[System]: Congratulations! For achieving the number one rank among defenders in the [Blackwind Brotherhood Defense], you have been awarded: 1000 Gold Coins, 83,656,000 EXP, and one random Level 20 Ascendant equipment piece.
[System]: Lucky Bonus triggered! Your reward has been upgraded to: 2000 Gold Coins, 167,312,000 EXP, and one random Saint Relic.
Note: Level 20 to 21 required 50 million experience. Level 21 to 22 required 100 million. The progression flattened slightly after that, with level 22 to 23 needing 120 million.
Two columns of white light enveloped Kael as he shot up to level 22. He had killed a total of 4,182 players and NPCs, which meant he had been earning roughly 20,000 experience per kill.
At the current market rate of about $500 USD per coin, the 2000 gold pieces were worth nearly a million dollars. Of course, Kael had no intention of selling; he had other plans for the money.
But the real prize, the one he was most excited about, was the Saint Relic.
Saint Relics were typically large-scale, strategic items designed for group warfare. Unlike normal equipment, they didn’t need to be worn. You simply placed them on the battlefield and, once activated, they could influence the entire conflict.
The [Sunfire Bell] and [Thunderclap Drums] from the battle were both Saint Relics. They also had tiers of quality: Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Mythic, with vast differences in power between them.
Kael closed his eyes, praying to RNGesus for a decent roll.
[System]: Randomly selecting one Saint Relic for you. Please wait…
[System]: Congratulations! You have obtained the Common Saint Relic: [Sunfire Bell]!
Kael almost had an aneurysm.
Are you kidding me, system? You're giving me the Sunfire Bell? The one that's literally lying in a pile of rubble outside?!
Not only was it a duplicate, but the Sunfire Bell was a Common-tier relic, a far cry from the Rare-tier [Horn of the Sun King] and [Drums of the Shadow Tyrant] available in the point shop. He’d been hoping for a lucky drop of a Rare relic, and instead, the system gave him the Common-tier junk they’d already captured.
Worse, it was a level 1 version.
[Sunfire Bell (Lv. 1)]
Health +400
Physical Attack +200
Magic Attack +160
Physical Defense +120
Magic Defense +100
Skill Effectiveness +3%
[Activation]:
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Provides a buff to all allied units within a 3-mile radius. Consumes 10 Gold Coins per minute.
(Can be upgraded to Level 10)
When the NPCs used it, one toll was all it took. When a player used it, there was a per-minute upkeep cost. What a total rip-off. Still, he sighed, it was better than nothing.
“What do I do with this thing?” Kael stared at the bell in his inventory, scratching his head.
In his past life, he had always been a lone wolf. He never ran a guild, so Saint Relics were practically useless to him. Whenever he got one, he’d just auction it off. But now, his relationship with Crimson Bloom was solid. Wouldn't auctioning it off hurt their friendship? Mixing business and friendship was always messy.
Man, this is a headache, he thought. Life was so much simpler as a lone wolf. No attachments meant no complications.
After weighing his options, he decided to talk to Lila. If she could offer a fair price, he’d sell it to her directly. If not, she couldn’t blame him for taking it to auction. Giving her the right of first refusal was more than generous.
His mind made up, Kael found Lila browsing the point shop. “Hey, Lila. I got something pretty good.” He showed her the Sunfire Bell.
“What is it?” she asked, turning from the vendor. Her eyes went wide. “No way… is that the Sunfire Bell!?”
She took the miniature relic in her palm, turning it over and over. She had seen its power on the battlefield firsthand. If Kael hadn't "paid to win" by upgrading their own drums, they would have been annihilated.
After studying it for a few minutes, Lila’s initial excitement faded, replaced by a more serious expression. She was smart enough to understand Kael’s intentions. He wasn't showing it to her just to show off.
Finally, she steeled herself and handed it back. “Thank you for thinking of me first. But I can't afford something like this on my own, I can't make the decision right now. Could you please hold off on taking it to the market? Give me one day. I need to consult with my family.”
Kael nodded and took the bell. He understood her situation.
Lila bit her lip. “I’ll go ask right now.”
With a quick word to her guildmates, she logged out. Kael shook his head as her avatar faded. Even the mega-rich had their own problems.
He walked over to the point vendor and opened the interface. Kael had earned a total of just over 24,000 points. After subtracting the 3,000 he’d spent on drum upgrades and consumables mid-battle, he had 21,000 left.
He quickly made his decisions. First, he spent about a thousand points on potions. The event-exclusive items were far better than anything sold in Stonehaven or even Crescent City.
[Mender's Rapid Infusion]: Restores 10,000 Health over 2 seconds. 10-second CD. Cost: 10 Points. (Qty: 20)
[Potent Antitoxin]: Grants immunity to most poisons for 1 hour. Cost: 10 Points. (Qty: 20)
[Greater Resistance Elixir]: Increases all resistances by 200% for 1 hour. Cost: 10 Points. (Qty: 20)
[Gills Potion]: Allows underwater breathing for 1 hour. Cost: 5 Points. (Qty: 20)
…
In total, Kael bought ten different types of consumables. He spent the remaining 20,000 points on a level 20 Ascendant item and a medallion.
[Ring of the Primal Leaper (Ascendant)]: Level 20
+150 Strength
+200 Agility
[Leap]: Increases jump height by 10 yards.
.....
[Ranger's Mark]: Medallion
+10 Attack Range
.....
Kael now had three rings equipped, with one slot still free. He also had three medallions equipped: the Heart of the Ocean, the Warp Emblem, and now the Ranger's Mark, with one trinket slot remaining. His base attack damage now sat at 8,000, with his health pool over 12,000.
With his shopping done, Kael approached the three chieftains one last time.
“Congratulations on your advancement, Brothers!”
Korbin the Blade laughed. “Fourth Brother, the credit for this victory is mostly yours. After this battle, we can no longer be known as the Three Blades of Blackwind. From now on, we are The Blackwind Champions!”
As he spoke, a system notification appeared.
[System]: Your fame has spread. You have earned the title [The Blackwind Champion].
[System]: You have completed the quest [Defend the Blackwind Brotherhood]. You have gained 1 Level.
Kael smiled. Gear was great, but titles were often even better.
[The Blackwind Champion]: All five core stats +130
With the new title equipped, Kael’s attack power rose to 8,400, and his health surpassed 14,000.
