[Max's POV]
I kept staring at my own eyes. After a full minute, I moved away from the mirror—but then got back again and focused my intent on disengaging the Skill. Luckily, my eyes returned to normal.
I sighed in relief. Those eyes were majestic and powerful, but I didn't want to move around like someone with stars studded in my eyes.
The passive ability worked even now, and within 360° around me for fifty meters there were no blind spots. I could even expand this field at the expense of mana and mental strength—which I had in abundance. The rest of the functions would be better judged in combat or other scenarios.
I came to my bed, then decided to go over the last thing waiting in my inventory—Chests.
I had four Uncommon Chests. I'd thought of using my Talent and Ability combo, but after seeing the result of my eyes, I wanted to check first if something useful would come out of it. I didn't want some overpowered thing that would be useless.
I opened the chest from the Slime Dungeon.
---
[Uncommon Chest Opened!]
Obtained: Verdant Core Fragment ×1
Obtained: Biogel Essence ×3
Obtained: Acid Veil Cloak (Common)
Obtained: Recipe – Elixir of Elastic Vitality
---
I gave the Core to Lamina after multiplying and fusing it into a complete core. The Recipe and Biogel Essence were of no use, so I just stored them for now.
The Common-range cloak was interesting. I already had a Mythical Cloak with high agility, elemental resistance, and magical resistance, so I multiplied and fused it until it reached Legendary Rank, then fused it with my cloak—'Aetherveil of Eternum'.
The result was astounding. The previous appearance, although shiny and smooth, lacked uniqueness, but now its form was jaw-dropping. It had some abilities, though I would probably never use them.
What fascinated me was its semi-conscious state and its ability to learn in combat and camouflage—both extremely useful to me.
The look of the cloak, 'Eternal Dreadshroud of the Abyss Cosmos,' if I were to describe it: a cloak of infinite depth and cosmic radiance. It's outer surface glimmered with starlit constellations flowing like liquid nebulae, while the inner lining seethed with red tendrils that pulsed like living shadows.
I moved on to the second Chest from the Spectral Burrows.
---
[Uncommon Chest Opened!]
Obtained: Soulcoil Mandible (Weapon Material) ×2
Obtained: Ectoplasmic Catalyst ×3
Obtained: Skill Book [Phase Step]
Obtained: Valkorath's Core Fragment (Rare)
---
I stored the Weapon Material and Ectoplasmic Catalyst, then used my Talent and Ability combo to make a complete Valkorath's Core and fed it to Lamina to help her gain Soul/Spirit Affinity.
The Skill Book felt interesting to me, so I followed my usual procedure—which resulted in something exciting.
---
[Ghostwalk Paradox] (Rank: EX)
Element: Space, Spirit
Type: Stealth
Description: Instead of simply phasing, you cease to exist within perception.
The user slips between all sensory layers—physical, spiritual, and conceptual—for a short duration.
During Ghostwalk, even the memory of the user fades temporarily.
Mana Cost: Extremely High
Remark: "To walk unseen is mortal; to walk forgotten is divine."
---
Then came the third Chest from the Twilight Echoing Cavern.
---
[Uncommon Chest Opened!]
Obtained: Echo Crystal ×3
Obtained: Shadow Essence Core ×2
Obtained: Skill Book [Bat Wing]
Obtained: Echo Rune of Silence (Unique)
---
This chest was an interesting one. I did the same procedure with the core and material. The skill Bat Wing was intriguing as it provided small flight with absolute silence, so I didn't wait and immediately raised its rank by Multiplication and Fusion to EX Rank.
---
[Eclipsion: Wings of First Silence] (Rank: EX)
Element: Shadow, Wind, Space
Type: Mobility / Stealth / Distortion
Description: These wings exist beyond sound, beyond light, and even beyond spatial law.
When spread, all vibrations within their reach cease to exist.
Mana Cost: Extremely High
Remark: "When the first sound fell into silence, a wing was born from nothing."
---
Then I focused on the Unique item—or rather, my first Unique item—the Echo Rune of Silence.
---
[Echo Rune of Silence]
Type: Item
Description: Adds a passive Trait of Sound Nullification on any weapon or equipment.
---
Simple information, but very powerful—and I immediately had the best candidate for it: my little glutton, Lamina Veri.
I held Lamina in my hand and looked at the blade.
"You'll surely like this," I said softly. "I'm not fusing this with you yet because I still don't have enough control over my Talent. So wait for a little bit."
Lamina hummed in response, happily.
Now I moved to the last Chest. I still remembered the message I'd seen when I cleared the Labyrinth, and I was curious what change had occurred.
---
[Uncommon Chest Opened!]
Obtained: Egg of Remnant of Ignis Lupen
---
I stared at the egg for a minute—an obsidian-type shell with vein-like structures all over it. I checked its description.
---
[Egg of Remnant of Ignis Lupen]
Type: Beast (Re-born)
Affinity: Fire, Shadow (due to rebirth)
Estimated hatching time: Depends on proximity to Player and mana-rich environment
---
"Wolfie!! Why, System?" I abruptly asked.
---
[The Beast had a deep yearning for Power at time of death and also Player's remorse. So Tower saw it fitting to provide a chance to both.]
---
Really, the Tower almost sounded happy.
I looked at the egg again, used my Innate Ability instantly, and started fusing it. If I was going to have some pet or companion, then they had to be OP too.
In a few minutes, the process was complete, and a new egg rested in front of me.
---
[Primordial Eclipse Howler Egg]
Type: Primordial Beast
Affinity: Fire, Shadow
Estimated hatching time: Depends on the amount of mana provided by the Player
---
A Primordial Beast would do. No change in Affinity—but that was fine.
Its appearance was beautiful. The shell of the egg was semi-transparent obsidian crystal with a galaxy of moving embers inside. Veins of gold and silver pulsed like living arteries. At its core, an eclipse—a black flame sun surrounded by drifting motes of crimson light.
It was an extremely beautiful egg. I touched the shell to pour some of my mana into it, but a system panel flickered before me.
---
[Choose a bloodline for the Egg:]
1. Dominant Wolf Bloodline (The Sovereign Lupen Line)
2. Dominant Dragon Bloodline (The Dracowyrm Line)
3. Balanced Bloodline Path (The Eclipse Genesis Line)
---
The choice was obvious. I chose the third path—but stopped. I didn't want it to hatch immediately, so I stored it in my inventory.
I slumped back onto the bed.
"So that's everything on the list currently. I should sleep for a few hours. There's nothing more to do right now. I'll try to buy this hotel in the morning."
With that, I closed my eyes and drifted into sleep.
The next morning, I woke up early, ate breakfast, and went to meet the manager of the hotel.
She was a beautiful woman with a voluptuous body, sitting on a couch and sipping coffee—probably lost in thought.
As I stood in front of her, she also stood up and spoke politely.
"Hello. What can I do for you, Mr.?"
"Max," I said. "I wanted to talk to you about buying this hotel."
I spoke upfront. I wanted to start my climb, so I needed to close the deal as quickly as possible.
She faltered for a bit. "Mr. Max, I've heard a lot about you. The first person to get their name in the Myth List of the Tower even before starting your climb. Can I know the reason for this demand? You'll probably go to the next floor in a day or two and never look back."
"There can be multitudes of reasons," I replied calmly. "You don't have to worry about your hotel or its reputation. You can run it however you like. You'll only have to accept a few of my requests now and then—and they won't be harmful to you or the hotel."
I explained in the shortest way possible.
She seemed deep in thought. I was tempted to use my active ability, OGS (Omniscient Genesis Sight), but I refrained until I had a better grasp of the skill.
After a few minutes, she looked up and extended her hand.
"Pardon me, Mr. Max. I'm Lina," she said. "I was surprised, to say the least, after hearing such an offer from a one-day climbing player. I built this hotel from scratch, and I had a dream—to take it to the glorious 50th Floor. Selling it to you would dampen that dream."
I raised my brows internally. Glorious 50th Floor, huh.
I looked her straight in the eyes while shaking hands with her.
"What if I promised you that after a year, I'll provide you with the best place, money, and everything else to open a hotel on the 50th Floor under your 'Silver Spire' chain—and that will be just the start. I'm willing to sign a binding system contract for this."
She was visibly confused and surprised to hear that. She leaned slightly back on the sofa.
"You're hell-bent on buying this hotel, aren't you? And if you're signing a binding contract, that means you really can do it. Okay, Mr. Max—I'm willing to gamble on this. Return with one hundred fifty thousand Myth Coins, and we'll have a deal."
I smiled and produced the contract with all the specifications—and the Myth Coins beside it.
She was shocked for sure now, struggling to maintain her composure while reading the contract. She kept glancing at me in between; there was still doubt on her face, and I understood.
"You don't have to worry about me being someone else's proxy or anything," I said. "That's all my money. This should give you some idea of whether I can do what I said or not."
She slightly relaxed, then looked at me and said softly, "I'm trusting you, Mr. Max."
Then she proceeded to drop her blood on the contract. I did the same. The contract was complete.
[Owner: The Silver Spire Hotel]
"Pleasure doing business with you, Lina," I said.
"Pleasure's all mine, Mr. Max," she replied.
Now with everything done, I was ready to climb to the next floor. As I turned to leave, Lina asked,
"Who are you really, Mr. Max?"
I looked back at her with a smile.
"I'm Max… The LimitBreaker."
And then I turned around and left.
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Omniscient Genesis Sight = OGS in future chapters