NOVEL NEXT 185 – Settlement: Primordial Echoes
How did Genji bypass the contract when it was so strict? And why did the realms classify it as only a minor breach when it couldn’t have been more obvious? Logically, the realms should have been monitoring the situation very closely and shouldn't have made this mistake. So, what exactly did Genji do?
To answer this question, we need to revisit the contract and examine its exact words. Specifically, the part about how they couldn't directly harm each other after signing the contract. This detail is important because it didn't restrict what they could do before then. That was the first trap Genji set.
To finish this step, Genji infused the scroll with a dormant poison that infected Holster upon contact. He achieved this with his weird fountain pen, which had been dipped in the poison beforehand. That was why he insisted on using this unfamiliar writing utensil, despite having more comfortable options in his inventory.
Everything after that was done in support of this, including the unintentional injury clause and the retaliation one. The retaliation clause is self-explanatory after everything, but the unintentional injury clause was much more complicated—so complicated, in fact, that it deserved to be mentioned as Genji's second trap.
That's because this was the clause that made everything possible. Due to its inclusion, there was a very strict definition for what it meant to "directly harm" someone. As such, Genji managed to play into this loophole and avoid punishment.
After all, he wasn't the one who caused the poison to lose control. He only gave a healing potion that "accidentally" triggered the explosion. How could he have known that would be the result?
It's like giving bread to a homeless person, not realizing they have a severe gluten allergy. To make matters worse, the homeless person also didn't know this, and hungrily devoured the loaf, resulting in a severe reaction.
That was how the realms interpreted the situation. So no matter how dubious the sequence of events were, they couldn't assign any fault to Genji. At worst, it would be labeled as an accident - an unfortunate one, but an accident nevertheless.
Additionally, Genji had been providing potions for Holster the whole time, conditioning him to accept them without much thought. Pairing this with the realm's verification, it became easy to lower his guard. After all, SagaRealm clearly said these potions were safe, so how could anything bad happen to him?
This was indeed the case, but what the realms didn't realize was that the potion contained an ingredient that reacts negatively to the dormant poison, awakening it. That was how Genji bypassed all the restrictions and accomplished this feat.
There were a few hiccups in the plan, like the emergence of the abomination, and the spreading of poison that might have triggered the contract, but it eventually worked out.
One unexpected bonus was the legendary item Genji obtained from Holster lashing out at him since Holster was the one that added the punishment. But, even if he was cool-headed enough to recognize the bait and not attack, Genji had other plans in store.
After all, it would take a miraculous amount of self-control to hold back against Genji if Genji put his mind to it. For example, Genji could act all concerned and ignorant of the cause, while offering another deadly potion.
If that didn't work, Genji could always forcibly splash the potion on Holster out of "concern." Even if Holster dodged that, the battle would become one-sided because he wouldn't be able to counterattack. So regardless of the outcome, Genji was bound to win this confrontation. And this ending was determined the moment Holster unknowingly signed this contract.
"BASTARD!" Holster cursed, painfully dodging a blood spear.
"No hard feelings," Genji said, swinging an open vial of poison and creating a green arc that repelled Holster. "But there can only be one winner."
Then he sprayed an aerosol agent over the liquid, transforming it into gas that scorched Holster's skin. This was the final blow, as his remaining health drained away, and Holster collapsed with a resentful glare.
"Well played," Holster muttered, his voice fading along with the light in his eyes.
[You have slain: Holster, Champion of SagaRealm]
[You have obtained: 10 privilege tokens]
[You have obtained: Scarlet Card(Champion, 3rd step)]
[Due to a breach in the contract, you will receive a random legendary item from Holster's inventory. You have obtained: World Selection Token]
[World Selection Token]
Rating: Legendary
Type: Authority Item
Durability: 2/3
Effect: Consume 1 durability and specify what type of world you will enter next. If your stats are above the world's limit, reduce them until you meet the requirements.
Description: A token sold by Eternal Void. Using it will give you a big advantage in your next world.
Note: You can specify other requirements for the worlds. How much you gain will depend on how you use it.
Note 2: Due to a past violation, items with this effect cannot be paired with the Duelmaster's Invitation. Either choose the world type or drag an opponent into a death match, but not both.
Genji had a sneaky suspicion he knew what violation the second note was talking about, but he didn't dwell on it. The past had already happened and shouldn't be clung to.
Instead, Genji walked to the abomination's remains and picked up the highlighted orb from the ground. This was the same orb Holster revealed when he tore the creature in half and was engulfed in flames during the finishing blow. By now, the orb had cooled completely and regained its dark luster.
[You have obtained: Undying Abomination's Abyssal Essence]
[Undying Abomination's Abyssal Essence]
Rating: High Legendary
Type: Monster Relic
Effect: ???
Description: Undying Abominations are powerful creatures of the abyss and nearly unkillable. It's hard enough to survive against one, and even harder to kill one. Although this essence has lost 99.9998% of its powers, it is still a valuable commodity among the realms.
Note: Both Eternal Void and EverRealm are highly interested in this item. Bargain with either of them for your rewards.
The reward was as exaggerated as the opponent they'd faced, but that was to be expected of an Overlord, a rank above even the High Lords. It took everything between two champions, three legacies liberations, overcoming their limits several times within the short span of the battle, and a ton of luck to emerge victorious. Yet even then, they almost failed. That was how absurd this rank was compared to the ones below it.
One could even say that Overlords could effortlessly slaughter High Lords like lambs, with the gap between them being greater than the difference between common mobs and bosses. Existences of this level were not meant to be opposed, as even High Lords could easily overpower all other beings in the world. That’s why they are called lords, not bosses.
Yet to think this abomination was only a weakened version. One couldn't even begin to fathom how terrible these Undying Abominations are in their true forms. The most one could say was that these lords of the abyss deserved their titles as world calamities.
Genji sighed in relief once again and approached the other side of the room, where the crevices of a hidden door stood. This crack had been revealed during the battle when the stray attacks had damaged the surrounding material. Most impressively, the room was still intact, despite all the battering they gave it.
Genji dug his fingers beneath the door and pulled upward, slowly raising it along its intended grooves. After a few minutes, a loud click sounded, and the door slotted into place.
*Phew* "Now let's see what rewards this place has to offer."
Genji would be lying if he said he wasn’t curious about this. After all, it was the main reason he betrayed Holster. One doesn’t simply enter a lower world for something mediocre, especially when Holster was willing to give up all other rewards in exchange. That was the key point that tipped Genji off when they first met.
The next room was a long hall with a high ceiling. Display cases with their respective items lined the sides, creating a pathway of artifacts. Unfortunately, these transparent exhibits were in utter shambles and their contents couldn't be any more ruined. It was hard to even find an intact piece anywhere within this grand hall.
All of these treasures had been destroyed, presumably by the abomination that emerged from this chamber. It was pretty obvious considering the black sludge trail leading from this hall to the doorway of the previous room.
As Genji stepped into the hall, a blurry video projection appeared in front of him. At the center of the video was a stone humanoid, slumped against a metallic wall and taking labored breaths. Its whole body was riddled with cracks and unnatural black erosions, creating many gaps through which Genji could see the other side.
The humanoid struggled with its condition for a few seconds before looking up at the camera and speaking in a strained tone. EverRealm translated everything as before, so Genji heard the entire message.
"To whom this may concern, I am J’Galotch, patriarch of the Stone Titans, and this is my dying message. As you can probably tell, I am not of this world. I hail from a higher world consisting of purely elementals and dense mana. A lot has happened to reach this point, but I'll keep it short.
Our world was invaded by an Undying Abomination. A single entity had brought our world to its knees. All of our strongest gathered to fight this calamity, but it was a brutal massacre. Existences of the 7th and 8th step fell in droves, torn apart like paper. We stood no chance at all. But under everyone's sacrifices, we eventually brought it to the verge of death.
However, they are called Undying Abominations for a reason. It's nearly impossible to kill one. Given enough time, they will revive and wreak havoc once more. To prevent this outcome and deliver the finish blow, me and a few apex beings dragged it into the void and ground away its immortality.
I was the only one that survived that battle, but I was too weakened and lost to return. So I dug out its core and entered this world, building this monument to suppress its essence. Out of precaution, I made this into a trial with rewards so people don't get too curious and try to break my seal.
Although I do feel apologetic about siphoning the world's energy for this purpose, causing its development to stagnate, I can't risk anything. It's too dangerous if the abomination revives.
I'm telling you this because this abomination's core is sealed under my clan's heritage treasure. You can take any item you like from this hall but, please leave that one alone. I'm sure you will be satisfied with them. They are some of the finest equipment from my world.
Thank you."
The video ended there, but Genji's attention was redirected to the altar at the end of the room. There were myriad rune lines carved into the area, making it much more complex than even the hallway that almost blew Holster up. It was evident that the creator didn't want anyone tampering with it.
Unfortunately, the mechanism had been destroyed by a certain abomination's emergence and the weathering of time. Now, only a shell of its former self remained, a monument to its elemental glory.
"I think it's a little late for that," Genji said, responding to the video and approaching the altar. "But I'll take care of the treasure in your place."
Genji brushed aside the rubble covering the item, revealing a white mask bigger than himself. It was a bland mask, absent of any designs like paper mache. The material was smooth despite the passing of time and sturdy to the touch.
Genji tried inspecting the item, but all he got was a series of question marks. Not even its name could be seen, as if history itself had forgotten it. Genji tried placing it in his storage space but failed. It was another unique item that couldn't be easily stored. However, this only exemplified its value and significance. After all, Genji had only encountered one other item with this trait: the Void Egg that Astros hatched from.
Genji brought out some rope and fastened the mask to his back before searching the room one last time. After confirming there was nothing else, Genji returned to the previous room and pried open the slammed door. As he stepped through, flickering lights greeted him, a stark difference compared to when they first entered. Power was beginning to return to this part of the structure now that the abomination responsible for draining it had been slain.
'Some vacation this was,' Genji grumbled, stepping into the light.
A worried yip sounded in his ears as Astros ran over with a scared look but didn't jump on him like usual. Following his gaze, Genji understood why Astros was so reticent.
Genji looked horrendous right now. His skin had turned completely purple from poison abuse and large chunks of his body were missing due to corrosion. Blackened bones could be seen through some of these gaps, along with indistinguishable organ bits. Genji looked worse than a zombie and had the deadly aura to back it up.
"Yeah, it might be best not to touch me right now."
Bruce manifested at this moment and picked up Astros. The golems in the room watched them but remained stationary. Genji had already passed this level and didn't need to be tested again. Genji walked over and pressed the return button. A hazel-yellow portal appeared on the side and the gang stepped through.
When they came out the other side, they found themselves back at the plateau that started everything. Genji plopped down on the ground and enjoyed the sun, not wanting to do anything. They had about an hour and 40 minutes left and no motivation. Like this, time counted down, and they soon returned.
Settlement: Primordial Echoes
Achievements:
- Explored the world's culture (5)
- Mastered the methods of the tribal hunters (tracking, skinning, and processing) (3)
- Traveled far across the plains (4)
- Learned the dynamics of the tribes (4)
- Mastered the tribes' rope reading techniques (2)
- Hunted a bunch of common~elite creatures (3)
- Slain a quasi-beast king lion (Mini-boss) (2)
- Participated in the tribal wars (4)
- Slain many tribal warriors (5)
- Fought Xue Fe, Champion of SanguineRealm undergoing promotion trial, to a standstill (2)
- Obtained a detailed world map (5)
- Traveled deep into the wilderness (3)
- Repelled the Snake King (3)
- Discovered the Forest of Clear Moon (2)
- Learned the promotion method for Awakened Warriors (2)
- Slain: Beast King of The Forest, Mighty Boar (4)
- Entered the World's Center (3)
- Built a friendship with the Beast Kings (3)
- Discovered an unrecorded danger zone (2)
- Displayed proper conduct of an explorer (3)
- Discovered the truth of the Primordial Echo (3)
- Discovered the Titan Trials (2)
- Defeated the Remains of Abomination (15)
- Completed Trial of Exploration
- Completed Trial of Creativity
- Completed Trial of Unpredictability
- Completed Trail of Despair II
- Killed Holster, 3rd step Champion of SagaRealm (10)
- Learned the lost history of the Elementals (4)
- Recovered the lost artifact of the Stone Titans (5)
Total Achievements: 107
Total world time: 45 days
Rating: Beyond Nightmarish
Note: EverRealm is still impressed by what you managed to accomplish
Coins Rewarded: 3,321,783
Stat points: 28 (This is the maximum of this world)
[14,848,109 coins have been deducted as a healing fee.]
Genji opted for the coin payment this time because his wounds were more manageable this time. It mainly consisted of poison and abyssal corrosion, but nothing too permanent like the mutations that would require exorbitant fees. Once the last dregs of healing power left him, Genji was presented with a surprising choice.
[Detected that you are in possession of a damaged artifact and over 100 achievements. Please choose one of the following actions.]
- Turn in the mask of the Stone Titans.
Reward: +1 rank to both legacies
Note: Your legacies are already guaranteed to upgrade in rank. Choosing this option will result in an upgrade of 2 ranks.
2. Attempt to repair the mask.
Note: This is a complicated process and the results may vary. Picking this option will consume your custom forging opportunity and the item will be bound to you. No one else will be able to use it until your demise.
[Think carefully before picking.]
Two options: one that's consistent and one that's full of unknowns. Genji could understand why EverRealm warned him, as this choice would have a drastic impact on his upcoming development.
The first option would give a huge boost to his combat strength, pushing it even higher than it already is. On top of that, he gets to customize a legendary item for himself, further making up for his deficiencies. This is a tremendous opportunity since this was only his second time receiving this chance.
The first time created Bruce, who has been an indispensable help since he joined Genji. If used properly, it could make him a formidable foe even among the third step. Just take his compass, for example, which has been a bane of a certain mastermind's existence.
On the other hand, Genji would give up all these advantages to gamble on an unknown outcome. To add further uncertainty, Genji would be bound to this outcome. If it turned out poorly, he would have no way to recover his losses.
So the choice is obvious, right?
Well...
Under normal circumstances, yes, but this is far from it. Quite the opposite, in fact, since Genji knew the context behind this mask. For one, this was literally the treasure that the Titans used to seal the Undying Abomination and emerged unscathed from its destruction during its revival. How could such an item be weak in any way?
Also, by EverRealm's wording, it sounded like EverRealm only offered this choice because he obtained 100 achievements along with the treasure. If it were hopeless, why would EverRealm give him a choice anyway and potentially risk screwing him over?
If anything, this should be an indication to choose it. That's not to mention the generous reward EverRealm is providing for the safe option. In situations like these, the safe option always lowballs the potential rewards.
"Choice 2," Genji said, and the mask detached from behind him.
An overwhelming force then manifested, locking him in place and extracting a drop of blood from his heart. Once this was achieved, the force released its hold on Genji, and the mask floated upward. The blood followed and merged with it, creating ripples on its wide surface.
[Please choose among the following items to trade in. Each item will increase the energy used in this procedure and, in turn, the chances of success.]
- Champion Holster's Scarlet Card
- Undying Abomination's Abyssal Essence
- Any excess energy after upgrading your legacies
- 100 privilege tokens
- Bechel's Secret Formula
Genji was reassured of his choice when he saw the second option. If even a high-level legendary item wasn't enough to guarantee the repair's success, it could only mean the mask had a higher value. Without hesitation, Genji selected the first, second, and fifth options.
The third option was non-negotiable since it directly affected his legacies. He wasn't going to compromise on this, even if there was extra energy remaining. After all, they were his partners, just like Bruce, and had fought many battles with him. It didn't make sense to deprive his current partners for something new. That would be like putting the cart before the horse.
As for the fourth option, Genji simply didn't want to spend that much. While he could scrape together the amount, he preferred to save his tokens for other purposes.
The items swiftly left his inventory, and a massive surge of energy descended, forming large curls of color. These various energies cycled around the mask like a miniature galaxy before fusing into the surface. The ripples intensified, and the mask gained a soft opaque glow.
[Scanning...]
[Infusing energy...]
[Checking external damage...]
[Initiating repair...]
[Repairing...]
[Checking internal damage...]
[Error: Priority Framework Not Found]
[Initiating deep scan...]
[Error: Priority Principles Missing]
[Attempting recovery process...]
[Error: Total Priority Disintegration]
[Abandoning attempt...]
[Initiating restructuring procedures...]
[Encoding operation principles...]
[Defining priority applications...]
[Customizing...]
[Applying finishing touches...]
[Process complete]
The moment that prompt sounded, the energy mass faded, revealing the mask's new form. The mask had shrunk drastically compared to before, becoming more suitable for human use rather than titans. Also, the white color had been replaced by a glossy black that resembled the darkest nights.
[Mask of the Black Death]
Rating: Mythic (damaged)
Repair progress: 17.86%
Durability: 1,000/1,000 (Mythic items are hard to break)
Requirements: Bound to Enigma
Effects:
- Status Forgery (active/passive): When wearing this mask, you can change how your status page appears to others. This effect has medium priority and will last until it is disabled.
- Ultimate Disguise (active/passive): When wearing this mask, you can change your appearance at will. This effect has medium priority. Effects with lower priority can not see through this disguise. Your disguise can not exceed your body proportions by more than 50%.
- Soul Sanctuary (passive/active): Your soul is protected from death. When you are affected by a fatal soul attack, negate it and become immune for 5 seconds. This effect has high priority. Limited to 1 use per day.
Description: A mask dedicated to Nightmare Enigma for defeating an Overlord against all odds and retrieving the lost treasure of the Stone Titans.
Note: Everyone wears a metaphorical mask to hide their true selves, but why settle for a figurative one when you can wear a physical one as well?
Note 2: ♫ In the darkness he lurks, stalking his unexpecting prey. ♫
Note 3: Cry, laugh, rage, and fear. What difference does it make if that's painted on a mask?
Note 4: This item is far from reaching its full potential. Keep repairing it if you want to witness its true powers.
Genji had a wide smile when he saw these stats. His discernment of the situation had been correct, and he reaped the rewards for it. Although he lost many short-term boosts, he gained another permanent item in his arsenal. After all, mythic items don't degrade or lose their effects as the user gets stronger; instead, they scale with them, applying some of the most reliable priority effects over time.
Furthermore, this was far from the item's peak. Just the 17% repair progress spoke volumes about its true potential. Yet, even at one-sixth of the progress, the mask had stronger priorities than his cloak, a high-legendary item. No, correct that. It's no longer a high-legendary; it's beyond that.
[Lethal Opportunity]
Rating: Legendary+4
Damage: 45 (+5)
Durability: 500/500 (+50)
Effects:
- Growth (passive): After every world, this set will grow with you
- Occam's Razor (passive): +65 sharpness (+15)
- Nigh Unbreakable (passive): +250 durability (+40)
- Spiritual Attunement (active/passive): You can transform these daggers into a phantom form and store them inside your mind space.
Legacy Liberation: Deadly Severance
- +30 Sharpness for 90 seconds. Wounds inflicted during this duration can't be healed for 25 seconds. Cooldown of 1 month. (Sharpness: +5, Duration: +30 seconds, Healing Lockout: +5 seconds)
Description: You can cut almost anything with the simplest motions.
[Shroud of Terror]
Rating: Legendary+4
Defense: 45 (+3)
Durability: 300/300 (+10)
Effects:
- Growth (Passive): After every world, this equipment will grow with you.
- Undetectable (Passive): Your stealth has medium priority.
- Untraceable Movement (Active): Multiplies speed by 3x for 60 seconds. Cooldown of 30 seconds. This effect has medium priority. Cancling this will subtract excess time from the cooldown. (Duration: +15 seconds)
- Like a Feather (Active): Reduce the effects of gravity by 95% for 1 minute. Cooldown of 5 minutes. (Weight Reduction: +5%, Cooldown: -5 minutes)
- Essence of Terror (Passive): Gain maximum energy stats from kills.
- Terror Reinforced (Passive): Recover a small amount of shadow energy from kills. Limited to 5 meters and targets you killed. (Range: +2 meters)
Legacy Liberation: Terror Unleashed
- +75% energy intensity for 5 minutes. Cooldown of 1 month. (Energy Intensity: +10%, Duration: +1 minute)
Description: A cloak that has become a true terror to all.
Note: Zoom Zoom. Is that a plane? A bird? No, it's... Oh wait, you're already dead.
