Ashe picked up a plain, unremarkable piece of stone. Sonya and Dia both turned to him, their eyes urging him on.

Not every resource from a Resource Point could benefit a sorcerer. Out of roughly ten finished materials, only one carried energy from the Virtual World, evolving into an essence material capable of nourishing spirits.

That explained why only Knowledge Creatures could operate Resource Points. The production cycle was far too slow. By the time a sorcerer could command a spirit to extract suitable materials, their soul energy would nearly drain, forcing them to retreat from the Virtual World.

Knowledge Creatures, on the other hand, had no such time limits. They could linger indefinitely, even in the Static Zone, and manage Resource Points for extended periods. And they didn't just harvest for others; they consumed these essence materials themselves. Some records suggested that larger Resource Points attracted more of them, and perhaps they could even reproduce by absorbing these essences.

Occasionally, large creatures raided Resource Points. Yet, just as sorcerers struggled against gregarious creatures, the large ones couldn't always prevail. Life-and-death battles were rare. In most cases, the gregarious creatures simply offered a portion of the materials as a protection fee, ensuring no trouble came their way.

This also explained why the White Velociraptor quarry was littered with so many stones. While the Velociraptors hoarded materials, they kept some in reserve for emergencies. When large creatures came to plunder, they handed them over as tribute.

To both sorcerers and Knowledge Creatures, however, only essence materials containing Virtual World energy truly mattered. Ordinary stones, lifeless, dull, and unremarkable, served merely as toys for the Velociraptors, for grinding their teeth or playing dodgeball.

Then, the stone in Ashe's hand suddenly crumbled to powder, slipping through his fingers.

So that's it. He wants to show off a destructive Miracle he just learned that could obliterate stone instantly.

Clap, clap, clap!

Sonya and Dia applauded sincerely. Meanwhile, Ashe unleashed his power frantically on the stones. Pile after pile fell to dust as he moved from one heap to the next, sweeping them away like a storm.

Watching him, Sonya felt a twinge of sympathy. It seems the Watcher must have been under a lot of stress lately...

She said, "Alright, alright. Watcher, we get it. You're impressive. Don't waste your mana like this—"

Dia, however, seemed to catch on. "Watcher, could it be that... these useless stones are actually useful to you

"Yeah!" Ash's voice trembled with excitement as a faint gray spiritual glow seeped into his palm from the crumbling stone. "These are the true treasures of this Resource Point!"

[You dismantled Virtual World Stone (Extra Large) and obtained 6 points of Ore Essence.]

[You dismantled Virtual World Stone (Medium) and obtained 3 points of Ore Essence.]

[Are you sure you want to dismantle Molten Fire Stone (Special)?]

[You dismantled Molten Fire Stone (Special) and obtained 15 points of Ore Essence.]

Every ordinary stone in a Resource Point could be dismantled into Ore Essence through the game system. Essence materials themselves could also be dismantled, yielding ten times the amount of essence compared to ore of the same volume. The system likely assumed players wouldn't dismantle essence materials, explaining why Ashe had received no response when he picked up the Swordheart Stone.

By the time he emptied the entire Resource Point, Ashe had amassed 950 points of Ore Essence. The mine, once crowded with stone piles, now lay bare. Only a thin layer of dust coated the ground, and the tunnels seemed far more expansive, enough to bring tears to a White Velociraptor's eyes.

Soon, Sonya and Dia realized what Ashe intended to do with all the shattered stone. He returned to the sports car parked outside the quarry, stepping up to the front of the vehicle. "It's time for an upgrade. Evil Blade!"

Vrrr!

The car roared violently. Its front bumper deformed and extended within seconds, forming a razor-sharp, blade-like edge. Anyone foolish enough to stand in its path would be cut down right away. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

While his companions gawked at the transformation, Ashe's gaze lingered hungrily on the enhancement blueprint displayed on the light screen.

[Evil Blade · Level 4: Collision deals 400% tearing damage. Energy consumption reduced by 60%. Ore Essence required for next level: 600.]

The ores from this single Resource Point alone had already raised the blade's modification to Level 4.

Aside from Evil Blade, the same slot offered another upgrade, the Vanguard Stone Shield. Clearly, it was meant for defense. Only one component could occupy a slot, and removing a part returned 50% of the essence.

Ashe anticipated their exploration ahead would only be more reckless, so he naturally prioritized Evil Blade. Besides, the essence he possessed was only enough to activate this component.

Other car enhancements enticed him, like the headlight-exclusive Petrifying Gaze, front windshield Refractive Barrier, exhaust Poison Mist Surge, undercarriage side Boiling Chainsaw, and even the seat component Alchemical Throne, which could accelerate Gold Mana absorption. Every option made his mouth water.

The drawback? Each upgrade demanded enormous quantities of essence, and not just one type. Level 1 Alchemical Throne, for instance, required 200 Gem Essence, 200 Crystal Essence, 200 Mercury Essence, 200 Wood Essence, 200 Ore Essence, and 200 Gold Essence. To gather it all, he'd need to plunder at least seven different Resource Points.

The good news was that, across the entire Continent of Time, Ashe seemed to be the only one capable of breaking down these useless stones to extract their essence. No one was competing with him.

Given enough time, he could upgrade the self-driving sports car from a luxury model to a top-tier weapon of destruction. Once that happened, nothing on the Continent of Time, human or Knowledge Creature, would stand in his way!

Fueled by a newfound enthusiasm for treasure... or rather, trash-hunting, Ashe leapt into the car. "Get in! Tonight, we're conquering another Resource Point!"

Sonya and Dia adapted quickly. After all, Ashe had already displayed countless strange abilities. Compared to Virtual World team-ups, the Pure Radiance Tonic, or the forced training, Ashe using ordinary stones to enhance a car barely warranted a second thought.

Instinctively, Ashe took the front seat. Sonya hesitated for a moment, then decided not to overthink it, pulling Dia into the back.

The White Queen glanced at the suddenly close Swordswoman and suppressed a laugh. "Swordswoman, you're so cute."

"Huh?" Sonya blushed, turning her head with feigned pride. "Of course I'm cute."

With that single, casual remark, most of Sonya's resentment toward the new teammate melted away. She wasn't thrilled about a stranger joining the team, but the witch had already proven herself in the last battle. Sonya reluctantly accepted her presence.

Her irritation had stemmed from reuniting with Ashe after six to seven days, only to find him immediately adding someone to the team. Anyone would have been annoyed. Couldn't he have waited a day so we could have a proper chat? Shouldn't he have informed me first? Why didn't he say a single word?

Even if Sonya didn't truly mind, she had to show her annoyance to remind Ashe she existed. Honest people were the easiest to push around, after all. She wanted everyone else to be honest, just not herself.

Her frustration wasn't about losing a share of the resources. It was the subtle message behind his actions. Ashe didn't fully trust that she would go through with it. Was that really the case? Would she protest? Not at all. As long as the new teammate proved useful, she'd accept her.

Her only real concern was appearance. Couldn't he have picked someone more ordinary-looking?

In Sonya's experience, women this beautiful often brought trouble.

Once she calmed down, she recognized the new teammate's value. A realist at heart, Sonya knew that as long as her bottom line wasn't touched, emotions could be set aside for practical benefit. Sulking only made her ugly and brought no value whatsoever. Yet...

Sonya gently nudged Dia aside and took the leftmost seat in the back, pressed against the door. Arms crossed, she stared at the countercurrent of golden rain outside, radiating the unmistakable aura of, I'm aggrieved, but I won't say a word.

Notice me! I'm still angry and refusing to interact with the new teammate!