CHAPTER 65: SYSTEM 2.0

A screen flashed in his mind.

The interface was different. It was sleeker, made of a dark, starlit energy instead of plain blue light.

Its voice in his mind was clearer, faster, and more integrated with his own consciousness. It felt like it was truly a part of him now.

[System Update 2.0 Complete. Core data from Celestial Spirit Fox has been fully integrated.]

[Host’s potential has been recalibrated. New functions unlocked.]

’Wait... Celestial Fox. So that’s you, Yuki,’ Rhys sighed softly.

He focused on the new notification, his heart pounding with anticipation.

[New Function Unlocked: Skill Creation. By analysing the fundamental principles of the world and burning a sufficient amount of lifespan, the Host can now create entirely new skills from scratch.]

’This...’ A low grin appeared on his face, which he quickly hid as Sera stared up at him in confusion.

He couldn’t make her doubt his mental state.

[New Function Unlocked: Skill & Core Evolution. By burning a sufficient amount of lifespan, the Host can now directly evolve existing skills and Profession/Skill Cores to higher grades. This bypasses the need for fragments.

The maximum grade of evolution is bound by the world, as the Host can only evolve to the capability of the world.]

’So in the mortal world, I can almost upgrade my cores to Tyrant. Not bad at all.’

[New Bloodline Function Unlocked: Sovereign’s Evolution. As the Ashen Sovereign, the Host can now evolve any monster that is summoned by the Host or willingly accepts his lifespan as a source of growth.

The monster must form a bond of loyalty. Maximum evolution is capped at the first ascension in the mortal world.]

Rhys stared at the words. His mind reeled. These were not just new functions. These were god-like abilities.

The power to create skills from nothing. The power to evolve anything with just his lifespan. The power to raise his own army of powerful, loyal monsters.

This was Yuki’s final gift. Her stupid plan had not just saved him; it had given him the keys to the entire world.

’Thanks....’

He looked at Sera, who now carried a piece of Yuki within her. He pulled her into a tight hug. She felt small and fragile in his arms.

He felt a fierce, protective instinct that was stronger than anything he had ever felt before.

The desert adventure had helped him to open his eyes. He wasn’t strong; he just happened to be surrounded by weaker enemies.

If an opponent such as the Elder, who was terrifying in both strength and intellect, were to confront him, he would also be killed without enough strength.

Rhys wanted strength. More than enough so he didn’t have to fear being targeted. Strong enough to protect Sera.

Strong enough to honour the memory of the strange, selfish woman who had given everything for them.

He stood up, lifting Sera into his arms. He looked out at the ruins of the Sanctum. He could feel the presences of his enemies gathering in the distance.

They were coming for him. They were hunting him. Let them come.

The world outside, with its petty families and their foolish games, had no idea what was coming for it.

’If my guess is correct, the Ashtons would have contacted their young master. Perhaps the great families have now gathered together to hunt me down. I can’t wait....’

"Let’s go, Sera," he said, his voice calm. "It’s time to see what this place is really about."

They started walking, moving deeper into the beautiful but silent ruins. The street appeared to be carved from white stone as broken crystal towers reached the starlit sky on either side of them.

The pure energy in the air was so thick it was like walking through a gentle river. Sera was no longer sulking. She was curious. She looked at the strange, ruined city with wide, pitch-black eyes.

She pointed at a crumbling archway covered in glowing moss and giggled at interesting things on the way. Rhys felt a sense of warmth as he watched her.

They had entered a few buildings, but all of them were empty. So after repeating the process a few times without a result, Rhys simply abandoned the plan.

’I can create skills, but I need a base so I can develop how these skills work.’

He could create them on his own too, but with only the shallow data he was used to, those skills wouldn’t be very powerful.

’In the meantime, I’ll just evolve my profession and skill cores.’

Rhys thought, mentally moving into his cores. This update allowed him to burn his lifespan on his own without asking the system to do it.

Without wasting any more time, he had evolved all of his skill cores and profession cores to Tyrant.

Although he couldn’t evolve the professions into higher ranks, the immense improvement in the cores made them more lethal.

He then chose to evolve his skills. The maximum grade the mortal world allowed for a skill was High-quality Heaven grade.

Happily improving all of his skills to Heaven grade instantly overwhelmed his brain with complex structures. Unlike cores, which became truly one with him, he needed more mental strain to keep all these skills in his memory.

Luckily, his constitution helped him to quickly adapt to the intense data rush as he slowly registered the grades of his skills.

’It’s wonderful... but also shallow.’

Because despite them suddenly becoming Heaven grade, their structures were merely improved from lower grades.

So despite them noticeably becoming more terrifying, Rhys felt they weren’t enough.

’I have to develop my own skills; in that way, I can perfectly utilise my potential.’

For that, he had to be exposed to powerful phenomena, something like a duel between powerful cultivators, natural phenomena, etc.

They walked for a long time. The city was huge and empty. As they approached a large, open plaza in the centre of the floating island, he felt a shift in the energy.

Suddenly, the light in the plaza grew brighter. Ten shapes began to form out of the pure light. They solidified into the tall, thin forms of the Sanctum Sentinels.

They were the Ordinary-grade guardians, their crystal bodies glowing with a soft blue light.

’Oh, speaking of troubles...’ Rhys popped his knuckles.

’Let’s test the strength of my new skills...’ he curled his lips.

He didn’t draw his dagger nor use any movement skills. He simply raised his hand, a spark of flame slowly forming as he clenched his palm into a fist.

"Papa is going to show you something cool," he said to Sera.

He activated the Heaven-grade Spark Fist. The overwhelming heat from it started to melt everything in the surroundings.

Rhys made sure not to hurt Sera with it, as his perfected control over it made it easy.

Before giving the guardians a chance to even react, the vortex of spinning energy rushed out of his fist, obliterating everything in its path.

When the flame disappeared, there was nothing but a mountain of ashes. The hundreds of monsters simply ceased to exist.

"Wow, Papa is so cool!" Sera clapped her hands, making him raise his chest in pride.

Somehow, Rhys liked to show off before the child more and more.

He looked at the piles of fine, blue crystal dust. Then a grin graced his lips.

"Wanna see something even cooler?" He pinched her nose.

"Yes... YES!" Sera shook her head with wide, happy eyes.

Walking to the centre of the plaza, he placed his hand on the ground and focused his will to drew on his new power.

[Activating Ashen Marionettes.]

[Burning 10,000 years of lifespan....]

"Arise..."

The blue dust on the ground started to move, swirling together to form a dozen small whirlwinds. The dust rose up from the floor.

It took the shape of tall, thin soldiers. Their bodies were no longer made of blue crystal. They were made of a dark, grey ash, the same colour as the plains in the Ash Fall.

Their eyes glowed in the darkness as a dark fog seemed to escape from them. All of them suddenly kneeled on the ground, almost scaring Sera.