Chapter 791 - Internship (Patreon)

Only when the notification confirms it is over do I allow myself to slump to the ground, then groan as the lingering heat of the blue flames washes over me. Just as I sit there, I teleport closer to where Morwag and the body of the Champion are.

Even just this strains my already tired mind, and now that the fight is over, I find myself feeling all the wounds and the effort that all of this required. Even so, I lift my hand towards Morwag, and black mana seeps out of the body of the Champion.

I move to flick it and throw it into the distance to be someone else's problem. I feel too tired to fight with it and break it into mana.

"Don't!" Weslin says quickly, reaching my side and interrupting me. "We already caused a lot of commotion. The other Champions are really far away, but if by any shitty luck we attract one, we are dead."

From the ground, I look up at him, and in my mind, I compare the risks, but in the end, I sigh. My minds combine once more, and my skills reactivate as I begin to fight with what remains of the black mana until I break it apart. The particles of blue mana rain around us, but I don't even bother to pull them into my body and let them linger there.

My crown is gone, and with it all that insane amount of mana I had stored and the addition from my brother Rex. I can't... I force myself to pause the thoughts of the analyzing part of me and turn to Weslin.

"How is Morwag?" I ask him.

"I'm fine," Morwag answers instead from the ground.

"He is not fine," Weslin says.

"Dying?" I question.

"As if something like that would kill me," the demon growls, holes through his body and many other wounds visible.

"As if something like that would kill him," Weslin agrees. "But we should get him to the healers. Quickly."

I nod and hesitate for a moment before I ask, somewhat quietly, "The others?"

"They are..." Weslin begins, but Morwag interrupts him.

"What the fuck is with that tone, you arrogant prick?" he barks at me right away. "Everyone here walked onto this battlefield knowing the risks. So the plan went to hell, big fucking deal. No one’s looking for your pity. They did their best and fell to a superior opponent, there’s no shame in that. You more than did your part, and none of us is carrying the goddamn weight of their deaths. Get that through your head."

"What he said," Weslin says, and then kicks Morwag. "Move so he can claim it. You know he deserves it."

"Weslin, do not mistake me for a pathetic thief." Saying so, even with the state his body is in, he moves to the side.

As asked, I move ahead and stop over the body of the Champion and look down at it. In defeat, all that terrifying talent and the abilities that required years to master are gone. How weird it is to look at a defenseless body now, so void of the mind that powered it. Now, even in death, it begins to release some mana radiation.

I touch the body with the tip of my shoe, and a notification appears.

Would you like to claim the portal key? This key permits a single use, creating a teleportation gateway to the Sixth Floor of Beyond for one individual.

Upon claiming the portal key, a tattoo will be imprinted on your body and will remain until the key is used. The key may only be activated on the Fifth Floor of Beyond.

The tattoo can be transferred or retrieved from your body upon death.

I read that notification for longer than I probably should. A single thought continues to appear in my mind.

Could I maybe challenge a Champion alone? Do something like what Nyssa and Adrian did on their own?

Then I replay the fight. Even with how big the advantage was and how strongly I countered the Champion, I would be dead if I challenged him alone. Morwag and Weslin helped immensely, and even the other A-ranks did. Though their role wasn't as flashy as us S-ranks, they supported Weslin and Morwag with their abilities and fed their mana and primordial energies into arrays and formations.

Well, I can think of it later, and if I decide, I can sell the key. For now, I claim the portal key.

As I accept the notification, I feel a sting as the tattoo with deep red glowing lines burns itself into my right forearm. It coils around my wrist where a watch would be, and then from the inner side of the forearm, a single line goes up to the middle of my forearm with shapes spreading to the side, almost reminiscent of the shape of a key.

Arm... that is a dangerous place for it to be. I wonder if I would lose the key if something unexpected happened to that arm. Actually, what the hell is going on? First, the fragment on the back of my left hand, and now the key on my right forearm? Does this mean I can't afford to lose my arms anymore? Haven’t I been severely nerfed? I feel like my combat power has dropped by at least fifty percent.

Also, the body of the Champion is gone, as I was warned. The moment I claimed the key, it disappeared. I have asked around, but there is no way to cut some parts off to save them. Everything just disappears once you claim the key.

Of course, I thought of some other stuff, but you can't even carry it out of this floor and claim the key later. And calling someone here for examination is dangerous because of other Champions, and also costly because of sacrificing stats.

How annoying.

Then I check the rankings.

Exploration Leaders

1. Christoph (7th Floor)

2. Adrian (6th Floor)

3. Nyssa Volare (6th Floor)

4. Nathaniel Gwyn (5th Floor)

5. Voss (5th Floor)

6. Orion (5th Floor)

...

And here I am, the current top of the 5th floor, likely because I'm holding the portal key. That either means Voss and Orion under me never gained the key, or they gained it but never used it, and I’m over them only because I gained more "performance points" during the fight. Who the hell knows? The system for sure won’t tell me.

I also confirmed something I heard some time ago. You truly can change your system alias once, if it is to your true name. And that’s what I now roll with. It isn’t even like I have been hiding it anymore.

It also makes me a bit happy that information guilds now won't make shards out of telling people that the true name of Noname is Nathaniel Gwyn. Screw those guys.

I watch as Weslin helps Morwag stand up. The tall, muscular demon doesn’t show it, but even with how durable he is, he is severely wounded. A few other A-ranks are in a similar state, so we don’t waste much time here and leave.

And of course, I haven't forgotten. The new Ruler of Envy... if he lives until the time when I’m strong enough, there will be a price for him to pay.

***

Only half a day after returning to the Megacity, I now sit in front of Ruby. My wounds are healed, though some exhaustion remains. My fragment is now back in its place on the back of my left hand.

Even now, I feel some pressure from my Preeminence Eyes as their second strengthening continues to apply. That trait is permanently activated, which is a clear disadvantage, but it is balanced by how powerful the trait is. The Mana Wavelength Iris’ evolution changed a lot of things, and the second strengthening now changes the way I see the world even further. Just sitting here in front of Ruby, she seems different to me.

Her eyes seem to have a faint glow to them, but that much is expected, as I always thought those yellow eyes with their complicated patterns were a trait. From watching the mana wavelengths react to her, I also suspect that the Ruby I’m meeting isn't just a vessel or a projection, but her real body.

She might just be one of the very few Rulers who can control her mana so perfectly that her mere presence isn’t killing me. And of that, I am 100% sure that if she released her power, I would die in a heartbeat. But being Lissandra’s disciple, I guess it makes sense that she has such a degree of control. That cockroach-like Absolute would never allow for “such a pathetic lack of control, of which even noble ladies’ pets’ pets are capable" or something like that.

Now that I think of it, back on the second floor, I was infinitely weaker than I am now, yet when I met Lissandra, I barely felt anything. Even if limited and weakened, her shadow must have been stronger than any Absolute I’ve met so far.

What an annoying woman.

"You have been scammed," Ruby repeats, and this time I allow the words to register.

"You look different from the last time. It’s a bold change, Ruby. Though I'm a bit disappointed. I liked the brilli-ant display from last time. Honestly, it's a bit of a downgrade. I was really starting to vibe with the 'giant household pest' aesthetic."

"I said you got scammed."

"Wow, why are you so ant-agonizing out of nowhere? It's very un-pleas-ant."

"You could have gotten two million shards for each member of your group, and likely for you as well. If you had really pushed, a low pristine passive would have been possible, as you deal only."

I slump in my chair and sigh. "I know. Back then, I panicked when he said the other offers wouldn't include the others."

"Diligence is very shrewd."

"As expected from someone willing to destroy the Ancient Armory just because-"

"Yes, yes. Also, do you realize how close you were to death?"

"In which case?"

"..." Ruby blinks a few times. "Point taken. I meant with the Lycan."

"Who even is that guy? He was scary."

"Just likely the most dangerous werewolf currently alive. While his blood isn't as potent as Primordial Blood, it also isn't killing him like it does to Nyssa, and it gets close to being just as powerful. Hell, I'm sure his bloodline is more potent than some wyverns’."

"I should have asked for more for the hand."

"You wouldn't have gotten more than what I just told you you could get."

"A destroyer and a thief. I will-"

"Yes, yes. Do you need help with your trait selection?"

"Nope. I have my favorites already, but I think I will wait for my eye strengthening to fully apply before I select one."

"If you do it, I recommend doing so after your Beyond quest, as you might have some opportunities during it that would... well, I won’t say more. But the optimal way would be to do it here in your guild headquarters after you get back instead of on the 10th floor, but-"

I interrupt her. "Ruby, what is happening on the 10th floor?"

"Nothing as of now, but things will become... really messy. It is all your guys' fault. You have time, and it shouldn't be that dangerous for your group just yet."

I take a moment to think it over, and only then do I say. “I will trust you then. By the way, why did Diligence trade with me instead of you?”

"Just annoying politicking. We were four Rulers in charge of this cycle of the tutorial after Tyven died, but now that one of his Masters of Envy became a Ruler, we are five. It restricts me in some cases, as that guy likes to be an ass."

"I get the feeling. So, how about the quest? Anything with Everwood?"

"Multiple, but I think I found a perfect one for you. The duration is only one week, and while it doesn't explicitly reward Everwood, I know that guy has it in store. You should be able to ask for it if you do well."

"What is the quest about?"

"You join a few others as assistants for the guy and do whatever he asks for. Likely nothing too dangerous, if you don't want it to become too dangerous, but that guy is very demanding, so make sure to listen and do well."

"Oh, a quest with other attendees?"

"Not this time. You will be the only attendee. The others are people on something akin to an internship where they, even if the chance is low, hope to become his disciples."

"His? 'He'? Why so mysterious? You are hiding something from me. Who is that guy?"

"I can tell you that people call him the Magi. So, N-ant-haniel, do you accept?"

"That is so fucking lame it doesn't even-"

"Do you fucking accept!?"

"Sure, why not," I answer very quickly.

Sitting there behind her old wooden table, she waves her hand, and a door appears nearby.

There is no need to hesitate, so I stand up and head there. For the last time, I turn around to look at her, only getting a sight of her waving her hand at me in a dismissive gesture, so I just step through.

Instantly, I am welcomed by a young lumoran man standing in front of me. He is taller and slimmer than I am, wearing a sharp suit with his hands folded neatly behind his back. Even as he looks at me, it feels as though he is observing only my eyes with a curious intensity.

He seems to confirm a thought before he smiles. "I am happy to finally meet you, Nathaniel Gwyn. I am Noll." He gestures for me to follow, and I join him as he begins to lead the way through the hallway.

"Why 'finally'?" I ask.

Still smiling, walking with an air of nobility, he answers, "I completed my tutorial twenty years ago as an S-rank, just like you, though I did not match some of your impressive achievements. It might be a bit awkward, but I like to check the Beyond records once in a while to see how the other talents of our generation are faring."

On the right side of the hallway, windows of black glass appear, letting in strange light that draws my eyes. I pause to look out and see a star, realizing then that we are orbiting it, likely aboard some sort of spaceship. Of course.

Noll stops patiently, allowing me to take in the view. After a moment, he speaks again. "Let us continue. Master Elian does not like to be kept waiting."