Chapter 26: The Reward
[You have cleared the Imp Dungeon – Level E]
[You have obtained the Dungeon Core; it will no longer exist]
[Calculating rewards…]
[Please claim them upon departure]
As Akira exited the dungeon, the gate began to shrink and twist around itself, creating immense pressure.
It contracted to a tiny point, then stopped, and something fell to the ground.
Akira approached the fallen object. It was a metallic ring with a copper hue. He picked it up, and a notification appeared:
[Ring of Deception]
[Rank: 3]
A ring made of a strange metal imbued with the laws of illusion.
Grants the wearer immunity against any skill or element below Rank 3.
Also contains a storage space of 25 cubic meters.
"Hahahahaha, like an anime hero."
"Anime??"
"Never mind. You're lucky… very lucky. I just hope this doesn't come with even worse luck later."
"From what I understand, it's an item that can prevent evaluation or something similar."
"There are some people who can view a person's stats and information.
Although most of this depends on the type of item or skill, it's good to remain hidden."
"And then there's the storage ability… although not rare, it's very expensive. Good thing you got it."
Akira wore the ring… its design was extremely simple.
"I don't feel any difference."
"Well, you won't know if it works unless someone tries to evaluate you."
A notification appeared before Akira:
[Please set the deceptive stats you want]
"It asks me to determine the illusion stats."
"Set them to level 9, and make all stats average at 53 points."
[Deception modified successfully]
[Do you want to keep it permanently active?]
"Yes"
[Applied]
"That leaves one more thing."
"The Dungeon Core."
"What affinity do you want?"
"I don't know… what do you suggest?"
"Your choice should be easy. First, you cannot select Light or Lightning as they will attract attention.
You also cannot choose Ice or Water, as they have other acquisition methods.
And you cannot choose Wind or Nature, as I cannot teach you their skills."
"So, only Earth and Fire remain."
"You've eliminated all the rest."
Alice said in a slightly sarcastic tone:
"You asked the question… and here I give you the best options."
Akira, contemplating the possibilities, muttered:
"Fire or Earth? I lean toward Earth…"
After a moment of thought, he made up his mind:
"I'll choose Earth. Since I already have a Dark affinity for offense, it's better to have a defensive element as the second."
He took the crystal in his hand, and a notification appeared before his eyes:
[Do you want to consume this item?]
He answered without hesitation: "Yes, I want an item that grants Earth affinity."
The light from the Dungeon Core gradually dimmed, turning into a faint orange glow. The shell slowly cracked, and finally, a small brown shard emerged.
[You have obtained the Earth Gem]
[Earth Gem: A gem formed from concentrated Earth mana. Can be used for crafting elements, upgrading skills, or enhancing Earth-affinity items.]
Another notification appeared:
[High concentration of Earth affinity detected. Do you wish to absorb it?]
[Yes] – [No]
Alice said excitedly:
"Earth Gem! Amazing, it's one of the items I've been looking for… I'm sure it contains an immense amount of Earth mana."
Akira quietly said:
"I'll try to absorb its energy."
As he spoke, mana began to flow from the gem into his hand, spreading a warm sensation through his body.
However, the warmth quickly became intense heat, making him groan in pain, and then scream at the top of his lungs:
"Aaaaaaaah!"
Unable to bear the severe pain, he collapsed to the ground unconscious.
When he regained consciousness, a notification appeared:
[Absorption successful]
[You have acquired Earth affinity – Grade A]
[Defense increased by +10]
Alice smiled confidently:
"It worked."
Akira, still catching his breath, muttered:
"I finally got it."
Alice replied:
"I know."
Then she added, approaching him with a wide smile:
"One thing remains… simple, but it concerns me."
She gently placed a finger on his forehead, and a chime sounded in his mind:
[You have fulfilled one of the contract conditions]
[Do you wish to unlock the second contract feature?]
[Yes] – [No]
Akira asked in surprise:
"Does this have to do with the contract we made?"
Alice answered:
"Yes."
"Honestly… I still don't understand anything about this contract."
She laughed lightly:
"Just agree."
Akira sighed, resigned:
"Alright, I'll agree."
A new notification appeared:
[Second contract feature unlocked]
[Feature 2: Shared Senses]
Followed by a detailed description:
[Magic Contract]
Rank: 5
Bond: Spiritual and physical contract with the entity "Alice"
Contract Features:
Telepathy — You can communicate mentally with Alice.
Shared Senses — You can see and feel what Alice sees and senses.
Locked
Locked
Locked
Do you wish to terminate the contract?
[Yes] – [No]
Suddenly, Akira felt his vision expand and deepen.
He sensed his perception stretching across the floor and ascending the stairs.
A sudden headache hit, and he raised his hand to his head in pain.
"I feel dizzy…" he muttered weakly.
Alice answered calmly:
"This is normal… your brain is processing an immense amount of new information. I'll narrow your senses slightly so you can rest."
Indeed, his senses gradually receded, and the dizziness disappeared.
Still, his perception range remained much wider than before.
Alice watched him intently and said:
"With this… we can say your promotion to Rank 1 is now fully complete."
She smiled lightly and added:
"Tell me, how do you feel now? You're no longer unranked."
Akira turned his head slightly and muttered:
"Power… I feel a strange freedom."
Alice laughed softly:
"Hahaha, if you're talking about power… you're truly strong now. Strong enough to leave your past behind, but you're still far, far from achieving my goals."
Then she fell silent, staring at him sharply, as if probing his soul.
Their eyes met, and Akira felt as if she could see right through him.
She spoke in a low, cautious voice:
"Do you still want to continue? Do you still want to help me?"
Akira felt a strange pressure, as if her question carried an invisible burden, but he ignored it and answered spontaneously:
"What are you talking about? No, I won't let you go anywhere until I reach the top of this world. As for your request… I will fulfill it, rest assured. Just be patient with me a little."
The tension in the air vanished suddenly, and a sincere smile appeared on Alice's face.
"I'm glad you still mean what you say. I just hope you become strong… strong enough when the time comes."
Then she added:
"So, I'll rely on you."
Akira replied firmly:
"Just… rely on me."
He began walking toward the exit and ascended the stairs steadily