SSS Evolution: Upgrading My Trash Grade Skeleton to Godhood-Chapter 55: Snooping

[1. Supreme Phantom Void Steps – A slightly upgraded version of the Phantom Void technique, enhancing its inherent qualities. With this upgrade, the user is almost completely invisible to all creatures at the First Sequence and a few Second Sequence creatures.]

[2. Phase Steps – A technique derived by pushing deeper into the void aspect. While using it, the user can instantly cover a distance of hundreds of meters while being completely invisible.]

Compared to when he first upgraded the Traceless Steps to Phantom Void Steps, the paths available for Phantom Void Steps evolving were limited—just two paths. One was simply the slightly enhanced version of the existing skill. However, with the citation, as it stood, Lukas didn’t feel detection by First Sequence creatures was what he needed protection against. What he wanted protection against were Second Sequence creatures.

Maybe his expectations were too high, or something else, but the disappointment he felt at this point was immeasurable.

However, the next moment he shook his head. Maybe only by pushing the skill to Second Sequence can I hide from Second Sequence creatures!

Lukas concluded in his head. Moreover, as to which path the upgraded Phantom Void Steps would take, he had already made his choice. It was without question—Phase Steps. The ability to instantly appear hundreds of meters away was an effect that was too hard to ignore.

So without wasting any time, he made his choice.

As soon as he made his choice, the floating window rippled like a water curtain. Lukas felt a slight prickling sensation in his head, and then new, completely unfamiliar intuition appeared in his mind. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

It was as if he had been using Phase Steps for years.

While going through the new memories, his eyes focused on a tree branch a hundred meters toward the north. Sitting atop the branch was a bird with pure crystal-white beady eyes, observing Tommy carefully. For a moment, Lukas even saw sparks of intelligence in the small bird’s eyes.

Lukas didn’t know why, but when he first saw the bird, it reminded him of the remote-controlled drones from back on Earth.

The space around him twisted and turned like a curtain of water. The next moment, Lukas’s figure phased out of existence. When he reappeared, Lukas was exactly one hundred meters away, right beside that bird. His arrival was silent and swift, not even creating a single ripple.

If earlier it was his suspicion or instinct, now observing the bird from this close, he could tell—this bird was indeed looking... no, studying Tommy!

Once he confirmed his suspicion, the next moment another question popped up in his head. But why? Why would a mysterious bird observe Tommy?

Just as he was thinking, the bird finally noticed Lukas’s existence. Its two beady eyes suddenly turned toward him. For a very brief moment, extreme shock had appeared in its eyes. The next moment it flapped its wings furiously, trying to fly away. Its speed was surprisingly fast given its small size. Lukas had barely blinked when the bird was tens of meters away.

Not good!

Lukas thought soberly. Countless thoughts popped in his head like lightning. Just then, his hand suddenly lit up with an ethereal glow. For a moment, everyone within a hundred-meter diameter felt a strong suction force, as if the entire world was being pulled closer. This feeling was most intense for the mysterious bird. Its speeding flight suddenly came to a halt. No matter how much it tried, it couldn’t get away, slowly getting pulled closer and closer to Lukas’s hands.

Lukas watched this scene, and a slightly relieved expression appeared on his face.

As expected of Sovereign Grasp.

In another breath of time, the mysterious bird was caught in Lukas’s hands. Unable to fly away, it cried out at the top of its lungs, even pecking furiously at Lukas’s hand with its beak.

Although he felt no pain, a slightly annoyed expression appeared on his face. Using slight force, he twisted the bird’s neck.

Crack!

A light crunching sound echoed, and the bird’s body went limp.

Now that there was no struggle, Lukas could finally examine the bird in peace.

Hmm... this looks like a foreign species. Never saw such a bird before. Could it be a migratory species?

Lukas voiced out his thoughts while examining the bird, his gaze moving to the bird’s claws. Unlike other birds, they were spotlessly clean. This was slightly surprising, considering the fact that most birds used their claws as their primary weapon. As such, they should be covered in scratch marks.

Thinking of something, Lukas’s eyes narrowed slightly.

A domesticated bird.

The moment this thought appeared in his mind, Lukas knew this was most likely the truth.

But who? Lukas couldn’t remember any guild in the Roaring Dragon Settlement that used birds.

No matter how much he thought, he couldn’t come to any conclusion. So in the end, he could only give up thinking about it.

I will search for information after returning to the settlement. Maybe someone inside would recognize the bird.

With that thought in mind, he put the bird’s dead corpse in his spare storage bag, not wanting to mix it with other things.

With this out of the way, he focused on other matters. It was at this moment that Tommy had also noticed the commotion and looked upward toward Lukas sitting above the iron tree branch, searching for whatever had caused the disturbance.

After giving him a look, Lukas shifted his focus toward the two stars on the back of his hand. Although the Traceless Steps was originally a passive talent, now that it had been upgraded to legendary grade, there was an added ability to teleport anywhere within the hundred-meter range. This ability was bound to cost star energy.

Lukas wasn’t delusional enough to believe it would cost nothing. What mattered was how much energy it took.

With a solemn look on his face, he took a look at the remaining star energy, and immediately his face changed color.

"Damn...! Twenty-five percent...!"

A single jump had emptied one star by half. That was twenty-five percent of his total reserves. If he wasn’t using any other technique, then he could only use Phase Steps four times.

The cost might not be a big deal for geniuses with four or even five stars of energy, but for someone like him who only had two stars, it was a very big deal.

With this initial assessment of the skill, Lukas knew he couldn’t use it unless absolutely necessary. Most of the time, he would only make use of Phase Steps’ passive effect that concealed his presence.

Hmm, that girl has yet to return. Why don’t I make use of this time to farm some more sacrifice points? I might be able to upgrade one more talent to the next grade before she returns.

Lukas thought while jumping down from the tree.

Thud!

A large crater appeared where he landed, cracks spreading like spiderwebs in every direction. Maybe it was because his strength had increased to two hundred kilograms, or something else, but Lukas barely felt the impact from falling a significant height.

Both Tommy and Lukas started searching for prey. But compared to before, it was not easy to find any star beast. Maybe all the nearby star monsters had already been killed by them.

Let’s just extend the range of hunting.

Lukas decided to move deeper into the forest. After all, he could not turn toward the settlement—the monsters there were too few, and he might even encounter other awakeners, limiting the number of abilities he could use openly.

Although he moved deeper into the forest, Lukas made sure to follow Bloodthirsty Boar trails. Right now, that monster was his cash cow. Not only were the Bloodthirsty Boars easier to kill, but considering the fact that he appeared weaker than them on the surface, they usually threw themselves at him without hesitation.

So after walking for barely ten minutes or so, Lukas was fairly deep into the forest. A dreadful atmosphere enveloped his entire being.

This was no ordinary time—but the time of beast tide hours. Most of the monsters were in a maddened state. Once they saw anything that moved, they would attack.

Just then, Lukas’s ears twitched. In the distance, he heard the sound of multiple hooves striking the ground rhythmically. His two eyes lit up.

Jackpot.

A Bloodthirsty Boar group.

As he moved closer toward the sound, in a few minutes a group of more than ten wild boars appeared in the distance. Their eyes were wild and ferocious, sharp tusks striking out of their mouths drenched in blood. At the front stood a Bloodthirsty Boar that was twice the size of the other normal boars—probably the leader, at legendary grade. Atop the monster’s tusk was a young awakener’s corpse.

Lukas wasn’t surprised to see a legendary Bloodthirsty Boar in the outer region of Iron Tree Forest. Usually, they could only be found in the inner region, but these were extraordinary times.

Without wasting any time, he looked toward Tommy. His intention was clear.

It was time for battle.