[Talent Upgraded!]
[New functionalities added]
Function 4 : Origin Materialization
– Generates physical matter using Essence and Origin Source
– Cost: Varies based on structure
– Requirement: Essence, Origin Source and Laws
– Complexity: Medium
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Function 5 : Soul Genesis
– Generates artificial souls using Soul Energy
– Requirement: Null Core, Soul energy
– Complexity: Medium
I stared at the new functionalities for a while, letting the information settle in, because this was not what I had expected at all.
"What use do I have for this?" I said aloud, more to myself than anything else.
Soul Genesis made sense almost immediately. The moment I read it, the first thought that came to my mind was Vivi. This was the missing piece. I could give her an artificial soul of her own, something independent. That alone made the function valuable.
But Origin Materialization...
That one didn’t fit as easily.
It didn’t feel like something meant for combat, nor did it seem like a direct increase in power, at least not in the immediate sense. I already had enough ways to create weapons, structures, or anything I needed using Essence. This was something else, something that operated at a different level, and for a moment, I couldn’t see where it would truly fit.
So I didn’t rush the conclusion. I let my thoughts slow down and began looking at it from a different angle.
My gaze dropped to the lotus in my hand.
And that was when it clicked.
The Dawn World.
It had everything. Laws, land, energy, even structure on a scale that continued to grow... but it lacked one thing.
Life.
I looked at the lotus again, feeling the faint presence within it, that subtle awareness I had just witnessed being born. Using Soul Genesis and Materialization together... I could begin introducing life into the Dawn World.
Created by me.
The more I thought about it, more possibilities began to form. This wasn’t a short-term ability. It wasn’t meant to make me stronger in a single fight. It was meant to change what I could build.
What I could become.
I shifted my attention back to the panel, scanning through the rest of the updates, and noticed that even my existing abilities had improved.
– Essence Transfer : Can transfer stored Essence to an attribute. After use, 100% of the transferred Essence unit remains as a permanent boost
– Essence Infusion : Can transfer stored Essence to an attribute of another being. After use, 50% of the transferred Essence unit remains as a permanent boost
A small smile formed on my face as I read through it.
Previously, Essence Transfer retained only seventy-five percent as a permanent gain. Now it was absolute. No loss. No inefficiency. And Essence Infusion had doubled in effectiveness as well, making it far more viable for strengthening others without wasting resources.
That alone would accelerate growth across everything under me.
My eyes moved further down. The Star of Origin was no longer marked as dormant. It had awakened.
I could feel that clearly already.
Finally, I looked at the talent itself. The name remained the same.
Generator Prime.
But the level...It didn’t reset like before.
It simply read: Max.
This was the first time it hadn’t looped back into another cycle. But when I looked at the rank-up condition...
It hadn’t changed which meant there won’t be level up but directly an upgrade next.
The amount of Essence required for the next upgrade had risen sharply to 50,000 units. At the same time, the cost of forming a Soul Shackle had reduced from seven hundred to five hundred, and the soul shackle limit had increased to eight.
I let out a slow breath, taking in the changes without overthinking them.
Then I moved.
In the next instant, I appeared inside the Dawn World once again, the lotus still resting in my hand. My feet touched down on a quiet stretch of land, one of the many empty regions that had formed as the world expanded.
I looked around briefly, then down at the lotus. If this were the real world, a lotus wouldn’t be planted on dry land.
It needed water.
Without overcomplicating it, I raised my hand slightly and shaped the ground in front of me. The surface lowered smoothly, forming a shallow basin, wide enough to hold a small pond. Essence gathered naturally as I guided it, condensing into water that filled the depression, settling into a calm, clear pool.
Once it formed, I stepped forward and crouched near the edge. The water was still, reflecting the dim sky above, its surface undisturbed.
I lowered my hand. The lotus touched the water.
For a moment, it floated freely, carried gently by the surface.
Then it adjusted. Its base dipped slightly beneath the water, anchoring itself naturally, as any lotus would. The petals remained above, resting lightly on the surface.
I pulled my hand back and stood up. There was no immediate reaction, no sudden surge or dramatic shift. It simply remained there, floating quietly in the small pond.
I watched it for a few seconds longer before turning my gaze away.
Whatever it was meant to do next...It would do it on its own since it was alive.
"You will be my first experiment. Do not disappoint me," I muttered, and the lotus swayed gently on the water as if acknowledging my words.
A faint smile formed on my face as I watched it for a moment longer, before I turned and left the Dawn World.
I checked the panel once again.
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Talent Name: Generator Prime
Level: Max
Activation Command: Power Up!
Recharge Sources: Any form of energy
Upgrade Requirement : 0/50,000 Essence unit generated
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"50,000 isn’t that far. I’m actually looking forward to the next upgrade," I said to myself with a small nod before folding space and stepping straight into the control chamber.
The moment I arrived, I noticed Primus wasn’t there.
Instead, standing at the center of the chamber, calmly overseeing everything, was my grandmother... with Edgar beside her, looking as unimpressed as ever.
I glanced between the two and smirked. "Hello, old people. How’s it going?"
"Ohh, look who finally decided to show up," Edgar turned toward me, his expression instantly turning theatrical. "The great lord himself has arrived. My apologies, I would bow, but my knees have given up after carrying the burden of this world for so long."
"Worry not, old man Edgar," I replied, matching his tone. "I wouldn’t want you to bend anyway. At your age, there’s a real risk you might not come back up."
"So considerate," he nodded seriously. "I always knew you had a kind heart buried somewhere under all that arrogance."
"Billion," my grandmother cut in, though there was a faint smile on her face, "that is no way to talk to old Edgar. You’ll hurt his feelings."
Edgar placed a hand dramatically on his chest. "Too late. I felt something crack just now."
"That was probably your bones," I said flatly.
He ignored that completely and straightened slightly. "Anyway, since you’re here, I assume you’re not just here to insult the elderly."
I shrugged. "Depends. How long have you two been running things?"
"Long enough to fix whatever chaos your people left behind," Edgar replied. "We’ve taken over operations from Primus for now."
"He’s not here?" I asked.
My grandmother shook her head. "Primus has gone to Dragos."
"Makes sense," I nodded. "And Arkas and Lucien?"
"Busy," Edgar answered. "They’re overseeing the construction of the Academy City. Apparently, turning an entire region into a training hub for the next generation isn’t as easy as just blowing things up and calling it progress."
I exhaled lightly. "Good. At least someone is doing actual work."
Edgar gave me a look. "Yes, unlike you, who disappears for days and comes back stronger without explanation."
"That’s called efficiency," I replied.
"Of course it is," he nodded.
Then, as if remembering something, he tilted his head slightly.
"Oh, by the way," he added casually, "Primus has received his quest."
That made me pause.
I looked at him properly this time. "Do you know what it is?"
He shrugged.
"Why would I know?" he said.