> Ascendant Favoured_One: Not in this case, it’s not. It’s already so difficult to find a Pathfinder’s channel before they hit Level 10 that the System rewards the achievement by allowing us say some things that it would usually censor.

"Ohh..." Uhtred hummed in response. It actually made sense. There would be no point for people like Ascendant Favoured One to look for Pathfinder channels if there was no benefit to be had. They could simply wait for Pathfinders to hit Level 10 instead.

Uhtred went silent. The explanation he’d wanted had been given, and he now had an idea of how valuable Pathfinders like him were to Sponsors like Ascendant Favoured One.

But there was still a glaring hole in the explanation that he needed answered.

"Why exactly do you Sponsors even need us in the first place?" he asked. "From how you speak, I know for sure that you’re a cultivator... a powerful one at that. So why are you so interested in us ’fledglings?’"

It was a valid question. Was it for entertainment? Were there some benefits to be gained? Were they to represent these Sponsors in some manner or form?

The doubts had been brewing in Uhtred’s mind the whole time Ascendant Favoured One explained. Why would they spend their resources, cultivation manuals, multiversal tokens, and more to help some random individual in a fledgling world that was just getting integrated into the grand multiverse?

> Ascendant Favoured_One: What do you think? You’re a smart guy. You should have come up with some theories on your own... And if not, well, you’ll find out eventually anyway. But I cannot tell you. Even with the System’s current leniency, it absolutely does not permit it.

"Does not permit it, or you don’t want to say it? Which one?" Uhtred stared at the message dubiously. Ascendant Favoured One had literally just spilled the beans on a whole lot of things, but now that they were getting into the motives of the Sponsors themselves, it was suddenly off the table?

> Ascendant Favoured_One: Sigh... I know this will make you hesitant about giving me Priority rights now. But believe me when I say it’s a System-enforced rule.

Uhtred still looked unconvinced, and Ascendant Favoured One could see that clearly, so after a short silence he replied with a surprising message.

> Ascendant Favoured_One: Curses! You cannot even imagine just how much this is going to cost me...

The Ascendant’s words seemed rushed, as if he was muttering to himself wherever he was.

> Ascendant Favoured_One: I can actually give you a hint. But you had better consider me as your Sponsor when the time comes. There’s still time before you hit Level 50 and have to choose a sponsor anyway, so I should be back before then.

"Wait. What are you about to do? Don’t be drastic," Uhtred became slightly agitated. What was this talk about coming back later? There was still a lot he needed to find out from Ascendant Favoured One. There were still many things he was sure to face where the Ascendant’s knowledge would be very helpful.

> Ascendant Favoured_One: Remember this carefully, human...

"Hey! Don’t say anything that’ll get you penalized!" Uhtred was yelling now, but the Ascendant continued anyway, his words coming out rapidly as if he wanted to fit as much as he could within the span of a short few seconds.

> Ascendant Favoured_One: Beware of goodwill, for it is often double-sided. Your world is yo—

Before he could complete the statement, his message was abruptly cut off from Uhtred’s view, replaced quickly by a large ominous red panel:

[Notice!]

Ascendant Favoured_One has been penalized for attempting to transmit information that influences a newly integrated world’s natural progression.

Penalty: Total ban from all multiversal System functions and services for a period of {2 years}.

"What?! Isn’t that too harsh?!" Uhtred yelled in shock. Even with his newly integrated status, he could still tell just how grave a penalty that was.

A total lockout from the System itself for two years? Was what he said that vital? Uhtred thought, replaying the Ascendant’s final words in his mind.

Beware of goodwill, for it is often double-sided. Your world is yo—

Your world is what? Yours? Uhtred frowned in deep thought. Ascendant Favoured One’s cryptic words had been cut off at a vital point by the System, but he had still been able to glean the core message in it.

He’s saying I shouldn’t trust the Sponsors’ goodwill? Uhtred pondered the words.

But if I’m to follow that warning, wouldn’t that mean I also should trust Ascendant Favoured One himself? He’s a Sponsor, afterall...

Of course, Uhtred knew he was being paranoid. Ascendant Favoured One had literally just risked a grave ban to tell him this, just so he could show his sincerity.

But then again who was to say this wasn’t some calculated play by Ascendant Favoured One to earn his trust?

Uhtred sighed, massaging his forehead as he tried to calm his rambling thoughts.

"Beware of goodwill... Your world is yours..." he muttered under his breath. "Well, it’s a good thing I wasn’t planning on getting a sponsor anytime soon anyway."

His gaze firmed and he let out a sharp breath. He would keep those words at the back of his mind and see how things played out. But for now, he needed to finish the quest.

.

.

.

Some forty minutes later...

"Please be Level 5 at least," Uhtred muttered as he snapped the neck of another one of the lizard creatures again. For nearly forty minutes since he left that tree after Ascendant Favoured One got banned, he had aggressively hunted these brown scaled monitor lizards.

They were all there seemed to be in these parts of the forest. He’d killed five more of them since then, but none of his kills had been Level 5 or above. They were either Level 3 or Level 4.

It was almost as if the Level 5 beasts were all avoiding him or something. In fact, he wouldn’t be surprised if they actually were.

So far, he had always made sure to cultivate with the beast cores he got from the lizards immediately after killing them. He wanted to get to Level 10 as soon as possible, particularly because he felt there would be a title for the achievement, but also because checking the rankings had lit a fire of competition in his heart.

Knowing there was another guy out there in the world pushing for titles and levels just like him made him very conscious of every moment of time that passed.

And it was for this same reason that he was beginning to get frustrated he hadn’t found a single Level 5 beast for the last forty minutes.