubtedly himself. Modifying everyone''s memories, then proceeding to kill them, if you looked at it from another point of view, it looked like he was protecting Eryndor. Of course, it could also be that Dr. Kirchoff simply didn''t want the news to leak at all, so he took no chances with it. If I assume he did it all to protect me, what could be the reason behind it? Eryndor knew that Dr. Kirchoff was the highest authority when it came to dealing with anomalies. Eldritch entities were also currently counted under anomalies. There was a high probability that he headed the mission to seal him, right? If it was indeed as he had guessed, then what was the reason behind protecting him? First seal me, then protect me? For what? Eryndor shook his head, and put this train of thought to the back of his mind. Although the information contained was explosive, it did nothing to alleviate his current condition. There was also another option he could think of. That their deaths have nothing to do with Dr. Kirchoff. It could be that his eldritch origin somehow caused their deaths. Just exposure to his true form might''ve inflicted some kind of deadly curse or something. But then, if Dr. Kirchoff could save himself from this, why didn''t he save the others? Is it a resource constraint? Eryndor was more inclined to believe his former speculation about Dr. Kirchoff silencing everyone but he put it to the back of his mind and thought about something else. So Co-founder Morris got his memories fixed, and realized that all the people who had died were actually the ones who participated in the mission to seal me. Wait... could it be that this is the deal he made with Daoisto? I mean yea, it had to be something along the lines of saving his life, but I finally know that this is what he wanted to be saved from. But how will that even happen? How could Daoisto help him in a way that would save his life? Eryndor thought about the papers which talked about ''opening''. Does ''opening'' have anything to do with it? Eryndor pulled his hair out of frustration, this was definitely a bit messy. He temporarily halted his thoughts, and sped up, regrouping with his teammates. Maybe a little time off of everything would help him come up with something. "Done with your work?" Valentina asked. He gave her a simple nod. Edward didn''t say anything. He understood that he wasn''t a part of this group, and if even Valentina was being kept out of it, he had no place asking anything. He initiated a different topic though. "If possible, we should fight all the beasts we encounter on the way. "We earlier decided that we''ll steer clear of everything so that we can reach Paulina''s place as quickly as possible. "But I''ve been thinking, if we fight beasts on the way, we''ll only be delayed by two to three hours. That''s not actually bad is it? "Not like Paulina is in some danger, and anyway Syndra will reach there way earlier than us. I do understand the possibility of group attacks, but I haven''t seen many happening. "So overall, it should be okay if we take out some beasts on the way right?" Eryndor thought about his suggestion seriously. Valentina and him both knew that the attack on him was unusual. It wasn''t a usual group attack one would''ve expected in a tournament. But Edward didn''t know about that. He didn''t know that even two to three hours was a lot for Eryndor who wanted to regroup at the earliest to be as safe as possible. Valentina gave Eryndor a knowing look. She understood that Edward had made a valid point, but Eryndor was also right in his place. She was thinking of how to refute Edward when Eryndor spoke. "If it''s about points, why waste two to three hours here, when you could use the same to kill beasts in tundra which would give much more points?" It was a surprisingly easy solution. Edward awkwardly coughed into his fist, and spoke with an undertone of embarrassment in his voice. "I forgot about that. I was just focused on getting points and fighting beasts since I intend to go down that path." Valentina had a confused expression. "Huh?" Edward chuckled, and explained. "Dealing with anomalies, fighting beasts, or going against the Eight Outer Domains, are few of the major paths you can go down as you grow stronger. "It''s one of the things taught at the academy in later years. "They ask you to focus on only one thing, then the academy teaches you everything regarding that. "I am currently pursuing the path of fighting beasts, so the academy teaches us everything related to beasts and efficiently fighting them. "It is honestly very rewarding and worthwhile, because I think that I can even take on beasts at the initial stage of the third realm." Eryndor spoke, easily keeping up with everyone as they were only going at the speed of the initial stage of the first realm. "That''s rather smart of the Academy to divide us into different parts so we can be best at whatever we choose. "Unfortunately, if a particular sector experiences some emergency and needs more people, the reinforcement it would receive would be quite incapable. "By the way, do you know what the third realm for those beasts is called? I am not up to date with it." It was Valentina who replied. "The third realm for beasts and anomalies is called ''Active'' realm. A bit weird, but the Human Federation declared it so we gotta follow." So ''Active'' is indeed the third realm huh? That means the ''Enhanced'' realm is the fourth realm. Eryndor thought back to the levels of his abilities. They shared the naming system with that of anomalies and beasts. While he was in his thoughts, Edward replied to his other point. "Valid. The people trained in one particular path would indeed be weak in others, the Academy is planning to implement a system where students can take another secondary path where they''ll be at least trained to an acceptable standard. "It hasn''t been implemented yet, just a few notices which were passed around." Eryndor nodded his head. "I see. So you are weak when against a human?" He bluntly asked, to which Edward embarrassedly laughed. "Yea, I only won the ranking battle by pure luck because my opponent also happened to not specialise in combat against humans. "You can take an example of the leader of that team Yetoren which scanned us for any anomalies. "Ronin was his name right? Despite being at stage seven of the second realm, I felt a sense of crisis when I looked at him. "I reckon that he should be extremely adept at fighting with humans. Even with my superior stage nine of second realm, I would''ve lost if I fought him." Eryndor and Valentina both nodded in Edward''s direction and thanked him for the information. It was indeed good to have contact with seniors. Suddenly, Eryndor sensed something. Chapter 150 150: The battle oriented first year Eryndor didn''t really have anything to ask senior Sander. Even with the yellow papers all being decoded, there wasn''t any viable question he could think of. Maybe I should''ve just asked for general information about Co-founder Morris? That would''ve provided some clue, right? Oh yea, I can also tell him about all these papers, and just hide the one where my name is written. Wait, maybe I should also hide the one about all the participants of the mission being dead. Although it would be a good clue, Dr. Kirchoff, who is the main suspect, would come into the spotlight if more people knew about this. And if more people knew about this, maybe my information would be leaked as well? Yea no, this needs to be hidden as well. Does that mean I''ll also have to hide the other paper which mentions recovering memory? Yep, let''s not take any risk. I can show him the remaining four yellow papers though. Alright, so he could currently ask all the information on Co-founder Morris, and send the photo of four yellow papers, letting Sander think if the proof was enough. He couldn''t tell him about the teleport mechanism being deactivated at the time when he was pursued, because he had to have killed or heavily injured someone to know that information. Eryndor wasn''t ready to trust Sander with the information that he might''ve killed a few students, not to mention it would also involve him in the matter. Questions like, ''Why were they after you?'' and the likes would pop up. Just when he was about to send the message though, his extended vision sensed something unusual. He saw a bush move about, rustling slightly. Eryndor would normally not pay attention to every small thing within his extended vision. It could be some wind moving the bush, or some other thing. But the unusual aspect was that the bush moved more and more as they neared. "Wait guys." Eryndor spoke up, narrowing his eyes at the bush. Unlike in his eldritch form, he couldn''t really completely control his extended vision to the point of zooming in and scrutinizing more closely. The two of them immediately stopped, knowing Eryndor''s insane range. "We''ll take a detour." Eryndor softly spoke. It wasn''t the first time they did it. They had come across a few particularly powerful beasts during their journey where they chose to detour rather than fight. None of them found it weird, except Eryndor, who kept his eyes trained on the bush while changing directions. Is it a beast? Or is it some person sent to attack me? Eryndor was more inclined to believe in the latter. Of all the beasts they had taken a detour from, none of them had a sensing range as large as him, which meant they didn''t know he was in the vicinity. This bush clearly moved more and more as they closed distance with it, which was why he spoke of taking a detour. The second point, there wasn''t yet a creature displayed on the tournament ranking website which looked like a bush, or could camouflage. There indeed existed creatures small enough to hide in the bush though, but Eryndor didn''t want to take any chances. Just when he thought he was wrong, a big movement happened in the bush as a person stepped out, leaves sticking on a few parts of his body. He looked accurately in Eryndor''s direction and spoke, "So you could sense me huh? "What dogshit information I had, and he even forced me to hide and take no chances. "I almost couldn''t wait as you came closer, my restless movements must''ve exposed me, huh? No matter, it''s easy work anyway." Before the three of them could even get in formation, the man had already covered half the distance. Edward was barely able to hold up his weapon to block the fist as Eryndor and Valentina moved away, intending to give support. The man spoke once again. Even though he was cursing, one could see that he wasn''t really afraid. "Bullshit, you even have a stage nine Elementalist? All my information was fucking outdated, fucking downright wrong." Elementalist was the second stage of the Mage power system. Everyone was able to sense his realm as soon as he made his move. "Stage six of Silver Warrior realm, who are you?" Silver Warrior was the second level of the Martial Arts power system. Edward grunted, blocking another blow as he spoke. Valentina made the white snake use its ability, shooting a white sphere straight at the man who proceeded to dodge it with ease. Eryndor had simultaneously used the Lightning Infusion along with the lightning version of Sky Piercing Palm, when Kron dodged Valentina''s white snake''s attack, he happened to be in the path of his attack. Unfortunately, the man was simply too good at fighting, unnaturally twisting his body, he moved out of the way while holding up a small shield to block the fire based spell thrown by Edward. "He should be Kron." Valentina spoke through clenched teeth, gazing at the man before them. As soon as she spoke out, the other two also realized who he was. The strongest first year among Martial Artists? Eryndor wondered, but from the looks of it, he was strong enough to even give Edward a run for money. This is a first year? Fuck, and here I was getting so proud. Eryndor didn''t linger too much on his thoughts, assisting Edward whenever he could. Despite Edward being a stage nine Elementalist and Kron being a stage six Silver Warrior, the latter was almost taking all three of them alone in the fight. ''Almost'' because he was grazed a few times due to Edward''s unusual ability, in the beginning. From the looks of it though, he had already figured out the mechanism and adapted to it. Does he specialise in dealing with people? Eryndor firsthand realized the difference between people who walked different paths. The Elementalist was clearly having difficulty keeping up even with Eryndor and Valentina''s help. He cast Environmental Shackles, making earthen roots appear which quickly bind themselves to Kron''s legs. Without even a second of delay, Valentina cast her ability once again while Eryndor used the fire elemental version of Sky Piercing Palm. He kept using the same cultivation art because that was the only ranged one he had, and he didn''t have any confidence in fighting Kron in close quarters. Who knew what was he here for? If he was simply here to defeat them, then it would be alright. However, if he was here to push him into the abyss, then things could get nasty. "Grrr." Grunting heavily, through sheer strength, Kron tore off the earthen roots binding his legs, and used a martial art which twisted body at unnatural angles to dodge the incoming attacks, but the female student''s attack still managed to graze by his arm. Doding another round of attacks, he sidestepped, and landed a roundhouse kick at the lead student''s neck from his blind spot. "Argh." Eryndor lightly groaned, his arm shaking from the pure impact Kron''s leg made on his spiked mace when he interfered with his kick on Edward''s neck. "That might''ve killed him!" Eryndor yelled at Kron, intending to probe the man, who simply chuckled, while moving towards Valentina. "Trust me, I know how to control my strength, I am not here to kill. Not to mention the mechanism of the tournament would save him anyway." Edward once again intercepted Kron, using a physique enhancing spell to keep up with the Martial Artist as he blocked one of his punches aimed at Valentina. Not paying him any attention, Kron swung his other arm at Valentina, when an unexpected light flashed his eye. A sharp cry was heard as the white snake wailed, getting hit directly by Kron. One must remember that the enlarged white snake was still a stage nine Latent realm beast. Even if one considered its physique, it would be difficult to withstand a person who was a stage six Silver Warrior, the power system known for training the body. Not to mention Kron was extremely combat oriented. Just what is his ability? Eryndor wondered, shooting another Sky Piercing Palm, this time using the air element in hopes that it would land entirely due to how unnoticeable it was. Kron sensed the attack coming too late as he bent backwards to avoid it, but it still cut through his shoulder. Not a single cry of pain was heard as a hefty chunk of meat was cut off. Just a second later though, Eryndor could see the wound healing, flesh regenerating at a visible pace as he withstood attacks from all four, Valentina, Eryndor, Edward, and the white snake. Regeneration? No. Eryndor denied it quickly, his wound didn''t start healing immediately. He also noticed that all the previous places where he had been injured were healed completely. Kron had used four martial arts up till now, one to increase speed, one to twist his body at unnatural angles, one to increase the damage output, and one to abruptly change directions. Yes, he kept using the last one in tandem with increased speed and weird twisting of body to attack from random spots, straight at the vital points. Eryndor could sense how deadly the situation was. Edward had essentially become a meat shield, using his ability to heal himself repeatedly while the white snake accompanied him in tanking some hits. Valentina and him continued to be backline support, throwing attacks one after another. Suddenly, Valentina whispered to him after closing the distance midfight. "I am out of the Energy of Consciousness." Chapter 151 151: Something is kept hidden Eryndor gritted his teeth in frustration. Fuck, worst case situation. It could be said that it was partially his fault, for having her use her ability on regressing the yellow papers. It consumed such an enormous amount of energy that during their journey, she recovered enough to only use the white snake''s ability for a minute or two. Yes, it had barely been at most two minutes since the fight started. Sensing that he still had the ability to transfer the energy, he did so immediately, pouring large amounts of Energy of Consciousness. "Stop stop stop." Valentina hurriedly whispered, almost scared by the amount pouring in, she wouldn''t have been able to withstand it if he kept transferring more energy. Just how much fucking goddamn energy does he have? She was absolutely gobsmacked, as she rejoined the fight. Similar to Eryndor, she could only copy the white snake''s ability and use it as that was the only means of ranged attacks that she had. Eventually, at a certain point, Eryndor failed to cover for the mistake Edward made, allowing Kron to punch at his shoulder. Straight direct contact. Everyone heard a loud cracking sound, as the Elementalist grunted. Even though he hadn''t reached the level of Kron who was indifferent when a chuck of his flesh was cut off, he was still a fighter who had chosen the path of going against beasts. It wasn''t a path without injuries. His reaction was subdued, without crying out in pain, he took to using his ability on himself while once again covering for his team. Valentina had the white snake join the battle alongside Edward instead of staying with her. Eryndor narrowed his eyes as he realized that the battle had shifted a bit. It wasn''t much, but he had been extremely paranoid about the direction in which the abyss was located, so he quickly noticed it. Let''s wait and see if it''s really about that. A minute went by in deadlock as Kron couldn''t go past Edward and the white snake while the four of them couldn''t hurt the guy. All the injuries Kron sustained were healed as the fight went on. Something clicked in Eryndor''s mind as he finally realized what Kron''s ability was. It''s not healing, at least not active healing which he can control. After sustaining an injury, he can only heal when he gets hit. There was also something more he discerned. I''ve only recognized four martial arts up till now, one to enhance speed, one for abrupt direction change, one to twist the body unnaturally, and one for higher damage output, but sometimes his arm flashes grey. Is that his defensive art? Why would he need defensive art when he had his healing ability? I mean, it is certainly not weird that he uses a defensive art while having a healing ability, because, well, not everyone likes to get hurt, healing should be used as a backup. But why is he only using defensive art ''after'' getting injured? Was it a way to conserve Internal Energy? It would indeed be logical to only use defensive art when necessary when he was already using four martial arts, and had a healing ability which consumed a different energy. But what if the reason was something else? Just when Eryndor was in the middle of his thoughts, his lightning elemental Sky Piercing Palm happened to hit Kron, briefly stunning him. Valentina''s or the white snake''s ability wouldn''t have reached Kron immediately as they had just fired alongside Eryndor. Conjuring another white sphere took some time. Edward was quick to capitalize on the brief span of immobility as he swung the sharp edge of his weapon at his legs, giving him a long deep cut. As usual, there wasn''t a hint of anguish on Kron''s face as he proceeded to move out of the way as soon as the stun wore off. Edward followed up with a jab at his leg, but Kron twisted mid air to take the hit on his arm. Wait. Why did he take it on his arm? He could''ve allowed his other uninjured leg to take the hit, which was way easier and wouldn''t have required him to use that twisting martial art to block with his arm. With this extremely obvious strange incident as a reference, Eryndor thought back to the fight and noticed a few moments when Kron deliberately went out of his way to block with his arms when he could''ve done so with his legs. His brain went into overdrive as he immediately came up with two options of what his ability might be. He needs to get hit within the next few seconds after getting injured, only then would his ability work and heal the wounds. That would explain why he doesn''t dodge but prefers to get hit immediately after incurring some wound, and his defensive martial art only seems to be for his arms, which is why he might be always using his arms to block. The second possibility may be that his innate ability only recognises his ''arms'' as an area to get hit so he could heal. For example, if he was hit on the leg immediately after getting hurt, the ability wouldn''t work to heal the wound, the hits need to be on the arms. That would explain why his defensive art only covers his arms, he only needs that part to get hit after all. Or it could also be both the possibilities together. Eryndor glanced at the battle taking place. He definitely couldn''t head toward Edward and tell him of his conclusions, Kron would easily hear it even over the sounds of battle. At the back though, it would be near impossible for him to hear anything if Eryndor whispered to Valentina. He did just that, closing the distance with her and softly spoke. "Don''t attack immediately after he gets injured, and make sure to avoid his arms, attack his legs or something." Edward had only gotten to attack after putting Kron on a backfoot, his current job was to be on the defensive while Eryndor and Valentina handled the offense, so it was anyway not going to be worthwhile telling this to Edward. The next few seconds, neither Valentina nor Eryndor got the chance to land a hit on Kron, but the man was keen enough to notice a change in their attack patterns. Did they figure out my ability? So quickly? Or is it just a guess? Kron thought with astonishment as he continued fighting. As a repeatedly praised combat genius, his instincts and intellect when figuring out abilities and weaknesses were extremely sharp, but even he couldn''t guarantee that he could''ve done any better when faced with an ability as subtle as his. Using the twisting martial art, he bent his legs forward, and hit Edward who didn''t see it coming. Unfortunately, before his leg could make contact with Edward''s back, a spiked mace blocked his way. He harrumphed in annoyance as the same person blocked his strike for the nth time. Insane combat sense. A good thing he isn''t the one who is at stage nine level two. He appreciated him, but some things had to be done. Kron cared more about his personal growth rather than everyone else. Morals? Did that give strength? The fight visibly saw a change as Kron was the one being suppressed now. Eryndor couldn''t confirm which one of the two possibilities was the correct answer, but judging from the state of the battle, he was at least sure that the answer was indeed among the two listed possibilities and not a third unknown one. A few moments later he narrowed his eyes as he confirmed something. He is indeed slowly but steadily shifting the battle towards the abyss. But the abyss wasn''t so close that their fight would last long enough till they reached there. There definitely had to be something which Kron could use to push Eryndor into the abyss. Wait, could it be that Kron is hiding his power? Or some move? Some treasure or Mystical Artifact? All along, Eryndor had been placing himself behind Edward and close to Valentina. Only once was Kron able to go past Edward, but due to several factors, he could only head towards Valentina. Is he waiting for me? A chance to approach me? He gritted his teeth, launching another Sky Piercing Palm while continuing to think. Fuck, we definitely can''t choose to run. Kron would almost certainly choose to chase instead of just leaving it be, he was instructed to push me into the abyss after all. Even if Edward has an escape treasure, given Kron''s standing of being Guardian Sol''s disciple, he must have some similar treasure too. Escaping along in different directions is an even worse decision. Kron would definitely choose me to chase, that''s a no brainer. There was another option to effectively counter whatever Kron was hiding. To take out their trump cards first. Fuck, I don''t have any trump cards, and I definitely can''t switch to my second form. There''s a literally professional team going around specially hired to snuff out traces of a powerful entity, or even an eldritch entity. I can only ask others. With extreme seriousness, he whispered to Valentina. "Do you have any trump cards?" The young woman looked at him, who held an abnormally serious expression. Before she could reply, Eryndor spoke. "Trust me, the situation is far more serious than it looks. We need something immediately, and sufficiently powerful to ward off the threat of Kron." After hesitating a bit, Valentina nodded. Chapter 152 152: The black snake Valentina could see the almost palpable level of seriousness Eryndor was exuding. Even though she knew about the abyss, since she wasn''t the target, she wasn''t as paranoid as Eryndor. She hadn''t noticed that Kron was subtly luring them towards the abyss. Even though she had agreed, Eryndor continued whispering. "Look, I know everything is happening because of me. I''ll compensate you for this alright? Trust me, I will. I keep my word." Valentina only put a finger on her lips. "Don''t speak of compensation. I do have a trump card, it will let me contract my black snake in the Beast Seeker realm itself. "However, I''ll be unavailable for a while. You''ll need to hold out for like thirty seconds." Eryndor promptly shut up and held his spiked mace tight. There was a possibility that Kron might come after him seeing that Valentina had stopped attacking. Any sane person would immediately realize that she might be preparing something. As expected, just a few seconds after Valentina stopped shooting the white spheres, Kron gazed at Eryndor, their gaze locking on each other. Kron''s lips twisted into a smirk as he spoke. "So you already knew. That was smart. A pity that smartness doesn''t take you anywhere. It''s power." As soon as he uttered the last line, Kron''s speed immediately shot up. Edward sidestepped to block his charge, only to run into an afterimage. He was late. Eryndor managed to glimpse that even small shrubs, and twigs sticking out from the ground and nearby bushes were cutting open Kron''s skin as he ran. Is that why he was delaying until now? That his extreme speed comes at a cost of drastic decrease in his defense? Makes sense, Valentina''s white sphere is far more lethal than any of my Sky Piercing Palm''s elements. Can''t help, one is an innate ability while one is an acquired skill. The thought only lasted a moment, as he began waving the spiked mace around with a tight grip without even waiting for Kron to close the gap. If even shrubs and twigs can hurt him enough, he would certainly be more wary of the spiked mace right? As an additional layer of safety, he circulated Lightning Infusion and coated his body with lightning element Qi. Turns out that was still not his full speed. One moment Kron was heading towards him, the next moment he was already behind him. Eryndor didn''t have the chance to change the direction of his spiked mace as Kron threw a punch. "Peekaboo, behind you idiot." Kron grinned. Well, at least I was right about one thing, he really couldn''t even touch me with the lightning element Qi coating my skin. With his paltry defense in that state, even the stun oriented lightning element might''ve fried him crisp. Eryndor only had time for a single thought before he backstepped, creating distance and enough time to hold up the mace before the punch. The impact sent him staggering backwards as Kron smirked. Eryndor saw Edward running towards him, but there was still like two to three seconds till he reached. He activated Lightning Infusion, his body sparking as he rushed forward, aiming a Sky Piercing Palm of air element at his opponent''s throat¡ªsilent, and invisible. The Silver Warrior twisted unnaturally, his twisting art letting his torso bend sideways at a sharp angle, the attack slicing only air. Before Eryndor could react, Kron launched forward with a burst of speed, a palm amplified with offensive art slamming into Eryndor''s ribs. Crimson Armor took the first brunt, then the Sovereign''s Cloak which abruptly consumed his energy of Consciousness to protect him. No injuries, no harm done. The Cloak protected him completely, just the force behind the palm sent him skidding backwards. "Oh? A defensive treasure? That''s a nuisance." Kron frowned. Eryndor didn''t say anything, but glanced at Valentina out of the corner of his eye. The young woman had her hand placed on the black snake, but her head happened to be turned in his direction, her narrowed eyes matching his with a knowing look, and her lips twisted in a teasing smirk. Uh oh, she sensed Sovereign''s Cloak? Up until now, he had only worn Sovereign''s Cloak, it was nothing but a random cloak on him. But when it blocked Kron''s punch, it actually activated, it was an ability in action, and since he was in Valentina''s range, she could sense it. Fuck it, it''s just another secret she would know of. He recognised this wasn''t the time to be worried about it. Edward had reached by the time, but the problem was, with Valentina out of action, Kron was extremely bold in avoiding Edward altogether and heading towards him. "How long will your treasure last anyway huh?" Kron spoke, bypassing Edward as he punched Eryndor. Gritting his teeth, he used Shadowstep, slipping under the warrior''s extended arm to strike with Internal Fist, aiming for his gut. The Silver Warrior grinned. His defensive art flared on his arms as he twisted again, catching the blow with his elbow. His knee shot up, smashing into Eryndor''s side, sending him airborne. Mid-air, Eryndor swung his mace, the spiked head detaching and shooting towards his opponent. The warrior blurred sideways, using direction shifting art to evade, then closed the gap in an instant, his hand shaped into a hook. The expected attack didn''t arrive, as Kron hooked his cloth and flung him in another direction. Fuck, seeing that I have a defensive treasure he would rather carry me over to the abyss than attack me? Eryndor quickly had a thought mid-air, and came up with a plan when he caught sight of Kron bypassing Edward once again to head towards him. He should be using his extreme speed to catch up, I can do one thing. Kron mentally heaved a sigh as he saw his target about to drop on the ground. He had flung him far enough that by the time that stage nine Elementalist reached, he would have already carried his target far away. A pity he couldn''t knock him out due to his defensive treasure. He would have very much preferred to do that so he could use his extreme speed without any inhibitions. Just when he was about to cancel his extreme speed to pick up the guy who was already getting up, a tremendous amount of pain registered in his brain. It was high enough that even with his abnormal pain tolerance he had developed gradually over several years through fighting and putting himself at risk, he felt a sharp pain that almost made him cry out loud. His sight travelled down as he saw his body had been pelted by an immeasurable number of tiny stones, twigs, or any random object. How? I thought they had used everything? I didn''t sense any of the four energies. Was it his ability? Is it Telekinesis, didn''t that guy say it was Passive Regeneration? The amount of wrong information made Kron think that he might have been the one plotted against. But why would someone give him such an absolute mind boggling amount of resources just to plot against him? These guys had just laid too low, not even letting the Federation know about their information. The extreme pain momentarily halted Kron as Eryndor made a run for it. He had taken advantage of his low defenses to use his trump card - Telekinesis. Yes, it might have been counted as weak in the earlier battle, but now? Especially when the defenses were lowered? It was a trump card. The countless small objects he controlled made for perfect attack as he pelted the young man before he could cancel the martial art. "Arghhhh, fuck it. You''ve gone and done it, I don''t care about using it now." Kron yelled out in frustration as he took out a knuckle duster. It glowed bright red as he made a run for them. "I''m done." Valentina spoke and stood beside Eryndor who had already regrouped with Edward. "It seems to be some one-time use treasure. No other reason why he wouldn''t take it out until now." Eryndor guessed out loud. However, he withheld another point which Valentina might''ve guessed as well, but none of them said it out loud. The weapon might be extremely precious, but also lethal enough to kill the target. He thought. Edward spoke quickly, "We should make a run for it, I have a bad feeling." Valentina held up her hand, on which two snakes were coiled around, white and black. "No worries, just wait." The white snake and black snake simultaneously opened their mouths and shot spheres of their respective colors, straight at the incoming Kron, who was completely bloodied from head to toe. The man held up his knuckle duster, intending to take the hit through the weapon to heal his wounds. The white and black sphere landed on him at the same time, but no one would''ve expected the result. When the two spheres landed on Kron''s outstretched weapon, there wasn''t any blast like when the white spheres used to land. Instead, a thin horizontal line of black and white segments extended in both directions at about two meters of distance. Then it burst, but there wasn''t any fire or an explosive sound. Pure black and white colors abruptly filled the spherical area around Kron as jagged crackling threads of both colors occasionally escaped the sphere just like lightning in the air. It was silent, unassuming, pale, and devoid of anything flashy. But the result? Deadly. Edward gasped with horror as he beheld the aftermath. Chapter 153 153: Yin Yang Convergence "This is bad." Edward whispered. Eryndor could see that a mangled corpse lay on the ground, lifeless, with the same expression it held when facing the spheres. The Elementalist jogged forward, bending on one knee as he checked the body for any signs of life. With a horrified expression, he said while glancing at Valentina and Eryndor. "He is dead. This was not supposed to go this far." The Academy and by extension the Human Federation, were strict in regards to the life of students. It was not that they intended for the students to be greenhouse flowers, but the Academy was a place for learning. They believed that pushing the students to the point of ''almost dying'', ''despair'', ''hopelessness'', was as far as they should go. Dying was a no go. The Federation was already having trouble protecting humanity, why would they let their promising young generation die just in the learning phase? Also, it wasn''t as if they were not being educated about the horrors of the world out there. They were sent to dangerous missions just like any other professional team out there, only with an additional protection which would save them at critical times if things went south. They couldn''t be said to be greenhouse flowers with every trial they were made to go through. Only one condition, no deaths. The students were precious. Every graduate who made it out alive was one extra guardian for the survival of humanity. Edward looked at Eryndor and Valentina for a good few seconds, studying their expressions as he narrowed his eyes and softly probed. "You deliberately did it, didn''t you? You knew about it." With a calm expression, Eryndor reminded Edward. "Instead of doubting us, don''t you instead find it weird that he died in the first place at all?" After being reminded by Eryndor, Edward''s eyes slightly widened as he came to a realization. He had completely forgotten about this in the flow of the situation. "Kron wasn''t teleported out at a crucial juncture." He noted. "Exactly." Eryndor nodded. The mage glanced at the corpse, then back at the two of his teammates and helplessly shook his head. "You should have let me know, you know? Because it looks like both of you knew what was happening, and I was the only one in the dark fighting like an idiot. "I am not as goody two shoes as I look, don''t go on my mannerisms. You can trust me with things like this." Edward didn''t hesitate to extend an olive branch to these people. Reason? They were the most monstrous geniuses he had ever come across. One could say he only did it because he saw their potential, because he saw profit, but could anyone blame him? That''s how the world worked after all. If he didn''t see any potential, he might not have ratted them out, but he also wouldn''t have offered his help. "Can you tell me more about this?" He followed up when none of them talked. Eryndor shrugged. "They are after me for some reason even I don''t know about. "Maybe it''s about targeting geniuses like senior Sander spoke about? The purge might not have been fully successful after all. "I only knew about the teleport mechanism being turned off when we defeated that group last time." Edward tilted his head. "You mean..." "Yea, all nine. No more." Valentina confirmed concisely. The Mage went quiet, while Eryndor thought about the information he had gotten at the last moment. The entire time, the battle had been going on with extremely low margin of error, he couldn''t afford to distract himself with other tasks. However, in the end, when Kron was far away and was heading towards them without using extreme speed, with Edward in front of him and Valentina assuring them, he took a chance to use Cognitive Scrying. Indeed, he had gotten a lot of gifts from a certain someone. That man told Kron to push me into the abyss in any way possible. There is a high chance that this person is simply a middle-man working for Co-founder Morris. He wouldn''t expose himself like this after all. Edward began burying the body. Eryndor and Valentina weren''t idle either as they erased all traces of battle. "What about this treasure?" Edward held up the knuckle duster. Its bright red glow had been knocked down by a notch, but no one doubted its lethality even in that state. "Valentina deserves it." Eryndor spoke, which no one refuted. Edward glanced at Eryndor and asked. "Do you want me to notify my father? Messing around with an artifact responsible for the safety of students is definitely not something just anyone can do. "Some corrupted higher up might''ve managed to avoid the purge. Dr. Ralph might not have a political presence but he does have strong connections." Eryndor tilted his head. "Can you give me his number instead? Or does the one on the Academy''s website work? I''ll contact him myself." Edward didn''t take any offense to that, but explained. "The one on the academy''s website does work, but he doesn''t check it as often. If there''s something more urgent you want to convey, there''s a different number which he uses more frequently, I''ll give you that." Just as Eryndor was about to start noting down the number, Edward''s attention shifted to Valentina who had joined them after finishing her task. "Oh hey, what was that last attack? Pretty deadly to be honest, or I must say, creepy. It took out that guy in one hit." Valentina tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and answered. "Both my snakes have equal amounts of damage, but if the attacks happen to meet each other, it will trigger a reaction which would result in a much higher damage output. "I''ve named it Yin Yang Convergence. There is so much more to it, but we can cover that up later I guess." She eyed Eryndor''s phone which had the contact application open. "Oh yea." Edward understood the clue and dictated the number. Gazing at Dr. Ralph''s number, Eryndor thought. I do indeed have a question related to revered appellations. Chapter 154 154: Arranging things Eryndor looked at his teammates. "Are we done here? We should start moving." Both of them nodded, and resumed their journey of heading towards the tundra. Along the way, Eryndor sent a message introducing himself politely to Dr. Ralph, and asked. "Can I know if one line revered appellations are possible?" While waiting for his reply, he went back into thought while keeping pace with the two of his teammates. Over time, it had grown easier and easier to run along the forest with his mind occupied by thoughts, so he didn''t get grazed by any sharp twig or object sticking out from the dense jungle around them. In that recording which team leader Ronin has, there is only a single line of revered appellation. Eryndor deliberately didn''t think of the revered appellation, as his previous conjecture was still fresh in his mind. Just the thought might be enough to trigger a response and establish connection. At least, it happened when he was invoking his own revered appellation. There was a stirring within him before he even spoke the words, as if just the thought was enough. But before he thought of this conjecture, he had thought about that one line plenty of times. Nothing had happened since then. Is it only the case with me? Or do one line revered appellations don''t get this function? I can ask this to Dr. Ralph as well. He had first asked about the existence of one line revered appellations because he wanted to know if it was even possible in the first place. If it wasn''t possible, and that entity had more lines of revered appellation, then the possibility of that one particular line which he knew about, having some influence in the plot decreased. Imagine this, there was something going involving an entity with a single ability. It would be normal to guess that its ability might have something to do with what was going on. But what if the entity had more than one ability and the rest except that one were hidden? What if the entity had four? Then the possibility that that one particular known ability having an influence on what was going one might decrease to one fourth, that was twenty five percent. Sure, it could also be that the entity in the abyss had four lines of revered appellation, but the human which managed to escape only knew one of them. But even if that was the case, what could Eryndor do about it? Nothing. Since he only knew about one line, and if Dr. Ralph confirmed that entities with single line revered appellations could exist, then he would assume that particular line as having something to do with the situation around himself. Yes, it was akin to taking a best case scenario, but that was all he could work with until he got more information. While he was in his thoughts, Dr. Ralph replied to him. "I don''t really know about this. I have near negligible knowledge in this field. I''ll forward this to Dr. Kirchoff and see if he can answer this. "Do you have any other doubts related to this? I''ll send it all to him in one package." Eryndor sent him another message. "Yes, I do have one more doubt, at least for the time being. "If one just ''thinks'' about the revered appellations, would it trigger a response from the entity to whom the lines point towards? Would it form any sort of connection or something?" "Damn boy, that''s one bold question. Don''t scare me like that, I''ve done that experiment in front of you just recently after all. "No matter how friendly the entity is, I don''t want it to establish any form of connection with me." Eryndor speechlessly thought. Old man, you''ve already formed a connection with that entity, you''re even talking to him on chats. But then again, I do indeed don''t have any sort of direct supernatural connection to him. Is that the case because my powers are still partially sealed? Or does the connection not form at all? He sent a reply to Dr. Ralph. "That''s all for now. Sorry in advance if I happen to disturb you with another doubt in the near future. I''ll be sure to gift you something for the trouble." Sigh, another one added to the list. He thought with exhaustion, and helplessness about the situation. "Oh boy, don''t worry about that. I wouldn''t have placed myself in the Academy if I didn''t like being pestered with questions from younglings. "Oftentimes it gives me ideas and opens new possibilities. Well, if there''s nothing else I''ll take my leave. "I''ve already sent your doubts to Dr. Kirchoff, once he answers, I''ll forward them to you immediately." Eryndor only sent a simple thank you. Well, at least that is taken care of. He then opened Sander''s chats and sent him the images of three yellow papers, he had already sent the one with Daoisto in the past. They were sent in the following order - First - ''Daoisto!!! Daoisto!!! You must uphold your end of the deal! Else I''ll die!'' Second - ''Hahaha, thank you for making an opening Daoist!'' Third - ''jajwbd jajshd that opening...'' Fourth - ''Got it got it got it got it got it got it.'' After the images, he sent a message. "Are these enough?" He looked at the time, it hadn''t even been an hour from when Sander last sent the message. Technically, he shouldn''t have gone to training yet. And indeed, there was a quick reply from his side. "The fourth one could indeed increase the probability that the one writing it may be Morris. "Morris was speaking those same words when he left the secret realm, there is already a high chance that it was all written by him. "Well, it could also be that his other teammates could have been influenced such that they would utter those words ''got it'', but they died and he survived. Uhhh, chuck it, I won''t give you a hard time, let''s assume it was indeed Morris. "The second and third papers speak about the same thing. Some kind of opening. And if you add the first paper, it seems like this ''opening'' was something Morris was urging Daoisto to uphold, else he would die. "All in all, it is suspicious only based on the fact that there was no one in the secret realm when the Federation swept through it after its opening. Just who was Morris talking to? And what is this opening? "Do you have any other ideas? "I fear that it may have something to do with the abyss. We can''t take any risk regarding that. Even though it is just a conjecture without any concrete proof, it is still important enough." "And is this all information you''ve got?" Eryndor read through the messages. I''ve already considered opening being a part of the deal. Just what could it be? I don''t have any ideas either. Also, I am glad that he came to the conclusion that the abyss might be involved without me exposing anything about myself. And that last line, is he doubting me that I''m withholding more information? Eryndor shrugged. I don''t want to tell you everything, what can you do? Reigning in his impulse, he replied that he didn''t have any ideas nor did he have any more information. Sander: "Alright, this is barely enough for me to personally act. Do you want that? Or do you want to involve the Human Federation? "Mind you, Morris is a Co-founder. To move against him, this amount of clues might not be enough. "And even if I act against him, I''ll only apprehend him, not allowing him to remain in the secret realm any longer. The final decision will still be taken by the Federation." Eryndor gritted his teeth in frustration. Of course it is not enough to end that guy, but what else can I even tell you? Everything else involves me personally. After a moment of thought, he typed in his response and sent the message. "Can you notify the Human Federation such that Co-founder Morris wouldn''t be alerted of what''s happening and arrive here personally as well?" Sander: "Oh, so you still want to take a chance with the Human Federation? Well, that''s a good call. I''ll notify Dr. Kirchoff directly. "Among all my connections, only he has enough authority to not let Morris know about the things taking place in the Federation. "And about my personal help. You''re not under any immediate danger are you? "It''s because I can''t really enter the portal. If I need to be sneaky without alerting Morris, I''ll need Dr. Kirchoff''s help in entering the secret realm. "So a better plan would be that I''ll get Dr. Kirchoff''s permission but stay outside the secret realm so as to not alert Morris. The tournament judges can only stay at the entrance of the realm, so they''ll know as soon as I enter. "Once the Federation makes some progress with the clues you''ve sent or if something goes wrong on your side, notify me immediately and I''ll enter through the portal. "However, if you want me to act immediately without waiting for Morris to expose himself, I can do that as well. Your call." Eryndor: "I am not under any immediate danger. And the former plan sounds better. Stay outside the secret realm, I''ll immediately notify you if Co-founder Morris is up to something." Sander: "Works." Eryndor took a deep breath, and was about to keep the phone in his pocket when he abruptly remembered the other thing he wanted to ask Sander. Chapter 155 155: Yin Yang Beam As he typed out his message, Eryndor thought over his decision of letting Sander stay outside the secret realm. Yes, it''s the right call. I can''t let him apprehend Co-founder Morris just yet. The Federation wouldn''t pass any harsh judgment on him with just those four papers as a proof. That person knows about my eldritch identity, he needs to die. I can only wait for more things to crop up before catching him in one move. As he went through all the clues to see if he missed anything, he sent the message to Sander. It was about asking him for all the information of Co-founder Morris. Sander: "Wait a few minutes, I''ll compile the information and send it in a package." Eryndor: "Thank you." Finally, he kept the phone in his pocket and took a deep breath. All that needed to be done on his side was completed. Now he only needed to wait for responses from Dr. Ralph and Sander. He hoped to make a breakthrough in the situation with the new information he would get from them. "There''s a beast in front of us. Let''s take a detour." He alerted his team members, and changed his direction. However, Valentina interjected just then. "Wait, I told you there was more to these two snakes than just Yin Yang Convergence, right? Targeting a beast would be suitable to demonstrate the other ability of the two snakes. "I mean, not necessarily compulsory. But the visual explanation is pleasing and easier to understand. You getting me? Is it okay if we spend a few minutes?" Eryndor didn''t even have to think before nodding his head. He definitely wanted to witness more aspects about the two snakes. "Is it a weak one?" She asked. Eryndor sensed through his extended vision and answered. "From its size, it looks like it is around the mid stage of Latent realm." "Is it one of the beasts which grows larger the stronger it grows?" Edward asked. He nodded. "No wonder you looked at the size to deduce its stage and realm." Edward smiled. Eryndor turned to Valentina. "Is this new ability not as strong as Yin Yang Convergence? "I mean, no offense, but no other reason you''ll ask if it''s a weak one, right?" The young woman smiled. "Well, you''ve certainly hit the mark. "Both my snakes are currently at the peak stage of Latent realm. "The individual spheres of the white and black snake have damage at the peak stage of Latent realm. "The Yin Yang Convergence has damage at the peak stage of the Stable realm. "And¡ª" Edward''s eye shot up as he interrupted. "Wait, Yin Yang Convergence is that powerful? "I knew it was powerful when it killed Kron in one move despite him using that weapon to block, but he was also injured heavily you know, I didn''t think it was this deadly." Valentina smiled. "Yes, it indeed has that level of damage, and I''m just taking a lower estimate. If I take the highest estimate, it might even have enough damage to barely touch the initial stage of Active realm." "Wow." Eryndor softly uttered. That was really powerful. Eryndor wondered just how broken was Valentina''s luck to get the two snakes. He knew how difficult it was to punch above your level. To hit a complete realm above your current standing? Those snakes were pretty broken alright. Of course, as their realm increased it would be more and more difficult to punch above their own level, not to mention jumping an entire realm, but it was still an impressive feat. "Let me finish¡ª" Valentina cut them off, and continued. "The third ability, well, I''ll show you. I can sense that beast as well now." They jogged a bit further until the beast entered their sight. It was a horned beast which looked like a scaled buffalo. Its blood red eyes immediately locked on to them as it kicked its hind legs in the air and charged towards them. The two of them watched as both the snakes on Valentina''s hand began glowing white. Does the third ability need them to enlarge? Eryndor thought but quickly took back his guess when he saw that their size didn''t seem to be expanding. Instead, the two thread-like glowing snakes closed distance between each other before apparently what seemed to be merging into one. When the glowing receded, Eryndor saw that there was only a single slightly thicker snake resting on top of her hand. Just like the line which appeared a few milliseconds before the Yin Yang Convergence acted on Kron, the snake''s skin was segmented in black and white colors. Damn, merging? I haven''t heard of it in any of the information I''ve read up till now. The beast was almost closing on them when the snake opened its mouth. What appeared wasn''t the familiar spheres, but a thick beam of black and white light, slamming straight into the incoming beast. The beast let out a loud cry as it tried changing direction, but the beam of light followed it without any delay, completely slicing through its head over time, until it stopped moving. "What was that?" Edward whispered. Caressing the head of the black and white snake, Valentina answered. "I''ve named this Yin Yang Beam. It only has penetration power equal to that of a stage seven of Latent realm despite the snake itself being at stage nine. "But there''s one good thing about it. Unlike the spheres, this beam is a continuous attack and consumes much less energy." "That''s impressive." Eryndor marvelled, while Edward nodded. Neither of them had ever heard of merging, just that fact alone was enough for them to appreciate the snakes. Just how rare must the phenomenon be that the Federation had no information on it yet? After the short interlude, the three of them continued jogging onwards. A few minutes later Eryndor''s phone pinged. He took it out to see that Sander had sent a message. "Here is all the information related to Morris." "Thank you." He displayed gratitude and opened the information package sent by Sander. It would''ve been difficult to read while running if cultivating hadn''t provided him with enhanced body control and reflexes, which helped him keep the phone far more stable than if he was a normal young man. He dutifully navigated the team in avoiding all the beast through his extended vision while also reading everything about Morris. At this point he had gotten rather used to extended vision, but he still couldn''t make progress in controlling the ability any further like how he could in his second form. It took him nearly two hours to go through all the information. Suffice to say, most of it was useless. There were some which were worth remembering, but a few especially stood out, and could potentially be of use in his current situation. It was written in the information how Morris had helped Kron and even given gifts to appreciate his talent. So there is indeed a connection between them. Well, he already suspected this part, so it could be said that the information package only confirmed it. However, there was another piece of information in there. It wasn''t anything new, Sander had mentioned it to him in the past. But he had forgotten about that until he came across it again here. It mentions how Co-founder Morris made friends with Guardian Sol after returning from the secret realm. It is written how that man sent gifts, sparred with him, trained together, invited Guardian Sol to discuss skills and also other things like having a meal. It was weird enough that people felt he might be gay. Eryndor furrowed his brow when he read this part. I remember guessing that Co-founder Morris might be targeting Guardian Sol as well but there wasn''t any proof. He felt like it because there was an inconsistency in Co-founder Morris'' action. That guy clearly needed information on the tournament. It was important enough that he ended up failing three times by arranging three layers of mechanisms, none of which managed to take him to the abyss due to the wrong information. First were the Terramorph Ravagers, or any other beast out there where he might''ve teleported. Second was that group of nine students. Third was Kron. Did Co-founder Morris go through so much effort of making friends with Guardian Sol, electing him to be the presiding administrator of the tournament, all to end up not having Guardian Sol share with him the information about the tournament? Did he never think of the possibility that Guardian Sol wouldn''t share the information with him? It couldn''t be, right? Which meant there was a greater reason behind his actions. If getting information about the tournament was his only goal, with his power, he would''ve elected himself as the presiding judge of the tournament. There had to be a greater goal behind everything, some other reason why he chose Guardian Sol. Such that getting information about the tournament became a secondary objective. When he viewed things from this perspective, Eryndor more and more felt like Guardian Sol might have some role in everything going around as well. Maybe Co-founder Morris was targeting Guardian Sol? Maybe Guardian Sol had some part in the deal? Maybe Co-founder Morris needed Guardian Sol to fulfill something of his own part in the deal? Or was something else taking place? He didn''t know. He recalled both of their abilities. Guardian Sol''s ability is Fortification, which is incredibly useful in defense. Co-founder Morris'' ability is transformation. What could Guardian Sol''s role be? Chapter 156 156: Something is different about your ability No matter what role Guardian Sol had, one thing was certain. He must be an important piece of the puzzle. Co-founder Morris literally chose that person over himself, fully knowing that he might not get information related to the bi-annual student tournament knowing how rigid Guardian Sol was regarding the rules. The information would''ve allowed Co-founder Morris to take drastically more effective steps and easily send him to the abyss. Eryndor knew how important sending him to the abyss was. It might very well be Daoisto''s part of the deal that Co-founder Morris must send the eldritch Eryndor to the abyss. What was more important than fulfilling your end of the deal which you made with literally an eldritch entity? Eryndor lightly banged his head with his fist as he felt a headache coming up. In the recent few hours he had done such an intensive thinking that he had begun feeling a slight headache. Or is it because of stress? Eryndor took a deep breath and stopped thinking about everything. Everything he had known up till now, all the dots he had connected up till now, it was still not enough. There were still missing pieces of information which possibly couldn''t be derived from the existing information. Eryndor didn''t consider himself to be so extraordinarily smart that he would''ve thought of all possible directions, but he had indeed run into a block again. He couldn''t think of a breakthrough. Arghhhh I need more information. The next few hours, they journeyed across the lands of the forest, witnessing a wide variety of flora and fauna. They also came across plenty of important resources which they divided fairly among themselves. What they did with that was up to them. Use them for themselves or exchange for points? Their choice. "It''s getting dark. We should set up a camp." Eryndor spoke when saw that the sky was getting darker. Secret realms didn''t really follow the same day night cycle as the outside world. Some of them always had a day time, while some were shrouded in darkness all around. Some of them had the same cycle as the outside world, while some had shorter days, longer nights or vice versa. Some secret realms even had random day night periods such that there was no pattern to track at all. Some secret realms even had different colors of skies, which made it difficult to even ascertain if it was day or night. This secret realm where the tournament was taking place had a random day night cycle. "Yea, let''s find a good place." Edward commented. As a senior who had been to plenty of missions, he was experienced when it came to such matters. Thankfully they had each carried bags which had their personal tents in it. Using the sticks from the surroundings, or by cutting up some branches, they set up a camp with the majority of the work being done by Edward. The three of them sat on logs surrounding the camp fire while talking about trivial things, telling each other about their lives. Each of them had a good meal, probably the last one they had brought from their villas. Next time onwards they would have to rely on edible beast meat or food pills. "What do you prefer?" Valentina asked. "Food pills. I don''t want to go through the trouble of identifying edible parts, cutting, cleaning, cooking and everything. Food pills are convenient." Eryndor answered before taking a huge bite of his burger. When Valentina turned to Edward, the senior shrugged, responding with a smile while having a chicken leg in his hand. He was cooking it over the campfire. "Honestly? Beast meat. Because it''s all about experience. "I can eat food pills outside, but when is the next time I''ll get to experience the act of killing, cutting, cleaning, and making my own food with the friends I''ve made in this tournament? Sharing the food I''ve cooked with them? "Not to mention that some of the beasts present here might be unique to this secret realm. If you wanted to eat them later, you''d have to go to some restaurant and pay money to have it when you could get it here for free. "Do you also know that some beasts'' meat is considered to be good for you? "Some can speed up your practice, or strengthen your body, your bones, or even your mind. I''ve even heard of more outrageous claims, but I''ve personally only experienced the ones I talked about just now." "A man of knowledge and experience, huh." Valentina commented. He took a bite of his chicken leg and replied. "It naturally just happens when you have a researcher dad and a hunter mom." "That''s pretty cool." Eryndor praised. He then glanced at Valentina before asking. "What about you?" "Me? I am not sure to be honest. The idea of experiencing everything is extremely attractive, but I also want to peace out and live on food pills. "I never really thought about getting an ability or the privilege to practice a power system. It was all too sudden for me. Every day I feel surreal that this opportunity has fallen into my lap. "My parents worked ordinary jobs, and I also thought I''ll be walking in their footsteps. A little ambitious maybe, thinking that I would make a little more money than them. "But this... everything... is just so different. I want to experience everything and also curl in my comfort zone. It''s just so different. "It''s like going to a new school. You want to make friends but also remain in solitude for peace." Valentina looked around, with both of them looking at her in silence before she realized she had talked a little too much. Redness creeped up her cheeks as she hid her face in her palms. "Sorryyyy." The two of them laughed, before Eryndor told her that he had the same background as her. They talked while their food lasted, then Edward bid them goodnight. "I am an early sleeper, cya guys." The two of them waved him good night before silence draped over the surroundings. Eryndor spoke when he heard Edward''s light snoring from his tent. "About my third ability uhhh¡ª" Valentina cut him off mid way. "So you''re finally willing to share it?" Of course I am, it''s because you sensed me back then. As if she knew what he was thinking, Valentina chuckled. "No, you were exposed far earlier than when you blocked Kron''s punch. "Remember that time we set a temporary camp after dealing with the nine students? Your ability activated back then as well. "I just happened to be tinkering with my ability back then, so I was able to sense it." Ooooo A look of realization appeared on Eryndor''s face as he thought back to the time when his Sovereign''s Cloak briefly activated. He didn''t know what it was for, but he had guessed that it might be a location sensing attempt. He might have probably assumed that Valentina didn''t have her ability activated, but she just told him that she happened to have it activated. Valentina went on. "And that''s not all is it? I sensed Telekinesis as well when you pelted Kron with countless objects. "Edward might''ve assumed it was some cultivation art, but because of my ability I could sense that it was another ability in play. "Your abilities don''t radiate the aura of Energy of Consciousness, so I can see why he would assume as such. "Including me and you, I''ve only ever witnessed it like three or four times, so it must be absolutely rare." Back when he had seen professor Melissa fight. He straight up recognised that it was an innate ability of hers she was using instead of a cultivation art because he could sense the energy used. All this time he had chalked up his own abnormality to the fact that it must be because of his eldritch origin. It was extremely subtle anyway, no one would question it. Not to mention he never even used the hidden abilities around people unless absolutely necessary. "Well, what can I say when you already know about my abilities. By the way, do you have any idea how to cover up this aura of energy of Consciousness when using innate abilities?" Valentina shot him a curious look. "Do you not know how to do it when you are already doing it?" "Nope." He shrugged. "It just happens." Valentina mirrored his action and said. "Same, it just happens." "Wait, really?" "Yea." "Damn." Eryndor couldn''t help but chuckle. If he found Drakarion and Paulina abnormal in the sense that they had too much knowledge and seemed systematically trained, and also the fact that both of them seemed to have been in an eldritch''s presence, then he found Valentina abnormal in aspects of her innate ability and luck. "Four abilities, so cool." Valentina softly murmured. Eryndor raised an eyebrow as he replied. "Please, you should be the last person to say that." The young woman chuckled, "Fair." There was another bout of silence between them before Valentina spoke again. "Do you know, there''s something else different about your third ability. "The defensive one which I sensed." Eryndor''s mind had already gone into overdrive as he furiously began coming up with different explanations. He obviously knew his Sovereign''s Cloak was different. His three abilities - Telekinesis, Cognitive Scrying and Passive Regeneration were all in the main vast hall of his Mind Palace, but his Sovereign''s Cloak was unlocked when he opened the door. As he was lost in his thoughts, Valentina mumbled, her voice thick with confusion. "I can''t seem to copy that ability." Chapter 157 157: Similarity between abilities Eryndor''s brain went blank as he heard her words. Can''t copy Sovereign''s Cloak? What? Witnessing the blank look on his face, Valentina muttered. "Did you already know that it was a different ability?" I would obviously be lying if I said I didn''t know, but what do I even tell her? That it''s an eldritch ability? Of course not. Secrets have a limit. Once someone knows more than they should, it becomes a leverage they would have over you. But then again, Valentina can''t really prove it to anyone even if she knows it''s a different ability. Word of mouth without any proof isn''t a leverage. Eryndor didn''t know what to reply to her, so he simply maintained his silence. Seeing this, Valentina continued. "You know, this is not the first time I''ve not been able to copy an ability." Oh? So mine isn''t really a unique case? It doesn''t have anything to do with my eldritch origin? Hmmmm... in what way is Sovereign''s Cloak different from the other three then? Eryndor mentally heaved a sigh as he realized that he had been overthinking things. Of course, her next words made him take back his previous thought and almost gave him a heart attack, making him want to beat her up for speaking in breaks. "You do know that every anomaly has some kind of ability as well, right? "I''ve never been able to copy an anomaly''s ability." Eryndor''s heart was caught in his throat as his face went blank. He didn''t even let out an ounce of emotion, or any kind of expression. No words either. What? His mind had similarly gone blank. Valentina shook her head seeing his state. "Look, at this point I don''t know if you''re an anomaly or a human. Maybe it''s because you''re indeed an anomaly that you''re being targeted?" Valentina had no idea how close to the truth she was as she continued murmuring. "Anyway, I don''t care. I really don''t care. I''ve shared memories with you. You''ve at least seemed genuine all along. "You''ve saved us two times, one during the first mission, and second time during our mission in the Polinek city where the Ravencroft and Mage Outer Domain were about to fight. "You know, I''ve learned to be selfish. Selfish for myself, and those around me. It might seem illogical but it is what it is. "As long as I''m concerned, you''ve always been good to us and meant no harm. I''ll always be there to help you. "I don''t care what your purpose is as long as you aren''t planning on hurting me or the people I care about." She didn''t give Eryndor any chance to reply as she got up and headed to her tent. "Good night." She didn''t even wait for him to reciprocate the gesture before closing the zip of her tent. Sorry, but even if I was given a second chance, I would do the same thing. He laid back on the log and gazed at the empty sky of this secret realm before he began pondering upon Valentina''s words. She can''t copy Sovereign''s Cloak huh. And she likened it to her other situation where she can''t copy the abilities of anomalies either. As he pondered upon this, his eyes suddenly widened. He whispered. "Wait, I never thought of it like this." Valentina can''t copy my Sovereign''s Cloak, but she can copy my other abilities right. But why can she copy my other abilities? All along I thought all my abilities were eldritch abilities, and the Sovereign''s Cloak which was unlocked from behind the door just happened to be somewhat different. But Valentina claimed that not being able to copy an ability only ever happened when she tried it on an anomaly. Eldritch beings are considered to come under anomalies. So it would make sense if Sovereign''s Cloak can''t be copied since she can''t copy abilities of anomalies either. But then why the hell can she copy my other three abilities? Are they not of eldritch origin? Do they have the same origin as the innate abilities which the humans of Earth awaken? If we disregard origin, are these three abilities fundamentally the same as the ones awakened by humans? Just what is it, same origin, same fundamentals, or some other factor? What allows Valentina to copy those three abilities but not the Sovereign''s Cloak? Eryndor realized that he would have never questioned this if Valentina hadn''t told him about the Sovereign''s Cloak. He knew that Telekinesis and Cognitive Scrying seemed to be a common ability amongst eldritch beings. With him as a reference, doesn''t that mean that those two abilities of all the eldritch beings out there would have something in common with the abilities awakened by the humans of Earth? Eryndor felt like he had stumbled upon something, but couldn''t quite put a finger on it. It felt like a fog clouding his mind, disabling him from reaching that particular answer. It was that feeling when you were in an exam hall and wanted to remember that one word but couldn''t recollect it no matter what. Just as he continued trying, his phone beeped. He took it out, and checked that it was from Dr. Ralph. I hope Dr. Kirchoff sent a useful answer which can be used for a breakthrough in my situation. "Here is the answer he sent. Password is PPP, it can only be opened once, so yea, even I don''t know what''s inside. "The file will automatically self-destruct from all the devices it has been on once you open the file and close it." Below the message sent by Dr. Ralph was a password locked document. Oh? Only for me? Let''s check it out first. Eryndor read through everything, and began compiling notes in his head. So a single line revered appellation is indeed possible. There are some entities out there which only have a single authority, so for them, only a single line revered appellation is enough to point towards them. As for his second question about the possibility of just the thought triggering a response and forming a connection, the latter wasn''t possible. To trigger a response through thought alone, the revered appellation you''re thinking of should be in that specific language. Eryndor knew what language Dr. Kirchoff was talking about. Also, that wasn''t enough. The second part was actually dependent on the target entity. Not to mention entities with single line revered appellation, even those with two or three line revered appellations couldn''t sense when you invoked them in thoughts. Even among entities with four line revered appellations, only those standing at the peak could sense the person just through the thoughts of their revered appellations alone. Also, for that you''d need to know the complete four lines, anything missing and they won''t sense you. To form a connection though, just thoughts weren''t enough no matter what you did. How did I sense a stirring within myself when I didn''t even know all four lines? Is it because I was invoking my own revered appellations? Something along the lines of my subconscious, or rather, my existence, already knowing all four lines? They did pop out in my mind out of nowhere after all. Yep, it could be that. Dr. Kirchoff didn''t write about what is needed to establish a connection. Is it because I didn''t ask for it? Or is it because he didn''t know about it? Or is it that he wouldn''t have told me this information even if I asked for it? No matter what, Dr. Kirchoff seems to be extremely fucking knowledgeable. Not to mention, the terms he coins for the various things are the same as what is written in the Mind Palace. This must also be some top-tier secret knowledge if he sent this in such a secure password protected manner with self destruction function. Eryndor hadn''t forgotten that Dr. Kirchoff knew about his identity as an eldritch entity. He thanked Dr. Ralph and asked. "Did he know that a student was asking all of this?" Dr. Ralph: "Yes, I told him about you." His heart skipped a beat as he hurriedly followed up. "Did he say anything?" Dr. Ralph: "Nope, just a ''hmmmm'' if that counts." Seeing that he at least acknowledged my existence with a ''hmm'', he is aware that I''m the one asking this question. Did he answer because of that? It''s extremely important knowledge after all, I doubt any random student can get it simply by asking for it. Eryndor shelved that thought and thanked Dr. Ralph before keeping his phone aside. So, one line revered appellation indeed exists. Assuming the best case scenario, I''ll take it such that the entity targeting me is a one with a one line revered appellation. Which means, the authority related with its one line revered appellation must have some influence in this entire situation right? It is highly likely that the entire team of Co-founder Morris went insane because of it. The Hand That Tilts the Scales. Mmm, what could it mean? Eryndor boldly thought about the line. What were the chances that the entity which was after him was a top existence among those with four authorities? Extremely low. Not to mention, he only knew of one line. That wouldn''t trigger anything. He thought back to his earlier guesses. Weight. Gravity. Bias. Equality. Equilibrium. Could there be more? The next couple hours, he spent it lying on the log, looking at the empty sky of the secret realm as he thought of all the ways in which these authorities could have influenced the situation. Chapter 158 158: Direct contact Suffice to say, he didn''t come up with anything. He felt like he had hit a block in terms of his creative capacity. Maybe I should try taking help from my teammates. He thought while gazing at the sky. There were no stars, no moon, literally nothing up there. Just a plain dark blanket. His extended vision was active the entire time to guard against any beasts, plenty had entered it over the hours. But they would usually turn away and go about their ways instead of heading in their camp''s direction. Edward had done an extremely good job of searching for a suitable camping spot. It was secluded enough that no beast would wander through the area. The only possibility of that happening would be if it lost its way or mistakenly stumbled here. He thought back to the one line revered appellation. Just what else could that sentence point towards? The Hand That Tilts the Scales. Imbalance? But bias and imbalance feel the same. It''s about favoring one side, making it unfair, biased, and so on. But how do these authorities fit in the situation arghh. Like what is their role? Hmmmm. Eryndor''s eyes narrowed as he thought of something. Dr. Ralph was able to have his array formation bestowed with the ability to remove the mark of ownership on Energy of Consciousness. I was also able to get myself the ability to transfer Energy of Consciousness and remove the mark of ownership, but it was temporary. Safe to assume that the one bestowed on that array formation was temporary as well. So authorities can be bestowed on an object or a person temporarily. However, what if the authorities ''acted'' on the target? If we assume that ''The Hand That Tilts the Scales'' points towards the authority of ''weight'', and if it increased the weight of the target, which is ''acting'' on it, instead of giving them a temporary ability to manipulate weight, would the increase in weight be permanent? And if you need to permanently bestow the ability, is it possible? He first messaged Dr. Ralph about this doubt. Of course, he began with a polite message, and then asked the questions. "Is it possible for an entity to use its authority on the target through invocation ritual? "Second doubt, is it possible for the ability bestowed by the entity through invocation ritual to be permanent?" Dr. Ralph: "Wait a minute, I''ll ask Dr. Kirchoff if you can directly contact him. "It''s not that I''m disturbed by your messages but if the information happens to be precious and important, he''ll have to once again take the effort and precautions to make it password protected and all. "A better alternative would be if you could directly contact him." Dr. Ralph wasn''t stupid by any means. Judging by how the information last time wasn''t privy even to him but Dr. Kirchoff was willing to give it to this young man, it was obvious his identity wasn''t ordinary. There was a high chance that he could directly contact Dr. Kirchoff in that case. Directly contacting Dr. Kirchoff? Eryndor''s heart couldn''t help but skip a beat. He knew that it was highly likely that it was Dr. Kirchoff who had led the mission to seal him, and he was also the only one who knew about his identity. Well, Co-founder Morris and that entity targeting me know as well, but I''ll deal with them sooner or later. Eryndor thought about what he would do if he could indeed talk directly with Dr. Kirchoff. Should I show awareness about my eldritch nature? Obviously not. Maybe I should just act like an ordinary person who got the chance to practice a power system by luckily awakening an ability. It''s a good thing that Passive Regeneration doesn''t come under the common abilities of eldritch entities. Hmmm, now that I look at it, why do I even have Passive Regeneration if I am an eldritch entity? Aren''t the common abilities only supposed to be Telekinesis and Cognitive Scrying? Where did Passive Regeneration come from? Hmmmm... no use thinking about it. Eryndor mentally added that note to his mind and waited for Dr. Ralph''s response. It was approximately a minute later that it arrived. "He agreed. He''ll contact you regarding the answers soon. "Also, you can still ask me questions if you don''t mind. I''ll do my best to answer them. I don''t dare compare myself with Dr. Kirchoff but I do have plenty of knowledge as well." Eryndor sincerely thanked him, and saw that an unknown number had indeed contacted him. "Here are your answers. "Any attempt at sharing it will be known immediately, I recommend you don''t try it." Wow, that was cold. There were no greetings or anything, or even acknowledgement. But then again, he is the high and mighty President of the Human Federation, why would he care about a student. Or, could it mean that he does not want me to know I''m different? Chuck it. Eryndor didn''t want to sit and dissect Dr. Kirchoff''s intentions and thoughts. He was the head of the largest organization among the humans of Earth, how could his thoughts be known simply through a couple of chats? He looked through the information package. First of all, bestowing a permanent ability is extremely difficult through an invocation ritual, near impossible. And the second thing, an entity can indeed ''use'' their authority through the invocation ritual. Their target will retain the change brought about by the use of authority by the entity. But it''s written than the requirements for this is extremely harsh "Can I know what the requirements are for the entity to use its authority through the invocation ritual?" The reply was quick. "Massive amount of vitality is drained from the most conscious beings in vicinity, and anyone involved bears the mental brunt of being in the presence of the entity. "Of course, the entire pressure of its existence isn''t pressed against them, just a tiny amount. "A medium is needed from the entity''s side which will be consumed in the process. The more times the entire revered appellation is spoken, the higher the chances of success. "Depending on the entity, authority, target, and the change required, it may take anywhere from days to months, or even years." Dots rapidly connected in Eryndor''s mind as he read through the answer given by Dr. Kirchoff. Chapter 159 159: Probability Eryndor''s eyes were trained on the screen of his phone, afraid of missing out on anything. He also didn''t want to misread anything. He carefully read through everything as the dots continued connecting in his mind. There was still a lot of information missing but he could at least be sure that he was starting to form the basic framework of events. His hands swiped on the screen, opening up a news he had read months ago when he was returning from the Shx''Trelith mission. It spoke about a high ranking member of the Human Federation returning from the secret realm after ten years. Ten years...isn''t that when I was given to my parents? Safe to assume that the mission to seal me took place before that. Even if I''ve already determined Co-founder Morris to be the culprit, all these clues just make me believe more and more that he is the one behind everything. So the people should''ve started dying around that time period huh? But Co-founder Morris didn''t die because he happened to be in the secret realm, which had closed off completely. And now, it has only been a month or so after he returned, would he die if left as it is? Eryndor contemplated the possibility of Co-founder Morris dying without him doing anything. The chances were rather high given how everyone who participated in the mission had died. No, I must see to it myself and make sure he dies. Can''t leave it up to chance. He refocused on the new pieces of information and dots he had connected in his mind. First - Massive amount of vitality is drained from the most conscious beings in the vicinity. Second - Mentally bearing the brunt of the partial presence of the entity. Third - A medium from the entity''s side being a necessity which will be consumed throughout the process. Fourth - the more times the entire revered appellations are spoken during the duration when the entity is using their authority on the target, the higher the success rate. Wasn''t this all familiar? It is very likely that some object, or Co-founder Morris himself was the target of the invocation ritual. Massive amount of vitality needed... Co-founder Morris'' team all died, never coming out of the secret realm. They should have been the most conscious beings in the vicinity right? The second and fourth points were likely connected in this situation. That agent who was able to leave the secret realm seemed to be a gone case mentally, with an almost negligible amount of vitality, he soon died. It was said that he kept repeating the same line again and again. So, what likely happened was Co-founder Morris told everyone to keep repeating the revered appellation as he initiated the invocation ritual. After all, the more the people uttering it, the more times it has been spoken, the higher the chances, right? They kept speaking the revered appellation even while bearing the brunt of the entity''s presence because it was a superior''s order. Not to mention they were here in the secret realm to remove the dangerous anomalies and beasts so no one was afraid. Over time, the corruption, the mental degradation from the mental pressure would''ve become serious enough that they couldn''t leave even if they wanted to. They kept repeating the revered appellation mindlessly as their minds were degraded and their vitality was stolen. Some of them might''ve left early but the effects had already started showing by then, so they all died, even the one who managed to leave the secret realm. This also allowed Eryndor to glean an important piece of information. Dr. Kirchoff mentioned in the requirements that the ''entire'' revered appellation must be repeated. And that agent only kept repeating a single line. What did that mean? That the entity behind all this was indeed a single line revered appellation entity. Which meant it only had a single authority. Eryndor had previously ''assumed'' the best case scenario of that entity possessing only a single authority, but now it was basically confirmed. As for the third point, it solved a lot of doubts as well. ''A medium from the entity''s side being a necessity which will be consumed throughout the process.'' Wasn''t it simple? It was the entity''s clone, Daoisto. This was also the reason that the team from the Federation responsible for scanning the secret realm couldn''t find anyone. Because that clone had already been consumed. Of course, it could also be that the clone escaped through the abyss, and that is why the team couldn''t find it. But if that was considered, what would fulfill the third point? Daoisto, that entity''s clone, better fits in the third point. Alright, with everything sorted, I just need to know just what the fuck is the authority. The next few minutes Eryndor tried to be creative and think in different directions, but he could only come up with one thing. Judgement. Scales are known as a symbol of judgment in many places. The Hand That Tilts the Scales. It could also be interpreted as the hand which controls the scales right? So... the one who has authority over judgement? Eryndor furrowed his brows. How will he use judgement authority on Co-founder Morris? This is kind of confusing. He put his hand on his chin and thought of something else. Well... probability? In some well known phrases, the word ''scales'' are used with their meaning tied to probability. Tip the scales ¨C To influence an outcome in a particular direction, increasing the probability of one result over another. The scales are tipped in (someone''s) favor ¨C The odds or probability are leaning towards a particular person or outcome. So probability could be another possible authority as well. But fuck, how the hell can probability be used on Morris or some object? Wait... Eryndor sat up straight as a flash of insight struck him. Could it be that the entity decreased the probability of Morris'' death? Is that why he hasn''t died yet despite already returning for a month? Yes! That would also explain the yellow paper which spoke about Morris wanting Daoisto to uphold his end of the deal else he''ll die. Just as he was about to continue thinking, Valentina''s tent opened. Chapter 160 160: Trust isnt a transaction He looked at Valentina who had just come out from the tent. Her blond hair was ruffled, and her eyes were still droopy, showing that she hadn''t bothered fixing herself up before leaving the tent. "Alright, I''ll take over. You can go to sleep now." She spoke in a muffled voice. Although they were camping in a relatively safe space, it was still necessary to follow the basic rules of camping in an hostile environment. It was recommended that if you had companions, you should rotate to keep watch throughout the night. Eryndor was the first one to keep watch, next was Valentina, and lastly Edward. They had simply used a random game to decide this order, and no one really bothered thinking much about getting good quality sleep, bad quality sleep and so on. As students practising the power systems, their bodies were much more resilient and less sleep dependent. "Yea, I''ll go in a few minutes, I don''t really feel sleepy." Eryndor responded. She only gave out a small ''hmmm'' as she walked to the edge of their tents which they had placed in a triangular manner. She used the bottle in her hand to wash her face, using the cold water to jolt herself awake and freshen up her mind. Placing the bottle in her tent, she dabbed her face with a small towel and lay down on another log which was placed opposite to Eryndor. There was silence in the surroundings. As Eryndor was about to resume his thinking, Valentina spoke up. "You know. I don''t have any right to call you out on whatever you do. Whether you hide your ability, or not. It''s your life after all. "But since I do technically know about your ''secrets'', even if you didn''t share it out of your own volition, I feel like I should tell you more about myself as well." "Not really." Eryndor answered. Just as she was looking up in the sky while speaking, he likewise didn''t look at her but continued gazing upwards as he replied. "There''s no need to feel like you''re obliged to share your secrets just because you know more about the other party. "Secrets aren''t debts. Just because you stumbled into mine doesn''t mean you owe me yours." Seeing her silence, he extrapolated on his intention. "There''s a strange instinct in people¡ªthe need to balance the scales of vulnerability with people they are close to. "Like feeling that the weight of your close one''s truth demands an equal offering in return. But trust isn''t about transactions; it''s about choice. "If you feel the need to share, let it be because you want to¡ªnot because you think you have to." Eryndor genuinely wasn''t mad that she knew about his abilities. It was bound to happen at some point. He was already ready for his abilities to be known among his roommates. He had long decided that it wouldn''t be of any harm if they knew more about him. Just take Valentina as an example. Throughout the few hours they travelled together, she had been nothing but kind and accommodating towards him. One might say that he was naive, and a little too believing in other people. But isn''t that what it was? Scrying their mind every time, spying on their intentions, and then taking the respective steps. Could it be called friendship? If my belief turns out to be wrong then so be it. I''ll learn from it. "I always knew you were a mature one, and I wasn''t wrong." He heard Valentina speak. "But I am not doing this out of obligation." Valentina carefully focused on her listening and confirmed that Edward was still sleeping before continuing. "My copy ability actually had a breakthrough earlier this month. So my range of sensing and copying abilities basically increased. "Did you not question how I could sense you using Telekinesis when Kron had thrown you so far away? "It was because of this, yes. Although I can still only save four abilities, the time I can keep them for has increased from twelve hours to twenty four hours." So abilities do indeed go through a change when they upgrade. My Cognitive Scrying didn''t go through any change though, is it because it doesn''t have any restriction in the first place? Maybe. As he thought about his own ability, Valentina continued. "This is not all. The main change is with those snakes. "I''ve named the white one Yang, and the black one Yin. There are two more abilities they can execute. "Both of them are area of effect attacks. "It is extremely complicated if I tell you like this, let me catch some insects." Eryndor didn''t stop her, just sitting in silence as she bought a few insects. "Now look at this red ant." Yin and Yang crawled up her arm and shot two tiny spheres of respective color. He watched as a small sphere of Yin Yang Convergence manifested, blasting the ant to oblivion. "That''s the Yin Yang Convergence you''re familiar with. It needs two normal spheres landing on the same target. If the target dodges one sphere and only gets hit with one, well, the Yin Yang Convergence won''t take place. "The target will only sustain the damage of that one sphere. "If by some ability, they slow down one of the spheres such that white and black don''t land at the same time, it would still trigger Yin Yang Convergence as long as the time difference between their impact is less than a second." She put four ants this time, two black and two red. "Anyway, that was a known ability. Now let me show you one of the two abilities I hid away earlier." He watched as Yin and Yang shot a sphere again, just that it was a different one from before. The spheres weren''t glowing like the normal ones, they rather had a sandy surface, although still black and white in color, rather unassuming if you asked Eryndor. The spheres didn''t land on one target like during the Yin Yang Convergence, no, they landed on different groups. The white one landed on two black ants, and the black one landed on two red ants. What happened next made him widen his eyes in amazement as he looked at Valentina for explanation. Chapter 161 161: Absolutely broken abilities After the white sphere landed on the two black ants and the black one landed on the two red ants, the two groups of ants were quickly pulled to each other like magnets. And as soon as they touched, a blast took place, killing them. The blast looked like a weaker version of Yin Yang Convergence. Valentina chuckled seeing the look on Eryndor''s face, but quickly began explaining. "Those spheres aren''t normal ones as you can see. I call them ''Spheres of Marking''. "Oh yea, by the way, these two abilities I''m about to explain only work on living beings. "So where was I? Yea, that sphere of marking. As soon as it impacts anyone, it marks everyone in the vicinity. For example, if the Yin sphere landed, it would mark everyone in the surrounding as ''Yin''. "Only me and my snakes can see the marks by the way. "Beings with ''Yin'' marks and ''Yang'' marks will attract each other like magnets, and a minor version of Yin Yang Convergence would take place. It has the damage of peak Latent realm. "But mind you, it is an area of effect ability, so rather valuable I''d say." Eryndor had an impressed look on his face, but he looked at her and hesitated before speaking. "Don''t you think this ability is more suited to be called Yin Yang Convergence?" Valentina had opened her mouth to say something when she abruptly halted after hearing him, then slowly closed it, going into deep thought. After a few seconds of silence she nodded. "You''re right. My naming sense is so crap. Let''s call this ability Yin Yang Convergence. "I just didn''t want to call that one something simple like Yin Yang Blast you know...blast is so basic." Eryndor shrugged. "You can use detonation maybe? Sounds cooler." Valentina narrowed her eyes and scrunched up her eyebrows before agreeing. "Alright, that one is Yin Yang Detonation, and this one is Yin Yang Convergence then. "By the way there is more to this ability than just that. Some restrictions I mean. "If any one of the spheres of markings fail to mark anyone, the convergence won''t take place, like obviously. "But in Yin Yang Detonation, if one of the spheres fail to hit the target, the one which has landed will still deal its normal damage. "These spheres of marking, though, have no inherent damage. You won''t feel anything even if it lands on you. "So yea, that''s a drawback." Eryndor didn''t think much of it. "I think it''s kind of valid, you know. It''s literally an area of effect attack which has the same attack damage as the realm of the beast. "Some kind of restriction was obviously expected, and it''s not even that bad. Your snakes have plenty of other offensive options." "True." She nodded her head, then once again put a few ants on the ground and continued. "Let me show you this last ability." Yin and Yang began glowing, once again merging into one. Seeing his gaze, she explained. "This one needs the snakes to merge. Let''s call them YinYang in this form." I would''ve suggested the same. Eryndor thought, as he waited for the snakes to finish merging. After they merged, he saw the YinYang opening its mouth, but nothing formed. However, from the corner of his eyes, Eryndor saw that a white circle had manifested on the ground, killing all the ants. "Uh oh, that was not supposed to be the entire ability. It has a high initial damage when it manifests and a continuous low damage. "I forgot to lower the initial damage, it ended up killing them all. Anyway¡ª" He watched her pick up another ant and place it on the circle. Immediately, he saw the ant struggling, as if it was continuously sustaining damage. It eventually died. Just when he thought it was all, Valentina put another ant outside the white circle and spoke. "There''s more, wait." YinYang separated into two different snakes and Yin shot a tiny black sphere of marking on the ant. Eryndor watched as the ant was practically forced by Valentina to head towards the white circle. As soon as it touched the perimeter, it was dragged in the middle where a tiny blast occurred, killing the ant. "This is the final ability. "I''ve named that circle down there the Circle of Duality. It''s up to me if I want it to be a white circle or a black circle. "Circle of duality can only be casted by YinYang, and they can''t overlap no matter if it''s the same color or different. It has an initial damage of a Yin Yang Beam, so like somewhere around stage seven Latent realm. "Then, it continues to damage the living beings in the circle but that damage is low. Stage three or Stage two of Latent realm? Somewhere around that level. "If a living being already present in the circle gets marked by the opposite color by the sphere of marking, it will be dragged in the center and get blasted. "This dragging part isn''t that strong to be honest. If an individual resists the force, he can avoid being dragged to the center, but the blast? He will definitely get blasted after one second of getting marked. "Yes, the blast takes place after a second. "This damage is at the mid stage of Stable realm, which is pretty powerful already to be honest. "The same would happen if a living being marked with the opposite color enters the circle. "But keep in mind, nothing will happen to those who get marked by the same color as the circle of duality. "Oh yea by the way, if someone is marked as ''Yin'', and if they get hit by a ''Yang'' sphere of marking, their marking would change to ''Yang''. "Lastly, if two different groups or two different people, whatever, get marked with ''Yin'' and ''Yang'', they''ll be dragged towards each other right? "If the point of their contact happens to be in the circle of duality of whichever color, the resulting damage would be at stage one of Active realm. "Yes, the blast resulting in the final situation is even more powerful than Yin Yang Detonation." Suffice to say, Eryndor was mind blown by these abilities. Just how did she get those two snakes? Chapter 162 162: Three possibilities Eryndor was serious in his question as to how she stumbled upon such snakes. He was absolutely gobsmacked. I''ve never heard of a beast with so many abilities in such an early realm, not to mention three of them can jump levels above to hit harder. As Eryndor was engrossed in his thoughts, Valentina sighed heavily and continued. "Its drawbacks is that the circle of duality can only be casted by their merged YinYang form, while the spheres of marking can only be shot by Yin and Yang in their individual form. "The merging and separation take a few seconds, so the timing and accuracy needs to be really really well planned or the blasts won''t take place at all." "Valid drawbacks." He commented, and then stood up, before beginning to stretch. He yawned loudly and muttered. "Alright, I do feel sleepy now after all your blabbering." "Get lost." Valentina kicked him in the leg. They both shared a laugh as Eryndor headed into his tent. In a minute or two after laying down, he was soon pulled into deep sleep. Cultivation? He had been passively cultivating all this time, so it wasn''t really an issue if he missed the session before going to sleep since he really was tired after all the fights and thinking. The next morning, he woke up and left the tent with his bottle and a towel. "Good morning." Edward greeted him. He was last in the order who would keep watch over their camp, so it was obvious he would be staying up till the others woke up. Eryndor did his morning routine and began packing up his tent, just in time to see Valentina leaving her tent. Edward had already packed his tent into his bag and was roasting some meat which Eryndor couldn''t recognize. While Eryndor popped a food pill into his mouth, Valentina asked Edward for a bite. "Hmm, this is good." She praised. "Told you." Edward shrugged. After the three of them had their breakfast, they resumed their journey. Soo, what was I thinking about last night? As he jogged in the front, Eryndor once again fell back into his thoughts regarding the entire plot. I was thinking about revered appellations last night, right? I remember thinking that it might point towards probability. That entity decreased the probability of Co-founder Morris dying. Eryndor didn''t know just how powerful those entities were which had an authority, but they were obviously above the Cosmic Limit. One can only imagine how effective it must be when an entity as powerful as that uses their authority to fix your problem. Is that why he kept repeating ''got it'' continuously? Because he ''got'' the boon of having his probability of dying fixed? But there was an issue with considering ''probability'' as the one which the line ''The Hand That Tilts the Scales'' points towards. Because well, that entity, let''s call it Daoisto, helped Co-founder Morris by decreasing his probability of dying. And in return, he will push me into the abyss. That''s it? Where does Guardian Sol fit in this puzzle? He was apparently important enough that Co-founder Morris put information on the tournament as a secondary objective. Where does the ''opening'' talked about in the yellow papers fit in this? It was also apparently important enough for Co-founder Morris who had gone crazy to write about it in yellow papers. This didn''t feel right. The pieces weren''t falling into places. There were three possibilities. First one was that probability was indeed the authority of Daoisto and he was just missing a few pieces of information to fill the remaining gaps of Guardian Sol and ''Opening''. Second one was that the one line revered appellation pointed to another authority which would make everything make sense. Third was both of the above. It wasn''t long before Eryndor''s extended vision caught sight of a river. "There''s a river up ahead, anyone wants to head over?" Valentina shook her head, but Edward nodded. "I want to fill my bottles, been thirsty for a while now." "You have the Support Shrines for that. You''d really trust river water for drinking? "What if there are some bacterias, diseases, or some other shit you know? I mean, I am not knowledgeable regarding this but I''d prefer safer options if available. "Also, if you''re that thirsty, you could''ve asked me, I have plenty of it. Want?" Edward shook his head. "Nope. Experience, experience. I told you. It''s about living the life. "I''ve brought charcoal and other water filters, so nothing will happen to me." At level one, two, and even three to some extent, the body was still not completely immune to getting sick, diseases and such. The immune system was certainly stronger, but not completely invincible. Eryndor changed the directions slightly and led everyone towards the river. They took a small break while Edward filtered the water and filled them in his bottles. There are no beasts nearby. Eryndor thought as he looked around. He was planning to kill a few beasts during the time Edward messed around with river water but there were none. He had looked at their ranking and they seemed to have fallen off from top ten. I mean, I am not surprised. During these two days, all our members except Paulina are focused on travelling towards the tundra. It is Paulina alone whose scores are increasing. That Kron fellow only had around ten thousand points. Each of us three got more than three thousand points, but it is still not enough to get into the top ten. Eryndor recognised the importance of rankings. Currently he was the only one stuck in the mess, his teammates didn''t deserve to be dragged down. He had to make sure that they would stay in the top ten and get to participate in the group battle which would decide their final ranking. The rewards of the tournaments were important for everyone. Suddenly, he noticed something moving towards them at the edge of his extended vision. Chapter 163 163: More information about abilities "There are beasts heading our way." Eryndor alerted his group¡ªEdward, who was fiddling with the filter, and Valentina, who was attempting to pluck a fruit from a tall tree. "I''m done here, let''s run away." Edward spoke, while already starting to pack away his things. While Eryndor and Valentina helped him with it, the former smirked. "I thought you''d want to fight these beasts for ''experience''." Edward jokingly elbowed Eryndor in the ribs before slinging the bag over his shoulder and tightening the straps. As they made a run for it, Eryndor narrowed his eyes as he looked at those beasts through his extended vision. A group of Ulyks huh. According to the information on the ranking website, these beasts never hunted in packs. So I was correct in my suspicion. The first layer of traps was distributed throughout the secret realm. No matter where I end up teleporting, I would have come across these beasts who are strangely co-ordinating extremely well. The trio eventually outran the beasts, and slowed down their pace to the usual jog. "Were the beasts strong?" Edward asked. "Nope. Well, all except one were at the peak stage of Latent realm, the last one being at the initial stage of Stable realm." Eryndor shrugged. "Hmm, we would''ve definitely had to spend plenty of time dealing with those, not worth it." Valentina shook her head. Edward looked at his juniors and sighed. "You know, if it was some other stage seven and stage five level one juniors talking about taking on a group of beasts at the peak of Latent realm and even one at the initial stage of Stable realm, then I would''ve definitely laughed it off. "I don''t feel the same when it comes to you both though." "What can we say? We''re special." Eryndor shrugged once again with an extremely holier than thou expression. As the group engaged in idle talks, Valentina asked a question which even Eryndor was curious about. "Who do you think is stronger between Co-founder Morris and Guardian Sol?" Edward was excited as if this was the question he was waiting for all along. "Wait, let me answer this. First, do you know their innate abilities?" Without waiting for anyone to answer, he continued. "Co-founder Morris''s ability is Transformation. He can transform into any living being, even beasts and anomalies. "Of course, he can''t copy their abilities or anything, he only gets the physical aspect, which is powerful enough in my opinion. "Maybe if his Transformation was a little better, it could happen? But it would be too overpowered haha. "Also, I don''t know if he can use his skills in that form, so that''s an information gap. "Guardian Sol''s ability is fortification. He can strengthen anything to defend himself. "It is actually a little more than just that. "You see, fortification can be used for a lot of things, so why does he only use it for defense? "Because there''s more to it. "He needs to ''fortify'' anything while keeping in mind the ''intent'' he is defending from. "Depending on what is on the offensive, a sharp object, a blunt one, some spell, an advanced technological weapon, and so on, the fortification takes place respectively. "Even if he has the ''intent'' to defend against karmic attacks, or fate based attacks, the object fortified will be able to do just that. "Why do you think he guards the city facing the Buddhist Outer Domain? "Despite being one of the most troublesome power systems, they have never managed to invade. One of the largest contributors to this is Guardian Sol." Eryndor coughed into his fist. "Valentina asked about the fight bro." Edward did the settling gesture of patting empty air and said. "Be patient, will you? I am getting to it." Fixing the non-existent collar on his cloth, he continued after a fake cough. "Yea so, in a fight. No one would actually win. "It''s because Guardian Sol is extremely defense oriented. Tasked with the job of defending a city, he has only learned the defensive skills. "Co-founder Morris can''t even harm a hair on his body. The same could be said if you reverse the situation by the way. "As a person with no little to no offensive capability, he wouldn''t be able to hurt Co-founder Morris if he transforms into a defense oriented beast." "So much for nothing." Eryndor commented with a disgusted expression on his face. Edward wasn''t provoked, he just shrugged. "Analysis. Analysis. Proper comprehensive strength analysis and then comparison. Brutes like you wouldn''t get it." Eryndor laughed mockingly. "Proper comprehensive strength analysis? Without knowing any skills they practice? Just ability vs ability and some general information?" "Get lost, at least I know something. What do you know?" Edward raised his chin up high and spoke contemptuously. Valentina chuckled from the side. "Will you two stop it?" The two men laughed, and continued their journey, keeping up their idle talks. At a certain point, Eryndor thought of something and contacted Sander. "How many people did Co-founder Morris have under him when he entered the secret realm ten years ago?" The reply was quick. "Around a hundred." His brows furrowed. How could I not think of this? I doubt the vitality of a hundred people is enough for the authority of the entity to make a permanent change on the target. But then again, I better ask someone who has more knowledge on this. He pulled up Dr. Kirchoff''s chat and asked. "Are a hundred people enough for an entity to make a permanent change through the invocation ritual?" It didn''t take long for him to reply either. "In most of the cases, no. That amount is extremely pitiful. It will only allow a small permanent change." Eryndor quickly noticed the important keyword, and asked once again. "Will it allow a temporary one?" "Yes, a hundred people are more than enough for a temporary change. Something like a one-time use only though. "However, whether it is permanent or temporary, it depends on how big or small the change is. "It also depends on the quality of the medium consumed, the closer it is to the essence of the entity, the higher the value, which is, more change allowed." Nice, new information. Chapter 164 164: Incorrect opinion? It was just a random thought he had while walking, Eryndor genuinely didn''t know he would be getting such nice information out of it. But that changes nothing. Be it permanent or temporary, I still don''t know what the change is. I still don''t know what role Guardian Sol has. I still don''t know what ''opening'' is. Eryndor slightly distanced himself from the talks and engrossed himself in thoughts. I should consider other people''s opinions. Sander said that ''opening'' might have something to do with the abyss. Abyss. Abyss... Abyssss.... Eryndor thought hard about what it could mean, but nothing came up. I mean yea, the abyss is obviously some kind of opening. But what of it? Why would Co-founder Morris want the opening? Judging from the yellow paper, it was Daoisto who made the opening. Does that mean the abyss was closed? And it needs to be opened? Only when the abyss is opened will it be possible to push me in? Eryndor shook his head slightly. No, even if such was the case, why would Co-founder Morris want Daoisto to open the abyss? It should be Daoisto who wants me, it should be the one opening abyss of its own volition. Why would Co-founder Morris want it? He thought hard about how else could he associate ''opening'' with the abyss. Or is there no correlation between ''opening'' and abyss at all? Could sander''s guess be incorrect? A few hours passed by as he continued navigating his team. "We should be nearby right?" Valentina asked. "I think so." When a familiar but unexpected voice answered her question, she turned around with a surprised expression to find Drakarion jogging at the back of their group alongside Edward. Their formation was - Eryndor in the front, Valentina in the middle, and Edward at the end. Her surprised expression resulted in Eryndor and Edward getting surprised as well. "Wait, are your surveillance primordial arts not active? "No one said anything because Drakarion nodded to us when we entered each other''s range of vision." Eryndor asked. Primordial arts were what the skills of the Beast Taming power system were called, just like cultivation arts and martial arts. Valentina replied with an extremely obvious face. "Why would I bother using my surveillance skills when yours are active? "And I am not so skilled that I''ll know two people are running instead of one when we are all going through the jungle at the speed of initial stage of level one. "Not to mention Drakarion is a Martial Artist. He has incredible control over his body, so he isn''t really making much sounds either." As she explained herself, Eryndor realized a fact. She trusts me. She trusts me enough to not use her own surveillance skills. Will I be able to do that? Eryndor almost felt guilty for how easily and quickly he was able to come to a negative answer. Shaking his head to put those thoughts out of his mind, he spoke. "Where did you land, Drakarion? From the looks of it, you should''ve been in the forest landscape as well, but I thought you''d reach earlier." Drakarion laughed from the back. "I actually came across the swamp terrain while moving to tundra. "It should be one of the special regions as well since the beasts I killed there netted me more points than usual. "But it was truly difficult to travel through it, not to mention I can''t really fight in water. "And if I were to take a detour, it would''ve taken even longer. So yea, that swamp delayed me." Valentina chuckled and answered. "I mean, it''s not exactly a bad thing it delayed you. We got to meet up after all. There are still several hours before we reach tundra." Edward nodded. "Yep, better together than alone." With the addition of Drakarion it was even more lively as they discussed several topics while going through the jungle. "I know we are nearby but can I know the approximate time?" Edward asked, to which Eryndor replied after looking at the map. "Around four to five hours? We can have lunch before resuming our travel. Breakfast was too long ago after all." "I am not hungry." Drakarion shook his head. Eryndor spoke with an obvious expression on his face. "Of course you won''t be hungry, fat ass. No one was asking you. I bet you stuffed yourself every hour. "That swamp must simply be an excuse for your delay when in reality you kept stopping every time to eat or cook some food." "Fucker, I am not even fat, we have the same build." Drakarion spat on the ground. "Heh, I''ll call you fat, what can you do?" Eryndor replied while laughing. Edward matched eyes with Valentina who had a helpless expression on her face. He instantly understood that this was just their usual way of bantering. "I swear, I would''ve beaten you up if I had more strength than you." Drakarion huffed. Eryndor goaded him once more. "You''re speaking as if you could beat me up when I was weaker, heh." It went on for a few more minutes before they decided to stop for lunch. It didn''t take long for Edward and Drakarion to hunt their respective beasts and eat them. Valentina chose to have food pills because she couldn''t keep relying on others to make food for them. However, she took the opportunity to learn how to cook in the wild by observing them. Of course, Eryndor once again took the opportunity to mock Drakarion when he chose to eat with them despite saying he wasn''t hungry. Approximately an hour later, they resumed their journey, this time with greater speed. Paulina had already sent a message on the group chat long ago that Syndra had met up with her. Once the two groups met, their whole team would be in one place. Approximately three hours later, they finally felt the temperature dropping. Gradually, the terrain around them changed as more and more snow was found in the surroundings. Finally, they saw a Support Shrine in the distance. Chapter 165 165: A message from someone unexpected "I hope it''s the one which was near Paulina." Eryndor commented, while gazing at the Support Shrine in the distance. Paulina had mentioned in the past how she had found a Support Shrine near her and used it to unlock some portions of the map. They were already in the tundra, and if the one before them was the one Paulina had visited, it meant they were nearby. "Let me message her." Valentina offered, and took out her phone. Since she had already been expecting them to arrive around this time frame, her reply was quick. "Sorry, but everything looks the same in tundra. Instead, could you please tell me the number of the Support Shrine?" "Twenty two." Eryndor spoke after reading the reply. All three of them looked at him with a shocked expression. The Support Shrine was visible to them due to how open the tundra was with barely any trees or other obstacles in sight. However, that didn''t mean it was close enough that they could view the number engraved upon its entry pillars. The Support Shrine was far enough that even if they used their surveillance skills, they wouldn''t have been able to see the number on the pillars. Back in the past, whenever Eryndor used to notify them of the beasts earlier than everyone else, they just used to be surprised that he had such a large range. It further used to bring them a pleasant surprise when they noticed how long it would take to actually meet the beast. However, they never knew how far the beast was, or if it had walked towards them or away from them. In short, there were a lot of factors into play if one wanted to calculate how far the beast or any person Eryndor had sensed was when they couldn''t see it themselves, making it vague for them. But now? They had a distinctly clear idea of how far Eryndor''s range truly went, which was why they were so shocked. Nothing was more impacting than seeing it visually first hand. Valentina momentarily forgot to send Valentina the number of the Support Shrine. The latter didn''t find it odd either, if they had only just spotted the building, it was obvious they would have to walk towards it first. Breaking out of her stupor, Valentina sent the message. No one spoke about it, as they had already been over the topic of ''Eryndor''s range'', countless times, but they still refreshed their understanding of his range and made a mental note of it. Paulina soon sent a reply to them. "No, that''s not the one. My Support Shrine is numbered thirty seven. "But if Eryndor had led everyone along the common forest terrain through the route I pointed out, he should have reached my place not there. "Anyway, it seems like you guys aren''t too far away either. I know about that Support Shrine, just keep heading west from your current position." After reading her answer, Valentina asked the question which was on everyone''s mind. "You sure you''d read it correctly? The one we''re near is twenty two, while you''re near thirty seven. Shouldn''t they be far away from each other?" Paulina: "The naming is randomized, not in order. It''s to prevent students from guessing the map through the Support Shrine numbers. "Well, I don''t know how you all ended up there, but Support Shrine number thirty seven is only like an hour of jog away in the west. You can reach earlier if you speed up, I''ve already arrived here with Syndra." "Heh, our navigator seems to be broken." Drakarion sniggered after he finished reading. Eryndor simply shrugged. "You''re free to take up the job next time. No one seems to even have an iota of map reading skills, I did the best I could." As if he was looking for support, Drakarion turned to Edward who was a senior and had completed plenty of missions. The latter replied before the former could even say anything. "Don''t look at me, I am directionally challenged." "Jeez, alright. I''ll learn it even if just to be better than Eryndor." Drakarion snorted and began walking. Eryndor called out from the back, "That''s east." Valentina chuckled, while Edward whispered, "At least I am not this bad." "Hey hey, I can hear you." Drakarion yelled as he turned around and followed the group. Edward mimicked Eryndor''s expression and shrugged. "And? What can you do? Can you beat me?" All three of them laughed at that while Drakarion angrily muttered. "Just wait, I''ll pay back all the bullying." The one hour jog didn''t feel long as they bantered throughout the trip. Finally, Eryndor caught sight of Paulina and Syndra sitting in a well hidden spot not too far away from the Support Shrine number thirty seven. The building would naturally teleport you far away to avoid being ambushed by the teams outside, but it couldn''t do anything if someone sat near the entrance waiting for students who wanted to enter the Support Shrine. If the team which arrived later was weaker? The one sitting at the entrance would get those points, if not, the situation would reverse. Some teams who had confidence in their strength had already begun camping on the entrance of Support Shrines. Of course, this strategy also had a downside, there were plenty of Support Shrines in the secret realm. If the new team had good surveillance skills and spotted the team camping on the entrance earlier than the opposing team did, they could entirely choose to leave and look for a safer Support Shrine. Since it was only the two of them, Paulina and Syndra didn''t risk waiting near the entrance but chose a well hidden spot which they already notified Eryndor about, which was why he was able to find them quickly. Eryndor led everyone towards their hiding spot, finally completing their team. As everyone conversed with each other, Paulina subtly gestured to Eryndor with her eyes. He instantly understood she wanted to talk away from the others. When they were far enough, she handed him her phone with a chat open. When he saw who it was, he looked back at Paulina. Why would he contact me now? Chapter 166 166: Few dots connecting from months ago It was Lucian. Or you could say, Caulin, the current name which he went by. The cyborg genius Caulin, one of the biggest betrayers of humanity. Did he contact Paulina because I used her to expose his plan while acting as ''Singularity''? Paulina had a clueless expression on her face, but it seemed she had the same idea as him. "Don''t look at me like that, I have no idea why he contacted me. "It is probably related to the incident in Polinek city where you had me speak a bunch of words to him. "Just read the chats, he is looking for you. I am just confused, why not contact you directly?" Eryndor shrugged with a similarly confused expression. Actually, I know. It''s pretty obvious. He thinks Paulina is a middle man for ''Singularity''. None of them know that ''Singularity'' is me. Refocusing his attention back on the chat screen, he read through the messages. Caulin: "I want you to notify the person who sent you last time that I have some interesting information. "Hint: I got it from the Cyborg Outer domain and is related to the Trenek secret realm. "If they want the information, I want to know about their title. Reply only if they agree to the deal." What? Information related to the Trenek secret realm? Isn''t that the name of this secret realm? I am not surprised that he has information about this secret realm, but to say that he got it from the Cyborg Outer Domain? Now that changes things. As he was about to continue thinking, Paulina piped up from the side seeing that he finished reading. "Well, he is talking about the Trenek secret realm. This seems to be related to this place. Is something wrong?" Eryndor had been thinking all along that it was just him alone being targeted. But now? He wasn''t so sure. He shook his head at her. "I am not sure either, I''ll have to contact that person. I''m taking your phone, I''ll be back in a while." Saying so, he didn''t wait for her to reply before shooting off in the distance. Naturally, there was no such person he needed to contact, but he still had to keep up the appearances that ''singularity'' was another person he was working under. He couldn''t reply to Caulin himself, at least in front of her. He used his extended vision to make sure he was far enough and looked at the chats before falling in thought. He got information about this secret realm from a Cyborg Outer Domain? Last time I guessed that he might have an information based Mystical Artifact. Is that how he got this information as well? Does it also have a function of letting him know the source of the information? Sounds very powerful. Or is it some connection he has in the Cyborg Outer Domain? Eryndor kept this thought aside and focused on another point which was so concerning. He asked for my title? Does he have an information based Mystical Artifact or not? He hadn''t told Paulina about his title, and by extension, Caulin didn''t know either. It was his way of checking if Caulin had an information based Mystical Artifact. Judging from how he wanted to know his title though, there were three possibilities. He reigned in his impulse to know about my title. or He doesn''t have an information based Mystical Artifact. Or He does have the Mystical Artifact and also wants to know about my title, but there must be a price for it which he isn''t keen on paying. Eryndor knew that many Mystical Artifacts had side effects or a price to pay to use them. He clearly wants to know about my title, so the first option can be cancelled. As for the second, a lot of points in his scheme of betrayal would be difficult to carry out if he didn''t have an information based Mystical Artifact. Either that, or he must have other incredible connections for information, which I don''t think is possible since that would mean more people knowing about his plans. He obviously wouldn''t want that. Not to mention that he knew Calix''s innate ability which only Hellen knew about. Even Calix''s own sister only knew about the surface level information about his ability, not even in depth specifics. At this point let''s just assume that he does indeed have a Mystical Artifact for collecting information. So is it the last point? Eryndor narrowed his eyes at that. He had a feeling that the title he had picked was too unusual. He hadn''t missed Hellen''s and Ken''s reaction when he spoke out his title for the first time. They had missed it despite him being extremely clear with his wording. A price to pay for all information huh. Could it be that because of the nature of my title, the price for knowing it is high enough that he would rather ask me directly? It was a very plausible conclusion. But there was a point. He wouldn''t know that I am in the Trenek secret realm. So why would he randomly want to give me this information? Eryndor thought back to his interaction with Caulin using his identity of ''singularity''. Wait, I asked last time if he was on humanity''s side. When he gave a positive answer, I didn''t expose him despite knowing his entire scheme. So, according to him, I am on the side of humanity. So he''s giving me this information knowing it could influence humanity? An information related to Trenek secret realm which concerned humanity enough for Caulin to contact me? Eryndor took a deep breath as he came to this conclusion. Just what is happening here? He forced himself to calm down and thought back his previous knowledge on Caulin. If there is a high price to know the information related to my title, can I assume that the price increases with the rarity of the information or it increases with the level of life form concerned in the information asked? If it is the second point... He just connected a few dots from Caulin''s scheme of betrayal which he had overlooked months ago. Chapter 167 167: Negotiation Eryndor thought of a few points which he hadn''t paid attention to after knowing the entire plan of Caulin. The first point was, the machines which changed the location of the Maws of Abyss. The second point was, the information about the Shx''Trelith eldritch entity. For Caulin''s plan to work, he had to know that particular information about Shx''Trelith which mentioned no devices with connection back to the Earth were allowed near it because there were high chances it would trace it to reach Earth. Eryndor recalled the two conditions he assumed about the high price for the information about his title from the Mystical Artifact. One - It was based on the rarity of the information. Two - It was based on the level of life form involved in the information, and since he was an eldritch entity, that price turned out to be high. As usual, there could also be a third option which involves both. However, if the Mystical Artifact indeed used the level of life form to determine the price, then Shx''Trelith was also an eldritch entity. It''s level of life form was certainly on the same level as him. Then just like now, Caulin would have had to pay a high price if he wanted information about Shx''Trelith. But. But. What if...he didn''t use the Mystical Artifact? The machines moving the Maws of Abyss, and the information related to Shx''Trelith. What if he had gotten help from the Cyborg Outer Domain? They certainly had the capability to go head to head, or even come out victorious against the Human Federation if it came to technology. They could entirely launch spaceships without letting the Human Federation know and conduct their own information gathering. Could Caulin put machines on the third planet to move the Maws of Abyss without letting the Federation know of his moves? Doubtful. But could the Cyborg Outer Domain do it? Certainly. Now, one could argue that Cyborg Outer Domain was helping Caulin because he was about to betray humanity. But then, why would they tell Caulin about information related to the Trenek secret realm which was important enough to consider significant for humanity in a bad way? There was only one answer, Caulin had someone loyal to him in the Cyborg Outer Domain. Of course, all of this was based on a mountain of assumptions. One - That the price of information was related to the level of life form involved in the answer. Two - That Caulin hadn''t paid the price to know information about Shx''Trelith. Three - That Caulin wasn''t capable enough to evade the Human Federation to put machines on the third checkpoint planet which housed the Maws of Abyss. Eryndor glanced at Paulina''s phone and thought. Let''s take a risk. He had long covered his entire body with the Sovereign''s Cloak. After making sure once more that nothing was visible, he typed in the message. "I am interested, but the terms need to change. "I also want direct access to your connection with the Cyborg Outer Domain." After typing the message, he just leaned back on a nearby rock and let out the breath he had been subconsciously holding all this time. Caulin''s reply came after around five minutes of waiting. "No. I don''t trust you." Does that mean he implicitly agreed that he does indeed have a spy in the Cyborg Outer Domain? So he trusts me enough to let me know that he did indeed have a connection, but not enough to give me direct access to them. Does he not trust me with that connection even if we''re on the same side? Is it someone close to him? Cautious guy. Caulin implicitly agreed about his connection, because one, he had already cut ties with humanity, it wouldn''t matter if he had dealings with an Outer Domain. And two, if anyone were to use that connection to somehow attack Caulin, the Cyborg genius must have enough guarantee to not be caught or was confident in leaving no proof that he was connected. Which means, his action of trusting me is also ultimately based around his confidence in himself. Eryndor thought for a while. I can''t ask for resources, I need to maintain the persona that I am incredibly powerful and have a strong network. He typed in his response. "Direct access to your information based Mystical Artifact." This time there wasn''t even a moment of wait before his reply arrived. "Nope." Caulin had no intention of letting this person or anomaly anywhere near The Covenant of Omniscience. Last time, he had just mentioned that entity and the Mystical Artifact began acting up. Who knew what would happen if he let that entity directly use it? So, he rejected. The Covenant of Omniscience was still incredibly useful to him, he didn''t want to do anything with even the slightest possibility that he would lose the book. Eryndor''s eyebrows twitched as he got another rejection. Is there a problem with the information based Mystical Artifact as well? He mentally noted that to himself before sending him a message once again. "I want to use both of them, but it will be through you. This is your last chance." Naturally, to keep up the persona, he couldn''t keep getting rejected without consequences. Thankfully, the response was positive this time. "Okay, but there need to be a few additional conditions." Maybe because he rejected the offer twice, Caulin conceded a few times in the discussion. It turned out that using the Mystical Artifact indeed came at a price, and even contacting his spy took a lot of effort. He also took the risk and sent the information about the Trenek secret realm first. Of course, Eryndor didn''t have any plans to back out from the deal in the first place. He sent a single word ''Singularity'' without any explanation. Caulin was smart enough. Looking through the information he had sent, before even reading through it, Eryndor began taking screenshots of the entire chat to send them to himself so he could delete all the messages in Paulina''s phone. His heart skipped a beat when his eyes inadvertently glanced over a word while taking the screenshots. Opening? ****** First, I need to inform you that I''ve added this part after releasing the chapter, so you''ll only be paying till ''opening?''. You won''t be paying for this extra part so don''t worry, I am not cheating anyone here haha. Creator''s thoughts didn''t let me add anything above 500 words so I had to add it in here. In the above chapter, there is actually a lot between the following - Three - That Caulin wasn''t capable enough to evade the Human Federation to put machines on the third checkpoint planet which housed the Maws of Abyss. [lots of stuff] Eryndor glanced at Paulina''s phone and thought. ^Yes, in the chapter above, between those two paragraphs, there is actually a lot of stuff which happened which I deleted because I felt it was a bit far-fetched, too complicated/convoluted of a plot which might be difficult to follow, and might not make sense at a few points. I am writing it down below, within the next five days, you can give me an input regarding your thoughts about this. If you think it''s alright, I''ll put it somewhere in the next few chapters so that it can become a canon and I can use a few points out of this in the future, if not, you don''t want it? That''s alright as well. ****** Three - That Caulin wasn''t capable enough to evade the Human Federation to put machines on the third checkpoint planet which housed the Maws of Abyss. If everything was true, then Caulin was truly daring. Deriving from point number two, Caulin hadn''t paid the price for Shx''Trelith''s information even when it concerned his entire betrayal plan. Sure, he had a spy planted in Cyborg Outer Domain, but to steal information on an eldritch entity which was already highly classified enough, and even send it to a widely proclaimed Cyborg genius of the Human Federation? That was extremely risky. Which meant, Caulin hadn''t even paid the price even at the cost of his planted spy. In this event of Polinek, humanity would''ve lost only Pat Ravencroft, a Commander level figure, and a few other members of Ravencroft family while gaining Calix, a Commander level figure who could ''continue'' to be a Commander level figure. Everytime the Cosmic Limit increased, people had to be quick to climb up in order to maintain their lead. Who could climb faster than Calix, whose ability made it such that his power depended on the number of people under him? He was at least one of the fastest if not the fastest climber at least in the early stages of the power system. Eryndor had no doubt that he might already have a power at the peak stage of level three. Humanity also successfully planted a nail in the side of the Mage Outer Domain. Now, if we turn to this event. Even if we considered that Caulin somehow knew about the tournament taking place, what would humanity gain out of the information he was about to tell him? Nothing. Even if it saved the lives of Guardian Sol and all the students, that was just what humanity already had, it couldn''t be called a ''gain''. Because if we looked at it that way, Caulin, a future Commander level figure, the mercenary teams and the senior students of the Academy which had gone to help in battle of Polinek, could be called a ''gain'' as well since they didn''t die and were still on humanity''s side. No matter what, regardless if Caulin knew about the tournament or not, the overall value of the battle of Polinek city was much greater than the Trenek secret realm. Caulin didn''t pay a price even when it concerned the battle of Polinek city, and now when it concerned the Trenek secret realm, he wanted Eryndor to tell him the title, which, in a roundabout way, had the same weight as the price he wasn''t willing to pay. So essentially, Caulin was playing a game with him. He is lowballing the offer covertly. If Eryndor agreed to the deal straight up, it would mean that the value of Trenek secret realm to him was higher than what Caulin thought. And if Caulin indeed knew about the tournament, there must be someone among the students or the two high ranking members of the Human Federation that this entity who exposed his plan valued. If Caulin looked deeply, only the four students Eryndor, Paulina, Drakarion and Valentina were involved in the plan of Amplifier Doll and Polinek city, which concerned the battle of Polinek city, and now were present in the tournament which concerned the Trenek secret realm. Among them, Eryndor was the only one who happened to be with Liliana on the mission to Shx''Trelith where he could''ve obtained all the information about it and also know Liliana''s actions, which weren''t possible for the other three which were in the Polinek city at that time. Won''t that mean his doubt on me would substantially increase? He would pay even more attention to me than to Paulina who was simply assumed as a middle man for now? No, he couldn''t agree to the deal. He had to take a risk and change the terms so that Caulin wouldn''t become suspicious that this entity who exposed his plan had an abnormally high valuation of the Trenek secret realm. Eryndor glanced at Paulina''s phone and thought. ****** Alright that was all. Chapter 168 168: Fourth round of attack? Reigning in his impulse after seeing the word ''opening'', Eryndor still deleted all the chats after sending them to himself. He didn''t return just yet, but kept Paulina''s phone in pocket before opening his phone and reading the information given. [There was an opening in the Trenek secret realm which led to the Cyborg Outer Domain''s base. It suddenly manifested many years ago, but it was closed all this time. That is, until yesterday, when someone from the Human Federation put forward some condition to open that entrance. The Cyborgs agreed to it.] Caulin: "I don''t know those specific conditions, but I think you should already be able to guess them. "If I happen to get any more information regarding this, I''ll send them to you at the earliest." What? He disregarded everything else for a moment and focused on the meaning behind the word of the ''opening''. Eryndor finally knew what the ''opening'' all along was. It was the entrance of this secret realm! However, it seemed that it wasn''t the one which led to the human territory, but rather a new one which led to the Cyborg Outer Domain''s base. So Daoisto made a new entrance? One which Co-founder Morris requested? And it was closed until recently when someone from the Human Federation offered to open it? Eryndor already knew who it was. Co-founder Morris of course. But how can he control the entrance? Wait... Don''t tell me... Co-founder Morris surely couldn''t control an entrance of a secret realm, but what if it was Daoisto? The clone was consumed in the invocation ritual, but who said an entity could only make one clone? Eryndor had zero knowledge in how clones were made, but even he could make logical connections. Daoisto the clone could control the entrances of secret realms, but it was consumed during the invocation ritual. Now an entrance was being controlled once again, who could it be? Of course Daoisto. No wait. That invocation ritual. Could it be that Co-founder Morris got the ability to manipulate the entrance to the secret realm during that invocation ritual? Wait, is this another attempt to push me to the abyss? First, the beasts. Second, the group of nine students. Third, Kron. Now, the cyborgs? Just as Eryndor was about to contemplate further, his extended vision caught sight of something. It had metallic armor. Shit, they''re here already? Eryndor had no time to think further, and go through his usual routine of finding gaps in his logic and correcting them himself. At this point, he could only regroup with his teammates and hope he was saved. If nothing worked even after being together with his teammates, then he would have to really resort to his second form which was closely related to his eldritch origin. Without delaying any further, he shot off running towards his team. It seemed because he had separated from them, they had decided to stay put in that location so that it would be easier for him to regroup. Paulina had also returned to the group. Everyone looked his way, which was rather expected judging from how he was running towards them with such an urgent expression. "There''s a high possibility that Cyborgs are coming our way, ready yourself." He didn''t say anything but began placing the bags of everyone in a safe location as the rest of them came to their senses and began taking their stances. Around the time he was done, cyborgs arrived in everyone''s field of vision. The lack of trees in the tundra region didn''t mean that it was completely devoid of it. Trees were still present but very sparsely distributed across the tundra, unlike the densely packed land of forest. There were also other obstacles like big rocks and tiny hills, which weren''t a common sight in normal forest terrain. All in all, although the naked eye could see farther than in the forest terrain, it wasn''t overwhelmingly better as there were still other obstacles. "What the fuck, cyborgs in this secret realm? Is this a joke?" Syndra muttered, seeing their numbers. There were all kinds of cyborgs which were heading their way. All of them looked like different kinds of beasts, just that they were all metallic. Some of them even had a humanoid shape. All in all, Eryndor guessed that their numbers were around forty. Paulina made the first move as Yin and Yang merged and shot Yin Yang Beam. To Eryndor''s surprise, the Yin Yang Beam which had the damage capacity of stage seven of Latent realm was able to easily damage a few of the beasts heading their way. So weak? Eryndor already knew those beast shaped metallic structures were all puppets. Contrary to popular belief, not all ''self moving machines'' were called Cyborgs. Cyborgs were those who could practice Cyborg practice techniques, that much was obvious. There was no beast found up until now which could practice any of the eight power systems, so those beast shaped machines heading towards Eryndor''s group could only be puppets. People, on the other hand, who could practice Cyborg practice techniques, often chose to replace a part of their body with a machine. It could be a mechanical arm, mechanical leg, artificial eye, some machine replacing the heart, anything. The point was, Cyborgs were those who modified their bodies and fought. They were individuals who had integrated mechanical or technological components into their biological bodies, either by replacing original parts or adding entirely new enhancements. Through the use of skills and Spiritual Energy manipulation, they could control these modifications with exceptional precision¡ªoften surpassing the capabilities of natural human physiology. Beyond their own bodies, cyborgs could also interface with and remotely control external machinery or weapons, effectively extending their combat presence beyond physical limits. In the early realms, they had the highest range in effectively all domains, be it surveillance, offense, defense or other things. Eryndor thought even if these beasts were just puppets, they would be stronger. Are all the beasts weak or just a few? Chapter 169 169: All over the secret realm Among them, only Valentina and Edward had ultra long range offensive skills. So, only two of them began their attacks. As far as Eryndor could see, all the puppets which were being hit by the two of his teammates were blasted off without any resistance. By the time those machines reached them, their numbers had been reduced by ten. Are all of them really so weak? Eryndor thought as he moved to confront a few beasts himself. There were three humanoid machines, which were respectively taken up by Edward, Syndra and Valentina. Eryndor didn''t know if those three were actual Cyborgs, but even if he did, it didn''t matter. He couldn''t help them for now. Since he had no time to watch their fight, Eryndor focused on his own fights. Internal Fist shouldn''t be effective against these, I better use the other cultivation arts. He activated Lightning Infusion, covered his body with Crimson Armor, and dodged the first wave of attacks through Shadowstep. Due to the lack of trees, he didn''t have the ever present shadows to increase his speed even further. He could only rely on the shadows of his teammates and attacking machines, but their help was so minuscule, it might as well not have existed. As soon as he further increased the distance, he used Sky Piercing Palm''s lightning version. It was more effective than just a simple stun as the target beast convulsed as if it had a short circuit before its movements drastically slowed down before stopping. Eight more metallic beasts quickly surrounded him. With Valentina, Syndra and Edward occupied with three humanoid machines, the other three had taken it upon themselves to distribute the leftover beasts among themselves, so each of them were facing eight to ten of them. The beasts were sleek, quadrupedal constructs with glowing red sensors for eyes and jagged steel limbs. Eryndor didn''t slow down. Lightning Infusion surged through him, sparks crackling across his limbs. He hurled the spiked mace forward; the flail-head detached mid-flight, spiraling with precision into the nearest beast''s skull¡ªcrunch. It folded instantly. It seems that it is true, every single one of them is weak. Eryndor thought as he continued his fight. Due to his cautious nature, even when he saw Valentina and Edward decimating these beasts easily with long ranged attacks, he didn''t completely dismiss them when they came near but faced them with full force. But the result? They really weren''t worth it. The other beasts surrounding him charged. Eryndor dashed forward with Shadowstep, appearing under the one that had jumped high. Sky Piercing Palm¡ªair variant. Thhhp! An invisible cut ripped through the beast''s underbelly, splitting it clean. Even the alloy used to make them can be ripped apart easily. Another lunged from the side. He twisted, Crimson Armor taking the hit, then fired off a flame-imbued Sky Piercing Palm right into its joint. Metal bubbled and popped, the beast collapsed mid-motion. I felt something different when that beast attacked. Being wary, he resolved to not get hit again. Three approached from the front. He swept his arm, calling the flail-head back like a comet¡ªit pierced one, rebounded into the second, then smashed the third into a tree trunk with a denting crash. Two remained. They tried flanking. One of them leapt, claws spinning. Taking a bit of a risk, he punched it straight in the head, albeit his fist was still covered with Crimson Armor. Very fucking weak, even my body strength was enough to punch through the head and destroy it. Eryndor didn''t look. He ducked and angled the returning flail-head behind his shoulder. It impaled the last leaping beast midair, its momentum carrying it into the dirt with a violent skid. Nine down. No sweat. He brushed metal shards off his arm and looked in the direction of his teammates. All of them had destroyed the beasts with similar ease. Even Valentina, Syndra and Edward, the three strongest of their group who had taken on the strongest machines, the humanoid ones, had come off victorious as metallic parts seem to be lying around them. Syndra spoke. "Those humanoids weren''t cyborgs. Just puppets like the rest of the beast shaped ones, but more powerful I''d say." Eryndor didn''t participate in the discussion as he saw a few messages on the common chat group of the entire first year that everyone had been attacked by these machines. This chat group was almost never used in this tournament so as to not give out any kind of information at all, but this was clearly an abnormal situation. His brows furrowed as he read through the chats. So this wasn''t aimed at me? This is why they were weak? After all, not everyone was as strong as their group. For a majority out there, it wouldn''t be an easy battle. But there was more information in those chats which caused him to raise his eyebrows. They ''felt'' a protection when these beasts attacked them? Is that what I felt as well when that beast managed to land a hit on me? Eryndor recalled the protection based Mystical Artifact which was used in the tournament to protect the students from the unintended factors. In a way, if it was indeed the Cyborg Outer Domain which sent these machines through the new entrance, they were indeed external entities. So nothing would''ve happened to me anyway. Just what was this all for? He thought back to the information given by Caulin and his messages. Yes, I geddit. Why would the Cyborg Outer Domain bother sending such weak robots to all the students present here? Or even to me alone? I don''t think Co-founder Morris would risk telling them my identity. And if my guess was correct, Caulin regarded this information as important enough to concern humanity as a whole. This entire attack doesn''t seem like it, literally no student was hurt. What could be counted as something significant enough for humanity? Eryndor instinctively arrived at the answer. Guardian Sol. Did something happen to him? Chapter 170: Realizing that a proof has already been made Eryndor briefly wondered about Guardian Sol. Unfortunately, he had no way to know if something had happened to the man. The conditions to open the entrance to this secret realm must somehow be related to Guardian Sol. Only something unfortunate happening to a Guardian level figure would concern the entire humanity. Caulin HAD to have been talking about Guardian Sol. Yes, why would Co-founder Morris tell Cyborg Outer Domain about me? It would be even less likely they would push me into the abyss. And even if he didn¡¯t tell them anything about me, and just termed it as personal revenge, there were very less chances they would want to kill me. Eryndor thought how no student had been harmed. Does that mean Co-founder Morris is protecting the students? There must be something which enforced that both parties must not break the terms of contact. Eryndor couldn¡¯t imagine why the Cyborg Outer Domain would spare the students when it was such a good chance to cripple the younger generation of humanity. There really must be some Mystical Artifact or something else which makes it such that no side must break the terms of contract. That is the only way all these students are safe. Eryndor understood why Co-founder Morris wouldn¡¯t want to target him through Cyborg Outer Domain. Why was only a single student targeted among the many others? Was there something different about him? Not to mention they might not kill him, they would also not obey Co-founder Morris¡¯ orders to push him into the abyss. Just the fact that only a single student was being targeted was enough for them to be wary and not sign such a contract. But then why even attack the other students then? Might as well not send such weak ass robots. Eryndor didn¡¯t understand this part. He did have a strong suspicion that Guardian Sol might¡¯ve been attacked though. That guy could even defend against the Buddhist Outer Domain, nothing would happen to him right? A strange sense of urgency enveloped him. My danger sense? Honestly? Eryndor didn¡¯t believe in anything like this, but he had read plenty of reports where this kind of thing saved people. And he was also not in a situation where he could afford to ignore it. He briefly considered bringing in Sander, who was waiting outside the secret realm. Should I use him for this though? If my guesses turn out to be correct, it would be the Cyborg Outer Domain which attacked Guardian Sol, it would¡¯ve had nothing to do with Co-founder Morris. That won¡¯t be any kind of proof against Co-founder Morris. In the end, Eryndor valued his own life over Guardian Sol¡¯s. He still kept Sander outside in case Co-founder Morris made some move. Maybe I can ask a few doubts that I had though. He took out his phone from the bag and messaged Dr. Kirchoff. "Can the ability to manipulate space be given through the invocation ritual. "Say, like, opening and closing the entrance to a secret realm?" There wasn¡¯t any reply, so he regrouped with his teammates with an urgent heart. They were all talking about the recent fight. "I find something suspicious, but nothing has been announced on the tournament ranking website so maybe it was just some kind of test?" Paulina spoke with a heavy heart. Drakarion frowned beside her. "I didn¡¯t see my points increase though. Was it really a test?" Eryndor didn¡¯t attract much attention as he rejoined them, so he deliberately clapped and spoke after everyone looked his way. "Uhm, I need some help. "Hear me out. It¡¯s nothing complicated, no action needed, no work, just some thinking." Even in this situation, Eryndor didn¡¯t forget to do a fake cough in Drakarion¡¯s direction who already began looking for a stone to throw at him. Suppressing a laugh, he spoke. "So, I want you guys to tell me whatever comes into your mind when you think of the sentence: ¡¯The Hand That Tilts The Scales.¡¯ "You know, like what comes to your mind? What power? What ability do you think the sentence relates to?" Everyone fell in though as they began thinking about Eryndor¡¯s words. "Bias?" Syndra spoke, and continued. "Like you know, it is favoring one side, which is why the scales tilt...something like that? "In battles it can be used to disrupt the balance of the opponent by being biased towards one leg, I don¡¯t know, just speaking what comes to my mind." Eryndor nodded in her direction. "Not bad, anything else?" He looked at everyone. "Can y¡¯all think of more stuff?" As he waited for them, his phone pinged. Keeping his attention focused on the group, he opened his phone to find that Dr. Kirchoff had replied. "No. The ability to manipulate space cannot be given to others. "It¡¯s not really an ability, just something inherent at higher stages. "For example, height. When a child grows, their height increases. It¡¯s just something which one gets at a higher stage. Not something which can be given to others." As he read through the message, he didn¡¯t forget to respond to his group. "Equality?" "Equilibrium." "Gravity." "Weight?" All of their answers were similar to what he had already thought, so he still encouraged them to think more. As they went on a longer duration of contemplation, he suddenly thought of something as he sent a message to Dr. Kirchoff. "Say... what happens when an entrance is made in a secret realm?" Perhaps because he had just come online, his reply was quick. "Made? Not natural? Do you mean someone making an entrance to the secret realm?" Eryndor was about to answer when he suddenly thought of something. "Yea, a clone of someone who is very likely to be an eldritch entity. I think it has actually happened in the Trenek secret realm." Eryndor just realized that with the appearance of the new entrance in the secret realm, there was already proof against Co-founder Morris! Those yellow papers which talked about Co-founder Morris thanking Daoisto for making an opening! Contrary to his expectations though, Dr. Kirchoff sent a completely unexpected reply. Chapter 171: Y class Cyborg "You¡¯re in trouble." Eryndor¡¯s eyes widened as he read the message. What? His hands had never typed a message faster in his life. "What do you mean?" "The entrance to your secret realm has been blocked. I just checked with Sander, he can¡¯t get in. "I assume the one to the Cyborg Outer Domain should be blocked as well by now. One entrance cannot remain open for long when the other is closed. "Is there a problem on your side?" Calm down Calm down Calm down Eryndor forcibly calmed himself down as he looked at the message. I can¡¯t tell him about my identity. On the off chance that he didn¡¯t know about it, I would only be digging my grave. I can also not tell him that I instinctively understand that peculiar language, so I can¡¯t tell him about the one line revered appellation either. But assuming that Kaylor Byrd works under him, he would know that an entity strong enough to have a revered appellation is involved right? He can get the revered appellation from that source instead of me. He took a deep breath and told him everything he had told Sander, and also added how there was a cyborg attack just now, albeit very weak. As he sent Dr. Kirchoff everything, he noticed that Sander had sent him a message. "There¡¯s a problem. I can¡¯t get in." He only sent a simple message. "I know, Dr. Kirchoff notified me." Sander: "What? You¡¯re in direct contact with him?" Eryndor: "Yes. I¡¯ll tell you how later, the situation is a bit urgent." Sander: "I understand." Sander understood that Eryndor might be talking with Dr. Kirchoff right now, and in such a situation, it was definitely better to talk to that man than him. He tacitly stopped messaging Eryndor. As Eryndor switched back to Dr. Kirchoff¡¯s chats, he noticed that the President of the Human Federation had sent him a message. "This does look like trouble. Co-founder Morris is definitely suspicious. "You need to hold on. Even the earliest method we have will take six hours to break in forcibly." Suppressing the rising urgency he was feeling, Eryndor asked the important thing on his mind. "Will Co-founder Morris be executed for it?" He admitted that he was indeed being too direct with his intentions. If Dr. Kirchoff decided to not execute Co-founder Morris, but he was still found dead when they broke in, the prime suspect would be Eryndor. Eryndor didn¡¯t have any confidence in going against Co-founder Morris. He had no plan whatsoever on how he could kill him, but he knew that if Dr. Kirchoff gave a negative answer, he had to take matters into his own hands and make sure there were no proofs tying back to him. They couldn¡¯t kill a student without any proof could they? Not to mention how improbable it would be for a student to be able to kill a Co-founder level figure. As he was deep in his thoughts, Dr. Kirchoff sent an answer. "Just the fact that he might¡¯ve co-operated with a clone of an eldritch entity would place him under tight scrutiny. "However, you must know that, among the eldritch entities, not all are bad. The Federation won¡¯t execute him just for this. "As for the situation in the Trenek secret realm, from my experience, the Cyborg Outer Domain wouldn¡¯t just attack the students for no reason. "The entrance very likely leads to their main base. Due to the nature of the secret realm, none of us can do anything even if both sides are aware of the entrance there. "However, now that the entrance to the human territory was blocked, it should¡¯ve been a very good chance for them to completely eradicate everyone even if their own entrance closes shortly after. "There are too many methods. "This situation where the students were attacked with these extremely weak robots is very unlikely. "It is very possible that Morris forced the Cyborg Outer Domain to agree to the condition of not harming the students if they wanted him to open the entrance. But then why even attack with weak robots? "An eldritch entity¡¯s clone manipulating the entrances. Students being attacked by weak machines. The only unknown factor here is Sol. "Something else must be going on. He can¡¯t be executed with just this, because from my point of view, it looks like he saved the students. "But yes, if something unfortunate happens to Sol, Morris would be executed." Just as Eryndor was about to sigh in relief, Paulina threw her phone at him. Caulin sent a message? He read it quickly after seeing the sender¡¯s name. Caulin: "I told you I would contact you after getting any additional information. "I hope you understood my hint last time. The condition to open the entrance was related to Guardian Sol, and I just got the confirmation right now. "An injured Y class peak stage Mechanist returned from the entrance. For your information, Y class Cyborgs completely modify themselves to fight one vs one. They are incredibly weak if even a single person interferes." Tinkerer was the first realm of the Cyborg Power system, and Mechanist was the second realm. Eryndor¡¯s brain immediately connected the dots as he read the message. No wonder the weak robots were sent after students. It¡¯s so that students are all kept occupied. So that no one can interfere in Guardian Sol¡¯s battle where a Y class Cyborg is involved. It¡¯s fully modified only for one vs one after all. It¡¯s confirmed. Morris is indeed targeting Guardian Sol. Eryndor thought with a jubilant mood as he messaged Dr. Kirchoff. "I just got information that a Y class peak stage Mechanist was deployed. That confirms the fact that Guardian Sol is being targeted right? That also explains the weak robots sent after the students." Dr. Kirchoff: "Can¡¯t say for sure, but very likely." Eryndor looked at the Support Shrine in the distance. That solves everything. The only thing left is, I don¡¯t know why Co-founder Morris is targeting Guardian Sol. Who knows? Maybe it was some personal grudge? Now I just need to shut myself inside the Support Shrine for six hours to keep myself safe from Daoisto who has arrived and Co-founder Morris who will be done killing Guardian Sol. But the very next second, his mind went blank as he heard a completely new interpretation of the one line revered appellation. Chapter 172 172: Borrowing points Eryndor knew he had two layers of protection. One was the Support Shrine. He had made countless guesses up until now, and could only conclude that these might be some kind of advanced technology stolen from Cyborgs or might be a Mystical Artifact. Naturally, he had also once made a guess that these Support Shrines might be an extended, or you could say, an additional feature of the Mystical Artifact which was used to protect the students. The second layer of protection was naturally that same Mystical Artifact. Sander had said that if just a disguise could fool the Mystical Artifact, it wouldn''t have been used to protect the students. It meant that the protection based Mystical Artifact was at least somewhat impressive right? Also, a team from the Human Federation had already scanned this secret realm. If there existed beasts or anomalies which escaped their scanning, they must also be impressive in their own ways right? This Mystical Artifact was literally used to protect against those kinds of beings, surely it was powerful? Of course, if Eryndor''s previous guess about Support Shrines being an extension of this Mystical Artifact was true, and they were just one object, it still meant that he had at least one layer of protection. But now? After hearing the completely new authority which could relate to the one line revered appellation from Syndra''s mouth? Everything overturned in his mind. All the guesses, all the dots, all the points scrambled, jumbled and rearranged to connect themselves in completely new ways, pointing to a new speculation, one which made much more sense than the previous one. His previous guess had involved ''probability'' being the authority being pointed to by that revered appellation. But that very well might be incorrect. He turned to Syndra. "Can you say it again? The ability which ''The Hand That Tilts The Scales'' points towards. I was spaced out just now." Syndra simply shrugged and spoke. "Amplification." She gave further clarification on it. "I mean, let''s look at it this way. "Our previous guesses: Equality, Equilibrium, Bias, Judgment, Probability and so on, they all take in consideration the state of the scale. "Their focus is the scale itself. "Now those few guesses such as Weight, Gravity and so on, they focus on what is ''on'' the scales. "So I just took this and expanded the domain of what could be changed. it doesn''t necessarily need to be only weight right? "If we''re talking about an ability, its target would be anything in the world, right? "So, how about, instead of thinking that only weight can bring a change in the scales, we can think that there might be other things as well. "But there are just too many things which can be changed in a target. "So I took it all under one banner. Amplification." Seeing that Eryndor seemed to be more serious than normal, and also how some members didn''t follow completely, she explained differently. "When you increase the weight of the target which is on the scales, there would be a change in the scales, right? "In a world of abilities, a scale doesn''t necessarily need to compare only ''mass'' or ''weight'', following me? "What if it could compare more? Or rather, compare everything? "Weight, speed, defense, offense, height, ability, emotional intelligence, academic intelligence, knowledge, comprehension, identity, or even, your existence? Your being? "In that case, to tilt those scales, just a ''weight'' based ability would be insufficient right? Amplification suits it more. "Of course, you can also interpret it as ''Attenuation''. Be it increase or decrease, anything would change the scales. "You get my point?" Eryndor was already forming the guess in his mind, the explanation provided by Syndra just proceeded to make it all concrete, and clear. Taking a deep breath, he spoke in his most serious tone, not caring if others found anything suspicious. "You''re a lifesaver Syndra. I''ll be back soon." Saying so, without waiting to hear anything from his teammates, he made a run. He didn''t care about saving his Qi, he utilized Lightning Infusion and Shadowstep to his maximum ability before arriving at the Support Shrine closest to them. While operating the screen in front of him, he messaged Dr. Kirchoff. "Can you please notify Kaylor Byrd to tell the Team Yetoren which he has sent in the Trenek secret realm to head towards the entrance where Guardian Sol and Co-founder Morris are?" As he manipulated the screen and began unlocking the sections of map closest to the entrance, he read Dr. Kirchoff''s reply. "They are already on their way, but they don''t have the ability to access the Support Shrines. "Kaylor notified them as soon as he got the proof which you sent. The mention of ''opening'' does point towards a very powerful existence, which is what Team Yetoren were initially finding traces of. "After all, no matter if that eldritch entity is good or bad, we still need to make contact with it." As the maps were slowly unlocked, his brain began processing Dr. Kirchoff''s message. So it is true. That Mystical Artifact protects students from outsiders, and Team Yetoren aren''t allowed to use Support Shrines. Is it safe to assume that Support Shrine and that Mystical Artifact are connected? As he finally witnessed the map near the entrance completely cleared away, he noted down what number of Support Shrine was in that area. Without delaying, he went to the teleport option and input his command to teleport him to that specific Support Shrine closest to the entrance. [Insufficient Points] What? Oh yes, teleportation costs twenty thousand. I doubt I have that many points, not to mention I also spent a lot on uncovering those sections of map just now. He fiddled around with the screen, trying to find any way his teleportation could be possible and he found it in a few seconds. [Borrow points from your teammate?] Of course. [Input the name of the teammate you wish to borrow from.] There was no time to think, he input everyone''s name. As Eryndor waited for their acceptance, he looked at Dr. Kirchoff''s chats and thought back to the doubt that man hadn''t answered. I should also go over the speculation I just made. Chapter 173 173: Replace "What is he up to?" Paulina whispered when she saw the notification on her phone. [A teammate wants to borrow your points.] She looked around, and realized that everyone had got the same notification. "He ran away without any explanation, and now he wants points?" Edward muttered with a frown. "I''ll allow however much he wants to borrow." Valentina spoke, while Drakarion shrugged beside her. "Same." Paulina nodded as well. "There must really be some emergency for him to act this way." Edward decided to put a limit on the number of points allowed to be borrowed while the rest just allowed without any conditions. Eryndor didn''t message his teammates to accept as he had trust in them, instead he utilized that time to message Dr. Kirchoff. "You didn''t answer my earlier message about what happens when someone makes an opening in a secret realm." Dr. Kirchoff: "Mmm...it''s related to how I mentioned earlier that due to the nature of the secret realm, neither the Human Federation nor the Cyborg Outer Domain can do anything even if both sides are aware of the entrance there. "We can''t really have a big fight in there. "You see, you must have read it online in common information about secret realms that they are just a pocket of space. "What is not written there is that this pocket of space isn''t really all that stable. "So when incredible intensity of powers are used, there''s a chance it might further destabilise the space, or even completely rupture it apart. "Yes, there has been a previous incident for both cases. "In the first one, the people were trapped in the secret realm since the entrance began closing and opening at random places in the secret realm, and even in the outside world, the entrance chaotically began moving around. "We had to coordinate with the team and let them know when to exit so that they don''t leave the secret realm only to end up in the ocean or some dangerous places. "For the second case, obviously, everyone died, the pocket of space called secret realm was literally ruptured apart. Naturally, it didn''t appear again. "Now, back onto your question. "I just told you that a secret realm is just an unstable pocket of space, correct? So, if you mess with it, it is obvious that the entire thing gets rattled. A tiny disruption could occur at the time when the entrance is made." Eryndor sent him a thank you before going back in his thoughts. That agent which left the secret realm. The one which kept repeating the revered appellation over and over. I was wondering all this time why that man was able to leave despite the entrance being closed. Now it makes sense. He was able to leave because the blockade on entrance briefly faltered due to disruption caused when Daoisto made the entrance to Cyborg Outer Domain. Eryndor thought back to how it was mentioned that the agent had left the secret realm years before Co-founder Morris. Come to think of it, didn''t the third piece of yellow paper which said ''Hahaha, thank you for making an opening Daoist!'' also take a lot of energy of Consciousness to be reversed? Doesn''t that mean it was way too old? The timings kind of match up, both are very old. I wonder why I didn''t make the connections myself, I already had all the information, even the fact that the secret realm is a pocket of space. I just didn''t know it was unstable, but I could''ve made a guess for that. I''ve been really lax this time around. Even the current situation could''ve been avoided if I had just guessed the revered appellation earlier. There was no need for waiting for so long for all these other pieces of information. As Eryndor silently admonished himself, the screen opposite to him finally turned green. [Point transfer complete. Initiating teleportation of the student to the target Support Shrine.] [Please check the number of Support Shrine again, and press on confirm after making changes.] After Eryndor went through everything, a final pop up appeared. [Please stand inside the red circle.] Without saying anything, he stood inside the newly manifested red circle on the floor. Just like the last time, white light appeared before his eyes which blinded him. A few seconds later when he felt like he could open his eyes, he noticed that he was standing in the familiar cabin of the Support Shrine. Did the teleportation fail? Apparently not. A screen lit up on the wall and a pop up appeared. [Teleportation successful] Wow, this teleportation is much more comfortable than the one it uses to send us outside. Without delaying, he left the Support Shrine through the horrifying teleport mechanism, obviously commanding it to drop him in the direction of the entrance. As he began running after the nasty tumble, he recalled the dots he had pieced together. Amplification. I''m certain this is the authority of that being, and also what it used on Co-founder Morris. Daoisto ''amplified'' Co-founder Morris'' transformation ability. The amplification would''ve been to such a scary extent that Co-founder Morris can literally become Guardian Sol in every sense, be it ability, his identity, and probably even his destiny, if such a thing existed. Why Guardian Sol? Because he probably has the best defense ability. Yes, the amplified transformation innate ability might very well allow one to even copy their ability. The entire reason he made friends with him was probably to know his manners and everything. He is killing Guardian Sol, because obviously, there can''t be two, one has to go. One might have a doubt. What did defense ability have to do with all of this? Because of safety. Everyone who participated in the mission to seal me died. Whether it was Dr. Kirchoff killing everyone, or a fate type curse of coming in contact with the real form of an eldritch entity, only this kind of defense ability can shield him. Guardian Sol''s defense ability was even able to defend against abstract concepts like karmic link based attacks of the Buddhist Outer Domain after all. Co-founder Morris was doing everything purely because he wanted to live. But then... Why was Eryndor running in such haste? Exactly because Co-founder Morris was replacing Guardian Sol. The Mystical Artifact which protected students from outsiders. The Federation had set it up such that even Co-founder Morris was counted as an outsider. The only one who had the authority to interfere was Guardian Sol. If Co-founder Morris became Guardian Sol in every sense, be it appearance, ability, identity, aura, destiny, would the Mystical Artifact still be able to correctly identify him? Nope. At least, there were very low chances of that happening. And what would happen if Co-founder Morris became Guardian Sol? I would lose my last layer of protection. He can then actively interfere and put me in the abyss. That was really the gist of everything. Shit man, if only I could deduce the one line revered appellation earlier. There would''ve been no need to wait until now in that case. Guardian Sol wouldn''t have had to fight the Y class peak stage Mechanist and even Daoisto, that clone of the eldritch entity wouldn''t have appeared. But the question still remained, why was Eryndor running towards them? Wasn''t that currently the most dangerous place for him? Because he planned to utilize ''Hunger''. Chapter 174 174: Convincing team Yetoren He dearly hoped that Guardian Sol hadn''t fallen. Based on what Dr. Kirchoff had said, if one of the entrances was closed, the others couldn''t remain open for long. If the Y class peak stage Mechanist failed to kill Guardian Sol in that timeframe, there was a high chance they would immediately retreat. Exchanging a peak stage level two for a Guardian level figure of humanity wasn''t exactly a bad trade since Outer Domains were known to have a higher number of fighters at all levels, be it any stage of any level. The only thing stopping them from using their complete prowess was each other. As mentioned before, the Eight Outer Domains weren''t exactly on good terms with each other. If one of them used too much force to attack the human territory, the chances were certainly not low that another Outer Domain would use the chance to eradicate their base which wouldn''t have too much protection. If Guardian Sol hasn''t died, it will be incredibly useful for me. He wanted team Yetoren to come to his aid, not to combat Daoisto but Co-founder Morris. This would be the part where Guardian Sol would be useful if he hadn''t died. Because he could back up Eryndor when he would ask team Yetoren to handle Co-founder Morris. That team wouldn''t dare to go against a Co-founder level figure, but instead choose Daoisto. However, if Guardian Sol acted as a proof that something was indeed wrong with Co-founder Morris, then they would have no choice but to act. As to why would Guardian Sol speak against Co-founder Morris? Well, he would be an incredible fool to not doubt the man who had stuck to him persistently all this time but didn''t help out when the Y class Cyborg attacked, no matter how many reasons he had for not appearing. Not to mention the closing of the entrance which was suspicious as well, given how it happened in the same secret realm where Morris had escaped from. In short, Eryndor wanted to confront Daoisto alone, while team Yetoren, and hopefully Guardian Sol, would go against Co-founder Morris. Eryndor still remembered the hunger extremely clearly. The one which nearly consumed him when he neared Shx''Trelith. But there was another emotion which had helped him keep a hold on his sanity. Danger. The fear of demise. The hunger came from a place he didn''t recognise, but his fear had come from himself. Back then it had been his own danger sense tingling intensely. As if he would die if he acted on his impulse. Eryndor was taking a risk here. That sense of danger, did it manifest because I was facing an eldritch entity''s true form? I hope it is the case. If it is indeed like that, then there wouldn''t be any significant sense of danger when I let go of my hold on hunger towards Daoisto right? Since he is simply a clone. Precisely because he was a clone, he was also worried if it would trigger his hunger at all. No use worrying about it. Eryndor kept up his speed, knowing that he would be reaching the entrance anytime now. His passive cultivation was running all the time, ensuring that he would keep recovering Qi. He sent a message to Dr. Kirchoff. "Please try to break in at the earliest." Unfortunately, he couldn''t tell that man about the entire plot since it involved the one line revered appellation, and how he was targeted to be put in the abyss. Which would mean that Eryndor would have to reveal his Cognitive Scrying, since he heard the sound in Ronin, Team Yetoren''s leader''s memories and also had an instinctual comprehension of the language which made it all possible. If Dr. Kirchoff already knew about his identity, it wouldn''t be a problem, but since he had shown no signs of recognising him, Eryndor didn''t want to dig a hole for himself. Why is he not replying? Did he go offline? At this point? Although he was busy in his thoughts, he didn''t fail to notice the decrease in the density of trees in the surroundings. There was a large wide clearing at the entrance, does that mean I am close to the goal? As he had this thought, Eryndor sensed someone entering his extended vision. Team Yetoren! Eryndor quickly realized how advantageous the situation was to him. It would be difficult to sway a person if they had already heard opinions from everyone, but it would be easier to do so if they knew nothing. He planned to strike early and tell them what was appropriate. Eryndor slowed down and changed his direction, planning to intercept them before reaching the entrance. "What are you doing here?" Ronin spoke in a direction, while doing hand signs behind his back to alert his team. As an experienced team, they wouldn''t underestimate anyone, not even a student. Not to mention some of them were monstrously powerful. Eryndor stopped where he was, not attempting to close the distance as he began telling them everything. He, of course, excluded everything which could be tied back to him. "So you''re saying we should fight Co-founder Morris and you''ll handle the clone of the eldritch entity? "Yes. Believe me, Co-founder Morris is far more dangerous." At least to me. He inwardly added while gauging their reactions. "We can''t keep wasting time. Guardian Sol''s life might be hanging by a thread for all we know." Eryndor spoke before he resumed running. Ronin nodded, but Eryndor could see from the corner of his eye that one of his teammates had taken out their phone. They are probably contacting Kaylord Byrd. I hope Dr. Kirchoff knows the revered appellation by now, and judging from how his expertise in these things is far greater than mine, he should be able to guess what is happening immediately. It doesn''t matter if he doesn''t know about my part. Just ''Amplification'' would uncover everything since he should obviously know that everyone in the mission to seal had died. I hope he hurries up. Just as he had that thought, Eryndor noticed something. Chapter 175 175: Confrontation Six hours. That was the amount of time Dr. Kirchoff told me it would take to break into the secret realm forcefully. But if he makes a guess that Guardian Sol is ''surely'' about to die rather than ''might'' die, maybe he would accelerate his efforts, if it is possible at all? As Eryndor was in his thoughts, he noticed something within team Yetoren. Their formation faltered for a few moments, with even Ronin frowning. He saw the team leader take out his own phone and type something, and he continued to gaze at the screen. Is something wrong? Eryndor''s eyebrow twitched as he thought of something. Taking out his own phone, he opened Dr. Kirchoff''s chat where he had sent the most recent message. It isn''t even delivered yet? His brows furrowed. Has our connection to the outside world been severed? The situation had just taken a turn for the worse. Eryndor turned around and showed Ronin his chat screen with Dr. Kirchoff. At least I can make them relate to me and also show that even Dr. Kirchoff is in contact with me. Maybe it''ll increase the chances that they''ll listen to me. As expected, Ronin''s eyebrow shot up briefly as he once again reassessed the student before him. He elevated the status of the student mentally, and spoke. "Judging from your message, which hasn''t been delivered either, it seems like our connection to the outside world has been blocked along with the entrance." Eryndor nodded. "It''s due to Co-founder Morris." At this point, he didn''t care if he had to lie if he could get them to target that man and leave Daoisto to him. Ronin of course wouldn''t believe everything Eryndor was saying but just the name of Dr. Kirchoff did make him see the student as somewhat trustworthy. As they were running through the forest with the increasingly lesser density of trees, Eryndor thought of something and fully unleashed his Cognitive Scrying on the team behind him without any hesitation. Ouch He faced a minor obstruction on Ronin''s side, but the mental defensive treasure was only at the second level. His Cognitive Scrying, which was at fourth level, was easily able to break past it once Eryndor focused a little without breaking the treasure or alerting Ronin. Back when he faced obstruction in Liliana''s mind space, his Cognitive Scrying had only been at third level, so he wasn''t able to break in. Well, all he wanted were the practice techniques of these people, nothing serious. Why did he want them? Because he just thought of something which would make them useful in his battle with Daoisto. He got all the practice techniques except those of the Buddhist power system and Cyborg power system. It was reasonable since their team didn''t have people walking those two paths. A minute later, Eryndor finally sensed a wide open clearing through his extended vision. And, for the first time ever since he had used the extended vision of his eldritch abilities, someone noticed him at the same time as his sight fell on them. There were three people in the clearing. Guardian Sol, who was bloodied all over, and held a glowing shield before him. Co-founder Morris, whose suit had ruffled up slightly, and held two daggers in his hands. The third one was a middle aged man who had no distinguishing features. He wore a simple robe and stood on the side of Co-founder Morris, but had turned his head to look directly where Eryndor was standing. "What happened?" Morris asked Daoisto, they had almost gotten Sol, they couldn''t let anything interfere at this stage. Daoisto didn''t reply to him, but kept looking back at Eryndor. They didn''t have to wait for long, as everyone noticed a young man entering their field of vision, along with a group of people behind him. Yes! I feel the hunger! But...fuck, I feel my danger senses tingling as well. Eryndor could only breathe out a sigh of relief when he realised that his danger instincts weren''t screaming at him as intensely as when he stood before Shx''Trelith. The same could be said about his hunger though. Is it because I''m in front of a clone? Eryndor sincerely hoped his ''Hunger'' could solve the problem, as that was the only way he could think of. Sol immediately opened his mouth after recognizing team Yetoren. "Morris plans to kill me! This dog has colluded with an eldritch entity." As a senior member of the Human Federation who had been through countless situations, Morris of course wouldn''t get angry at such insults. He recognised the importance of team Yetoren at this stage, so he calmly spoke. "Sol has colluded with the Cyborg Outer Domain to kill everyone including the students here. "I''m sure you''ve witnessed all the robots going after the students. If it wasn''t for me taking out their main operator, they wouldn''t be as weak, and would''ve certainly hurt the students." Valid excuse. No one knows that a Y class peak stage Mechanist attacked Guardian Sol, that Cyborg already retreated to the Cyborg Outer Domain after all. All everyone witnessed was a bunch of robots attacking the students, Eryndor thought after he finished listening to Co-founder Morris. Contrary to their expectation though, the one who replied wasn''t someone from team Yetoren, but the student in front. "And? Want to talk more bullshit? "What about the Y class peak stage Mechanist which attacked Guardian Sol because you made a deal with Cyborg Outer Domain?" Eryndor had already burned the yellow papers which connected him to the ongoing situation on the way here. Taking out a bunch of yellow papers which he showed to team Yetoren previously, he held them out again, to all three people this time. "And these? Your ghost wrote them?" Even in his bloodied state, Guardian Sol laughed. "A dog thorough and thorough. Can''t even clean up your traces." Co-founder Morris narrowed his eyes as he recognised the student. How is he here? But now that he is here, I hope Daoisto finally joins the battle. Chapter 176 176: Luring away Daoisto Daoisto had only been spectating all this time. Frankly speaking, Morris couldn''t blame him. He had already made the clone do a lot of things without even completing his own part of the deal about pushing Eryndor into the abyss. Looking at how things had turned out though, even that part would probably be completed by Daoisto as he would take Eryndor himself. He didn''t have the face to ask more of him. Just the fact that Eryndor was here should guarantee Daoisto''s involvement in the battle. Morris also couldn''t expose the fact that Eryndor was an eldritch. Not when the student was present. Honestly speaking, after his memories had been unsealed, even his trauma had returned. It had been more than ten years, but the passage of time hadn''t diluted the impact Eryndor''s true form had made on him. Even Daoisto''s various feats paled in comparison to the horror he felt ten years ago. Granted, he was a clone, but still, his instincts which subconsciously compared the fundamental essence of both made him rank Eryndor higher. He didn''t want to utter the true nature of the student in front of him. He knew how he had been sealed, and identity played an important role in that. Morris had no idea if Eryndor knew about his own identity as an eldritch. On the off chance that he didn''t, he didn''t want to take a risk by letting him know. God knows what would happen. He was doing all this so he could live, and Eryndor was a damn dangerous uncontrollable factor, which was contrary to what he wanted. And that uncontrollable factor really did something which no one could''ve expected. He ran off. Eryndor kept hoping for Daoisto to follow as he ran through the jungle. He had instantly recognised the state of the battle when he had glanced through the extended vision. Daoisto wasn''t participating. What was the greatest use of an ''amplification'' ability? When it acted as a support. If it amplified an already strong attack, that would be enough to defeat a majority of the people. He didn''t want Daoisto and Co-founder Morris to work together. That situation also gave him some information on their current relationship. Daoisto would likely not listen to Co-founder Morris even if that man asked him to stay. Probably because he had already asked Daoisto to do a lot without actually paying anything back. While he had this thought, he didn''t forget to check his extended vision. As expected, Daoisto didn''t even look at Co-founder Morris as he began running after him. If Daoisto wasn''t so confident in himself, and had a better relationship with Co-founder Morris, he would''ve stayed to help the latter deal with everyone before chasing Eryndor together as that would be countless times more efficient. At that point, Eryndor wouldn''t have been able to do anything either as Co-founder Morris would have the authority of the tournament judge and be able to manipulate all the related Mystical Artifacts. Anyway, it worked in my favor. "That leaves us huh." Ronin finally spoke, after seeing how Eryndor had lured Daoisto away. Co-founder Morris narrowed his eyes when he saw Daoisto going after Eryndor. Does he understand the true nature of his identity? Or did someone instruct Eryndor to do this? Who could it be? Dr. Kirchoff? It was certainly disadvantageous to him now. As one of the most senior members of the Federation, he had plenty of mastery in all of the skills he had practiced. His combat prowess was very high. He could''ve taken out team Yetoren alone as he was someone who had walked the path of combat against humans, but Sol wouldn''t let him do that. Team Yetoren''s combat prowess was low enough that any one of them could have taken them out alone, but it was also high enough that if they sided with any one, the other one was sure to lose. Guardian Sol might have had a chance to stay his ground against both Morris and team Yetoren in his peak state since he was defense oriented. That was also the only reason Guardian Sol had managed to stay alive for as long despite getting critically injured by Y class Cyborg and fighting Co-founder Morris. His defensive prowess was just that disgustingly high. Well, that''s what I''m after in the first place. Morris thought, as his eyes glanced over to team Yetoren, who walked over to Sol''s side. "Well? You''d rather listen to a kid than a Co-founder?" Ronin shook his head lightly. "Evidence. They are important." "What? Any random paper with nonsense written over it is evidence now? Anything he spouts is evidence?" Ronin just gave him a nervous laugh. "Then shouldn''t it be alright if we wait for the secret realm to open and the Human Federation to resolve things? "We''ll know who is correct and who is not. Let the Federation be the judge." These were really Ronin''s thoughts. He still had no idea whom to believe. His contractor, Kaylor, had only told him to head towards the entrance to make contact with the clone of the eldritch entity. He had relented on this matter and let Eryndor handle the clone because he was in contact with Dr. Kirchoff who was higher in ranking than Kaylor. Who knew if Eryndor''s plan that he would deal with the clone was one concocted by the President himself? Kaylor had also given no instructions on what to do regarding Co-founder Morris and Guardian Sol. Therefore, in this tense situation, he could only make sure that none of them died. "You made the right choice." Guardian Sol spoke, his voice barely louder than a whisper. It was getting more and more difficult for him to hold out. ***** "Far enough?" Daoisto finally spoke while tilting his head to the side as he gazed at Eryndor who had stopped. Majority of Eryndor''s focus was on controlling his hunger, causing his replies to be slower than usual. "Yes." "Now can we talk?" Huh? Talk? Chapter 177 177: Sides Am I hearing things wrong? Eryndor wondered. It could indeed be that he was hearing wrong since a large portion of his attention was on keeping his hunger in check. But when Daoisto spoke again, he knew he wasn''t hallucinating. "Do you want to talk?" Eryndor narrowed his eyes at the middle aged man who had hands crossed in front of him, looking all relaxed. Does he not feel the hunger? Or is he just that adept at controlling it? A tiny doubt crept into Eryndor''s mind as he wondered if he was indeed the only one who felt abnormal hunger. Keeping those thoughts aside, he questioned. "Talk what?" Daoisto smiled. "Join us, leave your side. You should recognise your situation, there''s no way out for you." Eryndor''s mind went into a mess as he heard this. Sides? These eldritch entities are playing sides? And I was supposedly at the opposite side of Daoisto? Eryndor''s brows furrowed. Should I pretend to know what he is talking about? "What will I get if I join your side?" Daoisto smirked coldly as he looked at the student. "Well, you won''t die." Eryndor''s eyebrows twitched when he heard the response. What information am I supposed to gleam if you keep answering like that? As if Daoisto had realized something. "Wait, do you even know who you are? Your memories before you were sealed?" Eryndor nodded gently. Daoisto narrowed his eyes, still looking suspicious. "Is that so? Then tell me your revered appellation." Appellation? Not appellation''s''? Is he assuming that I only have a single line revered appellation? Or is he testing me? Eryndor kept his mouth shut. Regardless if he was testing him or not, not exposing your abilities was a basic thing. True, revered appellations weren''t easy to guess, but it was still not safe. "Alright, good call. But that still doesn''t reveal if you know your identity and have the memories." Eryndor continued reigning in his hunger. He only had one motive. To know more. To get more information out of Daoisto. Once that was out of the picture, he would let go of his hunger. Unknown to anyone, just like the previous time, black smoke had long begun appearing from the fifth door of his Mind Palace. The black smoke continued wafting out, filling the entirety of the hall as more and more continued escaping from the fifth room. Seeing that the student opposite him was keeping quiet, Daoisto spoke once again. "Are you even an eldritch entity? Or did the organization on this planet incorrectly term you? "Eldritch is a title given to those standing at the peak of the ninth realm. Were you really that strong? Or did they make a mistake? "Tell me the titles for strong entities at the peak of the seventh and eight realm." So Eldritch Entity is a title? I see. It''s given to the strongest among the ninth realm huh. Was my eldritch form really so strong? How the fuck did my powers even get sealed in that case? Eryndor pushed aside those thoughts as he confronted his current dilemma. I don''t know what he is asking about. Daoisto''s lips spread wide into a grin as he gazed at the indifferent expression of the student. "No use hiding your emotions. "You really don''t know, do you? "No worries, how about you just agree to switch to our side?" Can this be resolved peacefully? Eryndor thought. But then, wouldn''t I be betraying the side I am currently on? I don''t even know how many sides there are, who all are on my side, and people on Daoisto''s side. He hesitated a bit, and answered. "Can you tell me who else is on your side?" "You don''t need to know. Just know that we''re stronger than you. Join us if you don''t want to die. "Be quick, my patience is running thin." Eryndor clenched his teeth. If I switch over, wouldn''t that mean I will be betraying whoever who stood on my side? He quickly shelved that thought as he realized that he wasn''t in the state of having a moral dilemma. His life was on the line. I can always switch back if it''s possible, but I at least need to know one thing. He gritted his teeth. "Will humanity be safe?" My parents are still living, and I also have friends here. I can''t put their life in danger. As if he had heard the most ridiculous joke, Daoisto blanked out before he doubled over laughing. "Are you fucking kidding me? You really don''t know anything, do you?" He gradually reverted back to his wide creepy grin with hands folded over his chest as he spoke. "Just submit, or die. Humanity''s fate was sealed long ago. You don''t have the luxury of trying to think about them." What? Does that mean they are opposite humanity? Can I conclude that I was on humanity''s side? As if he realized something from Eryndor''s expression, Daoisto suddenly opened his palm. Eryndor didn''t even get a chance to say anything as a sphere of fire shot out from Daoisto''s palm. In his state of controlling Hunger, he couldn''t activate his cultivation arts in time, only dodging slightly, but the fireball still hit his arm. Sovereign''s Cloak bore the full brunt of the attack, instantly disappearing after a second. It seemed that the attack was at level three, since that would explain why the Sovereign''s Cloak, which was at level two, couldn''t hold out. His naked arm experienced what was remaining of the attack. And for the first time ever, Eryndor experienced intense physical pain as a large part of his right arm burned. "Arghhh." He screamed, losing control of the one thing he had been holding back all this time. His Hunger was set free. As he cried out loud, deep within his Mind Palace, the black smoke began glowing. The entirety of the black smoke which occupied the vast hall began glowing brightly before converging. Unbeknownst to everyone, something extraordinary was taking place. Chapter 178 178: Do you feel Hunger? The black smoke which had filled the vast hall of the Mind Palace began moving about. The glowing smoke headed to where they had arrived from. The fifth door. At this point when the black smoke was glowing brightly, one could make out that the fifth door had never opened at all. It was still shut tight, looking the same as always whenever Eryndor visited the Mind Palace. The smoke had somehow still leaked from behind the door though. The first batch of glowing black smoke which reached the door compressed onto themselves.. It compressed, compressed, and continued collapsing upon itself until it was just a single glowing black line which felt extremely solid. One wouldn''t be able to guess that it was made of smoke. The black line floated in the air briefly before it began making its way towards the fifth door and pasted itself on it. When the second batch reached in front of the fifth door, the process repeated itself. All the smoke converged into a single line before closing in on the fifth door. It embedded itself on a different spot, not overlapping over the one which had embedded itself before it. The third time, it wasn''t a line, but an arc. The fourth time, it was a small line. The fifth time, it was a dot. The sixth time, it was a large line. The seventh time, it was an arc again, but one with a higher angle. The process continued, with the shapes repeating every once in a while. If one had been present to see the process though, they would''ve noticed that what was in the making was a design. Yes, a design. A rune. An extremely complex rune. It was countless times more complex than the ones on the Sovereign''s Cloak. The process might look like it was taking long, but in the outside world, only a few seconds had passed. Eryndor knew it would be extremely difficult to reign in his Hunger now that he had lost hold over it once. He could already feel his rationality slipping away. He might only have a minute at most at the rate he was going. But he still asked a question which had been on his mind. He looked straight to Daoist, who was already conjuring another flame ball in his hands. Eryndor''s expression was a mix of anguish and concentration. "Don''t you feel the Hunger?" The question had been on his mind ever since their conversation had begun. Daoisto had been relaxed all along, not at all looking like someone who was holding back their intense Hunger. Eryndor had thought that the person might be incredibly experienced at such a matter. But Daoisto had doubled over laughing, and also showed a variety of emotions without any stress or an iota of focus on his expression. Could someone really be so at ease? Eryndor knew the nature of his Hunger. It was definitely not his. It was something which came from within. He had two guesses. One, it was the emotion of his eldritch subconscious. And second, it was the hunger which every eldritch experienced. There was a difference. The first one meant that the Hunger belonged to his other persona, the one which belonged to his eldritch form before he was sealed, and the second meant that Hunger was inherent in all eldritch beings when they sense another of their kind. All along, Eryndor had thought that it was the second option. But looking at Daoisto''s actions, he had a small doubt that it might be the first option instead. Eryndor wouldn''t make the mistake of using Cognitive Scrying on Daoisto to get the answer though. It would be a very foolish mistake. Daoisto was a clone of an extremely powerful entity. What if their minds were connected? It would be suicide if Eryndor barged into his mindspace to scry through his memories. Pretty sure I wouldn''t be able to do anything at all if the connection between us during Cognitive Scrying led to something worse. Because then I''ll be directly in contact with the real eldritch entity. There''ll be no way out. But then, this brought another question in his mind. Why hadn''t Daoisto tried to use Cognitive Scrying on me? Didn''t all eldritch entities were known to possess Telekinesis and Cognitive Scrying? He had never once used Telekinesis either, and also resorted to questioning me rather than using Cognitive Scrying. Was he not an eldritch entity? Or was the fact that all eldritch entities possessed those two abilities false? When the clone heard Eryndor''s question. His first reaction was to scan his facial expression, which varied a lot from the indifferent expression which the student had been displaying all along. Daoisto couldn''t come up with any guess why he would make such an expression, it was only then that his question registered in his mind. He tilted his head, and answered with a frown. "Hunger? What hunger?" Eryndor could only hear those two words as his rationality completely slipped away. At the same time, deep within his Mind Palace, the last batch of black smoke had finished condensing into a line as it embedded itself on the fifth door, finally completing the huge complex rune. Once it was completed, the rune began shining brightly. As if its previous glow wasn''t enough, this time, the brightness somehow bypassed the Mind Palace, directly radiating in the outside world through Eryndor''s body. The rune hadn''t been activated yet though. Eryndor, now dominated by Hunger, had instinctively switched to his second form. He had already been meaning to do it, because with no one around, he could always argue that the presence they sensed was of Daoisto, and not him. So one could say that his Hunger dominated mind just followed through with what he long since had in mind. At this point, Daoisto was finally able to sense the eldritch presence from Eryndor. The first emotion which manifested in his eyes? It was fear. Chapter 179 179: Going above the limit It was pure raw fear which surfaced in his eyes as soon as his own existence felt the weight of an eldritch''s presence nearby. Daoisto himself wasn''t an eldritch entity at all. When faced against Eryndor, whose fundamental existence stood at the peak of hierarchy, his eyes inadvertently displayed a hint of fear. Realm nine was the final realm in all power systems. Be it for anomalies or the eight power systems. Eldritch entities were those who stood at the peak even amongst the ninth realm. Calm down. Calm down. It isn''t his true form. Daoisto mentally calmed himself as he faced Eryndor. He threw the fire ball in his palm, this time amplified by his authority. The first one he had thrown which burned Eryndor''s arm was just a basic one. To his surprise, the fireball he had thrown swung back at him within a second. He only managed to dodge by hair''s breadth as he seriously considered the student before him. "Telekinesis? You really are an eldritch huh. Damned lucky beings." There was hatred in his voice as a myriad of balls of different elements conjured around him, all amplified by his authority as he shot them at Eryndor at the same time. By the time those balls reached Eryndor though, each one of them had disintegrated. Daoisto gritted his teeth. Such mastery of Telekinesis, was he lying about his memories? What use was that though? Daoisto continued his onslaught, but no matter what he did, Eryndor deflected each and every one of his attacks. The student with the eldritch presence was ominously glowing with black light. It wasn''t exactly black light, but an alternating occurrence between black aura and blinding white light, just with such a high frequency that it caused one to perceive both as one. I at least need to kill him here. If something goes wrong, the Cosmic Limit will handle it. For the first time since the fight began, Daoisto used his Amplification authority at a level higher than the one allowed by the Cosmic Limit. Surprisingly, the Cosmic Limit didn''t immediately act on him, but the secret realm began shaking. The ground, the trees, the sky, everything. It looked like someone was holding this already unstable pocket of space and shaking it. A more appropriate wording would be; someone trying to crush an already cracked ball. ***** When Eryndor switched to his second form, far away from where the two of them were fighting, one of the members of team Yetoren standing at the edge of the battle abruptly cried out. "An anomaly! A very powerful anomaly!" Co-founder Morris, who had transformed into a large beast momentarily halted before continuing to swipe down his huge paw with fully unfurled sharp claws. He still had a thought though. Is it Daoisto who is no longer bothering to hide his true nature, or did something happen to that brat? It was a beast with six limbs, four on the ground, which provided exceptional stability and two long thick ones which emerged from the shoulder with three sixty degree mobility. A weird thing about it was that it wore clothes around its torso. Guardian Sol, who had always been a steady fighter didn''t even bat an eye at the reminder as he held up his shield which glowed briefly, easily blocking the paw. In this tense situation, he didn''t care if there was a powerful anomaly nearby. His life was on the line. As he defended against Morris, from the corner of his eye, he could see Ronin emerging who slashed at one of the limbs of the beast. True to his status as a Co-founder though, the beast quickly transformed back into a middle aged man, easily making Ronin miss his attack. In his human form, he no longer had any clothes except for the one around his torso which was specially made for his case. "Keep in mind that you''re attacking a Co-founder." He spoke to Ronin. After that guy had joined the battle, he could never truly put his full focus into attacking Sol, as Ronin had a high enough offensive damage to seriously injure him if he didn''t pay attention. It allowed Sol to get away multiple times, and even defend easily at times. "Don''t listen to him. Like I''ve mentioned before, I''ll take full responsibility for whatever you do in this battle. No one will be able to touch you outside." Guardian Sol spoke. Having a relatively easy time after Ronin joined, he was able to divert his energy to heal himself. As they fought while keeping the new information revealed by team Yetoren in mind, all of them suddenly felt the shaking of the entire secret realm. ***** Uncaring of everything, Daoisto used a level four Amplification on his lightning sphere, amplifying its ''speed'' aspect to the maximum, throwing it at Eryndor. Lightning, alongside the element of air, was known for speed, so one could only imagine what heights of speed it would reach when an authority of amplification acted on it. Despite that, he noticed. He keenly saw how the students deviated the path of the ball, and also used Telekinesis on himself to dodge it with extreme ease. Well, if one doesn''t work, how about more? Eryndor wouldn''t give him the chance though. All this time, he had been advancing towards Daoisto, but the latter hadn''t done anything. It was better for him if the student advanced, as it meant he would have less time to dodge his attacks. "Damned Telekinesis." Daoisto muttered angrily as he hastily threw a sphere of water to counter the sphere of air thrown by Eryndor, one condensed purely through the prowess of Telekinesis. Daoisto didn''t have the time to follow up with anything though as the rune on the fifth door of Eryndor''s Mind Palace began shining more brightly, its effects directly manifesting in the real world as it momentarily blinded Daoisto. "What the hell is up with that?" Daoisto muttered angrily, as a feeling of unease grew within him. True to his thoughts, a change was once again taking place within Eryndor''s Mind Palace. Chapter 180 180: Retreating More black smoke seeped from the fifth room, but this time, it didn''t occupy the entire vast hall before beginning to converge. As soon as enough black smoke exited the fifth room, it would quickly converge and embed themselves on the fifth door. The difference from last time? The current ones weren''t forming a rune. All the new additions, be it a straight line, curve, or even a dot, they all stuck themselves above the complex rune which was still shining brightly. As more and more batches of concrete black smoke began embedding themself on the fifth door above the big rune, one could faintly decipher that their compilation resulted in a strange word. It wasn''t a language recorded in the Human Federation. It had been more than two hundred years since the manifestation of four energies and the increase of Cosmic Limit. In the current time period, the Human Federation ruled supreme with everyone under its rule. But before this era, various countries each ruled differently with different sets of rules and regulations for the people who lived within their borders. By extension, it also meant that the language, accents, cultures and even clothing style of the people mostly varied from country to country. The Human Federation had kept track of all of them and recorded them in their database. But even if one compared with all of those languages, the one being written on the fifth door was none of them. If one were to pay attention though, they would notice that this language, and the one written on the four pillars of Mind Palace were the same ones. Gradually, more black smoke embedded itself above the complex rune, before it began the same process below it. Above the complex rune, where the word had already been completed, a small symbol was formed. It was of a scale, with one hand pointing to an object on one end of the scale. Anyone who had heard of the one line revered appellation - ''The Hand That Tilts The Scales.'' would quickly be able to connect the dots. Below the complex rune, another word was gradually being formed through continuous convergence of black smoke. Suddenly, the first room in the distance began glowing brightly. The Sovereign''s Cloak, which was in the process of recovering so that Eryndor could once again call upon it, began fluttering violently as if a strong gust of wind was blowing past it. The Cloak glowed bright golden before receding to its previous state. Subsequently, a symbol of Cloak which resembled the Sovereign''s Cloak was formed in front of the word embedded below the complex rune. ***** In the outside world, as soon as Daoisto felt uneasy from the sudden flash of light which even managed to momentarily blind him, he retreated immediately, Nothing happened. True, Eryndor was still closing the distance between them, but nothing extraordinary happened which warranted his raised guard. But this feeling of unease remains. What is happening? Daoisto didn''t think there was anything worthy of truly threatening him in this secret realm, or even on this planet for that matter. Even if there was, this was merely a clone, although it would damage his main body, it wouldn''t be anything noteworthy. He could recover given enough time. As thoughts kept popping up in his mind, he kept a safe distance from Eryndor, who was launching attacks threatening enough purely through the power of Telekinesis. These damned eldritchs. Lucky bastards. He was envious of the Telekinesis and the Cognitive Scrying, but he knew he could never truly get those. As for the fact that he fixed Morris'' memories? That was simply because of a Mystical Artifact that he had. He himself possessed no such capabilities. Daoisto didn''t wait though, although it would be a long journey, he kept retreating towards the abyss as he fended off against Eryndor. As someone who had climbed to his current position, Daoisto wasn''t one to just disregard a warning of his instincts. If he felt uneasy then he would promptly retreat. As for his investment over the years? He could only regrettably forgo it. It didn''t matter if he failed to kill Eryndor. This eldritch, his fate was already doomed long ago. Daoisto continued using his level four Amplification to fend off Eryndor''s attacks, not caring what happened to the secret realm. As for Eryndor''s current condition, it wasn''t like the last time when the black smoke had escaped from the Mind Palace and dissolved in his ''being'', attempting to erase his identity by overriding it. This time, he was purely consumed by Hunger, with no threat to his identity. He had simply lost rationality, acting on instincts. Naturally, the Mind Palace followed those instincts as well. ***** Contrary to what everyone thought, it wasn''t easy for him to use his ability. But it''s given, I''ve simply used it with such ease after all. Sol thought as he blocked another attack of the man he had begun to call his friend since the past few months. Obviously, it was no longer the case now. Morris turned out to be one who very much wanted him dead. I still don''t know why he would want to kill me. Did he go insane in this secret realm? Did some anomaly invade his mind? But he has already gone through numerous checks by the Federation and also got psychological counseling by top experts. Could the anomaly or whoever it was that influenced Morris, be able to hide from all of that? Or was it really Morris'' own wish? But why? I had no connection to him. Sol thought as he parried another blow, this one far weaker than the previous one. Everyone thought that he simply needed to look at the attack, or sense it, and ''think'' of defending against it for whatever item he was targeting to gain the property of defending against the attack. No. He had to accurately gauge what kind of attack it was to grant the item the ability to defend against it. If he incorrectly guessed a lightning type attack to be a water oriented one, his shield would be ineffective against the attack. Suddenly, everyone present a loud scream. Chapter 181 181: Rite of Authority Severance Sol was deep in his thoughts, battling with Morris along with the help from Ronin, and occasionally from team Yetoren, when all of them heard a scream in the distance. Isn''t that where that man and the student went? Sol wondered, and looked in that direction along with everyone, but no one stepped out to check. There was only a moment of respite before Morris once again resumed his onslaught. Ronin was already at the end of his energy reserves, only able to hold on by working in tandem with his team. Morris was only able to hold on because he had been in his peak condition when he began fighting the critically injured Sol. Sol on the other hand, after having gotten some brief moments of rest during the battle, had already recovered to a certain extent, and could continue to fight. This was the difference between Guardian/Commander level figures and other supposedly strong fighters like Co-founder Morris. It was only because Guardian Sol''s forte was defense that he couldn''t defeat Morris in a one vs one fight even if both were at peak stage. If Sol''s specialization lay in offense, Morris might have died long ago despite the former being critically injured. Once again, Sol blocked Morris'' attack by accurately recognizing the nature of it. This was what the ability really needed. A sharp insight. It was also the primary reason why he was injured so badly. Among all Cyborg classes, and even among those specialized in one vs one battles, Y class were those who had modified their body such that it had an extremely wide variety of methods to attack. The Cyborg power system was such that it allowed one to use the modifications done with negligible lag, just like your own body. What would happen if multiple different elemental modifications attacked at different times, one after another, with no pattern and negligible lag? And that wasn''t all, it supposedly also had poison based modifications, and other modifications which involved technological attacks of different kinds. All of these different kinds of attacks, being utilized at random intervals without any pattern or warning, or even any kind of lag, how dangerous were they? If it was a simple defense ability, Guardian Sol might have been able to hold on, but his defense ability had a condition that he needed to recognize the type of attack. Of course, the existence of a condition might also be the reason that his defensive ability could even defend against abstract concept based attacks like fate and karma. Not all powerful abilities may have conditions, but all conditional abilities were powerful. There was another method, where he could choose to have an ''intent'' of defending against more than one type of attack at the same time, granting the item the capability to defeat against two or more types of attack, but that also correspondingly increased his consumption of Energy of Subconscious. No use thinking about it now. Sol snapped out of his thoughts as he looked at the shaking secret realm. He knew these secret realms were unstable pockets of space, and the shaking meant that there was a chance that the entrance wouldn''t remain closed for long, but he didn''t know if it would lead to the same place or would have changed. Of course, there was also a possibility that the entire secret realm may collapse, in that case, he wouldn''t be able to do anything at all. But I still need to stay alive for a chance. As he had that thought, Sol continued to maintain his defense. ***** As soon as the symbol of Cloak was embedded in front of the word below the complex rune, it finally activated fully. A deep hum originated from the complex rune, resounding through the vast hall of the Mind Palace before continuing onwards to the outside world through Eryndor, as it spread in the surroundings. No one except Daoisto, who was retreating, heard it though. The clone''s eyes went wide as he let out a loud scream of horror. He recognized it. How could he not? It was one of the most fundamental aspects of the entities known as anomalies. It was a challenge. A ritual as ancient as the universe. One which could only be initiated between anomalies. Daoisto''s expression morphed into pure horror as he uttered a few words. "The Rite of Authority Severance." As it had been too long since he last heard about this ritual, it took a moment before he was able to recall all information regarding it. It was a ritual as ancient as the universe. One could say that it came into existence at the same time as anomalies. Naturally, no one among the lower leveled anomalies would know about it. However, as they progressed further and further on their path of strength, every anomaly without any exception would awaken memories related to this rite. It was as if it was engraved in their very existence themselves. To reveal itself as soon as the anomaly reached a certain level of power. Of course, this ''certain level of power'' differed from anomaly to anomaly. Was it unfair? It was very much unfair. But the world of anomalies was never about fairness. The Rite of Authority Severance was a ritual to ''steal'' authorities. But it was a double edged sword. If an anomaly ''A'' initiated this ritual to target anomaly ''B'' to steal its authority, the anomaly ''B'' would likewise be able to steal the former''s authority as well. Of course, there can''t be an exchange. Either A would steal B''s authority, or vice versa. It could also be that no one would manage to steal the authority. But, there couldn''t be a situation where A managed to steal B''s authority and vice versa happened as well. Well, what did this ritual test? Or rather, how would one ''steal''? It was simple. Will Power. It was a battle of wills. Apparently, all along this abnormal Hunger of Eryndor was after an ''Authority''. Would he succeed? Chapter 182 182: True form The Rite of Authority Severance. The anomalies almost never initiated this ritual because it came at a great cost if one failed to steal the authority. If it was anomaly A who initiated the ritual and failed to steal the authority of anomaly B, it would be subject to heavy penalties. As a target, anomaly B wouldn''t be faced with penalties even if it failed to steal the authority of anomaly A. These penalties could range from never being able to initiate the ritual again, never being able to use their ability again, a drop in their realm, a drastic decrease in their energy absorption capability and so on. Even the weakest penalties consisted of never being able to initiate The Rite of Authority Severance against the same target or not being able to use one''s own ability for a certain number of years. The harshest penalties ranged from immediate death, to intense pain upon the soul of the anomaly every second it lived. These penalties naturally deterred the anomalies from initiating the ritual, which was a battle of wills. It wasn''t as if anomaly A could measure its own will which was at seventy eight, and then choose to safely challenge anomaly B whose will was at forty nine. After all, will was a deeply abstract force. It wasn''t something that could be weighed or measured with any known tool. No scale could balance it, no eye could truly see it, and no art could perfectly grasp its magnitude. Will was forged in the fires of suffering¡ªthe quiet defiance of a soul that refused to shatter. It was not born in a moment, but accumulated over years, across trials, failures, pain, and perseverance. It was grit. Every setback endured, every dream chased through despair, every choice to rise when it was easier to fall¡ªthese were the bricks that built a will. It was composed of more than just determination. It carried the weight of a person''s beliefs, regrets, love, fear, hope. It was shaped by their identity, by everything they had lost and everything they still clung to. How could one quantify that? Could one compare the will of a grieving father to that of a betrayed warrior? Could one say a martyr''s conviction outweighed that of a survivor clinging to life by sheer determination? No. It couldn''t be quantified and compared. Not even this ritual could do it. What the ritual did instead was pit them against each other, with will as the only axis of competition. So what if will couldn''t be measured? The ritual was still mystical enough to allow willpower to display its prowess. Also, The Rite of Authority Severance allowed an anomaly to steal the authority of the other anomaly only if it could overpower the willpower of the other anomaly. If there was only a small difference, the targeted anomaly could easily be successful at holding on to its ability till the end of the ritual, not letting it fall into grasp of another anomaly. It was essentially a tug of war with a time limit. If one wanted to steal the authority, they would need overwhelming will power to snatch the authority within the time limit. Eryndor''s Hunger filled mind gained a semblance of clarity for the briefest of moments when The Rite of Authority Severance momentarily satiated the hunger through its activation. Naturally, during this moment of clarity, Eryndor gained all memories related to this ritual. So this is what the Hunger was about? To obtain authority? No wonder just the initiation of the ritual brought me a moment of rationality. It was just like when you were incredibly hungry, and if someone began cooking for you, you would at least feel a tiny satisfaction, right? It was the same concept here. Of course, that was all he could think of. Eryndor''s rationality was soon snuffed out by overwhelming hunger as the last scene he registered was his surroundings changing. The place where the ritual teleported them to was a vast space, with stars on all sides. If one could look closer though, they would notice that it wasn''t actually stars but countless runes which had coalesced to form different shining shapes. Two huge obsidian colored objects floated in the center of the vast space, with a luminescent orb floating perfectly in the middle of both. Eryndor emerged on one side, safely appearing directly on the huge obsidian colored platform. It was as if his Hunger filled mind recognised the place, it didn''t foolishly try to have Eryndor approach the other platform but stayed still. On the platform opposite to Eryndor, what teleported wasn''t the middle aged man but something drastically different. The entity was ridiculously large, its body towering like a jagged monument of fused flesh and minerals. Its surface was a patchwork of slick silver linings, and pulsing red rocks, similar in texture to obsidian, with deep grooves that pulsed with a dim, internal blue-white glow. It looked unnatural, creepy, and something from the realm of the unknown. It had six limbs ¡ª four thick, jointed legs ending in blunt, clawed feet, and two massive upper arms that branched into multi-jointed appendages, each ending in segmented fingers that tapered into curved talon-like tips. From its back, a crown of spine-like structures jutted upward and outward ¡ª some straight, some spiraling ¡ª all constantly rotating at slow, uneven speeds. The head was shaped like an elongated dome, with no visible mouth. Instead, a cluster of nine eyes¡ªeach a different size¡ªwere embedded along the front and sides of the head, arranged asymmetrically. Some of the eyes blinked independently, and others moved on stalks that could extend outward briefly. Unquestionably, all of the eyes were currently fixated on Eryndor. It was the true form of Daoisto! As soon as He appeared, the luminescent orb in the middle began spinning, projecting two huge holograms, one above, and one below the orb. A symbol of scales with a hand pointing to an object on one end manifested above the orb. While a symbol of Cloak appeared below the orb. Finally, a thin white glowing strand connected both the entities to the glowing orb in the center. The ritual had begun! Chapter 183 183: Tug of war If Eryndor had been in the right mind, he would''ve noticed that Daoisto was forced to appear with his main body but for him, it was still his human body. Of course, even if he was completely sane, he wouldn''t have noticed or sensed the huge figure flickering behind him even through his extended vision or anything else. It was as if the force of the ritual and force of the item which had bound Eryndor into a human body were clashing, with the former appearing victorious. However, when a crown appeared above the oblivious Eryndor for a fraction of second, the ritual seemed as though it instinctively grasped the true intent behind his current state. It immediately relinquished the force which imposed the rules. All of this resulted in only a faint image of a huge entity appearing behind Eryndor. The entity was countless times taller than Eryndor. However, compared to Daoisto''s true form, this entity looked far closer to a humanoid, at least in shape. His purple body was smooth throughout its entire surface. He was vast, seamless, and covered in intricate golden inscriptions that constantly shifted and flowed, as though the laws of reality were being rewritten across his skin. These etchings pulsed faintly at random intervals. From His shoulders extended an elongated arm on each side, limb-like but segmented without joints, each covered by shimmering runes. Half-real golden chains which flickered in and out of existence wrapped themselves around His wrist, with a portion of it trailing downwards. His head resembled a flawless oval mask, divided evenly into black and white halves, devoid of eyes or mouth. A red curve stretched across the lower end, appearing like a massive creepy grin. The mask occasionally split open from the middle, revealing fractured glasses, a lattice of interlocking, ever-folding mirrors¡ªmirrors that reflected not light, but fragmented layers of abstract realities. Above His head rotated a halo of concentric rings formed from ink-like smoke, shifting constantly in shape and density. Three massive pairs of spectral wings emerged from His back, woven from threadlike strands of golden, silver, and crimson light. They didn''t stay like that however, constantly changing forms. Wings one moment, armor the other, even a helmet and other forms occasionally appearing. At times, a thick silver strand with countless images across its surface would flicker into existence around His neck¡ªbrief, unstable, like an unknown future forced into relevance. Like an unknown distributary of the river of time being forced to join the mainstream. His legs, covered in refractive plates, hovered just above the ground. Lastly, His entire form was covered by black smoke, with not even a hint of the true body visible to anyone who attempted to gaze at Him. Parts of Him blurred or vanished as if reality itself failed to fully comprehend His existence. It was the true form of Eryndor! The human form, standing on the platform groaned as soon as the ritual began. Eryndor''s will was nowhere near as firm as the massive figure on the other platform. It was the truth after all. Eryndor had just begun his path to peak. It had only been a few months since he began treading the cultivation power system as he climbed the ladder of power. Even counting all the difficulties he had faced throughout his life, could it compare to the entity who had been living for centuries? Millenniums? Eons? Who knew how old Daoisto was. Deep in his mind space, the Mind Palace once again began shaking violently as it sensed the start of the ritual. More accurately, when it sensed that Eryndor was losing. Back in the outside world, the symbol of scales stayed firm, but the one of Cloak began shaking, and gradually began moving towards Daoisto. A sense of urgency appeared within Eryndor as his Hunger filled mind tried its hardest to ''eat'' the authority of ''Amplification''. Apparently, Daoisto had a strong enough will to contend with Eryndor to safeguard his ''Amplification'' and also begin stealing the ''Sovereign''s Cloak''. Its nine eyes showed a hint of greed as they witnessed the Cloak coming closer. How is his will so weak? Didn''t he have all his memories? If he didn''t have memories, how did he trigger The Rite of Authority Severance? But if he did have memories, how can I so easily steal his authority? It must be known that at this moment, it didn''t even require much effort on his part to drag the Cloak shaped authority towards him. However, at that moment, a tiny amount of black smoke managed to escape from the Mind Palace. What was Eryndor''s analysis of the nature of black smoke? That it contained his eldritch and human subconscious, with the former being far stronger, therefore needing sealing. As soon as it merged in Eryndor''s existence, even the Hunger which had been overriding his mind was washed away. Before Eryndor could even recover a second of rationality, an overwhelming pain consumed him. As time went on, he gradually gained complete clarity, but was still being tormented. The nature of the suffering felt familiar. How could it not be? It was the first time he had been assaulted by such horrifying pain. The despair of identity erasure. The very disappearance of his ''being''. Fortunately, it felt far weaker than before. Was it because Eryndor was even more cognizant of his identity, knew about his past self, about eldritch entities, about his convictions, morals and principles? Or was it because the black smoke had directed its effort towards the tug of war? Indeed, at this point the symbol of Cloak had arrived back at the original position and the symbol above the luminescent orb, the one of scales, began shaking. The nine eyes of Daoisto turned serious as he began using his true strength. Just what is that guy playing at? Why bother showing yourself as weak when you were so strong? Just what is going on with that guy? No matter what was the reason behind a weaker pain, Eryndor knew his identity was still in jeopardy. No matter how weak the torment was, the identity erasure was still taking place, just at a far weaker pace. Fortunately, he remembered what to do. Chapter 184 184: Batches of black smoke arriving The last time the black smoke had begun eroding his identity, his cultivation practice technique had started running, countering the identity erasure of black smoke. Eryndor''s gaze fell on the symbol of scales which had stopped shaking, while the Cloak symbol resumed vibrating before moving towards Daoisto. The black smoke is inefficient, more of it would probably mix with my existence soon. Eryndor quickly recognised what was happening. Due to his weak will, it was the black smoke which had stepped in, and due to focusing the majority of its attention on the tug of war of authority, its influence on identity erasure was less than usual. I need to start circulating my cultivation technique. While he was in the right mind, Eryndor quickly began circulating the cultivation practice technique. As expected, the identity erosion quickly slowed down as he used more and more Qi to control it through the meridians. If he had some kind of clairvoyance ability or the capability to gaze at the inner workings of his body, he would''ve noticed that his circulation route had lit up with golden light. Feeling the pain lessen, Eryndor began diverting more of his energy towards his own ability. He didn''t fail to recognise that the Cloak referred to his own Sovereign''s Cloak. I can''t afford to lose it. Indeed, the speed with which the Cloak moved towards Daoisto slowed down but just then, another batch of black smoke escaped from the Mind Palace. "Arghhhhh." Eryndor crumpled on the floor as extraordinary pain assaulted his mind once again. Indeed, a single batch had less effect than usual, but what if the quantity increased? The pain would likewise stack. Whatever rationality he had recovered began fading away at a quick pace as another batch of black smoke arrived. All the experience of last time had begun repeating, just at an even greater scale. His body was still there, but his mind was drowning in the unbearable weight of something vast, something infinite. The suffering wasn''t physical at all, not even one bit. It didn''t feel like his mind was being attacked either. Eryndor just felt he was being erased. His very existence felt at threat. "Arghhhhh." He clutched his head, and began wriggling on the hard black floor of the platform. It was an unimaginable level of torment. He couldn''t remember anything, everytime he tried to ''think'', nothing came up. In fact, he didn''t know if he was even attempting to think. Everything felt blank. He couldn''t recollect any kind of memory. He couldn''t even so much as think that something had gone wrong. He could just passively resist the onslaught. There were no memories, no thoughts, no feelings, no sensation, literally nothing. Everything felt like it had been erased. Only pain remained. The pain of vanishing from existence. The Cloak moving towards Daoisto finally stopped at this point. The cultivation route was bright golden, with Qi circulating through it at higher speeds than before. It was as if it was exerting itself to the limit. Turns out, it wasn''t enough. Eryndor completely lost consciousness as he crumpled on the floor, a situation which hadn''t occurred the previous time. The suffering continued, his identity continued being erased from the fabric of existence. His cultivation was insufficient. Not enough to fight against the black smoke. However, as if Eryndor had foreseen this situation, something miraculous happened. More golden lights lit up in his body. This time, they didn''t continue illuminating the route of cultivation practice technique, no, this time they pointed to different things. A few specks of golden light lit up near the heart. A few of them lit up in his brain. Lastly, his entire body lit up with golden light. The practice techniques he had registered in his memory after scanning them through the minds of team Yetoren had finally come in use. The cultivation practice technique was still running all this time, using Qi as a source and meridians as a medium. The magic practice technique activated, using Mana as a source and mana core as a medium. A faint shape of mana core began forming near Eryndor''s heart. The suffering lessened. The demonic practice technique began running, using Mana as a source and mana core as a medium. Impressively, none of the practice techniques collided with each other or impeded the activation of others. His identity erasure slowed down by a notch. The practice technique of mentalists began circulating, using Spiritual energy as the source, and mind sea, or as some people called it, mind space, as a medium. The golden radiance which had lit up Eryndor''s mind sea increased in intensity. The torment his unconscious mind was weathering decreased, coming to a halt at last. In the tug of wills, the Cloak finally returned to the starting point below the luminescent orb glowing plain white. At this point, even the massive figure of Daoisto was exerting its full effort. The situation was at a standstill, with no symbol of authority moving, but just then, another batch of black smoke escaped the Mind Palace. The symbol of scales began shaking before gradually heading towards Eryndor. Unfortunately, with the black smoke arrived a similar increase in force of existence removal. The practice technique of Beast Tamers was initiated as well, using Internal energy as the source, and the body as the medium. Of course, it didn''t intrude upon the areas already under the domain of other energies, like meridians, mana core and mind sea. The situation got better as his identity erasure, which had resumed, slowed down to a snail''s pace. Fortunately, there was still one power system left which could be used. Lastly, the practice technique of Martial Artists was activated as well, using Internal energy as the source, and the body as a medium. By now, the golden radiance was even visible to the naked eye from the outside, without any need of clairvoyance based abilities. It was faint, but it was still visible. Finally, the suffering came to a halt. And, the symbol of scales reached the unconscious Eryndor. Chapter 185 185: Insufficient While the power systems were being activated one by one, something similarly extraordinary was taking place in the Mind Palace. When the magic power system was activated, the first room where the Sovereign''s Cloak resided began glowing intensely. Golden inscriptions appeared on the wall of the room, shaking violently, but ultimately, it was as if some condition wasn''t fulfilled, nothing else happened. When the demonic power system activated, the door to the second room began shaking, and when the mentalist practice technique began running, the second room began glowing alongside the first room. The same process took place when the beast tamer power system was activated, with the third door shaking fiercely and when the practice technique of Martial Arts began circulating, the third room began glowing. But it was as if some conditions hadn''t been fulfilled, that nothing else took place. Eryndor hadn''t yet regained consciousness even when the symbol of scales finally reached him. The entity on the other side, Daoisto, let out a loud cry of anguish, as if something dear to him was being ripped apart. Its humongous body rippled and shook every now and then, as if something integral to its existence was being taken out. In his unconscious state, Eryndor didn''t notice as the symbol of scales finally arrived on the platform, moving towards its body. It continued without any hindrance now that Eryndor had won the ritual, entering his body. Before it could react though, an intense suction force appeared on the fifth door, acting directly on the symbol which was about to dissolve into Eryndor. With no chance of resistance, the symbol was dragged to Eryndor''s mind space, phasing through the fifth door, and straight into the fifth room. On the fifth door, the two symbols of authority were slowly cleared away, along with the big complex rune, which gradually vanished as well. The luminescent orb glowed brightly, with the symbol of Cloak returning back to Eryndor before everything began twisting and turning. The ritual had ended. They were being teleported back to where they had come from. The true form of Eryndor, which had been standing still all this time, finally moved a bit. Its head, or at least what anyone would assume as its head, tilted downwards. There was no change to the oval face, which was vertically divided in two halves by black and white, with a curved red line passive through both sections, appearing as a massive grin. Inside it though, where a myriad of mirrors existed, two eyes appeared, briefly flashing with...disappointment? Before vanishing. Was it an emotion of disappointment indeed? If so, what was the disappointment for? Because the Eryndor''s cultivation realm wasn''t up to par? His progress to the path of power wasn''t satisfactory? His will was weak? Or that he couldn''t have control over the Hunger? Or was it because he had to resort to The Rite of Authority Severance as the only way out? Or was it some other unknown reason? Alas, no one knew. With the battlefield of ritual closing down, Eryndor''s true form vanished as well. Finally, Eryndor was dropped back into the secret realm, still unconscious. ***** In the abyss of the Trenek secret realm, if one dived deeper and deeper into it, one would notice that they would have arrived at an outer space. But that wasn''t all. A massive entity whose form had no end in sight, was stuck to the edge of the abyss, one which led to the Trenek secret realm. Rather than stuck, one could say it was sitting. All six of its limbs were holding onto the edges of the entrance of the abyss, with its massive body blocking the opening, resting atop it. A loud cry escaped his mouth as soon as it returned from the ritual. It was a cry of anguish. Suffering. One of extraordinary despair. Its one and only authority was taken away. True, his realm hadn''t dropped, but that didn''t mean he hadn''t become weak. He had quite literally lost the only thing which made him as powerful as he was. One could say he was borderline crippled now. Shooting a hateful glance at the abyss, the huge body began moving. ***** In outer space extremely far away from Daoisto''s current location. A certain Forbidden Void loomed, like an unnatural rupture in the fabric of reality. Just like the Forbidden Void of Shx''Trelith, its edges blurred and shimmered. It felt like it wasn''t a part of the universe. Encasing this hollow was the Forbidden Film, an imperceptible barrier. It was a shifting veil, translucent yet impenetrable, exuding an eerie stillness. If someone went past this Film, entering the Void and going deep, they would notice a peculiar thing. A corpse. Yes. In the entire Forbidden Void, only this corpse existed. It was a human''s corpse. At least, it had the same shape. Suddenly, the corpse moved, or rather, one of its fingers twitched. ***** Daoisto was expending energy to move its body when it abruptly stiffened. A suffocating aura filled his being. No no no, didn''t that boy fall unconscious? Did he chase me here? But weren''t his powers sealed? How else could it live under the Cosmic Limit? There was no chance for it to think anymore as a silhouette appeared from the abyss. Daoisto couldn''t see who it was due to how tightly they had covered themselves up. But judging from the body structure, it was at least not that boy. The pressure on him increased as Daoisto''s eyes widened in horror when that silhouette raised his arm. He shouted. "NO!" His massive body trembled, as he used everything he could to run away while shouting. "Aren''t all the eldritchs trapped? How could you appear here? Who are you?" The silhouette spoke while bringing down his empty arm. "When you work in solitude, you face the risk of an information gap. "I couldn''t bear to let go of this wonderful chance when you are so critically injured. Goodbye, Krol Z Tulz." Apparently, his real name wasn''t Daoisto. A massive slash propelled itself towards the huge entity when the silhouette completely brought its arm down. At the last moment though, watching what happened, the silhouette clicked their tongue and retreated. Chapter 186 186: Finally opened Outside the Trenek secret realm, behind a random tree stood a man with bold red hair. His right hand held a blade, sharp and polished. Sander''s eyes were trained on the entrance of the secret realm in the distance. It had begun as a simple lending hand to a student he favored. But it had evolved to a rather serious matter when Dr. Kirchoff kept updating him about what to do. Kill Morris? He thought about the command with seriousness. It wasn''t his first time killing a Co-founder level figure, the purge involved one of them. So something was indeed wrong with Morris huh, Eryndor once again proved to be extremely sharp. Just how does that boy find out these things? Shelving that thought, Sander could see in the distance how the entrance had begun flickering around the edges. First the entrance closed and now realm instability? What''s going on inside? He thought with furrowed brows. The entire plan was based on the fact that he would be able to enter the realm. Whenever instability occurred, it wasn''t just the entrance inside the realm which kept moving, the one outside would also begin changing places. Dr. Kirchoff gave me a one time use treasure which would let me break into the secret realm without using the entrance, but it''s based on the condition that the secret realm must be opened in the first place. If its entrances are closed, this treasure wouldn''t be able to barge in either. Sander took a deep break, keeping his eyes fixed on the entrance. As a person with the ability which best shined when he was fighting alone, he had plenty of experience in this domain. One of the most important aspects in solo combat was patience. He was alone, so he had to be patient until the right moment to strike such that it would provide the greatest advantage in his following fight. Of course, that was only when you had the luxury of ambush. Alright, I should stop thinking about those things, the instability looks serious. Indeed, the edges around the portal were flickering at a higher pace than before, with occasional crackling. The Federation''s team situated at the entrance had been moving since the first sign of instability occurred, and they hadn''t stopped yet. Naturally, they didn''t know he was present. Morris was a Co-founder, it was entirely possible that he would have people working under him everywhere. If they notified Morris about his presence then variables would crop up in the plan. Silently gazing at the levitating portal, he stood still without a movement. ***** "Get lost Ronin, even Sol wouldn''t be able to do anything if I decide to go after you. "Even if you were safe, could you guarantee the same about the rest of your team? "What about the relatives you people have? Friends, parents, your spouses and kids? "Can you keep all of them safe?" Morris spoke with hatred in his voice as Ronin interrupted him for the umpteenth time. At this point he had nearly lost his mind due to not being able to achieve his goal. All I want is to fucking live. I didn''t want to hurt anyone, I even saved the students from cyborgs. Is it so difficult to just let me live? Of course, in his near madness, he didn''t realise how skewed his thought process was. "MORRIS!" Sol and Ronin both yelled at the same, Ronin even more so, with wrath evident in his voice as they attacked Morris. It was a common rule in the world to not go after relatives. It was a basic rule that any debt, grudge, or anything which you have, must only and only be settled by the same person. It didn''t matter if you were in the right, or in the wrong, the moment others came to know that you attacked your target''s relatives to lure them out or for any other reason, you would be swiftly executed. Everyone had people they loved or held dear to them, if they allowed this kind of thing to become common, no one would be able to live a peaceful life. Majority of the power system practitioners went on to become soldiers who resisted the invasion against the Outer Domains and formed teams which contained anomalies. If these people couldn''t do their work with peace of mind, wouldn''t that mean that ultimately all of humanity would be under danger? Therefore, this rule was followed extremely strictly. In his madness, Morris had just crossed this line, prompting even Sol to attack. The shaking of the realm had long stopped, but the entrance hadn''t been opened, nor had their fight stopped; if anything, the intensity had only increased with Morris making increasingly dangerous and desperate plays. Cling Clang Sounds of metallic collisions constantly rang out as the new beast, which Morris had transformed into, and Sol''s defensive treasure kept clashing. It was a lanky, four-legged beast with metallic claws and a throat that glowed molten red. Its saliva burned like acid, and spikes lined its back, launching off like shrapnel mid-charge. All in all, it was a completely offense oriented beast. At this point, even Morris was getting exhausted, therefore the increasingly risky moves. He also put himself in the situation where Ronin could''ve killed him, but the result? Nothing happened. He made a gamble to see if Ronin would truly dare to kill a Co-founder, it turned out that the guy only wanted to keep both of them alive in his indecision of whom to side with. Sol was still steady, he hadn''t resisted years and years of Buddhist Outer Domain in vain. He had already noticed how Ronin didn''t kill Morris even when the guy left a clear opening to do so. With Morris attacking so openly, I can''t rely on Ronin anymore. Sol thought with narrowed eyes. Suddenly, everyone sensed the entrance opening. Before anyone could even react though, a flash of light appeared from the other side. Without any resistance, a head rolled down. Chapter 187 187: Taking over "Should we make a move?" "Could he be safe?" Paulina, Valentina and others conversed among themselves after finishing off another group of beasts. They hadn''t failed to make the connection when the secret realm began shaking. It very likely had something to do with Eryndor given how he always knew something was going on in the background and also how he had run off so abruptly. But seeing how there wasn''t a single message from him for so long even after the shaking had stopped, they couldn''t help but get worried. Did something happen to him? Coincidentally, Eryndor sent a message on their group chat at that same exact time. "I am safe, I''ll be back soon." ***** Eryndor groaned slightly after he finished messaging his group. He didn''t want them to come searching after him. For all he knew, Morris might very likely still be alive, he couldn''t let them anywhere near that madman. As soon as he had regained consciousness, he had walked over to his bag while trying to sense if there was anything different about him. Well, there was nothing. He also didn''t remember anything which took place during the time he lost rationality. But well, judging from how I still retain my Sovereign''s Cloak, I at least didn''t lose. He kept the phone back in his bag and took a few painkillers to suppress the pain all over his body. I should check my Mind Palace, it has been too long since I last entered. A lot of black smoke came out this time, something must''ve gotten an upgrade right? Telekinesis? Cognitive Scrying? Passive Regeneration? Or this Sovereign''s Cloak? But the problem was, he couldn''t feel any kind of upgrade in their capabilities. Just where did it go? He furrowed his brows. Could it be...my second form? But Eryndor couldn''t test that either right now. Be it checking out the Mind Palace or his second form, both of them would have to wait. Panting slightly, he stood up after putting aside his bag and made his way towards the entrance. With his Qi slightly recovered, and the extended vision, he could make sure to stay at a distance from Co-founder Morris. He tightly gripped his spiked mace, and walked with labored breaths. He had to at least check the situation, right? He couldn''t just leave things be if Co-founder Morris was alive. With his walking speed, it took him upwards of ten minutes to finally sense the entrance through his extended vision. What he saw made his eyes widen slightly. There were a lot of people. A lot. People in various clothes moving about, with a person with bright red hair overlooking everything. Sander? So the secret realm finally opened huh? But what happened to Morris? With no danger around, he figured it would be safe for him to approach the clearing in front of the entrance. "You''re finally here?" Sander turned his head to where Eryndor was immediately after sensing him. He had already gone through his information and seen how he looked long ago. Therefore, he could easily recognise the student. "Why do you look so battered? Was there another enemy?" Sander asked with furrowed brows when he witnessed Eryndor''s condition. Dr. Kirchoff had only informed him about Morris, to do whatever it took to absolutely kill the man without any room for hesitation. This was also the reason he didn''t think twice before using a treasure he had to kill Morris with little room for error. He could always let Dr. Kirchoff know later how he used his own treasure for this matter and get compensated for the same. Eryndor shook his head, and spoke. "Just some beast, what happened to Co-founder Morris?" Sander tacitly dropped the topic when he heard his answer and answered Eryndor. "I killed him. Dr. Kirchoff ordered." Eryndor nodded, not letting anything show on his face but he inwardly heaved a huge sigh. Finally. "By the way, you should check out your tournament website. "The tournament will continue, and an announcement has been made, I''ll take over the position of judge for a couple days until Sol recovers completely." Eryndor nodded, and bid him goodbye once he confirmed that there was nothing left for him to do. As he walked, Eryndor couldn''t help but fall into his thoughts once again. So everything is finally over huh? He couldn''t help but let out the breath he had been holding. A few seconds later, his brows furrowed. I can''t remember how Daoisto looked. He put a hand under his chin as he thought about various guesses. Eryndor was pretty sure he had gazed at Daoisto''s true form when he regained consciousness for a brief moment. Is it the work of that black smoke? Did it erase that memory? Eryndor had a slight suspicion that it was indeed the black smoke. There was a high possibility it might be because just recollecting the true form might corrupt someone. If that''s the case, it is pretty dangerous. I guess the fact that I wasn''t corrupted when I looked at his true form with naked eyes might have something to do with two things. One, I am fundamentally an eldritch, so nothing would happen to me. Second, the battlefield of the ritual might be designed in such a way that it would protect the participants from everything so that they could focus their will on a single task. Anyway, it didn''t matter now, he could only put that thought to the back of his mind. Eryndor didn''t have any memories of during the time when he activated six power systems, or he would''ve also questioned about why there was no progress. Well, the reason he didn''t make any progress was because everything was funnelled towards resisting the black smoke. Looking around the empty forest, he wondered aloud with exhaustion evident in his tone. "Now what? I''ll need to go back all the way to tundra?" Eryndor didn''t want to use the teleport function again for obvious reasons. He had no points, and he didn''t want to ask his teammates for points again, not to mention it wasn''t even urgent this time. Suddenly, he had a flash of insight. Oh yea I can do that. Chapter 188 188: Returning to his team If he had maintained his current walking speed, it would take him around forty hours to reach the tundra. With the idea in his mind, he took out his phone and contacted Sander. "Hey, do I not get some points for such a good thing which I did? "You''re the judge now, you should have the ability to grant points, right?" It didn''t take long for his reply to arrive. "Brat, that was cheeky. "However, as far as I know, none of the students were going to be threatened anyway. So whatever you did, it didn''t have anything to do with the tournament." That sucks, I was hoping it would work. Well, I can keep trying. "But I did it for humanity. You can''t say that the loss of Guardian Sol would have nothing to do with humanity, right?" Sander: "Again, it has nothing to do with the tournament. Brat, you''ll get a reward specifically for that later, stop looking for a way to cheat." Eryndor harrumphed in annoyance. "Those teleport functions in all the Support Shrines, they exist because there might be something like loot drop event or boss monster event, right? "Can you initiate that event near my area with an extremely low time frame?" "Nope." "How about you give me the locations of all the beasts?" "Nope." Looking at the screen, he thought. I should at least be able to get my original points back right? And also where I previously was, I think he might agree on that. "How about letting me use the teleport function for free just one time? "C''mon, it''s exactly because I used it that Guardian Sol was saved. If I hadn''t done that then team Yetoren definitely wouldn''t have fought alongside Guardian Sol and saved him. You can ask them yourself." There was a silence on the other side before Sander replied. "Alright. Let me know which Support Shrines you''ll be using." Eryndor: "By the way, it was my teammates who donated me enough points so that I can teleport, they deserve their points back right?" "...Okay." "Also, I also had to spend points to unlock this section of map which led me to Guardian Sol, what about that?" "Nope, this map is also going to be useful for the tournament, it can''t be counted solely as an expense for the sake of mankind." "Alright, but then what about the points I paid for teleporting?" Sander: "Alright alright, stop being so subtle would you? You and your friends will get all the points which you spent for this and will also be sent back to your original spot." Eryndor chuckled and without wasting any time, he ran to the nearest Support Shrine. He sent Sander the Support Shrine numbers, which he immediately approved for tree teleport. "Did y''all get your points back?" He asked in the group chat, with everyone replying positively. Soon, he left the Support Shrine located in the tundra region after successfully teleporting. They should be a bit farther away from here. Dusting off his backside, he stood up after the rough landing caused by the Support Shrine''s clumsy teleportation method. I really need to get used to this. Complaining inwardly, he slung his bag over his shoulder and began running in his team''s direction. Ah fuck, beasts. Eryndor was in no mood to deal with anyone in such an exhausted state. He quickly wanted to find his teammates and take a good rest. He refrained from doing so out in the wilderness alone because if some beast or students happened to come his way then he would have to fight. And he really didn''t want to fight at this moment. He had already asked his group for their location, and according to the map, he was heading in the right direction. Ugh, so many beasts. He took a detour more than once, finally reaching his team. All of them were fighting a huge beast in the distance. Of course, he didn''t participate. Instead, he dropped his pack beside the group''s belongings and laid down on the cold ground, resting his head on the pile. Danger? There was only that one huge beast around which would soon be dealt with by his team. Approximately ten minutes later, he heard them approaching. He quickly rolled in the opposite direction, mumbling, which he was sure they would hear with their excellent sense. "I don''t wanna talk right now, let me rest." Drakarion, never one to listen to him, still asked a question. "What did you run away for? Everything began shaking shortly after." Eryndor''s eyebrow twitched as he answered. "Urgent jerk session, I had blue balls." Immediately, Syndra kicked him in the back. "Be a little decent, would you?" Of course, it was a light kick, which he didn''t even feel like dodging. Sighing lightly, he was about to go to sleep when Drakarion asked again. "Seriously though, why did you run away?" "I was saving humanity, your welcome." Eryndor remembered passing out immediately after that, exhaustion finally kicking in. It was approximately six hours later that he woke up to a delicious smell. He took his bottle and rinsed his mouth before gargling and heading towards the campfire. "Have some, we got a lot of meat." Drakarion offered, motioning toward the roasted meat by the campfire, still steaming from the heat. "Nope, I am going to have a pill." He shook his head, and popped a food pill into his mouth. I guess people would want to know what is happening. He reckoned while hearing his team discuss strategies to get more points. "Well..." As he began, people quietened down. "It was about Guardian Sol. I got wind of the fact that Morris might be plotting to kill him. My presence was necessary to stop that. I can only tell you this much." There was a brief silence around the circle due to the serious atmosphere, when Drakarion chuckled, putting a hand over Eryndor''s shoulder. "Hehe, so you were really out there saving humanity huh." With his laughter, everyone loosened up once again. Eryndor heaved a sigh, and joined their discussion after thinking. I should check out my Mind Palace after this. Chapter 189 189: Visiting the Mind Palace "We should split up a bit, that way we can find more beasts." Drakarion suggested, chewing on the meat of some beast which Eryndor couldn''t recognise at all. But since they looked just fine, he reckoned that they knew what they were doing. "The entire reason we gathered was so that no other team would be able to eliminate our members one by one." Valentina refuted. Eryndor fell into thought when he heard that. Is Valentina saying that for me? She has always been that good with her teammates indeed. But I should let her know later that I am out of danger now. He gave an input or two whenever he felt appropriate, and soon retreated to his tent. It was Drakarion who had set it up for him when he was asleep. They had already decided on the rotation of who would be awake to keep watch, and by a common consensus, they decided to keep him out of the rotation seeing his condition. Honestly, he still felt lethargic after the fight with Daoisto. As if all his energy had been sapped out. Maybe it is all in my head. He shook his head and sat cross legged, intending to head into his Mind Palace. Immediately, he arrived in front of the familiar massive structure. It didn''t take him long to realize what was different from before. The pillars. He hesitantly approached the pillars with wide eyes, gazing upon the sentence written upon each one of them. Was it the pillars which were new to his eyes? Of course not. It was the sentences in a language he didn''t think he had it in him to comprehend before this moment. The strokes, the curves, the punctuations, everything which constituted a written language, he understood all of it. But, I''ve never learned this language. Slowly, he held up his hands and brushed them across a word on the pillar. It meant ''End''. Yes, it was the same language with which one would have to utter the revered appellations for the invocation to work. I didn''t know I would also recognise its written form. He took a look at all four pillars, walking around the golden structure before coming to a halt in front of its massive entrance. His brows furrowed as he thought back to something. Wait, is that why I was able to recollect my revered appellations in this unknown language? Well, that was another mystery solved. With a shrug, he entered the vast hall. Without any distraction, he checked all of his abilities. Hmmm...none of them have grown drastically like the last time when that black smoke pushed Cognitive Scrying to the brink of breakthrough. So...no free lunch this time huh? As he was walking around the hall, going through his usual routine of checking if something had changed, something made him halt. Huh? He had a rather strange feeling when he walked past the fifth room. He took a few steps backwards, then a few steps forward. Yep, it isn''t in any other area. This fifth room is the problem. Eryndor''s eyes narrowed while he gazed at the door, trying to come up with some guesses. Well, I really can''t think of anything. I guess I''ll note this one down as well. He moved past the vast hall, then took a careful tour around the Mind Palace, unlike the one he took when he was just looking at the sentences on the pillar. There''s nothing? Eryndor thought in confusion. The last time a strand of black smoke had appeared, he remembered a small crack appearing on his Mind Palace. It was still in the same position, no improvement in its surroundings either. This time, as far as he remembered, three strands of black smoke appeared. There should have been more cracks right? But there were no new ones. Well? Now what is really going on. Last time, he had made a guess that his black smoke consisted of a stronger eldritch subconscious and a human subconscious. The eldritch subconscious has always been against me, but this time it helped me. No wait. Rather, I should say that the eldritch subconscious only helped by retaining the Sovereign''s Cloak, if it was a complete help, it would''ve helped in acquiring ''Amplification'' as well. Eryndor didn''t know he had acquired ''Amplification'', hence his respective thought process. Anyway, there were no signs on the Mind Palace, does that mean it voluntarily released the black smoke? Uhhh... does that mean it can make some decisions on its own? It released the black smoke because it determined that the eldritch subconscious'' main agenda wasn''t to harm me? Eryndor shook his head. There was no use thinking about it if he couldn''t control it anyway. He headed back inside, and took at the three black orbs. There was some progress with all three of them, but it didn''t look like any of them was on the verge of breakthrough. He then headed towards the Sovereign''s Cloak in the first room. That''s a reasonable amount of progress if I look at the level of beasts I killed. He thought after glancing at the progress bar. He had killed a few beasts after arriving in this secret realm, but his Sovereign''s Cloak was at Stable realm, while the beasts were all at Latent realm. Well, if humans count, then Kron was at level two, but I don''t know if the progress bar counts kills which weren''t done by me. He sighed, putting this to his never ending mental list as well. With everything taken care of, he left the Mind Palace. Using his extended vision, he saw that everyone had retreated to their tents except Valentina. So it''s her turn first huh? A good chance to clear up things before going to sleep. He left his tent and approached the blonde who was playing around with her two beasts. Seeing them, a doubt which had appeared in his mind long ago popped up again. I might as well ask about it now, but first I''ll update her about the situation. Chapter 190 190: Progress Since it was her turn to watch, Valentina of course had her surveillance skill active, as opposed to normally when she would trust her teammates and prefer to not waste energy on those skills. She only gave him a once over before going back to play with the two snakes. Taking a seat next to her, he initiated the conversation. "You know, I am out of danger." She looked up at him, and smiled after a moment. "Oh that. Yea, I figured that when you didn''t call for the team to stay together. Coupling that with how you had the leisure to be tired and sleepy, I guess everything went well huh." Eryndor shrugged. "You''re smarter than I realized." There was a slight pause before she responded. "Well, I do admit I wasn''t really smart in the beginning. But you know, people learn, people change." "Yea..." He took a pause before asking the doubt he had on his mind. "By the way, I had this question on my mind for quite a while now. You know that treasure you used to contract Yin? "It allowed you to contract a second beast at Beast Seeker realm, which only allows one beast. "If you could always do that, why didn''t you do it sooner? Two beasts are always better than one right? "Sooo...maybe there is some side effect which you didn''t tell us about? Maybe some loss of potential in Yin?" Eryndor looked straight in Valentina''s eyes, who didn''t look away either. A moment later, he briefly sensed a completely different realm emanating from her. It was just for a moment. Maybe a fraction of a second. But he definitely didn''t sense it wrong. His right eye twitched. With cautiousness in mind, he didn''t say anything, but gave her a look which asked ''really?''. What he had sensed just now was the aura of the stage one Beast Keeper realm. Beast Keeper was the second level of the Beast Taming power system. He didn''t find it odd. There were skills out there which allowed one to hide their stage or even realms. It was oftentimes useless against those at a higher realm than you, but since Valentina was at second level, which was essentially higher than everyone else except Edward, who probably didn''t want to bother with what was going on in the group. It could also be that Valentina''s skill was really good and he didn''t sense it either. Valentina nodded. So is that why she was able to contract a second beast? No wait, that still doesn''t make sense as to why she chose to do it at that particular moment. There was all the time in the world for her to contract it earlier. Also, I definitely saw a ''fruit'' which she fed to Yin, it was small, and her actions were quick, but I remember seeing it for sure. Eryndor tilted his head, and told her the doubts he had. Valentina''s eyebrows raised as she answered. "Oh? Your surveillance skill is THAT good? It can even spot a fruit that small at that distance? And you were paying attention?" Eryndor gazed at her silence. "I got the answer when you tried to change the topic." Without waiting for her to say anything, he shook his head with a slight smile. "I''ll repay your favor." Valentina understood that there was no use saying anything else. Eryndor stood up and approached her, squatting down, he booped the black snake which was curiously looking at him. "Sorry little guy. I''ll find some way to recover your potential soon." Valentina was silent throughout the time as Eryndor retreated back to his tent. Phew... time to cultivate. Eryndor thought, laying down on his inflatable mattress. As he began circulating Qi throughout his meridians, he quickly noticed a fact. Hmmm, passive cultivation is truly great. It has almost pushed me to the middle level of stage seven. He popped in a Qi Gathering pill and began circulating his Qi with all the control he could muster, which was fifty percent of the total Qi reserves. I hope I go past this limit someday, it''s getting tiring to stay at fifty percent control. Eryndor knew that fifty percent was by no means less. Heck, there was very likely no one out there who had such control over their Qi. Even twenty nine to thirty percent was widely considered as a peak control level, because people said it was a big threshold. Surpassing it was extremely difficult, he didn''t know if there was anyone out there who had a control as good as him. Hehe, I feel a little smug all of a sudden. Immediately though, he controlled his feelings. This fifty percent wasn''t a result of his hard work. It was given to him on a platter. This control was what he already had, also what allowed him to passively cultivate, use extended vision, and also use his cultivation arts. Yes, over time he had finally learned to do all three at the same time. It was difficult but he overcame it. A bit more. He thought while gazing at his reserves. They were increasing steadily. The first realm of the cultivation, Qi Gathering realm, counted progress based on the amount of Qi you could store. Of course, it was miraculous enough that it changed accordingly. If a normal cultivation practice technique needed hundred units of Qi to break through to the next stage, then an enhanced cultivation practice technique, depending on the enhancement it provided to Qi reserves, would similarly need that much more amount of Qi units to break through to the next realm. For example if an enhanced cultivation practice technique gave a thirty percent boost to the Qi reserves, then you would similarly need one hundred thirty units of Qi to break through to the next realm, as compared to hundred of a normal practice technique. Finally, he felt that he had breached a minor obstacle. It definitely wasn''t like the effects which took place when one broke through in stages. Time to continue cultivating, or I can switch to my second form? Chapter 191 191: Previous version was diluted It actually hadn''t been that long since he broke through. Eryndor''s memory was hazy as a lot of events had taken place, but as far as he knew, it should be less than a week. Going from breaking through to initial stage seven to breaking through to mid stage seven in under a week. Eryndor knew it was fast by the standards of the world, but it felt like he could''ve gone faster if he had been more diligent. The question now was if he should switch to second form. Concluding from my experiments, no one other than the ones in vicinity would be able to sense my second form, I can absolutely go in the woods with the excuse of peeing or something and check it out there since the tents are close by here. There was a reason why he felt like it was safe to switch to his second form now. Team Yetoren had left. He hadn''t forgotten how they were specifically here for a strong anomaly. They would of course have treasures or Mystical Artifacts capable of detecting him if he switched to second form, which was in essence closer to an eldritch to a human. Eldritch were still classified under anomalies. Wait, that shouldn''t be true if what Daoisto said is true. He remembered Daoisto saying that Eldritch was a title given to those standing at the peak of the ninth realm. He never said it was specifically for anomalies, or for the people who climbed to the ninth realm through the eight power systems. Wait, now I also know that all power systems and anomalies go up till the ninth realm. Hopefully that is. If the Eldritch are the strongest beings and they stand at the peak of the ninth realm, it should be the last realm. Well, Eryndor already had an inkling there would be nine or ten realms, because that''s how it went in the novels he read. Wait, I am going astray once again. He redirected his thought process. According to Daoisto, the title ''Eldritch'' can be given to anyone who stands at the peak of the ninth realm regardless of their power system. That aside, he was also thinking of the points as to why it was safe for him to switch to his second form now. Team Yetoren have left, and all that plot regarding Daoisto and Co-founder Morris has also been dealt with. He took a look around his tent with his extended vision and took a deep breath. Might as well do it. Exiting his tent, he gestured to Valentina that he was heading out to pee, and ran a short distance away. He didn''t really need to go far away since the effect range of the second form was quite small, no one would''ve sensed him, but he had just let Valentina know that he was going out to pee. Wouldn''t stopping in the range of her surveillance skill send the wrong message? I mean, she won''t really peak if I really decide to pee, but no, let''s not take the risk. It wasn''t that Eryndor was ashamed, but he didn''t want to send the wrong signal. Finally, he stopped when he was sure that he was no longer in Valentina''s range. He covered some distance more considering Valentina''s true realm, and some more after assuming that she might not have exposed her entire realm. Phew, this much should do. Immediately, he thought of himself as an Eldritch, which switched him to his second form in no time. No sooner than he switched to his second form did he see a drastic difference from last time. Yes, all the black smoke might''ve really enhanced my second form. Eryndor could distinctly feel how muted his emotions had become. This is bad in a way. His Eldritch form''s previous state was bad enough. One of the reasons he had never constantly used this form was because of such suppression of his emotions. It was almost like it conditioned him to not use his emotions. But now? It was even worse. Not to mention that his emotions were suppressed to the rock bottom, with barely any fluctuation, he also felt a few foreign thoughts creeping in. They weren''t powerful enough to the point of dominating his mind, but he feared that if his will wasn''t enough he would one day be influenced by those thoughts. All of them were along the following lines: Principles are shackles forged by those afraid to act. A clear mind is one unclouded by morality. Precision achieves results. Empathy hinders precision. Eryndor cancelled his second form, gasping deeply, as if suddenly incredibly grateful to be a human once again. Was that all the Eldritch form had to offer? No, Eryndor also felt a drastic increase in his senses and reaction speed. It was as if his Eldritch form was made for battle. For cold hard effectiveness over everything. To employ absolute rationality and win the war through a battle of wits. Eryndor could only say that the previous version of the Eldritch form was a diluted version of the current one. In the previous one, he could at least keep his thoughts intact. Here? It was possible, but difficult. Not to mention withstanding the constant brainwashing, every moment in that form made him think how inefficient his human form had been. It made him reconsider everything and always employ absolute efficiency in everything, even if he were to walk. Sure, he felt like he could override those instincts to walk however he wanted, but would he truly be able to keep resisting it? The constant brainwashing through external thoughts. The constant need to be efficient in every action. A complete suppression of emotions. An overwhelming need to consider and view each and every aspect through the lens of absolute rationality. It was just too much. Would I even be able to switch back to my human form if I stayed in my Eldritch form for too long? Unfortunately, Eryndor realized almost fearfully that he couldn''t answer the question. Chapter 192 192: Going out With a heavy heart, Eryndor returned to the camp. His mind was filled with thoughts about his eldritch form all along. Did he want to use it again? Honestly, he didn''t feel like it. It was way too dangerous. However, Eryndor also felt like he shouldn''t run away from it. It was a powerful form of weapon in a sense. There were many Mystical Artifacts out there which had much worse side effects. Like losing a limb every time you use it, losing lifespan, memories, or even your personality. Comparatively, the side effects of his eldritch form were much better. Would it change his personality for certain? Of course not, it would only happen if his will was weak. Taking a deep breath, he entered his tent and laid down, resuming his cultivation. After about an hour, out of boredom, he switched to learning alchemy. He hadn''t brought his cauldron with him, but that didn''t stop him from looking up the theory of how to do it. Even though he had learnt a lot, alchemy was a subject you could always learn new things about. Currently, he only had his cultivation practice technique - Breath of the Lightning God and alchemy to switch practising between. The Breath of Lightning God increased his Qi reserves and speeded up the rate of his Qi absorption, while also attuning his Qi to lightning element. Until now, it hadn''t been much help though, at least in the fights with stronger opponents. Compared to the lightning of cultivation arts like Lightning Infusion, and the lightning version of Sky Piercing Palm, his inherent Lightning element Qi was slightly weaker. Maybe I''ll need to cultivate it to higher stages for it to show greater effects. He thought, while keeping his eye trained on his phone. The information on alchemy which he was learning right now wasn''t one he got from the rewards, but one he was randomly searching around on the internet. Some were false, full of scams, while some were being truthful about a few tricks. There were some he himself was unsure about. But that was a given. He didn''t have such a high level of alchemy that he would be able to see through everything related to it on the internet. Maybe his previous opinion about what parts being true and what false were also incorrect for all he knew. He soon got bored of alchemy as well, switching back to cultivating. He couldn''t practice his cultivation arts, not because there could be dangers around and his Qi might be too low to handle it, but because he had already practiced all of them to the highest mastery. Due to his Qi control, he had always been able to successfully use the cultivation art on first try, and then gain increasing mastery on it over just a few repetitions. This was also the reason why his combat prowess was way higher than his realm. He judged that he should be somewhere around the level of stage nine despite being at stage seven. Initial level, mid level or peak level stage nine? For that he would have to use some accurate measuring machines. This time it took him approximately two hours before he got bored of cultivating. It was true, getting visibly stronger did make him less bored than the usual person, because his rate of progress was way higher than them, but that didn''t mean he would never get tired of it. Ahh...what do I do now? He contemplated going out to kill beasts, but it was way too cold outside. He had just barely resisted it when he left to check out his eldritch form. People who practiced the eight power systems had enhanced bodies, with better resistance to various diseases, poisons and even temperatures. But this zone wouldn''t have given higher points for nothing if the students could easily resist the cold. The temperature here was low enough that even students with enhanced physiques would feel cold. Chuck it, I''ll use Sovereign''s Cloak this time and check if it can resist the cold. After the fight with Daoisto, he hadn''t taken it out. He didn''t know if it was because it slipped his mind or if the danger never arrived that he didn''t feel the need to summon it. After a focused thought, the familiar black cloak manifested, perfectly wearing itself on Eryndor''s physique. Exiting the tent, he glanced at Paulina. It was her turn now to keep watch. "I am going out to battle some beasts." He informed her in a low voice. He took a moment to feel around, and it seemed like his Sovereign''s Cloak could indeed resist the cold. He could feel his Energy of Consciousness being absorbed away, it was a minute amount, nothing alarming. He might not have felt it during the daytime because one, the cold might not be intense enough for his Sovereign''s Cloak to take action, or two, the absorption of Energy of Consciousness might have been so low that he didn''t even feel it amidst the high stress he had with his mind occupied by so many things. Paulina furrowed her brows. She spoke in a similarly low voice. "You do know that the night is far more dangerous right?" She had already shared her experience with the group. The beasts somehow got some kind of power up in the night, displaying a greater level of combat prowess, making it far more difficult to fight them if you didn''t adapt quickly enough. Imagine this, you fought a few beasts of the same kind in daytime, and you adapted to that level and fighting style. But suddenly at night, the beast changed. It got stronger, faster, its claws somehow sharper, and its fighting style different. If you didn''t immediately adapt, you''d be injured pretty badly, or even eliminated. Paulina didn''t stop Eryndor though, everyone had their own preferences on how to act. She just asked, to cross check if he knew the implications of his actions. Eryndor nodded at her question. I really want some combat experience. Chapter 193 193: Same beast over and over again After a few tips from Paulina, he left the camp after eating a food pill because he was getting quite hungry. It had been around four hours since he last had a food pill, each one kept you satiated for the same time as when you have a full meal. This time he was only carrying his spiked mace, his phone in the pocket, and two food pills for backup. He had left his bag back in his tent. Should I sing? He thought with utmost seriousness. The night was really too...silent. With not enough external sound, he often found his thoughts popping up to no end. In the past, whenever he used to go to the bathroom or walk on an empty road, he would prefer sounds as the silence was too unnerving. Ghosts, paranormal activities and so on. Now he could swiftly sense an anomaly or if there were any people around, but back then he hadn''t known about any of the extraordinary powers which existed in the world back then. Sounds made it easier for him to suppress the fear which would sprout in darkness and silence. It felt like it broke some kind of strange tension in the air. A few years back when he had a break up, he would always use headphones with a loud sound to suppress the thoughts which would keep sprouting up. It was extremely effective. Back then he found it easier to sleep that way rather than drowning in his own thoughts to no end. Well, no use thinking about it. I''m over it now. He thought with a sigh. After a few moments of silence, he ended up using his phone to play music due to force of habit. Ah, feels better now. His walking style gradually changed as well, taking on a more jumpy rhythm. His hips and shoulders moved in sync with the beats of the sound. At random intervals, he would even swing his mace and rotate on his toes. Oh, finally a beast. He didn''t stop playing the music despite the fact that it would make ambush impossible, and quickly picked up pace. The beast was only at mid stage of Latent realm, he could easily take it out even if he didn''t have the advantage of ambush. The beast sensed him at one point as well, aggressively turning to him and taking charge. Eryndor noticed that its range of sensing seemed to be larger than what beasts at its stage were supposed to have. Is it because it''s night and it''s been enhanced, or is it a species with particularly larger range? He thought, while continuing to run. If there existed beasts with higher defense or higher offense than what their level could offer, why couldn''t there be a beast with higher range than normal? Eryndor abruptly stopped, and pulled back his spiked mace over his head. Timing it correctly, he swung it down with all the force he could muster. Apparently, at night the beasts would grow stronger but not smarter. As soon as it emerged from the bush, the spiked head smashed down on its armored head. Squelch Brain matter splattered everywhere as the weapon thoroughly crushed its head. Flicking his weapon a few times, he got rid of the flesh and blood and continued onwards. To make sure that he wouldn''t stray too far from the camp, he changed directions. Approximately a minute later, he found the same species of beast again. It was an Ice Ox. It differed from the normal Ox in a way that this species had higher muscle density, shorter tail, and horns which were blunt. The major difference was that they had armor covering their entire body which looked like it was made with ice. It was unlike that of a turtle whose armor was fused with their bodies. If the armor of Ice Ox broke, they wouldn''t sustain any kind of damage, and they could even regrow it. It had a price though. It consumed their lifespan everytime they regrew their armor. It brought about a situation of irony in their species, that the ones which had the most combat experience were also the ones who would live for the shortest amount of time. That was of course, only if they didn''t break through to higher realm. Similar to the eight power systems of Outer Domains, the power system of beasts and anomalies also increased the lifespan at each increase in realm, although it was far more chaotic. As one might know, there existed animals which were immortal even before the advent of four energies. Naturally, all the animals also had wildly different age limits. Similarly, the same was applied in their power system. Although it would increase their lifespan with each increase in realm, the increase differed from beast to beast, and anomaly to anomaly. Why was this the case? No one knew. There was a famous theory though, one coined by none other than Dr. Kirchoff. He hypothesized that the eight power systems of the Outer Domains represented ''Order'', hence their systematic approach to everything. While the power system of anomalies and beasts represented ''Chaos'', hence their random way of advancing for every individual. The Federation had observed an anomaly which broke through as soon as it killed a hundred people, while there was another anomaly which broke through only after acquiring a rare resource. Eryndor whistled occasionally as he walked after taking care of the second Ice Ox. For the next few minutes, he kept finding more and more of them. He hadn''t sensed a single other beast through his extended vision. Is there some weird shit happening once again? Eryndor''s brows furrowed. The Ice Ox were all at mid stage of Latent realm, with the only exception being the last one which was at peak stage. If the levels of all Ice Ox nearby were the same as the ones he killed, with one peak stage every seven to nine mid stage then it wouldn''t be much of a threat. Ten Ice Ox? Not a concern. Twenty? Not a concern. Thirty? It was still not a concern for their group. But what if there were more? I need to find out what is going on. Chapter 194 194: Moving deeper Eryndor messaged Paulina his current location and the situation with Ice Oxen. "I''m going to investigate it." Paulina: "Huh? Weird. I''ve been here for far longer than you people. How did I not notice it? "Just until a few hours ago, there were all kinds of beasts, not just Ice Oxen, you can even check the group chat where we put all the battle history." Eryndor: "Makes it all the more strange." Paulina: "Shouldn''t we wake up more people so that you aren''t investigating alone?" Eryndor: "I don''t think it would matter, I have the largest range out of anyone here. "If anything, they might only be able to help me escape by carrying me in case something goes wrong. "Even in that, only Valentina or Edward can outrun me, both of whom just had their night watch rotation, it would be unfair to wake them up from their sleep again." Paulina: "Well, you can take the meat shield with you. His turn is coming up soon anyway." A small chuckle escaped Eryndor as he replied to her. "I''m going to snitch on you hehehe." Paulina: "Go ahead, traitor. Hmph." Eryndor: "Joking, alright, I''m going off." Paulina: "Be safe." He didn''t respond, simply slipping the phone into his pocket and marking the spot where he stood. It was a system his team had agreed on earlier¡ªused whenever someone needed to wander a little farther from the group. After a moment of thought, he expanded his range, it wasn''t yet his maximum range but still high enough. Ughh...might''ve as well stop the music. The following situation was about to be a serious one, one where he couldn''t afford for mistakes. But then again, the situation turned creepy again. Eryndor thought while moving in silence. He mentally began humming a tune as he searched for unusual traces. A minute later, he found another Ice Ox. There really are only these beasts around. He furrowed his brows, and quickly ended the life of that beast. It was at the mid stage of Latent realm. The process continued for around ten minutes, and there was no unusual clue yet. Just what is going on here? A while back, after walking some distance away from the camp, he had changed his direction so as to not stray too far away from his group. He kept making changes to his direction, and by now he had already made a circle around his camp. Are they surrounding us? He didn''t waste any time in contacting Paulina. It was still her turn on the watch. If the Ice Oxen were surrounding them, it was entirely possible that a few had already slipped past. After all, he couldn''t be everywhere along the perimeter of the camp''s circle at once. "Did you encounter any Ice Ox?" Paulina: "Nope, not a single one." Eryndor''s mind struggled to come up with speculations about their current scenario. These Ice Oxen were always found at a certain distance away from their camp, but they never went past it. Wait... could it be? Bracing himself, he expanded the range of his extended vision once more before receding quickly to not expend his Energy of Consciousness too much. As expected, he found a few more deeper into the tundra, but none in the direction of his camp. I should stop trying to stay close to the team. Eryndor marked a nearby rock, and moved in the opposite direction. This time two Ice Oxen charged at him as soon as they sensed him. Readying his mace, he closed the distance with one of them in particular. Both of them were at the mid stage of Latent realm. With higher speed, he reached the one he was aiming for earlier than the second one, with still plenty of distance between them. He swung his prepared mace at the open mouth of the Ice Ox, but probably because he was running this time, compared to when he was always staying still, his calculation fell short. Rectifying his mistake quickly, he detached the head and controlled it with Telekinesis to hit the beast''s back while his Sovereign''s Cloak bore the brunt of its bite. A crack resounded through the silent air as its back caved in from the blunt force of the spiked head. The beast wailed loudly, but Eryndor was quick to deliver a sharp upper cut on its lower jaw using Internal Fist. Its jaws crashed into each other with a heavy impact, inflicting a serious internal damage to the skeletal structure. The armor on its body was as good as paper in front of Eryndor who was at least three stages above it. Without losing the momentum, Eryndor used his second hand to deliver another Internal Fist to hammer down on its skull. A sharp crack was heard once again as the armor and bone both broke down. To seal the deal, he used the handle of his weapon and drove it straight down the cracked opening his recent punch made. All its movements ceased within a couple seconds after being impaled by the handle of the spike mace completely through its skull. With disgust visible on his face, Eryndor removed his weapon, and swung it hard on the incoming second Ice Ox''s face. Crunch. One shot kill. This time a few brain matter splattered on himself as well, as he didn''t cover himself with Sovereign''s Cloak fast enough. He first checked the two beasts if they were truly dead, then gave himself a once over. First, he dropped the weapon beside him and gazed at his hands in disgust. Jeez, I drove the handle down its skull in the heat of the moment. I ended up having to hold that same handle, with the blood and brain matter all over my hands. While thinking of that, he inspected his clothes, which had a hint of pinkish gray and white color substance now. Eryndor was aware of the mild OCD he had related to hygiene and cleanliness, and his current situation had successfully creeped him out quite a bit. Fuck it, life happens, gotta move on. Chapter 195 195: Killing a lot He wiped his hands and weapon''s handle on his pants and continued deeper. The fact that the number of Ice Oxen had risen was a good indicator that he was in the right direction. He was fully alert, scanning the land with utmost seriousness, not willing to miss out on anything. It helped that he was in the tundra region, so there weren''t as many obstacles for him to scan. He walked for approximately an hour, and found groups of two, three, two, four, three, two, and one Ice Oxen respectively. There is some pattern. There was a definite increase in the number of Ice Oxen before it began decreasing. As if to confirm this fact, he proceeded to encounter groups of two, two and one Ice Oxen. Wait, maybe I am in the wrong direction. He returned the way he came, till the area where he felt the ''density'' of the Ice Oxen was highest. This took another hour, during which he encountered a lot of groups as well. Of course, he killed all of them. They were an easy bundle of points after all. Eryndor then changed direction once again, instead of going deeper into tundra, he began walking in the same belt. Imagine this. There was a small circle, where their camp lay. It was the innermost circle. Then came a bigger circle which circled around the previous small circle, with the smaller one being in the center. Big circle minus small circle? A belt. This belt was a safezone, where there were no beasts. Beyond this belt was another belt, where Eryndor began encountering the Ice Oxen. Beyond this belt were multiple belts where the density of Ice Oxen began increasing. At a certain belt, it reached the highest density, beyond which it began decreasing once again. So, Eryndor was currently walking along this belt with the highest density of Ice Oxen. Approximately two hours later, Eryndor was panting heavily as he leaned against a tree. He just had a fight with a group of five Ixe Oxen, three at peak stage of Latent realm and two at mid stage. It was difficult, but he managed to win without any serious injuries. The entire credit went to Sovereign''s Cloak, which even disappeared near the end of the battle. Before moving any further, he wanted to recover his Sovereign''s Cloak. I might be close, no other reason for the beasts to grow both in quantity and quality. He was more and more sure of his guess. There might be a large group of Ice Oxen nearby. One where their team could farm a lot of points if they utilized it well. Eryndor didn''t hold much hope though, the sky was already starting to brighten. He had a guess that they only appeared at night. It might be a hidden feature of the tournament. Eryndor could already guess some of the conditions. One, they will only appear at night. Two, they would only appear near a complete team. Three, the beasts wouldn''t enter a certain area around the camp of the team. I can think of two reasons for the third point. One, the tournament didn''t need to be too difficult for students. Two, the tournament also doesn''t need to be too easy. They won''t be able to find this oddity if the students don''t leave the safety net of the camp. They would need to face the danger and go deep to scan the area, only then would they be able to find this. As he concluded the points, Eryndor could only appreciate the design of this setup. He wouldn''t have taken the risk if not for his absurdly large range. The only reason he always felt safe going out like this was because he could always start escaping wayyy earlier if he spotted any kind of danger. His range simply gave him that huge of a buffer distance, or buffer time. If he hadn''t taken this risk, he would''ve never found out about this. But just taking the risk wasn''t enough, one also needed to be strong enough to grasp the opportunity within the said risk. Just like now, if Eryndor weren''t strong enough, he wouldn''t even be able to get close to the big group of Ice Oxen which were just a bit further away from his current location. The same could be said for his team. Fortunately, they were strong enough. A few minutes later, Eryndor sighed. As expected, I was correct, this hidden feature would only appear at night. There were no longer any Ice Oxen in his extended vision, but a lot of different ones which suddenly began filling in from beyond his range. I should return to my team. Eryndor popped a food pill in his mouth and retreated back to where his team was. Throughout the night, he kept messaging whoever was on the watch rotation of his situation and location as a backup, so they might have already made the same guess as him. As he regrouped with his group, Edward was the first to laugh and speak. "I think we should follow the same setup as today. "Eryndor with his absurd sensing range is good for finding hidden stuff like this. He can be awake at night and search for things like this which would normally be hard to find. "It is also not dangerous since his range is just that high, and he himself is also strong enough. Eryndor definitely counts among the upper bracket of combat prowess in this secret realm." Valentina chuckled. "I don''t think we''ll get such good things everyday though. There should be a limit." Eryndor nodded, speaking about another point which he just thought of. "Yea, it was our first night together as a team. "For all we know, this situation might only occur on the first night and we might''ve already missed it. "But still, I reckon we should start making preparations immediately so we can capitalize upon this opportunity if the situation occurs again tonight." As everyone nodded, Drakarion''s focus was on a different thing. His eyes wide with surprise as he gazed at Eryndor''s points. Chapter 196 196: Team and Individual rankings Drakarion gazed at the points on the screen then back at Eryndor, repeating the motion a few times as if to confirm it before he eventually ended up asking nonetheless. "You got twenty five thousand points in one night? Holy fuck!" Everyone was surprised when they heard that. It wasn''t without reason. A peak stage Latent realm beast like Terramorph Ravager only gave three hundred points. Even if you counted the fact that it was tundra, a special region, the max it would give was four hundred. The main problem in this secret realm was that it was too large, and beasts weren''t always found in large groups. Oftentimes they were found alone, or in small groups of two and three. This made it difficult to rack up points quickly. Eryndor gave a small laugh and replied. "Yea, there were a lot of beasts, and I didn''t even reach the large gathering if there were any in the first place. "This is why I am urging everyone to make preparations so we can hunt tonight. If it''s successful, our points could shoot up drastically." As the team discussed a few measures, he checked the rankings of the tournament. Team Kron (8) - 320,924 points Kron might''ve been eliminated, or rather, killed, but his team was still in the tournament, sitting firmly at first position. They had nine members, eight after Kron''s demise, and they also had some of the strongest first years, along with the strongest second year, so it wasn''t a surprise they would be on the top. Dividing their total points by eight, each member supposedly had around forty thousand points. Eryndor earned twenty five thousand points in around four to six hours, and it had been two nights and two days already since they entered the secret realm. It was the third day right now, so it was entirely possible that people already had forty thousand points to their name. Of course, it was also possible that a few members had a high amount of points, while some had low, balancing out the average. The high amount of points were easily possible as there could also be other ways to gain points like figuring out a hidden rule, or other miraculous features like the one Eryndor found at night to quickly gain points. Kron''s points were all lost when he was killed by the trio of Eryndor, Valentina and Edward, so his points weren''t counted. If he had been eliminated due to other reasons then the points wouldn''t have been lost, and would''ve been added to the team''s total score. Team Ricky (9) - 289,912 Team Utyr (8) - 273,819 Team Risa (9) - 271,383 Team Jonathan (6) - 267,521 Team Yu (8) - 258,821 Team Bronit (7) - 229,641 Team Irene (6) - 199,201 Team Lance (9) - 172,993 Team Eryndor (6) - 169,420 Despite having pretty strong individual members, their team was barely in the last position because they had spent the majority of their time travelling. Else, they could''ve easily been around seventh position, with each person having around forty thousand points, just like Team Kron. Despite such a limitation, they still held their position at rank ten, which spoke volumes of their combat prowess. Well, there was also another thing which allowed them to stay at rank ten, and that was the fact that three teams before them had fallen in rankings. One was a team at rank seven, one at eight, and one at ten, which respectively fell in their rankings at random intervals, allowing their team to stay at rank ten. Eryndor then glanced at the individual rankings. Majority of it was occupied by the captains of the team. Molina - 78,039 The first rank had a massive gap with the second one. Eryndor could only think of three guesses. One, that she was a maniac who killed beasts in some special region like tundra every moment, living on food pills and hardly any sleep. Two, she grasped a few hidden rules of the tournament which gave her massive advantage. Three, she found a hidden feature like Eryndor. No matter what, it was still ridiculously high points. Molina was a second year student. At stage nine of second realm, she was the strongest second year, and obviously one of the few second years on the leaderboard. She was from Team Kron. Mike - 52,802 Mike was a second year student as well, from Team Ricky. Ricky - 50,881 The captains couldn''t be of second year, and since Ricky was elected as the captain of the team which currently stood at second rank, it meant he was in the first year. Risa - 49,792 Jonathan - 47,045 Kennedy - 45,623 He was a captain of his team but not currently in the top ten. Maybe he got a weak team, or they might be in an unfavourable situation. Irene - 44,762 Lance - 41,886 Lukas - 40, 719 He was a second year as well, this time from Team Jonathan. Eryndor - 39,102 Yes, Eryndor managed to snatch the tenth spot due to the massive amount of points he earned last night. He already had fourteen thousand after being refunded by Sander for the teleportation he used. He didn''t get his full amount back because he spent a few to unlock parts of the map near the entrance, which Sander refused to refund. Adding twenty five thousand from last night, he currently had a little more than thirty nine thousand, making him a surprise entry at rank ten. The list went on till rank fifty, so if someone who was nowhere in the list suddenly climbed his way up to rank ten, it was definitely a surprising underdog entry. Eryndor could already guess that there would be plenty of teams out there for him, entirely due to how fast he climbed the rankings. It was extremely obvious he found an extremely advantageous hidden rule or some hidden feature. Would Eryndor and his team be able to eat their cake and deal with the incoming teams? Chapter 197 197: Planning out things Eryndor didn''t participate in the discussion of his group, leaving it up to them to decide how to devour the entire point bundle which was the group of Ice Oxen. He retreated to his tent, and began packing up after taking a bit of rest. He also washed himself of all the blood and other substances which had stuck to his body and clothes. He didn''t regret using most of his water to clean himself. Afterward, he packed the bloodstained clothes tightly in his bag, making sure they wouldn''t soil anything else inside. Even though he knew that his Cloak wouldn''t have suffered any kind of damage, he still took it out and inspected every inch of it. Due to its existence, he had been able to fight recklessly during the later half of his battles after he got over the feeling of his mild OCD. It felt far better now that he had washed up and changed. Without stopping, he packed his tent, and regrouped with his team. "Well, what''s the plan?" He asked them. It was Valentina who answered him with a shrug. "Well, we are kind of stuck on a point. "Edward suggested digging a large pit and luring them there. "However, Drakarion argued that if the beasts die due to any other reason than fighting with a student, it may not give any point, like dying due to falling in a pit." Before she could continue, Edward spoke up. "Then I said that if that was the case, one should also not get any points if the beast was killed by students proficient in traps." Eryndor answered after a moment of thought as if it was obvious. "Why don''t we check it out by experimenting on some beast?" Paulina nodded at him. "We had the same idea, and were deciding who should go. "Only me, Valentina, and Edward have skills which would be effective for digging holes. "But Syndra here says that we shouldn''t spend so much time testing a theory and should think of other ways as that would save time." When Eryndor looked at Syndra, she spoke up immediately. "You see, no matter how effective the skills, digging a hole big enough for a beast to fall to death is going to take some time, and it would also be difficult to make a beast fall in it in the first place. "If the theory was already tested, we could spend the many hours we have before night sets in to make the trap. "However, now since we don''t know the results of this idea and testing it out would take too long, by the time we get the result, even if it did indeed come out positive, that we can get the points through traps like this, it would be too late to start digging." Valentina took over from there. "This...is the problem. Edward argues that his earth based spell would be enough to dig a large enough hole even if it''s late, and Drakarion wants to take a more sure-fire approach, agreeing with Syndra that we shouldn''t do this at all." Eryndor was just going to speak up when Paulina held up her palm at him. "No, I know you''ll suggest going through with another trap and also start digging through the ground if the experiment turns out to be successful but with the amount of hours we have on our hands, if we don''t focus on a single trap and go for multiple ones then it will result in half baked traps. "Also, we considered digging first because it''s extremely easy out of any idea we came up with. We are reluctant in just giving it up exactly for that reason. "Not to mention we only have six people. We need to be efficient in whatever trap we make. Neither do we have the people, nor do we have the hours to make lots of traps." Eryndor put a hand to his chin, comprehending the full extent of what was going on. After a moment of thought, he spoke. "Did y''all think about taking help from the Support Shrine? It isn''t that far from here either. We could more efficiently set up traps in that case." There was a silence before Edward spoke with some hesitation. "We already don''t have a lot of points. If we spend some in the Support Shrine then we might very likely end up outside the top ten." Eryndor understood his concern. Only if the team finished in top ten would they be qualified for the final wheel type battle between groups. It was this wheel battle which would decide the final standing, and correspondingly the quality and quantity of rewards a team would get. Eryndor understood Edward, but that didn''t mean he agreed with him. "That''s wrong. Unspent avarice is just greed; once directed and consumed, it turns to ambition. "We shouldn''t be afraid of using points if it results in a larger profit." Paulina repeated his words in a whisper. "Greed hoards. Ambition consumes." She then looked at Eryndor, before commending. "That''s a nice quote." Edward sighed and spoke. "Alright, let''s use the Support Shrine." Paulina clapped her palms and confirmed. "So, we''ll go through the digging experiment, and also use Support Shrine to buy some traps. "This way we''ll have trusted Edward that his skills can indeed dig a large hole within the remaining time frame, and also make another trap which would be extremely efficient even if the digging isn''t successful." Eryndor had a thought as the group polished the plan. Wait, my eldritch form has very potent Telekinesis. I can easily use it to control the earth in large amounts, quickly digging up a trap. Then I can also use my eldritch presence to scare the beast into running towards the trap. I guess I am practically perfect for this? But I don''t know if the group will believe me without any sufficient evidence. They weren''t even ready to trust Edward despite him being a leaderboard student. Eryndor gazed at them. Should I even use my eldritch form for something like this? It is...dangerous. Chapter 198 198: Distributing tasks Eryndor took a deep breath, thinking. I should do it right now. At least try to get used to my eldritch form. This time the stakes are low, so I can quit anytime I want and do something else. But if it happens to be some other time when the situation is dangerous and I lose control in my eldritch form, then it would be bad. Eryndor glanced at his team, his attention being refocused just in time to hear them decide upon the second major trap and distribute the teamforce. It was Paulina speaking. "Alright, along with digging we should make big maze-like structures which will divide the beasts heading our way. At the end of each of these mazes will be us, killing the beasts as they keep rolling in. "We''ll use big walls to funnel all the beasts towards the big pit, behind which the maze will begin. "This way, if there are still Ice Oxen left even after the pit is full of them, they''ll just walk over their fallen brethren which have plugged the pit and head over to the maze. "Now, for work distribution, Eryndor will head to the Support Shrine to buy supplies. With his incredible range, he''s the best choice to separate from the team for a while." Paulina pointed at him as she spoke, then proceeded to do the same each time she called out names. "Edward will do the experiment. He doesn''t have a broken range but is still one of the strongest in this secret realm, I don''t think there''s much danger in him going out alone. "I didn''t choose Valentina despite her being stronger because Edward''s earth based skill is stronger." Valentina had shared her Yin Yang Detonation and Yin Yang Beam with the rest of her team already. Paulina continued. "Valentina will kill whatever beast it is that disturbs us when making a trap. She will of course also help at building the maze but being the strongest of the group, she can dispose of the beast faster than any of us, saving us valuable time. "After killing it, if the beast carcass happens to be in the way of our traps, it will still be Valentina who will dispose of it, since obviously, she''ll be the closest to it. "If the pit fall experiment is successful, Edward, me, and Valentina will focus on that trap, while the rest will focus on making the maze with the help of items Eryndor will bring back. "Of course, during the time Edward is performing his experiment, and Eryndor has left for the Support Shrine, the rest of us will start making a maze, since that''s a sure-fire trap." After speaking her part, she performed her signature move ¡ª a single, sharp clap, and smiled. "Any questions? Any suggestions?" Everyone shook their heads, and immediately got to work without any questions. Eryndor dropped his bag nearby along with those of his group and shot off in the Support Shrine''s direction. As usual, he had his phone in his pocket and the spiked mace in his hand even though he was out for just a simple errand. It was common sense to always be at the top of your condition in this era. Safety was just an illusion. Once he was sufficiently out of the range of all his teammates, he took a deep breath and checked his extended vision to make sure there was no one else around. He then thought of himself as an ''eldritch entity'', immediately shifting to his second form. His presence changed, becoming heavier than before. Even compared to his previous version of eldritch form, this one held far more weight. But then again, it was obvious considering how Eryndor termed his previous version of eldritch form as the diluted state of the current one. His mind was once again bombarded by thoughts which weren''t his own. A clear mind is one unclouded by morality. The best decision is one taken without considering emotions. His emotions were suppressed to the rock bottom immediately. He was aware of the fact, but he couldn''t bring himself to care about it. The team might lose? He didn''t care. Valentina might''ve died when she chose to assist him when the protection based Mystical Artifact wasn''t working? He didn''t care. Choosing humanity only because his parents and the friends he made were present here? He didn''t care what would happen to them. At this point Eryndor was only concerned with himself. He fully extended his extended vision, using it with a mastery he had never known was possible. The range extended in different directions at different rates. His view constantly zoomed in and out at different locations simultaneously, but he could perfectly handle it. Footprints visible? Increase the speed of vision extension. Scratches on the bark of a tree? Increase the speed in that direction too. Beast droppings? Urine markings? Fur or feather sightings? Each time he found a mark of a beast''s presence, he extended his vision in that direction. As for when he didn''t find it? He masterfully controlled his extended vision to stop heading in that direction. Eryndor realized in the back of his mind that his extended vision seemed to be stretching further than he remembered. Yep, I already tested it once by only extending my vision in one direction. It went wayyyy past my usual limit. But I didn''t know doing the same in all directions in the matter of milliseconds was possible. Normally, he would''ve fully extended his vision without any of this finesse and just hoped to come across a beast due to the sheer area his vision covered. This? This was masterful control of every inch of his extended vision so that none of his Energy of Consciousness would be wasted in useless things and also increase the range of his vision. Found! By luck, it was exactly an Ice Ox which he spotted. Without any wasted movement, he used Telekinesis to levitate himself and fly in the beast''s direction all the while keeping his extended vision of Cognitive Scrying active. At a carefully calculated distance, he stopped. It was time to make a pit and test if he would get the points. Chapter 199 199: Stopping a distance away from the Support Shrine There wasn''t a single wasted moment as Eryndor moved the ground with his Telekinesis. There was no grand gesture like raising the hand and moving it while controlling the earth at the same time. There was no need to act cool. Did it contribute anything positive to the situation? No. Within a moment, a large section of the earth was dug away and flattened at another spot. Why wasn''t it just dumped into a small hill? Because it would result in an unnatural environment, probably alerting the beast. He covered the big hole with weak branches of trees, and put snow on top of everything to camouflage it with the surroundings. Everything was carried out using Telekinesis without a single distracted thought. If anything, it was Eryndor himself who commended his efficiency in the back of his mind. As soon as he was done, he levitated over to the beast which hadn''t moved much from its spot. First, it charged at him as soon as it sensed an intruder in its senses, but when Eryndor actually neared the beast, it desperately stopped itself before plopping to the ground, gazing at him in reverence and fear. Can I command the beast using this fear? Eryndor thought before immediately carrying it out. He used the common language of humans, but it didn''t work. He used sign language as well, but it didn''t work either. It couldn''t be termed as inefficiency if he didn''t have any knowledge regarding it in the first place. Eryndor was still perfectly in control of his own body and abilities, fully conscious without any external influence. Obviously he wouldn''t get information he didn''t know beforehand out of nowhere just because he switched his form. He didn''t let his failures stop him though. Immediately, he changed his direction and capitalized upon the fear of the beast to move it towards the pit hole. He made sure to always cut off its escape route when it tried moving in another direction. Eryndor mentally noted this in his mind. Apparently the fear isn''t high enough that it won''t try to escape. It''s only enough to not get attacked I guess. The Ice Ox frantically kept looking all around to ascertain any kind of danger. Good thing I manipulated everything to look like a normal environment. Eryndor refrained from directly using Telekinesis to drop the beast into the pit. For some reason, it felt more direct to him. In the sense that whatever sensing Mystical Artifact or treasure existed to sense everything and assign points to the students, directly using Telekinesis might count as more involved as a ''cause'' in the ''result'' that the beast fell in the hole. If the experiment was successful, tonight, they would be luring the beast towards the pit. Eryndor knew that forcing the beast into a particular direction by terrifying it was also a more ''involved'' action than just luring the beast, and that is why he didn''t intend to use this option. When they reached a certain distance, he abruptly flew away out of the beast''s range, and manipulated his Sovereign''s Cloak to stop covering every part of the body. Eryndor always did it so that no one would be able to know it was him even if they somehow gazed at this form. He then switched to his human form. Disregarding the feeling of liberation, freedom, freshness and the rush of emotions, he made a run towards the pit. The beast was still there, looking around, when it spotted a different intruder entering its sensing range. Without a thought in its mind, it charged over. Majority of the beasts are stupid. Eryndor smirked lightly, but still took on a combat stance to not let the Ice Ox feel something was amiss. With this method, he was still technically ''luring'' the beast, using perfectly the same conditions if they were to use it tonight. Swoosh! Before it could even react, the beast fell down the hole with a loud cry. Eryndor neared the pit which was wide open now, and looked below at the form which had already stopped moving. It was just that deep after all. He then glanced at his points after taking out his phone. A three hundred points increase huh. Considering that the Ice Ox was at the peak stage of Latent realm, this meant he got the full points of the beast. Leaving the pit as it is, Eryndor resumed his journey towards the Support Shrine after messaging his team of the results. ***** "What? So quickly? It hasn''t even been ten minutes since he left." Drakarion spoke with his eyes widened as he gazed at the message. The rest of them were damn well surprised as well. "Edward says he isn''t even done completing the trap yet." Syndra muttered, her eyes still trained on their group chat''s screen. There was a period of silence before Paulina shrugged. "Well, he always manages to surprise us." Everyone present, Drakarion, Syndra, Valentina and Paulina herself knew what she was talking about, but for different reasons, and agreed with the sentence. "Guess, we can save a lot of time. Edward should already be heading back, let''s get back to work." Valentina spoke. Yin and Yang were already in their enlarged form, helping the group in any way they could. If Yang, the white snake had wings along with its four stubby limbs, then Yin, the black snake had long, strong limbs with sharp claws. It didn''t have wings, but a huge, sharp horn on top of its snout, which was missing in Yang. Yin''s entire body was covered in protrusions at several places as well. Valentina had explained to them that Yang was capable of flying, while Yin could burrow through the ground with incredible efficiency, enough that it could be used as an escape mechanism. Just like Yang, Yin could also carry two people with it while moving underground without a decrease in speed. ***** Eryndor abruptly stopped a distance away from the Support Shrine. He just spotted a few people beneath a well hidden spot. Chapter 200 200: Buying the items The Support Shrine protected the students inside by teleporting them in any random direction. Unfortunately, it couldn''t do anything if students camped outside to hunt those who wanted to access the Support Shrine. There were people very expertly hidden inside a small cave which looked like it had formed naturally. The cave was camouflaged well enough with two trees around it, the dried fallen leaves and branches hiding its presence. Eryndor only spotted a bit of movement within the cave from its exposed part, therefore why he concluded the presence of students. Well, it could be a beast too. He didn''t spend much time dilly dallying, immediately switching to his eldritch form to skillfully use his extended vision and probe the inside of the cave. Four people huh. Eryndor contemplated fighting them before giving up. One, he didn''t know what their stages and realms were. Even though his own combat prowess was at peak of Qi Gathering realm, one strong second year would be enough to defeat him. Two, his speed was enough to reach the Support Shrine before they could intercept him. He didn''t really need to get into a fight with them. First, I''ll need to change directions to approach the Support Shrine. Even though he was fast enough to not get caught, they would still be able to trace him. He didn''t want to let them know that he arrived from this particular location. It might give away his team''s location. He couldn''t afford to have students disturbing them or even sabotage their operation tonight. Eryndor took a long detour, and chose another side to enter the Support Shrine from. As expected, all four of them burst out at high speeds, but Eryndor was faster. A hole opened up within the wall, allowing him to quickly enter. Once inside, he immediately looked back at the opening. No one came through. Does the Support Shrine automatically distinguish between friends and foes even if they are heading towards it together? Or does it distinguish based on groups? The latter one sounds more likely. As he walked over to the screen, he thought about the aura they revealed. Everyone was at mid stages of first level. Eryndor guessed that he could''ve probably taken them on easily. His main reliance was the Sovereign''s Cloak, which was at Stable realm. In front of attacks from people at level one, it was incredibly effective. He shook his head slightly to remove those thoughts and gazed at the screen. After toggling with a few options, he filtered the list into items his team might need tonight. [Frostspike Totems] [Effect: When planted in the ground, these totems erect walls of jagged ice, forming instant maze walls. They pulse with cold energy, making it difficult for beasts to break through or climb.] Eryndor narrowed his eyes as he found the first useful item. This will make it far easier to make maze walls, but they''re expensive. We can use them at important locations since the feature about beasts not being able to break through or climb due to cold energy seems good. As he thought about the last line, he clicked his tongue. No, it''s Ice Oxen we''re dealing with. They''re beasts of ice, who knows if they''re immune to cold, or have very high resistance. He tilted his head, and thought. I don''t have any knowledge in this regard, might as well ask the group. A few seconds later, he put a few Frostspike Totems in the cart. Turns out an Ice Ox''s resistance to cold was nothing extraordinary. Soon, he found the second item. [Guide Piercers] [Effect: Hammered into the ground to form magical "corners"¡ªeach nail emits a magnetic-like field that repels beasts in one direction, compelling them to follow the intended route.] This one is good as well. Lesser chance of a beast trying to destroy walls this way. The third item was - [Snowbind Threads] [Effect: Thin, invisible magical threads stretched across narrow paths. When crossed, they trigger freezing traps, wall seals, or sound alarms to notify allies.] This one is good as well. Apart from damaging the beasts, it will also notify us of their precise location. The fourth item was - [Tectonic array plate] [Effect: Place it below any structure to subtly shift and sculpt the structure into the desired shape over a dozen seconds¡ªideal for last-moment adjustments.] [Caution: Causes instability in the structure, therefore it is recommended to only use it as a last resort.] This one can be a trump card to save someone if they are unable to fight anymore. We can easily change the maze so that the beasts would be directed towards the rest of us who would still be capable of fighting. The instability of the structure won''t be an issue with Guide Piercers. They''ll stop beasts from going towards the important walls of the maze. [Beast Luring Incense - Advanced] This one was a no-brainer, they couldn''t afford to let the beasts run haywire. Guide Piercers were more of a protection item with misdirection feature, while this one was pure luring of the beast. With everything done, Eryndor paid for all the above items. A hole opened out in a wall beside his screen, from which a mechanical arm appeared holding all the items he requested in precise quantities. They were all packed in a carry bag, which came with a lock, which he could set right now. Wow, is this an added feature when someone makes a purchase of above fifty thousand? Yes, he had just spent fifty thousand points on all the items. Naturally, the expenditure was divided among the team. Carrying the bag, he left the Support Shrine, teleporting in a different direction from where his team was for the sake of safety. No one''s around, good. After taking a look, he shot off towards his team. Approximately around thirty minutes later, he finally reached his team, and dropped all the items he bought on the ground, explaining to everyone their uses. "Good choice." Paulina indeed, while the others showed looks of approval as well. Eryndor had considered everything which could be needed while tackling a beast horde through a maze and bought the respective items. It was time to get to work. Chapter 201 201: Finding the beast horde It was complete darkness, and Eryndor took a few steps back, gazing at the behemoth of a structure they created in sixteen hours. Walls made of soil and snow, with occasionally a few which were completely made of ice, with jagged exterior stood tall amidst the barren land of tundra. While building it, ideas kept forming, some of which they implemented into the maze. One of them was a choke point, an area in the maze which was dug too far below. Of course, it was covered with various items, with a higher threshold than normal. Once a sufficient number of beasts gathered in that area, all of them would fall to death. Another idea was detours. In case the horde happened to be too big, not all of them could be divided and funneled towards the six people at the end of the maze. In that scenario, a few beasts would have to be forced towards a much larger path, making them arrive at the end way later than intended. There were multiple such detours on the path of each of the six members. Lastly, narrow tunnels. At the end where the members would kill the beast, narrow tunnels would inconvenience the beasts and disable them from surrounding the person standing at the end of the maze. In front of the entrance was a wide open land, but that was only how it looked on the surface. Beneath the white expanse of snow was an extremely wide and deep pit. So deep that it looked like an abyss at one point when they gazed below at it from the edge of the pit above. Towards the end, everyone began walking on tiptoes, being extremely careful not to fall into the pit. Even though everyone was aware of the location, just the depth and size of it still struck fear into their hearts, making them paranoid on where to step. As to why would the beast continue to charge forward if their brethrens fell into the pit? Beast Luring Incense That, on top of the already low intelligence of Ice Oxen was enough for them to continue charging over in insanity. "Alright, I''ll be on my way then?" Eryndor asked, with Edward in tow. It was Eryndor who knew the precise location of the beast horde. Coupled with his range, he was perfect for jobs like this. Edward was tagging along for his speed. If things went south, Edward could help Eryndor get out of the mess. They were going to lure the beasts here. Everyone nodded, and took their places. They weren''t immediately going to the end of the mazes, but taking their positions at a few vital spots which needed manual activation of traps. Only after exhausting all of those would they run towards the end of the maze. As the two of them jogged in silence, it was Edward who broke the ice. "I am kind of worried about this beast horde you know." "Why?" Eryndor asked. They would be teleported outside through the protection mechanism, there was no need to be worried. Edward shook his head. "It reminds of the time when Professor Aaron shared with us how he lost his younger son in a beast horde. "I know there are many people who''ve lost their families and friends, but when someone who experienced it first hand shares it with you, it''s just different." Eryndor nodded, replying after a period of silence, allowing Edward''s feelings to settle down. "Don''t worry. We''ve made a lot of preparations, not to mention the protection mechanism of the tournament itself." Edward slightly bobbed his head. It looked like he agreed with him but not completely. They began encountering groups of Ice Oxen in less than a couple minutes. It took way less time than yesterday because they hadn''t made the traps at the location where they camped, but closer to where the beast horde should be. After defeating a group of Ice Oxen, Edward asked Eryndor. "By the way, you said that you never sensed the existence of a beast horde. Just an increasing quantity and quality of Ice Oxen as you moved further. "That doesn''t really qualify as a proof right?" Eryndor knew that Edward''s question was extremely logical and valid, but he was nonetheless tempted to just say, ''Common sense." After gathering his thoughts, he answered. "Well, I''ve just played a lot of games. This is usually the pattern in these kinds of situations. "Even if nothing is present there, we''ll lure all these increasing amounts of groups we are encountering and head towards the traps. "It will be disappointing, sure, but we''ll still make more than we spent. Just look at how many beasts are around us. They just haven''t sensed us yet." Abruptly, Eryndor put a finger to his lips, motioning Edward to quieten down. He found the beast horde! There really was one! He gestured to Edward to follow him, making sure not to alert the surrounding groups of Ice Oxen. He didn''t want to fight them near a horde. As he walked slowly, suddenly, he sensed one of the Ice Oxen in the horde turning in his direction. Huh? Just what level is it at to sense me from so far away? Or is it a coincidence? Apparently, it was not a coincidence. That particular Ice Ox cried out loudly, and began charging in his direction. "RUN!" Eryndor yelled, not caring if he alerted the other beasts. Quickly grasping the seriousness of the situation, Edward picked up Eryndor and carried him like a sack of potatoes as he ran at the top of his speed. The sound of god knew how many hooves clattering on the ground in unison made their hairs stand on end. Edward''s heart began beating loudly, recalling Professor Aaron''s narration of how he lost his younger son. "IDIOT! WE ARE HEADING TOWARDS THE PIT! MOVE!" Eryndor yelled at the top of his lungs when he saw Edward wasn''t changing his location. Fortunately, he immediately came to his senses, and dropped Eryndor at the decided spot before taking his place. It was finally time to confront the beast horde. Chapter 202 202: Active realm beast Eryndor quickly rushed to his position amidst the sound of Ice Oxen heading their way. "THEY ARE HERE!" Eryndor hollered, alerting everyone in case they missed. The humongous group of beasts charged over with that unusual Ice Ox in the lead. From where he was positioned, Eryndor could view the entire group, making it easy for him to spot the Ice Ox which had sensed him the earliest. The Ice Oxen in the horde were all of different realms. The majority of them were in the Latent realm, characterized by their light blue eyes. He spotted a few which had dark blue eyes. They were at Stable realm. Eryndor couldn''t count them accurately in the current situation, but if he were to take a rough guess, there were maybe around thirteen to fifteen. We''re fucked, we only have Valentina and Edward who can tackle level two beasts. That wasn''t even the worst part, only now when he narrowed his eyes at the Ice Ox in lead and carefully scrutinized it did he realize why it was able to sense him so early. The one charging in the lead still had dark blue eyes, but its horns were curled unnaturally in a forward direction. In Ice Oxen, dark blue eyes plus unnaturally curled horns in forward direction was an indication of Active realm. That was a level three beast. No no, how is that possible? Beasts this strong shouldn''t be in the tournament. Or is it because this horde is just that big of a point bag that they increased its difficulty so much? As he was in his thoughts, which barely took a few seconds, the beast horde finally arrived before the wide open area meant to be a disguise for the pit below. As soon as the level three beast stepped foot on the trap, its speed faltered as it looked below in faint confusion. No way, is it more intelligent than the rest of its kind? Eryndor narrowed his eyes, scanning each move of that particular beast while also simultaneously employing Telekinesis. All of them had kept their bags far away from the traps for obvious reasons. As for their phones? That was up to their personal preference. Eryndor never fought with his phone on him, so his device was in the bag far away. That wasn''t a problem with his range though. The range of Telekinesis was shorter than the one of Cognitive Scrying, but it was still enough to reach his bag. All of this happened within a second. The next moment, long white wings shimmered into existence from both sides of the Active realm beast. Damn, an innate ability as well? And that too about flying which will let it escape the pit hole? Should we run? Similar to him, others also had a position which allowed them to have a clear point of view of the proceedings in front of the beast. He would soon know of their opinions. As Eryndor took out his phone and was discreetly bringing it back to him, being careful to not let it be spotted in anyone''s surveillance range, Edward yelled. "THAT''S AN ACTIVE REALM BEAST WITH AN INNATE ABILITY TO FLY, RUN!" Damn, just how weak is he mentally? I wouldn''t blame him for running away, but he is supposed to be one of the strongest among us. He shouldn''t be bending the earliest. He also has an escape treasure, what is he afraid of? Eryndor, and everyone else knew that Valentina was the strongest if one purely relied on offense. That was even without exposing the rest of the abilities of her two snakes. It was Valentina who yelled back quickly, before Edward could even initiate his action of retreating. "DON''T! WE HAVE A CHANCE!" Then her voice lowered, but still enough for the rest of them to hear it. "We have a lot of traps in the maze, even if it dodges the pit, we can try to heavily damage it. "Not to mention if nothing works, we can still escape through your escape treasure. Don''t you have one Edward? "Last thing, we need to get as much points as possible before even deciding to run away," Eryndor could see Edward taking a deep breath as he refocused his attention on the battlefield. He was probably still shaken, but Valentina''s words were like a pillar of support for him. He might still be afraid, and not able to give his hundred percent effort, but it looked like he would at least not escape alone in panic, abandoning them. At this point, the Active realm beast had already crossed the pit, looking back at the horde of its brethren which had begun falling into the pit. Alas, they couldn''t stop jumping into the pit due to the advanced version of the Beast Luring Incense. They kept moving forward blindly. At the same time, Eryndor had also finished sending a message to Sander. "Was there not supposed to be an Active Realm beast in the tournament???" Since he was sufficiently far away from the rest of his team, and couldn''t afford to engage his hands with typing in this tense moment, he switched into his eldritch form and used a random object to type across the keyboard. The Active realm Ice Ox let out a loud cry, gazing at his kin for the last time before charging into the Maze. Eryndor''s mind instantly came up with several possible explanations for the creature''s actions. First, it''s affected by the Beast Luring Incense like the rest of the Ice Oxen, and the little rationality it is holding onto isn''t enough to resist the pull of the luring item. Second, it isn''t THAT much more intelligent than the rest of its kin, just a tiny bit. Else it would''ve waited for the pit to fill up before letting the remaining horde scout the path ahead for it. Third, it is emotional, and wants to take revenge for its kind, therefore it wasn''t afraid of charging in alone. Instantly, Eryndor figured out which points could be useful to tackle the beast. Chapter 203 203: The situation worsening Eryndor deduced that only the first and third point could be used to deal with the Active realm beast in cases of emergency. As he divided his focus between the Active realm beast which had entered, and on the huge pit, he finally saw Sander''s reply from the corner of his vision, reading which almost made him go insane. Sander: "Hehe." Eryndor felt like cursing that mad man a thousand times but he couldn''t afford to put that much effort in this situation. He took a look around, and ascertained that none of his allies could see his situation, they could only hear him. They were also far enough to not sense anything related to him. I should use my eldritch form to tackle this. The influence of the eldritch form was just limited to a small area around him after all. While switching his form, he extended his Sovereign''s Cloak like he usually did, covering everything about him. Sure, it was stupid, but he was just grasping at every straw he could get to disguise himself. Till this point, Eryndor had not been able to accurately locate the Active realm Ice Ox, he was using the faint vibrations to track its location because in his human form, his extended vision was largely inefficient. Its view was always stuck on top, with only a minute zoom in and zoom out. In his eldritch form though, he could view anything from any angle he liked, making it way easier for him to follow the powerful beast. When he recognised a certain point, he yelled. "VALENTINA! THAT BEAST IS HEADING TOWARDS A TRAP UNDER YOUR CONTROL!" There was no reply, but Eryndor could see Valentina moving. Oh yea, I can do that. His eyes narrowed, putting aside the idea he had and tracked the beast as it approached the trap. Eryndor quickly churned out a few speculations based on Sander''s reply. He only sent a "hehe." Under no point of view does it look like a response someone would have in this situation of an Active realm beast participating in the tournament due to an oversight on their part. It very likely wasn''t an oversight on their part. Which means it was intended AND there was a way out. Directly matching it with realm was impossible because no one was at level three among the students. Even matching it through rare realm crossing abilities like those of Valentina''s snakes was not very likely, exactly because those kinds of abilities were rare. Unless this situation was made to be extremely ultra mega difficult, there must be another way. Eryndor then thought about what was told to them. ''There would be no beasts or anomalies appearing which would be out of their capabilities to handle.'' Like I just thought, unless it was meant to be some kind of crazy ass batshit insane level of difficulty, such a beast shouldn''t appear at all. But Sander didn''t show any signs of concern. A beast appeared. Which shouldn''t have appeared at all according to what was told. But the temporary judge showed no surprise or haste. Putting all these thoughts together, Eryndor arrived at a bold conclusion. We might not get eliminated even if the beast defeats us. Or we might get eliminated indeed with some penalty because we took on something stronger than what we could handle, displaying our poor judgment, and discernment capabilities. But even in that case, we should still be put back into the tournament after some time, such a beast was technically not within the scope of the tournament after all. It should be something akin to a surprise point bag with less consequences...probably. As he concluded that train of thought, he suddenly felt like the situation became much easier. He glanced over at the Active realm Ice Ox, which just effortlessly demolished the trap Valentina launched at it. Eryndor thought about telling Valentina to use the abilities of the snake, as that was bound to be able to injure the beast heavily. To deal with the trap just now, that beast had leaked a bit of aura, letting Eryndor know that it was at the initial stage of Active realm, the same offensive prowess Valentina''s snakes'' last ability had. He recollected that she didn''t seem to have named that ability. He was correct about its combat prowess though. Valentina had explained that that move dealt more damage than Yin Yang Detonation after all, which had the offensive damage of peak of level two. He watched the beast demolish several more traps of everyone''s path including his. It was already more than twenty five percent deep into the maze. This was supposed to be a long drawn out battle, but that Ice Ox wasn''t playing by their rules at all. His thoughts drifted back to Valentina. Her offensive prowess is enough true, but to deploy that she would have to face the beast, and that''s way too dangerous, not to mention that final move of hers takes time and needs at least two living beings. Wait, he could totally get an ant from somewhere as the second living being. Then, Valentina would only need to mark the ant with Yin or Yang sphere of marking, then prepare the Circle of Duality on the ground where that beast would pass by. I can use my incredible precision skills in this form to place her at an accurate location at an accurate time so that her ability doesn''t wear off before the beast gets inflicted by the opposite sphere of marking. Eryndor''s Telekinesis was in the Active realm, which meant there was a high possibility he couldn''t just control the beast willy nilly which was in the same realm. But he could definitely control Valentina. It was because she knew of his ability and wouldn''t resist it. This was exactly the idea he had earlier. It was time to test it as the Ice Ox was already approaching the fifty percent mark and the pit was almost full. Things would get drastically worse soon if they did nothing. Chapter 204 204: Placing the elements together Eryndor used his Telekinesis to place his phone somewhere safe, and immediately controlled a bug which he found. It wasn''t a necessity to only find an ant, any living being would''ve done the job, therefore he picked up this bug he couldn''t name as soon as he laid his eyes on it. As he brought that bug close, Eryndor gently used Telekinesis on Valentina. The young woman was startled before she quickly realised what was happening. Telekinesis was being applied on her, and as far as she knew, only Eryndor had such an ability. What is he up to now? Valentina narrowed her eyes, while simultaneously using her surveillance skills to keep track of the Active realm beast. It was inefficient, she couldn''t really ''see'' the beast, just sense its approximate location through her primordial art. It was the same for everyone, no one could accurately see what was happening in the maze, only Eryndor could, to their amazement, which was also pretty common by now. While watching Valentina''s movements, and her reaction, Eryndor glanced at Edward. He remembered that guy saying how he participated in many missions, and judging by how he specialised in fighting against beasts, those missions were highly likely to be centered around dealing with beasts. It seemed all of that wasn''t in vain, as he had finally adapted to the situation. His movements were calm, steady, and accurate. It seemed that his earlier panic stemmed purely from that professor''s narration of the event. Out of everyone present, his traps dealt the most damage, even if they were still negligible to the Ice Ox. It wasn''t that the traps placed in his path were most potent, but that his timing, positioning and accuracy were just that precise. I guess it isn''t in vain that he has pursued the path of battling beasts, he really specializes against them. Eryndor was thankful that Edward seemed to have gathered himself. Edward didn''t know because he was completely focused on digging, but the traps in this maze wouldn''t have been dangerous to that Ice Ox at all. Valentina only gave him an empty promise of hope that they could try to heavily damage the beast through these traps, when it wasn''t even possible in the first place. Eryndor knew that Edward must''ve already figured out that Valentina lied to him, but he hadn''t said a single word, focused fully on his task. If Edward hadn''t stabilized himself, Eryndor was pretty sure their team would have run the risk of Edward abandoning them again as soon as he realized the real situation of traps. Eryndor''s attention was brought back to Valentina when he felt her responding to his Telekinesis attempt. She displayed a sign of thumbs up while letting go of any resistance towards his control. Nodding inwardly, Eryndor navigated her through the maze, while also controlling the bug in her direction. Their only current advantage over the Active realm creature was knowledge of the maze. The most effective way to deal with the Ice Ox weren''t the choke points, but the detours they had built while building this maze. Choke points had huge pits in their path, which made them ineffective against this creature which had a flying type Innate Ability. Among the various randomized traps of Snowbind Threads, only the sealing one was effective, managing to stall the beast for a good while before eventually breaking apart. It was disappointing, and also a large waste of points. Traps which would normally be able to deal with a large number of weaker Ice Oxen were rendered ineffective against this outlier, only capable of buying a bit of time. Even if they somehow dealt with this beast, how would they deal with the horde behind with these traps disarmed? Guide Piercers, like Beast Luring Incense, were effective as well, but not completely. The Active realm beast would mostly follow through the route directed forcefully by the Guide Piercers nailed into the walls of the maze, but a few times it was able to resist in time, choosing a different route instead. At a certain place, Eryndor was finally able to bring both Valentina and the bug together. Valentina hadn''t known what Eryndor was thinking at all, but she had still chosen to trust him, but as soon as she saw the bug, she immediately understood. A random stone near her vibrated, catching her attention, before it wrote a big ''10'' on the ground. Does that mean 10 seconds? Got it. She nodded to show Eryndor she understood. Even though he wasn''t around, he was obviously keeping an eye on her through his broken surveillance skill. Valentina immediately commanded Yin and Yang to merge. White light radiated off both the snakes as they merged into one. She instructed them to deploy the Circle of Duality on the ground before her as soon as they finished merging. The bug was placed between her and the Circle of Duality, she would just need to mark it with either Yin or Yang Sphere of Marking, then mark the active realm beast with the opposite symbol. It was Eryndor who was still controlling the bug, so that it wouldn''t move around unnecessarily. He narrowed his eyes as the beast reached an important juncture. There was a Guide Piercer nailed there, where it would force the creature to head towards the direction Valentina was in. But if it somehow managed to resist, it would end up going in a different direction. Then he would have to change Valentina and the bug''s location once again. The Ice Ox''s speed diminished, as it shook its head and bellowed, a guttural, thunderous sound that rolled across the maze like countless times before. While keeping an eye on the beast, Eryndor gazed at the front of the maze. As soon as he set sight, he right away deduced that there was maybe only a gap of ten to fifteen beasts left. Once it was filled, the horde would continue onwards towards the maze due to the Beast Luring Incense still active near the entrance. A tiny bit of good news was that more than fifty percent of the horde had fallen. An equally bad news which negated the above advantage was that the Active realm beast had also dismantled more than fifty percent of the traps. Eryndor redirected his focus on that particular beast. It had finally chosen a path. Chapter 205 205: Blunder In fact, one could argue from both sides, that after knowing the good news and bad news, the situation was overall better than before, or vice versa. The former because, sure, the rest of the beasts would still fall into pits on the path of choke points, still be redirected through the detours and the narrow tunnels at the end of the maze still existed. They still had a chance. The situation was overall better since only the manual traps were useless now. But one could also argue that the situation was worse. Because, all of the above points would only be useful if the Active realm beast was taken care of. Else no matter how many beasts died in the horde, they would still add onto the disaster they were facing. Eryndor''s extended vision tracked the Active realm beast as it headed towards Valentina. Yes, it hadn''t been able to resist the Guide Piercer. Valentina''s snakes were in the process of reverting to their separated form as she finally caught sight of the beast she was about to face. When it was less than five meters away from the Circle of Duality, the Yin Yang separated, immediately shooting their respective Spheres of Marking. The bug, immobile under Eryndor''s control, was easily marked with the Yin symbol. The Active realm creature though, sensed something wrong. As a beast, it had very sharp danger instincts. Its eyes had a wary look in them as it slowed down slightly to dodge the path of the Sphere of Marking. At that very moment though, a monstrous force descended upon it from all sides. It prevented it from changing directions. Even though it was the strongest resistance it had faced yet, the beast knew that it could deal with it. It would take time. Unfortunately, time was the very thing it didn''t have right now. Its danger instincts screamed even as the Yang Sphere of Marking eventually landed on it. Eryndor panted heavily, feeling quite drained after a very long time. It was him who had used Telekinesis just now, forcing it to not move from its path. The expenditure wouldn''t have been so intense if the creature hadn''t used all its force to try to break free from the constraints. At that point, his Energy of Consciousness poured out like water rushing from a burst dam. I knew it, I only had one chance. I still have enough left to make a few more moves, but I definitely can''t attempt to control that beast again. Thankfully, I made the most out of that chance. Eryndor''s gaze was still on that area. As soon as the Yang Sphere of Marking landed on the beast, it was inevitably pulled towards the bug marked by the Yin symbol, which was on the opposite side of the Circle of Duality. This wasn''t the feature of her unnamed ability which she had revealed at the end. It was the function of the Yin Yang Convergence. The Sphere of Marking was an area of effect ability. Any two groups, if marked by opposite symbols, would be pulled towards each other if they were within a specific range. It was exactly what was happening right now. The bug, and the beast, of opposite symbols were being pulled towards each other. Between them... was the Circle of Duality. That was where the final ability would activate. It needed two groups marked with opposite symbols to enter the Circle of Duality. As soon as the Ice Ox entered the range of the Circle below, it began glowing, using every ounce of strength it had to break free. It finally sensed a glimmer of hope as it could feel the constraints struggling to contain it. Alas, from the activation of the Final ability where it began pulling the targets towards the center, to the detonation part, there was only a gap of one second. Unfortunately, at that same last second, Eryndor''s eyes widened, realizing the grave mistake he had committed. The next moment, no matter where everyone was situated, all of them saw a section of the maze crumbling. It was exactly where the Active realm beast was supposed to be! After a second or two of complete silence. "WHAT''S GOING ON?" Paulina yelled. Syndra followed up soon after. "ERYNDOR? WHAT''S THE SITUATION?" Because Valentina had hidden that ability from everyone but him, Eryndor hadn''t shared this plan with anyone, so no one knew what had transpired just now. Also, unlike his extended vision, none of them had a surveillance skill which granted accurate vision of the inside of the maze. After a second of silence with no response from Eryndor, they were just about to switch their plans when his voice was heard. "DON''T WORRY, JUST SOMETHING I WAS TRYING. GIVE ME A FEW SECONDS, THE BEAST SHOULD BE HEAVILY INJURED!" Everyone was surprised, before heaving a sigh of relief. It was only Paulina whose eyebrow twitched. She was sensitive enough to instantly discern a slight strain in his voice. Did he injure himself? Her gaze travelled to the front through her surveillance skill, where the last Ice Ox stumbled down onto the gap. It might''ve survived if it was alone by climbing out of the pit through some effort, or if its brethren hadn''t gone insane due to the Beast Luring Incense. It couldn''t even let out a cry before it was ruthlessly stomped over by countless other Ice Oxen while crossing the pit which was at last...filled. As the horde entered the maze, Eryndor lay coughing on his spot. One could even see traces of blood on the corner of his lips as he kneeled on the ground, one of his arms resting on his thighs as he used the other to hold his aching head. He had succeeded. Valentina was saved. No, his mistake wasn''t that he hadn''t foreseen the crumbling of maze walls. It was that he had considered it and still let it happen. At some point, his eldritch form had managed to influence him. It influenced him into thinking that sacrificing Valentina in exchange for the beast was a valuable trade. That it wasn''t worth using the remaining Energy of Consciousness and put himself in a position of vulnerability only to move her out of the way. Eryndor''s vision grew blurry as he thought. Fuck! When did I get influenced? And how? Chapter 206 206: Rearranging positions Valentina coughed, the dust from the debris of the fallen maze making it difficult to breathe. She had at least been saved though. Honestly, she had known she had to get out of there when she saw how big of an explosion her last skill had created. She had named it Explosion of Duality. Valentina had never used this skill before that day, at least not at maximum power. The last time she had revealed it to Eryndor, it had been using ants and only the bare minimum power. She had had no idea that this skill was so violent, unlike the Yin Yang Detonation. Yin Yang Detonation was silent, creepy, not-flashy, dichromatic, and it only formed a sphere around the target, absolutely annihilating it within it. But Explosion of Duality? It had been loud, violent, and flashy, literally going boom when it had activated. As soon as she had witnessed the explosion, she had immediately known she had to run away¡ªso she had. Her snakes would''ve been faster, but it would''ve taken time for them to enlarge. So she had immediately activated her movement primordial art to escape. The thought about Eryndor using Telekinesis to save her had briefly crossed her mind¡ªhe had been the one who had brought her there, after all. But she had also known that he could have been low on Energy of Consciousness after controlling the Ice Ox and everything else. Had she been disappointed that he hadn''t saved her? Yes, a bit. But had she blamed him? No. Her movement skills had not been enough to get out of the way quickly enough. Just when she had thought she was about to be injured by the heavy falling walls, they had stopped. Telekinesis? So he did plan to save me. There hadn''t been a moment of lag as she had immediately escaped to safety with that thought. ****** Eryndor gritted his teeth and persevered as he tried to maintain his consciousness. He couldn''t fall unconscious, not now. Not at this stage. As he struggled with it, he heard Valentina''s loud voice, no doubt for everyone to hear. "The Active realm beast has at least been critically injured if not dead, but the horde has already crossed roughly fifteen percent of the maze. "I ask everyone to delay the horde for as long as possible while I make sure that the Ice Ox stays dead." It was Paulina who replied. "Alright, we''ll try our best. Eryndor, you don''t need to move out, just stay where you are as a backup." Everyone immediately moved around the maze, taking their spots in emergency pockets to delay the beasts. Eryndor''s eye twitched when he heard Paulina''s command. Did she sense that I was injured solely through my voice earlier? He didn''t know if Paulina had really sensed his condition, or that the command was simply what it meant and he was just looking unnecessarily deeper than its face value, but he appreciated the thought regardless. He managed to stay conscious through the bout of dizziness and extreme tendency to just fall and sleep. Holding his head, he stood up, and used the nearby maze wall to stabilize himself. Jeez, I feel blind without extended vision. He had eyes, they were uninjured. But during these few days, he had gotten rather used to keeping his extended vision on at all times for the sake of safety. Going from a high vision of such a large area to suddenly just his eyes felt vulnerable for some reason. I can''t use my extended vision for some time now, until I recover enough Energy of Consciousness that is. His extended vision used Energy of Consciousness after all, although not a lot. I can''t rest here. The Energy of Consciousness will recover anyway, I should head towards the front of the maze as well to help my allies. Every extra person means more time bought for Valentina to do her job. He didn''t waste a second as he immediately set off. It felt like he had no energy to even move, but he pushed through. Extreme fatigue and headache were the symptoms one faced whenever they overused their EoC. And if they really crossed that one final line, they might even be knocked unconscious. Eryndor knew he couldn''t afford to sit back and rest like Paulina intended for him to. When he reached his spot, he immediately began manipulating what little was left of the traps, pushing through the weakness which ran through his entire body. Divisions were quickly made across the horde as they entered different routes due to Guide Piercers, and deliberate diversions. Sometimes the path would split up in the middle, dividing the incoming horde in two different paths, making it easier for traps to act on them. Beasts fell one by one into various pits of chokepoints, and detours still worked as great as ever. The existence of Frostspike Totems finally shined. Before, the Active realm Ice Ox was just a single beast, and it didn''t pay much attention to destroying the walls, only wishing to kill the humans it sensed earlier. Despite all their efforts to split the Ice Oxen into smaller groups, a significant number still charged through the passages. Some of these paths had been deliberately narrowed in anticipation of this scenario. Wherever the team expected heavy movement, the walls were constructed from Frostspike Totems¡ªfar sturdier than their regular barriers, and lined with jagged spikes that tore into anything that got too close. Several beasts had already perished when caught in those narrow, spike-lined channels. Just imagine the fate of the Ice Oxen at the rear or edges of the horde¡ªdragged forward by the unstoppable momentum of their kin, unable to stop or turn. Their armored hides were shredded, skin peeled away, innards ruptured, and limbs broken or crushed as they were forced through the merciless gauntlet of ice and spikes. The wall stood tall, with blood, organs, and even bones found along the bottom of them, with some hanging off the spikes. Despite trying everything, the team could only slow down the beast horde by a bit. They had already crossed the forty percent mark and were approaching Valentina''s location. Chapter 207 207: Challenging situation The team quickly retreated, intending to converge upon Valentina''s location. Just as they were halfway there, her voice was heard throughout the maze. "Retreat to the back! The beast has been killed!" There was a brief moment of surprise on their faces, relief in their souls and jubilation in their hearts as the team retreated with a slight smile on their face. Despite being on the stronger side, Eryndor found himself last as he struggled to return to his position. This is so fucking difficult. The fatigue his body felt was inhumane. It was difficult to muster up energy to even move. Fortunately, the design of the maze was made in such a way that for the team to move around, their paths wouldn''t cross with those of the beasts and would also reach their destination faster. ***** Valentina wasn''t in a good condition either as she retreated to her position. Just like Eryndor, she was panting heavily as she struggled to stay still on Yang. Their only solace was in the fact that their paths of movement didn''t overlap with those of beasts, else neither Eryndor nor Valentina were sure that they wouldn''t be eliminated by these beasts. When Valentina returned to where she had deployed Explosion of Duality on the beast, the target in question was still alive despite being hit by her strongest attack and also the falling walls. Fortunately it was significantly injured, and slowed down. Valentina spent the next few seconds bombarding it with Yin Yang Detonation. It was a good thing its injury had slowed it down, else it would''ve easily dodged those orbs with the absence of Eryndor''s control. Despite everything, it still dodged a few of those orbs though, managing to avoid triggering Yin Yang Detonation. She rode the enlarged form of Yin to move around and maintain sufficient distance from the beast. Whenever it attempted to get close, she would burrow into the ground to escape. She didn''t use Yang for obvious reasons, as the beast was also capable of flying through its innate ability. Eventually, she had managed to wear down the beast, killing it at last. Unfortunately, the consumption of energy was too serious, both her Internal energy and Energy of consciousness, as several times, it was her who shot the orbs of Yin and Yang instead of her snakes. People who walked the path of Beast Taming could choose to imprint any one ability of the beast they had contracted. Although they couldn''t use this ability as freely as the beasts, and even consumed a relatively greater amount of energy, it was still a profit to them. Because Beast Tamers could use Internal Energy to fuel these imprinted abilities, compared to the beasts who needed to use Energy of Consciousness. It was a major advantage of the path of Beast Taming. A downside was that it truly consumed a lot of Internal Energy, and also had cooldowns. Nevertheless, everyone agreed that it was an extremely advantageous point of the Beast Taming power system. An innate ability from every beast you contracted? Who wouldn''t find it broken despite the cooldowns and high energy usage? Not to mention the four energies: Qi, Mana, Internal Energy, and Spiritual Energy were far easier and faster to recover than the Energy of Consciousness. Recently, the Federation had also found a small mine for the first time which contained not precious minerals, but Qi crystals. Apparently they could be used to quickly recover Qi. Unlike Qi Gathering pills, which increased your absorption quantity of Qi from the atmosphere, these Qi crystals had Qi within themselves, which was extremely easy to absorb. The Federation had predicted that crystals of other three energies should exist as well. That only went on to show easily the four energies could be recovered. Wasn''t this a major advantage? Then why was Beast Taming not the most chosen power system? Up until now, there were two discovered reasons, which were enough to hold back people from choosing it. One, the potential of beasts. Majority of the beasts didn''t even have innate ability. If you contracted them, they would only be able to fight with their physical bodies, and the person obviously couldn''t imprint any innate ability either since the beast didn''t have any in the first place. Even if the beasts had innate ability, it was difficult to gauge their potential. Majority of the beasts exhausted their potential after reaching level two, with a select few reaching level three. Sure, level two was the peak of Cosmic Limit a week ago, and level three was the peak now, but what about the future? In case of exhausted potential, further advancements needed an immense amount of resources, or you just had to be incredibly lucky to contract a beast with terrifying potential. The second reason was primordial arts. It was observed over the years that no matter how much effort you put into creating them, primordial arts always performed worse than the other skills like cultivation arts, magic spells, etc. It wasn''t much, if other skills were a hundred, primordial arts were ninety to ninety five. But it was a difference regardless. As if it was a universal restriction on this path for the advantages it provided. Valentina was a tiny bit better in that regard, because her innate ability allowed her to copy other innate abilities, and it didn''t distinguish between humans or beasts. She could copy all the abilities of her snakes if she wished to. "Eryndor and Valentina, are you injured? Please respond truthfully so we can change strategies accordingly!" Paulina asked them with a raised voice. Eryndor gasped as he finally reached his position. He was glad he didn''t choose to sit and rest. His presence had made a difference. The beasts had been delayed enough that Valentina was able to finish the Active realm Ice Ox and retreat. If he hadn''t arrived, the horde would have reached the location of their fight, forcing the entire team to fight the horde and the Active realm beast directly at that location. When he heard Paulina''s question, he thought for a second before replying. "I''ll need some rest." Valentina replied differently, "Can''t go on." Hearing their replies, the team finally got to know how serious the situation was. No one had a true idea of their condition up until now. The beasts had crossed the fifty percent mark, and their next layer of traps began from the sixty percent mark, Eryndor planned to rest until then. He was already feeling a bit better. He didn''t know if it was because of his eldritch origin or not, but his recovery of Energy of Consciousness had always been impressive. He had only recovered a tiny amount though, not even enough to cover the maze with his extended vision. During all this time when his extended vision was active though, Eryndor had finally been able to make a rough estimation of the beast''s numbers after all this time. Around three hundred fifty Ice Oxen were alive. And this was only more than forty percent of the horde. The pit had truly been a great trap, no wonder the most effective and easiest. Forty percent of traps left. Their strongest offensive member, Valentina, was down. Their best surveillance skill member, Eryndor, will need time to recover. Could they still win? Chapter 208 208: Restructuring of maze After Paulina got the response from both Valentina and Eryndor, she spoke. "We''ll have to use the Tectonic array plate to rearrange the maze a bit since Valentina won''t be able to fight. "The beasts would be able to get out of the maze from her spot, allowing them to arrive at our positions from behind. "It will cause us to be surrounded. We can''t let that happen." Eryndor butted in. "Funnel all those beasts from Valentina''s tunnel straight towards mine from behind. "Remove all the ally movement paths in my part of the maze, and use that space to widen the tunnels." It was Drakarion who replied. He had been rather quiet since a while ago. "But that will cause you to be surrounded. "If we just merge Valentina''s and your pathways while keeping the end tunnels narrow then you can fight much more effectively. "Also, removing the movement paths is a dangerous decision. You won''t have anything to escape through if a mistake occurs." Eryndor continued taking deep breaths to alleviate the feeling of fatigue as he replied to Drakarion. "Trust me, I know what I''m doing. Just take out those level two Ice Oxen away from my path by any method. "Five of them are left, if y''all can''t handle it just stall till I''m done." Then I can pass on some of my recovered Energy of Consciousness to Valentina. I''ve lost the ''ability'' to transfer it but I can always just do a quick invocation ritual. Eryndor thought, trying to keep his mind calm. He had an inkling of a guess as to why he was influenced into sacrificing Valentina just a few minutes ago. It might be when he deployed his Telekinesis on the Active realm Ice Ox. After using it, he had been so tired that he might have inadvertently relaxed his mind. It was only two seconds later that Valentina''s skill activated, blasting the maze, so there was no way for him to recollect his thoughts and verify them either. Eryndor stood up, having recovered some of his Energy of Consciousness. His body felt a bit better now, not nearly as low on energy as before. He didn''t have any idea what connection the draining of Energy of Consciousness had with the physique getting weak, so he just shelved that thought. This time I can''t let those thoughts influence me. He thought, while looking at the maze. Yes, Eryndor planned to use his eldritch form once again, but this time without letting anyone in his way so there would be no thoughts whatsoever about sacrificing them at all. One might be confused, since he didn''t have much Energy of Consciousness right now, and his eldritch form felt immense difficulties while using cultivation abilities, so how was he going to deal with the beasts? Pure physical force. Before he could think further, he saw the maze move. Paulina began restructuring it. If one looked at the maze from the outside at this point, they would see the last section which was approximately twenty percent of the maze. to be moving strangely. There were red threads which appeared from the ground, coiling around these massive walls as they began shifting it slightly. The sound of the maze restructuring at night was a haunting mix of shifting stone and grinding earth. It was anything but low. Deep, rumbling groans echoed through the tundra as walls slid into new positions, dragging across the frozen ground with a gravelly scrape. There were sharp, sudden clicks and snaps like bones locking into place, followed by low, vibrating thuds as heavy sections settled. The red threads twisted, vibrated and coiled into a circle on the walls several times throughout the process. Eventually, two mins later, the process was finished. While Paulina was focusing on the restructuring, the rest except Valentina had taken their positions in various spots to begin with the new round of traps which started at the sixty percent mark. Only forty percent of the maze was left, so from the beasts'' side, it meant they were sixty percent deep. Their numbers were rapidly dwindling, but it wasn''t anything joyous. They originally had three hundred and fifty beasts, with five at Stable realm. Even if one disregarded those five beasts, just dividing three hundred fifty among five people meant seventy beasts for one person. This was extremely difficult even if they had the advantage of narrow tunnels. There wouldn''t even be enough energy to last that long, not to mention people who were at a lower stage like Drakarion and Paulina, theirs would run out much faster, forcing them to rely on their physical capability. Drakarion would still be fine since he was a Martial Artist, but what about Paulina? She was a Mage. As their numbers kept falling, everyone''s stress counter began increasing. Because that meant those beasts were moving past that many traps, closing the distance between them more and more. Eryndor narrowed his eyes, switching to his eldritch form, as he immediately felt the difference. No matter how many times he embodied this form, he simply couldn''t get used to it. The feeling of increased existence. The emotions being suppressed to the absolute bottom. Invoking fear from any creature which set sight upon him. It was a good thing this form didn''t need any kind of energy to be sustained. It was simply up to his psyche, depending on how long he could resist. He had already recovered enough Energy of Consciousness to spread it just over the last forty percent area of the maze, so he did that, and began counting the number of beasts as they kept falling. The distribution of traps wasn''t equal, some sections had more, some sections had less. While choke points were also randomly placed, all so that even if the beasts had a semblance of rationality, they wouldn''t be able to deduce the pattern. Three hundred thirty beasts left. Sixty five percent deep. Three hundred fifteen. Seventy percent deep. Two hundred eighty. Seventy three percent deep. Two hundred sixty. Eighty percent deep. The tunnels would begin narrowing down at the last five percent, and that is where the team would begin fighting. ... ... ... One hundred eighty beasts left. Three level two Ice Oxen alive. Crossed ninety five percent of the maze. They had reached. Chapter 209 209: Fighting sixty one beasts Eryndor yelled at the top of his lungs to let everyone know the current statistics of the beasts, and ran towards his own section of beasts. One hundred eighty, divided by six, that was thirty beasts per section. Valentina''s section was counted because her beasts would be funneled towards Eryndor from the back. That was sixty beasts for him. As he arrived at his location, he could already see around twenty eight beasts heading his way. Of course it wouldn''t be exactly thirty for every section. Eryndor stood alone within the walls of the maze, his figure veiled in an eerie stillness. A wave of unnatural fear rippled through the herd as they got close. Their hooves hesitated, their eyes wide with primal dread. They felt it. Their instincts screamed what their minds could not voice¡ªthis being was not a prey. Not a predator. Something else. Something above. Something greater. Eryndor''s gaze was calm, analytical. His breath didn''t falter. There was no emotion on his face¡ªno rage, no thrill. His heartbeat wasn''t fast, nor slow. He moved. While the beasts hesitated, this was the best time to attack. A blur of motion carved through the snowy ground, his steps soundless. He ducked under the nearest ox''s horns before it could even understand what was happening. A precise palm strike to the underside of its chin lifted its skull. Before gravity could even act on it, a second strike¡ªprecisely to the neck joint¡ªcollapsed the beast. He moved to the next. No wasted movement. Every step, every angle, every strike¡ªcalculated. The beasts clamored about seeing their kin die before them. No matter how much they feared this unknown but extraordinary being, the threat of death was enough to jolt them awake. There was a single point which must be known though. The fear one felt when facing a higher existence couldn''t simply be adapted to just because one decided to. It couldn''t be resisted just because one resolved themselves to. One couldn''t be immune to its effects simply because they decided to fight with their lives on the line, with adrenaline running through their veins. It took time to adapt. The fear would always be there, if only for a moment. The resistance couldn''t be instant, it wasn''t possible. As Eryndor invaded their ranks, his eldritch form''s advantage became evident. As expected, the fear couldn''t immediately be snuffed. Everytime he neared a beast, its hesitation gave him at least half a second. Everytime. Half a second was more than enough. He used one''s back to vault over two others, landing between their shoulders. With surgical precision, he delivered rapid strikes to nerve clusters behind the ear, dropping them both like puppets with cut strings. The battlefield devolved into chaos. The beasts at the back, pressured by instinct and momentum, pushed the ones in front forward. But then they were confronted by the unnatural fear, which made them clumsy. Their formation cracked. Eryndor thrived in the disorder. This is why he had asked for Paulina to attach Valentina''s section in the behind. Surrounded? There was no such thing as that. There were still a few seconds before Valentina''s beasts would arrive. Once they arrived, there would be even greater chaos from all sides. He flowed through gaps as if he''d placed them there himself, driving fists into joints, collapsing limbs, snapping jaws with perfectly timed counters. Six beasts down. Ten. And then¡ªthe second wave arrived from behind. Thirty three more. Surrounded now. Perfect. Eryndor didn''t panic. He stopped moving. Let the chaos compound. He stood still, before moving. The new ones panicked. Beasts collided into one another. Confusion. Desperation. He used the herd''s own panic against them, redirecting beasts to clash into each other. All he had was pure physical power. No cultivation arts, no abilities, not even his Sovereign''s Cloak. There wasn''t a single scratch on him yet. Beasts began to fall¡ªnot because of brute force, but because every strike severed a nerve, dislocated a limb, shut down motion. He redirected a charging ox with a shoulder check and let it collide into another. One''s broken leg became a tripping hazard for three more. He used precision to turn the horde against itself. He leapt off a fallen ox''s back, twisted in midair, and planted his knee directly on the spine of a larger peak-stage beast. Its legs folded. A brief flicker of instinct surged through the Ice Oxen. The fear began to fade. Adaptation. Too late. Eryndor spun, and elbowed the beast''s temple, dropped low, swept its legs, and struck it mid-fall to knock it into the next. He weaponized the fallen bodies, forcing beasts to stumble, hesitate, and expose their necks, flanks, skulls. Forty left. Then twenty five. Then ten. By now, even Eryndor was panting. Cultivation gave an all rounded boost with every increase in realm, but it also meant that one''s physique didn''t get as much of a boost as Martial Artist, or even Beast Tamers. It was fortunate that he had used Body Refining pills in the past to increase the strength of his body. He had been at stage six at that time, strengthening his body to the limit at what it could handle. Even though he hadn''t used it after that, his physique could still count among the top level of Qi Gathering realm Cultivators. Compared to Ice Ox in terms of physical department, he was weaker than the peak stage Latent ones, while stronger than the mid stage ones. But even though he was weaker, the way he applied his force allowed him to dismantle them just as easily. A minute later only three were left. At this point he picked up the spiked mace he had thrown away earlier, and used it to kill them. All this time he refrained from using it because Qi flow was erratic in this form, he couldn''t have been able to control the detached head properly without Qi. And he also couldn''t afford to use his Energy of Consciousness on Telekinesis to control the detached head when he could just use his hands to kill the beasts just the same. Surrounded by sixty one corpses of Ice Oxen, Eryndor stood panting heavily. I should check up on the rest now. Chapter 210: Regrouping He took a look at others with his extended vision, and decided to head in Drakarion¡¯s direction. I¡¯ll need to switch to my human form first. Apparently, that was a mistake. Big mistake. "Arghhhhhh." As soon as he left his eldritch form, insane pain registered in his mind from almost each part of his body. His body crumpled on the cold white floor which had blood flowing through it now. He completely curled up, trying to resist the pain. Is it the eldritch form? Does it somehow make it so that pain can¡¯t be registered so that efficiency can be maintained? Eryndor felt that he might be close to the truth. There was no other reason why his body began aching immediately after exiting the eldritch form. He might have overworked his body for sure, stretching his muscles beyond limit, outputting force greater than what the body could handle, doing maneuvers his physique wasn¡¯t flexible enough to handle. Everything might¡¯ve taken a toll on his body. I can¡¯t switch back to eldritch form to meet them, might as well lay down here. As he resisted the pain, he didn¡¯t forget to keep an eye on the battlefield. There were two people who were extremely impressive. Edward and Syndra. The former was taking on all three level two beasts, one of which was at peak, while the other two were at mid stage of Stable realm. Edward was at the peak stage of the Elementalist realm, the second level of the Mage power system. He was also someone who specialised in fighting against beasts. It was only now that he saw him fighting three Stable realm beasts did he remember that fact. I must¡¯ve been underestimating him after his lousy performance against first year Kron. Eryndor thought. One couldn¡¯t blame him though. Edward was literally losing against Kron, who was at stage six of Silver Warrior realm, the second level of Martial Artist power system. I guess specializations are a really big thing. Just one mismatch of specialization, and someone who is proficient against humans can easily kick the ass of someone who is trained to deal with beasts despite being at a lower stage. But it¡¯s good now. Edward is easily kicking the ass of these stable realm beasts. He is at the peak stage of level two. If even someone like Kron, a stage six level two person, who specialized in fighting against humans can be stronger than a peak stage level two person like Edward, then there was no reason for Edward to lose to these beasts. The next impressive person was Syndra, who was at stage nine of Qi Gathering realm. Her weapon of choice was a sword, one which was easily able to slice through all the incoming beasts, regardless of the stage. Is it because that sword is a treasure? Or could it be some ability of hers? Eryndor couldn¡¯t make that out. Her next noticeable thing apart from the sword cutting through the beasts was her footwork. On second thought, it was quite reasonable. For her to stay alive to employ her insane offensive prowess, she needed to be able to stay alive til then and also place herself at the most optimal place and angle. Since Edward was taking on those Stable realm beasts, it was Syndra who was dealing with his share of level one beasts, there were around fifty eight around her. Fifty eight corpses that is. She was done fighting. She didn¡¯t join Edward, but headed towards Drakarion. Lying on the ground, with his back soaked in the blood which flowed through the ground, he continued spectating. Paulina didn¡¯t need much help, at least until now. Her innate spell model allowed her to be nigh untouchable among these beasts. That, coupled with her ability which displayed vital points of things she focused on, made it easy for her to always strike at the most vulnerable part of the beast, making the most of the situation. Drakarion¡¯s fighting style was nearly the same as what he employed himself. Pure physicality. However, being a Martial Artist, his physique was stronger, and the skills he practiced were oriented more towards hand to hand combat. Even his ability was extremely suitable in direct combat, compared to his which were more along the lines of being auxiliary. Overall, he had a better condition than Eryndor, but still struggled due to two reasons. One, Eryndor¡¯s eldritch form could be said to be the peak of efficiency in terms of fighting capability. Even though Drakarion was genius in fighting, he was nowhere close to the level of Eryndor¡¯s eldritch form. Second, after running out of Internal energy, he couldn¡¯t keep track of all the beasts using his surveillance skill, making it even more difficult for him to make optimal choices. Valentina recovered enough energy near the end to make one more move, helping Paulina kill off the remaining beasts while Syndra helped Drakarion. Edward had also cleanly finished off the three Stable realm beasts without a single injury. The five of them gathered, before setting off for Eryndor. "I didn¡¯t go there to help him because my surveillance skill picked up on no activity, so I thought he must be done with the beasts." Syndra spoke, running on the forefront as she led them through the maze. Drakarion had an expression of pure appreciation on his face as he said. "If he really managed to deal with all sixty beasts then it would truly be insane. That guy was supposed to be injured after all." Paulina shrugged. "Honestly? I wouldn¡¯t be surprised." Finally, the five of them reached his place. The first to notice the oddity were Edward, who was proficient in dealing with beasts, and Drakarion, who was a master in pure physical combat. Except for three beasts which had traces of being attacked by weapon, there was no unusual trace on any other beast. They knew Eryndor was good in lightning based attacks, and also dabbled in air and fire oriented techniques, but none of those were present on any of the beast. "Can you all help me instead of looking around and admiring me? We also need to check our scores." Eryndor coughed from down below, still lying on the ground. Chapter 211 211: New rankings "Tch, who is admiring you?" Drakarion replied with an annoyed tone, but one just had to look at his face to know his thought process. It was Valentina who asked Eryndor while he was being picked up by Syndra and Paulina. "Did you really kill all these beasts purely through physical close combat?" Eryndor smirked, one hand around the shoulder of both Syndra and Paulina as he limped while responding. "Yes, no Qi used, nor my ability. Ain''t I amazing?" Just as he finished speaking, he almost fell to the side as Paulina stopped supporting him for a moment. With a tired look, she admonished him. "Do you ever stop praising yourself?" Eryndor smiled foolishly, then turned to Syndra. "What is your ability by the way? If you don''t mind sharing." The blue haired young woman tucked a stray strand behind her ear before answering. "It''s not really a secret. It''s ''Absolute Sword''. "Basically, I can cut anything as long as I have a sword in my hand. "Of course, it is fueled by my Energy of Consciousness. The consumption increases with how difficult it is to cut whatever it is I am targeting. "And yea, the sharpness of the sword matters as it decreases the consumption required. The sharper the sword the less the consumption of Energy of Consciousness when I use my ability. "Well, that also means I can cut things with a wooden sword though, I''ll just need to expend considerably more Energy of Consciousness." Eryndor didn''t even remember how many times he had thought of it at this point, but he sighed, and uttered the same words again. "Such a broken ability." Everyone nodded at that, it was truly very insane. Just imagine, the only thing stopping you from cutting anything at all was only your own Energy of Consciousness. Finally, all of them reached where they had set up their camps, and placed their bags. At some point, Eryndor had already put the phone back in his pocket, so there was no need to sneakily use Telekinesis to control it back towards him. "I can''t wait to check the results, let''s do that before resting." Eryndor rubbed together his hand, sitting on a log where he had been dropped off by the two young women. It was still nighttime, and Edward was working on getting the fire running. Drakarion and Syndra were preparing some food, while Valentina and Paulina were setting up everyone''s tents and placing the bags inside. Eryndor took out his phone, and eagerly opened up the tournament rankings page. He was both pleasantly surprised, and not surprised to see that the first spot had changed. 1. Team Eryndor (6) - 480,981 points Last he had viewed the ranking, they had 169,420 points. Considering that around fifty thousand points had been spent to buy the items to build the maze, they could be said to have earned around 360,000 points by eliminating this beast horde. It was a huge windfall of points. He told everyone their current points and their rankings, eliciting a wave of applause, and happiness. The atmosphere was jubilant as people chatted and did their work. Eryndor coughed and spoke. "We can''t be too complacent though, Team Kron isn''t too far behind. "We need to have at least their level of point gathering speed if not higher if we want to maintain our position." He told them the entire new rankings. 2. Team Kron (8) - 450,754 3. Team Ricky (9) - 430,109 4. Team Risa (9) - 401,756 5. Team Utyr (8) - 396,913 6. Team Jonathan (6) - 388,823 7. Team Yu (8) - 376,991 8. Team Bronit (7) - 342,842 9. Team Irene (6) - 297,809 10. Team Lance (9) - 275,912 There was no new team in the top ten. Then were the individual rankings, and it went through a much larger change than the team rankings. The first point was someone from their own team. 1. Valentina - 121,855 The reason her points were so high was because she, along with Paulina and Valentina were the only ones who had contributed to making the pit. Sixty percent of the horde had died in the pit itself, so all those points were divided among those three. The maze on the other hand didn''t help in directly killing the beasts. It gave them time to devise strategies, kill the Active realm, regroup, and move the beasts anyhow they wished. Of course, when the beasts died to traps and the spikes, the majority of the points went to Eryndor, Syndra and Drakarion even if it was someone else who had controlled the traps. Eryndor reckoned that the Active realm beast might also have given her a huge amount of points. After all, it was supposed to not be in the tournament at all. One could only imagine the amount of points it would give if someone managed to kill it. Eryndor''s contribution, if any, would only be a minute amount, as the majority of the work was done by Valentina. 2. Molina - 113,814 The former first spot had dropped down to second, with her points climbing even now. It only drove home the fact that they need to keep an adequate point gathering speed to not fall down from their new positions. At third was someone from their team again. 3. Edward - 89,903 The fourth and fifth spot was someone from the original rankings. 4. Mike - 77,517 5. Ricky - 75,651 At sixth was their own team member once again. 6. Paulina - 74,879 Making the pit was truly profitable. Eryndor thought. At seventh spot was his own name. 7. Eryndor - 74,713 8. Risa - 71,912 9. Jonathan - 70,852 10. Irene - 69,771 Eryndor told everyone their rankings, bringing about another wave of discussion. The rest of the night was a pleasant memory for everyone, as they ate and then went to sleep after deciding on a watch rotation. I should check the progress of my Sovereign''s Cloak. Eryndor thought while laying down in his tent. Chapter 212 212: Going out in pairs Having killed a lot of beasts in these two days, Eryndor hoped that the progress bar of his Sovereign''s Cloak would move forward by a hefty amount. He took a deep breath, and went into his Mind Palace. Everything was the same as last time, with no change to anything. Well, if something changes every time I set foot here then that might''ve been terrifying instead. He chuckled to himself, and checked the three orbs. There was not much change to them, except Telekinesis. The state of its black orb looked more and more like how the orb of Cognitive Scrying looked before breakthrough. Is it finally close to a breakthrough? That''s a good thing. He then made his way towards the first room, and glanced at the bar on the altar below the Sovereign''s Cloak. Hmmm, I''ve made some more progress. Unfortunately, it wasn''t even half of the total required amount. I guess, with this I can conclude that only the beasts which I personally kill will contribute towards the progress of Sovereign''s Cloak. After all, if it counted all the killed beasts in the vicinity then last night was a big massacre, his ability should''ve already upgraded then. Eryndor knew that the progress wasn''t quick because he had mainly killed Latent realm beasts, with only helping slightly to kill that Active realm beast. The Sovereign''s Cloak was at Stable realm. To break through to the Active realm, it was obvious that it would need more beasts of higher level. It was just like how in games, when you were at a higher level, killing the lower level beasts granted you less experience than usual. After checking for any oddities, he left the Mind Palace, then went to sleep. Yesterday, he had slept in the afternoon so he wasn''t able to sleep at night, prompting him to leave his tent and look for beasts outside, which was why he was able to discover the odd situation with Ice Oxen. Since he hadn''t slept for so long, he at least needed a few hours of sleep now, even if not seven to eight. ***** "How do you reckon we should fight?" Paulina asked the group as they sat around on the logs for breakfast. Eryndor popped a food pill in his mouth before replying. "Everyone should go in seperate directions so that we can find the most beasts. For better protection, we''ll make pairs. "Also, catch these." Saying so, he threw a small device at everyone, none of whom failed to catch it. It had two buttons, red and green, with a small hook and a strap that would allow one to place it anywhere on their clothes. Eryndor then explained. "I bought them when I went to the Support Shrine this morning. "Those are the basic version of Notifying Buttons, which are quite easy to wear anywhere on the body. "You''ll see a number on your device. So, whenever someone presses a button, the rest of the devices will start ringing, with the color and number being called out. "Red is commonly used for danger, and green is used for opportunity. "If you press it repeatedly within a certain time, then the ringing would respectively change. "With this, we can use a higher amount of pressing as an indication of higher intensity of whatever we are facing. "For example, pressing the red button twice would mean the situation is more dangerous than pressing it once. "That''s all, I hope everything is clear?" When he looked around, everyone was trying to put them on at the most suitable location where it wouldn''t interfere with their combat. It was Paulina who asked after a while. "What is their range?" "A little less than the entire tundra. Anything else?" Eryndor asked. When he saw no one had any other doubts, he divided the team into pairs. "Edward will move with Drakarion. Valentina will move with Paulina, and Syndra will move with me. Any objections? "I grouped the two weakest members alongside the two strongest, then the remaining two together." Drakarion and Paulina both shot him sharp glares, before the latter shook her head while speaking. "Eryndor, just make sure you''re safe when you''re sleeping. Someone might hit you when you''re asleep, or you might even wake up in some random river. "I''d be careful if I were you." The team shared a hearty laugh before heading their own way. "Any direction you have in mind?" Syndra asked Eryndor, who looked through his extended vision. Hmm, no beasts in my range, I should increase it a little. Eryndor''s habit of keeping this amount of range was derived from when his Cognitive Scrying was in the Active realm. Even after breaking through to the Enhanced realm, he had kept the same size out of habit. He realized that he needed to increase this default size, at least to the point where the consumption of his Energy of Consciousness was not too high. Oh yea, I''ve also not sensed my full range either right? Eryndor was tempted to try, but reigned it in, deciding to do it at night when he would be around his teammates. For now, he only increased the range of his extended vision, and found a beast in one particular direction. "Let''s go there, I found a beast." Eryndor spoke, and led Syndra towards the Snow Mormol in the distance. It was the same species Paulina had once fought in the past. They had decided to fight with fire and ice based skills, as those were the elements with the highest number of skills in their group. Eryndor had uncovered a hidden point in the past. According to that, if two people each defeated their beast at around the same time while using a similar element skill, then they would get a higher amount of points. As Syndra began fighting the peak stage Latent realm Snow Mormol, he shot the fire based version of Sky Piercing Palm once in a while, just for the sake of higher points. Eryndor, who had increased his range, found something just then. Chapter 213 213: Being stalked Eryndor narrowed his eyes when he found a few unfamiliar people through his extended vision. We came across a team? This early? Was it a coincidence? Or had they somehow tracked their team? Eryndor kept a close eye on them, while he relayed this situation to the group chat. There was no need to use the red button for this. Those four unfamiliar people looked like they were resting, and hadn''t looked in his direction even once. After she finished fighting, Syndra asked. "Did we get higher points than usual?" Eryndor checked the scores and shook his head. "The others must not have come across any beasts yet, so there was no hidden rule triggered. No matter, let''s continue taking out beasts, no time to rest." He told her about the four people he saw with his surveillance skill, and she had the same opinion as him, to notify the group and continue killing more beasts. Wow, my range is way too high now. Eryndor inwardly marvelled at the new normal, as he settled upon a new ''default'' range. This new default range was only a bit smaller than his previous maximum range, which could cover an entire town. How could I not have tested my maximum range yet? Jeez, even my default is so big. Eryndor thought while he continued looking for more beasts. His default range was the maximum range he could maintain continuously at all times as its consumption would be something he could easily bear. Above that range, his consumption of Energy of Consciousness would no longer be safe to keep up. At maximum range, his Energy of Consciousness was consumed at a terrifying range, hence why he decided to try it around his teammates. Because if he ran out of his EoC, then it would put him in a vulnerable position. Eryndor read the chats of the group, and saw that both the pairs had decided to come closer, in case a team really attacked any one of them. A few minutes later, Eryndor found one more beast. It was an early stage Stable realm beast. He notified Syndra about the beast''s realm and asked if she wanted to fight it. The young woman shrugged. "Why not? No harm in trying. Not to mention I have enough Energy of Consciousness that I can easily try cutting through its body." Eryndor led her towards the Stable realm beast he had found. It looked like a variant of a polar bear, but it was smaller, more rounded, and had a sharper, longer set of claws. Its legs also had tiny spikes, allowing it to easily walk on the tundra without slipping. At times like this, Eryndor felt thankful that as humans, they could just switch their shoes and attire according to terrain. As they got closer, Syndra took a fighting stance a few distance away, while Eryndor went ahead and initiated the beast. As someone with the Sovereign''s Cloak, he was more suited for defense in high stakes battles like this. A minute later it became apparent that it was nowhere a high stake battle though. Syndra''s sword had cleanly cut through its mass like a hot knife cutting through butter. I really need some good offensive skills as well. Something which can hit above its level. Internal Fist and Sky Piercing Palm are good but only within their own level, they can''t hit well above realm. In the battle just now, Eryndor had tried both, the former hardly shook the beast despite the attack bypassing its defenses. As for the latter, the fire and lightning version of Sky Piercing Palm barely did anything to the beast, who just shook it off like nothing. As for the air element attack? It didn''t even go past its defenses. Syndra lightly panted beside the corpse of the beast. "I used quite a bit of Energy of Consciousness this time. Let''s take some rest." Eryndor hesitated, but eventually chose to not replenish her through his ability. There wasn''t any emergency right now, so he preferred not to expose his abilities if it wasn''t necessary. He glanced at the four people in his range, and saw that they had somehow neared them while he was busy fighting the beast. I am pretty sure it wasn''t us who went in their direction. So they really moved in our direction while we were fighting? Always the paranoid one, Eryndor documented what transpired and sent it on the group chat. Apparently Paulina and Valentina had still not found any beasts, as the former quickly replied. "If they move in your direction once more, then press the red button." Eryndor fell silent, before extending his range once more. The drain he experienced on his massive storage of Energy of Consciousness intensified, but the doubt in his heart cleared up when he saw one more group. Isn''t that where Paulina and Valentina headed towards? Eryndor exerted some effort and tried manipulating his extended vision like his eldritch form. Although it didn''t come out as accurate, he was indeed able to extend his vision in that particular area. Found them. Valentina and Paulina were roaming around, likely looking for a beast. Eryndor then extended his range once more, spotting Edward and Drakarion, who were fighting with a beast. Exerting effort like he previously did, he extended his vision in that particular direction, and indeed, he found more unfamiliar people. There are three groups of four people, one for each of us pairs. In total twelve people. The maximum number of students a team can have is nine people, but here I see twelve people in total stalking our group, is it perhaps two groups? The problem now was, that all three groups of four must have some treasure which allowed them to keep track of their team as these groups were too far from them. Eryndor didn''t think their surveillance skill would be enough to reach these groups. Thinking quickly, he turned on his location and quickly made a group call while tapping the red button three times, which was the maximum amount. Both the pairs picked up the phone due to the highest emergency denoted by three red buttons. "Follow my location." Eryndor spoke into his phone, and took off running in a direction. Chapter 214 214: Hit and run Syndra was quick to follow after Eryndor as he began running, easily keeping up with his speed. Eryndor didn''t decrease the range of his extended vision, but enlarged it even more, not caring about the consumption of his Energy of Consciousness. He still had around seventy five percent of it. Good, both the pairs are following me. He then focused on the groups of four people. They haven''t begun moving yet. Is their treasure slow? Whatever, it works to our advantage. As his teammates began pulling apart from those unfamiliar people, they finally began moving. One of them took out a device which looked like a walkie talkie and spoke into it. Subsequently, one of the students from the other two groups took out a walkie talkie as well. Fuck, so they really were in the same team. They must''ve made two teams. Disgusting. Eryndor slowed down after putting enough distance with the other two teams. A few seconds later, he narrowed his eyes as he watched those three groups randomly moving about. Are they searching for us? A minute later, Valentina, Paulina, Edward, and Drakarion arrived at his spot, each of them panting heavily due to using their top speed to regroup with the team. Drakarion spoke even while he was breathing heavily. "Dammit! It hasn''t even been that long since we divided ourselves to search for beasts, and we already faced trouble." Paulina muttered after a moment of thought. "I think it''s better that we split up. "Imagine what would''ve happened if we were all in the same place, those guys would then be at the same place as well. Judging from what Eryndor told us, there are twelve people. "Fortunately, since we split up, they divided their group as well. "If I am not wrong, they should still be searching for us separately, this is a good time to defeat them. Right, Eryndor?" Eryndor, who had just finished scouting the area through his extended vision nodded. "It''s as Paulina says. These guys wouldn''t have split up so widely if we hadn''t worked in pairs and gone in different directions in the first place. "If y''all want to fight back, we can choose to strike now. This is our chance. "If the majority wants to run away, I can take the lead for that as well." Edward spoke as soon as Eryndor finished. "We fight back, that''s a no brainer." Eryndor looked around, and when he saw no one objecting, he instructed. "There''s a four man group which is heading our way. "We''ll need to be extremely quick in eliminating them so that the other eight don''t join them." Eryndor glanced at his extended vision, and took out a map. He then circled two spots. "One pair will go here, and the other will head towards this spot. From what I''ve gathered, both of these spots should be out of their range. "Jump out only when I lure these four guys in this area. "Remember, they would likely notify the other eight people, so we need to be extremely quick." Everyone nodded and moved out. Syndra stayed with Eryndor to keep up the act that they were still hunting in pairs. Within a few seconds, Eryndor found a beast. "Let''s go." As they engaged with the peak stage Latent realm ice ox, Eryndor whispered. "Remember, gradually take the fight where my left foot is pointing towards. "Then as soon as I sense those four people heading towards us, I''ll run. At that point, no matter what state the beast is in, discard it and run with me." Eryndor didn''t wait for her reply, as he retreated backwards and began cooperating with her earnestly, looking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Approximately thirty seconds later, that group finally found him. Huh? Why are they not moving in our direction? Eryndor looked past them, and realized that the other eight, who at some point had gone far in search, had turned around were heading their way. Not good, they are choosing to regroup first before doing anything else. Eryndor made a split second decision there and then without asking his group. He ran in their direction. Syndra was confused for a moment as they were supposed to run in the opposite direction, but quickly followed along. He pressed the red button three times, hoping his team would understand his intention. His phone, which he carried with him, still had its location switched on. How I wish I could learn some communicating art to talk with anyone in the range of my extended vision. Eryndor added it to his never ending list of mental notes and kept charging towards those people. Good, all of them understood my plan. He thought while gazing at his teammates who were following after him. The problem was, those bastards were too cautious. Even while there were four of them, when they sensed Eryndor and Syndra charging towards them, they began retreating. Eryndor knew he had to work fast. The situation was a bit better since the other two groups of four had wandered away way too far in search of his other teammates, but they were already on their way. And since this group was also running away in their direction, then they would meet even earlier. "Do you have any faster movement art to reach those people? It''s an emergency." He asked Syndra, while calling his group and asking the same. Everything happened within two seconds, as Syndra shook her head, but Edward spoke a loud ''yes'' on the call. Within a moment, Eryndor sensed a figure whoosh past him, leaving a big obvious trail on the ground. So fast. Eryndor didn''t waste any time in catching up, Edward had already reached those people and was holding them up alone. Since that group had stopped running due to Edward, the distance was quickly closed in two seconds. Without any exchange of words, Eryndor used his Internal Fist on a person in tandem with his Shadowstep, allowing him to close the gap suddenly. The fight had begun, they just needed to be fast enough to hit and run. Chapter 215 215: Cooperating? Of the four people Edward, Eryndor and Syndra were fighting, one was at eighth stage of Qi Gathering realm, while the other three were at third, fifth and sixth stage of Mana Novice, Blood Initiate and Beast Seeker realm respectively. Edward handled the two strongest ones, while Syndra handled the guy at the fifth stage of Blood Initiate realm, the first level of the demon power system. It couldn''t even be said to be a fight as Eryndor defeated the third stage guy of Mana Novice realm within two seconds. He didn''t have any overpowered spell model like Paulina. When Eryndor made a chop at the guy''s neck, he dissolved into white light before his hand could even connect. He was eliminated huh. On Edward''s side, he had successfully eliminated the cultivator, and was currently attacking the panther shaped beast of the guy walking on the Beast Tamer power system. When Eryndor rushed to reinforce Syndra, the demon path guy finally spoke. "Spare us! We won''t go after you anymore!" Eryndor ignored his words, sending a lightning based Sky Piercing Palm at him. The guy quickly dodged it, and also managed to roll away from Syndra''s sword strike. He didn''t stop running his mouth though. "Ahh fuckers! Team Jonathan won''t leave you alone if you decide not to spare us! We''ll haunt you! We''ll bring in more teams to chase you to the ends of this realm!" Eryndor scowled as he smashed his spiked mace on that guy''s face. Calculating that it would result in a serious injury or even death, the artifact automatically protected him, dissolving him into white light and teleporting him out. He was eliminated from the tournament as well. Just in time, Eryndor also saw Edward taking out the last guy. He faced the two of them, then glanced at his left where Valentina, Paulina and Drakarion had arrived at some point. Eryndor didn''t say anything but began jogging in another direction while he began speaking. "It''s Team Jonathan. They probably have more than two teams under them. "If y''all don''t remember, it''s the team which is currently ranked sixth." Eryndor then looked at Edward and Syndra. "Did you both check your points? Notice how we haven''t got a lot. Barely a few hundred." Both of them nodded their heads with serious expressions. Paulina immediately understood what Eryndor was getting at. "Do you mean Team Jonathan are employing these teams like some kind of workers? "They search for students and beasts, and gather them or even injure them, only for the main Team Jonathan to defeat them and get the points. "Is that it?" Eryndor nodded, and looked at his extended vision, where six more unfamiliar people had entered his range. "Can you show me how Jonathan looks? I took a look before the tournament began but my memory has gone hazy. "Six more people entered my range, Jonathan might be one of them." Drakarion pulled up his phone and showed him the image, which Eryndor quickly compared to everyone in his range. Huh? None of them look like Jonathan. Eryndor then noticed that the new team of six people which had entered his range had come face to face with one of the four person team left. However, instead of joining amicably, the six person team chased the four person one, which were swiftly eliminated. The last four person team seemed to have sensed the demise of both four person teams, as they quickly retreated in another direction. Thinking of something, he asked for Team Irene''s portrait. It matches the new six person team which entered my range. Eryndor had a slight idea what was going on. He explained to his team. "Team Irene has just entered my range, and they also eliminated one of the team of four students. "I think Team Jonathan has also targeted this team, but just like us, they must''ve managed to escape. "Now they are eliminating all the teams which are working under Team Jonathan. "Do you think we should join hands with them? "We''ve been targeted by Team Jonathan as well. Although I can keep us away from danger, it would hinder us from killing beasts. "A better option would be to eliminate Team Jonathan so we can gather points without any obstacles. "Unfortunately, we don''t know how many teams they have under them or any other information at all. "If we join hands with Team Irene, there''s a higher possibility that we can counterattack." Edward narrowed his eyes. "I mean, if what you said is true, then it is certainly not an issue to join hands with them. "But the problem is that our point gathering speed would further slow down with two teams moving together." Valentina stroked the head of Yang as she said. "Then we just need to be fast enough to take out Team Jonathan, so that we don''t waste enough time in this state of cooperation with Team Irene." Eryndor looked around for more opinions, but there was none, so he looked at Edward. "Could you look for an item in the Support Shrine which will help in cooperation?" Everyone understood what Eryndor was getting at. Even if they decided to join hands with Team Irene, what guarantee was there that those people wouldn''t turn their back on them? They needed to have some form of guarantee so the two teams could cooperate without any worries and take out Team Jonathan. Edward agreed to the request, but he looked at Drakarion and said. "Drakarion, you come with me too. I am directionally challenged, so I might get lost." The young man nodded, but said. "Didn''t you once go out alone to experiment about that pit thing for our beast horde battle?" Edward chuckled and answered. "I didn''t wander too far out back then, and I only walked in a straight line, so it was easy." As the two of them left, Eryndor explained. "I couldn''t have gone this time, I have to stay back for safety." Now they just had to wait for things to proceed further. Chapter 216 216: True nature of Team Irene Eryndor looked at Team Irene, which had through some means, known about the last four person team which were retreating. He knew that their surveillance skill shouldn''t have allowed such a large range, but then how were they able to track that last four person team? Could they be targeting each other for so long that they have developed methods or have some targeted treasures against each other? While waiting for Edward to return with something which could guarantee their cooperation, he continued looking at the chase. The four person team had slowed down at some point. Why did they slow down? Is Team Irene using something to track all the people working under Team Jonathan then also using something which can slow them down? Or did that four person team slow down of their own volition? Eryndor''s eye twitched when it turned out to be the second option. The four person team might have slowed down for the eight people he just saw entering his range. Within a minute, the last four person team and the newly entered eight person joined up and turned back to face Team Irene. Realizing what had happened, Team Irene was quick to turn around to escape. What kind of shitshow is taking place? His eyes narrowed when he saw which direction Team Irene was heading in. Quickly alerting his teammates, Eryndor began running in another direction. He had been keeping an eye on Team Irene all along, and it seemed none of them had deviated from their path. So earlier they ran in our direction purely because of coincidence? Eryndor had some doubts, so he called Edward and let him know to also bring something which would purify their entire body of any smells or anything which could be used to track them. What if these two teams, Irene and Jonathan are just staging a play for us to see? There is a problem in this guess though. Fucking no one, like really really no one would even dare to think someone might have such a huge range for their surveillance skill. So there is a larger probability that this is not a staged play which will get us to trust Team Irene and bla bla bla. As Eryndor was thinking that, he suddenly muttered under his breath. "These scums..." Team Irene, which were running in a direction away from them, abruptly changed after sensing their team, and were now heading in their direction. Well, I intentionally didn''t run away too far and stopped where we would inevitably come under their range to gauge how they would react. It seems they are the lowest kind of scums who would implicate bystanders just to get away. Eryndor felt thankful that he had conducted this little test. He at least got to know a little about this Team Irene he would be cooperating with. "It''s your turn." He told Valentina. She already knew what to do. Using her Beast Tamer path, she commanded Yin and Yang, as she and Paulina sat on the former, and Eryndor and Syndra took their seat on the back of the latter. All four of them either flew away or dug into the ground to escape. "They ran away." A young man running alongside Irene spoke to her. They had been hunting students working under Team Jonathan recently but they just encountered an iron wall in the form of twelve students. Just as they were escaping, they found a good scapegoat which would''ve worked well to get rid of the twelve people team chasing them but it seemed that they had someone with exceptional surveillance skill as they were quick to run away. "We can''t do anything now. The probability isn''t high that we''ll find more students around this part. Send some bombs in their direction to get rid of them." Irene spoke, using her surveillance skill to keep track of the twelve member team behind her. The young man who had been running alongside her clenched his teeth. "Those bombs are precious. Are you sure you want to use them just to get them off our tail?" Irene''s eyes twitched as she answered. "What else? Do you have a better idea?" The young man didn''t say anything as he commanded his team to release the bombs at them. Within a few seconds, Irene could already sense the twelve member team dealing with the treasure bombs she had just dropped, causing them to stop their chase. "Let''s keep running, we''ll stop a few kilometers away just to be sure and take a rest." Irene commanded. "Have they left?" Valentina asked, regrouping with Eryndor and Syndra as her two snakes minimized and slithered up her hands. "They have stopped some distance away. Do we still need to cooperate with them?" Paulina nodded. "We need to. Didn''t you just say that another eight man team arrived which grouped up with the four people to chase Team Irene? You said that even in this eight man team none of them look like Jonathan. "That means that not even counting their main team, they had 20 students working under them up till now. Eight of which were eliminated. "We don''t know just how many more students that team has under them. Unless we are sure that we have removed whatever tracker they might have on us, I think we should definitely try to remove this Team Jonathan. "With your surveillance skills we have the advantage. They won''t be able to pull underhanded tricks. We just need to be cautious of other stuff they might have up their sleeves while cooperating." Eryndor was silent for a while before nodding. Glancing at his extended vision, he spoke. "Edward arrived." A few minutes later, the senior regrouped with them, and gave them a few items. After Edward explained what was for what, Eryndor first used the scanner on each of them. Fortunately, they came to know that they were really marked with some kind of tracking oriented smell. Unfortunately, the purifier which Edward bought couldn''t deal with this smell. Paulina, who had suggested earlier that they should first try to remove this tracker, and only if it failed that they should deal with Team Jonathan, muttered. "No choice, let''s go to Team Irene." Chapter 217 217: Insane prices As they were walking, Eryndor asked Edward. "Didn''t they have a better purifier?" Eryndor, along with everyone, felt it was surprising that they couldn''t get rid of this tracker smell with the purifier bought from the Support Shrine. There were only two possibilities why this might be the case. One, this tracker smell wasn''t bought from the Support Shrine but concocted by Team Jonathan''s own expertise, maybe even using some outside material. Eryndor had this guess because logically, the Support Shrine wouldn''t sell anything which it didn''t also have a solution for. Which brought him to his second guess. That there must exist a higher level of purifier which could get rid of this tracker smell if it was indeed bought from the Support Shrine. Edward, who heard Eryndor''s question, nodded. "The one I bought was the second best. There was indeed a better one, but it was way too costly. "It could only be used ten times and cost like 500,000 points. Even if I wished to, we don''t even have that many points to buy it." "Huh?" Eryndor frowned, before replying. "That''s expensive as fuck. Even if there was a tracker smell bought from the Support Shrine which can only be purified by the highest quality purifier, that tracker smell itself must be extremely expensive as well. "How can Team Jonathan buy it?" "Maybe they found some precious resources which they sold to the Support Shrine?" "Sounds stupid, but possible." The team discussed among themselves as Eryndor thought about something else. What if they brought materials from the outside? We can only bring stuff which isn''t above our level, even an escape treasure is a hard pass. All the students were checked for that. So does this mean this tracker thing is not above our level and we can deal with this? Or did they find a way to circumvent this issue? Chuck it, let''s just eliminate this team. As they kept narrowing the distance between them, Eryndor notified his team. "We should be soon entering their range, be alert." As expected, Team Irene immediately organised themselves and faced their direction as soon as Eryndor and his team entered their range of sensing. Eryndor yelled from a distance. "We are here to talk, not to attack!" Their leader, Irene, the young woman in lead yelled back. "Put down your weapons and I''ll believe you!" Eryndor''s eye twitched. He really didn''t want to cooperate with such pieces of trash if it wasn''t necessary. He yelled once again, closing the distance without dropping his weapon. "Do you think we''re stupid? Or are you the one stupid?" Before the young woman could reply, Eryndor continued, deciding to teach them a lesson in their own ways before it became troublesome to talk to them. "Do you think I don''t know about the nine treasure bombs you hid to the north of your camp? "Do you think I don''t know about one of your members tinkering with a box shaped object behind his back? "Do you think I don''t realise that even now you''re urging three of your teammates to do something with the hand signals behind your back? "There''s more stuff you have hidden behind one of the trees, do you want me to say it out loud or can you be fucking cooperative? "We are serious about cooperating with you to eliminate Team Jonathan. Please give a quick response." Eryndor knew that only the final point about things being hidden behind one of the trees was the true threat to Irene. She had hidden that there as a failsafe against her own team members if they decided to betray her. If Eryndor spoke out loud what was hidden and for what purpose, then there was a high chance of unfortunate situations occurring within her team. How did he know that? Irene narrowed her eyes. She looked calm, but was inwardly panicking. She had hidden those things behind the tree with utmost caution and secrecy, such that not even her own team knew when she did that. She also had her surveillance skill on at all time at maximum range, and no one had arrived in that time frame. Irene prided herself on her surveillance skill, but if someone had a much higher range, then she had truly lost some momentum. Taking a deep breath, she agreed to the cooperative talks. Eryndor and his team came face to face with Team Irene for the first time, with two people immediately recognising each other. It was Edward, and one person from the opposite camp. Is that the second year senior helping Irene''s group? Eryndor only held that thought for a brief minute before focusing on Irene. "I want to know how to remove this tracking smell we have on us, and how many teams there are under Team Jonathan." Irene shook her head. "Shouldn''t you offer something first?" Eryndor was really getting tired of this attitude. If they had shown a better side earlier, he would have really offered something first, like exposing some of his insane range, as that was usually the etiquette, but he didn''t feel like it now. With a similarly off handed attitude, he replied. "I offer to hold your secrets for you. I''m sure you don''t want them being revealed. Yes?" Irene clenched her fists by her side as she took a deep breath and replied. "Fine. I''ll go first. "Team Jonathan is not at the top of the pyramid. "There are in total thirty seven teams which are working for Team Jonathan, and Team Lance, both of whom are working for Team Ricky, which is at the top of this pyramid as far as I know. "And about this tracker smell, it was exchanged from the Support Shrine. It is that of the highest quality. "They paid close to twelve million points for all teams to have enough for the first week. "If you want to get rid of it, you''ll need the highest quality of purifier." Eryndor, and everyone else on his team''s eyes went wide as they heard the number. Eryndor replied with a dazed expression. "Twelve million? Why the fuck spend so much? They could have been on top of the leaderboard with that number with a huge gap to spare." Chapter 218 218: Eliminating competition Just after Eryndor asked his question about why would the team spend so much on buying, he realized it himself. Irene looked at him with a knowing gaze as she spoke. "You realized it, didn''t you?" Eryndor nodded, and explained out loud in case some of his team members didn''t get it. "They are eliminating competition. "Even if they used these twelve million points for themselves, Team Ricky would only be at the top of the leaderboard. "Seeing how Team Jonathan and Team Lance are also on the leaderboard, I assume that these guys are also getting some points which the thirty seven teams under them bring, so even if you divide twelve million such that Team Ricky would get the most and these other two teams get the rest, all three would still be at the top of the leaderboard. "But then, what''s the use of that? "You just need to be in the top ten to qualify for the final wheel battle. It doesn''t matter if you''re in the bottom at rank ten or at the top at rank one, it''s all the same. "So they used their points to eliminate strong teams, such that the final top ten would be weaker, and it would be easier for them to score good points in the final wheel battle." Valentina whispered from the side. "Those teams which were eliminated, and allowed us to constantly stay in the top ten, must be the work of these guys then, right?" Eryndor nodded. "Very likely." Irene shook her head, and replied to Valentina. "Not just those three teams which were previously in the top ten, they''ve also got a few members of Team Kennedy, which was a seeded team. "Among the ten seeded teams, the only ones left are: Team Kron, Team Risa, Team Yu, Team Bronit, and yours. "The rest were all eliminated, with Team Kennedy being the only exception as three of their members including their captain are still in the tournament." Eryndor raised his eyebrows as he heard that information. Seeded teams were the ones which had the highest chance of being the top ten of the tournament. It was an unofficial ranking made by the students themselves. To know that four of ten seeded teams were already eliminated, and even Team Kennedy only having three members left was shocking to know. Eryndor and his team had just assumed that the rest of the seeded teams were not in the list yet and would soon claim their spots within the next few days. He murmured while looking at Irene. "Five seeded teams are left, all of whom are in the top ten. The three who are running this scheme, Team Ricky, Team Jonathan and Team Lance are also in the top ten. "That leaves Team Utyr and your team, so you both are dark horses huh?" Irene tilted her head. "That''s an irrelevant question but I''ll answer nonetheless. "Team Utyr are the only ones deserving of being called the dark horse of this tournament. "We just happened to kill a large batch of offerings prepared for Team Ricky. We defeated the people securing it before the main team could arrive and took all the offerings. "It was large enough to push us to the top rankings, and also why they are hunting us now, who are not even a seeded team." Eryndor''s raised eyebrows didn''t go down even once as he heard Irene talk about everything. Finally, he heaved a sigh and asked one last question. "How do you know so much?" Irene folded her hands on her chest and just looked at him without saying anything. Understanding her intentions, Eryndor shrugged and answered. "I have a very large range. If we cooperate, I''ll make sure to keep y''all safe as well." Irene shook her head. "Not enough." Without losing his cool, Eryndor pointed at Edward. "Do you know him? He is strong enough to rank in the leaderboard of the academy. "From the looks of it, you couldn''t have gotten this information from the second year senior in your group as he looks surprised as well." Without stopping, Eryndor pointed at Syndra. "She is one of the strongest, if not the strongest cultivator of the first year, standing at stage nine of Qi Gathering realm. You did not know about that either did you? "Is that enough?" Of course, Eryndor had a lot more to say. Like how Edward wasn''t actually their strongest offense. How Valentina''s beasts could dig and fly to escape. How Paulina''s movement technique was one of the best out there. How Drakarion was the strongest Martial Artist in the first year now that Kron was dead. Of course, if there were more people like Kron out there who didn''t bother coming to class even once and were always out there completing missions then Eryndor couldn''t do anything about it. He didn''t have extensive information on all the students yet. Lastly, he had also very obviously not told her how he was capable of a lot more than just having high surveillance range. Irene slightly nodded her head, then answered his previous question of how she knew so much. "Well, I paid for all this information in points and got it from the Support Shrine." Eryndor furrowed his brows. "You can buy this kind of information from the Support Shrine as well? That''s surprising." Eryndor put that to the back of his mind, then took out a red colored scroll which was one of the items bought by Edward and given to him. "Do you recognise this?" Irene narrowed her eyes. "The Scroll of Unchanging Conditions?" He smiled. "You know a lot. This is the basis of our cooperation." Irene was clearly uncomfortable for a moment, before she replied. "If we''re getting so formal, then we''ll need more teams to cooperate on this. We both alone won''t be able to take them down. "I''m sure there are more in the top ten who are as clueless as you guys. If we take action early then we can stop those guys. "I already know the location of a few. Wanna head towards them?" Eryndor matched gazes with his teammates before nodding. It was time to meet the others in the top ten. Chapter 219 219: The alliance increasing Eryndor walked with his team, while Irene''s team travelled beside them. No one was ahead or behind for the sole reason that no one trusted each other. They were walking beside each other. Eryndor''s team each had an earbud in one of the ears, used for communicating, but their range was far lesser than any other device out there, like the red and green button device which Eryndor bought earlier. It was something Edward had bought as it would be more convenient and quicker than calling each other, picking up, and then communicating. Eryndor didn''t know if they deliberately sold a less advanced version of earbuds, because last time he heard, they had a much larger range. Maybe they want to boost competition? That might be the reason why those communication devices with high ranges have less functions, and those with better functions have lower range. Eryndor removed those useless thoughts from his head and focused on his extended vision. "You said that Team Bronit and Team Yu are the only ones in the tundra region, with the former being nearby. "According to the information you bought through the Support Shrine, they were roaming around a lake right? How long ago was that? "Because I don''t see them, it''s a different bunch of students roaming around." Irene''s eyes twitched when she heard Eryndor. "Are you kidding? You can already see the lake?" That''s barely half of my known total range. I still need to test what my full range is. Eryndor just shrugged. Irene narrowed her eyes, and asked. "Alright, I''ll believe you. What do those students look like though? "I can check if they''re the ones working under Team Ricky." Eryndor turned to her. "How do you check that?" Irene gave him a side eye as she answered. "I am going to make sure to include all of this in the contract. "I paid for all the information. "I paid for the device which recognises the students working under Team Ricky. "I even paid for the device which can find where the offerings are. "No way you guys are going to get everything for free." Eryndor countered bluntly. "You''re going to get my insane surveillance skill and the other things, should I put a price tag on them too?" This time one of the members from Irene''s team spoke up. "You''re just being an asshole now." Eryndor spread his hands and answered. "I wouldn''t have acted as one if y''all didn''t keep acting like assholes yourselves. "It was my group you tried to implicate while running away from that twelve person team earlier. Ask your captain if you don''t know." Irene didn''t comment on that. Eryndor dropped the subject, and told her about the appearances of the students which were loitering around near the lake. Irene pushed a few buttons on some device she took out, then answered. "Those students are working under Team Ricky. "And my other device tells me that Team Bronit might''ve been compromised as well. "The main team hasn''t arrived yet to claim them though, want to save them? Only I can find where they hide their offerings." Eryndor grinned. "Only if my team gets sixty percent of the points which we''ll fleece off of them. "We''ll be doing the majority of the fighting after all. There are eighteen students out there." Irene raised her eyebrows at him. "I didn''t even talk about fleecing them, look who is initiating being the asshole now." The two teams eventually decided on saving Team Bronit as they began running in a direction. Dealing with the students working under Team Ricky was easy, and Team Irene witnessed firsthand how strong Team Eryndor was. Irene felt thankful she hadn''t tried anything the first time they met, or there was really no telling if they might even be in the tournament right now. "Twenty thousand points per person." Eryndor squatted behind the tied up Team Bronit and spoke to their leader. He also took out the Scroll of Unchanging Conditions and displayed it to Bronit, their leader. "I also need you to sign this if you want us to free you guys." Bronit scowled as he came face to face with Eryndor. "Don''t you recognise the seriousness of the matter? You want us as an ally and still dare to extort us?" Eryndor made an exaggerated surprised expression as he pointed at Bronit. "What did you say? That I am extorting you? Don''t you know this is called saving? "Stay tied up like idiots if you don''t want to be saved then." Eryndor got up, and proceeded to leave when Bronit called him back. Suffice to say, after a few rounds of negotiation, Team Bronit, Team Irene and Team Eryndor signed on the Scroll of Unchanging Conditions. Students all over the secret realm saw Team Eryndor and Team Irene''s points increasing, while Team Bronit, another seeded team, fell out of top ten. "Now we go to Team Yu? Since they are in the tundra as well." Bronit asked, massaging his arms which were sore from being tied up for so long. As students who walked the path of the power systems, normal ropes of course couldn''t tie them up. Those ropes which tied them up were specially made for people like them. Eryndor glanced at this extended vision, and replied to Bronit. "No need, Team Yu is already heading our way." Irene nodded slightly when she heard Eryndor. "Wel, it''s not weird. If I can buy information about another team''s location, they can too. "There''s a high chance they''re here for the alliance we''re making." A few minutes later when Team Yu arrived, the three team alliance turned to a four person one. "Now? Should we immediately confront Team Ricky, Jonathan and Lance, or find more teams to work with? "Judging from how the students under them are active in tundra, those three teams must be here as well. Well, what to do?" Eryndor asked. Yu replied first. "They are just three teams, we are four. We can defeat them." "Did you forget the students they have under them?" "Well, we have Eryndor to find out if they''re traveling with loads of security. Worst case, we''ll do guerilla tactics and take them out. "Because staying together is going to decrease the points of all of us." In the end, they decided to attack. Chapter 220 220: New maximum range known Eryndor really wanted to try his maximum range, but he couldn''t just suddenly ask everyone to just wait for an hour or two. That was the amount of time required for him to regain some respectable degree of Energy of Consciousness after draining it in the process of testing his maximum range of extended vision. He would also likely get knocked out if he didn''t stubbornly hold on, which meant it would be better to do it at night when him being knocked out could be attributed to his sleep. What if I use my eldritch form to calculate my maximum range? Eryndor didn''t wait for long after deciding upon that. He broke away from his team after a random excuse and ran far enough to not be in anyone''s range. The direction he went in happened to have a Stable realm beast, but he still decided to just go through with his decision. What can it even do to me in my eldritch form? As the beast charged at him, Eryndor finally switched to his second form. Immediately, his presence shifted. It became something heavier. As if something which demanded more attention. Something which the universe gave higher importance to. The beast didn''t realise what it was charging at until it arrived in a range of a few meters around Eryndor. Extreme terror gripped its heart. Fear immediately took over every thought which was going through its mind. Coming to an immediate stop, the beast gazed at the being in front of it with a mix of terror and reverence in its eyes. Eryndor''s attention wasn''t on the beast at all. As soon as he shifted to his second form, he immediately went to work. When he was in his eldritch form, it was as if his brain worked much more efficiently. As mentioned before, even his use of abilities became countless times better than when he was in his human form. His extended vision was already spreading rapidly through the area. His use of Energy of Consciousness wasn''t as high as when he would normally extend his range of vision. Why? Because he was withholding some parts. Imagine this. Normally, in his human form, Eryndor stood at a point, and his extended vision would then spread outward like a circle. Now though, from the point he was standing, innumerable spikes of extended vision were being launched in all directions. Naturally, there would be some space between every spike, which allowed him to conserve his Energy of Consciousness. This way, he was technically pushing his extended vision in each direction, so there would be no bias in his data, and he was also saving his Energy of Consciousness. His range kept on extending. It covered his own team, and the other three which were still heading in the direction where Team Ricky was supposed to be. This information about Team Ricky''s location was given by Team Yu. Of course, it was true. Since the terms of the contract stated that one couldn''t deceive the others when it came to anything which could be regarded as dealing with Team Ricky and the other two. Which meant no one could lie about things would be required in dealing with Team Ricky, Jonathan, or Lance. Of course, they could choose to just not answer the question. This item was made through an ability of one of the members of the Human Federation. Eryndor''s range of vision extended even further. It went past the small hills, trees, big stones, and other obstacles as well. He could even see the rundown structure of the maze trap they had built. Their team hadn''t bothered demolishing it, except for removing and taking back the items which were still in working condition. His vision glanced over the massive pit which was still filled to the brim with dead remains of the Ice Oxen. Eryndor could only imagine the terrible smell wafting around in that area, it was a good thing they camped far away. His extended vision even passed over that spot where they stayed for two nights. It crossed the Support Shrine number thirty seven, the one where they had met Paulina and Syndra, and also the one which he visited to teleport to the closest Support Shrine near the entrance. Eryndor''s range kept extending over several places with an absolutely breathtaking speed. Finally, at a certain point, it stopped. It wouldn''t extend no matter, not even if he consumed more Energy of Consciousness. After taking a good look at the entire area covered by his extended vision, Eryndor reigned it all in and switched back to his human form. The Stable realm beast had run away long ago due to the terror which kept stacking up in its soul. The weight which it experienced upon its very existence was absolutely suffocating as it couldn''t help but want to escape far away from the entity before it. Eryndor gasped as he usually did as soon as he switched back to his human form. Even after switching to his eldritch form so many times, he simply couldn''t get used to it. Once he was over it, what came next was a big surprise. This feeling of being pleasantly surprised would absolutely not be possible while he was in his eldritch form. His maximum range would just be viewed as a new, updated statistic which could be made use of efficiently. In his human form though? He could be absolutely surprised, and joyous about it. Closing his eyes, he envisioned the total range which his extended vision could reach through the ability to Cognitive Scrying. As the higher realm ability, it was only right to use its extended vision over the extended vision brought about as a result of using Telekinesis, which was still a realm lower. Cognitive Scrying was at Enhanced realm, at level four, and Telekinesis was at Active realm, which was level three of this power system. His previous maximum range was barely a bit more than the size of a town. Now? It was the size of a city. Chapter 221 221: Eliminating two Eryndor felt giddy as he thought about the range of his maximum extended vision. A city. Just how big was this? He could almost cover the entirety of the tundra region. Yes, that also meant he was able to view the location where their alliance was heading right now. But I can''t tell them about it. There was a limit to showing them just how big his range was. There was a difference between a high range and an absolutely mind boggling range. The latter would instantly put loads of suspicions in their minds. But well, telling them about it doesn''t mean that I can''t prepare for it, not to mention their information seems to be wrong. If not wrong, it is at least outdated now. Eryndor thought as he recollected what he saw on that location they were heading towards. Instead of Team Ricky, there was Team Jonathan there. I mean, we are still getting something, but the information given by Team Yu was still wrong, they said Team Ricky. Eryndor didn''t know if he should doubt the Scroll of Unchanging Conditions for not working or it was just how it worked. It was because he didn''t know what exactly the Scroll considered as truth. Was it subjective truth or objective truth? Objective truth was the real truth. Like how the sun was spherical shaped no matter what one believed. The subjective truth was what the person believed was the truth. If the person believed that the sun was cube shaped, then that was a subjective truth for them. After some more thinking, Eryndor jogged back to his own group. He didn''t even let his own group know what he saw in his extended vision. That location was simply that far away. I mean, except Edward I can tell the rest of them I guess? But well, whatever. I''ll tell them later if something comes up. He wasn''t fond of just exposing his abilities. A few minutes later, he regrouped with the alliance. There wasn''t much discussion as they walked since no one was familiar with each other. It was also not as if they were a single team so they had to warm up to each other, no. They would each go their own ways after they were done with this. An hour or two later, when the range was finally acceptable, Eryndor told them how there was no one there. I mean yea, when I scanned this area, Team Jonathan was present, but it wasn''t as if they would stay in one place all the time. It''s been more than an hour after all. As he thought that, Eryndor focused especially in a certain direction. That was where Team Jonathan was heading when he saw them. Somehow, he convinced them to move in that direction, and in a dozen minutes, Eryndor could already spot them in his extended vision. Of course, he was only keeping the default range active. "There''s Team Jonathan up ahead. Let''s go." There were no surprises. It didn''t even take their alliance ten minutes to decimate the entire team. There was one thing which caused chaos though. Who would get how many points? The point system of this tournament was such that the amount of points one would get was dependent on their contribution in the fall of the beast or the person. Everyone wanted to get a higher share of points, therefore they sometimes even blocked the attacks from people of their own alliance. Regarding this, there was no rule in the Scroll either, as he knew the others wouldn''t agree no matter what. Technically, they were not sabotaging their chances to deal with Team Ricky and others through this, as defeating Team Jonathan was a certain thing anyway. People also resorted to using area wide attacks so they would get a share of points from multiple members. A few hours later, when it was almost midnight, they also managed to take out Team Lance. "Do y''all want to set up camp or go on? "Keep in mind that finding and defeating Team Lance was difficult because Team Jonathan had already notified the others about our existence. "These people had six teams as security, and were also moving very stealthily. "Team Ricky would be even more difficult. The longer we take, the more time we''ll be giving them to prepare. "This would also mean that we would have to stay with each other for longer, which means less and less points. "All our current increase in the points is from Team Jonathan and Team Lance, the latter being incredibly difficult to even defeat in the first place. "Do we go on?" Eryndor asked everyone as they stood on the same spot where they had fought Team Lance and the six teams. The opposition had seven teams in total, while there were only four teams on the alliance''s side, but one must not forget that the latter was made up of teams in top ten. Even if Team Irene was weaker than the average top ten team, just the fact that they were able to escape from Team Ricky and others for so long meant that they weren''t weak. Bronit replied while stretching his muscles. "I am damn fucking tired. Even before being caught by those bastards working under Team Ricky, our team has been hunting beasts throughout the night." Irene nodded as well. "Same here, we haven''t slept because we were on the run. It was just too risky." Yu shrugged. "We had plenty of sleep, we can go on. "Honestly, as people practicing power systems, our physiques are better than average people. We should be able to stay awake continuously easily for 3-4 days, while maintaining our peak combat prowess." Eryndor''s team had only slept for a few hours, as they had spent the majority of the night hunting the beast horde, but he didn''t participate in the discussion. He and his team were alright with whatever option ended up being chosen. As the discussion went on, Eryndor''s brows furrowed as he spotted something unusual in his extended vision. Chapter 222 222: Encirclement It was just some beast... Eryndor thought as he looked at what caused a rustle in the bushes. Even in the tundra region, there were places which occasionally had a bunch of trees and bushes. Their occurrence was getting more and more frequent recently. Eryndor knew the reason why, it was because they were heading towards the forest region when they went after Team Lance. Right now, they were at somewhat of an intersection of the two regions, hence the properties of both sides. After continued discussion, they ultimately decided to take a break of at least an hour or two, after which the topic shifted. "How did they even get close to twelve million points to spend on these tracker smells though? I thought we weren''t allowed to get too many external things in our bags. "And we can''t even bring in expensive stuff to exchange in the Support Shrine. "Anything which could''ve granted us unfair advantage was not allowed." Bronit asked as his team began putting up the tents. Yu''s team was lighting up the campfire and placing the logs around. Eryndor didn''t let his team set up tents as he didn''t feel the situation was safe yet. Strangely enough, Irene followed his actions as well. Yu corrected Bronit immediately. "I don''t think they spent all the twelve million on tracker smells. I saw a few other things as well, they were random stuff which allowed these weak teams to combat the stronger ones. "But anyway yes, the question still stands, how do they have twelve million points right off the bat as soon as the tournament started?" Irene was munching on a protein bar when Eryndor slightly tapped on her shoulder. She looked up at him. "What?" Eryndor narrowed his eyes, matching gaze with her. "Don''t you want to answer that question?" Irene shook her head. "This question has nothing to do with how well we can deal with Team Ricky, and even if it does, I am exercising my right to not answer this. "I really paid a lot for all the information, and even more for this one. No way I am going to give this one out for free as well. "Pay up, or you get nothing." Eryndor shook his head at her, and then smiled at Bronit and Yu. "You both can choose to pay and receive this information if you want. I have no interest in this." Saying so, he shrugged and stepped aside. Why did he withdraw, one might ask? Because he used Cognitive Scrying on Irene for the answer. There was no threat to his life. It was just a normal tournament for students of the Academy. Then why did he still employ his Cognitive Scrying on an innocent person for his personal gain? Eryndor might not have felt it himself but he was definitely changing. Using eldritch form was having an effect on him. Or was it not just his eldritch form but also the eldritch abilities? His thought process and personality were undergoing an extremely slow but definite change without his awareness. Principles were for the weak. Emotions held back efficiency. Feelings were nothing but distractions. Without realizing, he had already changed slightly. Would Eryndor recognise it in the future? A few seconds later, he noticed some unusual movements within his extended vision again. It seems the disturbance is more than just what is in my range. Eryndor increased his range even further. Shortly after, his eyes went wide. There wasn''t even a second of delay as he yelled, "RUN!" As Eryndor shot off in a certain direction, his teammates immediately adhered to his command, followed by Team Irene, and then lastly the other two teams. Pointing straight behind him, Eryndor explained to them the reason as he continued running. "A lot of students who are working under Team Ricky seemed to be coming from that side. "They were rapidly beginning to encircle us, and ¡ª" He then pointed ahead, at the direction he was running in. "Since their encirclement had just begun, and this was currently the only open side, I ran in this direction. "But as we''re running, some students seem to have arrived already. "Remember, our main goal is to break out of this circle. "Don''t go around deliberately eliminating students for points if you can already run away. "The person is down? There is a clear path ahead to run away? Do so immediately. "Last thing, no obligation, but if you all feel like it, do help out those from the other teams if the need arises. We''re all facing a common enemy after all, at least for now." By the time he finished talking, they were just a few seconds away from the ring of encirclement as all of them were running at their average maximum speed as the disparity of stages and realms among them was extremely wide. Just in case they were still relying on his extended vision, Eryndor yelled out and notified them how some students were up ahead. Thud. Eryndor elbowed a student right in the chin as it tried to jump him from the bush. He thought he was expertly hidden, but Eryndor''s insane range had long shown him how and when he hid in this bush. If one wanted to hide in front of Eryndor, they would have to make sure they were hidden and stayed in that spot from an extremely large distance away, else he would almost always know where the people were hiding exactly because he saw them going into hiding due to his insane range. Eryndor quickly followed up with an Internal Fist right in the guy''s jaw as he stumbled backwards after being elbowed in the ribs. Nearly all of the students working under Team Ricky were weak, their strength was all in numbers. Among the thirty seven teams under Team Ricky, there were only a rare few strong members which were basically seniors, and rarely first years. All those strong ones were used in operation to take down the seeded teams. As soon as that student was eliminated, Eryndor suddenly heard a voice which was definitely not from his alliance.. "Good thing we''re on time." Chapter 223 223: Isolating space "Attack them!" Eryndor hollered, attracting everyone''s attention as he pointed at a particular group of students. He was wondering why every one of these students were wearing a mask. He made a guess on their identity purely because of the coordination they exhibited and their insane numbers. Could there be another team out there like Team Ricky? Maybe, but unless he saw with his own eyes, then he would blame every large group of students cooperating seamlessly to be lackeys of Team Ricky. It turned out it was for this reason. Team Ricky, the main team at third spot in the rankings were in this group as well. In the haste of the moment, Eryndor hadn''t thought about it at all. Imagine this. A large number of students appeared from one side. To start with encirclement, they would have to start from that side where their numbers are the largest and then start to spread out to make a circle, right? Which meant, the point directly opposite to where the students appeared, would be the most optimal point to break through from, because the students would reach that point the latest if they were making a circle, and the quantity would be the least as well. Eryndor thought of that, and immediately made the decision to run in that direction in the heat of the moment. Apparently, the enemy used this same thought process to trap them. Team Ricky, the main team, was in the group of students which had run over till this ''weakest point''. Their alliance could have easily run over the weak students, but Team Ricky? It would at least take more time than the weak students, as there was a chance that this team would have some treasures as well. "You''re sharp." One particular man took out his mask, exposing his face. "Ricky!" Bronit and Yu exclaimed together, and charged at him. The rest weren''t too far behind. There was no such thing as talking and introducing oneself and everything. This was a fight. One with pretty high stakes and an urgent situation. If they took too long then the rest of the students under Team Ricky would gather pretty fast. One of the members of Team Ricky threw something, which formed a wide wall behind them. Great, they blocked our only way out of this huh. Eryndor thought, as he engaged in a fight with one of the members of Team Ricky. The second years were battling the other second years. The captains went for each other as they were the second strongest members of their team, except Eryndor that is, who sent Valentina. He sent her, because she was obviously more powerful than him, why would he take a decision based on his ego? Ducking slightly, he dodged a blow from his opponent before driving an uppercut laced with Internal Fist. It didn''t stop at that, he also used fire elemental Sky Piercing Palm with his other hand after dropping the spiked mace beside his leg. The opponent used a shield treasure to block both blows before throwing something. Probably influenced due to fighting in his eldritch form, Eryndor''s battle IQ had clearly increased, as he had positioned himself well enough to have enough time to dodge whatever it was that was thrown. He spoke into the earbuds still active in his ears, pretty sure that no one would bother straining themselves to listen to him. "Activate the Frostspike Totems in the rest of the directions." Yes, it was the same item which they had used to make the maze. These were also the items which sustained the least damage compared to the others which he bought to make the trap. He had distributed it among the others. Hearing his command, Drakarion, and Syndra, who had just defeated their opponent and had nothing to do, ran in different directions. A few seconds later, massive white walls with jagged spikes appeared in all directions, encasing everyone in a limited space, completely surrounded by walls on all sides. Team Ricky was clearly unnerved by this, everyone could see it in their eyes. They had erected a massive wall behind them as it was the only direction for the alliance to break through from. The alliance would have to run and take a detour, wasting even more time if they tried to escape, thereby allowing for students to gather around and pile up on them. But now? Eryndor completely shut down the space. Which meant the students would have to break down these massive walls if they wanted to get in. Would the students break in first? Or would Team Ricky get eliminated first? Giving Eryndor looks of approval, people began fighting their opposition with even greater vigor, especially Team Ricky. It was evident that they were losing though. The entire reason they hatched such a plot was because they were NOT strong enough to be categorized as a seeded team. Of course, there could also be a possibility that a strong team would do this to remove other strong teams from the tournament, but Team Ricky didn''t fall under that category. Drakarion smashed a guy''s head, prompting white light to appear around which showed his elimination. Despite being a stage five Martial Artist, he was quickly displaying why he was the strongest first year Martial Artist...yet. Paulina was akin to a mysterious and scary reaper. She would suddenly appear beside a person, and stab with lightning fast speed towards an extremely lethal vital point, injuring them if not taking them out immediately. Her movement skill was feared among everyone, as no one could interfere with it. It was literally based on the principles of quantum mechanics. Syndra was another feared member, as nothing was able to stop the advance of her sword yet, except herself. To conserve her Energy of Consciousness, she would always only go halfway into a body part before pulling out. Of course, it was equally as dangerous and a serious injury, prompting immediate elimination of the person, or they would be eliminated by someone else. As things kept going wrong for Team Ricky, they finally displayed how they immediately got twelve million points in the beginning of the tournament itself. Chapter 224 224: Treasure trove Mid-fight as the situation for the alliance among top ranked teams got better and better, Ricky, the team leader who was all battered and bloodied, suddenly put his hands out in empty air. As someone who employed thirty seven teams under him, he was obviously not to be underestimated even for such a seemingly useless action. Seeing the unexpected move, the opposing team leaders all retreated out of caution, except Valentina that is, as Eryndor had already secretly messaged her the reason why Team Ricky had twelve million points. It was because Ricky had a Spatial Storage ability! Up until now, each and every student only took their bags with them, and those bags were all they could carry into the tournament anyway. The organizers glossed over it if a student bought a big bag, but blatant breaking of rules like bringing multiple bags of precious materials to exchange with the Support Shrine was clearly not allowed. All such attempts were blocked. They were already being lenient by allowing the students to bring outside materials to exchange with the Support Shrine in exchange for points. Even in cases of weapons, the students were only allowed to bring ones up to their level. A level one wasn''t allowed to bring a weapon which could even be used by a level two, as it would disrupt the combat evaluation. Of course, the outside world wasn''t fair. If you had an external advantage, it was only rightful to abuse it to win. But this was the Academy. Here, they taught you personal skills. Apart from a slight leniency in terms of allowing you to abuse your external advantage, the majority of the things still need to be done by yourself. But in the case of Ricky, his Spatial Storage ability was his own. It was completely up to him what he wanted to bring in this storage of his. It would''ve been unfair if he wasn''t even allowed to use his own ability. As the heir to one of the richest merchant families, Ricky filled his Spatial Storage with a lot of valuable items, and immediately exchanged them at the Support Shrine for points. Which he then used to buy the tracker smells and the other items for the thirty seven teams under him. It was exactly his immense wealth, through which he was able to hire so many students to work under him. Well, one might ask, why wasn''t he able to join a strong seeded team then? The reason was his insufferable personality. Due to that, he had already made quite a few enemies as well. The seeded teams which had been eliminated already were the ones who were his enemies, including Team Kennedy, who he failed to eliminate completely. But his wealth also allowed him to gather quite a few strong members, like Jonathan, Lance, and a few others. Alas, he put them all in different teams to maximize the efficiency of his plans. This was also the reason his team wasn''t strong enough to be a seeded team. If he had put all those strong members in his own team, he would''ve pretty sure made a seeded team as well. There was no point talking about it now. Ricky had taken out quite a few explosive treasures, and even a few big treasures like shields and hammers which his allies were quick to pick up. Of course, since Valentina hadn''t retreated out of caution because of her prior knowledge about his ability, she was quick to destroy quite a few treasures, which twisted Ricky''s expression. Team Eryndor was proving to be quite a thorn in his side. It wasn''t that the other leaders didn''t know of Ricky''s ability. It was more like they only knew the Spatial Storage ability, not that who possessed it. Eryndor was able to glean the fact that Ricky had this ability from Irene, which meant she had this knowledge as well. Then why didn''t she tell Bronit and Yu when they negotiated the price and paid for it? Because after negotiations, they didn''t pay the full amount which Irene had asked for in the beginning. As a result, she would naturally not tell them the complete information either. Nevertheless, he simply had a lot of treasures. Everytime after they destroyed a few treasures, Ricky would take out a few more. "He is buying time." Eryndor muttered with a dark expression as he fought another one of the students who worked under Team Ricky. In the closed space, there was Team Ricky, the main team, and a few other students who worked under them, whose numbers were rapidly dwindling. Ricky''s move could only be useful as a time delaying measure. Unfortunately, time was the only aspect which the alliance couldn''t afford to waste. Eryndor''s extended vision showed him how ten students had already gathered on the other side of the wall behind them. Only three directions were left now. They also couldn''t afford to delay, else the wall behind them, erected by Frostspike Totems, would fall anytime. Eryndor first asked in his earbuds. "Do any of you have explosives?" There was a negative response from everyone. Eryndor then remembered that Irene''s team seemed to have quite a few treasure bombs. Keeping an eye on the battlefield, Eryndor gradually closed his distance with Irene. Of course, he didn''t forget to keep fighting with the student, being careful not to eliminate him. Eryndor would deliberately make a loud sound with his spiked mace everytime it clashed with the student''s weapons, all so he could mask his voice whenever he gave out commands. Once he was close to Irene, he spoke in a low volume after clashing his spiked mace with the student''s weapon once again. "You have a few treasure bombs, yea? I''ll pay you, don''t worry." Parrying a throwable from Ricky, she nodded. Despite battling four team leaders, Ricky, although injured, hadn''t gone down yet, purely because he simply had a few too many treasures, be it defensive, offensive, maneuvering, or even one time use throwables. Eryndor suddenly had an idea how to deal with this problem. Chapter 225 225: Losses incurred Eryndor just thought of how he could disrupt Ricky''s plan. It was really annoying how he kept bringing out treasures. Although the majority of these treasures were low quality enough to be shredded apart by the team leaders and other strong members, there were some which had a higher quality and were proving to be quite durable and efficient. As he was in his thoughts, Irene took out a few treasure bombs strapped to her belt and gave it to Eryndor. Unlike Eryndor, who liked to distribute all the items among his team members, Irene kept everything on herself. Eryndor didn''t waste any time in covertly distributing these bombs among his teammates, and instructing them to destroy the left wall made my Frostspike Totem. The one behind them had twelve students now. The one on the right had seven, and one on the left had three. The most optimal wall to break down would naturally be the one erected by Team Ricky, as there was no student gathered there, but Eryndor had no idea what it was made up of. In such a situation, it was only right to blow up the wall which he had information on, and was sure would break down under a certain number of treasure bombs. As to why he didn''t want to withdraw the wall by himself? Just like when they minimized the walls from the maze into their totem form and took them back, why wasn''t Eryndor doing that now? Because it took time. Activating them was easy, deactivating took time. As soon as he sent his members towards the left wall, the desired moment arrived. Ricky took out a few treasures again! That''s what I was waiting for. Eryndor thought, and instantly used his Telekinesis. It was an extremely short duration of time frame in which he used his Telekinesis. It was really very sudden, and very quick, such that no one would know it was an innate ability being used. At least not his. As people already knew he had Passive Regeneration. Edward and Syndra also only knew about his Passive Regeneration. Paulina and Drakarion knew about his Cognitive Scrying as well. Lastly, Valentina knew about all of his abilities. As soon as Ricky had dumped a few treasures for his allies, something happened, as if a big invisible hand suddenly smacked all the treasures in the direction of the alliance. This time, instead of Team Ricky, it was the alliance who got the treasures. Heavy casualties immediately appeared among the ranks of Ricky''s team. A few seconds later, Eryndor suddenly yelled, "CHARGE!", and ran towards the left wall. No one doubted him this time, and immediately followed after him. A second after they ran towards the wall in full speed, everyone recognised Drakarion, Paulina and Syndra from Team Eryndor near the left wall as it began crumbling down. Everyone was thankful to have this team as their allies. Team Ricky was down to two members, including Ricky himself, as he really was too durable with all the best treasures on him. There were no more students left under them, at least within this confined space. As soon as the wall crumbled, five students, two more than when Eryndor last checked, charged in. But what were five weak students to the huge alliance which had hardly lost a few members? Those five students were easily eliminated, as the alliance escaped from the left side. On their way, they eliminated three more students, and finally began running away with no more obstacles. ***** "Damnit. Fucking hell." Ricky punched the ground beside him. There was only one more member in his main team now. Even if he utilized the remaining teams under him to somehow stay in the rankings, he would only get the last spot in the wheel battle. What could two people do against other teams in the top ten which qualified? They would obviously have more than two players in their team which allowed them to stay in the top ten, unlike him, who could rely on the students under him. Well, I need to forget about getting good rankings in wheel battle I guess. Still, just qualifying for that by staying in the top ten is better than not being qualified. I would at least get some rewards. Despite being one of the richest merchant families, few resources were just too tightly controlled by The Human Federation. Naturally, The Academy was a good channel to obtain these resources. Patting his treasures, he began thinking of what to do next. First, I need to sell everything I have. I won''t be able to rely much on students under me anymore. I''ll need the majority of them to stay around me for defense after all. They won''t be able to hunt many beasts and tie them up for me to kill like before. I''ll only keep these good defensive items I have on me. ***** Huff Huff All the members of the alliance were panting heavily as they leaned against different things, like a rock, a tree, or even some plant which was strangely very firm. "I don''t think we can attack Team Ricky anymore. He would have a tight defense composed of a majority of the remaining students under him. "Thirty seven teams. Let''s assume each team has a minimum number of members, which is six, that means 212 students in total. "Even if we assume a generous amount that around sixty of these students have been eliminated, they would still have around one hundred fifty left under them. "I don''t think we can tackle such monstrosity by ourselves. "Anyway, I also think Ricky wouldn''t go after top ten teams anymore, because that would mean reducing the defense around him. We can disband this alliance and go our own ways." Eryndor looked around and spoke to everyone. While retreating, each of them had taken a slight turn to take their bags before running away. The few students who spotted them didn''t engage with them, clearly having received orders from Ricky to regroup immediately as their highest priority. Eryndor looked at everyone, waiting for their reply. Chapter 226 226: Losing members Eryndor was gauging how many members they had left. None of his own members were eliminated, but that was not the case for the rest. Yu was sitting on the ground, using one of his hands to support his frame while he used the other hand to drink some water. Everyone had taken their bags while running, and after checking, nothing seemed to have been missing, except of course the things which they had taken out. Eryndor remembered that Team Yu and Team Bronit were the ones who had begun taking out their tents to set up and also making a campfire. It seemed that these two teams had lost all of that stuff, as all of them had begun running when Eryndor alerted them. Even while retreating, they didn''t have enough time to take everything back as no one knew when the students would change their mind if they saw the alliance being arrogant and taking their leisure to pack everything up. Team Eryndor, who hadn''t done anything, and Team Irene who followed them, naturally lost nothing within their bags. Eryndor had already checked his bag, nothing was stolen either. Yu spoke after he finished drinking the water. "Yours and Irene''s team didn''t suffer any losses, be it in members or in equipment. "But my and Bronit''s team lost a few contents of our bags, and also our members." Eryndor looked through their members closely and realized that Yu''s team had lost two members while Bronit''s team had lost one. So all four of us now have six members huh. Eryndor thought, as he replied to Yu. "What do you want to say? Be clear. "Do you want us to compensate you? That''s not happening. "I didn''t participate in the discussion you guys had about pursuing or resting. "I also helped any way I could, the elimination of your team members was not due to me. If I didn''t help you''d have lost even more members." Yu felt stifled by Eryndor''s response but knew he couldn''t do anything about it. Bronit was the one who spoke as his team gathered around him. "Yes, there''s no need for any further discussion. We''ll disband this alliance and go our way. If we meet once more in the wilderness then we shall be enemies." No one replied to him as he led his team in a direction and left. Yu left with his team shortly after as well. Team Irene was the only one left. Being the weakest team out of four, it was impressive how they didn''t lose a single member even when Team Yu and Team Bronit, the seeded teams lost members. Irene instructed her team members to go ahead as she stayed behind and looked at Eryndor before speaking. "It was Drakarion, wasn''t it?" Eryndor matched her gaze as he smiled. "There''s a clause in the Scroll of Unchanging Conditions that one can''t sabotage members of the alliance directly or indirectly." Irene wasn''t one to back down. "That''s not the full extent of the clause. It says that one can''t sabotage directly or indirectly under serious situations, or something along the lines which had a more formal wording. "You get my point. "This was also why when we took out Team Jonathan and Team Lance, members of the alliance could sabotage each other to get more points for themselves. "It was because the situation wasn''t serious and we could definitely win." Eryndor tilted his head. "But this was a serious situation which took place with Team Ricky." Irene shook her head. "Not if YOU, Eryndor, believe it wasn''t serious. The Scroll of Unchanging Conditions is based on the person''s subjective opinion. "I had some doubts about you. Therefore I told my teammates to play an absolutely safe battle and not rush anything so that they wouldn''t fall into a dangerous situation. "And behold, none of my teammates were eliminated. Coincidence? I think not." Eryndor chuckled. "Why are you exposing all of this though? You know that I can eliminate you here to not let this information spread out, right? "Even if you''ve sent your team up ahead to escape, I would still be able to find and eliminate them. "Also, you misunderstood one thing. Your team is weak. I didn''t even ask Drakarion to eliminate them." Irene had unexpectedly found out what he did. Eryndor had secretly instructed Drakarion during the fight to use his ability and transfer the damage on to the members of Team Bronit and Team Yu. He told Drakarion to use his own judgment and use his ability at an extremely critical moment to eliminate them in one shot, so that they wouldn''t be able to notify their team. Eryndor knew it was a difficult task. As Drakarion would have to plan his own battle such that he would have to receive a high amount of damage at the exact moment that the member he would be targeting would be in a critically dangerous situation. Fortunately, Drakarion managed to do it without letting those members leak any information. Unfortunately, it seemed that Irene had bought plenty of information on his own team, and was also smart enough to guess the truth. Irene put up her hands, and also tossed her phone to him. "Check everything you want. I didn''t record a single sentence of our conversation just now. "Also, you won''t get anything out of eliminating my team. Just the points we hold. "There''s still more than a week before the tournament ends. The points you''ll get by eliminating us wouldn''t be much by the end game standards." Eryndor didn''t get complacent, but dutifully checked everything. He also asked Irene to follow him to one of the Support Shrines, where he bought an expensive item which scanned the target of any item which was capable of recording his voice or even his video. After scanning her with a couple other items, he finally let her go and asked. "What do you want? I don''t believe that you''ll expose me just to get an ego boost." Irene smiled. "I want to make a deal." Chapter 227 227: An interesting deal The wheel battle was the final stage of this tournament which would take place after two weeks, in which only the top ten teams would be qualified to battle. If a team in top ten happened to have members which were eliminated during the two week survival round, then they wouldn''t get to participate in the wheel battle. In the wheel battle, the ten teams would fight in a classic double elimination tournament model of one team versus another team, which meant that a team would be eliminated from the tournament if they lost twice. In the battle between teams, it would be one person from one team versus one person from the opposite team rather than a group battle. They had to decide the order beforehand and submit it to the referee before the match. If a person won, they could decide to stay in the arena and continue to fight the next person from the opposite team. If the person was strong enough, they could even eliminate the entire team by themselves in this way. However, if the person decided to give up despite winning the round, and left the arena, then they won''t be able to return to the arena later. The second years were not allowed in this wheel battle. Their role was only limited till the two week survival round. As he heard Irene''s request to make a deal, Eryndor thought back to his reason for eliminating the members of Team Yu and Team Bronit. Teams which had a lower number of members could send their members out on the arena more than once. For example, if a team with six members were fighting a team with eight members, there was a difference of two members, then the team with six members would get two extra chances to send their members in the arena. That is, they could send one member two more times, or two members one more time after losing a battle. But wouldn''t that be unfair then? If a team had lesser members compared to their opponent, they could simply send their strongest member for those extra chances. This is where another rule came in. A team was divided into ''weaker'' and ''stronger'' parts equally, biased towards the ''stronger'' part if they had an odd number of members. Which meant, if a team had six members, they would be divided into three weaker, and three stronger members. If they had seven members, with priority to the stronger part, they would have three weaker and four stronger members. Now, if the team decided to let one of the members from the stronger part take the extra chance, they would have to take it immediately. As in, after losing their battle, they won''t be able to exit the arena, heal, and then come back for the extra chance. No, they won''t be given a chance to heal. If the team decides to let one of the weaker members take the extra chance, they can take it anytime during the wheel battle after losing their battle. There was no condition that they would have to utilize the chance immediately. If a team with lower number of members were facing a team with higher number of members, the former team would have to make the decision about which member would take the extra chance beforehand and submit it to the referee alongside their battle lineup. Through these rules, the playing ground between teams with less members and teams with more members was leveled up. Now came the point why Eryndor eliminated members of Team Yu and Team Bronit. Since their members were eliminated during the survival round, those specific members won''t be able to participate in the wheel battle even if their respective teams managed to qualify. The thing was, if Team Yu and Team Bronit indeed managed to qualify for wheel battle, despite having six members, they would still be treated with their original member count, as if they had eight and seven members respectively. This was his main reason to eliminate those members. Irene put forward her request. "If and if our team manages to qualify, I want your team to not injure my team too heavily. "I''ll pay for that." In the double elimination tournament, there wasn''t much break between different matches, except the finals and semi finals, which would get a longer period of break. Since there would be minimal amount of time between matches, if a team happened to have injured members, they would have to fight the next battle with those injured members. This would increase the probability of their loss by too much. Each team would only be given a fixed amount of healing pills at the start of the tournament, with the teams with less members getting more healing pills. Students couldn''t use external items throughout the tournament except their weapons. Of course, people with abilities like Ricky were again an exception here. Yes, his ability was strong, what could you do about it? The real world was unfair, the Academy couldn''t level out each and every playing field, not to mention this had nothing to do with the Academy if the student itself had a useful ability. Eryndor tilted his head while looking at Irene. Before he could reply though, she continued. "Of course, if you agree at all to these kinds of deals, which I think you''ll do because of the kind of the person you are, I have another request." Eryndor didn''t take offense to what she said. It was the truth after all. He wasn''t averse to playing dirty. Irene continued. "I want you to injure my opponents badly. I''ll pay you much more for that." Eryndor tilted his head back, looking at the dark sky as he laughed. After a few seconds, when he was done, he matched gaze with Irene who had a smile on her face. "Interesting. What kind of payment are we talking about?" Irene kept her smile as she responded. "I''ll only pay you if my team manages to qualify. Don''t worry, the payment will definitely satisfy you. Just answer me, do you agree?" Eryndor matched her smile. "I agree." Chapter 228 228: Precious resources Eryndor didn''t have any problem with playing dirty, nor was he afraid of the consequences. Even back then during the battle with Team Ricky, he only asked Drakarion to attack them in a way that no one would know because he didn''t want to alert those teams. He totally didn''t care if those eliminated members messaged their team after getting eliminated from the survival round about the abnormality of their elimination. Chances were high that he would already be far away from these teams by the time they came to know what he had done. And look, Team Yu and Team Bronit had indeed gone their own ways without picking bones with him. There was also a possibility that they couldn''t guess that he was behind this. Not all teams would buy information on Drakarion after all. After Eryndor and Irene finalised a few conditions, each of them went in different directions towards their own team. When he returned, Eryndor could see his team still removing the Snowbind Threads embedded into the ground. They were traps he had bought from the Support Shrine to tackle the beast horde of Ice Oxen. They had removed the ones still in usable condition from the maze after their work was done. Eryndor was responsible for leading the escape, so he had bought the entire alliance here. If Team Yu and Team Bronit had realized what happened, then he would still have no problem fighting them here as his traps would''ve taken out more of their members before the fight even began. This was also one of the reasons he hadn''t eliminated a member from Team Irene, as that would lower the chances of them joining the other two teams to attack his own team. Judging from what happened later though, with Irene making that interesting deal, he knew that even if those two teams had decided to attack him, Team Irene would have joined his side to repel them. After helping his team remove those trap items, he began leading them to a certain direction. When he had covered almost the entirety of tundra, he had been able to glean information on a few important places. Where he was heading now was one of those places. It had a bunch of rare plants and herbs below the cliff, hidden by a few trees. The problem was that it was already the nearest spot, and it would still take them around eight hours to reach. Might as well check once again if those plants do exist. Wouldn''t want all the effort to go to waste. It would be a pity if we walked eight hours only to find that other students had already taken them. A few seconds later, he confirmed that those precious plants still existed. He turned around and asked his team for their opinion. "From one of my information sources, I''ve just come to know about the existence of a few precious plants and herbs. "There are enough kinds of them that it will allow all of us to practice our respective power systems. "Even if y''all decide to sell it to the Support Shrine, you can sell them for more than fifty thousand. "However, I also know that all of you are tired and need some sleep. "That spot is eight hours away. Even if we start jogging now, it would still take six hours. "Should we set up camp? Or should we head towards the resources?" There was silence within the group before Paulina asked. "If we choose to camp, there is a possibility that someone else might take it away, right? "We''ll camp for at least two to three hours. Adding six hours of travelling to that, we''ll reach there in eight to nine hours. "Would two to three hours make a difference?" Eryndor chuckled helplessly as he spread his hands. "I can''t see into the future girl. How would I know if those two or three hours will make a difference?" There was a short discussion, but they still couldn''t come to a conclusion. They ended up deciding to go with votes. Valentina shook her head. "I am too damn tired, I''ll definitely need some rest." Edward smiled faintly. "I can still go on without any problems." Drakarion hesitated, but told them that he could bear an additional seven to eight hours. Yes, Yu had spoken in the past about how people practicing power systems could go on for three to four days without sleep and maintain peak combat prowess, but that was only in the case that if they hadn''t fought intensely. As people who were at level one, they were still close to the mortal limits even if their bodies had been enhanced. Compared to humans, who were at level zero, even the average level one person could stay awake for more days at peak performance. However, that was only the case if they hadn''t been in an intense fight. Eryndor and his team had fought with the beast horde, then hardly slept for a few hours before they began hunting for beasts. Then within a few minutes, Eryndor had notified them of suspicious people in their surroundings. From that point up till now, they had been awake and been in three battles, two of which were lousy ones, of Team Jonathan and Team Lance, but the third one took considerable energy out of them, the one with Team Ricky. It was night again, and their natural instincts to sleep were kicking in. Valentina was someone who had fought off the Active realm beast, and also took on the lead role in fighting the strong members in all the fights. It was reasonable that she would want to rest. Edward, as a peak level two could still go on despite the fights. Drakarion was at stage five, but due to being a Martial Artist, a power system which focused on the physique, he still had more energy to go on. Eryndor was quick to tease him on that. "Of course you can hold on. You don''t use your brain at all, so you won''t feel any mental exhaustion which would need sleep to recover. "Martial Artist is a good power system you''ve chosen for yourself. You are pretty self aware." There was a short round of fun where Drakarion tried to get back at Eryndo and failed, before the topic was brought back on track. Edyndor was the one who reminded them of voting. "I am tired too, I need some rest." He might not have fought as much as Valentina, but his eldritch form had taken a heavy toll on his mind. Not to mention the constant negotiations and planning which he had been carrying out for maximum benefits. He wanted to give his mind some rest. Till now, that was two votes in favor of resting and two votes to go on. There was a moment of silence before Syndra voted in favor of resting. Paulina briefly looked at Eryndor before voting in favor of resting as well. Thus, it was decided that they would take some rest. A two to three hours of rest might not be enough to completely relieve them of fatigue, but it would allow them to be at peak combat prowess for the next day. It was way better than continuing to head towards the precious resources in their current condition, which was nowhere near their peak state. Since they had decided to camp, they quickly found a safe place and set up their tents. Within half an hour, they ate their meal and went to rest. Edward was chosen to keep watch for the entire duration, as he was the only one suitable for this. Drakarion wouldn''t be able to hold on later if there happened to be some beast which intruded upon their camp during his watch. Around three hours later, the group had already packed up their tents and were on their way to the precious resources. Fortunately, when Eryndor had released his extended vision in that direction and checked, those resources were still there. It brought a sense of relief to everyone. While moving in that direction, his team didn''t employ the idea of moving in pairs to kill more beasts. They hadn''t forgotten that they had only gotten less than three hours of sleep. It would be foolish to needlessly expend their energy. After getting those precious plants and herbs, they could choose to find a safe spot once again and take a nice deep sleep which would relieve them of all the accumulated fatigue. Eryndor even suggested using the Support Shrine for sleeping in. He had found that function when he last visited the building, and found it immensely useful. Everyone understood why Eryndor had suggested using the Support Shrine. It was because it would be daytime when they finished taking the resources. Daytime was considerably more dangerous, not because of beasts but because of students, who were much more active. Eryndor, their best sensor, would only be keeping watch for an hour at most, according to their practice of taking turns to keep watch, which meant he would sleep for the rest of the time. Apart from him, the rest only had average range, making it truly dangerous in daytime. In this situation, the Support Shrine was like a safe haven, since no one could harm them there. Eryndor had already checked the required points as well, and it was eight hundred points for one hour of bed usage. They would need to pay more points if they wanted a full private room, and even more if they wanted additional utilities in that room. For eight hours, that would mean 6400 points. Fortunately, no one among them was low on points. Even if they were, others could simply share the points. Approximately six hours later, they finally arrived at the location with precious resources. Unfortunately, there was one more team there. Chapter 229 229: Weird phenomenon Eryndor had told ''one of the information sources'' being the cause of his knowledge of these precious resources because he didn''t want to tell them about his even more insane range yet. He hadn''t decided on that yet. As the two teams stood opposite each other, Eryndor raised one of his eyebrows and asked. "Why did you not change your directions when you sensed us in your surveillance range?" Yes, despite sensing each other, both the teams had still chosen to walk towards each other. Eryndor had sensed this team but still continued, because he didn''t recognise this team as one of the seeded ones. They also weren''t the dark horse, Team Utyr, which were in the top ten rankings. Even if they happened to be another dark horse, having the strength equal to or even surpassing them, Eryndor had the confidence that his team could still escape safely. Throughout the course of them meeting each other though, Eryndor had determined that they didn''t know of the resources based on their walking route. Their team was heading in a completely different direction, but after sensing his team, they had turned and headed his way. What could they want from us? Are they truly very strong? When the opposite party heard Eryndor''s question, one of them, most likely their leader, replied. "Why would we run away after meeting another team? It''s only logical to fight." Huh? Do they not know about us? Eryndor was confused, but not surprised. There would always be people who were overconfident or not keep themselves up to date with information. Not having information on a seeded team like themselves was rare, but not unacceptable. Or it could also be that they are really strong. As Eryndor was contemplating what to reply, the leader of the opposite team spoke once again. "Would you be interested in fighting in another format? If we fight like I suggest then we would avoid injuring most of our members." Always the cautious one, Eryndor was open to the suggestion since he still didn''t know what their strength was. None of them had made a move, therefore he couldn''t gauge what their stages, realms, and power systems were. It seems I need to learn a probing skill. He put that to his ever increasing mental note and gazed at the leader of the opposite team. After Eryndor nodded, the person spoke. "I have a Scroll of Unchanging Conditions here. "One of our members will fight each other. Of course, we''ll choose only those at the same level of stage and realm, even the power system, if possible. "The rest will depend on that. We''ll have the condition that whoever wins, that team gets to eliminate the losing one without them resisting. "Or if you think this is too extreme, we can also put the condition that only the losing member gets eliminated and we can each go our own way. "During the match, no team shall attack the other one." Eryndor chuckled slightly, and replied. "For that I''ll need to know the stages of every one of you." The leading one stepped forward, and showed off his aura at stage five of Iron Body realm. The first level of the Martial Arts power system. "Would that be necessary? I''ll be the one to fight, so only I am choosing to show my stage and realm." Eryndor didn''t respond, but suddenly side stepped, allowing Edward to attack with an area of effect spell at a high speed. Only after the attack was launched did Eryndor chuckle. "Yes, I want to know everyone''s levels." To dodge the incoming spell, everyone on the opposite team had to employ their movement skills, thereby exposing their aura. An average of stage four on the first realm. This team is weak as fuck. "Attack!" Eryndor commanded and jumped over. "Bastard!" The leader cursed, before he and his team began running in different directions. Even though there was a cliff between them, the bottom of which held those precious resources, one could easily jump over it provided they had enough speed before the jump. It didn''t take long for the Eryndor''s group to subdue the other group even though they had begun running away in all directions. Their average strength was only at stage four despite having a second year senior. That second year was at stage seven on the first level of his power system. This was the first time in the tournament that Eryndor had come across such a weak second year. However, they came across a problem. They couldn''t eliminate any of the members! Eryndor and his team looked at each other in dismay. He had already tried everything, like letting every member of his team try to eliminate every member on the opponent team. But nothing worked. They could still injure them, but whenever they attempted to eliminate them by using a lethal attack, a white light would shimmer into existence and block the blow. There was a look of confusion on Eryndor''s face as he looked at the leader for a second before speaking. "Is that why you dared to approach us despite being so weak? That you can''t be eliminated?" All the members of the opposite team had been captured and tied with a special rope with their backs against each other. Their mouths were stuffed with whatever Team Eryndor was able to find to prevent them from speaking. Paulina ripped the cloth from the leader''s mouth as he was struggling to answer Eryndor''s question. The guy looked up to Eryndor and smirked. "Ah, I only wanted to gamble, I don''t have any regrets that I lost to Team Eryndor." Eryndor''s brows furrowed when he heard his answer. "So you do indeed know about us, which means you also know how strong we are. Despite that, you chose to engage with us. "This means you were indeed aware that you won''t be eliminated. "This is also why you chose to take the route of betting, right? You already had information on us, and knew that Drakarion was also a stage five Martial Artist like you. "Which means there was a chance that we would agree to your bet since we had someone at the same level as the challenger. "If you won, that was like free points without any risk. That Scroll of Unchanging Conditions was only a diversion to hide the fact that you can''t be eliminated. "Hmm...wait, did you also bet that I am a good guy and would agree to your bet? Only that way would you be able to hide this situation where you aren''t getting eliminated no matter what. "You didn''t think that I would attack you guys? "I wonder why? And I also wonder why you can''t be eliminated." There was a moment of silence before the leader responded. "I analyzed your past based on the little information that I had. "I can only say that I misinterpreted your personality. "As for the part about not getting eliminated? Hehe." Towards the end, he just laughed, refusing to answer Eryndor. Paulina asked no one in particular. "Could it be that they have a treasure which protects them from our attacks?" Eryndor was quick to rule out that possibility as he took out a small knife from his pocket. "I don''t think so. If there is indeed a treasure they''re using, it only protects them from elimination instead of our attacks, look at this." Then, to the surprise of everyone, Eryndor carried out a series of small but cruel attacks with the knife he held in his hand. It was surprising but not something which they couldn''t accept. There was no way you could know everything about a person. There might always be a side of them you might not know about. They could easily accept it because in this era of fighting and bloodshed, a person who practiced power systems was the most exposed to the dark sides of the society. They were the most prone to changes in their mentality as they were on the frontline of the majority of the things. Eryndor turned to them, unconcerned about a few students screaming beside him. "Did you see that? I''ve clearly injured them, but no protection took place. "No matter how many minor attacks I make, even though they bring immense pain to them, the protection would still not appear. "This is clearly a protection only targeted at being eliminated." Valentina muttered after witnessing everything. "Huh? I didn''t find any items capable of protecting one against being eliminated in the Support Shrine though." Eryndor shook his head. "The filter function of the Support Shrine doesn''t give you the complete list of items. "Important things like information on other players, their location, their activities, and now this, items which can protect you against being eliminated, all of this is hidden. "You can only see them after you successfully fulfill a few conditions. Irene only told me this much, but was unwilling to tell me the conditions. "There might also be many other nearly broken items which have hidden conditions that need to be fulfilled before a student can exchange them." "No wonder I didn''t find anything like information on other students when I was browsing through the list inside the Support Shrine." Edward commented. Eryndor narrowed his eyes, looking at the team they had captured before he spoke. "No worries, we''ll just take these people with us after using a few more items to bind them. "No amount of extra points is useless." When the leader heard that, finally a hint of panic appeared in his eyes, which he was quick to conceal. Eryndor didn''t fail to catch on to that though. Huh? A flash of insight struck him as Eryndor muttered. "What if it''s not an item?" Chapter 230 230: Figuring out the hidden rule of protection Everyone was stunned when they heard Eryndor''s question. "What could it be if not an item?" Edward questioned. He really couldn''t think of anything which would provide protection against elimination which was the mechanism of the tournament itself. Instead of answering him, Eryndor playfully spoke, giving them a hint. "We are in a tournament right now." As expected, that hint was enough for Paulina to grasp the answer. She was the one who replied, albeit in a questioning tone. "Is it a hidden rule?" As soon as she spoke, everyone''s expression turned to that of a realization. Edyndor nodded, and a glance at the leader''s panicked face confirmed his suspicion. "Yes, it could be a hidden rule as well, " He then pointed at the leader and said. "But how would this team know that encountering us will enable them to have protection from being eliminated? "I don''t think these weak ass guys have enough points to buy information about us, not to mention it''s doubtful if they even know how to buy information on other teams. "But still, they need to have SOME kind of information for them to be able to determine that they''ll be protected from elimination against us, right? "That only leaves the rankings. That is the only place where our team can be seen by everyone out in the open for free. "And what does the rankings display? Our current members, our points, and obviously, our rankings. "Our ''current members'' statistic has been the same throughout the tournament, so nothing can be gleaned from that. "What''s left? Points. And in what way our points have been changing since the last few days? In bursts. "So well, they looked at our continuous bursts of getting points. Now, there are multiple things through which we can get points in bursts instead of earning points steadily. "First is of course, beast hordes. Second, eliminating teams. Third, some very advantageous hidden rules. Fourth, a powerful item locked behind conditions in the Support Shrine. There could be more which we don''t know about. "Now, which one of these is obvious?" Before Eryndor could continue, Paulina answered, being perfectly able to follow his train of thought. "Eliminating teams." Eryndor chuckled, and replied. "Exactly. Team Jonathan, Team Lance, and Team Ricky disappeared from the top ten rankings one after another, while the points of four other teams including ours increased in bursts. "It''s an extremely easy deduction to make that we were the ones who were involved in eliminating those teams." Eryndor stopped himself after saying all that. A period of silence ensued as even Paulina took some time to comprehend what he spoke. This time, it was Valentina who put forward the final speculation after hearing all of Eryndor''s hints. "So you''re saying that a team can''t eliminate other teams after they''ve eliminated a certain number of students?" Everyone except Eryndor had a stunned expression on their faces as they heard that hypothesis. Killing the beast horde and eliminating the teams were the two highest contributors to their points. Beast horde was completely based on luck. Last night when they had taken a break to sleep for less than three hours, Eryndor had checked for a beast horde, but none had appeared. There was no telling when they would come across a big group of beasts again. That left eliminating teams as a viable option for them to gather points in bulk since none of them knew about the conditions to get one of those overpowered items or even the highly advantageous hidden rules. Now they were being told that eliminating teams wasn''t an option anymore? There was still more than a week left before the survival round ended, they could very well lose their spot in top ten if they didn''t uncover more ways to gain points. Eryndor smiled playfully as he allowed them to imagine all the consequences, before he pointed his knife at the leader and spoke. "Or...it isn''t that we can''t eliminate any more students after eliminating a certain number of them, but that we can''t eliminate any more students after eliminating them ''repeatedly''. He put a special emphasis on repeatedly, before continuing. "We have two examples to support this theory. "One is this team itself. The leader wouldn''t have panicked when I talked about taking them with us if we completely couldn''t eliminate any student ever. "Of course, it could be that he is simply scared of being tortured, but I am not too inclined to think in that direction. "I rather think that he panicked because at some point we will be able to eliminate him, that protection on his team wouldn''t work. "The second example is Team Ricky itself. "Despite having almost an army of students, they only went after the seeded teams. And even then, they only managed to defeat what four? Five? I don''t remember but yes, they only managed to defeat those four to five teams over the course of four days. "Which meant they didn''t need the entire thirty seven teams all the time, so they could''ve instructed the rest to hunt other teams. "Eliminating students is almost always a better choice than killing beasts, then why did they still instruct the rest of the students to hunt and tie down beasts instead of students?" This time Eryndor didn''t give them any chance to think, but spoke out the answer himself. "It means that we can continue to eliminate students as long as we take a break in between where we earn points through some other method." Everyone collectively sighed, before giving Eryndor looks of absolute amazement. It also included the members of the team they had captured. That person had literally deduced a hidden rule of protection simply based on a minor instance of panic their leader displayed in response to being captured. While the opposite team were regretful that they didn''t have him on their team, Valentina, Paulina and others couldn''t be more relieved that they had Eryndor on their team. Syndra mentally heaved a sigh as she lightly shook her head. No wonder he was able to deduce the Cyborg Genius Caulin''s plan even when he wasn''t present there himself. He deduced them purely on the basis of the few clues I provided him. Of course, she was still rational enough to know that Eryndor must''ve gotten some more clues from elsewhere, but seeing how he was the only one who was able to grasp Caulin''s plan beforehand, it just went on to show how impressive his logical deduction was. With everything settled, Eryndor cooperated with his team to harvest all the resources at the bottom of the cliff. They only had one rope, which they used to tie down the hostile team. Valentina''s Yang was too big to safely fly in the narrow space of the cliff, so Eryndor ended up having to make one more trip to the Support Shrine to help them with harvesting the resources. Since he had almost seen the entirety of the tundra, he of course also knew where all the Support Shrines in this region were located. As long as he was in the tundra, he would always know where the nearest Support Shrine from their current location was. As he distributed the resources evenly among his team, Eryndor thought. I could''ve used Telekinesis to harvest these resources, but a pity that I can''t openly use this ability. In the battle with Team Ricky, to cover for Drakarion, Eryndor had timed his Telekinesis with Drakarion''s damage transfer else it would''ve been too suspicious that everytime Drakarion faced a heavy blow that one of the allies were being eliminated. At those times, Eryndor would use his Telekinesis to interfere with the battles of others, damaging the enemy so that people would think Drakarion''s damage transfer was used on the person Eryndor had used his Telekinesis on. Even though the nature of both their abilities were different, it didn''t matter. In the first place it was already rare that people would know Drakarion''s exact ability. "Let''s kill some beasts and eliminate these people first." Eryndor of course wouldn''t speak about their plan of sleeping in the Support Shrine in front of the captured team. Even though everyone was exhausted, they still held on and killed a few beasts. "They can still not be eliminated." Eryndor was panting with visible exhaustion as he gazed at the bound team. His team had returned from hunting various beasts in the same pairs as before. He had tried just now, but wasn''t able to eliminate them. "Could you be wrong?" Edward asked. Eryndor was a little irked with how he phrased the question but didn''t take it to heart. If it were his roommates, or probably even Syndra, they would''ve instead phrased the question as ''Could ''we'' be wrong?''. They wouldn''t have blamed him. As expected, Valentina was quick to defend him. "Maybe we just need to kill more beasts." It was extremely risky to keep going with such low energy reserves, but they still killed a few more beasts in the next hour. Fortunately, this time they were able to eliminate the team who could just helplessly watch their teammates and themselves getting kicked out of the tournament. "Alright, let''s go to the Support Shrine. Everyone agrees with this method I hope?" There was an enthusiastic positive response. They couldn''t wait to just fall on a comfortable bed and get a nice long sleep. In under twenty minutes, they were able to reach the Support Shrine and enter it. Sitting cross legged on his own bed, Eryndor looked at a few plants in his hand. They were immensely helpful in cultivation! It wasn''t impossible to even reach the peak of Qi Gathering realm. Chapter 231 231: A short break and exchange mechanisms Eryndor looked at the few pieces of plants in his hand and thought. These are all raw materials, would the Support Shrine be able to convert them into pills or such? It was common knowledge that raw materials could indeed be consumed directly to gain the advantages but converting them into a more appropriate form through the help of people who dabbled in different domains of mastery was always better. The pills made by alchemists would give you a far greater advantage than the raw materials which contributed to the making of the pill. The weapon made by craftsmen would be far better than just fighting with raw ore. Therefore, it was almost always a better choice to convert the raw materials. Eryndor exited his tiny room which consisted of a bed, temperature regulator, a charging point and a few other miscellaneous things. Since he was already paying so much, Eryndor had decided to have a shower in the Support Shrine itself. Coming face to face with the interface once again, he scrolled through the numerous options and soon found what he was looking for. The Support Shrine indeed helped with converting the resources you found in the secret realm into whatever you wanted. There was a charging fee, and of course, you had to submit all your gathered resources which you wanted to convert. This charging fee is way higher than in the outside world. Eryndor thought, as he gazed at the points needed. True, points were simply a virtual currency which had a limited influence of only being of use in this tournament. However, Eryndor could still look through the prices of various items on the list and form a rough value of the points. For example, if in the outside world, a toothpaste cost hundred federation dollars, and the charging fee to hire a professional cost twenty thousand federation dollars, then in the Support Shrine, the toothpaste cost hundred points and the charging fee was thirty thousand points. Of course, those weren''t real values, just an example, but it still demonstrated how expensive the charging fee was in the Support Shrine. Eryndor could guess why. Is it because these resources were found in this secret realm and aren''t exactly ours? There was a high chance that was the case. It would also explain why all the resources could be sold to the Support Shrine at a higher price than in the outside world. Of course, the students would only get points in return for selling, which was simply a made up currency for this tournament, but it would still be useful if it allowed them to rush into top ten ranks. It was as if the Academy was discouraging them from taking the resources for themselves. Well, I can understand why they would do it, but not like I care. Our team is not one of the weaker ones which would need to resort to such tactics to stay in the top ten. We can easily consume these resources without any problem. Despite convincing himself, it still gave him a heartache as he watched his points go down after he decided to pay the charging fee. Apparently, it looked like the pills which he requested were already ready so he quickly got them instead of having to wait. It seems they haven''t employed anyone to make these items on the spot as soon as the students submit the raw materials. Rather, they''ve already put all the items which could be made from the resources found in this secret realm in the warehouse of the Support Shrines This way, as soon as a student submits their resources and wants a specific kind of item, they would be able to make an exchange immediately. Eryndor commended the mechanism before retreating to his room. Looking at the seven pills in his hand, he decided to utilize them after he had a good sleep. Right now he was functioning purely on willpower. As soon as his head hit the bed, he was immediately pulled into the comforting darkness of sleep. Approximately six hours later, he woke up with complete clarity of mind and a rejuvenated body. His entire being felt fresh. It immensely helped that he had taken a shower prior to going to bed. As someone practicing a power system, he didn''t need a proper eight hour sleep to recover, even four to five hours were enough. It was just that his previous condition was so bad that it took him six hours before he naturally woke up after his body felt it was fully recovered. Stretching his entire physique, Eryndor went through his morning routine before settling back on the bed. There''s still two more hours before which I''ll be prompted to leave or pay more, I should start consuming those pills. The name of those pills was Pure Qi pills. Similar to Qi Gathering pills, these pills also didn''t change name the higher their quality was. Those suitable for people at level one were called level one Pure Qi pills, those appropriate for level two were called level two Pure Qi pills and so on. If Qi Gathering pills increased the absorption speed of the surrounding Qi, then Pure Qi pills had plenty of Qi packed in themselves. It was said that even compared to Qi crystals, the efficiency and effect of absorbing Qi from Pure Qi pills was better. Pure Qi pills dwarfed Qi Gathering pills both in absorption speed and quantity as they allowed a person to absorb the Qi packed inside them at startling efficiency. Eryndor looked at the seven pills in his hand, three of them were at level two, and four were at level one. Similar to Qi Gathering pills, it would be extremely difficult if someone at a lower level tried to control the advantages brought about by consuming a Pure Qi pill of higher level. Controlling the incoming Qi was no joke. If you failed to manipulate all the Qi which was rushing in into the correct channel, then there was a high chance of cultivation deviation. Finally, let''s use them. Chapter 232 232: Continuous jump in stages Eryndor had almost an eighty percent confidence that he would be able to handle the level two Pure Qi pills despite being at level one, which was the Qi Gathering realm. It wasn''t that he was being arrogant but that he had facts to back himself up. It was mentioned on the internet how those who had reached the limit of control, which was close to thirty percent, were able to consume higher levels of pills which had the characteristics similar to Qi Gathering pills and Pure Qi pills. Of course, those at level three couldn''t consume pills at level four because they simply couldn''t be manufactured due to the Cosmic Limit. Since I have a control of fifty percent, I should be able to handle higher level pills as well. Eryndor thought, consuming a level one pill. The only reason he didn''t have a hundred percent guarantee but eighty percent was because he basically had no experience doing this before. He took a deep breath, and immediately began controlling the incoming Qi as soon as the pill began melting in his mouth. Pure Qi pills were popular for a variety of reasons, one of them being that they were one of the few pills which could be used in combat. If the consumer had a high degree of focus and control, they could easily manipulate the Qi from the Pure Qi pill through the correct meridians, thereby replenishing their Qi reserves while in battle. With his high level of control, Eryndor was easily able to manipulate the incoming strands of Qi into the correct meridians. It was only a level one Pure Qi pill, and combined with his insane control, of course it would be easy. Eryndor took a deep breath, and began calculating how far he was from the next breakthrough. Alright, not too far, these Pure Qi Pills are a big help indeed. Eryndor didn''t attempt to practice his cultivation technique by circulating the incoming Qi through that route of meridians. He would only guide the incoming Qi into the correct meridian and leave it there. At the same time as when the pill completely dissolved, his Qi began burning up. His body felt like it was submerged in water, when suddenly the sound of glass breaking resounded, breaking away all the illusions. He was now at stage eight of Qi Gathering realm! Eryndor didn''t stop. This was a huge opportunity to keep upgrading his stage. He now had three of both level one and level two Pure Qi pills. He popped another level one pill into his mouth and began manipulating the incoming Qi. This time, there was no breakthrough, but he could feel that he was already close to mid level of stage eight. Without stopping, he popped in another level one pill. Manipulating the incoming rush of Qi was no easy task despite how high his control was. Eryndor could only wonder how others did it. It was very likely that they would have to devote their complete attention just to keep their control over the Qi and guide them into the correct meridians. It would definitely not be like Eryndor''s situation where he had the leisure to think about different things. Of course, that was only in the beginning when you consumed the pill. In the middle stage, the rush of the incoming Qi would be the highest, therefore you would need much more control to tackle this part. There were rumors that a higher quality pill, specifically those with lines on the pill, wouldn''t have such an uneven distribution. This pill line wasn''t based on a level, but purely the quality of a pill. Any level of pill could have a pill line. Only extremely talented alchemists who had immense control over each and every aspect of the pill refining process of that specific pill and had a complete detailed knowledge about all the ingredients involved would be able to bring a qualitative change to the pill, thereby forming lines over it. Finally, passed the middle level of stage eight as well. Eryndor thought while clenching his fist. This time he took a short break. As mentioned earlier, manipulating the incoming rush of Qi still took plenty of focus, consuming his mental strength. After he rested his mind enough, Eryndor popped in the last level one Pure Qi pill which he had. Another round of Qi began rushing into his body, which he expertly controlled to head towards the meridians of his practice technique. Even though he wasn''t using his practice technique, as in, manipulating the Qi throughout the circuit, those set of meridians still acted as the storage compartment. Eryndor heaved a sigh as the difficulty of controlling the Qi somewhat lowered. This was the exact reason he had used level one Pure Qi pills before the level two ones. He wanted to get some experience controlling the immense rush of Qi, no matter how less useful it might amount to when using a higher level of pill. Towards the end as his level one pill was about to be completely dissolved, Eryndor checked the situation in his meridians. Just a little more to enter stage nine! Eryndor gritted his teeth, and consumed the level two Pure Qi pill immediately. He had run out of level one pills. As soon as there were first signs of melting of the level two Pure Qi pill, Eryndor instantly understood the difference between two levels of the pill. The rush of incoming Qi was way more immense, and forceful. There was no time to think about miscellaneous things as he began focusing on controlling the Qi. The Qi levels in his meridians began rising steadily. Just a little more. He continued manipulating Qi, increasing the amount in his storage. Finally, when half of the level two pill was consumed, he broke through to stage nine of Qi Gathering realm. It almost brought a problem though, as he nearly succumbed to cultivation deviation when the illusion of breakthrough distracted him from manipulating the incoming Qi. Good thing nothing happened. As he finished the first level two pill, and glanced at two more on his palm, he thought. Maybe I can reach the Qi Condensation realm? Chapter 233 233: Theory of Qi Condensation Eryndor looked at the time, there was only half an hour left. Even though these pills didn''t take much time to be dissolved, his break wasn''t a short one. Will I be able to completely consume these two pills and break through to the Qi Condensation realm in half an hour? Eryndor knew his own state right now. A level two Pure Qi pill was whole another matter. Even though he had broken through to stage nine of Qi Gathering realm and received an overall boost to his physical and mental capabilities, it still burdened him heavily to manipulate the incoming flow of Qi from a level two Pure Qi pill. He would definitely need to take a break again right now. Currently, he had two more pills, which meant he would need to take a break once more after taking the second level two pill. There was no need for a seperate exclusive break after consuming the third once as he could spend time with his teammates in the name of resting. He had underestimated the effect of these pills. After experiencing them, he knew that there was a possibility that he might step into the Qi Condensation realm, the second level of the cultivation power system. If he did indeed make that breakthrough, then his physique and mind would go through a huge upgrade, which meant he wouldn''t need to even rest. He deposited the two level two Pure Qi pills beside him and went to recharge his time in the private cabin. He paid for another hour as a backup, and also notified his teammates about his current situation before he began resting. His resting included practicing cultivation technique, meditating or simply taking a nap. Approximately half an hour later, he took one of the level two pills and popped it in his mouth. Just like before, as soon as the melting of the pill began, a torrent of Qi strands rushed in his body. His focus heightened, and he immediately began controlling the Qi to move them into the correct location. It went on for about several minutes before he stopped. Eryndor checked his meridians, and noticed that he had already crossed the mid level of ninth stage. Looking at the last level two Pure Qi pill, he thought. I really hope I can break through to the Qi Condensation realm. Eryndor once again took to resting, this time consuming forty five minutes to recover to his absolute peak stage. Taking a deep breath, he sat cross legged on his bed and popped in the last pill. Just as always, multiple strands of Qi dissociated from the Pure Qi pill after it melted and rushed into the body. At a certain point, Eryndor finally began encountering a wall. It wasn''t anything physical, or mental, but purely just a feeling. It was as if his Qi Storage had stopped growing. Encountering this phenomenon, Eryndor knew he had hit the bottleneck between the Qi Gathering realm and the Qi Condensation realm. Once an individual reached this stage, it meant they were at the peak stage of Qi Gathering realm, and no more Qi could be stored. From now onwards, they would have to use the excess Qi they absorbed while going through the practice technique into making a dantian. Compared to a closed route of meridians which the cultivators in the Qi Gathering realm used, Dantian was a better storage equipment, which unlocked at Qi Condensation realm. After reaching the peak of Qi Gathering realm when no more extra Qi could be stored, all the absorbed Qi would head towards a spot below their navel region. It was three finger width below the navel where the Dantian would start forming through the excess Qi. During this time, as if it was the guidance from the universe itself, the absorbed excess Qi would head towards the region below the navel by itself. The cultivator just needed to ensure that the Qi wouldn''t enter any meridian by mistake, after all the guidance of the universe wasn''t accurate. It was more like a destination guidance, as only the end point was provided but not the route. It meant that the Qi only knew it had to head towards the region where the dantian would start forming, but not how, this task was cultivator''s. Once the Qi safely arrived at the location, the cultivator would have to start condensing those Qi strands to form a hollow sphere. This process usually took time, as the daily absorption speed of people wasn''t as fast taking pills. The reason they didn''t consume pills like Pure Qi pills for breakthrough was because one would have to divide their focus to control Qi at two spots if they used it. By normal absorption, a few strands of Qi would enter, after which they would stop their absorption if they didn''t have enough confidence in their control. They would then manipulate this Qi to not enter the meridians and reach the area of dantian, where they would use their control to compress the Qi and start forming the shape of a sphere. However, if one used pills, the incoming rush of Qi strands wouldn''t simply stop. As they guided one batch of Qi strands and began condensing them, another batch would immediately arrive, which meant they would have to deploy their control prowess at two different locations, which was the first batch of Qi strands and second batch, which wasn''t as simple as one plus one equals two. Even among those with high control, very few had the confidence to use pills to break through to the Qi Condensation realm. One also couldn''t take out the pills from their mouth to stop the rush of Qi, because once the pill was activated, it couldn''t be stopped. If they took it out of their mouth, the Qi would simply dissipate into the environment instead of heading towards the body, which would be an enormous loss. As soon as Eryndor''s Qi storage was full, he welcomed the first batch of excess Qi, ready to start forming the dantian. Chapter 234 234: Breaking through successfully One might have a question, that if people used pills in the Qi Gathering realm to push through the stages, wouldn''t the risk be the same as when they used pills to break through? After all, even in the Qi Gathering realm, while they controlled a batch of Qi strands to enter the correct meridian, another batch would quickly arrive, wasn''t the risk practically the same? The answer was no. During the breakthrough process, the first batch of Qi would need to go through the body and enter the region below navel safely without entering any meridian, then it also needed to be condensed, all the while the second batch of Qi strands would have already entered. However, while absorbing the pills in the Qi Gathering realm, one only needed to guide them into the correct meridians. The thing was, these meridians were way more closer to the edge than the area of dantian. So, by the time the second batch of Qi arrived, one would have already finished guiding the first batch into the correct meridians. Eryndor had no time to pay attention to anything in the outside world, or even afford to have miscellaneous thoughts, he completely focused on controlling the excess Qi to not enter any meridian. One advantage was that he didn''t have to completely control the Qi. It basically knew where it was supposed to go. Only when it was about to run into a meridian would he have to nudge that bundle of Qi strands away from the said meridian. As it finally reached the area below his navel, Eryndor took complete control of the bundle and began compressing it. He didn''t forget to pay attention to the level two pill in his mouth. Immediately, the second batch quickly entered his body while he was still compressing the first batch. Like it was mentioned before, it was easy to control the Qi to head towards the dantian region. One just had to nudge it slightly. With his insane manipulation level, Eryndor could keep the situation from spiralling out of control as long as he was focused and knew what to do. He just had to not mess up. Since it was his first time, Eryndor almost messed up, allowing the Qi to enter one of the meridians, but he quickly rectified his mistake. When the third bundle of Qi strands arrived, he had already compressed the first batch of Qi strands, and had switched to the second batch which just reached the dantian region. The process kept repeating, while Eryndor barely held on. Finally, he compressed the last piece of hollow sphere which would be his dantian from now on. As soon as he put that compressed piece in its place, the dantian was formed! A massive transformation immediately began taking place in his physique and mind. Eryndor ignored the feeling of pleasure brought about by advancement and glanced inside his body. Instantly, as if illusory tubes had connected the dantian to multiple meridians, all the Qi stored in them rushed towards the empty hollow sphere. The Pure Qi pill hasn''t been fully consumed yet. With the dantain completed, Eryndor had a bit of leisure, so he could afford to spread out his attention. As the Qi began rushing into the hollow sphere from all the meridians, the new incoming bundle of Qi from the Pure Qi pill also arrived. Since the dantian had already been formed, he no longer needed to nudge the Qi out of the way, but instead resumed manipulating it towards the correct route of meridians. He didn''t need to control the Qi once it entered the meridians, as it automatically headed towards the dantian on its own. Finally, the Pure Qi pill ran out. His dantian, the new storage place, was only fifty percent full despite all the Qi from peak stage Qi Gathering and a little bit of level two Pure Qi pill heading towards it. After everything was done, Eryndor heaved a heavy sigh. I have finally stepped into the Qi Condensation realm! Clenching his fist, he ran the practice technique, Breath of Lightning God, and realized that his absorption speed had increased by quite a bit. My physical strength and mental capability have both increased. Even after such a long time of heightened focus and control during breakthrough, I don''t feel any mental fatigue at all. Once he had that thought, Eryndor couldn''t help but think of another matter. Wait, since my mental strength has increased, doesn''t that mean I would be able to handle my eldritch form much better than before? Yes, there''s a high chance that I can use it much more freely now. Eryndor hadn''t forgotten how his cultivation system was once able to counter the effects brought about by the black smoke. Back then, he had formed the assumption that the eight power systems could counterbalance the anomalistic power system. Of course, the current situation had nothing to do with that. It was just his increased mental strength being suitable to ward off the effects of eldritch form, not necessarily an order versus chaos situation. As he finished analyzing his current state, Eryndor then thought about a speculation which he had in his mind for quite a while. Wait, first I need to pack up and leave. Only then did he snap out of his thought and look at the amount of time left. 5 minutes left before I''ll be penalized. He had almost gone above the time limit. If a normal cost to rent a room for one hour was a hundred points, then the penalty was double of that. Eryndor hurriedly rearranged his bag such that the contents inside were properly arranged, before he left the room with two minutes remaining. He could cash in these two minutes of private room time at any other Support Shrine. Once outside, he regrouped with his teammates, who had gathered at a distance away from the Support Shrine. Now I just need a safe spot to check my Mind Palace. Chapter 235 235: Everyones new levels He looked around at his group and realized that Valentina seemed to be missing. Is she also breaking through? But isn''t she already in the Beast Keeper realm? Damn, does that mean she is climbing stages of second level? It was obviously more impressive to breakthrough at higher realms than at lower ones. "You sure took your time." Drakarion teased Eryndor once he arrived. "Were you breaking through?" Paulina asked him. Everyone had earned plenty of resources yesterday, so it wouldn''t be strange if they knew what Eryndor was doing. There was also the fact that converting those resources into pills only cost points, which was a made up currency for the tournament. The only worth of those points were the top ten rankings. All of them still had the confidence to be in the top ten, which meant anything they exchanged from the Support Shrine was basically free. On the other hand, if they didn''t manage to stay in the top ten, that''d be a pity. Eryndor nodded, there was no need to hide it. Drakarion rubbed his hands together. "I am at stage eight now hehe." He was at stage five of Iron Body realm prior to this, along with Paulina, who was at the same level. Of course, since Eryndor received enough resources to break through three times, which was from stage seven to eight, then eight to nine, and the final big realm breakthrough which consumed even more resources, from ninth stage to Qi Condensation realm first stage, it was rather apparent that the others would get resources around Eryndor''s level, a bit less if anything. Lesser than Eryndor because he was the one who found the location of this resource point. Even though the team moving together would provide support to each other, it couldn''t be denied that Eryndor''s contribution was the highest, therefore the highest share. Paulina nodded alongside Drakarion, even going so far as to reveal her aura. "I am at stage eight now as well." Eryndor didn''t know if both of them had run out of resources or that they had been too exhausted to continue. Jumping more than three grades at once in the first level was too exhausting on the mind after all. Not one to be left behind, Syndra flared up her aura, surprising everyone. She had stepped into the Qi Condensation realm! Paulina was the first one to ask her a question. "Were you already on the verge of completely forming your dantian?" Majority of the people didn''t bother learning about the specifics of the other power systems, not to mention they couldn''t learn it even if they wanted to. The Human Federation didn''t allow people to share the practice technique they had received. The students in the Academy got their first practice technique for free, but if they wanted more, they would have to exchange with credit points, which was the currency of the Academy. The outside world had it worse. Mercenary teams like Team Yetoren and Team Lockheim would need plenty of money and contributions points to exchange even their first power system. Sure, The Human Federation wanted to increase the total power of humanity, but that didn''t mean that they wouldn''t screen out people first. If the people who began practicing the power system turned around to bite humanity then it would be a loss. There were plenty of examples throughout the years, but that was already a result of multiple policies put in place by the Federation regarding who would get to practice the power systems and who would not, else it would be even higher. Majority of the people who got their power systems would focus on walking that path, instead of sticking their nose everywhere. Not to mention that they wouldn''t easily be able to get their hands on another power system anyway, since it would increase the cost of resources they would need to level up in that other path. People like Paulina, who had knowledge about several paths were rare. As he heard her question, Eryndor was once again reminded of his early impressions of Paulina and Drakarion. Both of them seemed to be extremely knowledgeable, even more so than what was normal. As he was in his thoughts, Syndra chuckled. "Yes, I was already on the verge of completing my dantian, yesterday''s resources gave me a boost." Seeing that it was about to be his turn, Edward shook his head, while revealing his stage nine Elementalist aura. "The resources needed to break through to the Mana Adept realm, the third level of the magic power system, are a lot more than you think. "Even combining the ones I''ve already gathered, it isn''t enough." Mana novice was the first level, Elementalist was the second level, and Mana Adept was the third level of the magic power system. Just as he finished speaking, Valentina joined them. None of them were surprised as they had already sensed her through their surveillance skills. "Were you late because you were also breaking through?" Drakarion asked with a laugh. Valentina nodded, and the next moment when she revealed her aura, everyone was shocked speechless, except Eryndor who already knew the information but didn''t see it coming that she would reveal it now. Everyone except Eryndor''s eyes turned wide as Valentina confirmed their suspicions. "I''ve broken through to the Beast Keeper realm." The Beast Seeker realm was the first level, while the Beast Keeper realm was the second level of the Beast Taming power system. The problem was, only Eryndor knew that she had long broken through to the Beast Keeper realm. In everyone else''s eyes, Valentina was only at stage five of Beast Seeker realm previously, how could she jump five stages? One of which was a major realm breakthrough? As expected, Paulina questioned her about the same thing. "Weren''t you at stage five just like us?" Valentina nodded, then said. "Alongside the resources which I got yesterday, I already had some myself, some of which can even relieve mental fatigue if used with certain pills such as Pure Internal pills. "I used that to continuously break through, finally reaching the Beast Keeper realm." Just like how Pure Qi pill was used for power systems which consumed Qi, namely cultivation and buddhism, Pure Internal pill was used for power systems which consumed Internal energy, namely beast taming and martial arts. A few people used this point as a common point in bars and other gatherings to joke about, and tease the naming sense of the Federation, as there were even Pure Spiritual pill and Pure Mana pill. They hadn''t put much effort into naming these pills at all. Lazy bums. "Makes sense." Paulina nodded before continuing. "The breakthrough process of the Beast Seeker realm to the Beast Keeper realm is quicker than the cultivation power system." She really has a lot of knowledge. Eryndor narrowed his eyes in thought. After their discussion died down, Eryndor finally exposed his realm. He had only told others that he had a breakthrough, not that which stage or realm he had reached. Since everyone had revealed their aura, he felt an itch to do it as well. No sooner than their shock at Valentina''s aura had died down that their eyes once again turned wide, gazing at Eryndor in astonishment. Drakarion and Paulina, who knew about the difficulty of completing the breakthrough from the Qi Gathering realm to the Qi Condensation realm, were even more shocked. Syndra, being a practitioner of the cultivation power system, was similarly more shocked than others. Eryndor had only been at stage seven of Qi Gathering realm yesterday! How did he finish forming his dantian in one go?! Valentina and Edward didn''t have much knowledge on the cultivation power system, but were still shocked at his speed. Breakthrough from one realm to another realm was always way more difficult than breaking through stages. "Let''s go search for beasts, our today''s mission would be to find as many hidden rules as possible." Seeing that Eryndor had changed topics, no one asked how he could complete the breakthrough from the Qi Gathering realm to Qi Condensation realm in one go. Their team was now countless times more powerful than before, Eryndor doubted if there was any other team as strong as them right now. He had a small guess that the resources he had found below the cliff were rather...differently hidden. They couldn''t be found by normal surveillance skills, or low levelled ones. Because there was no reason why the other team they had eliminated wouldn''t be able to sense the resources once they stood literally opposite to his own team, similarly above the cliff. If they had sensed those precious resources, there was a high chance they would at least notify their friends in different teams even if to disgust Team Eryndor. Since they obviously wouldn''t be able to snatch it, the other teams could still put a target on them. But that team had never once mentioned those resources despite how precious they were. They hadn''t even glanced at it. He guessed that it was probably because his Cognitive Scrying was in the Enhanced realm that he could go past whatever obstruction there was and sense the resources. I really need to find a safe place to enter the Mind Palace, but we''ll soon be taking a break, so I can use that time I guess. Eryndor thought as he looked around. They had decided to keep the same pairs as before and moved out to hunt the beasts. It had been hours since they started, and had already hunted a lot of beasts. They had also found two new hidden rules, courtesy of Paulina and Valentina, who were in the same team. Finally, when their stomach began rumbling out of hunger, the teams gathered once again, while Eryndor sighed in relief at the back. Finally. Chapter 236 236: A guess being overturned Team Eryndor would always look for a good spot where they could rest, with the obvious minimum requirement being that it should be clean, but Eryndor always used a few more pieces of equipment before sitting on the ground. Tundra is really troublesome for resting. Eryndor thought. They had to find a place with no snow on the ground, else it would often melt when they camped at the spot. This would create quite an inconvenience. He placed the bag beside him. At his level of physique, even the travel bag which would be heavy for an untrained human was quite light work for him. At times he even felt like fighting with the bag on him due to how light it felt but knew that he couldn''t. There were two reasons, the first one being that one could never guarantee the full safety of the bag. What if the beast reacted unexpectedly, and damaged the bag? The second one being that his bag contained a few delicate items. The battle movements weren''t always smooth and fluid, which meant there was a high chance that they might get damaged. As the team began discussing the two new hidden rules, they also began applying healing sprays. All this while they mainly engaged with the peak stage Latent realm beasts, so being hurt a little was inevitable, no one had Passive Regeneration like Eryndor here. Peak stage Latent realm beasts were also ''almost'' the peak combat prowess of the beasts in this secret realm. It was so that the influence of second year seniors, the majority of whom were in the second level of their power systems, could be minimized. The presence of Stable realm beasts was rare, and the number of Active realm beasts could be counted on one hand. Maybe when the tournament reached its end stage the average strength of beasts would increase. Eryndor glanced at them discussing the two new hidden rules but didn''t participate, instead leaning against a tree and closing his eyes, preparing to head into his Mind Palace. Even until now, he didn''t know what happened to his body when he entered his Mind Palace. If his body became an empty shell, like a puppet without strings, then it was better to lean on the tree and close his eyes so that no one would suspect a thing. As his consciousness drifted, his ears were still picking up the sounds of discussion of his teammates. The two new hidden rules they had figured out were - First, just like how Eryndor deduced that using the same element skill in the fight to defeat the beast would result in bonus points, if the teammates used the same set of physical actions to defeat the beast, then they would get bonus points. For this to trigger, just like the previous hidden rule, they would have to defeat the beast roughly at the same time with not too much of a gap. If one used an uppercut to defeat the beast in the morning and another team member used an uppercut to defeat a beast at night, they wouldn''t get any bonus points. The second hidden rule was quite frankly difficult to find, and if not for Eryndor, it would take a lot of effort to even trigger it. This rule would only trigger when the team was divided in three groups and were fighting three different species of beasts at the same time. Once the above conditions were satisfied, a random object in the vicinity of their fight would expose a tiny design. Eryndor only found this when he was messing around in his eldritch form and zooming in at random places. Once the team was divided in three groups and were fighting different species of beasts, one member from each of the three groups would have to place their hand on the design which would pop up on a random object in the vicinity of their fight. It could be on a stone, on a tree trunk, on a leaf, or even on a random place on the snowy ground. This second rule in particular gave a lot of bonus points. "Nothing seems to have changed." Eryndor muttered softly, seeing the outer layer of the Mind Palace. Keeping the speculation he had still in his heart, he entered the massive structure. No change in the three orbs. The orb of Telekinesis was still on the verge of breakthrough, but no significant difference yet. With a sigh, he headed towards the second room and gazed solemnly at the closed door. Long ago, he had a few guesses on how to open these doors, one of them was that since he unlocked the first door after breaking through to the first level of the cultivation power system, would he now be qualified to open the second door now that he was on the second level of his power system? Time to test it. Eryndor closed the distance with the second door and pushed the door with one hand. It didn''t budge. His expression faltered as he took a few steps back and rammed into the door with his shoulder first. It moved a bit, but refused to open. Eryndor wasn''t unfamiliar with this. I can''t open this. So the conditions have still not been fulfilled huh? Eryndor narrowed his eyes and thought about his second guess, but it was way way wayyyyy more difficult than this first guess. If the mechanism of opening was indeed that second guess, then the difficulty would exponentially increase each time. His second guess was, if the first door opened when he broke through to the first level of a single power system, could it be that the second door would open when he reached the second level in two power systems? Similarly, the third door would open when he reached the third level in three power systems and so on. If that is indeed the case, it would be way too difficult man what the fuck. Eryndor massaged his head, feeling his stress levels rising. Shaking his head, he put that to the back of his mind and entered the first room, where his Sovereign''s Cloak lay. As soon as he entered the room though, he was quite surprised. In the past, the only notable thing in the room was the Cloak, but now? Dense golden runes covered every inch of the wall. What are these? He approached the wall, and carressed those runes. Unexpectedly, those runes pulsed faintly whenever his hand passed over them. Unfortunately, nothing was happening. He tried ''thinking'' of various things, hoping to trigger them, but nothing was taking place. It wasn''t a foolish attempt. Past incidents had repeatedly demonstrated how sometimes, even an ''intent'' was enough to set off things. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. My earlier thought process about the second guess might be true. The first condition might be the first level of a single power system. The second condition being second level in two power systems. Naturally, the third condition would be the third level in three power systems and so on. These might not just unlock the doors. Since the first condition unlocked the first door, the second condition might not unlock the second door but instead bring about a transformation with these golden runes. If nothing extraordinary pops up again, the third condition would be to unlock the second room, then the fourth condition for the golden runes inside the second room. But there are only eight power systems. If I go by what I just listed out, with two power systems per room, I''ll run out of power systems by the fourth room. There are eight doors in total, how would I unlock the last four doors? Eryndor thought a lot, but in the end he could only shelve these thoughts. He was at second level in a single power system, there was no use no matter how many hypotheses he made if he couldn''t verify it. I better climb to second level in another power system quickly to verify these facts. He thought, then left the Mind Palace. The majority of the beasts in the secret realm were in the Latent realm, so the progress of Sovereign''s Cloak hadn''t increased by much as it was in the Stable realm. As soon as he arrived in the outside world, he looked around and heaved a minor sigh when he realised the team were still eating their food and were in the same place. It would be quite awkward if they decided to move for some reason and he wasn''t responding. He had already told them not to disturb him so no one would''ve called out to him. Even if they did, he could just say he ignored them since he wanted to rest. Letting out a fake yawn, he regrouped with his team and joined in their discussion. As for his hunger, he only popped in a food pill. "Eryndor''s surveillance skill is really goddamn useful. The most important part about it is that he can even look at things which are small and difficult to spot through normal surveillance methods." It was Edward who was talking, explaining why Eryndor''s surveillance skill was so good in almost every aspect. At the beginner levels, no matter what surveillance skill you used, it was borderline trash. Majority of these skills only allowed one to see a black and white version of a limited range around them. Exceptional ones would allow a certain range of colors. They couldn''t zoom in on the target and so on. Those at the absolute top had a function or two extra which gave them an edge, but that was it. No one had ever seen a surveillance skill like Eryndor which seemed to be good in almost all aspects. Eryndor didn''t respond, but was lost in his own thoughts. He wanted to test one thing related to the tournament. Chapter 237 237: Second power system chosen Eryndor wanted to test if other people''s surveillance skills could find out the hidden resources. But finding out those large bunch of resources isn''t easy either. In my range which covered almost the entire tundra, there were only two spots. As he thought about it, Eryndor could only helplessly admit that it made sense. There were enough resources there that it allowed five people to have multiple breakthroughs. That was no small amount. They wouldn''t put these many resources at a lot of spots. If anything, they were supposed to be incredibly rare and difficult to even sense. The Academy wouldn''t needlessly spend a lot of resources on a first year tournament. I don''t know if the second spot has been emptied yet. It had been too long since he last checked it, he would have to switch to his eldritch form again. Approximately half an hour later, they were done eating. Due to the presence of different elemental skills, it was easier and way faster to cook meat, thus they were also always done eating quickly unless they spent too much time in idle talks. Should I try to head towards those resource points? Eryndor thought for a second and decided that he might as well head there. It was ten hours away from their current location though. This time they should adopt a strategy of killing beasts along the way and taking breaks instead of walking straight towards the resource point through non stop jogging. Eryndor took a short and quick break away from his group to check up on the resources. Fortunately, they were indeed present. They really might be difficult to sense. After coming back, Eryndor discussed this with his group, and immediately carried out the plan after everyone agreed to it. While fighting the beasts, they once again found out a new hidden rule. This hidden rule gave even more bonus points than the rule about dividing in three teams. In this rule, there was a pattern. That is, squaring. There was no condition of dividing the team into smaller groups. Let''s say you were fighting a beast, a random small object in the surrounding would glow. One would have to immediately take possession of that object. Now, the second time an object would glow would be when you were fighting the fourth beast, counting from the first beast where you picked up the glowing object. The third time would be when you were fighting the ninth beast. The fourth time would be at sixteenth beast. One, four, nine, sixteen and so on, were squares of one, two, three, four and so on. The group would gain increasingly high bonus points as the squared number increased. If the group failed to pick up a glowing object during the fight with a beast which was square numbered, then the sequence would reset. The advantage of this was that the bonus point wasn''t affected by the combat prowess of the beast. It was entirely dependent on the sequence. Even if one fought an initial stage beast, it would still count towards the progress of the sequence. Finally, they reached the resource point, where Eryndor let others use their surveillance skills. Nothing happened. They couldn''t sense it. So I was correct. Eryndor thought, gazing thoughtfully at the resources which were hidden even more carefully this time. They were basically at the riverbed, and since the water wasn''t clear, none of those resources were visible to naked eyes from the surface. After taking those resources, they continued with their beast hunting. The teams were reshuffled, with Eryndor taking the role of the brain of the team. He stayed back alone, not fighting with the beasts, but used his range to keep an eye on everyone and remind them when to take which object and where to place their hands. Edward moved alone, since he was strong enough to defeat the beasts even if he placed one hand on some surface and remained immobile. As a mage, he didn''t need much mobility against weaker beasts in the first place. Valentina and Paulina moved together, and Syndra and Drakarion were in one team. Time continued passing by, as their team kept accumulating more and more points. With the discovery of hidden rules, they were always in the top two of the tournament, the position of first rank and second rank constantly switching between their own team and Team Kron. During the second week when three days were left for the tournament to end, just like Eryndor had expected, a change took place which required one to use the teleport function of the Support Shrine. A massive beast at Active realm appeared in a certain area, and notification was sent to each team. It was like a loot drop in battle royale games. And unlike other times where point distribution was based on the contribution during the battle, this time, the one who killed the beast would get all the points. A lot of teams quickly used teleport function to head towards where the beast was. At this point in the tournament, there were plenty of teams which had bought an escape treasure from the Support Shrine, so every one of them wanted to give it a try regardless of the fact that a lot of students would be gathering, making it dangerous. Team Eryndor was the one who managed to snatch the kill, allowing them to pull away from Team Kron and get a strong lead at first position. After getting resources from the riverbed, everyone had progressed even further. Drakarion and Paulina had both managed to break through to the Silver Warrior realm and the Elementalist realm respectively, which was the second level of their respective power systems. Realizing the importance of the second power system, Eryndor decided on being a Mentalist. Magic and Demonic power systems which were based on Mana, required one to make a mana core and an innate spell model, which would allow them to step into the first level of their power systems. Even if he assumed that his control over Mana would be as insane as his control over Qi, and that he could easily form a mana core, he would still need an innate spell model. Even if he decided to copy Paulina''s, he would still need a high enough comprehension of the topic to actually engrave it on the mana core. Mages engraved spell models on the outside of the mana core, while demons engraved it on the inside of the mana core. He couldn''t really spend time learning right now, so he abandoned those two paths. Eryndor didn''t have the practice techniques of the buddhist and cyborg power systems, so those paths were out of question as well. He also didn''t have any good beast which he could contract at the moment, so the beast taming system wasn''t a good idea either. Martial arts and mentalist power systems were the only ones which could give immediate benefits. The former would give him a better physique, and if he decided to ignore the Academy''s rules, he could even learn martial arts from Drakarion, further elevating his combat prowess. The latter would give him a higher resistance against the eldritch form. Eryndor chose to be a Mentalist because it consumed way less resources than the martial arts power system to break through to level one. The second loot drop event wasn''t a beast but a lot of resources. Team Utyr, the dark horse, managed to snatch the majority of the resources. In the third loot drop event, there was equipment. Team Kron managed to snatch it. Almost immediately, Eryndor saw a huge in the speed with which Team Kron gathered their points. In the fourth loot drop event, there was only a securely packed piece of paper. Team Eryndor was the one who managed to take it and use their escape treasures on time. The Academy didn''t want one to abuse the escape treasures, so there was a mechanism in place which would break down those treasures after one to two uses. It applied to both escape treasures, one bought from the Support Shrine, which would only last a single use, and those brought by students from outside, which would last for two uses. Eryndor already had a suspicion that the Academy wouldn''t allow one to abuse escape treasures, so he didn''t let Edward use his own escape treasure, but bought them from the Support Shrine. Each successive escape treasure bought from the Support Shrine by a single team would increase its price. If at first its price was hundred thousand points, then the second time it was two hundred thousand points. Edyndor knew that they could''ve threatened other teams to buy an escape treasure for them, as his range was high enough to cover the teleportation range of the Support Shrine, which meant they would easily be able to chase the team if they thought of running away. However, they ultimately didn''t go through with the idea as they didn''t plan on participating in more loot drop events. Surprisingly unsurprisingly, the fifth loot drop was snatched by Team Irene, which was still in the top ten rankings. The first loot drop event took place as soon as there were only three days left for the tournament to end, and there was a gap of twelve hours between each loot drop event. Going by that logic, everyone was guessing that there would be a sixth loot drop event in the final hour of the survival tournament. There was. And it was a simple one. A plain brawl, in which the winner would get - Two million points prize. Chapter 238 238: Thoughts of outside world In the final loot drop event, there was a thirty minute time frame to enter a large red circle. Everyone who wished to contend would have to enter it within the given time frame. The good thing was that five support shrines were situated on the perimeter of the red circle itself, inadvertently revealing just how large it was. At the end of the thirty minute mark, another thirty minute timer would begin, which would end at the same time as the tournament''s end. Thirty minutes was all one had, to ensure that they would be the last team standing. Apart from eliminating students, pushing them out of the circle was also one way to disqualify them from the loot drop event. Each second the circle would keep getting smaller, which meant you couldn''t really hide away. You would have to show yourself and fight at some point. The last team standing would get two million points. If there were more than one team still left, no one would get the points. Eryndor saw this final rule as a means to instill desperation into the students. Else the Academy could easily set the rules that the points would be divided amongst the teams still standing at the end of thirty minutes. The tenth rank had less than two million at this point. Which meant the winner of this loot drop event would immediately be pushed in top ten ranking if they weren''t already in there. Eryndor and the others didn''t join it, but teleported over to spectate the event. There really wasn''t any point of them joining. They were already at the first rank, worst case scenario they would just lose the top spot, which wasn''t much really. Because, since the loot drop event would end at the same time as the tournament, it meant that they wouldn''t be able to exchange for good stuff from the Support Shrine either. When they reached there, with their firm position at the top rank, no one dared to even think of attacking them. Similar to Team Eryndor, there were a few who wanted to take a look at the fight as well, most of them were those in the top ten. Since the exchanged items couldn''t be taken out after the tournament ended, none of the top teams bothered to buy anything more at this time with their extra points. A few minutes later after the match began, Eryndor saw Team Yu in their visible range. There wasn''t any surprise, both the teams had already sensed each other but it looked like Team Yu didn''t even want to look at them. Eryndor silently thought. They must''ve found out what I did, but I don''t really care. A few minutes later Eryndor sensed Team Bronit. Feeling that the situation didn''t seem right, Eryndor immediately led his team through a detour. Seeing that Team Eryndor didn''t fall for it, Team Bronit blatantly walked over to Team Yu. Eryndor saw everything through his large range. By this time, there was a high chance that both of these teams knew what he had done. Despite knowing his range, they very likely made a trap for him, maybe an attempt to get back at him. Childish. Eryndor inwardly commented. Even if Team Yu, who were relatively closer, had disregarded everything and ran towards them to keep them there, they could easily escape on Edward''s treasure. Even if they didn''t escape, Eryndor didn''t think they would lose even if they went against two seeded teams alone. However, he was a cautious guy, so he just took a detour. He still didn''t know if the other teams had been able to find important resource points. If they had, then their advantage would be nullified to a certain degree. At this point, everyone''s stages and realms had increased again after finding two more resource points after the second one they found at the riverbed. Which meant, four in total. Edward was still at stage nine of Elementalist realm. Fortunately, he said that the resources were finally enough, but he would rather break through alone in a specialized place after conditioning his body, mind and spirit to be at peak state. The chaotic environment of the survival tournament was not suitable for this. Paulina had climbed to stage four of Elementalist realm. Drakarion had climbed to stage one of Silver Warrior realm, barely breaking through. As mentioned before, the Martial Art power system consumed a lot of resources, especially while breaking though. Valentina broke through to stage five of Beast Keeper realm. As for her real level? Eryndor didn''t know. Syndra was at stage three of Qi Condensation realm. Despite being one of the earliest to break through to level two, her stage was lower than others because she practiced the cultivation power system. Unlike the Qi Gathering realm, the Qi Condensation realm wasn''t simply about increasing the total amount of Qi. The gap between stage four and stage three was larger than even stage four and five in the Qi Condensation realm. The gap between stage three and stage four, stage six and stage seven, were large gaps of Qi Condensation realm. Lastly, the cultivation power system might be easy to get started with and also have the lowest requirement on resources, but it also took a lot of time during breakthroughs. Eryndor was at stage one of the Qi Condensation realm. He had already broken through to this realm after consuming the first batch of resources, so why was he still at the same stage despite getting three more batches? Because he was no longer focusing on it. His mentalist power system was at stage nine of the first level, which was called Primind realm. It was only due to the existence of a large amount of resources that he was able to push through so many stages in a short time. His control over the Spiritual energy helped a lot as well, as without it, it would be countless times more difficult and slower. As Eryndor watched the proceedings of the last loot drop event, his mind drifted back to how they would be leaving the secret realm soon. I feel a bit afraid. Chapter 239 239: More points about Caulins thought process For some reason Eryndor''s heart couldn''t sit still everytime he thought about heading outside. As if he was leaving some kind of safe net and returning out there in the big wide main world. No use worrying, I am probably just too used to staying in this small place. I''ll get over it soon. Maybe his feeling emerged from the fact that there were some truly monstrous, genius and scheming beings out there. He had thought back to his train of thought when he talked to Caulin, and he noticed some more facts about it. Back then, it chilled his heart when he thought he had just narrowly saved himself unknowingly. Eryndor thought of a few points which he hadn''t paid attention to after knowing the entire plan of Caulin. The first point was, the machines which changed the location of the Maws of Abyss. The second point was, the information about the Shx''Trelith eldritch entity. For Caulin''s plan to work, he had to know that particular information about Shx''Trelith which mentioned no devices with connection back to the Earth were allowed near it because there were high chances it would trace it to reach Earth. Eryndor recalled the two conditions he assumed about the high price for the information about his title from the Mystical Artifact. One - It was based on the rarity of the information. Two - It was based on the level of life form involved in the information, and since he was an eldritch entity, that price turned out to be high. As usual, there could also be a third option which involves both. However, if the Mystical Artifact indeed used the level of life form to determine the price, then Shx''Trelith was also an eldritch entity. It''s level of life form was certainly on the same level as him. Then just like now, Caulin would have had to pay a high price if he wanted information about Shx''Trelith. But. But. What if...he didn''t use the Mystical Artifact? The machines moving the Maws of Abyss, and the information related to Shx''Trelith. What if he had gotten help from the Cyborg Outer Domain? They certainly had the capability to go head to head, or even come out victorious against the Human Federation if it came to technology. They could entirely launch spaceships without letting the Human Federation know and conduct their own information gathering. Could Caulin put machines on the third planet to move the Maws of Abyss without letting the Federation know of his moves? Doubtful. But could the Cyborg Outer Domain do it? Certainly. Now, one could argue that Cyborg Outer Domain was helping Caulin because he was about to betray humanity. But then, why would they tell Caulin about information related to the Trenek secret realm which was important enough to consider significant for humanity in a bad way? There was only one answer, Caulin had someone loyal to him in the Cyborg Outer Domain. Of course, all of this was based on a mountain of assumptions. One - That the price of information was related to the level of life form involved in the answer. Two - That Caulin hadn''t paid the price to know information about Shx''Trelith. Three - That Caulin wasn''t capable enough to evade the Human Federation to put machines on the third checkpoint planet which housed the Maws of Abyss. If everything was true, then Caulin was truly daring. Deriving from point number two, Caulin hadn''t paid the price for Shx''Trelith''s information even when it concerned his entire betrayal plan. Sure, he had a spy planted in Cyborg Outer Domain, but to steal information on an eldritch entity which was already highly classified enough, and even send it to a widely proclaimed Cyborg genius of the Human Federation? That was extremely risky. Which meant, Caulin hadn''t even paid the price even at the cost of his planted spy. In this event of Polinek, humanity would''ve lost only Pat Ravencroft, a Commander level figure, and a few other members of Ravencroft family while gaining Calix, a Commander level figure who could ''continue'' to be a Commander level figure. Everytime the Cosmic Limit increased, people had to be quick to climb up in order to maintain their lead. Who could climb faster than Calix, whose ability made it such that his power depended on the number of people under him? He was at least one of the fastest if not the fastest climber at least in the early stages of the power system. Eryndor had no doubt that he might already have a power at the peak stage of level three. Humanity also successfully planted a nail in the side of the Mage Outer Domain. Now, if we turn to this event. Even if we considered that Caulin somehow knew about the tournament taking place, what would humanity gain out of the information he was about to tell him? Nothing. Even if it saved the lives of Guardian Sol and all the students, that was just what humanity already had, it couldn''t be called a ''gain''. Because if we looked at it that way, Caulin, a future Commander level figure, the mercenary teams and the senior students of the Academy which had gone to help in battle of Polinek, could be called a ''gain'' as well since they didn''t die and were still on humanity''s side. No matter what, regardless if Caulin knew about the tournament or not, the overall value of the battle of Polinek city was much greater than the Trenek secret realm. Caulin didn''t pay a price even when it concerned the battle of Polinek city, and now when it concerned the Trenek secret realm, he wanted Eryndor to tell him the title, which, in a roundabout way, had the same weight as the price he wasn''t willing to pay. So essentially, Caulin was playing a game with him. He was lowballing the offer covertly. If Eryndor had agreed to the deal straight up, it would mean that the value of Trenek secret realm to him was higher than what Caulin thought. And if Caulin indeed knew about the tournament, there must be someone among the students or the two high ranking members of the Human Federation that this entity who exposed his plan valued. If Caulin looked deeply, only the four students Eryndor, Paulina, Drakarion and Valentina were involved in the plan of Amplifier Doll and Polinek city, which concerned the battle of Polinek city, and now were present in the tournament which concerned the Trenek secret realm. Among them, Eryndor was the only one who happened to be with Liliana on the mission to Shx''Trelith where he could''ve obtained all the information about it and also know Liliana''s actions, which weren''t possible for the other three which were in the Polinek city at that time. Won''t that mean his doubt on me would substantially increase? He would pay even more attention to me than to Paulina who was simply assumed as a middle man for now? It was a good thing he hadn''t agreed to the deal back then. He took a risk and changed the terms so that Caulin wouldn''t become suspicious that this entity who exposed his plan had an abnormally high valuation of the Trenek secret realm. I really should be careful with these people. Chapter 240 240: Why was Dr. Kirchoff coming? The tournament ended, with even its website being removed. All the rankings, information on the beasts, plants, the announcements, everything...gone. Team Eryndor glanced at the final winner of the last loot drop event, it was Team Ricky. They won despite only having two people in their team. On second thought, it was a perfect event for a team like that. Only a few among the top ten knew about the shenanigans of Team Ricky, and when every other student out there was a competitor, they had no reasons to spread the information. Only if there was any other group out there who bought information from the Support Shrine would they know about Team Ricky. There was also the issue that even if someone had an inkling of a guess that Team Ricky did indeed have a large number of students under them, who were these students? These students didn''t go around wearing clothes which displayed their affiliation to Team Ricky. Not everyone was Irene who would also buy items to identify students working under Team Ricky. Now that I think of her, she seems to be really good at collecting intelligence. Is her ability perhaps related to that? Eryndor thought, but couldn''t really confirm at the moment, so he kept that aside and headed towards the entrance. As the students gathered near the entrance area where the now recovered Guardian Sol stood alone, they gazed at the massive golden tablet situated beside the entrance portal. It displayed the top ten rankings, the teams who were qualified for the wheel battle. At first place was Team Eryndor, with around two and a half million points. In second place was Team Kron. Team Utyr, the dark horse, and Team Risa were in third and fourth place respectively. In fifth and sixth place were Team Irene, and Team Yu. Eryndor was surprised to see Team Irene, not because they were in the top ten, but because they were high enough at fifth rank. After their cooperation, he knew Irene was extremely capable, but pulling up a not-so-strong team up to rank five was no joke. The seventh spot was taken by Team Ricky, and eighth by Team Bronit. The ninth and tenth spot was taken by teams who had replaced Team Lance and Team Jonathan. They were Team Teri and Team Tori. Both of these teams were apparently led by twin sisters. Once all the students were gathered, Guardian Sol coughed to attract their attention and spoke. "It was a pleasure to watch everyone in this tournament. "The way you all fought, the way you dealt with your troubles, the way you brainstormed the hidden rules, the way you evaded dangerous situations, I hope every one of these things taught you something. "Learn from the mistakes of others. Your own life is too short to be doing them all by yourself. "The wheel battle will take place in three days in the stadium number two of the Academy. "Everyone here including the seniors can choose to spectate. The professors would be there as well. "There''s a tiny probability that you may be offered a chance to learn under a professor if they happen to fancy your skills, so make sure to show off to your heart''s content. "Yes, I am talking about something like a disciple-master bond from the old times, just a bit less uptight and strict. "I''ve also gotten some surprising news. The President of The Human Federation, Dr. Kirchoff, has personally taken the time to congratulate the top ten teams. "He would also be present during the closing ceremony to reward the winning team. The rest of you from rank two would be rewarded by different people. "There is no change in rewards, just a change in the person who''ll reward all of you. "Don''t belittle the chance, cherish it. People at high rankings can''t meet him even if they pay their entire fortune. "That''s all, start boarding the spaceship." Eryndor''s heartbeat sped up as he listened to Guardian Sol''s small speech. Dr. Kirchoff would be visiting? Isn''t it extremely rare that he would meet anybody at all in the first place? Guardian Sol said it himself how he rarely meets anybody. Why would he be randomly visiting a group of first years? Eryndor couldn''t help but think that it might have something to do with him. Does he want to meet me? He shook his head. No matter if Dr. Kirchoff wanted to meet him or not, there was nothing he could do at the moment. There was a high chance that he would be present when the spaceship landed in the Academy grounds. He couldn''t resist going into the spaceship right now right? Guardian Sol could easily manhandle him and stuff him inside if he acted out. And he couldn''t really jump off a spaceship mid flight. Not to mention that it would be difficult to even break open a gap for him to escape through, he wouldn''t even survive the jump with the height at which the spaceship travelled. His physique wasn''t strong enough to handle that. There were rumours that at higher levels, one would be able to stay alive even if they fell from space. Naturally, such rumours weren''t completely baseless, as humanity had managed to ''borrow'' a few practice techniques which showed the path till sixth, or even seventh realm. There was a chance that those absurd claims might be true. Still, compared to them Eryndor was only at level two, so he didn''t have any confidence of staying alive after jumping out from the spaceship. Not to mention that Dr. Kirchoff has an enormous amount of influence. What if he decides to do something to my parents once he realizes I''ve run away? As he was falling deeper and deeper into his thoughts, he suddenly snapped out of it. Wait, why do I not want to meet Dr. Kirchoff in the first place? He readily gave away important information which saved my life. I should be thankful for that. Eryndor furrowed his brow when he realized that he had been inadvertently scared of people in power after encountering two such examples who had schemes on top of schemes which ran deep. If not for coincidences, luck and his sharp observations then he would''ve fallen prey to Co Founder Morris'' schemes this time, and last time it would be his friends who could''ve been trapped in the city of Polinek due to Caulin. He heaved a sigh, and focused his attention on the topic of discussion going on in his group. "Sorry, I''ve got a mission planned, so I can''t attend the get-together." Edward waved both his hands in front of him. Drakarion polished his knuckle dusters while trying to convince Edward. "C''mon, there''s going to be a three day break. We can even meet today after taking a short rest if you''re so short on time." Edward had a helpless smile on his face as he replied. "I really do want to come, but please understand that the mission is important, and I have to leave tonight itself. "It''s morning right now, and even if we decide to meet in the afternoon I wouldn''t be able to attend because I simply have way too many things to prepare. "I also have to attempt a breakthrough before the mission starts, so that''s going to be another thing which will occupy a lot of time. "I''m really sorry, let''s meet sometime else." There was a period of silence in the group before Valentina''s attention switched over to Eryndor. With a taunting tone and expression, she asked. "Done spacing out Mr. Brain-of-the-group? What were you thinking about now? A way to win the wheel battles?" Without realizing, a small chuckle escaped Eryndor''s mouth as he hurriedly denied it. Tournament was the last thing he had in mind right now. Paulina explained to him since he had just joined their talks. "After spending so long in the secret realm, we decided to plan an outing of sorts. Movies, shopping, food and all kinds of stuff. "Except Edward, everyone has agreed, you''ll be coming too right?" Eryndor smiled slightly. "Do I have a choice?" "No." "Alright, I''ll be there." Edward was a senior who happened to join their group, but he was their roommate, who knew what would happen if he denied. He still wanted to keep his villa a safe place for himself. As plans were being made, he gave his own input a few times, but it was apparent that the ''brain-of-the-group'' was conveniently being ignored. Syndra, Valentina and Paulina were making the plans without any intention of letting him or Drakarion give their opinions. According to them, both of them should just shut up and listen to them when it''s about these things. Their only job was to follow them and enjoy themselves. Eryndor was happy to let the ladies take the reins as he engaged in idle chatter with Edward and Drakarion. He glanced at Edward and asked. "I suppose you won''t talk about your mission will you?" Edward tilted his head and spoke in a low voice. "I can only tell you it''s related to an anomaly." Eryndor raised his eyebrows and asked. "Aren''t you specialising in dealing with beasts?" Edward nodded, then helplessly spread his hands. "My group who I run missions with accepted this, not me. They told me to be a part of it as well, since they said it''ll be difficult without me. "I can''t really reject them, they are good friends of mine you know." Eryndor and Drakarion nodded at him. They would also unhesitantly join the mission if their team needed them. When their spaceship reached the Academy and was hovering above it, Eryndor looked down from the window, and happened to spot Dr. Kirchoff waiting beside the landing spot. The President of The Human Federation was looking back at him. Chapter 241 241: Four beings Eryndor obviously knew how Dr. Kirchoff looked. There was no way there wouldn''t be a single image of the founder of the Human Federation. This was also the same man who had supposedly led the mission to seal him, but then modified the memories of everyone. All the people who had participated in the mission to seal him were dead. Except this man. So when Eryndor found out that the very same man was looking back at him, matching his gaze, his breath was caught in his throat for a moment before he chose to look away, breaking eye contact with the man. So he really is here for me? He heaved a sigh, and thought. No worries, let''s see what he has to say, I can''t do anything right now anyway. As the spaceship landed and the students walked out, Dr. Kirchoff greeted them all. He of course wouldn''t meet everyone personally, but just the fact that he acknowledged them was a proud moment for everyone. As Eryndor passed by Dr. Kirchoff to head towards his villa, the man''s eye twitched. It was a minute movement, but Eryndor, who had been keeping an eye on him from the corner of his vision, still spotted it. And no, for once, he didn''t have his extended vision activated. He very well knew what his extended vision was. It appeared when he attempted to activate his ability, and what kind of abilities Telekinesis and Cognitive Scrying were? Eldritch abilities. There was no way he was going to make such a rookie mistake in front of the very man himself. Within a second after his eye twitched, Eryndor heard him speak. Not out in the open. But in his mind. It was a loud, booming voice, incomparable to the steady and calm voice he had when he was congratulating the students. His movement halted, making the student behind him bump into him. Eryndor apologized, before resuming his walk. He couldn''t be blamed. What he heard was just too shocking. Dr. Kirchoff had quite literally shouted in his mind. "Why. Did. You. Swallow. The. Authority. Of. Amplification?" Every word was spoken with a great emphasis, and he could feel with startling clarity that there was an impossible amount of anger contained within them. Eryndor''s mind was a mess. He almost couldn''t think straight when he heard him. Amplification? The authority of Daoisto? I swallowed it? Where is it? Eryndor had already checked his Mind Palace after that incident. There was no hint of anything related to Amplification appearing there. Did it not go on in the Mind Palace but entered in me somehow? How can I not sense it? Is it something which requires extreme concentration and all that stuff? Eryndor really wanted to turn around and ask Dr. Kirchoff what he meant. Unfortunately, there were a lot of students out here, and he was surrounded by professors. Even if he got through everyone, what was he going to tell Dr. Kirchoff? Hey, what did you mean about the words you spoke in my mind? There was a high chance he would be admitted to a psychiatrist''s ward immediately if he said that. There was no chance Dr. Kirchoff would admit to it in front of everyone, or he wouldn''t have spoken in his mind privately in the first place. Or it could also be that he didn''t want to speak about ''authorities'' out in the open. As his thoughts kept popping up, his villa finally came into his sight fifteen minutes later. Since he had lagged behind a bit, his friends were already chilling in the living room with a couple of food and drinks in their hands. Damn, did they literally run to the villa for them to have freshened up and start eating so quickly? Eryndor entered the villa, greeted the three people, and headed up to his room. It took him approximately ten minutes to take a quick shower and change into new clothes. Deciding that he would deal with the unpacking of the travel bag later, he went downstairs and joined his group. The food was still hot thanks to the inbuilt grill and heater on the table, so he picked up a chicken drumstick and bit into it. It truly felt good to eat meat after such a long time. Throughout the tournament, he had been living on food pills, with Paulina being the same. Valentina alternated between beast meat and food pills, while Drakarion sustained himself entirely on meat. It was a true moment of peace, to sit there and enjoy spending time with his friends in complete safety. True, they might be one of the strongest if not the strongest team, but that didn''t mean it was entirely safe out there in the secret realm. At a certain point when their bodies had their fill and started relaxing, each one of them knew it was time for a long good sleep as their minds were finally giving in to comfort and safety. Bidding each other good night even though it was still morning, everyone retreated to their rooms. Eryndor took a look at his travel bag and muttered, "Later." Without even glancing at his phone, he fell face first on his bed and closed his eyes, immediately falling asleep. Apparently though, it was not the case. Not the entire case at least. He did go to sleep, but it didn''t end there. An extreme pain to his head instantly dragged him out of sleep. When his eyes opened he wasn''t in his own room anymore. His blurry eyes could only glimpse at darkness at all sides, only when he turned his head a bit did he realize there was someone standing nearby. When his mind cleared up, and his eyesight sharpened, Eryndor realized that the man was Dr. Kirchoff, and he was holding on to his hair with a tight grip, sending constant jolts of pain to his brain. Dr. Kirchoff was a well built middle aged man, standing at 6 ''3 with broad shoulders. His salt and pepper beard went well with his gray suit, the same one he had when he was congratulating the students with a warm smile. A smile which was nowhere to be seen right now. His lips were pressed thin, quivering at the edges, as if barely containing the anger which his ocean blue eyes were blatantly spewing out. His well combed hair, majority of which was black, with grey near the edges were in pristine condition, without any change, as if it hadn''t cost him even a bit of effort to put Eryndor in such a sorry state. Did he bang my head somewhere? Was that what caused the pain? But why? As his thoughts were active, his body wasn''t far behind. An ally or not, he didn''t want to be in such a compromising position. He struggled. He punched. He kicked. He screamed. He used his cultivation arts. He blatantly spread his Spiritual energy since he hadn''t learned any spells. He was using everything he had. Cognitive Scrying wasn''t of any use either. It felt like he hit a massive mountain, not even being able to enter his mind. In the past when he used his Cognitive Scrying, he would at least be able to enter the mind of his target even if they had a mental shield, but now? Not even that. Telekinesis was useless as well, he couldn''t budge him no matter what. Sovereign''s Cloak didn''t even last a moment before it flickered out of existence. Eryndor''s heart sank when he realized what that meant. Sovereign''s Cloak would only return to his body when its durability bottomed out by defending against the attacks. If it couldn''t even stay outside for a moment before returning, it meant that just Dr. Kirchoff''s grip on his hair was strong enough to immediately empty the Stable realm Sovereign Cloak''s durability. Fortunately, to his relief, the always ignored Passive Regeneration was still working. Maybe the only reason it continued to heal him was because it worked on him and not against Dr. Kirchoff. It took him ten minutes. Just ten minutes to run out of Qi and Spiritual energy after continuously attacking Dr. Kirchoff. Whatever this place was, it didn''t have any Qi, Spiritual energy or anything else for that matter. He couldn''t recover his energy. As he got more and more aware, it just felt like everything on all sides was just plain darkness, a complete void. At this point he wondered if his attempts at talking to Dr. Kirchoff were even heard at all since there was complete silence all around. The man hadn''t moved at all. No matter what hit him, his position stayed the same. Towards the end as Eryndor was panting, Dr. Kirchoff used the hair in his grasp to push his head back such that Eryndor''s tired and hopeless black eyes met the furious blue eyes of Dr. Kirchoff. Did he realise I am an eldritch entity? Is he here to seal me back in? Will I lose all my memories? Should I have tried to jump out of the spaceship no matter how dangerous? Although I am unsure if it''s possible while falling from such a high height, my eldritch form should''ve been able to use Telekinesis to fly away right? Probably because his bond with his parents was strong enough, his already influenced mind did not veer off thinking in the direction of ''I shouldn''t have thought about my parents and just jumped.'' Just as his thoughts were spiralling downwards endlessly, Dr. Kirchoff''s voice finally broke the silence which permeated throughout the space. "Your predecessor, The Obsidian Codex, The Dagger Hanging Above Eternity, and I. "Four of us. You''ve disappointed four people. "Again and again and again and again and again. "A fucking disgrace." Chapter 242 242: A beatdown Eryndor''s mind couldn''t even register the first sentence. My predecessor? The Obsidian Codex? The Dagger Hanging Above Eternity? Dr. Kirchoff? I disappointed these people? When? Where? How? Why would they put their trust in me in the first place? Wait... Is it because I am an eldritch entity? So Dr. Kirhoff did indeed know about me all this time. But what were they expecting of me in the first place? Eryndor''s thoughts only took a fraction of a moment, in which Dr. Kirchoff took action. Using Eryndor''s hair, he banged his head into the invisible wall behind. As intense pain shot through his head, Eryndor couldn''t keep maintaining his rationality, his previous thoughts scattering, with a new one replacing them. So there is indeed a wall behind. Just invisible. He probably used it to bang my head the first time as well. Most likely due to the helplessness of the situation, Eryndor had begun thinking about the most useless things in the current scenario. Dr. Kirchoff once again used his hair to make Eryndor''s eyes match his, then spoke. "Why the fuck did you swallow the authority of Amplification?" Eryndor wasn''t really planning to reply, because it seemed like Dr. Kirchoff just wanted to vent his anger, but after a long period of silence it felt like he really was waiting for his reply. He truthfully replied, figuring that if Dr. Kirchoff already knew about him being an eldritch entity, which was his deepest secret, there probably wasn''t anything he didn''t know, except the Mind Palace, if at all that is. "It was because of the hunger I felt." The middle aged man''s eye twitched as he snapped. "And you couldn''t goddamn control it?" Eryndor gritted his teeth and answered what happened when he fought Daoisto. "He was strong. I lost my control when one of his spells hit me." As if he had heard the most ridiculous thing, Dr. Kirchoff withdrew the hand holding on to his hair and kicked him. A massive force flung Eryndor across the space, only coming to a stop when he hit another invisible wall. "Arghhhh." He cried out loudly, holding on to his right side as he crumpled on the floor, which was invisible as well. It really felt like he was in the middle of a void. His head hurt from being smacked into the wall, and his ribs felt as if they had been cracked just from that one kick. He couldn''t even utter a single word, only letting out occasional grunts. His vision, which had gone blurry from pain, watched as Dr. Kirchoff walked toward him. Rage was still evident in his voice as he spoke. "Strong? He was strong? "Do you even know who the fuck you are? "I am ashamed to see what has become of you. "Even though your intellect in solving things has been impressive, I''d be more content if you had even an iota of that in your combat prowess. "Stage one Qi Condensation realm? Stage nine Primind realm? Fucking pathetic. "No matter how much smarts you have, the disaster over our heads can''t be solved through just that. "We''ve already been doing all that we can for hundreds of thousands of years, probably even millions. "If smarts could solve the problem, this much fucking amount of time is enough for a solution to be thought of. "But it can''t. We need goddamn power." The man exhaled loudly, while Eryndor didn''t reply. More like he couldn''t. The lead scientist of humanity resumed once again. "You had enough time to be far more powerful. "Even your Cognitive Scrying reached the Enhanced realm because of a mistake, not because of your own efforts. "Your Telekinesis is still in the Active realm, is it not? Disgrace. "Even your eldritch form was a result of that very same mistake. "Is letting out black smoke the only thing you can do to progress? To save yourself from bad situations? Such horrible fucking attitude. "Know this. That black smoke is precious. "You think upgrading your Cognitive Scrying and swallowing an authority comes for free? "Stop fucking use it every time your pathetic ass fails to deal with the situation you were dealt with. "Power? That guy was strong you said?" His fists clenched, as his hands kept shaking. It was as if he was controlling himself from just blasting apart Eryndor''s head. Dr. Kirchoff''s voice raised by a notch, but the anger underlying his tone stayed the same, wrathful as ever. If up until now he was speaking with a straight face even though the fury in his eyes and tone gave away his anger, then now he swung around his fist at empty air and shouted. His eyes still trained on Eryndor''s. "No, he wasn''t strong, you trash. You were fucking weak. "You had enough time to reach level three and hand him his ass." His voice increased yet again as a hint of red creeped in the vessels of his eyes. "By the virtue of your predecessor, you were given a godly amount of control over all energies. "You didn''t struggle day and night to raise your control. "You didn''t have to go through an entire buttload of exercises to train your control. "You didn''t have to consume treasures to have a fifty percent control of energies. "It was a handed to you on a fucking platter, and you goddamn waste it every chance you get." He pointed in a random direction while continuing to shout. "I''ve seen people staying up for days and days and days and days and days just to increase their control over their energy. "I''ve seen people put themselves in uncomfortable situations even in their sleep just so they can train their innate abilities." As if he remembered something, Dr. Kirchoff squatted down to match his eye level with Eryndor before resuming to talk, this time in an extremely low and calm voice. It was anything but calm though, still feeling as threatening as before. "You know that innate abilities grow with repeated use, don''t you?" Chapter 243 243: A reality check When Eryndor heard Dr. Kirchoff''s last sentence, nothing could be seen on his face, but his thoughts did get more active. Does that mean he doesn''t know about the Mind Palace but somehow knows something like that should exist? There wasn''t much time for him to think as Dr. Kirchoff spoke again. "You should know that, right? Yea. "So, why didn''t you still practice your abilities day and night every chance you got? "Scared of exposure? You could''ve done it on a small scale, no one would''ve known. "What about Passive Regeneration? "Stable realm? It''s not a fucking surprise anymore. "I bet a pussy like you cowered away every time you thought of upgrading that ability." Dr. Kirchoff stood up and resumed. It seemed like he had a lot to say. As if he had invested a lot only to see the stock keep plummeting. Who wouldn''t get angry at that? "You had a three day break before the wheel battles began. "You were perfectly fine. "Why didn''t you take up a mission to kill beasts? "You could''ve used your Cognitive Scrying on them, then proceeded to kill them for your Sovereign''s Cloak to grow. "But you didn''t. "Mental fatigue? Exhaustion? Tired? "It''s all in your fucking comfort filled mind. "When you''ve never worked hard or pushed yourself to the limit of course you''ll feel every bit of exertion as something over the top and stressful. "Threat of life? You went through a threat to your life so it exhausted you? Soldiers fighting at the front lines face it every moment. "Guess what? They still work hard every waking moment of their lives just so that others could live in peace. He bent down, and scolded. "You took a rest after that Rite Of Authority Severance, did you not? "What did you even do in that? "Because I bet it was the black smoke which saved your pathetic existence again. "What was the need to rest when you didn''t do anything yourself? "Feeling lethargic? Tired? "Why so many excuses? "You could have even increased your control of energies. "It''s not a deliberate limitation put on you because of that insane control handed to you right off the bat. "It''s simply a natural resistance everyone faces when they reach fifty percent control. "But you couldn''t even break through that. "Sure, it wasn''t something easy, but it was still possible if you put the absolute highest amount of effort and focus into it. "You had that in you." There was extreme disappointment in his tone when he said that last line. Eryndor almost felt ashamed just by listening to that. Dr. Kirchoff didn''t let up though. "You take a goddamn rest every chance you get. "Been through a battle? Rest. "Used your eldritch form? Rest. "Thought a lot? Rest. "Practiced a little? Rest. "Why do you never push your limits? "Are you thinking about your roommates? About how they are similarly talented and do nothing? "You''re wrong. They''re not as talented as you, but they put countless times more effort. "Paulina spends all day at the library or reading books at villa. "She keeps researching new spell models every chance she gets. "Drakarion wears weighted locks even in his sleep. "He trains his body at extreme temperatures in the Academy training room every time he isn''t in the lecture or in the villa cooking for himself. "Valentina is devoting her all to rush through the realms without any breaks. "She keeps practicing with her snakes in the training rooms to perfect the coordination down to the last millisecond. "You already know her Yin snake''s potential was nerfed because of you, right? To save your weak ass she contracted the beast early in the first realm. "It''s just an early sign of being a burden, and I sure as hell don''t want to raise a goddamn lazy potato." When he spoke the last line, it was as if something snapped in his head. Clenching his fist, he spoke in a low volume. "Yes, I don''t want to raise a weak ass shit. I need to take matters into my own hands. "I''ve given you enough free reign, but you just turned out to be a disappointment on top of disappointment." Suddenly, the scenery around them changed. Gone was the pitch black void all around them. Replacing them was a blanket of hazy colors passing by at a high speed, as if they were travelling somewhere. A flash of white light abruptly hit his eyes, forcing him to close them. When he opened his eyes, he saw that he was in a lush green forest. Gradually, it was as if they were being raised higher, allowing Eryndor to see more of the forest from above as the height kept increasing. At a certain point, he saw a gigantic building in the distance. Weirdly dressed people entered in and out every moment. Eryndor was observing everything, enduring the pain in his ribs. Probably because his Passive Regeneration was working all this time, it was hurting less than before. It was a good thing he hadn''t exhausted his Energy of Consciousness like Qi and Spiritual energy, else the pain his ribs wouldn''t have even let him think all this while. Just as he was looking around, Dr. Kirchoff broke the silence. "Guess what place this is?" Eryndor narrowed his eyes and thoroughly scanned the place. There was a few seconds of silence as Dr. Kirchoff allowed Eryndor to think and answer. The young man hesitantly spoke. "Cultivation base?" They taught about the Eight Outer Domains in the lectures of the Academy. Even if you didn''t attend those, there were plenty of books in the library and information on the academy''s website about them. Using all that knowledge, he found a few similarities, hence he answered. Dr. Kirchoff tilted his head, and answered with a smile, one which unnerved Eryndor. As if the man was up to no good. "You''re only partially correct. "This is indeed related to those cultivators, but this is not their base on earth. "This is the Cultivation Outer Domain itself. "You''ll live here from now on." Chapter 244 244: Spatial Sight Eryndor''s eyes turned wide as Dr. Kirchoff finished speaking. Before he could say anything, the middle aged man cut him off, as if understanding what he wanted to ask. "Yes, we aren''t in the main universe anymore. "Like I said, this is the Cultivation Outer Domain, their homeland, not the advanced base they''ve established on Earth. "This is the edge of their territory, so the security is lax. "I''ve already made a fake identity here. "You''ll live here from now on. "I must tell you about this one thing before dropping you. "There is a hidden danger brewing here. "You''ll die if you don''t get to level three in three power systems before three months. "I''ll come get you to return to Earth if you''re still alive by then. "As for contacting your people back on Earth, heh. Your phone won''t work. "But I won''t go too hard on you, I''ll allow you to contact your people at random times based on my mood. "Last thing, don''t randomly use your Spatial Sight, there is one person in that building over there who can sense it. "Spatial Sight is the third person view you get when ''initiating'' your ability. "Bye." Eryndor wasn''t given any chance to reply as the invisible floor below him seemed to disappear. I''ll die if I fall from such a height. Before his descent caught speed, Eryndor hurriedly switched to his eldritch form and used Telekinesis to control himself. If he had done it later, it would''ve cost him higher amount of Energy of Consciousness or it probably might not even have been possible because his descent would be at a very high speed which his Telekinesis would have had to counter as well, compared to now when it didn''t have much speed. When he looked up, Dr. Kirchoff was nowhere to be seen. After landing on the ground, Eryndor cancelled his eldritch form immediately, feeling a need to exercise caution. Right, that enormous structure I saw should be the only establishment in the immediate surroundings, I should try to head there and figure out my situation. Eryndor thought, while touching his face, it seemed to have been modified somehow. He also seemed to have a different set of clothes on, not the ones he had originally worn when going to sleep. These current clothes looked like the ones which those cultivators were wearing. It was a two piece light inner garment, with a thin flexible armor above it and a long white robe covering everything. As if to give realism to his current situation, the armor and the robe were torn at some places, along with a hint of bloody patches. Did Dr. Kirchoff do that to hide my identity? That was the only possible reason. Judging from the condition of his clothes, it seemed that whatever identity Dr. Kirchoff had prepared for him, that person might''ve gotten some dangerous task. Well, Dr. Kirchoff might''ve already returned with that person. Which means it''s up to me how to navigate this identity, I can''t fuck up. Getting up on shaky legs, Eryndor realized after a bit of movement that his ribs didn''t seem to have healed completely. Jolts of pain were transmitted to his head every now and then as he tried to move around. Just how long would I have to wait? Eryndir didn''t dare let out his extended vision completely free. Dr. Kirchoff had already warned him that there was one person who could sense his extended vision. No, not extended vision, its real term seems to be Spatial Sight. I finally know what it is called. He had to be extremely cautious here. This was the Cultivation Outer Domain, not earth, where the Cosmic Limit was applicable. There was no such thing here. He already knew that plenty of strong people lived here, ones who could wipe out the population on planet Earth without much effort. Although it seemed doubtful now that he had seen Dr. Kirchoff''s strength. It should take them quite a bit of effort to wipe out humanity even if they sent strong ones based on the strength he saw Dr. Kirchoff display. Just who is he? Due to the pain, Eryndor figured he would lean against the tree and rest till he was healed. But immediately as he had that thought, the horrifying voice of Dr. Kirchoff along with the pain in his ribs snapped him out of those thoughts. Rest? No shit, I can''t rest now else I''ll die. If he didn''t fix his habits and still stubbornly clung to doing things his way despite Dr. Kirchoff giving him a warning, it was apparent something unfortunate would happen to him sooner or later. He doesn''t want a lousy teammate. Yes. I must keep that in mind. If I do not keep up with his expectations I''ll die at some point. As he kept those thoughts in his mind, Eryndor gritted his teeth and began walking while enduring the pain. To distract himself, he once again thought back to Dr. Kirchoff''s identity while walking. Just who is he really? Is he really just a founder of The Human Federation? Or someone much more powerful? As he used the help of the surrounding trees for support while walking, he remembered the people Dr. Kirchoff grouped himself with. Yes, he said that I''ve disappointed four people. My predecessor. The Obsidian Codex. The Dagger Hanging Above Creation. And him, Dr. Kirchoff. I don''t know who the second and third people are, but assuming that my past form was an eldritch entity with four line revered appellation, the three who are grouped me with won''t be that weak right? Could it be that Dr. Kirchoff is also an eldritch entity? Or someone not much weaker than one? How can he roam outside by ignoring the Cosmic Limit? Eryndor heaved a deep sigh, and realized how little he knew about everything. Continuing his slow but torturous walk, Eryndor travelled the land. It might''ve been a good thing that his clothes were changed, as his armor seemed to have some healing properties as well. It radiated a warm glow all over his body except wherever the armor wasn''t cracked, and kept replenishing his energy. Finally, after an hour or two of a grueling journey, he reached the towering structure he had seen back then along with Dr. Kirchoff. It was an enormous dome shaped structure on top of which was a massive inverted cone. Eryndor had zero idea how they built such a building with ridiculous shape. Maybe they used arrays for balance? Eryndor had read some files back on Earth which talked about how arrays could be used in a lot of things apart from just combat preparation. They had massive uses in building structures as they could give the property of ''toughness'', ''durability'', ''balance'' and more to things which wouldn''t normally have them. Arrays could also be used to gather a large amount of energy at one place, making it a highly sought after place for using the practice techniques. The only reason they weren''t being put to use was because of the resource constraints which The Federation was facing. These arrays didn''t work on conventional energies such as electrical, nuclear or any other such kind. It worked on the five energies, Qi, Mana, Internal energy, Spiritual energy, and Energy of Consciousness, depending on how it was designed, the materials used and its purpose. Eryndor reckoned that they wouldn''t be having resource problems anymore with the energy mine which the Federation had found. By now, his ribs were completely healed, so he didn''t have any problem walking. Standing near a tree, Eryndor looked around and realized that the forest ended here. Up ahead were numerous wide roads which arrived from all directions and converged upon the entrance of the massive building. Being cautious, Eryndor had recalled his Spatial Sight long ago. Back on Earth he had slowly tested his Spatial Sight on numerous people and realized that no one seemed to have sensed it, only then had he fully unleashed it. But here? Dr. Kirchoff had already told him about the presence of a person who could sense him. What if they also used Spatial Sight? What if his Spatial Sight clashed with theirs? Would they know of his presence then? Eryndor considered these things and decided not to use his Spatial Sight unless he was truly too far away from this building or grasped more information on this topic. It felt as if he was blind when he moved about without his Spatial Sight after using it for months, but there was no other way. In this foreign land he would have to be cautious at each step he took. Snapping out of his thoughts, Eryndor continued walking forward, soon stepping upon the main road. When he was a few meters away from the entrance of the massive building, someone seemed to have recognised him as they walked his way. Eryndor glanced at the thin man approaching him. He also had a white robe, but was in much better condition than him. His facial features were alright and his hair was long, they didn''t seem to be well kept from the looks of it though. When he neared him, the thin man spoke with a crooked grin. "Yo Clarence! You don''t seem to be in a good shape, could your armor have been damaged? "How about selling it to me for twenty spirit coins?" So my name here is Clarence huh. I also don''t know about the value of currency here, just so much to do. Eryndor was about to reject the man when he suddenly thought of something and used his Cognitive Scrying without letting his Spatial Sight activate. This is better. Chapter 245 245: Getting information about current situation Eryndor didn''t plan to use his Cognitive Scrying so early, but he immediately changed that decision when he was almost about to reject the thin man because he thought of a few things. I don''t know Clarence''s relationship with this fellow. I don''t know how Clarence talks with this man. About his offer to buy my armor, what if Clarence had agreed to it beforehand? What if he hadn''t? What if he makes this offer everytime and Clarence rejects him in a certain way? If I end up rejecting him in a different way than Clarence then however low, it might create some doubts. There were also a few more things which made him not hesitate to use his abilities. One was that the man before him couldn''t be the person who could sense Spatial Sight, because well, he wouldn''t be in such dire straits right? Since he couldn''t sense Spatial Sight, he couldn''t be strong. He very likely shouldn''t be able to detect his Cognitive Scrying. Would a truly strong man be at the entrance trying to buy broken armor like a low class merchant or trader? As to why he made the connection that the man who could sense Spatial Sight would be strong? Because how Dr. Kirchoff specially looked towards the building and spoke in a serious tone as if to warn him. Would he do so much if it was some random kid who could sense his Spatial Sight? Maybe he was reading too much into it, but it wouldn''t hurt being cautious. Then there was the fact that cautiousness wasn''t the only thing he should pay attention to. That was akin to always being on the backfoot. At times, after assessing the risks, one had to take bold calculated gambles in order to secure advantage for oneself. It was the same thing here, only after considering everything did Eryndor decide to be bold and straight up used his Cognitive Scrying. Reading the memories didn''t take much time, but he still only glanced at a few parts before cancelling his ability. All in all, from the time the thin man finished his sentence to the point where Eryndor was done reading the memories, it only took a couple seconds. Eryndor first deliberately heaved a sigh, as if to portray that his lack of immediate response was due to his extreme exhaustion, then he raised his chin and answered. "Taryon, don''t you get sick of always giving such ridiculous offers? "It''s reasonable to try it on newbies but I''ve been here for a couple years now, you''ll never get anything for me for so cheap. "Make it four hundred spirit coins and I will agree." The thin man gazed at him in disdain when he heard the ridiculous counter offer. "I can buy new armor with that money, why would I want your broken one?" Eryndor didn''t reply to him but shook his head and entered the big door. That was how Clarence would have reacted as well. Apparently, Taryon wasn''t someone important or significant. He would make ridiculous offers to everyone passing by, and since Clarence frequently took missions, causing him to enter and exit the main building constantly, he was a rather regular member of Taryon''s ''harassment''. It wasn''t as if it never worked though, rich heirs and scions of big families from the central land who weren''t familiar with the value of things often fell prey to his scams. Sometimes people also had a change of mind and did things they normally wouldn''t. This often happened when they were seriously injured or got plenty of good stuff in their mission. This was a training camp, or using the terms of Earth, it was an Academy. That''s all the information I was able to dig out in that short span. Just this small bit, the basic layout of the building and how Clarence reacts to Taryon. Eryndor knew he couldn''t take too much time, so that was all he could do. Even though time went extremely slowly in the mind, Taryon was anticipating a response in the outside world, and in that situation every moment counted. It was different when two people were walking in silence, in that situation Eryndor could''ve taken all the time in the world to get plenty of information. A pity I couldn''t think of it sooner. Eryndor shook his head and went towards the mission hall in the distance. No worries, I can always use it again. Even though he wasn''t outside and had truly entered the main building, he wasn''t that afraid of using his abilities. Eryndor knew that innate abilities were only awakened in Earth''s humanity. People from Outer Domains had no way of awakening them. There was a very low chance of something like ability sensors being used here in the training camp where youngsters came to train and grow. If they didn''t even have abilities then what was the point of using ability sensors? If they did indeed have abilities, then sensors could''ve been installed for safety purposes, law enforcement and so on. But since Outer Domains couldn''t awaken abilities, if anything, they might only exist in extremely important locations to guard against spies of humanity. I don''t even know if something like ability sensors exist. I am just making an educated guess out of cautiousness here. As he walked toward the mission hall, he silently used his Cognitive Scrying again to invade the mind of a random student. It was only for a brief moment. After he finished doing so, he looked around, and realized that nothing out of the ordinary had happened. So there really is nothing like an ability sensor, at least here in this area. Eryndor had long known about the fact that his Energy of Consciousness never leaked when he used his abilities. People were never able to guess that he was using an ability because there was never a fluctuation of Energy of Consciousness. So he was also confident in this regard that he wouldn''t be sensed through some sensor which detected Energy of Consciousness. With no more worries in his heart, he let go of any inhibitions and used Cognitive Scrying on people who he thought looked like students. He still wasn''t ready to take a risk to use it on someone who looked older, they might be more powerful and even have some treasures which might detect him. By the time he reached the mission hall, Eryndor almost knew how this place worked. This was a training camp, where young people arrived from everywhere. Contrary to the Earth''s Academy though, there were more than one training camps in the entire Cultivation Outer Domain. The one he was currently at was number sixteenth. Some training camps were at the edges, while some were in the center of the Outer Domain. Instead of students, the youngsters coming to learn here were called disciples. The professors were called masters. Back on Earth, those who had awakened innate abilities were granted free access to the Academy, but here, you had to pay to enter the training camps. But that was all. Paying to enter the training camp only granted you access to the mission hall. If you wanted to further attend a lecture of some master, you had to pay for it as well. This time with the local currency. Food? Living quarters? Pay for it. Training area? Pay for it. Looking to enter a tournament? Pay for it. Spirit coins were the only currency which worked here. Like the credits of the Academy, it was the local currency. If some naive and innocent rich heir joined this training camp without grasping complete knowledge of how the place worked, they were often hoodwinked at the entrance by people like Taryon into giving them armors in exchange for the ''more important local currency''. They would later come to know of the trade counters situated in the mission hall itself where you could exchange the items on you for a fair price and not get scammed. There were a few things which couldn''t be bought with spirit coins as well, which included but were not limited to - Getting accepted as a personal disciple under a master. Personal disciples were taught much more than the ones who just attended the lectures. Just like in the Academy, tournaments, where one could show off their capability was a good way to get a master interested in taking you as their personal disciple. Another thing which couldn''t be bought with spirit coins was the forming of teams. Compared to the Academy, the death toll here during missions was much higher. If you weren''t capable, disciples wouldn''t team up with you even if you were willing to fork out money. Their lives were more precious than money. The third was potions and pills. There was only a single alchemist present here, so he was the sole supplier of all the pills and potions. He didn''t have any interest in the local currency of the training camp, nor was he short on actual money. He would give all sorts of strange tasks which one had to complete if they wanted to get their hands on the potions or pills which they wanted. Even if there were more things which couldn''t be bought with spirit coins, Eryndor wouldn''t know because that was all he could get from the memories of a few students around him. Heading towards a strange desk, he took out a circular badge from the pocket of his robes, the only thing which was on him apart from the clothes, and placed it on a similarly shaped impression. The badge lit up, and information popped up in his mind. [Mission to kill a six legged scaled monkey - ongoing - four days left] [Continue?] Chapter 246 246: Real wealth Eryndor glanced past the mission and read the rest of the information. [Name - Clarence] [Level - Stage one Qi Condensation realm] [Duration - Two years six months twelve days.] [Rank - Unranked] [Mission completed - 42] [Spirit coins deposited - 319] [Weapons deposited - None] [Room - 6 C] The Academy back on Earth had a term of four years for each student. Whereas here, it was a seven year duration. First, it was because the Cultivation Outer Domain wasn''t in any hurry to pump out strong people. They let the students practice, learn, and grow at their own pace. The Academy was under a lot of pressure to have strong and capable graduates. Rumor was that the common consensus was for The Academy to have a two year or maximum three year term. It was solely due to the voice of Dr. Kirchoff that they were allowed to have a per student period of four years. In the Academy, a student could graduate and leave as soon as they reached the later stages of the second realm, which were the seventh, eight and ninth, regardless of which year they were in. The reason that was so was because The Academy had nothing else to give to the students at that point. If they decided to stay in the Academy, they could no longer take the missions, but needed to teach the weaker students in exchange for credits, and it was such a low amount that the majority of the students chose to graduate. Well, one might ask, then why were so many students at stage nine of second level, like Edward, still staying in the Academy? Because these were the old rules. After the Cosmic Limit increased to level three and the Academy found an energy mine, it could afford much more resources than before. There were also a few other reasons which allowed the Academy to train students to higher stages. The limit hadn''t increased by much though. The Academy would now only provide you resources till stage nine of level two, and a specialized room when you were trying to break through to level three. Until The Federation found more resource points, the level would be stuck at stage nine level two. When Eryndor saw the graduation level here, he got quite a shock. Level four? Well, given that they got seven years, it maybe wasn''t that difficult to climb till level four within that time frame. Level four was the standard of high level graduates. The ones at the very top would even graduate at level five at the end of the seven year period. In the information that he got, in the central lands of Cultivation Outer Domain, there was even a monster who climbed till level six at the end of the seven year time period in his Training Camp. Since the last century he was the only one. That was also the limit of the Training Camps, level six. Once one reached that level, they wouldn''t give you any more resources or help, you had to graduate and leave. The second reason the Academy had four years and the Training Camps had seven years was because the former taught all eight power systems, whereas the latter only taught cultivation, which was especially slow. The cultivation power system had a low threshold to start in terms of all things such as time, resource, knowledge, but during breakthroughs, it was one of the slowest if not the slowest. It was obvious that the Academy wouldn''t extend their term years just to accommodate the cultivation power system. They didn''t force you to choose that, it was all up to you in the first place. Removing the badge from the shallow depression, Eryndor put it back in his pocket. This identity can stay here for more than four years. But Dr. Kirchoff said that I''ll die if I don''t get to level three in three power systems in three months. Is that the key to deal with the danger brewing here? What would happen if I fail to deal with the danger? Eryndor blanked out for a second before recalling that he already knew the answer. Oh yea, I''ll die of course. Why am I being so stupid. He shook his head and took the stairs to head towards the living quarters. When he reached the door to his room, he took out the badge again to scan it at the handle before the door opened with a click. After entering the room, he locked the door behind him. It was a small room with a bed, a few other miscellaneous things, and two doors. One of which led to a bathroom and one led to a similarly small kitchen. If he wanted to upgrade his living quarters he would have to pay more. There was a ranked list here at the Training Camp which was similar to the leaderboards of the Academy. If you were strong enough to be ranked on the ranked list, you would get a room for free, and it would be a bit better than his current one. Well, the Academy is at least much better than the Training Camp in regards to living accommodations. Eryndor freshened himself up in the bathroom after hanging his armor on a stand nearby. From what he observed, it seemed to have self repairing properties, but he didn''t know how long it would take. After changing into another set of clothes, he sat on his bed. As soon as his butt touched the mattress, he remembered that every room''s storage compartment was below their bed. He got up, and faced the bed. Moving around the mattress, he finally saw the compartment below the bed. Eryndor looked around for a second or two before finding a well hidden latch and handle. Opening it within a moment, Eryndor gazed inside and found a weapon. Huh? A pair of daggers? Eryndor could already envision a few ways to use them, but he wasn''t really fond of them. He liked hitting from a safe distance and closing the gap only when he was absolutely sure. Well, gotta make do with what I have. There were also a few spirit coins at the bottom of the compartment along with a few glass bottles. This must be my real wealth. A disciple could choose to store their spirit coins, weapons and other things at the counter near the Mission Hall, as it was absolutely safe, and no one could steal it from you. A downside was that it charged a certain amount of spirit coins every month for the service you were using. If they didn''t wish to store it there, they could also choose to keep it in the storage compartment of their own room, which was less safe, since the doors with badge scanning mechanism were purposely made to be not completely infallible. It was to instill a sense of unease in students which would propel them to work harder and be stronger. Another point where the Training Camp is different from the Academy. Our Villa is designed to be an absolute safe haven. Clarence had very likely kept a few spirit coins in the counter still because of emergencies. What if he was extremely injured and couldn''t climb the stairs to claim the spirit coins in his storage? In that case he could use the ones stored at the counter. Apparently this was a common tactic among the disciples. If this was the Academy, Eryndor was sure they''d never let a student die over something as trivial as this, but the Cultivation Outer Domain lacked everything but talents and youngsters with their immense population base. Eryndor put the pair of daggers aside and kept all the spirit coins back in the storage compartment, there were 1018 of them. After doing so, he took out the glass bottles and opened them one by one to sniff the pills inside. These look like food pills. ... These are Qi Gathering pills level two. ... Qi Gathering pills level two. ... Qi Gathering pills level two. ... Food pills. ... Spirit Strengthening pills level two. Oh I can use these for my Mentalist power system. ... Pure Qi pills level two. ... Qi Gathering pills level two. Once he was done identifying the pills inside, he put them back inside the storage, quite satisfied with the hidden stash which Clarence had. At least he had some capital to start with instead of being completely poor with nothing to do. Since he didn''t have his extendable spiked mace on him, he would have to make do with daggers until he could customize a weapon for himself. For the next few moments, Eryndor input Qi in the pair of daggers and figured out their functions. It''s just enhanced sharpness and durability, way less functions then what my spiked mace had. Even if he didn''t have enough money to order a customized spiked mace, he at least had to put in a few more functions in these daggers for more versatility. He took a look at the armor, and realized that more parts of it had been repaired. If it continued at this speed, it would be completely repaired in a few hours. Eryndor took a look at the bed and considered sleeping. After all, before getting beaten and dropped here by Dr. Kirchoff, he had gone to sleep. Nah fuck it. The armor''s about to be repaired. I have got a weapon. And I don''t feel very sleepy now. Having thought so, Eryndor sat cross legged on the floor of his room and decided to make a mental note of his future actions to be taken here before heading out to complete the ongoing mission. Chapter 247 247: The seven realms of cultivation Since there was an absence of pen, paper or any such object to write on, Eryndor could only make a mental list. First, I''ll have to start with establishing myself at this base. I need people who I can talk and connect with for information. Even if I can keep using Cognitive Scrying, I can''t keep doing it on anyone recklessly. However low the probabilities are, if it happens at a high enough scale then it would inevitably trigger once. Can''t take the risk. Second, I''ll have to increase my power. Dr. Kirchoff said that I need to reach the third level in three power systems. Eryndor paused, comprehending what that meant. I previously guessed that I must reach second level in two power systems, third level in three power systems and so on to unlock corresponding doors and golden wall markings. Does Dr. Kirchoff know about it as well? So I was somewhat correct. He only doesn''t know about the Mind Palace accurately, but he still knows its functions to a certain extent. Just who is he? How does he know so much about me? Let''s assume that he does indeed know how to unlock more abilities. Well, that would at least mean I am on the correct path, cuz I had an even more outrageous guess. If even this path hadn''t worked in unlocking those golden wall runes, Eryndor had already thought of another guess. That was, the same energy power system reaching those realms. That is, instead of any two random power systems reaching level two to unlock the markings, only the two power systems using the same energy reaching level two would fulfill the condition. In the same way, only two more power systems of the same energy reaching level four along with the previous two reaching level four would unlock the second door and markings behind it. For example, the cultivation power system reaching level 1 opened the first door. The buddhist power system, which used Qi as well, reaching level two along with a cultivation power system would unlock the markings. Both of these power systems, along with a random third one, let''s say magic power system, reaching level three would unlock the second door. Since the magic power system used Mana, the fourth power system would be the demonic power system which also used Mana. The cultivation, buddhist, magic and demonic power system would have to reach level four to unlock markings in the second door, and so on. But assuming Dr. Kirchoff was correct, that would not be the case, making Eryndor sigh in relief. He then thought of more things. Is that why he gave such a precise goal? Because he knew what would happen when I reach level three in three power systems? Does that mean the key to dealing with this danger is behind the second door? As he reached this conclusion, Eryndor took a break. After a minute or two of calming his mind, he resumed. I once guessed that the Revered Appellation had something to do with authorities. And that turned out to be true after encountering Daoisto. I also guessed that those four line revered appellation pointed to me, which is almost certainly true as well. After thinking of that, he recollected those four lines of revered appellation. The Guardian Against The End; The Veil Beyond Perception; The Law That No Will May Overturn; The Sovereign Of Unwritten Fate. Here, ''The Guardian Against The End'' most probably means my Sovereign''s Cloak. This is the first line, and Sovereign''s Cloak is also in the first room. If I use the same logic, the authority which the second line points to would be in the second room right? The Veil Beyond Perception... Hmmm... Back then I guessed it might have something to do with disguise. Assuming that''s the case, does that mean I need a sufficiently powerful disguise ability to get through this danger? Eryndor thought about it, and mentally noted down the third point about what he should be doing here. Obtain a powerful disguise treasure or Mystical Artifact. This was because what if he didn''t reach level three in three power systems before three months? It was simply him making a backup for himself. Eryndor then thought of the fourth point. Might as well not change the weapons. What if I really succeeded? Dr. Kirchoff would take me back to Earth. In that case the real Clarence would be back, who would then have to change the weapons again. I should just learn how to use daggers, it never hurts to learn a new weapon. One must not misunderstand, Eryndor wasn''t inconveniencing himself to not inconvenience the real Clarence when he would switch back. No, he wasn''t that good. He was only thinking that if he himself got famous in the future, his weapon would similarly get fame as well. In that case this small section of time when a random disciple used the same weapon out of nowhere would suddenly become much more suspicious. What if they then investigated this spy more thoroughly and realized his actions were suspicious? It would deal humanity a blow if the Cultivation Outer Domain managed to snuff out this spy. Was Eryndor being a narcissist again by thinking he would definitely survive and grow to tremendous heights? Maybe. That was in his nature. Fifth, I should start searching for information in two directions. One, about the danger. Two, about who can detect my Spatial Sight and how, because it would be really too inconvenient and annoying to walk like a blind man without any Spatial Sight. With everything done, Eryndor stood up, and donned his armor and hid the dagger in small pockets of his robe. His gaze inadvertently travelled to the storage compartment and he paused. Hmmm...keeping the spirit coins here is definitely not safe. It was one of the reasons why storing your spirit coins at the counter would charge you a certain amount of spirit coins. It was because it was absolutely safe. As mentioned before, the locks of the doors were purposely made to be not infallible. It meant that it could still be broken in, and your storage compartment could easily be robbed. It had happened in the past. Soon, Eryndor came to a decision. I don''t know what Clarence was saving those pills for, but I must finish them at the earliest. Then, I''ll use the spirit coins to buy another batch of pills and upgrade the daggers if the cost permits. The most efficient way to burn money was of course to power himself up. Hope I don''t get robbed in this time period. Now that he had thought of everything, Eryndor descended down the stairs. The armor hadn''t completely repaired itself, but he couldn''t afford to waste even those few hours waiting for it. He would just have to make sure not to get hit at those spots. One must admit, the beatdown had really put some sense into Eryndor. He carried out the same process as well, using Cognitive Scrying on everyone who looked like a disciple while walking towards the exit. Taryon was talking to another person this time, and that person also seemed to be listening seriously to him. Eryndor wasn''t interested in being a saint. He simply prayed for the unfortunate soul and moved on. Eryndor didn''t buy a map from the counter, but simply pieced it together from the numerous memories that he scanned. There were also some interesting ones among them. So the head of this Training Camp is Mordau huh? As he walked on the main road, Eryndor continued scanning memories of disciples while listing out the information on Mordau. He is said to be at level six, which is the Nascent Soul realm. After scrying so many memories, Eryndor now knew about the cultivation power system till level seven. In the ascending order, they were - Qi Gathering realm, Qi Condensation realm, Foundation Building realm, Golden Core realm, Crystallization realm, Nascent Soul realm. He wasn''t sure about the seventh level since the name of that realm wasn''t widespread yet. He only knew what they were called through the memories of a few disciples who just heard it from somewhere. In short, this information was unreliable. Immortal Ascendant. That was what the seventh level of the cultivation power system was called. There was absolutely no mention of the eight or ninth realm. Don''t those realms exist as well? Why is there no information on them in the Cultivation Outer Domain? Or could it be that there is simply no one who reached that realm over the years therefore information about it was gradually lost? Eryndor shook his head. There was no use thinking about the last two realms. It could only be a good thing for humanity if there wasn''t anyone at that level. Does that mean Immortal Ascendants are the ones ruling the Cultivation Outer Domain right now? I don''t even know if there are many or just a single one. But anyway, if Immortal Ascendants are the current peak, does that not mean that people in the Nascent Soul realm were absolutely important? They must be powerhouses in this era. So people at Mordau''s level can detect my Spatial Sight huh? Unfortunately he still didn''t know how exactly he could detect it. Did he have something like Spatial Sight as well? That as soon as Eryndor''s Spatial Sight encountered his, it would alert him? Or could he simply sense Spatial Sights in a certain range? Or could he sense a Spatial Sight only when it passed over him? There were a couple other guesses, but Eryndor hoped it would be the last one, because in that case he would be able to use his Spatial Sight to maximum capacity. No use thinking about it, let me finish this mission first. Chapter 248 248: A fight to learn After scanning a plenty of disciples, Eryndor entered the forest in search of the Six Legged Scaled Monkey. One thing he noticed from the memory of these disciples was that they didn''t have the cultivation practice technique till a higher realm. Majority of them only knew how to cultivate till stage nine of Qi Condensation realm. Apparently, that too was exchanged for a considerable sum of spirit coins. The Academy gave everything for free though. Eryndor thought, subconsciously comparing everything about the Training Camp with the Academy. There was a high chance that they would start charging from the third realm onwards though. Because Eryndor only knew about cultivating till stage nine of Qi Condensation realm as well. Maybe they only had the practice technique till that stage? Maybe they only gave out till stage nine of Qi Condensation because the Cosmic Limit was at level two back then? Wait what? Just as Eryndor had that thought, he halted. Wait... His eyes narrowed. Why would they not share the practice techniques of higher level if the Cosmic Limit was anyway at level two a month ago. It wouldn''t matter anyway. They wouldn''t be able to break through to level three because the Cosmic Limit was at level two, it would''ve suppressed them. Unless that was not the case. Is our breakthrough related to the increase of the Cosmic Limit? Eryndor easily guessed that this privilege should only be limited to the humans of Earth, because if not, the Eight Outer Domains and even the anomalies could easily keep pushing the Cosmic Limit at least way higher than level two by simply breaking through. It must be that only that when an Earth''s human broke through to a new realm that the Cosmic Limit would correspondingly increase. His pace subconsciously slowed down as he thought back to the time when Sander entered the grounds of The Academy with heads strung together around his body. So he was the first third level of humanity and striked first to kill those traitors of The Human Federation by taking advantage of the massive gap between level two and level three? Eryndor suddenly felt he understood everything. No wonder The Academy only shared with him the cultivation practice technique - The Breath Of Lightning God only till stage nine Qi Condensation realm. There was a high chance that they did the same with everyone. Now that the Cosmic Limit allowed till level three, the Human Federation would very likely loosen up on the requirements to exchange for a practice technique which included the method to breakthrough to level three and progress in that realm. As his train of thought arrived at this point, Eryndor suddenly felt a rush of ambition surge up from within. He wanted to be the first to break through to the fourth realm! This was the first time he genuinely thought of standing out and taking a lead. Is this Dr. Kirchoff''s influence? Eryndor was wary about such matters but put it to the back of his mind because he wouldn''t be able to figure it out anyway. I''ll need to work incredibly hard to overtake everyone. Eryndor thought, while looking for the Scaled Monkey. At a certain point he had walked deep into the jungle, so he unleashed his Spatial Sight to a certain extent, bringing him immense relief. For a moment, he thought about using a proper surveillance skill. At least it would be a viable option to not feel blind and vulnerable once his Spatial Sight was robbed. Uh, it wouldn''t hurt I guess? It would only cost me the spirit coins in my possession. It didn''t require any significant time or effort investment from his side. Eryndor could easily master new cultivation arts as it depended on his control of Qi. First, he would have to earn that many amount of spirit coins though. A Qi Condensation realm surveillance skill cost more than what he currently had. Eryndor didn''t simply stroll about in search of the six legged scaled monkey, no, he practiced. He was practicing Telekinesis by picking up random rocks, twigs, or any item which he could find and control. With his massive storage base, it would be enough if he had even fifty percent left in case any enemy cropped up, so he planned to continue using his abilities up until then. After a few moments he sensed a five legged monkey. Not really my target but I don''t care. He thought, while already employing Shadowstep to close the gap between them. He was ready to kill the monkey since it would give him some progress on the Sovereign''s Cloak. The old him would''ve left the monkey because it wasn''t his goal and he wouldn''t want to spend an extra effort on something else. Now? Everything mattered as long as it gave even a tiny power boost to him. The five legged monkey wasn''t one to retreat when it sensed an hostile entry in its ranges. It was at the peak of the Latent realm, but as soon as it sensed Eryndor''s aura from the Shadowstep that he was employing, it began running away. The chase didn''t last long, Eryndor quickly caught up within ten seconds. He also realized that Shadowstep was reaching its limit, it was probably not a Qi Condensation level cultivation art. Seeing that there was no way to escape, the monkey turned around and swiped at the Eryndor. It had eight fingers on each of its five hands, all of them being incredibly sharp. There was supposedly also a single set of claws which were poisonous. The thing was, that wasn''t constant. When the monkey retracted its set of claws, it could move them around its hands. For example, if its third hand had the claw which was poisonous, and if it retracted the claws in this third hand, it could switch this set with any other hand, given that the other hand had withdrawn its claws as well. It wasn''t much of a danger to Eryndor though. Why? Because he had deployed Cognitive Scrying while fighting the beast. Everytime the switch of claws was taking place, Eryndor would know before it even happened, allowing him to easily dodge the attack which that monkey thought would be a ''surprise''. He was still unfamiliar with the dagger in the beginning, as instead of high damage output like his spiked mace, it had quite pitiful damage. Cuts? Bleeding? Even his spiked mace could do that by the virtue of the sharp spikes embedded in its head. Of course, they wouldn''t be as precise or deep as those inflicted by daggers. Daggers are good for prolonged combat I guess? As soon as he had the guess, Eryndor squashed it. Daggers were mainly used by assassins, who were known for their efficient killing style. They wouldn''t use an inefficient weapon right? Eryndor changed his approach. With his spiked mace, it was easy to hit any part and it would be considered a heavy damage due to the sheer power of the weapon, but with daggers, he would have to go for the vital points. The problem? The monkey guarded its vital points quite fiercely, Eryndor would have to be bold if he wanted to target those. The monkey was still alive despite a realm of difference? Because Eryndor hadn''t really used any of his cultivation arts. He just kept using his Telekinesis to disrupt the monkey at crucial times, and used his Cognitive Scrying to gain information on its future moves. Eryndor could feel himself adapting to this fighting style in real time. It''s time to take risks. Eryndor narrowed his eyes, easily ducking a ''surprise'' jab thrown by the fourth hand of the monkey which had the poisoned set of claws. He wanted to upgrade his Passive Regeneration. No more hesitation. He dove straight in, surprising the monkey that its enemy attacked in a manner unlike before. The dagger successfully cut a tendon in the third arm of the monkey before retreating, fully rendering the arm useless. The monkey cried in pain as that arm hung limp by its side. Eryndor didn''t let up though, while his right arm was retreating, he quickly used his left arm to slash at the arm which was pursuing his retreating right hand. In the matter of hands, one had to admit that the monkey had an advantage. As soon as it sensed the left one going for the kill on its pursuing arm, he used two of his arms to block the attack. At that same moment, Eryndor dropped the dagger in his right hand. The monkey''s attention shifted to the right hand which was empty, when the dagger which was dropping suddenly took an abrupt turn, stabbing at the pursuing arm which was going for his right hand. Alright, you have more hands, but I have an invisible hand you fucker. As it let out a confused but a hurtful cry, Eryndor took that opportunity to clench his right hand into a fist and finally used his cultivation art. Internal Fist! His retreating right hand suddenly reversed, picking up pace and punching through the gap created by the hand of the monkey which was injured by the dagger. The monkey didn''t have the time to compensate for the blunder in its confused rage and pain. The fist connected straight with the chest, inflicting devastating damage by bypassing the scaled armor over its entire body. There was no sound this time. Eryndor could ''feel'' an organ bursting apart as his right hand was still connected to the chest. It was probably its heart. The monkey''s movements abruptly lost momentum before dropping to the side. Before Eryndor could review his fight, he sensed another lifeform approaching him. It was a six legged scaled monkey. One at the middle stage of the Stable realm. Chapter 249 249: Fight with the six legged scaled monkey I/II Eryndor looked at the six legged scaled monkey which had now entered his visual range. There was a small pause, a moment of silence as the monkey halted its charge as well. How did it accurately arrive here? Eryndor narrowed his eyes and thought. He was pretty confident in the range of his Spatial Sight. There should be no one in the similar level who could have a sense beyond him. This scaled monkey was in the Stable realm, which is the second level, the same as him. His gaze flickered to the dead beast of similar species by his foot. Did it arrive here through the scream of this monkey? So their sensing range isn''t visual based but through hearing? For the first time, Eryndor''s confidence in his Spatial Sight wavered as he was confronted with a species with an extraordinary range of sensing. No, this isn''t even my complete range, no need to be disheartened. As if it finally ascertained that its kin had died, and finished evaluating the human before it, the six legged scaled monkey let out a shrill cry before charging towards him. I''ll need to make it quick. Eryndor quickly came to a conclusion, while extending his Spatial Sight even more. The beast didn''t let out a roar for nothing, it was still unsure about the power level of the person who killed its kin. It was calling for its companions. The clearing was eerily silent, until broken through by the monkey''s shrill as it rapidly closed the distance. Sunlight filtered down through the broken canopy, painting orange patterns on the leaf littered ground. Eryndor stood in the center, crimson lines faintly glowing under his skin, before it manifested above his skin and solidified. The Crimson Armor had been activated. His cloak, seemingly embodying the void itself, fluttered without wind. The monkey climbed up the trees at startling speed using all six of its limbs. From the shadows of the branches full of dense leaves came a growl, which was wet, and guttural. Then it leapt. The six-legged scaled monkey exploded from the treetops, claws bared. Two sets of curved black claws flashed, the third with retracted sheaths, its second and fourth arms held slightly tighter to the torso. Eryndor''s eyes narrowed. Cognitive Scrying activated. Future trajectory: 2.1 seconds ahead. Right diagonal strike. Poison switched to the fourth and second set of claws. Yes, once they reached the Stable realm, these monkeys had six sets of claws, two of which were poisonous. He stepped left, Shadowstep blurring his outline into a smudge of movement. The monkey crashed into the earth, cleaving into the dirt with explosive force, claws gouging stone and root. But Eryndor was already behind it. Sky Piercing Palm: Fire. His palm blazed with erupting Qi as he drove it into the monkey''s scaled back. Flames burrowed into the beast''s hide, but stopped by the hardened carapace. The beast roared as kts flesh seared, but scales stayed intact. It twisted unnaturally, tail whipping forward like a scythe. Telekinesis. Eryndor stopped the tail mid-air with a flick of his mind, then slammed it downward. The monkey screeched and used the motion to roll with the impact. It retracted the claws of its second arm, extending the poisoned claws of the fifth¡ªa quick switch. With a lurch of movement, it blurred forward, two arms swiping high, one mid, one low. Eryndor saw. He saw in the memories that the poisoned claws of the second were switched over to the current fifth one. Unfortunately he couldn''t do anything about it. Eryndor was only at stage one of the Qi Condensation realm. The scaled monkey was at mid stage of Stable realm. The reason beasts were categorised as early stage, mid stage, and late stage, and not first, second, third and so on like the eight power systems was because their realms of power were blurred. Unless one had an incredibly accurate realm sensing or probing skill which they had mastered to a high degree, it was difficult to gauge the accurate levels of the beasts. One could only roughly guess what stage they were at, hence the terms early stage, for first, second and third stage. Mid stage and late stage for fourth to sixth, and seventh to ninth stage respectively. Even if one assumed that the scaled monkey was at the lowest of mid stage, that was fourth stage, there was still a three level gap. If the monkey was of a higher stage? Even worse. Eryndor''s cultivation and mentalist power system, neither of them were physique focused. The body tempering pills he took in the past weren''t THAT helpful, because he had taken none in the later stages in the Qi Refining realm, and naturally didn''t use it in the Qi Condensation realm either. It became a perfect case of, the mind could see but the body couldn''t react. The result? Too fast. The monkey''s claws raked his chest, but before Eryndor could do anything, it leapt away, as if sensing that the attack didn''t do any damage. It was correct. Eryndor had sensed an immense suction force in his Energy of Consciousness as it was consumed by the Sovereign'' Cloak to resist the monkey''s attack, which was both physical and poisonous. If it was only his Crimson Armor, it would''ve been ripped through as it wasn''t made from a Qi Condensation realm cultivation art. The second claw, which should have been non-lethal, had pierced into his shoulder. The monkey had a wary look in its eyes because it realized that none of the two attacks had affected Eryndor. He needed space. Eryndor was quick to determine that. In the short gap that the monkey was confused about its opponent''s abnormal defense, Eryndor leapt back. It''s in times like this that I miss my Spiked Mace. I''ll have to close the distance again if I need to use these daggers. Eryndor wasn''t necessarily keeping both of them in his hand. He was using daggers in a lot of ways. Chapter 250 250: Fight with the six legged scaled monkey II/II He sometimes threw it to the ground to distract the monkey, then used Telekinesis to pick it up and stab the monkey from its blind spot. Many times he would even throw them at empty air only to use Telekinesis to change their trajectory. Eryndor knew he could only do this against an unintelligent beast. As he was sure to kill it. He wouldn''t ever try this against an intelligent existence as there was always a possibility that they could spread it. Maybe he would do this after revealing all his abilities, which probably won''t be anytime soon. As the monkey snapped out of its stupor, it charged at him once again. Eryndor threw the daggers to disorient the monkey, and activated the Sky Piercing Palm: Air variant with both his palms. Two crescent blades of compressed air were thrown toward the beast. It ducked, but not fast enough, one of the blades managed to cut across its upper thigh, slicing muscle through the scales and outer fur. Sky Piercing Palm could be applied in the Qi Condensation realm as well with similar efficiency. The beast shrieked in pain and rage, blood steaming against its scaled hide. Eryndor took the opportunity to leap back, and using Telekinesis, he gave himself a push with all the strength and control he could muster in his human form It failed. His jump hardly increased by a half a meter or so. He wanted to jump till the tree trunk. The monkey began to circle him now, snarling, eyes glowing with malevolent intent. It lowered its body, twitching all six limbs. Eryndor exhaled slowly, and switched into his eldritch form. It was taking too long, its reinforcement would be here soon. With extremely precise steps, his eldritch form sidestepped the charging monkey and stood behind its back. It wasn''t that his eldritch form couldn''t utilize the eight power systems, with all this time he had been using the eldritch form, he certainly had a tiny bit of mastery to use his cultivation art. But just like when in his base form he couldn''t fully utilize the eldritch skills to their full potential, in his eldritch form he could utilize the eight power systems, but not to their full extent. Fortunately, he didn''t need the full potential of the skill either. Sky Piercing Palm: Lightning. Blue arcs of electricity crackled into his arm and discharged into the monkey''s spine. The creature convulsed, muscles spasming. Yes, he only wanted to use the ''stun'' function of the Sky Piercing Palm''s lightning version. Its fire version had the ''burn'' function, and air style had the ''cut'' and ''invisible'' function, latter of which was less of a function but more of an inherent feature of the element. None of these elements did pure damage, or increased damage, but inflicted their ''functions''. The beast collapsed, limbs jerking¡ªbut even stunned, one claw jabbed backward, catching Eryndor in the ribs. This time he was quick enough to evade it, as he was in his eldritch form. He was nothing if not efficient. Dodging using the least possible movements and expending the slightest of energy was the most basic skill in his arsenal in this form. Eryndor grabbed the limb and flicked it like a rope while using Internal Fist on the same limb with his other hand. A soundless shockwave exploded from his palm into the monkey''s forearm, bypassing its scales entirely, directly rupturing muscle and tendons from the inside. The limb went limp, the monkey howling in agony. Well, it ''intended'' to howl in agony. Eryndor didn''t give it the chance though, using Telekinesis to shut its mouth. The monkey leapt backward, blood trailing from its limbs, but it used its good hands to switch claws again. Poison now primed in the first and sixth arms. Its opponent was proving to be far more troublesome than it had initially anticipated. At random times, the opponent would use weird skills which had no energy signature which it could sense. Those kinds of attacks would literally come out of nowhere. It roared, and went berserk. The creature began spinning, a cyclone of clawed limbs and scale-plated fury. Trees were shredded in its wake. Branches exploded. The creature had gone insane, spinning like a top with its arm extended horizontally while approaching Eryndor. Eryndor didn''t flinch. Through Cognitive Scrying he had already sensed what it was about to do. When the opponent tried to create distance from the spinning top, the monkey would discharge its poisonous set of claws like a bullet, the spin giving it enough momentum to penetrate straight into the opponent. Unfortunately, Eryndor already knew everything. He flew up, his eldritch form making it easy to do so. Using Telekinesis, he lifted himself above the storm of limbs, and then inverted gravity around the monkey. The beast suddenly felt itself yanked upward. Its plan fell through. It fought the invisible force, limbs digging the trunks of the trees beside it, but Eryndor, both palms raised, began to compress the air itself above the creature''s back. The pressure mounted. Air exploded from his palms, shooting downwards like a in a cascading drill of power. It wasn''t shaped like a lance or any other sharp object, no. It was like a meteor. Just an invisible one. The monkey shrieked, barely looking up before it was crushed beneath the extreme force. A shockwave rolled across the forest. When the dust cleared, a small crater steamed at Eryndor''s feet. The monkey lay motionless at its center, its six limbs twitching feebly. Poison leaked from shattered claws, sizzling uselessly against broken stone. Eryndor dropped to one knee, breathing slowly. His eyes never left the twitching body. The monkey twitched once more, a final desperate strike with its sixth, poisoned claw. Eryndor''s expression was impassive, with an indifferent gaze as he calmly tilted his head at a necessary angle, nothing more, nothing less. The claw shot past its ear with barely a millimeter of gap. The eldritch form was nothing if not efficient. The monkey''s heart exploded as Eryndor used another attack through compressed air, this time at a smaller scale. The monkey lay still... ...while ten others surrounded him. Chapter 251 251: Another mission and an encounter Eryndor glanced around at the ten monkeys which were already charging at him from different angles. There was no expression on his face as he simply flew up and broke through their encirclement before lowering his height of flying. He definitely didn''t want to be seen flying in the open empty sky above, it was better to fly between the trees. He didn''t continue for long though. Once he put sufficient distance between them, Eryndor switched to his base form and began running towards the main building with the corpse of the six legged scaled monkey on his back. The mission only required him to bring back the six sets of claws. They had their own ways to determine if the claws originated from a single beast or not, so one couldn''t cheat by bringing claws from different monkeys. Eryndor obviously didn''t have the time to meticulously cut apart the claws so he had taken the entire corpse. It wasn''t difficult for him to shake off the monkeys through Shadowstep as his eldritch form had given enough headstart through flying. He also came to know that the hearing senses of these monkeys relied only on the sound made by their own kind. Now that the one he was carrying was dead and obviously couldn''t scream out, those monkeys couldn''t locate him. He could see from his Spatial Sight how clueless they were while searching. Once the distance was far enough, he put down the corpse and cut apart everything which could be sold. The claws could be sold as well. Yes, one had to submit them for verification, but once it was done, they would return the claws to you. Alright, daggers are useful in cutting out these beast corpses at least. Eryndor admitted while carefully taking apart the parts. His spiked mace would''ve been definitely inconvenient for this job. After collecting everything, Eryndor walked back towards the main building. This time it was another man who approached him, but the offer was similarly ridiculous. Eryndor was, of course, not a fool so he was quick to reject him. Once inside, he approached the counter in the mission hall and submitted the claws. The verification only took a minute or two as his mission was deemed successful and he got around twenty spirit coins. He sold the claws, but kept the remaining parts for a certain reason. Twenty spirit coins was already a high amount for a beast at mid stage of Stable realm as these species were incredibly difficult to deal with. Disciples usually didn''t hunt them because the other monkeys were quick to rush to reinforcement. He also got a few spirit coins extra because he hit above his grade. Clarence was registered as a stage one Qi Condensation realm disciple, just like Eryndor''s current realm. For him to bring the claws of a mid stage Stable realm beast meant he killed a beast above his grade. No matter what tricks he used, it was impressive. Of course, if Eryndor was willing to share a recording of how he fought, he would get even more rewards. After all, who knew if you didn''t take help from your friends to fight the beast? If it could actually be proved that you killed the beast alone, then it was worthy of getting more spirit coins. But the twist was that these ''recordings'' were stored. Disciples could pay a certain amount of spirit coins to buy battle recordings of other disciples. For this reason, the majority of the people didn''t submit the recording of their battle even if they could earn more spirit coins than the normal amount. Out of the few who do so, people who didn''t have the ambition to climb to the leaderboards, participate in the tournaments or other events, were one of them. Another kind of people who turned in their battle records were ones who had absolute confidence in themselves. They believed that people wouldn''t be able to defeat them even if they studied how they fought. Eryndor turned around and approached the mission board in the distance. There were already a few people standing there, so he maintained some distance while gazing at the missions. While using Cognitive Scrying all this while, he had already gotten to know how ''Clarence'' acted, what was his personality like and so on. It seemed he hadn''t made much contact with anyone outside of occasionally cooperating with disciples for some special missions. He had a reserved personality, and also didn''t participate in the rankings even once. But then again, there wasn''t much use because even the lowest rank, which was hundred, had a level of stage four foundation building realm, the third level of the cultivation power system. This was the leaderboard which included all the seven years. There were no individual leaderboards for each year of disciples. Eryndor scanned the missions, and realized that one of them was suitable. It was another hunting mission just with an easier beast. It wasn''t that Eryndor didn''t want to challenge his limits, but after fighting and using his eldritch form, he was more tired than before. One must remember that it was night time on Earth and he was sleeping when Dr. Kirchoff picked him up. That was also after two entire weeks of an outdoor survival tournament where there was no such thing as safety. One could assume that it was already impressive for Eryndor to take on another mission. After remembering the mission number, he turned away and approached the counter once again where he placed his badge. Information about him was transmitted directly in his mind. He glanced over them, not paying any attention and wrote a string of numbers in the empty box above the badge. It was the ID of the mission which he was choosing. "Oh! You''re choosing the same mission? Wanna head out together?" A young boy, approximately fourteen to sixteen years old was looking at him with shining eyes. Hunting missions like these could be taken up by more than one person at a time, so people often grouped together for easy mission completion. Out of cautiousness, Eryndor immediately deployed Cognitive Scrying. And well, for the first time, he encountered a mental defense treasure in the training camp. Chapter 252 252: Iron armored anaconda Like mentioned before, when he was in a conversation and the other person was anticipating a response, Eryndor couldn''t take too long as it would seem out of place. Eryndor was quick to shake his head. Even without the existence of the mental defense treasure, he would''ve rejected the young boy. He planned to keep up the persona of Clarence. That is, acting alone, barely interacting with people, and cooperating with disciples on only a few special missions. The young boy didn''t insist on inviting the disciple who had taken on the same mission as him. Even though he was fifteen years old, as someone who lived in the cultivation world and even enrolled in the Training Camp, he wasn''t oblivious to how things worked. He was mature for his age as compared to teenagers of similar age on Earth. Backing down, he entered the same string of numbers which the counter soon analysed and then modified the information in the badge. There was additional information regarding the mission in his mind now. Eryndor glanced at the young boy before he left the main building once again. He didn''t start using his Cognitive Scrying because his reserves had dropped below fifty percent already by using it so continuously and rapidly. He had also used Telekinesis plenty of times during the battle against the six legged scaled monkey. So the target this time is an iron armored anaconda huh? Eryndor thought, while entering the forest once more. These snakes lived alone quite deep in the forest. Even if it hissed and thrashed about, no other specimen of its own species would rush to rescue except in a few unique situations. They were rather individualistic beasts. If anything, they would even hunt others of the same kind if they were hungry. Not having reinforcement wasn''t the only reason they were easier than the six legged scaled monkeys. The iron armored anacondas only had a strong defense and a deadly grip. They weren''t poisonous, fast, and didn''t even have a fatal bite force. One only needed to take care to not be caught in their grip. Because these species might not be a lot of things, but they were definitely huge. You''d have to take into account each section of its body part so as not to unknowingly get close to it, only to be entangled in its grip. If one were to be stuck while the anaconda coiled around them, the chances of them escaping alive were close to zero if they were at the same approximate stage as the beast, because as mentioned before, they had incredibly good defenses and grip. Even a sharp weapon of second level might not be enough to severely damage the creature at the early stage of Stable realm before it strangled you completely. Eryndor glanced at his daggers. They were at the second level. Pills, weapons, array formations and other such products didn''t have a detailed classification, because their functions were even more unclear than the aura of beasts. There wasn''t a need to classify them as strongly as the eight power systems, or even the power system of beasts and anomalies. At most, one could only say that a particular weapon was sharper than the others of the same level. That is, subjective classification. As Eryndor was jogging towards the resting place of these beasts according to the memories of the numerous disciples he had gone through, he remembered that it was quite deep into the forest. Jeez, why didn''t I remember it before taking the mission. Eryndor would''ve preferred a more difficult beast which didn''t live so deep into the forest. This time it took him approximately an hour to finally reach their habitat. It was a swampy area, so he was obviously not going to fight in it. It took around fifteen minutes for him to lure out a Stable realm beast, as the first two he happened to lure out were at Latent realm. Eryndor had no interest in killing them and wasting more of his energy. A behemoth approximately fifteen meters long and as thick as a bucket slithered out of the swamp at Eryndor''s third attempt. Its blood red eyes scanned its opponent, while its metallic dark brown scales covered each of its vital points except the eyes. Yes, even its underbelly, and the area around its head was covered in scales. Fortunately, this beast was at the early stage of the Stable realm. I''ll have to keep punching my severely underleveled Internal Fist to have any chance at killing it, or use my eldritch form to keep striking at the same spot precisely without any error with the two daggers. Since the beast wasn''t adept at speed, it didn''t immediately attack, but was watching the human standing atop the tree branch. Eryndor''s Spatial Sight easily caught the subtle movements which a normal surveillance skill would''ve missed. This disgustingly long snake was slowly but steadily encircling Eryndor. Unfortunately for you this daddy can fly. Eryndor wasn''t in a hurry to expose it though. What if the beast felt it wasn''t worth it to fight such an opponent? Eryndor rapidly climbed down from the tree, and ran towards a particular section of the snake. Just as the snake was observing Eryndor, he had also been observing the beast. The Training Camp wouldn''t give complete information on the beast after all, and due to the annoying defense of these beasts, disciples didn''t really hunt them either. So, he couldn''t really gain complete information from their memories either. There were other beasts out there which were extremely easy to kill, but such missions would be taken up and reach the max count quickly, so the remaining hunt missions were almost always such difficult or annoying beasts. Eryndor reached that particular part, and immediately punched out an Internal Fist while using the dagger with his left hand. The other dagger was controlled through Telekinesis to hit at the same spot. Backing away quickly after an Internal Fist and a few dagger stabs, he sidestepped using Shadowstep to dodge a tail whip. His eyes narrowed when he finally registered the feeling he had while he was hitting the part which he thought was the weak point of the snake. Something feels wrong. Chapter 253 253: Encountering again Eryndor kept moving using his Shadowstep to avoid letting the snake dictate the tempo of the battle. The speed was simply not this species'' forte, such that even his Qi Refining level Shadowstep was enough to keep him from getting trapped at a place. One might wonder, then why do people still get trapped and strangled? The answer would lie in the surveillance skill and the individual''s observation. Eryndor''s Spatial Sight was good enough to the point that he could easily see the minute movements of the snake, be it while attacking while defending, while moving or even while in a standoff. The anaconda would always continue positioning various parts of its body in such a way that it would eventually result in the prey having no means to escape. Just ''being capable'' of seeing wasn''t enough. One had to pay attention, accurately observe those slight movements even while in battle and make the corresponding moves, which Eryndor excelled at. During the slight confrontation just now, he had hit at the point which he thought was weak because after a round of observation he determined that that specific area wasn''t moving much. It was as if the snake was taking care to carefully handle that section of its body. Eryndor thought the snake was hurt at that spot, hence his following attack, but there was nothing ''weak'' about that spot. The defense was up to par and the snake only displayed signs of anger instead of pain. Just as Eryndor was furrowing his brows while exchanging two more rounds of confrontation with different parts of its body, he sensed another iron armored anaconda heading his way. Holy fuck, didn''t they say these snakes wouldn''t reinforce each other unless under special circumstances? Suddenly, a flash of insight struck him as he realized what his source of unease was, like why did he feel that something was wrong. This iron armored anaconda was pregnant! The first spot he hit was where its baby was being developed, and it might have been specially reinforced to protect the baby, therefore the extraordinary defense. It was also why the snake wasn''t moving around that part much, so as to not disturb the baby. The incoming second iron armored anaconda was likely its partner. Eryndor could already feel the peak stage Stable realm aura as it entered his visual range. Nah fuck it, I''m out of it. Eryndor had zero wish to fight both the snakes even in his eldritch form. He was already low on Energy of Consciousness. He immediately switched to his eldritch form and flew away from the encirclement using Telekinesis. The snake thrashed and whipped its body at certain places to prevent him from escaping, but Eryndor easily dodged all of it. He couldn''t fly for long though, as his Spatial Sight picked up another human. Not wanting to take any risk, he immediately cancelled his eldritch form and began running using Shadowstep. Sure, Clarence might not have known Shadowstep or any other cultivation art that he knew, but he could always say that he simply learnt them. I still need to know what cultivation arts Clarence used though, just as a backup. Eryndor thought while running. This was also the reason he didn''t submit any of the body parts of the monkey except the claws which had no marks. What if they could determine from the traces over the body parts which type of cultivation art was used? What if they then found out that these cultivation arts didn''t match the ones which Clarence knew? Sure, Eryndor could always stick the same excuse again, that he learnt new cultivation art, but he would first have to make a proof for himself. For a backup, he would first learn Clarence''s cultivation arts, then he would buy other new cultivation arts which resembled his current ones. That way there would be no more suspicion on him if he sold the body parts of the beasts he killed. While running away, Eryndor finally met the person who had entered his range of sensing. He knew long ago that it was the same young boy who had asked to make a team with him, so he only nodded at him before continuing to run. That young boy was most likely here for the iron armored anacondas as well since they both picked the same mission, but Eryndor didn''t have any plans to warn the person. As far as I understood from all the information, Clarence definitely wasn''t the saviour type of guy. He valued profit and practicality. When the boy was about to leave his visual range though, as if he had come to a decision, he turned around and chased after Eryndor. The latter immediately sped up, but the young boy yelled. "Wait! You''ve been to the swamps of iron armored anacondas, haven''t you? I want to buy information!" Eryndor slowed down. Well, Clarence does prefer profit and practicality. No harm in selling information. Maintaining sufficient distance, Eryndor yelled back. "Ten spirit coins for normal information. Twenty for an important one." Eryndor knew he was overcharging here, but he didn''t care. He didn''t know the young boy, nor was he a saint. The young boy thought for a moment before replying. "Alright, I''ll only pay half though. I''ll pay the other half if your information is genuine." Eryndor bargained. "Three fourths." The young boy simply shrugged, and asked while throwing a small pouch containing fifteen spirit coins. "Alright, what is the important information then?" Eryndor let the pouch drop to the ground, having no intention to pick it up. What if the person attacked him while his attention was on the pouch? Or while his hands had stretched out to catch the pouch? Eryndor only glanced at the pouch before looking ahead and giving out the important information. "On the south side of the swamp, two snakes are working together." Eryndor didn''t tell him that one was pregnant. There was no need to. If the young boy angered the snakes by hitting the spot where their child was growing, that would be his own fault. He wasn''t doing charity work. After saying that, he looked at the boy for the remaining spirit coins. Chapter 254 254: All the cultivation arts There was a moment of silence before the young boy threw the remaining five spirit coins. Eryndor watched the person leave, only then did he pick up the twenty spirit coins and resumed running. As to why he didn''t give the complete information? Well, Eryndor didn''t forget his original identity. These people were invaders. They engaged in killing and enslaving humans on Earth. Only because of the Sinclair family was the Cultivation Outer Domain''s advanced base on Earth now under control. Why would he give complete information to such people? As he ran, Eryndor couldn''t help but have a moment of self reflection though. Am I unconditionally hating the entire population because a small percentage of them went against what I stand for? Is it right to do so? Eryndor heaved a sigh, and shook his head. It wasn''t his place to think of such matters, he was still too weak for that. After reaching the main building, he exchanged for a few cultivation arts which resembled Internal Fist, Sky Piercing Palm, and Shadowstep, then he also got himself a defensive cultivation art which was also a full body one. Might as well learn them before going to sleep. He headed towards the training hall, and scanned his badge at the door. It was a private room, where all the cultivation arts he had bought were already present for him to learn. Naturally, it also included the ones which Clarence bought in the past. The cultivation arts which Clarence used were - Air Cleaving Slash - It was an offensive art meant to be used along with a sharp weapon. Like the name suggested, it would reinforce the weapon with extra sharpness and strength during a slashing movement. Using it through hand would result in less than optimal results. It could be practiced till the ninth stage of Qi Condensation realm. Void Pierce - Another offensive art, one meant to be used with pointed weapons. It was the same as previous cultivation art but with a stabbing movement. It could also be used till the ninth stage of Qi Condensation realm. For both of the above cultivation arts, using them while doing movements other than what they were intended for would result in less than half of its effects. Iron Mountain Guard - A defensive cultivation art which strengthened the skin, giving it a shiny texture while doing so. It could only be used till the third stage of Qi Condensation realm. Cloud Stride - A movement cultivation art which gave one heightened speed, and evasive capability both. If Shadowstep increased the speed of legs to increase your overall speed, Cloud Stride made you feel weightless to increase your speed. The benefit was that its weightlessness also gave you the capability to more easily change direction, be nimble and have greater mobility in all parts of the body instead of just pure speed. It could be practiced upto stage three of Foundation Building realm. Yes, this was the most expensive cultivation art in Clarence''s inventory. Next was a surveillance skill. Since he had decided to learn it to use it at times when his Spatial Sight couldn''t be used, he took a look at it as well. Clear Sky Pupil - It was a visual surveillance skill with a basic range for its level. It could be used up to stage six of the Qi Condensation realm. Apart from these common offensive, defensive, movement and surveillance arts, there were also other cultivation art he had bought over the years. Physique Tempering Manual - It was one of the common body cultivation arts of the Cultivation world. It wasn''t combat oriented, but used purely to temper and strengthen one''s body. One used it just like other cultivation arts, by controlling Qi through a certain closed loop of meridians. It would strengthen your physique by a minute amount after each revolution. For quicker results, one could choose to use certain resources with this cultivation art. This could be practiced till stage nine of the Qi Condensation realm. Heavenly Pulse Circulation - It was another practice technique of the cultivation power system, but Eryndor realized that his ''Breath of Lightning god'' was better so he didn''t read this one in too much detail. Lastly, there was a Dagger Manual. It wasn''t a cultivation art, but just an information booklet on how to use a dagger. It was like having a proper education on how to utilize a dagger compared to learning it yourself through battles. Hmm, now that I think about it, I never really formally learned how to use a spiked mace. Might as well try learning a dagger through proper means. After looking through them, Eryndor glanced at the cultivation arts he chose to mask the effects of his Internal Fist, Sky Piercing Palm, and Shadowstep. Of course, he also had an intention to upgrade his cultivation arts, as Internal Fist, Crimson Armor, Lightning Infusion, and Shadowstep were all Qi Refining realm cultivation arts. Sky Piercing Palm was a Qi Condensation realm art. The new ones he chose were - Nine suns palm - A palm strike based offensive art which inflicted both physical and burn damage. It could be practiced till stage nine of Qi Condensation realm. It could mask the effects of the fire version of his Sky Piercing Palm on the monkey''s hide which he cut apart. Lightning Trap - One could infuse certain objects with Lightning Trap, which would trigger if someone made contact with it, stunning them on spot. It could mask the effects of the lightning version of his Sky Piercing Palm. As for the air version? Well, he could just say that the cut was done through his dagger. For his Internal Fist, and Shadowstep, luckily, he found the later parts of them here in the cultivation world. Naturally, both of them had the same name, but could now be practiced till stage nine of Qi Condensation realm. Lastly, for the full body defensive cultivation art, he chose ''Azure Tortoise Shell''. As the name suggested, it formed a multi layered bulging green shell over the entire body as a form of defense. If the user was willing to expend extra Qi, they could also reflect a portion of the attack back at the opponent. As he finished reading through everything, Eryndor suddenly felt like he had a lot to do. Chapter 255 255: Nuances of the two power systems Eryndor started with the offensive cultivation arts of Clarence. Midway through practicing the Air Cleaving Slash, he finally reached the tipping point though. Can''t go on any longer. He pushed himself as far as he could, any longer and he might fall unconscious in the training room itself. It wouldn''t really mean anything, except that he would be paying a bunch of spirit coins just to end up sleeping in the training room, which was... wasteful. He might as well sleep in his own room. Through sheer will, he reached his own room, and plopped down on the bed after removing his clothes. Before drifting to sleep though, Eryndor entered his Mind Palace. He took a look at everything, noticing the increase in all his abilities before he retreated back into his physical form. As he once again felt the incoming familiar feeling of falling asleep, he resisted it and took out a bottle of Spirit Strengthening pills from the compartment below. What if I strengthen my mind? Will that reduce the need for sleep? He didn''t spend much time deliberating and quickly took a pill while lying down. The meridians would of course change with the form of the body. If one were to lie down, the meridians which passed from the upper body to lower body would be straight. If one were to sit straight, that is, in an L-shaped position, then the meridians going from upper body to lower body would similarly be in a bent L-shaped. People preferred to activate their practice technique in the same position all the time because that way they''d be familiar with the shape. Suppose they were already familiar with controlling their Qi to take a U-turn after a right turn, but if the posture of the body changed, it would be a different set of turns, which might mess up their control. It was like muscle memory. Shifting a few things in your house would cause you to bump into them while walking because your muscle memory of the route around the house had been formed. However, as a person who had even mastered passive cultivation, Eryndor wasn''t deterred by such problems. One of the requirements of being able to cultivate passively meant that they should be able to control the Qi to flow through the meridians in any and all forms. A person wouldn''t just sit, right? Or they wouldn''t just stand, right? A person walked, jumped, fought and did a variety of actions. To be able to control the Qi to move through the meridians during all the actions was one of the requirements for cultivating passively. Since Eryndor had achieved that, it meant that there was no need for a fixed form for him to switch back to when he felt like cultivating. As soon as the Spirit Strengthening pill entered his mouth, Eryndor controlled his Qi through the meridians along the route mentioned in the practice technique Breath of Lightning God. He felt a breath of coolness in his mind as the pill began working its effects. I think it works? Eryndor wasn''t sure. He certainly felt less sleepy than before but he wasn''t sure if the effects would only stay till the time he was using the pill. It depended on what exactly was helping him being less sleepy. Is it the cold feeling radiating as my mind is being strengthened? Or is it my strengthened mind which is fending off the sleepiness? If it was the former, it meant it would only stay till the time the pill was being consumed. If it was the latter, his need for sleep would really be lowered due to a strengthened mind. While it''s happening, I might as well focus on my mentalist power system. He thought, while segregating a portion of his focus towards the mentalist power system. This power system was based in the mind sea, or one could also call it mind space. In the start, one needed to activate their practice technique of this power system and sense the Spiritual Energy while tracing their thoughts along a certain design. It was just like in the cultivation power system where one tried to remember the entire route of meridians of practice technique and then tried sensing the Qi. The complexity of the design needing to be traced depended on the practice technique. Basic practice techniques had basic designs such as a circle or a square. Advanced practice techniques had more complicated designs. Once one sensed the Spiritual Energy, it would be absorbed in your mind space. From then onwards, one had to control that strand of Spiritual Energy and manipulate it along the shape of the design. Unlike in the cultivation system where there were specific meridians for a Qi to follow through, there was no such thing in the mind space. One just had to control their Spiritual energy to trace a specific shape at a certain size. Well, then how would one determine if they were correctly making the shape or not? Because, in the cultivation power system, if one controlled their Qi to go into the incorrect meridian, they would end up having cultivation deviation. Specifically, in cultivation deviation, the meridians of that area would be unusable for a long time. Be it using cultivation arts or practicing cultivation practice technique, they couldn''t have their Qi go through that specific area of meridians as it would bring you immense pain plus also worsen the injury on those meridians. Cultivation deviation would also result in a pretty large area of meridians being affected, so oftentimes you couldn''t switch to any other cultivation practice technique of a different route either since there were high chances that its route of meridians would be passing through the same area. It also greatly limited the cultivation arts one could use. In short, it halted the progress of a person in their realm for a long time, and also crippled their combat prowess. Well, the situation in the mind space for the mentalist power system was a bit different. Chapter 256 256: Psyche recoil In the mentalist power system, they had a pretty similar term to cultivation deviation when you messed up. It was psyche recoil. Previously, using the direct naming sense, it was called ''mental deviation''. However, it became apparent that the word was being used for a derogatory purpose, and overlapping it with a serious phenomenon practitioners encountered was unsightly. Therefore, it was later changed to psyche recoil. A psyche recoil took place when a person incorrectly drew the shape mentioned in the practice technique while controlling their Spiritual Energy. The margin of error allowed wasn''t yet discovered, so people preferred to perfectly follow the shape. Well, what happened if they didn''t? Poof. Literally. A part of their ''progress'' would poof out of existence. It would vanish. They would regress. If a cultivation deviation ''halted'' your progress, then psyche recoil ''regressed'' your progress. In cultivation deviation, the amount of time one needed to wait for the meridians to heal before they could start using it again depended on the degree of incorrectness. That is, which incorrect meridian did your Qi run into? Was it a major meridian? Was it a minor one? How much Qi went into the incorrect meridian? Was it a large amount? Or were you able to control yourself in time and only a small amount went in the incorrect meridian? What was the speed of Qi when the incident took place? Was it high and impacted the meridian strongly? Or did it barely affect the meridian? Similarly, in psyche recoil, the extent of ''regression'' depended on the degree of incorrectness. The higher the intensity of the mistake, the more progress you would lose. That is, the more you would regress. But unlike cultivation deviation, after the mess up in mind space, you could still continue to draw shapes. If you traced correctly, you could still continue progressing. As the pill kept being consumed, Eryndor continued feeling illusory cold currents in his mind. He could feel the gradual progress of his mind. As the pill was finally completely consumed, Eryndor felt the familiar pull of sleep. He thought disappointedly. So it were the cold currents keeping me up? Immediately after, he had a small realization and popped in another pill. No no, a single pill can''t really strengthen the mind to THAT extent. I can''t really determine anything based on that. What if the amount it strengthened wasn''t enough to resist the sleep? As he reasoned out his thoughts, Eryndor continued consuming pills till only half a bottle was left. At this point, he could finally stay awake without the help of cold currents brought out by the pills. So yea, the strengthening of the mind can indeed lessen the amount of sleep needed. But I don''t think the improvement is much. Eryndor could feel that he only had about an hour before he would feel like sleeping again. Might as well finish the bottle. Dozens of minutes later, he was done finishing the complete bottle of pills. With a sufficiently refreshed mind, Eryndor began cultivating using the Qi Gathering pills. After he was done with a pill, he would switch to practicing the mentalist practice technique to prevent himself from getting bored. Granted, he wouldn''t really stop doing a thing after getting bored now that he got his ass whooped, it would still be better to not get the feeling of boredom, right? Eryndor was currently at the middle of stage nine of Primind realm, the first level of the mentalist power system. He had a relatively basic practice technique, so his speed wasn''t anything impressive. It was purely because of the various resources in the secret realm during the tournament that he was able to progress so quickly back then and quickly reach stage nine. Eryndor had thought of using the Spirit Strengthening pills for the mentalist power system, but he later realized that it might be dangerous to use it this way. He was just making a guess based on the fact that since the Spirit Strengthening pill targeted the mind, the domain of the mentalist power system, so they could be used together. He didn''t actually have any real knowledge regarding this, so he didn''t end up risking it. It wasn''t as if he could ask at the counter either. Why the fuck was a random student having doubts about a power system which wasn''t even circulated here? After about two hours, when he felt the sleepiness kick in again, Eryndor finally gave in. He let sleep consume him as his thoughts came to a stop, falling into the abyss as peace overtook his being. A calm breathing ensued in the private room of Eryndor as he took a rest after a long long long day. Approximately four hours later, Eryndor''s eye opened for a brief moment. It was a normal occurrence. When people sleep they would sometimes randomly wake up before immediately being consumed by sleep. The same happened here, except that Eryndor fought off the second round of sleep and groggily woke up. The first thing he did was change the bedsheets as he remembered that he had only removed the clothes before falling on it a few hours ago. He hadn''t freshened up in the bathroom or cleaned himself of all the filth. He then took a bath and changed into a new set of clothes, above which he wore the undamaged armor. On top of everything he wrapped a white robe around himself before stepping out of the room with daggers strapped to his waist. These robes were made in such a way that they didn''t interfere with your combat, so a lot of disciples used it for not just aesthetic purposes but also because it didn''t impede you while battling. Because if these robes interfered with your fight, then people wouldn''t wear them even if they had to walk around with an ugly clunky armor. Time to kill that snake. Eryndor left the room, and had just walked downstairs when he heard something which made him stop in his tracks. Chapter 257 257: Several oddities of the cultivation world "sh... Anomaly..." Eryndor stopped in his tracks as soon as he heard the word in the sentence a disciple spoke to another person. He didn''t even hear the rest of the sentence, as if his mind automatically hyper focused on that single word. In the few hours that Eryndor had been here, and the numerous memories that he had scanned, there were a few oddities that he had found. There were no anomalies. Yes, the Cultivation world never had any anomalies. No memory that he had scanned mentioned anything about them. Well, it could be that there was a secret department which dealt with anomalies quickly, therefore no mention of it was ever leaked out. However, he had also looked through a few memories of students who had higher status, they never encountered this term in that specific context either. Back then he had thought that there could only be two options. First, that the team which dealt with anomalies was so secretive, and efficient that only a few people in the entire Cultivation world would know about it. The chances of him scanning the memories of a disciple which happened to be one of those was close to nonexistent, or such a disciple may not even exist, so he might really not get any information about them. Second, that these anomalies really didn''t exist. With what he knew about anomalies, he found the second option far more agreeable. The anomalies could literally have any and all types of abilities. There was always a non-zero chance that the specialised team won''t be able to deal with an anomaly possessing an incredibly broken ability. It was much more rational to assume that anomalies didn''t even exist in the cultivation world. The second piece of oddity he found was that the people here didn''t know that they were invading the Earth. After he went through more memories, he found a likely reason for it. The Cultivation world was too big. Way too big. And this training camp was situated in a small corner of it. The invasion was likely such a trivial matter to them that it wasn''t worth being spread to all of the population. The third oddity was that these people had never heard of Cosmic Limit. Did they not go through the situation like on Earth, where the level limits were raised gradually? Or was it so far back in the past that there were no mentions of the Cosmic Limit anymore? The fourth oddity was that this world only had Qi. There was no Mana, Internal energy, or Spiritual energy. After realizing this, he also felt thankful that he didn''t use the Spirit Strengthening pills. The cultivation power system and mentalist power system literally used two different energies. How could a pill which was used through Qi be applicable to be used through Spiritual energy? Surely there were different pills for that? Eryndor wondered why he didn''t think of this before, but it was at least a good thing he didn''t rashly try it earlier. The fifth oddity was that the density of the Qi here was comparable to Earth. Well, that wouldn''t really be weird unless you thought about the fact that Earth was only at the third level of the Cosmic Limit. Whereas here people could cultivate to the seventh level. He didn''t know if there existed people at eighth and ninth level, but even if they didn''t and one assumed that seventh was the limit, a level seven was higher than level three, right? Then why were the densities of Qi the same? Eryndor could again think of two options regarding this. One, that in the future when Earth''s Cosmic Limit would further increase, the density of the four elements wouldn''t increase even further. There might be some other changes the increase in cosmic limit would bring but not the density of energies. Two, that the density of the four energies would continue to increase after the Cosmic Limit increased in the future. And this... is why the Cultivation Outer Domain was invading them. Eryndor had shelved this thought back then because there wasn''t much evidence to it. But it was still a bit scary to think that he might''ve found a reason for their invasion just like this. Well, anyone in his place would''ve come to that conclusion as long as they had basic logical deduction skills. Eryndor stood still, then without displaying any emotions, he changed his directions and headed towards the counter where a large number of disciples had gathered. Eryndor had almost fully recovered his Energy of Consciousness, therefore he used Cognitive Scrying to get an idea about what was going on. They are establishing a department in the Training Camp to deal with anomalies? It''s called The Bureau of Anomaly Control huh. Even though he got plenty of information from the minds of disciples, he still went to the counter to witness it himself. A big board was placed in the middle, which had all the information written across it regarding the formation of the new department. Eryndor could witness the panic of the disciples when they finished reading about these existences called anomalies. Well, not everyone panicked though. Some were very eager to go against these anomalies, ready to test their own combat prowess. This was despite the Training Camp also mentioning a few examples of what abilities they could have. Example one - An anomaly which could evade your senses to a degree that was proportionate to your knowledge of it. Which meant that the more you knew about that anomaly, the more easily and deeply it could hide from you. Even with the best surveillance skills, it would be difficult for you to find it if you had a lot of knowledge regarding it. Example two - An anomaly which grew stronger the more people ate its body parts. There were countless ways in which it could exploit this ability to grow stronger. There were more examples, but Eryndor''s focus was on a different section of the board. Chapter 258 258: Bureau of Anomaly Control Eryndor''s focus was on the section of the board which mentioned how the Bureau of Anomaly Control would be formed. He was looking at it because this was the best way in which he might be able to come in contact with more hidden information. He hadn''t forgotten the original reason he was sent here. Dr. Kirchoff had sent him here saying that a danger was brewing and it would erupt in three months. If he was still alive after three months then he would come to get him out of here. Even after scanning so many memories, he hadn''t even discovered a hint of danger which Dr. Kirchoff had talked about. If it couldn''t be found with a normal method, then what better way than to enroll in a department which would be dealing with anomalies? Anomalies more or less always had something to do with danger. There was a high chance that he would be getting information which he couldn''t find normally. Within a few moments, he had already finished reading the board thoroughly. He read it despite scanning the memories because he really didn''t want to miss anything. The requirements say that they would prioritize disciples on the rankings. But it also mentions that they would also consider other disciples if they happened to have special talents. It could range anywhere from information gathering, good at finding clues, or even good at alchemy no matter how basic your knowledge was. Hmmm, did the only alchemist present in the Training Camp not join this department? Why else would they need a disciple with alchemy knowledge no matter how little? Also, this department will be formed in a month, so I guess I still have a bit of time to prepare for it huh. As Eryndor thought that, he turned around and left the main building while still in his thoughts. Hmm...how do I join this department? As mentioned before, even the lowest rank, the one at hundredth position, was at stage four of foundation building realm. Eryndor would have to work incredibly hard if he wanted any chance at joining the department this way. Well, he had a month. Maybe if he worked hard and kept hunting beasts, exchanged for pills and madly strove to increase his realm, maybe it would work? Well, there was a chance that it might not work as well. For a greater certainty, he would also need to find resources in the wild which could facilitate his cultivation speed. Finding resources is better than hunting beasts after all. The difference between the profit to effort ratio is simply too large. He could save the time he would spend hunting beasts and invest it into cultivating that way. As he kept walking, he also thought about the different ways in which he could join apart from just combat prowess. The special talents. Well, how about efficiency? Eryndor knew about the efficient style in which his eldritch form fought. It was incredible. Simply too good. Even Drakarion, who had the second closest efficient fighting style according to him, was far from the level of his eldritch form. In the memories of these disciples, none of them came even close to Drakarion, not to mention his eldritch form. Of course, he wouldn''t really use his second form when applying for the department. He was well aware of the effects his eldritch form bought, and what if the cultivation world had already invented a method or device to sense the anomalies? It would be ironic if the first anomaly the department caught was in the form of a disciple looking to join the department which would handle dealing with its own type. Yep, I definitely don''t want to come on news like that. Eryndor shook his head. If he decided on displaying his efficiency, he would start learning from the eldritch form itself, at least to a degree that he would be better than the majority of the disciples, if not all, by a huge margin. Look at it this way. The efficiency of how the disciples fought was on average a twenty. His eldritch form fought at hundred. The masters here at most only had an average of forty to fifty based on the memories of the disciples where they fought the masters. As mentioned before, masters were equivalent to professors of the Academy. Lastly, Eryndor''s own efficiency level was at twenty five considering that he had been inadvertently influenced by his second form. Was it higher than the average student? Yes, but was it enough to impress the committee and join the department? Most likely not. That was why he would be learning from the eldritch form instead of paying spirit coins to take notes from the masters. If he learned from the best, he would improve much faster than if he learned from someone else. Alright, what else specialty can I show? While walking he had already reached the starting point of the forest. He didn''t forget that he had to kill the iron armored anaconda for his mission. His mission wasn''t complete. Could I use my Telekinesis or Cognitive Scrying as a means to show my ''specialty''? Immediately after, he rejected that thought. Both of these things consumed Energy of Consciousness. True, he could perfectly contain his Energy of Consciousness when he was using his abilities, so no aura would be leaked out. However, when you use cultivation arts, your aura would leak out. Even if you somehow used some cultivation art to mask your aura leak, a higher realm cultivator could still easily see through your aura. How would he explain it to the higher realm cultivator present when they asked him why they couldn''t sense any aura of Qi or cultivation realm on him while using these two abilities? Well, he could always say that he was using a treasure, but won''t that invite covetous eyes? In short, this is a dangerous way to go about it. Eventually as he kept thinking about various ways, Eryndor reached the swamp again, the habitat of the iron armored anacondas. The first thing he sensed was an enormous corpse some distance away. Huh...free corpse? Just as he had that thought, a way to enter the Bureau of Anomaly Control also struck his mind. A rather easy one if what he was thinking was true. Chapter 259 259: A relatively safe way It was currently night in the cultivation world. From what Eryndor knew, there was no such concept as a planet here. It was just one big realm where everyone lived together. Where did the light in the day come from? About gravity? No one asked these questions, or at least, he hadn''t seen them being asked in the memories of these disciples. Since he had arrived when it was daytime here, worked for a few hours, and then slept for around four hours, it was now night time. That hadn''t stopped him though. Even though the average number of disciples active at night was lesser than the daytime, there were still people moving about. He didn''t need to worry about the counter not being active either. Eryndor walked towards the corpse of the massive snake. Its scales shimmered under the moonlight, completely still. His Spatial Sight was active, making sure there was no one around. There was a possibility that it might have been a trap, but since his Spatial Sight didn''t pick up anything, he carefully approached the snake. After about a few moments though, his eyes narrowed. He looked at the marks on the scales of the snake. They were the same marks he had inflicted with his dagger on the snake he fought in the daytime. This is the same snake? Through an educated guess, he came to the area where its baby was supposed to be and flipped over the snake. There was a big gaping wound which exposed the entire inner structure of the snake. Oh, it''s been taken out. Or did the baby eat its way out? Eryndor didn''t want to guess. He approached the head of the snake and to his relief, found that its back row teeth were intact. Just like how claws were a requirement for the counter to mark your mission related to the six legged scaled monkey as completed, for the iron armored anacondas, it was a set of back row teeth. My mission was completed just like that eh? Before beginning to remove the parts which were useful, he carried the heavy snake to a different area. After all this was the swamp. It was the habitat of iron armored anacondas, a species which would even consume its own kind. There was also the fact that other disciples who took on the mission to hunt these beasts would also arrive here, because despite being so far, it was still the closest among all living places of iron armored anacondas. Eryndor would have to fight other disciples if they saw this corpse. After he was sufficiently far away, he put the corpse down. Despite being so heavy, Eryndor was still able to carry it since he himself was quite strong as of now. The boost he got from breaking through to the Qi Condensation realm was quite a significant one. His current physical capability was enough to carry a majority of beasts at the Stable realm. After putting it down, he took out the daggers and began processing the corpse. As he reached the gall bladder of the snake, Eryndor thought back to the idea he had about entering the Bureau of Anomaly Control. Alchemist. After coming back from the trip to outer space about a mission related to an eldritch entity, one of the rewards he had chosen for himself was a cauldron. Even though he had never made a pill, he had read plenty of information about alchemy which he could get his hands on. He had memorised the uses of a lot of plants and different parts of the beasts which could be used in alchemy. There were even some minerals suitable to be concocted into a pill. Based on the terms written by them, it can be seen that they need an alchemist even if they have a very basic level of skill. Can it be inferred from that that alchemist are in a very high demand? I mean, yea they would obviously be, but that requirement feels a bit weird. A big department like that couldn''t cultivate their own alchemist? Or are alchemist really THAT rare? Eryndor was thinking along this train of thought because back on Earth, even though alchemists were rare, it wasn''t to this extent. It could be seen from the fact that even a student like Eryndor could find information about it and learn how the various related things. It was only the pill recipes which weren''t widely circulated. However, it wasn''t as if they were tightly controlled either. Big organizations and families all had them, and many times they also contributed a few pill recipes they developed to the Human Federation. In order to save humanity, things which wouldn''t be possible in peaceful times were all quite everyday occurence, that included both the good and the bad. Well, I also have a very good control over my Qi. I''ve heard that it is one of the most important requirements. Coupled that with my accumulated knowledge, I think I have a high chance to enter this way and it''s even safe. For this path, my current goal should be to find a pill recipe. As he finished taking out all the useful things from the snake, Eryndor walked to another section of the forest as he summarized his current goals regarding the Bureau of Anomaly Control. Increase my realm. Increase my fighting efficiency. Search for resources in the wild. My Spatial Sight can bypass a lot of normal protection, so I should be able to find at least a few. I mean yea, over the countless years, disciples would''ve already searched the entire area, but some resources should be recurring in nature right? I can find those. My fourth goal should be a pill recipe so I can practice alchemy. I don''t have a cauldron either, but fuck it, I''ll see to that later. As he walked to another sufficiently deep and secluded area of the forest, he took a deep breath. It was time to start doing what he was here for. Chapter 260 260: Practicing the cultivation arts Eryndor hid all the parts he had taken out in a corner and disguised it with the surroundings. He then took a deep breath and held his daggers in front of him before activating the first cultivation art. Air Cleaving Slash. In the daytime when he was practicing in the training hall, he realized that what if it was monitored? He could trust the Academy to a certain extent, since they also needed the trust of their students for the situation to not get worse. Just imagine what would happen if it was exposed that the Academy had betrayed the trust of the students. Many of them had families, but not everyone was fighting for them. Would they feel like fighting for the people who aren''t treating them nicely? People who couldn''t even trust them? People who tried to spy on their secrets secretly by deceiving them? The cultivation world had no such concerns though. It was a stable world with no invasions. There was a high chance that they would rather grasp everything about the disciples so that there would be no uncontrollable factors which might disturb the current peace. This was one of the reasons along with being quite tired that he had stopped training in the training hall. If anyone monitored his footage, they would think - ''Why was Clarence training the cultivation arts he already knew?'' True, it wasn''t weird to practice the cultivation arts one already knew as people always wanted to increase their mastery of it, therefore increasing the efficiency of the cultivation art. However, the problem was that Eryndor didn''t know at what level was Clarence''s mastery of the relative cultivation arts. Again, Eryndor had godly control, and there was more than a ninety percent chance that he would learn the cultivation art at first try, but his first try would obviously be far worse than Clarence''s version of using it, right? In short, no matter how good Eryndor was, there might still be a few differences. For now, Eryndor only hoped that they would overlook this minor inconsistency since he had still practiced for around ten to twenty minutes. Well, that shouldn''t be much of an issue since there can always be a situation where a disciple didn''t use a particular art for a long time and their mastery of it regressed. There may also be many such situations where their mastery of a cultivation art faltered. It would certainly be weird if it happened to a lot of cultivation arts but only to one? That should be fine. I anyway exposed only the Air Cleaving Slash. With a sigh, Eryndor continued practicing that specific cultivation art. As mentioned before, it was something which showed its greatest effects only when performing a ''slash''. If he circulated Qi along the route of meridians for this cultivation art while doing any other action other than slashing, then effects would be less than optimal, or more like, borderline abysmal. It was the same if you didn''t have any sharp object while performing the ''slash''. The effects would be quite disappointing. These types of cultivation arts came under a category called weaponry skills. It meant that they were suitable to only be used with a weapon. Air Cleaving Slash was still only just a single action. There also existed cultivation arts where there were a series of actions. In that, one had to coordinate and perform that respective action when their Qi was going through that specific area of meridians corresponding to that action. In short, that was even more mentally draining than single action weaponry skills. Those with multiple actions were called chain action weaponry skills. Eryndor could already execute the cultivation art, and he could also perform the movement of slashing at the same time as the Qi finished the meridian loop. The problem was actually using it in a fight. There was no real or even simulated fight to help him get a grip on this cultivation art. He had a relatively lower confidence because this art depended on a weapon. In Internal Fist and Sky Piercing Palm, the cultivation art was being executed through your own body part. You had full control of it. You felt every second of your movement and every inch of your body. That was not the case with an external object though. Even though it was held in your arm and quite literally connected to it, you couldn''t really feel it like your own body part. If you weren''t careful or focused there was a chance that you might make a mistake with the timings. After around thirty minutes of practicing the same cultivation art, Eryndor panted and thought. Is this where the term ''one with sword'' or in fact ''one with any other weapon'' came from? The fact that one needs to accurately connect with their weapon to get the timing of your cultivation art right? After he finished thinking that random thought, Eryndor moved on to the next cultivation art. Void Pierce. This one was a little more advanced than the Air Cleaving Slash, therefore had a more complicated route of meridians. Whereas the Air Cleaving Slash only strengthened and sharpened the ''slash'', Void Pierce actually skipped a little distance while stabbing, as if the weapon had pierced the void and teleported directly in front of you. Of course, it wasn''t so exaggerated. The distance skipped was only a tiny amount since this was still just a Qi Condensation realm cultivation art, but among this realm this was one of the best and most complicated offensive art. For example when you used a spear and stabbed at the opponent, it would suddenly skip a small distance depending on when your Qi completed the route of meridians of the cultivation art. It was even more difficult to master than the Air Cleaving Slash, so Eryndor took a deep breath and put his full focus on the cultivation art while he began practicing it in the dead silence of the jungle under the darkness of night. Chapter 261 261: Practicing the cultivation arts II Void Pierce was a little difficult to get used to. As mentioned before, this cultivation art would directly cause the weapon to ''skip'' a certain distance. The range of skip was based on your mastery, and the timing depended on when you finished controlling the Qi through the loop of the route of meridians. And at the moment when the skip took place, your hand would be connected to the weapon, right? You would be holding the weapon when it would directly bypass a certain distance. What would happen to your hand then? It would jerk. It would suddenly move forward. And you had to be prepared for that. You would have to keep the momentum going and not get flustered when your hand suddenly jerked forward for a short distance. That was the difficult part. Suddenly, Eryndor heard his stomach make a sound. I already took a food pill before sleeping, and now I feel hungry again? Eryndor wondered confusedly. Was it because he was working harder than usual that he was getting hungry more and earlier than usual? Good thing I brought a few food pills with me. He had already decided to train here in the jungle, and knowing how long it would take, he had prepared a few food pills. He popped a food pill before resuming his training. It took him more than three hours to finally grasp the rhythm of this cultivation art, and also learned how to use it with the dagger. To date, this was the cultivation art which took him the longest time to master. He was thankful that his body wasn''t that tired though. It sure felt good to have an enhanced physique which wouldn''t easily have sore muscles even after several hours of training. He could only wonder how strong he would get at higher realms. Once he was done, he quickly moved on to the next cultivation art. Iron Mountain Guard. As usual, to make sure he wasn''t going to practice incorrectly, Eryndor took out his badge and input his Qi to read the recorded cultivation art. Recording was one of the functions of the badge. Of course, he had no plans to secretly sell these cultivation arts. Privately selling or sharing of the cultivation art was banned, that is, not allowed by the rules. Disciples who broke this rule were almost always caught, both the buyer and the seller, therefore overtime people stopped doing it altogether. If it was a master who was giving a certain cultivation art to their disciple, they would also have to pay a certain price, albeit a discounted one. After reading through the entire information, Eryndor began his training of the third cultivation art. Iron Mountain Guard had a higher defense factor than the Crimson Armor. Yes, Crimson Armor wasn''t a Qi Condensation level cultivation art but Iron Mountain Guard could be used in the Qi Refining realm as well. And in that, the Iron Mountain Guard was better in defense. However, there was a trade off. By giving a full body higher defense compared to other arts, it made your body quite heavy. Was Clarence stupid? He uses daggers which literally need high mobility to be used, why would he choose this? Was he that scared of getting injured? Immediately after, Eryndor thought of the movement art of Clarence. It was called Cloud Stride I guess. It makes the user feel weightless to increase their speed and mobility. Doesn''t that mean if he uses Cloud Stride along with Iron Mountain Guard, the weakness of body being heavy will be taken care of? When he thought of this, Eryndor took back his previous comment of Clarence being stupid. He had cleverly used the strength of the second cultivation art to cancel out the weakness of the first one. Of course, the speed while using those two cultivation arts together would surely not be as high as when using just Cloud Stride, and Eryndor knew that Clarence would of course be aware of it and was using it accordingly. Cloud Stride is such a great choice though. It can counterbalance Iron Mountain Guard and is a great movement art in itself as well. Once he was done thinking, Eryndor immediately began practicing the Iron Mountain Guard. As usual, he expertly controlled the Qi and correctly controlled it through the loop of Iron Mountain Guard''s corresponding meridians. Instantly, a metallic sheen covered his entered body, and a heavy feeling descended upon Eryndor. It felt as if gravity suddenly increased for him alone. Only his own body felt heavier, the clothes, the armor and the daggers all felt the same as before. Maybe I should practice this along with Cloud Stride movement cultivation art. He immediately took action, and activated Cloud Stride as well after giving it another read from his badge. Instantly, his body felt lighter, even more so than his original weight. He could feel that he would be even lighter if the Iron Mountain Guard''s drawback didn''t exist though. His eyes narrowed when he stumbled upon that train of thought. Does that mean Cloud Stride is rather variable as a movement art? Its ''weightlessness'' depends on the initial weight of the user? That was rather good information he got to know early on. He didn''t know what to do with it currently, but extra information about his own cultivation arts wasn''t a bad thing to possess. For the next twenty to thirty minutes, Eryndor practiced Iron Mountain Guard. For defensive arts there wasn''t much to practice because most of them, including this one, were passive defensive arts. You didn''t need to invest your conscious thought process into it to match the timings and everything. You just had to run the Qi through the specific loop of meridians. After Iron Mountain Guard, he decided to move on to practicing Cloud Stride movement art. Uh, maybe I should do something else? Eryndor briefly considered switching to another task. Yea, I can cultivate for a bit using the pills and let my body take a break. Chapter 262 262: Practicing the cultivation arts III In the complete darkness of the jungle, a young man lay on the ground with his eyes closed, as if unconcerned if anyone would sneak attack him. It was Eryndor, who had been cultivating since the past two hours. Empty bottles lay by his side, signifying the amount of pills he had gone through. He was currently at the peak of stage two of the Qi Condensation realm. A bit more and he could break through to stage three. Well, it was clearly not just a ''bit'' more, as it took him another hour. He miscalculated the estimated time. Once he broke through to stage three, Eryndor popped in another food pill before the feeling of hunger crept back in. It was almost time anyway. He ate it earlier than usual because the next cultivation art he would be practicing was a movement one. These arts had one of the highest if not the highest energy consumption. The energy being talked about here weren''t the four energies or the Energy of Consciousness. The energy mentioned here meant the general energy of the body which had relations with stamina, the feeling of exhaustion, the feeling of hunger, and so on. This energy was closely related to the Internal Energy of the four energies, which corresponded to the domain of ''body''. Wow, this feeling is almost addictive. Eryndor thought as he activated Cloud Stride. The feeling of weightlessness, although difficult to control, was quite easy to have a favourable impression of. It felt like his body unlocked another level of control. Maybe I can even use this to increase my efficiency while fighting. Just like other movement arts, one had to continue running the Qi through the specific route of meridians if they wanted to maintain the movement art. After he got a feel of it, Eryndor began practicing the various ways in which he could use this movement art. He tested the maximum speed, the speed at which he could comfortably change directions quickly without any help, the time it took for him to come to a complete stop, and so on. After testing those parameters, he went on to imagine himself in various situations and began practicing accordingly. After more than an hour, Eryndor finished mastering this art and switched to another one. Clear Sky Pupil. A visual surveillance cultivation art. He had much less enthusiasm for it than the rest. One could even say that he was looking forward to it the least out of all the arts he was about to learn. Because it was the most useless of them. Its only use was to act as a substitute. A rather lousy substitute at that. He had already read the description of this cultivation art. It would only give you a rather low resolution but colorful display of your surroundings with a range which wasn''t even one tenth of the range of his Spatial Sight, and even that was a very generous estimate. He completed it within ten minutes, as learning such a basic surveillance skill needed no talent, extraordinary control or timing of any kind. Next, he learned the Nine Suns Palm. This one brought him a bit of trouble, because he was practicing in a lush green forest. Eryndor was quite afraid of the fire spreading quickly. It wasn''t that he was worried about the flora and fauna or the disciples and masters, but that he would become the center of attention. If the forest was of significant importance, then even his life might be in danger for setting fire to such an important landmass. Eryndor didn''t doubt that they wouldn''t be able to deal with it though. He was literally just at the initial level of the Qi Condensation realm. Any kind of fire caused by him wouldn''t be threatening or troublesome enough to truly powerful people. Even the disciples at the leaderboards would easily be able to deal with it. The problem was how quickly they would be able to sense that the forest had been caught on fire and then deploy related measures to contain it. Well, no matter what, I''ll be in the limelight, which is quite bad for me at the moment. Eryndor was already practicing in a relatively large clearing, with sparse trees at the edges. It wasn''t the trees he was worried about, but the grass below his feet. Hmmm... Eryndor narrowed his eyes, and switched to his eldritch form. This will be a good way to test the limits of what is possible. The very next moment he learned that it was indeed possible. Through Telekinesis, he was able to uproot all the grass in the clearing within a few minutes. Apparently his Telekinesis could control multiple objects at once as long as his focus and control on each one of them was sufficient. I''d have to test how many things I can control at once in my normal form later. After deciding that, he began practicing the Nine Suns Palm. The core fundamental of Nine Suns Palm was follow up attacks, or chain attacks. In this cultivation art, the burn and physical damage inflicted increased with each palm. But the problem was that the user could only dish out a single palm at a time while the cultivation art was active. Which meant that one couldn''t use two hands simultaneously to quickly increase the damage output. Also, the attack needs to land on something. Eryndor tested it out, and it turned out that even hitting the ground would work to keep the chain going. That is, after hitting the first palm, there was only a limited amount of time left in which you had to dish out the second palm as well, which would give increased damage. The situation would repeat after landing each palm, till the ninth palm, which was the last one. If you failed to land a subsequent palm in time, the next palm your cultivation art would dish out would have a damage and burn intensity of the first palm. It would reset. Eryndor''s brain immediately began working to generate battle styles which could easily incorporate this cultivation art. Hmm...that could be done. Chapter 263 263: Practicing the cultivation arts IV A very easy way in which you could change your battle style so as to incorporate the Nine Suns Palm was to lower the center of gravity of your body while fighting. In this way you could quickly hit the ground in case you determined that your palm wouldn''t land on the opponent. It would help you in not breaking the chain. In Nine Suns Palm, once one reached the ninth palm, and successfully landed a hit, the next palm wouldn''t reset to the first palm. The next palm strike would still have the physical damage capacity and burn intensity of a ninth palm, just that the time available would be even lesser. The subsequent palm strikes would all be at ninth palm as long as you managed to hit them within the available time which would be lowered and lowered until you finally won''t be able to hit it within the timeframe. At that point your palm strike would reset to first palm. Nine Suns Palm didn''t have a very high popularity due to its stringent use conditions. As for its offensive capability, it was the fifth palm which had the same effect as the average offensive art of Qi Condensation level. Which meant that one to four palms were on the weaker side, and sixth to ninth were on the stronger side, with ninth palm having one of the strongest damage capacity of all Qi Condensation realm offensive arts. It was just that the usage conditions were so strict that the disciples would rather practice something else. Then why did Eryndor pick it up? Because of the element. In the fire category, this one had the highest damage capacity. There were others as well with a high ceiling, although not as high as Nine Suns Palm, but since he was learning a cultivation art to mask the effects of fire version of Sky Piercing Palm, why not learn the strongest one? So he picked this one. It took Eryndor around an hour and a half to master it. At the end, Eryndor strapped the daggers to his waist and completely straightened his posture. He took ample amount of time to stretch his body, because while he was practicing the Nine Suns Palm, he had stayed close to the ground. It required him to bend, or take unusual stances while moving around, making it uncomfortable since he wasn''t exactly into stretching. The increase in physical parameters after every breakthrough was raw. It was the raw capacity that was enchanced. It didn''t magically made your body more stretchable, or increase its dexterity. These were the things one had to put effort into. Eryndor thought back to Kron''s martial arts. They allowed him to stretch and bend his body at unusual angles and take an abrupt turn even at high speeds. It was extremely convenient in battle. One had to admit that even though Kron didn''t have a huge arsenal of martial arts, what he had were rather fundamental and efficient for battle. He truly was a combat genius as well. I''ll have to see later if there are any cultivation arts for bending body at any angle, stretching, and for abrupt direction change at high speeds. As he had that thought, Eryndor took out his badge once again to revise the next cultivation art. Lightning Trap. It was a cultivation art where the user used it on objects. After a period of time, normally called activation time, those objects would be ready to act as a trap such that if anyone made contact with it, they''d be stunned. It wasn''t a direct combat cultivation art like the lightning version of the Sky Piercing Palm, but rather something under the ''preparation'' domain. These types of cultivation arts quite overlapped with array formation in that both of them needed prior preparation to be used in battles. Either that, or the user had to be discreet while using this cultivation in the middle of a battle. Because if the opponent saw, or sensed you using the Lightning Trap on an object, they would simply never even go near it. Or they might also take the initiative to destroy it before its activation time was completed. There wasn''t much to practice in this, as it rather depended on the surroundings and how the user used it in that specific situation. If anything, Eryndor simply tested which objects could the cultivation art be used on. Mmmm, so it can only be used on still objects? Eryndor thought with narrowed eyes after experimenting with a few objects. It eliminated a few battle plans he had in mind. Even if one already implanted the Lightning Trap in an object when it was immobile, it would be rendered ineffective if it later moved, regardless if it was in its activation phase or had activated already. So I''ll need to choose objects which would be immobile throughout the battle if I want to have a chance at stunning the enemy. While he deliberated on how to use it, Eryndor didn''t forget that his Sky Piercing Palm was a Qi Condensation level cultivation art. It meant that he wasn''t exactly out of options for stunning the enemy. He could still use the lightning version of the Sky Piercing Palm in a direct combat to stun the enemy. After he finished using the Lightning Trap, Eryndor once again sat down to practice his power system. He didn''t practice the mentalist power system but continued practicing cultivation. The last time when he practiced mentalism, he realized that it wasn''t that the other three energies didn''t exist here, but that they were so low in quantity that they might as well not exist. It meant that the speed of progress of his mentalist power system would be incredibly slow without sufficient Spiritual Energy in the environment. As he cultivated furiously without wasting any time, he realized something. How will I practice the different power systems and reach level three in three different power systems if there isn''t sufficient energy in the atmosphere in the first place? Chapter 264 264: Young, rich and powerful? Eryndor put that question to the back of his mind and continued cultivating. He still remembered that Dr. Kirchoff had told him he would let him communicate with people back on earth at random times depending on his mood since his phone wouldn''t work here. He didn''t have his phone when he landed, so it wasn''t as if he could cross check what he told him. Well, I doubt that a phone made by The Human Federation would be able to have a range till literally another world. It is already impressive enough that they have a large enough range across several planets and even in a secret realm which is supposed to be an unstable pocket of space. Eryndor shrugged. Dr. Kirchoff''s promise about communication was part of the reason why he was working so hard. What if Dr. Kirchoff had put some mechanism on him which allowed him to see what he was doing? If he saw that he was still being a lazy bum, his chances of communicating with people back on Earth would lower, which he didn''t want. Well, since I''ll be able to talk with people on Earth, that also means I can talk to him right? Then I can also ask him about how I can deal with the problem of the three energies being almost negligible here. Eryndor thought of a solution and got back to cultivating. After about an hour though, he had already run out of the pills he bought with him. The rest are in the storage compartment in my room. After a moment, he decided to stop cultivating and practice the last remaining cultivation art. Azure Tortoise Shell. A defensive cultivation art which could also reflect a portion of attacks depending on the user. This was the last cultivation art he would be practicing because the remaining two, Internal Fist and Shadowstep which were now at Qi Condensation level, weren''t much different than when they were at Qi Refining level. He already had plenty of practice and even real combat experience with them, so there was no need to repeat all of that again. After taking a deep breath, Eryndor began controlling his Qi to travel along the route of meridians of the Azure Tortoise Shell. This defensive art wasn''t entirely passive like the majority of them out there. Like mentioned before, it also had a reflective function. The principle of cultivation arts was that when being used, they wouldn''t consume Qi from the storage, but from the Qi which was controlled through their route of meridians. Although there was a natural limit and couldn''t be abused, the higher the Qi being controlled through the circuit of the meridians of the cultivation art, the more Qi it would consume, which meant higher output. This was directly related to higher offensive output, higher defensive capacity, higher speed in movement art and so on. True, the increase wasn''t high enough to be categorized as significant, but it was an increase nonetheless. Here in the Azure Tortoise Shell defensive art, when the user decided to reflect an attack, extra Qi from its respective route of meridians would be consumed. Now the problem was, if enough Qi wasn''t used, then the defensive art itself might deactivate due to insufficient Qi after the ''reflective'' function consumed the extra Qi. For this reason, when one decided to use the reflect function, it was recommended to use extra Qi in its respective route. Eryndor practiced with this defensive cultivation art for half an hour before stopping. There wasn''t much he could do. The reflective function needed a second person to fight with him so that he could practice its timings. In this situation the training dummies of the training hall are a good option. Eryndor realized that at least for this one thing, he would have to use the training hall. With that, he concluded that he had finally mastered all the cultivation arts he currently had. It was tiring, but also rewarding to see your strength and versatility increasing. Eryndor popped another food pill in his mouth before heading over to the parts of the iron armored anaconda he had hidden at a certain location. After retrieving his loot, he began walking back to the main building of the Training Camp. The sky was already beginning to brighten up, the activity of disciples would start increasing once again. I wonder who left the corpse there though. Could it be that young boy? Eryndor found himself thinking of the young boy who invited him to do the mission together when he thought back to his easy mission completion. Hmm...first he invited me, then he also left a free corpse for me? What is he upto? Wait nevermind. I shouldn''t think too much into it, it isn''t really certain that he left the corpse for me. It could be that he was strong enough to kill both the companion snakes and only needed one, therefore he left the second one there itself. Only set of back row teeth is needed for mission completion, the rest is simply used to sell for spirit coins. It might be that he is rich enough and doesn''t care for this trivial sum. Yep, he really might be rich given how he agreed to buy my overpriced information without any hesitation. It wasn''t uncommon for young people to be powerful. The basis to start cultivating was when your meridians were fully developed and you had enough cognitive capacity to memorize the route of meridians and control the Qi strands through it. The former depended on luck and your bloodline. The higher the cultivation realm of your parents or of anyone else in your bloodline, the earlier your meridians would form and mature. It also depended on luck to a certain extent. As for the latter, if one couldn''t even memorize the route of meridians then they obviously wouldn''t be able to cultivate, the same if they couldn''t control strands of Qi. Eryndor entered the main building after dodging a few people who were looking to scam him and headed straight towards the counter. There, he sold the parts of the snake and also retrieved the remaining parts of the six legged scaled monkey from his room before selling them off as well. He had already learned all the cultivation arts, so there was no need to worry about traces. Just then, he saw a master head towards the counter in a hurry. Chapter 265 265: Emergency forming of team How did Eryndor know that the incoming man was a master? The one who taught the disciples here? Because he was wearing a red robe. Red robes were exclusively for masters. Black robe was for the head of the Training Camp. Green robe for the alchemists, in this Training Camp there was only a single one. Brown robe for the craftsmen. Yellow for array formation masters. Lastly, gray for the staff. The disciples were free to choose any other color of robe they liked to wear. Naturally, white was the most popular, followed by other colors like blue, orange, and purple in no specific order. From the memories of others, Eryndor knew that the master who had reached the counter and was conversing with the staff was Master Troy. It was said that it was extremely rare to find him in the main building of the Training Camp for any lessons. He was always cultivating deep inside the forest, also acting as a protector of sorts for the Training Camp. After all, even though the Cultivation world seemed peaceful on the surface, it was simply not possible in reality unless someone omniscient and omnipotent was ruling through absolute micromanagement. This world also had factions. Factions which had allies and enemies among other factions. Naturally, that also meant the very existence of Training Camps was also bound to be a thorn in at least some faction''s eyes. Even if it was not the Training Camp itself, what if the head of the Training Camp or some master was an enemy of someone out there? What if they targeted the disciples or the Training Camp to make things difficult for their enemies which were working here? To guard against such threats, there were already measures in place, with Master Troy being one of them. Eryndor didn''t dare use his Cognitive Scrying on the master. He simply watched as he conversed with the staff, who hurriedly said something to another staff member, who approached the notice board. The notice about the establishment of the Bureau of Anomaly Control was minimized into a small line and put to the side, under the list of topics which were displayed on the board in the past. If a disciple wished to view these past topics, they could put their badge into one of the grooves on the side of the board and click on the topic. Once the board was empty, the staff held onto a red button which had popped up by the side and Eryndor saw words and images appear on the board. There was no chalk, or any kind of writing tool being used. The words and images simply manifested out of thin air on the board. Once it was done, the master simply stood to a side beside the board. It seemed that he wasn''t one to talk too much. Eryndor turned his eyes to the board and read everything within a minute. Damn, an anomaly has already been found? Even before the department to deal with them could be established? He thought, while keeping his eyes trained on one spot of the board. It said that since the Bureau of Anomaly Control hasn''t been established formally, they would just choose a team of strongest disciples among the first ones to apply and take them to deal with the spotted anomaly under Master Troy. They weren''t letting just the masters deal with it because they wanted to give disciples a chance to gain experience of going against an anomaly. But they also didn''t want to wait for a long time which would give the anomaly a chance to grow, therefore they would only give a small time window within which disciples could apply, the strongest ones among which would be chosen. It wasn''t that they didn''t want to wait for the top ranked disciples to arrive, but like mentioned before, there was simply no time. Eryndor stood there, and contemplated if he should join the team. It was written on the notice board that the disciples who would be finalized for this team would be given more leeway in terms of qualifications required if they decided to apply for the Bureau of Anomaly Control in the future. I mean, it is certainly a good thing for me but there''s a single problem. Eryndor thought, and once again read the notice on the board in case he missed anything. Yes, there''s no information on the anomaly itself. Eryndor remembered the importance of information when dealing with anomalies. They had a set of rules that must not be violated if one wanted to deal with them. For example the anomaly he heard about in the classroom of The Academy. Dread Cloud. It would be weird if he forgot about the name of the anomaly which was the sole reason there was a blockade on their information for close to two centuries on Earth. It had targeted humans on Earth. As long as even a single human existed which felt fear towards anomalies in general, Dread Cloud would continue to exist. What was its offensive lethality? Its mechanisms of growing powerful? And so on and so forth? Eryndor didn''t know. There was also another anomaly named Hand of Destruction. It was the one Professor Melissa''s team was supposed to handle but the situation with Rodrick occurred and their team of four were also roped into the situation. The Federation already had prior information regarding the anomaly, allowing them to easily bypass the dangers of the anomaly. The Hand of Destruction could annihilate the target down to atomic level if it slept within its range within a specific timeframe. If the Federation didn''t have information regarding the anomaly and the ones sent to deal with it slept within its range then they would die without even realizing anything. Just because Eryndor didn''t deal with many anomalies of such kind didn''t mean that they didn''t exist. Rule based anomalies still occupied the absolute majority among their kind. Information was important in terms of dealing with an anomaly, and there was no information on the one Master Troy had notified about. Chapter 266 266: Taking a popular mission Eryndor narrowed his eyes and stood on the same spot, not having any intention to move over and apply. He was at the second stage of the Qi Condensation realm. Purely based on his combat sense which had been influenced by his eldritch form, his level of mastery in all cultivation arts which he had learnt, his combat prowess was in the middle level of the Qi Condensation realm. Eryndor believed that he had a chance to make it in this team, but he simply felt that it wasn''t right. It was the teachings of The Academy ingrained into him. It didn''t sit right with him to deal with an anomaly which they had no information of. Or is it that Master Troy is withholding information on the anomaly? That could be a possibility as well. Even though he had that thought, Eryndor didn''t move. He watched as multiple disciples applied to enter the team and were taken away. He also saw the young boy from before entering the main building of the Training Camp. This time he wasn''t alone, but was holding hands with a young girl. Damn, lucky guy. There was a minor commotion as both of them entered. Hmm, there was no such thing the last time this young man was present in the main building. Eryndor thought. He wasn''t wrong. When he accepted the mission regarding the iron armored anaconda, the young boy was present as well, there was no such thing at that time. The only different thing is the addition of that young girl, so this minor commotion is because of her? Eryndor glanced at Master Troy still standing beside the board and gave up his thoughts on using Cognitive Scrying even if it was on a disciple. He wasn''t going to take chances. Eryndor watched both of them apply to enter the team, after which they were taken away by a staff into a different room just like all the previous disciples who applied. Eryndor wasn''t afraid of looking out of place just standing in the hall as there were numerous other disciples who didn''t have any intention of joining the team but were watching how things proceeded. As the news was being circulated increasingly fast among the disciples, gradually, a large number of them began rushing into the main building and applying at the counter. Just like the situation with the young boy and young girl, a commotion occurred every now and then when certain disciples appeared. One time he even saw a disciple enter the main hall covered in blood from head to toe. The blood was sizzling hot even as she walked towards the counter. Her expression was indifferent, with a mace in one hand and a cluster of skulls tied together by a string in the other hand. She was the one who elicited the largest commotion from the crowd out of all the disciples who had applied to enter the team. Approximately an hour later, the applications stopped being accepted. There was still no sign of the students who were taken away for screening though. Eryndor didn''t have to wait for long, as around twenty minutes later as the crowd of disciples watching the show began thinning, a row of disciples entered the main hall from one of the doors. They were the ones who had applied to enter the team. But they soon learned that the ones in the front were the disqualified ones as they dispersed or joined the crowd of disciples watching everything. In the end, the disciples who were successful in joining the team entered the hall. There was no different attire which was granted to them, or any kind of special weapon. As soon as they arrived, Master Troy moved for the first time. One second he was beside the board, the next? He was in front of them. Wow, what level is he at? I didn''t even see or sense him move. Eryndor thought. He didn''t even sense a minute amount of the aura of Qi when Master Troy moved. Had he learned a cultivation art to mask his level, or could Eryndor not sense it because the gap between them was too vast? Or it could also be that his raw physicality was so powerful that for him it was just taking a single step while for Eryndor it was akin to teleporting. Master Troy didn''t say anything, but simply looked over the disciples chosen and nodded his head in satisfaction before opening his mouth. "Let''s go. I''m sure you''ve all already gotten the instructions, so just make sure to follow them." His voice was low and rough. The chosen disciples nodded before following him out of the door. Once he was out, Eryndor waited for a few minutes before immediately using his Cognitive Scrying on the few remaining disciples in the main hall. Oh? So that''s the case. The young boy and the young girl were named Ruther and Remi respectively. They were from a kingdom which wasn''t far from this Training Camp, similarly situated on the edge of the Cultivation world. It was a bit unique in the sense that the pure blooded people of that kingdom looked younger than they were actually aged. Ruther and Remi were both in their early twenties, but looked like they were in their mid teens. The reason there was a minor commotion was because Remi was a ranker, ranking ninety second, thus she had plenty of fame on top of her already rare situation. The bloodied disciple with a mace who elicited the highest uproar was Gloria. She was ranked fourth, and was also the strongest of the disciples who joined the team. Eryndor found a couple more pieces of information from the surrounding disciples using Cognitive Scrying, and left the main hall after accepting one more mission. This time he had managed to take on one of the more popular missions before the limit was reached, therefore he knew that other disciples would be present at the other hunting spot as well. Well, let''s hope information is soon released about what happens with that team. Chapter 267 267: Targeting a weak disciple Eryndor''s mission this time was to kill a gray winged woodpecker. Due to some mutation and evolution over the years, the species reached sexual maturity early, had a short gestation period, and reproduced frequently. For this reason, it was necessary to introduce their predator into the ecosystem to curb their population, and also enlist the help of disciples frequently. Killing these birds was almost a periodic mission by now. There also wasn''t really a specific region of habitat for these birds. They made no nests, and simply laid eggs high up in the trees inside dense leaves, preferably at a spot from where it wouldn''t fall down to the ground. When the infants broke through the shell, they gobbled up the nutrient dense shell. With a high enough awareness and an already developed body, the infants were ready to fly within a day or two after digesting the shells and gaining energy. The mission was considered completed if you could kill a single adult gray winged woodpecker or a thirty infant gray winged woodpeckers or squashed forty eggs. The problem was, these guys knew how to fight. Their flight wasn''t like those of conventional birds. They could accelerate, decelerate, and even change directions with a single flap of the wing. One might think, how is that different? Well, their flapping of the wing was only done to ''generate energy'', and not anything else. Even if they flapped such that the bird must move forward according to common sense, you would find them flying backward or upwards. You predicted that it would decelerate based on how it bent and flapped its wings? Well, the next moment it would be in front of your face due to massive acceleration. In short, they were a confusing foe to go up against. Their beaks were also strong enough to break a lot of weapons. If the defense of the iron armored anaconda was so strong that majority of the weapons at level two wouldn''t be able to heavily injure a mid stage Stable realm or even an early stage Stable realm beast of that species in a short time, then the offense of the gray winged woodpecker was high enough to break majority of the weapons even while being at mid stage Stable realm beast. Eryndor used the crappy surveillance art to find traces of these birds, but there was none. Of course, he was only at the outer layer of the forest, so it was obvious he wouldn''t notice them. Well, I also can''t use this surveillance art to zoom in on things. So I wouldn''t be able to find the eggs or infants either. Well, not like I can perfectly control my Spatial Sight in my base form but I could at least zoom in and zoom out a tiny bit. It was a bummer, but he had to get used to this. He couldn''t keep complaining about the surveillance art if he was going to use this for at least three months continuously. Once he was sufficiently deep inside, he switched to his Spatial Sight as usual. Within a minute or two, he was quickly able to find an egg. Well, there''s no guarantee of finding an adult gray winged woodpecker, might as well kill the eggs and the infants any chance I get. Eryndor took a look at the tree, and immediately began climbing it. After crushing the egg, Eryndor collected a sample of egg shell which was still sticky and stored it in a container which he had carried with him. It was given to every disciple who accepted the mission to store the samples from eggs and body parts from the infants for proof. While he was descending from the tree though, Eryndor sensed a few people entering his range. They weren''t really zooming in on his location, so it was apparent that they didn''t really know of his location. It wasn''t the first time this situation occurred, Eryndor had come across disciples several times while doing the two previous missions. There were even some who entered his range when he was practicing his cultivation arts. Thankfully, they took a turn and left the range shortly after, without knowing that a student was practicing cultivation arts there. Well, it could also be that they took the same mission and were searching for the same thing as me. Thankfully, the container provided by the counter was small and could be hidden on his body without any noticeable bulge. Eryndor took a turn, and used Cloudstride movement art to move in another direction. He could have used Shadowstep since he had a higher familiarity with it, but that was exactly the reason he didn''t. Since the situation wasn''t urgent, he would rather keep practicing the new movement art. In a few seconds, Eryndor lost sight of those few disciples through his Spatial Sight. A couple minutes later, Eryndor sensed a beast in his range of senses. It wasn''t any of the recent beasts he had taken missions about, but rather a type of beast on which the mission was never issued. Not because it was strong, but because it was endangered. Eryndor wisely changed his route, lest he be faced with false allegations. A few minutes later, Eryndor once again found an egg safely hidden within a dense cluster of leaves. It was thanks to the clear vision and a bit of zoom control in his Spatial Sight that he was able to find these eggs. There should be some treasure or array formation to find these eggs or even the beast itself. Eryndor didn''t buy any of those though, more confident in his Spatial Sight. A few minutes later, another sample was added in his container. Just like the last time, the same few disciples entered his range while he was descending from the tree. Eryndor narrowed his eyes at that. Alright, you won''t get a third chance guys. He immediately used his Cognitive Scrying on those disciples, and scanned through their recent memories. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and began running in the opposite direction, using Cloudstride at its full potential. It wasn''t that he had seen something horrifying but he was simply putting some distance between them. He then went through what he had found in these memories. It seems that for popular missions like these where the risk is low and reward is high, apart from the disciples who accept the mission, there are also some who watch which disciples chose these types of missions. I may have unknowingly entered their eyes since I am registered as stage one of the Qi Condensation realm. I was probably weak according to them, so they targeted me huh. There''s also the fact that I don''t have friends so no one would come rescue me. They plan to steal whatever I''ve collected? As Eryndor sorted his thoughts, he felt regretful that he still forgot to learn a cultivation art to mask his level, or even his presence. Cultivation arts which helped hide one''s presence were great to be used when one wanted to sneak attack. There were some which even helped hide one''s presence from the surveillance arts of others. Surveillance arts weren''t really made to go against these, they were more biased towards being used as a scouting tool. They were just used to get a sense of your surroundings. There was another type of cultivation arts which was used to sense if someone was hiding nearby. They were called sensing arts, or even probing arts. They were also called probing arts because these cultivation arts could also be used to probe the cultivation level of the target without them revealing it themselves while using some cultivation art. Lastly, sensing arts could also be used to sense surveillance arts. No one liked being peaked at, so to prevent such a situation, learning sensing arts was a good thing as it allowed one to realize if they were in someone''s range of surveillance arts. They could then take further action. In public places like the training hall, it was an unofficial rule that one must not use surveillance arts. If you encountered an ill-tempered disciples who sensed your spying then you would have established an ill-fated relationship for nothing. It could even evolve into a full blown fight, as it had really happened many times in the past. Eryndor was running, still devising a way to deal with the disciples who had entered his range for twice now. He had already run so far away that they were out of his Spatial Sight, but he knew that the moment he stopped to fight an infant or an adult gray winged woodpecker, or even to crush an egg, they would find him again. From their memories, he already knew that they had a treasure which allowed them to locate a recently killed gray winged woodpecker no matter which form it was in. Since he had lost them, Eryndor knew that these guys were panicking and only hoping that the next beast killed pointed them toward that weak Clarence fellow. I also know that these guys are at the stage one of the Qi Condensation realm as well. They were weak themselves, therefore they banded together and attacked another of their kind. Once he was sure that he had pulled apart a sufficient distance from them, he began thinking about how to deal with them. There was no rule in the Training Camp which forbade disciples from fighting against each other in the open. Maybe I''ll get some extra loot as well. Chapter 268 268: Luring the beast In the Training Camp, rules regarding killing other disciples were lax. The Earth had transitioned from a law abiding society where murder was heavily condemned to a civilization which was now facing invasions. No matter what time period, murder was a crime and punished severely, previously because it was a peaceful society, and now because they needed every manpower they could get to resist the invasion. It would be stupid to allow people to get away with murder when they were surrounded by enemies on all sides. Here in the Cultivation world though, they were in a peaceful period. But their society was simply so large, the population was so massive and the talent base was so vast that their viewpoint towards killing was more or less different than that of Earth. There was also the fact that people cultivated real power here. The peaceful time of Earth and the peaceful time of the Cultivation world was different. The former had no power to whatsoever, if anything, it was authority and money. But the latter? They cultivated real power. Their ''climbing of ladder'' didn''t just give them real individual power, authority and money, but also the most important thing, lifespan. An increase in realm granted extra lifespan. Who wouldn''t want that? The parents were aware of it, but brought up and molded by the society, they were very familiar with how things worked. If there was a way to rise in this world, it was only through bloodshed. Some had overwhelming love and protectiveness towards their children, but the majority of them let their children experience the world for themselves, being prepared in their hearts long ago. The rules at the Training Camp didn''t explicitly allow killing, but as long as no traces were found, no one would bother you, except of course if the victim had connections and they were aware of your enmity with the victim. Then you would have to face whatever they would retaliate with. One might ask, what consisted of ''no trace found'', like, how much effort would the Training Camp invest to find traces? Well, zero. They wouldn''t go out of their way to search for disciples which had gone missing for a long time. As long as you properly disposed of the corpse and removed all traces, you were more or less safe. If you were stupid enough to kill a person right in front of a master, then it''s all on you. Because for the master, they literally saw a murder right in front of their eyes, with ''zero effort'', which meant you were the clear culprit and the Training Camp would act against you. Eryndor had stopped running long ago, as his Spatial Sight finally spotted an adult gray winged woodpecker. Oh yea, I can do that. Eryndor expanded the range of his Spatial Sight, and found the three disciples who had been after him. He had lost them for a few seconds, but was quickly able to find them by simply extending his range even further. Eryndor glanced at the beast flying above, and quickly climbed the tree. At some point the beast finally spotted a human approaching it, therefore it swooped down at high speeds, intending to attack Eryndor. Eryndor let the bird charge by staying still. The beast was in the middle stage of the Stable realm, therefore it would be a tough fight for Eryndor who couldn''t fly in his normal form. Through Cognitive Scrying he already knew that the bird was planning to swerve right and hit him from the side in case he had any attacks in store. He did. Eryndor activated an Internal Fist in his right arm and Nine Suns Palm in his left arm. As soon as the bird approached, Eryndor shot his left arm forward, and as expected, the bird suddenly turned right. Just as it came near the human though, it realized that he was still emitting the aura of Qi. That''s right. Using cultivation arts revealed the aura of the person, which both the beasts and humans could sense. Eryndor activated both his cultivation arts at the same time because he planned to use one as a cover for the other one. Imagine this, you sensed an aura of Qi, but as you neared it, the human didn''t attack even once, wouldn''t you get cautious? Therefore Eryndor deliberately attacked in a forward direction despite knowing it would turn right. This was to let the bird know that the human''s attack had been used. With the bird''s speed, by the time it neared Eryndor, only then would it realise that the aura it was still sensing wasn''t the dispersing aura of the failed Nine Suns Palm earlier but that of a fully activated another hidden attack. This move wasn''t needed in fight against other humans despite them being capable of sensing the aura of Qi as well because the sensitivity to Qi and reaction speed of beasts was far above humans. A beast would be able to sense and react in time, but a human wouldn''t be able to do so, only relying on frontal combat rather than these tricks. Eryndor had learned this move while going through the battle style of his eldritch form. Without wasting any time, Eryndor punched the bird straight in its chest, intentionally not hitting the head. The bird let out a sharp cry as a sound of a few bones breaking rang out. Damn, the sound sure is crispy. Eryndor thought, as the bird spiralled downwards for a few meters before finding its bearing and flying again. It seemed it wasn''t heavily injured. Its flight was a little wobbly, but still passable. With red eyes, the bird turned to look at Eryndor who had already gotten down from the tree at this point and was gazing at it. With a screech, the bird took a sharp dive to attack the detestable human once again. Eryndor hid a smirk and began using his Shadowstep to run in the shadows of the tree, all the while using his Spatial Sight to keep track of the three disciples. Didn''t you want to fight? Fight this lightly injured but angry middle stage Stable realm bird.