Utopian System

The emblems pulsed with power inside him, almost doubling all his statistics. A temporary force, but devastating.

When the group emerged from the deposit, Elio\'s first question was about Zara\'s whereabouts.

"They found the other crystal," one of the builders informed. "But she\'s waiting outside. Not even six hours from the twelve you asked to wait have passed."

"Don\'t tell her we\'re out yet," Elio said, his voice containing something that made the others exchange glances. "I need to do some tests at the front of the wall construction."

While preparing to cross the tunnel toward the city, his mind turned over the problem of the earth deposit.

Time was running out.

What would happen if the emblems expired before defeating the king?

Perhaps they could simply repeat it or maybe there would be a penalty, but...

They couldn\'t afford that risk.

The alternative... Overcoming the challenge, killing the king and letting another Artromus awaken while the first one was still a threat... would be catastrophic.

\'There\'s only one option, I have to do it now,\' Elio thought, although part of him knew he was only deceiving himself.

\'For now I\'ll review my method... I have to mark the direction toward another deposit at some point anyway...\'

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It was an excuse, and he knew it. A justification for what he was about to do. But while his steps carried him toward the wall, he kept accumulating reasons, trying to convince himself there was no other alternative.

The emblems pulsed once more, like a reminder of escaping time. Twenty-four hours. The decision was already made, though he refused to fully admit it.

♢♢♢♢

The wind whistled in Elio\'s ears as he ran, his legs propelling him at a speed that made the world blur at the edges of his vision.

With his speed almost doubled thanks to his new improved strength control, Elio covered the distance to the wall at 150 kilometers per hour, pushing his muscles this hard did not damage them but made his stamina drop a bit faster, still he didn\'t have much time to waste.

Upon arriving, he ignored the construction zone, heading to the opposite side of the wall, where the Artromus\'s surveillance was weaker.

\'Don\'t look for me there,\' he thought, knowing his companions would go to the construction área at some point. The deception gave him time, time he desperately needed.

First he passed through the first tunnel, far from eyes that might warn of his intentions.

He opened the tunnel with his carbon control and closed it to run through the sea of cores.

The book at his side vibrated softly while absorbing the scattered cores, silent witnesses to his escape around the wall.

Finally, he reached what should be the face opposite to the wind deposit.

The five hundred meters of white wall rose before him, a barrier that before would have seemed insurmountable if he wanted to climb it without waiting for the cores to lower and the locus barrier to get slimmer. Now...

Elio flexed his enhanced muscles, calculating the possibilities before him. He didn\'t need the temporary platforms of cores, didn\'t need to wait for the perfect moment, didn\'t need anyone\'s help.

His enhanced body, strengthened by both his level 10 status and the temporary emblems, was all he needed.

The first jump launched him twenty meters into the air, his body moving with a grace that would have seemed impossible mere weeks ago. Before gravity could claim its prey, Elio twisted mid-air, his feet finding the wall\'s surface with perfect precision. A wind impulse, and his body catapulted another twenty meters upward, the movement so fluid it seemed almost effortless.

He barely spent 7 points reaching the next part of his journey.

The sea of monsters greeted him, a twisted swarm of bodies and limbs writhing in an endless dance of destruction.

He could have resorted to explosions, to massive attacks that would have cleared his path instantly.

But Elio... Elio had other plans.

His fingers found a Locus\'s leg, using it as support.

The monster twisted at the contact, but before it could fully react, Elio\'s daggers flashed in the dim light. He climbed the monster in the blink of an eye.

The iron and carbon alloy that slightly extended the daggers cut through flesh and bone with surgical precision, the monster\'s head separating cleanly from its body.

But Elio didn\'t pause to admire his handiwork… he kept climbing.

One body after another, Elio began his macabre ascent.

Each Locus became a step in his living ladder, each one meeting a quick and silent end under his blades when they detected his presence.

Caution guided Elio\'s every movement.

Explosions and the option to absorb cores were discarded; any movement on the monster sea\'s surface or significant power display would alert the Artromus if it was nearby.

Silence was his best ally as he continued his solitary climb.

With his statistics doubled by the emblems, each encounter was an easy task, consuming minimal amounts of stamina and not a single mana point.

As he neared the surface, the situation changed.

They were no longer individual monsters, no longer still stepping stones, but a living tide that crashed against the barrier in endless waves.

Here, Elio deployed his hidden card.

Camouflage, that technique that was almost impossible to maintain while moving, flowed naturally through him.

His level 10, empowered by the temporary emblems, allowed him to perform what would be an impossible feat for others: moving while remaining completely invisible.

A final impulse catapulted him over the city\'s parapet. His feet touched the familiar edge of the wall: he was back, but this time, on the other side of the city.

He had done it. He was inside.

And it seemed the enemy hadn\'t seen him.

♢♢♢♢

Elio\'s first stop would be the central building...

He had to give the remaining cores to his mother, he had some billions, but was nowhere near having the 100 necessary for the 10th summon.

The best option would have been to have the turtle as a summon, but getting the necessary cores without drawing attention would have taken too much time. Even with the daily billion from recent weeks.

Success in reaching the deposit had been bittersweet: they managed to arrive before the Artromus found them, yes, but it also accelerated their plans.

The last ten points would be great, but time was running out.

If he couldn\'t have the increase of 100 in less than 24 hours... The 90 would have to be enough.

The central building\'s hallways were quiet when Elio reached the family area. Upon entering his family\'s quarters, he found his mother organizing some belongings.

"Elio, what are you doing here?" Lena turned upon sensing his presence. "Is everything alright? You look..."

"I need you to save something for Lucien," he interrupted.