Chapter 599 - Freedom

All of us sit around my trademarked thermal cube that, with the help of kinetic energy channeled through internal spaces, emits a crackling noise. The heat also fluctuates, sending waves similar to real, crackling fire, rather than being a stable source of heat.

Tess lifts her eyes from the cards she is holding, “They really made collection cards for high ranked attendees.”

“Yup!” Dennis nods excitedly. “Aaron and I have probably the best collection out of Earth´s tutorial. We even have shiny Noname!”

I lift my eyes off the orb I'm training with. Shiny what?

He shows Tess the card featuring a drawn sketch of my face, which for some reason looks extremely punchable. The artist clearly has a talent for caricatures, since I'm pretty sure my face doesn't actually look like that. Right? Aside from that, beneath the face is dense text, the same as I saw on my card earlier, with some new additions.

Even the alias "Noname" has been scratched over and rewritten to Nathaniel Gwyn. The card itself is of much higher quality than the previous version. It is made from some sort of very light metal with edges and a back that shines with a golden, metallic finish.

I hate it.

Dennis continues to blabber, “The creator apparently had enough time to make only five shiny Noname cards, so it's super rare! Besides that, I also got Shiny Tacita and Shiny Derick. Apart from that, I have all the normal ones for all the kings.”

“Dennis,” Tess sighs.

“What?”

“Please never change. Anyway, I already heard something from the girls, but I will look over the cards, as there seems to be useful information. But… Mana Daddy might be too much,” she giggles while saying so, “and what kind of "Note" is: can be lazy as fuck, likes to stay behind, charge his attacks, and then kill steal?”

“That one is very accurate!” Aaron joins the conversation, “I heard the creator discussed it with two experts from Hell difficulty.”

I turn away from the group and watch as Myrra walks further as well. She already said goodbye to everyone except one person, and now she just waits for Lissandra and for this floor to end.

The sky is dark, but high up there a pale blue color fluctuates in a manner similar to polar lights. Once in a while, earthquakes are sent through what feels like the planet itself. There seems to be some sort of field protecting us, as just a few miles away entire mountains crumble or the vegetation disappears under the influence of what feels like mana radiation.

Holding Biscuit in my arms, I stand up and head towards Myrra.

As I walk, the corgi in my arms suddenly twitches and opens his eyes. Surprised by the unfamiliar surroundings, he startles and starts squirming to get out of my grip. Then he sniffs the arm I'm using to hold him. Almost instantly, he freezes, and I can practically see him processing what he's smelling. After a moment, he closes his eyes again and goes still.

His breathing is different now, clearly showing he is awake and just pretending to sleep.

Damn it, Biscuit.

I don't say anything out loud and instead pull him closer to my chest, continuing to hold him while walking toward Myrra.

“Is this my goodbye gift?” she asks, glancing at Biscuit.

“Is the bag of deer jerky not enough?” I ask her, and the two of us closely observe the corgi in my arms.

He twitches once, twice, and even his eyelids move as if he is about to open his eyes, and I sense the faintest attempt at telepathic communication, likely to call me an asshole or something worse. But in the end, he continues to pretend to be asleep.

While I watch her curiously swaying tail, I ask, “Listen, Myrra, among lynthari, what kind of gesture is it to pull someone's tail, if you compare it to human customs?”

I don't tell her, but every time I see it, I get the feeling I need to pull on it. I think that's normal, totally normal. I just can't imagine anyone having a pet and not trying to pull its tail at least once. I pause my thoughts. Not that I consider Myrra my pet, of course.

The tall lynthari tilts her head and smiles, “I think for a human it would be a gesture similar to this.”

She takes a step around me and then slaps my butt. It is a perfect slap that sends the sound throughout the area. For the briefest second, she leaves her hand on it and even squeezes before letting go and moving in front of me.

There is no shame in her golden eyes.

“Did you just sexually harass me, Myrra?”

“Did I? Well, don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you look at my tail. But since we won’t see each other for a few years, you can pull on it. I’ll allow it this time.”

“I have changed my mind.”

"It's for free."

"I'm not interested anymore."

“Come on, feral one.”

"I'm getting scared, please stop."

She laughs in her typical way, and her good mood is shown by her fangs appearing in that smile.

A notification pops up to interrupt us.

Alert: Narrative irregularity confirmed. Progression has deviated from the floor’s designated parameters. Escalation exceeds acceptable thresholds.

The current scenario is no longer compatible with the floor’s intended structure. Recorded wave completions have surpassed all historical data. The competition rate exceeds statistical maximums. The floor has been cleared with total efficiency, violating the expected range of outcomes.

All Rulers assigned to this cycle of the tutorials have been notified.

Unregistered influence has been identified. Identity does not correspond to any system-approved entity. No matching designations found across current or archived cycles. Origin point obscured. Interference trace persistent across multiple sectors. Behavioral pattern inconsistent with allowed roles.

Primary reward output has been adjusted and significantly reduced.

Additional interference detected. Initiating further reward reduction sequence.

Unauthorized entity presence is confirmed. Trace patterns do not match any known or permitted variables.

Administrative Rulers have been notified.

Automatic response protocols have been initiated. A containment model is being generated. Observation priority elevated. System integrity remains intact. The current result has introduced instability into the cycle's progression metrics. An internal audit has been scheduled.

All further actions subject to direct Ruler oversight.

Notice: Despite irregularities, the main quest objectives for Floor 7 have been fulfilled. Completion is officially recognized.

Even more, notifications appear after that, all in the same manner that shows how crazy and unexpected it would be for an attendee to kill the Absolute. More checks run, and after them, even more appear. As if the tutorial system itself were confused by Lissandra. That also clearly confirms what she has said to me before. It really seems that time is ticking down for her.

Part of me wonders why she still did that knowing what would happen, but as I glance at the rewards, I think I understand.

The rewards are incredible. Even after all those reductions, they're still way too good. It’s probably her parting gift, maybe even a kind of apology. It’s strange, really strange because I’m sure she would still have killed anyone from group 4 if she had to. I’m sure she would have let Tess die, just like she clearly told me before.

Maybe this is just how people work.

Another notification pops up.

Congratulations! You've successfully completed the 7th floor's main quest. An entrance to the eighth floor has been created.

That entrance appears and behind it lies a grand room, lit by soft, diffused light that reflects off polished marble floors and high, mirrored ceilings. Every surface is covered in detail, walls lined with velvet drapes, carved columns wrapped in gold leaf, and chandeliers heavy with crystal.

Inscriptions run across multiple surfaces. The walls, the windows. The furniture itself is oversized and sculpted, lacquered and cushioned in rich fabrics. Tables hold decorative pieces with no clear function: vases, jeweled relics, small statues carved from gemstone. Each item is expensive for the sake of being expensive.

“I have to go now, feral one,” Myrra says to me, and I follow her gaze to where Lissandra has appeared and is standing, waiting.

Before Myrra takes a step away, I call, “It would suck if you just died now.”

She stops for a moment and looks at me, “See you later, Nathaniel.”

I nod, “See you later.”

I then sense Biscuit connecting with her and also sending a message, which makes her laugh shortly. With a few nimble steps, she reaches Lissandra and puts her hand on the silver-haired woman's shoulder.

The Absolute doesn't even look my way anymore, and both of them disappear, entering Beyond.

I turn away to group 4, who are already standing up. The barrier Lissandra has put around the area starts crumbling, and the mana radiation that fills the continent, or perhaps even the rest of the planet, begins seeping through.

Looking at me, Tess nods, and together with everyone else, she starts stepping through the portal. I do the same and find myself in the same room I observed through it.

This time I reread the notification.

Welcome to the 8th floor: The Academy

For completing the 7th floor you have acquired:

Passive skill combination token (up to upper arcane)

1,000,000 shards

Communication with your disciple for 10 minutes

Send a single item to your disciple (up to epic rarity)

What incredibly ridiculous rewards. I wonder what they would be if we managed to kill an Absolute on our own and the rewards hadn’t been reduced.

Confirming that we are all here and currently alone in the room, I open up the new floor quest. I'm curious what this floor, called The Academy, contains.

Floor Quest:

Locate and protect the Ruler Candidate

Rewards:

???

Two 14 Day Beyond stay tokens

100,000 shards

Trait strengthening token (up to 2nd stage)

***

POV Warden of the Parallax Eyes, Kyralon

One of the oldest velnars in the system straightens without warning. His black eyes, shimmering with starlight, drift across unseen paths as he rises from the low table. Passing by he selects a single oval-shaped mana stone from the countless others arranged on the shelves and walks toward the balcony.

There, he sits in his chair. The mana stone in his hand unfolds, expanding into the shape of a transparent blue book. From a hidden pouch with a faint symbol of a black palm on its side, he draws a wooden pen that looks entirely mundane.

If any knowledgeable Absolute were to see it, they would recognize it instantly. They would recognize it as the wood of a remarkable tree that no longer exists. The pen itself holds enough value to be able to be traded for a smaller planet.

Kyralon comes to a halt. A layered field unfolds around him, enhancing the precision of his trait. His gaze remains fixed on the sky above.

Then he begins to write.

10:03 – A rogue imitation of one of the most powerful combat specialized Absolutes to ever live, Lissandra Hawthorne, entered Beyond alongside a fake Champion candidate from the 4th floor, Myrra. The handlers and Rulers overseeing this cycle were informed of their presence immediately.

10:04 – Ten handlers, all ranked Absolute, cooperated to block the two intruders from reaching the 1st floor and deployed spatial locks to contain them on the surface.

The imitation of Lissandra Hawthorne broke through the spatial locks and, together with the Fake Champion Candidate Myrra, reached the Entrance Floor before proceeding directly to the First Floor of Beyond. She then used [Spatial Leap] to appear at the center of the floor. Drawing on her mana, she created an array that covered the entirety of the First Floor. Its sole purpose was to threaten the lives of all attendees present, numbering in the tens of thousands.

10:06 – All attempts by the Handlers to contact or restrain the imitation of Lissandra Hawthorne were halted. Additional Rulers were informed of the situation. The Rulers assigned to this cycle of the tutorial have convened: the Ruler of Diligence, the Ruler of Envy, the Ruler of Greed, the Ruler of Kindness, and the Ruler of Wrath.

10:07 – The Ruler of Greed, the Ruler of Kindness, and the Ruler of Wrath have acted to prevent any further interference. It has been determined that, even with her powers restricted, the imitation of Lissandra Hawthorne could cause catastrophic damage before she could be neutralized.

10:18 – While remaining on the First Floor, the imitation expanded the killing array into the Second Floor. By breaking additional spatial locks and combining [Control] with [Spatial Leap], she reconstructed the same array below, increasing the number of hostages and beginning to push into the territory of the Third Floor.

Further discussion and voting took place among the Rulers present. Only the Ruler of Greed and the Ruler of Kindness opposed direct action. In conclusion, the Ruler of Envy was dispatched to eliminate the imitation, with authorization to use the main defensive array of Beyond to aid him.

At that moment, Kyralon pauses. The pen nearly slips from his fingers. A flicker of shock, followed by cold anger, crosses his face. His eyes remain wide as they stare into what looks to everyone else like a starry sky.

Then he writes again.

10:18 – The imitation of Absolute Lissandra Hawthorne issued a challenge to the Ruler of Envy. The terms were clear: she and a lynthari would be granted freedom, with all present Rulers required to intervene to ensure the terms were upheld. In return, she wagered her complete understanding of the skill [Control], along with the safety of the Beyond attendees and the structural integrity of Beyond itself.

For only the fifth time in recorded history, the system judged an individual capable of directly transferring their understanding of an Active Skill. The Ruler of Wrath and the Ruler of Greed accepted the terms of the challenge. The Ruler of Kindness and the Ruler of Diligence cast their votes in opposition.

Kyralon looks to the sky once more. The anger resurfaces. For a moment, it seems he may stop writing entirely, but in the end, he continues with a clenched hand.

10:18 – The Ruler of Envy initially intended to reject the challenge and deploy Beyond’s defensive array against the imitation. However, another Ruler intervened. The Ruler of Pride appeared briefly, issued a single instruction to the Ruler of Envy, and then departed without further involvement.

After a slight modification to its terms, the challenge was accepted, and both the Ruler of Envy and the imitation of Lissandra Hawthorne were transferred to the Eleventh Floor of Beyond, where the battle commenced. In accordance with the Ruler of Pride’s instruction, the defensive array was not employed by the Ruler of Envy during the confrontation.

10:21 – The Ruler of Envy died.

10:22 – The Ruler of Patience, the Ruler of Chastity, the Ruler of Temperance, the Ruler of Humility, the Ruler of Lust, and the Ruler of Gluttony entered Beyond. Their vote was unanimous: the imitations of Lissandra Hawthorne and the Fake Champion Candidate Myrra were not to be permitted to leave.

To avoid violating the previous vow, it was decided that, through a loophole, Myrra would be killed, while the imitation of Lissandra Hawthorne would be granted "freedom" by being relocated to the 12th Floor of Beyond, a floor that even the Rulers have yet to clear.

The imitation of Lissandra Hawthorne requested that Myrra not be executed and instead be permitted to join her. A coalition of Rulers agreed, on one condition: Lissandra must cripple her own mana heart and relinquish the dagger she carried.

Without hesitation and without protest, the imitation of Lissandra Hawthorne destroyed her mana heart and surrendered the dagger, solely to allow the Fake Champion Candidate Myrra to survive.

10:23 – Spatial locks were applied to the 12th, 11th and 10th floor to prevent further movement between those floors. The imitation of Lissandra Hawthorne and her now-disciple, Fake Champion Candidate Myrra, remain confined to the 12th floor of Beyond.

***

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