A System Glitch?
Edric didn't want to let her escape.
His plan was simple—wear her down, then capture her.
But she had an unknown ability that completely shielded her from his detection.
"Did she teleport away? No… teleportation spells take time to cast!" He shook his head in frustration.
Legendary-rank teleportation magic had an impressive range. Based on his estimates, it could cover at least fifty miles, possibly more depending on the circumstances.
Teleportation spell formations were complex, and their range was dependent on many factors.
Fixed teleportation formations powered by mana crystals were generally faster and could cover longer distances; the exact range varied based on several conditions: the weight of the object, its energy levels, its rank, and even the toughness of the surrounding space, which fluctuated between different regions and times.
Second, a teleportation spell could not transport anything of a higher rank than itself. A Golden-rank teleportation spell, for example, could never teleport a Legendary-rank being.
Third, casting teleportation magic in the middle of battle was nearly impossible for most magicians. Teleportation required absolute precision—one miscalculation, and disaster was inevitable. Even the slightest deviation could be fatal. The process demanded unwavering focus and could take several minutes to complete.
Of course, there were exceptions. A mage with absurd talent, an exceptionally high affinity for space magic, or centuries of training might be able to cast instant teleportation even in combat. But such individuals were exceedingly rare. They wouldn't be found in remote places like Silverflower or Greenmoon Islands. Perhaps the prestigious magic academies of the Flicker Empire nurtured such prodigies.
For these reasons, Edric doubted that Queen Greenblade had used teleportation. Legendary-rank teleportation spells formations were rare, and there was no guarantee she even had one. The chances of her casting such a spell in the heat of battle were slim.
"Did she use a spell crystal instead?" he wondered.
It was possible. Teleportation spells of Legendary rank could be stored in spell crystals, but only those infused with space-element energy. Such crystals were incredibly expensive and difficult to obtain but had the advantage of instant casting.
"She likely has ties to the Flicker Empire. If so, acquiring a Legendary-rank teleportation crystal wouldn't be impossible. The empire certainly possesses them. They may have even given her one."
Then another possibility struck him.
"Or… could it be a ghost's special ability? I know too little about Legendary ghosts."
If she had used a teleportation crystal, she might already be reporting back to the Flicker Empire.
"Damn it, I was careless!"
Edric clenched his fists, frustration boiling within him. He had grown too arrogant. Even with the power of a Mythic being, he was still nothing before a colossus like the Flicker Empire. He had overestimated himself.
"To think that someone as cautious as me could become this reckless…"
He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to refocus. He had no time to dwell on regrets. Now, he has no choice but to leave this island immediately.
Eliminating the source of the Demon King of Greed came with a "Super Chest" reward. That alone was proof that the task was far beyond his current capabilities. If it were something a mere Legendary rank could accomplish, the reward wouldn't be so generous. The quest had a time limit of one hundred years—there was no need to rush.
Once he reached the Mythic or Ultra rank, he could return and deal with it properly.
Trying to force his way through now may lead to death. And that was a risk he wasn't willing to take.
...
"System!" Edric called, summoning his status window.
[Edric Windwalker]• Age: 17 years, 2 months, 20 days
[Task 1: Within 5 Minutes]
[Task 2 – Part 1: Book of Weirdness] (Completed)[Task 2 – Part 2: Gate to the Abyss]• Objective: Within five years, read the Book of Weirdness, master the Abyssal Gate spell, and open a portal to the Abyss.• Rewards:
Ultra Skill 25,000,000 XP• Time Left: 154 / 1,825 days• Failure Penalty: None
[Task 3: Demon King of Greed]• Objective: Eliminate all traces of the Demon King of Greed's influence on Greenmoon Island.• Reward:
Super Grade Chest• Time: 15 / 36,500 days• Failure Penalty: None
[Techniques] Mythic Knight Training: 21 / 9,000,000 Mythic Mage Training: 5 / 9,000,000
[Talents] Knight Talent (Legendary): 0 / 2,400,000 Mage Talent (Silver): 0 / 800,000
[Skills]
Mental Fortitude (Purple) Spawn (Cyan) Self-Consumption (Cyan) Mental Defense (Red) Double Spell (Red) Mana Detection (Red) Bloodline Detection (Red) Shapeshifting (Red) Bloodline Authority (Red) Energy Absorption (Red) Absolute Magical Defense (Red) Passive Defense (Red) Swimming (Golden) Beast Control (Golden) Break Item (Golden) Mind Manipulation (Golden) Magnetic Pull (Golden) Spell Mastery (Golden) See-Through (Golden) Food Generation (Golden) Beast's Senses (Golden) Poison Resistance (Golden) Crystal Skin (Silver) Telekinesis (Silver) Steel Hair Manipulation (Silver) Extreme Yang (Silver) Blindness (Silver) Fog Manipulation (Silver) Illusion (Silver)
[Cheat Ability] Low-Level XP Generator – Produces 1,000 XP per day.• Available XP: 696,914
Standing on the deck of his ship, Edric gazed at the sea, watching the sunrise in silence. He had nothing to do for the next few minutes, so he simply waited for the system to refresh and reveal the next task.
Ding!
[New Task Available!]
[Ancestor of a Nation]• Objective: Have 10 million living direct descendants simultaneously.• Time Limit: 10 years• Rewards:
1 Ultra Chest 5,000,000 XP 1 Random Ultra Spell Crystal
Reading the task description, Edric secretly nodded.
"As expected, another ancestor-related task," he mused.
A small smile tugged at his lips. These kinds of missions used to be difficult, but not anymore.
Ten million was a large number, sure, but now that he had Mythic-level strength and was a Legendary mage, accomplishing it wouldn't be too difficult. If he and his clones worked hard for a while, this goal would be well within reach.
Just as he was about to close the system, another notification popped up.
Ding!
Congratulations! The fourth task is now available!
[An Ally of Darkness]
• Objective: Ensure that 10 million of your direct descendants have the talent to use Dark element magic.
• Time Limit: 10 years
• Reward: 1 Ultra Chest
Ding!
Congratulations! The fifth task is now available!
[Demonic Bloodline]
• Objective: Ensure that 10 million of your direct descendants inherit the lineage of the Demon King of Weirdness.
• Time Limit: 10 years
• Reward: 1 Ultra Chest
Ding!
Congratulations! The skill [Demonic Ancestor (Green)] has been granted to you!
Ding!
Congratulations! The skill [Abyss Emissary (Green)] has been granted to you!
Ding!
Congratulations! The skill [Blessed by the Abyss (Purple)] has been granted to you!
Ding!
Congratulations! The skill [Divination Resistance (Black)] has been granted to you!
Ding!
Congratulations! The skill [Bloodline Shield (Black)] has been granted to you!
[New Skills Acquired]
[Demonic Ancestor (Green)] – As a bearer of a Demon King's bloodline, you possess the ability to bless lower beings, granting them a demonic bloodline tied to your lineage.
[Abyss Emissary (Green)] – A Demon King of the Abyss has chosen you as its emissary.
All demons of Ultra rank and lower fear, respect, and obey you. As the Emissary of the Abyss, you hold the authority to grant Dark talents to anyone worthy. You can enter the Abyss freely and access the Demon King of Weirdness's floor without restriction.
[Blessed by the Abyss (Purple) – Suppressed] – The Abyss has acknowledged you. You may channel a portion of Abyssal power for your own purposes.
Status: Suppressed. Your current environment prevents you from using this power.
[Divination Resistance (Black)] – No divination technique below Absolute Rank works on you.
Increases resistance against Absolute Rank divinations.
[Bloodline Shield (Black)] – Your bloodline is immune to all spells, curses, and harmful influences below Absolute Rank.
Increases resistance against Absolute Rank divinations.
Edric stared at the long string of notifications, utterly dumbfounded.
"What? Did I trigger something unconsciously? So many skills? Absolute Rank?"
Edric couldn't believe his eyes.
"This has to be a system glitch, right? There's no way it would give me so many skills all at once at no cost!"
He waited a few seconds, expecting the system to correct itself. But the skills remained.
"It's… not an error?"
The initial shock slowly faded, replaced by excitement.
"So many Super, Extreme, and even Absolute Rank skills!" His heart pounded in exhilaration. "Hahaha! I'm invincible now!"
He threw his head back, laughing loudly as his ship cut through the vast ocean.
Days ago, he had left Greenmoon Island to avoid any possible pursuit from the Flicker Empire. While waiting for his next task, he hadn't expected it to be such a grand event.
"But why do these tasks feel so… Abyssal?"
It was almost as if the Demon King of Weirdness was manipulating him, using him to spread its influence across the world.
"Wait… could it be? Is the Demon King of Weirdness orchestrating all of this? Am I just a tool?"
The thought sent a chill down his spine, draining all excitement from his face. His triumphant smile vanished.
But then—just like magic—the thought disappeared.
"Who cares? What's important is that I have Absolute Rank skills!"
With that freezing, unsettling thought shoved aside, his excitement returned.
He gazed toward the horizon, his mind brimming with visions of the future—a future where he would be invincible and immortal.