Chapter 59

The general public knew the Grandsky Realm would open soon, and everyone and their mother couldn’t stop talking about it. Speculation about the other three dimensions was the number one topic, followed by the ability to level past 500.

The Innate Nation had long promoted a sense of self-improvement, and many people were looking forward to breaking their limits. As a result, everyone started hoarding resources, causing prices to skyrocket.

However, when the Innate government announced they would restrict access to the Grandsky Realm until the situation was under control, many people expressed their dissatisfaction, especially adventurer groups.

While adventurers were not comparable to the military in might, they weren’t pushovers either. There were some very powerful individuals among their numbers, and the government couldn’t ignore their demands. It was only after numerous discussions that both parties reached an agreement.

In the end, the government would only allow the adventurer parties that passed several inspections testing their character, reputation, and loyalty to co-operate with the military during the initial months when the gateway opened. Obviously, the adventurer groups weren’t satisfied with this, but the government’s stance didn’t budge no matter how they argued.

Like clockwork, the sun rose over the horizon. The general populace woke up ready to start the day like any other, unaware that the gateway to the Grandsky Realm opened earlier than expected.

Among them was Keith, who jumped out of bed full of vigor. After stretching and changing out of his pajamas, he wore a silly smile and opened his Rift Simulator to check the loot his clone farmed overnight. With the tap of a button, eight hours' worth of XP and items entered his Grimoire. Next, he paid a significant fee to withdraw the stored XP and saw a notification saying he leveled up.

He was now level 424!

The Rift Simulator basically gave him a free level every few days. Even if Keith did nothing, it was only a matter of time before he reached level 500. How awesome was that?

Speaking of leveling up, Keith recently began feeling the limits of the Innate Dimension. There were only so many monsters above level 400, with barely any at level 500. The amount of XP needed to level up past level 400 was so much that the Innate Dimension’s native monsters weren’t sufficient to meet the demands of those seeking to reach level 500 without taking decades.

Even worse, with Keith’s recent ability to multicast, he felt confident that he could kill a level 500 to 600 monster. Unfortunately, the Innate Dimension simply didn’t have monsters at those levels. If there were, Keith’s XP gains would skyrocket, and even reaching level 500 in a month was possible.

Thinking along these lines, Keith left his room, ready to start another day hunting monsters at a level 450 Rift. However, as soon as he stepped through the doorway, he found his mother leaning against the wall across from his room. The expression on her face gave Keith a foreboding feeling.

“Mom…?” Keith asked hesitantly.

Mariane uncrossed her arms and directly said, “Elaine died this morning. Don’t worry, your father and grandmother are fine. They’re already in the Grandsky Realm.”

“Uh.” Keith was dazed. The gears in his head spun as he processed the message. It turns out Elaine woke up early. Since she died, it means they passed one of their biggest hurdles.

Mariane continued after giving Keith a few moments to think, “Yara asked if you want to go over?”

Keith’s face lit up, but he hesitated when thinking about recent events. “Am I qualified to cross the gateway?”

Mariane rolled her eyes. “You know Yara. When has she let nepotism stop her?”

Keith fell silent. He thought and thought, struggling with indecision. Too many people wanted to see the Grandsky Realm for themselves, but the government wasn’t letting them. Now, Keith had the chance to go early, thanks to being Yara’s grandson. Well, it wasn’t like he was hurting anyone, right? At worst, it was cutting in line.

“Okay, I’ll go,” Keith answered after overcoming the mental hurdle.

Mariane waved her hand. “Follow me.”

A member from Umbra was waiting in the courtyard outside Keith’s house. They saluted after seeing Mariane approach with Keith in tow. “Ma’am.”

Mariane returned the gesture and said, “We’re ready.”

“Understood,” the Umbra member nodded and summoned a teleportation gate. They stepped through first, followed by Mariane and Keith. New Dawn’s teleportation ban array prevented them from teleporting directly inside, so the trio appeared on the plains a few hundred feet from its walls.

As the three approached, Keith couldn’t help but take a deep breath when he saw the towering fortress. Their party entered a side door a few moments later, and soon enough, they arrived before the rumored gateway. Compared to a teleportation gate, it felt like a product of nature.

At this point, their guide saluted and said, “Someone’s waiting for you on the other side. Stay safe!”

Keith thanked the Umbra member as they hurried to leave somewhere else before turning back to the gateway, where one person after another stepped through. Looking at his Mom, Keith asked, “So we just go in?”

“Yep. Feeling anxious?” Mariane glanced at him.

“A little,” Keith nodded. “But I’m more excited.”

“Then let’s go!” Mariane grabbed Keith’s arm and pulled him forward. A second later, the two passed through the gateway and arrived in a dome-shaped building. Just as the two looked around in wonder, a voice drew their attention, “Move along, please.”

Keith glanced to his left and saw a soldier sitting on a chair reading a book. Suddenly understanding, Mariane and Keith made their way to a large open doorway. Upon leaving the building, Keith was amazed to find a small town bustling with activity.

Before he could take it all in, another member of Umbra approached them. “Miss Walker?”

“It’s me,” Keith’s mother confirmed.

The Umbra member was visibly relieved. “If you would, please follow me. Lady Yara’s been expecting you.”

Mariane rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. More like she’s waiting for her grandson.”

The Umbra member simply smiled without commenting. Getting involved in this family’s drama was above their paygrade.

Keith glared at his mother before following along. After a few twists and turns and several inspections, Keith found himself standing on the top floor of the largest building in the town. There, Yara leaned against the balcony railing, her long black hair swaying in the wind as she gazed into the distance.

“Grandma!” Keith called out and rushed to her side.

Yara turned with a loving smile and embraced Keith in a tight hug. A moment later, she stepped to the side to give Keith a clear view of Serenity Canyon and exclaimed, “Welcome to the Grandsky Realm!”