In a corner of the Steam Magical Castle.

The deep and vast Spiritual Realm spread out.

Five viscous clumps of black mist bloomed before Zorn.

The silhouettes within belonged to three Sanma bosses, in addition to the Lantern-carrying Elder and Francis.

The five of them were currently communicating with Zorn through a ritual.

"According to the information I have, the Harvester organization from Saintisman has entered Ogrande City."

"I’ve already been hunted once by a Middle Rank Level expert."

"Lantern-carrying Elder, you hold a title, so you might be a target. You need to be careful."

"Master, I’m fully prepared. As of the day before yesterday, I’m deep inside the castle in the northern Fog Zone."

"Very good!"

Zorn nodded slightly, his gaze then falling on the others.

"Although you are currently members of the Mafia and your locations are fairly concealed, you must still be on guard against being hunted by the Harvesters."

"Furthermore, you must use your power to gather as much information as you can from all sources."

"Every morning, you are to report your findings to me through the ritual."

"Yes, Master!"

The group responded in unison to Zorn’s commands.

Unlike other Transcendents who entered the Ancient Ruins completely blind, Zorn was able to effectively keep tabs on the situation outside.

The short ritual gathering came to an end.

Zorn looked toward the spot where the remains of Egunus’s flesh had been.

This Calamity Origin Land had once held some remnants of flesh, but now, it was completely empty.

The tide of steam in Ogrande City and the revival of mysterious, grotesque Extraordinary Power had allowed these pieces of Egunus’s flesh to find suitable hosts—or, one might say, the trailblazers of the new era!

In the various locations where the Egunus flesh had been, Zorn could sense that many of the Egunus flesh Sequences were absorbing and digesting the Calamity Black Mist to varying degrees.

’Without realizing it, we’ve already entered the stage of competing to absorb the Calamity Black Mist.’

Zorn watched the scene of numerous Sequences absorbing the Calamity Black Mist together, lost in thought.

Every Egunus flesh Sequence was using its own power, striving to absorb the Calamity Black Mist.

Though they were all trying hard, their efficiency was appallingly low.

In another half a year, or a year, or perhaps even longer, they would enter the "ritual competition stage," where they would learn to leverage the Calamity Black Mist through various rituals.

But simple rituals alone wouldn’t be enough.

They would also need a "Calamity Environment" to form disasters.

They might even have to proactively construct a better Immortal Calamity Sacred Mark themselves.

Constructing a Calamity Sacred Mark was the ultimate goal for the Evil Spirit Sequences cultivated by the major powers.

And yet, that was merely Zorn’s starting point.

’As for opening a Spiritual Realm in the Calamity Origin Land like me?’

’Sorry!’

’If anyone tries, I’ll kill them.’

’Just obediently absorb the Black Mist and don’t even think about touching the Calamity Origin Land. You might live a little longer that way.’

’Dare to come to the Calamity Origin Land and try to steal my territory?’

’Come here and you die.’

Zorn’s advance planning and development were no joke.

After composing himself, Zorn picked up his black Monster Treasure Chest and went outside.

This seventh layer, the Magic Ring Tree Layer, was an ancient jungle filled with towering, giant trees.

Through the dense branches and leaves, he could faintly make out the magnificent and majestic golden silhouette of the giant Tree of the Magic Ring in the sky above, along with streams of flowing golden Energy.

The entire sky was held up by the world-sized Tree of the Magic Ring.

To be more precise, this Ancient Ruin, with its seven world layers, was entirely contained within the outline of the seventh layer: the Magic Ring Tree World Layer.

With the golden outline of the Magic Ring in the sky, the entire ancient, primeval forest was suffused with a faint, gilded luster.

Countless thumb-sized, gilded jellyfish drifted through the forest, making the entire Golden Magic Ring World a breathtaking sight.

After getting his bearings, Zorn headed deeper into the forest.

Before dark, Zorn made a trip to Split Mist Town to pick up the various materials Madam Mable had prepared for him.

These materials included components for a Magic Ritual Platform, as well as materials for the ultimate quest of the seventh Magic Ring Tree World Layer.

And now, Zorn was heading to the location where he could obtain the most crucial material for the ultimate hidden quest.

He arrived at his destination.

His Exclusive Forbidden Curse, Upper Rank: Ringed Snake’s Eye, bloomed rapidly.

After scanning the area and confirming that Rosian hadn’t arrived, Zorn found a corner, set down his Monster Treasure Chest, and began to silently absorb the Fighting Essence.

The ultimate hidden quest on the seventh layer required many materials.

The core materials, in particular, were truly difficult to obtain without a significant time investment.

Zorn didn’t have that kind of time to spend by himself.

But the Undead Assassin Tutor, Rosian, had plenty of free time.

So, Zorn had the Undead Assassin Tutor farm the materials for him.

Of course, Zorn didn’t take advantage of him.

Zorn had given him three clues to hidden treasures that would yield powerful Middle Rank Extraordinary Equipment suitable for an Undead Assassin.

Zorn had already used the Breath of the Undead medallion Rosian had given him to summon him.

However, he hadn’t shown up, presumably delayed by something.

Zorn decided to wait a little longer.

While absorbing the Fighting Essence, Zorn opened his system panel.

...

[Star Trace Fighter]

Level: 4 (26%)

[Talent]

Gangyi Iron Bone (SS-Level)

[Skills]

Shattering Spirit·Skull-Splitting Fist: Level 2 (30%)

Vigorous Qi Mastery (Passive): Level 1 (10%)

Thousand Streams·Gale Step: Level 1 (35%)

Star Trace·Holy Armor: Level 0 (12%)

...

[Evil Spirit Wizard] (World-level BOSS)

Level: 4 (26%)

Evil Witch Spirituality: Feeds on spirits.

Immortal Divinity: In Revival.

[Talent]

Mortality and Rebirth (SSS-level): Resurrection (3/5).

Evil Spirit Authority (SSS-level): Controls Spirituality.

...

[Skills]

Life Absorption: Level 1 (6%)

Forbidden Weaving: Level 0 (65%)

Double-Ringed · Destruction Magic Ball: Level 1 (22%)

Scythe of the End (Forbidden Technique): Level 0 (23%)

Eternal Calamity Whip (Forbidden Technique): Level 0 (10%)

Upper Rank: Ringed Snake’s Eye (Exclusive Forbidden Technique): Level 0 (13%)

...

His gaze fell on his Sequence experience: Level 4, 26%.

’Although my acquisition rate for Fighting Essence has sped up a lot recently, it’s still going to be difficult to raise my level in a short amount of time.’

’Unless I spend a significant amount of time doing the chain quests for this world’s Tree of the Magic Ring.’

’Completing them rewards a Golden Magic Ring Source Fruit, which can increase a Level 5 Professional’s Sequence Level by about 20%.’

’But for someone like me at Level 4, I’d be lucky to get even a 5% boost.’

’Then again, compared to grinding Golden Magic Ring quests, training my skills is obviously more important.’

’The Essence I’m getting by exploiting this bug might be less than what I’d get from the chain quests, but it’s still a staggering amount.’

After absorbing another round of Fighting Essence, Zorn practiced his various Fighting Master skills.

Just then, Zorn finally sensed the aura of the Undead Assassin Tutor, Rosian, nearby.

"Those injuries don’t look minor."

Zorn said, raising an eyebrow as he sized up Rosian, who had just emerged from a corner.

"I was ambushed earlier. It was indeed a serious injury."

Rosian made no attempt to hide it.

After a moment’s thought, Zorn spoke.

"Let me heal you."

"Hm?"

Rosian, his face haggard and eyes sunken, looked at Zorn and asked in a hoarse voice, "Fighting Masters know how to heal?"

"A Fighting Master can’t, of course. I acquired this from the Egunus flesh of the Knight Sequence. And it’s not healing, but life transference."

"I was wondering how you knew healing. Life transference... that’s a decent ability."

Rosian shook his head as he spoke.

"But it’s probably useless. My Sequence’s framework is what’s injured. Ordinary healing methods can’t restore that."

As he spoke, Zorn placed one palm on a large, ancient tree beside them and his other hand on Rosian’s shoulder.

GURGLE...

Life force was continuously transferred into Rosian’s body.

"This..."

Rosian’s expression changed abruptly. He stared at Zorn in utter shock, a brilliant light surging in his dull gray eyes.

"The Egunus flesh is very powerful. Its healing methods are just as extraordinary," Zorn explained in a steady voice.

War in the Ancient Ruins was inevitable. Having the already Level Six Rosian back at full strength would allow them to counterattack more effectively.

Feeling the effects of Zorn’s healing, Rosian couldn’t help but marvel at it.

Before long, Rosian’s injuries were mostly healed, and the damage deep within his Sequence had recovered completely.

Feeling his restored Sequence framework, Rosian was even more amazed.

"To think the Sequence from the Egunus flesh remains possesses such a terrifying ability... It truly is extraordinary!"

Rosian turned to look at the large tree.

The ancient tree, having had a vast amount of its Life Force drained, was shedding its leaves in a flurry, and parts of its trunk were beginning to wither and decay.

"This destructive power is also astonishing."

"But, to have such an amazing recovery, a price must be paid."

"Truly a method befitting the Evil Spirit Sequence. Even its healing is so sinister."

Averting his gaze from the ancient tree, Rosian opened the small Monster Treasure Chest he was carrying.

He took out the resources inside one by one.

They were the very things Zorn needed: Magic Ring Soul Fruits.

These also required completing chain quests to obtain, and even then, they were a chance-based reward.

Collecting all five Magic Ring Soul Fruits would have taken a considerable amount of time.

But now, Rosian had managed to gather all five of them.

After carefully putting away the Magic Ring Soul Fruits, Zorn’s heart swelled with joy.

’With these five Magic Ring Soul Fruits in hand, combined with the materials from Madam Mable... If I’m lucky, I can complete the ultimate quest in the next two days and obtain the powerful Ancient God Curse.’

’Once I have that powerful Ancient God Curse, I won’t have to fear the Holy Fierce Sun Church or the Harvesters, even if they come for me.’

’Next... I need to devote all my energy to the ultimate treasure quest for the Ancient God Curse.’

After bidding farewell to Rosian, Zorn immediately took the various materials and embarked on the ultimate quest of the seventh Magic Ring Tree World Layer. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

It was a powerful Ancient God Curse called Tarktos’ Hand, also known as the Ancient God’s Hand.

For Casters, it was the crowning achievement, the pinnacle of glory in the ascent to the apex of Magic Spells.

Even for someone as astonishingly powerful as Zorn, mastering the Ancient God’s Hand would mean an immense boost in power.