A world-ending explosion shakes everything and even Sabrina's barrier, made of incredibly thick Mana, almost gets pulverized by the explosion.

The flash of light covered whatever happened to the boss, but as the curtain of smoke and debris dissipates, everyone looks at a crater that is at least ten meters deep, with absolutely no trace of the Boss anywhere.

Zibrek looks at the result of the explosion and then removes her own goggles.

If Jacob had Boomgar throw the bomb in any other way, the Regional Boss would have survived. Even if it had blasted half of its body away, there would have been a chance that the Boss would have simply regenerated. The fact that Jacob, instead, had made such a good decision, and, more importantly, had used all casters instead of melee fighters… He had deprived himself of Vyrrak and Asterion in favor of using the other Champions.

I wouldn't have done the same. Not only I wouldn't have been able to see the Curse, but it would have been too tempting to see the Great Races at work… together.

Zibrek has been trained by some of the very best of her race. She's the envy of everyone—someone with the kind of capabilities that appear once in a millennia, a genius beyond comparison.

Yet, she has to admit that she does not have whatever eyes Jacob has. In fact, this exchange has just demonstrated to her that, while she's still clearly much stronger than him in every other aspect, as a Guide, the Fake Champion is indeed the most capable of their group.

* * *

We take a small break and I send Vyrrak ahead this time to scout whether there are other major threats in this basin. I told him not to cross bridges or touch anything that looks suspicious. In any case, I can still easily analyze whether he's affected by a Curse or not, which means we'd be able to retreat if we needed to.

I briefly look at the kill notifications and then I skip to my updated status.

I was using Heavenly Intuition during the fight to get as much levels and insights in my Skills as possible.

Name: Jacob Cloud

Class: Infernal Architect - Lv. 127 > 142

Core Skills:

Hellbane's Sword - Lv. 34 > 40 (Platinum - Offensive)

Flame Slash - Lv. 37 > Lv. 42 (Gold - Offensive)

Flame Shield - Lv. 31 > 32 (Gold - Defensive)

Flame Armor - Lv. 23 > 26 (Gold - Defensive)

Flame Walk - Lv. 14 > 20 (Gold - Movement)

Infernal Veins - Lv. 28 > 34 (Platinum - Constitution)

The Grimoire Extraordinaire (Rainbow - Support)

Class Skills:

Furnace Core (Passive) - Lv. 100

Flameform Blueprint (Active) - Lv. 100

Infernal Thread (Passive) - Lv. 100

Ember Keystone (Active) - Lv. 1

Architect's Insight (Passive) - Lv. 100

Hellspire (Active) - Lv. 100

Ignition Array (Active) - Lv. 2

Attributes:

Strength (STR): 300 → 315

Dexterity (DEX): 314 → 344

Endurance (END): 200 → 215

Vitality (VIT): 314 → 344

Intelligence (INT): 600 → 660

Spirit (SPI): 600 → 660

Wisdom (WIS): 500 → 545

Charisma (CHA): 18 → 18

Luck (LCK): 10 → 10

Unassigned Points: 35 → 110

Other Skills:

Minor Cookery Lv. 34 (Iron)

Minor Night Vision Lv. 32 (Iron)

Light Lv. 67 (Bronze)

Pickaxe Mastery Lv. 81 (Bronze)

Minor Mineral Sense Lv. 72 (Bronze)

Mana Well Lv. 24 (Gold)

Echolocation Lv. 78 > 84 (Silver)

Heavenly Intuition Lv. 52 > 53 (Platinum)

Silver Grip Lv. 42 (Silver)

Advanced Endurance Lv. 87 (Silver)

Advanced Strength Lv. 52 > 56(Gold)

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Infernal Wings of Ash Lv. 78 > 80(Gold)

Dark Lattice Lv. 78 > 79 (Gold)

Diavolo Draw Lv. 51 > 53 (Gold)

Dark Blade Lv. 38 > 40 (Gold)

Black Flame Lv. 15 (Fusion Skill - Platinum)

Blood of the Ancients Lv. 1 (Platinum)

"Zibrek?" I ask, after getting a good view of my Skills.

The Goblin girl, who's examining her surroundings, turns toward me.

"A question?" I say with a smile.

She walks over with a slight frown on her face.

Jacob Cloud, she was supposed to lead this group of Champions. She's a true Guide. Goblins are more reasonable than Infernals, but careful what you might say. She might want to stab your back in order to lead the pack of Champions. The benefits of being a leader of such a group are incommensurable in the long term. Imagine being a King and having long-time allies among the best of the Great Races and every Kingdom in the world.

Don't worry, I tell King Baalrek. I'm not going to humiliate her. In fact, quite the opposite.

"Yes?" Zibrek says as she comes to stand in front of me.

"I am not an expert on Colossal Dungeons at all. I know Vyrrak wants me to lead the battles, but after seeing that Regional Boss, I think I need someone else at the front with me. Would you like to split the role of a Guide… if that's even possible."

Zibrek raises an eyebrow and nods.

"It's not uncommon in large groups to have more than one Guide, Jacob."

She just looks at me after saying that with a very intense gaze.

"Alright? Would you be my co-Guide, then?"

A smirk pops onto her face, "I shall do that."

"Would you mind teaching me, too?" I say, slightly bowing my head, trying to show as much deference as I can. "I have so much to learn. My eyes are very good, but… I'm not really great at being a Guide for anything else."

"I don't like ruffians," Zibrek says. "I'm not your Infernal Princess, Jacob. You don't have to perform for me. We will fight alongside each other for at least five years. It's in everyone's best interest to make sure we're all as competent as possible."

"Right. Sorry."

"Do not be. Did you know that there are Generations of Legends that were destroyed by their hubris and selfishness? But we were lucky."

"Oh. How so?"

Zibrek steps closer and lowers her voice.

"We have an extremely weak, but also wickedly sharp Champion, who makes everyone feel better and more competent. Having such a catalyst in our group has actually achieved the goal of smoothing over the differences between everyone. Even prickly people like Vyrrak and Sabrina are brought together by their spite for you. And now, they're even taking orders. You are a marvel, Jacob. If I could, I would open you up and study every single inch of your brain."

Zibrek takes a step back and then smiles at me innocently.

I swallow and nod, a bit freaked out.

Never forget that Champions are not plucked from the common stock of their people, Cloud. She's dangerous and she serves her and her people's interests. Never let your guard down just because she seems less of a threat than the Dragonkin and the Margrave Princess.

Aw, are you saying that I'm special, too? I ask King Baalrek.

Yeah, I've seen few people being idiotic as you. Congratulations.

* * *

Once Vyrrak came back and I told everyone I wanted them to listen to Zibrek, she started explaining our next moves.

"We are here to clear up as many monsters as possible and to investigate what's happening. We should slaughter every single monster that comes our way, but I'd advise not to waste too much time. The Tomb of Fate has six areas and they might take a few days to walk through each and every one of them. Without the Regional Boss, I suggest we set camp for the moment and have the weaker members of our party, not Champions, go get the kills. In the meanwhile, we let those who fought the Regional Boss rest."

"What if the Cultists come our way and attack everyone else?"

"As long as they can't single out a Champion, everything is good. That is why the Champion should never split. If it is the Cult of Asmodeus, they might try to abduct our people, but then, you don't negotiate with the Cultists. Plus… I could see them if they came anywhere near us."

"Really? So everyone would be safe going on their own?" I ask.

Zibrek taps her goggles and the belt at her waist.

"No one is coming close to us without me knowing. And no one's getting Vyrrak."

That's how we spend the next half a day just sitting around, waiting for the Squires to clear up the basin. It's not a bad plan… I'm happy that Lancelot and the Elves can get some more Levels, but I'm also quite jealous. I haven't had the time to properly train my Skills after getting Heavenly Intuition, which is the reason why I try and make up for it now.

I focus on my Class Skills and I managed to get several levels in all of them.

The Class with Professor Veythra and upgrading Meditation twice really made a big difference.

Flame Slash (Gold - Offensive) - Lv. 42 > 61

Flame Shield (Gold - Defensive) - Lv. 32 > 65

Flame Armor (Gold - Defensive) - Lv. 26 > 70

Flame Walk (Gold - Movement) - Lv. 20 > 66

Then, I take a look at Infernal Veins and this time I really take my time.

[Infernal Veins - Analyzed]

[36 Skill Flaws]

List the largest Flaws.

[Two Critical Main Flaws Found.]

[Loop of the Burning Gate - The main circulation passes through Intercostal Ashen Veins in a clockwise pattern, but the return flow at the diaphragm, through the Great Wind vein should be circulated first through the following Heart Veins…]

I start reading the description which goes on for an entire page.

This is a very complex loop, I frown. I remember reading this and giving up even before trying. It was too much before. But now…

I activate Heavenly Intuition and, looking at the Grimoire's instructions, I start circulating the Mana through the individual veins. I'm chopping up the entire loop, practicing every single part individually, but even then, it's so hard. It requires an extreme level of concentration. This is the kind of Skill that I have never imagined I would have been able to practice, honestly. Before attending Professor Veythra's Class and getting Heavenly Intuition, I would have never even dreamed of being able to accomplish something like this.

After several hours like this, I take a long deep exhale, finally feeling ready.

I start the real loop, putting everything together, shifting the kind of veins that I've used so far from the ones I've practiced just now. I pull on the Infernal Veins Skill, and this time I can feel the extreme strain of trying to fix this massive flaw.

However, as my body strains more and more, I direct the Mana ever so carefully, ever so masterfully, until it's finally right where I need it.

And then, my next exhale carries a wave of stale air from deep inside my body.

When I open my eyes, I can feel it.

Infernal Veins Lv. 34 > Lv. 74

"There are Stone Wolves coming," I hear Zibrek say. "There's a large pack. I think it's better if we let Asterion take care of it. He can probably kill them all without—"

"No," I say, slowly rising from my seated position and cracking my neck. "I want to try something."

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