Chapter 217 - 217: Rewards
Author's Note: Do Not Unlock Yet. Chapter Is Still Under Construction.
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Aleman flew forward using his Arcane Dash, eyes burning with fury.
"You're not taking it!"
He collided with the Oni leader midair, and the two crashed down toward the central platform.
They exchanged brutal blows—dagger clashing with cursed saber—while magical backlash rippled out from the Heart Crystal.
Aleman activated his ultimate:
> [Skill: Twin Sigils — Arcana & Ruin]
A circle of light and shadow formed under his feet as he hovered.
> "You want this token?" he whispered. "You'll have to die for it."
He slammed both daggers into the Oni's chest—and both sigils detonated.
BOOM!
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End of Phase
Silence.
A single voice rang out:
> [Victory: Team Five – Aleman's Group]
[Heart Crystal Cleansed | World Influence Token Secured]
[Mythic Rewards Distributed to All Members]
Cheers exploded across the virtual crowd.
Aleman fell to his knees, the echo of battle still pounding in his ears.
But in the corner of his HUD… a message blinked.
> [Private Message from Unknown]: "This isn't over, Reacher. Oni remembers."
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Chapter — The Fruit of Sin
The war drums had stopped. The final echoes of spellfire, clash of steel, and roaring mounts faded into the digital wind. What once was a blood-soaked coliseum beneath the twin moons of Enders Light was now a place of hush and awe.
Hundreds of players watched from the stands, some cheering, some clapping, and others simply staring — too stunned to speak. The arena shimmered with magical glyphs as the tournament's concluding ceremony began. Every team that had made it to the final phase was still on edge, their breath caught halfway between exhaustion and anticipation.
A regal figure in white and crimson armor floated down from the skies — the system avatar known as The Arbiter of Trials. Cloaked in threads of silver mana and wielding the Grand Judge's Spear, she was the visual embodiment of Enders Light's divine impartiality.
> "The Tournament of Echoed Realms has concluded," her voice rang out across the field, calm yet thunderous.
"You have all carved your names into the annals of this world."
Cheers followed, mixed with roars from guild banners and solo players alike. Aleman stood still, his breath steady under his hooded helmet, as his party gathered around.
Team Aleman — a ragtag but formidable squad of six that no one had bet on at the start. And now they stood as champions.
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Third Place – Crimson Phalanx
The first announcement was for third place.
> "Third Place. Crimson Phalanx. Step forward."
A group of bulky armored warriors with a few mages in dark crimson robes moved out proudly. They had been part of the Storm Guild, known for their balanced team composition and brute strength.
A platform of light emerged before them and crates of shimmering rewards began to materialize:
150,000 EXP
Two Skill Rank-Up Cards
Three Mid-Tier Spellbooks
500,000 Gold
A Key to the Library of Minor Arcana – 3-Day Access
The rewards vanished into their inventories, accompanied by a shimmering magical seal signifying their official recognition.
> "Glory to the Crimson Phalanx," The Arbiter intoned.
"May your blades remain sharp."
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Second Place – Vortex Seraphim
Second place belonged to one of the tournament favorites — Vortex Seraphim. A flashy, elite team sponsored by a major gaming syndicate and ranked across multiple global leaderboards.
> "Second Place. Vortex Seraphim."
The crowd exploded in thunderous cheers. These were celebrities of the virtual world.
Their reward platform gleamed even brighter.
200,000 EXP
Four Skill Rank-Up Cards
Five Advanced Spellbooks
750,000 Gold
1 Week Access to the Library of Grand Knowledge
A Unique Mount Egg – Category: Flying Seraphic Beast
> "Damn," muttered Ezran beside Aleman. "That mount alone is worth more than half a city in-game."
> "Yeah…" Aleman nodded slowly, but his attention wasn't on the mount. It was on what hadn't been awarded yet.
The prize that had only been rumored to be real.
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First Place – Unnamed Champions
> "And now," the Arbiter's voice took on a divine echo, "the champions of the Tournament of Echoed Realms…"
A wave of magical wind swept across the stage as golden petals rained from the sky.
> "The ones who overcame every trial... broke every limitation... and proved that unity is forged in fire—"
> "Team Aleman."
Gasps tore through the audience. No guild affiliation. No sponsors. A wildcard team.
The six of them stepped forward — Aleman, Boris, Reiner, Lilo, Gregarious, and Ezran. Players whispered their names in hushed awe.
> "Is that the green-robed assassin-mage hybrid?" "Dude's called Aleman. I think he soloed a Titan Bear once." "Wait, isn't that Lilo? The Ranger who shot a wyvern out the sky last round?"
As they stepped onto the reward platform, light exploded under their feet.
The reward list began to manifest. And it was no joke.
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First Place Rewards – Team Aleman
300,000 EXP Each
Five Skill Rank-Up Cards
Five High-Tier Spellbooks (Class-Tailored)
1 Million Gold (Split Amongst Team)
One-Week Access to the Summit Floors of the Grand Magical Knowledge Library
One-Day Soak in the Pool of Continuity (Entire Group Entry)
> "Holy crap…" Gregarious muttered, nearly staggering. "The Pool of Continuity?! That's only accessible to Legendary-Class quests!"
> "A soak in that place can literally restructure your skills," Lilo added, eyes wide. "People have leveled entire subclasses just from a few hours in there."
> "Wait, what's that last one?" Reiner asked, voice laced with suspicion.
The final reward was still materializing.
A single fruit levitated in the air, wrapped in a dark aura of purple and black flame-like mist. It pulsed with forbidden energy and had glowing red veins along its surface.
> "And lastly…"
> "The Fruit of Sin."
The entire arena went silent. Even the Vortex Seraphim stopped smiling.
> "No. Way."
"They're actually giving it?"
"That's gotta be a mistake…"
> "This fruit," The Arbiter announced, "was once believed to be myth. A relic tied to the ancient Void Witches who sculpted chaos from mana itself. It is said to grant its consumer a random, reality-warping ability—one that may transcend both game and world."
Aleman's lips parted beneath his hood. He felt his pulse thrum in his ears. His fingers itched to reach for it.
> "Congratulations," the Arbiter said. "Claim what is yours."
The Fruit of Sin floated down into Aleman's hands. The moment he touched it, system notifications began to flash across his vision:
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[DING!]
[You have received: Fruit of Sin (Unbound, Unconsumed).]
[WARNING: Consuming this item will alter your existence permanently.]
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The crowd erupted into frenzied whispers, arguments, speculation.