Without a hint of hesitation, Gabriel chose to harness the power of the Hogyoku.
He directly enhanced his Attribute and Skill Status, disregarding the free Attribute and Skill Points he still had.
Those points he kept for later.
First, he began with his Attribute Status.
__________________
Name: Gabriel Michaelis
Race: Human
Title: Chess Master
Job: Mage
Authority Level: 4
***
Strength (STR): 56 (10+) {15+}
Vitality (VIT): 80 (10+) {15+}
Agility (AGI): 112 (10+) {15+}
Intelligent (INT): 182 (20+) {35+}
__________________
The moment the distribution was complete, the effects were immediate.
Although the mental fatigue from the grueling climb hadn't fully dissipated, his body felt significantly lighter, as if the invisible burden that had weighed him down for so long had been lifted.
More than that, he sensed a far clearer change.
His raw Mana surged drastically, increasing by more than eighty percent compared to before.
The flow of energy was dense, heavy, and almost untamed.
Yet Gabriel quickly adjusted, suppressing any leaks before they could erupt into a destructive blast that would obliterate his surroundings.
"Fiuh…" he exhaled deeply. "Now… time for Skill Stats."
The Status Screen shifted, displaying every Skill he had learned.
Without hesitation, Gabriel once again employed the power of the Hogyoku. One by one, every Skill was elevated to Level Two.
__________________
Special Ability:
> All-Seeing Eyes of the Gods (Kamigami no Gigan)
Passive Abilities:
> Puppeteer (Lvl 2)
Description:
Control +100% (Previously 50%)
Dominance +50% (Previously 25%)
(Note: This Skill can Level Up)
> Slayer (Lvl 2)
Description:
Attack Power +50% (Previously 25%)
Movement Speed +50% (Previously 25%)
(Note: This Skill can Level Up)
> Compression Energy (Lvl 2)
Description:
A skill born from extreme repeated Mana compression. The energy within the user's body is compacted, forming Compression Units — sources of internal pressure that surpass the natural limits of living beings, even exceeding the user's own boundaries.
Each Unit contains the maximum amount of energy the user can possess at their current condition, stored in a perfectly compressed state.
Limit: 100 / 100 Units (Previously 50 Units)
Control: 200% (Previously 100%)
(Note: This Skill can Level Up)
Circulation Energy (Lvl. 2)
Description:
The user gains control over the circulation of their internal energy, allowing free manipulation of its flow, density, and operational patterns within the body and internal field.
This ability enables the user to alter the operating system of energy itself—one of the most fundamental quantitative properties of any system—whether to enhance bodily functions, stabilize abnormal conditions, or adapt to external pressure.
Control: 200% (Previousl 100%)
Recovery: 100% (Previousl 50%)
{Note: this skill can level up}
Active Abilities:
> Dark Matter Magic (Lvl 1)
Description:
A unique magic that allows the user to create 'Dark Matter', an artificial substance that does not follow the standard laws of the World.
Dark Matter can be shaped into various types of matter or energy, limited only by the user's level of understanding, imagination, and complexity of calculation.
This magical energy has no element, cannot be analyzed by conventional magic, and is not subject to world laws except those set by the user themselves.
Mana is required as fuel to generate Dark Matter, but once formed, Dark Matter does not require mana to maintain its existence.
Control: 50% (Previously 25%)
Efficiency: 50% (Previously 25%)
Law Limits: 15,000 (Previously 5,000)
(Note: This Skill can Level Up)
> Mana Skin (Lvl 2)
Description:
By forming a layer of Mana around the entire body, this fundamental technique protects the user from extreme environmental effects and enhances physical abilities comprehensively.
Mana Efficiency: +50% (Previously 25%)
Mana Control: +50% (Previously 25%)
(Note: This Skill can Level Up)
> Mana Zone (Lvl 2)
Description:
Mana Zone is a high-level skill that allows a Mage to manipulate Mana within their surrounding area, enhancing both efficiency and control of magic.
Mana Efficiency: +50% (Previously 25%)
Mana Control: +50% (Previously 25%)
Zone Radius: 50 meters (Previously 25 meters)
(Note: This Skill can Level Up)
> Ki Principle
> Pianist
__________________
Previously, Gabriel could adapt immediately to changes, but the increase in Compression Level now triggered a much larger surge in capacity.
The number of Units he could store skyrocketed—from fifty to one hundred.
And that was where he let his guard down.
Gabriel assumed that leveling up would automatically come with an increase in control over his Mana, instantly regulating the flow of his energy.
In reality, that assumption was incorrect.
Even though his Mana control had increased by a thousand percent, the increase did not activate automatically—simply due to the overwhelming volume of raw Mana Gabriel now possessed.
"Trouble…" Gabriel muttered, his brows knitting sharply.
In the next moment, a pale-white Mana aura erupted from his body.
Not a chaotic explosion, but a silent surge that felt far more terrifying—like fire burning without a sound.
The sand around him was pushed outward in a radius of five hundred meters.
Friction from the kinetic energy caused the grains to heat, ignite, and melt, forming a molten lake that encircled the epicenter of the eruption.
Amid the chaos, Gabriel closed his eyes.
With complete focus, he suppressed the Mana flow that had now multiplied nearly a hundredfold from its original state.
Every inhale became an anchor, every heartbeat a lock.
Slowly, the ocean of energy began to submit.
And the desert—transformed into a hellish inferno—fell silent once more.
Once the Mana flow had fully calmed, Gabriel opened his eyes slowly and exhaled a long breath.
The oppressive heat around him eased, and the pale-white aura receded back into his body, as if it had never surged with such intensity.
Without further ado, Gabriel summoned the System.
He chose to exit the Twentieth Floor of the Infinity Tower.
In an instant, his body faded and vanished completely, leaving only the last traces of molten sand and scorched desert earth at the spot where he had stood.
His destination was clear.
Before returning, Gabriel intended to make use of his remaining downtime.
He needed new clothes to replace his tattered, barely recognizable outfit—and one far more important objective.
The Auction House.
There was a specific item he had his eyes on, and he had only a few hours before the System would warn him that his rest period had ended.
***
After securing everything he needed from the Trading Area and the Auction House, Gabriel finally returned to his own home within the Infinity Room.
Arriving at the door, he opened it and stepped inside. The familiar silence of the house greeted him, yet beneath it lingered a curiosity that had been nagging at his mind.
Ten days.
Morgan had not interfered at all during his ascent in the Infinity Tower.
Too unusual.
Wasting no time, Gabriel headed toward the Workshop Room, where Morgan should have been.
As expected, Morgan was already there, standing calmly while holding a dark, rectangular box.
"Perfect timing," Morgan said in a cold tone. "The child who wandered for ten days has finally remembered the way home."
Her cold blue eyes narrowed slightly, scanning Gabriel from head to toe in an instant.
"It seems you've grown strong enough," she continued, a faint smile forming on her lips. "Congratulations. That's… a good thing."
A brief silence filled the room.
Gabriel finally let out a soft chuckle.
"Heh," he said with full confidence. "It's only natural that Ash, after surviving the Trials of Gods and Fate, would grow stronger."
Morgan said nothing in response. She simply maintained that faint smile, then stepped closer until there was only about one and a half paces between them.
The long box in her hands was then offered toward Gabriel.
"This is for you," Morgan said flatly. "Consider it… a gift from me."
Gabriel's eyebrows lifted slightly. Curiosity immediately sparked, almost reflexively.
He intended to activate his vision, to peek inside the box—or at least read Morgan's memories.
But before he could do so, a hand covered his eyes.
Warm. Firm. Allowing no gap.
"Oi."
Morgan's voice sounded directly in front of him, low and slightly pressing.
"Haven't you ever been taught," she said coldly, "the concept of a gift?"
The hand still covered Gabriel's eyes, unmoving, as if it were a boundary he was not meant to cross.
There was something this time… something clearly not meant to be understood in the usual way.
Gabriel stayed silent for a moment, then let out a soft huff.
"…Tch. Fine," he muttered, his tone far gentler than usual. "I understand."
He lifted his hand, carefully touching Morgan's wrist and lowering it from his face.
As the palm withdrew, a faint hue became visible on Gabriel's expression—subtle, nearly imperceptible under the dim lighting, yet undeniably there.