Chapter 201: Chapter201-Special Item — Heart of the Immortal

The moment the Player Projection was slain, a series of notifications rang beside John’s ear.

[You have slain Sorvos’s Player Projection from the Keheng Universe! Level: 350!]

[You have plundered the SSS-rank special item: Heart of the Immortal!]

[You have plundered an SSS-rank warrior equipment item...]

[You have plundered an SSS-rank warrior talent...]

[Congratulations! You have completed the challenge on the second level of the Holy Grail Space. Your current ranking on the Holy Grail Rankings is 887th. You have obtained the qualification to proceed to the third level!]

One notification after another sounded, nearly making John’s head spin.

Before he could even react, yet another notification rang in his ear.

[You have obtained the opportunity to leave a projection behind on the second level!]

Hearing this, John immediately opened the information panel of the special item he had just obtained.

It was a golden heart. Although it was only the size of his palm, the moment he touched it, he could feel an incredibly powerful vitality surging within it.

John surging within it.

John cast Detect on the golden heart, and its information panel instantly appeared before him.

[Heart of the Immortal]

[Effects]:

[1. Heart of the Immortal: This item can freely transform into any form, such as blood, skin, hair, and so on, before attaching itself to the host’s body.]

[2. Eternal Metamorphosis: This item can devour various special substances, such as Divine Points, divine equipment, and other items, thereby obtaining special growth.]

[3. Attack-Defense Conversion: When this item is used to attack, it can absorb the highest-output attack of an enemy player and apply it to a single target!]

[4. Perfect Compatibility: This item can be activated using any type of energy.]

[...]

John looked at the Heart of the Immortal, his eyebrows twitching slightly.

"The Heart of the Immortal can actually advance and possesses growth attributes? Interesting. And according to this description, it can be activated using any type of energy. Doesn’t that mean I can use it even with the most basic form of mana?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

John tightened his grip slightly around the golden Heart of the Immortal.

In the next instant, its form began to change.

Amid shifting golden light, the heart gradually transformed into a layer of golden skin before merging into his right hand.

After transforming the Heart of the Immortal into skin, John paid it no further attention.

At this moment, a faint spatial fluctuation gradually appeared before him, just as it had at the beginning.

A gateway leading to the next level materialized within this space.

That was the entrance to the third level.

John looked at the gateway and thought to himself,

"I wonder what lies beyond the entrance to the third level?"

Just as he was pondering this, a transparent panel suddenly appeared within his field of vision.

However, unlike the panel on the first level, this one contained a palm-sized, blood-colored projection.

That projection was none other than the player John had just slain!

Only this time, the projection seemed to possess consciousness. It was staring at John through the transparent panel.

Its gaze no longer carried the lifeless dullness of the projection he had just fought. Instead, it was filled with vigilance and scrutiny.

At that moment, John sensed a faint thread of spiritual perception fall upon his body.

It appeared that this projection now carried the true consciousness of that player.

However, John did not panic in the slightest. Instead, he calmly returned the other party’s gaze.

When the Player Projection saw John’s expression, a faint sneer appeared on its face.

"I am Sorvos, the strongest player in the Keheng Universe. Since you were able to break my clear record, it seems you do possess some degree of strength."

Sorvos spoke in a soft voice.

"However, the projection you defeated on the second level was one I left behind when I cleared it three hundred years ago."

At this point, a contemptuous smile appeared on Sorvos’s face.

"As for the real me, I completely cleared the trials several years ago and reached the tenth level of the Holy Grail."

"If you are capable of reaching the tenth level, perhaps the projection I left behind during my trial three years ago will properly teach you a lesson."

The moment he finished speaking, the projection rapidly dissipated, not even giving John the chance to curse him back.

John looked at the spot where Sorvos had disappeared, a disdainful expression appearing on his face.

"He only entered this game a few years earlier than I did, and now he’s already acting arrogant."

"Does he really think he can be stronger than me?"

"It’s only the tenth level. Just wait. I’ll settle this score sooner or later."

After saying this, John recalled what the other party had just said.

The strongest player in the Keheng Universe?

Would that not mean it was yet another parallel universe?

If that was the case, then Sorvos’s strength was probably comparable to that of Odelle from the Divine Revelation Continent.

"I wonder what the challenge on the third level will be. Will it also involve fighting projections left behind by other players?"

"If so, perhaps I’ll get to encounter a player from a third parallel universe."

Just then, another notification rang beside his ear.

[A projection can be left behind on the current level. Would you like to leave one behind?]

With the thought of thoroughly tormenting any challengers who came after him, John immediately chose to leave behind a projection.

The instant he made his choice, a figure that looked extremely similar to him appeared before him.

Once the figure had completely taken shape, even its face became identical to John’s.

This was the projection he would leave behind here.

The projection possessed all of John’s current strength. It was practically a perfect one-to-one copy of him.

From this moment onward, anyone who entered this area would have to defeat John’s projection before they could obtain the qualification to proceed to the next level.

And it was easy to imagine just how difficult that would be.

After finishing everything, John concealed his projection and took the initiative to proceed toward the third level.

In the next instant, his body disappeared from where he stood and reappeared within the Holy Grail Space’s third level.

...

At the same time, within the third level of the Holy Grail Space, a flash of light suddenly appeared.

A Birdfolk player with a beak and a pair of wings on his back emerged from the light.

Every feather on his body was pale gold in color, an exceedingly rare sight.

The moment he appeared, he frowned and began carefully examining the Holy Grail Space’s third level.

"So this is the Holy Grail from the legends of my race?"

"I only managed to reach this stage after clearing an SSS-rank Hidden Quest. This place is truly strange."

"I’ve heard some players say that the better one’s clear result, the greater the rewards one receives."

He took a deep breath before immediately taking out a ring hanging at his waist.

"Senior, I have reached the Holy Grail Space."

The moment he finished speaking, an aged voice actually came from within the ring.

"Not bad. Based on my senses, this place may very well become the first step on your path to greatness."

"However, with your current strength, it will likely be somewhat difficult for you to clear this place."

"As for the third level you are currently on, unless you can obtain first place, it will still be quite difficult for you to earn the qualification to enter the next level."

Hearing this, the Birdfolk player revealed a determined expression.

"That doesn’t matter. With your assistance, Senior, I doubt things will be too difficult."

"Besides, I am the strongest among all Birdfolk players. Clearing this place should be as easy as reaching out and taking something from the palm of my hand, shouldn’t it?"