《Ruler's Awakening: Inheritor of the SSS-Rank Dimensional Talent》


 Chapter 1 Mysterious Lady Took Him

    "As I thought, this thing is too big for you!"


    "It''s okay. I can hold it. Do it slowly."


    Aaron sighed. He and Natasha were forced to do this since it was a direct order from their instructors at the academy. They couldn''t refuse it even if they didn''t like it.


    The two walked through the corridors of the academy while carrying boxes containing system watches, books, talent cards, and elixirs. Aaron was forced to take a few items from Natasha''s box so the woman wouldn''t feel burdened.@@novelbin@@


    From ahead, 300st-year students of the London Cadet Academy gathered in the academy''s main hall. They were dressed in blue and white uniforms.


    Instructor Melinda raised her hand, asking Aaron and Natasha to bring the boxes near her. In return, Melinda handed over the purple and blue elixir to them.


    [Item Status:]


    [1 TP Elixir Lv.1]


    [1 MP Elixir Lv. 1]


    "You two should leave here," Melinda pleaded. Aaron and Natasha said yes.


    Other thanst year''s students of the London Cadet Academy, no other students were allowed to see the talent inauguration ceremony. This could be regarded as sacred due to the talent''s confidentiality and the talent owner''s safety.


    "Where are you going, Aaron?" asked Natasha.


    "I got the TP elixir, I''m gonna try to increase my talent level."


    Natasha got the TP elixir just like Aaron, but her talent points were currently full and waiting for ascension to the third stage. That made her TP elixir not very useful for now.


    "My talent points are full and waiting for ascension. Let me stay with you, Aaron."


    Aaron did not object, as Natasha had always been his closest friend. The two had known each other since five and continued to the current age of 18.


    Despite growing up together, Natasha had bigger dreams. She was set on bing the world''s first female Great Ruler.


    Since the end of the nuclear war, the Great Ruler had always been male and was selected through the Earth Core Tower qualification method. Those who made it to the peak of the 100th floor could put themselves forward as Great Ruler candidates.


    That was the position Natasha wanted, even though she knew she would be up against many other talented men.


    Arriving at the Tulip Garden, there were eight circles in the ce. Five circles were taken when Aaron arrived, leaving three remaining.


    "Alright. I''ll increase my talent points," Aaron replied. Natasha cleared her throat in response.


    Aaron sat cross-legged and opened the lid of the TP elixir. The man downed the purple-colored elixir and sensed a steady stream of energy flowing through the veins in his body.


    [TP +150]


    Slowly, Natasha could see the natural energy begin to enter Aaron''s body, although the amount was not thatrge. For those who wished to gain many talent points, their best option was to go to the dungeon or the Earth Core Tower.


    [Gathering Talent Points:]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [Age: 18]


    [Talent: Stealth]


    [Rank: C]


    [Stage: 1]


    [Talent Point: 8540/12.000]


    [Efficiency: 21-25tp/hour]


    [Description: The Stealth Talent allows the user to camouge in the surrounding area, whether physical or magical].


    Aaron focused on collecting points for his talent even though he knew the maximum limit for using the Tulip Garden magic circle was five hours daily. It was short but much better than beingzy.


    [TP +24]


    [TP +23]


    Natasha sat on the iron chair with her legs crossed, called her pet, and let her pamper it. Two hours had passed, and Aaron was still seated in the magic circle, focused on absorbing the talent points given by the tulips in the garden.


    "The maximum number of points that can be umted is 125, but the exact number of points that can be obtained cannot be fixed."


    The pet on Natasha''sp was a blue fur fox, one of those fairly powerful foxes but not ssified as a legendary-level pet.


    She had made a contract with the pet three months ago, and there was no objection whatsoever to the contract process.


    [TP +25]


    [TP +24]


    [TP +23]


    In the end, Aaron opened his eyes and stopped his talent point gathering. The blue panel that appeared before him clearly showed the umted number of talent points.


    [umted Talent Point Gathering]


    [Talent: Stealth]


    [Stage: 1]


    [umted TP: 119tp]


    [Talent Point: 8778/12.000]


    Aaron sighed. In the five hours he sat in the magic circle of the tulip garden, he had only earned 19tp to increase his talent points. He looked straight ahead and saw Natasha was sitting on a metal chair with a blue fox on herp.


    "How? Didn''t I tell you going to the dungeon and killing monsters is much better?"


    "Mybat power is weak. What can the Stealth talent do besides stealing?" asked Aaron, walking up to him by stepping out of the magic circle of the tulip garden.


    His ce was immediately filled by other academy students who wanted to perform the Talent Point Gathering process. Aaron didn''t mind and stood before Natasha.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll help you gather lots of XP and TP elixirs."


    "If you want, I''ll wait for you at the academy''s portal yard tomorrow. How about it?" asked Natasha, sincerely wanting to help Aaron so that he could advance to the intermediate phase of stage one quickly before the year ended.


    Aaron had to admit Natasha''s strength was truly extraordinary. At her age, her talent was already at the peak of stage two, only needing an ascension to reach the third stage.


    Also, her talent wasn''t random, she was able to control and manipte light, it could be used for defense, offense, or escape.


    "Alright. I''m sorry to trouble you, Natasha."


    "Don''t be like that. We''re friends, remember?"


    Aaron smiled. The two stepped away from the tulip garden to return to their ss. Little did they know, a male student was staring at Aaron with a resentful look. He was upset that Aaron was being too close to Natasha.


    "Damn it. That trash talent is still trying to get close to Natasha."


    "What should we do?"


    "We''ll teach him a lesson he won''t easily forget!" threatened the boy, Bernard.


    The afternoon turned to evening just as the sun was going down. The ss at the London Cadet Academy was over, the students walked out one after another to return to their homes.


    Aaron and Natasha walked separately. It was an opportunity for Bernard to follow and beat Aaron if he had the chance.


    Although someone was following him, Aaron didn''t feel anything. He hasn''t learned detection skills yet, so he can''t track Bernard and his two friends'' whereabouts.


    BOM!


    The sky-high purple light startled Aaron, as well as Bernard and his friends. Aaron dashed while dropping the bag he was carrying to reach his house as soon as possible.


    The young man was pretty sure the purple light came from his house, considering his mother''s talent was dark dimensional.


    Aaron arrived at the house''s front yard and saw the entire building was on fire. The young man suddenly shouted his mother''s name aloud, unwilling to let bad things happen to her.


    Bernard and his friends did not respond. They were still frozen in shock and couldn''t believe what they saw. Aaron''s house was aze in yellow and red mes.


    "Wh-What the hell is happening?"


    "MOM!" shouted Aaron.


    The roof of his house began to copse due to the burning, people around his house began to gather to see what happened to the Lewis Family residence. People were sympathetic, feeling sorry to realize Aaron had to live alone without anyone.


    Aaron dropped to his knees with his head bowednguidly. Tears fell endlessly as his right hand punched the ground, feeling upset about what was happening.


    "Aaron!" someone called, the voice soft and gentle.


    "Mom...?"


    Sure enough, the figure of his mother''s soul appeared before Aaron. The young man looked at the surrounding area; there was nothing except ck. The ground he stood on was not fully soil but a puddle of water.


    His mother''s beautiful face, wrapped in a mass of purple energy, floated before Aaron. A bitter smile was printed clearly as she knew she would be separated from Aaron for a long time.


    Aaron was aware of his mother''s current situation. She wasn''tpletely dead and was still in soul form. However, the young man didn''t know what he had to do to get his mother back to her former self.


    "I leave my Dark Dimension Talent to you. Use it wisely and carefully," Aaron''s mother, Lucy, exined.


    Lucy threw a wisp of purple energy and entered Aaron''s body through his forehead. Now, the distinctive pattern of the dark dimension talent was vividly stamped on the young man''s forehead.


    The woman also pointed her hand forward, the purple light rushing into Aaron''s heart. Lucy clenched her fist, and the dark energy seal in Aaron''s heart was broken.


    The veins all over Aaron''s body seemed ckened mixed with violet color. His eyes were filled with a dark and powerful violet color. Aaron screamed loudly with both hands clenched, bearing the pain.


    The people near Aaron saw him kneeling with his head bowed. A strong gust of wind apanied by the thunder of purple lightning struck the ce.


    The group who came to kill Lucy sensed the Dark Dimensional Talent that should have belonged to Lucy, had now passed to her son, Aaron.


    Panic broke out in the ce, people ran for their lives. The Sages of the London Cadet Academy flew towards therge dark energy fluctuations, seeing the center of the energying from one of the academy''s second-year students.


    "What a terrifying dark energy."


    "We must stop it before its power destroys over half the city."


    "HYAAAAA!"


    Aaron shouted as he stood up, floating in the air with violet-glowing eyes. His two palms were filled with different colored lightning, the right with purple lightning and the left with ck lightning.


    [TP +24]


    [TP +150]


    [TP +2500]


    [TP +15000]


    [TP +300000]


    One of the sages saw an astonishing increase in Talent Points, 30000tp in a few seconds, which could make him rise to the peak phase in the third stage.


    "Terrifying and devastating power. Who is he really?"


    [WARNING!]


    [System detected Darkness attribute energy increase]


    [Initiates talent rank evolution]


    [Adjusting talents with attributes]


    [Evolution Completed]


    [Main Talent: Dark Dimensional Reality]


    [Rank: SSS-Rank]


    A crack of void appeared behind Aaron, a woman with red hair and a stylish ck dress appeared to stand beside Aaron. With just a sideways hand swing, she shattered the wind vortex.


    "Who are you?" asked one of the sages.


    "I''m Aerith."


    She rubbed Aaron''s face and knocked him out, an amazing power that no human had ever known. However, those who saw Aerith in human form believed she was a human.


    She wasn''t! She was a transformation of the will of a dark dimensional mind while visiting a new magical world.


    Earth was ssified as a new magic world after the earth''s core released its radiation to all humans, precisely after the annihtion caused by the nuclear war.


    "Which Union are you from?" asked the sage, Aerithughed.


    She swung her hand to the side again, opening a dimensional crack as she ced Aaron''s body inside of it. Aerith returned her haughty gaze to the ground.


    "I am the ruler of the Dark Dimension. I do not know what a Union is and how weak it is."


    "You!"


    "What are you going to do with that boy?" asked one of the female sages, worried because Aaron was part of the London Cadet Academy.


    "Him? You''ll see."

 Chapter 2 Beautiful Ruler of Dark Dimension

    Aaron opened his eyes and watched as he hovered without gravity in space. His eyes saw a sprinkling of white stars in the sky, making him wonder if he might be in outer space.@@novelbin@@


    "Akh!"


    His head felt buzzing, his vision blurred, and his hands and feet shook. Aaron only remembered thest thing that went through his head: When he talked to Lucy''s soul before she passed the Dark Dimension talent to him.


    "Mom gave her Dark Dimension talent to me."


    Aaron''s index finger touched his watch, and a system panel showed his profile, current talent, and status.


    [Profile Status:]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [Age: 18]


    [Level: 20]


    [Talent: Dark Dimensional Reality]


    [Rank: SSS-R]


    [Stage: 2]


    [Talent Point: 308,540/499,999]


    [Efficiency: 301-400tp/hour]


    ''This is unbnced. My talent has a higher rank than my level. I hope it doesn''t kill me.''


    Aaron rose from his back, and to his surprise, he did not float but stood straight up in the sky as if an invisible floor was under his feet.


    Red light and arge dimensional rift appeared, causing thunderous sounds to echo and make the surrounding area noisy. Aaron covered his ears with both hands as he watched the dimensional rift.


    From within the rift, a girl with rose-red hair and a ck dress suit came down, her skin as white as a snowke, and her figure was not tall or shorter than Aaron''s.


    Aerith came down with hundreds of red cages with human souls within. Aaron was startled with a pale face.


    The young man could faintly hear the sound of screams from the souls trapped inside the cages.


    "Wh-What is it?" asked Aaron.


    "Wee to the Dark Dimension. This is the ce where evil souls from around the world ended."


    "Perhaps you are familiar with it as hell."


    "Hell? But it''s nothing like what I imagined," Aaron replied.


    "I made it the way it is to make youfortable. If I showed you the true picture of hell, I''m afraid you wouldn''t be able to sleep peacefully forever."


    Aaron swallowed his saliva deeply. There was no gesture or attitude that indicated a lie in every word the girl said. The young man was quite confident that she was telling the truth.


    Aerith flew low before Aaron, rubbing the young man''s face to make him gasp slightly. Instead of getting angry, Aerith smiled bitterly at Aaron''s cautious attitude.


    "You may have no idea who I am, but let me make it clear to you."


    Under Aerith''s feet, Aaron watched as a string of rose stems creeped upwards and formed a throne of thorny red roses. Even so, Aerith did not feel hurt while sitting on it.


    "I am the ruler of the Dark Dimension. You may call me Aerith," the girl exined.


    "And there''s another reason why you''re here besides the fact that you inherited the Dark Dimension talent."


    A rose appeared above Aerith''s hand, created by the manifestation of dark energy. With a graceful move, Aerith passed the rose forward to create Reality Domain.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Reality Domain]


    Reality Domain was a sub-talent of Dark Dimension Reality, where the user of the talent could manipte the mind and truth of the opponent he was targeting by showing a new falsified truth ording to the talent user''s wishes.


    Currently, Aaron was trapped in Aerith''s Domain Reality. His surroundings turned into a projected image of his house just before the burning and Lucy''s arrest.


    "M-Mom?"


    Aaron approached Lucy, who was busy cooking in the kitchen. Yet, when he tried to touch her shoulder, Aaron''s hand appeared to pass through Lucy''s body, startling him.


    "I can''t touch her? What is all this?"


    He kept watching scene after scene unfold before him. The door opened, a group of men entered wearing red and ck military uniforms. Aaron knew who they were.


    "Great Ruler''s Integrity Knights?"


    The five military men arrived in a rude demeanor, mming furniture and destroying everything in Aaron''s home.


    Lucy tried to fight back, but her Dark Dimension power was blocked due to the power of their supreme light.


    Because of this, Lucy was arrested, and her soul was separated from her body, causing Aaron to be unable to hide his anger.


    "Stop it! Let her go."


    The five people dragged Lucy''s body and imprisoned the woman''s soul in a white cage that the military used to imprison souls filled with dark energy.


    "Did you already know everything? Especially about the one behind Lucy''s soul arrest?" asked Aerith, swinging a hand and dispelling the reality domain on Aaron.


    "Great Ruler''s Knights of Integrity. I have to kill them!" growled Aaron, the girl smiling with satisfaction after finding her ruse had managed to trick Aaron''s mind and heart.


    "That''s good, but with your current strength, you can''t fight them yet, not even to kill them."


    "At least they''re at the Integrity Knight level while you''re still at the Apprentice Mage level."


    Aerith snapped her fingers and instantly changed thendscape into a vastnd with skyscrapers in Berlin, the capital of the European Union or Euronion as people called it.


    "You should at least be a Venerable Sage, the same level as the Union leader. After that, you might be able to fight those Integrity Knights."


    "I understand."


    The girl stepped down from her rose throne, and the throne faded and disappeared. Aerith moved closer to Aaron until her face was before the young man''s, startling him.


    "Are you gonna help me defeat those Integrity Knights?" asked Aerith enthusiastically.


    ''What does she mean by defeating them? Does she also have a grudge against them?''


    "If they''re the ones who kidnapped my mother, then I''ll help you defeat them."


    Aerith smiled while pping her hands, jumping several times, and hovering around Aaron. Aaron''s attention was drawn upwards, watching the hundreds of red cages filled with evil souls from the past.


    The girl caught sight of Aaron''s eyes. She took the young man''s hand and invited him to fly into the sky toward one of the hundreds of red cages of souls. Aaron was taken aback and couldn''t do anything.


    "What are you doing?"


    "You want their power? Then I will give it to you."


    "Power? What are you really talking about?"


    Aerith released her grip on Aaron. She told the young man to touch the cage wall.


    At first, Aaron refused since all of this felt strange to him, but Aaron couldn''t argue anymore after seeing the obvious confidence etched on Aerith''s face.


    Aaron''s fingers touched the cage wall. Surprisingly, the system panel appeared with a different color than usual, a red panel.


    From within it, there was writing exining the soul''s identity confined within the cage. Aaron was shocked to find out whose soul was locked up in the cage.


    [WARNING]


    [Contacting a pure evil soul can affect the mind and heart]


    [Soul Identity]


    [Name: Jack The Ripper]


    [Form: Soul]


    [Soul Lv: 15]


    [Talent: Stealth]


    [Rank: S-R]


    "Jack The Ripper? Are you kidding me? He''s the most famous criminal in the world."


    "I never lie. He is indeed Jack The Ripper, and he can be your servant," Aerith exined.


    "What do you mean?" asked Aaron, confused by every word Aerith said.


    "You, Earthlings, still haven''t reached the level of summoning knowledge and servant contracts between souls. It''s only natural that you know nothing."


    Aerith held the cage with her hand, releasing it from the web of red darkness energy connected from one cage to another.


    The girl held the cage and made it into a small shape. Letting it hover right next to her, Aerith turned her eyes forward.


    "Then what should I do?" asked Aaron.


    "You must fight against Jack The Ripper. Defeat him and make him obey you. Then you can make him your servant."

 Chapter 4 Dragon Slayer Party

    Attack after attack was released relentlessly, targeting a practice object that had been prepared earlier, an iron dummy that had great durability.


    "HYAAA!"


    Jacksonnded a fire sword strike in a crescent ze forward, hitting the iron dummy and bringing up a pop-up panel before the young man, who stated the amount of damage the training dummy had received.


    [Damage +92]


    "It''s now 92, before it was 140. It looks like it''ll be hard to get attack damage over 200 for now," Jackson replied, holding the magic sword in his hand.


    He nced forward and saw mes appearing and burning steadily on the iron dummy, but it only dealt a small amount of damage that wouldn''t affect it much.


    He opened his system panel and saw he was still at level 27, needing a few thousand EXP to level up. However, the dungeon monsters were no longer interesting to him. It was because Jackson often raided that ce.


    Jackson sighed softly, looked forward again, and prepared to resume training. Even though it was only practice, every damage Jackson dealt could give him 1 point of EXP.


    That was why training alone would not be suitable for leveling up; the only quickest option was to raid monsters, either at the dungeon or the tower pir.


    Just when Jackson was focused on practicing striking the iron dummy, his ears faintly sensed the mysterious sound of footsteps from behind and his detection skills sensed the presence of mana energy from others.


    The young man quickly spun around and turned his head to stare at the mysterious person. Jackson pointed his sword and noticed that the mysterious people who hade to his backyard were Aaron and Natasha.


    "It was you, I thought it was someone else."


    "Even though you''ve done the talent inauguration, it seems you don''t want to stop practicing, Jackson," Aaron greeted, stepping closer to the wooden fence of Jackson''s backyard.


    "No weakling can survive in a cruel world like this. You know what I mean, right?"


    "Yeah. Ipletely understand."


    Jackson turned to the side and smiled in greeting at Natasha. He knew the girl was Natasha, the Light Talent User.


    He had only heard about her and never met her in person like now, but she was indeed beautiful, in Jackson''s opinion.


    "So, what brings you here, Aaron?" asked Jackson, removing the magic sword with both hands crossed.


    "I wanted to raid the tower pir, but since our mage levels aren''t enough, I asked for your help," Aaron replied.


    "To be able to enter the tower pir, you must at least be at the Student Mage level. However, there is a convenience where a party can be formed as long as the leader is someone at that level."


    "I already know about that."


    Jackson was relieved that Aaron knew the rules for entering the tower pir. It was a coincidence that Aaron came here. Jackson actually wanted to go on a monster raid to improve his skills.


    "Alright. If you guys really want to go, I''m ready to lead you," Jackson exined, deciding to go.


    Jackson pressed his system watch, pressed the friend''s menu, and clicked the party feature. There, the young man entered the party name as he wanted.


    "Activate your system watch''s signal transmitter," Jackson ordered.


    [Initiate searching for the nearest system watch user signal!]


    [System Watch User Signal discovered]


    [Number of users: 2]


    [1. Aaron Lewis]


    [2. Natasha Kimberly]


    [Invite users to a party?]


    Jackson pressed the yes button, as a notification message was sent to Aaron and Natasha''s system watch. A pop-up panel appeared above their watches, inviting them to join the party.


    [Jackson invites you to join the Dragon yer Party. Confirm?]


    "Dragon yer?" asked Aaron, confused.


    Natasha chuckled while looking away; the party name Jackson wrote was absurd.


    "Hehe, I think it scares many people when they hear the name."


    "Whatever you say, Jackson."


    Aaron and Natasha pressed the confirmation button on the pop-up panel to confirm Jackson''s party invitation. Now, another panel appeared before Aaron with the overall party details.


    [Party Details]


    [Party Name: Dragon yer]


    [Party Title: -]@@novelbin@@


    [Leader: Jackson Rick (Lv.27)]


    [Member:]


    [1. Aaron Lewis (Lv.20)]


    [2. Natasha Kimberly (Lv.24)]


    [3.]


    [Party Message] [Party Mission] [Leave Party]


    Aaron smiled. Now, he could start training to be strong enough to defeat Jack The Ripper''s soul. Even so, he must be careful when using his new talent, not letting it be known by many people.


    "Alright. We''ll meet tomorrow morning at the entrance of the Earth Core Tower. Let me know in the party message menu if anyone gets there first."


    "I understand."


    ***


    The next day.


    The Portal Gate of the Earth Core Tower.


    Aaron was the first to arrive, where it was almost eight in the morning. Every portal gate to the Earth Core tower would open at nine o''clock.


    Since his house had burned down, Aaron was forced to stay at an inn for the night. Fortunately, he had some savings that were enough to let him sleep in a small and cheap inn.


    While waiting, Aaron casually opened his system panel, especially in the Talent Status menu. There, he saw a new talent along with other sub-talents.


    All these talents belonged to talents with the darkness attribute, something that was rare or almost never seen before.


    [Talent Status]


    [Main Talent: Dark Dimension Reality]


    [Sub-Talent:]


    [1. Reality Domain] [Cost: 50.000 MP]


    [2. ws of Darkness] [Cost: 37.000 MP]


    [3. Energy Devouring Sword] [Cost: 40.000 MP]


    [4. Dimensional Explosion Orb] [Cost: 72.000 MP]


    [5. Dimensional Dark Portal] [Cost: 100.000 MP]


    [Rank: SSS-R]


    [Stage Rank: 2]


    [Talent Point: 308,540/499,999tp]


    [Efficiency: 301-400tp/h]


    ''With the amount of MP I have being less than 5000, it seems like I''m still unable to use the sub-talent''s ability,'' Aaron sighed.


    Aaron turned off the status panel again and looked ahead, a crowd of adventurers gathered before the portal gate just as the watch was about to show nine in the morning.


    Natasha came by herself from the side, wearing a long-sleeved outfit and some armor protecting her shoulders, elbows, and knees. Her appearance was simr to a knight, even though her ability was a mage.


    "Am Ite?" asked Natasha, Aaron shook his head.


    Now, the two were just waiting for Jackson to arrive. Natasha said she looked forward to having her first monster raid in the tower pir.


    The girl wanted to know how challenging the monsters in that ce were; Aaron was as curious as Natasha.


    A blue pop-up panel of notifications appeared before Aaron and Natasha. The two looked at each other briefly, then cleared their throat in response.


    They pressed the panel and read the text written on it, a notification of news about their party.


    [Elisa has joined the Dragon yer Party]


    "Elisa? Do you know her?" asked Aaron, Natasha shook her head.


    Natasha took the initiative to open the party status panel and look at the names registered in the party. They saw Elisa''s name written in third ce as a member, with a level of 26. That way, it was confirmed that Elisa was at the Student Mage level.


    "Maybe she''s Jackson''s close friend."


    Aaron cleared his throat. He didn''t mind at all. In fact, the more strong people, the easier it would be for the party to handle the monster raid on the tower pir.


    Not long after, Jackson arrived with Elisa. Jackson came with light armor, while Elisa wore a typical mage''s simple dress that fit her well.


    "I invited her because she''s my friend and wants to try the monster raid at the tower pir. Do you mind?" asked Jackson.


    Aaron nced to the side, catching a glimpse of Natasha. The two exchanged looks and began shaking their heads, not minding at all.


    The circr portal between the two stone pirs began to glow blue, and a notification panel appeared at the front of the portal to tell the people who had gathered.


    [The Portal Gate of the Earth Core Tower opened]


    [Portal closed countdown]


    [00:11:59:59]


    "Usually, the tower pirs will be opened an hour after the Earth Core Tower portal gate opens," exined Elisa, who knew a lot about the Earth Core Tower.


    "While we wait, we should go to one of my friends. He can help us with the equipment."

 Chapter 5 The Maze Monsters

    Jackson and Elisa stepped forward, following the many adventurers who entered the portal, while Aaron and Natasha were close behind.


    One important rule people shouldn''t do when visiting the tower city was to bring modern weapons from outside.


    The portal''s detection system was quiteplex. If the portal detected a modern weapon, the person would be hit by a rejection st and have their body bounced away.


    None of the Dragon yer party members had faced such a rejection because they all knew the important conditions of entering the tower city.


    Aaron''s eyes opened when he stepped through the portal gate. He was amazed to see the architecture of the buildings in the tower city was identical to the European architectural style of the medieval era.


    The roads were made of cobblestones arranged neatly so that it felt smooth when people walked -no tripping. Houses were made of stone and wood, with a maximum of two stories. Oilnterns are ced on the side of the road and light up every night.


    "You guys don''t worry. Time here is the same as time in the real world," Jackson exined, Aaron and Natasha nodded.


    The streets that day were quite crowded, with people passing by to do their activities. Some were trading, talking, working, and even fighting to be a public spectacle. It was a typical medieval scene.


    Elisa led Jackson and the others to an equipment store in a corner of the city away from the crowds. The owner was a woman dressed in a simple, long brown dress.


    "Elisa," greeted the woman.


    The two women embraced each other as a sign of their meeting. Elisa turned around, introducing the equipment store owner to Jackson and the others. She was Aura.


    "Are you nning to raid the pir tower again?" asked Aura. Elisa cleared her throat in reply.


    "That''s why I came here. I need some of the items on this list. Can you get them for me?"


    Elisa handed her a paper with writing on it. Aura epted and read the paper. All the items written on it were fully avable at Aura''s shop.


    "Since we''re in the same party, those items will belong to us together," Elisa said.


    Aaron and Natasha cleared their throats and thanked her.


    ''She''s not bad either,'' Aaron exined.


    Aura was still in her shop preparing the items Elisa needed. While waiting, Aaron was startled by a cannon-like boom that sounded far from the forest depths.


    Elisa saw Aaron''s curious face. She stepped closer to him, saying that it was a sign that the Pir Tower gate had been opened.


    Aaron looked at the city streets; several adventurers from the outside world seemed rushing to get into the tower pir. They were ambitious to get the treasure early when the Tower Pir gate opened, and Aaron knew it after Elisa exined it to him.


    "How often do you raid monsters here, Elisa?" Aaron asked.


    "Being bored of doing monster raids in the dungeon, I thought I''d start trying to conquer the tower pir. If I count, this is my 12th time visiting this ce," Elisa replied.


    "Since you''re new here, it''s wise not to think about treasures early. You just need to think about how to gain as many EXP and talent points as possible."


    "I see."


    Aura came back and handed over seven ck bags. Each bag contained 2 HP potions, 2 MP potions, a gem to increase attack, and a ss slip for teleportation.


    Everyone got one ck bag; the rest were kept for emergencies. Once everything was ready, Jackson invited everyone to the Pir Tower.


    They walked together with other adventurers. Aaron could feel that they were at the Student Mage level or above, unlike him, who was still at the Apprentice Mage level.


    From afar, after passing through the forest, Aaron and Natasha stopped their pace when they saw a giant pir with dozens of entrances.


    Everyone was free to enter any door because the purpose of the door was the same, even though it twisted like a maze inside.


    "Stay together. We never know where this door leads," Elisa exined.


    Elisa brought out her ice talent ability, each step apanied by falling ice kes. A pop-up system appeared before Aaron and all the participants for a few seconds after passing through the tower pir door.


    [Tower Pir]


    [Pir Floor 1]


    [Monsters: Lv.1-3]


    [Monster Boss: ???]


    [Tower Pir Countdown closes:]


    [00:10:59:59]


    "Why aren''t the details of the monster boss known?" asked Aaron.


    "Because you haven''t fought the boss monster yet. If you''ve fought it, the details of the boss monster''s identity will appear before you," Elisa exined.


    Aaron and Natasha nodded as they thought it made sense.


    The Jackson Party continued to step into the maze of towers with the roof of the ce soaring high and wide, making the air cirction not feel stuffy.


    A few shouts and the nking of swords could be heard filling the ce, a sign the adventurers had discovered their trouble.


    Elisa and Jackson stopped walking when they realized that Lv.1 monsters wereing in swarms, a total of ten red ant monsters.


    [Monster Details:]


    [Monster: Red Ant]


    [Level: 1]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 120/120]


    [Element: Earth]


    [Description: A monster that dwells in the underground realm of Earth, quiterge in size and characterized by red antennae].


    "They could be a good start for you both," Elisa replied, standing casually with her arms around her waist.


    Aaron and Natasha agreed. They stepped forward with Jackson and Elisa keeping a watchful eye, both of whom would help if Aaron and Natasha had any difficulties.@@novelbin@@


    Natasha fired herser beam of light forward, managing to pierce through the red ant monster''s body with ease.


    Unfortunately, Aaron was having trouble since he hadn''t dared to use the sub talents of his talents.


    [Damage +50]


    [Critical +89]


    [Damage +37]


    [3bo]


    Natasha jumped back after attacking several red ant monsters with herbo talent move. Another pop-up appears before Natasha, saying the damage, EXP gain, and TP gain.


    [EXP +143]


    [TP +72]


    "This is way too easy for me. How about you, Aaron?" asked Natasha, ncing to the side.


    Aaron was stillnding his attacks even though it was only a small sword attack. Despite not being strong enough, the damage dealt was more than enough to make the red ant monster hurt.


    [Damage +10]


    [Damage +23]


    [2 Combo]


    [EXP +42]


    [TP +21]


    ''Damn, what an unfortunate moment,'' Aaronined.


    Jackson saw Aaron seemed to be having trouble defeating the monster, even though it was a first-level monster.


    Aaron didn''t want to give up. He sheathed his sword and pointed his hand forward tounch a magic attack.


    [Magic Activated]


    [Fire Magic: Fire Stab]


    [MP -150]


    Aser lunged towards the red ant monster and sessfully pierced through the two ant monsters'' bodies, causing both monsters to die and their bodies to vaporize, the material from inside their bodies falling.


    [Damage +60]


    [Critical +78]


    [2 Combo]


    [EXP +87]


    [TP +43]


    [DING! Congrattions on earning two new titles]


    [1. Brave Explorer]


    [Adventurers first explore the Pir Tower]


    [2. Newbie Ant yer]


    [Adventurer kills a Lv.1 red ant monster for the first time]


    "Title?"


    ''What the hell is this title? I sound like aplete weakling with this title. I''ll never use it.''


    "Woah, you also got the same title, Aaron?" asked Natasha, approaching.


    Aaron nced to the side, precisely at Natasha''s system pop-up. The girl also got the same two titles as him, but she got a third different one, the Brave Maniac.


    Natasha earned the Brave Maniac title after hitting abo attack three times in two consecutive attacks.


    Aaron could also have gotten the title if he had managed to get multiplebos in each attack. For now, it was better for Aaron not to endanger himself.


    Jackson and Elisa eliminated all the monsters ahead of Aaron and Natasha, leaving not a single monster to survive.


    Materials fell on the ground, Jackson reached out and pulled them into his palm. Aaron and Natasha stepped closer to Jackson.


    [Items acquired:]


    [6 EXP Crystals lv.1]


    [4 Red Antennae]


    [2 HP potion lv.1]


    "We should save it and go deeper into the maze," Jackson replied.


    Aaron nodded. Jackson and Elisa stepped in front, Aaron and Natasha keeping watch behind them.


    As they were walking into the maze''s depths, Aaron''s eyes caught a stream of purple energy simr to his darkness attribute.


    The young man stopped his walk as his eyes focused to the side, Natasha noticed Aaron''s attitude. The woman quickly asked about it.


    "What''s wrong, Aaron?"


    Jackson and Elisa also stopped their steps. They turned around and saw clearly that Aaron was watching the route beside him.


    "Is there something wrong, Aaron?" Jackson asked.


    "Can youe with me to check this out? I feel something different about this route."


    "We should go together so we don''t get separated," Elisa exined.


    Aaron didn''t mind at all. This purple-colored dark energy that triggered his mind must have something to do with Aaron''s Dark Dimension Reality talent.


    ''Is it possible that this energy has something to do with my talent?''

 Chapter 8 Raid Monster Dark Pillar Tower

    "Good."


    David turned to the side, looking at the woman still sitting on his motorcycle. It was Hilda, the woman trapped in the Dark Pir Tower five years ago.


    The man told Hilda to take Aaron to the Night Liberation Group Headquarters. David wanted her to deliver Aaron first, then return here to pick up the others.


    Hilda nodded, fully understanding the 32-year-old''s orders. Hilda approached Aaron and took the young man''s hand, leading him to her motorcycle.


    Aaron mounted, wrapping his arms around Hilda''s waist. An ufortable Hilda squeezed Aaron''s hand firmly, startling the young man.


    "Behave normally, dude. Don''t touch me!"


    "A-Alright. I''m sorry."


    Hilda and Aaron left the ce on their motorcycles at high speed, heading down the ck sand dunes and passing several smallkes with pitch-ck water that could not be consumed.


    "How long have you been stuck here?" Aaron asked.


    "Five years."


    "Have you ever tried to go down to the second floor?"


    The woman chose silence instead of answering, focused on her motorcycle. Aaron sighed, sensing that they were hiding something.


    Aaron saw an iron fortress standing firm from the forest with four men guarding the two gate towers. They didn''t seem to carry any weapons, just their levels and talents.


    The gate opened, the presence of Hilda and Aaron immediately attracted many people''s attention. They stopped their activities and focused their eyes on Aaron, the new person in the Night Liberation Group.


    A man in a typical mercenary uniform stepped up to Hilda, "Where did you find a sucker like him?"


    "S-Suckers? What do you mean, dammit?!" said Aaron, not liking being called a sucker.


    Aaron didn''t hesitate to confront the man even though he knew his level must be higher than his. The manughed grinningly. His hand seemed to bring up a magic spear with dense wind energy.


    "Come here. Let me show how weak you are."


    Aaron jumped far back as his right hand stretched out to the side, trying to intimidate him in other ways before using his talent.


    Purple energy appeared in the form of mes, startling many people into lining up behind the man with spears, ready with their magic circles. Hilda tried to break it up.


    "The element of darkness? Does he have the blood of monsters in this ce? How can he bring forth such terrible power!" the man asked, staggering in shock.


    "Captain David invited him directly. You know what that means, don''t you?" said Hilda, ring at the man with the spear.


    Hilda sent the other members off on their bikes to pick up the two men on the hill outside the base. She couldn''t leave Aaron here alone, especially after noticing that people already knew about his dark elemental powers.


    "We can''t ept that. He could have bad intentions towards the Night Liberation Group!"


    "We''ll see his behaviorter. Can you guys get rid of your talent magic? You too, Aaron!" Hilda insisted.


    "I''ll remove it if I no longer feel threatened."


    The man with the spear sighed, then deactivated his talent. This was followed by the people behind him. Hilda could let out a sigh of relief. At least no conflict had to happen at the headquarters of the Night Liberation Group.


    Not long after, David and the others arrived at the base. David''s arrival with the others was immediately greeted with a respectful salute to him, except for Aaron.


    "Aaron. Come with me," David pleaded, Aaron cleared his throat in response.


    David and several of his aides stepped through the crowds. They opened the way for David so he could step easily without being blocked towards his house. The sardonic gaze was still fixed on Aaron when the young man passed right in the middle of the crowd.


    "How was it? I hope they all wee you here, Aaron," David said.


    "They tried to kill me. What''s wrong with them? Why are they so aggressive?" Aaron asked.


    "You''ve been on the surface for a while. It''s because of the hard environment in this ce that shapes their personalities."


    "I see."


    From afar, David''s two-story house was clearly visible. There, a woman wearing a nightgown stood on the second-floor balcony, weing David''s arrival while smoking a cigarette.


    The woman smiled as she exchanged nces with Aaron, David''s aide in the back whispering something to Aaron regarding David and the woman''s rtionship.


    "That''s Captain David''s mistress, Isabe. You''d better not get close to her since Captain David loves her so much," David''s male aide whispered. Aaron was shocked and still tried to remain calm.


    David and Aaron entered the house, sitting together over drinks. Although they were trapped here, they had gotten many supplies sent from the 10th floor of the Dark Tower.


    "There''s quite a supply of fresh food here. Isn''t this ce a rotten one?"


    "Our advantage is that we joined the Night Liberation Group. They always send food supplies from the nearest floor, the 10th floor of the Dark Tower," David exined, pouring cheap wine into two sses.


    "Is that so?"


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Monster Raid in Dark Pir Tower will open soon]


    [All adventurers are requested to prepare]


    [Countdown until Monster Raid Gate opens]


    [00:11:59:43]


    Not only Aaron but David and the others also got the same notification pop-up. David took a deep breath and then exhaled; there was disappointment and resignation on the man''s face.


    "I didn''t expect the Monster Raid to be held twice in a week," David said.


    "Are we sending our team to the pir?" asked one of David''s aides.


    "Our Monster Raid team is recovering. I can''t send them."


    "You''re right, Captain. However, if we don''t send any more, I''m afraid the Sky Sword Group and the Justice Dimension Group will underestimate us."


    "We also need the resources kept there, of course, to help defend our base and strengthen our members'' abilities."


    Aaron looked confused by the conversation before him. It seemed that the monster raid in this ce was quite different from the raid in the Pir Tower on the surface, where he could raid monsters every day.


    "What exactly are the qualifications for being able to join this Monster Raid?" asked Aaron.


    David and his aides turned their heads forward, watching Aaron with a careful look in their eyes. Aaron''s words were no joke. Aaron had to participate in this monster raid to gain abilities and increase his level.


    "The minimum participant level is 35 with a minimum CP of 30,000. However, there aren''t many people with such abilities here," David replied.


    "I meet those qualifications. Can I go?" asked Isabe,ing down from the second floor with a long coat covering her nightgown.


    David turned around, surprised to see Isabe with her dark hair flowing down her shoulders. David stood up and stepped closer, asking her to return upstairs and wait for him.


    "Although my level has not yet reached 35, I meet the minimum qualifications for CP."


    David''s aide gasped at Aaron''s words. David also seemed to draw his attention back towards Aaron from Isabe.


    "Don''t be kidding, Aaron. No one can meet the CP qualifications if their level isn''t 35."


    Aaron didn''t want to lie and spread a bad perception about him. He pressed his system watch and pressed the Abilities Status menu. A blue panel appeared above Aaron''s system watch, visible to David, Isabe, and the rest of David''s aides.


    [Status Abilities]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [CP: 33693]


    [STR: 14]


    [AGI: 15]


    [INT: 18]


    [LUK: 9]


    [DEX: 16]


    [Ability Point: 20]


    David was surprised to see those numbers, not because they were big, but about how Aaron could get such arge CP if his other statuses were less than 20 points.


    "Your status is less than 20. If I look through my simple calctions, you might only get CP in the range of 10,000-15,000," David replied.


    "Let me guess, it must be your talent that helps your CP a lot, right?" Isabe asked.


    "That''s right, Ms. Isabe. My talents affect my CP a lot."


    "What is your talent rank?"@@novelbin@@


    "SSS-R"

 Chapter 10 Aaron Lewis vs Jack The Ripper

    Aaron fell silent, his hands shaking as he realized he was about to fight one of the evil souls of a past figure.


    The young man obviously had to be careful because Jack The Ripper''s talent was Stealth rank S-R.


    Although it was only Stealth, but it was certain that its power was greater than the typical Stealth ability.


    "How about it?" asked Aerith.


    Aaron took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The young man tried to convince himself that he could defeat Jack The Ripper with his current abilities.


    "Alright. I''ll do it."


    Aerith smiled. She opened the way for Aaron to enter the Dark Dimension''s rift. Aaron walked inside, followed by Aerith behind him. The two were finally within the Dark Dimension with the red cage where Jack The Ripper was.


    The red-haired and ck-dressed woman stepped closer to the red cage. Her hands were held on the cage''s metal as her eyes focused forward, gazing at Aaron.


    "Are you ready?" asked Aerith, Aaron took a deep breath and breathed slowly.@@novelbin@@


    "I''m ready."


    [The Cage Destruction Seal has been deactivated]


    [Initiates opening the soul cage ]


    [WARNING!]


    [The detached evil soul could potentially invade the real world]


    [Extra precautions required]


    Aerith pointed her hand upwards, an orb of purple light shot into the sky and exploded to form arge dome cage, preventing Jack The Ripper''s soul from escaping the Dark Dimension.


    "Haha! You created this dome solely to prevent me from escaping into the real world, right?" asked Jack The Ripper,ughing evilly as he stepped out of the soul cage.


    "Don''t you think I''m stupid? It''s easy for me to catch a soul like you in the real world."


    The purple energy dome formed sessfully; Aerith cast her eyes ahead to look at Aaron. She also told him about the significant time difference between the Dark Dimension and the Dark Pir Tower.


    "An hour here is the same as 15 minutes in the Dark Pir Tower. So, you can take your time, Aaron," Aerith replied.


    "I have no problem with the time difference. But, I have a problem with how long I can hold out against him."


    "Your name is Aaron? I remember that name once; we met in a small alley around London. He was a terrible drunk, and I didn''t like him. What a poor man," said Jack The Ripper.


    "Let me start first!"


    [Stealth Talent Activated]


    [Stealth Sub Talent Activated]


    [Night Mist Steps]


    A cloud of mist suddenly appeared in the battle area, significantly reducing Aaron''s vision ¡ªonly five meters of visibility. Aaron prepared by casting a magic spell to enhance his body''s physique and senses.


    [Magic Activated]


    [Body magic: Enhanced body strength]


    [Body magic: Enhanced senses]


    [MP -250]


    Aaron''s body lit up in white, his hands and feet strengthened to withstand the Stealth attack from Jack The Ripper. He sharpened his hearing and vision to detect the soul figure''s presence.


    "Haha, you chose defense, apparently."


    Jack The Ripper came out in the thick mist and swung a small dagger. Aaron was able to see it and quickly defended by raising his hand.


    [Damage -23]


    Thanks to the enhancement of body strength, he didn''t suffer significant damage from Jack The Ripper''s attack, even though his talent and ability were at rank S-R.


    ''Only a small damage. This is good. At least he won''t be able to defeat me fast,'' Aaron exined.


    Once Jack''s location was known, Aaron clenched his fist and punched the soul figure right in the face. Due to Jack''s soul-like form, Aaron''s punch didn''t feel like he was hitting a human. Still, the punch did a significant amount of damage to Jack.


    [Damage +45]


    Having good momentum, Aaron lunged quickly forward, not allowing Jack to dodge or disappear. The young man drove his hands and feet forward, punching Jack The Ripper''s face, stomach, and waist.


    Once again, Aaron didn''t feel his fists and kicks hitting human flesh. It felt different and a bit odd to him.


    [Damage +23]


    [Damage +40]


    [Critical +78]


    [3 Combo]


    ''Damn, it seems like if I kick him in the balls, he won''t feel any pain,'' Aaronined.


    "You bastard! How can you move this fast? How did you figure out my Stealth attack pattern?" asked Jack The Ripper, surprised to get an unexpectedbo attack from Aaron.


    "You don''t seem to know that my previous talent was Stealth. The Night Mist Step has always been my favorite sub-talent," replied Aaron.


    "One of its weaknesses is that you can''t disappear again for seven seconds. I don''t know how long it willst if the rank ascends to S-R."


    "Three seconds."


    Sure enough, Jack The Ripper disappeared into a dense sea of mist for the second time. Aaron went back on alert. The young man was confident that Jack The Ripper would not perform the same attack after the threebo attacks.


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Illusion of a Thousand sses]


    ''Illusion of a Thousand ss? Is there a sub-talent like that?'' Aaron asked.


    Aaron returned to guard, standing in a low stance. From the right, shot the shadow of Jack The Ripper rapidly. Aaron hurried to dodge while jumping backward.


    Unexpectedly, Jack The Ripper''s figure also emerged from behind. As a result, the attack hit Aaron hard in the back this time, dealing critical damage that surprised him.


    [Critical -90]


    Aaron bounced forward with blood flowing through the corner of his lips, a sign he was already in a fairly dangerous situation.


    Jack The Ripper finally appeared, not as one but ten who seemed to surround Aaron''s position. Aaron never knew there was a sub-talent like this in the Stealth talent.


    ''Is it possible that ascending to S-R has unlocked other sub-talents?


    ''I have to analyze it quickly; don''t let him take advantage of my ignorance.''


    "Can you hold off the sub-talent''s attack this time, Aaron?" asked Jack The Ripper.


    "Come here. Show me how good you are."


    Aaron made a fist and brought up a purple energy aura in both his fists, which was useful for adding specific damage to his attacks.


    Jack''s clones rushed forward and pointed their daggers at Aaron one by one. Aaron blocked and punched them, but the swift movements of the other clones caused Aaron to be hit with attack damage as well.


    [Damage -45]


    [Damage -51]


    [Damage -34]


    [3 Combo]


    [WARNING!]


    [The amount of HP is at the minimum limit]


    [Consume HP Potion Immediately ]


    Aaron asionally groaned in pain as the daggers cut into his body. Although it was only the soul figure, the attack was able to hurt Aaron''s soul, which would naturally have an impact on his body.


    The young man punched at one of the ten Jack The Ripper clones surrounding him. Surprisingly, pop-up damage appeared before Aaron when it didn''t when Aaron punched the other clones.


    ''He''s the real one!''


    Noticing a gap, Aaron used the chance to start hitting Jack The Ripper with a massive barrage of strikes.


    Since he didn''t activate the Night Mist Step sub talent, he couldn''t dodge Aaron''sbo attacks.


    "I found you! You won''t be able to escape from me anymore!" threatened Aaron.


    [Damage +56]


    [Critical +120]


    [Critical +90]


    [Damage +35]


    With a powerful kick to Jack The Ripper''s stomach, the thick mist around Aaron began to fade, as did the clones who had been ganging up on him.


    [Critical +107]


    [5 Combo! Great!]


    Aaron sighed as Jack The Rippery helpless. With the disappearance of the mist and all the clones, Aaron could tell that Jack The Ripper was helpless.


    "Well done, Aaron. You defeated him," Aerith said, arriving with a sh of purple light between Aaron and Jack The Ripper.


    "I didn''t expect someone like you to defeat me. If I was still in my physical form, you would''ve died at my hands, Aaron!" scolded Jack The Ripper.


    The young man took the HP potion and downed it without a second thought. Slowly, the HP amount he had increased gradually to adjust the amount of HP in the potion.


    [HP +250]


    ''It looks like the battle didn''t increase my EXP,'' Aaron exined.


    "Now, it''s your turn to seize his soul core and make him your servant."


    "Alright. Guide me, Aerith."

 Chapter 11 The True Power of a Servant

    Aerith stretched out a hand to Jack The Ripper, purple energy appeared from below and grasped his hands and feet so that he would not easily move and attack her.


    "What are you doing, you cunt?!" snapped Jack The Ripper looking at Aerith.


    "You''ve been defeated. Now, you must obey Aaron," Aerith replied, crossing her arms in arrogance.


    The more Jack The Ripper resisted, the stronger the grip of the purple energy on his feet and hands became. Aerith stepped closer to Aaron, not worried if Jack The Ripper managed to escape.


    Aaron stepped closer to Jack The Ripper, with Aerith stepping alongside. Now, both were right before the man, looking at him with great seriousness.


    "What should I do?" asked Aaron.@@novelbin@@


    Aerith walked up to Jack The Ripper''s side, her hand stretched out just above the man''s body. Within seconds, a red orb came out of his body and was clutched in Aerith''s hand. It was Jack The Ripper''s soul core.


    "Catch it."


    Aerith tossed the soul core aside, Aaron immediately picked it up with both hands. He felt Jack The Ripper''s soul-core orb was heavy, with the texture of the orb simr to a ss ball with an intense crimson color.


    He felt a cold sensation from the soul-core orb, not very cold like an ice cube but more like an object chilled overnight.


    [Item details:]


    [Name: Soul Core Orb]


    [Soul Name: Jack The Ripper]


    [Description: A useful item to bind one''s soul in a servant contract. Requires arge amount of MP to perform]


    ''What exactly is the amount of MP required to perform a servant contract?" asked Aaron.


    "It says it takes arge amount of MP to perform a servant contract. How big is it?" asked Aaron to Aerith, the woman casting a sideways nce with a smile.


    "Don''t worry about that. You can use the Additional MP I gave you. I''ll repay itter."


    Hearing Aerith''s words was enough to relieve Aaron''s heart. He asked Aerith to guide him in starting the servant contract, and the woman was d to help him.


    Aaron released the soul-core orb forward, seemingly floating in the air, preparing to start the servant contract. Aerith asked Aaron to transfer purple energy into the soul-core orb.


    Aerith picked up 100 Dark Mana Crystals, then threw them forward to float along with Jack The Ripper''s soul core orb.


    Aerith did not exin what the crystals were used for. Aaron chose to remain silent and focus on watching the servant contract process.


    [MP -30000]


    [Servant Contract]


    [Initiate servant contract ritual]


    [Scanning items for servant contract ritual]


    [1 Soul Core Orb detected]


    [100 Dark Mana Crystals detected]


    [Servant contract conditions met]


    "AAAAAKH!


    Jack the Ripper began to feel the turmoil of a great force pulling at his soul-body essence. The man''s feet and hands were sucked into the Soul Core Orb that had fused with the five Dark Mana Crystals.


    Aaron also noticed that the power in his body was also drawn into the Soul Core Orb, as if there was energy merging between him and Jack The Ripper. Aerith smiled when she saw the servant contract process was going well.


    ''It goes better than I expected. It seems like Aaron''s level is affecting the process quite a bit,'' Aerith said.


    Shortly, Jack The Ripper''s body began to be fully absorbed into the Soul Core Orb. Aaron''s breathing wasbored. He felt highly exhausted from the process.


    "Is it done?" Aaron asked.


    Aerith shook her head; the servant contract process required two stages to be performed. The first stage was when the soul was absorbed, and thest stage was manifesting the soul into a servant.


    Now, Aaron had to go through the second stage. The Soul Core Orb, which was originally a deep crimson color, began to turn white with a steady pulse of purple energy mixed with white.


    Aaron felt his energy no longer being absorbed. The Soul Core Orb began to project the form of the soul servant ording to Jack The Ripper''s mind image and soul form.


    [DING! Congrattions on establishing a servant contract]


    [Number of servants: 1]


    [Name: Jack The Ripper]


    [Talent: Stealth]


    [Talent Rank: S-R]


    [Servant level: 1]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting a new title]


    [6. First Servant]


    [Sessfully established the first servant contract]


    In the cover of white light, a white Jack The Ripper figure appeared and stood tall with his head bowed.


    His evil soul was erased and reced with the pure soul of Aaron, the servant was ready to carry out the tasks and orders that Aaron conveyed to him.


    Aaron fell to his knees with a sigh. In the end, he managed to manifest his servant, which was difficult for a mage his age.


    [CP +15000]


    ''Woah. I didn''t expect a servant contract to increase my CP to this point.''


    Aerith walked over to Aaron as she congratted the young man, never expecting Aaron to form a servant contract with a soul. Aaron smiled widely, happiness clearly etched on the young man''s face.


    "How is it going? Are you getting used to your servant?" asked Aerith as she smiled and stepped closer to Aaron.


    "I haven''t tried it yet. Still, it feels good to know that a servant contract can significantly increase my CP."


    "Then try fighting it."


    Aerith pointed her hand behind, bringing into existence a 30th-level terrifying monster she summoned from the depths of the Dark Dimension. The presence of the horned red giant-like monster surprised Aaron, as his condition had not fully recovered, especially his fatigue.


    [Monster Details:]


    [Name: Red Horned Buffalo]


    [Level: 30]


    [HP: 33,000/33,000]


    [MP: 35,000/35,000]


    [Element: Fire]


    ROAAAR!


    The roar of the buffalo monster could be heard echoing in the ce even though it was not surrounded by walls. It was so shrill and loud that Aaron was forced to cover his ears tightly.


    Unexpectedly, the buffalo monster lunged forward like it was rushing at him. Aaron jumped strongly and managed to dodge, followed by Jack The Ripper''s servant beside him.


    "Are you trying to kill me?!" shouted Aaron, annoyed at Aerith.


    "You can kill a 50th-level monster; you certainly won''t have any trouble defeating it, right?"


    ''Damn it! I don''t mind, but putting my first servant to the test with a 30th-level monster isn''t too much?''ined Aaron.


    Aaron saw that the buffalo monster was still roaring angrily. The monster sped up again, pointing its two red horns at Aaron.


    The young man had no choice; he ordered his servant to attack the buffalo monster.


    "Jack The Ripper! Attack that monster," Aaronmanded.


    "Alright," Jack The Ripper replied.


    The servant charged forward and activated his Stealth talent. The buffalo monster''s pace stopped when caught in the thick mist. Aaron set his foot on the Dark Dimension''s sky floor, Aerith suddenly appeared beside Aaron.


    "Watch and learn."


    Aaron nced briefly to the side to see what Aerith meant. Soon, a pop-up damage panel appeared before Aaron''s face, surprising him.


    [Damage +435]


    [Damage +564]


    [Critical +2450]


    [Damage +786]


    [Critical +2980]


    [5 Combo! Great!]


    "What the hell is this damage? How can he attack with this kind of power? Didn''t he only deal minor damage against me?" asked Aaron, both shocked and curious.


    "The power when he was in soul form and the servant body now is very different. Didn''t he say that if he was in body form, you would have died, right?" asked Aerith, trying to provide understanding while asking Aaron to remember.


    "This is his true power. I remember!"


    "This is her true power. But, because he''s in servant form, he can be even stronger than he is right now," Aerith exined.


    [MP -24500]


    Not only was the damage pop-up shown, but the MP count notification pop-up was also disyed. That surprised Aerith again, which made the woman smile a bit.


    "I forgot to tell you. Summoning a servant to fight requires a significant amount of MP," Aerith said, chuckling.


    "Oh gosh. Looks like I was too rushed."

 Chapter 13 Make Amends

    ***


    The next day.


    Night Liberator Base.


    [Status Abilities]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [CP: 56493]


    [STR: 20]


    [AGI: 24]


    [INT: 47]


    [LUCK: 19]


    [DEX: 22]


    [Ability Point: 0]


    ''Alright. This is enough for me.''


    Aaron turned off his abilities status panel and looked over his shoulder. He saw David talking with Isabe; some women were seen nearby. Seven people would be participating in the Raid this time, three men and four women.


    Among them, only four people had CPs above 30,000; the rest were in the range of 25,000. Isabe nced ahead and waved as Aaron stared at her. David frowned, feeling suspicious of Isabe''s response.


    "Aaron," David called.


    Suddenly, David''s call startled Aaron and made him worried. He took a breath and stepped closer to David; the expression on his face looked very serious looking at the young man.


    "What''s wrong, Captain David?" Aaron asked.


    "How much is your CP today?"


    "About 56,000," Aaron replied tly.


    ''He''s been up to 50,000 CP in such a short time? His CP almost equals mine,'' exined David.


    Several people gasped at the amount of CP Aaron had. Isabe shed a broad smile, the woman bing more confident that Aaron was the right person to free her from David''s control.


    "He''s already reached the second-highest CP in this group."


    "This young man! We truly can''t underestimate him."


    "It''s a good thing we didn''t fight then."


    David didn''t like it when someone else created new dominance in his group. But since Aaron was a new member, he couldn''t show his dislike to Aaron.


    "Good. That''s a good thing, Aaron. I knew I could count on you," David exined, patting Aaron''s right shoulder several times.


    Aaron smiled bitterly, he felt a strong grip on the shoulder where David patted him. It wasn''t a tap of encouragement or joy but more of an unspoken anger and resentment.


    ''He''spletely angry with me. Is it because of Isabe''s friendly attitude towards me recently?''


    ''That woman is such a pain in the ass!'' Aaronined.


    "I won''t trouble you, Captain David," Aaron exined, trying to act casual amidst David''s increasingly strong grip on him.


    Isabe red. She stepped forward after feeling that David was trying to intimidate Aaron. The woman''s delicate hand held the back of David''s hand, calming the emotional turmoil in his heart.


    "You don''t have to worry. The others and I will return from the Dark Pir," Isabe replied, removing David''s hand from Aaron''s shoulder.


    Bravely, Isabe pecked David on the cheek since the woman knew the only way to soften David''s temper was with affection. Isabe had to do it for Aaron''s safety.


    "Alright. I''ll wait for you toe back, dear," David replied, rubbing Isabe''s cheek.


    Isabe nodded. She quickly turned her face away and stepped away from David. The woman invited the others to start leaving for Dark Pir.


    Not on motorcycles, they marched while holding teleportation slips. Aaron knew the function and how the teleportation slip worked; Hilda told him yesterday.


    ''I still can''t seem to get Hilda on board,'' Aaron replied, sighing.


    One by one, they began to put a small amount of their energy into the slip. Isabe and the others were sent to the front gate of the Dark Pir. Yet, Aaron was frozen in silence, not tapping on his slip.


    "What''s wrong, Aaron?" asked David.


    "Can I invite someone else?"


    "Who?"


    "Hilda!" said Aaron.


    "Hilda? Why do you want to invite her?" asked David, confused.


    Hilda, who had been near the south gate, snapped out of it. All eyes were on the woman who had made herself awkward.


    David turned to the side, looking at Hilda while not forgetting the careless act she hadmitted at Raid Monster five days ago.


    "Because she knows the Dark Pir better than anyone. That will help me a lot," Aaron replied.


    "What the hell, Aaron?! Are you trying to embarrass me?" asked Hilda.


    Aaron looked sideways, pointing at Hilda with a look of seriousness.


    "I want you to help me repay your failure."


    "The team leader is Isabe anyway. She''s only a guide," Aaron exined.


    "I refuse if you ask me like that, Aaron!" Hilda snapped.


    David raised his hand and clenched his palm. He asked for the dispute between Aaron and Hilda to stop as it would be pointless. Seeing David''s gesture, Hilda and Aaron stopped arguing.


    "The more members of the Night Liberators group who manage to get to the second floor, the more favorable our position will be."


    "We have to think of the group''s benefit rather than our personal interests. Do you both understand my point?" asked David sternly.


    Aaron and Hilda cleared their throats and nodded in understanding. David nced to the side, took out a backup slip and handed it to Hilda, shocking her when she took it.


    "You know how it works, Hilda. This time, don''t let me down again," David said, staring intently at Hilda.


    Hilda could not hide her surprise. Her heart was pounding, with a faint smile spread across her face. Although she didn''t go with the main raid team members, she was d to be able to go again to make amends.


    "Thank you. I promise not to let you down again, Captain David."


    "Now go and protect Isabe," David ordered.


    Aaron smiled widely; it was not in vain that he asked David to bring Hilda along. The young man knew everything that happened to the main Raid team led by Hilda. There was no harm in inviting Hilda to make amends for her failure yesterday.


    [Teleportation Slip activated]


    [Destination: Dark Pir]


    [Slip username: Aaron Lewis]


    [Teleport in three seconds]


    [Three]


    [Two]


    [One]@@novelbin@@


    [Teleportation begins]


    Slowly, blue light appeared around Aaron, as well as Hilda. David nodded to let them go. He entrusted the sess of this monster raid not to Aaron but to Isabe.


    Aaron and Hilda''s figures disappearedpletely from the ce in a blink of light. Right when the two opened their eyes, they had arrived at the front gate of the Dark Pir.


    Aaron and Hilda''s presence drew attention from Isabe and the others. Isabe was taken aback, not expecting Aaron toe with Hilda.


    "Hilda? What are you doing here?" asked Isabe, stepping closer to Hilda.


    "This is all because of Aaron. He was the one who forced David to ask me to join Raid Monster."


    "Aaron?"


    "Don''t think badly of it, Ms. Isabe. I invited her because she has more experience than us," Aaron exined.


    Isabe was silent for a moment with the corners of her eyes sharpening to look at Hilda. ording to her, Hilda could threaten her ns due to her loyalty to David. That is why Isabe did not put Hilda''s name in the Monster Raid team this time.


    "Alright. Still, you have to stick to my words. I''m the leader of this team. If you deny me, I can abandon you in the maze for good," Isabe emphasized, pointing at Hilda harshly.


    "Do you understand?"


    "I understand, Ms. Isabe."


    The woman began to notice Aaron. Bravely, she put her hand on the young man''s arm, surprising many people, including Aaron.


    "M-Ms. Isabe?" startled Aaron.


    "It''s okay, David''s not here. You have nothing to fear," Isabe replied.


    ''She''s a dangerous woman. I have to know what the main purpose of her n is.''

 Chapter 16 Floor Access Privilege

    The battlested for thirty minutes. Isabe fought against the cyclops monster with help from several team members. In the end, Isabe got thest hit and earned the reward item.


    Even though Isabe won it, she wasn''t selfish. She divided the item results equally among the three who helped her, each getting a 3rd-level EXP crystal, which was used immediately.


    Two of the three sessfully leveled up to 28. They were happy to be able to earn benefits for their participation in this raid, Isabe was d to be able to help them a lot.


    "Faster than I thought. Your talent is not to be underestimated, Ms. Isabe," Hilda praised.


    "Thank you, but this is still not enoughpared to Aaron''s strength. He alone can defeat two wolf monsters in less than half an hour," Isabe exined, smiling as she praised the other person, Aaron.


    "Tch! Just having won because of the help of another power isn''t a great victory for him!"ined James, still feeling dislike for Aaron.


    ''What''s causing him to dislike me that much?


    "If it wasn''t for Aaron''s power, we would''ve died being eaten by those two wolf monsters. Do you get it, James?"


    Isabe truly hated to see James dislike Aaron so much, even though the young man had helped a lot in this team. James responded by throwing away his face, unwilling to ept the truth.


    The woman ended the argument by saying that they had to rush. Hilda agreed with Isabe, saying the floor boss room was close to their location.


    "Maybe we''ll meet one or two more monsters. The best option is to avoid them," Hilda exined.@@novelbin@@


    Isabe, Aaron, and the others cleared their throat in response. They would follow what Hilda said since she was the one who knew the route in this maze better.


    Hilda stepped through several intersections, finding monsters with levels ranging from 30-33. But, Isabe chose to trick them and left the monster behind.


    ording to Aaron, it was a bit of a waste as the monsters had a decent amount of EXP rewards. If Aaron can defeat them, he can undoubtedly level up to 30.


    "We''ve finally arrived," said Hilda, stopping in her steps right at arge six-meter iron door.


    Aaron red; inside the iron door was the ruling boss monster of this ce. He surveyed the surrounding area, watching as human bones piled up as a warning sign that something behind the door was a terrible monster.


    "W-Wait... are those human bones?" asked James.


    "That''s right. Those who died inside the boss room were left to suffer to death outside, eaten by the monsters living on this floor," exined Hilda.


    "How do you know?" asked James, Hilda smiled as she looked back.


    "Just my guess."


    Isabe walked forward after seeing a red circle on the iron door, a magic circle waiting to be touched. Hilda looked at Isabe and exined that the magic circle was the team registration that would fight the floor boss.


    "What do you think, Aaron?" asked Isabe.


    "We''ve worked hard to get here. Let''s not waste our efforts because we fear seeing those bones."


    "Alright. If you''re sure enough, I won''t hesitate."


    Isabe took a deep breath and stepped back until she was directly in front of the red magic circle. She put her hand down and brought up a notification panel before Isabe and the others.


    [Registration sessful]


    [Team Name: Night Liberator Group]


    [Team Leader: Isabe]


    [Number of Team Members: Seven]


    [Challenge: Single Horn Orc]


    [Warning!]


    [The team taking the challenge cannot retreat]


    [The team can leave only once the boss is dead]


    [Take the challenge?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Isabe pressed the Yes button, suddenly, the magic circle erged and opened the iron door. Another pop-up panel appeared in front of all team members, writing something about raiding the floor boss.


    [Challenge epted]


    [Monster: Single Horn Orc]


    [Level: 36]


    [HP: 40000/40000]


    [MP: 42000/42000]


    [Element: Fire]


    "L-Level 36? That''s higher than the average level of monsters in this ce."


    Isabe and the others entered the floor boss room. The door closed again, and the ming iron torch lit up the ce. Aaron squinted, seeing clearly that the floor boss was indeed different from the average monster on this floor.


    It didn''t just have one HP bar, but four, with each bar totaling 10000 HP.


    ROAR!


    "Do you know the attack pattern, Hilda?" asked Isabe.


    "When its HP bar is still green, it will unleash an attack in the form of arge sword that works like a boomerang," Hilda replied.


    "When the monster''s HP goes critical, it can be sure that it has two different attacks: Orc Horn Ramming and Sword Boomerang."


    "Alright. At least we know what the attack will be."


    "Start forming a circr formation; we will attack together," Isabemanded. Aaron and the others agreed.


    Isabe began the attack by releasing thousands of rose petals forward, poisonous and capable of dealing a fifteen-minute stun effect to the monster.


    [Stunned!]


    [00:00:14:34]


    "Do it quickly with all your power!" said Isabe.


    A stun notification panel appeared above the monster''s body. It couldn''t move or block attacks. The only thing it could do was stay still and wait for the stun effect to disappear.


    They released their talent attacks aimed at the Orc. Some had the talent of a sword, magic element, or other special skills. Isabe turned her head to the side, looking at Aaron.


    "If your talent is enough to drain a lot of your energy, you can use regr magic spells, Aaron."


    "No. They are all fighting using their talents. I cannot just attack with regr magic spells!" said Aaron, returning Isabe''s gaze with a wide smile.


    Isabe was silent. She really needed Aaron''s great strength to quicken the monster''s death. Yet, on the other hand Isabe was reluctant to get Aaron hurt since she still needed him.


    "Alright, but I''ll take care of you. Don''t act carelessly, Aaron," Isabe pleaded. Aaron obediently agreed.


    Aaron stepped confidently forward. His palms opened and revealed the dark element''s typical purple ze of energy. Isabe watched thoughtfully; she wanted to know how Aaron''s dark elemental talent was.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [ws of Darkness]


    [MP -37000]


    Aaron''s hands were seen open with a purple aura starting to formrge in both palms. Isabe and Hilda felt a tremendous amount of energy gathering around Aaron. Both suspected that the energy was gathering in both of the young man''s hands.


    The collected purple energy slowly formed the shape of a sharp bird w, simr to the eagle''s ws. Aaron smiled, knowing what he had to do with his power.


    With a forward swing of his hand, the purple energy shot out in the form of three scythes ahead. The entire team saw the power and could only be astonished; they would never have guessed that Aaron wielded another terrifying power.


    The three scythes hit the monster''s body, a damage pop-up appeared that read the amount of massive damage the orc had suffered.


    [Damage +13450]


    [Critical +26890]


    [Damage +17052]


    [Three Combo! Great!]


    "W-What kind of terrifying power is that?" asked James, stammering in a stuttering voice.


    In the three scythe attacks from Aaron''s purple ws, the amount of damage dealt exceeded even the Single-Horned Orc''s HP. That made the monster''s four HP bars run out at once.


    Isabe widened her eyes, turning her head to the side with a focused look at Aaron. She waspletely fascinated by Aaron''s abilities, especially about his talents.


    With that amount of damage, it was obvious that Aaron could easily climb to the 25th to 50th floors of the Dark Pir Tower with ease.


    ''My sight wasn''t wrong. He''s powerful; there''s probably only one out of millions of people with such abilities. Letting him go is like throwing away a treasure,'' Isabe said, smiling with a thousand other ns in her head.


    Aaron looked forward, watching the body of the Single Horn Orc monster begin to split into small pieces, then fade into tiny particles that vaporize and disappear.


    [EXP +21352]


    [TP +10676]


    [3000 RL]


    [DING! Congrattions on leveling up]


    [Level 30]


    [DING! Congrattions on unlocking a new feature]


    [Second Talent]


    [Host can add a new talent on condition that the rank cannot be higher than the primary talent]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting a new title]


    [7. Warrior of Floor Boss]


    [Defeated the floor boss for the first time]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting thest hit reward]


    [1 Soul Core Elixir Lv.1]


    [2 Blue Amethyst Gem Lv. 2]


    [1 Arknoir Sword]


    All of them who participated in the raid against the floor boss gained the same amount of EXP as Aaron. But, what they didn''t get was thest hit reward. Isabe stepped close to Aaron, reading the list of items Aaron had managed to obtain.


    "The items from the floor boss''sst hit are really promising. You got some good stuff, especially the Soul Core Elixir," Isabe replied.


    "What is that?"


    "It''s useful for increasing your servant''s level. Although it''s first level, it''s quite expensive due to its rarity."


    [CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [You have sessfullypleted the Dark Pir''s first-floor boss challenge]


    [The second floor of Dark Pir Tower has been unlocked]


    [Floor ess Privilege: 2]


    [Want to go to the second floor?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Another panel appeared that surprised Aaron, a pop up notification system that exined that a team member''s floor ess privileges had risen to the second floor. Also, there was another column to teleport to the second floor, precisely to the light stone outside the Dark Pir gate.


    Not only Aaron but others also received the same notification panel. Isabe narrowed her eyes, then nced at Hilda.


    "We''ll return and wait at the base," Hilda exined.


    "What about you, Aaron?" asked Isabe, heart beating fast as Aaron''s decision would affect her.


    She was reluctant to return to the base and meet David; she had suffered enough from pretending to love him. Now, she has the chance to gain freedom.


    Still, Isabe realized that leaving alone would be bad for her. She couldn''t possibly invite the others due to their loyalty to David and the people at the base. The best option for her was to go with Aaron.


    ''Please, let''s head to the second floor.''


    "Thank you for your help, Hilda. Also, the other friends. I wouldn''t have made it to this ce without all of you."


    Aaron turned his body around and spoke directly to them. Hilda squinted, wondering what Aaron was talking about.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I''m gonna go straight up to the second floor."

 Chapter 18 Davids Obsession

    Aaron turned to the side to look at Isabe. The woman made a serious face, then nodded slowly. She also agreed with the suggestion of the man named Robert. After all, they could certainly get temporary shelter until the day the Dark Pir Raid reopened.


    "Your name is Robert, right? Well, we''re interested in joining your group," Aaron said.


    He helped the two women to stand. Isabe stepped closer to them, reaching out her hand to summon a simple healing magic.


    [Magic Activated]


    [Low Magic: First Wound Recovery]


    [MP -50]


    A blue magic circle appeared before Isabe''s two palms, releasing tiny particles that touched the wound on the woman''s arm. The skin regeneration process went well,pletely covering the wound.


    The woman before Isabe smiled; her wound fully healed thanks to Isabe''s help. They could have cast that low-level magic, but they found it difficult due to fatigue.


    "Thank you," said the woman, Isabe cleared her throat with a smile.


    Isabe finished treating them and stepped closer to Aaron. Aaron nodded and asked Robert to take them to the base of the Star Pir group. Robert will dly take them away.


    Aaron reached out, waiting for Robert to give them the teleportation slip. But, Robert ignored him for a specific reason. That certainly surprised Aaron.


    "Where is he going? Is the ce close?" asked Aaron, confused.


    "Maybe, we should follow them," Isabe replied, Aaron cleared his throat in favor.


    The young man walked with Isabe seemingly following close behind. Thirty minutes they walked behind Robert, there was no sign from him that they would soon reach the base.


    Feeling that they had walked far enough and Robert was not using a teleportation slip, Aaron stepped forward and asked Robert.


    "Hey. Don''t you have a teleportation slip?" Aaron asked, making Robert''s steps halt for a moment.


    "Ah, about that. Small groups like us don''t have them; we don''t have group branches in big cities," Robert replied.


    "He''s right. Teleportation slips can be purchased in the big city at the Dark Pir Tower. The nearest city is 10th Floor City," Isabe continued, Aaron didn''t know about that at all.@@novelbin@@


    "Don''t worry. We''ve already cleared this path. It is confirmed that there will be no more monsters threatening us."


    Hearing that was quite a relief for Aaron. They continued walking until they found arge in with a cluster of small houses.


    The strange thing was that there weren''t many high-level monsters roaming around. If any, it was only low-level monsters.


    "That''s the captain. He has returned," exined a man, standing on the watchtower.


    "Open the gate. We have new guests," Robert replied.


    They did as Robert told them. The wooden gate opened for Aaron and Isabe to enter. There were ten small houses, all made of wood and solid.


    "Before you stay in our house, there is one thing I need to make sure of," Robert exined.


    Isabe sighed. The woman fully understood Robert''s meaning because she had lived there for a long time and knew the culture.


    "Show him your CP," Isabe whispered to Aaron. Aaron understood.


    Both showed their status abilities, bearing the numbers of their status and CP. Robert widened his eyes, not expecting that both of them had CP above 40000.


    Not only Robert but also the others had the same expression. They never expected the new person on the second floor to have the highest CP count in the group. Robert himself only had a CP count of 38000.


    ''Did they stay too long on the first floor to get this high CP?" asked Robert.


    "How?" asked Isabe, full of confidence.


    "Ah, of course, you are epted to be part of us. Wee to the Star Pir Group."


    Isabe and Aaron turned off their abilities'' status panels. Robert told one of his members to escort them to an empty house.


    The woman exined that the house was originally upied by another member, but he died inside the Dark Pir, so it was empty.


    "One house has four rooms in it. Please understand that if your room space is small, we will try to make it as efficient as possible," the member replied, realizing the shorings in their group.


    Aaron didn''t mind. It was more than enough as long as they had a safe shelter from monsters and the cold.


    The door to the house was open; there were indeed four room doors inside. However, it was certain that the living room and kitchen areas were quite spacious. Aaron thought the house was enough for them to live in.


    "Just let me know if you need anything. Do you mind adding me as your friend?" asked the female member, Isabe smiled and shook her head.


    Isabe pressed the friend''s menu and brought up the system panel before her, as did the woman ahead of her.


    [Friends Menu]


    [Search: ]


    [Add Friend: ]


    [Remove Friend: ]


    [Message]


    Isabe pressed the search menu and searched for the profile by name and the nearest signal detection.


    The detection signal range was 50 meters from Isabe''s position, so it was unlikely that the same name was within the range.


    [Name found]


    [ra Ramirez]


    [Level 26]


    [Add Friend]


    [Message]


    Isabe added a friend to ra Ramirez. ra confirmed Isabe''s friend request, clearly seeing that the woman''s level was already at level 33.


    [You have be friends with ra Ramirez (Lv.26)]


    She saw that ra''s profile had a green dot, indicating that the woman was still alive. If the dot turned ck, it meant that the person was dead.


    "Alright. I''ve gotten your profile. I''ll let you know if I need anything," Isabe exined.


    ra cleared her throat. She would dly help Isabe with anything. Not wanting to linger, ra said goodbye as she had something to do.


    Aaron closed the door and sat on one of the living room couches, sitting back while taking a deep breath to relieve the fatigue in his body.


    "Don''t they know we''re former members of the Night Liberators group?" asked Aaron. Isabe shook her head.


    "Apparently not."


    [One iing message]


    [Two iing messages]


    [Three iing messages]


    [You have three unread messages]


    A pop-up panel appeared in front of Isabe, surprising the woman, but she alreadypletely understood who the message was from. Aaron turned his head, looking at the small iing message panel on Isabe''s system.


    "Message?"


    "It must be from David."


    Half-heartedly, Isabe opened and read the message. Aaron became curious and read the message''s contents on the woman''s system.


    [Sender: David]


    [Where are you?]


    [Did you go to the second floor? Did you go with that damn kid? I thought you really loved me, but it turns out you''re just using me]


    [Hurry up and go back to the base, you fucking bitch! If not, I''ll send a message to my friend on the second floor to hunt you down and kill that boy]


    "He''spletely crazy about you," Aaron said, crossing his arms.


    "Don''t worry. They won''t be able to track us. There are many groups of adventurers here. Robert won''t tell them our identities either."


    "Of course. He needs us to conquer the Dark Pir on behalf of their group," Aaron replied.


    "We''d better talk to Robert and make a deal with him."

 Chapter 20 Raid at Midnight

    Servant Jack the Ripper listened clearly to Aaron''s orders. He again disappeared into the thick white mist to arrive quickly above the gate of the Star Pir base.


    "We do respect you. But, we also need to maintain our integrity. After all, there are no members named Aaron or Isabe."


    "I won''t believe you until you let me search your ce!" he dered, insisting on sweeping the ce.@@novelbin@@


    From behind a mysterious thick mist, a man in a traditional medieval European suit appeared. Jack the Ripper''s arrival was apanied by strong energy fluctuations in the ce, making people instantly focus their attention on him.


    "W-Who is he?" asked the representative of the Night Liberator, Robert shook his head.


    "I don''t know."


    ''Is he Aaron and Isabe''s subordinate? If that''s the case, obeying them is better for me."


    "Ah, I just remembered!"


    "What?"


    "That is my friend''s confidant. He is indeed powerful, so it is no wonder people like him obey Albert."


    Robert gave a broad, confident smile, showing the lie covered by his stern face. The stocky man could see the people of the Night Liberator Group could not do anything about it.


    ''They have people that strong? How strong is this group really?'' asked the group representative, shocked.


    "So, how was it? Are you gonna try to search my base?" Robert defiantly asked.


    The representative of the Night Liberator Group visibly shook his head, not wanting to risk his death by sticking to his ego.


    "Just let my group know if you meet them. I''ll give you a big reward."


    The man leading the Star Pir smiled with satisfaction and relief; they had not searched the ce. One by one, the members of the Night Liberators group left the ce, followed by Jack the Ripper''s disappearance from the crowd.


    Robert noticed that the man had disappeared from the ce. He ran inside and stepped up to Aaron. Robert''s guess waspletely correct; the person turned out to be Aaron and Isabe''s men.


    Aaron looked forward, Robert and the two men with him stepped closer. Aaron asked Jack the Ripper to return to his body, it surprised Robert even more when he saw it.


    "H-He disappeared. Who exactly is he?" asked Robert, curious.


    "That''s Aaron''s soul servant. You kept your promise, Robert. Otherwise, he might have killed you and everyone else in this ce," Isabe emphasized, the look of sadness and fear no longer disyed on her face.


    "You have nothing to worry about. Your identities are safe with me."


    "Thank goodness, then."


    Aaron stuck out a hand, leaving Robert confused. The young man''s eyes were narrowed, looking at Robert with seriousness.


    "What?" asked Robert.


    "Give back all the coteral items. We didn''t betray you, did we?"


    "I''ll hand them over once you''re on the tenth floor. That''s the deal!" said Robert.


    "You?!" snapped Aaron, bringing out purple magic from his body. Everyone was shocked because it was the first time they had witnessed the power of the dark element.


    Now, it was Isabe''s turn to try to calm the anger in Aaron''s heart. The young man did not expect that Robert was this greedy, so unlucky to give him two A rank talent slips and an Arknoir sword.


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Monster Raid in Dark Pir Tower will open soon]


    [All adventurers are requested to prepare]


    [Countdown until Monster Raid Gate opens]


    [00:11:59:43]


    Suddenly, a system panel appeared before them. Today, it was 2 pm Dark Pir time. That meant Dark Pir would open at 2am. What an inconvenient time to do a Raid -Wild monsters roam often at midnight.


    Realizing this information, Isabe smiled while crossing her arms with dignity.


    "Tomorrow, the Monster Raid will open. The guarantee is not that Aaron will get to the tenth floor, but it is a guarantee that we will sessfully pass through the Dark Pir on this floor."


    "The point is, we can''t betray until the second-floor boss is killed. That''s the agreement for the coteral," Isabe said.


    "Now, I''ll give you a choice. The branch on the tenth floor or those two items?!" said Isabe.


    Robert gasped at the deal. He looked to his right and left, asking for opinions from the two people beside him. Aaron rolled his eyes; he guessed Isabe''s offer had seeded in pressuring him.


    "Alright. We''ll choose to branch out on the tenth floor instead of those two items. But, you have to promise to set it up there," Robert exined, pointing forward with his assertive demeanor.


    Isabe cleared her throat. She promised to build the first branch of the Pir Star Group on the tenth floor. As proof, she would invite ra Ramirez to go up the floor together.


    "ra will be the first branch leader of the Star Pir Group. She will be the proof of my words!" Isabe emphasized.


    Robert turned his head and called ra''s name many times; the woman nodded while raising her hand. She came near Robert to fulfill the man''s call.


    "What is it, Chief Robert?" asked ra.


    "You''re going to go upstairs with them. You have to make sure that we sessfully set up a branch of our group on the tenth floor."


    "G-Going up floors? But my CP isn''t enough to do it. I''m afraid I''ll just be a burden to them."


    Isabe smiled. She stepped forward to ra, who was younger than her, maybe two years above Aaron.


    She patted ra''s shoulder gently as if a sister was calming her little sister''s anxious heart.


    "Don''t be afraid. With Aaron''s and my abilities, we can at least climb the floors safely until the tenth one."


    "You just need to do one thing: Stay close to us. Isn''t that right, Aaron?" Isabe nced back with a sweet smile, Aaron nodded without saying anything.


    ra was silent for a moment, took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. She nodded her approval after thinking about the consequences she would receive. Robert and Isabe were relieved by ra''s decision.


    "I won''t trouble you guys. I promise."


    "Good."


    Robert sighed. He took out two items from his digital storage. Aaron epted them, especially the two A rank talent slips, since the young man needed them quite a bit.


    "You have to keep your promise, Aaron. I''ve been protecting you."


    "Of course. You have my word."


    ***


    The Next Day.


    Dark Pir Gate on the Second Floor.


    Aaron and Isabe arrived. She was ready for the Monster Raid on the second floor withplete preparation. That woman had no problem doing the Raid twice in a row.


    A notification panel appeared before Aaron and Isabe''s faces, showing the countdown for the Monster Raid gate on the second floor to open soon.


    [Countdown until Monster Raid Gate opens]


    [00:00:10:23]


    "Will the strength of the monsters inside be different from before?" asked Aaron, standing next to Isabe.


    "Probably, the higher the floor, the harder the monster will be, right?"


    "I hope I can fight it."


    "Aaron, Isabe!"


    A loud voice said from behind, Isabe gasped. She turned around quickly and saw that ra called her that. That made Isabe annoyed.


    She immediately covered ra''s mouth with her hand, asking what the woman meant by calling their real names out loud in public. ra was shocked and scared, just realizing her mistake.


    "Sorry. I forgot about that," ra said.


    "Remember. My name is Be, and he is Levi. Do you understand?"


    "I understand, Be."


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [The Dark Pir Gate on the Second Floor opens]


    [Second Floor]


    [Monster: Lv.34-37]


    [Monster Boss: ??]


    [Countdown for Closed Gate:]


    [00:09:59:59]


    Aaron got the notification panel, and so did everyone else. Now, Aaron was the leader of the small three-person team. Robert couldn''t send more due to the impossible situation, which disgusted Isabe.


    "It''s a good thing our number of CPs isrge. Otherwise, we couldn''t get past the first monster with three people," Isabe snapped.


    "Don''t think about that. Let''s go."

 Chapter 21 Blue Mana Crystals

    Aaron was the one who walked in front, which, of course, the team leader had to do. Isabe and ra followed behind while watching in case any monsters suddenly attacked.


    "Do you know the route in this maze, ra?"


    "Sorry. I''ve never done a monster raid before. So, I don''t know for sure."


    "I guess so, huh?"


    The three stopped at the first intersection, with two paths leading in different directions. Aaron squinted, uncertain which was the right path to the floor boss.


    "Right or left?" Aaron asked Isabe.


    "Should we split up?" asked ra.


    "Splitting up will make us easily killed. It would be better if we stick together."


    Isabe walked forward right beside Aaron, her eyes focused on the left path. Aaron noticed Isabe''s line of sight and wondered why she kept her eyes on the left path.


    "Is there something?"


    "I have a strong feeling the floor boss should take the left path," Isabe exined.


    "What do you think, ra?"


    "I''ll follow where you guys are heading," ra replied.


    Not wanting to dy, Aaron continued the walk by taking the left path. Isabe nodded, stepping off, with ra following close behind.


    The walls and width of thebyrinth path made the three walk freely. The high roofs of the maze caused air cirction so abundant that it wasn''t stuffy or choked.


    The more Aaron stepped ahead, the more a woman''s scream was heard from the front, in the dark of the maze.


    The three paused in their steps. Aaron prepared the purple energy power from his palm while Isabe brought up her talent magic.


    "Be careful."


    In the distance, two people came out of the dark with injuries. The man held his severed hand while the woman helped carry the man beside her with shuffling steps.


    "H-Help us," pleaded the woman.


    "Isabe, you go protect them."


    "You go heal the man, ra."


    "Okay." The two women behind Aaron said yes, they hurriedly ran to get them while Aaron stepped quickly towards a ck w crab monster.


    [Monster Details:]


    [Monster: ck-Capped Crab]


    [Level: 35]


    [HP: 32000/38000]


    [MP: 34000/40000]


    [Element: Water]


    ''So, is it the one who injured those two?" Aaron asked.


    The woman was saved by Isabe. She looked beside her and watched as ra healed her friend. ra couldn''t perform body reconstruction, but she could help stop the bleeding.


    "What is he doing? He won''t be able to kill the monster by himself!" said the woman. Isabe smiled and patted her shoulder gently.


    "Don''t worry. The monster is no match for him."


    Confident words from Isabe, but the woman had also heard simr words and always ended in death. For her, confidence was good, but it must be bnced with strong abilities.@@novelbin@@


    The crab began to release a ck fluid from its mouth, an acidic liquid that could melt flesh and break bones. Aaron jumped back, preventing the crab''s attack from hitting one of his bodies.


    ''That''s pretty dangerous, a slight hit could be fatal,'' Aaron said.


    Just as the young man was floating in the air, it surprised him to see the crab pointing two ck ws straight ahead. Aaron widened his eyes, immediately directing purple magic to the front.


    BOM!


    An explosion happened on the maze''s rooftops, causing rocks to fall and potentially injuring Isabe and the others. The woman pointed her hand up, preventing the rubble from falling on her head.


    "Is he alright?" asked ra, still stopping the bleeding on the man''s hand.


    "I have no idea. I''m sure he can handle the attack."


    [Magic Activated]


    [Magic Talent: Purple Wall Shield]


    [MP -750]


    Aaron smiled. Although it wasn''t high-level shield magic, the strength of the dark talent managed to deflect the two ck ws of the crab monster.


    [HP -450]


    ''Even though I tried to withstand the attack, I still took damage from it,'' Aaron exined.


    The ck liquid was still pooling on thebyrinth floor, yet to evaporate as the monster''s magic remained active. Aaronnded firmly before Isabe, the woman smiled in relief to see Aaron was fine.


    "I told you it''s hard to kill. We''d better get away from this ce," said the woman, insisting.


    "Is this the right path to the floor boss? Do you know how to get there?" asked Aaron, turning his head.


    "I do. Still, I don''t know what kind of floor boss."


    "That''s more than enough."


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [ws of Darkness]


    [MP -37000]


    Again, Aaron brought out the purple magic in his hands. A great power with a strong gust of wind was created around Aaron, surprising the woman and ra. Neither of them had expected that Aaron could use such a powerful talent.


    ''How strong is he really?'' ra asked curiously.


    Isabe smiled. She asked the others to step a bit away from Aaron. ra and the woman obeyed what Isabe said.


    The purple magic of the dark element wrapped Aaron''s two hands in the form of sharp eagle ws. The crab monster screamed loudly as both ws began to mp down. It drove powerfully through its own ck acidic liquid.


    Aaron moved his hands diagonally, forming a six-sickle attack that crossed forwards. The pace of the scythe attack was so fast and powerful, it even left a trail of scratches on the ground.


    They watched the cross scythe attack; ra and the woman were curious about the damage caused by this power. But, it was different with Aaron and Isabe who knew what the result of this battle would be.


    [Damage +15689]


    [Critical +27560]


    [Critical +29800]


    [Three Combos! Great!]


    BOM!


    A powerful explosion with purple energy filled the location of the crab monsters, a st of strong wind was created that made Isabe have to form a magic shield to protect them.


    ''The damage he dealt was equivalent to 70000 HP. Is it possible he has another sub-talent with arge amount of damage?'' Isabe asked.


    Due to the attack, two ck ws were cut off and spurted ck blood. Slowly, the crab monster''s body vaporized and disappeared into tiny scattered particles. An EXP notification panel appeared before Aaron.


    [EXP +26584]


    [TP +13292]


    [3500 RL]


    [DING! Congrattions on leveling up]


    [Level 31]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting thest hit reward]


    [3 Blue Mana Crystals Lv.1]


    [2 Labyrinth Map Floors 2-3]


    [4 Water Element Beast Fragment Lv. 1]


    ''Blue Mana Crystal? I never knew about this,'' Aaron said.


    "Did you manage to level up?"


    Isabe walked over, Aaron responded with a smile. He also brought up a Blue Mana Crystal Lv. 1 that was small in size, simr to a pill with a wave-carved pattern on its surface.


    "Oh, it''s a blue mana crystal to increase your mana capacity. For the 1st level, it usually gives an additional mana capacity of 100," Isabe replied.


    "Really?"


    ''Then this thing will be very valuable to me. It can help me solve the problem of my MP amount being unbnced with my talents,'' Aaron exined.


    Haunted by curiosity about the truth of blue mana crystals, Aaron brought up the three crystals and shattered them.


    A stream of blue energy entered Aaron''s body through his forehead, a notification popping up before his face.


    [MP capacity increased!]


    [MP Capacity +300]


    [Total MP: 6900/6900]


    ''Woah, it really increased from before, plus the level increase and three Blue Mana Crystals.''


    ''I should get more of these.''


    "What kind of monsters do I have to kill to get the Blue Mana Crystals?" asked Aaron.


    "Monsters level 35 and above with water elements," Isabe replied.


    "You don''t have to worry. Many equipment shops on the tenth floor sell this thing. We just need to climb there quickly."


    Aaron nodded. If what Isabe said was true, then he could buy many blue mana crystals there while slowly leveling up and killing many water elemental monsters.


    The rescued woman withdrew her words about confidence and carelessness. She admitted that Aaron''s abilities were different from others.


    "My name is S, and he''s Thomas. Since you''ve helped us, I''ll help you safely get to the floor boss room," S said.


    "Follow me."

 Chapter 23 Ruthless Side of Dark Pillar

    Aaron and S did not encounter a single monster along the way to the Dark Pir''s front gate. Aaron''s steps came to a halt when he reached the ce; S took the teleportation slip from her digital storage.


    "Good luck to you, Aaron. You need it more than anyone," S said, holding up her teleportation slip.


    The young man nodded slowly. Fortune did y a role in a maze like this, but as long as he had the ability, it was not a problem for Aaron.


    "Thank you. See you soon, S."


    S activated her teleportation slip, creating a brightly lit blue light that filled her entire body. Aaron smiled, it was time for her to return to the Sky Sword base and tell everything that happened to her leader.


    Slowly, S''s body disappeared and evaporated into the sky as tiny particles of light. S''s figurepletely disappeared from Aaron''s presence, making Aaron relieved.


    [One iing message]


    Aaron squinted his eyes, seeing a notification panel appear before him. He pressed the panel and opened the message, saying that the message''s sender was Isabe.


    [Sender: Isabe]


    [Aaron. Did you drop her off? Are you alright? You didn''t run into any of those monsters, did you? Just to let you know, the door to the floor boss room is open. It''s hard to exin the situation here.@@novelbin@@


    You''d better hurry up ande].


    "What exactly happened? Isabe couldn''t have sent such an ambiguous message."


    Unwilling for anything bad to happen to them, Aaron ran into the Dark Pir through several intersections towards the floor boss''s door.


    Along the way, Aaron heard the monster screeches that sounded close to his position. Aaron clicked his tongue. He never thought a monster woulde when he was being chased by worries about Isabe and ra''s condition.


    Sure enough, arge red-furred rat monster appeared before Aaron. Not one, but two of the same size ¡ªtwice the size of a human body.


    "Shit!"


    Noisy squeaks could be heard from their white, foamy-looking mouths. Their sharp nails seemed to scratch the ground to show their strength against Aaron. Still, that didn''t daunt Aaron at all.


    [Monster Details:]


    [Monster: Big Red Rat]


    [Level: 36]


    [HP: 40000/40000]


    [MP: 42000/42000]


    [Element: Wind]


    ''Tch! Their level is the same as the level of the first-floor boss. There''s no choice but to defeat them quickly!''


    The rat released a screeching shout forward, an attack that could cause an incision to ur on Aaron''s body. The attack was circr and spun like a horizontal cyclone.


    Aaron pointed his hand ahead, deflecting the monster''s attack with his purple magic power. Although he managed to withstand it, it was not enough to protect him without taking damage.


    [Damage -345]


    [Damage -420]


    The young man fell to his knees, his breath hitching with his eyes fixed ahead, watching the two rat monsters that had alreadyunched their attacks. Now, it was Aaron''s turn to attack.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Energy Devouring Sword]


    [MP -40000]


    Aaron''s hand shot up, his palm opened and grasped the purple light of dark energy. The light gathered in Aaron''s hand, along with the rumble of lightning and the strong pull of the wind, the two rat monsters could only remain frozen.


    With a forward swing of his hand, Aaronnded a purple light sword strike on the two Red-furred rat monsters. An explosion of purple light was caused when the crushing blow hit both monsters, sending a thunderous rumble of lightning where the monsters died.


    [Damage +105530]


    [EXP +75680]


    [TP +37840]


    [7500 RL]


    [DING! Congrattions on leveling up]


    [Level 33]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting a new title]


    [8. Rapid killer]


    [Kills two monsters in one attack]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting thest hit reward]


    [7 Amethyst Gem]


    [10 HP Potion Lv. 2]


    [3 Red rat fangs]


    [4 Ash Mountain Crystals Lv.1]


    ''With the power of my talent, I managed to kill them easily. I''d better save more of my Additional MP, so I don''t keep relying on Aerith.''


    When Aaron was about to put all the items he got, he was surprised by an item called Ash Mountain Crystal Lv.1. He picked it up and squinted, a description system panel appeared before the item.


    [Item Details:]


    [Name: Ash Mountain Crystal]


    [Grade: 1]


    [Description: An item useful for increasing the AGI status of a person; the higher the grade of the item, the greater the amount of increase in status].


    "Hmm, this is useful for increasing my CP. Let''s see what kind of change it makes."


    Aaron crushed the three crystals in his hand, slowly the collected energy began to be absorbed into Aaron''s body through his forehead. The panel notification appeared for the umpteenth time before Aaron.


    [AGI +30]


    [CP: 56693]


    ''Hmm... it doesn''t add that much significance."


    ''I''d better go to their ce right away,'' Aaron said.


    Aaron left the ce with quick steps while hoping that there were no monsters he encountered along the way to the boss room door.


    He passed through several intersections and finally arrived at the area close to the boss room floor. From a distance, he saw Isabe standing with a worried face, constantly turning her head to the right and left. ra beside her also had the same expression.


    Aaron arrived at the ce and saw the door to the room open. Inside, there was arge bull-like monster holding a bloody axe.


    What shocked the young man even more was the corpses of the dead adventurers inside the boss room; they failed to defeat it.


    "They failed?" asked Aaron. Isabe nodded.


    "That''s right. They were trying to ask for help, but since you weren''t there, I couldn''t make a decision."


    Aaron arrived near Isabe and ra. The two saw the bull monsters throwing the body parts of the dead adventurers out like chopped meat. ra couldn''t stand it; she vomited unbearably.


    "What a cruelty."


    He saw a man with his upper body still moving. The man shifted his head to the side, looking at Aaron with exhausted eyes.


    "Impossible... to kill it."


    With blood flowing through the corners of his lips, the man died horribly with his eyes open. Aaron felt sympathetic. He stepped closer and closed his eyes slowly.


    "What is your decision, Aaron?" asked Isabe.


    Aaron got up, he raised his head and looked straight ahead. His eyes seemed to sh with the bull monster. The monster seemed to have a grinning expression, a sign that he was challenging Aaron''s abilities.


    "They probably died because their abilities couldn''t match the monster''s strength," Aaron replied.


    "Don''t worry. Our purpose for entering the Dark Pir is to conquer the floor boss. I''ll take us all up to the third floor."

 Chapter 24 The Hunt of the Night Liberator Group

    With Aaron''s high level of confidence, Isabe and ra were pretty confident of the young man''s strength.


    The two watched Aaron approach the boss room door, walking up to the system panel for the team registration that would challenge the floor boss.


    Isabe nced at ra, the two women seemed to look at each other. Both nodded in unison, agreeing with Aaron''s decision.


    They went to approach Aaron as the young man pressed his palm to register the team to challenge the floor boss.


    Only the group leader can do this. Earlier, Isabe was the group leader on the first floor. Aaron knew exactly what the registration system before him was like.


    [Registration sessful]


    [Team Name: Star Pir Group]


    [Team Leader: Aaron]


    [Number of Team Members: Three]


    [Challenge: Bull Axe]


    [Warning!]


    [The team taking the challenge cannot retreat]


    [The team can leave only once the boss is dead]


    [Take the challenge?]


    [Yes] [No]


    A notification panel appeared after Aaron and his group''s identities were confirmed. The exnation in front of it said that the monster they were about to fight was Bull Axe.


    Yet, there was no exact information about how and what level the monster was. Isabe guessed its level was above the average of the monsters on this floor, just like fighting the first-floor boss.


    Aaron felt confident in his abilities, especially since his Additional MP was still enough to use one to two of his sub talents.


    Still, Aaron had to pay attention to the efficiency of using his Additional MP. Don''t let his MP run out before he reaches the 10th floor.


    [Challenge epted]


    [Monster: Bull Axe]


    [Level: 38]


    [HP: 44000/44000]


    [MP: 46000/46000]


    [Element: Fire]


    Another panel appeared before Aaron''s face, disying the identity of the monster that Aaron and the others would be fighting soon.


    Level 38, with the fire element, proves that boss monsters always had a higher level than the average one in this ce.


    Red light appeared on the monster''s body, circr in shape and glowing brightly. Aaron narrowed his eyes.


    The dark pir system must restore the monster''s condition to its original condition after the earlier fight.


    Aaron took a deep breath, stepping forward into the floor boss''s room. Isabe and ra followed behind by preparing their magic and talents.


    "Can we defeat it, Aaron?" asked Isabe.


    "We can. We just need to be alert and work together."


    Isabe nodded, understanding what Aaron meant. She stepped ahead as she reached out her right hand, nning to use the rose petal talent to attack it first.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Rose Sword Manifestation]


    [MP -2500]


    A magic circle was disyed under Isabe''s feet, glowing rose red and releasing thousands of petals flew over her head.


    Aaron turned to the side, seeing with certainty that the thousands of petals flew to one point and formed into something, a sword.


    Wind rings were created around the rose sword, three in number, causing a strong gust of wind to form around the rose sword.


    With her palm clenched, Isabe pointed her hand forward, "Be blooming, my flower!"


    The rose sword darted quickly, apanied by a slight fall of petals from the sky. Aaron and ra saw the great power released by Isabe, a sign that the woman was not messing with the monster''s abilities before her.


    The bull monster pointed the tip of its axe forward, making a magic defense of its own.


    The tip of the rose sword de and the tip of the monster''s axe shed, causing a huge thunder to be caused in the ce until Aaron had to use his purple magic to defend himself.


    ''Terrible power,'' Aaron said.


    The energy friction between the two magics was great enough that Aaron couldn''t help anything for now. He nced to the side. ra seemed impressed with Isabe''s rose sword ability.


    Cracks were created in the bull monster''s defensive wall, getting bigger and broader. In the end, the bull monster''s defense magic shattered and turned into small fragments that evaporated.


    Isabe smiled. Her sword darted over the monster''s body and stuck right in the monster''s stomach.


    The woman swung her hand to the side, making the thousands of flower petals arranged in the rose sword burn brightly and explode to produce a continuous explosion.


    [Damage +5800]


    [Critical +6700]


    [Critical +7200]


    [Three Combo! Great!]


    [Monster: Bull Axe]


    [HP: 26000/44000]


    [HP - 18000]


    Two and a half of the monster''s four HP bars now remained. The monster leaped violently backwards, seriously injured in several parts of its body from the sword stab and rose petal explosion.


    Isabe clicked her tongue, feeling annoyed that her power had not been able to make the monster''s HP leave 20000.


    ''A bit more,'' said Isabe.


    Now, it was the monster''s turn to carry out its attack. Aaron asked Isabe and ra to be aware of what might happen.


    The bull monster swung its axe at the ground, forming a huge crack capable of falling a human. The crack spread all the way down to ra''s feet; Aaron reflexively pulled the woman from falling.


    "Be careful!"


    "Sorry, I wasn''t focusing earlier."


    A bright red light appeared from within the crack and surprisingly began to emit hot mes that could kill a human at once. Aaron and his team were caught between the two cracks of fire that appeared.


    "Rx, this won''t get us hurt."


    Feeling safe, an unexpected fire circle emerged from the floor. Aaron felt his feet warming up, he suddenly asked the others to avoid the me circle area.


    Aaron and the others jumped out of the mes. Aaron''s guess was right. The me circle was a pir of fire that emerged from underground.


    [Damage -1450]


    Aaron turned his head, seeing Isabe hit by the attack, precisely hit by the hot beam of fire when she was trying to dodge. Aaron gasped in shock.


    "Isabe? Are you alright?" asked Aaron, worried.


    "Don''t worry. It''s just a small wound; it will heal with HP Potion."


    Isabe fell to her knees as she downed a gulp of HP Potion. Suddenly, the burns on the woman''s right hand disappeared and healed as before, except for her clothes could not recover.


    Aaron smiled to see Isabe recovering. The fire cracks subsided, as did the circr pir of fire. It was a clear sign that the bull monster''s attack had stopped.


    "Go near Isabe, ra."


    "What are you gonna do?" asked ra.


    "I will kill the monster before me."


    ra nodded. She stepped back and met Isabe as she asked about her condition. Both women looked forward. Aaron seemed to be standing confidently while looking straight at the bull monster.


    Aaron brought out purple energy from his palms, stepping closer to the bull monster that continued to roar loudly to intimidate Aaron, but Aaron was not affected at all.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]@@novelbin@@


    [Energy Devouring Sword]


    [MP -40000]


    Purple-colored dark energy began to gather in one hand; Isabe squinted. Previously, she saw that Aaron''s talent attacks would collect energy in both palms. But now, it seemed different.


    "Is he nning to use another sub-talent?" Isabe asked.


    "Another sub talent? Is it powerful?"


    "I''m sure it is."


    The purple light in Aaron''s palm stretched and formed a huge purple sword with lightning and rumbling wind surrounding it.


    The monster stuck the de of its axe in the ground, then seemed to bring its palms together to summon protective magic power.


    Having sufficiently formed the dark magic sword, Aaron swung it powerfully forward apanied by a furious shout.


    Both hands of the bull monster were pointed upwards, blocking the power of Aaron''s purple sword.


    It was different from the protective magic that had been used to withstand Isabe''s attack. The protective magic this time shattered as it shed with the power of dark energy with Aaron.


    The bull monster''s eyes widened; it didn''t expect its defensive magic to be destroyed so easily.


    When the monster tried to dodge, Aaron''s purple sword attack hit its body first. Huge damage appeared before Aaron, such a huge amount that he was sure this attack could kill the monster.


    [Damage +58500]


    [Monster: Bull Axe]


    [HP: 0/44000]


    [HP - 57000]


    Sure enough! The HP bar of the monster before Aaron ran out immediately, indicating that the Bull Axe monster had been defeated.


    Aaron smiled, still holding the purple sword that continued to emit a great rumble around the monster''s carcass.


    Slowly, the monster carcass started to shatter and split into small shards of light, then evaporated into the sky and vanished.


    [EXP +25466]


    [TP +12733]


    [4500 RL]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting a new title]


    [9. Fast Conquer]


    [Defeated Two Floor Bosses within a week]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting thest hit reward]


    [2 Soul Core Elixir Lv.1]


    [2 Blue Amethyst Gem Lv. 2]


    [4 Red Ruby Gem Lv.3]


    [1 Amygd Silver Armor]


    ra gasped. She never thought Aaron could defeat the monster in a single attack. Slowly, blue lights began to glow in the room, indicating that the floor boss had been defeated.


    [CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [You have sessfullypleted the Dark Pir''s second-floor boss challenge]


    [The third floor of Dark Pir Tower has been unlocked]


    [Floor ess Privilege: 3]


    [Want to go to the next floor?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Not only appeared before Aaron but also in front of Isabe and ra. The two women stepped closer to Aaron, ra showing that she also managed to get EXP, although not as much as Aaron and Isabe.


    "How did it go? Are we gonna go straight to the next floor?" asked Isabe.


    "You won''t be able to escape from here!"


    The words came from a man who appeared before the boss''s room door. He came apanied by five people, none of whom Aaron knew, but Isabe was familiar with two of the six.


    "Denis!"ined Isabe.


    "Do you know him?"


    "He''s the leader of the Night Liberator Group on the second floor."

 Chapter 26 New Title: Murderer!

    [WARNING!]


    [Host indicated to havemitted murder against another adventurer]


    [Victim: Denis]


    [Age: 26]


    [Level: 56]


    [Initiate the first sentence against the Host!]


    [Punishment decided]


    [Forbidden to Raid Monsters on each floor for one time]


    [Host will be marked with a specific title]


    The system panel appeared, and to Aaron''s surprise, Isabe and ra stepped closer. It was the first time the two women had witnessed the system panel appear and show another inscription.


    "Punishment? What is that?"


    "It seems that killing between adventurers is prohibited in this ce, no matter the reason," Isabe exined.


    [DING! You get a red title]


    [Murderer!]


    [Host will get the title whenmitting a murder. Can''t change the title]


    [Duration of red title usage:]


    [03:23:59:59]@@novelbin@@


    Aaron, who had never used any title before, was now forced to use the red title due to his own deeds. Aaron couldn''t see the title since it was right above his head, but Isabe and ra could see it obviously.


    "That''s right. The title of murderer appears above your head, red in color and very clearly readable."


    "What should I do? I can''t get rid of it."


    "You have no choice. You have to keep it on and stick with it," Isabe exined.


    [Congrattions]


    [EXP +34000]


    [TP +17000]


    [10000 RL]


    [DING! Congrattions on leveling up]


    [Level 34]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting a new title]


    [10. Evil Man]


    [Made the first kill of another adventurer]


    [Host gets half of the victim''s total EXP]


    [Host is eligible to get all items in the victim''s digital storage]


    [Items obtained:]


    [4 Red Fire Crystals Lv. 2]


    [3 Blue Mana Crystals Lv.2]


    [10 Light Yellow Crystal Lv. 2]


    [15 Blue Amethyst Gem Lv.1]


    [17 Red Ruby Gem Lv. 1]


    [10 Soul Elixir Lv.1]


    [1 Monochrome ck Cloak]


    [1 Amygd Silver Gauntlet]


    Several items were obtained and appeared on Aaron''s system panel, Isabe and ra responded by narrowing their eyes. They never expected the items Aaron would get were so many and valuable.


    "A 56th-level adventurer''s storage items are indeed different. He collects many valuable and mid-grade items."


    [Initiate teleportation to destination in five minutes]


    [00:00:00:03]


    [00:00:00:02]


    [00:00:00:01]


    [Initiate teleportation to the next floor]


    Slowly, Aaron''s body and the two women beside him disappeared in tiny particles. Aaron closed his eyes to let the teleportation process ur without interruption.


    After about five minutes of waiting, Aaron opened his eyes when someone called out to him. He saw that he had arrived in front of the Light Stone on the Third Floor of the Dark Pir Tower, close to the entrance.


    "Hey, we''re here."


    Aaron nodded, seeing that the area outside the gate was fairly deserted, considering there wasn''t a monster raid today. Isabe joined him in circling the area, trying to find people who could help them.


    "There''s no one here," ra exined.


    "That''s right. It seems the monster raid is not being held today."


    Although he didn''t know where to go, but Aaron convinced him to leave the ce immediately. Isabe and ra didn''t know where Aaron was going; they chose to follow him.


    Aaron walked down the path in a situation full of dangers. They could have met high-level monsters that they could hardly fight. Aaron just hopes he doesn''t meet them soon.


    Right when he entered the forest, Aaron spotted arge fortress protected by several people in the watchtower. It was the first ce Aaron came to on the third floor.


    From what he saw, they seemed to be waving sword and shield banners. Isabe narrowed her eyes, fully aware of the group''s identity.


    "That''s the Dimension Justice Group. One of thergest groups on the entire floor of the Dark Pir Tower."


    "Why do we always encounter one of the three major groups?"


    "Stop right there!" shouted one of the adventurers, speaking loudly from the watchtower.


    One of the other watchers went to inform the group captain, Aaron, and the others responded by stopping in their steps, saying that it was better to do so than argue with their words.


    "Are they going to kill us with the murderous title over my head?" asked Aaron. Isabe shrugged her shoulders in a sign of cluelessness.


    The castle gate opened, ten people stepped out and met with Aaron. Many of them gasped at the sight of the red title with the inscription murderer above Aaron''s head.


    "A red adventurer!"


    "We can''t ept that. He could have killed all of our members."


    They spoke to a woman who came with silver armor and a spear in her hand. Aaron suspected that she was the captain of the group.


    Isabe looked forward. She waspletely shocked to see the face of the woman in armor. A big smile spread across her face; Isabe knew very well who the armor woman was.


    "Alisha?" asked Isabe.


    Alisha frowned and looked straight ahead. She tried to remember the face of the woman behind Aaron''s back. To her surprise, she knew who the woman was.


    "Be?"


    The woman faded the spear she held and stepped past Aaron. She and Isabe hugged each other, releasing the longing for 10 years of not seeing each other. Alisha buried her face in Isabe''s shoulder, deeply grateful to see her again.


    "It''s good to see you again, Be."


    "10 years apart, you''re already the captain of Dimension Justice on the third floor. That''s really impressive," Isabe replied, rubbing Alisha''s back as she soothed her from continuing to cry with happiness.


    The tension melted away, Aaron could breathe a sigh of relief as they no longer felt threatened by his presence. Aaron looked to the side and saw Alisha and Isabe talking to each other.


    "How did you escape David''s control? What exactly happened?" asked Alisha, curious.


    "It''s a fairly long story. Would you mind if we stayed at your ce for a few days?" asked Isabe.


    Alisha turned aside, looking at Aaron, who held a red title with the word murderer on it. She really didn''t mind that, in fact, she was happy to see her old friend again. Still, Aaron was another matter.


    "Sure. You and she can stay here. I will guarantee your safety."


    "Thank you. We can finally stay here for a while, Aaron."


    "Not with that murderous young man. He maye inside, but he must stay in the cell!" Alisha emphasized, pointing at Aaron harshly.


    "What?" shocked Isabe.


    "We can''t let him live with the other members, especially since he holds the murderer title!"


    ''As I expected, this murderer title will be quite troublesome for me,'' Aaronined.


    "B-But he''s the one who¡ª"


    "I''m not going to withdraw my decision, Be. It was my offer to you. If you refuse, he can go and roam in the forest."


    Alisha stepped right before Aaron, staring from foot to head. From her eyes, Aaron appeared to be an ordinary young man, but she never thought that a young man as handsome as Aaron could earn the title of murderer.


    "I won''t go inside if I''m not with him. He¡ª"


    Aaron patted Isabe lightly on the shoulder, smiling gently at her, knowing there was a good reason for their attitude towards him. Isabe seemed to gasp at Aaron''s response.


    She stepped forward and spoke right in front of Alisha. The slight move from Aaron made people immediately alert. Alisha even brought up her spear again.


    What a surprise! Aaron stretched both hands forward, a gesture of surrender so that Isabe and ra could stay safely in the fortressplex of the Dimension Justice group.


    "You can arrest me, but let them stay with you."

 Chapter 28 Significant Improvement

    Aaron walked by activating the digital map that appeared before his face, in a blue panel emanating from his system watch.


    Within it, there were two locations and a line of white light that lit up in the shape of an arrow. Aaron''s position was marked with a white dot, while his destination was a red dot.


    [Map]


    [Estimated arrival:]


    [00:00:23:45]


    [Destination: Dimension Justice Safe House]


    ''To arrive there, it will take at least half an hour on foot. I hope I don''t encounter any high-level monsters,'' Aaron exined.


    Going by the directions of the route on the map, Aaron continued to follow it. From his map, Aaron walked through a dirt road in the forest, which made him alert immediately.


    The deste situation with the sound of leaves falling in the wind became Aaron''s only truepanion.


    Now and then, the young man cast his eyes around the area, confirming that no monsters were staring at him like he was easy prey.


    Though everything would be fine, Aaron''s assumption was wrong. His steps were blocked by a pack of wolves with red eyes and arrow-like tails, ten in number.


    [Monster Details:]


    [Name: Red Arrow-tailed Wolf]


    [Level: 32]


    [HP: 34000/34000]


    [MP: 36000/36000]


    [Element: Wind]


    There are two different panels between them. The first one says the identity of one monster, while the second panel exins the identities of nine other monsters


    [Monster Details:]


    [Name: Arrow-tailed Wolf]


    [Level: 30]


    [HP: 31500/31500]


    [MP: 33000/33000]


    [Element: Wind]


    ''Two monsters of different levels. It seems like the red arrow-tailed wolf monster is their leader,'' Aaron exined.


    Having no other choice, Aaron raised a hand before him and brought forth a purple light, the power of the darkness elemental talent.


    His two sharp eyes gazed straight ahead, his eyeballs moving wildly, watching the movements of each wolf monster.


    All ten wolf monsters began to surround Aaron from all sides, attacking by extending their sharp tails to sh the young man''s body.


    His position waspletely cornered. Aaron brought up purple magic in his other hand and spread both hands to create a protective dome of his dark elemental magic.


    Although the barrier was pretty strong, it didn''t have much durability. In Aaron''s mind, the purple dome would probably protect him for a few minutes.


    ''I can''t keep it up all the time. They''ll find my weakness then.''


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [ws of Darkness]


    [MP -37000]


    While taking cover inside the purple energy dome, Aaron began to coat both hands with purple energy, forming a powerful w simr to an eagle''s w.


    Realizing the momentum was with him, Aaron spun around powerfully by unleashing a scythe-shaped purple energy attack that lunged from the ground, creating scratches across the ground where the scythe hadnded.


    [Damage +13256]


    [Critical +29124]


    [Damage +19875]


    [Critical +34200]


    [Critical +26851]


    [Five Combos! Great!]


    Three of the nine arrow-tailed wolf monsters died, their carcasses shattered into tiny particles that evaporated into the sky, items dropped away by them.


    Now, Aaron had to face the remaining seven monsters even though four of the six arrow-tailed wolf monsters had been injured severely by the attack earlier.


    Aaron jumped firmly back, keeping a safe distance from them. A notification panel appeared before Aaron, which was the result of killing the three monsters.


    [EXP +35462]


    [TP +17734]


    [3000 RL]


    [DING! Congrattions on leveling up]


    [Level 35]


    [Item Obtained]


    [3 Red Ruby Gem Lv.2]


    [5 HP Potion Lv.2]


    [3 MP Crystals Lv. 2]


    [6 Arrow tails]


    ''Killing three has already made me level up. Should I just go monster hunting instead of raiding the dark pir?''


    ''That''s stupid! I can only be strong by going to a higher floor.''


    As Aaron paid attention to the system panel before him, seven wolf monsters aimed sharp arrow tails forward, followed by a cross-shaped gust of wind from their ws swinging.


    Aaron thrust his hand forward fast to form a protective magic from his dark energy. The tail arrow attack was blocked, but it significantly impacted the durability of the protective magic.


    ''Damn it! I can''t strengthen this protective magic''s durability,'' Aaron replied, annoyedly clicking his tongue.


    The wed scythe attack lunged forward and hit right at several parts of Aaron''s body, causing significant damage to him.


    [Damage -5420]


    [Damage -2102]


    [WARNING!]


    [Host''s HP is below 15%]


    [Recovery immediately!]


    [Recovery immediately!]


    [Recovery Immediately!]


    Aaron fell down with cuts on his hands, legs, and cheeks. He also vomited blood, with his vision blurred. Aaron took HP Potion Lv. 2 and downed three bottles at once.


    [HP +7500]


    Although not fully recovered, it was better than suffering from ack of HP. His incision wound recovered, leaving only his clothes torn.


    "You are really troublesome to me! I won''t let you leave easily."


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Explosion Orb]


    [MP -72000]


    The purple magic that was originally gathered in Aaron''s two hands began to be thrown into the sky when Aaron swung his hands. It spread into the sky and spun clockwise, opening dozens of dimensional portals.


    From within the portals, orbs about the size of a baseball shot downwards. Each dimensional portal released one orb of purple energy targeted at the seven wolf monsters.


    BOM!


    The purple orbs did not touch them but exploded when they were near them. So did the other orbs until they created an unstoppable boom of multiple explosions, emitting a powerful light into the sky that could attract anyone''s attention.


    Alisha, in her study, watched as the water in her ss wavered without cause. She also saw her members running to the south gate, suddenly making Alisha curious.


    "What''s wrong?" asked Alisha.


    "There are multiple explosions, a terrible power fluctuation from the forest in the south," said one of Alisha''s members.


    Alisha began to feel the power. It was a powerful type of fluctuation because it could be felt all the way here. There was only one guess in her head about the possible master of this power.


    ''Is this Aaron''s power? If the energy release fluctuation alone is this strong, what about the power at the center of the fluctuation?'' Alisha asked.


    The woman urgently called several people who were experts in disguise and infiltration. She ordered them to go there and find out the power''s origin without telling them about Aaron''s truth.


    At Aaron''s ce, he saw seven wolf monsters unable to survive the barrage of the exploding energy orbs.


    [Damage +65677]


    [Critical +143562]


    [Critical +134256]


    [Damage +54078]


    [Four Combo! Great!]


    ''Such terrible power, why didn''t I use it earlier?'' asked Aaron, astonished.


    The seven wolf monsters fell with their bodies torn apart. Slowly, their carcasses turned into particles and disappeared, leaving some valuable items for Aaron.


    [EXP +127546]


    [TP +63773]


    [11000 RL]


    [DING! Congrattions on leveling up]


    [Level 38]@@novelbin@@


    [DING! Congrattions on getting a new title]


    [10. Merciless yer]


    [Kills >5 level 30+ monsters in a single attack]


    [DING! Congrattions on being promoted to the second tier as an Intermediate Mage]


    [DING! Servant feature unlocked]


    [Hosts can add new servants, increase servant levels, or terminate servant contracts]


    [Servant Talent Rank cannot be increased]


    ''Woah, what a significant improvement. Now, I can use the servant menu features that I couldn''t use before due to level constraints,'' Aaron exined.


    Aaron was able to use servants before, thanks to the help of Additional MP, who allowed him to use Jack the Ripper''s soul.


    Now that the servant menu feature is open, the allocation of MP usage for soul servants can be drastically reduced.


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Talent: Dark Dimension Reality]


    [Rank: SS-R]


    [Stage: 2]


    [Talent Point: 517470/499999 TP]


    [Efficiency: 301-400 TP/h]


    [Talent Point is full. Perform Ascension immediately]


    [Talent Ascension Location: 10th Floor City]


    [WARNING!]


    [Talent power will not increase if the host has not performed the Ascension stage]


    Aaron smiled. He never thought killing them could make his TP umtion full, waiting for Ascension.


    Until this moment, Aaron had never imagined that he would do Talent Ascension, even though he had never had the opportunity before because of his low talent rank and weak ability.


    He stretched his hand forward and caught the items dropped by the monsters. The items he got were almost the same, but what made him happy was the five Level 7 EXP crystals.


    "I''ll use themter. It''s more important to maintain a bnce between my level and my CP."


    While looting the monsters'' items, Aaron''s ears faintly heard the sound of human footsteps from within the forest, as well as their whispering voices.


    The young man remembered Aerith''s words about level 35 and Rasputin''s soul. Aaron stretched his hand forward, starting to bring up the dark dimension portal using his talent.


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Dark Portal]


    [MP -100000]


    The dimensional rift appeared before Aaron. The young man seemed to swallow saliva deeply to reassure him that he would be fine. He cautiously stepped inside, just like Aerith used to do.


    Aaron''s eyes opened, he arrived at a space-like ce that felt familiar in his mind. He looked up and saw hundreds of red cages tied together with an energy web.


    Right in the center of the hundreds of cages was a throne of ck roses with sharp, thorny stems. Aerith sat majestically there, crossing her legs.


    She opened her eyes slowly and looked down, smiling as she found that her favorite young man was there.


    "Wee home, Aaron."

 Chapter 29 Gods Will

    "So, the sub-talent is useful for creating portals that lead to this ce. Am I right?" asked Aaron, stepping forward slowly.


    Aerith simply responded with a smile. She rose from her seat on the ck rose throne and stepped down, not flying but walking like she was descending stairs.


    Through her vision, Aerith read that Aaron''s level had already surpassed level 35. That was a significant improvement for the young man.


    Aerith was happy to see that Aaron was getting used to using his dark elemental power.


    "How did you level up so quickly?"


    "When I was on the road, I met a bunch of level 30 monsters. There were ten, and they had a fairlyrge amount of EXP. That helped me enough," Aaron replied.


    "Ten level 30 monsters died by a single adventurer? If it was anyone else, he would''ve beenpletely killed."


    "Show me your servant."


    Aerith asked for something Aaron couldn''t do. The young man exined his current situation. Servant Jack the Ripper had been deactivated for a few days due to being injured in the fight against Denis.


    "Denis? Is he the one I crushed the head of?"


    "That''s right. At least tell me that you were about to crush his head. I''m really sick of seeing that."


    "Didn''t I tell you to close your eyes?"


    Aaron wanted to reply to Aerith''s words, but his mouth was locked by the fact that Aerith had already warned him. This was purely Aaron''s fault.


    Aerith stepped closer to Aaron, her lithe and white hand reaching forward as she rubbed the young man''s cheek. It made a feeling of calm spread throughout Aaron''s body.


    "With your level, it makes the servant menu open."


    "The servant menu will be useful for you to know the situation and condition of your servant. You can see the countdown of Jack the Ripper''s deactivated servant there."


    "Not only that, the servant menu is useful for adding servants."


    "You said you were going to help me get Rasputin''s soul?" asked Aaron; Aerith nodded.


    Aerith''s hand stretched out to the side. With her authority in this ce, she pulled out Rasputin''s soul cage and brought it right beside her.


    Aaron was distracted, watching as Rasputin''s soul seemed to rebel even though it was still inside the red cage. Aerith tapped on the cage wall for a while, revealing the full identity of the soul.


    [WARNING!]


    [Contacting a pure evil soul can affect the mind and heart]


    [Soul Identity]


    [Name: Gregory Rasputin]


    [Form: Soul]


    [Soul Lv: 25]


    [Talent: Reality Persona]


    [Rank: S-R]


    The soul identity panel was clearly disyed before Aaron, disying a list of Gregory Rasputin, from soul level, talent to talent rank.


    His abilities were almost on par with Jack the Ripper, especially the simrities in talent rank. Gregory Rasputin is stronger than Jack the Ripper in terms of his own strength.


    "Right now, your strength is enough to challenge and seize Rasputin''s soul. If you seed, you can perform the servant contract ritual again."


    "If you fail¡ª"


    "He will enter my body and control it, then live a second time in the world," Aaron interrupted.


    Aerith turned her head and smiled, feeling happy and satisfied to see that Aaron understood the consequences of fighting with servants.


    "Since you''ve understood it enough, I don''t need to exin further."


    [Initiates opening the soul cage]


    [WARNING!]


    [The detached evil soul could potentially invade the real world]


    [Extra precautions required]


    Again, Aerith brought up the purple-colored orb generated from the dark energy in her palm. With a quick upward gesture, she released that power into the sky and exploded to create a purple dome capable of protecting the world from the escaped evil soul.


    "Do it quickly. Be careful with his Reality Persona talent."


    Aaron didn''t respond. He jumped quickly backward with both hands raising purple mes. Aerith was impressed to see Aaron''s skill.


    ''It hasn''t been a month since he possessed the dark element, but he''s already able to manipte dark energy to such a point. Impressive.''


    From within the red cage, the soul that was only a human in red light now began to take on the appearance of his face and the shape of his clothes. It came out with steps apanied by maroon-colored energy fluctuations.


    "Ah, it feels good to be free," Rasputin said, taking a step while stretching his body.


    "You, we can work together. You, with your dimensional powers, and I, with my persona."


    "No! I havee to defeat your soul. You won''t be able to¡ª"


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Mind Reality Power]


    Suddenly, the area surrounding Aaron turned into a beautiful garden, like a paradise, with birds chirping beautiful and soothing water fountains. Sturdy trees stood with branches swaying in the gentle breeze.


    "Where am I?" shocked Aaron, simultaneously amazed.


    A man sat on a metal chair with crossed legs, his hand lifted to let a bluebirdnd on his finger. Long ck hair, dressed in a matching long robe, soft-spoken with an authoritative charm.


    "A beautiful ce that no human can ever reach if his heart is still filled with arrogance and lust," he replied, seeming to be gentle with the bird perched on his finger.


    Aaron thought back to Rasputin''s talent persona. He guessed that the man before him was Gregori Rasputin.


    Yet, another turmoil arose in Aaron''s heart at the sound of his gentle voice full of wisdom. The desire to fight and kill slowly began to subside as he heard more words from the man.


    "Aren''t you tired of all you seek? Skills and strength do not define the world, but faith in God''s will."


    "By following His will, then surely people can find the peace of mind and soul they seek," Rasputin exined.


    He flew the blue bird into the sky and turned gently to the side while gazing thoughtfully at Aaron. Aaron was confused, Gregori Rasputin''s reality persona being enough to make him helpless here.


    "I need the power to save my mom."


    "If you want to control the future, you must heal the present."


    "Come here, take my hand, and let us walk together in the path of God''s will," Rasputin pleaded, standing as he reached out, his image truly wise and pious before Aaron, like a saint.


    He smiled with an aura of eerie calm, capable of persuading anyone to follow what he said.


    Aaron''s steps lifted forward, following voice after voice that hypnotized his mind. Aaron''s hand rose gently, willing to shake Rasputin''s hand.


    "Aaron! Wake up. He''s trying to kill you!" someone shouted from outside, breaking the restless reverie in Aaron''s mind.


    Aaron shook his head and stepped away from Rasputin. Thanks to the mysterious voice, Aaron managed to escape the reality of Rasputin''s persona.


    He sped his hands as hard as he could until he was injured; only by being injured, he could be free from Rasputin''s fake reality.


    The situation surrounding Aaron began to return to normal, a space scene with a purple dome trapping them.@@novelbin@@


    Surprisingly, Rasputin, with horrible bulging eyes, stood right before Aaron. Aaron reflexively punched the man in the stomach and threw him far back.


    [Damage +120]


    "Impressive. You escaped my persona easily."


    "How dare you mess with my mind with words like that?!" said Aaron.


    "Don''t you believe in God''s will? I came into the world with God''s will."


    "I saved and blessed many children. People were saved from deadly diseases because of me. Bad things didn''t happen because of my advice. Am I not convincing enough for you?" asked Rasputin.


    "If you are indeed a man of God''s will, you won''t be an evil soul!"


    Aaron immediately activated his talent. Now, it was time for him to defeat Rasputin''s soul and make him his servant.


    With the power of his reality persona and Rasputin''s ability to use several inciting words, Aaron could gain a great advantage in negotiations and so on.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Explosion Orb]


    [MP -72000]


    A dimensional portal with a purple orb appeared around Rasputin, precisely above his head. Rasputin smiled, showing no anxiety on his face.


    "I will not die easily!" Rasputin exined.


    "Let us prove it together."

 Chapter 31 Servant Features

    Right after Rasputin''s soul orb was grasped in his hand, Rasputin''s soul body disappeared into tiny particles that evaporated into the sky.


    Now, a red circle appeared on the ground, and an ancient script was clearly printed in a circle and rotated clockwise.


    "Since you''ve unlocked the servant menu, you can set it up more easily there," Aerith said, Aaron clearing his throat in response.


    He pressed his system watch, bringing up the servant menu system panel that had just been opened for him. There, he saw several features avable on the menu panel.


    [Servant]


    [Search Servant:]


    [Add Servant]


    [Enhance Servant]


    [Terminate Servant]


    [List Servant]


    Through the menu panel, Aaron found the feature to add servants. Aerith nodded. It was easier for Aaron to add servants if he had already unlocked the feature.


    Aaron pressed the Add Servant feature and brought up another panel ording to the previousmand. The young man was already quite familiar with this kind of system; it was not difficult for him to understand.


    [Select servant type:]


    [1. Beast Servant]


    [2. Mythological Race Servant]


    [3. Soul Servant]


    He pressed exactly on the soul servant menu, another panel of information popped up, one of which was about the main requirements of performing a servant contract.


    [Soul Servant selected]


    [Servant Contract]


    [Required items:]


    [Soul Core Orb]


    [Mana Crystal]


    [ATTENTION!]


    [The amount of Mana Crystals is determined ording to the Servant''s Talent Rank]


    [SSS-R: 1000 Mana Crystals]


    [SS-R: 500 Mana Crystals]


    [S-R: 100 Mana Crystals]


    [A Rank: 50 Mana Crystals]@@novelbin@@


    [B Rank: 10 Mana Crystals]


    [C Rank: 1 Mana Crystal]


    ''Oh, I just found out about this. The higher the rank of the talent servant, the more Mana Crystals are needed to perform the contract."


    As usual, Aerith helped Aaron with some of her help. She handed over 100 Dark Mana Crystals to the young man to help him seed in the soul servant contract process.


    "Where exactly can I get this thing?" asked Aaron while holding up a ck bag full of Dark Mana Crystals.


    "You can get it after the 50th floor in this ce. For now, let me provide your needs for the servant contract," exined Aerith. Aaron nodded with no objection at all.


    [Confirmation of item avability for the Soul Servant Contract Ritual?]


    [Yes] [No]


    He brought up two items in both palms. The right hand held the Soul Core Orb and the left held 100 Dark Mana Crystals.


    Aaron pressed the yes button to confirm the requirement of the Soul Servant Contract item. Now, the system on his watch began to scan the items in Aaron''s hands.


    [Scanning items for soul servant contract ritual:]


    [1 Soul Core Orb detected]


    [100 Dark Mana Crystals detected]


    [Soul Servant Contract Ritual requirements met!]


    [Initiating Contract Ritual]


    [MP -30000]


    The process for the soul servant contract ritual began. The maroon magic circle in front of Aaron lit up brightly, a sign that he had to immediately hand over the two items to be ced in the center of the magic circle.


    There were actually two processes to follow. But, since Rasputin''s energy had already been absorbed into the Soul Core Orb, Aaron only needed to undergo onest stage, which was the manifestation of Rasputin''s soul servant form.


    The Soul Core flew out apanied by a stream of purple energy from 100 Dark Mana Crystals. Slowly, the purple energy radiated out and connected itself to Rasputin''s Soul Core.


    At this moment, Aaron only needed to wait until the stage ended. Aerith walked over and stood beside the young man, watching the procession of the servant soul contract well.


    "If you seed, put him to good use. I will invite you to challenge a servant again when your level reaches 56," Aerith said.


    "Who''s the servant I''ll fight next?"


    "I don''t know. It could be Tamene, Genghis Khan, Queen Mary I, or maybe Adolf Hitler."


    ''Those are names from history. Are they really going to be my servants?" Aaron asked.


    Aerith looked forward, watching the procession of Rasputin''s soul servant body formation. Aaron looked forward again, watching as Rasputin''s servant body began to take shape.


    Slowly, the servant was finally fully formed into a servant with Rasputin''s face and appearance. Aaron was happy, Rasputin''s presence made him more confident to conquer every floor in Dark Pir.


    [Servant]


    [DING! Congrattions on establishing a servant contract]


    [Number of Servant: 1]


    [Name: Gregory Rasputin]


    [Talent: Reality Persona]


    [Talent Rank: S-R]


    [Servant Level: 1]


    [CP +15000]


    Servant Rasputin was present before Aaron. His face looked t with his eyes focused on Aaron, waiting for further orders from him. Aaron smiled. With Rasputin present, he could feel at ease when Servant Jack the Ripper was still deactivated.


    "Now, you have two servants who can help you. Use them wisely and conquer more floors, Aaron."


    Aaron cleared his throat, understanding every word Aerith said to him. It was true that he had two servants, but the limitation in the number of MPs made it difficult for him to bnce the usefulness of the servant features.


    "What about your Additional MP? Do you still have enough of it?" asked Aerith.


    "Yes. I still have about 300000 Additional MP."


    "Your talent forces you to use a considerable amount of MP, Aaron. So, be patient for that," said Aerith.


    The woman stepped back like climbing adder up to her ck rose throne. There were some things that Aaron wanted to ask; maybe Aerith knew something about it.


    "Aerith," Aaron called.


    "What is it, Aaron?"


    Just when Aaron was about to ask, he was reminded of the situation in the living world. Aerith was indeed a strong woman, but there was no guarantee whether she knew the item he was about to ask about.


    "It''s nothing."


    "Are you sure? I might be able to help you, Aaron," Aerith said.


    "I''ll work on this on my own. If I get into trouble or danger, just help me when it happens."


    Aerith squinted, eventually agreeing to Aaron''s request. Aaron said goodbye to Aerith as his matters were done. Aerith happily opened the dimensional rift for Aaron, letting him leave the ce.


    A dimensional rift was created, Aaron stepped through it. Aerith smiled and waved, letting Aaron return to the living world.


    Aaron arrived at a house surrounded by a stone fence. ording to the directions on the map, it was the safe house Aerith had shown him.


    Just when Aaron was about to step inside, a barrier blocked his steps. Aaron narrowed his eyes. There seemed to be a certain magic that made it difficult for him to enter.


    "Who''s the fool who dares toe into my house?!" said a woman, violently mming the door, startling Aaron.


    "Who are you, fool?!" he snapped.


    "I''m Aaron. What are you doing in Dimension Justice''s safe house?" she asked.


    "Safe house? This is my house, dammit!"


    "Who the hell are you?" asked Aaron, curious.


    "I''m Lorelei! I''m Alisha''s sister."

 Chapter 34 Loreleis Return

    ***


    Dimension Justice Base.


    "Are you still gonna keep him locked up in prison? It''s already the fourth day; his murder title is gone."


    "It''s pretty confusing to me anyway. I''m his friend, but why can''t I see him? Is there something you''ve been hiding from me all this time?"


    "Isabe, please calm down," ra said, standing beside Isabe.


    That morning, Alisha was already hosting her best friend in her office. Isabe''s arrival was not for talking nonsense but for questioning Aaron''s condition.


    Since Aaron was locked up, no one, including Isabe and ra, were allowed to visit him in prison. Alisha thought that Aaron''s attitude was unstable and had the potential to hurt anyone or maybe even kill someone.


    That was spoken as another reason to cover Aaron''s leave to the safe house because if Isabe knew, she would get out of control and leave the base without Alisha knowing. That would put her in danger.


    "It''s still early, Be. I haven''t checked him yet."


    "But, I promise I''ll let him go when he''s back to normal."


    "You''ve been saying that since yesterday, but there''s no sign you''ll release him," Isabe exined.


    "Did you kill him?!" said Isabe, upset until it was difficult to clear her mind. ra had to take the trouble to calm the worries in Isabe''s heart.


    "I''m not going to do that. Aaron is a potential young man. He can be a great wizard in the future with his talent."


    The door to Alisha''s study opened, making the three women inside immediately cast their eyes behind them. Alisha frowned, asking the reason for her mening over.


    "Someone arrived at the south gate with Lorelei. She returned from the safe house."


    "What?!" gasped Alisha.


    ''Is that Aaron? But why did he bring Liel? Doesn''t he know that she''s sick?''


    Alisha quickly stood up and left her unfinished work. She asked Isabe and ra to stay in her study with the promise that she would tell them everything about Aaron. ra agreed, but it was different with Isabe.


    After Alisha left, Isabe nned to follow her closely behind. ra tried to stop her, but she was unable to resist Isabe''s stubbornness.


    She left with ra trailing behind. A crowd gathered at the south gate, Isabe couldn''t see clearly who wasing.


    "Isn''t he the young man with the red title? Why did the title disappear?"


    "Lorelei has returned. Is he the one who cured her illness?"


    "Lorelei''s arrival can increase our strength in the monster raid this time. We''ll definitely have great results."


    High curiosity haunted Isabe even more because people were said to be talking about someone with a red title. There was only one person in this ce who owned that title, he was Aaron.


    Isabe walked inside, passing through the crowd''s gap to pay for her curiosity. She saw Alisha''s, seemingly talking in a high-pitched tone to those who came.@@novelbin@@


    "Why are you here? Don''t you realize you''re sick? What if you die?!" insisted Alisha, looking upset and furious.


    She made her way out of the crowd and arrived at the center. She was shocked with teary eyes when she saw the person who came was Aaron, along with a woman named Lorelei.


    With no second thought, Isabe ran over to the young man and wrapped her arms around him. She buried her face in Aaron''s chest and felt he was real before her, not an illusion.


    "Where have you been all this time? I was worried about you," Isabe said, still hugging Aaron.


    "There are a few things I need to work on. But the good news is that my murderer''s title is gone."


    "Yeah. I''m happy to hear that," Isabe exined.


    The two released their embrace of each other, then focused their attention to the side as they watched the argument between Alisha and Lorelei.


    They exchanged words, Alisha asking Lorelei to return to the safe house while Lorelei wanted Alisha to allow her to climb the floor. Two opposing opinions.


    "Aaron!" called Alisha.


    "Why did you bring her here? Don''t you know about her illness? It can happen in ways we can''t predict."


    "That''s right. But we can prevent it before it happens. I won''t burden her mind and heart."


    "Besides, I''m the only one who can treat the symptoms. If I let her stay imprisoned in the safe house, there''s no guarantee of recovery for her," Aaron said.


    "What exactly are you guys talking about?" asked Isabe, not knowing.


    Alisha nced at Isabe with an intense stare mixed with annoyance and anger. She was seen sighing to calm her heart; it would be better for them to discuss this in Alisha''s study.


    They agreed. The crowd was dispersed, and Alisha ordered Lorelei and the others into her study.


    There, Alisha began to tell Isabe and ra the whole thing, especially about the truth of Aaron''s whereabouts and Liel''s illness.


    Isabe could only widen her eyes with her heart pounding wildly, not being in love but upset and angry at what Alisha was doing.


    "Why didn''t you tell me earlier? Maybe ra and I could have apanied him there."


    "I couldn''t tell you. It would only make you anxious," Alisha exined.


    "Then what about her illness? What exactly is she suffering from?" asked Isabe.


    "I don''t know. It must be rted to the dark element she possesses."


    Isabe turned to the side and looked at Aaron, who was sitting next to her. "Do you know anything about her, Aaron?"


    "Yeah."


    "She ate an Aranth fruit that was contaminated with dark elements. That made her poisoned or, in other words, infected with the dark element."


    "Still, I was able to ovee it with my pure dark element. As long as she stays close to me, she''ll be fine," Aaron replied, crossing his arms.


    Alisha smiled with relief. Finally, the problem that had always bothered her mind was answered by Aaron''s presence.


    "I''m trying to find an item called Elemental Fading Potion. It''s the only way to save her."


    "Don''t worry, Alisha. Aaron said that he could find an alchemist who could concoct the potion in the floor city. As long as that hope remains, I''ll continue to stay close to him," Lorelei exined.


    "That''s good. Today, the monster raid will open. We''d better go to defeat the floor boss together."


    Aaron turned his head to the side, looking at Isabe closely. Isabe nodded. The decision to go on the raid was entirely in Aaron''s hands since he was the group leader.


    "I probably can''t participate in the raid this time. My umted punishment hasn''t been done yet. The system forbids me from participating in monster raids," Aaron replied.


    "Huh? But didn''t your murderer title disappear?"


    "That''s another punishment. There was a certain punishment that caused me to experience this."


    Alisha sighed long, even though she nned to immediately raid monsters with Aaron after the young man returned.


    Yet, if what Aaron said was true, Alisha would have to send someone else to explore the dark pir maze this time.


    "What about the next raid? Are you able to join?" asked Alisha. Aaron smiled, nodding in response.


    "Alright. You guys should rest here first, I''ll guarantee your safety."


    "And as for Lorelei, I leave my sister to you, Aaron. I''m sorry for causing you trouble."


    Aaron stood up and bowed his head, "No problem."

 Chapter 35 The Enhance of Jack the Ripper

    ***


    A few dayster.


    Dimension Justice Base.


    Aaron stood in the center of the training field, his focus pointed forward, his hands stretched out to bring up his two soul servants.


    Two days ago, Jack the Ripper''s servants had reactivated after being deactivated for five days.


    "Come forth," Aaron pleaded.


    Two white lights flew from Aaron''s forehead, appearing right before his face in the form of two soul servants who would bepletely obedient to Aaron''s will, Jack the Ripper and Gregori Rasputin.


    [MP -24000]


    ''As I expected, once the servant feature is unlocked, the MP amount to summon one servant will be 12000 MP.''


    ''This will save me quite a bit of use on my Additional MP,'' Aaron said.


    Aaron opened the system panel and pressed the servant menu. He had some Soul Elixir that increased the servant''s EXP. The higher the servant''s level, the stronger each of their attacks.


    [Enhance Servant]


    [Choose Servant:]


    [1. Jack the Ripper]


    [2. Gregory Rasputin]


    ''Since their basicbat is different, I''ll probably pay more attention to Jack the Ripper''s servant level first,'' Aaron said.


    What Aaron was referring to was their servant types. Servants have three types of basicbat: offense, defense, and support. Jack the Ripper''s basicbat is offense, which is supported by his talents.


    Gregory Rasputin was a support servant because his reality talent could trick the enemy even though Aaron did not deny that Rasputin''s soul level was higher than Jack.


    However, after both be servants, they will have the same level of being Aaron''s soul servant.


    [Servant Details]


    [Name: Jack the Ripper]@@novelbin@@


    [Servant Lv: 1]


    [EXP: 0/1000]


    [Talent: Stealth]


    [Rank Talent: S-R]


    [Enhance Servant?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Aaron pressed the yes button and started enhancing the servant''s ability. He had 10 Soul Elixir lv.1, which could increase the servant''s EXP by 100 per elixir.


    By using ten Soul Elixirs, Jack the Ripper''s servant level could be boosted to 2nd level. Aaron couldn''t wait to see what kind of changes would happen if his servant managed to level up.


    [Servant Enhance confirmed]


    [Servant selected:]


    [Jack the Ripper]


    [Starts scanning for item requirements]


    [Soul Elixir detected]


    [Quantity: 10]


    [Grade: 1]


    [Requirement met]


    The ten elixir bottles with white liquid looked lit up and flew towards Jack. It seemed to circle around the servant in a clockwise direction.


    One by one, the Soul Elixir bottles broke, and the liquid inside turned into a stream of energy that was absorbed by Jack.


    [Servant EXP +100]


    [Servant EXP +300]


    [Servant EXP +600]


    [Servant Enhance Sessful]


    [DING! Congrattions as Servant has leveled up]


    [Servant Lv. 2]


    [DING! Congrattions as servant''s ability increased]


    [Servant Range: 1km]


    [Servant Duration: 5 hours]


    [CP +2000]


    ''Hmm... with the servant''s range increased, it could help me a lot when doing infiltration or recon in the forest or enemy territory,'' Aaron replied.


    ''It''s better than what I thought.''


    He allowed servant Gregori Rasputin to return while he told Jack to go scout. In the white mist, Jack disappeared to carry out Aaron''s orders.


    Through the servant''s shared vision with Aaron, Aaron could see that Jack was scouting some distance from the Dimension Justice base location. He entered the forest, detecting several monsters and gangs of adventurers from other groups.


    "This is good. They won''t see him, but he can see them clearly."


    "See what?"


    Someone startled Aaron when the young man was scouting using his servant. He blinked and switched to normal vision, clearly seeing that the woman speaking to him was Liel.


    "Liel? What are you doing?" asked Aaron, shocked.


    "I''m trying to walk around the base since I have nothing else to do. What are you doing? What are you looking at?"


    "It''s a¡ª"


    Liel moved his face closer to Aaron, smiling flirtatiously as she focused on Aaron''s eyes, "Are you doing something naughty?"


    Just as Liel asked so, a mysterious white mist appeared on the practice field. Liel sensed a strange energy fluctuation in the ce.


    The woman immediately went on alert while bringing up a blood dagger from her blood magic ability.


    "Calm down, Liel. He''s not a threat."


    Jack came out from within the white mist, surprising Liel as the woman sensed a fairly strong ability from the strange man. Aaron turned his head, ordering Jack to return.


    Liel was even more startled. It turned out that the strange man was not an ordinary man but a soul servant that Liel had never met before.


    He walked up to Aaron again. Asking questions curiously, especially about where Aaron could get a person''s soul.


    "About that, it''s a bit difficult to exin."


    "Did the mysterious woman give it to you? The woman with red hair," Liel asked.


    ''She has a high level of sensitivity, even to guess like that.''


    "Something like that."


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Monster Raid in Dark Pir Tower will open soon]


    [All adventurers are requested to prepare]


    [Countdown until Monster Raid Gate opens]


    [00:11:59:43]


    The monster raid panel was back, opened for the second time in a week. Aaron smiled excitedly. He could join the monster raid this time because the previous punishment had expired.


    "The raid is open again. Are you joining for this one?" asked Liel, making sure.


    "Of course. I can''t miss this opportunity. We can go up to the city floor."


    "Why do you want to help me so much, Aaron? I thought your first impression of me was pretty bad."


    Stunned, that was Aaron''s response when she said so. Liel''s pupils rounded broadly in a sign of affection, continuing to watch Aaron as she hoped his answer would be what she expected.


    Never had she felt something like this. She often thought the men were weaker than her, so few of them dared to get close to Liel.


    But, Aaron was totally different. Although the two were briefly acquainted, Aaron was not intimidated by Liel''s rough and tomboyish attitude. That''s what surprised Liel.


    "Because we have the same element, although it''s poisonous to you. It makes me feel like I am responsible for healing your condition."


    "Responsibility, huh? Isn''t there anything else? Maybe like feelings-"


    "Aaron!" called Isabe, running from behind Liel as she interrupted Liel''s words.


    Isabe continued to run with her system panel still active, showing the same form as Aaron and Liel. Arriving at the practice field, Isabe invited Aaron to start preparing for the monster raid.


    Liel nced sharply to the side, then turned her head and walked away with a grumpy heart. Aaron watched Liel leave, as did Isabe, who kept watching her.


    "What''s wrong with her?" Isabe asked. Aaron shook his head, not knowing.


    "Who will be participating in the raid this time?"


    "Alisha, Lorelei, ra, and us. I don''t know who the other members are."


    Aaron cleared his throat. He invited Isabe to go to prepare everything. ording to the time calction, Aaron suspected the raid gate would open at three in the morning. That meant he and the others would have to stay up until then.


    But before that, he had to tell Alisha about his avability. They went to Alisha''s study and told her about it as Alisha was talking with some members of the Dimension Justice group.


    "Aaron. Did you get the notice?" asked Alisha, Aaron cleared his throat.


    "Good. Yesterday''s team mapped the maze. We might be able to find the floor boss room easily," replied Alisha, pointing ahead as she introduced the leader of yesterday''s raid team.


    "About that, you have nothing to worry about. I have a detailed map of the third floor, which I got from the raid monsters."


    "Really? Can you share it with us?"


    Aaron did not mind. He pressed his system watch and copied the map to share with the people before him.


    The young man also invited Alisha to be the raid group leader this time since she was more familiar with the dark pir maze on the third floor.


    [Copying the third-floor dark pir map item]


    [Sending a copy of the item]


    [Recipient:]


    [1. Alisha]


    [2. Mira]


    [3. Alpha]


    [Send a copy item?]


    [Yes] [No]


    An iing notification appeared on the panel of the three people, with a panel with Aaron''s name and other information. Alisha smiled and started to open the copy of the map.


    [You received a copy item (Third Floor Dark Pir Map) from Aaron]


    The map opened. Alpha, who was the leader of the raid team yesterday, could only gasp as he realized that Aaron''s map wasplete, even to the location of the floor boss room. Alisha was even more optimistic with this map.


    "Thank you, Aaron. If you''re free, we''ll have a strategy discussion session tonight here," said Alisha.


    "Alright. I wille after preparing my stuff."


    "I will wait for you."

 Chapter 36 Raid Monster At Dark Pillar In Third Floor

    The situation was deserted and quiet; it was three in the morning in that ce. Alisha decided to take three people with her, while Aaron took Isabe, ra, and Lorelei.


    Even though Liel was Alisha''s sister, the woman was in Aaron''s group. Alisha didn''t mind it because she saw that Aaron could relieve the symptoms of Liel''s rpsing disease.


    [Raid Monster at Dark Pir Third Floor opened]


    [Portal closed countdown]


    [00:09:59:59]


    Only Aaron was still awake in the night among the eight members of Alisha''s team. A panel notification appeared before Aaron and the others, telling them that a monster raid had opened on the Dark Pir on the third floor.


    Aaron woke up Isabe and the others, including Alisha. One by one, they opened their eyes and saw the system panel appear before them.


    "Ah, looks like it''s time for us to go."


    Alisha had given them teleportation slips, useful for heading straight for the monster raid gate. Some women needed to wash their faces to get rid of their sleepiness.


    After everyone was ready, they gathered in the main yard of the Dimension Justice basepound. It could be seen that their hands were holding the teleportation slips tightly, ready to make a quick trip to the monster raid gate.


    "I leave the authority here to you, Leon. I''ll let you know if I make it up the floor."


    "When it happens, you''ll be the leader of Dimension Justice on this floor. Are you able to do it?" Alisha asked Leon, herrade-in-arms.


    Leon nodded. He epted themand stick from Alisha and was determined to carry out his duty as the temporary leader in this ce. Alisha was confident that Leon was reliable.


    Alisha turned to the side, looking at Alpha, who held a g with a sword and shield, the symbol of Dimension Justice.


    Alpha would carry the g in this monster raid as a sign that Alisha''s group was from Dimension Justice. Aaron had recently seen a group of adventurers carrying a group g.


    "Alright. Are you ready?" asked Alisha to all group members, and they cleared their throats in response.


    At once, they activated the teleportation slip and left the ce. Their bodies disappeared in a sh of light and turned into small particles.


    Leon escorted them away, waving, "Be careful, Captain Alisha."


    In an instant, their presence in the Dimension Justice base disappeared. Aaron opened both eyes, seeing he had arrived outside the monster raid gate.


    "Look! They''re Dimension Justice''s group."


    "Don''t get into trouble with them if you don''t want to die."


    "Are they the ones who willplete the monster raid this time?"


    The appearance of the Dimension Justice group surprised many adventurer parties. Undoubtedly, the group was one of the three major groups ruling the Dark Pir.


    For other adventurers, Dimension Justice''s rivals were only Sky Sword or Night Liberators. Those were the three major groups of the Dark Pir Tower.


    Aaron saw the Sky Sword group present with a cloudy sword g from the side. S, the woman he had saved the other day, was present with the Sky Sword group in this ce.


    ''S? After all, she also came up to the floor with her group members.''


    Lastly, the Night Liberators group was present with a crescent moon and axe-crossed gs. Three major groups were there, which further surprised many people.


    "Captain Alisha. I didn''t expect that you would choose to directly participate in the monster raid this time," said the raid group leader of the Night Liberators, Owen.


    "Of course. I didn''t want to miss the chance to climb the floor. I''m sorry for Denis'' misfortune," Alisha exined, intending to sympathize, but Owen took it as an insult.


    "Aaron and Isabe. They are already top-level fugitives of the Night Liberators group. They will be arrested upon arrival at the tenth floor."


    "Really? Do you know what their faces look like to have such confidence?" asked Alisha.


    "I don''t know. Still, they said they have witnesses. This time, those two bastards won''t be able to escape."


    ''Witness? Is she Hilda?" asked Aaron.


    Lorelei heard the conversation and then turned her eyes to Aaron. The young man seemed to be narrowing his eyes as if he was thinking hard about something.


    "Are you alright?" she asked.


    Aaron''s reverie was interrupted when Liel asked. He turned and smiled with a nod, saying there was nothing to worry about.


    "Don''t worry. They''re not a big threat to me."


    Alisha realized Aaron and Isabe''s difort over this conversation. She invited her team members to start entering the dark pir and went through the maze to reach the floor boss room.


    The other groups walked in with their team members. Alisha nced to the side; most of them had a maze map, but it was iplete.


    "We have to stay alert. Although there''s no sign of monsters on the route to the boss room, but that''s something impossible to happen."


    "There must always be monsters."


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Dark Pir Tower]


    [Third Floor]


    [Monster: Lv 38-40]


    [Monster Boss: ?]


    [Countdown for Closed Gate:]


    [00:09:59:59]


    ''Hmm... it doesn''t seem so difficult for me to fight these monsters.''


    Alisha led them to walk. The route was to the right, passing through several intersections, crossing a small river inside the maze, then arriving in front of the floor boss room.


    Alisha was right; they couldn''te to the floor boss''s room easily. The first monster they met was the Cerberus. There were two of them with a size as big as a ck bear.


    [Monster Details:]@@novelbin@@


    [Monster: Cerberus]


    [Level: 39]


    [HP: 45000/45000]


    [MP: 47000/47000]


    [Element: Wind]


    "Can we beat it?" asked another member, Mira.


    "Of course. Cerberus is no big deal to us," said Alpha, full of confidence.


    Alisha asked Alpha and Alex to handle them, both men were happy to do so. Aaron initially volunteered, but Isabe stopped the young man.


    "Your strength will be wasted if you fight those two monsters. You should save it for fighting the floor boss," Isabe whispered.


    Isabe''s words were heard by Liel. She was getting increasingly curious about Isabe''s response to Aaron, there must be a specific reason why Isabe forbade Aaron to fight the two Cerberus monsters.


    Aaron nodded, agreeing with what Isabe said. They focused their eyes forward, seeing clearly that Alpha and Alex were fighting using their two talents.


    Alpha seemed good at using the fire talent, while Alex was the arrow talent.


    They attacked the two monsters mercilessly, even though some of the Cerberus'' attacks hit their bodies. Aaron and Alisha reached out, blocking the Cerberus'' wind attacks from hitting them.


    Alex managed to kill the monster first. He didn''t want Alpha to get hurt, so Alex helped Alpha to defeat the Cerberus monster. They managed to do so after fighting for half an hour.


    They both get EXP and items; Alpha offers to share the items he gets with other members. But, Alisha refused, as they would get their own share.


    Aaron narrowed his eyes, wondering if she meant the other members would be allowed to fight monsters?


    "Come on, let''s move on."


    They nodded. They all stepped through an intersection ording to the map''s directions. They had gone far enough, Alisha thought there were no other monsters that would attack her group.


    Unexpectedly, a battle was taking ce near the stream. Sky Sword''s group was fighting against three octopus monsters, a ck octopus with ten tentacles.


    "Alisha?" asked Sky Sword''s raid group leader, Noah.


    "Noah? I didn''t expect to meet you and your group here."


    Unlike Owen, Alisha had a good rtionship with Noah as a group leader. The rtionship between Dimension Justice and Sky Sword was quite good, so Alisha didn''t have to worry about anything.


    "Are the monsters difficult enough?" asked Alisha. Noah sighed while still paying attention to the three octopus monsters.


    "It''s a monster with the water element and has level 40. It turned out to be more difficult than we thought," said Noah.


    Seven people in total participated in this raid from Sky Sword; five seemed to be fighting three octopus monsters.


    Although they were fighting them together, one of the advantages of the octopus monsters was the regeneration process. Noah exined that the monster''s regeneration process was 300 HP/second.


    "This means that you have to release attacks of more than 300 damage," Alisha replied, Noah agreed.


    There were a total of three HP bars from the octopus monsters. Two monsters had one and a half HP bars left, while the other monster still had two HP bars left.


    "Although it''s slow, there''s a certainty that the three monsters will die."


    Aaron turned his head, seeing that the average damage taken was 600-1000 damage. It was more than enough to defeat the octopus monsters. Although what Noah said was true, it should take a long time.


    "Put time aside. Pay attention to their MP count. If you don''t kill them immediately, I''m afraid your members will run out of MP, and it will be a hassle for you," exined Aaron, arguing.


    "Who is he?" asked Noah.


    "He''s my friend. He joined my team for this raid," said Alisha without telling Aaron''s name.


    "AAKH!"


    One of the five members of Noah''s group was hit by an octopus tentacle. He bounced away and crashed into the maze wall. One medical member immediately came to heal him.


    "Damn! We''re losing power, Captain Noah. I''m starting to run out of MP."


    "We should retreat and rest for a while. It''ll be difficult if we force ourselves."


    Noah turned around, watching as the four members struggled to kill the three octopus monsters. Noah''s hands were clenched tightly, annoyed that his team members had failed to kill them.


    "There''s no other choice. I have to¡ª"


    "You guyse out!" interrupted Aaron, startling everyone, including Noah.


    The figures of two strange men appeared before Aaron; Alisha and Noah widened their eyes. The fluctuations made by the two strange men were simr to those of a servant, especially since Aaron had a servant''s mark on his forehead.


    Isabe whispered something, asking about Aaron''s intentions, "What are you doing?"


    "The monsters are water elements. I have to get their MP Crystal."


    "Jack, Rasputin. Attack those three monsters!"

 Chapter 37 Two Servant Attack

    [Servant:]


    [Servant Activated]


    [1. Jack the Ripper]


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [MP -24000]


    Two servants appeared before Aaron, something they never expected before. The servant feature had been unlocked, but most adventurers had a beast servant. It was rare to get servants from mythological races, let alone soul servants.


    ''He even has two soul servants with strong energy fluctuations. Inviting him to join the group would be pretty beneficial,'' Noah replied, thinking of the opportunity in this case.


    Noah turned aside and looked at Alisha, who was shocked as if seeing them for the first time. This further convinced Noah that Alisha''s friend had not joined the Dimension Justice group.


    Following Aaron''s orders, Jack began to activate one of his talents. The sign that Jack''s talent was active was the appearance of a white mist surrounding the ce, reducing people''s visibility.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Night Mist Steps]


    The white mist increasingly flew to spread over the area around the octopus monster. Jack pointed his dagger forward from within it, dealing a shing strike to the monster.


    [Damage +5460]


    [Critical +6150]


    [Two Combo!]


    The damage panel was disyed before Aaron''s face. Everyone couldn''t see Jack''s attack pattern, but checking therge amount of damage was enough to tell them that Jack''s attack was fatal.


    "That''s a lot of damage. How strong is a soul servant really?" asked Alpha, shocked.


    "Among the three types of servants, soul servants are the strongest. Given therge amount of damage he deals, it''s safe to assume his servant level is high or his talent is high."


    "Servants with talents? That''s pretty terrifying," said Alpha, ncing at the young man named Aaron with admiration.


    "That''s right. In short, if he has many servants, he has many talents," Alisha exined.


    [Damage +3670]


    [Damage +4520]


    [Critical +7830]


    [Three Combo! Great!]


    Through Jack''s vision shared with Aaron, it was clear that one of the three octopus monsters had a red HP bar, meaning half an HP bar was left. With Jack''s relentless attacks, it could be confirmed that the monster with the red HP bar would be eliminated.


    Aaron looked to the side, watching Rasputin still standing as if he was watching the situation. Jack returned before Aaron, he stepped from within the white mist after finishing defeating one octopus monster.


    [EXP +22000]


    [TP +11000]


    [2000 RL]


    [Item Obtained:]


    [2 MP Crystals Lv.2]


    [3 Potion HP Lv.2]


    [3 Elixir MP Lv.2]


    [2 Bottles of octopus ink]


    Aaron only took the MP crystals he had gotten, and he handed over the rest to Noah. Those items might be useful for restoring the condition of his injured members or those who are out of MP.


    "Now it''s your turn, Rasputin."


    "I''ll dly do it," Rasputin said.


    "Keep them trapped in your reality illusion."


    Rasputin cleared his throat and nodded slowly. He continued to stride calmly, each footstep always apanied by a fluctuation of his white energy.


    His eyes turned white, staring at the two monsters after Jack''s white mist evaporated and disappeared.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Mind Reality Power]


    At once, the two octopus monsters fell into silence as if frozen. Another panel appeared before Aaron, something rted to Rasputin''s talent.


    [Damage +0]


    [Enemy hit by illusion effect]


    [Illusion Duration:]


    [00:00:00:00]


    [Dispels enemy''s basic ability]


    [Regeneration effect stopped]


    ''Hmm... looks like the illusion will remain as long as Rasputin is activated,'' Aaron said.


    ''You can kill him. Those two octopus monsters won''t be able to do regen," Aaron exined.


    Noah and his team members listened to Aaron''s words. They began manifesting their talent power, then directed the attacks together.


    With thebined attacks and the octopus'' stalled regen effect, Aaron was sure the monster could be instantly defeated.


    From fire, thunder, light, weapons, dimension, and time attacks. They unleashed their strikes on the monster, causing a huge thunder of energy that surrounded the two monsters.


    Damage panels began to pop up before them, indicating their attacks had sessfully hit the monster. Slowly, the HP bars of the two octopus monsters were fully depleted. The carcasses of the octopuses shattered into tiny particles which evaporated and disappeared.


    [EXP +1000]


    [TP +500]


    [150 RL]


    Aaron saw that a small amount of EXP, TP, and RL had been obtained. He just realized the significant role of attackers in killing every monster, and it was because Rasputin''s servant type was supportive.


    Unlike him, Noah and his members earned considerable EXP, depending on how much damage they dealt.


    Realizing that Aaron had a significant role, Noah asked his members who got MP Crystal items to give to him.


    There were four Lv.2 MP Crystals in total. Noah epted all of them and gave those four items to Aaron.


    Noah did it for two reasons: His responsibility as the group leader and making a good impression on Aaron.


    "Take it. You need it more than we do."


    Without hesitation, Aaron grabbed the four Lv.2 MP Crystals. Since six items had been collected, Aaron immediately destroyed them to increase his MP capacity significantly.


    [MP crystals have been used]


    [MP Capacity +6000]


    [Total MP: 1260/1860]


    ''Lv.1 MP crystals only add 100, while Lv. 2 adds 1000. I wonder, are there any MP Crystals with higher levels?" asked Aaron.


    "Thank you, Captain Noah. I''ll return the favor someday."


    "No problem, you did us a favor after all. If you hadn''t trapped those two octopuses in an illusion, it might have been difficult for us to defeat them," exined Noah.


    Liel and Isabe gasped, not having expected that Aaron had two servants. As far as they knew, Aaron only had one servant, the mist man.


    Noticing that Aaron was a powerful young man made the two women fall in love with him. Isabe turned her head, aware that Liel felt the same way as she did for Aaron.


    Alisha walked up to Aaron, praising the young man for sessfully having two soul servants. She expressed that her worries subsided after Aaron showed his strength.


    "Now, it looks like we don''t have to worry about the floor boss''s abilities."


    "Even so, we never know what kind of power the floor boss has. We must stay alert, Captain Alisha," Alpha exined.


    The woman nodded slowly, fully understanding what Alpha was saying. Alisha nced to the side, seeing that the Sky Sword group members were still exhausted.


    "Is it alright with you if we continue our way? We need to arrive at the boss room quickly," Alisha said. Noah didn''t mind at all.


    "Don''t worry about us. We''re not aiming for the floor boss in this raid."


    Alisha cleared her throat. She and the rest of her group left the ce. Just as Aaron stepped past Noah''s group, his eyes briefly met with S''s.


    Aaron waved his hand to greet her. S''s face blushed while she replied to Aaron''s response. Through Aaron''s muted lips, S could read that Aaron was waiting for her on the tenth floor.


    That boosted S''s morale and made her stand up straight, stepping closer to Noah, "Captain, should we join them fighting the floor boss?"


    "No, S. The fight against the octopus monster is enough to take up our energy."


    Noah''s answer made the fervor in S''s heart fade. Noah notices the change in S''s expression; it seems that the woman has a feeling for one of Alisha''s member groups.


    "Do you have any friends in Alisha''s group?" asked Noah, S looking awkward.


    "Aaron and I met on the second floor. He was the one who saved Thomas."


    "Aaron? Is he the one with the two servants? Isn''t Aaron the¡ª"


    "Please keep this a secret. He''s a fugitive of the Night Liberator."@@novelbin@@


    Noah couldn''t hide his shock when he heard S''s confession; there was no reason for S to lie to him.


    "If it''s true, then we''d better be careful. Dealing with the Night Liberator will be a hassle."


    "Don''t tell anyone about this other than me. Do you get it, S?"


    "I get it."

 Chapter 38 Clash in Group

    From a distance, Alisha and the others could see the sealed door of the floor boss. The woman didn''t know if a group of adventurers was already challenging it.


    She asked the other to wait while she checked forward, specifically to the system panel on the boss room door.


    Alisha saw that the floor boss had not been challenged by anyone that day. Still waiting for a team to register for a floor boss challenge.


    Aaron squinted; Alisha took quite a while to look at the system panel. He approached her out of curiosity to find out what made Alisha remain silent for a long time.


    "Where are you going?" asked Isabe.


    "I''ll be there for a minute."


    "Let mee with you," said Liel, taking the first initiative to prove she would not give up on winning Aaron''s heart.


    The young man didn''t mind. Together with Liel, they made their way over to Alisha, who still stared at the system panel on the floor boss as if something was haunting her mind.


    Aaron''s arrival was brought to Alisha''s attention. The woman nced to the side while breaking her deep reverie. The young man came with Liel, who immediately responded with a smile from Alisha.


    "What''s the matter, Alisha?" asked Aaron.


    "Aaron? It''s nothing. I''m just wondering whether we can beat this floor boss."


    "You know the risks of taking on this challenge, right?" asked Alisha.


    Aaron cleared his throat, staring ahead precisely at the system panel before the floor boss''s door, "Yeah. Once you take the challenge, you have only two choices: you defeat the boss, or it defeats you."


    "Is that maybe what makes many adventurers refuse to challenge a floor boss before they arepletely confident they can defeat it?" asked Liel. Alisha cleared her throat in reply.


    "That''s right. It''s been three months since anyone dared to go up the floor. They also didn''t have any precise information about the floor boss''s characteristics," said Alisha.


    "Is that what makes you doubt?" asked Aaron.


    Alisha was heard taking several deep breaths, then exhaling gently. Although she had a strong and confident young man like Aaron, but it was undeniable that the unknown abilities of the floor boss made everyone so cautious.


    Ignorance was pending death. That was what Alisha thought, and she was reluctant for it to happen.


    "Can we defeat it?" asked Alisha, sounding a little worried.


    "Don''t worry. I''m pretty familiar with the floor boss room. There''s nothing we need to worry about."


    "Aaron''s right, Alisha. We can defeat the floor boss if we work together," replied Liel, supporting Aaron''s opinion.


    The captain of Aaron''s group was seen examining the young man''s face and attitude. Alisha could see a look of high confidence in him, which waspletely different from other adventurers who were about to challenge the floor boss.


    "Since you''re so confident, there''s nothing for me to worry about, right?"


    "Yeah."


    After preparing themselves, Isabe, Alpha, Alex, and the others stepped toward Alisha. Their MPs and HP were fully filled.


    Now, they were all just waiting for Alisha to decide whether to challenge the floor boss or not.


    Alisha reached forward, pressing her palm on a box-shaped panel as a prelude to team registration.


    [Boss Floor Challenge]


    [Registration sessful]


    [Team Name: Dimension Justice]


    [Team Leader: Alisha]


    [Number of Team Members: 8]


    [Challenge: Red Centaur]


    [WARNING!]


    [The team taking the challenge cannot retreat]


    [The team can leave only once the boss is dead]


    [Take the challenge?]


    [Yes] [No]


    "Are you ready?" asked Alisha. They looked serious as they cleared their throat and nodded.


    "We have prepared ourselves before the raid."


    "Good."


    Alisha pressed the Yes menu, a confirmation panel appeared before Alisha and the others, exining the details of the monsters they would fight in the floor boss room.


    [Dimension Justice team confirmed]


    [Monster Details]


    [Monster: Red Centaur]


    [Level: 42]


    [HP: 54000/54000]


    [MP: 56000/56000]


    [Element: Fire]


    Blue lights shed inside the boss room. A monster, half human and half horse, was there, and it seemed to be waiting for the adventurers to challenge it.


    It was pretty big, more than the size of an elephant. What caught Alisha and the rest of her team''s attention was the fiery red color of its fur, along with a red aura simr to mes.


    No wonder for Aaron and the others since its element was Fire. All team members had to be alert this time because the fire element floor boss was sometimes troublesome.


    From the Red Centaur''s hand, Aaron saw a huge axe appear, followed by a sh of red light. Alisha gave the order to immediately disperse and form a circr formation surrounding the monster.


    Unfortunately for them, Liel had to bear the brunt of her symptoms rpsing.


    Liel fell to her knees while clutching her tight and painful chest. Aaron sharpened his eyes, he had to go near Liel immediately to recover her condition.


    "ra! Cover me, please. I must recover Liel''s symptoms," Aaron pleaded firmly.


    ra cleared her throat. She followed Aaron from where he was to near Liel, not far away. Alisha and the others were seenunching their attacks towards the red centaur. The monster had five HP bars, which adjusted its HP count.


    "Aaron! Be careful," said Isabe.


    Isabended a red rose petal sword attack forward, dealing significant damage.


    [Damage +8940]


    Aaron arrived near Liel, who still groaned in pain. ra created a protective shield from her talent, while Aaron focused on directing his dark elemental energy into Liel''s body.


    "Sorry for troubling you, Aaron."@@novelbin@@


    "Be quiet. I''ll be here taking care of you," Aaron stated, wanting to focus on recovering Liel''s symptoms.


    Slowly, the purple veins running through Liel''s body began to fade. Thebored breathing also disappeared. The pain in her chest was gone, and Liel no longer felt as much pain as before.


    After all the attacks were over, they could only make the Red Centaur lose one HP bar.


    Alisha spoke loudly, telling her members to form a strong defense wall as the Red Centaur was about to unleash its first attack.


    The monster stomped its horse''s hooves on the floor. The first stomp sent a wave of powerful energy throughout the ce, causing half of Alisha''s members to be knocked back and fail to maintain their magic shields.


    The second stomp was done. This time, the Red Centaur monster gave rise to a gigantic wave of fire that spread everywhere.


    "Jack! Rasputin! Cover us!"


    [Servant:]


    [Servant Activated]


    [1. Jack the Ripper]


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [MP -24000]


    Two servant figures appeared before Aaron, stretching their hands forward to bring up a magic defense wall.


    ra pulled the few members who fell to take cover behind the magic defense of Aaron''s two servants. They were injured from the first impact of the Red Centaur''s stomp.


    A wave of fire crashed through the magic shield; it was strong and scorching. Alisha and Isabe managed to withstand the attack, but Alex failed to shield himself.


    "AAKKKH!" cried Alex, suffering from the pain of being burned in a high-temperature fire.


    "ALEX!" shouted Alpha.


    Alpha tried to stretch out his arms to the side to protect Alex. But, it was in vain for Alpha due to the great intensity of the fire wave attack.


    Alisha widened her eyes. She bit her lower lip until it bled, feeling deeply guilty for failing to protect one of her members.


    Elsewhere, Aaron heard Alex''s screams of pain. He stood up and saw Alex being burned alive. Aaron''s eyes watched as Alex''s HP bar drastically reduced until itpletely disappeared.


    "Shit!"


    ''Did Isabe survive?'' Aaron asked, looking for Isabe''s whereabouts.


    The wave of fire had finished, and the room floor turned ck from the burning effects. Alisha and the others began to dispel their defensive magic.


    [Nerf!]


    [STR -50%]


    Alpha rushed over to Alex, who was fatally wounded. His skin blistered and peeling off, smoke billowing all over Alex''s body.


    "Alex! Hang in there, buddy. Hurry up and drink this HP Potion!" said Alpha.


    The man shook his head; it was difficult for him to survive in his current condition.


    Alisha stepped closer and was shocked to see Alex''s condition. Her eyes looked shiny and filled with unshed tears.


    "Captain Alisha?"


    "This ... is really painful."


    "YOU MUST DRINK THIS HP POTION, ALEX!" shouted Alpha, reluctant for his best friend to die.


    In the end, Alex''s life was beyond help. He exhaled and died with his eyes still open.


    Alpha was the one who was devastated by Alex''s death; the two had been friends since they were on the second floor. The man continued to clench his hands tightly until they bled.


    Alpha''s eyes were fixed to the side, gazing intimidatingly at Aaron and Liel. The moment before Liel''s symptoms rpsed, Aaron was right near Alex.


    "You''re putting that sick woman''s life ahead of Alex''s. He''s more useful than she is!" the Alpha scolded, rising to his feet as he pointed angrily at Aaron.


    "I feel sorry for his death. And yet, you were also near him."


    "When his magic was destroyed, you just stood there doing nothing like a coward!" snapped Aaron, equally annoyed.


    "What did you say, goddamn it?!"


    Aaron and Alpha stepped into the middle of the room, about to beat each other up to vent their frustration.


    Alisha and Isabe walked towards them, Alisha holding Alpha back while Isabe to Aaron.


    "I have told you bringing that woman would be disastrous for us, Alisha."


    "If she hadn''t rpsed, maybe Alex wouldn''t have to die!" annoyed Alpha.


    Liel looked down sluggishly, then cried for the first time in front of many people. A sense of guilt filled her head and heart.


    Alpha was right! If her illness hadn''t rpsed, maybe Alex could have been saved.


    "Stop it, both of you! We can''t fight; it''s not something Alex wants!" Alisha insisted.


    "Be calm, Aaron. You can''t be provoked by his words," Isabe whispered, calming Aaron''s upset heart.


    Aaron tried to take a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, "The decision to invite Liel is mine. You have no right to decide!"


    "Then hurry up and get this over with. Did you just rely on the power of your two servants? Show us your dark elemental talent!"


    ''He''s really too much. Is he gonna force Aaron to use all his talents?'' Isabeined.


    Aaron turned aside, looking at the Red Centaur monster with four HP bars left. With great determination and resentment, he stepped past Isabe to stand exactly before the Centaur monster.


    "You people are so pathetic!"


    "Let me show you the power of my talent."

 Chapter 40 Elvan, The Solo Adventurer

    Having enough to advise Aaron, Aerith left the ce by bringing up a dimensional rift. Alisha and the others focused their eyes forward, watching Aerith leave the ce.


    Aaron fell to his knees again, trying to catch his breath properly. Isabe stepped over unsteadily, not having had time to drink the HP Potion to restore her condition.


    "Who is she really?" Isabe asked.


    "How should I say it, huh? More like a person with power in another dimension," revealed Aaron.@@novelbin@@


    "Power in another dimension? Does she have anything to do with your talent?" asked Isabe.


    Aaron responded by clearing his throat. He took out the HP Potion from his digital storage and gulped it down without a second thought. Slowly, his energy and HP recovered to normal.


    [HP +3000]


    [CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [You have sessfullypleted the Dark Pir''s third-floor boss challenge]


    [The Fourth floor of Dark Pir Tower has been unlocked]


    [Floor ess Privilege: 4]


    [Want to go to the next floor?]


    [Yes] [No]


    After all the members hadpletely recovered, a panel notification was present informing everyone that they had floor ess privileges up to the fourth floor. Alisha smiled happily; she could not hide her excitement.


    Everyone else felt the same way, except for Alpha. His mind was still overwhelmed by the moment of Alex''s death that was clear in his eyes, where he couldn''t do anything when his best friend was burned alive.


    Alisha said earlier that she needed to tell Leon about her current situation.


    She opened the message panel and sent information that she was about to go up to the fourth floor, which made Leon have to carry out an important task as the leader of the Dimension Justice group on the third floor.


    "I''m gonna go to the fourth floor. What about you guys?" asked Alisha, curious.


    Isabe and Lorelei turned to look at Aaron. They couldn''t decide whether to go up the floor or not. The decision was entirely in Aaron''s hands.


    With great confidence, Aaron stepped closer to Alisha. He said obviously that he nned to go up the floor, too, which made Alisha both relieved and happy.


    "Alright. If you want to go up the floor, we should go up together to prevent anything bad."


    "Do you mind?" asked Alisha, Aaron shook his head without any objection.


    Alpha and another member decided to stay on the third floor. Alpha wanted to bury Alex''s body with honor, while the other woman wanted to stay here until she waspletely confident in her ability to ascend the floor.


    [Teleportation to the Fourth floor confirmed]


    [Destination: Fourth Floor]


    [Initiate teleportation to destination in five minutes]


    [00:00:04:59]


    Another panel appeared before Aaron and the others, showing an inscription about the countdown of teleportation to the intended destination, which was the fourth floor of the Dark Pir Tower.


    The Dark Pir gate opened, a sign that the floor boss had beenpletely defeated. Alpha and the woman used this chance to leave the ce immediately.


    "I leave Dimension Justice to you and Leon, Alpha."


    "You don''t have to worry about them. Leon and I will guard that ce," Alpha said, suddenly rxing Alisha''s heart.


    Slowly, Alpha and the woman waltzed away from the ce. That left Alisha and the others in the room, four people waiting for the countdown to be over.


    "Is the mysterious womaning again?" asked Alisha.


    "I don''t know, I can''t tell when she''lle. She''s really mysterious," Aaron replied.


    Alisha cleared her throat. It was undeniable that the existence of the mysterious woman was quite surprising to her.


    Besides being powerful, she seemed to have a special close rtionship with Aaron until Aaron couldn''t do anything before her.


    Liel had seen the woman, once. At that time, she came to heal the symptoms of an illness that had rpsed on her.


    In her opinion, that woman waspletely good as long as there was Aaron''s role in it. Otherwise, she could kill Liel and the others in a single attack.


    The four people were still waiting for the countdown to finish. There were a few minutes left before the teleportation between floors began.


    ording to his calctions, it hadn''t been a month since Aaron arrived at the dark pir tower, but he was already on the fourth floor fast.


    For some adventurers, reaching the fourth floor took at least six months to a year if they practiced hard and always participated in monster raids.


    That''s because the capacity of the monsters on the third and previous floors is quite strong, stronger than the average monster in Earth Core Tower.


    [Initiate teleportation to destination in five minutes]


    [00:00:00:05]


    Five seconds into the teleportation, Aaron''s body and the others began to glow brightly in blue light. Slowly, the light particles evaporated into the sky into blue beads of light that rose up. Aaron sensed that the teleportation was about to take ce.


    The four people in the boss room were immediately teleported to the fourth floor, precisely at the Stone of Light located outside the gate.


    Aaron''s eyes opened, watching him outside the dark pir gate ording to the destination on the teleportation panel.


    Alisha saw several adventurersing out of the dark pir with their groups, having finished the Monster Raid.


    As she expected, many of them came out with their bodies full of wounds. The monsters on the fourth floor didn''t seem as easy as those on the previous floors.


    "Where are we going now?"


    Just as they were taking in the surrounding area, Alisha''s eyes caught sight of a man she knew. They had been together on Dimension Justice''s Third Floor in the past, but he chose to leave and be a solo adventurer.


    Alisha had to admit something; his strength exceeded the strength she had now. ording to her, her strength might almost match Aaron''s.


    "Elvan!" called Alisha.


    Hearing his name being called made the man named Elvan gasp. He nced to the side, squinted, and looked surprised when he found out that Alisha was on the same floor as him.


    "Alisha? I didn''t know you were here," Elvan said.


    The man stepped closer, standing right before Alisha with a slightly shocked face. Aaron nced to the side, seeing Alisha''s face turn red when Elvan approached her.


    ''Looks like she has a crush on that guy,'' Aaron said.


    "It''s time for me to go upstairs. What about you? I heard you wanted to go up to the tenth floor quickly. Why are you still on the fourth floor?"


    "Actually...."


    Elvan unhesitatingly showed the system panel bearing his floor privileges. Alisha and the others moved their faces forward, clearly seeing the numbers written beside the panel.


    "Y-You''ve reached the 11th floor?" asked Alisha.


    "That''s right. I went up to the 11th floor three months ago. I came here to look for a hidden artifact in the Dark Pir," replied Elvan.


    "Artifact?"


    Aaron reflexively asked because he had never known anything like that before. Elvan turned sharply, stepping towards Aaron with an expression full of seriousness.


    He asked Alisha about Aaron''s identity. Alisha happily introduced Aaron and the others to Elvan. The woman also said that Aaron was an adventurer with the element of darkness.


    "The element of darkness? Is he the fool who ate the fruit of Aranth?" asked Elvan rudely.


    "What did you say?!" asked Aaron, sternly.


    Elvan turned his head again, watching Aaron carefully. His eyes narrowed as he watched a faint white pattern appear on Aaron''s forehead through Elvan''s eyes, which felt familiar.


    "Master of a servant."


    "What do you mean?" asked Alisha.


    The man pointed forward, at Aaron. He asked Aaron to call his two servants to confirm something. Aaron was confused at first, but Alisha responded by nodding.


    In the end, Aaron agreed to what Alisha wanted. He began to summon Jack and Rasputin from his body, appearing with his body straight in front of Aaron. Elvan smiled bitterly, pping his hands asionally.


    [Servant:]


    [Servant Activated]


    [1. Jack the Ripper]


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [MP -24000]


    "This is interesting," Elvan said.


    "What exactly are you trying to say?" asked Aaron, confused.


    "Do you want to join me in exploring the depth of the Dark Pir on this floor?"

 Chapter 43 Tier Three Monster Attacks

    ''Is that so? Is it possible that because she''s always with me recently, her feelings of love have started to grow for me?'' Aaron asked.


    ''What should I do? I''ve never been in a situation like this.''


    Isabe, older than Aaron, dared to invite Aaron to look at her face-to-face. Aaron gasped. Isabe''s delicate hands held Aaron''s cheeks gently, which were full of warmth and care.


    "How do you feel about me?"


    "About that¡ª"


    [ALERT!]


    [Public announcement to all people in the city area!]


    [Third-level monsters detected invading the west gate of the city!]


    [Evacuate immediately]


    Aaron was saved. The monster attack warning panel was present before his face. Not only him, but everyone else got the same thing.


    On the panel, it was exined that everyone must evacuate immediately.


    "What''s happening?" shocked Isabe.


    Amotion broke out outside the inn, people scattered with panicked faces. Aaron turned to the side, stepping closer to his room''s window.


    "We must follow the evacuation order immediately."


    "But I haven''t¡ª"


    The siren rang loudly among them all, suddenly waking the sleeping people and frightened many of them.


    The door to Aaron''s room opened. Liel appeared with a half-sleepy face, ra also appeared in the same condition.


    "What''s happening, Aaron?" asked Liel.


    "The monsters appear to be invading this town to the west of the city. We have to go save ourselves," Aaron replied.


    Liel rubbed his eyes, stepped closer to Aaron''s bedroom window and poked his head out. He saw carefully as dozens of people came out and scattered in panic on the city streets, not a few of them choosing to head to the west gate to see what was happening there.


    BOM!


    The explosion happened with a loud booming sound; a red glow apanied by ck smoke soared up to fill the horizon in the night. A strong gust of wind was felt all the way to the inn.


    Because the distance is pretty close ¡ªwithin the range of servants. Aaron called Servant Jack and Rasputin. The two servants appeared in Aaron''s room in white light, kneeling to bow to their master.


    [Servant:]


    [Servant Activated]


    [1. Jack the Ripper]


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [MP -24000]


    "You two go and check the area."


    "Alright, Master."


    The two servants left the ce in a sh of white light, darting away to find out the situation in the ce.


    Aaron''s eyes closed, then slowly opened with the same vision as Jack''s servant did. Jack flew in the sky in a sh of white light, with Rasputin by his side.


    Several people saw the sh of white light. They assumed that it was an adventurer with such a high level that they could possess the talent of flying, even though they didn''t know they were Servants at all.


    The chaos was clearly visible in Aaron''s eyes ¡ªthrough the vision shared by Jack. From his eyes, he saw dozens of members of three major groups working together to repel the invasion of third-level monsters, which were monsters with levels 40-55.


    "Things are really chaotic over there."


    "Can you see it with the help of your servant?" asked Isabe. Aaron responded with a nod.


    "Can we help guard this ce?" asked Liel, Aaron shook his head.


    "Let them handle it. It looks like they can win easily."


    Liel and the others nodded, agreeing to the order from Aaron. With the help of the watch system, the three women began to change their clothes from sleeping pajamas to adventurous clothes. It made everything feel so practical.


    Aaron ordered Jack, through the intuition of his mind, to go help them. Aaron shifted his vision from Jack to Rasputin, seeing Jack''s presence as a favorable aid to the members of the three major groups.


    A white mist spread over the ce, blinding the visibility of the members of the three major groups. Not a few of them were on alert, as the presence of a strange entity like that was not part of their n.


    "Who is he? Why did this white mist appear when he came?"


    "Be careful. He''s not part of our n," said a man, themander of the city defenses at the west gate.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Night Mist Steps]


    Jack entered into a thick white mist from his Stealth rank S-R talent. From within, he had prepared a sharp dagger to sh the body of the attacking monster.


    Although the level of the monsters was quite high, it was not difficult for Jack to defeat them. If we were topare, a monster with level 40 was equivalent to a level 2 mythological race servant.


    However, Jack''s servant was not a mythological race servant, so his fighting ability was more improved and stronger.


    Right before Aaron, another panel appeared, attracting the attention of Isabe and the others.


    [Damage +34500]


    [Critical +67400]


    [Damage +45500]


    [Critical +78100]


    [Critical +68700]


    [Five Combo! Great!]


    "You''re gettingbo damage even though the battle is elsewhere. This is really terrible," Isabe said.


    "That''s just two servants. What if you had hundreds of servants? You could be the most powerful person in the world, Aaron," Liel praised.


    Even so, they didn''t know the MP capacity that had to be used every time they used a servant, let alone two servants. If two servants alone consumed 24000 MP, what about hundreds to thousands of servants?


    Aaron had to have sufficient MP capacity to handle all that if he wanted to have hundreds of soul servants with high talent ranks. That would take quite a long time to manifest.


    [EXP +178600]


    [TP +89300]


    [23000 RL]


    [DING! Congrattion on Leveling Up]


    [Level 44]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting a new title]


    [11. Wild Monster yer]


    [Killing more than five wild monsters outside the monster raid]


    [WARNING!]


    [Immediately do talent rank ascension]


    [Target Ascension Stage: Third]


    [Total TP: 635770/499999 TP]


    [Item Obtained:]


    [5 MP Elixir Lv. 3]


    [10 HP Potion Lv. 3]


    [4 MP Crystals Lv. 2]


    [7 Red Ruby Gem Lv.2]


    [10 Blue Amethyst Gem Lv. 3]


    [Miredent Sword]


    [Dark Realm Staff]


    [ck Order Cloak]


    Some items were sessfully obtained, thest three items Aaron had never known before, but the rest were quite familiar to Aaron.


    He needed to meet with the owner of the item shop to find out the uses of the three items, including what the demand was and how much they cost in the market.


    "Do you know these three items?" asked Aaron, disying the three items before Isabe and the others.


    Isabe shook her head; she had never seen anything like that before. Liel and ra showed simr responses, not knowing.


    "Maybe that thing is worth a lot in the market. After this chaos subsides, we should go visit one of the equipment stores to ask for the price of that item," Isabe said, and Aaron agreed with her.


    Aaron called two servants to return. Jack and Rasputin flew out of the ce to return near their master, Aaron. ording to Aaron, it was time to pull Jack before something bad happened to him.@@novelbin@@


    [ALERT!]


    [Public announcement to all people in the city area!]


    [Third-level monsters detected invading the north gate of the city!]


    [Evacuate immediately]


    "Wh-What? Monster attacks in two ces? This is really serious!" shocked Isabe. The public notice panel reappeared before her, bearing something that shocked her.


    Another explosion urred in the north. Aaron jumped from the top of the window and stood directly above the city street. He turned his head to the north, watching threerge explosions ur there.


    "This is bad! They won''t be able to withstand two monster attacks in different ces at the same time."

 Chapter 44 North Gate Defense

    Isabe and the others left Aaron''s room and came to the young man''s side. They asionally shifted their eyes from the right to the front, clearly watching the two big battles happening at the same time.


    Several members of the group were seen running around, they divided the concentration of troops from the south and east gates to the west and north gates. Only a few of them were assigned to ensure the evacuation process went smoothly.


    One of the group members from the Dimension Justice group came approaching Aaron. The woman strictly asked Aaron and his group to immediately evacuate to a designated bunker.


    "Evacuate quickly! This is a dangerous situation," said the woman, looking hurried and frantic.


    Aaron was silent as he watched the woman''s face. Not long after, a man came to tell the woman. He said that the three groups of troops were exhausted after fighting the invasion of monsters at the west gate.


    "They can''t guard the gate in the north. That will make things difficult for us," the man said.


    "Then what should we do? I haven''t finished arranging the evacuation of the townsfolk yet."


    The man looked at Aaron with a stern face, then took in the area around him. It could be said that there were indeed too many city people to be rescued, but keeping the gate in the north from copsing was also their priority.


    "Hey, can you help me guide the city people to evacuate?" asked the man, asking Aaron for help.


    "We''ll pay you. You just need to lead them to the appointed ce."


    "Huft!"


    "What''s wrong?" asked the man after hearing Aaron sigh.


    Isabe smiled, as did the others. Although Aaron didn''t say anything now, but it was clear that he intended to help this city from destruction.


    "Isabe, ra, Lorelei! You go help them evacuate the people," Aaronmanded, turning around and staring far away at the north gate.


    Two members of the Dimension Justice group looked shocked at Aaron''s response. Isabe and the others nodded in agreement, they would do exactly as Aaron ordered.


    "So, what do you want to do?" asked the man from Dimension Justice.


    "I''m gonna help you guys withstand the monster invasion," exined Aaron.


    "Y-You''re gonna help? But they are third-tier monsters. It will take a lot of mages to defeat the monster invasion."


    Aaron summoned his two soul servants to appear before him. A bright white light was present to the surprise of the two Dimension Justice members, they could only gape in disbelief at what they were seeing.


    [Servant:]


    [Servant Activated]


    [1. Jack the Ripper]


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [MP -24000]


    "Soul servant? You have two soul servants? This is impossible!" said the man, unable to hide his shock.


    "How strong are you really?" the woman asked.


    "There''s no time to answer your questions. Take me to the north gate!" said Aaron.


    The two Dimension Justice members looked at each other, then responded with a slight nod. Although they didn''t know who Aaron was, his presence could be an additional strength for the defense forces at the north gate.


    Jack and Rasputin flew across the city sky while Aaron and the others ran through the main street of the city.


    The booming sound of the energy sh sounded increasingly clear to Aaron''s ears, a sign that he was very close to the explosion site.


    Not only explosions, the screams of pain could also be heard loudly. The man asked Aaron to quicken his pace before the loss of more lives of the north gate guards.


    The three arrived outside the north gate and saw 10 mages forming a strong earth wall. Their arrival immediately sparked the attention of the captain of the gatekeepers, Niam.


    "Only three? Didn''t I tell you I needed at least 10 mages?" asked Niam, annoyed that reinforcements were so few.


    "They''re on their way, Captain Niam."


    Niam nced strongly at Aaron, an unfamiliar face in amon adventurer''s clothes suit, not a member of the three major groups.


    Niam stepped closer to Aaron, asking his intentions and purpose foring.


    "He said he would help us. He has two soul servants," said the man who hade with Aaron.


    "Two soul servants? It''s impossible for someone as young as him to have two soul servants. It doesn''t make sense!"


    The man was reluctant to admit that Aaron had two soul servants. Aaron didn''t care, he threw his head back and saw two male figures in the sparkling white light present.


    People were diverted to stare at the two mysterious figures, Aaron looked at them with a big smile, feeling proud after showing what he had to them who despised him.


    "T-That''s a soul servant!"


    "It is said that Soul Servants are very powerful, exceeding mages with level 55."


    "If theye to help us, then our problems can bepletely solved."


    Those who saw the presence of the two soul servants instantly felt optimistic and confident. With a brief hand gesture forward, Aaron asked the two servants to attack the monsters that came charging over.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Illusion of a Thousand sses]


    A thick white mist was present in the ce to blind the monsters'' visibility. Through Jack''s eyes, Aaron could clearly see Jack''s servant enter the fog and prepare to make his attack.


    The projection of thousands of Jack the Ripper appeared and attracted many monsters ¡ªmost of the monsters were level 45 Orc monsters.


    They attacked Jack''s illusory clone blindly, without being able to tell which one was the real Jack.


    ROAR!


    A loud roar could be heard clearly deafening, the pressure on the protective earth wall began to fade. They sensed the monsters fighting against the illusory clones of Jack the Ripper''s servants.


    Rasputin flew right into the crowd of many orc monsters. Both of his hands stretched forward and brought into existence his sub talent, an area illusion capable of affecting anyone within it.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Illusory light explosion]


    He shot a ball of white light forward, the ball seemed to expand and tremble violently. Not long after, the ball exploded along with a noise that temporarily buzzed people''s ears.


    The monsters located below the ball of light''s explosion were significantly affected, causing them to stand still with their heads up to the sky.


    [Nerf]


    [Trapped in illusion]


    [Illusion duration:]


    [-]


    The panel did not appear before Aaron, but instead in front of the monsters who were fighting against hundreds of Jack''s illusory clones. With them trapped in the illusion, it was easy for Jack to defeat them.


    [Damage +45300]


    [Damage +24500]


    [Damage +35900]


    [Three Combo! Great!]


    Thebo panel appeared before Aaron, just as he had expected. Dozens of mages began to lower the barrier earth wall, clearly seeing the situation of the battle between the monsters against Aaron''s servants.


    "Did we win?" asked one of the members, tired.@@novelbin@@


    "Not yet. There are more of theming. You''d better prepare yourself with your defense magic!"


    Aaron stepped forward. Through Jack''s eyes, he saw another swarm of same-level orc monsters approaching. Through his quick calctions, he guessed the number of monstersing to attack was around 200.


    "This is a terrifying number! I must stop them as much as I can."


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dark Dimension Portal]

 Chapter 46 The Mansion of Dimension Justice Leader

    The magic barrier wall began to disappear. The troops guarding the north gate were cleaning and repairing the ce.


    Elsa''s arrival, with the power of her terrifying ice talent, made the orc monsters run away from the area.


    The woman stepped closer to Aaron, who was sitting close to the medical team of the north gate guards. Her eyes looked with a cold expression; Aaron still didn''t do anything.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Come with me. The Leader of Dimension Justice wants to see you," Elsa asked, her expression t.


    ''What does he want from me? Does he want to invite me to join them?'' Aaron asked.


    "Just give me the reward. I have no desire to see him," said Aaron.


    "You''ll get your reward."


    The woman''s eyes were still fixed firmly on Aaron. The conversation between the two became more of a concern for the other members of the north gate guard.


    From the gate, Isabe and the others arrived and saw Aaron talking to a woman dressed in typical adventurer style, which seemed luxurious and ssy.


    "Aaron?" called Isabe. Aaron nced briefly to the side.


    Isabe knelt beside Aaron while Liel and ra stood before Aaron, protecting the young man from the white-haired woman''s intimidating look.


    "What are you gonna do to him?" asked Liel.


    "Calm down, Liel. She''s not our enemy."


    Elsa nodded, confirming what Aaron said. She exined she was the Leader of the Sky Sword group, one of the three major groups that had established the small town on the fourth floor.


    Having realized the person before her was the group leader made Liel gasp. She and ra no longer showed their cautious stance; instead, they allowed Elsa to talk to Aaron again.


    "Is she your friend?" asked Elsa, Aaron cleared his throat in response.


    "Then the four of you shoulde with me. You were invited directly by the Leader of Dimension Justice to talk," Elsa replied.


    "I don''t know what your contribution is, but since you''re Aaron''s friends, I''m sure you''re quite helpful to us in the current situation."


    "They helped evacuate the people. That''s all you need to know, Leader Elsa!"


    Elsa was even more convinced to take the four of them away since they had their own contributions. Aaron nodded.


    If the promised reward was at the Dimension Justice Leader''s residence, he had to meet Daniels.


    When they were about to leave, Isabe held Aaron''s hand tightly. It caught Aaron''s attention until he looked back, watching the anxious face of the woman who held him.


    "Can we talk for a minute, Aaron?" asked Isabe.


    Aaron nced forward; Elsa was heard sighing while ruffling her waist. She gave Aaron and Isabe five minutes to talk, which was more than enough for Isabe.


    The two stepped far enough away from Elsa''s and the other''s positions. Aaron didn''t know the reason for Isabe''s worried look, something that rarely happened to her.


    "She will take us to the residence of the Dimension Justice Leader. Is there a chance that the Leader of the Night Liberators will be there too?" Isabe asked.


    "Night Liberators? Are you afraid because they''re still hunting us?" asked Aaron. Isabe said yes with both hands increasingly grasping Aaron''s arms firmly.


    Aaron was silent for a moment, then turned his eyes asionally to watch Elsa''s. The white-haired woman was still watching Aaron from a distance.@@novelbin@@


    The young man understood the risks if they were caught by the Night Liberators, especially since Aaron had killed Denis the other day. He had no other choice but to talk to Elsa about this.


    After soothing Isabe''s heart, the two stepped closer to Elsa. Aaron had an idea to make them safe from the Night Liberator''s threat. Elsa could not help but agree with Aaron''s suggestion.


    "What''s wrong? What are you talking about?" asked Elsa.


    "I''lle with you under one condition. Are you willing to listen?"


    "I''m listening."


    ***


    Dimension Justice Chairman''s residence.


    Fourth Floor City.


    Elsa arrived after walking from the north gate. Aaron and his group members followed Elsa from behind.


    Elsa already knew Aaron and Isabe''s worries. The woman confirmed that they would be fine.


    The residence of the Dimension Justice Leader was a vast house in the style of modern European architecture, with a beautiful flower garden and arge courtyard.


    She nced to the side, looking at the gatekeeper of the Dimension Justice Leader''s residence.


    [ID confirmed]


    [Name: Elsa]


    [Position: Leader of Sky Sword Group]


    [Host allowed to enter]


    Elsa nodded after showing proof of her identity validation through the system watch. Just as the gatekeeper was about to check the identity of Aaron and the others, Elsa stopped her steps and looked back.


    "They''reing with me. You don''t have to be so strict!" said Elsa.


    "This is amon procedure, Ms. Elsa. I have to¡ª"


    "Do you not believe me?" asked Elsa, showing the blue aura typical of her ice talent.


    The woman''s immense power drew the attention of many people. Daniels felt a familiar energy fluctuation in his courtyard. He stepped closer to his study window and saw it was Elsa.


    "I called them. You can let them in!" Daniels ordered, and the gatekeeperplied.


    Elsa and the others stepped through the paving block road inside Daniels'' courtyard, the flowers blooming pleasantly to Isabe''s eyes, butterflies fluttering and settling on some of the flower stalks, a natural process of something she had rarely seen.


    The residence door opened, and a maid dressed in ck, typical of a maid, arrived. She would dly escort Elsa and the others to Daniels'' study.


    ''He was able to create such arge house despite being in the Dark Pir? Is there a feature to build a house like this, or did he build it with the help of workers?'' Aaron asked, curious.


    There were three floors in the house. The first was used as a hall or meeting room, the second was the office of the Leader and the captains, and the third was a private room for the Leader and his family to rest.


    "Do people who have the position of group leader get facilities like this?" asked Liel, curious that Alisha didn''t have a house this fancy.


    "A house feature will be unlocked if you reach level 70. If you want more, then you have to do an expansion," Elsa replied.


    "Expansion?"


    "You''ll find out after you reach level 70."


    "Do you also have your own house?" Aaron asked. Elsa cleared her throat as she continued to walk, following the maid.


    "I do. It''s not as big as this, nor is it very small. My house category is in the middle ss."


    ''I''m really curious about the features of the house.''


    The maid stopped walking, she pointed out a room where Daniels worked. The woman knocked on the door, and Daniel''s voice invited them to enter.


    The door opened, a man in a mage suit and tall build was in the room. His dandy-style ck hair made him look elegant, adult, and dignified.


    "So, you''re the man who guards the north gate of my city?" asked Daniels, looking at Aaron.


    "My name is Lewis. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Daniels."


    The only way to disguise his name was to change it. Lewis was Aaron''sst name, but no one would know him.


    "Lewis. I would like to thank you for helping us. As Elsa said, I will give you a reward," Daniel replied, stepping closer to Lewis.


    "Tell me. What do you want?" asked Daniel, curious.


    Aaron was momentarily silent, then took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, "I want 10 MP Crystal Level 3 and ability-enhancing items for my team."

 Chapter 49 The Spinning Wheel for Talent Selection

    "50000 RL from that man. Is there anyone who bids higher?" asked the shopkeeper.


    Not only was he looking at Aaron, but he also noticed the presence of his friend''s son beside him. That immediately made him know that the man must be a friend of his cksmith friend.


    People looked at each other. Some turned their heads and saw Aaron''s figure, who looked like a typical adventurer.


    The shopkeeper started counting down from five. If there were no higher offers, the five pieces of MP Crystal Level 3 would belong to Aaronpletely.


    35000 RL was already a high price for it, let alone 50000 RL. They would certainly be reluctant to spend that money just for MP Crystals, unless he was as obsessed as Aaron.


    "Five."


    "Four."


    "Three."


    "Two."


    "One!"


    "Sold to that young man at 50000 RL for five pieces of MP Crystal Level 3," said the shopkeeper. The people apuded Aaron.


    The young man stepped through the crowd. They opened the way so the mysterious and wealthy young man coulde to the shop and finalize the transaction. Aaron smiled, meeting the shopkeeper.


    "Is he a friend of your father''s, Jones?" the shopkeeper asked the boy who drove Aaron here.


    "Yeah. He saved my father''s goods from thieves," said Jones.


    "Really? People sometimes y ignorant and choose not to interfere in other people''s matters."


    "But he''s different. He''s a good man," said Jones, the shopkeeper agreeing with the boy''s words.


    "So, do you have the money?"


    "Show me the goods first. I''ll show you my money."


    "Alright."


    The shopkeeper took five pieces of MP Crystal Level 3 and showed them to Aaron. Aaron moved his face forward and then narrowed both eyes, paying attention to the quality and details of the item. The shopkeeper didn''t mind if Aaron wanted to see the item''s details.


    [Item Details:]


    [Name: Crystal MP]


    [Grade: 3]


    [Description: Useful for increasing one''s MP capacity. The amount of MP will be full if the Host sessfully levels up to the next level. The additional MP capacity is 5000 / MP Crystals.]


    ''I still have two MP Crystals Level 2. If I add five MP crystals from him, maybe I can increase the MP capacity of 27000.''


    ''That''s a decent amount when added to my current MP capacity. Perhaps I can use three of my five sub-talents,'' Aaron said, still paying attention to the detailed item panel.


    "How? I''m not a scammer. I sell things the way I tell them."


    "Yeah. I can see that."


    Jones helped the shopkeeper pick up the digital payment box. Aaron ced his system watch on top of it, the transaction panel was sessful.


    [Transaction sessful]


    [Item: MP Crystal]


    [Level: 3]


    [Quantity: 5]


    [Buyer: Aaron Lewis]


    [Price: 50000 RL]


    [Information: -]


    After confirming that he got the money from the items he sold, the shop owner thanked him and handed over the five items to Aaron.


    He told him to always visit his shop because Aaron was one of his special customers.


    "Those who have spent over 50000 RL in my shop will get special favor. You''ve be part of that," said the shopkeeper.


    "How many people have done it before me?"


    "You''re the first person to do so in one day."


    ''Ah, of course.''


    Aaron took two MP Crystal Level 2 items from his digital storage. He ced them all on top of his hand; there were seven MP Crystals with different levels.


    Without thinking, Aaron directly used the MP crystals by crushing them. The energy streams from the seven MP Crystals flowed in through Aaron''s forehead.


    Jonas and the shopkeeper faintly saw a white tattoo pattern on Aaron''s forehead when using the MP Crystals.


    [MP Crystals Has Been Used]


    [MP Crystals Level 2 detected]


    [MP Crystals Level 3 detected]


    [MP Capacity +27000]


    [Total MP Capacity: 24400/52400 MP]


    Aaron was satisfied with the increase this time, but it wasn''t perfect. At least he needed to have an MP capacity of more than 200000 MP to be able to handle all of his sub talents.


    "You have a lot of MPs. Are you interested in buying rank A talent slips and choosing a talent suitable for you?" asked the shopkeeper, making Aaron''s eyes squint sharply.


    "About rank talent slips...."


    The man brought out his items again, six rank A talent slips and a rank S talent slip. The difference between the two was quite significant, especially in looks. The A rank talent slip was red, while the S rank talent slip was white.


    The shopkeeper gasped. He waspletely wrong to offer Aaron the talent rank slips. He would dly help Aaron choose another talent to fill his Secondary Talent slot. Jones followed Aaron from the side.


    Thenky shopkeeper took out a cylinder-shaped item with a light beam inside. He asked Aaron to put one talent rank at a time, the young man did as he was told.


    One rank A talent slip went into the light slider. It was seen that the slip began to float in the light and continued to glow bright red. Surprisingly, the red color of the slip turned ck as time passed.


    "What''s going on?" asked Aaron.


    "Calm down, sir. This thing is absorbing the talent in the slip. You''ll know the results soon enough."


    [Talent Rank slip has been used]


    [Grade: A]


    [Starts selecting talents randomly]


    Another panel appeared before the cylinder, showing the words that Aaron had used in one of the seven rank talent slips.


    He never expected talent selection to be randomized rather than determined by him.


    The gacha circle appeared, totaling 30 talents ready to be selected. Aaron questioned the credibility of this thing, fearing that the talent selection was nonsense when the shopkeeper had the authority to control the gacha.


    The shop owner assured Aaron that this cylindrical object worked independently without interference from other people.


    What determined whether a talent was good or not was the LUCK attribute they had.


    "The greater your LUCK attribute, the higher your chances of getting the best talent in rank A."


    "Can I dy it while I improve my status?" Aaron asked.


    "Sure. The gacha will stay there for thirty minutes. If you don''t pick it up immediately after thirty minutes, the rank talent slip will be forfeited, and you will lose."


    "I see. This won''t take long."


    Aaron took out an item in the form of the level three full attribute status booster that Daniels had given him.


    He also brought up the system panel that showed his attribute status, quite a few ability points he hadn''t allocated yet.


    [STATUS ABILITIES]


    [CP: 74343] [+600]


    [STR: 47] [+20]


    [AGI: 66] [+10]


    [INT: 94] [+45]


    [LUCK: 41] [+25]


    [DEX: 54] [+20]


    [Ability Point: 0] [-120]


    After allocating enough ability points, he started using Status Attribute Full Booster Level 3. He pressed the slip and put some power into it. Another system panel appeared before the slip, disying text and some numbers.


    [Status Attribute Full Booster slip has been used]


    [Grade: 3]


    [Status Attribute Boost: +25]


    [Starts allocating points to the Host''s attribute status]


    [Host: Aaron Lewis]


    The Abilities Status panel reappeared before Aaron, the synchronization between the slip and Aaron''s attribute status system seeded smoothly. Now, Aaron could see each of his attributes increased by +25


    [STATUS ABILITIES:]


    [CP: 74943] [+625]


    [STR: 67] [+25]


    [AGI: 76] [+25]


    [INT: 139] [+25]


    [LUCK: 66] [+25]


    [DEX: 74] [+25]


    [Ability Point: 0]


    Jones and the shopkeeper looked carefully at every moment when Aaron''s attribute status increased. With the number of LUCK attributes around 91 points, the shopkeeper was confident that Aaron could get a good A-rank talent ¡ªnot a lowly one.


    "How is it? Are you ready?"


    "Yeah."


    The shopkeeper guided Aaron to press the circle button immediately in the center of the spinning wheel. Aaron''s palm touched it, the yellow light began to glow brightly as the spinning wheel moved quickly clockwise.


    [Talent Rank Selection begins]


    [Grade: A]


    [Host: Aaron Lewis]


    Now, the thrilling moment came. Aaron continued to watch how the spinning wheel would decide the talent rank of the slip.


    Slowly, the wheel spun with the clock hand pointing to a sectionbeled ''Weapon-Based Summoning''. Aaron squinted, rather curious about what the Weapon-Based Summoning talent meant.


    [Talent Rank Selection sessful]


    [Talent: Weapon-Based Summoning]


    [Rank: A]


    [Stage: First]


    [Description: The power of the talent to summon weapons ording to the memories and manifestations of the host''s mind. The number of weapons which can be summoned is limited ording to the host''s imagination]


    [Add talent rank to Secondary Talent]


    [Yes] [No]


    "A unique power. You can summon any weapon ording to your wish. That''s good, I think."


    ''Right. It might be good for them, but I can''t waste my secondary talent on something like Weapon-Based Summoning.''


    ''I need to get a good talent at S rank!''


    Aaron pressed the No button on the system panel before him, startling Jones and the shopkeeper. The talent slip became burnt and ckened, no longer usable, nor was the talent.


    "W-What have you done? It''s a good talent, and many people want it."


    "I want to do the talent selection again. Can you give me a hand?" asked Aaron, firmly.


    "I can, but Rank A talent is like that. You have to ept it."


    "I don''t want to do the Rank A talent selection."@@novelbin@@


    "Then?" asked the shopkeeper.


    "I want S-rank talent!"

 Chapter 51 Alleged Main Perpetrator

    "I never thought that another group was nning to kill us? Are they the Night Liberators?" asked Liel, curious.


    "Only they keep hunting my life. It''s probably because I killed Denis."


    Aaron looked to the side, his eyes locked on Liel intently, "Listen, Liel. Don''t tell Isabe or ra about it. It will make them worry."


    "Do you understand?" asked Aaron.


    Liel gasped, then sighed while responding with a head nod. She realized Aaron''s anxiety seeing the current situation.


    The best choice that could be made was to remain calm and always be alert.


    Aaron asked Liel to immediately return to her room and rx. The young man needed to clean up the ss shards that were scattered on the floor from the impact of the stone-throwing from the mysterious group.


    The door to Aaron''s room closed, the young man soon called Jack and Rasputin toe before him now.


    White light flew freely and fell into ce before Aaron, then materialized its body into the figures of servants Jack and Rasputin.


    [Servant:]


    [Servant Activated]@@novelbin@@


    [1. Jack the Ripper]


    [2. Grigori Rasputin]


    [MP -24000]


    "Your orders, Master?" asked Jack, kneeling to salute.


    "You take a look at this stone," Aaron said.


    Jack opened his eyes, as did Rasputin. Through their servant''s vision, they could see traces of magic on the stone.


    Possibly, the person who caused the trouble did some physical strengthening to throw the stone at the ss window of Aaron''s bedroom.


    "I see a faint trace of magic from someone," Rasputin replied.


    "I want you to go find and bring them here alive. I need to know who they are."


    "Alright."


    The two servants disappeared, then took to the air and began searching the area around the inn, matching the traces of magic left on the stone with the people''s magic.


    There were indeed many people in this town; their magic might have been the same. Still, the gestures of a criminal would look suspicious. That was the person Jack and Rasputin had to find.


    Aaron stood up, stepped closer to the room window, and looked outside, watching the city''s main street.


    Unfortunately for Aaron, he didn''t see who the people were, so he couldn''t give Jack and Rasputin the images of the faces in his mind.


    "Night Liberators! If you have the nerve to fight me, I will fight you with everything I''ve got."


    ***


    Two dayster.


    Fourth Floor City.


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Monster Raid in Dark Pir Tower will open soon]


    [All adventurers are requested to prepare]


    [Countdown until Monster Raid Gate opens]


    [00:11:59:43]


    Just as Aaron was chilling in his bedroom, the Monster Raid notification panel popped up before him.


    He clearly saw the countdown time of 12 hours since the appearance of the panel, at 8 am.


    That indicated the dark pir Monster Raid on the fourth floor would ur at 8pm. Excitement could be heard from outside. Even Aaron could faintly hear it when he was in the room.


    He got up from his sprawled position on the bed, sitting on the edge while watching the panel.


    It was time for him and the others to return to the monster raid. The sooner he went through the raid, the sooner he could climb to the highest floor.


    The door was knocked, Isabe and the others were there, showing the Monster Raid notification panel. Aaron said yes with a smile. Aaron would also go with them if they really wanted to do it.


    "We should go to the store to buy the necessary items," said Isabe.


    "I agree with that."


    The three women said goodbye and promised to return to the inn before eight in the evening. Aaron did not mind as long as the three of them were always cautious, Liel fully understood Aaron''s concern.


    The search of Aaron''s two servants turned up nothing. There was a possibility that they had already run away from the inn for more than 1km ¡ªJack''s widest range.


    Aaron was fairly confident that the Night Liberators carried out the terror of the day, as they were the only ones who held a grudge against him.


    Still, it was pretty baffling that they didn''t make an immediate arrest if they knew Aaron''s whereabouts?


    ''It''s been two days since the window-breaking terror; no other terror has appeared. Are they watching my moves?'' Aaron asked.


    ''I''d better talk to Daniels about this. Maybe he can help me.


    Aaron opened his bedroom window and activated the neutral gravity step talent from his Gravity Maniption talent.


    [Secondary Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Neutral Gravity Step]


    [MP -15000]


    The talent activated allowed Aaron to float freely. He immediately flew out of the bedroom window to go to the Daniels residence. Aaron''s leaving by flying through the air certainly sparked many people''s eyes.


    Liel turned her head and looked up, her eyes widened with her mouth gaping watching the young man she knew flying without wings or servants in the city sky. Liel realized that Aaron had other skills he was trying to hide.


    "Look! There''s a mage flying in the sky."


    "Woah! Is he the captain of the three major groups?"


    "I don''t know, but his face looks handsome, I think."


    From a distance, Aaron saw the Daniels residence guarded by guards as usual. They gasped as they immediately put up an alert stance as they realized a young man was present and standing tall in the air.


    "Who are you?" asked one of the guards.


    "I want to see Daniels. Tell him Lewis ising to visit."


    "If you want toe in, we''ll have to check your identity and appointment with the captain!" said another guard.


    "That''s fine."


    Daniels'' voice rang through the ce,ing out of his residence with Elsa by his side, keeping himpany. Daniels'' presence made the two guards bow obediently.


    "Captain Daniels."


    Daniels arrived at the front gate of his residence, as did Elsa. Both raised their eyes to the sky, gazing intently at Aaron''s figure.


    "So, can we talk in my office, Aaron?" Daniels asked.


    ''Did Elsa tell him my real name?" asked Aaron, curious.


    Aaron arrived on the ground and deactivated his talent. Two guards let Aaron in after Daniels invited him inside. Aaron went to follow Daniels and Elsa from behind.


    "Did Ms. Elsa tell you everything about me?" asked Aaron.


    "No, she didn''t. I forced her to talk. I thought Lewis was a stupid name to use as a pseudonym," Daniels replied, looking back at Aaron.


    The three entered Daniels'' residence, walking until they reached the office. There, Daniels invited Aaron to sit on the couch.


    "So, are youing now regarding the Night Liberators?" asked Daniels, Aaron clearing his throat in agreement.


    "That''s right. Two days ago, mysterious people threw rocks at my room at the inn. I think they were members of the Night Liberators."


    "I don''t think that''s possible," Elsa replied, surprising Aaron.


    "Why?"


    "The Night Liberators base is located next to a hill. This is a small town, but they couldn''t have tracked you down until they knew where your room was."


    "She''s right, Aaron. There are thousands of people in this town, and it''s impossible to track you when they don''t know what you look like."


    "I think the person who terrorized you is the one who probably knows the location where you are staying."


    Aaron was silent for a moment, his eyes squinting sharply, trying to pull a red line from the events this time. His eyes widened; only one person could be the mastermind of all this terror.


    "It''s Elvan!"

 Chapter 55 Second Punishment

    "The power of Azazel? What kind of power is that?"


    Aaron moved one step ahead. In the blink of an eye, the young man''s form was already standing before Elvan.


    Elvan gasped; he tried to jump behind to avoid Aaron. But, Aaron''s great strength made Elvan unable to dodge.


    Aaron''s left hand reached out, pulling Elvan''s body, who tried to avoid him. His palm gripped Elvan''s neck firmly, choking him with his ck eyes staring forward.


    "Let me go, goddammit!" snapped Elvan, rebelling.


    "You killed my friend, hurt Isabe, and humiliated her. I will not let you go," Aaron replied, his voice echoing over Elvan''s noise.


    With a powerful fist-palm strike, Aaron crushed Elvan''s neck, and his head was violently severed. His body and head fell with blood sttering on the ground in that ce. It was a pretty horrible sight, ording to Isabe.


    A total of 21 people were killed by Aaron on that night in the Dark Pir maze. It was the same number as the number of victims on the red panel that popped up. Aaron was stunned into silence while standing tall, looking at the panel.


    [Victim: Elvan]


    [Age: 24]


    [Level: 57]


    [Total number of victims: 21]


    [EXP +854000]


    [TP +427000]


    [300000 RL]


    [DING! Congrattion on leveling up]


    [Level 57]


    [DING! Congrattions on being promoted to the third tier as a Young Sage]


    [DING! Guild Feature Unlocked]


    [Hosts can create Guilds with many more members]


    [With Guilds, Hosts can invite cooperation, trade, or war with other guilds]


    [Further exnation can be seen in the Guild menu]


    Aerith set her foot on the ground, stepping gracefully towards Aaron, still affected by Azazel''s power. Aaron turned his head to the side with a slow head move, watching Aerith''s face intently.


    "You always surprise me, Aaron. I didn''t expect you to have powers of your own."


    Aaron closed his eyes, the red horn on his left forehead began to fade and shrink. The veins along his left hand began to fade.


    Unexpectedly, Aaron fell unconscious and was immediately caught by Aerith. Isabe stepped worriedly forward.


    Aerith stared sharply to the side, wanting to push Isabe away from Aaron''s side. But, her attention was diverted to stare at Aaron, who was still unconscious.


    She checked the young man''s condition, especially his heartbeat. Aerith felt his heartbeat slowing down, but she didn''t know what to do about Aaron''s current condition.


    Isabe volunteered to recover Aaron''s condition. Yet, both had to leave the maze immediately for Aaron''s safety.


    Aerith initially refused to believe Isabe, but the same anxious expression was clearly disyed on Isabe''s face.


    "Alright. We''ll leave here," Aerith said.


    Aerith took Aaron, Liel, and ra to leave the ce. They came out faster from inside the Dark Pir, not after fighting the floor boss, but after fighting the evil guys from the Night Liberators group.


    They went through the route from the forest, re-entered the city and arrived at the inn where Aaron had previously stayed.


    Isabe took care of the administrative fees while Aerith continued to carry Aaron, who floated using her magic ability.


    Arriving in the room, Aerith ced Aaron directly on the bed. Aerith was still watching Aaron''s face thoroughly; she had never thought that a young man like him could master the ability of Azazel.


    ''Not even a single person on the Visiri has managed to obtain Azazel''s power. Why should the person who has to get it be you, Aaron?'' asked Aerith.


    There was a specific reason why Aerith had this attitude. Azazel was one of the three main dark elemental entities in the universe.


    Azazel is the strongestpared to the other two entities; many witches from Visiri sought Azazel''s artifacts or relics just to gain his power.


    However, Azazel''s power fell to Aaron, a foreigner and not a Visiri native. He doesn''t even live there. The distance between Earth and Visiri is billions of light. Of course, it was quite an anomaly for Aerith.


    Isabe arrived after taking care of the administration. She saw Aaron limping helplessly on the bed, with Aerith faithfully apanying from the side.


    "Would you mind apanying him for a while? I need to bury Liel and ra''s bodies," Isabe said. Aerith chose to respond with silence.


    The woman assumed Aerith agreed with what she said. Isabe called some funeral officials to bring ra and Liel to be buried in the city cemetery.


    Three hours had passed since they left the Dark Pir. Aaron began to move and open his eyes slowly.


    Find more chapters on empire


    He was shocked to find he was already in the inn with Aerith sitting on the sofa talking with Isabe, the two having a friendly conversation without any awkwardness like before.


    Aaron tried to sit on the bed. Still, the pain all over his body made him wince in pain. Aaron''s voice made Aerith and Isabe''s attention shift to the side, seeing Aaron awake faster than expected.


    "How are you feeling, Aaron?" asked Aerith, curious.


    "It hurts in some parts of my body. Why am I here? Aren''t we on a raid? What about Elvan?" said Aaron, his mind haunted by hundreds of questions after seeing the current situation.


    Isabe patted Aaron lightly on the shoulder, trying to calm the young man down. She exined that the situation had changed during the raid, and Isabe recounted when Aaron killed all of Elvan''s men and Elvan himself.


    Aerith added a few things, but as she thought, Aaron didn''t remember that he had the power of Dark Azazel. That made Aerith relieved.@@novelbin@@


    At least she must not continue to let Aaron rely more on Dark Azazel''s power than her own Dark Dimension power.


    Shrouded in curiosity, Aaron opened his individual system panel and looked at the profile menu. Sure enough, there were significant changes in level, EXP, RL, and specific sections.


    [PROFILE:]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [Age: 18]


    [Level: 57]


    [EXP: 107907/110000]


    [HP: 26500/26500]


    [MP: 60000/60000]


    [Additional MP: 24000 MP]


    [Mage Level: Young Sage]


    [Race: High Human]


    [Title: Murderer]


    [Red Title Duration: 06:20:54:45]


    [Money: 418230 RL]


    "So that''s it, huh? As killing them increases EXP and everything, even my mage level is at Young Sage."


    "However, you are not allowed to join the monster raid due to your red title," Isabe replied.


    "Who said that?" asked Aerith, confused by Isabe''s words.


    "That''s written in the system."


    "HAHA! You don''t know anything about this. There is apensation slip that is sold for a limited time. You can use it to join the raid."


    "Compensation slip?"


    Aerith clearly exined her meaning. A Compensation Slip was a green-colored metal slipmonly used by criminals.


    It cost around 300000 RL in selected guilds, but it was much more expensive if bought in a regr shop, even if they sold them.


    One of the benefits ofpensation slips is that hosts with the Murderer title can join monster raids under specific conditions: Nerf 10% STR, INT, and DEX, and the frequency of usingpensation slips can only be used three times.


    For example, Aaron was banned from joining monster raids five times, but with this slip, Aaron could join three raids.


    However, due to the item''s rarity, Aerith asked Aaron not to immediately spend thepensation quota the slip provided.


    "In short. I can use thatpensation slip even if Imit another crime in the future. Is that right?" asked Aaron. Aerith cleared her throat in response.


    "Are you gonna kill people again, Aaron?" asked Isabe, surprised to hear a statement from Aaron.


    "This world is more dangerous than I thought. I can''t be good and naive forever."

 Chapter 57 Girl With a Mysterious Background

    "So, you don''t have it at all?" asked Aaron, trying to confirm.


    Daniels shook his head, saying he didn''t have thepensation slip. Aaron asked about the whereabouts ofpensation slips in other stores. Daniels had heard of someone selling them, but it was three months ago.


    At the moment, Daniels wasn''t sure if they were still selling it or not. Even if they do, the people buying it must be people with criminal records. Becausepensation slips are only useful for those with red titles.


    The door to Daniels'' office opened, and Elsa wore casual clothes: a short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts. She told Daniels that dinner was ready, and she didn''t hesitate to invite Aaron to join them for dinner.


    "There is no need."


    "I''ve found the answer to what I was looking for," Aaron exined.


    "Answers?" asked Elsa, confused.


    Not wanting to continue staying in that ce, Aaron stepped toward the door, saying goodbye to Daniels and Elsa. Daniels nodded, allowing Aaron to leave the residence.


    Elsa''s curiosity was high in her mind. She stepped closer to Daniels with her face haunted by deep curiosity.


    "What exactly is he looking for again?" asked Elsa.


    "Compensation slips."


    "Compensation slip? Wait! How did he know about that?"


    Daniels was silent as he shook his head, feeling sorry for Aaron''s fate, who had to continue to be haunted by the death threat from one of the major groups, the Night Liberators.


    The two could have helped Aaron, but their response was limited because of Aaron''s reluctance to join a group.


    "Hopefully, he can find what he''s looking for."


    ***


    Three dayster.


    A city tavern on the fourth floor.


    Aaron made a long search of all the shops across the city, but none of them soldpensation slips. His mind was filled with uncertainty, so Isabe chose to take him to a tavern to rx.


    Aaron''s presence became something different for them. People nced to the side, towards the tavern entrance. They clearly saw Aaroning with a red title disyed above his head.


    Aaron didn''t really care about it. Since he killed those people, he should be ready to bear the risk of bing an outcast in themunity. Isabe tried to distract Aaron by inviting him to order the food menu there.


    "Hey, you murderer!" snapped a man,ing in striding with three men beside him.


    "There''s no ce for a murderer in this tavern," heined, whispering sharply to Aaron''s side.


    Aaron''s hands were clenched tightly into fists. If only he hadn''t been trapped by Elvan and his men, maybe he wouldn''t have to suffer from getting the title of a murderer like now, nor could he get to the next floor quickly.


    This was Elvan''s fault! Death was not enough for him.


    "I''m not in the mood for trouble. If you want to stay alive, get away from me," Aaron ordered.


    "How arrogant of you, what can you do, huh?!" the man shouted, challenging Aaron.


    Aaron sighed softly, ncing strongly behind him with sharp eyes piercing and intimidating the man.


    "Jack, Rasputin, protect me from people like him," Aaronmanded.


    [Servant:]


    Experience tales with empire


    [Servant Activated]


    [1. Jack the Ripper]


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [MP -24000]


    Two lights emerged from Aaron''s forehead, appearing before the man in a sturdy and authoritative manner.


    The people were taken aback; they could only gawk in surprise when they saw that Aaron wasn''t random.


    "If you can defeat my two soul servants, I''ll let you challenge me directly," Aaron exined.


    [Transaction sessful]


    [Item:]


    [Grape Waffles (1)]


    [Stir-Fried Rosemary Duck (1)]


    [Lime and Orange Ice Cream (2)]


    [Quantity: 4]


    [Buyer: Aaron Lewis]


    [Price: 3000 RL]


    [Information: -]


    "We''ll bring it to your table, sir," said the tavern owner, Aaron agreed.


    He walked towards one of the empty wooden tables on the second floor, unwilling to be in the same room as the hooligan.


    The situation on the second floor seemed more quiet than the first floor, although they couldn''t deny that Aaron had a red title on his head.


    "Do we need to take a reserved room for your convenience?" asked Isabe. Aaron shook his head.


    "This is enough for me."


    The waiter began to deliver the pre-ordered lime and orange ice cream, both ordering the same menu to start their lunch.


    "Did you realize something?"


    "What is it?"


    "There''s a girl following us from the inn," Aaron said, refocusing on eating the appetizer on the table.


    Isabe was curious. She turned her head quickly behind and watched a beautiful girl in a thick jacket suit and ck skirt appear to be hiding in the staircase hallway. She hid immediately, right after Isabe noticed her presence.


    The woman stopped her eating and stepped behind, approaching the girl in a gentle, motherly manner. Aaron chose to ignore it, focusing on eating the soft-textured and sweet-tasting appetizer, able to bring back his mood.


    Aaron asionally nced forward, seeing Isabe having a long chat with the girl. After 15 minutes of them talking together, Isabe invited the girl to talk with her at the table where they were eating.


    "Why did you bring her here?" asked Aaron, annoyed.


    "She hasn''t eaten sincest night. She followed us because she saw me shopping for foodst night."


    "It looks like she''s been waiting for us in the cold air and deste atmosphere."


    "It doesn''t answer my question," Aaron said, still focused on eating the Lime and Orange Ice Cream.


    "I n on buying her something to eat and drink. You don''t have to worry; I''ll use my own money," Isabe said.


    Aaron cleared his throat, saying he didn''t mind it as long as the girl didn''t trouble him. Aaron continued to sneak nces at the girl.


    Her face was quite pretty for a 12-year-old girl, but what was strange was that she always wore a pink beanie patterned with clouds and unicorns.


    Not only that, but her skirt looked bigger than it should, like the skirt of a noble''s ball gown.


    Isabe and Aaron knew her as Sokia, a strange name, to be sure.


    To their surprise, Sokia had a bigger appetite than children her age. She ordered 10 tes of warm grilled meat to be brought to Aaron''s table. Even when Aaron and Isabe finished their food, she still ate the meat.


    "Something is wrong with her. How can a 12-year-old girl''s stomach fit that much-grilled meat?" Aaron said, whispering.


    "I''ll ask her after she finishes eating," said Isabe.@@novelbin@@


    For half an hour, Aaron and Isabe waited for Sokia to finish eating. In the end, she finished it all and felt full while rubbing her stomach, which looked bloated.


    "She''s really filled up," Aaron said. Isabe looked at Aaron with sharp eyes.


    "I mean, she''s already full from eating all that meat."


    Isabe stepped closer to Sokia and asked about why she was starving like that. At that moment, Sokia told Aaron and Isabe about her identity and situation.


    "I''m not human," Sokia whispered, surprising Isabe and Aaron.


    "Not hum¡ª"


    "Sttt! If people find out, they will arrest me and kill me. I thought the enemy of society was my friend," Sokia replied.


    "Did you just insult me?" asked Aaron.


    "I''m a dragon, still in the dragonkin phase. I''m really a descendent of the dragon race."

 Chapter 59 Fortune on Compensation Slips

    ***


    The Next Day.


    Fourth Floor City Tavern.


    As promised, Aaron and Isabe invited Sokia to re-visit the tavern. There, Sokia was allowed to choose whatever food she liked until she was full. The highest price for a meal was 5000 RL.


    With Aaron''s considerable amount of RL, the young man didn''t worry about money. The most important thing was that his promise to Sokia had been fulfilled.


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Monster Raid in Dark Pir Tower will open soon]


    [All adventurers are requested to prepare]


    [Countdown until Monster Raid Gate opens]


    [00:11:59:43]


    The information panel about the Raid in Dark Pir opened just as they were having dinner together. This time, Aaron was confident he could join the raid even though the red title was still posted above his head.


    Sokia turned aside, seeing two monster raid notification panels appear before Aaron and Isabe. Even so, the panel didn''t appear in front of Sokia due to her identity as a mythological race.


    Only the human race had the right to join the monster raid, not the mythological race. This is because of the monsters'' nature, which considers mythological races to be higher-level creatures than them.


    The monsters will submit and obey all mythological races, including the Sokia dragon race. Still, the system had no written rules prohibiting the mythological races from joining the monster raid.


    Isabe nced forward, and Aaron nodded. Without having to speak, Aaron had already known the meaning of the look in Isabe''s eyes.


    "The monster raid will open at eight in the morning. Maybe you can visit some shops first to buy equipment," Aaron said.


    Isabe said yes. She excused herself to leave the tavern to buy something needed. Now, it left Sokia and Aaron sitting together at one of the tables on the second floor.


    Aaron opened the attribute status panel, allocating his ability points to several attributes to deal with the Nerf impact of usingpensation slips.


    [Status Attributes]


    [CP: 83068] [+1250]


    [STR: 92] [+40]


    [AGI: 101] [+30]


    [INT: 164] [+90]


    [LUCK: 91] [+25]


    [DEX: 99] [+65]


    [Ability Point: 0] [-250]


    With adding such attribute points, Aaron could handle the 20% nerf in STR, INT, and DEX attributes when using Compensation Slips ¡ªdespite the great power of his two talents.


    Sokia asionally turned her head to the side, clearly seeing the amount of CP belonging to Aaron, which had reached over 80000 CP. Stay updated with empire


    This was the first time she had seen an adventurer with such a high CP; thest human she had seen before he died had a CP of about 45,000.


    "You have a big CP, Aaron," said Sokia, still eating the soy sauce-seasoned grilled meat in her mouth.


    "Yeah. I have two talents and two soul servants who greatly help me."


    "With such a high CP, I doubt any other adventurers will challenge you to a fight."


    "Let''s hope not. This red title is troublesome enough for me."


    Sokia continued to devour the grilled meat menu she ordered,plete with other foods of the same type, such as grilled ribs, fried fish, and so on.


    When Sokia was offered to eat vegetables, she refused and was reluctant to bepared with goats.


    "Only goats eat vegetables and hate meat," Sokia replied, her mouth full of food.


    "Yeah. Hurry up and finish it; we must catch up with Isabe."


    Sokia said yes. She ate quickly and finished the food in her mouth until it was gone. Six tes were on the table, all of which belonged to Sokia.


    Onest serving was finished. As Aaron expected, she felt full of all the food menus presented before her, even though Aaron had only ordered fresh appetizers like yesterday.


    ''My money will run out if she keeps eatingrge portions like this,'' Aaron said.


    [DING! Congrattion on Leveling Up]


    [Level 49]


    A red panel with white writing appeared before Sokia, saying a notification that she had leveled up. Aaron gasped; he never thought Sokia could level up just by eating.


    "What happened?" asked Aaron.


    "I leveled up."


    "But how can you level up just by eating meat?" asked Aaron.


    "This meat has some EXP inside; the amount is uncertain. However, that''s probably what helped me level up quickly," replied Sokia, smiling.


    Not only that, Sokia exined there were many ways to make her level up. But, the fastest way was to kill humans.


    That''s because humans have their own profile system. The amount of EXP they have is more than eating a lot of meat.


    Aaron squinted, wondering how many adventurers Sokia had killed. Sokia tantly said she had killed about 10 adventurers and taken their EXP, which allowed her to level up by 20.


    Sokia had finished eating all the food she had ordered. Aaron was happy if Sokia loved the food. The young man invited Sokia to leave the tavern to go see Isabe.


    He was confident that the woman must have finished buying the necessary equipment.


    The two met on the main street of the city. Isabe said she had collected some items needed for the monster raid tomorrow morning. She had stored the items in her digital storage.


    "Alright. We''ll rest tonight and go raid tomorrow morning."


    ***


    The Next Day.


    Fourth Floor Dark Pir Door.


    The arrival of Aaron, who still held the red title above his head, suddenly became the focus of attention from many people, not a few of them gossiped about the young man.


    Rumors have been circting among all of them, saying that Aaron is the one who killed Elvan. This became more apparent when Aaron''s red title appeared after the murder of Elvan.


    Aaron seemed ignorant and didn''t care what they said. Isabe felt worried that another group might try to kill Aaron, again. But Aaron ensured that he would not kill them.


    "Why are they looking at us with those looks?" asked Sokia, not knowing anything.


    "You better not pay too much attention to them, Sokia."@@novelbin@@


    [The Portal Gate of the Dark Pir Tower opened]


    [Portal closed countdown]


    [00:11:59:59]


    The countdown notification panel appeared. The portal began to open, and people walked through it one by one. Aaron was optimistic.


    With thepensation slip in his hand, he was sure he couldplete the monster raid this time.


    He touched the circle on thepensation slip, putting a speck of his purple energy power into it. A green panel appeared above thepensation slip, bearing the words that said Aaron was allowed to join the raid.


    [Compensation Slip:]


    [Host with red title detected]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [Level: 57]


    [Host allowed to join raid]


    [Host nerfed]


    [20% reduction in STR, INT, and DEX]


    [Number of avablepensations: 2]


    [WARNING!]


    [Killing another mage within thepensation period will make thepensation slip destroyed]


    Slowly, the red title that spelled murderer above Aaron''s head began to vanish and disappeared. His condition returned to normal as if Aaron had never made a kill before. Aaron smiled; thepensation slip really helped him.


    People stepped into the Dark Pir. Aaron was thest group to enter the ce.


    "Always be careful. There are only three of us now. The threat may be much greater."

 Chapter 62 Combined Attack

    ROAR!


    The recovery of the green slime was over. Now, the battle began between the monster and the three people from Aaron''s group.@@novelbin@@


    The young man told Isabe and Sokia to spread out while preparing their best strength to defeat the monster.


    The distinctive purple aura of the darkness element radiated clearly on Aaron''s body. Isabe gave off a maroon aura following her talent, while Sokia had a red aura that matched her dragon fire element.


    It was seen the monster before them had five HP bars that were still full, untouched in the slightest.


    Still, Aaron was quite confident that thebined best strength of the three people could defeat the slime in a single attack.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Explosive Orb]


    [MP -72000]


    Aaron was the first to bring up the dimensional portal from his sub-talent. Hundreds of portals were popping above the slime monster''s body, ready to unleash a barrage of explosive orb attacks on the slime monster.


    Not only Aaron but Isabe also released her attack by forming thousands of flower petals into arge sword. Aaron had seen the ability once, capable of dealing a lot of damage.


    "Alright. It''s time for me to try something new," Sokia replied.


    In a swirl of red mes that zed and burned hot, Sokia transformed into a medium-sized dragon, not quite a perfect one.


    However, the appearance of Sokia, who could temporarily turn herself into a dragon, surprised Aaron. He thought her ability was restrained because she was still in the dragonkin phase.


    "A terrible dragon, I have to admit it, Sokia."


    Sokia was happy with the praise. The girl in dragon form seemed to p both wings, indicating that she epted Aaron''s praise.


    "We attack together!" said Aaron.


    Aaron pointed two fingers of his right hand forward, purple light emitted at the tips of his two fingers to order hundreds of orbs from the dimensional portal to shoot and hit the slime.


    Not only Aaron but Isabe''s red rose sword flew ahead and stabbed right into the slime''s stomach. A damage panel appeared before Isabe''s face; the damage dealt was much greater than the impact of her level increase.


    [Damage +27600]


    [Monster: Green Slime Alien]


    [HP: 32400/60000] [-27600]


    "I''m not done yet," Isabe emphasized.


    The woman clenched her right palm, making the rose sword that was firmly stuck in the slime monster''s body explode and crush the monster until the left side was severely damaged.


    Aaron was stunned to see Isabe''s ability. But, Aaron''s eyes squinted at the changes that had urred to the monster. The changes were to its body and its HP bar.


    ''It has a regen effect? It''s not strange to me, considering it has the base element of water for healing methods,'' Aaron said.


    A regen panel appeared before the monster, saying something that Aaron and the others could clearly see.


    [Regen HP +1000/5 seconds]


    [Monster: Green Slime Alien]


    [HP: 56400/60000] [+24000]


    Sure enough, the longer they dyed the attack, the more the Slime monster''s HP filled uppletely. Aaron couldn''t let it happen. He asked Sokia to release her attack at the same time.


    Hundreds of explosive orbs sprung up and shot fast from inside the dimensional portal directed at the slime monster.


    The orb looked swallowed by the slime, Aaron thought the explosion didn''t happen. But, the explosion really happened and created many holes all over the monster''s body parts.


    [Damage +23300]


    [Damage +25700]


    [Two Combo! Great!]


    [Monster: Green Slime Alien]


    [HP: 7400/60000] [-49000]


    Like a rat, the monster screamed in pain with a strong squeaking sound. Aaron didn''t stop there. He tried everything he could to defeat the monster.


    Sokia released a strong burst of fire forward, burning the outer part of the slime monster until it melted. The screeching sound was getting louder, a sign that attacks from the three of them seeded in fatally wounding it.


    Aaron saw at a nce that the monster''s HP bar was drastically reduced, from the full five bars to half a bar left with a red color.


    Yet, what surprised them was that the monster''s HP regen speed increased significantly when it was dying.


    [Critical Period]


    [Extra Regen Buff Activated]


    [HP Regen 2000/5 seconds]


    [Monster: Green Slime Alien]


    [HP: 19400/60000] [+12000]


    Now, his HP regen amount increases to 2000/5 seconds. If he continues to dy the attack longer, it is possible that one slime monster''s HP bar can return to full and turn yellow.


    The slime began to deliver its attack, a burst of acidic liquid that it aimed at the sky, then formed acid rain that could perforate the skin and melt bones. Aaron raised a hand, protecting his body with a purple magic shield.


    Aaron asked Isabe and Sokia to take cover. Isabe understood Aaron''s orders, but Sokia was different.


    She flew to the room''s ceiling and destroyed the acid rain cloud with a burst of fire. That made the monster''s attack canceled.


    "We need to attack it once more. This will be our final attack!" said Aaron.


    "I got it."


    Aaron took three MP Elixir Level 4 items, capable of providing an additional 60000 MP. But, the amount was very limited and he couldn''t use any more MP elixir as it ran out.


    [MP +60000]


    [Total MP: 60000/62000]


    "What about your MP, Aaron?" asked Isabe.


    "Safe!"


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Energy Devouring Sword]


    [MP -40000]


    Isabe had not finished preparing the attack from her talent, but she turned her head to the side and saw Aaron already gathering arge amount of purple energy in both his palms.


    The umted dark energy formed arge sword that Aaron could easily grasp. Sokia saw the power and chose tond right near Aaron, and Isabe stepped over to him.


    The energy umted with the gusts of wind gathered strongly in that ce. The energiesbined into the shape of a whole sword with a ming purple de.


    With a powerful swinging move of both hands, Aaron struck the slime monster''s body with great force.


    A sh of magic took ce, but the immense power of Aaron''s purple energy made it difficult for the monster to survive.


    [Damage +35420]


    [Monster: Green Slime Alien]


    [HP: 0/60000] [-35420]


    A damage panel appeared before Aaron, totaling the damage exceeding 20000. Isabe smiled, Sokia roared while pping both wings.


    Slowly, Sokia returned to her dargonkin form with an exhausted body. She fell, and Isabe hurriedly approached her to help her recover.


    [DING! Congrattions on getting thest hit] Explore more stories at empire


    [EXP +35000]


    [TP +17500]


    [Choose TP allocation:]


    [1. Dark Dimension Reality]


    [2. Gravity Maniption]


    [5000 RL]


    [DING! Congrattions on leveling up]


    [Level 58]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting a new title]


    [13. First Soldier]


    [Sessfully advanced to the fifth floor andpleted the first four floors]


    [Item Obtained:]


    [3 Elixir MP Lv. 3]


    [1 MP Crystal Lv. 4]


    [Dark Slime Sword]


    [Nightshade Spear]


    Aaron suppressed the focus of MP allocation to his secondary talent. That increased the total amount of TP in the secondary talent significantly.


    [Gravity Maniption]


    [Total MP: 87501/105000]


    Aaron immediately used the MP Crystal quickly, with the MP capacity obtained being quiterge.


    [MP Capacity +10000]


    [Total MP Capacity: 20000/73000]


    "How is her condition? Is she alright?" asked Aaron, Isabe nodded, Sokia responded in the same way.


    Suddenly, another system panel popped up, and congrattions were given to Aaron and his group members for sessfullypleting the floor boss challenge.


    [CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [You have sessfullypleted the Dark Pir''s Fourth-floor boss challenge]


    [The Fifth floor of Dark Pir Tower has been unlocked]


    [Floor ess Privilege: Fifth]


    [Want to go to the next floor?]


    [Yes] [No]


    The panel appeared not only in front of Aaron but also before Isabe and Sokia. Aaron asked for their willingness to go up the floor. Of course, both were ready to go up the floor to apany Aaron.


    "We''re ready to take the floor, Aaron."

 Chapter 64 Fifth Floor Street Battles

    "Is that so? I understand. You were afraid I''d betray you, right?"


    "Thank you for being understanding."


    "It''s alright. I understand. After all, we just met. It''s not easy to gain trust."


    The two returned to enjoying thete night with a bottle of wine in Aaron''s hand. Annie loved it, never refusing when Aaron offered it.


    Before they knew it, two hours had passed, and the bottle of wine in Aaron''s hand waspletely empty. Annie looked at the clock; it was two after midnight.


    She said she was happy to have friends in her house, the situation became lively even though Annie didn''t know Aaron and his group members well.


    Aaron cleared his throat. He also felt grateful to have a temporary shelter until the raid reopened. Annie said if Aaron wanted to sleep, she had prepared a nket in the wardrobe in Isabe''s bedroom.


    "Thank you for allowing us to stay here for a while," Aaron said.


    Annie smiled faintly as she shook her head. She didn''t mind after learning how Aaron and the others behaved. It helped because she hadn''t eaten home-made food in a long time, which made her feel nostalgic.


    "I''ll be off now."@@novelbin@@


    The woman stepped away from the house''s living room to reach her bedroom. Aaron nodded as he let her go. He also said he would be sleeping soon due to the sleepiness given from the bottle of wine served earlier.


    That night, Aaron and the others could restfortably without worrying about the threat of wild monsters.


    ***


    The next day.


    Annie''s residence.


    BANG!


    A booming sound was heard all the way to Annie''s residence. Annie stopped cutting firewood and looked to the side above. The origin of the explosion-like sound was from a firework.


    Aaron was curious. He stepped outside and saw many strings of fireworks exploding and adorning the sky of this ce with beautiful colors. The young man asked Annie about it.


    "What was that?" Aaron asked.


    "Probably a celebration of their sess in defeating the floor boss," replied Annie, returning to chopping wood with the iron axe.


    ''Is it possible the origin of the fireworks came from one of the major groups?" asked Aaron.


    ''I''d better avoid them if I don''t want to get into trouble. My murderous red title will be suspicious enough for them.''


    "Besides collecting firewood, what else do you normally do?" asked Aaron.


    Annie exined her routine to them. Today, she focused on chopping firewood. The next day, she would go to the river to catch fish, and then the next day, she would practice sword skills.


    The woman exined many activities could be done to kill time before the raid opened. Still, Annie warned Aaron and the others not to go hunting for wild monsters on the fifth floor.


    "This ce is a red zone area; many wild monsters with high levels roaming around. If you want to survive, never challenge them," Annie said.


    "I understand."


    Now, the higher the floor he went to, the higher the level and ability of the wild monsters. Unlike the wild monsters on the first floor that could be killed with one sub-talent attack, the wild monsters in this ce needed at least two to three of Aaron''s sub-talents to be killed.


    Just as they watched the fireworks explode in the sky, a distinctive panel appeared before Annie. It was a message panel that someone had sent to her. Yet, the response Annie showed seemed displeased, constantly sighing.


    Aaron squinted, seeing exactly the response on Annie''s face. He couldn''t read the message, but the young man could tell it was something Annie didn''t like.


    "What''s wrong?" Aaron asked.


    "Someone from Sky Sword challenged me to a battle. The bet was ced without my knowledge, I can''t avoid it," Annie replied, deleting the message from her messaging system panel.


    "A battle?"


    "That''s right. Haven''t you heard of it? The fifth floor has a unique tradition, battling between adventurers," Annie replied.


    "Although it''s not officially hosted by the guild, we fight until one of us gives up. That means we won''t get the red title like you."


    "Then what do you get from this?" asked Aaron, curious.


    "Money, items, even ve seals."


    ''This is far from what I had expected.''


    "If you want to see my victory, thene along. But remember, you can''t be arrogant, or they''ll gang up on you and steal all your items. Do you understand?"


    Aaron looked behind him. Isabe said that she would stay here while preparing the lunch menu. Sokia was the same; she needed to keep the ce safe from the wild monsters.


    With these two people, Aaron felt confident that he could leave the safety of Annie''s residence to her. Aaron responded to Annie''s question with a nod; he asked Annie to lead the way.


    Annie stuck the iron axe on the wooden stump, then stepped out of the magic protection dome, with Aaron continuing to follow behind. Your adventure continues at empire


    They walked the route in the other direction, aiming for a neutral ce reserved for street battles.


    Aaron continued to watch the woman before him. She seemed so confident in what she had, even though her skills were in swords and did not rely entirely on ranged magic power.


    ''What makes her look so confident?''


    In the distance, people seemed to be crowding around with their own gs. Annie didn''t carry any g since she didn''t join any group.


    "It''s Annie!"


    "Woah. Is she going to continue her winning streak?"


    "I''ve bet a lot on her. She can definitely win."


    Seeing their response made Aaron believe Annie had been famous for a long time, and even people bet a lot just for her to win. Their attitude suddenly aroused high curiosity in Aaron''s heart.


    How strong was Annie? What could she do with a weapon talent? Has no one managed to defeat her yet? Was she invincible on the entire fifth floor?


    There was only one way to discover all the answers: seeing Annie''s firsthand battle with that person.


    Not only were they watching Annie, but those people were also paying attention to Aaron. Not because of good looks or strength, but why did Aaron have a red title that read murderer?


    "Why did hee with her? Did he kill someone?"


    "We can''t allow a murderer here!"


    Annie felt an intimidating aura from them. She looked back and asked Aaron to do exactly what she asked earlier. Aaron nodded in understanding of what he had to do.


    The woman met a man in charge of controlling the battle schedule. He was happy to see Anniee to the venue to defend her six-month undefeated title.


    "Who''s the fool who dared to challenge me?" Annie asked.


    "Jasper. A member of Sky Sword. He paid 10000 RL just to be able to challenge you."


    "The news about your battle with Jasper spread; even the Sky Sword group leader came here to see it," replied Nicole, the person in charge of the ce.


    Nicole nced to the side, seeing Aaroning to apany Annie. Annie saw the gesture in Nicole''s eyes, so she exined who Aaron was and the guarantees for him if he misbehaved. Nicole fully believed that the person Annie trusted could be trusted.


    "Alright. You should get ready because Jasper is in the arena waiting for you."


    Aaron stepped into the second-floor area as Nicole instructed. There, he stood up and was reluctant to take a seat because he felt that the arena was limited when seated.


    "Alright, Annie. Show me what you''re really made of."

 Chapter 67 Conquering Power of East

    "Genghis Khan, huh? A wise choice, Aaron."


    Aerith reached out and touched the cage wall with Genghis Khan''s soul inside. Another notification panel appeared before the cage wall, saying something that Aaron had to get ready immediately.


    [WARNING!]


    [Opening the soul cage will allow evil souls to wander around and potentially invade the world.]


    [Are you sure to open the cage?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Right before Aerith pressed the Yes menu, she again confirmed Aaron''s readiness. Aaron nodded. He used some low amounts of MP Elixir to try to match Genghis Khan''s strength.


    [MP +20000]


    [Total MP: 62000/62000]


    "Okay. I''m ready!" said Aaron.


    Before the woman released the cage, she cast a purple ball of light upwards to form a protective dome made of dark magic.


    The dome was helpful to prevent the soul of Genghis Khan from escaping into the living world.


    Once the protective dome was fully formed, Aerith pressed yes and opened the cage. The cage opened with a shocking moment, exploding to shatter.


    Aaron jumped violently backward while stretching his arms forward, blocking the gust of red-colored energy blown from inside the shattered cage.


    The muscr figure of Genghis Khan in a traditional Mongol suit was disyed before Aaron.


    Aerith smiled. She stood outside the purple dome to ensure the fight went well for Aaron. She looked to the side, seeing that Genghis Khan''s strength was stronger than the two servants Aaron had previously defeated.


    "What''s wrong with my body?" asked Genghis Khan, seeing his hands appear transparent.


    He looked forward, seeing Aaron standing with both hands stretched out ahead, usefully blocking the wind of Genghis Khan''s fire magic energy.


    ''This is just the beginning, I can feel his power is truly terrifying,'' Aaron exined.


    "You? Your face looks like those of the Normans. What are you doing? Are you nning to stop my conquest?!" snapped Genghis Khan.


    "No, I''m not. Your conquest ended hundreds of years ago. Now, it is my turn to conquer your soul!" said Aaron, summoning two purple mes from dark elemental magic.


    "My dynasty has been destroyed? I can''t let my legacy be tarnished by a weakling like you!"


    With the red magic aura emanating strongly from the area around Genghis Khan, Aaron began to prepare for the situation that might ur. Yet, Aaron couldn''t have unleashed his attack if he hadn''t known Genghis Khan''s every attack pattern.


    One of the man''s feet stomped into the Dark Dimension floor, creating a powerful wave of energy that spread throughout the arena. Aaron wasn''t affected at all.


    From his talent portal, arge and burly horse with ancient military trinkets was attached to it. Not only that, but two swords appeared in front of Genghis Khan, which the man grasped firmly.


    "If I can defeat you, I can go to my ce and make another conquest for the second time!" dered Genghis Khan, nning to seize Aaron''s body and remove his soul.


    ''What will he do?" asked Aaron, curious.


    Genghis Khan climbed onto his horse, sitting tall with authority and ferocity all at once. It could be seen that the man began to activate his talent, the Army Project talent with SS Rank.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Conquest of Three Bloody Nights!]


    Riding his horse, he spurred it forward with his right hand extended forward, pointing the curved de of his sword at Aaron. Aaron dodged the attack with his talent.


    [Secondary Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Neutral Gravity Step]


    [MP -15000]


    [Name: Aaron] [MP: 47000/63000] [-15000]


    A light step due to gravity maniption allowed Aaron to dodge Genghis Khan''s attack then flew around and climbed to the top of the protective dome. Aaron was sure that the man on the horse would not be able to catch up with him now.


    "He might be strong, but he won''t be able to¡ª"


    Genghis Khan''s figure surprisingly arrived before Aaron with his sword swung from back to front. Aaron widened his eyes, not expecting that Genghis Khan''s talent could make him fly.


    "Shit!"


    Aaron blocked Genghis Khan''s swinging sword attack with purple magic from his right hand. However, the man''s great strength caused Aaron to be knocked down andnded injured on the Dark Dimension floor.


    [Damage -7680]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [HP: 19820/27500] [ -7680]


    "Akh!" groaned Aaron, feeling the pain in his right hand.


    Blood flowed from the sword cut of Genghis Khan. Aaron realized something, no matter how strong he withstood Genghis Khan''s sword swing, he would still get significant damage based on his HP.


    Aaron''s right hand trembled violently. He looked up and saw Genghis Khan''s figure had disappeared from his sight.


    Not wanting to take any chances, Aaron flew in a circle while trying to locate the man hiding in his camouge mode.


    ''Where is he hiding?'' Aaron asked.


    Suddenly, a sword flew towards Aaron from behind. Aerith shouted for Aaron to be careful. Aaron heard Aerith''s shout and turned his head, witnessing Genghis Khan chasing him while throwing his swords ahead. Read thetest on empire


    The sword cut Aaron''s cheek. It was long enough to stretch past his nose to his forehead. Aaron stopped flying, his left hand clutching his wounded face in pain.


    Genghis Khan stopped his horse andughed wickedly at how weak people were in this period. He also swore that he could kill Aaron in the next few attacks. That made Aaron worried.


    "Looks like this ability isn''t enough to make you die!"


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Parade of the Eastern Conquering Army]


    From behind Genghis Khan, thousands of cavalrymen in simr uniform suits arrived with their distinctive swords. Aaron had expected it; his talent was able to project many soldiers.


    Aaron certainly didn''t want to lose without a fight. He brought up his talent to withstand their attack in the form of an attack.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Energy Devouring Sword]


    [MP -40000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 5000/63000] [-40000]


    ''I have 5000 MP left in my body. Will I be able to defeat him in this one attack?'' Aaron asked, full of doubt in his heart.


    Still, Aaron was quite optimistic that he could defeat Genghis Khan with the Energy Absorbing Sword technique.


    Aaron''s two injured hands began to rise up, gathering much energy from the dark elements to materialize a giant sword.


    Genghis Khan grinned; he could finally see the best ability Aaron could show him. The man pointed his sword forward, ordering thousands of his talent-projected soldiers to kill Aaron.


    "HYAAA!" shouted Aaron.


    The giant sword swung forth, and Genghis Khan shouted loudly, full of ambition to seize Aaron''s body and get rid of his soul.


    BOM!@@novelbin@@


    A huge explosion of thebination of Dark Magic and Genghis Khan''s fire magic filled the top of the protective dome.


    A strong gust of wind pushed Aaron far enough back, his hands shaking even more violently, a sign he was already at the limit of his MP.


    "Did it work?" Aaron whispered.


    Just before the purple and red light faded from the top of the dome, Aaron widened his eyes to see the figure of Genghis Khan appear unexpectedly behind his back.


    STAB!


    Genghis Khan''s two swords thrust firmly into Aaron''s body. Aaron vomited blood. Hepletely didn''t calcte Genghis Khan''s unexpected attack.


    "AARON!"


    The man''s attack on him this time was absolutely fatal. Aerith stood up with teary eyes; she was wrong by not giving him Additional MP.


    "Akh!"


    "Now, your body is mine!"

 Chapter 69 Aaron Third Servant

    Genghis Khan smiled broadly, being challenged by Aaron, who looked stronger in his eyes. He mounted his horse again, his hands clutching two curved Mongol swords.


    Rumbling lightning apanied by ck clouds covered the top of the protective dome. Aaron looked up and saw the rumble without fear.


    From behind, Aerith saw carefully that the wounds on Aaron''s body were recovering, fusing together fast like he had a drastic HP regeneration ability.


    ''What exactly is going on? Why can he use Dark Azazel''s ability again?'' Aerith asked.


    Readtest chapters on empire


    Yet, this time was different from before. Aaron was actually in full control of his body and power, unlike before when Azazel was in control.


    [WARNING!]


    [Mysterious power detected]


    [Take immediate confinement to minimize unwanted disasters]


    The warning panel appeared before Aerith in response to the strange energy fluctuations, especially from Aaron. Aerith reinforced the protective dome with her dark elemental purple magic.


    "Be careful. Do you need Additional MP from me?" asked Aerith.


    Aaron looked back slowly and saw Aerith with a big smile. The young man said clearly he was fine without the Additional MP.


    Aerith carefully noticed the change in Aaron''s appearance. Previously, Aaron''s appearance looked forced, with a red horn appearing on the left forehead and his veins turning maroon. However, what appeared on his face waspletely different.


    The left side of his body was adorned with light armor that floated without touching Aaron''s body, making his appearance luxurious and powerful.


    Aaron''s left hand stretched forward, grasping an Azazel-gged spear. Genghis Khan squinted his eyes,pletely clueless about Azazel and the emblem.


    "I don''t know who you are and where the great poweres from. But, using strange powers won''t make you win against me!" Genghis Khan snapped, annoyed.


    Genghis Khan threw two of his swords up, making Aaron and Aerith instantly turn their heads to the sky and watch out for what he was about to do.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Sword of the Tyrant yer!]


    Surprisingly, the two swords Gengis Khan threw into the sky turned huge to giant. The power of this sub-talent was weaker than the previous one, a projection of thousands of troops.


    "HYAAA!"


    Gengis Khan swung both hands downward in a cross. Two curved swords shot down from the sky in the form of giants lunging at Aaron.


    Aaron smiled. He raised his left hand, which still held Dark Azazel''s spear.


    Purple and maroon colored magic mixed in the area surrounding Aaron, forming a shield wall that could withstand the attack of the two giant swords.


    Genghis Khan frowned and narrowed his eyes, finding it difficult to prate Aaron''s shield wall.


    "Destroyed!" said Aaron, causing the two swords that had been attacking Aaron to shatter into small ss-like pieces that fell from the sky.


    Genghis Khan gasped. He never expected Aaron to defeat his attack easily. He continued to stare at the strange gged spear. Since the spear was there, Aaron''s strength had increased ridiculously.


    "What the hell is going on?!"


    "Your strength is nothing in front of me."


    With a powerful hand gesture, Aaron quickly threw the spear into the sky. The spear pierced right through Genghis Khan''s abdomen, which he failed to dodge.


    [Damage +325000]


    Arge amount of damage caused Genghis Khan to fall from the sky, leaving his horse and sword tond on the ground. Aaron watched Genghis Khan''s fall, then stepped closer to him, who was helpless.


    "That''s sad. I lost in one attack," Genghis Khan said.


    "You are no match for my strength."


    A red orb shaped from the Servant''s soul hovered over Genghis Khan''s limp body on the Dark Dimension floor. Aerith removed the protective dome and stepped softly toward Aaron.


    Aaron deactivated the power of Dark Azazel from his body. Yet, he noticed a ck pattern with Azazel''s symbol on the back of his hand. Aerith turned to the side, realizing Aaron was looking at the ck pattern.


    "Looks like you need to know something about him, Aaron," Aerith replied.


    "Do you? Do you know anything about Azazel?"


    Aerith cleared her throat as she responded with a nod. She said she knew who Azazel was and his role in the universe. However, that would be a long discussion to follow.


    "The most important thing for you now is to focus on making him one of your servants," Aerith replied, pointing towards the servant''s soul-core orb.


    Aaron nodded; he had performed two servant contract rituals already. The young man knew the items needed to make the contract ritual sessful.


    He pressed the servant menu and hit another one, focusing on adding servants. Genghis Khan seemed to be still conscious, not in pain or bleeding -because his condition was in soul form.


    He looked to the side, seeing Aaron busy pressing something he didn''t understand. Genghis Khan thought the times were changing too fast for people like him.


    "You be quiet, Khan!"


    [Soul Servant selected]


    [Servant Contract]


    [Required items:]


    [Soul Core Orb]


    [Mana Crystal]


    [ATTENTION!]


    [The amount of Mana Crystals is determined ording to the Servant''s Talent Rank]


    [Servant Talent Rank detected]


    [Soul Name: Genghis Khan]


    [Talent: Army Project]


    [Rank: SS-R]


    [Confirmation of item avability for the Soul Servant Contract Ritual?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Aaron didn''t have 500 Dark Mana Crystals to perform the ritual. Aerith smiled. She felt happy that Aaron continued to rely on her, not on the Dark Azazel''s power.


    "Don''t worry. I have it especially for you, Aaron."


    Aerith took out 500 Dark Mana Crystals forward, precisely onto the body of Genghis Khan''s soul that was still lying helplessly on the Dark Dimension floor.


    Once everything was ready, Aaron pressed the Yes menu, and the system began scanning the items needed for the Soul Servant Contract Ritual. Aaron and Aerith continued to look at how the system worked ording to the orders given.


    [Scanning items for soul servant contract ritual:]


    [1 Soul Core Orb Detected]


    [500 Dark Mana Crystals Detected]


    [Soul Servant Contract Ritual requirements met!]


    [Initiating Contract Ritual]


    [MP -20000]


    The energy transfer process was carried out from Aaron''s dark magic absorbed into Genghis Khan''s soul core. 500 Dark Mana Crystals were shattered and helped the integration process of the three energies.


    So far, the integration process went smoothly without a hitch. Genghis Khan looked sluggishly silent and resigned that he would be part of Aaron''s obedient servants.


    [Soul Servant Contract Ritual progress percentage]


    [30%]@@novelbin@@


    [50%]


    [75%]


    [100%]


    [Soul Servant Contract Ritual process sessful]


    [DING! Congrattions on contracting the third servant]


    [Name: Genghis Khan]


    [Servant Lv: 1]


    [Talent: Army Project]


    [Rank: SS-R]


    [CP +30000]


    [DING! Congrattion on getting a new title]


    [14. Great Mage]


    [Host has reached >100000 CP]


    Making Genghis Khan part of Aaron''s servant increased Aaron''s CP significantly, from 80000 CP to 110000 CP. That was more than enough to convince Aaron.


    Aerith pped her hands, happy and pleased to realize Aaron had contracted his third servant sessfully. She stepped towards Aaron, both hands holding Aaron''s left hand, which now had Azazel''s ck markings on the back of his hand.


    "Since you got your servant, should I tell you who Azazel is? And why do you have his power?"


    "I wish you had no other business because this might get long and boring."

 Chapter 71 The Threat of the Sky Sword

    Annie arrived at her house and saw Isabe and Sokia sitting on wooden chairs in the front yard. They talked about many things while sipping warm tea, all about Aaron and his ambition to climb the floor.


    "Isabe," greeted Annie.


    Annie''s voice was heard from the front yard. Isabe turned aside and saw her arriving alone, without Aaron apanying her. That was enough to make Isabe suspicious.


    "Where is Aaron?"


    "That''s what I wanted to ask you. While he and I were walking home, a mysterious woman came and took Aaron with her."


    Isabe was unable to hide her shock. She stood straight with a shocked face right when Annie said mysterious woman.


    There were many possibilities, but when Annie described the figure of the mysterious woman, Isabe could confirm she was Aerith.


    ''Aerith? What is she nning to do to Aaron?'' Isabe asked, confused.


    "Is Aaron gonna be okay? It seems the mysterious woman is much stronger than him."


    "She is powerful indeed. However, I can''t be sure of Aaron''s condition in her hands," Isabe said.


    She could see Annie''s anxious face on disy. The woman could not think clearly about the events that happened. She should have fought the woman when she took Aaron to the mysterious portal.


    "Do you know a lot about the woman?" asked Annie, Isabe shook her head.


    "Not much. I know her name is Aerith. She''s the closest person to Aaron, but I cannot confirm what kind of closeness the two have."


    There is not much information she knows about Aerith. Aaron didn''t tell much because the young man didn''t want Isabe and Sokia to get involved in his matters. Aaron knew Aerith''s power was terrible and had great potential to kill Aaron''s two friends.


    "He''ll probably return soon. Most importantly, how was your battle?" asked Isabe, trying to change the subject.


    Annie realized Isabe was trying to change the topic of their conversation. Seeing Isabe''s calm demeanor made Annie fairly confident that Aaron would be fine. The woman also began to tell what happened in the battle earlier.


    Isabe listened to every word the woman said, trying to imagine how tense the battle was. Isabe congrattes Annie on her victory against Jasper; she even wants to see Annie battle in the audience.


    Annie exins that she will be taking this month off from the battle. She was quite fed up with the fights. No one could make her excited.


    Still, she was curious about Aaron''s strength. Annie was eager to challenge Aaron to a battle, even letting her not get paid if she won just to know what the young man was capable of.


    Yet, Aaron refused with a short, thoughtless reply. The young man thought that a fight would only make him the center of attention of many people, which Aaron tried to avoid.


    "Maybe I''ll try to persuade him. He might be willing if not witnessed by many people," Isabe replied.


    Annie smiled, very grateful if Isabe managed to persuade Aaron. The three were chatting casually in the front yard of Annie''s residence while enjoying green tea. Annie discovered that Sokia was a descendant of the dragon race.


    However, there was no bad intention from her to kill Sokia. ording to Annie, she didn''t need anything because she already had abundant money, which was the reward for winning the battle for the past six months. Continue reading at empire


    Just as they talked, Annie looked behind her as a woman in the Sky Sword group uniform came over. Annie downed the drink and stepped up to her without walking out of the protective dome wall.


    "What''s the matter? Are you unhappy with Jasper losing?" asked Annie proudly.


    "That''s not what I came for. Francesca wants to see Aaron. Can we bring him to our base?" the woman asked, surprising Annie.


    "Tch! What does that bitch want? Does she want to fuck Aaron all night?!"ined Annie, hands sped around her waist.


    "She didn''t tell me why Aaron needed toe."


    "Tell your leader he''s not here. So get your ass back," Annie ordered.


    Annie waltzed away from the ce to return to the wooden chair in her front yard, but the Sky Sword woman still seemed to be silent there. Isabe squinted, curious as to what she would do.


    Unexpectedly, the woman showed up with other people from the Sky Sword group. They appeared while bringing up magic talents in their hands, various talents with possibly different ranks.


    Isabe rose from her seat with a cautious attitude; Sokia was the same. Yet, Isabe asked Sokia not to act rashly. This was done to protect her identity.


    Annie saw Isabe''s cautious stance. She looked back again and saw about 10 members of the Sky Sword group appearing from behind the trees with grinning faces, full of murderous intent.


    "Didn''t I tell you he''s not here?!" said Annie.


    Isabe looked at Annie, she began to bring out her magic sword. The sword seemed to emit a golden glow that was enough to make people awed and frightened.


    "Do you think I''m stupid?!"


    "Bring him here quickly, or you''ll regret it!" said a man, walking close to Annie.


    "Do you know who I am? I wouldn''t mind chopping off your heads!" threatened Annie.


    "You are a stubborn woman."


    He struck the wall of the protective dome forcefully, causing a fairly strong sh of magical energy to ur outside the dome. Annie jumped back; Isabe was ready with a rose talent in both hands.


    A barrage of attacks wereunched by them towards the protective dome wall. They began to be increasingly annoyed that the dome wasn''t being destroyed.


    Although Aaron''s protective magic was quite strong, Annie and the others had to stay alert if the wall broke at any time and endangered their lives.


    Just when the situation was so tense, a dimensional rift suddenly emerged in the front yard of Annie''s residence. Annie turned her head back, Isabe and Sokia looked to the side.


    The person who came out from inside the dimensional rift was Aaron, with Aerith looking intimately, embracing Aaron''s body from the side. They stepped out to be the center of many people''s attention.


    "Aaron," greeted Annie, happy.


    "What happened?" asked Isabe.


    "I got a new soul servant. That''s happened," Aaron replied.


    BOMB!


    The sound of an explosion urred outside the protective dome, and it was enough to diver Aaron''s attention forward to see the people from Sky Sword trying to destroy it.


    Aaron stepped up with Aerith, walking closer to the dome''s edge with his eyes focused ahead. He saw the men seemingly staring at Aaron full of hatred, vengeance, and anger.@@novelbin@@


    "What do you want?" asked Aaron, sternly.


    "We want to take you to Francesca!"


    The young man brought up his dark elemental purple magic, threatening them that Aaron wasn''t afraid to kill people.


    Aerith noticed that Aaron''s murderous title would have a worse effect on the young man.


    "Don''t worry, dear. Leave them to me."


    "These days, I''m quite lonely. Maybe they can be my training buddies!"

 Chapter 74 Fifth-Floor Massacre

    Purple-colored monster hands appeared and pierced the adventurers'' bodies with their sharp nails. The cries of agony filled the ce, they failed to dodge due to the unpredictable appearance of dimensional rifts.


    The dimensional rifts could appear in front of, behind, beside, or even under their feet. Two monster hands reached out quickly and squeezed the adventurer''s bodies like wet rags needing to be wrung out.


    [WARNING!]


    [Host indicated to havemitted murder against another adventurer]


    [WARNING!]@@novelbin@@


    [Host indicated to havemitted murder against another adventurer]


    A warning panel for Aaron''s murder appeared before the young man''s face. It was annoying enough for his eyesight, but Aaron no longer cared.


    The only way he could be safe from their threats was to kill them first.


    "AAAKKH!"


    "Help us!"


    "Please. Forgive us, Mr. Aaron!"


    Most of those seriously injured were adventurers from small groups, those easily tempted by big money with no regard for their lives.


    Annie was in shock, her face pale with eyes widening violently. Her legs and hands trembled with chills as she witnessed the horror of Aaron''s ultimate sub-talent power.


    With such power, he could kill everyone in this ce in a matter of minutes.


    Organs and limbs were scattered on the ground, blood flooded across the ground, making the original color of the soil turn red. It would definitelyst for decades.


    Francesca couldn''t say much, nor could the Night Liberators raid the team leader. They hadpletely challenged the wrong person; Aaron''s abilities were beyond their imagination.


    "Form a protective shield immediately!"manded Francesca.


    The seven Sky Sword raid team members formed a defensive circle formation and then stretched their hands forward to create a protective magic wall of their magic elements.


    Dozens of dimensional rifts appeared around them, with two sharp-hoofed monster hands seemingly scrapping the magic wall.


    Francesca helped by extending both her hands forward, summoning wind magic to help coat the protective wall.


    The woman smiled, feeling the protective wall''s strength could withstand Aaron''s sub-talent attack.


    "We can take temporary shelter while¡ª"


    Aaron pointed his right hand at Sky Sword''s raid team, then clenched his palm tightly as amand to the dozens of monster hands for them to destroy the protective wall at once.


    THUMP!


    The monster''s hands clenched into fists, then forcefully punched the Sky Sword raid team''s protective wall with dark magic.


    Cracks were created in the inner wall, some of the Sky Sword team members began to feel that their magic could not hold off Aaron''s power any longer.


    "Hang in there, I''ll use my beast servant."


    Francesca reached out and summoned her beast servant, an eagle with gray feathers. The woman didn''t order the beast servant to help with the defense but went to defeat the monster''s hands and kill Aaron.


    ''By killing him, all this madness will end!'' Francesca dered.


    The eagle flew high and hovered in the sky. Aaron witnessed the presence of the beast that seemed ordered to kill him. But he didn''t need to worry about the ash eagle.


    "Get it!" said Aaron.


    Dimensional rifts sprung up along the eagle''s flight path, quite a number of them with both hands of the beast stretching forward.


    At first, the beast servant could avoid them, but as the dimensional rifts became increasingly numerous, it grew helpless until it was finally trapped.


    Aaron''s left hand clenched into a fist, the monster''s hand capturing the eagle, firmly gripping the beast''s body until it was crushed. A meaningless threat to Aaron.


    Francesca was taken aback, blood flowing from the corner of her lips as Aaron defeated her beast servant easily.


    Both of Francesca''s hands were clenched tightly, feeling resentful at her ipetence in killing Aaron.


    "I beg you, Aaron. I''ll do anything for you, even be your dog!" pleaded Francesca, resigned as her pride crumbled.


    "Didn''t I tell you that you''re all gonna die here?!" said Aaron.


    CRACK!


    The Sky Sword raid team''s protective wall shattered into falling pieces of ss. Francesca panicked, especially when she saw Aaron''s many monster hands severely injuring her team members.


    Francesca tried to dodge and charge forward with everything she had. But, the monster hand attacks from Aaron''s sub-talents thwarted everything Francesca did.


    In the end, Francesca''s body was torn apart by the many hands of the monsters digging into her body. She died with her head still attached to her body, but her legs and arms were chopped off.


    [Damage +34250]


    [Damage +43540]


    [Damage +32400]


    [Damage +45400]


    [Critical +78000]


    [Critical +67000]


    [Damage +45000]


    [Damage +24500]


    [Critical +98000]


    [Nine Combos! Outstanding!]


    A damage panel popped up before Aaron, next to the kill warning panel. Aaron smiled. He could finally solve the problem in the way he liked, massacre.


    The men of the Night Liberators died horribly, leaving not a single one of them. The adventurers of the small group still tried to protect themselves, even though their friends were dead.


    "I just wanted to join this raid. Why did you have to kill me?!" said a woman, limping with a pale face after half of her body was ripped off and all the intestines and stomach in her belly sttered on the ground.


    "me yourself for being weak. Curse me for killing people."


    "You ... are a demon, Aaron."


    There were only 20 adventurers still alive. Aaron felt he had used his sub-talent for too long. Now, it was Aerith''s turn toplete the final round.


    He pointed two fingers of his right hand straight ahead, bringing up a dimensional rift that led to the Dark Dimension.


    There, Aerith waited to kill them as Aaron had ordered. The monster''s hands disappeared by withdrawing back into the dimensional rift. They thought the ughter was over, but they werepletely wrong.


    Arger Dimensional Rift appeared with a strong gravitational force, able to pull anything in the ce.


    The survivors were attracted by the strong gravitational pull of the Dark Dimension. They screamed loudly while continuously begging Aaron for forgiveness.


    Aerith smiled; he looked down and witnessed peopleing to his house. With a brief hand gesture, Aerith stabbed and tortured those people with eternal suffering.


    "Huhu ... what have you done to make my lover angry like this?" asked Aerith as she approached a man who died on a crucifix.


    The woman looked ahead, watching as no more humans were sent to the Dark Dimension.


    Aerith smiled. She snapped her fingers and made the people trapped in the Dark Dimension burn alive in purple mes.


    Elsewhere, Aaron stopped the massacre he was doing. Everyone died horribly; even Dimension Justice was also involved and died. Still, Aaron kept a member of their raid team alive.


    Aaron stepped closer to her while deactivating the barrier that trapped them. She was a woman, 21 years old, and only had minor injuries. How lucky.


    "W-What are you gonna do to me?" asked the female Dimension Justice member.


    "I want you to be the only one to witness this massacre," Aaron replied, crouching down before the woman lying on the ground.


    "Witness?"


    "Tell them that I am the one responsible for this."


    "If they want to fight me, I''ll do something worse to them."


    "Can you do that?" asked Aaron.


    The woman nodded, saying she would tell everyone about the events in detail. Aaron smiled, letting her leave safely.


    [EXP +758000]


    [TP +379000]


    Find exclusive stories on empire


    [Select TP allocation for talents]


    [1. Dark Dimensional Talent]


    [2. Gravity Maniption]


    [467000 RL]


    [DING! Congrattion on Leveling Up]


    [Level 64]


    [DING! Congrattions on Getting a New Title]


    [15. New Tyrant]


    [Killing >20 humans at a time]


    [DING! Home Feature Unlock]


    [Host can buynd and build a house]


    [Home feature will make the host to teleport to home]


    [Items and Furniture can be purchased at the city furniture shop]


    Aaron pressed the Gravity Maniption menu option; it would make the Secondary talent TP full and wait for ascension. He guessed that talent ascension could only be done on the tenth floor city.


    Not only EXP, TP, and RL. Aaron got a bunch of items taken from them.


    But, due to the limits of digital storage, Aaron only took some valuable items, such as HP Potion, MP Elixir, Crystal MP, Soul Elixir, talent rank slips, beast cores, and three bottles of mythological race blood. It would increase his CP quickly when he uses it.


    [WARNING!]


    [Host indicated to havemitted murder against another adventurer]


    [Total number of victims: 48]


    [Punishment decided]


    [Forbidden to Raid Monsters on each floor for ten times]


    [Host will be marked with a specific title]


    [Duration of red title usage:]


    [24:23:59:59]


    The protective dome disappeared, Isabe galloped over with tears rolling down her cheeks. She hugged Aaron tightly and strongly, wetting Aaron''s clothes.


    "That was terrifying. Please, don''t do that again."


    "There''s something I have to tell you."


    "The situation bes dangerous now. Threerge groups are possiblying after me. I don''t want you to get involved."


    "So?" asked Annie, curious.


    "We''ll separate here."

 Chapter 75 Isabella Sadness

    "Wait? Separate? What do you mean?"


    "I don''t want to be separated from you. What if you get into trouble and almost die without me?!" Isabe cried.


    The sudden decision made by Aaron left Isabe unable to hold back her anger. She was reluctant to say goodbye to Aaron because the woman was afraid of something bad happening to the young man, even though she admitted that Aaron''s abilities were beyond her abilities.


    Still, Aaron needs help from people he trusts. Doing the raid alone would only make Aaron easily injured and killed.


    "I''ve killed three raid teams from three major groups. I released a witness as a warning to them. However, they''ll definitely keep targeting me."@@novelbin@@


    "And that will endanger you, Annie, and Sokia. I can''t forgive myself if you get hurt because of my deeds."


    "I thought of these consequences when I killed them. I will face the tortuous journey to the Dark Ruler; you don''t need to trouble yourselves by keeping mepany."


    "I WON''T!"


    "If you go, I''ll go too!" said Isabe, adamantly reluctant to part from Aaron.


    [Monster Raid at Dark Pir Fifth Floor opened]


    [Portal closed countdown]


    [00:09:59:59]


    A notification panel appeared before Aaron and the others, indicating the raid had opened. Aaron held Isabe''s shoulder, asking her to move away from him for a while. Isabe nodded without rejecting him.


    Slowly, the doors to the Dark Pir maze opened. Monsters with level 40 and above were already waiting for the adventurers from within the maze. But, the raid this time would probably be more deserted than usual.


    "The raid is opened. I''ll help you get to the sixth floor. There, we will agree to separate."


    "Didn''t I tell you that I-"


    "Alright. If that is your decision, we''ll follow it."


    Annie rudely interrupted Isabe''s whining, making Isabe upset and staring at Annie sharply while her eyes turned bright red.


    Annie looked to the side, trying to convince Isabe that what Aaron did was solely to protect them.


    "Thank you, Annie."


    Sokia didn''tin much. The girl felt sad if she had to part with Aaron, but if that was the best decision Aaron could make in response to this, Sokia could onlyply.


    They stepped inside, with Aaron leading the team. Not forgetting, he also began to activate hispensation slip, which had been used before.


    [Compensation Slip:]


    [Host with red title detected]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [Level: 64]


    [Host allowed to join raid]


    [Host nerfed]


    [20% reduction in STR, INT, and DEX]


    [Number of avablepensations: 1]


    [WARNING!]


    [Killing another mage within thepensation period will make thepensation slip destroyed]


    After making sure the protection of the Compensation Slip was working on him. Aaron and the others began to walk through the door of the Dark Pir.


    Although Aaron''s earlier decision was enough to make the three women sad, they had to refocus. The monster strength on this floor would probably be much stronger than the raid on the previous one.


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Dark Pir Tower]


    [Fifth Floor]


    [Monster: Lv 44-45]


    [Monster Boss: ?]


    [Countdown for Closed Gate:]


    [00:09:59:59]


    "Level 44 and 45 monsters rule this ce. We must continue to be cautious of possible monsters we never expected," Aaron exined.


    Annie and the others respond by clearing their throats quietly, saying nothing. Aaron met the first intersection, but he could deal with it because he got a map item from one of the dead Night Liberators.


    [Map used]


    [Number of monsters sessfully mapped: 32]


    [Number of intersections: 58]


    [Fourth floor Dark Pir Maze area: 300x300m]


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    ''The number is less than the fourth floor. Still, since the monster levels are at levels 44 and 45, I must be careful.''


    A map panel appeared before Aaron''s face. Surprisingly, the location of the floor boss''s room was close to his position.


    Still, if one''s group didn''t have a map like this, it might take a long time for them to find the floor boss room.


    To get there, Aaron needed to take a right at the first intersection, then a left at the second intersection, and finally take a right at the third intersection. The floor boss room was right there.


    Aaron decided to go to the floor boss quickly, not in the mood to kill many monsters just to gain experience. Annie and the others didn''t mind.


    Along the way to the floor boss. Aaron saw Isabe''s attitude more quiet. asionally spoke to Annie for help. However, she never asked about Aaron''s condition.


    ''Is she really angry?


    ''I don''t care. It''s best for them; they''ll be safe if they''re away from me.''


    Aaron''s team encountered five monsters of level 44: two monsters with earth element, one monster of fire element, and the remaining two monsters of water element. Annie killed two monsters, Isabe was the same. Sokia only killed one.


    They get EXP and items from the results of defeating these monsters. Even so, Isabe was acting cold again, showing no enthusiasm.


    ''Damn! She''s really angry. I can feel it through her every attack.''


    Until the front of the floor boss room, Aaron hadn''t had a chance to kill a single monster. The opportunity was lost when Isabe decided to kill the monster alone.


    "I didn''t expect killing monsters in the Dark Pir raid to be so easy."


    "Indeed."


    Aaron walked to the front door of the floor boss room. No one was challenging the floor boss. Of course, the entire raid team besides Aaron had perished out there. No other team would want to join the raid with Aaron''s team still in it.


    [Floor Boss Challenge]


    [Registration sessful]


    [Team Name: Aaron Team]


    [Team Leader: Aaron]


    [Number of Team Members: 3]


    [Challenge: Golden Hand Golem]


    [WARNING!]


    [The team taking the challenge cannot retreat]


    [The team can leave only once the boss is dead]


    [Take the challenge?]


    [Yes] [No]


    After registration wasplete, the door opened and Aaron invited them all to enter. Annie was the most excited, in contrast to Isabe and Sokia, who refused to let this monster raid end quickly.


    Still, they had to go through with it ording to what Aaron ordered. The four met a stone golem monster with gold-colored hands.


    [Monster Details]


    [Monster: Golden Hand Golem]


    [Level: 47]


    [HP: 63000/63000]


    [MP: 65000/65000]


    [Element: Earth]


    "Alright. This will probably be easy for me."


    Isabe, Sokia, and Annie also defeated the floor boss. Aaron smiled and was happy to see their teamwork, something he wanted to finish the floor boss challenge quickly.


    Aaron used his fourth sub-talent, a barrage of purple balls from inside the Dark Dimensional Portal.


    With the power generated from the sub-talent, the Golden Hand Golem could be defeated easily and quickly.


    ''It''s harder to defeat the Slime on the fourth floor than this one,'' Aaron said.


    Annie and the others gained a significant amount of EXP, TP, and RL. Annie managed to level up after helping defeat the floor boss, from level 54 to 55.


    Now, everything was done, and Aaron was ready to move on to the next floor as nned.


    [CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [You have sessfullypleted the Dark Pir''s fifth-floor boss challenge]


    [The sixth floor of Dark Pir Tower has been unlocked]


    [Floor ess Privilege: 6]


    [Want to go to the next floor?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Before Aaron tried to confirm with them, Isabe had already invited Sokia to leave the floor boss room. They didn''t want to go to the next floor because Aaron ordered it.


    "Isabe!" called Aaron.


    Isabe stopped her steps. Her left hand was clenched while her right hand gripped Sokia''s wrist tightly. Annie tried to approach Isabe to calm her down.


    "Now, there''s nothing else to worry about, Aaron. I''ll stay on the fifth floor, or maybe go to the fourth floor. If you want to see me, you cane here after your business is done!" said Isabe sadly, without turning around and looking at Aaron.


    "I realize the path you are taking is very dangerous. I understand your concern. That''s why I won''t bother you anymore."


    "I will always pray for your safety and health, Aaron."

 Chapter 76 City on the Tenth Floor

    ***


    Three monthster.


    Ninth floor.


    The door to the floor boss room was open. The adventurers waiting for their turn could see inside the room.


    At first, they mocked and underestimated Aaron''s abilities. He alone challenged the floor boss without any friends to help him.


    Yet, all of them were left in shock, their mouths wide open, watching as the floor boss was defeated, and Aaron walked out of the boss''s room unharmed. It was a strange and surprising scene for them.


    "H-He managed to defeat the floor boss alone?"


    "He''s terrifying. Really terrifying!"


    "It''s better not to offend him if we want to survive."


    Aaron stepped up with a cold-eyed stare, a notification panel appeared, exining that he sessfully defeated the boss on the Ninth Floor''s Dark Pir. Now, he could climb up to the tenth floor immediately.


    [CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [You have sessfullypleted the Dark Pir''s ninth-floor boss challenge]


    [The Tenth floor of Dark Pir Tower has been unlocked]


    [Floor ess Privilege: 10]


    [Want to go to the next floor?]


    [Yes] [No]


    The panel showed Aaron already had Floor ess Privilege up to the 10th floor. Aaron was impressed that he could finally reach the floor after three months of struggling alone.


    Find more chapters on empire


    Although he was lonely due to having no friends to apany him, Isabe often sent messages weekly to ask about Aaron''s news.


    The rtionship between the two was simr to lovers who experienced a long-distance rtionship. Still, once again, Aaron confirmed that he only thought of Isabe as his friend.


    Right before Aaron pressed the confirmation menu. There was a male voice calling his name. He is Liam, the man who became Liam''s friend as Aaron had saved his life.


    Liam was a member of a mediocre-level adventurer group; they called their group the Lion Roar. Why did they name their group with such silly names?


    "Woah. Did you justplete the floor boss challenge?" asked Liam; Aaron responded with a cold nod.


    "I can''t believe you could do that, especially beating a floor boss alone. How strong are you really?" asked Liam.


    "Strong enough to save your life, Liam."


    Liam came with another member from the same group as him. With their presence, Aaron could confirm that they were trying to defeat the floor boss.


    "What''s the name of the floor boss? What''s its element? Is it difficult? What''s its attack pattern?" asked Liam, filled with high curiosity.


    Aaron pressed the confirmation menu to be able to ascend to the tenth floor quickly. Liam was surprised that Aaron was nning to go to the top floor quickly without exining the floor boss''s characteristics to him.


    [Teleportation to the next floor confirmed]


    [Destination: 10]


    [Initiate teleportation to destination in five minutes]


    [00:00:04:59]


    "Eh? Wait a minute. Why are you leaving so fast? At least tell me about this first," Liam said, shocked.


    Aaron nodded. He said he would tell Liam through a message. It prevented people from finding out since the information about the floor boss was valuable. Liam knew Aaron''s reason and let him go up to the floor quickly.


    There was a five-minute countdown until the teleportation began. Aaron began to see his entire body light up brightly in white, a sign he would soon get on the floor.


    In a matter of minutes, Aaron hadpletely disappeared from the Dark Pir on the ninth floor and arrived outside the Dark Pir on the tenth floor, precisely at the monument of light stone.


    His eyes opened, looking forward and seeing no one present there. Aaron turned to the side, seeing the Dark Pir door wasn''t open yet.


    ording to Aaron, it was natural when the situation in the Dark Pir felt very quiet.


    He saw many skyscraper city buildings from the left with four to five floors. The city''s shape was very wide, andrge and sturdy walls protected it.


    Now, Aaron had fully arrived at the big city on the tenth floor, where everyone was vying toe here from the 1st-9th floors.


    The queue to enter was long, every adventurer was required to show their identity, at least show their profile.


    There wasn''t the slightest worry from Aaron, as the red title above his head had disappeared entirely. Now, he could line up like everyone else to enter the city.


    There were many things Aaron wanted to do once he arrived in the city, starting with the Ascension of his two talents, buying some important items, and selling other items. He also wanted to stop by the city''s guild and see the situation there.


    It was Aaron''s turn to show his panel profile to the officer at the gate. Without hesitation, Aaron showed his profile panel so that he could be properly identified.


    [PROFILE]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [Age: 18]


    [Level: 69]


    [EXP: 124500/178000]


    [HP: 40500/40500]


    [MP: 76000/76000]


    [Additional MP: 325000MP]


    [Mage Level: Young Sage]


    [Race: High Human]


    [Title: -]


    [Money: 1052300 RL]


    ''At this age, he reached the third tier as a Young Sage. A very promising young man, he''ll be a big three-branch group''s bone of contention,'' said the gatekeeper, an officer from the city guild.


    "How?"


    "You may enter."


    After being allowed by the officer, Aaron turned off the profile status panel and stepped out of the gate area. He walked through the city gate hallway and saw a bright light at the end of the hallway.


    Just after passing the end of the gate hallway, his eyes were greeted by the sight of hundreds of people passing by on the city''s main street.


    Some wore casual clothes, adventurous clothes, group uniforms, and even heavy armor, like knights.


    They blended into one peaceful, safe, and orderlymunity. The city''s main street was lined with pentagon-shaped paving blocks, looking orderly and beautiful.


    On the right and left of the city street were shops lined up with each other, selling various things such as food, items, equipment, clothing, swords, and armor.


    Aaron continued to step closer to the city center where the city guild stood firmly there, flying the guild g with the symbol of two white wings and a sword. It was one of the four tall buildings there ¡ªthe remaining three were the buildings of the three major groups.


    "Look! The Dimension Justice group''s entourage ising."


    "Woah. I''ve always dreamed of being a part of them."


    "Captain Nathan is so handsome. If he were my lover, I''d probably be the luckiest woman in the world."


    Aaron heard these words. He turned his head and saw the Dimension Justice g fluttering, with many people wearing their distinctive white and blue uniforms. The people at the front were sitting on their horses; one of them was Nathan.


    Nathan, the captain of the tenth floor Dimension Justice, wore a uniform and furry coat like a nobleman.


    At first, Aaron found it strange why Nathan wore a furry coat? But, after noticing the cold temperature in the city, he noticed it.


    Aaron pulled over, pushing his way into the crowd while keeping his head down, not wanting them to know where he was.


    Since the fifth-floor incident, threerge groups had been working together to hunt Aaron down. They had spread sketches of Aaron''s face all over the ce, hoping someone would see him and arrest him. The situation becameplicated for Aaron.


    Just as he was hiding behind the crowd, he looked to the side and saw a shop selling essories. Ideas popped into Aaron''s mind, one of which was finding a way to trick his identity that was already known.


    He came to the ce, and a female staff member weed him. There, Aaron saw many essories sold at low prices and various types. But, Aaron''s attention was drawn to a mask disyed on the shop wall.


    "Is there anything you need, sir?"


    "I want to buy a mask, but I don''t want this kind of mask. Makes me look like a clown."


    Aaron held up a full face mask; it could hide his entire face, but it would make people more suspicious.


    "Oh, do you want a mask like this?" the woman asked.


    She showed a half-face mask that covered the eyes and half the nose. Aaron smiled. This was better than the full face mask.


    "This is better. How much is it?"


    "About 3500 RL."


    "Can you add some magic to this?" Aaron asked.


    "What kind of magic?"


    "Perspective blurring."


    "Ah, maybe it''s camouge, right? We have the materials for it. However, the price has increased to 5000 RL."


    "That''s fine. Just do it."


    The female staff nodded. She asked Aaron to wait until the item he wanted was ready. Aaron waited while looking at the other essories in the store; there was nothing he needed now other than a camouge mask.


    "Ms. Silvi. Did you get my essories ready?"


    A woman waltzed in, startling Aaron. He looked back and saw she hade wearing an adventurer''s suit. Yet, the strange thing was that Aaron could not detect her arrival through his magic perception.


    "Wee. The magic ne and earrings, right? I finished them yesterday."


    Silvi took out two wooden boxes and showed them to the client. She opened the two boxes, seeing that the ne and earrings she had ordered were the ones she wanted.


    "You''ve put in persona-enhancing and power-enhancing magic materials, right?" the client asked, and Silvi nodded.


    Silvi called Aaron, saying that his half-face mask was ready with camouge magic attached. She stepped closer to the cashier''s desk and epted the mask.


    The female client beside Aaron reflexively turned her head and noticed Aaron''s face, which was pretty handsome and fit her type.


    [Transaction sessful]


    [Item: ck half-face mask]


    [Quantity: 1]


    [Durability: 100/100]


    [Buyer: Aaron]


    [Price: 5000 RL]


    [Notes: Added camouge magic attribute]


    After the transaction was over, Aaron put on the mask immediately and waltzed away from the essories shop. The female client seemed interested in Aaron, continuing to watch him leave the shop.


    "I feel familiar with his face."@@novelbin@@


    Silvi smiled slightly as she looked ahead, "Don''t you know? He is the fugitive of three major groups. His head is worth 300,000 RL."

 Chapter 77 City Guild Office

    She followed Aaron from behind, curious about what the young man would do. From afar, the woman saw Aaron enter the guild office.


    Aaron stepped inside after he opened the 2.5m high wooden door. There, he saw people in different suits doing their activities, from talking, looking at missions on the wooden board, to eating food in the guild cafeteria.


    The guild office was a ce providing general quests for people. The mechanism was that people who needed the guild''s help would pay a price to get help. The more difficult the help, the higher the price.


    Each party or group had the right to choose their mission. If they failed, they wouldn''t be punished or fined.


    However, that was not the only power of a guild office. Inrge cities like the tenth-floor city, the guild office served as a ce to organize the city''s government, business, and security.


    The leader of the guild office was chosen from themoners, on the rmendation of all the groups that had established their branches in the city.


    It was aplex governance. Aaron was sure these people were far more experienced in Dark Pir Tower.


    Aaron stepped near the reception desk; a female waitress smiled when she met him. The woman offered something while exining how the Guild Office worked. It was due to Aaron being new to the tenth floor.


    "If you need some information, you can get it at the guild office. If I can''t tell you, maybe you should ask another mage," said the receptionist, wearing an employee uniform with a name pin bearing Liscia.


    "If you want to see the general quest, you can see it there. I suggest youe early in the morning orte afternoon. During those two times, we always update the missions there."


    "I got it."


    "Am I allowed to know your name?"


    "I''m Lewis. I''m new in the city," Aaron replied, again posing as Lewis.


    Liscia cleared her throat in response while maintaining her smile. She was even happy to show Lewis about the guild office. That surprised Liscia''s co-workers.


    It wasn''t without reason; Liscia was sometimes ignorant of neers. She usually asked her younger coworkers to show neers around the guild office. But, Liscia was acting differently today. She willingly became Lewis''s guild office tour guide.


    The guild office had four floors; the first floor was the main area for mages or adventurers to meet. The second floor was used as a meeting area, usually for rent to mage groups. The third floor was the administration area, and the fourth was the guild leader''s residence area.


    Although it only has four floors, each floor has a fairlyrge area, about 30x30m. That was enough to amodate several other rooms that the mages needed, such as the talent consultation room, group formation room, mission eptance room, and other rooms.


    Liscia exined it in detail to Lewis. Lewis nodded and said that he understood every word Liscia said. That made Liscia d.


    The two stopped before the mission board, which measures 7x7m and can hold about 100-150 mission papers. Today, at 10am, 80 quests had been taken in total, leaving another 40 quests yet to be taken.


    "The quest levels here are divided into five levels, starting from D, C, B, A, and S. For-"


    "Level D is the easiest, and level S is the hardest. Am I right?" asked Lewis, interrupting Liscia.


    "You''re right, Mr. Lewis."


    The rewards for each level of quests differed, as were the criteria for the group of mages or solo mages who would take them.


    Liscia exined it in detail and with care. It wasn''t because there were so many levels but because many careless adventurers decided to take on missions withoutparing their abilities.


    For example, B-level quests could only be taken by groups with a bronze rank or solo mages with a level below 40 or at the Intermediate Mage tier two.


    For mage tier three as a Young Sage. Aaron can take missions with level A. Only those in the fourth tier can take level S quests.


    Even so, the general quests disyed on the main board were not interesting to Aaron. His focus was only on climbing to the top floor and iming the title of Dark Ruler.


    "Do you have any questions?" asked Liscia kindly.


    "Yes. It''s not about the guild. My two talents have the full amount of TP. Can I perform talent ascension in this city?"


    "Ascension? Of course, you can! Talent ascension is done at the city cathedral for a price that varies depending on the rank of the talent to be ascended," said Liscia.


    "You can visit the ce. It''s not far from the guild office. You can find it easily."


    Aaron nodded. He thought it was enough for him to walk around the area around the guild office. The young man said goodbye to Liscia while not forgetting to thank her. Liscia smiled, feeling happy to be able to help a neer like Lewis.


    "Is that fugitive named Aaron dead? I never saw his face in the city."


    "There''s a possibility that he''s still down there. I heard he killed almost the entire raid team from various groups on the fifth floor."


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    "He''spletely out of his mind. Making enemies with one major group is already troublesome; he chose to be hostile to the three of them."@@novelbin@@


    The young man had expected it. Information about the incident on the fifth floor had spread like a droplet disease. People who weren''t members of the three major groups knew about it.


    "Did you hear the news?" Liscia asked Lewis.


    "About the guy named Aaron? I just saw a sketch of his face on the city bulletin. I don''t know what he did."


    "I got information from the Night Liberators that Aaron went and took away David''s wife, the captain of the Night Liberators on the first floor. After that, he killed Denis, the captain of the Night Liberators on the second floor."


    "The peak was when hemitted a massacre outside the Dark Pir gate on the fifth floor before the raid started. His reason was ridiculous; he wanted to kill them before they killed him."


    Aaron clenched his hands together tightly. What Liscia said was true, but the truth behind every incident wasn''t like that. The story made Aaron''s image in people''s minds even worse.


    "Is that so? I''m not a mage with great power; there''s no way I can take him alive."


    "The best option is to stay away from him and not get into trouble with him. It could save your life."


    Not wanting to continue staying in that ce, Lewis waltzed away without Liscia apanying him. To his surprise, the guild door opened, and he saw a woman with a familiar face. Aaron felt like he had met her.


    "You? Weren''t you the customer at the essories shop earlier?" Aaron asked.


    "Yes, and I know who you are, Aaron!"

 Chapter 78 Second Stage SSS-R Talent

    ''How did she know my identity? Is this mask not working?'' Aaron asked, curious.


    The woman stepped forward with confidence. Aaron sensed something strange about the girl, something that captivated him about her face and beauty.


    ''This incident. I remember it. It''s simr to Rasputin''s talent.''


    "Hey. There''s no need to worry. I can help you. I didn''te to arrest you," she said, her voice low enough to make Aaron''s heart feel calm andfortable.


    "You only need toe with me somewhere."


    The woman''s figure stood gracefully before Aaron, then smiled broadly while reaching her hand forward. Her hand felt soft and smelled of floral perfume, something which suited him perfectly.


    "Don''t think about the three groups. All you need is a safe shelter. I know where it is."


    Both of the woman''s hands were draped right on Aaron''s shoulders, her breath blowing right on Aaron''s mouth with a sweet and warm breath.


    Her body approached Aaron, the woman seemed to let Aaron sink into her beautiful persona.


    However, because Aaron already knew low tricks like this. He could easily break away from the woman''s magic charm.


    Both of his eyes lit up bright purple, followed by the radiance of a purple energy aura that spread throughout his body. The dark energy was enough to free Aaron from the enchantment magic''s grip.


    Aaron stretched his hand forward, expecting to rub the woman''s cheek. But, surprisingly, the man had a firm grip on the woman''s neck instead.


    The shadow of the enchantment magic disappeared, the real figure of the woman still stood on the road, but with exhausted breath.


    The young man gripped her palm tightly, causing a small burst of purple light in his hand to destroy the remnants of her enchantment magic.


    "What a lowly trick! Is that all you got?" threatened Aaron.


    The woman had acted wrong. She thought Aaron was a fool who could be easily tricked, but his mind and heart were very strong enough to be able to resist her enchantment magic, even when it was sessfully enhanced through the use of the ne around her neck.


    ''Damn! He is so powerful, I didn''t expect him to be able to destroy my enchantment magic easily,'' said the woman.


    "So, tell me. Where is the hiding ce you told me about earlier?" asked Aaron sternly.


    "About that... I actually¡ª"


    Aaron stepped forward in a sh of purple light. He was already right before the woman who was almost seducing him. His hand reached out and choked her again, strangling her real body.


    "Akh!" cried the woman in pain.


    "If you already know who I am, you should know what''sing to you, right?" Aaron asked.


    "Please, don''t kill me. I would do anything for you."


    The young man stared ahead with narrowed eyes. The woman''s presence posed a real threat to Aaron as she already knew Aaron''s identity.


    But, because of the situation like now, it was impossible for Aaron to kill her. That would make Aaron get the murderer title again.


    There is no other choice. Aaron invited her to go with him to leave the ce. Since the woman knew his identity, she would continue to stay close to Aaron as long as she was in this city.


    The woman refused at first as she had other matters. However, she finally agreed after Aaron showed her his dark magic power.


    Aaron knew her as Misa, a 23-year-old woman with a level of 52. Her talent was the beauty persona talent. That''s why she was able to incite and seduce Aaron at first.


    Aaron''s purpose was to visit the City Cathedral, a religious building that actually functioned for two things, worshiping God and improving talents.


    The cathedral doors opened, revealing a nun walking over in a long white robe suit. Her face was beautifully white, her eyes radiating a warm glow to anyone who visited. Aaron was taken aback, but he again had to focus on his main objective.


    "Wee to the City Cathedral. Is there anything I can help you with?"


    "I want to increase my talent rank. Can you help me?"


    "Of course. Please follow me, sir."


    Aaron nodded, and Misa stepped behind Aaron. They walked in the cathedral nun''s direction, heading to a magic room on the second floor. There, they could perform ascension talents.


    asionally, Aaron turned his head to the side when walking in the cathedral corridor, seeing the city people who were Earthlings saying prayers and hoping for God''s blessing.


    It wasn''t strange to Aaron that they asked for God''s protection in a situation as bad as being trapped in the Dark Pir Tower.


    They continued to walk following the cathedral nun''s directions. Arriving at the second floor, they stopped moving when they arrived in front of a room with arge door. The nun pointed to the room, asking Aaron to enter into it.


    The door opened, the situation inside looked like the beast servant summoning room in the Daniels residence the other day. However, there was one circle in the room, and it was thergest.


    The nurse exined that Aaron needed to register at the registration desk to perform talent ascension.


    The talent ascension officer would tell Aaron the steps to do that there.


    Aaron thanked her and walked over to the registration desk. There, he met a woman in a different set of clothes, simr to the suit of a city guild office employee.


    "To do ascension registration, you have to register in advance through your talent status panel."


    "Let me help you."


    [TALENT STATUS]


    [Main Talent: Dark Dimension Reality]


    [Rank: SSS-R]


    [Stage Rank: 1]


    [Talent Point: 1200820/499999tp] [ASCENSION!]


    [Efficiency: 301-400tp/h]


    Right next to Aaron''s total TP main Talent count, he saw a green button that stated Ascension. The employee told Aaron to press the menu and let the system work on scanning the requirements for Talent Ascension.


    [Starts scanning for host readiness]


    [Host in ready condition]


    [Checking Host CP]


    [Host CP met]


    [Checks Host Level]


    [Host Level met]


    [Checking TP count]


    [TP amount met]


    [Ascension Talent requirements met]


    The check panels of the panel system appeared, starting from checking physical readiness, to CP count, level, and TP count.@@novelbin@@


    All of his factors met the general requirements for performing Talent Ascension.


    Thest panel that appeared before Aaron was the QR-Code panelmonly used as an ID to register for ascension talent in the city cathedral.


    The clerk again stepped closer to the registration desk and picked up the scanner, starting to scan Aaron''s QR code.


    Aaron''s talent status was disyed clearly on the screen of the female employee''s scanner. One surprising response was clearly shown from her, a response of shock.


    ''H-He has an SSS-R rank talent? This will be the first time in the history of the tenth-floor city cathedral to have an SSS-R rank ascension,'' said the female employee, looking at Aaron intently.


    "What''s wrong?" asked Aaron.


    The female employee shook her head. Inputting the data from the scanner into aputer to perform the ascension. She also said the price of the ascension this time was different.


    "For the Ascension price, let the patriarch of our city cathedrale to you."


    "Alright."


    Slowly, light began to shine on the circr floor of the room. The light was a bright blue color simr to sky blue and emitted energy particles into the sky.


    Once everything was ready, the female employee asked Aaron to sit cross-legged in the middle of the circr floor.


    "Make sure you stay calm and don''t be rash. The system will detect a threat if you act aggressively. Your Ascension will fail."


    "I understand."


    Just as Aaron closed his eyes, arge panel appeared above his head with an inscription indicating that the Ascension Talent was being performed.


    [ASCENSION TALENT]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [Talent: Dark Dimensional Reality]


    [Rank: SSS-R]


    [Stages: 1]


    [Talent Point: 1200820/499999tp]


    [Initiate Ascension Talent]


    [Target:]


    [Rank: SSS-R]


    [Stages: 2]


    The door to the Ascension room opened after the female employee told the patriarch of the city cathedral about the young man with the SSS-R rank. The old man with a long white beard arrived apanied by two people in long white robes.


    Their eyes grew wide at seeing someone performing Ascension Talent at SSS-R rank for the first time in the Tenth Floor City Cathedral.


    "Hurry up and record this moment. This could be ourpetitive edge with the people."


    "Wait, Great Elder. Do you feel familiar with that name?" asked one of the three elders of the City Cathedral.


    The Grand Elder, who was the leader of the City Cathedral, looked sharply ahead, seeing Aaron''s name prominently disyed on the panel.


    Yet, the Great Elder immediately remembered the bulletin about the fugitive men of the three major groups.


    "It''s likely that he''s a fugitive of the three major groups, Great Elder. If they find out Aaron performed the Ascension Talent here, our rtionship with them will be strained."


    "Don''t let them know. This is our achievement; we must keep recording it."


    "Yes, Great Elder."


    Aaron''s eyes opened after feeling some fresh energy enter his body. He looked ahead, and many people were waiting for his sessful Ascension rank.


    [ASCENSION TALENT]


    [Ascension Sessful]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [Talent: Dark Dimensional Reality]


    [Rank: SSS-R] Readtest stories on empire


    [Stage: 2]


    [Talent Point: 700821/1999999tp]


    [All Host Attributes Increased by +1000]


    [Talent Attributes Increased]


    [TP Efficiency Increased]


    [Sub Talent MP Efficiency Increased]


    [CP +100000]


    [DING! Congrattions on Getting a new title]


    [16. Mage Talented]


    [Host sessfully performed Ascension talent for the first time]


    [17. SSS-R Ruler]


    [Host sessfully ascends SSS-R talent to stage 2]


    Aaron stood up from his cross-legged position and then stepped slowly forward. Surprisingly, Aaron''s figure was already present before the Great Elder. Aaron bowed his head to pay his respects.


    "Congrattions on your sessful Ascension. The 10th Floor City Cathedral is very proud of your achievement."


    "Thank you. Still, I will perform Ascension again."


    "Do it again? For what talent? What rank?"


    "For my Secondary Talent. It''s S-R."

 Chapter 79 Cathedral Community

    Again, Aaron went through Ascension for the second time. This time, the talent he would Ascension was the Gravity Maniption talent, his Secondary Talent.


    After re-registration, Aaron sat cross-legged on the circr floor. There, he began to close his eyes and let the Ascension process proceed as before.


    The panel to check the general requirements appeared, reced by another panel showing Aaron''s Secondary Talent. Everyone was still in ce, keeping their eyes focused ahead.


    The Great Elder smiled. The Ascension process started with absorbing soft energy particles into Aaron''s body.


    This was the first time he had seen a mage have two talents with high talent ranks, SSS-R and S-R.


    ''His main talent is SSS-R, then his second one is S-R. He''s really strong. It''s really bad for the three groups to keep antagonizing him,'' the Great Elder replied.


    Aaron still closed his eyes, feeling a soft stream of energy particles gently absorbed into his body. The panel above Aaron''s head changed to another panel that read Talent Ascension had beenpleted.


    Discover stories at empire


    [ASCENSION TALENT]


    [Ascension Sessful]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [Talent: Gravity Maniption]


    [Rank: S-R]


    [Stage: 2]


    [Talent Point: 396701/999999tp]


    [All Host Attributes Increased by +200]


    [Talent Attributes Increased]@@novelbin@@


    [TP Efficiency Increased]


    [Sub Talent MP Efficiency Increased]


    [CP +25000]


    Aaron''s eyes opened. He stepped away from the circr floor with each step followed by energy fluctuations.


    The Great Elder smiled, then apuded with pleasure at seeing Aaron sessfully perform two Ascensions within the same day.


    ''With an Ascension like this. I can confirm that I gained more than 150000 CP. This is good for my strength and abilities.''


    Misa gasped. Within hours of their meeting, Aaron transformed into a young man with terrifying strength.


    From what she saw with them during the two Ascensions, Misa clearly saw that Aaron had gained 125,000 CP, not including the increased CP from attribute status upgrades.


    The Great Elder walked over, smiling while nodding in appreciation of Aaron''s abilities. He patted Aaron gently on the shoulder while inviting him to talk in his office, on the third floor, which was the top floor of the City Cathedral.


    Aaron nodded. He asked Misa toe with him to prevent her from running away. Misa chuckled. With Aaron''s current strength, it was easy for him to find her whereabouts.


    They walked, following the Great Elder from behind. Arriving at the third floor, the ce vibe was far from what Aaron had imagined.


    At first, he imagined the ce would be simr to conventional workspaces, like an office. But, after passing through the doorway at the entrance of the third floor, Aaron and Misa stopped in their steps at the beautiful indoor scenery of the ce.


    The roofs of the rooms were high, filled with native and creeping greenery. Three pavilions were floating above a floor flooded with clear blue water full of fish. The walls wereyered with magic to reflect the city''sndscape.


    Stones from the bottom of the pool rose up, giving way to the wise Grand Elders to step into their pavilions. They had to walk in a single line as the stones only appeared in a single line.


    The Great Elder arrived at the main pavilion, thergest of the two. There, Aaron and Misa sat cross-legged on cushions that felt soft.


    Beautiful butterflies and other birds flew near the pavilion, asionallying to bring food for the Great Elders, such as berries and nuts.


    "So tell me, Aaron. What actually happened between you and the three groups?" asked the Great Elder.


    ''He realized it already? Is it because my name was disyed during Ascension?'' Aaron asked.


    Aaron was silent for a moment. A birdnded on Aaron''s shoulder carrying a small stic bag filled with nuts. The bird carried it by tying the bag to its long beak.


    He felt the peacefulfort of the ce. The birds and other animals treated him with the friendliness and tenderness of nature.


    The Great Elder seemed to be surrounded by many white-feathered birds, a beautiful group of birds.


    Slowly, Aaron began to tell the truth to the Great Elder. He begins by discussing the beginning of his and Isabe''s conflict with the Night Liberators. The Great Elder responded by nodding his head, understanding every word from Aaron.


    Then, he started to tell me about Denis and his attempt to kill Aaron and sexually abuse Isabe. The Great Elder didn''t show any response.


    Aaron went back to telling the story about the peak of the problem on the fifth floor, precisely when many people worked together to arrest and kill him.


    "Self-defense is not entirely wrong. However, if it involves many people and the loss of life. I''m afraid people''s perceptions will change," replied the Great Elder, staring ahead with a smile.


    The Great Elder stretched out his hand, showing a small image portal of the crimes mostlymitted by the city''s people over the past six months.


    The crimes included murders, thefts, rapes, bullying, and acts of arson against other people''s property.


    "One of the weaknesses of this system is that it can only detect one crime, murder. For all other crimes, we have to organize it."


    "You need to start being calm in your decision-making. Don''t let ego and anger be your main reason for deciding. It will only plunge you into the abyss of more horrible crimes."


    "We, the Three Elders of the City Cathedral, will always pray in favor of your life. We hope you can regain grace and guidance as directed by God."


    ''Damn! I''m not a religious person,'' Aaron said while receiving the blessing from the Three Elders of the City Cathedral.


    Nheless, another panel appeared before Aaron and Misa. They gasped when they realized it was a buff panel for him.


    [Buff]


    [Gain protection shield for 24 hours]


    [00:23:59:59]


    [WARNING!]


    [Committing a crime will make the Protection Shield forfeit]


    "Protection Shield?" Aaron asked.


    "It''s useful for you. The protection shield will work if you are threatened with any crime for 24 hours."


    "This is good. Thank you for your blessing, Great Elder."


    "That''s fine. Think of it as a return of favor for your willingness to perform SSS-R rank Ascension in our City Cathedral."


    "Then how much should I pay?"


    After determining the price of performing Ascension, Aaron paid and said goodbye to them. The Grand Elder said yes, allowing Aaron and Misa to leave.


    "Do we need to send the White Temr to follow them?" asked one of the Elders.


    "There is no need. He is not a threat to the Cathedral Community."

 Chapter 80 Slave Seal

    After performing the ascension talent, Aaron asked Misa to apany him. It was alreadyte afternoon, many item shops were closed, but it was different with the food shops that were open. Still, Aaron was too tired to go through all that.


    He thought of finding an inn to rest for a while. Misa was asked toe along for Aaron''s safety. He was worried that if Misa left without his watch, she could go to the headquarters of the three major groups and reveal Aaron''s location.


    Arriving at the inn''s room on the second floor, Aaron put away his bag and looked ahead as he opened the room''s window. The lights began to shine on the city''s main street, a few people passed by to visit the food shops.


    "How do you have two high-rank talents?" asked Misa, sitting on the edge of the bed while looking at Aaron''s back.


    "You don''t have to know about that."


    Aaron turned his body around and stood leaning against the window frame of the room, looking straight at Misa with his arms crossed.


    "You''re my captive. If you obey everything I say, maybe I''ll let you live."


    "I can''t do anything. You managed to defeat my talent. If I try again, I might get seriously injured," Misa replied resignedly while looking away.@@novelbin@@


    The young man stared intently. He stepped closer to Misa until he was standing right before her. His strong hand reached forward, grasping her chin and making her gasp.


    Misa''s heart fluttered uncertainly, not from love or liking but fear. Aaron smiled bitterly, feeling the lines of fear clearly imprinted on the woman.


    "You''re a smart woman. However, I will never be fooled by your innocence."


    "Words can deceive, eyes can trick. Yet, the heart certainly cannot."


    "I know the ce to make you obey!"


    Misa was scared, asionally swallowing her saliva deeply with her hands and feet trembling in fear. She didn''t know what Aaron was going to do to her, hoping it wasn''t something that could put her life in danger.


    Aaron pulled Misa''s hand, asking her to leave the ce. Misa could only agree; no one could save her from Aaron''s clutches. It was already her fault for knowing Aaron''s identity.


    Misa looked at Aaron''s direction towards the City Guild Office. Even though it waste at night, the guild office was still operational. The staff took turns in their shifts.


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    The door of the guild office opened. Aaron saw Liscia there, sitting casually behind the reception desk. She was having a casual conversation with her coworkers.


    Seeing the visitor, one of Liscia''s coworkers nudged Liscia''s hand. The woman''s attention returned to the front, knowing who the man who had just visited was.


    "Lewis? Are you taking a quest?"


    Aaron shook his head. His arrival was not to take a quest but to ask Liscia something. Previously, Liscia made it clear that she would help with any information. In short, Liscia knew a lot about city life.


    "It''s not about the quest," Aaron replied.


    "Then?"


    "Do you know where to sell ves?"


    Aaron''s words shocked the woman at the reception desk, a person who was thought to be innocent and polite and new to the tenth floor, nning to visit such a shameful ce. Liscia turned her head to the side, watching Misa bow in helpless resignation.


    Liscia exhaled. She came out from behind the reception desk and stepped closer to Aaron. As promised to Aaron, Liscia had to show him the ce of very.


    "I don''t know what you''re nning, but selling women into very without any legalities will definitely make you a fugitive from the White Temr."


    "White Temr?" asked Aaron.


    "I''ll exin as we walk."


    As the three walked away from the guild office, people started gossiping about Lewis'' bad attitude. He was justing to the tenth floor of the city for the first time, but he was already interested in very.


    Along the way, Liscia told him about the White Temr. The White Temrs were a special military group formed by the City Cathedral, filled with adventurers whose main element was light. They served at the behest of the Great Elder, eradicating crime and immorality in the city.


    ''So, they''re simr to a fanatic group, huh?" Aaron asked.


    "Their existence has spread to all ces in the city. I''ll show you the way to the very grounds. For the rest, you''ll have to go on your own."


    "I understand."


    After stopping in front of a small and dark alley, Liscia said goodbye right after telling Aaron the exact location of the very ce. Aaron nodded as he thanked her.


    They both bravely stepped into the dark alley. As Liscia had said, they should turn when they reached the first intersection.


    After turning, Aaron squinted to see a secluded shop with red-colored lights filling the ce.


    "Is this the ce?" asked Aaron, still clutching Misa''s hand.


    "Are you gonna sell me into very?" asked Misa, Aaron didn''t answer.


    They stepped inside and were met by a woman dressed in a sexy ck outfit, disying her uncovered thighs and cleavage. She lookedfortable in such an outfit.


    "Wee. Do you need an item?" asked the shop assistant.


    "Tell me, can you make ve seals?" asked Aaron.


    The woman before Aaron narrowed her eyes, then her focus fell to the side to look at Misa. A big smile was clearly on her face. She guessed that Aaron wanted to make Misa his sex ve.


    "Of course I can. Do you want the low or strong type?" asked the sexy woman. Aaron answered with the strong type of ve seal.


    "I want a ve seal that can make her die when breaking my orders."


    "Wait. I promise I won''t¡ª"


    "Will you shut up?!" said Aaron. Misa fell silent with her head bowed, tears flowing from her innocent eyes.


    ''What a poor woman. Her life ended up in the hands of this jerk.''


    ''But business is still business. As long as he pays, then I will fulfill his request,'' the sexy woman exined.


    She took Aaron and Misa into one of the rooms. There, chairs and tables were set up with magic equipment to imnt ve seals. The woman exined the steps to perform the ve seal.


    First, Aaron had to drip a speck of his blood into a bowl of magic ink. After that, the woman would smear the ink on Misa''s breast.


    The process of forming the ve seal would begin andst a few seconds, but it could cause a burning sensation on Misa''s breast.


    Right after it was formed, Aaron was required to say a few important sentences, an order for Misa that must not be vited. It was a crucial moment as it rted to Misa''s life and death.


    Aaron was ready, and so was Misa. Misa sat on the chair with her head bowed in surrender, letting the sexy woman unbutton the top two buttons of her dress, Misa''s cleavage exposed to Aaron''s eyes.


    The young man cut the tip of his finger and then dripped the blood into the magic ink bowl. Once ready, the sexy woman smeared the ink in a circle on Misa''s chest. Misa groaned in pain, whimpering as she closed her eyes.


    "Alright. The ve seal process is about to take shape; you''d better start thinking of an order for her."


    Aaron nodded. He was ready with an absolute order from her. He was sure that Misa would not be burdened by the order.


    [ATTENTION!]


    [You have made a ve seal with someone]


    [ve''s name: Misa]


    [Age: 23]


    [Talent: Beauty Persona]


    [ves will always obey their master''s orders]


    A ve panel containing Misa''s identity appeared before Aaron. The sexy woman said that once the ve seal had been formed, it was time for Aaron to give Misa his orders.


    "Remember, the orders must be firm and do not be long-winded."


    Aaron nodded. He directed Misa''s reddened eyes to look at him.


    "Misa! I order you not to reveal my identity to anyone through speech, writing, or gesture."


    The ve circle glowed red with ancient writing inside. The sexy woman gasped, not expecting that Aaron wanted to enve her to keep her mouth shut.


    "Wait! You don''t want to make her your sex ve?" she asked.


    "I''m not a man like that!"

 Chapter 81 Shopping Hustle and Bustle

    ***


    The next day.


    Tenth Floor City Inn.


    Misa still couldn''t understand Aaron''s attitude. He had taken her to the very center for a specific reason, something she had never thought of.


    At first, Misa thinks that Aaron would sell her like any other lowly woman. However, he was just protecting his identity.


    ''I have to be careful. Don''t let me think of betraying him. I don''t want to die because of the ve seal,'' Misa said.


    Because Aaron already felt safe with Misa''s ve seal. He allowed Misa to take another room for her to sleep in, not the same room as Aaron. For the cost itself, Aaron would pay for it.


    There was a knock on Aaron''s bedroom door, Misa was right behind it. She asked about Aaron''s condition that morning without daring to open the door.


    Surprisingly, Aaron opened the door and stood right in front of Misa,plete with a t-shirt and jacket, and long pants full of pockets.


    At first nce, Aaron''s appearance with shades of ck clothing made him seem so mysterious, as well as strong. However, the half-face mask was still on his face, preventing anyone from knowing Aaron''s identity.


    "Starting today, you have to call me Lewis. I don''t want to take any risks."


    "Yes, Mr. Lewis."


    "Just Lewis."


    Misa cleared her throat. She was ready with her own suit of clothes, shorts and a white T-shirt. A glimpse of it made her bras faintly exposed. Still, Aaron didn''t care much about that.@@novelbin@@


    Aaron took a step with Misa following close by. Aaron''s purpose today was to visit some shops to buy or sell items. As he had always wanted, he wanted to buy a lot of MP Crystals to increase his MP capacity.


    Rows of item shops began to open their goods. The shopkeepers and salesmen were calling out to the city people to trade in their shops, but Aaron was confused as to where he should visit.


    "Do you want to buy items, Lewis?" asked Misa, Aaron cleared his throat in response.


    "I know a good ce for you. I have an acquaintance who owns an item shop. I think his items are prettyplete."


    Aaron was quite helpful with Misa. He let Misa lead the way to the shop she was referring to, which was located right in the middle of a row of item shops. There, Aaron saw many people visiting the shop.


    "Bernard!" greeted Misa, waving with a smile.


    "Woah. How is it going, Misa? Did youe to buy more TP Elixir?" asked Bernard, the shop owner.


    "I don''t have the money to buy it right now."


    "By the way, I came with my friend. He''s Lewis and he''s looking for a certain item. You have a full range of items, right?" asked Misa, confirming.


    "Among the other merchants, only my shop sells the mostplete items."


    Aaron smiled, happy to hear the man''s confidence. He walked past a few people who were looking at the other items disyed inside the ss table.


    Arriving in front of Bernard, Aaron gasped at the sight of the MP Crystal disyed before him, neatly stored inside the ss table.


    "What level is this?" asked Aaron, pointing at the MP crystal on the ss table.


    "That''s the third level."


    "Do you have anything higher?" asked Aaron.


    "I have Level four and five MP Crystals. But, the price is much higher than the third level."


    "How much?"


    "MP Crystals Lv. 4 is around 35000 RL, while Lv. 5 is 50000 RL."


    Aaron nodded. He asked Bernard to bring the MP Crystals Lv. 4 and Lv. 5 to him. Bernard dly did so.


    In total, he had three pieces of Lv.4 MP Crystals and four pieces of Lv. 5. Bernard exined that one Level 4 MP Crystal was able to increase MP capacity by 15000 while a Level 5 MP Crystal added 25000 MP capacity.


    ''If I buy those seven MP Crystals, I''ll probably get an additional 145000 MP capacity,'' Aaron replied.


    ''I''m really lucky, the amount of RL I have is enough to buy all seven MP Crystals.''


    "How''s that? Are you interested in buying one of-"


    "I''ll buy them all," Aaron interrupted, startling Bernard into widening his eyes.


    "All of them?"


    Aaron also asked Bernard to provide five EXP Elixir level 4. The level 4 EXP elixir was able to increase the amount of EXP by 10000. Aaron needed 50000 exp to level up. When it happened, his MP capacity would increase until it was full.


    "Alright. I''ll provide everything."


    The young man turned to the side, asking Misa about the TP elixir. Misa said she needed 10000 TP to level up. But, the Level 3 TP Elixir cost 15000 RL. Currently, she didn''t have the money for it.


    Without hesitation, Aaron passed the TP Elixir he got from the previous raid to Misa. It wasn''t third-level TP Elixir, but second- and first-level. Even so, the amount was plenty enough that it could help Misa''s talent gain Ascension.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Of course. Consider it as your reward for leading me to this shop," Aaron exined.


    Misa''s cheeks suddenly turned bright red. Shyly, she epted the TP Elixirs and started drinking them one by one. A TP panel appeared in front of Misa, indicating that her TP talent was full, waiting for Ascension.


    "Thank you, Lewis," Misa said softly.


    Aaron nodded. Not long after, Bernard arrived with the items Aaron needed. He added up the total price of the items, then showed Aaron the total price.


    "Alright. I''ll buy them all."


    As usual, Aaron stretched his hand forward to be scanned by the digital payment box. The sessful transaction panel appeared in front of Aaron.


    [Transaction Sessful]


    [Item:]


    [3 MP Level 4 Crystal]


    [4 MP Crystal Level 5]


    [5 Elixir EXP Level 4]


    [Price: 380000 RL]


    [Buyer: Aaron]


    "Thank you for your generosity," Bernard said.


    Aaron cleared his throat. He crushed each MP Crystal that he had bought carefully. The notification panel of the additional MP capacity was disyed before Aaron, the amount matching his wish.


    [MP Capacity +145000]


    [Total MP Capacity: 76000/221000]


    Misa gasped, not expecting Aaron to have such arge amount of MP capacity. Still, after she remembered Aaron''s high rank talent, it was only natural for him to need a lot of MP capacity from the average adventurer.


    Not only MP Crystals, but he also drained the EXP Elixir he had purchased. Again, a notification panel appeared to inform Aaron that he had leveled up.


    [EXP +50000]


    [DING! Congrattion on Leveling Up]


    [Level 69 -> Level 70]


    [DING! The Love Rtionship feature has been unlocked] Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    [Hosts can form official love rtionships with other adventurers]


    [Official couples can share inventory and house furniture]


    [Both partners must be at level 70 or above to use the Love Rtionship feature]


    "Woah, congrattions on getting to level 70. That''s an intermediate adventurer level."


    "Thank you. But, seeing this feature, I was reminded of someone. She''s far away from this ce," Aaron replied.


    Misa realized that Aaron had someone he was in love with, she threw away her thoughts of wishing she could be with Aaron forever.


    "Really? I wish she coulde up to this floor and meet you."


    "Actually, she''s in the Earth Core Tower. I don''t know when I can meet her."


    "What''s that woman''s name?"


    "Natasha."

 Chapter 85 Dark Legion Invasion

    "Dark Legion?"


    Liscia couldn''t hide her shock. Never had she expected the sworn enemies of the three major groups toe and mess up at the guild''s official tournament event.


    Aaron said yes. He also exined to her about the Dark Legion''s ambition, which was to capture the g of Authority.


    "Leaders Harry and Andrew do have the g of Authority. But, that g can''t be used carelessly."


    "Theymonly use it when fighting off monster invasions or fighting against other groups. The power of the g of Authority is enough to increase STR buffs and other attributes for group members," exined Liscia. Aaron nodded, knowing that.


    Hearing the attack made Liscia worried about the situation inside the arena, as many adventurers were trapped and couldn''t leave. Likely, the battle would be fierce between Harry and the Dark Legion group.


    "There will be casualties," Liscia said sadly.


    "There''s nothing we can do. We can only hope that Harry and the others can defeat the Dark Legion quickly," Misa replied.


    Misa took another step towards Aaron after exining the situation to everyone. Aaron turned aside to look at Liscia.


    She asked Liscia to secure the surrounding area from the crowd to avoid any other casualties outside the arena.


    Liscia nodded. She ordered the other guild staff to conduct tight security. The crowd, who were not guild staff, were ordered to stay away from the arena by 500 meters, in the form of a circr security with a magic fence attached and stretched like a dome.


    Aaron and Misa were not allowed to leave as they were the first to know the situation inside the arena. Liscia returned to Aaron after giving orders to the other guild staff.


    "Can''t you go back inside and help them defeat the Dark Legion?" asked Liscia.


    "I have no reason to defeat them. My powers won''t be useful there anyway."


    Misa smiled, her eyes constantly ncing to the side as she watched Aaron''s every word.


    ''You just don''t want to get into further trouble with the other group, right? Even with your power, you can easily defeat the Dark Legion.''


    [WARNING!]


    [A mysterious anomaly urred in the city]


    [All people are required to evacuate to a ce based on the evacuation route]


    Aaron was taken aback, as were Misa and Liscia. Not only them but all the people within the city received the notification information panel, a red panel with yellow text.


    "This panel never-"


    BOM!


    A massive explosion urred behind them. Red mes and ck smoke soared up from a familiar direction, the City Guild Office.


    Liscia widened her eyes, pale-faced with trembling hands and feet. There was no mistaking it; the explosion hade from the Guild Office.


    "T-The City Guild Office is on fire?" asked Liscia, gawking.


    ''This is bad. It seems that not only the arena was their target, but other ces also.''


    "You guys with more than 60000 CP, check the situation there!"


    "Tell me immediately what''s happening there,"manded Liscia. The other staff scattered to leave the ce for the guild office.


    Liscia walked back and forth, worried about the situation there. Although her CP was high, she couldn''t leave because she had to handle the situation in the arena. Still, the other staff could definitely handle the situation there.


    Aaron sighed. The scene turned chaotic and messy inside the city when all the important leaders were trapped in the Dark Legion''s confining magic. Aaron looked back, then back at the front.


    "What should I do?" asked Liscia.


    ''Damn. I don''t want to cause more trouble, but this tense situation leaves me no choice,'' said Aaron.


    Trapped by the current situation, Aaron took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He pressed Misa''s shoulder and asked the woman for something, Misa''s attention glued to Aaron.


    "Stay here with Liscia."


    "Where are you gonna go?" asked Misa, worried.@@novelbin@@


    "Those damn group leaders can''t defeat the Dark Legion soon enough. If I don''t act, the whole city will be covered in explosions," Aaron exined.


    "A-Are you gonna help us?" asked Liscia. Aaron reluctantly nodded yes.


    Aaron also ordered Liscia to do something important. If the explosion was caused by the Dark Legion, it was confident that other ces could be attacked.


    "Tell the guild staff to inform the people at the headquarters of the three major groups and the city cathedral. I suspect that the next explosion targets will be in those four ces," Aaron said, looking at Liscia.


    "I understand."


    [Secondary Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Neutral Gravity Step]


    [MP -12500]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [Additional MP: 220000] [-12500]


    Aaron''s second talent has activated, making the gravity around him neutral. With it, Aaron flew away from the area around the arena towards the guild office. Aaron''s leaving by flying free amazed Liscia.


    "He can fly so easily?" asked Liscia.


    "There''s a lot of things you don''t know about him."


    Aaron flew with a trail of purple light on his flight path. The sight attracted many evacuating adventurers, who gazed up at the sky and marveled at the mysterious mage''s abilities.


    Aaron''s flying speed was much faster than the guild staff running on the main road, let alone the crowds who were busy saving themselves. Aaron didn''t care about the guild staff. The sooner he got there, the better.


    From afar, Aaron saw people wearing ck uniforms fighting some guild staff, certainly with the guild office on fire.


    Arriving above the guild office sky, Aaron instantly became the center of their attention, making them stop fighting for a moment.


    "Who are you?" asked a Dark Legion member.


    [Secondary Talent]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Power of Nature Majesty]


    [MP -22500]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [Additional MP: 197500] [-22500]


    Before they knew it, the explosion happened to the Dark Legion members. There were 10 of them, all blown away with significant damage.


    [Damage +7680]


    [Damage +5470]


    [Critical +14200]


    [Three Combo! Great!]


    "Akh!"


    The guild staff turned their heads upwards, staring at Aaron, who they thought was the mysterious masked mage.


    With Aaron attacking the Dark Legion, it was confirmed that Aaron was taking the side of the guild office.


    "Liscia sent me toe and see the situation here. I didn''t expect it. It turned out to be Dark Legion''s do."


    Aaron stood in the sky with a dignified stance. He ordered the other guild staff to focus on putting out the fire; Aaron would handle those 10 Dark Legion members.


    "Thank you. You helped us a lot."


    The young man took one step forward. In a sh of purple light, Aaron''s presence was in front of the 10 Dark Legion members. They staggered, trying to attack Aaron with their martial arts skills.


    Aaron parried, counter-attacked, and threw magic punches at them. It didn''t deal significant damage, but it was enough to make them flinch.


    "Damn! He''s powerful."


    "What should we do, captain?!"


    "There''s no other choice. We attack him to the best of our abilities."


    The ten leapt back far enough while starting to emit their powerful magic auras. Aaron felt the fluctuations in their energy, but not enough to attack or cause significant damage to him.


    Three people used fire elemental magic, four used light elemental magic, two used wind elemental, and one used earth elemental.


    Thebination of different elemental powers could create mighty ultimate magic.


    Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    "To kill you, I don''t have to use my ultimate talent."


    One by one, they managed to manifest their ultimate abilities in different forms ording to their talents. Aaron looked at the magic while narrowing his eyes; none of them had a rank S talent.


    ''This is easy!'' Aaron exined.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Explosion Orb]


    [MP -50000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [Additional MP: 147500] [-50000]


    Sparks of purple light appeared at the tips of Aaron''s two fingers. With a short upward move, that speck of light flew up and exploded in the sky, causing hundreds of dimensional portals to open. The Dark Legion members gasped, slightly unfocused at the sight of Aaron''s power.


    A gust of wind blew through, sending Aaron''s hair whipping around with the young man''s eyes focused on the Dark Legion members. Aaron smiled bitterly, sensing their fear.


    "We will not lose!" shouted their captain, loudly encouraging his members.


    They unleashed the ultimate attack of their sub-talents ahead. The fusion of energy from many elements made the scene outside the guild office bright and colorful.


    Still, it wasn''t a definite threat to Aaron, especially since two of his talents had Ascended to different stages. Of course, his strength would have increased much more than before.


    Aaron moved his right hand to the front with two fingers pointing. Orbs filled with purple magic energy shot out from hundreds of Dimensional Portals directed at the 10 ultimate manifestations of the Dark Legion members'' sub-talents.


    BOM!


    The energies shed powerfully, creating a powerful explosion and a strong gust of wind. The explosion was magnified due to the barrage effect of the other energy collisions. Dark purple smoke soared from the Guild Office location.


    Liscia could see it, her heart pounding wildly as she worried for Aaron''s safety. Misa noticed Liscia''s anxiety. She patted Liscia lightly on the shoulder and told her Lewis would be fine.


    A battle of magical energy pressure was created, Aaron against 10 Dark Legion members. Aaron clenched his right palm to end the energy pressure and caused numerous purple orbs to shoot out endlessly from the portal.


    The ultimate sub-talents of the 10 Dark Legion members were destroyed. They widened their eyes in disbelief at what happened.


    Yet, their fear was greater as the mysterious mage''s purple orb attack was still there and aimed at them.


    BOM!


    "AAAKKKKHHHH!"


    The sound of pain filled the ce, the guild staff who were focused on extinguishing the fire gasped with gaping eyes.


    They didn''t expect a mysterious mage to be able to defeat 10 Dark Legion members who had CPs above 60000.


    [Damage +54600]


    [Damage +45000]


    [Critical +78600]


    [Critical +82000]


    [Four Combo! Great!]


    With a short gesture to the side, Aaron cleared away the purple dust that filled the ce. He walked slowly forward, each step followed by the purple energy fluctuations under his feet, seemingly terrifying to the enemy.


    "What kind of power... is that?" asked the captain of the Dark Legion team.


    "It''s God''s power!"

 Chapter 86 The Fall of the Citys Ruler

    [WARNING!]


    [Host indicated to havemitted murder against another adventurer]


    [Total number of victims: 10]


    [Initiate another sentence against the Host!]


    [Punishment decided]


    [Forbidden to Raid Monsters on each floor for ten times]


    [Host will be marked with a specific title]


    [DING! You get a red title]


    [Murderer!]


    [Host will get the title whenmitting a murder. Can''t change the title]


    [Duration of red title usage:]


    [09:23:59:59]


    ''The system simply can''t see the situation here. Even though I was defending myself, the system still recorded that Imitted murder.''


    ''This is a broken system!


    [EXP +352000]


    [TP +176000]


    [Select Talent for TP allocation]


    [1. Dark Dimension Reality]


    [2. Gravity Maniption]


    [125000 RL]


    [DING! Congrattion on Leveling Up]


    [Level 70 -> Level 71]


    With arge amount of TP, he allocated the TP to fill his main talent first. For the second talent, he will do it again if he gets a significant amount of TP to make Ascension.


    [TP +176000]


    [Talent Name: Dark Dimension Reality]


    [Stage: 2]


    [TP: 876821/1999999tp] [+176000]


    [Efficiency: 401-600tp/hour]


    "The more I improved the stage of my talent, the greater the amount of TP required to do Ascension."


    "I''d better not rush about this."


    Aaron turned aside and looked coldly at the guild staff squads from the arena. They arrivedte. If Aaron hadn''t arrived earlier, perhaps 10 Dark Legion members would have destroyed this ce.


    "Thankfully, you arrived faster. We are very grateful to you, sir."


    "Make yourself useful. Help the people inside there," Aaron ordered.


    They looked behind Aaron, seeing the other guild staff taking out important files to be saved, especially the mission forms that Ernest had not approved. They understood Aaron''s meaning and went straight to their coworkers.


    Aaron saw the city people begin to evacuate one after another, heading to a spacious field avable for their evacuation. Some went to the bunker, but it was a priority for women and children.


    The young man looked back, the situation was bing more conducive in this ce. Still, before the arena was freed from the confining magic shackles, then this invasion wasn''t over yet.


    "Damn it! What are they doing over there? Can''t they beat Bright?!" cursed Aaron, annoyed.


    While on guard near the guild office, Aaron was startled by the powerful sound of explosionsing from two different ces.


    The explosions were simr to those at the Guild Office; Aaron assumed their attack continued elsewhere.


    "Jack, Rasputin, show up."


    [Servant Activated]


    [1. Jack The Ripper]


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [MP -24000]


    [Name: Aaron]@@novelbin@@


    [Additional MP: 123500] [-24000]


    The figures of two soul servants appeared before Aaron in white light. The members of the guild staff were speechless; the two people present by the mysterious mage were nothing but Soul Servants.


    "Soul servants?"


    "Wait! Does he have two soul servants? How powerful is he?"


    Jack and Rasputin bowed their heads as they knelt in a submissive salute, "Your orders, sir?"


    "You two go to the explosion sites and activate your double vision for me. I need to know what happened there," Aaron exined.


    "What if it''s the Dark Legion?" asked Rasputin.


    "You kill them with your abilities."


    "Fine!"


    The two jumped high and flew in different directions, Jack flying southeast while Rasputin went west. Aaron closed his eyes while still standing, opened them, and could see what the two servants saw.


    From Jack''s location, Aaron saw a fierce battle between members of the Night Liberators against the Dark Legion.


    There were 12 Dark Legion members fighting for the headquarters, even though the Night Liberators HQ was being guarded by hundreds of their members.


    Rasputin shared his vision at Sky Sword Headquarters. The number of Dark Legion there was far more than at the Night Liberators'' headquarters, around 24.


    Still, due to the powerful strength of the Sky Sword members, they managed to repel the Dark Legion troops.


    "How many Dark Legion forces actually invaded the city?" Aaron asked.


    He looked back, seeing 25 guild staff guarding this ce. Two ces hadn''t gotten any news about the Dark Legion invaders, the City Cathedral and the Dimension Justice HQ.


    Aaron thought that hundreds of people from the Dark Legion must be dispersed throughout the city. Yet, their locations were still unknown.


    Even if they used tracking magic, the coverage area could not be wide andprehensive, let alone tracking in one big city.


    There was no other choice; he had to wait for them to act and then respond while waiting for the battle in the arena to end.


    Jack and Rasputin asked about their roles, whether it was necessary to help the Night Liberators and Sky Sword.


    Knowing that the two groups could handle their problems well, Aaron gave specific orders to the two servants.


    "Go to the City Cathedral, Jack. Guard the ce against any possible Dark Legion attacks. Let me know if you see the Dark Legion invading there."


    "Yes, sir," Jack exined,municating with telepathic magic.


    Aaron told Rasputin to be on standby at the Dimension Justice HQ. If the Dark Legion had attacked the Night Liberators and Sky Sword, it was certain that their next target would be Dimension Justice.


    "I understand, sir."


    The two soul servants got their own orders. Aaron was pleased. He began to close his eyes and return his vision to normal. Aaron turned around and saw many guild staff working together to save the files from the remaining embers.


    "You don''t have to worry about the Guild Office, Sir. We can handle it."


    "You may go help elsewhere," a female staffer replied confidently.


    "Alright. I''ll keep my magic here just in case."


    Aaron swung his right hand forward, throwing a glimmer of purple magic that stuck to the guild office wall. When it stuck, the magic shed violet, but it faded as time passed.


    "With it, they won''t be able to destroy this building."


    "Thank you, sir."


    Aaron cleared his throat. He reactivated his secondary talent and flew out of the ce quickly. Several women from the guild staff were mesmerized. They thought of the mysterious mage as an important helper in this situation.


    "Liscia''s eyes are truly sharp. She can find a man as strong as him."


    "Never mind. Let''s get on with the paperwork."


    The young man flew in a different direction from the three major HQ locations. Aaron flew towards the surroundings of the Arena of Gant, where the magic dome outside had been created to block out anyone.


    Hended firmly outside the yellow magic dome. Liscia and Misa saw Aaron''s arrival, big smiles spread across their faces despite realising Aaron held the title of murderer.


    Liscia understood with the title, Aaron must have defeated many of the invading Dark Legion members. But, Liscia exined to Aaron that the red title could be removed with a certain magic.


    "You don''t have to worry. After everything is over, Harry will forgive you with his authority skill," Liscia replied.


    "Yes, if he manages to defeat Bright in the battle there."


    "Looks like they managed to defeat him, I''m sure of it," said Liscia, full of high confidence.


    Aaron nodded. If Liscia believed that, then it was undeniable that Harry''s and the others'' abilities were much better.


    The young man stepped inside after Liscia reached out through the dome wall. Aaron shook Liscia''s hand and was now in the dome.


    Half an hour passed, Jack and Rasputin had nothing to say about the attack on the ce they were guarding. Aaron thought deeply, trying to understand the Dark Legion''s n.


    ''What''s happening? Did the Dark Legion surrender?'' Aaron asked.


    ''It can''t be. They''vee all this way to attack the city; they won''t give up quickly.''


    Aaron still ordered Jack and Rasputin to stay there, guarding against any possibility. Yet, something startling happened inside the Arena.


    The six red pirs slowly faded away, making the Arena''s lockdown magic disappear. Liscia smiled as she thought Harry and the others could defeat the Dark Legion in the arena.


    Someone came out from inside the Arena hallway; Liscia smiled as she tried to approach him. But, one thing made Liscia''s happy heart fade instantly.


    The personing out of the hallway was Bright, with his left hand holding Harry''s decapitated head.


    "What...?"


    "This is impossible!"


    Not only him but other members of the Dark Legion came out from other different hallways, 45 people with murderous gazes. Aaron clicked his tongue; the situation was definitely not in his favor.


    In the other direction, 300 Dark Legion members gathered on the city''s main street. All this time, they had been hiding in empty houses waiting for the moment Bright came out of the Arena of Gant.


    They cheered, victory already in the hands of the Dark Legion as Bright''s left hand held Harry''s head and the right hand held the g of Authority.


    "If you don''t wanna die, bow to me!" said Bright.


    ''Where are Andrew and Luke? Did they manage to escape?'' Aaron asked, curious.


    The situation was really tight. In front of Aaron, there were Bright and 45 Dark Legion members who had murdered many people in the Arena of Gant. Behind, there were hundreds of Dark Legion members preparing for war.


    Slowly, each Guild Staff member knelt down and kowtowed to Bright. If Harry, the strongest mage, could be defeated, then they could not fight Bright.


    Among them, only Aaron was still standing firmly, refusing to bow. Bright narrowed his eyes at Aaron, intimidating the young man.


    "You! Did you choose to die?"


    "I don''t really like the concept of bowing and kowtowing to save my life. After all, I don''t feel threatened by you people."


    "HAHAHA!"


    "Are you an idiot? I''ve defeated Harry, the strongest mage in this city. Obviously, I''m the strongest one in the city!" said Bright.


    Aaronughed loudly as his arms crossed over his chest, "Really? Is it because of that stupid g that you feel stronger than me?"


    "Asshole! Hurry up and kill him!" shouted Bright; dozens of people charged forward with a murderous aura.


    ''I''m sorry, Aerith. Looks like I''ll have to use Azazel''s power.'' Experience new tales on empire

 Chapter 88 Escape Plan

    ***


    Two dayster.


    City prison.


    Aaron opened his eyes and found himself in a dark, cold room. His entire body ached, feeling weak and drained.


    Ahead of him was an iron bar fence separating his cell from the area outside. Several men sat guard on chairs, talking among themselves. This sight was enough to confirm to Aaron that he was in the city prison.


    "How long have I been unconscious?" Aaron wondered.


    In his cell, he noticed a bed, a sink, and a toilet. He couldn''t believe it¡ªhe had saved the city from destruction caused by Bright and the other members of the Dark Legion. But the gratitude he received was far from satisfying.


    Staggering slightly, he walked over to the iron bars and asked the guards to exin everything. Hearing someone calling, one of the prison guards walked over to Aaron.


    "Hey, why did you imprison me?" Aaron asked.


    "I don''t know, man. They did it; our job is just to watch over the prisoners."


    "Who are ''they''?"


    "Commander Andrew and Commander Luke."


    "So, Andrew and Luke managed to escape after the battle in the arena."


    "If they were the ones who put me in prison, then it''s definitely rted to my past conflicts with them," Aaron thought.


    He sighed, slowly running his hand through his hair. Sooner orter, they''d realize who he was and arrest him for past hostilities.


    He remembered something: the Banner of Authority. He opened his digital storage panel and saw that the Banner was still in his possession.


    If Bright had died and they searched his storage, they would surely realize the Banner was missing and taken by someone. It was better for Aaron not to unt it publicly.


    The cor locked around Aaron''s neck prevented him from using his magic powers. He had tried to remove it several times, but it was difficult, and each attempt ended with a light shock.


    "I need to get out of here soon; staying here any longer would be bad. They could kill me," Aaron thought.


    "Aerith."


    Aaron called out softly to the woman ruling the Dark Dimension ¡ªhis voice weak. Despite the low volume, Aerith heard Aaron''s call clearly. A dimensional rift appeared in Aaron''s cell, unnoticed by the two guards absorbed in their card game.


    "I''m d to see you''re awake, Aaron," said Aerith.


    "Thank you. I need your help. Can you remove this cor?"


    Aerith stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at the magic-suppressing cor. A wide smile spread across her face; it was easy for her to remove this restraint from Aaron''s neck.


    She extended her pale, delicate hand forward, gently touching the cor. Aerith infused it with her dark energy, disrupting the circuits within.


    The green light on the cor turned ck, then it opened on its own. Aaron took off the cor, feeling his energy flow back, gradually restoring his strength.


    "So, what will you do now, Aaron?" Aerith asked.


    "For now, I''ll escape from this prison and hide in the city''s outskirts. The situation in the city center is aplete mess," Aaron replied, sitting cross-legged as he allowed his body to recover.


    "Cut ties with those two women and start climbing floors alone, Aaron. It''s the best choice for you."


    "I know."


    After about fifteen minutes of meditation, absorbing the energy around him, Aaron''s condition was fully restored. It was more than enough for him to break out of the city prison quickly.


    Aerith kept the dimensional rift open, allowing Aaron to enter. Aaron nodded, changed his clothes, and stepped into the rift, leaving his cell empty.


    The prison guards realized Aaron was missing after finishing their card game. Their faces turned pale, knowing that Andrew hadbeled Aaron as a high-priority fugitive. Aaron''s disappearance meant severe punishment for the guards.


    "Damn! Where is he?!" one guard shouted, panicking.


    The rm red throughout the prison, putting all the guards on alert, as the rm always signaled an escape.


    Elsewhere, Aaron walked through the Dark Dimension, looking up and seeing countless soul cages awaiting him to conquer. Aerith smiled, knowing Aaron sought more soul servants.


    "You just defeated Genghis Khan, your strength is not enough to challenge them."


    "I know. I just thought, what would I be like if I had that many soul servants."


    "Hmm, with their power, I think you could conquer a country in a single night."


    "That''s terrifying." Your journey continues with empire


    "I never lie about my words."


    Aerith swung her hand, once again. She tore through the dimensional boundary and brought forth a dimensional rift. There, Aerith told Aaron that the ce behind the dimensional rift was a safe ce.


    "Alright."


    Aaron stepped closer to Aerith with both hands grasping the woman''s hands, suddenly making her blush with shyness.


    "Thank you for your help this time, Aerith."


    Without Aerith expecting it, Aaronnded his lips on her with a soft touch that was able to arouse her lust. Aerith smiled, receiving Aaron''s lips and embracing the young man''s body lovingly.


    "Of course. I''ll always be there to help you, my dear."


    After being satisfied with their intimate kiss, Aaron waved his hand and left the Dark Dimension. Stepping out of the ce, Aaron came to a vineyard owned by one of the city people. It seemed that it was not time for the grapes to be harvested yet.


    "I''ll go buy some wood, dear."


    "Yes, be careful."


    Aaron turned aside, seeing a cement and wood house standing in front of this vineyard. A 28-year-old man left in his horse-drawn carriage, leaving a woman alone in the house.


    The woman''s eyes looked at Aaron, the mysterious young man standing in the middle of her vineyard. Sensing he was a thief, the woman grabbed a pitchfork and stepped fast out of the house. She pointed it straight ahead while threatening Aaron.


    "Who are you? If you try to steal my vines, I won''t hesitate to kill you!" threatened the woman.


    Aaron sighed, feeling very tired of all this. He strode forward, his hands filled with purple energy. When his hand touched the garden fork the woman was holding, it shattered into dust.


    "Y-You''re a mage?" the woman asked.


    "Do you have wine?" asked Aaron, holding the woman''s panicked-looking hand.


    "I-I do."


    "Give me some wine!"


    Stricken with great fear, the woman willingly gave their wine to Aaron. He stepped into the house without her noticing. He saw that the furniture in the house was quite ssy, even though both of them were just vineyard farmers.@@novelbin@@


    "I don''t know who you are but-"


    "Hey! Don''te into my house without permission!" the woman snapped, rude at Aaron''s impolite behavior.


    Aaron stared ahead, clearly seeing that the woman seemed to be holding a wine bottle and a small ss. Aaron smiled, took the two objects and poured them immediately while sitting on the couch.


    ''This guy is really rude!'' the womanined, watching Aaron''s face.


    She noticed that Aaron had a red title on top of his head, something that was a sign that Aaron had killed many people. Aaron looked ignorant as he continued to enjoy the wine in his ss.


    "If you''re done with that wine, I want you to leave this ce immediately!" said the woman.


    "Tell me. Is this house far from the city center?" Aaron asked, changing the subject.


    "About half an hour by horse-drawn carriage. What?"


    Aaron smiled as he shook his head, the location being far enough away helped him to avoid being chased by the members of the three major groups. Still, it was good that the woman didn''t know his true identity.


    "Hey! Darcy. Come out here!" a man shouted from the front of the woman''s house.


    Darcy gasped. She suspected that the man who shouted was the one who intended to collect her debt, even though she currently did not have enough money to pay all of her family''s debts. Aaron was indifferent while enjoying the wine inside Darcy''s house.


    The door of the house opened, Aaron faintly heard an argument in front of the house. Aaron''s eyes were drawn to the side, seeing from afar that Darcy was pleading for them to give her another deadline to pay her debts.


    "Please! At the start of the next month, we will pay off all the debts."


    "No! You said the same thingst month, but what happened? You haven''t paid a penny of that debt!" a man scolded,ing with a debt collection partner.


    Aaron really didn''t have the satisfaction of drinking when he heard such arguments. He rose from his seat and stepped forward, approaching Darcy and the two debt collectors. Aaron''s presence with the murderous red title startled them.


    "Hey! Will you shut the fuck up!" snapped Aaron, annoyed.


    "Who the fuck are you? Don''t get involved in our problems if you don''t want to regret it."


    "How much is the debt?" asked Aaron, startling Darcy and the two debt collection men.


    "100,000 RL."


    "Lies! I only borrowed 80000 RL. Why is it so much?!" groaned Darcy.


    As Aaron took out 100,000 RL from his digital money, arge ck bag appeared above his right palm. That made Darcy even more astonished.


    "I paid it all off!"


    The young man threw the ck bag forward which was immediately caught by the two debt collectors. Clearly marked on the bag''s panel system, the amount of money stored inside was equal to the amount Darcy''s family owed.


    "This is enough!"


    "Get the fuck out of here before I chop your heads off," Aaron threatened, shooing them away.


    In the end, the argument in front of Darcy''s house ended with Aaron paying the woman''s debt. Never did Darcy expect that Aaron would pay her debt, her perception of Aaron changed drastically, from hate to like.


    Things settled down, Aaron went back to the living room and enjoyed the wine in peace. Darcy was being friendly while serving him snacks. She continued to thank Aaron for being willing to repay their family debt.


    "Is there anything I can do to repay your kindness?"


    "Something?" asked Aaron.


    "Sure, let''s say like...."


    Aaron looked ahead, Darcy boldly unbuttoned the top negligee she was wearing. On disy were two beautiful breasts uncovered by a bra, something capable of captivating any man considering Darcy''s rtively young ¡ª23 years old.


    "You offered your body to repay my kindness. Where are you a whore, Darcy?"


    Darcy moved her face forward until it was right in front of Aaron, the man could feel the warmth of her body and the softness of her skin touching him. It was more than enough to arouse Aaron.


    "A whore ready to satisfy you, of course."


    "Hmm."


    "Tell your husband you''re leaving today!"


    "Sure."

 Chapter 90 Misa Freedom

    Dimensional rifts appear in Aaron''s inn room. Jack and Rasputin appear with Misa, who is no longer in Jack''s arms. Misa was stunned; she was so shocked to find Aaron behind all this.


    "I''m sorry for bringing you into this, Misa," Aaron replied, restoring his original vision.


    Jack and Rasputin''s job was done. They left by disappearing with a white glow, flying back into Aaron''s body through the man''s forehead. Now, only Aaron and Misa were in the room, safe from any pursuit.


    "I''ve understood the consequences since you put this ve seal on. If your identity is known, I will get involved in your troubles."


    Misa stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed, unlike Aaron, who stepped to the wooden table, pouring wine from a bottle for Misa to drink -Darcy passed the wine to Aaron.


    "They already know, so the ve seal is no longer useful to me," Aaron said, handing the ss of wine to Misa.


    "So, are you gonna leave me?"


    "That''s the best option. You can''t stay with me; you''ll only endanger yourself."


    After setting the wine on the table, Aaron looked back, "Do you have any ns for the future?"


    "About that, I''ll probably return to my friend''s party and start joining the raid," Misa replied.


    Misa said she heard that the monster raid on the tenth floor would open in one or two days. Before that, Misa needed to increase her strength to a sufficient level to not burden her friends. Aaron understood what Misa meant.


    Aaron took out some items that might be more useful to Misa, such as attribute-enhancing crystals of the five elements, to rank A talent slips.


    Misa''s higher level definitely needed secondary talents, especially talents that could help her attack ability.


    The woman gasped in shock as she received all the items, something she could never have imagined.


    She saw five crystals that could increase her attributes by +25 points and two rank-A talent slips that were quite valuable for adventurers.


    "W-Wait! Are you sure you''ll give me all this?" asked Misa, shocked.


    "Sure, consider it my apology for involving you in this."


    Misa nodded, then got up and hugged Aaron with great happiness. She was happy and saddened by this meeting; itpletely changed her life. Aaron smiled sweetly, stroking Misa''s hair, which was in his arms.


    "Take good care of yourself, Misa. Due to my current status, I can''t help you much," Aaron replied gently.


    "I will. Thank you for saving me, Aaron."


    Aaron said. Now, the only thing he needed to do to Misa was to remove the ve seal on the woman''s body.


    The sexy woman from the very center exined that if Aaron wanted to remove the seal, then he only needed to smear his blood and form a circle pattern in a counterclockwise direction.


    Misa didn''t mind Aaron removing the ve seal on her. She sat cross-legged on the bed with both hands, starting to undress her T-shirt, revealing two bra-wrapped breasts, which didn''t embarrass Misa but gave her more confidence.


    "I''m starting!"


    Aaron made a small stab with his thumb and formed a circle pattern in a counter-clockwise direction just above Misa''s ve seal.


    The blood burned bright red, apanied by a warm touch. Misa was not bothered by the process of removing the ve seal.


    [The ve seal has been released]


    [Name: Misa]


    [Age: 23]


    [Talent: Beauty persona]


    [ve is free]


    [Host has no ves left]


    Slowly, the ve seal pattern disappeared from Misa''s chest and left the woman free to live her life without being bothered by the threat of death at any time. Misa smiled, feeling herself more relieved and free than before.


    "Thank you, Aaron."


    "Of course. It wasn''t a problem at all."


    All done and dusted, Misa returned to putting on her suit - not the city prisoner outfit. Aaron didn''t want Misa to continue being around him; it could harm her safety.


    Aaron called Rasputin again and asked him to take Misa to her friend''s party. Actually, Aaron could do it himself by flying across the city sky, but that would arouse suspicion among the people.


    [Servant Activated]@@novelbin@@


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [MP -12000] Stay updated via empire


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 207500/225000] [-12000]


    Rasputin reappeared and knelt in front of Aaron. Aaron gave clear orders to the man, and Rasputin had to deliver Misa to her party friends. The young man also asked Rasputin to always be careful, especially with Luke.


    The servant understood Aaron''s everymand. He wrapped his arms around Misa''s waist, then invited her to float away to fly in the city sky in her camouge mode. Aaron smiled, the two officially parted ways for good.


    ''He said the raid will open tomorrow or the day after. Looks like I''ll be staying at this inn until then,'' Aaron exined.


    As day turned to night, Rasputin managed to return Misa to her party friends. She returned without being followed by anyone, although patrols were heavy today as the three major groups of fugitives had escaped.


    Several members of the Night Liberators informed the city''s people about Aaron''s dangerous threat. If they managed to bring Aaron dead or alive, they would be rewarded with a huge prize they had never imagined before.


    Even so, they did not go as far as sweeping several houses. They just informed them and went to another house. For the inn, they only needed to ask the inn receptionist.


    Aaron was lucky; he managed to bribe the receptionistdy. If she betrayed him, Aaron threatened to kill her and her entire family. That was enough to make her obey.


    He drew the curtains and rested quietly while waiting for tomorrow''s information. He just hoped that the raid could be opened tomorrow so that he could leave the city quickly.


    ***


    The next day.


    The western district of the city.


    [CP: 271818] [+2250]


    [STR: 1417] [+75]


    [AGI: 1386] [+50]


    [INT: 1604] [+125]


    [LUCK: 1421] [+100]


    [DEX: 1469] [+100]


    [Ability Point: 0] [-450]


    Aaron smiled. A significant increase of 450 ability points had been allocated to several attributes ording to Aaron''s wishes.


    Even so, the increase in INT and STR increased the strength of his mage power.


    With a CP count of over 250000, it proved Aaron was stronger than a tier three mage as an Intermediate Sage.


    The sum of his level and CP werepletely different, and that was certainly good.


    Just as Aaron was allocating his ability points, he heard a knock on the door in his room. Cautiously, he opened the door and, surprisedly, realized Andrew, the Sky Sword Leader, was right before him.


    ''How did he know I was here?'' Aaron asked, curious.


    "How are you, Aaron? I was expecting you to go rescue Misa," said Andrew.


    "So, you imnted tracking magic on Misa without her knowing?"


    "That''s right."


    "Then, what are you going to do?" asked Aaron sternly.


    "I want us to negotiate!"

 Chapter 92 Slave Seal and Agreement

    "Joining one of the groups is not my style."


    "I don''t care about it. If you refuse, I can have Dimension Justice and the Night Liberatorse over. Luke would be happy if he could chop off the head of the person who killed his brother," Andrew replied.


    ''So, Denis and Luke are brothers? I understand why he hates me so much.''


    Andrew whispered something to Silvianna; Aaron couldn''t hear what Andrew was saying. But, the young man was sure Andrew was telling Silvianna to do something.@@novelbin@@


    "Get ready, Khan!"


    "Of course, Master," said Genghis Khan, bringing out two curved Mongol swords.


    Silvianna moved her right hand and brought forth a green sphere of light, which she sent straight up into the sky through the room''s ceiling.


    Aaron saw that, and it wasn''t an attack magic. He wondered, what would Silvianna do?


    THUMP!


    The green orb exploded and released magic particles into the area around the inn. All Sky Sword members knew what the orb of light was and how much of a magical impact it had.


    The green particles reached the ground, the trembling under Aaron''s feet was felt so strong that he had to struggle to bnce his body.


    Unexpectedly, trees with thorny branches rose from the area outside the inn. There were many of them, and they seemed to be imprisoning this inn.


    Aaron turned aside, looking at the vines on the outer wall of the inn all the way to his room. The vines continued to stretch until they blocked the exit door.


    When Aaron tried to touch it, his fingertips were pricked and bled from the sharp thorns of the branches.


    "The strength of a nt talent? Impressive."


    "I had to use it because you didn''t respond," Silvianna replied.


    Inside the thorny branch, Aaron could feel the flow of magic from Silvianna''s talent. It would have been easy for Aaron to destroy it and escape. Still, Andrew''s threat made Aaron think twice about escaping.


    "How desperate are you guys to trap me like this," Aaron said.


    "Listen, Aaron. Let''s make everything easy. I''ll help you remove your red title if you join Sky Sword. They won''t know you''re Aaron," Andrew said, again giving Aaron an option, an advantageous one for him.


    Joining Sky Sword is temporary until I reach the 25th floor. I can reach that in less than a year. I have nothing to worry about," Aaron replied.


    "If I join you guys, can I ensure my safety on every floor of the Sky Sword base?"


    "Of course. I''ll give your team a distinctive slip to mark you as the tenth-floor Sky Sword Branch envoy team. They will definitely take care of you and serve you well."


    Andrew spoke straightforwardly as if he had no objection to any of his proposed options. Silvianna was no different.


    She was confident that Aaron would fail to reach the 25th floor and would have to give the g to them.


    Between the 11th floor to the 20th floor, the floor boss on the 18th was the hardest; even Andrew had trouble conquering it.


    That was enough to convince Silvianna that Aaron could not climb up to Lilith City sessfully.


    "Alright."


    "I''ll join your group until the 25th floor."


    Andrew apuded, satisfied with Aaron''s decision. If any team from the Sky Sword Branch on the 10th floor could reach the 25th floor, then the Sky Sword leader in Lilith City would give a huge reward to the team and the tenth-floor city''s Sky Sword leader.


    As for the Authority g, Andrew actually wanted to have it for Silvianna. But, Silvianna''s love for Harry made Andrew worried that she would give the Authority g straight back to Dimension Justice.


    ''My group has two Authority gs now, which is quite beneficial even if only temporarily. I don''t know if Aaron can make it to Lilith City. Let''s hope he fails!'' Andrew said, his deepest wish.


    Silvianna deactivated her talent magic, the vines began to shorten and return to the ground. The situation was gradually conducive; Genghis Khan returned to Aaron''s body as there was no significant threat.


    ''Dimension Justice cannot know that their g is in Aaron''s hands,'' Andrew exined.


    "To ensure the deal works, we have to do something."


    "What?" asked Aaron, curious.


    "Give you a ve seal."


    ''ve seal? Ah, I understand. He''s trying to keep the initial agreement while keeping watch in case I escape at any time,'' Aaron exined.


    Aaron was silent for a moment, continuing to stare at Andrew intently. It could be said that Andrew was the smartest person he had met up to the tenth floor. He seemed to have nned everything carefully without any ws.


    With no other choice, Aaron was forced to agree to Andrew''s demand, including casting ve seal magic on him. Andrew turned to the side, and Silvianna nodded, understanding what her leader wanted.


    She left Aaron''s room and went to the inn''s lobby. There, ady from one of the legal very ces in the city was waiting for her.


    A woman dressed in a ck dress and wearing a round hat, she was the most expert on ve seals.


    After waiting for ten minutes, Silvianna arrived with a woman in a ck dress following behind her. Aaron turned his head, looking at the woman who was going to cast ve seal magic on him.


    "Who will be a ve?" the woman asked, looking at Andrew.


    Andrew pointed at Aaron. Suddenly, the adult woman in the ck dress turned her head and smiled. The woman nodded several times, with a handsome face and lean-muscr body. At times, the woman seemed to lick and bite her lower lip, a seductive look at Aaron.


    ''What''s that? Is she fucking hyper?''mented Aaron.


    "To perform the ve seal ritual, all you need is blood from-"


    Andrew picked up a small dagger kept in the desk drawer of Aaron''s room, showing it to Elona -the woman in the ck dress. The man said that he knew exactly what to do in the procession of making the ve seal.


    Aaron was the same. He took off his clothes to bepletely bare-chested before them. Sure enough, his low-fat muscr body made his muscle density high and hardened firmly.


    Elona took the opportunity to stroke Aaron''s chest and arms several times, Aaron parried her quickly.


    "Just do your job, and don''t seduce me!"


    "Fine, you''re a boring guy."


    A trickle of blood flowed from the wound on Andrew''s fingertip, dripping right into the magic ink bowl.


    The droplet created a magical glow that shed for an instant, then faded away. Elona picked up a paper useful for writing down agreements between ves and masters.


    Silvianna wrote down the contents of the agreement between them. Before being used in the ve seal procession, the woman showed the paper to Aaron. Aaron read it, having no objection to it.


    Elona dipped the paper, which turned into ck magic particles when it touched the magic ink. With that, Elona only needed to apply the ink to Aaron''s chest without Andrew needing to emphasize his order again.


    [ve seal created]


    [Host has be a ve]


    [Master: Andrew]


    [Age: 28]


    [Level: 75]


    [Talent: ck and White World]


    [The host is required to obey the master''s orders!]


    Aaron clenched his hands firmly, his eyes closed tightly, feeling the force of the ve seal embedded in Aaron''s chest.


    About thirty seconds passed, the burning sensation in Aaron''s chest faded, the ck colored circle-shaped ve seal was perfectly formed.


    Andrew looked at the ve system panel and read Aaron''s brief status. He didn''t expect that Aaron was already level 74.


    Indeed, yesterday''s battle against Dark Legion and Bright added a lot of EXP for him.


    ''He''s not even 20 yet, but he''s already at the Young Sage level. That''s pretty impressive,'' Andrew said.


    The young man put his shirt back on, feeling no significant change from what had happened. Silvianna exined the consequences to Aaron.


    "If you break the deal, the Authority g in your digital storage will disappear ande to Andrew."


    "I know, after all, it''s easy for me to reach the 25th floor fast."


    "It''s not that simple, Aaron. You have a team to look after, the weakest one of our group," Andrew said.


    "How weak?"


    "You''ll see."

 Chapter 96 Raid Monster on 10th Floor

    Aaron turned around and sighed. Sara and Mona were still in his room, their hearts weighed down with confusion. They had clearly seen that the man in front of Arthur was a soul servant.


    "You should head back to your room, Mona. I need to talk to Arthur alone," Sara said.@@novelbin@@


    The seriousness in Sara''s expression made Monaply. She left, closing the door behind her. Now, only Sara and Arthur remained in the room.


    Sara kept her eyes fixed ahead while Arthur stared at the street outside the inn.


    "You don''t need to be afraid. No one here will recognize you, except me."


    "I''ve already told you¡ªthat''s not a soul servant."


    "If you''re so sure, then let me see your servant panel," Sara demanded.


    Arthur clicked his tongue. He had never expected Sara to make such a request. If she found out he had three soul servants, she might uncover his true identity.


    ''What should I do? Let her find out, or tell her myself?''


    Arthur turned away from the window and looked back at Sara. Her face was serious, her expression firm. What she had said reflected exactly what she had been thinking about the strange situation earlier.


    "If I tell you everything, will you promise to keep it a secret?!" Arthur asked sharply.


    Sara nodded confidently.


    Arthur exhaled deeply. He moved away from the window and walked past Sara. He locked the door and leaned against it, his eyes meeting hers.


    For a moment, their gazes shed¡ªArthur''s filled with anxiety, Sara''s with curiosity.


    "Alright."


    He removed the camouge earring hanging from his ear. A golden light that had been surrounding Arthur dissipated, flowing back into the earring. Now, his true form was revealed, unprotected.


    Sara squinted slightly. There was something distinctly different about Arthur now. Shocked, she realized his face and appearance perfectly matched the wanted sketches of Aaron disyed throughout the city.


    "A-Aaron?!" Sara eximed, wide-eyed.


    "I knew you''d recognize me quickly."


    "How is this possible? What happened between you and Andrew?"


    ''Better not tell her about the Banner of Authority. That would endanger my entire mission,'' Aaron thought.


    Without moving from his spot, Aaron exined everything to Sara. He told her how Andrew had found him and why Aaron had joined Sky Sword. Sara listened, unable to hide her shock at what she was hearing.


    "Only Andrew, Silvianna, and you know that Arthur is actually Aaron."


    Not wanting to take any more risks, Arthur put the camouge earring back on, allowing the golden light to cover him again.


    Even though Sara now knew the truth, the illusion of Arthur still appeared the same to her.


    "We made a deal. He won''t kill me as long as I help one of his teams ascend to Lilith City."


    "Lilith City? But that''s on the 25th floor. Are you saying my team?" Sara asked, surprised.


    "Yes. I''ll bring Squad 13 to the 25th floor," Arthur replied.


    Sara''s jaw dropped. She sat down on the edge of Arthur''s bed, shaking her head repeatedly and running her hands through her hair.


    Theplexity of the situation overwhelmed her. Arthur could tell she felt burdened by the thought of ascending all the way to the 25th floor.


    "I understand your concerns. I feel the same."


    "However, if we work together and avoid reckless decisions, we might reach it more easily," Arthur said.


    "You have no idea what you''re saying, Arthur. Sky Sword''s main raid team has only reached the 16th floor, and Andrew himself only managed the 18th floor."


    "No squad from Sky Sword''s 10th-floor branch has made it past the 20th floor, let alone to a metropolis like Lilith City," Sara exined, her worries spilling out.


    Arthur nodded in agreement. Reaching the 25th floor was indeed a challenge. But Sara had no idea of his true strength, especially his trump card: Dark Azazel.


    Even though that power risked taking over his body in the future, Dark Azazel had been a significant help. Without it, defeating Bright would have been nearly impossible.


    "Can Squad 13 really reach levels Andrew and the main raid team couldn''t?" Sara asked.


    Arthur stepped forward, standing directly in front of her with a faint smile. He assured her that he would do whatever it took to get Squad 13 to the 25th floor within a year.


    This raid was his mission¡ªand his gamble¡ªeven if it meant sacrificing the g of Authority.


    "Once we clear the 11th floor, I''ll assess your squad''s capabilities. It''s essential for you to increase yourbat power to at least 70,000 CP," Arthur exined.


    "And what''s your CP?" Sara asked curiously.


    "274,818 CP."


    "Two hundred thousand CP at your age?! How strong are you really?" Sara shouted in disbelief.


    "That''s not important. What matters is that you keep my identity a secret. I don''t mind showing them my strength, but no one can know I''m Aaron."


    "Do you understand?" Arthur asked, ensuring hermitment.


    Sara paused, her eyes locked on Arthur''s determined gaze. Finally, she nodded.


    "I understand."


    ***


    The Next Day


    Dark Pir Gate, 10th Floor


    After Andrew removed the red title using the authority of the g of Authority, Arthur and the other members of Squad 13 began their journey. Squads 21 and 7 joined as reinforcements.


    Sara was unusually quiet, asionally ncing at Arthur''s face. Meanwhile, Mona and the others were brimming with excitement to face their first monsters in the Dark Pir maze.


    "Bunch of fools!" mocked a member of Squad 21, loud enough for Morgan to hear.


    Sara quickly intervened, urging both Squads 21 and 7 to cooperate. She confidently told them that her group was ready to challenge the floor boss.


    "Do whatever you want," replied Leonil, Squad 21''s captain, dismissively.


    Arthur observed the many teams gathered outside the still-sealed gate of Dark Pir. He recognized groups like the Night Liberators, distinguished by their banners. However, there was no sign of Dimension Justice, which piqued Arthur''s curiosity.


    "Listen! Let us handle the monsters. Save your energy for the boss," Leonil said.


    "Besides, you wouldn''t survive fighting them anyway. Enjoy the boss fight," he added smugly.


    The two squads advanced, clearing the path of monsters to ensure Squad 13 could reach the floor boss quickly and safely.


    [The Monster Raid in Dark Pir Tower Tenth Floor has opened.]


    [Portal closing countdown:]


    [00:11:59:59]


    As the notification reached everyone, Sara turned back to her team, smiling.


    "I''m counting on you, Arthur."


    "Leave it to me."

 Chapter 99 Boss of a Mythological Race

    Surprisingly, Arthur told Leonil to leave with the rest of his squad. Leonil was shocked; he thought Arthur would kill him for failing to defeat the monster.


    The young man could actually kill Leonil with ease, just like he crushed Eros'' neck. Yet, Eros'' death had significantly impacted Arthur, especially the title murderer and the raid ban.


    Arthur was worried that, if he killed Leonil, his punishment would be longer and more troublesome. The best choice Arthur could take was to keep him alive.


    "Leave before I change my mind!" said Arthur.


    Leonil said yes. The man stepped away from the 13th squad with his two remaining members. Sara invited them to move on, quite close to the floor boss''s room.


    After passing through thest intersection, Arthur and the others could see a pir inside the maze with the door still closed.


    Not a single person was there, which was enough to prove that Sky Sword''s 13th Squad had arrived first.


    "Are we gonna challenge the floor boss for real?" asked Hana, frightened.


    Sara cleared her throat. She stopped walking with her head raised, getting a clear view of the floor boss''s room.


    In front of the door, a system panel was avable to any group who nned to challenge the floor boss.


    Arthur stepped out first, leaving Sara stunned and facing the fact that she and her team would be fighting the floor boss. Karen tapped Sara on the shoulder, waking her from her reverie.


    "Let''s go. What are you thinking about?" asked Karen, Sara smiled and shook her head.


    "Nothing. Let''s go."


    Sara stepped quickly to approach Arthur. The woman appeared from the side. Arthur saw hering while whispering something, trying to encourage Sara mentally.


    "Don''t worry about the boss, I''m stronger than you think," Arthur whispered.


    "I know. The person who beat Bright and saved the city must be powerful," said Sara.


    "I''ll help you defeat the floor boss."


    Arthur smiled. The seven arrived at the boss room door, the system panel avable with a box about the size of a human palm. As the 13th Squad captain, Sara knew what she had to do.


    [BOSS FLOOR CHALLENGE]


    [Registration sessful]


    [Team Name: Squad 13 Sky Sword]


    [Team Leader: Sara]


    [Number of Team Members: 6]


    [Challenge: Queen of Nymph]


    [WARNING!]


    [The team taking the challenge cannot retreat]@@novelbin@@


    [The team can leave only once the boss is dead]


    Arthur narrowed his eyes when he saw the system panel disyed at the boss room door. The name of the floor boss they were about to fight was a Nymph, a mythological being from Greece.


    ''It seems like the tenth-floor boss is different from the usual monsters,'' Arthur said.


    [Take the challenge?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Just before Sara pressed the confirmation menu, she nced back and noticed each member. They all looked scared, but since they had reached this point, it was better to do this than go home for nothing.


    "I''m ready!" said Morgan as the other members joined.


    Arthur also responded with a nod. Right after getting answers from all her squad members, Sara pressed Yes, making another panel reappear, not just before Sara but before the other members.


    [Challenge epted]


    [Boss Details]


    [Boss: Queen of Nymph]


    [Level: 70]


    [HP: 90000/90000]


    [MP: 95000/95000]


    [Element: Earth]


    [Talent: Nature Harmony]


    [Rank: A]


    ''What?! She has a talent? But how?'' Arthur was shocked, as were the others.


    Green lights shed above the room''s ceiling and floor, torches were lit in the same color. As the moment unfolded, Arthur saw a woman sitting elegantly with her legs crossed on her nt throne.


    She appeared closed-eyed with snow-white skin, a forest queen''s long emerald-colored gown beautifully fitting her body.


    Her eyes were open, lime-colored pupils with ck hair that amazed Morgan and Nn but not Arthur. The young man sensed a terrifying and powerful aura from the Queen of Nymph.


    "Wee. Have youe to kill me?" asked Nymph.


    Nymph''s eyes narrowed as she focused on Arthur. She rose from her seat and stepped forward, flying in the wake of a greenery vine from the ground. She was now exactly in front of Arthur.


    Arthur gasped, as did the others. They jumped strongly away from the Nymph to prevent her from attacking them. That left the Nymph flustered, acting like an innocent and naive woman.


    "Are you afraid? HAHA! I won''t hurt you."


    "Don''t listen to her. She''s a Nymph, she''s a liar!" insisted Sara.


    "That''s rude. Have I ever lied to you?" asked Nymph, emphasizing as she looked at all of them.


    Amongst them, Arthur dared to step forward, approaching Nymph though not within striking distance. Sara saw Arthur''s move and asked the young man to take cover.


    "Tell me, why is the floor boss on the tenth floor of Dark Pir different from the others?"


    "Hmm. Do you want to know?" asked Nymph, acting spoiled while crossing her arms over her breasts.


    "Yeah. I need to know."


    Nymph was speechless for a moment, then sighed as she nodded. The battle hadn''t started yet, but Nymph was busy exining everything to Arthur, especially the difference between the 10th-floor boss and the others.


    "The mythological races will fill certain Dark Pirs, starting from 10, 25, 50, 75, and 100. I don''t know what races are on other floors besides the 10th floor," Nymph replied.


    The woman also added that the Dark Dimension was where the mythological races lived safely. But, ever since the Earth''s energy divided, humans started to get trapped in the Dark Dimension with their powers.


    The more humans trapped, the more powerful they became over the Dark Dimension. That caused the mythological races to adjust and be thrown into the far corners of the floor area, away from humans.


    "The mythology race is always the aim of the adventurers if they don''t get a soul servant."


    "I don''t mind that. It''s better to be a servant than have them use our blood to enhance their weapons," said Nymph.


    "We realize, humans are getting stronger. The only way we can fight you is this," said Nymph.


    "The advantage is that I won''t die, just feel pain every time they defeat me."


    Arthur listened carefully to all of Nymph''s exnations. He could feel the woman''s suffering because Arthur knew Sokia, a girl from the dragon race who must hide herself from the human threat.


    "That''s why we''re different from other mindless monsters, because we''re a mythological race."


    "I understand."


    Explore more at empire


    "So, what are we gonna do now?" asked Nymph, curious.


    "Sorry. I must defeat you to get to the next floor," Arthur replied.


    Not only Arthur but also the other members of the 13th squad were seen bringing up their magic together.


    They were ready to fight the Nymph, although they knew the opponent was a mythological race, stronger than the maze monster.


    "Alright. If you manage to defeat me, I want you to promise me," the Nymph pleaded.


    "Use my mythological race blood for a servant, not weapon enhancement!"

 Chapter 102 First Race Mythological Servant For Aaron

    With this attitude, Andrew could not hold Arthur, Sara, or the rest of the 13th squad. Andrew raised his hand, asking people to leave.


    At first, they refused as they wanted to know what Arthur''s punishment would be, but Andrew reiterated to them that Arthur would be punished ording to the agreement.


    "Agreement?!" asked Norman, confused.


    "You don''t need to worry about that. You can leave."


    Obeying Andrew''s orders, the ten captains left the ce together. Harold followed Andrew''s orders, leaving only Arthur with Andrew and Silvianna.


    "I can appoint someone else as the new captain of the 7th squad," Andrew said.


    "You must keep your promise, Arthur. Whatever it takes, Sky Sword won''t interfere anymore," Andrew said.


    "That''s quite a relief. It would be inconvenient for me to fight while thinking about other things."


    Arthur and Sara nodded at each other, saying that the 13th squad would not be staying at Dorm 13. Besides being unlivable, the uncertain situation in the headquarters neighborhood made Sara worried.


    Andrew understood Sara''s concerns. Aspensation, he handed over arge ck bag with a nominal number written on the front, 30000 RL. The money came from his personal pocket.


    "Use that money for your squad''s needs. Don''t be greedy!" said Andrew.


    "Thank you, Leader Andrew."


    "Go and reach Lilith City, make us all proud."


    Sara smiled excitedly, she would do exactly as Andrew said. The two said their goodbyes and left Sky Sword HQ with nothing more to discuss.


    Silvianna nced to the side, wondering why Andrew''s attitude had softened towards Arthur when the young man had clearly admitted that he killed Eros.


    "Arthur is the man who defeated Bright. If you can be his friend, that''s better than being enemies with him."


    "Befriending a powerful person protects you. Is that what you mean?" asked Silvianna, Andrew chuckling at the saying.


    "It''s more or less like that."


    ***


    Arriving in front of the city cathedral, several adventurers walked through the entrance. There were several purposes that they would do, either worship and give thanks to God ore to improve their talents and summon servants.


    Arthur''s purpose ining to the city cathedral was solely to perform a servant summoning. He already had the required items; it was not difficult to summon servants of mythological races to his presence.


    He walked along with the other adventurers, but their attention was focused on the red title clearly disyed above Arthur''s head. They suspected that Arthur hadmitted murder after the raid opened.


    The young man met a beautiful nun with long, flowing blonde hair, standing guard behind a desk close to the cathedral entrance. She asked Arthur a basic question.


    "Wee to the city cathedral."


    "Would you like to worship or something else?" asked the blonde nun.


    "Something else."


    "What is it? Talent or Servant?"


    "Servant."


    The blonde sister smiled. She asked another nurse, free of time, to escort Arthur to the servant''s room.


    The room wasmonly used for summoning servants, whether servant beasts or mythological races. The city cathedral could not yet be for soul servants due to theirck of understanding.


    The room was on the second floor; some adventurers followed the stairs leading to it, but they turned into another room, the talent room.


    ''There are quite a few adventurers who want to do Ascension Talent,'' said Arthur.


    The servant room door opened, revealing a room with a round floor; there was also a triangr pattern inside.


    The nurse who escorted Arthur exined what items were needed to summon a servant; Arthur stopped what he was saying because he understood.


    The nurse moved on to invite Arthur to register and check the items. Arthur took out two items from his digital storage, 1 vial of mythological race blood and a speck of mythological race consciousness core.


    "We don''t need the consciousness core to¡ª"


    "Just add it to the item," Arthur asked.


    The staff behind theputer agreed. However, the woman exined the risk of adding unnecessary items, which could result in a reduced servant ability or aplete failure of the servant summoning. Arthur was willing to bet that the servant summoning would be sessful.


    Following the instruction manual, Arthur opened the menu panel of his servant, then pressed the add servant menu.


    [SERVANT]


    [Search Servant:]


    [Add Servant]


    [Enhance Servant]


    [Terminate Servant]


    [List Servant]


    Another panel appears in front of Arthur''s face, disying three options for the type of servant to add.


    [Select servant type:]


    [1. Beast Servant]


    [2. Mythological Race Servant]


    [3. Soul Servant]


    For the first time, Arthur pressed the second option, Mythology Race Servant. Another panel appeared, exining the main requirements for summoning a servant, one of which was about the important items needed.@@novelbin@@


    [Race Mythological Servant selected]


    [Servant Contract]


    [Required items:]


    [1 Vial of Race Mythological Blood]


    [MP amounted to 10000]


    [Confirmation of item avability for the Race Mythological Servant Contract Ritual?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Before pressing the confirmation button, Arthur downed an MP Elixir Level 3 to restore his MP. After seeing the MP panel increase, Arthur confidently pressed the confirmation menu.


    [Scanning items for race mythological servant contract ritual:]


    [1 Vial of Race Mythological Blood]


    [MP amounted to 10000]


    [Race Mythological Servant Contract Ritual requirements met!]


    [Initiating Contract Ritual]


    [MP -10000]


    After it appeared, Arthur brought the panel containing the QR Code closer to be scanned using a device from the room.


    Arthur''s identity was disyed on theputer screen, from his name to the avability of servant-summoning items.


    "Come to the center of the floor, Aaron."


    Exactly as instructed, Arthur stepped inside, and instantly, a golden-colored magic dome appeared, protecting the ce.


    The room staff held two objects ording to Arthur''s wish and then ced them on a podium together.


    The podium moved forward into the dome, with Arthur inside. The staff said something to Arthur, asking him not to do anything aggressive. Let the process of summoning servants run smoothly.


    Arthur cleared his throat. He sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed to let his aura sensitivity work.


    From the direction of the vial of blood and the core of mythological race consciousness, the two objects seemed to merge in an emerald green light; the staff told him that the procession of summoning servants was underway.


    Arthur''s eyes opened, he saw the blood of the mythological race mixed with the energy of the Nymph''s consciousness core.


    Slowly, the blood began to form a female figure in a long green dress, which was familiar to Arthur''s eyes.


    "This appearance and energy. There is no mistaking it; she is the Queen of Nymph," Arthur replied, rising from his seat.


    About ten minutes passed, the figure of the Nymph that Arthur had just defeated reappeared before the young man.


    However, there were some significant differences, such as the pupils of her eyes were ck, and her long curly hair which was originally emerald green, turned ck.


    [Servant Summoning Ritual seeded]


    [Host gets a Mythological Race Servant]


    [Servant Name: Thalenia]


    [Race: Nymph]


    [Servant Level: 1]


    [Element: Earth]


    [CP +10000]


    ''It turns out that her name is Thalenia,'' Arthur said.


    The golden dome of light fading, the staff stepped forward to Arthur and his mythological race servant. He congratted Arthur for sessfully summoning his servant.


    Thalenia opened her eyes, smiled, and surprisingly hugged Arthur tightly, full of affection and gratitude.


    "Thalenia?" asked Arthur, surprised.


    "It''s good to see you again, Arthur."


    "I knew you would keep your promise."


    [Buff servant activated]


    [Host HP and MP regenerate]


    [HP Regen 750/5 seconds]


    [MP Regen 500/5 seconds]


    ''I had expected it. Her buff can be mine.''


    ''Now, I don''t have to worry about HP and MP because there is Thalenia who can help me.''

 Chapter 104 The Burned Base

    ***


    Three dayster.


    The outer area of the Tenth Floor City.


    Sara and the members of the 13th squad had finished preparing their equipment. Karen approached Arthur and showed him her new sword, a sword with a red de and the element of fire added to it.


    Arthur smiled while bringing out the purple light of his dark magic again, "Do you mind if I test the sword''s durability?"


    "No! I don''t want you to break my sword again, Arthur."


    The young man smiled. He had to admit that the sword in Karen''s hand was much better than the Sansevieria one, probably because of the elemental difference between the two, which gave the former sword a bad energy aura when Karen held it.@@novelbin@@


    With a short swing of the sword to the side, Arthur saw a sparkle of red energy appear faintly, like a leftover particle of light. Karen was satisfied with the sword.


    Not only Karen but Mona and Hana also had their newest equipment. Hana bought a staff with an amethyst gem on it, effectively enhancing water elemental abilities. Mona bought a ne and earrings that would increase her abilities temporarily.


    Morgan bought a cloak that would increase his defense, while Nn bought a spear to make it easier for him to use his talents.


    Sara arrivedst among them. She said she bought a TP Elixir to increase her Talent. Currently, she has already done Ascension and is ranked as a B talent in the 3rd stage.


    Arthur smiled, and all the members of the 13th Squad bought the equipment they needed. It would definitely help them a lot in the monster raid on the 11th floorter.


    "Then what about you, Arthur? Did you buy anything good?" asked Karen, starting to get on good with him.


    "Yes. I''d say it''s a good item and will help me a lot," Arthur replied. He hadn''t told them about Thalenia yet.


    Sara smiled, greeting all of them who were nning to go upstairs to the next floor. Andrew gave a special mandate letter to the 13th squad.


    He made the 13th squad, the envoy team, to go to the 25th floor. It made Sara feel honored and proud.


    With the mandate letter, every Sky Sword base on every floor had to give their hospitality and friendly attitude to the 13th squad. Sara liked that even more, feeling safe when arriving at each floor.


    [Travel across floors confirmed ]


    [Floor ess privileges confirmed]


    [Floor destination: 11]


    [Squad name: 13th Sky Sword Squad Tenth Floor]


    [Captain''s name: Sara]


    [Total members: 6]


    [Starting cross-floor travel ]


    Those in the same group began to emit blue light from their bodies, a sign that the journey to the 11th floor was about to take ce.


    One by one, the members of the 13th squad disappeared in particles of blue light that evaporated into the sky.


    Arthur opened his eyes, seeing himself and the others outside the closed 11th-floor Dark Pir gate. Not a single adventurer was there, either to raid or travel across floors.


    Compared to the situation on the tenth floor, the 11th floor was even more deserted. There was no crowd whatsoever, considering no city had been established in this ce.


    Sara arrived at the floor, looked forward, and witnessed the wilderness, which was the first thing she saw.


    "Where are we going?" asked Mona, worried.


    "Andrew gave me a map of the eleventh floor."


    [Map opens]


    [Map: 11th Floor]


    [Number of group bases: 30]


    [Number of Red Zone: 5]


    [Number of Green Zone: 10]


    [Objective:]


    [1. Night Liberators Headquarters]


    [2. Dimension Justice Headquarters]


    [3. Sky Sword Headquarters]


    [4. Archangel Headquarters]


    [5. Dark Guardian Headquarters]


    There were many destinations that Sara and her squad members could go to. The Sky Sword base was disyed on the digital map in a golden blue dot color.


    The woman pointed to the ce, saying that they should visit Sky Sword to stay until the raid opened.


    Arthur agreed, as did the other members. The best option they could do was to stay overnight and ask for protection from Sky Sword on the 11th floor.


    Sara pressed the destination, Sky Sword Base. Slowly, a pointer panel appeared in front of Sara, in the form of a green 3D arrow that would lead them through the Green Zone to reach their destination.


    The woman stepped in front apanied by Karen, in contrast to Arthur, who stepped behind to guard in case something happened. However, Arthur thought the journey to the base would be safe as they passed through the green zone area.


    ''It looks like this trip will be safer than I expected,'' Arthur replied.


    Sara kept on walking, guiding her members to avoid getting lost. At every intersection, the guide panels pointed Sara and the 13th Squad in the right and safe direction. Arthur continued to watch from the back row.


    The woman said that they would reach Sky Sword base in ten minutes. Sara was looking forward to seeing them as she handed over Andrew''s mandate letter.


    Slowly, Arthur sensed something strange in the surrounding area. Sara exined that this route led directly to Sky Sword''s base, but Arthur saw that the trees around him were burned to the ground, leaving only leafless tree trunks.


    "What''s really happening here?" asked Arthur, curious.


    Sara stopped her steps. She and the rest of the 13th squad members were already outside the wilderness.


    Sara''s eyes looked forward and saw a building which looked charred and exhausted as if it had been set on fire by someone or a group of people.


    The smile that was originally on her face faded, Sara ran fast, leaving her squad to quickly arrive at the ce. Arthur and the others chased after Sara by raising their guard.


    Arriving at the Sky Sword base, Sara cast her eyes around and saw people lying dead with bodies rotting.


    The fire smoke had dissipated, but Sara was pretty sure this ce had been burned down by someone ¡ªthe ashes of the copsed building were still piling up.


    Arthur arrived at the ce. He was utterly shocked to realize that Sky Sword''s base was destroyed, gs burned, buildings copsed, and people died horribly.


    "Split up immediately and see if anyone is still alive!" ordered Sara, obeyed by the other members.


    "What happened?" asked Arthur, approaching Sara.


    "I don''t know. Andrew didn''t tell me about this."


    "I''ll help with the search!"


    [Servant Activated]


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [MP -12000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 218000/230000] [-12000]


    Rasputin''s figure appeared before Arthur, sitting on his knees in front of him. With Arthur''s briefmand to him, Rasputin nodded and flew away to check on the situation in that ce.


    Sara''s face turned worried, fearing that all of this was the result of the group war. Arthur squinted, thinking that the three major groups were friendly and allied.


    "No, no. The alliance of the three groups was only established on a few floors. Many of them are enemies on other floors," Sara replied.


    "Is there a policy from the Sky Sword Guild center about this alliance?"


    Sara shook her head. They were simply too proud to make an alliance as the goal of the three groups was one, to reach the Dark Ruler.


    Only one person from one group could reach that, and the most likely was the President of Dimension Justice, Alfredo Mash.


    "I must report this incident to¡ª" Explore more stories with empire


    "I didn''t expect any Sky Sword members to be alive!" said a man, emerging from the base gate.


    Not one, but ten men came in their ck and red uniforms. Arthur clicked his tongue; he was really tired of dealing with them ¡ªNight Liberators.


    "Night Liberators are troublemakers!"ined Arthur.


    "What''s going on here?" asked Arthur, sternly.


    "Huh? Are you an idiot? The Night Liberators are the rulers of the 11th Floor."


    "To be ruler, you must destroy other threats," said the man, smirking.


    Suddenly, hundreds of Night Liberators appeared above the Sky Sword base wall. Arthur alerted, ordering Rasputin to return nearby. Morgan and the others also returned near Sara.


    "This is bad!"


    "They''re trying to kill us."

 Chapter 105 Massacre at Sky Sword Base

    "Haha! You don''t need to be afraid. We have a solution for you if you''re afraid to die," said the Night Liberators man, speaking loudly to them.


    "What''s that?" asked Sara.


    "You all must be willing to be our ves!"


    "Men asbor ves; women as sex ves," he said again, angering Arthur and the others.


    "Don''t worry. We''ll still pay you. At least it will keep you alive."


    Hana was terrified, as was Mona. Karen and Sara were angry and showed their dislike, Morgan and Nn refused to be their ves. They couldn''t imagine their fate in the hands of such filthy people.


    Arthur smiled, a ssic statement of the wicked to take advantage in the face of adversity. Arthur stepped forward, standing protectively over his friends.


    "We are just adventurers from the tenth floor. We have nothing to do with your pathetic ambitions," Arthur replied.


    "Oh, you''ve got some nerve, damn it? Are you trying to act like a hero around the girls?" the man asked, smirking in a tone that underestimated Arthur''s abilities.


    "I''ll take care of them if it costs my life. If they die, then I die."


    Sara and Karen were stunned by Arthur''s words, Hana and Mona were moved with tears in their eyes. All four women were touched when Arthur said this, even though they had no idea what Arthur meant.


    If the 13th Squad failed or died, then the ve seal on his body would activate and cause him to fail to fulfill Andrew''s orders.


    It could result in his death and the loss of the g of authority. Arthur could not prevent it from happening.


    "How naive. Do you think you can win against us? There are 150 of us, and you''re only one!" said the man, pointing to the other members of the Night Liberators, ready to attack the 13th squad with the ambition to kill and rape.


    ''It looks like a fight is inevitable,'' Arthur replied.


    All the Night Liberators surrounding him began to activate their talents, various colors with different powers. Their talents and power sent a chill through Sara and the others'' spine.


    "Aerith," Arthur called softly.


    "Do you want to keep them in the Dark Dimension?" asked Aerith, sounding in Arthur''s mind.


    "If you allow me. Also, I need you by my side. Defeating all of them without Dark Azazel''s power is difficult," Arthur replied, speechless in thought.


    "Very well. I''m d you''re relying on my power, Aaron."


    Shockingly, a dark dimension rift appeared in the sky of the burned Sky Sword base. People focused their attention on the anomaly, watching intently as a woman in a ck dress came out and stood freely on the sky floor.


    Arthur looked up, smiling to find that Aerith hade as he wished. With graceful steps, Aerith walked down the sky stairs to the surprise of the Night Liberators, Sara and the others alike.


    "W-Who is she?" asked Karen, sensing Aerith''s energy was stronger than Arthur''s.


    The woman, boldly, brushed Arthur''s cheek, to the surprise of Sara and Karen. Their faces turned bright red at the maroon-haired woman''s affectionate closeness to Arthur. Arthur had never told them he had another woman with whom he had an intimate rtionship.


    "S-She kissed him?" asked Karen, shocked.


    "Sorry. You might not be used to this," Arthur said, smiling slightly as he nced back.


    Aerith lifted her head and clung to Arthur''s arm as she continued to watch the face of the woman behind Arthur. Her demeanor seemed to show that Arthur belonged to her.


    "What are you gonna do with him?" asked Sara.


    "I''m gonna take care of things here. You don''t need to interfere."


    The maroon-haired woman stretched her lithe hand forward, bringing up a dimensional rift effortlessly right behind the members of the 13th squad.


    With a clearmand, Aerith told Sara and the others to take cover in that ce and not to do anything while they were there.


    "You will be safe there. However, never activate your talents if you don''t want to be killed by the guardian entities there!" threatened Aerith.


    Sara and the others looked at the dimensional rift and then sensed a negative aura from the ce. The 13th squad captain questioned Arthur about the ce, and Arthur exined that it was safe if they obeyed Aerith''s words.


    "If that''s the only way to protect my crotch, then I''ll go!" Karen said.


    "Wait, Karen."


    One by one, the members of the 13th squad stepped into the dimension rift. Sara, thest one, told Arthur to stay alive and not push himself.


    After everyone had entered, it was Arthur and Aerith''s turn to prepare to fight the men of the Night Liberators.


    The man who had been threatening Arthurughed loudly, full of condescending remarks directed at Arthur and Aerith.


    "HAHA! Are you out of your mind? There''s no way two of you can defeat¡ª"


    SLICE!


    Aerith stared sharply ahead and swung her hand toward the sky, sending a scythe of maroon-purple light toward the man who was mocking them.


    The man was taken by surprise, failing to dodge and causing his body to be cut into two pieces straight from top to bottom.


    The Night Liberators were in shock, frozen in ce, watching the captain of the 10th squad of the Night Liberators die a horrible death with one lethal blow. Arthur smiled. Aerith was indeed reliable under the circumstances. Experience new stories on empire


    "Keep your guard up, Aaron. Don''t let your guard down!" said Aerith.


    "I understand."


    [Servant Activated]


    [1. Jack the Ripper]


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [3. Genghis Khan]


    [MP -49000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 169000/230000] [-49000]


    Three soul servants appeared in front of Arthur in white light. Genghis Khan smiled andughed loudly. He had been waiting for this big battle after defeating 300 Dark Legions.


    "Do you want me to defeat them all, Master?" asked Genghis Khan.@@novelbin@@


    "Yes. Kill them all as you wish, Khan!" said Arthur.


    "I will do so dly."


    Genghis Khan mounted his horse and rode away. The battle began between Arthur and Aerith against 150 members of the Night Liberators.


    Jack and Rasputin had orders to guard Arthur''s position, as he needed to activate his talents to assist the attack.


    Aerith flew freely in the sky and asionally unleashed her dark magic, capable of burning anything in her path. Arthur activated his main talent, not bothering to bring up his sub-talents'' ultimates quickly.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Dark Portal]


    [MP -80000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 89000/230000] [-80000]


    Sparks of light appeared at the tips of the two fingers of Arthur''s right hand. He released the spark into the sky to bring forth thousands of monster hand portals throughout the area. The Night Liberators members who were about to attack gasped; they didn''t expect a dimensional portal to appear in front of them.


    "AKH!"


    BURST!


    [Damage +54200]


    [Damage +45000]


    [Critical +76000]


    [Critical +86000]


    [Damage +34500]


    [Critical +90000]


    [Sixbos! Amazing!]


    The Damage panel popped up in front of Arthur, the damage he managed to deal to the Night Liberators members who were injured and killed by his ultimate sub talent.


    Arthur smiled, none of them managed tond a hit on him ¡ªJack and Rasputin were guarding Arthur well.


    [WARNING!]


    [Host indicated to havemitted murder against another adventurer]


    [Counting the number of victims]


    [Initiate another sentence against the Host!]


    [Punishment decided]


    [Forbidden to Raid Monsters on each floor for ten times]


    [Host will be marked with a specific title]


    [DING! You get a red title]


    [Murderer!]


    [Host will get the title whenmitting a murder. Can''t change the title]


    [Duration of red title usage:]


    [20:23:59:59]


    Because of his actions in killing many people from the Night Liberators, a warning panel appeared saying that Arthur was banned from participating in monster raids 10 times. The duration of red title usage was three weeks.


    "This is insane!"


    "Better report this incident to the Captain of the Night Liberators!"


    "Let''s get out of here!"


    The men were terrified to see their friends die horribly, bodies torn apart, dragged into portals, and stomachs pierced by monster hands.


    They died on the ground of the Sky Sword base, where they had massacred Sky Sword members in the past.


    Even so, Arthur was reluctant for any of the Night Liberators to escape. Aerith realized Aaron''s concern.


    She threw a g to every corner of the ce, then raised a maroon wall that kept them from escaping.


    "Shit! We''re gonna die here," theyined, terrified with pale faces.


    "Thank you, Aerith," Aaron said.


    "Sure. You can torture them to your heart''s content, Aaron."


    Arthur nodded. Feeling no longer threatened, Arthur sent Jack and Rasputin off to eliminate the remaining members of the Night Liberators.


    Arthurughed out loud, his face and clothes covered in their bloodstains, quite a gruesome sight.


    [WARNING!]


    [Host indicated to havemitted murder against another adventurer]


    [Current casualty count: 85]


    "This isn''t enough!"

 Chapter 106 Cabin in the Woods

    "H-Help us, sir!"


    "Don''t kill us. We''re truly sorry, sir."


    Arthur saw the number of Night Liberators dying increase. Aerith was satisfied with defeating them; they were no match for her.


    Jack, Rasputin, and Khan appeared before Arthur. Among the three, only Khan arrived with his hands holding the severed heads of the Night Liberators. Arthur smiled, asionally looking at the head Khan was holding.


    "Do you want to keep it? We used to pile these disgusting things into a big mountain," Khan said.


    "That''s a good idea, Khan. Chop off their heads and make a mountain out of it."


    "I want to show no power in the Dark Pir can threaten me!" said Arthur.


    "If that''s your wish, I''ll do it, Master."


    Khan went to each of the dead and dying Night Liberators. With a single swing of his sharp, curved sword, the de cut off their heads with great precision. The death toll rose again and made Arthur''s red title sentence even longer.


    Aerith flew over to Aaron, seeing that his clothes were covered in blood stains from the fight ¡ªor instead of the massacre. She offered to clean the blood stains, but Arthur refused.


    "There''s no need. The fight isn''t over yet. I''m afraid if I clean my clothes, they''ll be stained again like now," Arthur said.


    "What''s not over? Don''t you see it? All your enemies are dying!" said Aerith, as Arron realized that no other attacks were directed at him anymore.


    [EXP +1450000]


    [DING! Congrattions on leveling up]


    [Level 75 -> Level 80]


    [TP +725000]


    [Choose Talent for TP allocation:]


    [1. Dark Dimension Reality]


    [2. Gravity Maniption]


    [500000 RL]


    [Item Obtained:]


    [45 HP Potion]


    [70 MP Elixir]


    [26 Red Ruby Gem]


    [30 Blue Amethyst Gem]


    [10 Slip talent rank A]


    [3 Slip talent rank S]


    [3 Fire Elemental Beast Full Fragment]


    [1 Water Elemental Beast Full Fragment]


    [2 Wind Elemental Beast Full Fragment]


    [1 Status Attribute Full Booster Lv. 5]


    From what appeared before him, Arthur saw that those items were very valuable to him and probably the members of the 13th squad.


    They would be very happy if they got items likeplete beast fragments from various elements ¡ªtheir first beast servant.


    Also, the remaining panel before him was the confirmation panel for TP allocation. In the panel, Arthur pressed the TP allocation to his main talent, given therge amount of TP that would allow him to perform Ascension quickly.


    [TP +725000]


    [Talent Name: Dark Dimension Reality]


    [TP: 1892321/1999999] [+725000]


    Arthur smiled. It only took about 200000tp for him to get the chance to ascend to the final stage in his Rank SSS-R talent.


    The young man wondered what he would get if he had ascended all the stages at the highest rank?


    Genghis Khan stepped closer to Arthur and Aerith. He proudly disyed the mountain of chopped-off heads created by his abilities, which were tall and full of blood. Arthur could guess that the number reached 100 from the number of heads.


    "This will be your next war with the Night Liberators. They won''t let you go easily, Aaron," Aerith exined, ncing to the side.


    "I know. They''re a great group, but my strength is just as strong as their leader''s."


    "I have nothing to fear. I am."


    Aerith smiled proudly. The woman never thought Aaron could reach such a high point of strength in less than a year of being trapped in the Dark Pir Tower.


    If his strength wasn''t limited, he could probably reach the highest floor of this ce in less than 10 years.


    Before Arthur, the woman was seen moving her lithe hand aside, revealing a dimensional rift that connected the Dark Dimension to this ce. Jack, Rasputin, and Khan returned to Arthur''s body after they hadpleted their duties.


    "You cane out. It''s safe here," Arthur exined.


    Slowly, Sara and the others stepped out, and to their surprise, they saw Arthur covered in blood stains. Not only him but the surrounding area was strewn with the bodies of the Night Liberators who died horribly.


    Hana covered her mouth, trying to close her eyes and calm her heart and mind. The gruesome sight of the ce was enough to make her nauseous.


    Mona tried to calm Hana by taking her away from the ce. Sara and Karen were still there, asking Arthur for a clear exnation.


    "You exin everything to them, Aaron. I''ll go where I belong," Aerith replied.


    "Thank you for your help today, Aerith."


    "Anything for you, my love."


    Aerith stepped into the dimensional rift and disappeared from the scene. The dimensional rift faded away, leaving Arthur with the remaining members of the 13th squad. To exin everything, it was better for them to go to another ce and hide.


    "We should find a ce to hide."


    Sara agreed. With the recent incident, there was a chance that the other members of the Night Liberators would get suspicious and check out this ce. If they stayed here, the danger would return beyond what they could imagine.


    Far leaving the Sky Sword base that left abandoned ruins. Arthur and Sara found a worn-out house in the middle of the forest, with dust and outdated furniture inside. They can breathe a sigh of relief; the house''s location is in the middle of the green zone.


    Arthur activated Jack to stand guard on the house''s roof. He would notify Arthur if a suspicious person came within his surveince range. It was enough to make Arthur feel safe.


    The young man told him about Aerith and why she was so powerful. He also exined about his talent and his rtionship with the ck-dressed woman. Sara and the others listened intently. Not a few of them suspected that Arthur was Aaron.


    "He called you Aaron once. For some reason, your face looks simr to the fugitive," Morgan replied, squinting.


    Arthur turned to look at Sara. Among them, only Sara knew Arthur''s true identity. Due to the earlier fight and Aerith''s appearance, it seemed that Arthur could no longer hide his identity.


    Sara nodded, allowing Arthur to reveal himself as she was sure he had thought of all the consequences.


    Arthur removed the earring attached to his ear. The golden light faded from Arthur''s body and made the persona barrier vanish.@@novelbin@@


    Morgan, who doubted at first if Arthur was Aaron, began to realize and was shocked after being confirmed that Arthur was really Aaron.


    "Aaron? You are Aaron!" said Morgan, acting vignt.


    Not only him but Nn as well. Hana and Mona stepped back and walked far from him while Karen remained silent, staring at Arthur with a look of disappointment.


    "Is he the Aaron we''re looking for?" asked Hana, confirming.


    "Yes. He''s obviously the fugitive of the three major groups. He killed Sky Sword''s raid team on the fifth floor!" insisted Morgan.


    "Why are you doing this, Aaron? Why are you hiding your identity from us?" asked Karen, curious with sharp eyes.


    Sara got up from her seat and asked them to settle down. Morgan asked Sara about Aaron''s identity, the woman confessed that she had known it since the inn.


    "This is insane! I don''t want to go on this adventure with a murderer like him!" snapped Morgan, waltzing away in disgust out of the log cabin.


    Nn and Hana stepped outside to chase after Morgan, hoping he wouldn''t be foolish enough to walk far away. Aaron was still sitting on the couch, arms crossed over his chest.


    "I had expected it; none of you can ept me here," Aaron said.


    Aaron put the earring back on his ear, the golden light and persona barrier reactivated on Aaron''s body. But, as they already knew, what they saw wasn''t Arthur; it was Aaron.


    "That''s why you can talk closely with Andrew. Did something happen between you and him?" Karen asked.


    "There was an agreement between us. One of the terms was that I had to bring the weakest squad on the tenth floor Sky Sword to Lilith City in less than a year."


    "What? But it''s impossible. At least to arrive at the 15th floor takes about six months," Karen replied, guessing as the power level of the monsters on that floor was already different.


    "I can get you to the 20th floor in six months, then arrive at Lilith City in five months."


    Sara said it was possible if they continued to rely on Arthur''s power. Still, Sara was refusing to do so. This could be a good opportunity for her and the other members besides Arthur to improve their abilities.


    She wanted them all to fight together until they were truly worthy of staying in Lilith City. Arthur might be worthy with his current CP, but not Sara and the others.


    "True! But we also want to get stronger. Not just you, but we also want to arrive at Lilith City by our own abilities," Sara exined.


    "Then use this," said Arthur.


    He took out all theplete beast fragments of the various elements, perfectly spherical in shape with different colors ¡ªording to the element''s base color. Sara and Karen gasped, as did Mona, still in the cabin.


    "It would be a hassle if you were weak in a floor boss battle. At least, you should have a beast servant."


    "Is this a full fragment?" asked Sara, Arthur nodded.


    "If you''re willing to do me a favor and get rid of your group''s perception of hatred towards me, I''ll help you summon a beast servant!"


    "If you choose to betray me, I will kill you and only bring Sara upstairs!"

 Chapter 108 The 13th Squad Breakup

    Sara snapped forward, wondering about Morgan''s attitude towards Arthur. Morgan scoffed at Sara, Karen, and Mona. He called the three women fucking bitches who always lusted after strong men, as well as filthy traitors.


    Karen didn''t ept Morgan calling her that. She brought out her fire elemental sword and pointed it forward, wanting to teach Morgan a lesson he would never forget.


    Arthur stuck his hand to the side, holding Karen from being reckless. Even though she was stronger than Morgan, a fight between fellow members of the 13th squad was not a good thing. Arthur tried to convince Morgan he wasn''t evil or treacherous.


    "Then exin to me. Why did you kill so many people on the fifth floor?" asked Morgan, annoyed.


    "What do you have to do with the people on the fifth floor?" asked Arthur, curious.


    "My sister was there. You killed her violently!" said Morgan.


    ''I didn''t know that. I killed them without thinking about anything, just my safety,'' Arthur replied.


    "I didn''t know your sister was there. I feel sorry for¡ª"


    "Regret is no longer useful. If you want me to forgive you, surrender and let them punish you!" said Morgan, interrupting Arthur''s words.


    Arthur smiled, then shook his head, saying he wouldn''t return to the 10th floor. Morgan read Arthur''s refusal as his way of resistance. That made Morgan not hesitate to bring up his talent, the earth golem.


    The size of the golem is taller than the human body, about 3-4 meters, with its body filled with a mix of stone and soil. Arthur realized the golem''s power, he reached out to block the stone monster''s blow.


    BANG!


    An energy st urred that created a strong wave of wind, pushing people near the energy st far away.


    Thalenia was still silent, standing with her arms crossed as she watched Arthur. Jack stood beside Arthur, not yet assisting his master.


    "Do I need to help you? It''s just a regr golem," Thalenia said.


    "No need. You and Jack can return."


    "Alright."


    Thalenia and Jack disappeared in their own way. Thalenia vanished like a withered nt, while Jack turned into a white light that entered Arthur''s forehead. Morgan squinted, curious as to what Arthur was up to.


    Arthur clenched his fist and summoned a st of purple energy without activating his talent. The st was enough to shatter the stone golem''s hand, and a damage panel appeared before Arthur.


    [Damage +6500]


    Although the stone golem''s hand was destroyed, not its body. Morgan gasped in shock, his body and mind feeling pain when a part of the stone golem''s body was destroyed. Morgan thrust his hand forward again, using all his best energy to attack Arthur.


    The stone golem grew in size and spewed hot, smoldering mes, its height probably reaching 7-8 meters.


    The golem''s hand, which was destroyed, grew as if it was regenerating. Morganughed contemptuously after showing his best strength.


    "Stop this, Morgan! You''re putting yourself in danger!" said Sara.


    "I don''t care. It''s my decision. If I can''t arrest him, then I have to die with him!" shouted Morgan.


    Nn and Hana help Morgan defeat Arthur. Nn activated his bubble talent and drew his spear forward, already smeared with deadly bubble fluid.


    Hana pointed her right hand forward, creating a cage with a wall of water waves that enclosed Arthur in a hexagonal cage.


    Arthur smiled. He stepped closer to the wall of water and felt the powerful energy within it. Impressive, in Arthur''s opinion. Hana was able to create this wall of water so well.


    Bubbles from Nn entered the hexagon water cage. Arthur stretched out his hand, summoning a wall of purple magic to contain the bubbles'' power.


    BOM!


    The bubbles exploded, shocking Arthur. A damage panel appeared in front of Arthur, although the amount of damage was not as much as Arthur had imagined.


    [Damage -2300]


    [Damage -1500]


    [Damage -2080]


    [Three Combos received!]


    ''From the power of that talent, it can only deal about 5080 damage to my HP. That''s pathetic,'' Arthur replied.


    Now, it was Hana''s turn to attack. From the wall of the hexagon cage, an octopus tentacle appeared with a sharp tip like an arrow.


    The octopus tentacles tried to wrap around Arthur''s body and attack him. However, he managed to deflect the attack thanks to Arthur''s protective dome.


    [Damage -4500]


    [Damage -3500]


    [Damage -7850]


    [Threebos epted!]


    ''Hana''s strength is much better than Nn''s, but the defense of her attacks is quite fragile. A sh with my magic wall would have destroyed her attack,'' Arthur said.


    "Now it''s my turn!" said Morgan.


    Morgan''s palms came together,manding the 8-meter stone golem to direct its fist at Arthur. Arthur smiled, his right hand extended forward to block Morgan''s golem fist.


    BOM!


    The explosion of energy impact happened again, but Arthur could feel the strength of this golem much better than before. Arthur''s position was forced to be pushed backward while trying to withstand the power of Morgan''s golem.@@novelbin@@


    CRACK!


    Arthur gasped. His purple magic wall showed significant cracks, apparently unable to withstand Morgan''s golem fists. Arthur smiled, knowing what he had to do.


    [Secondary Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Neutral Gravity Steps]


    [MP -12500]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 221500/242000] [-12500]


    Arthur''s magic defense wall shattered, Morgan''s golem fist struck forward powerfully. Strong shaking was felt in the surrounding area, and ground dust rose up to fill the ce.


    Morganughed loudly, feeling satisfied with the situation. He had finally defeated Arthur with ease.


    Sara was shocked, trying to get rid of the dirt, and saw Morgan''s golem fist still stuck on the ground. She was worried whether Arthur would survive or not.


    Slowly, Morgan''s golem fist lifted. Sara and Karen looked forward, shocked to see Arthur wasn''t there. Morgan just realized the young man wasn''t dead but missing.


    "Tch! Where the fuck did he go?" asked Morgan, annoyed.


    "I''m not going anywhere!"


    Everyone turned their eyes upward where the voice hade from. Sara smiled while the others were in wide-eyed shock. They never thought that Arthur could fly.


    "Y-You can fly?" asked Karen.


    [Secondary Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Extreme Pressure]


    [MP -17500]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 204000/242000] [-17500]


    By activating the Extreme Pressure sub-talent, Arthur can control the force of gravity in the surrounding area, whether pushing, pulling, dropping, or throwing something.


    Arthur aimed his hand and pulled Morgan, Hana, and Nn towards him.


    The three cannot move freely as they are trapped by the power of Arthur''s extreme pressure. Morgan tried tomand his stone golem to attack Arthur from behind, but Arthur noticed.


    He stuck out his left hand and destroyed Morgan''s golem with ease. Morgan was shocked with a pale face. It turned out that Arthur, during this battle, was reading their strength.


    "W-What are you gonna do to us?" asked Nn.


    "You have betrayed me, your fellow squadmates."


    "I''ll only give you two choices!"


    Morgan, Hana, and Nn stared ahead thoughtfully. The three tried to listen to what Arthur wanted.


    "First, you die at my hands!"


    "Second, you leave the 13th squad. Your lives are decided by you."


    "W-Won''t you let us rejoin the 13th squad? We''re truly sorry for betraying you," Hana replied.


    "No!"

 Chapter 111 Aaron Vs 11th Floor Night Liberators

    ''I never thought there were other adventurers with the same elements as me,'' Arthur said, confused.


    Mona nced to the side, seeing Arthur''s face bowed and staring in another direction as if he was thinking about something. She patted Arthur''s hand lightly, waking him from his reverie.


    "Are you alright, Arthur?" asked Mona.


    Arthur smiled and rubbed Mona''s head, who was older than him. He raised his head and smiled broadly while looking at Stacy, the woman leading Sky Sword on the 11th floor.


    The young man said out loud that he was not afraid of Darius'' abilities, whether he was stronger or weaker than him.


    The most important thing Arthur had to do was get out of that ce and save Sara and Karen.


    "I killed more of them yesterday; why can''t I do more today?" Arthur asked.


    Right after saying that, Arthur walked away with Mona by his side. Jacob saw Arthur''s departure. The man was still in the basement, not apanying Arthur to the surface.


    "He killed more Night Liberators? What does it mean?" asked another man. Several other men shook their heads.


    Stacy remembered something that made her mouth gape wide. She rose from her seat with both hands stomping on the meeting room table, startling everyone.


    Stacy''s eyes widened, her head shook left and right. Her heart and mind refused to believe that the 13th Squad had done it, but yesterday''s evidence was on disy.


    "Mountain of chopped-off heads!" said Stacy softly.


    "Mountain of chopped-off heads?"


    "Wait! Are you saying that the massacre at Sky Sword base was his deed?" asked the other man.


    Stacy was silent, her palms clenched tightly with eyes full of ambition to prove something. She nodded a few times, deciding on something that could possibly pay for all her curiosity.


    Jacob and the other man watched Stacy leave the room. Jacob tried to step closer to her, asking what she nned to do. Stacy quite firmly told Jacob and the other group leaders her n.


    "I''ll go to the Night Liberators'' base. If he is indeed the one who ughtered many people at Sky Sword Base, then I have to go help him!" Stacy said firmly.


    "But that will ruin the whole n we have. Be patient, Stacy."


    The man asked because Stacy and the other group had already agreed to dy the attack until their troop numbers were ready.


    Based on their scouting results, the Night Liberators'' number of members had reached 500.


    If they reduced the number of members who died earlier, it would leave 350 people. That was different from Stacy''s group alliance, which only had 150 members at most.


    But Stacy was stubborn. She was confident something terrible would happen in this ce, especially at the Night Liberators'' base. The two continued to talk until they arrived outside the rock cave.


    "What do you really think?" Jacob asked.


    "If indeed the young man can defeat or at least weaken the power of the Night Liberators, it''s time for us to go all out!" said Stacy, giving Jacob a sharp look.


    Stacy turned aside, ordering the remaining Sky Sword members to gather in one ce. The total number of Sky Sword members present in that ce was 54; Stacy would be their leader.


    "Get ready. We''re gonna go attack the Night Liberators."


    "What? Night Liberators?"


    "Just do as I say!"


    The Sky Sword members were confused but still carried out the task Stacy had given them well. All the Sky Sword members prepared with their uniforms and magic equipment, thinking Stacy''s firmness proved that a big war between the groups was about to happen.


    "Listen, Jacob! I can''t keep quiet and not fight back. Uriel keeps haunting my mind like he''s telling me that I need to avenge this blood revenge right away," Stacy said.


    "If I don''t do it today, our chance to defeat the Night Liberators in the future will be lost!"


    After all the preparations were ready, Stacy left with the Sky Sword members by flying with their magic swords.


    Jacob stood alone in front of the cave mouth, watching Stacy''s departure towards the direction of the Night Liberators'' base.


    A man approached Jacob, asking what they were nning to do. Jacob was silent again. He cannot decide without talking to the other group leaders.


    "I will discuss it with the other leaders."


    From elsewhere, Arthur arrived at the gates of the Night Liberators base. His bold presence attracted the attention of many people; Mona was still beside Arthur.


    "Who are you? What do you want to do?" asked a man from the Night Liberators base, standing vigntly atop the group''s base wall.


    "Darius!" said Arthur.


    Hearing his name called by Arthur made a man with a T-shirt, a muscr body, and a red furry coate from a building.


    He raised his face, seeing the fluctuations of purple magic energying out and thumping from Arthur''s body.


    "You? Why do you have powers like me?" asked Darius.


    Darius flew with a whirlwind of purple energy. He floated alone without anyone apanying him, flying close to Arthur while showing his magic aura.


    Discover hidden stories at empire


    "I have no problem with you. Bring Sara and Karen back to me, and I''ll forget this problem!" Arthur said.


    "Ah, the two women you were with? Sadly, she''s already be mine," said Darius, smirking while making a lip-licking gesture as if indicating Sara and Karen would be Darius'' favorite sex ves.


    Arthur was silent for a moment, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He apologized to Aerith for having to use Dark Azazel''s power again. Arthur couldn''t let Aerith continue to help him solve all his problems.


    ck magic mixed with purple began to fill Arthur''s left side. Mona winced at the sight; the woman was still on Arthur''s right side.


    ck magic armor began to take shape from Dark Azazel''s activated ck magic particles. The armor floated above Arthur''s left arm, causing people to stare at it with awe and fear.


    "W-What power is that?" asked another member of the Night Liberators.


    Darius gave Arthur a sharp look. Mysterious power filled Arthur''s left side, plus the presence of a long, sharp-ded spear bearing a foreign crest pattern. Darius had to be careful.


    "A-Arthur?" asked Mona, shocked when she felt the aura of dark energy on Arthur''s body was so dense and negative.


    From behind, Stacy arrived with dozens of Sky Sword members. Arthur nced over at her, handing Mona over to Stacy for protection.


    Mona stood on the sword of one of the Sky Sword members while Stacy flew forward to stay beside Arthur.


    "See? He really does have the same power as you," Stacy said.


    "That''s right. But he doesn''t have these ones!"


    Arthur stepped his foot forward, creating intense energy wave fluctuations mixed with ck and purple energy. The power could kill small animals, ranging from birds to insects.


    One foot forward, a sh of lightning appeared, and the young man appeared before Darius. Darius gasped, having no idea that Arthur could move at the speed of light.


    The man jumped quickly backwards, avoiding Arthur''s swing of Azazel''s spear. The spear swing went sideways and caused the ck scythe blow to cut through everything in its path.


    CRUSH!


    "All members of the Night Liberators prepare! We are at war today," Darius dered.


    Arthur threw Dark Azazel''s spear into the sky, causing dark clouds to gather like a storm along with the purple rumble of lightning. Two different colored magic appeared above Arthur''s left hand, ck and purple.


    "Bad choice!"@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 114 The 13th Squads Small Practice

    ***


    Two dayster.


    Blue Wheat Base.


    Arthur stepped out of the house into the backyard, arge yard designated for guests to rx. But, since yesterday, Karen has been using it for training.


    There, he saw Karen, Sara, and Mona practicing together. They were practicing sorcery independently, not in the form of a small battle. That made Arthur curious.


    Since the incident of the enemy bombarding the magic dome wall, the people at the Blue Wheat base no longer felt anxious.


    The ck Sword group attacked several times, but none of them managed to pierce it, not even leaving a crack.


    Arthur smiled, not so concerned about the magic dome''s durability. Levia also seemed satisfied with the strength of the magic dome wall.


    After the bombardment two days ago, Levia sent a few meals to Arthur''s house the next day as a token of her gratitude.


    Karen looked back to see Arthur arriving in his casual suit ¡ªshirt and shorts. Karen smiled and waved, weing Arthur to the backyard where they were practicing.


    "Arthur," Karen greeted.


    Sara and Mona turned their heads in the same direction and waved to Arthur. The young man stepped closer to the three. It seemed that they had practiced hard enough to utilize their talents.


    "Are you willing to join us?" Karen asked, challenging Arthur while carrying a fire sword over her shoulder.


    "How about the three of you team up to defeat me?" asked Arthur.


    The young man picked up an item in his digital storage and showed it to them. There were three items disyed on Arthur''s palm, surprising the girls.


    "A Slip talent rank A?" asked Karen, shocked.


    "I believe the Secondary Talent option is already unlocked for you. This could be an option for you to get another talent besides your primary talent," Arthur replied.


    The three couldn''t resist the urge to get the item. If they had to buy it at an item shop, it would cost more than 25000 RL.


    Also, the only nearby item shop selling such an item was on the 10th floor, meaning they would have to return and postpone the raid.


    The opportunity that appeared before them was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, given how valuable the A-rank talent slip was. Karen looked to the side, Sara and Mona nodded in response.


    "What should we do?" asked Karen.


    "You only need to survive my ten attacks. If you seed, I''ll give it to you," Arthur replied.


    "What if one of us manages to withstand it?" asked Sara. Arthur smiled as he kept the rank A talent slip again.


    "You will fail."


    "This is a team battle. You must work with each other to withstand my attacks. You can use any means to defend yourselves," Arthur emphasized.@@novelbin@@


    Karen and the others were left silent for a moment. Since they knew Arthur''s true abilities, they were worried about what kind of power Arthur was nning to unleash on them. But, Sara reassured them mentally by saying the three could defeat Arthur.


    "We can do it!" said Sara.


    Thanks to Sara''s encouragement, Mona and Karen were confident they could defeat the young man. Karen and Mona brought out their beast servants without hesitation, leaving Arthur impressed.


    "Alright. I''ll start," Arthur replied, seeing the three women ready to withstand any attack from Arthur.


    In his first attack, Arthur conjured up two purple magic fireballs in his palms. Heunched them forward with force, hitting the thick shield of thebined magic of the three women and two beast servants.


    [Magic Art: Fireball]


    [MP -5000]


    BOM!


    An explosion urred in the area, and thin smoke billowed up. The Blue Wheat group members heard the explosion and saw an ash-colored smoke covering a part of their base. Of course, it shocked them all.


    [Damage +2320]


    [Damage +1650]


    Levia received a report about the explosion. With a concerned face, she hurriedly left her office to arrive at the explosion site. Dozens of Blue Wheat members did the same; they gathered in the guest house.


    ''Even with ordinary magic attacks, the damage can be this strong. It seems that the increase in attribute status did have a significant effect,'' Arthur replied.


    Arthur swung his hand to the side, blowing away the ash dust that filled the ce. Now, the figures of Karen and the others appeared while keeping their defensive wall.


    Even so, Arthur was aware that they had taken significant damage. With the levels they were at, their HP and MP would be limited as well.


    Luckily, thanks to their multiyered defensive wall, Arthur''s magic damage was reduced to minimal.


    Levia suddenly came to the ce. Her suspicions were shattered when she saw the smokeing from Arthur and his three friends.


    What surprised Levia, even more, was that Arthur''s three friends seemed to be protected by two beast servants, a fire lion and a blue-tailed eagle.


    "What''s happening here?" asked Levia, curious.


    "I''m practicing their defenses. That''s all," said Arthur.


    "And those two beast servants? Are they yours?"


    "No, they''re not. They belong to Karen and Mona."


    Some people were amazed at that; not many people owned beast servants. Even if they did, their beast servants would not be as epic and powerful as Karen and Mona''s.


    Levia could breathe a sigh of relief. At least the smoke wasn''ting from the dome wall the enemy had broken into. Levia asked for permission to stay here, wanting to see their practice.


    The second attack was made; Arthur threw a glimmer of purple magic into the sky above them. The three women looked up, watching as a magic portal appeared and prototype purple swords appeared in tens.


    [Magic Art: Illusion Sword Portal]


    [MP -7500]


    "Aim your defensive magic upwards!" said Karen, Mona and Sara agreed.


    With quick movements, dozens of purple swords lunged downwards and tried to break through their defense wall. The damage received was much greater than the fireball. It left Mona''s beast servant deactivated for 12 hours.


    [Damage +3500]


    [Damage +2090]


    [Damage +1450]


    [Triple Combo! Great!]


    Thanks to their defensive magic, Arthur saw that the damage they had taken differed from the damage Arthur had dealt. It was much smaller as if it had been absorbed by the defense magic.


    Experience more on empire


    Mona''s breathing was getting ragged. Karen tried to encourage Mona as Arthur was about to throw more magic attacks at them. Mona nodded and downed an HP Potion to restore her HP.


    Levia nodded, knowing that the defensive power of the three women was far greater than what she had imagined. Arthur was getting excited; he continued his attack after attack until thest one.


    Mona had given up and couldn''t help much. Karen and Sara became the women focused on holding Arthur''s final attack off. Levia looked to the side, wondering what kind of attack Arthur would unleash on them.


    ''What kind of shocking attack will Arthur unleash on them?'' asked Levia, curious.


    "Alright. This is the tenth attack. If you can withstand it, you''ve seeded," said Arthur.


    He summoned purple magic in the palm of his right hand. The magic grew and erged to form arge purple sword. Such a sight took many people by surprise.


    [Magic Art: Darkness Splitting Sword]


    [MP -15000]


    A gust of wind was blown around the purple de of the sword. Karen gulped down her saliva deeply, curious whether she could withstand Arthur''s attack.


    With a swinging hand move, Arthur attacked the three women with a powerful sword swing. The purple sword de collided with Karen and Sara''s defense wall, both shouted loudly, trying to withstand Arthur''s power with all their might.


    The other two servants were deactivated due to failing to withstand Arthur''s devastating power.


    The powerful impact energy caused damage to several parts of the courtyard. Levia reached out, creating a strong barrier to prevent the force of the energy collision from spreading.


    Karen had even knelt down to withstand the force, Arthur smiled. With this practice, at least, they could progress better than Arthur had imagined.


    Feeling satisfied with their abilities, Arthur deactivated his magic by exploding the sword. Karen and Sara were not affected in any way, which made Arthur happy as they were fine.


    "What... is it done?" asked Karen, her breathing in short gasps.


    "Yes. It''s all done," Arthur replied, stepping closer to them.


    "As I promised at first, you deserve this."


    Arthur handed them three rank A talent slips, one for each person. Not only that, the young man also gave them HP potions in the hope that the item could restore the condition of the three until they werepletely recovered.


    "I-I don''t deserve it."


    Mona was reluctant to ept it because she was not much help in magic defense. Karen argued that Mona had helped her a lot right before Sara took over. It made the moment between the three be touching.


    The three women embraced each other, feeling supported in this moment. Arthur smiled broadly. With their closeness, he didn''t have to worry about what might happen to them.


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Monster Raid in Dark Pir Tower will open soon]


    [All adventurers are requested to prepare]


    [Countdown until Monster Raid Gate opens]


    [00:11:59:43]


    The announcement panel about the opened raid appeared. Not only Arthur but everyone else got the same announcement panel. It made Karen excited.


    "The raid will open at 7pm. We must prepare the items needed to help us with this raid," Arthur replied.


    "So, will you join the raid soon?" asked Levia. Arthur looked to the side and nodded.


    "Alright. We''ll help you with the items you need. Just let me know what you need. I will try to get it for you," Levia exined.


    "Thank you, Levia."

 Chapter 115 Aaron Flag of Authority

    Time passed quickly; the monster raid was about to open in about an hour. Arthur and the others had prepared everything they needed, Levia helped as much as possible.


    They gathered in the front yard of the Blue Wheat base. Sara and the two women were talking with Levia while Arthur was staring outside, paying attention to the wall of the magic dome.


    As per the agreement, Arthur would release the magic dome after the information about the monster raid appeared. Levia knew and understood the deal. She had to abide by it and didn''t want to hold Arthur any longer.


    Levia looked forward, seeing Arthur standing still, watching the dome wall that was about to disappear.


    After talking with Sara and the others, the woman approached Arthur and looked in the same direction as the young man.


    "Are you gonna remove that protective magic?" asked Levia.


    "Yes, I hope you have prepared for all the bad things that might happen."


    "I''ve thought about it. Once the dome disappears, we''ll go all out!" said Levia, certainly full of confidence.


    Arthur nced to the side, then smiled and nodded his head. It was his risk for fighting with another group; Arthur had no interest in helping them further.


    "I can''t help you any further," Arthur replied, Levia clearing her throat as she closed her eyes.


    "I know. You''re not one of us; you have no duty to fight alongside us."


    Sara, Karen, and Mona stepped closer to the two. The expressions disyed on the three''s faces were firm and full of confidence; it seemed that they were ready for the monster raid this time. It was quite a relief to Arthur.


    Not only them, but Arthur saw dozens of Blue Wheat members ready with their magic equipment. The children began to flee to the inside of the base, taking refuge from the great war that was about to happen in a moment.


    "Are you ready?"


    Levia nodded, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. She knew what wasing, and her group was ready to fight the ck Sword Group.


    Seeing Levia''s response, Arthur raised his right hand while asionally sighing. Arthur''s right palm opened wide, withdrawing the six Dark Crystals that had been embedded earlier in the outer area of the Blue Wheat base.


    Six pirs of purple light disappeared, followed by the top of the magic dome that faded gradually, revealing the defenses of the Blue Wheat group.


    Heartbeats pounded throughout the Blue Wheat members. Levia swallowed her saliva deeply, seeing the magic dome wall no longer protecting her group''s base.


    People cheered vigorously from the ck Sword group''s base. Ado pulled out a sword from its sheath, a sword with a ck de.


    With a word from his mouth, the sword unleashed a vast buff energy to all the members of his group.


    [Buff!]


    [STR increased by 10%]


    [AGI increased by 5%]


    [DEX increased by 5%]


    Red light surrounded the body of each ck Sword group member, granting them significant buffs. Unfortunately, Levia did not have such abilities. She only hoped she and her group members could survive until the miracle happened.


    Arthur gasped with narrowed eyes, curious about the power of Ado''s ck de sword. He wondered if the g of Authority could provide extra buffs?


    ''Aerith?'' Arthur called out silently.


    ''What''s wrong, Aaron?


    ''Do you know how to activate the g of Authority?'' Arthur asked, curious.


    Aerith exined it was easy for Arthur to activate the power of the g of Authority, but as she exined the other day, activating such an object would require at least arge amount of MP.


    Arthur asked how much MP was needed, given that his MP capacity was already more than 200000.


    ''It depends on the orders you give,'' Aerith replied.


    ''Orders?''


    The woman in the Dark Dimension exined three orders weremonly used when activating the g of Authority: Forgiveness Order, War Order, and Obedience Order.


    Arthur remembered one of the threemands. Andrew had used the Forgiveness Order to help the young man remove the red title above his head. The power of the g of Authority seemed to be able to deceive the system.


    ''How can the g of Authority have the power to manipte the system?'' Arthur asked.


    ''Since it''s not among the list of items created by the system itself. I don''t know why people on Earth can have it, but I do know that such a g was created by the noble descendants of the three Heavenly Dark Entities of Visiri,'' said Aerith.


    ''The individual systems were created only after those three entities created the g of Authority. That''s why your system won''t detect that g, although they will seize some of your MP," Aerith replied.


    The woman exined again why MP was needed during the activation of the Authority g. It was due to the use of the SSS-R rank talent embedded in the g, the Sovereign Authority talent.


    In short, if Arthur had that g, he had six talents at the moment: two of his own, three from servants, and one from the g of Authority.


    ''Let me exin how it works to you, though it''s too early for you to use it,'' Aerith replied.


    Arthur said yes. He began to close his eyes and let Aerith''s projected image sh through his mind. Levia and the others turned their heads to the side, seeing Arthur''s silence confusing them.


    "What is he doing?" Levia asked Sara.


    "I don''t know. But I think he''s nning something."


    It took Aerith a while to exin, but Arthur understood easily. He opened his eyes after ten minutes of dead silence. That made Levia and the others even more suspicious.


    ''Do you understand?" Aerith asked.


    ''I understand.''


    ''Remember. The Obedience Order requires a veryrge amount of MP. Right now, you don''t have it.''


    ''The best option is to give them the War Order,'' Aerith replied.


    ''I know what I need to do.''


    Your next chapter is on empire


    [Secondary Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Neutral Gravity Steps]


    [MP -12500]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 229500/242000] [-12500]


    Arthur flew in the sky of the Blue Wheat base until the attention of all the group members turned to him. They stopped walking and stared intently at Arthur, curious about what Arthur would do.


    "What is he gonna do?"


    "Is he gonna help us defeat them?"


    "He''s always a surprise."


    Levia paused, her eyes squinting with her head tilted up to watch Arthur from below, "What are you doing, Arthur?"


    From his digital storage, Arthur took out the g of authority and showed it to all of them. Levia was shocked, having no idea Arthur had such a thing.


    Sara, Karen, and Mona were even more shocked. They clearly identified the pattern of the g of Authority, a g with a red background color and the symbol of two swords, a sign that the g belonged to Dimension Justice.


    "Why is it in Arthur''s hands?" asked Sara.


    Arthur transmitted the core of consciousness in his mind into the g. He touched his forehead and released a golden orb to enter and merge with the power in the object. That''s what Aerith showed him through the mind projection image.


    [g of Authority has activated]


    [The host has taken ownership of the g of Authority!]


    [Owner: Aaron Lewis]


    [Level: 80]


    [Warning!]


    [The system cannot detect the power of the g of Authority]


    [The use of undetected power could potentially injure the Host]@@novelbin@@


    Slowly, the g''s color changed from red to ck. A purple pattern was printed on it, simr to an ancient incantation with a script Arthur didn''t know ¡ªVisiri runes.


    Since the system could not detect power, the order panel could not be disyed, but it could be activated at the cost of arge amount of MP. Arthur let it hover above the heads of all the Blue Wheat members.


    The two fingers of his right hand stretched forward, starting to activate the second of the threemonly used orders. War Order.


    [Start the process of using foreign power]


    [Item: g of Authority]


    [MP -200000]


    [Power: ?]


    [Talent: Authority Leader]


    [Rank: SSS-R]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP 29500/242000] [-200000]


    Purple light began to envelop the g and spread throughout the area where the members of the ck Wheat group were gathered. The light started to touch each of them, increasing and enhancing their abilities.


    [Buff!]


    [All attributes increased by 30%]


    [Gain 50% physical attack resistance]


    [Gains 25% increase in Additional HP and MP]


    [15%bo attack increase]


    [50% Attribute increase for group leader]


    Not only in front of Arthur, but the buff panel popped up before all the members. They gasped, feeling their bodies feel lighter and more powerful than before. Levia felt the same, seeing a faint purple light shining on each member''s body.


    "Cough!"


    Arthur coughed up blood and flew low to stand just above the ground. Sara was anxious. She rushed to Arthur and felt the young man''s heart beating fast. Mona did her job of recovery.


    "Are you alright?" asked Sara.


    ''This is probably the impact of using the Authority g. I didn''t think I''d get hurt.


    Arthur''s g of Authority flew back to him, hovering by his side. Levia looked at Arthur lying in Sara''s arms, visibly injured in his internal organs. The woman stepped up to their side to ask about Arthur''s condition.


    "He''s fine. You have nothing to worry about."


    "What did you really do for us?" asked Levia.


    "I helped you... win your war."

 Chapter 118 Guardian of the Celestial Waterfall

    "Are you new to this floor? Don''t worry. You''re more than wee to the Celestial Water group," replied the woman in the white dress who looked like a goddess.


    Still, the response shown by the members was ridiculous. They prostrated themselves while continuing to worship the majesty of their leader. There was not a single one of them who didn''t do that ¡ªthe all powerful Persona Majesty.


    She stepped gracefully down the steps of her temple-shaped residence to arrive at the front area of Celestial Water''s base. The closer she stepped, Arthur could feel the pressure of her Majesty''s Persona getting stronger.


    ''Her talent is stronger than Misa''s, her strength is almostparable to Rasputin''s,'' Arthur said.


    The image in the area surrounding Arthur changed drastically, Thalenia''s figure disappeared and was reced by a beautiful woman with fair skin and long blonde hair. The woman appeared to be not one, but four people surrounding Arthur.


    Even more shocking, the four women were naked. Their breasts and private parts were clearly visible to Arthur, and the scene changed to a view of a waterfall with birds chirping. Enjoy new adventures at empire


    ''What is this? It''s not the majesty persona anymore, it''s the charm of lust,'' said Arthur.


    The four women continued to rub their naked bodies on Arthur''s hands, face and feet. Arthur could feel the warmth and softness of their touch, but he was still trying to convince himself that this was an illusion.


    "This isn''t real," Arthur said.


    "What''s not real?"


    The Celestial Water''s leader woman emerged from the waterfall pool, undressed as her smiling face looked down at Arthur. Arthur gasped, he had not prepared for something like this toe to pass.


    "I can give you the pleasure of the admiration you show me. You only need to do one thing," the woman said, raising one index finger of her right hand towards Arthur.


    "Tell me that you worship me and are ready to be my loyal worshipper," the woman replied.


    "If you do, I will give you the purity of my body."


    Arthur swallowed his saliva deeply, his hands reaching forward to grasp two beautiful breasts the size of an adult man''s fist ¡ªmedium size.


    "You just have to say it simply," the woman before Arthur replied.


    "Owh! Get lost, you fucking cunt!" snapped another woman, startling Arthur and the Celestial Water leader.


    Just as the voice appeared, a st of maroon magic energy emanated from Arthur''s body. The boom caused the entire illusion created by her to fade away, the Celestial Water leader was shocked to see that another adventurer had managed to break her talent persona.


    ''Aerith?'' Arthur asked, shocked.


    ''My body can be more beautiful than hers, you fool! Don''t be swayed by her persona,'' Aerith said, snapping at Arthur.


    ''Damn it! I''mpletely out of focus. Thank you for protecting me,'' Arthur replied.


    ''Be careful with her, Aaron. She''s as cunning as a snake,'' Aerith said, Arthur cleared his throat as he nodded in reply.


    [Majesty''s Persona has been defeated]


    [Host sessfully escapes the illusion of the Persona Majesty Talent user]


    [Host''s HP and MP are unaffected]


    The leader of Celestial Water, Laurette, was taken aback with shock written all over her face. She continued to stare at Arthur with narrowed eyes, sensing that the young man was far more dangerous. Arthur''s existence could disrupt her group''s existence.


    "If you won''t join me, then what''s your purpose?" Laurette asked, asking without intimidating Arthur with her talent.


    "I''m not in the mood for trouble. Let us go to the waterfall. We won''t do anything bad there," said Arthur.


    Laurette was silent, she didn''t have an aide, or a lover. There was no one who could give her advice; she was truly the supreme leader of Celestial Water. All decisions had to be thought out and decided by her, no matter what.


    The woman asionally nced forward, looking at Arthur carefully. There were two possibilities that could happen, either they went to war because Arthur insisted or the holiness of Celestial Waterfall was tainted because a stranger visited without the right.


    "How important is it?"


    "Very important. I worked my way up a floor here just to visit the waterfall."


    After thinking for a while, Laurette sighed and opened the way at the base gate to Arthur and Thalenia.


    The woman said that she would escort them to near Celestial''s waterfall, making sure Arthur and Thalenia did not do anything bad that could threaten the holiness of the ce.


    Arthur nodded politely. He let Laurette go first, followed by Thalenia and Arthur was thest one behind.


    Arthur continued to watch the members of Celestial Water, they still prostrated themselves when their leader was nearby. Once she was gone, they stood up straight again and pretended nothing had happened.


    ''Their demeanor is like a robot,'' Arthur said.


    The young man firmly believed that Laurette''s majesty persona was still active and embedded in the hearts of her members. They were still lost in Laurette''s false illusions, Arthur wondered how the woman managed the MP when her talent was still active?


    Laurette and Thalenia continued to walk through the grassy path towards the direction of the Celestial Waterfall, but Arthur''s steps were halted when his eyes caught a suspicious scene inside the ancient temple.


    He focused his eyes and peered through a crack in the window, shocked to the point of speechlessness Arthur saw what was happening inside arge temple room.


    10 men and 10 women gathered around, they were not an illusion of talent. They were naked and touching each other, moans could be heard clearly echoing off the wooden walls, they were all adults.


    Orgy, they were actually doing it. There was one woman sitting on her knees dressed simrly to Laurette.


    She was the woman in charge of the dedications ritual, the ritual was performed to ensure that the waters of heaven merged in pleasure and delight, solely to worship the guardian goddess of the waterfall.


    ''This is insane! They''re really insane,'' Arthurined.


    The woman looked to the side, realizing that a strange man was watching the dedication procession. Arthur exchanged a nce with her for a moment, then the young man chose to go after Laurette and Thalenia who had already walked away.


    The young man was still indifferent, reluctant to tell anyone what he had just seen. Shortly after catching up, the two arrived near a waterfall that seemed to be kept clean.


    "This is the Celestial Waterfall, a sacred ce for our group. Every night, the water in this ce always glows blue as if it was the moment when the goddess guarding this ce woke up."


    ''Is that goddess a friend of Thalenia''s? Did they really see what she looked like?'' Arthur asked.


    Thalenia stepped forward without asking Laurette''s permission first. The woman tried to prevent her, but Arthur held back her hand to at least let Thalenia do something.


    A soft voice came from Thalenia''s mouth with the Nymph''s eyes looking teary, full of hope.


    "Miki?" asked Thalenia.


    "Miki? Are you there? It''s me, Thania," Thalenia continued.


    The woman kept calling Miki''s name without stopping, her tears falling down the slits of her cheeks. She longed to see her friend, Miki.


    "Miki? Who is she?" asked Laurette, softly to Arthur.


    "That''s her friend. Can''t you just shut up and watch? You''ll spoil the mood," whispered Arthur, Laurette agreed.


    Thalenia stepped into the waterfall pool while calling Miki''s name over and over again. She even apologized that she had disappeared for 200 years without telling her first.@@novelbin@@


    "I was afraid you wouldn''t agree with my decision," Thalenia whispered, bowing her head.


    When hope was nearly lost, Arthur felt a small tremble beneath his feet. Through his eyes, a stream of magical energy flowed into the pool, causing a bright blue light to glow in the daylight.


    Laurette was shocked. She stepped back and sat on her knees with her head bowed, about to pay her respects to the Celestial Water goddess who was about to reveal herself for the first time. All the Celestial Water members on guard at the waterfall did the same as Laurette.


    A wave appeared above the surface of the waterfall pool, Arthur was anxious and pulled Thalenia away from the spot. Suddenly the water shot strongly upwards to a height of 10 meters, the people of Celestial Water continued to worship the presence of their goddess.


    Arthur narrowed his eyes, he felt a stream of blue magic energy centered in the middle of the burst of water. It was certain that Thalenia''s friend had really appeared.


    "Thania?" asked Miki,ing out from behind the waterfall, revealing a woman in traditional Japanese dress with a short stature.


    "M-Miki?" asked Thania aka Thalenia.


    The young man near Thalenia could only gape in disbelief, gawking with widened eyes. Miki was not of the Nymph race, but of the Kitsune race.


    "A Kitsune?"


    Miki revealed two ears and four fox tails on her body. Her eyes stared intently at Arthur, the one who was holding Thania''s hand.


    "Take your dirty hands off of my friend, you filthy human!"

 Chapter 120 Thalenia Deactivated

    Green magic light flew from the ground to the sky. Arthur gasped in shock at the sight of the light. It was Thania.


    Thania hovered with both hands stretched to the right and left, protecting Miki inside her sphere of green vines.


    The st orbs from the dimensional portal hit the walls of the green sphere, creating a barrage of attacks.


    Arthur clenched his right fist to stop the orb attacks. The dimensional portals began to disappear with a small shrink, his eyes still looking up to see what Thania was about to do.


    "I''m sorry I didn''t exin it well to you," Thania said.


    Thania''s body began to appear faintly translucent, Miki was startled while trying to embrace her friend.


    Yet, as time passed, Thania''s body became more and more transparent until it disappearedpletely.@@novelbin@@


    A notification panel popped up before Arthur, exining Thania''s current situation.


    [SERVANT:]


    [Servant Deactivated]


    [1. Thalenia (Nymph)]


    [Countdown deactivated:]


    [00:23:59:59]


    ''She spent all her energy and magic to protect Miki. The orb attack seems to have taken quite a hit on her,'' Arthur said.


    The orb of vines protecting Miki began to shatter with the falling branches. Miki''s eyes turned back to Arthur. Instead of realizing it, she became even angrier.


    Miki was furious that Arthur had made Thania die. With Thania deactivated, the buff the woman gave Arthur would also disappear.


    "You killed Thania!" Miki snapped, pointing at Arthur.


    "Listen to me, you damn fox! Thania is deactivated. She needs rest to fully recover," Arthur replied.


    "It''s not my fault for defeating and asking her to be a servant. It was her will!" Arthur shouted.


    There were two reasons why Arthur tried to solve the problem by talking.


    First, because of his depleted MP and Miki, who was getting an unlimited supply of MP from the Celestial Water group.


    Second, it was because of the rarity of the Kitsune race. Kitsune became one of the five main races of the original inhabitants of Dark Pir Tower. When he saw Miki, Arthur thought of making her one of his servants.


    However, Arthur felt it would be difficult for Miki to agree due to her intense hatred for humans. After all, Arthur needed to save himself first.


    "She was trapped in the 10th-floor boss. There wasn''t a single adventurer she could trust before she met me. I saved her from the Dark Pir," Arthur replied.


    "I also helped her to reach here. Do you think it''s easy to reach this floor fast?!" Arthur snapped.


    "Tell me the truth. What do you want from my friend?"


    "She has a basic HP and MP regen buff. I need those for my efficiency in exchange for me taking her to this floor and the Sylph forest," Arthur replied.


    Miki was stunned, her eyes darting around as her body floated freely in space. The reason the woman was surprised wasn''t because Arthur was trying to take advantage of Thalenia''s buffs ¡ªthough a bit cruel¡ª but because of the Sylph Forest.


    "Is she the one who told you about the forest?" asked Miki fiercely.


    "Yeah. Why?" asked Arthur.


    ''Looks like Thania still doesn''t want to exin the forest to him,'' said Miki.


    Arthur looked at the four-tailed fox''s mute response, curious about what she was thinking. Miki flew up by moving her four tails, floating around Arthur.


    "If you want to know, you have to let mee with you," Miki said.


    "Come with us? People will kill you once they find out you''re a Kitsune."


    "I have a better way."


    All four of her tails stomped on the ground, bringing forth blue mes that burned brightly near Arthur. Arthur was frozen in focus, watching Miki''s demeanor. He didn''t feel any threat from her.


    Slowly, the mes faded from above, revealing a much different woman. Miki''s appearance changed to that of a tall woman with ck wolfcut hair, wearing a T-shirt and vest, long jeans, and brownbat boots.


    What surprised Arthur was the big change in her boobs. Previously, Miki''s boobs weren''t so big in her child-like appearance.


    However, what appeared before Arthur was different. The size was perhaps on the same scale as Laurette''s.


    "You can even change the shape of this one," Arthur said.


    "That''s easy for me. I can shape it to the size of a watermelon," said Miki confidently.


    "Owh, that''s too much."


    Laurette and the rest of the Celestial Water group stammered. The goddess they revered and worshipped had now changed her appearance to that of an ordinary woman like any other adventurer.


    Laurette stepped up to Miki, not wanting to lose her group''s existence. The woman wanted Miki to return to the Celestial Falls and continue blessing the Celestial Waters, but Miki''s response surprised her.


    "Bless you people? Don''t be kidding! You never gave me anything," Miki said, annoyed.


    "B-But all those dedication rituals. Aren''t you happy with¡ª"


    "No, I don''t. It''s disgusting. Every time you do that, my ce gets a fishy smell!" Mikiined.


    Arthur smiled and chuckled,pletely caught by Miki. The man invited Miki to leave the ce at once. Miki nodded and started to understand who Arthur was in Thania''s eyes.


    Laurette kept shouting the name of their group''s goddess, but Miki did not want to return there. The water in the waterfall became normal, no longer glowing at night. Many Celestial Water members resigned after Laurette failed to convince them.


    Arthur and Miki left the snowy mountains to arrive at the Sky Sword base. ording to the information from Niam, the person from Snow Peak, the location of Sky Sword was in the opposite direction of the snowy mountains. Enjoy more content from empire


    The two flew in the sky with blue and purple light stretching out to follow them on their journey.


    Several adventurers from different groups saw the scene and gasped in shock, including those from the Night Liberators.


    In the distance, the Sky Sword group''s g was clearly visible, fluttering with a white background atop their base building.


    Sara, Karen, and Mona were nowhere to be seen. Arthur guessed they were already resting in their rooms.


    Arthur and Mikinded outside Sky Sword''s gate, startling the two gatekeepers. One of them stepped up to Arthur, asking him about his identity.


    "I''m Arthur. I came here with the 13th Squad," Arthur replied.


    "13th Squad? I understand."


    One of the gatekeepers invited Arthur and the woman beside him to enter the base. Arthur said yes while looking at how big Sky Sword''s base was on the 14th floor.


    The guard said that Sky Sword was the biggest group on the 14th floor, no one dared to threaten them. Currently, Nathan was the one leading Sky Sword on this floor.


    Since Sara came with a mandate letter, they were wee to rest at Sky Sword''s guest house. The ce would provide all the facilities to help the 13th squad ascend the floor quickly.


    Arthur saw the guest house from the building corridor after the guard pointed it out. They stepped closer to the ce, Miki following behind.


    Karen, who was rxing in the front yard of the house, weed Arthur''s presence. Karen squinted, curious about the identity of the woman Arthur had invited.


    "Who is she?" Karen asked.


    "Her name is Miki. She''s a Kitsune," Arthur replied, without hiding Miki''s identity.


    "Wha-What, a Kitsune? You mean she''s one of the mythological races?"


    Miki smiled as she stepped forward and asked for a handshake, "Hello, I''m Miki. Nice to meet you."


    "I''m Karen."


    Karen stepped closer to Arthur and whispered something to him right after being introduced to Miki.


    "What the hell is going on?" Karen asked.


    "I''ll exin to youter."

 Chapter 122 Sky Sword 14th Practice

    "Who spoke? What was the power just now?" asked the woman before Arthur, frightened as she went back to unbutton the top of her pajamas.


    "What do you think?"


    The woman shook her head, having no idea who and where the voice yelling at her hade from. Arthur smiled, having been saved from the woman''s temptation by Aerith''s anger.


    "Anyway, I''ll give you another gift. Just tell me what you need, and I''ll give it to you," the woman said.


    Arthur was silent, not giving any response, either nodding or denying it by shaking his head. Winning or losing was another matter; Arthur needed to think about Nathan''s ability.


    "How?" the woman asked, wanting to get Arthur''s confirmation.


    The man smiled, rising from his bed as he approached the woman. He was d Nathan''s aide hade to visit him, but it waste, and it was not good for a woman to be in a man''s room for so long.


    The door to the house opened, Arthur invited the woman to step away from the guest house. To his surprise, another door behind Arthur opened, showing the figure of Miki, who was disturbed in her sleep due to active magic fluctuations.


    "I feel a huge active magic fluctuation. What''s happening?" asked Miki, curious with a half-sleepy face.


    "That''s me trying out my new magic. You may go to sleep, Miki."


    Miki cleared her throat, her right hand raised to cover her gaping mouth asionally, yawning often. The Kitsune woman stepped inside and closed the door, Arthur could breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Looks like a lot of Sky Sword members will be watching tomorrow''s practice," Arthur muttered as he stepped back into his room.


    He closed the door and locked it securely. Arthury on the bed with his eyes upward, staring at the bedroom ceiling.


    ''The raid will open in three or four days; it wouldn''t hurt to use my best strength in tomorrow''s practice,'' Arthur said.


    ''No! You''d better save your strength; don''t pull out all your aces,'' countered Aerith.


    When Arthur''s room waspletely quiet, a maroon light mixed with purple emerged and flew from Arthur''s forehead. The light stopped hovering right above Arthur''s body.


    The purple-maroon light changed its shape to its original form, and the figure of Aerith was present above Arthur''s body, not making Arthur surprised or frightened.@@novelbin@@


    Arthur smiled. He reached forward to stroke Aerith''s cheek, which felt soft and white.


    "Did you miss me, Aaron?" asked Aerith, speaking softly and tenderly.


    Aaron nodded. His eyes moved from looking into Aerith''s eyes to looking down at her beautiful breasts ¡ªAaron''s most favorite. Aaron''s hands tried to reach heaven, but Aerith didn''t mind.


    "Ignore her. You have me, Aaron," Aerith said, brushing Aaron''s lips gently and warmly.


    "I know. I don''t need anything else. All I need is you."


    Aaron held Aerith''s body and let hery on her back on the bed. Aerith''s face was blushing bright red, her pupils dted with her arms out to the sides, exposing her body, ready to be exploited by Aaron.


    The man released his magic light upwards, the purple magic spread and stuck to every corner of the ce, making the room seem soundproof.


    "You can scream all you want, Aerith."


    "Do it. Give all your love to me tonight, Aaron."


    ***


    The next day.


    The practice field of the 14th Sky Sword Base.


    Arthur had already prepared himself for the practice this time. The woman who came to Arthurst night hade again, not to offer her body but to lead their way to the practice ground.


    ''Her attitude is amazing. Last night, she acted like a slut. Now, she''s acting like a knight in shining armor,'' Arthur said, squinting at the woman.


    She said that 150 Sky Sword members woulde to watch the practice. They had rarely seen their captain fight before, so it was natural that they would be interested in this practice.


    People started talking about Arthur, the man from the 13th squad who managed to climb the floor all the way to the 14th floor.


    Not only that, but they also talked about Arthur and the 13th squad getting a mandate letter from Andrew.


    Written in the mandate letter, they were special envoys sent by the 10th Sky Sword branch to ascend the floor.


    The power of the mandate letter was great, which was why every Sky Sword base on every floor had to give special favor to them.


    From a distance, Arthur could hear themotion echoing before him. There was a field with a tiled base.


    The field felt higher than the average ground around it. Arthur thought it was more of a stage than a practice field.


    In the surrounding area, dozens of Sky Sword members sat in the stands to watch the practice.


    They apuded when Arthur arrived at the field. Nathan was already on the field, standing tall with his eyes closed.


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    The woman informed Nathan of Arthur''s arrival. Nathan opened his eyes and saw Arthur on the same field as him. He nodded in agreement, pleased that Arthur hade.


    "Are you afraid?" asked Nathan.


    Nathan''s right hand pulled a steel sword from its sheath. One pull of the sword caused electricity to spark in the arena. Arthur squinted as he felt a change in the energy of the lightning strikes.


    ''Did he just do some energy maniption?'' asked Arthur, curious.


    Not to be outdone, Arthur summoned purple magic in his hand and manipted it into a whip, an unfamiliar weapon for sure.


    ''Unusual energy density. I''ve seen energy like this before. He''s a Dark Element user,'' Nathan exined, staring intently at the purple magic in Arthur''s hand.


    A man was refereeing the exercise. When a handkerchief fell to the floor, Nathan and Arthur darted quickly forward and attacked each other.


    CLING!


    Although Arthur''s weapon was notpletely steel, when it shed with Nathan''s sword, both made their own sound, the distinctive sound of metal shing.


    Thanks to the purple whip that seemed flexible to Arthur, he couldnd light strikes on Nathan''s body. Nathan sensed Arthur''s attack was effective. He jumped back and sheathed his sword.


    Arthur did the same, still activating his hand''s purple magic of weapon maniption. Arthur''s eyes stared focused ahead, wanting to know what Nathan was doing.


    Nathan stretched his hand forward, starting to use his elemental magic ability. He released three medium-sized fireballs ahead. Arthur was cautious.


    His hand changed from a purple magic whip to a protective magic wall. Just when he thought Nathan''s fireball attack would be blocked by his magic, Arthur gasped as three fireballs turned into lightning strikes.


    "What? Is this what they call energy maniption?" asked Arthur.


    Three lightning arrows shed with Arthur''s magic wall, the man felt the strong power of Nathan, even though it was just three ordinary lightning arrows.


    ''How strong is he actually?" asked Arthur.


    "Explode!" said Nathan, again turning the three lightning arrows into fireballs, creating an explosion and soaring ck smoke.


    People apuded. They had expected that Nathan would win easily over Arthur. Some of them even gave a standing ovation.


    "Did he lose already?" asked Nathan''sdy aide.


    "Arthur can''t have lost that easily. It seems Nathan has given him something exciting to do."


    Arthur swung his arms aside, clearing away the ck smoke to let people see he was surviving. The other Sky Sword members were shocked, stopping their apuse as they pointed to the sky.


    The man was flying using his talent. Nathan smiled andughed, feeling more challenged by Arthur.


    "Looks like you''re getting serious this time, Arthur."


    "Sure, you''re a worthy opponent for me."

 Chapter 125 Paid-Off Debt

    ***


    Two dayster.


    The guest house of the 14th Sky Sword base.


    With his condition fully recovered, Arthur could do other things, such as training, rxing, or walking.


    Currently, he was rxing while enjoying the serenity of the ce, apanied by a cup of hot tea on the wooden table in the front yard.


    Unlike the Blue Wheat Group''s guest house, Sky Sword 14th''s guest house had arge front yard, filled with green grass.


    Karen normally used the front yard for her training sessions. At this moment, Arthur casually noticed Karen swinging her ming sword, showing off certain moves.


    WOSH!


    With a forward lunge, the mes, along with a strong wind, shook the ground and blew away the leaves on the trees. The leaves fell, and cuts were made on the tree''s trunk.


    The woman seemed to take a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. She sheathed her ming sword and took out a white handkerchief to wipe the sweat from the top of her head.


    "What do you think?" asked Karen, smiling at Arthur lounging around.


    "Your moves are getting more skillful, your magic aura is getting stronger. That''s a good sign, Karen," Arthur exined.


    Karen smiled, feeling pleased that Arthur hadplimented her so well. Karen stepped towards the man, smiling as she sat on one of the wooden chairs around the table.


    "I''m looking forward to the raid," Karen said.


    "With your skills, I think you can significantly damage those monsters."


    The woman with the fire sword at her waist smiled, agreeing with what Arthur had said. Karen felt quite confident that she could significantly impact Squad 13 during the raid.


    In the distance, Karen and Arthur saw Silvaing from the building''s corridor. Arthur narrowed his eyes as he gulped down the drink in his ss; Silva should havee to pay her debt.


    Arthur smiled. He got up from his seat and stepped closer to Silva. The woman seemed to be walking towards the house without carrying anything. Arthur realized that she had the item in her inventory.


    "How?" asked Arthur.


    "I got it, though it''s not an MP Crystal level 5," Silva said.


    The woman stretched her hand forward, disying her palm filled with five pieces of MP Crystal level 4. Arthur squinted, taking one of the five items.


    "How is it?" asked Silva, curious.


    Arthur gave Silva a strong look while looking at the identification of the item in his hand. A system panel appeared and exined the item''s details to Arthur.


    [Item Details:]


    [Item: MP Crystal]


    [Grade: 4]


    [Description: Able to increase one''s MP capacity by 20000 MP per item].


    By having five MP Crystal items, Arthur could ensure that he got an additional 100,000 MP capacity. That was more than enough and allowed him to have more than 300,000 MP at the moment.


    "Does it have to be MP Crystal level 5?" asked Silva, worried that the item would not meet Arthur''s expectations.


    The man sighed, then cleared his throat while shaking his head. His hand reached forward and took the five items, cing them on Arthur''s palm.


    "This is enough!"


    CRUSH!


    With a hand gesture of crushing the MP Crystals, a stream of magic energy flowed from the five crushed MP Crystals into Arthur''s body through his forehead. Arthur closed his eyes, feelingfortable when magic energy entered his body.


    [MP Capacity +100,000]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [MP: 257000/357000] [MP Capacity +100000]


    A system panel appeared before Arthur, showing his total MP capacity of 357,000. With that amount of MP capacity, Arthur had nothing to fear from using the ultimate sub-talent of his main talent.


    Silva and Karen nced over briefly, then gasped with their mouths agape when they noticed that Arthur had a total MP capacity of over 300,000.


    It didn''t make sense to Silva that a mage who had only reached the 14th floor already had such arge amount of MP capacity.


    "W-Why do you have such arge MP capacity, Arthur?" Karen asked.


    "That''s not what you need to think about, Karen."


    Silva shook her head, not really caring about Arthur''s MP capacity. All she needed to do was make sure that Arthur''s needs were met so that he would no longer owe her money.


    "Yes. It''s more than enough," Arthur replied.


    With nothing more to say, Silva said goodbye and wished the 13th Squad the best. Silva also told them Nathan had prepared equipment to help the 13th Squad with the raid.


    "Send my thanks to him, Ms. Silva," Arthur said, and Silva cleared her throat in agreement.


    "For your information, the raid announcement will appear this afternoon. You''d better be prepared because the raid will open tomorrow morning," Silva replied.


    ''How does she know this for sure?" Arthur asked.


    Silva added that the 14th Sky Sword raid team would join the raid. Their main task was to clean up and improve the other squads'' abilities, not challenge the floor boss.


    "If you want to cooperate, we can help you get rid of the monsters along the route to the floor boss," replied Silva, offering cooperation.


    "That''s great, we can¡ª"


    Arthur cut Karen off by taking her hand. Karen''s attention was drawn to the side, staring at Arthur, who had a stern and serious expression.


    "What''s wrong?" Karen asked.@@novelbin@@


    "Thank you for your offer. However, the 13th Squad will be on their own this time. As for the monsters, we''re confident we can defeat them," Arthur replied to Silva.


    Silva looked strongly at Arthur. There was another reason for the man to interrupt Karen''s speech and say that he and the 13th squad would try to defeat the maze monsters alone. Still, Silva didn''t know what it was.


    In the end, the woman did not impose her will on Arthur. Instead, they would still help the 13th squad by adding to their equipment. Arthur appreciated it even more.


    Arthur and Karen watched Silva leave from the front yard of the guest house. When Silva was out of sight, Karen asked Arthur what he meant by interrupting her.


    "We''d rather try to defeat the maze monster than have them do that," Arthur replied.


    "Why? Couldn''t we save our MP with their help?"


    "You don''t understand what I mean."


    The man exined that killing the maze monster was better than killing the floor boss ¡ªunless she got thest hit.


    Karen could get ast hit if she defeated a maze monster, earning her more EXP and TP than killing a floor boss.


    Also, don''t forget about the experience. The 13th squad was not Arthur''s eternal squad. After the 25th floor, Arthur will split up with them.


    That makes Sara and the others have to get stronger because of their abilities, not because of Arthur''s power reliance. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    The quick way was for them to kill many maze or wild monsters. However, since the abilities of wild monsters are sometimes unstable ¡ªstronger or weaker. So, the maze monsters could be their focus.


    Karen listened to Arthur''s exnation, then nodded in understanding while clenching her right palm. Now, she fully knew why Arthur had refused Silva''s help.


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Monster Raid in Dark Pir Tower will open soon]


    [All adventurers are requested to prepare]


    [Countdown until Monster Raid Gate opens]


    [00:11:59:43]


    The blue panel of the monster raid notification appeared before Arthur. Arthur smiled. What Silva said was true.


    "The Dark Pir Gate will open at five in the morning. We must gather and prepare ourselves," Arthur said, Karen agreed.


    Just before stepping inside, Karen''s steps halted when she wondered about Miki''s participation. Arthur said that Miki would be joining.


    "She can''t be separated from Thalenia. She wille with us."

 Chapter 127 White Scorpion

    With Arthur''s ability, he pointed his hand forward to cast purple magic from the magic circle before his palm.


    Sara joined in. She reached out and brought up two ck chains from both palms. The chains stretched straight ahead and shackled the White Scorpion''s body firmly.


    With one hand motion, like pulling an object, Sara knocked the monster down and made it lie on the ground.


    Even so, the amount of damage dealt was not significant. The monster''s HP bar was still green, with four HP bars.


    "Karen!" Arthur ordered. Karen nodded in understanding.


    The woman drew her fire sword and sprinted, the speed of her steps increasing every second. Arthur stared intently at the fire sword.


    He felt an intense me magic aura rising and zing in the area around the de.


    With her talent, Karen leaped into the sky and swung her ming sword up and down. A damage panel appeared before Karen as the woman attacked the monster and jumped back to Arthur''s side.


    [Damage +35000]


    [Monster: White Scorpion]


    [Leve: 97]


    [HP: 80000/115000] [-35000]


    Arthur smiled. Since ice was a change of element from the water base element, mes could be a powerful element in defeating the White Scorpion.


    "How was it? Can you attack it again?" asked Arthur, still pointing his right hand forward.


    "I don''t know. I need to watch the situation to attack it again," Karen replied.


    The White Scorpion hissed as if to show that it didn''t like how things were going. The monster was seen stomping its feet on the ground, shaking it and causing many rocks from the cave roof to fall.


    Arthur stopped his magic and focused his protective magic upwards, protecting everyone in the ce.


    The falling boulders were blocked by Arthur''s purple protective magic, the boulders vaporized as soon as they came into contact.


    ''Luckily, that monster doesn''t have a regen effect. We can defeat it bybining forces,'' Arthur replied.


    After seeing no more rocks falling on his head, Arthur dispelled the purple protective magic and stepped forward close to Sara and Niam.


    "Do you have a n?" asked Niam.


    "We attack it with the best long-range magic we have."


    "But does that kill it instantly?" asked Sara.


    "I don''t know. That much HP might require twobo attacks," replied Arthur.


    The 13th Squad had six people, while Niam''s Squad had five. There were a total of 11 people in this ce. Five of them had good attack skills: Arthur, Karen, Sara, Niam, and Hugo.


    The remaining six acted as support, including Mona and Thalenia. They all began to line up ording to their capabilities.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [ws of Darkness]


    [MP -28000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 329000/357000] [-28000]


    Arthur was the first to unleash the power of his talent. Niam and Hugo gasped in surprise. They both felt that the magic energy fluctuations in Arthur''s talent were very strong, different from before when they first met.


    Sara and Karen responded with nods. They stared ahead and prepared their sub talents, a powerful ranged attack against monsters like the White Scorpion.


    Karen brought up her fire sword talent, disying 10 swords burning in mes. She was ready tond her second attack on the monster.


    Sara was ready with two chains with sharp edges. The woman was ready to pierce the scorpion''s body and deal significant damage.


    Niam and Hugo had summoned their magic talents, Arthur felt the four beside him ready to attack the monster to the best of their abilities. Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    With a forward swing, Arthur sent three scythe shes belonging to the lion''s w to dart toward the scorpion monster, followed by attacks from the others.


    [Damage +54500]


    [Monster: White Scorpion]


    [Leve: 97]


    [HP: 25500/115000] [-54500]


    With just one sub-talent, Arthur had already taken half of the monster''s total current HP. However, he could not defeat it in a single attack. That made ast hit unlikely.


    Karen sent her attack forward, and the swords dug into the monster''s body, which dealt enough damage. Sara, Hugo, and Niam didn''t want to be outdone.


    [Monster: White Scorpion]@@novelbin@@


    [Leve: 97]


    [HP: 0/115000] [-64500]


    ''Even thebined strength of four people managed to deal slightly more damage than Arthur''s individual damage. How strong is this guy really?'' Niam asked as he saw the damage system panel appear before him.


    When attacks were simultaneous like this, only the system would decide who got thest hit before the monster died. Arthur nced at them because he felt one would get it, not him.


    [DING! Congrattions on getting thest hit]


    [EXP +56000]


    [DING! Congrattions on leveling up]


    [Level 66 -> Level 67]


    [TP +28000]


    [WARNING! Talent Point is full. Immediately do Talent Ascension]


    [RL +20000]


    [Item Obtained]


    [3 Crystal MP Level 3]


    [2 HP Potion Level 4]


    [4 MP Elixir Level 2]


    [3 Blue Amethyst Gem]


    [4 Water Element Beast Fragment Level 2]


    Arthur turned his head to the side. It was not Hugo and Niam who got it, nor was it Sara, but Karen. Apparently, Karen''s me sword attack managed to kill the monster before the other attacks hit it.


    [DING! Congrattions, you have participated in the fight]


    [EXP +15200]


    [TP +7600]


    [RL +5000]


    Even though Arthur didn''t defeat it directly, the damage he dealt to the monster in battle was still counted as a contribution by the system. He gained EXP, TP, and RL even though he got no other items.


    Karen smiled happily, jumping for joy as she stepped forward. Not only had she leveled up, but Karen had gotten items and a few other things.


    What Arthur said was true, ording to Karen. It would be a waste if the 13th squad didn''t clear the monsters along the route to the floor boss. This opportunity could allow them to level up and gain abilities easily.


    "Congrattions on getting thest hit," Niam said, stepping closer to Arthur and Karen.


    Karen cleared her throat, then said yes with a smile and a thank you. Arthur reached out to shake Niam''s hand. Niam''s squad no longer had to worry about the monster threat.


    "We don''t n to challenge the floor boss. At the next intersection, we will turn right," Niam replied.


    "Do you have a map?" asked Arthur. Niam shook his head.


    "Exploring the maze with a map is easy, but adventuring without knowing the direction will be fun and challenging. Isn''t that right?" Niam asked.


    Arthur smiled slightly while responding with a soft nod. The two separated after the white scorpion monster died. Niam''s squad took the route to the right, while the 13th Squad took the route to the left.


    Sara was still wondering how many monsters they would face again. Before Arthur could reply to Sara''s words, they were immediately confronted with tworge white bear monsters.


    [Monster Details]


    [Monster: Snow Fang Bear]


    [Level: 96]


    [HP: 110000/110000]


    [MP: 115000/115000]


    [Element: Water]


    Arthur turned his head to the side with a bitter smile, seeing Sara shocked at directly meeting another monster.


    "Do you need my help?"

 Chapter 129 Something about Dark Creatures

    Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    Ten minutes after Mona managed to defeat the Snow Fang Bear monster, Karen and Sara did so. Sara got thest hit and managed to level up to level 66, while Mona didn''t due tocking 10000 EXP.


    Sara stepped closer to Arthur and Mona. The woman congratted Mona for getting thest hit earlier, also praising the ability of the purple light sword released by Arthur.


    From the power emitted, it was certain that the power could kill other monsters that had lower levels. However, Arthur didn''t want to do so as his current duty was only to help Mona.


    Getting thest hit from the monster they killed made Arthur happy, at least the three women already knew the purpose of refusing the 14th Sky Sword raid team to help their raid.


    Thalenia stepped up to Arthur, with Miki at her side. The woman wasn''t helping, but she continued to supply Arthur with HP and MP regen. If Sara and the others were injured, Thania would help them recover.


    Miki was the same, but since her initial goal was to stay with Thalenia, Miki felt no obligation to help the 13th squad kill every monster.


    With Arthur''s abilities, Miki felt confident that Squad 13 would be fine until the 17th floor.


    After recovering enough, Arthur asked them to continue their journey. Sara nodded, as did Karen and Mona. The three walked after Arthur from behind.


    Sara drank the MP Elixir and managed to recover her MP count. She asked Arthur about the route to the floor boss room. To ensure Sara, Arthur opened the maze map again.


    Arthur stopped his steps, Sara nced to the side and saw the digital map that appeared on Arthur''s system panel.


    There were green arrow-shaped directions leading Arthur and the 13th Squad to the original destination, the floor boss room.


    "ording to these directions, it is certain that there are five or six monsters left," Arthur replied.


    "Six monsters? Didn''t you say there were 15 monsters at the beginning? We''ve only killed three, so there should be twelve, right?" asked Karen, arriving near Arthur.


    "That''s right. But the red dots along this path are monsters. If I count carefully, there aren''t as many as before," Arthur replied.


    Sara squinted as her right hand rubbed her chin, trying to figure out what was going on. Arthur thought the same thing, there are two possibilities for this.


    First, the monster is moving in search of other humans. Second, the other monsters had already been killed by other adventurers.@@novelbin@@


    However, between the two, Arthur couldn''t be sure. The most important thing for them was that the number of monsters decreased before reaching the floor boss room.


    "We''ll find out as we walk forward," Arthur exined.


    Sara and the others responded with a nod. Arthur took another step forward to arrive at the third intersection. There, Arthur had to take a route to the left to reach the floor boss''s room.


    Between the third and fourth intersections, there were no monsters threatening them. Traces of monsters were visible, but they were directed in another direction at the fifth intersection.


    After passing the fifth intersection, Arthur halted his steps and looked ahead. There, he saw three medium-sized snakes with white tufts like chicken tufts along the snake''s back.


    Arthur again told Sara and the others to take advantage of this. Arthur said that he would help from behind.


    The three women immediately summoned their beast servants, appeared before them and lunged forward ording to their master''s orders.


    Arthur nodded, it seemed that the snake monster was much weaker than the previous two types of monsters.


    Just when Arthur was about to help, Karen managed to solve his problem. The woman immediately helped Sara and Mona without taking theirst hit.


    Thirty minutes into their tense battle, the three women finally won with a sense of relief in their hearts.


    Arthur apuded, congratting them for improving so much from before. The man gave each of them HP Potion and MP Elixir, and they immediately drank it without hesitation.


    "Arthur," Sara called, Arthur turned his head while looking forward, watching the maze corridor path.


    "It looks like me and the others won''t be able to help much when fighting the floor boss. I think, it could be¡ª"


    "Don''t worry, Sara. I''ll take down that floor boss," Arthur replied, interrupting Sara''s words.


    Sara nodded and smiled in relief at that. She stepped back to return near Karen and Mona. There were only three monsters left that needed to be exterminated before arriving at the floor boss room. The three women could do it without Arthur''s help.


    At intersection nine, they encountered three snow ogre-shaped monsters. Arthur squinted, the monster matched what Niam had described to him the other day. However, Sara and the others showed no sign of fear whatsoever.


    They attacked with confidence, bringing out their sub talents to the fullest. Arthur stood near Thalenia and Miki, keeping a close eye on the battle in front of them.


    "It seems they can handle this without any help from you anymore," Thalenia said.


    "That''s right, just to raid the maze monsters. However, they''re still not fit to fight a floor boss," Arthur said.


    "What exactly do you want to do with them, Arthur?" asked Miki.


    Arthur sighed with his arms crossed. For now, he just needed to help the remaining squad of 13 get stronger before arriving at Lilith City.


    After arriving there, Arthur would leave it up to them to either continue up the floors or return to the 10th floor.


    However, Arthur''s definite purpose was to go up to the 100th floor and obtain the Dark Ruler Title, no matter what it took.


    The man exined to Miki so that she would understand how great a burden Arthur was currently carrying.


    "When one manages to ascend to the 100th floor and bes the Dark Ruler, he has the power to rule over all dark creatures."


    "Mythological races include dark creatures, though not as dark as monsters. It''s like we are the result of crossbreeding humans with monsters in the ancient past," Miki replied.


    Arthur was curious about Miki''s first remark, about being able tomand all dark creatures.


    "Does it mean that if I leave the Dark Pir Tower and return to the surface, I can summon wild monsters and wreak havoc on the Integrity Knight headquarters?" Arthur asked.


    "I don''t know what the Integrity Knight is, but it can be if you hold the Dark Ruler''s g."


    ''This is interesting, really interesting.''

 Chapter 131 The Defeated 14th Floor Boss

    They stepped in and were immediately greeted with a change in the ce''s temperature. Arthur noticed it and soon used his purple magic ability to neutralize the magic in the ce.


    Thanks to Arthur''s magic, Sara and Mona could feel the temperature warming up around them. The ice monster before them gasped, then roared loudly along with a gust of freezing cold wind.


    [Servant]


    [Servant Activated]


    [1. Jack the Ripper]


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [3. Genghis Khan]


    [MP -49000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 308000/357000] [-49000]


    The figures of three soul servants appeared before Arthur. Two servants appeared in a kneeling pose to salute while one servant stood proudly while crossing his arms.


    Genghis Khan smiled widely andughed loudly. He saw a monster native to the Himyas, a ce he failed to invade due to the rough terrain. This time, he did not expect to meet the Yeti in this situation.


    "I don''t know if the Yeti can live at room temperature or not, but I will not be afraid of your threat!" said Genghis Khan.


    Without listening to Arthur''smands, the man brought out his two swords and arge, muscr horse. Genghis Khan charged forward while constantly dealing damage to the monster.


    [Damage +10250]


    [Damage +7689]


    [Damage +8852]


    [Triple Combo! Great!]


    [Monster: Giant Yeti]


    [HP: 123209/150000] [-26791]


    Arthur saw damage panels popping up before him, indicating that Genghis Khan''s attack had sessfully hit the monster.


    He looked forward to seeing Jack the Ripper and Gregori Rasputin. Now, it was the two servants'' turn to show their strength.


    "Yes. We''ll do our best, Master!"


    Jack and Rasputin disappeared quickly from Arthur''s sight. A white mist appeared in the area around the Yeti Giant.


    It was the ability of Jack the Ripper''s ultimate sub-talent, the Illusion of Thousand ss.


    With the ultimate sub-talent, Jack could project clones of himself out of the mist in the hundreds, thennd a relentless barrage of attacks on the monster.


    [Damage +25400]


    [Damage +27800]


    [Damage +31200]


    [Triple Combo! Great]


    [Monster: Giant Yeti]


    [HP: 38809/150000] [-84400]


    Jack and Genghis Khan returned near Arthur after dealing significant damage. Now, it was Rasputin''s turn to do so. If he could deal more damage, the Yeti would be defeated by Arthur alone.


    Sara, Karen, and Mona were again in awe of Arthur''s abilities. It was because he could deal significant damage to the Giant Yeti monster.


    From their eyes, they saw that the Giant Yeti only had one red HP bar left, a sign that the monster had entered a critical stage.


    "With the attacks from two servants, it''s more than enough to make the monster critical," Karen replied.


    "Do we need to help him?" asked Sara, Karen shook her head slowly.


    "No, we don''t. He''s already helping us. The only way we can help him now is by not interfering in his fight," said Karen. Sara and Mona agreed.


    Just as Rasputin was about to attack, his steps were dyed by a strange move from the monster. The yeti was seen raising his hand and throwing a snowball into the sky of the floor boss''s room.


    Arthur saw the incident, which, of course, was not a good one. He raised his hand and brought up a purple shield in two ces, the surrounding area and where Sara was.


    BOM!


    The snowball exploded and created an eternal snow cloud in the room. The first snowkes fell onto the floor of the boss room.


    Arthur thought these snowkes would work as nerf defense for adventurers, but that was not the case.


    Each snowke that fell generated another 50 cm/19 inches tall monster that looked like a snowman. The nose was made of cones, and the hands were made of wooden branches.


    Even though they were living snowmen, they were still dangerous as monsters.


    "It''s been a horrible nightmare," Karenined as hundreds of snowmen of the same height walked towards Arthur at once.


    "I think we should start helping him," Sara said.


    Arthur refused. He would assign Rasputin and Jack to look after them. This time, the situation wasplicated; the slightest mistake could be fatal to their safety.


    Jack and Rasputin agreed to what they were told. They began to guard Sara and the others from the puppet threat, hoping that they would be fine when Arthur did his job of defeating them.


    Genghis Khan returned on horseback and rode around the ce. He defeated the snowman monster as easily as if he were tearing apart an enemy on the battlefield.


    Arthur smiled. He began to activate one of his sub-talents. With the ability of that sub-talent, he could defeat more snowmen and maybe even go as far as defeating the Yeti monster.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [ws of Darkness]


    [MP -28000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 280000/357000] [-28000]


    With a forward swing of his hand, he created a w of darkness attack aimed directly at the mother of snowman monsters, the Giant Yeti.


    The Giant Yeti had been silent and was recovering. It used many snowmen to protect it while recovering.


    As the Yeti''s eyes opened, he saw Arthur''s purple magic attack directed at him. Stretching out his hand, the Yeti resisted Arthur''s power with all his might but waspletely unsessful.


    [Damage +12400]


    [Damage +21500]


    [Damage +15000]


    [Triple Combo! Great]


    The three attacks of the ws of darkness managed to defeat the monster. The Yeti''s body seemed to crack, and many falling snowmen melted.


    Arthur smiled; the threat of the Giant Yeti had beenpletely dealt with.


    BOM!


    The Yeti''s body shed white and exploded into tiny pieces. Arthur reached out his hand to block the monster''s explosion using purple magic. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    Gradually, the pieces of the Yeti''s body vaporized and disappeared into the sky.


    [DING! Congrattions on killing the floor boss]


    [EXP +75000]


    [TP +37500]


    [Select talent for TP allocation:]


    [1. Dark Dimension Reality]


    [2. Gravity Maniption]


    [30000 RL]


    [Item Obtained:]


    [6 Crystal MP level 5]


    [4 HP Potion level 3]


    [5 MP Elixir level 3]


    [5 Blue Amethyst Gem level 2]


    [Himyan Ice Cloak]


    [Eternal Ice de Spear]


    Despite getting arge amount of EXP, it was confirmed that the amount obtained did not reach the required amount to level up. Arthur had expected it; the higher the level, the more EXP needed.


    [CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [You have sessfullypleted the Dark Pir''s fourteenth-floor boss challenge]


    [The next floor of Dark Pir Tower has been unlocked]


    [Floor ess Privilege: 15]


    [Want to go to the next floor?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Arthur got the panel, and all the members of the 13th squad got it. Sara smiled, stepping closer to Arthur, saying she had also gained ess to the 15th floor.


    The door opened, Arthur invited them to leave the floor boss room. Outside the room, he saw two other groups waiting for their turn to challenge the floor boss. The floor boss room cooldown time appeared for 30 minutes.


    "Did you defeat the monster? What''s its power?" asked the captain of the other group.


    "If you want to know, you have to fight it."@@novelbin@@


    With the samemand, Arthur and the others in the 13th Squad group pressed the confirmation menu to instantly teleport to the next floor.


    [Teleportation to the next floor confirmed]


    [Destination: 15]


    [Initiate teleportation to destination in five minutes:]


    [00:00:04:59]

 Chapter 134 Short Recon

    A deal had been made between them. Tris turned to the right, her bodyguard fully understanding the gesture the woman was showing.


    Sky Sword 15th had a guest house that Sky Sword''s guests used to stay in. This time, their guests were the 13th Squad.


    Arthur nodded, and so did the others. One by one, they left the ce towards the north of the base, the location of the group''s guest house.


    Sara walked up to Arthur. She asked the basic question of why Arthur had epted Tris'' deal. The man was still silent.


    There was no point in him exining the reason to Sara. Instead, letting Sara know the reason would cause her endless anxiety.


    From a distance, Arthur saw a wooden house that wasn''t so big. Whenpared to the guest houses on the 14th floor and 11th floor -Owned by the Blue Wheat group. The guest house before Arthur was far from nice or clean.


    "Did you guys never take care of this ce before?"ined Arthur.


    "This is what we have now. If you don''t like it, you can sleep on the road!" scolded Tris''s bodyguard, showing no sign of being friendly to Arthur.


    The door to the house opened. Sara and Karen just sighed at the condition inside, but Miki loudly said something that surprised them, including the male guard.


    "Pathetic ce, just as pathetic as your group!" growled Miki.


    "What did you say, you fucking cunt?!" snapped the man, not taking it.


    Arthur held the man''s body right outside the guest house door. He wouldn''t let him in and instead advised him to return to where he was, sucking on Tris''s leg.


    "Go back to your ce. You''re no match for her," Arthur said.


    "That woman? Are you blind? I could kill her in five strikes!" threatened the man.


    "I''m warning you, whatever your name is. You will wish you had never fought her," said Arthur.


    Miki was infuriated when the bodyguard continued to underestimate her abilities, when she was a four-tailed kitsune, her strength exceeding any adventurer on this floor.@@novelbin@@


    The woman stepped closer to the wooden house door and bluffed the man simply, emitting her magical aura to make the man step back in fear. The man clearly saw that Miki''s strength exceeded what he had previously imagined.


    "See? I warned you."


    "To hell with all of you!" the man snapped, leaving the house with resentment in his heart.


    Arthur closed the door and turned around. The furniture in the house was sparse and looked old and neglected.


    Dust and cobwebs filled every corner of the room, and the wall paint peeled off due to age. The result of theziness of the 15th Sky Sword members.


    "We can''t stay here. It''s disgusting," Karenined, narrowing her eyes when she saw rat bones lying on the floor.


    Sara tried to calm the others, especially Karen, by saying this ce was much better than dorm 13 on the 10th floor.


    Still, since Karen was used to living in a clean ce these few weeks, she felt strange living in such a dirty ce now.


    "I''ll try to get used to it, Sara."


    "You guys can clean up this ce for a while. I''ll be leaving for a moment."


    Arthur opened the door again and nned to step out. The man''s steps halted when Sara held him back by holding his clothes from behind. Arthur reflexively turned his head.


    "Where are you going?" asked Sara.


    "I need to do some recon into the town. They won''t recognize me."


    Sara gasped, as did Karen. Their deal was to go to the town together if the Sky Sword 15th base couldn''t perform talent ascension.


    They had just arrived at the guest house and would likely find out that informationter that afternoon or tomorrow morning.


    "But you''re still wearing-"


    WOSH!


    In the blink of an eye, Arthur''s suit changed from wearing Sky Sword''s signature blue-white uniform to an all-ck suit with a fancy purple pattern. There was a cape behind his back, which wasn''t too long, leaving Arthur with an elegant impression.


    "They won''t recognize me."


    Karen stepped closer to Sara, then took the woman''s shoulder gently. Sara turned her head, seeing Karen nod her head. Sara had to let Arthur go and not interfere with the agreement between him and Tris.


    In the end, Sara said yes and let Arthur go. Arthur nodded as he thanked her. He promised to return before sunset. Sara and the others would await Arthur''s arrival at the guest house.


    [Secondary Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Neutral Gravity Steps]


    [MP -12500]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 267500/357000] [-12500]


    Arthur''s steps became light enough to fly through the air. With the direction of his body''s movement, the man floated freely in the sky, directed outside the Sky Sword 15th base.


    Arthur''s leaving was always apanied by a trail of purple magic behind him. It could be clearly seen by the other Sky Sword members, causing an uproar among them.


    Tris saw it and squinted. Not only was the powerful purple magic power, but he also had the talent of flying, which was considered quite rare among other adventurers.


    "How strong is he?" asked Tris.


    "Do we need to go after him?"


    The muscr woman shook her head; Arthur''s flying speed was slower than a running pursuit. It would be difficult for them to catch up with the man, so Tris let Arthur go.


    Arthur saw other groupsing out of the Dark Pir from high above. They felt the fluctuation of Arthur''s magic, a strange purple magic floating above them.


    Arthur''s purpose was not to approach them but to arrive before the town and enter it. By not carrying any identity rted to the Sky Sword, Arthur could ensure he could enter the town in peace.


    The town guards wearing ck and red uniforms were stunned when they saw a man dressed in all ck and purple patternsnd firmly before them.


    Fully alert, the two guards activated their talents and were ready to attack Arthur with the skills they had. Arthur raised his hand, indicating he had no bad intentions towards them.


    "What do you want?" the guard asked.


    "I want to enter the town, hoping there''s a town cathedral that can perform the Ascension Talent," Arthur exined.


    "We have a town cathedral, but it can only perform the Ascension Talent at maximum rank A," replied the guard.


    ''I see. Well, that means only Karen and Sara can perform ascension. Looks like I''ll have to wait until I get to Lilith City or return to the 10th floor solely to perform the Ascension Talent,'' Arthur exined.


    "We need to check your party."


    One of the requirements for one''s right to enter the town was to show what their party looked like. It was done to prevent Sky Sword members from sneaking in. However, Arthur didn''t mind. After all, he hadn''t formed a party with Sara and the others.


    In simple terms, Arthur was not part of Sky Sword and was just helping the 13th Squad up the floor without being administratively recorded in the group''s system.


    It should be safe, he thought.


    Arthur pressed his system watch and revealed his party panel. He let the two guards look at the panel, their eyes squinting in focus at the panel.


    [Party Details]


    [Party Name: Aaron Team]


    [Party Title: -]


    [Leader: Aaron (Lv. 85)]


    [Members: ]


    [1. Isabe (Lv. 56)]


    [2. Liel (Lv. 62)]


    [3. Sokia (Lv. 54)]


    [Party Message]


    [Party Mission]


    [Leave Party]


    "Aaron?" asked the guard, feeling familiar with the name.


    "My name is Aaron Arthur," said Arthur, trying to be evasive. Readtest chapters on My Virtual Library Empire


    Although they realized that Aaron''s name was a fugitive from the Night Liberators, there was no denying that Arthur''s face looked different from Aaron. That was thanks to the camouge ability shown by the man''s earrings.


    "He''s someone else. I know how Aaron looks. He''s not our fugitive."


    "It seems so. I feel doubtful about him."


    In the end, Arthur was allowed to enter the town on the condition that he abided by the rules. He was given a paper with the details of the rules Arthur had to keep, he agreed.


    He walked in and saw that the town looked deserted, different from the usual bustle of the town. The alleyways looked dingy and dirty. Several members of the Night Liberators were pacing back and forth doing security patrols.


    ''This is stricter than I thought,'' Arthur said.


    The man walked alone on the main street of the town. The shops were open but didn''t disy many items for sale, as if they were in short supply of items for adventurers.


    Arthur was not interested. His main objective was to go to the town center and find the location of the Night Liberators'' base. He had to know this location so that he could teleport directly after observing the target location.


    Arriving at the town center, he saw arge, sprawling building heavily guarded by hundreds of Night Liberators. Arthur stopped walking, convinced that Salsab was inside one of those rooms.


    "What are you looking at? Get the fuck out of here!" said the guard, noticing Arthur''s strange demeanor.


    Arthur watched the ce for a while, eventually nodding in agreement to their orders. His sight of the 15th Night Liberators base was enough to know Salsab''s location.


    ''Alright. I''ve got the location; I need to n for tomorrow.''

 Chapter 136 Night Liberators 15th Pursuit

    The mother and daughter got better. They offered Arthur food and drink at their restaurant, but Arthur refused. He had to return to his ce to tell Dion that his little family was fine.


    He bid them farewell, walked down the stairs from the second floor, and arrived at the front of the restaurant. When the door slid open, Arthur gasped to see a man in a red and ck uniform arrive. He didn''te alone but with two other men beside him.


    "Move!" the man ordered, but Arthur refused to make way for them.


    The door closed again to prevent them from hearing the conversation between Arthur and the three Night Liberators. One of them was carrying arge wooden box; something inside must be rted to Dion''s family.


    "They are in grief. You can talk to me," Arthur replied firmly.


    It seemed that the three men before Arthur understood their moment of grief. The man standing in the center nodded, saying that he had brought Dion''s decapitated head. As for his body, it would be burned with the other execution prisoners.


    The man handed Arthur the wooden box, and Arthur epted it. Arthur''s eyes were suddenly lit up in a bright purple color, his hands brought out purple mes that could burn the wooden box to ashes.


    This startled the three men from the Night Liberators. They even stepped back some distance away from Arthur.


    "What are you doing?" the man asked, shocked.


    "Burning unimportant things."


    After everything had been burned to ashes, Arthur tossed it aside with a swing of his hand. The dust flew into the sky, dissipating in the wind and spreading to different ces throughout the town.


    Not wanting to stay any longer in the town, the man said goodbye to the three members of the Night Liberators before him. One of them tried to detain Arthur for questioning, but it was toote for them.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Neutral Gravity Steps]


    [MP -12500]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 215000/357000] [-12500]


    With his secondary talent activated, Arthur flew away with a tail of purple light trailing behind him, leaving a trail of small energy fluctuations along the town''s skyline.


    Many members of the Night Liberators watched the scene, and even Salsab watched closely. A direct order from the woman through the speakers across the town, she wanted the flying mage arrested and brought to the main base.


    It created amotion in the town center. Some flew in using the media they had, ranging from swords to summoning their beast servants. Some pursued by running or riding horses.


    There were 70 people in total chasing Arthur, and they came out of town and continued to follow the trail of purple light produced by Arthur''s flying talent.


    He looked back, seeing that 30 people were flying after him with a specific medium, the rest chasing on horseback or running on the ground. That made Arthur gasp.


    ''I can''t possibly direct my aim to the Sky Sword base. I must deal with them before the situation bes moreplicated,'' Arthur exined.


    Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire


    Originally, Arthur was about to return to the base and tell Sara and the others everything he had gotten. But, the pursuit of the Night Liberators didn''t seem like it would end quickly.


    If Arthur insisted on going there, there would only be war and destruction awaiting Sky Sword 15th. That would impact the safety of the 13th Squad.


    Having no other choice, Arthur flew in a different direction and into the dense forest. He lowered his flying altitude and floated through the trees and branches, hoping that it would dy them a bit.


    Sure enough, the ability to fly with a non-living medium would be difficult to control. Of the 30 people who flew after Arthur, 15 were left. They sat on beast servants in the form of eagles, crows, owls, and bats.


    "They''re really stubborn!" Arthurined.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Dark Portal]


    [MP -80000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 135000/357000] [-80000]


    Purple sparks of light appeared on the fingertips of Arthur''s right hand. By pointing his finger forward and swinging to the side, he cut through the dimensional boundary and created a dimensional rift.


    Arthur smiled, looking back as he scoffed at the people chasing him.


    "You will never catch me, never."


    The man flew in and closed the dimensional rift on his own. Not a single member of the Night Liberators could enter; they continued to clench their fists and click their tongues asionally in annoyance.


    "Damn it! We lost him."


    "I can''t feel his energy fluctuations. Did he really disappear?" a female member asked.


    "I don''t know. We should report to Salsab immediately; he might be an intruder from Sky Sword."


    Arriving in the Dark Dimension, Arthur breathed a sigh of relief as he flew up to find Aerith sitting on her ck rose throne. Aerith''s eyes opened, she felt the familiar energy fluctuations through her energy-sensitive aura.


    "Hello, Aaron."


    "Did I interrupt your nap?" Arthur asked.


    "No, no. I am looking at what you just did."


    Aerith rose from her throne and flew gently forward. Her hands rubbed Arthur''s face, neck, and chest as if tempting him to have sex. Arthur noticed that Aerith wanted to, but he couldn''t do so at the time.


    "I understand. You have a lot of work to do," Aerith said.


    The woman in the ck dress brought her mouth to Arthur''s right ear, whispering something under her breath as if she still wanted to tease him.


    "What about the new servant?" asked Aerith softly.


    "New servant?" Arthur was shocked.


    "Yeah. A servant with the SS-R talent, just like Genghis Khan," Aerith said, flying over to Arthur while draping both hands over the man''s shoulders.


    Arthur responded by asking about the identity of the servant. Aerith smiled sweetly as she ced a finger over Arthur''s mouth.


    "You''ll find out when the time is right for you to add a new servant."


    "At least get to level 90, then I''lle see you in person. How about it?" Aerith offered.


    Arthur agreed. After all, he had to work on his level and abilities to get a fourth servant of his soul servant type. Aerith smiled and pped her hands, pleased with Arthur''s decision.


    With a sideways hand gesture, the woman brought up a dimensional rift that Arthur needed to return to his dimension. Aerith said that it led directly to the Sky Sword 15th base, allowing Arthur to escape the pursuit of the Night Liberators.


    "Thank you for your help, Aerith."


    "Anything for you, my love."@@novelbin@@


    Arthur said goodbye. He went into the dimensional rift and left the Dark Dimension. Right after entering, the people in Sky Sword 15th looked up at the sky and saw a strange event happening.


    Tris stepped out and squinted, focusing her eyes on the rift that split the dimensional boundary.


    "What the hell happened?" the bodyguard asked Tris.


    "I don''t know. You''d better prepare for the worst."


    To everyone''s surprise, Arthur walked out of the dimensional rift in the same clothes, undamaged. Arthur''s figure stood tall in the sky as if a sky floor held his body up.


    "T-That''s a member of the 13th Squad."


    Tris clenched her fists in annoyance, realizing the difference in strength between the two was quite significant, "What exactly is he doing?"

 Chapter 137 Night of Abduction

    Arthur looked down, he saw several members of the 15th Sky Sword focusing their eyes on the sky, towards him.


    Unwilling to stay in the center of their attention, Arthur flew across the sky from the location in the front yard of the base to the guest house in the north of the ce.


    The mannded firmly outside the weathered wooden house, the firmnding causing dust to be blown up and scattered all over the ce. Still, it was easy for Arthur to shake it off.


    The door to the house opened, Sara came out with Karen and Mona, who were seen sitting on the deted sofa in the living room. Both turned their heads towards the door, then waved in response to Arthur''s arrival.


    "How was it?" asked Sara, inviting Arthur to enter.


    "I found their base, easy to find. I''ll sneak in at midnight to kidnap Salsabi," said Arthur.


    He looked at the digital clock on his system watch; it was seven in the evening. To carry out his n this time, Arthur had to do it at 12 midnight or 2am at the very least.


    These times were ideal as people were fast asleep. As for the guards? They would probably do a lot of guarding at the town entrance to prevent other intruders from arriving.


    Arthur wouldn''t go there and knock on their gates while saying he was gonna kidnap Salsabi, of course not. He had already mapped out the target location, the 15th Night Liberators base.


    With his Dimensional Portal ability, he could easily navigate to ces he had visited before. That was why the Ultimate Sub Talent of Arthur''s main talent consumed a lot of MP for its activation.


    Then, how about using the Dimensional Portal to climb up or down a floor? Arthur can move ces with the portal to ces he has visited.


    In short, he can only go downstairs without being able to go upstairs.


    The Dimensional Dark Portal ability also allows Arthur to trick the system, given that he traveled across ces through a broken dimensional boundary.


    The system would not detect anything and would not penalize Arthur for the duration of travel time and so on.


    "Sneaking around? Isn''t it too early for you to do that, Arthur?" asked Sara, a look of concern on her face.


    "No, it''s not. I feel that this is the right time for me to do this. If I don''t, I''m afraid I''ll lose the momentum," said Arthur.


    Karen got up from the deted sofa and stepped forward, standing next to Sara as a smile was thrown at Arthur and Sara.


    She said Arthur needed to do his job, even if it cost him his life. The deal between him and Tris had to go through for the 13th Squad to stay in this ce.


    Sara didn''t want to justify it, but she had no choice but toply with what Arthur wanted. Sara took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The woman allowed Arthur to continue with his n.


    Since Arthur was returning, Sara invited him to have dinner together. They had cooked three dishes, but they hadn''t had time to eat them because they were waiting for Arthur''s presence.


    After Arthur arrived, they joined them for dinner. Miki and Thalenia, who initially felt unfamiliar with human food, began to like it when they tasted Sara''s delicious and sweet vors.


    Miki admitted that Sara''s food was the most delicious she had ever eaten in her life. She had no idea that human food could be this delicious. Thalenia was the same, but she responded casually.


    "Besides their base, what else did you find there, Arthur?" asked Sara.


    "I found the Town Cathedral," said Arthur, which surprised Sara and Karen with wide eyes.


    "Cathedral? Can we do Talent Ascension there?" asked Karen, being the most excited.


    "Probably, as the maximum talent rank to perform Ascension is rank A. The three of you have rank A talent," said Arthur.


    "What about you, Arthur?" asked Miki, curious.


    "My main talent is SSS-R; my secondary talent is S-R."


    Sara and the others went to understand why the power of Arthur''s main talent could be so strong; it was due to his talent rank being SSS-R. It was rare or unheard of in the history of Dark Pir Tower for a mage to have a rank of SSS-R.


    ''It seems like the 13th Squad''s gap with Arthur is huge. We couldn''t have even arrived on this floor without that man''s help,'' Sara whispered.


    "If you have this much ability, why don''t you make a new group?" asked Karen.


    "A new group?"


    Arthur felt that the guild feature in the party menu was unlocked. Karen nodded and exined the difference between a party and arge group or guild.


    An adventurer''s party can only hold a maximum of 10 adventurers, has no rights to own gs and territories, and cannot build an official headquarters.


    Guilds can amodate an unlimited number of members, have the right to design a group g and define the boundaries of their floor territory. Guilds also have the right to build their official headquarters and branch bases on each floor.


    Karen exined that many adventurers are trying to build guilds/groups. Still, throughout the history of Dark Pir Tower, only three groups have survived and existed until now: Night Liberators, Sky Sword, and Dimension Justice.


    "With your abilities, you might be able topete with those three major groups."


    ''It''s a wise choice to build my own group, but for now, I don''t want to take any hasty moves. I need to focus on my mission to the 25th floor and remove this ve seal from Andrew.''


    "Thank you. I will consider itter," Arthur exined.


    They also talked about many things. Arthur told him about a small family that was forced to suffer due to the cruel authoritarian system of the Night Liberators.


    In Arthur''s opinion, the people living in the town had no safety for their own lives.


    The talk was long and deep. Karen and Mona said goodbye to go to bed, as did Miki. Thalenia returned to Arthur''s body as her servant''s duration expired, and Miki went to bed.


    Now, Sara was left behind the kitchen bench, washing the dishes and other cooking utensils that had been used in the dinner.


    Arthur stood in the open doorway, hearing the chirping of the crickets and the wind blowing through the ce.


    There wasn''t any sound he could hear; people were already glued to their beds and getting rest. This was the moment Arthur had been waiting for to carry out his n.


    "Are you leaving now?" asked Sara while looking at the clock, which reads half past 1 at night.


    "I think so."@@novelbin@@


    Arthur changed from a purple-patterned ck suit to a Night Liberator uniform. Sara was taken aback by the change in Arthur''s appearance; she had never thought that Arthur would own a Night Liberator outfit.


    "Where did you get it?" asked Sara.


    "At first, I joined the Night Liberators. However, I left their group and kept this uniform."


    "I never thought I would wear this for a second time."


    "Be careful, Arthur," said Sara. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    The man nced back, then replied to Sara''s concerned expression with a broad smile spread across his face.


    "Of course. I''ll be careful."

 Chapter 138 Captain of 15th Night Liberator

    Not by flying or walking but by crossing the dimensional boundary. He scratched the dimensional boundary with the power of the purple light at his fingertips.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Dark Portal]


    [MP -80000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 277000/357000] [-80000]


    A dimensional rift was created, and the situation inside, the Dark Dimension, was revealed. By using the Dark Dimension, he can go to the target location he wants quickly.


    Still, Arthur couldn''t force his way into the Night Liberator''s base room as he didn''t know the environment.


    He stepped through and disappeared from the ce instantly. The dimensional rift vanished, and Sara was still standing there, watching the moment Arthur left.


    She could only hope Arthur would be okay there, even if he wore the Night Liberators uniform. Sara resumed washing the dishes and then went to rest in her bedroom once she was done.


    Arthur returned to the Dark Dimension for the second time today, seeing Aerith there and sitting on her ck rose throne. She looked down and smiled, knowing what Arthur was about to do.


    "Are you going to that ce?" asked Aerith. Arthur said yes as he raised his head and saw Aerith clearly.


    Staying on her throne, she swung her hand to the side to open the dimensional portal. The dimensional rift opened, leading directly to where Arthur was aiming. The man thanked her.


    "I see that many people have heavily guarded the town since your infiltration. You have to be careful."


    "If you want to escape from them, feel free to call me. I wille," Aerith exined.


    "I understand."


    Another dimensional rift was created that led directly to the ce. Arthur wanted the location of his target not to be in a public ce.


    Hopefully, the dimensional rift would lead Arthur to another safer ce from the Night Liberators'' eyes.


    The man stepped inside as the dimensional rift slowly faded and disappeared. Arthur''s eyes opened, seeing that he was in the backyard of a ce.


    He arrived at a garden-like courtyard with trees lining the ce, perfect for the moment he arrived.


    Towards the front, he saw the Night Liberator''s 15th base matching what he had seen this afternoon. A few group members were on guard, but none of them patrolled the backyard.


    Arthur stepped out with firm steps, putting on a serious face to keep people from suspecting him. From what he could see, one room was still lit, a sign that there were people in the ce.


    The room was located on the third floor, high enough that Arthur was forced to enter the ce and stepped without showing any suspicious gestures.


    ''Is it possible that Salsab is in that room?'' Arthur asked, curious.


    He entered through the back door of the base and stepped on the first floor; there were not many people in the ce.


    Most of them were probably fast asleep, especially the top officials of the 15th Night Liberators who took rooms in the base.


    "Hey!" someone called out, startling Arthur and making him look back in response to the call.


    "You should be patrolling the town. Why are you here?"


    The middle-aged man stepped up to Arthur with his sleeping pajamas clinging to his body; he was the strategist of the 15th Night Liberators. Arthur responded by standing up straight while taking a respectful stance when he came near him.


    "It''s like I''ve never seen you before. Which squad are you from?" the middle-aged man asked.


    "I''m from thest squad. I¡ª"


    "Oh, you''re the new one? I''m sorry, there are too many members for me to keep track of their faces," interrupted the middle-aged man; Arthur just said yes.


    "Then what are you doing here, new guy?"


    "I found traces of the intruder earlier this afternoon. I need to report it to Captain Salsabi as ordered by my squad leader."


    "Is that so? Alright. If you don''t know where she is, she''s on the top floor of this base. She seems to be awake considering the threat from the intruder," exined the man in front of Arthur, indirectly helping Arthur find the woman''s location.


    Arthur thanked him and said goodbye; he started to walk towards the elevator that was avable there. Just before he entered, the middle-aged man stopped Arthur for a moment, startling him.


    "If you''re done with her, can you bring some wine to my room?" the middle-aged man asked.


    "Sure. I''ll bring it to you."


    Arthur entered the elevator and immediately went to the third floor. The man could breathe a sigh of relief with his heart still beating fast, the middle-aged man was weaker than him, but that almost revealed Arthur''s disguise.


    If his disguise failed, Arthur would have to go with the second n: to kidnap Salsab by fighting. That would only be if his primary n failed.


    However, knowing this, Arthur doubted his n would fail so easily. He was already in the enemy''s main base and undetected by anyone. Arthur was already in the elevator and ready to enter Salsabi''s office. What else did he have to fear?


    The elevator doors opened, revealing a third-floor hallway with a room door on the left, arge ss window on the right. Four rooms were on this floor, three top officials'' rooms and Captain Salsab''s office.


    Surprisingly, Salsabi''s office was not guarded by anyone. This contrasted with her decision to order a tight guard after Arthur''s infiltration.


    ''She left her office unguarded. Is it out of carelessness, or is she confident in her abilities?'' Arthur asked, curious.


    KNOCK!


    Arthur knocked lightly on the door as a voice from inside the room told him toe inside. Arthur opened the door and saw a woman in a T-shirt and trousers sitting on the sofa. Her Night Liberators uniform was not worn properly; she chose to wear it like a coat.


    The 27-year-old woman with maroon-ck hair nced at the door to her study. Her ck eyes stared intently at Arthur. She kept the book she was reading on the table.


    "What''s the matter?" asked Salsabi.


    "Report, Captain Salsabi. Our squad found traces of the intruder''s magic," Arthur replied, standing at attention.


    "Did you? Then why didn''t you go to look for it?" asked Salsabi, still seated as she looked at Arthur.


    "It''s because the trail led to this ce."


    "What do you mean?"


    Arthur smiled with a grin. He moved his hand quickly forward, bringing forth purple magic to form a monster hand that gripped Salsabi''s body. The woman was in shock, trying to dodge and resist, but she failed.


    "Damn it! What are you¡ª"


    "You''re the intruder, huh? I was tricked," Salsabiined, unable to do anything about it.


    "You left your office unguarded. Are you really confident to fight me?" asked Arthur, changing his appearance from the Night Liberators uniform to a purple-patterned ck suit.


    The man pulled the monster''s hand to bring Salsabi close to him. His face and Salsab were so close that Arthur could feel the breath and fragrance of the woman''s body.


    "Who the fuck are you? What are you trying to do to me?" asked Salsabi, curious.


    "Tell me, what was the reason for your enmity with Sky Sword?" asked Arthur.


    "Why don''t you ask your captain?"


    "She''s not my captain. My rtionship with her has been pretty badtely," said Arthur.


    Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Salsabi stared at Arthur carefully, wondering if there was any other reason for Arthur to arrest her. Due to the situation''s urgency, Salsabi was forced to tell the truth about everything.


    "It''s because Sky Sword is trying to seize the town. This is the Night Liberators'' town. We built it with our blood and sweat!" Salsabi emphasized.


    "Tris started the war five months ago, even though we have good rtions. We let Sky Sword into the town without any threats. But they betrayed us," Salsabi said.


    "I did all these things to protect my town. As long as I''m alive, I will not surrender this town to Tris!" the woman scolded.


    "Is it because of your fear that so many townspeople live in fear?" asked Arthur.


    "It''s because of the Sky Sword. We wouldn''t have done this if she hadn''t threatened us."


    Salsabi said all these things firmly. Arthur could read the look and gesture the woman was showing. She showed no signs of lying at all.


    Arthur was prettyzy to deal with politics like now, but because the safety of the 13th squad was threatened, he was forced to do so.


    A crazy idea emerged from the situation. It was possible that this idea could free the 13th squad from the threat of Tris for the time being.@@novelbin@@


    "How secure is the 15th Night Liberators base?" asked Arthur.


    "Many members of the Night Liberators stand guard over here every day. So what?"


    "I will release you and let you live on one condition."


    "You must allow my friends to stay in this ce until the next raid opens."

 Chapter 139 Another Captain Agreement

    "Your friends? People from Sky Sword? Are you crazy?!" snapped Salsabi.


    "They have nothing to do with Sky Sword 15th. We''re from the 10th floor and have one primary purpose: the raid."


    Arthur sharpened his eyes as he lowered both eyebrows, threatening to crush the woman''s body and bones in the firm grip of his monster hand.


    Salsabi could feel the magic grip of Arthur''s monster hands strengthening, making her suffocate.


    "How? I won''t bother with your business. We just want to find shelter and a proper ce to stay."


    ''Letting the enemy stay in my territory will always make me worry. However, if what he says is true, then it''s the only way to save my life,'' Salsabi replied, confused.


    "If I allow you to stay in this town with my protection. Do you promise not to kill me?" asked Salsabi, Arthur was silent in response to the woman''s words.


    She assumed Arthur''s silence was his response to Salsabi''s question earlier. Salsabi had no other choice, nor did she want to die a miserable death at the hands of Arthur or Tris.


    If this was the only way she could convince Arthur not to interfere, then she would do it. She didn''t mind if Arthur and his friends stayed temporarily in the town until the raid notice was opened again.


    "Very well. We will allow you to stay."


    "But, due to the strict nature of my members, you must follow all the rules in the town. I will not reveal your identity to them," Salsabi exined, showing no sign of rebellion or resistance.


    Arthur nodded. He loosened the grip of the monster''s hand on Salsabi''s body, letting the woman breathe a sigh of relief for a moment.


    The monster''s hand magic faded and disappeared, allowing Salsabi to walk and move around freely.


    Salsabi stared intently ahead, curious about Arthur''s true identity. The woman tried to confirm whether Arthur was the mage with the flying talent this afternoon or not; Arthur confirmed it was him.


    "I didn''t think there was a flying talent," Salsabi replied.


    "It''s not a flying talent, but Gravity Maniption."


    "Gravity Maniption? I''ve never heard of that talent. What rank is it?"


    "That''s S-R."


    "You have an S-R rank talent?" surprised Salsabi.


    There were undoubtedly mages with such rank talents in Dark Pir Tower, given that many S rank talent slips were sold and avable in the shop ¡ªthough they were very pricey. Still, as Salsabi recalled, mages with rank S talents were mainly found on the 25th floor and above.


    For herself, she only has rank A talents in the 3rd stage. If her TP was full, she would have to climb to Lilith City or return to the 10th floor. Once again, the power of the ascended S rank differed greatly from the pure S rank talent.


    ording to Salsabi, Arthur probably got a pure S rank talent, not the Ascension result. That''s because she never knew Gravity Maniption talent was on the rank A or B talent list.


    "That''s not important. What does matter is how you keep your word," Arthur said, stepping closer to the window of Salsabi''s office, looking at the backyard where Arthur had arrived before.


    "What if I break the promise?"


    Arthur smiled. He took the g of Authority in his right hand and showed it to Salsabi. Not only that, but he also showed the white servant pattern on his forehead. Arthur was really not messing around with his threat to Salsabi.


    Salsabi was speechless, her mouth gaping wide with rounded eyes, surely looking forward. It was clear from her eyes that Arthur was holding a ck and purple-patterned g of Authority, an ancient pattern.


    "You and the entire town will be destroyed in a single night."


    ''How can he have the g of Authority?'' asked Salsabi, fixing her gaze on the item.


    "Do you understand?" asked Arthur, confirming.


    Overwhelmed with resignation, Salsabi nodded while taking a deep breath. She was forced to ept Arthur as the g of Authority seemed to emit a strong magical aura. Salsabi didn''t want to take a significant risk by betraying Arthur.


    "I understand."


    Arthur nodded in agreement. He began to activate his talents and turned on his ultimate sub-talent.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Dark Portal]


    [MP -80000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 197000/357000] [-80000]


    Purple magic light appeared on the tips of Arthur''s two fingers of his right hand. He swung his hand sideways from left to right, bringing forth a dimensional rift that managed to split the dimensional boundary. Salsabi frowned at the sight of his ability.


    "What is it? Isn''t that another dimension?" asked Salsabi, looking into the dimensional rift where a dark-colored ce full of energy flowed like a magic portal.


    "We will travel here in the morning. I hope you can wee us at the south gate," Arthur pleaded.


    "Just let me know through my guards. I wille and pick you up."


    Arthur said yes. Without saying goodbye, he stepped into the dimensional rift with steady steps. Slowly, the dimensional rift disappeared and closed on its own.


    Salsabi was curious and tried to touch it. Still, the slightest touch caused dimensional resistance magic to arise and knock Salsabi''s body strongly backwards, breaking the wall of the door to her room and shocking many people.


    The traces of Arthur''s magic fluctuations vanished as the dimensional rift closed. The guards heard a small explosion from inside the base.


    They rushed inside and saw Captain Salsabi in the corridor, her study door damaged.


    Her body was steamy, like she had been in a sauna for a whole day. Salsabi coughed up blood until streams of blood flowed from the corners of her lips; the womanughed loudly and apuded.


    "Terrible power! What a terrible power."


    "What happened, Captain Salsabi?" asked a top official of the 15th Night Liberators.


    She turned to the side and smiled. Salsabi was back on her feet after being helped up by two female guards.


    They were confused and panicked. The Night Liberators base should have been safe, but there was an unexpected explosion from their captain''s office instead.


    "Is this because of that new guy?" asked the middle-aged man, remembering Arthur''s presence.


    "Quickly find him and bring him before me. He''s from¡ª"@@novelbin@@


    "There''s no need," interrupted Salsabi, cutting the middle-aged man off.


    "What do you mean?"


    Without exining the situation to the man, Salsabi stepped into her office, which was a mess from the dimension''s resistance magic.


    The woman seemed to behave strangely as she smiled,ughed, and nodded her head. It wasn''t very clear to everyone.


    "It''s best not to get into trouble with him. He''s truly terrible."


    ***


    The next day.


    Sky Sword 15th Guest House.


    Sara and the others had prepared with their equipment. Arthur asked them to bring all the stuff since they would probably stay in town longer.


    The woman asked aboutst night and Arthur''s n to kidnap Salsabi. Arthur smiled. Let''s just say that the n failed, but the objective seeded. The man was confused about how to exin it.


    "I''ll exin everything when we get to town."


    Sara agreed. Once everything was ready, Arthur and the 13th Squad left the guest house on foot. This morning, Sara asked Tris about the Ascension Talent. The Sky Sword 15th base couldn''t do it. Their best option was to do it in the town cathedral.


    That made the 13th Squad decide to leave that morning from the Sky Sword 15th base. Arthur stopped walking when Tris found out about the 13th Squad''s intentions. Tris stood at the east gate, stopping Arthur and the others.


    "I don''t see Salsabi here. What are you doing?" asked Tris, impatient.


    "The town is guarded by hundreds of people. It''s not easy to sneak into Salsabi''s ce and kidnap her."


    "Of course, it''s easy. You''re strong, aren''t you? Why don''t you create chaos there and kidnap Salsabi in your fight?" asked Tris, proposing a reckless idea.


    "That''s an interesting n. Maybe I''ll drag our fight to this ce. Isn''t that more exciting?" asked Arthur, threatening Tris.


    Tris and Arthur locked eyes in a simr feeling of hatred. Both clenched their fists in anger, covered by their fake smiles. Sara noticed their dispute and broke it up.


    "We''ll go into town and go in disguise. We''ll use the opportunity to kidnap her," Sara exined.


    "Sure. You should do that."


    Just before Arthur and the others left, Tris stopped Arthur again, asking Karen and Mona to stay in the guest house.


    Arthur refused, Karen had to go as she needed to perform the Ascension talent. So Tris asked Mona and Miki to stay.


    "I''ll take them as your guarantee. If you intend to betray me, I''ll kill them!" said Tris.


    "What did you say, bitch?!" snapped Miki.


    Arthur stepped closer to Miki to calm her down. Then he turned his eyes to look at Tris again.


    "Sure. You have my word." Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    He touched the two women''s shoulders gently, "Calm down. I have a n for this."

 Chapter 142 Another Activities

    Karen managed to make a sessful ascension smoothly and without any problems. Arthur apuded, feeling proud of their achievement.


    After the two had performed Talent Ascension, Arthur stepped from the waiting room to the administration desk. There, Sara and Karen had to pay the administrative fees agreed upon earlier.


    "The total price is 100,000 RL," said the female administrative staff.


    Sara was shocked by the nominal price disyed by the female staff before her. Performing Ascension in this ce was very expensive, unlike the previous ce ¡ªthe 10th-floor city.


    The administrative staff showed the details of the administration fee. One person was charged 50,000 RL for one Ascension. Karen was upset, wondering what made the price so high.


    Arthur broke up their argument as it could potentially make people suspicious. Arthur took the digital payment box and paid the administration fee in full.


    [Transaction Sessful]


    Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire


    [Item: Two Ascension Talents]@@novelbin@@


    [Grade: A]


    [Buyer: Aaron]


    [Price: 100,000 RL]


    [Desc: -]


    "Thank you for performing the Ascension Talent in our cathedral. Please feel free toe back if you need anything," the staff said, to which Karen replied with an annoyed expression.


    "I''m not gonna step foot in this ckmailer''s trap again!" snapped Karen.


    As Karen and Sara waltzed out of the room, Arthur noticed that people''s gazes were focused on him. He apologized for the trouble his two friends had caused, Arthur strode after the two women.


    "Oh gosh. Can you guys calm down a bit?" asked Arthur, asking the two women to walk more leisurely.


    "What the hell is the price? I''ll never do Ascension Talent in this ce again," Karenined.


    They finally left the town cathedral, Arthur was relieved that there were many Night Liberators inside. Fortunately, none of them knew Arthur.


    "But for some reason, my body feels light and powerful after doing the Ascension talent," Sara said, showing that she easily brought up her magic aura with her hands.


    "Not only has the power of your talent increased, but so has your CP."


    "You guys should start practicing for¡ª"


    DING!


    Just as Arthur spoke, he looked to the side where a message notification appeared on Sara''s panel. Sara squinted and opened the message; it was Mona.


    [Sender: Mona]


    [Hey, are you done? Can you do me a favor? There''s a bunch of men who keep following me. They''re from the Night Liberators group.]


    [If you read my message,e to the fork in the road in the southern district near the bakery. I''ll wait there until you pick me up.]


    "What is it?" asked Arthur, curious.


    "It''s from Mona. She''s asking for our help," said Sara.


    Sara, without hesitation, showed the message to Arthur and Karen. Arthur squinted and tried to understand what Mona was feeling, while Karen reacted violently by cursing.


    "I''m gonna kill that fucking man!" threatened Karen, being calmed down by Arthur.


    "Calm down. If you kill them, it will affect our rtionship with the Night Liberators," Arthur said.


    "So, what are we gonna do?" asked Sara, curious.


    "We''ll pick up Mona and go home with her. That''s much better as it avoids a fight."


    Sara and Karen agreed. They left with Arthur stepping, leading them in front. Mona''s location was not that far from the town''s cathedral, so Arthur and the others could arrive quickly.


    From afar, he spotted the bakery at a fork in the road in the southern district. The woman withrge boobs was seen sitting on a metal chair outside the bakery, leisurely eating the warm bread held in her hands.


    Sara and Karen ran over to Mona, hugging her and checking on her condition. Mona said that she was fine, just a bit scared.


    Arthur stepped up and arrived near Mona. ncing to the side and the surrounding area, Arthur noticed some suspicious movements of the Night Liberators. But, when they exchanged nces with Arthur, they left the ce immediately.


    "They''re gone," Arthur said.


    Karen still felt a sense of annoyance in her heart. She stepped closer to Arthur and looked in the same direction as the man. She wanted to teach that jerk a lesson.


    "Don''t think about it. The most important thing is that Mona is okay," Arthur said. Karen took a deep breath and let it out slowly.


    The two turned and stared back, Sara stepping into Mona''s arms while carrying a paper bag filled with the raw food Mona had bought at the market.


    It was more than enough tost them for a couple of weeks ¡ªthe ingredients from the previous meal were almost rotten.


    Sara and Karen shared that she had done the Ascension Talent. Sara went to the second stage, while Karen went to thest stage. Mona was happy with her friends'' achievements, yet a sadness haunted her mind.


    "How about the three of you do a Talent Point Gathering?" asked Arthur, looking back.


    "Gathering? I haven''t done one in a long time."


    "Right. I heard that the Town Cathedral can hold a gathering. If you want, you can go there."


    Arthur suggested so as to help Mona''s heart better than before. Sara agreed; it sounded exciting to her. However, Karen refused as she was still upset with the attitude of the staff there, the ckmailing staff.


    "What about you? Don''t you want to do Gathering or Ascension?" asked Mona.


    "The TP on both my talents is full, I can''t do Gathering. As for Ascension, the Town Cathedral does not provide Ascension options for Rank S-R and SSS-R," Arthur replied.


    "But you don''t have to worry. I have no problem with my talents."


    Mona nodded. Karen looked to the side, in the end, the woman agreed to do the Gathering together at the Town Cathedral.


    Mona looked enthusiastic, without Arthur expecting it, she handed over all her shopping bags to Arthur.


    "You take everything home. We''ll take our leave, Arthur," Mona said.


    The three women walked quickly away from the ce towards the town centre, in the direction of the Town Cathedral, which was getting increasingly crowded with adventurers. Arthur smiled and chuckled at their attitude.


    "Oh gosh, those girls."


    Arthur let them have their fun there. He returned to the house to put away the ingredients Mona had bought.


    Arriving at the beautiful two-story house, Arthur saw Miki chatting with Thalenia. The two were sitting next to each other on a tree swing made of vines, which Thalenia had made.


    Sensing Arthur''s presence, Thalenia got off the swing and waved, greeting Arthur gently. The man smiled and told Thalenia to rx today.


    Arthur put away the ingredients in the kitchen. Once in a while, he wiped his sweat with a clean handkerchief.


    WOSH!


    The man appeared to squint sharply. He looked back when he felt a strong fluctuation of magic energy. The maroon magic light filled the ce; Arthur widened his eyes with his mouth wide open.


    "Aerith?" asked Arthur.


    "Hello, Aaron. You seem to be livingfortably in this house," Aerith replied.


    Arthur smiled. He stepped closer to the woman in the ck dress as his right arm wrapped around her waist. Arthur''s face was so close to Aerith''s they could feel each other''s breath.


    "Let me guess. You came over to do that with me, didn''t you?" Arthur asked.


    "It was you who wanted it, not me."


    "I know."


    Arthur''s hands reached inside Aerith''s dress. Yet, the woman held back the man''s hands as she whispered something wildly into Arthur''s ear.


    "Take me to a better ce, Arthur."


    "As you wish."

 Chapter 145 Travel to 10th Floor

    "What''s going on?" Sara asked curiously as she stepped out of the two-story house.


    The message from Sokia and Liel had said the same thing: Luke, Captain of the Night Liberators'' 10th division, had arrested Isabe for alleged crimes from the past¡ªusations of betrayal against David.


    Liel exined that Isabe had been apprehended while shopping in a downtown store. The Night Liberators recognized her face and took her in for questioning. Eventually, they announced they had captured a high-level fugitive¡ªa known associate of Aaron. If Isabe was truly under arrest, her public execution would likely follow soon.


    "I can''t let my friend die like that," Arthur said, determined.


    Sara was still puzzled. Who was this friend of Arthur''s? Did they get into trouble in the lower floors? And what exactly was Arthur nning to do about it?


    Arthur fell silent, closing his eyes as if calcting the time he had to rescue Isabe and still make it to the raid on the 15th floor. The raid panel had just opened, giving him about 12 hours before the event startedter that night.


    Could he save Isabe and make it back in time? That was the question running through his mind.


    But the longer he stood there, the more time he wasted. Finally, Arthur took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. He''d made his decision¡ªhe had to return to the 10th floor and free Isabe.


    "Sara," he called, drawing her full attention.


    "There''s something I need to take care of. I''ll head to the 10th floor quickly. If I''m not back by the time the raid cooldown ends, cancel it," Arthur instructed.


    "Are you worried about us?" Sara asked. Arthur nodded.


    They might be able to handle the maze monsters with Miki''s help, but the floor boss was another story. None of them were strong enough to defeat the 15th-floor boss yet.


    Karen and Miki overheard the conversation and stepped out of the house confidently, their heads held high. Arthur turned to face them.


    "Don''t worry about us," Miki said firmly.


    "We won''t challenge the floor boss without you," Karen added.


    "Are you sure the two of you can handle the maze monsters?" Arthur asked, studying them carefully.


    Miki and Karen exchanged a nce before nodding in unison. They were confident that their current abilities were enough to take down the maze monsters on the 15th floor.


    "Alright," Arthur said. "I''ll share my strategy. The three of you, follow it to the letter."


    The women agreed, gathering around Arthur in a small circle as he exined his n. Miki offered suggestions, as did Karen and Sara.


    If Arthur didn''t return within the first 12 hours, it would be Squad 13''s first time attempting a Dark Pir raid without him. He reminded them that the raid would remain open for another 12 hours after that. If he still wasn''t back by then, he told them to withdraw.


    "At the very least, you''ll have mapped the route to the floor boss. Next time, we''ll focus on defeating it."


    "Understood," Sara said, and the others nodded in agreement.


    Once everyone was clear on their roles, Arthur handed out valuable items: HP Potions, MP Elixirs, and temporary attribute boost potions. Sara took them and stored them safely.


    The group carefully reviewed the item descriptions, understanding their purposes and how best to use them. Arthur nodded, satisfied they were prepared.


    "Good. Looks like you''re ready," he said.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Dark Portal]


    [MP -80000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 277000/357000] [-80000]


    Purple magical light appeared at Arthur''s right fingertips. Sara watched closely, knowing what was about to happen.


    Arthur drew a tear in the dimensional boundary, revealing a dark portal that led to another dimension connected to various ces.


    Inside the portal, they could see a shadowy realm filled with flowing magic energy. No one could enter without Arthur''s permission. Salsab had once tried touching the portal but had been violently repelled, leaving her injured.


    After saying goodbye, Arthur stepped into the portal and disappeared from view. The dimensional rift shrank until it vanishedpletely.


    Sara looked up at the sky, her hands sped in silent prayer for Arthur''s safety.


    Elsewhere, Arthur emerged to find Aerith standing under a red web of soul cages. Sensing his magic, she turned to face him.


    "What''s the matter, Aaron?" she asked.


    "I need to use my ultimate sub-talent to get back to the 10th floor," Arthur replied, approaching her.


    "Why?"


    "Because my friend is in danger."


    Aerith sighed. To be honest, she preferred Squad 13 over Isabe. None of the squad members had ever caused trouble for Arthur. But Isabe? She''d always harbored feelings for him.


    "Wouldn''t it be better if she died? She won''t¡ª"


    "She''s my friend. I won''t let her die. Do you understand, Aerith?" Arthur interrupted sharply, his voice rising.


    "Do you love her?" Aerith asked, turning to meet his gaze.


    "No."


    Aerith studied his face, searching for any sign of deception. But Arthur''s expression was unwavering, his determination clear. He wasn''t lying.


    That was enough to convince Aerith, though she resolved to remain vignt. She didn''t want her fears about Isabe toe true.


    "Fine. I don''t think you''re lying," Aerith said atst.


    With a flick of her fingers, Aerith summoned another dimensional rift. This one opened under the red-tinged skies of the 10th floor.


    "Let me know if you need help. I''lle to you," Aerith added.


    "I will," Arthur said before stepping through.


    Aaron stepped in bravely. He knew what awaited him on the tenth floor were people who hated him ¡ªLuke. However, Aaron''s goal is clear, to save Isabe from death.


    If he doesn''t do it, Isabe will die and Aaron will grieve while cursing his life. Although he did not have any rtionship with her, Isabe remained his best friend.


    Aerith saw Aaron''s departure through the dimensional rift. She was still jealous of Aaron''s attitude, but she knew what their rtionship was like. Isabe helped Aaron a lot, and vice versa.


    Aaron''s figurepletely disappeared from Aerith''s eyes. The woman smiled lightly as she continued to wish the man the best.


    "Take good care, Aaron."@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 148 Aaron vs Entire Night Liberators 10th

    Feeling like there was something urgent to take care of, Luke headed in a different direction toward the back. Mason followed him wherever he went, sensing Luke''s eagerness to confront Aaron.


    ''Are they going to fight? If they do, their battle might destroy the entire city,'' Mason thought.


    Mason turned to see a strong red magical aura radiating from Luke''s body, as if he was already prepared for the fight.


    They passed by Andrew and Silviana, who had just arrived at the meeting hall. Andrew eyed Luke curiously.


    "Where are you headed? The meeting''s about to start," Andrew asked.


    "Aaron stopped by my base. As a good host, I should greet him properly, right?" Luke replied.


    Luke summoned a massive griffin, a level 7 beast servant, from his aura. Andrew narrowed his eyes, his forehead creasing at the mention of Aaron''s actions.


    "I''d be delighted if you''d help me kill him, Andrew," Luke said, climbing onto the griffin''s back.


    "Aaron killed Bright, and Bright took down Harry, who was the strongest mage in the city."


    "I''ll watch your fight. But if it threatens the city, I won''t have a choice but to step in!" Andrew dered, trying to present himself positively to Luke while concealing his alliance with Aaron.


    "Sure. Do whatever you want."


    With a powerful gust of wind, Mason and Luke left the meeting hall. Andrew let out a heavy sigh as Silviana asked what he and the Sky Sword were nning to do.


    Andrew clenched his fists, frustrated with Aaron''s reckless decision to confront the Night Liberators instead of investigating first. This could lead to an even greater disaster than the Dark Legion''s invasion.


    "Order the Sky Sword members to spread out across the city, secure the perimeter, and tighten security."


    "This fight will weaken the city''s defenses. I''m worried the Dark Legion might take advantage of this chaos tounch another invasion," Andrew warned.


    Silviana nodded and took off, flying fast with a gray light trailing her through the city skies as she returned to the Sky Sword base.


    Andrew remained outside the meeting hall, gazing at the ominous red warning sign glowing brightly in the city sky.


    ''You''re such a fool, Aaron. Aplete fool!'' he muttered under his breath.


    Canceling the meeting, Andrew took off toward the Night Liberators'' base, flying as fast as he could to witness the fight between Aaron and Luke.


    With Aaron''s incredible abilities, Andrew feared he mightpletely destroy the Night Liberators.


    Elsewhere, Aaron sensed a powerful magical fluctuationing from behind him. He smirked and turned to see Luke and Mason arriving on their beast servants.


    ''Looks like they''re here,'' Aaron thought.


    "Aaron!" Luke shouted, his voice echoing powerfully.


    "Luke. Where are you keeping Isabe?!" Aaron demanded without hesitation.


    The deployment of arge number of Sky Sword members shocked the entire city. Residents began to wonder what was happening.


    Liel and Sokia rushed out of their inn and questioned one of the Sky Sword members, shocked to learn that Aaron was at the center of a confrontation with the Night Liberators. They hurried toward the Night Liberators'' base, spotting Aaron hovering in the sky.


    "A-Aaron?" Liel stammered in disbelief.


    The perimeter around the base was tightly secured by Sky Sword. No one was allowed closer for their own safety.


    Liel and Sokia had no choice but toply, unable to assist Aaron. From their position, Liel saw a gray light streaking through the sky near the Night Liberators'' base.


    It was Andrew, the captain of Sky Sword. Unaware of the full story, they assumed Aaron was in a dire situation.


    Ernest and the Great Elder looked up at the glowing red warning symbol. Ernest ordered the guild office staff to secure the residents and start evacuations.


    The Great Elder, smiling at Aaron''s presence, quietly instructed the Knight Temr members to stay alert. If the battle endangered the cathedral, they would act immediately.


    "Luke is clearly set on killing Aaron," Ernest remarked.


    "Denis was killed by Aaron. Luke won''t let his brother''s death go unavenged," the Great Elder replied.


    Above the Night Liberators'' base, Aaron and Luke began to sh. Aaron demanded Isabe''s location, but Luke refused to reveal where she was.


    "You leave me no choice, Luke!" Aaron warned.


    Aaron flew higher, bringing his hands together to activate his talent. Luke grinned, eager to witness Aaron''s true abilities.


    [Talent Activated.]


    [Sub-Talent Activated.]


    [Dimensional Dark Portal]


    [MP -80000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 184500/357000] [-80000]


    A purple light shimmered at the tip of Aaron''s right fingers. He extended his hand forward, firing the energy into the sky above the Night Liberators'' base.


    The st radiated magic energy throughout the area, creating thousands of dimensional portals from which massive monster hands¡ªeach asrge as an adult man¡ªbegan emerging.


    The Night Liberators'' members panicked, scrambling to dodge the monstrous hands. But the hands appeared too quickly, catching many off guard.


    Several members were severely injured, their bodies ripped apart. This only fueled Luke''s anger.


    [WARNING!]


    [Host hasmitted murder against another adventurer]


    [Calcting total casualties!]


    [Initiating additional punishment for the Host!]


    [Punishment decided!]


    [Forbidden to raid monsters on any floor for 10 attempts]


    [Host will be marked with a specific title]


    [Host will receive the title uponmitting murder. Title cannot be changed]


    [Duration of red title usage:]


    [09:23:59:59]


    "Aaron!" Luke roared.


    Aaron grinned as the punishment panel reappeared in front of him. The sheer number of casualties had resulted in harsher penalties. Yet, the red title was nothing new to him¡ªit almost felt routine.


    Luke activated his own talent, summoning a massive fire dragon from a glowing red magic circle. Aaron squinted, sensing a strong magical fluctuation, though it wasn''t quite as overwhelming as his own power.


    But it wasn''t just Luke¡ªseveral other members unleashed their magic as well. Some fired magical swords, zing fireballs, raging windstorms, or massive ck serpents, all aimed directly at Aaron in an attempt to kill him.


    Aaron''s violet eyes glowed brightly, signaling his use of his purple magic. With his left hand outstretched, his magic formed a giant monster hand that caught their iing attacks. With a single crushing motion, he destroyed theirbined magic in one powerful grip.


    BOOM!


    The explosion lit up the sky with dazzling magical particles in a spectrum of colors. Aaron smirked; dealing with their attacks was effortless. Still, he remained cautious of Luke''s power.


    To reduce coteral damage, Aaron relocated hundreds of dimensional portals away from the Night Liberators'' base to an area nearby.


    The portals reappeared in front of him, and their monstrous hands reached out to intercept Luke''s fire dragon.


    GRIP!


    Aaron sessfully caught the dragon, but it retaliated with a powerful burst of searing mes. He quickly conjured a protective violet barrier to shield himself. The intense heat caused cracks to form in the barrier, but it held firm.


    "Shatter!" Aaronmanded.


    The monster hands tightened their grip, crushing the fire dragon. The resulting shockwave sent Luke flying backward, and the impact rippled beyond the base.


    Andrew, still observing nearby, was forced to shield himself with his magic from the explosion''s aftermath.


    ''He crushed Luke''s fire dragon so easily. That purple magic is terrifying,'' Andrew thought.


    Luke could feel his subordinates'' astonished gazes on him, especially after Aaron had annihted his most powerful summon.


    Embarrassed and determined not to lose face, Luke made up his mind¡ªAaron had to die, no matter the cost.@@novelbin@@


    "Everyone,bine your powers!" Luke ordered.


    "We''re taking him down with everything we''ve got."


    Aaron deactivated his talent, watching curiously as Luke began forming intricate hand signs. Something about it seemed strange and unfamiliar to him. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    The Night Liberators'' members sat cross-legged in unison, channeling their magic into Luke''s body. Lukepleted his hand signs, biting his fingertip and smearing blood onto his right palm before thrusting it forward.


    A deep rumbling echoed across the sky above the Night Liberators'' base, plunging the city into an eerie, unnatural darkness. Andrew, recognizing the spell, was visibly rmed.


    ''You''re insane, Luke. That spell could destroy half the city just to kill him!'' Andrew yelled.


    "I don''t care!" Luke bellowed.


    "Today, Aaron dies."

 Chapter 149 Aaron vs Entire Night Liberators 10th Part 2

    ''It''s an unusual power. I have to be careful,'' Aaron replied.


    A red magic pir rose from Luke''s body into the sky, piercing through the tense ck clouds to create arge-sized hole.


    Aaron raised his head, a red magic circle with ancient script was vividly disyed in the sky, followed by a red lightning bolt that struck the buildings around the Night Liberators HQ.


    The lightning struck and injured people randomly. Seeing that his members were injured and killed, Andrew spoke loudly to give his orders.


    He ordered all Sky Sword members to leave the Night Liberators HQ location.


    A huge movement ensued, both from the Sky Sword members and the people of the city. However, it was different with the members of the Night Liberators. They couldn''t leave as their power and magic were locked by Luke.


    The only way they could leave was by the final oue of the battle, precisely after Luke unleashed his great power.


    Aaron felt sorry for them, weaklings who had to be sacrificed for Luke''s sake of reputation alone.


    ''It seems you''re facing an unfavorable situation, Aaron,'' Aerith replied, seeing the situation of the ce through Aaron''s eyes.


    ''What do you think about that?'' Aaron asked.


    ''He''s doing a Blood Rune,'' said Aerith.


    ''What''s that?''


    Aerith exined exactly what a Blood Rune was, where it came from, what kind of power it had, and what the consequences were. Aerith said great power always implies dire consequences.


    The Blood Runes could be considered the ultimate power, capable of increasing a talent''s power by 50% of its original power. Yet, there were consequences to ept.


    If he could kill his enemy with talents and blood runes, then all his attributes would be reduced by 50% of the total number of points per attribute.


    In short, the sessful use of Blood Runes will make a person''s ability drop dramatically.


    However, it''s a different story if the blood rune fails, the person who activated the blood rune will die. That was the biggest consequence of using the ultimate technique.


    ''I thought that only people in Visiri knew about blood runes. It seems I underestimated the capabilities of the humans on Earth,'' Aerith exined.


    ''Don''t worry, Aaron. I can handle this,'' Aerith said.


    Aaron nodded, allowing Aerith to appear on the spot to help her deal with Luke''s talent. Aaron looked at Luke, blood flowing from his nose, eyes, and the corners of his lips.


    The man had ovee the limits of his body to bring forth the terrifying power.


    From the direction of therge red magic circle, arge red dragon with the basic element of me appeared, simr to the one Luke had used earlier.


    The appearance of Luke''s giant fire dragon caused small shocks to happen all over the city, window panes shattered and wall decorations fell on every house near the Night Liberators'' HQ, a tremendous magical pressure.


    CRACK!


    A dimensional rift appeared beside Aaron, shocking many people in the area. From within it, a woman in a beautiful ck dress appeared and stepped elegantly forward, each step creating waves of maroon magic beneath her feet.


    ''Who is she? Why does her magic aura feel stronger than Aaron''s?'' asked Andrew, confused.


    Aerith looked up, seeing a dragon manifestation of Luke''s me elemental magic. Aerithughed bitterly and smiled smugly, a foolish and futile act on Luke''s behalf.


    "If you want to use blood runes, you should use them when your talent reaches the peak rank!" said Aerith.


    "The power of an S-R rank talent is no match for my power," Aerith threatened.


    "You fucking prick, you damn cunt!"


    "Die with Aaron!" shouted Luke, pointing both hands forward.


    The giant red dragon roared loudly and kept spitting mes randomly, burning anything in its path. The dragon flew low with the aim of killing Aaron and Aerith, the monster''s speed was brought along with tremendous magical pressure and a dense red light that terrified everyone.


    Aerith lightly patted Aaron''s shoulder, shielding the area around the man with a protective spherical wall of her maroon magic.


    Aerith smiled, the woman felt pleased and happy when she came to help save Aaron ¡ªher honor.


    Her hand directed towards the giant dragon, then brought forth ayered maroon magic circle of gigantic size.


    Two great forces were created in that ce, resulting in a powerful hurricane that was able to sweep away all the buildings and structures in the nearby area.


    People were being blown away and crushed by crumbling buildings, explosions were urring all over the ce with ck smoke soaring up.


    Things were getting tense in the 10th floor city, the people taking refuge in a field were able to see the horror of the use of two powerful magic forces.


    "Are they nning to destroy this city?"


    "This is insane! This is more terrible than the Dark Legion invasion!"


    From within the maroon magic circle, arge chain shrouded in maroon energy shot powerfully forward.


    The tip of the chain pierced the body of Luke''s giant red dragon, not just one, but ten chains pierced the snake dragon.


    ROAR!


    Although the dragon was created from the magic manifestation, when it was pierced by Aerith''s sharp chains, its body was still injured with blood pouring from the stab. Luke felt severe pain in his stomach and chest, the effects of Aerith''s attack on his dragon.


    Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire@@novelbin@@


    Blood flowed even more heavily through Luke''s mouth, until his white teeth turned a deep crimson fully. Lukeughed out loud, his eyes closed with his hands covered in blood from wiping away the vomit.


    "I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!"


    "I''M GONNA KILL YOU, AARON!" shouted Luke, putting thest ounce of strength he had into letting his red serpent dragon loose from Aerith''s chains.


    Aerith frowned, feeling a resistance from the dragon, something that was beyond her expectation. Not wanting to let Luke attack again, Aerith aimed her left hand and threw a speck of maroon magic into her magic circle.


    "HYAAAA!" shouted Luke, putting his palms together while shouting out loud in despair.


    The members of the Night Liberators gasped, not having expected Aaron to push their captain into such a critical situation.


    Instead of being afraid, they were even more eager to protect their captain, no matter what it cost.


    Aaron saw the determination of Luke and the hundreds of Night Liberators, something that wasn''t good for him and Aerith. To prevent them from sending more magic energy to Luke, Aaron began to activate his magic talent.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Explosion Orb]


    [MP -50000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 134500/357000] [-50000]


    Hundreds of portals reappeared around the Night Liberators'' HQ. Aerith smiled, the move Aaron showed was good enough to help her, at least the red snake dragon''s power wouldn''t be as strong as it was now.


    Aaron swung his hand forward, letting hundreds of purple orbs shoot out from within the portal and target the surviving hundreds of Night Liberators members.


    They were abruptly confused and scared, unable to focus on transmitting energy when Aaron was attacking them.


    BOM!


    A barrage of purple explosions were unleashed on the destroyed Night Liberators field. The number of casualties grew with the flow of energy connected to Luke decreasing drastically.


    Luke was furious, stopping the snake dragon''s control and desperately wanting to attack Aaron physically.


    "AARON!" shouted Luke.


    Luke brought out a sword from his inventory, grabbed it with both hands and flew towards Aaron with his beast servant. Aaron was aware that Luka was flying towards him, which gave him satisfaction.


    "He''s yours, Khan!" said Aaron.


    [Servant Activated]


    [Soul Servant]


    [3. Genghis Khan]


    [MP -25000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 109500/357000] [-25000]


    A white light flew ahead of Aaron and transformed into an entric Mongol-d servant. Genghis Khan appeared and raised his two curved swords, blocking Luke''s sword swing.


    The sh of the two sent an energy boom of its own that spread to the area around the Night Liberators HQ. Luke clicked his tongue in frustration, Aaron was again protected by someone else.


    "Why didn''t you call me in the first ce? This is a big war, Master!"


    "You can kill them all you want. They don''t matter to me!" said Aaron.


    "With pleasure," Khan replied.


    Genghis Khan kicked Luke in the stomach, causing him to be pushed far away. Luke groaned again in pain with a shrill scream of suffering. His face was pale with red eyes, filled with blood inside.


    "You''re at your limit, Luke!" said Aaron.


    Aerith smiled. She clenched her fist to pull the ck chain back into the magic circle, as she pulled Luke''s giant snake dragon. As Aerith expected, the less magic power flowed, the weaker the dragon seemed to her.


    In the end, the giant red snake dragon waspletely trapped inside the magic circle. Before she did so, Aerith extracted the serpent dragon''s energy in a red gem, then gave it to Aaron.


    "I''ll exin thatter," Aerith exined.


    Due to the power of the Blood Runes failing to kill his enemy, Luke''s health worsened until all of his HP was depleted. His beast servant disappeared and Luke fell from the sky with a helpless limp body,pletely crippled.


    His eyesight was blurry and his mouth couldn''t speak. In his dying hours, he wanted to ask Aaron for forgiveness by telling Isabe''s location. But, due to his peaked emotions, Aaron chose not to care about Luke''s wishes.


    Aaron withdrew all the portals and brought up hundreds of them again behind his back. With a quick hand gesture, Aaron ordered hundreds of purple orbs to shoot down to kill Luke.


    "You''re doomed, Luke!" said Aaron.


    "Stop it, Aaron!"

 Chapter 151 Black-Cloud Above The City Sky

    "And it starts with the 10th Night Liberators!" said Aaron.


    Aerith narrowed her eyes as she continued to watch Aaron. The woman''s heart was beating fast, feeling that there was an aura of hatred which was very thick on Aaron after Isabe''s unexpected death.


    She tried to grab Aaron''s shoulders to calm him down, but it seemed that Aerith''s words would not ease the anger rising in Aaron''s heart.


    ''Because of that man''s carelessness, all the Night Liberators in the Dark Pir Tower had to suffer the consequences,'' Aerith said, watching Mason''s face, not frightened but smiling with a smug grin as if teasing Aaron for Isabe''s death.


    Aaron flew back into the sky with both hands spread to the right and left, palms clenched into fists with veins tightening on his neck, the impact of his burning wrath.


    Andrew couldn''t see clearly what was happening at the Night Liberators HQ, but he could hear faintly that Aaron was bent on destroying the group. Certainly, something bad had happened that ruined Aaron and Gunther''s deal.


    Gunther flew low and hit Mason hard, making the man''s body bounce away and wince in pain. Several other members came to heal Mason''s wounds.


    "You''re reckless, Mason! You have absolutely no idea the consequences the Night Liberators will receive with Aaron''s anger!" snapped Gunther.


    "I am loyal to the Night Liberators'' principles and Luke''s wishes. I will kill Aaron and all his men even if it costs my life!" dered Mason, speaking loudly.


    "How dare you answer!"


    "Now, it''s not just the 10th Night Liberators who will suffer, but the entire group on every floor will be destroyed by him."


    "The Night Liberators have been dealing with the wrong person."


    Aaron was still focusing his eyes straight down. His eyes were red from holding back his tears for too long. No, Aaron must not publicly show his deep sadness over Isabe''s death.


    They only knew one thing about Aaron: Aaron was a ruthless and cruel man, and crying was not suitable for his current image.


    "Do I need to help you, Aaron?" asked Aerith, sensing an aura of dense darkness on Aaron''s body.


    "No."


    "You may return to the Dark Dimension," Aaron said.


    Aaron''s right hand shot up, trying to reach something in the air. Aerith gasped with sharpened eyes, thinking about what Aaron was trying to do.


    The thunderous ck clouds came back with more intensity and density, purple lightning striking powerfully in every corner of the city, destroying more buildings.


    Andrew turned his head to the sky, his hands and feet shaking violently in panic, seeing the great power that would be used by Aaron.


    "What is this power? It''s so great that it covers the sky of an entire city," Silviana replied.


    "This power, I''ve never seen it. This is more like God''s judgment!" said Andrew.


    "What should we do?" asked Silviana, worried.


    "We evacuate our members out of the city. I''m afraid forming a barrier wall won''t offer significant protection!"


    "Alright."


    Silviana left and called all the captains through voicemands on the message panel. The woman gave one decisive order ording to what Andrew had told her.


    [EMERGENCY ORDER!]


    [All Sky Sword Members are required to evacuate outside the city!]


    [EMERGENCY ORDER!]


    [All Sky Sword Members are required to evacuate outside the city!]


    Andrew received the information panel, which consisted of an order for immediate evacuation. Andrew still had to follow the emergency order, but his heart was stirred to see what happened next in this city, right after the appearance of the thunderous ck clouds gathered above the city sky.


    Aaron closed his eyes, focusing his subconscious on going to the ce he hated, the Dark Azazel Pce. Aaron managed to project himself in the hall, a ck hall with ck chains filling the walls.


    Right before him, Azazel was still sitting on his ck throne with his arms, neck, and legs shackled. Four shackles had not been unshackled in total. Aaron hade to the ce to obtain greater power.


    Azazel opened his eyes gently, his dark eyes with a speck of red pupils staring clearly ahead, encountering Aaron''s desperate-looking figure.


    The dark entity smiled from ear to ear, sensing that Aaron hade to help him remove the shackles on his right hand. Azazel immediately stuck out his hand to be freed by Aaron.


    "Come closer and release these shackles. I will help you destroy your enemies."


    Aaron didn''t respond with gestures or words. He stepped on the floor flooded with pitch-ck water, not getting his feet wet.


    The man took more and more steps towards Azazel, with the image of Isabe''s death continuously drawn in his head.


    "Losing friends, losing lovers, or losing family is uneptable to you. Those who take away your happiness are worth dying for!" said Azazel.


    "They deserve to die," said Aaron.


    "That''s right. Be a good man and remove these shackles from my hands."


    The man ended up standing right before Azazel, his eyes focused on his right hand, which was stretched out towards him. The chain shackles bound Azazel''s wrists, easy enough for Aaron to do so ¡ªhard for Azazel to remove it.


    Azazel smiled as Aaron stretched his hand out, removing the shackle from his hand. In the end, the power in both his hands was unlocked and no longer confined. Azazel could feel the power of darkness starting to enter his body through his right hand.


    "Thank you, Aaron."


    "Then what power will I get?" asked Aaron, firmly.


    "You''ll see."


    Aaron opened his eyes firmly, he shouted loudly with his head up to the sky. A ck-colored pir of darkness power appeared on Aaron''s body, shooting high into the sky right in the center of the thunderous swirl of ck clouds.


    The appearance of the ck pir of darkness startled many people, sending a powerful wave of magic throughout the area that shocked Aerith enough. Aerith narrowed her eyes and frowned. She sensed Aaron was using the power of Dark Azazel.


    "This is bad. He''s already unlocked two of the five stages of Dark Azazel''s power!" said Aerith.


    THUMP!


    The powerful st of dark magic energy could destroy the surrounding buildings; almost all of them copsed and ttened to the ground ¡ªjust like the Night Liberators'' HQ.


    Gunther stretched his hand forth, retrieving his legendary spear to resist the waves of Aaron''s magic fluctuations.


    The extremely powerful magic pressure caused Gunther''s iron spear to be broken into two pieces, shocking the middle-aged man to the point that he had to fly away from the ce, along with the remaining members of the Night Liberators.


    Sokia felt Aaron''s intense dark energy, precisely after she saw the pir of darkness towering through the roof of the sky. She changed her body shape into a dragon and carried Liel in her arms away from that ce.


    Aerith took Isabe''s body and returned to the Dark Dimension. She had to admit that Dark Azazel''s power was stronger than her. The magic wave could hurt her if she didn''t return to the Dark Dimension as soon as possible.


    Andrew walked away after feeling the magic boom was enough to wound his magic circuits. With Aaron''s current strength, it was impossible for him and the people to prevent the city''s destruction. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Both of Aaron''s eyes turned ck with purple pupils, magic armor appeared and formed on both of Aaron''s hands in ck, the impact of Dark Azazel''s power.


    His left hand tightly grasped the spear bearing the Dark Azazel g, while the five fingers of Aaron''s right hand were seen wearing five different rings, each ring having its own power.


    Gunther''s breath caught in his throat, clutching his chest, which felt tight and stiff to breathe properly. He saw the 10th Night Liberators had been destroyed, many members dead and unrescued. Gunther hadn''t expected Aaron topletely eliminate the 10th Night Liberators with such a blow.@@novelbin@@


    "I can''t die miserably here! They won''t forgive me if that happens!" dered Gunther.


    Nevertheless, Gunther had a duty to protect the 10th Night Liberators from destruction. The middle-aged man would use all his remaining strength to hold Aaron back until he could convince the man again of his n.


    Great Elder realized the situation was getting worse. Aaron''s dark power could potentially destroy the city, which would significantly impact the cathedral. He left the meeting hall to work with Gunther to withstand Aaron''s great power.


    "All Knight Temrs!"


    "Listen to my words!" insisted the Great Elder.


    "Defend the city from destruction! Protect the people and the cathedral, and defeat the demon Aaron!" said the Great Elder, obeyed by the group of Knight Temrs.


    The cathedral servants nodded, fully understanding what their leader was saying. 130 Knight Temrs appeared behind Gunther, d in white magic armor with a cross on their helmet ¡ªjust like the Temrs on Earth.


    The Great Elder arrived beside Gunther. Before casting protective magic, he scolded Gunther and the Night Liberators for their deeds. The city''s destruction could have been avoided if they had not killed Isabe.


    "There''s no point in ming anyone. It''s time we unite to withstand that man''s demonic power!" said Gunther.


    "After everything is done, I''ll take care of this matter with you, Gunther!" said the Great Elder.


    Aaron looked gently below, seeing reinforcements from the Cathedral about to help protect the Night Liberators. Aaron smiled widely andughed, noticing how weak the Night Liberators were until they had to hide under the Great Elder''s cloak.


    "Pathetic! How pathetic!" mocked Aaron.


    Aaron''s voice echoed until all of them heard it. Great Elder asked Aaron to settle and solve all problems with non-violent discussion. Still, Aaron said blood must be avenged with blood.


    "People who help Night Liberators should die!"

 Chapter 153 Dusk in the Ruined City

    [EXP +10500000]


    [TP +5250000]


    [Select Talent for TP Allocation:]


    [1. Dark Dimension Reality]


    [2. Gravity Maniption]


    [2500000 RL]


    [DING! Congrattions on leveling up]


    [Level 85] -> [Level 325]


    [DING! Congrattions on being promoted to the fourth tier as a Venerable Sage]


    [DING! Congrattions on getting a new title]


    [20. Ruler Candidate]


    [Host sessfully reached the tier four stage]


    [21. Heavens Sword Punishment]


    [Host sessfully kills >100000 targets in a single attack]


    [22. God''s punisher]


    [Host sessfully kills >500000 targets in a single attack]


    [DING! Heirloom Weapon Feature Unlocked]


    [Host can craft, buy, sell, or upgrade heirloom weapons]


    [Requires 10th level forge skill to do so ]


    [Forge Lv: 1]


    [DING! Supreme Soul Feature is unlocked]


    [Host can upgrade, control, awaken, and or wipe souls]


    [Useful for performingary Ascend, Soul Resurrection, Soul Reincarnation, and Soul Transmigration]


    [Soul Lv: 1]


    [DING! Host sessfully gained special abilities as a Tier 4 Sage:]


    [1. Magic Armor] [Enabled]


    [Increases defense by 75% from initial defense total || Reduces attack damage by 50% for each attack]


    [2. Sky Power] [Enabled]


    [Host can manipte the weather, invoke destructive rumbles, and even fly and hover freely in the sky || Increases AGI and DEX by 45% || Increases STR and INT by 25%]


    [3. Persona protection] [Enabled]


    [Increases mental and soul defenses from persona affect || Increases LUCK ability by 25% || Any form of Nerf is disabled]


    [Sage ability is active since host received; ability can be hidden by temporarily disabling]


    Not only was there a significant increase in EXP, TP, RL, and features, but Aaron also gained several unique abilities as a reward for reaching sage and other items from previously killed mages.


    He found an item to increase his inventory after killing Gunther and the Great Elder. It was an item Aaron desperately needed, two storage-enhancing items that would allow him to store 5000 different types of items.


    [Item Details:]


    [Name: Inventory Upgrade Slip]


    [Grade: 5]


    [Quantity: 2]


    [Description: Useful for increasing the maximum amount of storage by 2500 for each item]


    Aaron smiled. He activated the slip, where the small circle in the center lit up in blue. Gently, the two slips faded and disappeared, but the flow of magic inside them rushed into Aaron''s body, bringing up another information panel.


    [DING! Congrattions on increasing inventory level]


    [Inventory level: 1] -> [Inventory level: 5]


    [Storage increased: 100/5000]


    The increase in item quantity was good news for Aaron; he could store more items of different types, which might increase his strength if used properly. He never thought killing many people could give him significant benefits.


    Items such as MP Elixir, HP Potion, TP Elixir, and even Crystal MP are obtained inrge quantities and high levels, one item totaling >1000 with a minimum level of 3. Not only that, Aaron also got other items that might be useful or useless to him. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    [Item Obtained]


    [1300 MP Elixir Lv.3]


    [1870 HP Potion Lv.3]


    [1760 TP Elixir Lv.3]


    [1200 Crystal MP Lv.3]


    [340 Slip Talent Rank A]


    [120 Slip Talent Rank S]


    [12 Slip Talent Rank SS]


    [145 Blood Vial Mythological Race]@@novelbin@@


    [270 Fragment Full Beast Servant]


    [7 Magic Armor Slips Lv. 5]


    [98 Full Attribute Booster Slips Lv. 3]


    The remaining items were weapons and other items, such as iplete fragments, low-level items, and clothing. That wasn''t all Aaron needed. At least he neededplete items with high levels to help improve his abilities.


    Due to high curiosity, Aaron decided to see what his profile status was like and how many ability points he got, considering the number of levels rose drastically to level 325.


    [PROFILE STATUS:]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [Age: 19]


    [Level: 325]


    [EXP: 1504500/12500000]


    [HP: 546000/546000]


    [MP: 1375000/1375000]


    [Additional MP: 0 MP]


    [Mage Level: Venerable Sage]


    [Race: High Human]


    [Title: Murderer]


    [Money: 4458000 RL]


    That''s right! The amount for HP and MP increased along with Aaron''s EXP, which is the impact of receiving EXP from killing hundreds of thousands of people.


    He could have gotten more, but seeing that the majority of the victims were low-status people, it could be said that it ounted for a mere 10 million experience receipts.


    But this was more than enough. Aaron''s adventurous path didn''t want to be a ruthless viin who killed for no reason.


    He just wanted to conquer the Dark Pir Tower, obtain the Dark Ruler Title, and arrive at the surface faster.


    He hadn''t been trapped in the Dark Pir Tower for five years, but his level was already on par with those on the 50th floor.


    The monsters and enemies on the lower floors would unlikely threaten his presence, given that Aaron had gained two great powers in close cooperation with Dark Azazel.


    Slowly, the power of Dark Azazel in Aaron''s body disappeared. Both his eyes recovered to normal, the ck magic armor also faded into small magic particles. He became Aaron as before.


    Even so, he didn''t expect the power to drain the energy in his body. The sleeves of his shirt were damaged, and Aaron''s appearance waspletely messed up.


    The weakening of the man''s power caused him to lose his bnce, followed by a moment of coughing up blood that never ended.


    Aaron fell from the sky with his Secondary Talent deactivated. His eyesight was blurry, his arms and legs felt heavy to move, and his chest felt constantly tight as if something was pressing down on him.


    ''I''m helpless,'' Aaron muttered.


    Just as he was about to lose consciousness, a dimensional rift appeared right before him before he fell to the ground. His eyes rounded wide, his lip line smiling with a beating heart.


    A woman emerged from the rift, both white-skinned arms adorned with strands of dress sleeves stretched forward to catch Aaron.


    Aerith appeared with tears of emotion flowing from the corner of her eyes. She was happy to see Aaron was fine after using his terrifying power.


    The setting sun''s light apanied the two, casting an amber twilight that illuminated the dead city. The birds flew back into the city, weing the appearance of Aerith with a charming face highlighted by the twilight of the day. The atmosphere between the two was so soothing.


    Time seemed to go slower when the two met eyes. They met again after the city was ttened to the ground after Aaronmitted the biggest massacre in the history of Dark Pir Tower. For Aerith, Aaron was everything; she would do anything for Aaron''s safety and happiness.


    That was why she took Isabe''s body to the Dark Dimension and cared for her soul. If not, Aerith was worried Isabe would be destroyed along with thousands of people in this city.


    "You must be tired, Aaron," Aerith replied softly.


    "I am. I''m tired, Aerith."


    Aaron was caught by Aerith, the gentle touch of the woman''s two hands embracing Aaron warmly. Aaron closed his eyes when Aerith embraced him, feelingfortable with Aerith''s gentle attitude. Aerith smiled; Aaron''s attitude was a bit like a spoiled baby.


    "Let''s go home," Aerith pleaded.


    The man responded by clearing his throat. The battle had drained his strength quite a lot. At least he needed to sleep and rest until his condition recovered.


    In Aerith''s arms, Aaron entered the dimensional rift with her. The dimensional rift closed on its own, shrinking and disappearingpletely from the city.


    Andrew and Silvianna flew near the ruined city gate wall. Andrew was shocked to the point of speechlessness.


    The city had been ttened to the ground, and not a single building was still standing ¡ªincluding the Sky Sword 10th HQ.


    The explosion injured them both ¡ªeven though it was just a st of magic pressure. Still, the wounds they received were not so fatal that it would not threaten their lives.


    "Where is Aaron? Did he die in the explosion, too?" asked Silviana.


    "I have no idea."

 Chapter 156 Supreme Soul Features

    "Lucy? But how?"


    "She nted her soul consciousness when she gave me her talent," Aaron replied.


    He tried to get up from his sleeping position on Aerith''sp. Aaron sat on the floor of the Dark Dimension, his eyes focused on Isabe''s body lying there, the wound on her stomach had disappeared and closed.


    "Isabe!"


    Aaron responded by stepping closer to the woman, but he fell back to his knees with his head throbbing dizzily. He held his head and continued to grimace in pain, Aerith came to calm him down.


    "Calm down, Aaron. Your mind is unstable and Azazel''s power seems to be affecting your mind a lot."


    The man cleared his throat in agreement, taking a deep breath to ease the symptoms of pain in his head.


    His eyes opened, seeing Isabe lying dead with her eyes closed. Aerith noticed that Aaron was about to walk over to the woman.


    "She''ll be here with me," Aerith replied.


    To ease the anxiety in Aaron''s heart, Aerith showed her palm and brought out a maroon orb that looked transparent. What was inside the magic orb was surprising to Aaron.


    "T-That... isn''t that Isabe''s soul?" asked Aaron, curious.@@novelbin@@


    "That''s right. But, since Isabe''s soul is ssified as a white or pure soul, I can''t resurrect her," said Aerith.


    "What do you mean?" asked Aaron.


    Aerith exined there are two types of soul categories when someone dies, more of an attitude scale. If the scales are heavier to the left, then the soul is categorized as an evil Dark soul.


    Pure souls were obtained if the scales were heavier to the right, it was beyond Aerith''s power. There are many things affecting the scales, one of which depends on the attitude of the individual when they were alive.


    Doing a lot of good, being a wise leader, being generous, charitable, forgiving, and so on can make one''s soul Pure.


    If, however, the person does a lot of evil such as stealing, lying, killing, betraying, and so on, his soul bes Dark.


    A distinctive trait of the difference between the two categories of souls was the color of their souls when taken from their bodies: White was the color of the Pure soul, while Red was the color of the Dark soul.


    "Then what should I do?" asked Aaron, curious.


    "A mage must have a high soul level to perform reincarnation or soul transmigration," Aerith replied, stepping closer to Isabe whoy on the floor of the Dark Dimension.


    Aaron remembered one of the features that had been unlocked as his individual level rose. He opened the system panel and saw that the soul feature was at the very bottom, thest feature in the panel''s menu.


    [Soul Panel]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [Level: 325]


    [Soul Essence Level: 1]


    [Soul Essence: 0/100000]


    [Soul Power:]


    [1. Soul Intervention] [250000 MP]


    [2. Astral Force] [500000 MP]


    [Soul intervention is taking over or creating a clone of the host soul in the target''s body. The target''s soul falls asleep when possessed]


    [Astral Force is a method to kill the soul of a living being without physically harming the target]


    [Soul Awakening opens when Soul Lv. reaches level 3]


    ary Ascend opens when Soul Lv. reaches level 5]


    [Soul Reincarnation opens when Soul Lv. reaches level 7]


    [Soul Transmigration opens when Soul Lv. reaches level 7]


    Aaron clearly saw that he could also perform the soul awakening,ary ascend, soul reincarnation, and soul transmigration instructions. For Soul Intervention and Astral Force, Aaron could tell the usefulness of both.


    "Since you''ve surpassed the 300 level, then thest feature on your panel will be unlocked. The soul feature is the most powerful among the other features, but the MP consumption will be huge, exceeding the MP consumption for talents and servants," Aerith replied.


    "What is Soul Awakening? Ascend? Reincarnation and Soul Transmigration?" asked Aaron, wanting to know what the four powers were for so he could determine other objectives.


    Aerith smiled. She exined that Soul Awakening was a method to allow someone to use their soul abilities, even if they hadn''t reached level 300. Aerith gave a simple example.


    "If Sara wants to control someone when she has no astral projection ability, then you can use Soul Awakening to trigger Sara to be able to control her soul out of her body."


    "However, that''s limited. Her soul onlysts for an hour after leaving her body. If it doesn''t return soon, she''ll fall into aa," Aerith replied.


    Aaron understood, it was quite dangerous for him but he was sure it would be useful in the future. Aerith continued to exin about Ascend.


    There are several ways to Ascend, but the safest one was to useary teleportation or soul power.


    "Since Earth has not joined the universe''s magic ring, inteary teleportation magic does not apply here. With the Ascend ability, you can go to others easily."


    "You will fly through the atmosphere at the speed of light. Don''t worry, the power of your soul will protect the mass in your body, you won''t die from the pressure between space and time," Aerith said.


    "I understand."


    The woman before Aaron put Isabe''s soul ball back into storage, she stepped quietly towards Aaron with a smile. Aerith exined thest two abilities in the supreme soul panel.


    Reincarnation and Soul Transmigration allowed Aaron to send the soul of someone who had died to a new life or take over someone''s body for good.


    Reincarnation only applies to newborn targets, a maximum of 60 days of infant age before the main soul has formed. By the time it happens, the memories of the previous life are erased.


    Soul Transmigration applies to all targets, including infants, children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly.


    There is no time limit and no requirements. The memories of the previous life will remain in the new body and synchronize with the memories of the new target.


    "So, the best option is to perform soul transmigration for Isabe?" Aaron asked, Aerith agreed.


    "That''s right. But, there isn''t a single person on Earth who can reach the highest soul level, which is level 7."


    "Why?"


    "Soul Vials are not found on Earth, even though the resources are so abundantly provided. I suspect that the Great Ruler doesn''t understand the extraction of soul essence," Aerith replied.


    "Then if the Soul Vial isn''t found, how can I level up my soul?"


    Aerith said the only way was to crudely consume the souls of living beings. Monsters, mythological races, or in humans still kept their souls before disappearing. When that happened, Aaron had to take their soul essence and consume it.


    The woman showed him the way to perform soul essence consumption. She took out one piece of soul essence and held it in her right hand. Aerith summoned magic light at her fingertips, then directed the magic at the soul essence ball.


    As Aaron watched closely, he saw the orb crack and shatter. Aerith directed the soul essence inside into her body through her forehead. Aaron saw how easy it was to do that.


    Aerith handed the soul essence of Luke''s red snake dragon to Aaron and asked the man to perform the soul essence extraction. Aaron said yes.


    He did exactly as Aerith had shown him. The magic pressure was quite strong when he did it, even though the orb had not beenpletely destroyed.


    [Soul Extraction Process]


    [Contacting a pure evil soul can affect the mind and heart]


    [Name: Blood Red Dragon Snake rune]


    [Form: Soul]


    [Soul Lv: 5]


    [Starts the soul extraction process]


    The soul essence orb cracked and shattered, revealing a small-sized red snake dragon form above Aaron''s palm. Guided by purple magic, Aaron directed the soul towards his forehead.


    [Soul Extraction Sessful]


    [Soul Essence gained: +15]


    Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    [Soul Essence: 15/100000]


    A soul essence panel appeared in front of Aaron, a sign that he knew how to obtain soul essence from living beings. Still, the soul level of the living creatures raised questions in his head.


    "What''s the difference between soul level and soul essence level?" asked Aaron.


    "The soul level is determined based on their individual level. Before their level reached 300, the highest soul level they could receive was level 50."


    "This means that for every 30 increase in individual level, they get 5 increases in soul level."


    "Does that mean my soul level is useless?" asked Aaron.


    "Your soul level has been upgraded to soul essence level, of course, so that you can use the abilities in the supreme soul feature," Aerith replied.


    Aaron nodded in agreement, fully understanding every sentence Aerith exined. The woman tried to calm Aaron down by saying Isabe''s soul was safe with her, she had no time limit until getting her soul transmigration.


    "Even so, don''t keep her cooped up too long in this ball of soul essence. You have to do a lot of soul extraction to increase your soul essence."


    "I understand."

 Chapter 158 Significant Increase in Strength

    ''His abilities are getting stronger, what really happened to him?'' Karen asked.


    Arthur flew low andnded softly before them. He deactivated his magic armor to make them feelfortable with him. Sara smiled, the broadest smile since Arthur''s departure to the 10th floor.


    "I heard the news that the city on the 10th floor has been destroyed. Is that true?" Sara asked, wanting to make sure.


    "It''s true."


    Miki and the others gasped in surprise, then looked at each other. If they could guess, Arthur was probably the cause of the destruction of the great city, the news of the city''s destruction had spread throughout the floor, people were talking about it a lot.


    Arthur stepped past them and stared at the door to the floor boss room, tightly closed with another group of adventurers inside.


    Sara exined the group had been in there for half an hour, no sign of theming out yet.


    "You guys don''t need to help me defeat the floor boss. You''re tired enough of defeating maze monsters," Arthur exined.


    Sara disagreed, they would help Arthur since they were a team anyway. Karen tapped Sara lightly on the shoulder, whispering something to her.


    Karen said that Arthur''s abilities had increased beyond what they imagined, it must have an impact on his CP.


    Helping Arthur would only burden him, it was best to leave the floor boss to himpletely.


    "I can defeat the floor boss easily. You girls don''t need to help me," said Arthur.


    Seeing the expression of sincerity that the man showed made Sara let out a long breath. In the end, she agreed to let Arthur solve the floor boss challenge by himself.


    [Servant Activated]


    [Race Mythological Servant]


    [1. Thalenia (Nymph)]


    [MP -10000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 1365000/1375000] [-10000]


    Arthur summoned the figure of the Nymph servant Thalenia from his body. The woman appeared beside Arthur with the vines that made up her body intact. Miki smiled, walking over to Thania while asking about the woman''s condition.


    "I''m fine," Thalenia exined.


    Miki drew Thania close to her, she asked the woman to tell her what happened in the 10th floor city and whether the city''s destruction had anything to do with Arthur''s arrival.


    Thalenia nced back, Arthur was still focusing his eyes and mind forward watching the door of the floor boss room.


    During the battle in the 10th city, Thalenia did not take part too much, but she clearly saw what Arthur was doing.


    In a soft voice, Thania exined to Miki and the others about the truth of the news. Arthur was Aaron who was wanted by the Night Liberators. The man destroyed the city because the Night Liberators had killed his friend.


    "His friend was killed?" startled by Sara, Thania raised a hand before her mouth, asking them to be quiet for fear of being heard by Arthur.


    "That''s right. He used terrible power to fight the Night Liberators, Gunther, the Great Elder, and hundreds of Knight Temrs," Thania replied.


    "Then what about Andrew?" asked Sara, worried.


    "Andrew is fine, along with dozens of Sky Sword members. But, their HQ was destroyed in Arthur''s battle."


    Thania exined that the impact of the battle made the entire city razed to the ground, not a single building was still standing.


    The total number of casualties increased drastically, more than 500,000 people. Sara and the others were stunned with shocked faces, continuing to stare at Arthur from behind.


    "If the total casualties reach that number, then the EXP he gets will¡ª"


    "Yes. You''re right, Karen. He''s gaining an abundant amount of EXP, TP, and RL. Currently, he''s at the fourth tier as a Venerable Sage," Thania replied, interrupting Karen''s words.


    "Venerable Sage? That''s almost the same level as the Sky Sword President," Sara exined.@@novelbin@@


    Thalenia continued to exin many things about the battle to Sara and the others. Sara couldn''t believe Arthur could rise to the level of Venerable Sage this fast, especially since he had the SSS-R talent, Authority g, and mysterious abilities ording to what Thania exined.


    "Are we seeing the emergence of a future Dark Ruler?" Mona asked.


    "He is still young but he has already reached the Venerable Sage stage. I think he''s the one with the most potential to take the title."


    Just as they were talking about Arthur''s achievements, the door to the floor boss room opened. The group that had been challenging the floor boss came out feeling proud and relieved, they had sessfully defeated the floor boss and had the right to ascend to the next floor.


    Sara swallowed her saliva deeply. She stepped closer to Arthur to ask about his readiness. Arthur turned his head and smiled, he was fully prepared even before entering the Dark Pir.


    "Alright. I''d better sign up first," Sara replied, smiling down at Arthur with a blush on both cheeks.


    Arthur said yes. His eyes sharply turned to the left side, precisely when the group of adventurers looked at him with a look of intimidation.


    Not liking it when people underestimated his abilities, Arthur radiated his powerful magic aura that made them run away in fear and panic.


    ''With his power, he can kill anyone on a low floor like the 15th,'' Karen said.


    Ten minutes passed, Sara returned while exining that she had registered. Now, it was just a matter of waiting for the floor boss'' cooldown for the remaining 20 minutes. Arthur thanked her, saying he would split the items if he didn''t use them.


    Sara returned near Thalenia, the Nymph''s servant was recounting the moment of the city''s destruction and Arthur''s powerful form of mysterious ability.


    Sara and the others listened, they had indeed seen Arthur use that ability ¡ªwhen fighting the Night Liberators who took over one floor.


    Even so, Arthur didn''t let go of the spear, so Sara and the others don''t know how powerful Arthur''s mysterious ability really was.


    Thania invites them to go to the 10th floor to see the situation there, then they can imagine how powerful Arthur''s ability was.


    The door opened again after 20 minutes had passed, a notification panel appeared before Arthur exining what kind of floor boss he was about to face.


    [Monster Details:]


    [Monster: Blood Bough Tree Monster]


    [Level: 105]


    [HP: 195000/195000]


    [MP: 220000/220000]


    [Element: Earth]


    Not only Arthur, but the others also got the same monster details panel. For Sara and the others, the Blood Bough Tree''s monster abilities might be difficult for them to match, but not for Arthur.


    The man holding the Venerable Sage level mage could definitely defeat it easily. Now, they might be able to see how much Arthur was capable of, if not his mysterious abilities.


    "Let''s go inside," Arthur exined.


    Sara and the others nodded. They stepped behind Arthur by staying alert ¡ªeven though there was Arthur who would protect them.


    Arriving at the boss room floor, the figure of a tree monster with blood-red branches was clearly disyed before them, the boss room door was tightly closed.


    ROAR!


    A loud roar was heard from the tree monster, Arthur smiled as he stepped forward. The man asked Miki to guard Sara and the others from any threats, Miki and Thalenia understood.


    Arthur stretched his hand forward, a maniption of purple magic was created to shackle the tentacle-like branches of the tree.


    The purple magic turned into chains sticking out of the ground, restraining the monster''s body while not dealing significant damage.


    [Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [ws of Darkness]


    [MP -28000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 1337000/1375000] [-28000]


    Violet magic appeared in Arthur''s palm. With a slow sideways movement to the right, he brought three scythe-like attack forms on the ground forward. The Red Bough Tree Monster couldn''t do much because of its shackled branches.


    BOM!


    [Damage +145000]


    [Damage +212000]


    [Damage +154000]


    [Triple Combo! Great]


    [Monster: Red Bough Tree Monster]


    [HP:0/195000] [-511000]


    With an attack from Arthur''s second of five sub talents, the Red Bough Tree Monster was defeated with its body split into three parts. An explosion of magic was caused as the air blew very fast.


    Sara was shocked, her mouth gaping with her eyes rounded in disbelief at Arthur''s ability. Karen also showed the same expression, Arthur could defeat the floor boss in a single attack.


    [EXP +245000]


    [TP +122500]


    [Select TP Allocation:]


    [1. Dark Dimension Reality]


    [2. Gravity Maniption]


    [50000 RL]


    Arthur got the items from killing the 15th floor boss, none of which caught his attention at the moment. Of course, Arthur didn''t want to fill his storage slot with useless items.


    "Sara," called Arthur, Sara nodded and stepped closer to him.


    "You can keep all these things," Arthur said.


    Sara gasped, there were items such as Earth element beast servant fragments, Ruby Red Gem, MP Elixir, HP Potion, and Iron sword with The essence of wood which was quite valuable. The woman tried to confirm again whether Arthur didn''t need all that, Arthur shook his head.


    "You all need them more than I do."


    [CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [You have sessfullypleted the Dark Pir''s boss challenge]


    [The next floor of Dark Pir Tower has been unlocked]


    [Floor ess Privilege: 16]


    [Want to go to the next floor?]


    [Yes] [No]


    "How?" asked Arthur, curious. Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Sure. We''ll go straight to the next floor."

 Chapter 159 Thalenia Home

    ***


    Two weekster.


    17th floor.


    The light stone on the 17th floor glowed bright blue, the blue light pir soared through the sky and attracted a lot of attention from the people around.


    They had just finished the monster raid and noticed a group ascending the floor from the previous one.


    The 13th squad arrived at the 17th floor with ease, Sara and the others finishing off the maze monsters while Arthur focused on defeating the floor boss.


    Arthur''s abilities made everything seem fast to do, whether it was exploring the raid or killing monsters.


    "Eight floors left to arrive at Lilith City."


    Sara stepped forward away from the stone of light, she stretched her arms in relief, the exhaustion of the previous raid paid off when they arrived at this floor.


    Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    Karen smiled, although the appearance of each floor in the Dark Pir Tower was simr, the floor numbers were different. It was a great achievement for her to arrive at the 17th floor in less than half a year.


    [Map used]


    [Number of group headquarters: 34]


    [Number of Green Zone: 14]


    [Number of Red Zones: 26]


    The map panel before Arthur disyed the entire flooryout of the 17th floor. The blue dot marks the location of each group''s base, with the group''s name written below it.


    The red dot in the shaded red area indicated the red zone, with the name of the forest orke or hill where the red zone was located.


    What was on Sara''s mind when she arrived was to go to the 17th Sky Sword base to stay overnight. She was still carrying the mandate letter that Andrew had given her, a letter that had the power to show the identity and priorities of an envoy group.


    Arthur had a different objective. Thalenia had previously said that she wanted to visit the Sylph Forest on the 17th floor, after her previous request was fulfilled when Thania met Miki again.


    [Servant Activated]


    [Race Mythological Servant]


    [1. Thalenia (Nymph)]


    [MP -10000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 1330000/1375000] [-10000]


    The figure of the Nymph servant Thalenia appeared in front of Arthur in an array of ascending vines. Her face looked content and happy, her heart skipped a beat as she massaged her hands in agitation.


    She remembered the 17th floor, she remembered the trees in the tropical forest before her, she remembered how she yed with her friends here.


    However, what appeared ahead of her was quite shocking to Thania. The presence of humans in this ce had changed the shape of the forest and all the living things in it.


    "Where are you, Mom?"


    Arthur squinted, continuing to stare at Thalenia''s back. The girl flew off without telling Arthur, Miki following behind with a worried look on her face. Sara stepped up to the man, curious about Thania''s response.


    "I don''t know. Probably, this ce was her house in the past."


    "I''d better go after her, just in case something bad happens to her," Arthur said.


    Sara agreed. She and the others would wait for Arthur at the Sky Sword 17th base. The woman only hoped that Arthur, Thalenia, and Miki were okay, considering the direction Thania''s flight path was heading north, there was no green zone there.


    "I''ll be careful."


    Arthur flew fast with his Venerable Sage ability, a tail of purple light could be seen trailing behind him, the scene visible to anyone from below.


    His flight speed elerated with a boom of magic energy that increased every time Arthur elerated his speed. Arthur''s flying speed could not be matched by anyone below the Venerable Sage level, not even servants could keep up.


    Arriving near Miki, Arthur whispered to ask about Thalenia''s surprising behavior. Miki kept her distance from Thalenia''s pace, reluctant to let the woman hear her talk with Arthur.


    "This is her hometown," she said.


    "That exins why she seemed emotional earlier," Arthur chimed in.


    Miki went back to exining the previous situation. She was a frequent visitor here and knew the Thalenia family well, and even the Nymph tribe weed her as a kitsune. But things changed drastically when humans started entering the Dark Pir Tower.


    The first generation of humans or what they called the first invaders waged a great war against the Mythological Race.


    The Nymphs were the race that controlled the 1st-20th floors, they were the first to be destroyed by the human invasion.


    At that time, Miki was on the 17th floor and heard of the human invasion. She couldn''t return to the 76th floor because of the Kitsune tribe chief''s policy of banning travel.


    That''s why she was trapped for hundreds of years in the waterfall, waiting for someone who could take her home.


    Unlike Thalenia, she hated the invaders and entered the Dark Pir. Because of her status as a powerful Nymph, the authorities of the Dark Pir Tower ced Thalenia as the boss on the 10th floor.


    During her time there, she never knew any news about her family and tribe. All she could think about was how to kill the humans who challenged the floor boss, as the only way she could get revenge.


    "Until she finally met you and arrived here. You are a special person to Thalenia, Arthur."


    "Even so, I don''t deny that greed for the power of my race put you all at risk," Arthur replied.


    "We may hate humans, but we were born when thew of the jungle prevailed. We value strength, that''s why we want to get back at you when we''re strong," Miki exined.


    Thalenia''s flight path came to a halt over a dense forest with wet leaves, Arthur reached out and turned his palm over, the weather was unique.


    Before they arrived, the air was dry to the nose and throat. The leaves on the trees and the grass on the ground were withered due to theck of rain.


    However, when Arthur arrived at the Slyph forest, the rain swept down so heavily that his clothes were instantly wet.


    "Is this the ce?" asked Arthur, Miki nodded.


    "Right here. They used to form a domed house in the middle of the forest, light a fire at night, and dance together to the melody of songs from their traditional musical instruments," Miki exined, describing intently.


    "This rain, does it always happen?" asked Arthur, Miki shaking her head.


    "Thest time I was here, it didn''t rain as hard or as long."


    Arthur was silent. He watched as Thania continued to shout the names of her family, as if she still believed they were alive. The sound of Thalenia''s screams invited the many monsters in the forest to greet her.


    "Miki," Arthur pleaded.


    "I understand."


    Miki did her duty, taking care of the monsters that could threaten Thalenia''s life. With her skills, Miki eliminated the monsters with ease. Arthur focused his eyes on the area around him, feeling strange about this rain.


    He brought out the purple light on the tips of the two fingers of his right hand, ready to use his Sky Power ability.


    The man pointed his hand upwards, letting the purple magic ball shoot up and explode in the sky.


    The Sky Power ability created its own maniption of the weather. Arthur controlled the weather and told it to stop raining. The rain slowly stopped, surprising Miki and Thalenia.@@novelbin@@


    But what Arthur did not know was that the rain was not regr rain, but a magic to manipte the eyes and mind.


    When the rain magic was over, they could see the existence of a small vige with a total of 17 dome houses made of wood and bamboo sticks.


    Thalenia smiled widely with tears that she could no longer hold back. They were a tribe of the Nymph race, the tribe Thalenia had belonged to when she left. The people in the vige were taken aback, the eternal rain that had always protected their vige was stopped by a human.


    "A human!" said a woman, wearing a sexy suit with emerald green pupils.


    Not one, but three women flew with their skills above the skies of the Nymph vige, staring at Arthur in hopes of intimidating him. Arthur squinted, preparing to attack if they attacked first.


    "Calm down, I didn''te to destroy you," Thalenia insisted.


    "Who are you? Why are you with him? Are you a traitor?" said one of the three women of the Nymph race.


    "I am Thalenia, my mother''s name is Chania," Thania replied.


    "Thalenia? Were you the one who went to the Dark Pir 200 years ago?"


    Thalenia smiled and nodded, exining that she was indeed the Thania who went to the Dark Pir. Anger turned to joy, happiness radiating from their faces when one of their families came to return home.


    "Wee home, Thalenia."

 Chapter 161 Arthur and Nymph Tribe

    Arthur looked back. He could not see what the response of the Nymphs was as it was blocked by their illusory wall of rain. Still, Arthur suspected they could see this from inside the illusory dome.


    One of the men raised his eyes, seeing the red title clearly disyed above Arthur''s head, the mark of a murderer. The man nced right and left, as if gesturing to signal something.


    ''They will attack me. I''ve read their moves,'' Arthur exined.


    "Get out of my way!" said the team captain, delivering a crushing blow of golden lightning at Arthur.


    Not only him, but five others delivered their attacks to Arthur with various talents. Arthur stretched his right hand forward, summoning purple magic that enclosed him in a powerful protective sphere.


    Despite their unified strength, the team captain was astonished by Arthur''s protective sphere. The five men still couldn''t break the barrier, even to create a crack was difficult.


    Unexpectedly, one of the seven men finished chanting a special spell to neutralize the distortion of ce due to the illusion of space.


    Arthur turned his head and stared at the man, he could stop the illusory ability created by the Nymph race.


    The magic of the man in the green and white uniform worked, the rain stopped and the location of the Nymph vige filled with beautiful and sexy women was disyed before them.


    Thalenia and Miki were watching Arthur, as were the other women of the Nymph race.


    "I knew it! That human brought bad luck to all of us," Nyxie replied, fuming with sharp eyes.


    Nyxie and two other women flew into the sky to kill Arthur and defeat the seven men who hade to invade their vige.


    The man who had managed to break the Nymph''s rain illusion threw a magic re into the sky, sending a message to the other members toe.


    Arthur saw the green magic beacon message, burning brightly above the forest sky that anyone could see as far as the eye could see. Arthur clicked his tongue, feeling his position cornered with difort.


    "Rasputin, Khan, I need your help," Arthur exined.


    [Servant Activated]@@novelbin@@


    [Soul Servant]


    [2. Gregori Rasputin]


    [3. Genghis Khan]


    [MP -36000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 1294000/1375000] [-36000]


    The figures of two soul servants appeared to the right and left of Arthur, the sight was more than enough to shock the people in the ce.


    Arthur gave the order to Gregori Rasputin to use his persona talent to protect the Nymph''s vige, while Genghis Khan would be tasked with fighting off the invading members of the green-and-white uniform group.


    "Explode!" Arthur shouted.


    [Damage +24500]


    [Damage +17850]


    [Damage +20500]


    [Triple Combo! Great!]


    He clenched his fist and caused his protective sphere to explode powerfully, apanied by an intense wave of purple magic all over the ce.


    The seven people were taken aback by Arthur''s ability, an explosion of a protective sphere was able to deal massive damage to them. They began to reconsider their n.


    Nyxie, Philise, and Nerisha were pushed quite far down. Philise was injured and immediately consumed HP Potion, unlike Nyxie and Nerisha who had high endurance.


    They saw a strikingly dressed man standing right in the middle of the Nymph vige. The man was seen forming a hand formation and directing his talent persona upwards and then exploded with a loud bang.


    The boom created a red dome that covered an entire section of the Sylph rainforest, making the illusion of ce stronger than the Sylph race''s rain illusion.


    The people in the vige began to realize that Arthur was not the evil man they thought he was.


    Arthur looked back, then smiled broadly. The rainforest was once again covered by thick fog and roaming monsters.


    The mist and monsters were part of the illusionary magic, as long as Rasputin was there, the humans would not be able to touch the Nymphs.


    Arthur refocused his attention forward, seeing dozens of members of the same group flying toward the magic beacon location.


    Genghis Khan smiled, sitting proudly on his great horse with both hands holding his two curved swords.


    "This is my fight!" dered Genghis Khan.


    Their ignorance of Genghis Khan''s identity made them easy to defeat. With the Army Project ability, Khan fought them with the projection of arge army behind his back.


    Nyxie, Philise, and Nerisha were pulled by Thalenia to enter Rasputin''s illusory dome of protection. The woman asked carefully about Arthur''s identity, Thalenia began to exin who Arthur really was to the three women.


    Arthur was still fighting against the seven with his purple magic ability. Against weak adventurers like them, Arthur didn''t need talents to defeat them.


    The manipted form of purple magic was enough to leave them fatally wounded ¡ªnot to death.


    The man swung his hand from right to left, creating a straight line horizontally which opened up maniption magic in the form of purple sword strokes in the hundreds. The swords shot fast and strong with magical pressure towards the seven people.


    They didn''t try to avoid it, but rather blocked it with their magic. The sh of the two magics urred and caused a strong magical turmoil above the sky of the Sylph rainforest.


    Nyxie and the others looked up, not expecting the person they were fighting to be a Venerable Sage. Thalenia told them about Arthur''s true abilities, one of which was his ability to single-handedly destroy arge human city.


    "But he''s a human, why would a human kill a human?" asked Nyxie.


    "You don''t know the true nature of that race at all. They are greedy, arrogant, and spiteful."


    "During the time you were here, I saw all their true traits. If I had topare, Nymphs are much better than them," Thalenia replied.


    "But I discovered something else when I was with Arthur. His demeanor makes me curious about the ideal human being," Thalenia said.


    "Don''t tell me you like him, Thania?" asked Miki.


    Thalenia smiled in response to Miki''s words, her face flushed with her eyes looking intently at Arthur''s back.


    Although she had been with him for several months, there was a certain feeling growing in Thalenia''s heart.


    It was because Arthur had voluntarily fulfilled her wishes: to meet Miki and to meet the Nymph race. Those two things were more than enough to show that Arthur was a good person.


    BOM!


    The explosion was created when the defensive magic of seven people failed to hold back Arthur''s purple magic sword.


    They were fatally wounded by the tip of the powerful magic sword de, damage panels popping up in front of Arthur.


    [Damage +54200]


    [Damage +67580]


    [Critical +87500]


    [Damage +65200]


    [Four Combos! Great!]


    Although it wasn''t as much damage as when using talents, the attack was more than enough to repel the group away from the Sylph forest.


    That''s right! An order came from their captain telling their members to leave. Genghis Khan seemed to chase after them with his army projection, but Arthur asked him to turn back.


    "No need. Let them realize that I will guard this ce," Arthur replied.


    He looked back, flying low into the forest environment. The walls of Rasputin''s illusory dome were crossed by Arthur, the man''s figure now present as he flew over the vige, gazing intensely at them all.


    "Who''s in charge here?" asked Arthur, his voice echoing strongly.


    Nyxie flew up to Arthur, then bowed her head in apology. She had guessed wrong, Arthur wasn''t as evil as she thought. Arthur didn''t mind that, all they had to think about was how to survive.


    "This ce is already known by humans. You should migrate to another forest immediately," Arthur replied.


    Nyxie looked to the side, at Philise and Nerisha. Both responded by shaking their heads, not wanting to leave their vige. Nyxie made the same decision as them.


    "Alright. It''s your decision."


    Arthur stood just above the ground while ncing up at the sky, seeing that Rasputin''s illusory talent would notst long.


    Having no other choice, Arthur had to create a magic gem for the protection of this ce.


    "Let me stay here for the night. I''ll make a high-level artifact that can protect you from any human magic attack."


    Nyxie smiled, nodding in agreement as she invited Arthur to enter one of the bamboo dome houses, "You are more than wee here, Arthur."

 Chapter 163 Forgiveness Orders

    Aerith returned to Arthur''s wooden dome house. The woman smiled and picked up the soul essence of the light elemental monster.


    From what she could see, the level of the monster was 96, more than enough to craft the slip formation into perfection.


    "Wait here. I''ll craft this thing in the Dark Dimension," Aerith pleaded, Arthur said yes.


    Since Aerith had taken twopensation slips, Arthur should start using the g of authority to grant forgiveness for his red title.


    After the dimensional rift disappeared, Arthur took the g of authority and ced it in front of him, floating in the air.


    The g with a ck base color and purple Visiri rune pattern was disyed and fluttered in the wind.


    Arthur''s two palms came into one, synchronizing his power with the g of authority. A flow of magic was produced in that ce, thumping outside the wooden dome house in the form of magic fluctuations.


    People stopped what they were doing. Those who were preparing dinner also stopped for a moment and came out of the house, their eyes detecting a strong magic booming from Arthur''s dome house.


    "What''s happening?" asked Nyxie, stepping closer to Philise and Nerisha.


    "He asked the soul essence of the light elemental monster to do something. Still, I don''t know what he''s doing there," Nerisha replied, panicking.


    Nyxie nced back, looking at Miki who looked rxed with the power boom. The casual attitude Miki showed made Nyxie curious, yet suspicious.


    ''This boom is quite strong. I''m worried that human power could destroy this vige,'' Nyxie exined.


    Inside the domed house, Arthur opened his eyes and activated the authority g by putting his soul consciousness inside.


    The g lit up gold in an instant, then brought up a special panel on the use of foreign powers.


    [g of Authority has been activated]


    [Owner: Aaron Lewis]


    [Level: 325]


    [CAUTION!]


    [The system cannot detect the power of the g of Authority]


    [The use of undetected power could potentially injure the Host]


    Arthur read the panel, then smiled in satisfaction as the g of authority was activated. With a forward hand formation gesture, Arthur gave the order for the activation of the Forgiveness Order.


    A stream of magic flowed from Arthur''s body forward, entering the g which was apanied by a towering purple pir of light that pierced the sky, making people panic.


    "Quickly form a defense shield. We must protect this ce from destruction!" dered Nyxie, Philise and Nerisha nodded in agreement.


    They took three ces and connected their magic streams to each other. Slowly, a magic wall formed and towered up to the height of the purple pir of light.


    Gradually, the boom of magic was soothed thanks to Nyxie, Philise, and Nerisha''s abilities.


    Miki squinted, she was really curious about what Arthur was trying to do by bringing up the purple light. The woman nced to the right and left, seeing some vigers freaking out about the situation.


    [Start the process of using foreign power]


    [Item: g of Authority]


    [MP -100000]


    [Power: ?]


    [Talent: Authority Leader] Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    [Rank: SSS-R]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 1194000/1375000] [-100000]


    The purple lighting out of the g of authority began to surround Arthur''s body, giving him a chilling sensation.


    His eyes opened, seeing another panel popping up, between the error panel and the sess of the forgiveness order from the g of authority.


    [EROR!]


    [Host tries to purify the title]


    [Host tries to get forgiveness]


    [CAUTION!]@@novelbin@@


    [Foreign powers try to intervene in the punishment system]


    [...]


    [Punishment forgiven]


    [Red title duration erased]


    [Restriction on joining the raid is erased]


    Magic energy swept through Arthur''s body causing the red title above his head to disappear. He didn''t feel anything, just like when Andrew cleared his red title when he was on the 10th floor.


    At the end, a powerful magic boom spread out from the epicenter of the bang, Arthur''s domed house. The stronger fluctuations were able to destroy the magic defenses of Nyxie, Philise, and Nerisha. All three were pushed away along with the insignificant damage they received.


    There was no considerable damage. The blowing and fluctuating magic disappeared after Arthur used the g of authority. Nyxie was relieved that there was nothing bad happening in the vige.


    Feeling safe, Miki hurried away from the house to approach Arthur. The curtain door of Arthur''s house opened, she saw Arthur sitting cross-legged with the mysterious g disyed before him.


    What made the difference ording to Miki was the title of the murderer that disappeared from above Arthur''s head.


    The man sensed several people walking towards him. He quickly put away the g of authority and got up from his seat.


    "Miki? What are you doing?"


    "What am I doing? I should have asked you, what was that magic fluctuation all about?" asked Miki.


    Nyxie, Philise, and Nerisha stood behind Miki. The three women were curious about what Arthur had done, Nerisha even asked where the soul essence of the light elemental monster was.


    Arthur stepped out through the four women. He said it was clear that the monster soul essence was being used by his friend to form a slip formation. None of them understood what a slip formation was.


    "You don''t have to know, not right now."


    The man gasped in surprise as the attention of the entire vige was focused on him. He looked up and saw leaves falling from the trees.


    If it was an average wind, it would not be possible to shed that many leaves at the same time.


    ''Was the magic fluctuation strong enough earlier? Can it be detected far away?'' Arthur asked.


    ''I have to be careful. Before the defense magic is formed, there shouldn''t be any more suspicious magic fluctuations.''


    Nyxie exined to the people that the situation was getting better, there was nothing for them to worry about. Arthur apologized that the fluctuation of the authority g''s forgiveness order had disturbed them.


    "There are some of them who still distrust you. However, you don''t need to worry. You are safe here," Nyxie exined.


    Nyxie invited Philise and Miki to assist her in making the menu for the grand dinner. Arthur did not forget to summon Thania from his body, summoning her in the form of a mythological race servant.


    [Servant Activated]


    [Mythological Race Servant]


    [1. Thalenia (Nymph)]


    [MP -10000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 1184000/1375000] [-10000]


    Thalenia appeared and grew in an array of vines. About three minutester, Thalenia''s figure was back in one piece as before.


    In servant form this time, she could onlyst for 15 hours. Beyond that, she would rest on Arthur''s body for 1-2 hours.


    "Thank you, Arthur," said Thalenia, Arthur nodded slowly.


    The woman stepped forward to help Nyxie, Miki, and Philise. Thalenia''s presence made them happy, the women began to work together to create a delicious dinner dish, which was certainly suitable for human tastes.


    Three hours passed, the sun had setpletely. The nightnterns were lit, full of colorful light trinkets that adorned the ce. The protective illusion rain magic had been reactivated, rainy outside but shady inside it.


    A long wooden table was set up in the center of the vige, with food served on appetizing tes. Nyxie, as the head of the vige''s Nymph tribe, nned to wee Thalenia home and thank Aaron.


    The children had settled into their wooden chairs, ready to eat the dinner that had been made earlier. Everyone gathered in the center area of the vige, some taking other tables and sitting on the chairs of those tables. As for Aaron, he was at the main table with Miki and Thalenia beside him.


    "Tonight, we will celebrate Thalenia''s return to our midst!" said Nyxie.


    Not only that, Nyxie also introduced Arthur to the people of the vige. They looked at Arthur with nods, faint smiles on their faces ¡ªthe skepticism still present in their hearts.


    "Please, enjoy our food," Nyxie pleaded, and the people began to eat the food ced before them.


    Thalenia and Miki ate it as they helped in making it. However, not Arthur. It wasn''t like he didn''t want to eat, but he felt strange about their dishes ¡ªout of his imagination as human food.


    The only thing Arthur could enjoy was the wine made from Millow leaf extract, it was a bit bitter and a touch sour, but it was better than eating food he wasn''t familiar with.


    "What are your ns next, Arthur?" asked Nyxie.


    "We''re heading back to Sky Sword Base to rest until the raid reopens," Arthur replied, holding up a wooden cup.


    "Is Thaleniaing?"


    "Of course. She''s my servant," Arthur replied, causing Thalenia to pause in her dinner.


    Arthur responded to Thalenia''s drastic change in demeanor, from an enthusiastic smile over dinner, to a sad look with her head bowed. Arthur sighed, knowing what he had to do.


    "But, if you can guarantee her safety here, I don''t mind her staying for a while."


    "Most importantly, she needs a vial of beast essence to allow her to level up. The higher her level, the longer the duration of her servant can be," Arthur replied.


    "About that, we have plenty of beast essence vials. You can help her level up quickly," Nyxie exined.


    "Thank you. That''s quite a relief for me."

 Chapter 165 The Mist Peak Group

    Not just one, but a few of the group members made simr requests of Arthur. They asked the man to help their group, the group promising him a generous reward.


    Surprisingly, another group arrived from the south. Three groups in different uniforms came and helped the group in red and yellow to defeat the group on the hill.


    The situation was getting worse for them.


    ''What attracted the attacking group''s attention? Do they have rare items there?'' asked Arthur, curious.


    "Please! We''ll give you a gift, a Sky Iron sword if you want."


    "Or any other item that might catch your eye. We''ll give it to you."


    ''I''d better see what they have before I decide to help them,'' the man replied.


    Arthur changed his destination from the 17th Sky Sword Base to the base of the group on the hill. Arthur''s arrival in the backyard of the group''s base drew attention from many, Arthur''s powerful purple magic fluctuations were more than enough to startle everyone.


    The person who spoke to Arthur was ra, a member of the Mist Peak group. Their group had their main HQ on the 25th floor, they had set up at least ten small branch bases, one of which was the one on the 17th floor.


    The woman stepped closer to Arthur while thanking him for being willing to help. Arthur stopped what she was saying as he raised his hand, it was too early for them to thank him.


    "Show me your precious items. If I find something that catches my eye, I''ll help you," Arthur pleaded.


    ra nodded, she without a doubt would show Arthur the ce. Yet, she asked Arthur to choose quickly, as four groups were attacking this ce. Arthur sighed, choosing precious items in a rush always led to bad results.@@novelbin@@


    Arthur stepped forward, one single step was enough for Arthur to arrive at the center field of the Mist Peak base.


    The strength was enough to shock everyone in the ce, they were curious about the level and tier of the mysterious mage in the ck shirt.


    He turned his head to the sky, bringing up the purple magic ball gathered in his palm. Arthur released it into the sky and let it explode, emitting a dome wall that was able to protect the ce from any group''s attack.


    The people fighting from the Mist Peak group began to stop, they watched the durability of the purple dome wall produced by the mysterious man in the ck shirt. They never thought a stranger would be willing to help in this fight.


    ''Who is he? Why is his magic aura so powerful?'' asked a woman, dressed in a beautiful white-gray dress that revealed her smooth white legs.


    From the sky, she flew down using her talent, the Wind Maniption Talent. She arrived before Arthur and smiled, asionally bowing her head to salute him.


    "Greetings, sir. I''m Livia, I''m the leader of the 17th Mist Peak group," replied Livia, a beautiful face with fair skin, both pupils were ck with long soft ck hair, her thin pink lips were elegant and captivating.


    "What made those four groups attack you?" asked Arthur.


    "About that... I can''t tell you," Livia replied, refusing to tell.


    "I can kill you and defeat the four groups with ease. However, that would be troublesome enough for me."


    Arthur raised the g of authority in his right hand, surprising Livia and the others as they knew very well what it was and how powerful it was.


    The woman before Arthur withdrew her words. She was going to tell Arthur what the four groups were after, but Livia wanted them to talk about it in a separate room. Arthur didn''t mind.


    The two walked into the base building with Livia leading the way, Arthur asionally ncing to the right and left, they walked through a corridor with walls covered in floral decorations and paintings of their misty hillside beauty.


    Walking down the stairs, Arthur''s steps were halted when she stopped walking as well. In front of them, he saw an ash-colored metal door with arge circle on it. Only Livia, as the leader of the Mist Peak group, could open the ce.


    [Authority detected]


    [Name: Livia]


    [Status: 17th Mist Peak Leader]


    [Authentication required]


    Livia took a deep breath. She activated her magic and directed it into the circle. The spherical circle attached to the ash door glowed blue, a sign that the authentication was sessful and the door would open soon.


    The ash door opened gently, a strong gust of wind blowing from inside the room. Arthur responded swiftly, reaching out his hand and blocking the wind with his violet magic. It wasn''t much of a threat to him.


    "We keep all the valuable items in this ce, from nt items, materials, slips, potions, elixirs, to weapons and relics," Livia said. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    She entered and turned on the light using her magic, torches lit in chains on each wall, forming an upward spiral pattern. Arthur was astonished to see how many items were stored in the room.


    All the items on disy in that ce were not items obtained in one day or one week, but over many years.


    Livia went on to exin that they also received items from HQ, most of which were high-value items that could increase members'' abilities and levels.


    "What are they interested in?" Arthur asked.


    "All of this, sir. They want all of this," Livia replied.


    "Do you think I''m a fool?"


    "These items are valuable, but if they were after them, they would have attacked a long time ago," Arthur replied.


    The man exined that the Mist Peak group''s ability to withstand the attack of four groups was not great.


    In Arthur''s estimation, they would have been destroyed in a three-day battle. Livia was stunned, failing to hide the item they were after.


    "Huft."


    Having no other choice, Livia flew to the top of the ce and arrived in a private room. Arthur followed close behind, the room filled with a number of treasured items, at least above level 7.


    "Three days ago, an envoy from the main HQ sent an item addressed to me and my members. But, the four groups heard what the item was and nned to take it from us," Livia replied.


    Livia picked up a small wooden chest and showed the contents, which consisted of a total of five vials of mythological race blood. The inscription on the vials stated what race the blood vials belonged to.


    "Nymph, Elf, Dragon, Kitsune, and Valkyrie. Those are the mythological races that ruled this ce in ancient times," Arthur replied.


    "That''s right. Not only that, they''re also after these three things," Livia replied, picking up a sizable object and letting it float before her.


    The ck cloth opened, and Arthur saw a powerful spear, sword, and bow. From his eyes, Arthur could feel a powerful stream of magic flowing through the three ancient weapons. The person who forged the three weapons must be a person with high forging skills.


    Still, weapons were not Arthur''s style, let alone swinging a sword or flying on it. Arthur nced at several ces, trying to find a good item that might increase his or his servant''s strength.


    Arthur''s eyes focused on a blue wooden box. He stepped closer to it and opened the contents, revealing three different colored slips, two blue and one white.


    "Oh, you opened the SS-Ranked talent slip. The white slip is an additional slip of talent," Livia replied.


    "Additional talent?" asked Arthur, confused.


    "That''s right. Mages usually only have two talents at a time, but if you have that slip and activate it, you can have an additional slot for your third talent," Livia replied.


    ''This is what I need. The more types of attacks I have, the more my opponent will never expect it,'' Arthur exined.


    "Do you have an SSS-Ranked talent slip?" Arthur asked, curious.


    "No, but our president at HQ has one. If you want it, maybe I can talk to her," Livia replied.


    ''There''s no guarantee she''ll give me such a valuable talent slip, especially since I''m just a stranger,'' Arthur exined.


    ''Be realistic and just take what''s put before me.''


    "Alright. I''ll take these three items."

 Chapter 168 Thalenia Enhance

    "Why are you taking me away?" asked Sara, confused at Arthur''s continued grip on her wrist.


    "It''s nothing. We should start preparing in case the raid opens again," said Arthur.


    It was impossible for Arthur to tell Sara about the beauty charm talent radiated by Noah''s aide. Sara felt nothing but drowsiness, but Arthur could see it clearly. The talent was trying to corrupt his heart and mind.


    Noah stepped out of his study, walked over to the corridor window and watched as Arthur and Sara returned to the safe house.@@novelbin@@


    Just before entering, Arthur stopped and raised his head, locking eyes with Noah for a moment.


    ''I take my word for it, he''s not as good as Tris. It''s possible he''s already devised a cunning n for me,'' Arthur said, squinting.


    As he entered the house, Noah smiled at Arthur''s assertive demeanor, a sign that he was beginning to be cautious of him. Noah''s aide stepped over, looking in the same direction as his superior.


    "We''d better not deal with him again, Mr. Noah," the aide said, right after Arthur had easily destroyed her beauty charms.


    "Yes. Let''s just leave them alone and never interfere in their affairs. It will be to our advantage."


    Arthur sighed with relief, at least he had managed to escape the vicinity of Noah and his aide. The two of them did have a mage level below him, enough for Arthur alone to destroy this ce. However, it would be troublesome for him again.


    Not just having to use the forgiveness order, but a worse problem. Arthur was worried that his enemy had grown to two, the Night Liberators and the Sky Sword.


    ''Dealing with the Night Liberators is enough to put me off. I don''t want any trouble with Sky Sword,'' Arthur exined.


    "Where exactly is Miki? What happened?" asked Sara, starting to ask about the kitsune woman.


    Arthur nodded. He stepped closer to the safe house couch and sat on it, Sara sat on the right side, while Karen took the left side. Mona stepped closer to Arthur, bringing him a snack.


    "Thalenia, my mythological race''s servant, has found her hometown," Arthur replied.


    "So, the 17th floor is Thalenia''s hometown?" asked Karen, Arthur nodding in agreement.


    The man continued his story at length, starting from the illusion of the Nymph''s eternal rain, to the brief battle with the adventurer group, to the moment Arthur knew the use of the formation slip.


    Sara, Karen and Mona listened intently. For the three of them, they had never seen what a formation slip looked like.


    Yet, they were beginning to see what they were used for. Arthur exined in detail without hiding anything.


    "I didn''t expect that the Nymph race still remained, I thought they had been destroyed," Sara exined.


    "Then, when will Thalenia and Miki return? ording to Captain Noah''s estimate, the raid will probably open next morning," Karen replied.


    "They will return once the raid information is received. I will inform Thalenia through a telepathic message between servant and master," Arthur replied.


    Arthur looked at each of them one by one, then took the talent slip of rank S from his storage. The man held three talent slips in his right hand, showing them the object.


    [Item Details:]


    [Name: Rank Talent Slip]


    [Grade: S]


    [Description: Useful for adding extra talents to the user, can be used as a secondary talent].


    Sara and the others'' attention was riveted on seeing the talent slip rank S, something that surprised them quite a bit.


    Karen asked why Arthur brought up the slip before them, there was a specific reason why the man did it.


    "If we make it to the 25th floor, I''ll give you one each," Arthur said.


    "Eh? Isn''t this a valuable item? Are you sure you''re going to give it to us?" asked Karen.


    "It''s valuable, but I have more valuable rank talent slip items. I don''t think I need A or S rank talent slips anymore," Arthur replied.


    ''Doesn''t he have SS or SSS rank talent slips? That would make his ability unmatched by anyone,'' Karen exined.


    [ATTENTION!]


    [Servant is about to enhance]


    [Servant Type: Mythological Race]


    [Servant Name: Thalenia]


    [Servant Race: Nymph]


    [Requirement to enhance Race Mythological type servant: ]


    [10 Blood Vials of Race Mythological]


    [Amount of MP 10000]


    [Confirm Enhanced Servant?]


    [Yes] [No]


    A system panel suddenly appeared before Arthur, exining in detail that one of his servants would enhance. The man smiled, it seemed that they still wanted to be with Thalenia for a little longer.


    Arthur pressed the Enhance Servant confirmation menu, another panel reappeared to exin the progress of the servant enhancement process.


    [Servant Enhance confirmed]


    [Servant selected:]


    [Thalenia (Nymph)]


    [Scanning for item requirements]


    [10 Blood Vials of Race Mythological]


    [10000 MP]


    [Requirements met]


    Arthur let the process of enhancing servants happen in the Nymph vige, the most important thing was that he always got notifications of iing messages, whether about the sess of enhancing servants or something else.


    Sara gasped, wondering why Thalenia could enhance servants. Arthur exined the servant system was quite flexible in his opinion.


    If a servant has met the criteria to enhance, then she can activate her servant panel and request an enhancement to her master. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    That will only happen if the servant was activated. Currently, Thalenia has been active since a few hours. Likely, she held 10 vials of mythological blood race as the main requirement to enhance. Arthur''s job was only to confirm whether or not he agreed with the enhancement.


    [Servant EXP +100]


    [Servant EXP +500]


    [Servant EXP +1000]


    [Servant EXP +3000]


    [Servant EXP +5000]


    [Servant Enhance Sessful]


    [DING! Congrattions as Servant has leveled up]


    [Servant Lv. 1] -> [Servant Lv. 4]


    [DING! Congrattions as servant''s ability increased]


    [Buff increased]


    [HP +500/5 sec] -> [HP +1250/5 sec]


    [MP +750/5sec] -> [MP +1650/5 sec]


    [Servant Range: 10km]


    [Servant Duration: 18 hours]


    [Talent Effect Range: 8km]


    [CP +3000]


    Arthur smiled, feeling pleased to see Thalenia getting her enhancements well. He didn''t care about the amount of CP gained, but Arthur was more concerned about Thalenia''s additional buff regen.


    He had expected that the higher the level of Thalenia''s servant, the more her buff regen would increase.


    Currently, she had over 1000 regen for every five seconds. If an hour passed, then the regeneration rate of her HP or MP reached more than 720000.


    Not only that, sharing HP or MP regen to surrounding members will also be increasinglyrge, different from the past which only regen in small amounts. Now, Sara and the others didn''t have to worry about their MP or HP count.


    ''From the amount of Servant EXP obtained, it is possible that Thalenia used more than 10 Blood Vials of Race Mythological to get her enhancements,'' Arthur exined.


    The rain suddenly poured down heavily outside, their attention was spontaneously drawn to it. Rain always gave shade to anyone, including that man.


    "I''ll keep this S rank talent slip safe. I''ll give it to you once we get to the 20th floor. Do you mind?" asked Arthur, Sara shook her head.


    After all, the rank talent slip was still Arthur''s item. Only that man had the right to give it to whoever he wanted.


    Since night would soon fall, Sara and Mona left the living room and stepped into the kitchen. They needed to prepare dinner for them, a simple meal that was filling enough for them to eat.


    Arthur stepped into one of the rooms Karen had shown him, his bedroom. Karen said that she would go help Sara and Mona prepare dinner, so Arthur could rx for a while.


    However, there was no time to rx for Arthur. His CP was already above 13 million, strong enough to withstand the power of the mages on the lower floors. Still, Arthur wasn''t satisfied. He was still curious about the use of additional talent slips.


    "I''d better try the additional talent slip, maybe it can help me a lot in the fight."

 Chapter 169 Ready for 17th Dark Pillar Raid

    Out of curiosity, Arthur brought out an additional talent slip to the front. He let the additional talent slip float before him with a steady white glow.


    Arthur actually didn''t know how he activated the additional talent slip, but ording to his intuition, it was possible to flow his magic into the slip for activation.


    The man began to emit a magic aura from his body, purple in color with a fairly steady energy boom. He gathered arge amount of his magic at the tips of his two fingers and quickly directed it to stretch straight towards the talent slip.


    Gradually, the sync of the two powers happened. There was no turmoil when the slip talent received the purple power from Arthur. Instead, the slip''s color changed from white to purple, matching Arthur''s elemental base color.


    [Activation of additional slip talent begins]


    [Detecting magic energy]


    [Magic energy detected]


    [Detect the host owning the magic energy]


    [Host detected]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [Level: 325]


    [Detect the number of talents on host]


    [Talent detected]


    [Talent count: 2]


    [Starts matching basic requirements of additional talents]


    "Basic requirements of additional talents? So, to activate these additional talents, one has to fulfill the basic criteria first. This is interesting," Arthur exined.


    He still activated his magic and continued to aim at the additional talent slip, waiting for the moment the basic requirement matching waspleted.


    The man didn''t know what the basic requirements were, Livia didn''t say anything ¡ªprobably she didn''t know either.


    Still, with Arthur''s ability and level, as well as his talents and servants, Arthur was fairly confident that he could pass the basic requirements stage.


    [Basic requirements:]


    [1. Level above 100]


    [2. Have Main Talent and Secondary Talent]


    [3. CP is above 500000]


    [4. Have enough MP (MP 100000)]


    [Start scanning hosts based on basic requirements]


    [1. Level is above 100] [CHECK]


    [2. Has Main Talent and Secondary Talent] [CHECK]


    [CP is above 500000] [CHECK]


    Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    [4. Have enough MP (MP 100000)] [CHECK]


    [Basic requirements met]


    [Starts unlocking additional talents for the host]


    Slowly, white light began to emerge from the additional talent''s slip. Arthur squinted, watching as the white light magic began to enter through his body, the white light was used to unlock an additional talent slot on Arthur''s panel system, a third talent slot.


    Arthur''s eyes closed, letting the white light enter his body gradually. The boom of magic fluctuations happened, although it wasn''t so big.


    The magic fluctuations were able to be detected by the people around him, including Sara and the others.


    Karen stopped what she was doing ¡ªcleaning the utensils. She focused her eyes on the origin of the magic sparks, clearlying from Arthur''s bedroom.


    "What is he doing?" Karen asked.


    "I don''t know, but we shouldn''t disturb him," Sara replied, continuing to cook with Mona beside her.


    Karen agreed, resuming her activities as usual. Arthur continued to focus his mind on controlling the amount of magical energy that entered his body, with the sole purpose of preventing any unwanted bad magic turmoil.


    For about ten minutes, Arthur controlled the magic energy. In the end, everything was absorbed into Arthur''s body.


    Another system panel popped up, exining that Arthur had one additional talent he could fill.


    [DING! Congrattions on activating an additional talent]


    [Talent slot avable: 1]


    [Host has the right to add more talents]


    Right afterpleting the additional talent slip, the final magic flux boom was produced and it sent out a powerful wave of magic without damaging anything in its path. Arthur took a deep breath, feeling relieved by the extra talent added to him.


    "Now, I just need to find a shop that can give me talents," Arthur replied.


    He looked at the additional talent slip that had been floating before him, falling without any power in it.


    Arthur smiled, if he got an empty slip without magic, he could use it as a formation slip in the future.


    "From what I heard, the big city is only on the 25th floor. It seems like it will take me a while to get my third talent."


    [Raid Monster on Dark Pir Tower opened]


    [Portal closed countdown]


    [00:11:59:59]


    Never did Arthur expect the Dark Pir raid to be opened tonight, at seven pm to be exact. The countdown went on and Arthur could confirm that the Raid would open tomorrow morning at 7.


    KNOCK!


    There was a knock on the bedroom door, Karen was on the other side of it. Arthur opened the door and saw the woman, the raid notification panel also appeared on her panel.


    "Arthur. Did you get the panel?" asked Karen, Arthur said yes.


    Sara and Mona also got it. It was safe to say that the raid would start on the third day since thest raid in this ce. Arthur was pretty excited, meaning he could get on the floor soon.


    "After dinner, we will prepare the supplies for tomorrow. As well as nning the best strategy toplete the raid fast," Arthur exined.


    "We understand."


    Arthur closed his eyes, sending a telepathic message to Thalenia far away in the Nymph vige. Through the message, Arthur informed her about tomorrow''s raid.


    She could stay another night at the ce, but in the morning, she was required to return to Arthur''s body to go through the raid together.


    Thania was saddened to hear this, but hermitment as a servant to her master had to be fulfilled. She had to put her master''s interests above her own.


    "Did you tell Thania about the raid?" asked Sara, Arthur nodded.


    "Yes. She''ll be home in the morning. You don''t have to worry about her."


    Mona came near the dining room, cing two types of food on the table: soup and grilled meat.


    Sara invited Arthur to have dinner together, before they discussed what to do during the raid tomorrow. Arthur said yes and joined them.


    ***


    The Next Day.


    Sky Sword 17th safe house.


    Preparationspleted, Sara and the others werepletely ready mentally and physically for the raid.


    At six in the morning, Thalenia came and entered Arthur''s body to rest. Her servant''s cooldown would finish at seven o''clock.


    Miki told Arthur that Thalenia was quite enjoying her time with the members of her race. But her face turned glum when she realized the raid would start very soon.


    Arthur didn''t like that. He exined that Thania was his servant, so she had to obey her master''s orders.


    Arthur even threatened to terminate the servant contract with Thania if she denied his words, it was enough to make Thalenia die.


    "If she dies, you won''t get the regen effect. Are you ready?" asked Miki.


    "I''m very ready. My HP and MP are above 1 million, I have hundreds of HP Potions and MP Elixir. Thalenia''s presence is just to make things easier for me."


    "All humans are cruel!"


    "I''m not cruel. I''m fulfilling her two wishes. Shall I not expect her presence in this raid?"


    Miki could not say much, what Arthur said waspletely true. He had helped Thalenia meet Miki and the other Nymph members, it was only right for Thalenia to obey Arthur''s words.


    "Alright, it''s all yours, Arthur!"


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Dark Pir Tower]


    [17th Floor]


    [Monster: Lv 113-115]


    [Monster Boss: ?]@@novelbin@@


    [Countdown for Closed Gate:]


    [00:11:59:59]

 Chapter 171 Mysterious Sky Sword Girl

    Purple magic emanated from Arthur''s body and burned away the redser released by the man. The man from the Night Liberators gang was shocked, Arthur didn''t do anything but he was able to stop his magic attack.


    WOSH!


    A gust of wind appeared and blew away everything, but it did not damage the walls and goods in the shop.


    The attention of many people was riveted on the two warring parties, Arthur and the Night Liberators'' group of retribution collectors.


    "Look! Someone dares to challenge them," another adventurer replied.


    "How foolish. The strength of that group of collectors is quite strong, I''m afraid that guy won''t be able to handle it alone."


    Arthur and Karen had heard their words. They said that the group before Arthur was a group of retribution collectors, the most feared people along this road.


    Not only did they have the authority to control this ce, but they also had the ability to fight well.


    Even if they were defeated, the captain of the Night Liberators'' territorial guard squad would intervene directly.


    ording to information spread in themunity, the territory guard squad''s mage level was Senior Sage or at the peak of tier three.


    ''Senior Sage? That''s no match for me,'' Arthur said.


    The man at the head of the retribution group realized Arthur''s ability was far stronger than anyone he had ever fought.


    He nced right and left, asked four of his members to form a talent and release it to kill Arthur.


    Karen held the sleeve of Arthur''s ck and purple suit. Arthur looked over, Karen''s face showing concern. This is not the 10th floor city, but Lilith City.


    The people in this ce were much stronger than the enemies Arthur had fought in the 10th city, Karen was worried that at any time the supreme leader of the Night Liberators woulde and engage in a devastating battle with Arthur.


    The five people before Arthur unleashed their talents to the front, ranging from redser-shaped talents, golden lightning, flying blue swords, powerful water waves, to sharp tree trunks.


    "What are we going to do?" asked Karen.


    "Nothing. Their attacks will have no effect on me," Arthur replied.


    The man again pointed his right hand forward, opening his palm wide and forming a powerful wall of purple magic, emanating from Arthur''s elemental base.


    Five attack talents collided in energy with the purple wall, creating a powerful st and a constant boom of magic.


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    People fled the streets, merchants abandoning their goods in favor of escaping death. Arthur was not distressed by them, a weak force should not challenge a stronger one.


    "Enough!" Arthur shouted.


    He clenched his fist and exploded a wall of purple magic, a chain effect of purple mes spread from the five talent attacks directed at their host.


    Three of the five were affected by the st and the purple mes, he bounced away from the spot with a fatal wound that nearly took his life.


    "You! What have you done, you son of a bitch!" snapped the leader of the retribution group.


    "You threatened me, I responded back and injured your friend. Why should you me me?" asked Arthur, coldly.


    "You left him dying, damn it!" he snapped.


    Arthur grinned widely. He strode coldly down the pavingblock street of the city, Karen still standing where she was.


    Every footstep Arthur took, always impacted the strong fluctuating power of the magic beneath his feet, like a wave of water on the sea surface.


    He again summoned power from the purple magic in his right hand, surprising the leader of the retribution group as he had already lost quite a lot of MP, finding it difficult to block Arthur''s immense power.


    "W-What... are you going to do?" asked the group leader.


    "If he''s in pain from suffering, I''ll help remove it!" said Arthur.


    "Stop!"


    Arthur stopped his steps and looked up into the sky, seeing a man standing tall on the back of a ck eagle beast servant. He did note alone, but with a woman at his side.


    "Let him go, then we won''t look for trouble with you," said the man, the captain of the territorial guard squad.


    Arthur sighed and agreed to the man''s request. He deactivated his purple magic and stepped away back near Karen.


    The man on the eagle told the retribution collection group to return to the base and recover, he flew low near Arthur.


    "Your strength is truly amazing. Are you interested in joining our group?" the man asked, Arthur remained silent and did not respond.


    "You will have a lot to gain from joining the Night Liberators. I can¡ª"


    "Will you shut up? I''m not interested in your group!" interrupted Arthur, ring at the man intimidatingly.


    Getting a rejection, the man no longer pursued Arthur and Karen. Still, he sensed that Arthur''s magic fluctuations were very strong, especially when he emitted his purple magic.@@novelbin@@


    Not wanting to lose track of him, the man ordered the woman beside him to fly after Arthur from afar. The woman nodded in agreement.


    "If he enters another group''s territory, return immediately. We don''t want to stir up hostilities with them," the man replied, the woman nodding in full understanding.


    Arthur and Karen walked back to the city center. After asking a few people, they said the equipment and item districts were avable elsewhere, other than the Night Liberators'' territory district.


    That was quite confusing to Arthur. The man he asked mentioned that the city''s three districts were divided into three major groups, and Arthur and Karen had just left the Night Liberators'' district.


    That made everything make sense, from the retribution, the use of force in the center of the city, to the members guarding the ce. Arthur was relieved to be rid of them.


    "The safe option is to visit the Sky Sword or Dimension Justice territory districts. It''s in that direction and that way," the man replied, pointing to the north and west.


    Arthur agreed, a city as big as Lilith City seemed to need a map to explore it. Perhaps Arthur could get a map of the city after arriving at the equipment and item area in the Sky Sword region district.


    Sure enough, upon entering the district, they were treated with buildings painted a mix of white and blue, the proud colors of Sky Sword.


    Something like this had not happened before in the 10th city, there must be a special reason for the division of regions to happen.


    They finally arrived at the equipment and item area. Originally, Arthur had expected the number of visitors to be the same as when he was in the Night Liberators region district, but he was wrong.


    The number of visitors was much higher than before. The merchants could sell with peace of mind in healthypetition, the rent for the ce was the same, but Sky Sword exined the scheme well.


    The rent included store repairs caused by non-human faults, such as disasters, wind, or damage caused by Sky Sword group members.


    Not only that, the rent was also for improving the public facilities in the district, such as drinking water sinks, street lights, seats on the sidewalk, and anything else that could providefort to visitors to the city.


    "Please pull over, don''t let them get me," shouted a 12-year-old girl running through the crowd, wearing her Night Liberators uniform.


    Behind her, three men were chasing the girl with their armor on. The girl managed to escape the three men''s eyes, she was standing right before Arthur.


    Arthur and the girl looked at each other for a moment, the girl''s eyes suddenly lit up blue like the color of the sea, surprising Arthur.


    Soon, the girl''s eyes widened with her mouth gaping, her hands covering her mouth in shock.


    "A-A Venerable Sage?" the girl asked.


    ''Wait! How did she know?''


    Soon, the three men chasing the girl arrived and managed to catch her. The girl was caught without any resistance, letting the three Sky Sword members take her back to the branch HQ.


    "May we meet again, Venerable Sage!" called the girl, waving.


    ''Damn it! How did that damn girl know my mage tier?''

 Chapter 173 Mage with Dark Magic Power

    [Talent Rank Selection sessful]


    [Talent: Clone Maniption]


    [Rank: SS]


    [Stage: Early]


    [Description: A talent power that allows the host to create many clones of the host with half the host''s overall power. The number of clones that can be manipted is limited for the early stage].


    [Add talent rank to Additional Talent]


    [Yes] [No]


    ''Clones? Half my power?" Arthur asked.


    Arthur''s current total level was 325. If half the power was objectively based, then the clone level of Arthur would be at level 162, which, if a line was drawn ording to the mage tier, Arthur''s clone would be in the Great Wizard tier ¡ªLevel range 151-250.


    Usually, mages with the Great Wizard mage tier were on high floors, between the 40-50th floors. Yet, Arthur was already able to reach a higher tier thanks to his mass killing on the 10th floor.


    ''My clone is stronger than the average mage on the lower floors. This wille in handy,'' Arthur exined.


    After thinking for a while, Arthur pressed the confirmation menu, making another panel pop up before his eyes.


    The panel exined that Arthur had received the Clone Maniption, and the talent was fully his.


    [DING! Congrattions on getting another talent]


    [Additional Talent has been filled]


    [Additional Talent: Clone Maniption]


    [Sub Talent:]


    [1. Passive Clone] [35000 MP]


    [2. Combat Clone [50000 MP]


    [3. ShapeShift Clone] [75000 MP]


    [4. Explosive Clone] [80000 MP]


    [5. Origin Clone] [100000 MP]


    [Rank: SS]


    [Stage: Early]


    [Talent Point: 0/299999 TP]


    [Efficiency: 200-300tp/hour]


    [CP +25000]


    At first nce, Arthur saw the names of the sub-talents disyed clearly on the panel before him. Yet, the five sub-talents were not exined, just like the previous ones.


    ''Looks like I''ll have to find out what the five sub talents are for now,'' Arthur said.


    He deactivated the system panel and stepped out of the equipment store. The beautiful, big-breasted woman in the dress didn''t want to miss the rare moment Arthur became the first customer in her shop to sessfully obtain the SS talent rank using the Talent Slip Rank.


    "W-Wait, sir. Shall we talk for a moment?" the woman asked.


    "I don''t have time."


    "It won''t take long. I''m going to hold another auction event. If you''re interested in more money, you can keep the A or S rank talent slip for me," said the woman, trying to hug Arthur''s body intimately and seductively.


    Arthur clicked his tongue, clenching his right fist tightly to form a powerful wave of purple magic that pushed the woman far away until she hit the shop wall. Items fell onto her body.


    "I don''t like how you approached me!" threatened Arthur.


    "F-Forgive me, sir. I promise I won''t do that again."


    The big-breasted woman crawled towards Arthur with an injured body. Several female staff tried approaching her, getting her manager to stand up and negotiate with Arthur normally.


    Their superior was known as a bitchy, stingy, and greedy woman. Many mages hated her for that, but because of her enchantment talent, capable of captivating many people, she managed to dispel the hatred and turn it into admiration and lust.


    Still, she did not use her enchantment talent to impress Arthur. That''s really strange. Could she be avoiding something harmful? Considering Arthur''s ability was very high.


    "I promised to give my friend the S rank talent slip, but you can sell all my A rank talent slips," Arthur said.


    He swung his hand to the side, bringing up 340 rank A talent slips stacked on each other to a height of 3.5 m/11.4 ft.


    The heads of the woman and her three servants looked up, mouths gaping wide with eyes bulging. They didn''t expect Arthur to have so many rank-A slip talents.


    Although S rank slip talents were numerous, the high price made it difficult for many poor mages to buy them.


    Their choice fell to rank A talent slip. Besides being cheap, the chance for Ascension to rank S was open, as if they were purchasing the seeds of rank S talent.


    Even though everyone knew that pure S talent from gacha or born was far stronger than rank S talent as a result of ascension from A rank talent.


    They didn''t care. As long as they get S-rank talent, they will be satisfied.@@novelbin@@


    "How much are you going to sell this one for?" asked the woman, holding up a slip of rank A talent that was still intact and unused.


    "I''m selling it for 25000."


    The woman nodded. The price of 25000 was definitely the standard selling price for rank A slip talent items. But, because there were many of them, the woman didn''t know if she could buy them all.


    The total RL the big-breasted woman had to pay to buy all the items was 8500000 RL, which is a lot of money for sure.


    "I don''t have that much money," exined the woman.


    "How about upgrading your rank A talent slip to a rank S talent slip?" the woman asked, making Arthur''s eyes ze over.


    ''Wait, they can do that?'' Arthur asked.


    Aerith smiled. She said clearly that if one wanted to increase the rank of a slip talent, then high crafting skills were needed. Luckily for Arthur, he had a friend with the maximum craft level.


    ''You can. You only need 100 rank A slip talents to upgrade to rank S slip talents,'' Aerith exined.


    ''And you need at least 50 rank S talent slips to upgrade it to one rank SS talent slip,'' Aerith added.


    ''Finally, you need 25 SS rank talent slips to upgrade to one SSS rank talent slip,'' Aerith said.


    ''Then, what else do I need besides talent rank slips?" Arthur asked.


    ''You need three main materials from three different elements; you can choose any of the elements. But I suggest light, water, and earth due to their softness,'' said Aerith.


    Arthur understoodpletely. He said he would look for those primary materials to upgrade the talent rank slip.


    Aerith would certainly help Arthur. Still, Arthur needed to convince himself of what talent ranks would be upgraded.


    ''Even though one''s crafting skill is high, the percentage of failure is still there. So, you must be prepared for the worst, Aaron,'' Aerith said.


    ''I''m already prepared for that.''


    The big-breasted woman said she could only buy 10 of Arthur''s A-rank talent slips. Arthur sighed, took back the talent slips, and handed her ten.


    The transaction took ce between them. Arthur got 250000 RL while the woman got 10 rank A talent slips. With materials like that, he was pretty excited to do another auction eventter.


    "Thank you for trading with us, sir."


    Arthur cleared his throat indifferently, leaving the ce to go to the city center, the meeting point again for him with Sara and the others.


    The woman in the red dress began closing the shop, relieved that the mysterious man had left.


    "Why didn''t you use your charm, Lady?" asked the servant.


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    "That man is even more powerful than the supreme leaders of the three major groups in Lilith City. I shouldn''t intimidate him," replied thedy,pletely understood by the three servant girls.


    She ordered one of the maids to go to the district trade office to register their shop for the auction event next week. The maid understood and left the premises.


    Arthur and Karen continued walking towards the city center, near the teleportation light stone. There, Arthur saw a woman in all ck sitting near the light stone with a hood over her head, strangely mysterious.


    The man spread his arms to the sides, guarding Karen from the threat of the mysterious woman.


    "Your powers are interesting, sir. There''s something we need to talk about," the woman exined, surprisingly and without warning, summoning purple magic in her palm, which is simr to Arthur''s dark magic power.


    ''A mage with the element of darkness? What does she want?''

 Chapter 174 Sky Sword 25th Branch HQ

    Sara and the others appeared from different directions. They walked with both hands, holding paper baskets full of cookies, groceries, and clothes. Karen turned around and waved, weing Sara and the others.


    She exined that she had sessfully upgraded the attributes of her red me sword, and Arthur had obtained his third talent. Sara was shocked, never knowing a mage could have three talents.


    "Then, what is the rank of the third talent?" asked Sara.


    "That''s SS rank," said Karen, shocking Sara and the others further.


    In short, Arthur''s three talents were above A rank. Dark Dimension Reality was an SSS rank talent, Gravity Maniption was an S rank talent, and Clone Maniption was an SS rank talent.


    ''I can''t imagine what his power will be like. Two talents are enough to destroy a city. What if it''s three?'' asked Sara, wondering wildly.


    They looked towards the front, watching Arthur standing before the ck hooded woman with the power of darkness.


    The two seemed to be facing each other intensely, full of intrigue and the turmoil of thoughts in their heads.


    "What do you want from me?" asked Arthur.


    "The Supreme Legion wants to see you. He sent me, the third of the seven seats of the Dark Legion, toe," replied the woman, her eyes glowing purple as the elements of darkness possessed her body and mind.


    ''Supreme Legion? Dark Legion? I have no problem with them. Why did theye?'' Arthur asked.


    Arthur sighed. His arms crossed over his chest, staring at the woman with a piercing gaze. The man clearly refused her invitation to go and see the Supreme Legion. Arthur didn''t want to waste his time.


    "You refuse? Fine," the woman said.


    The woman''s hands were clenched firmly before her face. Purple magic flowed from beneath the ground and shackled the hands and feet of the 13th Squad members.


    They were trapped by the shackles of the mysterious woman''s powerful purple chains, and even Miki had difficulty dealing with them.


    "AKH!" groaned Sara, in pain as the purple chains made her fall face down on the ground.


    People moved away from the city center area as if someone had used their magic. Arthur nced back as he reached out towards them.


    With the power of Arthur''s purple magic, he shattered the woman''s purple chains and freed them.


    The mysterious woman was amazed, nodding several times after being pleased with Arthur''s ability. What the Supreme Legion said was true. Arthur''s power could not be underestimated by any of them.


    ''Maybe Leon, the first seat, can match his strength. After all, he was the one who killed Bright the fifth seat,'' the woman said, looking straight ahead.


    "You girls hurry to the Sky Sword branch HQ. I''ll catch up with youter!"manded Arthur, coating their bodies with his magic keeping them protected until they reached the branch HQ.


    Sara and the others nodded, realizing the fight was beyond them. Even if they had helped Arthur, it would have only burdened the man. The best option was to go to the branch HQ and inform their high leader.


    The mysterious woman before Arthur boldly introduced herself. She was Eve, the third seat holder of the Dark Legion.


    She exined that she had killed many group leaders, destroyed the group, and razed a small town that a specific group had built.


    It was those achievements that got Eve promoted. She also raised her students to the level of Young Sage, the same mage level as Arthur before he rose to Venerable Sage.


    The more Dark Legion members with high-tier mages, the more powerful and influential the organization became.


    Their objective was only one, to help the Supreme Legion move up the ranks to the title of Dark Ruler.


    Unlike the three major groups, their methods are sadistic and cruel. They would kill other adventurers to gain EXP, steal EXP Elixir, and sacrifice Beast servants or Race Mythological servants to gain EXP.


    From the results of the Dark Legion spy team''s observations, Arthur had a match of principles with the Dark Legion.


    That''s why high-ranking officials like the Seven Angels Legion ¡ªthe seven highest seats of the Dark Legion¡ª came to pick him up.


    Yet, the Dark Legion was too dangerous for Arthur. He was worried that the Supreme Legion was nning to consume Arthur''s soul and status to make his level and CP even higher, especially since Arthur had a g of authority capable of removing the penalty for murder.


    Arthur really needs to be careful. The Dark Legion was already targeting him.


    "So, how is it? Do you still want to join?" Eve asked, curious.


    "Forget about that. I''m not joining you, no matter what gift you offer," Arthur exined.


    "Sadly, the Supreme Legion will be furious with you, Arthur."


    "If he wants me, he shoulde here and take me!" insisted Arthur, pointing downwards as if he wanted the Supreme Legion to kneel submissively like a dog.


    "You''re out of line, Arthur!" dered Eve, emitting her own purple magic out of her body.


    That caused a strong magic boom; the magic fluctuations and wind gusts in that ce spread throughout the city all the way to the hall of the 25th Sky Sword.


    In the closest radius, ss shattered, and hanging items began to fall. In the farthest radius, only magic pulses could be felt, and the intense pounding continued.


    A woman, sitting on the 25th Sky Sword HQ hall throne, felt the magic boom. The adult woman in a beautiful white and blue cloud-patterned dress turned her head to the side, looking at the man who was her aide.


    "I''ll go check it out, Leader."


    The man set off with the 25th Sky Sword members towards the center of the magic boom. The three-meter-high iron white door opened, a 12-year-old girl entered while still wearing her Sky Sword uniform.


    "Emily."


    The woman in the white and blue cloud-patterned dress stepped from her throne, approaching her little sister, who once again had to be arrested by Sky Sword soldiers for walking too far out of line. There was a specific reason why Emily was not allowed to go too far; it was because of her talent.


    "I was just going to the equipment and item area, but those three guys kept chasing me," Emily replied irritably.


    "I understand. But if you''re going to go there, at least let Aldo apany you," the woman replied, clutching her temples, feeling dizzy from her little sister''s attitude.


    "Alright, I was wrong."


    "Do you know what I found there, Sis?" asked Emily, enthusiastic.


    The woman before Emily shook her head, having no idea what her sister had found. Just as Emily was about to say it, there was a soft knock on the throne room door. A guard came in and told the leader of the 25th Sky Sword that she had a guest.


    "Guests?"


    "Yes. She has a mandate from Andrew, the captain of Sky Sword 10th."


    The woman asked Emily to tell herter about what she had found. The woman reached out and took the mandate letter from Andrew, her friend.


    She opened it and was shocked to realize that a squad from Sky Sword 10th had managed to climb into Lilith City.


    "Let them in. I want to know which of the best squads made it up here from the 10th floor," exined the woman. The guard nodded and did as instructed.


    The white iron door opened, Sara and the others entered. They saw the throne hall of the Sky Sword branch HQ, which was so beautiful and charming.


    The floor they stood on had a bridge connecting the door to the area in front. On the right and left sides, there were lush pools of clear water with healthy fish and aquatic nts.


    The cold air was blowing and creating the impression of mist and clouds on the floor, but they could still see the bridge as it was adorned with bright blue light elements.


    "Are you Sara, captain of the 13th Squad of the 10th Sky Sword?" asked the woman, sitting back on her throne, Emily apanying her on the side, in her own seat to be exact.@@novelbin@@


    "I am. Thank you for having us here, Ms. ...."


    "Call me Eloise," replied Eloise, the leader of the 25th Sky Sword.


    "Thank you for having us here, Ms. Eloise," Sara said. Read thetest on My Virtual Library Empire


    "I''m really pleased. Never before has a squad from the 10th floor been able to reach this city. You created history for you and your squad there," Eloise replied. Sara felt honored to be ttered by Eloise.


    Due to the 13th squad''s sess in reaching Lilith''s city, Eloise would give them a big reward, also sending tribute to the 10th floor to be received by Andrew.


    The 13th squad''s sess in breaking through 15 floors proved that Sky Sword was a group that could not be underestimated.


    "You can stay at our HQ to rest. You can join us and stay here, or you can return to the 10th floor and stay there," Eloise replied, rising from her seat and stepping closer to Sara.


    "Thank you, Lady Eloise."


    "We''re waiting for our friend to arrive. He''s having some trouble in the city center. I hope you can help her, Lady Eloise," Sara replied.


    "Of course. I''ll send my aide to go get him. There is not a single force in the city that can harm your friend. Trust me with everything."

 Chapter 177 End of Arthurs Quest

    Eloise widened her eyes, then smiled widely with teary and emotional eyes. Emily''s figure had returned to her original form, whether her face, hair, or body. Yet, her personality had not changed at all, still the same as when Emily was 12 years old.


    The girl looked below, how surprised she was to be in the sky with a high altitude, the houses and people on the ground looked smaller than what they should be. It made Emily tighten her grip on Arthur.


    The clothes she was wearing shouldn''t have fit her current body, but surprisingly the Sky Sword uniform seemed to fit Emily''s body, as if it had expanded to suit the woman''s body.


    "What happened to you, Emily?" asked Eloise.


    "It seems like his magic managed to neutralize the dark poison on my body, Sis," replied Emily, turning her head to the side and seeing Eloise flying near Max.


    "Dark poison?" asked Arthur.


    Emily turned her head, again. She looked closely into Arthur''s gaze, then a big smile spread across her face.


    "Yeah. I''ll tell you everything, but we have to go," Emily asked.


    Arthur squinted, then changed his focus to Eloise and Max who still watched him. Eloise was looking at Arthur with sharp, intimidating eyes, the man was very dangerous to Emily, she shouldn''t be holding him like that.


    Knowing that everything was soplicated, Arthur sighed gradually to control the confusion in his mind and heart.


    He withdrew the rumbling of the storm from the Lilith City sky, restoring the clear and bright blue sky.


    The anxiety and fear of the people had subsided, they were d that the threat had disappeared for unknown reasons.


    After seeing the city sky return to normal, Eloise asked Arthur to return Emily to her.


    But Emily, with her childish attitude, still wanted to be around Arthur. The 17-year-old girl said clearly that she didn''t want to go home with Eloise, but she wanted to return with Arthur.


    Arthur knew where Emily was going home, judging by the clothes she was wearing and the whispers from her.


    He wanted everything to be over, so he asked Emily to hold on tightly to him. Emily did as she was told.


    WOSH!


    With a sh of purple lightning and a strong gust of wind, Arthur and Emily left the ce. Their high speed made it difficult for Eloise and Max to follow them. Max hadpletely lost track of Arthur.


    "He''spletely disappeared, I hardly feel the magic fluctuations," said Eloise, amazed.


    "Damn you, Aaron! One day, I''ll catch you and torture you, death is not an easy thing for you to get!" Max threatened.


    Not getting any good results, Max left the ce with his Night Liberators.


    Eloise did the same, flying on her swan, not to the city center, but to the Sky Sword branch HQ.


    "Where is he taking Emily? Will she be alright?" Aldo asked Eloise.


    "There''s nowhere else they can go but Lilith City. They must be in this city," Eloise replied, feeling calm.


    Although her sister was kidnapped by the mysterious Arthur, it was certain that Emily''s safety was fine.


    Emily''s abilities were almost on par with Eloise''s, it was just that Emily''s growth was halted when she was hit by a dark magic curse three years ago, making her body turn into a child with hindered abilities.


    With Emily''s condition back, Eloise was confident that she could send out an emergency signal to the sky, even when kidnapped by the Venerable Sage.


    The magnificent building of the 25th Sky Sword was disyed in front of Eloise and the others. They arrived at the throne hall of the HQ from the side.


    "Quickly send a search and detection team to find-"


    "Sister!" greeted Emily, interrupting Eloise''s speech and much to her sister''s shock.


    Eloise was speechless, her mouth gaping wide with her eyes glued to Emily''s presence in the hall. Emily looked fine, not hurt or in pain, she arrived at this hall escorted by Arthur.


    "How did you get here? Did that man drive you?" asked Eloise, Emily nodded her head in affirmation.


    "Then, where is he?" asked Eloise, wanting to meet the man.


    "I don''t know. He left after dropping me off here."


    Eloise looked back, stepping closer to the side door of the hall. She stepped closer to the ce, looking at the buildings in Lilith City with a heart that kept saying many thanks to Arthur.


    Thanks to Arthur, Emily was able to break free from the curse of dark magic and return to normal growth as before. If Eloise could meet Arthur again, she wanted to express her gratitude to him.


    "I didn''t know where you were, but thank you very much, Arthur."


    Eloise ordered her members to go look for the whereabouts of Sara''s friend, she said that their friend was in the city center and having problems. Aldo agreed and left.


    Elsewhere, Arthur stood on the main street of the Sky Sword territory district. His steps halted, he stood tall and stared into the sky, at the Sky Sword 25th branch HQ to be precise.


    His ties with Sky Sword had ended, he had no other duty to help the 13th Squad as his purpose had already beenpleted. They had reached Lilith City in less than a year.


    Arthur took out three S rank talent slips from his storage. He had promised to hand over the talent slips to Sara and the others, but he couldn''t leave due to his identity.


    [Servant Activated]


    [Race Mythological Servant]


    [1. Thalenia (Nymph)]


    [MP -10000]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [MP: 1285000/1375000] [-10000] Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    Thalenia''s figure appeared before Arthur in the form of a towering vine, fully forming the woman''s body. Thalenia smiled, greeting Arthur kindly.


    "Give these three items to Sara and the others. You can hangout with them until midnight, Thania," Arthur replied.


    Thania nodded in agreement, thanked Arthur and left to fly through the clouds towards the safe house at the Sky Sword 15th branch HQ.


    Arthur walked over to one of the inns in the food and lodging area. Arthur booked a room for one day, the price of the stay was 10 RL. Arthur stayed there for a while.


    As time passed, the street area of the regional district became more and more crowded with people. They came with their lovers, friends, or families to enjoy the festivities in the district.@@novelbin@@


    Thalenia made it to Sara and the others. Sara asked the woman where Arthur was, Thalenia said that Arthur was fine. He was staying at one of the inns in town.


    "After this, what will he do?" asked Sara.


    Thalenia shook her head, having no idea what Arthur''s future ns were. However, what was certain for him was that he would not be in connection with the three major groups, not for the current time.


    "You don''t have to worry about him. With his current strength, he''ll be fine," Thania exined.


    "I hope so."

 Chapter 179 Internal Persona Magic Item

    ***


    The next day.


    Arthur walked down the main street in the equipment and items area. Yesterday, he visited the same area but in different districts.


    Caught by curiosity regarding the various types of items, Arthur decided to go there after staying at the city inn.


    It wasn''t hard for one to pass out or into a certain district. They could tell the difference between one district and another.


    The Night Liberators District was filled with red-painted buildings; the architectural style was abstract, undetermined by them.


    The Sky Sword District was filled with white and blue, their pride colors. Not only that, but they also designed the architecture of the building in a minimalist medieval style, which seemed ancient but elegant.


    However, the Dimension Justice District was different from the other two groups. The architecture was East Asian style, with pagodas and distinctive houses. The colors were filled with red and gold.


    Despite the differences, the three major groups worked together to govern the city well. The City Cathedral was in the Dimension Justice district, while the guild office was in the Sky Sword district.


    For the Night Liberators? They had the freedom to be the city''s gatekeepers. They determine who can and cannot enter the city.


    Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Currently, Arthur was inside the Dimension Justice district, or as they called it, the feast street. There was a reason why they called it that.


    People gathered on the street, dressed in gold and red while sprinkling festive trinkets outside their houses and above the street. They dance, perform magic tricks, and sing to bring the ce to life.


    Whenever a party was organized, all the shops would give discounts, which Dimension Justice would pay for as the person in charge of the event.


    It suddenly attracted many customers from two districts to visit the Dimension Justice district in droves.


    Jovanni knew how to get customers and spoil them in his district, which was full of parties and festivities.


    ''Thepetition between districts is not determined by how much money they make, but how consistently city people visit their districts,'' Arthur replied.


    He looked to the right and left, watching as item or food shops began to be flooded by the arrival of the other city''s people.


    They did not hesitate to show their interest in discounted events. As long as they got the items they wanted, why should they be embarrassed by discounts?


    ''The leader of Dimension Justice is pretty smart. He may have lost money due to the shortage of discounted events, but he managed to build trust in the city. Trust is important to maintain the consistency of the city''s economy,'' said Arthur.


    Simply put, once they know the quality of the items and food in this ce, they will return again and again -even if there is no discount event.


    The most important thing for Jovanni was to build a good impression of the area for the city, and then they would be impressed and prefer to spend their money in the Dimension Justice district.


    Arthur''s steps were interrupted when he saw one equipment store in a different situation. Not a single customer came to the store, while the other stores on its right and left were crowded with customers.


    Arthur watched the ce. The middle-aged woman''s look was haggard, her teenage daughter and son kept calling out outside the store to attract customers to visit their shop.


    But s, it was hopeless. No matter how hard they tried, no one approached the ce. Aaron felt bad; he had to do something about it.


    The man walked in slowly, and the shop owner''s daughter smiled and weed Aaron in.


    Just as Aaron stepped his foot into the store room, he unexpectedly received a nauseous sensation, intense magical pressure, and a strange whisper that told him to leave.


    [Get away from that ce if you don''t want to die!]


    ''This? The persona power? Why couldn''t I sense it when I was outside?'' asked Aaron, confused.


    Seeing Aaron''s queasy and ufortable face, they tried to calm him down. Everyone who came to the store had simr facial expressions; not many chose to skip shopping because of the incident.


    "Drink this. It can relieve the symptoms of nausea and dizziness that you feel," requested the middle-aged woman, the equipment store owner.


    Aaron''s eyes closed, he lifted his two fingers up at chest height. Purple light appeared at the tips of the two fingers. Slowly, Arthur''s magic vision could detect the strange magic flow spreading in the room.


    The flow was so strong and intense, they were getting a constant supply of magical energy from someone.


    Aaron realized the reason for the shop''sck of customers, someone was deliberately sabotaging the ce to make the customers run away.


    ''What makes this ce deserted is because of the effect of the environmental persona within the store room,'' Aaron exined.


    ''Another reason why I can''t detect it from the outside is because this magic works by transmitting its magic from the items kept here,'' Aaron said.


    Through the man''s magic vision, Aaron detected that the flow of magic in the room was produced from a jug stored in the center of the room, which then distributed its magic to four medallions disyed in the room''s four corners.


    From the four medallions, they emitted strong magical radiation to anyone who came besides the shopkeeper''s family.


    The high magic radiation caused the symptoms of nausea and dizziness felt by everyone who visited the shop.


    ''I understand it all!'' Aaron exined.@@novelbin@@


    [Persona Protection Activated]


    [Increases mental and soul defenses from persona affect]


    [Increases LUCK ability by 25%]


    [Any form of Nerf is disabled]


    The symptoms of nausea and dizziness began to subside and disappear. Aaron''s body glowed purple, to the surprise of the three people in the room -the shop owner''s family.


    Aaron picked up the brown y jug and smashed it, startling the shopkeeper.


    "That''s a jug for saving magic energy. Why are you breaking it?" the woman shouted.


    "Keep quiet!" said Aaron.


    "I''m helping your shop," he countered.


    The man reached into every corner of the room, picking up medallions patterned with ck lion faces. They were all collected in Arthur''s arms, and the man instantly burned them to the ground.


    The shopkeeper was furious. She scolded Aaron and demanded that hepensate her for the damage to her five items. The woman said the total price of the five items was 150000 RL.


    Aaron didn''t care. He still saw the traces of the environmental persona magic that still existed. With a hand formation gesture and a magic circle cast in the sky above the shop, he restored the ce and got rid of the evil magic harming the shop and the surrounding area.


    "What exactly are you doing?" asked the shopkeeper, confused.


    Soon, other customers began to notice the shop. Those who couldn''t get into other shops began to pour into the shop, and even the middle-aged woman seemed overwhelmed by the visitors buying her goods.


    She withdrew her bad assumption about Aaron. The woman realized Aaron''s arrival was solely to make her shop crowded with other customers. She didn''t have time to thank him; Aaron had already left the ce.


    Aaron kept walking down the feast street. Yet, he sensed that there were three mages following him. They had started following Aaron since he left the middle-aged woman''s shop.


    ''It seems like they''re the ones who put the persona magic into the shop,'' Aaron exined.


    The man sighed, then opened his eyes and moved his body quickly. A sh of purple lightning appeared and startled the three people following him. They couldn''t keep up with the speed of Aaron''s lightning move.


    "Where did that jerk go?" asked the stalker.


    WOSH!


    Aaron emerged among them,ing up behind their backs. The three men gasped in shock, having not expected Aaron to appear and move as fast as a lightning bolt.


    "Are you looking for me?"

 Chapter 181 New Talent for Secondary Talent

    ***


    The next day.


    Lilith City.


    Before heading to the city cathedral, Aaron nned to return to the feast street to visit one of the equipment stores that might catch his attention.


    The discount event was over, but the crowds on the district street were still there. That was all thanks to Jovanni''s clever business strategy.


    Aaron saw mages walking into the stores they were heading to, of course, to look through or perhaps buy the items they needed.


    They already had their favorite equipment stores, or in short, their subscriptions. There were various reasons a mage would subscribe to the store.


    For example, their staff service was good, the goods were of high quality, the shop owner was their friend, or maybe it was an obsession with liking the shop owner or staff. It happened, and Aaron didn''t deny it.


    Nevertheless, the undeniable fact of Aaron''s magic vision was the average mage tier of the people on the district street.


    Most of them were in the peak of the second tier or early of the third tier, somewhere between Advanced Mage or Young Sage.


    A few were at Intermediate Mage, most were members of the three major groups. For Senior Mage, they could only be counted on fingers ¡ªthree leaders of the three major groups.


    Even so, Aaron found those with low mage tiers to be in the second tier as student mage or intermediate mage. Likely, they were children or teenagers born and raised in Lilith City.


    They were undoubtedly born in this city but didn''t have the right to join the raid. That was due to their floor ess privileges still being 0.


    If they were willing to be mages, they had to go to the Stone of Light and enroll in the Dark Pir Tower Raid Campaign.


    However, not many were willing to do so. The luxury andfort of the city had blinded their minds and hearts to the liberation of the Dark Pir Tower.


    From afar, Aaron watched as the middle-aged woman''s shop began to be visited by other customers. He looked further away from the shop; a building copsed and crumbled in ck ash. It was Oliver''s shop.


    "You! Aren''t you the guy from yesterday?" asked the shopkeeper''s daughter, seeing Aaron passing by her shop.


    Aaron stopped walking and turned his head. The 15-year-old girl smiled as she moved closer, her two delicate hands grasping Aaron''s arms. With a spoiled attitude, she invited the man into the store and met her mother.


    The girl told him that her mother didn''t get a chance to thank Aaron for his help yesterday. The man left before her mother realized it.


    Since Aaron was caught on the way to the feast, the girl did not hesitate to bring Aaron before her mother.


    The middle-aged woman serving customers'' transactions caught a glimpse of Aaron''s face. She smiled widely while waving a sweet gesture. She would talk to Aaron when the queue of customers was over.


    From Aaron''s eyes, he saw that the tools in the shop were pretty well-stocked, from gem extraction tools, talent rank slip tools, and payment boxes to crafting tools.


    It looked like she could do a talent gacha in this ce to rece his second talent.


    While waiting, Aaron took a look at the items for sale. For HP Potion, EXP Elixir, MP Crystal, and TP Elixir, the shop owner kept them on a ss table close to the cashier''s desk. The objects disyed on the wall were armor, magic weapons, tools, and essories.


    All of them are various and have different grades. The lowest was C, and the highest was S. Aaron touched the magic tools one by one; the average grade was B or A.


    ''I don''t need magic tools; no magic tool can match my power,'' Aaron said, continuing to look at the tools without any interest in buying them.


    While Aaron was looking at them, his attention was focused on a medallion with a seven-pointed star with a small ancient script engraved around it.


    What intrigued Aaron was the circle of 20 small spheres of ss that surrounded this object. The small ss spheres did not light up and did not show anything.


    [Item Details:]


    [Name: Seven-Way Seal Medal]


    [Grade: A]


    [Description: Useful for sealing the power of living beings inside, limited to 20 people. Only useful by using a sealing talent]


    ''It''s useless if you don''t have that talent,'' Aaron exined.


    Done with her buyers, the middle-aged woman stepped closer to Aaron. The man saw the number of people waiting in line was fading, a sign that now was her free time.


    "Thank you for yesterday. If you hadn''t gotten rid of those things, I probably would be broke," exined the middle-aged woman, holding Arthur''s hand in gratitude and joy.


    Aaron didn''t take issue with that. He exined that his arrival at the street feast was solely to help him get talent. The middle-aged woman said with certainty that she could do that.


    "Let me help you. Think of it as a token of my gratitude," the woman exined. Aaron said yes instead of refusing. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    She introduced herself as Viera; her two children were Silva and Reno. Silva was the eldest, while Reno was the youngest.


    The 36-year-old middle-aged woman exined that she lived with them in a small house behind their shop. Their husband, Jacob, had gone on a raid and had not been heard of for a year.


    Even so, Viera still believed Jacob was alive. Perhaps he was on another floor and was trying to return to Lilith City.


    Viera showed the two types of talent slips of rank A and S that she had. Aaron shook his head. He didn''t want to have talents from both ranks.


    Aaron took the item from storage and ced the SS rank talent slip on the table. Viera gasped in shock, her eyes bulging in surprise, and her mouth gaped, covered by her reflex hand.


    "SS rank talent?" asked Viera.


    "Can you handle it?" asked Aaron.


    Viera held the slip carefully, then raised her eye focus and looked at Aaron carefully, "I can."


    Aaron smiled faintly. He did the first thing to do, put down his soul consciousness and cast purple magic onto the SS rank talent slip.


    It was enough to make the rectangle-shaped ceramic-like object glow bright purple light, responding to Aaron''s element.


    "The thing I need to confirm first. Is your second talent avable?" asked Viera.


    "Actually, I want to rece my second talent with a new talent of SS rank. Do I need to delete it, or can the gacha system rece it automatically?" asked Aaron, confused.


    Viera nodded with a smile. She received many requests like that, recing their talent with new talent, either their main or secondary talent. However, the way gacha worked was to acquire talent and rece the old talent if the talent slot was filled.


    For Aaron''s question, Viera exined it in detail just as she had exined it to the other customers.


    "Alright. That''s a relief," Aaron replied.


    Viera put the purple glowing slip into a cylindrical device withser light inside to break up the magic energy inside the slip and bring up a spinning wheel disying 15 talents ready to be selected at random.


    [Rank Talent Slip Detected]


    [Grade: SS]


    [Total number of talents: 15]


    [Host: Aaron Lewis]


    [Level: 365]


    [Slot for talent:]


    [Main Talent: Full]


    [Secondary Talent: Full]


    [Additional Talent: Full]


    [Slots for new talents are full!]


    [Will the host rece the talent?]


    [Yes] [No]


    The panel disys the number of talent slots that are full. Yet, there was an option to rece the talent as described by Viera. Of course, Aaron immediately pressed the talent change confirmation panel.


    [Confirm talent change epted]


    [Select Talent to be reced:]


    [1. Dark Dimensional Reality]


    [2. Gravity Maniption] [CHECK]


    [3. Clone Maniption]


    [Confirm the recement of the talent "Gravity Maniption" with the new talent?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Aaron pressed the final confirmation. The system read themand and immediately started the gacha on the spinning wheel.


    Viera exined that Aaron didn''t have to pay anything as a token of her gratitude to Aaron.


    The LUK attribute worked at crucial times such as now. The more points the attribute has, the higher and better the talent gets.


    Although all talents were at SS rank, they had their own uniqueness and advantages.


    Slowly, the pace of the spinning wheel began to slow down with arrows pointing to several talents. In the end, the pointer on the spinning wheel stops at a talent, which surprised Aaron a lot.


    [Talent Rank Selection sessful]


    [Talent: High Sealing]


    [Rank: SS]


    [Stage: Early]


    [Description: The power of a talent that can seal anything, such as living beings, magic powers, curses, or even specific objects. Only useful if using a seal containment item].


    [Add talent rank to Secondary Talent]


    [Yes] [No]


    Viera squinted her eyes at the spinning wheel pointer that showed the High Sealing talent, "High Sealing? Hmm, it doesn''t seem to be very useful in a¡ª"@@novelbin@@


    "I like it. This is the talent I need!"

 Chapter 183 SS-Rank Ascension

    After the blessing ritual ended, the sisters went back inside the cathedral, ready to open the ce to the public. Some people began leaving, while others stayed because their main purpose was to enter the building.


    The cathedral doors opened, signaling the townspeople that they could step inside and fulfill their intentions.


    Some wanted to summon servants, others nned to perform Ascension Talents, and there were those who simply came to pray.


    Everyone had their own goals, and Aaron was no different. He was here solely to perform an Ascension Talent¡ªnot just one, but three talents at once.


    "Wee to Lilith City Cathedral. How can I assist you?" asked a nun in a long white robe, smiling warmly as her gaze met Aaron''s. He looked striking in his ck shirt with purple patterns.


    "I''m here for Ascension Talent," Aaron replied.


    "I see. Here''s your card. One of our staff members will escort you," the nun said, handing him a card.


    Aaron nodded and walked forward without needing any identification check. A woman in a different outfit¡ªa ck zer and knee-length skirt¡ªwas standing as if waiting for him.


    The woman led Aaron to the third floor, as the second floor was reserved for servant summoning. Aaronplied, and the two took the elevator upstairs.


    "If you don''t mind me asking, what rank talent are you ascending?" the woman inquired.


    "I don''t have to tell you," Aaron replied coolly.


    The smile on her face faded slightly, and she cast a sharp sideways nce at Aaron, who leaned against the elevator wall with his eyes closed.


    Despite his rxed demeanor, the woman could sense his strong magical aura.


    DING!


    The elevator doors opened. Aaron opened his eyes and followed the woman out. As they walked toward the Ascension Room, neither spoke much.


    The woman extended both hands and pushed open the three-meter-tall white iron doors.


    Aaron stepped inside and saw the Ascension Room, which was far more magnificent than he had imagined. The cathedral in the 10th city didn''t have an Ascension Room nearly as grand as this.


    The space spanned two floors, with bookshelves lining the walls. A wooden spiral staircase connected the first floor to the upper area.


    The woman in the ck zer handed Aaron over to the Ascension Room staff. A girl standing 5''4" (165 cm) tall greeted him.


    Her name was Liruca. At 25 years old, she had been working at the Lilith City Cathedral for three years, making her quite experienced in guiding mages through the Ascension Talent process.


    "The first floor is used for Ascension of talents ranked C through A," Liruca exined, gesturing to the circr area on the first level. Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire


    "The second floor is for talents ranked S through SSS. It''s rarely used since not many people have talents of such high rank," she added.


    As they chatted, a group of five mages entered the Ascension Room. Other staff members came to guide them through the space, and Liruca also joined to exin the process.


    Aaron nced over at the group¡ªthree men and two women, all tier-three Young Sages. They seemed excited as they listened and admired the grandeur of the Ascension Room.


    "So, they''re a party, huh?" Aaron mused to himself.


    Liruca exined how the magic circles worked: anyone undergoing Ascension had to stand in the center of the circle to absorb the external magical energy it generated. Aaron listened attentively.


    "For re-registration, you can head to the stands ording to the rank of the talent you''re ascending," Liruca told the group.


    Aaron looked up and saw another stand on the second floor, where a bored-looking woman was waiting. Liruca wrapped up her exnation, encouraging the group to ask questions if they needed help.


    The five mages lined up neatly at the first-floor stand since their talents were all rank A. But Aaron was different. He began climbing the spiral staircase to the second floor, surprising Liruca and the others.


    "H-He has an S-rank talent?" Liruca wondered, her curiosity piqued. She decided to follow Aaron.


    Aaron''s arrival on the second floor startled the woman manning the re-registration stand. She hadn''t had a customer in two days, as no one had ascended talents ranked S to SSS during that time.


    The woman, with long curly blonde hair, smiled. She stood and greeted Aaron, exining the re-registration and Ascension process. Aaron listened carefully.


    She asked for permission to scan Aaron''s system watch. Aaron agreed, provided they kept his data confidential.


    [Scan Sessful]@@novelbin@@


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [Age: 19]


    [Level: 325]


    [Main Talent: Dark Dimensional Reality (SSS)] [Ascension]


    [Secondary Talent: High Sealing (SS)] [Ascension]


    [Additional Talent: Clone Maniption (SS)] [Ascension]


    The blonde woman was stunned, and so was Liruca. Thest person to perform an Ascension on this floor had only one S-rank talent. Yet Aaron had three talents ready for Ascension.


    "Forget about S and SSS ranks. How did you even get a third talent?" the blonde woman, named Stephanie, asked.


    "You don''t need to know. Am I eligible?" Aaron asked, keeping it short.


    "You just need to pay the administration fee. Since our sess rate is high, we charge upfront," Stephanie replied. Aaron had no objections.


    "Are you ascending all three talents?"


    Aaron confirmed, and Stephanie began calcting the cost based on the ranks.


    For ranks C through A, the fee was under 50,000 RL.


    Rank S cost about 75,000 RL.


    Rank SS was 100,000 RL.


    Rank SSS was a staggering 2,000,000 RL.


    Stephanie informed Aaron, who smiled and mentally calcted the total for his Ascension: two SS-rank talents and one SSS-rank talent, totaling 400,000 RL.


    It was a small price¡ªAaron''s wealth far exceeded the Ascension cost.


    Stephanie whispered something to Liruca, instructing her to inform the Great Elder on the fourth floor about a mage performing an SSS-rank Ascension. Liruca nodded and left the room to carry out the task.


    Stephanie exined that Aaron could ascend his two SS talents simultaneously, but the SSS talent had to be done separately.


    Aaron agreed, as long as all three talents were ascended. Stephanie acknowledged this and began preparing.


    [Scanning for host readiness]


    [Host in ready condition]


    [Checking Host CP]


    [Host CP met]


    [Checking Host Level]


    [Host Level met]


    [Checking TP count]


    [TP amount met]


    [Ascension Talent requirements met]


    The readiness panel appeared. With his high level, CP, and sufficient TP, Aaron was confident the Ascension process would go smoothly.


    Stephanie instructed Aaron to sit cross-legged in the center of the glowing circr tform. The light from the second floor was much brighter than the first, and the magical energy in the room was palpable.


    [ASCENSION TALENT]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [Secondary Talent: High Sealing]


    [Rank: SS-R]


    [Stages: 1]


    [Talent Points: 300,000/299,999tp]


    [Additional Talent: Clone Maniption]


    [Rank: SS-R]


    [Stages: 1]


    [Talent Points: 300,000/299,999tp]


    [Initiate Ascension Talent]


    [Target:]


    [Rank: SS-R]


    [Stages: 2]


    "Alright. I''ll begin the Ascension for your two SS talents," Stephanie announced. Aaron nodded.


    Stephanie sped her hands together, activating the magic circle beneath them. Ancient symbols on the floor glowed a brilliant gold, and magical particles filled the air. The energy fluctuations drew attention from those on the first floor.


    "He''s ascending an S-rank talent!"


    "I''ve never seen this happen before!"


    Stephanie tossed two different gems¡ªan Amethyst and a Ruby¡ªinto the pir of light within the circle. The gems shattered, releasing magical energy from two distinct elements into the room.


    The blonde woman noted the sheer volume of magical energy required for an SS-rank Ascension, far surpassing that of rank S. But it didn''t faze her.


    As the energy filled the room, Aaron began focusing on absorbing it into his body, directing it toward his two talents.


    "Now, it''s all up to you, Mr. Aaron."

 Chapter 184 Golden Light Pillar

    Aaron began to feel a steady flow of external energying into his body. The energy flow came from two things, the Amethyst and Ruby gems that were split, and came from the light magic of the city''s cathedral.


    There are two phases in Ascension. The first phase is the adjustment of the external energy to the body. At this moment, the external energy will impact the talents in Aaron''s body to ascend.


    The second phase was the power sync. Two different magical energies will merge into a single entity in Aaron''s talent ascension. The second phase was difficult as it required calm and high concentration.


    The slightest hint of aggressiveness will give a bad impression, which will affect the external magic energy that responds aggressively. In the end, it resulted in Ascension failure.


    The door to the Ascension room opened, Liruca came in with a woman and three other women. She was the Great Elder,ing with three other elders selected by her.


    The four came for a specific reason, a mage was about to perform Ascension at SSS rank, not perform Ascension to SSS rank.


    The woman knew the Ascension location for the highest rank. She and the others walked together up the spiral stairs to arrive at the second floor of the room.


    She met Stephanie, Stephanie smiled and kissed the Great Elder''s hand as she weed her.


    "I had expected that. He is indeed an interesting man," the Great Elder replied, surprising Stephanie and Liruca.


    "You know him, Great Elder?"


    Great Elder shook her head elegantly, replying that she didn''t know him, that they hadn''t even exchanged names.


    Still, the Great Elder recognized his face, a man who could be detached from her majestic persona.


    "He''s a man who isn''t affected by my persona," Great Elder said.


    WOSH!


    A strong gust of wind blew strongly in that ce, spreading purplish-gold colored magic particles all over the ce.


    The force of the magic energy created the appearance of a magic energy rain from the second floor to the first floor.


    They tried to touch the magic particles, grasping them in their palms. But the magic particles faded away as quickly as snowkes.


    Even so, they felt a warm and cozy sensation as their bodies were showered by the magic energy particles.


    Aaron''s two palms came together, his body immediately absorbing the entire amount of magic energy. Great Elder and the others saw the moment, the first time in history that a mage managed to perform Ascension simultaneously at SS rank.


    [ASCENSION TALENT]


    [Ascension Sessful]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [Secondary Talent: High Sealing]


    [Rank: SS-R]


    [Stage: 2]


    [Talent Point: 0/799999tp]


    [Additional Talent: Clone Maniption]


    [Rank: SS-R]


    [Stage: 2]


    [Talent Point: 0/799999tp]


    [All Host Attributes Increased by +1000]


    [Talent Attributes Increased]


    [TP Efficiency Increased]


    [Sub Talent MP Efficiency Increased]


    [CP +100000]


    [DING! Congrattions on Getting a new title]


    [27. Two in One]


    [Ascending two talents in one rank simultaneously]


    Aaron''s eyes opened when he realized the Ascension procession to the second stage of the SS talent rank was sessful.


    He looked straight ahead, witnessing a beautiful white-haired woman in a long white robe. Aaron knew who she was, she was the Great Elder of Lilith City Cathedral.


    "Talent rank SS has beenpleted. Do you want to rest for a while or go straight to Ascension rank SSS?" Stephanie asked.


    "Go straight to SSS rank ascension, Ms. Stephanie."


    "Alright."


    Because of the higher rank, Aaron was asked to raise his focus. Aaronplied with Stephanie''s orders.


    Now that the big decision was about to happen, documentation was being done as part of their way of preserving history.


    Stephanie had prepared five gems of two different types, a total of 10 gems that would be used in the Ascension procession this time.


    After watching Aaron get used to the City Cathedral''s light magic, Stephanie aimed the ten gems forward and entered the light pir.


    As Aaron had guessed, the Ascension to the peak rank in SSS Rank was filled with the presence of magical turmoil in his body, considering therge amount of magic energy required in this Ascension.


    The Great Elder squinted his eyes, sensing a powerful magic boom that was able to shake the objects in the space or building of the City Cathedral.


    Those performing Ascension on the first floor were interrupted for a moment due to the fear of their magic energy being absorbed into Aaron''s Ascension.


    Ten gems split apart, starting to flow steadily into Aaron''s body through his forehead. Aaron felt the hot and cold sensation of the two different types of gem energy, Amethyst and Ruby.


    Aaron''s eyebrows dipped sharply as his eyes closed, his forehead frowned as his hands shook. Surprisingly, Aaron vomited a bit of blood in response to a small mistake while controlling the iing external magic energy.


    "What happened to him, Great Elder?" asked Stephanie, confused.


    "It seems that his body can''t handle therge amount of magic energy from the Ascension Talent," said the Great Elder.


    "What should we do?" asked Liruca, panicked.


    Suddenly, a golden light towered from the location of the circle floor where Aaron had performed the Ascension Talent.


    The golden pir towered and made it through the ceiling of the room, the people outside the cathedral saw the incident.


    Jovanni, Max, and Eloise saw the golden pir. The golden pir that came from the city cathedral that usually appeared when they were doing something, whether it was summoning a high-rank servant or a high-rank ascension.


    The pir was capable of inviting thunder, with storms and heavy rain. Merchants closed their shops early when it happened.


    Inside the cathedral, the Great Elder was informed by a nun that three leaders of three major groups were flying near the city cathedral.


    The Great Elder gave strict orders to all of them, whether staff, nuns, or even visitors to the city cathedral.


    "Order the evacuation of the nuns and visitors to the city cathedral!"


    "Order the staff with the Young Sage tier mage to help me form a shield in this ce. We cannot let the City Cathedral be destroyed because of this."


    Inside Aaron''s body, his soul tried to control one by one the gem energy that came into his body. It was quite difficult to control as Aaron was not allowed to be aggressive.


    Slowly but surely, he was able to do so. One by one, the gem magic flowed into Aaron''s magic center, starting a sync with Aaron''s elemental magic.


    Feeling his condition slowly stabilizing, he focused his mind and body toplete all the Ascension talents. The pir of light grew stronger with the rumbling clouds turning into a mix of gold and purple.


    Eloise raised her eyes, seeing that the power was much stronger than what she had imagined. Eloise teamed up with Max and Jovani to form a circle of magic shields enclosing the City Cathedral.


    In Aaron''s mind, he saw a purple light forming a pattern of something on a rock. Then the image of Aaron''s face was disyed before the man, holding the purple light in the shape of an artifact within it, and finally performing something like inserting the artifact into his forehead.


    Slowly, a portal pattern was imprinted on Aaron''s forehead, in the shape of a circle with eight cardinal directions, the circle in the center shaped like a magic portal. The pattern was formed with a purple color, identical to Aaron''s elemental magic.


    ''Is this picture telling me to capture that thing?'' Aaron asked.


    He opened his eyes and watched as the amount of magic energy from Aaron''s body gathered before him. The magic ball flew freely into the sky in a random direction, as if it was avoiding Aaron.


    "Aaron. Are you alright?" asked the Great Elder, focusing on holding back the magic boom of the golden light pir.


    Not answering the woman''s words, Aaron flew up and chased after the purple light sphere. He flew fast and managed to catch the purple ball in his hand. Aaron did exactly what was shown to him earlier.


    [DING! Congrattions on getting the divine pattern]


    [The Divine Pattern is a sign that one has reached the final stage of a talent]


    [The next Ascension will be the Celestial Trials]


    ''Celestial Trials? What is that?'' Aaron asked.


    The eight cardinal portal pattern was imprinted and vividly disyed in purple on Aaron''s forehead. The light pir dimmed with the roar of the storm and the wind rain subsided. Everyone could breathe a sigh of relief, nothing had happened to their beloved city.


    The Great Elder sensed there was no real threat to the City Cathedral. He deactivated the magic cage and stepped towards Aaron, wondering.


    [ASCENSION TALENT]


    [Ascension Sessful]


    [Name: Aaron]@@novelbin@@


    [Main Talent: Dark Dimension Reality]


    [Rank: SSS-R]


    [Stage: 3]


    [Talent Point: 3525000/9999999 tp]


    [All Host Attributes Increased by +5000]


    [Talent Attributes Increased]


    [TP Efficiency Increased]


    [Sub Talent MP Efficiency Increased]


    [CP +500000]


    "What really happened?" asked the Great Elder, curious.


    "Nothing."

 Chapter 185 Return to 10th Floor

    Ascension has seeded, both on the SS and SSS talent ranks. Aaron felt pleased, like he had a new power and a new reliance to face the monsters.


    He stepped closer to Stephanie at the registration stand. Ascension had been done and it had worked well.


    Stephanie said that she nned to record Aaron''s name in the City Cathedral archives, written as a mage who had performed Ascension at the two highest talent ranks.


    "Can we talk, Sir Aaron?" asked the Great Elder, curious about the man''s abilities.


    "What do you want to talk about?"@@novelbin@@


    Great Elder stepped gracefully over to the registration stand, Stephanie excused herself to store the file in the city cathedral''s archive book.


    Now, only Aaron was on the second floor of the ascension room, along with the Great Elder and the three elder women of the city cathedral.


    Liruca was already on the first floor, guiding the mages who were about to perform the Ascension talent.


    The noise was over, they all returned to focus on their tasks and work. But not Aaron. His steps stopped when the Great Elder wanted to talk to him.


    "It would be our honor if you would join us as one of the Knight Temrs," said the Great Elder.


    Aaron raised his hands to shoulder height, asking the woman to stop talking. Knight Temr, Night Liberators, Dimension Justice, or even Sky Sword did not appeal to Aaron. The man had no interest in joining any of those groups.


    "Thank you for your invitation, but I don''t have the slightest interest in joining."


    As the two were talking, they were startled by the sound of the ascension room door opening. The Great Elder, the three female elders, Aaron, and the rest of the Ascension room visitors turned their heads in that direction.


    They saw three peopleing with their trusted person. The three people were Max, Jovanni, and Eloise.


    "Where did that golden pir appear from?" asked Max, curious.


    Eloise turned her head to the second floor. To her surprise, she saw Aaron staring at her, the man standing tall in front of the Great Elder. Aldo confirmed that it was Aaron, the man who healed Emily and took her home.


    "Aaron?" asked Eloise.


    "Eloise. How''s your sister?" asked Aaron, stepping closer to the iron railing on the second floor, looking down at the woman.


    "She''s doing well. Her level and EXP are increasing again. I''m very grateful to you. You helped her get rid of the curse," Eloise replied.


    "I didn''t do anything. Emily did."


    Max still remembered the humiliating moment when Aaron defeated him in the skies above the Night Liberators district.


    Now, the criminal man appeared and boldly performed an ascension in the city cathedral. Suddenly it made Max furious.


    "I haven''t forgiven you for destroying my territory!" Max snapped.


    He activated his magic aura and leaped powerfully from the first floor to the second floor. His right palm was tightly clenched, filled with mes and zing. People scattered away in panic, the three cathedral elders trying to neutralize the situation.


    "Stop it!" said the Great Elder.


    A persona again spread in the form of a sphere throughout the ascension room area, everyone was affected by the persona, trapping them in the illusion of the majestic figure of the Great Elder. However, Aaron was not affected.


    The Venerable Sage''s anti-persona ability instantly worked effectively to reject any form of persona that was active around the host.


    When the Great Elder activated his majestic persona, Aaron was unaffected and saw people fall silent in their hypnosis.


    Even Max, who jumped strongly, seemed to float freely without falling even though his consciousness had been taken over. This was the first time Aaron saw the impact of the persona from the outside.


    "Do you have anti-persona abilities?" asked the Great Elder, curious.


    Aaron nodded. He didn''t tell the details of the ability, but what was certain was that the skill was closely rted to his mage tier. The Great Elder nodded, there are indeed some abilities that a mage has if they reach a certain tier.


    Still in the persona area, the Great Elder invited Aaron to step down the stairs. Aaron suddenly asked the time limit for activating the persona talent, Great Elder exined that the talent would remain active if he was in the persona area.


    "So, they will be trapped forever if you continue to be in this ce?" Aaron asked.


    "That''s right. But I won''t be here forever, so it''s unlikely," replied Great Elder.


    The woman again asked Aaron''s decision, whether he wanted to join the Knight Temr or not. Aaron smiled a little, then responded by shaking his head. That response was more than enough for her to know what Aaron wanted.


    "Is that so? The path of one''s adventurer cannot be determined. I can''t force you either," replied Great Elder.


    "After this, what will you do?" asked the Great Elder, halting his steps before opening the ascension room door.


    Aaron squinted, his right hand reflexively holding his chest, the ve seal was still on his chest, clearly imprinted and yet to be released. It was difficult for Aaron to remove it, he needed approval from Andrew to do that.


    "I don''t know, I don''t know either."


    "Alright. You might be ufortable with my presence, I''ll be returning upstairs soon," replied the Great Elder, Aaron assenting with a smile.


    FLICK!


    The flick of the woman''s hand was enough to deactivate the persona magic affecting the ce. Those who were affected began to be freed, their heads felt dizzy throbbing with the Great Elder''s figure still vividly in their minds.


    Great Elder and Aaron were outside the Ascension room, the man said goodbye by stepping towards the elevator that led to the first floor, while Great Elder stepped into a special elevator that was only intended for her alone.


    Max fell after losing his bnce and focus. He looked up to the second floor and saw that Aaron was not there.


    Eloise and Aldo noticed Aaron and the Great Elder''s departure, both of them immediately stepped out of the room.


    "Where is he?" asked Eloise.


    "Looks like he went down to the first floor."


    The two stepped closer to the elevator and descended from the third floor to the first floor. Eloise and Aldo ran quickly after the elevator doors opened, both were outside the cathedral and did not find Aaron''s whereabouts.


    ''Tch! He escaped from me again. Why is it so hard to catch him?'' asked Eloise, annoyed.


    From afar, Aaron squinted and saw the figures of Eloise and Aldo searching for his whereabouts. Aaron was ufortable with it, they didn''t have to search for his whereabouts all over the ce.


    "They won''t find me again."


    ***


    Three dayster.


    10th floor city.


    City repairs continued after a month of city destruction. Andrew became the one who led them to build a new city, a peaceful city without any disputes.


    Andrew only hoped that the construction of the city could bepleted quickly, so that the economy could return to normal.


    Silviana continues to help Andrew. If Andrew worked to conceptualize the city, Silvianna would be in charge of allocating finances and so on.


    For a while, the construction of the city used joint funds from Dimension Justice, Sky Sword, and some guild staff members. Goods were purchased from the nearest city, the fourth floor city.


    Those with the ability to manipte earth elemental magic were needed. They would be very helpful in repairing this town, much more helpful.


    For the time being, they managed to set up a temporary hospital, as well as small houses that could amodate the city people who still wanted to live in the city. Henceforth, they would build the core of the economy, the fields and farms.


    "Use the district in the north as a food region. Focus all the city crowds in the south," Andrew replied.


    "We need to build those farms soon, the longer we wait, the food supply will soon run out," Andrew countered.


    The city-building teams of the two groups nodded in agreement, obeying Andrew''s orders. After understanding the next order, they hurriedly left themand tent.


    A few minutes after their departure, a Sky Sword member came up to Andrew. He said that he saw Aaron''s figure floating freely in the city sky, emerging from the dimensional rift.


    "What?! He''s back?!" asked Andrew, shocked.


    Silvianna nced to the side, wondering what he was about to do. Andrew shook his head, the man knew nothing.


    Not wanting anything bad to happen, he stepped out of themand tent to get outside. Aaron looked over to the side below, seeing Andrew''s figure outside themand tent.


    "Andrew!" said Aaron, echoing.


    "What do you want, Aaron?" asked Andrew.


    "I have business with you!"

 Chapter 188 Aaron and Aerith in Adventure

    After giving clear instructions, the real Aaron stepped closer to Sokia and Liel. He ced a hand on each of their shoulders, smiling warmly as their eyes met his with deep trust.


    "Arthur will look after you. You don''t need to worry. While he''s not quite like me, he''s still a level 162, a fourth-tier Great Wizard," Aaron assured them.


    "I''ll also be able to watch over you through his eyes since part of my consciousness is embedded in him," he added.@@novelbin@@


    Liel nodded, showing her understanding. "I get it," she said.


    "To ensure your safety, you can join Sky Sword and assist them. I''m confident Andrew will treat you well there," Aaron suggested.


    "What about Arthur''s ess to the floors? Does he have the same privileges as you?" Liel asked.


    Aaron nodded in response. Arthur had identical floor ess, meaning he could freely move to upper levels if he wanted.


    However, Aaron had strictly instructed him otherwise. Arthur''s primary mission was to stay with Sokia and Liel, no matter what.


    "Don''t move to higher floors unless you''re absolutely sure of your abilities," Aaron warned. "Even though Arthur will be there to help, you shouldn''t rely on his strength alone."


    Both Liel and Sokia understood. They felt relieved knowing Aaron had assigned one of his powerful clones to protect them.


    Arthur smiled, reassuring them that despite being a clone, he was still Aaron in every meaningful way. Sharing the same memories, he remembered everything that mattered to them.


    Liel, standing beside Sokia, grasped Aaron''s hand tightly. Her gaze locked onto his as emotions swirled in her eyes. "Take care of yourself, Aaron," she pleaded softly.


    Sokia followed suit, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. The moment was bittersweet¡ªshe was happy to have Aaron by her side again, even if it was just a clone. But the thought of the real Aaron heading to the upper floors to rejoin the raid left her with a heavy heart.


    "Promise you''ll keep in touch. Don''t make us worry, Aaron," Sokia urged.


    Aaron smiled reassuringly. "I promise I won''t give you a reason to worry."


    Raising his right hand, Aaron summoned a purple magical aura, dispelling the protective dome that had been shielding them. As the dome vanished, revealing the open sky above, Sokia and Liel knew it was time for him to go.


    "You''re free to leave now," Aaron said.


    Arthur nodded, and so did Liel. Sokia, however, lingered for a moment, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.


    She struggled to hold back her emotions, but both Liel and Arthur were there tofort her, easing her unease.


    Finally, the three of them departed, leaving Aaron alone by the cascading waterfall. Watching them leave, Aaron silently hoped they would grow stronger than he could ever imagine with Arthur by their side.


    ''You''re clever, Aaron,'' Aerith''s voice echoed in his mind. ''Using a clone to keep tabs on the situation at the 10th floor.''


    ''There''s no need to overthink the 10th-floor city,'' Aaron replied calmly. ''That clone exists solely to assist them.''


    ''You could create countless Origin Clones and spread them across all the floors to crush the Night Liberators,'' Aerith pointed out.


    ''That would drain too much energy, and the odds of defeating them with just clones are slim.''


    ''So that means¡­'' Aerith trailed off.


    ''Exactly,'' Aaron confirmed. ''The best strategy is to destroy the Night Liberators'' headquarters. Once their main base is gone, every branch across the floors will copse on its own.''


    With that, Aaron activated his talents. His ultimate sub-talent allowed him to traverse floors effortlessly.


    [Main Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dark Dimensional Portal]


    [MP -60000]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [MP: 1139000/1375000] [-60000]


    A purple light glowed at Aaron''s fingertips as he sliced through the dimensional boundary, creating a rift. Without hesitation, he stepped into the portal, heading back to the 25th floor to rejoin the raid.


    Upon entering the Dark Dimension, Aaron was greeted by Aerith. She was lounging on her favorite throne of ck roses. With a warm smile, she floated gracefully toward him, her delicate hand extended.


    "Where are you off to, darling?" she asked sweetly.


    "I''m heading back to Lilith City. Care to join me?"


    "If you don''t mind, I''d love to," Aerith replied, her voice soft and filled with anticipation.


    "Alright then. Let''s go," Aaron agreed.


    ***


    Lilith City, 25th Floor


    "No. You just finished the raid on the 24th floor. I''m not letting you join this one," Eloise dered firmly, sitting on the throne in the Sky Sword''s branch hall on the 25th floor.


    The seat next to her was empty. Emily, who was supposed to upy it, had left days ago with Aldo to search for Arthur. Two groups were hunting for him, each with different intentions.


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    Sky Sword wanted to reward Arthur for his heroic efforts in healing Emily, a deed that had deeply moved Eloise. Many of their members were scouring the city for him.


    Meanwhile, the Night Liberators sought Arthur to put him on trial. Max was obsessed with him, halting their raid efforts to focus entirely on finding him.


    If the week-long hunt proved fruitless, Max nned to exact a deeply personal revenge. The Night Liberators'' determination far surpassed Sky Sword''s.


    In a cozy inn within the Sky Sword district, a dimensional rift suddenly appeared in one of the rooms. A couple, deeply engrossed in a private moment, was startled when Aaron and Aerith stepped out of the portal.


    The couple hastily covered themselves with a nket, the man''s face turning beet red.


    "Aerith, you might want to consider more suitable clothing," Aaron remarked as he stepped out.


    "What''s wrong with what I''m wearing?" Aerith asked, examining her elegant ck gown. Its sweeping train was undoubtedly beautiful, especially when paired with her striking features. But Aaron knew that in this city, such attire would draw too much attention.


    "Your gown is stunning," Aaron admitted. "But it''s best to blend in. Let''s find you something more practical at a nearby boutique."


    He gently stroked her cheek, causing her to blush slightly. "Alright. I''ll go with you," she agreed.


    Before they could leave, the man in the room stood up angrily. He was a middle-aged adventurer who had been cheating on his wife with a youngerpanion.


    "What''s the meaning of this?! You barged into my room! Are you looking for trouble?!" he shouted aggressively.


    Aerith''s eyes narrowed. "Silence, you filthy human!" she snapped, releasing a burst of maron magic that struck the man. He dropped dead instantly.


    Hispanion screamed in terror, curling up in the corner of the room. Aaron stepped in to calm Aerith. "There''s no point in killing them. Let''s not waste our energy here."


    "Fine. Consider yourself lucky, my beloved spared your life, wretch!" Aerith spat at the trembling woman before leaving with Aaron.


    Out on the main street, Aerith''s striking appearance drew countless stares. Men whistled and catcalled as she passed, her graceful presence captivating everyone around her.


    Aerith, unused to such behavior, quickly grew irritated. With a snap of her fingers, she sent a wave of maron magic at the offenders.


    BOOM!


    The men''s bodies burst like overinted balloons, creating chaos on the street. rmed citizens fled, and Sky Sword members rushed to the scene. Aaron quickly grabbed Aerith''s hand and used his Venerable Sage abilities to whisk them away.


    Every step he took created a gust of wind powerful enough to shatter nearby windows. Within moments, they arrived at a boutique far from themotion.


    Aerith''s eyes lit up, not at the boutique itself, but at the dazzling array of white gowns disyed in its windows.


    "Wee to our boutique. Are you shopping for a wedding dress?" one of the staff members asked, surprising Aaron.


    "No, we''re actually¡ª"


    Before Aaron could finish, Aerith stepped forward, clutching the staff member''s hands eagerly. "I want to see all your gowns!" she eximed with excitement.

 Chapter 191 The Defeated of Great White Elves

    After waiting for about half an hour, the door to the boss room opened slowly. Aaron and Aerith who were sitting near a tree turned their attention to the ce.


    To their surprise, not a single person stepped out of the ce. From Aaron''s sight, the man saw the figure of the floor boss who had defeated the challenger group, an elf with a charming appearance, wearing a white dress that seemed to match her.


    Even so, her beautiful white dress was tainted with human blood. The group members died horribly with their bodies torn apart, organs scattered, and blood pooling on the floor.


    The elf realized that Aaron was watching her. With a graceful head move, she turned her head and locked eyes with him. A wide smile spread across the elven woman''s face.


    ''What''s wrong with her?'' asked Aaron, curious.


    The elven woman''s eyes closed, as the boss room door closed again. A system panel was present outside the Boss Room door, a panel that served as a registration method for groups or solos who intended to challenge the floor boss.


    Aerith squinted as she watched Aaron''s eyes glued to that spot. Curious, the woman asked the reason for Aaron''s look.


    "What''s wrong, Aaron?" asked Aerith.


    Aaron shook his head as he smiled, turning his attention from the floor boss room to the side, looking at the worried-looking Aerith.


    "It''s nothing. You have nothing to worry about, Aerith."


    He led her to the door of the boss room, right in front of the registration system panel that had been set up.


    With only two and a half hours left, Aaron was confident that he could kill the elf with ease ¡ªespecially since Aerith hade to help him.


    Arriving before the registration panel, Aaron didn''t have a group to register with, but he wasn''t worried.


    The registration system would not reject solo adventurers nning to challenge the floor boss, they could sign up as long as they had the ability.


    [Boss Floor Challenge]


    [Registration sessful]


    [Solo Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [Level: 325]


    [Challenge: Warrior of The Great White Elf]


    [Warning]


    [The challenger taking the challenge cannot retreat]


    [The challenger can leave only once the boss is dead]


    [Take the challenge?]


    [Yes] [No]


    ''Great White Elf? Is that the title or name of their mythological race?'' Aaron asked.


    The registration panel was sessful after Aaron ced his palm on a box panel for fingerprint recognition.


    From the information disyed before him, the floor boss he was going to face was the floor boss of the mythological race.


    "Hmm, we''ll be fighting one of the five mythological races that once ruled this ce," Aerith said.


    "Right, like when we fought Thalenia," Aaron replied.


    Aaron pressed the confirm section, another panel appeared and informed Aaron that he could do the floor boss challenge after a half-hour cooldown.


    [Floor Boss Cooldown Duration:]


    [00:00:29:54]


    "However, the strength is definitely different whenpared to when fighting Thalenia," Aaron said.


    "Are you afraid?"


    "I''m just thinking of the smallest possibility that could happen. That''s all."


    Aerith chuckled, assuming Aaron didn''t know how strong he was yet. Level 325 was a mage who should be on floors 50-80, the monsters on those floors were more troublesome enough for a Venerable Sage than the mythological race floor boss on the 25th floor.


    "You just use your talents, those elves will be destroyed effortlessly," Aerith replied, trying to calm the unnecessary nerves Aaron was experiencing.


    Aaron cleared his throat in agreement. He knew his power was great, he would try to defeat the floor boss quickly and powerfully, no matter what it took.


    After waiting for half an hour, the gate of the boss room opened slowly. They saw a white elf in a beautiful dress sitting on arge tree branch in the boss room.


    Both of the female elf''s eyes opened softly, Aaron''s feet stepped on the boss room floor, creating a wall of magical confinement that made it impossible for him and Aerith to escape.


    [Boss Details]


    [Boss: Warrior of The Great White Elf]


    [Level: 155]


    [HP: 325000/325000]


    [MP: 375000/375000]


    [Element: Light]


    [Talent: Light Grace]


    [Rank: A]


    "Did you see the death earlier?" asked the elf, staring smugly down at Aaron.


    "Of course. That''s the consequence of being weak!"


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    "HAHA! Do you think so? What if you were weak too?" asked the elf, smiling curiously.


    Aaron smiled grinning, he brought up the purple magic in his palm which had strong magic fluctuations. The elf, who originally had a proud and stern expression, turned wry as she squinted.


    ''What kind of power is that? Why is it so much stronger than those people?'' the elf asked.


    Without wasting any time, Aaron began to summon the sub talents of his main talent. If what Aerith said was true, then Aaron could end this battle with one crushing blow.


    [Main Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Dark Portal]


    [MP -60000]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [MP: 1079000/1375000] [-60000]


    Aaron smiled widely, Aerith stood beside Aaron with a firm face full of elegance, her hands folded together showing her authority and ability that was higher than anyone, including Aaron.


    The man stretched out his hand and sted a purple ball of light into the sky, the explosion scattered in all directions in the room, each spark of light was followed by the appearance of dimensional portals that surrounded the elf from all directions.


    "What the hell is this power?!" the elfined.


    From within the dimensional portal, a purple, sharp-nailed monster hand lunged forward. The elf tried to withstand every attack of the monster hands, but her strength could not even destroy one of the thousands of monster hands aimed at her.


    "FUCK YOU, HUMAN!" shouted the elf, realizing her limited abilities and failing to strike back.


    "Let''s see, who''s really weak?"


    The elf flew freely in a random direction, hoping that the monster''s hands would no longer pursue her. However, reality had a different story.


    The entire boss room had been fitted with dimensional portal magic so that wherever the elf went, another dimensional portal would appear close by.


    SLICE!


    A monster hand appeared from behind, shocking the elf as she failed to withstand the attack. The defensive magic of her light element shattered when it collided with the monster''s hand.


    Her body was fatally wounded and split into two due to the powerful scratches of the monster''s hand''s sharp nails,


    [Damage +367000]


    [Boss: Great White Elf Warrior]


    [HP: 0/325000] [-367000]


    Huge damage appeared in front of Aaron, much to his surprise as a single attack from his ultimate sub talent managed to defeat an elf like her with ease.


    The elf''s body fell from the sky, her organs scattered on the floor with a look of shock stered on her face. She fell on the floor of the boss room in a state of helplessness, the woman defenseless against the immense power of Aaron.


    "I can''t possibly... die at his hands!"mented the elf, still rejecting the fact that she died at the hands of a human like him, in one single crushing blow.


    From Aaron''s eyes, he saw a sphere of lighting out of the dead elf''s body. He stretched his hand forward to catch it. It was the orb of her soul essence.


    Aerith smiled, the woman knew what Aaron would do with the soul essence orb. Extraction was needed to make his soul essence level increase, even if it meant absorbing someone else''s soul.@@novelbin@@


    The elf''s soul seemed to be confined within the walls of the powerful orb of light. After flying steadily before him, Aaron directed his magic through his two fingers to the front.


    Aaron''s purple magic shed with the female elf''s soul essence, creating waves of magic booms once every five seconds.


    Slowly, Aaron saw cracks being created in the walls of the orb of light, a sign that the protective resistance of the soul essence had faded as the intensity of the purple magic power increased.


    After a long effort, the orb of light exploded, leaving behind a speck of pure soul essence of a mythological race. Aerith stepped closer to Aaron, taking a clear look at the object.


    "The amount of soul essence is quiterge. You can directly absorb it," Aerith said, Aaron agreed.


    Aaron again pointed his hand forward, concentrating his purple magic energy to envelop the soul essence speck. An extraction panel appeared and made Aaron''s attention focused.


    [Soul Extraction Process]


    [Contacting a pure evil soul can affect the mind and heart]


    [Name: Great White Elf Warrior]


    [Form: Soul]


    [Soul Lv: 25]


    [Starts the soul extraction process]


    After the barrier was destroyed, Aaron directed the elf''s soul essence towards his forehead. The extraction process was underway and began to slowly replenish the number of his soul essence levels.


    [Soul Extraction Sessful]


    [Soul Essence gained: +75]


    [Soul Essence: 90/100000] [+75]


    The amount of soul essence was determined based on how many soul levels the extraction target had, that result was divided by five and then multiplied by 15.


    Aaron asked why that was, Aerith shrugged her shoulders, not knowing at all.


    "Most importantly, you know how to increase your soul essence. If you manage to get more, then Isabe can be resurrected quickly," Aerith exined, Aaron nodded in understanding.


    [CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [You have sessfullypleted the Dark Pir''s 25th floor boss challenge]


    [The next floor of Dark Pir Tower has been unlocked]


    [Floor ess Privilege: 26]


    [Want to go to the next floor?]


    [Yes] [No]

 Chapter 193 Meet Their Leader

    Aaron was silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on looking to the side to discover the meaning behind Aerith''s approval. Yet, Aaron had no ability to read facial expressions, let alone read minds. The man had no idea what Aerith was nning.


    Since it had already been decided, Aaron was forced to go along with what the woman said. Emily leaped for joy, even though she was moving from teenager to adult, but her attitude was very simr to that of a 12-year-old girl ¡ªher attitude had not yet returned, and she was not fully used to it.


    "Thank you. With that,e with us," Aldo pleaded.


    Aaron shook his head. Coming with them would only cause suspicion in the eyes of the city people, let alone the Night Liberators.


    Aaron''s magic fluctuations were pretty unique; the slightest bit he released his magic, they could discover his location.


    In the end, it would end up in a huge battle that was devastating and terrifying. Aaron didn''t want that to happen, not at the moment.


    "What do you mean?" asked Aldo.


    Aaron turned to the side, Aerith cleared her throat in agreement, knowing what Aaron was nning. With a brief hand gesture to the side, the maroon-eyed woman brought up a dimensional rift.


    The rift''s location close to the raid team had startled them. They and the others jumped away to avoid the area near the rift, making Aerith chuckle in response to their awkward behavior.


    "I''ve already been there. I know what that ce looks like."


    "Then?" asked Aldo, confused.


    "I''ll go there with Aerith. You guys can follow us," Aaron exined.


    Emily was confused, so Aldo had the same expression. But seeing Aaron and Aerith''s whereabouts disappear without a trace made them understand the situation. Aaron and Aerith used the power of the dimension to move.


    The rift closed and disappeared after being shrunk down to the smallest particles. Emily held her chin while both eyes squinted, curious about their dimensional abilities.


    "If it is indeed a dimensional ability, can he travel to other ces?" asked Emily, her face serious.


    "I doubt that, Ms. Emily," Aldo replied.


    "Why? Do you have your own conclusions, Aldo?"


    Aldo exined that when Aaron said he had been to Sky Sword''s HQ, he mentioned that there was a possibility that the dimensional abilities could only reach ces the user remembered.


    "So that''s it, huh? I didn''t expect that."


    "However, I don''t know if the ability is limited by floor or not. That is, can he use the dimensional ability to travel across floors by deceiving the system? I don''t know the exact answer," Aldo replied, turning around and staring at the majestic Lilith City.


    Emily summoned her Griffin beast servant, then sat precisely on the beast''s back, "We''d better go back to find out the answer."


    Aldo nodded. He and the other members left the ce. Some went on flying weapons, some on beast servants, and some on foot likemon adventurers.


    Elsewhere, in the throne hall of the 25th Sky Sword Branch HQ, Eloise was sitting in her Sky Sword uniform dress.


    She sat with her legs crossed, her hands continuously sliding over the mission panels appearing before her, the general missions of the guild.


    "Three of these five general missions can be taken by Sky Sword," she muttered, separating three of the five general mission panels before her.


    She sent the mission panels to a group messenger who came with the missions. Eloise said that the person who would decide which team went out would be her; the messenger nodded in understanding.


    The man walked away from the beautiful hall with the three mission panels Eloise had chosen. One guest was done, and another one from the White Sword group wished to negotiate with Eloise.


    The door opened, the leader of the White Sword group walked in apanied by two persons beside him.


    It was their first timeing to the Sky Sword throne hall, they marveled at the architectural beauty of the ce.


    The three reached the front of the stairs connected to Eloise''s throne chair. The location of the throne seat was quite highpared to the average floor surface in the room.


    CRACK!


    Just as the White Sword leader was about to speak, the three were startled by the appearance of a dimensional rift before them.


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    Feeling the power of the rift so strong, they stepped back to avoid the ce.


    Eloise rose from her seat, her eyes squinting sharply at the oddity that had urred. The Sky Sword members guarding the ce were on full alert, drawing their magic spears to surround the dimensional rift location.


    "Hold it!"manded Eloise.


    "Tch! You invited my lover toe, but is this such a wee from you?"


    Aerith stepped out while changing her clothes, wearing a long ck dress again with the dress tails sweeping the floor. The slit at the front of the dress skirt showed Aerith''s white and slim legs, adorned with her high heels that gave off a morous and luxurious look.


    The woman stood with her arms crossed, her eyes shining bright maroon, looking back at Eloise, who was staring at her with a blue light in her eyes, the power of ice.


    ''She is not an ordinary woman. Her power feels familiar to me,'' said Eloise.


    Although Aerith was stronger, Eloise shouldn''t show her fear. The slightest flinch would show to the members that Eloise was no better than the mysterious woman.


    "I don''t understand what you''re talking about. Who are you?" asked Eloise sternly.


    The power of darkness and the power of ice shed in the hall, even though neither of the two women had done anything ¡ªnot even moved a finger.


    Everyone could feel how strong they were. The guard members of the room even mmed into the hall wall with force from the boom of the two magical forces.


    From the main street, they could see a bright mix of lights in one of the rooms in the Sky Sword 25th branch HQ.


    Aldo and Emily saw the two lights ¡ªpurple and blue. They hurriedly quickened their flying speed to get there soon, preventing misunderstandings.


    From within the dimensional rift, Aaron appeared as he took a stride followed by a small magical pulse.


    He swung his left hand forward, neutralizing the powerful magic of the two women at the dispute.


    "You''re over-testing her abilities, Aerith," Aaron said.


    "She''s capable. At least she can withstand my magical pressure," Aerith replied, rxing as she closed her eyes, no longer showing aggressiveness.


    Eloise did the same even though she gasped with exhaustion during Aerith''s magic pressure. The woman turned her head towards Aaron, the man''s presence shocking her quite a bit.


    "Aaron? What the¡ª"


    "I met him near the Dark Pir''s gate, Sis," Emily interrupted,ing over and dismounting the Griffin. She stepped closer to Eloise.


    "Is that so, huh? So, you''vepleted the floor boss challenge?" Eloise asked Aaron.


    "I did."


    The Sky Sword 25th leader''s woman asked the White Sword leader to wait outside. Eloise needed to talk to Aaron and didn''t want anyone to overhear.


    The leader understood the situation. They returned and waited their turn like the other guests.


    Eloise stepped down the stairs to be right before Aaron. Aerith squinted with the maroon light back in her eyes.


    "I know, I''m not a good sister. I haven''t given you anything to thank you for saving Emily," Eloise replied.


    "I''ll give you anything, whether it''s items or abilities? Or privileges in the city? Or anything else I can give you," Eloise expressed, her face blushing.


    "Anything else you can give him? Excuse me! Are you out of your mind?" snapped Aerith, realizing the meaning of Eloise''sst question to Aaron.


    "That''s my oath. I''ll give him anything he wants because Emily is everything to me."


    Aaron was silent momentarily, letting the two women with different elements continue arguing about Aaron''s request. Aaron looked towards the fish pond, looking at the beautiful fish filling it, all in groups.


    "Grouping up makes things easy."@@novelbin@@


    "With a group, many benefits can be obtained."


    "Because of a group, one can feel self-preserved."


    Aerith and Eloise turned to Aaron, curious why the man said that. Aaron sighed softly, then turned his head to the side to look at Eloise.


    Eloise had held the title of the leader of Sky Sword 25th for a long time, which had given her valuable experience. Aaron nned to ask about her experience.


    "I have a wish," said Aaron.


    "What is it?" asked Eloise.


    "Help me establish a group in this city!"

 Chapter 194 Aaron Lewis Second Clone

    "Creating a group?" asked Eloise, squinting.


    "Correct."


    Aaron stepped closer to Eloise and stood right beside Aerith, "I know this is a ridiculous ask, but I need you to help me establish a group, starting with this city."


    Eloise paused, thinking of the various possibilities that might ur. For a group leader, helping someone establish another group unaffiliated with her group was the same as raising an enemy in the future.


    Whether or not the group Aaron founded would be apetitor to Sky Sword. Still, given the long history of the three major groups, Eloise felt that Aaron''s group would probably only be high tier.


    "To establish a group, you must understand a few things. It will take time and effort," Eloise exined, looking towards the hall''s door.


    "I still have many guests to meet. So, if you don''t mind, I''ll exin tomorrow while I empty my schedule," replied the woman.


    Aaron nodded. He didn''t mind if Eloise wanted to exin the details tomorrow. On the other hand, he could prepare and find a lot of information about setting up a guild by visiting the guild office or asking other guild leaders ¡ªnot Jovanni or Max.


    The man sighed, nodding in agreement to what Eloise had said. They woulde to this HQ at precisely nine in the morning, Eloise would arrange a schedule to meet with him.


    "Aldo," Eloise called, Aldo nodded to the woman.


    "Take them to one of our lodging houses. Let them stay in ourpound," Eloise pleaded.


    "I''ll do that."


    Eloise exined that they could stay in one of Sky Sword''s lodging houses, intended for their guests visiting from afar.


    However, due to the special nature of Aaron and Aerith''s presence to Eloise, the woman had no objection to them staying in the house.


    Aldo stepped closer to Aaron and Aerith, the man inviting them to start walking after him. Now, the only ones left in the hall were Eloise and Emily.


    "I had expected that."


    Emily turned her attention to the side after Aaron and Aerith left the hall. Eloise said it like she had expected something, Emily thought Eloise''s words were rted to Aaron''s request.


    "Is this because of his wish?" asked Emily, Eloise cleared her throat in agreement.


    "A group''s capability is decided by their leader''s managerial skills, the number of members and their level, and their leader''s ability."


    "Usually, mages look at the number of members, their level, and their leader''s ability. If they have a lot of members with an average tier of three, then new members are attracted to join," Eloise continued.


    "Then what about the leader''s ability?" asked Emily. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    Eloise again exined that the situation was quite favorable for Aaron. His level reached over 300, with him in the 4th tier as a Venerable Sage.


    Eloise said he might be able to attract many members to join as they saw Aaron''s high level.


    They felt confident, they thought they could bet a lot on their leader, and they hoped their leader could help them achieve their dreams.


    That was what new members thought when they realized the leader of a new group had a high-tier level.


    "If that is the case, then we must stay vignt. Aaron''s wish could be the trigger for newpetitors to emerge," Emily exined. Eloise smiled at what her sister said.


    "Competitors at High rank, perhaps. However, being apetitor among the three major groups is difficult or even impossible," Eloise exined.


    Credibility was one of the crucial factors that distinguished the three major groups from the groups at High Rank. Credibility was built on people''s trust, trust that grew because of the deeds the group did.


    Earning people''s trust takes time, not a single instant at a time. That was why Eloise was confident Aaron''s group would not be able topete with them.


    "We should keep an eye on them," replied Eloise.


    "How?" asked Emily.


    Eloise smiled as she looked to the side. Her n was devious, but she did it solely to keep Sky Sword conducive. After all, Aaron''s group would probably shake Lilith City with its hype.


    Elsewhere, Aldo pointed out a ce that could be a temporary home for Aaron and Aerith.


    The house seemed luxurious, with two floors, a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, four bedrooms, and arge backyard. Aldo ensured the two would befortable living in the house for a while.


    "This is where you will stay. As for food supplies, you don''t have to worry. The fridge and pantry are fully stocked," Aldo exined.


    "Thanks," Aaron replied, nodding.


    "That''s not a problem. I did what Eloise told me to do," Aldo replied.


    Not wanting to stay long, Aldo went to say goodbye to them. Aaron nodded and watched Aldo step back into the HQ building. Now, only Aaron and Aerith were in the house.@@novelbin@@


    "If you want to establish a group, then you''ll have to stay here for a while. It''ll disrupt your ns to raid monsters," Aerith exined, looking sideways at Aaron''s face.


    "No, you''re wrong. Besides, I have another more effective way."


    She stepped into the front yard and sat cross-legged on the garden grass. Aaron closed his eyes and began to emit his magic aura, activating one of his talents.


    Aerith stepped back, following Aaron, and kept watching what Aaron was doing.


    [Additional Talent Activated]


    [Sub-Talent Activated: Origin Clone]


    [MP -80000]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [MP: 999000/1375000] [-80000]


    Aaron''s eyes opened gently, the purple light from Aaron''s base element began to split and form Aaron''s figure ording to his true form.


    That''s right! Creating his own clone that would be assigned to the 25th floor. The ability of Aaron''s clone, who was at the fourth tier as a Great Wizard, was rtively highpared to the tier three leaders of the three major groups.


    Slowly but surely, the purple light figure condensed and formed a new Aaron clone, sitting cross-legged before Aaron''s original body.


    Both of Aaron''s clone''s eyes were closed, still waiting for the cloning process to finish.


    While waiting, Aaron again imnted a speck of his soul consciousness to the front. A sphere of soul light flew and entered Aaron''s clone''s body, making the clonepletely act on Aaron''s consciousness.


    [Cloning Completed]


    [Number of Clones: 2]


    [Input Name: ...]


    [Level: 164]


    [Mage Tier: Great Wizards]


    [HP: 245000/245000]


    [MP: 260000/260000]


    Calmly, both of Aaron''s clone''s eyes opened. His initial response was the usual demeanor, considering he already knew who he was and who the person before him was.


    Aaron''s purple magic returned to him, radiating steadily with a not-so-strong magic pulse. Aaron deactivated his magic aura and allowed the situation to be conducive to the ce so that he could talkfortably with the clone.


    "Do you understand your main duties?" Aaron asked. The clone shook his head without speaking.


    "Your name is Lewis; you''re part of me. Whatever you do, I can see it."


    "I understand," exined Lewis, nodding slowly.


    "I''ve given you a major duty, which you must not abandon or forget."


    "I n to establish an adventurer group on the 25th floor. I will be the one to establish it through the guild feature I have, while you will be in charge of being the group leader," Aaron emphasized.


    Lewis and Aaron talked about many things, starting from the recruitment process, rtionships, and then about the main principles of the group.


    Aaron did not hesitate to exin everything with the condition that Lewis should not tell anyone about the primary purpose of setting up the group.


    "Deceiving them just to help you go higher up. Isn''t that a bit cruel?" asked Lewis, still preserving his morality.


    "No, it''s not. You are me; I am you. Everything is done for your sake; they will grow with the group, and the benefits wille to me."


    "I understand."


    "Then what''s the name of our group?" asked Lewis.


    Aaron was silent for a moment, then reflexively raised his head and looked at the clear city sky without a single cloud.


    He had alreadye up with a name for his group, one that suited his objectives.


    "Shadow Ruler!"

 Chapter 196 Group Contributions Point

    Aaron squinted his eyes. His attention was focused on the muscr man wearing an ash fur coat, a mountain wolf fur coat.


    With an appearance like that, Aaron was sure Goro had gained his influence and power by exploiting everyone''s fears.


    The receptionist woman stepped closer to Goro, whispering something that suddenly changed the muscr man''s facial expression. Aaron suspected that the woman had said something bad about him.


    "No one should call my lover like that," Goro snapped.


    "Huft."


    "Alright. I''m sorry, I was out of line earlier," Aaron exined, apologizing nonchntly.


    Even so, they felt unhappy, especially since Aaron''s attitude seemed to look down on them. Goro frowned while staring straight at him, asking his lover to go to his office and wait for things to settle down.


    "Boys! Take him out back," Goromanded, opening his furry coat.


    The people in the ce began to show their frightened faces. Many incision scars were etched on Goro''s muscles and chest as a sign of the results of his battles against many wild and Dark Pir monsters.


    Not only that, many had heard the news that Goro was in the Senior Mage tier, on par with the three leaders of the three major groups. That was why Goro was respected, and that was because of his abilities.


    Two of Goro''s men approached Aaron. They stretched their arms and necks as if they couldn''t wait to kick Aaron''s ass. Yet, their carelessness put them in danger.


    "Come on, buddy. Let''s talk about this outside!" insisted one of Goro''s group members.


    Aaron sighed, putting on a serious face while strongly emitting his magic aura. Both of his eyes shed violet light while his hands were filled with burning purple me magic; it was enough to shock many people in the ce. Read exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    FLICK!


    With a single snap, Aaron sent a magic attack into the ce that pushed many people, blew away tables and chairs, and burned the papers in the guild office. The windows of the guild office shattered and scattered, the walls cracked until it shook violently.


    "I can destroy this ce with a single attack," Aaron said.


    "Are you interested in seeing it?!" threatened Aaron.


    Goro flinched, but not in a way that made him panic and fear. However, it was different with his two men. They stepped back in fear after they took significant damage from Aaron''s finger snap.


    "I came to find information about the group, not to fight!"


    "But if you want a fight, I will dly serve you!"


    FLICK!


    Again, the second snap of the fingers brought forth powerful magic fluctuations, injuring several people and setting the ce aze in a sizable me. The visitors scurried away, running for their lives.


    Some guild staff came and tried to extinguish the fire, but not a few persuaded Aaron to calm down. They said they would tell Aaron all the information he needed about the new group establishment.


    "P-Pleasee with us, sir."


    Aaron stopped his aggressiveness, stepping behind the female guild staff who was being friendly to him. Goro still stood speechless, staring at Aaron, filled with hatred.


    Tonight''s incident insulted the man; he seemed to have a much strongerpetitor than him.


    However, Aaron didn''t care. He stepped off the first floor without even looking at Goro. He didn''t need to care about a weak person who pretended to be strong, even though he was weaker than Aaron.


    "I apologize for our receptionist''s behavior. Her attitude is annoying," replied the female staff before Aaron, smiling while asionally looking back.


    "You guys should be more selective in choosing employees."


    "We will. Thank you for your suggestion," she said, still smiling kindly.


    Arriving on the second floor, the two entered a specific room used as a negotiation room. Inside, Aaron saw two couches facing each other, and a ss table was ced in the center between them. Aaron and the female staffer sat facing each other.


    "May I know your name?" the female staffer asked.


    "Aaron. Aaron Lewis."


    "Aaron? No wonder you were so strong earlier."


    "Do you know me?" asked Aaron.


    The woman nodded. In the past, she had put Aaron''s wanted poster in the guild newsletter. She knew very well who Aaron was and what he was capable of. The woman also heard thetest news: Aaron single-handedly destroyed the 10th-floor city.


    "With your abilities, you can easily tten Lilith City," the woman exined.


    "Stop talking nonsense. Tell me, what is group rank? And how can a group rank up?" asked Aaron firmly.


    The female staff nodded. She stood up, stepped closer to the bookshelves, picked up a guidebook, and brought it to the table. There, she exined how a group could be ranked and the criteria.


    "It is determined by how much the group contributes. For example, the amount of contribution a low-rank group needs to advance to intermediate rank is 50000," the woman exined.


    "Contributions can be obtained in three ways: Completing raids, going on general missions, or participating in group tournaments," the woman exined.


    "So, there are no items that can increase group contribution points?" asked Aaron. The woman smiled and responded by shaking her head.


    "Contribution can only be done if you do something. Isn''t that how it should be?"


    Aaron nodded. The woman held out the guidebook to Aaron, letting him read the amount of contribution each group rank required.


    Low rank ranged from 0-50000 contribution points.


    Intermediate rank ranged from 50001-500000 contribution points.


    High rank ranged from 500001-5000000 contribution points.


    To earn contribution points, any group that manages toplete the raid by killing more than 5 maze monsters will get 25 contribution points. However, if they kill 5 maze monsters + floor boss, they will get 75 contribution points.


    That''s for raids. For general missions, the contribution points earned will vary. Missions with rank F-C will get five contribution points, B missions will get ten, A missions will get 20, and S missions will get 50.


    Last but not least was the group tournament. For group members who make it to the group stage in the group tournament, the group will get 25 points. If they reach the quarterfinals, they get 50 points. If they reach the semi-finals, they get 100 points. If they reach the final, they get 200 points. If they win the tournament, the group will earn 500 points.@@novelbin@@


    "It''s interesting. Really interesting," Aaron exined, reading the point totals of a group''s contributions.


    "To create a group, you need to fill it out in your guild feature. After obtaining a Group ID, you can submit it to the guild office for further administration. After that, you can start recruiting members," the woman exined.


    "How much does it cost to create a group?" asked Aaron.


    "Only 50000 RL."


    With the information he got from the guild panel and the woman, Aaron got the information he wanted.


    The woman suggested that Aaron immediately form a group and look for members; Aaron was curious and asked her.


    "Soon, an inter-group tournament in Lilith City will be held. Any group from Low to High rank can join," the woman replied.


    "Sometimes, you can use it as an opportunity to show what your group is capable of. The higher the stage you reach, the more adventurers will want to join," she added.


    "So, I can use it as a promotional event for my group?" asked Aaron. The woman nodded in agreement.


    "Alright. Thank you for your information."


    "You''re wee. You can meet me in this room if you n to register tomorrow. My name is Be," exined the woman, shaking hands with Aaron.


    "I''m Aaron. It''s nice to meet you, Ms. Be."

 Chapter 198 Group Pre-qualification Requirement

    "Have you formed your group?" asked Eloise to confirm.


    "Sorry for not telling you. I''ve already formed it," Aaron replied.


    Eloise was silent, as was Emily. They stared at each other for a while, which was enough to confuse Aaron. In the end, they responded by nodding their heads.


    It was easy for someone to form a group. It only required confidence, ability, and some money to build it from scratch. Aaron, with all the things he had, it was not difficult for him to form his group.


    Eloise found it helpful that Aaron had already done it, so she didn''t have to exin from the beginning.


    The woman smiled contentedly, not showing her annoyance. Instead, she held the ss forward, asking Aaron to pour the wine for her.


    "It''s good you''ve formed your group. I don''t think I need to exin from the beginning about the group and its terms of establishment," Eloise replied, epting the wine in her ss, a dark purple wine with a sour and slightly bitter taste.


    Aaron did the same, pouring the dark purple wine into his ss. Emily chose to enjoy the water while her sister and Aaron downed the alcoholic bottle. The three toasted before eating the food ahead of them.


    "So, as your question suggests. The inter-group tournament is hosted by many parties, from the guild office to the three major groups," Eloise replied.


    "The three major groups take on the role of organizers? Not participants?"


    "In the past, we joined as participants. However, there were protests from other groups who said the three major groups'' abilities were no longer at their level."


    "At that time, the three major group presidents on the top floor decided to put the three major groups as supreme rank groups," Eloise said.


    ''It turns out that there really is a rank higher than High. It seems difficult for one group to break through to Supreme rank,'' Aaron said.


    Eloise stared straight ahead, smiling as Aaron looked stunned at the Supreme Rank. The woman had predicted it.


    Aaron was indeed ambitious to bring his group up to Supreme rank to be on par with the three major groups.


    The woman tried to act naturally as if she didn''t know Aaron''s ambition. Telling him that Aaron''s group would have a hard time breaking through to the Supreme rank would only bring a bad reputation to the notoriously sensitive Aaron. It was better for Eloise to y it safe.


    "If your group manages to reach Supreme rank, then I will join your group, Master Venerable Sage," Emily replied, innocently and naively filled with enthusiasm.


    Aaron smiled, her behavior reminding him of Sokia, "If you join, you will leave your sister alone here, Emily."


    "That''s okay. I don''t mind if she leaves. After all, she''ll be safe with you."


    The man cleared his throat, chugging the wine in his ss until it was gone. Again, Aaron poured the wine into his ss and Eloise''s ss. Eloise began to discuss the mechanism of the group tournament, Aaron began to listen carefully.


    "To participate in the tournament, a group must have at least 10 members. There is no tier limit for members on the 25th floor, but on the 50th floor, there is a specific limit."


    "Each group has the right to send a maximum of three members to join. The registration fee is 50000 RL for one member," Eloise replied, saying the price of the registration fee had not changed.


    Aaron listened as he sipped the wine in his ss. The information he got today could be directly known to Lewis, who was currently meeting Be in the negotiation room of the City Guild Office.


    The woman before Aaron continued to exin about the tournament. Before the main round of the tournament was held in the Lilith Arena, the participants would fight ording to their group rank. For example, Low rank.


    Groups with Low rank would fight each other with groups of the same rank. They called it pre-qualification.


    The system was a knockout, and those who won moved on to the second pre-qualification stage. The Guild Office will take the 10 participants whopleted the pre-qualification to fight in the final qualification.


    In the final qualifying round, participants from the Low-rank group will fight against those from the Intermediate rank. One group will be filled with five people for the system in the final qualifier. Each person will fight against the others in that group, and one participant will fight against four people at different times.


    Those who win will get two points, those who draw will get one point, and those who lose will get zero points. The total number of qualifying groups reached 10, with a total of 50 people fighting in the qualifying round.


    Only first and second ce will qualify for the main round, and a total of 20 people will qualify for the main round.


    In the main round, the group system will again be used with a total of ten groups. Each group will contain five people like the final qualifiers.


    Only those who reached the top of the standings could proceed to the quarterfinals, the semifinals, the finals, and the champion.


    Eloise estimates that the total time needed to reach the final round is 1-2 months. Currently, registration for rank-low groups to join the pre-qualifiers was open.


    ''I need to recruit at least 10 members to join,'' Aaron exined.


    "Is there no minimum tier limit for tournament participants?" Aaron asked, Eloise shook her head.


    She said that the better the group recruited talented people, the greater the chance of them entering the main round. That was quite a relief. With Lewis'' level, there would be no one who could match him in this city.


    "I had to qualify to join the pre-qualification. I have to find 10 members to join," Aaron said.


    "That''s why you have to find members right away. However, I don''t want to make you pessimistic. Most mages already have their groups. So, it will be difficult for you," Eloise exined.


    "Indeed, but there''s nothing prohibiting me from snatching members of other groups, right?" asked Aaron; Eloise shook her head.


    "As long as you have 10 members, then you''re eligible to join the pre-qualification."


    "Then I''ll take Sara and the others. They will join my group," said Aaron, surprising Eloise and Emily.


    This was what Eloise was afraid of. She was worried that Aaron would take more members from Sky Sword just because his ability was stronger than Eloise''s. The woman looked at Aaron with squinted eyes as if she was asking him to forbid him from doing so.


    "I won''t ept it!" said Eloise, refusing.


    Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "How about we make a deal?" asked Aaron, surprising the woman.


    Aaron took out his SS rank talent slip and showed three of these items. Eloise gasped, as did Emily. They didn''t have any S rank talents yet, but the man in front of them offered SS rank talent slips.


    "Three SS rank talent slips?" asked Eloise, shocked.


    "The deal is that I will hand over these three items to you as long as you are willing to hand them over just to qualify my group for the tournament. How''s that?" asked Aaron.


    "I don''t know, I can''t¡ª"


    "AGREED!" said Emily happily and excitedly.


    "You? You swapped our members just because of that talent slip?" asked Eloise, shocked.@@novelbin@@


    "Yes. It''s only temporary, after all. They will return to Sky Sword after the tournament is over. Right?"


    Aaron nodded, agreeing with what Emily said, "She''s right. I''ll bring them back. I promise."

 Chapter 200 Lewis Carelessness

    Lewis was done with his fighting, but Aaron showed up against Goro. Eloise sighed in annoyance. She couldn''t possibly mediate between the two with her abilities: Goro''s abilities were almostparable to hers, while Aaron was stronger than her.


    Eloise hovered over the two while stretching out her arms towards Aaron and Goro. Emily flew close to Aaron, trying to calm the sensitive man down from starting a fight.


    The two women from Sky Sword knew very well that if the fight happened, the destruction in the Sky Sword district would be much more severe than Aaron''s fight in the Night Liberators district. Sky Sword would suffer great losses.


    "I won''t let go of one sword if he doesn''t attack me. That''s my warning to him!" threatened Aaron, still being wise by paying attention to Eloise''s influence.


    Now, it was just a matter of waiting for Goro''s response. Both Eloise''s and Emily''s eyes stared sharply downwards, trying to intimidate Goro who still hadn''t lowered his ming sword.


    Aaron was still in the sky, one short gesture from his hand was able to pierce Goro''s body so severely that it left him lifeless. Aaron wasn''t joking with his threat.


    Realizing three people were forcing him to lower his sword left Goro helpless. He clicked his tongue, re-sheathing his ming sword to listen to Eloise''s orders.


    "Alright. I''ll do it just because you asked. It''s not like I''m afraid of him!" Goro scolded.


    "Whatever. I don''t care."


    Aaron deactivated his purple magic maniption, pulling back the thousands of purple swords that had emerged from within the magic portal.


    The thousands of magic portals disappeared without a trace, giving a feeling of relief to everyone in the area.


    Together with the two leaders of the different high rank groups, Goro stepped into the guild office with his eyes focused on Aaron with hatred.


    As Aaron stepped down from the sky and set his foot on the main street of the district, Eloise and Emily stepped over.


    "Who is he really? Why does he have the same magic color as you?" Eloise asked Aaron.


    He didn''t know what to say. It was impossible for him to say clearly that the man was his clone, it would make Eloise very wary of Aaron''s ability.


    It was better for him to make up some excuse, maybe Eloise could ept it without Aaron having to exin the true situation to her.


    "There are many people with a dark elemental base. Maybe he''s one of them," Aaron said.


    "He''s right, Sis. Like the Dark Legion girl yesterday, she has a dark magic elemental base." Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Emily indirectly supported his statement, perhaps she concluded that after seeing Aaron''s battle with the Dark Legion woman the other day. Eloise nodded in understanding,prehending the possibilities that could have happened.


    ''Thank goodness she helped me,'' Aaron said.@@novelbin@@


    From the direction of the city guild office, Aaron turned his head and witnessed Aerith walking casually while holding a wooden cup filled with cheap wine from the cafeteria of the ce.


    Aerith''s presence was quite surprising to Aaron, it was unexpected that the woman would walk casually from inside the guild office as if nothing had happened on the main street of the district.


    "You? You were inside when the battle was happening outside? What were you thinking?" asked Aaron, annoyed at Aerith.


    "He won''t listen to me. Why would I care," Aerith snapped.


    Eloise asked about the closeness between Aaron and Aerith. Aerith smiled seductively, boldly embracing Aaron''s arm as if to prove their rtionship was quite close to each other.


    "Very close. When was thest time we had sex, dear?" asked Aerith, surprising the two women standing before Aaron.


    "About two months ago, I guess," Aaron replied.


    ''He has a lover who is just as strong, even stronger than him. What exactly is their true identity?'' asked Eloise, feeling something was odd about Aaron and Aerith''s intimacy.


    From Aaron''s eyes, he could see Lewis returning to the Sky Sword 25th''s lodging house as if not feeling guilty once. Aaron had to make a calction with him, he almost left Shadow Ruler without a single applicant.


    After the matter in front of the guild office was over, Aaron flew away from that ce with Aerith by his side. Eloise did the same with Emily. However, Eloise and Aaron had different destinations.


    Aaron and Aerith flew with the intention of returning to the lodging house, but Eloise and Emily returned to the throne hall. Both of them had other work to do, one of which Aaron rted to Lewis.


    Arriving at the backyard, Aaronnded with full force creating a strong gust of wind and an intense thump of magic.


    Lewis gasped in surprise when he was inside the house, he slowly stepped to the back to meet Aaron immediately.


    "Hey, Aaron. Listen. I don''t want to make things difficult, but¡ª"


    CHOKE!


    Without thinking, Aaron used his purple magic maniption ability to choke Lewis'' neck, pulling him to the backyard with both of Aaron''s eyes focused on staring at his clone, Lewis had already disappointed him.


    "Did you forget? Our n was to form a group and recruit people to join. However, you ruined it with your dumb fight!" Aaron snapped.


    Aaron''s hand choke on Lewis caused a magical thump to be felt in the area around the lodging house. Fortunately, the location of Aaron''s lodging house was not close to the members'' dorms so none of the Sky Sword members would notice.


    "I understand. I''ll be more careful. I promise!" said Lewis, pleading for Aaron''s mercy.


    The two stared intently at each other, Aaron trying to influence Lewis'' mind that he wasn''tpletely in charge. He was Aaron''s clone, Aaron could have eliminated Lewis'' existence if he was not in his favor.


    However, the problem this time was not as bad as Aaron imagined ¡ªnot to the point of creating a big mess.


    Aaron sighed, he released the choke hold of his magic hand on Lewis'' neck, freeing him for the sole purpose of Aaron.


    "I''ll keep your word," Aaron dered, throwing Lewis'' body hard against the wall of the house.


    "Thank you," Lewis said, nodding his head.


    Aaron stepped inside with Aerith following close behind. Lewis did the same. They sat down in the living room with Aerith seemingly preparing something, warm tea and snacks.


    "So, what''s your n?" asked Lewis, starting to obey Aaron''s words.


    "The 13th Squad will take up the Shadow Ruler''s membership for the time being. I might be able to get Emily to join," Aaron replied.


    "There are only four of them, we need to find the remaining six," said Lewis.


    "Maybe I should look at the guilds. They might have someone willing to join us," Aaron replied.


    The man brought up an idea that appealed to him. He handed Lewis some S rank talent slips. Aaron asked Lewis clearly to offer the S rank talent slips to those who wanted to join, on the condition that they had to maintain group membership until the tournament was over.


    "Good idea. I''ll do it tomorrow."

 Chapter 202 Pre-Qualifiers Match

    [DING! Congrattions you have added a member]


    [Group Name: Shadow Ruler]@@novelbin@@


    [Group Rank: Low]


    [Number of Members: 10] [+6]


    [DING! Congrattions Shadow Ruler Group qualifies for the group tournament]


    Aaron smiled. After confirming the six people were in the group, Aaron handed the talent slips and fragments to them. They epted it enthusiastically, many of them left the ce to go to the equipment store ¡ªgacha talent.


    Zidan was still in the cafeteria of the guild office. Aaron spoke to him seriously. He threatened the man and his party members that if they left without telling him, then Aaron would not hesitate to kill them.


    Seeing Aaron''s intimidating gaze left Zidan with no other choice. The 20-year-old man emphasized that he and his party members would be loyal to Aaron, and they would even support the Shadow Ruler in the group tournament.


    An answer that was quite a relief ording to Aaron. Although Zidan said so, but no one can guarantee the heart of a human.


    Sometimes, the human heart changes easily when tempted by one thing, whether it''s treasure, power, or women.


    Aaron would still keep an eye on Zidan, although not as strictly as now. Aaron nodded. He invited Zidan to go after his friends, leaving Aaron alone with Aerith in the cafeteria.


    Not long after, Lewis, Karen, and Mona came to the guild office. They arrived after Lewis received the panel''s notification about the increased number of members.


    Lewis stepped closer to Aaron, confirming whether the information was true or false. Aaron confirmed that if it was true, he had gotten the members he needed.


    "Thank goodness," Lewis said.


    "So, who will be in this group tournament?" asked Karen.


    Aaron smiled, looking at Lewis who was the leader of the Shadow Rulers. Aaron pointed at Lewis, he would be the participant of the group tournament from Shadow Ruler. Lewis didn''t mind, he knew what his capabilities were.


    "And maybe you can join, Karen," Aaron said, turning to Karen.


    "Wait! Me?" asked Karen, shocked.


    "Sure. Among the three of you, only Karen has a high attack rate," said Aaron.


    Mona agreed to that. Karen''s abilities improved drastically even surpassing Sara''s, but for squad managerial, Sara was still the best.


    Karen tly refused, not because she didn''t like it, but because her abilities were limited. Aaron expected that, because he would face people with the best abilities.


    However, seeing Karen''s abilities up close from the 10th floor to the 24th floor was enough to prove that Karen could face them. Lewis turned his head, inviting Karen to spar before the pre-qualification started.


    Karen turned her head back towards the front, looking at the optimistic eyes shown by Aaron. In the end, Karen nodded yes.


    She agreed to fight in the group tournament. However, she asked Aaron not to put too high expectations on her.


    "I understand. After all, my only purpose is Lewis. The reason I included you is because I see potential for you to grow a lot," Aaron said.


    "We should see what he can do when he spars with Lewis," Aerith suggested.


    Aaron nodded. They would spar this afternoon in the outer area of Lilith City. It was much safer there than in the city center.


    Lewis agreed to the invitation. He walked with Karen to the reception desk, registering himself with her as a participant of the Shadow Ruler.


    In ordance with the regtions, Lewis paid 100000 RL for the registration fee of two participants. They received an ess card that could bring them into the pre-qualified battle arena as participants.


    For Aaron and the others, they could watch the pre-qualifiers from the bleachers. They only needed to pay 10000 RL for one spectator ticket, the location of the pre-qualification would take ce at the Dimension Justice Arena. Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    For the final qualifiers, the Guild Office would hold it at the Sky Sword Arena, and finally for the main round, it would be held at the Lilith Arena.


    The reception staff said that the pre-qualifiers would start next week, the drawing of the numbers would be done the day before.


    Lewis stepped up to Aaron, with Karen beside him. Aaron nodded, they would have to fight well to bring Shadow Ruler to the main event stage. If sessful, it would be a free promotion for Shadow Ruler.


    "I''ll try my best," Lewis said.


    "I won''t let you down," Karen said.


    Aerith smiled at their optimistic attitude. She turned her head, asking about Aaron''s role in the tournament. Aaron chuckled, returning Aerith''s gaze deeply.


    "We''ll be spectators."


    ***


    One weekter.


    Dimension Justice Arena.


    As Aaron expected, not many came to watch the battles of the Low rank group. Everyone thought it would be better for them toe when the main round opened. A much more interesting battle would be presented there.


    Aaron arrived with Aerith, Sara, and Mona. As for Zidan and his party, they had permission because they were on the main mission. Aaron didn''t care about that.


    They took the best seats in the audience, close to the battle arena. However, the audience did not need to worry, Dimension Justice and the Guild Office had worked together by forming a strong magic wall.


    ording to the serial number, Lewis got the number 12 while Karen got the number 5. Themittee drew the number and the opponent that Lewis and Karen would face came out.


    In total, there were 50 participants from dozens of rank low groups. The system was knockout, the organizers would take the ten highest ranks to advance to the next stage, the higher the position of the participants in the pre-qualification, then they would be in the best pot during the draw in the final qualification.


    The better the pot, the less likely they will face an opponent from the intermediate group. That''s whying first in the pre-qualifiers will be advantageous going forward.


    From the schedule given, Lewis would challenge someone from the Sky Shield group. It was in the third match, while Karen would fight someone from the Mighty Shark Group in the 11th match.


    Aaron cast his gaze around, there were not many spectators present. In total, there were around 35 people.


    The first match began, a battle between a fire elemental mage against an earth elemental mage. Since the two were evenly matched, the match was slow, tough, and boring.


    In the end, it was the earth elemental mage who won because he managed to seize the momentum of the counterattack.


    "He''s underestimating that guy too much," Aerith said. Aaron nodded in agreement.


    "In a fight like this, confidence can indeed trump anything. However, if ites to underestimating others, it can be fatal," Aaron said.


    "Why is that?" asked Sara.


    "Because he has built up the perception that he will win. The slightest unexpected thing that doesn''t go his way, then he''ll have trouble adapting."


    "In the end, it will end in his defeat."

 Chapter 204 District Thugs

    A fight almost broke out at the ce. The thugs fearlessly nned to beat Lewis and the others.


    A woman dressed in a Dimension Justice uniform came. She interrupted their fight by saying that Dimension Justice would intervene in their fight.


    She came to mediate the fight between the two. The thugs who were just at the Young Sage stage, wouldn''t dare if someone from Dimension Justice came to stop them.


    In the end, the thugs walked away from the ce. Lewis deactivated his magic aura, the magic glow in his right palm disappeared slowly.


    Lewis stepped closer to the woman who was helping to mediate them. The woman was Sys, a Dimension Justice member from the 7th squad.


    The 7th Dimension Justice squad was the one assigned to guard the arena while the Pre-Qualifiers were taking ce.


    Not only the 7th squad, but the 3rd squad and 10th squad had the same task of watching over the security at the venue. Aaron fully believed in their capabilities.


    "As long as you are part of the Pre-Qualification tournament participants, then we will take care of you while you are in the Dimension Justicepound," Sys stated.


    Lewis was relieved to hear those words, even though he did have the capacity to protect his own. Still, if someone else did it, then Lewis didn''t mind.


    After the situation had be conducive, Lewis and the others stepped out of the ce. Their objective was a small house that Aaron had bought with his money, an abandoned house that would serve as the Shadow Ruler''s temporary base.


    It was located in the Sky Sword district, quite secluded and located in an area that looked like a vige. There were other reasons why Aaron bought a house in that ce rather than in the city center, one of which was for the serenity of training.


    The peaceful atmosphere in the vige would greatly help the Shadow Ruler members'' training, if the number of members increased, then it was certain that Aaron would need arge area to house them.


    For the time being, they would stay in the house until the main round began. With Lewis and Karen''s abilities, Aaron was quite confident that they could break through the main round easily.


    The door to the house opened, Lewis rested on a long couch with Sara and the others went to the kitchen.


    That afternoon, Zidan and his party members had not yet arrived from their mission: killing the rat monsters roaming the area outside the city walls.


    When Dr. Lewis asked about it, Aaron shook his head. Their abilities were much better than before, they could handle the mission easily. Lewis nodded in agreement.


    From outside, Aaron felt something shaking his legs and the surrounding area. He pulled back the window curtain and peered ahead, he saw the thugsing to look for trouble.


    "Those thugs came looking for trouble," Aaron said, drawing Lewis'' attention.


    Lewis opened the door and saw a group of 10 thugsing with swords, spears, arrows, and activated their magic. Lewis smiled, he tried to stretch his body feeling the real fight was about to happen.


    "That referee didn''t give me the freedom to fight. Now, I can take it out on you bastards!" Lewis snapped, stepping out of the house with his entire body filled with a powerful purple magic aura light, apanied by an intense magic pulse.


    The ten thugs were startled. Some of them stared with narrowed eyes, others stepped back to avoid closebat. The closer Lewis walked, the more they felt the magic pressure.


    Lewis stomped his foot hard on the ground, a wave of magic appeared and pushed everything around him, enough to knock the ten thugs down.


    Aaron saw Lewis'' dangerous attitude. In his opinion, if he attacked them mercilessly and ended up in death, then his image would be bad and his name would be tarnished. He would earn the title of Murderer, and that was enough to sway the other members'' perspectives.


    With a sh move, Aaron was right beside Lewis. He tried to calm his clone down by telling him that he didn''t need to fight them.


    "You don''t need to waste your magic just to fight them," Aaron exined, advising Lewis.


    Lewis looked to the side, then cleared his throat in agreement. Slowly, he began to deactivate his magic aura and acted casually before the thugs. As he and Aaron walked away, Aerith came to them in Lewis'' ce.


    "Do you want me to destroy them?" asked Aerith.


    "Please, Aerith. Just don''t let them go," Aaron asked.


    Aerith smiled, pleased that Aaron had faith in her. Aaron didn''t mind if Aerith killed them, it was because she didn''t have an individual system, so the punishment panel wouldn''t apply to her.


    THUMP!


    BLAST!


    The explosion and st of magic could be felt outside the house. Aaron pointed his hand forward, blocking the magic fluctuations of Aerith''s power from turning to destroy Aaron''s house.


    Sara and Karen looked through the house window. They witnessed that the power of Aaron''s lover woman was much more terrifying, they could even feel that her power was beyond Aaron''s own.


    The woman cut, crushed, burned, and shrank their bodies until theypletely disappeared from the ce.


    Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    The blood and organs scattered on the ground vanished after being burned to ashes by Aerith''s maroon mes.


    Not gaining any EXP or TP, nor RL. Aerith stepped back and arrived at the wooden house, meeting up with Aaron while greeting him warmly.


    "It was easy beating them, I didn''t even have to wave my arms," Aerith said, full of pride.


    ''Sure enough, the difference in my strength with her is stillrge. It''s lucky for me that she supports me,'' Aaron said.


    The show over, they returned to rx while enjoying the warm tea served especially for Lewis and Karen.


    Sara had served the tea in the hope that it would increase their stamina and energy to fight again tomorrow in the next round of pre-qualification.@@novelbin@@


    Aaron gave them some important advice, especially about their fighting attitude. Confidence was necessary to bring out their best, but if they were overconfident, it would only make a fool of themselves.


    "Excuse me!" greeted someone, from outside the Shadow Ruler''s wooden house.


    Aaron looked carefully using his magic aura vision. He saw two adventurers standing behind the door, both at the Young Sage level -just like the thugs.


    "Lewis, someone''sing," Aaron exined.


    Lewis nodded in agreement. He opened the door and saw that the two were a man and a woman, around 27 years old, older than him.


    They came with a specific purpose, right after they watched the early pre-qualification rounds.


    "Are you Lewis from Shadow Ruler?" the man asked, and Lewis nodded in the affirmative.


    "That''s right. It''s him," said the woman.


    "Please. Allow us to join the Shadow Ruler group."

 Chapter 208 Sabotage Magic

    A fierce battle ensued between Karen and Lily. Karen gave her best to defeat Lily, no matter what it took.@@novelbin@@


    Karen was really upset that Lily had dominated the fight from the start. However, the fog and rain had cleared, and it was Karen''s turn to turn the tide.


    Some members of the Rain Pce called for Lily to dodge a lot rather than withstand Karen''s sword swinging attacks. They could say so, but they had no idea of the difficulty Lily was facing.


    Karen''s movements were getting faster and more efficient, making it difficult for Lily to find even the slightest opening. Even if she found one, Karen would move even faster, forcing Lily to be on the defensive.


    WOSH!


    A powerful forward swing of the sword pushed Lily''s body away from Karen. Lily gasped and was hit, several cuts appeared on her body and damaged her uniform.


    The members of the Rain Pce group never thought that Lily could be cornered by a woman named Karen. Karen felt she had the upper hand, it was time for her to end the fight.


    She activated the fire sword talent, absorbing the fire energy gathered around the Dimension Justice arena.


    Aaron felt a constant stream of magic fluctuations from outside enter the de of Karen''s sword, making the de erge in the form of a brightly burning ember manifestation.


    "It seems Karen wants to end this fight," Aaron exined, taking another step towards the arena wall.


    The process of gathering the fire elementpleted, the manifestation of her fire sword towered in the grasp of Karen''s two hands.


    Lily watched the phenomenon, her legs not ceasing to tremble as she felt she would not be able to withstand such power ¡ªpower that could take her life.


    "I give up," Lily said, raising both hands to shoulder height.


    Karen was still upset. The woman was still activating the fire sword in her hand. The match referee asked Karen several times to deactivate her talent, but Karen didn''t listen.


    Aaron felt that something was happening to Karen, this battle seemed to not only affect her physically, but also psychologically.


    With a sh of purple, Aaron arrived at the center of the Arena without anyone noticing, not even the match referee.


    Aaron arrived in front of Karen, her eyes still glued to Lily''s hateful gaze. There was another reason why Karen was acting this way, it was because Lily had almost broken the trust that Karen had built in Aaron.


    Karen couldn''t let that happen. Lily was really upsetting her.


    "Calm down, Karen," Aaron said.


    "I can''t calm down until I cut her head off!" threatened Karen.


    "She''s already surrendered. Stick to the rules," Aaron pleaded.


    Karen didn''t respond, still disying her towering sword, enough to scare many people. Aaron had no other choice, he wrapped his hand in purple mes and directed his hand to hold the de.


    To everyone''s surprise, the fire talent that should have been terrifying and able to cut through anything, was extinguished so easily by Aaron. The man only had to grip the de like he was extinguishing a candle me.


    Karen gasped. She looked at Aaron''s palm, seeing that there were red scratches from holding Karen''s fire sword directly.


    The woman turned anxious. Karen pulled Aaron''s hand away and looked at the red blister-like marks.


    "I-I''m sorry," Karen said.


    "There''s no need to apologize. It''s nothing," Aaron exined.


    What Aaron said was true, his HP regen ability made the blister on his palm heal in seconds. Aaron smiled, he reached his hand forward to gently pat the woman''s shoulder.


    "Don''t hold any grudges. This is just apetition, winning and losing is normal," Aaron said.


    Karen was truly sorry. She had forgotten the important lesson Aaron had taught her, which was to restrain her power and always act wisely.


    Aaron recognized that it was hard to do, but it would be easy if Karen made amitment.


    After things settled down, the match referee announced that Karen was the winner of the fifth match. Cheers of apuse echoed through the ce, as they were impressed with Karen''s skills.


    Surprisingly, Karen stepped forward and embraced Lily. Several members of the Rain Pce thanked Karen and Aaron. They explicitly wanted to further cooperate with the Shadow Ruler, as a trusted partner.


    Aaron smiled. He could not decide on that, but Lewis would. Thanks to Shadow Ruler''s sess in getting one of its participants into the final six. It made many people start talking about the group.


    The man and Karen returned to the stands. Sara, who had been worried, went to hug Karen tightly. She tried to confirm if Karen was okay, Karen said that she was.


    The sixth match onwards was conducted, they fought with all their might to reach the top six stage. Aaron and the others enjoyed their battles, while examining what their abilities were like.


    Then came the final match, the 12th match. This match pitted Lewis against a participant from Mighty Shark.


    "Now, wee to the final match of the day," the match referee exined.


    "Match 12 pits Lewis of Shadow Ruler against Reinald of Mighty Shark," the match referee shouted.


    Lewis stepped in from the left side of the cage, while Reinald came in from the right. The two met each other in the center of the arena, the referee trying to reiterate the rules of the match.


    Both Lewis and Reinald understood. After confirming their readiness, the bell rang again and the final battle of the day began.


    Reinald continued to deliver attack after attack to the front, in the form of arrows and water elemental swords.


    Lewis easily dealt with Reinald''s attacks with his purple magic. However, something unexpected happened.


    The water shot by Reinald earlier was a different type of water, poison water. Evidently, some parts of Lewis'' body that were sshed by the poison water blistered and burned his skin, making Lewis whimper in pain.


    Reinald attacked again by sending the water sword swiftly forward. Lewis tried to dodge, but was unexpectedly stabbed from behind without him being able to resist with his purple magic.


    Aaron squinted his eyes. Indeed, Lewis'' condition was worrying, but not to the point of making him lose. It seemed that Lewis was gauging what his enemy''s skill level was.


    "He was hit by several fatal attacks. Can he survive?" asked Sara.


    "He can. You don''t have to worry. He knows what¡ª"


    THUMP!


    A mysterious magic boom urred around the arena, startling Aaron who was talking with Sara and the others. Not just one, but three other magic booms were happening.


    "Did you guys feel something?" asked Aaron.


    "Feel what?"


    "I feel it," Aerith exined, ring at Aaron.


    "Someone is trying to sabotage thest match. They probably want Lewis to lose."


    Aaron asked Aerith to detect the whereabouts of the mysterious magic flow. Aaron suspected that the magic boom served as a nerf tool aimed at a specific person, either an enemy or a friend.


    Lewis felt something strange about his body. He spoke to Aaron through the telepathic system of the real and clone bodies.


    Aaron told him that he felt the same magic boom, Aerith was trying to detect the origin of the boom.


    ''Then what should I do?'' Lewis asked.


    ''Try to hold on and don''t give up. I''ll find the culprit,'' said Aaron. Lewis nodded in agreement.


    Aerith, who had been detecting the mysterious magic flow, opened her eyes and saw three people working from afar to activate the power weakening magic. Aerith told Aaron about the location of the sabotage magic.


    "You go and capture those three people. I''ll do my job," Aaron exined, Aerith agreed.


    There were a total of four sabotage magic circles installed in that ce. The first magic circle was on a pole, the second circle was on a bleacher, the third magic circle was in the center of the arena, and the fourth magic circle was on the arena wall.


    Sara was confused, she saw clearly that Aaron was doing something they didn''t know. Some people also noticed Aaron, thinking he was crazy for firing his magic at absurd ces.


    Three magic circles were destroyed, leaving one in the center of the arena. Aaron informed Lewis about the existence of the magic circle in the center of the arena, Lewis knew what he had to do.


    With a forward motion of his hand, a long stretch of purple magic light damaged the magic circle formation, making a powerful magic boom ur and startling Rosso. He failed to sabotage Lewis'' power.


    ''Damn it! They realized it!'' Rossoined.


    Once there were no more obstacles, Lewis could move freely. Not wanting to waste any time, Lewis aimed his st ball attack forward at Reinald.


    The man had not yet surrendered, but had been dered defeated after being unable to continue the match. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    The match referee arrived at the arena, announcing that the winner of the 12th match was Lewis of Shadow Ruler.


    While everyone was cheering Lewis'' victory, Aerith appeared from within the dimensional rift. She arrived carrying three people who were trapped in maroon chains strangling their bodies.


    "Who the hell are you?" asked the judge, putting many people on alert, including the squad from Dimension Justice.


    "You fools. You can''t even detect this sabotage magic!" snapped Aerith.


    "Sabotage magic?"


    Everyone was shocked, she had never expected sabotage magic to be performed and happen in this ce. However, they did not know who the main culprit of the sabotage was.


    "Who did it?" asked the adjudicator.


    "Rosso! The leader of the Mighty Shark group!"

 Chapter 209 Disqualification

    Rosso was shocked, Aerith had not said this without reason. Before she arrived at the ce, the woman investigated and interrogated the three men first.


    They worked together with Rosso and some people from the guild staff to help weaken Lewis. Lewis'' ability was beyond the bookmakers'' expectations, it was enough to make them suffer a huge loss.


    "Liar! I never did that, never in my life," Rosso shouted, refusing to take the me.


    Aaron looked up at Rosso from where he was. In the blink of an eye, he was right there, choking the man firmly, and the situation turned tense.


    The crowd ran for their lives, some guild staff were still there with three squads from Dimension Justice acting to secure the situation.


    "If you insist you''re not the one who did it, then you should dare to take the truth test," exined a woman.


    In the intense surge of magic in the Dimension Justice arena''s sky, a woman dressed in the group''s uniform appeared and flew over on her magic sword. She came apanied by two female aides beside her.


    "Ms. Lisa?" asked Rosso.


    Several Dimension Justice members greeted the woman named Lisa. They seemed to bow their heads in salute, as if Lisa''s position was much higher than theirs.


    Aaron nced up, his eyes sharpening as he saw that the woman had a strategic position in the Dimension Justice group. Hended on top of the Dimension Justice arena, all eyes locked on the woman.


    "Truth Test?" asked Rosso, panicking.


    "That''s right. The Truth Test. Only with that, you can prove your innocence," Lisa exined.


    ''Although Lisa was just inviting him to do a test of truthfulness, but from the expression on her face and the firmness of her words, she seemed to be putting Rosso on the spot,'' said Aaron.


    "I''m just reminding you, lying in the truth test will be very painful, no one can withstand it," said the woman.


    Feeling cornered by the situation, Rosso sighed softly while looking down in defeat. He raised both hands to shoulder height and began to admit his guilt. Lisaplied, nodding.


    The woman swung her hand forward, bringing forth a magical maniption in the form of powerful chains that bound Rosso''s hands and body. Rosso''s confession would be the evidence to uncover this case.


    "Take him to the Dimension Justice prison," Lisa ordered, obeyed by one of the three squads guarding the arena.


    As Rosso was led away, Lisa turned around and stepped closer to Lewis. The injured Lewis was instantly healed by the woman''s abilities, surprising Aaron and the others.


    "You guys should not worry. Because of Rosso''s fatal mistake, all participants of Mighty Shark will be disqualified," Lisa replied, trying to calm Lewis and the Shadow Ruler members affected by the sabotage magic.


    "Thank you, Ms. Lisa," Lewis said.


    "Dimension Justice will always maintain fairness and sportsmanship in thispetition. Anyone of them who acts deceitfully, will get the consequences based on their actions," Lisa exined.


    Aaron and the others said yes. From Aaron''s eyes, the magic aura emanating from the woman named Lisa was almost the same as Eloise ¡ªeven though Eloise was stronger than her. Still, Aaron could further confirm that Lisa''s mage tier was Senior Sage.


    Lisa turned to the guild staff. She said she would investigate this case since the three perpetrators said something about guild staff.


    They must have been able to imnt sabotage magic due to the interference of guild staff members.


    "I will report this case to the Guild Office Chief. Once the investigation isplete, we will arrest the other perpetrators who were involved!" threatened Lisa.


    The match referee felt that he was not involved in this sabotage magic. He said clearly that he supported any investigation that Dimension Justice conducted into this case.


    "We will support any investigation. We will not obstruct anyone."


    "Today''s second round of Pre-Qualifiers is over. The participants and others may return to rest!" dered Lisa.


    Strongly, Lisa left the Dimension Justice arena and returned to their HQ building. Lewis stepped closer to Aerith, inquiring about the exact guild staff directly involved.


    "I don''t know. They just said guild staff were involved, but they didn''t mention any of them by name," Aerith replied.


    "Dimension Justice will reveal everything. So, we just need to wait until the investigation isplete," Aaron said, replying to Lewis'' question.


    Lewis responded with a nod. All that mattered to him was that he had made it to the third round after defeating Reinald in thest match.


    The step to the final qualifying round was getting closer, all the way to the main round of the Group Tournament.


    After their business was done, Aaron invited the others to leave the ce. They followed, but some members of the Mighty Sharks were not happy.


    The reason for their disqualification was not because of their trickery, but because Aaron and Aerith had revealed it.


    "We will avenge this humiliation on them, tonight!"@@novelbin@@


    ***


    Shadow Ruler Base.


    Lewis and the others rested peacefully after a light training session. The number of new members reached 10, a total of 22 Shadow Ruler members.


    Aerith slept in her own room, while the others slept in different ones. Aaron was still awake, focusing on adding attributes using his attribute boosting slip.


    It was half past 12 at night, time for everyone to fall asleep after a long day.


    However, not for seven people dressed all in ck and wearing camouge masks. They came with certain evil intentions, to make an unexpected attack on Shadow Ruler, especially Aaron and Aerith. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire


    They knew the location of Shadow Ruler''s base easily, simply by asking around or following new members who were about to join them. In the end, the seven Mighty Shark members were able to find it.


    "What a disgusting ce, at once shabby and cramped. How could they possibly live crammed into that ce?" said one of the Mighty Shark members, the leader of the raiding group, who was Alfonso.


    Without realizing it, when they entered the range of the house, they identally activated the early detection sensor of the magic dome Aaron had made. Aaron sensed an unfamiliar magic auraing and approaching the Shadow Ruler''s base.


    From Aaron''s perspective, the surge of the magic aura didn''t feel that significant. However, it was still the sound of strangers.


    Aaron had expected it, they must be from Mighty Shark who hade for revenge.


    "Fool!"ined Aaron.


    In a sh of purple, Aaron''s figure disappeared from the house. The quick movement of the man was enough to surprise the seven people from Mighty Shark. They gasped and stood where they were.


    "Aaron!" called Alfonso.


    "As I thought, you guys are from Mighty Shark," Aaron said.


    "We''vee to take revenge for our group''s disqualification!" snapped Alfonso.


    "You were disqualified for your own deeds. Why me me?"


    Aaron summoned a purple light from his palm, a purple ze with the intensity of a powerful magic st, "I''m about to warn you. Get the hell out of here before I kill you!"

 Chapter 210 Blaze At Midnight

    Unafraid of Aaron''s power, Alfonso ordered his men to go attack Aaron. They shouted loudly, brought up their talents and fought by releasing magic aimed at Aaron.


    Aaron saw some of their attacks aimed at him. He summoned purple magic in his left hand and swung it horizontally, sending out a purple scythe that was able to destroy any form of their attacks.


    Their magic attacks were defeated, they were pushed back while groaning in pain as they felt chest tightness. Alfonso witnessed this, he could only look at Aaron with a hateful look on his face.


    ''How strong is he really? He can beat my men easily,'' Alfonso replied.


    "I will warn you once again. If you intend to attack me and the Shadow Ruler, then I will make sure you all die!" snapped Aaron, sternly as he clenched his right fist, creating a small explosion of magical energy in the area.


    To Aaron, the st of magical energy might have felt small and harmless, but not to Alfonso and his men.


    The energy fluctuation from the st was so intense that it was able to push their bodies backwards; a significant difference in strength.


    But Alfonso wasn''t afraid, in fact, he was eager to fight further with Aaron. Now, a magic spear appeared in Alfonso''s hand. He jumped towards Aaron while covering his spear with wind elemental magic.


    "You have decided!" dered Aaron.


    Aaron lifted his foot and took one step forward. In a sh of purple light, Aaron arrived behind six of Alfonso''s men. It sent a chill down their spines.


    "Wh-What the¡ª"


    BLAST!


    Aaron swung his right hand to the side, creating a magic explosion that instantly killed the six without allowing them to defend or make a shield. Their bodies were torn apart with blood pooling on the ground, making Alfonso tremble in fear.


    [WARNING!]


    [Host indicated to havemitted murder against another adventurer]


    [Casualties: 6]


    [Initiate another sentence against the Host!]


    [Punishment decided]


    [Forbidden to Raid Monsters on each floor for two times]@@novelbin@@


    [Host will be marked with a specific title]


    [Host will get the title whenmitting a murder. Can''t change the title]


    [Duration of red title usage:]


    [01:23:59:59]


    "HAHA!"


    "Are you stupid? Killing them will get you the red title," Alfonso said.


    Aaron smiled a bit. From his right hand, he produced the g of authority from his storage. Theughter that originally appeared on Alfonso''s face, turned wry and gasped in shock.


    Although Alfonso was from a low rank group, he knew exactly what the g of authority was and who could have it.


    "What?! A g of authority?!" gasped Alfonso, his face pale.


    "With this thing, I don''t have to think about the red title!" stated Aaron.


    ''Damn! I was wrong for messing with him,'' Alfonso exined.


    Feeling that their skills were not matched, Alfonso made the wise choice to kneel down and kowtow to Aaron.


    The man admitted that he was stupid, guilty, and wrong for messing with Aaron. But, Aaron was already annoyed by their attitude.


    "Please, if you let us go, we won''t seek any more trouble with you or the Shadow Ruler!" said Alfonso.


    "After knowing my abilities, you''re asking for mercy? Pathetic!" snapped Aaron.


    With a swift movement, Aaron arrived before Alfonso, making him jump back in surprise. Every time Aaron took a step, it was followed by a powerful magic fluctuation that could intimidate anyone.


    "W-What do you want?" asked Alfonso, nervous and scared.


    "Take me to your base."


    Aaron grabbed Alfonso by the neck, then flew freely with the Venerable Sage''s ability away from the Shadow Ruler''s base.


    The man in Aaron''s grasp tried to break free, but it was impossible due to the strong grip of Aaron''s hands.


    In the end, Alfonso had no choice but to obey Aaron''s words. He showed him the location of Mighty Shark''s base, located in the south of the city near the city wall ¡ªin a rural area.


    With a fast flying rate, Aaron flew strongly apanied by magic fluctuations in the city sky, especially the Sky Sword district.


    Eloise, who was still rxing in the room reading a book, felt the strong magic fluctuations.


    She ced her book on the nightstand, stepped to the window of the room and saw that there was a violet-colored smoke from the flight that stretched over the sky of her district. Eloise knew who the purple smoke belonged to.


    ''Aaron? What is he doing?'' Eloise asked.


    Unwilling to let anything bad happen in her district, Eloise changed her clothes into a Sky Sword uniform, then flew away on her swan following Aaron''s trail of purple smoke.


    Elsewhere, Aaron, gripping Alfonso, arrived on top of a smallpound belonging to the Mighty Shark group, decorated with shark paintings and spray painted in navy blue. Aaron''s surprise appearance in the sky above theirpound shocked many people there.


    The Mighty Shark members looked up, seeing Aaroning with Alfonso in his grip. Mighty Shark vice chairman, Nn, stepped into the center of the training arena and asked the reason for Aaron''s arrival.


    "Alfonso and six of his men came to the Shadow Ruler base with the intention of attacking us," Aaron said.


    He lifted Alfonso up to his eye level. He strengthened his grip on Alfonso, making the man choke and his face turn blue. In the end, his neck was ripped off and his body and head fell from the sky, roughly decapitated.


    "Alfonso!" shouted Nn.


    "You! How dare you mess with this ce?!" snapped Nn, pointing at Aaron.


    "I dide to destroy your group," Aaron said.


    [Main Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Dark Portal]


    [MP -60000]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [MP: 1305000/1375000] [-60000]


    With the ultimate sub talent of his main talent, Aaron spawns hundreds of magic portals that appear in the area around Mighty Shark''s base.


    Those who failed to dodge had to die with a terrible body condition, there was nothing they could do about it.


    They tried to defend with protective magic or attack with their talents. However, the hands of the purple monster with sharp ws could not be destroyed by them.


    "AAAAKKH!"


    Their cries echoed in the middle of the night, full of agony and pain. Aaron smiled with a grin, it had been a long time since he had done any more killing.


    "Don''t even think about messing with the Shadow Ruler if you don''t want to suffer the consequences!" dered Aaron, his voice echoing above the skies of Mighty Shark base.


    "Please... forgive us. We promise, we won''t¡ª"


    "Toote!"


    Aaron swung his hand to the side powerfully, making the portal that originally gave rise to the monster''s hand, turn into a portal capable of triggering an explosion. An unstoppable explosion ensued, killing many people and setting the entire base on fire.


    [WARNING!]


    [Host indicated to havemitted murder against another adventurer]


    [Casualties: 18]


    [Initiate another sentence against the Host!]


    [Punishment decided]


    [Forbidden to Raid Monsters on each floor for three times]


    [Host will be marked with a specific title]


    [Host will get the title whenmitting a murder. Can''t change the title]


    [Duration of red title usage:]


    [05:23:59:59]


    ''After this, I have to go use my g of authority,'' Aaron stated.


    Aaron obtained some items after killing them, items that might be useful to the Shadow Ruler members, not to him. With HP and MP, as well as high TP and EXP, the items wouldn''t have a significant impact.


    The man reached his hand forward, taking the 18 soul essences belonging to those people. The soul essences were fused into a magic orb that held the 18 soul essences, useful for increasing Aaron''s soul essence level.


    Several names were disyed while the soul extraction was being done, there were a total of 18 names with different levels.


    The average soul level obtained was level 15 or equivalent to level 90 on individual status ¡ª30 levels of individual status is equivalent to 5 soul levels.


    After reading the soul extraction panel, Aaron directed the purple light streaking forward and fired at the soul essence protective magic wall.


    Slowly, the protective sphere wall cracked and shattered, which Aaron directly inserted into his body through his forehead.


    [Soul Extraction Sessful]


    [Soul Essence gained: +1350]


    [Soul Essence: 1440/100000] [+1350]


    "It''s beneficial, but not worth it for the risk it could take," Aaron replied. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire


    Feeling it was not good to stay in this ce for long, Aaron stepped away leaving the ce which was burning in a huge ze.


    Aaron''s trails disappeared just as Eloise arrived at the brightest area of the ce, Eloise couldn''t hide her shock.


    She saw that Might Shark''s group was destroyed, leaving not a single surviving member. Eloise turned her head right and left, trying to find who had caused all this.


    ''Did Aaron do it? If he did, why did he destroy Mighty Shark? What really happened?''

 Chapter 212 Aaron and Eloise Agreement, Again!

    Eloise turned to the side. She smiled broadly and nodded gently, weing Aaron to the Dimension Justice arena. Aaron sighed lightly.


    He told Lewis and the others to take a seat in the audience soon, Aaron would go over to Eloise to talk to her about something.


    Lewis saw Eloise''s figure, then understood Aaron''s intention. He and the other Shadow Ruler members left the ce to the stands where they usually sat from yesterday, unlike Aaron and Aerith who stepped up to Eloise and Emily.


    "Good morning, Aaron," greeted Eloise, smiling as she looked ahead.


    Aaron and Aerith arrived before Eloise, returning her greeting with the same. Eloise invited the two to sit beside her, they didn''t mind.


    "I heard Lewis and Karen had a big win yesterday. I would like to congratte you," Eloise expressed, turning her head to the side.


    "Thank you."


    "So, the reason you''re here is to confirm about the curse on Emily. Is that right?" asked Aaron, able to specte because of Eloise''s arrival with Emily to the Dimension Justice arena, moreover Emily had returned to her 12-year-old girl form.


    "Emily told me that her curse wasn''t removed, but deactivated. I don''t understand anything about the curse that happened to her, nor how to remove or deactivate it," exined Eloise, downcast.


    Eloise recounted the beginning of Emily''s incident until she was cursed to the current condition. At that time, they were on a general mission in the area outside Lilith City.


    Unfortunately, there was a mysterious group that looted Emily''s team''s kills. Emily''s team and the group fought.


    In the end, Emily was able to defeat them with the captain of their group imnting a curse by sacrificing his soul and all individual levels to Emily.


    Afterpleting the mission, Emily returned to the Sky Sword 25th HQ as a young, 10-year-old girl.


    "So, it''s been 2 years since Emily suffered from this curse since she first received it?" Aaron asked, Eloise nodded.


    "That means there''s only 8 years left of her life if the curse can''t be lifted," Aerith replied.


    "What? 8 years left of her life?" asked Eloise, shocked.


    Emily didn''t say anything about it. All she said was that her body had returned to child form and the curse was off.


    Hearing Aerith''s words shocked Eloise, causing her to rise from her seat as a reflex.


    "How could you predict that?" asked Eloise, pointing at Aerith.


    "Her curse has characteristics I know of. There''s a 95% chance it''s simr to a curse I''m familiar with," Aerith exined, looking at Eloise seriously.


    "If you knew, why didn''t you try to remove it?!" insisted Eloise.


    Her voice raised to the point of attracting the attention of many people in the ce. Emily tried to calm her sister down, she asked Eloise to listen to Aerith''s exnation as Emily fully trusted her.


    "I can''t remove the curse if I don''t have the materials," Aerith replied.


    Now, it was Aaron''s turn to exin in detail to Eloise about the materials needed to remove the curse on Emily. Eloise listened to Aaron''s words while sitting back in the stands, starting to calm down.


    One by one, the material names were mentioned by Aaron. Eloise gaped, her eyes did not blink when she heard the material names, materials that were difficult or even impossible to obtain.


    "Do those materials really exist?" asked Eloise.


    "I believe in it. They must exist."


    Of the four materials, the most likely ording to Eloise was the soul essence of a fifth tier level mage.


    Many fifth-tier mages could be found on the 60-70th floor, but it would be difficult to kill them if they did not have high and diverse abilities.


    As for the Volcano Essence Gem, Eloise doubted that it existed even though there was a volcano on the 45th floor of the Dark Pir Tower.


    Eloise said so to Aaron and Aerith, but whether or not they nned to help her to remove the curse on Emily.


    As for the falling star essence gem and the blood vial of the primordial level monster, Eloise had never heard of them. In fact, she doubted that they even existed.


    "The Dark Pir Tower is limited. To freely search for these items, one must either search for them on Earth or outside the," Aerith replied.


    "Outside the?" asked Eloise.


    "That''s a possibility. The curse on Emily is rare, so to remove it requires the proper materials," Aerith replied.


    Eloise fell silent, ming Emily''s condition on her failure as her sister to detect the curse. Eloise looked down sluggishly, her eyes closed, then tears flowed down the slits of her cheeks, making Emily sad.@@novelbin@@


    "I''m sorry, Emily. I failed to protect you," Eloise replied, bursting into tears.


    "Never mind, sis. I know what my condition is now. I''m okay with what''s happening right now," Emily stated, trying to calm Eloise down.


    The woman turned to Aaron with both eyes puffy and red. She got up from her seat and stepped closer to Aaron, the woman knelt down while holding both of the man''s hands, pleading desperately.


    "Please! Help my sister to get rid of the curse. I''ll do anything," Eloise replied.


    Aaron felt awkward. He nced to the side, Aerith did not give a clear response as if her decision was based on Aaron''s decision. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    As long as Eloise''s wish didn''t interfere with Aaron''s ambitions, perhaps Aerith wouldn''t have a problem with it.


    Slowly, Aaron felt ufortable with Eloise''s response. He held both of Eloise''s hands and invited her to talk outside. Eloise nodded, willing to have a long chat for their agreement.


    In a sh, Aaron left with Eloise and Aerith, leaving Emily still in the stands sitting alone. Outside the Dimension Justice arena, Aaron released Eloise and said that he was willing to help Emily.


    "Let''s make a deal, again," Aaron exined.


    "Sure. Deal! Let''s make a deal," expressed Eloise, her eyes still puffy.


    "I''ll take Emily on my raid mission upstairs and get her out of Dark Pir Tower. In exchange, I want you to focus on developing the abilities of the Shadow Ruler."


    "I want, within a year, the Shadow Ruler to be in the ranks of the High rank group," Aaron said, raising one finger before his face.


    "Making a Low rank group into a High rank group in one year is impossible. Everyone knows that," Eloise replied.


    "I don''t care. If you refuse, I will let Emily stay with you until the end of her life at a young age."


    Eloise squinted, pointing forward harshly at Aaron. Yet, Eloise was helpless. Aaron''s words might be right, they might be wrong. Her best option was to try her best to remove Emily''s curse.


    "Alright. I''ll try," Eloise exined, her hand stretching forward and shaking hands with Aaron.


    The deal was done. Now, Shadow Ruler would bepletely under the care and protection of Sky Sword 25th. It was not impossible that they would provide their group''s resources to help the Shadow Ruler.


    After finishing talking about the agreement between them, Aaron returned to invite Eloise into the Dimension Justice arena.


    They arrived and Emily approached Eloise immediately, like a 12-year-old girl who was reluctant to be left by her family.


    "How is it?" asked Emily.


    "You''re going on a raid with Aaron and Aerith. They''re gonna help you get rid of the curse," Eloise replied, running a hand through Emily''s head of hair.


    "Does it mean I can''t be around you anymore, sis?"


    "This is what''s best for you. Be a good girl and always obey Aaron''s words," Eloise exined, smiling sadly as she rubbed Emily''s cheek.


    Emily looked to the side, seeing Aaron and Aerith who were staring at her with a slight smile. The anxiety in Emily''s heart was indeed there, but if Aaron and Aerith were there, perhaps the chance to break the curse did exist.


    "I understand."


    "I love you, sis." Emily clung to Eloise''s body, unable to hold back the sadness of having to temporarily part with her sister. Eloise was the same, she held Emily tightly as if it was theirst hug.


    "Me too, my Emily. I will always love you, Love Always."

 Chapter 215 Decreased Vigilance

    Even so, Aaron doesn''t trust Be easily. There are many maniptive people in this world, they keep their own intentions with specific purposes.


    Dark Pir Tower, a ce where life and death were determined through power. Power can be obtained from ourselves or others. To use the other person''s power, one way was to negotiate and use tricks.


    "Alright. Thank you for the information," Aaron replied, standing up from his seat.


    Aerith did the same. After finishing their drinks, the two stepped out of the city guild office. Aerith naturally asked about Aaron''s purpose, responding to the information passed on by Be.


    Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    "To confirm the truth of that information, then we have to recon," said Aaron.


    "Recon?" asked Aerith, confused.


    Aaron nodded. He said that he couldn''t tell Aerith yet because they were both in a public ce - the main street of the district. He would only tell her when he reached his destination.


    They had gone quite a distance from the center of the Sky Sword district, aiming for the Shadow Ruler''s base. However, that was not their destination. There was a small inn in the vige where the Shadow Ruler had set up their base.


    The inn had only one floor and had only 8 bedrooms. Even so, they took good care of the ce. The furniture was reced with thetest models and styles, the cleanliness was maintained, the wall paint was spotless and smooth with cool colors.


    The reason Aaron chose the inn was because it was close to the Shadow Ruler''s base, about 800m away.


    Conducting surveince from the inn could be the best option without having to fear being discovered by the Night Liberators.


    Aaron rented a room, Aerith was in the same room as Aaron. Now, the preparations were ready, all that remained was for them to detect the presence of suspicious magic fluctuations.


    "If the Night Liberators really intend to conduct surveince on the Shadow Ruler, then they will ce their people in this vige," Aaron revealed.


    "I see, in that way, we''ll easily detect their presence," Aerith exined.


    Aaron nodded. Aerith''s reasoning was correct, they only needed to discover the existence of magic fluctuations that were different from the usual, which felt unfamiliar and stronger than the average ability of the Shadow Ruler''s members.


    Through his telepathic ability, Aaron had already informed Lewis about what happened. Lewis talked about how he could help, but Aaron refused.


    Aside from the fact that Lewis had another match tomorrow, Aaron also didn''t want to show that the Shadow Ruler was part of Aaron. That would only make things worse.


    Lewis slowly understood Aaron''s point. He entrusted everything to Aaron and hoped they could solve the problems that were happening.@@novelbin@@


    Aaron refocused on his surveince. He sat cross-legged with Aerith helping him. The aura of magic emanated strongly between the two, purple magic began to gather in Aaron''s hands.


    The man pointed two fingers of his right hand towards the sky, sending a ball of magic upwards and exploding with a steady boom.


    "With this, they will be easy to recognize."


    Time went on, the activities of the people still continued without being disturbed by the purple magic energy that Aaron appeared, because people with abilities below the Venerable Sage would not be able to see the rain of purple magic particles.


    The effect was not bad on health, the particles only served as the easiest sensor to detect the presence of other mages in the area around the Shadow Ruler.


    The sun set, the lights were turned on,nterns were set up in front of their shops, people filled the main street of the Sky Sword district to enjoy their time with their families or loved ones.


    When the urban areas were filled with people, the rural areas were deserted. Aaron could feel how quiet the ce was, it was so quiet that even the scraping of wooden branches against the walls of the house could be clearly heard.


    Aerith sat on the bed in the room, wearing sleeping pajamas while holding a bottle of white wine. Between red and white wine, Aerith preferred the white; it was sweet rather than bitter.


    "Maybe that bitch''s words are a lie. I don''t feel anyone approaching," said Aerith, chugging the wine straight from the bottle.


    It was nine o''clock in the evening. Since the sun had set and the vigers had gone to the city district to have fun, there was no sign of the mages from the Night Liberatorsing to do reconnaissance.


    "If she''s lying, why would she lie to me? Is she looking to die?" Aaron asked, turning his head after peeking through the closed window curtains.


    "You''re handsome, Aaron. She''s probably talking nonsense just to get your attention," Aerith replied, continuing to enjoy the white wine ignoring Aaron''s attitude.


    Aaron fell silent, seeing that no one hade to the Shadow Ruler''s base area. The man sighed softly, closing the curtains perfectly as he stepped closer to the bed in the room.


    He picked up a small ss and held it out before him. Aerith smiled, she poured the white wine to Aaron so that he could enjoy it as well.


    "There''s Lewis and Eloise here anyway, the Night Liberators won''t be able to do anything about Lewis'' abilities now," Aerith said, trying to ease Aaron''s uncertain worries.


    Aaron chuckled. He really didn''t understand what was happening to him. He was thinking too much about insignificant things that even ignored the actual facts. A small example was the existence of the Shadow Ruler.


    There was Lewis who was a mage of Great Wizard level, his ability exceeded the level of the three leaders of the three major groups on this floor. Lewis should easily be able to solve problems like this.


    Then there was Eloise, the ruler of the 25th Sky Sword. She would not allow the Night Liberators to cause trouble and damage in her territory, let alone threaten the Shadow Ruler. Eloise would be the group''s second protector.


    If the situation worsened, Aaron could return by using his Dark Dimensional Portal ability. He and Aerith could easily level the 25th Night Liberators without having to do reconnaissance and so on.


    These were all things that Aaron had not thought of and Aerith knew why. Aaron suddenly asked.


    "You''re toofortable with this city to dull your vignce. It''s about time we went on a raid!"


    Aaron sighed, cing the small ss on the wooden nightstand. The man flopped down on the bed as he stared at the roof of the same room as Aerith.


    "You''re right. All the hustle and bustle in this city makes my mind not clear, my alertness decreases and I be weak."


    "After tonight is over. We''ll go to Sky Sword 25th to tell them our n. Do you mind?" asked Aerith.


    Aaron shook his head, feeling no objection at all, "I want to seize the title of Dark Ruler! I need to get on the floor quickly!"

 Chapter 217 Snatch The Last Hit Monsters

    In ordance with what was on the map slip, Aaron flew into the Dark Pir for the raid. Aerith could not fly inside just like Aaron, it was based on theck of an individual system on her.


    However, her ability to travel by relying on dimensional rifts allowed her to know the location of Aaron, especially since she could see Aaron''s whereabouts.


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Dark Pir Tower]


    [26th Floor] Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    [Monster: Lv 150-155]


    [Monster Boss: ?]


    [Countdown for Closed Gate:]


    [00:05:24:19]


    From below, precisely along the Dark Pir corridor. Aaron witnessed many mages stepping out of the ce.


    Apart from the fact that they had finished raiding, they left because they were reluctant to be trapped too long in the Dark Pir.


    The monsters did have a valuable amount of items on their bodies, that''s what made the mages feelfortable staying for a long time.


    But if they stay too long and lose track of time, they can get trapped inside the Dark Pir with no way out. In the end, it became the worst way for them to die.


    Since five hours had passed, most of the monsters that ruled the maze corridors had been defeated. Aaron found a few weak monsters still hanging around, which he defeated quite easily by using his talents.@@novelbin@@


    [EXP +65200]


    [TP +32600]


    [Choose Talent for TP allocation:]


    [1. Dark Dimension Reality]


    [2. High Sealing]


    [3. Clone Maniption]


    [RL +30000]


    In addition to getting a significant amount, Aaron also got a number of high-level items that could be useful to himter.


    The Dimensional Rift appeared when Aaron finished killing the maze monster. As Aerith stepped out with her usual gentle walk, she saw three ape monsters die and left behind their soul essence orbs.


    "Don''t you want to extract their soul essences?" asked Aerith.


    "I''ll do it."


    Aaron reached out and took the three soul essence orbs belonging to the three dead monsters. The extraction began after the protective orb wall was destroyed, Aaron absorbed the soul essence entering through his forehead.


    [Soul Extraction Sessful]


    [Soul Essence gained: +75]


    [Soul Essence: 1515/100000] [+75]


    Although Aaron could obtain a certain amount of soul essence by killing monsters or other mages, but it took a long time to be able to fill the required amount of soul essence until it reached the 100000 number.


    What Aerith said might be true, vials containing soul essence might be more useful than manual and rough extraction.


    Perhaps the amount would increase significantly like when Aaron was using EXP Elixir to increase his EXP amount.


    "Pretty easy, isn''t it?" asked Aerith, Aaron cleared his throat briefly.


    "It is. But I need a monster with a high level. If I don''t find it, I need hundreds of monsters with the same level as that one," said Aaron.


    "Don''t be in a hurry, you still have a long way to go. Isabe''s soul is still safe with me, there is no time limit on the age of one''s soul."


    "I understand," Aaron replied.


    After finishing with the soul extraction, Aaron sped up following the map slip he had. To reach the boss room, Aaron had to pass at least three intersections before him.


    Aaron and Aerith flew through the sky of the maze corridor at a fairly fast rate, apanied by small magic pulses and magic trails of purple and maroon colored smoke.


    At the second intersection, their flight rate halted again. A battle was underway between a group and a green scorpion monster full of acidic slime.


    [Monster Details]


    [Monster: Green Acid Scorpion]


    [Level: 153]


    [HP: 95,250] [-84,750]


    [MP: 195,000]


    [Element: Water]


    From the monster''s detail panel, at least the scorpion had the basic element of water. Aaron focused his attention forward, watching as three of the five members of the attacking group had the fire element.


    "Do we need to snatch the monster?" asked Aerith, turning her head.


    Aaron fell silent. It would be hical for someone to seize the monster''s loot if the group killed it, but Aaron didn''t care.


    He had already summoned purple light magic in his right hand, ready to give the monster ast hit when the situation became critical.


    "Quick! Attack the monster for thest time," dered the group captain.


    They joined forces and attacked the scorpion simultaneously. Aaron waited for the right moment, the monster details panel still appearing before him.


    [Monster Details]


    [Monster: Acid Green Scorpion]


    [Level: 153]


    [HP: 30,250] [-65,000]


    [MP: 145,000] [-50,000]


    [Element: Water]


    Their attacks ended and it was quite shocking for them that thebined attacks failed to kill the scorpion monster. Now, it was Aaron''s turn to attack and deliver thest hit to the monster.


    Using only purple magic maniption, he made his magic turn into a sword and let it dart powerfully into the scorpion''s body.


    The entire group could not contain their shock. Their eyes witnessed a purple magic sword stuck firmly in the scorpion monster''s body, not part of their magic.


    "Who is that?" asked the group captain, looking back.


    [Damage +45000]


    [Monster: Acid Green Scorpion]


    [HP: 0] [-45000]


    Aaron managed to get ast hit from the monster. A panel of EXP, TP, and RL appeared before him, but with a significant amount due to Aaron getting thest hit.


    They also got them, but not by much. The most noticeable difference was that they didn''t get items, while Aaron did.


    "How dare you take thest hit from the monster we fought earlier!" snapped the group captain, activating a fire talent and attacking Aaron using fire dragon magic.


    The man easily withstood the group captain''s attack. Just by sticking out a hand, he could withstand and even destroy the group captain''s fragile fire dragon.


    To his surprise, the four members were the same. They were pretty sure their captain''s strength was at the Intermediate Sage tier, quite powerful and troublesome. Yet, in the eyes of the man in the purple-patterned ck shirt, the fire dragon''s attack meant nothing.


    "You managed to withstand my attack so easily? What the hell is going on? Who the fuck are you?!" asked the group captain, pointing at Aaron.


    "You don''t need to know anything about me," Aaron replied.


    He reached out and grabbed the scorpion monster''s soul essence orb. The group was shocked as they had no idea what Aaron was about to do.


    The extraction went smoothly, the monster''s soul level was at 15, if the extraction was done, then Aaron would get a soul essence amount of 25.


    [Soul Extraction Sessful]


    [Soul Essence gained: +25]


    [Soul Essence: 1540/100000] [+25]


    Having benefited from the battle, Aaron told the group before him to leave the Dark Pir immediately. They had been in that ce for too long, their group members also looked exhausted.


    "If you insist on hunting other monsters, I''m afraid you won''t be able to get out and end up being killed," Aaron stated.


    "What are we listening to you for? I''m the captain of the group. I know what I''m doing," snapped the man, pointing at Aaron.


    "It''s all up to you."

 Chapter 218 Dispute Outside the Bosss Room

    Arriving at the boss room area on the floor, Aaron''s attention was focused on seeing that there were three groups waiting in that ce.


    The appearance of Aaron and Aerith caught their attention, Aaron came flying through the maze corridor ceiling.


    ''Him? Isn''t he the one who came yesterday?'' asked a man, the captain of the group that participated in the raid.


    ''That''s right. His power is truly terrifying, the magic pulse is intense and the momentum of his arrival gives people goosebumps,'' said the man again.


    Aaron sighed, then flew low to avoid suspicion in their eyes. None of the group members flew in that ce, so to him, the two were quite conspicuous.


    There were three trees in the ce, two were upied, one was not. Aaron was the one upying the spot, waiting for his turn to challenge the floor boss.


    Aerith went with him with her attention, asionally looking at the three groups who kept watching Aaron.


    "Very strong and dominant intensity. Who is he really?"


    "I don''t know. But his face feels familiar to me. Is he the person from yesterday?"


    "Yes. Those two people are the ones who came yesterday, flying over our illusionary tree," replied the group captain.


    "Eh? I thought those two came from upstairs, but they''re on the same level as us."


    Surprisingly, a man from the group stepped up to Aaron and Aerith. The man didn''t like it when someone stronger than him came and attracted a lot of attention, he suspected Aaron''s strength was just a bluff.


    He saw Aaron sitting cross-legged just under the shade of a tree. Aerith waited while standing and leaning against the trunk of the old tree, starting to watch the gestures of the man from the yellow uniformed grouping closer.


    "Hey! The boss here is really tough, are you sure you''re going to do it alone?" the man asked, both hands sped around his waist.


    "Hey, Jonathan! Don''t deal with him," said the captain of the group.


    "Calm down, Capt. He''s not dangerous," Jonathan replied, starting to crouch down until his eyes were exactly level with Aaron''s, "His strength is just a bluff. I mean, I can also keep showing off my magic aura."


    Aaron opened his eyes when he felt that someone was bothering him now. He looked forward and saw a man in a yellow uniform from a certain group squatting right before him.


    "Save your energy and mind for fighting the floor bosster," Aaron said, briefly.


    "Don''t worry about that, because we do it in groups. You? How unfortunate, there''s no history of a floor boss in this ce being defeated by just two mages!" insulted Jonathan.


    "Jo! Don''t bother him. Leave him alone," ordered his captain, loudly telling Jo to get out of Aaron''s way.


    The man before Jo sighed, then closed his eyes and let Jo continue to babble endlessly. There were certain consequences if Aaron killed him and right now he was not in the mood to kill anyone, including the sassy man in front of him.@@novelbin@@


    "Look! He''s not responding at all! I was expecting that. Your power is a fraud!" Jonathan scolded, punctuated withughter from him that made his captain annoyed and resigned to Jo''s fate.


    "Your name is Jonathan, right?" asked Aaron, opening his eyes again.


    "I am. Why? Are you afraid of me?"


    With great confidence, the man emitted a red-colored magic aura from his body, the element of fire. A gust of wind was felt in front of Aaron and in the area around Jonathan, it was strong, but not enough to defeat Aaron.


    Aaron squinted, Jonathan''s mage tier was Senior Mage, almost on par with Eloise. However, because of his arrogance, he ignored the fact that Aaron had strength far beyond him. Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    "You shouldn''t show that weak power to me," Aaron threatened.


    He wrapped his hands in purple magic light, then directed his magic forward, making Jonathan gasp. Before he could take cover, Jo was hit by the attack and bounced far back into the ranks of his group.


    "Jo!" called the captain, worried about the man''s condition.


    ''Looks like things are turning very interesting,'' said the captain of the other group.


    They stepped aside, seeing Aaron rise from his cross-legged seat and leave the area under the tree. Aerith sighed, feeling sorry for Jonathan''s fate.


    ''Damn it, it was just a maniption of his magic but why does it feel so strong?'' Jonathan asked, feeling a tightness in his chest.


    One step Aaron took, in a sh of purple lightning, the man''s figure was already in front of Jonathan who was lying on the ground. His hands stretched forward, pulling Jo''s body and choking his neck firmly.


    "I''ve already told you. Save your energy for the floor boss!" dered Aaron.


    "What do you want to do? Are you nning to kill me, huh?!" snapped Jonathan.


    CRUSH!


    Aaron gripped Jo''s neck firmly, apanied by the magic energy that enveloped him. Within seconds, Jo''s neck was severed and the arrogant man died with his head cut off.


    The incident shocked many people, including the group captain Jonathan. He stepped closer to Jo''s body and witnessed the horror firsthand.


    Aaron seized Jo''s soul essence and brought him back to the third shady tree. Just a few steps away, Aaron''s steps faltered as several group members from the same group as Jonathan came to block Aaron''s steps.


    "You killed our friend. Now, you''re just going to walk away, damn it!" shouted a man, a good friend of Jonathan.


    "He started it. I gave him a warning."


    "If you have any objections, you can fight me right here!" threatened Aaron.


    His left hand grasped the soul essence orb, while his right hand brought forth a purple magic light with strong fluctuations.


    Their courage faded, they saw firsthand that Aaron could defeat Jonathan easily, what if Aaron fought them who in fact had a lower tier mage?


    Seeing them stepping back for sure, Aaron faded his magic and stepped back into the tree. Witnessed by many people, Aaron began soul extraction to obtain Jo''s soul essence.


    [Soul Extraction Sessful]


    [Soul Essence gained: +15]


    [Soul Essence: 1555/100000] [+15]


    "All of you listen to me!" dered Aaron, his moodpletely ruined by the actions of Jo and the yellow uniform group members.


    Aerith smiled, knowing what Aaron was about to do. Aaron got up again for the second time, stepping outside the shady tree area while raising two fingers of his right hand in front of his chest.


    Purple light magic appeared at the tips of his two fingers, so strong and dense with dark energy. With that attitude, Aaron was ready to bring out his talent.


    "I don''t want you all to be here! It''s disgusting."


    "I''ll give you 10 minutes to leave the boss area of this floor," Aaron said firmly.


    The unusual order was apanied by a strong killing intent from the young man. Several captains questioned Aaron''s reason for sending them away, but Aaron chose to remain silent without answering.


    "If you don''t leave in 10 minutes. This will be your grave!"

 Chapter 220 Town of Sky Sword 27th

    They decided to go through the ce in the hope that they could find the base of a group or perhaps a small town.


    Aaron and Aerith flew high in the forest sky of the 27th floor, flying at a steady rate and with minimal magic noise.


    From afar, Aaron and Aerith could clearly see a small town on this floor. The city seemed to be filled with buildings that were not very tall -mostly two-story buildings.


    The g fluttering in that ce was the white g of the Sky Sword group. With that, Aaron could confirm that the ce was a small town built by the Sky Sword group.


    "We can stay there for a few days while waiting for the monster raid to open," Aaron exined, Aerith not objecting at all.


    Theynded at the southern city gate, where several mages were queuing to enter under the strict examination of Sky Sword members. Aaron lined up, while Aerith went into the dimensional rift to trick the checkpoint.


    Waiting long enough for the queue to shrink to a short length, it was now Aaron''s turn to get his identity checked. A gatekeeper asked Aaron to ce both his hands on a blue sphere.


    [Identity:]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [Level: 325]


    [Mage Tier: Venerable Sage]


    The gatekeeper was shocked to see the identity disyed before him. He showed the panel to his coworker, who also had the same expression as him.


    "Sir. I have something to tell you," the officer asked, deactivating the panel.


    His partner was ordered to go to the town''s center to inform Leon, the Captain of the 27th Sky Sword Group about this.


    While waiting, the officer tried to restrain Aaron with some nonsense and absurd questions.


    "Seeing your great ability, the whole group must have wanted you, sir," the officer said.


    "I already have my own group. Can you let me into the city?" Aaron asked.


    The officer looked back several times, annoyed that his colleague had not returned quickly. If he held Aaron any longer, it was feared that Aaron would be suspicious and have a bad impact on the situation at the ce.@@novelbin@@


    "Please, sir, wait a moment. There is someone who wants to see you," the officer said, asking Aaron to be patient.


    But Aaron didn''t care. He strode through the gate corridor until the officer panicked. He tried to shout Aaron''s name loudly toe back. Still, Aaron didn''t want to attract a lot of attention.


    With one step forward, he disappeared in a sh of purple light thanks to his Venerable Sage ability. The officers outside the gate were in shock, they tried to check where Aaron had gone. However, they found nothing.


    Leon, Captain of the 27th Sky Sword, appeared on the scene flying with his magic sword. He came with an aide and the officer who had informed him earlier. Leon''s appearance at the ce was greeted with a respectful greeting from the gatekeeper.


    "Where is he?" Leon asked, curious.


    "Sorry, Captain Leon. I tried to restrain him, but he insisted on entering the town. He disappeared in a sh of purple lightning," said the guard, still maintaining his head-down pose.


    "What? How could he disappear that fast? You''re a mage with the Intermediate Sage tier, you should be able to figure out his disappearance, right?" asked the guard''s coworker, Leon disputing his words.


    "Mage with Intermediate Sage and Venerable Sage are different things, the gap is so high and visible. I doubt if I could even detect his disappearance," exined Leon, who was a Senior Sage.


    "I''m sorry, Captain Leon," stated the man beside Leon.


    "Keep working. If you find anything, feel free to let me know."


    Leon said goodbye, he and his female aide left the ce by flying with his magic sword. The two gatekeepers nodded, they went back to work outside to check on visitorsing into the city.


    "Is it true that a mage with the Venerable Sage tier is in this town?" asked Leon''s aide.


    "I don''t know. For all I know, the highest rank for floors 1-50 is Great Wizard. If my guess isn''t wrong, Aaron is a person from the highest floor," Leon replied.


    "If that''s the case, why did hee to this ce? Doesn''t the city on the 50th and 75th floors have more advanced facilities?" the aide asked again, Leon was silent and didn''t say anything.


    Throughout the rest of the journey, Leon and his aide were silent until they arrived at their base. Aaron saw their departure, a sign that the situation had been so conducive.


    He had purchased a fedora hat from a hardware and essories store. The hat was used not just toplete his appearance, but also to hide his identity.


    By wearing the hat, the mage''s tier would decrease by two levels and strength could be disguised to be weaker. For Aaron, being the strongest among the weak would make him the center of attention. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    Evidently, no one realized Aaron''s identity. They did feel how strong Aaron was who was at the Senior Sage stage, but they couldn''t confirm Aaron''s face as the hat''s ability to trick and disguise the man''s face.


    He stepped on the main street of the city, arrived at a two-story inn and booked a room with a king-size bed. Of the 15 rooms avable, only five had king-size beds. The cost of a night''s stay was 10,000 RL.


    Aaron didn''t mind, as long as he had enough beds for Aerith to restfortably.


    After getting the room key, he stepped out of the ce and headed to the second floor. The door to the room was open, the furniture of the room looked luxurious andfortable, with the clean and fragrant room.


    In the center of the room, there was a king size bed with several nightstands adorning the right and left of the ce. With all this, Aaron was sure, Aerith would definitely like it.


    The dimensional rift opened, Aerith stepped firmly out of the ce and felt the beautiful, modern, and minimalist room. She ran over to the bed andid down on it, feeling veryfy lying there.


    "You''re good at finding rooms I like, Aaron," Aerithplimented.


    Aaron didn''t mind that. He was happy if Aerith was happy, after all, she had helped him a lot. He looked out the window, took off his hat and hung it on the hat hanger.


    From his eyes, he could see that the town area was bustling with visitors. They came from several groups or from traveling across floors. Their purpose was either to visit rtives or to buy supplies.


    "What are you nning to do, Aaron?" asked Aerith.


    The woman stepped closer to Aaron and held the man''s hand tightly, looking out the same window as him.


    "We''ll rest here until the monster raid opens again."

 Chapter 222 Event Solo Mages

    ***


    The next day.


    Sky Sword 27th City Inn.


    That morning, Aaron stood behind the room window with his right hand holding a cup of coffee. Aerith was still lying on the bed, sleepingfortably on the soft, sweet-smelling, and warm bed.


    Yesterday, after eating the fish soup dish, they walked together through several shops with the purpose of looking at the essories or equipment they sold.


    Whenpared to the equipment stores on the 25th floor or Lilith City, the variety of items was much better than the store on the 27th floor.@@novelbin@@


    "HOAAAM!"


    Aaron turned his head and saw Aerith writhing on the bed. Her eyes slowly opened and clearly saw that Aaron had been awake since early morning, with a cup of coffee and a bowl of pastries.


    "You''re getting up early, Aaron," Aerith replied, sitting downzily while yawning asionally, indicating that she was still quite sleepy.


    "Yes. I have a good feeling that the monster raid will be opened on this day," Aaron said, looking back out the bedroom window and noticing the main street of the city, filled with the hustle and bustle of people''s activities.


    "What makes you think that, Aaron?"


    The man exined that yesterday, when the two were watching the area in the equipment shop, Aaron asked one of the adventurers about the monster raid.


    The adventurer was kind. He didn''t hesitate to tell Aaron what he wanted to know. In short, the monster raid opened two days ago, if you count yesterday, then it has been three days since the monster raid opened.


    Aerith listened intently. It was true that the duration for the Monster Raid schedule always opened on the third or fourth day since thest monster raid was carried out.


    If what the adventurer said was true, then Aaron and Aerith had to prepare for all possibilities this day.


    Their preparations had been fullypleted, equipment had been fully prepared, minds and hearts had been formed, and skills had been well proven.


    However, there was one thing that both of them needed: a map. Yesterday, Aaron bought a map from someone at a high price, since it was an exploration map, not a general one.


    It would be very difficult to negotiate a deal when it came to exploration maps ¡ªthe result of their hard work.


    "We need to go to the equipment store to buy maps," Aaron revealed, downing thest bit of coffee left in his cup.


    Aerith nodded. Ever since she went on the adventure with Aaron, Aerith had begun to behave like a regr human, from eating, to sleeping, to bathing, to putting on makeup and everything in between. She also showed an excessive interest in dresses and suits.


    During their journey, Aerith had bought at least dozens of outfits ording to their own categories. There are formal outfits like prom gowns, semi-formal outfits like shirts, and casual outfits like T-shirts and tanktops.


    This time, Aerith nned to wear a white tanktop and jeans jorts, apanied by an army vest that made her look like a strong and tough woman.


    After everything was ready, Aaron and Aerith walked away from the inn. There were many equipment stores that sold their goods, but Aaron had already found his favorite ce.


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    Aside from the cheap prices, the ce wasn''t so crowded so Aaron wasn''t jostled when entering it.


    DING!


    The shop door opened, the bell ringing as the wooden door opened inward. The bell served as a notice to the shop owner that today''s new visitor had arrived.


    A well-built man came out with his wife. The man smiled and waved, weing Aaron and Aerith.


    "Wee to my shop, Aaron," greeted Beck, the equipment store owner.


    "Do you want to buy more stuff?" asked Beck, curious.


    "I need a map."


    Beck and his wife looked at each other. At first, they were confused because Aaron didn''t say any specifics about what map he needed. However, after Aaron exined what he meant, Beck began to understand.


    "The Raid Monster map on the 27th Floor Dark Pir? Looks like I still have it," Beck remarked, turning around with both hands to open the wooden cab door, revealing the many slips inside.


    The burly man looked at it carefully. He finally found that there were two types of Dark Pir 27th maps. What differed between the two, however, was thepleteness of the route.


    For the first map slip, the mappleteness was about 45%, not yet reaching the floor boss. For the second map slip, the mappleteness was around 75%, still not reaching the floor boss area.


    "Looks like I''ll have to ask another adventurer for help," Aaron revealed.


    "Wait. Are you a solo mage?" asked Beck, Aaron cleared his throat in agreement with his eyes focused forward.


    "The Sky Sword group gathered all the solo adventurers. They n to reduce the number of casualties by letting them form groups, directly watched over by Leon," revealed Beck''s wife, Luara.


    "That''s right. That said, the rewards will double if you join their n. For those who manage to kill 5 monsters during a raid, then they will get 10000 RL each, the loot from the monsters must also be given to Sky Sword in exchange for the money," Beck exined.


    Not only that, Beck exined that the rewards were not only 5 monsters, but many ording to the list set by them.


    The biggest reward was the floor boss, they would reward certain groups with 75000 RL each of them.


    The main condition for getting that was to give all the dropped items when they killed the floor boss. Aaron listened to all that, there was no interest for him to participate in the event.


    He had to get the dropped items at any cost since he was the one who defeated the floor boss. 75000 RL for a dropped item from a floor boss was not worth it.


    "It''s not worth it," Aaron said.


    "For them, it''s much better," Beck countered.


    "Each group will get their own map. Thepleteness of the route is 100% and it already reaches the floor boss area," revealed Luara, surprising Aaron.


    ''There''s no guarantee of following them, whether they''ll challenge the floor boss or not,'' Aaron exined.


    ''I''d better see the situation there. If possible, maybe I can join them,'' Aaron said.


    Aaron told them clearly that he would probably look and watch the situation first. If it was indeed quite favorable, then Aaron wouldn''t mind joining them.


    "Good. They''re gathering outside the Sky Sword base at 9am, you''d better get there soon. Whoever arrives early, they will get the best team formation," Beck said, Aaron nodded obediently.


    Since their system was a party, Aerith wouldn''t be able to join since she didn''t have an individual system.


    Aaron was at a loss as to what he should say to Aerith, fearing that she would reject Aaron forming a party with another mage.


    ''I''d better see the situation there first, then I''ll decide whether to join them or not,'' Aaron said.


    They continued to walk away from the area, from a distance they could clearly see the front area of the Sky Sword 27th base.


    Although the time was still eight in the morning, but Aaron saw that there were several mages who had arrived at the ce.


    They came in groups, some came alone. Several Sky Sword members were standing guard outside the base gate, waiting for the event to be officially opened by Leon.


    Aaron arrived while still wearing a fedora hat, to disguise his abilities and mage tier. Aaron''s arrival attracted the attention of many people, they were curious because the man''s aura seemed mysterious from the previous mage.


    "Who is that guy?"


    "I don''t know. However, he''s in the same mage tier as Sir Leon."


    "We should form a group with him, perhaps we can help him defeat the floor boss."


    Aaron heard these voices, he was still indifferent and continued to wait. He sat on a metal chair with Aerith waiting patiently beside him, they nced straight ahead at the people gathered.


    Aaron''s mysterious demeanor of choosing a ce apart from the crowd made them reluctant. Aerith felt a change in their expressions, those people wanted to join Aaron, but because of Aaron''s attitude made them reluctant and abandoned their intentions.


    Not long after, Leon appeared from behind the iron gate of the base. The total number of solo mages gathered reached 120 people ¡ªincluding Aaron and Aerith.


    "Thank you for trusting me with this event. I promise, all dropped item lists will be reced with a generous amount of money," Leon dered, speaking loudly.


    "Now, you can form a party with the solo mages here. Once your party is formed, our staff will guide you," Leon exined.


    One by one, they began to form their parties ording to what Leon had instructed. They formed their parties based on their closeness, quick trust, and naivety.


    "This is useless."


    Aaron got up and stepped out of the ce. Unexpectedly, two people came and dared to speak to Aaron.


    "W-Wait, sir. Have you formed a party?" asked the woman, looking shy.


    The man turned his head, he saw that the two people were a 15-year-old girl and a 19-year-old young man, both in the same teenage age ranges as Aaron.


    "Not yet."


    "Would you like to join our party?" the young man asked.


    Aaron nced to the side, Aerith nodded while smiling enthusiastically, "This will be my first party."


    "Alright. But you have to listen to me," Aaron replied, hands sped around his waist as he looked directly at the two people, "I want to challenge the floor boss."


    "What?!"

 Chapter 223 Raid Monsters in Dark Pillar 27th

    "Challenging the floor boss?" asked the girl before Aaron, she was Naura.


    "That''s right."


    "Only by defeating the floor boss, then we can go to the next floor."


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Monster Raid in Dark Pir Tower will open soon]


    [All adventurers are requested to prepare]


    [Countdown until Monster Raid Gate opens]


    [00:11:59:43]


    A notification panel appeared before Aaron and the others, saying that the monster raid would open in 12 hours. That means the dark pir gate will open when it is 9pm.


    Naura and Naufal got the notification panel. Aaron just realized that the two of them were family, siblings. They were not born in this ce, but trapped just like Aaron.


    They have been here for three years and Naufal always protects Naura, no matter what. Their purpose was only one, to live long until they had a chance to leave this cursed ce.


    Naufal doesn''t mind Aaron''s suggestion, fighting the floor boss can make them go up the floor easily and quickly. But, it''s different with Naura.


    She was a little afraid of the floor boss, the reason she heard that many adventurers died while trying to challenge the floor boss.


    "I-I don''t know. I think¡ª"


    "Sure. We will challenge the floor boss," revealed Naufal, speaking firmly as he interrupted his sister''s speech.


    "Alright."


    [Create Party]


    [Initiate searching for the nearest system watch user signal!]


    [System Watch User Signal discovered]


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    [Number of users: 2]


    [1. Naufal Jackson]


    [2. Naura Jackson]


    [Invite users to party:]


    [Yes] [No]


    The party formation panel appeared before Naura and Naufal, right after Aaron''s system watch detected their presence. The two exchanged nces for a moment, then respond by nodding quietly between them.


    [User has agreed to join the party!]


    [Party Details]


    [Party Name: Aaron Party]


    [Party Title: -]


    [Leader: Aaron Lewis (Lv. 325)]


    [Members:]


    [1. Naufal Jackson] [Lv. 85]


    [2. Naura Jackson] [Lv. 75]


    [Party Message]


    [Party Mission]


    [Leave Party]


    [Disband Party]


    From thetest panel that popped up before Aaron''s face, he could see the levels of Naura and Naufal. That said, both of them were at the Intermediate Sage mage tier.


    Even so, Aaron''s main purpose in participating in this activity was solely to get theplete map. If there is no map, it is impossible for him to form a party with them.


    Naura and Naufal gasped. He was absolutely sure that Aaron was someone with a mage tier equivalent to Senior Sage. Yet, what appeared on the party details panel said otherwise. Aaron''s true level was 325, the highest they had ever seen.


    Even more surprising, the woman beside Aaron was not in the party details. Naufal suddenly asked why she didn''t join the party.


    "You don''t need to worry about that. Most importantly, you can help me defeat the floor boss," Aaron exined, firmly.


    "Do you understand?" Aaron asked them, Naufal and Naura nodded yes.


    Aaron told Naura to go tell the Sky Sword staff that he had formed a party. Not long after, a female staff member dressed in a white and blue Sky Sword uniform came to the ce.


    She met Aaron, Aerith, Naufal, and Naura. Aaron became the party leader and the woman handed him the 27th floor Dark Pir map slip.


    "Alright. What is your objective?" asked the woman.


    "We''re gonna go challenge the floor boss," Aaron replied, holding the map slip in his hand.


    "Is that so, huh? I''ll give you a few details about the floor boss on Dark Pir 27th. I want you to listen carefully, it''s for your sess in this event."


    The woman in the Sky Sword uniform exined the floor boss''s characteristics. The floor boss was from the monster race, taking the form of arge eagle bird with sharp ws and wing feathers sharp as knife des.


    Its base element was wind with the floor boss'' level at 165. The monster had three signature attacks, it was a good idea for adventurers to prepare themselves with trapping magic to make it difficult for the eagle monster to move.


    Valuable information ording to Aaron, but since the level was still rtively low, Aaron didn''t really question the power of the eagle monster.


    He turned to Naura and Naufal. Naufal seemed to have a serious expression with both hands clenched tightly, in contrast to Naura who trembled with fear after hearing the exnation from the female staff from Sky Sword.


    "That is the information I can give you. Your safety is in my hands."


    "I will be outside the floor boss area to keep an eye on you. So, you have nothing to worry about."


    Aaron and the others seemed to nod with what the woman said. She asked Aaron''s party to arrive at the Dark Pir''s outer area 1 hour before the gates opened, to ensure their readiness.


    The man said yes, he was quite experienced with all these things. So, he wouldn''t feel awkward with all this. In fact, Aaron was probably much more experienced than the female staff.


    The four understood what the situation was. They said goodbye and promised to meet again outside the dark pir area to join the monster raid.


    Naura and Naufal stepped away from that ce, as well as Aaron and Aerith who walked back to their inn.


    Day turned into night, the scene in the city which was originally crowded with mages, began to grow quiet when one by one the mages left the ce. They stepped towards the ce where the Dark Pir began.


    Aaron and Aerith did the same, they walked after the people with Aaron still wearing his fedora hat. It was useful for disguising his abilities from the others.


    From afar, Aaron saw Naura and Naufal had arrived at the ce. The two were seen talking to the female staff from Sky Sword who was Aaron''s party mentor.


    "You''ve finally arrived," said the woman, weing Aaron and Aerith.


    "What''s going on?" asked Aaron.


    "There seems to be another party nning to challenge the floor boss," exined the woman, pointing to a party of five, four men and one woman.


    They looked strong, from their appearance to the aura emanating from them. No wonder, they could probably defeat the 27th floor boss with ease.


    "Oh, that''s good. The more floor bosses are killed, the more floor boss items you''ll get, right?" Aaron asked.


    "That''s right. I just don''t want you guys topete with each other," replied the woman.


    "HAHA!"


    "It''s too early for them topete with me," revealed Aaron, confusing Naura and Naufal.


    [Raid Monster at Dark Pir 27th Floor opened]


    [Portal closed countdown]


    [00:11:59:59]


    The Dark Pir door opened after the Dark Pir opening panel appeared before them. Aaron smiled, and so did the others.


    They ran into the ce one by one to join the monster raid, Aaron didn''t mind being thest to arrive.


    "Are we going in?" asked Naufal, turning to nce at Aaron.


    "Sure," Aaron said, ncing to the side and looking at Aerith intently, "You should do your usual thing, Aerith."


    "I understandpletely, Aaron."


    With the power of maroon magic in her hands, Aerith broke through the dimensional boundary and revealed a dimensional rift.


    This was quite surprising, because Naura and Naufal never knew that the dimensional ability actually existed.


    Not only that, neither of them knew where the woman was going. Naufal turned his head, he asked Aaron because he thought Aaron understood the woman''s abilities much better than them.


    "Where is she going?" asked Naufal, confused.


    Aaron smiled, he turned his head and patted Naufal lightly on the shoulder to calm him down, and not let him get carried away in his suspicions.


    "You''ll find outter."


    Naufal and Naura looked at each other, curious about what Aaron meant. In the end, they nodded. They trusted what Aaron said while keeping their guard up.


    They stepped together into the gate of Dark Pir 27th with Aaron stepping first. Another panel appeared, informing something important for them, the mages intending to join the monster raid.


    [ANNOUNCEMENT!]


    [Dark Pir Tower]@@novelbin@@


    [27th Floor]


    [Monster: Lv 155-160]


    [Monster Boss: ?]


    [Countdown for Closed Gate:]


    [00:11:59:59]


    Although the monster level was fairly high, it was worth the ability of the mages registered in the monster raid. They can definitely handle monsters with such a level range.


    After finding Aaron inside the maze of the 27th Dark Pir, Aerith again swung her hand to the side to split the dimensional boundary, again.


    Dimensional rift appeared and Aerith appeared as usual, Naura and Naufal were still shocked at Aerith''s sudden appearance.


    "Are we gonna kill monsters like them too?" asked Aerith, appearing in the sky of thebyrinth and stepping down like she was walking down adder from the sky.


    "I don''t know. I''m not really interested in monsters from low floors," exined Aaron, taking off his fedora hat and showing his true abilities.


    Right what they both thought, the fedora hat worked by closing Aaron''s magic abilities. The hat worked as if holding Aaron''s mage tier from Venerable Sage to Senior Sage, a fairly drastic amount of mage tier drop.


    Aaron nced to the side, looking at Naura and Naufal intently, "Do you want to kill the monster?"


    Naufal nodded seriously, Naura responded the same as her brother did. Aaron cleared his throat briefly. He said that he would help them defeat the maze monster.


    "Alright. I''ll help you two defeat them."

 Chapter 225 Ego Fighting

    [Monster Details]


    [Monster: Eternal Fire Ape]


    [HP: 100000/190000] [-90000]


    The attack from thebined talent does deal significant damage, but not enough to kill the monster. The damage dealt was only in the range of 90000, while the total HP that the monster had was in the range of 190000 HP.


    ''It''s strong, but not so strong that it can defeat the monster in one attack,'' Aaron revealed, nodding several times.


    When his focus was distracted, the eternal me ape unexpectedly tried to rebel and managed to break free from Aaron''s purple magic shackles. Aaron gasped, seeing the me ape speeding powerfully and violently forward.


    Naura gasped and suddenly shivered with fear. She hurriedly hid behind Naufal''s back, hoping that her brother could deal with the fire ape monster.


    However, Naufal was just as scared as Naura. He realized that his current abilities could not bepared to the eternal fire ape. ording to him, only Aaron and Aerith can save them.


    Aaron again stretched his hand forward to hold back the pace of the eternal fire ape, but the strong and fast pace of the monster made it difficult for the man to keep up.


    Aerith surprisingly appeared in front of Naura and Naufal. She flicked her finger casually forward, sending a st of magic and a maroonser so powerful that it pierced the monster''s body.


    [Monster Details]


    [Monster: Eternal Fire Ape]


    [HP:0/190000] [-350000]


    Surprisingly, Aerith''s crushing attack had high attack damage, even higher than the total HP of the Eternal Fire Ape monster. Naura and Naufal frowned with their mouths wide open, shocked.


    ''She defeated the Eternal me Ape with the power of one flick of the finger, whereas we needbined talents to defeat that monster,'' Naufalined.


    ''How strong are they really?'' asked Naufal, growing more suspicious and curious.


    The dropped item wasn''t obtained since Aerith didn''t have an individual system of her own, but Aaron still got the soul essence ball from the monster, left behind and seemingly still floating freely in the air above the monster''s former carcass.


    "Thanks for helping, Aerith," Aaron said, stepping closer to Aerith.


    "No problem. We''ll be arriving at the floor boss room in a moment. We all have to be careful, don''t get killed before challenging the boss," said Aerith, ncing at Naura and Naufal.


    Naura and Naufal nodded in agreement. They both realized that Aerith and Aaron''s power was beyond their reach. That''s why it''s better to obey them for the safety of their lives rather than refute what they say.


    They only needed to pass through a few intersections and kill the remaining five monsters to arrive at the floor boss room. Luckily for them, two of the five monsters had already been killed by another group.


    Thest intersection missed, they took a right turn and saw arge area with a huge three-meter-high door in front of them. Right behind the door, there was a floor boss ready to challenge anyone.


    To Naura and Naufal''s surprise, the number of groups or parties nning to challenge the floor boss numbered more than 25 teams.


    Aaron even felt shocked, not knowing for sure when they could get their turn to challenge the floor boss.


    From what he saw, Aaron witnessed that there were many people with Intermediate Sage and Senior Sage tier mages.


    "They should be able to handle it easily," Aaron said, putting his fedora back on.


    "What are we going to do now, Aaron?" asked Naura, confused.


    "We''ll wait."


    Currently, there was a group trying their luck against the eagle monster inside the floor boss room. It had been 20 minutes since they entered, but there was no sign that they were done challenging the floor boss.


    They waited near a shady tree in the area. Aaron felt a small vibration on the ground. When he looked ahead, the door to the boss room opened and revealed people stepping out.


    They stepped out carrying the body of their friend who was fatally wounded in the fight against the floor boss.


    There were a total of 7 people in the raid team, three of them were injured, the other four survived despite being exhausted.


    "Will they be okay?" asked Naura, worried.


    "They will live, but with a cripple," replied Naufal.


    Aaron nced briefly to the side, Naufal''s words were true, but he was too blunt to make Naura even more sad.


    What Aaron saw was indeed the case, the fatal wounds they suffered were their arms and legs cut off.


    Either they were attacked by the eagle boss monster or their organs were eaten by the monster. One thing was for sure, they wouldn''t be able to raid again in that condition. If they insisted, it would only inconvenience their friends.


    Because the queue wasn''t very clear, some teams were at odds with each other. They said they arrived first, but others said they deserved to be early because they believed they could win the floor boss challenge quickly.


    ''This is messed up,'' Aaron said.


    That''s right! Chaos was inevitable with a group fight breaking out between them. They fought to determine who deserved to enter first, no one was allowed to register before their fight was over.


    Aaron got up from his seat and looked at the empty registration panel. However, Aerith also stood up and held Aaron back enough to make the man confused.


    "Don''t. Things are getting heated over there, we should wait until their fight is over," Aerith exined.


    She also turned to the side and looked at Naura and Naufal. Both of them knew nothing about this matter, it was best for them to stay away from potential threats that could hurt them.


    "If you act, they will target Naura and Naufal. We might be able to get to the next floor, but what about them? People will start hating them for being in the same party as you," Aerith exined.


    Aaron was not stupid. He understood what Aerith was exining in regards to the consequences when he intervened in the matter this time.


    Thinking that his actions could have bad consequences for Naura and Naufal, Aaron decided to undo his intentions in the dispute between the two groups.


    The two groups fought each other, eager to defeat each other. However, the fight between them was enough to cause a magical boom and strong energy fluctuations in the area.


    Aaron sensed that the magic boom, could be fatal if not properly minimized. He stretched out his hand and formed a magic shield capable of blocking the waves of magic energy away from his current location.


    "Are they really going to fight?" asked Naufal.


    "It seems so, their egos overpower their logic," Aaron replied.


    The longer the fightsted, the more groups or parties intervened in it. Naura looked forward, seeing Sis''s party.


    "That''s Sis," Naura said, inviting Naufal to also look forward.


    Naufal followed the direction of Naura''s gaze. It was true what she said, Sis was among them all, the people who were fighting for the registration of the floor boss challenger team.


    Sis, a friend of Naura and Naufal, looked confused about her current position. She didn''t know who to fight and why. She was caught up in the fight only because their party leader was dragged into the fight.@@novelbin@@


    "Please save her, Aaron," Naura said.


    "Jack,e out."


    [Servant Activated]


    [Soul Servant]


    [1. Jack the Ripper]


    [MP -14000]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [MP: 1281000/1375000] [-14000]


    The figure of servant Jack appeared in front of Aaron, just kneeling obediently with his head bowed. Naura and Naufal were surprised, they didn''t expect Aaron to have a soul servant.


    "What are your orders, Master?" asked Jack.


    "Save the red-d woman, bring her into my protective shield," Aaron replied.


    Jack turned to the side and found the target of the woman he had to save. Jack said yes. He was clearly going to save the woman at any cost, Aaron nodded letting him do his job well.


    The Servant flew in the white mist that appeared in the area, surprising many people as they never expected any mist to appear.


    From Aaron''s eyes, he saw Jack sessfully rescue the woman named Sis. Although the woman was a little rebellious, but her rebellion subsided when she arrived inside Aaron''s protection shield area.


    He met with Naura and Naufal, the three of them hugging each other while asking for news.


    "What happened? Why did you get involved in that fight?" Naura asked.


    "My party leader wanted to challenge the floor boss quickly. He tried to wait for the moment when the two groups were weak. When that happens¡ª"


    "He''s going to take the opportunity to kill them and register his party as the floor boss challenge team," Aaron interrupted, startling Sis into turning her head to look at the man''s face.


    "Right. Who are you?"


    Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    "He''s Aaron. He''s our party leader."


    Sis squinted, feeling familiar with Aaron''s name. To her surprise, Sis remembered who Aaron really was.


    She had heard many rumors that Aaron was the one who destroyed the city on the 10th floor, he was also the one who had humiliated Max, the Captain of the 25th Night Liberators in his district.


    "You''re Aaron Lewis? The Night Liberators fugitive?" Sis asked.


    "Aaron Lewis?"


    "Why didn''t I realize that? It was so obvious."


    Aaron smiled. He nced to the side again and saw Naura, Naufal, and Sis looking at him seriously.


    "It seems that my cover is blown."


    "That''s right. I''m Aaron Lewis."

 Chapter 227 Volcano in Dark Pillar Tower

    ***


    Three monthster.


    Dark Pir 44th floor boss room.


    [CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [You have sessfullypleted the Dark Pir''s 44th boss challenge]


    [The next floor of Dark Pir Tower has been unlocked]


    [Floor ess Privilege: 45th]


    [Want to go to the next floor?]


    [Yes] [No]


    He pressed the confirmation menu; there was no time for him to mess around and waste time. Aerith was still standing on the other side of the ce, staring at a man who died helplessly with his body split in half at the waist area.


    "You don''t even feel sad about his death, Aaron," Aerith exined, turning her head to the side.


    "It was his fault. He wouldn''t listen to what I had to say," Aaron revealed, looking forward and watching as the floor teleportation confirmation panel appeared.


    [Teleportation to the next floor confirmed]


    [Destination: 45th]


    [Initiate teleportation to destination in five minutes]


    [00:00:04:59]


    Aerith looked at the panel, signaling Aaron would soon teleport to the next floor. The woman knew what she had to do. She scratched the dimensional boundary and left through the dimensional rift.


    "I''ll catch up with you, Aaron," Aerith stated. Aaron cleared his throat in agreement.


    Soon, the woman stepped into the dimensional rift. However, it was different with Aaron, who had to wait about five minutes to arrive on the 45th floor. His body was getting increasingly shining, and his hands were almost transparent.


    In an instant, Aaron''s figure disappeared from the ce and arrived at the stone of light outside the Dark Pir area.


    He opened his eyes and saw a scene in that ce far different from what he had imagined. When Aaron arrived at a new floor, his sight was drawn to the wilderness area. Yet, what appeared before him was beyond his imagination.


    The trees in the forest had fallen, leaving only withered branches and twigs. Also, an active volcano kept spewing ckish ash smoke full of lightning strikes from the volcano''s crater.


    "What Eloise said is true. There is an active volcano on the 45th floor," Aaron replied.


    A dimensional rift appeared beside the man. Surprisingly, Aerith''s figure emerged with the same appearance. Yet, the focus of her eyes was on the volcano.


    "Are you thinking what I''m thinking?" asked Aerith, seeing Aaron''s thoughtful response.


    "Yes."


    "Will I be able to find the Volcano Essence Gem''s location here?" asked Aaron as he looked to the side.


    Aerith shook her head. There was definitely a volcano in this ce; a mountain being active like a volcano was normally caused by arge natural energy activity under the mountain''s crater.


    Although Aerith was quite far from the volcano''s location, through her eyes, she could see the red-colored energy flow typical of the fire element''s color flowing steadily under the ground towards the volcano.


    "I don''t know. But I can see there''s a strong amount of natural energy underground," Aerith replied, her eyes glowing maroon with the direction of her gaze pointed downwards.


    "That much natural energy needs a strong, stable, andrge ce to contain it. I''m sure it''s there," Aerith exined.@@novelbin@@


    "If there really is a gem, we must get it."


    Aerith closed her eyes. She nced to the side and smiled widely. "It will be difficult if you do it alone. Let me help you."


    "Thank you, Aerith. I know I can count on you," Aaron said.


    Aerith blushed, her cheeks flushed red, as she couldn''t help but feel happy to get such apliment from Aaron. She returned her attention to the front, looking at the volcano carefully.


    The woman remembered what Eloise had said. There was a group that hadplete control over the ce, the volcano.


    Eloise mentioned that Aaron might have difficulty dealing with that, which was why Aerith needed to tell Aaron about the group''s possible presence.


    Aaron fully understood Aerith''s words. The two rushed to leave the ce by flying strongly towards the volcano.


    Aerith flew following from the side. At a nce, the two saw that there were many group bases along the way to the volcano.


    Volcanoes have always had a beneficial impact on their valleys. Thend was fertile and suitable for farming, many groups were prospering by relying on the fertility of the volcano''snd.


    That''s why many group bases were set up around the mountain, even though the mountain wasn''t very tall ¡ªonly 1650m high.


    Aaron and Aerithnded on a small group with the group banner waving on top of their base building. Some of the group members worked in the fields, nting crops and harvesting produce.


    Some patrolled, but there weren''t that many of them. Of course, it was enough to confuse Aaron.


    "Wee to the Tree Dove Group. Is there anything I can help you with?" asked a guard, a friendly demeanor that came from a peaceful environment.


    "We''re looking for a city. Is there a city on this floor?" Aaron asked.


    "City? Are you the mage from downstairs?" asked the man at the gate. Aaron responded with a slow nod.


    The man exined that there was no city on the 45th floor, but each group had the right to offer lodging facilities to them at a negotiated price. In short, Aaron and Aerith would be staying in the Tree Dove Group Base area.


    "Is that so? I understand."


    "Come. Let me take you on a walk around," the man invited, allowing Aaron and Aerith to enter the ce.


    At a nce, the man briefly exined the group, who the leader was, and the role of the Tree Dove group on the 45th floor. Aaron didn''t really care; he kept listening out of respect for the man.


    "With fertile soil like thising from the volcano. Aren''t you trying to control the volcano for yourselves?" Aaron asked.


    The guard smiled, then shook his head as he exined that there were definite boundaries that each group had to abide by. The man told them why they couldn''t control the volcano for themselves.


    "It''s because of the power of Eliane, a woman who rules over this volcano," the guard replied, making Aaron''s eyes narrow.


    "Eliane?" asked Aaron.


    "She is the former leader of the me Apex group. It was the group that managed to control this volcano," revealed the guard.


    The man''s words were getting weirder in Aaron''s ears about the woman in power over the volcano and the group that controlled the ce. The man smiled and chuckled, starting to go into detail about what he meant.


    "That group can decide when the volcano erupts and releases its fieryva. They can also control the heating down from above the crater from the eruption," the man exined. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Is it possible that the group is some kind of warden for this ce?" Aaron asked.


    "That''s right. That''s the traditional term, but everyone knows it has nothing to do with mystical stuff."


    "Then?" asked Aaron, stopping his steps.


    The man from the Tree Dove group turned around and smiled as he looked at Aaron intently, "They control this volcano through the Volcano Essence Gem."


    ''Jackpot!''

 Chapter 228 Protector Flame Apex Group

    ''As I expected, the Volcano Essence Gem is in this ce,'' Aaron stated.


    His attention was drawn to the side, clearly seeing the volcano that continued to spew smoke from its crater. As the man had said earlier, the gem was in the control of the me Apex group.


    If Aaron wanted to take the gem, his only option was to directly confront the me Apex group. After getting a fair chance, Aaron had to snatch the gem from them.


    "You could say that the Volcano Essence Gem means a lot to them. It not only works as a way to control this volcano but also as a ce to store great natural energy underground," he said.


    He exined in detail the gem''s uses. It seemed that the information about the Volcano Essence Gem''s purpose was not only known by a few people, but almost everyone who lived in the valley area knew about it.


    "Several groups tried to seize the gem but ended in failure. If the me Apex group is pressed, they will summon Eliane to help them," the man replied.@@novelbin@@


    The man stopped walking when he arrived at a small house used as a lodging ce for those visiting. Aerith stepped inside and saw a house that was not crowded but clean and well-organized. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    Aerith turned around and smiled, making it clear that she liked the house, it was perfect for them to rest inside. If Aerith liked the house''s interior, Aaron had no right to refuse it.


    "Then what about the group that tried to challenge them? Are they forgiven?" asked Aaron.


    The man beside Aaron shook his head. Not a single group survived Eliane''s fury. The group that attacked died either roasted or buried in the avnche.


    ''I don''t feel worried about the me Apex group. However, it''s different with Eliane. If they need her help whenever they are attacked by another group, then it is certain that Eliane''s abilities exceed those of the mages in the ce,'' Aaron exined.


    "Alright. That''s a glimpse of the volcano."


    "I''ll go to the base building to inform my leader of your presence," stated the man.


    Aaron nodded in agreement, allowing the man to leave the ce. Aerith walked to the house''s door and saw Aaron still standing with his eyes focused on the man''s leaving.


    "The Volcano Essence Gem is on this floor. What''s your n, Aaron?" asked Aerith, curious.


    "Before I attack, I need to know their abilities, especially Eliane."


    "If the situation worsens, I''ll probably fight them with Dark Azazel''s abilities," Aaron exined.


    "There''s still me. Don''t rely too much on that dangerous ability, Aaron."


    Aerith stepped gracefully forward, her hands sped onto the man''s shoulders with their eyes locked in affection.


    "I don''t want to see you get hurt and suffer. Try to rely on me, Aaron. They''re nothing against my strength," Aerith whispered, her pupils widening as she looked into Aaron''s eyes.


    "Do you understand?"


    Aaron smiled widely. The sweet and caring attitude Aerith showed was more than enough to prove to Aaron that Aerith was a woman he could rely on. With such a statement, there was no reason for Aaron to use Dark Azazel''s ability.


    "Alright. I''ll rely on you in this, but let me fight the me Apex group. You just focus on dealing with Eliane," Aaron asked, rubbing Aerith''s cheek affectionately.


    "Of course. I won''t let you down, Aaron."


    ***


    Evening.


    The meeting with the leader of the Tree Dove group was over. Aaron and Aerith returned home after being allowed to stay for four days until the monster raid reopened in Dark Pir.


    The total cost of staying for one night was 15000 RL, more expensive than a typical small-town inn but cheaper than in a big city like Lilith City. For money, Aaron didn''t really mind it.


    Just when Aaron and Aerith were in the house they were staying in, shaking was felt underground, surprising both of them.


    The house''s walls shook, as did the windows and other furniture. Both of them rushed outside quickly.


    "Earthquake," some people said, but Aaron''s attention was drawn to the volcano.


    To his surprise, a considerable amount of fiery redva shot out of the crater, along with an explosive boom and blue lightning bolts in the ck smoke of the eruption.


    ''Did something happen?'' Aaron asked, curious.


    The leader of the Tree Dove group, Jacob, flew out of the group''s base using a magic sword. He flew away, followed by two aides beside him, all three still at the Great Sage mage tier.


    Out of curiosity, Aaron flew to follow behind. Aerith, who didn''t want to be left alone, did the same. The two flew after Jacob until they could attract many people''s attention.


    "Look! He can fly without the help of any magic."


    "Woah. That''s quite surprising, I never expected it."


    "Looks like the two are in a different mage tier than Captain Jacob."


    Jacob noticed a steady fluctuation of magic flying behind him. He turned his head and saw two people following him. He had just spoken to them, but they flew right behind him.


    "Mr. Aaron?" greeted Jacob.


    "Sorry, we followed you, Captain Jacob. We were just curious about that group of volcano rulers," Aaron exined.


    "Is that so, huh? It''s natural for you to be curious. You''ll know what happened when you get there."


    Aaron nodded, not showing any signs of rebellion at all. Before analyzing the abilities of the me Apex group, it was better for him not to steal the attention of many people.


    Initially, Aaron thought the volcanic eruption came from something else. Yet, it seemed that Aaron''s first guess was wrong. He saw two groups fighting outside a base in the valley of the volcano.


    "That''s right. The eruption was triggered by the activation of the Volcano Essence Gem. It seems that they couldn''t stem the power of the invading group," Jacob replied, arriving and stopping his flight.


    Aaron and Aerith stood on a sky floor tform, thanks to Aaron''s Venerable Sage ability and Aerith''s Dark Dimension ability.


    Through the man''s eyes, the battle was fierce between the two groups; various talents were released to dominate the fight.


    Even so, Aaron was an observer of the fight. At a nce, he could see the attacking group dominating the fight.


    They had almost broken through the gates of the me Apex base, where hundreds of group members were defending as hard as they could.


    "Hang in there! We can surely withstand their attack without Ms. Eliane''s help!" dered the captain of the me Apex group''s defense force.


    Aaron squinted, feeling a strong magic pulse after the man had shouted that. A red dome was created from beneath the ground and wrapped around the entire base area without missing a beat.


    The captains of the invading group stopped their aggression, trying to destroy the protective red dome withbined magic.


    The average mage tier of the people before Aaron was the Great Sage tier, a much more terrifying battle than the ones happening on the lower floors. Their movements were fast, and the intensity of their magic was strong.


    "Will they survive?" asked Captain Jacob''s aide.


    "I don''t know. Diaz''s talents are quite troublesome. The me Apex group had to summon Eliane to survive," exined Jacob.


    The rest of the raiding party transferred their magic to Diaz. The man gained a sufficient amount of magic power to be able to create a huge tornado with thunder rumbling inside.


    All objects within a radius of 800m from the center of the tornado were sucked in and became the weapons of the magic talent.


    Aaron admitted that the tornado''s magic was quite powerful, especially getting other members a supply of magic energy.


    "Destroy the fire dome wall!" dered Diaz, pointing ahead.


    The tornado rushed powerfully forward and shed with the me Apex protective dome. The friction of the power of the two different magics created a tremendous sparkle of energy in that ce, attracting a lot of attention from the other groups.


    Slowly, Aaron noticed cracks in the walls of the me Apex dome. That indicated they could not withstand the wind tornado''s attack any longer.


    "The dome is going to break," Aaron exined, drawing Jacob''s attention and that of his two aides.


    BLAST!


    A magic explosion urred, with the me Apex protective fire dome shattering into pieces. Many members of the group were fatally injured due to the failure to withstand the wind tornado attack.


    A powerful magic wave and gusts of wind spread rapidly around the area. Jacob and his two aides were forced to use protective magic to shield their bodies, but not Aaron and Aerith.


    The st of magic would have no significant effect on him, as his magic tier far surpassed those who were fighting.


    "You won''t be able to beat me!" snapped Diaz.


    "Ms. Eliane! We need your help," shouted the captain of the me Apex group, Allison.


    In the sky, red light gathered in a thunderous cloud of lightning. In a bright sh of red light, a female figure in a luxurious long dress with essories on her hands, head, and neck appeared on the scene.


    She arrived by flying above the sky without any assistance. What caught Aaron''s attention was the circle of fire runes hovering behind Eliane, something even the man didn''t have.


    "Who dares to mess with my group?!" said Eliane, sending magic pressure to the invading group led by Diaz.


    ''What a terrible woman. Her power is probably worth as much as mine,'' said Aaron, knowing only based on the magic aura emanating from her.


    "Shit! That bitch is back," Diazined, annoyed.


    Realizing he could not defeat Eliane, Diaz chose to retreat from the ce for the safety of his life. However, Eliane was not idle.


    She shot her fire power forward, burning Diaz and his group members in a cloud of heat that emerged from Eliane''s hands.


    "AAAAKKKKKH!"


    Jacob''s existence disappeared entirely after being caught in the heat cloud. The battle was ended and won by the me Apex, thanks to Eliane''s help.


    "How terrible. No one can match her strength," Jacob said, shaking his head.


    Eliane turned around and flew down from the sky, arriving at the me Apex group and meeting up with the other members. Still, the sensitivity of her magic aura detected the presence of someone with power equal to hers.


    "Thank you for being¡ª"


    "Wait a second!" said Eliane, interrupting them.


    Eliane''s figure arrived right before Aaron in a sh of red light, startling Jacob and his two aides. Responding to Eliane''s sudden appearance, they flew backward to save themselves.


    "Who are you?" asked Eliane.


    "I''m just a wandering mage; my only purpose is to raid monsters," Aaron exined, undaunted.


    Eliane squinted, feeling suspicious of Aaron. However, she also couldn''t provoke someone of equal ability to her. The possibility of winning the fight was reduced if she insisted on fighting Aaron.


    "I hope so," dered Eliane, again darting quickly away from Aaron.


    Aaron and Aerith flew back to their lodging house, followed by Jacob and the two aides beside the man.


    "We need toe up with a n."

 Chapter 229 Volcano Essence Gem

    ***


    The next day.


    "Isn''t there a better way to get the gem without a fight?" Aaron asked.


    Jacob arrived at the house where Aaron and Aerith were staying. Aaron invited him as he probably knew a lot about the gem, given his position as the leader of the Tree Dove Group.


    Jacob initially refuses to cooperate because he realizes Eliane''s terrible power. With her abilities, she could easily destroy other groups.


    However, after Jacob discovered that Aaron and Aerith''s abilities were equal to and even surpassed Eliane''s, he agreed to help with information. He would not directly interfere with what Aaron and Aerith were nning.


    "I heard that the gem is under theva of a burning volcano. They control the mountain through the magic orb in their base, which is connected to the gem," Jacob said.


    "That''s just a rumor circting; the truth about it was unknown," Jacob stated, shaking his head.


    Aaron realized that no madman would have the guts to go into the fieryva of a volcano. Yet, it was different with Aaron.


    With his Venerable Sage ability, he could manifest the supreme soul power to enter and search for the gem''s location.


    "It''s good that you''re looking for more information about this. I don''t want to think about the possibilities," Jacob asked, not wanting to put Aaron''s life in danger just because of his words.


    The man nced to the side, looking at Aerith, who sat on the long couch in the living room with him, "Maybe I can search for it with my supreme soul ability. Lava won''t kill the soul, right?"


    "It doesn''t, but your soul bes very vulnerable. What if someone realizes it and attacks your soul? You could die right away, Aaron," stated Aerith.


    Aaron got up, he stepped closer to the house''s window, and looked forward, staring at the towering volcano with ck smoke continuouslying out of its crater. Aaron would take a great risk if he insisted on using his supreme soul ability.


    But if Aaron didn''t do it, then a battle would have be inevitable. He didn''t know what Eliane''s abilities were like; taking the direct way of fighting would pose its own risks.


    "There is no other choice. I have to do it with my soul."


    There were two options to do this with the supreme soul feature. First, with the soul intervention ability. Second, by using the Astral Force. However, the first option was the most suitable.


    Aaron turned around and focused his attention on Jacob and Aerith. Aerith saw Aaron''s serious face. In the end, she could only follow what Aaron wanted.@@novelbin@@


    "I will use Soul Intervention to possess the body of one of them right after discovering the gem''s existence. After I possess him, I will guide him here to hand over the gem directly to me," Aaron said.


    "I understand."


    Aaron began to stare at Jacob, as did Aerith, who stared at the man. Jacob gave a slight smile as he sighed.


    He nodded slowly, knowing full well what the two people''s gazes meant. They wanted Jacob to stay out of their problems.


    "Alright. I have nothing against you."


    Jacob said goodbye. He said that he would be neutral in this case, even if Aaron managed to obtain the Volcano Essence Gem. Aaron nodded, thankful for Jacob''s gesture.


    The man stepped away, leaving Aaron and Aerith alone in the ce. Aaron sat cross-legged on the floor, his palms sped together and his eyes closed.


    "I''m starting," Aaron announced. Aerith cleared her throat and nodded.


    [Supreme Soul Feature]


    [Soul Panel]


    [Name: Aaron]


    [Level: 325]


    [Soul Essence Level: 1]


    [Soul Essence: 8540/100000]


    [Soul Power:]


    [1. Soul Intervention] [250000 MP]


    [2. Astral Force] [500000 MP]


    [3. Soul Awakening opens when Soul Lv. reaches level 3]


    [4.ary Ascend opens when Soul Lv. reaches level 5]


    [5. Soul Reincarnation opens when Soul Lv. reaches level 7]


    [6. Soul Transmigration opens when Soul Lv. reaches level 7]


    The panel for the supreme Soul ability appeared before Aaron. The man pressed the Soul Intervention panel to activate the feature.


    Instantly, white-colored magic fluctuations appeared inside and spread outside the house. Jacob stopped his steps when he felt an intense magic pulse once every three seconds, his focus staring towards the guesthouse.


    "Why did I let them stay at my base?" Jacobined.


    Jacob was betting big on Aaron''s n. If Eliane had found Aaron and learned he was at the Tree Dove base, then the woman would have attacked this ce. That would put the lives of Jacob and dozens of his group members at risk.


    From inside the house, Aaron''s soul figure detached from his body. Aaron''s soul figure appeared white in color, and a thin thread connected his soul to his body.


    Although Aerith could see it clearly, but for ordinary mages, they wouldn''t be able to see anything. Only mages who had unlocked the supreme soul feature and used the soul intervention feature could track the whereabouts of Aaron''s soul.


    [Supreme Soul Feature]


    [1. Soul Intervention]


    [MP -250000]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [MP: 1275000/1525000] [-250000]


    Aerith raised her head and smiled, telling Aaron to be careful while he was there.


    "I will be careful."


    "Take good care of my body, Aerith," Aaron pleaded.


    "I will take care of it for you."


    After a brief farewell, Aaron flew away from the ce to the me Apex base, which was about 5km from the location of the Tree Dove base.


    Aaron''s guess was correct; not a single mage realized Aaron''s existence in soul form. This was Aaron''s first time using the soul intervention feature, hoping it could help him a lot with this n.


    From afar, he saw the me Apex group''s base, with a tight guard of group members. Aaron raised his eyes, looked at the mountain crater, and flew over to it.


    Aaron''s eyes closed softly. He pointed his hand downwards and sent a small spark of his own soul onto the boilingva above the volcanic crater.


    The soul spark flew down, entered theva pit, and swam freely further into the volcano. Aaron himself was still above the crater, flying freely while his mind controlled his soul spark below the crater.


    Although not in his full body, Aaron still felt the intense magic pulse from the bottom of the crater. Due to the strong thump, Aaron could feel it even in soul form.


    ''The gem is at the bottom of the crater,'' Aaron revealed.


    After convincing himself, Aaron dared to fly into theva crater. His hand stretched forward to use as a magic field to ease the turmoil in his soul while inside the crater.


    Surprisingly, he thought the ce under theva pit would be dense, but it differed from what he imagined. Aaron floated freely under theva as if diving in an ocean of red light.


    ''Is it possible that theva is just an illusion created by the gem?'' Aaron asked. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Aaron''s two eyes found a steady sparkling white light from the crater''s depths. Aaron smiled, a sign that the man had discovered the existence of the Volcano Essence Gem.


    ''I finally found you,'' Aaron exined.


    He flew low from the entrance altitude to approach the white light. The deeper Aaron dived, he could feel the intensity of the gem''s magic getting stronger and affecting the surrounding area.


    Arriving before the gem, Aaron reached out and captured the gem in his hand. He managed to obtain the Volcano Essence Gem without possessing another person''s body.


    The area around the crater suddenly shook, an avnche urred, and a burst ofva gushed out of the volcano''s crater.


    Aaron knew what had happened; the volcano had lost its energy due to the Volcano Essence Gem being taken by someone else.


    "I have to get out of here immediately!" dered Aaron.


    "Who dares to take my gem?!" snapped Eliane, appearing from the sky to the surprise of many.


    Aaron felt a sense of power from Eliane. He just hoped she didn''t discover his whereabouts, even though he knew she could find him.


    The man came out from inside the crater and flew quickly away from the volcano. Since the gem wasn''t put into storage, Eliane could see it fly away by itself while emitting a dazzling white light.


    "Give me back my gem!" dered Eliane.


    Eliane charged forward to knock Aaron down, the woman hoping to stop the gem''s flow. Eliane gasped; the gem had drifted to the base of one of the groups in the volcano valley.


    "Tree Dove Group!"


    "I will destroy you until I get back my Volcano Essence Gem!"

 Chapter 230 Strong Women Fight

    Aaron''s soul flew and entered the man''s body. A powerful burst of energy happened that shocked many people, especially those outside the house.


    Aerith saw a white gem in Aaron''s hand, the Volcano Essence Gem. Aaron had apparently managed to snatch it from the me Apex group.


    "Come out and hand over the Volcano Essence Gem!" dered Eliane''s voice, echoing outside the house to the surprise of all the Tree Dove group members.


    Aaron was still in readjustment mode with his body after he used the Soul Intervention ability. It took about 10 minutes for Aaron to finish synchronizing with his body.


    "I have to protect him from that damn woman," Aerith revealed.


    Without thinking, Aerith flew strongly out of the house, damaging the roof. Aerith''s appearance, apanied by an intense maroon light, was enough to startle Eliane.


    Eliane squinted her eyes, her fire magic already appearing in her right hand, preparing to attack Aerith. Aerith did the same.


    "Aren''t you the woman who was with that man yesterday?" asked Eliane, still remembering.


    "It''s an honor to know you, Eliane!" stated Aerith.


    Aerith threw her maroon magic forward, taking the form of thousands of sharp arrows ready to pierce Eliane''s body. The woman gasped, never expecting Aerith tounch her attack on her.


    Eliane pointed her hand forward, forming a wall of fire magic to block Aerith''s magic arrows. But, Eliane was stunned to feel that Aerith''s magic pressure was stronger than she had imagined.


    ''Why is she strong too?'' asked Eliane, shocked.


    Aerith stopped her attack and flew quickly forward in a sh of maroon light, her figure already beside Eliane to make the woman gape in shock.


    "Leave us alone!" snapped Aerith.


    SMASH!


    She swung her legs from side to side, hitting Eliane right in the waist as she failed to block Aerith''s physical attack.


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    The kick attack was followed by a powerful sound and an intense magical thump, throwing Eliane''s body far to the north until she hit the hills and trees of the forest.


    "Damn it! You really challenged me to a fight, huh?!" snapped Eliane, leaving the forest area and returning near Aerith.


    The two fought not with magical techniques but rather an intensified physical battle. A pulse of energy was felt every time they attacked or defended, causing strong gusts of wind to blow and energy distortions to ur in the skies of the Tree Dove base.


    To Jacob, this was his form of fear. Eliane hade here and knew that Aaron had gotten the gem, but to Eliane, this was an inter-group matter.


    Even if Jacob tried to negotiate, the result would be bad for him, his members, or his group.


    Several Tree Dove members looked up at the sky. Their eyes could not keep up with the speed of the two women''s attacks and defenses. All they saw were shes, distortions, and bursts of energy.


    In the battle of the skies, Aerith was quite dominant because of her better skills. Also, she managed to find gaps in Eliane''s strength.


    Eliane''s position was desperate. If she couldn''t think of another way to attack, her magic energy would run out, and Aerith would defeat her.


    ''Damn it! I have to find a way to strike back,'' revealed Eliane.


    Eliane flew away with her breath caught; Aerith felt the same way. The two stood at a safe distance in the sky, each using the moment to rest for a while.


    ''It''s easy for me to defeat her, but I don''t know if I can defeat her quickly,'' Aerith said.


    ''The longer I wait, the less good this fight will do me,'' Aerith exined.


    From Eliane''s direction, the woman began forming aplicated andplex hand formation, chanting a certain magic spell that Aerith did not know.


    When she was done, she directed her magic into the sky to bring forth a thunderous roar of red lightning.


    The lightning strike was capable of destroying buildings and trees in the area. Jacob didn''t want his base destroyed, so he ordered all his members to form a cube-shaped protective wall.


    "Uhuk!"


    Due to using power beyond her ability, Eliane''s body responded by vomiting blood. Still, it was all for a good reason. That woman needed to defeat Aerith so that she could seize the gem.


    "I will kill you and get my gem back!" dered Eliane.


    The sky split open, the red glow of fire gathered together and began to form the figure of the Vermilion Bird, a legendary bird on Earth.


    The Vermilion Bird was quiterge in size, and its entire body was filled with the power of the fire element.


    Eliane pointed her hand downwards, targeting Aerith. The Vermilion Bird roared loudly, then flew down like a falling meteor, visible energy distortions along the direction of the attack.


    "Your power could destroy this ce!" threatened Aerith.


    "If that''s what you want, then I''ll deal with you!" dered Aerith.


    Maroon magic energy gathered in Aerith''s right hand, forming a ck hole the size of an adult. With that power, Aerith could withstand the energy surge from the vermilion bird''s attack.


    Aerith aimed the ck hole upwards and shed directly with the vermilion''s attack. A loud explosion urred, causing the area around the magic sh to tten to the ground.


    The protective cube of the Tree Dove base was shattered, and some of the buildings in the basepound were destroyed and copsed.


    Aaron opened his eyes after the sessful synchronization, two things came to his attention.


    First, he obtained the Volcano Essence Gem, meaning that Emily''s path to healing was opening up. Secondly, he felt the intensity of a strong magic battle happening close to his location.


    From the characteristic thump and the magic aura it gave off, Aaron knew it was Aerith.


    He kept the gem and immediately flew into the sky, approaching the epicenter of the magic st. Aaron''s appearance near Aerith spontaneously startled Eliane, but the woman did not notice any Volcano Essence Gem on the young man.


    "You? What are you doing?" asked Eliane.


    "Stop this fight before you destroy half the mountain!" insisted Aaron.


    "I won''t do it until I get my gem back."


    Aaron saw the seriousness on Eliane''s face. It seemed that the woman ignored Aaron''s wordspletely, which was enough to convince Aaron.


    He looked to the side and saw Aerith sweating and showing her tired face. Not wanting the situation to worsen, Aaron activated his talent.


    [Main Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dark Dimensional Portal]


    [MP -60000]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [MP: 1215000/1525000] [-60000]


    Thousands of portals appeared around the magic sh area, more precisely around the vermilion bird that was smoldering in mes.


    Aaron moved his hand upwards, ordering hundreds of monster hands toe out and destroy the vermilion bird''s magic.


    "Akh!" Elianeined, feeling another force trying to destroy the legendary magic of the fire vermilion bird.@@novelbin@@


    Even so, the monster''s hands from the portal did little to destroy the magic. In the end, it could only have an insignificant impact.


    ''It seems to be a sacred ability passed down through generations,'' Aaron said.


    ''There''s no other choice. Aerith and I must go to the Dark Dimension.''


    Purple magic light appeared on the two fingers of Aaron''s right hand. Without thinking, Aaron swung his fingers from right to left, revealing a dimensional rift that was quite surprising to them.


    Eliane didn''t know the function of the dimensional rift, but since Aaron was the one who acted, it definitely wouldn''t have a good impact on her.


    Aaron held Aerith''s hand, making the woman''s attention focused on Aaron. Quickly, Aaron and Aerith entered the Dark Dimension just before the energy explosion urred.


    BLAST!


    The two energy sts urred right after Aerith released her control over the ck hole. Eliane was significantly affected by the explosion, while the entire area in a 900m radius from the center of the explosion was destroyed and killed many people, including Jacob.


    "Shit!"


    "They escaped. Why didn''t I realize that before?!"


    As Aaron expected, the impact of the energy sh was the explosion that followed. It was fortunate for both of them that they managed to escape in time. Otherwise, there was a possibility that they would have been injured by the explosion.


    They arrived at the Dark Dimension. From Aaron''s eyes, Aerith looked exhausted from everything that had happened.


    Slowly, however, her exhaustion disappeared as the energy from the Dark Dimension restored her again.


    Aaron took the gem from his storage. He showed it to Aerith, which was a good move because Aaron had indirectly obtained one of the materials to create a cure for Emily''s curse.


    "Just a few more materials until we can make the anti-curse potion," Aaron said, putting the gem back into storage.


    "That''s right. However, she still needs a reversion spell for the curse," Aerith exined, recovering as she absorbed energy from the Dark Dimension.


    "We''ll find clues about that spell or other materials once we arrive at Noah City," Aaron said.


    Noah City, one of the three major cities in the Dark Pir Tower, was on the 50th floor, with most mages in the Great Sage and Great Wizard tiers.


    This time, maybe Aaron would find some magesparable to his, but it was different when Aaron was in Lilith City, where all the mages were below Aaron''s ability.


    "Right. We don''t need to be in a hurry, right?" asked Aerith. Aaron returned the response with a nod of his head.


    The situation on the 45th floor was not conducive; Eliane was probably on a rampage to the point of threatening all the groups on the floor to help her.


    For Jacob''s fate? Unfortunately, that man and his group couldn''t do anything about it. He had died with the Tree Dove group destroyed.


    "Are you gonna go outside?" asked Aerith, Aaron shook his head.


    "It''s too risky to be outside. We should wait here for a while," Aaron said.


    "After I recover my body, I''ll check the Dark Pir area. If the Raid Monster opens, I''ll let you know, Aaron," Aerith exined.


    "Thank you, Aerith."

 Chapter 231 Aaron Third Clone

    ***


    Two dayster.


    Dark Dimension.


    Two days had passed in the Dark Dimension, Aaron was only focused on resting and improving his ability status. But, Aerith was the one who was always traveling across the dimensional boundary.


    The purpose was simple, to find out whether the Monster Raid had started in the Dark Pir or not. Today, three hours had passed in the Dark Dimension and Aerith had yet to return from the real world.


    Aaron opened his eyes and stood up from sitting cross-legged on the floor of Dark Dimension. He raised his head and saw hundreds of Dark Souls waiting to be released ¡ªof course to be a servant.


    Of the hundreds of red cages there, there was only one white soul cage containing a pure human soul. Aaron flew up to see who was inside the cage.


    "Isabe?" Aaron greeted.


    Isabe''s soul was inside it, still wearing the same clothes she wore when she died. However, she was sitting on her knees, her head buried between her knees.


    "I''m d you''re here safely."


    "Don''t worry. I''ll raise my soul essence level and help you transmigrate souls," Aaron exined, reflexively holding the wall of the soul cage.


    There was no reaction whatsoever because the cage Aaron touched was a type of white cage that confined one''s pure soul, different from the dark souls that could potentially possess Aaron''s body if carelessly touched.


    Even though Aaron said so, Isabe''s soul was still asleep in thefort of the white cage. The woman was not disturbed by anything, whether other ces or voices.


    She would only wake up if the Soul Transmigration ability on Aaron''s Supreme Soul feature was sessfully used.


    The dimensional rift appeared for the umpteenth time, Aaron nced down and saw Aerithing in her usual casual suit.


    Aerith raised her head and found Aaron flying freely in front of Isabe''s white cage. The woman decided to fly over to him.


    "She''ll be fine. I''ll take care of her soul here," Aerith replied.


    "I know. I''m just not used to seeing Isabe''s condition in a soul cage," Aaron said.


    "If you don''t want to keep her trapped in that cage for long, then you should immediately raise your soul essence level."


    Aaron knew all that, including Aerith''s advice. After all, it was the woman who told Aaron the only way to bring Isabe back to life.


    However, raising the level of soul essence turned out to be much more difficult and lengthy than Aaron had expected.


    Every time he extracted the soul essence of a human or monster, the amount obtained was not too much.


    "I have to get soul essence crystals to increase my soul essence level quickly," Aaron stated.


    "There''s only one ce to get such a thing, the Visiri."


    Aaron understood. He was sure he could get a lot of soul essence if he managed to go betweens from Earth to Visiri.


    To do that, Aaron still had to activate the Ascend ability in his Supreme Soul feature.


    Putting aside the issue of Isabe''s soul, Aaron asked for news about the conditions on the 45th floor. Aerith exined clearly without any cover-up.


    "The situation is really chaotic. Elianemands the entire group in the volcano valley. They were assigned to track you down," Aerith replied.


    "The group leaders can''t do much, if they refuse, they''ll be killed by Eliane''s attacks," Aerith said.


    "So, what about the raid monsters?"


    Aerith exined that the monster raid would open in three hours, meaning that in six hours in the Dark Dimension, the Monster Raid would be fully opened. Still, Aerith suggested something to Aaron.


    "Since Eliane knows your purpose is to go up a floor, the inspection of every monster raid is tightened. They even order all participants to show their status panels," Aerith pointed out.


    "I can disguise my identity with a fedora hat, but not my status."


    "About that, you don''t need to worry. Let me handle them, you can focus on the monster raidter," Aerith exined, having already devised a definite n about this.


    Aaron looked closely at Aerith, the woman''s face looked serious when looking at Aaron. That was enough to prove that Aerith wasn''t messing around with her words.


    The man began to listen to Aerith''s n. The thing Aaron needed to do was to form a third clone, the third clone would be used as a way to attract people''s attention until they thought that Aaron was in the mountain valley, not at the Dark Pir gate.


    [Additional Talent: Clone Maniption]


    [Sub Talent:]


    [1. Passive Clone] [30000 MP]


    [2. Combat Clone [40000 MP] Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    [3. ShapeShift Clone] [50000 MP]


    [4. Explosive Clone] [70000 MP]


    [5. Origin Clone] [80000 MP]


    The panel for additional talents appeared before Aaron, Aerith could see five sub talents of the additional talent. However, Aerith''s choice was focused on the fifth sub talent.


    "Since we''re nning to trick them, the clone must be exactly the same as you, whether it''s your face or your strength," Aerith exined.


    "I see."


    [Additional Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Origin Clone]


    [MP -80000]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [MP: 1445000/1525000] [-80000]


    A purple magic aura emanated from Aaron''s body, shining brightly with great intensity. Aerith moved away to avoid Aaron, so that the creation of the man''s clone could proceed smoothly.@@novelbin@@


    Aaron''s eyes were closed, his palms sped together as he focused on cleaving the magic energy from his body.


    Sure enough! The magic aura that was emitted began to form Aaron''s clone beside him. The magic energy condensed into a perfect body with the same pose as Aaron''s original body at the moment.


    The magic energy condensed the body of Aaron''s third clone from the feet to the top of the head. Five minutes passed, Aaron''s third clone was already fully formed.


    [Cloning Completed]


    [Number of Clones: 3]


    [Input Name: Gerard]


    [Level: 165]


    [Mage Tier: Great Wizard]


    [HP: 260000/260000]


    [MP: 280000/280000]


    Gerard opened his eyes and stood up while his eyes looked at his hands, feet, and the area around him. He realized that he was the third clone of Aaron Lewis, he had to obey what his original bodymanded.


    Aaron opened his eyes, then stood up and looked at Gerard. The reason why Aaron named him that was because he remembered the name of his childhood friend, Gerard Snow. However, he died of illness.


    "You are me. However, for this n, you must obey what Aerith says," Aaron exined, introducing Aerith to Gerard ¡ªthough he already knew.


    "I understand," Gerard exined.


    The man in front of Gerard nodded. He turned to the side, specifically to Aerith.


    "Go through with the n. I''ll hide in the forest until the situation at the monster raid is conducive for me," Aaron replied.


    "Take it easy. He and I will give them an interesting surprise, something they might never imagine before."


    "Alright. I''m counting on you, Aerith."

 Chapter 234 Floor Before Big City

    Aerith and Gerard arrived at the ce after teleporting between dimensions. Aerith made it clear that the distraction war was over, and she was ready to help Aaronplete the floor boss challenge.


    Aaron was grateful, Aerith''s presence would definitely help him a lot this time. He looked to the side, seeing Gerard who was still standing beside Aerith.


    Although he had helped Aerith, it was certain that his condition was quite messed up. He was injured and his clothes were damaged, his energy was drained to nothing. Aaron knew exactly what kind of condition Gerard was in.


    "Thank you for helping me," Aaron said, Gerard nodded in agreement.


    Aaron pointed his right hand forward, absorbing Gerard''s body which was none other than his clone to return to him. Aaron smiled, Gerard''s figure was no longer in that ce.


    "Then what are you waiting for?" asked Aerith, looking straight ahead at the boss room area.


    Currently, the boss room door was closed tightly. Aaron wasn''t unwilling to challenge the floor boss, but he was waiting until the floor boss challenger in the room was finished, so Aaron could walk up and register himself.


    "There''s another raid team doing a floor boss challenge. That team just walked in," Aaron said.


    Aerith cleared her throat in agreement, understanding what Aaron was saying. Aerith tried to sit rxed beside Aaron, while trying to catch her breath properly.


    Aaron who was waiting could feel the sound of Aerith''s breathing, sounding wheezy andbored like fatigue. He turned his head to the side, watching Aerith carefully.


    "Are you okay?"


    "I''m fine. I''m just exhausted from the war," Aerith replied.


    "The higher the floor in the Dark Pir Tower, it seems that we can no longer underestimate the power of the people. Right?" asked Aaron.


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    Aerith nodded. There was a reason why Aerith felt exhausted like now. The woman''s strength came entirely from the power of the Dark Dimension.


    When Aerith fought outside her domain, the power she could unleash was not as good as when she was in the Dark Dimension.


    The battle with Eliane was quite disturbing to her. Actually Aerith could defeat that woman, but that would take up a lot of energy in her and would need to take a long rest in the Dark Dimension.


    The best option she could take at that time was to y Eliane, by not letting her win or die.


    Aerith did so by continuing to defend against Eliane''s attacks, while waiting for information about Aaron who was in the Dark Pir.


    Aaron reached out his hand to the side, rubbing Aerith''s cheek and feeling the woman''s sweat touching the fingers of Aaron''s hand.


    "I''m fine, you don''t have to worry, Aaron," Aerith replied right after seeing the response Aaron showed her.


    "You''re not fine. You''re exhausted."


    "Go back to the Dark Dimension and rest," pleaded Aaron, softly.


    "Then what about you?" asked Aerith.


    "I can handle this floor boss. That monster is no match for me," said Aaron.


    Seeing the seriousness shown by Aaron made Aerith melt. Admittedly, her body did feel weak and powerless, the impact of the war earlier.


    However, her little heart really wanted to help Aaron, no matter what. However, because Aaron had said so, Aerith could only obey him without arguing.


    "Alright. If you really believe you can defeat that floor boss, then I won''t mind resting in the Dark Dimension," Aerith replied, obeying Aaron''s words.


    Aaron smiled widely, nodding his agreement as he thanked her. He allowed Aerith to rest because it was important for her body and energy to be rested.


    For the floor boss? Aaron didn''t need to worry about it because he could match the monster''s abilities. He would meet Aerith if he managed to defeat the floor boss.


    The dimensional crack opened again, Aerith said goodbye to Aaron. The woman stepped into the dimensional crack and disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    Now, that left Aaron alone in front of the floor boss room. He got up when he saw that the door to the floor boss room had opened, it seemed that Jonas and his raid team members had defeated the floor boss.


    "Alright. Now, it''s my turn to defeat the monster."


    ***


    Three Months Later.


    49th Floor Dark Pir.


    [CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [You have sessfullypleted the Dark Pir''s 49th boss challenge]


    [The next floor of Dark Pir Tower has been unlocked]


    [Floor ess Privilege: 50th]


    [Want to go to the next floor?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Completing the 49th floor was easy enough, though Aaron needed to do some attacks using his talents.


    Aerith was quite helpful to Aaron, though the man requested that Aerith leave thest hit for him. Aerith didn''t mind at all.


    The monster boss of the Dragon race was defeated by Aaron. Even so, Aaron had no intention of making the dragon a servant of his mythological race.


    Aerith stepped close to Aaron, just as the man was performing extraction from the soul essence orb.@@novelbin@@


    That said, the amount of soul essence she obtained was much greater, as Aaron killed many monsters along the 45th floor up to the 49th floor.


    "How are you, Aaron?" asked Aerith, looking at Aaron with a smile.


    "I''m fine. Probably, just tired," Aaron replied.


    "Of course, you immediately joined the monster raid on this floor after arriving from the 48th floor. You''d be exhausted," said Aerith.


    Aaron nodded. What Aerith said was probably true, his physique was too weak from fighting so much today.


    He and Aerith went straight into a monster raid upon their arrival at the 49th floor. Aerith originally asked Aaron to rest for a while, but Aaron insisted because after the 49th floor, there was Noah City on the 50th floor.


    There, Aaron and Aerith could restfortably. Apart from being a big city full ofplete facilities, the security in that ce was also well maintained.


    Aerith listened, after all, the 49th floor didn''t have a city in it. It was natural for Aaron to think so because maybe Noah City was much better than the 49th floor.


    "You wait for me there. I''ll teleport first."


    "Alright, Aaron," Aerith replied.


    Aerith tore through the dimensional boundary and revealed a dimensional crack. She stepped inside leaving Aaron who would go to the next floor utilizing the teleportation feature after defeating the floor boss.


    Aaron confirmed the teleportation, bringing up another panel that appeared in front of his face.


    [Teleportation to the next floor confirmed]


    [Destination: 50th]


    [Initiate teleportation to destination in five minutes]


    [00:00:04:59]


    The boss room door opened, the people outside looked into the room. How surprised they were to witness Aaron defeating the floor boss single-handedly, without being significantly injured.


    "Wait! How can he kill that floor boss all by himself?" asked another person.


    "This is impossible. How strong is he really?" asked another raid team member.


    "Best not to mess with him if you don''t want to die."


    Aaron stepped out while waiting for the teleportation countdown to finish. His body was already glowing blue, a sign that the moment of teleportation between floors was about to take ce.


    They gave way to Aaron, none of them dared to challenge Aaron, not even ask. His t demeanor made them seem reluctant.


    The door closed again, the registration panel appeared and allowed other teams to register immediately.


    However, it was different with Aaron. He chose to sit under a shady tree while waiting for the countdown that had 2 minutes left.


    The people in front of Aaron began to discuss, considering the possible power of the floor boss. Aaron opened his eyes and spoke out loud to them.


    "The floor boss is named Fire Dragon Knight, level 280, and has fire element andva talents. His ultimate attack is called the Dragon Judgment Meteor, you can avoid it by scattering to the farthest ce," Aaron exined.


    This surprised them. Not a few of them were grateful for the information Aaron conveyed. They also began to venture further questions, but Aaron refused.


    "The rest, you have to find out for yourself.


    The countdown ended. Aaron immediately teleported from that ce to the light stone on the 50th floor. They couldn''t hold Aaron back, so they allowed him to go to that ce.


    Aaron''s entire bodypletely teleported and disappeared from the 49th floor. When he opened his eyes, he saw that he was already in that ce.


    Several mages were walking towards arge city on that floor. Coincidentally, the location of the stone of light was close to Noah''s city gate.


    There, Aaron saw the gate open freely for anyone. They were wee to enter without the need to show their identity.


    As long as they were harmless, the detection system at the gate would not detect the background of any visitor to the city.


    Aerith saw that Aaron was already in the ce. She quickly tore the dimensional boundary and brought up the dimensional crack, again.


    "So, this is Noah City? A beautiful city, more beautiful than Lilith City."


    "Of course. This is the city where the officials of the three major groups live. Of course it will look this grand," Aaron said.


    "Come on, we should go in there and rest."


    "Sure, Aaron."

 Chapter 235 Preventing Conflict

    Aaron and Aerith walked together from the stone of light towards the gates of Noah City. Several mages walked in the same direction, some with their party groups, some with their partners, some alone.


    There were no checks of any kind upon their arrival at the gate. There was a special detection system in the gate passage that could be checked directly through the control room.


    Aaron felt ignorant, not feeling threatened by the detection system. Sure enough! After he stepped through the gate passage, there was no sign of the gatekeeper who was about to approach him.


    Behind the city gate, there were skyscrapers with modern architecture. The view of the cityndscape was enough to remind Aaron of the grandeur of New York City or other modern cities.


    Not only the splendor of Noah City, but the crowds of the city''s citizens were also concentrated in several districts, such as the clothing district, food, and the like.


    "It''s only natural that this city is more magnificent than Lilith City, they really created a cozy atmosphere in this ce," Aaron said.


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    "Of course. I never expected Noah City to be this grand, but it''s certainly much better than Lilith City," Aerith replied.


    They walked through the districts of the ce, ranging from the clothing, equipment, and food districts.


    Among the magnificent scenery of the city, there were threerge buildings that caught their attention. Aaron stopped walking when he and Aerith arrived at the city center.


    "Is that the main headquarters of the three main groups?" asked Aerith, Aaron cleared his throat.


    No group with abilities as great as the three main groups could create such a great headquarters. Certainly, it was the main headquarters of the three main groups.


    "That''s right. Looking at the average mage tier in this city, it''s certain that the abilities of the three main groups are not low," Aaron replied.


    "They can destroy me easily," Aaron replied.


    It was a wise choice for Aaron not to seek trouble with them, even though Aaron had an affinity with the Sky Sword group.


    However, if Aaron were to get into a dispute with the Night Liberators group, Sky Sword would not go to the extent of sacrificing their good rtions with that group just for Aaron''s sake.


    They resumed their journey, walking through the city district until their steps stopped in front of an equipment store.


    The shop was quiterge ¡ªthe average size of a shop wasrge¡ª with several customersing to buy or just look at the items on disy.


    Haunted by curiosity, Aaron stepped inside and looked at the items sold by the shopkeeper.


    The majority of the items on disy were items to help withbat, such as STR enhancing potions and so on.


    There were also some magic weapons on disy, but because the price was quite expensive, not many visitors nced at it.


    The shopkeeper noticed Aaron and Aerith''s presence. He stepped inside and met the two people, he knew that Aaron and Aerith were new visitors in town.


    "Wee to my equipment store. Is there anything you need?" asked a man, looking stylish.


    There wasn''t anything Aaron wanted to buy at the ce, he had everything he needed. However, his eyes focused on a ck glove with stable magic energy.


    The location of the glove was disyed in a ss desk drawer, along with other essories that could increase one''s magic ability.


    Aaron stepped closer to the ss desk drawer, the salesman noticed the direction of Aaron''s eyes. He asked if Aaron was interested in the gloves?


    "With these gloves, you can gain an MP efficiency of 5% of the amount of MP expended when using talents or magic," the salesman replied.


    "These gloves do emit their own energy. How does this thing work that it can reduce my MP usage?" Aaron asked.


    "This thing is equipped with a ten-eyed Spider web. It is said that the material can help absorb energy better," replied the salesman.


    ''So, basically, my MP isn''t reduced, but patched up with the magic energy umted in those ck gloves,'' said Aaron.


    ''Anyway, it''s a useful item, much better than the gloves I''m currently using,'' Aaron said.


    "How much is it?"


    The salesman beside Aaron smiled. He set the price at 80000 RL to Aaron because he was a new visitor in town, usually he sold such good things in the range of 100000-150000 RL.


    "Okay. Give me the gloves," Aaron said.


    "Of course, sir."


    The man took the ck glove from inside the ss drawer, then handed it to Aaron. A sessful transaction between them, Aaron didn''t have to worry about anything about money ¡ªthere was plenty of it.


    He took off his old gloves and reced them with the new ones. There was a cool andfortable sensation on Aaron''s fingers and palms, but he didn''t know how much effect it had.


    Aerith recognized that Aaron''s ck gloves were indeed unique. She could see it through her eyes.


    When Aaron was about to finish his shopping, his eyes suddenly focused on one ce. There was a gem emitting a red aura, stored in a wooden box.


    Aaron could sense it due to his extremely high level of sensitivity to auras. Haunted by curiosity, the man asked the salesman to show him the gem in the wooden box.


    "Oh, this is the g of Authority attribute enhancement gem," the salesman replied.@@novelbin@@


    "Can the g of authority''s attributes be enhanced?"


    "Yes."


    "The enhancements can range from MP efficiency, to authority influence range, to strengthening a person," the salesman replied.


    "You seem to know a lot about the g of Authority," Aaron said.


    "Of course. Sellers have to know a lot of things."


    Aaron nodded. It was true that sellers had to know a lot of things, extensive knowledge was a plus for the seller in the eyes of the buyers.


    "Give me that thing," Aaron said.


    "Sorry, sir. Not that I want to forbid you, but this thing has been pre-ordered," exined the salesman.


    "By whom?"


    "By me!" insisted someone, arriving at the shop in a group.


    Aaron looked back, both eyes squinting at the presence of five people. Only one of the five entered the shop.


    Even more surprising, the suits they were wearing were not just any uniforms. It was the uniform of the Night Liberators.


    ''Night Liberators!'' Aaronined.


    The man from the Night Liberators walked in and looked at Aaron with intimidating eyes, as if he was stronger than Aaron.


    Aaron sighed, not buying because he was reluctant toe into conflict with the Night Liberators. However, a surprising thing happened that made Aaron stop walking.


    "I''m kind of familiar with your face, sir," said the man, standing right in front of the ss desk drawer.


    "People say that when they want to intimidate. I don''t recognize you, sir," Aaron eximed, without turning his head.


    When he was about to step out of the shop, Aaron''s steps faltered again when four members of the Night Liberators blocked him.


    "In that case, would you minding with us to the main headquarters?" the man asked.


    "I have important business to attend to. I must apologize for refusing your invitation," Aaron said.


    Again, they didn''t let Aaron move away from the shop. Their intimidating behavior was enough to upset Aerith.


    The woman was initially about to fight the four members of the Night Liberators, evident from the maroon magic aura emanating from her body. However, Aaron realized that and immediately calmed Aerith down.


    "If I don''t want to go, then you can''t force me. Everyone knows that!" said Aaron.


    Suddenly the man in the shop stepped closer to Aaron, his hand stretched forward to touch Aaron''s shoulder. Aaron reflexively turned his head.


    "Everyone knows who we are. Don''t ever look for trouble with the Night Liberators, sir!" said the man, emitting his magic aura to scare Aaron.


    "If we fight, I''m afraid an entire city will be destroyed!" said Aaron.


    When the tension was about to peak in the ce, a person with an authoritative demeanor came to the district area. He came wearing a blue-patterned white shirt and robe, looking like a nobleman.


    The man did note alone, but rather with five of his members who were equivalent to Great Wizard tier mages. It drew attention from many people, including the Night Liberators man who intimidated Aaron.


    "I don''t think there needs to be any significant chaos here," the man said, striding steadily toward the shop.


    Aaron gasped, the man walking towards him was at least at the Venerable Sage mage tier, on par with him. However, was he aware of Aaron''s mage tier? That Aaron didn''t know.


    "Tch! Elder Kang," chimed in the man behind Aaron.


    Not daring to show his aura, the man simply finished his business and walked away. The four members followed their leader.


    Aaron breathed a sigh of relief, at least he could get out of trouble with the Night Liberators withouting into conflict with them.


    "Thank you for helping me," Aaron replied.


    "I didn''t help you. I only helped settle your dispute," said Elder Kang.


    "Alright, we''ll take our leave," Aaron said.


    The man invited Aerith to step away from the district to find a safe ce, especially since many people were already watching the two.


    At the very least, Aaron wanted his first day in this ce not to cause conflict. He and Aerith just wanted to enjoy the splendor of the city in peace.


    Still in front of the shop, Elder Kang continued to watch Aaron''s departure from afar. He knew that Aaron was a Venerable Sage, but it was quite strange that a man as powerful as him did not belong to any group.


    "What''s wrong, Elder Kang?" asked one of his members.


    "Nothing''s wrong. We''re returning to headquarters."

 Chapter 238 Conflict with Dark Legion

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    Aaron removed the sword stuck in his body, then dropped it on the floor. He looked to the side, seeing the man from the Dark Legion fleeing through the window of the inn''s corridor.


    "You can''t catch me, loser!" the man insulted.


    "As long as you don''t go far from this inn, it''s easy for me to catch you!" said Aaron.


    With the Venerable Sage''s ability, Aaron stepped one foot towards the corridor''s ss window. In the blink of an eye, Aaron''s figurepletely disappeared from the ce.


    A strong magic boom urred, stable magic fluctuations could be felt by the man who had threatened Aaron. He realized that Aaron was chasing him with his high abilities.


    ''Damn it! I thought he was just a Great Wizard!'' the manined.


    Although Great Wizard and Venerable Sage were only one different, the gap in strength between the two was huge.


    If it was against Aaron who had reached the Venerable Sage stage, the man from the Dark Legion didn''t know whether he could defeat Aaron or not.


    He looked back, never did he expect Aaron to be right behind him, catching up by walking on the floor of the sky, each one of his footsteps could span hundreds of meters with ease.


    "SHIT!" the man shouted.


    The man flew and turned around, heunched his attack forward to hinder Aaron.


    It was the least he could do, the man should immediately go to the Dark Legion headquarters outside Noah City to seek protection.


    "I hope that holds him back. He''s really troublesome!" said the man, flying with a gasp.


    Ash-colored dust filled the cracks of the building. He could not see Aaron''s whereabouts from within the smoke.


    [Main Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dimensional Explosion Orb]


    [MP -45000]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [MP: 1480000/1525000] [-45000]


    A purple ball of light shot rapidly from within the puff of smoke forward, aimed at the man from the Dark Legion. The man gasped, both hands extended to create a magic shield.


    A magic sh ensued, between Aaron''s purple ball of light and the Dark Legion man''s magic shield. However, the great intensity andrge amount made it difficult for the magic shield to survive.


    CRACK!


    The magic shield shattered like broken ss, falling from the sky. With no more defensive magic, the purple ball of light hit the body of the Dark Pir man, causing an explosion to ur above the alley.


    It drew the attention of many people, including Elder Kang. With a sh, he left his location to approach the site of the explosion. He guessed it was a fight between Sky Sword members and Dark Legion members.


    On Aaron''s side, his two eyes witnessed the body of a Dark Legion man falling from the sky, still in a dying state.


    Thankfully. If he had died, then Aaron wouldn''t have been able to get any information from him.


    "You can''t die!" said Aaron, stepping forward until he appeared in front of the man.


    Aaron grabbed him by the neck and took him flying quickly leaving the location of the small alley. He had to get back to his room immediately to prevent anyone from seeing him. That could be a big problem.


    From Aaron''s aura sensitivity, the man sensed a strong magic aura flying from the west. Unfortunately, Aaron realized who the owner of the magic aura was.@@novelbin@@


    "Elder Kang and the members of Sky Sword!"


    "I have to hurry," Aaron said.


    Aaron flew past several buildings in the small alley. However, he realized that Elder Kang would notice him.


    [Main Talent Activated]


    [Sub Talent Activated]


    [Dark Dimensional Portal]


    [MP -60000]


    [Name: Aaron Lewis]


    [MP: 1420000/1525000] [-60000]


    Purple magic light appeared on the two fingers of Aaron''s hand. With a sideways motion, he tore through the dimensional boundary and revealed a dimensional crack.


    After the crack fully appeared, Aaron flew in with his hand still gripping the neck of the Dark Legion man.


    The aura existence of the two instantly disappeared. Elder Kang, who had originally had a serious expression, now turned shocked realizing the magic aura fluctuations of the two people had vanished in a matter of seconds.


    "Disappeared?" asked Kang.


    "What''s wrong, Elder Kang?" asked one of his members.


    "Check this area. Tell me immediately if you find any traces of magic!" said Elder Kang, obeyed by the rest of his special group.


    They split up tob the slums, from the alleys to the small houses. Elder Kang watched his men, his head wondering about the way the two disappeared from his detection.


    ''Did they use dimensional abilities? Aura detection can''t detect someone if they''re in a different dimension,'' Elder Kang exined.


    ''But who has dimensional abilities?''


    From the Dark Dimension, Aaron stepped up while choking the Dark Legion man''s neck. He opened another dimensional crack that led straight to his lodging room. The journey came to an end.


    Aaron arrived at his room and saw Aerith sitting rxed, both hands holding a cup of hot tea.


    Aaron''s appearance with the Dark Legion man did not surprise Aerith. She knew that Aaron was leaving because she could feel the boom of magic that the man released.


    "So, did you catch him?" asked Aerith casually.


    "Yes. However, the explosion invited Elder Kang toe."


    "Don''t worry," Aerith replied.


    She snapped her fingers, creating a certain barrier that was able to encase the space. Someone from outside would not be able to detect the presence of the magic aura of the room''s upants.


    "You don''t have to worry about them," Aerith exined.


    Aaron nodded, he could feel Aerith''s detection-dampening magic wall was quite strong. Elder Kang wouldn''t be aware of their presence, even if Aaron used magic to make the man speak.


    "So, who is he?" asked Aerith, looking down at the dying man.


    "A member of the Dark Legion. He attacked me suddenly," Aaron exined.


    "Did he think I could just die by being stabbed by a sword?"


    "Get lost, you bastard!" snapped the man.


    Aaron stepped forward, standing next to the dying man''s body. He ced one foot on the man''s neck, while asking the location of the Dark Legion headquarters on the 50th Floor.


    "You won''t be able to get him to talk if you do that," Aerith said.


    She reached out, wrapping the Dark Legion man in maroon magic. The harder Aerith clenched her hand, the man''s body seemed to be squeezed by arge hand.


    "AAAAAKKKKH!" cried the man, starting to groan in pain.


    "I''d better increase your suffering!" said Aerith.


    Aerith sent her maroon magic energy forward, transforming into mes that instantly burned the skin of the Dark Legion man.


    "OK! I''ll talk!" shouted the man, half of his body badly burned and on the verge of death.


    The man chose to give Aaron the map slip rather than exin the exact location. It was because his body was weak from pain and dying.


    Aaron epted the map slip, then responded by nodding to Aerith. Quickly, Aerith killed the dying man with her maroon fire.


    The Dark Legion man groaned in pain, begging for mercy many times and ready to cooperate with Aaron. However, Aaron tly refused.


    His body disintegrated, burning to ashes. However, his soul essence orb floated above the Dark Legion man''s ck ashes.


    Aerith handed the orb to Aaron, useful for raising the man''s soul essence level. Aaron was grateful.


    He activated the map slip, disying a vast 50th floor map panel. From the panel, Aaron could see a red dot in a forest called the ck Bough Forest.


    ''Is this red dot the location of the headquarters of the Dark Legion?'' Aaron asked.


    "What''s wrong? Did you find something?" asked Aerith, walking over to Aaron.


    "Yes. My guess is that this ce is the headquarters of the Dark Legion," replied Aaron.


    "Hmm. If so, do we need to check it out?" asked Aerith.


    Aaron nodded. He already held a grudge against them, precisely when that man suddenly attacked him for no reason.


    In an instant, Aaron changed his clothes from a nightgown, to a ck shirt and trousers. Aerith smiled, she also changed her clothes into a casual suit that she thought was suitable.


    "Let''s go," Aaron exined, Aerith nodded.


    The two of them flew away from the ce through the window of the room. Several people looked at the sky, there were two people flying with a strong magic boom.


    Elder Kang looked over, the magic boom was very simr to the magic boom that had disappeared without a trace.


    Still letting his membersb the area, Elder Kang flew out of the area to arrive near Aaron.


    Aaron turned his head when he sensed Elder Kang flying towards him. Sure enough as Aaron had expected, Elder Kang would realize his magic aura.


    "Stop!" pleaded Elder Kang.


    Aaron stopped flying, and so did Aerith. Both of them floated in the sky and stared ahead, at Elder Kang.


    The man apologized for stopping them from leaving. He began to exin his reason for stopping them.


    "We''re tracking down someone who was involved in the explosion earlier. And you have the same magic aura as the culprit in the explosion," Elder Kang said.


    "Sorry, Elder Kang. I can confirm that it wasn''t me," Aaron exined, Aerith added.


    "That''s right. He went to breakfast with me downstairs at the inn. There''s no way he''d get involved in a fight like that."


    Elder Kang squinted, it was possible that Aaron''s magic aura was just the same, it didn''t mean he was the culprit.


    It was better to let go than to wrongly punish. That was what Elder Kang did.


    "Alright. Sorry for interrupting your travel," said Elder Kang.


    Aaron nodded. He flew away from the city towards the ck Bough Forest again, Aerith following behind.


    "Do we need to follow them?" asked a member of Elder Kang''s special group.


    "No, we don''t. They''re stronger than you, it''s useless for you to follow them."

 Chapter 239 Infiltration Plan

    With no one to interrupt their journey, Aaron and Aerith flew out of the city''s southern gate.


    Their destination was the ck Bough Forest ording to the map shown by the Dark Legion''s map slip earlier.


    The location was quite far from Noah City, but the two could tell the difference. The trees in the ck Bough Forest grew tall, unlike the average height of trees in general.


    With the size of the ck Bough Forest, Aaron could confirm that it wasn''t just Dark Legion members who were in that ce. Chances were, the Dark Legion''s headquarters was within the forest.


    From the front, Aaron saw that there was dense green air emanating from the poisonous branches of the trees.


    "Fly low among the trees. Don''t risk getting into that green mist," Aaron ordered.


    Aerith nodded in agreement. She and Aaron began to fly low and into the dense forest, flying past several trees with agile movements.


    ording to the mapping that appeared on the Dark Legion map slip, this forest was ssified as a red zone. Aaron looked down, he clearly saw wild monsters roaming below.


    Even so, they couldn''t attack Aaron and Aerith because of the two''s fast flying speed. They could only chase while hoping they would stop flying andnd on the ground.


    No! Aaron wouldn''tnd before he arrived inside the ck Bough Forest area.


    If Aaron had to specte, it was possible that the ck Bough Forest was a ce of illusory maniption of the Dark Legion members'' powers.


    "Aaron! Look ahead," Aerith emphasized.


    Aaron turned his attention to the front, seeing that there was a wall of purple light that stretched out like it was separating two different forests.


    The man nced down, the monsters from both regions didn''t seem to be very friendly towards each other.


    "Is it possible that the people of the Dark Legion created this magic wall?" Aaron asked, flying closer without daring to touch the mysterious purple wall.


    "It''s possible. There are some abilities that can be applied if a mage is at a high level," said Aerith.


    "Can you destroy it?" asked Aaron, turning his head to look at Aerith.


    "You want to destroy it? That will activate the territory defense mechanism. The entire Dark Legion will hunt you down and kill you," Aerith replied.


    "Then what can we do?"


    Aerith was silent for a moment. She raised her hand to the level of her sight, then focused on bringing out a maroon magic aura from her right hand.


    With that power, Aerith tried to fly closer and touch the wall. There was a small disturbance at first because the woman was not controlling the magic aura in her hand, but after stabilizing, Aerith watched as her hand sessfully prated the purple wall of the region.


    "It worked," said Aerith.


    "How did you do it?" asked Aaron.


    "You just need to flood your entire body with a dark magic aura. Apparently, this purple wall system only detects someone with dark elements as a member of the Dark Legion," exined Aerith.


    ''If so, this defense is really weak. Do they think they''re the only dark element users?'' Aaron asked.


    Aerith flowed her dark magic energy aura into all parts of her body without exception. Before entering, she needed to bnce that energy and resist the aggressive nature of the dark element.


    In the end, the woman managed to enter after breaking through the purple magic wall. Aaron was amazed, Aerith kept waving her hands inviting Aaron to enter.


    Aaron did the same, summoning his own purple magic aura and wrapping his entire body in the same energy.


    The two of them managed to infiltrate the area. Surprisingly, Aaron thought the ck Bough Forest was just a wilderness full of wild animals and so on. However, Aaron''s guess waspletely wrong.


    There was a magnificent castle in the middle of the forest, with flying mages with purple trails along their flight path.


    The guards at the castle gate were not just any guards either, there were two stone golems that werepletely controlled by purple magic.


    "What''s your n?" asked Aerith.


    "I n to reveal the reason they''re killing people. If I can, I want to capture important Dark Legion officials," Aaron replied.


    Aaron and Aerith flew low and hid behind arge banyan tree. From there, Aaron and Aerith continued to watch the castle.


    "From my vision, the weakest mage tier among them is Great Sage, and the highest is Archmage," Aerith exined.


    ''Archmage? This is serious. A Venerable Sage is already difficult, how am I going to fight an Archmage?'' Aaron asked.


    "If the situation is urgent, we will go using dimensional abilities," said Aaron, Aerith nodded in understanding.


    From both of their eyes, a small group of five people stepped out of the castle. They went with the purpose of undergoing a cleanup mission in the wild forest, they seemed to be part of the Dark Legion.


    "We''ll infiltrate using my n."


    "It might sound crazy, but we''d better get on with it," Aaron exined.


    Aerith turned her head, seeing exactly what Aaron was nning to do. Aaron pointed at the five members of the Dark Legion, those who had just exited the walls of the ck Bough Forest region.


    The woman beside Aaron heard the man''s exnation. She understood what she had to do.


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    The two again flew away from that ce and out of the ck Bough Forest territory. The five Dark Legion members felt a strong momentum of magic energy from behind them.


    One of them turned around and was shocked to see a strangering out of Dark Legion territory.


    "YOU? Who are you?!" said the man leading the group of five.


    Instead of Aaron, it was Aerith who charged forward. With her maroon magic maniption ability, she defeated the five people in the Great Sage mage tier with ease.


    Three people died with dying bodies. Luckily for Aaron, he didn''t need to get his hands dirty to kill them. There was the figure of Aerith who could help him well.


    If Aerith had killed them, then the title murderer wouldn''t have been obtained by him since he didn''t have an individual system.


    Also, Aaron wouldn''t get the red title since he wasn''t the one who killed them.


    Two people looked alive with tattered clothes. Aaron took the clothes, as well as Aerith. With their magic skills, the Dark Legion uniforms were good as new again.


    Now, Aaron and Aerith looked like members of the Dark Legion group. With the uniforms and the semnce of the dark elements, people wouldn''t suspect them.


    They stepped back into the purple wall of light. Since they were already wearing the Dark Legion uniforms, the two of them ventured closer to the castle gate.


    Aaron raised his head, seeing two stone golems staring back at him. Without any response, they opened the door for Aaron and Aerith to enter.


    "It''s easier than I thought," Aerith exined.


    "Don''t joke around so much. Put on a serious face," Aaron said, Aerith nodded.


    They stepped through the gate passage until they arrived at the spacious front yard of the Dark Legion castle.


    There was a garden and several water fountains, several other Dark Legion members also stepped out ignoring each other.


    ''Although I just entered, but I can feel the tension of this ce. How scary is the leader of this ce?'' Aaron asked.


    Aaron and Aerith again stepped on the frontwn of the castle, trying to dig up information about The Shadowless Killer.


    "I can''t believe this!"ined someone, stepping quickly behind Aaron.


    The man pulled Aerith out of the way. He continued to mutter in annoyance, apanied by tworge-breasted women who kept himpany.


    "He died in the city. Could that bastard Kang have done it?" the manined, mentioning Kang''s name.


    ''Does he have any involvement with the Shadowless Killer?'' Aaron asked.


    The man stepped inside with his two women. Aaron didn''t want to be left behind, he also walked in with Aerith stepping beside him.


    Although both of them tried to follow the man, but not at a close distance. Aaron set his distance far enough away so as not to cross paths with him.


    At a nce, Aaron saw the man enter a room. He opened the door roughly and said that someone had been killed.


    The door was left open, making it easy for Aaron to eavesdrop on the conversation inside. Unexpectedly, there were several people who noticed Aaron and Aerith''s presence.


    With a brief hand gesture, he shook the ce making Aaron and Aerith''s figurese out from where they were eavesdropping.


    "Who are you guys?" the person asked, sharply.


    ''Shit, what am I supposed to do?'' Aaron asked.@@novelbin@@


    "We are¡ª"


    "We came to be the Shadowless Killer," interrupted Aerith, raising a hand, making Aaron panic.


    The people in the room were at least in the Great Wizard and Venerable Sage mage tier. If they attacked, it would be hard for Aaron to win.


    "Really? What are your abilities?" one of the men asked Aerith.


    "Anything."


    "What about that guy?" asked the man in the room.


    "He''s a friend of mine. I brought him along because we''re a duo."

 Chapter 242 Noah City Conflict

    ***


    The next day.


    Sky Sword 50th Headquarters.


    Rumbling and noise could be heard from that ce all the way to the house Aaron was staying at.


    The man was awakened from his sleep by the noise, he got up from the bed and stepped towards the window of the two-story house he and Aerith were staying in.


    The window was wide open, he watched as the members of the ce were seen scattering to leave the Sky Sword headquarters. It was quite confusing to him.


    "What''s going on?" asked Aaron, monologuing.


    BLAST!


    A huge explosion urred in some parts of the city, purple in color with soaring ck smoke filling the ce.


    From the sky, Aaron witnessed that there were several elders from the three main groups present.


    They were flying with their abilities, considering the majority of them had reached the Venerable Sage stage and beyond.


    Aaron flew out of his room and hovered just above his lodging house. He was still in his sleeping clothes, looking straight ahead at the city from the hill of the Sky Sword 50th Headquarters ¡ªthe headquarters'' location was on a hill within the city.


    "You. What are you doing?! Get out of here," ordered a Sky Sword member, seeing Aaron''s appearance on top of the two-story house.


    "What was that explosion?" asked Aaron. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    "We don''t know. The elders of the three main groups are investigating," replied the member.


    "More importantly, you need to go save yourself!"


    The man ran back to leave the Sky Sword headquarters area. Slowly, they stepped down from the hill like they were avoiding something. Aaron didn''t feel anything odd in this ce.


    Not until he had the appearance of power from the sky. Rumbling wind and lightning appeared suddenly, the gusts of wind felt so strong in that ce that it blew away anything, whether semi-permanent buildings or small trees.


    Aaron nced up, feeling that there was a very strong force of darkness behind the thunderous cloud of lightning.


    Filled with high curiosity, the man flew away from the Sky Sword 50th headquarters to quickly arrive right under the thunderous cloud of lightning.


    The closer Aaron got to the cloud, the stronger and more intense the dark magic power became. Aaron guessed that this was the work of the Dark Legion.


    ''I''m dragging the conflict into a worse situation. This city will be severely affected,'' Aaron said.


    In a sh of maroon light, Aerith arrived beside Aaron in the sleeping pajamas she was wearing.


    She looked up at the sky and saw that Aaron was so close to the center of the purple lightning.


    The woman approached with a swift flight, apanied by a maroon trail along her flight path. Now, she was fully beside Aaron.


    "What happened?" asked Aerith.


    "It seems the Dark Legion acted quickly after Elder Rev was captured. They''re going to attack the city," Aaron replied.


    Not only above the Sky Sword 50th headquarters, but he also saw two other thunderclouds appear in two different ces: the Dimension Justice headquarters and the Night Liberators headquarters.


    Aaron began to understand the situation. If the Dark Legion wanted to free Elder Rev, then they had to make sure the city was free of the three main groups.


    That way, their way of freeing Elder Rev would be very easy.


    "The only way they can take over the city is to target the headquarters of the three main groups and eliminate them. That will make it easier for them to find Elder Rev," Aaron exined.


    "Dark Legion! I hate them even though they''re dark elemental-using mages," Aerith chimed in.


    She also saw three thunderous clouds in three different ces. Aerith turned her head, asking the next n for Aaron. Aaron shook his head, confused.


    With his current abilities, he could actually help them. However, this was basically a matter between the Dark Legion and the three main groups.


    Aaron did not belong to any group, not even Sky Sword. Eve and Lilith didn''t evene to him for help.


    "We will not interfere in this matter."


    "Let the three main groups settle it," Aaron exined.


    "Since the beginning of their dispute, I''ve never gotten involved. Yesterday, it was just a small revenge for the stabbing of me," Aaron said.


    Aerith didn''t argue. What Aaron said still had to be fulfilled by Aerith, because she followed what Aaron was going to do.


    Choosing not to interfere was wise, ording to Aerith. That was because the figure of Elder Rev had been handed over to Sky Sword 50th, so the safety and responsibility of that man was in their handspletely.


    They did not want anything bad to happen to them. They flew quickly away from that ce until they could be clearly seen by the members of Sky Sword 50th.


    They looked at the sky and pointed at the two magic flying trails of Aaron and Aerith.


    In an instant, Aaron and Aerith''s figures were nowhere to be seen around the Sky Sword elders. It was quite a shock to the members of the group.


    The two disappeared without a trace, entering the town and acting normally as if nothing bad had happened. Yet, they could see that the townspeople were in a state of panic.


    They returned to their lodgings, until they fully arrived at their rooms. Aaron looked back towards the city center, watching the sky filled with thunderous ck clouds and purple lightning.


    "What are they going to do?" asked Aaron.


    The elders of the three main groups seemed prepared, especially after the presence of the Dark Legion elders.


    They asked the elders of the three main groups to hand over Elder Rev. They promised to stop the Shadowless Killer''s operations immediately.


    However, the elders of the three main groups had already fully understood the intentions of the Dark Legion''s words. None of them could be held to their word, they were a bunch of liars.


    "I cannot trust you. You are liars!" Eve said firmly.


    "If you won''t do it, then you must prepare for great destruction in Noah City!" said Hans.


    Unable toe to an agreement, Hans pointed his hand upwards. From within a thunderous cloud, thousands of purple skulls appeared with onerge purple skull.


    They aimed downwards to destroy the headquarters of the three main groups.


    Thebined power of the members of the three main groups worked together to strengthen their groups'' defense domes.


    Blue, gold, and red light shone from three different ces, in order to strengthen the defense power of the dome.


    A magical sh urred between the protective dome and the skull''s magic. A strong magic boom was felt throughout the city, three times because there were three times of magic shes.


    Aaron stretched out his hand, summoning the power of his purple magic to withstand the magic boom.@@novelbin@@


    Nevertheless, the building and all the furniture inside were quite affected, considering that the battle this time involved high tier mages.


    ''I knew it. Their battle will definitely have a big impact,'' Aaron said.


    Of the three ces, the Night Liberators didn''t seem to be able to withstand the purple skull''s attacks.


    Their protective dome cracked and the Dark Legion''s purple skull attack charged into the base.


    BLAST!


    Explosions urred, inevitably in that ce. Members of the Night Liberators fell wounded, some of them died from the st, some were also fatally injured.


    The elder of the Night Liberators was enraged, he immediatelynded his fire talent attack on Hans.


    "You will not be spared!" snapped the elder, easy for Hans to parry.


    A fight ensued, involving the elders of the three main groups with those of the Dark Legion. Aaron thought this was bad for himself and Aerith.


    If the fight escted, Aaron and Aerith could potentially be directly involved in their fight. That would put them in danger.


    "We have to get out of here!" said Aaron.


    "Where are we going?" asked Aerith, approaching Aaron.


    "We''re going back to Lilith City, waiting for the situation to be more favorable," Aaron exined.


    Aerith nodded. With her ability, she opened a dimensional crack in that ce. Aerith invited Aaron to enter, immediately the man stepped closer to the woman.


    Now, Aaron and Aerith''s figures were fully in the Dark Dimension. If Aaron''s calctions were correct, then the Monster Raid on the 50th floor would start tomorrow or today.


    He would return to this ce tomorrow, hoping that the esction decreased with the abilities of the elders of the three main groups.


    Arriving in the Dark Dimension, Aerith again opened a dimensional crack. The two flew in and fully arrived at Lilith City.


    The atmosphere in the city was much more peaceful than Noah City, although it must be admitted that the splendor of the two cities differed drastically.


    They arrived at the vige where the Shadow Ruler''s Headquarters stood. There were many differences, from the neatly made and paved vige roads, to the magnificent building with argeplex in that ce.


    "I left this ce in a few months, but there are already a lot of changes happening," Aaron exined.


    "Maybe Eloise is helping the Shadow Ruler a lot, as per your agreement," Aerith said.


    "It''s possible. Eloise is a responsible woman. She''ll keep her word."


    "Who are you?!" snapped a man, unleashing his magic at Aaron.


    Swiftly, Aaron blocked the attack with his palm. The strength Aaron showed was quite surprising to him, especially when the man saw that Aaron''s mage level exceeded Lewis.


    Not just one, but several members of the Shadow Ruler appeared at that ce. They were present wearing their uniforms, ck with purple patterns. Aaron was really impressed.


    "Inform Sky Sword that there are intruders in the Shadow Ruler''s territory. Let Miss Eloise handle it," said the man.


    "Okay. We understand."

 Chapter 244 The Torture of the Curse

    ***


    The next day.


    Lilith City.


    25th floor.


    Lewis ordered all the members to go to the city guild office. In order to get contribution points, they had toplete many general missions.


    Some were used to taking on high-level general missions, while others were not. However, Lewis set a limit that they could take any mission other than S rank missions.@@novelbin@@


    There were a total of 20 people including Lewis. They were divided into five small groups, one group of four.


    They had to take at least one mission per day, regardless of the rank of the mission. On the next day, they were allowed to take the day off.


    In total, in one week, they can take 3-4 general missions. Lewis also had the right to give them the day off if he felt that the general mission was too high and tiring for the members.


    Aaron stood on the balcony of the room. He looked out precisely towards the front yard of the Shadow Ruler headquarters. There, Lewis was giving his instructions to the members.


    Aerith was still fast asleep on her bed, sound asleep without being disturbed by anything. Aaron smiled at Aerith''s sleeping face.


    He stepped inside while getting ready. The man didn''t know what the situation in the Dark Dimension was like, hopefully it would improve so he could join the monster raid again and quickly go up to the 51st floor.


    From the east of the Shadow Ruler''s headquarters, a graceful female figure in a white and blue uniform was present at the ce. She was Eloise, she came alone without being apanied by anyone.


    Lewis stepped up to Eloise, greeting her as he asked her the purpose of her arrival. She exined that she hade to meet with Aaron.


    "Mr. Aaron is probably still resting in his room. I''ll leave a message with the guards at this base," Lewis replied.


    "Are you leaving?" asked Eloise, Lewis cleared his throat.


    "That''s right. There''s a general mission at the guild office waiting to be picked up. We have to hurry before the top-level missions run out," Lewis exined.


    Together with his group members, he left the ce on foot. However, it was different with Eloise.


    She didn''t know whether Aaron had woken up or not, but she had left a message with the headquarters guard about him. The headquarters guard said that he would deliver Eloise''s message to Aaron.


    Not wanting to linger in that ce, Eloise walked away after leaving a message with the guard.


    Aaron finished with his cleaning. He was already getting ready in his usual ck and purple shirt suit.


    Surprisingly, Aerith had already woken up and looked half sleepy. She was still sitting on the bed, asionally rubbing her eyes.


    "You''re up early, Aaron," Aerith said, softly.


    "Maybe the correct phrase is that you woke up too early. It''s already ten in the afternoon," Aaron replied.


    Aerith turned her head and saw a bright light shining through the window. That''s right, Aerith had been fast asleep until noon.


    "What are you doing today?" asked Aerith, curious.


    "I want to go see the situation in Noah City. Don''t worry, I won''t get involved in their war," Aaron replied, looking to tidy up his hair in front of the mirror, his long ck hair back.


    Aerith nodded. There was a possibility of a monster raid opening today in Noah city, the only way was to go there and find out for yourself.


    For that woman, it was easy to get there because Aaron and Aerith were connected to each other. If indeed the Dark Pir gate had been opened, then Aerith would use her dimensional power to travel through the Dark Dimension.


    "Alright. I''ll get ready, I''ll catch up with youter if that''s true," Aerith exined.


    Aaron nodded firmly. He said goodbye to Aerith and walked away from his room.


    Sure enough! There wasn''t a single member of the Shadow Ruler in the headquarters, only the headquarters cleaning maids and a few guards.


    "Mr. Aaron," greeted the guard.


    Aaron''s steps faltered when the guard called his name, "What''s wrong?"


    "Are you leaving?"


    "Yes. I need to buy some supplies. Why do you ask?" asked Aaron, suspiciously.


    "Early in the morning, Miss Eloise arrived at the Shadow Ruler''s headquarters. She left a message that she was expecting you at the Sky Sword 25th headquarters," exined the guard.


    ''Eloise? What did she ask me toe for? Did something happen to Emily?'' Aaron asked.


    After thanking her, Aaron flew quickly away from the Shadow Ruler''s headquarters using his Venerable Sage ability.


    Every time he flew through the air, the purple trail of his flight always decorated the city sky, making many people''s attention riveted on him.


    From Aaron''s location, he saw the whereabouts of the Sky Sword 25th headquarters. Powerfully, hended on the frontwn to the surprise of many members of the group.


    They were on full alert, activating their talents and aiming them at the center area of the front yard of the base. A thick plume of white smoke rose in the area, making it difficult for them to see who hade to visit.


    Aldo flew closer to the location of the fog. With a quick swing of his hand to the side, he blew the smoke away and revealed the man who had arrived.


    "Mr. Aaron," Aldo greeted, bowing his head.


    "Aaron? Wait! Isn''t he the closest person to Miss Eloise?"


    "I heard he''s already on the 50th floor. His strength surpasses even Miss Eloise''s."


    "It''s a good thing we didn''t carelessly challenge her to a fight."


    Aaron didn''t care about what the Sky Sword members said. He stepped closer to Aldo and shook the man''s hand firmly.


    "Thank you foring," Aldo replied.


    "Did something happen?" Aaron asked.


    "Nothing terrible, but you shoulde with us," Aldo replied.


    Aaron nodded. The two of them stepped off the frontwn of the Sky Sword 25th headquarters to enter the throne hall, meeting with Miss Eloise.


    Several guests could be seen lined up in front of the throne hall door, they were either group mages or ordinary businessmen.


    However, due to Aaron''s important nature for Eloise''s business, Aldo was able to break through the queue and bring Aaron in.


    The hall door opened, Aaron''s figure became Eloise''s concern, even though she was receiving guests from the mid-level group.


    One thing was certain, she didn''t notice Emily''s presence. Usually, that woman was near Eloise. However, she was nowhere to be seen.


    "Where''s Emily?" Aaron asked.


    "That''s why I called you here. Do you have time?" asked Eloise, a worried look on her face. Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Eloise told her guests to wait for a while. They didn''t mind, but they were annoyed that Eloise prioritized the man in the ck shirt over them, the mid-level group members.


    "Who is he? How dare he draw Miss Eloise''s attention away from us," the man exined.


    "Don''t worry. I''ve already recognized his clothes. We''ll beat him up once we get out of Sky Sword headquarters."


    He and Aldo left to lead Aaron to a room, where Emily was resting. Aaron squinted and stopped his steps, his left hand raised to cover his nose.


    ''Foul odor? This scent ising from inside the room,'' Aaron exined.


    Eloise opened the door with a heavy heart. Aaron saw Emily lying stiffly limp on the bed, still wearing her pajama sleep suit.


    "A... Aaron," Emily greeted, looking up at Aaron quizzically.


    "What happened to her?"


    Eloise began to tell her that this incident happenedst night. Emily suddenly screamed loudly from her room, startling Eloise.


    When she came to Emily''s room, Eloise saw Emily''s body covered with a purple rash and a strong foul odor.


    She was worried that the seal Aaron had nted on Emily''s body was having the opposite reaction, thus worsening Emily''s condition.


    Aaron listened to Eloise''s words, he held her hand and tried to break the seal on Emily''s stomach. However, a woman''s voice startled the people in the ce.


    Shockingly, Aerith appeared from behind the door in a sh of maroon light. With her strength, it was easy for her to break into a certain ce at any distance.


    "Stop it, Aaron."


    Aaron turned around and saw Aerith''s figure. The woman stepped in while still wearing sleeping pajamas, standing right next to Emily.


    "What?" asked Aaron.


    "Breaking the seal will only make Emily''s condition worse. The only one who can save her is her," Aerith replied, crossing her arms.


    "What?! She''s in pain and dying. What can you expect from her?!" said Eloise.


    "Since the duration of the curse is stunted, this is the curse''s mechanism for torturing Emily. It''s unfortunate, but this is the reality. She must endure this pain," Aerith replied.


    In the middle of their conversation, Aaron received a whisper from someone in his subconscious. It was Dark Azazel.


    ''Hey, do you want to save her?'' asked Dark Azazel.


    ''Do you know something?'' Aaron asked.


    ''I know what the curse is and how to stop its torment. But let''s make a deal!


    ''Remove the shackles on my right leg, and I will release him from the torment of the curse.''

 Chapter 246 A Life and Death Stakes

    Aerith was still pointing her hand towards the sky, holding back the pir of ck light that she thought was about to cancel out the dark power of Aaron''s Dark Azazel.


    This was the first time for Eloise to witness the existence of a power beyond what she thought.


    She did not expect the healing method Aaron had performed on Emily to bring forth such a rumble of magic.


    "We have to help Aerith to¡ª"


    "No!" Aerith shouted, rejecting Eloise''s proposal.@@novelbin@@


    Eloise was shocked, as were Aldo and the rest of the Sky Sword 25th. Aerith exined why she refused Eloise and the others to help with the defense.


    "This is the power of darkness. The nature of the power of darkness is to excel over the power of light. If you help, it creates a weakness in this protective dome," Aerith exined.


    "So what can we do now?" asked Eloise.


    "Shut up and stay alert. Don''t help me!" said Aerith.


    The fellow members of the 25th Sky Sword looked at each other in a look of confusion, never having known about that information.


    It was natural for Aerith to think that they didn''t know, the power of darkness wasn''t something that could be exined in the history books of magic.


    The power of darkness was a disgrace to the people of Earth.


    That led to the little information they could find out about this power. In contrast, the inhabitants of Visiri are the exact opposite of Earth.


    They considered someone with the element of light power to be a sin ¡ªincluding the other four earth elements.


    Aerith felt the magic pressure from the ck pir of light grow stronger and stronger, causing her to fall to her knees on the floor of the sky.


    Jovani and her two aides arrived near Sky Sword 25th, they saw that Eloise could do nothing about it.


    Max arrived with his members, wondering why the intensity of the ck power was much stronger than what he had imagined.


    Jovanni was silent. He suspected that someone with a high tier mage was doing something at the Sky Sword 25th headquarters.


    "In that case, let me help the area outside the headquarters. I''m worried that this energy could affect the entire city," Eloise exined to Aerith.


    Aerith silently did not respond. That did not include helping her strengthen the dome of darkness, so Aerith did not forbid Eloise from doing that.


    The woman invited all the members of the 25th Sky Sword to leave the base to do their duties.


    They all split up and brought up thebined protective wall of the three main groups. The barrier was shaped like a wall separating the Sky Sword 25th headquarters from the city.


    In the event of an unexpected explosion, the energy st would be blocked by the wall and the city would be protected.


    Seeing Eloise fly out of the base, Jovanni and Max quickly approached Eloise. They asked Eloise about this incident, but she chose to remain silent.


    She didn''t want Emily''s curse to spread among the other groups, especially with Aaron helping her recover.


    ''I''d better not say much about this to them,'' Eloise exined.


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    "You guys just help me with this protective wall. I''ll tell you everything after this incident is over," Eloise emphasized.


    Jovanni and Max nodded. The three of them cooperated with each other to invoke the magic of the protective wall to protect the city and all the people in it.


    The residents looked up at the sky, especially at the Sky Sword 25th headquarters encased in a maroon protective dome.


    Pandemonium ensued, and they panicked and feared because the intensity of the ck pir of light was so strong.


    The other members of the three main groups were assigned to evacuate the poption. They were ordered to leave the city to the pre-prepared bunkers.


    "Don''t panic. The three leaders of the three main groups are working hard to resolve this!"


    "Line up in an orderly fashion, the city bunkers are enough to amodate the entire city''s poption."


    "Prioritize women and children. Separate them from the ranks of the men."


    Inside Emily''s room, Aaron could see that the rash on Emily''s body was starting to fade. The girl''s screams of pain had subsided leaving only a few small rashes on some parts of her body.


    The rotten smell like a carcass that was originally clearly smelled, now no longer smells in that ce.


    What Azazel said was true, the power of the ck darkness of the ring of darkness was able to withstand the suffering of the curse on Emily''s body.


    ''I''m impressed with you, Aaron. You can control the power of ck darkness well,'' Azazel praised, looking through Aaron''s eyes.


    ''The torment of this curse is likely to recur. Is there any way to stop this tormentpletely?'' Aaron asked.


    ''There is.


    ''You must sacrifice a ring of darkness for the girl to wear,'' exined Azazel.


    ''As long as she wears the ring, the torment of her curse will not recur.


    ''I don''t want to believe you, but I have no other choice. You''d better tell me the truth, Azazel!" said Aaron.


    ''I may be cruel, but I''m not a liar!''


    The channeling of ck dark energy stopped when Emily''s eyes opened. The girl said that her condition had fully recovered, no longer feeling as much pain as before.


    "Thank you for helping me, Aaron," Emily replied, her body as fit as when she woke up after a good night''s sleep.


    Aaron nodded, stopping the energy channeling and squatting down beside Emily. The rash on the girl''s body disappearedpletely, the foul odor also disappeared. She was back to being Emily as usual.


    "Thank goodness you''re okay."


    The healing using the ck darkness energy wasplete. The ck pir of light that was originally about to destroy Aerith''s maroon dome faded away on its own. Aerith could breathe a sigh of relief, she stood up straight as usual.


    "Looks like Aaron managed to recover Emily," Aerith exined.


    Not only Aerith was relieved, but the entire town felt the same way. Eloise witnessed that moment. She quickly flew back to the base and ran over to Emily''s room.


    The door to the room opened. She saw Emily sitting rxed and full ofughter while having a warm conversation with Aaron.


    The pain in her body disappeared, the foul smell was no longer there. That was a good sign for Emily''s condition.


    "Thank goodness you''ve recovered, Emily," Eloise exined.


    "This is all thanks to Aaron. If he hadn''t saved me, I might have died," Emily praised.


    Eloise turned her head to the side, staring at Aaron with both cheeks flushed red. She stepped closer to the man and surprisingly hugged Aaron, even though Aaron was still in his half-Dark Azazel form.


    "Thank you. I''m so grateful to you, Aaron," Eloise whispered, burying her face in Aaron''s chest.


    Aerith saw Aaron being hugged by Eloise. With a swift movement, Aerith arrived at the room and separated the two, keeping Eloise away from Aaron.


    "Behave normally and don''t overdo it. Do you understand?" said Aerith.


    ''Right! I forgot, Aaron loves Aerith. It was stupid of me to expect more from him,'' Eloise exined.


    "Alright. I''m sorry, I''m just touched by what Aaron has done," replied Eloise.


    Surprisingly, Aerith suddenly fell backwards in a semi-conscious state. Aaron caught Aerith''s body and checked her energy condition, her dark energy was drained a lot, her body looked transparent a lot.


    "You''re using too much dark energy in your body. You should rest," Aaron replied.


    "It''s okay, Aaron. I''m fine."


    "No, you''re not. You need to rest."


    Since Aerith couldn''t bring up the dimensional crack, Aaron had to do it. He tore through the dimensional boundary and brought up the dimensional crack.


    Aaron stepped off while carrying Aerith, he said he would return to Emily to do something.


    Aaron flew off with Aerith in his arms. He rested Aerith on his throne, useful for recovering her dark energy again.


    "Are you going to be okay?" asked Aerith.


    "Yes. There''s nothing for you to worry about anymore. I''ll just do a little thing for Emily."


    "Okay."


    Aerith closed her eyes, then fell asleep while absorbing Dark Dimension energy. That was how the woman restored her condition to normal.


    After watching Aerith fall asleep and recover her body. Aaron reopened the dimensional crack and arrived in Emily''s room.


    He needed to make sure that the torment of the curse would never appear again on Emily, it would be dangerous if Aaron was not in this city when the curse recurred.


    "Is there something you should do to Emily?" asked Eloise, sitting on Emily''s bed.


    Aaron removed the ring of darkness from the finger of his left hand. He handed it to Emily and asked her to put it on.


    When Emily put on the ring of darkness, she felt the pain again with her hand stiff and hard to move.


    Aldo came back to Emily''s room, telling Eloise that the rumbling magic had returned.


    "What? Could it be because you put the ring on Emily''s finger?" asked Eloise.


    ''What happened, Azazel?'' asked Aaron, silent in response to Eloise''s question.


    ''The girl''s body rejected the presence of the power of ck darkness. Her body can''t supply ck darkness energy to the ring,'' said Azazel.


    ''Rumbling magic appears to destroy the girl''s body!'' Azazel emphasized.


    ''What can I do about this?'' asked Aaron.


    ''Use my spear and supply arge amount of dark energy to the ring,'' said Azazel.


    ''But you have to do one thing!


    ''What?


    ''You must hold the ck pir of light with your body. Now, the stakes have risen. If you fail, both you and the girl will die!''


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