Chapter 140: Advancing the Divine Masks

Lucas sat up in bed, his mind racing with a mix of thoughts and possibilities after fully absorbing the Thunder Mana Stone.

The remnants of pain still clung to his body, but they were easily overshadowed by the thrill of the immense power he now felt coursing through him. He knew he had gained something significant, but he needed specifics.

"System," Lucas began, his voice laced with curiosity and anticipation, "how much mana do we have in the Mana Storage now?"

The system responded almost instantly, its tone dripping with smug satisfaction, [Oh, I thought you'd never ask, Host. Brace yourself.]

A screen appeared before Lucas, displaying the number that made his eyes widen.

[Mana Storage: 10,000]

As Lucas read the number, his eyes widened in disbelief. "What the… 10,000? That's… insane!" He couldn't help but be shocked. It was far more than he had expected.

The system, picking up on his surprise, couldn't resist a bit of mockery. [Of course it is,] it replied, its tone dripping with arrogance. S~eaʀᴄh the nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

[Did you really think that absorbing a huge chunk of a Thunder Mana Stone would result in anything less? I mean, come on, give me some credit here. It's like you still underestimate what I can do.]

Lucas frowned slightly but ignored the jab, focusing instead on the information. "So, all that mana… It's enough to do something big, right?"

[Oh, you have no idea,] the system continued, its voice practically oozing with self-satisfaction. [This mana is so pure, so potent, it could easily push a six-star cultivator to the brink of seven stars. I'd say you've hit the jackpot, but that would be an understatement.]

"No wonder that 8-star cultivator cherished this mana stone so much," Lucas muttered to himself, the realization dawning on him just how valuable the treasure he had claimed was. The fact that he had managed to absorb it all made him feel both triumphant and cautious.

The system, catching his muttering, chimed in with a hint of condescension. [Well, duh! Why else do you think someone that powerful would guard it so jealously? But here you are, sitting pretty with all that mana tucked away. Not bad for someone who didn't even know what they were dealing with a few hours ago, huh?]

Lucas rolled his eyes but couldn't help a small grin. "Alright, alright, you've made your point. I get it—this is big. Let's focus on what we can do with it now."

[Finally, you're catching up,] the system teased, its tone shifting to one of mock impatience. [Now, let's talk about the Divine Masks. You might have all that mana, but you're not going to get anywhere unless you start using it wisely. Or do you need me to spell that out for you too?]

Lucas sighed, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice as he replied, "Just tell me what level my Divine Masks are at now."

The system's tone became slightly more serious, though the smugness never left. [Take a look for yourself. Don't expect me to do all the work,] it said, though it quickly displayed the information.

[Divine Mask]

[Zeus: Four Star (100%)]

[Hades: Three Star (90%)]

[Hephaestus: Two Star (90%)]

[Lucas: One Star (10%)]

Lucas scanned the list of his Divine Masks, his eyes narrowing as he took in the details. Zeus had reached the peak of four-star, but the others were still lagging behind. His gaze lingered on Hades, noting its progress.

"Hades is almost at the peak of three-star," he muttered to himself, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "It seems that the Necrovauld Graveyard is really a good place for it to cultivate."

The system, ever ready to add its two cents, chimed in with a mocking tone. [Oh, brilliant observation, Host. Did it take all of your immense intellect to figure that one out? The Necrovauld Graveyard is practically oozing with the right kind of energy for Hades which was Death Mana. But hey, take all the credit if it makes you feel better.]

Lucas ignored the jab, his mind already shifting to his other two Divine Masks: Hephaestus and Lucas. He knew they needed to catch up. "System," he began, his tone more serious, "how much mana would it take to advance the Hephaestus and Lucas masks to four-star, 100%?"

The system's response was almost instantaneous, and it couldn't resist a bit of condescension. [Ah, finally asking the right questions. The mana in the storage works at a rate of one point for each percent in the four-star range, so for your little project, you'll need about 110 points per mask. Simple math, really. Totals up to 220 points—if you can keep up.]

Lucas raised an eyebrow at the system's tone but let it slide. "And for advancing them from one-star to three-star and from two-star to three-star?"

The system continued with a sigh, as if explaining to a child. [For those lower levels, it's a piece of cake—only about one point each. So, to round it all up, just use 220 points from the Mana Storage for the big jump, and you can gather the rest from the surrounding energy. Even you should be able to handle that.] read-on-NovelFire

Lucas nodded, quickly processing the information. "I see. That's a good deal," he agreed, his voice tinged with determination. "Let's start cultivating the masks then."

The system's tone shifted to one of mock enthusiasm. [Finally! It took you long enough to get with the program. Let's not waste any more time, shall we? Your masks aren't going to level up themselves, and I'd hate for you to fall behind—again.]

Lucas smirked at the system's arrogance but didn't bother with a retort. He closed his eyes and began channeling the mana, focusing intently on pushing Hephaestus and the Lucas mask to their next levels.

The energy surged through him, and despite the system's constant jabs, Lucas knew they were making real progress but still the pain was still. As expected No Pain No Gain.