Chapter 98: Solo Mission

But upon closer inspection, Charles realized that the firefly was still the same small white fox with sleek, glossy fur; it hadn’t truly transformed into an unparalleled fox spirit.

Its coat was smooth and radiant, shimmering with a faint white luster that flowed like liquid light—exquisitely beautiful, almost unreal—though unfortunately, it was still just a fox.

The sensation was quite eerie. He found himself looking at a fox and experiencing the illusion of a stunning beauty with delicate features and alluring charm.

Clearly, this was not a mere hallucination but a manifestation of its ability.

“Charm: a hereditary fox talent that can infinitely enhance one’s allure in the eyes of other beings, transforming into their ideal perfect image, thus compelling obedience.”

This was the explanation provided by the modulator about the charm ability. The strange illusion he had earlier experienced originated from this power, causing him to unwittingly fall under its spell and imagine the fox as a world-shattering femme fatale—a character he most admired from TV dramas.

“A marvelous ability. It can easily ensnare people without their awareness, making them pawns at its command,” Charles said with a delighted expression as he gazed at the little white fox.

“Meow!”

Sensing his joy, the little white fox gleefully leapt up like a nimble monkey, climbing onto his shoulder and nuzzling his cheek.

Charles reached out to stroke its smooth, soft back and smiled. “Not bad at all. Five abilities all at once, including this incredibly powerful charm—it’s certainly boosted my strength considerably.”

Then, he felt a subtle change within himself. The spiritual attribute in his status bar began to rise rapidly.

It surged from 2.5 to 5.2 in an instant, allowing him to almost perceive the drifting source energy throughout the world—dim and vague, as if immersed in a colorless, flavorless, formless ocean, where every movement stirred ripples in this ethereal sea.

“This must be the essence of a second-level Soul Master’s ability to drastically reduce source crystal consumption: using the energy within the source crystals to mobilize the vast, omnipresent source energy of the world,” Charles pondered as he carefully felt the change, quickly grasping the principle.

“Unfortunately, the perception is still too vague. If only I could manipulate source energy as freely as a mage, perhaps I could unleash devastating spells. This kind of control must be linked to spiritual power... When I have enough evolution points, I’ll give it a try.”

After tidying up the basement, Charles smiled brightly and left, feeling elated.

The greatest obstacle had been overcome. Next, he would unleash his full potential and complete the ultimate evolution within a month, no matter the cost.

……

In the following days, Charles grew increasingly busy. By day, he shuttled between classrooms and research bases; by night, he took on mission after mission, ruthlessly executing them.

Morent Academy was located in the eastern part of a rather ordinary small town.

The entire island spanned tens of thousands of square kilometers. Besides the academy at the island’s center and the cities where ordinary people gathered, there were numerous small towns, each with populations in the tens of thousands or fewer.

Otherwise, cramming millions into one place would be far too crowded. Unlike in his previous world, where towering skyscrapers dotted every corner, here nearly all buildings were low and modest.

Naturally, it was impossible to accommodate more people per unit of land, so the population was spread out like a giant pancake.

The wind howled fiercely, whipping fallen leaves and branches into a swirling frenzy that scattered everywhere.

Passersby hurried along, eager to escape the harsh outdoors, leaving only a few dockworkers to endure the sea wind’s biting chill.

Being an island, the moist and violent sea breeze was a constant presence, and the locals had long since grown accustomed to it.

After stepping down from a horse-drawn carriage, Charles furrowed his brow as he surveyed the surroundings, then tightened the hood over his head and hurried along like any other pedestrian.

In his right hand, he held a small silver badge. Channeling his spiritual power into it, a phantom map appeared in his mind, marked with a tiny white dot.

Following the dot’s direction, he passed through a narrow alley, carefully avoiding several fierce dogs and children playing, until he arrived at a modest clinic.

The clinic had pristine white walls and ornate stone carvings atop the roof, clearly expensive and a testament to the owner’s wealth.

“This should be the place,” Charles murmured, eyeing the sign before stepping inside.

“Sir, are you here for treatment or to buy medicine?” a delicate young woman greeted him with a smile.

Charles smiled back. “Neither. I’m here to see your pharmacist. We’re acquaintances.”

“Oh, you’re from the city?” the girl asked in surprise.

“Yes. You should leave now; it may get dangerous soon,” Charles said with an unchanged smile.

“What danger?” she began to ask, but suddenly felt dizzy. A small snow-white fox stared at her, compelling her to leave the clinic reluctantly, murmuring, “Mom is looking for me; I must hurry.”

After letting her leave without resistance, Charles proceeded deeper inside, sensing a faint ripple of source energy. He beamed and called out loudly, “Joseph, I’m here on behalf of the Enforcement Squad to arrest you. Will you surrender peacefully, or must I beat you first before you do?”

“Isn’t it enough that you crippled that bastard? Why won’t you leave me alone even here?” a man in a white robe stepped out, his face twisted with hatred. His former calm vanished, replaced by a fierce, iron-blooded coldness.

“That bastard dared to insult me; he’s courting death!”

“Oh, I don’t care about that. I’m just an enforcer. The crimes you committed must be judged by the academy,” Charles shrugged helplessly and revealedI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.