God-Tier Extraction Talent: Reincarnated in a Game-like World! Chapter 529: Buried God’s Tomb

Gabriel halted mid-stride, casting a slight glance backward. "What is it?"

IceQueen reached out, fumbling with a desk drawer before retrieving a folded piece of parchment. This paper, with its antiquated feel compared to the ubiquitous screens and systems, immediately caught the eye. She proffered it without hesitation. Gabriel stepped back towards her, accepted the letter, and began to read as the others in the room maintained a respectful silence.

As his gaze swept over the words, IceQueen commenced her explanation.

"A few days ago, my private communications intercepted this invitation," she stated. "It bypassed the usual channels—no forum posts, guild announcements, or public systems. It arrived through a personal network. The source indicated only ten invitation slots are available in total."

Gabriel's eyes, hidden beneath his mask, narrowed subtly.

Ten slots. That solitary figure was enough to declare this no ordinary undertaking. What troubled him more, however, was the complete lack of recollection concerning such an event from his previous existence. As far as he recalled, the premier major tournament should have been the next significant engagement around this period, or at the very least, the primary focus of everyone's preparations. This invitation, this particular mission, and the extreme secrecy surrounding it simply did not align with his memories.

Could the flow of time truly be diverging so drastically?

That thought lingered at the periphery of his mind as he continued reading.

IceQueen observed his brief pause and the palpable shift in his focus. A faint smirk graced her lips; she could sense his burgeoning interest. With that confirmation secured, she proceeded without prompting.

"On the surface, the mission appears straightforward. We journey to Tianlan, infiltrate the Buried God’s Tomb, and secure the Core Suppressing Spike. It is an ancient artifact, resembling a spear, driven into the heart of the entombed deity to ensure its perpetual dormancy."

Gabriel lifted his gaze from the letter.

"Why would we remove it?" he inquired. "If the spike maintains the god's slumber, extracting it seems counterintuitive, even foolish."

IceQueen showed no sign of offense at his directness. Folding her arms, she responded in her customary unruffled tone.

"Because the spike is deteriorating."

Her eyes flickered momentarily towards the city lights visible behind him before returning to his masked visage.

"Scouts have confirmed visible fractures appearing on the artifact. Should the suppressing spike fracture while still embedded, the ensuing consequences are entirely unknown. Those extending the invitation believe the more prudent course of action is to retrieve it under controlled circumstances before the seal inevitably fails."

She paused, then added, "In essence, the spike's integrity is no longer reliable."

Gabriel's gaze returned to the parchment. The explanation held a certain logic. If the very object ensuring the corpse's confinement was already showing signs of breaking, leaving it in place could prove far more perilous than a prepared team's intervention. Nevertheless, this did not equate to mission safety. Venturing into the resting place of an ancient deity with a mere ten invited guilds sounded precisely like the sort of scenario that devoured the unwary.

Having personally experienced the immense power of a god, Gabriel grasped the gravity of her words. A task of this magnitude would ordinarily necessitate the involvement of more than ten guilds.

He tapped the edge of the paper once with a fingertip. "And the rewards?"

ChaosCleric subtly glanced toward IceQueen, but she released a soft exhalation and answered directly.

"Access to the tomb itself constitutes a primary reward," she stated. "Beyond that, the invitation outlines shared rights to any secondary treasures discovered within, esteemed favor from the Tianlan royalty extending the request, and priority selection rights for items deemed non-critical to the main objective."

Gabriel remained motionless, his thoughts not on the promised rewards, but on the deceased deity itself.

An ancient god.

Even in death, such a being's remains would be extraordinary. The mere prospect of what might be extracted from such a source ignited his interest sharply, though his expression remained impassive. If he could draw near that corpse and utilize his Extraction talent, the potential bounty could vastly exceed anything he had acquired thus far.

It could manifest as a new skill.

It could be a powerful treasure.

It might even be something far more significant.

Maintaining a level tone, he posed the question, "And you require my involvement because you believe your current roster lacks sufficient strength."

IceQueen offered an undisguised nod.

"Precisely. With our present capabilities, I harbor no strong conviction of success. Your presence, however, substantially elevates our prospects."

Gabriel folded the letter and returned it to her.

"I will consider it."

IceQueen accepted the parchment, studying him for a brief moment. While she clearly sought a more definitive commitment, her astute nature cautioned against applying excessive pressure too soon. An opportunity with only ten coveted slots was inherently valuable, and she understood that demanding too much could prove counterproductive.