Free Web NovelChapter 65: The path to godhood.
Luca observed the mural with intrigue.
Going so far as to use his identification talent immediately.
Ancient relics of the Abyss were rare, but when they were discovered, they often indicated something much vaster.
A power up? A Special title?
It didn’t matter.
Ancient relics could wage wars between Strongholds.
It was a gift that was wanted by all– including other races.
As for Luca, it meant much more than just a puzzle to be solved or an ancient relic.
’It’s a hint.’
Luca concluded in his thoughts as he folded his arms and stared.
The representation that had been forged from moss before him began as the image of a temple.
With little dots and sticks, which Luca concluded were human figures.
This temple had one dot which stood at the apex, while the rest were at the bottom, their stick-like limbs extended in a reverence.
Above the temple were clouds.
Heavy clouds with lightning and rain pouring down.
By the sides were larger figures. Different.
Luca couldn’t count the numbers, but he noted down the disparities.
They were arranged on equal sides.
Some with long compiled streaks of straight lines.
Others were much larger than the rest with a circular hole on their foreheads.
Some had horns. Others tails.
Luca found a few shorter. Then he noticed how a few others had extended lines from the side of their heads.
’The races of the Abyss.’
The Abyss was also called an Interdimensional Domain.
Serving as an anchoring of various cosmoses into one.
Earth was just one of its occupants... and many more existed.
Many who found them as prey... and a few whom humans acted as the predators.
’It’s almost a vicious cycle.’
He shifted his gaze upwards.
Now, emerging from the clouds was a staircase.
With walls and a dangerously whitish glowing hue.
Enough to make a normal human blind.
It was at this juncture that Luca nearly lost all reasoning.
’What do they mean? Symbols?’
Directly below the foot of the staircase were three circular patterns.
One had the stick figures seated in a lotus position. Arms coiled together while a larger, yet lighter presence hovered over it.
The second had multiple figurine heads stacked together in an uncult display of horror.
It was tinted darker than the former and something like fumes extended out around it.
The last showed two figures staring at each other. One dark, the other light.
A thick line stood between the two, and their stick arms extended towards each other for a handshake.
’... weird.’
Luca thought as he deliberated on the meaning behind these strange symbols.
He didn’t stay too long, though.
The mural had not ended.
The staircase ended in what Luca could describe as a large amphitheatre.
With thick pillars and a strange presence to boot.
This marked the beginning of another strange pattern.
Because behind the amphitheatre, all the way to the bottom... were dead mosses.
Devoid of their colours and pitch black.
Luca sighed as he drifted into his thoughts.
’Didn’t I already conclude that this was merely moss? Why would a mural appear now?’
He had called it a hint, but that was only because hints tended to appear during difficult situations.
Especially if they were tests instigated by a mastermind.
But this was different.
The mural made no sense.
’I should go back to raising my mastery of–’ fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
He froze on the spot when an image popped into his peripheral vision in blood red.
[CONGRATULATIONS. IDENTIFICATION TALENT HAS REACHED NASCENT]
Luca opened his mouth, then closed it.
His gaze narrowed and his head whipped back to the mural.
’Just using my talent on the mural was enough to evoke such a growth in mastery?!’
He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs.
’Finally! Something good came out of this!’
He focused even harder now, and this time, bits of information began to pour into his head.
"The path to godhood."
He whispered below his breath, and slowly, his entire being began to awaken.
"Those round symbols? What do they– what do they do?"
He blinked, summoning his interface and turned to his talents.
Specifically...
Identification Talent[Nascent-Mastery(15%)]
’15% already?’
He turned back to the mural.
’I get why it would increase so much.
This relic must be naturally incomprehensible... thus, when anyone uses their identification talents in trying to understand these complex things, they grow in mastery.’
Though, Luca’s was different.
’Seven times different.’
A satisfied smile formed on his face.
He continued to stare at the mural with his arms folded.
Identification Talent may not seem useful, but mastery determines the extent of enemies you can identify, as well as the type of information provided.
At Nascent talent, he will be able to identify those of the same Rank without being caught, as well as avoiding alerting certain enemies within his level.
’Normally, this takes years so...’
He continued to absorb the information, piecing together the broken parts while his numbers continued to rise.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last long.
The perception of time was unavailable, but Luca could account for about thirty or so minutes.
He now sat, resting his back against the other side of the wall, his gaze lingering on his mastery.
Identification Talent[Awakened- Mastery(1%)]
’I have a feeling that increasing it from here on out will be near impossible.’
He turned back to the antic.
’But at least... I now understand the concept a bit.’
He held his chin in intrigue.
’An ascension rite. A path that Egoists are destined to follow but incapable of going through.
There are laws to it... certain rules that must be followed and those three symbols represent the cornerstone.’
But that was where a problem occurred.
’Are they stones? Ancient relics themselves? How does one become a god from a human? And is this how the 21st god came to be?’
Though he had solved a fraction of the images, Luca didn’t feel relieved.
In fact, it built a gnawing frustration in him.
"So close."
He muttered before getting back to his feet.
"So firstly, I must be in one of them... the temples of beginning."
It was the first image at the bottom where the human dots bowed in reverence.
"And whoever brought me here... most likely owns this temple."
He glanced at the end of the passage as a painful conclusion came to mind.
"I’m being toyed with by a god."
He sighed. "The 21st god."
It had not been a dream nor a mistaken incident.
He had witnessed him at his Trance and now that he was finally in the Abyss, the god must have wanted to completely get involved.
"But why?"
It wasn’t something that scared him, but rather intrigued him.
Luca was genuinely curious to know why a god– a long-forgotten or new one would be so invested in a thirteen-year-old.
He headed into the passage.
’I can only conclude that my answers lie at the end of the path. The cause of my pain can wait, let’s work on a remedy.’
He slowed his steps and turned to the mural one last time.
There was another image he understood from the diagram.
The part where the moss stayed dead.
’Nihil... the brother of Abyss.’
He shook the thought and walked off.
’I must be going mad.’
*
*
*
Luca now stood before the five pathways.
His arms were folded and his long sword was resting by his leg.
It was a simple decision.
Where next?
Or better still... what next? freēwēbηovel.c૦m
’Of course, that would be mastery. Ranks could cause a qualitative change in our cores... and it does influence our talents and traits, but mastery is the real thing.’
Luca picked up his sword and swung it downwards in a familiar poise.
It was the first day’s instructions by Torquad and he replicated it with ease.
Every muscle movement. Subtle touches and refined control were perfectly reflected.
In fact, Luca had begun to add his own imprints.
It wasn’t a difficult thing, especially with the effects of his title.
He could produce movements with ease, replay others and even copy complex manoeuvres, while adding up his own personal preferences.
’The sword is all about lethality.
If it’s not sharp enough, then how can you cut with it?’
It was why farmers spent hours tweaking their tools.
Cutlasses, hoes and rakes got the best treatment from blacksmiths and were used effectively.
’Every other movement would be a waste.’
Luca simply searched for the best, most critical path to slice through and took it.
His swings turned into thrusts midmotion, and soon, he began to reproduce the two in tandem.
Slowly his feet dispersed and he suddenly extended his right hand while drawing out ego from his core.
His palm whirled with a golden-black hue as a beam shot out and struck the walls between one of the entrances.
A soft quake spread from the impact while light ignited all around.
He turned slightly and focused on his talents.
Sword Talent[Dormant-Mastery (30%)], Core Talent[Dormant-Mastery (17%)], Beam Talent[Dormant-Mastery(4%)].
’Impressive.’
He nodded once.
’That settles it. I’ll raise my masteries to nascent, then set off into the three other pathways I’m yet to explore.
But the larger chambers– the boss zones, I’ll stay out of them and only identify the level of danger.’
Luca didn’t need to die a third time to realise the ’boss zones’ are the problems.
In fact, death was practically inevitable if he wasn’t capable enough.
But the mobs? They were target practices.
It didn’t matter if they were all moderate or severe even.
They could be subjugated with the current Luca.
’Alright then. Let’s increase our mastery!’
______
AUTHOR’S NOTE.
Good day, readers.
I would like to appreciate you all for making it up to this point and enjoying this journey as much as you did.
After much deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that The World’s Greatest Egoist won’t truly come to an end.
Not yet, at least.
I still intend on writing something that suites the tastes of the Readers here.
Once I’m done, I will thoroughly go on in continuing this novel.
If you’ve truly enjoyed my work, I hope you try the others when it comes.
THANK YOU, ONCE AGAIN.
