Modret wasn't certain before, but after glancing through the information from the cultivation techniques that came with the SSS-grade abilities, he was now sure.
'Each SSS-grade cultivation is different in its own way!'
To step into the star core back then, Modret had only needed to absorb the mana in the air straight into his core.
Now, reading through what was written in the cultivation technique, he realized that he had to condense a lightning vein.
After condensing a lightning vein, he could now absorb all sorts of lightning particles in the air, causing all his lightning abilities to increase in strength as well—not just a single ability, as was the case with the SS-grade abilities and below.
'Simply put, the SSS-grade abilities are basically the parents of all the other abilities belonging to the lineage, and as the father ability, they're constantly strengthening the children.'
Modret's eyes widened in realization.
He also thought of something interesting.
'I wanted to do something before—creating a unique cultivation technique—and even after I gained sufficient abilities, I still didn't do it.'
'I've lost my SSS-rank death puppet, so I can't cultivate that path. However, with this SSS-grade ability, my decision is firmer than ever. I will combine my knowledge of my SSS-rank abilities and gradually create a unique, ever-evolving technique!'
Modret drew in a sharp breath at his absurd plan.
After all, it wasn't something anyone had tried before. But there was no one like him—no one who had more than a hundred abilities to try it with!
Shifting his gaze toward the system, he glanced at his information.
[Monthly Remark: You've finally made contact with the Celestials, and the days of peace are gradually over. Only by getting stronger can you survive the coming crisis…]
[Shadow Fragments: 300/1000]
[Shadow Roulette Spins: 25]
[More than 10 roulette spins detected. Combine them for a greater chance of drawing a stronger ability?]
'This?' Modret was startled.
He had made it a habit of checking the information from the system and never took them lightly, because he knew that the monthly remark always turned out to be true.
Seeing the information, a frown surfaced in his heart, and the same uneasy feeling he had back at the Axarel Manor resurfaced.
'This time, the remark didn't tell me to run—meaning that even running away can't save me from the coming crisis!'
Modret's face grew unsightly at the thought.
'Since I can't run away, just as the system said, I can only get stronger,' he clenched his fist, not expecting that even with his hundreds of abilities, his life would still be in danger.
His gaze lingered down the system screen and froze at the line of words.
'What?'
Because he hadn't glanced at the system for a while, he didn't realize this…
'Fairy, what's happening? Did the system upgrade?'
Since the fairy was visible—sitting nearby on Axel's head at some point—Modret quickly asked her.
{Yes, the system has finally upgraded after you killed the Celestials. That's a new feature of the system, and there will be others in the future…}
'Huh?' Modret was stunned.
"Damn! Why did the system suddenly upgrade? Not that I'm saying it's bad or anything, I just need to know so I can upgrade the system once again."
The fairy was silent for a brief instant before replying evenly.
{That… I don't know.}
Her voice carried a faint trace of disappointment, perhaps toward herself.
Modret stared deeply at her, and not noticing any flaws in her microexpressions, he let out a sigh and glanced down at the system.
Among the gray buttons previously displayed in the system, one had brightened up.
On the display was a '+1'.
Modret hesitated briefly, then moved his thoughts to click on the option.
Immediately, his vision shifted drastically, and he appeared in a unique space…
It was the void of roulette spins.
Still hovering silently in front of him was the roulette with the blurred markings of all kinds of abilities.
However, now Modret didn't need the roulette to reveal the ability grades to him. Having awakened countless times, it was only normal for him to have mastered what the colors represented.
Glancing at the already spinning roulette, Modret's pulse quickened slightly.
'This should be the upgraded feature… will I really get a higher-grade ability?' Modret was nervous internally for the first time in years.
He had previously lost hope in this ability, but after the system upgraded, he now felt there was a slim chance of obtaining an SSS-grade ability if he stacked enough roulette spins!
'What an upgrade!!!'
Modret drew in a sharp breath as the roulette gradually came to a stop…
Just as the roulette always did, it toyed with Modret's emotions for a brief instant, occasionally landing on the red option, then the blue, white, green, before finally stopping on yellow.
Modret's eyes widened instantly!
Yellow?
Wasn't that…
His thoughts trailed off as the grade of the ability was revealed to him.
[Congratulations on awakening the one-time-use S-grade ability, Endless Mana.]
[Grants the user infinite mana for a duration of 10 minutes.]
'S-grade! It's really an S-grade ability!' If he hadn't been trying to maintain his composure, he would have been jumping for joy by now.
A smile surfaced on his face, and the cultivation technique that came with the S-grade ability also surfaced in his mind.
Although there was a vast difference between it and the ones of SS and SSS grade, it was still extremely strong.
Moreover, it touched upon the vague concept of mana!
'What an amazing ability. Based on the knowledge in this technique, mana is an ethereal concept that shouldn't be tampered with, or it can erode one's being of existence. However, it's still able to grant me infinite mana for ten minutes—how's that even possible?'
Modret found the aspects of this ability too overpowered.
With unlimited mana, he could cast even forbidden techniques he had already thought of that consumed an immense amount of mana.
Calming himself, he sighed once more.
His heart was still unsettled, but at least now he could maintain his composure.
Forcefully, he was tossed out of the void space.
Glancing down at the system, he realized that all the shadow roulette spins he had gathered were exhausted in that single spin.
Although he felt it was a loss, rather than gambling with 25, it was better to gamble on one with a higher chance of bringing him greater benefits.
Modret let out a breath, then closed his eyes.
'Tomorrow, we'll be going to explore the Celestial Gate. But for now…'
'I've been stuck at the peak of the Cosmos Realm for a long time. It's time to step into the Galaxy Core Realm!'
With that thought, lightning crackled in the air, and faint shimmering mana surfaced in the surroundings, being drawn to him.
Axel, who was beside him, opened his eyes briefly in surprise. "The young master… he's absorbing lightning mana… it seems he figured it out too…"
…
Author's Note: I'm sorry for the late chapter. I'm usually very busy on Saturdays, and most of the time I won't be able to write then. Sorry once again—I'll only be uploading one chapter on Saturdays, but two on other days. And expect a mass release on Monday. Enjoy!
Please support the novel's visibility with power stones and golden tickets if you're enjoying the progress so far. I'll be going premium on Monday. Thank you to the amazing readers who've followed the novel so far.