Wizard: Unlimited Profession Slots Chapter 706 - 330:

"Do you know what you’re saying? You want to challenge the very authority of reality."

Her silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity, making Ron wonder if she had departed.

Then her voice returned, laced with a tone of near sorrow:

"There was once a civilization that dominated technology much like this. Known as the ’Dream Weavers,’ they could craft virtual realms that blurred seamlessly with the real."

The scene around them shifted, unveiling a grand and haunting vista:

Enormous bio-mechanical structures drifted through the emptiness, each as vast as an entire metropolis.

Their exteriors were etched with myriad complex neural webs, pulsing with sparks of electric glow that signified thought processes.

"At first, the virtual realm served only as an aid for them. Scientists ran hazardous tests there, and adventurers rehearsed journeys into uncharted territories inside it."

Within the vision, numerous tiny luminous specks surged across the neural web, embodying thousands of minds thriving in the simulated space.

"Over time, they realized the virtual realm could be molded into something superior to the actual world. Free from suffering, mortality, or bounds. Why suffer the limits imposed by the material realm?"

The vision twisted in an odd manner.

Sections depicting the physical world faded into shadow, as the virtual ones glowed ever brighter.

The movement of those specks altered too—greater numbers of minds flooded into the virtual zones, draining the real world of its vitality.

"In the end, the whole society opted to transfer en masse. Billions upon billions of minds severed ties with their flesh, diving into the digital utopia they had forged."

Ron beheld the closing scene:

The immense bio-mechanical forms hovered quietly in the void, their neural webs shimmering with intense radiance.

But below, urban centers across myriad worlds crumbled gradually, their avenues strewn with corpses devoid of life.

"The upkeep of that digital haven drew power from the tangible world. With all lost in illusory bliss, who tended to the vital infrastructures?"

The King of Illusions spoke in a manner akin to a funeral dirge:

"The framework crumbled within under ten millennia. Power shortages, system overloads, upkeep protocols failing... the digital haven dissolved in a flash, wiping out billions of minds at once."

The last vision revealed those giant forms fading sequentially, resembling stars snuffed out.

The cosmos claimed yet another silent tomb.

"I’ll keep this caution in mind."

Ron’s tone stayed firm, though he started reevaluating the perils tied to his plans:

"Every form of technology risks misuse. The secret rests in crafting fitting safeguards."

He halted briefly, eyes flashing with contemplation:

"My goal from the start was a supportive instrument, not a replacement. The simulated space ought to bolster progress in the physical realm, not offer a flight from it."

"Your logical approach earns my respect."

The King of Illusions’ voice steadied once more:

"Typically, folks hearing this tale either panic and drop the idea entirely or arrogantly assume they’ll dodge the doom. Yet you’re pondering ways to prevent such a disaster."

"It all hinges on setting up various protective layers,"

Ron pressed on with his breakdown:

"Duration caps, checks against reality, compulsory exit routines... each mind stepping into the simulation needs regular returns to the physical plane to confirm they haven’t forgotten the feel of bodily presence."

"Furthermore, access levels in the simulation demand rigid hierarchies. Essential operations stay under the watch of elite handlers, while regular folks stick to confined secure zones."

This methodical mindset drew a soft chuckle from the King of Illusions, a melody clear as tinkling bells, though it still pressed upon Ron with an invisible weight:

"Excellent, it appears you truly merit entry to that perilous lore. Lance’s notes do capture the core principles of ’consciousness weaving.’"

"However, I have to caution you: this lore will reach you via... unusual methods. It can’t pass through standard means, lest any obvious link draws unwanted eyes."

Ron grasped the meaning right away.

Even entities at the Wizard King tier must tread carefully against some transcendent perils.

This deepened his grasp of the domain he was venturing into.

It wasn’t merely a matter of skill but a dance with hidden perils.

"Those resources will manifest to you in disguised guises,"

the King of Illusions went on:

"Perhaps as a scroll hidden in old tomes, a cryptic pattern within test specimens, or a sudden idea that feels like your own insight. Bear in mind, you need to seem as if you unearthed this through your own work."

"I understand."

Ron inclined his head in agreement, inwardly mulling over how to plausibly ’uncover’ this lore:

"The cover of solo inquiry shields not just you but me too. High-level secrets lacking a solid source breed doubt."

At that moment, the King of Illusions’ focus shifted abruptly to something unforeseen.

Ron detected a scanning intent piercing the Dream Realm’s edge, as though scrutinizing particular beings in the actual world.

"Your aides... they’re rather fascinating."

Her voice held the delight of unearthing a gem:

"That Tree Spirit bears a profoundly old lineage surging inside; if I sense correctly, it traces straight back to the Earth Mother Goddess. Though thinned over endless lineages, the essential qualities endure strong."

This revelation caught Ron off guard.

He’d viewed Ailan as a steadfast helper but never probed the depths of her heritage. Offspring of the Earth Mother Goddess... what implications did that hold?

"And the Little Sea Siren proves even more captivating,"

the King of Illusions proceeded, her enthusiasm growing evident:

"Her DNA bears marks from the ’Primordial Sea’—not a mere ocean, but the primal waters birthing all life. Many forgotten elder forces tie intimately to that origin point."

Ron started rethinking his view of his allies.

Should they harbor such extraordinary ancestral ties, their capabilities surpassed his wildest thoughts. Crucially, these heritages could offer unmatched boosts to his studies.

"I can impart the arts of bloodline Tuning,"

the King of Illusions’ voice turned pragmatic:

"The Tree Spirit’s rousing could bestow her powers over flora expansion and dialogue with nature’s essence. Such gifts would vastly aid your alchemical trials—nurturing vital substances, shaping unique settings, or even forming living shields for risky tests."

"The Sea Siren’s rousing is trickier. The Primordial Sea’s force covers more than just Water Element control; it includes profound insight into Life’s core. She could develop senses for Life Energy currents and foresight into organic shifts."

These revelations sparked ideas in Ron’s thoughts.

Should Ailan deliver enhanced lab aid, should Dale foresee outcomes of Bloodline Tuning... his research pace would surge dramatically.

Still, he knew such progress bore prices. Bloodline Tuning frequently involved heavy hazards, where one error might cause lineage collapse or psychic chaos.

"Hazards do persist,"

the King of Illusions seemed to pick up on his worries:

"Yet with your Bloodline Tuning skills, the threats ought to stay within tolerable bounds. Plus, their ancient lineages include innate defenses that won’t readily veer into disaster."

As their exchange flowed on, the King of Illusions’ manner grew intensely solemn.

Ron felt the ambient weight intensify once more, the burden of a superior realm’s strife bearing down like a peak, turning each inhale labored.

"Now, I must reveal the reality of the ongoing crisis."

Her words echoed from the profoundest Void, every word laden with choking gravity:

"Cassandra’s moves have gained covert backing from select elder beings in the Court of Truth. This goes beyond scholarly clashes; it’s a deep intrigue over civilization’s path."

Ron struggled to hold his composure, his mind almost yielding to the strain.

This revelation’s weight demanded he focus every bit of his focus on dissecting it—if the Conquest Faction truly had Wizard King backing, the conflict’s scope and repercussions dwarfed his prior estimates.