Chapter 161: Reaching Level Nine!
Zarek had already been advancing through the levels of Telekinetic humans without even knowing a genuine method to do so.
And from what he understood, this was the most powerful path to raise his mental level.
…
<Telekinesis> (Level 8) [Cannot be leveled up]
Allows the user to exert a force of 80 kg within a range of 80 meters using only their mind.
…
As far as he could tell, only those with a perfect foundation could reach the true limits of their Telekinetic level.
Otherwise, the ceiling would be lower.
"I can't say for sure," he muttered, "but based on what Drayken found, even an ordinary Level 9 Telekinetic typically only manages about 77 kilograms of force and a distance of 80 meters."
Now that he had almost surpassed that level, it meant he was technically stronger than most ordinary Level 9 Telekinetic users, at least in terms of raw strength.
However, that wasn't the only way to measure the power of a Telekinetic. Their true strength also depended heavily on their weapons and armor.
Just like how he had been able to annihilate all those Level-9 wardens, thanks to the sheer might of his hammer alone.
Liutinium cost a fortune on the outside. Assembling even a small amount required one to bleed from their pockets.
And to forge an entire hammer out of Liutinium?
That was something only the king, or someone in the highest ranks, could afford to do.
Without this hammer, it was safe to say that he couldn't even have the strength to defeat even one Level 9 Telekinetic human here.
While thoughts rapidly whizzed through his head, he sensed that the Telekinetic power was still there, persistently keeping it here.
Zarek could feel someone's prying gaze upon him through this Telekinesis that was in front of him.
"A Telekinetic master." His expression was stern and serious as he spread his Telekinesis outward again and attacked it.
This time, it lasted longer than he expected before his Telekinesis shattered without mercy.
Zarek again used his Telekinesis to attack it, enduring the pain that was greater than before.
Although with his level up his Telekinesis got a lot stronger, however, with it, when it shattered, the pain also increased in the same ratio.
He tightened his fist as his Telekinesis shattered again and again.
His eyes started to bleed blood, and his entire world was completely blurry and disoriented.
Zarek roared and grabbed his t-shirt before tearing it apart in almost an instant, almost completely going berserk from the pain as his Telekinesis continued to be shattered.
Ten times.
It has already been shattered ten times, but his Telekinesis hasn't evolved, while his pain has increased by multiple folds.
Still, Zarek continued nonetheless while muttering in his mind:
'If I have to endure such pain whenever I have to increase my Telekinesis level, then I will really go insane one day.'
With each rise in his level, the pain intensified. That meant he had to endure all of it, every time.
It was the kind of agony that felt like his nerves were being fried from the inside out.
Just imagining it sent a chill down Zarek's spine.
But his thoughts were ripped away once more, as his Telekinesis shattered, again.
Fifteen times.
…
Eighteen times.
"Damn it, just level up," he growled, grinding his teeth, his body drenched in blood, covered in countless wounds.
A pool of crimson spread beneath him from the sheer scale of his injuries.
His eyelids drooped, and the tearing pain in his head had reached the threshold of madness.
Twenty times.
Suddenly, a blue prompt appeared before him:
[You have leveled up your <Telekinesis> from Level 8 to Level 9]
In an instant, his Telekinesis surged back, stronger than ever.
Zarek collapsed to the ground, barely conscious.
'If I had to endure it one more time, I'd be dead,' he thought, his body's regeneration kicking in.
But his healing wasn't like Drayken's. They might share the same skill, but the speed of a Dragon's regeneration was monstrous and combined with the skill, it was safe to say he could even recover instantly.
Meanwhile, the prisoners' eyes were on the fallen figure of Zarek. Their gazes had shifted, subtle.
"If we strike him now, will he die?"
"Idiot. Did you not see how strong his body is? Can we even hurt him?"
"If we use the weapons we took from the wardens, we can definitely injure him."
"But what if he's faking it? What if he hasn't passed out yet?"
They whispered among themselves, voices low but laced with anticipation.
These were criminals, after all. Could people like them truly change overnight?
Even if he had saved them…
Morals? Ethics?
Some of them had never known such things.
And so, without hesitation, a few of the prisoners stepped forward, breaking away from the group. Slowly, cautiously, they began to approach Zarek.
When he didn't react, they exhaled in relief, and hurried their steps.
They raised their weapons, ready to bring them down and end Zarek's life.
But at that moment, his eyes snapped open, cold, piercing blue.
Just as the blade began to fall, he spoke, voice calm and chilling:
"So… you finally showed your true colors."
The prisoners froze, literally, suspended in midair, helpless as Zarek slowly rose to his feet.
He sighed:
"I won't kill you but I won't spare you either."
A sharp crack echoed.
Then another.
Bone after bone began to break within their floating bodies, the sound of snapping joints and cracking limbs filling the air.
By the end, they were left hanging with mangled bodies and barely conscious.
Zarek sighed and shook his head, his focus again shifted towards the Telekinesis of the Telekinetic Master, which still persisted through all this.
He extended his hand, about to attack, but paused in place…
In the end, he didn't want to feel this pain again, and even on a higher scale, it might really drive him insane.
"Sigh, I have to do it," Zarek murmured like a madman as he was about to extend his Telekinesis.
But before he could, the energy dissipated.
The oppressive pressure vanished.
In its place, soft footsteps echoed in the silence.
Zarek turned his gaze forward.
A woman was approaching, slowly, confidently. Her long green hair fluttered behind her like trailing leaves in the wind, and with each step, a strange calm followed.