Chương 65: Sibling Rivalry

Once his stomach was filled, Joe turned his attention to a couple of things he'd been putting off, important matters from before and during the Empire Meeting. The first was a small piece of folded paper he pulled from his storage ring.

"What is that?" Corel asked, leaning forward to peer at it. Joe handed it over. She unfolded the note and stared at the strange script, brow furrowed. After a moment, she passed it back to him, clearly unable to read it. Despite the unfamiliar characters, Joe found he could understand the words perfectly, as if they were written in English. He read it aloud so both Corel and Veda could hear.

"Dear anomaly, please leave us alone. We mean you no harm." Joe burst out laughing, shaking his head as he tucked the paper back into his ring.

"Anomaly?" Corel asked. Veda gave Joe a long look, then turned back to Corel with a concerned expression.

"It's okay; Catalina explained what an anomaly is to me," Joe said, waving it off. Seeing Veda relax a little, he continued.

"From what I was told, it's a term for someone who stands outside of fate. The God of Eludia informed me I'm one of them. She said not to worry about it and just continue as normal."

"Outside of fate," Corel mused, shaking her head.

"That explains a lot." Veda nodded in agreement.

"I'm not even gonna ask what you both mean by that…" Joe exasperated. With that conversation set aside, he finally opened his status screen for the first time since before the convergence. He still had one hundred and thirty free points left to assign. After a moment's thought, he dumped all of them into Vitality. A deep pulse ran through him as his body absorbed the sudden stat increase. He noticed that his total stat boost from titles had climbed to eighty-six percent.

He glanced one last time at the screen, smiling in satisfaction. Stats Strength: 1192 (200) Agility: 2046 (620) Vitality: 1882 (520) Endurance: 1752 (200) Wisdom: 2473 (60) Intelligence: 2938 (80) Luck: 190 Hidden Stat: Dao Knowledge - 1484 Free Points: 0 System Credits: 80, 943, 210 He was satisfied with his stats now, so he moved on. Raising his hand, Joe glanced at the ring on his middle finger. Now that he was outside the Empire Meeting, he could finally use Identify.

Natural Identify: Ring of Anomalous Fate - This is one of a pair of rings. Anomalous fate and Destined fate. When the pair is complete, something magical will happen. (Can not be removed until death or pairing complete) Joe tugged at the ring, confirming he couldn't remove it. He held up his hand to Veda.

"What do you think? Important?" he asked. Veda stared at the ring silently for a moment. Joe wondered if she even had an identify skill. She suddenly burst into laughter, rolling on the ground. That was answer enough, yes, she definitely did. He decided to ignore the red serpent cackling beside him and turned to Corel.

"So, I met with Pathfinder. We had a pointless chat," Joe said. Corel's expression darkened, her face scrunching with visible frustration.

"Let's not talk about him. We're not strong enough to deal with him yet. I need to get stronger," she said. Joe nodded in agreement, glad she shared his mindset. He had no intention of facing Pathfinder before reaching level one hundred. Besides, he still lacked solid information on the Voldura in general.

"When we have a moment, I'd like to learn more about your people," he said. Corel gave him a curious, almost suspicious look, but eventually nodded. Joe had a brief, fleeting thought, maybe she didn't entirely trust him. He shook it off and moved on.

"Great, I was thinking our first move should be catching up on levels. I've been feeling seriously under-levelled ever since the Empire Meeting," Joe said, remembering the overwhelming presence of Kilch and the others from World One. And then there were the two mysterious figures from World Seven; those monsters were on a completely different level.

"We need to find some gates to do some levelling. Any idea on how to find them?" he asked, not expecting much but hoping Corel had a lead.

"I can locate them. It's one of my gifts as a Seeker," she replied. Joe's eyes widened.

"Wow, how does that work? Do you have to be near them? Or can you find them from anywhere?"

"It is limited. But I can give us a vague direction to reach the nearest ones. I know the direction of the gate your friend is in right now. The one Sarah called Hakeem."

"Hak's in a gate? Guess that explains why I haven't seen him lately. Shit, so he is levelling up without me; now I really need to catch up." Corel nodded.

"We do. That would be the best course of action. Have you checked what integration competitions are upcoming?"

"There is a puzzle and a racing one. Both only have one hundred thousand points as a prize." Joe pulled his integration pillar out. The magical pillar floated between them.

"You're probably better at keeping track of things. Can you look after the pillar for now?"

"I will pick out the best competitions to enter. Avoiding you know who. Especially now you have that bounty." Corel said, already sounding like she was strategizing.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Joe agreed. That damn bounty was going to be nothing but trouble.

"But the best bet is power level to the point I can just beat everyone who gets in my way." Corel shook her head, clearly not convinced it would be that simple. She took the pillar from him without complaint, her eyes lighting up as she began examining it. Then she turned back to him with a smile.

"If I'm handling this going forward, It would be nice to have some funds to check the shop. How many credits do you have?" Joe grinned and pulled up the party screen, transferring twenty million credits over to her. Her eyes lit up as the massive sum hit her.

"Enough?" he asked. She nodded, clearly pleased, and was about to pull up the pillar screen when he held up a hand to stop her.

"Before you start spending. I need to practice my new footwork for a few days. Then, we should head out to the nearest gate. Can you be ready to leave in three days?"

"Yes, that is plenty of time."

"Great. Now, Veda, come on. Time to show you something amazing."

"Oh, are you going to be doing your footwork naked?" Veda asked sweetly. Joe almost choked on his tongue.

"No, I will not!" __ Gale'So Con'Dora strode through the palace of Kilch'Kitz Novo'Fara. Though she wondered if it could even be called a palace. The entire structure was devoid of anything resembling decoration. No paintings adorned the walls, no furniture filled the empty halls, and even the lighting was minimal, barely a candle in sight. It was, without a doubt, the most barren and lifeless building she'd ever had the displeasure of entering.

Eventually, she reached the only room with any signs of occupation: a small office that, thankfully, at least had a desk, a few chairs, and bookcases lining the walls. All of it, unsurprisingly, was made of bone. As she stepped inside, her eyes landed on the Corthegian seated at the desk, already waiting for her.

"Gale, what can I do for you?" Kilch said in his deep, slightly slurred voice. She gazed at him from beneath her feathered brow. He was tall, even for a Corthegian, with a solid, muscular build. But what always held her attention were his eyes, blood red and piercing, the unmistakable gaze of a hunter. On their world, few could meet that stare for more than a moment. Fewer still dared to challenge it. She was one of those few. She smiled.

"Kilch. I have just come to make a request," Gale said in her naturally lilted way of speaking. She saw a flicker of something cross Kilch's expression, curiosity, perhaps, but it was gone just as quickly. They both knew full well that a request from her was barely a request at all. Gale was the only being in the Integration that Kilch feared, though not merely because she, like him, carried a Bloodline.

What made her truly dangerous in his eyes was the fact that she had received her Bloodline from level one, a phenomenon thought to be impossible. That alone would have set her apart, but she had also recently achieved the hidden Grade, becoming one of the first in the Integration to reach it, a feat only attainable by those with a Bloodline. It still grated on her that she hadn't been the first. That rascal, Travesty, had reached it earlier and at a lower level.

Her beak clacked at the thought, but she quickly suppressed the emotion. That was a problem for another day. She took a seat opposite Kilch, who watched her closely.

"It's regarding the bounty quest," she said finally. Kilch tensed, and she smiled at the reaction.

"I would like for you not to participate in hunting Feormere."

"Why?"

"I need him."

"How could you need a human?" Kilch asked, flicking something off his desk, irritation creeping into his voice. She knew him too well. The only thing Kilch truly cared about was the hunt, and the opportunity to pursue a man with a god-issued bounty was an irresistible temptation. If she wanted him to walk away from it, she'd have to make it worth his while. Which meant divulging more than she was comfortable with. She sighed inwardly.

"Firstly, he is not human. Secondly, he's technically my brother." Kilch sat up straight at that statement. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

"I knew it. You aren't a full Corthegian, are you? You have always smelled… different." Gale noted the careful choice in his words.

"I am Corthegian," she replied calmly, "but it is complicated. I have… five siblings, all of different races, and all who are part of the integration. Feormere is the last missing sibling we've been searching for. So I'd greatly appreciate it if you left him be."

"What if I don't want to?" Kilch replied with venom. Gale raised an eyebrow. She hadn't anticipated this level of resistance. It seemed Kilch was going to force her hand. With a soft sigh, she unleashed her full Aura and rose on her talons. Kilch reacted instantly, drawing his bow and nocking an arrow, but he barely had time to do more before Gale slammed him into the ground with such force that the entire palace trembled. Kilch lay there, grinning up at her, defiant even in defeat.

She had to admit, he was tough, his stats truly were monstrous.

"I won't lie to you," Gale said coldly.

"If you attack Feormere, I will kill you." Kilch didn't answer at first. He stared up at her with that same feral glint in his eyes, but eventually, he lowered his gaze and turned his head aside. Only after ten more seconds did she release her grip and let him breathe. She didn't want to kill Kilch. He was too valuable, to her and to their world.

"Thank you. I do appreciate you being understanding." Kilch grunted, still lying flat.

"I still don't understand why. He's weak. Why do you even care?"

"He was lost and has yet to find his way home. It's not his fault he is currently so weak. His system seed has… targeted him," Gale settled back into her chair. Kilch stood, watching her carefully.

"He won't survive long. I've seen him fight. He'll be dead the first competition he enters," Kilch spat with disdain.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Gale replied evenly.

"All my siblings are like me. With enough time, he will surpass anyone foolish enough to target him." Kilch raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Ah, I see," he said at last, then retrieved his chair and dropped back into it behind the desk.

"Is that all?" Gale simply smiled and turned to leave the room. An hour later, Gale arrived back at her home. She landed silently on the roof and teleported within. With a gentle tap of her talons against the floor, her wings dissolved, and she let out a long sigh before throwing herself onto a large padded bed. Kilch only respected power, and there had been no other path forward. She sighed again, thinking how much she slightly despised that arrogant poison artist. His methods were vile, his mind warped.

The way he fought, delighting in slow, painful death, disgusted her. She pitied anyone who ended up on the wrong end of one of his poison-laced arrows.

"What a horrible way to die." Rolling off the bed, she sat down at her desk and opened her communication screen. The names of her siblings appeared before her, lined up perfectly, six in total. Six specimens, each being led toward confrontation. A twisted fate awaited them, one where only a single one would remain. They were all just test subjects to some greater being.

"Not if I have my way. I will stop your plans, I swear it," she whispered to herself, before standing and making her way back to bed. It had been a long day. __ Travesty sat meditating on the tallest peak on the ice-bound continent of the northern tribes. He was fast approaching level one hundred and seventy in his class edging ever closer to the inevitable bottleneck it would bring. As he contemplated this, he opened his status screen.

Three of his stats had already surpassed five thousand, but more importantly, every single one of his skills had reached one hundred per cent proficiency, including his footwork. That level of mastery typically only occurred at the very peak of E-grade, around level one hundred and ninety-nine. He was ahead of schedule. As the first among his siblings to reach the hidden grade evolution and become an E+-grade, he bore the responsibility of leading the way forward. And so, he did just that.

He would make the master proud and present the perfect body to him. That meant, of course, killing all of his siblings. It was fate, after all. Even he could not defy fate. All he could do was ensure he was the best candidate when the time came. With a wave of his hand, the snow drifting lazily around him halted mid-fall, as though time itself had frozen. He felt a tug, a familiar sensation, as one of his siblings accessed their terminal. He guessed it was Gale; she always checked hers before sleeping.

He smiled to himself. He loved his siblings, truly, he did. Which was why it had to be him. Only he could be the one to end them. It was only fitting. Then, without a sound, Travesty vanished. A heartbeat later, the snow resumed its fall, gently covering the now-empty peak. __ Outside of the Integration, on Eludia's homeworld, a princess sat on the floor opposite her mother. Her eyes were closed, immersed in a memory being shared with her. A radiant smile, pure and unguarded, graced her lips.

Naturally, this irritated her mother to no end. Not that she showed it, of course. The God of Eludia's expression remained flawless, serene, a perfect picture of a mother basking in a cherished moment with her daughter. After a while, Rose slowly opened her eyes, ending the playback. She raised a hand, and in an instant, her maid and closest confidant, Daisy, appeared at her side, offering a cup of tea. Rose accepted it with a graceful smile.

"Oh, thank you, Daisy," she said in her melodic voice, the kind that would make anyone who heard it fall a little in love. She took a gentle sip, then returned her gaze to her mother, who sat watching her intently.

"That… wasn't a dance, was it?" Rose asked softly. Catalina nodded.

"Self-created? Did you recognize the footwork?" Rose continued.

"It…" Catalina hesitated.

"It was quite unique. Undoubtedly a new self-created footwork." Rose's eyes lit up with envy. Even she did not possess her own footwork. Very few did.

"I'm starting to think…" Catalina continued, setting her cup down, "That this whole thing was a mistake, daughter." She paused, taking another sip of tea.

"I will admit, though, he is a good dancer. But everything else about him is nothing but an annoyance." She set her gaze firmly on her daughter.

"Now, do you have an explanation for why I saw a second bond of fate upon his soul?" Rose grimaced, but gave a brief explanation of the bloodline summoning that had been thrust upon her. She watched as her mother responded with one long, slow blink.

"I know what you're thinking," Rose added quickly.

"But his bloodline is incredibly pure. Maybe even purer than…" She didn't finish the sentence; Catalina had already raised a finger in warning. Rose sighed, but wisely said no more. Mother and daughter sat in silence for a while, each sipping their tea, the atmosphere tense but composed.

"What's done is done," Catalina finally admitted.

"No point dwelling on problems we have no control over. Now tell me, how is your brother doing?" The conversation drifted to lighter topics for the next hour. Eventually, Daisy stepped forward, standing politely beside Rose.

"Shanshara, it's time for your evening class," she announced. Rose looked up, ready to object… but then she caught the look on Daisy's face and reconsidered.

"Oh, right. I guess I should go to class then," rising to her feet along with her mother, she was tempted to get one last jab in, but held her tongue. Instead, she stepped forward and gently kissed her mother's hand. Catalina blinked in genuine surprise.

"Where did you learn that?" she asked. It wasn't something anyone in Eludia did. Rose smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I'll tell you in the future," she said with a playful twirl as she exited the room, Daisy following close behind. For what might have been the hundredth time, Catalina Terravignion quietly questioned her daughter's sanity. __ On a world known as Vistoria Visis, on the outer reaches of the Ghost Valley Empire, a young adult adorned with a floral crown approached her family Patriarch.

She had exceeded all expectations during her coming-of-age ceremony and was now heralded as the number one genius of the future generation. Standing at the peak of E-grade, it was nearly time for her to leave her world and venture to the Tower of Past Lives for her ascension into D-grade. Her name is Aurora Verdante, future leader of the Verdante clan, their pride and joy.

Her long, sleek, fluffy tail fluttered in the breeze as she turned to the gathered crowd, a radiant smile lighting her face as her long canine teeth sparkled in the sun. A Wolf Therianthrope, she stood just over six feet tall with the muscular physique common to her race and long canine ears. Her flowing black hair reached all the way to the base of her tail, making her resemble a walking, majestic bundle of silken hair. But what set her apart the most was her bright violet eyes.

Every hot-blooded male in her clan had tried to court her, yet she had shown no interest in romance. Her only desire was to grow stronger, to uplift her people, and to lead her clan into prosperity. Among her kin, she was affectionately called "Little Leaf" for her kind and tender nature, a side she reserved only for her family and closest clan members. Her clothing was marked with the symbol of a black leaf, denoting her heritage. She beamed as the Patriarch gently placed a thorny crown upon her head.

"Today, you are an adult, Little Leaf. May you lead us all to greater heights," the Patriarch declared, his voice rising above the rapturous applause around the fire. Little Leaf beamed with pride, her violet eyes flickering in the firelight. She had come so far, and she would go even further. Suddenly, all eyes turned skyward. An image appeared, floating above the gathered clan members. Muted whispers rippled through the crowd.

"Is that a convergence?"

"How… how is this possible?"

"Who are they?" Two figures danced in the sky, hand in hand, a shadow of a man and a horned, green-skinned woman, spinning in graceful rhythm. Little Leaf stared up at the vision in silent awe. And then, something deep inside her stirred. A strange, overwhelming sense of longing wrapped around her like a warm breeze. She didn't fully understand what it meant, only that it was real, and that it came from the man in the sky. She knew one thing with absolute certainty. One day… that man would come for her.

A single tear rolled down her cheek. __ A day after Joe had shown her his new footwork, Veda wandered through Heliopolis alone. She needed time to think, to clear her head. That stupid man had once again left her stunned and full of disbelief. How did he always manage to surprise her? First, there was that thing in his arm. Then the whole convergence nonsense. Now, he had returned from the Empire Meeting with a magic-grade footwork, one he had created with her mistress's help.

She'd been completely flabbergasted watching him demonstrate it. It was the most beautiful and refined footwork she had seen in a very long time. And it was only at the beginner stage. When he evolved it to intermediate, to pass a future bottleneck, it would become something even greater. She hadn't known how to respond, so she simply left him alone to practice while she took a walk. A small child ran up to her. Veda paused and sat up a little straighter.

With a small nod, the child hugged her before being quickly ushered away by her mother. Veda purred and continued on her way. These humans were so fragile, she thought. As she walked the streets, the scene repeated itself over and over, children of all ages rushing to hug or kiss her head. She accepted each gesture with regal patience. It was only proper. Her presence was a blessing to these little ones. They would benefit from it.

This was her second stroll through the city since the convergence, and the change in its people was impossible to miss. The streets were now filled with citizens practicing skills and footwork, sparring with each other, striving to improve. These weak humans were finally beginning to make something of themselves. And all it had taken was a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon. She chuckled softly to herself. They were lucky Joe was around, he had made everything better. She immediately crushed that stray thought.

She would not think of that man today. Today, she would think of other things. Better things. She made her way toward a bakery she'd discovered on her last walk. The smell of freshly baked goods filled the street, making her mouth water. She slipped inside, hopping up onto the counter.

"My lady," the man behind the counter greeted her with a bow. She gave him a small nod, allowing him to scratch behind her ear. With a pleased smile, she waited patiently as one of the young girls came rushing out, carrying a plate stacked with warm, golden buns.

"I've brought you our newest creation, my lady. Would you be so kind as to taste them for us?" the young girl beamed. Veda nodded and leapt gracefully onto the girl's shoulder. A table was quickly cleared for her, and she settled in to sample the bakery's latest offering, sugar-coated buns that glistened under the warm lighting. They were delicious. Not quite as delicious as one of Joe's creations, but she shook her head, dismissing the intrusive thought of the infuriating man.

She turned to the girl waiting eagerly for her verdict. Veda raised her tail and gestured upward, signaling her approval. The girl clapped excitedly and gave Veda a hug before disappearing back into the kitchens. Smiling, Veda finished the rest of the buns before reluctantly leaving the bakery behind. She visited three more establishments after that: one served meat dishes, another specialized in fish, and the last offered a variety of savory delicacies.

At each stop, she was greeted by a young boy or girl, ushered inside, and presented with their latest culinary creations. And each time, she smiled and gave her seal of approval. Eventually, she arrived at her final stop for the day, a quaint little flower shop, just ten minutes north of the city centre. This was where she found her favourite resident, the only person aside from Joe and his companions that Veda spoke to.

"Hello Claudia, how are you doing today?" Veda greeted the grizzled old woman warmly.

"Oh, it's you, what do you want?" Claudia replied in her usual gruff manner. Veda smiled. She truly liked this woman.

"Oh, you know me. I came to smell those lilies of yours. Do you have any in today?" Veda asked, already knowing the answer.

"Pah, you know damn well I do. They are over there," Claudia waved her hand in the complete opposite direction of the flowers. Veda chuckled and padded over to the lilies, leaning in for a sniff. She didn't actually care for their scent, this was just their little routine. An excuse to stay and talk.

"So, out with it! What did that annoying child of yours do today?" Claudia asked, still not looking her way. Veda let out a long breath, her fondness for the old woman growing.

"Well, you won't believe what he has gone and done now…"