[Ding! Subject's Spirit +1!]
The Chip flashed a notification, followed by a cascade of data changes.
[Ding! Subject's
[Ding! Subject has advanced to twentieth-level Arcanist, gaining one Ninth-level Spell Slot, one Eighth-level Spell Slot, and one Seventh-level Spell Slot!]
[Ding! Subject's stat panel refreshed!]
[Raylin Farrowlan | Age: 24 | Race: Human | Twentieth-level Arcanist | Strength: 15 | Agility: 15 | Constitution: 15 | Spirit: 20 | Arcane Energy: 200 | Status: Healthy | Talents: Tough, Polymath, Intermediate Perfect Body, Dream Sight | Specializations: Arcane Energy Sense, Arcane Amplification, Illusion Mastery] [
[Spell Slots: Ninth-level (2), Eighth-level (4), Seventh-level (6), Sixth-level (???), Fifth-level (???), Fourth-level (???), Third-level (???), Second-level (???), First-level (???), Zero-level (???).]
"Finally… level twenty? After this, there's nothing but Legendary!"
Raylin closed his eyes, and at that moment he could already feel an enormous barrier — the boundary of the Legendary realm!
At level twenty, he was still a mortal powerhouse, but once he advanced to level twenty-one, he would enter the realm of the Legendary!!!
And the so-called Legendary powerhouses! They were the apex forces on the continent, capable of deciding the fate of entire regions — and the minimum threshold for autonomously absorbing and digesting divinity!
"Just one level away from Legendary… If I hadn't been wary of the corruption from the Force of Emotions, and had used the Devouring Rule to strip out most of the energy, I might very well have advanced straight into the Legendary realm this time…"
Though he thought as much, Raylin felt not the slightest hint of regret.
A solid foundation was everything, and that was especially true for the Legendary realm. He had no intention of rushing his advancement and causing problems down the road.
[Ding! Nightmare Energy Absorber activated! Subject has obtained a bloodline ability — Dream Eater!]
Another notification popped up from the Chip, causing Raylin to fall into contemplation.
"A spell-type ability born from the bloodline? Given how formidable the Nightmare Energy Absorber is, the power of this ability must be terrifying beyond belief?"
When it came to the discovery and application of bloodline spells, Raylin could be considered a genuine expert.
The power of a Warlock, once combined with the ancient and terrifying bloodline of the Nightmare Energy Absorber, produced effects that even Raylin himself had not anticipated.
"Bloodline Ability — Dream Devour!"
Raylin looked at the Chip's description panel and found nothing but a solitary name, with no further information whatsoever.
"It seems... this should be an entirely new type of spell ability, one that isn't even recorded in the Chip's database. I'll have to explore and develop it on my own..."
Raylin thought to himself: "As for that legendary powerhouse? Becoming a sacrifice on my path of bloodline evolution would be just perfect..."
……
The Corpse Collector,
Though this legendary powerhouse had a fearsome reputation on the Temple of Justice's continent-wide wanted list, with crimes too numerous to recount and even a bloody record of slaughtering an entire town, his actual appearance was always shrouded beneath a black robe.
No one would ever guess that behind that hooded cloak, the 'Glorious Executioner' of the Murder God's Church, the legendary powerhouse known as the Corpse Collector Soros, looked like a bright, sunny young man.
"Thank you so much, Uncle Newin!"
Soros slid down from the back of the ox-cart packed with fodder and thanked the old man up front.
"Heheh... don't mention it. Anyone who saw such a well-mannered young lad like you wouldn't refuse you a ride. Is this your destination, little one?"
Driving the cart up front was a gaunt old man, his arms roped with lean, wiry muscle that looked like sun-dried sinew, gleaming with a faint sheen. He wore a cheerful grin, revealing sparse front teeth and steel-bristle stubble on his chin.
"Mm! I want to go to Morningstar Port! I hear it's the most prosperous port on the outer seas..."
The young man's face held a touch of shyness, but his eyes were full of determination. "I want to earn some money there, so I can... Oh, and here! This is a thank-you gift for the ride!"
Looking at the pretty seashell placed in his hand, the old man's smile bloomed ever wider: "Ha ha! Keep at it, young man. I'm rooting for you!"
"How long will the aura of despair sealed in this seashell take to kill him?"
Once the cart had departed, Soros lowered his head, a trace of darkness flickering in his eyes, his smile looking as though a ghost had possessed him.
If the old man from before had seen this sight, he would never have agreed to give him a ride — not even at the cost of his life.
"This identity still needs to be kept secret... What a pity..."
Soros licked his lips, and when he looked up again, he had already swapped back to that harmless, innocent smile. Paired with his youthful age and appearance, it was enough to instantly win people over.
"Miss, could you maybe give me..."
Shortly after, Soros casually found an inn to stay at. The proprietress — a middle-aged village woman whose waist was as thick as two wine barrels — had her eyes light up at the sight of him, immediately slashing the bill in half.
It wasn't until he had shut the door and confirmed that there was no one else around that Soros's expression finally turned completely dark.
"Damn it, even that disgusting sow dared to try and flirt with me... If I didn't have a mission to complete... That's right!"
The young man clapped his hands together: "After this operation, I'll just wash this entire town in blood. After all, my God seems to quite enjoy sacrifices like that... Hehe..."
As a legendary powerhouse — and even one wanted by numerous righteous churches — Soros still placed great importance on his public identity.
Furthermore, all those high and mighty figures tended to have their own peculiarities, and Soros's particular vice was using this harmless exterior to approach his targets, then savoring the moment when the truth was finally revealed at the last second and the target's composure crumbled.
For him, the pleasure obtained through this kind of behavior even surpassed several instances of high-level divine grace.
Of course, Soros would never admit that.
...
The next day, fully rested, Soros made his way directly to Brightstar Port, arriving outside of Raylin's wizard tower.
"Hmm! The structure is quite rigorous, and the various detection arrays are constantly active. For an outer sea location, this is rather impressive..."
A look of regret crossed Soros's face: "Their defensive awareness is high — no chance to play the disguise game anymore... But no matter, I have plenty of other skills. Might as well test them out on this opponent..."
——[Assault Strike!]
Soros's body levitated into midair. An illusory golden beast's claw materialized and slammed into the wizard tower. Red alarm lights flashed frantically.
"Warning! Legendary-level fluctuation detected! Tower integrity damaged by 35.99%!"
"Found it! So this is where it is!"
Soros narrowed his eyes and plunged directly into the Shadow Dimension.
When he reappeared, he had already followed the energy signature of the wizard tower into the heart of a laboratory, where he found a noble mage staring at him in panicked disbelief.
"Le—Legendary! You're the Murder Church—" The young mage looked as though his mind had snapped, his jaw chattering uncontrollably.
"Unless it's a Legendary-level wizard tower, these defenses are utterly useless against me!"
Soros wore a mocking grin, like a golden lion king that had just cornered a rabbit.
As if to provide accompaniment for Soros, the tower spirit beside them shrilled in a piercing voice: "Intruder detected! He has breached the core laboratory. Golem puppets—zzzt!"
Soros flicked his finger and shattered the projected phantom of the tower spirit on the spot.
"There's no need to bring out these child's toys..."
Boom! His body dissolved into countless streaks of shadow. The golem army that had been deployed through the corridors was annihilated in nearly an instant — every golem core destroyed, every puppet rendered completely motionless.
"
The tower spirit could no longer even project a phantom. All it could manage were stuttering, broken sounds, like a decrepit old speaker.
"H-How is that possible?"
The young mage collapsed to the floor, staring blankly at the ceiling. "I spent so long..."
"To a Legendary, this place of yours is nothing more than your own backyard..."
Soros thoroughly enjoyed toying with his prey.
"Raaaaargh!!!"
Now the young mage on the ground was flooded with bloodshot fury in his eyes, like a gambler who had lost everything. He let out a savage roar: "No! I still have—"
"ROOOAR!!!"
A tremendous domain of dragon pressure erupted outward. The mage's robes shattered, revealing a body covered in scales — a result of partial draconic transformation.
A cone of crimson flame blasted from the half-dragon's maw. The surrounding glass instruments and floor tiles splintered and crumbled under the searing, supreme heat.
"A half-dragon? A bearer of dragon blood? So this is your trump card?"
Zoros's brow furrowed slightly, and then an overwhelming pressure erupted from his entire being. The surrounding air currents were sucked dry, creating a brief vacuum: "Unfortunately, none of it matters. The only outcome for you today is death…"
……
Boom!
The enormous mage tower collapsed, sending a pillar of smoke and dust billowing skyward.
Zoros strode out from the ruins of the tower, a blood-drenched head dangling from his hand.
The scales of his half-dragon transformation peeled away one by one, revealing a pale, youthful face. His pupils held not the faintest glimmer of light — like the eyes of a dead fish.