The Wraith General's body broke apart into light, the last shreds of its red flame guttering out as the armor emptied and faded. Cracks in the floor still smoked where the greatsword had bitten through stone. For a moment the hall was quiet except for the team's heavy breathing and the slow drift of falling dust.
[System Prompt: Congratulations. You have defeated the Wraith General.]
[Reward: 32,458 Experience Points.]
Warm gold light washed over every member at once. One by one, they straightened as strength returned to their tired limbs.
[Level Up. You have reached Level 16.]
[Level Progress: 20% Level 16.]
Stamina refilled. Mana refilled. The pain from the fight still lingered in their bodies because Glory never hid pain, but their energy came rushing back. Aika rolled her shoulders and steadied her hands.
Hiroto lifted his shield and exhaled, the tremble in his arms finally fading. Daichi flexed both fists and grinned despite the pain. Nina, Kaede, and Lucien let the cool and warm glow of full mana settle through their cores. Mei rin also relaxed.
Kaito also took a breath. He opened his status and slid his new points into Strength, Agility, and Intelligence according to the ratio he had set long ago. It took only a second. Then he walked forward to the soft spread of glow that marked the fallen sub boss's loot.
The first gleam that drew every eye lay half buried in a run of cracked stone. It was the very weapon that had tried to cut them all down. The blade still held a cold shine, darker than silver, heavy with a pressure that felt like an echo of the knight that had wielded it.
[Item Acquired: Doom Render Greatsword] (Silver)
Level: 15
Requirement: Strength 50
Attributes:
Attack Power: +65
Strength: +15
Stamina: +18
Attack Speed: +5.
Additional Effect: Ten percent chance to trigger Heavy Impact. Ten percent chance to apply Armor Destruction.
Hiroto stepped closer. Even Daichi, who did not use greatswords, let out a low whistle. Suzune lifted an eyebrow and said nothing, but the way her eyes lingered said enough. The weapon was a monster in its own right.
Beside it rested a broad, polished shield with a deep silver sheen. An emblem sat at the center, simple and unbroken, as if it would rather crack the world before it let itself be scratched.
[Item Acquired: Doom Render Shield] (Silver)
Level: 15.
Requirement: Strength 30.
Attributes:
Defense: +80
Block Rate: +45%
Strength: +10
Stamina: +15
HP: +1000.
Skill: Guardian's Strength- When activated, reduces all frontal damage taken by 30 percent. Duration 10 seconds. Cooldown 2 minutes.
Hiroto swallowed. He did not reach out to touch it yet. He only looked, then glanced at Kaito and waited.
Three books rested in a neat fan near the shield. The covers shimmered with pale lines, each pattern slightly different.
[Item Acquired: Skill Book. Double Strength. Melee class.]
[Item Acquired: Skill Book. Shield Bash. Knight.]
[Item Acquired: Skill Book. Fire Slash. Knight.]
A necklace lay on a patch of smooth stone, a clean silver chain with a small crystal that held a faint wind glow. A pair of dark boots sat nearby, the leather fitted and light.
[Item Acquired: Swiftwind Necklace. Silver Rank.]
Effect: Attack Speed +10.
[Item Acquired: Shadowstep Boots. Silver Rank.]
Effect: Attack Speed +6.
Three more prompts flickered in quick order as Kaito swept the rest of the items.
[Item Acquired: Advanced Whetstone Recipe.]
[Item Acquired: Gold Coins x 10.]
[Item Acquired: Level 0 High-Grade Mana Cores x 10.]
Kaito paused over the recipe and let the panel expand in front of him.
[Advanced Whetstone]
Effect:
-Durability recovery for weapons at level twenty and below, Eight to twelve points restored
-Damage boost by 3% for 30 minutes
-0/3 Uses per stone.
He felt his lips curl into a thin, satisfied line. This was what he had been aiming for all along. At level fifteen, the Misty Palace was one of the few places that yielded whetstone recipes most often from the Misty Queen herself, with a chance hovering around fifteen to twenty percent. Yet this time, the reward had appeared earlier. Because this was a King-level run, the recipe had dropped from a sub-boss instead of waiting for the final queen.
Players at this stage still thought whetstones were optional. They would not think that for long. Once they started pushing through monsters after level fifteen and their weapons ground down under constant strain, they would learn. When that happened, he would have the supply ready and he would use this recipe to the fullest for the studio.
He closed the panel and turned back to the two main pieces that had turned everyone silent. Doom Render Greatsword. Doom Render Shield. Both, cut from the same dark line.
They gathered closer and read the stats one more time together. The awe they felt a moment ago settled into clear understanding. Both items were top tier for level fifteen. The greatsword's base power and heavy impact chances would break lines in one swing. The shield's block rate and the Guardian's Strength skill would turn a deadly opening into a safe window. They were not common drops. They were statement pieces.
Daichi gave a soft laugh and shook his head. "If we put these on the market right this second they would fetch one gold coin each. Maybe more."
Kaito did not even have to answer. Hiroto already said it for him. "We are definitely not selling."
"Of course not," Kaito said. "With these in our hands we will level faster, clear harder dungeons, and bring in more than any single sale."
No one argued. It was obvious.
Kaito reached down, picked up the Doom Render Shield, set it across his arm to feel the weight for a breath, then held it out to Hiroto. "Yours. You are our MT, This matches you."
Hiroto took it with both hands and bowed his head looking at it for a moment. When he looked up, his eyes were bright again greedily looking at the greatsword.
Kaito then quickly took out the Doom Render Greatsword next from the stone. For a second he judged it the way a smith might weigh a blade. Then he set the hilt into Hiroto's free hand as well.
Hiroto nodded hard smiling foolishly. The team now owned both anchors of the same set. They would choose the right tool for the right fight.
Kaito turned the three books in his hands and then moved without hesitation. He also gave them to Hiroto. "You are the one who must push back when a boss tries to crush us. You already handle Iron Guard like second nature. These will give your bursts the power to reset a fight."
Hiroto directly learned them. Light flowed into his body and sank out of sight. He nodded once, more to himself than anyone else.
Suzune gave him a grin that was half teasing and half proud, and Raven blade clicked his tongue as if to say that tanks finally had their day.
Kaito picked up the necklace and turned toward Suzune. "This is yours. Swiftwind. +10 attack speed is a rare thing for this level."
Suzune clasped it around her neck in one smooth motion and drew both daggers. She flicked her wrists and smiled as the blades moved a shade faster than before.
Kaito then tossed the boots to Raven blade.
Raven blade rolled his ankles and settled into a short step pattern. His next grin was quiet and sharp.