Ch 132
As Matt walked through what were essentially dark tunnels leading to more portals, which in turn led to the various worlds under Godfrey Enterprises' control, he found the experience to be profoundly depressing. Even though the tunnels were large enough to accommodate several semitrucks side by side, the pervasive darkness and silence that clung to them—even with thousands of people moving through—were unsettling for Matt. Despite the presence of raised paths overhead and rules about maintaining silence, it seemed impossible for so many people to remain quiet. A part of him had the urge to shout, but he instinctively knew that doing so would not end well. More than anything, he sensed a palpable fear among everyone in the tunnels—not a fear of him, but a fear of becoming the target of an attack. This made Matt wonder about the underlying reason for such fear.
Frustratingly, Matt didn’t have time to voice anything because the moment they stepped through the portal, they were greeted by a new guide. This man's face had the features of an owl, and with a wave of his hand, the horned rabbit-man did not continue on, choosing to return to the portal instead. At first, Matt thought the owl-faced man would remain silent, but as they turned a corner, it was as if sound returned to the world. Before him lay a bustling market filled with the lively chatter of people buying and selling goods. He noticed several individuals hurrying toward the portal the instant they passed the corner. Although many of them glanced at him with curiosity, none paused for even a second before scurrying away. It was only after they left the market area behind that the owl-man finally decided to speak.
“So, what is it about you that caught the eye of Tempormr enough that you think he will actually save you?” he inquired, his voice a mixture of intrigue and skepticism.
Matt merely smiled, remaining silent, which irritated his guide. The guide turned his head in that unsettling way only owls could, and spoke in a clearly annoyed tone. "When someone greater than you speaks, you are to answer!"
"Are you the leader of Godfrey Enterprises?" Matt retorted. "Something tells me that you are not. So, I would ask that as the leader of my own—"
Without warning, the owl-man spun around, and a moment later, Matt felt an eerie sensation as if his head were separating from his neck. Simultaneously, the skill he had kept activated since before meeting the horned rabbit-man triggered, causing a drain on all his essences until they were completely depleted. Yet, he found himself whole again as the owl-man's head detached, falling to the ground and beginning to roll away. What happened next, however, made Matt realize that the encounter had likely been orchestrated to unfold in such a manner.
Person killed: level 129 Owl-man.
Base experience multiplied by 108.
Awarding 30,240 experience.
Current experience to next level 53781/24000.
Matt found himself collapsing, and one level-up message after another streamed past his vision, accompanied by the notification that he had reached C rank. Despite this achievement, he was overwhelmed by the intense pain as his body endured the relentless surge of his stats, increasing at a rate he deemed unwise. Once it finally ceased, after Matt had astonishingly jumped a full 30 levels to reach level 53, he could finally breathe and received a notice that he could select a path aspect. However, he set that thought aside for the moment and focused on examining his updated stats.
Matthew Pierce.
Level 53
Strength: 2839
Dexterity:2881
Durability: 2857
Stamina: 22202
Spirit: 82944
Mind: 1143
HP: 236938
MP: 25387
Luck: 61
Species Human hybrid(C)
Bloodline: (Undocumented, has extremely high adaptability and survivability, likely Prime bloodline)
Path: Hope of Hopeless (Increase Spirit by 90% Stamina by 45% Durability by 30% Dexterity by 15%)
Titles: Integrated, Front runner of species (5% boost to all stats), Lord of the Tomb of the Restless Defenders (Control the accessibility of fort associated with dungeon such that those within can enter and leave with or without challenging the dungeon. Can also relocate/repair the fort and dungeon associated with dungeon if needed resources are gathered.), King slayer (Increase in distrust from those who serve a monarch not allied with you. Deal double damage to any monarch and those in the line of succession), Lucky (Unlocks and doubles hidden luck stat), Defier of Fate (Your life was meant to end, and it didn’t, Fate will work to correct this) Rank crosser (Fighting those above you rank will be slightly easier), Fate Shifter (You have forced a fate meant for you upon another satisfying Fate for a moment).
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Skills: Auto translate, Cellular Regeneration, Injury control, Essence of selflessness, Essence of determination, Luck’s Essence, Adaptive body.
Matt swallowed hard after finishing his examination of his stats, particularly focusing on the new title he had acquired. A part of him was apprehensive about moving, as all of his stats had more than doubled, making it difficult to even comprehend the magnitude of the changes. Yet, as he observed the horned rabbit-man returning, Matt couldn't help but chuckle as he spoke candidly.
"It seems that you are indeed quite troublesome to kill," he remarked.
"Yeah, and gaining 30 levels all at once isn't exactly a pleasant experience. Still, thanks for the gift," Matt replied with a hint of gratitude.
The rabbit-man responded with a slight chuckle, "Say that after you spend the rest of your time here split between constantly fighting in simulations and dealing with the politics you've become embroiled in. Still, your value should be obvious now, and if you survive what's coming next, investing in you should be worthwhile."
"I'm still not agreeing to marry anyone, and I expect you to facilitate your daughters entering the dungeon to grow strong or die," Matt insisted firmly.
"They will, after you make it through this meeting and officially make them members of your organization. Now, let's be off," the rabbit-man said, gesturing for Matt to follow.
"Hold on, you're just going to leave his body lying there?" Matt asked, pointing towards the fallen figure.
"Someone will collect it. Oh, and you should be sure to take anything you like, as by law, it's yours now," the rabbit-man replied, before turning to leave.
Matt frowned before dumping the entire body into his spatial storage, where other similar bodies were already stored. He glanced at the lifeless head, hesitating for a moment before gathering it and tossing it into his spatial storage as well.
“Let’s get this over with,” Matt declared as he rose to his feet. “Just ignore my clumsy attempts to walk after the sudden jump in stats I just experienced.”
The horned rabbit-man chuckled softly as he turned and began to lead Matt onward. Meanwhile, Matt found himself struggling to walk normally, feeling as though he were moving in slow motion. The disparity was so pronounced that he began to wonder if adapting to the speed at which those of much lower levels functioned was a challenge for those at higher ranks. These musings were abruptly interrupted when he nearly stumbled, suddenly sensing that his body’s movements had returned to normal.
“Ah, good. It seems you no longer feel like you’re in combat,” the rabbit-man observed.
“What do you mean?” Matt asked, the words escaping before he could stop them.
“You know so little,” the rabbit-man replied with a hint of amusement. “Your base stats are what dictate normal interactions. Our actual stats come into play when we’re under stress, such as during combat or when performing certain tasks. However, make no mistake—the system ensures that any attack is met by our actual stats.”
"I understand," replied Matt thoughtfully, pondering the implications. "It appears that I'll need to dedicate some time to mastering the ability to transition between the two states of being."
"If I were you, I wouldn't attempt it," advised the rabbit-man, his ears twitching slightly. "It's challenging enough to maintain the calm necessary to avoid being in the heightened state constantly. Many find that even the slightest stimulant propels them into the higher state, making it difficult to interact with those at a lower level without causing harm. The fact that you can quickly revert to what most would consider normal is quite impressive."
"Self-control should be a basic expectation," Matt retorted, a frown creasing his forehead. "If what you're saying holds true, wouldn't it render the system, where high-level men mate with low-level women, ineffective?"
"How do you think we incentivize them to practice self-control?" the rabbit-man replied with a knowing chuckle. "Believe me when I say we've found no more efficient method, and you'd be wise to learn from it when you govern your home world."
"Well, I'd prefer if both parties were capable of handling it."
"Then who would possess the gentle nature needed to raise children?"
"That's a dilemma for the parents to solve. Still, I suspect any mother capable of controlling herself would manage, or have no high-level women successfully given birth?"
"There are successful cases, but there are also horror stories about them attempting to care for their children."
"Is the entire universe as sexist as Godfrey Enterprises seems to be?"
At Matt’s question, the rabbit-man gave him a sidelong glance, then sighed before responding.
“No, there are entire organizations that focus on empowering women to be the stronger of the two sexes. However, they are rare and often only maintain a grip on a small group of planets, existing only because destroying them would cost more than it's worth. There are those that seem to align with your perception of normalcy, where both women and men can pursue power, but even in those cases, more men than women reach the top ranks. It is after examining these examples that organizations like Godfrey Enterprises focus on males advancing in levels while females are encouraged to become mothers.”
“Yet, you disagree. Why?”
“It’s not so much a matter of disagreement as it is acknowledging that exceptions to that rule exist. I believe my daughters should not be denied the opportunity to rise, especially when someone like you, with a path as unique as yours, can intercede in their lives and potentially alter their trajectory. Just be aware that those at the highest levels of Godfrey Enterprises will likely expect the same.”
“I need one man for every woman you assign to me,” Matt stated with a sigh. “Otherwise, there will be significant issues with the optics of my organization.”
“You worry about the women being perceived as your personal harem,” commented the rabbit-man with a chuckle as they arrived in front of a building that resembled a massive metal ball with no visible seams. “We are here. It is crucial that you enter alone and reach out to Tempormr as you normally would.”
“How do I know this isn’t a trap?”
“You don’t,” replied the rabbit-man with a sly smile. “If you refuse, we’ll see if you can survive a perfect vacuum or ship you directly to Radoznaormr. So, you can either walk in, or I can risk what forcing you in will entail.”
Matt frowned as he surveyed the enormous metallic sphere before letting out a sigh and stepping forward. As he advanced, he pondered how he might gain entry into the massive orb. However, upon touching it, his arm felt as though it was being submerged in a dense liquid. Suddenly, he was pulled into the sphere, enveloped in complete darkness, and his fight-or-flight instincts kicked into high gear. As he found himself in a pocket of air, he relaxed slightly, attempting to regain his composure. Yet, he remained in total darkness, contemplating his next move when he heard Tempormr’s voice echoing in his mind.
"It seems that my expectations for you were a tad too high."
"Yeah, right, you knew it was a matter of when, not if, I would be caught," Matt retorted, venting some of his frustration. "So, how about you just tell me what you want out of this situation?"
"Telling someone what you want is the surest way to pay the most for it," Tempormr replied coolly. "Instead, I will inform you of the price Godfrey Enterprises must pay for me to intervene on their behalf and prevent Radoznaormr from destroying them."
"Why do I get the feeling that I’m not going to like it?" Matt asked, a sense of foreboding creeping in.
"Because you won’t," Tempormr chuckled darkly. "They are to provide ten men for you to fight to the death each day, and all of them must be at least three levels above you."
