Volume 5 – Chapter 25 (in-editing v1)

Volume 5 – Chapter 25

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(If I made a typo/mistake/forgot something, let me know in the comments!)

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7 days until the Founding Celebration.

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“Let’s talk.”

Micheal and Shin both sat down. Shin crossed his fingers over each hand, interlocking them while sitting impassively. Micheal, on the other hand, slowly raised his right hand, pointing to his Spatial Ring as he sat down.

“If you’ll allow me.” Micheal asked, his eyes evenly meeting Aaron’s piercing gaze.

“Go ahead.” Aaron nodded.

A journal appeared as Micheal withdrew it from the Spatial Ring.

Micheal slowly opened that journal, flipping through several pages before stopping on one particular page, where a sketch of a vague, shadowy figure was drawn.

And it was here that Micheal immediately dropped a bombshell, catching both Jessica and Aaron completely off guard.

“I have reason to believe that we are currently trapped inside a Time Loop, by an incredibly dangerous, antagonistic entity that is targeting you for assassination.”

You could hear a pin drop, in the stunned silence that followed, as both Aaron and Jessica sat up, tensing.

A sheen of ice fluttered over Jessica’s body, shimmering up and down her form before disappearing as she stared at Micheal, transforming into the spitting image of pure focus.

Aaron took the revelation with a steady pause, his gaze unflinching as he stared down Micheal.

“Elaborate.” Any trace of mirth or frivolity had vanished, replaced by the steely willpower of the Commander of the Round Table.

And so, Micheal did.

Information was a tool, like any other. In the wrong hands, it could invoke devastating effects, bringing about the ruin of countless innocent lives. In the right hands, it could shape the destiny of an entire species, changing the world forevermore.

There were times when Micheal knew he would need to hide information, to keep secret what he knew, to prevent the future from changing.

The higher up you climbed, the more dangerous possessing knowledge of the future became. From beings with Abilities that spied on the contents of one’s mind, to entities that possessed esoteric powers that recorded every word ever uttered planet-wide, secrets became far less secret once you reached the Fifth Layer and beyond.

Even here, on the Third Layer, there existed Void Nobles like Duke Atlas that could scry the past, leaving no stone unturned.

However.

This was not one of those times.

Micheal had weighed the risks, and made his decision.

‘The Round Table needs to know.’

An hour passed, as Micheal and Aaron talked, deep in discussion.

From the existence of Jay sol Arget, to the strange powers Endwalkers possessed, to the startling knowledge that Vesper had passed on, informing them about the existence of a Time Loop.

He told them about Constantine.

He told them about Navir.

He informed Aaron on virtually every single threat he had information on, sharing his own estimations, guesses, and every string of information he possessed from his past life when it came to the foes they might face. He also alluded that his knowledge was related to seeing the future, without outright saying he had regressed.

Their discussion went on for hours more, to the point where food and drinks were brought in, serving lunch for the group, unabated. Shin and Jessica traded stories on the sideline, while Micheal and Aaron remained deep in discussion.

At times, Aaron would call in one of his aides, dispatching them on new orders as Micheal revealed more and more information. After the first 3 hours had passed, Aaron revealed to Micheal that he possessed a Bulsoar Truth Circle, an extraordinary Artifact ring that you couldn’t buy in the Shop, that allowed him to parse truth from lies, a big part of the reason why he was taking Micheal’s word so seriously.

“You’re saying that the Fifth Layer is an enormous tree?” Aaron tapped his fingers on the desk as he spoke.

“A Planetary Tree, with its own atmosphere, yes.”

Their discussion ranged from a variety of topics.

“Dragon Building Liquid? Alright, I’ve noted down the recipe, and will pass it down for testing.”

"Mana Breathing Methods? A whole journal of them?"

They found common ground, time and time again.

“I was hit by the same beams of light just a few days ago. You suspect it was this entity, this Endwalker, ambushing us at the start of the Loop?”

“Exactly. I also believe Bastien, the other human Grandmaster I mentioned, was targeted as well.”

“Alright. My men will put out feelers to try and find him.”

Finally, as the hours winded down, the topic of the immediate present came up.

“You want to set a trap.” Aaron locked eyes with Micheal, his deep voice rumbling as he tapped his fingers on his desk.

“We know that you will be targeted during the Founding Celebration.” Micheal nodded.

“If Vesper’s information is accurate, and we are trapped inside a Time Loop, we need to be proactive. We can’t allow the enemy to dictate our pace.” Micheal explained, turning over a page in the journal, where he detailed several sketches of plans he had come up with.

“We need to strike first, to diverge the Loop from its set course, and to adapt that plan as we go, to ensure Time remains diverging.”

Aaron nodded slowly.

Over the course of their conversation, Micheal had learned a great deal about the infamous Commander of the Round Table. There was only so much you could gleam from years old records, after all – talking in person let him really gather Aaron’s measure.

The White Knight was understandably cautious. As the leader of the largest organization of humans on the Third Layer, he was responsible for an enormous number of lives. He also was the man in charge of spearheading humanity’s standing as a whole, with pockets of outreach spread across the Third Layer, gathering up stray humans and funneling them into Axellion, where they could find safety in numbers.

However, Aaron didn’t let his caution hold him back from making decisive decisions. He showed a hardened expertise and carefully calculated approach that made it very clear why he was the man in charge.

“You’ve given me a lot to think about.” As their conversation finally drew to a close, Aaron shut the notebook Micheal had given him, storing it inside a Spatial Ring.

“If everything you’ve told me here today turns out to be true…” Aaron’s expression softened, ever so slightly.

“I do not know how to repay you.”

There was a quiet pause in the air as Aaron’s words settled.

“You have done more for us, for all mankind, than I can truly comprehend. What you’ve shared with us here today…” Aaron continued, his steady gaze matching Micheal’s own.

“You have changed the fate of the human race as a whole.”

Micheal felt a feeling rise in his chest, warmth spreading, bursting through his veins as Aaron’s words resonated within him.

For days, weeks, and months, close to a year now, he had toiled, throwing himself into incredibly dangerous scenarios, facing down daunting foes and grappling with incredibly stressful situations. Every day, every hour, every minute was spent on the mission.

Ever since he went back in time, the burdens of responsibility and duty had pressed down upon Micheal like a mountain.

The weight was crushing, yet he carried it nevertheless…

Because if he didn’t, then who would?

He didn’t do it for glory.

He didn’t do it for fame.

He did it because it needed to be done.

He lived every day, every decision holding himself to a standard only he knew, so that one day he could look back and stand proud of what he had done, what he had become.

And it was here, for the first time in a while, that he felt something that gave him pause.

Recognition.

True recognition, not only of his efforts, but also proof that he was making a difference.

It was nice.

To see that his struggles, his hard work, all the hardships and pain he had suffered through were finally paying off.

He couldn’t help but to don a small, fierce smile, despite the dire situation they faced.

“Well, there is one thing I’d like to ask for, a small favor that I hope you’ll allow.” He wouldn’t take any Artifacts or other reward from the Round Table, not when they were still in the midst of establishing themselves.

“Anything.” Aaron nodded back instantly.

Micheal’s eyes twinkled as he turned his head, motioning towards Jessica, who was lounging back on the couch.

“I recently made some advancements in my Grandmastery, and could use some practice to help adjust to the changes.” As he spoke, Jessica blinked, her lidded gaze narrowing as she returned his gaze with one of her own.

There were still a few hours left in the day, before he had dinner with the Duke.

“Down for a quick spar?”

Jessica Wiles grinned, standing up.

“Say less.”

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“Woah, this place is sick.”

Micheal ignored Shin as he stepped forward, his eyes narrowing.

‘Divine Scan.’  He took this opportunity to scan one of the attendants that Aaron had assigned to follow them while they were on Camelot 2.0’s grounds.

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— - Divine Scan— -

Race: Vampiric Human

Title: -

Traits: -

STR:   C-  (Growth Rate: Rare or lower)

END:  D+ (Growth Rate: Common or higher)

REG:   F    (Growth Rate: Common or lower)

SOUL:  D    (Growth Rate: Uncommon or lower)

MANA:  D+    (Growth Rate: Common or higher)

Path Notes: A Vampiric Human that walks a solitary path. Traces of the Path of the Sword are present.

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‘They’re above average for a human.’ Micheal eyed the results of the scan as he began to stretch his arms, warming up.

He had just entered into an enormous ‘Black Room’ inside Camelot 2.0. After Jessica had agreed to his sparring request, Micheal, Shin, and Jessica had set off through a maze of hallways, traversing the compound until they reached this specific doorway.

This room here was incredibly unique, a magical space created by a human that possessed the Limited ‘Liminal Expansion’ Ability, an Ability that had been bought out during the First Wave. This rare Ability let the user transform a room, becoming much larger and more sturdy on the inside, expanding Space itself.

This particular room had originally been an underground wine cellar, and was converted into a secret training room that stretched more than a thousand meters across and wide, and more than 50 meters tall, a towering edifice where members of the Round Table could practice their Abilities in secret, away from prying eyes. The sheer scale of the expanded room made it very clear why this Limited Ability had been bought out entirely early on.

‘No need to alarm the natives while we train.’ For the average members of the Round Table, there wasn’t any real issue training in the open air courtyards above.

It was only when it came to the stronger Knights, whose Abilities and Stats stood far above the norm, that issues might crop up.

‘Even the regular rank and file have undergone training.’ Micheal nodded approvingly as he dismissed the Stats page.

A C- in STR was actually quite high, at least compared to regular humans, who normally possessed F tier Strength. It meant this person likely had a number of Abilities that focused on enhancing their physical prowess.

Their Growth Ratings, however, were what Micheal normally expected to see when he scanned a human. Without a Physique or a special Type that enhanced your Growth Ratings, most humans had painfully weak Growth Ratings.

It was just a fact of nature, given the incredibly low energy levels present on Earth, where concepts like Ki or Magic were things of fantasy.

The only standout here was their Rare Growth Rating in Strength, likely influenced by the Abilities they had purchased.

‘How about you two?’ Micheal’s eyes gleamed as he turned his focus forward, looking out across the expansive Black Room.

There, in a closed arena off to his right, a pair of Knights were locked in the middle of an intense duel.

Micheal recognized both of them, unsurprisingly.

The Knights of the Round Table were functionally celebrities in the eyes of humanity, at least in the first timeline.

Gabriel Ferreira, the Brazilian ‘Solar Knight,’ was currently throwing globes of incandescent golden fire at Si Hae-Won, the South Korean ‘Thousand Shadows Knight.’

Gabriel made a huge figure, standing a few inches over seven feet, geared in a set of fully-plated metal armor, save for his bare hands, which glowed with golden light. Bright yellow energy flowed out of the armor’s hinges as he activated his Abilities, launching out small explosions of raw, energized fire.

‘Divine Scan.’

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— - Divine Scan— -

Race: Sunspawn Human

Title: -

Traits: -

STR:   B-  (Growth Rate: Heroic or higher)

END:  B-   (Growth Rate: Heroic or higher)

REG:   D+    (Growth Rate: Uncommon or lower)

SOUL:  C+    (Growth Rate: Rare or higher)

MANA:  C    (Growth Rate: Rare or lower)

Path Notes: A Sunspawn Human that walks a cluttered path. Traces of the Path of the Sword, the Path of Bright Flame, and the Path of Space are present.

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‘Impressive.’ Two Heroic Growth Ratings put Gabriel well above the average.

Even Micheal, after all the efforts and transformations he had undergone, had only just barely obtained a single Heroic Growth Rating, after obtaining the Body of a Grandmaster.

‘How about you?’ He activated his Eyes of the Deep Ability, turning his focus towards Si Hae-Won.

The Korean cut a dainty figure, dancing between mirages of shadows as she avoided the globes of bright fire, laughing as she moved. She was also geared up in full metal plate, wielding a pair of black sabers.

‘Divine Scan.’

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— - Divine Scan— -

Race: Shadetouched Human

Title: -

Traits: -

STR:   B-  (Growth Rate: Rare or higher)

END:  C+ (Growth Rate: Rare or higher)

REG:   D+    (Growth Rate: Uncommon or lower)

SOUL:  C+    (Growth Rate: Rare or higher)

MANA:  B-    (Growth Rate: Mythical or lower)

Path Notes: A Shadetouched Human that walks a cluttered path. Traces of the Path of the Sword and the Path of Shadow are present.

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‘Mythical in Mana.’ It made sense. Si Hae-Won was one of the few humans to touch upon Emperor Tier Ki in the original timeline.

‘It’s a shame we lost her to Sion.’ She never made it to Humanity’s Last Army, instead dying on the Fifth Layer, during Sion Swordsoul's infamous ‘Human Hunt.’

‘And I think Gabriel died to Navir?’ Micheal forced himself to unclench his fists.

It would be different, this time around.

“Over here!” A bubbly yell caught Micheal’s attention as he walked forward, Shin following close behind.

The Black Room was split up into more than a dozen different arena-like sections, with large wooden posts marking off specific areas, designated for training and practice. The black stone that made up the floor, roof, and walls was strangely ubiquitous, a side-effect of the Room Expansion Ability’s power at work.

In the section just off to the left of the room’s entrance, Jessica Wiles now stood, following a thin trail of ice that led all the way to the entrance.

‘She’s fast.’ Blink and you’d miss it. Her ability to instantaneously form an ice trail, and then traverse along it, was incredibly potent.

As he eyed his sparring partner, he activated one last Divine Scan.

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— - Divine Scan— -

Race: Cold Phoenix Human

Title: -

Traits: -

STR:   B+  (Growth Rate: Rare or higher)

END:  B+   (Growth Rate: Uncommon or higher)

REG:   S    (Growth Rate: Legendary or lower)

SOUL:  B-    (Growth Rate: Heroic or higher)

MANA:  B+    (Growth Rate: Heroic or lower)

Path Notes: A Cold Phoenix Human that walks a cluttered path. Traces of the Path of Original Ice and the Path of the Fist are present.  

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And he was immediately blown away.

‘Legendary.’ Jessica Wiles possessed a Legendary Growth Rating, and not only that, but also an S Rank Stat.  

‘I knew she becomes strong in the future, but to think, even now…’ Most people’s Growth Ratings weren’t public knowledge in the first timeline.

Legendary Tier.

That ranked her talent, when it came to anything related to Regeneration, in the single highest Tier across all of existence. It meant she had the potential to become as close to unkillable as physically possible.

‘S Rank too.’ The difference between an A Rank and S Rank stat was far more significant than the difference between B Rank and A Rank stats.

A Rank stats could be considered the upper limits of ‘normal’ beings. Powerful, yes, but not absurdly so.

S Rank stats, on the other hand, were the domain of the truly powerful, creatures whose abilities defied all rhyme and reason. S Rank stats were incredibly hard to achieve.

“Are you ready now, or do you need to warm up?”

Micheal’s thoughts were interrupted as Jessica smiled and flicked a snowflake at him. The magically hardened ice blurred through the air, streaking towards Micheal’s face at bullet-speed.

Instinctively, Micheal lashed out with his right hand, catching the snowflake in a split second. He studied the small shard of ice before tossing it to the side, and answering Jessica’s grin with one of his own.

“I’m good to go.” Micheal bent his knees slightly, superhuman strength charging before he leapt forward, flinging himself more than a dozen meters into the air.

Two Life Orbs appeared, hidden in his Cloud Stepping Shoes, and slowed his descent until he touched down, standing in the middle of the arena around a dozen meters away from the Glacial Knight.

“Let’s do this.”

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