THE RISE OF WHITE CONQUEROR

Chapter 90: Foundation

Then...Something clicked. A realization sparked within his thoughts. Slowly, Kelly lifted his head and replied.

"My... skill"

Kelly spoke slowly, the realization still settling into place.

"Not yours, per se... but yes. For simplicity’s sake, we can put it that way."

The woman answered without hesitation. Her tone remained just as calm and distant as before. Kelly stared at her blankly. He waited. Surely, she would explain further...right...But the woman said nothing more.

She simply remained seated upon the grand throne, her hazy figure unmoving, her blurred gaze resting upon him as if the matter had already been explained perfectly clearly. Her expression, or at least what little he could perceive of it seemed to say, that should be more than enough for you to understand.

"...."

Kelly continued staring for a few more seconds. Then a few more. Finally, his shoulders sagged slightly. He gave up.

"Please... can you elaborate?" he asked, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. "And about the other thing you mentioned about how I normally shouldn’t be here before completing my foundation, or whatever that means..."

He paused briefly before finishing his question.

"If I’m not supposed to be here yet, then how exactly did I end up here"

’And why you are too.’

The last thought remained safely inside his head. Kelly wisely chose not to say that part out loud.

"Heh... sure. I didn’t expect much from you anyway."

The woman let out a faint, almost mocking chuckle before continuing, her voice echoing calmly through the dark expanse.

"First things first. The completion of a foundation or, in terms you might better understand, when one reaches Level 100 is what we call the groundwork an individual lays before advancing further along the path to power."

She shifted slightly upon her throne, though her hazy form remained just as indistinct as before.

"To put it simply... the soul is an enigma."

Her voice carried a quiet certainty.

"However, we do know that it is a mass of energy so powerful that it naturally remains surrounded by a boundary formed from one’s own consciousness. This boundary exists to ensure that the soul’s immense energy does not harm the body it inhabits."

A brief silence followed. Then she added, almost thoughtfully.

"So fascinating, isn’t it...The universe and its far-reaching secrets."

For the first time since she had appeared, something changed.

A faint spark flickered in the woman’s eyes. It was subtle so small it might have been nothing more than a trick of the light but for that brief moment, her expression carried a trace of genuine intrigue. However, the change was so slight that Kelly completely failed to notice it.

Realizing the lapse herself, the woman quickly regained her previous composure. The faint spark vanished, and her face returned to the same cold, distant calm as before. she simply continued speaking.

"It is impossible for a mortal to directly interact with the soul."

The woman spoke with quiet certainty, her voice steady and unwavering.

"Hence, most remain incomplete their entire lives, forever drowning in the pleasures of their physical existence, unaware of the truth behind what they truly are...Some embark on what they call journeys to find themselves. Others attempt to connect with gods, using faith as a tool to reach their souls...their truth"

She paused briefly before adding,

"As was achievable in your previous world."

Then her voice turned colder.

"But for beings in our world, where energy such as mana is accessible, those methods are merely paths taken by those who are unimaginably untalented individuals not even worth knowing such truths in the first place."

Kelly could almost feel the disdain behind those words.

"For those with potential, the simplest and most direct path is far more straightforward."

The woman continued, her explanation flowing with measured clarity.

"They must strengthen themselves."

"Strengthen their vessels...their bodies, until the moment arrives when the soul and body can finally communicate with one another."

Her voice echoed softly through the dark void.

"And when that equilibrium is reached..."

She paused for emphasis.

"...it results in the first true milestone, the completion of the Foundation Stage, or Reaching Level 100."

Hearing all of this for the very first time, Kelly felt as if his mind had been struck by lightning. Shock coursed through him. To say he was overwhelmed would have been an understatement. Most of what the woman explained still sounded confusing, almost incomprehensible to him. Yet at the same time, fragments of her explanation had quietly answered several of the questions that had been lingering in the back of his mind.

Kelly fell silent. The woman, seemingly aware of his confusion, did not interrupt him this time. She remained seated upon her throne, allowing him the time he needed to process everything. Silence stretched across the dark world. Moments passed though in this strange place, Kelly had no real way of knowing how much time had actually gone by. Eventually, after what felt like enough time for his thoughts to settle, Kelly began piecing together the information in his own way.

’Basically... from Level 1 to Level 100 is about using mana to strengthen my body and increase my mana reserves...’

He slowly organized the explanation in his mind.

’Like she said... our bodies are too weak to interact with our souls’

His brows furrowed slightly as the realization deepened.

’But once our vessel becomes strong enough once we reach Level 100 our body can finally withstand the energy and power of the soul’

A quiet understanding settled within him.

’So that’s it...That’s the big reveal...That’s what the Pope and Sir William were hiding from us...’

Kelly exhaled slowly.

’And something they were planning to reveal to us later’

After finally sorting through the storm of thoughts in his mind, Kelly raised his head. There was one question left. A question that had lingered in the depths of his thoughts for longer than he cared to admit. It had always been there, quietly gnawing at his curiosity. Taking a slow breath, he asked.

"Then what happens after Level 100"