The once chaotic underground passage settled back into an eerie calm.
Fortunately, it was still the *Gray Night Period*, and there were no adventurers around. If anyone had heard the commotion earlier, they would have undoubtedly caught the two of them in the act.
Carlos, crouching low, peered through the fist-sized hole toward the Demon Lord's Seal Gate. He whistled in awe.
"Wow… Tucker, I didn't know you were so amazing!"
"That Demon Lord's Seal Gate, which no one could open, you managed to crack it wide open."
"If this gets out… they'll definitely start calling you the *Grave Digger of the Demon Lord*."
Tucker's eyes twitched at Carlos's teasing but didn't bother to respond. He gave the hole a quick look before speaking seriously.
"Yeah, I opened it, but it's not fully open yet. The sealing power still lingers inside."
"Strictly speaking, the hole I made is just a tiny expansion of the original crack."
Tucker was right. Though there was now a hole, the overall sealing power of the gate remained intact. However, Tucker knew that once others noticed the gap, the area would become swarmed with adventurers and local extraordinary beings, all eager to claim the treasures of the fallen Demon Lord's Seal.
A fallen Demon Lord's Seal... What better treasure trove could there be?
Once that seal gate was discovered, powerful wizards would likely start working to enlarge the hole and break through the seal completely.
Regardless of the risks, though, Tucker's primary goal had been achieved.
Previously, all he needed was the slightest touch to activate the system's functions. But now, with the hole large enough to set up a *Spirit Bridge*, the system's capabilities could now be fully realized.
Casting a glance at Carlos, who was still curiously studying the other side of the hole, Tucker took a deep breath and backed away. He sat down by the campfire and spoke.
"System…"
At his mental command, the familiar blue interface appeared in his mind.
---
**Source Energy: Underground Passage**
*Source Energy Experience: 1.2 experience/hour.*
**Special Resources: None**
---
The current system only provided a modest *1.2 experience/hour* in Source Energy.
It was this Source Energy that allowed Tucker to level up quickly and improve his extraordinary abilities, steadily building his strength.
Tucker's eyes lingered on the Demon Lord's Seal Gate, now marked by the hole he had created. He then clicked *Location Search*.
After a moment, a new area appeared.
---
**Demon Lord: Underground Seal**
*Source Energy Experience: 5.8 experience/hour.*
**Special Resources:**
*Talent Fragments: 7.2 fragments/day.*
---
Tucker's heart skipped a beat as he examined the new development area.
*The Source Energy experience has increased by four times compared to the previous location.*
*More importantly...*
*Special resources have finally arrived.*
*And they're very expensive 'Talent Fragments'.*
His mind briefly lingered on the concept of Talent Fragments and the tremendous power they could provide in this extraordinary world. The effects of these resources on one's extraordinary talents were monumental.
His thoughts wandered momentarily, but Tucker, with his experience from two lifetimes of strange encounters, quickly regained his focus.
He set his anchor point to the new area—**Demon Lord: Underground Seal**.
As Tucker made his choice, a system notification sounded in his mind.
---
*Ding! Anchoring development location: **Demon Lord: Underground Seal.***
*Would you like to initiate a 62-day rapid sweep? After the sweep, you will not be able to change the anchor point for the next 62 days.*
---
Each time a new area was selected, the system offered a chance for a *rapid sweep*. This process sped up development dramatically and was a rare opportunity to grow quickly.
Though the next 62 days would prevent any changes to the anchor point, Tucker, whose strategy favored steady, long-term development, didn't mind.
"Yes!"
With his confirmation, the system began recording the process in the development log.
---
*Day 1: Gained 139.2 Source Energy experience, acquired 7.2 Talent Fragments.*
*Day 2: Gained 139.2 Source Energy experience, acquired 7.2 Talent Fragments.*
...
*Day 62: Gained 139.2 Source Energy experience, acquired 7.2 Talent Fragments.*
---
The 62 days of rapid development were completed in a matter of seconds.
*Talent Fragments: 446 pieces.*
Tucker's pulse quickened as he viewed the large number of Talent Fragments.
*Each Talent Fragment increases my talent progress by 1%.*
*So, these 446 Talent Fragments will elevate my Extraordinary Talent "Precision" from C-level to S-level.*
Carlos's sister, with her B-level Extraordinary Talent, had been groomed by Count Lamore and hailed as a prodigy in the Lamore city-state.
An A-level Extraordinary Talent would be even more highly sought after by powerful city-states and top-tier academies.
But an S-level Extraordinary Talent...
Tucker's mind flickered with the few legends surrounding S-level Extraordinary Talents. These were considered rare, almost mythical, and the details were often vague.
*Hoo...*
Tucker exhaled, rubbing his temples. He didn't rush to spend the fragments just yet. He wasn't sure what would happen after using them, so he decided to wait until he was safely back in his underground hideout.
Just as Tucker was about to open his *Attributes Panel*, Carlos's voice suddenly broke through.
---
"Tucker... something feels off around us!"
Tucker's brows furrowed. He quickly deactivated the system and looked around.
To his shock, the thick gray mist had already filled the entire underground passage. Ghostly shapes were faintly moving within it.
Danger was creeping from the depths of the fog.
"Let's go!" Tucker growled, without hesitation, and immediately started running down the passage, attempting to escape the Demon Lord's Seal Gate.
The appearance of the fog was directly tied to the hole Tucker had made in the seal.
With only two 9th-level novice extraordinary beings between them, staying any longer would increase the chances of an immediate, deadly encounter.
For extraordinary creatures from nearby tribes, or powerful beings with a Sequence Framework, Tucker and Carlos would be a delicious meal.
A strange, rolling screech echoed from the fog ahead, and both of them froze in place, their faces drained of color.
In the deep mist ahead, a pale, cold human face emerged.
But what made their hearts race was the massive white-scaled serpent's body slithering out behind it.
---
*At least 28th or 29th level, possibly about to become a 30th-level third-tier extraordinary creature—* **Human-Faced Stone Serpent Ghost.**
"If we had a team of 2nd-tier extraordinary beings leading us, maybe we'd stand a chance," Carlos whispered, his voice shaking.
"But now… with just the two of us…"
Tucker glanced at the **Human-Faced Stone Serpent Ghost**. Its snake body was as thick as a barrel, and his eyelids twitched.
*Two 9th-level novice extraordinary beings, facing a 28th or 29th-level peak 2nd-tier extraordinary creature…*
They stood tall, but only to face their imminent demise with some dignity.
To their surprise, the attack did not come immediately.
The **Human-Faced Stone Serpent Ghost** tilted its head, its dull gray eyes observing the two of them carefully.
It was a brief standoff.
---
"Tucker... what do we do?" Carlos's voice was barely a whisper, his body frozen.
Tucker squinted, silent for a moment. The system had just rewarded him with the rare and powerful *Talent Fragments*.
Under normal circumstances, Tucker would never waste them all at once. Who knew what might happen after such a drastic change?
But now, with the peak 2nd-tier extraordinary creature blocking their way…
To not upgrade meant certain death.
To upgrade… there was a slim chance of survival.
---
"System, give me more!"
---
**Extraordinary Talent**
**Precision**: 32% (C-level)
*C-level Extraordinary Talent: Precision*
This talent was key to Tucker's development as a sorcerer.
---
With that, Tucker allocated all 446 Talent Fragments into **Precision**.
---
**Extraordinary Talent**
**Precision**: 478% (S-level)
*S-level Extraordinary Talent range: 200%—500%.*
At 478%, Tucker was nearing the top of the S-level range.
For a brief moment, nothing seemed to change. Tucker felt no immediate shift.
"Nothing's different? This can't be right…"
But just as Tucker began to wonder, the rhythmic ticking of a clock filled his ears.
---
*Tick… Tock… Tick… Tock…*
The sound of a clock's pendulum echoed, slow and rhythmic.
---
"Precision is the perfect mastery of the world's flow and trajectory!"
---
With those words, the power of **S-level Precision** unfolded.
---
In the blink of an eye, the world around Tucker shifted, revealing its secrets. Every motion, every tiny vibration, every pattern became clear as day.
He could now see the very essence of reality.