"Huh? What do you mean?"
Not only Monady, everyone was confused at my request.
I cannot just make a fabricated reason. Moreover, there's no point hiding it anymore. Besides, after I breakthrough, the progress I will get from the statues will lessen once again.
"Recently, I found out something about the statues in this Dimensional Space. They provide energy to whoever managed to kill or destroy them."
If we're still just dicing normal Rank 1 Transcendent statues then it won't be that noticeable. However, if I continue doing what I was doing, they will eventually find out about it.
Letting them find out about it by themselves will definitely put me under scrutiny. But if I inform them now while making an excuse that what I was doing before was confirming this theory then it has a higher chance to be accepted.
"…Is that why you keep on barging in when the statue is about to be destroyed?"
"I'm not sure before but after our hunt yesterday, I confirmed it. I apologize for barging in like that. I needed to test that theory."
"How can we know what you're saying is true?"
"Ask those who managed to land the last hit yesterday. Or better yet, Udann. Can you confirm it for me?"
Before Udann could answer, Irja who's behind me pulled my shoulder and stepped forward.
"Why are you asking him? I can confirm it for you. Right now, I'm feeling my stagnated Transcendent Pathway experienced a lot of progress. I'm about to breakthrough… after 20 long years."
She opened her palm and a great surge of energy ensued filling the space we were in.
When the others felt it, they unconsciously stepped back to give space for Irja.
Soon afterward, she sat in a lotus position before she started crazily absorbing more energy into her body.
After a while, her eyes opened wide and her Transformation was suddenly triggered.
Her Transformation was triggered and hair became multicolored once again. Unlike before, it shined even more brightly and illuminated every corner of the place we were in.
On both of her sides, the two Lesser Spirits in the form of a bird were conjured and spread their wings.
Following that, two more birds with different colors simultaneously appeared; one green and one yellow.
As soon as that happened, they immediately circled around her as the four birds projected the colored Energy within them and showered Irja in it.
In front of our eyes, her Energy Intensity heightened and her Transcendent Aura grew increasingly stronger.
Her UPL of early 400 has now reached the level of Rowena. If we faced her again, she wouldn't be at a disadvantage anymore. That battle would be about who could outsmart the other.
When the calm returned to the place, Irja opened her eyes and stood up with a satisfied smile resting upon her lips.
-
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After that display of Irja's breakthrough, Monady and the others were somewhat convinced of my claim. Of course, there were still suspicions so we went for a test first.
Everyone already experienced killing a statue or two outside this space so it didn't need that much convincing once they felt the energy trickling down on them when they focused on it.
Of course, unlike me who could benefit a lot from it, they felt that the increase in their progress was minimal. Because of that, Monady approved of my condition.
Little did they know, they wouldn't be able to absorb it in one sitting. That's why, before they could notice that point, I had us continue and clean up the remaining golden statues.
In around 4 hours I could feel that the total gathered energy hovering on top of my head was enough to lift me to the 5th stage of the 4th realm.
But before I celebrated, I had to leave this space first.
Because of our advantage, some of us were probably already feeling relaxed. To stop that, I relied on Monady and Grenol to help the others refresh their minds that as long as we're here, we're still not out of risk.
"Are you ready? I had Grenol tell those surrounding the Red Core to make sure that no one could escape to catch us off-guard." Monady asked.
After accounting for the total basketball-sized stones we collected, we decided to not waste any more time and immediately moved to the vicinity of the Exalted-level Golden Statue.
Unlike the regular golden statue, this one's as tall as an Ultimate Metagen.
Perhaps a Metagen can face this statue given enough Brain Capacity and for it to have a solid build. That one's not relying on UPL after all.
I guess I now have another thing to test when I go back to World of Meta. Can a Rank 1 Transcendent in a Metagen evenly fight against a Rank 2 Transcendent?
"Great. We cannot afford to be careless at this point. Let's go out of this space as soon as we finish this."
I'd rather wait for the remaining days idling outside this space than risk my life in an uncertain game again.
"I know. It's a waste to leave those stones here. If only we can also take that one down."
"Why don't you use that item Larnel dropped?" I suggested.
I also found it a waste but that's an item at the level of a trump card. It will be more wasteful if it is not enough to take the Exalted-level Statue down.
"That, huh? Then you have to use that rifle as well."
When I got my hands on that ice-blue rifle, its properties became clear to me. It has a 10-minute cooldown which proved why Yordi couldn't use it again after using it once against Axter.
Looted from his storage ring, there were only 4 remaining bullets. Moreover, those bullets were made from a material that was probably native in that higher world or it couldn't be found in Mortal and Transcendent Worlds.
It's also an item at the level of a trump card for Transcendent Rank. At most, one can use three bullets at once. The more bullets used at once, the more terrifying its effect.
One bullet can deal against Rank 3 Transcendents and below.
Two bullets can deal against Rank 4 Transcendents and its certain death against Rank 2 Transcendent and below.
Three bullets can deal against Rank 5 Transcendents and also certain death against Rank 3 Transcendent and below.
About the energy needed to fire it, it increased exponentially. Honestly, I will not be able to use it at all even if I only want to fire one bullet if I only rely on my Energy reserves.
It needs 50,000 units of Level 2 Source Energy or conversely, 100,000 units of Level 1. And it also adds another zero the more bullets one used. Being at the 3rd stage of the 4th realm I can only store 30,000 units of Level 1 Energy in my body and some thousands in the invisible storage.
I needed to reach the 5th realm to use it. But it's not like I can't ask someone to fire it for me. There's Udann or Irja.
"Of course. However, the question is… who will get the last hit?"
Since there are only four bullets left, I will only use one if Monady agrees to this. Besides, I will probably not get the last hit no matter what I do.
I'm going to do this for them. One precious bullet. Let's say it's my payment from how much I benefited from them. They even conceded this rifle to me. Besides, if I'm alone, surviving is impossible.
Although the same can be said to them, I honestly won't feel that much seeing them die. They cannot outweigh my own life after all.
"The fastest one wins?" After much deliberation, Monady smirked as she uttered her suggestion.
"I can't say I don't like that idea. Your call, leader."
I might not get the last hit but surely, I will have a share to the possibly new energy stone the Exalted-level Statue will drop.
"You still have the gall to call me leader, huh? You're more fitted to lead."
"Perhaps. But there's no need for me to do that anymore."
"Alright. You win. Let's get this Exalted-level Statue."
After deciding that, Monady clapped her hand to get everyone's attention as she explained the plan of taking the statue down rather than just luring it away.
While she's busy explaining, I stepped back and because I needed to ask someone to use the rifle in place of me, I picked between Udann and Irja.
In the end, my feet led me to the restless woman at the side who kept on glancing at me.
"What?" Irja asked when I stopped in front of her.
"Fire this for me, can you?" I pulled the rifle from the necklace and handed it to her.
"Why not fire it yourself?"
"I will be occupied with supporting all of you. Do you want me to faint again?"
That sounds a more believable excuse rather than telling her that I'm still not finished at my Mortal Pathway and my Energy Capacity is insufficient to fire it myself.
"… Alright. I'll fire that. Remember, you owe me." After alternating her gaze between me and the rifle, Irja gritted her teeth before tightening her grip onto it and taking it from my hand.
"I know. I will tell you what you want to know once we're out of this space."
To clear this woman's mind, I already decided to tell her albeit only those she wanted to know.
Moreover, I also wanted to ask her about what she's thinking during that time... Why would she risk her life like that?
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