176 Speedrun 29

(The Gamer – Olivia's POV)

It had been a few days since Andy's visit, and if I claimed I was completely focused on [Nine Heavens], I'd be lying. The skill, or rather, the cultivation technique, was incredible. I had already crafted six out of the nine Ki containers, but for the past two days, I had been stuck. With each additional containment unit, the difficulty increased twofold, and in all honesty, my [Ki Manipulation] level was too low to allow me to progress any further, so I've been sitting in one place, like a good discipline, trying to remedy that.

A sigh left my lips, "I'm so bored." I whispered to myself while trying and failing to refocus my attention on the technique itself.

To be honest, dividing my inner energy into different aspects of myself had been quite the revelation. I had learned more about myself in these few days than I had in my entire lifetime. Some of my aspects seemed questionable, while others were downright bizarre. However, as I continued to contemplate them, I began to see a glimmer of truth in each one.

"I'm starving," I muttered with another sigh, my hand absentmindedly moving to my side, and affectionately rubbing Sky's head as she continued to... Sleep? Meditate? To be honest, I was unsure...

Bored out of her mind, the little pup had decided to join me and was gradually advancing with the same technique, albeit adapted for canine use. She had already created two containment units, one, unsurprisingly, housing the Moon aspect Ki, while the other housing  Spatial aspect Ki.

During one of my longer 'breaks,' which were essentially disguised lessons, Jihan taught me how to saturate my body with Ki, eliminating the need for sustenance. However, it wasn't the same, and the sensation of emptiness still lingered.

He assured me that the feeling would dissipate over time and that I would grow accustomed to it, but to be honest, I didn't want it to. I was adamant that Ki could never satisfy me in the same way a good steak could.

Thinking about satisfaction reminded me of Andy's promise, and a small smile tugged at my lips. His promise of punishment had ignited a fire within my core, and I could already imagine a satisfying sting on my rear. However, as I thought more about it, I realized that if I enjoyed it, it wouldn't truly be a punishment, would it?

My mind couldn't help but wander further down this enticing rabbit hole. What if the real punishment was denying me? A shudder ran through me as I imagined being tied up and gagged, forced to watch him have his way with that whore he calls secretary. I shook myself out of my vivid imagination and chuckled. With these kinds of thoughts, I simply couldn't deny that that one aspect was truly a part of me.

With a sigh, I stood up. This was torture; I couldn't sit in one place any longer.

"Jihan!" I called out, and he appeared before me in an instant. "Let's have a spar."

"We already discussed this, no," he stated with a deadpan expression.

"Oh, come on, spar with me!" I pleaded with him, my voice whining. "I understand why Andy hates this so much. I'm going to die of boredom if I don't do something."

"Take a break, and meditate." He suggested, and I almost barfed.

"No." I stated adamantly, "Spar, now."

"We wouldn't dare, not with you," he replied in a barely audible whisper.

"Why are you so stubbornly refusing?" I asked, squinting at him.

"There is too large of a power gap between us," he stated, making me roll my eyes. "Also, we made a promise to your boyfriend not to harm you in any way, shape, or form." He said, shuddering, "To be completely honest with you, he scares us more than the darkness itself." 

"He can be a tad bit overprotective," I said, scratching the back of my head with an awkward smile.

"That's an understatement," he snorted, giving Serena a glance. "That little bauble he made for your protection, while not the most powerful thing we've seen, is close to it."

"Huh, Serena is?" I asked in confusion, lifting the pendant and trailing my finger across its glossy surface.

"From what I've heard, currently, I'm nothing compared to Mai, my Lady," Serena stated, her voice sounding equally proud and jealous.

"Is that so?" I asked, quite surprised. Mai was strong, immensely so, but from what I've seen Serena do, I couldn't completely believe her statement.

"Yes, Master has done some, so to say, 'upgrades' to Mai," she said, sounding annoyed.

"Oh, do I hear some jealousy?" I teased the sentient object while chuckling.

"What gave you the idea, my Lady?" She replied with a deadpan voice.

"While we do seldom enjoy the bickering between the two of you," interrupted Jihan, "could we resume our earlier conversation?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Sorry..." I said with a wry smile.

"Apology accepted," he nodded before turning around and moving towards a door that appeared out of nowhere. "Now, while we do not think a spar against us would be beneficial for you, we do have an ability that could help you."

"What kind?" I asked, following him in his steps.

"It's called Instant Dungeon," he explained. "It creates a dimension inhabited by monsters."

"Oh, that sounds fascinating. Right, Sky?" I said, clapping in excitement, happy to test out my new abilities, while Sky gave me a deadpan expression. But then an idea sprang into my mind, and I couldn't help but ask, "By the way, Jihan, is there a way for me or Andy to learn that ability?" If those monsters of his granted experience points, it could tremendously increase our leveling speed, something that has been a problem lately.

My question made him stop, his hand already on the doorknob. "We're actually unsure," he stated with a thoughtful look. "It might be possible, but it's part of our system." He added, his expression morphing into a grimace, but he ultimately shrugged. "Let's give it a try," he said, exiting through the summoned door.

Sky and I shared a look and followed suit, both of our eyes sparkling with excitement, then exited his summoned dimension and returned to his so-called mage tower.

"We'll do it slowly; please observe carefully," he said, closing his eyes and gathering his mana. 

I activated all of my observational skills, including [Appraise] and [Observational Learning], then augmented their capabilities with [Focus], and watched with full attention.

Without any fanfare, Jihan simply raised his hand and pressed it forward, summoning a blue portal. 

"Well that was underwhelming..." I stated with a deadpan voice, all my skills deactivating, and Sky agreed with me with a disheartened bark. 

I had not seen, felt, or gathered anything from his display. What's more, none of my observational skills picked up anything, except for the minuscule amount of mana he gathered which promptly vanished into thin air.

Jihan gave me a hopeful look, but I shook my head and sighed. "Maybe Andy will get more out of this, but I don't even know where to start. I felt your mana move and gather, then simply vanish, nothing more."

"That's what we expected," he nodded, "We do not know where these dungeons or their inhabitants come from. The mana we pay for them is too minuscule for them to be truly our creations, so we assume it's completely our system's doing. However, the mana we pay seems to be some kind of key to unlock the dimensions." He stated, then turned around and beckoned, "Come," before he walked through the portal, and both Sky and I followed.

As if a curtain, the world around us split, and we appeared on a cliffside overlooking what seemed like a dense jungle. The view was almost as breathtaking, as the hot and humid air, which in a fraction of a second made my hair a mess and clothes sticky before my environmental enchantments triggered.

Disregarding the climate, the environment was as I said breathtaking. Nothing was even a bit familiar, and everything had this otherworldly look to it. The jungle was lush, filled with all kinds of strange plants, with a long crystal clear river crisscrossing through it. My eyes traced along it, finding an enormous waterfall and a large lake at its end.

However, the view wasn't the only intriguing thing about this place.

A roar, unlike any I've ever heard before, resonated in the background, grabbing my attention. Even with my [Enhanced Senses], it sounded strange, and at first, perhaps due to the distance, I couldn't accurately place it. But as it repeated, closer to us than before, I felt like it sounded more mechanical and synthetic. And I couldn't have been more correct.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed in shock as a mechanical, long-necked dinosaur raised its head out of the dense treetops, its mouth munching on what seemed like metallic foliage. "Even the plants are metallic?!" I exclaimed in surprise.

"Be careful," Jihan warned, "This is one of the harder instances I could create. The creatures inhabiting it are both durable and agile. I'll intervene if anything goes awry, but do take care."

"Understood!" I exclaimed with a lot of enthusiasm and picked up Sky, then jumped off the cliff.

We weren't even halfway down when something triggered my [Danger Sense] for the first time in a while.

[Accelerated Perception] activated, and the world slowed down to a crawl. Translucent flower petals formed a barrier of blades around us, and one of my daggers appeared in my hand, already reinforced by [Sword Aura], [True Cut], [One with the Blade], [Sunder], and [Holy Enhancement]. Both [Ki Reinforcement] and [Heroic Empowerment] activated, reinforcing my body and my attributes, only for their effects to be quintupled by the repeated activation of [Ddraig's Legacy].

I triggered [Aura Sight], and that's when I spotted the invisible mechanical flying beast approaching us at a speed way exceeding that of a fighter jet. A grin spread across my face, and time came to a complete stop as my perception of it exceeded its flow.

I narrowed my eyes, channeling my focus and imbuing my attack with the energy from three of my Ki containment units: Life, Fate, and Death. Each facet contributed an additional layer of potency to my strike.

My blade took on a dangerous sheen, and even the very fabric of space around it began to contort and warp.

"Rend," I commanded as I brought forth Death's Kiss and the world itself held its breath.

A brief pause filled the void before reality itself comprehended the event. The creature's existence was torn asunder, its Fate forcibly severed from Life and Death. Its very being became uncertain, and it simply faded away, devoured by the maw of existence.

[Mechadactyl (T5) x1 slain (3,000) 3,000 XP Received]

[Class: [Slayer] has reached Level 34 (x1).]

[Class: [Tank] has reached Level 34 (x1).]

"Yes!" I exclaimed in excitement, elated to discover that these creatures granted experience. Sky shared in my joy, announcing our arrival to the dungeon with an enthusiastic howl that forced the transition from day to night, revealing the stars and, most significantly, the moon.

A spectral aura enveloped us both, empowered by Sky's Moon Ki. I activated [Stealth], while further obscuring my presence with the essence of Fate, rendering my existence uncertain. Following this, I invoked flight magic, propelling myself toward the jungle, while shrouding myself in [Sword Aura] to slice through the metallic foliage with ease.

[Blade Birth] activated, and the world transformed into an ocean of blades.

"This will be so much fun!" I exclaimed, happy to finally take a real break from that stupid cultivation. 

(Andrew's POV)

A sigh escaped my lips as I tried to ignore Mai's antics. She always had an interesting sense of humor, which was often awkward but harmless. Well, mostly.

This time, it seemed she had found a gullible target in the form of Aletia.

When I returned to her realm, I found Mai sprawled across the sofa, the back of her palm dramatically pressed against her head. Her outfit was in shambles, and she was missing a shoe. Twigs protruded from her messy hair, while tears traveled down her cheeks. She was whining about dying and mumbling about seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Aly, for some reason, was fussing over her, her expression grave while holding a wet towel in one hand and using her other hand to revitalize Mai with mana. She was channeling as much mana as she could muster into Mai, which, in reality, was just a speck of dust compared to Mai's current mana generation and consumption.

"So, care to explain what was going on there?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at the celestial spirit who now sat in a seiza position before me. Her appearance was now pristine, and a rosy blush colored her cheeks, while Aly stood to the side, both annoyed and ashamed that she had fallen victim to Mai's prank.

"I was educating your new employee," Mai said with a serious tone. "She learned a valuable lesson: to question reality, as what she sees may not be an accurate reflection of it."

"You mean she learned that you tend to lie," I said with a sigh.

"I did not lie to her, Master," she retorted, her tone hurt. I squinted at her, making her squirm in place. "I... I may have overexaggerated a bit... But I didn't lie!" She protested, avoiding my gaze.

I shook my head, another sigh escaping my lips. "What am I going to do with you?" I muttered, mostly to myself. But Mai had an answer.

"Buy me a new dress?" she asked hopefully, only to receive a chop on her avatar's head. She yelped in fake pain, and I rolled my eyes, turning my attention to Aly.

"You good?" I asked, concerned. "She... didn't make you do anything strange, did she?"

"Does a foot rub count?" Aly asked, avoiding eye contact. "The busty bimbo convinced me it would stimulate her mana channels..."

"It did stimulate me!" Mai protested before adding in a whisper, "But not in the way she thinks…"

"Alright, Mai, you're grounded. No access to any literature, games, or TV series for a week," I declared, feeling exasperated with it all.

"No!" Mai exclaimed in shock, terror spreading across her expression. She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around my legs. "I promise I'll be good!" She pleaded.

"You had your chance," I stated firmly, resolute in my decision. I reached into my pocket and retrieved one of the Reality Marbles, then handed it to her.

Her eyes gleamed with curiosity, her previous antics already forgotten, "What is this?" she asked. Her fingers gently traced its pristine, glossy surface.

"It's a little trinket I've named the Reality Marble. This will be your new energy source, and we can decommission the star generators. Just channel a bit of mana into it, and it will unlock the floodgates," I explained, a mischievous grin on my face.

She closed her eyes and focused her energy on the marble. Her avatar and the dimension itself quivered, and she released a sensual moan that left both Aly and me quite flabbergasted. But she didn't stop there.

"Master, it's so overwhelming. It's going to tear me apart. It's filling me up so much," she moaned, her words accompanied by rapid, heavy breathing.

"Damn it, Mai. Your choice of words couldn't be worse!" I exclaimed in frustration, realizing she was doing it on purpose.

I understood she liked to imitate human behavior, but some of her actions might be a tad too over the top. I took a deep breath and chose to ignore Mai altogether, then turned to Aly and asked, "I'm heading out to another world. Do you want to join me and Fluffs?"

"Yeah," she nodded eagerly, "I'd rather not stay here with this overly frisky bimbo." She gestured at Mai and the puddle of questionable liquid she just summoned, while I vowed to restrict Mai's access to any and all kinds of inappropriate content.

I warped us out of Mai's realm and mumbled, "I definitely need someone to teach her some manners."

"You know... I never asked, but what is she?" Aly inquired.

"She was an artificial soul, created entirely out of magic, but since then, I've given her a true soul," I explained with a gentle smile. "Even if she's overly promiscuous and dresses provocatively, I can't see her as anything but a daughter."

"Huh, you're surprisingly sweet," Aly noted with a chuckle, and I pretended not to hear her statement.

"Her sense of reality is a bit skewed, as she was literally educated by fiction," I said with a wry smile.

"That does explain a lot," Aly nodded.

"Well, anyway," I added, changing the topic, "Which world would you like to visit first? You have two choices. One with magic, dragons, and magical dragon children, or another with sword-wielding spirits. We need to visit both, so make a choice."

"Does the magic one differ from my world?" Aly asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Quite a bit," I nodded. "First of all, it doesn't have a system or levels, but people grow stronger through training. People in that world are born with their unique type of magic. However, most of the population, from what I know, doesn't have a good affinity for it, while those that do, tend to group up into different kinds of guilds. It's quite strange actually. Some have spatial abilities to store armor and weapons, while they are unable to store everyday items or warp space in any other way. Others gain the ability to summon magic from simple playing cards, or even use a type of word magic that can conjure spells out of letters."

"Huh, fascinating," Aly hummed, intrigued by the idea of exploring the world. "Are those guilds like the Adventurer's Guild in my world?"

"Not precisely," I shook my head. "It's more like a big family of like-minded individuals."

"Alright, I choose this one. It sounds way better than the sword spirits."

"That one is also quite intriguing," I said, but Aly shook her head.

"Magic now, swords later," she protested, with an adamant expression.

"Sure." I replied with a chuckle, and turned to Index to requested the world.

(A/N: I wonder how many of you will guess the two worlds in question...)