With everyone acquiring their own storage equipment and each of it having different contents, everyone became happy at their harvest.
Though the storage equipment was made from a higher world or dimension, it could be used by anyone as long as one poured in sufficient energy, no matter the type.
By this, I could make a guess that the differing inherent energy in the higher worlds will be not as important anymore. Maybe even a Level 1 energy such as Spirit Energy can be upgraded or leveled up or even assimilated by a higher energy. Just like the plan of the Invading World. They're corrupting the denizens with the promise of reaching higher heights when their world was completely assimilated.
However, if it came from just an individual, there's probably a prerequisite by doing that or it will also naturally occur as if they finish adapting to the environment.
Though it couldn't be compared to my own Adaptability which is really unique, everyone can probably adapt to any type of inherent energy albeit difficult or slow.
Look at the Heroes, they're originally from Earth but once they stepped into the Otherworlds they were summoned into, their bodies adapted to the inherent energy of that world.
It might be just that the World's Will helped them adapt and that further solidifies my theory that anyone can adapt.
With Earth being at its unawakened state, though there's no inherent energy outside of the Pocket Dimensions yet, there should already be a World's Will which the 30 worlds communicated to. Once the Earth awakened, most if not all will have awakened their own abilities, after that it will become a new Age of Discovery. I already predicted that even without the Clairvoyance that there will be thorough chaos where countries will fall and rise.
Ah. I'm deep in my thoughts again.
Leaving that overthinking state, I shook my head and looked around us again. Seeing this front yard of the mansion turned graveyard, we'll probably see more of these skeletons if we go further inside. If the trend of the battle was weak getting killed earlier then those further in will be stronger and richer than these bones.
Err… This truly became a Treasure Ruins but we have to be warier the further we venture inside
The skeletons we've seen were warriors from the past whose strength far surpassed our current comprehension.
Though I already have an inkling that there's something higher than the Emperor Realm or Ruler Spirit, it's hard to gauge how high will that reach.
That Smoke Giant from the World of System, now that I saw the strength of a proper Ruler Spirit, I could take a guess that his incarnation's strength was on par or even stronger than the current Spirit King.
And that's just an incarnation. What about its real body when it descended?
That's why that Priest from the 1st World and the Corrupted Saint Realm who chased us before said that we're only seeing the tip of these Invading World's true strength. None of those who were sent was a powerhouse. In fact, they might even be the younger generations sent to hone their skills and prepare the worlds for those powerhouses to sweep.
"What did you get?"
Yumiko asked me. Looks like she already opened hers and judging from her face there's nothing noteworthy nor in need of an appraisal.
She's already strong if she found something useful for her then she'll be overpowered. Well, I also need them to be as strong as possible while my own strength will just be a little below them.
That way they can take the enemy head-on and if that's enough, the seemingly support character, which is me, will stab the unknowing enemies at their backs.
That's my ideal scenario, to be honest. Even if I fight side by side with Yuko or Yumiko, though it would seem that I'm far weaker than them, I will sneakily wound the enemies so that they can finish it beautifully.
"I haven't opened yet. Judging from that expression, nothing useful on your necklace?"
Teasing her like this to lighten the mood, Yumiko pouted.
"If you're brave then open yours now. Let me see who would come out empty-handed."
"I do believe in my luck though. Isn't it because I'm lucky that I got the invincible Priestess to confess to me?"
"Eh? Idiot. When did you learn to say something like that?"
"Err… The words just naturally… came out? Anyway, let's see."
I held the storage necklace and poured my Flux Energy in it, binding it to me. Now, as long as I'm alive, no one can open this necklace aside from me. Err… It can be destroyed and maybe forcefully opened by someone expert in this but they probably won't go out of their way to do that, right?
Exploring the contents of the storage, I found the same energy stones piled up on a corner. It's like these stones were basic necessities, there are also books which are currently unreadable and also…
Nothing else.
Hey, hey! Where's my good luck? Did her confession use up most of it?
"You went silent. What did you get? Could it be… nothing?"
Yumiko put a hand to cover her mouth as if she's more than ready to laugh at me.
"Stones…"
I answered in a low voice.
"You're so lucky, Daisuke. You got some lucky stones."
Hearing my answer, Yumiko laughed out loud and if that's not enough she even had to slap my back and hold onto her stomach
Even the others had to look and ask what made her laugh like that.
Err… since it's rare to see her laugh like that, I let her do it to her heart's content.
When she's done, she slumped down next to me to catch her breath. Jayna also came over to us with a clear dejection on her face. When I asked her, Yumiko got another reason to laugh.
With three of our necklaces turning out to have nothing but energy stones. We expected the others to also have the same luck.
But yeah, we're the only unlucky ones as the others all got an item or two that could complement their strength.
They had me appraise it one by one so I knew. Though none of it reached the level of Jayna's Earthfire Essence, it raises their strength a bit. Due to their lower level of energy, they can only activate the basic uses of those equipment.
Soon enough we have to resume our exploration. Thinking of the possibilities that there might be more inside, everyone excitedly gets into formation.
With the armors already beyond usage, I still urged them to take it as well as the broken weapons at the skeleton's side, if they can be melted then they can be made into new and better weapons even if they use a lower world's method. Err... I'm deliberating to also take those skeletons but as a respect for the dead, I opted not to. We already acquired all their belongings after all.
When we reach further inside, contrary to our expectations, apart from those skeletons at the front yard, the place ahead was devoid of any new skeletons, even the supposed Ruined Mansion that we saw from the outside was magically restored.
Upon noticing that, Yumiko had us stop our tracks.
"Wise decision. You made me, the owner of this mansion, impressed."
A loud voice suddenly rang out on my ears as if the speaker was just beside me. Seeing the others' expression they also had the same experience.
"However, to think that mere Mortals will be the first to venture in this… forgotten part of that particular world. I must say, I'm disappointed."
The voice continued to ring inside our ears, we tried to look for the speaker but to no avail.
Suddenly in front of us, at the place marked with a horizontal line, an illusory figure materialized.
"You Mortals don't need to look further, I'm here."
Appearing like an old gentleman from the west, with long black coattails and a face adorned by a bushy moustache and a monocle on his right eye, the owner of the voice presented himself.
Though illusory, my Adaptability clearly recognized him as a huge threat. If he decided to become hostile to us, we'll just become lambs to be slaughtered by him.
And it's not only me who's feeling like this, apart from Yumiko and Jayna who only have unsettled expressions, but the others were also all shaking in fear.
"Oh. My apologies, I forgot that this incarnation's level is way beyond ordinary Mortals. Please be at ease."
Upon saying that, the uneasy feeling and fear we were experiencing was all settled down.
Only now did I have the chance to think about his words. He kept calling us Mortals as well as calling that form simply as his incarnation. He's way different than that Smoke Giant who used the body of a native to have his incarnation descend. This old man is someone way beyond that level.
"One barely Rank 5 Mortal, two Rank 4 and six Rank 3. Is this all the people you sent here?"
What is that power level category? The number added up but the ranks are different.
"Yes."
Since the others couldn't open their mouths because of the pressure they felt, Yumiko answered.
"Which world sent you in?"
Though he said that question with a smiling face, his tone and demeanor sent a chill down my spine. This is like that time when I was targeted by that Priest, no matter what I do, it'll be hopeless. Our lives can be decided by him on a whim. Even if I factor the use of my Orbs, we'll be caught if we tried to escape without his permission.
However, he couldn't actually do that. Something is restricting him, he probably couldn't cross that line in front of him
"I… we don't understand the question. We entered this ruin from the World of Spirits."
I stopped Yumiko by holding her hand before answering in her stead.
He then set his sights on me before pausing as if he's processing what I answered.
"… I see. I guess I got too excited that someone went in after a long time that I forgot to consider that possibility."
"What do you mean?"
He speaks in vague terms. How can I get information like this? Is he purposely doing this?
"You all don't need to know. And you'll naturally know about more things once you reach a certain stage."
He smiled, seemingly enjoying our reaction to his words. Since I'm already calm and I have this Adaptability, I'm processing everything he says as he speaks.
"Then, what can you tell us?"
He's dangerous, yes, but he didn't have any hostility towards us and with that line restricting him, we're safe at least.
"Hmm. Since you're the first visitors after that day, I'll be lenient and expand your knowledge a bit. You all probably came from one of the mortal worlds."
He finally threw an unfamiliar term.
"Mortal World?"
"A Level 1 World. That's all you need to know."
Hearing Level 1 World from his mouth, I immediately linked it to the Level 1 Energy. But what about Earth? Is it still unranked because it's an unawakened world?
It feels like the mystery about our own world keeps deepening while the answers we uncovers were too few. I really need the Principal's knowledge he's currently keeping to himself. Some of my discoveries here will be surely be enough to trade for it. After that it will be my time to hoard information.
"Then what about that power scale you mentioned earlier."
The one Rank 5 was probably Yumiko, Jayna and I were the Rank 4 while the rest were Rank 3. If my understanding is correct. He's basing it on our actual strength rather than cultivation stage.
Like he said, he's expanding our knowledge this time. As for his reason, is it boredom?
He mentioned about us being his first visitor in this forgotten part of a particular world, that proves my earlier guess about this dimension.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢