This assignment for Anastasia to hone herself here, Anthony thought, should help her grow.
But he hadn't expected this level of absurdity!
The Watchers' Legion was such a critical matter, yet she treated it as a joke!
At this moment, Robert saw his chance to impress. Activating his mana, he conjured an earthy yellow throne for Velen.
"Velen, take a seat and rest for now. I'll explain everything to Duke Michelstein!"
He walked over to Velen, his face full of reassurance.
Kevin, noticing this, twitched at the corners of his mouth and angrily shouted:
"Robert, what's the meaning of this?"
With a glance at Velen, he snapped his fingers, summoning rolling flames that coiled around the throne, making it warm and inviting.
"Velen, the throne is heated now. Please, sit down and relax!"
Anthony could hardly believe his eyes.
Kevin was an elder of the Ducal Manor, yet he was fawning over someone he considered a waste?
And Robert—he was the instigator of this whole affair. What was he even doing here?
"Father, let me explain…"
"Duke, please hear me out…"
"Anthony, Velen is my close friend…"
The three surrounded Anthony, giving him a concise explanation of Velen's situation.
After hearing them out, Anthony felt like he was dreaming.
Using starmetal stone as incense?
Feeding 2,000 bottles of Fortifying Potion to a rabbit?
Possessing mythical afterlife flowers?
This Velen was an unimaginably extravagant tycoon!
Even he, a star duke, couldn't compare to Velen's wealth—not even to his rabbit!
It was outrageous!
"Ahem. Anastasia, as long as everything with the fortress is proceeding smoothly, I'm reassured."
Anthony coughed lightly, calming his turbulent emotions.
He then chatted briefly with Anastasia about the state of the Ducal Manor, his tone entirely different from his earlier questioning.
Meanwhile, Velen and the others returned to their quarters without interrupting the father-daughter conversation.
"Big brother, I have an excellent incense burner here—perfect for burning aromatic herbs!"
Alan shuffled in shyly, carrying the burner.
"You want to experience the scent of the afterlife flower burning?"
Velen chuckled at Alan's awkward demeanor.
Alan scratched his head sheepishly. "Big brother, I'll just sit nearby and sniff. I won't disturb you!"
Velen laughed. "Since you're my little brother and I'm now the vice-captain, of course, I'll look out for you. Sit next to me, and we'll enjoy it together."
In the room, Robert and Kevin exchanged glances, feeling utterly hopeless as they watched Velen place the afterlife flower in the burning incense burner.
They had thought Velen wouldn't actually be so extravagant.
But he was serious!
Gentle wisps of smoke filled the air.
A day passed in the blink of an eye.
After sleeping for an entire day, Velen woke up feeling refreshed and stretched with vigor. The world seemed calmer and more serene.
"As expected of an afterlife flower that grows by absorbing souls. Burning it as incense truly benefits the soul!"
Velen exclaimed in admiration.
Even though he had only absorbed a fraction of its effects through the incense, his soul had undergone significant enhancement.
In high spirits, Velen checked the system.
"Current luxury points: 2,410."
"Today's special item: Eye of Hell (Damaged Version) – 9,999 available!"
After reading this, Velen froze. "A damaged Eye of Hell?"
He had no idea what it was!
Curious, he summoned one.
A small, jet-black orb the size of a marble appeared in his hand. It resembled a blurry eye, veined with cracks and exuding a deathly aura of destruction.
Merely holding it gave Velen the unsettling feeling of being locked onto by some terrifying creature, making his scalp tingle.
"Little White!"
Unsure of the orb's nature, Velen decided to test it on the rabbit.
The white rabbit twitched its large ears and eagerly hopped to Velen's side, its red eyes filled with anticipation, thinking it was about to receive a treat.
Velen placed the Eye of Hell fragment on the rabbit's forehead.
Instantly, the orb dissolved into a black light and merged into the rabbit's forehead, disappearing into its crimson eyes.
A wave of corrosive, destructive energy emanated briefly from the rabbit's gaze before vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.
The rabbit's eyes grew vacant for a moment. It sensed something new within its vision but couldn't comprehend it.
"What happens if these special items aren't used through ostentatious means?" Velen suddenly asked.
He had a strong sense that the rabbit's eyes had changed, and based on his experience, anything with such an imposing name must be extraordinary!
The system displayed a red warning: "Significant luxury points will be deducted!"
Velen immediately grew cautious.
Luxury points were hard-earned and incredibly useful. He couldn't afford to lose them unnecessarily.
"Fine, I'll keep this just between us. The rabbit will absorb all of it."
Velen decided that, knowing Robert and Kevin, they'd likely hoard such treasures instead of using them immediately—something that could cause trouble.
Looking down at the rabbit, he said, "Guess it's up to you."
"Anastasia, those two aren't ordinary. Have you considered sending them to the Singularity Battlefield for training?"
Duke Michelstein pondered for a moment before asking.
"The Singularity Battlefield?" Anastasia thought for a moment and replied, "It's not impossible. They don't need me to guide their leveling. Velen is unfathomable, so I'm not worried about him. Alan, however, might face danger. But if they go together, I'd feel more reassured."
Although she hadn't spent much time with Velen and Alan, Anastasia had already taken them under her wing.
"Have a Ducal Manor Adept Rank Level 9 guard accompany them," Duke Michelstein suggested, then asked, "Velen's level isn't as high as Alan's. Why are you not worried about him?"
Though Velen had many treasures, the Singularity Battlefield ultimately required strength and rank!
After all, even the weakest beings in the first zone of the Singularity Battlefield were on par with Novice Rank Awakeners.
A mana core-less person like Velen would be easily crushed!
Anastasia thought for a moment and said slowly, "Velen may not have a mana core, but he's not a waste. He's already at Apprentice Rank Level 9, so he should be assigned to the second zone."
"How can someone without a mana core reach any rank?" Anthony shook his head repeatedly.
Without a mana core, it was impossible to level up—this was a universal truth!
Most ordinary people lacked mana cores and were destined to be enslaved.
Anastasia knew this well but responded with a calm and profound expression:
"He broke the universal truth. I saw it with my own eyes. His mana patterns far exceed mine by several dozen times."
She herself had been astonished at first, but facts were facts.
"More mana patterns than you?" Anthony's eyes widened in disbelief.
"When you awakened your mana core, you instantly reached Novice Rank Level 9. The mana patterns from your core were so intricate that even the dormant ancestors of the Ducal Manor were awakened. For someone without a mana core to surpass you? Impossible!"
To Duke Michelstein, Anastasia was the most remarkable figure in the family's history.
Velen couldn't possibly compare to her!
But Anastasia remained calm throughout, leaving Anthony questioning his certainty.
Anastasia never joked, especially not about serious matters.
Before Anthony could press for details, a terrifying black light suddenly shot into the sky, forming ripples of destruction that spread across miles!
Everyone—Anastasia, Anthony, Kevin, Robert, and Alan—felt the disturbance and rushed toward it.
As they neared the towering pillar of black light, their expressions grew more horrified.
The destructive aura emanating from the pillar sent chills down their spines, as if they were witnessing the universe's end.
"A rabbit?"
Upon getting closer, Anthony and the others froze in astonishment!