"I'm leaving."
Sylas' mind was still trying to adjust and calculate things. The last thing he expected was for Cassarae to drop such a bomb on him when he finally got back.
She seemed so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't even notice the changes in herself. But when Sylas saw the name of the organization and the trial she wanted to join, his eyes couldn't help but narrow.
He had definitely heard of them before—how could he not have? The Petals of the Seeing Thorn was the same organization that the Florineth woman was a part of. Not just that, but also that guide of his who tried to bait him into participating in that competition because she thought herself clever.
Well, all things considered, she was "successful" as she could be in that endeavor. But Sylas was pretty sure that she had suffered for it greatly nonetheless.
She wasn't nearly as clever as she thought herself to be, and because of that, Sylas knew that she had a step one but no step two. Without a clearly thought-out plan, suffering was all she would have in her future. There was a reason he hadn't even really bothered to put her on his kill list—she was irrelevant to him.
Sylas seemed to completely forget about Free Chaos and how he was going to get his hands on Gold Genes. Looking down at Cassarae, and seeing that she had already made her decision, his lips slowly parted.
"Szorn."
"Yes, young master!"
"Petals of the Seeing Thorn. You have all the information on them?"
"An organization—."
"Yes or no."
"Yes!"
"Good. Then follow my wife."
"—Who the hell is your wife?!" Cassarae seemed to snap out of her confused daze. Even while she was explaining things to Sylas, she seemed to be in another world. But this was enough to wake her up.
"Need I remind you—?"
"Fuck the system and its naming! My last name is Hale until I say otherwise, you hear me?!"
Sylas' lip curled slightly, then he looked to Szorn.
"Make sure she's informed about everything. She will be taking their trial soon."
"Understood, young master!"
Sylas began to speak again, a string of Ancient Ithkuil coming out of his mouth. Szorn fell into a daze of its own as he listened.
It took a full hour before Sylas was done, but Szorn's large, eyeball-hovering form only blinked once and then nodded.
"Understood, young master! I will remember these parameters while assisting the young mistress!"
Just now, Sylas had spent an entire hour setting Szorn's priorities. He knew that even if Cassarae asked pointed questions, it might spin off the rails. So he made certain to point him in the right direction.
Its first priority was Cassarae's safety. Its second priority was Cassarae's potential. Its third priority was Cassarae's improvement, in that order.
Of course, there were many more—and there were even more details locked within—but that would be between Szorn and himself. He didn't want to spend another hour explaining them to Cassarae, not when he had things to do.
He had a scepter that had an overview of an entire Summoning World, and a wife that needed a boost.
…
Sylas exited yet another Dungeon, his breathing just as even. He looked through the rewards and then tossed them into the Madness Key.
Some of the things he was gathering with such shocking speed were things he would have killed for months ago, but at this point, unless it was something to increase his Silver Gene cap, it was next to worthless to him.
However, that was another matter for Cassarae.
He didn't understand what the ceiling was for the powerhouses of The Petals of the Seeing Thorn, but what he did know was that even now, he didn't have 100% confidence in killing Ulrik in one-on-one combat.
The Thryskai weren't just an E-Grade Race.
Although the Petals of the Seeing Thorn seemed a step beneath the Thryskai in this galaxy, it wasn't an unfathomable gap. Cassarae had to be more ready, not less…
Which meant she also needed her necklace back.
Sylas vanished and pushed another pile of resources onto Casstle Main.
According to Cassarae, and confirmed by the Madness Key, organizations like the Petals of the Seeing Thorn fell into the same category as Cities. They had special abilities to counter the restrictions of City Steles if they extended an invitation.
However, while Cassarae was gone, Casstle Main would fall into a state of dormancy and be unable to be used. Its spawns, especially, would enter a limbo.
But that was fine by Sylas. This way, he didn't need to take care of it while she was gone… and he could well and truly go all out.
He vanished once more.
…
Sylas looked up, standing before the last and final piece of the Genesis Forge. It had, indeed, been on Earth all this while in a location he couldn't quite explain.
After his vision cleared from the teleportation, Sylas stood in the middle of an expanse of black marble. Everything seemed coated in black marble except for the gentle blue radiance of Runes that surrounded the obelisk.
However, the World Scepter had ignored these barriers as though they weren't even there.
Sylas reached a palm forward and touched the obelisk.
Blaring alarm bells rang, but Sylas reacted as though he hadn't heard them at all. Calm and collected, he ran his palm across the surface.
Maybe if he could reach D-Grade in Race before improving his strength to E-Grade, he could make up for the foundation he lost at least in part…
But first, he would need that treasure Lorien Myst had taken from him to complete the world inside the jade.
There was a flash and the obelisk disappeared.
Danger and warning fell onto Sylas in waves, but his expression was an eerie calm.
Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire
It was the calm of a man who was well aware of his strength… of a man who knew he was the strongest Earth had to offer right now.