Awakening: Reincarnating With the SSS-Level Extraction Talent

[You still have 57 minutes and 37 seconds remaining to ask your questions.]

The system's voice echoed clearly in the space around Alex, calm and patient as always.

But to him, it may as well have been background noise.

He didn't need a full hour to think.

In truth, he already knew what he wanted, he had known it from the moment this reward had been offered.

His thoughts didn't hesitate.

His focus didn't waver.

The first two questions had already been etched into his mind long before this moment even arrived.

They were a certainty, obvious choices, too important to ignore, too vital to delay.

So, without the slightest pause, Alex raised his hand.

"First question," he said, lifting a single finger, "I want to know where and what Lich is, give me any and all useful information about him."

The system didn't need clarification.

It understood perfectly.

And to Alex, there could be no better way to begin.

The top priority, above all else, was finding out more about his greatest living enemy.

Because as far as Alex was concerned, Lich was no ordinary opponent.

He was one of the final threats to peace in the multiverse.

A small list hovered into view as Alex recalled it mentally.

[Ultimate Nemeses List]

[1. The Gods]

[2. Lich, the Necromancer]

[3. The Hatred Demon, Dead]

Three names. Three true enemies.

One of them already gone, erased from existence by Alex's own hands.

That left two more barriers to remove before his vision of peace across the 25 worlds, across Universal Descent, could finally be realized.

And while that list showed only his personal vendettas, it didn't tell the full story.

Alex also had an [Elimination List], a broader tally of factions and forces that posed a threat to the world's future.

[Alex's Elimination List]

[The Angels (Completed, Now under his command.)]

[The Dark Elves.]

[The entire Demon Race.]

[The Gods (18 remain).]

[The Hatred Sect and Hatred Demon (Completed, All Killed)]

[Evil Grand Mages (Completed, All Killed)]

[Lich, the Necromancer]

[Primordial Dragons (Status Unknown, Temporary Alliance?)]

Looking at this, Alex could already cross out several threats.

The [Angels] now followed his command willingly.

The [Demon Race] and [Dark Elves]? They could be wiped out by the angels if Alex gave the order.

As for the [Primordial Dragons], things were a bit more delicate, but recent events made it clear they wouldn't be a problem.

After all, Alex had killed the Hatred Demon, the monster that destroyed an entire dragon city.

Even the prideful dragons wouldn't dare oppose the one who accomplished that.

And if they did? He would deal with them, just like all the rest.

That meant only two categories of threats remained, two factions that could still plunge the world into chaos.

The first were the [Gods].

But Alex knew they wouldn't act immediately.

Their hands were tied until the [Chosen Games] began, the sacred battle that would determine which god and chosen mortal would ascend as the ultimate beings of this era.

The second threat was Lich. A dangerous force unlike any other.

The final loose thread outside of the gods themselves.

If Alex could eliminate him, then the only task left would be surviving and winning the [Chosen Games].

And he was perfectly fine with that.

In fact, he felt a quiet pride knowing he had already come this far.

With each step, he grew closer to the end.

Ding!

[The system has found an answer to your question. It will now be displayed.]

Alex's eyes sharpened.

"Alright," he said with anticipation, "Show me."

Several panels flickered into existence in front of him, lined neatly with glowing golden borders.

The information began to unfold line by line.

[Lich, the Necromancer]

A powerful vampire who has completely mastered the control of the dead, enabling him to command hundreds of thousands of undead from any distance, spreading death and chaos across the lands.

"Hm." Alex narrowed his eyes.

Most of it was already known to him, except one particular detail.

"Vampire," he muttered. "That's new."

That small addition added depth to Lich's power.

Vampires had inherently powerful regenerative capabilities, and their affinity with darkness and blood often gave them unique magical traits.

It was no wonder the system had noted it here.

At least he now knew the system wasn't skimming on details.

But then, the next line appeared, and it changed everything.

[Unfortunately, you will not be able to find or reach Lich, as he is currently residing inside of a god's domain.]

"What?" Alex's eyebrows shot up. "Wait… does that mean?"

Another panel slid forward in response.

[Lich is the "Chosen One" of the God of Death. They are currently training, and as a result, Lich will also participate in the "Chosen Games."]

For a full second, Alex just stared.

Then, "Holy fucking shit."

That was unexpected.

He hadn't considered that possibility.

Of all things, for Lich to be a Chosen One? That changed everything.

In his previous life, the [Chosen Games] never even occurred.

The destruction had come far too early.

The gods had descended after one year, humanity was crushed, and Alex never even got close to stopping it.

But that was because, back then, Kaelios, the God of Destiny, had never found a Chosen One.

And without one, the games never took place.

But now, the situation was different.

Every living god had apparently found their chosen mortal.

Which meant that this time, the [Chosen Games] would happen.

And if Lich was one of the participants, that meant he couldn't unleash his undead armies on humanity, not while he was locked inside the god's domain, training for the games.

"HAHAHAHA!" Alex burst out laughing, unable to contain it. "Fucking amazing!"

It didn't remove Lich as an enemy, no, but it did restrict his ability to cause harm outside the battlefield of the games.

That alone was worth celebrating.

The necromancer would still have to be fought, but it would be during the games, where the rules were strict, and the consequences isolated.

Alex would deal with him there.

Until then, it meant his focus could shift to what truly mattered, finishing the rest of his [Elimination List], acquiring the last two [Tokens] for the [Door of Destiny], and training.

[Was my answer useful?]

Alex nodded without hesitation.

"Yes," he said. "I've still got two more questions, though."

[Take your time.]

He almost launched into the next one right away, but then paused.

His mind circled back to something from earlier.

"Lich is the Chosen One of the God of Death," he repeated under his breath.

That detail mattered more than it seemed.

Because it connected to a much larger truth.

Alex knew the top five gods, the ones that ruled above all others.

And he recited them in his mind now, like reading ancient scripture:

[The God of Hatred]

[The God of Death]

[The God of Darkness]

[The Primordial Goddess]

[The God of Destiny]

All of them dangerous. All of them involved in the coming war.

It made perfect sense now.

The God of Death choosing Lich aligned with everything.

Their domains, death, undeath, decay, it fit like puzzle pieces clicking together.

Every piece of the picture was becoming clearer.

Slowly but surely, Alex was seeing the whole shape of what lay ahead.

And now that he knew Lich's position, and the fact that the necromancer wouldn't be spreading death across the world anytime soon, he could breathe easier.

Time for the next question.

"I want to know where the last two tokens are for the [Door of Destiny], the [Token of Wrath] and the [Token of Nightmares]," Alex said clearly. "Tell me everything: where they are, what they are, and how to reach them as fast as possible."

It was a long sentence, but it needed to be.

He didn't want half-truths or vague answers.

The system had a habit of being literal, so he made sure not to leave room for ambiguity.

Ding!

The panels reappeared again.

[The "Token of Wrath" and "Token of Nightmares" are the final tokens needed to open the "Door of Destiny." Each one resides inside a specific tower.]

"Oh…?"

Alex's thoughts immediately leapt to the towers.

He remembered them well, three total, spread across the worlds of Universal Descent.

The first he had already conquered, the [Tower of Destiny], which had granted him the [Token of the Tower].

But now…

[The "Tower of Wrath" and "Tower of Nightmares" each contain one of the tokens you seek. Do note, however, that these towers are significantly harder than the first. The Tower of Destiny was merely a tutorial in comparison.]

Of course.

That made sense.

These were no warmups.

These were real trials.

[The fastest way to acquire these tokens is to complete the towers' challenges.]

[Their locations have been added to your World Map to allow quick travel.]

And just like that, the panels faded again.

Alex was left standing alone, the golden glow of the fading text reflecting faintly in his eyes.

"The Tower of Wrath and Tower of Nightmares," he whispered to himself, already planning. "I'll need to clear both, and quickly, if I want those tokens…"

He glanced at the internal countdown that remained burned into the corner of his vision.

[26 Days, 13 Hours, 17 Minutes…]

A little under a month.

That was his window.

Enough time, but only just.

He had to move fast, but not recklessly.

Every step would have to be efficient.

No detours.

No second-guessing.

"So much to do," Alex muttered, running a hand through his hair. "So little time. I think I've said that a dozen times already."

Still, it was true.

Only one question remained.

And he needed to make it count.