Chapter 26: Evolving Invisible Providence, A Familiar Explosion
[After successfully absorbing the second avatar crystal, you felt your power grow stronger, though it was primarily a quantitative increase.]
[You weren\'t sure if the Death Envoy and Hellhound knew about this method of gaining strength, but if they did, it could prove problematic.]
[You speculated that avatar crystals were a finite resource, with only a limited number existing in the world.]
[This meant that you might have to confront other avatar masters to monopolize the avatar crystals, potentially even killing them to reclaim the crystals they had absorbed.]
[For now, your plan was to seize all the avatar crystals in this city before expanding the influence of the Sky High Gang to other cities.]
[Holding the third avatar crystal in your hand, you stabbed it into Invisible Providence.]
[As expected, Invisible Providence ran rampant once more, and this time it was even worse.]
[The bed sheets and objects in the room began to turn invisible.]
[But before things could spiral out of control, you managed to rein in Invisible Providence.]
[This time, you felt a qualitative improvement in your avatar\'s power.]
[For instance, the tentacles you summoned were now more durable and stronger than before. Additionally, your invisibility and presence concealment abilities could now be extended to others as well as yourself.]
[As for your identity distortion ability, it had become more potent and foolproof. You could apply it to your targets more easily, and they would need to expend significantly more willpower to resist your identity distortion.]
[Feeling the surge of power within you, you nodded in satisfaction. "It seems I was right. Absorbing the avatar crystals is indeed the correct way to increase an avatar master\'s power. The novels weren\'t lying."]
[Although your method of growing stronger wasn\'t without its risks—one wrong move could lead to your avatar taking control and killing you—you felt confident that you were on the right path.]
[You speculated that the avatar crystals, which resembled golden shards, were fragments of something larger. You deduced that piecing them all together might lead to godhood.]
[This might be the path to becoming a god in the Avatar World.]
[As you left your hotel room, you muttered, "The god simulation will only end and be deemed complete after I become a god and save this world from the impending invasion of the Outer God. So, I have to collect as many avatar crystals as I can and pave the path to godhood."]
[With your plan set, you made your way to the real base of the Sky High Gang.]
[Unlike the abandoned warehouse you first encountered, which was merely a temporary hideout, the true base was a villa located in a secluded area. This was where the core operations of the gang were managed.]
[Inside the villa, only Viktor, the deputy leader of the Sky High Gang, awaited your arrival.]
[You had decided not to involve other avatar masters from different gangs, knowing their power levels were mediocre at best.]
[Their presence would likely hinder rather than help your mission. Even Viktor, despite being necessary for his role as a guide and mediator with the other gangs, wasn\'t much stronger.]
[The reality was that most avatar masters, unless they possessed rule-based abilities or were on par with top-tier figures like the Death Envoy or Hellhound, would simply slow you down.]
[Your power had already far surpassed theirs, making them more of a burden than an asset.]
[As soon as you entered, Viktor immediately knelt before you, his voice filled with eager anticipation. "Boss, is it time for us to dominate the underworld in Maplewood City?"]
[You nodded, your expression firm. "Yes, it\'s time. But remember, this is all just a means to an end. My interest lies in obtaining the avatar crystals, not in managing the gangs. That\'s your responsibility."]
["Once we\'ve taken control of every gang in this city, we\'ll extend our influence to the neighboring cities, until we dominate the underworld across the entire world!"]
[Viktor, clearly energized by your words, knelt even deeper, his tone reverent and filled with loyalty. "All for the sake of the boss\' ambitions! This lowly subordinate will ensure that your goals are achieved, no matter what it takes!"]
[With that, the brief exchange with Viktor concluded, and both of you left the villa, prepared to conquer the remaining gangs in Maplewood City and move one step closer to your ultimate goal.]
[Two days had passed since then. You and Viktor conquered five more gangs, with three of those gangs having one avatar crystal each, allowing you to harvest three avatar crystals.]
[There was only one gang left which you and Viktor purposely left last to deal with. From what Viktor informed you about, the Bandana Gang was the strongest gang in Maplewood City.]
[In comparison, Sky High Gang was only considered as the fourth in gang rankings when compared to all nine reigning gangs in Maplewood City.]
[If not for your power, Viktor dared not offend the Bandana Gang. But after witnessing your power, Viktor was confident that you\'d be able to deal with the Bandana Gang, subdue them, and take their avatar crystal.]
[From what Viktor informed you, there were a total of three avatar masters in the Bandana Gang. Their gang had the highest number of avatar masters compared to the rest of the gangs.]
[Of course, there was the possibility that there were more avatar masters in Maplewood City who weren\'t part of the nine reigning gangs, but they weren\'t your concern since they weren\'t affiliated with any of the major gangs in the city.]
[You and Viktor soon arrived at the base of the Bandana Gang.]
[However, just as you were about to take a step forward, an intense feeling of danger washed over you, as if you had just stepped on a landmine.]
[Before you could react further, a familiar deafening explosion erupted, shaking the ground beneath you!]