My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 490: The founder intervened

Ethan steadied his breathing, extending his senses outwards into the desolate surroundings. The shattered landscape remained hushed, yet an unsettling quiet pervaded the air. Multiple unseen presences were detectable at the periphery of his awareness, meticulously masking their movements.

A swift tally revealed them: several signatures of level two cultivators were strategically positioned, gradually encircling him from various approaches. Among these, one presence stood out, radiating a palpable pressure, steady and disciplined, signaling a threat far exceeding the others—a level four.

Under ordinary circumstances, Ethan would have retreated without hesitation. A direct engagement with a level four opponent presented an unacceptable level of risk given his current power. Even employing his full might, the outcome would have been precarious at best.

However, his patience had already frayed thin. The preceding combat, the incessant ambushes, and the unyielding pressure had worn down his composure. The recent sneak attack was the final straw. He harbored no intention of retreating this time. While defeating the strongest adversary wasn't his immediate goal, eliminating the weaker targets would diminish their collective strength, rewarding him with crucial points and assuaging his mounting frustration.

His gaze hardened as the decision solidified.

Then, he vanished.

The initial assailant advanced precisely as Ethan disappeared, anticipating an encounter with a distracted foe. The man's weapon met only empty air. Before comprehension could dawn, Ethan rematerialized behind him. A sword swept in a swift, horizontal arc—devoid of extraneous movement, warning, or uncertainty.

Puchi.

The sound, though subtle, was undeniably final. The man's form was bisected cleanly at the waist, his upper torso sliding forward as the lower half remained stationary. A brief eruption of blood preceded the remains collapsing to the ground.

[You have gained 50 points]

Ethan offered a subtle nod. The system's confirmation validated his expectations. Eliminating a level two monster typically yielded thirty points, but a level two human opponent commanded fifty. Such a distinction was significant. At this rate, he could rapidly accumulate the necessary points.

He granted the remaining adversaries no time to react.

Before the shock could ripple through their ranks, Ethan vanished once more. Another level two cultivator had only just registered an anomaly when a presence materialized behind him. The man began to turn, but the movement was abruptly halted. Ethan's blade plunged through his back, emerging from his chest. The body stiffened momentarily before succumbing to gravity.

The surrounding figures finally broke their coordinated formation. Bewilderment escalated into alarm. They had anticipated overwhelming a solitary opponent, yet two of their own had perished within mere seconds. Their focus fragmented as they frantically attempted to pinpoint Ethan's location, but his movements remained frustratingly elusive.

At this critical juncture, the level four cultivator intervened.

"Scoundrel. How dare you slay my subordinates. Perish!" he bellowed, his voice resonating with incandescent fury as he surged forward. His velocity was demonstrably superior to the others, rapidly closing the distance in an attempt to intercept Ethan's next presumed target.

However, Ethan had already shifted his position.

He reappeared behind yet another level two cultivator just as the level four closed in. The target registered the impending danger far too late. Ethan raised his sword and brought it down in a decisive downward slash, cleaving the man from shoulder to hip in a single, fluid motion. The severed body plummeted before the level four could reach it.

Ethan casually flicked his middle finger towards the oncoming adversary, his expression placid and detached. The gesture was fleeting, lasting only an instant before he dissolved into invisibility once more.

The level four combatant halted abruptly, his assault meeting nothing but vacant air. His rage intensified, yet he was powerless to retaliate. Ethan's presence had already receded beyond the reach of immediate detection.

"Motherfuckers. I'll find you soon. Prepare to die," Ethan's voice echoed from a distant position, the sound fading as he made his complete escape.

He then was truly gone.

He moved swiftly through the ravaged terrain, diligently increasing the distance between himself and the embattled group. His objective had undergone a transformation: the urgent need to ascend in cultivation level as rapidly as possible. Achieving level ten would significantly bolster his chances of survival. The strategy now centered on hunting isolated adversaries, deliberately avoiding formidable confrontations, and maximizing point accumulation efficiency.

Yet, as he pressed onward, an icy dread inexplicably coursed down his spine.

The sensation manifested without preamble. His instincts surged, tightening every fiber of his being. A perilous entity had just entered his awareness, radiating a threat far more potent than the level four cultivator he had narrowly evaded.

The surrounding space instantaneously became rigid. His teleportation abilities were rendered null and void.

Ethan's entire form froze, rooted to the spot. He found himself utterly incapable of moving even a single muscle.

A chilling draft swept across the nape of his neck. Slowly, deliberately, the perpetrator emerged into his field of vision.

It was a grotesque monstrosity, its form adorned with hundreds of eyes, each encircled by a maw of jagged, razor-sharp teeth. A flickering flame crowned its head.

"Intriguing," the voice drawled, amusement lacing its tone, as if Ethan's mere presence was a source of entertainment. "Even as a mere Level 1, you possess the ability to teleport. How utterly fascinating. Yet, according to the rules of Elysium, this should be an impossibility. Could it be you harbor a spatial artifact?"

The creature's words implied it had already discerned that Ethan relied solely on his innate capabilities.

With a snap of its fingers, Ethan's attire dematerialized in an instant.

The monster visibly anticipated baring him completely, but instead, a blinding radiance erupted before it. Ethan's form was illuminated as if he were a celestial being.

He had invoked his Supreme One Physique. Self-preservation through dignity was paramount; death was preferable to surrender.

"Oh? An interesting physique," it commented again, a thread of genuine curiosity woven into its voice.

"You hail from the Aurora Clan, an outsider," it mused aloud. "Yet you wield abilities from the outer realms while integrated with Elysium. How... peculiar."

A booming laugh erupted from it, a sound so profound it seemed to reverberate through the very fabric of existence. "Hahahaha! I believe I have finally located my quarry. The Association will undoubtedly elect me as their new leader."

"Yumiko," Ethan whispered, a mere breath, summoning his companion.

[Master, this entity surpasses Level 100. My senses can discern no further details.]

Ethan recognized the grim reality: without immediate intervention, his demise was all but assured.

"Allow me to consume you. Then, we shall consult the Seer to ascertain if the threat persists," the monster declared, its tone disconcertingly casual, as though Ethan's existence held no significance.

Though his body remained bound and immobile, Ethan retained the use of telekinesis. He reached for his Space Ring, crushing the stone bestowed upon him by the Founder. The Founder had impressed upon him the critical importance of breaking it only in a dire, life-threatening predicament, lest its activation be in vain.

"This certainly qualifies," Ethan mused internally. His only recourse was hope that it would function as intended.

A singularity materialized within the monster's maw. Ethan felt the oppressive gravitational force emanating from it, relentlessly pulling at his form, threatening to engulf him.

"Yumiko, am I facing my end? Why can't you devise a special protocol, like you did before?" he inquired serenely, his voice remarkably steady despite the overwhelming peril.

[Master, I operated under the power protocols aligned with our previous realm. However, at present, I lack a concrete reference point to formulate a new protocol. If either of us could experience the life of a true elite, even for a single hour, I could then construct a protocol based on that realm's characteristics.]

Yumiko's voice resonated with unmistakable frustration.

"I should have anticipated this," Ethan lamented inwardly. "My actions were driven by desperation. All I can do is hope for the Founder's intervention." His gaze remained serene, unyielding in the face of impending doom.

Then, the impossible occurred.

The very space before them fractured, tearing open. From the resulting rift, a figure emerged.

"A general of the Dark Alliance?" the newcomer inquired, their voice soft yet imbued with an authority that commanded silence, even from the monstrous entity before them.