Chapter 139 - Changing Tempo (Patreon)

In gaming, there was something called a ‘meta’. In essence, a meta was a generally agreed strategy to be the most optimum way to win.

Most effective tactics available.

Viers was combining two things to achieve the meta available to him.

Monster Viers rampaged and decimating the quest enemies Aletro prepared for the trial taker. Most of Viers’ enemies were monsters and so Viers ate their carcass to make his monster forms even stronger from each kill. He especially avoided enemies that he could not consume such as golems, phantoms, NPCs, and the like.

“What a FEAST!” Viers happily exclaimed. “This is a monster cultivation paradise!”

Aletro’s monsters were varied and quite rare in the Coalition borders. Some outright of foreign origin. How Aletro brought them in, Viers didn't know, didn't care. He was thankful for the genetic wealth, Horizon experience, rare monster parts, and the souls. They might be only Rank 2 monsters but they were all in the upper caliber of Rank 2 monster strongness. Some of them even gave Viers trouble and forced him to use his Artes.

From conversations he picked up, there were expert quests that had Rank 3 monsters in them. Viers was not going to try fighting them though… not alone.

After defeating a Rank 2 civet made of flowers, Viers did not revert to his human form, summoned his black spark and burned another quest card with the spark without returning to the Quantum Main Hub. Viers got transported to another private battle space and pounced upon the awaiting monster.

“Is this allowed? How many quest cards did Viers take?” Paina asked.

“Nine. Don't worry, everyone was doing it. While you’re sleeping, Lord Viers saw someone else take multiple cards from the obelisk. Lord Viers regretted he didn't realize it sooner. If they can maintain the intense rate of battle, that is also counted as an ability,” Farley said.

“It’s already evening. The second day is almost over. You still spent a lot of Victa though. The expenditure of your Victa today is still greater than your gain. Tomorrow, you won't be able to do this again,” Clarissa reminded him.

“Don't worry, girls. I have a plan. Alright. Let’s make the next one today’s last. We try the impossible difficulty!”

***

“Phew,” Boram wiped the sweat on his brows. The appearance of the spark shards signaled the completion of the quest. He summoned his white spark to absorb them.

Good thing I’ve experienced clearing the earth with mister Takju.

Boram looked at the massive farming field that was ready for planting. He had cleared it of debris, weed, and tilled the earth using a mix of his earth manipulation and good ol' fashioned hoe.

“Thank ye, traveler. Now the village can make it in time for this season’s planting. Thank ye so much!”

The old village elder conveyed his gratitude to the little boy. Not all quests involved fighting monsters. Boram accepted it and bid him goodbye, walking through the portal of light to return to the place with the quest obelisk.

Every time, it amazes me. Uncle Aletro can send me all over the world in the blink of an eye. How awesome!

As always, Boram hung around the quest obelisk for a while. Observing the other participants that flew to and fro like busy bees.

But where’s Master? It's been a day. He’s here but he didn't call me or make contact with me… I see! This must be his way of telling me to rely on myself. I won't disappoint him. My ranking is… 148th out of 382. I know I can't compete for the top spot with all the strong people here but I must work hard to gain results! At the very least, I must get into the top 100.

Boram went forward with pure devotion to his master.

***

“It’s done, elder. The cabinet can be opened now.”

A woman with black hair wearing a mage robe told a very old elderly who sat on a rickety chair.

“Much obliged, traveler. How careless of me to forget the opening enchantment. Now then… what was your reward again?”

“I’ve already got it,” Izabella said while taking the spark shards. “Farewell.”

“Safe travels,” the wizened grandpa waved.

She got teleported in front of a house in an unknown town and then the elder just asked her to open his cabinet of documents. The young woman compared him to the previous people he’d met in the other quests.

They aren't people… right? At any rate, compared to the unsealing of the Demon King, it was really easy.

The hour was getting late and Izabella thought she should call it a day. She wasn't thrilled about what she had to do next. Upon returning, she appeared near several people.

“Eh?”

She tried to fly to the resort but she felt a tug, like someone was holding the hem of her clothes. She looked around and saw a young man flying towards her.

“Hello,” the handsome blondie said.

“Hi,” Iz replied back. Is he…

“I’m Tanael.”

“...Black Cat. Um-”

“Ah, ah, ah. None of that,” Tanael wiggled his finger. “Let’s do our best. Laters.”

And he left, just like that. Back to the quest obelisk to the opposite of her direction. They both wore disguises but the two now knew each other’s identity.

It’s him. He must have a special method to sense me. Was it the pact we made? No, more importantly, his stance is clear. He wants us to do our own thing.

Iz flew to the resort while busy with her own thoughts. She made her way to a certain room, a pretty high-class dwelling, and she went in using her key.

“Ah, Black Cat. Welcome back,” a handsome guy greeted her.

“Dorren.”

“No, no. Address each other as their aliases while we’re in this book world.”

Iz scoffed in her mind. “Of course, Lord Ultimate. Where are the other two?”

“Resting in the back. So, today’s share?” The guy that named himself Lord Ultimate took out his black spark and Izabella did the same. Spark shards came out from Izabella’s and went into Lord Ultimate’s.”

“Good. We of the Blood should stick together, right?”

The nerve of this guy…

Dorren, Izabella, and the other two were from the same social circle and Dorren was the strongest of them all. He also had the biggest backing and the best heritage. Therefore he crowned himself the leader. Under the pretense of teamwork, the three others were ‘persuaded’ to give seven out of ten of their earnings to him.

“Now, let’s see today’s ranking,” he took out a curio that projected an illusion of the ranking lists. The list’s position was dynamic, meaning there were others still questing for spark shards at the moment.

“How do you get that?” Iz asked.

“From the store, of course. There are many useful things there. Mmm… there’s my name. 46th, not bad.”

46th - Lord Ultimate.

It was written in black, all four promising youths from the Blood Church chose the black spark.

Dorren, Iz didn't want to call him with his outrageous name in her mind, had real abilities to back up his actions. Combined with the other three’s points, he reached the top 50.

He was also one of the guys that sent a marriage proposal to Izabella.

“Can I borrow that for a second?” Iz asked.

“Sure.”

Iz scrolled the illusion upward. Part of her wanted to believe that a certain guy’s name wouldn't be there. It was a mixed feeling of hoping to find it and not wanting to find it at the same time.

Because it would be less terrifying that way.

36th - Tanael.

Iz took a deep breath to calm her mind.

This is good… right? He’s an ally, we’re not enemies.

Ally, ally, ally. Iz repeated that like a mantra then scrolled down to seek her name. Down and down she went to the list. She found it at 297th place.

“Don't worry, kitten. Let one of us get the highest ranking possible so he can share the benefit with the rest. We’ve discussed this,” Dorren caressed her hand. It involved a gargantuan self-control from Izabella to prevent herself from shuddering in disgust.

“Very true. Excuse me,” Iz went to her room. In the privacy of her abode, she clenched her fist, hard.

The fool doesn't yet realize the situation. Mommy and daddy cannot protect you in this trial. I’ll get my shards back with interest!

Iz took out a tiny, red needle from her spatial necklace. From a single look, those that could sense power could feel behind the harmless look, it was a really dangerous item.

Her previous spatial ring had been broken at the Tomb but as an exceptional enchanter, Izabella made her own afterward. The storage space was quite small, only the size of a bag but it suits her needs.

She certainly couldn't flaunt this object in the open.

“Aletro?” Iz called.

“What?” The mask appeared.

“To be clear, there’s no problem using this, correct? You’ve seen I enchant this item by myself.”

“Of course. Quite a good thing you made there. In the right circumstances, even peak Level 3 would be dead if pierced by it. In this space where you all are Level 2s, you have the ability to kill anyone of you wished,” Aletro chuckled. “Well, most of them, anyway. Some would survive.”

Aletro disappeared after the question, leaving her alone once again. She sat cross-legged on the floor and invoked a magic circle. One, two, three. Three red, glowing magic circles of intricate pattern and the needle was lightly floating in the center of it.

I’ll show you the power of an enchanter!

Izabella started to add more enchantments to the small object, perfecting her trump card.

Once, she had seen the power of the Demon King from up close. She didn't come out empty from the brush with death.

***

Viers yawned after waking up from a not very good sleep.

“Bleh. My mood is still sour,” he frowned.

“Impossible quest… If all five are like that, won't it be really impossible?” Farley said.

Viers had a go at the impossible quest yesterday and failed spectacularly. He’d even used up Irkun’s Life-saving item but still only reached 50% completion.

“Damn it...” he scratched his itchy cheek.

The Impersonator mask felt like human skin when activated. Even though he had been wearing the mask for a whole day, it didn't feel uncomfortable one bit. Viers could still scratch from above the mask no problem if he had to.

At the Quantum Main Hub, Viers saw a spectacle that made his mood worse.

He saw other people hobo living too, most of them gathered at the periphery of the Las Vegas hotel-like building. Sleeping in under one of the many eaves in front of the resort, bathing near the fountain, drying their dirty clothes out in the open. Some just straight-up slept while floating in the Quantum Main Hub. Aletro made sure the participants couldn't hurt each other in the neutral zone so there was no risk for them sleeping in the open. Viers had no doubt there were others who slept on a quest space just like he did.

It’s gonna get worse, doesn't it?

The third day began on a sour note.

“Enough! Is this a grand never before seen trial of fire of the age or a homeless association? I will not have itttt!”

Aletro -the black-clothed one- appeared like a gigantic phantom just like the first time. Viers did not doubt his angry roar had been heard by all the participants.

“Hmph! We’re changing things up. Have some respect for me, you ungrateful brats!”