Leveling Up by Executing Monsters

'Why would that person suddenly start cursing the Advisor for no reason?'

Lloyd was a little confused. 'Given the Advisor's current state—practically buried with just a lock of hair showing—how could he still catch a stray bullet?'

'But no matter what, it's better that someone else is getting yelled at than me...'

Lloyd could clearly sense that the person on the other side of the Saint Statue connection, the culprit behind the radiating power of [Forgetfulness], was definitely a High-ranking Powerhouse.

If it weren't for the help of the *Book of Truth*, he probably would have forgotten how to breathe and how to make his heart beat by now.

Thankfully, the opponent was using the Saint Statue as a conduit to transmit their power. The buffer in between must have imposed many restrictions. It was like trying to drain a lake with a tiny straw; they were bound to be inefficient and unable to exert their full strength.

That was why their [Forgetfulness] had a gradual progression. Its range expanded little by little, and the things it made people forget became progressively more serious and dangerous.

Without this barrier and its limitations, if they were to fight face-to-face, Lloyd felt that even with the protection of the *Book of Truth*, he probably couldn't withstand that bizarre [Forgetfulness].

'This system is truly dangerous and troublesome, and that High-ranking Powerhouse on the other side is utterly terrifying.'

And that book-like thing Lloyd desperately wanted was in the other person's hands...

'What could it be? Volume two of the *Book of Truth*?'

Lloyd entertained the thought for a moment before shaking his head vigorously, unwilling to continue down that path.

He was afraid, yet he couldn't stop himself from wanting it...

'At my current level, I wouldn't even be an appetizer for them...'

He could only summon his status panel in his mind, trying to distract himself.

Then he couldn't help but lament inwardly:

'Fighting PvP is such a loss!'

This round of conflict had drained all his Spiritual Power, leaving him utterly exhausted. He had also used up a precious charge of his pendant Holy Artifact, yet he had gained almost nothing.

The only rewards were that puddle of wood-colored wax residue and that 'Skill Fragment +1' from before, a gain so tiny it was practically nothing.

'If that puddle of wax turns out to be worthless, wouldn't that mean I've been completely ripped off?'

The problem was, Lloyd racked his brain for his knowledge of Materials Science but couldn't recall any material like it. However, the Spiritual Energy it contained was undeniably rich and unique, leaving him uncertain of its true value.

He would just have to wait until he returned to the city to ask around.

As his thoughts drifted, Lloyd started to feel tired and wanted to close his eyes for a bit.

Just then, he felt a subtle change in the Saint Statue he was holding.

Before, he had been holding her tightly. Now, it felt as though their hands were intertwined, fingers laced together, each gripping the other.

For some reason, a sense of peace washed over him. It was as if his Childhood Sweetheart from next door was right beside him, gently caring for and accompanying him. The taut nerves in his mind gradually relaxed, and he leaned against the wall and fell into a deep sleep.

After he fell asleep, another gentle power emanated from the Saint Statue. It first touched Lloyd's cheek lightly, as if in a soft caress.

Then, it spread throughout the small repository, dispelling the lingering wisps of power in the air that had not yet completely dissipated.

......

In an unknown corner of the world stood a magnificent crystal palace.

Its walls, floor tiles, pillars, and even its blades of grass and trees were all forged from a kind of sparkling, translucent crystal.

But if one could get close enough for a careful look, they would discover that these crystals were like kaleidoscopes with numerous facets. Each facet was like a mirror, clearly reflecting faces.

Taking a few more steps, one would even feel the entire majestic palace reflecting their own appearance, as if they were the only person left in the world.

This might be enough to drive a person mad, but it would also absolutely ensure that a person would never forget themself.

Fortunately, the place was empty. There was no one here.

Inside the palace, atop the most spacious and magnificent main hall, everything was also made of this seemingly transparent yet multi-angled reflective crystal.

Only the towering wall in the deepest part of the hall was different.

On it hung all sorts of mirrors: full-length mirrors, floor mirrors, vanity mirrors, small pocket mirrors, and so on.

There were over a thousand of these mirrors of different shapes and with different frames, completely covering the entire wall.

They were like a linked composite display, reflecting a bizarre scene.

A completely pink cat with a human-like torso and limbs. It was built like a bear, covered in bulging muscles, and even sported a neat eight-pack on its stomach.

This strange cat was wearing a pair of knuckle dusters, punching and kicking at something. It looked extremely ferocious, not the least bit cute.

The bottom row of mirrors was reflecting all kinds of chaotic symbols that flickered and changed constantly before going quiet, turning pitch-black.

Then, the second row from the bottom began to change in the same way, eventually turning pitch-black.

And so it went, from bottom to top. One by one, the mirrors turned black, the darkness gradually swallowing the ferocious, humanoid monster cat until all the mirrors were pitch-black, looking like a patched-together blackboard.

However, the surfaces of several mirrors were already covered in cracks, showing signs of imminent shattering.

Then, a line of white text simultaneously appeared on all the black mirror surfaces. The handwriting was incredibly messy and savage, as if venting some kind of fury:

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

"Eske Mir, that damned bastard! That unconscionable madman! That disgusting pile of maggots! That treacherous mongrel!"

It was clear that these mirrors were very, very angry...

Following its impotent rage, those few teetering mirrors finally gave way and shattered with a crash, creating several 'gaps' in the wall and revealing the mirrored crystal behind them.

Fortunately, after a round of curses and insults to all of Eske Mir's relatives, the 'mirrors'' mood gradually calmed down, and the displayed text became a bit more normal.

"Only that guy, only he who holds the *Book of Truth*, could resist my [Forgetfulness]. And only the [Twist] he has mastered could possibly affect my perception and Cognition."

"But I never expected that not only is that madman not dead, but his progress in the [Twist] system has reached such an inconceivable level. He is far, far ahead of me..."

The hall was completely empty, with not a soul in sight. The words appearing on the mirrors were like someone muttering to themself, or like the mirrors expressing their own thoughts.

"I need to find a way to accelerate my progress in the direction of [Twist], but my most precious Mark was destroyed by that bastard Eske Mir!"

"What is he trying to do? Has he surrendered to the mortal Saint? Or has he completely abandoned our old agreement and, relying on his lead in the [Twist] system, begun to covet my *Book of Destiny* again?"

"Yes, that must be it. He would never submit to the mortal Saint. That means he intends to resume hostilities with me. This recent conflict was his attempt to obstruct my progress in the direction of [Twist]."

"I will not sit back and wait for death. I must take revenge immediately. But after losing my most precious Mark, it will be difficult for me to exert any powerful influence on the mortal world. I will also be targeted by those annoying ants. They've probably already started searching for me everywhere, haven't they?"

"And Eske Mir is an extremely cunning fellow. He's difficult to track through Divination and is skilled at hiding and disguising himself. Even I don't know what he looks like now, or where he has hidden himself..."

"As for his strength, he is indeed difficult to deal with, especially after his further breakthrough in the [Twist] system."

"However, I can go after his precious 'nutrients' to slow his progress. This will be both revenge and a way to test him."

"Therefore, I must first find a way to leave a new Mark in the mortal world."

"I need a long and rigorous prayer to the supreme Sovereign, begging Them to grant me another chance with a Blessing."

The text on the mirrors displayed up to this point, then suddenly vanished all at once.

Then, all the mirrors once again linked together as a whole and began to display lines of text:

"Praise the supreme Sovereign, and with Them, fall into the Abyss..."

"Praise the supreme Sovereign, follow in Their footsteps, and touch the truth..."

"Praise the supreme Sovereign, become one, and embrace madness..."

It looked like a series of fragmented and crazed ramblings.

......

"Lord Tirtus, I have received the latest news from Outpost 22. The crisis there has been resolved, and the situation has been pacified."

Chief of Staff Glaucus stood behind the Chief Judge, reporting the good news he had just received.

The Chief Judge was standing by the window, gazing into the distance, seemingly lost in thought.

A few minutes later, Glaucus heard the Chief Judge's voice ring directly in his mind:

"How is Lloyd?"

"Rest assured, he is safe. Just a little tired."

The Chief Judge gave a subtle nod before asking:

"What about the casualties among the others?"

"Because the situation was brought under control in time, there were no casualties. Only a portion of the people lost their memories of the last hour. The situation is more optimistic than we expected."

"His Holiness the Saint intervened, I presume?" the Chief Judge asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. Traces of His Holiness's power were found at the scene."

The Chief of Staff responded, then turned his head to look at the map on the wall, adding with some confusion:

"But it's so far away. It's clearly outside the reach of His Holiness's radiance, isn't it?"

"Don't overthink it, and Don't Ask Too Much."

The Chief Judge's warning came swiftly, instantly extinguishing his subordinate's budding curiosity.