Chương 84: Theft

Aurora tore through her Clan village, dust rising behind her as she sprinted at full speed. She had been tricked. And there was only one person it could have been, Sofantia. She crashed into her house, barreling through the door, and scrambled to her room. Heart pounding, she rushed to her hiding spot. Gone. A raw scream tore from her throat as she smashed through her wall and bolted toward the heart of the village, the great hall.

She burst inside, her Aura unleashed in full force, crackling through the hall like a storm. But it was too late. Sofantia stood before her, smiling in triumph as a radiant beam of light surrounded her body. She had activated the token. Somehow she had reached level 199 without Aurora knowing. Horror washed over her. That light… her light… Her chance to evolve to D grade… stolen. She dropped to her knees, grief crashing down on her like a wave.

Everything she'd worked for, every hour, every sacrifice, gone in an instant. The light faded from the hall as Aurora shed a tear. She didn't know how long she stayed there, lost in the hollow stillness. When she finally emerged, Clara was waiting. Her best friend. The one who had betrayed her. The one who had dragged her from her room with claims of an "emergency." The one who'd lured her away just long enough for Sofantia to strike.

There had never been an emergency, and the only one who could've known where she'd hidden the token… was Clara. Aurora walked up and slapped her. Hard.

"I'm sorry, Aur. I had no choice. She threatened my family. Please…" Another slap cut Clara short, knocking her to her knees.

"You had a choice," Aurora growled, voice trembling with fury.

"You know I could have protected them. But you chose to betray me. Never show yourself before me again!" She turned and ran, heart burning, tears hot in her eyes. She didn't look back. She had to find her parents. They needed to prepare. When Sofantia returned as a D grade, she would come for them, and she wouldn't stop. They had to leave the village. They had to hide. But where? Clara didn't understand anything. What she had done would doom them all. __ Alkaios knocked on the door to Rose's quarters.

After a moment, it swung open to reveal Rose in a vibrant yellow dress, beaming at him.

"Alk, perfect timing. Come here," she grabbed his arm, pulling him inside.

"Sister, I don't have time to play… I'm about to leave," he protested. But, as he already knew, Rose always got what she wanted. He allowed himself to be dragged through her chambers and out into the practice grounds beyond. There, he caught sight of Daisy sparring with the green-skinned, horned Voldura. Alk turned sharply, face flushing red, as he realized she was practically naked. Her clothing was so torn and slit that it might as well not have been there. Her body glided with effortless grace through the fight.

"Oh, Alk, it's just a bit of skin. You're missing the best part. Look, she doesn't mind you watching," Rose said with a dramatic flourish. Alk knew full well the Voldura had no shame; this wasn't the first or last time he'd be forced to witness one of her more revealing training sessions.

"Sister. I was trying to tell you. I am leaving for the Tower today," Alk said, a bit more firmly this time. That finally caught Rose's attention. She spun around to face him in surprise.

"Today? You mean, Mother is letting you evolve! Oh my giddy Alk, that is the best news ever!" She lunged forward and pulled him into a tight hug. Giddy? He silently wondered where she'd picked up that word.

"Yes, sister. I am leaving now. I just came to say goodbye." He heard a shuffle behind him as the sparring came to a halt.

"That's great. Did you hear that, Daisy? Alk is leaving for the Tower. He will be a D grade the next time you see him!" Rose said joyfully. Alk sighed as he watched his sister bounce with excitement, then tensed slightly as a soft hand landed on his shoulder.

"Congratulations," Daisy said with a smile, stepping in front of him. She leaned closer and gave him a quick wink that sent a flutter through his chest.

"Thank you, Daisy," he replied formally, struggling to keep his expression composed. He heard his sister snort in amusement but ignored her. Before he lost himself in Daisy's gaze, he turned back to Rose and held out a small box.

"For you."

"Oh, is this the item I asked for? That was quick!" Rose said, taking the box with a grin.

"You're the best brother in the whole Multiverse." She hugged him again, longer this time. He coughed when it went on a bit too long, prompting a playful swat before she strolled over to Daisy and the now fully dressed Voldura, who had thankfully changed into her maid uniform.

"Do you think you will beat my score, Alk?" Rose asked, her eyes glinting with mischief.

"It's not a competition, Sister," he replied, standing a bit straighter and puffing out his chest.

"I just hope to match Father. That's all I ask," Rose smiled back at him and leaned over to whisper something into the Voldura's ear.

"Good luck, brother. Daisy, you should give him a good luck hug," Rose said with a teasing grin. Alkaios immediately began to sweat, his face turning crimson. Daisy didn't step forward. Instead, she simply stared at him, and the group fell into a silence that stretched uncomfortably long. Alkaios cursed his sister inwardly. Why did she always do this to him? She knew nothing could ever happen between him and Daisy. He had responsibilities, a duty to the Empire. His feelings didn't matter.

Just as he was about to break the silence, Daisy took a single step forward. His heart skipped a beat.

"Only if the prince thinks it appropriate," she said calmly. Alkaios closed his eyes and drew in a slow breath.

"A hug between friends is never inappropriate," he said at last. He regretted the phrasing. Daisy's expression hardened, but she said nothing. They exchanged a brief, awkward hug. Then Alkaios gave the three of them a formal bow and departed as quickly as he could. __ Rose sighed as she watched her brother depart. She only pushed him because she loved him. She wanted him to be happy, for once, to want something for himself instead of always putting duty and the Empire first. But he was so damn rigid.

It hurt watching him, and Daisy pretend there was nothing between them. She stamped her foot in frustration.

"You two, back to training," she snapped, her usual playfulness gone. Her mood had soured, and she needed an outlet.

"Scrap that. Both of you, come," she said, pulling off her yellow dress. Her combat gear snapped into place.

"Attack together. I expect you to last more than twenty seconds this time." Daisy and Corel exchanged a quick glance. Then the spar began. Ten seconds later, both lay unconscious at her feet. Rose sighed again. __ Alkaios emerged from the beam of light and stepped into the grounds outside the Tower of Past Lives. Waiting for him was a silver-skinned system butler who offered a small golden crown. Alkaios placed it on his head.

He had been preparing for this moment since the age of ten, and he needed no guidance from the butler. Bringing up his status screen, he closed his eyes. A flash of light danced across his vision as the system began to evaluate his achievements, grading everything he had done to reach the peak of the Hidden Grade. When the brilliance faded, he opened his eyes and focused on the results displayed before him.

The screen listed detailed ratings across multiple categories, past deeds, stat total, distribution, and skill effectiveness. He nodded, pleased with the outcome, until his eyes landed on the most important category: Bloodline Value. Rose had beaten him again. It didn't surprise him. Her Bloodline purity was unmatched. She was the blessed child. Still, Alkaios took comfort in one thing: he had matched his father's score. A rating of 7 out of 10 was exceptional. He nodded.

The butler gestured for him to follow and led him into the preparation building. Once inside, Alkaios was free to explore the collected notes and insights left by past entrants. Naturally, he made his way to the Eludia section and found his mother's entry. He smiled at her warm message and moved to his father's. That one made him chuckle and shake his head. It was exactly what he expected. Then he read Rose's note. He slapped his forehead with a groan.

"What is wrong with her?" he muttered to himself. Closing the screen, he noticed that two other entrants were present. One appeared to be from the robotic races of the Designation 343 Empire. It was always difficult to tell their types apart without Identify. The other was a massive woman from a wolf-therianthrope race. She stood out for all the wrong reasons. Her Aura was shockingly ordinary. Unimpressive. How had someone with such a weak spiritual presence obtained an entry token? Alkaios frowned in confusion.

He reminded himself not to judge, but it was hard not to wonder. She seemed entirely out of place. Pushing the thought aside, he returned his focus to the task at hand. He sat down and began the pre-entry meditation. Soon, he would join his sister in D grade and continue down the never-ending path that stretched before them both. __ Sofantia stood in awe, gazing at the golden Aura of the pointy-eared male sitting in meditation. Her jaw slackened slightly, and she began to drool.

He was so handsome she could barely contain her rising lust. Desire burned through her as she stared at him, transfixed. She shook her head quickly, regaining her senses, and forced herself to step away. His Aura felt deep, so overwhelming. Even that whore Aurora paled in comparison to this beautiful male. He radiated power, dominance… royalty. A king. She swore she would meet him again one day. With lingering glances, she finally settled into position and began her own meditation.

The anticipation of returning to her world as a new D-grade powerhouse surged within her. That stupid Clara had handed her everything on a silver platter. Sofantia could hardly wait to return, tear out her traitorous throat, and drink her blood. Then, she'd take her brother as a gift, until she grew bored with him. The thought nearly made her moan with pleasure. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

__ One week later, the Tower of Past Lives sang with resonance as a new powerhouse emerged. Alkaios Terravignion - Overall Rank: 187 on the Tower of Past Lives leaderboard. Alkaios flexed his newly evolved muscles, a quiet pride on his face. He looked up at the golden board displaying his name and smiled.

"Not bad, Alk. Father will be proud." He had done it. He'd beaten his father's ranking. Goal achieved. His eyes lingered briefly on a name over a hundred ranks higher than his. Rose. He chuckled. She really is a monster. Five days after Alkaios exited the Tower, another figure emerged. Sofantia stumbled out, her steps heavy, her expression dazed. She stared down at her evolved body, eyes wide with awe. The transformation had nearly killed her.

She collapsed to her knees, trembling as the sheer relief of survival washed over her. Tears spilled down her cheeks. A ranking flashed before her eyes. She waved it away, uninterested. There were too many numbers anyway. She didn't care. All that mattered was that she was now D grade. And it was time to bleed her world dry. __ Three weeks into his training, Joe was heading north on his skyboat, mapping out the northern part of the continent. He was currently flying over forests thick with snow.

As he travelled, he felt a faint pull on his consciousness. A subtle but familiar sensation stirred within him. He pulled up the control panel on his skyboat and shifted course toward that feeling. Veda, noticing the change in direction, stretched with a yawn then settled beside him.

"Something up?" she asked.

"I think I just located the World Tree," Joe replied. It had been a long time since he had thought about the World Tree. Ever since the fusion of the worlds, he hadn't known where it was, and hadn't felt compelled to search. He'd assumed it was safe. As far as he knew, he was the only one capable of approaching it anyway. So imagine his surprise when, after thirty minutes of travel, he arrived to find a City Pillar sitting directly on top of where he felt the tug of the World Tree.

"Veda, I think something is going on," Joe said, slowing the skyboat to a stop just outside the city's bubble. He pulled up his mini-map. He had labelled all the pillars he'd discovered so far: New Edem, Kunlun, Heliopolis, Relashra, and five more that were currently Volduran-controlled. This was the last unvisited human-owned pillar. He tried to recall its name.

"Which pillar is it?" Veda asked, wrapping herself around his shoulders.

"Erm… Raro something. I forgot," Joe said.

"I remember the guy in charge, though. Devotion. Religious looking guy." He put the skyboat away and landed with a crunch on the snow below. With no visible entrance present, he started circling the city bubble, waving his hand now and then in case someone inside could see him. After a full loop around the perimeter, he confirmed there was no designated entry point. He stood, frowning.

"Any ideas on how to get their attention?" he asked.

"Touch the bubble with your… right arm," Veda suggested. Joe gave a sceptical glance.

"I don't want to spook them. Plus, I don't know what kind of damage that would do."

"Try knocking?" Veda added. Joe did just that. He walked up to the barrier and gave it a solid kick, sending ripples across the surface. Then he waited. Ten minutes passed. Nothing happened.

"It looks like they aren't going to open up. You should use your arm," Veda said nonchalantly. Joe gave her another sideways look, confused. Still, standing here was a waste of time. With a sigh, he turned away from the bubble.

"Next time," he muttered. He pulled out his skyboat and took off eastward, flying straight into a gathering snowstorm. __ Inside Rarohenga, Devotion stood at a tall window, watching as the Progenitor flew off into the clouds. It wasn't time for them to meet, not yet. There were still things that needed to be put in place. He turned to the kneeling figure behind him.

"Move the plans up. We need to finish preparations before he returns," he said calmly, sipping from his wine glass. __ A week later, Joe sat on a cliff overlooking a vast snowfield. Behind him, a tent flapped gently in the wind, Veda's haven from the cold. She had outright refused to leave it unless absolutely necessary, preferring to stay wrapped in blankets with a heated mana core. Joe tapped on the flashing communicator he had recently purchased, at the behest of others, from his pillar shop.

A familiar voice crackled through the speaker.

"So… I've just heard back from Rarohenga. They claimed they didn't realize you were trying to signal them and send their apologies. Also, they insisted you give advance notice next time so they can prepare a welcome wagon," Sarah said.

"Did they mention the World Tree sitting in the centre of their city?" Joe asked. After a long pause, Sarah replied, "They didn't."

"Thanks, Sarah, I'll let you know when I plan to return there."

"You doing okay out there? You should come visit. How are Corel and Veda doing?"

"Yeah, I'm all good. Just training. Veda and Corel are both doing great as far as I know. I'll message you when I'm near. Say hi to the guys for me."

"Okay, keep in touch." Joe stored the communicator away, his gaze drifting back over the snowy expanse. A sense of unease lingered in his mind; something about the World Tree situation felt off, but he had more pressing matters to focus on first. He'd been practicing his use of his fate bonds, experimenting with how he connected to Corel and Rose. Sending emotions was nice and all, but he was convinced there had to be a way to adjust the pulses and shape them into something more tangible-something word-like.

Taking a deep breath, he concentrated, feeling both bonds warm against his chest. He focused hard, trying to send a single word: Hi. The moment stretched as he strained, his ears popping under the pressure of his efforts. Then, like breaking a seal, he felt the word slip free, dispersing into the threads that connected him to the others. Two pulses of shock answered him almost immediately, followed by a wave of curiosity from both bonds.

Rose also sent back a sharp pulse of annoyance, while Corel's reply shimmered with delight. Encouraged, Joe tried again, this time pushing two words through the bond: Flower and Horns. The confused responses he received made him chuckle. It clearly needed more refinement, but it was a major breakthrough. Maybe one day, he'd be able to hold actual cross-multiversal conversations with a princess. He stood and stretched, snow swirling around him in the breeze.

Rolling his shoulders, he flowed into the movements of Fated Wings and then Flying Falcon. His new martial skill had quickly become a favourite, and he'd focused all his training on integrating it into his combat rhythm. Four weeks in, his progress was steady. His body was adapting to casting mana skills using his left arm. He was still slower than before; Mana Blast and Mana Wave had always been tied to his dominant right arm.

Adjusting was tough, but thankfully, his seed-based skills, planting, growing, and manipulating, relied on sight and thought, so they remained unaffected. Overall, the dip in combat power was manageable. Space Jump still worked just as well for closing distances, and in close quarters, his physical prowess hadn't diminished. His right arm was still functional for melee, but when it came to mid or long-range mana shots, accuracy had become his biggest hurdle. Trying to hit targets with his left hand was… humbling.

He missed more often than not, a frustratingly unfamiliar sensation he hadn't experienced in a long time. As he trained, Joe began incorporating some of the new skills he had unlocked upon reaching level 100. The most important among them was Farming Perdition, a powerful area effect skill that created a 30-metre radius around him. Within this zone, any beast or person he designated as an enemy would find their mana slowly drained while their movements were subtly hampered, as if wading through thick air.

The second new skill, more utility-focused, was the tent Veda currently slept in, his Farmer's House skill. It conjured a furnished tent complete with running water, a proper toilet, a couch, a bookcase, and a bed. And plenty of storage. Perfect for his previously nomadic lifestyle.

"Guess I'm not homeless anymore," he chuckled. Then there was Nature's Embrace, easily his most ostentatious skill to date. Like many of his profession's skills, it wasn't offensive, unlike Nature's Rage, which provided a huge offensive boost. Instead, Nature's Embrace significantly boosted his defence for a short time and amplified all his other Nature-aligned skills while active. The trade-off was steep: it consumed mana at an alarming rate.

Fortunately, Joe's intellect and wisdom stats were so absurdly high that he could maintain it for quite a long amount of time. Still, he often wished he had more precise feedback regarding his mana usage; there were no numerical values for his mana bar, just a visual representation. He wondered how much mana each skill used. Unfortunately, his status offered no such breakdown. The final new skill he had acquired was Beast Communication, but he hadn't had a chance to use it yet.

There were few beasts in these frozen northern forests, and none had shown themselves so far. He was pulled from his thoughts by the soft sound of a yawn from inside the tent. He shook out his arms and legs, then ducked inside, greeting a waking Veda with a smile. He moved to the small sink area and poured her a cup of tea, heating the water with a small infusion of mana. The blueberry-flavoured tea bags he had picked up from the Pillar store gave the tent a warm, fruity scent.

He handed her the cup and sat beside her, gently stroking her back with his left hand. She let out a soft purr as she took a sip, her eyes still half-lidded from sleep. Joe sat beside Veda and pulled out the legendary orb, the reward from the Askari quest. He turned it over in his hand, watching the faint glow shift beneath its surface. Something about the orb made him hesitant to use it right now. He had even considered gifting it to someone, perhaps as a powerful gesture or a way to empower an ally.

But it was a legendary skill orb. It wasn't something you gave away lightly. No, he would use it himself. He had earned it. Still, a voice deep inside told him that now was not the time. He trusted that instinct. He put the orb back into his storage. When the right moment came, he would know. He pulled up his stat screen and reviewed his progress.

Stats Strength: 3168 (200) Agility: 4088 (620) Vitality: 4114 (520) Endurance: 4114 (200) Wisdom: 4694 (60) Intelligence: 6072 (80) Luck: 208 Hidden Stat: Dao Knowledge - 2298 Hidden Stat: Aura Power - 300 Free Points: 0 System Credits: 600, 943, 210 The last two months had been incredibly profitable in terms of levelling. Despite reaching level 100, after which progress had noticeably slowed, he had pushed his main and secondary classes to level 120, and his profession to level 124.

Most of that came from his mobility. With the skyboat's absurd speed, he'd located and cleared four Gates, gaining rare loot and experience. He'd also culled an endless number of beast hordes. When he zoomed out far enough on his mini-map, he could now see three more Gates waiting to be tackled. He closed the screen and stared out at the snow. After a long moment, he asked, "Veda. Am I strong?" Veda looked up from her cup, blinking sleepily.

"Show me." Joe reopened his status and with a thought, made it visible for her to see. Her eyes scanned the numbers, and after a brief pause, her tail flicked once and she gestured for him to close it.

"Joseph," she said in a lilting tone, "you are the dumbest, strongest person I have ever met." Joe chuckled, but Veda wasn't finished. Her voice softened slightly, her tone edged with knowing.

"I know what you're thinking. I know you very well. You want to go to that Voldura pillar, don't you?"

"I've been thinking," Joe said slowly.

"During my time at the Relashra pillar, it became pretty evident that no one, not even Pathfinder, could stop me from abducting as many Voldura as I wanted. I mean, I only confronted him once. I probably could have ended everything there and then if I hadn't been so unlucky. Even outnumbered, I managed to do a lot of damage. If I just… killed his guards…" He trailed off. Why hadn't he? They were monsters. None of them would have hesitated to kill him. So why hadn't he? Was it fear? Caution?

The mission had always been to minimize Voldura deaths. But why had that mattered so much to him? Could he really have ended it then and there? Doubt crept in like a fog, clouding his thoughts.

"Are you ready to fight to kill? Ask yourself that," Veda said quietly. Joe turned to her and met her blood red gaze. Her question hit him harder than any blow. Was he truly ready to fight with the intention of killing? Yes, he'd taken lives before, but it was almost always in self defence… or rage. He also killed beasts practically daily, but that was different. Most of the beasts he killed were mindless, didn't speak, and fixated only on killing anything they encountered.

There was no room for mercy or negotiation. But the Voldura. Killing them was the same as killing a human. Could he go into battle now with the goal to kill? Not just defend or subdue, but to truly aim for death? He stared down at his hands. They were slightly free of calluses, free of wear and tear, hands that had nurtured life and destroyed it. The weight of what lay ahead settled fully on him. He wasn't the kind of person who killed mercilessly.

But he also wasn't someone who could turn away while innocents suffered under a tyrant. How many had Pathfinder already condemned? How many people like Drishti had died because he didn't act sooner?

"I have to," he said at last, the words solid and final. The decision was made. He would no longer hold back.