Floating Island - Triple S Talent

Chapter 296: Upgrade Core

Lein observed his surroundings carefully. Nothing seemed unusual in the area—at least not to others. Some villagers even walked past the mysterious door visible to him without paying it any attention, as if it didn't exist.

"So, I'm the only one who can see it," Lein thought, narrowing his gaze at the door.

Driven by curiosity, he approached the door slowly. When he was only a few steps away, a system panel suddenly appeared before him. A soft blue light emanated from the panel, casting a contrast against the surroundings.

[Entry Gate]

Entering this door will take you inside the Divine Tree, where various features and administrative settings for the Guardian are available. Read exclusive chapters at M V L

"Ahh... so inside this tree is some sort of control center?" Lein murmured, imagining an aircraft cockpit lined with advanced buttons to control every function of the system.

Lein didn't delay any further. He stepped forward, his body touching the door's surface. The sensation was surprising—it felt like passing through an invisible layer of water. Cold but not piercing, soft yet offering no resistance.

Once he fully passed through the door, the world around him changed drastically. He now stood inside an enormous space that felt like staring at the night sky above an endless desert. The tree's interior was hollow, with circular walls resembling the bark of the Tree of Life's Source. However, the walls were darker in color, with a rough, fibrous texture like ancient wood untouched by time.

Above him, bright light illuminated the room from an unseen source, casting gentle shadows across certain areas. Lein surveyed his surroundings, his eyes adjusting to the extraordinary scale of the space.

Far in the center of the room, something caught his attention. Several objects floated gently in the air, emitting a soft glow that reflected off the walls. From a distance, these objects appeared captivating, with unique shapes that seemed to defy gravity.

"Interesting," Lein murmured, squinting to get a clearer view. He realized there was nothing else in this room as remarkable as those objects.

Without hesitation, he directed his hover bike toward the center of the room. The hum of his vehicle blended with the silence, like a faint rhythm breaking the stillness. At high speed, Lein crossed the seemingly endless distance. It was no surprise—this tree's diameter reached 500 kilometers, and the room's center was about 200 kilometers from his starting point.

In mere seconds, he was directly in front of the floating objects.

Lein stopped, staring at a row of transparent orbs hovering a few meters above the ground. Each orb emitted a distinct aura, with unique shapes and contents that seemed extraordinary.

The nearest orb caught his attention—a large glass sphere with an empty bubble inside.

The bubble pulsated slowly, almost as if alive, occasionally disappearing and reappearing like a naturally forming portal.

As Lein gazed at it, an information panel appeared before him.

[Resource Trunk]

- Level: 1

- Spawn rate: 10k/hour

- Monster level cap: 30

- Chest limit: Gold Chest

- Monster race cap: Low-tier races

Lein read the information carefully. "Ahh... so this is why Monster Islands have become rarer," he murmured.

He recalled the hunters' complaints about struggling to find new islands for their expeditions. This information explained that this resource core was limiting the spawn rate of monsters and new islands.

Currently, the population under Lein's domain had reached an extraordinary number—1.3 billion people. With the Resource Core generating only 10,000 units per hour, he was beginning to feel the immense burden of leadership. The resource needs for such a large population were disproportionate to the amount being produced.

Lein stared at the orb with furrowed brows, his mind racing for solutions. "How do I increase its level?" he muttered to himself. This issue gnawed at his thoughts.

He pulled various items out of his spatial ring, hoping one of them could influence the Resource Core. The items emitted a gentle glow as they were removed, but none elicited a reaction. The orb remained suspended, unchanged.

Lein sighed deeply, realizing his efforts were in vain. As he returned the items to his ring, he murmured, "I'll ask Hanes when I meet him again," recalling how much Hanes knew about the cosmos.

Lein moved on to the next orb. Inside, a small shield with a plus sign at its center floated gracefully. The shield emitted a soft light, radiating an almost invisible protective aura. A panel of information appeared immediately.

[Protection Trunk]

- Level: 1

- Defense Energy: 100k

- Energy Regeneration: 1,000/second

- Energy Reflection: 1k + 1%

Lein silently observed the description of the Protection Core. This core was responsible for safeguarding the realm of the Divine Sky.

"Is this good or not?" Lein asked himself. He lacked much experience with inter-realm combat and wasn't sure whether these numbers would be significantly helpful or merely decorative.

For now, Lein chose not to dwell on it and moved on to the next orb. This one contained a miniature arrow pointing upward—simple yet eye-catching. Lein gazed at it with renewed hope. "An upgrade?" he said, sounding slightly excited.

However, his excitement quickly faded as he read the panel's description.

[Tree Tier Trunk]

- Level: 1

- Entry Tickets: 10

- Bubble Realm: Tier D Limit

Lein's brows knitted in confusion. "What is this supposed to mean?" he muttered, rubbing his chin. The term "Bubble Realm" sounded unfamiliar to him, and the Tier D limit felt underwhelming—unworthy of a realm as grand as the Divine Sky.

"Why is the limit only Tier D? Isn't that far too low?" he grumbled, his tone laced with frustration. The more orbs he inspected, the more questions arose, leaving him without answers.

Lein stood still, contemplating the situation. His eyes remained fixed on the orb, but his thoughts wandered far, seeking a solution. "I need to figure out what's required to upgrade these cores," he said firmly, his voice low but resolute. "Otherwise, this realm will remain far too weak."

He took a few minutes to form a plan in his mind. His face, previously filled with confusion, now bore a serious expression, his gaze steely with determination.

"I know what needs to be done, but it can't be done right now," he muttered. Without wasting time, Lein resumed his inspection.

Lein walked from one orb to another, reading the descriptions that appeared. Each orb had its unique benefits, but all were constrained by limitations that reminded him of the pressing need for upgrades.