It was cold and painful. Trying to breathe felt like I was inhaling knives. After the oxygen stopped flowing my brain felt like it was on fire a and my heart slowed to a distant beat. I then lost consciousness.
The black world of nothingness was soon illuminated with a bright light. A voice penetrated my soul and sounded familiar yet I couldn't recall who was speaking.
"Are you done?" He asked. "Live by the sword, die by the sword. That used to be your way. But it can't anymore, fight and you will step into a world with limitless possibilities. Son, fight!"
My brain was losing function as the grace period between life and death was ending. Every living being had a grace period. The time when your body is protected and the soul clings to the vessel. Thanks to my body snatch, my soul was extra clingy almost at Yandere level.
Then I felt a flame enter my chest. My body jerked and air rushed into my body. My eyes sprung open and the first thing I did was look for my father. My one and only father, as I never knew who my father was during my life as Kane Forest.
My mother told me that he was just a man that she had a brief entanglement with. After three months into the pregnancy, she had a scare but everything ended well. My father then vanished after that.
Though I knew my father was long gone, I was still sad that I couldn't find him. I took a deep breath and looked to my side. Clarissa and Prax. Before I could even transmit, Prax had felt my impending death.
"Are you okay? You were down for a while," said Prax.
"Better now. Thank you, Clarissa. I would have died without you." I spoke lowly as I pushed myself to my feet. I wasn't in the mood e for much talking after kissing death. I did the best I could by using Focused Mind to compartmentalize and suppressing my emotions altogether.
With that finished, I faced the coffin and took my first step. Once the four off the nine steps, I looked closer and spotted the Japanese text that adorns the coffin.
"I am the descendant of Uhnok and reincarnation from Earth. I kneel before Prince Anon and petition thee." I read the words as they were written and the coffin rumbled. I low hum was emitted and a light beam shot between my brow causing my body to collapse.
"Not again." I thought as I appeared in my soul realm. Thanks to the changes made by the Winged Tiger God, my elemental dragons and Uhnok avatar were already present.
A moment later a man in the US Army's prink and green officer dress uniform appeared before me. He was clean-shaven with a chiseled face. though he appeared to be a white man, his curly hair and African American features were apparent.
"Boy, you're dressed funny." were his first words to me. As I appeared in my last outfit I wore on earth before my death.
"That's because it's been thousands of years on Atoria since your death and 150 years since you were last on earth," I replied.
"Hmm, is that so. Well, we don't have much time. So I'll cut to it. Atoria is a farm continent for Oscular Sect, they control the border to the dead zone --apart of the cosmic sea used as a war zone against invaders from another cosmic sea, Ungard."
"Another.."
"Just listen, do not speak!" Anon roared, "I discovered this greater world too late in life. The level system that the Atorians use is just the beginning of power. We were misinformed intentionally to keep us weak and breed talents to be picked at the discretion of sect elders. The summoning technique for heroes is how growth and diversity are stimulated.
Levels 1-100 are known as body refinement. Followed my Channel Construction, Solid State, Gas State, Plasma State, Arcane Turn, and Return to Source. However, you have no hope of achieving Channel Construction with a weak foundation.
Each level is known to give about 10 pounds of strength, Heroes call them stat points, but the cap is actually 5,000 pounds per level done right. It's even higher if you follow the path of the Warrior. The best Atorians only achieved about a few hundred pounds every level. The exceptional ones, like heroes with a good and uncorrupted system and native-borns with sacred physiques, can meet the average standards of a person in the great Cosmic Sea.
That's why my legacy is geared to change that. If you want to make it off this continent and free yourself, you must achieve Channel Construction and make it to the Oscular Sect. Once you reach level 100, people will come for you, let them."
I was stunned by the information drop. To most, it must have sounded crazy but it actually made a lot of sense to me. The Winged Tiger God and the Dragon she fought were well above level 100. The superpowers that run the continent and secrets available to highborn that are kept from the public. everything in this world felt like a conspiracy and Anon's words cleared much of the fog.
"You have a lot of work to do, boy. Behind my coffin are three legacies that lead you down the right path. Within my coffin is the heart of this tomb. Claim and you can enter and leave as you please. The library is what you make it. You have to balance out your Divine Luck somehow. My legacy is free, wealth, and weapons are free. That bank of knowledge depends on your aptitude.
I can sense the map to the dragon pool is on you. The remaining twelve maps, if your fate will lead to a similar place. But known of them is easy to claim. Especially in the Dragon Realm. There's a reason the Dragon Hunt only brings death and the number of Dragons are thriving. Go now and break the chains of fate."
In an instant, I was back into my body and I awoke again in the treasure room. Looking around, my undead soldiers were standing dormant. Clarissa and Prax had already returned to await the arrival of the Sakura's Tears.
Much time had passed, so I chose to claim the heart of the tomb first. Placing my hands on Anon's coffin, I used all my strength to push off the lid. It crashed to the floor with a big bang and the stone slab crumbled to pieces.
The next moment my system chimed.
[Host has found the Heart of the Tomb. Do you wish to claim or destroy it?]
'Claim it." I replied.
[....]
'Claim it!' I repeated after a long pause.
[...Claiming Heart of the Tomb]
[..... Host is now the master of Prince Anon's Tomb]
[Countdown to Tomb Closure has ended.]
[Tomb Layout is now available to Host]
I had acquired a fortress and all its secrets. Looking at the three obsidian crafted headstones, I shattered the first and two stone fragments hoovered in place
[Host has found fragment the Seal Fragments to the Tomb of Uhnok's Royal Family]
Reaching out, my storage ring took both of the fragments in before I shattered the next headstone. My system remained silent but my appraisal skill Identified the amber gem covered with inscriptions.
'Evolutionary Body Inscription Gem of the Demon Race: War Vessel Seed'
I was confused, I had never heard of such a thing. Though, mind, body, pill, and attack inscriptions were possible. Body and Attack Inscriptions were one-time use and never lasted long. Even the ancient inscriptions found never evolved. While Mind and Pill Inscription remained until the destruction of the pill or mind.
'System, how do I use the War Vessel Seed?' I asked.
[For the Host, it will be difficult. Ancient Demons were tyrannical mostly due to Vessel Seeds. One of the requirements to refine the seed, regardless of gender, is virginity. The first energy production conception is the sacred masculine and sacred feminine. They form as Yin and Yang Cores and can be a second mana reserve with the right technique. ]
'To the point, please.'
[As you wish. Since the Yin and Yang Core is made of the source energy the jumpstart your creation, the Vessel Seed must be assimilated in refined as one with your Yang Core to change the very fabric of your vessel]
'Haiz! How the hell do I become a version again?'
[A superior pool connected to a Primary or special element Vein. Or Host can reach level two and purchase a technique from the system shop.]
'Alright, that's enough.'
I stored the gem and moved on to the last headstone. Once it shattered a beautiful flying broadsword appeared with bright purple radiance. Its grip was around 14inches long and the blade neared 50 inches long and 10 inches wide. It was absent a crossguard. Instead, there was a circle piece etched with runes and a handgrip on the inner circle that connect the blade to the handle.
In front of the blade was a simple book that was Identified as the Warlord Sutra of Yama. How it compared to the Sword King Sutra I had no idea. But I had an inclination that it was complete and could establish a better foundation.
However, I was proud of what the Sword King Sutra offered and decided to study them both. Looking at the purple radiant sword, it was identified as 'Violet Shard of Heaven'. Placing them both in my storage ring, I willed the doors of the tomb shut and returned to the garden.
"Oh, my beauties!" I sang, "All of you look well-rested and refreshed."
"Where's Thantos?" Prax asked. She was curious since she didn't see him amongst my undead army in the Core Chamber.
"Crushed by a booby trap," I replied.
"You couldn't sense it?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I needed what the booby trap was guarding," I replied and Prax gave me an understanding hum.
"Did you find anything good, master?" Rema asked.
"This master is not useless. And neither is my ancestor. For once, a legacy was reserve solely for the descendants. the moment the guards entered. They died and I turned them into soldiers to finish off the eighth prince. This tomb now belongs to us and we will use it to retrain ourselves properly."
"What do you mean retrain?" Nyx asked.
"We're going to destroy our levels and retrain the right way. When we do this, we will be unmatched on this continent." I explained with healthy charisma.
"Isn't that a bit risky, we have a raid coming up in three days," said Prax.
"So, we'll do it when we return. After the raid, Gniqee is sure to become the successor of Master Shaman Nox. She'll have to leave the Yordal and we will return here to train with all of the resources provided by Prince Anon."
"What about our forces?" asked Gigsa.
"Disband them. Too expensive. Once we leave this place after our training, they'll only be dead weight. Besides, many foreigners will be hunting us real soon. We're basically hiding and moving a force across the Rocklands will draw attention."
"So what do we do know?" Prax asked.
"We leave. We return to the Yordal. We get our affairs in order and prepare for a raid."
My beauties exchanged looks and I could feel their anxiety through the slave mark. Level destruction was dangerous, especially for Sahyia, Rema, Prax, and Phele. They were the oldest of my beauties and destroying levels at their age meant suicide. Unlike young people, their cultivation speed would be much slower, and combating age will be harder.
Their anxiety was understandable, but with the strength, they were about to receive, I had a few plans to make sure that we all ascended in one piece with one hundred present of our youthful beauty.
All I could do for now is order them under the authority of the slave seal. We soon left the Tomb and made our way back to the Yordal.
Meanwhile, words rippled across the continent about three figures. The first being the missing Ghoul Princess, Rema of Vathek. The second was the missing daughter of Amazonian Commander General and the wife of the Amazonian Border General, Sahyia of House Kali. The third person was naturally their master, me, Kane Uhn.
We had gained enemies and pursuers like bees collect pollen. The Beast Kingdom wanted us dead. Rema's fiance turned out to be the young lord of the second strongest family in the Ghoul Empire. He wanted to rescue her and kill me. Sahyia's husband and mother wanted to kill us both. The remaining kingdoms wanted me dead because I appeared to be a conqueror of highborn beauties and didn't fear slaying Princes.
Naturally, they feared for their wives, daughters, sisters, mothers, and mistresses. Little did they know that these beauties just happened to fall in my lap. Actively collect would cost more effort than I care to put out for a bedmate.
But this little ripple of hostility made me even more curious about my beauties. How they came to be slaves, how long had they been slaves, their life before, and the possibility of returning home and collecting inheritance? No such thing as enough money and resources. Especially if I planned to enter the Uhnok Royal Family. I'll need a backing and a force bigger than my eight slaves.
As far as our raiding parties, even if we disband them, they're still in Gor Uhn's Yordal and I had his support, for now. You know old monsters like to be playful even though their generation's spotlight had long passed.