After a period of careful verification and cross-checking, the records concerning the acquisition of magic stones were finally done and everything becoming far clearer than before.
Shendu, along with the Demon Sorcerers, stood at the absolute peak—seventh-level existences without equal.
Killing one of them would yield 250,000 magic stones.
Below them were three sixth-level demons. Each kill among these granted 50,000 magic stones.
As for the remaining enemies, there were three fifth-level beings.
Though their strength was noticeably inferior compared to the higher tiers, every confirmed elimination was still worth 20,000 magic stones—no small sum by any measure.
When all of these figures were added together, the total reached 710,000 magic stones.
An astonishing number.
Yet what truly shook Yami Tsukishiro was the harvest brought in by the Ten Shadow Generals.
They had slaughtered humans without restraint, their methods ruthless to the extreme—cruelty without the slightest hesitation.
Because of this, they had accumulated three million magic stones.
A number so massive it bordered on the unreal.
One had to remember—
The human population of this world vastly exceeded that of the world Busujima Saeko once came from.
And when that was combined with the five million magic stones obtained earlier from the mysterious historical tome—
The final total reached 9.21 million magic stones.
"This time… I really struck gold."
Facing such overwhelming wealth, it was hard to imagine anyone not feeling the same.
Now that he possessed such an absurd reserve of magic stones, the highest priority was obvious—
Strengthen himself.
Only by becoming stronger could he calmly handle whatever trials, enemies, or disasters awaited in the future.
[Ding——! Consumed 1,000,000 magic stones.
SS-rank Meme [Star Dragon King] upgraded to Level 8.]
"Upgrading to Level 9 requires 10,000,000 magic stones…"
"..."
Yami didn't even hesitate.
He abandoned the idea instantly.
Rather than obsessing over one ability, it was far more efficient to strengthen his overall foundation and expand his forces.
[Ding——! Consumed 250,000 magic stones.
S-rank Meme [Word Spirit] upgraded to Level 7.]
[Ding——! Consumed 1,000,000 magic stones.
S-rank Meme [Twelve Talismans] upgraded to Level 8.]
[Ding——! Consumed 1,000,000 magic stones.
SS-rank Meme [Shadow Monarch] upgraded to Level 8.]
"Haa…"
Yami Tsukishiro let out a long breath.
He expelled the turbulent energy that had accumulated within his body, slowly adapting to the drastic surge in power.
At the same time, it was a moment of reflection—
Just minutes ago, 3.25 million magic stones had vanished like floodwater after a dam collapse.
Such extravagant consumption could only be described as pure luxury.
"Oh—right. I nearly forgot about them."
As if suddenly awakening from a trance, Yami remembered the countless humans who had died in the Jackie Chan world, their souls still drifting within the realm of death.
With a casual wave of his hand, he resurrected a portion of them within the mining area.
Although the number of magic-stone veins had increased, their distribution was currently restricted to the first level.
"Is it because the first floor has the widest area…? Or is there another reason?"
Yami shook his head slightly, abandoning the thought for now.
In this world, humans who died would be reborn within the mining zone, continuing their labor as before.
He projected images of these people before Jackie Chan and the others—just as he had once done with Busujima Saeko and her group.
The purpose was simple.
Motivation.
This time, however, the minerals produced were not limited to magic stones.
A new resource had appeared—
[Energy Crystal Ore].
On the second level, compared to the vast number of magic-stone veins, these crystal deposits were pitifully scarce.
Yami ordered a beast-warrior to excavate one sample.
The crystal formed in a solid, translucent structure, radiating faint energy.
[Energy Crystal]: After absorption, enhances one's source energy and strengthens the body.
"…Incredible."
"Improving memetic abilities should rely on growth and magic stones… yet this is a tangible mineral…"
At first, Yami Tsukishiro couldn't fully grasp its purpose.
Then—
Like lightning tearing through the darkness, realization struck.
"If it's a physical object… then it means it can be taken outside."
Once that thought formed, he made his decision without hesitation.
All monsters stationed on the second level were ordered to prioritize the mining of energy crystals at full capacity.
Meanwhile, the third level had also been unlocked.
Busujima Saeko and her team were drawing closer and closer to the tenth level.
"It's about time I properly designed the entire underground city."
The third level—[Forest of Life]—was completely different from the bone-littered cemetery of the first floor, steeped in death, and the ancient battlefield of the second floor, drenched in killing intent.
This place was a vast, lush forest.
Countless animals roamed freely, and small, vibrant creatures of all kinds played among the branches, ran through the grasslands, or splashed in clear streams.
It was a scene of harmony—
A living, breathing masterpiece of nature.
At the heart of this seemingly endless forest stood a colossal tree, bathed in emerald light.
It radiated a refreshing, sacred aura—an existence that inspired awe at first glance.
After closer inspection, Yami learned its name.
[Sacred Tree of Life].
Yet what truly startled him was what appeared when he attempted to view its detailed information.
Instead of being listed as a structure or resource, it was classified as a monster.
And its data—
Was nothing but question marks.
[Monster]: Divine Tree of Life
[Rank]: ???
[Title]: ???
[Race]: Plant-Type
[Meme]: ???
"???"
Yami Tsukishiro froze for a moment, his expression filling with confusion.
This was the first time he had encountered an existence within the dungeon whose information was almost entirely concealed—marked with nothing but question marks, aside from its name.
According to common sense, the Sacred Tree of Life should have been classified as an environmental structure.
Yet now, it was being identified as a monster.
"The Sacred Tree of Life…"
Standing beneath the towering trunk, Yami tried calling out softly.
There was no response.
The surrounding forest remained perfectly still—no movement, no reaction, not even the faintest ripple of energy.
The colossal tree before him appeared serene and gentle, devoid of the ferocity or pressure one would normally associate with a monster.
And yet—
There was something undeniably special about standing before it.
Simply being near the Sacred Tree of Life filled one with an indescribable sensation, as though immersed within a vast, endless river of vitality—warm, vigorous, and overflowing with life.
In the end, Yami chose not to interfere with this mysterious existence.
"This level really is suitable for habitation…"
He thought quietly.
An idea soon formed in his mind—to create a private living area beneath the Divine Tree of Life, a place where he could reside in comfort and tranquility.
After some consideration, however, he decided to construct the third level's main city slightly farther away from the Sacred Tree.
As for its design, he planned to replicate the familiar structure of an inner city and outer city layout.
Since no magic-stone veins or energy crystal deposits had yet been discovered on this level, there was no need to designate a mining zone for now.
In terms of style, he chose to use towering ancient trees brimming with vitality as the primary framework—forming a natural city nestled among the forest giants.
Next came a process he knew all too well.
Primitive incubation.
When the available options appeared before him, even Yami couldn't hide his surprise.
The variety was astonishing—ranging from standard primitive embryos to infinite primitive embryos.
[Plant Embryo]
[Natural Elf Primitive Embryo ×1]
[Dark Elf Primitive Embryo ×1]
Ordinary Primitive Embryos:
[Infinite Elf Primitive Embryo]
[Infinite Elf Primitive Embryo]
Infinite Primitive Embryos:
"This is… unexpected."
Yami immediately selected the two infinite primitive embryos and examined them closely.
Both belonged to the elf race, yet their appearances were completely different.
One was pitch-black—deep and opaque, like ink swallowing all light.
The other was pure white—pristine and flawless, resembling snow or polished jade.
Holding the two embryos, Yami began comparing their compatibility with the memes he possessed.
The black embryo showed compatibility with the majority of memes.
The white embryo, however, matched only a small number—and all of them lacked any malicious or corruptive influence.
"…So that's how it is."
Nature and darkness.
Two opposing paths.
"Elves…"
Yami rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.
Countless legends and impressions surfaced in his mind.
Elves—the beloved children of nature.
Mysterious, spiritual beings.
Graceful figures, light and elegant, like dancing spirits.
Masters of elemental power, living in perfect harmony with the natural world.
Then—
A brilliant idea flashed through his mind like a falling star.
"Dark Elves… and Light Elves."
The dark elves—cold, sharp, and cunning—like obsidian glinting beneath a moonless sky.
The light elves—noble and sacred—like the first sunlight at dawn, warm and radiant.
This was the contrast he wanted.
Two races representing different forces and ideals.
Opposing, yet intertwined.
The twin poles of yin and yang—balanced through contrast.
Images of elf queens from countless fantasy legends surfaced in his thoughts.
Draped in exquisite robes, radiant like stars.
Holding staffs of immense power, as if grasping the secrets of the universe itself.
An intoxicating beauty that captivated all who beheld them.
And above all—
That stark contrast of black and white.
Like night and day colliding.
Beautiful beyond words.
Yami made his decision instantly.
Without hesitation, he removed memes such as Corrosive Venom and Source of Infection from consideration.
Such vile and corruptive abilities had no place upon elves.
Forcing them onto such beings would feel wrong—like splattering filth across a flawless painting.
In the end, his choices were set.
For the Dark Elf's Infinite Primitive Embryo, the selected fusion memes were:
Speed Enhancement, Physical Reinforcement, Sky Magic, and Thunder Magic.
[Meme]: Thunder Magic
[Grade]: A
[Abilities]
[Lightning Control]: Command lightning
[Incarnation of Thunder]: Transform into living thunder
[Meme]: Sky Magic
[Grade]: A
[Abilities]
[Flame Control]: Control flames
[Power of Flight]: Grants flight
[Regenerative Power]: Grants regeneration
For the Light Elf's Infinite Primitive Embryo, the selected fusion memes were:
Speed Enhancement, Physical Reinforcement, Water Magic, and Wind Magic.
[Meme]: Water Magic
[Grade]: A
[Abilities]
[Water Control]: Command water
[Water Transformation]: Body transforms into water
[Meme]: Wind Magic
[Grade]: A
[Abilities]
[Wind Control]: Command wind
[Wind Transformation]: Body transforms into wind
[Ding——! Consumed 250,000 magic stones.
Initiating hatching of Infinite Elf Primitive Embryo.]
"..."
Yami paused.
Two embryos alone required 250,000 magic stones to hatch.
Such a cost was unheard of.
What shocked him even more—
Fusing a single A-rank meme required 100,000 magic stones.
Ten times the cost of a B-rank meme.
The price was undeniably steep.
But when he considered their future value—his most powerful subordinates, his queens—
Yami clenched his teeth.
"…Half a million magic stones."
"You'd better prove that every single one of them was worth it."
Muttering to himself, he began shaping the two priceless embryos into their final forms.
Not long after—
A crisp system sound echoed.
[Ding——! Congratulations.
You have successfully hatched the [Dark Elf Queen]. Please assign a name.]
Immediately after, another notification followed.
[Ding——! Congratulations.
You have successfully hatched the [Natural Elf Queen]. Please assign a name.]
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