Dimensional Descent

Leonel was overwhelmed. How could he possibly sift through so many treasures?

"What do you suggest, Uncle Montez?"

Montez smiled. "First, I don't suggest you trade in your five Tier 4 Black rewards for a Tier 5 one. In your current state, you can't afford to be picky. If you have to rely on 'treasures' you pick up in the Zones you enter, you won't last very long.

"In addition, as I said before, the things you picked up from there will disappear once you leave this place. In this present state, not only are Zones dangerous, but your world itself is dangerous too. You might have run into the Invalids already…"

Leonel opened his mouth to answer but only nodded in the end. He had almost forgotten about the weird changes in his white pupil'd peers… So they were called Invalids. He didn't have to think much to understand why that was.

Unfortunately, he was running out of time, so he knew he couldn't ask Montez about it. It also seemed that Montez was purposely not answering as well.

"Do you have the ability to narrow these down by my needs?" Leonel asked.

After seeing Montez nod, he immediately organized his thoughts.

"How would you categorize these treasures?"

"Hm. There are defensive treasures that range from armors to one time use tokens. There are offensive treasures that range from weapons to, again, one time use tokens. There are techniques that touch on anything from improving your strength to your defense to your offense.

"You can trade for Sub-Dimension Zone analyzing treasures to get a more accurate read on the Zones you enter. These are categorized as detection treasures, the best ones can be used outside of Zones as well.

"You can also trade for information. It can be information about where Zones will appear in your world, or even information about other worlds. It's also possible to buy a ticket to another world, though it would cost you your Tier 9 Black reward."

Leonel's eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"Can you show me your Tier 9 Black techniques? Preferably the ones that teach how to use the same energy as the Priest I just fought."

"Hohoho." Montez smiled a smile that wasn't a smile, but his eyes seemed to give away that he was extremely satisfied with Leonel's choice.

The counter magically shrunk down, leaving a pile of hundreds of booklets. It was clear at a glance that though a Tier 9 Black technique was valuable to Leonel now, it definitely didn't mean much to Montez.

Though the options were narrowed down, Leonel still felt lost. If only his sensory type abilities were able to seek out what he needed.

At this thought, Leonel raised an internal eyebrow. What if it could? He didn't know anything about his abilities currently and he was actually tempted to ask for a treasure that could tell him about it. But, he subconsciously felt that this wasn't the best idea.

One thing that was clear to him about these treasures is that none of them were perfect. He most certainly couldn't expect a Black grade treasure to be so. If he found such a 'helpful' treasure, it might lead him down the wrong path. And, even if it was correct, it might limit him by boxing in his thinking.

Leonel closed his eyes, trying to tap into the same sixth sense he used to battle the Priest. Once he locked onto that feeling once more, his eyes flashed opened. In that moment, the seemingly ordinary piles of books became a violent storm of raging colors.

No. Once again, they weren't truly colors. Leonel's mind only interpreted them as such, almost like an odd form of synesthesia.

Leonel realized now that compared to these books, the Priest had been a joke. But this made sense, he was only the 'Boss' of a Tier 4 Black Zone, while these were Tier 9 Black techniques.

However, he soon found differences between them. Among even these high tier techniques, there were separations. Leonel immediately discarded the worst of them and focused on the five that shone so brightly that even while being buried beneath the pile, they exposed themselves.

pushed all the other away, leaving

can't read what

this, the words on

fairness in the world." Montez laughed, hiding his shock. "Anything you take out of this world

Leonel nodded, thankful.

"I pick this one."

hide his reactions. Leonel hadn't deliberated

felt this one could help improve my ability. I had already chosen

one's ability.

Just

eyes narrowed. He could tell that Leonel wasn't lying. But, even

others are powerful as well, so why

gaining extra stuff, I want to focus on my own.

a Pseudo Fourth Dimensional

rewards, can you show me

he refrained. He felt that Montez had reminded him about the time for a reason. He likely couldn't stay

were even more items to display. Not only were there more, but they also took up a larger space individually than small booklets did. In addition, it was a lower tier of treasure,

not much different from his compression shirt. It was a sleek black and the only difference was the fact it was

his chosen design. Not

Tier 4 treasures, he realized why Montez advised him not to trade them in. He could think of so

chose a container. It was shaped like box forged of steel, but it had thick leather straps. Its height was about a meter and its width about half of one. From the outside, it seemed to have less carrying capacity than the wooden box Leonel used in the Mayan Temple. But

came pre-made with 200, but as long as Leonel fed it materials, it could make more. Leonel was extremely happy finding such a perfect treasure for

4 Black treasure he took was another technique. This one was called [Call of the Wind]. It was a throwing technique that taught the use of wind

completely shatter the atlatls the Mayans built. Plus, everything he got from the temple

a crude sensor. It could sense the opening of a Zone within ten miles and also point out the direction

as a one time defensive token. Though it was a Tier 4 Black treasure,

course, he had traded for it for the sake of

tried to give

"Uh… Uncle Montez…"

What're you loitering around for. That was your final

a place I can wash myself in? I can't see my… I can't see her like

looked blankly at Leonel before

Since you were so quick, you have

counter disappeared, replaced by a small pond of

He stripped off all his worn armor and dropped them to the ground, jumping in to scrub himself furiously. He was so obsessed with getting as clean as possible that he completely missed Montez's sharpening gaze at the sight

the joy of cleaning oneself. But, even more curious, this water didn't seem to be normal by any stretch of the imagination. Leonel could even faintly feel

minutes, his Reactions had increased to 0.95 before

his stamina tick up by 0.05. Then, he slipped on his raggedy pair of sweatpants that he had luckily cleaned first this

lot of holes in them, but at least they

He then slid on the steel container and

rest of his stuff, he bowed his

"Thank you, Uncle Montez!"

waved, sending Leonel