Chapter 100 - Rewards

[Rifle Crossbow] (Gold Crossbow)

Level 15;

Requirement: Strength 30;

Attack Power +35; Piercing Damage: 5;

Range: 30 metres;

Firing rate: 2 bolts per 20 seconds.

Durability: 30/30;

Required Materials: Refined Iron Ore x 6; Scope x 1;

The crossbow was unexpectedly an engineering design rather than a forging design like a bow. It was completely different from the crossbows that he already had. It was more like a sniper rifle and allows a player to hit long distances.

Looking at the crossbow, he immediately realized that he already had a crossbow that he hadn't used it. It was the Bandit crossbow that he obtained in the bandit lair. He had forgotten about it due to the issues he faced as soon as he reached the required level. He was focused on reaching the city that he had completely forgotten about this issue.

[Void Mantle] (Gold cloak)

Level 10;

Defense +25%;

Agility +30%;

Perception +5;

Additional Skill:

Void State: Allows you to avoid damage for a duration of 1 second as long as the total damage doesn't exceed 500 HP. Cooldown: 10 minutes.

Though it didn't have any skills apart from the Void State, it was quite a useful skill at level 10 and a life-saving skill at that. He immediately doned the mantle.

The other two items were tetralophodon tusk and a skill book. Balthazar had been waiting for a skill book for a long time. He could obtain a few skills from the White Heart city at this stage, but most of these would be common skills. The skill book found in such chests were usually uncommon skills. It was an aerial assassination.

Aerial assassination was a skill that allowed a player to leap from a high position to stab the opponent in a vital opponent to cause triple damage to opponent. The damage also increased and caused higher damage when they jumped from a higher point.

The Tetralophodon was a large elephant like animal. Its tusk was a rare material that was about 4 feet high and was something that could be used to create a variety of weapons. The best option was to create swords or spear. Moreover, the tusk also provided additional effects to the weapon.

"This quite a good haul, but I wasn't expecting these. I also got a gold treasure chest, but it had a unique weapon in it," said Merlin a bit disappointed. As Shadow had stayed in the test for a longer duration than him and also given Shadow's skills, he expected a better reward as he was sure that Shadow's performance was no worse than his own. "I expected a unique weapon to be in the chest similar to what me and Rudra got," continued Merlin looking at Shadow with a dejected expression on his face.

"I got a weapon set too," said Shadow finally deciding to check the daggers that he had received from the sour remnant. The pair of blades he pulled out were pitch black in color and the blade had a shape extremely similar to that of the claws of a beast. They were curved at the tip with one side of it having a sharp edge and the other end was dull and rounded off, just like the talon of a bird. The blades were a bit more than a foot long and had width of half an inch at the wider edge. The handles were even more weird. They were each about one and a half feet long and were made of a bone like material, having a helical design on it which provided a good grip. Apart from the design, there were a couple of knobs on the handles.

Once, he saw the weapon, he immediately confirmed that these were the same that he had been dreaming of obtaining. Obtaining these was just a pipe dream for many of the assassin players in his past life, but now he held them in his hands. He immediately selected to equip it as a light shrouded him. He was pushed down to level 11 from level 14, but he didn't care about it in the least.

[Void Dragon's Talons] (Unique Weapon)

Level 10

Bound to Shadow Tyrant.

Attack Power +10; Reflect Damage +5; Magic Resist: +10;

Strength +15; Intelligence +10;

Increase Free attribute points by 2 points for every increase in level.

Can morph in to a pair of piolets, by horizontally bending at the joint of the handle. Can be used for trekking and climbing slippery places.

Can also be used to execute few sword and axe based skills.

Passive Effects:

1. All weapon-based skills will cause additional damage to the members of the dark faction.

2. 20% chance to cripple an opponent on landing hits on the vital points.

Equipment can be leveled up by absorbing the life essences of 1000 creatures of the dark faction. Life essences of void race species or dragonoid creatures would also level up the weapons.

Additional skills:

1. Void Strikes: Cause true damaged to the opponent. No barrier can block the talons during this period. Duration: 2 seconds; Cooldown: 5 minutes. (Recommended to be used in combination with other skills)

He immediately sent the details to Merlin as he began checking the features provided by the Void Dragon's Talons. On checking the features, he was quite satisfied by the attributes, but the skills provided by the talons were even lower than the those provide by the mask of shadows.

Moreover, he was sure that the Void Talons had more skills as he saw them being used in his previous life. It had at the very least a berserk skill which was provided by it. Such skilsl were as important as a life-saving skill and was quite common in unique weapons.

"Yes, even Merlin's sceptre should have a berserk skill as it is a unique weapon," thought Shadow as he didn't find any skills in the description. He immediately checked his chat to confirm this again from the description of the sceptre. He looked quite confused and the disappointment was quite apparent in his face.

On the other hand, Merlin was very happy and was gloating that his weapon had more skills than Shadow's weapon. "This should bridge the gap between us a bit," thought Merlin happily. Though he already considered Shadow a friend and intended to form a group with him, he found that their capabilities had a considerable difference in power which always pricked him and made him feel uncomfortable.

He began to wave his sceptre and openly relish after he saw the effects provided by the Void Talons. Looking at the disappointed expression on Shadow's face made him happier.

"Stop gloating. I still have two unique armaments and have a higher level than you," said Shadow irritated by his behaviour and the giddy look on Merlin's face.

"Hah, I will get a few more equipment soon enough. There are bound to be more unique equipment and based on my observations of this place, I am sure that I can get hold of better ones in the future," said Merlin waving him off.

"Let us get out of here," said Shadow moving towards the staircase back up to the inner region of the fort. As he stepped up on to the staircase, Rozarius popped up through the stairs scaring both Merlin and Shadow. Shadow forgot the spectres and ghosts could pop up through the floor and attack the players and was reminded by Rozarius now. Luckily, the spectre didn't want to attack them.

"Oh! You managed to survive. I have seen the others get back up, but somehow you took a lot more time than the others. Now, what do you intend to do about the promise you made?" asked Rozarius looking at Shadow.

"Damn! That was frightening," said Merlin.

"Yes, I was just thinking about it," replied Shadow. He didn't expect that the spectre would appear as soon as he got out of the enclosure.

"So, you are going to meet the king, or do you choose to destroy the fort?" it asked Shadow coming close into his private space.

"Give me a minute," said Shadow to the spectre as he contacted Rudra about it. He had already talked it out with him before they got into the core region, but he wants to discuss it again as Rudra being a guild leader might have an intention to continue to use it.

"Hi Dude," greeted Balthazar as soon as he lifted the call. "What do you think about the heavenly oath that I have to fulfil after the test. I am thinking of blowing up the fort."

"That sounds like the best idea. Currently we don't have a way to even go to the king to report to him. I have checked. To get to the king we at least need to be a noble to request an audience. Apparently only nobles would be given audience within the day," said Rudra.

"Moreover, such a thing would require a lot of effort and even if I force the guild to work for you to help you in quests to increase your nobility, it wouldn't happen anytime soon," he continued sounding a bit remorseful. Balthazar who had been in a lot of trouble had still provided a large amount of help to him recently and he wished to help him in game at least. It was the only place that he might have more influence than Balthazar.

"Yes, I am thinking the same. Even trying to increase my status in the kingdom is a waste as if as I can't stay in the game for longer duration due to my job. It would be a waste of resources to use the guild to increase my nobility status," replied Balthazar. As he heard the tone of Rudra's voice, he could immediately guess that it was on his mind and he gave an explanation himself, so as to placate the unease in Rudra's mind. Rudra had provided him a lot of timely help in his previous life and Balthazar didn't consider any of this to be on the same degree as the help he received as he was considered a famous outcast by the world when he received Rudra's help. He could only give a business minded answer to Rudra at present and that is what he chose.

"OK. I guess Merlin already informed you of the rewards that we received and also that a few more players are attempting the test now?"

"Well, he didn't go into the details of your weapons, but I can always meet you guys and check it out. He also informed me of the others that entered the test. I will shut the fort after they come out, if possible. The spectre caught me on the steps and is demanding that I fulfil the promise," replied Balthazar.

"Ok. That is fine. Can't help it. Do as you see fit," said Rudra ending the call.

"Rozarius, I intend to blow the fort. But it will take some time to amass the necessary equipment to do it. Also, a few of my companions are already in the shrine. So, can you wait for them to come out and me to make my preparations," asked Shadow looking at the spectre.

"I am willing to wait for your companions, but how long would it take to make your preparations to blow up the fort?" asked Rozarius.

"It is no small effort to destroy such a well-built and sturdy fortress. It would definitely take a few days to accomplish this," replied Shadow. He also found the task quite difficult. To blow up the room, he would need to create a few large dynamites which could break the rock of the hill. Seeing that the fort was sculpted into the hill, blowing it up is the same as destroying the base of the hill. Moreover, seeing that the fort also has 60% of the hill above it, one can guess how sturdy the fort walls would be.

"To be frank, I didn't expect you to come out unscathed. I am willing to follow you as you and your companions are the only ones that I know apart from Lord Silvannus who managed to accomplish this. So, I guess I can tell you this," said the spectre. "Follow me."

He led them up the staircase to a point at the middle of the stairs. He pressed against a drawing of the champion (berserker lord) fighting a serpentine beast. It produced a clicking sound as the part of the drawing flipped over revealing a lever.

"This was constructed by Lord Silvannus. This was the protocol for the worst-case scenario. This lever can collapse the core region magically. Now that others would sooner or later know about the shrine. I would like you to use this. If you were stronger, I would have wished that you protect the fort. To protect the fort, one would require a strength on par with the Lord Silvannus, but your strength is equal to an ant's when compared to me when I was alive, far from being comparable to the lord," explained the spectre.

"Use the lever to stop it, when your companions are out. At the very most, they should take about 10 hours. I would have thought that a person died if he didn't return after 6 hours, but after you I think 10 hours can be considered something that is acceptable. After that I need you to collapse it. If not for the fact that only the living can use this lever, we wouldn't be having this conversation at all," it said as it went through the stairs again disappearing from their sight.

"Well, that make our job quite simpler," said Merlin. He was also thinking about how to fulfil the heavenly oath taken by Shadow. Though it didn't have any direct effect on him. Failure to fulfil the oath would be the same as crippling a member whom he wanted on his team. So, he was glad that this problem had its conclusion.