Chapter 2723: Next Tier

Leonel entered the Lab Setting.

"Anastasia, cover the whole world. I want information on everything that's happening at any given time. Specifically, any conversations between anyone at the Ninth Dimension or higher. If they mention humans, they're top priority. Second priority is the Cloud Race. Third priority is Demi-God status. Fourth priority is... Dwarven Race.

"Also, map out the entire world. Tell me where the Dream Pavilion of their world is, and also how many experts of this caliber they have."

"You're not worried about them sensing me?" Anastasia asked. She had difficulty deducing and thinking for herself, but that didn't mean that she was a complete dullard. She remembered that the reason Leonel usually restricted her actions was because he didn't want others to sense her.

Although most couldn't feel a thing, at the Ninth Dimension, most would be able to, and considering they were in a world of Spirituals, this was even more so.

"In this situation, them sensing it would be even better. I'd like to see how they deal with a situation where their people feel like they're being spied on. As for those that would know it's us... so what?

"They already know where I am and don't dare to act. I want to see how patient they are, and I also want to see how they're going to make plans when they feel like every step they take is being watched."

"Okay," Anastasia said in a sweet and almost cutsie voice.

Leonel laughed. "What with that voice?"

"What voice?" Anastasia feigned ignorance, pretending like she didn't know what he was talking about.

Leonel smiled. Though she didn't answer, he somewhat knew why.

Anastasia had broken down into tears after being sent on a mission by Leonel, but that wasn't because she didn't want to help him, it was because she was scared and because she was worried about what might happen if she failed.

There was no one more aware of her weaknesses than herself, and without Leonel constantly there to guide her, she worried that any next step she might take might end up being a mistake, and in that situation, she would never be able to see Leonel again.

Much of her life had been spent drifting aimlessly through the world, and after the fall of the Minerva, she had passed through so many epochs, so many hands, without ever truly understanding anything about herself or her purpose.

It wasn't until she met Leonel's grandfather that her life took a turn for the better, but then he died... but then she was lucky to be passed on to Leonel's father... but then he died as well.

She didn't know if she could stand losing another, and it would be even worse if it was her fault.

She could have saved Velasco. If only she wasn't so stupid, if only she could have seen through his intentions, if only she could think for herself, she would have been able to do what she did last time and protect Velasco from the Regulator.

Velasco hadn't wanted to allow it because the first time, not only had Anastasia fallen from the Ninth to barely the Third Dimension, but she had almost died. If she truly stepped in again, this time, it would be a true death. That he was certain of.

He had come to look at Anastasia like a little sister, how could he allow her to make such a sacrifice for him?

Passing Anastasia down to his son was as good as entrusting Leonel with the hopes that he would one day be able to help her break free of her shackles...

But the wishes of Velasco were one thing, while the wishes of Anastasia were another.

So long as she could stay by Leonel's side, she was willing to help him to the best of her abilities. Having him give her tasks like this gave her a great sense of accomplishment and it made her smile more brightly than she had in a long time.

Leonel smiled to himself, swearing that he would one day release her of those shackles.

He stood before his Workbench, his mind whirling with thoughts.

James was right. He was still tiptoeing around things.

In a situation where there wasn't enough information, and his opponents seemed capable of making an infinite number of moves, there was another path outside of just sitting and waiting...

And that was to force their hand, to suppress them until they were suffocated, until there were only a small number of moves they could even begin to make in retaliation.

And when they were only left with those few moves, that would be when he would strike.

'It's time to make my Fifth Dimensional Divine Armor. But first...'

With a thought, large piles of Mine Cores began to appear around Leonel. On his list, there were several lines that asked for what amounted to millions of Mine Cores of various kinds for the sake of tempering his Metal Body.

Mine Cores, luckily, while valuable, were overall less so than whole mines. Even if one had a Mine Core, it would take generations for a fully fledged Mine to be born from it, and there were often times when these Mine Cores would have only just been birthed and had yet to have the time to form a mine around them to begin with.

In the latter case, families and organizations with powerful abilities were able to find these Mine Cores ahead of time, and move them to optimal locations. Most often, these Mine Cores would be stored away as a method of controlling resources. This was because there were only so many Mine Cores that a World Spirit could support at a time, and there was great benefit in concentrating its focus on a few at a time.

It was even easier to collect these when the Mine Cores he had asked for started at the Fourth Dimension.

Leonel had absorbed 738 928 Fourth Dimensional Mine Cores to reach the peak of his physical potential. But since then, his potential had greatly increased once more.

He would need to reaffirm the foundation of his Fourth Dimensional Metal Body before breaking through to his Fifth Dimensional Metal body as well.

Then, he would forge the next tier of his Divine Armor.