"Then I don't need to ask Irja. You seem to be always stuck with Ember. It's safe to assume that you agree. Am I correct?"
Being the last one she needed to ask, Monady's asked the girl silently sitting beside the 'unconscious' me.
"Of course, I will be infinitely mad if you didn't give him due credit." Irja's answer came quickly.
This girl is still this considerate. If I don't know any better, I will think she likes me. However, as long as she believes what she believes, this is her way of repaying her gratitude for being the reason they got released from the prison.
"I remembered he arrived in this space with Udann but what is his relationship with you?"
Huh? Is this the time to gossip?
"We're from the same Irreverent Dungeon."
"I see. I thought you're a couple. You even insisted on carrying him on your back."
Just by the tone of her voice, I don't really get what Monady is trying to do.
"There's no meaning to it. I'm one of the most uninjured among all of us so it's natural that I do."
"Is that so? Alright, I guess."
Even without seeing any of the two, Irja's expression was probably blank while Monady was shrugging after not getting an answer that would interest her.
After that, Monady concluded the discussion about the storage rings we got. She gave the one ring allocated for me to Irja while she kept the other four.
Time passed and around two hours later, when most of them already found that we already had sufficient rest, I faked waking up while and with an exhausted voice, I asked them about what happened.
Irja was about to answer but Monady, being the leader, beat her to it. She told me everything I already heard.
During the two hours, the gathered energy from the golden statue has already been completely absorbed by me, springing the progress of my Mortal Pathway to more than 54%. If I want to make another breakthrough, I need at least four golden statue kills. Fighting along them to kill the Transcendents also gave me a small boost in progress. Even though I only swooped in the end, using my skills, spells and exercising my Energy Manipulation was what gave me some progress.
As soon as Monady finished, Irja asked for my hand, I acted confused at first before giving it to her. With a slight irritation because I stretched my hand while curled into a fist, she held onto my arm before forcefully opening it and dropping the ring in there.
After that, she stood up and went outside. When my eyes scanned the others, they all had an interesting expression plastered on their faces as if what they saw was amusing.
Udann, being the one who's on speaking terms with me, approached me and said, "Irja carried you all the way here when you fainted and she didn't leave your side. I think she's concerned about you."
As if I don't know about that. But these guys… they probably thought that there's something going on between us, which is not wrong, to say the least. She's trying to befriend, right? Because of that notion that I'm special. I already added her to my allies so I already considered her as one.
Through their urgings, I ran out to chase after her and thanked her which she just brushed off before pulling the topic away from that.
"Everyone knows your prowess now. The ring I gave you was from an enemy Transcendent we killed. Being the one with the highest contribution, we decided to give you one."
And I clearly heard how you will be mad if they don't give me due credit…
Although I don't really need the ring, I'm interested in its contents.
That's why when she said that, I took out the ring and injected my Energy into it, binding it to me. That's the only way to open its space after all.
Scanning through its contents, there's not much in it. Apart from energy stones, herbs and fruits filled with energy which reminds me of the plants in the World of Barbarian, there's one book that interests me.
Upon reading the written title on its cover, it's called the Gigant Pathway.
Their world recorded their Pathway, huh? And it's a complete Pathway detailing every realm. Unlike the recorded Augmented Skills from the World of Barbarians, the book talked about their world's whole Mortal Pathway and how to reach Transcendence by following it. It can be likened to a guidebook.
If a Mortal follows it, as long as he strives for it, he will eventually become a Transcendent.
The Dark World is an Invasive World who often plundered Mortal Worlds had amassed different kinds of Spirit-type Pathway. But this Gigant World, let's call it by that name, this Gigant Pathway that is clearly a Physique-type Pathway much like the World of Barbarians' Physique Cultivation is probably the only Pathway every denizen of that world can tread on.
In short, the Gigant World is a Natural World which evolved from Mortal to Transcendent.
Probably something that will happen to the World of Elements in the future.
After taking my attention away from that book, I tried scanning for more items that can give me information about their world. Since they're attacking an Invasive World, they probably already made contact with a higher world.
When only scanning them has been proven to be inefficient, under Irja's eyes, I took out all the contents of the storage ring which instantly made a pile of items in front of me.
"Y-you. What are you doing?"
Disregarding her question and her confused gaze, I crouched and picked the items one by one to arrange them. The herbs, fruits and stones were put on one side, the Gigant Pathway book to the other side. The other miscellaneous items were also picked up in my hand one by one, letting my Adaptability identify each item.
A few minutes passed as I continued identifying every item, the previous pile has already been arranged by category.
Apart from the stones herbs and fruits, there are a few fist-worn and foot-worn weapons that are clearly an Output Enhancing Equipment even though they're at a fairly low level. There are also a few medicinal pills stored in a bottle as well as the clothing I already identified when I scanned it.
And lastly, along with the Gigant Pathway book, there are a few scrolls that contain miscellaneous information inside as well as another book which is titled as the Transcendent Gigant Pathway.
Surprisingly, they also recorded their Transcendent Pathway. However, compared to the complete Gigant Pathway, even though it's thicker than it, the contents were mostly incomplete.
There are records of different variations of the Transcendent Gigant Pathway which is fairly normal.
However… Upon reading it, I learned that one's Transcendent Pathway wasn't necessarily unique. More people can have similar Transcendent Pathway and it's also possible to influence which other Energy Source Type's properties they will incorporate during one's Glimpse in his or her Transcendent Pathway.
From that information, it clearly explained Fleur and Sofiel's Transcendent Pathway that both involve Spirit Type properties. Moreover, Arland and the other Transcendents in that world which already had a Glimpse of their Transcendent can have a different variation of their Transcendent Pathway. Perhaps, the others were incorporating another Source Energy type properties.
"Oi. Are you deaf? Why did you have to take them out like that?"
Upon seeing me concentrated on the contents of the ring, Irja couldn't help but ask.
"It's easier this way." I can't tell her that I'm using my Adaptability to better understand these new and foreign items in my eyes.
"I don't get you. So why are you focused on scrolls and books? Are these energy-filled items not to your liking? Or are these pieces of Output Enhancing Equipment don't interest you?"
I see. If it was any other people, they will be more interested in the valuable items like the Output Enhancing Equipment which they can probably sell if they don't want it or the stones, herbs and fruits that can help them in progressing in their Pathway. However, for me, these pieces of information are more valuable.
"Not really but I want to know more about our enemies. Read this." I passed her the Gigant Pathway book and although her brows knitted together at first, she began to be absorbed by it soon enough.
Since her interference was gone, I started going over the rolled-up scrolls.
After opening one of them, one piece of information instantly took my attention.
The Gigant World is truly connected to a higher world called Gobos. The scroll is like an ID for the late owner of this storage ring.
When I said connected, it's not a simple connection similar to a Converging World and numerous Mortal Worlds. It's like how Earth has that subordinate World where the Earth's Defense Army is being sent and trained.
According to the scroll, Gobos is the one who sent the order for the Gigant World to eliminate Invasive Worlds.
Unfortunately, that's the only information I can learn about that Gobos. After picking up the other scrolls, it's all unrelated to their world and some are letters from the previous owner's lover.
"What are you two doing?"
While we were busy being absorbed from what we're reading, Monady, Udann and the others who finished preparing to set out appeared behind us.
Curious at the piles of items, Monady couldn't help but ask.
However, before I could answer, Irja excitedly ran towards her and passed her the book.
Upon reading the book's title, Monady's eyes widened. "This… It's too detailed! Most of the skills they used are recorded here! We can use this against them!"
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