Chương 13: What is a City Pillar?

Kai blinked as the system messages appeared, one after another. Ding! Class City Builder has reached level 10 - stat points distributed. Ding! Class City Builder has reached level 11 - stat points distributed. Joe had just killed a level 54 Beast by himself. Unbelievable. [Joe?] - Kai. [My XP! I got zero experience from that fight! Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!] - Joe's response was almost comically pitiful. Kai stared at the message for a moment before replying. [Is it safe for us to come over?] [My experience, Kai! Stop being heartless!] - Joe. [Haha.] - Hakeem. [Dammit, Hak!] - Joe. [Haha.] - Hakeem. Kai shook his head, a small smile on his face, and turned to Sarah. She was either reading her status or staring at the chat, her mouth slightly agape. When she noticed him watching, she turned to him, her eyes wide.

"He killed it! How? Oh my god! I got three levels for that, but I didn't do anything," she exclaimed.

"Is it always like this with you guys? Do you always do crazy stuff like this?" Kai couldn't help but laugh as the questions poured out of her.

"Let's go join him before he stops crying and loots the monster," he said, motioning for her to follow.

"Loot it? Oh, like when you made those wolves' bodies disappear. How did you do that, by the way?" Sarah asked as she trailed behind him.

"Just another skill we have. I'll show you," Kai replied casually. They made their way through the massive vine forest, carefully stepping around tangled greenery. As they approached the centre of the chaos, they found Joe kneeling on the ground.

"Are you still crying about the experience?" Kai teased, setting the bag with the egg gently beside Joe. Joe immediately grabbed the egg and hugged it tightly to his chest as though it were the only thing anchoring him in the world.

"Do you understand how much I lost? Five Levels down the drain!" Joe groaned, his frustration palpable.

"I only got two levels if that makes you feel better," Kai replied with a shrug. Joe stared up at Kai for a moment before leaping to his feet.

"How the hell are you, level eleven? You're at a higher level than me! Didn't you hit the cap?" Joe shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Kai.

"Cap? I didn't see anything about a cap. I just got less experience than you because I didn't do any fighting," Kai replied. Joe froze, his face scrunching as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"So, am I the only one who gets capped? What kind of logic is that!" Joe turned to the sky, throwing his arms up.

"Who are you talking to?" Kai asked.

"The system, of course," Joe replied indignantly. Kai stared at him as if he'd grown a second head.

"Okay… good luck with that." Leaving Joe to his existential crisis, Kai turned to Sarah, who was still staring at the massive spider corpse.

"Big, huh?" he said"It's so much bigger up close; I can't believe it's actually dead," Sarah murmured, her voice filled with awe. Kai walked over and placed a hand on one of the spider's massive legs. As soon as he touched it, the Beast's body began to shimmer and slowly fade away in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a notification in his vision. With a heavy thump, twenty pieces of meat and a pair of gloves appeared in front of Sarah, falling to the ground, causing her to yelp in surprise and jump back.

"What was that? Where did they come from?" She exclaimed, pointing at the items now sitting on the grass. Kai blinked, momentarily confused, before realization dawned. Sarah didn't have a storage ring like he and Joe did. Kai rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry, that was my fault. It was the loot from the spider; those things are yours."

"They are?" She asked, her gaze dropping to the wrapped meat and the gloves. She picked up the gloves carefully and gasped as she identified them.

"These have stats on them! Oh my god! Twenty Agility and twenty Strength. These are amazing. I can really have them?" She asked, looking at Kai with sparkling eyes and a huge smile.

"They're yours," Kai said with a chuckle.

"Let me take care of the meat for you. I'll put them in my ring, and Joe can cook something up for us later." Sarah tilted her head.

"In your ring? What do you mean? Do you have some kind of magic ring that lets you store things?" Kai blinked, impressed by her intuition.

"Yeah, that's exactly it."

"Like in a video game?"

"Just like that," Kai replied with a grin. It felt good being the one to explain something for once.

"Wow, that sounds convenient," Sarah said, marvelling at the idea. Kai chuckled as he bent down to collect the meat, carefully storing it in his ring.

"It is""Wonderful," Sarah said, her attention returning to her new gloves. Kai smiled and opened his storage menu. Something new caught his eye, a belt. He pulled it out and used Identify. Item - Belt of Woven Spider silk. This item was woven with the nearly unbreakable silk of a Spider Queen. Increase crafting speed by 10%. +20 Strength. It felt incredibly sturdy and lightweight and was perfect for his Class.

"Looks like it's tailored just for me," he said to himself, fastening the belt with satisfaction. __ Joe was angrier than he'd been in a very long time. The rage simmered inside him, almost as intense as it had been during those horrific first weeks of torture. He clenched his fists, replaying everything that had happened. The system's unfair treatment felt relentless. First, it capped his experience. Then it forced him into a battle where he risked his life, only to deny him the rewards he'd earned.

Now, he'd discovered he might be the only person subjected to this absurd daily level cap. Frustrated beyond belief, he dropped onto the grass, staring at the sky. His chest rose and fell as he tried to steady his breath. He had almost died multiple times today. This has to be the most stressful day of my life, he thought, though he quickly corrected himself. The Bloodline Gate… that had been worse. Much worse. He shuddered at the memory and pushed it away.

"Dammit." He mumbled. Shaking his head, he forced himself to focus on something else. He opened his storage, intent on checking the loot from the spider. As he read the list, his eyes widened. Item - Spider's silk pouch(Crafting material) Rare Item - 50 chunks of Spider meat(Cooking ingredient) Common Item - 2 Venomous Spider's Fangs(Crafting material) Rare Item - Spider Silk Shades. Most spiders like dark spaces, and so do you. These shades will protect you from the harsh sunlight that tries to blind you.

+20 Agility, +20 Endurance, Passive skill Night Vision. Joe stared at the last item, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He pulled the sunglasses out, slipping them on as he turned to look at Kai and Sarah.

"How do I look?" He asked, grinning.

"Stylish," Sarah replied, a small smile breaking through her usual stoicism.

"I have no opinion," Kai said, shrugging.

"Thank you, Sarah," Joe said with a nod of appreciation. Joe waved a hand dismissively at Kai.

"Kai, go touch the pillar. Complete your quest." With that, he lay back down on the grass, letting the soothing effects of Nature's touch flow through him. For the first time in what felt like hours, his body relaxed. Global System Message The World's first City Pillar has been claimed. World 43 is one step closer to reintegration into the Multiverse, and the three Progenitors are working hard. In 100 days, nine more City Pillars will spawn randomly across the Globe.

They must be claimed within one year, or they will disappear. Good Luck. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"You guys are Progenitors? What the hell have I got myself mixed up in?" Sarah exclaimed, her voice slightly higher in pitch than normal. Joe couldn't help it; he burst out laughing. The laughter rolled out of him, uncontrollable and cathartic, lasting far longer than anyone expected. By the time he stopped, ten minutes had passed, and his sides ached.

"You done?" Kai asked in exasperation. Joe waved a hand, still catching his breath.

"For now." [Grats,] - Hakeem. [And perfect timing, I just found my sister. You guys still in Wembley Stadium?] [Yeah,] - Kai. [I have some things to take care of; we will head over in a couple of days.] - Hakeem. [See you then.] - Kai. He found his sister quickly. Not bad, Hakeem, Joe thought, a flicker of admiration for his friend. His thoughts shifted, unbidden, to his own sister. How is she doing? Is she even still alive? The idea of searching for her tugged at him, a mix of longing and apprehension.

It was a long journey, half a day's run or more across the country, but the thought wouldn't leave him. Yet, the weight of responsibility grounded him. Leaving Kai and Sarah alone felt wrong, even reckless.

"Responsibility is a bitch," he muttered under his breath, letting the words linger. A bittersweet smile crept onto his face as he imagined his sister scolding him for even considering it. She wouldn't forgive him if she found out he'd left his friends behind, exposed to danger, just to check on her. That thought alone gave him a strange comfort. She has to be okay, he told himself, letting the hope settle in his chest. His gaze drifted toward Kai and Sarah, who were standing near the City Pillar.

Kai had his hand resting on the massive structure while Sarah pointed at something on the screen in front of them. They seemed deep in conversation, scrolling through menus and pictures. He watched them for a moment before letting out a contented sigh. He lay back down, closing his eyes. For once, he was glad to let someone else take the reins. This "city stuff" could be their responsibility. For now, all Joe wanted was a moment of peace.

__ Kai gazed at the City Pillar screen, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information before him. There were ten different menus: a shop, City inhabitant lists, City relations, City Quests, City officials, more tabs than he knew what to do with.

"Look, there's a Pillar tutorial button at the bottom. Try that first," Sarah said, squeezing up next to him to get a better view. He stiffened slightly as their shoulders touched. It wasn't uncomfortable, quite the opposite. The warmth of her presence was oddly reassuring, though he quickly pushed the thought aside.

"Good idea," he mumbled, focusing on the screen. Reaching out, he tapped the button. To his surprise, the floating interface responded to his touch. He'd assumed it was like the status screen, visible only to him. But Sarah's curiosity and her close examination of the menus proved it wasn't. This feels like something straight out of Minority Report, he thought with a faint grin. Welcome, City owner Kairos Athanasiou, to your Pillar tutorial. Here, you will learn everything you need to know about building your city.

Please choose a topic to begin that subsection of the tutorial. Sub-Sections: City Management City Renovation City Inhabitants City Quests Kai clicked City Renovation, and a new screen appeared. Your City plot starts within a 1-mile radius of your Pillar and spreads out in a circle. To establish your plot officially, you must click the renovation tab on the main menu and agree to ground terraforming. This will remove all structures currently inside your City plot.

Important: Terraforming cannot commence if these structures are occupied. To begin, you must remove all inhabitants from within your plot's structures. The main menu has a map tab showing any structures currently inhabited. Once terraforming commences: Your city plot will become a safe zone No Beasts will enter the zone unless they are at a significantly higher level than the owner.

"Wow, this sounds amazing," Sarah said, her eyes practically glowing as she read the screen.

"Once people hear that this place is safe from Beasts, everyone will want to live near one of these City Pillars." Kai nodded, a sigh of relief escaping his mouth. A safe zone wasn't just convenient, it was a necessity. The thought of finding his parents and bringing them here to keep them safe gave him a sense of purpose.

"It does sound great," he admitted, "but also a lot of work."

"Well, you have Joe and Hakeem to help. And," Sarah added with a playful smile, "you have me too!" She nudged him lightly with her elbow. Kai blinked, a little surprised.

"You want to stay here?"

"Of course, where else is safer than the world's first new City?" Sarah replied confidently. Kai couldn't help but smile back. He was glad she wanted to stay. They'd always been close, even before the system changed everything, though they had only been neighbours. Now, their shared experiences were forging something deeper.

"Click the next part," she said, nudging him again. He chuckled and returned to the screen, ready to continue reading the tutorial. __ Joe hugged his egg tightly as he slowly sat up. He'd dozed off, but the brief nap had done wonders. He felt fully healed and rejuvenated. His mana bar was flashing gently, only at fifty per cent. Its recovery rate was painfully slow. He stretched, glancing over to where Kai and Sarah were seated by the Pillar, engrossed in conversation. He smiled to himself.

He wasn't clueless when it came to reading the room, and they were obviously enjoying each other's company. He decided to leave them alone for now. Ding! Profession Nature's Custodian has reached level 2 - stat points distributed. Joe blinked, his thoughts derailed by the unexpected notification. Wait, my profession levelled up? He thought, his confusion quickly replaced by excitement. I thought the level cap affected everything. Sweet! But how had it levelled? He hadn't done anything, just napped.

His gaze dropped to the grass surrounding him. Was it the grass? He pulled up his mini-map and immediately spotted something strange. The grass around him had stopped spreading, reaching the five-hundred-metre limit. But when he zoomed out, he noticed something that made him pause. The trail of grass he had left behind while running across the city was still growing, albeit much more slowly. It had formed a complete pathway, weaving through the chaotic cityscape. The growth was subtle, but it was there to see.

He scratched his head, marvelling at the system's intricacies. It's like the grass had a mind of its own. This discovery seemed like the perfect excuse to check his status page. He focused and brought up the familiar screen.

Status Name: Joseph Caldwell Age: 27 Race: High Human (Grade E - Rank 0) Alignment: High Human (World 43) Class: Farmer (Unique) Level 10, N/A Profession: Nature's Custodian(Legendary) Level 2 Bloodline Light of the Eternal Spark (Grade E) Titles First Steps, Unique Class, Legendary Profession, Bloodline, Evolution, Race Change, Died, Revived, Grace of a God, Marked by Karma, Origin, Giant Killer, Against All Odds, First Gate, World 43 Progenitor, Bare Hands. Skills Basic Farming(Common). Basic Cooking(Common).

Diabolical Quarterstaffmanship(Magic). Advanced Identify(Uncommon). Mana-Coating(Rare), Seeds Will Grow(Magic), Nature's Touch Passive(Magic). Nature's Steps(Magic). Nature's Keeper Passive(Magic). Eternal Moment(Bloodline). Light of Uriel(Bloodline). Light Affinity(Bloodline). Space Affinity(Bloodline). Light's Guidance(Bloodline).

Stats Strength: 63 Agility: 103 (20) Vitality: 64 (20) Endurance: 64 (40) Wisdom: 137 Intelligence: 137 Luck: 140 Hidden Stat: Dao Knowledge - 25 Free Points: 10 System Credits: 29, 100 Joe noted that his Agility stat had surpassed one hundred after dumping all those free points into it. The numbers in the brackets beside some of his stats caught his attention; they had to be from his gear. He noticed that his title bonuses did not increase the gear-added stats.

Five stats over one hundred, he thought, including Luck. That one intrigued him. It was boosted by his titles, but he hadn't received any points for it through Class or Profession level-ups. Can I even level up luck? He wondered. He also noticed he had ten unspent points. It felt generous, though he wasn't about to complain. He'd thought he was stuck for the day, unable to progress because of the experience cap. But now he knew his profession could still level up, giving him hope.

Can I just keep levelling by walking around and growing grass? He wondered. It seemed almost too easy, but what would happen when he ran out of new land to walk on? He sighed, his thoughts drifting to the Bloodline Gate. He then remembered he had two books in his storage that he had yet to check. Bloodlines and the one with the title, he couldn't read. Maybe he could find more information on the best way to level his Profession in one of those. But first, it was time to check up on his two friends.

He stood up and stretched before picking up his egg. It felt warmer than before. Was that normal? He wasn't sure. Shaking the thought away, he made his way over to Kai and Sarah.

"You guys figure out how it works yet?" he asked.

"Mostly," Kai replied.

"It's actually pretty straightforward. It's like playing SimCity but more in-depth. I can buy buildings with credits or build or design my own, and then they get added to the city panel." Joe frowned.

"Sounds like work."

"Heh," Kai chuckled.

"It's not that bad," Sarah chimed in, excitement clear in her voice.

"It looks kind of fun. The designs of the buildings are so different, and there are thousands of options from the pre-built list. But they are expensive. And what even are credits?"

"Oh," Joe mumbled, slightly confused.

"We get credits as part of the loot; it should be on your status screen." Sarah's gaze went distant for a moment before she gasped.

"I see it! Wow, I have over two thousand credits," she said joyfully, her face lighting up.

"How much is a house?" Joe asked.

"They start at ten thousand credits for a basic house," Kai replied, scrolling through the options. Joe opened his party interface and focused on Kai's name. A menu popped up, revealing sections for Trade and Send. Just like in every online game he'd ever played. He selected Send and transferred ten thousand credits to Kai. Kai's head jerked up, his expression a mix of surprise and confusion.

"How did you… never mind. Thanks, but why?"

"A gift," Joe said with a grin.

"We can't have the world's first City Builder living homeless in a vine-filled Stadium, can we? First impressions, man!" Kai chuckled, shaking his head.

"Now you're awake," Kai continued, "we need to terraform the ground to get started. What do you think?"

"Do it, of course; why even ask? Press the button, man!" Joe said animatedly. Kai hesitated.

"But won't that destroy Wembley Stadium? Maybe we can try to move the Pillar instead." Joe tilted his head, looking up at the massive, floating Pillar. He turned to Sarah.

"You want to tell him, or should I?" She laughed.

"This is between you both."

"Not to be the bad guy," Joe began, "but I'm gonna totally be the bad guy. It's sad to see it go, but I have no idea how we could possibly move this damn thing. So just do it, I say. But maybe wait. I haven't had a drink since we left that Gate, and I'm super thirsty; maybe we can find some water inside first." Sarah reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of water. Joe's face lit up.

"Oh my golly, I could kiss you, Sarah!" he said, drinking the bottle greedily.

"Golly?" She asked, laughing.

"What? I like that word," Joe said defensively, wiping his mouth. Kai sighed, turning back to the Pillar panel.

"If anyone from the government complains about this, I'm telling them it was your idea," he muttered as he started tapping through the menu. The ground beneath them began to rumble.

"Erm, guys," Kai began, but an earth-shattering smash drowned out his words. Every building within a one-mile radius collapsed into the ground in an instant. The noise was deafening, though Joe was surprised it didn't hurt nearly as much as the spider's screech earlier. He glanced at Sarah and noticed she held her ears, wincing slightly.

"Wow, that was loud," She said after a moment, shaking her head. Joe looked around, but his view was mainly obstructed by the enormous vines he'd planted earlier. Placing a hand on one of them, he concentrated, trying to manipulate it somehow. Nothing happened. He frowned and tried again, only to find out he could only channel more mana into it to make it grow larger.

"Well, that didn't work," he mumbled. Kai and Sarah began walking through the dense vine forest, curious to see what the stadium looked like now. Joe followed, motioning toward the vines apologetically.

"My bad," he said.

"I may have overdone it."

"You don't say," Kai replied, smirking as he stepped over a particularly thick vine. The group emerged from the giant vine field, stepping onto the newly flattened area. The air here felt different, cleaner, fresher than before. It was as if the system had scrubbed away the grime of the city, replacing it with something untouched and new.

"So this is what it means by safe zone," Kai mused, looking around.

"I'm guessing you can't move all these vines?"

"Nope. But they are pretty strong. You could probably cut them down with your tool and use them for crafting." Kai ran a hand along one of the vines, his eyebrows lifting slightly.

"That's… actually a good idea. They feel like metal but warm. It's weird."

"Wow, it worked so well," Sarah said, her voice filled with awe. She stared at the transformed landscape.

"Everything is just gone." It was humbling to witness what the system was truly capable of. For them, it was a stark reminder of its power beyond Beasts and Gates. Another sign that the world was changing yet again.