The Innkeeper



During the golf cart racing, using any techniques to attack was not allowed. But as Lex had already clearly learned, there were clearly ways one could work around the rules.

Regalia Bloom was the bloodline that the Inn workers had, and allowed the user to manipulate energy through weapons or items. While Gerard, who had now undergone two bloodline evolutions, could use the ability a lot more freely than the rest, Z himself also had exceptional skill.

His eyes took on a silver color and his cart was covered in a similar silver hue. While he was unable to make his cart fly using his bloodline in the way Gerard did, there were other things he could do.

He smashed down an orange button, using his power up that activated boosters behind the cart, giving it a massive speed boost. The cart shot forward like a rocket and slammed directly into Lx's cart. Or, it almost did.

A massive, invisible shield had appeared right behind Lex, saving him from getting rammed. He had used Talk to the Hand, and that should have been the end of it. After all, Z had crashed into an impenetrable wall at maximum speed. His cart should have been crushed.

But not only was his cart fine, the silver hue around it started to grow brighter.

A moment later, to Lex's genuine and complete surprise, the so-called impenetrable defense that he had relied on vanished. Z's cart, which still had its boosters active, crashed into Lex's cart. But something unusual happened. Instead of being knocked out of the way, Lex's cart suddenly started losing its momentum before turning off completely!

Due to his magnified emotions, for the first time Lex ended up breaking his stoic expression, replacing it with a look of surprise. He did not understand what had happened, but he could clearly tell Z was responsible as he moved past Lex and zoomed away.

But surprised though he may be, Lex reacted quickly. He hit the button to turn his cart back on and, fortunately, nothing was broken, so it turned back on perfectly fine.

Although the functionality of the berserk state was different from the overdrive state, the function of both of them was founded on Lex's own capabilities. Even without the mental boost from his other state, Lex was able to determine quickly what had actually happened.

Z had absorbed all the energy not only from his own crash into Lex's defense, but all the spiritual energy that powered Talk to the Hand.

While theoretically possible, this was not an easy feat at all, and only became possible because many factors aligned perfectly. The first was that Talk to the Hand was not suited for use in the Golden core, so although it was seemingly stronger with him using it in the Golden Core realm, it was also more unstable, which allowed Z to easily take control of the energy that made up the technique.

The second was when their carts connected when Z rammed him. Instead of trying to knock him off the track, Z absorbed the energy that his golf cart was using to function. The lapse in energy caused the machine to stall, and then shut down.

Finally, Z channeled all that energy which, technically, he had absorbed to protect his cart from suffering from the repercussions of multiple collisions, and channeled it to the boosters that had activated from the power up. The result was silver flames that shot his cart far ahead of Lex, the source of the energy itself.

Despite being beaten badly, Lex didn't feel bad. It was actually quite amusing to encounter such unpredictable situations. But at the same time, if he wanted to win, he better stop letting others get a lead on him. If he had been in his emotionless, overdrive state Lex would have come up with some ingenious plan that maximized his efficiency and won that way. But since he was going berserk, and he also wanted to create a bigger spectacle than Brandon, he did something completely unexpected. He jumped out of the golf cart and lifted it over his head, pressing down on the accelerator with his hand so that the cart was going at full speed when he was ready to set it back down. Then, using the ridiculous boost to his physical abilities the berserk state afforded him, he started running.

Technically, this was not him using any techniques and just running. The fact that his normal running speed in a short sprint was ridiculous was inconsequential, as he was not breaking any rules.

*****

The soldier who had run out of the Minor realm came scurrying back, but this time he was followed by general Ragnar, as well as two other people he did not recognize. But since the general allowed the man and woman to follow him, they must have sufficient standing.

"This is the realm, general," he said, between breaths. Despite his cultivation in the golden core he was extremely tired, which showed just how much energy he had exerted on delivering the news as fast as possible.

"Has anyone entered the pagoda?" the general asked as he stood before the realms entrance.

"A few, all at various levels. I suspect the restriction is on age and not cultivation level."

"And how did you recognize the heritage?" the general asked, turning his attention to the soldier. Suddenly he recalled something and asked "your name is Slag right? You were the first soldier to venture into the Midnight Inn?"

"Yes sir! The reason I recognized the heritage, sir, was that after being exposed to the Inn, I made a request to transfer to the Historical Anomalies department, sir!"

The historical anomalies department was one that studied vague, ancient histories and vague unknown powers in the universe. Practically speaking there was not much use to them, but in certain situations their expertise was useful. This happened to be such a situation.

"Why do you think it's an age restriction and not a power level restriction?" the man beside the general asked

Slag did not hesitate to answer, for it was not in prerogative to question his superiors - even if he didn't know who they were.

"Sir, some of the soldiers who entered are in the same realm as me, but were able to enter, while I could only watch from the outside."

"Let's see if I can do anything about those restrictions," the man said, with a hint of excitement in his voice.