Okay, I'm getting more and more curious about what’s waiting for me in Beyond.
Before I can think about turning around and resuming my leveling, the scenery begins to fade, the system recognizing the King of the Forest’s death and returning me to the sixth floor.
Obviously, the system wasn’t going to let me get away with it forever.
Stepping out into the bleak wastes of the Astral Prison, I sense some weaker monsters nearby and release a bit of my mana, which scares them off. Their level is low anyway and I want some time to think. But before that, I send a message.
Noname (Hell, group 4) - 3rd trial completed.
Sset (Hell, group 4) - congratulations. I'm curious to hear more when we meet.
Savant (Hell, Alone) - took you a while.
Noname (Hell, group 4) - I took just the right amount of time. I'm surprised you didn't forfeit your third trial.
Savant (Hell, Alone) - how many limbs did you lose this time?
Tacita (Hell, Luce) - ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
Noname (Hell, group 4) - welcome to the 6th floor
Tacita (Hell, Luce) - |ʘ‿ʘ)╯
Sset (Hell, group 4) - we have no idea when she got here before you ask.
NotDennis (Hell, group 4) - hell, she could have been here before us. She could have been trolling us during the tournament.
NotAaron (Hell, group 4) - are you dumb? There was no restriction during the duels.
NotDennis (Hell, group 4) - are YOU dumb? There was no text showing the floor during the duels.
Tacita (Hell, Luce) - (⚆ _ ⚆)
Noname (Hell, group 4) - has everything been ok so far?
Sset (Hell, group 4) - we took over the place we attacked and started pumping the surviving natives for information. The system will censor most of the things I would like to write here so I will tell you more in person. But I can tell you this right now. This floor won't be short.
Noname (Hell, group 4) - got it. I will continue dealing with my own stuff.
Closing the Community, I reach the place where I hid my items. Standing there, I look over all of them and think about what I should take with me.
The most valuable things are the mana stones containing the mana shaping exercises, improvements on Mana Cycling, and the Restrictive Training Emblem that I got from Lissandra.
Then there are these items:
Arcanite Alloy (Low Arcane) - Arcanite Alloy is a meticulously engineered blend of a dozen metals, each chosen for its unique resonance with arcane energies. This alloy was designed to amplify magical powers. Despite the complexity of its creation, items forged from Arcanite Alloy will be durable and capable of channeling immense magical forces.
Flamebearer (Low Arcane, Damaged) - Flamebearer held dominion over fire, with a mere swing capable of igniting the horizon. This ax’s blaze once burned with immense fury. Despite the damage and its weakened flames, moments of intense heat surge through its blade, offering a glimpse into its fiery past.
Then there are any number of mana stones filled with information I’ve collected from the floors, a big pile of metals I collected for experimenting. Pieces of bones from the bone fortress, pieces of bone from the snake that attacked the Veil ignition station no. 2, also known as the Cinder.
Lily still has a finger bone from one of the Champions from the 5th floor. A few voidsteel blades, an epic water bottle, a decent supply of clothes, food, water, and more. It's a pretty big pile now that I look at it.
In the end, I take some time to wash myself and put on clean clothes. I wear a black shirt, rolling up the sleeves, and gray pants. I also put on shoes. Then I take all the things Lissandra gave me, I take Flamebearer and Arcanite Alloy as well, and a few of the smaller pieces of bones.
Waiting for my body to fully heal and my mana to fully replenish, I sit and open the system shop and look for new additions.
Beyond One-Day Stay Token - 9,999 shards
Beyond Three-Day Stay Token - 29,999 shards
Beyond Seven-Day Stay Token - 69,999 shards
…
Firstly, what the actual hell is with the pricing? Is the system shop really trying to pull some cheap marketing pricing strategy? Second, what the actual hell is with the prices?
Just the seven-day stay is worth almost as much as the cheapest arcane item. Actually, wouldn't a 10-day stay token cost the same as the weakest arcane item? If I used all of my shards, it would give me just 13 days there, and I don't think there are many people with half as many shards as I do.
“I want to sell Beyond Three-Day Stay Token,” I try.
Do you really want to sell the following item for 1 shard?
Beyond Three-Day Stay Token
Yes/No
Yeah, seems about right.
“No,” I say, and the window disappears.
Anyway, it's time to go, so I jump to my feet, sending an experimental burst of mana through my body as if I were stretching with my mana, and warming up in the process.
As I have so many times before, I watch as the wounds decorating my body heal. It's a slow process that I still can’t help but find fascinating: the bones healing, muscles reconnecting, tendons reaching out from their severed ends.
It takes a few more hours, even with as much compressed thermal energy as I'm using. The entire time, I'm stuck impatiently waiting, my body urging me to move, and my mind already thinking of Beyond.
Then when it's done, with the ax on my back and mana ready to be activated, I use the token.
The world around me twists and changes until I find myself standing in a different place.
“Welcome to Beyond,” a soft voice murmurs from somewhere nearby.
It seems to be around midnight, and I find myself standing on a plane of polished and perfectly smooth black stone that seems to stretch on forever. There is nothing as far as I can see. No hills, no trees, no mountains, no clouds. Just straight and perfectly polished black stone flooring. The sky glimmers and sparkles with a vast array of beautiful stars and nebulas. Easily making for the most amazing view of the night sky I’ve ever seen in my life, even counting the pictures I once saw on Earth.
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Turning to the side, I find the woman who greeted me. She’s currently seated behind an old wooden desk, heavily laden with stacks upon stacks of paperwork, mana stones, and a number of items I fail to identify.
There is no text over her head.
She is a bit older than me, her hair is black with a bit of red mixed into it, and her eyes projecting a feeling of calm and curiosity, are brown in color.
“I'm your handler.” She says, introducing herself as she looks me over with her head tilted to the side.
She then looks back to one of the papers in her hand and starts reading, “Nathaniel Gwyn, 22 years old from Earth, 5th round of the tutorial. Completed all three trials and entered Beyond just one year and some weeks into the tutorial. You’ve had a really good time, and you aren't even the 1st one from Earth to come here. Your planet seems to be a nice addition to the system.”
She leans back in her chair, her eyes moving on the paper, “You already have a few really good skills, and a unique epic passive and an abundance of shards for someone of your level,” her eyes expand in surprise at that. “Pride, Wavelength eye, winner of your 1st tournament. Good, it's nice that I got you.”
“Why is it nice?” I ask.
“Oh, your handler gets a small percentage of all the shards you make in the dungeons and through any Beyond quests you receive and a few other benefits.”
Great, so now I have this woman taking a cut as well.
“Would be good if you explained a bit more,” I note.
Finally, she looks up from the paper and snorts, “Don't be impatient. You have potential, but you’re still just a small fry here. And you should already know that the system limits what I can share with you. The system is just that way and its rules reach even to Beyond.”
As she stands up, she walks around the table and looks me up and down, her eyes coming to rest on my face.
“First, hide your Mana Wavelength Iris, second, hide one of your primordial energies. Just having one is rare enough so don't walk around showing two until you are stronger. I mean, it could be fine to show it all, but as you are now, there is no point in bringing that much attention to yourself. Third, I accessed some of your records and checked a few things, I recommend that you not use what you call black mana.”
“Would be nice if you could tell me its real name.”
“Ten thousand shards.”
“What?”
“I will tell you for ten thousand shards.”
“Is it really such valuable information?”
“Not really, I just test to see how many shards I could make off you.” She seems to be serious.
Looking at her, I answer, “No.”
“Five thousand shards.”
“No.”
“Cheapskate, you have plenty of shards,” my handler sighs and then returns to her seat at the desk. She’s entirely clad in gray in a blend of formal and casual wear. “Anyway, there are a few things I can tell you and some you need to discover on your own, so listen carefully but consider it on your own too. This advice is not something set in stone, and every handler has their own, so here is mine.”
She makes sure I listen and continues, “Beyond is on the edge between the real world and the tutorials. It was created a long time ago with the cooperation of multiple Rulers over a very special place called the First Dungeon. Got everything so far?”
“I do, please continue.”
“You are from the 5th round, and your 1st tournament just ended, meaning your Earth´s tutorial's rounds should be in the process of synchronization to prepare for the second tournament. The point is that after the synchronization you will be able to accept Beyond quests. You will learn more about them later.”
“How long will pass on Earth compared to the five in the tutorial?” I ask.
She seems to be thinking for a while or checking something and answers, "Five years, but it's not that simple."
“Got it. Another question, how many other people like me are you acting as a handler for?”
“Good question,” my handler smiles. “Average for each handler would be a few dozen. To become a handler, you must have at least that much potential. Either by virtue of your own skills or by being able to use an item created by the Ruler of Diligence.”
That sounds interesting. Are handlers all Absolutes or Champions? As I open my mouth to ask, I see her looking at me, and hold my tongue instead. Something in her eyes makes me think better of asking.
“Once we’re done here you will appear on the surface of Beyond. Leave as quickly as possible and find an entrance to the First Dungeon. If you’re unlucky with your spawn location, you will die. The surface is dangerous even to someone on the verge of becoming a Champion, and it's recommended that you only go there in large groups. Got it?” she asks seriously.
“Yes. Any hints as to where I can find such an entrance?”
“Can't say.”
“Got it.”
“After you enter the First Dungeon, you will find yourself on the Entrance floor. You only have three days, so just look around for now, maybe do some trading, and collect some information. Check the rankings as well. Try to avoid guilds and do not join any groups or expeditions. Do not enter the dungeon at any cost, and do not go to the surface. Take it slow, and after you get back to your floor, do some side quests to earn more Stay tokens. I would recommend at least a week's stay so that you can start exploring what Beyond has to offer. Got it?” she asks again.
“Yes. How much more can I ask?”
“Not much, I told you most of the allowed information. The rest would be censored. The system wants you to discover it on your own. Where is the adventure and fun of exploration in having all information spoon fed you?”
“What’s your name? That shouldn’t be censored, right?”
The woman lifts her eyebrow and looks somewhat amused. She then moves and sits back behind the table.
“I might tell you in the future. Also, I know you Pride guys tend to do things your own way but consider the advice I gave you.” She pauses and seems to be listening to something. “Well, our time seems to be gone, so good luck. I will see you the next time you enter Beyond.”
Before that feeling pulls me away, I think of grabbing some paper or mana stones from the table but decide against it. Doing so could end very badly for me.
Appearing on what I guess is the surface of Beyond, I rouse the mana under my skin and redirect most of it to my defenses. My crown activates, and I slip into [Focus] to help me with skills and concentration.
I do not take the warnings she gave me lightly; she didn't seem prone to lies or exaggerations.
The place I’ve appeared is eerily quiet, and there is no wind at all. It's early morning, looking at it, but I can't find any sun in the sky. Yet there is light, and the blue of the sky is mixed with the orange colors of dawn.
The first difference is a huge increase in gravity pulling on me. Then another one is the constant pressure of something trying to take my mana. Only gradually do I realize it's the planet doing it, trying to pull my mana and send it somewhere below.
I then send my senses into the area around me and almost immediately feel something touch them. Some being senses my use of mana from what feels like miles away and immediately detect me, tracking my exact location.
Without any hesitation, I release all the kinetic energy I can and start running, then flying away from the presence.
I do not use my mana sense anymore; instead, I concentrate on keeping as much of my mana as I can inside my body while kinetic energy propels me forward.
As I run, I hear a sound reminiscent of a series of small, consistent explosions.
Just from that short touch of mana as it detected my senses, I know I have no chance at all.
Even so, I'm getting ready for the worst option, mana collecting inside my body, as I prepare to activate all my trump cards.
A constant wave of detection is being projected over the area, but the being seems to have trouble finding me now that I've stopped using my mana externally. It’s still a mile or two away, a distant explosion erupting from its location as I run and fly, searching for an entrance to the dungeon.
And the presence keeps coming closer, and closer from the sound of it. At this rate, it’ll find me in a few short moments.
Ready for anything, I boost myself high into the air and send my senses as far as I can, immediately feeling that pressure on me again. The rest of my kinetic energy pushes my body towards a cave in the distance, which radiates a constant stream of mana.
Already beginning to drain the kinetic energy in my core with my constant use, I start creating more with my heart as I use mana to boost my body and fire projectiles into the space behind me.
The view around me disappears in a blur of motion, and the explosions behind me slow down. There are fewer of them now, but they’re stronger, and the air reverberates even at this range.
As the cave comes into view, I rush inside, crashing into the walls and scrambling to rush further inside as I fail to slow down in time.
Another explosion thunders in my ears, and I feel something hit me.
The world spins, and a rush of different sounds fills my ears.
There are cobblestones under my body, and I find myself surrounded by a group of surprised people and buildings. All located inside of a huge cave.
I look down, and both of my legs are gone, ragged wounds covering what remains of my knees, pieces of bone and torn flesh exposing themselves to open air as I bleed profusely.
Generating thermal energy inside my body, I let my passive close the wound and replace my missing limbs with prosthetics made of mana.
Ignoring the looks I'm getting, I check my body and items and head somewhere more quiet.