"What have I done?" I screamed, pulling my hair. "I must be out of my fucking mind."

After that brief moment when our lips touched, Ume shoved me aggressively and ran out the door.

"Is she mad or is she embarrassed?" I murmured. "Was it wrong to kiss her without consent?"

The only way to find out was to ask her directly, but I was afraid she was really angry and would beat the hell out of me.

While I was contemplating the matter, a knock came at the door, and I heard Vyaghra's voice from outside.

"Raj, the six days you gave those mortals will be over soon. What do you want to do next?"

"Does that mean I have been unconscious for the past six days?" I gasped inwardly before ordering, "Gather them all in the Grade 3 mines. I will be there in three to four hours."

I pushed myself to a standing position and ordered,

"Vivi, show me the status window."

"Initializing Host's request..."

"Host's Name: Raj

Age: 22

Realm: Early-stage Essence

Stats:

Strength: 740 Agility: 710

Stamina: 810 Defense: 1000

Attribute: Lightning

Bloodline Awakening Meter:

– Bones Manifested: 2.4%

– Blood Manifested: 1.5%

– Flesh Manifested: 1.6%

Skills:

– All-Devouring Breathing Technique: Level 5

– Voice of Tranquility: Level 2

– Pain Tolerance (Passive): Max Level

– Infinite Thrust: Max Level

– Advanced Mace Skill: Max Level

– Intermediate Sword Skill: (Upgradable)

– Unshakable Mind (Passive): Level 5

– Lightning Bolt: Level 5 [Click to View More Versions]

– Blink: Level 5

– Phantom Simulator: Level 1"

"Hmm, as Vivi mentioned, all my stats have increased by ten, my lightning skills leveled up, and my Intermediate Sword Skill changed from Max to Upgradable," I murmured, rubbing my chin. "That means with training I can learn advanced sword skills now.

Should I give it a go?"

Tracing my finger across the window screen, I clicked on the Phantom Simulator.

"Phantom Simulator: After witnessing a skill, you can conjure a holographic replica to study its mechanics.

Characters:

<Battle-God Aruma>"

Because my attribute wasn't the same as Aruma's, I was skeptical about learning it. However, now that I could learn advanced sword skills, it might be possible to modify the skill to my attribute.

"Vivi, open Battle-God Aruma's folder."

<Battle-God Aruma>

Skills: 1/1

– Blade of Death: Angry Soul"

The moment I tapped on the skill, my surroundings shifted into an endless void with nothing but darkness as far as the eye could see.

"Starting the recording of skill..."

In front of me, two white translucent figures appeared.

One was a human carrying a katana in his only hand, while the other was a giant fox floating in the air.

"Is this the recording of the battle between Aruma and the Ancestor?"

Aruma's figure pointed his katana at the Ancestor's replica, and the moment he did, a black energy surged from a half-white, half-black core in his lower stomach and began engulfing the sword.

He thrust his katana forward, and the energy on his blade took the form of a soul.

It blazed with fury and screamed with a clamorous sound as it bolted toward the Ancestor.

The soul passed through the Ancestor's body and began pulling his soul out.

"Recording ended!

[Return to reality]

[Watch again]"

"No matter how many times I see it, this skill looks absolutely astonishing," I gasped.

For the next three hours, I watched Aruma's attack on loop, trying to learn every step involved in his skill. The way his body moved, the angle between the sword and his hand, how his Soulforce transformed into the soul—I grasped it all.

"So this was how it's done!" I stated, snapping my fingers.

"Vivi, return to reality."

"Shutting down the Phantom Simulator..."

"Returned to reality!"

The black surroundings disappeared and I returned to the room again.

"Let me check what I have learned."

I grabbed the Vajra that I had previously thrown onto the floor and took the same stance as Aruma in the recording.

Imitating the exact same movement and Soulforce flow, I tightened my grip on the hilt.

A golden energy, flickering with violent electric pulses, coated the blade of the Vajra.

"Now for the final step," I murmured, and thrust my sword forward.

The lightning energy on the sword began to take shape as it was about to leap forward, but it suddenly turned violent and—

Boom.

The energy exploded, filling the room with smoke.

"Koff-koff! What the hell! Why did it fail?" I panted, waving my arm to clear the smoke.

"Tsk, I will try it later," I clicked my tongue, grabbed the mask from the bed, and drew the white T.S. suit from the inventory.

---

"Vyaghra, did anything change in the past few days?" I asked, walking beside him in the tunnel of Mine Number 10.

"Actually, there are many," Vyaghra replied. "We found a way to remove the restriction that burns the slaves when they try to leave this place."

"Oh, that's good to hear," I replied. "So what's the process?"

"Originally, the gates were meant for two-way travel, and there was a specific mark required to be drawn on the body that worked as the key to enter through them," Vyaghra explained. "But someone, using the original mark as a blueprint, created these brandings that allow one-way entry only."

"Did you find the person who created these brandings?" I asked. "I'm sure Victor or his bodyguards didn't possess the ability to design such a powerful branding."

"You're correct," Vyaghra said. "After interrogating those bald mortals at the entrance, we found that sometimes a man in a black robe comes here. Even Victor Kale behaves politely with him. He was also the person who gave that furnace and branding rod to Victor."

"A man in a black robe?" I murmured. "Could it be the same person I saw with Victor back then?"

"We will soon find out whether they are the same person or not," Vyaghra replied. "Since he visits regularly, he will surely come again."

"Oh, wait," I exclaimed. "Before leaving the arena, I took Victor and Jamie's space rings with me. Have you seen them?"

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