Chapter 45: Ch 45: Exploding Strength
Night fell in Olympus.
The duo had dinner together at a local tavern.
After having some talks about their future, they decided to sleep.
And this was the most difficult thing for the two.
Naida had obviously never shared a bed with a male before, so she was fidgeting nervously on the bed, her palms sweating.
Raidan entered inside and changed into a comfortable tunic for sleep.
He also had not shared a bed with a female. Even though he and Emma had been married for two years, nothing happened between the two.
Still, as a man, he could not cower away, right?
Besides, this was just about sharing a bed. How hard could it be?
However, soon, he was proven severely wrong.
When he slept beside her, under one thin blanket, her body warmth seeping into his skin, he felt an urge to hug her, to get more.
The space between them was very little.
So occasionally, their hands and feet touched together, turning both of them rigid.
Gradually, it became unbearably hot.
Raidan only realized how difficult it was to sleep beside a woman whom you cannot touch because of a moral compass.
He had to get out of the blanket and turn his body sideways to get rid of this unbearable heat.
Naida, seeing this, let out a soft sigh.
She was suffering too. But her grandfather’s departure was like an invisible barrier, stopping her from hugging him from behind.
In this awkward position, both of them fell asleep.
The sound of insects acted as a lullaby.
At midnight, Raidan was deep asleep.
However, system notifications still rang nonstop.
[ System Alert: Quest Seeker ’Zelio’ has successfully completed your assigned quest! ]
[ Calculating Originator Returns... ]
[ Seeker’s Received Rewards: 25 Unassigned Attribute Points, Faction Reputation +200, Basic Healing Potion. ]
[ Rolling SSS+ Multiplier... ]
[ ... ]
[ Ding! A 7X Multiplier has been achieved! ]
[ Applying Returns: ]
[ Attributes: 25 x 7 = 175 ]
[ Faction Reputation: 200 x 7 = 1400 ]
[ Quality Evolution Triggered. ]
[ Basic Healing Potion has upgraded to Epic Healing Potion ]
[ System Alert: Quest Seeker ’Sarah’ has successfully completed your assigned quest! ]
[ Calculating Originator Returns... ]
[ Seeker’s Received Rewards: 25 Unassigned Attribute Points, Faction Reputation Boost, Basic Healing Potion. ]
[ Rolling SSS+ Multiplier... ]
[ ... ]
[ Ding! A 10X Multiplier has been achieved! ]
[ Applying Returns:
Attributes: 25 x 10 = 250 ]
[ Faction Reputation Boost has been amplified tenfold! ]
[ Quality Evolution Triggered. ]
[ Basic Healing Potion has upgraded to Epic Healing Potion! ]
-
[ System Alert: Quest Seeker ’Derek’ has successfully completed your assigned quest! ]
[ Calculating Originator Returns... ]
[ Seeker’s Received Rewards: 30 Unassigned Attribute Points, 50 Gold Coins, Intermediate Swordsmanship Manual. ]
[ Rolling SSS+ Multiplier... ]
[ ... ]
[ Ding! A 6X Multiplier has been achieved! ]
[ Applying Returns: ]
[ Attributes: 30 x 6 = 180 ]
[ Gold Coins: 50 x 6 = 300 ]
[ Quality Evolution Triggered. ]
[ Intermediate Swordsmanship Manual has upgraded to Epic Sword Saint Manual! ]
-
[ System Alert: Quest Seeker ’Mira’ has successfully completed your assigned quest! ]
[ Calculating Originator Returns... ]
[ Seeker’s Received Rewards: 20 Unassigned Attribute Points, 30 Gold Coins, Basic Mana Recovery Potion. ]
[ Rolling SSS+ Multiplier... ]
[ ... ]
[ Ding! An 8X Multiplier has been achieved! ]
[ Applying Returns: ]
[ Attributes: 20 x 8 = 160 ]
[ Gold Coins: 30 x 8 = 240 ]
[ Quality Evolution Triggered. ]
[ Basic Mana Recovery Potion has upgraded to Epic Mana Restoration Elixir! ]
.....
____
The morning sun pierced through the thin wooden window, casting a warm golden hue across the small bedroom.
Raidan slowly opened his eyes, blinking away the remnants of sleep.
Beside him, Naida was breathing softly. Her face looked a little peaceful.
Careful not to wake her, Raidan quietly slipped out of the bed.
He then walked over to the small table, splashed some cold water on his face from the nearby basin, and finally called upon his interface.
He knew his followers in the Detroit Camp had been incredibly busy all night. The constant chime of notifications had bled into his dreams.
Now, it was time to see the exact results of their labor.
"System, open status window."
System quickly summarized the received rewards, along with completed quests.
The Verden Apostles had apparently wiped the floor with the Crimson Banishers, completing multiple faction quests.
By morning, Raidan had accumulated exactly 1,800 new unassigned attribute points.
Adding the 60 points he retained from yesterday, his total number sat at a staggering 1,860.
When he saw those glowing numbers, his reaction was heavily mixed.
A part of him felt an undeniable thrill. In the brutal, unforgiving reality of double apocalypse, power was the absolute currency of survival.
Having nearly 2,000 stat points to distribute meant he was no longer just a struggling player. He was rapidly approaching the realm of a true powerhouse.
Yet, a guilt gnawed at him. His gaze drifted toward the sleeping Naida.
This immense power came with a horrific price. The Karmic Debt. He could not look at those 1,860 points without seeing her grandfather’s shriveled lifeless corpse.
The System had essentially converted their suffering into his strength. Every single attribute point felt stained with innocent blood.
It made him feel physically sick to his stomach.
"But I cannot let his death be in vain. I have to use this power to protect her. To protect everything."
Swallowing his deep guilt, he focused on the glowing blue interface. He needed a balanced foundation to handle whatever threats Olympus or the Apocalypse threw at him next.
He decided to distribute the total 1,860 points evenly across his primary physical attributes.
"Umm, 620 points each to Attack, Defense, and Agility."
[ System Alert: Processing Attribute Distribution. ]
[ ATK +620 ]
[ DEF +620 ]
[ AGI +620 ]
[ Allocation Complete. Commencing physical synchronization. ]
The very moment the prompt disappeared, a terrifying energy exploded within his core.
It felt as if liquid fire was being injected directly into his veins. His muscles expanded and contracted rapidly, tearing and rebuilding themselves denser and vastly stronger than before.
His bones crackled, fortifying under the immense pressure, while his senses sharpened to an inhuman degree.
He could even hear the faint flutter of a moth outside the apothecary shop. He could feel the exact density of the air moving around him.
The transformation was completely overwhelming.
He had to bite his lip to keep from crying out and waking Naida.
When the agonizing process finally subsided, Raidan stood tall, drenched in cold sweat.
But, he looked reborn.
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