Realm of Myths and Legends

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〈System Alert: Congratulations, you have completed the quest «Hidden Guardian of the Mortal Realm»!〉

〈System Alert: You have received x1 «Token of Fate»!〉

〈System Alert: You have received the Unique* class skill «Master of Skills»!〉

〈System Alert: Your feat has been recorded as a great contribution to the war effort! [Reward: +500 Contribution Points]〉

〈System Alert: Your Contribution Points has increased by 500! [Total: 16,134.54〉

As Izroth received the rush of system alerts after breaking through the protective barrier and destroying the coffin, he quickly glanced over the rewards he had obtained.

'Oh? Items like this exist as well? Is this what they call having a hack?'

Name: Token of Fate(Soulbound)

Rank: Unique*

Usage: The user of this item can influence probability up to [3] times to ensure the best or worst possible outcome. After this item is used [3] times, it will be automatically destroyed.

Special Note: This item is soulbound and cannot be traded or sold.

Izroth's thoughts were not too far off from what the Token of Fate was capable of doing. From the perspective of a player, it was in all sense of the word, a hack!

Imagine having at one's fingertips the ability to make something display its best or worst possible outcome. A boss monster that only has a tiny chance of dropping a legendary piece of gear, suddenly, is guaranteed to do so. A skill with a 0.01% instant kill chance now becomes a foolproof one-shot kill. These were just a few ways to utilize something like the Token of Fate. In reality, the possibilities were limitless!

'It's a shame it can only be used three times. I'll have to make every use count. As for this... It's certainly an interesting skill to have acquired.'

Skill Name: Master of Skills

Skill Mastery: MAXED

Skill Rank: Unique*

Passive: The user of this skill gains the following:

Skill Archive(Passive) - Allows the user to create and access a special storage that stores information regarding skills. Skills within the «Skill Archive» can be processed and turned into a «Skill Book». This process can take up to 3 Weeks depending on the skill's rank. Unique* skills can be stored within the «Skill Archive», but cannot be turned into a «Skill Book». Cannot store the «%(*#&@».

Skill Enhancement(Passive) - Using information from the «Skill Archive», the user can improve pre-existing skills and help them reach their full potential. Cannot influence the «%(*#&@».

Skill Combination(Passive) - The user can combine [2] or more skills contained within the «Skill Archive» to create a new skill. Cannot create the «%(*#&@».

Skill Analysis(Passive) - As long as a skill is used within 30 meters of the user's location or within their direct line of sight, the user will be provided with an in-depth analysis of the skill and it will be stored within the «Skill Archive». This process can take up to 24 hours depending on the skill's rank. The user cannot analyze more than one skill at a time. Cannot analyze the «%(*#&@».

Special Note: Skills are at the core of one's strength. As the master of skills, become the core of everyone's strength!

'The corrupted text is somewhat concerning. But, based on the context surrounding it, it doesn't seem like a bad thing. That being said, for a combat master, the ability to analyze skills alone already provides a massive advantage. However, to be able to create skill books from pre-existing skills and even combine or enhance them—I'm probably- No, I'm undoubtedly the only player in RML that's capable of doing so.'

As Izroth glimpsed over his rewards, his time was swiftly cut short as he felt the gaze of every shadahi within the chamber shift to him.

'It looks like I'll have to test it out at a later time. For now, I have to deal with this problem.'

Roooooragh!

Every last shadahi in the chamber, whether they were the one under attack or doing the attacking, immediately tossed aside all reason and ran with a blood-filled fevered craze towards Izroth.

Of course, the Lesser Shadahi Patrollers were never the friendly sort; however, there was something different about their behavior this time. It was as if a switch suddenly flipped and a berserk-like nature rose from the depths of their existence.

"Stop them! Don't let them surround the Captain!" Niflheim called out as he sped into action.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Guan Yu shouted as he chased after the shadahi who ran away from him to go after Izroth.

Woosh! BANG!

Guan Yu swung his guandao with an explosive force and left a deep wound on the shadahi's back. But, instead of slowing down to confront him, the shadahi completely ignored the strike and continued onward.

"What's going on with these guys?! Why are they all suddenly so interested in our brother?! Are they trying to get revenge for that broken coffin?!" Halls said as he smashed his shield into one of the shadahi, throwing them off balance and causing them to tumble several meters across the ground.

Roooooragh!

The shadahi knocked aside by Halls quickly sprung to its feet and, just like the shadahi attacked by Guan Yu, ignored Halls and proceeded to make its way towards Izroth at the chamber's center.

Guan Yu and Halls were not the only two people faced with this problem. Those from the 9th Division, 5th Unit, and even Lances himself, could not draw the attention of the shadahis.

When Izroth witnessed this sight, it caused him to narrow his eyes as he maintained a calm expression.

'The shadahi are strange creatures; however, even for them, the abrupt change in their behavior is too abnormal. If they're reacting like this, then... Can it be that they're moving to protect the spatial rift?'

Since the coffin had been destroyed by Izroth, all the energy that it absorbed was now being redirected to the spatial rift itself.

Izroth believed that there were two likely explanations for the shift in the shadahis behavior. First, the spatial rift was somehow damaged as a result of his attack just now. But, since there were no clear indications of the space around the spatial rift being fractured, Izroth pushed this possibility aside, which left the other remaining possibility.

'The spatial rift—is it beginning to stabilize?'

"Look, over there! Where did that strange-looking crack come from?!" Guan Yu remarked as he pointed towards the chamber's center.

"Crack?" Without slowing his movement, Halls over to where Guan Yu pointed and witnessed a bizarre scene.

Not far from where Izroth stood, there was a long vertical crack running along the air that seemed to constantly fade in and out of existence. The crack stretched at least five meters and appeared to be slowly expanding.

There were mystical red clouds that covered the crack's surface; however, it was gradually diminishing and unveiling what was on the other side.

Despite becoming the main target of the shadahis, Izroth calmly examined the spatial rift.

"Jol'Kil, Zel'Kan—don't let them disturb me," Izroth said nonchalantly as his gaze stayed fixated on the spatial rift.

Woosh! Woosh!

Out of nowhere, Jol' Kil and Zel'Kan arrived at Izroth's side.

"Yes, young master!" Jol'Kil and Zel'Kan responded in unison as they moved to intercept the closest shadahis.

'I hoped that by taking care of the coffin, the spatial rift would become destabilized after losing its connection to this place. However, it seems my thoughts were too optimistic.'

Initially, Izroth figured that the coffin was acting as a beacon point of sorts that allowed the spatial rift that connected the Shadahi Realm to the Mortal Realm to maintain a certain level of stability. But, as it turned out, the coffin was not a beacon. Instead, it would be more accurate to call it a regulator that controlled how much energy the spatial rift pulled in.

Most likely the skounae made it this way intentionally as a way of restricting and slowing the number of shadahi that could come through the spatial rift. After all, even if they were technically on the same side of this war, the skounae were not so naive as to allow that massive army on the other side to cross right into the heart of their kingdom.

'The energy that was previously absorbed by the coffin is now being entirely monopolized by the spatial rift. At its current rate of expansion, it won't be long until the spatial rift finishes stabilizing and the army of shadahis on the other side are able to cross through without worry.'

However, Izroth was not concerned about the army of shadahis. While they were certainly resilient, the Lesser Shadahi Patrollers could still be taken care of as long as the correct methods were used. But, that bound shadahi at the center of that army was a different story altogether. Even a shadahi like Commander Ekquilore did not come close to comparing to that dangerous existence.

'If that thing manages to step through this spatial rift, the allied forces outside the Night Lord's Crypt won't stand a chance.'