100% DROP RATE : Why is My Inventory Always so Full? - Chapter 177

Chapter 177: Chapter 177 – Liberators
Lucien spoke with the Primordial Slime for a long time.

He asked question after question and the slime answered most of them with patience that seemed almost endless.

Slowly, Lucien’s chaotic thoughts began to settle.

Yet there were limits. The Primordial Slime refused to speak about the other Primordial Entities or the monsters within the Black Mass. It also avoided details about the Human Ancestor. Lucien felt bad since it was a topic that he was particularly eager to know.

When Lucien asked about the System, however, the slime obliged.

Lucein then learned that the System was a remarkable design. It was crafted not merely as a tool but as a framework that adapted to the bearer’s nature. Those who received inheritances from other worlds didn’t all gain Systems. Each received something entirely different. Something tailored to their essence.

The Primordial Slime called those who had received the cheats…

Liberators.

They were souls like Lucien who were reborn into the other small worlds.

They were named so but ironically… they were free to act as they wished. Whether to aid or betray humanity, no one could bind their choices.

Even Lucien himself was no exception.

He never chose this path. He did not sign up for any of these.

He let out a quiet sigh.

“Liberator, my ass. If it comes down to it, I’ll sacrifice everyone else to protect only the ones that matter to me.”

The slime shimmered faintly. Its voice rippled through his thoughts.

[That’s one of the reasons you were chosen. Under you, humanity will never truly vanish. And—]

It stopped mid-sentence as if deciding not to continue.

Lucien frowned.

“Well, at least now I know I’m not just another pawn in your grand game. Or maybe I am. Either way, I’ll live as I please.”

[That’s precisely our intent. You were never forced to do anything. You can live as you wish. In fact… I’ve tried to fulfill the very wishes you once had in your old world. And as for me… I’m merely fulfilling the last wish of my friend. You must have heard it… his final words before he died.]

Lucien exhaled slowly.

He closed his eyes, remembering the time when he saw the Human Ancestor’s death.

He didn’t respond.

Still… curiosity tugged at him. What did the other Liberators look like? What powers did they hold? Would they become his enemies… or allies he could stand beside one day?

He didn’t know but one thing was certain. He’d be cautious. The moment he sensed danger from them, he wouldn’t hesitate to destroy their souls.

Then… the slime spoke again.

[Oh, right. Your System has become outdated for this world. You’ve already surpassed its framework. I can adjust it for you and make it compatible with the Big World.]

Lucien fell silent.

[Before the update begins, would you like to suggest any changes?]

He thought for a moment.

“Yeah. Please fix the power levels. I get that you based it on my past life but… sometimes it just gets confusing.”

[That was intentional. Levels make it easier for you to grasp your progress. Watching the numbers rise gives you a sense of achievement, doesn’t it?]

Lucien sighed. “You really do know me too well. But you sound like those manipulative people back on Earth.”

[…]

He took the silence as acknowledgment then changed the subject.

“I want to ask something else. Can I… get stronger without killing?”

[You already know the answer. Among the Liberators, you’re unique. You lack mana vessels but you possess something greater. Seek the answer yourself.]

Lucien’s eyes lit up.

“Does that mean…”

He stopped himself.

Circulation Techniques were useless to him. He had no mana vessels or divine channels to circulate energy.

But slimes didn’t have them either…

They can still grow stronger back in the Mural World. Not through killing alone.

He let out a quiet chuckle. “So that’s it… I can mimic the slimes.”

The techniques of slimes had long vanished ever since their species were annihilated. Even his pet slimes could only grow by killing others now.

But then… Lucien once lived as a slime in the Mural World. Those instincts, that knowledge… they were still somewhere inside him.

Lucien grinned.

‘If I can’t grow the human way… then I’ll grow the slime way.’

He looked up toward the Primordial Slime. He finally asked what he came here for.

“So, do you hold the path beyond? The way to the Big World?”

[There are a few paths out and I know you too will find one in time. You’re just too impatient… and too conservative in your thinking. But yes, I can take you there now if you wish. Yet seeing you… I can feel that you are still not ready.]

Lucien smirked.

“Based on what you said, a few Liberators have already crossed over, right? Still, why would I bother searching for another path when the answer’s right in front of me? You’re right, though. I am not ready yet. That world’s dangerous. I’ll prepare first and test ‘that’ method.”

[Good thinking. Hear this in terms you understand. This place is merely a tutorial. Beyond it is where the true game begins. And you… won’t have luck on your side anymore. Prepare well. Once you leave, your halo disappears.]

Lucien grew quiet. His eyes hardened with resolve.

If he had a choice, he wouldn’t leave this world. But instinct told him otherwise.

This world was marked. And it was bounded by its own limits. Resources were also scarce. He could only grow so far here.

If he truly wanted to protect what mattered, he’d have to break through his shell.

The slime bounced lightly as if pleased by his determination.

[Alright. The System Update will take some time to complete. By the time it’s done, I believe you’ll be ready. If you have more questions, come find me here.]

Lucien nodded and turned away. His thoughts were heavy.

He had gained answers… but even more questions.

“Damn it,” he muttered. “I hate stories with multiple reincarnators. Guess I’m not the only main character anymore.”

He sighed.

The future loomed ahead, uncertain and vast.

•••

When Lucien returned to his abode, he immediately entered his Divine Energy Core.

Within, he blinked towards the dungeons. The dungeons still pulsed with life.

The Primordial Slime had explained that these dungeons would continue to function as long as the essences stored within the cores lasted. They would sustain him for years… until the energy finally dissolved.

But one stood apart. The Gargoyle Dungeon. He recalled the Dungeon Core he’d earned as an achievement reward. It’s the one that eventually formed into the Gargoyle Dungeon.

The slime had said it wouldn’t run out of essence so easily because it held something special.

And the answer lay on its third floor.

Lucien stepped inside. He cut through the monsters effortlessly and soon stood before the staircase leading upwards.

He hadn’t explored it before since he was so busy but now… he was ready.

The moment he ascended, a heavy pressure wrapped around him.

Something vast was stirring above.

It was alive. It was ancient. And it was terrifying.

Lucien swallowed hard. Then he pushed open the chamber door.

What greeted him froze him in place.

“Primo Slime, you fucker…”

In the corner of the vast chamber was a massive Gargoyle, bound in thick chains. Its stone skin pulsed with vast power.

Lucien recognized it instantly.

He had seen this creature once before in the Mural World.

A Gargoyle Monster Emperor.

Now, it lay imprisoned here with its enormous essence being drained to feed the dungeon.

“No wonder the gargoyle monsters here never ran out,” Lucien muttered. “A single drop of its essence could create tens of thousands of them…”

And the Origin Core fragment… It was constantly replenishing the monster’s essence.

Thankfully, it was dormant. Or perhaps the Primordial Slime had bound it in forced slumber.

Lucien stared at the creature’s grotesque form. His vision wavered under the weight of its existence but his Aura of the Unyielding Sovereign flared to life, holding him steady.

He felt no pity.

This monster had once bathed in human blood. It was one of the most vicious beings in the war.

Now it was nothing more than a battery. A living fuel source sustaining the dungeon.

“A fitting end for a monster like you,” Lucien said coldly.

Then a thought crossed his mind.

“If I want infinite monsters in my dungeons… I could just trap powerful monsters like this, extract their essence and keep them running forever.”

He paused as if he realized something.

“…Wow. That sounds so evil.”

He clasped his hands and looked at the slumbering Monster Emperor one last time.

“Blame yourself for opposing something worse than the devil.”

Without another glance, he turned and left.

A fierce light burned in Lucien’s eyes.

Now, the time had come. He needed to complete his preparations swiftly… to glimpse the world that lay beyond.