As much as I would like to carefully explore all the options of the level 5 store I saw the stat of Channel available. I began making my stat point purchases. I had a long time to think about this and had already planned out how much I would purchase right away and in what order.

Since I had just over 10 billion points, I would go for my max out plan and keep the remaining points in reserve as health insurance. I spent around 10.3 billion points to upgrade my stats.

Body-20,000 (+17,870); Mind-10,000 (+8,950); Spirit-10,000 (+6,000); Perception-5,000 (+4,600); Aura-2,000 (+1,600); Regeneration-10,000 (+7,700); Endurance-2,000 (+1,800); Absorption-2,000 (+500); Sense-2,000 (+1,430); Channel-2,000 (+2,000) for a total of 65,000 total stat upgrades.

Body and Mind got some of the largest investments. I needed to up my speed and survivability. I was just too slow otherwise. I would have nothing to fear from level 4 and possibly level 5 mental attacks now. There was nothing unlocked or revealed once I hit those numbers which was unfortunate.

Spirit got a lot of attention as well. Having a huge gas tank was invaluable for taking out large swaths of enemies. I wanted to be able to have the energy to stay in a fight or escape as well. Perception got a larger upgrade for the danger sense. The thousand point threshold allowed me to sense when people were looking at me and everyone nearby was looking at me and judge their threat.

I didn’t care and no one was a threat. Aura got boosted to the base level I had in mind for all stats. I was able to project my emotions around me with the thousand point threshold. It was okay, but not that great.

Regeneration got a lot of love for future grinding so I wouldn’t cry when I upgraded my skills to the next level. It wouldn’t be much use with the cap in place based on the zone. But anything beyond a level 1 zone I would get the full benefit of the stat.

The rest of the stats were in the same boat as Aura. They were useful, but not critical. I wanted to have them, so I wasn’t lacking in any one area. Endurance’s threshold gave me energy conversion which allowed me to convert energy for enhanced physical healing. It wasn’t much from what the mental download was telling me, but it could be used in a pinch instead of a restoration over a long period of time.

Absorption let me draw in energy from my surroundings to use, but was highly dangerous, I already had it but my control would be better. Sense allowed me to perceive the energy types in other people’s skills. I had missed that since I had been only looking at my skills and the rebels didn’t use skills.

Channel allowed me to use enchanted items without consumption. The thousand-point threshold was the ability to channel my energy directly into the air. The shell technique I had learned from the Astrologer would be much easier to use now.

I would not be getting another large stat upgrade like this for a long time. I slowly removed my hands from the pillar and turned towards Fuyuka. She said something and I had Abs set off for what could only be the palace.

Nothing would remove my grin now. I had done it. Everything else was now icing on the cake. I also had around 500 million points in reserves as my health insurance plan. It was tempting to look at the other options in the store, but I wanted to finish the heist and get out of here.

Taking a look through would take a while. While I had time, a clean escape would be the best in my mind. The Divine Empress would show up after me and be in complete shock. If only there was a way to record a picture of her face once she realized what I had done.

The palace was a gaudy monstrosity. A completely white outside with black dragons painted on the outside and black dragon banners hanging down. The highest level was more of a balcony with soldiers patrolling around the top.

This was the heart of the Dragon Empire, and I was about to enter it. I was curious about the throne and if it truly screamed. One of the many tourist attractions of the evil empire. I almost chuckled out loud as we approached the two highly decorated doors, Abs leading the way.

Elite Black Talons in white armor were lined up outside the palace and the doors. Almost all of them kowtowed to Abs and I just found that hilarious. They were in such big trouble it would not even by funny.

Two of them opened the doors. We entered a large entry room that was two floors tall. Talk about wasting space, and the black and white motif with red lighting was a questionable design choice. Fuyuka said something and the soldiers shut the doors behind us as we kept advancing to the large doors on the other side of the entry room. The soldiers there left as well leaving through side doors. Leaving us alone in the entry chamber.

Stolen novel; please report.

I turned to Fuyuka who was grinning. “It worked,” she said. I removed my Edgelord helmet, still holding onto it, and grinned as well.

“Yes it did. Good job with everything, including that man. Probably the Master Fleshcrafter.”

“Thank you. Well, he mentioned about a prisoner in the throne room and sitting on the Empress’s Throne of Tortured Souls. That they couldn’t be killed either.”

“Now that is interesting. Thanks for letting me know.” I was glad she had given me a heads up. I didn’t want to go into this unprepared. The Master Fleshcrafter might have some tricks, but it was nothing next to my new stats.

An unkillable prisoner was interesting. Perhaps someone from the UCS that would have information that I could use and gain ground on the Astrologer. Whoever it was clearly was someone important that they couldn’t just kill them or remove them. To have free reign inside the palace invited even more questions.

I couldn’t imagine the Divine Empress tolerating just anyone. Well, it was time to meet the VIP. I put my helmet back on. I wanted to get their reaction to the Divine Empress and go from there. It would clue me into how the conversation would proceed.

I went to the two doors and pushed them open. A large hall with red lighting lined it on the outsides. There was a black marble floor with the outlines of a dragon etched into it. White pillars with screaming marble faces lined the path towards the far end of the massive throne room.

There on a raised platform was the Throne of Tortured Souls. I could hear their screams from the far end of the throne room. Sitting on the throne was a naked person. It took me a moment to realize what I was looking at.

It was a woman based on the body shape, but they had no limbs. Just rounded flesh stubs. Their legs were crossed hiding the lower portions of their anatomy. Their long white hair covered their nipples. Their eyes were covered by a black piece of cloth.

I noted the massively obese man from earlier at the foot of the screaming throne as he grinned at my group. He was probably the Master Fleshcrafter. Abs went forward and I closed the door behind us. I noted there were no guards anywhere in the throne room.

The screams were more like tortured moans. I could see the flesh and eyes twitching on the faces grafted to the outside of the throne. Well it was clear that the Divine Empress did not like this prisoner in the slightest. Removing the hands, feet, and probably eyes as well was not something you did to a favored VIP.

Still, I wondered what made this woman so special. Even with my Sense stat she only appeared to have a limited amount of stats. Half of the Master Fleshcrafter, so probably 8 to 10 thousand if I had to guess. It was impressive since that put her in a small club of people, but not the top of the elites like myself.

Even now I was grinning under my helmet like a madman since I had stolen all those points. Now I would learn some interesting things and kill the Master Fleshcrafter. Or I might just let him live to stir up trouble. He would either suffer under the Divine Empress when she returned or he would run off, drawing away her resources.

That would be quite useful, to create more chaos for the Divine Empress and use that chaos to hide as much as possible. Our footsteps echoed out across the throne room, as we approached, drowned out by the moaning and screaming.

Seriously they should give it a rest. I noticed the Master Fleshcrafter frowning. He probably noticed something off about Abs. Well, it was too late. Abs had done his part to get us this far. I could handle getting us out.

We came to a stop in front of the throne, the Master Fleshcrafter was off to the side watching carefully and looking nervous. Fuyuka opened her mouth to speak but was cut off. I jumped slightly as the voice sounded in my head.

“Welcome. To my lair of the Divine Empress.” It had to be the figure on the throne. “If you wish to speak, let us all do so in English. No need to keep up pretenses and Chinese grates on my ears.”

The Master Fleshcrafter stumbled back slightly. “And so the truth is revealed. That is not the Divine Empress! That is Abs!” I stumbled back as well at that. How did this person know that name!? Only two people knew it, myself and Fuyuka. That was it. Was this the third party who had hindered me.

“No. I am not who you think I am Champion Michael.”

“NO!” The Master Fleshcrafter screamed. “Exsanguinate!” He made a hand gesture at me. I was too off balance to react. A golden shield suddenly snapped into place and rippled. The Master Fleshcrafter spun to look at the grinning figure on the throne.

“It is too late for you now. She won’t forgive you for your failure. Your screams will be music to my ears Master Dum-Dum.”

“YOU! AND YOU!” The Master Fleshcrafter was having a mental breakdown as pointed at people and began screaming incoherently. He finally collapsed to the ground passed out. He had probably forgotten to breath and combined with the panic, he just feinted.

That was honestly impressive. To drive a man to such despair he raged so hard that he passed out. “And who are you?” I asked the figure sitting on the throne.

“I once had a name. But it has long been shed from my mortal coil. I go by a new name and title now. One you should respect.” Well, this woman clearly had power. The fact she stopped a skill with another skill without even moving was impressive. That golden light reminded me of something. I paled as the realization hit me who the woman was claiming to be.

“Impossible!” There was no way the Divine Empress had chained the Almighty System up in her palace!

“Close but not quite. I am the Avatar of the one you call the Almighty System.”