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

in order to achieve his goals. The difference between your thought processes is like the hatred of a child and the wisdom of an adult.”

“And that’s why you think I’m the first since Akashi. Yes, I’d have to agree. His actions showed the experience he had in making such decisions, and he had leadership qualities, practice in management, and diplomacy skills. Akashi thought very differently.”

Over the past year, I’ve been able to get up to Level 10000, the maximum. Femida and Ekron have spent that time fighting battles across the four continents, winning the first couple hundred only thanks to the seven remaining young gods. The loot all went to the players; the gold was spent building temporary housing for the refugees. Hundreds of cities are in ruins and the locals pray several times a day. Really, the whole world is a combat theater. The average player level has breached 4000, and they’re theoretically ready for a trip to Tanatos. The monsters they’ve been fighting have given them the equipment they need, and the gods, guilds, and battle groups spend their days honing their teamwork. I can now say with confidence that the invasion of the ancient monsters was preparation for what’s here on the island of the gods.

It’s the eleventh month by the time I finally get to the center of the island. The lands of the dragons and dargonids were the final step in the long journey, and I step out into the middle to find an even area made out of gray stone as hard as diamonds. Indestructible. The perfect circle is a kilometer in diameter with a cube in the center. There’s no cover in case I get into a fight, and there aren’t even any birds flying overhead. As soon as I take a step into the circle, a message pops up in my local chat.

Sealed interworldly portal

Minimum requirement for unblocking it: 500 players at Level 9000 or higher and victory over the portal keeper

Passive ability unlocked: Demon possession, complete

You can strengthen your entire body by 100%. Using this ability will cost an equal amount of mana and stamina, the amount itself determined by the ability’s strength of use.

 

Tiamat certainly didn’t tell me about that. I’m not sure where I’m supposed to find five hundred volunteers, especially when the strongest players in the world have barely crested Level 4500. Can I try and take the keeper on myself? It’s certainly a good thing my demon possession ability was unlocked.

I need to assess how strong my opponent is. Even if I’m killed, that would be better than waiting around for other players to show up. What would I lose by being sent back to the respawn? Experience? I can get more of that.

It’s just normal stone underfoot, though it’s indestructible. I can feel that with each step I take. It’s almost like I’m a child, walking across the stone and realizing that its durability exceeds the 50-million limit. But the cube in the center is much more interesting. Each side features a scheme of our solar system with the current layout of the planets. I even check to make sure by logging into the infonet, and I find out a week later that it changes in real time. But for now, getting within fifty meters of it triggers four portals opening up around it to release hundreds of monsters, each stronger than the last. They’re five meters tall, the portals are six meters tall, and so I can’t see the cube behind them.

I don’t see anything common to all the creatures pouring out. It’s a motley crew of beasts from the ninth astral level, with giants, ogres, dragons, liches, and other undead receiving flesh and being sent into battle.

On the second day, I’m able to figure out that there are never more than eighty of the creatures, no matter how many I destroy. The portals themselves are one-way, probably for show. And I’m definitely facing astral monsters.

On the fourth day, I realize that the portals serve as a kind of protection for the cube and there is an unlimited number of spirits. Its only open side is the top, though some beast always throws up a shield when I try to jump onto it. The only way to get there is to leap over in one fell swoop before the portals to the astral can open. I could grow a tree and jump down from there. I would only need about one second in free fall to jump down, though nothing grows in the circle.

I have plenty of time to spend creating a combat advantage, and so I leave the circle to start growing a tree. An hour later, I’ve proven that the crown does spread over the circle. All it’s going to take is time. Once the tree’s crown spreads from the edge of the circle to the middle, I’ll have my shot at the top of the cube.

I’m never bored. Like Azami said, peace cannot be won by force. It can only be won by understanding. Once I reached the maximum level, I figured out that I can continue progressing my attributes using achievements. Still, this isn’t about achievements; it’s about understanding. First, I started physically sensing that I’ve gotten to the limit of where I can go. It’s almost like my body is pressed up against a ceiling that prevents it from growing any further. The light graying is still exactly the same as it used to be. My advanced intellect has made me a very attractive young man with a cultured appearance. My strength, agility, and stamina attributes, thanks to the work I’ve continually put in to improve myself, have made me look muscular and wiry. Just clenching my fist makes the muscles and veins stand out. It’s pretty impressive. When I use my amplification, it’s terrifying, and activating my demon shape blends my bone armor with my body to make my skin even and white. My hair, ears, nose, and mouth