Ruler’s Bond

Even though I didn't know exactly how long it would take to reach 2% Origin Mastery, I could at least tell that it would take more than the 200 days that it took me to comprehend 1% Origin Mastery.

So, whenever I enter INVERSE mode, I use that tiny amount of time to comprehend as much as I can to improve my Origin Mastery.

Once the remaining 15 minutes of INVERSE mode duration ended, I entered a 25-minute long weakened state, where my Stats were reduced to half of the initial amount in <STATUS >.

Every time I enter the weakened state, the abrupt change in Stats takes a toll on my body, rendering me too exhausted for head-on combat.

So, to use that time efficiently, I tried to comprehend the Law of Rule through the training methods gained by <Minor Rule Mastery> as that doesn't require any physical exertion.

Time passed, and I returned to my usual condition once the weakened state ended.

But I didn't pause comprehending the 'Law of Rule' and around 3 hours later, the <Minor Rule Mastery> reached Stage-3 (Lv.21-Lv.30), unlocking the 2nd Innate Exclusive Skill, <Ruler's Bond>.

[Ruler's Bond: Fragments of the Ruler's Bond will be imprinted on anyone as long as they form a karmic debt with the user. Failing to repay the Karmic Debt will end up in a death match with the Ruler.]

Just like the 1st Innate Exclusive Skill, <Party Rule>, the description of <Ruler's Bond> was vague.

There was also an unfamiliar concept called 'Karmic Debt' but I understood it clearly thanks to the knowledge that was transmitted into my mind.

Right then, I felt some kind of connection form between Min-soo and me.

When I turned to look at the unconscious Min-soo, a navy-blue wheel tattoo the size of a watch dial, formed on top of his wrist.

There were two navy-blue lines within that circular wheel extending from the centre till they touched the circle's border, just like spokes in a wheel.

Since I had knowledge about the <Ruler's Bond> transmitted into my mind, I could tell that the navy-blue wheel tattoo represents the symbol of 'Ruler's Bond' and the spokes in it represents the fragments, the amount of help Min-soo received from me.

What the 'Ruler's Bond' basically does is to use the 'Law of Rule' to bind anyone that I help and acts as a System-recognised favour.

Once a Ruler's Bond was imprinted on someone, I could ask that person anything within the value of the favor they received from me.

In the case of Min-soo, I saved his life from the Storm Eagle's Wind Clones, resulting in the formation of the first navy-blue Spoke in the Ruler's Bond Wheel.

As for the second Ruler's Bond Spoke, it was because I saved him when he would have eventually died from asphyxiation and eardrum rupture.

Because of that Ruler's Bond, When I need his help, I could ask Min-soo for anything as long as that doesn't exceed the help he received from me.

Of course, Min-soo could choose to reject returning my favour but then comes the consequence of opposing the Ruler's Bond, the DeathMatch.

In such a scenario, I could choose to initiate a DeathMatch. This would result in Min-soo and me being teleported to an alternate closed-space where Min-soo had to face me in a battle to the death and only the survivor could exit that alternate closed-space.

First of all, I didn't expect my soft-hearted brother's Innate Talent to have such a domineering Innate Exclusive Skill. I doubt he would ever use the DeathMatch option on anyone.

Secondly, the <Ruler's Bond> was a passive Skill, and I couldn't do anything about forming a 'Ruler's Bond' with any person that received help from me.

Finally, even though Min-soo's Space Innate Talent was rare, I don't plan to use the Ruler's Bond to have Min-soo forcibly accept my Origin Sigil in order to gain control over his Innate Talent.

It's not like I was desperate for his Innate Talent. Coming to that matter, I am sure that I would eventually come across a Monster that has Space Innate Talent.

When that happens, I could just have MJ use <Corpse Integration> on it and use an Origin Sigil on that Monster, just like how I did with the Storm Eagle.

Just because I could loot others' Innate Talents doesn't mean that I am greedy enough to kill anyone for their Innate Talents.

Well, It's an entirely different matter for those who intend to kill me. But for someone like Min-soo, who tried to save me, I would only return their good intentions by several fold.

So, I used the Ruler's Bond between Min-soo and me to accept the Party Invitation I sent him.

Then, from the Ruler's Bond Wheel imprinted on his wrist, one of the two navy-blue Spokes faded away.

Usually, when I give someone a party invite using the <Party Rule>, they have to accept it to join the Party.

But, I used one of my 'System-recognised Favours' to accept the Party Invitation in his stead.

Just the aspect of gaining free Life Energy to level up without doing anything makes my 'Party Invitation' valuable, something one could only dream about.

Once that was done, I exited the Dome and intended to move towards the Domes of other High-Phase Tier-3 Monsters.

Besides gaining Combat experience, my intention was to find Grade-3 Fruit Trees and possibly even the Grade-4 Spirit Fruit Tree that I was searching to save my Grandfather.

After exiting the Dome, I handed the unconscious Min-soo over to Shadow Leopard MJ in order to protect him.

I instructed Shadow Leopard MJ to protect Min-soo from a distance once he regains consciousness and groups up with Brandon and Gabriel.

Aside from Min-soo, I also instructed Shadow Leopard MJ to save the other Earth's Alpha Chosen if they were to face life-threatening dangers.

It's not that I was kind enough to do charity by saving all of them. It is because I know that having more Earth's Alpha Chosen will be beneficial to the Earth's position among other Life planets of the Milky Way Galaxy in the Final Tournament of the Trial Program.

Besides that, I could also form Ruler's Bond with them if any of MJ's Integrated Corpses were to save them. So, that would only be beneficial to me.

After finishing up my thoughts, I traveled to the nearest High-Phase Tier-3 Monster Dome that was marked in the Virtual Map created by MJ.

*******

….18 hours Later…..

While I was mindlessly drifting in the clouds, I heard Gabriel's voice, "Mr. Brandon, Min-soo's vitals are normal. He just seemed to be unconscio....Ahh! He is waking up."

While hearing Gabriel's voice, it made me realise that I was in a dream, resulting in me waking up abruptly and shocking Gabriel, who was holding my wrist to check my pulse.

"Huff, Hey, Min-soo...you gave me quite a scare. You okay, man? Where have you been for the past 22 hours? We were searching for you everywhere."

Only when Mr. Brandon stopped Gabriel's barrage of questions was I able to collect my disoriented thoughts.

Mr. Brandon then informed me that Gabriel found me a few minutes earlier when he was scouting the area in search of me.

That was also when I learned that Day-3 was going to end in just a few minutes.

After pondering for a few seconds, I was able to remember passing out just after the Storm Eagle came back to life after Mr. Jay killed it.

Just thinking about it sent me into a daze with my mouth open. However I was woken up by Gabriel, with him once again asking me a series of questions.

Among the things he asked me, the thing he stressed mostly was how I could reach Lv.25 in such a short time.

I didn't understand why Gabriel asked me such a thing when I was just at Lv.11.

At first, I thought Gabriel was just kidding. But, when Mr. Brandon asked me the same thing, I was surprised. I immediately opened my <STATUS >as I knew that Mr. Brandon wouldn't be messing around.

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[STATUS]

Name - Min-Soo (APEX RULER's Party Member) (Alpha Ranker)

Age - 21

Race - Greater Human

Life Energy - 32500+2675{stacked} / 32500

Level - 25 (Tier-2; High-Phase)

Estimated Level - 14 (Tier-2; Low-Phase)

Strength: 34

Agility: 37

Vitality: 32

Endurance: 37

Spirit: 52

Luck: 14

Health: 320/320

Stamina - 185/185

Spirit Energy - 260/260

Undistributed Stats: 140

INNATE TALENT: Space Innate Talent (Grade-7)

ELEMENTAL MASTERY : Lv.22 <Minor Space Mastery> (STAGE-3)

_____________

I didn't know what to make of the 140 Undisturbed Stats and my current Level reached the peak of Tier-2.

But, the only thing I could link to the sudden improvement in my Level was Mr Jay. Since in my view, only he could pull off a stunt like that.

When I concentrated on the words 'APEX RULER's Party Member', a blue screen window appeared with 4 names on it.

When I went through the first name listed on it, I realised that my speculations were on point.

______________

[APEX RULER's Party]

1. Jay (Party Leader): Lv.25 (Alpha Ranker)

2. Dante: Lv.25 (Alpha Ranker)

3. Andrea: Lv.25 (Alpha Ranker)

4. Min-Soo: Lv 25 (Alpha Ranker)

______________

After going through the list of names, I concentrated on the words 'Alpha Ranker' to see if I could find what they meant.

Along with the description of 'Alpha Ranker', I was greeted with the <Trial World Alpha Leaderboard>.

Only the 1000 Alpha Chosen in the <Trial World Leaderboard> were given the Honorific Title 'Alpha Ranker'.

But what gobsmacked me wasn't only because of the fact that I became an Alpha Ranker but the position I was in among the 1000 Alpha Rankers.

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SPECIAL THANKS TO THIS CHAPTER'S PROOFREADER: 'Zed'

Note: The '1st FIFTEEN PEOPLE' to comment for every new chapter release will get '1 ADVANCED CHAPTER' for free on Earth Alpha Prime's Discord server.

In the discord server, I will personally message those 15 individuals the link for the advanced chapter within an hour of the chapter release...

Also, you could find the link for Advanced Chapters in the Earth Alpha Prime's Discord Server. (within the 'ADVANCED CHAPTERS!' Category.)

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Discord Link for 'Earth's Alpha Prime' :

https://discord.gg/maQC7xDBYZ

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