Chapter 25: Recruiting Adventurers

"Take this." Vivian heard Sila say.

"Huh?" The girl blinked.

"Aren't you itching to study the miasma? This orb's safer." Sila tossed the glowing sphere.

"Right!" Vivian accepted it with eyes glittering with restrained excitement, already muttering analysis spells.

Sila frowned, genuinely puzzled how such basic consideration sparked such visible delight.

He shrugged, secretly pleased anyway - clear approval points gained.

"Far enough?" Sila mused after counting thirty breaths. His kindness served dual purposes: goodwill cultivation and strategic isolation.

His boots tapped floor tiles in precise sequence - left front, right front, left…

A faint click answered. Deep within the cavern, grinding stone echoed as a lacquered box emerged from fissured rock.

Sila's dagger pried it open before the mechanism fully settled. Contained power hummed against his palms.

The gelatinous mass inside pulsed like living mercury. His throat bobbed as he swallowed it whole.

"Haaah-"

Raw mana wildfire exploded in his gut. Sila's eyes gleamed with predatory satisfaction.

This quivering prize predated mortal civilization - a divine-era artifact called Essence Congealed.

Modern cultivation resources cannot directly enhance power - at best, they marginally accelerate training efficiency.

But during the Age of Divinity, ascension rules flowed like water. Artifacts like Essence Congealed and Flesh Amalgams existed. Mortals then grew stronger by literally swallowing power!

Sila now tasted that ancient privilege through memories from "Journey of Radiance".

He monitored the dissolving mass within him. Across his mental plane, mana spheres crystallized at alarming speeds. Eleven seconds later, Sila cleared his throat softly.

His aura shifted imperceptibly.

Elite Fourth Rank achieved.

Outside the cavern, Vivian remained engrossed in documenting miasma reactions with the azure orb, oblivious to his metamorphosis.

As Sila moved to rejoin his companion…

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Urgent footfalls echoed beyond the chamber.

Vivian retreated warily as four silhouettes materialized.

The girl hesitated, then deliberately withheld intervention.

Four adventurers burst into the cavern unimpeded.

Sila observed coldly from his perch on a floor tile, tacitly endorsing Vivian's choice.

Vivian's cheeks flushed with conflicted warmth.

She knew the risks of non-interference. But as one of the female protagonists bound by "True Neutral" alignment, this represented her moral ceiling - refusing to actively save lives.

Actively blocking adventurers to let them die from miasma - she couldn't stomach that.

"Finally some cannon fodder walked into my web." Sila's mental sneer echoed.

In reality…

He merely maintained the charade to keep scoring points with Vivian. Not only did Sila not oppose the adventurers' arrival, but…

He welcomed it!

His scheme required adventurer "assistance" from the beginning.

The more explorers reaching this ancient inheritance's core area, the better!

Sila now leisurely examined the four intruders.

Three men, one woman.

Two burly men wore leather armor, while the third boasted slightly better gear - chainmail glowing with enchantments.

The woman was a spider-carved staff wielding crone whose ugliness matched her cobweb jewelry.

Sila instantly identified the crone's staff as their most valuable equipment.

All four bore greenish complexions from miasma exposure.

Fortunately, their preparations proved adequate - antidote pills swallowed, toxic buildup suppressed after several tense minutes.

Only then did the adventurers notice Vivian and Sila bathed in the orb's azure glow.

The girl tensed until Sila's reassuring pat on her shoulder steadied her nerves.

"If he's calm, I should be too."

Vivian stole glances at the boy's composed features.

She remained oblivious to her shifting dynamic - their partnership contract had begun as purely transactional.

Yet barely into this expedition, she'd already started relying on him.

The adventurers similarly sized up the duo, recognizing the noble who'd displayed both fearsome skills and extravagant wealth at the tavern, accompanied by his female companion.

After exchanging glances, the chainmail-clad man stepped forward.

He hesitated before speaking: "Griffin, leader of this party. We… appreciate you permitting our shelter."

Griffin studied the azure orb in Vivian's grasp but made no sudden moves.

He recognized the artifact's protective aura shielding the cavern yet resisted seizing it. As a seasoned adventurer, Griffin understood: The orb's activation mechanics remained unclear.

Even if claimed, its protective effects might prove temporary.

Combat vibrations could disrupt its functions with catastrophic consequences.

Moreover…

His appraisal skills failed to gauge the orb's true worth. Perhaps the trinket held negligible value alone, merely interacting with the cavern's hidden arcane arrays to purge miasma.

Would theft prove ultimately pointless?

My sole purpose is surviving through this cavern - the orb's ownership matters little.

After their leader spoke, the remaining three adventurers chorused gratitude: "Our thanks, young lord. And to this fair lady - you have our deepest gratitude."

Sila observed this display.

A flicker of intrigue passed through his gaze.

These adventurers displayed uncommon rationality.

"Countless others turned ravenous vultures when witnessing me enter the rift. Preparing to slaughter this cash cow they perceived."

"These four…Possess basic survival instincts."

Sila maintained his vigilance. Precisely these rational adventurers who resisted greed's lure would prove most ruthless when striking.

He deliberated momentarily before pulling Vivian closer. "This azure sphere makes decent alchemical reagent. I'll claim it. The walls likely conceal other treasures. Help yourselves."

He stated this with measured calm, remaining rooted in place.

The adventurers froze in stunned silence. They simultaneously doubted yet couldn't discount Sila's proclamation.

After tense deliberation, their sorceress acted. She loosed a radiant missile at the cavern walls.

The arcane projectile struck true, shattering the stonework.

Their eyes narrowed instantly. Both cavern walls concealed numerous sets of ornate plate armor and gleaming blades.

The adventurers inspected the haul. Though lacking enchantments, the armor and weapons bore faint alchemical sigils - undoubtedly valuable artifacts.

A single armor-weapon set could fetch nearly ten thousand gold coins. Before them lay over a dozen such sets. Even split four ways, each member would claim substantial wealth.

For elite-ranked adventurers, this constituted a princely reward!

Merely escaping the Dimensional Rift with this loot would make their venture profitable.

All four beamed with barely contained glee. "You honor us with your generosity, young lord!"

At their leader's glance, even the sorceress joined the fervent chorus of thanks.

Sila maintained indifferent composure. He closed his eyes to examine the system interface. No point notifications appeared.

"Because these armors aren't truly mine?"

He mused curiously.

Sila casually tossed another armor set forward. "Take this too. I've no use for it."

The leather-clad man caught the armor. Another torrent of effusive gratitude followed.

Sila checked again. The system remained silent.

He froze in perplexity.

The system abruptly pulsed with notification. "Only items purchased through universal currency owned by the host may be converted into points."

"Seriously?" Sila's lips twisted in bemusement. The system's lack of sophistication disappointed him.

Still…

Negligible inconvenience.

"Resources obtained in Dimensional Rifts can first be liquidated through the clan."

Sila reasoned strategically.

The Leviathan Clan consistently paid premium prices for rare materials.

As heir apparent, he enjoyed privileged conversion rates - even earned bonuses for clan contributions.

More profitable than open-market sales. His point accumulation wouldn't suffer. Minor system limitations meant nothing.

The four adventurers observed Sila's contemplative stillness.

They couldn't parse the noble's intentions.

The adventurers traded uncertain glances. Then moved as one, springing to their feet.

Griffin closed the distance with alarming speed.