The mana core emitted a dim blue glow, pulsing gently.
I sat in meditation, ready to condense my mana and merge it with the core.
Right now, with over 10,000 points of mana, the sheer amount was terrifying when I focused on it closely.
Even the density of mana in the Sanctuary wasn't as concentrated as mine.
Who knows what will happen when all of it comes together?
With determination, the vast ocean of mana within me began to churn.
As if sucked into a deep vortex, the sea of mana started flowing into every corner of the mana core.
Bit by bit, the ocean of mana condensed into an extraordinary density.
Its dim glow shifted into a deep sea blue.
Gradually, the concentrated mana began to change colors—from blue to yellow.
Then, from yellow, it transitioned to green.
From green, it shifted to red.
And finally, from red, it turned to violet.
Over time, the violet hue darkened further.
The mana core began to emit a high-pitched hum, as if something within it was on the verge of breaking.
The sudden surge in power caused cracks to form all over the mana core.
"Just a little more, and I'll break through to the next realm!"
I knew better than anyone that this violet mana core wasn't my limit.
Why?
Because there was one undeniable fact: my mana points had exceeded 10,000. I had already surpassed nearly all of the Mortal Realm.
A fiery desire burned within me—I deserved to ascend to the next level. I refused to be trapped in this realm.
Exceeding 10,000 mana points meant I had reached the Grandmaster realm, just one step away from divinity.
To my understanding, a violet mana core was the mark of the Master realm.
So, I had the qualifications to advance to the next core.
Would the next core be black in color?
Mana fluctuations erupted from my body.
The surrounding mana in nature began to be drawn in, extending from the library and even beyond the Sanctuary.
The Templar Knights stationed outside the church also noticed the anomaly.
***
"What's happening?"
Elaria was startled by the dense mana concentration in the air.
She hurried out of the Sanctuary and made her way to the library.
The place was now swarming with knights who stood guard, surrounding the building.
"He's only been in this world for half a day, and our otherworldly hero is already causing a scene."
Elaria turned toward the voice beside her.
The figure was tall and imposing, his white beard adding an air of authority to his presence.
He clasped his hands behind his back, his closed eyes giving the impression of a warm smile directed at her.
"Ah! Cardinal Xavier, it's a pleasure to meet you. Have you just returned? How was your journey?"
With a kind smile, Cardinal Xavier responded.
"Yes, Saintess. Thank you for your graciousness. It's always a delight to be welcomed by the Saintess herself. As for my journey, it was wonderful. The citizens of the Imperial Capital were incredibly hospitable. I hope you get to see them for yourself someday. Hahaha."
Cardinal Xavier was a devout missionary, traveling the world to spread the teachings of the God of Light.
Meeting him was always a rare occurrence—one I could count on two hands.
"I assume your visit isn't merely a casual one?"
I asked, and the Cardinal nodded.
"Indeed. I was invited by the Pope to attend the welcome ceremony for the hero."
As expected.
It seemed tonight's ceremony would be quite lively.
"By the way, Saintess, it seems something unusual is happening inside."
"Oh?"
"No, it's nothing."
Why did his tone change all of a sudden?
"Ah, forgive me. My throat has been sore lately. If you'll excuse me, Saintess."
"...Take care.."
I watched as the Cardinal walked away, accompanied by several knights.
But the one he should be concerned about was the hero currently inside the library.
Was he attempting a breakthrough?
Several possibilities crossed my mind.
It was surprising enough to discover that an otherworldly human had a mana core.
While Elaria was lost in thought, the vortex of mana grew even stronger, pulling the surrounding mana with greater intensity.
"It seems he's about to break through to the red mana core..."
I never expected him to reach this point within mere hours.
"Saintess, I have something to report."
One of the knights beside her spoke.
"Yes? What is it?"
The knight leaned closer to Elaria's ear.
"..."
"...! I'll go meet him."
***
"Finally! Hahaha, I did it on my first try! How can I not compare to those genius MCs in comics?"
I shouted in joy, jumping out of my seat.
[Congratulations, you have successfully achieved a Dark Mana Core.]
"Not bad, that wasn't too hard."
I decided to explore the changes brought by the mana core's advancement later.
"Oh my, looks like they're rolling out the welcome wagon for me."
Ugh, drawing attention is such a hassle.
DING! DING! DING!
"Wh-What's this?"
"Damn it, what's happening? Why is my instinct screaming!? System, Child of Fortune, what's going on!?"
[An unknown force is pulling the Host. Attempting to block—]
[DANGER! BLOCKING FAILED! HOST WILL BE TELEPORTED IN 10... 9... 8...]
[Child of Fortune: To put it simply, you're going to die.]
"What?! Die?!"
I immediately stood up and opened a portal, teleporting as far as I could see.
My heart pounded wildly. A suffocating sense of death engulfed me.
Cold sweat drenched my back, and I could barely stop myself from losing control of my bladder.
***
The Universe.
The fierce war with the Abyss continued to plague the main worlds of the universe.
Countless renowned figures and experts emerged from their hidden retreats, joining the frontlines.
Woosh~
Suddenly, a colossal eye appeared.
The eye was so massive that it made the universe itself seem like mere dust in its presence.
All life trembled, and many weaker beings fainted on the spot.
Whether by chance or design, the eye's focus shifted to a planet on the outskirts of the universe.
In an instant, the entire planet was obliterated under its gaze.
A quarter of the universe was wiped out in a single blink.
But...
Space rippled, pulling something small into the void.
The terrifying eye vanished, leaving behind only fear and countless unanswered questions.
***
I saw it.
In an instant, the entire planet was annihilated without a trace.
At that moment, only one thought filled my mind: death.
But why was I the only one left?
I scanned my surroundings, but there was only emptiness.
The ground beneath me was icy cold, as if it had reached absolute zero.
No, this place was truly freezing.
Abundant Yang Qi flowed through me, warming my body.
"Damn it, where am I?"
"System! Are you listening to me?!"
"Child of Fortune! Hey, you bastard! Are you still alive?!"
"Thaluna! Hey, you sly fox, are you dead too?!"
No matter how long I shouted, my throat eventually gave out, and no response came.
"Hah... Hah..."
"Alright, enough of this nonsense. I know you've been watching me. Why don't you come out and face me?"
What I saw was nothing but void before my eyes.
The light surrounding me was the only source of illumination, as if I were an actor under a spotlight, with the audience watching.
Now, one of those "audience members" stood up.
The figure was covered in thick fur, resembling a goat with a mask concealing its face.
Its head turned unnaturally.
In an instant, the genre shifted to horror.
I stayed passive, refraining from drawing my sword.
|...Prey|
Its voice was horrific, nearly unbearable to hear.
"Guh..."
The creature extended its index finger toward me.
|...Chaser|
Then it pointed back at itself.
Judging from the situation, I understood its meaning.
"...You... You're the hunter, and I'm the prey?"
A trace of doubt flickered in my eyes.
The creature, "Chaser," didn't respond.
Slowly, it disappeared into the darkness, merging with the surrounding void.
"Hah..."
A long sigh escaped my lips.
Damn it, I've been caught in someone's trap.
What's their reason for doing this?
Who's behind this?
Did I offend some terrifying entity?
Many possibilities crossed my mind.
Was it because of the Trait I obtained?
[Low-God Tier, Sight Beyond Space-Time]
Could it be related to this?
I tried to use it, but it was futile.
Ever since I killed that Abyss creature on the 31st floor, this Trait had stopped working.
There were various possibilities: the first being that I'd deviated from the "original fate" that existed. Because of this, Sight Beyond Space-Time might no longer predict the future.
It could also be something unknown to me, but I couldn't think of any other explanation.
The system and Child of Fortune probably wouldn't know either since this directly concerned me.
So, I decided to set this issue aside for now.
"In that case, should I go wild here?"
I smirked.
---
Hi guys, this is DE. For the next week or so from now I'll probably do mass releases per week, the schedule this time is 7 chapters per week or one chapter per day. But I'm going to do 10 chapters next week. 2 weeks from now, if we hit the 50 power stone, then I'll update 12 chapters per week before returning to the regular schedule. So, what again? Give me your vote and review 😈 (4/10)