Chapter 165: Roxana's Divine Mask (3)

Roxana leaned back slightly, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction as she admired the red mask. "This Divine Scripture... it's beyond anything I've ever seen. A league above every cultivation manual I've come across. The Volcanic Dragon Core Divine Scripture complements my Volcanic Dragon Physique perfectly," she said, her tone brimming with excitement and awe.

Zeus allowed himself a small, knowing smile, relief washing over him. "Of course," he replied, his voice steady but pleased. He had tailored the scripture for her, and hearing her satisfaction was validation that his gamble had paid off.

Roxana smirked, her eyes locking onto his. "You don't have to be so modest, Zeus. You've given me something incredible. But I need to test it out fully." Her voice took on a confident, almost playful tone. "Let's see how well it works. Time to cultivate."

Zeus nodded, stepping back to give her space. "Then go ahead," he said, his voice calm yet encouraging. "Show me what you can do."

Without another word, Roxana closed her eyes and focused, her expression shifting to one of deep concentration. The air around them thickened with energy, and Zeus watched as the dense mana in the chamber surged toward her, drawn to her like a magnet. Her body began to glow faintly as the Volcanic Dragon Core Divine Scripture activated, absorbing pure mana at a rapid pace.

Zeus observed, his eyes narrowing as he felt the shift in the atmosphere. Within moments, Roxana's power began to grow exponentially. The mana flowed through her veins, filling her core with a deep, pulsating energy.

To his surprise, it didn't take long—just an hour—and Roxana had progressed from 1-star all the way to 6-star. Her aura had dropped in terms of star level, but the power radiating from her was anything but weaker. In fact, it was more refined, more intense than it had been when she was an 8-star.

Roxana opened her eyes, a wide, confident smile spreading across her face. "Not bad," she said, her voice low and filled with satisfaction. "I may only be 6-star now, but I can feel it—my strength is far greater than before."

Zeus crossed his arms, leaning back slightly as he watched Roxana with a knowing smirk. "That's the difference between raw power and cultivated power," he said, his voice calm but tinged with a hint of amusement. "You might have fewer stars now, but your control and refinement are on a whole new level."

Roxana gave a satisfied nod, her eyes gleaming with confidence, as if testing the newfound strength coursing through her. She didn't need to respond—the surge of power she felt was enough of an answer.

However, curiosity got the better of Zeus. His mind buzzed with questions as he thought back on how quickly Roxana had advanced. "How did she pull that off so fast? And no thunder tribulation?"

"Hey, system," Zeus asked, his voice a low murmur in his mind. "How did she advance so quickly without triggering a thunder tribulation?"

[Heh, you really need me to spell it out for you?] the system replied, its tone smug and mocking. [She advanced fast because she used the dense mana in the chamber, combined with the residual mana she had leftover from when she was an 8-star. It's almost like you're new to this, genius.]

Zeus rolled his eyes but stayed silent as the system continued. Sёarch* The nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

[Oh, and as for the thunder tribulation, she's already faced two during her time as an 8-star. You're expecting her to get struck down again so soon? No, no, no. She won't face another one until she hits the threshold to break into 7-star.] The system's tone oozed with shameless arrogance, as if the information was obvious and Zeus should've known better.

Zeus nodded, processing the explanation, despite the system's tone. "So that's how it is." He chuckled inwardly, feeling a bit annoyed but also amused by the system's mockery.

[Finally, you're catching on,] the system quipped, [but I guess I can't expect too much from someone who's still learning the ropes. Good thing you have me to fill in the gaps, huh?]

Zeus smirked at the system's attitude but didn't respond. The explanation made sense, and now he understood why Roxana had advanced so quickly. It was another piece of the puzzle that he needed to know, and while the system was arrogant, it was still undeniably useful.

"Figures," Zeus muttered under his breath, his gaze drifting back to Roxana. "That explains everything."

Roxana, now fully aware of the immense power coursing through her, turned to Zeus with a rare, genuine smile—a flicker of gratitude in her otherwise fierce demeanor. "Thank you, Zeus," she said, her voice softer than usual but still carrying that confident edge.

Her gaze lingered on him for a moment before she continued, a hint of relief in her tone. "It's been three years… three long years of searching for something that could truly match my physique. I never thought I'd find something this perfect. You've no idea how frustrating it was before this."

Zeus nodded, his expression carefully neutral, though he felt a small sense of satisfaction. "You're welcome," he said, his tone measured and calm, revealing little. "I'm just glad it worked out for you."

He kept his response short, not wanting to overplay his hand, but there was a glimmer of mutual respect between them.

Roxana's sharp eyes scanned his face for a moment, as if trying to read deeper into his thoughts. Perhaps she was searching for something more than the calm, composed exterior Zeus always presented, but he gave her nothing more than a small, polite nod.

After a brief pause, Roxana's gaze lingered on Zeus, her expression shifting from curiosity to something more deliberate. Her tone softened, but it carried a weight that immediately caught Zeus's attention.

"By the way, there's something that I want to tell you about," Roxana said, her voice calm but layered with intent.

Zeus raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her sudden shift in demeanor. "What is it?" he asked, keeping his tone neutral but alert.