Chương 77: Elites

To Joe's surprise, the teleportation back to World Ranked 27 didn't take weeks like last time. Instead, it lasted just an hour before he reappeared in a small, bubbled sandy desert that he recognised. He had barely arrived when Veda slammed into him, sending him sprawling through the sand. He slid into a tree, spat out a mouthful of sand, and grinned.

"I missed you, too."

"I smell Rose, Daisy and.. Corel," Veda said. giving him a long, suspicious sniff.

"Yeah… I'll tell you all about it later. Where is the Dwarf God?" he asked. Veda's eyes darted towards a small new hut nearby. At that moment, Joe noticed a pile of notifications in the corner of his vision that he couldn't access. He pushed that aside for now, climbed to his feet, slung Veda around his shoulders, and made his way to the hut. He knocked on the door. It swung open, and he stepped inside. He emerged into a vast room that resembled a nineteenth-century library.

Shelves packed with books stretched impossibly high in all directions. He couldn't even begin to count them all. The Dwarf God sat at a small table with his feet propped up, leisurely reading a book. With a wave of his hand, a chair appeared opposite him as Joe approached. Joe took the seat and waited. Tense pressure pressed down on him as the Dwarf God finally looked his way. After a long, unreadable glance, the God nodded in apparent approval and set his book aside.

"Good, you reached the hidden grade. Just in time. We can proceed now." With another wave, a new portal shimmered into existence beside Joe.

"Wait… what is this? Aren't we finished here?" Joe protested. But before he could say another word, the Dwarf God gave a flick of his hand, and Joe was flung through another Gate. Joe felt his weight shift and registered that the ground was rushing up to meet him. Instinct took over, and he flipped mid-air, landing on his feet. He wanted to shout in frustration. Why did this always happen to him? Blinking rapidly, he adjusted to his new surroundings. He stood inside a large oval room, and he was not alone.

His jaw dropped as soon as he saw a different God looking straight at him. __ Moon's Shadow sat on a rock as the last entrant appeared from a portal. For some reason, he fell, nearly landing on his face, before flipping upright at the last second.

"He looks weak," Star Light drawled in her snake-like voice. Moon's Shadow nodded in agreement. They were about to return to their earlier conversation when movement drew their attention once more. The Eludian God was now engaged in a heated discussion with the new arrival. To Moon's surprise, the beautiful red-dressed God was gesturing wildly, scolding the unidentifiable being with the strange white-framed thing on his face.

"What is going on?" Star Light asked, now clearly interested in the newcomer.

"Sshhh. Look!" Moon's gestured toward the last God to arrive. The God of Wine had just appeared, joining the heated discussion. Even more shocking, the newcomer was now shouting angrily at the God of Wine. Her opinion of the newest arrival shifted, from dismissal to deep intrigue.

"Wow, this has suddenly gotten very fun," Shore Vault said as he strode into the middle of the shouting group. Moon's shadowy visage quivered as her own God joined the fray, now shouting at the God of Wine. She could only stare in dumbfounded confusion; this was a scene she could never have imagined, not in all that was right. Laughter rang out, shaking the room as the God of War bellowed in mirth. When the God of War moved to the centre of the room, the tension spiked, the air growing taut with strain.

The God of Eludia and the God of War locked wills, their clash forcing Moon's and the other elites to fall to one knee. She strained under the incredible force pressing down on her very soul. Being close to so many Gods was one thing, but standing among them as they confronted each other was… unpleasant. Suddenly, the crushing pressure vanished. Moon's exhaled shakily and stood once more. The centre of the room was now clear. The Gods had returned to their respective sections.

The newest arrival stood off to the side, next to the God of Wine. Somehow, he looked unfazed by the entire ordeal. Moon's tore her gaze away from him as a voice addressed them all.

"Welcome, Askari. We are all thankful you have blessed us with your appearance on this fine day," a red-skinned man with a serpent's tail and black horns declared, striding into the centre of the room.

"We bless the Gods for your presence in allowing us to run this most fateful of quests for you all." He bowed with a flourish. The Gods each nodded once in response. This man, who addressed them all, was known as Dust Vale. He hailed from the divine race that stood between the A-grade and the realm of Gods. As far as Moon's knew, they lived in some kind of pocket universe and only emerged every hundred years to issue a quest to the Elites of the Multiverse, or Askari, as they called them.

Today was the day of that centennial quest. Only those strong enough and fortunate enough to reach the Hidden Grade could even contemplate being chosen by one of the Fifteen Gods of the Multiverse. Her God was Shore Vault, and she, along with Star Light, had been selected as his two elites today. Moon's glanced around the room. Twelve of the fifteen Gods stood present, each flanked by their two chosen elites. The God of Wine stood with only one. Two Gods were absent.

Every single representative standing at a God's side would be in the Hidden Grade, meaning they all possessed bloodlines. Moon's knew that fewer than a thousand elites across the entire Multiverse could claim such an achievement. She was one of the best and now stood among her peers. Her gaze flicked between Dust Vale and the newest arrival standing beside the God of Wine. Who was he? She did not recognise his race at all. Was he from Eludia?

That might explain why the God of Eludia had seemed so angered by his presence.

"Now, before we begin the discussion of the quest. We must first ascertain that all Askari who have gathered are qualified for entry," Dust Vale announced.

"Please step forward, and we shall conduct the Askari scan." Moon's Shadow and Star Light stepped forward, moving to the centre of the room as the others joined them. All except the late arrival, who remained where he was, still arguing with his God. Moon's found her gaze drawn back to Dust Vale, watching as he calmly moved around the room. One by one, he floated an orb above each Askari's head.

He paused momentarily beside the man still arguing with his God, gaze lingering longer than with anyone else, before moving on. Moments later, a number and a message flashed above the orb hovering over Moon's head. Askari protocol Acceptance - Granted Bloodline Grade - 5/10 Stat rating - 29900 Moon's Shadow smiled as her expected result flashed above her head and calmly returned to her God's side. Star Light's rating - 29, 205 flashed in her vision, confirming what she already suspected.

She had always known she was stronger, but now the margin was plain for her to see. She repressed the moment of vanity that threatened to creep through her. As expected, a leaderboard materialized in the centre of the room once all the Askari had returned to their respective Gods. There was, however, one notable empty slot lingering at the bottom. The late arrival still stood to the side, locked in discussion with his God while Dust Vale waited patiently.

Moon's tilted her head upward, curious to see where she stood among the gathered elites. Her heart swelled slightly when she saw herself ranked fifth.

The top ten were as follows: 1 - Tar'Hou [35, 000] 6/10 2 - Rorschach Cold [30, 105] 6/10 3 - Tibalt Dry [29, 910] 5/10 4 - Dynamite Von Brave [29, 905] 5/10 5 - Moon's Shadow [29, 900] 5/10 6 - Groo Val Fid [29, 890] 5/10 7 - X-k76 [29, 840] 5/10 8 - Spirit Eyes Shool [29, 830] 5/10 9 - Cash Forshield [29, 830] 5/10 10 - Sharn Trake [29, 500] 5/10 Moon's first studied positions 3 to 9. Only 80 stat points separated them. She was a mere 10 points from the number 3 spot, closer than she had dared hope.

A surge of confidence filled her. She belonged here. But when her gaze shifted to the gaping chasm between first and second, her composure… cracked. How in the void did Tar'Hou manage to build such an enormous stat base? There could be only one explanation: he possessed a Pseudo-Unique, or even… a Unique Class or Profession. Everyone present, herself included, had at minimum a Legendary Class, required to even cross 29, 000. But Tar'Hou… his number suggested something far more rare.

Please, let me avoid his group, she silently prayed. At last, the final entrant stepped forward, moving toward Dust Vale. Moon's curiosity sharpened. Though the newbie had looked unremarkable at first glance, weak even, there was something about him that gnawed at the edges of her awareness. Something intriguing. Something simmering beneath the surface, though she couldn't place why. Will he break the top ten? she wondered. The orb floated above his head and began to pulse, a purple light. Her brow furrowed.

That's… strange. All the others pulsed green. The orb spun faster, trembled, then exploded, showering sparks across the strange white-framed thing on the newbie's face and through his tousled brown hair. Moon's blinked. He's… astonishingly handsome, she caught herself thinking, momentarily distracted. But her eyes snapped up as the rating was finally displayed, and what she saw left her in total confusion. Askari protocol Acceptance - Granted Bloodline Grade - 10/10 Stat rating - 22563 Moon's Shadow was baffled.

What in the system am I looking at? She wondered. The stat rating was laughably low, absurd, in fact. By all rights, this newbie shouldn't even be here. Yet the system had granted him acceptance. And the Bloodline Grade… 10/10. No one here was above 6/10, yet this strange newbie, with the lowest rating of them all, had a perfect Bloodline. Movement caught her eye. The God of Eludia stepped forward, her face a churning storm, only to be smoothly blocked by the God of Wine.

"Now, now, Cat. He is my representative," the God of Wine said smoothly.

"You really shouldn't have let him out of your sight."

"He shouldn't even be here. He is still a child. How can you bring a level 101 here and expect me not to say anything?" The God of Eludia exclaimed in exasperation. Moon's blinked at that. She now viewed the newbie in an entirely new light. He's only level 101? And yet his rating was already over 22, 000. A chill rippled down her spine. Everyone else here, herself included, was level 199, the absolute peak of E+ Grade.

For him to have already reached such a rating at the very start of his journey, he was on his way to becoming an absolute monster. This was no ordinary Askari quest. She knew it then, deep in her bones. This one was going to be very, very different. __ Joe stood, eyes locked on the leaderboard floating overhead. He ignored the bickering Gods behind him; he'd heard enough shouting for today. The bottom line floated there, taunting him: Number 25 - Joseph Caldwell. Dead last. He sighed.

The gap between him and number 24 was ridiculous, nearly 7000 points. His shoulders slumped. Why the hell am I here? He'd asked the God of Wine a dozen times. Yelled, even. Each time, he'd received the same maddening reply:"Patience. You will find out." Joe was starting to hate anyone who called themselves a God. With a weary sigh, he shuffled back toward his earlier spot. He wanted nothing more than to melt into the shadows and out of the centre of everyone's scrutiny. Unfortunately, plenty of eyes followed him.

He felt them like needles in his back. As he reached his place, his gaze inadvertently met that of one called Moon's Shadow. He assumed it was a woman, the figure wrapped entirely in shadow beneath a deep hood. He couldn't see her face, but the shape suggested female. He had no clue what race she belonged to, and frankly, at the moment, he didn't care to find out. He quickly looked away and waited. It wasn't long before the God of Wine sauntered over, a broad grin plastered across his dwarven face.

Joe followed his gaze, straight to Catalina, whose stare looked ready to turn him to ash. Flanking her were two purple-skinned Mortifi. He checked the names: Sharn Trake. Lara Field. One of them, Sharn, was in the top ten. Wonderful. Joe turned away from their hate-filled glares. For once, he wished strangers didn't look at him like they wanted to kill him on sight. He folded his arms and muttered through clenched teeth.

"Hey, wine God. You ready to tell me what is going on?" His tone carried the weight of a man standing at the edge of his patience. The God of Wine just laughed.

"Well, now that we have completed the Askari scan. Again, I thank everyone for gathering today." Dust Vale's voice carried smoothly across the room.

"You have all passed and been accepted into the quest selection. You will now be presented with your quest. Please read carefully before we decide on the groups." A new screen popped up in front of Joe. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Askari Quest The GoldRu Forsect Donrathy have selected you, and you have been tasked with a quest of great importance. You must proceed into the hidden sect of Morse Cad and retrieve the stolen artefacts of the GoldRu.

Their sect is on full alert, and a stealthy retrieval is impossible. Therefore, you must overpower your enemy and retrieve the artefacts by force. If you are captured, you will be executed. Failure is not an option. Further details on the sect layout and manpower will be provided. He was here for an Askari quest. Joe stared at the quest box for a long moment, then closed it with a flick of annoyance. He turned sharply to the God of Wine.

"I'm out. I want nothing to do with any of this." Without waiting for an answer, he scanned the room for an exit. To his dismay, there were no doors. No gates. No portals. Just smooth, solid walls and looming Gods. He gritted his teeth and spun back.

"Can you send me home?" he asked, trying to sound polite, barely.

"Why would I do that?" The God of Wine chuckled, his belly shaking with mirth. Shit. Joe strode toward Catalina, hoping she'd be more reasonable. She raised one finger lazily. Bam! A shimmering barrier snapped into place right before his nose. From behind it, Sharn and Lara laughed openly as he glared at the wall, fumbling for a way through. His palms pressed flat against the impenetrable force field. Nothing. Grinding his teeth, he marched back to the God of Wine's side.

"What's to stop me from just not doing the quest? What if I just stand there and wait till everyone else finishes it? I have things I need to do. You can't just drag me here like this."

"If you don't participate," the God replied smoothly, "you will die very quickly." The simplicity of that statement grated on Joe's soul. Before he could unleash a torrent of colourful words, a small orb floated over to him. Reflexively, he plucked it out of the air and identified it: Morse Cad Sept Information Orb. He read through the info, maps, lists of guards, weapons, blah blah blah. He shoved it into his storage with a huff. He really, really didn't want to be here.

"We will now be assigning you all to groups." Dust Vale announced.

"This quest is cooperative. There will be no individual rewards. The only way to achieve the quest's final standing is to ensure your entire group survives. The quest will end, and you will be teleported to safety when all artefacts have been retrieved. Please follow my directions." He began reading from a list, calling out names and directing everyone into groups of four, with one group of five. When Joe's name was read out, he approached the indicated area and met his new group.

He gave a casual salute as he joined them, standing as the fourth member. The system had already labelled everyone, so he knew their names without having to ask. The highest-ranked member of his group was Moon's Shadow, whom he'd briefly locked gazes with earlier, if it could be called locking gazes. Staring at her was like staring into a void. The sensation was distinctly unsettling. She wore a long black cape and was shrouded in shadow from head to toe. She stood at an equal height to Joe.

Next to her stood number 11, Kila Tro. He was a slim alien with dark brown skin and fur completely covering his face. His arms were slightly thinner than Joe's, and he was a head shorter, making him the smallest member of the group. The final member was number 16, Like'Me. An alligator. Not a humanoid alligator. Just… an alligator. He lay sprawled on the ground, gazing up at Joe with unblinking reptilian eyes. Normally, he would've made a quip, something to lighten the mood or break the ice.

But the moment he'd stepped into the group's space, he'd felt it. Pressure. They were strong. All of them. It reminded him of those two strangers at the Empire Meeting. Joe suddenly felt extremely inadequate. He wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Are you really level 101?" Moon's Shadow asked softly, her voice like a whisper on the wind, yet distinctly feminine.

"Yes," Joe replied simply, giving a small nod. She turned away without another word. Nothing else was said. They stood silently as Dust Vale raised a hand, summoning a gate next to each group.

"Good luck, Askari. May you all return in glory. A pyre will be lit for the fallen," Dust Vale intoned, and then vanished from the room. Joe followed his group through their gate. It blinked out of existence the moment they all passed through. As the room emptied, one God lingered, smiling as he watched Joe depart, a look of hunger burning behind his eyes. __ Catalina Terravignion appeared back in Eludia with a small box in the palm of her hand.

She waved a finger, and it disappeared, revealing a small divine-touched red serpent. Veda looked up at her mistress and bowed her head.

"Come, child, I want to know everything you can tell me. Leave out nothing." Veda closed her eyes and whispered, "Yes, Mistress." __ Joe emerged from the gate into a scene of complete chaos. He had expected them to arrive in a secluded area, maybe a forest, hidden from sight. But no. They had arrived smack in the middle of the Morse Cad Sect, surrounded by at least twenty cloaked figures. The battle had already begun. He ducked as a red-tinged blast of mana flew over his head.

Crouching low, he tried to assess the situation. Moon's Shadow was to his right, already engaging four cloaked figures. Her hands blurred at a speed Joe could barely track, strands of shadow twisting from her fingers and snaring her opponents, disrupting their footing, forcing them to stagger and miss their attacks. She drew a jet-black sword that seemed to hum, absorbing all surrounding light. The shadows around her deepened further.

Joe couldn't look directly at her for more than a second; it was like staring into a black hole. To his left, Kila Tro fought three cloaked enemies with eerie precision. A book floated before him, pages turning of their own accord. As he glided smoothly between attacks, bolts of fire, ice, and water shot from his raised hands, overwhelming his opponents with relentless barrages. Joe was about to move when one cloaked figure stepped forward from the surrounding circle and pointed directly at him.

Before he could react, the final team member intervened.

'Don't move, newbie. Just stay right there,' a voice spoke telepathically in his mind. Like'Me, the alligator, darted forward with shocking speed, engaging three cloaked figures at once, including the one who had targeted Joe. His massive tail lashed out, breaking limbs with ruthless ferocity. A swirling tornado sprang into being beside him, whirling into the fray. Alligator and tornado moved together in perfect synchronicity, tearing through their opponents as if they were flies.

Joe suddenly felt useless as Moon's Shadow killed her four attackers and calmly moved on to the next four who stepped forward. He couldn't understand what he was seeing. Why weren't all the cloaked figures attacking at once? Surely that would've been smarter than watching their comrades die one by one. Yet none of them showed emotion as they stepped forward and fell in turn to his teammates. After less than five minutes, the last cloaked figure met a silent death.

Like'Me moved among the bodies, tapping them with his tail to loot them, making them vanish one after another. Joe watched his credits shoot up at an absurd rate. Which confused him, because he wasn't in a party with the others. He wondered how the system was calculating the rewards… then remembered the system was basically a God-like being, and so he shrugged. He also noticed something else: he had received no experience. Not a single point. Apparently, the system didn't reward spectating with levels.

Kila and Moons stood nearby, a translucent map of the sect floating before them. Joe edged closer to stand just behind them. Moons gave him a glance but said nothing. When Like'Me rejoined them, Kila was the first to speak.

"If we follow this path and head towards that tower, we can gain entry through here." He pointed at a section resembling an aqueduct connected to a tower to the east.

'Go through the front door,' Like'Me suggested. So far, Joe had yet to hear the alligator speak aloud even once.

"That would delay our ascension," Kila replied, tone clipped.

"We should prioritise infiltration first over brute force."

'Fine, but if we meet any guards along the way, I will engage with full force.' Kila gave Like'Me a flat, unreadable look but didn't argue. He rolled up the map, and without another word, the group set off. Kila led from the front, Joe trailing in the rear. None of them so much as glanced at him. He was starting to suspect they saw him as dead weight. They slipped through the sect like shadows, darting between buildings and hugging the walls.

Kila led them through a winding route, expertly avoiding the patrols that passed unnervingly close. Joe was surprised by how easily he kept pace. His speed and strength had clearly jumped after the brutal month of training with the God, and after his evolution into the hidden grade. So was this the reason? The whole time that damn dwarf was preparing him to keep up on this quest? Why can't these damn godlike beings just explain what they are doing and not just force him into crazy training without warning?

He was definitely going to complain again if or when he ever saw that damn Dwarf. But he had to admit. The training had worked; he was a lot stronger and faster now. His body also felt lighter, and he moved with an almost water-like flow as he ran. He'd noticed the difference when dancing with Tevenny, but then he'd held back to avoid overwhelming her. Now, he could move freely. Using Fated Wings' footwork, a calm settled over him. He made barely a sound and used his breathing to fully suppress his aura.

He also activated Dao Sight as he ran. He still wasn't sure what the skill was truly for, but he wanted to learn. Better to keep it active and see what it reveals during this forced quest. His impromptu comrades ran with a subtle grace that easily eclipsed his own. He watched their movements as best he could, though watching the alligator wasn't exactly useful in that regard. Like'Me half-ran, half-slithered along the ground, moving with a sinuous fluidity Joe could in no way emulate.

Moons was the most graceful of all. In fact, Joe could barely see her move. She was a shadow gliding over the ground, no visible limbs, just faint tendrils of shadow propelling her forward in silence. The group soon arrived at the aqueduct connected to the tower they'd marked as their target. They crouched in the shadow of an adjacent building while Kila opened his book. A tiny robotic creature appeared and scurried off into the aqueduct. It looked like a miniature walrus with ten metallic legs.

"You keep up well, newbie," Moons whispered. Joe almost didn't notice she was talking to him.

"Thanks; I just assumed you all were running slower, for my sake?" he replied. Moons tilted her shadowy head slightly, but said no more, turning her attention to Kila. Who raised a hand, nodding toward the aqueduct. Moons' form rippled, her shadow expanding around the group as the air shimmered faintly. Whatever skill she used, it seemed to mask their presence entirely.

"Move as one. Go," Kila ordered. They dashed forward under the veil of shadows and disappeared into the aqueduct. None of the guards saw the near-invisible blob of darkness as it slipped through in total silence. Joe was impressed by the teamwork displayed by Kila and Moons. If he didn't know better, he would have assumed they were long-time teammates. Kila scouted and charted their path, and without prompting, Moons always knew the perfect moments to veil them in shadow, enhancing their stealth.

They ascended the tower's halls and corridors without alerting a single cloaked guard. Joe followed their lead without complaint, basking in the expertise of those around him. He was still watching them like a hawk, hoping to learn as much as he could from this experience. Eventually, they reached a storage room near the tower's peak and settled in to rest. Kila knelt by his floating book, crafting more walrus-like constructs, which scurried away to scout the upper floors. Joe raised his hand.

Three pairs of eyes turned his way.

'What is it, newbie?' Like'Me asked, his voice rumbling inside Joe's head.

"I was just wondering… what exactly are we looking for?" Joe asked. Like'Me and Kila turned away, ignoring the question. Moons stared at him for a moment longer before also turning away. Joe sighed. Well, this is fun, he thought. While they crouched in silence, Joe shifted to Dao Sight, scanning the room. Nothing of note revealed itself, so he switched to Mana Sight and studied his teammates. Each of them was shrouded in a subtle darkness that masked their internal mana, likely the same veil that hid their Auras.

He glanced down at his own body. His left arm, wrapped in the bandage, appeared utterly blank, just like the veils surrounding the others. The rest of his body still displayed his natural mana flow. His Aura suppression remained the breathing technique Drishti had taught him so long ago. He'd mentioned it to Rose recently, and she'd noted that it resembled the veil she used, though his version was simpler.

She had encouraged him to keep refining it; it wasn't inferior, and might even prove more valuable in the future. She also assured him that if he practiced hard enough, he could adapt it to mask his mana, along with his Aura. But that would likely take years of practice. With nothing happening, Joe sat and took a meditative pose. He began moving his mana as Daisy had taught him, maintaining full Aura suppression through his breathwork. Unbeknownst to him, Moons watched him closely the entire time.

A sharp snap near his ear jolted Joe upright into a crouch. Kila had found something. Moons' shadows flared again, veiling the group as they moved swiftly down the hall toward a chamber near the tower's summit. Within a minute, they arrived at a locked door shimmering with a dense mana barrier. Joe examined it with Mana Sight as Moons crouched, her shadows flowing across its surface, probing for weaknesses. As he watched her, Joe decided to do the same, using only his sight.

Before long, he spotted a small section that looked out of place and pointed. Moons turned her cloaked cowl towards the spot he pointed to. Her shadows slipped inside the barrier at that same point, and after a moment, the shimmering light flickered and vanished. She gave him a small nod, and the group quietly opened the door.

'Not completely useless,' Like'Me said. Joe shivered. I really wish he wouldn't do that so suddenly, he thought. They entered the room and shut the door behind them. Inside, Joe found a chamber that looked more like a museum than a vault. Small podiums dotted the space, each topped by a glass container extending to the ceiling. Every container glowed with its own eerie mana barrier. The other three spread out, searching for something specific.

Left to his own devices, Joe wandered down an aisle and began studying the containers. The first that caught his eye held what looked like a model skyboat, not unlike the first small one he had purchased. But this one was bristling with cannons, had sails along each side, and sported what looked like a rocket engine protruding from the rear.

"Are these models?" he asked as Moons passed nearby. She paused and glanced at the display.

"See the ring? It's shrunken for display, but it's a fully functioning boat," She said with a shake of her cowl. Joe peered at the ring beneath the display. So this was a real skyboat, with its own ring. Temptation tugged at him. He examined the barrier encasing it and spotted the same weak point he'd indicated on the earlier barrier. He looked around and met Moons' veiled gaze. She shook her head, clearly understanding what he was up to. Joe raised both hands in mock surrender and moved to the next container.

Need to be more sneaky… I really liked that skyboat, he thought wistfully. The next few displays held various jewellery and pottery that meant nothing to him. But then, he stopped dead, a smile creeping across his face. Inside one container sat a glowing blue seed. It called to him. This time, he didn't hesitate. He sent a tiny stream of mana through the weak point, and the barrier winked out.

In one smooth motion, he opened the container, slipped the seed into his storage, and withdrew his hand just as the barrier reactivated. No alarms. No warning. He exhaled in relief, only to feel two sets of eyes lock onto his back. He chose to ignore them and casually moved on, smile widening as a notification flashed in his sight. System Message Seed - Grand Spiritus Vine was added to the seed menu. The room was massive. It took them nearly ten minutes to check every container.

In that time, Joe had swiped six more items before Kila appeared at his side, fury written all over his face.

"Will you stop! You could trip an alarm! If hundreds of guards are standing outside the door waiting for us because of your stupidity…" Kila hissed, voice low but harsh. For a moment, fear coursed through Joe at the sudden outburst. But he forced himself to breathe deeply and steady his emotions. The hairy brown alien was kinda scary when he wanted to be.

"I know what I'm doing. I was careful. Plus, no one's outside. I have been checking," Joe said, standing to his full height, trying not to show how much the tirade had rattled him. Kila scowled again, then turned away.

'You done messing with the newbie? This place is a dud. Let's go to the top room,' Like'Me said calmly into their minds.

"No, we should leave the tower the way we came. There is no reason to start an unnecessary fight," Kila countered sharply. The tension between them rose until Moons drifted between the pair.

"We will leave by Kila's route," she said. Like'Me immediately nodded. Joe noted the interesting dynamic. Moons let the others debate as much as they wanted, but once she spoke, her word was final. No one argued. She did, however, shoot Joe a clear warning glare. At least, he assumed it was a warning glare; now, he could see two faint orange eyes inside her hood. He figured he might have pushed his luck with all the stealing, but he had no regrets. He'd grabbed some good items.

His eyes flashed in glee as he fell back into his position at the rear of the group as they made their way back to the room's entrance. The descent back down the tower was uneventful. They exited once more through the aqueduct and were soon moving through the sect again, this time heading north. As they ran toward the next building Kila had marked, Joe kept his Mana Sight active. He began noticing faint, almost imperceptible mana streams pointing northeast at intervals along their path.

They were subtle, hard to see, and it was only because he was studying his surroundings so intently that he spotted them at all. He thought about mentioning it, but before the chance arose, they reached the next building. Unfortunately, this infiltration didn't go so smoothly. Just ten minutes after entering, they were discovered.

'Finally, time to let loose,' Like'Me said, blasting forward. His tail whipped out in a blur, instantly killing a group of guards before they could react. The confrontation was over in seconds, but the damage was done. An alarm had been triggered. Reluctantly, the group decided to abandon the building and find a place to hide, much to Like'Me's obvious frustration. It took them only twenty minutes to shake off the pursuing force. Without another word, they moved on, heading for their third target.