Chapter 798: A month of silence
Max reappeared in his room within the 2-star sector of the Great Ruler Empire, the familiar sight of his modest chamber greeting him with gentle lamplight flickering against polished stone walls.
He staggered a step forward, his face pale and streaked with dried blood, each breath still ragged from the earlier battle, and finally let out a shaky sigh as he slumped into the nearest chair. "It was good that I anchored the Space Anchor Sphere to my room here," he muttered under his breath, reaching into his storage space to pull out a handful of luminous mana crystals whose surfaces pulsed softly like captured stars.
He clutched them in his palms and felt the soothing tide of energy pour through his battered body, mending the torn muscles and shattered pathways left by the Third Elder’s savage assault.
The Space Anchor Sphere, he reflected, was a treasure he’d stumbled upon during his time exploring the mysterious citadel back in the Lower Domain. It was an artifact that has a single, invaluable function: to instantly transport its owner to the precise location where it had been anchored.
Max had wisely chosen to tie it to his room in the Great Ruler Empire, and tonight, that single decision had spared him from certain death. "Fortunately, I did that," he whispered with a grim chuckle, shaking his head as he leaned back and closed his eyes, reliving the attack of the old lady. "Otherwise, I’d be dead right now."
He exhaled deeply, gathering his scattered thoughts as the last threads of pain ebbed from his flesh. ’That was close,’ he thought, his expression darkening as the images of June’s twisted, screaming face flashed across his mind. Yet despite the chaos and the mortal peril, he felt not a shred of regret for what he’d done.
Suddenly, a melodic chime rang out accompanied by the crisp, synthetic voice of the system:
[Congratulations to Max Voidwalker for leveling to level 7 of Master Rank.]
[Congratulations to Max Voidwalker for leveling to level 8 of Master Rank.]
Max opened his eyes, and for the first time since returning, a genuine grin cracked across his face. "I leveled up two more times. Great." His tone was tinged with relief and satisfaction, though the triumph was quickly overtaken by a thoughtful frown.