Echo Of Infinity: 100× exp

The Echo of Infinity: Chapter 35 - Ripples Reach the Guild

News of the Stonefall Caravan's survival and the slaying of the Sky Tyrant spread through the Riverbend Guild Hall like wildfire. The tale, inevitably embellished, painted Kael as either a legendary hero in the making or a dangerously unstable anomaly. The Tyrant parts, displayed temporarily before being sent to the Capital for deeper analysis, drew crowds of awed adventurers.

Kael found himself the subject of intense interest. Guildmaster Stonehand summoned him for a personal debriefing, his shrewd eyes examining Kael as he recounted the 'artifact instability' tale again. The Dwarf listened, occasionally stroking his beard, before giving a noncommittal grunt. "See the Healers and the Analysts," he ordered. "Full checkup. We need to understand this 'instability'."

The Healers found nothing physically wrong beyond residual exhaustion, though they noted his recovery rate was 'remarkably fast'. The session with Instructor Lyraelle was more nerve-wracking. She subjected him to a battery of Weave analysis scans.

"The signature is stronger now," she reported coolly, eyes narrowed. "Traces of shadow magic residue are present, consistent with the [Nightblade] manifestation. The buffering effect persists, perhaps even more pronounced. It's as if your connection to the Weave is being... filtered through an external matrix." Her gaze was sharp. "This 'artifact' behaves less like an object and more like a parasitic System overlay."

Kael froze. *Parasitic System overlay?* That was terrifyingly close to the truth of the Accumulator. "I... I don't understand," he stammered, projecting confusion. "Is that bad?"

"It is... unprecedented," Lyraelle admitted reluctantly. "And potentially dangerous if the matrix destabilizes." She made extensive notes. "For now, your manifested classes appear functional, if recently acquired. But I recommend close monitoring and containment protocols if further instability occurs."

Elara argued against containment, vouching for Kael's actions and apparent desire to control his power. A compromise was reached: Kael would remain active but restricted from solo missions for a time and required to attend regular 'artifact stabilization' sessions with Lyraelle – sessions Kael knew would be intense analytical probes of his fabricated status and Weave signature.

His Guild Rank remained Iron, but his internal file was now flagged: 'Unique Artifact User - Unstable Manifestations - High Potential/High Risk - Monitor Closely'.

The attention brought unwanted side effects. Higher-ranked adventurers occasionally approached him, some offering mentorship (likely hoping to study his 'artifact'), others issuing veiled warnings or challenges. Roric and his cronies were openly hostile, spreading rumors that Kael was cheating the System somehow.

Kael retreated further into himself, spending hours in the private training rooms, not just practicing, but actively trying to understand the Accumulator. Could Lyraelle be right? Was it a parasite? Or something else? He experimented, trying to consciously suppress the x100 multiplier, but found it impossible. It was as fundamental as breathing. He tried to sense its 'matrix', but felt nothing beyond its constant, silent operation.

He needed allies, or at least fewer potential enemies. He sought out Finn, one of the few people who seemed genuinely friendly. The scribe was fascinated by Kael's story and offered access to Guild library records Kael couldn't reach with his rank. Together, they researched obscure texts on artifacts, Weave anomalies, and even Pre-Attunement history, looking for anything resembling Kael's situation or the 'buffering' effect. They found nothing conclusive, only vague mentions of 'soul-bound relics' and 'Weave-altering phenomena' from ages past.

His isolation pushed him towards Grak and Silky. He found the Orc in a training yard, pulverizing dummies. Grak treated him with the same grudging respect as before. "Heard you wrestled a big lizard," Grak chuckled. "Good. Needs more smashing." Kael found Silky practicing knife-throwing with deadly accuracy. The Felid Assassin simply nodded at him, her gaze less suspicious, more appraising now. They weren't friends, but they were professionals who had seen Kael perform under fire. A fragile understanding existed between them.

Kael felt like he was walking on eggshells. His power was growing exponentially ([Duelist Lv. 24], [Nightblade Lv. 23], [Mana Weaver Lv. 22]), pushing him firmly into Tier 2 capabilities, but his life in the Guild was more precarious than ever. The ripples from Stonefall had reached shore, and the tide of suspicion was rising.

---

Publishment Date:  12/4/2025