Chapter 264: Ingrained Earth

18th September, the year 334 of Dawn era; spectral-like objects floated around, shaped into all sorts of objects, ranging from a corkscrew to a hammer. The moved about aimlessly, with most of them settling down at places, turning immobile.

The surroundings were transparent, with a single tower outlined relatively clearer. The walls of the tower were see-through, allowing the strange creatures to witness everything that happened within. A human man—middle-aged—sat inside a dark room with no ventilation. The only item inside the room was the straw mat he sat on.

Limitless Tower: the place where humans made a breakthrough to higher Tiers, or tried to do so. The Tier of the breakthrough part varied the floor he attempted from. Floors 1-50 were for people attempting a breakthrough from Tier 1 to Tier 2. Floors 51-90 were for people attempting a breakthrough from Tier 2 to Tier 3. Floors 91-110 were for people attempting a breakthrough from Tier 3 to Tier 4. And finally, floors 111-120 were for people attempting a breakthrough from Tier 4 to Tier 5.

In the floors for each Tier, depending on the individual combat power of the person attempting a breakthrough, they were allotted a higher room accordingly. Seated on floor 109, the middle-aged man was an elite at Tier 3.

Sometime later, with the eventual success of the first phase, a hazy figure arrived in the transparent world, positioned right about his body in reality. The surrounding spectral figures with tool like bodies grew excited.

Cogent Phrenics, denizens of the Mental Realm. They usually sought experiences on the same level as their own or a level higher. Many layers of Cogent Phrenics were congregated around the Limitless Tower, conforming to each floor.

They occupied the levels based on their requirements. When the middle-aged man appeared in the Mental Realm, the Cogent Phrenics on the same level as him and those directly underneath approached him.

The middle-aged man fought with his primary foe—the figure of experiences of his Wisdom Parasite—while defending against the lunging Cogent Phrenics. The bodies of each were composed of memory fragments, indestructible in the Mental Realm; they affected the form each Cogent Phrenics took.

A hook-shaped Cogent Phrenics hooked the arm of the middle-aged man, piercing into his form, causing the experience fragments of both to mix with one another. The middle-aged man tugged, causing a small portion of his experience fragments to splash out. But in return, he managed to absorb a greater portion of the hook's experience fragments.

The battle ensued forth, with each collision leading to an exchange of memories, with the sturdier one profiting from the exchange. With a robust foundation of life experiences, the middle-aged man profited from most of the exchanges. He targeted the Cogent Phrenics shaped into hooks, slaws, thorns, spears, etc. and evaded the rest.

Thanks to the composition of his form, the Cogent Phrenics attracted towards him too were related to pointed and sharp objects. He desired the experiences in them while they desired his. He knew that the Mental Realm was a treasure house of experience, a place where he could instantly gain stuff that required years of practice.

Also, the experience he obtained now would help him to comprehend his Skills a lot faster, also enriching his battle strength. After all, the effect of the Skill improved based on how much one could comprehend it.

Though, he never lost sight of his objective. It was the form of his Wisdom Parasite. Within it was a crystal that he had to absorb in order to return to reality. If he stayed longer in the Mental Realm, he would eventually be assimilated into it. After all, the sources of the Cogent Phrenics were the humans and Frenzy beasts that had been assimilated into the Mental Realm.

Eventually, his efforts were successful as he obtained the crystal within his Wisdom Parasite's form, soon returning to reality.

In his room, the protector, a Ground controller who oversaw his breakthrough inquired about the state of the Mental Realm.

The middle-aged man replied, "There were a lot of Cogent Phrenics around this time. I almost lost my life from greed; but my gains were also significant. Though, anyone weaker than me would suffer a lot of losses."

"I see," The Ground Controller nodded, "I'll ask someone to escort you on your way out."

He then arrived on the ground floor, heading into a back office where three Sky Controllers were seated. They were in charge of overseeing everything that happened in the Limitless Tower. And, should a Shifter or a Ground Controller attempt a breakthrough, they would act as their protector.

Seeing his appearance, a lady in her sixties, seated on the right said without a change in tone, "I heard the report. The Cogent Phrenics have overpopulated the region once again. We will have to initiate a Cleansement Manoeuvre soon. Begin preparations, Gerude. Summon the candidates who wish to become a part of Steam Force."

"But madam Light," The Ground Controller, Gerude Eagle bowed, raising his shaking voice, "The previous Cleansement Manoeuvre was only 3 years ago. Isn't this too soon for another one?"

"2 Years, 341 days, 8 hours, and 20 minutes to be precise." Seated in the centre of the trio, and facing the exit was a lady seemingly in her eighties. Despite her age, she was spirited, her actions full of vigour like a teenager. Though, it was a clear indication that she could only behave this way through the use of her Esper abilities.

"The world is constantly changing," A feeble grating voice resounded. The one who spoke was the old man seated on the left. Most of his hair had fallen, with the bare remaining fully white, looking feeble, the signs of lacking vitality. His skin had withered like a tree bark, with dark spots on various places of his skin.

He was skin and bones, sporting a bulging belly from a lack of exercise. His eyes were glazed over, as if the vision in them had dimmed long ago. Even when he spoke, he stared into space, his mouth barely moving, the vocal cords struggling to move. After a moment of struggle, he spoke again, "When I was an Area Controller, the Cleansement Ceremony was conducted only once every 9 years. But, every time, the duration continued to reduce, little by little each time. We can only prepare and act accordingly. Do you get my point?"

"Yes, sir Marble. I'll begin preparations right away. We'll be good to go in two hours." Gerude Eagle bowed and disappeared from the room.

"Just as Atika said," The old man spoke with difficulty, taking pauses to breathe after every word. "We are hitting the point of saturation in the Mental Realm…"

"Just talk with your psychic arm, Marink." The old lady in the centre interrupted him, "Don't strain your body too much. There is a limit to how much you can tax it."

Despite her warning, the old man continued speaking with his mouth, feeling even more difficulty to utter a word now, clearly exhausted beyond limit. But, he still spoke like a normal person would, "This is the sole bodily function I can maintain. Anymore, and I would be no different from a Relic. Let me live while I can, Minaela."

He broke into a fit of coughs, spewing out a few droplets of blood once. Before they could fly through the air, the droplets of blood vanished thanks to his psychic arm. He infused a psychic arm into his throat, turning it yellow, being able to speak freely after that. He glanced at the lady on the right, "As someone from the younger generation, what is your take on the matter, Lady Light?"

"Please, just address me as Anserah," The lady replied, her actions courteous but her voice remained monotonous, "I lack experience as compared to the two of you. But, I still feel our passive situation to be troubling. It is vexing that we can't do anything about the Mental Realm."

"That is where you're wrong," Marink Marble spoke, feeling happy at the comfortable feeling transmitted through his throat, "In this Cleansement, we are trying something different. If it works, we might be able to slow down the saturation point at least in the area of Marble City within the Mental Realm."

"You mean the stuffing operation?" Anserah Light's eyes widened in surprise, her monotonous tone imbued with mild fervour. "Didn't our first attempt with it fail? No one can endure excessive information intake. Their minds would shatter and they would either lose control or end up dying on the spot."

"That is where this Unranked Skill comes into effect," Minaela Marble smiled, opening her palm. At the next moment, a glass jar appeared on her palm. It was a metre height and 10 centimetres in radius. Floating within was a piece of shell sporting a cracked surface.

The surrounding viscous fluid was continuously absorbed into it, disappearing soon after, as if going against the law of conservation of mass. It was tightly sealed, but despite that, the water level continued to steadily decrease. Moreover, even though the vacuum formation should have dispersed the water, it seemed as if the water didn't wish to occupy the vacant spot.

Seeing the glass jar, Anserah Light was confused, unable to determine what it was. Though, judging by its shape, storage, and the presence it exuded, she could make a guess. "Is this an Unranked Skill? How come I never heard of it? Even the family closest to creating an Unranked Skill still has at least a couple decade's worth of research left to do. From where did this new Unranked Skill appear from?"

"Guess?" Minaela Marble smiled, shaking the glass jar once. Traces of red, orange, and white flashed from the shell, immediately being absorbed back into it.

"Ingrained Earth?" Even someone as experienced as Anserah Light stuttered upon the discovery, shocked when Minaela Marble nodded in confirmation.