According to the description from the System, devouring a prey while using the Nigh-Divine Adaptation skill would alter his biological framework to integrate viable traits. He had already experienced how the skill works.

He temporarily gained access to the Steel Oustification because of that.

Due to that, killing and devouring the two Godlings after that became a lot easier.

But there seemed to be something more.

Ever since his hunt, Rex felt that his stomach was always full.

It exactly felt like finishing a feast where he overate, which made him feel nauseous and sluggish.

He thought it had something to do with devouring Godlings that are rich with energy, far more than his body was accustomed to, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. His fullness persisted like his stomach had given up digesting it.

Rex had meditated and activated the Nigh-Divine Adaptation skill to find the cause.

Even though he sensed nothing for the first few days, he persisted and finally managed to feel the cause.

Deep inside him, the Godlings he had devoured left behind residual lumps of energy that wouldn’t be digested automatically through the skill. Rex needed to digest it manually, grinding and spreading them across his body.

And when he did, two notifications appeared before him.

<Notice: the user has properly digested the Residual Traits from devoured prey>

<Two viable traits had been identified>

…

<Cavity Skipper>

Rank: Divine

Description: Allows the user to absorb the energy produced by the Cavity automatically. As long as the user is within the Cavity of the Primordial Meadow—gain the ability to skip distances as far as the eyes can see. It can only work when the user’s internal energy flow is steady.

Duration: 7 Days

<Garden Master>

Rank: Divine

Description: Boosts all of the user’s stats by three times when suffering damage from entities with the Curse of the Cavity Oustification.

Duration: 30 Days

…

“Not as strong as getting an Oustification, but this would still help a lot,” Rex was pleased by what the Nigh-Divine Adaptation skill could do for him. “Even though all my powers are back, I cannot rely on most of them other than during a battle.”

Considering that Larta City is a hive city, the detection capabilities of the city should be impeccable.

Normal spells, Great Spells, or even Pneuma Spells aren’t strong enough to bypass the detection.

His curse power is also useless as it’s hyper-focused on defense because of Calidora. If he hadn’t taken that route, he would be vulnerable to her antics, and there would never be peace. And with that, there’s only one source of power Rex can rely on.

It’s the Full Moon.

Rex has plenty of Divine Upgrades, so that’s not going to be a problem.

However, an additional source of power like this that he could use would certainly help a lot.

Rex clicked the Cavity Skipper skill with his mind, and a surge of energy immediately swelled inside.

Even though it was only a week, it’s far better than the Garden Master skill.

I can use this to check that barren place in the Cavity. But, in order to do that, I need to be invisible.

Rex stood up and walked out of the training area. Nobody but him was in the penthouse, so it was quiet and comforting. He nonchalantly poured himself a glass of wine, went over to the table, and inspected the street outside through the sleek window walls.

It was still daytime.

Cars and people crowded the street, reminding him of Ratmawati City.

Across from him was another apartment building that is much taller. He looked around absent-mindedly, or at least that’s what he pretended to be, but in reality, he was scanning the entire area with the System and his eyes, searching for anything odd.

Ever since leaving High Lord Rashal’s office, his intuition told him that there were eyes on him.

Because of that, he had been memorizing all the faces that he came across.

Scanning with the System alone isn’t enough, as the stat windows couldn’t tell him much other than the target’s current emotion. It was hard to identify which one among these people was the one High Lord Rashal sent to spy on him.

Naturally, Rex fell back on the old trick he learned in the Noob Box.

Pattern and face recognition.

Processing a lot of information at once is not something hard to do for him, as his mind is incomparably better than that of a normal person. It’s easier to remember everything he sees and analyzes it. Like the woman in an apartment room across from his building, two-stories higher, who always meditated in the open.

She would meditate for twelve hours throughout the day, then read something in the living room or watch something on her tablet. Always refuse to drink water from a normal glass, only a wine glass. And then always cook something elaborate at night.

Or maybe the ordinary man in a suit, who always passes the street around this time.

Perhaps the cleaning worker who randomly knocks on the door early in the morning for service.

All three of them are spies.

Rex had memorized the woman who actually lived in that room across on the first day, and it’s not this woman he was seeing. The ordinary man in a suit looked normal, but Rex could tell that he occasionally passed the street and sat down on the bench with a different disguise every two hours.

And the cleaning worker, he’s too strong.

Most of his colleagues were simply Demigods, but he’s a one-star Awakened Demigod.

“Hmm… How do I lose them—and get to the Cavity without being detected?” Rex muttered inwardly. His mind worked to find a solution, as his time limit was a week, since that’s when the Cavity Skipper skill would disappear. “Killing them would only alert the High Lord. And he might even send new spies to replace the ones I killed.

“I need an ability to erase my presence, and also an Oustification to empower that.” He added.

He reckoned the skill tree from the Banished Dark Moon would help him with the ability, but the latter is harder to do. “I still have one more charge—from the stick that I can use,” Rex tapped the wine glass with his index finger, contemplating. “I need to take a walk.”

Rex turned on the blinds, covering the window walls before turning around.

After taking a sip from the wine, he placed it on the table and headed for the door.

But he stopped mid-track.

Instead of leaving the penthouse, he flicked his wrist and summoned an item from the inventory.

A key of brilliant blue, so vivid it seemed to hold a piece of the sky captive. Light moved within it like liquid, and though it sat still in his palm, it exuded something more profound than a living being. It’s a divine key, unmistakably so.

…

<Primordial Meadow Permit>

Rank: Divine

Description: Grant permission to open a portal to another realm within the Primordial Meadow.

…

Rex stared at the permit that High Lord Rashal gave him.

He wanted to leave and quickly find an Oustification out there that could help with his situation, but he suddenly remembered that he hadn’t made a choice yet. Since the permit could only be used once, Rex needed to make a choice.

It’s either to check on Evelyn and Gistella or help Adhara.

Checking on the two would mean using the Permit to use the Silverstar Genesis to enter his own realm.

As for helping Adhara, it’s far trickier.

On the other hand, another item manifested—one that he purchased before entering the God Realm. An item that depleted his gold reserve. It took the shape of an hourglass with green sand in it, which exudes a more intense aura than the Permit.

…

<Hourglass of Chronus Loom>

Rank: Divine

Description: An item that will grant the user a connection to the outskirts of the Weaver of Time’s realm, the Sundial Arch.

…

Rex already sent Amanir and Devo to help Adhara endure the Godlings sent by Kaiser—but it’s almost certain that they would not last for long. In order to reach them, Rex was forced to take the longer route, meeting with one of the Cluster Custodians so that he could go around the veil.

Only then would he be able to return to the Mortal Realm.

But this predicament is unlike anything he had experienced up until this point.

He was dealing with many powerful entities, and he couldn’t bulldoze through the God Realm.

No matter how hard he tries, returning quickly to help Adhara isn’t feasible.

Time is not on his side, as always, and the only way to change that was to ask for time from the deity who ruled over time, the Weaver of Time. Rex purchased the Hourglass of Chronus Loom—for that specific reason, but he was second-guessing his choice.

I don’t even know what awaits me in the Sundial Arch. I might die instantly or even get trapped there.

Rex clutched the hourglass hard inside his hand, undecided on what to do.

I only have one Permit. This one. And if I don’t use it to go to the Sundial Arch, I would need to wait until I get the Primordial Authority from High Lord Rashal. I don’t know how long that’d be. Days? A week? Or maybe a month? I don’t… know.

Every second that passes would mean a second of Adhara’s tussle against Death.

She assured him with that smile on hers, but it’s still hard to accept.

But, on the other hand, if he were reckless with this, then everything would crumble like a house of cards.

Going to the Sundial Arch without preparation is reckless, and Adhara wouldn’t want that.

I have to trust her. She’s strong. She can hold out. I believe in her.

And even when things went wrong, I still have Nivellen. She can still help.

If Nivellen helped Adhara, then she would be exposing herself to the Lunirich Gods.

But he was sure that if he asked, Nivellen wouldn’t mind.

Rex gritted his teeth and reluctantly put the hourglass away into the inventory.

For the longest time, he had never given the others a chance to prove themselves. He always assumed they couldn’t protect themselves, and in a way, that is the same as looking down on them. It’s time for him to give them a chance. Give them his trust.

Show me how strong you can be, Adhara. I believe you can hold out until I’m there.

A flash of Kaiser’s face appeared in his mind.

Alongside that face was the other Lunirich Gods that had shown blatant hostility towards him.

Besides, you can rest assured that if you fall, I’ll kill them as tribute for you.

Rex walked to the side and pushed the Permit into the wall. It phased through seamlessly, cutting across space as though it were an easy. And with a twist, a pure white portal manifested—a blank portal. He would need to instill a destination before it became a true gateway.

Sucking in a deep breath, he placed his hand against it.

And with a command from his mouth, the portal flickered from white to a silvery tinge.

“Silverstar Genesis.”

Rex watched as the energy manifesting the portal went inward—before the silvery color became even more prominent than before. It kept going for a minute. And when it was done, the surface cleared, revealing a vast expanse of shallow water that reflected the starry night sky.

He inspected the realm for the first time.

It was still blank. Uncharted.

But even so, he could see the faint sparkle of divine strands that the shallow water produced.

Faint sparkle that blinked in and out of existence like steam across the entire realm.

However, that wasn’t what caught his attention the most.

Instead, his attention was pulled towards the two women at the center of the entire realm. And both of their eyes sparkled when they saw him across the portal.