0038. The Gathering: Strength, Survival, and Strategy

Everyone had gathered in Jessica's room. Veena, Jessica, and Lyra sat on the bed, James leaned back on the sofa, while Arin stood quietly by the door. All eyes were fixed on Nile, who stood in the center of the room.

The atmosphere was thick with anticipation as everyone waited for him to speak.

Nile cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "First, let me start by sharing something. On the third floor, I obtained a book left behind by Frost. It contains instructions, but it's almost entirely sealed. Only a few pages are open for me to read right now."

Saying so, Nile brought out the book. To everyone else's eyes, however, it appeared to be nothing more than a blank diary. Curious, they examined it, only to find nothing unusual.

"It's bonded to my imprint," Nile explained. "Only I can access it, and only in a virtual state. This is some of the knowledge I can share for now."

The room fell silent for a moment before Nile continued. "Now, I'd like to hear from all of you. Do you have any plans for where you'd like to go or what you'd like to do?"

Jessica stood up first, her tone confident. "I'll be attending the town school for the next few months, at least until I reach Level 2. Once I graduate early, I'll have enough time to focus on learning alchemy while waiting for city school admissions to open."

James spoke next. "I'll be staying with you all. Though I might open a shop, provided I can hire the right people. And," he added firmly, "this little girl isn't going anywhere unless I'm around to watch her. So, don't worry about her opinions."

Hearing this, Jessica sulked, but Veena patted her shoulder, calming her down.

Nile then turned to Arin, who shrugged. "I'm already your follower, so don't bother looking at me."

"Me too," Lyra chimed in with a smile.

Finally, Nile looked at Veena. Seeing the encouragement in her eyes, he nodded, took out a pen, paper, and a supporting pad, and began writing.

The elders were intrigued by his preparations, while the younger ones giggled at his antics—only to stop when stern gazes from Veena and James silenced them.

Though feeling a bit shy, Nile began, "We have two strong people who can reach Level 6 or more if needed. We also have two people who haven't started cultivating yet. Then there's Jessica at cultivation Level 1, Stage 9 for Mana."

He looked at her for confirmation, and she proudly added, "Level 1, Stage 9 for Mana, and Stage 6 for Spirit."

"And then there's me," Nile continued, "at Level 1, Stage 3 for Mana, and Stage 5 for Spirit."

Jessica's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wait! When did you reach Level 1, Stage 5 for Spirit?"

"During the trial on the third floor," Nile replied casually.

Though Jessica calmed down, she muttered in an aggrieved tone, "Such a privileged person…"

The air in the room suddenly grew heavy. James's stern gaze fell on Jessica as he released his aura. Trembling, she looked at him.

"Did you forget what I told you?" James said, his voice sharp. "No amount of privilege comes without a cost. Even the royal families with children born with all nine mana circuits open pay a heavy price. Have you forgotten?"

Jessica trembled further, her voice barely audible. "The cost… is the entire cultivation of someone at Level 8, sacrificed along with their soul in a cruel ritual."

Hearing this, Nile froze. Still new to the cultivation world, he looked toward Veena, who solemnly nodded. Then, turning to James, she said, "That's enough, idiot. It's just kids talking, not a training session."

The pressure lifted immediately as James sighed. Looking at Jessica, he softened his tone. "I'm strict because I don't want you to fall into the same demonic path I once did, all for the sake of quick improvement."

Lowering his head, he mumbled to himself. Jessica slowly approached him and took his hand. "I know, Dad. I promise I won't let envy grow in my heart."

James smiled and patted her head, easing the tension in the room.

Shifting the topic, Veena turned to Nile. "What were you saying earlier?"

Clearing his throat, Nile resumed. "This is our current situation: without you and Uncle James, our strength is at the bottom."

Everyone agreed with him verbally.

"Now, let's talk about resources," Nile continued. "I have 20 gold coins, some silver and copper, and a few items that might not be useful anytime soon."

James added, "I have 100 gold coins and a few low-grade mana stones left after selling our house in the village and the cart we traveled with."

Lyra spoke up. "We have all the mana stones from the shop. But after returning what belongs to the owners, we'll be left with fewer than 300 low-grade mana stones. And while we own the shop's land deed, the shop has collapsed, so selling it isn't an option right now."

Arin then interjected, "We also managed to secure the Slime King Core, the foundation of our Mana Recharge Shop. But without a Level 5 Array Master and the necessary tools, it's useless for now. Oh, and there's one more thing: Frost left behind a special core. It's unidentifiable, but he said it might be the key to winning a challenge he set for you, Nile."

Hearing this, Nile's expression shifted, realizing the challenge Arin referred to. But he pushed the thought aside for later.

"We'll discuss that later," Nile said. "For now, let's focus. We don't have much strength or money. So, what should our first goal be?"

He looked pointedly at Jessica, Lyra, and Arin, knowing Veena and James had already entrusted him with decision-making. The two elders would only step in to guide or correct him if needed.

The room fell into deep thought as the younger ones considered Nile's question, the weight of responsibility settling over them.