"Consumes 1,000 luxury points to eliminate the side effects caused by excessive absorption of starmetal stone!"
The system notification sounded.
Velen instantly understood. His level was too low; even with incense to mitigate the drug's effects, his body couldn't handle the overcompensation.
Still, this incense had a fantastic aroma and atmosphere.
After all, life should be enjoyed. He had a long future ahead of him, and luxury points would always be obtainable!
He didn't want to blindly chase after luxury points and forget about life's pleasures!
At that moment, Alan looked at Velen, whose skin had turned a bit black, feeling an immense sense of satisfaction. "Serves you right for wasting resources. Now you've got your comeuppance!"
However, he quickly spoke up, "Big brother, while starmetal stone is excellent, absorbing too much at once will cause your skin to blacken, and it may even start to decay and stink!"
Hearing this, Velen simply smiled confidently, then clicked confirm on the system interface.
In an instant, his pitch-black skin rapidly turned smooth and fair, shining as though the previous blackness was nothing but an illusion.
How was that possible?
Alan's eyes widened in astonishment upon witnessing this.
Starmetal stone, a highly specialized alchemical product, came with stubborn side effects that were notoriously difficult to eradicate!
Even he, as a Tier-3 Alchemist, would have to spend considerable time and effort to completely eliminate them.
How had Velen recovered in an instant, as if nothing had happened?
After recovering, Velen ignored Alan's shocked expression, took a deep breath, and inhaled the smoke lingering around him.
The incense from the burning starmetal stone was refreshing, like standing in a garden after a rainstorm, with a bouquet of soothing fragrances wafting through the air!
The scent seemed to elevate his spirit, relaxing his entire body in an indescribable way!
"Ah, so comfortable!"
Velen was deeply satisfied.
This feeling only made him more addicted to the experience.
"By the way, system, can luxury points be used to dispel the side effects for others?"
Glancing at the dumbfounded Alan, Velen asked the system.
"Consuming luxury points can accomplish this," the system confirmed.
Without hesitation, Velen waved at Alan.
"Alan, come enjoy the starmetal stone incense with me. It's really great!"
Alan frantically shook his head in terror.
If his whole body turned black and stinky, how would he face anyone afterward?
He was someone who cared a lot about appearances, after all!
"Big brother, you enjoy it by yourself!"
Saying this, Alan hurriedly left Velen's small courtyard.
"Does Miss Anastasia know that Velen is this extravagant?"
After leaving the courtyard, Alan glanced back at Velen's location, hesitation flashing across his face.
But soon, he shook his head.
Although Velen's actions were absurdly wasteful, practically throwing money around, it had nothing to do with him.
He needed to focus on leveling up quickly. Maybe when he reached a higher level, he could be as extravagant as Velen!
…
"Consume 1,000 luxury points to eliminate the side effects!"
Continuing to enjoy the comforting effects of the incense, Velen once again operated the system to turn his pitch-black skin back to a fair, radiant state.
At the same time, the ongoing enhancement from the starmetal stone incense increased his physical strength further.
His suppressed level began to emit strong mana fluctuations, which were constantly stabilized by the incense.
At this moment, in the central hall of the fortress:
"Have you found anything? What's Velen's background?"
Anastasia asked the elderly man who had just arrived, her curiosity evident.
The old man shook his head. "Nothing for now. But now that he's part of the Watchers' Legion, spending time with him will surely reveal more about him."
Anastasia nodded thoughtfully. "True. There's not much excitement on this planet, so his identity can be a source of entertainment."
Seeing her response, the old man said nothing more.
He was becoming increasingly satisfied with Velen!
Not only was Velen exceptionally talented, but he also had access to vast resources and was incredibly enigmatic.
Most importantly, the young lady had taken an interest in him!
Back at the Duke's mansion, the young lady had shown an obsessive fixation on leveling up, with no interest in anything else whatsoever.
Her interest in Velen marked a significant breakthrough.
Anastasia massaged her temples, slightly exasperated.
"That guy has a unique talent and endless gold coins. He's clearly not lacking resources for leveling up, so why join the Watchers' Legion? Could it be that fate sent him to torment me?"
Anastasia couldn't figure it out, the thought frustrating her.
"It would have been fine if it was just Velen. But now there's Alan too! These two oddballs are definitely going to slow down my leveling speed! Why won't they leave me alone?"
Anastasia sighed.
She had originally wanted to work alone, yet now she had two companions who insisted on tagging along!
Boom!
Suddenly, a surge of incredible mana tides erupted!
Someone was breaking through!
Anastasia and the old man's expressions immediately turned curious.
This energy was coming from the outer fortress, and it felt somewhat familiar to them.
"Velen! He just advanced to Novice Rank Lv. 9, and now he's breaking through again?"
The old man was shocked.
After awakening one's mana core, it usually took a long time to build up reserves. Consecutive breakthroughs were rare.
What's more, Velen was advancing into the Apprentice Rank, a major rank.
Every major rank was a milestone, and many awakeners were stuck at these bottlenecks, unable to advance further!
Anastasia also turned her gaze toward Velen's courtyard, her expression growing increasingly serious.
When her mana core had awakened, she had rushed to Novice Rank Lv. 9, but it had taken her an entire month to gather enough foundation to break into Apprentice Rank Lv. 1.
Yet Velen had broken through again in such a short time. His talent was astounding!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Even more terrifying mana fluctuations surged outward, gathering into a massive cyclone connecting heaven and earth!
This phenomenon lasted a full ten minutes before gradually subsiding.
Anastasia and the old man exchanged looks, both seeing the disbelief in each other's eyes.
Apprentice Rank Lv. 9!
Not only had Velen broken through a major rank, but he had also skyrocketed directly to Apprentice Rank Lv. 9!
This rocket-like ascent left them utterly stunned, frozen like statues!
"Velen! Who exactly is this guy?"
The old man narrowed his eyes, his curiosity about Velen burning brighter than ever.
"Before, I thought he was just boasting. But now, he truly seems to need no resources or guidance for leveling up…"
Anastasia took a deep breath, her mind flashing back to Velen's confident demeanor. She found him increasingly mysterious.
Then, she looked at the old man. "If Velen continues at this pace, won't it be long before he surpasses me?"
The old man thought for a moment and shook his head earnestly.
"Unlikely!"
"At higher levels, regardless of talent or resources, breakthroughs are never easy. If the foundation isn't solid, future advancements will require even more resources. Miss, your talent is extraordinary, and you've accumulated significant resources. Your level is miles ahead of Velen's."
While Velen was undeniably gifted, the old man, having observed Anastasia's rigorous efforts, knew how much she had sacrificed to level up quickly.
In the Novice Rank, Apprentice Rank, and even Adept Rank, rapid breakthroughs weren't unheard of. But once one reached the Expert Rank, progress would inevitably slow down!
Surely, Velen would be no exception!
However, if Velen were here, he'd mock the old man for not understanding the system. Such rules only applied to ordinary awakeners. He had cheats!
Meanwhile, outside Velen's courtyard:
Alan stared at the dissipating mana storm above Velen's courtyard, his jaw nearly hitting the ground.
When Velen awakened his mana core earlier, Alan had sensed it from a distance. Back then, he thought Velen had merely advanced from Novice Rank Lv. 8 to Lv. 9, with the breakthrough phenomenon being a bit excessive.
But now, he could clearly sense that Velen's aura had surged from Novice Rank Lv. 9 to Apprentice Rank Lv. 9 in one go!
It was now evident that the earlier phenomenon had likely been Velen awakening his mana core and jumping straight to Novice Rank Lv. 9 in one leap!