My attributes are increasing infinitely

Chapter 443: Sanctuary of Gods

Ethan’s clone, the man who acted as his ”Master” in this world, sat in a simple wooden chair, his presence a strange anchor for the young boy. To everyone else, this man was a mystery, but to the younger Ethan, he was a source of infinite wisdom. He was the bridge between a boy from a backwater planet and the cosmic destiny of a God-Race progenitor.

”Sit,” the clone commanded, his voice holding a subtle resonance that vibrated in the air.

Ethan sat, the purple slime still perched on his head like a crown of jelly.

”Master, I felt it. The 9th Sky. But I did as you said; I hid the Fox and only showed the Slime. They think I’m a joke. They think I’m destined for waste management.”

The clone’s lips curled into a dry, knowing smile.

”Let them laugh. Contempt is the best armor for a growing tiger. If they think you are weak, they will not watch you. And if they do not watch you, they will not see you becoming their nightmare. But tomorrow, the games end. Tomorrow, you enter the Sanctuary of Gods.”

Ethan leaned forward, his eyes bright with a hunger for knowledge.

”The teacher mentioned it, but he made it sound like a school trip. What is it really?”

”The Sanctuary of Gods is not a school trip,” the Master began, his tone turning serious. ”It is a pocket dimension of infinite scale. Every living planet in the universe has a gateway to it. It is a testing ground, a slaughterhouse, and a temple all at once. When you enter, you are no longer a citizen of your city. You are a hunter.”

The Master gestured with his hand, and a shimmering light formed a map in the air.

”The Sanctuary has no end. It is layered. You will teleport into the First Sanctuary, the lower-risk area designed for those who have just formed their first contracts. There are human settlements there, fortified shelters that act as hubs for beast masters.”

Ethan nodded, absorbing every word.

”The core of your growth there is simple: Hunt. Kill. Feed,” the Master continued. ”When your beast kills a monster in the Sanctuary, it absorbs that monster’s essence. This provides your beast with Gene Points. These points are the currency of evolution.”

The Master’s finger tapped the air, bringing up a list of categories.

”Listen carefully, for your survival depends on this. There are four classes of monsters.

Basic Monsters: The most common. They provide Basic Gene Points.

Rare Monsters: Stronger, often possessing elemental traits. They provide Rare Gene Points.

Elite Monsters: Commanders of the wilds. They provide Elite Gene Points.

Royal Monsters: The kings of their regions. They provide Royal Gene Points.”

Ethan looked at his purple slime. The creature let out a tiny, happy squeak.

”You will see an interface in your mind once you enter,” the Master explained. ”It will track how many points you need to break through to the next rank. My advice to you is this: Do not rush. Many fools max out their Basic points and immediately try to break through.

They become ’Emperor’ level masters eventually, but they are hollow. A master who breaks through using only Elite points will be crushed by a Lord-level Royal monster. If you want to be a true god, you must max out all four types of gene points before you even think about ascending to the Second level.”

”I understand,” Ethan whispered. ”Total perfection at every stage.”

”Exactly,” the Master said. ”And remember your Slime. It is an Emperor Slime. Its talent is ’Devour’ and space manupulation. It doesn’t just gain points; it can gain the traits of what it eats. Feed it well, but do not be reckless.”

The next morning, the academy was a chaotic mess of nervous energy. The air was filled with the sounds of students boasting about their 2nd and 3rd Sky beasts.

”Hey, look! The Slime Boy actually showed up!” a boy shouted, pointing at Ethan. A wave of laughter rippled through the courtyard.

”Hey Ethan, did you bring a bucket? You might need to scoop your beast back up if it gets stepped on!”

Ethan didn’t even look at them. He stood in a quiet corner, his mind already miles away. He was thinking about gene points, evolution paths, and the vastness of the dimension he was about to enter.

Teacher Griffin appeared, looking more like a soldier than a scholar today. He wore light leather armor and carried a staff that hummed with energy.

The students were led to a massive airship. The flight was short, only thirty minutes, but the atmosphere was heavy.

They landed in a restricted military zone where a giant, pulsing blue portal stood. It looked like a tear in the fabric of reality, swirling with stardust and ancient power.

”Every living planet has a gate,” Griffin announced, standing before the portal. ”Beyond this lies the path to divinity or the road to the grave. You will be teleported to various shelters. You will arrive in a private room. From there, the choice is yours. Form teams, stay in the town, or head into the wilds. Go!”

One by one, the students stepped into the blue light and vanished. When Ethan’s turn came, he didn’t hesitate. He stepped into the cold, tingly sensation of the portal.

When Ethan opened his eyes, he was in a small, stone-walled room. It was sparse, just a bed and a chest. He walked to the window and pushed it open.

Below him lay a town that looked like it had been plucked out of a fantasy novel. The buildings were made of sun-bleached stone and sturdy wood. The streets were paved with white sand that reflected the bright, dual suns in the sky.

”White Sand Shelter,” Ethan read the sign hanging over the main square. He felt a jolt of recognition. Even on his home planet, legends were told of this place. Some of the greatest human beast masters in history had started their journey in White Sand.

He climbed down the stairs and stepped into the street. The air was salty and hot. The town was a hive of activity.

Stall owners were shouting, selling ”Monster-Hide Armor” and ”Hardened Steel Swords.” Groups of hunters were sitting at outdoor tables, drinking and sharing stories of near-misses with Elite monsters.

”Hey, newbie!”

Ethan turned to see a tall, muscular man in iron-plated armor. He was recruiting for a guild.

”What’s your beast? We need a scout or a tank. What Sky level?”

Ethan adjusted the purple slime on his head.

”It’s a Slime,” he said simply. ”From the 1st Sky.”

The man’s face went from interested to disgusted in half a second. He didn’t even let Ethan finish his sentence. He turned around and walked away, spitting on the sand.

”Tch. Another waste of space. How do these pathetic weaklings even get past the portal? Disgusting. Waste of my time.”

Ethan watched him go, a small, cold smile playing on his lips. This was perfect. In a world full of high-level beasts and flashy elemental beasts, a boy with a slime was invisible.

He began to walk through the town, observing the economy. He saw a ”Gene Exchange” where hunters traded monster parts for currency or equipment. He saw a ”Training Hall” where people practiced their synchronization with their beasts.

The atmosphere was festive, almost like a permanent carnival. Every time the portal in the center of town glowed, a new batch of ”Newbies” arrived, and the veteran hunters would scout them like cattle.

”Looking for a 2nd Sky beast! High pay for a Fire-type!”

”Need a healer! Any level!”

No one looked at Ethan twice. He was the ”trash” of the batch. He wandered toward the edge of town, where the white sand met the tall, jagged grass of the plains.

He felt the Emperor Slime pulse on his head. It was hungry. Very hungry.

”Master told me to start slow,” Ethan whispered to the slime. ”Basic monsters first. We need to test your limits.”

He stepped out of the shelter’s gates. The dual suns beat down on him, and the wind carried the scent of wild beasts.

But for now, it was the Slime’s turn.

Ethan reached the tall grass and saw his first target. It was a ”Sand Rat,” a creature the size of a dog with jagged teeth and a hard, leathery hide. It was the quintessential Basic Monster.

The rat hissed, its eyes red with aggression.

Ethan took the slime off his head and held it in his palms.

”Go ahead, Emperor. Let’s get our first gene points.”

The purple slime didn’t leap. It didn’t growl. It simply flowed out of Ethan’s hands like water.

Before the Sand Rat could pounce, the slime lunged with incredible speed, expanding its body mid-air. It became a large, dark shroud that draped over the rat.

The rat struggled, its muffled squeals echoing from inside the slime’s mass. But the slime was like living acid and a vacuum combined. Within seconds, the struggling stopped. The leathery hide, the bones, and the flesh, all of it was being dissolved and absorbed.

In Ethan’s mind, a cold, mechanical voice rang out.

[Basic Sand Rat consumed. +1 Basic Gene Point.]

[Evolution Progress: 1/100 Basic Gene Points.]