?Although I was happy for Igni for successfully breaking through, I also became worried at the same time.

Fatima’s feedback energy was equivalent to roughly 80% of the original amount of the essence crystal. Taking 20% of it was already beyond normal capacity, so I’m quite thankful to her. However, Igni’s evolution would mean I would gain at least 50% of the energy equivalent of a god-level essence crystal!

“That’s going to turn out bad…!”

It was far from the 240% that Ember and the others pushed onto me, causing me to give up halfway through, but it was beyond common sense all the same.

As I expected, the feedback from Igni quickly brought me near my limit. Having to absorb about 130% of a god-level essence crystal energy was hard!

It wasn’t as bad as the previous one, but it still caused an Energy Overload in me. I was hesitating on using the combination flames again, however, since I have too little karma left to burn.

The violently circulating energy started to damage my circuits, causing extreme pain as it spread throughout my body.

“Kuh!”

But, maybe from the continuous pain I was suffering under, I wasn’t as bothered by it compared to before. I could simply grit my teeth and resist the pain. However, that wasn’t the only problem.

Blood started to seep out of my skin, my eyes, my nose, and my ears. If I open my mouth, then it’s also probably filled with blood by now. My body was unable to handle it any longer!

‘No choice…!’

Just as I was about to activate the Combination Flames, a familiar mandala, with the image of a majestic turtle in the middle, made of light, appeared behind me. As soon as it appeared, the pain in my body faded, and the violently circulating energy began to move in a calmer motion than before.

This much doesn’t need the flames, Will. Leave it to me!

‘Brother Mountain!’

Thanks to his assistance, the energy started to get absorbed a lot faster, and in just a few short moments, I managed to completely integrate the entire Energy Overload into my system.

In just a few more seconds, the mandala faded, along with my making the energy feedback completely my own.

Right now, based on energy alone, I should be about the same as a god-tamer! Furthermore, as if in response to Igni reaching the 9th stage, my body started to undergo an existential upgrade.

My energy circuits became tougher, while the muscles and bones in my body got stronger. It feels as if I was reborn, becoming significantly more powerful than I was a few moments earlier.

“I feel like I’m overflowing with power…!”

This wasn’t anywhere close to what I felt from previous powerups! It’s like reaching the 9th stage opens up the gate to an entirely new world!

“Right, how’s Igni faring…?!”

I quickly checked out Igni, who just reached the 9th stage. At a glance, I could tell that she went through a major evolution.

Although it was a little heartbreaking, her tail had completely disappeared. The horn on her head became longer and seemingly tougher, while the machine-like halo on top of her head faded, becoming a glowing golden tattoo across her forehead, spanning around her head.

Her eyes became heterochromia, with one the same red color while the other was gold, with the iris in the shape of a silver hourglass.

Furthermore, her “load” got a lot bigger than before, almost reaching Ember’s level. It was almost bursting out of her tight dress!

“So this is… the 9th stage!”

Igni herself was staring at her body in amazement. After all, she has now officially become a Queen of Temporal Flames!

“Wait, did Igni’s title change?”

I think it should be Raging Flames, but now it’s Temporal! That definitely was related to her newly-fostered time element!

As I was lost in thought, a few announcements also echoed inside my head. It was the same as usual, a mechanical-

sounding female voice, announcing that I had gained access to new functions.

System Message: 9th-stage tamed monster confirmed. Unlocking further System Functions… Error. Functions deactivated. Reactivating… Success. 18 out of 20 succeeded!

Without waiting, I quickly confirmed what the new functions were, and I saw three new names.

Hegemony, Harmony, and the Ruler’s Crown.

Hegemony was basically a function to let me enter my tamed monster’s kingdoms freely. Harmony allows me to interconnect everyone’s kingdoms, and finally, the Ruler’s Crown gives me absolute command over every single living being within my kingdom.

“This Ruler’s Crown…”

I recalled how we were once inside Namia’s territory. If this function was available, then… I don’t even want to imagine it. It was even more fortunate that the system functions don’t work for the Demons, or else we’d be dying several times over just by entering the range of their domains.

“With this, only two functions are left!”

After we unlock the last two functions, we should be able to repair the world barrier!

“Just a bit more, everyone! We can do this!”

After a bit of pep talk, everyone resumed their task of trying to rank up. Igni, who reached the 9th stage, was instead trying to stabilize her energy while trying to figure out her own domain. .

She had already reached the 9th stage, so she would need quite some time before she could challenge the god-level rank. Well, energy-wise, she was already god-level, though. I think she even had more energy compared to Goddess Blanc!

Anyway, after Igni reached the 9th stage, Ember and the others became fired up. The four of them, now all on the 8th stage, tried to catch up to her as fast as they could.

However, despite their efforts to rush, the pace at which they absorbed the energy from the essence crystals was roughly the same. Given that their capacity was also the same, I guess these four would end up evolving at the same time once more.

“But it should be a lot better compared to before.”

I nodded my head lightly, trying to convince myself.

Everything was going well, up until the 37th day. That day, Ember and the others, with Igni’s precedent making it a lot easier for them, managed to break through simultaneously.

“…?” 𝑖.𝑐ℴ𝑚

But for some reason, the total energy that went toward me as feedback was more than I expected. It even increased! Roughly equivalent to 5 god-level essence crystals!

“I take back what I said… I’m dead.”

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