Leon’s eyes finally caught on something promising as he scrolled through another filtered category.

Three separate items—each one individually incomplete, but together...

’Wait. These could work.’

He pulled up the first item’s detailed description:

Pillar of Structured Ascension (Epic – Dimensional Construct)

A massive spatial anchor designed to support vertically layered trial domains. The Pillar establishes rigid spatial boundaries, reinforces dimensional walls, and prevents collapse under repeated destruction. On its own, it is inert and non-functional, requiring immense external energy input and auxiliary systems to operate. Without a stable mana supply and sustained structural support, the Pillar cannot manifest trials or maintain prolonged activity.

Price: 100,000,000 Causality

Vendor: The One Who Measures Space

Leon leaned back slightly, processing the implications.

A framework. A skeleton structure that creates layered trial spaces but needs power and regulation to actually function. On its own, it’s useless—just an empty container.

But the cosmic shop’s recommendation algorithm had flagged two complementary items alongside it.

He pulled up the second description:

Worldbreath Mana Condenser (Epic – Relic)

An ancient condensation engine that continuously draws free-floating mana from the surrounding environment and compresses it over time. When subjected to sustained strain—combat, cultivation surges, or elemental conflict—the condensed mana crystallizes into stable mana cores. Core quality and density scale directly with the intensity and duration of exertion within the bound area.

Price: 50,000,000 Causality

Vendor: Breather of Worlds

Now we’re getting somewhere.

Leon’s mind immediately recognized the synergy. The Condenser would provide both the energy to power the Pillar and create the actual rewards—mana cores generated from combat activity itself.

’The the idea of using the relic to collect the mana from the vast abundant space like his dimension to power the tower which need humungous mana supplies was great, especially since his time dimension since the beginning has high concentration of and a vast land which he still doesn’t know the actuality of as of right now since the last time he had explored it he had tried to since then’

In the near future, he had to explore; he had a feeling there was much more mysterious to explore in this space, which he hadn’t uncovered yet.

But there was still a critical missing piece. Without proper regulation, trial spaces could become death traps. People could get stuck, die permanently, or grow excessively; it might lead to downfall.

Leon scrolled to the third flagged item:

Covenant of Stabilized Strife (Epic – Array)

A regulatory array that binds living participants to localized reality, redirects lethal backlash into controlled mana turbulence, and prevents uncontrolled escalation within confined trial environments. Ensures that failure results in forced expulsion rather than permanent annihilation, allowing repeated challenges without catastrophic loss.

Price: 20,000,000 Causality

Vendor: Keeper of Reasonable Outcomes

Perfect. The safety mechanism.

Leon’s analytical mind immediately constructed how these three items would function together as an integrated system:

The Pillar of Structured Ascension would create the actual dungeon framework—multiple layered floors or zones, each with reinforced spatial boundaries that could withstand massive destruction without collapsing the dimensional space.

The Worldbreath Mana Condenser would draw ambient mana constantly, using it to power the Pillar’s operations while simultaneously converting combat strain into crystallized cores. The harder people fought, the more energy the system absorbed, and the better rewards it produced.

The Covenant of Stabilized Strife would ensure nobody actually died inside. When someone reached critical injury thresholds or was about to suffer fatal damage, the array would forcibly eject them from the trial space. Death would become "failure and expulsion" rather than permanent loss.

It’s brilliant. Together, they create a complete, self-sustaining growth system.

People could challenge themselves repeatedly without fear of permanent death. The difficulty could scale naturally—easier floors near the bottom, progressively harder challenges as they ascended. Combat would generate the cores needed for advancement automatically.

This is exactly what I’ve been searching for.

But then Leon checked the total cost and felt his stomach tighten.

100,000,000 + 50,000,000 + 20,000,000 = 170,000,000 Causality

He currently has approximately 170 million available.

This will leave me practically bankrupt. Just a few hundred thousand remaining.

All the causality he’d earned from two brutal monster wave battles, all his accumulated wealth from previous fights—gone in a single transaction.

The Cradle of Elemental Seed he’d been saving toward? Completely out of reach again. That divine-tier artifact cost far more than he could accumulate quickly.

But this is more important right now. The Cradle benefits me personally. This system benefits everyone in my dimensional world.

Seraphine, the awakened humans living inside, future inhabitants—all of them would gain independent paths to power. They wouldn’t need to rely on him distributing cores or bringing back loot from external battles.

They’ll have their own challenges. Their own achievements. Their own growth.

That independence was worth more than accelerating his personal cultivation speed.

Leon stared at the three items displayed on the transparent golden screen, his finger hovering over the purchase confirmation interface.

Do I buy them now? Or wait?

Part of him wanted to complete the transaction immediately—secure these items before anything changed or his resolve wavered.

But another part recognized he should probably inspect his dimensional world more carefully first. Understand exactly where to place the Pillar for optimal effect.

No. I’m overthinking this.

He’d made his decision. These three items, working in concert, would solve the fundamental problem plaguing his dimensional space. The cost was steep, but the value was undeniable.

I’ll purchase them. But not quite yet.

Leon wanted to move locations first—get away from this rocky plateau where he’d been training for subjective decades. Clear his head completely before making a transaction that would consume his entire fortune.

He stood up from the boulder, dismissing the cosmic shop interface with a mental command.

SHIMMER!

The transparent golden screen vanished, leaving just the wind-swept plateau and distant dimensional landscape.

Leon took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill his lungs. His head still ached slightly from the intense mental compression of sixty years’ training, but the pain was manageable now as he was getting used to the feeling, still herondeous but getting familiar.

Time to move.

He focused his spatial awareness on a different location within the dimensional realm—somewhere calmer, more peaceful. A place where he could think clearly without the lingering echo of destructive training resonating through the environment.

His mind settled on the lakeside area near the central settlement where Seraphine and the other inhabitants lived. A tranquil spot with clear water, gentle breezes, and the soft sounds of normal life in the distance.

That will do perfectly.

Leon activated his teleportation, space folding around him in response to his will.

FWOOSH!

Reality shifted. The Rocky Mountain plateau disappeared, replaced instantly by the serene lakeside location.

SPLASH... RIPPLE...

Gentle waves lapped against the shore. The air here smelled fresher, cleaner—untainted by the residual mana burns and elemental discharge from his training ground.

Empty green grassland stretched far and wide as far as he could see, along with a majestic lake in the hue of unknown light, which had no source to speak of, like sun or moon, as always.

Much better.

Leon walked slowly toward the water’s edge, his boots crunching softly on smooth grass. He found a comfortable spot and sat down, legs crossed, facing the lake. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Not just for himself, but for everyone who’d sought refuge in his dimensional space. People who’d lost everything during the integration, who’d watched their world transform into something hostile and terrifying.

They deserve a chance to grow strong on their own terms. Not just survive under my protection, but thrive through their own efforts.

The three items he’d selected would provide exactly that opportunity.