Limitless by John Gold (best e reader for android txt) 📕

is just about even with them when a maximum dead star comes flying in his direction.

The 10 million mana I pour into the spell has a predictable result. Ablom notices the sphere coming at him and throws up a diamond shield. The spell hit it right at the thickest part as I transitioned to the second phase of my onslaught.

A gravitational well rips up chunks of earth, stone, and small trees, even sucking in a bale of flying turtles. Not a single blade of grass within two hundred and fifty meters remains untouched by the spell. Trees fall, boulders drag through the soil, and small animals are sucked into the epicenter of the magic trick. Ablom clings to his earth shield, which is being battered by a barrage of rocks, and even I’m just about sucked in. While my legs have interlaced with the spreading roots, my joints give out and I’m yanked forward when the gravitational wave hits. I feel myself shooting forward toward the enormous stone sphere. Then, the spell attack moves on to the third stage, which doesn’t kill me for the sole reason that I’m under my tree. To draw an analogy, it’s like surviving a thermonuclear explosion just three hundred meters from the epicenter.

I would never have thought myself capable of living through having the lower half of my body ripped away, losing all my limbs, and suffering serious burns on the rest of my body. Even my skull is cracked open. With my resistance! My brain and heart remain intact, but it’s the first time I’ve been this scared. Even healing myself takes some time. The debuffs from the injuries only go away when I cast a panacea.

The problem is that the third phase of the dead sun is supposed to be an explosion that does 50 million damage. It could be that nobody thought there would be an idiot like me who would think to expand its area and strength ten times over. As a result, everything within two hundred and fifty meters was first heated to maximum temperature before taking 50 million damage. The stones sucked into the center shattered, and for ten seconds, I watch a small sun from the surface of glowing Venus. It isn’t just hot; the fires of Hell would be green with envy. Even from three hundred meters away, I can feel the power of the spell as the small sun buzzes and gives off waves of heat. After that, it explodes, tearing me into pieces. There’s five hundred meters of scorched earth flowing with melted rock, and one little shredded nutcase laughing at the falling boulders.

Achievement received: Cockroach. First rank.

Survive a spell that does 50 million total damage.

Reward: +50 to all attributes

…

Achievement received: Cockroach. Eleventh rank.

Survive a spell that does 550 million total damage.

Reward: +550 to all attributes

 

Achievement received: Sandman. First rank.

Kill something 1000 levels higher than you and at a higher rank (local boss, raid boss, non-category) with one attack.

Current count: 1

Reward: +50 to all attributes

 

I promise myself never again to conduct experiments without first fully thinking them through, although I soon have second thoughts when I see the message in the chat. I only used one stream of consciousness, and there are quite a few ancient monsters in the world.

Femida asked me to send her information about Tanatos. Leon is prepared to pay for “any credible information” on what there is to be found here. Their relationship is built simultaneously on deception and knowledge of the truth: Leon definitely knows that Femida didn’t betray me, though he’s still okay with paying triple for anything she can “surreptitiously” wring out of me. When I send my next video message, should I send a thank you to our sponsors? I decide it’s probably better not to poke the dog.

But the battle isn’t over. At least, Ablom is dead, and now it’s my turn to head over to his body. It’s smoking, white bones are peeking out in a few places, and the loot is still intact. My advanced perception tells me two things. First, something’s been watching me ever since I stepped into the now-molten gorge. And second, the smell of burnt flesh is nauseating.

A blue portal opens over by the statues of the angel and the demon. Wait, what? I’ve checked multiple times, and portal magic doesn’t work. The representative of the office of heaven who steps out of it is fairly unusual, as well.

Angel, Cerubiel, Level 9277, second grade

 

He’s a strong guy, and he definitely looks the part. Three pairs of wings line his back, he’s wearing artifact armor covered in runes, and a spear with divine magic out the wazoo is in his hand. Judging by the vortex swirling around his lower half, I guess that he’s ready for battle. He hovers thirty meters above the ground and aims his spear at me. Oh, you idiot!

“Human, you have brought great woe to the world since your arrival on Tanatos. You are not welcome on our lands.”

“And why is that?”

“The first requirement for travelers coming to Tanatos is that they must have reached Level 5000. That is the rule for the lands of the demons as well as the neutral lands of the ancients.”

At best, that would mean losing eight months spent leveling-up. I would have to spend every day demolishing turtles and other bots.

“Hey, angel! I just killed a creature 5000 levels stronger than me. You’ve been watching me since I set foot on Tanatos and you still think I’m not strong enough to walk your lands?”

“Yes. You’re just a weakling who defeated an ancient being with your cunning. And your deception is strong enough to destroy three keepers of the world, but do you think I can’t see the line of your life force? You’re a parasite sucking the life out of the Tree! Your path does not lie on Tanatos.”

“Understood. So, that pair of statues, or what’s left of them, is the border of your lands?” The angel nods. “What will