Chapter 127: The Fifteen Rewards

A few seconds later, the calculation finished.

[Reward Calculation Complete.]

[Reward Granted.]

The first reward appeared before him.

[Legendary Reward Granted: 4x Royal Mana Infusion — High-Grade.]

[Effect: Consuming the infusion releases a large amount of Mana comparable to that possessed by a B-Rank Awakener.]

Reinhard’s eyes immediately brightened when he saw the number.

Four of them would be perfect for Emily, Lily, Maki, and Yuna. All four had been steadily strengthening themselves, and giving them this much additional Mana would save them a considerable amount of time.

He mentally set the four infusions aside for them.

Nobody else needed to know where they came from.

[Additional Reward Granted: 4x Body Remolder Water.]

[Effect: When mixed with ordinary water, the Body Remolder Water transforms it into a golden bath. Entering the bath causes the user’s body to be repeatedly broken down and reconstructed until the physical body reaches the level of an Awakener, even without Mana.]

Reinhard stared at the description for a moment before a faint smile appeared on his face.

That was certainly one way to take a bath.

The effect itself was extremely useful, though. The Body Remolder Water would allow the family to strengthen their physical foundations even without relying on Mana, eventually pushing their bodies close to the level of an Awakener through the repeated reconstruction.

He mentally added the four bottles to the resources he planned to distribute.

The system continued without giving him much time to think.

[Additional Reward Granted: 4x High-Grade Mana Fusion Grapes.]

[Effect: Each grape contains highly concentrated Mana that can be absorbed directly into the body’s cells.]

[Additional Effect: A user trained in the Immortal Emperor Technique can store the Mana within their blood cells instead of forcing it into their Gnosis.]

Reinhard immediately understood that the additional effect was meant for him.

The Immortal Emperor Technique allowed him to store Mana within his blood cells, so these grapes could potentially strengthen his body in a completely different way from simply increasing his Gnosis. He was already curious about what would happen if he combined them with the Immortal Emperor Body.

The next reward appeared before he could dwell on it.

[Legendary Skill Enhancement Granted: Enhanced Sparu.]

[Effect: Amplifies movement speed by 2.5×.]

[Additional Effect: Increases thinking speed by 2×.]

The system continued.

[Legendary Skill Enhancement Granted: Mind Glance Enhanced.]

[Effect: Allows the user to perceive images associated with the target’s thoughts.]

[Additional Effect: Can be used offensively to read the target’s next five attack movements.]

Reinhard immediately recognized the combat value.

The ability didn’t simply allow him to gather information about what someone was thinking. If he used it offensively, he could potentially see the next five movements an opponent intended to make.

That would be particularly useful against intelligent enemies who relied on careful planning, complicated techniques, or coordinated attacks instead of simply charging forward.

Another reward appeared.

[Legendary Body Enhancement Granted: Enhanced Body.]

The enhancement strengthened his physical structure, strength, durability, recovery, and overall bodily efficiency. Reinhard flexed his fingers and felt the subtle difference in his body.

Then the next reward appeared.

[Legendary Enhancement Granted: Immortal Emperor Body — 10-Years Mana Infusion.]

[Effect: Infuses the user’s blood cells with ten years of Mana.]

Mana surged through his body.

After several moments, he realized that nearly three-fourths of his blood cells were now filled with Mana. His physical body had finally crossed into the A-Rank level and with all of his other enhancement.

He had reached the level of a peak A-Rank Awakener.

Another notification appeared.

[Legendary Skill Granted: Mavia.]

[Effect: Can heal blood loss, restore nearly half of a person’s vitality, and numb pain for two minutes.]

Reinhard immediately recognized how useful the ability could be. A dangerous mission would eventually give him a reason to use it.

The next reward appeared.

[Legendary Skill Enhancement Granted: Enhanced Graviton Chain.]

[Effect: Creates spatial chains capable of anchoring targets to their current position and preventing spatial displacement.]

Reinhard considered the possibilities.

An enemy trying to escape through spatial movement could now be held in place, while someone who relied on teleportation could be prevented from simply disappearing whenever the situation became unfavorable.

It also complemented the spatial abilities he already possessed.

The system continued.

[Legendary Skill Enhancement Granted: Enhanced Veil.]

[Effect: Veil can now hide up to three skills being used simultaneously.]

[Additional Effect: Veil can conceal the activation of the skills.]

The next reward appeared.

[Legendary Equipment Enhancement Granted: Crown of the Unbroken.]

[Additional Effect: Creates a thin veil of light over the user’s entire body.]

[Additional Effect: The protection now covers the entire body.]

[Additional Effect: After ten repeated exposures to the same attack type, resistance to that attack type is established.]

Another reward followed.

[Additional Reward Granted: Black Bones.]

[Effect: The user’s bones become extraordinarily dense and durable, reaching a hardness comparable to powerful relic materials.]

[Additional Effect: Attacks that pierce through the flesh have their damage reduced by 20%.]

[Additional Effect: Endurance is doubled.]

Reinhard rolled his shoulders.

His body was already becoming increasingly difficult to damage, and now even attacks that managed to pierce through his flesh would have another layer of defense to overcome. He was becoming rather annoying to kill.

The system then presented another paired spatial enhancement.

[Additional Reward Granted: Spatial Pull Enhanced]

[Effect: Can affect a full 360-degree area.]

[Additional Effect: Can be utilized through punches or weapons to produce a significantly stronger impact.]

Another notification appeared.

[Additional Reward Granted: Spatial Push Enhanced]

[Can manifest from a distance, allowing attacks to be deflected without direct contact.]

[Additional Effect: Can expand across an entire room or compress down to an area roughly the size of a basketball. The smaller the area, the greater the force and the shorter the range.]

That would hurt.

The next reward made him pause for longer.

[Legendary Artifact Enhancement Granted: Mirror of Possibilities Enhanced.]

[Additional Effect: The Mirror can now reveal the past related to a question.]

[Restriction: After revealing the past, the Mirror cannot be used again for seven days.]

Finally, the last reward appeared.

[Legendary Skill Enhancement Granted: All Power Enhanced.]

[Effect: Temporarily amplifies attack, defense, and speed by 2×.]

[Duration: 5 minutes.]

Reinhard leaned back slightly and looked over everything he had received.

He now had resources for Emily, Lily, Maki, and Yuna, along with a stronger physical foundation, an A-Rank body, greater speed, faster thinking, stronger defenses, improved healing, better spatial control, improved information gathering, and a much stronger temporary amplification.

...

After nearly dying during the previous mission, the Ashcroft family and Nephilim had decided that the most appropriate response was to go out and eat.

Rhea was already talking about the menu while Lily listed several dishes she wanted to try. Mara was doing her best to keep the two of them from turning dinner into another competition, while Maki and Seraphine continued discussing the decisions they had made during the mission.

Yuna and Mara were comparing their approaches to the evacuation, and Adrian occasionally joined the conversation whenever he found an opening.

Kael walked quietly beside them.

Archon followed behind everyone else, listening without saying much.

Reinhard looked around as they walked.

At some point, the two groups had stopped feeling separate.

Nobody had announced that they were friends, and nobody had decided that they were now a single group. They had simply started walking together, talking together, and arguing over food as if they had been doing it for much longer.

Rhea suddenly reached toward Lily’s food.

Lily immediately pulled it away.

"Don’t even think about it," Lily said.

"I was only looking."

"You were looking with your hand."

Mara sighed. "Can we make it to the restaurant without someone stealing someone else’s food?"

Rhea looked offended. "You’re making me sound like a criminal."

Kael quietly moved his wallet farther away from her.

Rhea noticed the movement and stared at him. "You’re still doing that?"

"One meal," Kael replied.

Rhea shook her head. "You really don’t trust me."

"It worked last time."

Lily burst out laughing while Mara covered her face with one hand.

Reinhard couldn’t help smiling at the exchange.

Lily then turned toward him. "Reinhard, tell them I’m allowed to order whatever I want."

Reinhard considered the question seriously before answering, "I support your right to financial destruction."

Mara immediately looked at him.

"You’re not helping."

Emily laughed quietly beside him.

As they continued walking, she noticed that Reinhard’s collar was crooked from the previous battle.

Without saying anything, she reached over and straightened it.

Reinhard glanced at her with a smile. "My wife is taking care of me again."

"Someone has to," Emily replied as she smoothed the collar.

Reinhard looked down at the torn section of his clothing. "I was doing fine."

Emily glanced at the damage before looking back at him. "Clearly."

Reinhard smiled.

"Fair."

They continued toward the restaurant together.

They were almost there when Reinhard’s phone suddenly rang.

The conversation around them gradually stopped as Reinhard pulled it out and looked at the caller.

"This better be important," he said as he answered. "We’re about to eat."

The Association representative on the other side sounded unusually serious.

"I’m afraid this can’t wait, Reinhard."

The change in tone immediately caught everyone’s attention.

Reinhard straightened slightly. "What’s happened?"

"The Bloodkin you encountered during your previous mission were not an isolated group."

The joking atmosphere disappeared.

The representative continued, "We’ve confirmed Bloodkin activity across multiple Outland settlements. Several communities have reported missing civilians, unexplained blood loss, Blood Mana contamination, and cases where ordinary humans appear to have been transformed into Bloodkin."

Maki’s expression tightened.

The representative continued explaining that the attacks were part of a much larger movement. The Bloodkin had been expanding outward, testing settlements, taking humans, and increasing the territory under their control.

"We believe the siege you encountered was part of that expansion," the representative said. "Several settlements are already in danger."

Reinhard’s expression became serious.

"We’re organizing a large-scale operation," the representative continued. "Multiple Awakener teams will participate alongside Association forces and specialized units."

Reinhard asked, "Where?"

There was a brief pause.

"The Old Garden of Selene."

Emily stopped.

It was only for a moment, but Reinhard noticed it immediately.

Her eyes widened slightly, and something unreadable crossed her expression before she quickly hid it.

Reinhard’s attention remained on her for another second.

She knows that place?

Emily recovered quickly and looked toward the phone. "What kind of operation?"

The Association representative explained that the participating teams would enter the Garden, locate the Bloodkin forces, rescue civilians, prevent further transformations, and stop the attacks from spreading to the remaining settlements.

There would also be substantial compensation, contribution rewards, Association support, priority access to resources, and a significant increase in team ranking for successful participation.

Rhea crossed her arms and frowned.

"We just survived the last mission. Can’t we have one peaceful dinner?"

Lily looked at her. "The ranking increase sounds pretty good."

Mara immediately shook her head. "That’s not the point."

"I know," Lily replied. "I’m just saying."

Yuna considered the information carefully. "If several settlements are already being attacked, waiting will probably make things worse."

Seraphine nodded. "Especially if humans are being converted. Every successful conversion could increase their numbers."

Rika folded her arms. "Then we should go."

Rhea sighed. "So our vacation is dead."

"No one has decided that yet," Mara replied.

"We all know where this is going."

Reinhard listened without interrupting.

He wasn’t particularly interested in the ranking increase, but the scale of the situation was concerning. If several settlements were already being attacked, ignoring the problem now would only make the eventual situation worse.

The Association representative spoke again.

"We would greatly appreciate your participation. Your team’s recent performance has made you one of the strongest available groups for this operation."

Nobody answered immediately.

Then Emily spoke.

"We’ll take it."

Everyone looked toward her.

Emily’s expression was calm, but her voice carried a firmness that left little room for argument.

"If we don’t do anything, they’ll slaughter all the settlements in the Outlands," she said. "That’s not something I can live with."

The group became quiet.

Maki was the first to nod. "Then we’ll go."

Yuna followed. "Agreed."

Lily smiled. "I’m in."

Rhea let out another sigh. "Goodbye, vacation."

Mara shook her head, though she was already nodding. "Then we’re going."

The Nephilim agreed as well.

They were professional Awakeners, and none of them were willing to sit back while entire settlements were threatened simply because they wanted a day off.

The Association representative released a breath that sounded almost like relief.

"Thank you. I assure you, the Association will make this worth your time. Successful participation will come with substantial compensation, contribution, priority access to resources, and a significant ranking increase."

Lily immediately brightened.

"See? It isn’t all bad."

Mara rubbed her forehead.

The call ended.

Reinhard hummed quietly while Archon remained silent.

The group began walking again, although their conversation had naturally shifted toward the upcoming operation. Rhea complained about losing their vacation, Lily continued talking about how much their ranking could improve, and Mara repeatedly reminded everyone that they had no idea how dangerous the operation would actually be.

Reinhard listened with a faint smile.

Then he noticed Emily.

While everyone else was talking, she had lowered her head slightly.

The cheerful expression from earlier was gone, replaced by a quiet concern that lasted only a moment before disappearing. Emily raised her head and continued walking beside everyone else as if nothing had happened.

Reinhard watched her for another moment.

He didn’t ask.

Not yet.

He simply looked ahead while continuing to walk beside her. What is going on now?