Lord: Sequence Master

"Before becoming a demigod, one walks a path paved by mediocrity. Beyond that, only truly unique people can forge ahead without obstacles..." Rosen recalled the quote from the preface of a biography, feeling a deep resonance with its message.

For all human extraordinary sequences, the journey before reaching Sequence 3 was one of following in the footsteps of predecessors, learning and mastering skills created by those who came before. Without the qualifications to become a demigod, there was no opportunity to innovate.

History was littered with the tales of geniuses, like a figure from a long-lost kingdom who constantly sought to innovate from Sequence 9 onwards. In the end, that genius was forever stuck at Sequence 4, bitter with regret.

Genius was not rare in history, but the current extraordinary system had been refined and perfected over countless generations. For any extraordinary being below Sequence 3, the safest and wisest approach was to follow the well-trodden path laid down by their forebears.

Unless someone believed themselves to be a peerless genius, it was foolish to deviate from that path, as trying to reinvent the wheel would only waste time and hinder progress.

Only at Sequence 3 and beyond did each demigod have to forge their own unique path. The roads paved by predecessors were reliable, but enemy foreign gods were not to be underestimated. Foreign deities often developed methods specifically to counter the human extraordinary sequences.

Only secretive, one-of-a-kind techniques could avoid being suppressed by foreign gods. Below the level of demigods, encountering a foreign god meant certain death, regardless of counters or preparations.

Though Rosen was currently walking his own unique path prematurely, which many would consider misguided, he found solace in a crucial difference: unlike the geniuses of old, he possessed a system—his Main God Computer.

This advantage meant that perhaps, he could walk a unique path ahead of time and succeed where others had failed.

As he contemplated his current situation, Rosen's ambitions grew larger, especially when he considered his skill, Extraordinary Senses.

At Level 2, the skill had granted him the potential to gradually awaken a sixth sense, but the term "gradual" was vague and imprecise. Up until now, his sixth sense had been faint and unreliable, providing only minor hints of danger or opportunity.

To truly develop his sixth sense, he needed a more dramatic breakthrough.

Rosen pulled out the skill enhancement plans given by his private tutor and, without hesitation, sent them back, requesting a stronger solution. He even told the tutor that he would accept a theoretical solution, if nothing practical was available.

His tutor, Ido, was just preparing to collect his final payment when he received Rosen's message. Seeing his skill enhancement plans rejected for a redo, Ido felt both frustrated and helpless.

But the client's request couldn't be ignored. So, after several days of digging through old records and archives, Ido submitted a new plan. This time, it would either satisfy Rosen or prompt a complaint to the Hunter Guild.

When Rosen received the revised plan, he immediately felt more confident.

The previous plan involving Ashen Bees had been difficult but possible to achieve. However, this new plan involved materials that were completely unattainable.

It was as if Ido was saying, "This is the best plan, but good luck actually pulling it off."

In ancient times, about a thousand years ago, the Blue Whale Kingdom had unearthed a mysterious fossilized skull from the deep sea. This skull possessed unique properties, greatly enhancing both the five senses and the sixth sense in humans.

While humans were born with a weak sixth sense, this artifact could amplify it to a much stronger level. Because of its value, the Blue Whale Royal Family had long since secured the skull as a national treasure.

Even for members of the royal family, only the crown prince or those in direct line to the throne were permitted to use it for free. For outsiders, the cost was an astounding one million spiritual crystals for a single use.

Yet one use wasn't enough to fully awaken the sixth sense. At least ten sessions were needed, meaning it would take ten million spiritual crystals to achieve full enhancement.

Rosen had the resources to afford it, but he wasn't foolish enough to spend such an enormous sum on upgrading a single skill.

Most who used the royal skull were extraordinary beings who had already developed their sixth sense to near-perfection and only needed that final push to succeed. For them, the investment was worth it.

Unable to see a clear solution, Rosen turned to the one being he could rely on: Gray Mouse.

However, when he saw the creature's reluctant expression, Rosen realized what he had forgotten—the Holy Grail Knight tarot card he had received from Gray Mouse.

Divine Essence: Holy Grail Knight—Destiny (Level 2): The Holy Grail Knight's divine essence can guide you toward those who are connected to your destiny, no matter the distance.

Gray Mouse had once used this card's Destiny Divination to locate Rosen within the Void Wilderness.

Since the royal skull was incomplete, surely the missing fragments still lay hidden somewhere in the deep sea. Perhaps, using the Holy Grail Knight's divination powers, Rosen could trace the missing pieces and find them himself.

Without further hesitation, Rosen used his noble identity to request an audience with the royal family, asking for permission to access the mysterious skull.

His request was quickly approved, and by the afternoon, a royal servant escorted him to a spirit realm managed by the royal family.

After paying the one million spiritual crystals, Rosen was taken to a small, enclosed chamber. The room was completely sealed off from any external spatial perception, meaning that no spatial techniques could be used, nor could he enter his divine territory from here.

This made it clear that stealing the royal skull was impossible without the intervention of a demigod.

The royal family also had no concerns about anyone damaging the artifact, as it was invulnerable to anything short of a demigod's power.

Once alone in the chamber, Rosen sat cross-legged, and a small silver-white skull was transported onto the table before him. The skull appeared human, but its forehead and back were both missing large portions, as if it had been pierced by some terrible attack.

Confirming that there was no surveillance, Rosen immediately accessed his Mysterious Study.

He connected his network cable to the skull, but nothing happened. The Main God Computer failed to provide any information, much to Rosen's disappointment.

As powerful as the Main God Computer was, it still required some existing information or clues to properly identify an item. In cases where no prior data existed, even the Main God Computer was at a loss.

Frustrated, Rosen tried feeding the skull to his Gluttony Beast, but even that didn't work. Not a single fragment could be consumed.

With no other options, Rosen turned to the Holy Grail Knight card for help, asking Gray Mouse to perform a Destiny Divination.

(End of Chapter)