Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

The ninth level of the abyss, the "Abyss of Souls".

Time here is like a piece of parchment that has been crumpled and then smoothed out, leaving countless barely discernible creases.

But for the thirteen Supreme Apostles imprisoned in the council hall, they could clearly perceive:
I have spent a full ten years in this darkness.

ten years.

For the Supreme Apostle, whose lifespan is often measured in millennia, ten years should be as fleeting as the blink of an eye for a mortal.

However, at this moment, these ten years feel as long as an eternal curse.

In the first few years, they were furious.

Magus's Void Spiderweb tore through every inch of the council hall, Chaye's Tricolor Dragon Flame melted the dome no less than a hundred times, and Nas's Star Mist Body once expanded to almost fill the entire hall.

However, all efforts were in vain.

The force that imprisoned them here seemed to originate from the very source of the abyss, and any resistance was like an ant trying to shake a tree.

As time went by, despair began to spread.

The figures on the thirteenth throne were no longer as majestic and terrifying as before; some began to talk to themselves, while others fell into a slumbering, lifeless state.

Agatha, whose chest was perpetually oozing pus, even began to sob softly.

Now, at a certain "moment" in the tenth year, the strongest Magus was the first to notice the anomaly.

"Something's wrong."

"The spatial confinement... has not loosened at all this time."

These words stirred up ripples in the long-silent council chamber.

Over the past decade, the power that imprisoned them has experienced brief fluctuations every few months.

Like a dam occasionally letting out a few drops of water.

Although this fluctuation was weak, it gave the Supreme Apostles hope:
Perhaps in a few hundred years, this constraint will finally disappear completely.

But this time, the expected fluctuations did not occur.

"What do you mean?"

Chaye's massive body straightened up from the throne.

"You mean, even that pitiful 'crack' has disappeared?"

"Yes."

Magus twisted his web, the silk threads hissing softly as they rubbed together.
"But that's not the worst of it."

He seemed afraid of being overheard by something outside the dome of the council chamber:

“Nari’s power… is growing at an incredible rate.”

"Nari?"

Agatha lifted her head from her sobs.

"She...she's still on the fifth floor, isn't she? How could a mere half-mad apostle..."

“Agatha, it’s been too long, have you even forgotten who she is?”

The voice of "Invisible Mist" Nass resounded simultaneously from every corner of the council chamber.

“She is the direct descendant of the ‘mother’.”

These words were like a stone thrown into stagnant water, stirring up panic among all the Supreme Apostles.

"You mean..."

The seven heads of Malachi, the "Original Sinful Multifaceted Beast," simultaneously turned toward Nas.

“She may have found the core legacy of her mother.”

After Magus finished speaking, the council chamber fell silent.

The thirteen Supreme Apostles, terrifying beings who once roamed the Great Abyss and even dared to covet the heartland of the wizarding civilization.

At this moment, they were like prisoners sentenced to death, staring at each other, but neither dared to speak.

Because they all understand one thing—the core legacy of "mother" is the real taboo.

It is more twisted than the "Abyss of Souls" on the ninth level, and more ancient than the "Primordial Sea" beneath the thirteenth level's void boundary.

If Nari truly obtained that power...

"Perhaps we should try talking to her."

Agatha's voice trembled:

"After all, she was once one of us, perhaps..."

"One of them?"

A harsh laugh came from Cha Ye's left:

"Have you forgotten how we treated her? Have you forgotten how we..."

"enough!"

Magus interrupted Chazelle:

"Now is not the time to dwell on the past, we need to..."

His words stopped abruptly.

At that moment, the dome of the council chamber suddenly cracked open, and a tentacle slowly emerged.

"Supreme Apostles~"

A voice resounded simultaneously in the consciousness of all the Supreme Apostles.

The voice was sweet and gentle, yet it carried a chilling madness:
"Your subordinate 'Nari' has come to see you~"

More tentacles poured out of the crack.

Ten, twenty, fifty... They spread and intertwined like a swarm of hungry snakes on the dome of the council hall, eventually weaving a black net that blotted out the sky.

In the center of that net, a blurry figure was slowly coalescing.

Nari's true form was not fully revealed—perhaps because she was unwilling, or perhaps because this space could no longer contain her true form.

She was merely projecting a part of her consciousness.

That consciousness transformed into a sphere composed of countless eyeballs, suspended in the center of the council hall, looking down at the "predecessors" on the thirteen thrones.

"Long time no see, adults!"

Her voice was so gentle it gave me goosebumps.

"The last time we met, you were discussing how to send me as 'bait' to lure the great wizard~"
How are you feeling now?

"Nari!"

Cha Ye was the first to stand up, and all three heads simultaneously exhaled scorching breath:

"How dare you!"

"Sit down for me."

As Nari finished speaking, a tentacle pierced the floor of the council chamber at an undetectable speed.

It stopped precisely in front of Cha Ye, only an inch away from his chest.

The dragon-headed demon froze.

He sensed an irresistible force on that tentacle, an aura emanating from the very source of "Mother".

"Sit down, sweetie~ We have so much to talk about~"

Cha Ye slowly sat back on the throne.

His left head was still roaring angrily, his right head's dragon eyes burned with flames of resentment, only the "rational" face in the middle remained silent.

Because that head had realized that Nari was no longer someone they could afford to offend.

"Very good~"

Nari's eyeballs slowly rotated, hundreds of eyes each fixed on a different throne:

Before I 'ask' you about some things, let me tell you a story first~

A story about 'mother'~

Her voice became distant, as if recalling some ancient memory:
"Did you know? Before 'Mother' fell, the hierarchy of the Great Abyss... was actually a 'permission management system'~"

"Access?" Magus's spiderwebs trembled slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Don't rush, Lord Magus~ Let me explain slowly~"

Nari's tentacles danced in the air:
"Levels one through five are 'visitor access' levels—any living being can enter, as long as they're not afraid to die!"

"The fifth and sixth levels represent 'resident privileges'—a certain degree of chaos adaptability is required to remain there long-term."

"And from the seventh to the tenth floor..."

Her voice suddenly turned icy:

"It's 'administrator privileges'—only the Supreme Apostles can freely enter and exit."

The atmosphere in the council chamber froze.

The thirteen Supreme Apostles had already vaguely guessed what Nari was about to say.

"As for the 'extremely deep' areas below the tenth level..."

Nari's eyeball suddenly split open, revealing the enormous mouth inside:
That requires the 'core authority' of the 'mother's' direct bloodline.

"You have been able to run rampant in the Great Abyss all these years, and even dared to lay your hands on the wizard civilization..."

Her voice grew louder and louder:

"It's not because you guys are so strong~"

"It's because 'Mother' left in such a hurry that she didn't have time to take back the 'temporary passes' she issued to you."

That's all~

These words were like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the last glimmer of hope of the Supreme Apostles.

"Now~"

Nari's tentacles began to slowly tighten, compressing the space of the council chamber little by little:

"My pass has expired."

………………

Cha Ye was the first to make a move; he was never one to sit idly by and wait to be killed.

Even knowing he was no match for them, he was determined to tear off a piece of the enemy's flesh with his own.

"you this……"

The three-colored dragon flames intertwined, forming a destructive torrent powerful enough to tear apart the barriers of space, rushing straight towards Nari.

"Ha~"

Nari didn't even use her tentacles.

She simply exhaled softly.

That breath transformed into a wisp of mist that met the three-colored dragon flames. The flames seemed to have their fuel drained, turning into a few insignificant wisps of smoke.

"Lord Chaye~"

Nari's voice was filled with resentment and longing:

"do you remember?"

"Remember what..."

Before Cha Ye could finish speaking, a tentacle pierced through his left shoulder.

His body jolted violently, only to find that he was completely unable to break free.

The tentacles not only pierced his flesh and blood, but also penetrated his very essence, like a life-sucking straw, slowly draining his power.

"The first time you saw me~"

Nari's voice turned icy cold:
"What you said~"

The tentacles tightened, and Cha Ye let out a painful roar.

"Put away those disgusting tentacles!"

Nari repeated each word carefully:

"Remember who you are, trash!"

Another tentacle pierced in, this time into Chaye's right shoulder.

"'You're just a puppy I picked up, not family!'"

The three heads of the three-headed demon were stunned at the same time.

He did say those words.

That happened thousands of years ago.

While inspecting the "Sea of ​​No Light" on the fifth floor, he accidentally discovered a chaotic mass that had not yet taken shape.

That was Nari, who had just been born. At that time, she was just a clueless little monster who didn't understand the rules of this world at all.

She naively believed that she had found the "family" her "mother" had spoken of.

However, all that Chazelle gave her was tyranny, contempt, and endless humiliation.

“I’ve long forgotten…” Cha Ye’s head murmured, “those words…”

You forgot~

But I didn't~

"Today, I want to tell you..."

Her tentacles began to multiply wildly.

Ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred... tentacles, like a terrifying forest, spread and grew in the council hall, completely engulfing the entire space.

What truly constitutes 'disgusting'?

Cha Ye gave it his all.

His body continued to expand during the battle, and his three heads merged together to form an extremely ferocious monster.

It was a hybrid of a demon and a dragon, its body covered in lava-like scales, and its six eyes burning with a madness that could destroy everything.

The tricolored dragon flames completely melted a corner of the council hall, and that space even temporarily collapsed, forming a miniature black hole.

But all of this seemed like a struggle between fireflies and the moon to Nari.

The tentacles pierced through the dragon scales and into the flesh, beginning to erode Cha Ye's very essence from within.

Each tentacle is a channel for absorption, gradually drawing away the power accumulated by Cha Ye.

He felt like a mountain being hollowed out, still majestic on the outside but broken inside.

"No...no..."

Cha Ye's head, that face representing reason, let out a desperate roar:
"I am the Supreme Apostle! I live and die with this abyss! You cannot..."

"you are wrong."

"You were never the master of the abyss."

“You are just a ‘tenant’ living in the ‘mother’s’ estate.”

"but me……"

The tentacles tightened, and Cha Ye's massive body began to disintegrate.

Chaye's presence is being absorbed by Nari little by little, becoming nourishment for her power.

“He is the true ‘successor’.”

In his final moments, Cha Ye finally realized a ridiculous truth:

The "worthless" person he once looked down on, the innocent life he treated like a "puppy," is now devouring him.

"you……"

Chaye wanted to say something, but his three heads had already begun to melt, being absorbed bit by bit by those all-pervasive tentacles.

"Next time I'll be reincarnated~"

Nari's voice carried a hint of mockery:

"Remember to be a good person!"

Cha Ye's consciousness completely dissipated.

The first of the thirteen Supreme Apostles to fall was born.

Agatha was the second person to be targeted.

After witnessing Cha Ye's demise, the "Daughter of Corruption" lost all her courage from her decaying body.

She tumbled off the throne and knelt before the eyeball that Nari had projected.

A large amount of pus gushed from the hole in her chest, as if even her body was crying.

"Lady Nari... no, I should call you 'Mother'!"

Her voice trembled so much she could barely form a sentence:
"Please spare my life! I'm willing to submit! I'm willing to become your servant! I'll give you anything you want!"

The surviving High Apostles in the council chamber remained silent.

No one mocked Agatha's humility; many of them shared the same thought at that moment.

"Surrender?"

Nari tilted his head, and hundreds of his eyes blinked simultaneously:
“You know, Agatha…”

Her voice softened:

You once said something to me too~

“What…what did you say?” Agatha trembled even more violently.

"When I first arrived at the ninth floor for the meeting, what did you say to the other apostles?"

Nari's eyeballs slowly approached, almost touching Agatha's rotting face:

"'This little thing is so ugly, it has so many eyes, it's disgusting to look at~ Should I gouge all its eyes out for everyone~'"

Agatha's face turned deathly pale.

"That...that was just a joke..."

"joke?"

Nari's tentacles gently rested on Agatha's shoulders, their touch cool and slippery:
You think that's a joke?

"But for me, who was just born and knew nothing~"
That sentence has kept me from appearing in front of everyone for hundreds of years!

The tentacles pierced Agatha's core, the "Seed of Corruption" hidden deep within her chest cavity.

Before Agatha could even scream, her body began to disintegrate at a visible speed.

Unlike Chaye, her disintegration was more like a process of "decay".

The flesh turned into pus, the bones into dust, and finally only the slightly trembling core remained, which was gently lifted up by the tentacles.

"Mom is very petty, you know~"

Nari's voice carried a hint of satisfaction: "Your power~ I accept it~"

With Agatha's core devoured, the council chamber lost another Supreme Apostle.

On the other side, while watching Nari display her prowess, Magus had already prepared an escape route before the battle even began.

While the tentacles were focused on devouring, the "Void Spider" had already quietly torn apart the space at the edge of the council chamber.

The crack was extremely well hidden; only someone with his expertise in space could discover it, let alone create it.

“Mages~”

Nari's voice sounded behind him:
"Want to go?"

The Void Spider stopped in its tracks.

His nine eyes held only calmness. He knew his chances of escape were slim, but he still wanted to try.

“Nari…”

He slowly turned around: "No, I should call you 'the successor' now."

"Oh, you're quite sensible."

Nari's eyeball floated in front of Magus, and hundreds of eyes curiously examined him:
"Won't you beg for mercy? Aren't you angry? Won't you put up a final resistance?"

"It's all useless."

Magus's voice was as calm as a stagnant pool:
"I am well aware of the current balance of power."

You have fully digested the 'Lungs of Chaos' and gained more authority over the 'Mother'.

Within the womb of the Great Abyss, this "mother," you are virtually invincible.

"But I'll still give it a try." "Because I still have things to finish."

"Oh? What happened?"

Magus was silent for a moment:

“A long time ago, I made a promise to someone.”

"He waited for me for a very, very long time, so long that I almost forgot his name."

Nari's eyes tilted slightly, as if touched by these words:
So you're running away? For a promise?

"Yes."

"...Alright then~"

Nari's voice became somewhat sympathetic:
"Go ahead and run! I'll give you three seconds!"

"One~"

Magus did not hesitate at all.

His body transformed into countless tiny spider threads, which simultaneously fled in dozens of different directions.

Each strand of spider silk carries a part of his consciousness, and as long as one strand manages to escape, he can reassemble it someday in the future.

"Three~ I was just kidding~"

Nari's tentacles had already caught up.

Like a whip in a gale, the tentacles struck most of the spider silk with precision.

The spider silk turned to ashes upon being struck and vanished into the void.

The last few strands of spider silk burrowed into the spatial rift that Magus had prepared beforehand.

Nari's tentacles stopped at the edge of the crack.

"Forget it~"

"I'll let you live a few more days then~"

"Anyway, you can't escape the abyss."

The crack slowly healed, and Magus, or at least a small part of him, escaped for the time being.

Nass, the "invisible fog," had successfully concealed himself at this point.

When the battle began, this "invisible mist" displayed its "invisible" qualities.

He diluted his body until it completely merged with the background radiation of the abyss.

This is an extremely advanced skill.

Ordinary concealment is simply about not being discovered, but Nass's approach is to "become the environment itself."

Even Nari would find it difficult to detect his presence in a short period of time.

The "invisible fog" chose the safest strategy—to wait quietly.

Waiting for Nari to leave, waiting for the danger to pass, waiting for the chance to make a comeback.

He didn't know how long this wait would take, nor did he know if he would have any chance of making a comeback.

But at least, being alive means having hope.

………………

The battle is over.

The once invincible thirteen Supreme Apostles are now reduced to fragmented memories and a cold throne.

Nari slowly drifted toward the gray vortex in the center of the council chamber.

That vortex was the "birthplace" that the thirteen apostles had maintained together for ten years.

Suspended within it is a pulsating sphere—that is the "Throne Seed".

This seed embodies the purest primal power of all the Supreme Apostles:
Void, dragonfire, starlight, corruption, original sin, twisting, flesh, bones, liquefaction, swarm...

Thirteen distinct forces intertwine to form an incredibly complex energy matrix.

According to the original plan of the Supreme Apostles, this seed would be sent into the heart of the wizarding civilization.

It parasitizes a promising individual, then awakens decades later to become an unprecedented "proxy".

Unexpectedly, it ended up benefiting Nari.

"Let Mom see!"

Her tentacles gently touched the surface of the seed:

"What good stuff is in here?"

Countless pieces of information flooded into her consciousness—a detailed breakdown of the thirteen powers:
The Void Spider's "Spatial Tear" and "Fate Weave";
The "Original Sin Fire" and "Dragon Legacy" of the Dragon-Headed Demon;
The "conceptual dilution" and "existential fusion" of the invisible fog;
The Daughter of Corruption's "Corruption of All Things" and "Life Stealing";
The Seven-Headed Resonance and Form Transformation of the Original Sin Multifaceted Beast...

Each one is the culmination of countless years of cultivation by the Supreme Apostle, and each one contains the potential to transcend the boundaries of the mortal world.

"What a generous gift!"

Nari's voice was filled with a satisfied smile.

But she knew very well that this seed could not be absorbed simply.

Each of the thirteen powers has different attributes and characteristics.

If forcibly fused, they will conflict with each other within the body, causing unpredictable consequences.

But... what if it's "purified"?

What if we remove the impurities from these forces and retain only the purest "chaotic essence"?

………………

Ron is currently trying to further refine the consciousness structure of "Senro".

This allows the creation, which combines the concepts of "substitute doll" and "mysterious illusion," to have a more stable sense of self.

The silver-gray figure lay quietly on the workbench, its palm-sized body occasionally rising and falling slightly.

Just as he was preparing to proceed with the next step, a familiar voice suddenly rang in his mind:

"Sweetie~ Mommy has prepared a big gift for you~"

Ron paused.

"Mom...what happened?"

He responded through blood ties:
"Your voice sounds...very nice."

"Of course I'm happy!"

Nari's consciousness projection appeared in his mind:

"Mom just finished some...housework~"

"I also found something good!"

"Household chores?"

Ron's brows frowned slightly.

"It must be the Supreme Apostles... How are they?"

he asked tentatively.

"The Supreme Apostle?"

Nari's voice became lighter:
"Oh, you mean those thirteen 'tenants'?"

Their 'lease' has expired.

So Mom helped them with the 'lease termination procedure'~

Ron remained silent.

"Lease termination procedures".

The word sounded understated, but he could imagine what it meant.

The Supreme Apostle is the most powerful being in the Abyss; even a single one is enough to rival a top-tier archmage.

Nari said "thirteen".

"you……"

He took a deep breath:

"Take them all..."

"Not all of them~"

Nari's voice carried a hint of regret:
Several escaped—a half-dead spider, a wisp of mist hiding somewhere, and a few others barely clinging to life.

"But it's okay~ They can't cause any trouble~"

Her voice became serious:

"Mommy found a treasure in their 'nest'~ Mommy will share it with you when she gets back~"

………………

Meanwhile, at the Governor's Mansion of the Stoker Star Mining Area, the conference hall was filled with people.

The front row consists of the core management team of the mining area—department heads, key technical personnel, union representatives, etc.

The middle row represents ordinary workers, consisting of three members elected by each production brigade.

The back row was filled with people who had come to watch the ceremony on their own initiative.

They crowded into every corner of the hall, some even climbing onto the viewing platforms on both sides, just to witness this historic moment.

Under everyone's gaze, the two figures stood side by side on the podium.

One was an elderly man with a hunched back, his sparse gray hair plastered to his scalp, his back bent like a bow broken by the weight of time.

The other was a burly man with bronze skin that gleamed under the light.

Iron Hammer Green—the man who was just an ordinary miner foreman forty years ago has now become the number two figure in the entire mining area.

"Nowadays……"

Karen's voice was hoarse and slow, yet it was clearly amplified and carried to every corner of the hall:
"This is the last time I will stand here as the 'Governor'."

As soon as he finished speaking, a suppressed sob echoed through the hall.

Some people wiped the corners of their eyes with their rough hands, while others bit their lips tightly to keep themselves from losing their composure.

Most people simply lowered their heads in silence, letting tears stream down their weathered faces.

Karen looked around, her gaze lingering on each familiar face for a moment.

He recognized most of them—the young man who had almost been killed by falling rocks in the mine was now the head of the safety department.

The female worker who was once emaciated due to malnutrition is now the head of the largest nursery in the mining area;

And there was the old miner whose leg had been broken for resisting the overseer; he was now sitting in a wheelchair, his eyes filled with tears…

Forty years is enough for one generation to grow old and enough for another to grow up.

That's enough to transform a barren wasteland into the vibrant "industrial miracle" we see before us.

“I know many of you want me to stay.”

Karen's voice became softer:
"But nothing is permanent, neither people nor systems."

"A healthy system should not depend on any single individual."

"It should be like a precision machine, where every part has its place and every gear can mesh with each other."

Even if a part is damaged or retired, the machine can still operate and can repair itself.

He turned to Green beside him:

"Green, from today onwards, you are the new governor."

Green's Adam's apple bobbed:
"Your Excellency the Governor...I..."

"Don't call me 'Governor' anymore."

Karen waved her hand:
"From now on, I am just an ordinary retired old man."

"You are the rightful owner here."

He reached out his withered hand and patted Green's broad shoulder.

“Remember, Green…”

Karen's voice reached Green's ears clearly:

"Everything in the mining area belongs to the workers."

“You are their ‘manager,’ not their ‘ruler.’”

Green, of course, understood the difference between the two words.

Managers embody a service-oriented attitude; rulers embody an arrogant, oppressive one.

For forty years, he has witnessed firsthand how Karen put this philosophy into practice.

There are no privileges of being high above others, and no luxurious or corrupt enjoyment.

Even the governor's mansion was only used for office work, and their daily meals and accommodations were no different from those of ordinary workers.

Karen has become a "symbol," a symbol that makes everyone believe that "fairness" and "dignity" can coexist.

"If one day you forget this..."

A cold glint suddenly flashed in the old man's eyes:
"The mine will correct this mistake itself."

Green's body stiffened abruptly.

This is not a threat, it is simply stating a fact.

Over the past forty years, Karen has built not only factories and systems, but also an "awakening" that is rooted in the hearts of every worker.

If one day, the new governor betrays their trust...

Those workers who had learned to "rebel" under Karen's leadership would not stand idly by.

"I see."

Green took a deep breath, his voice becoming firm:
"I will spend the rest of my life protecting everything you have built."

"Not for me."

Karen shook her head:
"For them."

He pointed to everyone in the hall:

"For those souls who once struggled in darkness, for those lives that have finally been able to stand tall, for those descendants who will be born, grow up, and grow old on this land..."

"This is what is truly worth protecting."

The handover ceremony was conducted in a solemn and simple atmosphere.

There were no elaborate formalities or lengthy speeches, just a handshake between two men.

When Green formally received the badge symbolizing the governor's power, the entire hall erupted in thunderous applause.

The applause was filled with a multitude of emotions—expectations for the new governor, anxieties about the future, and above all, reluctance to part with those who were about to leave.

"Long live Governor Karen!"

It's unclear who uttered those words first, but soon countless voices converged into a torrent:
"Long live Governor Karen!"

"Long live Governor Karen!"

"Long live Governor Karen!"

Ron manipulated the old man's body to stand on the platform, looking at the boiling sea of ​​people, and tears finally welled up in his cloudy eyes.

For forty years, he, as an "outsider," sowed the seeds of hope in this unfamiliar land.

Now, the seed has grown into a towering tree, its roots deeply embedded in every inch of soil.

Even after he leaves, the tree will continue to grow, blossom, and bear fruit, sheltering its people.

"Enough...enough..."

He gently waved his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet:

“From today onwards, there will be no more ‘Governor Karen’.”

"Only 'mining areas'."

"Only you."

After the ceremony, Karen declined all offers to stay and walked out of the governor's mansion alone.

The setting sun cast its last rays upon his hunched back, elongating his aged figure.

He walked slowly toward the edge of the mining area along the road he had walked countless times.

Workers along the way stopped what they were doing and paid their respects to him.

……

Deep in the wilderness, in a hidden underground facility.

Karen's body finally gave way, and she collapsed to the ground like a falling statue.

"Thank you for your hard work, ink."

"It's not hard, Master."

"These forty years... have been the most meaningful period since the existence of ink."

As an artificial life form, ink should not possess anything like "emotions".

But over the long years, it has experienced too much.

Living and working alongside the workers day and night, constantly battling difficulties, and growing together with hope...

These experiences, like countless tiny streams, eventually converge into something akin to "emotion."

"You did very well."

Ron said softly:

"It's not just about completing the mission, it's about creating a... miracle."

"Now you can get some rest."

He extracted the core of the ink from this body:
“Once Professor Vinard’s ‘transportation device’ sends you back to the main world, I will rebuild a body for you.”

"A better body that doesn't age."

"Thank you, Master..."

The sound of ink gradually faded, like a tired child finally drifting off to sleep.

Ron sat there quietly, watching "Karen's" body gradually lose its last bit of life.

This body has borne too much—ambition, hope, sacrifice, glory...

Now, its mission is finally complete.

Just as his heartbeat completely stopped—a strange change suddenly occurred deep within Ron's consciousness.

First came a warm tide, surging in from the other side of nothingness.

That was a "favor"—a feedback from the collective subconscious of civilization.

For forty years, Karen's contributions to this land are now beginning to be repaid in a way that is pure and ultimate:
The gratitude of countless workers transformed into golden specks of light, flowing into his soul;

The leap in civilization brought about by technological progress has condensed into brilliant stars and merged into his ethereal form.
The historical ripples stirred up by social change wove together into threads of destiny, entangling his very essence...

Every expression of gratitude, every step forward, every ripple—they are all real, weighty, and perceptible "existences" that can be felt by the soul.

[A large-scale influx of "civilizational blessings" has been detected!]

[Source of the favor: Stoker Star, West City Mining Area, Contribution to the Industrial Revolution]

[Completion rate of the illusory body: 27% → 40%]

[Blessing absorption complete.]

Ron opened his eyes, feeling the surging power within him.

His nascent form became more solid and stable.

Like a building that is recast from the foundation, every brick and stone is stronger than before.

“The essence of ‘favor’ is civilization’s ‘acknowledgment’ of an individual’s contribution.”

"When this recognition is strong enough, sincere enough, and widespread enough..."

"It can directly affect the soul and promote the growth of the wizard."

Ron felt a complex mix of emotions:
"Passing down traditions is the best way to receive 'blessings'."

“Teaching a student may only earn you a token of gratitude.”

"But what if that student also becomes a teacher and continues to teach more people..."

"Then that initial gratitude will snowball, eventually forming a torrent powerful enough to change the world." (End of Chapter)