Genetic Ascension

Chapter 740: Offset [Top 5 in Golden Tickets Bonus]



'Warlord. There's a Warlord of the Amazonian Wilds.'

Sylas' gaze flashed.

It was a very subtle feeling, and one that he might have grasped had he not already been the Warlord of two Territories now. But when he felt it, he knew what it was immediately.

But what did that have to do with the stillness of the ocean?

'Could I control the Portal of my Territory if I wanted to?'

Sylas had never tried... but logically speaking, controlling one's Territory meant also controlling its entries.

Cassarae's Portal was unnatural. Because she used her City Lord abilities to open it, it wasn't necessarily one to one coordinates with Earth.

But... this was precisely the reason why Sylas hadn't seen through it.

If the Portal at the bottom of the ocean was opened up with a method similar to what his Planar Convergence Gate had used before its Durability ran out, then that Portal was a one to one coordinate with the Amazonian Wilds.

The trouble was that that made little sense.

Why would this northern point of the United Coalition of Terranova be connected naturally with a rainforest?

Unless, of course, it wasn't natural and the portal was opened up through different means.

The trouble with this conclusion was that all such Treasures should work the exact way the Planar Convergence Gate did.

Opening up a Portal to the wrong coordinate would require a scheme as elaborate as the one used to screw Earth over in the first place.

Sylas doubted so many resources would be poured in just to target Cassarae.

But... if a City Lord used their ability as one to open up a Portal to their city in the middle of the ocean, would it work then?

The answer was yes. But the coordination required would be ridiculous.

How else would there be a city that appeared without Cassarae noticing? If there had been a city in that location before, so close to a System City, even Sylas would know about it, let alone Cassarae.

In that case, the city had to have only appeared for a short while, and that would require coordination from both sides...

'I'm getting lost in the plot. This isn't what's important. What's important is the fact that there's a Warlord now and they've decided that the calmer waters are to their benefit...'

Sylas took a step and suddenly shot out. Not speaking to anyone, he hurried out before shooting into the skies with a quick summon of the peacock once more.

Finally, he spotted what he was looking for from a far off distance.

The Portal.

It was still drizzling out with water, but...

'It's slowed down. It looks like a large amount is still coming out, but it's far less volatile and the stream is far steadier. Someone manipulated it.'

But why would they do that...?

'... I bet moving things in and out is far easier now... They're preparing for something.'

Sylas understood immediately.

He dove down from the skies, his gaze indifferent.

For a city to appear out of nowhere and then vanish just as quickly required someone who could move to and from the Amazonian Wilds back to York City in an instant.

The only person who would have that capability would be someone with access to Cassarae's Portal.

But... this was a benefit that only Trail taker City Lords had. Which meant that this scheme was put in place long ago...

'Gregory again...'

Sylas had wanted to kill this person long ago, but it was too difficult.

Before, it was impossible to force Cassarae to waste one of her valuable spawns on a conjecture, and by the time he was certain he had to die he had already firmly entrenched himself in the workings of the city.

Gregory almost certainly had a contingency plan for if they decided to tear the thin veil of cordiality they had and kill him directly, otherwise he wouldn't dare to be so brazen all the time.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

He was a true infestation, and he likely wasn't the only one.

'A Warlord... okay.'

Sylas calmly entered the City Lord's mansion and went straight to his room. He needed focus and he also needed rest.

As he crossed the foyer, he spotted Professor Fembroise's husband and son, not to mention Carter.

Before he left, he had sent Cassarae after them, and obviously, the people she sent didn't end up finding Vesta, but rather them instead.

As for Vesta herself, Sylas was certain that Cassarae would understand what to do without him saying anything. For now, she would be locked away in a cell somewhere.

Sylas didn't say anything to them either. That headache... Cassarae would have to deal with it. He had done enough for today.

...

Sylas entered his room and closed the door behind him.

It was about time he see what rewards he received for the Quicktime Event. Well, the two Quicktime Events.

The notification had been blinking at him for hours now, but in the volcano he couldn't summon them without fear of the heat destroying whatever it was, and after he left, he was too focused on either rest or killing to mind it.

Now, he finally had some time.

But the actual reward left him surprised.

[Merit Reward Received]

[Choice Rewards]

[Offset ALL Demerits]

OR

[Progenitor Flame Quest]

These were the rewards for the Traitor of Earth Quicktime Event.

Sylas didn't expect the rewards to be incorporeal, otherwise he would have already accepted them long ago. But the choice was even more confusing.

Giving him a Progenitor Flame Quest while he was in a State of Demerit didn't even make any sense. It was as though the system wanted him to stay with these Demerits hanging over his

head.

However, even if he felt this was the case, the second option was hard to turn down.

If he was correct, a Progenitor Flame was sparked from one's Will... which meant that this was

a direct Quest to improve his Will.

How could it not be tempting?

But then Sylas recalled the Glass Pinecone.

If the reward for the Quest was an external item boosting his Will...

He didn't want it.

Sylas chose the first option with little hesitation.

[Offset ALL Demerits]