"Is there a quota on how many core students there can be?" Lex asked curiously.
"No, there's no quota. But there's only so many things you can do that count towards getting you a spot as a core student that are as 'easy' as taking control of a Minor realm. There will be a lot of Minor realms, and the fight for the focal point for each of them will be intense. We are probably the first ones to actually reach a focal point, all thanks to you and Patrick sensing the energy signatures. Most others will probably spend weeks scouring the realms for it."
He paused for a moment, looked at Lex, then continued.
"The real prize Cwenhild is after is not this Minor realm, despite how valuable it is. It's the admission into the core of the academy. And when she becomes a member, she can nominate 5 people to come along with her. They won't be core members themselves, but they'll still be better than normal students."
Realization dawned on Lex, and he understood now why Jovi had asked about his relationship with Cwenhild. He probably also understood the animosity Bearin had towards him. The group was full of competitors, and everyone wanted to be the one Cwenhild nominated.
"What actually happens when you become a core disciple?" Lex asked curiously. If the benefits were worth it, he would consider it as well. After all, he had plans on absorbing energy from the other Minor realms, anyway. He didn't mind claiming one if the benefits were worth it. He'd also thought of claiming the Minor realms for himself if possible, but if that opportunity arose, he'd already thought of an alternative that suited him more.
"What happens once you've become a core student is a closely guarded matter. Cwenhild may know a bit, but mostly it is kept secret. What is commonly known, however, is that every student who enters goes through explosive growth. Butโฆ most importantlyโฆ almost 30% of core studentsโฆ end up becoming Immortals."
Jovi became out of breath as he said the last sentence, and his eyes widened with longing. Even Lex paused his thoughts, then shook his head. Higher realms were not his focus right now. He needed energy, and that's where his focus lay.
The process of taking control of the focal point was not quick, and it actually took a few hours before Cwenhild finished. As unfortunate as it was, as soon as she did, she ended up absorbing all the accumulated energy. Somehow, the loss of the energy hurt Lex more than the severe burns on his chest and the poison still coursing through his veins.
With the realm under her control now, the blue flame died out. But instead of the realm falling into darkness, an orb of gentle yellow light appeared in the sky, illuminating the lands.
She did not pay attention to the change in lighting and instead the first thing Cwenhild did was give Lex a complicated look full of wonder, gratitude and admiration.
"It's done, the Minor realm is under my control. I'll take you all back to get treated, and then we can discuss payment and the next steps after everyone is healed. But first, let's get rid of all those treasure hunters snooping around my new realm."
๐๐ช๐๐โฏ๐๐น.๐ธ๐ฐ๐
No one protested, for everyone needed medical aid, but they all looked at one another with complicated eyes. Lex especially received the most looks of envy and jealousy.
Cwenhild placed a hand on top of the dish in which the fire was lit and, after a moment, let out a sigh of relief.
"It's done, and the timing couldn't be better. Some people were actually trying to break the barrier to the sleeping Crystals. Anyway, let's get out of here."
Instead of a portal opening up for them to walk though, like last time, Lex was directly with the strange yet familiar feeling of the disconnect between his body and his consciousness. But having already experienced it once, Lex handled it like a pro.
A moment later, he was back in the familiar setting of Cwenhild's apartment. A team of doctors and emergency responders were already waiting for them and quickly swarmed the group.
Those who were in the worst conditions were immediately taken away while the slightly less injured were given support while the doctors examined them directly where they stood. While Lex could also use medical attention, there was something slightly more urgent to take care of.
Under the horrified gaze of the doctor who was looking at the massive cauterized wounds on Lex's chest, he signaled Cwenhild to meet him on the side.
"How are you doing?" she asked, now that she could better see his condition. The nonchalance on his face earlier had fooled her into thinking he took on no injuries, but seeing the fact that he had simply been ignoring his wounds worried her. From their voice to their ridiculous strength to the poisonous slime, everything about Kraven was designed to kill. In a way, surviving with injuries was more impressive than not getting injured at all.
"I have a request, a favor and business proposition for you," Lex said, after considering his words.
"I'll start with the request. I'd like to replace my payment with the crown you're carrying." pan(da-n0vel.c)om
"This?" Cwenhild asked, holding up the crown that had been hung around her waist, surprised. They'd had the crown for many days, which had given her plenty of time to experiment with it, but she had discovered nothing special. She'd even worn it, and besides acting as a beautiful headpiece, it seemed to offer nothing else.
"Do you know what it does?"
"I know a little about it," Lex said, without elaborating.
Cwenhild shrugged and handed it over without much consideration. As valuable as it might be, it could not compete with the hundreds of actual sleeping Crystals in her realm, and Lex had helped tremendously. He more than earned it.
"Take it as a bonus for beating the Kraven on your own, and expect your payment in full. We cooperated well. I hope we'll be able to do so again in the future/"
"Much appreciated," he said without being pedantic. "Now, for the request. As you know, I still plan on visiting other Minor realms, but I don't want to waste too much time healing. At the same time, I can't afford to go if I'm not in top condition. I need to speed up my recovery as much as possible, and I'm guessing you'd have access to better facilities than anywhere else. If you could help me out, I'd greatly appreciate it."
"Consider it done," Cwenhild said. Even if she didn't believe Lex was her half brother, he had proved himself extremely valuable and she would have wanted to maintain an excellent relationship with him. If she could use something as simple as resources to win over his favor, she'd consider it a bargain. "But it still won't be a miraculous recovery. First the doctors will need to check your condition to figure out the extent of your injuries, and based on that, we can move forward."
"Not a problem. Finally, the business proposal. So I was thinkingโฆ"
As Lex explained his plan to her, she gave him a befuddled look, which then fluctuated between absolute disgust and amazement. If he could pull off what he was thinking, it would be the most broken way to earn money she had ever encountered. She had to be a part of this.
*****
Osaka, Japan, Earth
Souta Ito slowly wiped the blood from his Katana, ignoring the dozens of dismembered bodies around him. A faint smell of death had begun to envelope the area, but the coming storm clouds should wash away the stain of his sins.
In the distance, a crowd had gathered as they watched, horrified but at the same time, numbed.
For a time, while the Council of New Order ruled Earth, Souta had purged Japan of all external influence, and taken control. The fact that every time he overcame an obstacle, or killed a strong opponent, his system would give him generous rewards was in fact just a bonus to him.
The people of Japan had long since become used to his ruthlessness and brutality. Most looked at him with disgust and hate, though they did their best to hide it. Some formed a zealous cult, worshiping his actions of bringing Japan back to its roots. What no one knew was that, deep inside, this was not what he wanted.
Souta had lived a simple life before receiving the Samurai system, and lived in a small town. His ambitions extended as far as retiring his parents and starting a family, and nothing more. When he received his system, instead of glory and wonder, it brought him hell. The reason was simple.
The Samurai system made him incredibly strong, and as a system that directly increased his strength and combat abilities, made it so that there was no danger he could not face. But it came with one great flaw. In the old days, samurais were retainers under their feudal lords. Similarly now, as a Samurai, his system made him unquestionably loyal to his 'feudal lord'. Unfortunately, through a twist of fate, he had pledged his loyalty to an extremely ambitious man who, while ignorant of the system, understood full well how to take advantage of Souta's strength.
This man, who went only by the name Suzuki, had tasted the power of ruling, before Fernanda retook control of the Earth and stabilized everything. Now though, he spent all his time venting his anger on the weak, through Souta, of course.
"Come Souta," the extremely well dressed man said as he walked away from the bloody scene, even less bothered by the surrounding gore. "We have a new commission - someone named Larry who's been hiding at the Midnight Inn. For now though, we'll only collect information on the target. I've heard security is very tight at the Inn."
Souta said nothing, and followed Suzuki, his expression indifferent. He had learned to hide his emotions from his lord. Until he found a way to regain his freedom from this cursed system, he needed to hide as much as he could.
Lex sat cross-legged, wearing an oxygen mask in a tube of a viscous green liquid. His recovery was a lot slower this time around, considering the fact that the Lotus on his back wasn't helping. In the first place, it had helped last time due to a misunderstanding and Lex didn't want to ask it for help again unless the situation was dire. Thus, he was stuck at the mercy of this healing liquid.
The greatest obstacle to his recovery was the poison in his blood. As he expected, his body was very resistant to the effects of the poison, but resistant was not the same as immune. Fortunately, if there was one thing that humans were well prepared for, it was anything related to Kravens.
The green liquid was not exactly comfortable to sit in and caused Lex's body to itch all over. But, for the sake of a swift recovery, he bore the inconvenience in silence, and instead turned his attention towards the Inn.
The first stage of Lady Cosmos finally ended, and a mere 400,000 contestants would move onto the next stage. This phase of the competition was filled with trials that contestants had to complete in small teams. Lex had given Mary 5 million MP to help Audrey form any kind of trials she wanted, and a short glance at the venue showed them clearing some kind of life-sized maze that required ingenuity and teamwork.
The size of the audience for Lady Cosmos had not decreased with the number of contestants, but had rather increased vastly. For the first time, Lex noticed a couple of Earth Immortals amongst his guests at the Inn. They were not mixed in with the crowd, but rented entire small villages and stayed there with their followers.
They could not be considered his average guests, but he needed to upgrade the Inn to better cater to them as well.
Another aspect of the Inn he was concerned about was security. Things had finally stabilized. This did not mean that there were no incidents, but that the frequency of incidents stabilized and that the hired security was working well with the Inns own security to handle things smoothly. In fact, it was while he was monitoring his guards that he noticed something strange.
One of the Security rooms functions was picking up on malicious intent, either towards the Inn or even its guests. This feature allowed them to often prevent an incident from taking place and was one of the main reasons that the Inn had managed to keep the peace. After all, more than once, a guest had approached one of the contestants from Lady Cosmos with the intention to harass or blackmail, and they had been dealt with swiftly.
It was this feature that picked up a certain pair spying on Larry, with the intention of collecting information on him, and harming him once he left the Inn. Since they had done nothing wrong, they were not punished, but Chad, Gerards deputy, sent a few guards their way to 'advise' them to honor their guests' privacy.
This was very routine, and Lex would have forgotten the incident the moment he looked away, but while he was scanning them, he saw something that he had actually forgotten about. Of the pair, one had an unusual status.
Name: *&%error%&*
Age: *&%error%&*
Sex: *&%error%&*
Cultivation Details: *&%error%&*
Midnight Inn Prestige Level: 1
Remarks: This man is pouting with his eyes. Maybe some Saturn cake will cheer him up - and form an addiction that will keep him coming back for more!
Lex frowned as he recalled the last few times he had seen an error message with his scan. First was his unofficial employee, John, and second was the Celestial, who was his bodyguard. They had been enigmatic figures with a mysterious past and unknown origin, so he would understand it if there was something unusual about them that eluded the system. After all, the system had proven that it was not perfect, and there were many loopholes in its functionality. pan(da-n0vel.c)om
But Lex had seen enough anime to recognize Japanese when he heard it, even if it was automatically being translated for him. So now the question was, what did these three have in common that could elude the systems scan? Or did they each have separate reasons for avoiding the scans results?
"Mary, I want you to keep a close eye on that guest," he said, pointing towards Souta. "I want you to collect all the information on him and save it for me. While you're at it, compile all the information we have on John, as well as my bodyguard, during the Midnight Games."
Lex made a mental note to consider the cause before turning his attention to other matters. The group of workers he'd hired earlier to plan and design the village had submitted their first report, and Lex took a look at it.
They had proposed many additions to the village, but had also suggested some changes to the already existing design as well. They studied areas with highest and lowest density of guests and tracked their movements, as well as analyzed why those were more or less popular areas for guests.
๐๐๐๐ป๐๐๐ญ.๐๐ค๐ข
Things such as attractions, restaurants, parks, and residential areas were generally high density areas, but some were more than others. The reason was the easier flow of traffic. All of Lex's designs had an air of Earth about them, but the best or most common forms of traffic flow were not necessarily the best for other demographics.
The plan they proposed was only the first step in overhauling the entire village - this being only the first because they wanted to study how the changes affected the flow and distribution of guests.
The first change was a major one. Lex, in his pursuit to make the village seem as if it had grown and expanded organically, had placed the various districts slightly haphazardly. The planners proposed small but significant alterations that would make it easier to have a network of roads and paths connected to each area, while at the same time organizing each area into smaller sub-districts.
Furthermore, rather than tile walking paths or usual roads, different species of grass were used to mark different paths. A network of canals was also added alongside these roads in many districts, linking them to the underwater portion of the village.
Moreover, transport through only subways or golf carts and such was also distinctly Earth like, and entirely unnecessary. All transport vehicles were designated an aerial level, and would not obstruct the crowds on the ground. From various silent pods, to booths on ground that would levitate once occupied, to entire small tram like cabins became the main mode of transport. Not only were they extremely quick and silent, through clever use of formations, the level at which all of these vehicles would be traveling became almost invisible, revealing their existence only when focused on.
The random clutter of the city suddenly seemed to take on a more organized look and feel. The massive features of the village, such as the colosseum or giant pagoda, were no longer intrusions, but rather attractions, becoming sufficiently distanced from residential and recreational areas.
Impressed by the detail of their proposal, Lex decided to implement all of it, the complete changes only costing him 3 million MP. Considering the fact that Lex now had 1.1 billion MP, he considered it pocket change.
Next, he looked at the changes they suggested for the floating portion of the village. They believed that keeping the floating portion stationary was a waste, and proposed to turn it into an independent district of the village that could move through the air over the village. Not only that, the floating village would play an integral role in controlling the climate of the village down below.
They replaced the former method of arrival to the floating village and instead created a few terminals through which guests would be brought or taken away. They also reduced the use of glass, and instead added greater elements of nature, making it seem like a paradise, hiding in the clouds.
All kinds of birds made their homes here, so an orchard was also added which would become the designated spot for wildlife.
Lex once again approved all the suggestions without any alterations and, with a snap of his fingers, the system started implementing the changes. The guests were initially alarmed, but then watched in awe as the village moved around them, improving right under their eyes.
The frequent guests took the changes in their stride, but the millions of new guests observed in awe. Some of the workers revealed that this was the work of the enigmatic Innkeeper that none of them had seen, and they all began to wonder what kind of a figure this Innkeeper was. The Immortals especially were alarmed. It was not everyday they encountered a sight that could amaze them.
It took nearly eight hours for the poison to be cleansed from Lex's body. He wasn't completely healed by the time that was done, but he was well enough that he exited the tube to complete some of his other tasks. During this previous expedition, though he had a sword, he had not ended up using it even once. He had practiced using it a little, but the matter of fact was that he was nowhere near competent enough to use it skillfully.
Heck, he had only been a cultivator less than a year, or a little more - he had lost track of time - but he had been so busy during that time that something like training methodically and systematically was impossible. He had gotten better with his gun, but only because his enhanced senses made using it simple. The amount of time he had trained was miniscule.
As such, for now at least, carrying such a weapon was not feasible for him. Perhaps later, when he had the time to train, he would come back to it. Now, though, he decided to go even simpler.
He made his way to the weaponsmith who he previously used to work for and used his newfound wealth to purchase a pair of black gloves. Other than providing basic protection for his hands, the gloves provided him with a series of benefits due to their enchantments. The gloves conducted spiritual energy, and so would not get in the way of his array casting, while another enchantment would stabilize his hands and fingers to help his precision while drawing characters.
It also had a simple yet powerful shockwave ability. Lex could store spiritual energy into it and activate it while hitting something to launch the shockwaves.
He also bought new armor and gear. He no longer lived with the delusion that either the armor or gear would serve him for long, so he went for items with greater immediate benefits rather than that could serve him long term. After all, it was all too common for him to lose or break whatever gear he had. He still couldn't get over the loss of his Fancy Monocle.
With that done, he returned to Cwenhild. While he was recovering, she had submitted the report of her success, as well as the numerous sleeping Crystals in her new realm. Even the admin for the academy had been startled by the news. An investigation was ongoing and this would most likely turn into a bargaining chip for the academy with the Crystal race. It was not easy to earn their favor, and so they would be sure to make the best use of this opportunity.
Suffice to say, once her realm was thoroughly explored, and the scope of her situation was understood, Cwenhild would be appropriately rewarded. Entrance into the core of the academy was all but guaranteed for her at this point.
Of course, she had also silently and secretly sent information about this event to her mother. Who knew, maybe this could prompt the woman to even come back to the academy, which was something Cwenhild would have enjoyed. After all, there were certain things she could only do with her mother around. Cwenhilds ambitions were no less than her mothers.
Of course, none of that had anything to do with Lex. What he was after was something else entirely.
"This is the list of Minor realms with Foundation realm only designations," Cwenhild said, as she handed Lex a list. "A detailed report of what's happening inside is hard to get, as currently the only source of information is the students who have left. There is one, however, that I think fits your criteria well, though I personally am not so sure about it.
"It has the highest chances that no one has gotten even close to figuring out where the focal point is because the realm is overrun by Imps. And when I say overrun, I'm being modest. Tens of thousands of imps occupy this realm, all part of various warring clans that, I assume usually fight each other, but as soon as the students appeared they all attacked them immediately. There have been dozens of casualties confirmed, with hundreds of missing students, presumed dead or captured. There's a massive battle that's been going on for the past few hours between students and thousands of imps. It is by far the most chaotic realm so far."
"Ah such terrible news, so many innocent students coming to harm. I suppose it is my responsibility to go and end their suffering by taking over the realm and ejecting them from whatever prisons the imps have kept them in."
Cwenhild gave him a bland look, as if she was not at all impressed by his humor.
Lex chuckled and said, "Don't worry, just have a buyer ready for me by the time I come back. You're sure there are no reports of Kravens in the realm? Or any other Golden core creatures?"
"No, that Kraven was an anomaly that the academy is looking into. Such a thing should not happen. As for other Golden core creatures, that's entirely possible. In such matters, as long as the disadvantage is not overwhelming, the academy does not interfere. But Lex, are you really sure you want to do this alone? You've experienced firsthand how difficult it was to claim a realm."
"Don't worry. Even if I can't get this one, I'm sure I can manage at least one. As for going alone, I think it's for the best. No one will be looking for or expecting a lone person to take a realm. Besides, if I don't need to worry about warning others about danger all the time, and only have to look after myself, I'll be much faster." pan(da-n0vel.c)om
Cwenhild did not argue. She did not believe in being pedantic, and showing concern for his wellbeing once was already uncharacteristic for her usual self. Besides, Lex's business proposal of capturing realms, and then instead of reporting it to the academy, selling them to students who are pursuing the core of the academy was an extremely... lucrative idea. It was madness to be honest. Who would value money over getting to the core of the academy? Lex apparently. If anything, it seemed he thought of it as an inconvenience to avoid.
She shook her head and then signaled one of her attendants. An academy administrator came into the room and, after being informed of which one, opened a portal for Lex to the realm. By going to the realms from Cwenhilds apartment instead of the public entrances, they could better hide their movements. After all, if the academy registered the achievement of claiming a realm under Lex's name, the value of selling the realm would diminish drastically.
Lex was all too familiar with the sensation of passing through a portal by now and took it in his stride. He was looking forward to the next few days. He had been planning on going to Minor realms in search of energy reserves anyway, but now he could gain double the benefits.
The moment he arrived in the Minor realm, however, a massive hammer the size of a car door smashed him directly in the face. It happened too fast for him to even sense, let alone dodge.
His body was thrown in the air but the disorientation lasted only a moment, and he gathered himself before he even landed. He didn't even need to glance around to realize that he had arrived right in the middle of a massive battle.
Lex crashed into a few imps and while the force of the crash severely damaged them, Lex quickly hopped onto his feet to look around. Hundreds of students were fighting against thousands of imps, as well as trolls.
Lex was already familiar with these two races, as he had studied them in his classes. Imps and trolls were both humanoid creatures, but drastically different in size. Imps were usually around 3 feet (0.9 meters) in size, and were feral creatures with only basic intelligence. They were, however, feral in nature and carriers of various diseases. Trolls were usually anywhere between 8 to 12 feet (2.4 - 3.7 meters) in size and were even dumber, making them easily manipulated by the imps. They boasted mild immunity to spiritual energy and great physical strength.
Still, the academy students were not pushovers and the numerical disadvantage did not deter them.
Yet the fight was a wild skirmish, with each doing whatever they saw fit, which only served to increase the chaos.
Lex paid no attention to any of that, though. Masterfully dodging any attacks coming his way, he rubbed his nose that had taken the brunt of that hammer, and waited for the Lotus to tell him about any nearby energy reserves.
He was not disappointed, and as soon as he got a direction, he used Hearts marathon to bolster his speed and ran off. The one thing he had learnt while helping Cwenhild was that, as long as he only faced those in the Foundation realm, he had little to fear. That's what gave him his confidence in trying to claim multiple realms. Now, he had to put his skills to the test.
๐ญ๐๐๐ณโฏ๐๐.๐ธโด๐ฎ
*****
Origin realm, Pendal Galactic Battlefront
Ragnar's command carrier did not alter its paths as it tore through asteroids bigger than Earth, though it had begun to slow down. Six other command carriers were stationed on the border of this battlefront; a void without any stars, let alone star systems and planets. Only an endless field of rocks and desolation as far as the eye could see, with no indication of what this region had once been.
This would be the first time, in a long time, that Ragnar would face an enemy other than demons. But just as that was a war he had to face, so too was this. But, unlike the clash humans had against Devils, which was personal, this battlefield was one they were obligated to fight in, so long as they took advantage of the Henali conventions.
Somewhere else in the command carrier, a tired Alexander looked out into space. The former golden child of destiny was now naught but an exhausted soldier. Yet, hidden deep in his eyes was a fire that burned brighter than the stars. So long as he was alive, the universe had not beaten him.