Chapter 432: God Hand
Adam sat cross-legged on the floor of his room, the late afternoon light casting long shadows across the worn wooden boards. Before him, spread across a faded cloth, lay a collection of monster cores.
The cores from the Dreamgrave Dungeon gleamed dully, their surfaces etched with the faint, swirling patterns of the monsters they had been harvested from.
Adam’s crimson eyes traced the collection, a thoughtful hum escaping his lips.
"Alright. Let’s see what you’ve got."
[System Interface: Skill Shop]
[Skill Points Available: 8]
He picked up the first one, a smooth, grey orb with faint veins of silver running through it, and brought it to his lips.
[Shadow Shell Warrior Core Consumed.]
[Skill Fragment Acquired: Chitinous Shell (1.0/1.0)]
[Effect: The user’s scales harden temporarily, increasing physical defense by 30% for 15 seconds. Cooldown: 2 minutes.]
Adam’s brow furrowed slightly as he read the description.
"Good in a pinch, but not much more."
He moved on to the next core—a jagged, obsidian shard that pulsed with a faint, crimson light.
[Shadow Shell Lord Core Consumed.]
[Skill Fragment Acquired: Lord’s Presence (1.0/1.0)]
[Effect: The user’s aura exerts a minor intimidation effect on nearby enemies, reducing their attack power by 10%. This effect is passive and always active within a 10-meter radius.]
Adam let out a low, impressed whistle. "Huh. A passive debuff. That’s not bad."
He reached for the third core—a glowing, azure orb that seemed to hum with a soft, melodic resonance.
[The Watcher Core Consumed.]
[Skill Fragment Acquired: Watcher’s Eye (1.0/1.0)]
[Effect: The user gains the ability to sense magical traps and hidden enemies within a 20-meter radius. This effect is passive and always active.]
Adam’s eyes widened slightly.
"That’s actually really useful."
[The Myriad Eyes Core Consumed.]
[Skill Fragment Acquired: Myriad Sight (1.0/1.0)]
[Effect: The user’s perception is enhanced, granting a 15% increase to critical strike chance and a 10% increase to ranged attack accuracy. This effect is passive and always active.]
Adam let out a low hum.
"Whoa. That’s way better than I expected."
He reached for the final dungeon core—the largest of the set, its surface dark and veined with swirling patterns of void and light.
[All-Seeing One Core – Legendary Consumed.]
[Skill Fragment Acquired: Void Sight (1.0/1.0)]
[Effect: The user can now see through illusions, detect invisibility, and perceive the true nature of beings or objects. This effect is passive and always active, but can be toggled off if desired.]
Adam let out a low, satisfied laugh, a grin spreading across his face.
"Void Sight... That’s incredible."
[Skill Fragment Resonance Detected!]
[Watcher’s Eye (1.0/1.0) + Myriad Sight (1.0/1.0) + Void Sight (1.0/1.0) are resonating.]
[Compatible skill fragments detected. Merging...]
[New Passive Skill Synthesized: All-Seeing Sovereign (Lv. 1)]
[Effect: The user’s perception is elevated to a near-omniscient level within a 50-meter radius. Illusions are automatically dispelled. Invisible enemies are revealed. The user can sense the true nature of beings and objects at a glance. Trap detection is automatic. Critical strike chance and ranged accuracy are permanently increased by 15%.]
Adam’s breath caught as the notification scrolled across his vision. A slow, genuine smile spread across his face.
"All-Seeing Sovereign... That’s a huge upgrade."
He flexed his fingers, feeling the new awareness settling into his senses—a subtle shift, like a veil being lifted from his eyes. He could feel the room around him in a way he hadn’t before, could sense the faint traces of mana in the air, the subtle shifts in the shadows.
"Now this is a game changer."
Adam reached for the final core from the Dark Elf Elder’s gift—a smooth, white core that shimmered faintly, almost like polished marble veined with silver and gold.
[Core of the White Phantom Tiger – Rare Consumed.]
[Skill Fragment Acquired: Void Walk (1.0/1.0)]
[Effect: The user can briefly phase through solid objects, becoming intangible for 0.5 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds. Can be used to evade attacks or pass through barriers.]
Adam’s eyebrows rose slightly, a flicker of genuine surprise crossing his face.
"That’s... incredibly useful."
He flexed his fingers, feeling the new skill settling into his instincts—a subtle shift in his perception, like learning to step through a door that had always been there but had remained invisible.
[Skill Resonance Detected!]
[Void Walk (1.0/1.0) + Abyssal Step (Lv. 2) are resonating.]
[Compatible skill fragments detected. Merging...]
[New Skill Synthesized: Ghostwalk (Lv. 1)]
[Effect: The user may step through shadows and phase through solid objects in a single, fluid motion. Activation is near-instantaneous. The user becomes intangible for 1 second upon emerging from the shadow, allowing them to pass through obstacles or avoid attacks. Movement is traceless and extremely difficult to detect. Maximum range: 60 meters. Can carry one additional person (range halved). Cooldown: 15 seconds.]
Adam’s eyes widened as the notification scrolled across his vision.
"Ghostwalk... That’s a massive upgrade. Combining intangibility with shadow movement—I can phase through walls and shadows at the same time."
He let out a low, satisfied hum, a grin spreading across his face.
"Now this is exactly what I needed."
Adam’s gaze drifted to the final item from the Dark Elf Elder’s gift—the Fruit of the World Tree, its pale silver surface shimmering with delicate, thread-like patterns that pulsed with a soft, rhythmic light. He picked it up, turning it over in his palm, feeling the faint warmth radiating from its core.
"Hmm... I’ve been thinking about this fruit. I could use it myself, but..." He paused, his crimson eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Isolde hasn’t really gotten anything from me since she joined us. She deserves something more than just my blood."
He let out a slow breath, a decision settling in his mind.
"I’ll give it to her. She needs it more than I do right now."
Adam’s All-Seeing Sovereign flickered—a subtle shift in the air, the faintest whisper of movement just beyond the doorway. His lips curved into a faint smile.
"You can come out now."
A beat of silence. Then the door creaked open, and Selena stepped into the room. She wore a gown of deep, midnight blue that flowed like water around her, the fabric catching the dim light in soft, silken ripples. Her dark hair was styled in loose waves, and her amber eyes carried a flicker of guilt.
Adam’s eyebrows rose slightly, a flicker of surprise passing through his crimson eyes as he took in her appearance.
"Wow. That’s quite the entrance."
Selena’s cheeks flushed faintly. Her voice was softer than usual, carrying a note of genuine apology as she moved to sit across from him.
"I didn’t mean to intrude. I just... wanted to apologize."
Adam tilted his head, his voice carrying a note of genuine curiosity.
"What for?"
Selena’s gaze dropped to her hands, folded in her lap. Her voice was quiet, carrying the weight of careful thought.
"I feel responsible for the trouble you encountered today."
Adam’s brow furrowed slightly. His voice carried a note of dismissive reassurance.
"Hmm? You mean the thugs shaking down the blacksmith? Don’t worry about it. It was just a small problem."
Selena let out a slow, measured breath. Her amber eyes met his, carrying a flicker of unease.
"I’m afraid it might not be that small. To be honest... I’ve been struggling. As the new leader of this city, I’ve faced resistance from many directions. There are those who don’t accept my authority, who believe they should be the ones in power."
Adam’s expression didn’t change, but his attention sharpened.
"Like the man I saw in your office earlier? The one who looked like he’d swallowed a lemon?"
Selena’s lips twitched despite herself, a flicker of amusement breaking through her serious expression.
"Yes. That man is Duke Giorno Javelin—a Solarian nobleman with considerable influence and a long reach. He’s approached me several times, offering to ’help’ rebuild the city. But I’ve heard rumors about him... whispers of corruption, political maneuvering, and a tendency to eliminate anyone who stands in his way. I couldn’t trust him. So I refused his offer."
She paused, her voice dropping lower.
"He didn’t take it well. He’s been building his own power base within the city, gathering allies and resources. And one of those allies is the man you met today—the one with the metal arm."
Adam’s crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"Wincenth."
Selena nodded, her voice carrying a note of cold recognition.
"Yes. The soldiers and his enemies call him the ’God Hand’. He’s a skilled figthter and strategist, but he’s also ruthless. Together, Giorno and Wincenth have been quietly consolidating power. And now, with you in the picture, they’ve become even more interested in this city’s future."
Adam let out a low, amused chuckle, his arms crossing as he leaned back. His voice carried a note of genuine disbelief.
"Wait—so they want to recruit me? Or they want to defeat me?"
Selena’s lips curved into a thin, knowing smile. Her voice was measured, careful.
"It could be either. They’re opportunists—they’ll try to recruit you first. But if you refuse, they won’t hesitate to eliminate you. They’re already aware that you’re staying in my headquarters. That alone makes you a threat to their plans."
Adam’s laugh was sharp, incredulous, as he uncrossed his arms and spread his hands.
"Hahahaha—did I hear that right? They want to defeat me?" His grin widened. "How confident are they?"
Selena’s expression remained serious, her voice dropping to a quiet, earnest note.
"I know you’re strong. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. But that doesn’t mean you should be careless. I’ve been receiving rumors that have been eating at me for days."
Adam’s amusement faded, replaced by sharp curiosity. His voice dropped to a low, attentive murmur.
"What kind of rumors?"
Selena’s amber eyes met his, her voice carrying a weight that made the air around them feel heavier.
"The Archivist is in this city."