MY SYSTEM INCREASES MY POWER EVERY DAY WITHOUT MISSIONS AND LEVELLINGC160: Suprise
Chapter 160: Suprise
Richard wanted time to move faster so he could finally see his Incomplete Heavenly Water become complete.
He thought about what he could do and eventually realized the only option was to sleep — preferably for a full 24 hours straight.
The city was completely secure; it wouldn't matter even if he slept through everything.
He quickly returned to his room, jumped into bed, and pulled a thick blanket over himself before drifting into warm, comfortable sleep.
The coffee he had earlier didn't affect him at all. He could fall asleep as long as he forced himself to — after all, he hadn't slept during the day.
Once he fell asleep, he was unaware of everything happening outside.
However, he woke up the next morning — not because he wanted to, but because of a sudden loud shout.
"Brat! How long are you going to hide like a turtle!?"
The shout startled Richard so much that he sat up straight in bed.
He didn't even know who was yelling, but the voice was clearly filled with frustration.
The barbarians were supposed to arrive last night and attack the Defense Formation relentlessly.
But now, even by morning, it seemed they had realized they couldn't break through the formation at all.
"Brat! Come out and fight!"
"You're a coward, and you dare call yourself a genius!"
"A coward like you could never become a Grand Sovereign!"
Even though his plan was to keep sleeping, Richard found it impossible with so many voices shouting.
For their voices to reach his castle — located deep in the center of the city — they must have been yelling using a great amount of Aether.
It seemed like this was part of their strategy.
Curious, Richard sent his spiritual wave outside the city, toward the border with the Ancient Ice Region, to see how many enemies were attacking.
Although he couldn't see directly with his wave, he could sense beings with massive bodies.
They weren't riding horses but enormous beasts — tigers, lions, even wild elephants.
Richard was a bit shocked by their numbers; there seemed to be more than three thousand of them.
And among them, no less than twenty exuded a terrifyingly fierce aura — the kind that made Richard genuinely uneasy.
'We're still short on manpower. It seems no one dares leave the city either,' Richard thought.
"What...?"
As he continued observing, his eyes widened in disbelief — something completely unexpected appeared.
He instantly activated his Spectra Eye, the crimson eye that merged with his left one, and stepped onto the balcony.
The amount of Nature Spirit it consumed didn't matter to him right now.
Besides, he wasn't using it to see through walls — only to sharpen his long-distance vision.
Compared to penetrating solid structures, this required far less energy.
What shocked him was the sight of thirty Shadow Beasts, all of them lions and tigers, emerging on the battlefield.
They were so massive that even without his Spectra Eye, Richard could clearly see them from his balcony.
And from the moment they appeared, they went berserk — tearing into the barbarians, slaughtering the weak while the strong barely managed to flee.
But the beasts weren't what surprised Richard the most.
What truly stunned him was the figure of a black-haired woman in a black dress, floating above the city gate, cold and indifferent, holding a long crimson scythe in her hand.
"Why is she here too? Don't tell me she's after my reward..." Richard muttered to himself.
Of course, that woman was Rebecca.
Whoosh!
She swung her scythe, unleashing a ferocious slash that decapitated countless barbarians in one strike.
"She's Rebecca Moonshadow!" shouted some of the barbarians.
"Damn it, why is she here!? She's wiped out several of our tribes already!"
"Her power is terrifying!"
"Of course! She's never lost to anyone in the same Realm!"
"We should retreat — numbers are useless against someone like her! She's as strong as a Lord... maybe even stronger, even though she's still in the Grimoire Realm!"
"..."
"Rebecca! How dare you!"
A thunderous roar echoed from afar.
Richard looked up and saw a giant man, over three hundred meters tall, suddenly appear in the sky, wielding a golden axe that shone like the sun.
The man swung the massive weapon toward Rebecca.
Even from afar, the slash easily reached her position — it could have destroyed the entire Defense Formation and split Snowy Sky City in two.
"I'm still in the Grimoire Realm, so I qualify for this war. But I don't mind if you want to join too," Rebecca replied coldly.
Clang!
Her crimson scythe met the golden axe head-on.
The result shocked everyone.
The giant's axe was repelled, while Rebecca remained perfectly still in her position.
The shockwave rebounded toward the barbarian army, throwing many of them off their mounts.
Even the giant himself staggered backward, eyes wide in disbelief.
Rebecca's reputation was clearly well-deserved — she was strong enough to overpower even a Lord-level opponent.
Whoosh!
Rebecca then flew toward him.
A pair of crimson wings appeared on her back, boosting her speed to an extreme.
In an instant, she was in front of the giant, swinging her scythe once more — now coated with lightning and darkness.
Everything happened so fast that Richard barely had time to blink before the man's head was severed.
Moments later, lightning and darkness exploded, obliterating the giant's body completely.
The remaining barbarians fled in terror, lucky that Rebecca didn't bother chasing them.
The people in the city didn't fully understand what had happened, except for those standing on the walls who had witnessed it all clearly.
They were frozen in awe, stunned by what they'd just seen.
Those who had doubted her reputation finally saw the truth for themselves.
After ending the battle in mere moments, Rebecca landed atop the city gate, where Arthur was personally stationed.
"Tell your lord to hand over my reward immediately," she said coldly. "I believe I've earned every single one he promised."
Richard couldn't hear her words.
However, the woman's gaze turned directly toward him after she spoke.
It seemed she could clearly see him even from that great distance.
After all, with her level of power, her eyes could naturally reach far wider and farther than normal.
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MY SYSTEM INCREASES MY POWER EVERY DAY WITHOUT MISSIONS AND LEVELLINGC161: Words
Chapter 161: Words
If she was looking straight at him like that, Richard knew she could sense their blood connection.
However, Richard didn't see any surprise in her expression.
That made him suspect she already knew about their relationship.
Meanwhile, Arthur replied, "Lady Moonshadow, would you like to meet the City Lord in person? That way, you can receive your reward directly from him."
Arthur knew nothing of their relationship, but to him, this was the proper procedure — bringing the most meritorious person to meet the City Lord so they could receive their prize personally.
However, Rebecca immediately answered, "There's no need. I'll wait here — unless he brings it to me himself."
Arthur froze for a moment, realizing how proud this woman was.
She clearly didn't consider the City Lord worthy of meeting her in person.
Forcing a nod, Arthur replied, "Very well. Please wait here."
After saying that, he immediately took off, flying toward the City Lord's castle using the wings of his armor.
Even in his wildest imagination — where he had pictured many powerful individuals coming to fight the barbarians — he had never expected the Rebecca Moonshadow to appear, single-handedly driving away the entire barbarian horde.
A Lord had even been slain by her.
Arthur saw Richard standing on the balcony, so he flew directly there.
"City Lord..." he greeted respectfully.
"What did that woman say?" Richard asked in response, showing he already knew everything that had happened.
Arthur replied, "She said she wants her reward — all of the rewards you promised."
"Did you ask her to meet me?"
"Yes, but she refused — unless you're the one who goes to her. That's what she said."
Richard's brows furrowed immediately.
He thought the woman was looking down on him.
If they were strangers, that might've been acceptable — but she already knew he was her son.
After a moment of thought, Richard took out a single King Bloodline Core and handed it to Arthur.
"The rule I set is that one person receives one Bloodline Core. That doesn't change even if someone defeats every enemy alone," he said.
Though he had never explicitly stated such a rule before, he had said one Bloodline Core per person — and claiming it as a rule now made him appear completely justified.
Arthur, who rarely showed emotion, revealed a slightly odd expression after hearing Richard's words.
He glanced down at the Bloodline Core.
Though it was a King Bloodline Core, the beast carved upon it was a monkey — a monkey capable of shrinking its body to enhance its agility.
Richard thought it suited an arrogant woman like Rebecca quite well.
Even so, Arthur merely nodded. He didn't dare to refuse Richard's order and immediately flew back toward the city gate.
Rebecca was still waiting there, standing indifferently despite being the center of attention — whether from admiration of her power or her beauty.
She only looked at Arthur when he stopped in front of her.
"Lady Moonshadow," Arthur said, "according to the City Lord's rule, each person may only receive one Bloodline Core. Even though you defeated all the enemies yourself, you still only get one."
He repeated Richard's words exactly and handed her the Bloodline Core.
For a brief moment, the woman froze.
She looked up toward Richard's balcony again, but he had already turned and gone back inside his room.
Rebecca's brows furrowed, her face showing clear displeasure.
But the rules were not set by her, and she found no opening to protest.
When she looked down and saw what kind of King Bloodline Core she'd received, her expression darkened instantly.
A monkey?
Her beautiful face briefly flushed purple.
Though the ability wouldn't literally turn her into a monkey, it would shrink her body — making her movements resemble that of one.
Why would this be the Bloodline Core given to her?
In truth, she hadn't planned to use it personally anyway. A King Bloodline Core was below her standard — only Bloodline Cores from Primordial Beasts with ancestral lineage could truly tempt her. But to be given one from a monkey? That was a grave insult.
Rebecca immediately concluded that her son had done this on purpose.
She stared toward the castle in the middle of the city again, feeling a strong urge to confront him directly.
But this time, she restrained herself — though normally, she would never let such an insult pass.
She knew that if she went to meet the boy now, she would only end up suffering a greater humiliation.
That boy had a thousand ways to mock her.
Worst of all, Rebecca knew she couldn't actually do anything to him, since his protector was stronger than she was.
In the end, she turned back to Arthur and said, "Tell your master that I'm honored to see the trash I once discarded evolve into a shining diamond."
After saying that, she turned and disappeared, leaving Arthur stunned and confused, unable to understand what she meant.
Of course, he couldn't just go straight to Richard again.
There were still countless corpses outside the city that needed to be cleared by the city's soldiers.
Meanwhile, in his room, Richard sat alone, brows still slightly furrowed.
Fortunately, the woman had left.
He truly didn't want to see her.
Perhaps she didn't want to see him either.
Richard thought it would be better for them to meet only when he had become far stronger than her.
That way, she would be forced to grit her teeth in front of him.
'At least she solved my problem quickly,' he thought, still pleased that he didn't have to deal with the barbarian attack himself.
As he stayed in his room and focused on merging himself with the world, the day passed swiftly.
When night fell, he received a notification from the System.
DING!
(Your Heavenly Water points have increased from 91 to 100!)
Incomplete Heavenly Water (100 Points)
DING!
(Your Incomplete Heavenly Water has evolved into True Heavenly Water with an energy reserve of 0.01%!)
DING!
(Your mastery of the Codex of Moonshadow has increased from 46% to 50%!)
(Because your mastery of the Codex of Moonshadow has reached 50%, one of your Innate Arcane Arts — Moonshadow Armor — has been unlocked!)
Codex of Moonshadow (50%)
[Innate Arcane Art from Codex of Moonshadow:
Moonshadow Armor]
(Notification: You have reached the current limit of System-assisted growth. The System will temporarily cease providing enhancements until you advance to the World Realm.)
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MY SYSTEM INCREASES MY POWER EVERY DAY WITHOUT MISSIONS AND LEVELLINGC162: Training
Chapter 162: Training
At this moment, Richard's body radiated a golden light that was both beautiful and majestic, carrying an aura that was serene yet oppressive — as if it possessed infinite vitality.
However, Richard couldn't care less about the changes happening to his body.
He was shocked and bewildered after reading the final message from the System.
It stopped?
How could it stop?
So, there really was a limit to the enhancement granted by the System.
And it stopped once he reached the World Realm.
Richard couldn't say he was unhappy — but there was a certain discomfort in his heart, as he had grown used to the feeling of progress that wasn't the result of his own effort.
If that was the case, didn't this mean he would now have to rely on himself entirely to improve his mastery over the Codex and Arcane Arts he possessed?
'Looks like, for now, I really have to focus solely on training to reach the World Realm,' he thought.
He had many things he wanted to do, yet suddenly he lost interest in them all.
Nothing felt more important than advancing to the World Realm, even though he didn't know how long it would take.
It was, indeed, a difficult goal.
Of course, it would be troubling if he still failed even after ten years.
"Boy, it's done!" Suddenly, the Fire Spirit Queen appeared again in his room and tossed a golden coin toward Richard.
It landed perfectly in his palm.
Naturally, it was the Ignis Volt Core.
Richard furrowed his brows — it didn't seem any different.
However, instead of asking immediately, he focused his senses on it.
As he did, he discovered the difference.
He even found a special space within the golden coin — a space capable of storing something, though its main function was clearly to contain a Nature Spirit that could serve as an energy source for the Ignis Volt Core.
Of course, the most intriguing part was that when he linked it with his Sixth Sense, he found that he could draw it into his body — turning it into an External Power.
However, there didn't seem to be much difference whether it was fused with his body or not.
If he fused it, he could fire it directly from his hand, finger, or even mouth.
After thinking for a while, since it was an artificial construct, Richard decided not to merge it with his body, wary that it might contain something dangerous.
"Do you still want anything else, boy?" asked the Fire Spirit Queen while Richard was still examining the Ignis Volt Core.
"Your Majesty, I want to begin serious training to become one with the world. I think it's quite difficult for me. Do you have any advice?" Richard replied.
In this matter, there was no shame in asking the Fire Spirit Queen — she had immense experience in magic.
"So you can also find things difficult?" the Fire Spirit Queen said mockingly.
This time, Richard ignored her sarcasm and waited quietly for her explanation.
"Boy, in my opinion, it will take you much longer to reach the World Realm," she said.
"Why?" Richard was surprised to hear that.
"Because you're too young. You've reached the peak of Life Aether at far too young an age. Your body isn't yet fully attuned to this world. Remember — this process is about your body becoming one with the world itself. That means you'll need a period of adaptation first. Talents like you have appeared throughout history, but all of them took a long time to reach the World Realm."
"How long do you think it'll take for me to reach the World Realm?" Richard asked.
"Ten years, at the earliest," she replied — and Richard's face twitched.
He hadn't even lived for ten years in this world.
Richard felt like she was spouting nonsense, but she was clearly serious.
"In ten years, does that mean my power won't increase at all?" he asked quietly, frowning.
"All Magi go through a phase like that. But as long as you build a solid foundation, when you finally reach the World Realm, the world will reward you according to that foundation. You might even reach near the Peak of the World Realm instantly upon advancement, depending on your groundwork. If you make good use of this time, when you ascend, your strength will soar to unimaginable heights."
"Ohhh..." Richard had indeed heard of such cases before — though the information was vague, as it only applied to a few exceptionally gifted individuals whose mastery over their Codex and Arcane Arts grew tremendously during the process of merging with the world.
Because of that, they received a reward from the world itself.
---
Not long after his conversation with the Fire Spirit Queen, Richard met with Arthur, who had come to report.
"My Lord, we've cleared the battlefield area, but... we didn't find any loot," Arthur said, surprising Richard.
After all, loot was one of the things he had been looking forward to.
"Did that woman take it?" Richard asked.
"We suspect so. With her power, she could have easily collected all the Storage Artifacts from the barbarians without us even noticing," Arthur replied.
"Just leave it, then," Richard said flatly.
"My Lord, Lady Moonshadow also left a message for you," Arthur continued.
"What is it?" Richard asked.
When he was told to speak, Arthur hesitated.
He hadn't understood it at first, but after some thought and observation, he'd begun to form a few convincing assumptions.
"Just say it," Richard said, noticing Arthur's silence.
He guessed it wasn't something pleasant to hear.
But not that he cared.
When Richard gave such an order, Arthur had no choice but to speak.
"She said she feels honored to see that the trash she once discarded has evolved into a shining diamond."
Richard: "..."
"Anyway, there's something I want to ask of you," Richard said after a brief silence.
He didn't think much of Rebecca's words.
"Please, my Lord," Arthur replied, showing an expression ready to accept any command.
"I plan to undergo long-term training. It may take a very long time, and I don't intend to stop until I reach the World Realm," Richard said — shocking Arthur.
"During my training, I want you to manage the city entirely. During that time, I will be... unreachable."
***
Richard wanted a place where he could train without any disturbance.
Speaking of such a place, there was only one that came to mind — his village.
He asked the Fire Spirit Queen to take him and Sister Lisa back home.
With the Fire Spirit Queen carrying them, the journey ended in no time.
They soon arrived again at Purple Rose Village, the place they had long left behind — but of course, it remained completely unchanged.
The only slight difference was that Mr. Joe seemed to have left the village.
Richard had no idea where he had gone, and neither did the villagers. He assumed the old man had gone on a journey to train in magic.
Since Richard only wanted to begin training immediately, he went straight to his ancestor's cottage — the one who had also mysteriously disappeared.
He entered the underground passage from the cottage and descended into the Dragon Hall.
With the Fire Spirit Queen residing in the cottage, safety was not something he had to worry about at all.
Instead of going to the designated training chamber, he chose a random spot to sit — beside a wall, leaning quietly against it.
He didn't need to absorb Aether, except occasionally to replace the nourishment he required, so he didn't have to stay in a room with a dense concentration of Aether.
'Can I really endure endless training?' Richard questioned himself.
He was used to wandering freely, but now he had to confine himself — to focus solely on cultivation. For now, his determination burned strong, but he knew that sooner or later, boredom would creep in.
'Well, this is ultimately a life trial I must overcome,' he thought.
He began closing his eyes, concentrating on finding a way to unite himself with the world.
It was a new beginning for him — but for others, it was as if he had vanished from the face of the earth.
The Eastern Region of the Land of Humans was shaken by his talent.
He might have only roamed within the Holy Star Kingdom, but even the Order of the Crimson Veil had taken notice of him and extended an invitation to join.
Even without future achievements, his name was already destined to be engraved in history — not easily forgotten.
But now, he was gone.
Neither his enemies nor his allies could find him, no matter how hard they searched.
Countless rumors spread. His enemies claimed he had been killed by a powerful Magus, leaving no trace behind.
Meanwhile, his allies believed he had entered long-term training to advance to the World Realm.
As he kept pushing himself, Richard eventually learned to endure the solitude within the Dragon Hall.
Time itself trained him, turning the grueling routine into something he could bear with ease.
Of course, he didn't spend every moment trying to merge with the world — he also relied on his talent to deepen his mastery over his Codex and Arcane Arts.
Even with his talent, without the habit of training alone, it was still a difficult path for him.
However, over time, his mastery continued to grow — little by little, step by step.
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MY SYSTEM INCREASES MY POWER EVERY DAY WITHOUT MISSIONS AND LEVELLINGC163: World Realm
Chapter 163: World Realm
[Codex:
Codex of the Dragon Emperor (65%) +15
Codex of the Moonshadow (65%) +15
Codex of the Endless Flame (45%) +16
Codex of the Celestial Being (35%) +17]
[Arcane Art:
100 Shadow Monster (50%) +31
Lighting of Darkness (60%) +29
Mind Attack (20%) +7
Flame Lotus (25%) +13
Dragon Fist (40%) +11
Blood Devourer (20%) +5]
Years passed, and Richard made great progress in mastering both the Codex and Arcane Arts.
His improvement in these areas might not have increased his raw physical power, but in combat, he had undoubtedly become much more fearsome.
However, the most significant change was his physical appearance.
Eight years went by, and he grew into a tall, well-built young man with solid muscles. His face had evolved into one so handsome it was difficult to describe with words.
Without any particular self-care routine, his growth had still been exceptional. Even though he never trimmed any facial hair, none ever grew.
He didn't know whether it was genetics or something else.
Appearance, however, wasn't what he cared about most.
He cared more about his Realm.
Although the Fire Spirit Queen had told him it would take at least ten years, he was determined to advance in less than that.
Unfortunately, things weren't as simple as he imagined.
Perhaps it's time I stop focusing on the Codex and Arcane Arts and instead focus on becoming one with the world, he thought as he looked at his stats.
Even without much personal training, he felt that his progress in both areas was still significant.
Some had advanced greatly, while others had only grown a little.
Still, he knew that his mastery of the Codex and Arcane Arts far surpassed that of most Life Aether Magi—
even far beyond that of most Magi in the World Realm.
With such a foundation, his base was more than solid.
Once he advanced to the World Realm, the world itself would surely grant him many rewards.
Now, he no longer wanted two focuses, but only one—becoming one with the world.
In truth, it wasn't that he hadn't found a path over these eight years.
He simply hadn't straightened it completely; there were still confusing bends he couldn't quite explain, even in his own thoughts.
It was about the mind.
He knew that much, but he hadn't found it yet.
Time passed again, and another year went by as he continued trying to become one with the world.
Nine plus eight—he was officially seventeen years old now.
He pushed himself harder, feeling uneasy at the thought of passing this age without reaching the World Realm.
'My body is already in harmony with the world, but my mind isn't. I don't understand the world enough yet,' Richard thought.
He recalled everything he had ever seen—
the many landscapes, the many people, especially those who had truly become one with the world.
They made no distinction between sky and land. Even the air itself could be stepped upon and walked across.
How did they do it?
'No, I think that from the moment one is born, they are already part of the world and should be one with it. But something must have separated them. It's not something visible—or even invisible—it's only the mind.'
Richard began to gain new insights.
He felt closer, though he still couldn't fully grasp it.
'Like an apple that has fallen from its tree—it's separated from the tree and the world, yet it can still grow into a new tree and return to the world.'
From gaining various realizations, he began to experience moments of enlightenment, nodding repeatedly as if to say he understood.
As these enlightenments emerged, an extraordinary phenomenon occurred.
Suddenly, Aether began to appear all around him, as if drawn to enter his body.
Not just Aether—
but also hatred, anger, grudges, and despair that could serve as fuel for his Black Heart.
Without battle or death, yet such emotions emerged—
it could only be the world's gift to him.
All of it seemed ready to pour into his body once he advanced to the World Realm.
Their numbers only grew with time, until the Dragon Hall appeared completely violet, filled with perhaps tens of thousands of Tier 3 Aether.
Richard no longer meditated with his eyes closed.
He looked around him, smiling, almost laughing.
He could feel it—
the world was pulling him to become one with it.
In truth, it might be impossible for anyone to make themselves one with the world.
Only the world itself could do that—
but one needed to understand and align with it so that the world would pull them into oneness.
Buzz!
Richard's body began to absorb the surrounding Aether, along with the anger and resentment that transformed into power for his Black Heart.
It was incredibly fast—
so fast that even he was astonished.
At that speed, his strength rose to an unimaginable level.
His body, now one with the world, underwent a drastic transformation, making him several times stronger even without the added Aether.
Yet his Aether surged dramatically, nearly reaching its limit.
DING!
(You have successfully become one with the world and advanced to the World Realm!)
(To advance to the next realm, you must create a Grimoire!)
[Status:]
[Name: Richard]
[Magic Realm: World]
[Aether: 48,000 / 50,000
[Aether Accumulation: 83,000
[Soul: Black Heart Soul]
[Black Heart Hidden Power: 55,000 / 55,000]
Richard didn't even blink as he looked at his latest data.
His Aether Accumulation was massive.
He couldn't help but remember the days when he could only gather a little Aether in a day.
Compared to that time, he had no idea how many times stronger he was now.
One thing he was certain of—
he was now capable of destroying a small city like Apple Town in a single strike.
And that was because his power far exceeded his current level.
In terms of combat power, he was even stronger than before. The number of Tiers he surpassed was far greater.
Compared to Magi of the Grimoire Realm, he was confident he stood on par with those at the peak—
as long as they weren't the type with exceptionally high combat strength like Rebecca.
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MY SYSTEM INCREASES MY POWER EVERY DAY WITHOUT MISSIONS AND LEVELLINGC164: Change
Chapter 164: Change
'Gathering another 2,000 Aether isn't difficult, but creating a Grimoire... that will be the real obstacle,' Richard thought as he examined his data.
However, compared to becoming one with the world, creating a Grimoire probably wouldn't take too long.
It wasn't something that required enlightenment—it was about uniting all of his foundations to produce something greater.
And he already had everything necessary to create that Grimoire.
Of course, the process had to be done slowly.
Richard would think about it later.
"Nine years—one year faster," he murmured with a faint, satisfied smile.
Even though it was close to ten, it was still nine.
However, his age had technically just passed eighteen by a few days.
Whoosh!
He took out a large mirror and placed it beside him, looking at the reflection of his grown-up self wearing a plain black robe—his Phantom Robe, adjusted to his adult body.
His appearance genuinely surprised him.
His father, Edward Skylight, was the most handsome man he had ever seen, but without a doubt, his own face was even more striking.
Most importantly, he hadn't inherited his father's lean frame. His body was well-built, with a broad chest, firm skin, and muscles that looked solid and strong.
There was even a change in his hair—it was still black, but now faintly streaked with silver.
Richard wasn't sure how that happened.
Of course, it didn't matter.
"How has the world changed after all this time?" he wondered aloud.
For the powerful, ten years didn't mean much. Even a hundred years would be a more noticeable change for them.
But for those who were young ten years ago, they would now be adults.
The children from the orphanage, for instance—by now, they probably had their own lives, maybe even married with children.
Except for Augus, perhaps none of them had particularly exciting lives.
Richard didn't know what had become of that boy—whether he had risen in glory or fallen into ruin. Who knew if he'd managed to win over Emma, the commander's daughter from the Sky Armor Legion—the red-haired girl from back then.
But the person Richard was most curious about was his adoptive mother's daughter, Grace Moonshadow.
She couldn't possibly still be a little girl now—she must have become a grown woman.
Richard also thought of his old enemies—Prince Charles, Duke Ethan Holystar. Surely they had grown stronger as well over these years.
But Richard believed the gap between them had narrowed.
Whoosh!
Richard stepped out of the Dragon Hall, leaping straight up from underground.
"Ohhh..."
The forest by the river, where the old cabin stood, looked almost unchanged.
Richard saw no development around his ancestral home.
Nor did he sense his ancestor's presence.
But the red-haired woman was still there, sitting behind a table, relaxing with her legs crossed as she enjoyed the view, sipping chilled wine.
Richard could tell that she no longer carried the weight of her past—or at least, after nearly ten years of seclusion, she had let go of her identity as a slave.
It seemed she rarely met Aldric anymore, so her inner pressure had faded.
The moment Richard appeared, the Fire Spirit Queen looked at him with a rare expression of shock.
Of course, someone at her level could recognize him instantly through his aura, despite the changes in his physique.
She seemed genuinely surprised that the little boy from back then had grown into such a handsome, imposing man.
And, more importantly, that he had advanced to the World Realm.
The Fire Spirit Queen could still roughly gauge Richard's strength.
She could feel that it had truly skyrocketed—to the point of being worthy of the word evolved.
Richard took a step forward, walking on air—an experience even more wondrous than flying.
With each step, his speed increased drastically, allowing him to traverse great distances effortlessly.
He arrived before the Fire Spirit Queen and casually sat at her table—since it only had one chair.
After sitting down, Richard grabbed her cup and took a sip of her wine.
With his adult body, he had no problem drinking it.
Besides, it was light wine—not intoxicating, merely rich in flavor.
The Fire Spirit Queen frowned at Richard's utterly disrespectful behavior.
Even in her worst imagination, she had never thought that a Queen who once fought for the World Magic Aether would be treated this way.
Unfortunately, she couldn't protest—she could only suppress her anger.
"Queen, has anything major happened while I was training?" Richard asked.
"In my eyes, even if this kingdom were destroyed, it wouldn't be a big deal," she replied coldly.
Richard rolled his eyes but held himself back from scolding her.
Now wasn't the time for discipline.
"I mean something major—from my point of view," he clarified.
"This kingdom has lost half of its territory," the Queen replied.
"What?"
Richard, who had just crossed his legs, immediately straightened up in shock.
"How could that happen?"
"They were invaded by the Holy Light Kingdom."
"The Holy Light Kingdom managed to take half of this kingdom?" Richard's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Why not? The Holy Light Kingdom is newly established but far stronger than the declining Starshine Kingdom, which hasn't produced a capable magus in years. Even their Second Grand Ancestor hasn't reappeared, while the Holy Light Kingdom has ten Grand Generals who once served under the Holy Light Grand Sovereign. Their foundation is formidable. The king was killed, and the queen became their captive. Right now, your fiancée is the reigning Queen. The only reason this kingdom hasn't been fully destroyed is that a prince of the Holy Light Kingdom has proposed marriage to her."
Richard: "..."
"You should be pleased—your fiancée has become incredibly powerful after merging with part of the royal inheritance. She's now a Lord capable of battling a Ruler-level opponent. With her Grand Weapon, she even killed two of the Holy Light Kingdom's Grand Generals."
"Anything else?" Richard asked calmly, relieved that Lilith was still safe.
"Your other enemy, Duke Ethan Holystar, became the Lord of the Crimson Veil. He was the one who helped the Holy Light Kingdom defeat the Starshine Kingdom."
Richard nodded at that.
He hadn't expected that man to become the Lord of Crimson Veil.
As for what happened to the previous Lord—he wasn't sure.
"By the way, there hasn't been any disturbance in my village, right?" he asked.
"The war never reached this place."
"How about my town?"
"It should've been destroyed a year ago, but a girl from the Moonshadow Family came to defend it with a powerful army."
"Ohh..."
Richard thought his ears were deceiving him, but that was impossible.
Who could that girl be?
Only one name came to mind—Grace.
Too much had happened, it seemed.
"What about my ancestor?" Richard asked, curious about his condition.
"He hasn't appeared for five years, but you don't need to worry. He went off to train after finding something valuable in the river out front."
That was good news. Richard stopped worrying about him.
He began to think about his next move.
But since everything seemed fine, there was no need to rush.
After being gone so long, a little more time didn't matter.
"Queen, do you still have any wine left?" Richard asked, crossing his legs again.
At that question, the Fire Spirit Queen frowned even deeper.
Still, she took out a luxurious clay jar inlaid with gemstones.
"Please!" Richard raised his cup, signaling her to pour.
The Queen looked even more annoyed, but powerless to refuse.
She poured the wine, which seemed chilled even from inside the jar.
Richard inhaled its rich aroma.
Aside from its pleasant taste, it was the kind of wine that made the body feel light and the mind slightly lifted—a confidence booster more than anything.
He drank it without hesitation. The coolness in his mouth turned into warmth in his throat—refreshing and smooth.
The Fire Spirit Queen watched him drink.
To her, perhaps these ten years felt short—but the boy who once gave her orders had now become a man.
Without the difference in power, they might even appear the same age.
After all, between eighteen and the late twenties, appearances hardly changed if one maintained purity.
And Richard was immaculate—he had never even broken a sweat during his seclusion in the Dragon Hall.
Yet to the Fire Spirit Queen, compared to a grown man, she still preferred being commanded by a boy.
As a beautiful woman, she knew all too well how dangerous young men could be.
Unfortunately, she wasn't just bound by a Slave Seal. She was tied by her own vow—unable to resist, unable to die.
Whatever this young man desired from her, she could not refuse.
As her mind began to fill with dangerous thoughts, the Fire Spirit Queen suddenly gasped when Richard looked straight into her eyes and asked—
"What are you thinking about, Queen?"
His sharp gaze struck her so hard she almost staggered.
The Fire Spirit Queen was a woman who rarely found herself in an awkward situation, yet for the first time, she looked genuinely flustered.
Richard merely smiled and added, "You must be worried that I'll do something indecent to you."
"..."
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MY SYSTEM INCREASES MY POWER EVERY DAY WITHOUT MISSIONS AND LEVELLINGC165: Village
Chapter 165: Village
The woman's thoughts were far too easy for Richard to read.
Even if she was a proud woman who had once stood at the peak of the world, how could she not fear something like this?
Her rosy lips parted and closed, though not too dramatically, after hearing his words. Yet, she quickly steadied her expression.
"You'd better not try anything strange," she said in a threatening tone.
Her cold eyes stared sharply at him.
But Richard only smiled.
He found it amusing—seeing this cold and arrogant woman panic.
Her beauty almost made him forget that she had once been an old, dying woman.
"You know, My Queen," Richard said with a playful grin, "it's really difficult at my age. Just so you know, 80% of what crosses my mind involves beautiful women. And you, of course, are one of the most distracting."
The Fire Spirit Queen: "..."
"But don't worry," Richard added as he noticed her blank, almost panicked expression, "I may make you do difficult things, but I won't defile you in any filthy way."
After saying that, Richard stood up and flew toward the Purple Rose Village, leaving the Fire Spirit Queen behind—her face frozen as if she couldn't think of anything at all.
With flight, it only took Richard a short while to arrive at Purple Rose Village.
It didn't look much different from before, but to his surprise, their orphanage had become massive.
It wasn't just one or two times larger—it was ten times bigger, with five floors, far more space, and many more children living inside.
He even saw nearly twenty sisters who seemed to share responsibilities.
And Richard quickly spotted Sister Lisa, who was teaching older children how to use swords and spears.
He was a little surprised when he saw her—she didn't seem to have aged at all.
Apparently, her mastery over the Heavenly Armor had improved to the point where she could fully merge with it, relying on that to resist aging.
Without thinking too much, Richard stepped toward her, appearing directly in front of her and startling the children who were training.
Sister Lisa was stunned, clearly on guard—but when she saw him, a sense of familiarity washed over her.
"You?" she said with a puzzled look.
"Sister Lisa, don't you recognize me anymore?" Richard replied with a chuckle.
"Richard?"
It didn't take long for Sister Lisa to realize who he was.
His facial structure was still the same, and though his voice had changed, it retained a familiar tone that anyone who had heard him often would recognize immediately.
"Of course, it's me. Sister, how have you been?" Richard asked warmly.
The young children—those who had once been like Richard—looked at him in awe when they heard his name.
Their eyes blinked rapidly, full of disbelief.
To the children of this orphanage, Richard was a living legend.
At their age, his name was already famous throughout the Holy Star Kingdom.
"Have you finished your training?" Sister Lisa asked instead of answering his question.
"Yes, I'm done. At least for now, I don't need to lock myself away for so long anymore," Richard replied.
"Thank goodness. You know, I thought you'd never show up again." Sister Lisa sighed in relief.
Richard rolled his eyes playfully at that.
"By the way, Sister Lisa, how did this orphanage become so big?" he asked.
"It's because of the war. Many children lost their parents and had to stay here. We received a lot of donations to expand the orphanage," Sister Lisa explained.
"Richard, Lilith asked me to tell you to see her as soon as you're done training," she added.
"Why?" Richard asked.
He wasn't surprised about the war, but he was curious why Lilith wanted to see him so urgently.
"That... I'm not sure, but she said it's something important." Sister Lisa shook her head.
"I see..." Richard nodded.
"By the way, Sister, would you like to come with me?" he asked.
With so many sisters in the orphanage now, Richard felt it wouldn't be a problem if Sister Lisa left whenever she wished.
When asked, Sister Lisa seemed hesitant—uncertain whether to go or to refuse.
Richard waited patiently for her answer.
He knew how deeply she cared for the orphanage, but he also knew she had a lingering desire to see the world beyond it.
At least, if she followed him, she could witness a far greater world—not just this kingdom.
After a moment of silent thought, glancing between the orphanage, the children, and Richard, Sister Lisa finally shook her head.
"Richard, you can go ahead first. I'll follow later. There's still some training I need to complete. If I succeed, I'll leave and join you," she said softly.
So, she simply needed more time. Richard nodded lightly.
"Then I'll go first, Sister," he said.
With so many changes to the orphanage, Richard couldn't help but feel slightly out of place.
That was why he wanted to leave—he knew he was destined to explore the world.
Sister Lisa said nothing, only watched him as he summoned his airship, which soared into the sky.
The orphans watched in awe at the sight.
Whoosh!
Richard leaped onto the airship as it ascended.
The ship didn't fly too fast; he still had something—or rather, someone—to find: his horse, Athena.
It hadn't gone missing, merely wandering freely.
During his training, Athena often roamed on her own to grow stronger.
Of course, she never went too far—always within a range that Richard could faintly sense her presence.
Thanks to their bond as man and beast, he could roughly perceive where she was.
But he needed to get closer for Athena to sense him in return.
Once she did, she would definitely come to him.
Whoosh!
Not long after, Richard spotted Athena flying swiftly in her smaller form.
Her appearance hadn't changed, but her aura was clearly stronger—her tier must have risen significantly, perhaps to Tier 48 or 49.
Relying solely on her Bloodline, Athena could continue to grow as long as she didn't grow lazy.
The horse quickly landed on Richard's airship, looking excited as she pressed her head against his chest.
Whether he was a boy or now a grown man, Athena never seemed to see him any differently.
Richard smiled faintly, gently stroking her head without saying a word.
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