Chapter 344

Chapter 344: Incomplete Conversation

"You know I obtained the Inheritance of the Sea Emperor? Who are you?" Midi gasped in shock.

Even as surprise gripped him, the voice invading his mind from seven thousand kilometers away struck him as faintly familiar.

"Me? Call me a supreme expert, though you might as well see me as a fool clinging to his last breath." The voice pressed onward, "After nearly a century of waiting, I’ve finally reached this moment."

"What do you mean?" Midi steadied himself, clamping down on his churning emotions while desperately circulating Deep Blue Energy through his body.

He couldn’t afford hesitation—the mere mention of "supreme expert" proved the speaker could wield telepathy across such vast distances. Without defenses, a lethal strike might follow. For beings of that caliber, nothing was impossible.

"Relax, boy. I mean no harm—at least, *this* version of me doesn’t. As the Sea Emperor’s heir, I beg you: save me, then end me."

Requesting his own death from continents away left Midi speechless once more.

"My time dwindles. I must conserve power for what’s to come." The fading voice grew urgent. "Remember—master the Golden Forgiveness dagger. Become the greatest Thought Capturer before reaching the Behemoth, or you’ll stand no chance."

Silence reclaimed Midi’s mind. The exchange had lasted mere seconds, yet it felt like decades. When awareness returned, he found himself forcibly ejected from his soul dive, consciousness slamming back into flesh.

Then it struck him—the voice mirrored the shadowy man’s from the Mind Maze. Who *was* this supreme expert? Midi pondered. The shadow in the maze and the Blue Truth Sect’s hidden master felt deeply connected… perhaps identical.

But why create the Inheritance of the Sea Emperor? Why leave the Golden Forgiveness dagger? To forge a Ruler of Psychic Energy strong enough to kill him? If death was his goal, why puppeteer the sect’s endless wars? Contradictions and fragmented clues left Midi circling without answers.

One truth crystallized: fate’s trajectory had shifted. His previous life knew no Ruler of Psychic Energy or Sea Emperor heir—peak adventurers and the supreme expert’s slayers had only reached Legendary Thought Capturer status, devoid of even basic telepathy.

But now, armed with dual lifetimes’ Experience and iron resolve, Midi had conquered the Mind Maze, claiming the Sea Emperor’s legacy. Perhaps this divergence birthed the Star Ocean’s altered currents, provoked the shadow’s transformation, even summoned entities like the All-Seeing Demon. Before the maze, he’d never sensed those watching eyes…

All changes began after he emerged from the Mind Maze bearing the "Inheritance of the Sea Emperor."

If Midi’s speculation held true, this was no mere butterfly effect—it represented genuine alteration of fate itself!

Along this unfamiliar path, Midi couldn’t foresee what enemies might emerge or what dangers he’d confront.

He didn’t know whether this new trajectory would intersect with events from his past life or run parallel without interference.

Yet Midi understood one certainty: he must adapt to all changes with unwavering focus.

Growing stronger remained his eternal solution, the only strategy that never failed.

Though this truth seemed obvious, true mastery lay in the speed and direction of growth.

A merchant obsessed with wealth or a prince craving political power held meaningless concepts of "strength" within the Star Ocean.

Even tangible improvements like swordsmanship technique or level advancement might prove insufficient here.

Before supreme experts, all possibilities existed.

Even if Midi painstakingly reached level 60 or acquired formidable combat abilities, a supreme expert could still obliterate him instantly.

Thus, choosing the right path to power became paramount.

"Top-tier Thought Capturer?" Midi muttered after prolonged contemplation.

Both the shadowed man from the Mind Maze and the supreme expert deep within Blue Truth Sect headquarters had urged this path before other developments.

Midi wouldn’t blindly follow others’ guidance—potential traps lurked in such advice.

Yet objectively, becoming a top-tier Thought Capturer offered the best chance against a supreme expert.

The key lay in his dagger: "Golden Forgiveness."

This blade emitted no magic waves, yet radiated bone-chilling reverence. When drawn, it seemed to devour souls whole.

Through experimentation, Midi discovered its strangest trait—it rejected all magic and psychic energy infusion.

This meant no skills could be channeled through it.

Wielding it required pure physical strikes, like an ordinary person without combat training.

Fortunately, Dragon’s Blood tempering granted him speed and strength surpassing normal humans.

Clearly no divine weapon, the dagger proved ill-suited for regular combat.

But its true horror revealed itself through testing: any strike caused instant death regardless of level, profession, or vitality. Victims perished as if their souls shattered instantly.

After each kill, the dagger dulled and weakened for days before recovering.

This made it a desperate trump card.

Its limitations made landing hits difficult, but perfect timing and conditions could let Midi challenge even supreme experts.

This blade represented his sole hope to breach their defenses.

Yet his own defenses remained pitifully weak.

If a supreme expert could read his mind from seven thousand kilometers away, what devastation would direct confrontation bring?

A mere glance might kill him instantly.

Thus, defensive enhancement became urgent—he needed survival capability against supreme experts.

This demanded supreme psychic defense mastery: becoming the ultimate defensive Thought Capturer.

Resolved, Midi began secluded cultivation.

He studied the "Inheritance of the Sea Emperor" imprinted in his mind, focusing on Thought Capturer defenses while cross-referencing mind-related offensive skills to accelerate comprehension.

Meanwhile, within Blue Truth Sect headquarters atop the Behemoth, a tense meeting unfolded.

Loz and the four great temple heads sat along an ancient sandalwood table, their usual arrogance replaced by childlike apprehension.

After prolonged silence, the fifth figure at the table’s head spoke.

"You lost an All-Seeing Demon?" The thunderous mental voice made all tremble. "Loz… how disappointing."

The sect Leader’s disapproval hung heavy in the air.