Zenith Online: Rebirth of the Strongest Player

Chapter 609: Hatching Plans



Surrounded by friends, companions, and acquaintances, Kieran smiled faintly at everyone. For the sake of the guild, there was a throng of tasks to be carried out, yet he fell back in his seat, watching as everyone interacted with one another.

Most were sharing more about their Advancing or discussing ways the lower-rank guild members could be utilized without angering them, but Kieran closed his eyes and basked in the chatter, not offering a word.

He understood that while he shouldered most of the burden, not everything was meant to be accomplished alone. Some tasks couldn't be performed independently. And managing a large gathering of people was one of those things. Many jobs required delegating and bouncing ideas off one another, which was conducive to solving problems that stumped one but came easy to another.

However, with his eyes closed, Kieran felt a sudden restlessness ravaging his limbs. His leg bounced, and his finger tapped like he was accumulating tension and energy without release. 'Am I nervous?'

Kieran assessed his emotions, finding nervousness wasn't the source of his restless antics. Delving deeper, Kieran realized it stemmed from his inactivity. It had been some time since he strained himself physically or felt the thrill of progression.

He was beginning to feel the torments a lack of stimulation brought. For a mind like his, which was hyperactive and constantly sending signals to his body... he required intense stimulus.

And what better stimulation than battling? His preference for hunting was reflected in his Type and Path. It was time he acted like a real predator... and went on the hunt.

As for what kind of hunt, that was up to Kieran to decide.

Ezra's Advancing with the Field of Broken Blades played on his mind, reminding him that a foreign threat wasn't the only opponent he could chase. Enemies could be found within, and challenging those foes could offer more joy and fulfillment than trouncing someone else.

'Maybe I should take a page from the global consensus and focus on honing my abilities. The guild isn't my only priority.'

Kieran owed it to himself to strive for the best state he could achieve, but he also felt it wasn't the right time for him to delve into an arduous training session. His meeting with Alexandria would soon be upon him, and he didn't want to be tardy when the débutante had such a chaotic schedule and stressful situation.

The upcoming meeting didn't have to hamper everything, though.

Not being able to carry out his plans didn't mean he couldn't hatch them in his mind. A glimpse inside his Inventory reminded him of an essential and almost overlooked item - the Log of the Mad Alchemist.

It was the key to a Hidden Dungeon nested in the area, but aside from that, it held actual knowledge inside its pages.

If he opened and read its pages, not only would he learn more about Bundal's motives and the shadowy figures behind his experiments, but he could also gain insight into topics regarded as taboo and potentially acquire materials to craft the Madness Potion and more.

After all, the location of the hidden laboratory had always seemed suspicious to Kieran. It was built into the side of a cliff, but the inside burrowed much deeper, and the insides seemed like a substantial amount of funding had gone into its creation.

How could a laboratory end up there without alerting people or arousing suspicion?

The answer was either magic or people were aware of its presence yet purposely ignored its existence and creation.

Aside from devising a plan to locate, scour, and examine the Castellan's Catacombs, Kieran also needed to explore more so that the Dormant Arcane Symbol could pinpoint pieces of the shattered key.

Another pressing matter was refining his arsenal of skills and understanding the "Advanced Skills" mentioned in his Advancement Quest. And there was an invaluable tool at his disposal - the Zenith Frequency.

Calling upon it was easy. Because it was attuned to the soul, to communicate with the Zenith Frequency, a Disciplined need only desire to talk to it.

[What do you need with me, Myth of the End?]

Kieran grimaced at that title.

He hadn't expected the Zenith Frequency to change its form of address. And as he suspected, being referred to as the Myth of the End unnerved him. Swiping his finger, Kieran brought up a list of his current skills.

Clearing his mind with a mental sigh, Kieran replied.

'I have a few questions. Can an Adept still select from the options given during their time as Novice?'

[You will always maintain access to anything you were once offered. It is a part of your Records, and that much will not - can't, really be deleted. At most, it'll be overwritten or assimilated like with Blood Mania.]

'Understood. And what of Advanced Skills, what are those?'

[Think of them as add-ons or sometimes a perfected version of the skills already in your possession. Do remember that an Adept has access to far less than a Novice. Being an Adept places greater importance on the individual, meaning it is up to you to learn new skills if that's what you wish to do.]

In Kieran's opinion, it was unfortunate, but the trade-off felt acceptable nonetheless. The Way of Ascension was all about making your unique mark and finding answers on your own.

'If I wanted you to, could you reconfigure my entire Character Panel to suit an image I like the most?'

[It is possible. We can give you that much favor. But it depends on the extent of changes. What do you have in mind?]

'Nothing too outlandish,' Kieran answered. 'Simple, really. I would like you to compile a list of abilities available for integration. Yes, I could explore that myself, but you've already seen

I can identify compatible skills. Why not streamline that for me?'

[Your logic is passable, but it seems driven by laziness-]

'Not laziness; an optimization of time. There are only so many hours in the day, and who knows how strong I need to become as a Myth. Why squander those precious minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years on something I've done before?'

[Decent argument. However, do not expect us to always make it simple for your convenience. We will only listen to your requests due to us feeling your Advancing reward was partially

lacking.]

Kieran celebrated in his mind but didn't let that tidbit of excitement manifest in his mind orn/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

expression.

[Please hold as your Records are rearranged with Manic Integration in mind.]

Kieran waited patiently, summoning a piece of gold between his fingers, flipping it back and forth between the dips. Though Kieran didn't consider himself an exemplar of patience, he thought he was reasonable in that aspect, but once more than an hour had passed without the Zenith Frequency having alerted him of completion, he started to get antsy.

While Kieran had many skills, he didn't believe he had significantly more than the average Adept. Perhaps the difficulty lay in the nature and ranking of his skills, not the amount he had. As he waited, Ezra tapped his shoulder and whispered, "She's almost here. I'm guessing she used a method that avoided traffic."

Kieran looked at Ezra and nodded before frowning.

'Taking your sweet time on me, Zenith Frequency. Fine, whatever. Just have it ready and

compiled when I get back.'

There was no answer from the Zenith Frequency, which wasn't too unbelievable since it was

linked to everyone on Xenith.

Based on its habits and interactions, Kieran believed it was a shared consciousness that splintered its attention across every Untaught or Disciplined, but there had to be a hierarchy

to its focus.

Specific individuals had to have higher priorities and demanded greater resources to handle whatever issues they faced.

Kieran adjusted his posture in the chair, sweeping his gaze over everyone before speaking

calmly.

"If you all want a break, I advise you to take it now. Because that overhaul we discussed will go into effect once the X-hancers are secured, and everyone is in optimal condition."

With that, Kieran and everyone else in the room initiated the Log-Out sequence.