Chapter 543 - Waves

While I work on the logic core connected to Fracture, Tess sits across from me with her legs crossed. Both of us are on top of the hill near the Champion’s heart, which still hasn’t been moved, while the rest of the group goes about their own tasks somewhere in the valley.

Myrra is probably annoying everyone she can now that she has some freedom, while Lissandra is… somewhere.

My knowledge of the logic core has increased a lot, and Sophie experimented as well—together with Blackie—and shared what she learned. Still, even though I’m sure I could do something pretty impressive right now, I’m not in a hurry.

I think the logic core can help a lot—hell, it could make many things easier. But at the same time, it’s just an item and something to rely on. I would even call it a shortcut, so I’m cautious about applying or using it. Overreliance on it could slow my skill growth and my mastery over my abilities. There’s a place for it, yes, but it needs to be chosen carefully.

My ultimate goal is to be capable of doing something similar to the logic core but with my mind. The arrays or structures I’m storing in my head, ready to deploy, are the first step. If I can make them automatically react to stimuli after I deploy them, that would be perfect.

There’s also the possibility of using mana threads to form inscriptions in the air and activate them, almost like some kind of rune magic. Ever since that creepy eye prisoner thing used it, I’ve been trying to figure out how to apply it quickly and expand on it. Right now, I’m only working on activating that anti flight inscription thing faster and will try some more later.

“How many Champions do you think the lumorans have?” Tess asks out of nowhere.

Separating part of my mind for conversation, I answer, “I always thought the planet would have around ten to twenty Champions, possibly more if it went through more pairings or if it’s older.”

“Or possibly fewer if some Champions died during pairing,” Tess notes.

“That’s true,” I agree. “But for the lumorans? I’d say probably around ten, though I don’t think they’ll tell us. Mimics probably have more, but a lot of those are Elder Mimics without a host, so weaker than the average lumoran Champion.”

“I have a similar estimate,” Tess says, “and I also have a theory about the waves. Want to hear it?”

“Tess, you know me. Of course, I do.”

She smiles briefly and moves her blonde hair out of her face. “A Progenitor Mimic somehow got to the planet. It started building the portal without the lumoran Absolute noticing. It summoned a few Mimics, trying not to use too much mana, then sent them off to cause chaos. After that, it grew bolder, summoned a bigger wave, and the war began. Since the planet it destroyed last time served as its base, prison, or something similar, and is now extremely far away, each activation consumes a significant amount of mana or energy and requires a recharge afterward. That’s what the waves are: each one signifies more Mimics entering this planet.”

“I thought the same as I had information from Lissandra, but you?”

“You got information from her and didn’t tell me?”

“Look… I forgot. There’s that heart I started playing with.”

“Terrible,” she says, even though she’s smiling. “Unlike you, I spend more time gathering information and don’t have The Ancient Monster feeding it to me.”

“You can ask her if you want. I’m sure she’ll answer ALL your questions. So you think that when we get to the tournament, the waves—which are the main objective of this quest—will stop?”

“Yes. After all of us leave, the system will likely just pause the floor.” Tess experimentally shoots a small burst of red and white lightning at the heart, but even though it touches, nothing happens.

Warning! The 6th wave is now in progress.

“There goes another one,” Tess says, pulling her legs closer and covering her mouth to yawn. “And here we are, sitting in this beautiful valley in a bubble of safety while the war rages all around us.”

“Just enjoy it, prepare for the tournament, and annoy Lissandra. If you train in front of her, make some mistakes. She’ll know your intention but still get annoyed and give you a pointer or two.”

Hearing that, Tess nods and stands up in one smooth movement. Saying she promised to spar with Min-Jae she waves and jumps off the cliff, lightning trailing behind her as she decides to jump and run instead of flying.

Left alone, I go back to working on the logic core and preparing the Fracture for the fixes we plan to do in the coming days.

Some time ago, I thought I could use the logic core to help me control Fracture more easily.

But I have changed my mind.

I think I can make it help increase the sword’s output. The difficulty of handling it will increase, and so will the damage to me. But if you get hurt just by holding your own weapon, imagine what it will do to anyone on the opposing side.

***

The following day, when I’m once again sitting alone near the heart, Lissandra appears nearby. She grabs the heart, examines the small changes I made, then chucks it back into the dirt.

I know it’s the heart of a Champion, and even though he’s long dead, the heart is still beating, so it’s likely extremely durable. But I can’t help twitching each time I see that.

“What Empyrean skill do you have?” she asks.

Of course, she noticed this too. I wonder what kind of senses she’s using to know so much.

I look up from the Fracture. “[Empyrean Lance].”

She nods. “Try leveling it as much as possible and keep observing it and how it affects other skills and mana. Don’t over-rely on it.”

“As always.”

“Good. Empyrean skills can be very useful in some situations, but in others, they’re nearly useless because of their nature.”

“Same as black mana,” I say.

“...Do you really still call it black mana?”

“No one ever told me its real name. I think you promised to once, but then forgot.”

“It’s not that important anyway.”

“Sure it’s not… You just like to annoy me. So what are you doing these days? You’re barely around.”

"I spent more than six months with little kitten. I believe I've earned a measure of rest."

“Oh, so we’re your nursery now? It seems like she got to you as well. But I can understand that.”

“You cannot.”

“Oh, the sheer horror. Do you know who Greed is?”

She tilts her head slightly. “Little pup, I’ve been aware of her identity since the moment you fled from me on the third floor, tail tucked between your legs.”

“Good old times, when we could still push you around and maybe beat your ass if we really tried.”

“Do not kid yourself, little pup.”

“But I’m curious. How do you feel about Greed being her?”

She doesn’t answer, just watches me with that impossible-to-read expression.

With no other choice, I turn back to the Fracture. Another part of me continues working on the construct, occasionally examining the heart and adapting plans.

“Have you heard of Parallax Eyes?” I ask instead after a while.

“A little, yes. I believe its Warden was some ancient velnar on the verge of death, and someone from his bloodline will inherit them. Of course, that likely occurred thousands of years ago. As you know, my information isn’t exactly up to date.”

“Yeah, any idea what it does? I went on a Beyond quest and met the guy who has them—Kyralon.”

“It’s a thrice strengthened high-grade trait, further evolved as it was passed down through the bloodline. As for its function—layered perception taken to its absolute peak, likely paired with the ability to observe vast distances. Little pup, don’t trouble yourself with such trivialities. Traits, passives, classes—in the grand scheme, none of it truly matters.”

“I know, and I think the same, but I’m curious. I have Mana Wavelength Iris and Mana Physique. Are they good traits?”

“Enough to make you a target—ripe for kidnapping and being used as a sexual slave, should someone desire. After multiple strengthenings, even your eyes or lifeless body could become a prized asset for experimentation.”

“I would have thought people at such levels could create constructs that mimic traits.”

Lissandra, seemingly bored, creates another orb—one I can’t even look at—and replies, “Traits can be inherited; constructs, almost never. While the system manages traits, adjusting them to your body as you grow stronger and acquire strengthenings or passives, constructs demand manual effort. Without a specialized skill set to ease the process, it’s often scarcely worth the effort.”

I activate my eyes for a moment and look at one of her orbs.

The world reels in reverse, and I barely manage to raise my hand in front of me before I slam into the ground. Everything is spinning, and I notice bleeding in my brain before I activate one of Lily’s healing marks.

It takes five minutes before I’m in a state where I can move again, and I sit back down. Lissandra is still across from me, observing the entire time.

“Overall, would you say traits are stronger than your man-made constructs?” I ask.

She answers calmly, her voice carrying the weight of experience. "It depends on the strength of your trait. Tampering with your own construct invites error, with the risk of upsetting the balance of traits or other workings of the system. In the end, you may find yourself with a lesser trait in exchange for jeopardizing your future growth."

“I see.”

I brace myself, activate my eyes to a lower degree, and glance at that orb again.

The same thing happens, but this time it takes ten minutes for me to recover because I looked at it for longer.

When I look back up, she’s gone, leaving the orb behind. I can tell it’s a modified version that won’t knock me out instantly—close, but not immediately.

It seems like the evil orb got its 2.0 upgrade. Let’s see if I can take it further and apply it to my pyramids.

***

The next day, our contact appears: a lumoran woman I quickly identify as likely a Champion. Unlike most lumorans, she doesn’t have many crystalline features on her black skin—just a diamond-shaped white crystal in the middle of her forehead. However, her right arm and a large part of her shoulder are entirely made of the same crystal that lumorans usually only have in smaller features. Inside that arm, purple mana moves, bouncing and pausing as if it’s alive.

I emerge from the manor just in time to hear Myrra listing off requests.

“So, as I said, shampoo and conditioner that a lynthari could use. I don’t want any of that stuff for animals. My tail and ears are all itchy from it. Also, some normal clothes for my height. All I have right now doesn’t fit and is baggy, and don’t forget to have them modified for my tail. And some decent food. Do you have fish or fish monsters? Not some year-old normal animals—their meat tastes like paste. Oh, and for the clothes, I prefer pale or pastel colors. No jewelry. And I need a bed, a taller one. A bathtub too. And…”

She continues for a while. The lumoran Champion takes it surprisingly calmly, writing everything down and sometimes confirming certain details with Myrra.

I’d expected they would send someone of a lower level, but it also makes sense to send a Champion because of The Ancient Cockroach lurking somewhere around here.

I shamelessly ask for some materials too, figuring I can push my luck due to the Cockroach’s presence. Everyone else also puts in their requests, so she gets quite a barrage.

Before leaving, the lumoran Champion smiles at us gently. “Please, pass this to Lady Lissandra. There are no expectations tied to it—it’s just a show of our goodwill.”

She pulls a simple wooden box out of her bag and carefully hands it to Tess, who accepts it and promises to pass it on to Lissandra. After that, the lumoran departs, assuring us she’ll return in a few days with all the items.

***

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