Max never stopped laughing as he cut an arm off and then stored it. Chromie roared in anger, unable to get any distance from him, and Max’s overwhelming power foiled every attempt to attack or defend. “It was a good choice, copying me, but you screwed up and you know it,” Max shouted, removing the legs that were regrowing with another set of strikes and storing them with the others. “You’re going to run out of mana eventually, and when you do, this is really going to hurt! Now tell me what I want to know. Have the other black skills already beaten the tower?!” Silver blood flowed like a river, running in every direction, never able to return from whence it came. All that remained of Chromie now was a head and torso, the rest being hacked off every second. “I… can’t! The system will kill me!” Max laughed and nodded at Rakonath. This was a nice perk to learn about… not getting hurt by my dragon’s flames is pretty crazy. I’m just glad it worked out. That first time, I got a little carried away. Focus. He’ll talk. Give him time. Max stood there as flames burned away the flesh of his opponent. He assumed Chromie had learned not to cry out as the fire washed over him, the pain of it entering his lungs having most likely been a horrendous experience. Seconds passed, and as the flames died down, Max struck the burnt face with the flat of his blade. “All I need is the truth, and then this can be over. Have they made it past the tower?” Groaning and moans came, yet the one sent of face him said nothing, only managing to move his head up and down once. Chromie’s whole body began to shake and tremble. Max moved with purpose, his weapon transforming to a cleaver. His weapon was just a solid line of light, three streaks in his vision. With the power of two Ultimate Forms and everything else, the top three-fourths of Chromie’s head was sliced like an orange. He made an X and then a straight line across at the bottom of it, sending pieces tumbling to the purple stones below. Max’s body shook, and the weapon almost flew from his hand as a cold like the time he had barely escaped Savantus’s domain wracked his body and soul. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see. Everything felt like it was shutting down and the pain of it all was too much. He knew Rakonath had called out his name but the darkness overtook him. Floating in the void, Max blinked, seeing a reflection of himself, eyes not as dark as before, looking back at him and smiling. “It is about time you woke up.” Grabbing his head, Max felt himself suddenly upright, his feet against something. Blinking, he looked down, seeing a small, white, round disc against his feet. “They had nothing to do with it, Max. It is all me,” Bob stated. “Now listen. Time is short, and I know you will wake up as that dragon of yours has carried you to your friends.” His image snapped his fingers and Max felt his mind erupt with knowledge and understanding. “Yes. We won and you gained something we should not have gained. The system tried to take it but I was able to hold back some of it. Those systems you see in your mind. Thousands of planets. Somewhere in each of them is the other two skills.” “And what does that mean?” “For now? Nothing beyond knowing they are both further ahead of us. Some walls within my mind have come down and I can remember some of this. What comes next will be different than anything we are ready for. This journey is not over. It has only begun.” Max frowned as he looked back and forth at the images of planets, suns, and stars swirling around him in the darkness of space. “I thought we were done? I mean, I knew the tower meant more but… again? What about my friends?” “All that will be revealed soon. Now listen, Max, listen carefully.” Bob leaned forward, the mischievous smile his skill had worn so many times in this space was back. “They were foolish to make that one our opponent. It would have been better to send another creature or simply allow us to pass. I cannot think it was a coincidence but still they gave me something they shouldn’t have.” Bob snapped his fingers and a small blue light appeared above them. “This is a piece of the system. I consumed it. It will serve as the piece that will guide and help us in what comes next.” His brain understood some of what he could see and comprehend in Bob’s mind. Yet some of it was still foreign and made no sense. “So now what?” Max asked. “Wake up. Claim the rewards and let us see what the tower does next.” Max groaned as Cordellia shouted in his left ear. He felt Tanila’s head touch his and moved his arm, gently grabbing the back of her neck and holding her close. “I’m a man, we’re all fools.” Chuckles came and when he let go of her neck, she sat up, tears having stained her face. “You did it,” Fowl stated, holding a hand out. “I knew you could.” Nodding, Max took a second to ensure he was fine and accepted the help, letting their warrior yank him to his feet. Once he was upright, the four of them all pressed against him, arms wrapping around. Soon, two more sets of arms encircled them, and Max began to laugh. “Is this the wrong thing to do?” Sog asked, starting to pull back. “Only if your hand goes somewhere it’s not supposed to,” he replied. He looked at the portal near the group. It was white and pure, pulsing and waiting for them to enter. “Eventually, we have to take it,” Batrire said. “What’s your plan?” “Dimensional space doesn’t work and Sog doesn’t think he can take Rakonath back with him. “Please don’t let him do that. I can’t take it again!” The demon chuckled and raised his skin above his eyes. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. “You’re such a softie.” Max felt Tanila squeeze his hand and focused on her. “You know, I’m still mad at you about what you did.” “But you and the others forgot about what I was doing, right?” She snorted and nodded. “It doesn’t mean I won’t make you suffer.” Max shrugged. “Won’t be the first and definitely won’t be the last time either.” Once more he glanced at the notifications he had read at least four times. [ Consume has Consumed a System Emmisary ] [ Consume has locked System Core ] [ Fourteen Skills Consumed ] [ All Skill are of Equal Rank ] [ Power Stored for Future Use ] [ Unique Blood Type Consumed ] [ Bloodline Unlocked - 100% ] [ Bloodline Evolving ] [ Unique Bloodline Created ] [ Awaiting System’s Acceptance ] [ Bloodline Accepted ] [ Bloodline - Unique - Bloodline of the Consumer ] [ Bonus’s Determined ] [ 50% Bonus to All Stats ] [ 20% Bonus to Hit Points ] [ 20% Bonus to Resistances ] [ 10% Bonus to System Gains ] [ Stat Milestone 3 Reached ] [ Strength of 1000 acquired ] [ Dexterity of 1000 acquired ] [ Constitution of 1000 acquired ] [ Intelligence of 1000 acquired ] [ Wisdom of 1000 acquired ] [ Bloodline Acquired - Evolution Possible. Rest Needed to Evolve ] “Hey, did you hear me?” Max nodded at Fowl. “It’s a good idea. Let’s see if it works. Otherwise, we’ll have to wait here for two days.” They all moved slowly to the portal, and Rakonath took a deep breath, reached out with his hand, and touched it. He shimmered for a moment and then was gone. “Uh… that’s good? Right?” Fowl asked. “Gods, I hope so,” Cordellia replied. “I can’t imagine life without him.” Batrire choked and their ranger’s face went red. “That explains so much now,” Sog stated. “He was against all the efforts my minions made to woo him. It appears he has a mate already.” A shriek came and their ranger raced to the portal, touching it with her hand and vanishing as Rakonath had. Fowl roared with laughter and moved to the demon, giving him a solid thump on the leg. “One day we need to sit down and drink. I owe you one after that.” Sog nodded slowly and looked at Max. “It’s fine,” he mouthed, and the demon shrugged. “I guess it’s time for me to see what happens.” Max watched as his demonic friend touched the portal, shimmering like his dragon, and vanished. “I guess we'd better hurry up and get over there,” Tanila said as she pulled him toward the portal. “I can only imagine what Sog will say to try and embarrass our ranger.” They all laughed as they moved to the portal, touching it simultaneously. Five figures sat before them, each different in size and shape. Yet they all had cords of lights flowing from the tops of their heads and out of the bottoms of the chairs they sat in. “A demon, dwarf, ranger, human, and a dragonkin all in a room… this feels like a bad joke,” Fowl said. “Be silent and listen,” the dwarf said, his voice echoing in their mind. “You have passed the towers and are now worthy of what comes next. Some of you have sidestepped the guidelines and do not belong here, yet we are bound by the rules which govern us all and must honor them.” “Rakonath and Sog’thollech,” the demon woman in the chair called out. “You two arrived here by means which are… unusual. Still, you share a thread with the one called Max Hoste. Choose now if you will stay bound to him or if you would prefer to be released from that bond, able to be free and try to rise in the ranks of the Divine.” Both dragon and demon stood there, looking at ech other and then at Max. “What does that mean?” Rakonath asked. “Would I still be allowed to travel with him?” “No,” the dragonkin replied. “To sever the cord means you would be on your own. Alliances could change if you desired.” “And if I stay connected?” “Then you would be bound to him forever. You could never rise above him and would only be able to be his equal.” “I am fine with that,” Rakonath replied. “I choose to stay bound to him.” The dragonkin snapped, and Max felt his entire being pulse. A moment later, the thread that had connected him to Rakonath strengthened. Max blinked as those words flashed before his eyes. You are bonded with Rakonath. Rank 1 of Bond Unlocked: Rakonath gains 20% of your stats. Rank 2 of Bond Unlocked: You may now communicate with your thoughts alone. Rank 3 of Bond Unlocked: You are bound for eternity. All gains are shared between the dragon and the rider. 50% of stats are shared between the rider and the dragon. Know that Wekime is watching. Max felt his body tingle, power flowing through him. He saw his dragon taking deep breaths, also trying to handle the sudden influx of stats. Interesting. You gain half of his. This can be… advantageous. Sog stood there, frowning and tapped his chin with a claw. “You know I am a demon, bound to come when Max summons me. I pledged my soul to him. What does it gain me to sever that thread?” “You could free yourself from the god you serve,” the demoness replied. “From that moment on, you could try to rise to his power and even challenge him one day.” The room went silent as everyone waited for him to reply. Finally, he began to nod his head. “I’ll keep the thread. I gave an oath and Max is my friend.” All five sitting on the chairs looked at one another and then the human one nodded. The demoness snapped her fingers and Max felt his skin begin to give off waves of heat. His muscles felt heavier and ready to burst through the outer layer that kept them hidden. Sog roared as he fell to a knee, panting repeatedly before he could rise again. “Did he just get taller?” Fowl whispered. “Quiet!” the dwarf called out. “Now that those things have been resolved, we come to the moment when everything changes. You… seven–” “Wait!” the elf cried out, her face showing the first hint of any kind of emotion since they had arrived. All of them looked at her, their faces contorting for a few seconds before returning to the black expressions they had worn before. “Eight are here. Seven may rule. One must grow and show us what they will become,” the dwarf said. “Now, come. Time is not infinite in this room. Gods are waiting to seek our aid and you seven must now walk a new path. Your mortal bodies are gone. Each of you will be remade. Prepare yourself as you achieve the Divine.” Max pulled Tanila closer as she looked at him, her hand holding her belly. A gem the size of an adult rose up before them, seemingly coming from nowhere but the black floor. Or what the shards come from. “Touch it,” the elf said. “It will measure you. It will determine your power in what comes next. Each shall be granted a world of their own. You may take another with you and combine that power if you wish. If you all choose to go together, know that you may but that will make your world a target when the safety of the tutorial ends.” “The tutorial?” Max asked, ignoring the glare he was given. “It would be unwise to give you so much power and then throw you to… the wolves as you say. Many will seek to devour you. You, Max Hoste, bear a title that you should not have yet and somehow you do. There will be many who challenge you for your world. Just know they are like you. On the lowest rung of the Divine. A Champion.” “I thought we could become gods,” Batrire said. “In time,” the dwarf replied. “For now, you will be Champions. Grow strong enough; the next rung on the ladder is a Demi-God. From there… the real power and games begin.” Max realized he didn’t have sonar, seeing movement to his side. “If you two will have me, I want to stay with you,” Cordellia whispered. Tanila smiled and nodded. “We’d be honored to have you.” “Gods… er I mean… uh.. Yeah,” Fowl cleared his throat and snorted. “I’m happy to stay with you all. We all know I’m not good at figuring things out.” Laughter came from everyone but the five sitting on chairs. “I’m with this hairy fool,” Batrire said as she drew close. “You five would have me?” the demon asked. “You do realize I enjoy things that are a bit… darker?” “You’ll be fine,” Rakonath said. “So does Cordellia.”