cerim
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Chapter 567 - Frustration
🕑 Added 2025-03-03 09:46:57 +0000 UTCI exit the cave and propel myself higher into the air, rising toward the top of the floating island before stopping near its edge. Gathering a large amount of mana, I unleash a powerful pulse, sending it as far as possible in an attempt to detect any beasts.
I detect them, along with several signatures of attendees, mostly from Hard and Normal difficulty, with a few from Hell.
As for the beasts, there are thousands of them, tens of thousands, but most of the signatures feel weak.
Flying into the air again, I collect more mana. It swirls around me and compresses into the shape of an orb that turns pale blue, dark blue, and purple, on the edge of destabilization. I create a few more and compress them further, turning them bright white.
Each of them shoots ahead toward where I sense groups of monsters and no attendee signatures, and I boost myself toward another island with notifications about kills following me.
Even though this time I find stronger beasts, there are still no Special grade ones, so I repeat the process. So instead of continuing to search this way, I rise high enough to be over all of the floating islands, with the humongous area of the second event stretching below me.
I activate Mana Wavelength Iris and then compress my mana to the point it turns into that oppressive, all mana-devouring black. I use it to strengthen my body and to power my trait.
The pressure becomes incredible, even with my mid arcane passive protecting my mind. I take in all that information, all those mana signatures, fluctuations, and movements.
I quickly activate [Focus] to filter the information, narrowing it down to mana signatures. My thoughts race at such incredible speed that the outside world feels sluggish. I locate Savant, then Myrra. I find Jean. I pinpoint every member of Group 4. My eyes take it all in and track every one of them.
But best of all, I locate three out of five Special grade beasts.
I gather all the black mana coursing through my body and force it out, shaping it into a javelin.
When I stop using kinetic energy to keep myself afloat, I begin freefalling through the air. The wind whistles past me, pressing against my body. I feel it in my hair, on my face, slipping between my fingers. Only when I'm close to the treetops do I boost myself forward, passing through them and into what barely qualifies as a clearing. The ground is broken, the trees are scorched, and pools of lava bubble across the landscape.
The air here is blistering, most of the heat radiating from the beast nestled in the crater, partially submerged in lava as its body melts the surrounding rock. It shifts, waves of heat rolling off its form. Its obsidian horns pulse, glowing veins of magma coursing through them. The ground beneath it cracks, molten rock still clinging to its hide.
The Emberhorn Behemoth is a massive, bull-like creature with a thick, dark hide cracked with glowing veins of magma. Jagged obsidian plates run along its back, radiating intense heat. Its broad head is low, with two massive, curved horns pulsing with molten energy. Its deep set eyes glow dimly, and smoke rises from its nostrils.
Noticing me, it shifts, dragging itself from the lava, its hooves sinking into the half melted ground. With each step toward me, smoldering cracks spread beneath its weight. The heat distorts the air, making everything waver. Its horns pulse brighter.
I don't wait.
The black javelin I created streaks through the air and drives deep into the beast's neck. Compared to its massive size, it looks insignificant, but I know exactly how much mana I poured into it.
With astonishing speed, the javelin starts absorbing the beast's mana and breaks the structure of the skill it tries to use. My Mana Wavelength Iris allows me to see how normal mana reacts to it, revealing just how oppressive the black mana is.
Another projectile forms near me, this time it's [Empyrean Lance] with its golden and white core glowing brilliantly. Threads of luminous energy weave themselves together, layer upon layer, condensing into a single radiant lance that hums with immensely compressed mana. And just as before, the lance pulses like the heartbeat of a star.
It shoots forth as well, and the beast senses it. It stops trying to pull the black javelin out of its neck and instead turns to the new threat. A deep, loud, roar vibrates the air, and the lava of all of the pools around ripples.
The heat, already overwhelming, intensifies even further as a concentrated wave of it crashes against the lance.
It sizzles the surface of the lance; it burns mana and dims the glow of the lance. Even so, whether due to the sheer strength of the skill or the black javelin lodged in its neck, the beast fails to destroy it completely. The lance pierces through its side, then through its entire body, exiting on the other side in a geyser of blood that sizzles and evaporates from the heat.
The wound, too, scorches and shivers, nearly closing as all the bleeding stops.
When its enormous eyes turn back to me, they are full of anger.
Then I teleport, appearing right over the beast through the [Ley Line] my [Empyrean Lance] pulled.
Right away, the heat crashes against my body as the beast lunges, jaws snapping at me. Each movement cracks the ground, sending splashes of lava through the air.
The heat radiating from its skin isn't just thermal energy or a fragment of eternal fire but a purely mana based skill or trait pushed to the extreme. The beast intensifies it even further, causing the lava around it to rise and flow through the air toward us.
[Redistribution] works overtime as I absorb the heat reaching me and store it within the orb hovering nearby. Simply handling it, absorbing it, and taking control with [Redistribution] converts the heat into thermal energy instead.
Half of my mental capacity focuses on just that to stop myself from burning alive. The heat surges to an extreme as I ignore the beast's scorching skin searing my now bare feet and move to grab the black javelin, yanking it free. The weapon is now vastly stronger than the one I originally fired, having absorbed all this mana.
I mold and reshape it, forcing it under my control with effort. Then I modify its structure to absorb more mana without destabilizing and transform it into another orb.
Within a blink, all the heat reaching me vanishes, reverting to mana as the black orb absorbs it. Like a whirlpool, the orb pulls everything inside, breaking the skill’s structure to restore it to its original form, mana, which it then devours.
The flames and heat from the beast’s skill vanish, leaving only a few pathetic remnants behind. Despite its power, the beast is slow, relying on its durable body and the flames and heat it can create. Even the lava it tried to move crashes to the ground, unable to be controlled without mana.
I leave the black orb behind where it is and I teleport again and appear in front of that eye, which is easily twice as tall as I am.
Its pupil dilates as it turns toward me.
Then I grasp the golden orb of absorbed heat, now transformed into thermal energy. I punch my hand through the eye’s surface and release all the heat within the orb.
The pupil widens even further, its surface blistering and warping in an instant. A sharp hiss pierces the air as the eye sizzles, bubbles, and then bursts apart, spraying me with scalding liquid. The thick, red hot fluid clings to my skin, but I barely register the sensation before the true destruction unfolds.
The heat surges past the ruined eye, racing through the creature’s skull and deep into its brain. Flesh sears, nerves rupture, and boiling fluids expand until the entire mass collapses inward, cooking the brain from the inside out.
The enormous body spasms violently, limbs jerking before locking in place. Then, with a final shudder, it topples, crashing into the crater with enough force to send molten rock splashing high into the air. It twitches once more, then goes still, steam rising from its smoldering corpse.
One of the special grade beasts have been defeated!
The remaining Special beasts have sensed the Emberhorn Behemoth’s fall. Now more alert, they will grow increasingly aggressive toward any perceived threat!
And that's it.
There is no telling me how many points I have gained at all.
Even in my current state, I can’t help but deeply resent it, as if another layer of control has been stripped from me.
Not once did the system do something like this. Even during previous events, the system has shown us notifications and points. Just now, it decided it doesn't want to.
With anger, I teleport and surround the black orb with [Eclipse] and [Mana Domain]. Then I activate the Mana Wavelength Tyrant. The mana around me freezes in place, all of it, no matter if it's ambient mana, the beast’s lingering energy, or my own. It all stops and waits. The black mana resists more than the rest; the more it absorbs, the more difficult it is to control. But it hasn't reached that point yet.
I grab the black mana orb and change its shape, turning it into a spear that is longer than I am tall, and fly into the air, further boosting myself to increase my speed.
After landing on the floating island I visited first, I locate the remains of the ruins I saw with my eyes during the scan.
As I reach the area, some beasts rush at me immediately, but a concentrated pulse of kinetic energy blasts them away. Then I [Focus] more and stomp, releasing kinetic energy in modified vibrations. It ripples through the surface. The ground splits open, and rocks push through the dirt to the surface. I repeat the process several times, releasing more and more.
I do it until, in frustration, I release much more of it, and the area around me explodes into a shower of debris and the remains of the ruins.
Lighting up a single thermal orb, I jump down and blast away more bedrock, and enter the tunnel made out of stone. Its walls are covered in long unpowered inscriptions, and roots and greenery cover them.
There are beasts, all of them feel ethereal and spread an incredible chill as they move through the air. Just a bit of the first seal lifts up, and I don't hold the thermal energy that the Ignition Heart generates; instead, I let it immediately seep into the air, blazing the tunnels and filling them with golden flames.
The beasts, incapable of resisting or escaping, die even as they try to run away.
I send multiple pulses of mana through the ruins and locate what I was looking for and what I saw previously.
[Ley Line] stretches toward the direction I want to head, and I teleport, only to reappear just a step away. The black mana spear I hold interferes with the teleport, disrupting it as the black mana eats into the skill. So I don't attempt it again.
Changing my direction, I run through the tunnel until I reach the metal door and blast it away; the metal, as thick as I am. It creaks and bends audibly until it gives in and a tear appears in the door.
I step through, and release another wave of thermal energy, killing more beasts.
Further ahead, there is another door, much larger and thicker this time, but without mana powering the inscription, it lacks strength. They resist my blasts of kinetic energy, so instead, I grab hold of the thermal energy and release it in a thick stream, then narrow it until it's thinner than my pinkie and focus it on a single spot.
The metal around the spot begins to melt and sizzle until, after a few seconds, the stream of thermal energy pierces through. I move it, carving a circular hole halfway through. Then I stop and release a blast of kinetic energy, bending the half cut metal open like a can.
I enter the massive ruin and find a similarly huge pillar in the middle. It's crystal white and transparent, and inside of it, a heart is located, surrounded by incredibly intricate inscriptions. There are also circuits filled with a substance that resembles blood, sustaining it.
That heart inside is still beating and generating all this incredible mana needed to keep this enormous island afloat.
There are inscriptions taking some of that mana and using it for healing in some twisted way using pieces of flesh and cut off hand also in the pillar. Other inscriptions supplement the heart with something else, pale blue liquid from a nearby tank. There are even secondary inscriptions intended to kickstart the heart if it stops beating and who knows what else.
That heart isn't even human. It is easily half the size of my entire body.
I glance over the room and take in everything I could use - all the inscriptions I can remember. Then I lift the spear made out of black mana and, with a boost from kinetic energy, driving it into the pillar.
The spear pierces through the crystal and stabs itself into the heart, immediately starting to hungrily absorb the immense amount of mana.
The mana that keeps the island afloat doesn't vanish immediately. Other failsafes and mana storages act as an emergency supply, preventing it from falling.
But not for long.
The system doesn't want to tell me how many points I have.
Fine. I’ll collect so many that no one will ever come close to first place.
I wonder what an island's worth of beasts is worth.
***
Comments
Yshua
I miss the Next Chapter link. It’s such a nice thing to have, since Patreon is not consistent about having the “next” post as an option. Thanks for putting it in so many other chapters :)
Zaim İpek
They weren't talked about, but we got a short POV from what seemed to be their leadership mentioning that earth seemed to have people entering Beyond earlier than what is typical. This was a very early chapter. I can't remember which one. It was either the first or second POV switch chapter. It was after Nat unlocked access to beyond, but before he finished his third beyond trial.
Zaim İpek
He wouldn't want his minion to see him in this mental state, also he needs the feeling of desperation to push him. His minion would give him too many good feelings. Minion time will be his reward once Tess is safe.
Jayden Martinez
Gods I can't remember, I think it was one of the earliest looks back at earth when the world leaders were still trying to figure out why people were disappearing
Woojoe
Nat needs some serious minion time soon, or no one will survive the tournament
Student of Asacoco University
Which chapter?
13L00D13ANE
After eladore blew up Liss and Ruby went on a tear and killed like 3 rulers. Ruby took over Greed and Liss died to Pride.
Iron
He even has tthe force aka telekinesis with kinetic energy manipulation lol
Iron
If they do and he gets a negative point total, aka a "penalty" out of this tutorial he'll probably be either extremely pissed or use it to train so hard he'll make it worthwhile lol.
Jayden Martinez
A little, we got a glimpse of them a while ago where they discussed how they would be pairing with a newly integrated planet called earth
Death56
You are so right most things he fights are way stronger than him to the point he is normally a fuck up away from death he is just so much more skilled with his mana that he can still win
Jonathan Nading
Zaim, did they talk about the pairing partner yet (beyond the Spider in the Moon)?
Max
Tftc!!
Zaim İpek
It's really more of a skill thing than a level thing.
Jeb
TFTC
Cnote
Yes
Poutine Au Syrop d'érable
Does he have his passive active thie time?
Memelord Steambath
Can't wait to see Nats points go over the integer limit
Memelord Steambath
I don't even think the 5 special beasts will be able to hold a candle to Nat.....only 100+ levels over him would even begin to threaten his life
William Johnson
I feel like Lisandra might not regret this even if Nat kills her. Heck, especially if Nat kills her. "The day you kill me is the day I love you!"
William Johnson
Nat going full WMD this round. I feel like he might be projecting his frustration with something else on to the system...
Mark Bullock
She died trying to kill all the rulers I believe
Zaim İpek
Find out on the next episode of Dragon Ball Z!
Zaim İpek
No need to feel pity. They will have their own talented and overly aggressive individuals.
Zaim İpek
This is more like it. The pace he had in the previous chapter would have given him third place AT BEST. Now he is really hunting with the intent to win. If he keeps this current pace, he should get first place with no issues.
Mads jæger
would love if liss spends several hours beating up the witherclaw and making it a worth opponent for nat
Julien Fellegara
Yeah, that can apply to the beasts too.
granndfunk
Does anyone have a quick summary of what we know about the real Liss? I've forgotten most of the details over the chapters
Jayden Martinez
I see a lot of people thinking liss messed with his info so he's not seeing points but I think its just how this round is. Each round of the tournament is supposed to teach and help the tutorial attendees grow and I'm assuming in an actual pairing the system won't warn that someone else is ahead, you have to put your full power into winning, never knowing if someone else has you beat. As Nat is showing, it's a kind of stress some people despise, I actually feel pity for their future pairing partner if this is how he's gonna react to it
RingoSeto
Soooo... he had a Kinetic energy tantrum..... ok.. well... thats new! ... poor liss... shes gonna regret this approach in the future
RingoSeto
my guess is envy
Kirin
Thank you for the chappie! Island time, time to mass murder. >:3
CptJimmy42
Collateral damage is something Future Nat has to worry about.
Aaron Stewart
Won't this kill other attendees on the island and below? Unless it's over water.
Shawn Treants
I mean technically he won't have killed them. He isn't targeting them. If they can't see a massive floating island falling from the sky and don't get out of the way it seems more a them problem than a Nat problem lol
Asekhan
I'm sure it's lissandra that blocked him from points access
Augustus
Bad phrasing "so I repeat the process. So instead of continuing to search this way,"
Benji
Yes!!!! I feel vindicated in my understanding of Nat! No one gets floating islands unless he says so! XD
Funny guy
Danks fur da chappie! Massacre 👍
Iron
We haven't had news from liss for a semi long time and although we know that she helped/threatened the other kings to gangup on nat we don't really know how she occupied herself with all that damn time. I think she's gathering infos. Infos on the ruler and how powerful each are. Remember that liss in the 'real' world killed multiple rulers. Tldr Theory: liss will kill a ruler to escape and will still torment nat after the tutorial.
Atoms88
I forsee Nat fully flipping the board. I get no points? NOBODY gets points
Charles Simon
I thought the system disabled levelling during the tournament (given you couldn’t die…) - or can they die for real now?
vEnviouz
TFTC!!
Andrew
Thank you!
Sir Supports Alot
He's pissed
Frotzy
Seems like a risk strategy due to the penalty if the Island dropp on attendees
Val the mysterious Jedi
Love how I thought the same thing, crash the island on a rare beast
Val the mysterious Jedi
More sith, through mana his chains are broken is his way of life.
Tsorov
Nat the Jedi! Condensed thermal energy as a lightsaber, I'm sure he could make it form around a solid mana core, kinetic energy as the force, and black mana as the "dark side" if he wants to play sith. The dream of every cosplayer. I caught you Cerim!
jj
Did Liss get Envy to be petty towards Nat? I don't think Liss herself can mess that much with the System, especially in the tutorial. With unheard of amounts of mana being absorbed by the back spear, the Mana Air Bomb could result in an explosion that could kill airborne and grounded beasts and the attendees as well.
Venno
Baller strategy
zoarian
Ah, the good old Kaboom strategy. Imo, the frustration is largely from stress of having Tess's life in his hands. I kinda want all the beasts to start hunting Nat as a way of protecting the islands.
ZaA
Hopefully an islands worth of beasts is out weird by "severe penalty" for the people he kills too lol
Iron
Warning fellow contestants, our little nat is mad.
Justin B
Curious what kind of heart that is.
Subliminary
I feel as though the repeated mentions of Nat being frustrated will come into play eventually here. No bueno tentcreep. No bueno
Borbino the great
I love seeing Nat so pissed off at everything it makes it all the better when he does crazy things lol
Moonfrost
Nat has officially lost it from everything that's been pissing him off
BlackRazaras
Thanks for the chapter
