Wizard: Unlimited Profession Slots Chapter 745 - 343: Remote AFK (2)

"Suffering exists merely as an essential fee toward attaining deeper wisdom..."

"The sacrifice of any single individual remains entirely justified if it paves the way for substantial advancement..."

These concealed lines only glimmered for a brief second before being masked once more by a facade of synthetic benevolence.

"A captivating redaction technique indeed."

Ron ran his fingers lightly across a page, sensing the faint, rhythmic thrum emanated by the Memory Silk:

"These foundational papers were subject to artificial alteration later on, specifically to mask the author's true intentions."

He triggered every skill and trait tuned to perception and began a rigorous examination of the paper’s granular composition.

Viewed through a unique lens, each leaf of parchment revealed a multi-layered nature.

While the upper surface exhibited altruistic rhetoric, the strata beneath harbored far more chilling and utilitarian thoughts.

"This isn’t a transformation of the personality, but rather the gradual shedding of a mask."

Ron internalized his conclusion:

"She possessed this frigid nature from the very beginning; it was simply suppressed intentionally during the earlier chapters of her life."

He meticulously cross-referenced the timestamps on the documents to construct a chronological sequence.

As his depth of Cultivation in the Star Eater’s Ravings deepened, it became clear that Cassandra’s veneer of artifice had progressively eroded.

This decay wasn’t the result of external intervention, but rather her inherent ice-cold disposition amplifying under the influence of stellar energies.

"The toll one pays for the Seeking Heart..."

Ron reflected on his own psychological shifts—the way he had started to feel a creeping numbness regarding the morbid experiments once conducted by the Ancient Alchemists:

"I am currently traversing that exact same path."

He retrieved a custom-made 'self-reflection mirror' from his storage.

This device, a marriage of astrological principles and alchemy, functioned as a monitor for his mental state.

It did not reflect his outer appearance, but instead rendered the authentic state of his inner psyche.

After all, some internal shifts remain invisible to the bearer, requiring an objective third-party projection to unmask the 'true face'.

Within the glass, he observed a reflection of himself bearing an increasingly detached expression.

"At least the ability to perceive these shifts remains intact."

Ron sighed softly and stored the mirror away with a sense of helplessness:

"The very act of recognizing a problem implies there is still a window for salvation; the priority must be establishing a robust monitoring system."

Just as he turned his attention back to the next text, an anomalous noise emitted from the edge of the workbench.

"Tick... tick..."

The sound originated from an aged Consciousness Layering Device.

Normally this equipment operated in total silence; such rhythmic clicking signaled only one thing—unprocessed data lingering within its core.

Ron approached and noticed a thin veil of frost clinging to the device's housing.

This was not standard condensation but crystallized residue from intense neurological strain.

"Someone has been performing high-intensity consciousness analysis here."

He gingerly touched the device’s exterior, immediate sensations of a residual spirit imprint prickling his fingertips.

By invoking his Historical Research skills, he managed to salvage fragmented memories:

A lone silhouette operating the device in the dead of the night, surrounded by a swarm of complex, shimmering data projections;

The individual’s hands trembling, clearly straining under an immense mental burden;

Empty stimulant vials littering the desk, proof of an endurance-testing toil...

"It seems someone intentionally left this trail for me."

According to the rigid protocols of the observatory, all laboratories were meant to undergo comprehensive data purges whenever staff assignments shifted.

Locating classified files after a turnover was statistically impossible.

Ron utilized a host of sophisticated instruments and his own heightened perception for a final verification.

Once certain that no malicious traps were present, he activated the decryption program.

The device hummed with renewed life as the internal thought crystals illuminated, projecting a digital file into the air.

The headline blazing on the screen caused his pulse to quicken:

"Foundation Theory Discussion on Virtual Environment Construction_Draft Version_Confidential Level"

The document was cryptically signed by 'L.H. Researcher'.

"The coincidence is far too precise..."

Ron contemplated the document he had 'stumbled' upon.

He was immediately reminded of the warning uttered by the King of Illusions:

Those agreed-upon revelations would be funneled to him in a discreet manner...

With this thought, Ron steeled his resolve and dove into the document with growing anticipation.

As he processed the technical depth and deductive logic, he realized it far outstripped his previous expectations.

The author demonstrated not just a master-level understanding of consciousness weaving, but introduced technical concepts entirely alien to his experience:

"Artificial cultivation of neural fibers: Utilizing specialized biological alchemy to grow living neural networks with superconductive properties..."

"Preparation of memory crystallization: Translating sensory experiences into a stable crystal format, facilitating repeatable playback..."

"Anchoring technology: Employing consciousness anchor points during virtual transitions to prevent the observer from drifting within the illusion realm..."

Every technical procedure was supported by an exhaustive list of experimental results and forensic analyses of past failures.

The author had clearly dedicated significant portions of their life to this, even volunteering their own mind for exceptionally hazardous testing.

Scribbled in the margins, deep-red warnings served as a grim testament:

"Failure of the 117th test; excessive consciousness separation led to significant erosion of reality perception..."

"Warning: The realism of synthetic pain must never exceed 75%, lest it induce permanent psychological trauma..."

"Note: Ancient, erratic memories should not serve as environmental building blocks, as they threaten to 'infect' the integrity of the entire system..."