Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1506 Sloth (3)

The Sloth slowly reformed right in front of Sylas as the rewards began to trickle in. [Rewards][> Genesis Forgell> Reaper Sealwright (3/3)1[> Legendary Luck Genell> Champion's Will] Sylas slowly turned his attention from this notification screen, watching as the Sloth finally finished reforming.

The Sloth knocked a palm against the side of his head as though trying to get water out of his ears, groaning all the while.

"Okay, fine. That's a good one. I'll admit it, you got the best of me. But you see, I still really need that Profession, so I can't just let you take it, you know? Why can't you understand and just, you know... let me have it?"

"You are a clone," Sylas replied, ignoring the words of the Sloth.

What was his Luck that he had run into not just one, but two of these?

However, he had already been suspicious.

What were the odds that not just one, but two True Madness Disciples would come from low-ranking backgrounds and have the same progress forward?

Given the Sloth's talent, even if he was lazy, he should have long reached the D-tiers by this age. Not everyone was like Sylas, having only begun at 26 years of age thanks to being born to a Summoned World.

The Sloth wasn't exactly old, but he was definitely older than Sylas—at least in his late twenties, if not his early thirties.

In the grand scheme of things, he was very young, considering there were people thousands of years old running around even in this weak corner of the universe. But he was t00 old to be in the F-tier.

The Sloth had to be a member of an A-Grade Race at the very least, if not an S-Grade one.

In fact...

Sylas turned his attention to his Wheel of Fortune, almost shaking his head when he saw that it had actually credited him with a great deal just now. If he didn't already have a Legendary Foundation, he would certainly have gotten very close to it thanks to this battle.

In that case, there were two possibilities.

Either the Sloth was truly just that lazy, or... he had a secret method that Sylas was suddenly very interested in—one that allowed him to form a clone to enter lower-ranked Dungeons and locations he was interested in.

This was the first Sylas had ever heard of such a method.

“Is this common practice?’ Sylas asked.

"No," the little girl replied. "Such a method is incredibly rare. One this good, that allows him to keep so much of his strength, is even rarer. It's at least on the same level as your Vipermancy Profession—though likely better."

'So it was a Profession..." Sylas nodded to himself.

“Indeed, I am,” the Sloth yawned. "My real body is already in the D-tier, and honestly I'm only here for the Profession. So if you could give it to me without resistance, that would be great."

Sylas didn't reply. Beneath his feet, his quasi-replication of a Domain of his own was still flickering with lightning.

He had created this based on his [Unbridled Domain], which was originally learned from a joint formation cast by the Africor Monarchs. Since it had an origin in such formations already, repurposing it in this way only took Sylas a bit of time.

He used his Will like a poison, bolstering it through the technique and countering the Sloth's Domain in that way.

However, he was well aware that this was maybe the Sloth's most casual ability.

The irony was that the Sloth thought that Sylas was letting his Pride get to him, when in reality it was the Sloth who had allowed his own laziness to cost him a loss.

Now, getting what he wanted out of Sylas would be even more difficult—though he didn't seem particularly bothered by this. It was like the end result was just the same to him as well.

That was when Sylas realized something else.

Could it be that the real reason—or at least one of the reasons—the Sloth didn't suffer after giving up a battle to him was because... he had never been in the F-tier to begin with?

This wasn't an F-tier Primus Imperium.

This was a D-tier Primus Imperium.

"And what exactly do you plan to do once the Tower of Champions closes?" Sylas asked.

"Have you forgotten that we come from the same Horizon? I will appear right along with you."

"Will you?" Sylas asked.

The Sloth's expression flickered as he seemed to think of a certain possibility.

"You wouldn't. What happened to your Pride?"

"My Pride? I've already defeated you."

"You clearly haven't. Plus, even if I'm a D-tier, the system will still register you as having run from a battle with me."

"Will it2" Sylas asked again.

The Sloth's expression finally became something other than lazy.

"Listen. Do you really want to make an enemy out of me?"

"Are you under the impression that I fear you?"

"Clearly—"

“Incorrect. You are nothing but a waste of my time. A person who doesn't use their full strength because they believe they can skate by without it. You aren't lazy because you believe yourself to be superior to everyone, but instead because you don't have any real grit or determination. You chase after strength not to protect others, but instead so that you can remain unbothered by those superior to yourself.

"Even if you used your full strength, I wouldn't fear you—let alone the fact you're your own walking handicap. No matter how many times I defeat you, you'll just come back lie a cockroach, incrementally increasing your power and wasting my time.

"Why would I ever allow you to return to the Milky Way Horizon? Enjoy trying to find your clone in the vastness of empty space. Get out of my Horizon."

The Sloth sneered.

"Then why did you speak for so long?"

"Because you're so lazy I knew you'd take the opportunity to listen rather than act, giving me the time to do what I needed to do."

The Sloth's eyes widened, but it was already too late.