Chapter 69: Fortune and the Throne
Bangle of Fortune (Special)
Requirement: None
Effect: LCK +10
Durability: 100
The attributes were incredibly simple.
Seeing this, Liam’s eyes lit up.
The primary reason his probability-based skills triggered so infrequently was his abysmal Luck stat. But this item granted a staggering ten points of LCK in one go.
He wondered if this meant the proc rates for skills like Skyfire Meteor and Death Cycle would finally see a noticeable improvement. Previously, even if a skill had a one-percent chance, the actual frequency of it triggering felt far lower.
He had chalked it up to level suppression when he was in the Ruins of the Frost-Corpse—he was Level 1, and the bosses were Level 50. However, even in The Desiccated Abode, where he was also Level 50, the trigger rate remained pathetic. It was better than the ruins, but only by a hair.
Now, with the Bangle of Fortune providing ten points of LCK, would the proc rates for Death Cycle and Skyfire Meteor finally surge?
With that thought, Liam headed to a nearby monster zone to test it out.
As expected, the difference was night and day.
Previously, Death Cycle might not trigger even once in several hundred basic attacks. Now, the rate had stabilized to roughly once every hundred hits, aligning almost perfectly with its theoretical probability.
"So my Luck stat really was that low," Liam muttered to himself.
He had gained LCK +1 from completing the Elder Mayor’s quest. Combined with the Bangle of Fortune, he now had an additional eleven points of Luck. And yet, even with this boost, his Luck was barely on par with common mobs.
It was absurd.
The Bangle of Fortune was undoubtedly a top-tier item, but Liam didn't plan on wearing it constantly for now. If the trigger rates for Skyfire Meteor and Death Cycle became too high, they would kill enemies too quickly, interfering with his ability to stack HP. He would save it for when he faced true powerhouses like King Abraham.
Meanwhile, Liam noticed his bounty rewards had been automatically distributed.
His AP increased by 500, bringing his total accumulated AP to 2,865. If he were to gain this much through traditional leveling, he would have had to climb over five hundred levels. If Monty had this much AP, his stats would be absolutely terrifying.
Pulling his thoughts back, Liam began to inspect the Golden Set he had received.
Verdant Shadow Raiment (Gold Grade)
Requirement: Level 10 Archer
Liam stared at the description, practically feeling the question marks popping up over his head.
King Abraham clearly knew who had claimed the bounty and was messing with him on purpose. Liam was already Level 50, yet the King had sent him a Level 10 Gold Grade set. This was a blatant insult.
Verdant Shadow Raiment (Gold Grade)
Requirement: Level 10 Archer
Effect 1: Attack Power +9,999
Effect 2: Critical Hit Rate +50%
Effect 3: HP +150,000
Effect 4: MP +15,000
Effect 5: Physical Penetration +15%
Effect 6: Movement Speed +5
Liam’s eyes narrowed.
This wasn't just a mismatch; it was targeted spite. Did he need raw Attack Power? Did he need Critical Hits or Physical Penetration? Out of the six attributes, three were completely useless to him. Most ridiculous of all, a Gold Grade Archer set that didn't provide any Attack Speed?
It defied all logic.
"Abraham, if I don't kill you, I'll change my damn name."
Liam immediately dismissed the idea of wearing the set. However, he did equip the two Gold Grade rings that boosted Mana, pushing his MP pool past the 2,000 mark. With that much Mana, his current needs were essentially covered.
Once he finished sorting his inventory, Liam spent a hundred Gold Sovereigns to purchase a World Megaphone.
"[World Megaphone] Liam: Chloe, I like Garlic Shredded Pork and Sweet and Sour Ribs. I'm not afraid of cavities. Add me if you see this."
"[World Megaphone] Liam: Chloe, I like Garlic Shredded Pork and Sweet and Sour Ribs. I'm not afraid of cavities. Add me if you see this."
He tried to establish contact with Chloe this way, as it was his only option.
However, even after the message had been out for a while, no friend request came through.
That didn't make sense. Chloe’s gaming pod clearly showed she was logged in. If she was in the game, why hadn't she added him? Liam pushed the confusion aside; he wasn't in a desperate rush and could try again later.
Returning to The Obsidian Lake dungeon to continue his HP stacking, Liam found his path blocked by a figure standing just ahead.
Liam narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"
The man standing before him chuckled. "Frost Monarch, tell me... are you interested in becoming the new King of The Astral Kingdom?"
Liam was genuinely surprised. "Kaslow, you’re the Grand Chancellor. Are you really asking me if I want to usurp your King?"
Kaslow’s expression turned solemn, showing no hint of a joke.
"King Abraham’s capabilities are limited. During his long reign, the national strength of The Astral Kingdom has only diminished. Now, he’s obsessed with clinging to a throne he no longer deserves."
Liam smiled thinly. "What about the three princesses? Seraphina aside, Tiana and Leona are both ambitious. They want to lead the kingdom toward Kingdom Ascension."
"Kingdom Ascension is no simple feat. They have the ambition, but they lack the power. If they were wise, they would seek a powerhouse for the kingdom to rally behind, and they would serve that powerhouse to ensure our survival. In my eyes, you are that powerhouse."
Kaslow stepped closer. "With your strength, you could easily marry the three princesses and take control of the kingdom. I know there’s an old saying in the East: 'Hold the world’s power in your hand, and wake up with beauties at your side.' What do you think?"
Liam gave a non-committal shrug. "Empty words won't convince me."
Kaslow clapped his hands, and two young women with striking features stepped forward. One possessed a pure, delicate beauty, while the other had a more youthful, innocent charm. Though they lacked the regal aura of Tiana or Leona, they were undoubtedly stunning.
"These two are my daughters. If you agree to take over The Astral Kingdom, they will both become your personal handmaidens."
Liam raised an eyebrow. In a nation built on the aristocratic system like this one, "handmaiden" was often a polite term for a slave. They were expected to obey their master's every whim.
Liam remembered from his past life that some players with dark tastes would buy maids specifically to satisfy their depraved urges. Certain acts that were illegal or unavailable in reality could be performed in the game world without consequence—if the target was a slave, anything went.
Because of this, many "educational" short videos from the game world had plagued the internet in his previous life.
"I’m a man of principle," Liam replied, his voice ringing with mock righteousness. "Don't think you can tempt me with beauty."
Inwardly, however, he was comparing them to the beast-kin—the Bunnies, Foxes, and Cats. Kaslow’s daughters were nice, but they couldn't compete with that variety. If he truly wanted to satisfy his lust, he could just throw Gold Sovereigns around and have women lining up.
As for the princesses... the idea of breaking them into obedient servants was admittedly intriguing.
But Liam had survived countless brushes with death. He knew better than anyone that "beauty is a blade." His priority was strength. Once he was strong enough, what woman couldn't he have? Forget princesses of a tiny kingdom—with enough power, he could have Goddesses massaging his shoulders and Empresses warming his bed.
Strength was the only foundation that mattered.
"I didn't intend to seduce you," Kaslow said smoothly. "I am merely showing my sincerity."
Liam grinned. "If you want to show sincerity, give me the prelude quest scroll for the Blessing of the Gods that you're holding."
Grand Chancellor Kaslow looked startled, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Very well. I can give you the scroll now, but the objective is for you to become the King of The Astral Kingdom."
Liam’s eyes narrowed. "That’s not enough. A single prelude scroll isn't worth that much trouble."
"I only have one, Frost Monarch."
"You have one, but Grand Marshal Alistair Thorne has another, doesn't he?"
Kaslow nodded slowly. "I would need to discuss that with the Grand Marshal."
"Alistair, you're already here. Just come out," Liam called out, looking toward a nearby thicket.
The Grand Marshal stepped out with a measured pace. "I’ve heard much of your brilliance, but seeing it in person is something else entirely."
Without another word, Alistair tossed a quest scroll to Liam.
"As you wish. Both Kaslow’s and my Blessing of the Gods: Prelude Scrolls are yours."
The corners of Liam’s mouth curled into a smile as he caught the scrolls.
Quest Objective: Become the King of The Astral Kingdom within one month.
Penalty: None.
Reward: Blessing of the Gods +1.
The reason the Grand Marshal and the Grand Chancellor were so willing to back Liam wasn't just because of his displayed power. It was because they believed he had released Eira, the Frost Goddess, and that her resurgence was imminent. Even King Abraham had only gone as far as a travel ban, never actually trying to kill Liam. They were all hedging their bets.
Liam wondered how they would react if they knew Eira had actually died by his hand.
"Since you’re being so sincere, I accept."
Liam’s expression remained calm. He had no reason to refuse two prelude quests. Furthermore, the benefits of becoming King were astronomical. For one, he could easily facilitate The Veiled Overseer’s goal of establishing a political foothold.
He already possessed the Divine Blessings of five Eastern Deities: Gaea, the God of Fortune, the Weaver of Fate, Zhurong, and Lord Laozi. To trigger the Resurgence of the Primordial Eastern Empire, he needed ten.
Currently, he had five prelude quests active: the one from Arthur Thorne to stay out of the kingdom's conflict for seven days, Leona’s quest to overthrow the King, Queen Fiona’s quest to kill the King, and the two he just received to take the throne.
If all went according to plan, he would secure five more blessings. If they were all unique Eastern Deities, he would meet the requirement for the Empire's resurgence. Of course, one can never have too many Blessings of the Gods.
Based on his knowledge, both Seraphina and King Abraham held prelude scrolls as well. The one Arthur Thorne had given him was likely his own, not the King's. That meant Abraham still had one in reserve.
However, Liam doubted he could get his hands on the King's scroll peacefully. He suspected Abraham would soon realize—if he didn't know already—that Eira was dead.
As for Seraphina? Liam had just killed Queen Fiona, and it had been announced via a server-wide broadcast. Getting Seraphina to hand over a scroll would be incredibly difficult.
The fastest path forward was to seize the throne. As King, he would have the best chance of prying the final scrolls from Seraphina's hands.
After seeing Kaslow and Alistair off, Liam began planning his next moves. But before he could start, a voice drifted through the air.
"Amitabha."
Liam looked up. A monk with a kind, serene face was approaching. He wore traditional saffron robes and had a perfectly shaven head.
"A Divine Grade Hidden Class... the Divine Monk of the Buddha."
Liam raised an eyebrow. The man wasn't in Anonymous Mode, and his nickname was clearly visible: Skydragon of Potaka.
Skydragon was legendary in Liam’s previous life. In reality, he was a high-ranking monk of the Order of Enlightenment, mastered in all 72 Sacred Arts. By translating those arts into the game, he was capable of fighting far above his level.
He was also among the first to obtain a Divine Grade Hidden Class. While the specifics of his Divine Monk class and his Innate Talent were never publicly revealed, everyone knew he was a monster in combat, capable of unleashing devastating Buddhist techniques.
Skydragon looked at Liam with a hint of surprise. "You are truly extraordinary to recognize my class at a single glance."
Liam waved a hand dismissively. "What does a master from Potaka want with me?"
Liam didn't quite know how to feel about this man. People said the Order of the Dao excelled at seeking fortune and avoiding calamity, but in Liam’s eyes, Skydragon had turned that into an art form. If there was a profit to be made, he was the first on the scene; if there was danger, he vanished faster than anyone.
He wasn't a "bad" person—he had saved people before when the odds were entirely in his favor—but his extreme opportunism left a sour taste in many people's mouths.
The advance reading chapters on have reached 12chapters. Thank you for reading!
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