Chapter 206: Limitations Have Been Broken

Reinhard sat beside Emily’s hospital bed, watching her sleep.

The room was finally quiet after the chaos surrounding the Baal Family’s downfall. Emily lay beneath a white blanket, her breathing steady.

On the opposite bed, Lily and Yuna had fallen asleep beside each other, while Maki rested her head against Reinhard’s shoulder. Her glasses had slipped slightly down her nose, but she seemed too exhausted to care.

Reinhard didn’t move her.

Everyone had worked hard enough, and he didn’t want to disturb their rest.

Looking at Emily, he felt a rare sense of relief. Her Gnosis had been restored, the Black Moon incident was behind them, and the Baal Family could no longer threaten them openly. There would undoubtedly be more trouble in the future, but for the moment, his family was safe.

A notification appeared before his eyes.

[Investment Objective Completed.]

[SS-Grade Investment Successful.]

[Calculating Rewards...]

[20 Rewards]

Reinhard’s eyebrows rose. Twenty rewards was a generous haul, and he hoped the system had included something particularly valuable.

The first notification appeared.

[Legendary Reward Granted: Fate Breaker Enhanced — Unwritten Variable]

[Effect: The world may establish an outcome for the user, but it can no longer guarantee that outcome. When an event would otherwise become a predetermined certainty, the user may reject its conclusion and force an alternative outcome.]

Reinhard’s expression changed.

This was the most important reward so far. Fate Breaker had already allowed his existence to deviate from conclusions established by Monad’s laws, but Unwritten Variable made that deviation more direct.

If an attack was supposed to kill him, he could reject that conclusion and force another outcome, perhaps leaving him barely alive or causing an otherwise unavoidable strike to miss by a fraction.

It wasn’t invincibility. He would still suffer consequences, and rejecting one outcome didn’t guarantee that the alternative would be favorable. Nevertheless, the ability gave him a way to resist situations that ordinary strength couldn’t overcome.

He continued reading.

[Legendary Reward Granted: Fooling Enhanced]

[Effect: The user can mislead an opponent’s understanding of the relationship between perception and reality, causing false conclusions to appear consistent with what they observe.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Space Tear Enhanced]

[Effect: Improved precision and efficiency when severing magical constructs and spatial connections. Powerful defenses may resist the ability, and its Mana consumption remains high.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Spatial Step Enhanced]

[Effect: The user may alter his destination during spatial movement, making his repositioning harder to predict.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Heavenly Pillar Enhanced]

[Effect: The Twelve Orbs coordinate more efficiently when suppressing enemies and absorbing Mana. The First Pillar retains its defensive function, while the Second Pillar is unlocked, allowing the user to amplify the effect of an attack by two times.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Combat Analysis Enhanced]

[Effect: Combat projections update as opponents change their tactics, improving the user’s ability to respond to evolving battle conditions.]

Reinhard paid particular attention to Heavenly Pillar. The Second Pillar would give him another way to increase his offensive power, while Combat Analysis would help him adapt when enemies changed their approach.

Those two improvements alone would make his future battles more manageable.

The remaining notifications appeared in quick succession.

[Legendary Reward Granted: Twenty-Year Mana Infusion — Immortal Emperor Body]

[Effect: Twenty years’ worth of Mana has been infused into the user’s body. Mana within cells previously limited to D-Rank quality has been replaced with C-Rank-quality Mana, strengthening the foundation of the user’s physical body.]

A warm sensation spread through Reinhard’s limbs as the infusion settled into his body. His physical foundation had improved, giving him a better starting point.

He had neglected the Immortal Emperor Body while concentrating on increasing his Awakener Rank. Now, he had another reason to correct that mistake.

[Legendary Reward Granted: Demon God Tyrant Body Enhanced]

[Effect: Amplifies the user’s overall physical strength tenfold. Without relying on magic, the user can defeat A-Rank Awakeners and clash with S-Rank Awakeners through physical strength alone.]

Reinhard flexed his fingers. Combined with the improved foundation of his Immortal Emperor Body, the enhancement would make close combat far more dangerous for anyone who underestimated him.

[Legendary Reward Granted: Enlightened Heart — Madhyamā Enhanced]

[Effect: The user may exchange all Mana stored within his heart for rapid self-healing. Mana stored in the heart can also be infused into strikes to restrict the movement of targets hit.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: All-Cutting Slash Enhanced]

[Effect: Improves resistance against attacks containing laws and allows the ability to cut through invisible pressure.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Mirror of Possibilities Enhanced]

[Effect: The Mirror may display events from the past four times before shutting down for the day. It may also display five minutes of events from a predicted future.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Merchant King’s Lens Enhanced]

[Effect: The Lens can identify the activation conditions of a relic E.G.O. and determine its optimal method of use.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Link Chain Enhanced]

[Effect: The user may connect to a target without personally experiencing the target’s pain. Pain and suffering can be stored and released later at the user’s command.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Heavenpiercer Enhanced]

[Effect: Heavenpiercer can ignore a target’s durability when striking and absorb Mana. When the spear returns to the user’s hand, the absorbed Mana can be used to heal the user.]

[Legendary Additional Reward Granted: Aegis of Eight Enhanced]

[Effect: The shields can combine to devour an attack and reflect it toward its source. They may also detach and rush toward a target selected by the user to deflect an incoming attack.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Crown of the Unbroken Enhanced]

[Effect: Adapted attacks now heal the user. Mana infused into an attack can also restore the Mana the user has lost.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: High-Grade Royal Mana Fruit ×3]

[Effect: Each fruit contains Mana comparable to that of a B-Rank Awakener.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Peak-Grade Royal Mana Fruit ×2]

[Effect: Each fruit contains Mana comparable to that of an A-Rank Awakener.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Divine-Grade Royal Mana Fruit ×1]

[Effect: Contains Mana comparable to that of an S-Rank Awakener.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Peak-Grade Enlightenment Grapes ×5]

[Effect: Greatly improves supernatural comprehension. While the user is in a state of enlightenment, the grapes continuously absorb surrounding Mana.]

The twenty rewards were complete.

Reinhard was satisfied.

His combat abilities had improved across several areas, and the resources would support future training. He didn’t need to test everything immediately, especially with his family asleep beside him.

Another notification appeared.

[Target Value Increased.]

[Emily Ashcroft: SS → SSS.]

Reinhard glanced toward Emily.

Her Awakener Rank remained S-Rank. The notification referred to her Target Value, not her combat classification.

Still, the increase caught his attention. The system now valued Emily at SSS, and he suspected that her restored Gnosis and the events surrounding the Black Moon had changed how it evaluated her.

He didn’t know the reason yet, but he would investigate it later. For now, Emily needed rest more than another examination.

[Fame Rewards Granted: 4]

[Reward 1: High-Grade Repair Talismans ×5]

[Effect: Each talisman can restore a large area to its original condition. When five talismans are combined, they can restore an entire building and everything inside it to peak condition.]

Reinhard looked at the notification, then briefly remembered the state of their residence.

Their house had been practically destroyed during the recent events. Five talismans were exactly what he needed to restore the building and its contents instead of spending time and money repairing everything separately.

At least the system had finally provided a solution that matched the scale of the damage.

[Fame Reward 2: S-Rank Mana Orb]

[Effect: Contains multiple reserves of S-Rank Mana that can supply energy for development of the Immortal Emperor Body.]

Reinhard nodded. This would help the family resume their physical training. He would distribute the Mana carefully, ensuring nobody absorbed more than their body could safely handle.

[Fame Reward 3: High-Grade Recovery Crystals ×5]

[Effect: Concentrated restorative energy accelerates the recovery of Mana and physical vitality. The recovery rate depends on the severity of the user’s condition.]

[Fame Reward 4: Spatial Barrier Shifting]

[Effect: Protects the Ashcroft residence by transferring intruders into a shifting pocket-dimension maze. Corridors, rooms, and paths constantly change, separating intruders and disrupting coordinated attacks. Authorized individuals may be excluded. Maintaining the maze consumes Mana, and its effectiveness depends on the intruder’s Rank, Mana, and spatial resistance.]

Reinhard was pleased with this final reward. The barrier wouldn’t defeat every powerful enemy, but it could delay intruders long enough for his family to respond. After everything they had endured, strengthening their home was just as important as strengthening themselves.

Then the system announced the final category.

[Grand Rewards Granted: 5]

The first notification appeared.

[Grand Reward 1: One Billion Credits]

[Effect: One billion credits have been deposited into the user’s account.]

Reinhard stared at the number.

One billion credits.

He checked his balance again before a smile appeared on his face. He had already been wealthy, but this reward placed him in an entirely different position.

"Haha, I’m finally in my proper tax bracket. A filthy billionaire."

A vacation suddenly sounded wonderful.

[Grand Reward 2: Tiamat Bane]

[Effect: A divine spear whose size and weight can be altered by its user. It can become as light as a pencil or as heavy as a mountain, while its length can range from a compact form to one exceeding a skyscraper. The spear can also be summoned to the user’s location.]

Reinhard’s smile widened slightly.

A spear that could change its size and weight so dramatically would be useful in almost any battle. He could keep it compact when traveling and transform it when he needed overwhelming reach or weight. The ability to summon it to his location was another convenient advantage.

He would have to test its limits, but Tiamat Bane was clearly no ordinary weapon.

[Grand Reward 3: Assemble Down]

[Effect: By touching a target, the user may shift an object or person onto a two-dimensional surface, such as a wall or floor. The target becomes trapped and cannot move normally, while damage to the surface can harm the target. Duration and effectiveness depend on Rank, Mana, and resistance. Powerful enemies may resist the effect or shorten its duration.]

Reinhard read the description carefully.

This ability could disable an opponent without requiring him to overpower them directly. If he managed to touch the right target at the right moment, he might end a fight before it became dangerous.

However, the contact requirement mattered, and powerful enemies could resist the effect. He would need to choose his target and timing carefully rather than assuming the ability would work on everyone.

[Grand Reward 4: Knowledge of a Sinner]

[Information Acquired: When the Black Moon first appeared, Xanxus absorbed Mana from the other realm. The foreign Mana increased his reserves and carried knowledge connected to a future authority.]

[Additional Information: Xanxus was confused by the knowledge he received. It felt as though the Mana itself already knew him and was desperately trying to return to him.]

Reinhard’s expression grew serious.

Mana that already knew Xanxus and wanted to return to him?

The wording was strange. It suggested that Xanxus had received something more than an increase in power when the Black Moon appeared. Yet the information didn’t explain what the Mana was, why it carried that knowledge, or what the future authority meant.

He wasn’t going to invent an answer based on two vague statements.

Still, the discovery gave him another reason to investigate the remaining Sinners. If Xanxus had received something unusual from the other realm, the six who remained might possess similar secrets.

He committed the information to memory before opening the final report.

[Grand Reward 5: Intelligence Report — Athoth]

[Subject: Athoth]

[Affiliation: Unmasker Sentinel serving under the Arbiter.]

[Initial Interest: Reinhard Ashcroft’s restoration of Emily Ashcroft’s Gnosis.]

[Assessment: Athoth first became interested in Reinhard after he restored Emily’s Gnosis. She found his actions amusing and his attitude entertaining. Rather than interfere, she chose to observe how far he would go.]

[Subsequent Observations: Blood Kin incident in Elyndor. Black Moon incident in Marvello. Fall of the Baal Family.]

[Additional Findings: Athoth has remained aware of Reinhard’s growing influence and has repeatedly chosen not to obstruct his actions.]

Reinhard stared at the report for several seconds before closing his eyes.

So Athoth hadn’t simply appeared during the Baal Family incident by coincidence. She had been watching him since he restored Emily’s Gnosis, and every major incident afterward had given her another reason to remain interested.

That explained her behavior during the confrontation with the Baal Family. She had been willing to help, tolerated his casual attitude, and seemed more amused than concerned by the situation.

She hadn’t necessarily supported him. She might simply have wanted to see what he would do next.

Reinhard rubbed his forehead. He already had enough trouble without discovering that a powerful figure was following his family’s activities for entertainment.

Then he remembered something else.

Athoth had known that Emily might become a Blood Kin, yet she hadn’t warned him or intervened.

Reinhard looked at Emily’s sleeping face. He couldn’t know what Athoth had intended, but he suspected she hadn’t minded letting the situation unfold. Perhaps she had wanted to see how he would handle it.

Whatever the truth, he disliked the idea that someone with her authority had watched his family approach danger without telling him what she knew.

He wouldn’t accuse her without evidence, but he would remember it.

Reinhard sighed. "An amused stalker who watches my family get dragged into trouble and decides to see what happens."

He shook his head, wondering what Athoth might do next.

[Previous limitations have been broken.]