CHAPTER 144: CH-144

Minerals after minerals turned to dust under my fingers. Each inhale filled my lungs with thin energy that built up little by little.

Hours passed as I breathed in the dust, pouring every drop of energy into the urn. My body was recovering fine, but the repetitive strain still weighed heavily on my dantians.

I could only hope this would help me break through, rather than cause a backlash.

’This is more tiring than I thought,’

My vision blurred at times, but I refused to stop. Sweat rolled down my back as the strain crawled through my muscles.

I closed my eyes and sank into meditation, sacrificing another batch of stones.

Finally, a warm pulse rose from my core. I pressed my palm to the urn again.

’This should be the last one,’ I let out an exhausted breath as I prepared for the final attempt.

Energy surged out of me like water through a broken dam, and no matter how many times I repeated it, the feeling of being sucked dry never grew dull.

Faint lines crawled across the surface as the energy inside tried to break free.

A loud crack followed.

More lines formed, spreading in slow waves. The clay shell loosened, and small pieces slid down the sides and scattered across the floor.

Then, the cracks widened until the whole shell began to peel away.

Beneath it, dark iron emerged bit by bit. The metal looked smooth at first, then shapes rose from it—thin vines curling around the urn, looping and crossing like living roots trapped under the surface.

When the last of the clay finally fell away, the urn transformed from a simple vessel into a piece of art fit for a museum. The edges were flawless, as if carved by a laser rather than shaped by hand.

[DING!]

A crisp sound echoed in my head.

[Congratulations, host. You have activated the Urn of Nazer.]

[Celestial Grade Item.]

[This urn can store any object placed inside. Current interior space: 20 x 20 meters. The capacity can grow with further upgrades.]

My grip tightened around the iron handle.

"Finally, a space bag!" The words almost slipped out. Wanted one for so long, yet the system never gave anything.

"Wait, system... the Urn and the Aegis are both celestial grade, so why don’t they have sentience?"

[Host, all celestial items possess some sentience, but the levels vary. The system hypothesizes that weapon-type items mature faster due to constant use.]

’So does this mean that if kept using this items, they would also develop more?’

[Probable, but not very high. The chances depend on multiple variables.]

A deep sigh escaped my lips. I was hoping that all celestial items would possess unique female consciousness, so I could build a mind harem in the future once the opportunity arose.

Don’t get me wrong—I prefer human women. But imagining inhuman traits like overly white skin, diamond-like eyes, and a feathery touch stirred a certain kind of temptation.

’Not good... getting sidetracked again. What the fuck, brain? Can’t you stay normal for even a second?’

’I mean, I just scored a real treasure... so why am I thinking about Sylphine? Am I really that frustrated that I couldn’t fuck her?’

’Focus!’ I slapped my face once, forcing my mind back to the game.

My thoughts turned back to the monkey paw I buried inside the tower for safety. With this urn, I finally had a way to bring it out without risking anything.

In addition, every future haul would stay off the books. No tax, no records, no questions.

Only one problem—it was way too big to carry on its own. I would have to strap it to my back like a street vendor hauling cheap furniture and selling it for a premium just because it looked fancy.

"Get smaller?" I muttered on impulse, testing it out.

The urn gave a small shudder, as if reacting to me. Its shape seemed to compress, the layers folding in on themselves until it became smaller.

A moment later, it rested in my palm as a small pendant, cool and solid, no bigger than a thumb.

A thin chain also came with it, as if it already knew what I needed. The urn shape pendant hung from it neatly, ready to wear like a simple piece of jewelry.

"The size problem’s solved, but... how do I even put things inside this?" I held up the pendant, hoping for a reaction. "Get bigger?"

It responded immediately, expanding in my hand with a smooth, steady motion until it matched the size of a small barrel. It only stopped when I willed it to.

I hurried to test it. The room’s food supplies went in first. Boxes, cans, sealed packs—everything slid in without resistance.

After that, I told the urn to shrink again. It obeyed, then expanded once more when asked.

The moment I pictured the items in my mind, they drifted out of the urn’s opening on their own. They moved slow and smooth, almost like they were rising through water.

I caught each one as it came out and checked the contents. Everything stayed the same as when I first stored it—no spoilage, no change in texture, nothing out of place.

Curious to test further, I tried placing the Aegis armor inside—and the result was the same.

’This is great. Now the association won’t be able to track anything I pull out of the tower.’

That organization monitored everything. I even received a message saying that all the loot we brought back from the tower was still under review, and we would only get our share once the association approved it.

The materials didn’t really matter that to me because I was already filthy rich—but the other survivors could use them.

I slipped the pendant under my shirt and took a slow breath. The excitement settled, letting my mind turned to other important matters.

The armor.

It now sat neatly on the bed. I touched it and saw the familiar notification appear. This time, I didn’t hesitate and let it integrate into my shadow.

[Initializing Process]