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["Without an intelligence module, it was nothing more than a relay. The other side noticed something was wrong and severed the connection. There is no way to trace it now. Otherwise, I could have locked onto the main System's location, struck directly at its core, and made a fortune!"]
After hearing the System's explanation, Caelus thought for a moment and asked, "He was only an insignificant host they didn't care about, yet he still managed to reach the Fourth Rank. Does that mean the main hosts they are training have already reached the Fifth or Sixth Rank?"
["I would love to tell you that is impossible and that you are far ahead of them, but there is no guarantee that some of them didn't get lucky and bind themselves to exceptionally talented individuals before taking them to worlds where time flows much faster. Because of that, I can't be completely certain."]
["Still, this guy was definitely an insignificant host. What kind of fool trains power while completely neglecting the mind? Besides, he only reached the Fourth Rank through a crude, artificially accelerated method. Anyone with even a modest mental ability could have pinned him down and beaten him senseless."]
The System continued complaining.
["His mind was filled with distracting thoughts, and his desires ran so deep that he would abandon every principle for the slightest benefit. Even you, just after escaping IX, could have used the properties of Nihility to corrode his mind and ruin him almost immediately."]
["We generally call people who can be defeated by someone an entire rank below them Pseudo-Ranks."]
Caelus nodded, then looked into the distance at Kou, who was currently working as an assistant in a kitchen.
"Kou, you're now the Hero Association's second-ranked S-Class Hero! Why are you willing to work as an assistant and apprentice in a kitchen?"
Inside the kitchen, an elderly chef stared at Kou, who was practising his knife skills, with complete bewilderment.
"Becoming a hero doesn't make me superior to anyone else. I came here to learn. Since I don't know anything, isn't it natural to start as an apprentice?"
Kou looked back at the elderly chef with mild confusion.
He had never believed that being a hero made him better than others. If he wanted to learn something he did not understand, then starting from the beginning and working hard to master the fundamentals was perfectly natural.
Why did so many people believe that becoming the Hero Association's second-ranked S-Class Hero meant he should stand above ordinary people?
"No, what I mean is, there are plenty of prestigious restaurants and luxury hotels with chefs whose skills are far more advanced. Why would you choose to learn here, at a small fast-food restaurant?"
"Because I'm not trying to learn elegant, expensive dishes."
"I want to make food that anyone can eat and enjoy. Food that brings a smile to people's faces. Food that comforts those who are exhausted, that hungry people can devour without hesitation, and that both children and adults can enjoy."
"Master, I've visited many restaurants and tasted their food myself. Yours was the most delicious. A lot of people say your cooking tastes like home."
"Hahaha! I never expected that I would one day teach an S-Class Hero how to cook!"
"Very well. Since you think so highly of my skills, I'll teach you everything I know and pass this craft on to you."
"Great! One day, I'll use what you teach me to open a restaurant of my own."
"I thought this was only a hobby. Aren't you a hero? The salary of an S-Class Hero should be more than enough. You shouldn't need to open a restaurant."
"Because one day, this world will finally become peaceful, and monsters will disappear completely."
"When that day comes, I'll find another way to help people."
"...You truly deserve to be called a hero. I think I finally understand how my daughter feels when she admires her idols. Even an old man like me is starting to feel inspired."
"You're praising me too much. Now I'm getting embarrassed."
"Hahahaha!"
Caelus set down his quill.
On the sheet of paper before him was a drawing of a young man wearing a chef's uniform. He stood at a cutting board with a kitchen knife in hand, smiling in an exceptionally ordinary way.
Kou's story ended here.
Of course, his life was far from over. But for the audience, this was where his story concluded.
His journey would continue within this world.
Now it was time for Caelus to continue his own.
...
Herta Space Station.
"You actually remembered to come back!"
A Herta puppet pointed dramatically at the newly arrived Caelus and shouted, "I heard you were on the Xianzhou Luofu, so I went there myself. Then the General told me you had already left!"
"And before that, you caused such a huge disturbance on Penacony that I went there specifically to investigate. What exactly did you create? Why can't I analyse any of the data?"
Caelus took out his phone and checked whether he had received any new messages while he was away.
He discovered that Penacony and the Interastral Peace Corporation had entered into a cooperative agreement. IPC flights travelling to Penacony were now receiving various forms of preferential treatment.
The existence of the Eternal Dreamscape had also led Penacony and the Interastral Peace Corporation to develop several new forms of insurance and public welfare benefits.
In short, they were exploring every possible method of extracting profit from the Eternal Dreamscape Caelus had created.
Caelus did not care.
If all the wealth they extracted continued to be hoarded as before, with not even the smallest portion shared with those at the bottom, then they could simply wait for the inevitable eruption of hell.
Even if they devised countermeasures or discovered loopholes to exploit, Caelus was neither dead nor permanently absent from this universe.
He could correct the problem whenever he wished.
More importantly, he could truly correct it whenever he wished.
"Anyway, after several of us studied the matter, we finally determined that all the unidentifiable powers surrounding you originate from other universes."
"We are naturally very interested in them. Tell me, what sort of reward would you want in exchange for allowing us to study power from another universe?"
"I happen to have a scientist from another universe with me. His world's laws are rather unusual. You could exchange ideas with him."
"Oh? A scientist from another universe? How capable is he?"
"Compared to members of the Genius Society, there is naturally a considerable gap. But he is still one of the greatest minds on his planet. With some time to learn, he should be able to keep pace with the researchers aboard Herta Space Station."
"That should be acceptable. I'm interested in meeting him."
"He also developed rejuvenation technology. I simply don't know how advanced it is compared to yours."
"Then he probably isn't an idiot."
Caelus opened his book and removed a single page.
The paper rose into the air without any wind. The image printed upon it began to glow softly, and a man tumbled out from within.
Dr. Genus stood, straightened his clothes, and adjusted his glasses.
Then he looked around.
The advanced technology and futuristic design of Herta Space Station filled his face with irrepressible excitement.
"I'll leave him with you. Goodbye."
"Hey! Why are you leaving so quickly?"
Before the Herta puppet could say anything else, Caelus vanished into thin air.
She gave a dissatisfied huff, then turned toward Dr. Genus, who was still excitedly examining his surroundings.
"You there. Follow me."
Dr. Genus returned to his senses.
He did not question the puppet's command or her unusual existence.
Instead, he silently followed behind her.
A completely new life was about to begin for him.
(To be continued.)