APOCALYPSE HEALER 2

©2025 HIDEOUSGRAIN

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ALSO IN SERIES

Apocalypse Healer

Book One

Book Two

Book Three

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PROLOGUE

The stars twinkled with an abundance of Essence as they observed the Earthen Union’s awakening. It was their worst nightmare and greatest hope—a dangerous double-edged sword.

The final Cycle had begun as the Earthen Union’s planetary core stirred. Its awakening initiated an era of great triumph and nightmarish losses.

“It’s starting earlier than expected,” a cold voice rang out through the wide open space

“Isn’t that why this is the final Cycle? Every time we’ve tried to change something, they’ve adapted,” another voice replied, laced with mild annoyance. “They grew stronger while our power was consumed to prevent the Fall.”

Muffled voices continued, but the stars resumed their observation, watching as the world below them transformed.

Across the Earthen Union, the land cracked and tore apart. Gorges of all sizes split open like old wounds, their depths exposing secrets long buried. Yet some gorges were different—unique and perilous.

From the deepest of these chasms, darkness gushed forth, expanding rapidly and shrouding the fractured land. This darkness twisted the surrounding terrain and heralded the emergence of monsters. Their roars echoed through the rifts as they surged outward, their colossal forms tearing through nature with reckless abandon.

But this was only one of many mythical phenomena. Volcanoes erupted, spewing rivers of molten fire, and entire mountain ranges burst from the ground. Exotic natural treasures materialized amid the rapidly expanding flora, their brilliance rivaling the stars themselves. Deep within the oceans, the union of Aether and Essence spawned miraculous sites of power.

In one of the seven great seas, a serpent hundreds of meters long broke the surface, its scales gleaming like polished gemstones. However, it was only one of its kind. Even grander beings came to be, but they retreated into the depths to bide their time.

“More Modifications are being forced upon the Earthen Union this time,” the first voice returned as the changes intensified.

Towers that pierced the heavens, pagodas sprawling like miniature cities, and settlements teeming with extraterrestrial life and temples sprang into existence. Thousands of Rifts manifested across the land, the Aether within them crackling ominously.

“At last, everyone understands what’s at stake,” the second star observed. “They know holding back their resources means annihilation when they come for us.”

Nature across the Earthen Union flourished wildly under the overwhelming influence of Aether and Essence. Forests grew dense and untamed, rivers carved new paths, and fields of vibrant, alien vegetation blanketed the land. Animals followed suit, mutating and evolving into fierce, unrecognizable forms.

An ear-shattering sound suddenly reverberated through the cosmos, like glass shattering on a cosmic scale. The stars flinched instinctively, knowing all too well what the sound heralded.

They turned their focus from the Earthen Union to a fissure that had opened in the fabric of space itself—a crack in the Weave that revealed the Otherside. Through the breach, tentacles the size of mountains writhed furiously, drumming against the rift’s edges. Though powerful enough to obliterate kingdoms in seconds, the tentacles failed to pierce through the barrier.

“That’s not too bad—” one of the stars began, but its words died in its throat as the scene shifted.

Black ichor sprayed violently as something tore the massive tentacles to shreds. A horrifying shriek pierced the void, but the stars barely registered it, their focus drawn to the colossal void-like eye that appeared beyond the rift. Its gaze felt infinite, a sentient abyss radiating malice.

A hiss filled the air, and words of the forbidden language reverberated through their minds. The stars recoiled instinctively, retreating from the crack.

As if on cue, portals of all shapes and sizes began appearing nearby. The oppressive whispers in the stars’ minds ceased as divine and infernal beings emerged simultaneously. Gods descended from radiant portals, Devils surged forth from the Hellgates, and the Old Ones materialized from the Weave itself.

Transcendent entities from across the cosmos joined the gathering, their Essences crackling dangerously in the wide open space. Once bitter enemies, they now stood united.

For today, the enemies of yesterday had set aside their animosity. Together, they faced the incomprehensible terror looming beyond the rift.

1

EGOIST

Blood spears sizzled through the air, whipping past Zachariah to strike their targets. Two spears shattered the skulls of bronze-skinned Orcs while the rest tore through the chests of smaller, azure-skinned ones. The spears exploded upon impact, tearing through flesh and scattering gore.

David watched the bodies collapse lifelessly to the ground with a satisfied smile but dispersed the kill notifications with a grunt as Zachariah’s voice rang out.

“What’s taking you so long back there? Daydreaming?”

“I’m experimenting,” David grunted, “Shut up. I’m a fucking Healer trying to be a wannabe Mage.”

“Oh, really? I didn’t think you remembered.”

Zachariah’s voice cut through the battlefield, overshadowing the monsters’ desperate screams.

Did he have to remind me every time? David thought irritably. He was a healer, but that wasn’t all. A Lifeweaver was much more than just a healer, it was a combatant’s calling.

“If you’re busy cursing me in your mind, you might as well cast [Blessing] on me. We’d be much faster that way,” Zachariah shouted as a silver streak swept through the battlefield, cutting several Orcs in two.

A grunt escaped David’s lips, but he started moving again. He cast [Blessing] on both himself and Zachariah, augmenting their strength, before adding [Symphony Control] to the fray. A black dove materialized above Zachariah and screeched loud enough to pull away the attention of several Orcs looking at David.

“Bastard!” Zachariah shouted, though there was a hint of playfulness in his voice.

David summoned the Obsidian Blade from his mind space. The dark blade manifested in his hand, glowing crimson with a cast of [Holy Touch] as he closed the distance to Zachariah. His friend looked busy cutting down the masses of Orcs swarming him. He weaved around the massive clubs threatening to squash him and dispatched three Orcs with swift, deadly thrusts.

Zachariah’s swordsmanship was simple, swift, and deadly to a fault. David could only guess how many years of training and battles Zachariah had endured to wield his blade with such precision.

Having someone like Zachariah at his side was a boon. Yet, David sometimes felt it was a curse as well. After all, his friend was a man from the future—someone who, despite all his knowledge, couldn’t explain why the Earthen Union or the world’s awakening had changed so drastically.

David tried to make sense of the last 24 hours, but nothing added up. If not even the Regressor could fathom the changes, how was he supposed to?

Therefore, he decided to give up. For now, he told himself, he would experience everything from scratch. Together.

David appeared behind the Orcs attacking Zachariah and started cutting them down. His soulbound weapon sliced through the air, severing an Orc’s neck before beheading another. Blood spurted from the monsters’ necks, prompting David to invoke the Law of Blood. Words of Power rolled from his lips.

The Orcs turned toward him—some snarling at the sight of their fallen brethren, others reacting to the echoes of his ancient words. David just smiled. He threw the Obsidian Blade at one Orc and cast [Blood Aegis] to halt another’s charge. A third Orc barreled toward him, but David moved swiftly, evading the incoming wooden club. He lowered his body and pressed his feet firmly into the ground, his arms shooting upward to use the monster’s momentum against it.

Grasping the Orc’s outstretched arm, David hurled it over his shoulder. A sickening crunch resounded, but he didn’t care if something in his or the Orc’s body broke. He cast [Restore] on himself, glimpsed a new kill notification, and retrieved the Obsidian Blade.

The soulbound blade reappeared in his hand as he cleaved downward, piercing the throat of the Orc lying on the ground without hesitation. Words of Power continued to spill from his lips as the pools of blood around him stirred in response.

The blood rippled, then erupted. Spikes of crimson burst from the pools, impaling the remaining monsters’ thighs and stomachs.

David thrust the Obsidian Blade into the carcass of the strongest Orc near him and accessed his storage device to retrieve a set of bearded axes. He coated the axe blades in [Holy Touch] and advanced into the masses of screaming monsters, his heartbeat swallowed the sounds of the world around him.

Zachariah and David left the Familia with bulging pouches of shimmering currency slates, their weight a testament to the successful raid.

“Dealing with the Orc Village was worth it,” David remarked, glancing at their spoils. The World Awakening was still fresh, yet it had already begun to reshape their reality. According to the live-updated map, the first Rifts had taken only a few hours to materialize. The nearby regions had been reshaped, spawning settlements outside the Pantheon’s control. The Orc Village, teeming with hundreds of Orcs, had emerged several kilometers north of Arc.

David glanced at Zachariah and smiled wryly. If not for the Regressor, he might have gone mad already. Then again, sanity felt like a distant memory. Regardless, he was grateful Zachariah had been there to “explain” things, if you could call it that.

The transcendent organizations of the cosmos are reshaping the Earthen Union with their Modifications, David recalled Zachariah saying. The thought lingered, heavy with implications he barely understood. Forces other than the Pantheon—enemies of the Pantheon—were investing their resources in the Earthen Union, altering it to their needs.

“You take the money,” Zachariah said, handing over his pouch. “I hope the Artificer finishes your Blood storage soon. We’re going to need it.”

He tilted his head. “Or you could get your act together and properly master the Law of Blood. Learn to replenish Blood mid-combat while the Blessing of the World is still active. If not⁠—”

“I know, I know,” David groaned. “If not, it’ll be tens of times harder later. The Blessing is my best chance to grow strong enough to face the future, which—by the way—neither of us can predict at this point.”

Zachariah’s glare was sharp enough to cut steel. “Don’t remind me of that. I’m still processing that everything’s happening much sooner than it should. Even my foes are stronger than they used to be. Those idiots from Pandemonium…”

“At least we won’t have to take many breaks now that I have enough corpses to replenish my Source,” David shrugged. “Maybe we’ll reach the Silver Rank at this rate. I didn’t think wiping out the Orc Village would be this easy with just the two of us.”

As much as Zachariah annoyed him, David couldn’t deny the man’s skill. His fighting was brutal yet mesmerizing, each motion precise and deadly. The Regressor wielded his blade with an efficiency born of years of battles and training.

David had tried to mimic Zachariah’s techniques but failed miserably. Forced to adapt his tactics within seconds, he’d felt death breathing down his neck more times than he cared to count. Still, Zachariah’s knowledge of the Laws and the System was invaluable, and he’d taught David just about everything he could.

Their teamwork wasn’t bad either. Zachariah was a remarkable melee fighter and healing him wasn’t too taxing. A simple cast of [Restore] after each battle was usually enough.

“You saved me from certain death, but that doesn’t mean I’ll sugarcoat my words,” Zachariah said suddenly, his tone cutting. “Your fighting style is arse. I haven’t seen anyone fight as selfishly as you in years.”

David slowed, confused by the accusation before cocking an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not talking in Common, am I?!” Zachariah’s stare sent a chill down David’s spine. “Most Orcs are muscle-heads. The Bronze Ranks we fought in the Orc Village certainly were. I could have taken them all down alone without getting a scratch.”

David’s gaze drifted to Zachariah’s left arm, where an Orc’s club had struck during the fight.

“You pushed the Orcs onto me to lessen your burden. That would’ve made sense if you’d been acting as support. In fact, if you’d used your crimson shield to protect me or refreshed [Blessing] the moment it wore off, everything would have been perfectly fine. We could’ve wiped the village out twice as fast.”

Zachariah stopped abruptly in the market square and fixed David with a piercing glare.

“You fight like an egoist.

Don’t get me wrong,” Zachariah said with a sigh. “I am also selfish and focus mostly on my own fight. That’s why I’ve lost so many good people in the past. It’s the reason I started fighting alone. But if we keep fighting as a team, we must address how we work together.”

David nodded slowly, though some of Zachariah’s comments felt off. He could faintly grasp where the man was coming from.

“I’m not sure you can pull it off,” he admitted honestly. “If you focus only on your enemies—let’s just say the Orcs from earlier—how would you ensure I’d be safe? I mean… you don’t expect me to protect myself from the onslaught of enemies and pay full attention to supporting and healing you, right?”

He could have added that he didn’t trust Zachariah enough to shift to full support, but it didn’t seem necessary.

Zachariah groaned, then nodded after a pause.

“It works with Orcs and other less intelligent monsters, but you have a point. If we fight multiple, powerful enemies—intelligent entities—I might not be able to protect you. One might stall me while the others would kill you and tear you apart. But that doesn’t mean it will always be the two of us. We can adjust our fighting style a little while it’s just us. However, something needs to change once we expand our group.”

Expand the group? David considered adding Torb and Melach, but noticed something in Zachariah’s eyes—a look that suggested he had other plans.

It would work with Torb and Melach, but more?

David’s lips formed a thin line. Torb and Melach were already often in danger because he lost himself in combat, but then a faint memory surfaced—one of the Fang Den and the other Protectors. Could he have rescued them? He didn’t think so. The Alpha Fang and Beta Fangs nearly killed everyone. It was a stroke of fortune that they survived in the first place.

“So, what’s the plan now?”

Zachariah glanced at him. “What do you mean? We should return to the Wilderness as soon as possible. The Blessing of the World won’t last forever.”

David’s lips twitched. So, what was this talk all about?

“Don’t look at me like that. I was just trying to be honest with you. If I don’t tell you what I think, you won’t be able to improve—if you think my words make sense, that is.” Zachariah shrugged. “A Cleric is the backbone of any group. They protect, support, and heal. But you’re different. Your Class gives you the versatility to do it all—fight, defend, and heal. That’s why it’s so important to develop your potential.”

David studied Zachariah closely. Something about him had shifted since the World Awakening. A tension, a burden he hadn’t fully revealed, yet.

“You’re strong, and you should keep fighting. But if you can protect people and ensure they survive… you should,” Zachariah added, his voice softer now.

For a fleeting moment, David caught something in Zachariah’s eyes. Was it sadness? Regret? Guilt? Frustration? He couldn’t tell, but it irked him.

“If you’re so keen on rescuing people, why didn’t you become a Cleric? I didn’t pick the Class because I wanted to. It was forced on me due to the circumstances. But you’re different. You had a choice.”

Zachariah winced at that, the look in his eyes intensifying. “My magical abilities are average at best. I’m just not good at controlling Magical Skill Runes,” he sighed. “My skills should have been enough to solve most problems in the first year of the integration if I followed my destined path… but everything’s changed.”

David raised an eyebrow at that.

“So, I’m better than you? That’s crazy,” he chuckled, ignoring the sharp glare Zachariah threw at him.

2

TORTURE

David stumbled as Zachariah shoved him into the room, confusion flashing through his mind. Before he could process what was happening, Zachariah’s sword was already unsheathed.

He sensed the Regressor’s bloodlust and quickly cast multiple [Blood Aegis]. One by one, they shattered as waves of silver light burst from Zachariah’s blade.

Zachariah attacked him. The first barrage of slashes tore into David’s legs, cutting deep into his calves and thighs, nearly severing them with the final strikes. David roared, a chaotic mix of fury and confusion in his voice. He conjured more crimson shields, but the silver light coating Zachariah’s sword easily cut through them. Warm blood pooled beneath him, soaking his back as he lay there helpless while the Regressor continued his assault.

Why was Zachariah doing this? Was this supposed to be training? It didn’t feel like training—it felt like torture!

Desperation took over as David cast and overclocked [Restore], slowing the bleeding as the cold in his body gave way to soothing warmth. But the effect was abysmal.

Forcing his eyes open, he glared at Zachariah towering above him. Half a dozen silver lights materialized next to the Regressor, coalescing into small, pristine-glowing blades. In an instant, they whipped downward, piercing him and pinning him to the floor.

A pained scream tore from his lips, echoing in his ears like a sound from someone else. The alien sensation unsettled him, but he couldn’t stop the noise.

“This is the Sword Law. To be precise, it is a subsidiary category called Sword Intent. I can use it at will due to my high mastery,” Zachariah said coldly, his voice distant and detached. “It’s instant and doesn’t require Words of Power. Isn’t that great?”

David didn’t answer. Gnashing his teeth and enduring the pain, he wouldn’t have responded even if he could.

He lifted his right arm slowly, warm blood trickling down as he reached for the dagger piercing his chest. A sharp, searing pain shot through him, forcing him to channel [Restore] into his trembling fingers. He glanced at his hand from the corner of his eye and groaned, realizing he had been a fraction of a second away from losing his fingers. Removing the blades made from Sword Intent wasn’t an option.

“If you want to survive, you must learn more about your body. You need to understand it, no matter what it takes.”

“Sick...bastard,” David groaned, his strength waning.

“Stop talking and save your energy,” Zachariah retorted almost comically. “Trust your body and the power you’ve been granted. You still think of your Skill Runes, Class Skills, and the Law as loaned powers, but that’s not the case. These powers belong to none other than you. Nobody can take them away anymore, they’re part of you. Treat them like that!”

Easier said than done. David grit his teeth, casting [Restore] again. He also cast [Weave of Life] beneath him, though he longed to add [Equivalent Exchange] and give Zachariah a taste of his own medicine. Unfortunately, the blades kept him firmly pinned to the ground.

He struggled, trying to tear himself free, even if it meant ripping his body through the blades of Sword Intent. Something stopped him. The blades piercing his body…spread? No, that wasn’t right. The blades themselves didn’t spread—the Sword Intent within them did.

The energy seeped outward, tearing through his body and leaving destruction in its wake. It even disrupted [Restore]’s power as it circulated through him, forcefully slowing his natural regeneration.

David’s vision blurred, his strength fading with each passing second. His body was shutting down!

I am not going to die like this! He growled inwardly, clenching his fists. He cast and overclocked both [Restore] and [Holy Touch] simultaneously. His Source churned violently, turbulent energy pulsing within him, but he paid it no mind. Instead, he focused on his Skill Runes and willed them to combine. [Weave of Life] was re-cast and overclocked, preserving his life just a little longer.

Was that enough? David wasn’t certain. Regardless, every second mattered.

He closed his eyes and focused on his body. Finally, he turned his attention to his Source. The letters engraved on it trembled and glowed faintly. The glow was subtle, almost imperceptible, and David doubted he would have noticed it in the chaos of an emergency like this. But now, in this moment of clarity, he sensed the dormant power within him – and reached for it.

His lips parted, and Words of Power rolled out in a steady stream.

The next moments blurred together. Darkness swallowed his mind, only for sharp, stinging pain from his cracked, dried lips to pull him back to awareness. The taste of his own blood filled his senses with startling clarity. As he reflexively moistened his lips, the blood didn’t drip to the ground as expected. Instead, it receded, drawn back into his body, and his wounds closed. All of them.

David’s mouth remained slightly open as faint, almost inaudible Words of Power continued to spill from his lips.

When he opened his eyes, the scene around him was nothing short of miraculous. Still pinned to the ground, he turned his head to see piles of corpses scattered around him. He hadn’t touched them, but instinctively, he knew they were drained of Essence. His senses confirmed it. Meanwhile, the power within him had shifted. Zachariah’s blades of Sword Intent still wreaked havoc on his body, but he didn’t feel weaker. If anything, he was stronger than before.

Pain coursed through him – every inch of his body felt as though it were being slashed from the inside – but the power surging within was undeniable. His wounds had healed, leaving only the blades of Sword Intent embedded in him, still cutting.

“Are you finally back to your senses? I was worried,” Zachariah’s voice cut through the air, mocking and insincere. David caught sight of him standing in the corner of his vision, smiling faintly.

David would have cursed him, but Zachariah spoke first.

“If you can curse me, you might as well remove the Miniature Swords. Maintaining them while your Blood is sapping their power is quite draining.”

David growled but complied. It wasn’t as though he wanted to waste time. His Source trembled violently as the Words of Power came to an end. A groan escaped him as fountains of blood erupted into the air. He grimaced, looking down at his body and the Miniature Swords embedded in it, his blood soaking them in vivid crimson streaks. A faint crackling noise filled the air, soon followed by a gasp.

The blood seeped into the Miniature Swords, revealing fragments of their power and secrets. But it wasn’t enough for David. Though he had gained a faint grasp of control, it was far from satisfactory.

The fountains of blood began pushing the Miniature Swords outward. It was an eerily slow process that tested David’s patience. Without a profound understanding of Zachariah’s Miniature Swords or the Law of Blood itself, he was forced to proceed carefully.

Blood spattered everywhere, painting the surroundings crimson, but David never lost control. He willed the scattered blood to return, and it obeyed.

David pressed his advantage, commanding the Law of Blood to seize the Miniature Swords. The blood fountains worked against the blades, dampening their power little by little. He could have stopped there, satisfied with merely neutralizing the Miniature Swords, but his sense of vengeance flared as his gaze landed on Zachariah. The Regressor stood motionless, his white teeth flashing in a smug grin at David’s struggles.

This wasn’t training—it was thinly disguised torture. The only reason David hadn’t torn Zachariah apart yet was the undeniable progress he’d made. Something had changed within him. He felt stronger, more in control of his body—of his very existence.

Determined to push further, David retrieved several Orc corpses from his storage. His senses expanded instinctively, shrouding the carcasses in moments. In his heightened state, the Essences appeared to him as vividly as night and day. Not a single crimson mote escaped his perception.

With deliberate intent, David drained the corpses dry. Tendrils of blood, teeming with crimson motes, erupted from the bodies. They thrashed violently, causing a commotion, but David smiled. A single mental command was all it took to control them.

The tendrils surged toward him, weaving around the Miniature Swords like constricting vines. David focused, sensing the crimson motes burrow into the blades, gradually unraveling the Sword Intent that had forged them.

Pain burned through him as the tendrils worked, but he persisted. Slowly but surely, the Miniature Swords began to weaken, their presence diminishing. Victory was within reach, and David knew it.

He pulled the Miniature Swords out of his body, the wounds left by the Sword Intent regenerating in moments. Despite the blood tendrils tightening their grip, the Miniature Swords seemed poised to break free.

David willed the tendrils to hurl the Miniature Swords across the room toward Zachariah. The Regressor waved his arm, disintegrating the swords, but the Blood and foreign Essences remained. Retaining the Miniature Swords’ shape, they shot forward and reached Zachariah.

Silver light flashed repeatedly, destroying most of the Blood replicas. However, Zachariah failed to eliminate all of them at once, and one struck its target, piercing his thigh.

“Interesting,” the Regressor groaned, his eyes glimmering with vibrant curiosity. “So, that’s your path?”

“Fuck you.” David flipped him off, unsure if someone like Zachariah could even be called a friend at this point.

He stood and examined himself. Despite what he’d been through, his clothes were spotless—no trace of blood. The Law of Blood must have exceeded expectations, pulling back every drop.

Still, David couldn’t ignore the flashing interfaces. There were dozens, though some stemmed from his earlier session with the Enlightenment Orb in the Familia. There were too many to dismiss.

[Your Rank increased by one.]

[Bronze IV] → [Bronze V]

[New Class Skill has been unlocked.]

[Blood Patch has been fused to your Source.]

[Three Attribute Points have been added.]

[Proficiency of Law of Blood increased drastically.]

Low(Minor) → Middle(Minor)

[The User’s Source has been strengthened. Soul has been enhanced.]

[Lowest(-)(Intermediate)] → [Lowest(Intermediate)]

[Your Source has grown. +1 Blood.]

[Your Source has grown. +1 Blood.]

[Proficiency of Weave of Life reached 100%.]

[Tier-2 III] → [Tier-2 IV]

Nearly all of his Skill Runes had ranked up. The Enlightenment Orb session earlier had to play a role, though it alone didn’t explain such drastic growth. Of course. It had to be the Blessing. That would account for the sudden, almost unnatural surge in his abilities.

“Are you satisfied?” Zachariah’s mocking tone interrupted his thoughts.

“You really want me to punch you, don’t you?” David looked over.

Zachariah winced. “I want you to heal me. Other than that…” He pointed to the entrance. “I want to clear more Missions. We’ve already wasted more than enough time.”

David glanced at the door and caught sight of Torb and Melach. The dwarf’s eyes were sunken with exhaustion, and the elf’s pale face seemed frozen in shock—or maybe terror.

“Ah, right. I forgot your friends.” Zachariah chuckled, though the sound was cut short as blood spurted from his wounds. “Either way…can you heal me?”

David shrugged, ignoring the ache in his body. “I don’t know. Can I?”

3

PUNCH

The information streams of [Blood Patch] etched themselves onto David's mind. The process was quick, yet it felt faster than usual.

Gaining a new Class Skill was addictive. The surge of information entering his mind could be painful when overwhelming, yet David relished the feeling of growing stronger—of acquiring new powers to wield.

He jumped to his feet and approached Zachariah, who was busy removing the blood blade from his thigh. The blade fell to the ground and liquefied. However, David didn’t spare it a glance. Instead, he coated his fist in [Holy Touch] and punched the regressor before he could raise his guard.

A sickening crunch resounded as Zachariah crashed to the ground, satisfying David to no end.

“Do that again, and I will tear you apart from the inside out using the Law of Blood!” He growled, glaring at Zachariah, whose wide eyes seemed to scream, Why did you attack me?

Maybe Zachariah was stronger than him. The regressor could probably kill him easily. But that didn’t matter at this moment. He would give his utmost to take Zachariah down with him if he were to attack.

“Cut the crap and tell me when you start feeling better,” David added, pointing at the spot he had just struck. Zachariah was bleeding slightly, though he skillfully ignored it. What mattered more to David was the small, blood-colored teardrop now etched on his skin.

“Let’s see how good [Blood Patch] really is,” David muttered, stepping back.

He stored the corpses obstructing his path and tilted his head, noting the absence of any major changes. [Blood Patch] connected him to the target in a similar manner to [Equivalent Exchange], but it drained only a minuscule amount of Blood to remain active. As he continued retreating, the drainage increased by a trace. David barely felt the heightened consumption, though it was there.

“Used on multiple targets spread across a battlefield, this will be…” He scrunched his nose in displeasure.

Using this in the heat of battle would be challenging. He grumbled and cast [Holy Touch], attempting to channel it through [Blood Patch], but the attempt failed. The Skill didn’t meet the requirements.

David repeated the process with other Skills, methodically narrowing down which powers he could apply to Zachariah through the blood teardrop.

“It works. I feel something,” Zachariah said. David turned to see him standing, his posture steady despite the earlier blow. “Did you change something? I’m healing even faster now.”

“Blood and [Restore]… only healing it is, then.” David’s final attempt had been to channel Blood through [Blood Patch], pairing it with [Restore]. To his relief, it worked to a satisfactory degree. Blood and [Restore] functioned more efficiently together than if he had healed Zachariah by normal means.

Next, David replaced the dried carcasses. He stored the depleted bodies and retrieved preserved ones from his storage. Then, he tried to wield the Law of Blood directly, without uttering the Words of Power.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as a splitting headache crept into the back of his mind. He nearly collapsed from the effort.

Zachariah doesn’t have to waste so much time, he grumbled inwardly. The regressor always made it seem effortless. He saved time and energy by wielding Sword Intent without needing to fully activate the Law. Could David replicate that with the Law of Blood?

It would likely take immense time and effort to comprehend the Law deeply enough to achieve that.

David shrugged and restored his Blood reserves with a few Words of Power. While fewer words and less focus were needed now, the satisfaction from earlier was absent. He checked his status gloomily:

Name – David Stears

Primary Class – Lifeweaver

Secondary Class - [None]

Rank – Bronze V

Body –Lowest(-)(Intermediate)

Mind – Lowest(-)(Intermediate)

Soul – Lowest (Intermediate) – 7 Droplets

[Laws]

[Law of Blood] – [Middle(Minor)]

[Class Skills]

[Weave of Life] – [Tier-2 III]

[Equivalent Exchange] – [Tier-2 II]

[Blood Patch] – [Tier-1 V]

[Skill Runes]

[Restore] – [Tier-1 X]

[Purify] – [Tier-1 III]

[Holy Touch] – [Tier-1 XIV]

[Blessing] – [Tier-1 III]

[Blood Aegis] – [Tier-1 IV]

[Symphony Control] – [Tier-1 II]

Attribute Points – 4

Motivation surged as David noted how much his interface had improved. The changes were significant. His eyes lingered on the Attribute Points, and he licked his lips before willing them to enhance his Soul stat.

[Four Attribute Points have been used to enhance the User’s Soul.]

Lowest(Intermediate) → Low(+)(Intermediate)

Seconds passed, though he felt no immediate difference. Prepared for this, David closed his eyes. The mind space materialized, revealing the Source and the seven Blood droplets. Focusing on the improvements from his last Soul enhancement, he observed a thick membrane of translucent Aether swirling around the Source.

The Aether, drawn from the Energy Pathways, surged into the Source and revolved around the Blood droplets, merging with the crimson motes already present. The motes seeped into the droplets, nourishing them.

David smiled and opened his eyes, retrieving the remaining corpses that contained crimson motes. Words of Power rolled off his tongue effortlessly, activating the Law of Blood. The carcasses’ Essence was extracted in an instant.

Crimson motes emerged, swirling through the room before converging on David. He absorbed them in a single, seamless motion.

The Blood droplets in the Source expanded, though the changes seemed deceptively simple. David felt that improving his Soul not only enhanced their potency but also increased the Source’s production efficiency.

Would that be enough to feed all of his Skills on the battlefield? He didn’t think so. However, he was certain it would help. The more he could do with his Blood, and the faster he could replenish it, the higher their survivability—and his power, of course. David smiled at the thought, recalling something Zachariah had mentioned on their way to the Orc Village.

“What Skill Slates should I try binding first?” he asked Zachariah. Since his Class was versatile, Zachariah believed it had a higher probability of being compatible with various Skill Slates.

More Skills would strengthen him. They would grant him more versatility in combat but also complicate…just about everything. David was all-in for complications.

“We can try a few things. I’m quite curious if you can bind and cast Magic Skills by replacing Mana with Blood. That’d be quite interesting to know,” Zachariah said, rubbing the spot where he had been hit earlier. “But you could also pick a superior Mage Class as your Secondary Class to form a second energy reservoir. Then again, the Mana Core may clash with the Source. The Lifeweaver Class and Mage Class probably aren’t compatible as Main and Secondary Classes.”

Zachariah waved dismissively. “Then again, I cannot see you as a Magician. A Magic Swordsman, maybe, but then you’re busy slaying enemies rather than protecting and healing your allies. That would be disastrous.”

David’s brows creased. What Secondary Class would suit him best? Throwing fireballs and causing mass destruction sounded like a nice hobby, but was that really what he needed to make the most of his existing powers? Was it not possible to amplify his current abilities with the Secondary Class?

He disliked not having a single attack Skill—not even the Law of Blood’s main purpose was to inflict damage—but his powers were excellent. If he could bind a few Skills of the Warrior Class, everything would be perfect.

“I’m not in a rush to pick my Secondary Class, am I?” David asked Zachariah, who shrugged.

“Not really. Take your time and go through your options when you have time. If you want to talk about your options, you can always come to me, or the others.” He gestured with his head to Torb and Melach. “They can probably help you decently too, though I consider myself more useful.”

Zachariah smiled at the elf and dwarf. “I’m just stating facts. No offense.”

David didn’t believe the Regressor was entirely honest, though. He could read Zachariah’s body language well enough to sense his restlessness.

Still, the Secondary Class would have to wait.

David turned to Torb. “Do you want the corpses, Torb?” He pointed at the piles of corpses behind him. “If you take care of the bodies—all the bodies—you can keep ten…no, twenty percent of the profit.”

He couldn’t be bothered to return to his old finance job or anything related to finances. He’d been good at it, but fighting was far more interesting. So was training and growing stronger.

Plus, the dwarf needed the money. And the help.

Torb’s worn-out expression seemed to brighten. His eyes lit up as he asked, “Are you serious?”

“Of course. Make sure you get a good price,” David said before turning to Zachariah. “As for you…Have you ever thought about building a Sanctuary from scratch? Torb here needs one to become Fortress’ Champion.”

“A Sanctuary? From scratch?” Zachariah’s exasperation gave way to sudden silence. He tilted his head, his gaze shifting to Torb as though something had clicked. “Fortress? He wants a Champion?”

Torb nodded, though his hair stood on end and he shuddered. David felt for the dwarf. Even he couldn’t always control his body when Zachariah stared intently at him. It was unnerving—the gaze of a man who had seen it all.

“That wouldn’t be too bad. The dwarves never had control of a Sanctuary, either. Not alone, at least. And if Fortress is willing to join the fight against the Descend…”

Zachariah groaned suddenly. His legs buckled, and blood spurted from his nose and eyes.

“You don’t have to tell us more,” David said in a hurry, casting [Restore] on his ally.

The Regressor was a pain in the ass, and David had yet to forgive him for the earlier torture, but Zachariah was strong and knew quite a lot. He was a useful pain in the ass.

“I can’t. Even if I wanted to, I cannot talk more about some things,” Zachariah muttered, groaning as he pushed himself up from the ground. He wiped his face and forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

“The Descend?” Melach muttered, staring at the regressor.

David was also interested in the Descend, but he didn’t ask after seeing Zachariah’s condition. Maybe it was time to research again.

“Who cares about the Descend, or whatever it’s called,” Torb said, rushing past everyone. “There are valuable monster bodies that need to be sold as soon as possible!”

“Go for it. That’s your job, not mine,” Melach snapped. “Or are you going to give me half of your shares if I help you?”

Torb came to a sudden halt. He glared at the elf before returning to the corpses. No more words left the dwarf’s lips as he got to work.

The elf smiled, though it looked strained.

“What are we going to do now?” he asked.

David just shrugged. “Training and fighting, I guess.”

“Growing stronger,” Melach sighed.

“And you should call your family,” David added, making Melach flinch. “You can call them now that the Earthen Union is awakening, can’t you?”

“Yeah…I guess…”

4

VERSATILITY

Melach appeared unhappy at the thought of calling his family. David found it confusing, especially since Melach often talked about wanting to make his family proud. Was that the issue? He recalled how Melach always seemed on edge whenever he provoked him by mentioning his family. Could it be that Melach wasn’t satisfied with his achievements? Or was he afraid of disappointing them?

He shrugged, deciding it wasn’t his business anyway.

“We need more power-ups,” Zachariah murmured, his voice reaching David.

“Can you show me the description of your Champion Mission, Torb?” Zachariah turned to the dwarf. “Will you be rewarded with a portion of Fortress’ power when you create the Sanctuary, or do you have to do more?”

Torb looked up from the corpses. “He told me to establish a Sanctuary. But if you want to see the mission description, here you go.”

He waved his hand, and Zachariah stared into the air, his eyes flicking across something unseen, as though reading.

“The mission isn’t as bad as expected, if you know what to do,” the Regressor said, flashing a rare smile. “It means we don’t have to care about the Sanctuary once the connection is established.”

He retrieved one of the live-updating maps and walked to the table. Sliding the wooden chair back, Zachariah sat down, ignoring the others’ stares. David was curious, but he shook his head and walked over to Torb instead.

“I think Zachariah will be busy for a while,” he said, gesturing toward the regressor. He started storing the Orc bodies in his storage. “How about we start looking for merchants willing to buy Orcs? Zachariah might be done by the time we’re back.”

Torb glanced at the regressor, hesitating, before nodding slowly. “I…have contacts with some merchants willing to buy all kinds of corpses. They should give us a fair price for the Orcs.”

David finished storing the bodies and followed Torb outside.

“I will stay,” Melach said curtly, sitting on the edge of the bed like disaster was about to strike.

Either his family places impossible demands on him, or he’s burdening himself with unrealistic expectations… David thought, glancing at the elf before closing the door to the room. One way or another, Melach didn’t look well. Hopefully, that wouldn’t cause any trouble.

David and Torb roamed the System Sanctuary for an hour, eventually selling all the bodies for a good price. The earnings left David with enough currency slates to check out the merchants’ wares.

“Are you sure you want to buy all of this?” Torb asked, sounding unconvinced. David shrugged as he picked one Skill Slate after another.

He placed four Skill Slates on the small counter and waved the merchant over. The merchant’s eyes narrowed as he studied them. His lips tightened slightly when the two Silver Slates clinked onto the counter.

“Two Silver Slates for everything seems fair to me.”

“I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but two Silver is nowhere near enough to purchase four Skill Slates. [Healing Light] is already an uncommon Skill Slate, valued at two Silver!”

“[Mana Bullet] and [Slash] are Basic Skill Slates. They’re not worth the 70 Bronze Slates listed on the tags anymore. Not since the World Awakening started. They’ll be worthless in the next few days. As for the other two Skill Slates, they’re both Tier-0 Skills. [Eagle Eyes] and [Healing Light] may not be as common as other Tier-0 Skill Slates, but they’re not worth more than one Silver each,” David said, shaking his head. “Three Silver is all I’m willing to give you for all four Skill Slates.”

Torb shifted uncomfortably beside him but stayed silent, which David considered the best outcome. David fixed the merchant with an unyielding gaze as the man’s expression shifted. Muttering something in another language, the merchant finally agreed.

“Fine! Three Silver Slates it is!”

David smiled, placing the third Silver Slate on the counter. He had expected [Healing Light] to cost more, given its rarity as a healing Skill. Cleric and Healing Class Skills were already uncommon, and [Healing Light] stood out for its ranged capabilities. Zachariah had emphasized its importance, explaining that it was one of the few Tier-0 healing Skills worth investing in.

David took the Skill Slates and wasted no time, immediately trying to bind them.

[You have discovered four Skill Slates.]

[Mana Bullet – Tier-0]

[Slash – Tier-0]

[Healing Light – Tier-0]

[Eagle Eyes – Tier-0]

[Do you wish to use the Skill Slates to acquire the Skill Runes?]

The corners of David’s lips tugged upward as he willed the System to proceed. A sharp sensation flooded his mind, like streams of information surging into every corner of his consciousness, engraving themselves deep within.

He broke into a cold sweat, his breath hitching as he closed his eyes. He watched three Skill Runes form and begin to revolve around his Source. Within seconds, they connected, granting him full access to their Tier-0 capabilities.

However, the fourth Skill Rune faltered. It burst into azure particles, threatening to disperse when his Source stirred. Blood surged from within, transforming into crimson tentacles that lashed out, consuming the scattered particles.

The tentacles coalesced into a sphere, and David could feel something shifting inside it. Straining his mind, he unraveled the mysterious phenomenon as the crimson sphere absorbed the Skill Rune, stabilizing it through the process.

David wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he opened his eyes to find surprised faces and several notifications.

[[Slash], [Eagle Eyes], and [Healing Light] have been successfully bound to your Source.]

[Error! [Mana Bullet] was bound to the User without meeting the requirements. Lack of Mana has been detected in the Host’s body. Blood has been secured as a subsidiary energy source.]

[[Mana Bullet] has mutated into [Blood Bullet].]

“Crazy,” David muttered in exasperation. “Can I bind Skills of all Basic Classes?”

He fetched a Silver slate and lobbed it at the frozen merchant. “One Silver is enough for the Fireball Skill Slate, right?”

The merchant remained silent, but David didn’t care. He grabbed the Skill Slate and tried fusing it with his Source.

[You have discovered a Skill Slate.]

[Fireball – Tier-0.]

[The Host is incapable of binding the Skill Slate.]

“Oh…” David’s excitement took a sudden hit. He put the Skill Slate back on the counter and retrieved the Silver slate from the merchant, who didn’t seem to notice. The man stood frozen, staring at David with a blank expression.

“What did you just do?” Torb asked, his voice breaking the silence. The dwarf’s question seemed to jolt the merchant awake, who now stared between them in disbelief.

“What did it look like to you? I bound a few Skill Runes to my Source!”

“But—” Torb groaned, cutting himself off. “You know what? Forget it. You’re a crazy bastard with a damn annoying Class!”

David chuckled and patted the dwarf’s back. “Do you want to buy something? Zachariah’s going to secure a Sanctuary for us. Don’t you think we should grow stronger to help out?”

“Saving…”

“Of course, you can keep saving. I wouldn’t, though,” David shrugged.

Torb looked conflicted, his gaze darting to some displayed Skill Slates. He hesitated, then shook his head and turned away. “Let’s leave.”

Whatever. They returned to the room with hurried strides.

“Great timing,” Zachariah said, pointing at a spot on the live-updating map. “I’ve figured out where we need to go.”

“Oh?” David stepped up beside the regressor as Torb asked from behind, “Just like that?”

“Right now?” David added.

“Right now would be best. We won’t be able to do much with the Sanctuary but establishing it should be feasible.”

“How?” Melach’s doubtful voice resounded from the side.

“We conquer a natural Rift and alter it here and there. The details aren’t important. All you need to know is that we’ll have to conquer the Rift—properly, that is!”

“Conquer…” Melach muttered. “You mean we need to infiltrate the Rift and destroy its Core?”

Zachariah smiled. “Yes and no. We do have to invade the Rift’s inner dimension, but the Rift Core must remain unscathed. We’ll need it to establish the Sanctuary.”

David wasn’t sure how that was supposed to work, but he was interested—especially in fighting more Mini Bosses and Rift Bosses. The thought of using his newly acquired Skill Runes and leveling them up excited him. It was exactly what he needed. A good hunt rather than more torture.

“Let’s eat something before we depart. We should stock up on provisions too. You never know what awaits you on the other side of a natural Rift,” Zachariah explained.

“We can store a lot in my storage, but let’s not fill it to the brim. You wouldn’t want the Healer to be out of energy, would you?” David snickered.

Zachariah snorted. “If you’re going to heal us, that is.”

“True. I obtained a few new Skills and want to test them out. Maybe I’ll just cast [Blessing] on everyone and focus on testing [Slash] and the others.”

The Regressor raised an eyebrow, prompting David to explain what had happened earlier.

“That’s interesting,” Zachariah said, licking his lips. “Did you try binding any other elemental-based Skills besides [Fireball]? You should in the future. Maybe Lifeweaver is compatible with more than one non-elemental magical Skill. As for your other Skills, I hate you.”

Zachariah joked, but David caught something in his eyes—jealousy? Hope? He couldn’t tell.

“Whatever,” Melach said, getting up and clutching his Mage Wand tightly. “Let’s conquer a Rift and establish a Sanctuary!”

Are you motivated for Torb’s sake, or is this just a chance to add achievements to your name? David wondered, but remained silent. The group left the room smiling.

They wasted no time preparing for departure. Torb received currency slates from everyone to procure enough provisions for a few weeks in the wilderness. According to Zachariah, nobody could predict how long conquering the Rift would take. It might only take hours, but the inside of a natural Rift could be nearly endless.

While unlikely for a lower-ranked Rift to be massive, nothing was certain. Ample provisions and other necessities had to be prepared.

The Regressor excused himself, saying he would check out the stalls, leaving David with Melach, who searched for new Skill Slates to bind to his Mana Core.

“Is your Wand an Artifact now that the elemental gemstone has been embedded into it?” David asked, his eyes trailing the Mage Wand. It resembled a standard Mage Wand, but the elemental gemstone at its tip gave it a unique touch. Fine blue lines were engraved around the gemstone, but it didn’t look particularly extraordinary to David. Better than before, but nothing remarkable.

“Not yet. The Artificer told me I could upgrade it further, transforming it into an Artifact, but it’s too expensive,” Melach muttered. He picked up a Skill Slate, haggled with the merchant for a few minutes, and returned smiling. “Everything’s so expensive. I don’t even want to know how Torb’s feeling.”

“Hopefully pretty good when we’re done with this,” David said with a grin.

He turned to the weaponry display, briefly considering buying more equipment to match his diversifying abilities. But after listening to Melach, he decided against it.

He had a small fortune, but if the Artificer’s pricing was as bad as Melach claimed, he’d be better off saving. That was assuming the Artificer was making progress on his Blood storage. He needed it more than ever with his growing energy consumption. Still, with the Earthen Union awakening, he worried the project might be too big for her to handle.

5

PREHISTORIC

“Are we still not there?” Torb groaned loudly. His voice cut through the air, making David glance over with mild irritation.

The sun had already begun its descent, yet they had not reached the natural Rift.

Zachariah patted the dwarf’s back. “It’s not my fault the nearest natural Rift is so far away,” he said. “It’s not like I planned to conquer a Rift anytime soon.”

“He’s telling you to keep your mouth shut because we’re doing all of this for you,” Melach said, walking past the duo with quick strides.

David remained silent, listening to the others while his eyes scanned the surroundings. He had been doing that since they left Arc, though not because he feared ambushes. One of his new Skill Runes, [Eagle Eyes], behaved differently than expected. Unlike most other Skill Runes, which had to be actively cast, [Eagle Eyes] was always on. It didn’t drain his blood, but he had been hungrier than usual since acquiring it.

Still, the Skill’s passive effect significantly enhanced his vision and attention to detail. He could see much farther and notice finer details that had previously eluded him. The Skill’s potency was a welcome surprise, especially for a Tier-0 Skill. David was keen to level [Eagle Eyes], testing various methods to enhance its rank.

“I think we’re getting closer,” he remarked, pointing to the wide-open plains ahead. “There are a bunch of monsters over there… Wait, are those Triceratops?”

Zachariah slowed his pace. “Triceratops? So, this is a Prehistoric Rift? That isn’t too bad.”

Dinosaurs? David hadn’t expected to encounter dinosaurs. He didn’t even know such a thing was possible. That thought seemed foolish now. Why wouldn’t dinosaurs resurface in a world filled with magic, gods, and devils? If divine and magical creatures could exist, the resurrection of dinosaurs didn’t seem far-fetched.

Despite his reasoning, seeing them graze near the horizon felt miraculous. The corners of his lips tugged upward, and he quickened his pace.

“What are Triceratops?” Melach asked, rushing to catch up.

David opened his mouth to respond, but Zachariah spoke first. “They’re dinosaurs—extinct creatures that lived on Earth millions of years ago. The exact number is over 60 million, but don’t worry about specifics. All you need to know is they’ve been gone a long time.”

“And now they’re back?” Torb asked. “Interesting. I didn’t know the World Awakening could resurrect extinct creatures.”

As they neared the grazing dinosaurs, David couldn’t help but marvel at the sight. The once-extinct creatures leisurely fed in the open plains, their sheer presence awe-inspiring.

“Those are Xenoceratops,” Zachariah corrected, stepping up beside him.

David cocked an eyebrow but received only a shrug in return.

“I’ve encountered a few dinosaurs before,” the Regressor continued. “Xenoceratops are more aggressive than Triceratops, but only if you harm their kind. We should be fine.”

Should? David frowned, unease prickling at the edges of his thoughts. The lack of certainty in Zachariah’s tone was far from reassuring.

The Regressor shuddered. “It’d be best if we don’t run into one of the Colossus Xenoceratops in the Prehistoric Rifts. Let’s just say wrestling with a Spinosaurus or a Tyrannosaurus Rex is more fun than running from one of those monsters when they’re extra large.”

David narrowed his eyes at the Xenoceratops, noting their immense size and the way their muscles shifted under their thick hides. Just how much stronger had Aether made them? He would have fought them without hesitation if not for their towering, two-horned frills and the long brow horns above their eyes. For now, the creatures ignored him and the others, continuing to eat as if nothing else in the world mattered.

“Do you think Aether enhances them?” he asked Zachariah.

“I’d say so,” Zachariah replied. “Natural Rifts either use existing data from the world to spawn monsters through a mix of Aether and Essence, or they use foreign data from invading forces to replicate their Rifts.” He pointed ahead, where a faint purple glow shimmered on the horizon. “This looks like a Prehistoric Rift. It uses genetic material from Earth to resurrect extinct creatures from tens of millions of years ago. That process requires a lot of Aether and Essence, so yes—every dinosaur here will be stronger. Don’t be surprised if we encounter some Silver Ranks.”

A sigh resounded, and David thought he heard Zachariah murmuring something about how fortunate they were to reach the Rift early, though he wasn’t entirely sure.

“I don’t want to interrupt your lesson, but…” Melach gasped, pointing at a flock of swiftly moving creatures. They were bipedal, feathered carnivores with long tails and enlarged, sickle-shaped claws on each hindfoot. Childhood memories struck him—documentaries of ancient predators from a time before magic. He remembered those sharp claws and swift movements vividly.

Velociraptors.

They were Velociraptors, creatures barely one-fourth the size of the Xenoceratops, but their claws and teeth appeared sharp enough to inflict considerable damage.

The Xenoceratops flailed, shaking off some Velociraptors, which were stomped to death within seconds, while other, slower predators, were impaled.

“There are hundreds,” Torb gasped, frozen in place. Clicking his tongue, David dashed ahead. Zachariah appeared beside him, and a magic projectile whizzed past, crushing a Velociraptor’s skull. A second projectile followed quickly, releasing a sickening crunch as it struck another predator’s chest.

“The Rift is our goal, not to act like Saints,” the dwarf shouted from behind. Despite his words, the sound of creaking armor betrayed the warrior’s reluctant movements forward.

“Our goal is to grow stronger, you dork.” Zachariah suddenly accelerated, crossing the distance to the battlefield in an instant. David watched as the regressor joined the fray. His blade exuded a silver hue, cleaving through two Velociraptors with the first strike, but that was just the beginning.

Turning away from Zachariah, David cast [Blessing] and [Symphony Control] on the Xenoceratops, shrouding them in a crimson hue. Black doves materialized above their frills, drawing more ferocious attacks from the tiny carnivores. Yet the fierce attacks failed to have the desired effect. The Velociraptors’ claws and teeth barely scratched the Xenoceratops’ hides, while the herbivores appeared stronger—deadlier.

David cast [Blessing] on himself and materialized the Obsidian Blade. His eyes darted in all directions before he struck out, beheading a Velociraptor. Twisting his body, he activated [Slash] for the first time, slashing upward to attack another predator. The Obsidian Blade trembled violently in his hand, vibrating as if alive. The unexpected sensation threw him off for a moment, the blade’s vibrations a jarring surprise.

I should have expected that. How foolish, he cursed himself, recovering quickly. Casting [Blood Bullet], he targeted three Velociraptors that had turned away from the Xenoceratops beside him. The creatures pounced, but crimson-colored projectiles struck their faces, throwing them backward. Though not enough to kill, one bullet to their heads was sufficient to halt their momentum. David considered that good enough for a Tier-0 Skill that hadn’t been leveled yet.

His eyes scanned the battlefield, identifying the first target. Closing in, he thrust the Obsidian Blade through the middle Velociraptor’s eye, killing it instantly. The predator to the right was next. David kicked it fiercely, using his weight and momentum to force the creature to the ground. With another [Slash], he cut down.

Blood spurted through the air, and the faint glow of a system notification tugged at his attention. But there was no time for distractions. David turned to the last of the three monsters. As it lunged at him, he conjured a small crimson shield that shattered under the Velociraptor’s clawed strike. Yet the brief delay gave him enough time to close the gap. Emerging before the predator, he slashed it down.

His heart drummed wildly against his chest at the chaos unfolding around him. Seeking his next target, his focus shifted when something large caught his attention. A head whipped in his direction, nearly smashing into him. A pair of horns narrowly missed, their charge taking David by surprise.

“I’m on your side, buddy!” he grumbled, manifesting a more formidable crimson shield. The Xenoceratops bleated in response and charged.

The crimson shield, the strongest he could form without overcharging the Skill Rune, cracked under the massive herbivore’s weight. David groaned but held his ground. Striking the creature felt wrong, they were allies in this chaos, even if it didn’t realize it.

David groaned, frustration mingling with a strange empathy. These creatures were not the true enemy. It didn’t feel right to retaliate against something merely defending itself.

Instead, he held back, considering his next move.

David’s thoughts were a whirlwind. I need some principles. Clearing Rifts and removing dangerous monsters is fine, but these creatures haven’t done anything wrong… have they?

Fighting thrilled him. It stirred something within his heart that no woman ever could. Yet, the thought of slaying the Xenoceratops didn’t spark the same excitement. Was it because they hadn’t attacked first or posed no direct threat? He couldn’t be sure—but did it even matter? Unwilling to kill the Xenoceratops, he held back.

Instead, David cast [Healing Light] on the nearest Xenoceratops. His hand emitted a crimson glow that expanded rapidly, reaching the creature mid-charge and beginning to mend its wounds. The process was slow but effective, and the herbivore’s furious bleating softened as the bloodlust in its eyes began to fade. Encouraged, he added [Holy Touch] to soothe its rage further. The wounds knitted faster, and the massive beast ceased its thrashing entirely.

“Good,” David murmured, releasing several [Blood Bullets] toward the Velociraptors lunging at the wounded creature. His projectiles hit their marks, and the Xenoceratops wasted no time stomping the stunned predators to death.

The herbivore turned to face him, its gaze unreadable. Yet David didn’t sense hostility. Instead, the creature bleated softly before flicking its head back toward the battlefield.

“Do you want my help? In that case, excuse my rudeness,” he muttered, a nervous grin tugging at his lips. Maintaining [Healing Light], he placed a hand over his racing heart and kicked off the ground, landing atop the Xenoceratops’ broad back.

The creature bucked slightly, emitting a startled noise, but didn’t throw him off.

“Thanks, buddy. Just stay like this for a moment. There we go!” he said, steadying himself. From his vantage point, he cast [Blood Bullet] repeatedly, imbuing the projectiles with [Blood Patch] before releasing them. The marked bullets struck the other Xenoceratops, leaving faint crimson sigils on their hides.

As the connections came alive, David felt a strange, steady drain on his energy. It wasn’t overwhelming, but the constant pull churned his stomach. He ignored it and pushed through, channeling [Healing Light] through the marks to mend the wounded herd.

Using [Restore] would’ve been more efficient, he thought, biting back frustration. But this wasn’t just about efficiency—he came to the Rift to grow stronger, and there was no telling what awaited them after the battle. Saving too much blood energy for creatures that might turn hostile later seemed like a safer bet.

The Xenoceratops rallied. Their grievous wounds glowed faintly as they turned toward David. Their intense stares didn’t unsettle him. Instead, he smiled, casting a weak version of [Blessing] over the herd and his allies, shrouding them all in a faint crimson hue.

Is that enough? he wondered, hoping the effort would suffice.

The herbivores responded. With renewed vigor, they charged back into the fray, targeting the Velociraptors. David’s relief was short-lived. His gaze snapped to Torb, who was surrounded by a dozen predators just as a Xenoceratops charged toward him.

“Torb!” David yelled, his heart leaping into his throat.

The massive beast barreled past the dwarf, its heavy bulk brushing close but leaving him unharmed. Torb staggered back, shouting curses, but his plated armor remained pristine.

Elsewhere, a similar scene unfolded near Zachariah. A pair of Xenoceratops charged through the masses of Velociraptors the Regressor fought single-handedly. Zachariah didn’t appear to struggle, but his sword, alight with silver energy, poised to strike the incoming herbivores.

“Don’t attack the Xenos!” David roared across the battlefield.

Zachariah froze, his eyes snapping to David atop one of the Xenoceratops. His blade wavered, then lowered as the massive creatures bulldozed through the Velociraptors, trampling half a dozen predators in one charge.

David watched, his heart pounding with a mix of relief and wonder. The Xenoceratops ignored his group entirely. Could it be? His chest tightened with anticipation at the possibility—they saw them as …allies.

6

PROFICIENCY

“How did you do that?” Zachariah asked, pointing at the grazing Xenoceratops. They kept to themselves and didn’t attack, even after the last Velociraptor had fallen.

“I’m not sure what you want me to say. I just did what you told me to do,” David said with a shrug, pretending to be oblivious to how far-fetched his explanation sounded.

He noticed Zachariah's brows furrowing deeply as he stared at him.

“You said I’m a Healer,” David continued, pointing Zachariah in the right direction. “So…I’m healing, protecting…supporting, like you said.”

Zachariah’s eyes widened before a chuckle escaped his lips. It quickly escalated into a thunderous laugh that left David momentarily stunned.

“You’re a fucking nutjob, and you know it!”

David shrugged again. He hadn’t healed the Xenoceratops because Zachariah told him to, but it was true the Regressor’s words had planted the idea. In the end, he’d acted on his own. It might have been a little insane, but Zachariah had also told him Xenos would attack those who hurt their kind. That meant they were likely to ignore you if you helped them. If you healed them.

At least, that’s what David had hoped when he treated the Xenoceratops. And it worked, ensuring the monsters wouldn’t attack.

“So you looked at the Xenos as equals, that’s some interesting progress,” Zachariah commented, but David only frowned.

As equals? They were monsters—nothing more. Shaking his head, he finished healing the Xenoceratops in silence. The creatures bleated in his direction once he was done and walked away.

“Beautiful creatures,” Torb said, marveling.

“As beautiful as they are deadly,” Zachariah responded smugly. “They’re probably all at the peak of the Bronze rank.”

David stepped between them and cleared his throat. “How about we collect the Velociraptors’ corpses? We’re in a hurry if we plan to make full use of the Blessing of the World.”

Zachariah and Torb moved away, snippets of their conversation about the beauty of the prehistoric age drifting back to him.

“Weird,” David muttered, catching Melach watching him. “What?”

“It’s interesting how you consider others weird when you’re like…this. The epitome of weirdness—madness,” the elf replied, shaking his head. “But you’re strong. Zachariah is one thing. I don’t know what’s going on with him, but either he knows the future or has some sort of Ancient Power that grants him access to the system library. Either way, his knowledge is shocking, to say the least. So is his display of power. Is that really a native from a newly integrated world?”

He sighed, his face hardening. “But you, a crazy, oblivious fool…you’re also strong. And it’s only a matter of hours—maybe days—until Torb joins your ranks. The moment Torb becomes Fortress’ Champion, you guys⁠—”

David cut him off, noticing the harshness in his tone. “If you act like that, the gap will only widen. You know more about the System and the Pantheon than I do. Sure, I’ve done things others consider crazy, but that’s how I defeat enemies where others would retreat with their tails between their legs. I was rewarded for my craziness—for surviving and overcoming the challenges.”

He wasn’t sure what Melach was after or what he was supposed to say, but the words kept coming. “All you have to do is figure out what you need to do—how to work the System—to get the results you want. Do you want to become a Champion? Gain their attention with your actions. Pick a few gods you understand well enough to know their likes and dislikes and act accordingly. Do what they would approve of…and kick the butts of those they loathe.”

Melach frowned at the last part but offered a wry smile. “Thanks for comforting me.”

It worked? David hadn’t expected his rambling to make sense, but maybe it did to someone like Melach, who held the Pantheon and its gods in high regard. Shrugging, he turned his focus back to the corpses around him as the elf walked away.

David gathered a handful of corpses and spoke a few Words of Power to drain the Essence left in them. Filling his body with crimson motes didn’t take long, though it felt strange. Despite knowing the crimson motes weren’t meant to remain in his Energy Pathway for long, David left them there for his Source to absorb. While he waited, occasionally inspecting his Energy Pathways and Source, he collected the remaining corpses alongside the others.

“They don’t have many valuable parts,” Zachariah commented when David arrived. “I recommend we collect the valuable pieces and leave the rest behind. Or you store some of them for their Essence.”

Torb grunted, his face twisting in frustration. “Let’s just take all of them.”

“No,” Zachariah’s tone was sharp, leaving no room for argument. “David’s spatial storage drains his energy reserves. The more we force upon him, the greater the energy consumption. That means we either have to rest more often, or he’ll run out of Blood mid-battle.”

Zachariah fixed a hard stare on Torb. “You don’t even need money. I couldn’t care less about your debt, but even if it were important to me, these corpses wouldn’t make a difference. You need to establish a Sanctuary. We’re currently helping you with that, and we need David at full power to achieve it. Or do you want to fight the Mini-Bosses and the Rift Boss here without David’s healing and protection?”

“Okay. Okay, I get it,” the dwarf responded meekly.

David nudged Zachariah in the side. “Calm down a little. I don’t like all this talk about money either, but we need it. Not to establish the Sanctuary but to purchase magical armaments, Skill Slates, and other essentials.”

Zachariah looked like he had more to say—his angry look suggesting it wouldn’t be pleasant—but David cut him off before he could speak.

“Don’t you think more merchants from all over the transcendent organizations will flock to the Earthen Union now that gods, infernal beings, devils, and others are extending their influence? Everyone’s investing in the Earthen Union’s growth, so why wouldn’t merchants take advantage of the same opportunity?”

The Regressor remained silent.

“I guess so,” Zachariah said at last, glancing at Torb. “Sorry about that. I’m a bit… tense these days.”

Torb said nothing, but David didn’t mind.

Clearing his throat, he said, “I think collecting the most valuable parts is a good idea. That way, I can remove corpses, drain them mid-combat, and leave them behind without having to feel bad.”

Taking their silence as agreement, David conjured the Obsidian Blade and began working. “What parts are the most valuable?” he asked.

Zachariah unsheathed his sword and slashed at a nearby corpse, removing several pieces. “Those.”

“Good,” David said, smiling at the regressor. “Since you’ve already started, you may as well help me.”

The Regressor groaned but agreed. They worked swiftly, storing the half-dissected bodies in David’s necklace. Halfway through the process, David noticed something.

“There’s no more Essence in their bodies.”

It looked like they took too long to preserve the bodies. Keeping them stored like this wasn’t worth the effort. David was sure they could still collect and sell the more valuable parts, but he could see the impatience written all over Zachariah’s face.

The Regressor nodded and turned away from the corpses. “Let’s go then. We shouldn’t waste any more time.”

They proceeded to the Rift but were stopped by another flock of Velociraptors. This time, they didn’t have any Xenos to act as meat shields, but that made no difference to David. They sustained several wounds, some more grievous than others. However, all injuries were healed before they finished harvesting the most valuable parts of a dozen prehistoric monsters.

“How about we pay attention to stronger monsters instead of looting these weaklings?” Zachariah asked, handing David three Fragments of Power. “They drop decent stuff, but it’s still not worth it.”

“Fine,” David agreed while his attention lingered on a few system notifications.

[Proficiency of Blood Patch reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 V] → [Tier-1 VI]

[Proficiency of Blessing reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 III] → [Tier-1 IV]

[Proficiency of Blood Bullet reached 100%.]

[Tier-0 I] → [Tier-0 III]

[Proficiency of Slash reached 100%.]

[Tier-0 I] → [Tier-0 III]

[Proficiency of Eagle Eyes reached 100%.]

[Tier-0 I] → [Tier-0 II]

[Proficiency of Healing Light reached 100%.]

[Tier-0 I] → [Tier-0 IV]

He smiled, pleased with the rank-ups, but a familiar question surfaced as he double-checked the notifications.

“How exactly do Skills proficiency increases work?” David asked, even though he’d already formed a few assumptions that seemed close to the truth.

Zachariah slowed and turned to him. “You probably know the answer already, but it’s relatively simple. There are multiple ways to increase your Skills’ proficiency. Repetitive use of a Skill is one way to increase its proficiency slowly. You usually do that in an Aether-dense area if you don’t have the means to use the Skill as intended, which is the second method.”

He pointed at his arm, which one of the squeaky Velociraptors had clawed earlier. “For example, [Healing Light] is supposed to heal others. Using it to mend wounds will increase its proficiency faster than the first method. The more you heal with [Healing Light], the more its proficiency will increase.”

David noticed Melach and Torb pause as the elf cleared his throat to add, “Another method would be to use Skill Slates. It’s useful if you have the means to collect lots of Skill Slates, whether through bartering or hunting. But personally, I prefer another method. The System recognizes your efforts to increase proficiency with the other methods but rewards something else far more generously…”

The elf glanced at Zachariah, who nodded.

“The fastest method to push your Skill Runes to the next rank or Tier is to study them. You need to analyze how the Skill works, what components make it what it is, and experiment with it. Think of a Skill as a chain code and ask yourself how to improve it. Whether it’s increasing the Skill’s efficiency, potency, or something else doesn’t matter. Your Skill will gain proficiency depending on the extent of your revelations and the enlightenment you achieve.”

That must be why the Enlightenment Orb pushed Skills to the next rank—it mimicked natural enlightenment. David nodded, intrigued by the explanation.

Unfortunately, the prehistoric creatures in the area weren’t inclined to give him the time he needed to process this information.

A cacophony of thunderous screeches tore through the air, snapping David’s attention to several larger creatures.

There were more raptors, but the newcomers were larger and faster. They grew visibly as they closed the distance, their massive forms towering several meters tall as they reached the group.

“Mature Utahraptors, this will be a mess,” Zachariah sighed, unsheathing his weapon. “They’re Elite Monsters and strong enough to rival Silver Ranks.”

David heard Zachariah mutter something under his breath about needing a Tamer, his tone tinged with regret.

7

RAPTORS & NURTURING

Zachariah charged forward, leaving afterimages as he emerged before the first raptor. His blade whipped through the air, cutting into the monster, but David didn’t see any blood as Zachariah withdrew his weapon.

The Regressor evaded the raptor’s claws with practiced ease, releasing several silver lights that slashed through its plumage. Finally, blood soaked the monster’s feathers, but it showed no signs of weakening.

“They’re tough,” David muttered, casting [Blessing] and [Blood Aegis] to shield Zachariah from further attacks and enhance his strength. The regressor’s sword glowed, its form appearing to expand as he leaped into the air. David cast [Blood Aegis] again when the raptor shifted, aiming to strike Zachariah in the head. The crimson shield absorbed the blow, saving him.

While the Utahraptor’s attack failed, Zachariah’s did not. David caught only a glimpse of the final strike—Zachariah’s blade pierced one of the raptor’s eyes and drove through the back of its skull.

The first Utahraptor collapsed, but the others charged at David and Melach. Torb stepped forward, bracing himself as he raised the Shield of Taurun. A faint hue shimmered around it, deepening as a darker glow joined.

David conjured a black dove above Torb’s head to lure the Utahraptors to him, then followed it up with [Blessing], strengthening all his allies. Despite this, he doubted Torb could hold back the raptors’ charge. Yet the dwarf defied his expectations. A semi-translucent barrier materialized in front of him as he slammed his shield into the ground. The Utahraptors crashed into the barrier but failed to break it.

With their momentum disrupted, David dashed forward, his body wrapped in crimson light. He gripped the Obsidian Blade tightly, activating both [Slash] and [Holy Touch] as he closed in on the nearest Utahraptor. It turned and snapped at him, but David conjured a small crimson shield to block its jaws.

He ducked beneath its claws and drove his soulbound weapon into the raptor’s abdomen. Its tough hide resisted the blade, but with a surge of [Holy Touch], the weapon pierced through. Gritting his teeth, David roared and pushed the blade deeper, overclocking [Blood Bullet] and unleashing a barrage of them to hammer the weapon further into the beast.

A claw strike forced him to retreat, though it grazed his side, leaving a sharp sting of pain. He grimaced, enduring the discomfort until [Restore] flooded his body with soothing warmth.

David retreated further, Words of Power spilling from his lips. Only a few words rang out—just enough. His connection to the Obsidian Blade deepened, revealing the Essence it drained with each passing second. The amount was staggering, but what surprised him was the sheer amount of lifeforce within the Utahraptor.

It had more Essence than the Behemoth Darkai, he guessed, swallowing hard. Even with the Obsidian Blade working as quickly as it could, killing the raptor this way would take too long.

“Support it is,” he muttered with a sigh, leaving the blade embedded in the creature. If the weapon needed more Essence to grow stronger, so be it.

Four Utahraptors were still alive. Two attacked Torb, whose shield had started to crack, while one seemed to be closing in on Zachariah. The last—the raptor David had attacked—hesitated, glancing between him and Torb. David caught it stepping forward, but a magical snare entangled its legs, halting its advance. Frustrated, the raptor turned and lunged at Torb instead.

David overclocked [Blessing], using all its instances on Torb as the dwarf braced against the combined assault of three Utahraptors. A crimson barrier materialized before them, blocking several strikes, but the overwhelming force pushed Torb back. His enchanted shield shattered into countless fragments, leaving him vulnerable as the raptors advanced.

“Die!” A sudden high-pitched scream cut through the chaos, drawing David’s attention. A massive projectile, nearly his height, streaked through the air, leaving a glowing trail. He barely registered its path before it slammed into the ground near Torb.

David hurriedly cast [Blood Aegis], shielding Torb from the explosion that followed. The earth trembled violently, and his crimson shield crumbled as debris filled the air. Torb was flung across the battlefield, landing with a heavy thud near David. Ignoring the ringing in his ears, David rushed to the dwarf’s side, casting [Restore] to mend his injuries and layering [Blood Patch] for additional healing.

“Up you go,” David muttered, pulling Torb to his feet. His gaze darted across the battlefield, squinting through the haze of smoke and debris. His eyes locked onto one of the three Utahraptors that had been fighting Torb—now reduced to a pair of scorched legs.

“What the…” David muttered, his words trailing off as he caught sight of Melach’s beaming face amidst the chaos.

“Amazing, isn’t it? I’m not even tired!” the elf shouted, wiping sweat from his brow. “All it took was overclocking [Arcane Blast] and a few seconds to charge it with my new Skill, [Sphere Explosion]!”

David exhaled sharply, a mixture of relief and irritation. At least it wasn’t the raptor he’d been targeting, though Melach’s reckless use of his new Skill had nearly taken out Torb as well.

It's a good thing we have a solid Healer, David smirked, his pulse still racing from the explosive display of power.

He recast [Symphony Control], conjuring a black dove above Torb’s head to lure the raptors while placing a white dove above Melach’s for support. He followed up with several [Blood Bullet] spells, hurling them at the staggering pair of Utahraptors. While the attacks inflicted little damage, David’s true goal was distraction. The monsters turned toward him, their attention drawn by the stinging impacts on their snouts and necks.

“Get them, buddy,” David said to Torb, giving the dwarf a firm shove forward. “You can do it.”

“I. Hate. You,” Torb growled, gripping his magical shield tightly as he stepped forward.

David conjured a dimly glowing light that enveloped Torb, sealing his remaining wounds. Without wasting time, he retrieved several Velociraptor corpses from his storage necklace. Words of Power rolled off his tongue as he began draining the lingering Essence from the bodies.

Simultaneously, David cast [Holy Touch], drawing in the ambient Aether. Dozens of crimson tendrils erupted from his palms, writhing chaotically before spreading out and gathering enough energy to fill his Energy Pathways. Under his command, his Source resumed producing Blood, the flow steady and unrelenting.

He glanced back at the battlefield. Zachariah’s opponent looked battered and close to defeat. Overclocking [Blessing] and applying a single instance to the Regressor should provide enough support for him to finish the raptor within a few exchanges. The remaining instances of [Blessing] were distributed among Torb and Melach, bolstering their efforts against the last pair of Utahraptors.

A relentless storm of fireballs and emerald wind spears rained down on the raptors, eliciting shrill cries of pain. Torb added to the chaos, bashing the creatures with his mace and slamming his shield against their bodies. Though his attacks lacked the power to kill outright, they were enough to stagger the beasts.

The tide shifted when one of Melach’s [Spear of Aeryon] spells pierced a raptor’s eye, triggering an explosion.

“Release more!” Torb bellowed over the cacophony of pained shrieks.

Melach responded with another barrage of wind spears and fireballs, each explosion further injuring the raptors. However, none of the subsequent projectiles landed a critical hit like before.

David prepared to join the fray, casting and overclocking [Blood Bullet] with the intent of charging into battle alongside Torb. Just as he was about to act, something caught his attention in the corner of his eye.

More wind spears and fireballs filled the air, exploding upon impact and inflicting considerable damage. However, David didn’t spot another magical projectile piercing the Utahraptors’ eyes. He cast and overclocked [Blood Bullet], ready to give in to his urge to fight on the frontlines with Torb when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.

His expression soured, and he retracted the Blood channeled into [Blood Bullet]. Zachariah emerged, his sword drenched in blood. The Regressor leaped at the first raptor, driving his blade into its back and easily piercing its burned plumage. The monster screamed in pain, then stiffened and collapsed without warning.

David watched as Zachariah raised his arm, conjuring a silver blade that drilled through the raptor’s injured eye. The blade burst through the back of the monster’s skull before disintegrating mid-air.

[You have contributed to the defeat of Reborn Utahraptor (Elite).]

David checked the notification, which looked the same as the others, and diverted his focus back to the battlefield. Zachariah appeared slightly exhausted but uninjured. Torb’s wounds had been mended, and Melach wore a content expression, clearly enjoying the turn of events.

“Elite Monsters,” David muttered, approaching the bodies. He made his way to the corpse holding his soulbound weapon and uttered a few more Words of Power.

“What are you doing?” Zachariah appeared beside him. “Oh, you’ve started nurturing your soulbound weapon. It’s about time.”

David raised an eyebrow. “You know a bit about soulbound weapons, right? I can tell the Obsidian Blade is getting stronger, but other than being sharper and more durable, I can’t sense much. Well, apart from our connection growing.”

“You’re using Essence to nourish it, right?” Zachariah asked.

“Yes, but only because that’s the only thing it consumes. When I first used it, I thought the Obsidian Blade consumed blood, but I was wrong. It needs crimson motes, just like my Source.”

Zachariah studied him for a few seconds. “Are you sure? You can’t nourish it with Aether?”

David nodded.

“That’s interesting,” the Regressor muttered. “Don’t get me wrong, this is a good thing. The better the resources consumed by a soulbound weapon, the higher the chance of an evolution. It’s also possible your weapon will mutate, depending on the amount and type of Essences you let it consume. But that shouldn’t be a concern for now. For now, more is better.”

David mulled over Zachariah’s words, questioning whether he’d been overly cautious in feeding the Obsidian Blade.

“And since you can feel your connection to the Obsidian Blade growing,” Zachariah continued, “it means you’re far from reaching its origin limits—so you should give it more Essence to consume.”

Mutations and evolutions? David knew a bit about both, but they were typically associated with living creatures—not a piece of metal. He shrugged. Since Zachariah said it didn’t concern him yet, he decided to let it be.

“How about we dissect them first?” David asked with a grin. “And by we, I mean you. My blade’s busy devouring Essence.”

Zachariah glared at him but complied. He walked around the body, waving his sword a few times to remove the beast’s head before gutting its abdomen. The regressor cursed under his breath as he painstakingly worked on the corpses. After a while, he waved at David. “Go ahead. Collect everything.”

David stored the dissected bodies and their parts in his storage necklace. He felt the energy consumption of the spatial device increase considerably and fueled it with Blood.

This should last a while, he thought, feeling the strain of energy consumption diminish.

8

PREHISTORIC RIFT

They closed in on the Rift without further problems. David inspected the surroundings and discovered several curious details as he explored the crackling, violet vortex that spanned over two dozen meters.

He first noticed that his body was absorbing significantly more Aether as they approached the Rift. Since the World Awakening, Aether had been abundant wherever he went, but the Rift and its surroundings were on another level entirely.

He used the ambient Aether to fill his Energy Pathways, never letting it remain idle after absorption. David cast [Holy Touch] and maintained it as he circulated the holy power, modified under Blood’s influence, through his body. The Energy Pathways, which in his mind resembled firm, well-trained muscles, had grown far from their earlier atrophied state. Nonetheless, his focus on nurturing their development never stopped. On the contrary, he hoped to sustain this growth for as long as possible.

Now and then, he retrieved a Velociraptor corpse to drain its Essence and replenish his Blood reserves. He also pulled the Obsidian Blade from the Utahraptor’s body once it was emptied, discarding the less valuable parts of the Elite Monster before thrusting the soulbound weapon into another target. With each moment, they drew closer to the wildly swirling Rift.

“The surrounding nature is changing fast,” Melach noted, breaking the silence. “I don’t think many plants on Ystra grow this quickly.”

“The World Awakening accelerated the growth of everything,” Zachariah responded lightly. “But that’s a negligible fact. No matter how fast you grow, you still need nutrients and Aether. The Earthen Union was always overflowing with nutrients, but it lacked Aether. That is no longer a problem. If anything, the Earthen Union will soon be overflowing with Aether.”

David scrutinized the grass field that reached up to his calves, wondering how long it would take to cover his lower body. Would it be days—or merely hours?

“At least you have cheap but efficient mowers. Not the magical kind I know, but these creatures are probably easier to maintain,” Torb quipped, pointing toward a spot farther from the Rift.

David followed Torb’s gaze and was surprised to see hundreds of large, heavy-looking mammals grazing nearby. Their backs were covered in broad, upright plates, and their long tails ended in spiked tips, completing the appearance of creatures any fan of the prehistoric age would recognize at a glance. A horde of Stegosaurus munched through the rapidly growing grass field, keeping the blades short.

Other large creatures lingered near the Stegosaurus, and as David looked around, he found even more prehistoric beasts close to the natural Rift.

“Do you think they left the Rift voluntarily?” David asked.

Zachariah turned toward him, his expression contemplative. “Natural Rifts are different from man-made ones. Some creatures were probably forced out due to territorial conflicts, while others left out of curiosity—or to protect their kin from the dangers lurking inside. Regardless, they will stay close to the Rift to absorb more Aether until stronger predators emerge and force them to relocate.”

David mulled over Zachariah’s explanation, trying to picture the chaos inside the Rift that might drive creatures out. His heart raced at the thought of encountering some of the prehistoric age’s ‘stronger’ predators.

“That’s interesting, but can we enter the Rift now? I want to—” David began, but Torb interrupted with a laugh, striding past him and patting his back.

“Fight? This might be a surprise to you, but we already know that,” Torb said.

Melach chuckled, and even Zachariah smirked as he walked by.

“Whatever. Let’s conquer the Rift!” David declared.

There was no guardian protecting the Rift, which allowed the team of four to step through unhindered. David didn’t know what to expect but stepping through a magical portal into another dimension felt surreal. As he entered the swirling vortex, the air shifted around him with every step. The dense forest ahead replaced the familiar grasslands behind.

The flora shifted dramatically, transforming into lush greenery with giant ferns and sprawling cycads growing everywhere. Moss-covered rocks and lichens appeared where nothing had been before, and massive tree trunks emerged from thin air. Wildflowers scattered vibrant colors across the scene, but David’s focus lingered on the more pronounced changes. Tall conifers and low shrubs dotted the landscape between the towering trees.

A cool, damp gust brushed against him, carrying the sounds of rustling ferns, splashing water, and the distant calls of birds and other creatures. The oddly peaceful atmosphere contrasted with the chaotic changes happening around him.

The transition ended after several steps, and David spotted his teammates again. Only now did he realize he hadn’t seen them during the shift. Was that normal? Probably. David shrugged and turned his attention toward the source of the splashing sound. A waterfall cascaded down a rocky mountain nearby. Channeling Blood into his eyes to augment [Eagle Eyes], he scrutinized the surroundings once more.

“Are we in a valley?” He wondered aloud.

“Possible. That’s a mountain range to our right, isn’t it?” Zachariah agreed.

“It’s silent,” Torb added. “Too silent.”

David nodded in agreement. He had expected fierce battles right from the start, but so far, nothing had happened. He couldn’t spot a single creature. Sure, distant roars, growls, cracking noises, and chirping birds echoed faintly through the forest, but nothing had attacked them yet.

The distant growls gradually grew louder. The cracking intensified, joined by shadowy figures flashing through the prehistoric forest away from the mountain range. However, the figures didn’t come toward them, instead, they collided with each other.

“A fight between dinosaurs,” David muttered, casting [Blessing] on everyone before cautiously approaching the shadowy figures. To get a better view, he climbed a nearby tree. Gripping the rough bark, he scrambled up to a branch hanging over a dozen meters above the ground. He leaped to the next branch, but his foot slipped. For a heart-stopping moment, he almost fell. He managed to regain his balance and steadied himself.

Finally, he saw them.

An incredibly long monster with a sailed back, towering hind legs, and a long, crocodile-like skull had sunk its fangs into a large, bipedal predator. The other creature retaliated, digging its dagger-shaped teeth into the sail.

David’s breath caught as the two predators fought desperately, tearing each other apart. The scene was brutal yet mesmerizing. The Carnosaur’s fangs sparked and erupted into flames as they ripped through the Spinosaurus’ sail. The Spinosaurus shrieked but didn’t retreat. Its long, narrow head whipped around and clamped down on the Carnosaur’s neck. Flames burst from the Carnosaur’s neck, scorching the Spinosaurus’ face, yet the massive creature didn’t back off. David gaped as the Spinosaurus’ charred flesh seemed to mend itself unnervingly fast, the healing visible to the naked eye.

The Carnosaur roared, thrashing wildly. Flames erupted across its body, wreathing both itself and the Spinosaurus in fire. Only the Spinosaurus roared in pain. Despite its burns, it lunged, only to be met with a headbutt from the Carnosaur’s flame-covered horns.

The battle intensified. David watched as the Spinosaurus was pushed back but refused to yield. The two creatures tore through the forest, crushing trees, shrubs, and anything else in their path. At one point, the Spinosaurus seemed to gain the upper hand, but suddenly, the Carnosaur’s flames shifted to an eerie, vibrant blue. The surrounding plants caught fire and the Spinosaurus’ wounds stopped healing. The Carnosaur ripped chunks of flesh from its opponent, forcing the massive creature to retreat.

The Spinosaurus let out a deafening roar and turned to flee. The Carnosaur charged after it, but its movements were slower now, drained from the brutal fight. Its blue flames dimmed, returning to their usual red-orange hue.

David followed the Spinosaurus with his gaze as it leaped into a river he hadn’t noticed before. The water churned violently as the massive beast plunged in. The Carnosaur roared furiously, thrashing about before abruptly turning. David stiffened as the predator seemed to glance in his direction. Did it see them?

But after a moment, the Carnosaur turned away, running in the opposite direction at shocking speed.

“What was that?” David muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he tried to process what he’d seen.

The sunlight filtering through the trees suddenly dimmed. A massive shadow loomed over him, and his instincts screamed danger.

“Get out of the way, everyone!” Zachariah’s shout rang out, sharp and urgent.

David looked up, his blood running cold. A gargantuan creature towered above him, its massive foot descending toward him like a falling boulder.

“Fuck!” he cursed, overclocking his body and casting [Blessing] on everyone. He leaped to the side with all the strength he could muster, barely avoiding the crushing weight.

As he landed, he caught a glimpse of Melach gliding through the air, graceful as ever. Zachariah sprinted away in the same direction. Relief flickered through him—they had made it. But where was Torb?

David’s stomach twisted as he scanned the area. He spotted the dwarf running, his body shimmering with an earthy hue. But Torb’s speed was the slowest, and his position—the worst.

“You’re not going to die here!” David growled, his determination surging. He overclocked [Blood Aegis], pouring as much Blood as he could muster into the spell. Large, glowing shields materialized above Torb as the gargantuan foot descended.

One by one, the shields shattered under the sheer force of the creature’s weight. They were too fragile to stall for long.

David’s heart dropped as the foot slammed down. The impact obliterated bushes, plants—and Torb, who had no chance to escape.

9

VERGE OF DEATH

Was Torb dead? David’s stomach churned at the thought. He materialized the Obsidian Blade and charged ahead, applying overclocked [Holy Touch] and [Slash] to his soulbound weapon. However, before David could strike at the massive foot pinning Torb to the ground, it moved.

David slowed, narrowing his eyes as the creature walked away.

Was it not an enemy? he wondered, craning his neck to see what had attacked them in the first place. A shudder coursed through him when he realized most of the creature’s body wasn’t visible. Towering above the treetops and shrouding his view, it loomed far beyond anything he had ever seen.

How in the…? David’s breath caught in his throat as he assessed the sheer size of the beast. Its height must have exceeded twenty meters. Twisting his neck further, he caught a glimpse of the rest of its body: an impossibly long neck, grayish skin, and a frame that stretched at least twice its height. It resembled a Brachiosaur—but not entirely. Thick, heavy plates covered most of its skin, resembling the frill of a Xenoceratops, giving it an almost armored appearance. And yet, despite its strange mutations, it still looked unmistakably like a Brachiosaur.

A weak groan reached David’s ears, pulling his attention to a deep footprint carved into the ground. Torb lay there, squashed into the earth, twitching faintly. His armor was dented and flattened in spots, pressing cold metal into his battered body—but Torb was alive. His life force, though faint and fading, still flickered within him.

That was all that mattered.

David dismissed the Obsidian Blade back to his mind space and rushed to Torb’s side. Without hesitation, he cast [Weave of Life] and overclocked it, stabilizing the dwarf’s life force before layering it with [Restore] at maximum strength.

Zachariah appeared beside them, his expression grim. Moving with practiced precision, the Regressor’s hand glowed silver as he cut through Torb’s damaged armor. In seconds, the dwarf was peeled free, revealing his injuries.

David heard a sharp gasp from his right but ignored it. Banishing all distractions, he bent down and got to work.

Torb’s armor, crushed under the Brachiosaur’s immense weight, had left jagged metal shards lodged into his body. Several deep cuts marred his skin, some dangerously close to vital organs. David immediately cast [Purify], cleansing the wounds in one swift motion. He followed with another instance of [Blessing], then overlapped [Healing Light] and [Restore]. While the effects began to work, they weren’t as efficient as he’d hoped.

Frowning, David planted his hands on Torb’s chest and overclocked [Holy Touch], unleashing its crimson holy power into the dwarf’s battered form. The energy surged through him, spreading to every damaged part and mending the injuries from within.

Words of Power spilled from David’s lips, infused with the Law of Blood. He channeled the holy power to amplify the healing effects of [Healing Light], [Restore], and [Weave of Life], binding them together into one cohesive force. Careful not to disrupt the delicate balance, he kept reciting the Words of Power, pouring all his focus into the process.

A low groan escaped Torb, more vigorous than before. David’s Source stirred as the Law of Blood activated fully, enhancing the healing. Flattened parts of Torb’s body began to swell and reform, regaining their original shape. Deep punctures knit together seamlessly, leaving no trace of the injuries that had nearly killed him.

“How are you still alive?” Melach’s incredulous voice broke through the tense silence.

“I’m a dwarf, you dork,” Torb croaked weakly, but there was a faint smirk in his tone.

“Whatever. Shut up and try to stay alive!”

No further words were exchanged as David continued his work. Before long, Torb’s weak groans turned into muttered curses.

“My armor! What did you do to it?!”

“I cut it open to save your life. It—” Zachariah’s response was cut short.

“You brickheaded idiot! What about my shield? Did you destroy that too?!”

David slumped back onto the ground, breathing heavily. He ignored the argument brewing between Zachariah and Torb, letting the two bicker while he focused on replenishing his energy. Retracting [Holy Touch], he stopped overclocking [Healing Light] and allowed it to run at its base level. Finally, he ceased [Weave of Life] and [Restore] entirely, confident that Torb no longer needed them.

“I guess you’re feeling better, seeing as you can shout like that,” David muttered dryly, brushing a hand through his sweat-drenched hair.

“You understand me, don’t you?” Torb growled, glaring up at him. “Without my armor, I’m much weaker. Forget about dealing with three Utahraptors at once—one of them will be enough to gut me if it breaks [Guardian Shield]!”

David raised an eyebrow. While it was true that supporting and healing the group would be difficult if the dwarf couldn’t protect them—blocking the charge of several powerful monsters—he didn’t understand why Torb was so agitated. There was no reason for him to react like that.

“Don’t you have a Class Skill that allows you to replicate your armaments in situations like this?” David tilted his head. “Or did I misunderstand something?”

No matter what Torb said, David wasn’t about to end the Rift raid prematurely. He wanted to press on—to face the apex predators of the prehistoric era!

“Ah…” Torb’s cheeks flushed. “Right.”

The dwarf cleared his throat awkwardly. “I have [Nature’s Armaments], but it consumes my Essence and Stamina to—” He trailed off as he noticed David’s intense gaze. A realization dawned on him, and his tone shifted. “You can probably help replenish my used-up Essence.”

Was that possible? David had never tried it before. It promised to be a complicated process since Torb couldn’t convert foreign Essence into energy like Blood. Still, David could always heal him. That ought to suffice.

“I guess so,” David shrugged.

Torb sat upright and carefully rose to his feet, swaying unsteadily before regaining his balance.

An earthy hue coated the dwarf’s body as he closed his eyes, and the soil beneath them began to shift. At first glance, it looked as though the hard-packed ground had liquefied, flowing toward Torb and climbing his frame. The soil encased his feet and legs first, but within moments, his entire body—except for his face—was engulfed.

David watched with interest as the earthen coating condensed and hardened, transforming into armor.

“You look like a dwarven sculpture,” Melach remarked with a smirk.

It was true. Torb resembled a masterfully detailed sculpture carved from solid earth. The only sign of life beneath the armor was his exposed face.

The dwarf groaned and wiped his sweaty forehead before delivering a solid punch to the earthen armor.

“I think I can work with this,” Torb said, evaluating the result. “It’s nothing great, but it’s not shabby either.”

David inspected Torb’s condition and smiled in satisfaction. His friend was fine, though some fatigue was building within him. It hadn’t reached a worrisome level yet, which was a relief.

The Class Skill’s Essence consumption must have been lower than Torb had feared, David guessed.

“What are we going to do now?” David asked as he retrieved several Velociraptor carcasses. A few Words of Power rolled off his tongue, stirring the blood within the corpses. Tendrils of blood oozed from the wounds and snaked toward his outstretched palm. Without hesitation, he grasped the tendrils and cast [Holy Touch], accelerating the process of draining the Velociraptors’ Essences.

“More importantly,” Melach interjected, pointing toward the massive footprints around them, “what was that, and how could a creature with so much natural destructive force be capable of using Stealth?!”

Stealth? David blinked. That would certainly explain why they hadn’t seen or heard the gargantuan Brachiosaur.

“Is that the Rift Boss?” Torb’s eyes gleamed with dangerous excitement. “Let’s kill that thing!”

“How about we calm down for a minute?” Zachariah said firmly. “I don’t think this is the Rift Boss. At best, it’s a Regional Boss. Regardless, the Brachiosaur appears to be heavily armored and a mutant. It probably gained a Rune of Stealth from defeating its enemies. The creature didn’t attack us, but I’m certain it would have crushed us if we’d made the first move. Did everyone see how the Carnosaur reacted? It fled the moment they saw it.”

Zachariah paused, giving them a moment to process the information.

David frowned, replaying the events in his mind. A Rune of Stealth on a Brachiosaur? That would explain a lot.

"Either way, the Brachiosaur is not our priority. Hunting it might help us grow stronger, but this incident should remind us of our current limitations. One mistake, and one—or all—of us could be dead. We were lucky this time, but if the Brachiosaur had crushed someone else..."

Zachariah didn’t need to finish. David understood what the Regressor meant, and he was certain the others did too.

“You want to avoid combat and look for the Rift Core to gain full control of the Rift, right?” Melach asked, breaking the silence. “I still don’t know how you plan to control the Rift, but you seem like you know what you’re doing. Do you know where to find the Rift Core as well?”

Zachariah smirked. “No, I don’t know the exact location. But I know where we need to go.”

“The most dangerous area, I guess,” David added, earning a knowing smile from the Regressor.

“Exactly. This is an unusual natural Rift. If we're fortunate enough, its' Rift Core might produce Origin Essence. Some call it elemental Essence, but the name doesn’t matter. Origin Essence can be absorbed by any creature, allowing them to transcend their natural limits. There might not be much Origin Essence available, but that only makes it more coveted by the strongest creatures here.”

“So, you want us to venture into a warzone filled with the Rift’s strongest prehistoric monsters? Creatures that have already absorbed Origin Essence?” Torb frowned deeply, but Zachariah only shrugged.

“Do you want to become Fortress’ Champion or not? If not, I’ll leave to spend my time doing something that actually helps me grow stronger.”

David’s grin widened at the challenge. While Torb clearly thought heading toward the Rift Core, where the strongest prehistoric monsters fought for supremacy, was a bad idea, David relished it. If those creatures were anything like the Brachiosaur... His excitement grew, even as a voice in the back of his mind whispered how reckless it was.

“This isn’t a Common 1-Star Rift, is it?” he asked.

“It’s at least a Rare 2-Star Rift,” Melach replied, his voice thoughtful. “The Aether density here is shockingly high, and there are too many powerful monsters. Maybe...” His eyes widened as he seemed to realize the implications. “Is this a 3-Star Rift? If that’s the case, we’ll have to face Silver Rank Bosses to reach the Rift Core.”

The elf gasped, his face paling as the full weight of his words hit him. “That’s suicidal! We’re only Low to Mid-Bronze Rank... how do you expect us to⁠—”

“All we need is teamwork, tactics, and a lot of traps,” Zachariah interrupted, his smile unwavering. “That would solve most problems. Then again, we don’t have to kill anything. We just need to reach the Rift Core and alter it to gain access to the portals and settlement function.”

“This is a natural Rift with various types of creatures. As you can see, they’re tearing each other apart. They’re not allies like the Darkai of the Demon Horde. The Brachiosaur is probably one of the Region Bosses.” He glanced at David. “For the record, ‘Region Boss’ refers to the strongest creatures in specific areas of a Rift. Mini-Bosses that leave the Rift are usually strong, but they’re actually former Region Bosses that were forced out of natural Rifts after stronger creatures conquered their territories.”

So, Region Bosses are stronger than Mini-Bosses of the same Rift? David wondered, his chest pounding with excitement.

10

TRIBES?

How much more time will we waste playing with flowers? David groaned, watching Melach crouch before a small bush covered in long, black thorns. He saw Zachariah join the elf with a smile, pointing at the violet petals of a flower sprouting from the bush.

“This is a Hyura Shrub, isn’t it?” the regressor asked, sounding excited. “To think something like that would grow here!”

Silver light shrouded one of his fingers as he carefully cut the flower. “We can make serums if there are more of them.”

David snapped to attention. They could use the flower to make serums? That would save them a lot of trouble.

Zachariah handed him the first flower with a serious expression. “Be gentle and store it away safely!”

“Of course,” David responded, though he couldn’t imagine what could possibly go wrong with storing a flower. He put it into the storage necklace and followed the odd pair as they continued gathering flowers and other magical herbs. They listed the names of every one of them, but David didn’t even try to remember. He simply nodded and stored everything they handed him.

Occasionally, when a glow to his right caught his eye, David glanced at Torb. The dwarf’s armor flared with bursts of light at times, looking much stronger than before. David wondered what method Torb was using to reinforce it, but the mystery eluded him. Shrugging, he dismissed the thought.

“How about we move to the Core for some juicy fights?” he asked, suppressing a groan. Zachariah had been impatient all along, but he was suddenly the one wasting most of their time with flowers and other plants.

“Learn to be more patient. Ample preparation is the key to success and survival,” the Regressor said, though David could only roll his eyes.

They’d been roaming the prehistoric valley for hours, and not once did they fight. He doubted Zachariah had thought about fighting at all, given how his focus shifted entirely to the first plant life brimming with Aether.

“I found something interesting!” Melach exclaimed, turning to Zachariah and the rest. In his hand was a plant with roots shaped like a human body. David’s eyes widened at the grotesque, disproportionate face plastered on the green, almost emerald-glistening plant.

“Fuck!” David caught Zachariah’s curse, but the sound was quickly drowned out by a sudden, high-pitched scream.

David’s head rang, and his body felt like it might give out at any moment. His legs wobbled, and he was sure they’d buckle beneath him soon. The others didn’t seem to fare much better. Melach was already on the ground, blood trickling from his long, pointed ears. Even so, he clung to the emerald-glinting plant—until Zachariah’s blade flashed.

David barely noticed him move. The sword’s arc blurred, and the plant’s lower half landed on the ground with a thud. He was surprised he could hear the thud at all; it took him a moment to realize the high-pitched scream was gone. Only the relentless ringing in his head remained.

“A fledgling Emerald Mandrake… These things exist already?” Zachariah frowned deeply, sheathing his blade and picking up the mandrake’s lower half along with another object.

“The increased drop rate combined with something like the Emerald Mandrake is truly… unique,” he muttered, leaving David to wonder about the plant’s significance.

Zachariah turned to him, holding the mandrake in one hand and a Skill Slate in the other. Did the magical plant drop that? David took the mandrake from Zachariah and stored it, then approached him to cast [Healing Light], helping his body ease up again.

“Did the plant just scream at us?” he asked, continuing to tend to Melach until the elf looked better—and the bleeding from his ears stopped.

The Regressor nodded. “Mandrakes are like that when they’re overflowing with mana. I don’t know how they mutated, but they scream when you pluck them. Regardless of their terrifying scream—which, by the way, could have killed us if I hadn’t split it in two—mandrakes are highly potent potion ingredients.

“Some of them, just like the Emerald Mandrake Melach found, are especially rare. They can be used for various extraordinary potions and unique serums, but most importantly, Emerald Mandrakes give birth to special items upon maturing. I don’t know how they do that, but these drops are usually great.”

Zachariah looked at the Skill Slate. “The mandrake wasn’t fully mature yet, but it still dropped something great. That’s probably the Blessing of the World’s doing.”

He turned to the dwarf. “Do you have an energy reservoir? You used an earthen Skill earlier, but it drained your Essence, didn’t it?”

David noticed Torb hesitate for a moment, something that struck him as odd. Zachariah, however, didn’t seem to mind. He handed Torb the Skill Slate with a thin smile. “Try it and see if you can use it,” he said. “I think the skill suits you well.”

David squinted at the Skill Slate, his curiosity piqued as he read the inscription: [Earthen Power (Protection)].

“A part of a Skill Rune Set?” Torb asked, his voice filled with surprise.

A set?

“If I’m not wrong, Basic Elemental Power Sets are made of four Skill Runes,” Zachariah commented. “I’m not sure about Earthen Power, but I’m confident it will transform into something incredible once you have all the pieces together.”

“Skill Runes can fuse?” David asked, earning a smug smile from the Regressor.

“Multiple methods exist to merge Skills, but this is the most basic,” Zachariah explained. “Skill Sets. If you have all set pieces, the Skills will merge and form a stronger Rune of higher quality. The final Skill is usually also of a higher Tier.”

David’s mind raced as he processed the new information. Merging Skill Runes to create something of a higher Tier? That sounded immensely valuable.

“It’s useful to collect Skill Sets, even if you’re uncertain whether you will find all the pieces,” Zachariah added. “Skills in a set are usually interlinked and will augment one another.”

He smiled briefly at David before turning away. “Either way, we need to hurry. Our little treasure’s scream seems to have attracted too much attention.”

Rustling and cracking sounds echoed from all directions, distant but rapidly approaching.

David conjured the Obsidian Blade in his hand, channeling Blood through Deryadus’ Arm and altering its form. At the same time, he noticed the slate in Torb’s hand crumble to pieces. He felt a sudden shift in the soil beneath them and heard the dwarf groan. Was there an issue? Torb glanced up, met David’s gaze briefly, shook his head, and turned away without a word.

David frowned at the odd exchange but said nothing. Instead, he spread his senses outward, feeling the life around him.

The prehistoric valley teemed with life and energy, bombarding him with information. Magical plants pulsed with power all around, but he focused instead on the rapidly moving lifeforms.

“We can’t avoid all of them,” he muttered, reaching out to grasp Zachariah’s arm and stopping the Regressor in his tracks. “Follow me.”

Ignoring the complaints that followed, David walked calmly through the forest, Words of Power rolling off his lips. His eyes widened as he focused, his head flicking left and right. It was easy to locate the approaching masses of life.

Behind them, the chaotic sound of colliding creatures erupted as the masses converged where they had stood moments ago.

“How did you—” Zachariah began, but his words trailed off as David turned to face him.

“Since when are your eyes crimson?” Zachariah asked, his voice laced with confusion.

David blinked, his concentration slipping. “They are?” The pulsating life around him faded, his vision returning to normal.

“They were crimson a moment ago,” Zachariah said, narrowing his eyes. “Now they’re back to normal.”

Before David could respond, a tree ahead of them collapsed with a deafening crash. The ground shook as a massive, gray-skinned humanoid the size of a small building bulldozed through the thicket. Its body was covered in moss, but glimpses of its ‘skin’ left David doubting whether his attacks would leave a mark.

“That doesn’t look like a dinosaur,” Melach snorted.

From the corner of his eye, David saw the elf begin chanting a spell. Torb cursed, drawing his attention.

“What is a Stone Giant doing here? Wasn’t this supposed to be a natural Rift of the Earthen Union’s prehistoric era?”

David raised his hand and cast [Blessing] on everyone, a golden light enveloping the group. He considered using [Symphony Control] to push the Stone Giant toward Torb but stopped when he sensed the surge of mana radiating from Melach’s direction.

He didn’t need to look to know what was happening. When a four-meter-tall Elemental made of hardened earth barreled past him, he was unsurprised.

Prepared, David controlled his Source with precision, overclocking his Skills as he reinforced Melach’s Elemental with [Blessing] and [Symphony Control].

The Elemental smashed into the Stone Giant with force, a black dove manifesting above its head. The Stone Giant looked unimpressed. It retaliated, kicking the Elemental hard and hurling it to the ground. The impact shook the earth beneath them.

As the Stone Giant’s massive fist came crashing down toward the fallen Elemental, a crimson shield materialized above it. The shield absorbed the force of the blow but shattered into fragments of light once the attack lost momentum.

David gasped, cursing the Stone Giant’s overwhelming strength. He raised his hand and hurled a dozen crimson projectiles at the creature. Each one struck with force, chipping away fragments of stone, but the Stone Giant didn’t seem to care.

The behemoth turned its attention to Torb.

The dwarf’s mace swung hard, smashing into the Stone Giant’s leg and sending small chunks of stone flying. The monster retaliated with a powerful swipe, but the attack was intercepted by another small crimson shield.

The shield shattered under the impact, but before the blow could land, an earthen wall rose in its path, halting the Stone Giant’s strike completely.

David couldn’t see Torb behind the wall but heard the clash of his attack. He also noticed the Stone Giant rising, its attention now locked on Torb. The Earthen Elemental didn’t remain idle. Rising to its full height, it grabbed the Stone Giant’s leg and yanked it away, forcing the monster to its knees.

Blue flashes streaked through the air, striking the Stone Giant and detonating on impact. Chunks of the Stone Giant’s body were missing, but Zachariah was nowhere to be seen. David lost sight of the Regressor just as he prepared to recast [Blessing]. Then he sensed a familiar power from above and looked up, spotting a massive silver blade—like a broadsword—manifest in midair.

David cast [Blessing], though he excluded Zachariah, unable to locate him. Instead, he infused the sword blade, coating it in crimson energy just before it whipped downward.

The blade moved so fast it was only a blur. A piercing screech echoed as the blade struck, but the sound vanished just as quickly as the Stone Giant collapsed. It didn’t writhe or groan; it simply fell and lay motionless.

[You have contributed to the defeat of Task(Bronze VII)[Stone Giant of the Tari Tribe].]

David furrowed his brows as the notification flashed to life even before the Stone Giant hit the ground. Kill notifications usually appeared quickly, but never this instantly. It was unusual.

The Stone Giant hadn’t resembled any living being David had encountered before. Instead of a network of vitality, it possessed a single, unmoving lump of life. Zachariah had cleaved it cleanly, as though he instinctively knew exactly where to strike, killing the monster instantly.

“Did you receive the same notification?” Zachariah asked, stepping beside David. A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek, and tension marked his expression. “Are more Gates connected to the Rift?”

“You mean will there be more Stone Giants?” Torb asked, emerging from behind the safety of the earthen wall.

“Among other things,” David answered, pointing toward a massive figure heading their way. It cleaved through a tree with what appeared to be a colossal axe, closing the distance with every step.

“How can you tell?” Zachariah asked.

The figure’s details were obscured by the towering trees, but David wasn’t relying on ordinary sight. What he perceived was different. He focused on the rampaging lump of life—a massive humanoid unlike the Stone Giant. If all Stone Giants had a single, unmoving lump of life, this creature was something else entirely.

“It looks angry. The Stone Giant was emotionless,” David explained simply.

David recast [Blessing] on everyone and surged toward the approaching enemy. He coated the Obsidian Blade in [Holy Touch] and activated [Slash] before the creature came fully into view.

As he closed in, his gaze caught on the enormous blue double-headed axe, larger than he was, and a shudder rippled through him as he imagined it cleaving through him—or worse, his friends.

Next, he noted the monster’s red skin, bulging muscles, bloodshot eyes, and the overwhelming killing intent it radiated.

“A Berserk Giant,” Zachariah shouted from behind. “It grows stronger the longer the fight lasts. We have to kill it as quickly as possible!”

The Earthen Elemental surged past David, meeting the Berserk Giant head-on. The Giant barely acknowledged its presence.

The double-headed war axe plunged down, cleaving the Elemental cleanly in two with a single blow.

11

BERSERK GIANT

David saw the Earthen Elemental collapse, its body split in two as it hit the ground. Still, something told him Melach wouldn’t give up the elemental so easily. The hardened soil underneath the two halves stirred and began to pour together. Before David turned his focus back to the Berserk Giant, he caught a glimpse of the Earthen Elemental rising again.

David reached the Berserk Giant and slashed at it. His blade pierced the monster’s hide, but the giant flexed its mountainous muscles, locking the weapon in place.

The Berserk Giant roared and lashed out with a powerful kick. David barely managed to conjure two crimson shields, but they shattered instantly before the blow sent him flying. The world spun as the force hurled him through the air. Mid-flight, David cast [Restore], mending his broken ribs before he crashed to the ground.

Two broken ribs, he guessed as he rolled back to his feet. He saw Torb and the Earthen Elemental engaged in a desperate fight with the Berserk Giant. The Elemental’s arm had been severed, and Torb was flung into a nearby tree with tremendous force. The dwarf’s groan, followed by the ominous creaking of the tree, made David wince, but he could only cast [Healing Light] on him.

He conjured [Blood Bullet] several times and attached [Blood Patch] to each, marking Melach and Torb to cast [Restore] when needed. Yet David doubted his healing would be enough to change the tide of this battle. Not when there was a massive humanoid with a double-headed axe cleaving everything in two.

Melach looked utterly spent—his golden hair was plastered to his sweat-soaked face, and his bloodshot eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the Earthen Elemental. The elf’s body trembled, barely able to stand, as though he was teetering on the verge of collapse.

Meanwhile, Zachariah stood motionless, the flat of his blade pressed against his forehead as though deep in concentration. David caught the faint parting of Zachariah’s lips but was too far away to hear what the regressor was saying.

The Berserk Giant roared again, driving its massive fist into the Earthen Elemental. David winced at the crunch of rock colliding with flesh but saw the Elemental retaliate with a heavy blow of its own.

David overclocked [Blessing], accelerating his movements. He closed the distance, summoning the Obsidian Blade from his mind space. With precision, he overclocked [Slash], draining his stamina, and did the same with [Holy Touch]. Activating [Symphony Control], he materialized a white dove that hovered before him, illuminating his path.

Another deafening crash reached his ears as the Berserk Giant pummeled the Earthen Elemental once more, likely bringing it down. But David was already at the giant’s side, all hesitation cast aside. Leaping up, he executed a quick slash that cut deep into the monster. His soulbound weapon vanished briefly before reappearing in his hand, this time pointing downward. Gritting his teeth, he rammed the blade into the fresh wound.

The blade dug deeper than before, but David wasn’t satisfied. With a sharp strike to the hilt using his palm, he forced the weapon further into the Berserk Giant’s flesh. He could feel the giant’s rage bearing down on him but ignored it, twisting his body to deliver a kick to the embedded blade, worsening the injury.

Then he saw it—a massive double-headed axe swinging toward him. His head snapped to the side, and his heart raced as his body churned to react. Three [Blood Aegis] shields manifested before him, but he was about to overclock a fourth when a streak of silver light caught his eye.

David’s breath hitched as he saw Zachariah—a shimmering, star-like radiance crackling across his body, tearing through his skin—darting past the Berserk Giant’s weapon arm in a blur of speed. Blood erupted in a sudden spray, and the giant’s massive axe tumbled to the ground. David’s gaze fell to the giant’s wrist—or rather, where it had been—as blood poured out in thick, unrelenting streams.

Kicking off the giant’s side, David leaped out of range, Words of Power spilling from his lips. He conjured several [Blood Bullets], overclocking the Skill Rune and weaving the power of the Law of Blood into the projectiles. With deadly precision, he released them in quick succession. A pained roar echoed as the projectiles streaked toward the Berserk Giant.

The blood bullets sped in a straight line, but as they neared the embedded Obsidian Blade, they abruptly curved, steering toward its hilt. One by one, they struck the blade’s base, driving it deeper and deeper into the wound.

David gasped for air, beads of sweat rolling down his face, but a triumphant smile formed on his lips. Controlling blood bullets using the Law of Blood was challenging, but it worked. And to him, that was all that mattered.

His attention flicked back to the others, his heart pounding wildly. The Earthen Elemental headbutted the Berserk Giant, its armless form still fighting fiercely. David caught glimpses of Zachariah darting around like a silver bolt of lightning, his movements too fast to track.

The Berserk Giant was about to crush the Earthen Elemental’s head when it froze for a quarter of a second. David noticed Torb crashing into the monster’s leg with his shield, likely using [Charge] or [Stun] to slow the Berserk Giant.

He finally turned to Melach, who had collapsed to the ground. While the elf seemed unconscious, David thought he saw a fleeting glint of defiance in his eyes. The elf stared intently at the Earthen Elemental until it was torn to shreds. Only then did he seem to lose consciousness.

David arrived beside the elf and cast [Healing Light] on him. He patted Melach’s back and praised his effort but winced and focused back on the battle when Torb was nearly squashed again.

The Berserk Giant moved faster and struck harder than before. Torb raised an earthen wall and covered himself in an earthen hue, but it was no use. The giant smashed through the wall and sent the dwarf sprawling.

Not even Torb’s armor, made from [Natural Armaments], survived the humanoid’s punches. Only Zachariah didn’t appear to be struggling. The skin all over his body was torn, leaking silver energy, but the Berserk Giant had yet to hit him. His attacks, on the contrary, struck deep.

Zachariah’s Sword Intent caused considerable damage, but it wasn’t enough for David. Using Words of Power, he called upon the Law of Blood, tearing the fresh cuts wide open.

At the same time, he released the overclocked power of [Holy Touch] that had been hibernating in the Obsidian Blade. The Berserk Giant’s left leg caved in, and a deafening roar resounded. A silver flash shot toward the Berserk Giant’s head, yet the humanoid didn’t seem afraid. Its glimmering eyes appeared to track the silver flash. David caught the Berserk Giant’s arm twitch, but several large crimson shields formed between them before it could whip Zachariah out of the air.

A thick, vibrant crimson shimmer mantled Zachariah as David added [Blessing] once more before losing track of the Regressor’s movements again. The silver flash shot through the Berserk Giant, burning a gaping hole in its neck.

The humanoid let out a strangled growl and collapsed. It twitched a few times as blood pooled beneath it before going still. David remained tense until the flood of notifications arrived.

[You have contributed greatly to the defeat of Berserk Giant (Bronze IX) of the Tribe of Stryxth.]

[Your Rank increased by one.]

[Bronze V] → [Bronze VI]

[Three Attribute Points have been added.]

[Your Source has grown. +1 Blood.]

…

David felt a surge of satisfaction at the notifications. Ranking up and expanding his Source was exactly what he needed. The Attribute Points would help, though he still wasn’t sure if he should adjust their distribution again. He’d have to think about it carefully.

He considered checking the remaining notifications to make a decision, but Zachariah returned to them and collapsed before him. David had to change his plans.

“You used the Sword Law, or something like it, didn’t you?” David asked, turning Zachariah onto his back.

“Berserk Giants…are quite strong,” he muttered, coughing up blood. “I had to kill it. Plus…I have a personal Healer.”

David cocked an eyebrow but continued. He cast [Weave of Life], creating a vibrant network beneath Zachariah. He pulled Melach’s unconscious body into its radius as well.

“Don’t forget about me,” Torb’s voice rang in his ears. David looked up to see the dwarf dragging himself toward the vibrant network etched into the ground. His earthen armor was dented, and his movements sluggish.

David cast [Restore] on all of them and released [Healing Light] into the area. He also channeled [Holy Touch] through them, accelerating their recovery.

“We need to move soon,” Zachariah muttered. “The commotion…”

David shrugged and channeled a portion of his remaining Blood into his eyes. Scanning the surroundings, he saw no monsters or humanoids approaching. Some creatures fought near the spot where they’d harvested the Emerald Mandrake, though.

“There’s no need to worry. We’re not being hunted right now. Once Torb is ready to move, we’ll carry you guys somewhere else,” David said, approaching the Berserk Giant’s body while maintaining his spells on the others. His Source was draining quickly, but he wasn’t struggling to sustain his spells.

“Is it possible my spells are getting stronger or more cost-efficient as I increase my Soul stats?” David asked. He was fairly sure that the Holy Sea’s spells grew stronger and more cost-efficient as he strengthened his Soul. However, the benefits had been negligible compared to the Holy Sea’s expansion. To David, it had been more important to expand the Holy Sea’s size.

That was different now. His Source would expand and gain more Blood drops, even without enhancing the Soul stat.

“A Skill Rune’s power limit is determined by its rank. The energy you use to activate it can increase the limit by a certain percentage. Blood, since it’s made from Essence, can do such a thing,” Zachariah explained, pausing to cough up blood. “When you use Blood to power a Skill, it’s more effective than using holy power or mana, but…”

The Regressor trailed off, prompting David to cast an overclocked [Restore] on him.

“If Blood were twice as potent as holy power, you’d only need half the energy to achieve the same result. But, of course, Blood is not twice as potent.”

Was that why he could use less Blood to activate the Skill Rune’s ‘predetermined’ power limit—the limit it ought to have at a specific rank?

Then again, what if Blood grew stronger and became twice as potent as holy power? Was that possible? David wondered while retrieving dozens of Velociraptor corpses to store the Berserk Giant’s corpse and the massive war axe. He uttered a few Words of Power and drained the dead bodies’ Essence before turning back to Zachariah.

Upgrading his Soul seemed to increase Blood’s potency and efficiency more than it had ever improved his holy power. David was certain this meant something.

He felt too weak fighting the giants. His blade cut deep, but a sharp weapon was not enough. However, a sharp weapon combined with powerful offensive Skills and a decent physique might be.

David could focus on his Soul stat and acquire more Skills like [Blood Bullet] and [Slash]. By continuing to increase his Soul stat, further augmenting Blood’s potency, it should be possible to replace a lack of pure physical strength.

Not that I’d let my physique suffer, David groaned at the thought. But… it just can’t be my priority right now.

It felt like the right thing to do.

“Did you collect the item drops?” Zachariah asked, his arms quivering as he struggled to sit upright.

David shook his head. “Lay back down. You look completely drained.”

He approached the Stone Giant’s body and found a small marble. He glanced at its body and frowned deeply. The lump of life, which Zachariah had split in half, looked odd through his Blood-augmented eyes.

“Is that a core containing lifeforce?” David retrieved a pickaxe from the storage necklace—one of the many tools Torb had purchased ‘just in case’—and got to work. He used the massive gap inflicted by Zachariah and expanded it until he could see a red orb. Two halves of a red orb, to be precise.

David freed and collected them. “Do you think they’re worth something?”

Torb, looking better than before, approached him and nodded in interest. “Stone Giants have Bloodstones. It’s their source of life. They’re very valuable.”

David noticed Torb’s eyes light up, but the dwarf quickly shook his head and slapped his cheeks to snap himself out of it. “But… selling it might be a mistake. Maybe you can give it to the Artificer. She might be able to use it to create your Blood storage. Even if she’s already done, you could ask for a big discount by giving her the Bloodstone.”

That sounded like a good plan.

“But did you see this?” Torb’s eyes started glimmering again as he held up a black shirt that looked like it belonged in the Middle Ages or Renaissance.

“Oh…okay? Is that what dropped from the Berserk Giant?” David asked. “Cool…”

“You don’t know what this is, do you?” Torb exclaimed, exasperated.

“Should I?”

Torb snorted, smiling brightly as he dragged David back to the others. “Look what I found!”

Zachariah strained his arms to push himself upright and cocked an eyebrow, glancing at the shirt.

“Cool,” he muttered with a faint smirk before laying back down.

12

PLATINEERSILK

While it looked like no monsters were heading in their direction, David wasn’t foolish enough to believe the peace would last.

“Can you walk, or do I need to carry you?” he asked Zachariah, ignoring Torb, who still hadn’t stopped waving the shirt around like it was some kind of national treasure.

Zachariah opened his eyes and pushed himself upright. He groaned but managed to get to his feet after a moment. Though he swayed and his legs trembled, he didn’t collapse.

“I’ll be fine,” he said, but David doubted it as he watched him struggle to steady himself.

He shrugged and turned to Torb. “Can you carry Melach? I need to focus on the surroundings.”

Torb glanced at the black shirt, which looked like something summoned straight out of the Renaissance and pouted. To David, the sight was almost ridiculous, but he wasn’t in the mood to laugh.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he said dryly.

He channeled more Blood into his eyes and drained the remaining Essence from the Velociraptor corpses before walking off in the direction with the fewest monsters. A cacophony of battle noises echoed from the left, tempting him to join the fray and unleash himself against the ferocious predators. But he forced himself to stay focused—there were lives depending on him.

Have I changed that much? David ridiculed himself inwardly. In the first few days of the integration, he had been reckless and cruel—maybe even selfish. It didn’t matter—he hadn’t cared then. But now that he was closer to the others, he didn’t want to see them dead, let alone be the reason they died.

Fighting the Stone Giant and the Berserk Giant was good enough to get started with, David thought, avoiding the larger clusters of life that appeared in his field of vision as he infused more Blood into his eyes.

Zachariah and Torb, carrying Melach, followed him silently. He could feel their gazes linger on his face whenever he glanced back but didn’t care enough to ask what they were thinking.

They soon came to a small area filled with dense growth surrounding a large rock. David couldn’t sense anything unusual from the rock or the entrance to the small cavern he spotted nearby. Still, he entered cautiously, staying alert.

The cavern’s entrance was narrow, too small for the giant humanoids they’d encountered, let alone a creature the size of the Brachiosaur.

“This’ll do,” he muttered, scanning the surroundings. He noticed a narrow tunnel branching off inside the cavern, though it was barely tall enough to fit someone his size. Regardless, David turned to Torb. “Can you do something about the tunnel and the entrance?”

Torb nodded slowly, carefully laying Melach on the ground. A thick, earthy hue coated his hands as he used his new power to release a wave of earth, sealing the narrow tunnel and shrinking the cavern entrance to the size of a tall human.

“Satisfied?” the dwarf asked, his expression suggesting he had more to say.

“Yes,” David said with a nod, suppressing a groan. “So, what’s so special about this shirt?”

Torb’s face lit up. “You don’t understand, do you? This shirt isn’t just any shirt. Sure, it looks great, but that’s barely a perk. It’s a magical armament!”

David had already assumed as much. It had to be something special to excite Torb like this. He focused on the shirt, channeling a sliver of his awareness toward it, and sensed faint traces of energy—but that was about it.

“It’s a shirt made from Mountain Spider silk! But not just any Mountain Spider—if I’m not wrong, it’s from a Platineer Spider!” Torb exclaimed, pausing to give everyone a moment to digest the information.

“So what?” David asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You…” Torb grumbled, clearly frustrated. “Hold it!”

David raised an eyebrow but obeyed, taking the shirt from the dwarf.

The cavern’s hard stone floor shifted as the earth Torb controlled roared to life. Earthen spikes shot up toward the clothing, but instead of piercing through, the shirt hardened, blocking the incoming attacks.

“See?” Torb shouted. “It hardens to protect its wielder! But that’s not all. This shirt can probably be bound to a user, like any clothing made from Mountain Spider silk. If that’s true, it can also repair itself magically using ambient Aether and excess energy stored in the user’s mind space.”

Now that sounded interesting. David wouldn’t normally have chosen to wear something like this, but the idea of gaining extra protection resonated with him—especially knowing the shirt could self-repair after taking damage.

“That’s better than I expected. But how do you know all this?” David asked, glancing at Torb.

The dwarf smiled wryly and scratched the back of his head. “My family has worked with Mountain Spiders and their silk for generations…or they did until, well, until everything changed.”

David caught the wistfulness in his tone and guessed there was more to the story—something painful, perhaps—but he decided not to press.

“I…don’t want it,” Zachariah’s weak voice rang out from behind.

Torb scoffed and muttered something in a language David didn’t understand. Judging by the sharpness of his tone, it wasn’t anything pleasant. David turned to see the Regressor wave his hand dismissively, though his tight-lipped grimace and hollow gaze didn’t sit right. Something about it felt wrong.

Meanwhile, Melach was still unconscious, but David doubted the elf would want the shirt either. Melach might have been interested in magical armaments, but he didn’t consider entering melee. The item would be wasted on him.

Should he take it?

“We can sell it for a fortune if you don’t want it,” Torb said, licking his lips and smiling happily.

“Can I unbind it, or is it like the Obsidian Blade?” David asked, eyeing the shirt.

“It’ll cost you a bit to hire someone to sever the connection, but yes, you can unbind it. And as long as it’s intact, we can always sell it for a fortune later.”

Torb’s smile dimmed, but he didn’t seem upset. If anything, the dwarf looked proud that the shirt was finally being valued.

“Do I have to bind it to test everything? It responded earlier.”

“It will harden when danger approaches even when unbound. To keep it soft and comfortable when you want, you’ll need to bind it to share your intentions. Additionally, it must be bound to enable self-repair,” Torb explained.

“Can I bind it and give it to Melach to wear?”

“That…” The dwarf tilted his head. “That should work. I don’t see a reason it shouldn’t.”

David found the explanation more intriguing than he had anticipated. While he still had other questions, the most important ones were already answered.

“I’ll take it if that’s fine with everyone. How do I bind it?”

He could give it to Melach if the elf wanted it, but David doubted that.

Torb’s smile widened. “Give it some of your blood and energy.”

“Blood. Got it.”

Binding the Platineersilk Shirt didn’t take long—it was a straightforward process. David pricked his finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the fabric, before closing his eyes and circulating energy through it. Following that, a crimson tether materialized in his mind space. It was thin and connected to the Source, similar to the Obsidian Blade. A moment later, the black shirt that resembled the Renaissance era appeared in his mind space. Its sleek lines seemed more pronounced, and the fabric shimmered faintly in a way it hadn’t before.

Why does it look better all of a sudden? David wondered. He opened his eyes and took off his old shirt. A moment later, he summoned the Platineersilk Shirt, raising an eyebrow.

The shirt was slightly tight, accentuating the muscles beneath. It was surprising, but so was the comfort he felt. The shirt didn’t feel taut or restrictive in any spot. If anything, it was like a second skin.

He willed the Obsidian Blade to appear in his hand and stabbed himself, but his new shirt hardened, blocking the blade.

Firm enough to block the blade. Maybe not enough if I used my full strength, but sufficient to stop most basic attacks, David concluded. He tried to will the shirt to stay loose as he stabbed it again, clicking his tongue when it hardened once more as the tip of the Obsidian Blade pierced it. Controlling the armor wasn’t going to be easy.

“That might take a while,” he muttered. His new ‘armor’ was better than nothing, but to use [Equivalent Exchange] properly, David would have to learn how to control the Platineersilk Shirt at will.

He tested his new shirt a little, cutting it several times in the process, and stored it in his mind space. The self-repair process didn’t activate immediately, but David felt it draw on the energy stored within the Source. However, contrary to Torb’s words, the magical armament didn’t absorb his Aether. Instead, it devoured traces of Blood and began repairing itself.

David decided to test a few more things later, but he first discarded the flashing interfaces in the corner of his eyes. Then, he checked the updated status interface.

Name – David Stears

Primary Class – Lifeweaver

Secondary Class - [None]

Rank – Bronze VI

Body –Lowest(-)(Intermediate)

Mind – Lowest(-)(Intermediate)

Soul – Low(+)(Intermediate) – 8 Droplets

[Laws]

[Law of Blood] – [Middle(Minor)]

[Class Skills]

[Weave of Life] – [Tier-2 III]

[Equivalent Exchange] – [Tier-2 II]

[Blood Patch] – [Tier-1 VI]

[Skill Runes]

[Restore] – [Tier-1 XI]

[Purify] – [Tier-1 III]

[Holy Touch] – [Tier-1 XV]

[Blessing] – [Tier-1 VI]

[Blood Aegis] – [Tier-1 VII]

[Symphony Control] – [Tier-1 III]

[Blood Bullet] – [Tier-0 VII]

[Slash] – [Tier-0 V]

[Eagle Eyes] – [Tier-0 IV]

[Healing Light] – [Tier-0 VIII]

Attribute Points – 3

His Skills improved fast. Their growth was satisfying to look at, but David couldn’t help but worry that the remaining five days and a bit wouldn’t be enough for the events that awaited him and the others.

I should push several Skills to Tier 2, reach the Silver Rank, and push my stats to the limits of Intermediate or reach Advanced… David told himself, ruffling his hair.

“David!”

A sudden shout jolted David out of his thoughts. “David!” Zachariah called again, drawing his attention.

“I need some things from your storage,” the Regressor demanded. “Get me the cauldron, a ten-liter flask of water, the toolset, a firestone, some lupistaer charcoal, the Silurai Flower we harvested earlier, miloar grain, and one of the Fragments of Power.”

David blinked, momentarily silent. What was Zachariah’s plan?

“We don’t have all day. I still need to concoct two potions,” Zachariah glanced at Melach, tilting his head. “...make that three…before we can get out of here.”

What was going on with Melach? The elf was physically fine. All wounds had been tended to, and David had even gone as far as using [Holy Touch] to stimulate Melach’s Energy Pathways. Why was he still unconscious?

Did I overdo it and fry his brain? He shuddered at the thought while retrieving the goods Zachariah needed – after asking repetitively what certain ingredients looked like.

He watched the Regressor jump into action, conjuring two blades made of Sword Intent. One was larger and hovered before him, its flat side facing the sky. It resembled a cutting board, while the smaller Sword Intent blade carried several flower stalks over and started cutting. The blades worked swiftly, just as Zachariah did when he placed the cauldron before him.

He added water to the cauldron and started a fire.

David’s eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat as he watched Zachariah and his blades work together seamlessly. Several ingredients were cut, squashed, or processed differently before being put into the cauldron. It looked random at first glance, but everything was meticulously planned—down to the finest detail.

He swallowed hard as realization struck and stared at Zachariah.

“Wait, since when are you an Alchemist!”

13

SECONDARY CLASS

David struggled to believe what he was seeing. Observing Zachariah concoct a potion was like watching a cook with decades of experience prepare his signature dish. The whole process was seamless, making David believe the Regressor had been concocting potions for decades. How else could someone work so smoothly with their hands and a pair of Sword Intent blades that never stopped moving?

The blades did all the cutting, and Zachariah’s fluid, constant movements amazed David. It was as if every motion had been meticulously planned and rehearsed a thousand times. Precise and deliberate like a second nature.

Anyone could theoretically concoct potions without being an Alchemist, but with Zachariah’s level of experience, it’d be a waste if he weren’t one. Maybe that was his Secondary Class?

David reminded himself that Classes rank up by doing tasks that align with their profession. He also knew that performing more difficult tasks granted more experience. For most Classes, that meant the awakened would have to fight more dangerous foes to gain a lot of experience, but David was almost 100% certain that concocting complex potions worked the same for an Alchemist.

Didn’t that mean Zachariah could use his knowledge as a Regressor to reach the Silver Rank, maybe even Gold Rank, leveraging his extensive knowledge and experience in alchemy?

Though it hadn’t been easy, the scene unfolding before David reaffirmed Zachariah’s identity as a regressor. Zachariah was human – benefiting from the Blessing of the World – yet he was more knowledgeable than Melach and Torb, who’d been raised in a world integrated centuries before the Earthen Union.

Reaching into the storage device, David retrieved the glass vials and yellow paper stripes Zachariah had asked for. He handed them over and observed as Zachariah filled the vials with the viscous liquid from the cauldron. Using corks to seal the vials, Zachariah glued the yellow paper stripes onto them, fully securing the containers – except for one.

“Can you give this to Melach, please?” Zachariah asked. David complied, taking the vial and walking over to the elf. Though Melach was still unconscious, he swallowed the viscous liquid as David poured it into his mouth.

Once done, David gently put Melach back on the ground.

“What’s going on with Melach?” he asked. Turning around, he saw Zachariah already back at work, cleaning the cauldron and his tools without paying any attention to his surroundings.

“I see. This might take a while…” David muttered to himself.

David experimented with [Blood Bullet], [Slash], and [Healing Light] while waiting. He had no idea how long Zachariah would take, but he wouldn’t waste time idling. Channeling Blood into his eyes helped him monitor his surroundings, even though the massive cavern walls diminished his ability to detect lifeforms.

Regardless, David liked the sensation of Blood in his eyes. It felt as though he could see more of the world that way. It didn’t drain much Blood, and he was certain it aided [Eagle Eyes]’ progress. Progress was all that mattered.

His experiments didn’t result in extraordinary achievements, but they pushed him to greater heights. Alongside the Blessing of the World, his efforts helped him improve quickly.

“That felt good,” Zachariah groaned, seated beside him.

“Done?” David asked, returning the Obsidian Blade to its place in the Berserk Giant’s carcass.

“For the time being, yes. I should concoct more potions,” Zachariah sighed, though a foolish-looking smile blossomed on his lips. “I forgot how good it felt to level up several times.”

That confirmed David’s suspicion. “So, you really are an Alchemist. That’s your Secondary Class.”

“Are you surprised?” Zachariah chuckled as David nodded. “It’s a perfect Class. Alchemist may only increase Mind by one at the Bronze Rank, but that’s exactly what I need. You probably figured this out, but my Primary Class focuses on Body, while also increasing the Soul stat a little – neglecting Mind. But Laws and their subsidiary Intents require decent Mind stats to be used to their fullest, just like high-ranked Skills.”

“Thus, Alchemist helps me balance my stats, especially once it reaches the Secondary and Tertiary Advancement,” Zachariah explained. “But reaching that level will take a while. Until then, I can concoct improved potions. And I do know a bunch about various concoctions – including poison, acid, sedatives, and so forth. Potions to improve your physique and fix what’s broken exist as well.”

Zachariah’s expression turned somber as he glanced at Melach with a wry smile. “Like his cracked Mana Core,” he murmured.

Huh? Melach’s Mana Core was damaged? David recalled what happened when his Holy Sea was damaged and grimaced. So that was why the elf was still out of it.

David’s attention shifted as he noticed the life in Melach stir. The elf was awake.

Melach gasped and jerked upright, clutching his chest. His expression was a mix of relief and panic as he exclaimed, “My Core!”

Zachariah laughed. “Don’t worry. Your Core is already healing.”

The elf looked over to them, his eyes wide. “How? I received a notification saying…” Melach trailed off, staring at Zachariah with his mouth agape.

“You should pay more attention to your Mind stat,” the regressor lectured. “If you push yourself too far without the necessary capabilities, you’ll end up like this again.”

David smiled as Melach waved his hand dismissively, a grim look on his face. “I know, but encountering Giants was… beyond my expectations.”

Was Melach afraid of Giants? He hadn’t seemed afraid of them before, but the tension in his shoulders now made David second-guess his earlier impression.

“I don’t think anyone expected Giants in this Rift,” Zachariah shrugged, his gaze moving through the small cavern. “Is everyone fine if we proceed? I won’t judge anyone if you want to back out. Claiming the Rift Core will be a bit more complicated if an active Gate leads to different Giant tribes.”

“Wait, what? You’re giving up?” Torb’s startled voice broke the silence.

“He never said that,” David said sternly, turning to Zachariah. “I’m fine. Our growth in this place is quite fast, and we’re still alive.”

“For now,” Melach said bitterly as he got up from the ground.

Obviously, David thought but added aloud, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”

The elf cocked an eyebrow at him and sighed. “Whatever.”

Melach pulled a glass vial with blue liquid from his potion belt and removed the cork. He emptied the vial but choked on the liquid when Zachariah suddenly appeared beside him.

David chose not to eavesdrop on their conversation. Instead, his attention drifted to the [Secondary Class] part of his status screen.

Secondary Class - [None]

David concentrated on the [None] tag, prompting it to display his options. His pulse quickened as the status screen shifted on command, transforming into a list of items. What kind of Secondary Class would fit him best?

[Herbalist – (Common) – 55%]

[Sword Warrior – (Common) – 68%]

[Priest – (Common) – 71%]

[Monk – (Common) – 97%]

[Druid – (Common) – 89%]

…

[Berserker – (Uncommon) – 81%]

[Artificer – (Uncommon) – 50%]

[Soul Squire – (Uncommon) – 56%]

…

[Astrologia – (Rare) – 61%]

[Blood Mage – (Rare) – 59%]

[Cycle Summoner – (Rare) – 67%]

[Reaper – (Rare+) – 51%]

…

The list went on and on, but David was too overwhelmed to inspect every option. He didn’t even dare check the descriptions and gains for all the Classes, knowing he wouldn’t be able to decide. It might have been easy to pick Lifeweaver as his Primary Class Advancement, but that had been out of necessity—to some degree. Lifeweaver was the highest-rated Class that replaced his broken Holy Sea with another energy reservoir. In addition, it used the Essences of both Asmodeus and Bereth. Picking Lifeweaver had been a great choice.

However, for a Secondary Class… David was unsure.

“The percentages behind the Secondary Classes indicate their compatibility with the Primary Class, right?” he asked aloud.

When nobody answered for a few seconds, David looked up to see everyone staring at him.

“What?” He tilted his head, feeling uncomfortable as his companions’ expressions shifted to… was that anger?

“You didn’t pick your Secondary Class yet?” Melach asked. “I… was certain you’d do that right after the Demon Horde was defeated—or the day after that at the latest…”

“Why would I do that? Zachariah said it’s necessary to attain great achievements to unlock more Classes that align with your Primary Class. That’s what I’ve been doing—growing the list of Classes I can pick.”

Had he done something wrong? David glanced between Melach and Torb. “You both picked your Secondary Classes already?”

Torb snorted. “I’m already about to reach the Bronze Rank with my Secondary Class. Soul Squire will probably receive its first promotion once we’re done here.”

Soul Squire? Was that the Class Torb had chosen?

“I also have the Soul Squire Class as an option,” David said, his curiosity growing.

“Tower of Teron strengthens my body, focusing on durability and endurance. That’s how I survived the Brachiosaur’s attack. Soul Squire’s focus is the Soul at the Iron Rank. As long as it evolves as intended, I’ll be much stronger, with a powerful Soul and even stronger Body, allowing me to use my Skills more often, faster, and with greater potency,” Torb explained in detail.

It was the first time David had heard about the dwarf’s Primary and Secondary Classes. He’d been told not to ask someone about their Classes, so he never did. But now it felt like remaining silent had been foolish. He cursed himself for not asking more questions and turned to Melach.

“My Primary Class improves the Mind and the Soul, which is why I picked my Secondary Class to improve Body and Soul after the first advancement,” the elf said, studying him with a deepening frown.

Locking eyes with Melach made David feel like he was being lectured for his ignorance. Maybe he was foolish, but all problems could be solved by picking a suitable Secondary Class.

Torb ignored his Mind stat and only slightly improved his Soul stat. His priority was his Body, and that… made sense, he thought. Meanwhile, David guessed Melach disliked his natural low strength as a Mage and had chosen a Class that strengthened his Soul to enhance his magical Skills while balancing his stats by improving his Body.

Zachariah was similar to both of them. However, the Regressor did not neglect anything.

“Alchemist is a Common or Uncommon Class, right?” he asked Zachariah, who nodded. “Why didn’t you pick a Rare Class? They should provide greater Attribute increments and Class Skills, or they wouldn’t be higher-ranked, right?”

David considered it best to pick a Class that granted several useful Class Skills and additional Attribute Points. Rare Classes should fulfill that expectation.

“Alchemist suits my goals best. It might not perfectly align with my Primary Class, but it grants me everything I need as a Common Class,” Zachariah explained calmly. “Furthermore, Alchemist met the requirements to evolve into Prodigious Alchemist, a Unique Class unlocked under specific conditions. The specifics aren’t important. What matters is that it gives me two Attribute Points and upgrades Mind by one for every level. Plus, it grants a few useful Class Skills, which isn’t important for you.”

David mulled over Zachariah’s words and double-checked the list of Classes again. Monk, Druid, and Berserker—the three Classes with the best alignment to Lifeweaver.

“You want me to pick a Common or Uncommon Class?” he asked, unease flickering in his voice.

“I don’t mind what you pick. I don’t even want to know what options you have. Maybe one of your Rare Classes is incredibly useful for one of my future plans. However, I do not wish to interfere too much with your choice. This is your Class to choose, your decision to make. You will have to live with it,” Zachariah cleared his throat. “But I want to give you one final piece of advice. It might influence your decision, but I think it’s important for you to remember—if you don’t know it already.”

“Rare Classes are difficult to advance. You'll be stuck with them if you can’t meet their hidden requirements to evolve. That means you’ll never receive additional Attribute Points beyond what your Secondary Class initially offers, nor will you gain any additional Skills for advancing the Class. Choosing a Common or Uncommon Class, which are considerably easier to evolve, might—under certain circumstances—be the better choice.”

Better under certain circumstances. Those words stuck with David.

“How important is alignment again? If I have an option that gives me close to 90% or even more than 95%, should I⁠—”

He couldn’t even finish the question before Zachariah interrupted.

“Pick it!” the Regressor declared without hesitation. “Forget what I said before. If you have a Class that aligns with Lifeweaver near perfectly, you pick it!”

A great synergy between Primary and Secondary Classes seemed to mean a lot. David thought about this while glancing at Zachariah, whose sudden change of mind surprised him.

David had always assumed Zachariah wanted him to focus more on healing. He was sure the Regressor would push him to pick a more suitable healing-type Secondary Class.

David could understand that sentiment to a certain degree after reflecting on recent events. When Zachariah first complained about his combat style and teamwork, David was reminded of the Fang Den, where almost everyone died.

Could he have saved the other Protectors back then? David doubted it, even if he’d wanted to. The Mini Bosses and the Alpha Fang had been too strong. His shields would have shattered, and his healing would have been too weak and too slow to resurrect the dead.

Later, maybe he could have protected more people. If he had focused on healing more Protectors during the fight against the Darkai, perhaps more could have survived—if there had been someone else to defeat the Herculean Darkai and the Behemoth Darkai.

But David was certain something like that wouldn’t have been possible without multiple First Class Advancements mid-combat or Zachariah’s early return from his Mistwalker hunt. Furthermore, he couldn’t even be sure that Lifeweaver would have been a viable option to pick if not for his actions during the massacre against the Demon Horde. Would Bereth and Asmodeus have even taken an interest in him if not for the Horde fight?

The answers to those questions were simple: David had no idea.

And it didn’t matter either. He couldn’t change the past, nor did he want to.

The past had shaped David into the person he was today, and he was content with that. He was satisfied with himself.

Therefore, he made a choice, hoping he wouldn’t regret it.

You better be right, Zachariah!

A new notification appeared in his vision as he made his choice, and he swallowed nervously.

[Your Secondary Class has been selected.]

14

LEGACY

David swallowed as myriad system notifications flashed to life before him, momentarily obscuring his vision.

[Monk(Common) has been chosen.]

[High compatibility between Primary and Secondary Class has been detected.

Additional benefits will be granted.]

[Your Secondary Class’ Rank increased.]

Iron I → Iron V

[Body increased by four]

Lowest(-)(Intermediate) → Low(Intermediate)

Power surged through his body in rapid bursts, and he couldn’t help but grin at the sensation. Even though he’d chosen Monk as his Secondary Class solely based on the compatibility percentage, David felt a thrill of satisfaction knowing it reinforced Body instead of one of the other stats. He steadied himself, enduring the surging power as his gaze darted back to the notifications, his excitement growing.

[Class Skills [Meditation] and [Reinforce] have been fused to your Source. Prepare for the Influx of Information!]

Tidal waves of knowledge flooded his mind, revealing the basic functions of the two Runes now present in his Source. As David closed his eyes to examine his Source, his brows furrowed at the glowing whirlwind surrounding the Runes. They were small, like most Tier-0 Skills, but the golden particles forcing their way into the Class Skills didn’t seem to belong to them. To David, it felt like they came from something else entirely.

His eyes widened as recognition dawned. I know these particles, he realized, the memory of his wounds mending and the Holy Sea repairing itself during the Kobold battle flooding back.

Until now, David had thought Bereth had healed him. But now, doubt crept in. Had these golden motes been from the System all along? Or was today’s influx something entirely different?

He didn’t know. However, David could feel the Class Skills growing. They expanded to the size of Tier-1 Skill Runes, accompanied by more information seeping into his mind.

David opened his eyes and smiled wryly at the next notification.

[Due to high Class compatibility, Monk’s Class Skills start at a higher level.]

[Tier-0 I] → [Tier-1 V]

He’d expected this message after observing the changes in his Source. However, the following notification—the last he saw—took him completely by surprise. A purple notification with an intricate golden frame appeared:

[Legacy Skill has been detected. [Dao Comprehension] has been engraved on your Source.]

Just as he finished reading, David buckled over as a sharp heat surged through his chest. He closed his eyes, sensing a transformation in his Source.

The engravings of the Law of Blood shifted, forming a golden symbol. It depicted a figure seated in the lotus position. Was it him? Or someone else? David frowned deeply. He wasn’t sitting in the lotus position—just cross-legged. The pain didn’t last long, though. Once the golden symbol was etched onto his Source, the discomfort vanished.

“Weird…” he muttered, taking a few deep breaths as he opened his eyes.

“What Legacy Skill did you obtain?” Zachariah’s voice broke through his thoughts.

David glanced at the Regressor. So that’s why he wanted me to pick the Class with high compatibility.

He didn’t respond immediately, turning his attention to his new abilities.

Trying to activate [Meditation] led to immediate failure. The Class Skill didn’t respond.

Maybe… The golden symbol engraved on his Source lingered in his mind, so David sat down cross-legged and tried activating [Meditation] again. The posture of the golden figure reminded him of what little he knew about monks—meditation was one of their defining traits.

Once he cast the Skill, David’s heartbeat slowed, and his mind calmed. The shift in his body and mind was pleasant, but even more so was the enhanced control over the Aether around and within him.

Aether surged through his body, filling his Energy Pathways to the brim. Yet, [Meditation] didn’t stop there. The Skill continued, drawing in more Aether from the surrounding environment, circulating it smoothly through him and filling his being with vigor.

Was that all [Meditation] did? It calmed him, filled his body with Aether, and gave him greater control over it. David experimented further, but there was nothing new to uncover. Or…had he missed something?

He frowned. Was that it?

David hoped the Class Skill might become clearer after exploring the others. If not, he might never use [Meditation].

He shifted to check [Reinforce] and activated the Class Skill, but two messages appeared.

[Reinforce Body?]

[Reinforce Energy Pathways?]

“Huh?” he muttered, shifting to the status screen to double-check [Reinforce].

[Reinforce] – [Tier-1 V]

Body – Average – I (0.00%)

Energy Pathways – Subpar – VIII (85.64%)

Oh! So that’s what the information meant, David thought, nodding in understanding.

The influx of information made it clear: he could reinforce different aspects of his being, each requiring specific resources. But ‘Subpar’? Really? David clenched his fists. After all the time he’d spent nourishing his Energy Pathways, ‘Subpar’ felt like an insult.

“What’s wrong? You don’t like your new Skills? Or is the Legacy Skill not that good?” Zachariah asked, earning a glare from David.

“I’m trying to figure it out.”

He nibbled on his lower lip and activated [Reinforce] on the Energy Pathways, gasping as a strong suctioning force pulled all the Aether in his body toward [Reinforce]’s Rune. The Skill drained enormous energy, but David cast aside all doubts as he closed his eyes to feel the Energy Pathways.

A tingling sensation spread through his body, precisely following the Energy Pathways. The tingle was less conspicuous around his chest and arms, but it was more pronounced everywhere else—specifically in his legs, feet, and other areas that weren’t naturally trained through constant Skill usage. Very little Blood reached these areas—most of it when he purposely used Blood to nourish the Energy Pathways.

David followed the tingling sensation closely, but [Reinforce] stopped working before he could discover anything special. His body was drained of Aether, yet nothing about the Energy Pathways’ statistics had changed.

That wasn’t enough? David frowned deeply. He sat back cross-legged, activating [Meditation] to replenish his body with as much Aether as [Reinforce] needed.

He could not tell the time, but using both [Meditation] and [Reinforce] together in an energy-dense area seemed to work well enough to strengthen the Energy Pathways by 0.01% after some time.

Regardless of how small his progress was, it was…something.

But isn’t [Holy Touch] faster than [Reinforce]? he wondered. I use [Holy Touch] with Blood, though. Can I add some Blood to [Reinforce]? He came up with multiple tactics to use his new Class Skills efficiently. Could he use [Meditation] to fill his body with crimson motes too? That should be possible, right? Even if it didn’t work, David was sure he could make good use of his new Class Skills. They appeared better than he feared after first testing [Meditation].

Using them often should push Monk’s Rank, he thought, nodding slowly. Monk didn’t seem like a bad Secondary Class to pick. But maybe that was only because the Class Skills were already at a higher Tier than they would normally start at.

He shrugged, his attention drifting to the golden symbol engraved on his Source.

“How much longer are we going to stay here?” David turned to the others, eyeing Melach.

“Melach’s Mana Core won’t be usable for another hour or two,” Zachariah commented, which Melach confirmed with a nod. “We can stay here longer than that, but I’d rather claim the Rift Core today if possible.”

Two hours. That was probably enough to test a little bit more.

“Okay,” he muttered, closing his eyes to use [Dao Comprehension]. However, the Legacy Skill did not activate.

David felt the golden symbol stir within him and watched as tiny golden threads spread through his Source. However, just as they neared the Law of Blood’s engravings, the threads retracted, leaving him puzzled.

David activated [Meditation] once more, flooding his body with enough Aether to power [Dao Comprehension] before trying to reactivate the Legacy Skill. The golden threads spread from the golden symbol, yet it was still not enough. He grunted and tapped into his Source to channel Blood into the golden symbol.

A faint crimson tint seeped into the golden threads as they expanded further, reaching for the Law of Blood’s engravings. Something flooded his mind as the threads connected, and his lips parted. Words he had never heard before spilled out of his mouth, yet he instinctively understood their purpose. As the words escaped, David noticed the golden symbol and the surrounding engravings beginning to glow. Though the light was dim, he could feel a distinct change taking place.

David lost track of time, but eventually, his Blood reserves were depleted, and [Meditation] could no longer keep up with the Aether consumption, forcing him to stop midway. Retrieving the Berserk Giant’s body from his storage, he drained just enough Essence to replenish his Source in a single wave. The corpse disappeared back into storage as his Source moved rapidly, producing more Blood to use.

David froze, holding his breath as bloody shields, spears, and other armaments rose from the puddle surrounding him. A puddle of blood? He shot to his feet, unable to tear his gaze away as the armaments collapsed into nothingness.

“Is that my blood?” he asked, though he knew it couldn’t be. He didn’t feel weak, in fact, he felt incredible.

“You drained the Berserk Giant with that wave of yours,” Melach said, looking at him oddly. “Was that not planned?”

David’s lips parted, only to shut again just as quickly.

“What about that bloody presence of yours?” Zachariah interrupted, stepping closer. “Was that your Legacy Skill?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. The Legacy Skill has nothing to do with bl—...” David’s words faltered as the memory of [Dao Comprehension]’s golden threads connecting to the Law of Blood resurfaced. His chest tightened.

Could that be it? His thoughts swirled with possibilities as he struggled to form a coherent response.

“I don’t know. The Legacy Skill can affect blood in some ways, though its main function doesn’t actually involve blood.” He considered staying vague for a moment but discarded the thought just as quickly. “I think I need to spend a lot more time meditating now. My new Skills are all related to meditating. Somehow, the Legacy Skill too, though I’m not entirely sure about that one yet.”

David smiled wryly and told Zachariah and the others about his new Class and powers, hoping they could explain a few things to him.

“Monk was compatible with Lifeweaver? I mean…I get it, but a compatibility rate above 95%?” Zachariah sounded flabbergasted, which was rare to see.

“Can you tell me something about the Class? I’d prefer a perfect training plan, but I’d also be fine if you just told me how to evolve Monk into a Unique Class,” David teased the Regressor.

Zachariah winced in response. “Your Legacy Skill sounds interesting, but I’ve never heard of it. To be honest, I don’t know the details of many Classes. I was busy struggling to stay alive when the Earthen Union turned upside down, until they arrived.”

“They?” David asked, noticing the others looking up as well.

The Regressor’s lips parted, but blood began dripping from his nose and eyes before a word escaped. Zachariah groaned and buckled over. David cast [Restore] and [Healing Light] immediately, but Zachariah’s condition didn’t improve until several minutes later.

“I get it. You cannot talk about them. Restrictions and that kind of thing.”

Zachariah looked apologetically at them, but David dismissed it with a wave. “You’ve already said more than enough.”

They had to be ready to face an enemy—beings the regressor wasn’t allowed to mention. Zachariah could talk about the gods, infernal gods, and even the Devils, but he couldn’t mention these beings? That didn’t bode well.

Still, it didn’t change their plan. They had to grow stronger. The faster, the better.

15

JOINING SIDES

Zachariah handed everyone a small potion belt filled with glass vials.

“I spent some time concocting a few potions. Not many—too few for my liking—but their quality is quite alright since I used the plants we harvested earlier,” he explained, handing David one of the vials. “I didn’t give you or Melach any of the normal poison vials, but there are three Blood Secrum Poisoning potions in your pouch.”

David had never heard of such a poison, but he nodded.

“As long as you increase their potency with the Law of Blood when you coat your soulbound weapon, you will be fine,” Zachariah said with a wink. “Eliminating Regional Bosses should be feasible if you do it right.”

David raised an eyebrow at that and inspected the crimson liquid in the glass vials. There were five in total. He could sense an abundance of lifeforce in two potions, suggesting they were healing potions and could be used to replace his healing Skills in an emergency. That was good, though David couldn’t tell how useful they would actually be.

By the time I use these potions, I’ll already be out of Blood—and probably on my last lifeline, he thought, exchanging his regular belt for the alchemical one.

His hand hovered over the three Blood Secrum Poison potions, and he felt the blood used to concoct them—Zachariah’s blood. It radiated a lethal quality as his fingers traced the smooth glass vials, almost as though the blood within the potion was deadly on its own. Sharp and dangerous.

David analyzed the blood and the other components used in the Blood Secrum Poison until he noticed that everyone else seemed finished with their preparations. With everything ready, they departed and returned to the surface.

“Where are we going?” Melach’s uncertain voice reached him. David turned toward the others, watching as Zachariah shrugged.

“I think it’s fair to assume that more Giants have come to raid the Rift. Or, if my guess is correct and the Rift Core releases Origin Essence, they will claim the Core and the surrounding area to absorb as much Origin Essence as their bodies can handle,” Zachariah explained, sounding confident.

“That sounds plausible. Since we encountered a pair of Giants from different tribes, we can assume more of them are already in the prehistoric Rift. And since the Rift hasn’t been destroyed yet, your Origin Essence theory might as well be correct,” David agreed with Zachariah’s assessment. “That being said, you think the Rift Core is located where the Stone Giant and Berserk Giant came from, right?”

Zachariah smiled but didn’t respond. That was all the confirmation David needed.

“Let’s go then. Slay a few Giants and prehistoric monsters,” Torb grunted, looking tough on the outside. But David knew better—the dwarf’s lifeforce was in disarray. He was scared.

Torb walked past Zachariah, heading toward where the Giants had come from. The Regressor smiled and followed suit.

“How’s your Mana Core?” David asked Melach as their eyes met.

The elf smiled. “I overdid it a little earlier, but I’m fine now. Thanks to Zachariah’s mixture, my Mana Core feels firmer than before.”

His shoulders slumped down and he sighed deeply, “I was stupid. It was a foolish mistake to overdraw my mana reserves. But when I saw the Berserk Giant…”

Melach shuddered and looked sadly at David, “Berserk Giants—or, to be fair, almost all Giant tribes—are considered incredibly dangerous. Elves have some history with a few Giant tribes, which is probably something everyone regrets. We are taught a lot about the Giant Wars and Triton Massacres…enough to respect Giants, even though it’s been centuries since the last elf reported the sighting of one.”

Melach was the first elf to encounter a Giant in centuries? If that was true, he had done remarkably well, David thought. He analyzed the elf and was surprised to find that Melach’s lifeforce was much calmer than Torb’s. The elf seemed more worried than truly afraid.

“You must have a lot to report to your family once we’re done here,” David said, patting Melach’s back. “I’m sure they’ll be proud of you when they hear about your achievements. Claiming a natural, Rare 3-Star Rift and contributing to the death of several Giants on top of everything else doesn’t sound too bad.”

He hadn’t planned on consoling Melach, but keeping allies motivated was never a bad idea. David’s words had done the trick.

The elf’s eyes lit up, and he bolted ahead to join the others, leaving David behind.

David followed the trio, his smile fading as Words of Power spurted from his lips. There was no time to waste. He began sharpening his focus for the next battle—one he was certain would be their last.

They had encountered too few Regional Bosses roaming the prehistoric valley and heard—or saw—too few deadly battles. The stillness was unnatural, far too quiet for David’s liking.

A battle royale, David thought, the corner of his lips curling up.

“Why are you grinning like a fool? That is bad. Like really, really bad!” Melach hissed at him.

David glanced back at the elf, cocking an eyebrow. “I’m excited. That’s why I’m smiling. Do you have a problem with that?”

Melach’s lips parted, but he said nothing. Torb, on the other hand, laughed awkwardly. “Right... I think we forgot you go crazy for a good fight. You’ve been too tame since we entered the prehistoric Rift.”

“I was trying something,” David said, glancing at Zachariah, still smiling. “But it doesn’t work.”

He shrugged. “But back to the matter at hand. This is not bad. It is the best we could have asked for—perfection!”

Melach scowled at him, but Zachariah intercepted. “David is right. This is actually good for us.”

Even Torb looked confused now.

It had barely been a few minutes since the Aether density around them increased again. David had never sensed so much Aether in one spot before. However, there was something else—was it Origin Essence? The faint energy brushed against his senses, sharper and more potent than the surrounding Aether. He reached out instinctively, feeling it settle within his body. But the energy did not enter his Source to replenish Blood. Instead, it nestled in his body, strengthening him.

Is that all it does? Settle down and make you feel stronger? David wondered while his eyes drifted across the battlefield ahead, channeling Blood into them.

The first figures he spotted further away were Giants—dozens of them. His gaze settled on several Berserk Giants wielding massive weapons, though he noticed other types of Giants as well. A dozen Stone Giants, some Berserk Giants, and four other types of Giants roared at their enemies, weapons resting in their hands.

But they did not fight each other. They fought together, teaming up against the prehistoric monsters charging them.

Among the masses of prehistoric monsters, David recognized several powerful creatures. The lifeforce in them was enormous, overwhelmingly so. It hurt his eyes to look at the bright masses of life clashing with the Giants ahead.

So that’s what the Regional Bosses and Main Boss are at, he recognized, finally making sense of the situation. He discovered more than half a dozen prehistoric animals circling the Giants, attacking them from all sides. But some creatures—those with the strongest lifeforce—attracted his attention the most.

There was a tall monster David recognized as a Tyrannosaur, which tore through the row of defending Giants with ease. Its head plunged down, and its maw snapped shut, biting off half of a Giant’s upper body in an instant. The Tyrannosaur sustained several deep cuts from the Giants’ double-headed axes, but the wounds weren’t deep enough to slow it down. It continued its rampage, killing two more Giants before a large frame looming over the others stepped forward, stopping the Tyrannosaur in its tracks.

How many Silver Ranks were there? David wondered, casting a second glance at the battlefield and spotting a familiar, heavily-armored Brachiosaur. His heart leaped out of his chest, and he smiled. It was the same one that had squashed Torb, and it continued its destructive work by bulldozing Giants before vanishing into thin air. The Giants unleashed magical attacks everywhere, cleaving through the air where the Brachiosaur had been a moment ago, but David didn’t see any blood. The massive creature escaped the Giants’ wrath. So did the creature descending from the sky.

David did not recognize it at first. It had a long neck and broad, leathery wings that shaded part of the battlefield. He only recalled the animal when he heard Zachariah mumble, “Quetzalcoatlus.”

The Quetzalcoatlus descended from the air, its massive hind legs snatching two Giants off the ground. With a powerful swirl, it ascended again, releasing the Giants mid-flight and hurling them through the air. Moments later, its beak parted, unleashing a crackling beam of electricity that struck the airborne Giants.

David watched as their life forces dispersed rapidly. They were dead before hitting the ground. The Quetzalcoatlus let out a piercing screech as blue projectiles resembling [Arcane Blast] struck its body and exploded. Though David could tell the mana projectiles were stronger than Melach’s, the enormous creature seemed unscathed. Only its anguished cry suggested the attacks had done any damage at all.

The battlefield roared with chaos. Screeches, growls, and thunderous clashes echoed from every direction. David's sharp gaze flicked to a massive Stegosaur-like monster, unleashing a relentless barrage of magic projectiles. Nearby, a horde of small, heavily armored creatures covered in spikes tore through the Giants’ ranks. They shrugged off brutal axe swings and destructive spells as though they were nothing.

But nothing compared to the Allosaurus. Coated in a thick layer of frost, it moved like a living glacier, freezing everything in its path. The sheer power and carnage sent a shiver through David, but it also stirred something within him—a primal excitement.

The battlefield stretched endlessly, even more chaotic than the warzone against the Darkai Horde. Yet David’s heart pounded with exhilaration, the thrill of the fight coursing through his veins.

“Why in Fortress’ name would you—or anyone—consider this a good thing? Joining this fight is suicidal!” Torb shouted, his voice laced with disbelief. His eyes widened as a flock of Pteranodons dove into the fray, their sharp talons slicing through Giants with terrifying precision.

At first glance, it seemed like the Giants were on the losing side, but that wasn’t the case. A massive Giant stepped forward, gripping the Tyrannosaurus Rex by the tail and hurling it toward the Quetzalcoatlus as it descended once more. The two titans crashed into the ground with a deafening roar.

Half a dozen Berserk Giants immediately advanced, their massive axes slashing through the Tyrannosaur’s thick hide. They aimed for its vital points, whittling it down, blow by blow, until its movements grew sluggish. Meanwhile, the Quetzalcoatlus screeched in fury, its wings flapping furiously as the onslaught continued.

“It’s good because they’re fighting each other, weakening one another,” Zachariah said, his tone calm and calculating. “Of course, if we let the Giants win, they’ll receive multiple racial boons from the System. Their racial compatibility with the Core would make them even more of a threat.” He waved his hand dismissively. “But the details don’t matter. What matters is that if we wait, we’ll have fewer problems—and weakened enemies.”

David nodded, but a smile crept across his face. “But that’s not what we’re going to do.”

“We’re not,” Zachariah agreed, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips.

“Why not?” Melach asked. His voice wasn’t fearful—he sounded genuinely curious, as if trying to make sense of their plan.

“Because the prehistoric animals are losing,” David said, raising an eyebrow. “We want to be on their side, help them win. Not by a lot, just enough to ensure the Giants don’t trouble us later. Once that’s done, we’ll deal with the dinosaurs—wounded and on the verge of death—and eliminate everything standing between us and the Rift Core.”

Melach’s frown deepened as he listened. “So…we become their allies and then backstab them once it’s over?”

David shrugged. “That’s about it.”

“Only if they don’t let us claim the Rift Core,” Zachariah added, his gaze fixed on David, who merely shrugged again. It might have worked with the Xenoceratops, but he didn’t believe the prehistoric predators would surrender the Rift Core to them —not with how territorial and prideful they seemed.

“If you say so,” he muttered, taking one step at a time.

16

WARFARE

He studied the battlefield for a moment, assessing the damage done to the surroundings. Afterward, he focused on the lifeforce all around him before proceeding with the next step.

David invested his remaining Attribute Points.

[Two Attribute Points have been used to enhance the User’s Mind.]

Lowest(-)(Intermediate) → Lowest(+)(Intermediate)

[One Attribute Point has been used to enhance the User’s Soul.]

Low(+)(Intermediate) → Middle(-)(Intermediate)

He felt the changes happening to him and embraced them, closing his eyes for a minute. Manifesting the Obsidian Blade seemed plausible, but David ultimately decided against it. He kept the soulbound weapon in the Berserk Giant’s body and opened his eyes again.

His heart beat wildly at the thought of charging into the bloody chaos of battle, yet the idea of ruling the battlefield filled him with exhilaration.

He shifted his attention to the Quetzalcoatlus and the Tyrannosaur, frowning as the Giants dealt the finishing blow to the winged creature, beheading the Quetzalcoatlus. The Tyrannosaur, however, was still alive, albeit seriously wounded. David leaped forward and cast [Blessing] on himself and the Tyrannosaur once it was within range. He followed up with a weak bloody projectile attached with [Blood Patch].

The projectile struck the Tyrannosaur’s hide without inflicting any damage, but [Blood Patch]’s mark had been imprinted. David cast [Restore] and [Healing Light] through the mark, preserving the Tyrannosaur’s lifeforce.

“That should be enough,” he muttered, watching as the crimson-mantled predator snapped at a Giant, biting its arm off.

David felt his connection with the Tyrannosaur and cast [Restore] once more before turning away. As he did, the surrounding noises crashed down on him, threatening to swallow him whole. He licked his lips, his wildly drumming heart overshadowing the chaos around him. His smile widened, and he glanced at the others, firing bloody projectiles to mark them with [Blood Patch].

Locating and healing them will be much easier this way, David thought, shifting slightly as the ground around him tremored.

He looked up to see the heavily armored—and stealthy—Brachiosaur appear beside him. His smile widened. The Brachiosaur probably didn’t notice him, but he would make sure that changed. David cast [Healing Light], mending the small scratches on its massive body, hoping the creature wouldn’t retaliate with violence as he leaped into the air.

David cast [Blood Aegis] beneath him and kicked off, reaching the Brachiosaur’s back.

The Brachiosaur shuddered as [Healing Light] enveloped it, but the monster didn’t attack him when he landed. Brachiosaurs weren’t predators like the Tyrannosaur or Velociraptors, and David had been certain it accidentally squashed Torb. Sure, it had nearly cost the dwarf his life, but David couldn’t dwell on that now. He could ignore it as long as the Brachiosaur allowed him to remain in his elevated position, where he could survey the massive clearing in the center of the prehistoric valley.

A river flowed to the left, and towering trees loomed to the right. Lifeforms filled the valley, but the most potent lifeforce signals were gathered here, David concluded quickly, channeling more blood into his eyes to observe the battles below.

David’s eyes caught Zachariah in motion near the Allosaur. The massive beast was covered in burn marks and large projectiles—that put ordinary arrows to shame—but it kept rampaging. The Regressor accelerated, rushed past the Allosaur, and released several silver flashes, severing a Giant’s left leg before proceeding. David saw Zachariah hurl something at another Giant, who cleaved it midair before it could hit.

The object shattered, and its contents splashed over the Giant’s chest. Only then did David realize what it was—the poison Zachariah had concocted earlier.

A pained roar resounded, and David watched in shock as smoke oozed from the Giant’s body. His stomach lurched as the Giant began clawing at its chest, ripping out skin and the flesh beneath.

Zachariah’s blades flashed as he slashed at the Giant’s calves. The massive creature toppled to the ground, and Zachariah moved on to the next target without hesitation. The first Giant, legless and desperate, hurled several human-sized icicles at Zachariah, but every attack missed him by a length.

David’s heart leaped out of his chest as the Allosaur reached the first injured Giant. Icicles of massive size burst from its body, impaling the magic-wielding Giant repeatedly, even after David could no longer sense life from it. The other Giant, its chest still coated in acid—David swore he would never make Zachariah an enemy—continued screaming, tearing at its own flesh until a black projectile and dozens of spikes struck it hard.

Was that… David’s eyes narrowed as his attention shifted to a small horde of heavy-armored beasts. Their backs and tails were coated in plates resembling frills, with spikes jutting from their armor. He watched the monsters release those spikes faster than most Giants could ready their bows or cast magic. David furrowed his brow, trying to sense something unusual about the spikes. They might have contained Aether, but he felt nothing. The realization unsettled him.

As the battle continued, David cast [Blessing] on more targets, including the Brachiosaur. His heart raced as the massive herbivore returned to the battlefield. The chaos made scanning the surroundings harder—but it also thrilled him. He spread [Healing Light] into the area, ignoring how the skill’s healing output increased drastically. David used the Skill Rune again, watching as a sphere of [Healing Light] formed in front of him. He willed it to move, feeling the strain but relishing the surge of power.

David squinted and cast [Healing Light] several more times, creating multiple spheres that moved in all directions. He attached the spheres to his targets, healing them and anyone he considered an ally.

Tier advancement, he realized and smiled even as one of the [Blood Patch] connections stirred. Someone was in danger.

He looked toward a completely devastated area on his right. Dozens of craters scarred the land, and explosions continued wreaking havoc. Among the wreckage, he spotted a few mangled corpses—mostly of dinosaurs. Finally, he found the men he’d been searching for. Torb was charging a blue-skinned Giant while Melach conjured his signature wind spears.

The blue-skinned Giant was already severely wounded, but it fought valiantly, making everything it touched explode. Torb crushed the Giant’s foot, but the massive creature retaliated, causing an explosion around its feet.

Damn, David thought, narrowing his eyes. He used [Restore] through the mark to heal Torb, then overclocked [Blessing] and cast it on both Torb and Melach. He manifested several shields to protect Torb, but the dwarf was too far away. Instead, David sent more healing energy to both of them, hoping Torb would hold out long enough. Either Melach would need to unleash a stronger attack, or the blue-skinned Giant would have to bleed to death.

But could Melach do it, or would he overdo it again? David didn’t know. He retrieved one vial of Blood Secrum Poison and overclocked [Blood Bullet]. Removing the cork, he murmured Words of Power as he compressed the bloody projectile until it fit inside the vial. Once inside, the crimson liquid Zachariah had prepared merged into the bullet. It took only a few moments, but those moments drained him.

Upgrading Mind was a good call, he thought, wiping sweat from his forehead. More Words of Power slipped from his lips, granting him deeper access to the Law of Blood. He applied the law and augmented [Blood Bullet]’s power, reinforcing the potency of the Blood Secrum Poison.

David took a deep breath, steadied his aim, and released the projectile as the final Word of Power left his mouth.

[Blood Bullet] whipped through the air at incredible speed, leaving a crimson trail. It struck the target—not in the eyes, as he had originally intended, but in a deep claw wound that hadn’t stopped bleeding. The bullet pierced the flesh, and David released his concentration, unleashing the compressed mass of blood and poison.

The blue-skinned Giant screamed and spun around, its legs suddenly giving out. David watched as the creature roared weakly, its life force fading until only a husk remained.

Only seconds had passed, but the mighty Giant was no more. David’s eyes widened, his hair standing on end as a kill notification popped up a moment later.

[You have defeated Giant Shaman of Destruco (Silver II) of the Tribe of Truho.]

“What the hell?” he muttered, staring at the empty vial in his hands. “I… should stay on Zachariah’s good side...”

Despite being wounded, the Giant Shaman was a resilient creature with an abundance of lifeforce. Yet a single vial of Blood Secrum Poison had been enough to kill the injured Giant within seconds. David shuddered, feeling an odd mixture of excitement and respect surging through his chest.

“If it’s like that…” David took a deep breath, patting his racing heart as he accessed the Law of Blood once more. He cast [Blood Bullet] over a dozen times, compressing the projectiles at will. Two unsealed vials of Blood Secrum Poison appeared in his hands. David invoked Words of Power, tapping deeper into the Law of Blood, and dipped the blood bullets into the vials. He soaked the projectiles, merging the poison into the blood and carefully distributing it throughout.

It was draining but also exhilarating. He steadied his breathing, circulated Blood through his eyes, and locked onto a dozen targets—injured Giants who were still fighting valiantly, troubling the prehistoric defenders of their verdant valley.

Once the targets were set, David attacked, the projectiles leaving crimson trails that briefly painted the air before screams shattered the moment. Most of the bullets struck true, hitting wounds and inflicting devastating damage. One projectile missed its mark, grazing unscathed skin, but the results still made David’s heart pound with satisfaction.

Watching the drastic shifts in the targets’ life signals was terrifying but also exhilarated him. A smile tugged at his lips as a realization dawned.

Even Silver-Rank Giants—these mighty warriors—were powerless against true power.

David suspected the poison’s potency came from Zachariah’s blood, a chilling thought he quickly shoved aside. None of that mattered now—not when the results spoke for themselves. His focus narrowed to the power he wielded on the battlefield: to heal, protect, and kill.

He hurriedly conjured half a dozen more blood projectiles, applying [Blood Patch] to them as he targeted injured dinosaurs in need of healing. David concentrated on the new marks, weaving [Weave of Life] through them. The strain of the repeated process didn’t deter him; he pressed on, determined to heal and dominate the battlefield.

But it failed. Gritting his teeth, David recast [Restore] and conjured several more bullets. This time, he changed his approach. The bullets struck the corpses of fallen Giants instead of allies, engraving [Blood Patch]’s mark on them.

David attempted to drain Essence from the marks, but it didn’t work as intended. Frustrated, he huffed and turned to the next available source of Essence to replenish his reserves.

Yet instead of seeking the closest Giant corpse, he tapped into the unused Essence that had accumulated in his own body. Since joining the battle, more Origin Essence had settled within him, but it merely made him feel slightly stronger. Was that really all Origin Essence was capable of? David doubted it. It wasn’t enough.

He craved more. He needed more.

David’s gaze swept across the battlefield—pain, chaos, and destruction stretched endlessly in every direction. Blood pooled around mangled corpses, and the air reeked of death. His chest tightened. Driven by his hunger for power, he cast [Dao Comprehension] using Origin Essence, the desire for more surging through him.

It was only his second time using the Legacy Skill, but something felt different this time. Words of Power he had never heard before flooded his mind, and he spoke them aloud. They were stronger. More potent. Better.

As the words poured from him, David felt a surge of control, as if he were finally seizing the reins of his life—of his progress. His vision turned crimson, and the world around him transformed. Details he had never noticed unraveled before his eyes, and he shuddered upon realizing that not even the crimson motes in others were spared from his sight.

He could see everything. He could sense it all, as though power radiated from him in waves.

The Brachiosaur stirred uneasily, releasing a distressed bleat.

“You don’t like that?” David asked, patting the massive herbivore. “I see. Thanks for protecting me.”

It stirred again, but he paid no further attention to the enormous creature. Instead, he focused on the tremor within his Source, a smile spreading across his face as he began moving toward the center of the prehistoric valley.

More Origin Essence awaited him there.

17

POWER

He refused to give up on the Origin Essence floating behind the Giants’ defense line. It fused with the ambient Aether, creating a mixture that was easier to absorb. Most lifeforms naturally absorbed the combination of Aether and Origin Essence, including the Giants. But David was different. He didn’t want Aether to fill his body, wasting the space that could have been occupied by Origin Essence.

He wanted more than a few traces of Origin Essence!

Through his crimson-tinged vision, David spotted the vibrant glimmers of Origin Essence around him, their clarity unmistakable. He cast [Holy Touch] and conjured several tendrils that spread outward to reach for the Origin Essence, consuming it on command. His head flicked around, analyzing the battlefield as the Origin Essence flowing into him empowered [Dao Comprehension] before it could fully settle.

Strengthening his physique was important, but wasting [Dao Comprehension]'s full potential now would be a mistake. It granted him much more than the minor physical enhancements he could achieve from settling the energy in his body. The Legacy Skill gave him a sense of true power and what he could accomplish if he used every means at his disposal.

He leaped off the Brachiosaur’s back and conjured a crimson shield to kick off. Repeating the process, David jumped higher and higher into the air. The flock of avian dinosaurs attacking the Giants avoided him, dispersing quickly as he closed the distance. He paid them no heed and continued jumping through the air, using [Blood Aegis] as a springboard to bypass the chaos below.

To ensure his trip past the Giants remained peaceful, David overclocked [Symphony Control] on himself and the surrounding creatures. A white dove materialized before him while black doves pursued the avians, transforming them into prime targets. David ignored the human-sized bolts whizzing past him, their blunt thuds echoing as they struck unseen targets, and brushed past the Stone Giants below.

Once he was past the Giants, David descended and reached a small stone structure resembling an altar. Several massive pillars surrounded a large pedestal made of a dark material permeated with azure threads that looked like veins. Aether and Origin Essence—especially the latter—circulated through the pedestal. But David was far more interested in the cow-sized sphere levitating above it.

The violet sphere exuded an enormous amount of Aether, but even more so, Origin Essence. David stepped closer to the sphere—likely the Rift Core—and felt the flow of Origin Essence double as it entered his body.

He resisted the urge to let the Origin Essence settle. He could tell it would help him, and a part of him wanted to save it for [Reinforce] later. However, his instincts and a much larger portion of his mind urged him to channel all of it into [Dao Comprehension].

And [Dao Comprehension] responded drastically. Origin Essence was more potent—more efficient—than Blood, which David could feel more clearly as the pure energy surged through him. Step by step, he inched closer until his body was wreathed in it. He dispersed the ambient Aether or devoured it instantaneously, amplifying [Holy Touch] as its tendrils surged outward to pull more Origin Essence closer.

He savored the feeling of [Dao Comprehension] unraveling one mystery after another. Concepts that had seemed distant or difficult now came into focus, including the combined use of Skill Runes and the intricacies of the Law of Blood. Words of Power escaped his lips, but not to access the Law of Blood further. Instead, he used them to expand his understanding of the Legacy Skill.

His senses perked up, feeling something amiss, and his gaze flicked back to the battlefield.

One of the blue-skinned, mana-wielding Giants turned around, finally noticing him. It roared, drawing the attention of more Giants, but David only smiled.

He saw several blue Giants charge toward him, releasing fireballs, icicles, and mana projectiles. He responded in simple fashion: waving his arm and manifesting two dozen bloody projectiles. Without hesitation, he fired them, targeting the incoming attacks.

The fireballs exploded upon impact, while the icicles and mana projectiles shattered into pieces.

At last, David manifested the Obsidian Blade. He closed his eyes briefly, inspecting his wildly trembling Source in his mind space, and infused traces of Origin Essence to replace Blood as he cast an overclocked [Blessing] on himself and the Obsidian Blade. He applied [Slash] and [Holy Touch], then charged the towering figures.

The Giants released more magic projectiles, but David didn’t hold back. He conjured a crimson shield to block the deadliest attacks and evaded the rest as he closed the distance to the Giants. One of them swung a massive club at him, but [Blood Aegis] deflected the attack. More Words of Power spilled from his lips, coating his blade in a crimson-gray mixture as he reached the first target. He stabbed the Obsidian Blade into the Giant’s leg and dragged the blade along. Warm blood splattered on his face, and an idea formed in his mind.

He split the stream of Origin Essence entering his body, infusing one portion into his words and augmenting the Words of Power. David had no idea how he concluded it was possible or how he actually did it, but it worked regardless.

He pulled his blade out and tapped into the Law of Blood before leaping at the blue Giant, ramming the soulbound blade into its chest. The Law surged, shrouding his Source in vibrant crimson light as its power came to light. David smiled, feeling the surge of power flow through his palms into the Obsidian Blade.

The blade cut deeper into the Giant, which roared in defiance, pain, and anger at first. Soon, the roar transformed into a shriek. David watched in glee as the Giant’s skin shriveled—its abundant life force drained by the Obsidian Blade within seconds.

David couldn’t quite tell how he’d done it, but the Law of Blood had amplified his soulbound weapon’s innate effect over a dozen times. It drained him, exhausted his mind, and, more importantly, strained his Source, but it worked.

I don’t have much time left, David thought grimly, kicking the shriveled corpse to leap into the air. He cast [Blood Aegis] to block the incoming attacks and charged the other blue-skinned Giants after landing softly on the ground.

He evaded several magic projectiles, followed by a large club, and slashed at the next target. The blade cut the Giant’s tough hide easily, inflicting wounds much bigger than David had anticipated. However, he accepted the phenomenon with a vibrant smile and continued, hacking and slashing the second and third Giants until their corpses were either drained of lifeforce or torn to pieces. If a corpse still held lifeforce, David drove his blade into its stomach, draining it dry before moving on to the next target.

His chest heaved, and his skin burst open as he moved, but David reached the next target, a Stone Giant, appearing behind it as the creature turned to face him. He thrust the Obsidian Blade straight into its Bloodstone. It only took a single attack to pierce the Stone Giant’s durable body and Bloodstone. The creature fell apart before his eyes, its lifeforce drained all at once.

David pulled the blade back and froze—it was changing. The Obsidian Blade shifted and expanded. Its blade extended and curved slightly inward all of a sudden, taking him by surprise.

That’s not how I remember you, David thought, watching the Obsidian Blade shift back to its original form.

Maybe it— He frowned, thinking of a scimitar, and the soulbound weapon extended again.

“Much better,” he grunted, licking his bloodied lips while recasting [Slash], [Holy Touch], and [Blessing].

His Source squirmed, but David continued. He was finally back in melee, he couldn’t possibly retreat after slaying a few measly Mages! David clutched the Obsidian Blade tightly and charged at the closest enemies, targeting the most dangerous Giants to drain and kill.

His attacks grew increasingly destructive, but David felt his Source stir violently. The letters of the Law of Blood glowed vibrantly, shrouding his energy reservoir. Yet, that did not stop a Lifeweaver from sensing his own physical condition—he, or rather his Source, was on the verge of collapse.

Was the power granted through the Legacy Skill too much? he wondered, shaking his head. This strength was necessary. He had come to the natural Rift to grow stronger, and that was exactly what he was doing right now!

David weaved past the Tyrannosaur, casting [Blessing] and [Restore] on the creature, and severed a Berserk Giant’s leg before cleaving upward, nearly cutting the monstrous Giant in two with a single strike.

So strong! he thought, draining the Berserk Giant while feeding the Words of Power and the Legacy Skill with more Origin Essence. At that moment, David realized the truth. His attacks were growing stronger, but not primarily due to the Law of Blood. Another force was at work, amplifying his slashes and thrusts drastically.

It hurt. His chest tightened, which made breathing harder, but David pressed on. He blocked incoming attacks with [Blood Aegis], evaded those that shattered the crimson shields, and cleaved through the Giants’ tough hide and flesh.

Every attack seemed to drain his strength and strain his Source. Despite this, David pressed on until the tenth shriveled corpse collapsed to the ground. Spinning around, he noticed for the first time that he had returned to the valley’s center. The Rift Core shimmered brightly, stirring something deep within him—an unrelenting desire to do more. To keep going and to grow until the Rift Core couldn’t push him any further.

He glanced at the battlefield and clicked his tongue, noticing that the bloody massacre had slowed. His vision blurred, and his legs buckled beneath him.

So that’s my limit, he thought with a frown. So what? I’m a Lifeweaver! His battle wasn’t over just because his body had failed. His mind and soul were still intact!

David stopped supplying the Legacy Skill with Origin Essence and deactivated the Law of Blood. While it felt like his vision had returned to normal, the area around him was still coated in crimson.

Several roars pulled his attention back to the battlefield, forcing him to prepare for the inevitable—a fight without his body. However, no monster charged at him. The Giants stayed away, and the prehistoric creatures backed off. Did they retreat from me? David frowned, trembling in exhaustion as he retrieved the two healing potions prepared by Zachariah.

He struggled to remove their caps and shuddered uncontrollably even after emptying the vials. Yet, despite his clear weakness, the monsters—both Giants and prehistoric—kept retreating.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly before his shivering subsided. Slowly, David regained control of his body, his gaze settling on Zachariah as the Regressor approached. Zachariah’s expression was unreadable as his eyes scanned the crimson-stained area around David, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Without a word, he rushed past David.

Melach arrived next. He opened his mouth to speak but froze mid-step, halting abruptly as if encountering an invisible barrier. David watched the elf struggle to approach, only to retreat a few steps back. Finally, Melach sighed in relief, saying, “I’m glad you’re not my enemy.” He summoned an Earthen Elemental using soil and stones infused with Origin Essence.

Torb arrived last, his battered armor glinting under the crimson-stained light. Without pause, the dwarf manipulated the surrounding earth, seamlessly repairing his damaged armor as he approached.

He glanced at David with a raised brow and asked suddenly, “Are you the Blood God’s Incarnation or his Prime Champion?”

David blinked in confusion, frowning deeply. “Asmodeus? No, I’m not. Why are you asking?”

Torb turned away, muttering under his breath into his beard, “...Something is wrong with him…his head…”

18

GLAMOROUS

David took a deep breath, feeling much better. The exhilarating experience lingered in his mind, but it slowly faded, making him wish to hold onto it forever. However, the sensation dispersed as he stopped reciting Words of Power. The crimson hue shrouding them vanished as the last remnants of the Legacy Skill and the Law of Blood disappeared.

Yet, he still sensed the dense Aether and Origin Essence around him, pushing aside any exhaustion and damage to his Source to keep his body open to it.

I won’t miss out on that, he reminded himself, allowing the Essence to settle in his body.

Controlling his body shouldn’t have been easy, but David had learned much as his understanding as a Lifeweaver grew—especially about his own body. He willed his body to absorb more Origin Essence within seconds and turned to the battlefield as the sounds of defiant roars and monstrous collisions pulled at his attention.

The battle continued, but neither the remaining Giants nor the prehistoric monsters moved to attack him or the others.

“Are they afraid?” he wondered, noticing something amiss with the Giants. They glanced at the corpses of their fallen brethren sprawled before David before turning to the prehistoric monsters, charging them valiantly.

David felt the strengthening effect of the Origin Essence settling in his body resume and attempted to pull some into his Source to mend it. But that did not work as he had hoped, forcing him to watch the battle ahead in silence.

A little bit should be fine, right? He tilted his head, casting [Blessing] and [Restore] through the mark on the Tyrannosaur when the tides of battle shifted again.

“You look like shit. Why are you still helping them even though nobody attacks us?” Melach asked from the side.

David shrugged. “The Giants bother me more.”

He didn’t do much to support the prehistoric monsters because his Source screeched desperately, struggling to stay in one piece, but the thought of letting the Giants win bothered him immensely. They were comparable to the elves, dwarves, and other races that had settled in the System Sanctuaries all over the Earthen Union, but David had a bad feeling about them. If there were multiple Giant Tribes, each with monstrous strength and unique traits, they could storm the Earthen Union and bulldoze Arc if given enough time to organize themselves and grow in the natural Rift.

Taking control of the Rift Core might solve all their problems. However, David couldn’t be certain the portals connecting the prehistoric Rift to the Giant Tribes would be no more once the Dwarven Sanctuary came to be. Thus, instead of granting the Giants leeway, David would much rather annihilate them and ensure the dwarves would block all further entrances. All they had to do was safeguard the portals to the Giant Tribes if they wouldn’t disappear soon.

But he did not interfere much after casting [Blessing] and [Restore] a few times. There was no need to damage his Source further, especially not when [Restore] and [Healing Light] appeared ineffective on his Source. The only thing that restored his Source was the Blood it produced using Origin Essence and Aether.

David could have stopped the Source from using Origin Essence, but no corpse in his immediate range had any lifeforce left to drain. Nor was he willing to sacrifice his lifeforce for the process.

He closed his eyes and watched the Source process the Origin Essence to produce more Blood. The final result felt more potent, but that was expected given the quality of resources used. Yet only an insignificant portion of Blood accumulated in the Source. The rest was used to calm the rampaging Source.

Time passed slowly, and the commotion ahead died at some point. When David opened his eyes again, the battlefield was covered in Giant carcasses. Some prehistoric predators looked in their direction, but they turned away and left in defeat. At the same time, David felt faint tremors ripple through the ground. They grew more intense until an explosion resounded from behind.

David spun around as Blood surged into his eyes.

“Everyone is still alive,” he commented, and the elf beside him sighed in relief.

But while he could still see everyone’s life signals, David sensed a drastic shift in the surroundings. The surrounding Origin Essence was dwindling. It didn’t disappear entirely, but the contrast was stark.

David would have loved to fill his entire body with Origin Essence to empower some of his Class Skills later, but the shift turned that into a long, arduous task.

I can do that later, if given the opportunity, he thought, shrugging before turning to Zachariah, who had just returned from the Rift Core. The Regressor approached Torb and said something David couldn’t understand. However, Torb’s expression darkened at Zachariah’s words, his displeasure evident.

The dwarf’s face twisted with anger for a moment as Melach—followed by David—approached them.

“…is a great spot,” he heard Zachariah say. “No, compared to other Rifts, this is perfect. A Rift Core capable of producing Origin Essence even after the initial modification is worth a lot. And I mean a lot, even for transcendent beings. I don’t care if you’re indebted to Fortress. You had better get a good deal from him! Don’t you dare lower your head just because that guy is your Patron God!”

David had never seen Torb turn this red before. The dwarf looked like a cherry tomato—albeit a hairy one—as he grunted, ready to tear Zachariah a new one.

But silver arcs burst from Zachariah as his sharp gaze locked onto Torb. “Make demands, you idiotic dork. Tell Fortress to make you his Prime Champion and tell him that he won’t get anything if he makes the Sanctuary and the attached Rift exclusive to dwarves!”

Torb looked displeased, but David didn’t see anything wrong with Zachariah’s comment. It sounded reasonable to him. He didn’t bother listening any longer—the banter was a waste of time. Instead, he focused on his Source, the dense Origin Essence surrounding him, and the Earthen Elemental roaming the battlefield, collecting items and hauling bodies toward their group.

“Should we harvest some valuable body parts while they do… whatever they’re doing?” Melach asked with a smile.

David simply smiled and got to work. At his will, the Obsidian Blade elongated, curving slightly as it transformed into a scimitar.

“Your soulbound weapon has grown, in more than one way, it seems,” Melach commented, eyeing the blade intently.

David stored the item drops collected by the Earthen Elemental, drained the lifeforce from nearby corpses to feed his soulbound weapon, and severed the most valuable body parts.

After some time, they completed their task and returned to the others with their gathered loot.

“Are you done?” Zachariah asked.

David nodded. “Yes. How about you guys? Can we go back, or do you need more time?”

“Torb… well, I don’t know what he’s thinking. He doesn’t want to demand anything from Fortress, saying he feels bad after everything his Patron did for him,” Zachariah sighed in defeat. “I don’t get it. We’re not just establishing a settlement, what we’re doing with this Rift is much more. If we had chosen a natural 1-Star Rift, we could have used it as the foundation for a Sanctuary. However, I chose this one deliberately to ensure everyone gains as much as possible.”

The Regressor looked at him while David retrieved the items dropped by the Giants and other prehistoric monsters.

“But does it matter?” David asked. “I mean… I’m quite happy with my growth and our gains. I feel like we’ve come a long way. Whether Torb demands anything special from Fortress isn’t really our concern, right? Other than the exclusivity rights to the prehistoric Rift, maybe.”

He was certain he would return to the prehistoric Rift for more Origin Essence, but that was the only thing he needed from it.

“I guess…” Zachariah still didn’t seem convinced.

“It’s his own fault if he refuses to ask for what he deserves. You tried helping him, knowing what awaits us in the future. Let him make the final call,” David shrugged, fetching the last of the item drops. “At worst, he ‘merely’ becomes an ordinary Champion. I don’t understand how much that differs from being a Prime Champion, but again, let Torb decide.”

Zachariah muttered something unintelligible. David didn’t understand, but instead of arguing, he focused on organizing the item drops.

“There are some nice drops,” he noted, picking up a violet stone pulsing with strong life signals. “It’s either some type of magical stone with its own life force or a monster egg. My guess is the latter since I couldn’t store it in the storage dimension.”

He handed the presumed egg to Zachariah. It might have been something special, possibly even a prehistoric monster’s egg, but he couldn’t be bothered.

Raising a baby dinosaur wasn’t on his wish list. Not anymore—not in an apocalyptic world, anyway.

“Then we have several armaments—some armor, swords, an incredibly well-crafted longbow, and some weird-ass glowing potions. They look sick, but whatever is inside… it messes with my vision.” He shuddered, turning away from the golden potions. “There are also some magical herbs and other stuff that dropped, but I think the Skill Slates are among the most important. We have six of them, and they look more complex than the Tier-0 Skill Slates. Most are probably Tier-1 Slates, while some look like a child was given a black slate and a crayon to play with for a while.”

Zachariah snatched the golden potions with one hand while carrying the violet stone—or egg—in his other. But upon hearing about the Skill Slates, he rushed over and exclaimed, “You can have my share of the Glamorous Potential potions if you give me this.” The regressor pointed at one of the scribbled slates, then murmured, “You guys wouldn’t know how to use it anyway.”

“I don’t mind,” Melach responded. “We only made it this far because of you, anyway.”

“Take it.”

After some back and forth, all item drops—there were more than expected—were split four ways. Torb wasn’t present, but everyone agreed that no item could rival the benefits of becoming the Dwarven God’s Champion—or a Prime Champion, if he followed Zachariah’s advice.

The Regressor made numerous comments about the armament drops, the golden potions, and the Skill Slates. As a result, various items were forced upon David to store for later. He would have to sell them eventually, probably without Torb’s help, since the dwarf was no longer in dire need of money. Great…

David didn’t ask for much. In fact, he hadn’t found anything he liked and would have surrendered all the drops if not for Zachariah and Melach insisting he use—or at least try to use—the Glamorous Potential potion and a Skill Slate called [Mage Armor].

Melach was the first to consume one of the Glamorous Potential potions after binding two Skills to his Mana Core. The elf gasped and closed his eyes. He remained still, but David could feel the mana within him raging wildly.

Melach didn’t move for a while, causing David to worry—until the elf suddenly gasped again.

“So pure!” he exclaimed.

Zachariah stared at the elf, intrigued. “Your Mana Core’s purity increased?”

Melach nodded in response, making Zachariah smile. “Interesting. Very good!”

Was the potion actually useful? David frowned. If his Source or Blood grew even stronger, his Skills would also become more potent. That sounded quite promising.

He didn’t think twice before trying to bind the Mage Armor Skill first.

[You have discovered a Skill Slate]

[Mage Armor – Tier-1]

[Do you wish to use the Skill Slate to acquire ‘Mage Armor’?]

David proceeded without hesitation. It was reassuring to see the System not reject the Skill Rune, though he had already suspected it would work.

He paused for a moment, watching as the Skill Slate turned pitch-black while its power flowed into his body. A new Skill Rune formed, yet it changed long before it could settle in his mind space.

As expected, [Mage Armor] mutated. It transformed, taking on a crimson sheen, but David didn’t wait for the process to conclude.

He had already removed the cork of the Glamorous Potential potion and pressed the cold glass rim against his lips.

David squirmed as the disgustingly sweet liquid slid down his throat, but the sensation didn’t last long. He focused on his Source. However, nothing happened to it. Instead, he felt warm and broke into a cold sweat. A prickly sensation appeared in the back of his eyes.

At first, it didn’t hurt—it just felt like ants were crawling through his eyes.

David winced, grunting as the discomfort sharpened into pain. The sensation intensified, making him want to gouge his eyes out until something warm streamed down his cheeks.

He noticed Zachariah and Melach rushing toward him, but David could only scream as the pain overwhelmed him.

19

MODIFICATION

Time seemed to slow to a crawl, yet the pain didn’t lessen. If anything, David’s condition worsened as the prickly sensation spread deeper into his eyes.

He considered scratching them, carving out whatever hurt him, while casting [Restore] to counteract the effect, but dismissed the thought and endured it instead.

David had no idea how much time had passed. However, by the time the agonizing sensation finally subsided, the ground was covered in his blood. He willed the Law of Blood to remove the blood from his face without a second thought and looked up to see Melach and Zachariah staring at him with wide eyes.

Why can I see their life signals? He thought, furrowing his brows. There was no Blood in his eyes to augment them. It shouldn’t be possible to see the lifeforce all around him. Not only could David see the life within his friends, but he also perceived faint traces of Aether and the radiant glow of Origin Essence lingering in the air around him.

Zachariah said something, his lips moving, but David heard nothing. He looked at the notifications instead.

[Glorious Potential potion stimulated your dormant potential. Modification at the Initial Transmutation Stage has been completed.]

[Modification has been acquired.]

David ignored the sting in his eyes, narrowing them to tiny slits.

“David? You… are you fine?” Melach’s voice barely reached him.

He retrieved a silver longsword from his storage and examined his reflection in the polished metal.

Crimson... No, like blood.

David gasped, running his fingers through his hair. It was still dark brown like he remembered, but it was longer than before, slightly disheveled, and a few strands looked like they were drenched in blood. But it wasn’t blood. He had already removed all traces of it with the Law. His hair—at least a few strands—had changed.

But so had his eyes.

The change in his eyes was more prominent. His once vibrant emerald-green irises had turned a deep crimson. Not even a trace of his original color remained!

“Batshit crazy,” he muttered, touching his eyes. After a moment, his head flicked to the others. “You guys can see that too, right?”

Melach’s eyes widened while Zachariah’s narrowed. The regressor leaned in, inspecting David’s eyes.

“I thought I was mistaken when your eye color changed before, but it looks like I was right. It’s a Body Modification, isn’t it?”

At least Zachariah knew what was going on. That did not necessarily mean everything would be fine, but it reassured David a great deal.

“The System called it a Modification, yes.” He nodded before shifting his attention to the massive pile of notifications, checking the most important ones.

[Using the Law of Blood beyond the User’s comprehension resulted in a severe strain on the Source and Soul. However, due to a sufficient influx of Apex Blood and Origin Essence, all damage inflicted on the Source has been mended.]

[Your Source has grown. +1 Soul, +4 Blood.]

[Proficiency of Law of Blood increased drastically.]

Middle(Minor) → High(Minor)

[The Rank of your Primary Class increased by one.]

Bronze VI → Bronze VII

[+3 Attribute Points.]

[Proficiency of Weave of Life increased.]

…

…

[Proficiency of Blood Bullet reached 100%.]

[Tier-0 VIII] → [Tier-0 X]

[Blood Bullet reached its limit. Initiating Tier progression.]

[Blood Bullet – Tier-0 X] → [Blood Blast – Tier-1 I]

[Proficiency of Healing Light reached 100%.]

[Tier-0 IX] → [Tier-0 X]

[Healing Light reached its limit. Initiating Tier progression.]

[Healing Light – Tier-0 X] → [Healing Sphere – Tier-1 I]

[Proficiency of Healing Sphere reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 I] → [Tier-1 III]

…

David skimmed through many notifications, but most were about his Skill Runes’ growth. Since he frequently used Skill Runes for defense, healing, and combat—both up close and ranged—he had various Skills to develop, and that was exactly what they did. Their growth was incredibly fast, but he knew it stemmed from the Blessing of the World and the danger of fighting Regional Bosses, a Rift Boss, and nearly a hundred Giants from various Tribes, ranging from the Peak of Bronze Rank to Silver Rank.

Only after reading the latest notifications did he understand how he had slain so many Giants near the battle’s end.

[An overflow of Origin Essence entered Dao Comprehension, creating a path to profound comprehension.]

[You have acquired the Intent [Bloodlust].]

[You have acquired the Intent [Rend].]

[Your Secondary Class’ Rank increased by three.]

Iron V → Iron VIII

[Body increased by three.]

Low(Intermediate) → Middle(Intermediate)

The only time David had heard about Intents was from Zachariah, which he did not consider very helpful. The Regressor was on another level. Zachariah had, at least, one Intent—the Sword Intent. Zachariah hadn’t mentioned it often, nor had he explained much about it, but David knew that Sword Intent allowed Zachariah to use a portion of the Sword Law at will. He understood that much very well—the memory of Zachariah conjuring small silver swords to stab him out of nowhere was still imprinted in his mind.

However, it was hard to believe that he had just acquired two Intents.

His Secondary Class’ rank increments made sense since [Dao Comprehension] was the Monk’s Legacy Skill. It was only natural that acquiring two Intents through the Legacy would drastically improve the Monk’s Rank. But… how did he acquire the Intents? Rend, specifically.

“Unhappy?”

David looked at Zachariah and shrugged. I think "confused" fits better here.

Zachariah cocked an eyebrow as David continued, “I obtained an Intent earlier—two, to be precise—but one doesn’t really align with the Law of Blood.”

“What did you get?”

“Bloodlust and Rend.”

“You received them without anyone’s influence, right? No transcendent being appeared to grant you the Intents?” Zachariah looked at him as if he were waiting for something.

David shook his head. “Nobody appeared. It’s been a while since I saw Asmodeus and the others. But what is Rend? Have you heard of the Intent? What Law is it from?”

The regressor didn’t answer, but he looked like he was deep in thought.

Was Rend the reason his attacks had felt so much stronger as the battle neared its end? David wondered. It didn’t take much to recognize the crimson hue oozing from him as Bloodlust but Rend was harder to identify.

He willed Rend to life, coating his hand in a gray hue. Up close, it appeared similar to Zachariah’s Sword Intent. However, it felt different, evoking a distinct sensation in David. Rend didn’t seem as versatile as Sword Intent, but that didn’t necessarily mean it was weaker. He materialized the Obsidian Blade, naturally extended Rend—surprisingly easy to control now that he knew it existed—letting it shroud the scimitar before slashing down.

A small portion of Rend shot out in a crescent-shaped projectile. It was faster than his bloody projectiles had been and far more lethal. The crescent projectile struck one of the drained Giant carcasses, ripping through its shoulder.

David whistled, lowering his arm, only to feel the ground tremble. He stared down and noticed the tip of the Obsidian Blade scraping the soil. But what truly caught his eye was the tear forming around the tip where it touched the ground.

“That… is interesting,” David muttered, grinning.

He studied Rend’s abilities a little longer, hoping Zachariah would answer his questions once he was back from his world of thoughts. However, before that could happen, a familiar clattering attracted his attention.

“I couldn’t close the portal to the Giant Tribes, but I restrained them,” Torb said as the space around him began to crack. It split open, revealing familiar terrain. It was the land outside the prehistoric Rift. The Xenoceratops were still present as well.

“You want us to leave already?” Melach chuckled, his eyes widening as he stared at the portal.

“We are done here. I received a notification saying that my Champion mission had been completed with a Perfect Score,” Torb beamed like a fool. “I will become Fortress’ Champion once we’re out of here!!”

Zachariah turned to Torb, whose fists closed and opened but only grunted something incomprehensible before turning back to David.

“So many things are different this time, but you are the most confusing of them all. The World Awakening pulls on my nerves, but I feel like your actions and growth will make me lose my sanity.”

“No problem, I guess?” David was so baffled, he struggled to think of what else to say.

He stood still, trying to interpret the regressor’s words while Zachariah turned to the crack in space. Without hesitation, he walked through it and disappeared. David blinked a few times before following Melach and Torb as they stepped out.

Entering a Rift for the first time had been weird, but he was prepared the second time. The scenery around him shifted as he walked. He slowed, reluctant, as he sensed the Aether density decrease drastically. The ambient Aether was still thick and pure, but it was incomparable to his experience beside the Rift Core. However, the biggest loss for David was the sudden absence of Origin Essence. There was none left for him to absorb.

Not even the messages that popped up before him as he returned to the Earthen Union could dampen his happiness.

[Congratulations! You contributed greatly to the clearance of the prehistoric Rift - Valley of Predation. Your Party used a unique method to take claim of the Rift Core, resulting in additional benefits.]

[Sanctuary Creation has been chosen as the primary reward, therefore reducing the Party’s additional benefits greatly.]

[+1 Attribute Point.]

David barely finished reading the notification when a husky but domineering voice rang in his ears.

“Good job, youngling!”

His head flicked to Torb, who stood before a towering… dwarf? A really big dwarf-looking giant?

David looked more intently at the black-haired dwarf standing opposite Torb and tilted his head. The four-meter-tall figure was translucent. A sheen—a hologram, maybe—he guessed at first. However, something told him there was more to it than that.

The life signals he sensed from the being were far from normal. Could that be the Essence of a transcendent being? David felt immense power from the tall dwarf, but only now did he realize that the figure might actually be Fortress. Could that be?

David had seen Asmodeus and Bereth once, but they’d been shrouded back then. This was different. However, he didn’t doubt for a moment that Asmodeus and Bereth could mop the floor with Fortress.

The Dwarven God felt powerful, even if only a portion of his might had descended to the Earthen Union, but the bits he had sensed from the Ruler of Blood and the Guard of the Eternal Cycle were on another level. They couldn’t be compared.

David heard murmurs from Torb and the transcendent being as they spoke, but he was too engrossed in studying Fortress’ Essence to listen properly. He only turned to them when Zachariah approached the dwarves.

Zachariah walked ahead of Torb, staring straight into Fortress’ eyes as the god glanced at him.

“Do you still remember me, Fortress?”

20

FORTRESS

David felt the tension in the air as Fortress remained silent. Zachariah’s expression soured, his hand twitching toward his blade. Surely, he wasn’t going to do that… right?

But Fortress nodded slowly, his translucent form wavering. That confirmed their suspicion—Fortress still remembered the last Cycle!

“Fuck!” Zachariah cursed, looking like he was about to erupt. Yet, against David’s expectations, the Regressor’s response was surprisingly controlled. “Could you tell us anything about this ordeal, Your Excellency?”

What was that? David stared at Zachariah, watching his rampaging life signals while blood dripped from his clenched fists.

Fortress shook his head this time, and Zachariah cursed again.

“Why…?”

The Dwarven God lifted his hand, stopping the regressor with a wave of his energy.

“I don’t have time for that. You need to figure it out yourself,” Fortress bellowed, his voice domineering. “I won’t waste any more time and effort on this.”

He glanced at Torb, the domineering air no longer shrouding him. Fortress smiled vibrantly at the dwarf. The sudden shift unsettled David, sending a shiver down his spine.

“You provided me with everything I need and more. Your debt will be no more after today. As for your rewards… I agree with the seed of doubt Zachariah has planted in your mind. You will become my Prime Champion.”

David couldn’t help but keep watching Fortress. At first, it seemed like the god regarded Zachariah as an equal—maybe even with some deference—but his attitude shifted quickly. He ignored Zachariah and focused on Torb. Simultaneously, his Essence surged toward the violet Rift and seeped into the ground.

The Dwarven God’s translucent form dimmed rapidly as he distributed his Essence, and the surroundings began to tremble.

David followed the streams of Fortress’ Essence closely but couldn’t look everywhere at once. Stone walls and towers burst from the ground, surrounding the Rift, while the portal crackled loudly and expanded until it was three times its previous size. As expected, dozens of dwarves emerged from the portal, clad in thick plate armor. Their armor clattered, ringing in his ears as he watched lizards taller than warhorses step out, pulling bus-sized carriages.

“All of them are at the Peak of Bronze or already at the Silver Rank,” David blurted out, narrowing his eyes at the life signals unfolding before him. “But they’re stronger than most Protectors.”

The life signals didn’t tell him everything about the dwarves and their lizard mounts, but it showed enough to tell they were all connected to Fortress. Some of his Essence rooted deep in each of them. Not even Torb was like that. David glanced at his friend, then reconsidered. Torb hadn’t been like them before today. Now, however, he had been given more of Fortress’ Essence than all of them combined.

“You’re the dead one,” Fortress said, turning to him, his expression oddly irritated.

Dead one? David frowned deeply.

“Bereth’s youngling,” the Dwarven God laughed heartily. “Do you need help with something?”

His frown deepened, but Fortress didn’t seem to mind.

“To think I would have to listen to a god’s bullshit. That’s not something I expected to happen – not before the integration at least,” David snickered. “I am no one’s youngling. I never accepted Bereth or Asmodeus as my Patron Gods. Though I don’t necessarily dislike them.”

To be honest, he was still unsure what to think of the Pantheon or any transcendent being or organization, but he had warmed up to the thought of overly powerful beings existing.

“But since you’re already asking, I want to keep using the prehistoric Rift. Whether it’s for rampaging the Giant Tribes or to consume all the Origin Essence the Rift Core emanates. The reason shouldn’t matter to you right? Ah, and I won’t accept your Essence, so you better keep it away from me, or… ” He didn’t finish his senses but the meaning of his words was no doubt clear.

Fortress irritated him, and he finally understood why; The Dwarven God’s Essence lurked around him, rubbing his skin like a molester. However, Fortress seemed to be worse than that, his Essence was trying to seep into David’s skin.

He caught Torb’s sharp intake of breath, the silence around them deepening. He could no longer hear the clattering armor of the other dwarves.

What was wrong? David glanced around and met a sea of glares. Judging by their expressions, he must have said something outrageous.

“What’s the issue?” he muttered to Melach, who sighed, grumbling something about his attitude. David tilted his head and returned his gaze to Fortress’ translucent form, certain he had been nice enough.

But even if he had been rude, what did it matter? Fortress’ form was already on the verge of dispersing, leaving him with little to no Essence to waste on killing him. Then again, David didn’t think the Dwarven God was annoyed at him. If anything, he looked intrigued.

"Looks like the dead one is a bit fierce. A little rebel with good perception and decent growth. But is that owed to Zachariah, or..." Fortress shook his head, his expression turning more serious.

Fierce? This is me trying to be polite to someone who used my friend’s family to blackmail him! David felt like shouting, but he chose to be the bigger person and remained silent.

However, Fortress’ tone sharpened, each word striking like a hammer. "Let’s make one thing clear. I do not care if you love or loathe me, but if you harm my people, I will hunt you down, whether the others approve or not."

"That makes no sense," he muttered, trying to figure out what kind of fixation Fortress and his believers had. Were they like chihuahuas—small and bad-tempered at the slightest provocation?

Maybe he had missed something, and Fortress was trying to make an example out of him.

Regardless, Fortress’ words carried some of his Essence, sending a shiver down David’s spine. He felt the Dwarven God’s Essence brush against him, attempting to invade his body. Quickly, he coated himself in Rend and Bloodlust, maintaining eye contact until the last traces of Fortress’ Essence flowed into Torb. He waved the god goodbye, ignoring the glares directed his way.

"I take that as a yes to entering the Rift whenever I please." He caught Torb’s beet-red face out of the corner of his eye and heard Melach mumble something about authority issues. He ignored them and dismissed his Intents.

David noticed Zachariah summoning a blade of Sword Intent—but the Regressor hesitated. Then, with a slow nod, he let the energy fade and patted David’s shoulder.

"Quick thinking. That was good."

Clearing his throat, Zachariah turned to the others. "Our mission is done here. They don’t want us here anyway."

David agreed. He had no plans to stay longer than necessary, not when he was being glared at for casually talking to Fortress—when the Dwarven God was the one who had started it in the first place, which only served to irritate him further.

In any case, the dwarves would be busy for a while, building the Sanctuary, which consisted of more than just a few walls and towers. But he might have been wrong, judging by the scene before him—the stream of dwarves and bus-sized carriages showed no sign of stopping.

Zachariah sighed deeply while Melach spoke in a low, measured tone to Torb. Was he trying to calm him down?

"I will stay here and help them," Torb said in a firm tone, glaring at David. "They need me."

"That’s fine," David agreed, slowing only when the dwarf didn’t stop glaring at him. "I don’t think it’s necessary to say this, but you should understand at this point that no one in the Earthen Union has had anything to do with transcendent beings. At least, not to my knowledge. Too many things have changed in the last few weeks, and the World Awakening and your Champion Mission didn’t make things easier."

He groaned, hating that he had to explain the situation. "I think you can agree with me when I say that I do not care as much for the dwarven gods as you do. But I think it is only fair to put it into perspective."

David pointed at Melach and asked, "Do you worship the dwarven gods as much as you worship Fortress and your other gods?"

Torb was still glaring at him, but his furrowed brow and twitching fingers suggested he was mulling something over. The dwarf shook his head. "We have nothing to do with their gods."

"What about Giant Gods?" David continued, leaned closer to Zachariah, and whispered, "There are Giant Gods, right?"

The Regressor nodded subtly while Torb spat on the ground, his voice filled with fury. "They shall drown in the Rivers of Xartu!”

He had no idea what the Rivers of Xartu were, but it sounded like Torb understood his point. David smiled at his friend and cleared his throat. "Since that’s established… how would you feel if a god you barely knew tried to take advantage of your friends?"

David watched as Torb’s glare wavered. Then, the dwarf’s eyes widened, as if the pieces were clicking into place.

"I… wouldn’t like that." Torb admitted.

"Exactly, and since I am from the Earthen Union, I know none of the gods. In fact, I didn’t even know they existed until the integration. Even then, it was—and still is—hard to believe that all of this truly exists." David spread his arms, gesturing at everything around him, including the horde of Xenoceratps.

"So, to put it mildly, I did not like Fortress because he basically forced you to prepare a Sanctuary for him to repay you for something you never even asked for. At least, not directly."

David still didn’t think he had done anything wrong, but the thought of losing access to the prehistoric Rift, the Dwarven Sanctuary, and more didn’t sit well with him.

Torb’s voice lost its earlier edge, and even his stance seemed more relaxed. “So… you like him now?”

David could barely suppress a laugh. “That’s what you concluded? I can’t say I hate Fortress, but I wouldn’t say I like him either. I am grateful for the power he granted you, and it’s great that we managed to establish another Sanctuary near Arc. It shouldn’t be a problem to work together to fight common enemies. But while I’m happy about your wonderful reward—since I know how much work we had to put into securing the Rift Core—you shouldn’t blindly trust everything your Patron says or does.”

Boundaries were important, especially in a close-knit relationship between a Patron God and his follower. He didn’t like the way Fortress used Torb’s family to move the dwarf like a pawn. However, Torb’s submissive nature and overreaction to a simple snarky comment directed at the Dwarven God irked him even more.

David took a slow breath, forcing himself to stay level-headed. The Earthen Union had devout believers too—ones who’d probably strike him down for speaking ill of their gods. He reminded himself that he didn’t know enough about other races’ cultures to fully grasp their relationships with their deities.

Regardless, it was irritating that Fortress could say whatever he wanted, but when David responded casually, he was treated as if he had committed a sin. Respect had to be earned, and Fortress had been in the negative until today.

“Are you coming with us?” Zachariah asked Melach. The elf’s eyes shifted from Torb to David and back before he nodded.

David sighed deeply and turned away. He hadn’t thought he’d need to justify his behavior to Torb for this long—especially after they had risked their lives helping him claim the Rift Core, securing a natural 3-Star Rift. Thinking about it, David felt his anger boiling up again. He turned away before emotions could get the better of him and started walking.

He heard footsteps behind him and felt a hand on his wrist, holding him back.

“I… I tend to forget that you’re from here. You’re strong, and you seem so used to fighting, killing, and everything… Sorry for acting up like that. We dwarves are very protective of our gods. There aren’t many of us, and it’s rare for one to attain divinity. You may not understand that yet, but while we don’t mind you speaking casually with us, dwarves don’t take kindly to seeing their gods ‘mistreated,’” Torb said, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

David raised an eyebrow but nodded. “It’s fine.”

If anything, it was a good learning experience. At least now, he knew that speaking casually to certain gods might provoke an immediate attack from their followers. While that might seem obvious, his previous experience with the gods showed that they didn’t kill easily. However, that didn’t mean their devout believers would be as restrained.

Fortress didn’t seem to mind. He only took things seriously when it involved his subordinates, David noted, making a mental note. Maybe it was time to do more research on the gods and their followers. It would definitely help him avoid situations like this… until he was strong enough to face them head-on, that is.

Torb, in the meantime, started smiling again. “Thank you for helping me.”

21

NEXT STEP

“So, you mean to say we’re supposed to suck up to these idiots even though it’s obvious they’re taking advantage of their people?” David groaned begrudgingly after Melach explained how most people treated the gods of other races.

“I wouldn’t call it sucking up to them. Just add a ‘Your Excellency’ and don’t be a jerk,” Melach cocked an eyebrow. “And maybe don’t tell a god he’s talking nonsense—at least not in front of him and his people.”

Zachariah patted David’s back. “I don’t like it either, but it’s necessary. For now, at least.”

“For now?” Melach turned to the Regressor. “Don’t tell me…”

Zachariah beamed at the elf. “It won’t take long before they have to be more careful. After all, it’ll be a while before they can descend upon the Earthen Union in their true forms. The World Awakening allowed them to use more of their Essence, but the System restricts the amount of extraterrestrial Essence entering the atmosphere. That’s why Fortress needed the Rift Core and why he was so happy about its level.”

David furrowed his brows, trying to process everything Zachariah said.

“Don’t sweat it. What I’m telling you is that while the System allows all transcendent beings to send their Essence forms onto the Earthen Union, each is only allowed a certain amount of Essence. The restriction loosened a little with the World Awakening, but most transcendent beings either used the extension to form more connections with natives, deploy their Rifts to the Earthen Union, or, like Fortress, used it all together—claiming a native Rift with a Protector.”

Most of Zachariah’s words went over David’s head, but he nodded slowly. “So, you’re saying Fortress spent his entire quota on the Sanctuary’s defenses, promoting Torb and altering the Rift to smuggle in his followers?”

“Yes. From what I can tell, bringing the swarm of dwarves to the Earthen Union should’ve cost more Essence than the gods are allowed to use right now. But since he had a Rift, one stabilized and amplified with Origin Essence, it only cost him an insignificant portion,” Zachariah nodded, his tone growing cold as he added, “And, of course, he tried to affect you with the leftover Essence. Either a weak attempt at scaring you, or he hoped you’d snatch the Essence to absorb it. Fortunately, you blocked him. That was a good move.”

Melach slowed, his eyes narrowing. “He did what?”

“You guys are trouble,” the elf sighed. “I don’t understand how a pair of natives can cause so much chaos in such a short time.”

“We don’t cause it,” Zachariah looked at him, then wavered. “Most of the time. We’re just highly attuned to it.”

“It seems like we attract it. That’s for sure,” David added, exchanging a grin with Zachariah.

Melach shook his head, staring off to the side. “At least we’re getting stronger.”

Right. I’m not the only one growing stronger, David thought. Melach once mentioned that Protectors received a minor version of the Blessing of the World since they granted protection to natives, but David had never considered their growth. It wasn’t important how much others grew, but he was curious how far ahead or behind he was compared to the others.

“How much did the two of you grow?”

Zachariah chuckled. “Enough. I won’t go into detail, but my Body reached Advanced. But that’s not enough. The Blessing of the World is great, but my initial plan was to reach Advanced with all stats before the World Awakening.”

“I had some other things planned as well,” he sighed. “But the World Awakening rendered most of them useless.”

Zachariah’s lips twitched, and he sighed exasperatedly. “Regardless, I’ll have to go with the flow. Most things turned out differently than I’d expected. But that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Arc’s survival is a good thing. As long as we can continue to take advantage of that, we should be fine. Probably.”

David wasn’t too worried. So far, they had survived everything thrown at them. Honestly, the first few days of integration were worse—everything was new, and survival had felt impossible. That was no longer the case. At least David didn’t feel like he was constantly on the verge of death. Most fights were dangerous, but it had been a while since he sustained life-threatening injuries.

He had grown a lot. Checking out his status screen made that much fairly obvious.

Name – David Stears

Primary Class – Lifeweaver

Rank – Bronze VII

Secondary Class - [Monk]

Rank – Iron VIII

Body –Middle(Intermediate)

Mind – Lowest(+)(Intermediate)

Soul – Middle (Intermediate) – 12 Droplets

[Modification]

[Weave Optics] – [Bloodthrone Dominion]

[Laws]

[Law of Blood] – [High(Minor)]

Bloodlust – (Basic)

Rend – (Basic)

[Legacy Skills]

[Dao Comprehension] – [Intermediate]

[Class Skills]

[Weave of Life] – [Tier-2 III]

[Equivalent Exchange] – [Tier-2 II]

[Blood Patch] – [Tier-1 VII]

[Meditation] – [Tier-1 V]

[Reinforce] – [Tier-1 V]

Body – Average – I(0.00%)

Energy Pathways – Subpar– VIII(85.65%)

[Skill Runes]

[Restore] – [Tier-1 XIII]

[Purify] – [Tier-1 III]

[Holy Touch] – [Tier-1 XVI]

[Blessing] – [Tier-1 VIII]

[Blood Aegis] – [Tier-1 IX]

[Symphony Control] – [Tier-1 IV]

[Blood Blast] – [Tier-1 I]

[Slash] – [Tier-0 IX]

[Eagle Eyes] – [Tier-0 VII]

[Healing Sphere] – [Tier-1 III]

[Blood Armor] – [Tier-1 I]

Attribute Points – 4

His status was far better than before. It brought a smile to his lips whenever he looked at it. After all, it showed how much he’d grown in the last few weeks.

However, it also reminded him of how much more he could grow. David had some Skill Runes that were either rarely used or too low in rank to be effective. He’d love to push his Skill Runes to Tier-2, but it would take some time before his first Tier-1 Skill reached Rank XX, initiating its Tier progression.

Zachariah said his Body reached Advanced, so he’s either one rank higher than me or… David tilted his head and glanced at the Regressor.

"What’s your plan?"

"Right now? To reach Arc." Zachariah chuckled. "After? I’m not sure, to be honest. Helping Torb affected some plans. The Dwarven Sanctuary will grow quickly and earn considerable prestige and power in no time. That will benefit Fortress a lot, since the Essence used to empower his subordinates will be nourished as his zealots grow stronger. That, in return, will strengthen Fortress."

Huh? Fortress gets stronger when his believers accumulate more power with his Essence? David hadn’t known that. Was that why he tried to infuse his Essence into him? To gain something if he had grown stronger using Fortress’ Essence?

"Don’t look at me like that. The Divine Connection is usually not worth mentioning because gods expend more Essence than they regain in a short time. However, the World Awakening, combined with the Blessings, will accelerate the process a little. Still, I don’t believe Fortress will receive a lot of power. Not until Torb and the others reach Gold or Platinum Rank, at the very least." Zachariah waved dismissively. "Either way, other transcendent beings scrying us will probably notice what Fortress has done. They’ll try to copy his tactics—if they haven’t already. Some infernal beings will corrupt humans, turning them into puppets to summon the Gates to Pandemonium and beyond."

David still wasn’t sure of their next step, but at least he had a clearer picture of the power struggles between transcendent beings. Judging by Zachariah’s tone, things were about to get messy—not great. Still, it was important to know.

"Either way, back to the topic," Zachariah patted David and Melach on the back. "Since everyone has a Secondary Class at last, we can focus a little more on them. Secondary Classes are harder to train, so we might as well work on them until we reach a satisfactory rank. Of course, we shouldn’t neglect our Skills in the meantime. If we can push some useful Skills to Tier-2, possibly a few additional rank-ups on top, that would be best. For me, that means fighting, concocting, and as little sleep as possible until the Blessing wears off."

That sounded reasonable to David. His plan was to reinforce his Energy Pathways until the System acknowledged them as at least ‘Average.’ To do that, he’d use [Reinforce], supplied with Aether from [Meditation]. Both were Class Skills, meaning Monk would soon reach Bronze Rank. If possible, he’d reach Bronze Rank and initiate the first Class Promotion for his Secondary Class.

I should’ve stayed in the prehistoric Rift. If I had used Origin Essence to feed my body with superior energy, my ranks would’ve increased much faster, David lamented inwardly. He still had some Origin Essence left, but it wouldn’t last forever.

"I can always go back later," he muttered, turning to Zachariah. "Is it reasonable to push Tier-2 Skills to Tier-3, or does that require too much time and effort?"

"I think trading with transcendent beings might be easier at that point. Not for every Skill, but certain Tier-3 Skills aren’t something you’ll be able to procure anytime soon. We can go to the Familia and make a request for specific Tier-3 Skills. If someone connected to the Familia—whether they’re a god or not—has the means to give you the Skill Rune, they can make a request. They’ll demand something from you, and you can start negotiating. The prices are usually exorbitant, but since you’re fairly powerful and located in the Earthen Union, you might find some reasonable offers. Even if there aren’t any, you can always negotiate."

Zachariah snapped his fingers at David. "And you’re a Healer—I forget that sometimes—so some will definitely hire you to heal their Champions and the like in exchange for Skill Slates and much more."

David massaged his temple, trying to process everything. Ranking up his Tier-1 Skills was already frustrating. The idea of pushing Tier-2 Skills to Tier-3? He nearly groaned just thinking about how long that would take.

Regardless, David didn’t see himself replacing [Holy Touch] or [Blessing] anytime soon. They were powerful, and as long as he kept using them in battle, they would naturally grow stronger.

How about replacing less useful Skills with much stronger versions—Skills that have multiple uses? David considered, shrugging inwardly. He couldn’t make a decision if he didn’t know what Skills he wanted to obtain in the first place.

"Let’s get back to Arc first," Melach said. "We have stuff to sell and research to complete."

22

NO BREAK

“Of course, we’re not given any time to relax.” David sneered at the chaos unfolding far ahead.

They were still a few minutes away from returning to Arc, and from the looks of it, their return would have to wait a little longer.

“What’s wrong?” Melach asked, concerned.

“Well…” David’s lips twitched as he channeled Blood into his modified eyes. “It looks like some people found Arc. Humans.”

Hundreds of life signals flickered to life as the power of Blood augmented Bloodthrone Dominion—some potent, others not so much—but the lifeforce swirling before his eyes did not resolve the situation. If anything, it showed him with shocking clarity what was happening in the outskirts of the System Sanctuary.

“More details,” Zachariah said, sensing something was wrong.

“I can see Arc on the horizon, and humans… fighting Arc’s Protectors.”

The Regressor cursed while Melach gasped before springing into a sprint. The elf weaved his wand and conjured an Earthen Elemental from the ground around him in a moment. However, the Elemental was smaller, four-legged, and a lot faster than the Earthen Golem. Melach leaped onto the Earthen Elemental’s back and disappeared.

“I don’t like this,” Zachariah muttered through gritted teeth.

David threw him a look. “You don’t say.”

They stared at each other for a moment and sighed in unison.

David didn’t have to think twice and used his Attribute Points.

[One Attribute Point has been used to enhance the User’s Mind.]

Lowest(+)(Intermediate) → Low(-)(Intermediate)

[Three Attribute Points have been used to enhance the User’s Body.]

Middle (Intermediate) → High(Intermediate)

He discarded the notifications and their changes. Instead, he circulated Blood through his lower body and pressed his feet deep into the ground as he pursued Melach. Zachariah shot past him and followed the elf, catching up before they reached the battlefield.

The distance to the battlefield was cut to a minimum in no time. The others arrived quickly. While he caught up, his head flicking left and right to study the battlefield. He absorbed as many details as possible, but nothing answered the questions racing through his mind.

Which side are we on? David wondered as several flickers of life vanished on the battlefield. Several humans collapsed to the ground and stopped moving. But not only humans died. David leaped high into the air, using crimson shields as springboards to oversee the battlefield, and discovered dead elves, dwarves, tiracs, and other Protectors.

He didn’t know why they were fighting, but he didn’t like it. After the integration, David had spent most of his time in Arc and knew the Protectors sought only to defend the Sanctuary. He was also aware that Arc accepted natives of the Earthen Union into the Sanctuary.

And… there it was. David discovered humans fighting alongside Protectors against fellow humans.

What a mess. He winced, his hair standing on end when he saw a bright flash from below.

First, he noticed several projectiles flying Zachariah’s way, forcing the Regressor to release several silver sword flashes. The incoming projectiles never touched Zachariah, but to David, it looked like they had set something off in him. The Regressor accelerated again, his sword flashing as he cleaved a human in half.

David shuddered. But there was no time to dwell on it as icicles, fireballs, and dark mana projectiles hurtled toward him.

He conjured [Blood Aegis] before him, blocking all damage, but that did not solve all the problems. If anything, it started them.

Now I get it, David thought, suppressing his anger. He could finally understand Zachariah’s actions. The resolution behind the projectiles and the tingle of killing intent directed at him told David everything he needed to know. They wanted to kill them. Thus, they had to die instead.

David jumped to the ground again, casting and overclocking [Blessing] on himself, Zachariah, and Melach—including the Elemental. He dashed at the men and women who had attacked him a moment ago. Before his trip to the prehistoric Rift, it would have been difficult to differentiate them from the rest, but his body modification changed that. Bloodthrone Dominion showed him everything he needed to know. More projectiles headed his way, yet a simple crimson shield blocked them all.

David retaliated with [Blood Blast]. Several crimson projectiles manifested around him and shot toward his enemies. David watched them move and wave their wands, his expression turning grim as he unleashed his newest Intent, Bloodlust. The scenery surrounding him changed instantaneously. Everything around him turned crimson as Bloodlust burst out of David explosively.

More than half of the enemies ahead slowed and froze in their tracks, their eyes widening as if they were about to pop out just before [Blood Blast] struck. A cacophony of sickening crunches resounded as the bloody projectiles pierced their targets.

David’s lips parted instinctively, and a single Word of Power escaped. A moment later, his projectiles exploded. The targets’ eyes trembled—but only once—as the life in them faded. They collapsed to the ground while kill notifications flickered in the corner of his vision.

His stomach churned, and he suppressed a shudder as he realized what the notifications entailed, but he pressed on. He cast [Blood Armor], shrouding himself in a thick, semi-translucent crimson membrane. David found it dull despite its hue, but he continued feeding it energy until all of [Blood Armor]’s components fully manifested. The membrane thickened as solid, plate-like sections formed, interlocking seamlessly.

It was his first time casting [Blood Armor], yet it felt oddly familiar. The solid parts resembled a smaller version of [Blood Aegis], surprising him for a moment. I can modify the armor as I please, he realized, shifting the plates slightly with a thought. He willed more into existence until he was well-protected yet unrestrained.

David moved freely, but he did not evade the incoming attacks. Several weak mana projectiles struck [Blood Armor], the plates absorbing everything. The damage transferred to the crimson membrane, dispersing across it. He felt the impacts clearly, yet the force spread evenly over his body, turning the attacks into a laughingstock. He barely felt them.

The Obsidian Blade, now in scimitar form, materialized in his hand as he reached the last of his attackers. Their life signals flickered wildly. One of them stumbled and fell as she retreated, but David paid her no mind. He applied [Slash] to his weapon and struck the first enemy. The man raised his wand, only to fail at blocking the incoming attack. David severed the wand and cleaved through his chest.

Blood spurted like a fountain, but it got worse as another Word of Power escaped David’s lips. The man’s torso burst open, showering the surroundings in warm blood. A kill notification flashed, but he ignored it, already using [Rend] to attack the next enemy. A man clad in thick leather armor was split in two, while the woman on the ground took a [Blood Blast] between her brows.

Once all enemies who had targeted him with killing intent lay dead, he turned.

Several groups of humans worked together, singling out Protectors and wearing them down before finishing them off. The numerical disadvantage of the Protectors hadn’t been obvious at first, but it was severe. He couldn’t even distinguish the unique life signals of one hundred otherworldly creatures among the hundreds surrounding them.

Though that seemed problematic, Zachariah emerged in the backlines, cutting down humans by the dozen. Nothing stood in his way—not with his speed, strength, and skill. David took note of the ease with which Zachariah killed humans. It was clearly not his first time.

But who am I kidding? This isn’t much different from killing Giants. If anything, it’s easier, David thought, uncertain how to feel.

Fortunately, more humans turned to attack him as their eyes landed on the corpses around him. Their intent to kill was all David needed to forsake any hesitation. He was certain they would show him no mercy if he faltered—so he did not give them a chance.

He recited Words of Power, expanding Bloodlust Intent while conjuring a dozen [Blood Blasts] at once. His enemies squirmed, but some still charged him even as Bloodlust reached them. Those who froze in place, however, died instantly, [Blood Blast] piercing their throats, foreheads, and chests.

More kill notifications flashed in the corner of his vision, but David focused on the figures rushing toward the fallen. He sensed holy power and grimaced.

Clerics? Well, I suppose that makes sense. Even bad guys need healers.

He accessed the Law of Blood, conjuring spikes that erupted from the corpses, impaling the Clerics.

He struggled to describe the sensation in his chest, but something about fighting Clerics irritated him. It shouldn’t have meant anything, yet their presence irked him more than the fight itself. David felt as if his very being found the idea of a Healer aiding his enemies revolting.

He wondered if it was tied to his Class and the moral code of a Lifeweaver but dismissed the thought. Even if his Primary Class had some innate dislike for fighting Healers—or the mere thought of his enemies having one—it wouldn’t change anything.

A humming broadsword came crashing down, but David sidestepped it and drove his blade into his attacker. Though the man—likely a Warrior after his First Class Promotion—seemed stronger, David was faster. Or was it just his reaction speed? No, he realized—the Warrior wasn’t slow. He was hesitant.

He conjured a crimson shield, which shattered as an arrow struck hard. The projectile pierced [Blood Aegis] and cracked one of his armor plates. David channeled more Blood into [Blood Armor], repairing the damage before turning to the ranger. For a moment, he thought the ranger looked familiar—but he was mistaken.

A second arrow came for him just as a woman thrust a spear into his side. David reinforced his shield to weaken the arrow while taking the spear thrust head-on. He removed [Blood Armor] around the impact zone and leaned into the attack, grimacing as the blade pierced his flesh. The spear woman smiled victoriously—but so did David.

He let the spear blade dig deeper as he inched closer, slashing her throat just as her triumphant expression vanished. Terror replaced joy.

In one swift motion, David yanked the spear from his side and cast [Restore] before turning to the last remaining target. He applied [Blessing] and [Holy Touch] to the spear, spun it in one hand, then flexed his muscles as he hurled it at the Hunter. The Hunter released a rapid volley of arrows, slowing the spear as it whipped through the air. However, David wasn’t done. He overclocked [Blood Blast] and released it right behind the spear.

The Hunter leaped aside and vanished into an explosion of dark mist, reappearing a dozen meters away before firing more arrows. David ignored them when he noticed something else—Melach’s four-legged Elemental tearing through the enemy ranks. It lunged at the Hunter, who vanished once more.

David dispatched the last of his attackers before turning to find Zachariah bleeding profusely. The Regressor fought a Swordsman, supported by a Mage, a Healer, and a bow-wielding man—an annoying combination.

The Healer used something akin to [Blessing], though much weaker, channeling only average holy power—his Skill level was clearly inferior. Meanwhile, the Mage wielded abilities similar to Melach’s. However, instead of summoning an Elemental, he conjured earthen spears while setting his Swordsman’s blade ablaze.

David raised an eyebrow and overclocked [Blessing] to cast it on Zachariah. Simultaneously, he used [Symphony Control] to pull their attention toward Zachariah before charging in himself—after removing the Bloodlust Intent, of course.

Zachariah’s sudden surge in strength appeared to catch his enemies off guard. They fought more valiantly, but the Regressor’s speed and power had increased considerably. Several Miniature Swords materialized around him as he struck the Swordsman in rapid succession. He launched the Miniature Swords at his other foes and slashed at a glowing arrow, splitting it in half. However, that left his side open.

Or so it seemed.

The Swordsman accelerated, lunging for the apparent weakness. Maybe the Regressor had the means to block the attack, but David wasn’t willing to take that risk. He overclocked [Blood Aegis], conjuring his strongest shield between the Swordsman’s weapon and Zachariah’s side.

The shield cracked and shattered, but it robbed the Swordsman of his momentum. Zachariah spun, a devious smile forming as he unleashed a rapid flurry of sword slashes, each resembling shimmering starstreams.

A heartbeat later, the Swordsman’s head tumbled to the ground.

23

CLASS ADVANCEMENT

David spared those who did not direct their killing intent at him. He considered that merciful enough, especially after everything the perpetrators had done. Nevertheless, David attacked them with [Blood Blast], shattering bones and leaving gaping holes in their bodies, rendering them defenseless. Maybe that was crueler than killing them, David thought as he watched the injured being carried away, but he did not interfere.

As the battle was nearing its end, David began spreading [Healing Sphere] across the battlefield to heal the wounded Protectors, increasing his efforts after the last perpetrators surrendered. He rushed to the grievously wounded, casting [Weave of Life] to preserve their lives, and attached one of his healing spheres to them. Some received instantaneous healing through [Restore] and two unfortunate Protectors required an overclocked version of the Skill Rune. However, no Protector succumbed to their wounds once he focused on healing them.

If anything, David felt like he was a victim of some Protectors’ incessant chatter. A handful of them—mostly those with the worst wounds—behaved like chatterboxes, which David blamed on their wounds and adrenaline. While it frustrated him, it was also helpful.

So, these idiots approached Arc, saying they would spare everyone’s lives if they surrendered? David frowned deeply as he processed what he heard. It sounded outlandish, yet several Protectors said the same—including natives of the Earthen Union. A small army of humans arrived with several demands, only to kill the Protectors who had left Arc to negotiate—at least, that’s how it seemed. Though it sounded unbelievable, David listened in silence.

“They’re crazy. I don’t know what Demon whipped their brains, but they were stupid to believe we would surrender Arc just because power got to their heads,” one of the wounded cursed, and David nodded silently.

He finished treating the injured on the battlefield and turned to the field littered with human corpses. He shook his head, deciding against draining the remaining traces of lifeforce from the human carcasses, and watched the Protectors loot them. David cocked an eyebrow as he discovered item drops but remained silent as the lifeforce on the battlefield dispersed.

Maybe he was a hypocrite for draining the Giants until no trace of lifeforce remained, yet hesitating with humans, but David didn’t care enough to dwell on it. He shrugged it off and returned to Arc. His eyelids were heavy, and he kept yawning on the way back.

I guess I need some sleep.

He walked away from the battlefield, feeling his mind shutting off as he closed in on the System Sanctuary. Yet, something unnatural caught his attention from the corner of his eye. He approached the side of the main street and removed a small stone, revealing a translucent marble. It didn’t seem like anything special—except for the electrical currents crackling within it. David tilted his head, feeling a faint tingling sensation as he picked it up.

“Did someone lose this?” he wondered. “But what is it in the first place?”

It wasn’t his business, though something about the marble felt odd. David didn’t like the way the marble made him feel. His stomach churned, forcing him to postpone his initial plan. He went to find the captain of the Protectors and caught his interest.

The dwarf turned to him, covered in blood, his face as grim as ever. “You returned in a timely manner. We are grateful for your support. Fewer brave warriors died thanks to your healing and spells.”

“No problem. I’m glad I could help,” David waved dismissively and held out the marble. “I found this near the battlefield. Maybe it belonged to the perpetrators. It might be nothing, but it feels off.”

The Protector Captain took the marble and handed it to one of his underlings. David hoped they would take care of it and uncover its purpose, but there was nothing more he could do. The Protector Captain grumbled something into his beard, nodded curtly at him, and turned away.

David shrugged at that, knowing he did more than was demanded of him and returned to his room to rest. He extended his stay, spending a few currency slates, ordered some food, and finished his meal alone and in silence. Nobody bothered him in his room. Though the day’s events were intriguing, David ignored the thoughts and questions flashing through his mind.

He couldn’t even tell when he fell asleep. The last thing David remembered was falling onto his bed.

It felt like only a moment had passed before his eyes shot open again.

David sat upright and turned to the window, groaning when he saw that it was still dark outside. However, he was not tired anymore. If anything, his mind felt refreshed, and his body was back at its peak. Even his Source felt better than ever, with thirteen Blood droplets filling the energy reservoir.

Thirteen?

He closed his eyes and double-checked his Source, counting the droplets again.

Not wasting any time, he skimmed through his notifications. The kill notifications were dismissed without a second thought, while he only briefly acknowledged the proficiency increases until he reached the most recent ones. One of the last notifications was what he had been looking for.

[Your Source has grown. +1 Blood.]

“I obtained a few Drops in the prehistoric Rift already. How come it increased by one again?” he wondered aloud, but there was no answer.

David shrugged and smiled at the increase. The more Blood, the better, he had no reason to complain.

The Blessing sure is helpful, he thought, listening to his palpitating heart. The increment motivated him to keep going. However, instead of returning to the wild to hunt and fight, David crossed his legs on the bed and activated [Meditation]. He sensed the ambient Aether with greater precision, and it didn’t take long before his pores opened to absorb it.

His Energy Pathways were flooded with Aether until they reached capacity, significantly slowing the influx. David willed the Aether to circulate through his body, making it his before channeling it straight into [Reinforce]’s Rune. The second Class Skill [Reinforce] flashed to life at the influx of Aether, but David did not reinforce his Energy Pathways immediately. Instead, he absorbed more Aether to annex and infuse into his Skill Runes.

He failed to create a perfect cycle to absorb ambient Aether and annex it efficiently until he inserted traces of Origin Essence into it. His initial plan had been to infuse the Origin Essence settled in his body to empower [Reinforce], and that was still the case. However, David adjusted, ensuring he could efficiently absorb and annex ambient Aether while maintaining [Reinforce]. The mental strain bore down on his mind as he balanced using two Class Skills at once, the Aether cycle, and the supply of Origin Essence traces, but David did not dislike it.

He focused on the task ahead and stayed in his room until midday. Only a portion of the stored Origin Essence had been used, but the System had already rewarded him with several notifications.

[Proficiency of Meditation reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 V → Tier-1 VI]

[Proficiency of Reinforce reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 V → Tier-1 VI]

[Reinforcement progress of Energy Pathways reached 100%.]

[Subpar-VIII → Subpar-IX]

[Your Secondary Class’ Rank increased.]

[Iron VIII → Iron IX]

[Your Body has been enhanced.]

[Middle (Intermediate) → Middle (+) (Intermediate)]

Feeling how much he had progressed was already great, but David liked seeing the notifications just as much. They showed him that his effort was not in vain. He closed his eyes with a smile and resumed his work, using more Origin Essence at a time.

David couldn’t tell what time it was when he opened his eyes again, but the sun hadn’t seemed to move an inch. However, the Origin Essence had been used up, more notifications had appeared before him, and he could clearly feel how bloated he was despite not having eaten in a while.

He was close to ranking up again, wasn’t he?

No… that’s not it, he chuckled, checking the new notification as the realization set in.

[Proficiency of Meditation reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 VI → Tier-1 VII]

[Proficiency of Reinforce reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 VI → Tier-1 VII]

[Reinforcement progress of Energy Pathways reached 100%.]

[Subpar-IX → Subpar-X]

[The User’s Energy Pathways reached all requirements to be formally labeled ‘Average’.]

[Subpar-X → Average-I]

[Your Secondary Class’ Rank increased.]

[Iron IX → Iron X]

[Your Body has been enhanced.]

[Middle (+) (Intermediate) → High (-) (Intermediate)]

David was already feeling good about his Body’s improvements, but the next message was even better.

[Your Secondary Class meets all conditions to commence the First Class Advancement. Do you wish to proceed?]

It was different from last time, since he was asked if he wanted to proceed instead of it being forced upon him. However, while it seemed like a good idea to wait in hopes of acquiring a powerful Unique Class by achieving greatness—potentially attracting another transcendent being’s interest and earning their Essence as fuel to augment the Advancement Ritual—David didn’t wait.

Earning support from a transcendent being might have been a great boon, but David felt that postponing the inevitable could make things worse. The Blessing of the World would wear off in a few days. He either used it well, ensuring both Primary and Secondary Classes could profit as much as possible, or he would have to cripple his growth by waiting until he met more requirements to unlock Unique Classes, requirements which he didn’t even know.

“Show me what you got!”

[Commence First Class Advancement (Monk – Secondary Class)]

Golden particles appeared around him, and David grasped them without a second thought. He instinctively cast [Holy Touch], coating his hand before absorbing the golden particles. Several notifications flashed to life, but he dismissed them except for the list of viable Classes to pick from.

…

[Devout Believer (Common+)]

[Berserk Monk (Uncommon)]

[Zealot (Uncommon)]

[Serene Ego (Uncommon+)]

[Fallen Monk (Uncommon+)]

[Splicing Monk (Rare)]

That’s fewer options than I thought, David mused, checking the Class description of Devout Believer, though he hadn’t expected much.

[Devout Believer– (Common+)]

Your faith is deeply ingrained into your identity, influencing your thoughts, actions, and perception of the world. Your belief is not just a principle but a guiding force in your life, shaping your morals, purpose, and decisions.

You are unwavering in your convictions, which is often displayed in your immense dedication to your faith through rituals, prayers, and acts of…

David stopped reading midway, sneering, “What kind of bullshit is that?”

He skimmed through the rest and cursed, “The fuck is that Class Skill? [Prayer], seriously? And an increase of one in Mind whenever I rank up? What’s that supposed to do? Why is the increment shifting from Body to Mind?”

He dismissed Devout Believer without another thought and moved on to Berserk Monk. It improved Body by two for every rank up, which was something he’d been looking forward to, and granted him two Class Skills, but one was called [Rage-fueled Mind], with one line describing the loss of rationality in the heat of battle. While that may fit the Class, especially with a second Class Skill called [Berserk], it was not what David wanted.

He also ignored the Class Zealot after skimming through it and did the same with Fallen Monk, not even bothering to check the Class’ description as he felt a certain instinctive aversion toward it. David did not want to risk it, leaving him with Serene Ego and Splicing Monk.

“. Show me what you got, Splicing Monk,” David muttered.

Your proficiency with Offensive Skill Runes and Intents increases drastically.

A trace of the Law empowering Rend will be used to augment the Skill Runes using weaponry.

Skill Runes [Weaponry], [Splice], and [Material Arts] will fuse to your Source.

Splicing Monks heavily rely on their Comprehension of Weaponry intent and a strong Body to utilize Skills of greater power.

Increasing your Rank will grant you [+2 Body], [1 Attribute Point every two Ranks].

The improvements were a little bit different than expected, and so were the Class Skills, and he couldn’t help but wonder if the Splicing Monk was still considered a Monk, in the first place. Would his Secondary Class still rank up if he were to keep using [Meditation], [Reinforce], and [Dao Comprehension], or would the Class Skills and Legacy Skill become less effective?

Still, receiving a Class revolving around his newest Intent was interesting, though it might not be as useful as he’d hoped.

“Is that my best option?” David murmured, rubbing his chin. He read Serene Ego’s description, but it was not much different from his current Class. Except for two new Class Skills and an increment of +1 Body and +1 Mind for every rank up.

It was one Class Skill and fewer Attribute Points than Splicing Monk offered, but the Class description did not differ much from what he expected a Monk to be described. He was certain Monk’s Class Skills and Legacy Skill would still work, earning Serene Ego some proficiency to rank up. However, the final decision was based on the Class Skills. While he liked Splicing Monk’s Weaponry, Martial Arts, and Splice—even though he did not know exactly how the Skills would work—David was more interested in a different field.

Lifeweaver was already versatile, but Serene Ego’s Class Skills were undoubtedly something Lifeweaver would never be able to obtain.

“[Mind Palace], and [A Body’s Purity]...” He whispered, squinting his eyes, “You know what? Fuck this shit!”

What was there to be afraid of? In the worst case, he could always work tirelessly to ensure the Secondary Class Advancement would be better than the first.

However, deep down, David knew that he was doing the right thing.

[Serene Ego (Uncommon+) has been selected.]

[Your Secondary Class’ Rank increased by one.]

[Iron X] → [Bronze I]

[Mind and Body increased by one.]

24

THE LAST?

David quickly processed the streams of information flooding his mind. He learned the basics of [Mind Palace] and [A Body’s Purity], though there wasn’t much to grasp. From what he could tell, the latter was a passive Skill Rune that enhanced his body’s resilience against all kinds of harmful substances—rotting, poison, and more—while also strengthening him physically. However, as the notification appeared, he barely felt the latter’s effect.

[Class Skills [Mind Palace] and [A Body’s Purity] have been fused to your Source.]

Following the notification, David checked his status for any changes.

[Reinforce] – [Tier-1 VII]

Body – Average – III (0.00%)

Energy Pathways – Average – I (0.00%)

[Mind Palace] – [Lowest – Basic]

[A Body’s Purity] – [Tier-1 I]

He raised an eyebrow at his physique’s improvement. Apparently, his Average Body had increased from I to III, likely thanks to [A Body’s Purity]. If not for [Reinforce], he would never have noticed a difference. He got up from the bed and threw a punch into the air, sending a small shockwave outward—but that was nothing new.

I’m stronger, but the improvement could also be from my Body advancing to High Intermediate, David thought, testing his agility and flexibility before sitting on the edge of his bed again. He was clearly faster, more flexible, and physically stronger, but it was hard to tell how much of that came from [Reinforce]. That left many questions, but there was no need to rush into answering them.

“Calm and decisive. We only have a few days left to make use of the Blessing,” he reminded himself, discarding all thoughts of experimenting with [Reinforce] and his new Skills. [Mind Palace] seemed useful, but when he briefly tapped into its Rune, he realized it consumed even more Aether than [Reinforce].

Creating a palace in his mind could wait.

David got up and left his room, making his way to the bustling market square teeming with dwarves, elves, and other races. He weaved through the crowd until he reached a familiar merchant.

“Merchant Elion.”

David greeted the elven merchant, who turned to him with a deep frown.

“I see you’re overjoyed to see me again.”

Elion rolled his eyes and hissed, “Cut the crap. What do you want?”

“Great customer service,” David commented as he retrieved the item drops from the prehistoric Rift one by one. “I want to sell everything.”

Elion’s eyes widened as more armaments and valuable goods appeared before him.

“And don’t even think about offering me a low price. I don’t feel like wasting my time negotiating today.”

“Esteemed customer, did you not sleep well?” Elion’s tone shifted, but David only frowned at him.

“Okay, okay. I’ll stay silent.”

“These are from a natural, Rare 3-Star Rift. You won’t find goods like these often around here.” He smirked. “For a while, at least.”

Merchant Elion nodded and began inspecting the goods.

After selling the unneeded item drops, David sought out merchants willing to buy monster parts, trading the valuable remains of Giants and prehistoric creatures they had encountered. His pouch was now filled with currency slates, yet the money meant little to him. He had no use for it beyond buying food and securing a roof over his head.

He channeled Blood into his eyes, transforming the Sanctuary into a flickering mass of life signals. Locking onto a familiar one, he found Melach at the Artificer’s home.

When she opened the door, the Tirac Artificer arched a brow.

“What are you doing here? Your Blood Storage won’t be complete anytime soon.”

Anytime soon? That was disappointing. David sighed inwardly but retrieved the Bloodstones harvested from the Stone Giants and handed them to her.

“These are for you. I hope we can lower the price for the Blood Storage with these. They’re all damaged, more or less, but I’m pretty sure you can fix some of them.” He shrugged. “Even if you can’t use them to replicate my Source’s energy reservoir, I know they can contain Blood. So, you might be able to do something useful with them.”

The scales covering the Artificer’s body clattered wildly. “Stone Giants? Are you one of the two crazy humans who visited the natural Rift with Melach and his dwarven friend?”

David caught Melach peeking out from around the corner, bringing a smile to his lips. “I know he’s here. Melach is the reason I came here. Precisely, to give him his share of the profit we made.”

He retrieved a small pouch filled with currency slates from his spatial storage and lobbed it in the elf’s direction. The elf caught it mid-air and smiled wryly back at him.

“I doubt you called your family. Do that, or I will request their information from the Familia and cause a scene when they pick up,” David teased Melach. He didn’t know if it was possible to get the elf’s information from the Familia, but seeing Melach’s face was satisfying enough.

He burst into laughter and left, but not without hearing the Tirac Artificer call him both insane and lucky. Whatever that was supposed to mean.

David shrugged and searched for Zachariah. Finding him turned out to be easier than expected.

He discovered more familiar life signals and returned to the market square, where he found Zachariah leaving the Familia with the Protector Captain. They exchanged a few words, and the Protector Captain gave a slight bow before they separated.

David approached the Regressor with a smile, which Zachariah reciprocated.

“You disappeared after the fight with the bandits. I was almost worried that it was too much for you to handle. Almost,” Zachariah said with a flat smile.

David shrugged. “I pushed my Secondary Class to the Bronze Rank. It took a little bit longer than expected, but I feel much better now. Meditating is really helpful for relieving stress but so is fighting powerful monsters.”

The Regressor raised an eyebrow. “You look better. Though it will take me a while to get used to your crimson eyes. To think you’d undergo a Modification.”

“Either way,” he waved dismissively. “I talked to Protector Kurkur about the bandit attack and mentioned the Dwarven Sanctuary. He seemed surprised, but it looks like he is not one of Fortress’ zealots. If I’m not wrong, the other Dwarven Protectors are not Fortress’ devout believers either. That makes everything a bit easier.”

David nodded in agreement. If the dwarven residents and Protectors located in Arc were all Fortress’ zealots, they would migrate to the Dwarven Sanctuary, transforming Arc into a ghost town. Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad, but David was sure it would cause some problems, given how many Protectors died fighting the Darkai Horde and the bandit attack.

They left the market square and found a secluded spot to talk in private.

“Do you think they will reach out for treaties and trades? If the Sanctuaries were to combine their forces to deal with threats like bandits, their chances of survival would be… higher,” David asked, wondering what would have happened if they hadn’t returned from the prehistoric Rift in time. Only a few human bandits had been powerful enough to consider them a threat, but there had been hundreds. If not for him, Melach, and Zachariah, the situation would have looked different—worse.

“They will be fine. I think Kurkur has a plan.” Zachariah didn’t sound like he was particularly bothered about Arc’s well-being. “I’m more interested in the bandits.”

The bandits? David tilted his head. “Did they interrogate them already?”

The Regressor sighed, clenching his fists. “The interrogation started, but nobody is talking. The Protector Captain approached me to assist with the interrogation. Unfortunately, my interrogation skills aren’t working. The bandits are scared shitless… but instead of talking, they’re just dying.”

David cocked an eyebrow at that. “You accidentally killed them?”

“No, it’s more like a seal—similar to the restraints put on me. You know, the headache and bleeding from all orifices whenever I talk too much about my past.”

“Is it your past or the future you can’t talk about?” David asked.

Zachariah shrugged. “A bit of both, I guess. But it feels like the restrictions are growing weaker. Since Fortress verified that they still remember the last Cycle, the restraints might be loosening. Or maybe it's more accurate to say they eased after I realized that the Pantheon and other transcendent beings still remember the last Cycle.”

“Does that mean you can tell me more?” David’s eyes widened, and his heartbeat accelerated.

The Regressor looked unsure, but he tried regardless. Zachariah told him a bit about the last Cycle and everything he and his allies had gone through. He only stopped when his complexion changed. By the time he finished speaking, Zachariah looked utterly drained, almost lifeless. However, David could sense that the Regressor still had much more to say.

“My initial plan was to reach Advanced in all stats, achieve the Gold Rank, and gather my allies before the World Awakening. Defeating the Mistwalker and several other formidable enemies was also on my to-do list, but I only accomplished half of it. I found William, but I have yet to kill him. The initial plan was to kill him before he finishes his Third Class Advancement, but now—” he sighed. “Now he’s several times stronger than he used to be.”

Zachariah spat on the ground, his expression grim.

William? David frowned, his thoughts drifting to his friend for a moment when the regressor mentioned the name. It couldn’t be the same William, though. His friend was a great guy, and it wasn’t like William was a rare name. David could recall at least half a dozen people named William.

“Everything is different this time,” Zachariah grimaced, distracting David.

David studied the regressor and wondered aloud, “Do you think the Earthen Union has gone through multiple Cycles before this one?”

Zachariah’s head flicked toward him, his eyes narrowing to tiny slits. For a moment, he looked ready to pounce on David, as if he would tear him apart. However, he eased up, his expression contorted in pain.

“I… don’t know. It’s possible. But this time is definitely different than last time. I cannot say anything about the previous Cycles, but I do know that transcendent beings do not have an unlimited supply of Essence. In my Cycle, they did not interfere much. If anything, they only began interfering actively years after the World Awakening.”

David shuddered, realizing what Zachariah meant. “But this time, they started intervening even before the World Awakening.”

“Exactly,” Zachariah nodded, his face souring. “It’s not just the Pantheon—Pandemonium and even Old Ones like Asmodeus joined the ‘game’ long before we finished the tutorial, which was what they called the period before the World Awakening in my Cycle.”

The Regressor suddenly laughed, but it sounded hollow. “Did you know that there are currently more Rifts in our region compared to some countries in the first months of the Integration in the previous Cycle? What does that tell you?”

What does that mean? David tilted his head, his heart pounding in his throat. For one, everything Zachariah had just mentioned indicated that various transcendent beings considered it crucial to intervene and invest in the Earthen Union this time, while it had been unnecessary in the last Cycle.

“I think we are in the last Cycle. The gods are getting impatient—they’re scared,” Zachariah said.

Scared of what? David wondered in silence, noticing blood dripping from the Regressor’s nose.

“Scared of them,” Zachariah added, ignoring the trickling blood even as it transformed into a small stream.

David cast [Healing Sphere], slowing the bleeding, but Zachariah continued speaking. “I don’t think I can tell you much about them, but I should at least tell you that—despite their deep hatred for one another—the Pantheon, the Pandemonium, the Old Ones, and others will fight them together.”

Blood poured from his eyes, ears, and mouth as well, yet Zachariah did not stop.

“Working together against them doesn’t mean the organizations won’t prioritize their own people’s growth. They will give their utmost to strike you down if they deem you too dangerous to keep alive,” Zachariah said, coughing up blood. “Even if it means ensuring their enemies' victory. Not all transcendent beings are selfish, but you do have to be careful of those who are.”

25

THE WAY

Sometimes, he wondered how much his mind could handle. His head throbbed, but not just from listening to Zachariah. David had to use [Healing Sphere] and [Restore] for nearly an hour since the Regressor refused to stop talking.

Zachariah only slowed when speaking about them—he had yet to specify who "they" were—but barely enough for the healing to take effect, ensuring he wouldn’t collapse. Meanwhile, David’s only consolation was that his Skill Runes’ proficiency kept increasing and that tending to Zachariah barely drained his Source.

Regardless, they finally devised a plan—if one could even call it that.

“You should know best which paths to take and which trails to avoid. That feeling—as if your Class is pushing you toward something or warning you away—you know it too,” Zachariah said. “All you have to do is think carefully before making a final decision—or just follow your instincts, depending on what fits better.”

David felt like cussing the Regressor out, but before he could say anything, Zachariah jumped up. A sudden, dangerous aura radiated from him as silver blade currents burst from his body. He unsheathed his sword, his head snapping toward the sky.

“Something’s coming!”

What the—? David’s eyes followed Zachariah’s until they landed on an enormous mass of life. At first, it seemed distant and motionless—but it wasn’t. Not at all. It was closing in—fast and relentlessly.

David shuddered, struggling to comprehend how something could contain so much lifeforce.

“How did something like that end up here!?” Zachariah cursed, mantling his whole body in Sword Intent.

David had numerous questions, but his focus remained locked on the massive creature weaving through the clouds, rising high above the System Sanctuary. He could only see part of its body, but that was enough to induce fear. A serpent-like form, dozens of meters long, with massive, feathered wings that stretched far, eclipsing the afternoon sun.

It hovered above the settlements in silence. An eternity passed in mere seconds.

Then, the creature opened its beak and unleashed a thunderous screech that reverberated through David’s entire body.

His ears rang, and warmth trickled from them, but his eyes never left the beast. He stared in defiance, his heart hammering as the true meaning of domineering power dawned upon him.

Then, something shifted.

The monster opened its beak again—not to screech, but to gather energy. David could sense traces of lifeforce swirling within the black, crackling mass forming inside its mouth.

What was that? He shuddered as the dark energy condensed.

“Use everything you have!” Zachariah shouted, his skin bursting as unfamiliar words escaped his lips. “Now!”

The atmosphere thickened instantly, and the cuts across David’s skin opened wider, longer, deeper.

He glanced at Zachariah, who stood defiant, his sword expanding into a massive, several-meter-long broadsword. The Regressor groaned, blood spurting from his torn skin as he lifted his blade. The sickening crack of breaking bones echoed in David’s ears. His eyes widened as bones jutted from Zachariah’s elbow and shoulder, but the RSegressor showed no sign of noticing.

He only stared at the creature above them, then slashed.

The single strike unleashed a silver crescent beam—smaller than the monster’s fang, yet carrying everything Zachariah could draw from the Sword Law without dying. His eyes dimmed, his life signal flickering dangerously as his legs buckled.

A moment later, the Regressor lost consciousness, final words escaping his lips.

“Not… enough…”

David barely had time to process the attack before the black, crackling mass tore through the sky.

For a moment, he mistook it for a lightning bolt, but that thought disappeared as it obliterated Zachariah’s attack in an instant. He couldn’t even tell if Zachariah’s move had done any damage—the black lightning bolt simply tore through it, continuing its relentless descent. It raced toward the ground, leaving him no time to react.

Good thing I listened to his warning, David thought, continuing where he’d left off.

Time seemed to crawl when he acted. He rapidly recited Words of Power, hoping they were comprehensible enough to work efficiently while moving toward Zachariah. He may not have had the means to heal Zachariah while making his preparations, but he could at least protect him from the aftermath.

The black lightning bolt was about to hit the ground—was it targeting the market square?—when he covered Zachariah with his body. He activated [Blood Armor], overclocking it, and cast [Blessing] on himself and Zachariah. He also blessed [Blood Armor]—of course, overclocked with as much Blood as he could spare—and the dozen massive crimson shields that vibrated with an abundance of Blood as he attached them to the back of [Blood Armor], covering his back and the rest of his body like a tortoise shell.

He cast one last glance toward the market square and cursed inwardly as an explosion echoed. Hundreds of life signals vanished in an instant. Then, a thunderous shockwave struck him.

David cursed as the first [Blood Aegis] shattered. He pressed himself tightly against Zachariah as the second shield followed. The third and fourth broke within seconds, yet all David felt was the staggering amount of Blood draining from his Source.

The shields are too weak. Even the Law augmentation is not enough, he realized, forcing himself to use his lifeforce to empower his Skill Runes. He knew he didn’t have time to hesitate and accessed the Law of Blood, draining a portion of his lifeforce to strengthen the remaining shields as they shattered one after another.

David couldn't tell how much time had passed, but at some point, the thunderous cacophony around him faded. However, he didn’t move, remaining atop Zachariah, expecting a second attack. But the second attack never came.

David maintained his Skill Runes until only a single drop of Blood remained. He looked up, the only sounds reaching his roaring ears being screams of pain and terror.

David’s head darted left and right, but the winged serpent was nowhere to be seen. It had left, leaving Arc in ruins. The structures around them were destroyed, and the plant life burnt to cinders. Even the cobbled street had been obliterated by the thunderous shockwave. Black lightning crackled sporadically, and it wasn’t long before his eyes fell upon the first burned bodies. But there were dozens, most likely ordinary residents.

“Fuck,” he blurted aloud, slumping to the ground. His arms and legs trembled, but his Source was worse off. It tremored violently. Had he overused the Law of Blood again?

David tried not to expect the worst, but if the area around them was already like this, he dreaded what the market square might look like. Only the Sanctuary’s outskirts seemed to have been spared the worst. The life signals he sensed from further away were distressing but mostly intact. Maybe some unfortunate residents had been struck by the weakened remains of the shockwave, injuring them slightly. However, their lives weren’t at risk.

On the other hand… David turned toward the market square, his expression darkening. In the few seconds he took to analyze the situation, dozens of life signals dispersed, and hundreds reached a dangerously low threshold.

His body felt like it was about to fall apart, but he couldn't just sit there. Not with pained screams ringing in his ears.

“Fuck this shit,” David growled, scrambling to his feet. He turned to the Regressor. Zachariah was unconscious, his arms looking like a mangled mess. “At least you’re still alive.”

He rummaged through Zachariah’s stuff until he found the glass vials in his potion belt. David pulled out a healing potion and retrieved a Fragment of Blood from his spatial necklace.

“You better not break me here,” he cursed, whispering Words of Power as he removed the potion’s cork. Next, he crushed the Fragment and dropped the shards into the vial. David swirled the potion, watching as the shards dissolved with the final words of his incantation.

He pressed the glass vial against his lips and emptied it in a single gulp. A gasp escaped him, and he hurled the vial aside before turning back to the Regressor.

“You wouldn’t mind, right?” David muttered as he pressed his palm firmly against Zachariah’s chest. “It’s just a little bit.”

A moment later, he drained a portion of Zachariah’s remaining lifeforce. As he activated [Holy Touch], crimson tendrils unfurled. The ambient Aether crackled dangerously, but David devoured and annexed it greedily. Next, he channeled more Aether into the Source, urging the blood to form naturally, hoping it would compensate for the lifeforce he lacked.

How many can I save with this? David asked himself grimly as he rushed to the market square.

It was a mess. The Familia was gone. A massive crater yawned where their building once stood. Was that the monster’s target? he wondered, turning to the Panthea. The sacred alley leading to the Pantheon still stood, but that didn’t surprise David. It would have been more shocking if the Pantheon had allowed their statues and temples to be destroyed. After all, he knew the Pantheon’s gods were prideful.

But at the end of the day, David didn’t care how the Panthea survived the sudden attack. He was just glad that some people had survived—though none near the impact zone remained unscathed.

David rushed toward them, channeling Blood into his Skill Runes.

He cast [Weave of Life], expanding the weave as much as possible while shouting, “Bring the lethally wounded to the network on the ground!”

It wouldn’t heal anyone, but [Weave of Life] was his best Skill for preserving lives. He added [Healing Spheres] a few times, attaching them to the weave before repeating the process two more times—once in the middle of the Panthea and again at the end of it.

He found several men and women buried beneath a collapsed building near the Panthea. My modified eyes deserve some praise, he thought as he carried them to the weave.

“You! Help, or I’ll make you!” David snarled at a young Tirac cowering among the wounded. He was scratched and bleeding from his head, but his life signals were strong, albeit in disarray. The Tirac was merely afraid and, from the looks of it, unwilling to move.

“I am injured!” the Tirac hissed back, but David wasn’t having it.

In an instant, he appeared before the Tirac, his hands coiling around his scale-covered neck. He didn’t squeeze, killing him had never been the plan. Instead, he unleashed a burst of [Holy Touch], tendrils of holy power latching onto the Tirac and draining his lifeforce.

He spared the man’s life, but just barely. The Tirac crumpled as his lifeforce drained away.

“Fucking selfish piece of shit,” David cursed, tempted to kick the Tirac’s limp body.

But he hesitated.

What… am I doing here? he wondered, struggling to recognize himself. Was it necessary to be so angry at the Tirac? If this had been a few weeks ago, wouldn’t he have acted the same way?

No. I was worse than that piece of crap.

He recalled what he had done to Jake and his little girlfriend. He remembered how he had reacted when the Demon Horde attacked.

Had something changed since then? He couldn’t think of anything.

“Whatever. I’ll think about it later,” David cursed through gritted teeth as the pained screams and groans echoed in his ears.

He had people to rescue. The more, the better.

That’s the way of the Lifeweaver.

David clenched his fists, tapping into his dwindling power, barely recognizing the vibrant glow shrouding his Source.

26

SCHEME

Hollering laughter echoed through the dark hall, a chaotic cacophony drowning out the pained screams and desperate pleas flowing from the ever-shifting images of death and destruction projected at the hall’s center. Each flicker unveiled more chaos. More despair. More death.

However, several projections remained unchanged, their static images depicting even greater discord than the shifting chaos around them. Among them were places that had once been sanctuaries for those seeking refuge.

“Why is he not dead yet?” A deep, fury-laced voice rang out, silencing the laughter.

Several figures turned toward the source of the voice—a being clad in black, oily hide, its eyes like endless voids.

“If you’re talking about this,” one of the figures said, pointing at an unmoving image of a destroyed System Sanctuary, “then you already know Zachariah’s demise is not yet upon us. Though… after his friend drained him, he does seem rather vulnerable…and quite appetizing.”

Another figure snickered. “I wish my spawn were closer. That human is the perfect sustenance⁠—”

“Silence!” the void-eyed figure snapped. “I am not talking about this child of a miserable dog.”

“Are you referring to the fool’s friend?” Another figure, clad in the same oily black hide—a devious being resembling the Darkai—asked.

“You don’t mean the dead child, right?”

All the figures—mostly Infernal Gods—turned toward the Devils speaking, their faces darkening as the void-eyed Devil remained silent for a moment.

“You do mean him. That’s… You do realize he’s fated to die, don’t you? In the previous Cycles, he never⁠—”

The ground beneath the Devil cracked as an explosion of Essence burst from him. “But we are not in the previous Cycle or the ones before that.”

“This cycle is unlike any before it,” he continued, his voice sharp with conviction. “This run means everything, and you should all know that just as well as I do.”

The Infernal Gods exchanged glances—some scowling while others remained motionless.

“That ‘dead child’ never survived the first twenty-four hours of integration,” the Devil growled. “But now? Now he has a Relic, a soulbound weapon, and an exclusive Class made with the Essence of the Eternal Guardian and Asmo-fucking-deus! And that’s not all. Have you checked his System Chart to see what his Modification entails?”

Nobody spoke, but the Devil did not seem to mind. More power erupted from him as he turned to one of the Infernal Gods, a being missing half his face.

“Bloodthrone and Dominion—his eyes bear their mark now. And if I remember correctly, you know exactly what those terms mean better than anyone else here.”

The Infernal God stepped forward, his mutilated face contorted in anger. “You speak of this day as if you escaped unscathed!”

The Devil and the Infernal God clashed. The other Infernal Gods and Devils watched with amusement, relishing the fury filling the air, until one turned back to the unmoving image.

“Since he’s with the fool, he must also know about the regression. Though, the dead child probably doesn’t know what to think of the fool’s words, considering how much has changed. I recall he also humiliated the Pantheon in one of their temples, so he may not necessarily be our enemy. Perhaps… we should corrupt him.” The Infernal God licked his lips in anticipation.

“The dead child won’t succumb to temptation,” another replied. “The Eternal Guardian and an Old One sponsored him. Corruption will not work. Even if it could… The fool and the dead child have been playing around with the fool’s restriction. From the looks of it, those restrictions have loosened since the dwarven youngling exposed a trace of the truth.”

Knowing glances were exchanged.

“You have been watching them,” another Devil noted before turning to the commotion to the left.

He exhaled a stream of green mist and hissed, “You do realize our true nemesis isn’t the Pantheon, don’t you?”

Growls and hisses echoed. Someone muttered about playing a dangerous game, but the Devil ignored it.

“The Pantheon will fall—but not yet. We still need them, just as they need us.”

“I don’t care. We decided to—” one of the Infernal Gods hissed venomously, but the Devil interrupted him.

“I know. We decided to remove the variables that are too hard to control. While Zachariah did not die, we accomplished our goal.”

“So?” the void-eyed Devil growled.

“So,” a calm voice rang out as one of the silent Infernal Gods spoke for the first time, “we play our cards well and proceed.”

He remained eerily calm, a devious smile curling on his lips.

“One of my youngest has prepared something great for Arc. Its destruction was not part of my plan, but that might be for the best. All my youngest desires is revenge,” he added with the same calm demeanor, his eyes shifting into serpentine slits. “He shall rise to great power by reclaiming everything the Pantheon took from us!”

At last, the unmoving picture displaying what was left of Arc changed, unraveling a horde of monsters gathering around a young man.

I am still conscious. David snickered, lying on the ground. His chest heaved heavily, and his clothes clung uncomfortably to his body. But by far, his head was the worst part. Even though he knew better, David was certain someone had struck him in the back of the head with a war hammer hundreds of times—probably even more.

But he smiled through the pain. While he hadn’t saved everyone, he had done everything in his power to help as many as possible.

However, looking at the unconscious figures sprawled beneath the dimming lights of [Weave of Life], he wasn’t sure everyone would be thankful for his service. Draining the lifeforce of so many might have been excessive, even if it was to help others.

But they were useless. At least this way, their existence had meaning, he thought, discarding all worries.

He pushed his trembling arms against the ground and sat upright, his gaze drifting across the Panthea. Most injured survivors and dozens of residents from Arc’s outskirts had gathered in the massive street, but David couldn’t help but wince.

This was all that was left of Arc. It wasn’t much—even if he included the few dozen weak life signals of residents still hiding in the outskirts.

Regardless, he was alive, and he had saved as many as possible. That was all he could do.

Several flashing notifications had distracted him since earlier, but he hadn’t had the time or nerve to check them.

[The Rank of your Primary Class increased by one.]

Bronze VII → Bronze VIII

[Three Attribute Points have been added.]

[Your Source has grown +1 Blood.]

[Proficiency of the Law of Blood has increased.]

…

There were more notifications than expected, but David skimmed through most of them. Several Skill Runes had leveled up from overcoming the ordeal, surviving the monstrosity’s attack, and healing the injured at the expense of his lifeforce—and the lifeforce of others.

“Are we done now?” David asked no one in particular.

“What was that thing?” asked one of the Protectors, a lucky woman who had escaped with only minor injuries.

“How should I know? Your world is filled with creatures like that. The Earthen Union was forced to join the Pantheon less than a month ago…”

The female Protector looked at him and sighed.

David shrugged and lay back, closing his eyes. He deserved some rest.

However, he was shaken awake—only a minute or two later—by panicked shouts.

“Infected are headed this way! Hundreds of them!” a shaken voice cried out.

His eyes fluttered open, and a curse escaped his lips. “Fuck this nonsense!”

The injured around him backed away as he shot up, his Bloodlust seeping into the air.

More residents from the outskirts must have decided to flee to the Panthea, as David could see only a handful of restless signals.

“Can you handle them? I don’t really feel like it…” David turned to the Protectors.

Normally, he would have loved to fight, but his head felt like it was splitting apart. His lifeforce was also at a dangerously low threshold, which would make prolonged combat difficult.

If his head had been fine, everything would have been a little easier, more so if his Source had more than one Blood drop to spare—but that wasn’t the case.

“We…” The female Protector looked at her comrades, her face pale as a sheet.

Why are they so useless? Aren’t they supposed to protect the Sanctuary? David raged in his heart, but a glance at Arc’s market square was enough to calm him. It wasn’t as though the Protectors had a Sanctuary left to defend. Arc, if they could still call it that, was destroyed. It only existed in name at this point.

“Monsters from the west!”

A familiar voice caught David’s attention. He turned to see Melach jumping from his four-legged Earthen Elemental, carrying a Tirac child. He put the child down and helped several residents dismount the Earthen Elemental.

David approached him, ignoring the increasing unease spreading through the Panthea. “Monsters? What kind? How many? And… are you sure they’re coming this way?”

Before Melach could say anything, the Earthen Elemental collapsed to the ground. The elf’s legs gave out, and he fell. David caught him just in time and, ignoring his headache, cast [Restore]. Melach’s complexion improved, and he whispered a “thank you.”

“Tell me—what’s going on here?”

Melach winced. “I… I’m not sure.”

“Then tell me what you think. You look like you have some ideas.”

“Well…” Melach coughed. “I think the timing is odd. First, the bandits’ attack, then the sudden appearance of the winged serpent… and now this?”

Now that he thought about it, David’s eyes widened. “The marble!”

Hadn't he found a marble containing lightning currents after the bandit massacre ended?

If the serpent was after the marble and Kurkur had taken it to the Familia to inspect later… David swallowed hard, his gaze drifting to the crater left behind by the winged serpent’s black lightning bolt.

“Marble?” Melach asked, pulling David from his train of thought.

David quickly explained what had happened after the battle with the bandits. Melach paled again.

“The winged serpent was strong enough to ignore all defensive measures. If it was granted the Essence of an Infernal God, a Devil, or someone else working against the Pantheon, then…” His head snapped toward the Pantheon’s temple, towering over the others.

“Then what?” David hissed impatiently.

Melach cursed. “Then the winged serpent’s attack was likely enhanced by a transcendent being’s Essence. That must have weakened the Panthea’s natural defenses, exposing the Essences imbued in every structure to the rest of the Earthen Union.”

David groaned, realizing Melach’s implication. “And that Essence—other creatures can sense it from tens of kilometers away? That’s why you’re sure the monsters are coming.”

Melach nodded but said nothing more. Maybe that was for the best.

David wanted to tear the Panthea apart. But somehow, his fury vanished, replaced by cold clarity. How? He didn’t know. One moment, he was seething, the next, he was calm.

“That makes this easy. If we don’t have the means to fight the hordes of undead and monsters, we won’t do it,” he said coolly. “We should abandon the Panthea and leave the imbued Essence to the Undead.”

“We cannot do that!” Melach shouted, coughing up blood. “Abandoning our saviors like this is unacceptable!”

“Do you want to die?” David asked sharply, his Bloodlust leaking.

Melach recoiled, his eyes wide. He only calmed when David sighed and pulled his Bloodlust back.

“You don’t want to die, and I’m fairly sure the same applies to everyone else.” He gestured at the others. “That means we have to leave.”

“Or… we fight the hordes and protect Arc.”

“Arc is gone, you idiot!” David hissed, ignoring the heads snapping in his direction. “Look at what’s left of your Sanctuary—it’s destroyed!”

Silence fell over the Panthea, broken only by pained groans and muffled cries.

“Even if we wanted to leave, we can’t,” someone finally spoke after what felt like an eternity. “There are too many unconscious, too many wounded who can’t even walk properly. Can you heal all of them before the attack from both sides? And can you ensure the monsters won’t ambush us as we escape? Our fighting power is close to nil. We have no choice.”

No choice but to die for the Pantheon? Are you fucking kidding me? David wanted to scream at the man, but everyone else was already nodding.

Instead, he turned to Merchant Elion and his comrades, his voice cold as steel. “I know you guys have small spatial storages.”

They flinched as his eyes landed on them, but David couldn’t care less at this moment. If they couldn’t fight, they might as well be of use.

“Show me what you’ve got,” he commanded. “Now!”

27

CHALLENGE

“It looks like the Monster Horde is mostly made up of venomous insects,” one of the mildly injured Protectors said, looking up from a paper slip.

A few Protectors who’d only been lightly wounded had left the Panthea with similar slips earlier, and David finally understood why.

“Can they tell how strong the monsters are? How many are there?” David asked while gesturing to the merchants to move forward. “Show me what you got. Potions—Serums would be even better—and Fragments would be best.”

“There appears to be no Elite among them,” the Protector reported, but then he fell oddly silent.

“What’s the issue?”

“The Undead Horde. There… are not only Infected. If Semian is right, there are also Skeleton Warriors and Undead Riders.”

David grimaced. He didn’t know how strong Skeleton Warriors and Undead Riders were, he had only heard of them for the first time today, but they didn’t sound like pleasant enemies.

He rummaged through several bags that the merchants had managed to carry to the Panthea in time. From what David understood, the residents trusted the Pantheon to protect them, which—as annoying as it sounded in his head—was the case. Their unshakable trust in the Pantheon was the sole reason they had survived.

It was Gods’ grace, as they called it.

David pocketed a few potions when his attention landed on two small vials. Merchant Elion, albeit trembling like a thin branch in a thunderstorm, held them out.

“Mental Fortitude Serum and Recovery Serum.”

David accepted the vials with a smile and drank them without hesitation. The headache dwindled, giving him more headspace to decide what he had to do.

I have too little Blood, David grimaced at the thought, clenching his fists. He closed his eyes, feeling the Source’s strain, and winced. It was possible to use the Law of Blood again, but he couldn’t overdo it. Not after the earlier stunt.

“I sure hope your Recovery Serum works wonders,” he commented, his attention drifting to his status.

[Three Attribute Points have been used to enhance the User’s Body.]

High(Intermediate) → Lowest(Advanced)

He felt the effect immediately. Sickening crunches rang in his ears, followed by searing waves of pain. It was almost like someone was stabbing him with thousands upon thousands of blazing blades.

But while the pain threatened to consume him, David wasn’t given any time to adjust.

The Protector holding the paper slip shuddered. “The first monsters will reach Arc soon.”

That was hardly helpful. David rolled his eyes and turned away from the idiots who couldn’t even get their act together. The situation was a disaster, but what they were doing was a death sentence. If they wanted to survive, they had to move—do something.

His eyes locked onto the tallest temple and deepened.

“If you don’t want your stuff to be ransacked and your power stolen, wouldn’t that be humiliating?, you might as well lift a finger and help us out here. If not…” David thought about it for a moment. “If not, I might as well take the Essence you guys imbued into the Panthea for myself!”

He hoped to receive some sort of response, but nothing happened. Not even a lightning bolt struck him.

Useless pieces of shit, he thought, spinning to the nearest statue.

If the others had agreed to leave, he would have left, even if that meant giving monsters and the undead access to the Divine Essence imbued into the Panthea. But the residents were too stubborn to abandon their gods.

Whatever. If they don’t want to help, then I’ll help myself, David thought, pressing his hand firmly against the nearest statue—a woman he had never seen. She had long hair and a voluptuous chest so exaggerated it seemed like it could break her back.

He shrouded his hand in [Holy Touch] and was about to drain the transcendental power imbued into the statue when, unexpectedly, it flowed into him on its own.

He was pleasantly surprised, but the power entering his body ceased within seconds. David tried to insert every bit of it into his Source, but the power split apart. A portion entered his Source, producing Blood, while the rest formed a Rune.

But the Rune did not resemble any Skill Runes he’d seen before. It was semi-translucent and didn’t connect to his Source.

Notifications flashed to life before his eyes.

[Your selfless actions and drive to protect shall be rewarded.

You have been graced with the power of Unity.]

[Time until the power of Unity disappears: 0H:59M:59S]

The first screen shattered into countless glistening particles after he read it a second time. However, they did not disperse; instead, they reformed into a second notification.

[Unity enables the immediate annexation of all forms of energy.]

David scowled at the message, trying to grasp how he was supposed to make use of it. On a whim, he cast [Holy Touch] and absorbed the ambient Aether—only to annex it instantly.

David swallowed. If he could do that with lifeforce as well... replenishing Blood would be effortless. He could annex both ambient Aether and foreign lifeforce instantaneously. The thought sent a shiver down his spine. Keeping Unity permanently and combining its power with [Meditation] and [Reinforce] would be invaluable… but this would have to be enough for now.

As long as he⁠—

David spun toward the Protectors. “I can handle the insects. Their lifeforce is all I need to wipe out the entire horde. It won’t take long.”

He smiled wryly. “But I can’t fight the Undead and Monsters at the same time.”

Nearby, the merchants were distributing their potions to the Protectors, but it wasn’t enough. The few Protectors still alive were either too wounded or unconscious—just like Zachariah.

A high-pitched voice cut through the air. “Mister, can you take my power?”

David turned to find a child staring up at him. He raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, kid, I don’t have time for this.”

He turned to leave, but small fingers gripped his shirt. Annoyance bubbled inside him, but he hesitated when he met the child’s dead-serious gaze.

“What do you want, kid?”

The little Tirac shuddered but didn’t break eye contact.

“You took my brother’s power to heal others,” the kid said, pointing at an unconscious Tirac. “Do the same with me…please…I want to help too!”

Was that child serious? Did he really want David to drain his lifeforce?

David was about to reject the idea when a resident stepped forward. “That thing, can you do it with me instead? If it helps us survive today, take as much as you need!”

The following seconds unfolded like a miracle. One by one, more residents stepped forward, offering their lifeforce—because it was all they could do to help.

The first few offers caught him off guard, a strange warmth filling his chest. But David did not hesitate. He siphoned their lifeforce until they were on the brink of collapse, simultaneously absorbing ambient Aether. Both were instantly annexed and transformed into Blood, creating enough to cast [Healing Spheres] half a dozen times. He attached the spheres to the worst-wounded Protectors before casting [Restore] on as many as possible.

He helped a dozen to their feet, including Zachariah, who needed two casts of [Healing Sphere] and an overclocked [Restore] before finally regaining consciousness.

But that was enough.

“Undead are coming this way. Kill them with the Protectors.”

David said quickly, casting a wry glance at the statue of the voluptuous woman.

“Thanks a lot,” he murmured, realizing—for the first time—that he was genuinely grateful for the Pantheon’s aid. However, while he appreciated the act of one being, the knowledge that others could have intervened long ago left a sour taste in his mouth.

Why had the others stayed silent while this one had acted?

“But I’m not sure if one hour is enough. How about giving me the power of Unity permanently?”

He didn’t expect a response. One hour of Unity and some Essence to fire up his Blood production was already far more aid than he had ever expected from the Pantheon. But asking didn’t cost anything. It might be rude and cross some boundaries, but he was probably already known as a troublemaker among the gods. So he might as well act accordingly.

However, contrary to his expectations, two notifications flashed before his eyes.

[You have challenged the creator of Unity. Your challenge has been accepted.

Apprehend the Horde of Zehir’s Disciple without any support, and Unity will be yours to keep.

Warning: If the Rune disappears before you succeed, Unity will be lost forever.]

[Failure will bring consequences far worse than Divine Tribulations!]

The second notification felt different as if it had been typed by someone else—maybe Unity’s owner.

“That was you, wasn’t it?” David stared at the statue, smirking.

He did not expect a response, and there was none. Instead of waiting for something that wouldn’t come, he turned to Zachariah and the others. “Take care of the damn Undead. The insects are MINE!”

A wave of bloodlust surged through him as he growled, “I will kill everyone who dares to touch them!”

No more time was wasted in Panthea. He’d used most of his Blood reserves to heal the Protectors, leaving him with a quarter of a droplet, some lifeforce, and an abundance of natural Aether. That had to be enough, David thought as he rushed west toward the life signals appearing on the horizon. More than a dozen had already arrived at the outskirts and entered, with more about to follow.

David cast [Blessing] on himself and accelerated toward the first intact buildings. He leaped onto the rooftop of one of them, conjuring more than a dozen projectiles around him. His Blood reserves were on the verge of drying up, but he released [Blood Blast], killing the creatures that trespassed onto the Sanctuary grounds. The rooftop beneath him cracked as he kick-started, closing the distance to the masses of venomous monsters in one jump.

He took a deep breath, studied the life signals mid-air, and used his remaining Blood to cast [Symphony Control], attaching a black dove to himself.

The closest enemies, hound-sized spiders, were the first to react. They spun toward him and spat a greenish substance. David sidestepped, dodging the first attacks, and noticed the ground sizzling and corroding where the acid landed.

Acid. Nasty stuff. He grimaced and materialized the Obsidian Blade. He cleaved the first spider in two and turned to the second, but blood splattered onto his clothes before he could strike. His clothes sizzled, and the burned smell struck his nostrils.

This was going to be a problem, he thought as he cleaved the second and third spiders in two.

He moved fast, killing several insects in quick succession, but several acid splashes and acidic blood hit him regardless. It couldn’t have been a whole minute before David was forced to de-summon the Platineershirt. His bare body was exposed to the insects, which seemed to double their efforts to bathe him in their substances.

David grunted, coating the Obsidian Blade in [Holy Touch] as soon as his Blood reserves recovered. He increased the speed with which the blade absorbed lifeforce at will, splitting the stream of incoming energy between [Holy Touch] and his soulbound weapon. Bits of lifeforce entered his body, where Unity annexed it instantaneously for him to use or process.

David funneled lifeforce into [Blessing], amplifying the Skill Rune before channeling it into the Obsidian Blade, pushing its lifeforce absorption to the limit.

His Source worked quickly, consuming the incoming lifeforce with every attack, but David was surrounded by insects, forcing him to cast [Purity] as the first warning notifications popped up. He redoubled his efforts, casting [Restore] while silently thanking [A Body’s Purity] for bolstering his resistance to both poison and venom.

Once his body was brimming with lifeforce and natural Aether, David let the attacks come. He let the acid splash onto him, ignoring the incoming claws and bites. If anything, David studied their movements and beheaded them at the peaks of their strikes.

He was drenched in blood, venom, and acid, but despite his body breaking down, his smile never faded. He had an Advanced Body, a powerful blade that granted him infinite lifeforce, given the circumstances, and an opportunity to acquire an incredibly powerful Rune permanently.

He would not waste this opportunity, no matter how much he had to endure!

28

MIGRATION

"Who the hell did it!?" David growled, stomping into Arc.

Acid splattered onto the ground, sizzling on the cobbled street as he searched for the culprit, waves of anger flooded every part of his body.

He was certain he got them all, yet the power of Unity disappeared. Some Skills had leveled up, but that was all he had gained from slaying hundreds of venomous cretins—for enduring an hour filled with nothing but pain as the acid burned his skin and flesh while the venom corroded him from the inside out. The gains were not enough. Not after he had experienced the power of Unity.

He charged through Arc’s outskirts, coating his body in [Holy Touch] to remove the remaining acid burning his skin and flesh, then cast [Restore] and [Purify] to cleanse the venom filling his body. The healing process was slower than usual, but that was the least of his concerns at this moment.

Who stole Unity from him?

His gaze drifted across Arc, and it was not long before he found a faint life signal near Arc’s outskirts. It looked weak—ill. David leaped across the ruins of a building and charged toward the life signals, where he found the corpse of a spider. There he was; the man responsible for the loss of Unity!

David’s anger rose to his head, but he studied the perpetrator before a word escaped his lips. The perpetrator was not a man. It was a… child?

His eyes narrowed to tiny slits as he approached the young Tirac. They held a small dagger coated in green blood in their trembling hands and stood frozen. The spider had bitten them, and the venom was spreading fast. The child, if they weren’t treated in time, was fated to die in the next few minutes. However, instead of looking at him with fear, the child stared at him in defiance.

"I did what I had to do," they whispered. "Protecting my mother is more⁠—"

The child’s legs caved in, and it slumped to the ground, heaving heavily. It was only at this moment that he discovered a dying life signal behind the child. It was an older Tirac. A female—the child’s mother. He hadn’t noticed her, as all that helped her stay alive were traces of life.

David stepped closer, noting the child stirring, trying to rise to its feet, but he planted his hand on the child’s head, ruffling their short hair. "Forget what I said earlier. You did a good job."

Fuck this shit, he cursed inwardly, but it was not like he could hold the child accountable for protecting its mother.

He cast [Weave of Life], attached an overclocked [Healing Sphere] to both of them, and forwarded a mixture of [Purify], [Holy Touch], and [Restore] to cleanse and heal both child and mother.

The child’s condition improved quickly, and they jumped to their feet, clutching the dagger handle tightly.

"I won’t do anything to your mother. Other than healing her," David said, trying to reassure the child, but they didn’t budge.

Could they sense his anger? Or were they still wary from his earlier outburst? Either way, the Tirac were safe, though he would love to know why they weren’t in the Panthea like everyone else. If they had been in the Panthea, he would have found the escapee and kept Unity.

But there was nothing he could do about it now. David had to accept his loss, even if it hurt. The power of Unity would have been great.

Maybe I can find a similar Skill Rune somewhere.

"Are you really not giving Unity to him? I was certain you would sponsor him. I mean, he is not a bad specimen if we ignore his personality," a deep voice echoed through a small, pristine hall covered in dozens of murals displaying worlds. Every world looked different, but they had one thing in common. A luminous figure of a woman shrouded the worlds, embracing them tightly. The woman, her golden hair cascading to the ground, smiled lovingly at the worlds as if they were her children.

"He failed the challenge," a voluptuous woman, resembling the murals engraved into the pristine walls, responded lightheartedly.

"But…" the whisper of a voice resounded.

The woman chuckled, turning to a small trinket filled with silver liquid. She tapped it, and images surfaced in the liquid, replaying the horrifying incident that destroyed Arc.

“Yes, I am interested in him.” She nodded. However, no kindness shone in her eyes as she stared at the changing images in the trinket. Instead, they held a withering sharpness. “Don’t you think he is interesting?”

“Why? He is just one of countless dead ones who managed to survive thanks to the Cycles.”

She snickered. “You don’t get it, do you?”

Her attention drifted left to a shadow. “Bereth ensured his survival. This young and promising fledgling would have died without Bereth’s help. You don’t know that thing as well as I do, so you might not understand the Guardian’s antics, but he would never do something like that. Not unless he was one hundred percent certain it was necessary—that a man fated to die was the key.”

The shadow stirred and separated from the ground. It turned to mist and formed a small, humanoid shape.

“Didn’t Bereth contribute to Zachariah’s regression? Because of him, my poor youngling lost her memories instead!” the shadow spat, but the woman waved her hand dismissively, her eyes trained on David as he stomped through Arc.

“You think Bereth vouched for Zachariah for the dead child? Why would he do something like that?”

“I don’t know.” The woman smiled, her golden irises glowing brightly as she looked at the shadow. “And that’s what makes it even more interesting.”

When the Protectors returned, David healed them along with Zachariah. The Regressor’s voice rang in his ears, but he couldn’t understand a single word. His eyelids grew heavier, and he closed his eyes, paying the price for pushing his mind, soul, and body beyond their limits. Sleep overtook him.

David had no sense of how much time had passed when his eyes fluttered open. Had it been an hour? A day? He leaned against a statue, scanning the faces around him, and sighed deeply. It hadn’t been a dream. Arc was still destroyed, and most of its population had been killed on the spot.

He saw fear flickering in their life signals, the uncertainty of what lay ahead weighing heavily upon them.

“I was worried you wouldn’t wake up,” the Tirac Artificer said.

David turned to her without so much as a change in expression. She just smiled and pointed at something beside him. “I removed it. Wasn’t sure how much energy—or Blood—you channeled into it.”

He glanced to the right, only to see his storage necklace pressed firmly into the street. David picked it up, straining his muscles until Blood entered its reservoir. The necklace felt almost weightless once Blood circulated through it, bringing a smile to his face. He filled the necklace to the brim and put it on.

“How long was I asleep?”

The Artificer shrugged. “A few hours, probably. Not long enough for us to decide what we’re going to do, though.”

David leaned forward at that. Arc was in ruins—did they really think they could rebuild the Sanctuary?

“You lack Protectors and the materials to rebuild the Sanctuary,” he said flatly. One Horde was all it took to kill the remaining Protectors. Even if David wished Arc’s people the best, he wouldn’t sacrifice his plans to stay there forever. Even if he remained in Arc temporarily, monsters could attack the ruined Sanctuary while he and Zachariah raided other Rifts.

“I think the same. The connection to the other Familia branches has been severed, and the portal to the Vault and other worlds has been cut as well. There will be no more reinforcement from the other worlds or the Pantheon’s forces,” the Artificer said in the same neutral tone. However, her eyes looked empty as she stared at the statue behind him. “And the gods retracted their power. They gave up on Arc, on us.”

True, David thought. He couldn’t sense the oppressive presence of the gods anymore. The Panthea of Arc, once a place of reverence—overflowing with the power and influence of the Pantheon—was no more. Only the buildings remained.

"Maybe it’s better that way." He shrugged, which earned him a spiteful stare from the Tirac Artificer. "I mean, think about it. If they hadn’t retracted their power, more monsters would have forced their way into Arc. Stronger monsters."

He didn’t know if they had withdrawn their power for selfish reasons, and to be fair, it mattered little to David. But it was a fact that monsters wouldn’t be drawn to something that was no longer there.

The Artificer’s expression eased, and her lips curled into a faint smile. "I hope you’re right. If not…"

"So," David cut in, "does anyone have a plan?"

"Yep," Zachariah’s voice rang out. "We will move to the Dwarven Sanctuary."

Oh? David tilted his head. Moving straight to the Dwarven Sanctuary? That was quite convenient. Almost too convenient.

"I see." He nodded. "In that case, you guys can make yourselves comfortable in the Dwarven Sanctuary while I settle in the prehistoric Rift."

He licked his lips at the thought of returning to the natural Rift. It belonged to Fortress, but the Dwarven God had never forbidden him from entering or from claiming a monopoly on the Rift Core and its Origin Essence.

That didn’t necessarily mean David had permission to take all the Origin Essence, but he doubted the dwarves would stop him.

Even if they try to stop me… David smiled at the thought.

Maybe moving to the Dwarven Sanctuary would be interesting.

Moving nearly 200 people to the Dwarven Sanctuary was easier and faster than expected. Everyone was exhausted, and the few Protectors who had survived the encounter with the Undead Horde were still injured, but they did not run into any wild monsters along the way. They traveled on the highway with the few things they had managed to salvage and didn’t stop moving until they reached the massive gates of the Dwarven Sanctuary.

The gates were already wide open, and Torb emerged, his lips curved into a faint but sorrowful smile.

"Fortress informed me about the incident. What a disaster…" the dwarf said, sighing deeply. "But I’m glad you and the others are fine. Come inside. We have enough space for everyone."

Torb led them in, but David barely paid attention to their surroundings. His focus was on his friend instead. It hadn’t been long since they parted ways, but the dwarf looked… different. His shoulders were broader than before, and if David wasn’t mistaken, Torb was also a little taller. His physical changes were impressive, and so was the armor he wore. It pulsed vividly with energy as if alive. But what struck David the most was Torb’s posture and the change in his attitude.

He appeared more confident. Different, but not in a bad way. More reliable, grounded.

More dwarves greeted them, carrying trays filled with food. They shared food and water with Arc’s residents and tended to the wounded and exhausted.

"Unfortunately, while we wish to grant everyone lodging, we cannot do that. Our workers are giving their utmost, but we did not expect, well, any of this, to be honest," Torb said.

David hadn’t expected anything grand from the Dwarven Sanctuary. It hadn’t been established for long, after all. But that was also why he and, from the looks of it, others as well, were so surprised to see rows of dozens of houses spread throughout the Sanctuary’s center.

"Fortress will take care of your well-being at no cost until lodging has been prepared," Torb added with a smile, but David only raised an eyebrow.

Why does it feel like Fortress will extort us once everyone has a roof over their heads? he wondered.

But it wasn’t as if he had stayed in Arc for free, either. He had paid for his lodging. Not much would change, or so David hoped.

From his experience with the Dwarven God, Fortress wasn’t a bad god. He was greedy but focused on the well-being of his people.

David could live with that.

29

THEM

His eyes fluttered open to a crimson sky. There were no clouds or a sun, for that matter.

David sat upright, but the landscape remained unchanged. He was not in the Dwarven Sanctuary, lying on one of the mattresses they’d ransacked in Arc. To be fair, he was probably not even in the Earthen Union. It was hard to tell, as everything around him was crimson.

“I went to sleep and then…” David mumbled, trying to recollect what had happened. But there was nothing. He had gone to sleep and woken up in this crimson world? That didn’t sound right, but it wasn’t like he understood where he was in the first place.

“This is my Domain. Cozy, ain’t it?”

A crimson cloud gathered before his eyes, first forming a large face before shifting into a humanoid figure.

“Asmodeus?”

David jumped to his feet, letting Blood surge into his eyes. The effect was weaker than expected, but it was enough to see the minuscule threads connecting the crimson figure to the world—this Domain—around them.

“Did you bring me here?”

“I don’t know. Did I do that?” Asmodeus replied with a shrug, his tone laced with ridicule.

Fuck you. This isn’t funny.

David grumbled inwardly while casting [Holy Touch]. A bloody tendril oozed from his palm and connected to Asmodeus’ threads.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Asmodeus said, though he didn’t move an inch as David ignored the Ruler of Blood.

He continued, tapping into the power surging through the minuscule threads. They didn’t resist him. Instead, they integrated the holy tendril seamlessly into their network, flooding David with immense power.

He couldn’t even process what was happening as the energy tore through his Energy Pathways, ripping them apart. But it didn’t stop there. It surged through his veins, following his blood to his heart. It felt like an eternity, yet only a quarter of a second had passed before his heart exploded.

David felt it clearly—death.

His eyes widened momentarily as realization dawned upon him, and he collapsed to the ground.

Move! He wanted to scream, but his body no longer obeyed him.

He was dying.

“I told you,” Asmodeus sighed. “It’s not that I don’t want to show off my power. You just can’t handle it.”

A snap resounded in his ears, and his eyes were forcefully shut.

David was certain death loomed over him—but nothing happened. He kept his eyes shut even as he regained control of his body, expecting to die at any moment.

“How much longer are you going to play dead, kid?” Asmodeus chuckled.

David opened his eyes to look straight at the crimson figure once again. He was standing—when had he gotten up from the ground?—and his heart was intact.

“What was that?” he asked, but the Ruler of Blood waved dismissively.

“Death. Precisely, death by stupidity.”

David narrowed his eyes, which seemed to amuse the crimson figure.

“Are you angry? That’s interesting. I was sure you chose your Secondary Class to get your emotions under control. Then again, you didn’t kill the Tirac child. That would have been interesting. Maybe you would have received Unity—you know, for killing the kid who killed your prey.”

Asmodeus laughed, his crimson figure transforming back into a massive face.

“Seraphine would have loved that. Or maybe she wouldn’t have. I wonder what she would have done. It’s the first time she intervened in the Earthen Union’s business.”

“What do you want?” David interrupted. Listening to Asmodeus was irritating—more so than the Pantheon’s silence.

“Are you here to give me something? Maybe Unity? Or something with similar powers?”

“Of course not.” Asmodeus stopped laughing. “Unity is Seraphine’s thing. And since you failed the challenge, you will never procure it. Well… except if you kill her. If you want to give it a try, go for it. I won’t stop you. If anything, I’ll cheer for you from the back.”

“So…”

“So,” Asmodeus cleared his throat, “I wanted to show you something interesting.”

The Ruler’s face expanded suddenly, showing him images—some still, others moving.

First, David saw Arc, or what was left of it, but the scenery changed quickly as the image zoomed out, revealing the country, the continent, and finally the whole Earthen Union. He didn’t notice anything amiss at first. Of course, some regions looked different than before—mountain ranges had appeared where plains once were, flora had flourished and swallowed whatever remained of civilization before the Pantheon’s integration—but that was only the beginning.

Creatures appeared in the oceans, on land, and in the sky. They were large enough to be seen even as the whole Earthen Union unfolded before him as a head-sized globe. The creatures had to be massive in reality, yet David wasn’t afraid of them. It didn’t feel like Asmodeus wanted to show him these behemoths.

It’s something else, David thought as he silently studied the Earthen Union while it changed again. Time seemed to pass, and the flora expanded further. But so did a sudden darkness, creeping across certain parts of the Earthen Union. It stretched out, slowly at first, but the process accelerated rapidly until the entire planet transformed into a ball of darkness.

No, it wasn’t just darkness.

Something felt off when David studied it more closely.

The Earthen Union’s lifeforce… is no more, he thought, eyes widening.

“Wha—”

“No questions,” Asmodeus said, his voice devoid of the joy and madness from earlier.

David took the hint and kept watching. Time seemed to reverse as the Earthen Union spun backward, transforming back into a bright, flourishing planet. The process repeated itself again, only faster this time. The life-draining darkness emerged sooner, consuming the Earthen Union at an accelerated pace.

But the vision wasn’t over. The Earthen Union rewound once more, the cycle repeating. This time, more planets appeared in the crimson fog—worlds he had never seen before—but David remained silent, watching.

On the third iteration, the Earthen Union was devoured more slowly, yet something about the other planets had changed.

He observed the fourth, the fifth, and countless more until hundreds of worlds unfolded before him, each seemingly connected and infected by the events unfolding in the Earthen Union.

“The Cycles…” he muttered after what felt like dozens of repetitions. “Why are you showing me this?”

No response.

“Right, no questions.” David grimaced and shuddered as he watched the life-draining darkness consume the Earthen Union and its surrounding worlds.

Again, the withered planet reverted to its original state—but the other worlds did not. They vanished, revealing the Earthen Union and the vastness of space in full clarity. Yet something was different this time. Details he hadn’t noticed before now stood out—like the sparks of light scattered in the void near the Earthen Union and the pitch-black life signals forming on its surface.

He infused Blood into his eyes but couldn’t discern anything more about the dark life signals. There were only a handful, yet an instinctive fear took root in him.

“These things… are they ‘them’?” he asked, but Asmodeus remained silent. Instead, the image shifted again, zooming in on the sparks in space. As the vision cleared, David saw dozens of figures hovering before a thin crack in reality. His gaze landed on one of them—a god of the Pantheon—but his attention was drawn to the crack itself.

Small. Insignificant. Something he never would have noticed. Until now.

He stared at it and stumbled backward, his heart racing as fear consumed him. Something oozed from the crack. Not much, but enough. Enough for David to know that whatever lay beyond was worse than the black life signals on the Earthen Union.

“Is that the current Cycle?” he asked, hesitating.

This time, the image dispersed, and the crimson fog reshaped itself into a humanoid figure.

“The situation is getting out of control,” Asmodeus answered quietly. “And we’ve learned not to speak too much about them or their actions. It gives them power. Even the weakest of them can accumulate enough strength to rival the gods.”

David shuddered, trying to process what he had just learned. He had known about the Cycles, had even heard of the existence of ‘something’ Zachariah cryptically referred to as them, but accepting that these beings could grow strong enough to fight gods simply by being known—how did that make sense?

It was hard to believe, yet the Ruler of Blood looked serious, which seemed rare.

“If they gain power from being known, why did you tell me about them?”

Asmodeus sighed. “That fool is always thinking and talking about them anyway. The others might not approve, but at least now you won’t have to bother Zachariah about it. The long-term benefits outweigh the short-term risks. Or I’ll get whipped later when the cosmos collapses. We’ll see about that.”

He shrugged, his crimson form inching closer. “There’s also been a rather unpleasant change in the plans of some of my…colleagues. And you’re behaving differently than anticipated. While you use my power, you wield it differently from me. Not all the time, but your focus on Lifeforce and Essence is intriguing. The System must have sensed your compatibility with my Essence and Bereth’s.”

Asmodeus’ crimson fog surged high above him, forcing David to look up.

“You should focus on your Intent and your growing affinity for Essence. I am still the Ruler of Blood, and I won’t surrender my title anytime soon. Plus, your talent with the Law of Blood is passable, but nothing remarkable. That’s great for a mortal, since I’m comparing you to minor gods and other trashy immortals, but it’s not enough. Not if you want the strength to help us in the future.”

David raised an eyebrow at the last part but remained silent.

“The Law of Blood has kept you alive. It fits your Primary Class well, but never rely on the Laws gifted by other gods and Rulers. After all, the Law does not belong to you.”

Asmodeus’ tone was eerily calm, making David’s hair stand on end.

For a moment, he braced himself, half-expecting the Ruler of Blood to strip the Law of Blood away from him, but nothing happened.

“You have a Legacy Skill, and you comprehended an Intent on your own. Make use of it. Be better than the fool.”

The crimson world dimmed as his final words echoed. Yet, Asmodeus wasn’t finished.

“It looks like my time is up,” he sighed again. “Listen to my advice. As much as you love to fight, and believe me, I enjoy watching your bloody massacres, you should keep your anger in check for a while.”

Huh?

Numerous questions tormented his mind, but he couldn’t voice them.

Asmodeus’ Domain disappeared, and darkness swallowed him once more.

30

TAMED CREATURES

The starry, cloudless sky greeted him as his eyes shot up. He sat upright, pressing his hand firmly against his chest, and shuddered.

What the hell was that? David cursed and shuddered as a gust brushed against his sweat-drenched clothes.

He cast [Purify], knowing it wouldn’t remove the sweat seeping into his clothes, but using the Rune made him feel cleaner, nonetheless. Did it affect my mental state as well? he wondered, but the answer did not come to him. Even so, it made him feel better.

Maybe it was just the placebo effect.

But while it felt like the Rune helped, it did nothing to ease his confusion—let alone the frustration weighing on his heart.

“Keep your anger in check?” he hissed in a low voice. What was that about? Did Asmodeus really waste the limited amount of Essence he could use in the Earthen Union just to tell him to relax?

David doubted that had been the Ruler of Blood’s priority, but was he implying a fight was coming? He tilted his head, trying to interpret Asmodeus’ words—but it was harder than he expected. Was there another bloody battle waiting for me?

Odd. His heart wasn’t racing at the thought of another massacre. Not this time. After everything David had experienced—what he had seen—in the crimson world, he did not feel like fighting.

If anything, he shuddered. Was it fear? Hesitation? He couldn’t tell.

“Lost,” he muttered. Maybe that was the most fitting.

He considered talking to Zachariah about everything but quickly decided against it.

Will talking about the Cycles give ‘them’ power as well? David couldn’t tell. He was certain Asmodeus had said something about mentioning them and their actions granting them power. Since it seemed like the Cycles were used to avoid utter destruction, talking about them was probably already problematic.

It was probably best to stop discussing Zachariah’s past and the things he had experienced. But that thought opened another string of questions.

Was it important who talked about them, or did they receive a certain boost in power regardless? David recalled Fortress avoiding any discussion with Zachariah about their past encounter. The Dwarven God had not stopped Zachariah from speaking, but he had stayed silent—hinting that who talked about the last Cycles and ‘their’ actions mattered.

Regardless, David couldn’t be certain.

“Whatever.” David adjusted himself on the mattress, crossing his legs.

He activated [Meditation]. His pores opened to the ambient Aether, flooding his body in an instant. Once he was full, he activated [Mind Palace] for the first time. The Class Rune stirred, forming a strong suctioning force that drained his natural Aether rapidly.

David quickly noticed that [Mind Palace] required even more energy than [Reinforce], but he could sustain it by drawing in the ambient Aether surrounding him.

He tested his newest Class Skill before following the Rune’s guidance. He entered his mind space, watching torrents of Aether crash against each other.

David observed the torrents first, but they revealed nothing useful—so he forced them into submission. Controlling them wasn’t as easy as expected.

Why does Aether turn so violent after leaving [Mind Palace]? he wondered, inspecting the natural Aether being sucked into the Class Skill and how [Mind Palace] changed its properties as it emanated from the Rune. It was almost entirely different—wild but also tangible.

But while the torrents of Aether were chaotic, David could still control them. It strained his mental capacity, regardless. Maybe that was the point.

David willed the torrents and stretched them out, creating tangible streams of Aether. Following [Mind Palace]’s guidance, he intertwined the streams, weaving them into a delicate web. At first, it resembled a cobweb, but the gaps in the structure filled quickly as more Aether streams formed.

Time was not perceptible in the mind space. A few minutes or whole days could have passed as the twentieth Aether stream formed. David stopped channeling Aether into the Class Skill, completing the first step in building the palace that would fortify his mind.

It was hard to tell how a simple net of Aether would form the Mind Palace, but David knew it would strengthen his mind. As he progressed in building the Mind Palace, its foundation would grow stronger—at least, that was what he had learned from the Class Skill’s knowledge.

Pinpointing changes to his mind’s foundation was difficult, especially when he was mentally drained and on the verge of sleep.

But there was no time to rest. He was certain Zachariah would thrash him if he wasted the precious time they had left under the Blessing of the World by sleeping.

It was already late morning when David opened his eyes again. The mattresses around him were empty. With a sigh, he got up.

The previous night’s events still weighed on him, but there was nothing he could do about it. Everything was changing—fast. Maybe too fast. David could barely keep up… or was he falling behind? It was hard to tell. All he could do was give his utmost.

He shrugged and turned to look at the Rift leading to the prehistoric valley. Occupying the Rift Core and absorbing as much Origin Essence as possible sounded promising. But before he could dwell on the thought, the ground trembled nearby. A loud bleat rang in his ears. David turned and found himself face-to-face with a Xenoceratop staring at him.

He recoiled. What was a dinosaur doing inside the Dwarven Sanctuary? And it wasn’t alone—he sensed two dozen Xenoceratops, along with Utahraptors and other prehistoric creatures.

“Did they tame them?” His hair stood on end. He abandoned the idea of entering the prehistoric Rift—for now.

Instead, he chose to roam the Dwarven Sanctuary, investigating the changes. His strides led him to the Sanctuary’s center. It was as crowded as Arc had been, but the atmosphere felt different. Arc’s former residents seemed incredibly tense, even as they conversed with the dwarves. He saw dozens of them assisting in various tasks, including former Protectors.

David spoke to some people, listened to their complaints, and patted their backs absentmindedly. But his attention kept drifting to the dwarves riding prehistoric monsters through the Sanctuary. The sight of the creatures pulling carriages was intriguing, but the concept of taming prehistoric beasts lingered in his mind.

The more he thought about it, the more appealing it became—yet he lacked the means. Furthermore, he knew himself well; he would get attached to the creatures. Losing them, which seemed highly likely given last night’s revelation, was not something he wanted to experience.

After gathering enough information, he left. From what he had observed, everyone was being treated well. The real problem was the rent. Nobody expected to stay in the Sanctuary for free, but the astronomical fees in currency slates made many former residents uncomfortable.

They had lost everything when the winged serpent destroyed Arc, and the Dwarven Sanctuary didn’t have the means to offer jobs to everyone. That was a problem they would have to solve soon. After all, Arc’s former residents were skilled in various fields. David was certain Fortress and his zealots wouldn’t simply throw them out. No matter how greedy they were, they would keep the experts.

At last, David spotted a familiar face in one of the few newly constructed workstations. The Tirac Artificer was alive, unscathed, and working hard.

He stepped inside the open workstation and waited patiently until she noticed him.

She put her tools away, her scales chittering. “How can I help you?”

“I just wanted to check on everything,” David said. “But seeing that you’re already back at work, I suppose it’s fine to ask about my Blood Storage. You have spatial storage, so I doubt you lost the Bloodstones and other materials needed to build it. So…”

The Tirac Artificer grimaced. “You want to know when the Blood Storage will be ready? Honestly, I don’t know. Two days ago, I would have said a week—but now? Everything’s changed, and I have to pay Ulakan rent just to use his workshop.”

“Two or three weeks, then. At the very least.” David groaned. “In that case, can you use the Bloodstones to craft other things? Artifacts? Or more Blood Storages, if possible? It would be even better if the Bloodstones were small. The smaller, the better.”

He noticed someone to his right stir at the mention of Bloodstones, finally turning to see a dwarf working on the other side of the workshop. Their eyes met, and the dwarf spat on the ground.

“Are you the rude bastard who killed the Giants with the Prime?” the dwarf asked.

“Prime? Oh, you mean Torb,” David nodded.

“Yes, the Prime, you beansprout!”

David ignored the jab and smiled at the dwarf.

“You’re interested in the Bloodstones, aren’t you? How about you work with my lovely Artificer to craft me something good? I use Blood—an energy source derived from life force and Aether—to empower my Skills. Blood is roughly five times more potent than ambient Aether… or ten times, possibly even greater, depending on how much life force I use to produce it.” David glanced at the dwarf. “Can you make something strong enough to withstand that? Even better, something small and compressed that can hold a shitload of Blood.”

The dwarf pointed at him and shouted something in a tongue David couldn’t understand. He didn’t need to, though. Judging by the tone, the dwarf was cussing him out. That was fine.

If the dwarf was anything like Torb and the others, he probably hated David for his little bout with Fortress, if it could even be called that.

But contrary to David’s expectations, the dwarf nodded after his shouting match in the dwarven tongue ended.

The dwarf spoke, but David barely registered it. A sudden shout made his ears perk up, and he spun around.

“Natives at the gates!”

What? He frowned. Natives… so, humans? What were they doing at the gates?

That could only mean more trouble. Was this what Asmodeus was talking about? David sure hoped not.

He rushed out of the workshop and made his way toward the gate, heading for the area with the most life signals. Leaping atop the wall, he looked down at a group of seven humans clad in armor.

David scrutinized them intently for a moment but shrugged dismissively when he realized they were too weak to be a real threat. The seven humans weren’t weak by any means—if anything, they were strong enough to defeat most Protectors—but David was confident he could kill the entire group in less than a minute if necessary.

That didn’t seem to be the case, though. He couldn’t sense any killing intent from them. If anything, half of the group—especially the small woman in the back—looked afraid.

“What do you want from Fortress’ Sacred Sanctuary?” Torb’s voice thundered across the wall, making David roll his eyes.

A young, broad-shouldered man stepped forward, giving a slight bow. “I apologize for bothering you and your people, but we would like to talk to Peter Walter and his people. We know they traveled this way, but our Scout lost their tracks.”

Peter Walter? Why did that name ring a bell? David wondered.

“I don’t know anyone with that name,” Torb responded sharply.

“But I do,” David muttered, recalling the name from a few days ago. Torb glared at him, but David ignored him.

David approached the edge of the wall and smiled at the group. “What do you want from this guy and his friends?”

The young swordsman’s expression shifted, unveiling a trace of anger. “We want to kill them!”

Oh? So Asmodeus was wrong. Looked like there was no problem after all.

“That won’t happen. Sorry about that, buddy,” David responded lightheartedly.

“Why?” one of the older men in the party asked coldly.

“’Cause I killed him and his buddies.” David shrugged but retracted his words a moment later. “Well… I didn’t land the killing blow—Zachariah did. But I don’t think the details matter. Fact is, we worked together to kill those idiots.”

“They are… dead?” one of the women asked, relief washing over her face.

“Yup.”

31

CURSED

Torb allowed the human party inside the Dwarven Sanctuary once their intentions were clear. He provided meals and beverages in exchange for hearing their story.

“It’s not a nice story,” the leader of the human party, Lukas, warned.

“Regardless, we would like to hear it,” Torb said, and David nodded in agreement.

Some of Fortress’ zealots tried to stop him when he followed Torb and the human party into the Prime Champion’s home, but his Bloodlust worked wonders. The dwarves backed off and glared at him from afar. David let them be and made himself comfortable on the couch in Torb’s office. It wasn’t anything special—large but lacking furniture—but it was something. Definitely enough for the manager of a newly established Sanctuary.

“The integration happened suddenly, yet we didn’t take it seriously at first. Our connection to the internet was cut off, but we still had access to water and electricity. Electricity didn’t last long, but I don’t think anyone sensed anything amiss until Maja’s grandparents died,” Lukas said, glancing at the young, trembling woman clutching her Mage Wand until her knuckles turned white.

“The integration didn’t take their lives. Old age did. Regardless, Maja’s grandparents turned into Infected. I think everyone can imagine what happened to the townspeople when they saw the dead roaming our streets.

“First, the Infected killed the nurse who had taken care of them, turning her as well. They infected more townspeople before we could stop them, which granted us access to Classes and supernatural power. But that power came at a price. A Rift opened in town, forcing us”—Lukas pointed at his group—“my friends and me to kill those disgusting little cretins—Goblins, or whatever they were called. But even as we killed them, the Rift didn’t close. So, we entered the Rift.”

David glanced to the right and noticed several members of the human party in tears.

“We had to stay in the Rift longer than expected to survive and close it. While that granted us power, it also left the rest of the town without enough protection against…” Lukas gritted his teeth, clenching his fists.

“Against these bloody bastards!” the man seated beside Lukas growled.

Lukas patted the man on the back, sighing heavily. “Exactly. Our families couldn’t do anything against these bastards while we were busy clearing the Rift. We came back to find our families on the verge of death. But our families weren’t the only ones who suffered. Hundreds of people had been executed, while the rest were beaten and cursed.”

“Cursed?” Torb interrupted before Lukas could continue. “What’s this about?”

Lukas’ shoulders drooped, and he looked at the ground. “We don’t really know either. We just call it a Curse because it’s the only thing that makes sense to us. Nobody in town recovers from their wounds. They look like they’re constantly on the verge of dying.”

The sobbing to the right continued, and it didn’t take long before the woman beside Maja bawled her eyes out.

“Zora chose the Cleric Class and has already completed her First Class Advancement. I consider her Class fairly powerful, but she couldn’t heal them. Well… their wounds heal, but our families—everyone afflicted by the Curse—remain lethargic. They act like they don’t desire to live any longer. It doesn’t make any sense,” Lukas muttered the last part.

“Let’s put the Curse aside for a moment,” David said, ignoring Torb’s look, which seemed to urge him to keep his mouth shut. “How is that related to Peter and his people? I doubt they put the Curse on your town. As far as I remember, Peter and his people—though, to be fair, they weren’t strong enough to leave much of an impression—didn’t have any special Classes. Their Classes followed the average advancement path of the four Basic Classes.”

Their Secondary Classes could have been related to Curses, but if they were, the bandits would have used them against him and Zachariah.

“How do you know Peter and his people in the first place? Did your families tell you who was responsible for their condition?” David added curtly.

Lukas looked up, and their eyes met for a moment. “They came back after we returned.”

“More than once. And they always brought people—hundreds of them. These people, mostly humans but also other creatures, are like our families. Alive but lacking the drive to live. The bandits stuffed them into the empty houses. Then… when we retaliated, trying to rescue our families, our families collapsed. Some even died,” Lukas gritted his teeth, and David noticed blood dripping from his clenched fists. “They took our families hostage, mocked us… and even worse… then they did this to us.”

Lukas pulled his leather armor aside, revealing a dark mark—a black scythe with a silver frame. Yet while the scythe was still visible, David could barely sense any energy from it. He channeled Blood into his eyes and noticed a fading crimson thread of life force connecting to it.

That was… curious.

David discovered the same life force threads on the others and was certain he would find similar marks on their chests if he checked.

"Does everyone have these marks? Your families and everyone else?" Torb asked, voicing the question lingering in David’s mind.

Lukas nodded, looking down again.

"What happened next? You don’t strike me as a lethargic person. If anything, you and your friends are overflowing with life," David said.

"We received some help from…" Lukas hesitated. "Well, from something—or someone. We don’t know who or what helped me, but whatever it was, it allowed me to regain control of the situation. I killed several men when they returned with more of the Cursed. The mark weakened, and I managed to kill a few more men when they returned again until we were freed of the Curse."

Footsteps rang out from outside, and the door to Torb’s office swung open.

David didn’t have to look up to know who had barged into the Prime Champion’s office.

"Only your Curses grew weaker? Why?" Zachariah asked, approaching the humans before slumping onto the couch opposite them. "I killed this Peter or whatever he was called. Neither he nor the others carried Curses. I’m certain of that. However, that also means you and your friends are either lying to us, or your Curses are weakening due to other factors."

Zachariah lifted his hand, stopping Lukas and the man beside him before they could protest. "I don’t think you’re lying. I think one of the transcendent beings helped you a little. It might be interesting to find out why one would do that, but the answer is not crucial."

He locked eyes with Lukas. "You came here to kill Peter and the rest to free your families, right? But they’re already dead, meaning your families should be better now if—and only if—they were the primary aggressors behind your families' suffering."

Maja sprang to her feet, and David sensed an astronomical amount of mana surging through her body. She waved her Mage Wand, releasing golden particles into the air. The space before her cracked open, the golden particles twinkling vibrantly as they shot toward the fissure, expanding it.

However, to his disappointment, the crack shrank and collapsed a moment later. David stared at Lukas, whose hand rested on Maja’s shoulder.

"There were more people. You know that. They also mentioned other towns when they… did all of that to us," Lukas whispered, barely loud enough for David to hear.

He got to his feet, smiling at the party of humans. "Even if there are more bandits or towns that fell victim to them… how about we check on your families first?"

Lukas raised an eyebrow as they locked eyes. "We?"

David nodded. "Of course. What if Zachariah is right and Peter wasn’t the culprit who put everyone under this Curse? Don’t you want me to take a look at the Cursed?"

"You?" the woman beside Maja asked skeptically, wiping her face.

The party’s healer must have stopped crying a while ago.

"I’m a Healer," David responded matter-of-factly.

As soon as he spoke, he felt several eyes on him, scanning him from head to toe. Clearly, they didn’t believe him.

"You certainly don’t look like a Healer." Zachariah chuckled. "More like a Tormentor."

David looked down at himself. He wasn’t sure how long it had been since his physique had improved this much. Was it when he acquired [A Body’s Impurity] or when his Body stat reached Advanced? His muscles had grown, but they were also more compressed than before. Lukas had a great body, but David was sure his physique was even better than the swordsman’s.

Still, with the scars and the Relic, he probably looked more dangerous than reassuring.

Did they sense my Bloodlust earlier? He wondered. Maybe that was it.

"I might look a bit fierce, but I can tell you I’m a good healer," he said, turning to Zora. "Better than her."

She scoffed. "How would you know?"

Was that a sore spot? Either way.

David shrugged. "It’s a fact. I don’t need to know you to tell you with certainty that I’m better than you. Or else, you would have sensed something odd about the scythe marks."

Zora didn’t look like she wanted to leave it at that, but he turned back to Lukas.

"I can heal everyone if the marks disappear. And even if they’re still there, I’m pretty sure I can alleviate the symptoms."

"Plus," David smiled at the party’s leader, "I can rip the bandits a new one if they return."

He checked on Zachariah. The Regressor’s expression didn’t change, but he seemed angry.

He shook his head. "Don’t look at me like that. Healing the townspeople is not my job."

"That’s it?"

Zachariah shrugged. "I can scout the towns and see if I can find more bandits. Tending to the weak is your job. It helps you grow stronger. I can only concoct potions and hunt some bastards to grow stronger."

David had no issue with that.

"How about we stop wasting time and depart? We don’t have all day."

Lukas and the others looked at each other and shrugged. Torb grumbled something in the dwarven tongue and got up with the words, "Since you guys have everything under control, I’ll take care of my business."

Lukas nodded at Maja, who waved her Mage Wand again. Golden particles filled the office, and the space before her cracked open once more.

"A portal?" Zachariah jumped to his feet. "You have a Portal mage in your group?"

"Portaligist," Maja muttered, her forehead drenched in cold sweat. "And this… might take a few seconds. Long-distance teleportation with so many people is… not that easy."

The Regressor gasped, his eyes locked on the small woman as mana continued to pour out of her. However, he didn’t utter a single word. But David noticed the shock in Zachariah’s eyes—something about being a Portaligist unsettled him.

The crack in space expanded, and it did not take long before it resembled a Rift, albeit a small, golden, glistening Rift.

David watched the scenery change as he followed Maja and the others. They walked out of Torb’s office one moment and emerged in the plaza of a gloomy town after a few long strides.

"It feels like walking through a Rift," he muttered.

"Because long-distance teleportation requires a medium to be used. Replicating a Rift is probably the easiest way to travel long distances. It cannot be used in combat, but from what I see on the live-updated map, we saved some time," Zachariah responded, grinning as he studied the map before him.

He turned to Lukas and spoke to the swordsman while David turned around, channeling Blood into his eyes.

The life signals of thousands unfolded before his eyes in detail, making his head hurt as he tried to digest all the information. But he did not have to know everything to tell that something was wrong with the town—its people, to be precise.

It didn’t take much to notice how weak the life signals of everyone in town were. That was the odd part; even if most townspeople did not gain access to the Class System by killing an Infected or a monster, David doubted their life signals should be this frail. Yet, after studying the life signals for a few seconds, his confusion deepened.

How is it possible that everyone has exactly the same amount of lifeforce? he wondered, trying to understand the situation. Not only was the amount of lifeforce left behind shockingly low, but it also shouldn’t be possible.

From David’s experience, every lifeform had a different amount of lifeforce. Finding someone with a similar lifeforce level was already very hard, but exactly the same? More than a thousand times in succession—in the same town? David sincerely doubted it was possible.

Was that the Curse’s fault? The thought stirred something inside him. He gritted his teeth, ignoring the sickening cracks as he clenched his fists. How could people do that to their own in a time of need? They were all in dire need of power to survive against the masses of Infected, monsters, and other creatures trying to conquer and claim parts of the Earthen Union. Worse even, creatures were trying to devour the Earthen Union—possibly the whole cosmos. Was it necessary to weaken thousands of people when they needed strength the most?

"You said nobody can be healed, right?" David turned to ask Zora, who shuddered and retreated as their eyes met.

He rolled his eyes. "Quit joking around and tell me what you used on them, including the skill ranks."

Zora took a deep breath and patted her chest, but she still shuddered when she answered, "I… used [Restore] at Rank VI, [Cleanse] at Rank IX, and… I tried a variety of [Healing Touch] at Rank V, and [Blessing] at Rank II, [Holy Light] at Rank X, and [Healing Patch] at Rank III."

David listened intently but gestured for her to keep talking.

“The combination of [Restore] and [Cleanse] worked, but the effect didn’t last long. I don’t know why, but they reverted to their old behavior within minutes. [Healing Patch] seemed to make things worse, while [Blessing] and [Holy Light] actually caused them pain. At first, their condition seemed to improve, but within seconds, it worsened. [Healing Touch]... was similar to [Restore]. It helped them, but only for a minute or two before their condition returned to the lethargic norm,” Zora said, looking like she’d finally regained her senses.

“As expected,” David muttered, turning to an elderly woman staring out of her window. She was the nearest life signal with an intact Curse and provided him with enough information to put the pieces together.

“What are you getting at?”

Someone grabbed his shoulders and shook him as he gathered more intel from the elderly woman. He turned to Lukas, who hadn’t stopped shaking him.

“Let go,” he said quietly, but the Bloodlust oozing from him must have been enough to pull the swordsman back to his senses.

Lukas released him and stepped back.

“Where is Zachariah?” David asked, looking around.

“Your friend left to check out the other towns,” Lukas said impatiently. “But who cares about that? What did you mean by ‘as expected’?”

“Your friend over there”—David pointed at Zora, the healer—"probably cannot see the lifeforce of living beings. Regardless, she should be able to sense it when she heals others.”

He noticed how impatient everyone was and went straight to the point. “These scythes—the marks—seem to drain the targets’ lifeforce. That is also why [Restore] and similar skills only work for a few minutes. The Skill Runes are functioning, but all Zora did was replenish some of their lifeforce without removing the root of the problem.”

The Curse appeared to stop draining someone’s lifeforce once it went below a certain threshold, leaving David with a few important questions: How long would the victims’ lifeforce be drained, and where was it going?

David could answer the latter to some degree. He sensed a lifeforce thread flowing toward a specific point in the elderly woman’s chest, presumably where the scythe mark was located.

Every bit of lifeforce above a certain level goes straight to the mark, which is probably connected to whoever inflicted the Curse. He frowned as he realized he was looking at a blood bank. The only difference was that this wasn’t charity, nor were there any volunteers. He was in a town where people were being drained of most of their lifeforce.

If the aggressors used something resembling Blood—a type of energy that required lifeforce to be produced—it would turn the townspeople into their living energy reservoirs. David shuddered at the thought.

“They’re so lethargic because someone is stealing their lifeforce?” Lukas demanded.

Zora shuddered. “I… didn’t help anyone. I hurt them by healing them, didn’t I?”

“I wouldn’t say that,” David responded, though he wasn’t sure how much Classless people suffered when their lifeforce was taken by force. He remembered the time he had been forced to use his own lifeforce to fight Kobolds and other creatures, but back then, his lifeforce had never been at a constant low. In the first place, he had been too focused on survival to think about it.

“Can you help them?” The man beside Lukas, David still had no idea what he was called, asked.

“To be honest, I can’t say anything for certain,” he responded honestly. “All I can say for now is that I can see what the Curse is doing and that my Skills are much stronger than Zora’s. I might not have all of her Skills, but I’m fairly sure mine are adequate.”

He didn’t bother mentioning Blood’s potency.

“Can you bring me a few resilient men and women? It would be best if they could endure pain,” David asked, earning several odd glances. They looked at him like he was asking for the impossible.

“Give me some Cursed at the Bronze Rank. I’m not speaking in dwarven or elvish, am I?” he grunted. “Unless you’d rather I test my ideas on the old woman over there?”

He pointed at the elderly woman at the window. She didn’t move away and winked weakly at him instead. That was odd, but David ignored her and stared back at Lukas and the rest. “I doubt she’ll survive it. At worst, she might die of heart failure when I tamper with the scythe mark.”

“You want to experiment on them?” Zora asked skeptically.

“Didn’t you do the same?” David snarled. “Or would you say you actually healed your patients?”

Lukas nodded slowly. “All right. I’ll ask around, but we won’t force anyone to be your guinea pig.”

“I never intended to force anyone. Nor do I want to kill my patients,” David snorted. “Only my enemies are getting killed.”

32

SURGEON

Despite his weak life signals, the towering man before David appeared strong and vigorous. He flexed his muscles and shot him a grim look.

David didn’t know what Lukas and the others had told him, but the man’s expression made it clear he didn’t trust him much. He probably trusted him about as far as he could throw him—which, judging by his build, was quite far. But David wasn’t concerned.

“Are you ready, or do you want to fight first to see if you can trust me?” he remarked, bringing a smile to the man’s face.

“Go for it and remove the mark. We can fight afterward.”

“I’ll be busy once I remove your mark, if it can be removed, that is,” David said, gesturing for the man to sit.

The towering man did as instructed, settling onto a chair in the middle of the town plaza. David felt the weight of dozens of eyes on him. He smiled, conjured the Obsidian Blade, and slashed at the man, cleanly severing his shirt. The man swallowed hard, and David noticed the hairs on his arms stand on end.

David’s smile widened as he dismissed the Obsidian Blade into his mind space. He studied the lifeforce thread and immediately spotted the scythe mark etched onto the man’s chest.

Let’s see what isolating does, he thought, pressing his hand firmly against the mark. His lips parted, and he began reciting Words of Power, invoking the Law of Blood while casting [Blessing] on [Holy Touch] as he sent it into the man’s body.

The man’s body instinctively resisted [Holy Touch]’s tendrils, but David crushed the natural resistance with a mental command. Once the body stopped fighting back, he spread [Holy Touch] through it. The initial examination took a few minutes, draining a considerable amount of energy, but it told David everything he needed to proceed.

He moved onward, connecting the crimson threads and shrouding the scythe mark with them. Once the tendrils sealed the mark, his recitation ended. The Law of Blood activated, shifting the crimson threads of [Holy Touch]. Instead of attracting lifeforce and Aether, the threads now repelled them, keeping the lifeforce thread away from the scythe mark.

With the mark isolated from the rest of the body, the towering man could finally recuperate as David cast [Restore]. The man’s complexion improved, but his life signals didn’t recover as quickly as expected. When he opened his eyes, he was gritting his teeth, looking like something or someone had hurt him.

Had the isolation been painful? That was a bit surprising.

David cast [Weave of Life] to preserve the man’s life in case of an emergency. However, nothing alarming seemed to happen after the isolation was complete. The man’s life signals improved slowly, and no more lifeforce escaped his body. But David was certain the situation would take a turn the moment he removed [Holy Touch]’s seal.

Several minutes passed, but the mark showed no sign of weakening. He had half-expected it to be empowered by the lifeforce of its victims, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

“He’s doing better!” someone exclaimed, but David could only sigh at the party’s enthusiasm.

“This is only temporary. I isolated the mark, allowing him to retain the benefits of my Healing Runes. But the effect won’t last forever,” he explained, glancing at the seven people. “Did someone already try cutting out the mark?”

Lukas and company paled at his words. Either they were shocked he would suggest something so crude, or they had already tried and failed miserably.

“I have an idea, but either we succeed and can help everyone, or it fails and injures you. In the worst case, the mark explodes and kills us all,” David told the towering man in a matter-of-fact tone. “Do you want to give it a try?”

“I don’t like the way you talk about my death, but if that’s what it takes to find a way to help everyone else…” The man shrugged, trying to hide the fear in his eyes. David could see it, though, which only made him respect him more. The man added, “I will gladly die if that is what it takes.”

What a savage, David thought. He liked him.

The Obsidian Blade materialized in his hands, and he shrouded it in Rend’s gray glimmer, pouring as much power into the Intent as he could muster. He overclocked [Blessing] on it, layered [Holy Touch], and finally parted his lips to utter Words of Power.

But this time, the Words of Power were different. He experimented, holding onto the snippets of words that surfaced in his mind whenever he used Rend.

At last, he focused more Blood into his Bloodthrone Dominion. Then, without hesitation, he stepped closer and stabbed the man.

The soulbound weapon’s tip cut into the scythe mark, slicing through skin and flesh. The man stirred and started screaming as the lifeforce within him went wild.

David noticed a shift in the scythe mark and focused on it as his blade sank deeper.

"Restrain him!" David snarled as he narrowly missed piercing the man's heart. He could feel the man's pulsating heart with surprising clarity as the Obsidian Blade cut deeper. He winced when the man stirred again.

Rend grazed the heart's edge, slicing into it as Lukas and the others failed to restrain him properly.

David cursed and released minuscule threads from [Holy Touch] that coated the blade, sealing the cut. The crimson threads weren’t perfect for the process, but he made them work, knitting the tiny wound in the man’s heart. He also cast [Restore], healing the heart before something worse could happen.

While healing the man, David failed to notice the scythe mark’s appearance shifting. The mark showed signs of dissipating. It didn’t disappear entirely, but it seemed as though the ‘issue’ was no more.

In his surprise, he must have released the seal, but the mark no longer drained the man’s lifeforce.

Not perfect, but good enough for now, he thought as the man collapsed.

Zora rushed to the man to heal him. She gasped, and her head jerked up to David.

"You healed him? How did you do that?" she asked, aghast.

"How about you heal him first?" David said, cutting off Zora, whose holy power stirred moments later.

"He is fine now?" Lukas asked into the silence. "He didn’t die like Merlin?"

The others paled at the mention of the name. Was Merlin the guy they had tried cutting open first? So they had already attempted removing the mark.

"The mark won’t drain his lifeforce anymore. As for the mark’s other abilities, I don’t know what they’re doing or if they still work," David said confidently, trying to hide his surprise.

Rend had actually severed the mark’s connection to the towering man. It worked—far better than he had hoped!

He would have to optimize the ‘surgery,’ but that shouldn’t be a problem. As long as he refined the process using the toughest men and women first, it would be easier to perform the fully optimized version on the frail and elderly. One way or another, David was confident he could fix them—all of them.

"How about we keep going? I don’t want to stay here for weeks, severing Curses left and right," David announced, clapping his hands. "Who’s next?"

For the next patient, David didn’t isolate the scythe mark. He overclocked [Blessing] on Rend at full power again and applied [Holy Touch] in case he had to tend to another wounded heart—just in case he poked one again. He maintained [Weave of Life] as a precaution and severed the lifeforce threads from the mark.

There was no need to rush the process, but neither did he see a reason to slow it down.

He fixed the second patient, wiped his sweaty forehead, and proceeded with the third and fourth patients.

"Gather everyone," David commanded. "We’re going to speedrun through this mess!"

The following hours felt like torture. Not only was David both a tormenter and healer, but he was being tormented as well.

Despite Rend being only an Intent, contrary to the Law of Blood, he was forced to unleash its full power for an extended period. It strained his Source and harmed him greatly, even as he optimized the surgery to use Rend only briefly whenever he helped one of the Cursed.

Regardless of the pain, David gained valuable insight. He continued improving his technique, refining it over and over until he managed to use his fingers to perform the surgery instead.

The Obsidian Blade was too wide, and the patients’ movements too rigid, increasing the chance of lethal injuries. Two patients had nearly died when they moved too much, causing the Obsidian Blade to pierce their hearts.

It was a challenge to pull them back from death’s door, but he had managed—earning him several unexpected benefits.

However, putting aside his boons, David was most pleased with how fast he could perform surgery now. It was swift and more precise than before, allowing him to cut into the mark easily and sever its problematic properties.

The mark no longer dissipated, but it had stopped draining the Cursed’s lifeforce. That was all that mattered.

David was exhausted and drenched in sweat. His chest heaved heavily, but he still had enough Blood to use—especially after his feat had granted him several boons, including a growth spurt.

Without hesitation, he conjured [Healing Sphere] in the dozens, spreading them through the plaza and its surroundings.

David watched in glee as everyone’s condition improved before casting [Restore] on the weak and elderly. He spread [Weave of Life] across the plaza until only two drops of Blood remained in his Source.

Noticing the intense stares behind him, David turned to face Lukas and the others.

Zora stared at him with wide eyes, but what surprised him most was Maja.

She looked at him differently than before.

He knew that look. He glanced back at her, watching her squirm and blush.

I changed more than I expected, he thought, failing to feel even a flicker of interest in the woman.

Come to think of it, David realized he hadn't thought about women in a long time. It hadn't excited him even before the integration started, but that had never stopped him from conquering them. But now? He preferred battling the strong and healing the weak over sex. And, of course, growing stronger.

That last part surprised him. Not the desire to grow stronger—but the fact that he'd rather heal the weak than spend quality time with women. Then again, maybe growing stronger and healing the weak were two sides of the same coin.

The feeling of growing stronger, of becoming a better, mightier version of himself, was addictive. Especially every time he gained something. It filled him with a sensation women couldn't compare to. At least, not the ones he'd conquered before.

Yep, I’ve changed a lot.

In the past, connections and money were power, yet he had never cared about either. If anyone cared about power, it was his parents. Now, he did too.

Were his parents okay? What about Basti, William, and Felix? David felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't thought about his friends or family in a long time, but the fact remained—he needed more power to look for them. At least, that was what he liked to tell himself. But deep down, he knew the truth. If he had truly wanted to, he could have started searching for them already.

But why? What was stopping him?

Was he scared? Of what? Meeting his family?

David took a deep breath. Whatever.

He needed rest. Slumping to the ground, he ignored the stares and lay there, staring at the cloudless sky. Time passed in the blink of an eye, and by the time he stirred from his thoughts, night had fallen.

Then came the shriek.

David jumped to his feet, checking his Source—it was filled to the brim but still recovering from the strain.

"What is going on?" he called into the night. But before anyone could answer, he saw it.

Zachariah.

A déjà vu he would have much rather avoided.

Fuck this shit.

Charging toward the Regressor’s waning life signal, he shoved several people aside, leaping over a group and running through the air, conjuring crimson shields beneath him.

At last, he reached Zachariah—who was missing an ear and an eye. Several dark marks covered his left arm—only his left arm. But it was just a husk of itself now, shriveled and skeletal, with bones poking through the skin.

David felt like shouting, Why is your arm black? But there was no time for questions.

He noticed something much worse.

"Black," he muttered, eyes widening as he channeled Blood into them.

At first, he saw nothing in Zachariah’s left arm—no life signals at all. But then he saw it.

Black life signals.

He didn't know what had happened, but he recognized the black life signals from his dream in Asmodeus' domain. And worse—it was spreading.

"Sever your arm," David muttered instinctively as the black life signals crept toward Zachariah's shoulder.

To his great shock, Zachariah didn't hesitate.

Sword Intent flashed.

A moment later, his left arm spun through the air, severed at the shoulder.

David expected that to be enough. It wasn’t.

Though the black life signals had mostly been cut away, a trace of the darkness remained in Zachariah’s upper arm. Worse still—it was spreading again.

"Don't move."

The Obsidian Blade materialized in David’s hand, shifting into its scimitar form. He poured everything into it—[Slash], [Blessing], [Holy Touch], and whispered Words of Power, empowering Rend to its fullest.

It all happened in an instant.

The soulbound weapon flashed, and the remainder of Zachariah’s upper arm flung through the air.

Zachariah didn’t even flinch. He locked eyes with David, unwavering, determination burning in his gaze.

"You got it?" he asked, blood spurting from the bloody stump that remained. "Good."

His left leg buckled, but he never broke eye contact.

"And now... try regenerating my arm. I need it."

A moment later, Zachariah collapsed, a pool of blood forming beneath him.

"Dude. I can’t regrow arms," David growled—only to freeze mid-sentence.

His Primary Class had improved significantly after tending to several thousand Cursed. Not only had he removed their suffering, but he had also healed them, earning various Skill rank-ups, several Blood droplets, and two class advancements.

Lifeweaver had reached Silver Rank.

And with it, a new Class Skill.

David stared at Zachariah.

"You brick-headed bastard."

33

SACRIFICE

Taking care of the Cursed and curing them had fully occupied his mind. He barely noticed Rend advancing to Intermediate, his Skill Runes’ ranks increasing, or his Primary Class breaking through to the Silver Rank.

But now, looking at Zachariah lying in a pool of his own blood, David had to react fast.

The black life signal was gone. Saving his life wouldn’t be a problem... but regrowing his arm? David winced as he recalled Zachariah’s face.

One arm was simply not enough for a Swordsman, especially not for someone carrying the burden of the Earthen Union’s survival on his shoulders.

David took a deep breath, ignoring his pounding heart, and moved.

[Six Attribute Points have been used to enhance the User’s Soul.]

High (Intermediate) → Low (Advanced)

His Source responded instantly to the Soul’s improvement. It expanded in his mind space and emptied his Energy Pathways instantaneously. David tried to keep up with the consumption of natural Aether but failed to absorb enough ambient Aether to sustain the Source’s growth. No more Blood droplets were added to the Source, but the droplets grew stronger—more potent. He watched them swell to three times their size, only to shrink again, glowing even brighter.

More Aether filled the droplets, but they lacked something crucial: lifeforce, David realized. But he didn’t have the means to supply any more lifeforce. Not without endangering his own life.

That’s not enough, he groaned, gritting his teeth as the Source demanded more.

David opened his eyes, skimming through the notifications, but he couldn’t find anything that would help him regrow Zachariah’s arm. He cast [Weave of Life] to preserve Zachariah’s life as the pool of blood expanded, but that was all he could do.

Zora dashed toward the regressor, and David sensed the holy power surging through her. Before she could reach Zachariah, he conjured [Blood Aegis], blocking her.

“If you stop the bleeding, I won’t be able to heal the arm,” David hissed. Not without severing what remained of it, at least.

Zora’s brows creased, “But… you said you can’t do that! Being alive with one arm is still better than dying.”

“Just give me a moment. I’ll get to that problem in a minute,” David responded coldly as he finished reading through the notifications. Only one of them caught his attention.

[Class Skill [Sacrifice] has been fused to your Source. Prepare for the influx of information.]

David bit his lower lip, checking the Class Skill.

[Sacrifice] – [Tier-3 I]

The influx of information hadn’t been special. If anything, it only showed him that he could sacrifice something to gain something else in exchange. It reminded him of [Equivalent Exchange] with the sole difference being that [Sacrifice] didn’t seem to be used in combat.

Some changes were permanent, others only temporary... right? David tried recalling every detail of the influx, but his mind was a mess. It was almost like Zachariah’s condition, and the Regressor’s plea for help, had turned him into a mindless fool.

He slapped his cheeks firmly, the burn calming him, if only a little.

“I need lifeforce, or he’ll never get his arm back.” David turned to the others. “And that would kill him, one way or another.”

Some shuddered as his words echoed, but Lukas met his gaze steadily.

“We owe you,” Lukas said in a matter-of-fact tone, “How can we be of help?”

Straight to the point? I like that, David thought, clearing his throat.

“Either you bring me as many fresh corpses as possible—monsters on the verge of death will do too—or you give me access to more lifeforce. Your lifeforce,” he added.

“He saved us,” Lukas said to the others when Zora and those nearby gasped. “I will repay that favor. With interest, if necessary.”

The swordsman turned to David and held out his arm. “Let’s do it. Take as much as you need—without killing me if possible.”

David nodded and began draining Lukas’ lifeforce. But that was only the start.

Maja stepped forward, offering hers as well. The remaining members of Lukas’ group followed, and it didn’t take long before the Cursed joined, creating an avalanche of lifeforce that swallowed David’s world, turning it crimson as he devoured it all.

He didn’t bother transforming the tidal wave of lifeforce into Blood. Instead, David cast [Sacrifice], offering up as much lifeforce as he could afford to lose. His Source drained traces of the seemingly unending waves of lifeforce entering his body, growing the Blood droplets to full power, but he barely paid his Source any attention as a vibrant crimson sheen engulfed the largest Rune in his mind space.

It felt like hours had passed, but it could only have been seconds before the first men around him collapsed. More men and women followed shortly, yet David could not afford to stop absorbing their lifeforce. He severed the flow from those who could no longer hold on and drained the rest until it felt like [Sacrifice] could fulfill his wish.

A sacrifice—lifeforce worth thousands of lives—in exchange for Zachariah’s arm.

That was all David wanted.

However, Zachariah’s arm didn’t regrow immediately when [Sacrifice] took effect. Instead, David felt a shift in his mind space. He closed his eyes and watched as the vibrant crimson sheen changed. Sparks of gold and silver emanated from [Sacrifice], but they did not remain idle. They swirled through his mind space and surged toward [Restore].

Just as the first glistening particles disappeared into [Restore]’s Rune, a notification appeared.

[Proficiency of Restore reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 XVII] → [Tier-1 XVIII]

It didn’t stop there. More particles from [Sacrifice] flowed into [Restore], merging with the Skill Rune and stimulating drastic improvements.

[Proficiency of Restore reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 XVIII] → [Tier-1 XIX]

Another notification followed immediately.

[Proficiency of Restore reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 XIX] → [Tier-1 XX]

[Restore reached its limit. Initiate Tier progression.]

[Restore – Tier-1 XX] → [Restoration – Tier-2 I]

David’s eyes widened as [Restore]’s Skill Rune transformed into [Restoration]. A vibrant smile spread across his face. He stopped draining the Cursed’s lifeforce and rushed toward Zachariah, certain he could regrow the Regressor’s arm back.

But [Sacrifice] was still in full effect. More notifications popped up as [Restoration] continued to advance. Yet just as David thought [Sacrifice] would finally stop, [Restoration]’s Skill Rune transformed once more.

[A mutation has occurred to Restoration’s Rune due to external factors.]

[Restoration Tier-2 V] → [Greater Restoration Tier-2 V]

“That’s even better,” he smirked, kneeling beside Zachariah and grasping his shoulder. He unleashed [Greater Restoration], overclocked and at full power.

David felt the immense weight of the mutated Skill Rune press down on him. His Source stirred as a massive surge of Blood poured into [Greater Restoration].

A moment later, an unfamiliar power pulsed through his arm and into Zachariah. Something was happening, but before he could process it, his vision darkened.

He woke up with a pounding headache—so intense that he would have gladly cracked his head open against the nearest wall. The moment he opened his eyes, the sky spun wildly. He turned to the side and vomited.

Grimacing, he attempted to channel Blood through his head, but the effort only made him heave again.

David groaned and forced himself upright, though it was a struggle. The first thing he noticed was Zachariah’s shouting.

“Burn that fucking arm! I don’t care who does it—just get rid of it!”

A moment later, flames flickered at the edge of David’s vision, and he felt a firm hand rest on his shoulder.

“Thank you. If not for you, I’d be dead.”

It was Zachariah. Alive and with two intact arms.

David glanced at him, only for the regressor to shove a glass vial into his mouth.

“Drink it. Regrowing my arm must have done a great deal of damage to your mind.”

“Fuck you,” David muttered, swallowing the viscous liquid. His headache gradually lessened, but that didn’t stop him from cursing Zachariah for several minutes.

The Regressor listened to the insults in silence, a small smile tugging at his lips—one that irritated David to no end.

“I hate you,” David sighed, finally calming down. “Either way… how did you know I could regrow your arm?”

“Oh, that? I didn’t.” Zachariah’s smile widened.

“What?” David stared at him in disbelief. “Then why the hell did you tell me to do it?!”

His stomach lurched at the revelation, and he barely managed to suppress another wave of nausea. Though, the idea of vomiting all over Zachariah was tempting.

“I was just hoping for the best.”

David cocked an eyebrow.

“I wanted to put a bit of pressure on you,” Zachariah admitted, his voice quieter than before. “And it looks like it worked. So, all’s well that ends well, right?”

The Regressor moved his left arm in excitement, but David wasn’t having it. He pushed himself up and punched Zachariah square in the gut.

Zachariah doubled over, gasping for air, and David couldn’t help but grin.

“Yep, everything is fine. Now.”

Despite the blow, Zachariah didn’t glare at him. Instead, he straightened with a wry smile. “But seriously… thank you.”

“No problem,” David said, brushing it off. Then, he shuddered as the memory of the black life signal resurfaced. “But what exactly happened?”

Zachariah’s gaze darkened. “I was scouting the surrounding villages and towns, searching for more bandits. And I think I found them.” His eyes flickered to his left arm. “But I also found something else.”

A creature?

David didn’t press for details. If it was about Them, they couldn’t speak of it. Not without giving Them more power.

“So, you fought that creature, and it infected your arm?”

Zachariah nodded. “I was certain I was stronger and attacked. But the bandits must have noticed. They joined the fight, and the creature grew stronger. It killed several of them, and the rest fled. Once the bandits were gone, it managed to scratch me, and…” He exhaled sharply. “I knew saving my arm would be pointless. So instead of trying to protect it, I used it as a shield to safeguard the rest of my body.”

That was probably the best decision he could have made, David thought. If the creature had managed to inflict the black life signal on multiple areas of his body, Zachariah would have been lucky to lose only a few limbs.

A cold voice suddenly cut through their conversation.

“I heard you talking about the bandits. Where are they now?”

David turned to find Lukas approaching them. Good, he thought, Lukas was alive and well.

“Did you listen to me?” Zachariah asked curtly. “If you did, you would have known that this creature killed the bandits.”

“That’s not what you said,” Lukas responded, stepping closer. His eyes darkened menacingly as he added, growing louder with each word, “You said some were killed and that the rest retreated in fear. So… Where. Are. They. Hiding?”

Zachariah groaned but pointed in one direction. “I think I came from this way. The bandits were hiding in a small town surrounded by a massive forest. No idea if the forest was already there before the integration or if it’s something new.”

“They’re hiding in Horville?”

“I don’t know what the town is called,” Zachariah shrugged.

“Maja!” Lukas turned around. “Bring me to Horville!”

David glanced at Zachariah, who met his gaze.

“He’s radiating killing intent,” the Regressor muttered.

“I can tell. He’s going to die if he stays here, isn’t he?”

“Probably. Either the bandits are going to kill him, or the creature will. If it hasn’t left yet.”

David gestured for Zachariah to follow Lukas, who was rallying his party. He studied their life signals and was surprised to see that everyone was doing fine. Even the life signals of the Cursed, who’d returned to their homes, had improved, though they were still far from perfect.

“We will come with you,” Zachariah told Lukas and glanced at David. “You’re fine, right? I don’t want you to fight to the death when you’re not at your peak.”

David shrugged. “I think I’d regret it if I didn’t come. In the worst case, I will bother you for a few more potions. After all, my head is the only thing that’s killing me.”

Within a few minutes, they departed. Maja conjured another golden portal—this time with less effort—and they stepped through, emerging on a small hill before a large town.

However, instead of finding hundreds of life signals, David noticed something else.

“Death,” he muttered, goosebumps covering his body. “Nobody in this town is alive. Not anymore.”

“But I saw something move just now!” Lukas growled.

David snapped at him. “I don’t give a shit about what you saw. I am telling you that there is no intact life signal in this place. The only moving thing is a black… Oh fuck…”

His head flicked to Zachariah. “The creature is still there.”

A moment later, a humanoid creature the size of a small building emerged from town. Darkness mantled the creature and spread outward, wilting the shrubs and trees it touched instantly.

Zachariah moved before the others, unsheathing his sword slowly.

“Do not look into its eyes,” he warned, but the creature’s long head had already snapped in their direction. Sharp, twisted horns jutted from its head, glowing faintly as something twinkled beneath the darkness the creature emanated.

A high-pitched scream rang out from the right, followed by a deep gargle. David caught the man beside Lukas collapsing. He was dead even before he hit the ground.

Mere moments later, David felt the creature’s attention linger on him. He wanted to do something—move and attack—but his legs were frozen. A heavy weight appeared inside him all of a sudden. It tried to crush him, his Source and soul, yet David resisted.

He cursed and allowed the anger bubbling in his chest to explode. Finally, he regained control of his body and stepped forward. Every step seemed to fuel the fierce flames of anger in his chest, pushing him to charge at the creature and kill it.

However, Zachariah didn’t let him pass. The Regressor’s blade pointed at his chest suddenly, his eyes drilling into his.

“Don’t allow it to manipulate your emotions. It’s only a fragment, a mere trace of their power, but it is still a sproutling of Them.”

David didn’t know what happened, but the anger in his heart died the moment the tip of Zachariah’s blade poked him. He realized in horror what would have happened without Zachariah and pulled back. His eyes drifted to the others, but they remained unmoving. Two out of Lukas’ group of seven were dead on the ground, and the rest either looked like they were about to burst into tears or stared at the creature in horror.

That is a sproutling? A fragment of Them? And it is already strong enough to overpower Zachariah… David swallowed, staring at the creature as it turned away. Was it not interested in killing them?

The darkness engulfing the creature expanded, and its black life signal vanished. A moment later, the darkness dispersed, and the creature was no more.

It left… just like that?

Following the sproutling’s departure, the heavy weight on his soul vanished. At the same time, screams and sobs reached his ears, but David checked the notification that had just flashed to life.

[Congratulations. You survived an encounter with a Void Fragment.

Your Soul was not crushed.

Your Mind was not incinerated.

+1 Mind, +1 Soul]

It was an easy rank-up for him and Zachariah, but David did not feel great about it. On the contrary, he felt awful.

That was one of the things Asmodeus showed me last night, he reminded himself, shuddering again.

Once again, David felt like he had lost control of the situation. He felt weak—helpless.

34

HERALD

David let the others grieve their two fallen friends while Zachariah left to check out Horville. The Regressor returned a few minutes later and stood beside him in silence.

A while passed before the gut-wrenching sobs and cries subsided, yet no one spoke. Maja manifested a portal back to the town where the Cursed resided, then conjured a second one for Zachariah and David.

“Thank you… for helping us,” Lukas muttered, his shoulders drooping.

A tear fell to the ground as David patted Lukas’ shoulder. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“If you ever need help again, come to the Dwarven Sanctuary,” Zachariah said with a faint sigh before adding, “I’d recommend that the Cursed grow stronger. Even the elderly can become Clerics and acquire useful Classes. They can extend their lifespans by upgrading their Bodies and keep their minds sharp by strengthening their Minds.”

The Regressor departed through the portal, and David followed after saying his farewells.

There wasn’t much he could say to console them either way. Zachariah had warned them, but they took the risk, nonetheless. Some of them had died, the rest were lucky to be alive. They all could have died, and probably would have, if the Void Fragment had attacked.

The scenery changed as he rushed behind Zachariah, and he found himself in Torb’s office. The dwarf wasn’t present.

“You might want to tell the others what happened earlier, but it might be best if you—” Zachariah started, but David lifted a hand with a smile. “I know.”

Zachariah stared at him with a raised eyebrow. “You do?”

“Asmodeus visited me last night.”

Zachariah’s eyes widened for a moment. He nodded in understanding.

“What will you do now?” David asked.

Zachariah shrugged. “I’ll probably force Melach or some other Mage with decent fire-attributed Runes to come with me. The corpses in Horville need to be incinerated. The more firepower, the better.”

Were the black life signals that much of a problem? David had seen them spread through Zachariah’s arm, but what was there to damage in corpses?

“It will spread into the surroundings, seep into the ground if you don’t destroy the corpses, won’t it?” David took a wild guess.

Zachariah shook his head. “‘Death’ isn’t strong enough to infest the Earthen Union just yet. However, monsters—especially undead—should never get to touch it. They will devour the Death and absorb it.”

Somehow, from the way Zachariah spoke about it, David doubted ‘Death’ was the proper term for the black life signals. It seemed more like Zachariah was trying hard not to mention it—just like Them.

“What’s your plan?”

“Mine?” The question took him by surprise. What was his plan?

Today’s events changed a lot. He was stronger than ever, yet he felt incredibly weak. That had to change.

“I think I’ll make use of the Blessing with everything I have,” he said. “I might be away a little longer, though.”

The Blessing of the World wouldn’t last for long. Maybe it would end in a few hours, maybe in another day or two—David couldn’t tell for sure. The last few days had not only been stressful but had overlapped as well, making it incredibly hard to tell how much time had passed in reality.

Regardless, David wasted no time. He told Zachariah where he could be found in an emergency and departed for the prehistoric Rift.

Several dwarves guarded the prehistoric Rift’s entrance, blocking his path with their spears. They said something, but David wasn’t listening. His mind was focused on the Void Fragment and his pathetic antics.

He had been certain things would change once Lifeweaver reached the Silver Rank, yet everything was still the same. He was strong, but his power was still far from the top. The winged serpent had made that much clear, cracking his confidence. But the Void Fragment encounter, and the relentless reminder of the Earthen Union’s fate in past Cycles, shattered it completely, crushing it into dust.

That had to change.

David pushed the spears aside and looked at one of the dwarven guards, the world around him turning crimson as he did. The guards retreated and made space for him as he entered the prehistoric Rift again.

He returned to the valley and dashed toward the Rift Core, which had changed a lot. The stone foundation circling the Rift Core was now surrounded by massive walls and several towers. More dwarves, stronger entities, protected the Rift Core alongside several powerful dinosaurs.

How had they tamed them? David didn’t know. It didn’t really feel like the dinosaurs had been tamed. Maybe they weren’t tamed at all, and the dwarves and dinosaurs simply accepted each other’s company for the sake of peace and Origin Essence.

But David did not care. He unleashed his Bloodlust to the fullest, voicing everything that needed to be said.

“Anyone who bothers me will be killed on the spot,” he declared, leaping across the wall. He sat cross-legged beside the Rift, ignoring the weapons pointed at him. He needed strength, and he would take everything necessary to obtain it, even if that meant making enemies of Aether-infused prehistoric monsters and a bunch of dwarves.

But he needed Origin Essence right now. Serene Ego was certainly not the strongest Secondary Class, but it was exactly what David required in this moment. If he ever wished to acquire enough power to rival the strongest, he would have to improve his foundation. Enhancing his stats with Attribute Points and level-ups would shorten the gap and grant him some power, but Monk—and thus also Serene Ego—provided the means to upgrade his foundation and unlock the full potential of his existence.

All he needed was enough energy, Origin Essence preferred, the means to absorb it smoothly, [Meditation], and ways to utilize the energy: [Reinforce], [Mind Palace], and [Dao Comprehension]. Both Class Skills and the Legacy Skills would push his potential to the limit while simultaneously increasing Serene Ego’s Rank. The combination was as close to perfection as one could get, David thought, confident in his next course of action.

Even if the Secondary Class is harder to level up, I can do it. He licked his lips, devising plans and goals, one of which included the next Class Advancement of Serene Ego.

Since he was already there, he might as well try to reach the Silver Rank with his Secondary Class. He closed his eyes as a sudden realization hit him.

Wait a second, he didn’t open his pores to absorb and annex the Origin Essence around him. Instead, his hand reached for the spatial necklace with a wry smile.

“I don’t want to break my neck now, do I?” David snickered, ignoring the heavy tension in the air. He removed the necklace and studied it for a moment. The damaged dimension stone didn’t seem connected to the chain. Was that new, or had he somehow failed to notice that the stone was never attached to the chain?

He tilted his head and removed the chain, replacing it with a simple thread. The thread could be torn apart with little force, making it susceptible to thievery, but that was also why he put it on. It was an unlikely scenario, but if he were to forget to charge the energy storage fused into the dimension stone, David’s neck wouldn’t break. Instead, the thread would rip.

Why did nobody think about that before? David shook his head as he placed the necklace on the ground beside him. Then again, it wasn’t someone else’s responsibility to find a simple solution to his problems, problems he didn’t even know he had.

“I would have died if I hadn’t removed this, right?” he muttered to himself, shaking his head, relieved that he hadn’t forgotten the storage necklace was defective.

Now that all potential problems with the storage necklace had been solved, David closed his eyes again. He activated [Meditation] and started to take in as much Origin Essence as possible.

David willed the Origin Essence straight to [Reinforce], strengthening his Body rather than his Energy Pathways. His Energy Pathways barely reached the threshold to be considered Average, but the Body was the vessel that held lifeforce. He may not have the means to infuse foreign lifeforce into his body—not easily and with unknown, possibly dangerous results—but he could absorb and contain it. The stronger his body, the more lifeforce someone could generate and control, David had learned.

His eyes remained closed as he dedicated himself to the practice of his Skills and the constant improvement of his foundation. David seamlessly shifted between spending Origin Essence on [Reinforce], [Mind Palace], and [Dao Comprehension], while ensuring [Meditation] would never fail him.

But while the process of spending day and night dedicated to his work was seamless, it was also straining. So much so that David barely heard the whisper of a sound as several notifications popped up before the world around him, as well as his mind space, transformed into a blur.

David regained consciousness to a searing sting in his chest. He groaned and instinctively used [Greater Restoration], recovering from the pain almost instantly.

“Are you going back to sleep again?” A voice laced with ridicule rang in his ears. “Or do you want me to stab you again?”

He opened his eyes, but his vision was blurred. It cleared slowly, but he could already make out the silhouettes and life signals of several familiar figures.

“Why the hell would you stab me, Zachariah?” David snapped at the regressor. “Are you not busy doing… whatever?”

Once his vision fully returned, he noticed Torb and Melach standing next to Zachariah. And… Maja? What was the Portaligist doing here?

“Did something happen?” he asked, his ears perking up as he got to his feet. His body moved stiffly, and he stretched a little while listening to Torb.

“Excluding the fact that some sort of bloodthirsty demon has been occupying the Rift Core that belongs to Fortress and the Dwarven Sanctuary for three weeks? I don’t think so,” Torb grumbled, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Three weeks? David gaped. It didn’t take a genius to figure out whom Torb was referring to. Still, he never expected to stay in the prehistoric valley for three weeks. That was… unexpected.

“Torb asked me to wake you up after he and Melach failed,” Zachariah snickered. “I had to sever your connection to Origin Essence.”

“Why though? I was having a good time in here,” David glared at the Regressor. He felt great—better than ever—even though three weeks seemed to have passed since he monopolized the Rift Core’s Origin Essence.

“Ask your friend.” Zachariah shrugged, gesturing to Torb. “I would have kept you near the Rift Core to watch you unveil the mysteries of Bloodlust and—the other Intent was called Rend, right?—and Rend.”

David noticed Melach and Maja staring at him in fear, though the Portaligist’s reaction was the most drastic. She was shaking wildly, like a branch caught in a storm. He glanced at his body and noticed a crimson sheen—Bloodlust—emanating from him. He immediately suppressed the Intent.

Torb said something, but David only half-listened as he reached for the storage necklace beside him. It was out of energy and lay firmly on the ground, forcing him to refill it.

He turned to look at the dwarf while putting on the necklace.

“You took too much Origin Essence, David. The dwarves are disrespected by your actions and attitude. I didn’t do anything at first, hoping you would wake up soon, but you stayed there, cross-legged, monopolizing all the Origin Essence.” A heavy sigh escaped Torb’s lips, and they made eye contact for a moment.

“Regardless, I gave you the benefit of the doubt and followed Fortress’ order. He told me to give you more time and that you needed this after your last encounter. But you didn’t wake up even then, and I was forced to do something.”

David digested Torb’s words quickly. Fortress siding with him came as a surprise, but some words irked him.

‘Last encounter’ is exactly what I think it is, isn’t it… he thought, squinting his eyes.

“Either way, you took too much Origin Essence for too long. We need it back!”

Torb looked at him sternly, his eyes glimmering dangerously. If that was meant to intimidate him, Torb would have to try harder.

“I’m done here either way. I never planned to stay this long,” David said dismissively, licking his lips as he checked on the most important system notifications.

[The last stage of the World Awakening has been completed. The Blessing of the World has faded. All boons have been withdrawn.]

It was only obvious that the Blessing had faded, but the message still hurt. He would have loved to keep the Blessing of the World for a few weeks—maybe even months. Regardless, he moved on to the next notifications.

[Devout practice of [Meditation] stimulated your growth

You fell into Trance, amplifying the efficiency and potency of all related Skills.]

[Proficiency of Meditation reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 VII] → [Tier-1 XIV]

[Proficiency of Meditation reached 100%.]

[Tier-1 VII] → [Tier-1 X]

[Progress with Mind Palace increased drastically.]

[Lowest – Basic] → [Middle – Basic]

[Proficiency of Dao Comprehension has increased.]

[Proficiency of the Law of Blood has increased.]

[You have unveiled one of Bloodlust’s mysteries.]

[Basic] → [Intermediate]

[You have unveiled one of Rend’s mysteries.]

His heart pounded at the drastic changes. It was a little disappointing that Rend didn’t reach Advanced, but David knew he was being greedy. Still, he felt that the best notifications—updates—were still missing, and he continued reading.

[Secondary Class’ Rank increased by one.]

[Bronze I → Bronze II]

[Mind and Body increased by one.]

…

[Secondary Class’ Rank increased by one.]

[Bronze IV → Bronze V]

[Mind and Body increased by one.]

[Class Skill [Soul Domain] has been fused to your Source.]

[Secondary Class’ Rank increased by one.]

[Bronze V] → [Bronze VI]

[Mind and Body increased by one.]

…

[Secondary Class’ Rank increased by one.]

[Bronze IX] → [Bronze X]

[Mind and Body increased by one.]

[Your Secondary Class meets all conditions to commence the Secondary Class Advancement. Do you wish to proceed?]

[Error! Error! The host is in Trance. Trance-Danger-Security protocol has been initiated.

The host’s will and desire has been taken into consideration.]

[Secondary Class Advancement has been initiated – most suitable Class has been selected.]

[Herald of Origin(Unique) has been selected.]

[Your Secondary Class’ Rank increased by one.]

[Bronze X] → [Silver I]

[Two Attribute Points and one point in Body have been added.]

The flood of notifications took him by surprise. The seamlessly interwoven pile of messages showed no signs of shrinking. If anything, it seemed as though more notifications were forming as he read through the old ones.

What is going on? He almost blurted it out loud when he found a new Class Skill, Soul Domain, in his mind space. Surprisingly, the Rune fit naturally there. At least, it wasn’t alone—several new Runes had appeared, and some old ones had been replaced.

Could it be…? David needed more information.

[Herald of Origin – (Unique) – Weakened Seal]

You devoured an abundance of Origin Essence and found enlightenment in the secrets of the beginning.

As the Herald of the Origin, you are the conduit of primordial power, wielding the Essence of creation itself.

You seek control—dominion—yet you do not lose yourself in greed and wrath.

Even as you tap into the Essence of the Origin Essence, you do not feel at ease.

Death and Chaos resonate with you, but so do Hope, the Perseverance of Life, and the raw, unshaped energy of existence itself.

The Herald of Origin uses his aura of wisdom and understanding of the world’s very foundation to reshape the battlefield.

Using Forgotten— SEALED —

...

The proficiency of various Skill Runes increases significantly.

Certain Skill Runes have been altered.

Skill Runes [Indomitable Will] and [Primeval Pulse] have been fused to your Source.

Intent – [Origin Attributes] has been granted.

Source has been modified.

Increasing your Rank will grant you [+2 Attribute Points, +1 Body].

A dull ache spread through his head as he read his new Secondary Class description for the third time. The boons of the Class were tremendous, but David failed to understand how Herald of Origin was related to his earlier Classes—Serene Ego, let alone Monk. It didn’t make any sense.

The first part of the Class description hinted that the Trance and absorbing Origin Essence en masse had resulted in this transformation, but he couldn’t be sure.

David closed his eyes again to check on his Mind Space and smiled lightly. A Body’s Purity was no more. It had been replaced by Promethean Constitution, which had separated from the Source and fused into his body. Apparently, according to his status sheet, Promethean Constitution was now a Modification rather than a Class Skill.

But what bothered him most was the Source’s modifications. It wasn’t listed under the status sheet’s Modifications, but through Bloodthrone Dominion, David could sense a change. The Source had expanded and transformed, creating a small secluded space where particles of something were being generated? It didn’t take David long to realize the particles were Origin Essence, and his body was generating them—but not from nothing.

He noticed a faint…was it a thread?...connecting to the Source from somewhere else. It wasn’t tangible, and he couldn’t even sense it. However, with Bloodthrone Dominion, David could see it.

What he could also see were the changes in his status sheet. At first, it seemed as though his Skills and abilities had disappeared. However, that wasn’t the case.

Everything was reorganizing, David thought, watching in silence as the screens shifted.

Name – David Stears

Primary Class – Lifeweaver

Rank – Silver I

Secondary Class - [Herald of Origin]

Rank – Silver I

Body – High(+)(Advanced)

Mind – Lowest(+)(Advanced)

Soul – Low+(Advanced) – 18 Droplets

[Modification – II]

...

[Laws – III]

...

[Legacy Skills – I]

...

[Class Skills]

[Lifeweaver – IV]

[Monk – II]

[Serene Ego – II]

[Herald of Origin – II]

...

[Skill Runes]

[Tier-0 – II]

[Tier-1 – VIII]

[Tier-2 – I]

Attribute Points – 2

“Damn,” David blurted. “Those stats are dogshit crazy!”

So many things had changed, but one thing was clear: the last three weeks hadn’t been a waste of time. They seemed to have been exactly what he needed.

35

NEW HOME

"It's time for you to depart." Torb’s voice pulled David back to his senses.

He had planned to focus on his new Skills and the changes in his old Skills, but the look in the dwarf’s eyes made him change his mind.

"Fine. We can go," he muttered, turning to leave.

However, Torb didn’t move. David looked up and noticed Melach’s somber expression.

"That is not what I meant. You don’t get it, do you?" Torb sighed deeply. "I want you to leave the Sanctuary."

Huh? David’s eyes narrowed. Did he mishear just now? Torb did not want him to step out of the Rift but to leave the Sanctuary?

"Don’t look at me like that. You cannot tell me that you did not expect something like this. You angered the dwarves. You disrespected us and humiliated us in our Sanctuary. Before Fortress… in his territory!" Torb stared coldly at David for a moment and sighed. "They didn’t like that, especially the men and women whose existence you disregarded when you unleashed your Intent to barge into the Rift."

The dwarf hesitated for a moment. "I’m sorry to say this—you should know I hate to be the bearer of bad news—but you went too far. And this has nothing to do with different traditions or anything like that. You could have asked us—me—for permission, and I would have done it. But you didn’t. You took it by force instead."

He had to leave. David had expected some form of punishment, but getting thrown out after helping this much wasn’t what he anticipated.

Is that why she was here? David wondered, turning to Maja.

"I trained her a little while you were busy," Zachariah said with a knowing smile.

However, Maja shuddered at the regressor’s words. "You call that training? T-That… that was torture!"

David cocked an eyebrow at that, but Zachariah shrugged and added, "All I did was give her some advice. A few helpful pieces of information and a… little push, if you will."

Maja trembled but forced a smile as David looked over. However, as their eyes locked, she looked aside, stammering, "H-How about you come to our town? It… It cannot compare to the Sanctuary, but we worked hard in the last few weeks. A lot has changed, and… and I think everyone would be happy to have you there."

That sounded like a plan. But he also considered searching for his family now that he’d grown stronger. David glanced at Zachariah for a moment and channeled his Blood ability into his eyes.

He is also much stronger than before. His stats are probably higher than mine now, he thought with certainty. Spending three weeks to acquire a Unique Class wasn’t a bad deal. David didn’t regret it in the slightest, especially since Herald of Origin seemed to be a fairly powerful Class. But what he liked about it the most was that he’d acquired the Unique Class without the help of a transcendent being.

It hadn’t required the Essence of two transcendental beings to give him a Class like Lifeweaver. Instead, he had absorbed enough Origin Essence to procure it.

Still, he wasn’t sure how much the Earthen Union had changed in the last few weeks. He was certainly not the only one who had gotten stronger. David glanced at Maja, tilting his head. Someone capable of creating spatial portals might be exactly what he needed to travel the Earthen Union and search for his family and friends.

"Have you considered traveling the Earthen Union?" David asked her and quickly added, "Not right now, but in the future. I want to search for my family and friends, and I think a strong Portaligist might be what it takes to travel safely."

Maja’s eyes widened slightly, but she nodded. Yet her expression looked somber as she cast a glance at the ground. "I… I’m already helping others find their families and friends. Teleporting helps me grow, so… I might as well help others find their beloved—or closure—while I train…"

"I…" Her head flicked up to look straight at David. "I want to grow stronger… I know I’m weak… but I want to help. I don’t want others to suffer the same as… as I did."

Maja sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. David couldn’t help but think—this wasn’t a charity. However, that thought lasted only for a moment. He didn’t know who she had lost or if she still had someone dear to her left. Maybe they were all dead, killed by the integration into the Pantheon.

David sighed, leaning closer to pat her back. He ought to help her if she returned the favor. It was that simple. He retrieved a clean cloth from his spatial storage and gently wiped her tears.

"Everything will be alright."

She didn’t stop sobbing right away, but Maja looked up and nodded slowly, looking uncertain.

"How about we leave?" Torb’s impatient voice rang out, but David could only smirk at that.

"Are you eager to get rid of me? Maybe this is the last time we can have a good talk, and you're rushing me off. I’m hurt."

David chuckled when the dwarf’s face turned red.

“You dork. You can still enter the Sanctuary to buy and sell goods. That doesn’t mean my people will be kind to you—I sincerely doubt they will sell you anything for a low price—but you can always trade with the other merchants. Arc’s former residents won’t mistreat you.” Torb pointed at David’s chest and drilled his finger into it. “Regardless, you are not allowed to sleep here. Maybe you can stay for a night or two in the future, but not now.”

“You could help Fortress with some things, and he will ensure you have safe lodging and better treatment in the Sanctuary, but that will take time.”

David listened but remained silent. He glanced at Zachariah, who shook his head slowly. So, the Regressor wasn’t going to come with him? He half-expected that, but it saddened him a little bit.

“Did you call your family?” he turned to ask Melach.

The elf’s expression hadn’t changed. He still looked somber.

“No.”

“I don’t know why you’re still hesitating, but you should change that as soon as possible. You never know what happens. Not before it is too late, at least,” David said, knowing he was no better than Melach. But maybe the words resonated more with Melach than himself.

A familiar portal opened before David. He studied it for a while, wondering how it would feel if he could create such portals as well. He felt a sting of envy as he turned to Maja, who had finally stopped crying.

Her eyes were red and puffy, but she looked at him defiantly. “Are you ready to leave?”

You’re shy and easily frightened most of the time, but now you’re looking at me like this? David thought and nodded.

He studied the blue crystal in his hands—Torb had given it to him. It was his only means of communication with Zachariah and the others, but it was also all he needed. He wouldn’t stop trading with the dwarves and others. However, trade would be all that connected them.

That was probably for the best. Everyone had their own plans, and it was time for David to devise his own.

He walked through the portal with long strides, but his heart ached as the scenery around him shifted. No matter how he looked at the current situation, leaving the Dwarven Sanctuary indicated the start of a new chapter in his life. And the end of the last.

David stepped out of the portal and into the familiar plaza of the Cursed town—if one could still call it such. He took a few deep breaths and watched the faces of the people in the plaza change. They smiled at Maja and waved excitedly at her, but that was not all. David felt the gaze of many linger on him. Not angry glares or stares filled with hatred or killing intent. There was kindness and gratitude. Hope.

They waved at him, and some even greeted him, thanking him for curing them.

“They… remember me?” David muttered, checking the surroundings for life signals. He smiled, satisfied to see that almost all of them were strong and full of life. Most were a lot stronger than they used to be.

“Of course we do. It would be rude and heartless to forget the face of the man who saved their lives,” a deep voice resounded from further away.

David turned to see Lukas approaching with Zora in his arms. More people with stronger life signals approached them with smiles.

David thought about smiling back, but he stopped when Maja flinched.

What’s up with her? Did they have a falling out? he wondered, thinking back to their encounter with the Void Fragment. Maybe the death of their friends split them up.

He shrugged inwardly.

“We listened to your friend and helped others acquire a Basic Class. Not the youngest, of course. There is no need to force them into anything when they don’t know what they want just yet,” Zora explained with a bright smile, but he didn’t like it. Her smile seemed fake.

Regardless, he agreed with her comment. “Children—teenagers even—can be problematic once they acquire power. Keeping them in check is troublesome.”

That reminded him of Jake and Olivia. How are they doing? Were they still alive? He felt a sting of guilt thinking back to how he had treated them, but David hoped that they were alive and well.

Maybe scaring them had helped them survive—made them more careful in their actions, he told himself, hoping for the best.

“I guess most of those who do not wish to fight actively picked the Mage and Cleric as their Basic Class. The majority are probably Mages because—well, it’s obvious, isn’t it?”

David smirked as he watched a fireball fly high into the air. It exploded, shrouding the sky in twinkling sparks that resembled fireworks.

“You’re right. Not with everything, but we have many Mages and Clerics in town. We have some Hunters in our group, but most able men and women picked Warrior as their Primary Class. Your friend’s talk about extending their lifespan is probably part of the reason. With Hunter and Warrior, they don’t feel bad about enhancing Body,” Lukas explained but waved his hand quickly. “Either way, many of us sustained more or less grievous wounds, which is why we are happy to have more than 100 Clerics in Ashville. That’s nothing compared to half of Ashville being Mages, throwing around their magic projectiles, but it is more than enough to heal the wounded.”

David listened, raising an eyebrow. The number of Clerics and Mages was staggering.

How strong will the Mages be after they undergo their Primary Class Advancement? he asked himself while Lukas continued talking about the town and the things they had done in the last few weeks.

“On another note.” Lukas looked him straight in the eyes for the first time. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, that? I annoyed the dwarves a little bit too much, and they told me to leave. I’m not exiled or anything, but I hurt their pride,” David said.

Lukas nodded slowly. “Does that mean you are going to stay here?”

The swordsman looked at Maja, who seemed to squirm under his scrutiny

“If that’s okay with you.”

Lukas studied him for a moment, and David could see a flicker of hesitation—and was that fear?—in his eyes, but he nodded.

“Of course! It would be stupid to reject a powerful Healer, don’t you think?”

David shrugged, not bothering to clarify that he was as much a fighter as he was a healer. “I don’t know. The dwarves didn’t like me.”

He didn’t want to waste too much time on small talk and was glad when Lukas said something to his allies. The swordsman turned back to him with a smile.

“Can you heal if we ever need healing?” he asked.

“Sure. You can come to me if Zora’s healing isn’t enough.”

Zora’s smile faltered, but nobody seemed to mind.

The group departed, leaving David and Maja in silence. Nobody said anything for a moment, but Maja was tense.

“Do you want to stay at my place?” she suggested quietly.

“If that’s fine with you,” David nodded. He had a bunch of mattresses in his storage, but he wasn’t going to build a waterproof roof with them.

Maja’s face flushed red, and she scurried away in a hurry. He smiled as she slowed to turn, gesturing for him to follow.

She sure is cute, David thought as he followed her with relaxed strides.

He watched Maja in amusement as she tried to rush him into reaching her home sooner, but David checked on the altered Runes and the new ones. This time, he didn’t receive much information from the influxes. Or, at least, he couldn’t quite recollect it. But he was lucky enough to recall snippets.

[Soul Domain] seems similar to [Mind Palace], he thought, comparing what he knew of his new Class Skill to [Mind Palace]. They appeared to follow the same principle; both strengthened the user’s foundation. However, [Soul Domain] strengthened the soul rather than the mind. That was hardly a surprise to David.

[Indomitable Will], [Primeval Pulse], and the Intent [Origin Attribute] were harder to understand. David tried using the Intent on the way to Maja’s place, but nothing big happened. He felt a subtle nudge in his mind space from one of his Skill Runes: [Meditation]. Was the Intent related to his meditation? If so, what did it do?

He was not in a rush to test it out, but it piqued his interest. Just like the Advanced Skills he’d acquired. The Class Skills he’d obtained from Herald of Origin did not have a Tier, and David could faintly recall [Indomitable Will] being a passive Skill like [A Body’s Purity] had been. But it did not reinforce his body—not actively, at least.

I have to figure out how strong [Indomitable Will] is. And how potent [Primeval Pulse] is, David pondered, his thoughts pulling away from the Advanced Skills and toward the changes in his body. His physique had changed the most. Not only was his Body stat the highest—already at the peak of Advanced and about to reach the next Rank—but [Reinforce] displayed his Body as ‘Elite’ too. No matter how he looked at the changes, David had grown tremendously.

But what was he to do now? Zachariah’s vast knowledge of the future and everything it encompassed was no longer accessible to him. He could message the Regressor using the communication crystal, but David doubted the situation would be as it used to be.

He glanced at Maja, who had stopped before a small house, her cheeks finally regaining some of their natural color.

“Wel-welcome to my humble abode,” she said, gesturing to the house with a thin but tense smile.

There was no rushing. A good plan required time and effort, David thought, glancing at Maja.

And, perhaps, a Portalogist.

36

PICKING UP ARTIFACTS

Far from Ashville…

William stared at the figure materializing before him with wide eyes. He had hoped Zephir would stay away and forget about him, but it seemed his wish wouldn’t be fulfilled.

A venomous green mist formed around William. It spread rapidly, corrupting the surrounding land within seconds. The shrubs beside him wilted instantly, and mist began oozing from the dead—corrupted.

"You failed," a familiar voice rang through his head, forcing William to his knees. He suppressed the urge to run away. There was nowhere to run. His Master would find him anywhere. Escaping was not an option. Not anymore.

I should never have accepted the deal, William thought, gritting his teeth. But deep down, he knew he would do it again if given the chance. His Master had granted him everything he had desired. Power. Control. William was not the same man he used to be. He was strong, unparalleled even. Not even the Swordsman wielding the Sword Law had been strong enough to rival him. William had been faster, stronger. Better.

But what about now? Weeks had passed since the incident, but his Master hadn’t come to punish him. William had been relieved Zephir didn’t kill him after his failure. But as days turned into weeks, his relief faded. Zephir didn’t strike him as a forgiving master. Quite the contrary—William had seen him do terrible things to those who failed him. How could he forget the horrors? His Master had etched the memories of those he had killed for failing him into William’s mind.

And William had failed him, just like the other disciples before him. The attack hadn’t succeeded. They had failed to claim any of the Pantheon’s Divine Essence—not even a trace. Instead, they had lost a lot. William had. His creatures had perished, succumbing to the forces that had remained powerful even as the Sanctuary was destroyed.

He feared losing the power Zephir granted him, but seeing the silhouette of his Master forming in the venomous green mist made him reconsider everything. Losing his Master’s power was still better than death.

"I failed you," William bowed before the silhouette, his forehead touching corroded soil. "But I will not fail you again. The enemies in the Sanctuary were⁠—"

He couldn’t speak another word. His throat tightened as dozens of serpents appeared before him. Some were smaller, like the serpent coiled around his neck, choking him, but others were longer—thicker. One, its body wider than his waist, slithered toward him. It hissed at William, whose hair stood on end.

"You saw what happened to those who failed me before," Zephir’s voice thundered in his head again. "I won’t accept another failure!"

The serpent coiled around his neck released him. William gasped for air but didn’t move, even as screams of shock and terror resounded.

Did he just…? William shuddered, sensing the deaths of several Cohorte members through the Link. But not all of them died. He glanced to the left, where he saw the bloated face of his most recent lover. She stared at him in horror right before her head exploded.

Several explosions followed, resonating with the number of dead Cohorte members, yet the screams didn’t cease. At last, William sat upright, watching a grotesque scene unfold before him. The men and women screaming in pain and terror weren’t crying. They transformed. Their eyes glowed yellow while their skin turned a greenish-yellow tint, as if venom coursed through their veins instead of blood.

William clenched his fists, anger rushing through his body. However, he did not jump to his feet, nor did he shout or curse at Zephir. He remained silent as his Master’s power swept through his Cohorte, killing dozens and transforming the rest.

"Do you understand?" His Master’s venom-laced voice rang through his head.

"I understand, Master!" William said through gritted teeth, bowing.

"I want the fool and his cumbersome friend dead!"

William’s lips parted and closed. Cumbersome friend? Wasn’t it just the Swordsman—the fool—before? He tried to gather his thoughts, but his attention drifted back to the grotesque creatures rising from Zephir’s mist. His trusted Cohorte was no more. It had been replaced by creatures of the venomous lands.

Zephir hissed in his head again, his voice laced with anger. "The healer. He has to die!"

William was still unsure who his Master was referring to, but an image formed before his eyes. Zephir planted it in his mind—the image of a young man with a black metallic arm, crimson eyes, and…

William took a sharp breath.

"What, you vermin? Are you going to disobey my command!?"

He shook his head, trying—and probably failing—to suppress his shock.

"Of course not, Master," William added in a hurry. "I follow your command!"

But his mind was in turmoil. How could it not be? He was too familiar with the person in the image. Though… a lot had changed since they last met.

Fuck, William cursed. What the hell are you doing there, David?

"Ah… shit!" David cursed. "The Blood Storage!"

He had been waiting for the Blood Storage for weeks, thinking about how he would use them, only to forget them in the end. He grumbled, cursing his stupidity as he emerged from the guest room. His stomach lurched and grumbled as if he hadn’t filled it for weeks—which, in fact, was true.

But learning more about his newest Intent had been more important than eating. How was he supposed to know his tests would take this long? David shrugged and walked to the kitchen on the first floor. He had no regrets about his actions and retrieved several thick slabs of monster meat along with etherium heat stones.

He placed the flat, ordinary-looking stone on the table and channeled natural Aether into it. His hand hovered a few centimeters above the etherium heat stone as its temperature increased.

"That should be hot enough," he muttered after a moment, placing the meat slabs on the heat stone. They started sizzling right away, and it took only a few seconds before the smell of juicy meat filled the air.

A commotion—rumbling footsteps descending the stairs from the second floor—resounded, and Maja appeared in the kitchen.

"You hungry?" David glanced at Maja, her mouth agape.

Seeing her nod, he retrieved more slabs of meat.

"Where?" Maja blurted out, followed by a string of unintelligible mutters.

"I bartered corpses for prepared monster meat and currency slates, and I bought the etherium heat stone a while ago—Torb did it, to be honest—for one Bronze Slate, if I remember correctly," he replied casually, retrieving some spices, plates, and cutlery from his necklace.

Even though it had some defects, the spatial storage worked perfectly for his needs. David didn’t regret picking it once.

The meat was done, and they ate in silence. Maja ate two slices, then simply watched as he devoured the remaining slabs. However, his stomach continued rumbling, so he prepared more meat.

He helped himself to some loaves of bread that had been preserved in his necklace for weeks and handed some to Maja, who quietly nibbled on a small piece.

David took his time filling his stomach. He cast [Purify] on the heat stone, the plates, and the utensils once he was done, cleansing them thoroughly before storing everything again.

"Do you have time later?" he asked while checking the notifications he had received since leaving the Dwarven Sanctuary.

The proficiency of [Meditation] and [Mind Palace] had increased again, but David was more interested in another message.

[Origin Attribute has been triggered. Deep meditation has been attained. Unfortunately, the secondary effect of Origin Attribute has not been triggered. No Attribute Point has been rewarded!]

He had already learned that the Origin Attribute helped him enter deep meditation, which made it easier to focus fully on [Mind Palace] and accelerate its progress. Even [Meditation] seemed to work faster with the Intent active, making it easier to absorb and annex Aether.

Regardless, the secondary effect was news to him—pleasant news, if he ever managed to trigger it.

"I’ve done that already, but Lukas told me to expand the range," Maja muttered. "Apparently, people are getting anxious because I’ve been returning without any survivors for a while. But… I can make some time for you."

"Good. I need to get back to the Dwarven Sanctuary. It won’t take long either."

He hadn’t been in Ashville for 24 hours yet but was already going back to the Sanctuary. He was certain the dwarves would love to see him again so soon.

They didn’t waste much time. Maja gathered her things and created a portal.

She gestured to him with a thin smile. "After you, sir."

David stepped through the portal and emerged a few dozen meters in front of the Dwarven Sanctuary. The teleportation was as smooth as always, yet he sensed something different about it.

"Did you use fewer Mana units for this portal?"

"How did you know?" Maja asked, closing the portal behind him.

"You look perfectly fine. Your heartbeat is normal, and so is your life signal," he responded. Maja wasn’t sweating either.

"Teleporting to known places is easier. Your friend’s office is tricky because I can’t easily breach the Sanctuary’s defenses to sense what’s on the other side. But the land around the Sanctuary? There’s not much—just grass, ferns, and a few shrubs."

David tilted his head, realizing he had never fully considered what Maja was truly capable of. If he remembered correctly, she had a Unique Class, yet all he saw her doing was teleporting him and others through space.

"Can you only create portals with your Secondary Class?" he asked, hesitating only for a moment before adding, "If we are to work together, which I hope for, we will be forced into fights. Are there problems I should be aware of, or can you smoothly conjure portals mid-combat as well?"

He felt Maja’s eyes on him, and space around him began to twist. His hair stood on end, and a strange sensation flooded him. It was similar to the sensation inflicted by the Void Fragment, albeit weaker. Regardless, David didn’t like it and tried resisting. Something within him stirred, but he was certain it arrived too late. Yet, just as he expected something to happen, he was pulled back to his senses by a pained groan.

His head flicked to Maja, who stood there, bent over, blood dripping to the ground.

He rushed to her and grabbed her shoulder, casting [Greater Restoration]. Maja flinched and looked up at him, her eyes quivering. "What did you do?"

"I?!" David asked, flabbergasted. "You did something, didn’t you? I just tried resisting it."

"How did you resist it? Not even—" Maja’s words were cut short as she coughed again.

David raised an eyebrow. How had he done that? It was clear Maja had tried something—but she failed, paying for it with pain and blood. But what exactly had happened?

He closed his eyes and caught the culprit in the act.

His Advanced Class Skill, [Indomitable Will], had been triggered. He hadn’t noticed it earlier, but now that he focused, David sensed it clearly.

The Advanced Skill had protected him. It blocked Maja’s attempt—whatever it was—at his behest.

Did it activate instinctively, or had he triggered it by resisting Maja’s move?

“You shouldn’t have done that,” David said, patting Maja’s back.

She finally regained her composure and looked at him with a mix of fear and defiance. “I was just trying to show you what I can do… There was no need to treat me like this…”

“I…” He stopped himself, deciding against fueling the brewing conflict. There was no need to fight.

“Sorry about that. It was an instinctive reaction. But what did you try to do? It felt weird.”

“I wanted to show you my other Class Skills. One of them, to be precise,” Maja muttered, looking like she was torn between staying angry and calming down.

Suddenly, her eyes started twinkling gold. “Can I show you, or will you hurt me again?”

David nodded, and the weird sensation returned. The space around him distorted, but he didn’t resist this time.

Suddenly, the scenery changed. One moment, he stood before Maja, and the next, he was behind her.

“See? Everything is fine!” Maja said, failing to hide her exhaustion as she breathed heavily. “You’re heavier than I expected.”

David’s hand reached for the spatial storage. “Or my necklace is.”

He could hardly hide his excitement. Maja’s Skill left a deep impression. To think it was possible to teleport someone else through space with a mere glance.

How often could she teleport him like that? Was there a limit to the distance? How much energy did it consume?

He needed more information!

“You look tired. Was it that much of a challenge to teleport me a few meters by looking at me?” David asked, intrigued.

“It’s a lot harder,” Maja nodded. “Portals come the easiest to me. They cost less, cover more distance, and don’t strain my mind as much, but they require more time to materialize. I can also jump through space without a portal, and I can bring you along by touching you.”

She touched his arm and teleported them closer to the gates of the Dwarven Sanctuary. David noticed the guards tense, but their discomfort wasn’t his concern.

“This method is still fairly simple. It doesn’t drain much mana either, but it strains my mind more because I have to be more careful where I want us to emerge. As long as I see where I want to end up, it is simple. However, it’s a little bit scary if I don’t see the landing position, and I am forced to spend more time perceiving the other end to make sure I don’t kill anyone. Myself included.”

He made some mental notes as they crossed the final steps to the gate. The dwarven guards blocked the entrance with their spears and glared at him.

“I want to visit the Artificer. She has some of my⁠—”

“We are on break,” one of the dwarves snapped, while the other added, “No entrance until our break is over.”

It was plainly obvious what they were trying to do. They wanted to make him suffer, but David couldn’t care less. He turned to Maja with a smile.

“So, you can use portals for long-distance traveling with multiple people. Then, you can teleport on your own without a portal and bring someone you touch along. The second method is faster, but it can be a little bit more complicated if you cannot see your destination. That’s not too bad either if you teleport high into the air. You can escape fast and deadly perpetrators by teleporting high into the air,” David summarized, already forming plans on how to use them. “But you can also teleport someone with your eyes alone. From the looks of it, the last Skill is rather energy-consuming—it probably strains your mind a lot as well—but it seems to be as fast as your individual teleportation.”

“I can also touch you or objects and teleport them to the designated location. I don’t have to travel with them,” Maja added quietly, eyeing the dwarven guards warily. “But teleportation through vision is the hardest. It consumes the most mana and mental power.”

That was expected. Teleporting oneself already seemed like a complex task but doing so by merely looking at someone must be an ordeal. However, teleporting through vision was also the fastest and easiest means to keep Maja away from danger without losing the benefits of teleportation.

“Enemies can block my teleportation. Not as easily as you did, and it doesn’t hurt as much, but they can still do it. I learned that lesson when I tried teleporting a Goblin Warrior from a ravine using vision teleportation,” Maja shuddered.

Time flew by as they delved into a lively discussion. David learned a lot about Maja and the powers she could summon with her Secondary Class. Portaligist was an incredible Class.

So much so that David ignored the dwarven guards when they finally made space for them. Maja had to pull him ahead, and they finally returned to the Dwarven Sanctuary.

Only now did he realize how much the Sanctuary had changed during his weeks with the Rift Core. There were far more houses than before, and a lot more prehistoric monsters roamed the streets.

However, the most interesting specimen was still Maja with her Unique Class. She was still a little reluctant, maybe even shy, but David watched her lower her guard—slowly but surely, he was breaking through her defenses.

Despite her lack of confidence, Maja had powerful Skills. Though similar, each Skill had unique functions and features, David noted, expanding on his mental notes. As long as she used the right Skill, Maja would have no problems with the range of her teleports, energy consumption, or destination perception. The only issues were timing, the weight she could carry through teleportation, and how to bypass wards or other defenses that blocked spatial travel—if any were installed.

Learning about the current limits of her Skills was intriguing, but so was the information about the items she could carry. Portals did not consume more mana regardless of the number or weight of the people and objects passing through them. The same, however, could not be said for the other Skills.

David added some tasks to his to-do list and noted down a few for Maja as well. He wasn’t sure if she would follow them, but he could at least try. It would help her—and himself, of course.

He felt a twinge of sadness when their conversation ended. They had arrived at the workshop, the sound of metal striking metal reaching his ears.

The moment he stepped inside, he noticed the workshop had expanded. More forges had been installed, and the workbench was now wider, allowing two masters of their craft to work simultaneously. But what intrigued him most was the shift in the workshop’s atmosphere. It was no longer as tense and heavy as before. Instead, the Dwarven Blacksmith and the Tirac Artificer seemed to have found a solution. They worked seamlessly together—the blacksmith remained near the forges, melted the materials, and forged them swiftly before forwarding them to the Artificer.

They exchanged only a few words, but none seemed necessary. Their work was smooth and appeared flawless.

After watching them finish several parts made from a material he had never seen, David cleared his throat. Their heads immediately snapped toward him. The Dwarven Blacksmith pointed his forging hammer at him and cursed in the dwarven tongue while the Artificer walked over.

“I was certain you forgot.” She shook her head, conjuring several objects from her spatial storage.

The Artificer looked at David and handed him three objects—three crimson spheres interwoven with black and gold veins, which became more intricate upon closer inspection. He also noticed silver letters, minuscule and barely visible to the naked eye, engraved atop the black and golden veins. They were seamlessly connected, beautiful—magnificent even.

“I could have created larger Blood Storages, but you told me to keep them small. I doubt you understand how difficult it was to ensure they would store an acceptable amount of energy. Melting Bloodstones and reforging them would have been easy, but no! You wanted small Blood Storages to fit into your pockets. I wasted several Bloodstones just to create the perfect alloy, and more broke when I added the enchantments. Do you even realize how⁠—”

At some point, David tuned out the Artificer’s rambling. While he was interested in the principles behind the Blood Storages’ creation, he would much rather test them right away.

His Blood surged into the Storages, depleting his Source within seconds. However, the energy reservoirs were still empty. Six Blood Droplets weren’t enough to fill them.

“Amazing,” David gasped, closing his eyes as he felt something new. A familiar pressure weighed on his Source. It was not uncomfortable, yet it resembled the binding of new Skill Runes. But as far as he could tell, he wasn’t binding any new Skills. Thin crimson threads oozed from his Source and surged toward his right arm, seeping from his palm and reaching for the Blood Storages. The threads made contact with the engravings and vanished.

The threads were severed—the remains retracted back into his Source. But something was amiss. A tiny snippet of the thread had fused into the engravings instead of disappearing entirely. It lingered there, allowing for easier access. He sensed a connection between the Blood Storages and his Source. It was thin, barely noticeable, but present.

That was unexpected, David thought as he pocketed the Blood Storages. He attempted to store them in his necklace first, but the Storages refused to enter the spatial storage. That made keeping them on him a bit more difficult. What if his pockets got torn or burned during battle? Would he lose the Blood Storages just like that?

He shook his head, his mind drifting back to one of the plans he had devised when he first told the Artificer about the Blood Storages. It was a little barbaric—quite a lot, to be fair—but David thought it was worth considering.

“How much do I owe you?” he asked, his hand resting in his pocket with the Blood Storages.

The Artificer waved dismissively. “Nothing. No—don’t look at me like that! I won’t accept anything. I already kept the remaining Bloodstones, though only fragments remained after my failures, but I cannot take any money after you saved us from the Hordes. Asking you for any more would make me feel bad.”

David didn’t push the issue. He doubted he had enough to pay her anyway, so he simply thanked her sincerely.

“Don’t get me wrong. This was a one-time thing. If you hire me again, I will charge you the full price,” she clarified.

That was fine with him. He doubted he’d need the Artificer’s services anytime soon—not with the treasures in his pockets.

As long as they worked as intended, David thought, the corners of his lips tugging upward. Excitement swelled within him. He looked forward to his experiments—with his Blood Storages, but also with Maja.

37

HEAVY STONES AND A RIFT RULER

They left the workshop and soon arrived at the merchant alley.

"Do you want something?" David asked. Maybe they could find some suitable Skill Slates—something to augment her powers as a Portaligist.

"I don’t know if I can afford anything useful. A few Bronze slates are all I have," Maja responded, her hand reaching for a small leather pouch.

David waved dismissively. "You don’t have to worry about money. I saved some slates to pay for the Blood Storages. It’s a decent bit, probably not enough to pay the Artificer, but that’s clearly not a problem anymore."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Investing in your growth will benefit me as well."

"If you put it that way..." Maja didn’t sound convinced, but she approached the street vendors and entered some shops.

Are Portaligists considered Mages as well? If so, purchasing her [Mage Armor] should work, David wondered, tilting his head before nodding. Since he could fuse [Mage Armor] with a Class like Lifeweaver, Maja should have no problem doing the same. As far as David could tell, she controlled Mana and possessed a Mana Core. Her energy certainly felt like mana.

He watched her for a moment, his mind wandering as she rummaged through the displayed goods of several merchants with an excited smile. Her amber eyes twinkled, and her long chestnut hair flowed in the faint breeze that swept through the alley. He gazed at her, lost in thought, until Maja turned to him, her vibrant smile making him flinch.

A gemstone-embedded sword rested in her small hands.

"Did you know Swordwands existed? It has the wrong attributes, but what do you think?" she asked, looking like a happy little bunny.

Something is really wrong with me, David grumbled inwardly, though he kept a smile on the outside as he inspected the sword—or Swordwand.

"Do you want a sword? I’m not sure that suits you. Focusing on Portaligist and acquiring more magical Skills might be the better option," he proposed. Yet something about the Swordwand and the way Maja looked at it set him off. It appeared… natural. A bizarre thought surfaced in his mind, and he added, "What is your Primary Class?"

Until now, Maja had only ever mentioned Portaligist, but it was not her Main Class. She had clarified that much before, yet she had never talked about her Main Class. Seeing her smile crumble, the joy wiped from her face, was not a great sight, but David kept staring at her. She squirmed, clearly uncomfortable, but so be it.

"I… picked Warrior as my Basic Class when… when the integration struck," Maja muttered, barely loud enough for David to hear.

Warrior? Why would she do that? It didn’t make any sense. Maja was small and frail. If she had been a fierce woman, he would have understood her a little, but Maja was also shy, overly self-conscious, and lacked confidence.

David imagined her fighting the Goblins of the Rift in Ashville in melee, clashing head-on—sword against sword—which made him shudder. In some ways, it was surprising that Maja had survived. It was impressive, especially considering she must have reached Bronze Rank with her Basic Class to unlock her Secondary Class.

But what did she do to unlock Portaligist? Her Primary Class must have evolved into something highly compatible with Portaligist.

Numerous questions surfaced in his mind, but one overshadowed the others.

"Why?" he asked seriously.

Maja didn’t strike him as a fool. She looked shy and lacked confidence, but she was no fool. The integration might have turned everything upside down, throwing the lives of all of mankind into chaos, yet that didn’t transform all humans into mindless fools.

Maja didn’t dare look into his eyes. Her shoulders dropped, and she stared at the ground. "Do I have to tell you?"

That caught him slightly off guard, but he simply said, "You don’t have to. I was just curious."

"I… had my reasons…" Maja muttered, trembling.

"I understand." David nodded, clearing his throat, trying to break the awkwardness with a subtle shift. "Are you planning to buy a Swordwand? If so, do you mind telling me more about your Primary Class’ first advancement? Maybe we can find something useful that fits both your Primary and Secondary Class."

Maja’s lips were pressed together. She hadn’t stopped trembling, but she looked up, and they locked eyes. A moment later, she calmed visibly.

"Warrior advanced to Rifter at the Bronze Rank. It didn’t fit well with the description of a Warrior, but… being a Warrior had never been my plan. Either way, I think I was given access to this Class, just like the others, because we entered the Goblin Rift shortly after the integration. And we didn’t emerge until everyone had reached Bronze Rank. But I was the only one who picked the Rifter Class. The others didn’t like it. They said it was a useless Class," Maja’s voice grew quieter as more and more words spurted out of her mouth.

"I… I don’t know what happened, but we defeated the Rift Boss and cleared the Rift. We gained control of it and touched it one after another to gain our clearance rewards. When I touched it, something within me reacted." She patted her racing heart, but her life signals were still in disarray as she continued, "Something inside me devoured the Rift Core. I received multiple Class Rank-ups, and my Class evolved—mutated into an Exotic Class, according to the message. I… am now a Rift Ruler."

David listened intently and summarized Maja’s story in his mind: they received a special Class for spending the first days of the integration in a Rift, and only Maja picked it, transforming her into a powerhouse.

He had never heard of the Exotic grade for anything, but it was certainly better than a Rare Class—perhaps even as powerful as a Unique Class.

“Does Rift Ruler have powerful attack abilities? Can you use it in close combat?” David inquired, his brows narrowing when Maja shook her head.

“I have a Class Skill that allows me to conjure a magical, long-range attack and [Slash]. Other than that... Rift Ruler seems useless. Or, it would have been without Portaligist. Their compatibility is very high, but it feels like Rift Ruler and Portaligist are one Class that has been forcefully divided,” Maja grumbled quietly. “Rift Ruler didn’t rank up once since we were forced out of the Goblin Rift.”

David nodded. “Maybe you have to enter another Rift and clear it or absorb Rift Cores to rank up again.”

They spent a little longer talking about Maja’s Classes, gaining a deeper understanding of her abilities and limits. After that, he helped her pick a few Skill Slates. It wasn’t anything special but included [Arcane Blast], [Mage Armor], and a more expensive Skill Slate called [Spatial Fissure]. The latter, according to the merchant who sold it, was not something most people could attune to. It was rare and hard to come by, which was also why it was more expensive than the rest, but its pricing wasn’t exorbitant because only a few out of a million Mages after their Secondary Class Advancement could fuse it to their Mana Core.

Maja did not require her Secondary Class Advancement. She had all the necessary requirements to bind [Spatial Fissure], adding one more offensive Skill Rune to her repertoire.

Finally, David spent his remaining fortune on materials—specifically cheap but dense ore.

The dwarves sold him batches of large ores, some the size of cars or trucks, at a reasonable price. Initially, they were reluctant to sell to him, but their attitudes shifted when he mentioned the goods he was interested in. The dwarven merchant he had approached disappeared into a shop and returned with several comrades talking in their native tongue. David couldn’t understand them, but it wasn’t hard to tell that they were making fun of him. They laughed and shot him mocking glances.

The dwarves were painfully obvious. Their antics and mocking glances made it clear they were overcharging him, but David didn’t mind.

The dense ores were heavy, and they didn’t break easily, even when he punched them with full force. The sickening crunch of the bones in his hand breaking as he punched one of the smaller rocks echoed in his ears, along with Maja’s scream.

She kept staring at him, repeatedly asking what he was doing and if he was okay, even though he had already healed his broken hand with a single use of [Greater Restoration].

After using [Greater Restoration] a few times, David had gained greater control over the Skill Rune. He didn’t require as much Blood to heal himself and others. The Skill Rune was stronger than [Restore], after all. However, he struggled to tone down the Skill Rune to use only as much Blood as required to heal his body. Where [Restore] had to be overclocked until the Skill Rune couldn’t absorb more Blood, [Greater Restoration] required neither.

The sudden shift from overclocking most of his Skills to infusing just the right amount of Blood was a challenge, albeit not an unwelcome one.

Afraid? He chuckled inwardly. It hadn’t been his intention to scare them, but he wasn’t sorry about it either.

He smiled at the dwarves, wiped the blood from his mended hand, and paid them in full. They shuddered, their life signals telling David everything he needed to know as he stored the ores away.

He smiled at Maja and focused on his spatial storage as the new weight pressed down on the defective Artifact. The drastic increase in his necklace’s weight altered the Blood consumption more than expected, but that was hardly an issue. He created a droplet of Blood assimilated with his Source-produced Origin Essence and filled the necklace’s reservoir to the brim.

They left the Sanctuary with empty wallets. Maja materialized a portal and brought them back to her house.

“These dwarves really don’t like you,” she muttered. “They took advantage of you, didn’t they?”

David shrugged, and Maja scoffed at him. “So, what are these ores good for? Are they secretly some sort of super valuable materials needed for something grand?”

“Your imagination is running wild.” He chuckled.

“Unfortunately, the ores are nothing like that. Not that I know of, at least.”

He caught Maja staring at him and smiled. “How about you teleport us outside Ashville? I’ll show you what the ores are good for.”

She grabbed his shoulder and teleported them outside town. Once they arrived in the open plains, David watched her take a few deep breaths.

As expected, she struggled to teleport him now that his necklace was weighed down with heavy stones.

“There you go. Now, use them.”

Maja didn’t move at first. She stared at him, probably processing what she’d just heard.

“Huh? What am I supposed to do with these stones?” She tapped one of the car-sized rocks and tried pushing it with little success.

“I want you to make full use of your abilities.” David pointed at the stones. “I want you to learn how to fight using portals.”

Portals ignored the weight and number of objects sent through them. He took that information into consideration while thinking of ways Maja could use Portaligist offensively. Squashing enemies with heavy rocks was one way to do it.

He walked across the flourishing grass field and used Rend, carving large crosses and numbers into the ground.

“I want you to attack the ‘enemy’ with your portals. If you want to test your new skills, you can use them as well, but I won’t make it easy for you,” David said, casting [Blood Blast]. He whispered a few Words of Power and willed the bloody projectile to fly through the surroundings. The projectile swept over the marked sections, following a beautiful route. However, it slowed at times and accelerated at others. Suddenly, its trajectory shifted.

Following the projectile was fairly simple for David. But the random movements would make it hard to squash or destroy.

“I will call out the marks. If I say ‘cross,’ you have to squash the projectile with one of the heavy stones. On the other hand, when I mention one of the numbers, you can either squash the projectile or hit it with [Spatial Fissure] or one of your other abilities. Regardless, I don’t want you to hit the projectiles at random times. When I say ‘cross,’ you can only destroy the projectile when it hovers above one of the crosses. The same applies to the numbers. Do you understand?” David asked, frowning when he saw Maja’s pale face.

“It’s simple. Use your portals to squash the projectiles in time. I want to help you improve your timing, spatial awareness, and so forth. I think your Mind and Soul stats are not bad. You can do it.”

He gave it a try without a second thought. The bloody projectiles moved accordingly, changing speed and trajectory at times. He heard Maja breathing in the utter silence that filled the surroundings as several silent seconds passed until he shouted, “Cross!”

Maja responded faster than expected. She materialized a portal beneath one of the rocks in time, but the exit portal appeared too late—and too high—above the nearest cross mark. The rock disappeared into one portal and emerged from the other, crashing to the ground. It missed the projectile by a heartbeat.

“Nice try. Again!”

He studied her intently as he ushered “cross” again. She created both sides of the portal simultaneously but struggled to throw the massive stone through it. She failed again. This time, the distance to the enemy was further than before.

“Keep going,” David said calmly as the projectile passed the next cross mark. It neared the number three mark as he exclaimed, “Three.”

Maja tried and failed again.

“Cross.”

And again.

“Two.”

…

“One.”

“Cross.”

“Cross.”

After several attempts, Maja created the portals early. She was drenched in sweat but smiled, seemingly confident she’d squash the projectile. But the “enemy” saw the portal and changed its trajectory.

Maja cursed quietly, but David ignored her. Any enemy would respond to imminent death in a certain way. Most would try to evade a life-threatening attack if possible. Others wouldn’t even know what was happening. Ordinary undead were the best example. Maja shouldn’t have any issues killing undead en masse—except for Death Knights and Liches with a bit of intelligence. However, her current “enemy” was better than the average undead.

“You failed to hit the enemy in time,” David said calmly as the projectile accelerated. It appeared before her face and came to a sudden halt before bursting apart.

Maja screamed and retreated quickly, only to trip over her own feet. She fell to the ground, gasping for air.

“The enemy has killed you. You’re dead,” he added coldly, looking at the unscathed woman.

Maja’s head jerked up, and she looked at him with wide eyes. “You…”

“I?” David smirked.

“I’m not done yet!” Maja exclaimed, jumping to her feet. “Again!”

The corner of his lips curled into a wide smile. It appeared his plan was working even better than expected. She stared at him in defiance.

David moved the blood projectile again and issued commands, forcing Maja to respond in a timely manner. Simultaneously, he filled the Blood Storages. Before he obtained them, he’d been certain the Blood Storage wouldn’t be able to hold more than ten droplets. However, even as each of the three storages contained ten droplets, they weren’t full. They were not even close to full.

Giving her the Bloodstones was a good call. She compressed them neatly and improved them too, David thought, making a mental note of the artifacts’ power and potency.

Training with Maja continued for a while, but it ended suddenly when she lost consciousness. She hit her enemy only once—with [Spatial Fissure], at that. But while David expected Maja to be frustrated and unwilling to keep going, she surprised him with the opposite. Maja was fuming, but her anger seemed to fuel her.

Her reaction speed had improved drastically since training began. And while she had yet to squash the bloody projectiles, David was certain that would change in the following days. Within a few weeks, she would be a terrifying sight to behold, he thought.

Imagining Maja throwing massive stones at enemies of all sizes was pleasant, as long as he wasn’t the target. After all, he wouldn’t want to get squashed by a car-sized rock that weighed several tons—let alone the truck-sized versions that shook the ground, scarring it upon impact.

He snickered, walked up to Maja, and picked her up. David carried her home, casting [Greater Restoration] on her head, hoping it would soothe the strain on her mind. Maja stirred awake, but he didn’t stop carrying her.

“You should wash up and rest. Training will continue tomorrow,” he told her, putting Maja down before turning around.

“Where are you going?” Her voice rang in his ears as he stepped onto the street.

He was not in a rush, but the Blood Storages were taking too long. Growing impatient with their slow progress, David decided to take matters into his own hands.

“I’m going to hunt.”

38

BLOOD TINKERER

It was already late at night when David returned to Ashville. Locating monsters had been a lot more difficult than expected. Not only was the area around Ashville cleared—Lukas and his people seemed to have done a great job—but the life signals he discovered while scouting were too weak.

David didn’t like the thought of hunting ordinary monsters, let alone peaceful creatures that would run away if given the chance. He would have loved to find some Elite Monster to test the limit of his power, but all he found was a settlement ruled by a Goblin Champion. The Goblin Champion was not weak, nor were the Goblin Shamans supporting their master. However, [Indomitable Will] blocked the Shamans’ curses and weakening spells. Their debuffs—spells that afflicted the target with negative effects—struck David, but his Class Skill seemed to shake them off without any problems.

He eliminated the Shamans first, slashing their throats and piercing their hearts. Once dead, David left a trace of [Holy Touch] behind, causing their lifeforce to gather around it. It was the first time he tried to retain lifeforce from escaping carcasses, but it worked better than expected. Clots of crimson motes formed in their bodies, all while he was busy blocking the Goblin Champion’s attacks.

[Blood Aegis] was all he needed to do so. As for the other Goblins, David ignored them as they slashed and thrust their weapons, trying—and failing—to pierce [Blood Armor].

He used Rend and [Slash] as he cleaved through the Goblin Champion’s mace, armor, and body in one go. Only then did he turn to the Goblins, eradicating the plague in one swoop.

All lifeforce was drained and transformed into Blood, which was distributed to the three Blood Storages, but one settlement of Goblins was not enough. Fortunately, he discovered the life signals of more nearby camps. David eradicated and accumulated enough lifeforce to fill the Blood Storages. But he wasn’t happy, he wasn’t done yet. Not after discovering several mangled human corpses sprawled across the settlements. Most of them were men, yet it didn’t take long to find the women. Faint life signals led him to a barn.

He could still vividly recall the stench hitting him as he opened the doors. A putrid stench—a mix of excrement, blood, sweat, and corpses that had been abandoned among the other women.

David could only imagine what had happened to them, and he did not know what to expect when he found the poor women. However, he did not expect them to take their own lives when they had the opportunity. He healed their wounds, but he could not mend their hearts.

In the end, David left to search for more Goblin settlements. Where there were three settlements, there had to be more. He was right.

He found several camps—smaller, but just as disgusting. He lost count of how many Goblins fell victim to his blade, yet the number of women who had taken their own lives before his eyes, or those who had begged him to end theirs in their stead, were engraved in his mind.

Thirty-one. A grand total of thirty-one women had given up on their lives before his eyes.

No, by the time David reached them, they were only husks of their former selves. Pitiful. Soulless. To them, death was more comfortable than staying alive. And once they had the chance, their nightmare ended. A blade to the neck was all it took.

The sight of the desperate women, their soulless eyes looking at him—through him—was engraved in his mind. It affected him much more than he was willing to acknowledge.

Back in Maja’s place, he washed up in silence. David found her calm, resting life signal in her room and returned to the guest room once he had cleaned up. He looked clean, leaving no sign of the carnage he had caused, but David felt anything but clean. Right now, he was just… confused.

Get your act together. You cannot change what already happened. But you can change the future, he told himself. He could change everything for the better if that was what he truly desired. Or at least he hoped so.

David retrieved the Blood Storages and looked at the ping-pong-ball-sized Artifacts, a wry smile forming on his lips.

He stripped down to his underwear, opened the door leading to the backyard, and stepped outside. He sat on the plastered terrace, which made him shudder as the cold of the cobblestone spread through his body.

“How bad will it be?” he muttered to himself.

The Blood Storages were full at last. It had taken him a while, but he succeeded. At last, he could get to work, doing what he had planned for a while now.

David materialized the Obsidian Blade in its smallest form in his hand and activated Rend. His intent coated the soulbound weapon’s blade in a grim, grey hue. He studied it for a moment, looked down at his body, and channeled pure Origin Essence into his eyes.

“Should I start with the shoulder?” he muttered to himself, tilting his head.

No, before he did something that would be difficult to fix in a minute or two, he decided to test something first.

He switched the Obsidian Blade to his left arm and pressed his right hand against his chest.

His finger trailed softly across his chest and down his body as he mumbled, “The heart is here… this is my liver… and that’s probably the kidney… the pancreas is…here. Yep, there it is. Gallbladder is also there, and so are the large intestines, and here is the mess of the small intestines…”

David didn’t just touch his body; he also sent waves of Blood through it to locate and differentiate his organs. He coated each one in Blood, then lay down on the ground once he was done.

He closed his eyes, feeling the Obsidian Blade and the organs inside him. He shifted the blade, its tip pointing toward his abdomen. David didn’t rush to stab himself, but he wasn’t about to waste precious time either. The three Blood Storages had to be planted and integrated into his body either way!

Inserting foreign objects into his body didn’t seem like the best idea—probably barbaric, maybe even suicidal. However, David could always heal himself. In the worst case, he’d cut his body open and remove the Blood Storages again.

He pulled the blade toward himself, making sure the soulbound weapon’s lifeforce drainage was inactive, and cut through skin and flesh.

The pain didn’t come immediately. The Obsidian Blade, coated in Rend, was razor-sharp and sliced him cleanly. However, a small cut wasn’t enough to fit one of the Blood Storages, let alone his entire hand. David pulled the weapon downward, cast [Purify] a few times and ripped the wound apart. A wave of pain struck him in the gut—literally. He gritted his teeth and continued casting [Purify] on himself, the blade, and the Blood Storage of his choice. He willed the Blood coating his small intestines to slow the blade, but Rend ignored all defenses, piercing through the Blood and nicking his intestines.

David cast [Healing Sphere], fearing that if he used [Greater Restoration], it would heal him too quickly before he could react to the wound in his intestines. A second later, his hand plunged into his abdomen. He shuddered, his hair standing on end, as he rummaged through his body, pulling his small intestines aside to place the first Blood Storage.

It had only been a few seconds, but David broke into a cold sweat as he pulled back, shrouding his small intestines in Blood and willing it to wrap around the Blood Storage. Not long after, he used the Blood Storage’s energy to create a weave of Blood, connecting the storage to his intestines.

After that… nothing.

David remained still for several minutes, casting [Greater Restoration] on the massive cut he had inflicted on his abdomen, sealing it instantly. But still—nothing.

“Is that it? No rejection? No system message?” he asked, slowly getting up once his body was fully healed. He could see the Blood Storage through Bloodthrone Dominion eyes, and he could feel it as well.

He double-checked it as he moved, jumped, and dashed, but everything was fine. Next, David threw Blood from the storage. It worked perfectly. If anything, the process was smoother than before. It wasn’t perfect yet, let alone natural, but he no longer had to access the Blood Storage through external means first. It was inside his body, making it easier to tap into—though it strained his mind quite a bit.

With a little bit of effort, the entire process would easily become second nature to him. David broke into a vibrant smile. The second Blood Storage had been added to his body. And this one? This one, he wouldn’t lose easily.

His enemies would have to carve it out to take it away from him.

Even then, David thought, glancing at the two remaining Blood Storages.

Even then, the one linked to the small intestines would be the easiest to detect and remove.

The sound of breaking bones still echoed in his ears even after completing the second implantation, sending a shudder through him.

He moved Deryadus’ Arm in all directions, testing its flexibility and the Relic’s durability now that he had adjusted some things.

Calling it a modification felt more accurate, David thought, shuddering as the sickening sounds returned to wreak havoc in his mind.

“At least it works,” he muttered, patting his left shoulder.

He had been hesitant to tinker with the shoulder—it was a complex structure of bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. Worse still, this was the first time David had experimented on himself without any prior experience. So many things could have gone wrong as he cut open his shoulder and upper arm, exposing the shoulder blade and humerus to reach the joint. But it turned out easier than expected, though it was only one of many complex, time-consuming tasks.

The upper arm bone—the humerus—was what David had been looking for. More precisely, he needed the upper part of the humerus. It had a large, round surface that fit into the shoulder blade’s small socket.

The humerus head was slightly larger than his Blood Storage, but that wasn’t a problem. If anything, the tiny gap was perfect.

David considered the humerus head a golf ball connecting to the socket in the shoulder blade—the tee if one wanted to think of it that way.

Replacing the humerus head with the Blood Storage was not feasible. Thus, David worked on it, grinding it slowly to dust while casting [Greater Restoration] to ensure he could regrow the bone if something went wrong.

It was already morning when he finished working on his upper arm bone, but the second Blood Storage fit perfectly in the humerus head, which grew around it as [Greater Restoration] stimulated the upper arm bone to regenerate. Not everything was perfect, and David was certain he would have to work on his left arm and shoulder blade again. However, the shoulder blade socket and the humerus head were now covered in cartilage again, allowing the bones to glide smoothly against each other without pain. David refined the tough, lubricating tissue to improve the process slightly before shifting his focus to the muscles and ligaments that encapsulated the shoulder joint.

As it turned out, [Greater Restoration] was not only exceptional at regrowing body parts but also at restoring them to their designated places. The muscles and ligaments returned to their original positions, stabilizing the shoulder joint while maintaining free movement. Even as the first rays of sunlight washed the terrace in Maja’s backyard, David wasn’t certain he had thought of everything. The shoulder joint was where it used to be, and the only difference from a few hours ago was that he had forcibly embedded one of his Blood Storages into the humerus head. Once the head had healed, everything settled into place.

It didn’t feel much different either, now that he tested a few motions. If anything, his left arm, including his shoulder blade, felt stronger. Amplified. He accessed the Blood Storage, but it was more difficult than before. It required more focus, though David was confident he could improve with practice. Just as he had learned to seamlessly access the Blood Storage linked to his small intestine, he would do the same with this one.

Should I connect Deryadus’ Arm with the Blood Storage? Creating blood veins should work, he thought, wondering what would happen if he transformed the Blood Storage in his shoulder joint into a reservoir filled with altered blood. Since Deryadus’ Arm could modify blood, drastically augmenting its healing properties, he might as well take advantage of it. Why not? David couldn’t think of a reason not to give each Blood Storage a specific function.

He looked at the last Blood Storage with a grim smile, then down at his body. He pulled his underpants aside and channeled blood into his waist, precisely shrouding and separating all parts of the hip joint. Mapping everything through blood made it much easier for him to visualize the steps he needed to take and the sequence in which he had to proceed. Every step required to install the third Blood Storage appeared in his mind, and he readied the Obsidian Blade to get started—when a shriek shattered his focus.

David looked up to see Maja staring at him on the terrace from a window on the second floor.

“What are you doing?” her frightened voice carried through the window, which she flung open in a hurry.

“Good morning to you as well,” David responded calmly.

“What. Are. You. Doing?” Maja repeated, her voice rising hysterically.

“I don’t think I owe you an explanation,” he muttered to himself. But considering that he was operating on his body in her backyard, caking her terrace in blood, maybe he was wrong.

David groaned and held up the last crimson Blood Storage. “You remember these? I can’t afford to lose them, but I can’t store them either. That’s why⁠—”

Maja’s eyes widened in horror as she interrupted, “Please don’t tell me you cut your body open to plant these things inside of you!”

“If you don’t want to hear it, I won’t tell you.” He shrugged lightly while Maja looked like she was holding onto the last threads of her sanity.

“You… No… Why?”

“They make me stronger, and I don’t want to lose them. Even if something went wrong, I could have healed myself,” David responded in a neutral tone. “If that’s what it takes to grow stronger, I’ll modify my body however I need to.”

He noticed Maja was about to retort—probably to call him suicidal—but David wasn’t having it.

“I do what it takes to survive and thrive. It might seem idiotic to you, but if these Blood Storages allow me to fight at full strength, then I see no reason not to use them,” his voice grew colder. “This doesn’t concern you either way. My body is mine. I’ll do whatever I want with it.”

Maja didn’t look satisfied, but he was done with the conversation. He turned back to his pelvis.

“You should train your skills. Or, if you’re too tired to fling around dense ores, help Lukas and the others find more survivors instead of complaining to me. I found a few Goblin camps yesterday. There were… no survivors.” His voice cracked slightly as he added, “If you do find survivors, don’t be too shocked.”

David felt her intense stare lingering on him for a few seconds, but they exchanged no more words.

At last, he focused on the hip joint. He used Rend, cutting through skin, flesh, and bone in one motion, gritting his teeth as pain crashed down on him.

Enduring the agony, David pressed on.

39

REGROWTH

It was already close to midday when the final operation concluded. Even though he had easier access to his hip joint than his shoulder joint, David struggled to plant the last Blood Storage. It took several tries, a lot of Blood, pain, and effort, but in the end, it worked.

His movements remained smooth, and some simple tests confirmed that everything functioned properly. Accessing the Blood Storage in his hip was as mentally draining as the others, but the same principle applied. David was certain that with tireless practice, the arduous task would soon become second nature.

He looked at the terrace and conjured a small crimson projectile in his hand. The projectile expanded as he infused it with [Purify], filling it to the brim. David followed up by compressing [Purify] inside the projectile before inserting more into it.

That should work, he thought, willing the projectile to hover above the bloody terrace. It exploded at his command, releasing the compressed energy within. [Purify] spread across the terrace, resembling a miniature shockwave as the projectile burst apart. The blood and white powder left behind by the ground bones vanished, cleansing the terrace.

The purification bomb was far from perfect—far from ideal, David thought. But it wasn’t too bad either. Combining Skills had always been useful, and maybe it was time to shift his focus back to that.

He experimented further, channeling blood from the storages before infusing it into his Source. He exchanged the Blood from one storage with another, analyzed potential issues, and searched for differences between the three Blood Storages now that they had been installed and assimilated into his body.

Once satisfied with the results, David left silently, leaping over the fence to take a shortcut to Ashville’s plaza. His attention drifted to the plethora of life signals, the dense Aether hanging in the air, and the fireballs and magical projectiles whistling through the sky. Not everyone was outside training, but he sensed dozens—if not hundreds—of exhausted life signals and vibrant Skill Runes in use.

It was incomparable to life in the Sanctuary, whether it was Arc or the Dwarven Sanctuary. There, he had only seen a handful of residents using their Skills, a stark contrast to the hundreds of townspeople in Ashville doing the same and more. Watching so many humans give their utmost, striving to refine their Skill Runes and rank up even in times of relative safety, filled him with pride. Yet, looking at the same scene from a different perspective painted a far grimmer picture. Were they training out of ambition, seeking to grow stronger and more independent? Or were they simply desperate—terrified of the future that awaited them?

David reached the plaza and followed the weakest life signals to a large hall. It could have been a gymnasium before the integration. Now, however, it was a hospice, where dozens of men and women lay suffering from severe wounds. He discovered close to a dozen individuals with missing limbs. Their life signals were incomplete—the loss of a hand, an arm, or even a leg had altered them permanently.

He observed groups of helpers—clearly Clerics with decent capabilities—tending to the wounded. While they succeeded in treating most, they failed the most unfortunate. They couldn’t regrow lost limbs.

David closed the door behind him in silence and walked through the hall, studying the Clerics. Some were clearly more experienced than others, and their methods piqued his interest. Could they have been nurses before the integration? Their approach, merging medical knowledge with Healing Skills, was remarkable. Though the physical laws governing most abilities remained largely unstudied, the Clerics used every bit of their prior expertise in harmony with their newfound powers.

Their ability to preserve the lives of mortally wounded men and women clinging to life was impressive, but that didn’t make them omnipotent. Not even Zora and the other woman, both of whom stood out, could regenerate lost limbs.

He reached an unconscious woman missing her left hand and channeled Blood into her. She stirred but didn’t wake up.

“You’re here!” Zora’s voice, filled with joy, rang out.

David barely glanced at her as he replied calmly, “Looks like it.”

“Can you help them? Please?” Zora pleaded, grasping his hands.

He turned to her as she squeezed his hands, staring at her until she let go, mumbling, “Sorry… I was just excited to see you…”

Dismissing her antics, he looked around. “What happened to them? To everyone here?”

Maybe he had missed the crippled life signals before, but they hadn’t been here when he first arrived in Ashville with Maja, Lukas, and the others.

Zora grimaced and shuddered. “Humans did this.”

“Humans?” David cocked an eyebrow. As far as he could tell, there were no remaining human settlements near the Dwarven Sanctuary or Ashville. Or were there more survivors to the north? More bandits, maybe?

“I’m not sure, actually.” Zora fidgeted around. “Some looked human, but I don’t think most of them actually are. They could be foreign races walking on two legs, like Elves or Dwarves, but I think they resemble the Dira... Tira... Or were they called Ratac? Two-legged creatures, taller than humans, with long tails and bodies entirely covered in scales.”

Is she talking about the Tirac? David wondered. Regardless, Zora—who was still trembling—never said they were the same. He reminded himself of that. They merely ‘resembled’ the Tirac race.

“The others call them lizardmen, but we don’t know what they’re actually called. The Warriors couldn’t kill any of them, so we have no kill notification. Still, Lukas forced the lizardmen into retreat…” Zora glanced at the unconscious woman before them. “Unfortunately, we suffered a lot.”

He had half-expected Goblins to be Ashville’s greatest problem, but lizardmen sounded more problematic. Were they like Kobolds, or… David froze for a moment. What if the lizardmen were actually Kobolds? Not common Kobolds who lacked the means to evolve, but an entire settlement with enough resources—and the Class System—to do so? That sounded like a problem.

“Why didn’t you call me earlier if you had problems?”

Zora clicked her tongue. “You haven’t been here for long, and Maja told us not to bother you. This b—” She stopped suddenly, but David didn’t need to hear the rest of the sentence to know what Zora was about to say. She cleared her throat and asked, “Can you help them? Oh, right, you required our lifeforce to regrow your friend’s arm. That won’t be a problem. We can find more than enough volunteers to share their lifeforce with you!”

He waved his hand dismissively. “I can manage.”

There was no need to cast [Sacrifice] or use someone else’s lifeforce for this.

David considered cutting her wrist off, but he decided against it after a moment. The unconscious woman’s wounds had been tended to, and skin covered what was left of her wrist, yet that didn’t mean [Greater Restoration] would be blocked by it.

They would be even more afraid of me if I were to sever everyone’s arms and legs before regrowing them, he thought, chuckling inwardly as he imagined their reaction.

He approached the unconscious woman and lifted her arm gently. Blood surged into the woman and [Greater Restoration]’s Rune simultaneously, preparing both Skill and body for what awaited them.

David suppressed [Greater Restoration]’s output when he cast the Skill first. He studied the unconscious woman intently as she stirred. Her features twisted in discomfort, but she didn’t wake up or scream. He considered that a success. Even more so when the skin covering her wrist wiggled and burst. Droplets of blood dripped to the ground, yet David couldn’t help but feel off when snippets of skin remained intact. Could that be a problem later?

What if he couldn’t restore her hand properly because of that? It seemed highly unlikely, but David did not want to risk it. Not with his first patient after Zachariah. He applied Rend to his index finger and severed the thin layer of skin.

Zora shrieked as more blood dripped to the gymnasium floor, and he felt her rush to his other side, holy power oozing from her when strands of flesh, muscle, and veins grew from the raw, fleshy mass.

“Don’t interfere,” David snapped, casting [Purify] on the exposed bone and flesh while increasing [Greater Restoration]’s output simultaneously. He broke into a cold sweat as the toll of [Greater Restoration] caught up to him the moment he used the Skill at full power. However, he grinned as his patient started to heal.

First, the rest of her wrist regrew. The process was fast but energy-consuming. Regardless, David proceeded, watching and, most importantly, feeling the bones in her hand grow slowly. The sensation was odd.

When he had used [Greater Restoration] on himself, it had felt somewhat natural. However, using the same Skill to regrow bones on someone else felt alien. It was almost like he was growing a second body. As if the unconscious woman’s hand was part of him. It was odd, creepy even, but David didn’t dislike the feeling.

He started to like it, as he was the reason the woman’s hand was being restored, layer by layer. First, her bones, which were quickly followed by the arteries, nerves, and muscles.

David couldn’t name each muscle, nerve, or artery, but he understood the process with shocking clarity. Even though he didn’t know the names of all nerves, tendons, and the rest, David knew instinctively that he could restore hands with more ease now that he had experienced it once.

More efficient, and thus less energy-consuming as well, he thought, his grin widening. Maybe restoring my body mid-combat would be possible as long as I nurtured my Skills and knowledge.

He imagined regrowing a lost hand seconds after an enemy severed it and wondered how much stronger he would have to be before he could do the same.

But how long would that take? Months? Years? Depending on the amount of Blood and lifeforce at his disposal and his Skill Runes’ level, David could imagine regrowing limbs in a minute or two in less than a week.

Could he do that mid-combat? Definitely not. His entire focus and most of his energy would be drained in regrowing the severed limb.

As for reattaching, David was unsure. If his right arm were severed and he caught it mid-air, he might be able to reattach it with a single use of [Greater Restoration], assuming it was overclocked.

He inspected the regrown hand until he was certain the woman had fully recovered.

“You should tell me if she feels off,” David told Zora. “And you should have someone write down how she feels about her new hand. To be precise, I would love to have reports from everyone. Zachariah mentioned his new arm feels natural, just like the arm he’d lost, but his situation was different. He was missing an arm for only a few minutes.”

He turned to Zora, who nodded slowly. She studied the unconscious woman as well, her mouth agape. After channeling holy power into the regrown hand, she whispered, “Unbelievable.”

David nodded and turned to the next patient, who was missing most of his arm.

However, he slowed as Zora followed, saying something to the other Healers.

“By the way, what happened between you and Maja?”

Zora’s smile faltered instantly.

“What do you mean?” She feigned ignorance and looked away. David just stared at her until she sighed deeply.

“Do I have to tell you?”

She didn’t have to. Zora should know that much.

“It’s complicated. So… let’s just say Maja blames Lukas for the death of … our friends.”

Did she mean the friends who died when they encountered the Void Fragment? David wondered, watching Zora squirm in discomfort. Her eyes were watery, and tears trickled down her cheeks, but he just looked at her in silence.

He could understand Maja’s point—to a certain extent. That day, Lukas had been out of control. It looked like the emotions wreaking havoc inside him had taken over, pushing him to decisions he probably regretted now. Lukas had made a mistake, yet the incident was not necessarily his fault. Partially maybe, David thought, but in the grand scheme, the Void Fragment had been the aggressor, killing their friends. Furthermore, nobody had forced them to join Horville’s inspection. As far as David could remember, everyone had gone voluntarily.

“That’s it?” he asked bluntly.

Zora stopped sobbing and looked up, shaking her head. “No. We had a fight. She didn’t want to be with us anymore. I don’t know what exactly happened, but one day, she said she wouldn’t fight with us anymore and that she would search for survivors instead. Lukas flipped out—we still don’t know why—saying that she had to get her act together and stay with them. He was so angry, shouting at her, telling her she would have to live with the guilt if something happened to us.”

At some points, Zora's words rushed out, turning from a steady flow into a flood. Her initial hesitation to talk about what had happened between the friends transformed into something resembling a therapy session. To David, it felt like that, the sole problem being that Zora was forcing her problems upon him.

However, the summary of everything Zora blurted out was fairly simple. Something had happened between Lukas and Maja, and they were now playing a game of blaming and terrorizing one another.

It was childish, but if that’s what they needed to cope, who was he to intervene? David thought with a shrug.

Regardless of everything Zora said, he caught her changing topics several times. She had a few slip-ups—she also mentioned something about the Rift—and switched tunes quickly upon recognizing her mistake.

There was more to their issues but so be it, David decided. Everyone had secrets they wanted to keep to themselves.

He disregarded Zora and started working on the one-armed patient.

40

SEARCH

"That’s it," David said, wiping his sweaty forehead.

His chest heaved, and his head had been throbbing for a while, but he was satisfied with the work results of the last few hours. By using his Blood, draining Source, and depleting all storages, he succeeded in restoring the lost limbs of nine men and women. It was an extraordinary feat, but what made him happiest was that his Blood Storages remained intact even after all his Blood had been drained.

"Thank you for helping us," the elderly woman standing beside him said, her voice dripping with sincerity. She pulled him closer and embraced him tightly. David was drenched in sweat, but the elderly woman—one of the Clerics tending to the wounded—didn’t seem to mind.

She said more, but he barely listened. He didn’t like how tightly she held him, and it took a great deal of control to force her to release him. Fortunately, the Cleric let go after a few seconds, patting his arms and smiling warmly.

David tried to force a smile, but each "thank you" issued between sobs made it harder to maintain. When the gratitude escalated into "What would we have done without you?" and various versions of "You are our savior!", David had had enough. He rushed out of the gymnasium without a word.

These crazy… David shuddered as he stepped outside. A warm evening breeze fluttered around him, but all he could think about was how Zora had left him to deal with the elderly Clerics alone. It had felt like she was the only one protecting him from their overwhelming gratitude, and now he regretted pushing her too much. But how could he have known she would leave so soon after their little chat?

David hadn’t seen her life signal in a while. If she wanted to avoid him, so be it. He would survive a few more days with the Clerics. For the sake of the wounded, of course, he thought, glancing at the first notification glowing in the corner of his vision.

[Your Source has grown. +2 Blood]

Unfortunately, his Skill hadn’t improved. Then again, it would have been too easy to increase [Greater Restoration]’s rank if a few restored limbs were all it took. Maybe the Blessing of the World had spoiled him too much.

David smiled grimly, striding through the now-empty streets of Ashville as he checked the notifications he had missed.

[Proficiency of Slash reached 100%.]

[Tier-0 IX] → [Tier-0 X]

[Slash reached its limit. Initiate Tier progression.]

[Slash – Tier-0 X] → [Aether Slash – Tier-1 I]

[Proficiency of Eagle Eyes reached 100%.]

[Tier-0 IX] → [Tier-0 X]

[Eagle Eyes reached its limit. Initiate Tier progression.]

[Eagle Eyes – Tier-0 X] → [Heightened Vision – Tier-1 I]

It was about time. His last bound Tier-0 Skills had finally advanced to Tier-1, yet nothing seemed to have changed. His Runes had already been the size of Tier-1 Runes—though he couldn't say for how long.

"My vision has already adapted to [Heightened Vision], but how long has it been?" David wondered aloud, only now realizing that Bloodthrone Dominion had been showing him everything with much more clarity. He no longer had to channel Blood into his modified eyes to distinguish the life signals of everyone in Ashville. Even the men and women guarding the town’s edges were now visible to him with ease.

I can be foolish sometimes, can't I? David snickered inwardly, making his way back to Maja’s house. She was back, her restless life signals telling him she was in her room.

He opened the door and stepped inside, noticing Maja’s life signals flickering. One moment, she was in her room, and the next, she was sitting on the couch with a book in her hands.

What was that? he thought, walking into the living room.

Maja turned to him with a faint smile. "Oh, you’re back already?"

She tried to sound calm and composed, but it didn’t take a genius to see she was a mess. Her voice cracked, her eyes were red and swollen, and something—desperation?—flickered in them.

"What happened?" he asked calmly, walking to the bathroom. David left the door open, listening as he removed his clothes. He cast [Purify] on his body and garments before retrieving a neatly folded set of clothes from his storage necklace.

"N-nothing…" Maja muttered, her voice cracking worse than before. "I-I don’t want to waste your time, but… can we resume training tomorrow?"

He slipped into more comfortable clothes and returned to the living room, his brows knitting together.

“What happened?” David repeated, more sternly this time.

“I—” A tear welled down her cheek. “I hopped through the towns. And… and I went farther this time. I was trying hard, you know? And I got lucky.”

Her voice was laced with self-ridicule as she spat out the last word.

“You found survivors.” David didn’t phrase it as a question. He could tell she had found the same—or something very similar—to what he had seen in the Goblin settlements.

Maja flinched but nodded slowly, more tears dripping onto her leggings. She looked exhausted, mentally and physically drained, but David caught a whiff of defiance in her as she looked up again. The tears didn’t extinguish the fire in her eyes.

“I want to train. I need to train!”

Something about her had changed. Whether it was a good change, he had yet to find out.

“Because of the Goblins you found? Or…” David asked, not finishing the sentence.

Maja pressed her lips into a thin line. She swallowed before nodding. “I found survivors in a settlement. And I teleported straight to them. I… helped them out.” She clenched her fists tightly. “Everything was supposed to be fine.”

She started to sob again.

“But some of them were already gone, even though they were still alive,” David said.

He had struggled with what he saw in the Goblin settlements, but he’d had enough time to process it. Now, he understood.

While physical deaths were the most common, they weren’t all that mattered. The moment the mind ceased to be, the body became nothing more than a husk. Everything ended with the death of the mind, no matter how healthy the body remained. It had been ever-present before the integration as well, though most tried to cast it aside. Was it fear, or was it something else? David didn’t know.

However, he knew that the situation and condition of the women in the Goblin settlements were the same—though much worse—than anything he had ever heard in the Earthen Union’s news.

Maja’s sobs grew louder, and it didn’t take long before she bawled her eyes out. David ignored the tightness in his chest and walked over to her. He sat beside her and patted her back. Yet, rather than calming her, his attempt to console her failed. She cried harder, more desperately than before.

This is so fucking awkward…

“You said you wanted to train,” David said, pulling back once Maja’s tears ceased.

Her weak nod was answer enough. He jumped to his feet and pulled her up. “Let’s get started then.”

Maja’s eyes widened. For a moment, she regarded him like a man who had just lost his sanity before glancing at the backyard. “Now?”

The sun had nearly set, and it wouldn’t be long before the only light illuminating Ashville’s surroundings was the moon and ambient Aether.

“If you don’t want to…” David shrugged.

Maja groaned and teleported them outside Ashville in an instant.

“Today’s training will end when you collapse,” he added, conjuring three bloody projectiles. “Evade the projectiles. I lowered their damage output as much as I could, but you better avoid them if you don’t want to sleep with bruises all over your body.”

Maja vanished and reappeared several meters away at his words, bringing a smile to David’s face. He sat down, closed his eyes, and felt the surrounding energies.

“What are you—Ouch!” Maja started to ask, only to get struck by a [Blood Blast].

“I don’t need to see you to sense you,” David commented. He couldn’t afford to neglect his own training—not if he was going to train Maja for weeks.

He heard her groan, but she didn’t complain. Not until she dodged two [Blood Blasts], only for a third to strike her in the back. She teleported around, evading several attacks, but while Maja seemed to improve, so did David.

The evening passed quickly, as did the next few days.

David and Maja spent the mornings separately for the first few days. He spent most of his time restoring lost limbs and only stopped when Maja arrived to pick him up for their daily training. David was surprised to find that more townspeople were missing limbs or suffering from diseases that ordinary Clerics couldn’t heal. Interestingly, that included cancer and other terminal illnesses.

Fortunately, [Greater Restoration], once overclocked, could heal almost anything. It was draining, but by tapping into his reserves of Origin Essence, David managed to do things others could not. Then again, he had to cut open a few patients and remove parts of their ‘damaged’ organs for [Greater Restoration] to work efficiently. Not everyone liked that. He often earned shocked and appalled looks when leaving the gymnasium, but his patients never died. Quite the contrary, they felt much better—healthier—once his treatments concluded. Anyone who dared to complain about his methods would have to do better. But no one could. He was the best Healer they had.

David couldn’t help but smile at that thought, recalling the elderly Clerics’ horrified expressions when he severed the cancer-ridden parts of the last patient’s lungs. That was a sight to behold. Even better, however, was that his Source had expanded and now contained 25 Blood Droplets.

Maja, on the other hand, was not as bloody as David. At least, he hoped so. Then again, what she was doing was likely far more dangerous than anything he had done in the gymnasium.

She mentioned expanding her search for survivors, but David heard from others that she had yet to return with anyone. Regardless, he learned a lot about other settlements and Sanctuaries dozens of kilometers from Ashville. According to Maja’s reports, most cities and larger towns had been destroyed. However, those who survived were thriving, with the help of foreign entities.

Maja hadn’t learned much about the foreign entities since she never entered the Sanctuaries or settlements. She didn’t appear afraid, but being fearless didn’t mean recklessly walking into danger was a wise choice. David took note of the change in Maja’s attitude and smiled. Even if her experience with the ‘survivors’ from the Goblin settlements had been devastating, it had forced her to grow, to adapt and overcome or to fail and wither.

Maja was striving, or so it appeared. Their training, which started in the afternoon and lasted until late at night, had turned out much better than expected—for both of them. David learned how to multitask. He attacked Maja with six [Blood Blast] while simultaneously using [Meditation] to kickstart his progress with [Soul Domain]. Meanwhile, Maja evaded most attacks instinctively by this point. The only problem was the portals and the dense ores used as ‘enemies,’ which were not represented by the three freely moving projectiles.

She hit them a few times, but her success rate was lower than expected.

“I’m done tending to the wounded in the infirmary,” David commented after a long week of training. “I will start searching for my family and friends soon. Two friends of mine should be in or near the Sanctuaries and settlements you’ve found.”

“Should we enter the Sanctuaries to search for your friends?” Maja perked up, her concentration slipping. The portals collapsed, and the truck-sized ore crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, sending tremors through the earth.

“If you’re up for it,” David nodded. “I cannot be certain my friends are alive, but if they are, it shouldn’t be difficult to find them.”

Maja’s expression soured, but that was the reality of their situation. He hoped they survived, yet he couldn’t be certain. Maybe his parents were dead too.

“We can leave right away,” Maja declared, bringing a smile to his face.

“That’s not necessary. I doubt Protectors—or anyone—would be happy about strangers trying to enter their territory. We can go tomorrow once your Mana Core is full and your mind clear and free of strain. If Basti and William are still alive, they will survive another night without me,” he said.

His friends didn’t need him to hold their hands to sleep. If anything, they might have been better off without him.

I was a bit of an ass, David recalled with a sigh. Then again, he doubted he had changed much.

He might be a jerk, but he didn’t mind. That was who he was. At least, he hadn’t crossed any lines that shouldn’t have been crossed.

Though… there were some close calls, David thought, shuddering.

41

REQUEST

Aweek passed, but they did not find Basti or William. It was almost as if they had never existed, as if the Earthen Union had swallowed his friends whole. He searched for them in several settlements, but while William was a familiar name, no one matching his friend’s description could be found.

David’s search expanded to the Sanctuaries—they found three within a 100-kilometer radius of Ashville—but still, no one knew of William or Basti. Even their families and friends were nowhere to be found.

While Maja acted like everything was fine, as if they would find his friends soon, David knew better. She appeared confident on the outside, trying hard not to extinguish his hope, but the look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know.

They were probably dead.

He had been half-certain they were alive and thriving, but maybe he had been wrong. Maybe his friends had been caught by surprise, killed by the disasters brought by the Integration. Or perhaps the Infected had caught them, and without a Cleric to remove the infection, they didn’t stand a chance. The possibilities were endless, yet David didn’t want to acknowledge them. Were they really dead? Nothing pointed to their survival—no reason to believe they were alive. However, there was also no evidence of their deaths.

Should he ask the Pantheon? Request a mission at the Familia branches in the Sanctuaries to find out if they were still alive?

Since the gods were watching them—that much had already been confirmed by their constant interference—David might as well ask them. Why shouldn’t he? Completing a few Familia missions for a transcendent being in exchange for putting an end to his worries was worth it. He considered offering the Pantheon a helping hand to receive information about the well-being and whereabouts of the people he held dear. The gods might ask for a lot in return, but David was up for the task.

He immediately submitted his request at one of the Familia branches they had discovered after they gained entry. That, as it turned out, was much easier than expected. They flashed their ID slates, and the Protectors let them inside. It was a good thing that Maja had obtained an ID slate at the Familia in the Dwarven Sanctuary. She was officially registered at the Familia, making things a lot easier for both of them.

David considered leaving the Sanctuary after that but decided against it when an assistant of the Familia approached him with a response to his request. One of the gods offered to answer his question. In exchange, he was to stay in the Sanctuary and complete a few culling missions. And that was exactly what he did.

David accepted immediately and remained in the Sanctuary with Maja, relieved that everything had turned out better than expected. He hadn’t expected the culling missions to be easy, yet the odds turned in his favor. He was one step closer to finding his family and friends. How could he not be relieved?

Not everything was great, though. The assistant may have offered them generous compensation for solving their monster problem, which was odd, as being paid twice for the same task was uncommon, but that turned out to be the least of their concerns.

The real problem with the culling missions wasn’t the strength of their enemies but their sheer numbers.

David had no idea how someone could mess up this badly, but the Sanctuaries had failed to discover Rifts of Witheria Ants—more than a dozen colonies, each with over a thousand workers the size of large dogs. Despite being the weakest, the Witheria Ant Workers were still deadly. A single bite, and the body would corrode within hours. Even a scratch was enough to kill seasoned Protectors if they weren’t well-prepared—yet there were more than ten thousand of them.

The only advantage was that the Sanctuary didn’t leave all the work to David and Maja. Even the transcendent being didn’t believe they were strong enough to handle everything alone. Dozens of Protectors and natives combined their forces to strike and eliminate the Witheria Ant Colonies.

It took days and pushed David beyond his limits, but they succeeded. The colonies were destroyed, and the region was saved. But the missions did not end. It was only the beginning. Yet David accepted them all, hoping each one would be the last.

Even as the next mission—and the one after that—failed to be the final one, he never complained. There was no reason to. Initially, he had taken on the missions to receive answers, but since the Familia paid him and Maja generously, there was no reason to refuse.

For three reasons.

First, they trained relentlessly, using the combat experience to hone their skills and teamwork. Maja was in dire need of intense battle experience, and these missions certainly granted that. As they pushed their bodies, minds, and souls to the limit, they also amassed a small fortune in currency slates.

Second, the benefits granted from the Enlightenment Orb—bestowing them with a trace of enlightenment depending on their contributions in these hellish missions—turned out to be more important than David had anticipated. His Skills had been leveling much slower than before. The Blessing of the World had faded, leaving him with scraps to come by. Until the Enlightenment Orb rewarded him with a tremendous surge of experience. It was crucial, especially for the Skills he rarely used—ones that were useful but underdeveloped due to their lack of variety.

Third, every mission pushed him closer to the truth. David was certain his request would be answered soon.

This will be the last mission, he declared, convinced it truly was.

He leaped atop a massive lizard, conjuring five [Blood Aegis] in quick succession. The monster’s head snapped toward him, maw wide open. The first shield cracked as the lizard’s razor-sharp teeth—resembling longswords—pierced it, but David stared calmly at the massive beast.

"You're in my way," he muttered, pulling his hands together as a cacophony of cracks resounded. His wrists and hands cracked and deformed, but David remained utterly silent as white particles gathered in his right hand while black particles coalesced in his left.

He gathered the particles in his hands, forming thin black and white streams. It took only a moment to will the streams together. They intertwined and grew, expanding until a black-white sphere formed between his hands, yet they never merged. The black thread ground against the white thread, seemingly attempting to assimilate into one, but it never came to be.

The lizard roared, but to David, it was just a whisper tingling in his ears. The Blood in his Source and Blood Storages drained rapidly, leaving only traces as he unleashed [Primeval Pulse]. He barely succeeded in activating the Advanced Skill, forming its weakest form, yet David smiled at his achievement. It had not been an easy feat—breaking his wrist and hand, damaging his Relic—but if that was what it took… so be it.

His hands whipped toward the lizard’s head, and he watched the creature spin around. There was no sign of the crimson shields, but David was not worried. He smiled as the lizard shot toward him, its wide-open maw closing in to shred him apart like its last victims. However, the sword-like fangs never got to taste his blood. The scenery around him changed suddenly, and he appeared above the lizard.

"Thanks, Maja," he said inwardly, blocking out the sickening crunch his right arm made as he unleashed the torrent of power restrained in his hands.

The black-white sphere whistled through the air. However, all David saw was a flash—glistening pristine white and pitch black. He had expected as much. The attack was fast. Too fast, even for him to see with enhanced vision and modified eyes.

His gaze followed the vibrant trail until it struck the lizard. There was a hole in its head—clean through—bringing a smile to David’s face. The corner of his lip curled upward as a pained screech rang out. It felt like time slowed, minutes must have passed—or maybe only a second or two—when the lizard collapsed, and a notification popped up.

[You have defeated Sworas Lizard (Elite).]

One of the monsters a dozen Protectors failed to eliminate had died to a single attack. Just like that. David snickered, savoring the victory. The cost of casting [Primeval Pulse] didn’t matter—not for now. So what if it drained his Blood Storages and most of his Source? The lizard was dead, and he had succeeded in unleashing his Advanced Skill’s power, even if it wasn’t at its full potential.

His euphoria was cut short. David was falling from a great height, forcing him to conjure a crimson shield beneath him.

At the same time, a second lizard leaped at him. But David only looked at the lizard.

"That's not what I call a quick kill, Maja." He smiled at the massive creature but focused on the golden swirl forming above it.

The swirl expanded in an instant. Then, a familiar, incredibly dense ore deposit plummeted from the sky.

David watched in amusement as the truck-sized ore landed on the lizard leaping at him, pulling it to the ground, crushing the monster’s spine with a crunch.

Something within him stirred, and he didn’t block it. He got pulled away from space and appeared beside Maja, who glared at him.

"I was just joking. Good job." He grinned, certain he looked like a fool as he pointed at a pack of smaller lizards with his mangled hands. "Now, deal with our little friends."

More ores the size of small cars rained down, the weight pressing hard on their skulls and spines, crushing them.

Even now, David couldn’t say for certain how heavy the dense ores were. But even the smallest deposits put tremendous strain on his spatial necklace.

They can crush monsters capable of killing a dozen Protectors at the Peak of the Bronze Rank, David thought, grinning. The Sworas Lizards were deadlier than they were durable, but a single mistake would have been fatal. Yet one massive ore deposit was enough to kill them. No matter how David looked at it, that was exciting. Watching Maja crush her enemies with a wave was exhilarating!

She smiled from ear to ear, looking more confident than ever. As for what had happened with her, Lukas, and their friends, Maja didn’t seem to mind any longer. Maybe she had forgotten. Regardless, David was glad to work with her. Fighting alongside a Portaligist who could use her skills properly made everything much easier.

"Done." Maja turned to him and shuddered when her eyes traveled downward. He followed her gaze and recalled his mangled arm, casting [Greater Restoration].

Sickening crunches rang out as the bones in his right arm shifted. David felt the movements in his wrist and hand with clarity. It was painful—like slippery worms slithering through his lower arm. He shuddered and watched as his bones reassembled in an orderly fashion.

"You don’t have any bones, but you better heal as well," David muttered to the mangled Relic once his right arm was tended to. He cast [Greater Restoration], hoping he wouldn’t have to remove the Relic. Regrowing his arm was a valid option, but David had gotten used to it. The Relic was useful—though not as much as he had hoped when he first acquired it.

But it healed. Not as efficiently as his broken hand and wrist, but it did heal. The process was as fascinating as it was unexpected.

He had always assumed [Greater Restoration] worked only on living things. And while the Deryadus’ Arm was as close to being alive as an inanimate object could get, David was fairly certain it wasn’t.

Regardless, it worked. Deryadus’ Arm was back at full power, altered Blood running through its artificial Energy Pathways and veins. There were no kinks or lingering damage left behind by [Primeval Pulse]’s recoil.

Good, he thought, checking the newest notification. He dismissed it without a second thought. All he had acquired was some Skill proficiency—no level-up. But that was expected after the gains he had made from annihilating the Ant Colonies with Maja and the Protectors. Most of his Skills had improved significantly after that, and the mission rewards had been a pleasant surprise.

“Good thing you can heal,” Maja shuddered. “But why is your body breaking down that easily in the first place? Didn’t your Body stat reach the Superior Rank recently?”

David had to acknowledge she had a good point. His Classes had advanced to Silver II, and he had used his Attribute Points to push both his Body and Soul stats to greater heights. His Body had advanced to Superior, which, as expected, resulted in agonizing pain. David shuddered at the memory.

At least the metamorphosis hadn’t lasted long, he reminded himself, trying to calm his nerves as the memories resurfaced. Even after conjuring a dozen [Healing Sphere] and overclocking [Weave of Life] to regenerate his broken body as it metamorphosed, the pain had been unbearable. Still, he was a lot stronger than he used to be. Advancing to the Superior Rank had changed a lot, yet he couldn’t help but feel that continuing to use [Reinforce] on his Body and Energy Pathways in his free time had been worth it.

But no matter how much stronger—how much more durable—his body had become, even the lowest level of [Primeval Pulse] was enough to break his wrists and hands.

It was all his Soul’s fault, he reminded himself. While his Body had advanced easily to the Superior Rank, his Soul was only at the Peak of the Advanced Rank. Or it would have been, if not for the secondary effect of his Intent, Origin Attribute, which had triggered.

His Source had reached the Superior Rank, tripling the size of his Blood droplets. As for their potency, David was starting to have a hard time comparing Blood to ordinary energies like holy power. Blood was much stronger, by a significant margin. And that was exactly why [Primeval Pulse] had wrecked his arms.

Had he used mana or holy power instead, he was confident the outcome would have been different. But the sheer potency of his Blood and pure Origin Essence had turned even the weakest form of a powerful Advanced Skill into a deadly weapon.

I should learn to hold back, David grumbled inwardly. Or to heal faster.

One way or another, he needed more training.

And answers.

“Let’s go back. We’re done here.”

The Familia receptionist returned their ID slates with a professional smile. “The Familia recognizes your contribution to the Sanctuary’s safety. Your achievements have been verified and forwarded.”

She placed a currency pouch and the Enlightenment Orb before them and gestured. “Please accept the Familia’s gratitude, sir.”

With a wave, David stored the currency pouch in his necklace and pressed his right hand against the Enlightenment Orb. It glowed suddenly, and a searing-hot stream of energy forcefully entered his palm. It traveled upward and didn’t stop until it reached his head. He closed his eyes, mentally preparing for what awaited him.

A headache crept up the back of his mind, but he disregarded it as a pleasant notification—something he had been waiting for a long time—flashed to life.

[Proficiency of Holy Touch reached 100%]

[Tier-1 XIX] → [Tier-1 XX]

[Holy Touch reached its limit. Initiate Tier progression.]

[Holy Touch – Tier-1 XX] → [Sacred Aura – Tier-2 I]

It was about time [Holy Touch] reached the second Tier. More information regarding the newest functions of his upgraded Skill entered his mind. However, David was barely given any time to savor the luxury of acquiring [Sacred Aura] when a small scroll materialized before him.

The receptionist raised her eyebrows and pulled back in a hurried manner. She didn’t seem to know anything about the scroll, but David could tell what it was about. He was certain.

The information he had requested.

Everything he wanted to know was written in the scroll.

David was certain.

He reached for the scroll and picked it up. However, he didn’t dare to open it right away. Somehow—though he couldn’t explain why—he hesitated.

There is no reason to hesitate, David reminded himself, breaking the silver-gleaming seal and unrolling the scroll.

His eyes raced over the information, and his face darkened.

“No…” he muttered, as the world around him dulled to gray.

42

COHORTE

Three days earlier, farther away…

William sat atop the Venocria, his expression souring at the sight unfolding before him. The Venocria impatiently flapped its long, leathery wings, but he shook his head.

“It’s not time yet,” he growled, the tension in the air palpable. “You know what happens to those who disobey my command.”

The last part was more of an established fact than a warning. He did not have full control of the Cohorte, but they were bound to him. Disobeying his command would strip them of the power he had given them. For most creatures, that wouldn’t be a problem, but beings like the Venocria, monsters that had evolved from a Common Seer Bat, would fall apart and disintegrate.

Or, more likely, they would die on the spot. Breaking the Bond would trigger the Mark etched into their Souls. It would incinerate the creatures' Souls or harm them permanently if they were strong enough to endure the Soul Burn.

Regardless, William didn’t need to do anything to activate the Mark. Once etched into the targets’ Souls in exchange for promises of power, or other boons on rare occasions, all he had to do was give commands. The Venocria stiffened and floated above the Sanctuary, or what was left of it after the Cohorte circled and invaded the System Sanctuary.

Residents, made up of half a dozen, probably more, different races, ran for their lives but they had nowhere to go. He spotted a young human man charging at one of the humanoid Witherlings with a flame-wreathed sword and sighed. The man removed one of the Witherling’s three heads, surprising William a little, but the Witherling responded by depriving the swordsman of his sword arm. He studied the man from a distance as he screamed, staring at what was left of his arm, a tiny stump that bled like a gutted pig.

The screams ceased in an instant. The Witherling didn’t hesitate to tear off the man’s head before consuming it. William watched the Witherling’s main head crunch on the man’s skull from afar and shook his head in disgust as the third head started to feast on the dead body.

More shrieks, desperate and pleading, resounded, but William could only watch. No. He could also retract the Cohorte and change his target, but Zephir would not condone such an act. His Master would not consider it an act of mercy. On the contrary, he would punish him, maybe even kill him, for being cowardly. For being too afraid to enrage the Pantheon.

He watched the natives collapse, green mist oozing from their bodies. Tendrils of mist drifted from all over the Sanctuary toward him, while the rest surged toward the monsters of his Cohorte, or toward the natives and Aether-affine creatures that struggled to their feet even after dropping dead. They resurrected, transforming into the undead, but they didn’t resemble normal Infected. Their skin was venomously green, dirty mist oozed from their bodies, and their eyes glowed eerily. Though they had died mere moments ago, they were also forced into submission within seconds.

As for those who resisted the Mark, William made no attempt to persuade them.

He willed the newest members of the Cohorte to kill and consume them, absorbing their strength. As for the unfortunate ones who were never graced with resurrection, William chose to treat their corpses with the respect they deserved, the same respect Zephir would show them. He let the mist do its work, disintegrating the corpses and transforming them into a liquid that seeped through the cobbled streets into the ground, corroding the land.

The streams of green mist entered his body, fueling the Venomized Reservoirs, but William didn’t store the power. He glanced at the notification blinking to life in the corner of his vision and amplified his Skill Runes.

“Fly lower,” he commanded the Venocria.

The monster obeyed at once, lowering its altitude to skim just above the Sanctuary, revealing the terror William’s Cohorte was causing up close.

Some Protectors were doing a good job of defending their lives.

A pack of Blight Kobolds charged at the Protectors, their clubs smashing against the defenders’ shields, their claws scraping their armor. The Protectors were forced into retreat, but magical projectiles and augmented arrows whistled past the defenses, tearing through the Blight Kobolds one by one. The tide of the small battle shifted as the Kobolds fell, and William watched in silence as the Protectors’ expressions lit up.

The Blight Kobolds died like flies, and it did not take long before the last one dropped dead. Only one Protector, a defender who had grown overconfident, fell when he pushed forward to face the last of the Blight Kobolds without sufficient support. The group’s Cleric tried to save their fallen comrade, but the victorious smiles vanished as the defender suddenly pounced on her, sinking his teeth deep into her neck.

William heard no scream as the woman died. However, the other Protectors screamed and shouted, and one of them responded quickly, embedding two arrows into their heads. The Venin Infected died, for good this time, on the spot. However, the miasma oozing from the Blight Kobolds’ corpses had spread. The Protectors didn’t seem to notice the miasma, at least, not until it was too late.

William shook his head and turned away to study the Sanctuary’s situation. More monsters joined the Cohorte, but he was still not satisfied. Their numbers were great, but William could not help but think that their strength was lacking.

Spiders would have been much easier, he grumbled inwardly. Empowering the broodmothers was enough to create an army of decently strong creatures, but who was he to find fault in his Master’s plan? He was but a pawn, and he acted accordingly.

The remaining residents and Protectors fell back as monsters flooded the alleys and streets, slowly driving them toward the Panthea. No more than half an hour passed before the survivors were confined in the Panthea. The only thing separating them from the ferocious monsters and the mist that flooded the Sanctuary’s streets was the Sacred Dome.

William whistled, and the Venocria moved. It pressed its wings tightly against its body and shot toward the ground in an instant. The leathery wings swung open in their glory, slowing their dive as they reached the ground. A simple yet smoothly executed maneuver through the Sanctuary brought them toward the wide-open plaza where hundreds of monsters were already waiting for him. William jumped from the Venocria’s back and landed softly on a Mutant Giant Infected.

“Poor souls,” William muttered, devoid of mercy. He straightened his robe and strode slowly toward the entrance to the Panthea, studying the Protectors with glee. While the residents looked like they were about to collapse from fear at any moment, some Protectors stared at him in hatred. Did they know he was the aggressor, the pest that was going to eradicate them all? William shrugged at the thought. It was of no importance. Not really. None of the Protectors would live to tell the tale.

Unsurprisingly, one of the dwarves charged him. He rushed outside the Panthea with surprising speed, probably a Skill Rune increasing the dwarf’s speed for a moment, but William did not move. A tingling sensation appeared in the back of his head when the dwarf shouted at him, but it was too weak to attract his attention.

The dwarf swung his mace at him, and William felt the Bond of the Cohorte tensing. William lifted two fingers in a lighthearted manner, and a wall of acid burst out of the cobbled street. The dwarf screamed as he charged through the wall, catching William’s attention. That was foolish, he thought, shaking his head as the mace melted before his eyes. The dwarf’s skin and flesh followed. The Protector still hadn’t reached him when his sizzling bones fell to the ground.

“Idiot,” he hissed. Then again, this wasn’t a new reaction. This kind of response to his invasion shouldn’t surprise him anymore. But he could not help himself. Every time he encountered a Protector consumed by rage, William wondered how they had survived to become Protectors. Or how they had reached the Peak of the Bronze Rank, occasionally also the Silver Rank, when they behaved like lowly beasts.

The monsters around him stirred, and a small pack inched closer and pushed past him, snapping toward the Panthea, but William stopped them with a mental command. Most obeyed immediately, but one of the larger creatures, an Undead Giant, did not. William felt the Mark burn the Undead Giant’s Soul as its massive club cleaved downward, hitting an invisible wall—the Sacred Dome surrounding the Panthea.

“I willed you to stop,” William snapped. “That was not a request. It was an order!”

The Undead Giant turned, its killing intent directed at him.

William cocked an eyebrow. His lips parted, and the whisper of a Word of Power escaped his lips.

“Die.”

It sounded like the hiss of a serpent as it resounded in his ears, yet the Word of Power belonged to him. It was a gift, but it felt more like a punishment. His nightmare, all of it, began with the Words of Power, after all. William winced, thinking back to that time, but his eyes remained cold as the Undead Giant’s features contorted.

The monster’s killing intent dispersed instantly, only for its head to burst apart, drenching the surroundings in brain matter and venomous miasma.

The Undead Giant dropped to the ground. Not even a second later, the first monster arrived at the corpse, gnawing on the giant’s flesh.

William looked at the creatures in disgust as more and more monsters of the Cohorte charged at the corpse, pushing others aside to claim a piece of the Undead Giant and its miasma. However, his disgust quickly gave way to a thin smile as he turned to the men and women trembling behind the Sacred Dome. Some had seemed strong and composed just moments ago, but their confidence had quickly faded.

“I give you one chance at survival. Grant me free entry to the Panthea, and I will let you leave,” William offered. He knew the offer was generous. The Panthea might be protected now, but it would not last forever. Either the Protectors and residents would forsake their gods and live to tell the tale, or they would remain loyal and learn the bitter truth of their beloved Pantheon. William liked both ideas.

Nobody moved behind the Sacred Dome. They kept staring at him, fear and hatred burning in their eyes. William walked past the monsters feasting on the giant corpse and pressed his hand firmly against the translucent barrier that protected the Panthea from the greatest harm.

“I will swear an Oath if you will not trust me,” he added, watching as some residents stirred. Unfortunately, all he received in response were curses.

Looks like I won’t be able to feast on as much Divinity as expected, he thought with a sigh.

“I gave you a chance. It’s not my fault nobody took it,” William shrugged, turning to the Cohorte and hissing, “Attack!”

The Cohorte responded immediately. Its monsters lunged at the Panthea from all sides, clawing, kicking, and biting the translucent barrier, while William stepped back, watching terror flood the eyes of those who finally realized they were about to die. He ignored their screams and scoffed as they ran toward the Panthea’s main temple, as if that would change anything. It was to no avail. William knew better. Their Pantheon would not protect them.

If anything… William mused, his attention drifting to a Blight Kobold slipping through a small gap in the dome. It shrieked excitedly, rushed toward the nearest survivors, and attacked. More Kobolds and other monsters followed, tearing the gap wider. At first, the opening expanded, but it wasn’t long before it collapsed entirely.

The failure of the barrier, which was meant to protect the Pantheon’s most devout followers, brought a smile to William’s face.

“That’s what you get for trusting the Pantheon,” he spat at the residents, who stared at the flood of monsters in horror. Some froze, while others continued to run. But there was nowhere to run to.

The residents may not have been responsible for weakening—no, removing—the Sacred Defense Dome, but the gods certainly were. One, or more likely, multiple, transcendent beings of the Pantheon must have retracted their Divinity, weakening the dome.

What a shame. William would have loved to devour more. Still, some of the gods’ Divinity remained. They couldn’t retract everything. Not right away, at least. While it wasn’t the best-case scenario, it was good enough to nurture and expand his army. And, of course, to grow stronger himself.

But he couldn’t devour the Divinity right away. The Sanctuary had to be conquered first, only then could he claim his prize.

“You did well, my youngest.”

Zephir’s voice rumbled in William’s head, making him shudder.

His Master was always present, everywhere, at all times. But that didn’t ease the tension and fear that bubbled deep inside him whenever Zephir spoke.

“Your next target,” Zephir hissed, and the image of another settlement formed in William’s mind. One more Sanctuary. But something about the image was odd. William could see a Familia, but there was no Panthea. And most surprisingly, the Sanctuary was surrounded by towering walls armed with watchtowers. It shouldn’t have been surprising, but the towns and Sanctuaries he and his Cohorte had destroyed hadn’t been protected by walls.

“A Sanctuary created by one of my friends.”

Zephir had friends? That was a greater surprise than the walls and towers.

“Obliterate it. You’re near it. Closer than my Child. My Child is on the way to remove the Fool. He is also there, but I want you to finish the dwarves first. Claim the Rift and sacrifice the Core to me!”

William shuddered as his Master’s desires and emotions flooded him. Greed. Impatience. Anger?

“Once you’re done, end the Healer!”

43

THE FLOW

Domain of the Slumbering Dwarves…

Torb didn’t expect to see his Patron again. Not so soon, at least. But he had been mistaken. Fortress’ silhouette loomed before him, its deep, earthy hue weighing heavily on his shoulders.

“You have to prepare for the inevitable,” Fortress said, his voice resounding through the ginormous mountain range surrounding them.

Where were they? Torb wondered, turning around, only to tense up as the pressure on him increased significantly.

“Prepare? For what?”

A heavy sigh resounded, and the mountain range trembled violently, sending rocks flying as if resonating with the sigh.

“Enemies from the past have returned. His disciple is on the way, and so are his underlings. If you don’t act, the Sanctuary will fall. There is little time for preparations. Still, you must do something. Reinforce the defenses, access the treasury, and supply Arc’s Protectors with the Attribute Armaments. Equip the Mountain Defenders and the remaining forces with Aspects and make sure they improve their Skills, Rank, and understanding of the Aspects in the following days,” Fortress commanded slowly.

However, while his Patron God sounded calm as he issued several orders in an unhurried manner, Torb shuddered. Fortress was not known for speaking much. It had already been a great surprise when Fortress said so much after they acquired the Rift. But this time, there was no pleasant occasion that might excuse his unusual behavior. This time, trouble awaited them. Or so it seemed.

But to equip the Protectors with Attribute Armaments and retrieve the Aspects from the treasury, that was another matter. Torb shuddered, his senses telling him that something had gone terribly wrong.

“We hired as many Protectors as we could,” Torb hesitated for a moment before he spoke up. “Can… can you send reinforcements? More Mountain Defenders, or maybe the Stone Legion?”

Another mountain-shaking sigh echoed. “Unfortunately, I cannot. The System blocked any attempts to send reinforcements. I have already interfered too much. Talking to you, warning you, is all the System allowed.”

Torb looked up as the Patron God bent down. “Everything turned out different than anticipated. But this is not your fault.”

“I am glad you are not alone,” Fortress said, but his strong voice sounded more like a whisper as the words resounded. The Patron God’s silhouette was dissipating. “You can always ask others for help, Prime Champion. Ask–...”

Torb could not hear what Fortress said. The mountain range collapsed, and Fortress disappeared.

It felt like an eternity had passed, but not much time could have gone by as his eyes shot wide open. He jumped to his feet, his head flicking left and right.

“Fortress?” he exclaimed, but there was no one. Torb was in his office, alone.

Did I fall asleep? he asked himself, his hair standing on end.

Was it just a dream? Possible. But it felt so real.

Torb shuddered, his eyes drifting to the window, unraveling the flourishing plaza of the Dwarven Sanctuary. It was already close to evening, but the city was still bustling with activity.

“Someone is coming,” he muttered. “An… old enemy…”

Something had to be done, Torb thought, holding tightly onto every word Fortress had said to him.

“I won’t disappoint you, Fortress!” he declared, sending a silent prayer to his Patron as he walked out of the office with a determined gait.

It was time to reinforce the Sanctuary. A great fight awaited them.

Dwarven Sanctuary – Familia building…

Melach pressed his hands firmly against the massive crystal and closed his eyes. He sent a wave of mana into the crystals, using his family’s decrypted code. The crystal pulsated, sending waves that felt like electric currents through his hands.

One. Two. Three…

Melach tapped his feet impatiently when nobody responded after what felt like an eternity. But it could have been only a few seconds when a weary yet familiar voice reverberated through his mind.

“Head Butler Eronian of the Ystera Household speaking. How may I help you?”

“It’s me,” Melach muttered, failing to control his voice. He trembled, unsure of what awaited him.

“Young Master? Is that really you?” the head butler exclaimed. “H-how have you been, Young Master?”

Melach hesitated for a moment. What was he supposed to say? He was alive, had made friends with a dwarf—now Fortress’ Prime Champion—and with humans whose behavior suggested the Nightar Tree had stripped them of their sanity. But he and his friends were strong. They had survived various catastrophes, allowing them to surpass their limits.

“I… am fine—alive,” Melach answered with a smile.

“That’s all that matters. Yes. Being alive, being fine, is all that matters. I am grateful to hear your voice again, Young Master,” Eronian said, sounding like he was on the verge of tears. “Should I report to your family at once, or do you wish me to tell them something?”

“I call upon the Mirror of Truth to disclose my Feats as the youngest heir of the Ystera Household. The Will of Ystra shall appraise my achievements, marking them in the Scroll of Melach Ystera,” Melach said composedly, his voice void of emotions.

There was silence for a moment, but it felt like the silence stretched forever as Head Butler Eronian didn’t answer. A rumbling filled his head suddenly, and the head butler excused himself.

Silence filled his mind, and anxiety settled in his chest.

“Melach! Are you well? Why did you not call us earlier? There was no need to ignore us this long—not after everything we heard about the Earthen Union!” The stern voice of his mother echoed in his mind, making him flinch. Still, he smiled.

"You foolish child. Who cares about tradition when your life is in peril? You should have returned when the Earthen Union awakened prematurely. We did not prepare you for this!" Another familiar voice—his sister—rang out. She sounded angry, but Melach knew this all too well. She was worried, maybe even afraid. For his well-being.

Melach smiled, listening to the ramblings of his mother and sister, but his lips twitched when footsteps echoed through his mind. At last, a third voice, hoarse and void of emotion, rang out.

"You survived. Good. The Mirror of Truth has been prepared. The Ritual shall begin," the man,his father, said neutrally. "Prove your worth as a Child of Ystra."

Melach heard his mother and sister grumble, but their voices were mere whispers compared to his father’s commanding tone. He swallowed and circulated mana through his wildly palpitating heart. At last, Melach shared everything there was to know about his journey in the newly integrated world, starting from the day he arrived.

He heard the echo of his voice, but that was all. Silence stretched far and deep as his quiet voice overshadowed everything. Melach could not tell how much time had passed, but his throat was parched, and his lips were cracked once his story concluded. His part of the Ritual had been completed, yet nothing happened on the other side. Melach waited in silence, nibbling on his brittle lips as no one uttered a word.

Suddenly, Melach heard the gasps of several people, probably his mother and sister, but they did not say anything.

At last, his father’s voice rang out again. "The Ritual has concluded. The Will of Ystra has heard you. Your achievements have been marked. Congratulations."

Congratulations? Was that it? Melach wondered, his tension giving way to confusion.

"We knew you would make it," his father said suddenly, with a trace of—was that pride?—in his voice. "News of the Earthen Union has reached us, and so has Arc’s destruction. Many young ones succumbed to the barrage of incidents occurring in the Earthen Union, and we could not be certain you would make it. I—we—are glad you made it out alive."

Tears welled in his eyes as he listened to his father. This wasn’t a dream, was it? His father, he had just praised him, right?

Melach suppressed a sob, determined not to lose his father’s approval mere seconds after earning it.

"The Ancestor spoke about you," Melach’s mother suddenly said, sniffling. She sobbed bitterly as her words resounded in his head. "Her words were cryptic. Some sounded as if you were mortally wounded, while others made us worry, made us wonder if you were still alive. She mentioned a fool, death, destruction, and a cynical healer. We didn’t understand anything, and there was nothing we could do about it… Nothing but to wait…"

The Ancestor? Melach’s hair stood on end. The Ancestor was watching? No. In the first place, how did she know him? Melach was certain the Ancestor wouldn’t know about his existence.

"The System rejected my attempts at crossing over, or I would have come to fetch you, brother!" his sister declared, cursing the System.

Hearing the head butler and his mother reprimand his sister brought a smile to Melach’s lips. It felt like nothing had changed since he had left.

"Don’t be foolish," he chuckled, knowing deep down his sister was deadly serious. But it was a good thing she hadn’t come to the Earthen Union. She was strong, but the System would have sealed most of her power. By stepping into the Earthen Union at the start of integration, Melach and the others could start anew. Their growth was fast, and it was only a matter of time before they would return to their former peak.

But it was different for latecomers, especially for beings like his sister.

"Your Scroll has been updated. The Will of Ystra has spoken," his father interrupted suddenly. Melach tensed. "You are to be rewarded. The Will wants you to accept it."

Something felt different as his father’s words reached him. One moment, a weight pressed on his mind; the next, it felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck him.

The connection to the crystal was severed, and his eyes shot wide open. Several notifications flashed to life before his eyes.

[Legacy Skill [Nature’s Wrath] has fused to your Mana Core]

[Legacy Skill [Spiritual Dominance] has fused to your Mana Core]

[You have discovered the Law of Nature.

Intent [Sentient Seedling] has been engraved on your Mana Core]

…

His vision blurred before he could see the rest, but that was fine. He knew what was about to happen. He closed his eyes with a smile before falling unconscious.

There it was.

Zachariah unsheathed his Sword Artifact slowly, watching as the small creature effortlessly crushed the throat of a Lesser Behemoth. If it had been any other creature, Zachariah might have been more surprised, but this was a Sapling of the Void.

Darkness oozed from the creature’s pitch-black eyes as it hurled the Lesser Behemoth to the ground. The monster thrashed, and large spikes of earth burst from the ground. The Void Sapling evaded most of them, while those that touched it crumbled to dust. An eerie giggle echoed as it strode forward, slow yet decisive.

Zachariah knew what was coming, but the time wasn’t right yet. The Void Sapling was still on guard.

He channeled Aura into his eyes and skulked around the withered trees, closing in on the Void Sapling and the Lesser Behemoth.

This one was weaker, Zachariah concluded, watching the Behemoth rise, even as it locked eyes with the Void Sapling. Behemoths were powerful, prideful creatures, but they were not immune to the void’s innate power. If the Behemoth had been significantly weaker than the Void Sapling, it would have collapsed dead instantly, just like those foolish humans from Ashville.

Zachariah shook his head at the memory. They had been reckless and incredibly lucky, only two of them had died. Of course, they didn’t see it that way. He snorted inwardly, pushing the thought aside.

The Void Sapling clawed at the Lesser Behemoth, corrupting the creature as it weaved effortlessly around the earthen spikes and the Behemoth’s charges. The Lesser Behemoth fought with relentless determination, but within minutes, it collapsed, lifeless. Long enough for him to observe the Void Sapling’s movements but too brief to fully grasp its capabilities.

Zachariah rummaged through his potion belt and retrieved four small glass vials. He hesitated before pulling out a fifth vial filled with black liquid. Without taking his eyes off the Void Sapling, he smoothly uncorked the vials and emptied them. The sweet and bitter mixture trickled down his throat, but he remained frozen, intently observing the creature as it erased the Behemoth’s existence, draining all life, Aether, and Essence around it. The pungent scent of the final potion made him shudder, but he swallowed it regardless.

His vision blurred, and his legs buckled as warmth drained from his body. The sensation lasted only a moment, but it reminded him of the last Cycle. The final days—his last moments.

Several notifications blinked before him, snapping him out of his reverie.

[Serum of Reinforced Mind has been consumed.]

[Serum of Superior Recovery has been consumed.]

[Potion of Unbreakable Soul has been consumed.]

[Serum of Sworded Focus has been consumed.]

[Serum of Instant Death has been consumed.]

[Circumstances pushed you to the verge of death.

Ancient Power, Last Line, triggered. For a certain period, your power will rise greatly.

You have survived…]

Last Line. Zachariah let out a wry smile at the familiar name. It had been useless in his last life. In fact, he hadn’t understood how it worked until it was too late.

His body had been cleaved in half, limbs severed—only his upper body and head remained. Even then, death had not come swiftly. No. When he thought the end had finally arrived, that he would slip into eternal slumber and reunite with those he had loved, Last Line had triggered.

It granted him immense power. The worse his wounds, the greater the strength—at least, as far as he had understood. But it had been to no avail. In the end, all he could do was wait for Last Line to wear off, prolonging his suffering. Remembering how painfully slow he had died, his mood soured.

But this time was different. Everything had changed. The Earthen Union was more chaotic than before. More Void Saplings roamed its lands, transcendent beings had begun placing their pawns, and the world itself had shifted. The Earthen Union had awakened ahead of time. It brought chaos, death, and destruction, but also opportunity.

With chaos came opportunity but also great danger. And at last, after facing the Fragment weeks earlier, Zachariah unlocked his Ancient Power, several years earlier than in his last life. But most importantly, he had discovered ways to use Last Line to perfection.

All he had to do was kill himself without mutilating his body. That was how the Instant Death Serum came to be. His Ancient Power may not have made him invincible, but it preserved his life once in a time of great peril before it had to recharge.

At this point, his lifeforce was hanging by a thread, but he recovered quickly. Yet, recovery was the least of his concerns. Great power filled every part of his body. He was overflowing.

Zachariah darted back to the Void Sapling. It had finished devouring the Lesser Behemoth and turned away. He took that opportunity. He activated [Flash], [Burst], and [Haste], kicking off the ground to reach top speed in an instant. The Void Sapling must have sensed something, as it turned, but Zachariah was already in front of it, the power inside him pulsing dangerously.

Sword Domain! he shouted inwardly as his mind drifted to a massive Rune within his mental space. It towered above all, bound by star-like, twinkling chains that restrained the Rune, holding it in place even as Zachariah willed it to life.

[Fragmented Sword God] activated.

Time seemed to crawl around him. The Void Sapling’s quick spin slowed into an eerie, sluggish movement. It screeched at him, but Zachariah only smiled at the stretched, distorted sound reaching his ears. Yet, the thunderous thumping of his heart soon drowned out all other noise.

I’m still not ready, he realized, dissatisfied.

Despite ranking up quickly, spending the last few weeks growing stronger, advancing all stats to the Superior Rank, and pushing his Body stat even higher, Zachariah was still not strong enough to wield the Fragmented power at its full potential.

But it activated, he thought.

Being able to use [Fragmented Sword God], even if it was only due to Last Line’s power, meant the divine shackles had weakened. That was good, and certainly enough to defeat one of the weaker Void Saplings.

His eyes narrowed as the Void Sapling moved. Its thick, oily hide pulsed and bulged. It was subtle, but Zachariah noticed. He also knew what was about to happen and prepared accordingly.

A wave of Death tore through the Void Sapling’s hide and burst outward explosively, or at least, that was what Zachariah assumed it was supposed to look like. Yet, the scenery didn’t change much. Time had yet to accelerate back to normal.

Instead of witnessing a lethal wave of Death explode from the Void Sapling, Zachariah watched it ooze sluggishly from its hide. It felt like he had an eternity to respond, and he made full use of it.

He took a deep breath, though it didn’t feel like air entering his lungs. Instead, Aether and Essence flooded his body as he focused on the enemy ahead. Pure energy spread through him, and he channeled it all into his next move.

The first part of the sequence was crucial. It was just a single step, but time resumed its normal pace.

Zachariah smiled, feeling the strain of what awaited him seep into his entire body as the second step followed. The world blurred around him as he slipped through the wave of Death, his Sword Artifact flashing through the air. One slash. That was all it took, but it felt perfect.

The blade cut through both the wave of Death and the Void Sapling in one motion as he passed by.

Zachariah stopped after the third step, slowing his momentum and turning, his skin splitting open. Blood spurted everywhere. He was certain several muscles hadn’t survived the strain of his movements, yet all he could think about was the Void Sapling.

Even though he was certain it was over, he was ready to face the voidling again. He had learned the cost of underestimating his enemies. This time, he wouldn’t fail.

This time, everything would be different.

“And you…” Zachariah growled, spitting blood as the Void Sapling’s upper body slid from its waist, “you are merely the start.”

This time, he would ensure the voidlings, and everything they had destroyed, would be no more.

Zachariah embraced the pain coursing through his body and attacked again, his slashes carving afterimages into the air. He only stopped when the space around his blade distorted.

At last, Zachariah severed the Void Sapling’s connection to the Earthen Union and this cosmos, eliminating the creature once and for all.

44

ARMY

In Ashville’s town hall…

After David helped them break the curses, life improved. It wasn’t perfect, and the scars left behind by the bandits would probably never heal, but Lukas was confident everything would be alright—as long as they worked hard to ensure nobody could deprive them of freedom again.

They needed strength, whether in numbers or individual prowess.

Thus, he chose to work on both quality and quantity. Lukas ensured everyone was given the opportunity to pick their Basic Class. They hunted monsters, mutilated some until they could no longer move, and dragged them to the elderly. If someone needed help killing a monster, they received it.

While they did not force anyone to kill, Lukas made it clear that the bandits, those who had cursed them, might return at any moment. Nobody knew what awaited them.

Weeks of tireless work, attempts to gather the community, and efforts to rally everyone against a common enemy had finally paid off. But now, everything seemed to crumble. All of a sudden, the bright future he had envisioned was falling apart.

“What do you think?” Zora asked, her voice no more than a whisper in his ears. Her feet tapped the wooden floor relentlessly, breaking his train of thought.

“About the dwarves’ offer? The offer is good. Too good to be true,” Lukas said, nibbling on his lower lip.

He leaned over a map showing Ashville and the surrounding towns, his voice laced with mockery as he added, “I don’t like it, though. Why would they invite us to their well-defended Sanctuary and offer us lodging, armaments, and Skill Runes for nothing in return? Nothing is free. They’ll demand something eventually, and we’ll have to pay, with interest, of course.”

Zora’s tapping stopped, and a heavy sigh reached him. “I don’t care about their offer. I’m talking about the monsters heading this way!” she hissed, a thud resounding as her chair fell backward. “Do you want us to die?”

Why am I with her again? Has there been a single day without at least half a dozen complaints from her since the integration? Lukas wondered, looking up from the map. For the first time in years, he stared deep into his girlfriend’s eyes, trying to recall what had once charmed him.

“Die?” Lukas frowned at her. “I know we’re talking about two, maybe three thousand monsters coming this way, but we have close to 1,500 Mages, many of whom have already advanced to the Bronze Rank, and almost as many Warriors and Hunters. The Mages and Hunters can release three, maybe four barrages of attacks before a melee begins. By that time, the Warriors will have the numerical advantage. The Clerics will strengthen them, and so will the Mages and Hunters. We’ll hunt the monsters one by one, exploiting our numbers.”

“Are you sure this will work? What if magical projectiles at the 1st Tier aren’t enough to cut down the monsters’ numbers?” Zora asked hesitantly. “We haven’t had issues with monsters in a while now. Isn’t it weird that so many are heading this way suddenly? How about we ask⁠—”

“Shut up!” Lukas hissed, jumping to his feet. “We will not ask Maja for help, and we will definitely not request reinforcements from the Dwarven Sanctuary! Ashville will survive without anyone’s help!”

Zora flinched and pulled back but nodded. Her lips parted, but Lukas gestured for her to remain silent.

“Gather the Clerics. I hope we won’t need them later, but we should prepare for the worst-case scenario,” Lukas ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

He didn’t look at Zora anymore, only listening to her leave the room as he turned to his other friends. The way they looked at him irked Lukas, but he could deal with that once the monsters were no more.

“Has everything been prepared?” he asked, and they nodded in unison.

“Two Scouts are still missing. They’re probably dead,” a middle-aged man named Jeron shrugged as he added, “but the others returned with bad news. The Horde won’t pass us by a few hundred meters. They’re heading straight for us.”

“The Mages and Hunters have already shifted positions and are in formation according to the latest information,” Oliver said curtly.

“The Warriors are ready to rumble. They’re itching for blood,” Peter snickered, bringing a smile to Lukas’ face. Even now, Peter could joke. That was why he liked the odd Berserker so much.

Lukas nodded slowly, turning to Jeron. “What’s with the fog?”

According to reports, the monsters were either shrouded in a dense, green fog or exuded it naturally. One way or another, it engulfed the Horde, making it harder to gather information.

“One of the Scouts got too close to the Horde and collapsed from illness. The Cleric tending to him said he was poisoned.”

That wasn’t good. It was fair to assume the fog was poisonous. Maybe the situation wasn’t as simple as he had initially thought.

“Okay… We’ll adjust the strategy on the go,” Lukas said, heading for the door. “This is just a minor inconvenience.”

His friends trembled as they stared at the expansive cloud closing in on Ashville, and Lukas couldn’t blame them. It was a horrifying sight to behold. The fog, green and dense, spread far and wide. Its confirmed poisonous properties made it a great danger that could swallow Ashville instantly. But the greatest threat wasn’t the poisonous fog. The glowing dots piercing through the sickly green mist—presumably monster eyes—posed the true danger.

They couldn’t see the monsters clearly, making it unnecessarily difficult to gauge their numbers or distinguish them. The Scouts had made a solid estimate, while the women with the Secondary Classes, Strategist and Monstrologist, struggled to determine the most effective way to defeat the horde.

“Have the Mages release fireballs,” Lukas ordered. Perhaps the fireballs could disperse the poisonous fog. He didn’t think it would be that easy, but he would be happy if he were wrong—for once.

Oliver was shaking, but he complied, conjuring a small fireball in the sky and shaping it into a blazing ‘C.’ Within seconds, fireballs materialized along Ashville’s outskirts. Hundreds, possibly over a thousand, hovered in the air, but something else caught Lukas’ attention—smaller flames flickering near the fireballs.

Right, the Hunters, he thought, his attention drifting back to the ceaselessly approaching horde as the fireballs and flame-wreathed arrows whistled through the air. The scenery was breathtaking—orange-red streaks drenched the sky as they hurtled toward the poisonous fog in graceful arcs.

Lukas grinned as the first fireball reached its target. One of the largest, it struck the fog well ahead of the others. However, instead of piercing through and exploding on impact with a monster or the ground, it burst apart prematurely. Blazing flames raced outward, burning through the green mist before dispersing entirely.

The flames roared, briefly revealing a handful of ferocious creatures, but more poisonous fog rushed in before the remaining fireballs and arrows struck. The sickly green mist transformed into an orange sea of fire as the Mages’ flames burned hot and wild, but while the fire was fierce, it was also short-lived. The flames died down, revealing the horrors lurking within, and before long, the fog returned.

Yet, the fog reformed almost instantly, thickening again before the second barrage of fireballs could land.

The second barrage followed shortly, and so did the third.

By the fourth, several Mages were already drained. However, the poisonous fog still lingered. It was thinner, revealing the horde in its full glory, but it hadn’t vanished. And it would harm the melee fighters, Lukas thought grimly. Whether the fog was thick or thin didn’t matter at this point. Perhaps the poison wouldn’t affect the fighters immediately now that they had thinned it out, but Lukas was certain it would take its toll regardless.

“We’ll need them,” Lukas told his subordinates—his friends—before sighing. “And tell the Mages and Hunters to change tactics. I don’t think they can thin it out any further—not without killing some monsters.”

“If they are the source of the fog,” Oliver added.

Lukas glared at him but nodded. “If they’re the source of all this, decimating them will solve the problem.”

Even so, Lukas knew the tides of battle had already shifted. Almost none of the horde had died from the relentless barrage of fireballs and flame-wreathed arrows, and the creatures were now closing in on the first line of defense.

“The traps have to kill a few hundred,” Jeron muttered beside him, clenching his fists. The arrogance he usually carried—the way he flaunted his ‘superiority’—had vanished. Not a trace of it remained in the face of the horde. Regardless, he was right.

Lukas groaned as the monsters reached the first line of defense, unfazed even as the ground beneath them opened up. Several creatures fell into pits, while others were hurled through the air. Explosions erupted beneath their feet, yet the horde continued forward.

“Only a dozen kill notifications.” Jeron shuddered.

That was bad. Jeron had contributed to setting up a fourth of the traps. Even if the system wouldn’t give him full credit for the kills, it would still notify him of his contributions.

With only a dozen dead, Lukas nibbled on his lower lip and unsheathed his sword. “Peter.”

“Finally!” Peter grinned as a massive double-headed axe materialized in his hands. He let out a husky chuckle, flashing Lukas a wild smile. “You shouldn’t play with my feelings like this!”

Play with his feelings? Lukas scoffed inwardly and motioned for Peter to move.

“Gather the Warriors. We’re moving out.”

Jeron and the others followed, but Lukas ushered Jeron and the Hunters who specialized in traps to speak with the Strategist and Monstrologist first. Since they had received kill notifications, they had also learned the names of the monsters they’d slain. It might not shift the tide of battle, but gaining insight into the enemy’s weaknesses could increase their chances of survival.

The melee fighters gathered outside Ashville while arrows channeled with Aether and magical projectiles whisked toward the approaching horde. The Horde’s pace was surprisingly slow, but that played into their hands.

The slower they were, the longer they remained exposed to the Hunters and Mages, Lukas thought, smiling as the monsters fell. They crossed the second line of defense, and he heard some Hunters shout how many monsters had died in his traps. Lukas organized the intel, but it felt like his mind refused to form a tactic to obliterate the horde.

Had he been too confident in their power? Should they have accepted the dwarves’ offer? Lukas wondered suddenly as he studied the monsters. The Strategist and Monstrologist rushed to him, but their voices barely registered in his ears.

Finally, he had to make a move. He ushered Peter and the others to follow him, shouting aloud using [Roar of War]. The frightened melee fighters around him tensed, but their expressions soon lit up. The fear carved into their features eased.

“Work together to take down your enemies. They may seem strong, but you’re stronger. I know that. Believe in yourself. Believe in me!” Lukas shouted at the top of his lungs, grinning as a surge of power filled him.

It was so simple. Trust. Loyalty. Belief.

That was all Lukas needed to grow stronger. The more his people believed in him, the stronger the effects of his Legacy Skill.

He walked ahead of his people, brandishing his weapon before activating [Accelerate] and [Charge] to reach the closest humanoid monster. He executed [Aether Slash] instantly, cleaving through the monster before it could react. A notification popped up as the monster's corpse landed with a thud. Blood spilled from the corpse, but Lukas just smiled as more power surged through him.

[You have defeated Blight Kobold (Bronze VII).]

A simple demonstration of power was all he needed to strengthen their loyalty toward him. It was barely a challenge. But the battle had just begun. Worse still, the Blight Kobold he’d just defeated had not been as weak as Lukas had hoped. If all the monsters were as strong as this one, most of his people would die.

There was no time to hesitate. Lukas turned on the next enemy and used [Aether Slash]. He evaded the attack of another Blight Kobold and activated [Charge], shifting to the next target and ramming his sword into its chest. More notifications popped up as he killed the enemies around him, but one was unpleasant.

[You have been poisoned (Stage-0).]

Lukas cursed at the notification but pressed forward. Retreating now would make matters worse. Fortunately, more strength flooded into him. This time, it was different, though. Warmth filled his body, removing the itching sensation that came with the poison.

[Poisoning (Stage-0) has been cleansed.]

[You have been blessed.]

That was probably Zora’s doing. Lukas was thankful for her quick response and told himself to thank her later. Maybe having a lover like her wasn’t so bad after all. At least he wouldn’t die easily. That made up for all the times she had bothered him.

Lukas killed more enemies and caught Peter doing the same from the corner of his eye. However, not everyone was like them. Some monsters fell victim to the combined efforts of the Mages, Hunters, and the pairs of melee fighters, but the poisoning and the strength and number of the monsters seemed to take them by surprise.

He repositioned himself and fell back, helping the people around him. But he couldn’t be everywhere. Lukas watched the brave men and women around him slowly panic as [Roar of War]’s effect diminished. Death looming over them affected them worse than expected. He also noticed the potency of his Legacy Skill gradually fading. As his trusted allies died, the gains granted through their trust and belief in him disappeared.

To make matters worse, Lukas was faced with a powerful monster. It hurled a Blight Kobold carcass at him and charged straight for him. It ignored his sword strike as he used [Accelerate] and [Aether Slash] together, hoping to end it in one blow. His blade dug deep into its chest, but the monster refused to die.

He cast [Knight’s Prestige] and retreated. Peter appeared beside him, swinging his axe to behead the monster, but it simply raised its hand and unleashed a shockwave of poisonous fog.

A sickening crunch echoed as Peter was hurled backward. He jumped to his feet, but his skin was green, and he coughed up blood. A bright light engulfed Peter, removing the green taint from his skin, but his eyes remained bloodshot as he stared at the monster like a wild beast.

Not again. Lukas groaned. He should have gotten his act together.

Peter charged faster than before, ignoring the monster’s claws as they streaked across his chest. He leaped into the air and beheaded the monster with a swift strike. Lukas smiled—but his expression froze as the headless monster moved.

“Move!” he roared, overclocking [Accelerate] and [Charge] as he pushed toward Peter. The monster’s claws swept across Peter’s chest again, and blood spurted everywhere, but the Berserker was not dead yet. Lukas knew Peter was tough—tougher than most people. He would survive if the headless monster didn’t strike again before he could recover.

Lukas appeared before the headless monster, but something had changed. It moved faster than before.

No—Lukas’ eyes widened as realization struck. The monster wasn’t moving faster. He was just slower.

The battle behind him continued as he and Peter fought the stronger creature, and it looked like they were on the losing side. The trust everyone had placed in him was either diminishing, or his trusted allies were dead. Either way, Lukas was significantly slower than before. He dodged the first attack, but the monster’s claws caught his armpit as he pierced its heart. The monster stirred. A kill notification popped up a moment later, but Lukas could not relax. The monster’s claws whipped upward one last time, and a wave of blood, followed by searing pain, overwhelmed him.

His vision blurred, and he lost control of his sword arm. The same arm flew through the air a moment later. His sword arm had been severed.

Fuck! Lukas wanted to scream as blood spurted into the air, but warmth from multiple sources reached him almost instantly. His bleeding stopped within seconds. He rushed toward his severed arm.

Reattaching it might have been possible in a non-combat situation—but not now. Lukas ignored the arm and snatched up his sword. He weighed it in his left hand and frowned deeply.

Several Blighted Kobolds attacked, followed by other monsters. This time, Lukas struggled to keep up. He tried blocking their attacks and succeeded in killing a few, but his combat prowess had decreased significantly.

Their enemy wasn’t an ordinary horde. They’re fighting with discipline.

They’re choosing their enemies, Lukas cursed, realizing his mistake. He had underestimated the horde. It was not just a crowd of monsters, it was a small but well-trained army.

“Retreat slowly!” he shouted at last as more allies fell to the monsters’ relentless attacks. They pulled back, but the pressure weighing on them didn’t lessen.

Not until a commotion rang out.

The space above the monsters in front of Lukas cracked open, and massive rocks rained down, crushing several at once. Lukas glanced left and right, shuddering as the phenomenon repeated several times. Gigantic stones crashed to the earth, killing monsters by the dozens and forming a temporary barrier that slowed them momentarily.

“Now! Go, go, go!” Lukas roared.

His allies twitched—but they moved, turning to run back to Ashville.

Lukas didn’t turn immediately. He saw a group of monsters climbing the rocks, but they were struck down by arrows and magical projectiles. The rocks vanished—only to reappear in the air again, crashing down and crushing even more monsters.

A chill ran down Lukas’ spine. He turned and ran.

Catching up to the others was easy, but that didn’t mean the fight was over just because they had retreated. Ashville was still in danger. Their survival was at stake.

Lukas swallowed and slowed as he spotted a familiar figure standing atop a rooftop at the edge of Ashville.

When did she return? he wondered, staring at Maja.

She glanced at him, her eyes glowing. A moment later, Lukas found himself beside her, his heart skipping a beat as he realized how easily Maja had pulled him through space.

“You’re back,” he muttered, his eyes widening at the meaning of her return. “Where is your friend? He has to restore my arm, or Ashville will be destroyed!”

Maja didn’t even look at him, her attention fixed on the battlefield.

There was no time for pettiness, Lukas cursed inwardly.

He was about to shake Maja, hoping to snap her out of it, when she winced.

His anger subsided, replaced by something else. A shudder ran through him as he followed Maja’s gaze—back to the battlefield.

Lukas had been certain the horde would reach them at any moment—but it didn’t.

Only a handful of monsters had pursued them, and they were already dead. The Hunters had taken care of them before they could harm anyone.

The rest of the horde wasn’t heading to Ashville.

They were charging at a small figure standing at the edge of the battlefield.

"Wha—? What is that?" Lukas asked, shuddering as his danger sense went off.

Poisonous fog shrouded the small figure, but the figure remained unmoving. Lukas stared at it, quickly realizing he couldn’t look away. The threat of the poisonous fog and the horde was still etched in his mind, but it lingered in the back of it. Instead, the small, unmoving figure consumed his entire attention. It felt more dangerous—deadlier—than the entire horde combined.

But why did he feel this way? The figure was nowhere close, yet Lukas could feel it all. And it scared him, far more than the horde ever could.

"You can feel his bloodlust," Maja said somberly as the fog around the figure turned crimson. It was only a thin layer at first, but the crimson taint expanded explosively, overshadowing the poisonous fog.

Lukas' lips parted, countless questions swirling in his mind, but all he could ask was, "Whose?"

Maja sighed again. "David's."

David? That didn’t make any sense— Lukas' eyes widened as the features of the unknown figure registered in his mind.

Lukas saw him and shuddered as David’s brilliantly glowing eyes fluttered open, cold and merciless.

David raised his hand as the first monsters reached him, mostly undead creatures, while the rest hesitated to move closer. Was it because of the bloodlust? Lukas noticed something materialize in David’s hand. A grey blade. No... was that really a blade? It looked like one, but it felt different even from a distance. Maybe it was just... Lukas shuddered. He had no idea what it could be.

David moved with deliberate simplicity. He flicked his wrist, and a long, grey crescent blade whipped outward. The nearest monster was torn to shreds instantly, while those behind were cleaved in two, ripped apart as the attack reached them. Dozens of monsters were split in half before the crescent blade dissipated.

"How?" Lukas whispered, breaking into a cold sweat as the second blade whipped through the air, killing the undead that never stopped charging at David. More monsters collapsed to the ground, never moving again.

Suddenly, the crimson-red hue shrouding David expanded further. It encompassed the poisoned fog and overshadowed it, seemingly devouring it, as he took a step forward. It was David’s first step since Lukas’ eyes fell upon him, but the dynamic across the battlefield shifted in an instant.

Armor, resembling the crimson world around him, suddenly coated David as the first monster clawed him. But David did not seem to mind being hit and clawed. The armor never chipped.

David turned to the aggressors and killed them on the spot. He caught a Blight Kobold with an empty hand and crushed the monster’s neck. The carcass was thrown aside, and David picked the next target. As stronger creatures surrounded him, Lukas flinched. He found himself staring at the Healer in awe as David ignored the massive club swinging toward him.

The club struck the crimson helmet and shattered.

"What the fuck...?"

Lukas heard someone blurt aloud, and he couldn’t blame them. That strike would have killed him. However, David hadn’t flinched.

To make matters worse, Maja remained eerily calm as she watched the horror unfold. Somehow, Lukas couldn’t quite tell why, but that scared him even more. How could she stay so calm when this was happening right in front of her?

"Who the hell is he?" Lukas asked, shuddering when half a dozen monsters collapsed with bloody holes in their foreheads.

Spikes erupted from the blood across the battlefield all of a sudden, and more grey blades whipped through the air, cleaving through chests, beheading monsters.

Maja glared at him and snapped, "Don’t bother him. He... needs to destress."

Lukas wouldn’t do anything to get on David’s bad side. That was the last thing he wanted. But destress? Was that how someone was supposed to destress?

In the first place, wasn’t David a Healer?!

"Don’t ask stupid questions," Maja said, her voice lower this time. "His family is dead. And his friends."

"Most of them, at least."

45

DESTRESS

Maja couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was a disaster, a catastrophe.

David looked like a deer in headlights, his eyes glued to the scroll confirming his parents' deaths, when news of a nearby Sanctuary’s destruction reached them. She still didn’t fully understand what had happened, to the Sanctuary or to David, but he had nearly choked a member of the Familia to death, demanding they tell him everything.

Reports said a Great Horde had obliterated the Sanctuary. It was complete annihilation. No resident survived, and not even the Panthea seemed to have overcome the ordeal.

What was it they said again? Maja tilted her head, glancing at David as his blood projectiles tore through the rows of enemies, killing them one by one.

She couldn’t quite remember what the Familia member had said, only that it was related to the Panthea’s Divinity. But it wasn’t important—not to David, at least. As far as Maja could tell, David’s only interest was killing. So, that was what he did.

They rushed to the destroyed Sanctuary, which didn’t take long with long-distance teleportation, but only ruins of a large Sanctuary remained. David didn’t search the Sanctuary for enemies. He merely glanced at the ruins once and turned away, his face ice-cold. Maja shuddered as she remembered his expression. It was terrifying. But she wasn’t scared. If anything, Maja felt pity.

He was trying hard to swallow the pain, to bury it deep inside, but Maja caught a glimpse of it.

So, she did the only thing she could think of: she tried to help.

They teleported across the region, searching nearby towns for the Grand Horde. At first, they found only death, destruction, and corrupted soil. But as they neared the towns closer to the Dwarven Sanctuary and Ashville, the scenery changed. Smaller groups of undead, half-dead, and venomous creatures ravaged the environment, destroying all life. Not even the ground and plant life were spared.

David killed them all. Anything that exuded even the slightest killing intent was met with Bloodlust, Rend, and [Blood Blast]. That alone wiped out more than a dozen enemy groups.

That was until they encountered the Grand Horde.

It was nothing like the Darkai Horde.

There were easily over ten thousand monsters. David estimated between twenty and thirty thousand, maybe more.

But even that didn’t scare David.

It didn’t make any sense.

Was he tired of living after hearing about the deaths of his loved ones?

She could understand that. Much better than most ever would.

But if he had been so attached to his family …Why hadn’t he started looking for them earlier?

He never talked about himself. Not once had he told her anything about his past—his friends or his family.

It hurt.

But not as much as watching David charge the Grand Horde, shrouded in poisonous gas.

Maja couldn’t even remember how much time had passed or how many monsters had fallen victim to David’s wrath. But her tears had long since dried.

She cast vision teleportation and was relieved when David didn’t block her. He was drenched in blood, acid, and other bodily fluids, but his features remained unchanged. That same cold expression—no words escaping his lips—as he stared at her.

Ashville was their next destination—away from the Grand Horde, away from all pain. Back home, hoping to talk to David about his emotions, hoping to reach him.

It was all to no avail, Maja thought, clenching her fists until it hurt.

How was she supposed to know that Ashville was under attack—from the same enemy, no less?

At least the army attacking Ashville was smaller. More manageable for David.

Will that be enough to calm you down? To get your act together?

Maja had no idea. She felt sorry for him, but watching the massacre unfold on the battlefield was still terrifying.

David was under attack from all sides, monsters clawed and struck him, trying to crush him before he could retaliate, all while she desperately tried to teleport him away. However, David blocked all of her attempts.

She was forced to watch as more and more monsters attacked him, slowly wearing down his crimson-colored armor.

“Don’t you dare die on me!” she hissed, coughing up blood after another failed attempt at teleporting him away.

David kept moving, grey crescent blades and bloody projectiles whipping in all directions, cutting down enemies by the dozens. But while it looked like he had the upper hand, Maja couldn’t shake the anxiety clawing at her.

David’s armor cracked and shattered, yet he made no effort to defend against the incoming attacks. He ignored the monsters covering him in acid, clawing at him, tearing his chest open.

David tended to his wounds after dealing with the attacking monsters. Regardless, Maja assisted, summoning several portals into existence.

The dense ores scattered across the battlefield shifted. They vanished into her portals, reappearing above the swarming monsters that struggled to reach him. Dozens of kill notifications appeared at the corner of her vision, their numbers skyrocketing as the ores struck the monsters repeatedly.

After several barrages, Maja’s legs buckled, and she nearly fell from the rooftop—until someone caught her. A calming sensation spread through her, and she looked to her right to see Zora holding her, wearing a thin smile.

“You have… changed,” Zora muttered, her eyes drifting across the battlefield with a somber expression. “We failed you.”

Maja’s lips parted, but she couldn’t find the right words to respond. Instead of saying something she didn’t mean, she stayed silent and watched as the poisonous fog dispersed. She caught sight of hundreds of fireballs, magic projectiles, and arrows whistling through the air in graceful arcs. Most of the attacks missed, but the few that landed were enough to weaken the enemy’s forces.

Two volleys of long-range attacks and the melee fighters’ return marked the battle’s end, yet all Maja could focus on was David and the carnage surrounding him. The last monsters fell to the Obsidian Blade, but it didn’t look like David was done. His head flicked left and right as if searching for more enemies. However, all had been taken care of.

Maja straightened up and winced as the battlefield before her changed. Blood was everywhere, drenching the ground in its entirety. Yet, despite the carnage, she found herself mesmerized as crimson particles—minuscule motes—leaked from the corpses. They filled the battlefield, swirling around, momentarily stripping away all the pain and terror she had just experienced and inflicted.

Her mind went blank, and she caught herself smiling—until she realized the motes revolved around David.

They whirled through the air, flowing toward him as the crimson armor around him dispersed. But the moment Maja looked at David, the vibrant smile on her lips cracked. The mesmerizing image shattered when she saw the tears trickling down his pain-ridden face.

Maja couldn’t recall ever seeing him like this. His expression had never been so pained, and he had never cried before. This wasn’t the David she had gotten to know. And that…

Maja took a deep breath.

It made everything even worse.

Looking at David like that felt like someone had twisted a blade in her heart after piercing it over and over again.

She teleported to David, pushing through the crushing weight of his Bloodlust as she stepped closer. Hundreds of crimson motes twirled around them as she reached him. He looked at her, and his expression distorted even more.

“I resented them,” he muttered. “I always loathed them for the way they treated me… They made me feel like a tool in their schemes… They always had a plan for everything. I…”

David’s legs gave out. He slumped to the ground, and Maja quickly followed, bending her knees to sit beside him.

“All I wanted was freedom. I retaliated, but I wasn’t even good enough for that,” he blurted out, his voice cracking. “The integration gave me freedom. It gave me the opportunity to find out who I truly was, who I truly wanted to be…”

Tears welled in Maja’s eyes. The pain in David’s voice got through to her, and she started sobbing, bawling her eyes out as she leaned forward and hugged him tightly.

David didn’t respond to her hug. He stayed on the ground, his shoulders slouched, tears streaming down his face.

“I just wanted to show them what I was capable of without their constant supervision,” David muttered.

But he could no longer do that. His parents were dead. They couldn’t see the man he had become.

“I hated them, but I didn’t want them to die…”

David had known about it all along. It had never been certain that his parents and friends would survive the integration. He had thought about the possibility of their deaths before as well. But as it turned out, thinking about something and coming to know the truth—cruel and bitter—were entirely different.

The truth struck hard. A lot harder than he’d expected it would.

He never wanted to believe he loathed his parents. But they forced him into things he didn’t want—made him do things he despised. While he had given his utmost to please them for as long as he could remember, it had never been enough. They never praised him. Instead, they rewarded him with more tasks whenever he finished ahead of schedule.

But was it really so hard to praise him? To shower him with love? To tell him how much he meant to them?

David couldn’t tell.

And he had been certain he didn’t care about it anymore.

It had only been a year since he acknowledged his parents would never change—that they would always demand more from him, forcing him into things he could not do—or did not want to do. He recalled backing off, calling his parents less frequently, until their communication reached the lowest point he could remember. It was only when their weekly chats and constant meetings decreased that he realized how much he hated everything. Both himself for not standing up for himself and his parents for forcing everything upon him.

He thought he had forgotten about it all. After all, the integration had changed everything. Or so he had hoped.

But he still cared. No matter how much he hated his parents for treating him like a tool, he still craved their acknowledgment, their praise. Their love.

Was that why it hurt so much? To know he would never meet them again? To never hear them say they loved him?

David had no idea, which only added to the confusion.

If he couldn’t understand himself, how was anyone else supposed to understand him?

Only William and Felix were still alive.

It was great that they had survived, but he was certain Felix had been in one of the regions replaced during the integration. If the god’s information scroll was correct, that meant Felix was alive but no longer in the Earthen Union.

That was also why the information scroll didn’t mention a location—only: [Outside the Earthen Union].

Even William’s location was strange: [Nearby, yet far away.]

David and Maja had searched the region for weeks, but William was nowhere to be found. Still, David was relieved that William had survived the integration. At least one of his friends was still out there, even if they weren’t together yet. He was certain they would meet in the future.

“Are you okay now?” Maja asked, pulling away from the embrace.

Her eyes were red and puffy. She had cried with him and continued even after his tears had stopped.

“No,” David admitted. He was a mess, and he had no idea how long it would take to sort through it. “But I’ll be fine. After this mess has been taken care of.”

He pulled himself to his feet, casting [Greater Restoration] on his weary body. David turned to the battlefield and nodded. He hadn’t wasted a single trace of lifeforce—not even in his rage. His energy reservoirs were full, though his Source didn’t look too good. Overusing his Intents must have caused considerable damage. But his Source recuperated quickly. Origin Essence and pure lifeforce worked wonders on a strained Source.

“Should we move everyone to the Dwarven Sanctuary? They’re not safe here,” Maja suggested.

David only shrugged. He heard footsteps in the soft soil to his left and turned to see Lukas.

When had he lost his right arm?

“What are you talking about?” Lukas asked. “The Horde has been defeated. Why are we⁠—”

David stepped forward and swung his soulbound blade at the swordsman. A fountain of blood spurted as he sliced through Lukas’ right arm.

“Argh! What are you do—” Lukas hollered as the others surged forward in unison.

David looked up, and without even bothering to use [Bloodlust], he simply said, “Silence.”

They froze at once—including Lukas. He bled like a pig but didn’t dare to move.

How weak-willed. Pathetic.

David shook his head and grasped Lukas’ bleeding arm, ignoring the warm, slippery blood spurting over his hand. He cast [Greater Restoration], emptying the Blood Storage in his shoulder.

The bleeding stopped almost immediately, and the restoration process began. David added one overclocked [Healing Sphere] and attached it to Lukas.

“Your arm will be fine in a few hours.”

He turned to Maja and gestured for her to do the talking. She took the hint and told the others about the Grand Horde and everything they had seen on their way.

The others paled, their life signals a rumbling mess. David cast another [Healing Sphere] and turned away.

“Pick me up when you decide what to do.”

“What are you doing?” Maja asked.

He only shrugged. “Someone has to heal. And I… I need to think.”

46

PREPARED FOR WAR

David emerged from the large portal behind Maja. As the portal closed, her legs gave out, yet her smile didn’t fade.

“That was intense,” Maja muttered, and David agreed silently.

It was the first time he had seen her conjure such a large portal, yet she had done it despite her Mana Core being strained and nearly empty. Still, she had succeeded in bringing Ashville’s residents to the Dwarven Sanctuary.

“I am glad you returned,” Torb’s voice rang out as he approached them.

Torb wove through the masses of native humans and stopped in front of him. David nodded in response and looked around, scanning the life signals in the Sanctuary. He felt Torb’s gaze linger on him and heard him mention something about his restrictions being lifted. Did Torb really think he cared about that?

David nodded again before walking away. He checked his direction momentarily, then strode through the familiar streets until a towering wall obstructed his path. The urge to smash the wall threatened to overtake him, but instead, he leaped atop it. The eyes of many lingered on him, but he ignored the voices ringing in his ears and climbed the nearest tower.

Sitting atop the rooftop, a heavy sigh escaped his lips as his gaze drifted to the empty plains ahead. Most of it—if not all—would soon be a deadly battlefield. The land would be destroyed, charred beyond recognition, only to be rejuvenated by the blood and remains of those fated to die.

Many would perish. Monsters, ferocious beasts, domesticated creatures—dwarves, elves, humans, Tirac, and countless others. Nobody would be spared.

Death. It was everywhere. It had always been. But now, it was more present than ever.

He sighed again, feeling anger trying to grip his soul, attempting to fuel him, to influence his actions. But while he desired to follow his instincts, David knew how foolish that would be.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself. Fighting the Grand Horde without control over his emotions would be reckless. It would end him—once and for all.

David shifted position, sat cross-legged, and began meditating, activating [Meditation] alongside [Mind Palace]. Maybe that was all he needed to retain his calm.

The night passed quickly, and he got to his feet, feeling a little better. He could not rid himself of the confusion that clung to him like a blood-sucking leech, but it felt as though the leech was now a part of him. Just like the part of him that seemed to have gone missing.

Is it just me, or does everything feel… duller than before? David wondered.

He leaped from the tower, landing softly.

Squinting, he searched for Zachariah’s strong life signal, but he couldn’t find it. Was the regressor not in the Sanctuary? That was troublesome. David groaned softly and returned to the plaza, where humans and dwarves alike were waiting.

“What’s happening here?” he asked a warrior, likely at the Bronze Rank.

The warrior kept looking ahead as he responded, “Where have you been that you don’t know what’s going on? The leaders are negotiating.”

Negotiating?

“Why?”

The warrior flicked his head toward David in irritation, but before he could reply, his eyes widened, and he froze.

“Why are they negotiating?”

Maja had mentioned that the Dwarven Sanctuary made a proposition, but he couldn’t remember what it was about.

“T-The Prime Champion offered to take us in. In exchange, we are to fight the Grand Horde,” the warrior stammered, shuddering as he added, “Apparently, the monsters we fought near Ashville were only a small part of the Grand Horde.”

David already knew that much.

“Well… now Lukas and the others are demanding armaments, Skill Runes, permanent lodging, and other things for us. They’re saying we could leave this region if we wanted, while the Dwarven Sanctuary is bound to this place. Though, I don’t really know how true any of that is,” the warrior said.

David gestured for him to turn back. In the meantime, he searched for Torb’s life signal and found it among other familiar ones in a large room ahead. He walked through the masses of dwarves, humans, and other races, closing in on the room where the leaders had gathered. Whether they were negotiating or devising a strategy mattered little.

As he approached, the dwarves guarding the room shuddered, their faces twisting. But they did not block his way. Instead, they stepped aside and opened the door for him.

Stepping inside, he recognized several familiar faces. They noticed him, momentarily lost for words. But they did not hesitate for long and resumed their fierce discussion.

David listened halfheartedly, his attention drifting. He caught Maja smiling at him, pulling her chair aside to make enough space. Retrieving a wooden chair from his cramped necklace—an action that drained his Blood faster than some overclocked Skill Runes—he joined the heated conversation at the round table.

“I don’t think we’re asking for too much,” Lukas said calmly, though his fingers drummed relentlessly on the table. “You asked us to come to the Dwarven Sanctuary because you need our help. But that is also why we want access to the natural Rift, like every other permanent resident. You’re also the one who offered us Aspect Armaments and all the equipment we need to gain enough strength to fight the Grand Horde. But is it really too much to request to keep the weapons if—you should know how low the chances are—if we survive the fight against the Grand Horde?”

Lukas’ voice grew louder as the words poured out of him. His life signal was in disarray, and to David, it looked like the swordsman was about to leap across the table and shake Torb and his people.

“We don’t want to keep all the equipment you offer, but we will not fight for free. If you bar us from the prehistoric Rift and refuse to give us anything in return for risking our lives, we will leave.”

The swordsman shrugged and added with a sly smile, “We can always settle in a town several kilometers behind the Sanctuary, wait for the Grand Horde to obliterate the Dwarven Sanctuary, and then defeat the rest of the Grand Horde using the intel we’ve gathered from fighting a portion—more than two thousand monsters—of the Grand Horde.”

David raised an eyebrow and glanced at Torb, who seemed to be seething.

Understandable. The whole situation was a mess. What were they doing there in the first place?

“Not even the permanent residents have full access to the Rift. Under normal circumstances, they have to register and wait, ensuring the Rift isn’t too crowded. You may not understand the reasoning, but it does not matter. I will not grant you any special privileges regarding the natural Rift. That would stir unnecessary trouble,” Torb commented, trying—and failing—to look calm. “And in the first place, Ashville’s residents are not that powerful. Scouts of the Dwarven Sanctuary scanned the battlefield to⁠—”

“You’re spying on us?” Lukas jumped to his feet, shouting, his fist crashing hard against the wooden table. It didn’t break, which surprised David. He tapped the wood and channeled Blood into it, trying to understand what made it so special.

That wasn’t particularly interesting, but it was certainly better than listening to Lukas and Torb argue. Unfortunately, their voices continued ringing in his ears even as he focused on the table.

“Spying? We cannot be bothered. There are more pressing issues than spying on your little town. Our Scouts were deployed to locate the Grand Horde, discover its strengths and weaknesses, and—that much should be obvious—assess their numbers and Ranks. Of course, they scanned your battlefield as well, trying to determine what must be done to eliminate the Grand Horde once and for all,” Torb said, sounding calmer than before. “And the Scouts verified that the majority of the strongest monsters were killed by Intent, Blood-empowered attacks, and, well, brute force. Many were squashed to death, though we don’t know how.”

David looked up to see Torb staring at him, but he simply shrugged and pointed at Maja. She flinched, her face turning red.

Lukas cleared his throat. “Regardless of the circumstances, we want more in return for risking our lives for the Dwarven Sanctuary. We have many young and elderly citizens who cannot fight. Some may have useful Classes, but I’ve heard enough about the pricing in the Dwarven Sanctuary to know that most of us won’t be able to afford it. Thus, the magical armaments and permanent lodging in the Dwarven Sanctuary are the least we should receive in return for facing death head-on!”

David heard a groan nearby as the heated conversation continued.

Melach?

He tilted his head, not expecting the elf to be present. Melach’s life signal hadn’t been there earlier—or at least, David couldn’t recall sensing it from outside. Something about him felt different, too. David channeled Blood into his modified eyes and studied the elf’s life signal more intently. It had changed, as had the elf.

Melach was stronger than before. His life signals weren’t any weaker than Torb’s.

Not bad, David thought. Not bad at all.

The conversation continued, but the situation only worsened. He couldn’t see Torb and Lukas reaching a conclusion anytime soon. If anything, they were likely to keep arguing until the Grand Horde arrived.

That was not feasible.

“How about everyone take a deep breath?” David interjected, releasing a trace of Bloodlust.

Everyone tensed up instantly, which was amusing. Some reached for their weapons, while Melach and two other Mages had already gathered their mana.

"Good. Everyone is listening." He ignored the tension hanging heavily in the air and smiled. "We don’t have all day. The Grand Horde is coming, and we’re wasting time negotiating."

He gave Torb and Lukas a displeased look and continued, "Let’s make it simple. Ashville’s residents will be given the same rights as everyone else. However, since the Prime Champion requested to combine forces with Ashville, compelling them to leave their beloved homes, they will receive lodging for a few months—free of charge.

"I’m not too concerned with the equipment situation, but I doubt Fortress wants to lose the Dwarven Sanctuary. That being said, the Sanctuary should provide magical artifacts to Ashville’s residents. However, these are only loans—unless they kill a certain number of enemies, contribute to their deaths, or heal a certain number of wounded.

"I don’t care how you do it, but you need to work together." David sighed and continued, "The Grand Horde is massive. It’s shrouded in a poisonous fog, denser and more potent than that of the smaller horde. Removing the fog will be the first hurdle. Defeating more than 20,000 monsters will be just as troublesome, if not worse. If we don’t unite our forces, everyone will die. We need to strengthen our defenses, or we will die. Everyone. After all, the walls may guard us temporarily from the monsters’ charge, but they will not block the poisonous fog."

With that, David got up. He was tired of listening to their nonsense. "Get your act together, or death will be all we have in common."

David inspected the changes around him from the highest point in the Dwarven Sanctuary. The streets had been expanded, making way as prehistoric creatures and workers moved about. At first glance, it seemed as if no one knew where they were going, yet their chaotic movements had an underlying order to them.

Workers rushed to the walls and the second-to-last line of defense, where dozens of large-scale weapons had been installed. They ran around restlessly, looking as if the end of the world awaited them. David didn’t know much about catapults, especially not magically altered versions, but they launched heavy projectiles akin to Maja’s dense ores at a great distance without the aid of gunpowder. These artificed catapults, however, used unique propellants. David sensed several Fragments, mostly Power, embedded in the catapults.

They didn’t look particularly special, but the dwarves seemed confident. From the looks of it, they were certain the catapults and their projectiles—dense shards of some metal held together by a magical solution—would be a major factor in their victory against the Grand Horde.

David hoped they were right, but he was not confident in the catapults, or the ballistae, for that matter. He shook his head after watching several bulky dwarves work on one ballista, making some final adjustments. For a moment, he wondered if they were trying to destroy it rather than fix it. At least the workers were doing something.

David counted more than a hundred Mages and Hunters spread across the wall. The wall leading to the soon-to-be battlefield was wide and long, but the large-scale weapons required significant space as well.

One push was all it would take to kill them in the dozens, he thought, shaking his head. What a mess.

At least the plaza had been transformed into a massive open sickbay. Most Clerics—the oldest and weakest—were deployed there. They didn’t have to worry about anything other than tending to the wounded, though David doubted many would make it that far. Not until the battle neared its end.

He shrugged and looked outside. As he infused Blood into his eyes, David could see the edges of the monstrous cloud inching closer—a verdant green, which looked oddly majestic at first glance but was deadly poisonous.

Life signals sprang to life, but not from within the poisonous cloud. It was still too far to see anything in detail. The life signals belonged to various men and women, some also from prehistoric monsters, running back and forth, switching between the first lines of defense.

The first two lines were out of the long-range attackers’ reach, and it wasn’t until the third line of defense that the catapults and strongest Hunters would hit a mark, but that was the point.

David called the first three lines of defense the "detonation zone" because that was essentially what they were. All kinds of traps had been installed there, including explosives and various other intriguing tools.

He was about to turn away when he saw the last lines of defense protecting the siege weapons and the Dwarven Sanctuary begin to shift. Massive stones had been placed to form two crude walls. Though large and heavy, they weren’t properly connected—by design. Their sole purpose was to slow the enemy and serve the Sanctuary’s personal Portaligist.

David sighed. “Why is she still working?” He cast [Blood Blast], sending a blood-red projectile whistling across the Sanctuary. It struck Maja in the back of the head, making her spin around and drop the stones she had been moving.

“You should rest and salvage as much energy as you can,” he added.

He was sure she hadn’t heard him, but Maja must have understood the meaning behind his ‘slap.’ She repositioned two stones before teleporting beside him.

“You look relaxed,” Maja said, taking a seat next to him.

Relaxed? David wasn’t relaxed, but he wasn’t tense or frightened either. He had no idea how he was feeling. One thing, however, was certain—he wasn’t as excited as he used to be. Was that temporary? He couldn’t tell.

“My job is done. The idiots have been tended to,” he said, shaking his head.

Apparently, close to three hundred combatants—mostly dwarves and elves—who hadn’t been busy reinforcing the defenses and ensuring the Grand Horde wouldn’t swallow them in one go had left the Sanctuary to grow stronger. Some had domesticated more prehistoric animals, which David commended. Others, however, had spent the last few days differently.

“I still don’t understand why they did that,” Maja muttered, shaking her head.

“I can,” David shrugged. “But they were lucky I was there to heal them. And that they returned in time.”

The dwarves and elves had ventured into one of the Giants’ Rifts for reasons David had yet to learn. Close to a dozen dwarves had died, while the survivors, dwarves and elves alike, returned with grievous wounds covering their bodies. He had spent the last day and a half healing everyone, ensuring they were in peak condition for the coming battle.

“Now that I’ve healed them, they’re stronger than ever. Whatever they did there, it worked. And from the looks of it, they’re satisfied with the result,” David said nonchalantly.

Apparently, the death of a few dwarves had been deemed a worthy exchange. Maybe it was. After all, everyone had grown significantly stronger, including Melach and Torb. The odd pair was more powerful than ever, possibly even on par with him.

Then again, it didn’t matter if they were stronger than he was. Their abilities were different, and it wasn’t like they had to fight each other. They were on the same side, and now that the Grand Horde was closing in, everyone was in peak form. Thanks to his skills, of course.

The last few days had changed a lot. Their chances of survival had improved, but would it be enough to defeat the Grand Horde?

Thinking of Zachariah, David shook his head. They didn’t need the Regressor for this. Fighting alongside him would certainly make things easier, but they could manage without him. The others had gotten stronger—but so had David.

Healing the severe wounds, lost limbs, and other afflictions of the Dwarven Sanctuary’s residents had accelerated his growth. Alongside pleasant nights filled with [Meditation], of course. His updated status screen made that clear.

Name – David Stears

Primary Class – Lifeweaver

Rank – Silver IV

Secondary Class - [Herald of Origin]

Rank – Silver III

Body – Low(-)(Superior)

Mind – Low(-)(Advanced)

Soul – Middle(-)(Superior) – 32 Droplets

[Modification – II]

[Laws – III]

[Legacy Skills – I]

[Class Skills]

[Lifeweaver – IV]

[Weave of Life] – [Tier-2 VII]

[Equivalent Exchange] – [Tier-2 II]

[Blood Patch] – [Tier-1 VII]

[Sacrifice] – [Tier-3 I]

[Monk – II]

[Meditation] – [Tier-1 XVIII]

[Reinforce] – [Tier-1 XIV]

Body – Elite– V(0.42%)

Energy Pathways – Average– VII(71.15%)

[Serene Ego – II]

[Mind Palace] – [High – Basic]

[Soul Domain] – [Low – Basic]

[Herald of Origin – II]

[Indomitable Will] – [Lowest – Advanced]

[Primeval Pulse] [High – Advanced]

[Skill Runes]

[Tier-1 – IX]

[Aether Slash] – [Tier-1 III]

[Heightened Vision] – [Tier-1 IV]

[Symphony Control] – [Tier-1 V]

[Blood Armor] – [Tier-1 VI]

[Blood Blast] – [Tier-1 VI]

[Purify] – [Tier-1 VII]

[Healing Sphere] – [Tier-1 XII]

[Blood Aegis] – [Tier-1 XII]

[Blessing] – [Tier-1 XIV]

[Tier-2 – II]

[Sacred Aura] – [Tier-2 II]

[Greater Restoration] – [Tier-2 VI]

Attribute Points – 0

David smiled at the newly organized interface. It was more structured now, though it was also a lot to take in. Inspecting it reminded him of how much he had grown since the start of the integration. The level-ups for Lifeweaver, in particular, had been long overdue. He’d worried that the Familia missions and the removal of the Ant Colonies hadn’t affected his Classes.

Fortunately, he’d been wrong.

His Source had expanded to contain 32 large Blood Droplets—purer than ever after Soul had been upgraded again—and his spatial necklace weighed heavier on his shoulders than ever.

He snickered at the last part, hoping the necklace would help him. Or Maja, to be more specific.

47

WARZONE

Fear was ever-present as the enemy forces inched closer to the detonation zone. It was so intense that David was sure he could grasp the tension hanging in the air.

Screams resounded, but they were mere whispers in his ears as the massive cloud shrouding their enemies advanced. Chills ran down David’s spine as the imposing structure moved, and it was as clear as day that it had to be taken care of. If not, the poisonous fog would devour them all, killing most defenders on the spot.

David caught sight of the last men and women rushing to their positions from the corner of his eye when the first traps triggered. Thunderous explosions rang out, and he enhanced his view with Blood without a second thought. Even though he couldn't see the explosions through the dense poisonous fog, David pinpointed the life signals of countless creatures. Even the half-undead creatures couldn’t escape Bloodthrone Dominion.

Several life signals at the head of the Grand Horde disappeared as more explosions echoed, and it did not take long before the next traps triggered. Blazing flames erupted from the ground as the first creatures stepped into them. David’s eyes lit up as the flames burned through both the monsters and the poisonous fog.

Using alchemical fire, amplified with a relentlessly burning substance, had been the right choice, he thought as more explosions followed. Several pits opened up, swallowing multiple creatures—likely killing them on the spot—in one go.

However, fewer monsters than expected died in the highly destructive traps of the first line of defense. David gritted his teeth and grunted in displeasure as he sensed a sudden shift. His hair stood on end, and Blood surged through his body. The poisonous fog surged forward.

David felt the fog detach from the Grand Horde and surge forward at an accelerated pace. That was new.

The tension in the air intensified, and more desperate screams rang out as the poisonous fog surged forward. He hoped someone would move, but it looked like the world around him was frozen. Only he and the poisonous fog seemed to move. Not even Maja responded, her eyes quivering.

She stirred only when David uttered Words of Power and conjured a large ball of pure Blood. He cast [Purify] and imbued it into the ball, intertwining the pure Blood with [Purify].

“Drop it on the fog,” David urged Maja.

She flinched but obeyed, creating a portal at his command.

His projectile vanished and reappeared above the fog. It plummeted from the sky and burst open, ripping the fog apart from the inside out.

The fog didn’t slow down.

He clicked his tongue and prepared a second ball but retracted the Blood when the first shouts reached his ears. Lukas and the rest must have regained their senses, resuming their initial plan.

The weakest Mages stepped forward, their distressed life signals tugging at David’s nerves even as the first flames ignited above. Half the Mages failed to conjure a simple overclocked fireball in one go. On one side, it was understandable. The Mages weren’t injured, but their life signals were the weakest. A few seconds exposed to the poisonous fog would be enough to kill them. Not even the best Clerics would be fast enough to rescue all of them. But on the other hand, David thought that failing to do their portion of the plan would kill them and others even faster.

They had to try twice, some even three times, to materialize overclocked fireballs. But once the fireballs came into existence, they hurled them straight at the poisonous fog and started the next incantation.

The weakest Mages rapidly drained their Mana Cores, conjuring a few overclocked fireballs to burn through the poisonous fog. But while the initial plan had been to utilize the full potential of the Hunters and the stronger Mages to attack the Grand Horde directly, that wasn’t possible. The poisonous fog had already left the detonation zone and advanced quickly, whereas the monsters were still too far away to attack.

“Focus on the cloud!” someone on the walls shouted, conjuring a brilliant azure flame. It was smaller than the average fireball, but it emanated immense power.

The azure flame soared through the air in a beautiful arc and erupted into a fierce inferno upon hitting the poisonous fog. The temperature in the surroundings seemed to rise as more Mana stirred atop the walls. Hundreds of fireballs formed while the azure flames sizzled through the fog. Fireballs, as well as flame-wreathed arrows, filled the sky, turning the poisonous fog orange-red as they erupted near-simultaneously.

“Projectiles,” Maja muttered beside him, pointing at a pair of weaker Mages who were releasing weak magical projectiles at the poisonous fog. The Mages looked like they were on the verge of collapsing, yet their attacks were oddly effective.

“The Clerics imbued [Purify] into the mana bullets," David said, smiling as the seemingly weak attacks transformed into a torrent of destruction, cleansing the poisonous fog.

At last, after several barrages of fireballs and magical projectiles, the poisonous fog slowed and diminished. Its density thinned drastically until it became see-through. Some Mages and Clerics continued to work on the poisonous fog, probably hoping to remove it permanently. One threat less was one more advantage for the defenders, after all.

David doubted it would be that easy.

The explosions continued rampaging, killing enemies by the dozens, but the traps had been far less effective than expected.

A wry smile formed on his lips as the dense poisonous cloud dispersed, finally burned to a crisp, revealing the Grand Horde, still coated in a thin layer of poisonous fog.

Surprise, surprise.

The fog was semi-transparent, and while David didn’t see it as a threat, it was still recovering. In fact, it had already recovered—at least a little.

The fog won’t harm me, but what about the others?

He tilted his head, shifting his focus to the weaker Mages as the first monsters reached the end of the detonation zone.

The Mages were drained and could no longer help. They retreated. Specifically, they were supposed to rush to the prehistoric Rift and enter it to use the ambient Aether to replenish their Mana Cores as quickly as possible. Potions were a viable option, but the weaker Mages couldn’t fully utilize them. The potions would be wasted on the weakest Mages. David agreed with the others’ assessment. It was best to give more potions to the strongest, ensuring they could unleash their most powerful skills for an extended duration.

David got up and channeled more Blood into his eyes as the poisonous fog spread out. That wasn’t it, he shook his head. The Grand Horde was spreading, and the poisonous fog followed.

“Do you want me to start?” Maja asked.

He shook his head. “No. The others should work their magic first.”

That was exactly what they did. Sudden bursts of energy caught David’s attention—until he noticed the source: the Fragments used in the artificed catapults. They activated, releasing the projectiles and hurling them through the air. The projectiles’ magical solution seemed to dissolve upon impact as they shattered, shooting metal shrapnel everywhere. Pained squeals and roars reached the Sanctuary, bringing a smile to David’s lips. Several excited shouts resounded, and the workers jumped right back into action, preparing the next salvo. Simultaneously, the Hunters stepped forward—some from their hiding spots outside the Sanctuary’s walls, others from the towers—rapidly firing Aether-imbued arrows.

Finally, some decent fighters, David commented, noticing half a dozen life signals vanish every second.

The Hunters did not focus on the undead, knowing their arrows would cause little damage. They focused on the living instead. Unfortunately, the Mages didn’t do the same. Their magical projectiles were far more destructive, but their eyesight and precision were weaker than the Hunters’.

David licked his lips and joined the hunt as well. He cast [Blood Blast] a dozen times while uttering a few Words of Power. Once amplified, the bloody projectiles whistled across the Sanctuary and the crude stone walls, piercing the foreheads and chests of the living.

“Why can you join, but I cannot?” Maja grumbled, glaring at him.

David smiled. “Because I have close to 100 Blood Droplets and enough Origin Essence to do this all night. And that doesn’t include⁠—”

Maja jabbed him in the side, interrupting him. “Your life-draining ability and Intents. I know.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. Had he corrupted her? Where was the innocent, shy maiden he used to know?

It was great to see how much Maja had changed—how confident and comfortable she had become. He turned back to the battlefield, casting [Blood Blast] a dozen times again. His attacks were highly effective, more so than the Mages’ bombardment. While many monsters died, the strongest survived. Their life signals pulsated vibrantly as they charged ahead.

“So fast,” Maja gasped.

David agreed with a nod. The Grand Horde moved much faster than before. Had they intentionally slowed down to catch the defenders off guard? If so, they were much more disciplined than expected. They ignored the deaths around them and did not accelerate even as the blazing flames burned through them.

They could have avoided most deaths in the detonation zone if they had moved a little slower, but they didn’t. The Grand Horde stayed slow, stretching into a wide line to attack them.

David’s eyes narrowed to slits.

“How likely is it that none of these monsters has a Rune?” he asked while the gates to the Dwarven Sanctuary swung open.

Dwarves riding prehistoric monsters walked out, joining the ranks of the defenders hiding behind the crude walls. But more dwarves followed the prehistoric cavalry. Dwarven Warriors, Shieldbearers, and more melee fighters surged from the main and subsidiary gates.

However, while the dwarves charged ahead fearlessly, others were more hesitant. It made sense. They were afraid of the poisonous fog. No matter how thin and weak it was, it would kill them eventually. Dwarves were tougher, granting them greater resistance to the poisonous fog, but even they could not survive in it forever. The higher their Body stat, the longer they would survive. Yet that also meant their high Body stat would make them suffer longer before death finally caught up to them.

But that didn’t change the hard facts. Either they fought the Grand Horde head-on, or they would sit back and let them steamroll the Dwarven Sanctuary.

“You can start,” David muttered, sharply adding, “but don’t go overboard. This seems too easy. It doesn’t make any sense. Something is happening, and I want you to have enough mana to support me when the time comes.”

Maja cast a spell, her eyes flashing gold as several portals opened across the battlefield.

A pair of crude but heavy stones vanished from one spot and reappeared in the sky, crashing down into the most crowded area, squashing several monsters at once. David’s attention flicked to the other portals, which materialized before the cavalry. They charged through the portals in small units, emerging behind and beside the Grand Horde.

Maja continued spreading the forces, deploying them to the spots she deemed most suitable.

“Cavalry units three, six, and eight need to be moved. Pull three to the right, six a hundred meters to the left of three, and divert eight to the Mountain Defenders,” David ordered, squinting as more Blood filled his eyes. He retrieved a small crystal and activated it.

“The Hunters should use Crippling Strike on the Undead Giants. Once that’s done, they should hunt the Kobolds. I think they release the poisonous fog. Once the Kobolds are dead, they should focus on the smaller creatures. They’re unsettling,” David commanded. “Also, tell the Mages to aim better. If they cannot do that, make sure they switch to supporting melee fighters with distracting attacks. You have a few Shamans too, don’t you? Tell them to use their damn debuffs!”

He didn’t wait for a response, stored the crystal again, and grasped Maja’s shoulder. “Move me to the Mountain Defenders first. Then to cavalry unit two. After that, you can focus on damaging the horde until you have only one-third of your mana left. Take a potion, and then prepare for–...”

“Yes, yes,” Maja intercepted. “I know the plan.”

Her last words had barely left her lips when the space around David twisted. He reappeared outside the Sanctuary, falling from the sky.

A quick scan of the battlefield below showed him everything he needed to know. He conjured two dozen marble-sized projectiles and attached [Blood Patch] to them. [Blood Blast] whistled through the air, marking the Mountain Defenders and establishing a connection with them. He cast [Blessing] several times in quick succession, empowering the Mountain Defenders and cavalry unit eight while applying [Symphony Control] on three prehistoric monsters—the strongest domesticated prehistoric monsters of the Dwarven Sanctuary—before a portal opened before him.

The scenery changed again, but not by much. He nearly toppled over as the portal spat him out meters above the ground, but a platform made with [Blood Aegis] saved him. He cursed Maja for a moment, but the torrents of the battlefield made it difficult to hold a grudge against the Portaligist.

The area was a war zone. The thunder of explosions, the screams of pain and despair, and the heavy smell of burned flesh and blood flooded his senses. The cacophony of sounds drummed painfully in his ears, as did the chaos of energies entering his periphery. There was Aether, altered and natural, but also all kinds of mana, holy power, and much more. Poisonous fog swirled around him, and the rotten, pungent smell of the undead soon followed.

He breathed out, cast [Purify] once on himself and the area around him and applied [Blessing] on himself and cavalry unit three, including their mounts. Their power surged drastically, overwhelming the nearby monsters as the prehistoric mounts squashed them to death.

David unsheathed the Obsidian Blade, coated it in [Blessing], and released marble-sized projectiles augmented with [Sacred Aura] to gather the lifeforce of the recently deceased. Maybe it would come in handy. At the same time, he unleashed [Sacred Aura] at full power on his soulbound weapon.

He leaped forward, burst past the third cavalry unit, and beheaded a Blighted Kobold. An entire pack of them attacked, but they never stood a chance. A pair fell victim to [Blood Blast], their chests pierced by a single projectile, while the rest were too slow to keep up with him.

He spun around, casting [Healing Sphere] a few times to attach to the cavalry, and flicked back, exposing Bloodlust to his enemies. Several monsters froze in their tracks and shivered helplessly, unable to adjust to the sudden exposure to intense killing intent and the overwhelming thirst for blood. It weighed too heavily on them, too suddenly.

David surged forward, severing their limbs or killing them with one strike when the opportunity arose. He killed his enemies by the dozens, but nothing felt the same. The excitement that had once filled his heart when fighting uneven battles was no more. Would it return, or would he always feel like this? The disappearance of his excitement for the fights ahead annoyed him. It was frustrating to no end, but even that frustration faded within seconds.

A shrill scream rang out beside him, followed by a pained bleat, and he turned to find an Undead Giant’s club crashing onto a Utahraptor and its dwarven rider. The dwarf was still alive, but the prehistoric predator was dead, its skull squashed.

David didn’t think twice before willing the blood in the Utahraptor to surge forward. The mount’s thick hide burst open, blood stakes jutting out from its body.

The stakes pierced the Undead Giant’s club and arm. It wouldn’t have hurt a living giant much, and it surely didn’t hurt the undead version, but the Undead Giant slowed.

David slashed at the monster with Rend and [Sacred Aura] at full power. The crimson hue of [Sacred Aura] flashed brilliantly as the Obsidian Blade struck the undead monster, and a low rumble escaped the giant’s lips. Did that hurt? David sure hoped so as the Obsidian Blade cut the undead in half.

[You have defeated Undead Giant (Silver I).]

That had been easy. Almost too easy. But that was the power of an Intent, combined with a razor-sharp soulbound weapon that had been painstakingly nourished, and a highly effective Tier-2 Rune, David thought grimly.

Regardless, only one of the Undead Giants was dead, and as far as David could tell, it was not the strongest creature. Monsters like the Undead Giants filled the ranks of the Grand Horde in the hundreds.

48

ARMORED

Melach’s energy reserves were depleting quickly.

He conjured [Spear of Aeryon] and pierced the chests of two unsuspecting Venocrancer Goblins with a quick release. The wind spear whistled through the air and swept through their hearts before they could raise their defense.

Not that it would have changed anything, Melach thought, remaining calm as a flock of Venicro descended. He shifted gears and willed the wind spear upward.

[Spear of Aeryon] surged toward the sky, but it was not fast enough. His target twisted its body, evading the brunt of the attack. The spear cut into the Venicro’s wing and would have passed through under normal circumstances.

Good thing we don’t live in normal times, Melach thought, casting [Sphere Explosion] on a whim. [Spear of Aeryon] exploded, ripping through the Venicro’s wing. The monster crashed to the ground like a meteorite, where earthen spikes greeted it. The Venicro, impaled and bleeding like a pig, screeched in pain and struggled desperately while Melach used [Nature’s Wrath] alongside the Law of Nature’s Intent, Sentient Seedling.

Vibrant green motes flickered with life in his hand as he approached the Venicro. It spat a yellowish substance at him, but [Mage Armor] repelled it. He conjured [Arcane Blast] in his other hand and fired it into the Venicro’s mouth. A sickening crunch resounded, making Melach shudder, but he pressed on, lowering his body with the green, semi-translucent seedling that had formed in his palm.

He pressed it against the Venicro’s back and watched as the seedling seeped inside. A moment later, the Venicro stopped struggling. It stared at Melach, who watched the life in its eyes fade away. A kill notification popped up.

However, he had no time to hesitate. He cast [Reinforced Mana Shield] a few times in quick succession, blocking the dive of the incoming flock of Venicro. [Nature’s Wrath] unleashed not even a full second after the first Venicro crashed heavily into the shields made of solidified mana. The first few shields shattered instantly, but the last pair held out long enough. The Venicro’s corpse twitched, and three roots as thick as a warrior’s lower arm pierced through it and toward the injured Venicro.

Melach nodded slowly before conjuring a dozen [Arcane Blasts]. He tapped into [Mana Manipulation] simultaneously and applied [Sphere Explosion] to all projectiles, creating a cacophony of explosions as the magical projectiles dashed left and right, bursting apart and ripping through the throats, wings, and chests of the aerial monsters.

Only two Venicro died on the spot, but the others were not far behind. At Melach’s will, the trio of roots extended toward the dying Venicro while he conjured more vibrantly glowing, semi-translucent seedlings with his Intent. He approached the Venocrancer Goblins first, planting the seedlings, then turned to the increasing number of dead Venicro, watching the roots pierce the winged monsters. Some, oddly enough, were strangled too. To be strangled to death by a root? Melach shook his head. He never thought his situation would turn out like this.

But so be it. Fate was a work of wonders.

He planted seedlings in the corpses of all the recently deceased in his proximity and waved his augmented Mage Wand next, summoning his Elemental.

The soil beneath him stirred, as did the fertilizing corpses. Roots burst from all of them, surging toward him. But they did not attack. Melach willed them to join the massive shape emerging from the soil before him. A humanoid more than four meters tall—and almost half that in width—materialized, but it was not even close to done when roots pierced into it from all sides. The humanoid Elemental stirred and froze, halting the summoning as the roots slithered through it, destroying it from the inside out. Except that they did not destroy anything.

They assimilated.

Melach smiled, sensing a drastic shift in the Elemental as the roots emerged and coiled around its limbs. They soon covered the rest of its body. He stepped forward and conjured a greater semi-translucent seedling, planting it in the Elemental’s chest.

The Elemental stirred again and expanded further until it was almost a meter taller than the tallest Earthen Elemental Melach had summoned before now.

But was that really an Earthen Elemental anymore? Melach wondered, eyeing the creature. Its body was now mostly made of roots.

He cast [Spiritual Dominance] on a whim and smiled at what he discovered. Melach didn’t have to think twice as he cast [Summon Elemental (Earth)] again.

A second Elemental emerged from the ground—this one was not pierced by roots. It materialized smoothly, like it was supposed to, and awaited his orders without moving. The Earthen Elemental appeared semi-sentient, capable of executing his orders but unable to do anything complex. However, Melach had no idea why he thought that—yet he was certain the root-covered Elemental could do more. Especially with [Spiritual Dominance] and [Nature’s Wrath] active, and enough life in the surroundings to regenerate.

A notification attracted his attention, bringing understanding to the situation.

[Spell Modification has been discovered.]

[Summon Elemental (Nature) has been discovered and fused to your Mana Core.]

[Summon Elemental (Nature) – Tier-2 I]

Melach’s lips curled upward, and he didn’t think twice before summoning another Nature Elemental. After all, most [Summon Elemental] skills allowed Mages to summon two normal Elementals or one superior Elemental. This time, Melach chose the former. Three Elementals were still greater than two, after all!

The third Elemental came into being, covered in roots, with a Nature Seedling in its chest.

Monsters’ screeches rang in his ears as both undead and living charged at him. The Nature Elementals stepped forward to shield him, while the Earthen Elemental remained still until Melach ordered it to guard and attack. He cast [Mage Armor] on the Elementals and ushered them forward, charging at a group of trolls wielding heavy clubs. Their weapons crashed down, shattering the Earthen Elemental’s head the moment its protective barrier broke.

The Earthen Elemental didn’t collapse, instead crumbling into a pile of soil before sluggishly reforming. Meanwhile, the Nature Elementals withstood the impact far better. Though their Mage Armor shattered, the roots covering their heads surged forward, coiling around the clubs. Two were pierced and splintered, while the rest were yanked from their wielders’ hands.

The trolls, refusing to release their weapons, were lifted from the ground, giving Melach the perfect opening. He pierced their heads with [Spear of Aeryon], but they thrashed violently, refusing to die. Only when an [Arcane Blast]—amplified with an overclocked [Sphere Explosion]—detonated their skulls did their bodies finally go limp.

How are they still alive? Melach cursed, eyes darting to the Elementals as they shredded the writhing trolls, tearing them apart limb by limb.

He realized, too late, that he had been too focused on the trolls. A mass of undead and living monsters had surrounded him. Panic surged through his veins, but instinct took over. He conjured dozens of magical projectiles, only to feel he was far from reaching his limit. With a flick of his fingers, he cast [Spear of Aeryon] in rapid succession, catching a glimpse of the crimson hue engulfing him as his projectiles tore through his enemies.

Several kill notifications flashed before his eyes, including those of the trolls—but then he spotted a familiar figure in his periphery.

David charged into the fray, leading a cavalry unit straight into the hordes of undead giants, trolls, and other monstrosities. Melach involuntarily shuddered as crimson light bled into David’s surroundings, bathing him in a violent glow. His throat tightened. He instinctively took a step back, unable to tear his gaze away from the carnage unfolding before him.

David was stronger than ever, his prowess on par with Torb, perhaps even greater now that he had acquired the Nature Elementals. But on the battlefield, David was something else entirely.

But most importantly, David was insane.

David was hurled across the battlefield at Maja’s behest.

Watching as the life signals of thousands—including his own allies—flickered and faded stirred something deep inside him, pushing him forward. Every faint pulse in his vision registered in an instant, forcing him to adjust his tactics. He mapped out the battlefield through the network of those connected to him via [Blood Patch], ensuring he reached those who needed him most.

But no matter where he was, Maja always pulled him back. She needed him elsewhere. She needed him to do what he did best—aside from tearing enemies apart.

Back in the Sanctuary for the second time since the battle began, David faced far more wounded than he had anticipated. He scanned the open sickbay, noting the sheer number of bodies barely clinging to life.

His gaze snapped to the central tower, and his frown deepened.

Maja stood there, drenched in sweat, her eyes glowing vibrantly.

She’s not holding back. A muscle in David’s jaw twitched. She wasn’t following his orders. His forehead throbbed, and he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. But he didn’t have time to dwell on it. He forced himself to focus on the more pressing issue.

David turned to the wounded sprawled across makeshift sickbeds, assessing both them and the Clerics tending to them.

Most of the healers looked exhausted—some slumped to the ground, their lips pale, bodies trembling violently. Others had already collapsed, unconscious. The stronger Clerics still pushed forward, but their hands shook, their expressions twisted in pain. Their Holy Sea and magic reserves wouldn’t last much longer.

He took a deep breath, letting his gaze sweep across the injured warriors fighting to survive. Some were hanging on by a thread, but no one had given up.

His Source churned, and he conjured over two dozen bulbs of crimson light. They expanded instantly, spreading through the sickbay and casting their healing radiance upon everyone in need.

David stepped forward, unleashing [Weave of Life] throughout the sickbay, stabilizing those who teetered on the edge of death. For those beyond its reach, he followed with [Greater Restoration], mending the wounds too severe for [Healing Sphere] alone.

A young Cleric rushed toward him, frantic.

“Can you restore his legs?” she asked, pointing to a teenager on a sickbed.

David’s eyes flicked to the boy—barely more than a child—his lower half nothing but bloodied stumps. He wore plated armor like the other warriors, but he was the youngest fighter David had seen.

A brave kid.

But David shook his head. “I can ease his pain, but the rest will have to wait.”

He pressed a [Blood Patch] onto the boy and tethered a [Healing Sphere] to him. That was all he could afford to do. Even if he had enough Blood to restore everyone to their prime, he wouldn’t.

The Grand Horde hadn’t been culled yet.

David glimpsed toward the battlefield, unraveling the life signals of both allies and enemies, and his expression darkened. The tide of battle was not in favor of the Dwarven Sanctuary.

He turned away from the Cleric, who mumbled something, and released Bloodlust at Maja once he was done. The lives in the sickbay had been preserved, and David could return to the battlefield.

Maja spun around and glared at him, but David was glad she didn’t waste time teleporting him back.

He appeared behind Torb and the Mountain Defenders, their plated armor shining brilliantly. Their weapons looked strange—torrents of Aether pulsed within them as if alive.

Torb charged ahead, attacking one of the creatures with extraordinary life signals. The exchange of attacks went over David’s head, but he heard the dwarf groan. Several life signals flickered and weakened, much like those affected by the poisonous fog—except this alteration was more severe.

David cast [Blessing] and [Purify] on Torb and his allies while scanning the battlefield. He spotted Blighted Kobolds along with orcs, goblins, and trolls tearing through the defenders. Those lucky enough to survive their onslaught were severely wounded. Their deaths were certain, whether the monsters struck the final blow or not—or so David thought until the dying defenders vanished into small, golden portals.

As far as he knew, only one person defending against the Grand Horde could conjure spatial portals, but that knowledge did little to improve his mood. Maja was clearly not saving any mana for emergencies. Even if she was saving people, that was—David shook his head and hurled a fist-sized [Blood Blast] at a sickly green-skinned orc.

He spun around, applying [Blood Patch] to the allies in his range before casting the weakest version of [Greater Restoration] to heal the wounded Mountain Defenders. He released two healing spheres and surged forward, joining a group of dwarves fighting near Torb and the Mountain Defenders. However, before he could reach them, a small figure arrived first, and a loud scraping noise resounded.

One of the dwarves was decapitated before David arrived, while the others crumpled to the ground. He dug his right foot into the dirt, releasing a vibrantly glowing network as he cast [Weave of Life]. The Obsidian Blade materialized in his hand, shifting into a scimitar. He slashed at the tiny enemy but was forced to dismiss Rend when the creature took cover behind a dwarf.

It cackled and flashed a wide grin, revealing rows of pitch-black teeth. A moment later, it darted to the side and sped off.

So fast… David cursed, tracking its movements. He was too slow to catch up, but he could always heal the wounded. The headless dwarf was beyond saving, but the others were tougher. He cast [Greater Restoration] on both, sealing the gaping wounds in their chests. Their plated armor had been clawed open, but their wounds were no more. Not after he cleansed the venom coursing through their veins with [Purify].

“Join the infantry. Leave the strongest to Torb and the Mountain Defenders,” David commanded.

“But we want to—” One of the dwarves started, but David cut him off.

“I don’t give a shit about what you want. You’re in the way,” he hissed, turning to the Mountain Defenders.

Blood surged into Bloodthrone Dominion, and Words of Power flowed from his lips, expanding his access to the Blood Patch marks on his allies. A few dozen common signals surfaced, and he acted without hesitation, weaving more Words of Power to modify the Blood Patch marks.

A few seconds passed. The grunting dwarves behind him became background noise as he cast [Purify] through [Blood Patch]. The similar signals spread across all those marked changed simultaneously. While it seemed as though [Purify] had worked wonders, cleansing the poison and venom wreaking havoc in the defenders’ bodies, David knew the cost. A full-fledged Blood droplet had been consumed to heal them and more would be expended as long as the poisonous fog and venomous creatures continued their assault.

David charged ahead, blending into the mass of struggling Mountain Defenders. At least, they seemed to struggle.

More small humanoids the size of dwarves entered his sight, but they moved faster and easily deflected incoming attacks when necessary. Thick brown plates covered their bodies, including their elongated heads. At first glance, they were intimidating. At second glance, they were horrifying. Their claws were longer than most daggers, easily tearing through defenses—each successful strike spreading venom into their targets.

David reached the front, watching as Torb fought one of the armored enemies while a second engaged five Mountain Defenders. The dwarves’ defenses were crumbling, one strike at a time, while the Mountain Defenders barely landed a hit. David overclocked [Blessing] on them and Torb, but it barely shifted the tide of battle.

A spiked club struck the armored enemy, breaking several plates with a single heavy blow. However, as the perpetrator retreated to make space for the next attack, the armored enemy leaped forward.

David cast [Blood Aegis], but the crimson shield shattered instantly.

His eyes narrowed as the creature appeared in front of the Mountain Defender, who coated his body in an earthy membrane.

Why is there life force in his plated armor? Is that even real armor? he wondered, watching as the broken plates covering the enemy recovered quickly.

The Mountain Defenders suddenly surged forward, presumably activating [Charge] in unison to protect their comrade. The club-wielding dwarf was clawed twice, but David’s [Healing Sphere] took care of that.

David didn’t have to divert his attention from the armored foe as it retreated, though it released a dark green haze. The Mountain Defenders charged through the haze, affecting their life signals again. David could not tell what the haze did, but he cast [Purify] preemptively before adding several instances of [Blood Blast].

He uttered Words of Power as he combined the bloody projectiles, compressing them into a tiny pea-sized sphere and imbued it with more Blood while adding the power of multiple Runes.

David waited just a moment until the Mountain Defenders gained the armored enemy’s full attention, then shot the compressed projectile. It accelerated rapidly, churning through the infused Blood, passing by the Mountain Defenders and missing them by a heartbeat before piercing the recovering plated skin.

The armored humanoid didn’t even flinch as the pea-sized [Blood Blast] bypassed its defense. Neither had much Sacred Aura been imbued, nor did [Equivalent Exchange] affect the target significantly. At least, not until the full power of the mark was unleashed.

David stayed back and watched as one of the Mountain Defenders collapsed. He was about to help when a portal opened beneath the fallen dwarf. Maja was watching the battle as well. He could take advantage of that, though he doubted it would be necessary—not to deal with one enemy at a numerical advantage. The armored monster was strong, but it did not annihilate them easily. It was not that strong.

He suppressed [Sacred Aura], willing it to stay inactive while spreading through the armored monster’s body, gathering information. As it turned out, the monster’s armor was actually part of its body—it had replaced its skin. David moved [Sacred Aura] effortlessly through the plated armor, analyzing it quickly. It appeared to be skin, except for the thick energy pathways running through it and its mutation—or whatever had turned the monster’s flesh into highly durable plates. But maybe that was enough.

He did not hesitate to discover more about the enemy’s anatomy and triggered [Equivalent Exchange] after a few seconds. The mark flared, and the armored monster froze for a moment.

David licked his lower lip, spun the Obsidian Blade as it transformed back into its smaller form, and stabbed himself. He clenched the handle firmly as the blade pierced skin, flesh, and stomach in one go.

The armored monster screamed at the top of its lungs while David retrieved the blade. He stabbed himself again. And again. And again. Once the Obsidian Blade had sunk into his abdomen and sides six times, David deactivated the mark for a moment and cast [Greater Restoration]. Blood surged from the Source, mending his body. The bleeding stopped, and his wounds healed at a visible pace.

Faster than expected. Is it always this fast? David wondered. Was his body more attuned to Healing Runes? Or was it the potency of the Blood used in [Greater Restoration]?

He smiled at the armored monster and made eye contact. Its claws pierced through a Mountain Defender’s chest, while another dwarf was hurled through the air—all without the monster looking away from him.

A wave of haze surged from the creature as it dashed forward, weaving around the attackers and closing the distance to David.

His smile didn’t waver. Why should it? The events had turned out better than expected.

David compressed the [Sacred Aura] spread through the armored monster’s plated skin and, targeting the wounded areas inflicted by [Equivalent Exchange], unleashed its full power instantaneously. A faint cracking noise reached his ears—barely discernible—but he pushed forward, using [Aether Slash] and [Blessing].

David moved fluidly, feeling droplets of blood seep through the armored monster’s skin. He spun on his heel and drove the Obsidian Blade into its side. The blade pierced the monster’s plated, albeit cracked, skin as he uttered Words of Power and willed the Law of Blood to life.

The Obsidian Blade’s primary ability flared, bringing a smile to David’s face as he watched life drain from the monster’s body in streams—even as its claws dug deep into his chest.

49

NEED OF LIGHTNING

The smile on his lips didn’t waver. Blood trickled from the corners, and strength ebbed from his body, but he still twisted the Obsidian Blade deeper into the armored monster, just as it clawed through his chest, trying to tear him apart from the inside out.

His rib cage bent, and David was certain several ribs would have shattered if he weren’t as tough. Then, the monster’s other arm lunged forward, piercing him.

He stared back at the creature, willing his blood to move. Spikes made of blood came into existence, jutting from his wounds and penetrating the armored monster’s wrist. A moment later, the first Mountain Defenders arrived behind it. Its ears twitched, and it was about to turn when David cast [Symphony Control] on himself, conjuring a black dove. The monster turned back to him while the Mountain Defenders lifted their war axes, war hammers, and clubs. Aether surged out of their weapons as they struck down, smashing the armor plates covering the back of the monster’s head.

The war hammers were the first to hit, crushing most of its defense, and the clubs finished the job. David locked eyes with the monster, holding it in place as the war axes tore into the back of its head, one by one. The life in its eyes faded, and the monster’s claws loosened, releasing his rib cage and organs.

Too complicated, he thought, commanding the Obsidian Blade to transfer the absorbed lifeforce into him. He glanced at the Mountain Defenders and nodded toward Torb while overclocking [Greater Restoration] on himself, draining the shoulder Blood Storage’s reserves.

The Mountain Defenders took the hint, turning to their Prime Champion. Torb held his ground with unyielding defense. Not even the armored monster, called Armored Letuar by the System, could easily bypass him. Maybe David could have done the same. He was fairly sure he could have, but defeating the fast, well-armored creature would have been a hassle if he’d blocked its attacks repetitively. Sacrificing his body, using a monster’s desire to tear its enemy apart against it, seemed like the best solution.

“One dead, more of these fuckers left to go,” he muttered, skimming the battlefield again.

Less than a third of the defending forces remained, and even fewer were in good condition. David eyed one cavalry unit, the last from the looks of it, and caught the prehistoric mounts throwing their bodies around. Several riders fell, and their mounts charged in different directions, away from the Grand Horde.

David knew the prehistoric mounts weren’t to blame. Most had either already died or fled the gruesome battle, leaving the defenders to fight for their Sanctuary’s survival. In his mind, it was already a surprise that so many cavalry units had survived this long. Unfortunately, without generating the desired results.

He sighed deeply, watching the diminishing number of magical projectiles whistling through the air. Some Mages and many Hunters were still on the hunt, but their resources were limited.

Will we lose another Sanctuary? He wondered, glancing at the Mountain Defenders struggling to kill the second Armored Letuar. They were great defenders and highly durable, but their attack power was miserable.

“If only—” David’s mouth sealed shut mid-sentence, his eyes widening as he caught a whiff of something behind the rampaging masses.

Was this just a cliché, déjà vu… or fate?

He enhanced his eyesight, studied a familiar figure’s distressed life signal, and spun on his heel to look at Maja. She was barely standing but had noticed something too. When their eyes met, he caught a faint smile before he pointed at the horizon.

A moment later, a golden swirl formed before him, and Zachariah stepped out. He was drenched in sweat and his clothes were charred.

“Hey there,” Zachariah smiled wryly. “Can you heal me a tad?”

Zachariah bolted once [Greater Restoration] took effect, and the soil underneath him crackled as he accelerated. The regressor emerged beside the Armored Letuar, which was preoccupied with the dwarves and attacked. His sword flashed through the air like a stream of stars, brilliant and radiant, and thrust into the Armored Letuar’s eye. The monster twitched and thrashed, but Zachariah twisted the blade and released a wave of Sword Intent into its skull.

The monster collapsed, its life signals fading. The Armored Letuar was dead within seconds. Zachariah had killed it—just like that.

How had he become this strong?

David had no problem following Zachariah’s movements with his eyes, but he would be too slow to catch up to him. The Armored Letuar had already been faster, but the regressor was in another league entirely.

Zachariah spun on his heels and smirked at him. “Don’t look at me like that. I am already on my last line. Literally.”

David tilted his head slightly, scanning Zachariah. Everything seemed normal—or as normal as the Regressor’s life signal ever was. While Zachariah’s increased strength was a mystery—a pleasant one—something else was much clearer and far more troubling.

Explosions roared across the battlefield again. This time, however, they were louder than the defenders’ explosive traps. The earth shook, and David’s head flicked left. Dozens, possibly over a hundred, life signals vanished instantly as massive lightning bolts crashed from the sky. Fierce and destructive, they struck the battlefield and burst into countless smaller electric currents, which snaked in all directions, scorching the ground, burning through poisonous fog, monsters, and defenders alike.

His eyes darted back to Zachariah. “You do know what has been following you, right?”

The Regressor winced, trying hard, too hard, to uphold his smile as his eyes drifted back to the sky. “I guess so. But it’s not like I planned to bring it. How was I supposed to know this monster was waiting for me? It struck when I least expected it, and I’ve been running ever since.”

David looked back at the familiar creature, a massive serpent with long, darkish-violet glimmering scales, black-feathered wings that spread far, shrouding a part of the battlefield in darkness, and an elongated, wide-open beak from which shot a pitch-black lightning bolt.

It burst toward the ground, sweeping across the battlefield until the ginormous winged creature located him, Zachariah, and the dwarves. David instinctively conjured a dozen crimson shields, and the dwarves followed suit, using their Runes to erect defenses, but they had never been the winged serpent’s target. The lightning bolt locked onto Zachariah, shattering [Blood Aegis] one by one.

Zachariah clicked his tongue and turned away. “I should make a run for it.”

David’s eyebrows lifted as his heart skipped a beat at the devastation unfolding before him. The winged serpent had only attacked once—not even focusing on the Grand Horde or the defenders, yet its lightning had already killed hundreds. Not only monsters fell victim to the black lightning, but that concern would have to wait.

His eyes widened, and a chill ran down his spine. Was that excitement? The corners of his lips twitched, curling upward.

“Race through the Grand Horde,” David shouted, casting [Blessing] on the regressor.

Zachariah glimpsed back with a grin. “That was my plan.”

Zachariah disappeared, and a lightning bolt struck his old position. The bolt exploded, launching dry soil and pebbles in all directions. Dark electric currents, resembling serpents, slithered across the battlefield, charring the ground, but they did not harm him. A pair of crimson shields was all he needed.

He’s not at full speed. David’s smile widened as he scanned Zachariah’s movements. The regressor was not slow by any means, but he slowed intentionally, barely moving fast enough to stay ahead of the black lightning, which swept across the battlefield like a one-hundred-meter-long, several-meter-wide laser.

Zachariah twisted his body, escaping the threat of a few incoming attacks, but nothing slowed him down significantly. He swung his sword several times, cleaving through monsters obstructing his path, yet his focus remained on running.

Monsters were dying in the hundreds, falling victim to the lightning bolts, and so was the poisonous fog, dissipating rapidly under the intense currents. It may not have been alive, but the electric currents burned through it with satisfying speed, far outstripping the intensity of the Mages’ fireballs. Not even the azure flames could compare to the potency of the black lightning.

Excitement gripped David’s heart at the winged serpent’s tremendous power, but it felt different from before. Not weaker, at least as far as he could tell. Just different. He could still think calmly when, under normal circumstances, excitement would have overwhelmed him.

David prepared for battle. He conjured dozens of pea-sized projectiles, attaching [Purify], [Blood Patch], and a weak version of [Healing Sphere] to them before releasing them in a burst. He cast [Blessing] on the Mountain Defenders, then spun on his heel to manifest ten crimson shields, blocking the incoming attacks of seven monsters before they could tear through a group of defenders.

[Blood Aegis] and [Blessing] sprang to life in a dozen locations as he pushed forward, cutting down a few monsters. But David quickly realized he couldn’t rescue everyone—just as Maja couldn’t teleport all the wounded away from the battlefield.

He spotted a group of Blighted Kobolds tearing through the defenses of a lightly armored swordsman. They ripped through his throat, gutted him, and feasted on his flesh and intestines—all while the man was still alive. He could not be salvaged, leaving David no choice. He pierced the man’s forehead with [Blood Blast] and released blood spikes to take revenge in the swordsman’s stead.

His hands twitched as he turned toward a pained scream. Zachariah hollered past a group of monsters, which were struck by the lightning following the Regressor. However, a Carnosaur was also hit. It burned alive before David’s eyes, its roars of agony fading as its body crumbled to ash.

Why do I feel like this? David wondered, his stomach lurching and his brows furrowing as he watched the winged serpent’s predictable movements. The monster was clearly fixated on Zachariah, relentlessly attacking him, trying to burn him to cinders, and ignoring everything else. Not even the monsters and defenders falling victim to its attacks seemed aware of its presence.

But why would the winged serpent concern itself with anyone besides its target? Why, though? And why had the serpent suddenly switched targets, turning toward the Dwarven Sanctuary to wreath itself in black currents?

The latter turned out to have a simpler answer than expected. The winged serpent charged a lightning bolt and released it toward the Dwarven Sanctuary’s walls. It was clearly a stronger version of the attacks used against Zachariah, the thick, pulsating lightning zipping through the air as the monster unleashed its power. David held his breath, and his eyes narrowed as the lightning struck, tearing through the towering dwarven wall. He caught a glimpse of black lightning spreading through—and across—the wall before the cackling noises reached his ears.

David gritted his teeth, his head snapping toward the cackling.

“Fuck,” he mouthed, staring at the claws of an Armored Letuar jutting from the back of a Mountain Defender’s head. The humanoid had pierced straight through, killing the defender instantly. And the unfortunate soldier was not alone. Neither was the Armored Letuar. There were three of them, each one cackling as their claws drained the Mountain Defenders' life force.

He should have been there, not watching Zachariah and the winged serpent. How could he have been so foolish!?

He caught the winged serpent turning back to the regressor and channeled Blood into his vocal cords.

“I need lightning, Zachariah!” David roared at the top of his lungs, while bloody tendrils surged from the dwarves’ wounds at his behest.

He intoned Words of Power, and his Source trembled as the tendrils grew in number and thickness. They coiled around the Armored Letuar’s arms and intertwined, pulling the three Armored Letuars together. David used [Blood Armor] and altered it, while more Words of Power spilled from his lips. The shields covering [Blood Armor] intertwined and transformed into similar tendrils, keeping the Armored Letuar in place.

They shredded the tendrils, but for every one severed, two, sometimes three, took its place.

It was not a perfect solution and drained his reserves considerably, but a few seconds was all he needed to remove the last of the Armored Letuar. They may not be the most powerful enemy on the battlefield, but the Letuar were certainly the most annoying.

David caught a glimpse of Zachariah barreling toward him, and he smiled, casting [Blood Aegis], overclocked around the Armored Letuars, confining them momentarily. However, he did not protect himself and transformed into the Armored Letuars’ main target. Their claws, once freed of the blood tendrils, lunged toward him, and David let them be. Their claws pierced his skin and flesh with some difficulty.

[Venom has entered your body. Toxication (Stage-1)]

[Highly potent venom has been detected in your bloodstream. Toxication (Stage-2)]

[Venom spreads through your entire body, corroding your veins, muscles, and Energy Pathways rapidly. Toxication (Stage-3)]

It was not a great feeling to feel his lifeforce draining. His body tried desperately to fight the venom surging through him, but while it slowed the spread, it also consumed his lifeforce. Still, David could not hide the smile even as blood trickled from his lips.

I trust you, he said in his heart, confining the monsters until Zachariah and the lightning bolt reached them. But while he trusted Zachariah would arrive, his trust was meant for someone else. Someone who did not have to hear his shout to know what he wanted.

Hopefully.

Zachariah arrived, staring at him with the ‘You know what you’re doing, right?’ look as the winged serpent screeched, releasing a lightning bolt at them.

One moment, everything was dyed in a mixture of black and violet, making David shudder as it felt like death was the only way to escape the winged serpent’s tremendous power. His hair stood up at its end as the crackling currents caressed his skin. The weight of the monster’s pressure and the lightning bolts lethality weighed hard on his shoulders, but not for long.

In the next moment, the world around them resumed its normal course. He felt a sudden pull, and his smile widened as he, alongside Zachariah, teleported several dozen meters away from the area of impact. Without the Armored Letuar, whose life signals flickered wildly for a few seconds before they diminished.

“That was neat,” David muttered, electricity currents still crackling on his skin.

He first channeled [Sacred Aura], coating his Energy Pathways, and isolated the venom passing through them. Once the isolation was complete, merely requiring a simple mental command, he removed the venom with [Purify]. It was a nuisance to overclock the Rune, but toxification at the third stage was not easily tended to.

Better be safe and sound than stingy and dead, David thought, adding [Greater Restoration] to heal his wounds within seconds.

“Neat? If you say so,” Zachariah coughed up, patting his bare chest. His charred clothes were no more, leaving merely half-burned leggings to safeguard his pride, “I, for one, am in pain.”

I am not–... David was about to respond but hesitated when he realized that while his wounds had healed, the remnant of the pain lingered. That was new and unpleasant.

He shook his head, putting all thoughts of the lingering pain away.

“Since you’re already in pain, you might as well continue.” David flashed Zachariah a smile, “There are a few more troublemakers in dire need of a ‘bath.’”

“You do it,” the Regressor hissed, pointing accusingly at him.

But how was he supposed to do it when the winged serpent targeted Zachariah?

David gestured to the creature occupying the sky – the same creature that charged another lightning bolt to end them once and for all.

“You are the fighter and the serpent’s target. I, on the other hand, am just a lowly Healer. Isn’t that right? I have other duties.”

Zachariah looked at him, his frown deepening. He didn’t even seem to care about the lightning serpent anymore as he asked, “You—Did something happen?”

A memory of his parents flashed before his eyes, followed by the information he’d acquired in the Familia. He pressed his lips together, which seemed to be enough. Zachariah nodded, spinning on his heel, his sword flashing brilliantly.

“Alright. I will remove the threads. But you better make sure Maja teleports me out of the mess before Electra kills me,” Zachariah said glancing back and winking. “Or you will have to restore me from ashes.”

Zachariah was joking? And it wasn’t even a good one. The winged serpent, Electra, or whatever, was no joking matter. It was powerful—too powerful for them to defeat. Not even Zachariah was confident, or he would have killed it already.

How were they going to deal with it? Maybe that was something to think about later. Electra’s lightning bolts were strong—powerful enough to kill Silver Ranks—but they were far weaker than the lightning bolt that destroyed Arc.

David guessed it might not have any more Divine Essence left to use.

The ground beneath Zachariah cracked as he transformed into a flash, and the winged serpent spun around in response. Why was it so adamant about killing Zachariah?

A force stirring within him pulled him back to his senses. He was teleported, the space around him twisting as the landscape changed drastically. The destination was different than expected. David emerged in the Dwarven Sanctuary. He stood atop the highest building, staring at Maja. Her hair was drenched, sticking to her face, and her breath came in ragged gasps. She clutched her chest as if afraid her heart would burst from her ribs, and her legs buckled. David shot forward, catching her arm before she collapsed onto the rooftop.

He helped her sit on the ground, his eyes flicking to Zachariah.

The Regressor had trusted Maja to rescue him, but she was completely spent.

“You used your lifeforce to compensate for the lack of Mana,” David stated the obvious. “That was stupid.”

Maja flinched, her head drooping. Was she too weak to look at him, or was she embarrassed? It was hard to tell.

“Regardless, I would have done the same. Probably. Well, except for using every last drop of Mana—” Only now did David notice the glass vials sprawled across the rooftop.

“—potions until your body couldn’t take any more, and your lifeforce, when the plan was different.”

Her intentions had been great, but the execution of her plan was a mess. She should have saved enough energy to eliminate the strongest foes instead of aiding every wounded defender she found. It sounded harsh, but if they couldn’t defeat the Grand Horde, everyone would die, not just a few defenders.

But he couldn’t blame her.

An image formed in his mind. A man dying in his arms when he could have overclocked [Greater Restoration] to rescue him. Though it had never actually happened, David recognized the dilemma. Maja had the means to help more people, so she did. She hadn’t wasted energy on those beyond saving but had focused on those with a chance for survival. The open sickbay made that fairly clear. Almost no one there had died. They were mutilated but still alive.

But the image wasn’t done. More details filled in until the man didn’t look like a stranger anymore. The man dying in his arms was none other than his father.

His eyes widened, and he shook his head, but the image wouldn’t disperse. A groan escaped his lips, and he bent down to grasp Maja’s shoulders.

“I need you to stay with me,” David said, casting [Greater Restoration] on her.

Her complexion improved slightly, but it wasn’t enough. He infused [Sacred Aura] into her body and channeled Origin Energy through it. However, instead of restoring her, Maja coughed up blood. Her eyes were glassy, the spark of life in them dim.

Was it total mental exhaustion? An overexertion of her Mana Core? Or was this problem worse?

David struggled to pinpoint the issue and did the only thing he could think of.

He took a deep breath and unleashed [Sacrifice].

Take whatever is necessary for Maja to recover, David thought, preparing his tribute.

50

POWERHOUSE

Sacrifice’s Rune towered over the other tiered Skills in the void of his mind space. It trembled wildly as David willed the Class Skill to activate. Something surged out of [Sacrifice], though David struggled to understand it. It was dark—possibly a pitch-black haze—and shifted through his mind space, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth before bursting forward.

David’s hair stood on end, sweat pouring down his temples as his mind space transformed into a bloody massacre. The dark entity oozing from [Sacrifice]’s Rune reached the nearest tiered Rune and… devoured it. David gasped for air as a tinge of pain overtook him, but the monstrosity was not done. It consumed multiple Runes, severing their connection to the Source while David remained still, eyes closed, silently witnessing the massacre.

Power filled every fiber of his body as brilliant golden motes oozed from [Sacrifice], but only a handful—a single golden blob—surged through his arms and out of his body.

David opened his eyes, staring at Maja as her complexion improved. Color returned to her face, and the dim light of life in her eyes regained vigor. She took a few deep breaths, her eyes widening like she couldn’t believe what had just happened.

“What–...”

Maja’s lips moved, but he couldn’t hear anything. The tinge of pain was no more. It had been replaced by something worse—something David wished no one to feel. True pain engulfed him, shrouding his entire being without warning.

It was not tangible, he did not experience physical pain, yet it reached every part of his existence, ensuring he would never forget this moment. He should have expected it. What else was he supposed to feel at the loss of several Skill Runes? It would be stranger if his Soul remained intact after the Skills, once fused to his Source—to his very Soul—had been forcefully removed. Devoured.

The knowledge and experience were still present, but the power was lost. All that just to bring Maja back to health, something that wouldn’t have been necessary if she hadn’t made a mistake. David tried to suppress the rising anger, but it was difficult while his Soul screamed in pain, tearing him apart from the inside out.

But what was he supposed to do? He could not stop [Sacrifice]. Not after it had already started to tear his Skill Runes apart. Maybe it would come back to bite him. Maybe it would destroy him. But he tried everything.

Sacrifice did what I asked. And more, David thought, clutching his chest. His breath was low and subdued, his Soul on the verge of collapse from sudden self-inflicted damage. But it was necessary. Deep down, David knew he wouldn’t make it out of here without [Sacrifice], even if that meant the loss of several powerful Skill Runes. If that was what it took to survive. To win. To defeat the winged serpent.

So be it!

David channeled a mere trace of [Sacrifice]’s oozing power into his eyes. His perception sharpened instantly, unveiling the entire battlefield before him. He saw everything he needed to see, his gaze trailing Zachariah and the carnage the regressor had left behind.

The Grand Horde was not defeated just yet, but most of the strongest had been obliterated. That was enough, David thought, gnashing his teeth as his Soul’s scream echoed through his very being.

Or…?

He tilted his head. Was that even his Soul? He felt its pain, the havoc it wreaked within him, struggling to mend the gaps left by the sudden loss of several Runes. But… did that mean his Soul was screaming at him?

He closed his eyes for a moment and saw that the Obsidian Blade had returned to his mind space. It was vibrating violently, emitting a high-pitched sound that filled his entire mind. Was that the scream? The sound of metal scraping against… something.

The Obsidian Blade had vibrated before, but the scream was new. It sounded odd. However, it didn’t feel like a cry of despair. It was different. Maybe it was thirsting for blood. The blood of a serpent. Was it… excited?

David conjured the Obsidian Blade again. He infused the soulbound weapon with the golden mass seeping from [Sacrifice] before looking at Maja.

“Bring me up,” he said, earning a wide-eyed stare from her. There was no time for hesitation.

“Now!” he commanded coldly.

Maja flinched but moved, conjuring a portal before him. She trembled, her legs shaking like jelly, but the portal remained stable.

“Protect Zachariah,” David added before jumping through the portal, trusting that Maja knew exactly where he wanted to be.

Words of Power rolled from his lips as the scenery around him shifted again. The rooftop underfoot was no more, but it wasn’t replaced by bloodied soil or the Sanctuary’s cobbled streets. David continued uttering Words of Power even as the portal spit him out high above the ground. His lips twitched as the battlefield below came into full view, but he didn’t stop.

His grip on the Obsidian Blade tightened as he fell, his gaze drifting to the winged serpent, Electra, or whatever Zachariah had called it. His attention reverted to the soulbound weapon, and he threw more Words of Power against the torrents of wind brushing through his clothes and hair. A thin, grey, semi-translucent hue formed around the Obsidian Blade as he activated Rend.

It intensified until the hue seemed to turn tangible. Golden, intricate specks formed on the hue and merged with it until it appeared as though the Obsidian Blade, Rend’s hue, and the golden specks had always been part of the same weapon.

The Words of Power ceased as he closed in on the winged serpent, which released another lightning bolt at Zachariah. Had it not noticed him? David’s lips curled into a sharp grin, his Source shaking as he gathered every bit of Rend’s power into the Obsidian Blade. He brandished his weapon and struck the monster the moment it looked up.

Too late! He screamed in his mind, releasing everything as the Obsidian Blade lunged forward. A grey blade covered in golden particles surged out at blinding speed.

Rend whipped through the air, too fast for David to follow its trajectory. All he saw was an afterimage of the crescent blade bursting out of his weapon before he heard a faint but audible crack. It wasn’t the winged serpent’s electricity crackling across its body as it gathered energy for another attack, but a crack in its scales. The remnants of Rend’s power lingered in his attack, yet all David found was a single deep cut carved into a scale at the back of the serpent’s head.

Is that it? He asked himself, his eyes widening.

The attack had been fast enough to overwhelm the winged serpent. However, Rend’s attack power was… lackluster? How could that be?

David couldn’t believe it. He knew Rend was strong—it was one of his most powerful attacks. Even more so when he used every bit of power at his disposal. The energy oozing from Sacrifice was immense, and so was the might granted through the Words of Power. His Source was strained and could likely not be used to unleash a second attack of that nature. Yet, all his attack had done was carve a deep cut into one of the winged serpent’s scales?

It was hard to believe, especially when the recoil hit.

It struck hard and suddenly, slowing his fall yet sending him hurtling upward with a sickening crunch. Pain surged through his arms, and he noticed them bent at odd angles.

He overclocked [Greater Restoration] for a moment, fixing the mangled mess when a familiar sensation flooded him. His arms snapped back into place as his Skill mended them, and his position shifted. David vanished and reappeared on the winged serpent’s back, staring straight at the half-broken scale.

The monster’s scales rippled beneath him, yet Electra did not move. It could have shaken him off, but it remained still, allowing him to stand on its head.

Was it foolish, or just so confident that he would never be able to break through its defense? David guessed the latter, which didn’t make things any easier. Tidal waves of energy pulsed beneath him, black currents slithering across the surface.

It was preparing for the killing blow.

But so was he.

He ripped his spatial storage from his neck. Clenching his fist, David applied [Blessing] on himself—cast and overclocked with pure Origin Essence—and punched the damaged scale. A sickening crunch resounded as the bones in his hand and lower arm shattered, but so did the scales. David smiled grimly, draining the storage necklace’s energy reservoir as he released it.

He stepped back, cast [Greater Restoration] to fix his arm again, and prepared for the inevitable. David overclocked [Blood Armor] with [Sacrifice]’s power, pouring Blood and whispering Words of Power to fortify his defenses as much as possible.

Barely a second had passed since he shattered Electra’s scales when black lightning struck him.

Immense power surged through his defense, pierced through it, and swept through his body, albeit weakened. His insides burned as much as his outsides as the weakened lightning wreaked havoc, but David was already familiar with lightning. The divine lightning from the Pantheon’s temple at that time had been almost as painful.

But he had better means to heal himself this time around. David smiled, gritting his teeth through the pain as he unleashed [Greater Restoration] and [Healing Sphere], draining his Source. However, his eyes lingered on the spatial storage and the last traces of blood that had just been consumed.

His smile widened. At last, the storage necklace was out of energy. It deactivated, triggering its defect, and the weight of everything stored within crashed down. Directly onto Electra.

David was electrocuted, every fiber of his body burned even as it regenerated rapidly, but that didn’t diminish the happiness in his heart as the monster beneath him rumbled. The winged serpent hissed aloud and flapped its massive wings. However, it never ascended. Quite the contrary. Gravity worked its wonders, pulling Electra to the ground. They descended fast, and it didn’t take long before they plummeted. Electra’s head struck the ground first, and the earth burst open. Currents of lightning surged in all directions, burning various monsters to ashes.

Pained squeals and screams filled the air, accompanied by the acrid scent of burned flesh, as the life signals nearby flickered out. Meanwhile, the necklace pressed hard onto the winged serpent. David was shaken to his core but quickly regained balance, his wounds healing instantly as his eyes drifted to Electra’s broken scale. The necklace had left a deep imprint in Electra’s skull, which couldn’t withstand the immense weight.

Understandable, David thought, shuddering at the idea of having a necklace weighing tens—if not hundreds—of tons pressed onto his own skull. Electra writhed on the ground, trying to lift its head, but it was to no avail. The rest of its body still moved, though, forcing David to act before its thrashing tail erased him from existence.

Rend? He shook his head. Rend would probably destroy the necklace, tearing it open instead of pushing it deeper. The plan forming in his head did not align with Rend’s characteristics.

How about…

David grimaced, gathering the golden motes swirling through his mind space.

So that was why Sacrifice devoured so many Skill Runes. It knew what he wanted to do before he was even aware of it. David snickered and gathered the motes, his remaining Origin Essence, and the blood within the Source and two blood storages to trigger his Advanced Skill—Primeval Pulse.

Familiar cracking noises rang out as his wrists and hands shattered and deformed—again—while particles shimmering like starlight gathered in his right hand, and abyssal-dark particles coalesced in his left. He didn’t think twice as he combined them, forcing them to unite.

The particles revolved around each other as they expanded, forming a sphere of black and white streams that never assimilated.

Tremors rippled through the beast beneath him as its tail whipped past his head, missing by a hair’s breadth—but the events around him felt like a dream as he strode forward. His hands continued cracking, yet there was no pain. Was he already beyond pain? David discarded the thought with a shrug, his hands pointing at the broken scale as he released the attack.

The sphere impacted instantly, and a pained roar, powerful yet weakening, resounded. But the sphere did not stop upon impact, surprising David greatly. He was certain Primeval Pulse would injure Electra, possibly push the storage necklace deep enough to form cracks, but he suspected the weight pressing onto the serpent’s skull must have done a lot more than he had anticipated, as Primeval Pulse’s sphere pushed deeper, piercing Electra’s skull.

A hiss—a weak, pitiful, almost a desperate plea—reached David’s ears, but his movements never faltered. On the contrary, he accelerated, overclocking [Greater Restoration] to fix his hand just enough to materialize the Obsidian Blade in its smallest form. Words of Power rolled from his burned lips while the black lightning wreaking havoc inside him dwindled.

A moment later, David stabbed Electra through the gaping hole in the back of its head, unleashing a burst of Rend inside its skull.

Electra thrashed around, its movements slower—weaker—than just moments ago as its lifeforce rapidly diminished, drained by wounds and the Obsidian Blade. David absorbed part of its lifeforce, sustaining himself, using it to cast [Greater Restoration] repeatedly.

His Source was in a sorry state, looking as though it were about to fall apart, but the Words of Power continued flowing until the serpent stopped twitching and the message he had been waiting for appeared.

[You have defeated Mythical Electra (Sacred Beast, Spawn of Zephir).]

He exhaled, tension leaving his body. At last, the winged serpent was dead. The notification was all he wanted, but it was only the first of many.

[Emergency Warning! Your Source has been damaged due to excessive usage. Do not use your Source!!

Time until recovery: [38H:59M:59S]]

That was unexpected. David double-checked the message, furrowing his brows. The countdown was decreasing faster than it should have. By the time he reread the notification, it had already dropped to [38H:59M:37S]. He accessed the lifeforce stream flowing toward the Obsidian Blade and channeled more energy into his body. Crimson motes of lifeforce surged toward his Source and vanished, accelerating the countdown even further.

David nodded slowly, infusing the remaining energy from his final Blood storage into [Greater Restoration]. The Rune activated, mending his Source and drastically reducing the recovery time.

“That should be more than enough,” he muttered, turning to the next messages.

[You have slain a Sacred Beast, besting a creature leagues above your weight class with minimal support. You are a beast. The Beast of the Battlefield! Your achievement has been verified and recorded!]

[The drop rate for the Mythical Electra has been increased to its limit.

Your Primary and Secondary Class increase by one level.]

[+5 Attribute Points, +1 Body.]

[New Class Skill has been unlocked for reaching Silver V with your Primary Class (Lifeweaver).

[Class Skill (Blood Manipulation) has been fused to your Source.]]

David rubbed his temples. The notifications wouldn’t stop, and he had a nagging suspicion that the most important messages were yet to come. The black slate, crackling with electric currents, and the leathery scroll engraved with intricate silver-gold letters suggested as much.

[To protect your people—your allies, but also strangers and dear friends alike—you threw yourself into mortal danger.

You slew the Spawn of Zephir, defying all odds and achieving greatness.

However, you never abandoned your purpose as a Lifeweaver—your faith as a Healer, Protector, and Fighter.

You have fully embraced the existence of the Lifeweaver.]

[Your Primary Class increased by two levels.]

[Silver V → Silver VII]

[+6 Attribute Points, +10 Blood]

David raised an eyebrow at the messages. At this rate, he’d reach Gold Rank sooner than expected. Not that he had any complaints, but the speed of his progression was surprising.

Ignoring the ongoing battles around him, he reached for the Slate and the Scroll.

[Scroll of Skill Combination (5) has been discovered.]

[You have discovered a Skill Slate.]

[Chaos Lightning] – [Middle – Basic]

[Do you wish to acquire Chaos Lightning?]

The notification suggested that he could refuse the Skill, but the Slate’s light dimmed as the electric currents surged toward him. They vanished into his fingers, and a Skill Rune began forming in his mind space.

[Chaos Lightning is not compatible with the Host’s personality, energy, and Class principles. The Basic Skill will mutate into one of the following pathways: 1) Blood Lightning 2) Origin Lightning]

Huh? David tilted his head. Was he being given a choice here? That was interesting.

But how was he supposed to decide? Was one stronger than the other? Or was there some kind of compatibility factor? He couldn’t sense anything like that.

Asmodeus told me to rely less on Blood. [Blood Manipulation] doesn’t count—that wasn’t my choice, David thought, rubbing his chin.

Origin Lightning it is.

There was no need to waste time playing the guessing game. Without hesitation, he made his choice.

The Rune—another Basic Rune—formed in his mind space and fused with his damaged Source. David exhaled in relief, seeing that the fusion hadn’t caused any issues. He smiled, conjuring pristine white lightning in the cusp of his hand while the blood around him responded to his mental command, slithering toward him in streams like living serpents.

That didn’t feel too bad.

Well, except for the cracking sound his Source made as he used it against the System’s advice.

The damage notification resurfaced. The countdown extended.

“…Whoops.”

EPILOGUE

David slumped against the Sacred Beast’s corpse, taking a few deep breaths as he pulled on his fingers, fixing their locations for the fifth time.

He didn’t think it would be necessary to break his fingers again, but it looked like [Greater Restoration] was not omnipotent. Breaking his arms and hands multiple times within a few minutes seemed to have been enough to mess them up real good.

“Should I cut it off?” He wondered allowed. Maybe that would have been easier, or at least faster.

“You’re an oddball. Then again, I might be the weird one because I expected you to say something like that at some point,” Zachariah’s familiar voice rang out. He was drenched, looking like he’d been bathing in blood for a while.

“I am also happy that you made it out alive,” David responded with a wry smile.

Zachariah sat down beside him, groaning, “Can you heal me? No…well, I expected that much.”

“Good job. I was wondering how to kill it,” Zachariah patted the Mythical Electra, “Didn’t think you would manage.”

David snorted and activated [Blood Manipulation]. It was painful, but the blood in the Electra stirred and poured out of the back of its head, alongside the Obsidian Blade and a familiar necklace. He’d inserted a trace of Blood into the necklace to fix it, and retrieved several massive stones. Zachariah jumped to his feet, startled and ready to fight, bringing a smile to David’s face.

He returned the Obsidian Blade back to his mind space and leaned back, lying on the ground beside the Sacred Beast’s corpse.

“I was not sure if it would work out, either. But I am happy it turned out fine,” David muttered, glancing at Zachariah, “How did you end up with a Sacred Beast following you, in the first place?”

Zachariah’s expression soured, “I killed a Void Sapling, and was greeted by Zephir’s Child before I could recover.”

“Zephir?” David tilted his head. The Mythical Electra was said to be Zephir’s ‘Spawn’ – his Child – but that was all he knew.

“Just an annoying god, whose as slippery as a snake. He acts like one,” Zachariah shrugged, “Well, he actually is one. A transcendent snake, sometimes also called the Beast God, but the details don’t really matter.”

The details didn’t matter? David was not so sure about that. If he’d just killed the child of a Beast God, he would most certainly be better of with as many pieces of information as possible.

“And he hates you?” He asked.

“Among others, yes.”

Great. More enemies. David looked into the sky, ignoring the faint hue of poisonous fog blurring his vision.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to work together?”

A chuckle caught his attention, and David turned to the laughing regressor. Was that funny?

Zachariah took a moment to stop laughing. He cleared his throat and smiled at him, “Don’t get me wrong, David. Of course, it would be best if we could work together against our common enemy. Maybe everything would have been fine if we had done that in the last Cycle. But transcendent beings think ‘long-term’. At least, that’s what they call it.”

He shrugged, “Then again, it looks like Zephir is struggling to raise his disciple this Cycle as well. Only this time, its Child suffered the consequences.”

“If I didn’t know better, I would say that Zephir’s plan must have failed.”

David glanced at the Mythical Electra. Did the Beast God’s plan really fail? David wondered, storing the Mythical Electra in the storage necklace.

He sure hoped so.

William gasped for air, his legs burning as he forced them to keep going. Scenes of the Venicro getting struck by an astray lightning bolt and the events that followed thereafter flashed before his eyes. He fell from the sky and landed with a sickening crunch. At that time he felt like screaming, but his fear’s grip was tighter.

Zephir’s child was dead. But how could that be? William recalled watching the fight in the sky. If one could call it a fight, in the first place. Lightning bolts ought to have burned through David, killing him instantaneously. However, David prevailed and…forced the Electra to the ground. The thunderous explosions of the Electra’s attacks ceased to be, and the grand attack – the destruction of the Dwarven Sanctuary – ended ahead of time.

It was a failure. He had failed.

He stared at the wide-open sky, his fingers curled tightly around the hem of his robe. His breath was rigid and his legs buckled. William fell to the ground with a loud thud.

“Fuck…” He cursed, feeling like searing hot blades passed through his entire body, replaying the fight over and over in his head. The reminiscent cut deeper each time, “How did you get so strong, David?”

When Zephir showed David’s image to him for the first time, he had been hesitant. It was hard to imagine his friend enraging his Master – a literal god.

David had always been extraordinary, a pain in the ass, but to attract the ire of Zephir? It didn’t make sense at that time. Now… the times had changed. Significantly.

William wiped his sweaty palms on his robe and adjusted his clothes repetitively, but he did not get up as he recalled David’s fight before his friend turned to face Zephir’s child. It had impressive, for sure, David’s blade cleaving smoothly through the Cohorte’s monsters. Not even the Armored Letuar – the creatures that consumed most of William’s power – survived long against him. But how did he do that? William only saw David stabbing himself and the Armored Letuar’s power diminished.

What did David do? What exactly…was he?

At the thought of his friend, William’s heard pounded like a drum against his chest, and his legs felt like jelly. He glanced back to the aftermath of the battlefield he had deserted, half-expecting David to be there, and shuddered. Was he scared of David? Of…fighting him?

Maybe he was scared. However, his old friend was not as scary – their near-encounter not as unpleasant – as the poisonous-green haze surging from his body.

The wind howled through the sparse, dying trees around him as the steam swirled around him, bringing whispers to his ears.

“You failed,” Zephir’s voice rang through his mind, poisonous-green haze surging into his ears.

“I did,” William acknowledged, shifting on the ground. He grit his teeth and knelt on the ground as he added, “Please punish me.”

“Punish you?” Zephir’s laugh resounded, deep and eerie. William’s shoulders dropped and he leaned closer to the ground.

“Don’t be mistaken. I will not punish you, my youngest,” Zephir hissed, “I will reward you!”

Reward him? For failing to destroy the Sanctuary? For…the death of Zephir’s Child?

William clenched his robe, certain Zephir was playing with him. Certain everything would be over soon.”

“I will grant you a very special reward. It’s something you will never forget.”

Something in Zephir’s voice shifted suddenly. It felt more tangible, almost like he could grasp his master’s words. His lips parted but no word escaped his lips. He tried to move, but his movements were restrained. William struggled for what felt like an eternity, but was probably no longer than a second or two, his body feeling heavier than ever. But it only made sense when his eyes trailed to a serpent coiled around his body.

William failed to comprehend where the serpent came from, or how it coiled around his limbs, waist, and head without him realizing, but it did…and it stared straight at him with its piercing yellow eyes.

“If you survive this, you will be stronger than ever,” Zephir hissed, his voice laced in…was that enjoyment? He could not tell, but he shuddered. His hair stood at its end, yet nobody seemed to care. The serpent hissed at him, the voice overlapping with Zephir’s, and it lunged at him, driving its massive fangs into his neck.

“You will be a part of me!”

Was the last he heard before his body caved in. He collapsed and the world around him turned dark. But he did not lose consciousness. He was still awake, feeling everything Zephir wanted him to feel.

Pain. Fear.

Power.

Apocalypse Healer continues in Book Three!

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