Chapter 3550 Mid-Level of Sovereign Stage The core melted and turned semi-liquid, before it began to spin, absorbing the essences from the runes. I have used a massive number of resources; they are more than a normal Earth-Sovereign of initial level would use during the breakthrough. Everything I had used was carefully selected for maximum alignment with me. People could make some compromises on selected resources; as long as align with them, it wouldn't affect the breakthrough much. I couldn't take such risks. As it will add to the difficulty of the breakthrough, and I need to reduce it as much as possible. Instead of increasing it, since my breakthrough is already very difficult. It will be even more difficult than due to more forbidden power. Thankfully, I was able to reach the limit of forbidden power five days ago. It is all thanks to the new formula, which is far more painful, but also more than thrice effective. The Grimms also helped; I was able to practice more thanks to strengthening the essence they have provided me every day. As the core begins to spin faster, it starts to attract more resources, and within a minute; it begins to pull out a massive number of essences every second. Thankfully, I have prepared. Even if it gets crazy, I will have all the resources it could consume. I am prepared for every contingency. It is expensive, but something I have to do seeing the nature of my breakthroughs. Time passed and my core began to take more and more essence before it finally stopped at an hour and four minutes later. I looked at my core, which was now slightly bigger, which is not surprising considering the number of essences it had consumed. I should be surprised by how it had not grown bigger. The core had stayed silent for a few seconds before it had started to spin again and this time; it had started to absorb the energies. Since I didn't have a source; I had used a combination of energies. Many of which I had to refine, till they became concentrated. Some of the energies are so concentrated that not many Earth-Sovereigns would be able to handle them, but I could. I had tested them and knew; that my body was well capable of handling those energies. At first, it was a torrent of energy moving at the core, but soon the torrent transformed into a tsunami. Like the essences, the core begins to absorb a massive number of energies. My breakthrough formation has given it everything it needs, not resisting for a moment. The core pulled the amount it wanted, and it got it without any restrictions. Time passes as the core keeps absorbing the energies. Soon an hour had passed, and it continued absorbing the energies in a massive amount and only stopped nine minutes later. Both of the processes had stopped a few minutes earlier than last time, but took more essence and energies. As my core stopped, I began to take deep breaths. The next process is extremely painful. Here, I feel part of my body and soul get ripped apart and merged; it is not the process I want to go through, but it is a signature of all three Sovereign stages. A minute and a half later, the merging began, and it didn't begin slow at all. I was inhumanly painful from the beginning. To me, this process is far more painful than others, thanks to forbidden power, which provides me with so many benefits. At every breakthrough, I will have to experience this process, which is not only painful but also extremely dangerous. Most dangerous and delicate, even more than consolidation. Seconds felt like hours as the merging of soul and body had become more painful. I bore it with the gritted teeth; it was the only thing I could do. I could have screamed if the Grimms hadn't been standing a few meters away from me. I know they couldn't see me or hear me, but I refuse to scream in front of my mortal enemies. I don't know how long it passed, but finally, the pain started to lessen and within a second, it stopped. I took a sigh of relief. This time, the process went smoothly. There was no hiccup like the last time. Still, I was surprised at the amount of sweat that came out of me. It is a lot that the ground has become wet due to it. For a few minutes, everything was silent, before a small blob separated from my core, and same time, a drop sixth of its size separated from the moon. They both moved at the same time and met in the middle, where both had merged. Till their purple and blue color turned turquoise. For a few seconds, nothing happened before they began to separate into the blob and drop. The drop went to the moon, while the small blob was to the core. It might seem like nothing had changed, but a lot did. Two minutes and seven seconds later, the final process begins. The consolidation had started, and it was faster than the last time. Within a minute, a solid layer formed across the core and moon, and they began to consolidate even further. Crack Crack Crack For a few minutes, nothing happened before I saw the cracks appearing on the core. I shuddered to see that, but remained calm. I had to see it too many times to lose my mind over it. It is extremely dangerous, but panicking wouldn't help. Though no panicking wouldn't make things easier either; it is the process out of my control. Still, I would like to experience it calmly as possible. The cracks kept spreading and covered more than half of the core, but they had stopped, and, for a couple of seconds, nothing happened, before finally, the cracks began to heal slowly. It stopped mid-way, before resuming again, and soon all the cracks vanished. Seeing that, I took a sigh of relief. Though I am not out of danger yet; the consolidation has yet to be finished. A few more minutes passed without any problem and the consolidation finished, both in core and the moon. The core had come back to its original size, but it had become more lifelike. It felt and looked like a real world. I was admiring it, when the core buzzed, and runes came out and spread into every part of my body within seconds. Buzz! A moment after the runes finished, the core buzzed even more loudly, and the flood of strengthening energy was released into me through the runes. It came and spread into every part of my body, which is like a parched desert. Every drop that fell on it had been quickly absorbed by it, but more kept coming, till even my body couldn't absorb as it came. Seconds passed and turned into a minute and strengthening energy kept coming into me. I couldn't help, but smile widely as I felt my strength increasing every second. It feels amazing. Finally, the last drop of it had been absorbed by me and I have reached the Mid-level of Sovereign Stage.