Simulating level advancement was… a rather peculiar matter.
Because [Future Simulation] had a subtle flaw.
Kanzaki Rei could only enter the simulated future using the exact state he was in before initiating the simulation.
And for something like advancement—
If he hadn't met the requirements beforehand, then even if he advanced within the simulation, the result would still be an imperfect advancement.
Of course…
Even without a perfect advancement, he would still receive a talent.
Within his simulations, Rei had advanced all of his classes. Though none were perfect advancements, he still obtained the corresponding God-Tier talents.
But that raised another question.
Were talents obtained through normal advancement different from those obtained through perfect advancement?
Or… were talents in simulation inherently different from those in reality?
This world contained randomness.
Random teleportation. Loot chests.
Rei had tested this before—opening treasure chests within simulated futures.
And found that even the same chest yielded completely different rewards in simulation versus reality.
The difference wasn't small either.
It could be something like—
In the simulation: a Red-tier item.
Back in reality—
"…Damn it. Green-tier?"
That alone proved something.
Random loot was truly random.
The contents weren't predetermined.
Even the randomness governed by Yakaticto… was genuinely capricious.
So then—
Were talents obtained in simulations random… or predetermined?
Rei intended to verify this.
…
Level 5 — Decryption Scholar
His mind became even more expansive.
Rei felt that without deliberate thought, he could now instantly solve any puzzle within Levels 1–4 of decryption difficulty.
At the same time—
He sensed something new within his mind.
A hazy, fog-covered sea.
From Level 5 onward, all class-holders gained awareness of their Sea of Consciousness.
It wasn't a literal sea.
Rather, it was a domain constructed from one's own awareness.
The fact that it could only be perceived at Level 5 didn't mean it didn't exist before.
Just like the human brain—
One cannot directly observe it, nor fully control its workings.
Yet it exists.
The Sea of Consciousness was the same.
Rei observed the mist.
It was a manifestation of his own mind.
But since this was his first time entering, and it had never been organized—
It was chaotic.
[Level 5 Decryption Scholar Mastery — Memory Palace]—A Memory Palace is formed within the Sea of Consciousness. All past scenes can be engraved within it and replayed.
A Memory Palace…
It was said that upon reaching Level 5, every class-holder would gain a unique mastery related to the Sea of Consciousness.
Within the fog, a massive palace took shape.
Rei stepped inside.
The interior felt infinite.
Memories could manifest in any form he willed.
Scenes from the past replayed before him.
Shelves rose into existence—rows upon rows—filled with every book and piece of text he had ever read.
For now, there was nothing in particular he needed to recall.
So Rei withdrew from his Sea of Consciousness.
…
[Level 5 Decryption Scholar Mastery — Deep Truth of the World (Exclusive)]—When encountering truths close to the essence of the world, one can perceive them with greater clarity.
Recently…
He had come into contact with extremely profound things.
Those likely counted as "deep truths of the world."
…
In addition to the two masteries—
Rei also gained Level 5 Decryption Scholar techniques.
[Multi-Layer Encryption] and [Clever Break]
Multi-Layer Encryption could drastically increase encryption levels.
It also strengthened the physical durability of encrypted objects.
Locks, doors, barriers—
All became significantly harder to destroy through brute force.
As for Clever Break—
It allowed him to identify weaknesses in defenses and barriers.
Once a weakness was found, it became easier to break through via attack.
Though in truth…
Rei didn't really need this ability.
Even though a Level 5 Decryption Scholar lacked direct combat power—
They could now meaningfully assist in battle.
Rei assessed himself.
In pure combat terms…
He could probably defeat a Level 2 warrior now.
So it wasn't accurate to say the class had no combat ability.
Back then, Pali claiming she couldn't even beat a slime…
That had clearly been a lie.
…
And then—
The talent.
[Talent Acquired: Manipulator (Exceptional) → God-Tier · Unsolvable Mystery]
—From this moment onward, you become an unsolvable mystery. All answers about you become unknowable.
…
This talent…
Rei felt himself become indistinct.
At the same time—
He suddenly perceived every record of himself across the world.
Within the Life Church.
Within the Loren Kingdom.
In the archives of the Death Church.
Even within Tengar's black servers.
His name, scrawled on crimson human skin in the Moon Sea.
A sword-slashed name on a white wall.
Records within the temples of Light, Darkness, Cold, Luck…
The Mage Association.
Faculty records at Loines Magic Academy…
—Exhale.
Rei felt those records blur.
All information about him became unreadable.
Distorted.
Corrupted.
Erased.
He became… a mystery.
Nameless.
Formless.
Unknowable.
And it wasn't just records.
Even his fate became shrouded in dense fog.
"…This is different from what I saw yesterday."
In yesterday's simulation, the talent he obtained had been:
God-Tier · Absolute Material Lock—Any locked or sealed structure you create cannot be broken by force; it can only be opened through decryption.
A powerful talent.
A shame to lose it.
But this—
God-Tier · Unsolvable Mystery—
Might be even more useful.
Because recently…
Rei had begun to worry.
Was someone setting him up?
Could higher beings observe fate?
Legends spoke of gods laying plans across millennia.
Rei knew that in the future, he would likely become someone capable of shaping the world itself.
Had he already stepped into someone else's game?
Being guided… manipulated…
That feeling was unbearable.
And Pali…
She, too, felt unfathomable.
Impossible to tell whether she was ally or enemy.
Rather than being led—
Better to hold his own fate in his hands.
…
As the talent settled in—
Rei began to sense things.
Gazes.
Threads wrapped around fate.
Writings about him on strange parchments.
Curses.
Blessings.
All of them—
Blurred.
Vanished.
…
These weren't ordinary records.
They were higher-order influences.
Forces affecting fate.
Origins.
Observers watching from beyond.
"…Wait."
"…I was being watched by that many things?"
The realization sent a chill down his spine.
The presence of gods in this world was overwhelming—
From Moon Deities to miracles, churches, and faith—
Everything reflected their influence.
Rei had always wondered—
When would he be noticed?
What would happen after?
He had imagined many worst-case scenarios.
But never this—
That so many higher existences were already watching him.
And yet—
God-Tier · Unsolvable Mystery had erased those influences.
…That was close.
Thankfully, he had obtained this talent.
He was already beginning to stand out.
If he continued growing under the gaze of such beings—
Who knew what would happen?
Being watched…
Was not a pleasant feeling.
…
As the advancement completed—
Rei lost awareness of those records.
He could no longer sense them.
But he knew—
Unsolvable Mystery was still active.
From now on—
No one could truly know him.
…
Rei looked toward Kumironi.
For a moment—
A flicker of confusion crossed her face.
It was as if she was trying to recall something about him—
But couldn't.
Rei willed it slightly.
Kumironi's expression cleared.
Her understanding of him stabilized again.
…So it could be controlled.
Like his other talents.
Good.
Otherwise, becoming completely incomprehensible to everyone would be… inconvenient.
…
Rei glanced around.
Beyond the emerald light barrier—
The room had been filled with swarms of corruption worms.
Now, they were rapidly disappearing.
The corruption was nearing its end.
Only the final remnants remained.
"So next… the Prophet advancement?" Kumironi asked.
"…Yeah. I want to complete both today. But… are you alright?"
"I should be fine."
Rei nodded.
"Then let's continue."
"If I succeed, I might be able to help you more."
…
In truth—
He had long exceeded the Prophet requirements.
He could have advanced earlier.
But he had delayed.
Because once he became a Level 5 Decryption Scholar, the Prophet requirements would increase.
If he advanced Prophet first—
It would take much longer to meet the Scholar requirements afterward.
…
Kumironi raised her hand.
The ritual light flared again.
This time—
The Prophet advancement had to be conducted by Rei himself.
He looked up.
At the top of the ritual—
In the future—
Faint light and shadow formed into words.
Words that only existed in the future.
Burning.
Descending into the present.
Rei read them aloud:
"To perceive countless possibilities, yet forever wander between the abyss of foresight and intervention."
"Every choice becomes a wedge driven into the fractures of fate. None may grasp its entirety—only fragments of prophecy, ignorant of the cost."
"I shall bear this solitude alone. I seek neither pity, nor glory in tragedy."
"All that I do is to walk this path."
—Flash.
In that instant—
Countless visions flooded his eyes.
Histories that never happened.
Branches of possibility within the river of time.
All things he had never experienced.
All things that could have been.
But possibility—
Was only possibility.
Only what was fixed became reality.
Those visions were fates that had been foreseen, but never occurred.
…
The Prophet advancement required no further trial.
Everything he had already done—
All his predictions—
That was the answer.
…
Golden characters descended from the future.
Forming in the present.
They flowed into Rei's body.
This—
Was the manifestation of a Prophet altering fate.
…
He was now—
Level 2 Prophet.
…
Rei steadied his mind—
Feeling the changes within.
"…Hm?"
A faint voice of confusion came from Kumironi.
Rei opened his eyes and looked toward her.
He scanned the surroundings.
The emerald barrier remained—
But not a single corruption worm could be seen.
Kumironi frowned.
"…There's no corruption?"
The portal that should have opened—
Hadn't.
Rei understood immediately.
God-Tier · Unsolvable Mystery.
The Corruption Source Nest could no longer perceive his existence.
The channel that should have opened during advancement—
Couldn't open anymore.
…
So from now on—
He no longer needed to rely on Kumironi for advancement.
And once he reached the Moon Sea—
He likely wouldn't need to search for special advancement rituals either.
…
Rei exhaled slowly.
After so long in this world—
He had finally reached the point where he could advance…
Entirely on his own.