Chapter Twenty Nine, Small Fish.

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  The trio had successfully accomplished their goals.

  They destroyed all their foe, growing into their new classes, and boosting their levels all the way up to mid-low B-rank.

  Elizabeth slumped to the floor, sliding against the Dungeon wall. Her long hair was ruffled up, but that did not matter. Annaliese slid down next to her, and Troydan stood up, examining his sword.

  "Voidspace Sorceress, Radiant Sentinel, and Sanguine Swordmaster. Three Unique Classes, good lord, we could really be the next big three..." Annaliese chuckled.

  "Yeah sure..." Troydan scoffed, "Maybe we could match up with Lord Fent one day... Gotta' remember that Lord Freid and Lord Tilmont both started out with Unique rated Classes... We don't even know what rank their classes are now... They say Tilmont's Class is [Martial Sage] but who believes that... A high rated Unique Class and he has that much power? His Class has to be Legendary..." He rambled a bit.

  Annaliese rolled her eyes, and Elizabeth laughed.

  "We get it Troy, you love our lords... But take it out of your mouth though while you're talking..." Annaliese covered her mouth, cackling at Elizabeth's joke.

  "Whatever..." He waved the two women off.

  "You know, you really do have a shot at matching up with them though... You started with a Rare Class and now you have a good Unique..." Annaliese spoke, nudging Elizabeth.

  In response, Elizabeth scratched her neck.

  "I'm not so sure... Seven AP and then eight AP doesn't align with eight AP and potentially nine..." She shook her head.

  "Well, just train to make up the difference? You'll have the resources available to you soon enough when you're in the capital... Some training in mana dense zones can easily help you boost up your Attributes. And you can cultivate your mind with their magic simulations, blah, and blah... I think you can do it." Annaliese pat her back, confidence in her face.

  Elizabeth smiled at that.

  "Don't you think Freid and Tilmont have done that as well?... Even Fent does that..." Troydan added his sense, "Like I said before, we can stand by Fent, but Freid and Tilmont are monsters in their own league!..." With those words, he sheathed his sword back into it's hilt.

  The two girls rolled their eyes, making strange motions with their hands next to their mouth.

  Troydan harrumphed, turning his head.

  "Let's give it ten more minutes? Then we'll take on the boss?" Elizabeth smiled.

  Annaliese nodded, agreeing with her suggestion, and Troydan spared an affirmative glance.

  "First natives of Tilmont to clear Flamehold... How does it feel guys! Only one Boss fight away!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her hands outspread wide.

  "Well actually our lords-"

  "Shut the hell up Troy..." Annaliese rolled her eyes.

  "It's gonna' feel fucking great!" The woman pumped her fist, sharing the same joy as Elizabeth.

  The trio sat outside of the fifth floor's Boss Portal, recuperating, and taking a breather.

  They soon would dive into a battle, and it would be a moment to remember.

  A moment they would never forget.

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  Agatha stood outside of Flamehold. The sun was rising, and Zenor had departed for this place less than an hour ago.

  But a certain feeling didn't let her look past it.

  Something didn't feel right, and she didn't understand why, but she knew not to disregard her gut.

  So, groups were funneling out of Flamehold, on account of her call for evacuation.

  She had let the people know that something was amiss, and once it was dealt with, they would be allowed to enter once more.

  "Lord Fent! How long do you think this will be? We've had this dive planned for weeks now!" A veteran adventurer spoke to her, his crew all middle aged like he.

  "Just relax George, all will be well in some hours. Go home. Or go to the blacksmith and touch up your weapons some, they look a little worn down." She glanced down towards the chipped sword strapped to his waist.

  The man stuttered, clearing his throat.

  "Yeah, okay... Thanks." He turned away, unnecessarily ashamed in her opinion.

  The nearby adventurers heard the small exchange of words, and they heeded them as well.

  People continued to clear out, taking seats at the tables near the close-by stands, while some chose to leave entirely.

  Most stayed within the first floor, only some venturing into the second. She had entered the Dungeon herself and amplified her voice, enough for it to cover the first two floors.

  She made sure to control her power as to not alert Zenor... She knew he was somewhere deep down there, and he probably wouldn't appreciate her not trusting his words and letting him handle whatever this was, on his own.

  She pulled up a chair, retrieved from her spatial storage, and she faced it away from the Dungeon doors.

  Then she took a seat.

  Roughly thirty feet away, but facing the Dungeon. If Zenor was truly deep inside, he would likely let the Core teleport him out, alongside Randall's party.

  So she would wait for that moment.

  Patiently...

  Waiting...

  "Ugh... Hurry up... This doesn't feel right."

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  Space was altered, gravity was enhanced by dozens of dozens of times. And within this training chamber, located beneath Tilmont Manor, a man.... Trained...

  Alexander sparred with magical humanoid constructs, high tier items he acquired from the empire's capital... Things manufactured there were always of better quality than any other place... Even the capitals of the subsidiary kingdoms could barely hold a candle to the slums of the empire's capital.

  These automatons were on par with the average high A-rank each, and he battled five of them simultaneously.

  His legs swept, some constructs getting tripped up, others easily dodging. Blasts were thrown towards him, basic mana bombs, but he tanked through them.

  He let some attacks hit, the ones he couldn't deflect or deny. As one man, he only had two arms and legs, and against five times that amount? He was of course, expected to fail.

  Not to mention that these automatons were of higher rank than he...

  But, he held out.

  Without breaking much of a sweat.

  Every so often, a punch would slip through his defenses, catching him in the jaw. But he would be undisturbed by it, simply weaving through all of the attacks, and dishing out his own in response.

  Hook, jab, chop, sweep. He leapt, giving a spinning kick. Then he slid to his feet, throwing an uppercut and cross jab. He spun, backhanding an automaton into a wall, and then he dashed forward, drop kicking another.

  He weaved around all the fists and legs, ducking mana bombs and sliding around grapples.

  And then!

  "Martial Module complete!" A mechanical voice sounded through the chamber, the sound waves carried on by mana, falling onto his ears as all of the automatons froze in place.

  "Three star completion! Eighty-eight percent of attacks were successfully diffused. Damage output relative to the elimination of nineteen Rare Class high A-ranks."

  The voice of the overseeing mana automaton, listed his complishments.

  With that level of success, he technically could ramp it up, and go for the next module.

  "Five Unique Class high A-ranks..." He mumbled.

  But of course, he would not proceed.

  One hundred percent completion was his goal with each training module, and he wouldn't break that now.

  His hand raised to his neck, cracking it. He moved towards the wall of the room, retrieving a rag, and wiping the sweat off of his face. He was equipped with only his family's black gi pants, his top having been shredded to bits during his training session. Even his pants showed some intense wear and tear, but they were still equipped.

  He of course had to protect his jewels, so his nether regions didn't face nearly as much damage.

  Even though his body had already been tempered to the point of having no real weak points, it just felt against his manhood to allow another to target his... manhood.

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  He exited the room, pressing a button as a metal door made way for him. He retrieved a container of water from the side of the door as it closed behind him. He wiped down his sweaty chest, pouring the water into his mouth as he navigated his way out of his expansive basement floor.

  Closing the wooden door behind him, he slung the rag over his shoulder. His hand combed through his thick beard, a hardened gaze on his face.

  And then he turned to his right.

  "Only a few more days dad." His eyes met with a young boy.

  His son.

  Through his enhanced vision, he could see the power emanating off of the young man, and a small snicker clicked from his mouth.

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  "Your second Talent is..." Alexander's eyes flared, examining his sons figure.

  "I'm trying to talk to you about me leaving, and you're more worried about what power I've awakened." There was visible annoyance in Arjae's face, and Alexander wasn't so oblivious as to miss that.

  "Relax boy. I just wanted to know. My apology." Alexander waved a hand. "But indeed, you are leaving in three days. Are you prepared?" He asked, stepping past his son, bringing his container of water towards his lips.

  The boy followed after him.

  "As prepared as I can be..." Arjae replied. "Overprepared now? Perhaps?" Alexander added in, raising a brow, hinting towards his son's overflowing power.

  "Perhaps... I thought I would take after mom, who would've known." Alexander laughed at that one.

  "Well now you have a guaranteed place in this world... To think you would inherit the Talent that put me where I am today!" Alexander exclaimed, a smile on his face.

  Arjae didn't seem to reciprocate that energy.

  "If it means I'm going to turn into a crazed training maniac like you? I'm not sure I'm ready to welcome it..." He spoke. Alexander laughed.

  "You know why I train. Your mom isn't an easy character to stand by... S-rank is the minimum to appease your cranky gramps... To think he really sent me out of the capital the first chance he got... I had to sneak back there and make you just for some more time with your mother, and then he sent both of us away!" Alexander rambled, distaste clearly on his tongue.

  "I still don't believe your stories..." Arjae furrowed his brows. "Believe what you want. You'll get to see it for yourself soon." Alexander replied.

  The two navigated their way up the stairs, approaching Alexander's room by the time they had reached this stage in their talk.

  "Really, I just wanted to know how to find them." Alexander adopted an understanding expression upon hearing Arjae's words.

  His hand grazed the door to his room.

  "Don't worry. When you reach the palace, you'll know who they are." And he entered, leaving Arjae behind, as the door shut in his face.

  "...The palace? God, are we royalty?" Questions arose in his mind.

  He really wanted the answers...

  His father's door quickly swung open.

  "Oh, and, bounce ideas off of Elizabeth Randall. As you know she is a manipulator of space as well. [Spatiomantic Demigod] should grow well with her assistance."

  And then it shut once more.

  "Legendary Talent versus Unique, didn't think we could compare, but if you say so..." Arjae sighed.

  With a shrug, he walked away, resigning to ask his father his remaining questions another time.

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  Jora glanced at the Flameborn Ursa, a greater version of the Fire Ursa.

  With that glance, the beast burst into flames, consumed instantaneously and reduced to nothingness.

  Not even ash.

  "With some warping, I can conjure my soul fire anywhere in my sight." He smiled.

  His legs blurred, and he traveled all through the floor at high speeds, melding into the world and going invisible. He consumed all the beasts he came across, throwing countless Ursa into Aeternum, and boosting up his Attributes quite a bit.

  He was undisturbed. He fired skill after skill, practicing here and there, hiding his attacks behind his concealment.

  Low B-ranks, and the scarce mid rank, couldn't do anything regarding his power.

  It was a feast.

  He twisted and turned countless corridors, bent many corners, and consumed everything he saw.

  He was having a blast.

  And then, he stopped before a massive portal.

  The small chamber he was in, housed the gateway to what he presumed to be the final boss.

  It touched the floor, and the ceiling, being likely twenty feet tall.

  "Haha... Finally." He chuckled.

  At the same time, a voice emerged from the back of his mind.

  "[Finally is right!... Something entertaining to watch! Better than sorting all of the fucking bears you just threw inside Aeternum!]" Ana complained, and his face twitched.

  She had been rather consumed with their world, this entire floor. Even on the last.

  "How's it going in there?" He chuckled.

  Ana snarled, and he moved to the side of the chamber, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms.

  "[Fifty days to one, with a lot more space than before... I've recreated this Dungeon inside, though there's no Core to control it, so I do it myself. I predict if we reach S-rank, I could create a mindless Core to govern it, but that's a ways away. Honestly, I think we're better off just eating another Core, I want to see the results. It's making me hope we have the opportunity to consume this one, but I doubt that will happen.]" She explained to him.

  Jora nodded, "[And your advances? I can tell you've been having fun. Throwing hundreds of bears at me was a dead give away.]" He laughed at that as well.

  "See for yourself!"

  Jora smiled, Ana whistled.

  "[Yara, I still don't understand how you let this man live!]" She spoke within his head, making him scoff.

  "So how powerful am I now? Before we met that A-rank, you said I had the Attributes of a Legendary peak A-rank..." He smiled, at that question, he could almost hear the calculations in Ana's mind.

  "[You stand at... Total Attribute collection of, 8,074.]" She paused, Jora's smile deepening. "[Realistically, taking natural factors into account...]" Ana breathed in, perhaps to contain her emotion.

  "[The peak of SS-rank, equipped with only Legendary Classes.]" His eyes widened at that.

  "Is there ranks above that? SS-rank... I thought S-rank was the strongest... The humans I ate treated it like it was a myth..." He asked.

  "[Oho, small fish... There are many ranks above SS... And ranks aren't divided by just Attribute points, you should know that by now.]" She replied.

  "Yeah, they're divided by talents and evolutions as well... So far, the evolutions I've experienced haven't done much besides change my race title, and I have countless Talents... I think I can bridge the rank gap with ease." He replied, confidently.

  "[Wrong. Soul Skills, the centerpiece of A-rank. Skill-Trees, the centerpiece of S-rank... L-... Certain, understandings, and Talent evolutions, the centerpieces of SS-rank... SSS-rank is adorned with the achievement of grazing Truths. You stand nowhere near that. Technically, you surprisingly are on the right track, but I can't give any more information on it. Your little mind can't understand the grandeur power behind the higher ranks...]" Ana shot him down, and a frown emerged on his face.

  "But... I can fight S-ranks, at this level... Right?" He questioned, genuinely.

  "[Eh... Run into the wrong A-rank, and you might get fucking obliterated... As you have the ability to cross ranks through Attributes and Talent accumulation, there are those that can cross ranks in more... mystical departments... I fear that second A-rank we ran into, might be one of those mystical prodigies... You need to get it in your head that you're not the only special one.]" Jora groaned.

  His pride was taking a blow with each word Ana spouted.

  That was something he didn't like.

  "[It's the truth! Feed into your innate Talents, but remember to not let them shape you! Your hunger, your anger, your laziness, your pride! Don't let it stop you from becoming great. Use my words as motivation to cross realms on more fronts... Perhaps, start trying to build skill groups with your General skills... Don't merge them, just raise skills to their second evolution, and keep them closely tied together... At least eight of them in a group, and then you'll see some results... Keep growing stronger though! Your soul needs to be strong enough to handle the prowess of Skill-Trees... They stand on the same level as Soul Skills. Soul Skills are the evolution of the Intrinsic, and Skill-Trees are the evolution of the General! Too many of them, with a weak soul, will cause you to crumble!]" That ramble, made Jora submit.

  He would take note of what she had told him.

  "Eight you say?" He mumbled.

  He could see a few groups in his Passive and Active skills, but none reached more than six together.

  Then his eyes fell upon his Intrinsic.

  If Soul skills were the Intrinsic variant of Skill-Trees...

  He could see a few potential Soul skills... Perhaps he could add a surplus of General skills into the fray, to compensate for the missing Intrinsic ones...

  "[Mmm... Whatever! You may or may not be on the right track! But come on, get to the Boss, I want some entertainment!]" Ana harrumphed in his mind, and it made him chuckle.

  "Right..." He mocked.

  Without much more delay, he moved away from the wall.

  Stepping towards the Boss Portal.

  And he passed through.

  Instantly, it hit him in the face.

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