Chapter 30: Ruckus.
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◇ FATE INVESTMENT SYSTEM ◇
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[Investment Detected]
└ Status: Investment Confirmed
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[Investment Targets]
└ Athena Sterling
└ Isolde Sterling
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[Cause of Investment]
└ Legendary resources were personally prepared by the host.
└ The resources were specifically selected according to the conditions of the investment targets.
└ The host personally prepared and served the resources instead of simply providing them.
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[Investment Evaluation]
└ Emotional Value: Extremely High
└ Resource Cost: Exceptional
└ Fate Influence: Extremely High
└ Final Investment Grade: [S+]
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[Investment Returns]
└ Calculating Investment Returns...
└ Returns Successfully Generated.
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[Reward Obtained]
◈ Mythic Weapon — [Aetherfang]
└ Type: Sword
└ Grade: Mythic
└ Attribute: Aether
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[Weapon Description]
└ Aetherfang is a Mythic sword forged from condensed Aether Essence.
└ Its blade possesses a dark silver surface with faint blue lines running across it like veins.
└ The sword can conduct the wielder’s mana with exceptional efficiency.
└ When mana is circulated through the blade, the edges become surrounded by a thin layer of Aether, greatly increasing its cutting power.
└ Aetherfang can grow stronger alongside its wielder.
[Passive Ability]
└ Aether Conduction
└ Reduces mana loss while channeling mana through the sword.
[Hidden Property]
└ Locked
[Unlock Requirement]
└ Unknown
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◈ S-Tier Skill — [Phantom Stride]
└ Type: Agility / Movement
└ Grade Potential: SS
[Description]
└ Allows the user to explosively accelerate their body by circulating mana through their lower meridians.
└ For a brief moment, the user’s movement becomes difficult for ordinary senses to perceive.
└ The user can instantly alter their direction during movement without losing significant momentum.
└ Continuous usage consumes increasing amounts of stamina and mana.
[Additional Effect]
└ Phantom Step
└ Leaves behind a brief afterimage when the skill is activated at maximum acceleration.
[Warning]
└ The skill places considerable strain on the user’s muscles and meridians.
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◈ Cooking Skill — [Advanced Herbal Cuisine]
└ Grade: A
[Description]
└ Allows the user to properly prepare magical herbs and medicinal ingredients without destroying their beneficial properties.
[Effects]
└ Increases nutritional efficiency of prepared ingredients.
└ Reduces the loss of magical properties during cooking.
└ Allows the user to create advanced restorative dishes.
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◈ Cooking Skill — [Mana Cuisine]
└ Grade: S
[Description]
└ Allows the user to infuse prepared food with controlled amounts of mana without damaging the ingredients.
[Effects]
└ Increases the effectiveness of mana-based food.
└ Improves absorption of magical ingredients.
└ Allows the creation of specialized dishes capable of restoring mana and vitality.
└ Higher mastery unlocks advanced Mana Cuisine recipes.
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[Effects]
└ Fate Resonance: Increased
└ Investment Efficiency: Increased
└ Cooking Proficiency: Greatly Increased
└ Future Investment Return Quality: Increased
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[Investment Status]
└ Investment Completed.
└ All rewards have been successfully transferred.
└ Fate Ripples Recorded.
└ Relationship-based Fate Resonance has increased.
└ Future investments toward Athena Sterling and Isolde Sterling have a higher probability of producing rare rewards.
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His eyes widened slightly as he read through every reward he had received. His mind went completely blank for a few seconds before thoughts started rushing through it.
’What the hell?! I got these many skills as an investment?’
’Two cooking skills? Advanced Herbal Cuisine lets me prepare magical herbs without destroying their effects, while Mana Cuisine lets me infuse mana into food and increase its effects.’
His gaze moved toward the sword. ’And I fucking got a Mythic-tier sword?! Aetherfang?! It has hidden abilities and god knows how I’m supposed to unlock them!’
His eyes then moved toward the last reward. ’And I also got an SS-Tier agility skill?!’
Ethan fell silent. His mouth opened slightly before he slowly closed it again.
He didn’t know what to say. He had invested some herbs into his wives.
That was it because he hadn’t expected the system to throw so many rewards at him in return.
’What the fuck are these rewards, mate?!’ His thoughts almost screamed inside his head.
He glanced at Athena and Isolde. Both of them were sitting quietly at the table.
Athena seemed to notice Ethan’s strange expression, while Isolde also tilted her head slightly in his direction.
Neither of them said anything.
They probably noticed that Ethan was lost in his own thoughts, and pointing it out would only make the situation even more awkward.
Ethan slowly leaned back against his chair. His fingers tapped against the table as his mind continued processing everything.
’Mythic sword... SS-Tier skill... two cooking skills...’ He rubbed his forehead.
’What kind of investment gives rewards like these?!’ A faint smile almost appeared on his face.
But before it could fully form, a huge ruckus came through the windows.
BANG!!
A massive sound suddenly exploded from outside. Ethan’s body immediately stiffened.
Athena’s expression changed. Isolde flinched slightly because she hadn’t expected this.
Another loud bang followed.
BOOM!!
The windows shook. The plates on the table trembled slightly.
Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he slowly turned his head toward the window. "What the hell was that?"
For a moment, there was complete silence. Then voices belonging to humans reached their ears.
"AAAAAHHHHH!!" A woman’s scream came from outside.
Ethan’s expression instantly became serious.
Another scream followed. This time, it was a child.
"MOM!!"
"HELP!!"
The voices were coming from somewhere outside their house.
Ethan immediately pushed his chair backward and stood up. His eyes remained fixed toward the window. "What is going on?"
Another loud crash echoed through the area.
BOOOOM!!
Something heavy had apparently slammed into the ground.
Athena’s hands tightened slightly. On the other hand, Isolde’s expression became tense.
Then came another series of voices.
"RUN!!"
"GET INSIDE!"
"PROTECT THE CHILDREN!"
"Don’t let it get near them!"
The voices belonged to men. They weren’t shouting in anger.
They all were shouting in fear. It sounded as though several men were desperately trying to protect the women and children from something.
More screams belonging to different group of people echoed from outside. But this time it was much closer than before.
"HELP!! SOMEONE HELP US!!"
The moment those words fell in Ethan’s ears, his jaw tightened. His eyes narrowed slightly, and just a second later another voice screamed from outside.
"IT’S COMING THIS WAY!"
Ethan’s expressions completely changed because he hadn’t expected something to come towards his house. The warmth of current situation with his wives had faded away, even the excitement from all the rewards didn’t mattered enough to him now.
’Looks like my peaceful morning is already fucking over.’