"No need."
Max observed a little before the AI warned, "Prolonged access increases the risk of detection. Do you wish to continue?"
Max nodded, impressed by the AI's caution. "No, let's not push our luck. Disconnect."
.....
Max's flight slowed as he found himself deep in thought, gripping the super phone tightly. It was time to stop testing for fun and start using the device for something truly meaningful.
He hovered over a stretch of dense forest, the phone's dark screen shimmering faintly as if waiting for him to speak. "AI, look for the Hive Mind Project, specifically the term 'invitation'.
Also check for ash crow's Evolution routes. " spoke Max, his voice serious.
Max was looking for any reference to the keyword 'invitation.' That term was the reason Max deliberately prevented his crows from attempting to reach the perfected proficiency level in the psychic link skill.
Max knew a thing or two about it, but he wasn't entirely sure it even existed, let alone how to achieve it, since the perfected effects gained can be too random.
Then there was his ash crows evolution. Although some Evolution routes can be directly bought by money, but he wanted to see if he can find any secretive Evolution routes.
But both the government and zero-wing were entities Max viewed with intense caution.
"AI," Max said carefully, "I need you to tread lightly. Stay hidden. I can't risk alerting anyone to these searches."
He wasn't worried about the phone itself being traced. According to Xrak, the phone was impossible to track. However, the possibility that they might discover a hacking attempt and label him as some super hacker that was another matter entirely.
If the government decided to pursue him as a dangerous enemy or a valuable recruiting target even by force, they could resort to mystical techniques or other means to track him down. That wasn't a risk he was willing to take, not for the time being.
The synthetic voice of the AI chimed in with its calm efficiency. "Acknowledged. Initiating covert searches. Compiling data from distributed nodes to minimize detection risk."
Max hovered silently as the phone worked, the wind rushing past him. Minutes later, a notification popped up.
"Report ready. This is the maximum data retrievable without triggering external alerts."
Max skimmed through the information, his eyes narrowing at the contents. There were the information about the Hive Mind Project that he already knew, just more organized and detailed.
The term 'invitation' surfaced in his findings, described as a rare perfected effect, allowing a pet to invite another pet into the hive mind after it formed, on the condition that the invited pet also possessed the psychic link skill.
It was further noted that this effect couldn't be achieved without specific lab handling, but it didn't explain what those processes were.
Max already knew this much, more or less.
Max shook away his disappointment as He moved on to the ash crows' evolution roots.
The AI had uncovered evolution routes that were so rare they would normally be impossible to obtain without exorbitant costs.
Still nothing secretive, maybe some of those wouldn't be sold to outsiders, but at least they were well known.
Max was very satisfied. In simple words, this phone will solve all of his technology related problems and more without much effort.
Max scrolled down, finding a warning at the very end of the report.
"Limit reached. Further probing will alert monitored networks. Do you wish to proceed?"
"No." Max dismissed the notification. "Don't push it."
He tapped the edge of the phone, his mind racing. The information he'd gleaned was useful, but not enough.
"AI," he said, "is it possible to stay completely hidden if I provide you direct access to one of their computers? I'm talking physical access, direct infiltration."
The phone hummed softly before responding. "Affirmative. Direct access will allow us to bypass external surveillance layers. This approach ensures maximum anonymity."
Max exhaled. His simple, almost brain dead plan for Kain-city might just work without a single problem.
"Good," he said finally, the faintest hint of a smile forming on his lips. "I'll make arrangements for that later. For now, let's keep things subtle."
The phone's screen dimmed slightly as the AI acknowledged his command, and Max shot forward, the wind roaring past him as he left the dense forest behind.
Max soared through the open skies, his eyes glued to the shimmering black screen of his super phone. The wind roared around him, but he was entirely immersed, scrolling through the detailed report from the AI. He was completely focused and the sound isolation function helped a lot.
On the device, there was a small map in the corner with a navigation line glowing faintly, marking his destination.
Max told the AI to alert him if he veered off-course! or reached the location. It allowed him to read peacefully without worrying about navigation.
........
Far below, on the ground, a young man sprinted through a vast field. His sharp features and confident demeanor made him seem like the type of protagonist one might find in a heroic tale. A glint of determination sparkled in his eyes as he heard a sudden crack in the sky.
Looking up, he spotted a figure.
It was a woman suspended high above the earth. Her hair whipped wildly in the wind as she plummeted through the sky. It was clear she'd used some teleportation device or something similar, but it had gone wrong, landing her in this precarious position.
The young man didn't hesitate. "Buffalo! Over here!" he shouted, summoning his D-rank summon.
A large, bulky creature with thick fur and a gentle demeanor thundered toward him.
"We'll cushion her fall. She can land on you safely," he muttered to himself, sprinting toward the spot he judge to be her landing location.
He clenched his fists, his heart pounding at the thought of saving someone so beautiful.
But as he approached, something caught his eye. High above, another figure was streaking through the air at an astonishing speed, effortlessly slicing through the wind.
The young man froze, recognizing the man in flight as a passing powerhouse.
Max looked utterly indifferent, his dark figure cutting through the sky like a phantom. His trajectory perfectly aligned with the falling woman's.
The young man slowed to a stop, his shoulders sagging. "Of course," he muttered bitterly, frustration twisting his expression. "Someone like him would swoop in and save her effortlessly."
He planted his feet and chose to observe instead, convinced that this mysterious, powerful flier would steal the moment from him.
...
The woman's heart pounded in terror as the ground raced toward her. She had no means to fly or slow her fall, her mind spinning with fear and regret. Her wide, expressive eyes locked onto Max as he approached at an insane velocity.
In her panicked state, she latched onto the hope that this striking figure, flying with such ease, was her savior. He looked every bit the hero, focused and composed, as though he'd come to rescue her from certain death. Relief washed over her face.
..... …..
Max, meanwhile, remained oblivious. His gaze didn't leave his phone for even a moment, his mind wholly absorbed in the details of his report. The woman's cries, the wind rushing past her, the young man below watching intently—none of it registered to him.
As their paths intersected, Max's instincts flared. Without thought, he veered slightly to the side, narrowly dodging the woman's falling form. The motion was reflexive, smooth, and utterly indifferent.
The woman's relief twisted into horror as she passed him. Their eyes met briefly, Max's expression impassive and cold as he gave her a quick glance. Then, without a second thought, he resumed his flight, speeding onward as though nothing had happened.
.....
The young man below was struck speechless. His jaw hung open as he processed what had just unfolded. "Did... did he just dodge her?" he whispered, disbelief flooding his voice.
"ahhhhhhhhhhhh."
Reality set in as the woman's screams filled the air. The ground shook slightly as her body hit the earth with a sickening thud. A heavy silence followed, only the sound of wind remaining.
Thud!
The young man's legs trembled, his mind racing. He had stopped moving earlier, fully expecting Max to save her. Now, guilt and shame warred within him. He glanced around nervously.
"I can't stay here," he muttered, backing away. "If anyone sees me, they might think it's my fault…"
He turned and bolted, his Buffalo following closely behind. As he ran, bitterness churned in his chest. "If only I'd acted faster," he muttered angrily, the image of the falling woman burned into his mind. "That could've been my moment…"
....
Above, Max remained unfazed, his mind solely focused on his phone. A faint notification chimed, alerting him to his progress. Without a second thought, he adjusted his course slightly, his destination drawing closer as the skies stretched endlessly before him.
.......
As Max left the scene far behind, a strange group appeared there.
Varun teleported next to his niece's body, his mage subordinates trailing behind him. His eyes scanned the scene, a strange, almost amused glint in his gaze. "Well, well... this is a twist."
One of his mages, a silver-haired woman, scratched her head. "Lord Varun, we were sure she'd escape after stealing the artifact. She even called it 'evil' and teleported away, saying something like she was 'too pure for this darkness.'"
Varun chuckled darkly. "Yes, yes, I remember. But now she's dead."
"Did she forget to cast the 'don't fall to your death' spell or something?" mocked the silver-haired woman.
Another mage, young and red-faced from the sun, piped up, "Maybe she didn't even try to teleport properly? I mean, she wasn't exactly a good mage, right?"
Varun grinned widely. "I guess she forgot to read the fine print in her 'teleportation for dummies' guide." He stood up, brushing off his robes. "What a mess. She was a nuisance, after all."
The youngest mage crossed his arms. "Well, maybe she thought she'd land on something soft? Like a cloud. Or a really big pile of leaves?"
Varun's grin widened. "Or maybe she thought she'd be caught by some mysterious hero. A perfect plot twist, eh?"
One of the older mages, his voice full of concern, suggested, "Maybe someone intercepted her teleportation? Like a more powerful mage?
After all, she did win in the trial runs and was brought here with the other geniuses. "
Varun waved a hand, dismissing the idea. "Nah, I think she just screwed up. This is... honestly, a bit of a relief."
He looked down at the body with a smirk. "Now we don't have to chase her around. This whole drama is over. No more emotional speeches or complaints."
The mages exchanged uncertain glances, but Varun was already walking away. "Forget searching. Let's just get her body. We've got a ritual to finish."
Without another word, they quickly gathered the body, no longer bothering to look for any signs of other forces at play. Varun turned back to his mages with a satisfied smile. "One problem solved. Let's move on to the next stage.
Soon enough I'd no longer be the A-rank mage Varun but the SS-Rank Powerhouse. "
His niece was right. The ritual he planned was too evil, but he didn't care about the sacrifices. After all, this isn't even the Mage continent, he just have to be secretive about it.