꧁𓊈𝔇𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔢𓊉꧂
Dante took a break after training for a while, feeling frustrated that his Fate Mastery hadn't yet reached Stage-4 and showed no signs of improving.
He moved to the common area on the ground floor, where he noticed Kensei sitting in a traditional Japanese style—kneeling with his legs folded under him, his back straight, and his hands resting on his lap. His sword lay across his palms, ready to be drawn at a moment's notice.
As Dante approached, he noticed thin violet aura blades swirling around Kensei, moving as if to guard him. It was clear that if Dante got any closer, the aura would treat him as a threat. He stopped at a safe distance, cautious of Kensei's Sword Heart.
Something caught Dante's eye—a flicker of amber within the violet aura. The amber glow grew stronger, steadily overpowering the violet, until the violet faded almost entirely. Dante's eyes widened in recognition. The sight reminded him of what Kensei had experienced during his duel with Seath in the 1st Tournament.
Dante stood still, careful not to disturb Kensei, who had once again entered a state of enlightenment. He realized Kensei was on the verge of a breakthrough in his Sword Mastery.
Among their team, Kensei was the first to reach the peak of Stage-4 Mastery, surpassing even Olivia, whose Grade-10 talent made comprehension significantly easier compared to Kensei's Grade-8 talent. It was a feat attributed to the Sword Heart he had awakened on Day-10, which granted a potential similar to a Bloodline for weapon users.
Dante sighed, comparing Kensei's rapid progress to his own struggle with Mastery. While Dante remained stuck at Stage-3, Kensei was moments away from Stage-5.
In mere minutes, the violet aura disappeared entirely, replaced by a pure amber glow.
In the next instant, Kensei's eyes snapped open, a sharp glint flashing within them as he unsheathed his sword in one fluid motion. The blade sang through the air with a precision that was both swift and deadly.
Within moments, every piece of furniture in the room was sliced into countless small fragments, the cuts so clean it seemed as if the objects had simply fallen apart.
And yet, the walls of the room remained entirely unscathed. It was as if the devastating move had been carefully controlled, and directed solely at the furniture.
Kensei turned to Dante, who smiled and said, "Congratulations, Kensei. You've done it again."
Kensei offered a slight nod, his expression calm and unreadable, with no trace of joy at reaching a higher stage of mastery. Dante wasn't surprised; Kensei's composed demeanor was something they had all grown accustomed to.
Dante shook his head, a smile forming as he felt genuine happiness for Kensei. "Let's celebrate your breakthrough," he said warmly. "Which dish do you want? I prepared and stored a few in my storage space."
Kensei's eyes brightened, ever so slightly, at the mention of food. Though he was a sword fanatic through and through, he had a deep appreciation for good food—especially dishes made from the meat of powerful monsters. And with Dante's cooking skills rivaling those of a professional chef, it was always a treat.
Without hesitation, Kensei replied, "The usual."
Dante chuckled, his tone teasing. "I figured you'd ask for that." He reached into his storage space and brought out a beautifully prepared katsu curry—a golden, crispy breaded pork cutlet served over a bed of fluffy white rice, smothered in rich, savory curry sauce.
The aroma of the perfectly spiced curry filled the room, accompanied by hints of fried pork and the subtle sweetness of caramelized onions.
Dante had used premium monster meat, ensuring the dish not only tasted incredible but also provided a surge of energy and vitality. He had even garnished it with fresh herbs for an added touch of refinement.
Kensei's expression softened further as he saw the dish. He wasn't one for overt displays of emotion, but the way he immediately dug in with quiet satisfaction spoke volumes. Dante also brought out a second serving for himself, and the two began eating together.
Kensei ate with a quiet intensity, savoring each bite, while satisfaction was written all over his face. Dante watched him with a small smile, pleased to see his teammate enjoy the meal.
However, as they ate, Dante's mind drifted to his own struggles. He sighed, unable to shake the frustration of being unable to progress further in his Fate Mastery.
Kensei noticed immediately, his keen observation sharpening with years of discipline and insight. After finishing a bite, he spoke calmly. "You're too consumed by the pursuit of progress and forgotten the to find peace with where you are. Stop pursuing it so desperately, and the mastery will find you instead."
The words struck Dante like a blade. He paused mid-bite, letting them sink in. They weren't just words of advice—they were a reflection of Kensei's own approach to life and mastery. Dante set down his spoon, thinking deeply.
'Maybe he's right… I've been so obsessed with reaching the next stage that I've forgotten to appreciate how far I've come,' he thought.
His frustration had been building from constant comparisons with others, particularly with the rest of his teammates. But now he realized something profound: 'The timing of when I reach the next stage isn't up to me. Why worry about something I can't control?'
He smiled faintly, reminded of his own strengths. His Fate Stats and the growth-type equipment, the Deck of Fate, allowed him to match the power of even a Tier-5 lifeform despite being at Tier-3. He had been so busy comparing himself to others that he had forgotten to appreciate his capabilities.
'Comparison really is the thief of joy,' he mused.
At that moment, something incredible happened. Dante felt an invisible barrier within him shatter, like chains breaking free. His Minor Fate Mastery surged with newfound drive, transforming into Major Fate Mastery. It was a clear sign—he had just advanced to Stage-4. His understanding over the flow of Fate around him deepened, becoming more refined and detailed.
Dante froze, his eyes widening as the realization dawned on him. 'A breakthrough… I actually did it.'
Dante never imagined that simply letting go of his worries and stopping his comparisons with others would unlock the path forward for him. He felt ecstatic. Finally, he had reached Stage-4 in his Fate Mastery, and Tier-4 Evolution was now within his grasp.
≿━━━━━━༺❀༻━━━━━━≾
Author Note:
The revamped version of Volume 1 is now live on Kindle. You can find it on Amazon by simply searching the book title. Thank you for your support, and I hope you enjoy the new edition!
≿━━━━━━༺❀༻━━━━━━≾
Volume 2 Revamped Chapter Release Schedule
📅 Daily Releases – A revamped chapter will be released every day until Chapter 130.
These revamped chapters won't interfere with the usual chapter updates, ensuring consistent daily content for all readers.
≿━━━━━━༺❀༻━━━━━━≾
Exclusive artwork for every free chapter is now available on my PATRE0N page! You can find the link in my Discord server.
The first ten to comment for new chapter releases will get '1 ADVANCED CHAPTER' for free on Earth Alpha Prime's Discord server.
╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮
Discord Link for 'Earth's Alpha Prime' :
https://discord.gg/maQC7xDBYZ
╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯
.....................................
Preview of advanced chapters (Out on PATRE0N!!):
.....................................
Chapter 332: Mastery Advancement (Public Release on 22nd January)
Chapter 333: Announcement Streak (Public Release on 24th January)
Chapter 334: New Members (Part-1) (Public Release on 25th January)
Chapter 335: New Members (Part-2) (Public Release on 27th January)
Chapter 336: A Gift, Aegis Lifeward (Public Release on 29th January)
Chapter 337: Round-2 (Public Release on 31st January)
Chapter 338: Pseudo-Domain (Public Release on 1st Feb)
Chapter 339: 2nd Universe Limit & Domain (Public Release on 3rd Feb)
Chapter 340: HEAVEN BREAKER resurfaces (Public Release on 5th Feb)
Chapter 341: Naming the Faction (Public Release on 6th Feb)
------------------
You can find the link for Advanced Chapters in Earth Alpha Prime's Discord Server.
Gamma-Patron--> 4 Advanced Chapters (1 week ahead of the public!)
Beta-Patron--> 8 Advanced Chapters (2 weeks ahead of the public!)
Alpha-Patron--> 12 Advanced Chapters (3 weeks ahead of the public!)
Prime-Patron --> 16 Advanced Chapters (1 Month ahead of the public!) Omega-Patron --> 20 Advanced Chapters (5 weeks ahead of the public!)
---------------
Stay Safe:)
Dante never imagined that simply letting go of his worries and stopping his comparisons with others would unlock the path forward for him. He felt ecstatic. Finally, he had reached Stage-4 in his Fate Mastery, and Tier-4 Evolution was now within his grasp.
He turned to Kensei with gratitude. "Thanks for your advice. I wouldn't have made it without you," he said, sharing the news of his breakthrough.
Kensei, in his usual manner, simply replied, "Let's celebrate again? Another serving of the same dish."
Dante's lips twitched in mild exasperation. 'He's happier about the food than my advancement.' Still, he complied, pulling out another plate of the katsu curry. He handed it to Kensei and watched as his teammate ate with unabashed enthusiasm, a rare smile of genuine joy lighting up Kensei's usually stoic face.
Dante couldn't help but grin at the sight. 'He only ever smiles like that when eating good food.'
After a moment, Dante's thoughts turned to another teammate. He wanted to share the good news with Jay and perhaps get his input on when to begin his Tier-4 Evolution.
However, instead of heading directly to Jay's room and possibly disturbing him, Dante opted to use his Fate Sequence Perception to check if Jay was in the middle of training. If Jay were busy, Dante would wait for a better time to approach him.
He extended his senses toward the third floor, where Jay's room was located. Yet, he found nothing—no trace of activity, no Fate Halo, nothing at all. This puzzled Dante. Normally, Jay's Fate Halo would be detectable unless he was in INVERSE mode, but Dante knew that wasn't likely. It had been less than two hours since Jay last used INVERSE, and the cooldown period for it was still in effect.
'Then where is he?' Dante wondered, scanning the area again to no avail. The absence of any trace was highly unusual, and it only deepened his curiosity.
As he pondered this, a sudden notification appeared in front of him. It wasn't just him—every Participant on the Trial Continent received it simultaneously.
╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮
﴾# Trial World Announcement # ﴿
﴾ 'Jay,' the Alpha Chosen from the planet 'Earth,' has successfully conquered the Obelisk in Trial Region No. 794. ﴿
﴾ Congratulations to Jay for attaining Primary Authority over 53 Obelisks—the first to achieve this feat within just 20 days of the Trial Program's start in the last 10,000 years. ﴿
╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯
The notification sent shockwaves across the Trial World, leaving Participants stunned. The timing was unbelievable—right in the middle of the ongoing Tournaments. Yet, amidst it all, Jay had managed to conquer an Obelisk. The feat was extraordinary, not just for its difficulty but for the sheer audacity of pulling it off during a Tournament.
However, the astonishment didn't stop there.
A few seconds later, another notification appeared, just as impactful as the first. Then another. And another. Each time, the same message repeated but with a different Obelisk listed, announcing Jay's dominance. The air was thick with disbelief as the notifications continued to roll in, nine in total.
╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮
﴾# Trial World Announcement # ﴿
﴾ 'Jay,' the Alpha Chosen from the planet 'Earth,' has successfully conquered the Obelisk in Trial Region No. 784. ﴿
﴾ Congratulations to Jay for attaining Primary Authority over 63 Obelisks—the first to achieve this feat within just 20 days of the Trial Program's start in the last 200,000 years. ﴿
╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯
Participants across the Trial Continent were left speechless. To conquer even one Obelisk was an achievement that could elevate someone to be considered one of the strongest Alpha Chosen. But nine? That was unprecedented, a feat that defied common sense.
Speculations and murmurs spread like wildfire. Was Jay working alone, or did he have help? How could he accomplish such a monumental task so swiftly and silently? The feat was almost too much to comprehend, leaving those who read the announcements questioning not only Jay's capabilities but their own standings in the Trial World.
For Dante, who had just been trying to sense Jay's presence moments before, the notifications brought a mix of emotions—astonishment, pride, and a growing sense of curiosity. 'What kind of monster are you, Jay?' he wondered, a grin tugging at his lips involuntarily.
Even those who had previously participated in Obelisk raids with Jay—teams that had spent hours conquering just a single Obelisk—were left stunned by the sheer speed and scale of Jay's accomplishment.
It usually took around three to four hours to clear all four floors of an Obelisk with a coordinated raid party. Yet, in a little over an hour since Round-1 of the Tournament ended, Jay had managed to conquer ten Obelisks, and he had done it all alone.
The news hit even harder for those competing in the same Continental Tournament as Jay. They realized that during the designated three-hour rest period between rounds, Jay had left the island entirely. While others focused on recovery, he had ventured out to achieve something seemingly impossible.
As they grappled with the magnitude of his feat, memories of Jay's earlier displays of overwhelming strength surfaced in their minds. The sheer power he had shown during the Tournament now seemed to align perfectly with this achievement. For someone like Jay, perhaps such a streak of conquests wasn't so surprising after all.
Still, the thought of someone not only matching but utterly eclipsing the efforts of entire raid parties left many in awe—and more than a few trembling at the idea of what Jay might achieve next.
꧁𓊈 𝔍𝔞𝕪 𓊉꧂
Meanwhile, Jay, the source of the widespread commotion, moved swiftly in Phantom Form, heading toward the nearest Obelisks with unprecedented efficiency.
Every eleven seconds, he reached a new Obelisk. However, rather than entering them himself, he opened the Inventory Space shared with Zeix, retrieving one of MJ's corpse-integrated Alpha Chosen, each equipped with a Combat Exosuit Jay had procured earlier.
MJ controlled the body of the dead Alpha Chosen, guiding it into the Obelisk. Once it was inside, Jay immediately headed for the next Obelisk, repeating the process. This cycle continued as Jay moved from one Trial Region to another until he reached the tenth Obelisk in his streak.
Then, rather than seeking more Obelisks, he exited Phantom Form and joined 'Corin-10', the corpse-integrated Alpha Chosen sent to the tenth Obelisk.
The Alpha Chosen used by MJ were collectively named Corin-1 to Corin-10—a name MJ derived from "cor," short for corpse, and "in," short for integrated. Jay had initially laughed at MJ's lackluster naming sense but had no room to criticize, as his own naming habits were equally uninspired. He had begrudgingly approved the names, which MJ took as a sign of triumph.
Once inside the Obelisk, Jay didn't accompany Corin-10 on the first floor. Instead, he found a comfortable spot and resumed focusing on Neutralization Mastery, a routine he had followed for the past hour.
Meanwhile, MJ handled the rest. The Corins, with their impressive capabilities, systematically cleared the floors of the Obelisks. Each Corin, now boasting stats comparable to Jay's own and possessing the power of a Tier-5 High-Phase Lifeform, made clearing the Obelisks a trivial task.
This newfound efficiency was only possible because Jay had broken past the 1st Universe Limit a day prior, which had previously capped his overall stats at 1,000.
Before this breakthrough, the Corins were limited by the same restriction, rendering them far less stronger than they were now. As a result, Jay had been forced to form raid parties with the elite members of his Trial Region to conquer Obelisks.
Now, with the stat restriction removed, the Corins had become equal to him in terms of stats. MJ could use them to conquer Obelisks autonomously, even during the rest periods when Jay returned to Earth. This allowed him to focus on other goals while Corins steadily worked in his place.
≿━━━━━━༺❀༻━━━━━━≾
Author Note:
The revamped version of Volume 1 is now live on Kindle. You can find it on Amazon by simply searching the book title. Thank you for your support, and I hope you enjoy the new edition!
≿━━━━━━༺❀༻━━━━━━≾
Volume 2 Revamped Chapter Release Schedule
📅 Daily Releases – A revamped chapter will be released every day until Chapter 130.
These revamped chapters won't interfere with the usual chapter updates.
≿━━━━━━༺❀༻━━━━━━≾
Exclusive artwork for every free chapter is now available on my PATRE0N page! You can find the link in my Discord server.
The first ten to comment for new chapter releases will get '1 ADVANCED CHAPTER' for free on Earth Alpha Prime's Discord server.
╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮
Discord Link for 'Earth's Alpha Prime' :
https://discord.gg/maQC7xDBYZ
╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯
.....................................
Preview of advanced chapters (Out on PATRE0N!!):
.....................................
Chapter 333: Announcement Streak (Public Release on 24th January)
Chapter 334: New Members (Part-1) (Public Release on 25th January)
Chapter 335: New Members (Part-2) (Public Release on 27th January)
Chapter 336: A Gift, Aegis Lifeward (Public Release on 29th January)
Chapter 337: Round-2 (Public Release on 31st January)
Chapter 338: Pseudo-Domain (Public Release on 1st Feb)
Chapter 339: 2nd Universe Limit & Domain (Public Release on 3rd Feb)
Chapter 340: HEAVEN BREAKER resurfaces (Public Release on 5th Feb)
Chapter 341: Naming the Faction (Public Release on 6th Feb)
------------------
You can find the link for Advanced Chapters in Earth Alpha Prime's Discord Server.
Gamma-Patron--> 4 Advanced Chapters (1 week ahead of the public!)
Beta-Patron--> 8 Advanced Chapters (2 weeks ahead of the public!)
Alpha-Patron--> 12 Advanced Chapters (3 weeks ahead of the public!)
Prime-Patron --> 16 Advanced Chapters (1 Month ahead of the public!) Omega-Patron --> 20 Advanced Chapters (5 weeks ahead of the public!)
---------------
Stay Safe:)