Sset (Hell, group 4) - most of us are already holed up in the Bastion.

Tess tries to say more but most of it gets filtered. The system doesn't let the message pass. Nothing about it being safe for the last two weeks, in fact, we can’t even say anything about the extra two weeks.

We can't even tell WhiteWing about the extended duration of the floor should they decide to stay. But they should be able to figure it out. They can estimate when we left the 4th floor and then realize that we’ve already exceeded the original 3 weeks.

Probably.

They just need to be a bit smart about it.

TheStrongestOne (Hell, group 4) - I'm there.

Izzy (Hell, group 4) - I'm close.

Soph (Hell, group 4) - Izzy, be careful, please.

Izzy (Hell, group 4) - don't be dumb, Soph.

Knight (Hell, group 4) - yeah, don't be dumb, Soph!

Maya piles on, and I watch for a moment as they bicker.

FoodFood (Hell, group 4) - food!

Noname (Hell, group 4) - good job, Biscuit.

Sset (Hell, group 4) - The Guild and IDK groups have also entered the 5th floor. It seems like they haven’t lost anyone.

Noname (Hell, group 4) - so The Guild has 6 members and IDK has 4?

BenDover (Hell, IDK) - you bet! The 4th floor was quite easy. Did you guys kill Lorven to get his epic dagger as well?

Bard (Hell, IDK) - are you sure you want to reveal your equipment?

BenDover (Hell, IDK) - it's fine. By the way, Noname, I was able to evolve my skill. You wouldn't believe how easy it was to kill the lynthari matriarch with it.

Noname (Hell, group 4) - you will have to show me during the tournament.

BenDover (Hell, IDK) - I will. Trust me, I will show you, heh. It doesn't matter how much mana you have.

Lovable as always.

Knight (Hell, group 4) - BenDover, I think you are full of it. I bet you waited until Lorven betrayed her to kill the matriarch. Or maybe you were working with him and killed him when you had no more use for him?

BenDover (Hell, IDK) - Think about it on your own.

I turn off the Community and focus on the results of my efforts and the contributions of my duplicate.

We spent a day mapping the pathways the core uses to distribute mana through the Veil Ignition Station. Most of them have been damaged and mana barely passes through. Some failsafe mechanisms are probably sending the bare minimum of mana to keep the systems running while keeping most of it in storage. But Clonthaniel and I found one pathway in a fairly good state and worked together to create our strongest [Tether] yet. I even gained a level in the skill.

Also resting, the duplicate turns to me, "It's amazing how well we can use [Resonance] to combine our powers, must be because we share the same base."

"What, do you want us to combine our minds too?"

He playfully shoots a wave of kinetic energy strong enough to blow the head off someone at level 150. I redirect it just as playfully, sending my own cone of kinetic energy at him.

"You know very well I would never do that and neither would you. Combining the two of us would be like both of us dying, only to be replaced with a third. Or one of us devouring the other," he says as he absorbs my attack. "Just dying would be better."

I check on Vega before asking, "Are you really considering that?"

For a moment, he looks at me, and nods, "Yup. I mean it was the most expected result even before I decided to use the mirror, so it's fine, somewhat. I mean I hate it and I really want to punch you, but I know my goal when using the mirror was to strengthen you as much as possible and to learn new things."

As always, there is a mana stone in his hands that he keeps trying to inscribe and create a perfect imprint, but the task is too much.

"I even got contacted by that douchebag from Beyond's first and second trials. We also met his intent on the 4th floor. He told me to kill Vega so he could transfer her status, that’s what he called it, to me. Would you believe that?"

After learning this new information, I give myself a moment to take it all in. But I don't have to think much longer. The duplicate surely issued a polite refusal, knowing him.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Damn, I expected a bit of anger or for you to threaten me in an attempt to protect Vega," he complains after seeing my lack of reaction.

"You wouldn't hurt her."

"Just a few days ago, you weren't sure, weirdo." He shoots another blast of kinetic energy at me, "Anyway, I think that intent was placed here by one of the Rulers. If we are right, Rulers are even more powerful than Absolutes, and there are 14 of them. One for each Radiance and Blight."

"That sounds logical, there should only be a single Ruler for each Blight and Radiance. Having more wouldn't feel right. So the intent isn’t the Ruler of Greed as he already told us that it's the Ruler of Greed running the tutorial, either that or they’ve taken a huge degree of interest in it."

He nods. "From what I can tell, it seems like Rulers have some amount of control over the system or at least the tutorial. The intent from Beyond can't influence the tutorial too much, either because it just can't or because it's intent only. But it can surely see and hear what's happening in here. Oh, by the way, fuck you bitch, I know you are listening," my duplicate says and gestures to the air.

A friendly gesture meant for the nosy intent.

The duplicate continues, "I also asked why it cares so much about our round of the tutorial. Earth should have been through multiple rounds as should the other planets. Hundreds or thousands of tutorials all going on at once, yet it’s watching this one."

"Maybe that Ruler is powerful enough to leave dozens of intents to watch a lot of tutorials. Plus, there is an escaped Absolute here."

The mana stone in his hands glows as more of his mana rushes in, creating inscriptions, "That's true, that's what I thought and I asked about that. Apparently, Absolutes going wild is rare but it’s not that rare. What caught that fucker's interest the most is our number one Beyond explorer."

Oho?

I straighten up, giving full attention to our conversation. This is getting more interesting.

"It looks like the man in question started off in the Beyond like we did in Hell. The first person to do so in millennia. And it seems like that asshole finds that rather interesting. I wouldn't be surprised if more intents of Rulers appear all over the place. Watching that Beyond dude and messing with poor us in their spare time while he sleeps or whatever. All so they are not bored."

So very interesting.

It piques my interest even more. Of course, I’ve always been curious about our 1st Beyond explorer. Someone who had entered even before second place, Savant, and third place, me. And of course, I did have a theory that maybe, just maybe, that person started in Beyond.

But having it confirmed?

"So he started in 3 Beyond trials? Or he skipped trials and went to Beyond whatever it is? Or he started in a trial and then went to Hell floor and continued the trial 4 months later?"

"Hell if I know." My duplicate seems to be curious as well, I can see it on him. "I would say he either started in Beyond or had different trials from us."

"I'm inclined to agree, but damn."

"Yeah, damn."

"Another guy to beat up. It's nice that the list keeps getting longer." I'm not even that worried, just curious. Just what kind of man is that person, to catch the interest of the intent of someone so powerful?

I really want to see and I really want to meet him. Just how much would I be able to learn from fighting someone like that?

----------------------------------------

Having sold anything not nailed down and taking anything of interest like metals, weapons, and armor I want to inscribe and sell, that's a lot of things to carry around.

I mean, really a lot.

Instead of pulling them, I just transport them through my anchors, though each teleport does cost quite a lot, to the point where I have to ask my duplicate to help so I don't have to use Mana Reservoir. In exchange, as his reward, he gets to carry Vega.

I'm not jealous at all. I'm happy. I sold 16 thousand shards worth of items. The sheer amount is staggering given that the system shop only pays 10-20% of the item’s value if I haven’t actively worked on it.

So, the value of the mana stones, enchanting tables, metals, robes, and crafting materials were 5-10 times more than what I sold them for. And I still have a lot of the best things on me.

Something tells me that maybe I wasn't supposed to reach, and loot, the Veil Ignition Station.

What I regret is being unable to find out more about the place given the decimation of the main and auxiliary control rooms. There were no records to be found, as usual.

Is it doing this on purpose? Is the system an extrovert? Is it trying to force me to talk to people to learn what happened and finish the side quests?

----------------------------------------

Killing a few monsters and avoiding two Veil Guardians with the combined efforts of my duplicate and myself, we reach the Bastion.

It takes longer than it should, but when the view opens, I notice that some of the walls have been damaged and even the barrier surrounding the palace feels weaker. It's getting darker, and I can see that even lights that once served to light the streets are now activated sparingly. All in an effort to save as much energy as possible.

Killing more monsters on our way, we reach the place only to be welcomed by the Butler. The man has shaved the remaining half of his mustache, and his clothes are different now. They are not as elegant and serve a more functional purpose, and I can sense multiple items on him.

"Mister Gwyn, another Mister Gwyn, and Miss Vega, can I ask you to leave?" he says in the same tone. It seems that his ways can’t be changed, even by their current situation.

"Ehm, no?" I start off.

He sighs, "Did you not cause enough trouble? You got what you wanted, so please show just a grain of restraint and leave."

"Butler!" Vega shouts cheerily, and the man turns to her, "You look better without the mustache!"

The man looks at her, at me, and then back at her, "Thank you, Miss Vega."

The little half-demon only nods and puts her head back on the chest of my duplicate, her social batteries most likely already empty.

"See, you should thank me for getting rid of your mustache. I did it to help you," My duplicate can't help but poke.

"That's why I let Tess deal with people, you are a disgrace," I tell him.

He doesn't even seem to disagree but continues to talk to the Butler, "We know about a way to power the Bastion. Lots of mana."

"We are not interested, Mister Gwyn. I thank you for your offer, but we already…" he freezes mid-word and looks back towards the Bastion. An expression of sheer surprise appears on his face, the elegant mask cracking to be replaced by anger, "What have you done?" he asks.

"I left an anchor on the heart of your good ol' Lord when I was keeping it alive. To be honest, Butler, I'm disappointed none of you noticed even though I tried really hard to hide it. Anyway, I just sent a wad of energy through and exploded it."

The duplicate seems proud even with our usual expression and the Butler seems like he is about to jump down and choke him to death.

Unbothered, Duplicaniel continues, "So, about our offer to power your Bastion with a lot of mana. Sounds good, right? It's free, I promise."