"Yeah of course" both me and Kasen said at the same time. The newborns seemed to recognize me faintly but they focused on their uncle. I stayed for a bit before leaving the family to its self. After I had said my goodbyes I left both their home and the city of Monternoel without much fanfare. I felt it the anticipation, I was nearly halfway through the Tutorial of the [Beckoning Depths] although I had no idea what would happen should I complete it before the year that the Tutorial was supposed to take place.

  I was left in my thoughts until I arrived at the city of the Scalefolk. I had yet to learn it's name before it was taken over by the Quetzal. As I saw the wall I had built in the distance lines with unmoving silhouettes of the Puppets standing guard. Feeling a familiar tingle I heard Anastasia's voice in my head.

  'Hey Kien! Are you done with the other cities already?' she asked no doubt excited on what she and I could learn. I had honestly lacked reference on how powerful I was. Either I was mere insect compared to beings like Dorthinoxin or I was as strong or stronger then everything else since getting out of the first layer of the Tutorial.

  'Yep, also Saer's kids hatched, they are so adorable!' I said sending a mental picture of them to Anastasia.

  'they are cute I will admit, although I wonder how the Quetzal would have reacted to their birth if he wasn't dead' Anastasia mused morbidly.

  'Probably go full medieval on them' I responded, although I'm pretty sure they would have survived and then killed the tyrannical fucker.

  'Before we get side tracked is their anything to note in this city, and also do you know the name of it in the first place?' I asked Anastasia as I wondered what it had been called.

  "Its name is Salose, it means the middle land apparently, anyways the only to note really was that I found the mole farm and let them go after collecting the already dead ones for research and destroyed any byproducts still in the city just to be safe.' Anastasia reported and I cursed myself I had forgotten about it, luckily Anastasia covered it. It was a subtle reminder that I was not infallible.

  Otherwise Anastasia didn't have anything more to say besides watching over the new council of Salose hold their first few sessions. The Nobility had tried to take unofficial leadership but where shut down by the mages and the representatives had managed to steer the conversation to how to keep the city running. Behind my back Noble had added a non-voting member, that being the head of his worshippers in Selose. At first I had been disappointed in well that facet of myself until I found out they didn't have a vote and were only their so that Noble and by extension me could know what was happening.

  After that Anastasia and I rounded up the Puppet army before moving back to our base to prepare for Juxia. It ended up taking awhile die to the slow marching of the regular elite puppets however we still set a blistering pace by pre-integration standards. Soon we where at the base camp where Anastasia carefully packaged her research. I however had to store my garden. That amounted to forming pots with [Geomancy] and making sure the pallet of plants were placed on top of the supply pile.

  However I did get a look at the [Wanderer's Mushroom] after it was done gestating.

  ....

  [The Conquerors Mushroom]

  Epic Rank Two Natural Treasure

  Origin: A normal Wanderer's Mushroom that has seen the rise and fall of civilizations and has bathed in their records. This Mushroom is no longer a humble Wanderer but now a blood soaked warlord carrying the bounty of spoils off to its kin. This Mushroom has also not forgotten the kindness of the Conqueror who has nourished it and has grown to be able to assist him.

  Traits: [Royal Bond], [Blood Siphon], [Mana Siphon], [Spoils of War], and [Conquer]

  ...

  [Royal Bond]

  This Natural Treasure may only be used by someone considered Fungal Royalty.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  ...

  [Blood Siphon]

  This Natural Treasure is able to absorb blood forcefully taken and create a link absorbing Health from the blood of the enemy and giving it to anyone connected through [Royal Bond] at a 10:1 ratio.*

  *is ineffective on any creature higher then the 2nd rank

  ....

  [Mana Siphon]

  This Natural Treasure can absorb ambient mana and inorder to increase anyone connected through [Royal Bond]. Effect varies based on Ambient Mana and caps at 10% Mana regeneration rate.

  ....

  [Spoils of War]

  This Natural Treasure absorbs a small amount of the records from the actions of anyone connected through [Royal Bond] and stores them and when planted in fertile soil any and all nearby flora absorb the stored records.

  ...

  [Conquer]

  This Natural Treasure strives to conquer and is able to assimilate traits from other fungi that are superior to what it all ready has access too. Once activated this Trait takes a month to recharge.

  ...

  Overall I was proud of the little mushroom that screamed of bloodlust. Considering how much it helped the other plants in the temporary garden I was interested in what it could help bring forth. Activating [Royal Bond] I felt my [Fungal Exoskeleton] shimmer as the [Conqueror's Mushroom] connected to it.

  'Hey, Kien We're all ready to go!' Anastasia said as she scampered up my back and on my shoulder. Storing the mushroom I placed my hand on the supply pile that was connected to the Puppets by ropes and I mentally let the system know I was ready to go to the next floor of the Tutorial.

  ...

  [Alert!]

  You have completed the Fourth Level of the [Beckoning Depths] you are being transferred to the [City State of Juxia] the fifth floor of the [Beckoning Depths] and the Seat of power for the Administrator [Dorthinoxin]. Combat outside of designated areas is illegal and will be punished, you have been warned.

  All items not on your person will be transferred to a system token, items can be taken out but can not be restored in this token, once empty the token will break.

  ....

  [In Paradox, Fief of Lux]

  [Lux's Pov]

  ....

  Honestly, losing an eye was fuckin' weird as shit, and super disorienting. Stairs were nightmares incarnate as I kept on falling on them. I basically couldn't aim for shit until I figured out how to redial my aim to compensate for the missing depth perception.

  Besides that though having my own domain was awesome. Since I ended up taking out a pirate captain hiding his true strength my island was way more valuable then the informants thought. The northern part of the Isle had a freakin' volcano of cold magma which was super trippy because it made it freezing cold and yet would burn anything that you touched it. On the slopes of the volcano was the islands fortress which was small but easy to defend.

  The southern portions where I was right now was paradise. The shore and shallow parts were considered part of my domain and hence safe to swim in. That's why I was chilling in a lawn chair with my feet in the water and the sun overhead. Within my domain I didn't have absolute power far from it but I was a step stronger then I was outside of it. I had an easier time emposing my paradox in my domain and I could summon two Eldritch Taints rather then one.

  I still had a bit of time before the first citizens of my island arrived from the mainland, so me and my crew were taking a well deserved break.

  Honestly we where lucky, a few Captains and their crews didn't make it and the Despotissa ended up taking unclaimed islands herself and combined them into one central landmass which sat at the center of the Archipelago. Sipping juice from a fruit I hadn't eaten ever from the mortal plains I was chilling.

  My Crew had already staked out their manors on the island so it was set. The meeting with the Despotissa with the remaining lieutenants replayed in my head.

  The highlights being that we had already scoped out our next target once the Archipelago was settled and stewards were running things. We would join the Honorable Tyrant in his invasion of a neighboring lordship under the same liege. The plans weren't set but the idea was that we would act as a unexpected naval invasion to break the enemy lords defensive line.

  Thankfully we had time until that happened and most importantly I needed my domain to be prosperous, and my crew loyal and strong before that.

  A Entity and their domain were intrinsically tied, a healthy populus domain would strengthen its Entity and a strong Entity would enlarge the domain. So although I wouldn't be taking land for myself my domain would still grow as I did. Then there was still the possibility of a rare treasure that could expand Paradox like the one that made the Archipelago.

  I felt a thrum from my soul and as I looked into my other selves I saw that Kien had entered the [City State of Juxia].