Chapter 319 - It's free

Sset (Hell, group 4) - most of us are already in the Bastion.

Tess tries to say more but most of it is filtered. The system doesn't let the message pass. Nothing about it being safe for the last two weeks, nothing about two weeks.

We can't even mention to the WhiteWing that the floor isn't only 2 weeks long, but 5 weeks if they decide to stay.

But they should be able to realize it. They can estimate when we left the 4th floor and then realize that we are already over 2 weeks on the 6th one.

Probably.

They just need to be a bit smart.

TheStrongestOne (Hell, group 4) - I'm there.

Izzy (Hell, group 4) - I'm close.

Soph (Hell, group 4) - Izzy, be careful, please.

Izzy (Hell, group 4) - don't be dumb, Soph.

Knight (Hell, group 4) - yeah, don't be dumb, Soph!

Maya also pokes Sophie, and for a moment, I watch as they bicker.

FoodFood (Hell, group 4) - food!

Noname (Hell, group 4) - good job, Biscuit.

Sset (Hell, group 4) - The Guild and IDK groups also entered the 5th floor. It seems like they didn't lose anyone.

Noname (Hell, group 4) - so The Guild with 6 members and IDK with 4?

BenDover (Hell, IDK) - you bet! The 4th floor was quite easy. Did you guys also kill Lorven to get his epic dagger?

Bard (Hell, IDK) - are you sure you want to reveal your equipment?

BenDover (Hell, IDK) - it's fine. By the way, Noname, I was able to evolve my skill. You wouldn't believe how easy it was to kill the lynthari matriarch with it.

Noname (Hell, group 4) - you will have to show me during the tournament.

BenDover (Hell, IDK) - I will. Trust me, I will show you, heh. It doesn't matter how much mana you have.

Lovable as always.

Knight (Hell, group 4) - BenDover, I think you are full of it. I bet you did kill the lynthari matriarch only after Lorven betrayed her. Or maybe did you work with him and you guys killed him afterward?

BenDover (Hell, IDK) - Think about it on your own.

I turn off the Community and look at the work of me and my duplicate.

We spend a day revealing pathways through which the core sends mana through the Veil Ignition Station. Most of them are damaged and mana barely passes through. Some failsafe mechanisms probably send just minimum mana to the palace and keep most of it stored. But together with Clonthaniel, we found one pathway in a fairly good state and together we created our strongest [Tether] yet. It even gained me a level in the skill.

Also resting, the duplicate turns to me, "It's amazing how well we can combine our powers thanks to [Resonance] and the fact we are the same base."

"What, do you want us to combine our minds too?"

He playfully shoots a wave of kinetic energy that would blow off the head of someone with a level around 150. I redirect it just as playfully, sending my own cone of kinetic energy at him.

"You know very well I would never do that and neither would you. Combining two of us is like both of us dying, replaced by a third one. Or one of us devouring the other," he absorbs my attack, "Just dying would be better."

I check where Vega is and then ask, "Are you really at the point of thinking of that?"

For a moment, he looks at me, and nods, "Yup. I mean it was the most expected result even before I decided to use the mirror, so it's fine somewhat. I mean I hate it and really want to punch you, but I know my goal when using the mirror was to strengthen you as much as possible and to learn new things."

As always, there is a mana stone in his hands that he keeps trying to inscribe to create a perfect imprint, but the task is too much.

"I even got contacted by the douchebag from Beyond's first and second trial. We also met his intent on the 4th floor. He told me to kill Vega so he could move her status, as he called it, to me. Would you believe that?"

Learning new information, I give myself a moment to take it all in. But I don't have to think much longer. The duplicate surely nicely refused, knowing him.

"Damn, I expected a bit of fun or you threatening me to not hurt Vega," he complains after seeing my lack of reaction.

"You wouldn't hurt her."

"Just a few days ago, you weren't sure, weirdo." He snoots another blast of kinetic energy at me, "Anyway, I think that intent is the intent of one of the Rulers. If we are right, Rulers are even more powerful than Absolutes, and there are 14 of them. One for each Radiance and Blight."

"It sounds logical, there should be only a single Ruler over Blight or Radiance. Having more wouldn't feel right. So the intent is not the Ruler of Greed as we know from him that it's the Ruler of Greed either runs the tutorial or shows a lot of interest in it."

He nods, "For me, it seems like Rulers have some leeway over the system or the tutorial only. The intent from Beyond can't influence the tutorial that much either because it just can't or because it's intent only. But it can surely see and hear what's happening in here. Oh, by the way, fuck you bitch, I know you are listening." The duplicate says and gestures to the air.

A friendly gesture meant for the nosy intent.

The duplicate continues, "I also asked why it cares about our round of the tutorial that much. Earth should have multiple rounds and other planets as well. Hundreds or thousands of tutorials going on at once, yet it watches this one."

"Maybe that Ruler is powerful enough to leave around dozens of intents to watch a lot of tutorials. Plus, there is an escaped Absolute here."

The mana stone in his hands glows as more of his mana rushes in, creating inscriptions, "That's true, that's what I thought and I asked it about it. Apparently, Absolutes going wild is rare but not that rare. What interested that fucker the most is our number one Beyond explorer."

Oho?

I straighten up, giving full attention to our conversation. This is getting more interesting.

"It looks like the guy there is a man and he started in the Beyond in a similar way we started in hell. A first one like that in millennia. And it seems like that interests that asshole a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if more intents of Rulers appear all over the place. Watching that Beyond dude and messing with poor us in their spare time when he sleeps or whatever. All so they are not bored."

So very interesting.

My interest piques even more. Of course, I was always curious about our 1st Beyond explorer. Someone who was it even before the second Savant and third me. And of course, I did have a theory that maybe, just maybe, that person started in Beyond.

But having it confirmed?

"So he started in 3 Beyond trials? Or he skipped trials and went to Beyond whatever it is? Or he started in a trial and then went to Hell floor and continued the trial 4 months later?"

"Hell if I know," the duplicate also seems to be curious, I can see it on him, "I would say he either started in Beyond or did have different trials from us."

"I'm inclined to agree, but damn."

"Yeah, damn."

"Another guy to beat up. It's nice that the list keeps getting longer." I'm not even that worried, just curious. Just what kind of man that person is to catch the interest of intent of someone so powerful?

I really want to see and I really want to meet him. Just how much would I be able to learn from fighting someone like that?

***

Having sold anything not glued to the floor and taking most interesting stuff like metals, weapons, or armors I want to inscribe and sell, that's a lot of things to carry around.

I mean, really a lot.

Instead of pulling them, I just transport them through anchors I create, each teleport costing a lot to the point where I ask the duplicate to help so I don't have to use Mana Reservoir. In exchange, as his reward, he is carrying Vega.

I'm not jealous at all. I'm happy. I sold 16 thousand shards worth of items. The sheer amount is staggering as the system shop pays only 10-20% of the value of the item if it's taken from the floor without working on it.

So, the value of the mana stones, enchanting tables, metals, robes, and crafting materials was 5-10 times more than what I sold them for. And I still have a lot of the best things on me.

Something tells me that maybe I wasn't supposed to reach the Veil Ignition Station and be able to loot it.

What I regret is being unable to find out more about the place as the control room and reserve ones were totally decimated. No records were left behind, as always.

Is it on purpose? Is the system an extrovert? Is it trying to force me to talk to people to find out what happened and finish the side quests?

Killing a few monsters and avoiding two Veil Guardians with the combined effect of me and the duplicate, we reach the Bastion.

It takes longer than it should, but when the view opens, I notice that some parts of the walls are damaged and even the barrier surrounding the palace feels weaker. It's getting darker, so I see that even lights that before served to light up the street are sparingly activated. All in an effort to save up as much energy as possible.

Killing more monsters on our way, we reach the place to be welcomed by the Butler. The man has shaved the remaining half of his mustache, and his clothes are different now. They are not as elegant and instead are more functional, and I can sense multiple items on him.

"Mister Gwyn, another Mister Gwyn, and Miss Vega, can I ask you to leave?" he says in the same tone. Not even the situation they are in changing his ways.

"Ehm, no?" I start off.

He sighs, "Did you not cause enough trouble? You got what you wanted, so please show just a grain of restraint and leave."

"Butler!" Vega shouts cheerily, and the man turns to her, "You look better without the mustache!"

The man looks at her, at me, and then back at her, "Thank you, Miss Vega."

The little half-demon only nods and puts her head back on the chest of my duplicate, her social batteries most likely already empty.

"See, you should thank me for getting rid of your mustache. I did it to help you," the duplicate can't help but poke.

"That's why I let Tess deal with people, you are a disgrace," I tell him.

He doesn't even seem to disagree but continues to talk to the Butler, "We know about a way to power the Bastion. Lots of mana."

"We are not interested, Mister Gwyn. I thank you for your offer, but we already…" he freezes mid-word and looks back towards the Bastion. An expression of sheer surprise appears on his face, the elegant mask cracking replaced by anger, "What have you done?" he asks.

"I left an anchor on the heart of your good ol' Lord when I was keeping it alive. To be honest, Butler, I'm disappointed no one of you noticed even though I tried really hard to hide it. Anyway, I just sent plenty of energy to it and exploded it."

The duplicate seems proud even with our usual expression on and the Butler seems like he is about to jump down and choke him to death.

Unbothered, Duplicaniel continues, "So, about our offer to power your Bastion with a lot of mana. Sounds good, right? It's free, I promise."

***

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