Chapter 246 Chapter245-Quest Rewards, The Trade
Valerie's demeanor was sincere and earnest.
Though his expression conveyed urgency, he did not outright demand anything from John and his companions; instead, he posed his question in an inquiring tone.
Clearly, he must have heard something from higher-ups that authenticated the trio's news as more than mere rumors.
In response to Valerie's request, John was naturally not going to decline.
He had initially intended to convey this news to the higher authorities of the Northern Myst Empire anyway.
The invasion of the Devils was an extremely significant event for all races in the Godslayer Continent.
If not handled carefully, it could lead to catastrophic consequences.
As far as John was concerned, players and the forces of law and order were still aligned.
They had a common enemy: the malevolent entities from the Abyss.
"I agree to head to the imperial capital. What say you both?" John turned to Blue Sea and Adam.
Their eyes met and they nodded in unison, expressing agreement. "We have no objections. There's nothing pressing right now, and a scene like this is definitely worth witnessing."
Valerie stood by silently, listening.
Upon hearing Blue Sea and Adam's casual tone, his brows involuntarily furrowed.
Clearly, he wasn't pleased with their lackadaisical attitude.
But there was no time for deliberation now; the matter was too urgent. "Then let's not waste any time; we should depart immediately."
Just then, a guard entered the council hall.
With his level reaching as high as 180, he was clearly of a captain's rank.
He held several items in his hands.
"These are your rewards for completing the mercenary quest. They are treasures that have been kept in the City Lord's Mansion for many years. Feel free to examine them," Valerie said, a light chuckle imbuing his words.
The guard placed the items before John, Adam, and Blue Sea, then bowed and retreated.
The trio fixed their gazes on the table before them.
Laid out were a pair of gauntlets, an energy gem, and a black card identical to the gold coin storage card John had previously acquired.
[Steel Roar (Epic Gauntlets): Legend has it that in an ancient battlefield, a courageous warrior melted iron blocks to forge these gauntlets, imbuing them with the hot blood and power of countless battles.]
[Level Requirement: 200 or 180 Strength Points]
[Stats: +120 Strength, +60 Agility, +80 Attack Power]
[Additional Skill: Warrior's Rage — when activated, attack speed increases, each attack deals additional damage and carries a knockback effect.]
[Class: Warrior]
...
[Wind Spirit Orb (Epic Item): High above Storm City, endless gales carry within them the essence of wind. Accumulating over time, they solidify into rare wind-attributed energy gems. These gems never fall; they float eternally amidst the terrifying storm clouds, attainable only by high-level practitioners of both wind and thunder attributes. When embedded into weaponry or equipment, they grant the bearer mystical effects.]
[Enhanced Stats: +60% Wind Element Affinity, +50% Wind Blade Damage Effect, 30% Increased Attack Speed, +200 Attack Power.]
...
[Imperial Capital Savings Card: No tier. Issued by the Northern Myst Empire's Capital Bank, can be used to store the universal currency of Godslayer Continent with no upper limit. Current Amount: 100,000 gold coins.]
...
The eyes of John and his companions subtly brightened.
It seemed Valerie hadn't overstated matters; the properties of the equipment and item were genuinely impressive.
After some thought, John decided to allocate these two pieces to Adam and Blue Sea.
For him, they held little practical use.
Before he could voice his decision, however, Adam and Blue Sea seemed to anticipate his thoughts and took the initiative.
"Galewind, just take these items. This quest is pretty much your solo accomplishment; we didn't have much to do with it," they insisted.
John slowly shook his head, "That's not how we should see it. We're a team now, and the spoils should be shared among us. Besides, these items aren't much use to me, and both of you have greater needs for them."
If John had made such an offer in the past, both Adam and Blue Sea would have easily accepted.
This time, however, they were unyielding. "We can't take them. You've already helped us a lot during our venture into Thousand Streams Cave. Accepting more from you would weigh heavy on our conscience."
"Exactly, if you don't need them, you can sell them for a decent amount," they added.
With a somewhat resigned shake of his head, seeing their determination, John could only store all the items into his backpack.
[System Prompt: You have received your mercenary quest reward…]
"Let's make haste to the capital. The information you brought concerns the lives of countless beings; we can't afford to delay," Valerie urged, anxiety painting his features.
He was already prepared, ready to depart for the imperial capital and meet with the higher-ups.
Clearly, in the brief span of minutes that had passed, Valerie had done more than just communicate with the empire's elite; he had even arranged for the governance of City Lord's Mansion in his absence.
Before Valerie could turn to leave, John halted him, "My Lord, if you so casually take us away, what about the dire situation facing Storm City?"
John's voice echoed, tinged with a subtle smile.
Valerie shook his head with a wry smile. "We've searched the entire city for a long time and have yet to find a trace of the thief. He may have already escaped from Storm City."
"After the Devil matter is settled, I will personally atone and hope that the god of storm will forgive my sins. May his mercy fall upon Storm City again, for the sake of its many devout believers."
John offered a faint smile. "Things might not be as dire as you think. What if I told you that I could help you retrieve the lost item? How would you thank me?"
Caught off guard, Valerie's face lit up with immense joy in the next second. "Young man, are you serious? You can really help recover what Storm City has lost?"
John responded nonchalantly, "Let's not concern ourselves with whether I'm telling the truth or not. Just tell me, what would you be willing to give up if I succeed?"
Valerie answered definitively, "If you can truly recover what Storm City has lost, I am willing to pay any price."
John slowly nodded. "I believe in your promise, my lord."
With a casual wave of his hand, a pale gray, spherical piece of equipment materialized.
"Here's what you've been searching for."
Valerie's expression froze.
The mysterious aura radiating from the gray sphere seemed to resonate with the energy within him, casting a faint light.
Simultaneously, an inexplicable fluctuation descended from the never-ending storm clouds above, forming some sort of connection with the Son of the Storm in John's hand.
[Son of the Storm (Divine Equipment): Crafted by a deity governing the power of storms, this equipment embodies the force of ORDER. Once activated, it can create a complete storm realm, altering the wind and thunder elements within that realm. Its specific attributes remain unknown. Originally secured in Storm City's City Lord's Mansion as an anchor connecting the god of storm to the human world, it was stolen due to a lapse in security by a Treasure Hunter Merchant and became part of his private collection.]
With a swish, John and his companions felt a gentle breeze sweep across the council hall.
The next second, Valerie's figure had already appeared before John.
John lightly raised an eyebrow.
As expected, Valerie was a practitioner of wind attributes, otherwise, he couldn't possibly possess such astonishing speed.
It made sense, really. Storm City was the hub for practitioners of wind and thunder elements on the Godslayer Continent.
How could Valerie, the Lord of Storm City, be anything else?
John even suspected that Valerie might hold a high position within the Storm Church.
But Valerie had no time for such considerations.
He reached out to grab the Son of the Storm from John's hand but grasped nothing but air.
John pulled his hand back, a sly smile gracing his lips.
"My lord, wouldn't you like to hear my terms before making your decision?"
Valerie spoke hurriedly, "Whatever conditions you set, I will agree to them. Now please return this item to its rightful owner. Young man, this isn't something for you to keep."
John gave a slight smirk, then said calmly, "Very well. My condition is that I wish to enter the Storm Church to undertake the Twelve Trials of the Hero."
Upon hearing these words, Valerie recoiled as if he'd touched something toxic.
He stared at John intently, a mysterious light flickering in his eyes.
"Young man, where do you come from, and how do you know about the Twelve Trials of the Hero?"
New novel 𝓬hapters are published on (f)reeweb(n)ovel.com