Chapter 100: Power With Consequences

"Good."

White replied.

"The war between humanity and the Supernaturals has crossed the point where swords could ever be buried again."

"Not us, humans, we’ve lost more than half of our entire population in cold blood to them, after all."

"You won’t find a human siding with a Supernatural unless they’re a traitor. And the traitors aren’t humans, so they might as well die like the Supernaturals."

White said mercilessly, only to freeze.

His hand turned to the rock he was sitting on, and he noticed cracks had covered its surface, the clear imprint of his fingers buried in them.

"Your hate for the Supernaturals is quite strong. I guess they must have taken something important from you, too."

The Otherworlder said as White rose to his feet, exiting the underground canyon.

"They took me."

He replied curtly before continuing.

"As much as I hate to agree, waiting here two months isn’t the best choice."

"If I join them, I can figure out their next plans."

"And since it’s safe to say I’m the only human who knows about the Otherworlder existence. "That gives me a bit of responsibility to know about their plans with the Supernaturals."

"Besides, I’m sure they don’t plan on stopping at just Aether Beyonder."

He could have said that Aether Beyonder Academy would be the only one destroyed.

After all, according to his regressor knowledge, Xtremecyber, Mutangnomes, and the United Earth Federation were all still existing ten years from now.

But he knew it wasn’t so simple.

The United Earth Federation commanders had already sided with the Supernaturals.

If even the commanders, one of the highest hierarchies, had already sided with them, it was safe to say the UEF was already under their control.

So, one thing was clear:

The Supernaturals wouldn’t stop their claws at just Aether Beyonders.

They would try to reach the rest of the academies, and maybe with different tactics than outright destroying them like they did Aether Beyonder.

He had to know what their plans were.

And eventually, he would find his way back to Xtremecyber.

Supernaturals operate technology just like humans.

He would definitely be able to find a map, and maybe a jet, and that would be better than sitting down here in the middle of a jungle.

"But I need a couple of things from you."

White said to the Otherworlder.

"What is that?"

"To infiltrate the ranks of the Supernaturals, I have to look like them."

"Well, you have a Supernatural heart in you, don’t you?"

It inquired, continuing,

"How’d you get that in you if you hated the Supernaturals so much anyway?"

"It was a necessary requirement in Aether Beyonder."

White replied,

"Otherworld Dream is a slow path of cultivation. That’s clear with the fact that even though I’ve fused with you, I haven’t awakened any ability."

"The genetic transplant fusion is to make a student survive until they eventually gain power from the Otherworld Dream."

"Besides a heart isn’t enough. I can’t shift into a Supernatural, and with Aether Beyonder destroyed, that’s obvious to the Supernaturals."

"I need a way to appear like an Otherworlder already took over my mind."

"Can you do that... without taking over my mind, of course."

He asked.

"I heard you mention something..."

The Otherworlder interjected.

"What’s that?"

"The fact that even though you’ve fused with me, I haven’t awakened any ability..."

It quoted,

"That’s true, isn’t it? When I fused with the heart, I woke up with a new ability. My essence cultivation has new abilities on awakening too."

"One gets an ability straight after their awakening, but Otherworld Dream, I’ve been told, is a slow path."

White replied.

"I can give you an ability if you want, really. Enough to maybe even destroy this planet of yours if you wish."

"You can!?"

White said.

"Yes. Except you won’t exist anymore."

"And not just exist as in you die, you will be completely erased from the living."

"No record of you ever existing, and maybe every last person that knows you ceasing to exist themselves."

White’s smile paused.

"I can give you power, but they’re too strong for your soul and will lead to corruption. That’s why I haven’t given you any,"

"So, stop taking jabs at me for that. I’m doing this for you."

It warned.

White shrugged it off resuming towards the direction of the academy.

"Appreciate the concern. You can shift me to look like an Otherworlder when I ask for it, right?"

He asked.

"I can."

"Good."

Silence reigned for a while before an idea suddenly crossed White’s mind.

"Hey, can you also get rid of the lock on my essence core?"

"I’m sure it’s supposed to be there for three months at least, but with the academy destroyed, it makes no sense to keep the restriction."

"I can really use my essence power now."

White urged and right after,

KA-CHA!

The sound of something snapping resounded

VROOOOOM!

A wave of essence energy burst out of White, whose eyes widened at the golden panel

[Essence Core Unlocked!]

[Congratulations on reaching the Next Stage of Essence Cultivation.]

"Meteor Realm!? I’ve reached the Meteor Realm!?"

White asked in disbelief.

His essence core had been locked from energy use for an entire month now, giving him no idea of his progression level.

The lock didn’t mean that essence energy wasn’t going inside him, it meant that he couldn’t use it.

And upon unlocking it now, he was right at the Meteor Rank stage!

He could immediately feel the rush of new power and knew there were additional increases to his stats.

After all, breaking through to a higher cultivation stage gives more power.

He also remembered he had a lot of Ability Upgrade Cards that he could now use to evolve one of his limitless skills, but before he could act

VROOOOM!

The clouds in the distance parted, and something came blitzing forward.

"Is that!?"

KAABOOOOOM!

Cracks meandered through the entire jungle as a powerful explosion rocked the world, devouring White within it.