William's face turned slightly ashen upon hearing the response from the System. If it was a Greater Fire Vein, it was even better than the Lesser Life Vein and the Earth Vein from before, but that also ant there would be severe consequences for absorbing the natural treasure.
Just the absence of five Lesser Life Veins had left the Livingwood Forest in shambles and destroyed a series of villages in its general vicinity. Absorbing a single Earth Vein had forced the entire Blue Moon City to take severe action, seeking the assistance of outsiders to deal with their calamity.
If a Greater Elental Vein was absorbed, wouldn't that spell the end for the Southern Plains Region?
System, why do you do this to ?
-Just absorb the Vein, why are you worried about the consequences now? Why do you care, after everything that you've done so far?
William could tell the System was joking, but its words stung a bit. He couldn't say that the System was wrong about what it said, he truly hadn't cared about the consequences before. But now that he had beco attached to this World, things were different.
If I did absorb it, how long would I have before the Beast Tides?
-Request requires 65 Potential Points. Yes/No?
Confirm. The price didn't matter. William needed to know.
-Eight to ten weeks.
Can you be more specific? Why that specific ti-fra?
-Request requires 800 Potential Points. Yes/No?
Uh, that's too much.
-The cost is already halved; you have enough Points. Don't you want to know?
Ugh...fine. William gritted his teeth as the System subtracted almost three days' worth of Potential Farm earnings from his balance.
-The World needs more ti to produce Magical Beasts with greater Cultivation. Additionally, the number of Magical Beasts produced would not be small, and the World's past behavior suggests it won't send the Beasts out until they have all been generated.
You're basing this off the past? Doesn't that an you're just guessing? William asked.
-Yes...
William nodded. I think this is the first ti you haven't been confident in your answer, System.
The System didn't respond, seemingly contemplating William's words.
Okay, next question. Is it worth it to absorb this Vein? Can I reverse the effects later, or replace the Vein myself?
-Only the Host can decide if it's worth it. The System will not answer your second question.
Will not answer? Hmm... William couldn't say he was satisfied with the generalized responses, but at least he wasn't charged again.
Before William could say anything else, sothing hidden within his mories suddenly triggered. It was the speech that Master Black gave out when talking to the fighters outside Blue Moon City.
"The Seven Cores of the Foam Desert were absorbed, and the World has mobilized its energy to regenerate them. The Magical Beasts you have been fighting nonstop are just the leftover energy."
"The Seven Cores..." William muttered, before his eyes widened in surprise.
System, did soone else absorb the other six Cores of the Foam Desert?
-Request requires 16 Potential Points. Yes/No?
Confirm. Compared to the 800 Point question, this was nothing.
-Yes. Nascent Soul Cultivators and above possess the natural ability to absorb the weaker Veins, while the Earth Veins can be absorbed by Soul Formation and above Cultivators. Retribution possesses a few individuals that know the technique to absorb these veins.
Are you saying that Retribution absorbed the other Veins, and is trying to bla it on ? Why?
-Yes. They recognize your Talent and one of their goals is to control you once again, as their leader believes you have the skill to eventually kill the one you know as Supre Left. They can also benefit from absorbing the Veins, since it directly improves the Affinity of one's magic, although not above their natural limit.
William nodded. It seed his decision wouldn't be so hard after all. If Retribution was following his footsteps and absorbing the veins of the World, there was no telling whether they would do the sa here or not.
Before that happened, William planned to acquire the benefits first.
System, absorb the Greater Fire Vein, please.
-Cannot absorb, Host has not co in contact with the requested Vein.
I clearly touched it, didn't you see?
-You did not. That was only its residual aura leaking out from the crack.
Only its aura? Are you saying I didn't even get close to it? William didn't wait for a response, since he already knew what the System would say.
To think that he had suffered so much damage just from approaching the Fire Vein...
In that case, System, upgrade my Heat Resistance to S-Rank.
-1000 PP
———
TALENT UPGRADED
Heat Resistance: (A --> S)
Effects: Resistance to all forms of heat and their residual effects 550% >> 1200%
S-Rank Bonus Effect: Flas are your companion. When your body is entirely covered in flas, increase the power of your Fire Magic by 100%.
Next rank up: 2500PP
———
That ability is insane! William ogled at the S-Rank bonus effect of the Heat Resistance Talent.
Before, he had only put so attention on the resistance Talents because they didn't do much, but now he was beginning to have second thoughts. If he could raise the other resistances to S-Rank, wouldn't they have similar effects?
He didn't upgrade them just yet, but instead approached the crack bursting with flas again. Carl saw this and didn't stop William, but he still felt a little bit nervous.
As expected, William's arm was engulfed in flas once again when he reached into the crack, but this ti he didn't feel the intense pain like before. Instead, he felt uncomfortably warm, as if he was washing dishes with the heat up just a little bit too high.
If he spent too much ti in the fire, it would probably damage him, but it was bearable enough. William removed all his clothing and Artifacts, storing them inside his Space Ring, then he went further into the flas, his naked body sliding into the crack while Carl averted his gaze.
The temperature beca hotter and hotter as William almost swam through the lava-like flas, the Mana of all Elents completely useless in this situation, even Fire. It was as if he was trapped inside soone else's Domain, countless tis stronger than his own.
He swam forward a few more seconds, but he still hadn't reached the center. The flas beca unbearable once again, and William was forced to retreat outside the crack. He almost lost his way on the return trip, but the Navigation Talent helped him escape the risky situation.
Carl heaved a sigh of relief when William stepped out of the crack, though his body was a bright red and the white flas were concealing the sensitive parts of William's body. He wanted to approach, but he was afraid of being consud by the flas, so he kept his distance.
After dousing the flas on his body, William chose to spend 2500 Potential Points and upgrade the Heat Resistance Talent again. He wasn't going to give up on the Greater Fire Vein just yet.
———
TALENT UPGRADED
Heat Resistance: (S --> SS)
Effects: Resistance to all forms of heat and their residual effects 1200% >> 2400%
S-Rank Bonus Effect replaced.
SS-Rank Bonus Effect: Flas are your companion; Lava is your lover. When your body is partially covered in flas, increase the power of your Fire Magic by 100%. When your body is partially covered in lava, increase the power of your Earth and Fire Magic by 100%. When affected by both, both effects apply.
Next rank up: 10000PP
———
Reviews
All reviews (0)