Venix felt a faint tremor within his chest, his mind beginning to blur. He gazed blankly into the depths of his soul, as though something within was stirring.

  Previously, Venix had instructed the Seed of Vulture to attack the second Origin Fragment Realm that had emerged within his soul.

  The Seed of Vulture would do nothing without Venix's command, and Venix had earlier told Vulture not to attack the second Origin Fragment Realm or channel energy into it, causing its development to progress extremely slowly.

  Today, Venix learned the name of the tentacled monster: Seed of Chaos. When Grandmaster Ardyn frequently spoke of the Seed of Chaos, Venix sensed that this situation was far from simple.

  At the very least, even if Vulture emerged victorious, the matter would not end easily.

  Venix did not know what the Seed of Chaos truly was or what signs marked its presence.

  Plagued by numerous dark speculations in his mind, Venix finally decided to test his theories.

  He attempted to send the Seed of Vulture into the second Origin Fragment Realm, the usual method an Awaken would use to complete the Awaken stage and become a Seedbound.

  However, to Venix's shock, Vulture could not enter!

  Deep within his soul, Vulture struck an invisible barrier that shielded the second Origin Fragment Realm from external interference.

  "What exactly is this Seed of Chaos?!" Venix shouted, his eyes wide with frustration.

  "How can it block Vulture's entry?!" Without pausing, he issued panicked commands to Vulture, hoping to find a loophole.

  The more Vulture unleashed its strength against the barrier, the more the leftover energy from its attacks was rapidly absorbed by the Origin Fragment Realm, accelerating its development.

  Venix hurriedly commanded Vulture to stop and retreated from the second Origin Fragment Realm.

  "This makes no sense!" Venix exclaimed internally, his face clouded with deep frustration.

  Moments later, Venix emerged from his meditative state with a look of dissatisfaction plastered across his face.

  "What were you doing just now?"

  The voice of Grandmaster Ardyn echoed in Venix's ears.

  Venix looked up, startled to see Grandmaster Ardyn still kneeling before him, bowing as if in worship of a deity.

  "It's nothing. I was merely inspecting my Seed of Vulture and assessing whether it's strong enough to proceed with the experiment," Venix replied, a calm smile gracing his face.

  Venix had no intention of revealing the truth to Grandmaster Ardyn. In fact, he had no plans to be honest at all.

  Even if Vulture had been able to enter the second Origin Fragment Realm, Venix would likely still have attempted to continue the experiment due to his unease with Grandmaster Ardyn’s actions and requests.

  Now that Vulture could not enter, Venix had no other choice.

  At the same time, Venix was determined not to become too entangled in this Virtual World and prioritized the real world above all else.

  For that reason, Venix wanted his current actions to be seen as assistance to Grandmaster Ardyn, allowing him to leverage this relationship to obtain crucial items that could prove useful in the real world.

  Grandmaster Ardyn stared at Venix and said, "My people have prepared a few things to aid your Seed of Vulture—"

  "I trust you, Grandmaster Ardyn. I’ll cooperate with you," Venix interrupted firmly, though his heart grew heavy from the lies he had just uttered.

  Grandmaster Ardyn's eyes gleamed. "Truly? Then—"

  "But, of course, I’ll require something in return," Venix interjected again, waving his hand. "And Grandmaster Ardyn... Could you stop bowing? We can discuss matters while seated face-to-face."

  Venix was not the type to enjoy being worshipped or seeing others prostrate themselves before him. It did not please him; it only made him uncomfortable.

  Grandmaster Ardyn quickly stood, tidying his slightly rumpled robes, and sat down across from Venix.

  The warm smile returned to Grandmaster Ardyn’s face, giving off the impression of a kind and approachable senior, as if nothing troubled him.

  Venix sighed in relief at this sight.

  After calming his emotions, Grandmaster Ardyn said, "I’ll do my best to fulfill all your requests. Even if you ask for some beautiful women to warm your bed, I—"

  "No, no, no! I don’t want that—I need something else!" Venix flailed his arms, his face flushing with embarrassment at the unwanted suggestion.

  Grandmaster Ardyn observed Venix’s flustered expression and easily deduced his thoughts.

  "Of course, I’ll fulfill your other requests to the best of my ability. Those women are merely a bonus," Grandmaster Ardyn said with a mysterious smile, as though he fully understood how to cater to Venix's desires.

  "No! Can we focus on serious matters instead?" Venix quickly interrupted.

  If the people of Numan World learned of this, they would be utterly shocked and enraged that Venix dared to cut off Grandmaster Ardyn mid-sentence!

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Fearing Grandmaster Ardyn might persist in his unwelcome offers, Venix hurriedly stated his true needs. "I require an item essential for saving my life in critical situations. Suppose a sudden explosion occurs near me; I need something that can protect me in such moments."

  Venix had no way of predicting the dangers that awaited in the real world, but based on his description, nearly any imminent threat could be mitigated with such an item.

  "Hmm? You’ll be safe there. With me present, I’ll ensure your protection from any harm caused by others!" Grandmaster Ardyn thumped his chest, vowing to safeguard Venix.

  Venix shook his head. "No one can predict future circumstances. What harm is there in having a backup plan to ensure my survival?"

  Grandmaster Ardyn regarded Venix with a curious glint in his eyes.

  "There are many items that can handle such situations, like the Barrier Crystal, which creates a shield around you to prevent injuries," Grandmaster Ardyn mused, stroking his chin.

  Venix's eyes lit up at the mention of such an item!

  "But… Perhaps the Teleportation Crystal would be far more helpful," Grandmaster Ardyn added thoughtfully.

  "Teleportation Crystal?" Venix's eyes gleamed. From the name alone, he could infer its function.

  "Yes, a Teleportation Crystal. It’s an incredibly rare artifact, only producible by the Primecore," Grandmaster Ardyn explained. "All you need to do is activate the crystal with a small amount of power, and it will teleport you randomly within a 10-kilometer radius."

  "Can I buy one? I don’t have money right now, but I could borrow from Luna to get it!" Venix exclaimed eagerly, his eyes shining with excitement.

  "Even if you emptied Luna’s entire savings, you wouldn’t be able to purchase this item." Grandmaster Ardyn shook his head. "This artifact can only be created by Primecore, but the process is extraordinarily difficult and yields only a limited quantity."

  Venix's enthusiasm dimmed upon hearing this.

  Grandmaster Ardyn offered a gentle smile. "Producing this item isn’t easy and poses a significant danger to us. Establishing connections with Space energy is extremely challenging and perilous. At most, I can produce five Teleportation Crystals in a year."

  "Five? That’s more than enough!" Venix’s excitement reignited.

  "Very well, I’ll make one for you later. I don’t have any on hand now, as all the Teleportation Crystals I’ve made have been distributed to certain individuals," Grandmaster Ardyn explained.

  Venix nodded in understanding. "That’s fine—five will more than suffice for my needs!"

  Grandmaster Ardyn smiled without further comment.

  Venix had no idea just how valuable a single Teleportation Crystal was. Even the direct descendants of Primecore were limited to owning just one—and no more.

  "Your first request is settled. Do you have any other wishes?" Grandmaster Ardyn asked kindly.

  Venix nodded enthusiastically. "Of course!"

  Then, Venix used the watch on his wrist to bring up a list of Techniques that Luna had carefully curated earlier.

  A holographic screen emerged from the watch, displaying the list of Techniques for Grandmaster Ardyn to see.

  "I’d like to acquire these Techniques!" Venix said eagerly.

  Grandmaster Ardyn scanned the list one by one. Gradually, his expression turned peculiar.

  Noticing the change, Venix asked, "Is something wrong?"

  Grandmaster Ardyn turned to Venix, shook his head slightly, and smiled. "No, it’s just that this list reminds me of someone... But anyway, the Techniques you’ve listed seem more suited for chaotic times, like an era of war."

  Venix nodded quickly. "We don’t know what the future holds. Of course, I need to prepare everything in advance."

  Grandmaster Ardyn smiled and said, "I have a similar list. What you’ve noted here are merely Techniques available to the public. I have access to far superior ones."

  Venix’s eyes sparkled. "I wouldn’t mind that at all!"

  Grandmaster Ardyn fell silent for a moment, appearing deep in thought.

  After about five seconds, he added, "I’ll also provide you with some special Techniques that will be extremely useful later."

  Venix immediately stood and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Grandmaster Ardyn!"

  Grandmaster Ardyn waved a hand dismissively.

  The conversation then shifted as Venix relayed all his desires to Grandmaster Ardyn. Most of Venix’s requests revolved around items that could save his life or tools to help him overcome opponents stronger than himself.

  The first thing Venix thought about was weapons. If he could acquire a powerful and special weapon, perhaps he could defeat a Seedbound using his abilities as an Awaken.

  Unfortunately, Grandmaster Ardyn explained that the use of weapons by an Awaken was different.

  Ordinary weapons could not fully unleash an Awaken’s power, and special weapons for an Awaken were connected to their Seed Origin.

  This meant that a Seedbound’s weapon could not be used by an Awaken and would instead harm the wielder.

  Therefore, Grandmaster Ardyn suggested that Venix use a sealed weapon.

  A sealed weapon was one whose true power had been restricted, allowing it to be used by someone weaker.

  This was similar to the weapons of a Primecore, which were sealed to suppress their power so that an Awaken could wield them at a Primecore level.

  When an Awaken advanced to the level of Seedbound, the seals would gradually be removed, transforming the weapon into one at the Seedbound level.

  Its strength wouldn’t be as great as other weapons of the same level, but its materials were incredibly strong and valuable, making it indestructible except under an attack from a true Primecore.

  Though Venix didn’t receive the kind of weapon he had initially hoped for, he was still pleased to have such a weapon.

  With that, Grandmaster Ardyn noted down Venix’s requests one by one, promising to fulfill them gradually in the future.

  "Alright, I’ve written down all your wishes," said Grandmaster Ardyn with a smile. "Now it’s time for you to return. I’ll send you back to Luna, and the two of you can look for Leoric to escort you to the experiment site."

  "Of course." Venix stood and bowed deeply before Grandmaster Ardyn.

  Grandmaster Ardyn raised his hand, ready to send Venix back.

  However, Venix suddenly interrupted.

  "Wait!" Venix said abruptly.

  Grandmaster Ardyn paused and looked at Venix. "Is there something else you want?"

  Venix gently shook his head. "No, it’s just that..."

  His face looked hesitant, as if the words he wanted to say were hard to express.

  "If something is troubling you, just say it. I’ll do my best to help," Grandmaster Ardyn said.

  Venix looked deeply into Grandmaster Ardyn’s eyes.

  "If… if I fail this experiment," Venix hesitated briefly before continuing, "and if the Seed of Chaos takes over my body... please kill me and destroy my body completely so there’s nothing left."

  Venix’s expression turned resolute after he spoke those words.

  Grandmaster Ardyn smiled calmly and replied, "I’ll think about it when the time comes."

  With a wave of his hand, Grandmaster Ardyn sent Venix flying back to Numan City.

  Venix exhaled, relieved that he had managed to express what was on his mind.

  Although Venix wasn’t sure whether dying in the Virtual World would mean death in the real world, based on what he knew, this was still a Virtual World, not reality.

  Indeed, his Virtual body affected his real body, but only to a limited extent.

  Thus, Venix made a bold assumption: his real body might be injured but not die if his Virtual body perished.

  And if the Seed of Chaos truly took over his body, it would mean game over for Venix.

  So, he hoped to buy some time in the Virtual World, delaying the Seed of Chaos’s progression and searching for a solution, granting himself a final chance.

  As Venix returned to Numan City, Grandmaster Ardyn remained floating in space alone, not following him back.

  "You all saw that, didn’t you? What do you think?" Grandmaster Ardyn suddenly spoke, though no one else seemed to be present in the void of space.

  One by one, figures began to emerge from the emptiness, surrounding Grandmaster Ardyn.

  In total, five figures appeared—two women and three men.

  Grandmaster Ardyn snorted coldly, as if he had been aware of their presence all along.

  "A group of Primecore like you has nothing better to do than eavesdrop on others?" he said icily.

  The five individuals who had appeared were all Primecore!

  Including Grandmaster Ardyn, there were now six Primecore gathered in one place!

  The surrounding space grew heavy and cold, as if on the brink of exploding into battle at any moment.