After a week of no activity from the mayor people started growing restless and some even panicked.
The mayor was a deterrent for wild creatures that would hunt the town and the soldiers occasionally killed them to keep the population in check.
Now, however, people started disappearing and hunters don't even go out anymore.
On the 8th day of absence, a brave man entered the mansion only to be greeted by corpses and blood splattered all over the walls and floor.
He panicked and fled the scene immediately.
Upon telling the others what he saw more people came and inspected the building.
...
In a cellar under the mansion sat cross-legged a youth.
With his eyes closed and a calm aura around he looked to be dead than alive.
The people who were held in here did not dare utter a single sound after the last one who tried got his head smashed through the wall.
Suddenly a deathly aura enveloped the whole zone and every living being died instantly.
No blood was drawn nor were there wounds on the bodies.
Their souls were instantly eaten.
...
I open my eyes and take a deep breath.
After a second I exhale a black smoke that pierced through the bars and melted the walls and steel.
Getting up and checking my overall strength made me realize how limiting was my previous state.
Now that I achieved my first sublimation I should be able to practice magic.
Or at least what these people call energy manipulation.
A bright flame appears in my palm and I start to mold it in different shapes and sizes.
I understood how primitive the techniques were.
Only allowing me to use base elements like fire, earth, water, air, and a simplified version of yin and yang.
Perking my ears I was able to notice long ago the activity upstairs but chose to ignore it since it wouldn't matter.
This place will become a barren land soon enough so I should go into a bigger city.
...
After another week, a pair of enforcers came from the capital.
Upon understanding the situation clearly from the townsfolk the men went into the mansion and investigated everything.
When they found the corpse of the mayor their faces turned dark and a deathly aura began to permeate the room.
When they began to notice something, however, it was too late as everything turned white, and an incredibly loud sound was heard.
...
As I was calmly walking a sound wave came and shook the whole area.
The trees almost collapsed due to the shock and the animals were thrown around the place.
A large amount of dust went up in the air as I looked behind and noticed a huge mushroom cloud in the distance.
Knowing this place will become a gathering of experts sooner or later I immediately speed up my advance and left behind only short images.
After a day of traveling at incredible speeds, I arrived at the imperial capital.
From what I gathered from that guy's memories here is the second most important city of the empire.
The first is the academic megalopolis.
I decided that going here first will make my advancement a little faster and prevent me from meeting some monster at level 80 or something.
I just advanced to level 10 and I don't want an encounter this soon.
Later when I finally begin to gain access to laws...then I will be able to mold this place to my liking.
With this thought in mind, I steadily advanced toward my goal.
...
Looking around the city I understood that this place was more closer to modern technology than other smaller towns.
With more advanced housing and some magical alternatives to modern tools, this place looked to be slowly advancing toward technology that would enable them to perform interstellar travel.
I made m way towards an inn and settled there for the next few months so I could absorb and practice the breathing technique as much as possible.
...
2 years later a man could be seen walking through the busy streets.
His steps are steady and with a strong aura around allowing him to walk unhindered toward an imposing building.
After he went through the door and approached a counter a female elf slave greeted him in a neutral voice.
This place respected the strong and owning slaves was very normal and the slavery markets always had customers.
This slave in particular was a influential figure in their respective tribe, but after she was captured and her male compatriots all executed she became emotionless with time.
I greeted her and gave the best cores I gathered this month.
After a short while, she gave me my hunter card back and bid me farewell.
Normally when one would see such a sight they would become compassionate and try to save the poor slave.
In the future, some might even write stories about such endeavors.
What a shame that no one below level 40 would even be able to lift a finger before their body would be burned to dust in seconds.
If at my current level, with a more precise blueprint, I can make a small-scale warhead, imagine what someone at level 40 could do.
Remembering what I thought made my skin shiver.
A difference in 2,3 or even 5 levels might be manageable but a difference in sublimations could not be surpassed.
Each time one would pass the 10-level milestone like 10,20,30 and so on a sublimation would occur that would multiply the individual's power by 10,20,30 and so on.
That's why you would be courting death by provoking a higher leveled being.
Especially those above level 100...
Arriving at my inn got me out of the daydreaming and brought me back to reality.