Chapter 57: War Is the Fastest Path to Wealth!
This was the first time he had obtained either of them, so he couldn't resist taking a careful look.
The Golden Treasure Chest appeared similar in size to the other treasure chests — but its gleaming gold color and brilliant sheen gave it an entirely different aura. If the Silver Treasure Chest conveyed wealth, then the Golden one conveyed obscene wealth.
That was the only description that came to Kaiden's mind as he looked at it.
The War Spoils Chest, on the other hand, was something else entirely different.
In truth, it bore little resemblance to conventional treasure chests beyond simply being a chest. It was roughly twice the size of ordinary ones, and its appearance was closer to a savage pirate's plunder than a reward box. Black covered its entire structure, while crossed claws were affixed atop its lid, and rows of sharp teeth lined its edges.
With a single glance, Kaiden could identify their origin. They looked exactly like the claws and teeth possessed by the Liclron. As though the chest itself had been crafted from the remains of that race.
But appearances didn't matter. What mattered was the contents.
With that thought, Kaiden opened the Golden Treasure Chest first without any hesitation. The moment his hand touched it, the chest dissolved into countless golden points of light that scattered through the air before fading.
---
Opened — You have received:
- Iron × 1,000 units
- Mithril Ore × 120 units
- Livestock Bundle (Rare) × 1
- Apprentice Rune Carver's Workshop Bundle Blueprint (Rare) × 1
- Earth Transition Skill (Epic) × 1
---
Kaiden's breath caught for a moment. Then his eyes widened gradually as he stared at the reward list. They were all extraordinary. A generous quantity of iron that equaled an entire day's quest reward — and that was just one element of the gains.
The second element was mithril ore. The last time he had obtained it, he hadn't known its value and hadn't thought much of it. Now he was in dire need of it. A hundred and twenty units of mithril was enough to equip six or seven Champions — which would translate into a massive increase in his forces' power.
The third element was something else he had been hoping for over a long period. Finally he would have livestock. And having learned by now what the word "bundle" usually implied, it would most likely include multiple breeds rather than just one.
He was also eager to see the second rare workshop he had acquired. The first had been the Alchemist's Workshop — which had made an enormous impact on his territory. He wasn't exaggerating: without Luther's potions, at least half his forces would have died in the last battle. That was the extent of its impact.
He had also acquired another Epic skill. The moment he read its name, he felt excitement boiling within him. But despite that, he forced himself to stay calm and opened the Livestock Bundle's description first.
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Name: Livestock Bundle (Rare)
Description: Upon opening, you will receive 4 sheep, 4 mountain goats, and 2 cows.
Note 1: A livestock pen must be built or its blueprint obtained to ensure the livestock's safety.
Note 2: The livestock breeds have been cross-bred to suit the environment of the world of Aurandra. Additionally, each species includes one male to ensure mating and reproduction.
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"Sheep, goats, and cows all at once? With guaranteed reproduction!"
Kaiden exclaimed with delight, and some of his usual cheerful nature returned without him even noticing. The rewards were wonderful. He now possessed a magnificent array of farming and livestock — and could finally say he had achieved self-sufficiency. And although he hadn't obtained a livestock pen blueprint, that was a secondary matter. He would acquire one later, and if it didn't come soon enough, he would simply build one. The important thing was that he had acquired the livestock itself.
Kaiden set the Livestock Bundle aside for another time and postponed building the Rune Carver's Workshop until after breakfast to see its function. For now, only the Epic skill remained for him to review.
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Skill Name: Earth Transition
Rarity: Epic
Description: An active skill through which you can transition from one location to another, provided you are standing on a surface of earth. Upon activation, consumes 100 mana points per meter. The direction and destination are determined through thought alone.
Note: There is no distance limit, provided sufficient mana is available.
---
As Kaiden had expected — a legendary skill. Were it not for the absurdly high mana cost, at his current level he could barely transition ten meters. But even so, he understood the skill's true value. It was simply a life-saving skill in the right moments. Imagine being subjected to an attack he couldn't defend against — with a single thought, he would be gone. And with his level advancing, his mana pool would increase, allowing the skill to be used over greater distances in critical moments.
This skill was truly extraordinary. And based on his previous experience, he knew there would be no pain in the learning process. So he chose to learn it immediately.
But unfortunately, the expected effect never appeared. Instead, a cold system alert brought him back to reality:
[System Alert: Learning failed. Only one Epic skill is permitted for your current rank. Please advance your rank.]
"…"
Kaiden was speechless. He hadn't anticipated this — but he wasn't particularly affected. He had already reached his rank threshold and would advance his rank after generating the quests. So he postponed learning the skill to that point as well.
For now, only the War Spoils Chest remained. He had received so many extraordinary rewards from the Golden Treasure Chest that he found himself wondering what good things the War Spoils Chest might contain.
Without further delay, Kaiden opened it. A dark aura enveloped the chest, then with a "CRACK," it dissolved into black points of light and faded.
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War Spoils Chest opened (Special: Fortune and Prosperity Territory). You have received:
- Origin Points × 366
- Nascent Champion Summoning Card (Rare) (Human Race) × 4
Special gains from the Liclron race's world civilization:
- Dark Oxide Fruit Tree Sapling (Rare) × 1
- Pet Summon Voucher (Rare tier) × 1
- Purification Pool Blueprint (Rare) × 1
---
"This many Origin Points?"
Kaiden was surprised by the quantity of Origin Points. Although he wasn't suffering any shortage of them, the addition made him happy. It was worth noting that this amount roughly equaled killing a hundred Common-tier monsters — so receiving it all at once was cause for genuine delight.
As for the four Nascent Champion Summoning Cards, they were a massive boost to his effective combat forces at this critical stage — especially with barely a day remaining until the end of the seven-day period.
When Kaiden continued reading and saw the note "Special gains from the Liclron race's civilization," he felt a slight shock. No explanation was needed. All three remaining items belonged to the Liclron world's civilization — meaning he would not obtain anything like them through other means. That made them genuinely unique.
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Name: Dark Oxide Fruit Tree Sapling (Rare)
Type: Plant
Description: The Dark Oxide Fruit Tree has been adapted from the Liclron race's world civilization and cross-bred to suit the human race.
Effect: Permanently grants anyone who eats a ripe fruit from it night vision indistinguishable from daylight.
Cultivation Requirements: Daily watering, plus a dark environment not reached by sunlight. Preferably planted in an underground cavity with guaranteed air circulation.
Time to Maturity: 5 days to grow into a tree, and another 7 days for the fruit to ripen.
Note: There are no side effects to eating the fruit. Additionally, the quantity of fruit depends on soil quality, daily watering, and suitable environment.
---
"Night vision!"
Having he and his soldiers suffered so recently from the cruelty of a dark environment, Kaiden understood the benefits of night vision with complete depth and clarity. Especially in this world, where no race lacked intelligence or cunning — so in the future, certain races possessing night vision would certainly exploit this deadly weakness to launch a night assault against him. If a race existed that had both wings and night vision, it would be a devastating blow — even a threat of annihilation. So acquiring this treasure was like rain falling on someone who had been thirsting for a long time in the middle of a desert.
Kaiden could only hope he would not encounter that type of enemy before the first batch of the tree's fruit had ripened.
The second item was another Rare-tier pet. Ibla was one of his ultimate weapons, and now he would possess another ultimate weapon of the same rank in his arsenal — significantly increasing his power. And though he hadn't activated the voucher yet, he anticipated that the new pet's appearance would most likely not be pleasant.
One last item remained.
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Name: Purification Pool Blueprint (Rare)
Type: Natural Treasures
Description: A natural treasure adapted from the Liclron race's world civilization and modified to suit the human race. It takes the form of a small pool containing a thick black liquid.
Requirements: Preferably choose a location underground, with an opening above to ensure moonlight can reach it.
Effects: Purifies the body of impurities. Toughens the skin of those able to withstand the purification process.
Note: There are no side effects. After each use, there is a 3-day cooldown period.
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"War truly is the fastest path to wealth."
Kaiden exhaled a long sigh after murmuring those words.
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— End of Chapter Fifty-Seven —
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