Chapter 245
Chapter 245
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 244
Chapter Title: The Second Authority Stat
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And I.
[Authority Stat Unlocked: Stamina]
[Target: Han Jaeyeon]
I'd acquired my second Authority Stat.
"...What?"
I was flustered. After all, I'd lived in Ardania for years without ever allocating a single stat point.
Reflexively, I checked my point status.
Bonus Points: 720 points
Collection Points: 412 points
"It's the same..."
Regardless of my bewilderment, another message appeared.
[You have acquired the Authority (權能), Perpetual Mechanism (永久機關)!]
This was the reverse of last time, when I'd invested 1,000 points into Giant's Might to unlock the Authority Stat. This time, the stat had hit 1,000 points first, granting the Authority.
"Could it be from training with the Five Dragons?"
The thought crossed my mind briefly, but it made no sense.
Of course, my [activities] with them were far from ordinary. What happened over those 14 nights and 15 days was a saga on an epic scale.
Every time I released, I'd lost 20 kilograms of muscle, so for five whole years, I'd devoured thousands of servings of food daily just to recover.
But put another way.
That was it.
'No matter how I think about it, that shouldn't have been enough to unlock an Authority.'
If anything, I'd trained my Strength to death. What I lost with each release wasn't fat—it was muscle.
Aside from minimal intimate activities and meals, I'd spent nearly all my time sweating blood to build Strength. Not just weightlifting, but repeatedly stretching dimensions like a madman.
The process was so extreme that by the end, I'd connected dimensional tunnels to every castle conquered by the Human Empire—and even drilled one into the deep ocean to build a massive hydroelectric plant.
"And all that only raised my Strength by 1 point..."
Five years.
Even while stretching hundreds or thousands of kilometers of dimensions, I'd gained just 1 point. For it to jump 1,000 times that overnight felt utterly hollow.
"Well, it's good news anyway..."
I muttered as I checked my physical condition. Unlike when I gained Giant's Might—which tore dimensions apart—this time, I felt no major difference.
Boom!
"His Imperial Majesty is flying!"
"Where? Where, where?"
"He's already gone! That long cloud streak over there is the flight trail left by His Majesty!"
"Ah! What Agility do I need to capture the moment he takes off on camera!"
Leaving the lamentations from the castle behind, I soared across the sky. Ever since Strength surpassed 1,000 points, I no longer needed to step on dimensions to leap.
Strength at the Authority level was 'Strength exerted beyond the muscles,' so I could control everything within 10 meters of my body to the limits of my power.
Flying like that, I manipulated the system UI.
[All Master. Activate.]
[Trait Change. Infinite Elemental (Myth) -> Very Big Map (Myth).]
[Skill Change. Perfect Digestion (Myth) -> Spell Proliferation (Myth).]
The Myth-class Dimensional Wanderer's trait, Very Big Map, activated, mapping every terrain, person, item, and monster within a 10-kilometer radius.
Then, I triggered the Myth-class Master Star's unique skill, Spell Proliferation.
Woooong—!
The Hero-class Rune Blader's trait, Converter, kicked in, transforming my Great Sea's internal energy into mana.
Even with 10% energy loss on conversion, the nonstop [proliferation] of Very Big Map consumed absurd amounts of mana... but it wasn't enough to drop the Great Sea's level by even a meter.
Pop!
Ardania's full map appeared before my eyes and in my mind. My transcendent perception refined the incoming data into exquisite detail.
[Warning. Warning. 29th-grade Psionic detected. The Emperor has appeared. Warning again. 29th-grade Psionic detected. The Emperor has appeared.]
[Emergency! Emergency! Current position detected! Activate emergency protocol immediately!]
-Kieeeek! Monster! The monster sees us!
-This monster! The horrific monster is looking at us!
[Gaze, a gaze! Brother! We must flee this place now!]
[This is absurd...]
-Kraaaah! Grooo— Graaaah!]
-Kraaaah—!
The screams of the four alien races invading Ardania rang out. I let out a disbelieving chuckle.
"Ah, how many expansions did these things build in that short time?"
Whatever tech they used, it hid them even from transcendent senses—but once detected like this, it was all pointless.
Bang!
I accelerated straight into the nearest cluster and crashed down.
Splash!
I fell like a meteor, but the earth didn't shatter like one would. Why would I destroy my own continent?
Using the earth's attributes, I sank 30 meters underground like a pebble into a pond—in an instant.
Rumble!
With a single strike, I crushed every lifeform in the hidden bunker below and seized the dimension.
Sizzle!
I tore a dimensional passage up to the surface. Roughly done, it'd revert in a week, but soldiers would arrive first to collect the goods.
-Kraaak! Monster!
"Not these monster bastards calling me the monster every time."
[Transcendent! Father will never forgive you...!]
"So don't forgive me—just come already."
[Gurk—!]
After about ten minutes of sweeps, I'd eradicated the alien scum rooted across the continent. I landed on the roof of Cheonwon Guild Tower to check my condition.
"Stamina... increased? Or faster recovery?"
I'd gone all-out, yet wasn't truly exhausted—though there was some drain.
Stamina felt a bit higher, but for an Authority, this seemed underwhelming.
"Huh!"
Then I noticed the real difference.
"I'm not hungry!?"
After a few experiments, I realized my body had achieved a form of homeostasis. Eating was great, but I could go without—no issues. A true physics-breaker!
The problem?
"Isn't this... kinda useless?"
Of course, this Authority, Perpetual Mechanism, was insanely overpowered. Beyond that—it was the ultimate dream of any physical cultivator.
Because physical cultivation was inseparable from logistics from the start. Without proper supply, a cultivator became worse than someone several realms below.
No joke—among transcendents, starvation deaths were possible with physical builds!
But my situation was different.
"I can just eat in Ardania..."
Dungeons spewing food meant no penalties for me. How else could I have survived 14 nights and 15 days with the Five Dragons?
[Used Stat Reset Potion!]
[All allocated stat points have been refunded!]
"Urk."
I groaned at the sensation of [Strength] retracting into my body and checked my stats.
And felt disappointed.
Stamina: 1,000.
"Ah... No shortcuts, huh..."
I'd hoped to refund 1,000 points and reallocate elsewhere. Wishful thinking.
I pumped them back into Strength. Thankfully, the 1 point from training returned too, bringing Strength to 1,001.
Remaining points: 1,132.
I raised Strength again. At 1,002, it cost 2 points.
Again to 1,003, costing 3 points. One more to 1,004, costing 4.
"Progressive point cost increase works like this, huh."
Costs from 1 to 100 mean 5,050 points for 1,100 Strength. Even dumping everything, I couldn't hit the cap.
So I raised Strength to 1,016, leaving 1,013 for emergencies. Plenty could sense my stats now—I wanted a trump card.
'If I'm about to die, dump into Vitality if it feels off, or Agility. Ah, if only I could put into Luck, I'd do it now.'
Sigh of regret, but Luck still blocked investments. At 999, drop rates were insane—good enough.
Squeeze.
Final test: I [gripped] the air. Thanks to the higher Strength, not only was my output stronger, but the [range] Strength controlled expanded from 10 to 40 meters.
"This should be fine... unless the Dragonians declare total war."
Of course, Emperor-classes might come. Dragonians held the galaxy's second-most Emperors, after all.
But now, I was confident I could at least escape one.
All Master's [cheat combo] had endless variations.
"Log out."
Back to reality—or rather, the cruise ship [Ark of Heaven].
Unlike arrival, I was alone on deck. The Five Dragons, glued to me throughout the trip, were passed out in their rooms.
I'd tried waking them a few times, but they just babbled in their sleep, so I left them.
"Let's see."
I connected to the internet. As expected, 34th Earth's entertainment scene was in chaos.
[Emperor Han Jaeyeon on 14-night, 15-day hotel vacation with F·D?]
[Emperor♡F·D dating rumors become reality?]
[The massive Christmas Eve event at Mercury Center—what happened?]
[Who is Han Jaeyeon's partner?]
[Rumors all five? What's the basis?]
[Universe's hottest hunk Sungjae says: 'So jealous. Hope they throw themselves into traffic.']
"As expected, it all leaked..."
I sighed, but it was inevitable. How many witnessed the Five Dragons' massive Christmas Eve event? That many eyes on the spectacle—no way it stayed secret.
Of course, they couldn't confirm our relations.
'Two weeks holed up in the suite—people can guess without words.'
That was when.
Woooong—!
The scenery shifted abruptly. From the Ark of Heaven's deck, I was suddenly in the center of a colossal colosseum.
"...What?"
The forced teleport stunned me.
'Teleporting me, with my all-resistance?'
Impossible by superhuman science.
But thinking back, I'd been through this once before.
"...Head Maid?"
"The Elder isn't someone a lowly worm like you can meet casually."
A blond hunk appeared before me, voice laced with suppressed killing intent.
The Worm-grade dragon who'd guided me to meet the Five Dragons' Head Maid. A Chernein.
"Hmm. So you kidnapped me?"
I eyed him.
Outfit gleaming like leather yet metallic. Bracelets carved from unknown beast bones.
Rings of different gems on every finger, a fist-sized gem necklace, heavy earrings, shoes painted with jeweled landscapes.
Above all, the long staff in his right hand signaled full combat readiness.
"Kidnapped me? 'Kidnapped'? Haha! Hahaha!"
The Chernein laughed loudly, then stopped abruptly.
"Disgusting inferior, you can't grasp the situation."
"Yeah, kinda."
I shook my head at his snarling, narrowing his eyes.
"...What are you saying?"
"Well, it seems that way. 'Inferior'?"
I smirked and continued.
"With a face dripping that much inferiority complex."