Lance immediately understood the implications. While he couldn't bypass the leveling process itself, he could gain experience by constructing arrays. Quality, however, was the true bottleneck—it required innate comprehension and soul-deep realization. With the system pushing his quality to the absolute limit, he would never have to struggle with those intangible barriers again.
Without a second thought, Lance initiated the scan for Exploits.
[System Alert]
Exploits detected within the Array Master profession: 1 Trillion. Begin repair?
The number made Lance’s pulse hammer.
"One trillion exploits?" he muttered, his eyes wide. "That should easily push my quality to the [Legendary Grade]. System, fix it!"
A trillion exploits was a tier reserved for the most transcendent powers he possessed—the same level as his Undying God-Body and Eternal Soul Protocol. If the array profession was being rebuilt on that scale, the result would be nothing short of divine.
"Confirmed. Repairing..."
Rumble!
The moment the system began the process, a deluge of memories flooded Lance’s Consciousness Hub. It wasn't just data; it was as if he were being pulled into a separate dimension—a timeless, void-like space where he began to study every 1st-rank low-grade array in existence.
In this mental realm, Lance felt as if he were spending millions of years practicing each individual formation until he achieved the elusive Legendary Quality. And this was just for one type of array.
The sheer number of 1st-rank low-grade arrays in the universe was infinite. Even though many shared identical functions, subtle differences in technique categorized them as unique. In this accelerated state of being, Lance had to master them all.
Fortunately, he felt no passage of time in the physical world. In what felt like a mere heartbeat to his physical body, he had achieved total mastery.
[System Alert]
Repair complete! Your Array Master quality has been upgraded.
Current Status: 1st-Rank Low-Grade (0/100 EXP, [Legendary Grade])
Lance exhaled, a sense of profound satisfaction washing over him.
"Time to level up," he decided. "The sealing array here is Tier 6. Even with [Legendary Grade] quality, I'll probably need to reach the 5th Rank to stand a chance at cracking it."
He wasn't in a rush. If he couldn't break it himself, he would have to rely on Sovereign Glacia, which meant letting her out. And if she decided to hold a grudge once she was free... that would be a headache he’d rather avoid.
Using his mind, he manifested a 1st-rank, 1-star Void Core in the simulation. With his new quality, he no longer needed high-tier cores just to stabilize low-tier arrays. His spiritual power erupted.
Sizzle!
In the next instant, the interior of the Void Core ignited with countless shimmering runes. Anyone watching would have been speechless; the density of the runes was so extreme that it surpassed most 3rd-rank arrays. In exactly one second, the foundation of the array was set.
It was finished. Lance had constructed a functional 1st-rank array using nothing but a basic 1-star Core. Because of the low energy capacity, it was a single-use construct, but while a standard defense array would consume ten times the energy for a mediocre result, Lance’s version was on an entirely different level.
He opened the array's status panel.
[Defense Array]
Rank: 1st-Rank Low-Grade [Legendary Grade]
Effect: Capable of blocking a full-power strike from a [Bronze Rank] Peak powerhouse. Single-use.
Lance stared at the simple description. A low-grade array blocking a Bronze Tier MAX attack? That was game-breaking. If word of this got out, every Array Master in the federation would turn green with envy—or fear. Building something like this with a 1-star core was theoretically impossible. But that was the definition of [Legendary Grade]: something that shouldn't exist.
[System Alert]
Array construction successful! Gained 1,000 EXP.
[Legendary Grade] Bonus: 10x Experience Multiplier applied!
EXP requirements met. Level Up: 1st-Rank Mid-Grade!
EXP requirements met. Level Up: 1st-Rank High-Grade!
EXP requirements met. Level Up: 1st-Rank Top-Grade!
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EXP requirements met. Level Up: 2nd-Rank Low-Grade!
Chime after chime rang in his head.
Rumble!
As his level soared, the system forcibly uploaded an ocean of knowledge into his mind. The sheer volume of data—covering every 1st-rank and 2nd-rank array ever recorded in the cosmos—was staggering.
Normally, using human technology to transmit this much information would have caused a person's brain to liquefy instantly. But the system was different; Lance processed the knowledge without the slightest discomfort. He didn't just receive the data; he lived it. In that fraction of a second, he spent what felt like eons refining those new arrays to [Legendary Grade].
When Lance opened his eyes again, he had reached the 2nd-Rank High-Grade. He only needed another 7,000 EXP to level up again. This was the terrifying efficiency of [Legendary Grade] quality combined with his 100,000x Affinity.
"Keep going!"
Lance’s eyes flashed with intensity. He manifested a 2nd-rank, 7-star Void Core and began carving the inscriptions. The complexity was vastly higher, involving countless [Epic Rank] runes. This time, it took him a full ten seconds to complete the construction.
[System Alert]
Array construction successful! Gained 5,000 EXP.
[Legendary Grade] Bonus: 10x Experience Multiplier applied! (Total: 50,000 EXP)
Level Up: 2nd-Rank Top-Grade! (Consumed 7,000 EXP)
Level Up: [Gold Tier - Low]! (Consumed 10,000 EXP)
Level Up: 3rd-Rank Mid-Grade! (Consumed 30,000 EXP)
The massive experience gain propelled his rank forward once more, settling him firmly into the 3rd-Rank Mid-Grade. He was closing the gap at a speed that defied logic.
Lance realized that his 100,000x Affinity and [Legendary Grade] status allowed him to completely bypass the standard progression curve. Even though the system initially ranked his cultivation at the 1st-Rank Low-Grade, his innate talent permitted him to construct complex 2nd-Rank High-Grade arrays on his first try. This resulted in a massive one-time experience dump that skyrocketed his rank.
The same logic applied now. As a 2nd-Rank High-Grade Array Master, he could successfully attempt 3rd-Rank Mid-Grade formations just by glancing at the instructions. The quality wouldn't be as divine as his perfected ones, but the experience gain was undeniable.
In an instant, Lance raked in another 50,000 experience points, forcibly pushing his level to the 3rd-Rank Mid-Grade. As the notifications chimed, another tidal wave of memories integrated into his mind, refining his understanding of 3rd-rank arrays to the [Legendary Grade].
"This [Legendary Grade] quality is absolutely broken," Lance muttered, unable to hide his awe.
It made mastering high-level arrays trivial. He could gain massive amounts of insight just by going through the motions. At this rate, he would hit the 5th Rank in no time. He just had to hurry—if more powerhouses arrived, things would get complicated.
Lance scanned the area. His senses extended for fifty thousand kilometers, and seeing no one in the vicinity, he manifested a 3rd-rank, 5-star Void Core and began to work. This time, it took him thirty seconds.
[System Alert]
Array construction successful! Gained 10,000 EXP.
[Legendary Grade] Bonus: 10x Experience Multiplier applied! (Total: 100,000 EXP)
The construction time had tripled, but the experience payout had only doubled. This wasn't because 3rd-rank arrays gave less experience, but because the "density" of each point of experience at higher ranks was far greater. One point of EXP at the 3rd Rank was worth a hundred at the 1st Rank.
If Lance were to construct 2nd-rank arrays now, he could finish them in five seconds, but even with the 10x multiplier, he’d likely receive fewer than 5,000 points.
The 100,000 EXP surge pushed his rank to the 3rd-Rank Top-Grade. Without stopping, he dove back into his mental workshop.
[System Alert]
Success! Constructed 3rd-Rank Top-Grade [Legendary Grade] Array. Gained 300,000 EXP.
Level Up: 4th-Rank Low-Grade! (Consumed 100,000 EXP)
Success! Constructed 4th-Rank Low-Grade [Legendary Grade] Array. Gained 400,000 EXP.
Level Up: 4th-Rank Mid-Grade! (Consumed 300,000 EXP)
Success! Constructed 4th-Rank Mid-Grade [Legendary Grade] Array. Gained 500,000 EXP.
Level Up: 4th-Rank High-Grade! (Consumed 500,000 EXP)
Lance continued to grind through the high-tier arrays. Once he hit the 4th-Rank High-Grade, a single construction was no longer enough to bridge the gap to the next sub-rank; he now needed two per level. Although the complexity increased, his speed remained terrifying—a 4th-Rank High-Grade array took him only three minutes.
Six minutes later, Lance successfully reached the 4th-Rank Top-Grade.
In less than ten minutes, he had gone from a complete novice to an Array Master equivalent to a peak Grandmaster. At this level, provided he had enough Void Cores, Lance could construct a formation capable of obliterating a Great Grandmaster in the blink of an eye.
Yet, he didn't stop there. He could still feel the stubborn resilience of the Tier 6 Mid-Grade array protecting the Solar Stellar Flame.
He pushed on, constructing four more 4th-Rank Top-Grade arrays until his rank finally ticked over to the 5th-Rank Low-Grade—the realm of a Great Grandmaster Array Master. In the entire Solaris Intermediate Sector, which spanned over 1.4 million inhabited planets, there were fewer than a hundred individuals who had attained this rank.
Lance exhaled slowly and opened his eyes.
"This should be enough. Breaking a Tier 6 array is different from building one. With my Innate Law Body, finding the structural flaws will be easy."
He focused his gaze on the swirling vortex of blue and purple flames. "Elemental Saint Body, activate!"
Vroom!
The intricate flow of energy and the hidden runic lines of the array were laid bare before him. The Innate Law Body was an ascended version of the Elemental Saint Body, and its analytical capabilities were far more potent. Within seconds, Lance had identified every structural weakness in the formation.
Previously, knowing the weaknesses wouldn't have been enough; he would have lacked the raw power of a peak Great Grandmaster to physically force a breach. But now, he could use his [Legendary Grade] runic knowledge to "infect" the array's nodes, causing it to corrode from the inside out.
"Hey, kid," Sovereign Glacia’s voice drifted from his pocket, sounding amused. "You’re still eyeing that Solar Stellar Flame? Why don't you just let me out? I'll break it for you. That’s a Tier 6 Mid-Grade array. Your burst power is impressive, but as a Rank 1 Grandmaster, you don't stand a chance of cracking that shell."
Lance paused, a slight smile playing on his lips. "And what if I don't use brute force? What if I use array theory?"
"Arrays?" Glacia scoffed. "Are you joking? That requires Tier 6 knowledge. You don't just 'learn' that on the fly. It took me millions of years to reach the 9th Rank. Even a once-in-a-thousand-years genius needs a century to master the 6th Rank."
She was right; usually, array mastery required both talent and the slow accumulation of time. But Lance wasn't usual.
"And if I break it?" Lance asked, his tone mysterious.
"If you break it, I'll give you Selina as a wife!" the crafty Sovereign shot back.
Lance rolled his eyes. This woman was obsessed with marrying him off to her disciple. "Just stay in the bell and watch."
He unleashed his spiritual power, flooding the gaps in the formation like a rising tide.
System Notification: A massive stockpile has been detected!
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