bookpower Chapter 397 Accepting the Tasks, Going Back to the Apartment
Chapter 397 Accepting the Tasks, Going Back to the Apartment
"Alright," Stark smirked, his crimson aura flickering faintly around him, "I'll do it."
The room, tense just moments before, lightened up immediately.
The commanders' faces lit with cautious hope, their shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. It was as if a weight had been lifted, even if temporarily.
"But," Stark raised a single finger, his expression turning sly, "In exchange for completing a mission, I want one request granted to me for every mission I complete. It won't be much, I promise."
The commanders paused, exchanging glances.
Three missions, three requests. It was bold of him, but considering the circumstances, they didn't have much of a choice.
"Deal," Oliver said without hesitation, his deep voice cutting through the silence like a blade.
He leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table. "Tell us the first one."
Stark grinned, his crimson eyes glowing faintly. "I want an Immortal Breakthrough Stone. Like, right now."
There was a collective murmur of surprise around the table.
All eyes turned toward Ed, the Domi-Mechanician, who only grinned lazily, seemingly unbothered by the request.
"You're in luck," Ed said, his voice holding that casual confidence only he could pull off. "I've got a few in my storage."
He tapped one of the many small gadgets strapped to his arm.
A faint hum filled the air as a small, shimmering blue portal materialized beside him.
Moments later, an Immortal Breakthrough Stone emerged from within and fell to the ground, glowing faintly with ethereal energy.
Without missing a beat, Ed pointed another gadget at the stone.
A holographic hand appeared, grasping it gently and guiding it across the table until it landed in Stark's waiting hands.
Stark inspected it carefully, his eyes narrowing as he confirmed its authenticity.
[Immortal Breakthrough Stone]
[Used to reach the "Immortal" level and upgrade your skill limit to 80.]
Satisfied, he took a deep breath, the room falling silent as he placed his hand over the stone.
Crimson aura surged from his palm, pouring into the artifact.
Stark's muscles tensed as a searing energy coursed through him, every nerve screaming for release.
He gritted his teeth, his body trembling slightly under the strain.
'Damn.'
The first [Breakthrough Stones] were light work, but it seemed like the further you went, the harder it became.
Stay calm, he told himself, Stay calm, or you'll deactivate it and lose levels...
The pressure built to a crescendo, but Stark held on.
For Oliver, someone who had seen countless warriors rise and fall over the years, to say something like that was rare. The others exchanged uneasy glances but said nothing.
Meanwhile, Stark had made his way to the Teleportation Room.
The vast chamber was filled with shimmering platforms and glowing runes carved into the ground.
He stepped into the platform that said [Fellarburg], feeling a slight hum of energy beneath his feet.
"Capital," he said simply, and the runes beneath him flared brightly.
In an instant, Stark was enveloped in light.
When the glow faded, he found himself standing outside in the middle of the street, or more like, what remained of it since Follower's rampage.
It seemed like a ton of it was already repaired, some buildings back on business and some classifiers even there to witness the chaos.
Stark ignored the stares and whispers of passersby as he made his way through the city.
He passed by the familiar gates of the Rift Conqueror's Academy, where he had once been completing these randoms quests.
'Oh yeah, the second year is supposed to start soon, need to figure things out,' he mumbled.
It felt like a lifetime ago now, though it had only been months.
Pushing those thoughts aside, he continued his journey until he finally reached his apartment building.
Stark climbed the stairs to the third floor, his footsteps light as he reached his door.
He took out the key from his [Spatial Inventory], and opened it.
The first thing he saw was Sora, standing in the center of the room with her arms crossed.
Her bright blue eyes narrowed immediately, widening.
"Stark...?" she mumbled.
Before Stark could reply, Lana appeared from the kitchen, a small smile on her face.
"You're back!" she said cheerfully, her golden hair tied back in a loose ponytail as she jumped to hug him.
And then there was Lilith, lounging on the couch with her legs crossed.
She looked up at him with a smirk. "Look who finally decided to show up."
He didn't know Lilith as much as the other two, though the battle reinforced their relationship, so it was normal she was the less shocked.
Stark paused for a moment, taking in the sight of all three of them.
It was the first time in a while he'd felt a genuine sense of calm, like he was home again, even if only for a little while.
"Yeah, I'm back," Stark said, closing the door behind him.
[Not for long though... :)]
[Get. To. Work.]