100\% DROP RATE : Why is My Inventory Always so Full? Chapter 515 - Gather

For the time being, as the others commenced their return journey, Lucien’s focus shifted to the next inevitable issue that demanded attention.

Lootwell was on the cusp of its grand unveiling to the wider world.

This meant its inhabitants could no longer be merely considered ‘the people within’; a system of governance, designated access, and defined authority was now essential. A clear structure was required to present a coherent face to the inevitable scrutiny from outsiders.

However, before any official roles could be assigned, Lucien addressed a matter of more fundamental importance.

Identity itself.

He summoned the Crafting Division.

Once all had assembled, Lucien stated his requirement directly: “We require seals—proof of an individual’s affiliation with Lootwell.”

An immediate hush fell over the room.

Lucien proceeded to elaborate on the underlying principles. Each seal, he explained, would be intrinsically linked to its owner’s unique mana signature. Once this bond was formed, the seal would be irrecoverable for any other individual to use. This seal would function as a legitimate form of identification, an access credential, a geographical marker for territory, and a node for internal recognition.

Restricted zones within Lootwell would recognize and respond to these seals. Specific magical arrays would only acknowledge individuals possessing valid seals. Furthermore, due to their integration with the Origin Core’s overarching network, the seals would ensure their owners remained connected to home, irrespective of the distance they might travel.

Eirene leaned forward, posing the critical question before anyone else could voice it: “You intend to create one for every single person?”

Lucien confirmed with a nod.

She slowly leaned back, a thoughtful silence descending upon her. The implication was staggering: “everyone” truly encompassed every single inhabitant.

This translated to tens of billions of individuals.

The Crafting Division grasped the sheer magnitude of the undertaking instantly. Manual production was utterly unfeasible, even with a workforce of tens of thousands of skilled artisans.

Consequently, the entire sector geared up for another monumental shift.

New design schematics were drafted. Equipment specifications were revised. The production methodology was segmented into distinct phases. A seal of such critical importance could not simply be stamped and distributed; it necessitated a sophisticated process involving lawful pairing, owner verification, access level configuration, and Origin-Core registration.

This, in turn, meant that the need for mass-production machinery had resurfaced once more.

Lucien observed the initial wave of comprehension ripple through the assembly and almost chuckled. Lootwell had progressed to a stage where even the tokens of belonging demanded an industrial-scale infrastructure.

Good. This indicated they were approaching the problem with the right mindset.

He granted approval for the initial seal-machine concepts and departed, leaving them to their vital work.

• • •

Later that same day, Lucien made his way to the Origin Core Shrine.

The environment bore little resemblance to its former state, having transformed dramatically alongside the fragment itself.

It no longer conveyed the impression of a chamber housing a powerful artifact; instead, it felt like a central command nexus.

The twenty merged fragments rested within their consecrated alcove. This configuration now evoked the image of a supreme authority deliberately concealing the full extent of its latent capabilities.

Recorders were actively engaged, as was their norm.

The chamber adjacent to the core had become a hub of diligent investigation. Scribes meticulously duplicated flagged communications. Analysts diligently sifted through data streams to identify discernible patterns. Others actively maintained updated records of suspicious devices and significant message exchanges. The operations proceeded with an air of disciplined quietude and unyielding focus.

Elias, exuding his characteristic composed gravity, oversaw a portion of the ongoing shift. None of his subordinates appeared foolish enough to underestimate the profound importance of their tasks.

Lucien reviewed the most recent reports. Thus far, no truly alarming developments had been unearthed.

Sareth remained a vibrant, ambitious entity, exhibiting all the familiar—and somewhat mortifying—traits of a structured civilization, but not yet posing the specific danger Lucien was most concerned about.

Not yet.

Kael and his associates had not yet succeeded in expanding their operations effectively into the lower sectors of Sareth. The distribution was still significantly hampered by supply limitations. The Nephralis and the Varkhaals remained entirely isolated from the burgeoning network. These factions had maintained an unnerving silence for an extended period.

Following this assessment, Lucien positioned himself before the amalgamated fragment and permitted his senses to engage with it more directly.

Its current range of applications far exceeded its initial function as mere signal transmission infrastructure.

The fragment undeniably retained its conversion authority. However, with the integration of twenty fragments, more nuanced capabilities were beginning to emerge.

Lucien stood there for a considerable duration, consciously absorbing the inherent, lawful pressure emanating from the core, as if straining to decipher a whisper lying just below the threshold of audibility.

He refrained from forcing any premature conclusions.

Yet, he departed the shrine with a heightened certainty regarding one crucial aspect: The Origin Core would undeniably evolve into a foundational pillar of every future endeavor he embarked upon.

• • •

The following day, Seran initiated contact.

The message was concise: “[I require your presence here.]”

Lucien proceeded directly to the primary Liberator Headquarters, employing the Void Disc for transit.

Upon his arrival, Seran was already present, emanating an air of almost excessive self-satisfaction.

A single glance at Seran’s expression left Lucien perplexed.

Seran finally broke the silence: “I have acquired dungeon batteries for you.”

Lucien’s eyes flared with recognition. This was the same black cube Seran had presented to him earlier when he had initially requested dungeon batteries.

Then, Lucien beheld them: Five void entities. They were contained and bound through the application of multiple layers of suppression.

Lucien’s gaze sharpened. These were no minor entities.

“These are Void Sovereigns,” he declared.

Seran gave a nod.

"Roughly equivalent to the Eternal Realm, more or less."

Lucien’s gaze fixed upon him.

He then glanced back at Seran, as though assessing if madness had finally claimed him entirely.

"You ventured into the Echo Zone for those?"

Seran offered a casual shrug.

"I merely passed through it."

Lucien’s eyelids fluttered slowly.

The void monsters inhabiting that region were distinct from Aerolith or Morveth; they bore a closer resemblance to the Devourer.

This made them quite suitable as power sources, or 'batteries'.

With a sigh, Lucien inquired, "What reason did you have for being in the void?"

Seran’s demeanor shifted, his expression growing decidedly more focused.

"The goblin worlds."

This statement immediately recaptured Lucien’s undivided attention.

Seran elaborated, explaining that the goblins had become remarkably adept at concealing worlds under their dominion. The navigational signatures were intricately layered, skillfully veiled, and in some instances, so deliberately falsified that pinpointing the actual worlds would demand considerable time.

His current objective was to track them down.

Methodically, piece by piece.

Even armed with the coordinates Lucien had supplied, the sheer vastness and unpredictable nature of the cosmos presented formidable challenges, and the goblins’ technological prowess had certainly proven its effectiveness.

He had not yet confirmed any specific world, but he gave Lucien his word that he would send immediate notification upon discovering one.

A palpable sense of excitement surged through Lucien.

Should these goblin-controlled worlds also harbor barks from the Tree of Creation, akin to the world conquered by the gargoyles, the potential benefits could be immense.

Specifically, for himself.

Securing those worlds was imperative.

Lucien looked toward Seran and stated, 'The instant you locate one, apprise me immediately.'

Seran affirmed with a nod. "Naturally."

Following this exchange, Lucien accepted the five void sovereigns and made his return to Lootwell.

•••

Lucien proceeded directly to the Ascension Spire.

The integration of the new power source was undertaken with meticulous care. The higher levels of the Spire had, by this point, transformed into realms of their own unique, hidden dread.

This particular undertaking spanned several days.

Lucien ensured no haste was involved in the process.

Imitating Celestial-level monsters was not something he intended to approach with carelessness.

Their essential identities required a more precise replication. Their environmental dependencies were significantly more demanding. The logic governing their scaling needed to remain consistently stable; otherwise, the dungeon risked devolving into either a pathetic imitation or a catastrophic failure.

His work progressed systematically, floor by floor.

Upon its completion, as he stepped back to survey the augmented operational logic of the Spire, the resulting achievement was sufficiently gratifying that even his profound exhaustion felt purposeful.

He had succeeded.

The successful replication of Celestial-level monsters was now a reality.

Unfortunately, the accompanying news was less favorable.

The five newly acquired power sources were adequate only to sustain dungeon entities up to roughly the Second Level of the Celestial Realm.

This was not insignificant by any means.

Indeed, it represented astonishing progress already.

However, it fell short of what was needed for the highest echelons he envisioned.

Nevertheless, any advancement was still progress.

He subsequently finalized the integration of the new layers into the public-access framework.

Once Lootwell reopened its gateways to the outside, its registered citizens—those possessing valid access seals—would be permitted entry under the standard internal protocols.

Outsiders, however, would be required to pay a substantial fee.

This particular aspect brought Lucien considerable satisfaction.

If individuals from the broader world were foolish enough to utilize his dungeon for their own advancement, they could do so while simultaneously bolstering the very civilization destined to eventually dominate them more comprehensively than they might prefer.

An ample flow of spirit crystals was assured from such an arrangement.

•••

Gradually, individuals began to return.

Kael, accompanied by the merchant caravan, was among the first.

Lucien personally greeted their arrival.

And finally, he laid eyes on the infant.

The son of Maxim and Ellen.

Allen.

A new life, remarkably small and possessing an unusual degree of calm for an infant born amidst a traveling commercial enterprise, under the protection of monsters, and subject to disruptions by violence.

Lucien observed the child, then looked upon the profoundly altered expressions on his parents' faces, and an involuntary smile touched his lips.

Clara took responsibility for the baptism ceremony.

This particular ritual no longer necessitated Lucien’s direct involvement on each occasion.

He had already established a secure, sanctioned divine-access network connecting the church to the Origin Core and had bestowed the necessary permissions upon Clara. This enabled the church to draw upon the fragment’s power for conducting baptisms.

This represented one of the most evident demonstrations to date of the transformative impact of twenty merged fragments.

Direct physical interaction with the Origin Core was no longer a prerequisite for every miraculous act.

It could now operate effectively from a distance.

Clara had embraced this duty with an almost unnerving level of competence.

At this juncture, nearly every member of the church was utilizing divine energy.

Furthermore, Clara had become absolutely dedicated to ensuring that everyone under her spiritual guidance would attain sufficient strength to be a significant factor in any conflict.

Lucien allowed her to proceed.

It liberated his time. Moreover, should the Black Mass attempt another assault, a territory rich with practitioners of divine energy would pose a direct and potent threat to forces reliant on miasma and corruption.

That consideration alone validated the decision.

•••

Days elapsed.

And then more passed.

The returns continued until, by the conclusion of the second week, all individuals of critical importance had safely reconvened.

Lootwell began to coalesce and reorient itself.

The very energy signature of the territory underwent a noticeable transformation as a result.