The floor around Philippe's feet was now filled with fading glows, remnants of the ordinary crates he had opened. Out of the ten mysterious crates, eight had revealed their contents: three Common Crates, two Uncommon, and three Rare Crates. The results? A pile of Skill Points and some EXP.
Not a single item he was looking for.
Philippe let out a long sigh, his shoulders slumping in disappointment.
He never imagined his luck could be this rotten!
Across from him, Armand could no longer hide his boredom. He slumped in his chair, his head lolling to the side, and a wide yawn stretched across his face.
There was nothing he could do about it.
"Actually... what are you looking for?" Armand asked, his voice hoarse from drowsiness.
Philippe looked at his friend. "You really can't guess?" he sighed. "A healing item."
Hearing those words, Armand, who had been listless, suddenly jerked up from his chair. His half-closed eyes now wide open, filled with a desperate glimmer of hope. "Something like that... exists?!" he exclaimed. "Can it heal Madeleine?"
"It should. That's why I'm doing this."
Philippe stared at the two remaining crates in front of him.
One Rare Crate, and the other... an Epic Crate.
"Only two chances left. I hope one of them is what we need."
He picked up the Rare Crate, deciding to save the best for last.
The rarest among the others should be the dessert!
The crate floated from his hand, then shone so brightly that the entire messy room was bathed in white light. Both of them reflexively closed their eyes.
Not long after, from within the glowing light, an object slowly formed, descending as gently as a feather and landing in Philippe's open palm.
A silver locket shaped like an oval, adorned with a pearl shell that shimmered like the moon's surface. The engravings on it were intricate and asymmetrical: one half patterned with soft plant vines, the other with sharp, threatening thorns.
Finally, an item!
Philippe felt a mix of excitement and disappointment.
He had actually hoped more for an ability!
At that moment, a familiar notification screen appeared before him.
Item Name: The Shifting Locket
Description: When opened, this locket can absorb physical wounds, illnesses, or poisons from the body of another person it touches, transferring the suffering into the locket and instantly making the target healthy. The locket must remain closed after use. When the user opens it again for themselves, all the stored suffering will be released and attack the user's body with twice the effect.
A thin smile curved on Philippe's lips.
Armand, noticing the change in his expression, leaned forward impatiently. "What item is that?"
"The item we're looking for," Philippe replied. "It can absorb any physical wounds and illnesses from someone else's body. In other words, heal them." He paused, his smile turning wry.
"But the cost is high too. After the wounds are transferred into this locket, I mustn't open it again. If I use it on Madeleine, then open it for myself... I might feel what it's like for my internal organs to explode, twice over."
Armand's face, which had been full of hope, immediately turned pale. He stared at the beautiful locket in horror.
"So... it can only be used once?"
Philippe nodded silently. He opened the locket. The inside was a silver mirror reflecting boundless darkness. The air around it felt cold. Beautiful, yet empty and terrifying. He quickly closed it again and slipped it into his pocket.
"We've got it. Now we just need to find the right time to use it on Madeleine, when no one else is around." Philippe took a deep breath. "Before that, I'll open the last one."
He summoned the final crate from his inventory.
Epic Crate!
"I hope I hit the jackpot."
Armand heard what his friend said and frowned.
Jackpot?
Was this a term from another world?
It made him realize that his friend was truly from another world... not the real Philippe.
Philippe touched the crate with his fingertip. A dense orange light exploded from within the crate, far more blinding than before. When the light subsided, an object floated down into his palm.
It wasn't a magnificent weapon or armor, but a pale blue crystal the size of a pigeon's egg. Its surface was smooth and cold to the touch, softly reflecting the lantern light, yet emitting no aura of power at all.
Then, the system notification appeared.
At that moment, Philippe froze instantly. His breath caught, his eyes fixed on the unbelievable description, his body rigid like a stone statue.
Item Name: Covenant Shard
Description: This item can shapeshift into anything according to the user's preference. It allows the user to establish three "Absolute Laws" that will alter and be obeyed by the entire order of reality. These laws apply as long as the user is alive. Reality will naturally resist any fundamental changes. The user must personally bear the "burden" to maintain their new laws against this cosmic pressure. The more drastic the laws created, the heavier the burden, which will gradually erode and destroy the user over time.
Armand, seeing his friend suddenly turn to stone, patted his shoulder anxiously. "Hey! Are you okay?"
The touch seemed to snap Philippe out of his trance. "Ah! Sorry... I was just... shocked," he said, his voice trembling.
"What is that thing anyway? Is it that amazing?"
A wild and slightly mad smile spread across Philippe's lips. "You'd tremble if you knew." He held up three fingers. "This thing... can establish three new laws that will change the entire world."
"Let me explain. You know humans need oxygen to live, right? What if I create a new law: 'Humans no longer need oxygen'? Or the opposite, 'Oxygen is now poison to all living beings'?"
"Or... what if I establish a law: 'Rifthounds and all Abyss creatures are forbidden to exist in this world'?"
Armand could only gape, his jaw dropping, trying to process such a vast and terrifying concept.
"Of course, that's just theoretical," Philippe continued, his smile fading slightly, replaced by a more serious expression. "I don't know the limits of its power. And I would never try it unless absolutely desperate. Fear of the unknown is a basic human trait....
"This shows that I'm still human. No need to take unnecessary risks."
He clenched his fist, and the crystal vanished, returning to his inventory.
He didn't doubt Armand. On the contrary, it was better to be cautious for the worst-case scenario. Even if he trusted Armand, that didn't mean he trusted others, right? What if a thief 'accidentally' stole this item?
Wouldn't that be disastrous?
This was prevention!
Philippe patted the still-stunned Armand's shoulder. "Come on," he said, his voice calm and focused again. "Let's go back to Madeleine."
***
A/N: If you want to read the 7 advanced chapters with a faster update frequency than the webnovel, you can read it on my patreon whose link is below:
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