Mikael opened his eyes, his body weighed down by a pleasant exhaustion. A deep sense of satisfaction lingered within him, wrapping around him like a comforting warmth. For a brief moment, he simply lay there, letting the sensation settle, his mind still caught between the hazy remnants of sleep and the vivid memories of the night before.
Then, as awareness fully returned, he tensed slightly, noticing the two soft, warm bodies pressed against him.
A slow, knowing smile curved his lips as recollection set in. His gaze drifted to his left, where Kiara lay nestled against him. Her dark blue hair spilled across the pillow in a chaotic yet mesmerizing display. Beneath the covers, her bare form remained flush against his, her arms wrapped tightly around him, as if even in sleep, she refused to let go. Her delicate features, often twisted with intense emotions—obsession, jealousy, or mischief—were now surprisingly serene.
It was rare to see her , completely at peace.
Mikael’s eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than he intended before shifting his head slightly to his right, where Lyra rested.
Unlike Kiara, whose possessive nature manifested even in sleep, Lyra’s posture was far more relaxed. Her body curled slightly toward him, her breathing slow and rhythmic. Strands of her purple hair, streaked with pink, cascaded messily over the pillow, framing her delicate features. The usual sharpness in her violet eyes, the intellectual weight she carried in every expression, was absent now, replaced by a quiet, almost vulnerable tranquility.
Mikael took a moment to admire them both, his gaze flickering between the two before he finally exhaled softly, his lips quirking in faint amusement.
'They really are beautiful.'
His attention then shifted toward the bedside table, where a sleek, modern alarm clock displayed the time.
'8:12 AM, huh… I should probably get up.'
That was the logical choice. However, as his gaze returned to the sleeping women, he hesitated. With the way they were clinging to him, any movement on his part would undoubtedly wake them. And even though he wouldn’t admit it outright, a part of him enjoyed this rare moment of stillness—the warmth, the silence, the comfort of being surrounded by the two women who had chosen to be by his side.
'Staying in bed a little longer wouldn’t hurt and I don’t want to wake them up…' he reasoned, justifying his decision while conveniently ignoring the fact that he simply wanted to bask in the moment.
His body relaxed once more, sinking into the soft mattress as his gaze wandered to the ceiling, thoughts beginning to swirl in his mind.
'Now then… what should be my next step if I want to keep getting stronger?'
He had multiple paths laid out before him, but few that would ensure long-term growth.
'There’s, of course, the standard route—raising my stats, upgrading my core ranks, and improving my skills. My Chained Sword Style, in particular, is still relatively weak compared to my Weightless Wind-Explosive Style, which is a Legendary-ranked technique. In comparison, the Chained Sword Style is only Rare… I should probably upgrade it.'
A small rustling sound broke his train of thought.
Kiara shifted slightly beside him, her grip unconsciously tightening around his arm before settling again. Mikael glanced at her for a moment but quickly forced himself to refocus.
'Right, back to planning. Work smarter, not harder.'
A pensive expression settled on his face.
'Or at least, I think that’s the saying… Whatever, that’s not important. What matters is that while these methods will help me get stronger, they all have a foreseeable limit.'
Even now, he could see the caps approaching.
'My stats will eventually reach their absolute limit of 2,000. My cores still have room to grow, but even they will hit their ceiling once they reach SSS+ rank. And the higher I climb, the longer each breakthrough will take. Not that it’s surprising—every novel I’ve read follows the same principle: the stronger you become, the harder it is to advance. So that’s not really the issue here.'
‘But should I really be using fantasy novels I read in my free time as a guide?’ The thought made him hesitate for a moment before he shrugged. ‘Up until now, they’ve held some truth and have actually been useful, so keeping them in mind shouldn’t hurt…’
His fingers idly tapped against the sheets as he continued mulling over his options.
'As for my skills, while they technically have no upper limit in how much they can improve, there’s a harsh reality I can’t ignore. No matter how refined or powerful my techniques become, they won’t mean much if I’m facing an opponent who’s, say, ten thousand times stronger than me.'
A sigh left his lips. The conclusion was inevitable.
'I had my doubts, but this thinking session just confirms it. If I want to keep progressing beyond a certain point, I’ll need to explore the Akashic Records Universe. Otherwise, my growth will eventually stagnate. It’s not something I need to rush into right now as it isn’t urgent, but I can’t ignore it either.'
A faint glimmer of curiosity flickered in his eyes.
'Besides… I do want to learn more about the Akashic Records Universe. At the same time, understanding the path to further progression before making any concrete plans would be useful. For instance, to reach Tier 3, do I need to max out a Tier 2 class like before, or is there another process involved that I’m not yet aware of?'
‘Honestly, I don’t think it’s as simple as just maxing out a tier 2 class. Logically, when someone reaches tier 3, their stats should already be at or near the absolute limits, meaning their potential for further growth would be restricted. So, if a tier 3 race or class grants significantly more stats than a tier 2 one, those extra stats would essentially go to waste!’
‘Maybe the tier 3 race or class is somehow tied to these absolute limits, making it necessary to be in the Akashic Records Universe to break through? Perhaps by accomplishing something specific there, the limits could be surpassed?’
He wasn’t sure if he was right, but the thought deeply intrigued him. No matter how much he pondered it, he knew he wouldn’t reach a definitive conclusion on his own. The only way to get an answer was to ask the Records directly.
"Records, how do I surpass the absolute limits? Is entering the Akashic Records Universe the only way, or is it possible to break past them by exploring other worlds on my own? And as for reaching tier 3, is it also necessary to enter the Akashic Records Universe?" he inquired mentally.
[To surpass the absolute limits of 2,000 in all stats, accessing the Akashic Records Universe is mandatory. No other path exists.]
[As for reaching tier 3, it is only possible within the Akashic Records Universe. However, the tier 3 classification follows a different notation there. To learn more, entering the Akashic Records Universe is required.]
‘The Akashic Records Universe again…’ He narrowed his eyes. ‘It really does seem like a crucial step if I want to keep growing beyond a certain point. Could it be functioning as a kind of main world where everyone has to go once they reach a certain threshold of strength?’
It was difficult to tell how close he was to the truth, but he suspected there was at least some validity to his assumption.
"Records, can you show me information on the Akashic Records Universe as if I were preparing to enter it?" he requested.
[Akashic Records Universe
World Type: Main World
World Power Level: ???
Note: It’s important to keep in mind that the moment someone enters the Akashic Records Universe, they will appear at a location suitable to them based on multiple factors. Additionally, once someone exits the Akashic Records Universe, their next entry will always place them at the same location where they previously left.]
As he read the system message, Mikael’s eyes widened slightly.
‘Main World! The ‘world’ name itself was a giveaway, but this confirms it. It really does act as a kind of central world… Kind of like the Hub, but on an higher level. That would explain why I only encountered people from Earth there. Or… could it be that the Records separate us from others?’
He had a few theories, but there was no way to verify them at the moment.
A frown appeared on his face as he realized that the information given was minimal. The Akashic Records weren’t going to reveal much without him actually stepping foot into the Akashic Records Universe. However, his gaze then landed on the Note, and his eyebrow raised slightly.
‘This part feels... odd. Isn’t this how it works for all worlds?’
‘I mean, in Dirarnia, if I exited the world and reentered later, I’d appear at the same location. So why even mention it here? This message seems almost pointless... like an error.’
He quickly shook his head. ‘No. The Akashic Records—this seemingly omniscient entity—wouldn’t make such a stupid mistake. If it’s pointed out specifically, then it must mean something. But what?’
His thoughts swirled as he tried to piece it together. ‘Entering the world... point of entry... point of exit... I KNOW! Or at least, I think I do. The note given by the Akashic Records must mean that this Akashic Records Universe is like those cultivation novel realms—flat, yet unimaginably vast.’
‘If that’s the case, then even billions of miles might only be considered a small area. From that perspective, the note makes sense. It’s warning newcomers that entering carelessly could result in appearing absurdly far from anyone they know. And since each reentry places you at the same location you last left, this could turn into a serious problem.’
His gaze sharpened as he voiced his thoughts. “Records, is my conclusion correct? And if so, are there ways to circumvent this issue so that I can enter the Akashic Records Universe alongside the girls, ensuring we appear in the same location?”
For the first time in a long while, the emotionless female voice of the Records carried a faint warmth.
[User Mikael Angelini, your conclusion is correct and well thought out. To circumvent this issue, the simplest solution in your case is to enter the Akashic Records Universe as a party. If a party member has never entered the Akashic Records Universe before, they will spawn at the closest possible location to their party leader.]
Mikael’s brows furrowed in surprise. Normally, the Records’ voice was completely devoid of emotion, yet now there was a distinct warmth to it. Even the message itself felt... approving?
‘Okayyy... That’s weird. Why does the supposedly emotionless voice suddenly sound like it’s praising me? But whatever, this isn’t a priority right now.’
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