Empyrian Pickaxe

The scene froze in place, and Elvira locked her gaze onto the older man. "Master Althar…" she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. Her eyes turn glossy, but she quickly wiped it away before it could fall.

The scenery dissolved into darkness once more. As she opened her eyes, she muttered to herself, "To think I forgot about this... Those Magus… Master was right—they're a huge problem." Her expression darkened, anger flickering in her gaze like a smoldering ember. She looked down at the cracked Empyrean Crystal in her hands, confusion clouding her thoughts.

Holding it felt like having a billion dollars sitting in your bank account, yet utterly useless because you couldn't spend a single cent. And worse, it was dwindling, slowly eaten away by inflation.

Clang! Clang! 

The sound of Ben's pickaxe striking Grimslate snapped her out of her thoughts. Looking at the pickaxe a idea come to Elvira's mind. Floating toward him with the Empyrean Crystal trailing behind her, she called out, "My beloved, are you busy?"

Ben's lips twitched, his pickaxe pausing mid-swing. "Can't you see?" He shot her a tired glance before adding, "What about you? Finished with your little experiment yet?"

Elvira sighed. "Not exactly... I can't find a good way to use this crystal. Normal objects can't contain its power—it's too much. But then, I thought of your pickaxe." She pointed at it. "It's a Traveler's artifact. As far as I know, those things are indestructible. Maybe it can absorb the energy."

Ben glanced at the crystal, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. 'I still haven't unlocked the upgrade function, but... logically, wouldn't the system just need energy to trigger it?' 

He was sure the system could handle it—if it wanted to. But since it hadn't given him any guidance so far, he doubted it would be that simple. Still, it was worth a shot. 'Hey system, can I do that?' Ben asked in his mind.

[…] Silence. His lips curled into a smirk. 'Figures. Silent treatment again, huh? Think I'll give up that easily?'

Turning back to Elvira, he nodded. "Go ahead. Try infusing the energy into my pickaxe." 

Elvira raised her hands. Without another word, magic circles began forming in the air. Just as the final glyph started to take shape, a sudden notification flashed across Ben's vision, making him frown.

[Stop. You'll regret it if you do that!!!]

Ben's eyes narrowed. 'So you can talk? And you think I'll just believe you?' A grin tugged at his lips. 'Too late, buddy.'

He said nothing and let Elvira finish her work. Her mana guided the crystal's energy, pouring it toward the pickaxe.

The moment it touched, the pickaxe's dull surface ignited with a brilliant golden glow. It began to vibrate, sending out a ringing sound—like a chorus of tiny bells chiming in harmony. The sound grew louder, almost like a bird chirping in delight.

Then, without warning, a powerful suction force burst from the pickaxe. Elvira gasped as the cracks on the Empyrean Crystal widened, glowing brighter. The energy within it surged uncontrollably, spiraling toward the artifact in a blinding swirl of light. 

[You're doomed.]

Ben's eyes twitched at the sudden notification, but he didn't stop. 'You and your cryptic messages. If you don't explain things properly, how am I supposed to know what's going on?'

[It's not that I don't want to, but I can't. There are limitations placed on me—ones that should be gradually lifted as you level up. But you… you keep finding ways to leap past those restrictions.]

Ben smirked. 'So what you're saying is... I'm too good?'

[No, I'm saying you're dangerously reckless.]

His grin widened, but before he could reply, the golden light from the pickaxe flared even brighter, illuminating the entire cavern like a miniature sun. The Empyrean Crystal's cracks deepened, and the tunnel walls began to tremble. 'Isn't that proof you can bend the rules a little? You're already talking to me, after all.'

The system's response came after a brief pause. [Yes... but I don't know why. The restrictions loosened when you became a Hive Sovereign.]

Ben's brows furrowed. 'Then explain it to me now.'

[…]

'Why the silence all of a sudden?'

[There's too much information, and we're running out of time. You're reckless, and honestly, I don't understand why someone like you was chosen in the first place.]

Ben rolled his eyes. 'What? Why no time? You're stuck with me, aren't you?'

[The energy flow is too intense. I'll likely have to enter hibernation soon to process everything and complete an update.] 

Before Ben could fully react, his mind was bombarded with a flood of fragmented information. His head throbbed under the sheer weight of it all. But just as suddenly as it came, the stream of knowledge was cut off. The pickaxe pulsed one last time, the golden glow surging into a brilliant burst before finally settling.

CRACK!

The blade of the pickaxe shattered, revealing a new surface. It gleamed with a mesmerizing rainbow hue, shifting colors depending on the angle it was viewed from. Ben could feel surge of strength coming from the pickaxe.

[Blockify Pickaxe has been upgraded.]

***

Blockify Pickaxe 

Type: Tool/Weapon 

Rarity: Divine (Growth) 

Durability: Infinite 

Damage: 100 (Melee)

Ability: 

Send You Flying 

Knockback: 10 

Critical Strike Chance: 14%

Blockify 

Power: 5 

Limitations: Cannot be used on living beings, equipment, or liquids.

Magic Destroyer

Effect: When Blockify is used against a magic or spell, it consumes 10% of the calculated mana required for that attack.

Tooltip: "A strange power lies within, turning nearly anything into blocks—but not without a cost."

***

Seeing the updated Ben should feel exhilarated, but compared to information he just learned this is nothing. 

"Is something wrong? Shouldn't you feel happy with the upgraded artifact?"

"Seem we need to quickly improve the base and do thing faster, we just got a new enemy."

"What you mean?" Elvira asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Give me a minute." Ben replied as he sat on the ground trying to filter the information.

Meanwhile at undisclosed location, on a majestic grand hall; a figure with scar on his face was walking with his aide, his heavy armor clanging everytime he took a step. On his back a huge sword could be seen, suddenly he stopped than turn his gaze toward the floor. "Is something happened, Sir Alexander?"

"Just another pest, inform the Magus."

"Yes sir." The person that walking behind him replied with a bow, than quickly leave the area.