Leveling Up by Executing Monsters

Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Ancient, Mysterious, and Powerful

Evelor had something important to do tomorrow, so she went to bed early, hugging her Hammerhead Shark Puppet, and didn’t even chat with Lloyd.

So, Lloyd returned to his own room and flipped through the magazine, a product of his sister’s heart and soul.

The first story was excellent. It was about a young man and woman living in the countryside who, upon hearing the legend of the "Love Clover," decided to try and find it.

After a small adventure, they actually found the legendary "Love Clover" in the wild. Then, with the clover as their witness, they made a vow. They married soon after, had a child, and began living a happy and fulfilling life.

But soon, the man noticed that the child didn’t look like him at all.

Under intense questioning, it turned out she didn’t even know who the child’s father was...

Furious, he ran back into the wild to find the "Love Clover," demanding an explanation. But the clover had long since transformed into a Demon, and it swallowed him whole...

In his final moments, the man saw piles of white bones inside the Demon’s belly. There was no telling how many people it had already eaten.

The first story ended there. Lloyd nodded repeatedly as he read, giving it high praise.

’What a great story. It’s concise and fast-paced, yet full of twists and turns. It’s also very educational, serving as a warning to the world—love and happiness must be earned through your own efforts, not by pinning your hopes on some ethereal legend...’

’Placing this story at the beginning also subtly expresses the magazine’s overall tone: many legends are dangerous. It’s fine to read about them, but don’t believe them, and don’t go looking for them.’

He continued reading the next two stories. Their quality was also extremely high—one a comedy, the other a drama—complementing the first story’s tragedy and making for an excellent reading experience.

But that was only half of it. The main attractions, two serialized stories, were still to come. However, Lloyd checked the time, closed the magazine, and carefully put it away.

’My sister is amazing! The magazine she put together is just so good! I’ll recommend it to my colleagues in the Eighteenth District tomorrow!’

Lloyd felt proud of his sister’s accomplishments.

’So, I need to work hard on my end, too!’

With that, he lay down on his bed and entered his [Thought Realm]. He then found the Tentacle Grass and lifted the glass cover.

"Let’s begin."

...

Jenkins had not been having a good few days. He had locked himself in his study, abandoning all of his work.

After his failed Divination in the basement caused him to pass out, he only woke up in bed the next day. He immediately called for his student and had them perform another mental evaluation on him.

The results were relatively normal. He hadn’t gone mad yet, he still remembered who he was, his memory hadn’t deviated significantly, and his temperament hadn’t changed much.

The price, however, was that the black and white squares of the [Chessboard] had become even more Twisted. Its originally pristine and complete structure now showed signs of damage—several cracks had appeared on the bottom, and its four corners had become rounded from wear.

Jenkins knew the [Chessboard] had borne some terrible price on his behalf...

For a moment, he was both terrified and ecstatic.

Terrified because the mysterious ’spectator’ was far more powerful than he had ever imagined.

And ecstatic because He was undoubtedly a [Supreme One], a being that surpassed the Saints.

So, for the past two days, Jenkins had been contemplating his strategy alone. Should he keep a respectful distance? Should he follow up and make contact? Or should he expose and report Him?

Before he could weigh the pros and cons, the world suddenly spun around him. His vision went black, and he collapsed at his desk.

His consciousness became the Black Soldier, landing in the very center of the black and white board.

Then, three other pieces materialized beside him, followed by an exclamation from the White Bishop.

"Hey, hey, hey! What’s going on? Why am I being dragged into another meeting? I barely managed to escape last time, and it hurt so much!"

Aside from her, everyone else remained silent. Even though their faces were not visible, the gravity of their presence was palpable.

The White Bishop, Elolo, froze for a moment, then turned her head to glance toward the edge of the Chessboard.

A figure was there that had not been before.

It wore a suit of decaying, ruined armor, its original shape and color no longer discernible. It looked as if a single touch would cause it to crumble into dust.

He sat on a jet-black high-backed chair, one hand propping up His chin, head slightly bowed, quietly observing the Chessboard before Him.

His position was not that of a player, but of a spectator on the side. Yet, to Him, everyone on the board was like a small chess piece that He could easily grasp in one hand, deciding the course of the entire game.

On this Chessboard, there should only have been two colors, black and white. But on this spectator, Elolo could see dilapidated gray, rotten earth-tones, the verdigris of rust, and a faint, dark red peeking from beneath it.

In many cases, only the players and the pieces must respect the rules; spectators, on the other hand, have more freedom.

Behind the high-backed chair, an additional layer of gray mist had appeared. Within it, two spiral towers could be faintly seen, winding their way upward as if to pierce the heavens.

Elolo only looked for about two seconds before a sharp pain shot through her mind, and a BUZZING sound started in her ears.

"Don’t look!"

Black War Chariot Goldrinn hurriedly warned.

His voice held a clear note of panic, lacking its usual steadiness.

"What do we do? Should we say something?"

White Knight Balderes asked in a low voice. He sounded somewhat weak, devoid of his previous confidence.

At a time like this, only Jenkins could step forward.

"Let me negotiate with Him..."

With that, he carefully turned around, his head bowed so his gaze fell only on the board beneath his feet. Then, respectfully but not obsequiously, he offered a greeting.

"Greetings, mysterious [Supreme One]. It is an honor to meet You here."

’A Supreme One?’

The remaining three were stunned to hear this title.

’Are they actually real?’

Although they had joined Jenkins’s society, they didn’t fully subscribe to all his beliefs. The existence of beings like the Supreme Ones, for instance, was something they often treated as mere stories.

Only Jenkins was a firm believer.

But in this situation, they had no choice but to believe.

The three of them knew very well that this [Chessboard] was mysterious and powerful. It had operated smoothly for years without a single incident. Other than its owner, the Black Soldier, not even a Saint could interfere with or influence this Ancient Relic.

The fact that even its owner was now helpless before this mysterious spectator was proof enough of the Black Soldier’s claims.

The [Supreme Ones] were real, and there truly was a path to surpassing the Saints!

This discovery slightly alleviated the fear in their hearts.

Meanwhile, Lloyd, outside the screen, was just as surprised by the title.

’[Supreme One]? What does that mean?’

It was the first time he had ever heard the term.

After all, he had been reading materials from the library, which certainly wouldn’t include theories of this pulp-fiction caliber.

’So, how should I respond?’

Lloyd thought for a moment and sent an ambiguous barrage comment.

"An interesting title."

The four people on the Chessboard watched the line of text float before their eyes. They tried to close them, but it was no use; the words still drifted slowly across their vision before disappearing off the left side.

Compared to before, however, they didn’t feel as much discomfort. Their heads didn’t hurt, and no strange ramblings whispered in their ears.

It seemed the ’spectator’ had shown mercy...

Jenkins carefully mulled over this sentence, his mind racing at full tilt.

’He didn’t deny the definition of a [Supreme One], but it seems to be the first time He’s heard the title. This means His existence is ancient, likely cut off from the world, perhaps not even existing within the normal definition of our present reality...’

As Jenkins mulled this over, he mustered his courage, glanced up furtively at the figure, and quickly averted his gaze.

But that ancient, decaying appearance served to confirm his suspicions.

’Perhaps He is a being as ancient as the [Chessboard] itself, and has only just awakened?’

’No wonder He said He had no malicious intent and just wanted to get to know us. He probably wants to learn about this world through us, right?’

Jenkins made a bold hypothesis, then spoke up to carefully test it.

"It is the modern human term for a being such as Yourself. It is not meant as an offense. In our eyes, beings like You are ancient, mysterious, and powerful."

’Uh... this guy seems to have some strange misunderstanding about me, doesn’t he?’

Outside the screen, Lloyd scratched his head. He felt like events had already veered off their expected course.

He had never intended to act all mysterious and godly in front of others. He just wanted to communicate normally, build trust, and then make a lot of money together.

’How did things end up like this? How did I become "ancient, mysterious, and powerful"?’

But on second thought, Lloyd figured this might not be so bad. If he could really establish the image of a [Supreme One] in their eyes, it would probably save him a lot of trouble later on.

So, he carefully chose his words and sent a barrage comment in a world-weary, ancient tone.

"You... are interesting. I enjoy listening to your discussions."

When the four on the Chessboard saw this sentence float past, a portion of their tension dissipated.

This [Supreme One] showed no malice, but rather interest. And His methods were relatively gentle. They should be safe for now.

As for why He enjoyed listening in, perhaps it was like how adults sometimes listen to children’s conversations and find them amusing and interesting.

The four of them didn’t dare to over-analyze His thoughts, but since He said He enjoyed listening in, then...

Jenkins cleared his throat and announced loudly,

"Ahem, today’s seminar will now begin."

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