The Devil’s Cage

Rachel was hiding something!

It was almost certain. Based on the words she just said and how quickly she left; all signs were telling Kieran exactly that.

However, Kieran couldn’t force an answer out of her and the reason was simple: Lawless.

“This is why I prefer to be alone.”

Kieran muttered to himself. He too stood up and went back to the inn.

Back the inn, Lawless was already there with his signature cigar in his mouth whilst he showed off the “one man drinking” challenge.

22 bottles of different alcohols lined up under the light. The various kinds of bottles were surprisingly emanating a beautiful shine.

Under the crowd’s loud cheers, Lawless started his drinking challenge from the one on the most left.

It was the special entertainment of Harvest Inn.

Anyone who successfully challenged the “one man drinking” game would not have to pay for the alcohol they drank and could even win a prize of 1000 Points.

However, since the challenge started, no one had ever succeeded, even the Alchemist, Lemour who was an expert in drinking could only last till the 19th bottle before passing out.

As for Lawless?

He was already crawling under the table at the 11th bottle.

“N-Next time, I will succeed!”

Heavily drunk, Lawless stuttered his declaration before he passed out.

“Yeah, yeah!”

“Lawless, you sure will!”

“But you have to pay for this round first!”

“Hahahahahaha!”

The crowd laughed merrily. Everyone was cheering in joy.

None of them were ill-intended though, they were only using this kind of method to vent their stress and nervousness before entering the dungeon world or discard the uneasy feeling after returning from one.

Kieran could tell from their faces despite them being blurred out by the system.

Lawless could as well, and because of that, he challenged the “one man drinking” time after time.

He was using his own way to make his friends around him a little bit happier.

Although it looked stupid to Kieran, he wouldn’t allow his friend to pass out under the table.

Kieran grabbed the back of Lawless’ neck and threw him onto a chair.

He couldn’t help but frown at Lawless who was completely drunk and couldn’t even maintain consciousness.

“Are you dumb?” Kieran said softly.

Lawless’ act in Kieran’s view was like a child trying to make fun of himself in order to blend into the bigger crowd.

The child would laugh together with the crowd and eventually be accepted as one of them.

Children were pure, it was hard to tell which part of their viewpoint was wrong, therefore it was easier to deal with children.

Correct was correct, wrong was wrong.

However, adults were different. Adults had too many conflicts of interest whether in the open or secretly.

So, adults tended to not determine the right or wrong of a matter, instead, they would view it from their own perspective, to determine whether the matter would benefit them or not.

If the matter benefited them, it would be right; if the matter couldn’t, it would be wrong.

If it was right, they would continue; if it was wrong, they would correct it with their own means.

Those who clamored about right and wrong were nothing but some big children in their own world who didn’t possess the strength to correct the things.

Kieran didn’t want to become a big child, nor he was willing to see Lawless becoming one.

…

2567: When will Lawless’ treatment start?

Rachel: A little bit more.

2567: Tell me if you need help.

Rachel: K.

…

Kieran pointed at Lawless and signaled to Rachel further away.

After she nodded, Kieran turned away and walked out of the inn.

Behind him, Lawless who could barely maintain his consciousness seemed to have spotted Kieran, he muttered, “2-2567? A-Anything I can help you with?”

It was soft but heard by Kieran’s sharp ears.

Kieran stopped. He turned around and muttered in a serious tone, “Not now, take a good rest.”

He then turned away once more and left.

Lawless then went on snoring as Kieran left Harvest Inn.

…

Back at 13th Wallway Street, Kieran was back after taking care of his problems in real life.

[Points: 10,000; Skill Points 25; Golden Skill Points: 4; Golden Attribute Points: 4]

Looking at his points tab, Kieran slightly changed the original plan of leveling the few skills that required Golden Skill Points.

First, he didn’t think the news about divine beings would cost him so much.

Second, he never thought the news was somehow related to the Character Template Limit again.

“So Golden Skill Points and Golden Attribute Points have become the key to the higher order before rank V?”

Although Kieran knew a while ago how precious those two currencies were, Rachel’s words just now made him understand even more how precious they were.

The only fortunate thing was, Kieran, didn’t need to hesitate on whether to level up his skills or keep the points for rainy days.

For the potential changes in his Talents and Origin Forces, Kieran tended to take them seriously more than the skills in his arsenal.

“Wonder where my second Character Template Limit is?”

Kieran then turned to his attribute tab.

Strength: SS+

Agility: SS+

Constitution: ZZZ- (New I)

Spirit: G+ (Pre III)

Intuition: SSS+

His highest stat was Spirit which was approaching rank III, his Strength and Agility were the lowest but still far exceeded common players.

Without further hesitation, Kieran poured his points into leveling his Spirit attribute again.

Whether was it the original plan or the altered one, Spirit attribute became the priority attribute that Kieran had to level up.

Kieran was never stingy in forging his best sword.

[Using Golden Attribute Points…]

[Spirit G+ → GG- (Pre III)]

[Using Golden Attribute Points…]

[Spirit GG- → GG (New III)]

[Using Golden Attribute Points…]

[Spirit GG → GG+ (New III)]

[Using Golden Attribute Points…]

[Spirit GG+ → GGG- (New III)]

…

“New III eh?”

“Based on Rachel’s estimate, Great Swamp’s usual form is ranked around IV, considering the ace he might use during battle, there might be a 1 to 2 rank jump. Meanwhile Perforation Stab’s God planned so far ahead to target Great Swamp, obviously, they didn’t have the power to face Great Swamp in person. Judging from that, that God must be around rank III to rank IV, it’s quite unlikely they would be over rank V…”

“If I can get myself into a battlefield that benefits me…”

Kieran calculated quietly as he squinted his eyes.

Meticulous calculations were occurring in his mind.

At the very same time, outside the clock tower dome, a figure was slowing approaching.