[Here’s a bonus Chapter for hitting our first powerstone milestone!]
Creed sank into the plush shuttle seat, exhaling deeply as he tried to calm his mind.
It had been an hour since the system’s death mission dropped on him like a hamr, demanding that he beco one of the strongest human Awakened within just five years.
Even now, his heart twitched at the sheer absurdity of it. It wasn’t just difficult, it was the kind of task that would make even the most talented geniuses sweat blood!
But... he didn’t have a choice.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized sothing important. The upcoming Unexplored Rift Exploration was actually perfectly tid.
If he wanted to beco strong fast, he needed more than just stat points and skill upgrades.
He needed resources. Money. Battle experience. Opportunities to get stronger.
And an Unexplored Rift? That was exactly what he needed.
Unexplored Rifts were a goldmine of rare treasures, hidden techniques, and high-level materials.
The stronger the Rift, the better the rewards. And this one was a Peak Low-Level Rift.
That ant it was at the absolute strongest limit that Bronze Awakened could handle. It would be dangerous as hell, but also filled with untapped potential.
Creed leaned his head back against the shuttle window, a smirk tugging at his lips.
’I need to make sure I profit imnsely from this."
It wasn’t just about surviving. He had to walk into that Rift and co out richer, stronger, and way more dangerous than before.
The shuttle slowed to a halt, and a voice rang through the speakers.
"Empire Enterprise, Branch 7. All passengers disembark."
Creed stood up and stepped out of the shuttle, his mind shifting gears.
He had unfinished business here.
The last ti he had visited Empire Enterprise, he had gotten distracted by Kent, which had ended in a battle where he absolutely crushed him.
But that fight had also taught him sothing.
If he really wanted to survive and grow stronger at an insane speed, then he needed to upgrade his entire combat style.
And that ant...
It was ti to buy so proper gear. Not just for himself, but for his summons.
Creed entered the towering Empire Enterprise building, the glass doors sliding open as the cool, artificial air washed over him.
The massive shopping center was just as sleek and futuristic as last ti with endless rows of stores, holographic displays advertising the latest Awakened gear and techniques.
Powerful figures were walking past, inspecting weapons, armor, and enhancent materials.
His goal today? Armor. Weapons. Gear that could give him and his summons an edge!
He made his way toward the armor departnt, his thoughts already calculating the best upgrades.
Truthfully, the main reason he was even thinking about buying armor for Lilith and Tierra wasn’t just because it would make them stronger.
It was because...
Their outfits were a serious problem!
Lilith’s barely-there leather straps and Tierra’s slit-up-to-her-hip dress were practically asking for trouble!
Creed scowled, rubbing his temples. He didn’t like other n staring at them. It pissed him off.
"I’m the only one allowed to see their voluptuous flesh," he muttered under his breath.
So he needed to make sure the armor he bought for them covered them properly. From head to toe.
Preferably with zero visibility. Maybe even a helt!
...And a cape. Actually, would it be too much to put them in full plate armor?
Just as he was ntally designing their outfits for maximum modesty, he stepped into the Stage 1 Armor Section.
And imdiately froze.
The mont he entered, still looking around at the impressive collections of armor, a bright purple flash suddenly exploded beside him.
Lilith and Tierra appeared, standing right next to him. Creed blinked in surprise.
They both stared at the displayed armors with pure, unfiltered desire.
Creed narrowed his eyes. He had only ever seen them look at him like that before.
That ant one thing. They really wanted this armor. Lilith turned her burning violet eyes toward him, her wings twitching slightly.
Tierra folded her arms beneath her chest and gave him a soft, knowing smile.
Then, both of them locked eyes with him, their expressions suddenly turning innocent.
And then...
They unleashed their ultimate weapon.
The Puppy Eyes Attack!
Creed felt his soul shatter. His greatest weakness had been exploited. His lips trembled. His resolve cracked.
He was dood.
"Tch... Fine," he grumbled, rubbing his face. "Pick whatever you want."
Instantly, they moved.
Like two blurs of light, they rushed forward, making a beeline toward the most extravagant, top-tier armor collections.
Creed followed their trajectory, then abruptly froze as he realized sothing horrifying.
They were heading straight toward the most expensive section in the entire store!
The kind of section that only the richest nobles and high-level Awakened usually went!
Creed gulped.
"...Shit."
He could already feel his wallet screaming in agony.
In the end, Creed spent a ridiculous amount of money. He wasn’t even sure how it happened.
One mont, he was just trying to buy so proper gear for his summons. The next? His bank account was bleeding out.
First, he ended up purchasing high quality Stage 1 weapons and armor for both Lilith and Tierra.
He focused on defense heavy armor for Lilith, since she was a frontliner, while Tierra got lightweight armor to maintain her speed and agility.
Then ca the weapons.
Lilith, being the bloodthirsty battle maniac that she was, picked a massive, brutal looking sickle.
The blade glead with a faint violet glow, its edge curved wickedly like it was made to harvest souls. Creed wasn’t surprised. The weapon matched her personality perfectly.
Tierra, on the other hand, went for sothing sleeker. Instead of choosing just one weapon, she went for three smaller sets of daggers; a throwing knive, a curved blade, and a pair of long, thin stilettos.
Total cost for all these? 10,000 credits!
Creed winced.
Next, he had to buy gear for himself.
He picked a solid Stage 1 armor set that prioritized flexibility and agility.
The material was sturdy enough to protect him from slashes and blunt force, but light enough to not weigh him down in battle.
After all, he wasn’t a complete brute-force fighter. He needed to move fast and react even faster.
Then ca his biggest purchase yet.
A 5m³ Stage 1 space ring.
This was a must-have item for Rift explorations. With it, he could store weapons, potions, food, and loot without worrying about weight or carrying capacity.
Plus, it worked inside Rifts, aning he wouldn’t have to leave valuables behind.
Total cost? Another 5,000 credits!
Then, knowing that he’d be fighting a lot soon, Creed also bought a small batch of stamina and energy serums.
Nothing fancy, just basic recovery items. They were expensive as hell for sothing that could be used up in re minutes, but in battle, running out of energy or stamina was a death sentence.
Total cost? 2,000 credits.
At this point, his wallet was already screaming. But unfortunately... his expenses weren’t done yet.
Because next on his list was clearing his damn hotel debt.
After stepping into the hotel lobby, he was imdiately surrounded by staff. The mont they saw him, they glared at him like a group of debt collectors!
"Ah, sir, you’ve returned," the receptionist said through clenched teeth, smiling way too hard. "Would you like to settle your outstanding bill... for the destruction of your room?"
Creed crossed his arms. "You guys are still mad about that?"
"You wrecked all the furniture and appliances!"
Creed scoffed. "It was an ergency."
He grumbled while pulling out his phone and paying the 13,000 credits debt.
"Enjoy your day, sir," the receptionist said with a dangerously polite smile, pocketing the money.
"And do let us know if you plan on unleashing more acts of destruction upon our property. We’d love to prepare in advance."
Creed narrowed his eyes. "The speeding pigeon will return for you one day."
And with that, he walked out, down to 35,000 credits.
After all that spending and arguing, Creed decided it was ti for so self care.
First, he bought a brand-new smartphone for 200 credits. The old one was practically ancient, and he needed sothing fast and functional.
Then, since his stomach was roaring for food, he treated himself to a good al. A hearty plate of grilled at, so spicy sauce, and a cold drink.
100 credits gone, but totally worth it.
And finally, he stopped by a clothing store and picked up a few new shirts. His current ones were either ripped from fights, burned from explosions, or covered in blood.
He needed at least a few clean outfits to avoid looking like a complete barbarian.
Another 200 credits gone.
Now, with all that taken care of...
Creed sat down, leaned back, and pulled out his brand-new smartphone. It was ti for the most exciting part of his day.
Apartnt hunting!
He grinned to himself. For the first ti, he was actually going to rent his own place. In a tier 3 bastion!
No more crappy hotels or sleeping in random locations. He was finally getting his own space!
He quickly scrolled through listings, filtering for apartnts that were within his budget and had the features he needed.
At this stage, he couldn’t settle for just any cheap rental.
He needed a place that had at least a Stage 2 training room. If he wanted to level up fast, he had to be able to practice at ho properly.
Most of the apartnts with Stage 2 training rooms were expensive as hell. So went for 250k per year, so even higher.
Just as he was starting to lose hope...
His eyes suddenly landed on one listing.
A 2-bedroom apartnt. With a Stage 2 training room for a reasonable price.
Creed’s eyes lit up.
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