The mountain king was dead and the remnants of the gaseous explosion were still obscuring the pillar. But Astrid could see everything.

  The masked man had pried one stone from the pillar and was about to take a second when Astrid shot toward him. She brandished her Voidbent blade and swung it in a mighty arc. A [Crash] followed, heightening the speed of the blade.

  Gritting his teeth, he urgently exploded the air to his side, just managing to deviate Astrid’s screeching blade. He dodged to the side as the three other members of his team took action.

  One man—only one—wore heavy armour. The other two were magic users. One had a mask with two horns and used the power of fire. The man was able to empower the leader’s gas with fire.

  The other used metal control. She wasn’t sure of the use for his ability; perhaps he was just here to fill the numbers.

  The knight charged at Astrid, his hammer raised high above his head. Astrid reacted quickly, extending her mind towards him and unleashing a powerful wave of telekinetic energy. The knight was struck backward, it was a small [Crash] from Astrid, but she received a system notification that she had taken his life.

  The two magic-users took advantage of the diversion to cast spells at Astrid. Fireballs erupted from the hands of one, streaking towards her. Astrid deflected the flames easily and they dwindled as they struck her barrier.

  Before the mages could react, Astrid lifted them from the ground. They struggled helplessly, but Astrid’s connection was strong. She wasn’t going to let go. They had something of hers.

  Grinning, Astrid yanked their eyes from their skulls and swiftly place them within her storage. Miniature [Crashes] split their skulls into a splattered mess.

  She immediately sent her void eye through her illusion and behind the leader.

  Another smell of gas invaded her senses. Snarling, she exhaled the gas from her nose and formed a barrier.

  The explosion was coming, and it was a strong one judging by the smell. It far outstripped the power of the previous attacks.

  The mana thrummed in protest.

  Astrid put her faith in her barriers and grasped the second stone in her fingers, only to find herself staring at Jonathan. His hand was on the third stone. He looked at her, or more accurately, stared at her hollowed-out eye.

  “You’re going to die for power.” Astrid sighed. “I don’t trust my barriers to hold against his attack.”

  Jonathan gritted his teeth, but he held a badge to his heart. It was a protective treasure. Ah, so he isn’t completely insane.

  As Astrid plucked the Evolution Stone from the pillar, she heard a click. There was no time to help Jonathan. She had to focus on her own survival.

  She used Blinking Reposition; a world of darkness flashed for a millisecond before she opened her eyes again to an ocean of red and orange from the explosion. She was just behind the leader and could feel his chaotic mana. It was becoming unstable.

  He had said something about her being in sync with the black blobs; it seemed that this group of fanatics, terrorists, or whatever they were, had an issue with instability.

  Astrid lunged her longsword forward and [Crashed] the matter just behind the pommel, increasing its momentum. It tore through the masked man’s heart with no resistance. He had no Constitution, so it was as effortless as plunging a hot knife into a lump of butter.

  You defeated - ??? - Level 195!

  Extra experience is granted for defeating an enemy many Levels above!

  She yanked the stone from his hands.

  Two stones, Epic grade mission complete. She nodded with satisfaction before remembering about Jonathan.

  She flew over to him. The others had arrived, but there was no greeting, instead, they frowned at Jonathan’s burned and battered body.

  He was clutching a tiny golden shield within his hands. It had lost its lustre and cracks had formed in its surface like tributary streams branching in random directions.

  Astrid fumbled in her Void Storage before picking out a Rare potion. She had been keeping it for emergencies, but she guessed this counted as one.

  Using Psychokinesis, she pulled the cork from the bottle and tipped the contents into Jonathan’s mouth.

  He was about to cough and splutter, so Astrid connected to the matter and forced it down his throat, pushing it into his stomach. Soon, a rosy red bloomed on his cheeks. However, potions had a limit; the real life-savers were the healers.

  Jonathan’s breathing was hoarse and strained, but she could feel a strength surging within him. A horrible stench arose from his charred skin, along with a viscous substance almost like a jelly. Astrid retched.

  She scoured Jonathan’s body for the stone. Not because she wanted to take it, but because she was curious to know whether he still had it.

  He didn’t have a storage ring or bag and a quick glance at their surroundings made it clear that it had vanished.

  The Evolution Stone was nowhere to be seen.

  SIXTY-TWO

  “Is the boy dead?” Brett nudged the young man’s arm with his foot.

  “Don’t do that, what if you kill him?” Leena dug her elbow into Brett’s ribs.

  Astrid chuckled. She glanced at Brett, then back to Jonathan before her eyes snapped back to the assassin. “Holy shit you don’t have an arm!”

  “Did you just notice?” Brett sighed and waved his stumpy arm in the air.

  A sadness welled up in Astrid.

  “Hey, don’t be looking at me like I’m some sort of cripple.” Brett spat.

  “But you are.”

  Brett pursed his lips, then a bundle of mana emerged from him. Black seeped out from the still healing wound to his arm. It started like droplets of water and slowly formed a new arm out of… shadows.

  Finished with his creation, he flexed his hand then waved his arm this way and that. “So strange, I can’t even feel the air.”

  “That’s your concern?” Astrid gawked. “Are you sure it’s okay?”

  “Ah, it’ll be fine.” Brett smirked. “I wouldn’t be the first Wayfarer to lose an arm on the job. Besides, I’ll just save up for a while and get one of those Sanctity healers to heal it right up.”

  “Those guys?” Bellona scrunched up her face and flinched, as if she was afraid they would turn up at any moment. “They wouldn’t even get near you.”

  Astrid had heard about them. They were holy healers who dedicated their lives to the Goddess in meditation, often going weeks without food or water. It was said that they did so to keep their bodies holy and allow their healing powers to reach their peak.

  Only the nobles had access to their order. And the price for their services was steep. Money wasn’t the sole reason why they healed only nobles, though. The Sanctity healers deemed only the noble bloodlines to be pure enough to merit their help. Bellona was likely referencing their strange personalities.

  Everyone believed that the healers were blessed by the Goddess. But with the introduction of the black blobs, belief that only the Goddess could grant a System would be destroyed. Astrid was certain that once word got out, the world would change. It wouldn’t be a good change, either. Especially if there was a way to dig out the black blobs. Chaos would ensue. Murder would be just the beginning.

  If somehow the rarity of her Classes became known... Astrid’s blood turned cold just thinking about it.

  But unexplained anomalies were popping up all over the world. Her previous understanding of how things worked was quickly being turned on its head. Astrid grimaced.

  “Hey, you do know we are in the middle of an army of monsters, right?” Leena pointed out.

  They all turned to look at the battlefield. Countless monsters were looking in their direction. They easily numbered into the thousands. With the Kings dead, they didn’t know what to do. Flee, or fight?

  Apes beat their chests, Driaders twitched their insect legs, mountain golems gazed ahead with gemlike eyes. Dyed with blood, they stood on the wounded land and watched Astrid’s group with fear.

  Then the ground trembled, followed by intense screams of crazed joy.

  Hundreds of psychos rampaged forward on the backs of large scaled beasts. Just as they were about to crash into the hundreds of monsters, an enormous saw blade moved at high speed. Only half of the blade was visible; as the rest was underground, yet this didn’t impede its speed, which increased the farther it travelled.

  Seeing the sudden attack, and with no kings to lead them, the monsters fled in every direction. Those that were too slow were ripped apart.

  Moments later, the bloody battlefield was void of life—except for the psychos.

  The Great No-Eyed One approached at high speed along with his forces.

  “Praise be to the Eye Queen!”

  “Rip out my eyes!”

  Astrid grinned and ripped out the eyes of the psychos at the front. They were the strongest and had endured the most in the recent war. Bloody wounds from the intense fight were gouged into their flesh, yet they seemed unaffected by them. As if the savage cuts were a normal part of their insane life.

  Astrid glanced at Leena and the others. They stood rooted to the spot, mouths agape, as the psychos’ eyeballs floated in the air.

  “I, um—can explain?” Astrid fidgeted on the spot and laughed nervously.

  While they waited for Jonathan to wake up, Astrid explained what had occurred with the psychos.

  Brett’s expression turned from horror to confusion to shock, and Leena couldn’t peel her gaze away from the hollowed-out eye sockets of the psycho vanguard.

  Eyeball pulling made them stronger? It was difficult to grasp. Then again, with portals opening to other worlds, the System granting strange missions, and never-before-seen monsters showing up, it was hardly the strangest sight ever.

  “It’s definitely the wierdest thing I’ve seen.” Bellona shook her head.

  “Oh, C’mon, It’s not that bad.” Astrid beamed with excitement and pulled out another set of eyeballs.

  Bellona shivered. “Please stop.”

  “Alright then.” Astrid scowled.

  Astrid examined the two stones in her hand.

  She wasn’t sure whether they were originally meant to be one, or if creating three had been the plan all along. Maybe the System itself would explain it to her. Astrid glanced at the screen in her mind.

  Level ??? - Evolution Stone: The stone can upgrade one's physique to the peak of its capabilities. The once-whole Evolution Stone has splintered with the passing of time. Although it is still usable, its efficacy is reduced because it is incomplete.

  ‘Can upgrade one's physique to the peak of its capabilities.’ What does that mean? Astrid pondered whether to try to use it. It hardly seemed likely to cause damage. After all, it was a reward from the System.

  She didn’t need to wait long for an answer to her question.

  Jonathan’s body twitched to life. He took a large gulping breath and shot up into a sitting position. He grimaced in pain, then gazed at his surroundings in confusion and panic.

  “Whoa, there, you ain’t dead?” Astrid squatted down and slapped his shoulder. Her hand landed on part of the still healing wound.

  He writhed in pain. “I-I’m alive?” Despite his outward condition, his voice was filled with a renewed vibrance. His body had a strength it hadn’t had before.

  “How are you feeling?” Astrid tilted her head. She wasn’t angry that he had taken a part of the reward—he had earned it at the risk of death. She was angry that he had made a gamble that he couldn’t win. One had to have great strength to fight for great rewards.

  She knew her powers and what they would allow her to do. Jonathan, on the other hand, relied on pure, Goddess-granted luck. If it hadn’t been for her help, he would be dead. It was stupid. After all, he had a loving family…

  Maybe she was being hypocritical? Astrid sighed.

  “Okay?” Jonathan stretched tentatively. “Well, pain I suppose.”

  “Nothing a potion and time won’t fix.” Getting to her feet, Astrid gazed into the distance.

  Where was that dumb Avemoth? She had half expected it to come for the stone, as the other kings and their troops had.

  From the mission description and the Great No-Eyed One’s words, the monster was in the jungle. And any monster would kill for a chance at evolution.

  Was it so strong it didn’t need it, or had it been held up somewhere? Whatever the case, she would need the help of the Great No-Eyed One to find its home.

  Whether she could kill it was a different problem. One to figure out later. For now, it was time to read the System notifications from the fight.

  You have levelled up!

  Oculus Witch Level 118 -> Oculus Witch Level 122

  Voidmare Level 118 -> Voidmare Level 122

  Gained 40 stat points.

  You now have 961 Intelligence.

  Astrid turned giddy at the approaching 1,000 Intelligence. In fact, she had already passed that number, but the added Stats from equipment sadly didn’t count toward her milestone.

  Skill level up!

  Dominating Sovereign’s Eye Level 4 -> Dominating Sovereign’s Eye Level 5

  Left Eye of Mana Level 6 -> Left Eye of Mana Level 8

  [ Stage 2 ] Void Graviton Level 5 -> Void Graviton Level 7

  [ Stage 2 ] Void Storage Level 3 -> Void Storage Level 5

  [ Stage 3 ] Major Image Level 8 -> Major Image Level 10

  [ Stage 3 ] Mind Domination Level 8 -> Mind Domination Level 10

  [ Stage 3 ] Blinking Reposition Level 6 -> Blinking Reposition Level 8

  [ Stage 3 ] Mind Armour Level 10 -> Mind Armour Level 12

  [ Stage 3 ] Mind Barrier Level 13 -> Mind Barrier Level 15

  [ Stage 3 ] Crash Level 11 -> Crash Level 13

  [ Stage 2 ] Psych Warp Level 3 -> Psych Warp Level 5

  [ Stage 3 ] Psych Domain Level 7 -> Psych Domain Level 9

  [ Stage 3 ] Psychic’s Power Level 7 -> Psychic’s Power Level 9

  [ Stage 2 ] Psychokinesis Level 13 -> Psychokinesis Level 15

  [ Stage 2 ] Anti-Disabling Field Level 18 -> Anti-Disabling Field Level 19

  Experience gained!

  Happy with her progress, she was ready to activate the Evolution Stone.

  She tossed the spare piece to Leena. If anyone deserved it, it was she.

  Throughout the years, she had remained by Astrid’s side, a loyal friend who would die for her. Such friends were difficult to come by. As for ensuring her survival and strengthening her abilities, Astrid didn’t have to give it a second thought.

  Leena caught the stone and was about to question it, but she wasn’t in a position to refuse. It wouldn’t be long before Astrid was too powerful for Leena to keep up with her. Hell, she was already reaching that stage... For as long as she could, Leena wished to stay by her side.

  Now how does this thing work? Astrid fiddled with the multicoloured stone.

  Suddenly and without warning, it disappeared into her skin.

  SIXTY-THREE

  Amild warmth turned into a searing heat that bubbled underneath Astrid’s skin. She writhed with pain.

  Leena, seeing Astrid’s reaction, was about to place the stone on the ground. But before she could move, the stone disappeared into her flesh. However, it didn’t affect her as it had Astrid.

  Leena’s brows dipped and she bit her lip, but that was all.

  Why? Astrid panicked, but then a thought occurred to her. Maybe it had to do with Leena’s already high Constitution.

  Astrid wasted no time altering the matter within her body and heightening her Constitution to the maximum her Skill would allow. The pain lessened considerably. The searing heat once again became a mild warmth. Thankfully. It was as if she was back at home sinking into a nice comfortable bath.

  I must not have had the required Constitution for the Evolution Stone. It would have been helpful to know that beforehand… Astrid thought. It was dangerous to not label things properly!

  Within fifteen minutes the heat had dissipated. Realising that the process was almost complete, she sank her mind into her body to investigate.

  The sight shocked her. She had never seen her body so… pure. From her squeaky-clean bones to the widened mana channels to the red of her blood, everything had a vividness to it that looked almost artificial.

  It was as if her entire body had been cleansed. As she was marvelling at what the Evolution Stone had done to her body, a horrid stench began to seep out from her pores. Black gunk streamed out just as it had with Jonathan.

  Astrid turned up her nose and her spine tingled. The feeling of the viscous liquid against her tight clothes made her squirm. Goosebumps formed. She hastily leapt into a nearby crater and used Psychokinesis to wick away the jelly-like liquid.

  However, the Evolution Stone wasn’t finished. Once her heart had been purged of its impurities, the heat returned and travelled up into her mind.

  A buzzing sensation tingled in her mind and her thoughts cleared. Then the heat moved to her eye—where her mana container was—only to halt.

  Astrid broke out of her reverie and stared into the distance. What the hell just happened?

  Thankfully she wasn’t left completely in the dark.

  Integration with the Evolution Stone is incomplete. Interference met. Unable to advance to the Evolution.

  | Synchronisation with the Evolution Stone - 75%.

  | 85 added Constitution.

  | 50 added Strength.

  | 50 added Dexterity.

  | 25 added Wisdom.

  | 25 added Intelligence.

  | All Stamina use is reduced by 25%

  Huh? Astrid tilted her head. Interference?

  “Pupil, you’d better not have done anything!” Astrid stamped her foot.

  “Huh?” Pupil’s voice was groggy, as if he had just woken up from a deep slumber.

  “You did, didn’t you? Why else would you be tired!”

  “No, I didn’t do anything!”

  “Then what took away my reward!”

  There was a pause before Pupil continued. “There was a strange feeling coming from your palm…”

  “My palm?” Astrid tilted her head in confusion. What about her palm?

 

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