The Glorious Evolution Chapter 453: Tenfold!

Levi, upon hearing this, felt no surprise. Having interacted with the Nine Senses Ancestral Tree for an extended period, he had always perceived her as more compassionate and understanding than her contemporaries.

He could readily envision her opposing them to safeguard the Genie race, irrespective of their justifications. While he remained uncertain about the Titan's inclusion in her inner circle, he harbored no strong desire to uncover the truth.

All his prior knowledge of the Titan instilled a degree of trust in Levi. He had even enlisted the Titan's aid in transforming his younger brother's Shadowlife seed, appointing him as a mentor.

Discovering such a fundamental trait embedded within the Titan would undoubtedly alter Levi's perception of him.

His reaction might appear disproportionate, considering his lack of personal connections to the Genie race that would warrant such intense emotions.

Nevertheless, Levi's response stemmed not from an attachment to the Genies themselves, but from a matter of principle. He found it deeply disturbing that the Titan would turn against the very beings responsible for his creation, especially when they posed no threat whatsoever.

If such betrayal was possible against them, what would prevent the Titan from doing the same to his younger brother or even to Levi himself?

Just as Levi's trust began to erode under the weight of his own conjectures, Ash'Kral intervened, offering a testament to the Titan's loyalty.

'Put those dark thoughts aside,' Ash'Kral stated with solemnity. 'Old Bark has always stood by the Nine Senses Tree. Whatever her decisions, he was invariably the first to support her.'

Despite Ash'Kral's endorsement of his old comrade, Levi's trust remained incomplete. However, his sentiments shifted when the Genie corroborated Ash'Kral's account.

'Origin of Terraform Laws... I was deeply saddened to learn of your fall during the Separation Era,' the Omnithar Genie declared, his gaze turning to the Titan, his voice steeped in sorrow. 'Not only you... but the Origin of Nine Senses and the others as well... You all fought valiantly, even when victory seemed beyond reach...'

The Titan managed a faint, strained smile, his mind flooded with countless memories of cosmic devastation. He soon shook his head and responded, 'We exerted our utmost to secure the future, but alas, our adversaries were better prepared, more effectively equipped, and... received greater support.'

A silence fell upon Ash'Kral and the Genie as the Titan concluded his statement. Levi understood without needing to inquire that Ash'Kral's allies must have faced overwhelming odds, vastly outnumbered and outmatched to the point of utter despair.

If even the supposedly 'neutral' Genie race had been subjugated and forced to aid in the war effort, the direness of the situation for Ash'Kral's faction became chillingly apparent.

'We did not rescue you merely to dredge up these dreadful recollections,' Ash'Kral interjected brusquely. 'Now that you have merged with the Lantern, do you still retain your connection to the Wish Aspect?'

Ash'Kral hastily steered the conversation away, clearly disinclined to revisit such disheartening history. More importantly, he wished to shield Levi from the knowledge of the war and the past at this nascent stage.

Such revelations would only serve to divert him from his destined path. Ash'Kral understood that anyone fully apprised of the complete history would hesitate to even contemplate incurring the wrath of their enemies.

'Indeed,' the Omnithar Genie confirmed, his voice tranquil as he reverted to his ethereal form. 'However... certain alterations have occurred.'

Levi's heart jolted at this pronouncement. 'In what manner?' he inquired, momentarily setting aside the historical discourse. He was certain that with the Genie's allegiance, he would eventually uncover all truths of the past.

Regrettably, the news was grim. The Genie confessed that his form, soul, and very essence had been integrated into the technique under the direct supervision of the Universe's Will. This meant that despite his appearance as an Omnithar Genie, his powers were now confined to those of the Lantern.

'I can still grant wishes, but these wishes are now spiritually bound,' the Genie explained. 'You may consider me demoted to an OmniSpirit Genie, though still demanding the price of an Omnithar Genie.'

A wave of despair washed over Levi as the Genie finished speaking. He had long suspected, deep down, that the Omnithar Genie would not retain his previous authority over wishes.

After all, the universe would not integrate him into a technique and then grant him the same unfettered freedom. The Universe's Will acted not on a whim, but adhered strictly to balance and logical principles.

'Well... that is rather disheartening,' Ash'Kral commented, rubbing his tired eyes. 'If only the price were commensurate with that of an OmniSpirit Genie, this situation would be somewhat more bearable.'

'How significant is the difference?' Levi pondered, his lips involuntarily twitching. He harbored a sinking premonition that the disparity would be soul-crushingly severe, a fear that, regrettably, proved remarkably accurate.

'Elemental Genies exact payment for a wish based on their corresponding elements... the more intricate and ambitious the wish, the greater the cost,' Ash’Kral explained with a sigh. 'Meanwhile, Omnithar Genies can consume any form of energy for a price, as their wishes span across everything conceivable within our reality... due to their wishes encompassing all things, the required price is... tenfold.'

'Tenfold?' Levi gulped, already feeling his dimensional wallets straining. While paying for any wish sounded impressive, he wasn't naive enough to believe the Universe's Will wouldn't impose a balance.

This principle applied to normal circumstances... but not his. For him, spiritually based wishes would demand ten times the standard cost!

This situation felt like outright robbery, potentially making the Omnithar Genie a prohibitively expensive option.

'Hey... can you show me the cost the platform was going to charge for the initial wish and the amount it would cost me now?' Levi inquired, hoping to preserve his original intention of creating a new soul linked to him for contract signings.

'Hmmm... your first wish would have cost the System approximately one hundred thousand Authority Units,' the Genie stated after a swift calculation. 'Now, it will cost you one million AU.'

The figures Levi heard sent a chill through him. He didn't even recognize the units the Genie was using; they were an undisclosed currency, something the network never revealed to Rifters, existing solely between the System and the Genies.

However, he didn't need to grasp the specifics to feel the immense impact. The escalation from one hundred thousand to a million was astonishing. The most concerning part? Levi suspected the price would only escalate with more complex wishes.

'A million Authority Units... astonishing.' Ash’Kral shook his head. 'If we converted those units to Nocrix Credits, it would amount to roughly six to seven million credits... and that's assuming you could procure the necessary resources at market rates.'

'Ah... I knew it was too good to be true.'

Levi offered a bitter smile as he slowly sank to the ground, feeling an immense economic burden pressing down on him.

After all his trials, he still hadn't accumulated more than five million credits. Now, he was informed that worthwhile wishes would cost in the millions.

Levi acknowledged it was ungrateful to complain when he had access to a genuine Genie. Nevertheless, he already possessed three Origin Seeds and the Soulleech Maw, whose abyssal hunger drained him daily.

How could his heart not ache at the prospect of adding another resource-devouring entity to the mix?

'Five million credits for a new soul... is the trade-off worth it?' Levi massaged his forehead. 'If so, what's the quickest method to gather the remaining resources within three days before the meeting?'

Levi had been saving funds to launch his business trading in Leviathan’s treasures. Now, he pondered whether to postpone it and allocate the money toward the new soul.

He understood the business could wait, but entering into a contract with a Bishop without a viable escape clause was too perilous.

'No... the soul is crucial, but so is my future business.' Levi shook his head. 'Every day my business remains inactive, I'm losing potential income. I have unrestricted access to Leviathan information and a complete set of Leviathan Phoenix body parts lying dormant in my inventory.'

Levi recognized the necessity of prioritizing his business development with utmost urgency. He had allowed himself to be sidetracked for far too long, and expending all his current funds would only set him back further.

'Should I consider selling some of Alzhukar’s treasures? The immediate danger should have subsided by now. Or...' Levi stroked his chin. 'Is it time to seek assistance from the Dealer and Madam Future to spin the Wheel of Madness and Fortune? If I were fortunate enough to win an S-grade treasure, I could sell it for a substantial profit.'