"My Lord, what is it?" Lilian asked, with concern. She could not see the System announcements, but she could see the color drain from his face and panic in his eyes.
"The whole world knows," Neraxis said, his voice a whisper. "The System… it told everyone. About the chest. "
Lilian's eyes widened. Even with her limited understanding of this new world, she grasped the implication immediately. "We have drawn attention."
"That's the understatement of the century," Neraxis muttered, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "We've painted a big glowing target on our backs." He could already picture it, powerful, arrogant Lords like Gaius Magnus and his Silver-rank Minotaur marching toward his location, their armies in tow. He imagined assassins like the 'ShadowStalker' who had already pinpointed his region, slipping through the fog to watch and wait.
His first instinct was to leave the chest. To run and hide until they forgot about him. But he knew that was a fool's hope. The name 'Arthur' was now synonymous with 'Diamond Chest'. They would hunt him regardless. Leaving the chest behind would mean facing all of the danger for none of the reward. It would be the act of a coward, and cowardice was a death sentence in this world.
No. There was only one path forward. If he was going to be hunted like a legendary beast, he had better have the legendary power to match. He had to open it. Now. He needed every advantage he could get before the other lords started to circle.
He took a deep breath, pushing the fear down. "The only way out is through," he said, speaking as much to himself as to Lilian. He turned his full attention back to the chest, the beautiful, terrible source of all his problems.
"System," he commanded, his voice ringing with desperation. "Open the Diamond Treasure Chest."
The chest did not have a lock to pick or a lid to pry open. In response to his command, the glowing patterns on its surface began to spin and rearrange themselves. The low hum intensified into a beautiful chord, and the entire chest dissolved into a swirl of brilliant white light and diamond dust. The light was so bright that Neraxis had to shield his eyes. A wave of pure, concentrated power washed over the small cave, making the air crackle and the glowing moss flicker.
A stream of items flew out, hovering in the air before him, each one glowing with its own magical aura. A series of notifications began to rapidly fill his vision, each one making his heart beat faster.
[Opening Diamond Treasure Chest...]
[You have received: Genetic energy x 50,000!]
[You have received: Gold x 10,000!]
[You have received: Rare Metals (Mithril Ingots x10, Adamantine Ore x5)!]
[You have received: Territory Expansion Scroll x1!]
[You have received: Equipment Set (The Sentinel's Vigilance - Silver Rank) x1!]
[You have received: Alchemical Reagent (Phoenix's Tear) x1!]
[You have received: Portal Keystone (Rift of the Grave-Ape Tyrant) x1!]
Neraxis stared, dumbfounded. The sheer quantity of the rewards was staggering. 50,000 Genetic Energy! He had been managing and saving just to get over a hundred. This was a king's ransom. It was enough to evolve Lilian multiple times over, to build, to craft, to do almost anything he could imagine. The gold was a standard currency for trade with the System itself, and the rare metals, Mithril and Adamantine, were legendary materials, perfect for creating legendary weapons and armor.
The Territory Expansion Scroll would allow him to increase the physical size of his domain, giving him more room to build and fortify.
But it was the last two items that were the true treasures. The Phoenix's Tear was a single, glowing drop of liquid suspended in a crystal bottle. The description simply read: [A tear shed from the eye of a reborn phoenix. Possesses incredible life-giving and purifying properties. A miracle in a bottle.] This was an ultimate healing potion, an item that could bring someone back from the very brink of death.
And then there was the keystone. It was a jagged piece of black obsidian with a blood-red rune carved into its center. The rune pulsed with a sinister light, and the stone felt cold to the touch.
[Portal Keystone (Rift of the Grave-Ape Tyrant): This keystone can be used to tear open a temporary rift in space, creating a portal to a self-contained pocket dimension. Inside this 'dungeon', you will face unique challenges and powerful Enemies, resulting in a battle against the Grave-Ape Tyrant. Great risks lead to great rewards. This rift can only be entered once. Be prepared.]
A private dungeon. An "instance." It was a place he could enter to fight and gain power away from the prying eyes of the other Lords. It was a chance to get stronger in secret before his protection barrier fell.
All the fear and panic Neraxis had felt was replaced by a rush of power. The world had put a target on his back, but it had also just handed him a cannon.
"Everything has changed," he breathed, a wide, confident grin returning to his face. "Lilian, our plans are moving faster."
He immediately used the Territory Expansion Scroll. A wave of energy radiated outwards from the center of his territory above them, and the System notified him that his domain had doubled in size, now a respectable twenty-by-twenty-foot square. Next, he summoned the Sentinel's Vigilance armor. The gleaming silver pieces materialized and equipped themselves onto his body with a series of satisfying clicks. He felt stronger, more protected. He was no longer just a student in a t-shirt, he looked, and felt, like a real Lord.