"MARKUS, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Candy ran towards him, enveloping him with her healing spell.
Markus's garments were slightly covered in blood from internal injuries due to the draconic pressure.
"Yeah, I'm fine, that portal was an inheritance zone, I'll explain later at the academy, thanks, Candy," Markus returned her hug.
A blue exit portal materialized on the ogre's throne, right beside the dungeon's core, sitting on its armrest.
"Team leader, retrieve the core, and let's head back to the academy. I would hate to spend a single second longer in here," Markus said, exhausted from the trials before.
"Alright, I'll carry Flint on my back, Markus, you lead the way, Candy, we move together." Maximus retrieved the dungeon core into his storage ring.
The dungeon space started collapsing as the group of 4 made their way back to Oakhaven Borough.
Markus sent Uncle Vance a message, requesting that a medical pod be ready at the west gate.
He spread his spatial perception, covering a radius of 2 kilometers.
"There they are, open the gates!" A tower sentry spotted the group running through the outer perimeter.
Flint laid topless in the medical pod as a nutrient-rich green liquid filled it, healing him down to the molecular structure.
"Maximus, Candy, I'll need to speak with Colonel Vance privately for a minute. I'll meet you guys at the tarmac," Markus turned, heading to the command center with Uncle Alistair.
**
Alistair poured a glass of water as they made themselves comfortable in his office.
"Uncle Alistair, Rosanne misses you very much in the academy. You should visit her more often," Markus reported, closing his eyes.
Exhausted from using his spatial perception for the return journey.
"I have applied for a transfer back to the capital, but there aren't many awakeners who can hold their own in the frontlines," Alistair sighed.
"Uncle, I'll need you to keep a secret for me," Markus solemnly requested.
"What is it, little nephew?" Alistair asked, confused by Markus's change in seriousness.
"I'll help you like how I helped my grandpa and grandma, I'll shatter the chains restricting your growth to level 70," Markus nonchalantly said.
"WHAT?! So, you were their miracle?" Alistair collected himself," Alright, I would be indebted to you for this favor, young nephew."
Markus positioned behind Alistair, placing his palms on his back.
"Crack, Crack, Crack, Shatter"
The chains restricting his growth shattered, and the overflow of accumulated experience came in waves.
[Level 70]
[Level 71]
[Level 72]
[Level 73]
[Level 74]
[Level 75]
[Level 76]
----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Alistair Vance
Age: 92
Class: Emperor of Frost
Affinities: Ice (SS)
Level: 76
Health: 40000/40000
Mana: 12000/12000 (500 mana/second)
Strength: 111
Agility: 102
Constitution: 144
Intelligence: 203
Available free attributes: 40
Active Skills:
Frost Lance
Frost Wall
Frost Avatar
Frost King's Domain
Soul Freeze
Passive Skills:
Imperial Sword Arts
Flicker Step
Far Sight
Body Refinement (Stage 7)
Equipment:
Imperial Commander Set
Dimensional Storage Ring (Tier 4)
Frost King's Spear
Frost King's Visor
----------------------------------------------------------
Markus is no longer just a generational prodigy; he is the "Kingmaker" of the Valerian Empire.
Alistair sat cross-legged, with absolute focus, condensing his mana core.
Markus left a note on his marble office table and departed for the airplane tarmac.
**
Back at the academy…
Maximus submitted the mission report, as well as the dungeon core.
[Mission Complete:+500 CP]
The notifications popped up on their student badges.
Markus stayed behind; the mission hall elders conducted an investigation into the circumstances of Varus's death at the dungeon portal.
Markus retrieved the scorpion corpses from his inventory and gave them a sample of its venom as proof.
Markus sold 11 of the regular scorpion corpses to the mission hall but kept the Alpha scorpion's corpse and all of their venom sacs.
**
Markus finally got back to his dormitory room, cleaned himself up, and took a 30-minute power nap.
He sat cross-legged atop the silk sheets covering his bed as he opened up his status panel.
----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Markus Blackwell
Age: 10
Class: Void Apprentice
Affinities: Space (L), Time (L)(Sealed), Fate (EX)
Health: 8,000/8,000
Mana: 21,000/21,000
Level: 30 (+2 Locked)
Strength: 100
Agility: 100
Constitution: 100
Intelligence: 200
Available free attributes: 10 (+10 Locked)
Laws: Space (2.03%)
Active Skills:
Spatial Slash
Void Severance
Spatial Bubble
Passive Skills:
Body refinement (Tier 3)
Void Perception
Dimensional Inventory (100 x 100 sqm)
Fate's Eye
Equipment:
Heavenly Scriptures of Space
Valerian Academy Student Badge
Aurelian Royal Family Crest
Dimensional Storage Ring (Tier 3)
Dimensional Storage Ring (Tier 1)
Jörmungandr's Egg
Prayer Cushion
----------------------------------------------------------
(My level is sealed, I'm unable to progress past tier 3[Level 30].)
Markus collected himself and studied the Heavenly Scriptures of Space.
[Gaia, founded by Nyx and Chronos, rulers of the eastern and western continents]
["By the weave of the Warp,
By the silence of the Rift,
I tear the curtain of the Three Dimensions.
Let the space before me collapse,
Let the distance between my heart and the horizon be naught.
I am the Needle; the World is my Silk. As I will, so it is bound."]
[Shed your mortal chains, form your space core.]
A beam of enlightenment struck Markus between his brows.
As the invisible shackles snapped, the air in the dormitory room began to warp.
The light from the mana lamps bent toward Markus's chest as if he were a miniature black hole.
Inside his soul, the "Needle" finally found its "Thread."
The Space Core didn't pulse like a heart; it vibrated with the silent frequency of the stars.
At ten years old, Markus Blackwell had stopped being a student and started becoming an Anchor for the Law.
Markus sat in a lotus position atop the prayer cushion, deeply focused.
[Law of Space: 2.04%]
…
…
…
…
[Law of Space: 5%]
"Snap, Snap, Snap, Snap, Snap."
Invisible shackles within Markus shattered, as a core began to form.
Instead of the traditional blue mana cores, awakeners form when they reach level 70.
Marku's mana core was pitch black, condensed with the laws of space itself.
It was a measly 2cm wide; however, its pressure was immense.
His spatial abilities received a multiplier bonus.
----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Markus Blackwell
Age: 10
Class: Void Apprentice
Affinities: Space (L), Time (L)(Sealed), Fate (EX)
Health: 15,000/15,000
Mana: 40,000/40,000
Level: 32
Strength: 100
Agility: 100
Constitution: 100
Intelligence: 200
Available free attributes: 20
Laws: Space (5.00%)
Active Skills:
Spatial Slash (x1.05)
Void Severance (x1.05)
Spatial Bubble (x1.05)
Passive Skills:
Body refinement (Tier 3)
Void Perception
Dimensional Inventory (100 x 100 sqm)
Fate's Eye
Equipment:
Heavenly Scriptures of Space
Valerian Academy Student Badge
Aurelian Royal Family Crest
Dimensional Storage Ring (Tier 3)
Dimensional Storage Ring (Tier 1)
Jörmungandr's Egg
Prayer Cushion
----------------------------------------------------------
While his Mana and Intelligence are god-tier, his physical stats (Strength/Agility/Constitution) are still "only" 100.
Markus is a "Glass Cannon" with a nuclear reactor for a heart.
(Level 32 with a mana core, a space core above all else.)
Markus set the Jörmungandr's Egg above the prayer mat beside his bed.
The exact way he found it in the temple.
(Hopefully it'll hatch this way. I have no idea how to cultivate a beast egg.)
The spatial laws within the heavenly scripture prevent him from reading a second page.
It would seem Markus needs to progress further with his mastery of space to delve further.