Chapter 45: Thief

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Thief

Meanwhile, just after devouring another guard of Baron Arklong, Krono received a series of notifications.

Ding!

[ System Notification:Your Skill "Absolute Absorption (S)" has successfully evolved! ]

[ New Skill Acquired: Omni-Devourer (SS) ]

[ Skill Type: Supreme Devouring Ability ]

[ Skill Rank: SS ]

[ Description: The Host can now devour anything within a 5-kilometer radius. ]

[ All targets within the designated range can be analyzed before being devoured. ]

[ The Host can selectively extract the traits, abilities, energy, memories, bloodline properties, physical characteristics, and other unique attributes of devoured targets. ]

[ The Host can freely determine what aspects of a target should be absorbed. ]

[ Unwanted properties may be rejected automatically. ]

[ Devouring living beings grants the Host access to their biological and supernatural characteristics. ]

[ Devouring magical objects allows the Host to analyze their composition, enchantments, materials, and inherent properties. ]

[ Devouring energy-based phenomena allows the Host to absorb and convert them into usable energy. ]

[ The higher the quality of the target, the greater the potential rewards. ]

[ Warning: Targets possessing powerful souls, divine protection, spatial barriers, or superior laws may resist complete devouring. ]

[ Warning: The Host’s current body may not be capable of immediately utilizing extremely powerful attributes. ]

Krono looked at the notifications. And for several seconds, he didn’t say anything.

Then his lips slowly curled upward.

"1,000 meters..."

That was no longer ordinary absorption. It was an entirely different level of power.

Previously, Krono needed to physically consume something before Absolute Absorption could take effect.

Now?

He didn’t even need to touch his target.

Anything within 1 kilometer could potentially become his prey.

He could devour materials.

He could devour energy.

He could devour magical formations.

He could devour supernatural abilities.

And, most terrifyingly...

He could extract abilities.

Krono’s expression gradually became serious.

"Analyze."

The moment he uttered the command, the world around him seemed to change.

His perception expanded outward.

1 kilometer.

1 thousand meters.

Everywhere within that enormous radius suddenly became visible to him through an invisible connection.

He could sense the buildings scattered throughout the city. He could perceive the creatures moving inside them. He could feel the flow of magical energy within the streets.

Even the underground structures buried beneath layers of stone became faintly perceptible.

It was as though the entire 1 kilometer area had become an extension of his body.

Then something even more astonishing happened.

Information began flooding into his consciousness.

A nearby tree.

[ Target Analyzed ]

[ Species: Crimson Ironwood ]

[ Age: 173 Years ]

[ Properties Detected: High-density wood, Fire Resistance, Minor Regeneration ]

[ Absorption Value: Low ]

Krono looked at a nearby building next.

[ Target Analyzed ]

[ Structure: Reinforced Dragonstone ]

[ Properties Detected: High Durability, Mana Conductivity, Heat Resistance ]

[ Absorption Value: Moderate ]

His gaze moved again. This time it was a sword carried by a passing dragon.

[ Target Analyzed ]

[ Weapon: Azure Fang ]

[ Material: Tempered Skysteel ]

[ Properties Detected: Sharpness Enhancement, Wind Affinity, Mana Conduction ]

[ Absorption Value: Moderate ]

Krono’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

He could see everything. More importantly, he could choose what to take. He didn’t have to devour the entire target.

He could extract a single property.

One ability.

One characteristic.

One fragment of energy.

One bloodline trait.

One physical attribute.

This meant the skill wasn’t simply destructive. It was now analytical, adaptive, and evolutionary.

Krono realised the true potential of it immediately.

"If I devour the right things... I can continuously evolve."

That realization sent a strange thrill through his body.

His Ultimate Devourer System had finally revealed one of its true fangs.

He didn’t need to search endlessly for treasures. He didn’t need to grind for thousands of years. He didn’t need to rely entirely on rare opportunities.

Anything useful could potentially become nourishment.

Even certain supernatural phenomena.

As long as it existed within his range and his current power could overcome its resistance, it could potentially become part of his evolution.

Krono looked toward the distant horizon.

1 kilometre was already an big range.

But he knew this was only the beginning.

"Omni-Devourer..." He murmured the name, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Now that’s more like it."

At that moment, another notification appeared.

Ding!

[ Omni-Devourer has detected numerous potential targets within the current range. ]

[ Scanning...]

[ Analysis complete. ]

[ 17,842 biological targets detected. ]

[ 6,391 mineral and material targets detected. ]

[ 428 energy sources detected. ]

[ 73 magical artifacts detected. ]

[ 11 high-value targets detected. ]

Krono’s smile disappeared.

"Eleven high-value targets?"

Adhering to his interest, the system immediately displayed their information.

[ High-Value Target #1: Ancient Dragon Bloodline ]

[ High-Value Target #2: Legendary Mana Crystal ]

[ High-Value Target #3: Ancient Beast Core ]

[ High-Value Target #4: Divine Metal Fragment ]

[ High-Value Target #5: Unknown Spatial Artifact ]

The remaining targets were still being analyzed.

Krono’s eyes already lit up.

For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt as though the entire world had transformed into an enormous treasure vault.

And he had just received the key.

"Let’s see... What should devour first?"

---

Inside a ongoing auction.

"Ladies and gentlemen, behold the crown jewel of tonight’s grand auction!

The Legendary Mana Crystal!

Excavated from the perilous depths of the Abyssal Chasm! This marvel contains enough raw energy to power a small city for an entire decade! The starting bid is fifty thousand draconian coins!"

​"Sixty thousand!" a wealthy green-scaled merchant shouted immediately, raising his golden paddle.

​"Seventy thousand! Do not even try to outbid me, you filthy commoners! That crystal belongs to my noble house!" a noble dragonoid roared from a luxurious private balcony.

​"Eighty thousand!" countered a mysterious figure wrapped in expensive red silks.

​The auction house was buzzing with greed and electric excitement. The legendary crystal pulsated with immense magical energy, casting a beautiful violet glow over the greedy faces of Rodrag City’s elite dragonians.

​"Eighty thousand going once!" the auctioneer yelled, raising his wooden gavel high into the air.

"Eighty thousand going twice! Do we have any other..."

​The auctioneer suddenly stopped speaking. His jaw dropped wide open. The wooden gavel slipped from his sweaty fingers and clattered loudly against the floorboards.

​Right in front of his eyes, a tiny wisp of pitch-black mist appeared out of thin air.