Recently, Ileya felt pressure that was almost tangible.
Although… her strength was improving quite smoothly.
Just as she had predicted, by enhancing only her Soul without enhancing her Body, her Power was rising at a Rocket-like Speed!
In just three days, she had stepped into Three-tier Mid-rank, and the giant Sandworm Zombie had also risen from Fourth Rank upper tier to Fifth Rank.
And this was without extracting Pure Death Force from Veil, relying solely on the Underworld’s own production.
At this rate, by the time the Kingdom’s Army of a hundred thousand arrived here, she would likely break through to Fourth Rank…
By then, she wouldn’t just be able to protect her family… at the very least, she would have some Self-protection Ability.
The Underworld Foundation still needed to be strengthened. Though it was now at an Initial Scale, it still wasn’t quite enough…
Lost in thought, Ileya unconsciously tapped the table with her Jade-like Fingers.
“Lady, Afternoon Tea Time is here~”
While she was deep in thought, Ileya suddenly heard the voice of her personal Maiden behind her.
Turning around, she saw Yumina with a Sweet Smile.
This… was one of the sources of Ileya’s pressure.
For some reason, ever since that day when she had unconsciously admitted in front of her Mother that she liked girls…
These girls… seemed… to have undergone some kind of change.
She couldn’t quite say what the change was, but it was definitely making Ileya feel a certain amount of pressure.
Like right now.
Looking at the pale pink Heart-shaped Pudding placed on the porcelain white plate, and beside her… the Twin-tailed Maid who was hiding her Blushing Face behind a Silver Tray, only revealing a pair of orange-red eyes full of expectation.
How… should she put it?
She truly did love this little Maiden she had grown up with since childhood.
She had even come to regard her as her Private Possession. If anyone else had ideas about Yumina… she figured she would probably go berserk?
But, at this critical juncture… she truly couldn’t reciprocate the girl’s Hot as Fire feelings.
So…
“Hey~ I say, Yumina… do you want to become a Transcendent?”
Ileya scooped up a piece of the pink Heart-shaped Pudding with her silver spoon and brought it to her mouth.
Mmm… this must be handmade by Yumina. Still the Familiar Taste. A little Too Sweet, though.
“Huh?! I… can I really?!”
Yumina was briefly stunned, then in that instant, it seemed as if countless Little Stars burst forth from those orange-red eyes!
“Of course~” the Lady slowly nodded.
Making her little Maiden a Transcendent would not only divert some of her attention, but more importantly, it would give her some Self-protection Ability.
Of course, she wouldn’t let Yumina instantly become a Revival Priest.
If someone with keen eyes investigated, that would expose too much information.
Sigh… Ileya slowly pulled a small booklet from her chest.
This was something she had written in her spare time over the past few days.
“This… just recite it whenever you have free time.” After all, they were family, so Ileya naturally didn’t need her to provide faith.
Once a connection was established… she would also pick a good servant for her.
“O-Okay!” Taking the item, Yumina felt like she was Light and Floating all over, but she still immediately clutched the booklet tightly to her chest!
She… was about to become a Transcendent?
Why did it feel… so Not Real…
Quickly finishing the pudding on the porcelain plate and picking up a teacup to neutralize the sweetness in her mouth, Ileya then glanced downward.
In the Garden, her Mother was currently training with Holly, under Amisa’s guidance.
Of course, compared to Holly’s normal Training Volume, Lady Shudrian, who had no foundation whatsoever, could only complete one-tenth of it.
But that was also good…
Thanks to Arthur’s music helping to regulate her mood, her Mother’s Mental State had improved several times over compared to a few days ago.
It was just… because she couldn’t hold “Xiao Yaya” anymore, she would always let out a rather dissatisfied light snort whenever she saw her lately.
It seemed… like a Protest?
Sigh~ There was nothing to be done about it.
Smiling helplessly, Ileya’s gaze unconsciously drifted toward the Northeast Sky…
Over there, it seemed like a large patch of Dark Clouds was pressing down, heading toward the Crystal Capital.
……
Whoosh—!
A flash of blade light from the Karmic Hell Bone Forest…
Crack… rumble!!
The next second, two Earth Golems collapsed with a crash.
Xue’er, her face and body wrapped in Crimson Bandages, slowly sheathed her Demon Blade, her eyes completely devoid of any emotion.
She seemed to have no interest in these things that wouldn’t splash blood when cut down, nor would they let out screams.
Meanwhile, to her side, Franlot, wielding a longsword, was caught in a tough battle!
Stepping awkwardly with the Void Steps that “Necklace Grandpa” had taught him, dodging left and right… the young man finally aimed at the golem’s core at the center!
“Flash Slash!!”
Shing—!
A single slash, fast as a beam of golden light!
However…
Crack… a crisp sound rang out. The golem’s core was perfectly intact, but the Longsword with Angry Mask Guard in Franlot’s hand snapped in two!
“Wha?!”
Whoosh—!!
The moment the young man’s face turned Iron-faced, the Earth Golem’s massive palm, big enough to crush a person into a Meat Patty, came smashing down.
Clang!!
The next second, blade light flashed again. The golem’s arm was cleanly severed, followed by its core!
Rumble…
“Your sword is too cheap.” Unlike her frenzied madness, Xue’er was usually quite cold and aloof, rarely initiating conversation with others.
“Th-Thanks…” Franlot smiled bitterly.
Looking at the System Panel, his Affection Points with this “Blood Blade” had reached a whopping 51…
With his own abilities alone, he naturally couldn’t win over this Hundred-man Slayer.
But back then… Franlot had a Flash of Inspiration.
The title “Blood Blade” was certainly fierce, but compared to someone I know… there’s still a huge gap~
The girl, whose nerves were still being affected by her frenzied state, narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Who?”
“You may not have heard of him, but in my hometown… this man is known as the Human Butcher. In his lifetime, he slaughtered nearly a million people.”
Seeing Xue’er’s constricted pupils, Franlot knew his story had already captured the attention of this Demon Blade girl who loved being bathed in blood…
“Even in one Battle of Slaughter, this Human Butcher directly buried forty thousand enemy soldiers alive…”
“Legend says that even Yanluo… the Death Upper Ruler, would welcome him personally upon meeting him.”
Forty thousand people… all killed together…
As if imagining the Desperate Screams of those brave and fearless soldiers in that moment…
The Demon Blade in this “Blood Blade’s” hand was trembling slightly along with her Heart and Mind Drift.
Killing so many that even the Supreme Being had to treat him with respect… just what kind of person was he?
This person was certainly a Tough Guy, but the moment those words fell, Xue’er’s Affection Points toward him directly rose by 10.
Franlot thanked his lucky stars he hadn’t slept through History Class, successfully using his Past Life Historical Knowledge to initially conquer this Murder Demon…
And at this moment, she had also become a Sharp Blade in his hand.
However…
Looking at the Broken Sword in his hand, Franlot gritted his teeth and smashed it directly onto the ground!
“What a piece of Garbage Thing. That Blacksmith who sold me the sword even said it was top-quality… how dare he Cheat Me!”
He had also asked the System whether it could give him a Holy Sword or something, but the System gave no answer at all, only issuing another Strategy Quest.
————
Quest issued: [Sage Hidden in the Tower]
Objective: Raise Demon Eye Sage Teres’s Affection Points toward you to 35 or above.
Current Affection Points: 0
————
Damn… this System might as well stop calling itself the [Strongest Player System] and just call itself the [Strongest Strategy System]…
Clicking his tongue, Franlot turned his head to look at the Forest shrouded in thick White Mist around them.
The System Guidance wouldn’t be wrong. The appearance of Artificial Golem Guards in the forest also proved that point.
It was just that… he could use history and legends to conquer the Blood Blade…
But this “Sage Hidden in the Tower” was clearly a Wise General, a Mage-type Character.
What could he possibly have to catch her attention?
Lost in thought, Franlot suddenly noticed…
The White Mist around them seemed to have dispersed somewhat.
At the same moment, Xue’er slowly looked up toward the front of them… where a pristine white tower, Towering into the Clouds, loomed faintly in the distance.
At that moment, a faint, Emotionless Voice sounded in both their ears…
[It’s useless. I have already completely seen through your actions, analyzed them clearly. You… can no longer pose any Threat to me.]
What does that mean…
Shing—!!
The next second, a black shadow rapidly grew larger from the horizon!
With a booming crash, it slammed into the ground right beside Franlot…
It was a Giant Crossbow Bolt over two meters long, as thick as his waist!
“Wha… huh?!” Only then did the young man belatedly turn and scramble away on all fours.
[Your speed makes dodging impossible. And that arrow wasn’t me missing—it was to tell you that I have already discovered this Two-person Team’s Weak Point. That’s you.]
The voice sounded again.
[Leave now, and I won’t attack further. Otherwise, both of you will die.]
“Oh? So you think you can kill me?” A hint of madness flashed through Xue’er’s eyes as her Demon Blade slid slightly from its sheath.
[You’re welcome to try.]
“W-Wait a moment!!”
As the two traded words across the distance, the Standoff at its peak, Franlot suddenly spoke up!
“Hey! You, the Sage in the Tower… I don’t suppose you’re interested in [Chemistry]?”
The voice was silent for a moment, then spoke with some confusion.
[Chemistry? What is that…]
“It’s… a completely new Alchemy technique!”
[Alchemy…?]
Hearing the bewildered tone in the other’s voice, Franlot immediately made his judgment.
This world didn’t even have the concept of “Alchemy”!
“It’s something like the golems you create, but it’s entirely new knowledge you’ve never encountered before!”
[Unknown… techniques for forging Transcendent items?]
Ding! Teres Affection Points +5.
Whoosh… The next second, the white Mist parted from the middle, revealing a path leading to the White Tower.
Victory!
Franlot pumped his fist fiercely in his heart! Looking at the [Middle School Math, Physics and Chemistry] in the System Mall that only cost one Mall Coin, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly…
Just as expected, scholars like this couldn’t refuse knowledge they’d never seen before.
He had Bet Again… and won!