Chapter 90: Heaven-Defying Fortunes
When Malik returned to the Crimson Vault, the place had changed drastically from how he left it. A massive structure now stood proudly atop the vault, and engraved boldly above its gates was the inscription—Blackroot Legions. Outside the newly constructed building, a thick crowd of players buzzed with noise and excitement, yet none could enter. Two imposing NPC guards, each level 60 and clad in black and crimson armor, stood sentinel by the entrance, barring all access.
Without hesitation, Malik activated Stealth and slipped through the crowd like a ghost in moonlight. With a few quick motions, he sent out team invites to his comrades. One after another, they all accepted—White Emperor, Young Star, Goliath, and the rest. As soon as they did, a system prompt granted them entry into the building, triggering a wave of gasps and murmurs from the crowd outside. The NPC guards didn't even flinch.
"Boss... or should I say Commander now?" White Emperor laughed out loud, clapping Malik's shoulder as the group assembled before him. His voice was filled with genuine amusement.
Malik couldn't help but chuckle along. "Whichever one suits your taste," he replied with a grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"I think Commander sounds more fitting," Young Star added with a proud smirk. "After all, we are now the Blackroot Legions."
Malik's eyes gleamed with resolve. "That's actually the reason I called you all here." He straightened slightly, the playful air giving way to something heavier. "The Blackroot Legions are directly tied to the main quest—tracking down the bandits."
The moment the words left his lips, the expressions on the five members shifted—eyes widening, postures tightening.
"The Legion was formed to gain access to restricted intel. Starting tomorrow, I want each of you to send invites to trusted allies—people we can depend on. Our main objective is to gather information on the upperclassmen in Blackroot City and locate a legendary healer. She's being held captive."
The five nodded solemnly, eyes gleaming with determination.
"Brother," Young Star said suddenly. "Taiwo just messaged me. He and his crew are en route to Blackroot City. Should I recruit them?"
"Most definitely," Malik nodded. "We need every information network we can muster. But be cautious—it feels like something big is brewing under the surface."
"That's true, Commander," Goliath said with a serious tone. "A red player managed to record your last fight. The video's gone viral on the forums. Every major guild and independent player is now looking for you."
Malik sighed deeply, rubbing his chin. "Thanks for the heads-up, Goliath. I'll tread carefully. You should too—don't send out too many party invites. We don't know what we're walking into yet."
They all nodded again, their gazes sharp.
"You guys can continue with your grind or explore the city," Malik said at last. "I'll be logging out shortly." With that, he turned and walked deeper into the building, boots echoing against polished stone floors.
He entered a secluded chamber and shut the door behind him. The silence was comforting. With a flick of his wrist, he drew out the glowing crystal and fed it into the Ring of Sovereignty. A blinding light erupted from the ring as it spun wildly on his finger like it had a will of its own. After several long minutes, it settled once more.
Malik's heartbeat quickened. He activated Eyes of Insight, and the ring's new stats flashed before him.
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[Ring of Sovereignty] [Unknown Rank]
Description: A mysterious artifact sealed by the God of Creation and cast into the lower realm.
Unseal Progress: 1/5
Effects:
Beast Summon: Summons a beast up to 15 levels higher than the user. Lasts 20 minutes. Cooldown: 1 day.
Command Sigil: Boosts base stats of all allies by 20% and reduces enemy movement speed by 20%. The effect scales with the number of enemies and allies present but cannot exceed 30%. No cooldown.
Requirement for Next Unseal: 100 mana crystals or one precious stone.
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"HOLY MOTHER-FREAKING CHRIST!" Malik cursed under his breath. "This item is absolutely Heaven-defying. A summoned beast fifteen levels above me? And the Command Sigil... that's beyond broken. I could buff my entire team and cripple the enemy at the same damn time!"
He clenched his fists tightly. "If I can unseal the remaining levels of this ring… no one in the Western Region will be able to hold a candle to me. The problem is... mana crystals are damn near extinct. Even one mana stone costs ten gold coins—talk less of crystals!"
Still riding the high of his discovery, Malik pulled up his interface to log out—when his gaze landed on a particular item in his system inventory. The reward Zuru had given him. Or rather, the reward he'd accidentally accepted.
He retrieved the item—a dark red pendant emitting a dim, eerie glow—and trembled slightly as he activated Eyes of Insight.
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[Crimson Pendant] [Dark Gold Rank]
HP: +50,000
Defense: +30%
Effect: Absorbs damage received and converts it into a retaliatory strike.
Description: The core piece of the lost Crimson Set Equipment. Crafted by the Disciple of the Crimson God, this pendant allows the user to bypass all stat requirements for weapons and armor once equipped.
Current Set Completion: 6/7
Note: This pendant was relentlessly hunted by Varthos, but he never acquired it.
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Malik's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.
"This… this isn't just some Dark Gold trinket," he whispered in disbelief. "This is on par—no, more useful—than even the Bloodcleaver. With this… I can complete the Crimson set."
With swift hands, Malik equipped the pendant around his neck. Immediately, his Goremaw Pants turned dark red, fusing seamlessly with the set. One by one, he donned the Crimson Armor, the Bracers, and finally, the Helmet, which turned invisible upon contact. Last came the Crimson Boots.
A radiant light enveloped him as the set connected with a resounding hum.
"This feeling..." he muttered, clenching his fist as he activated Eyes of Insight again.
---
[Crimson Set Equipment] [Gold Grade]
Set Bonus: 6/7
Forged from the remains of ancient beasts and blessed by the Crimson God. Strengthens with blood, weakens without.
Base Stats:
HP: +150,000
Strength: +5,000
Defense: +7,000
Agility: +3,000
6-Piece Bonus:
Crimson Domain: Creates a domain in a 100x100 yard radius. Suppresses enemy movement by 30%, and boosts one attack by 40%. Buff scales with the number of enemies. Duration: 3 minutes. Cooldown: 30 minutes.
Additional Effect:
20% chance to inflict a 10-second stun, based on the enemy's willpower.
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"Heaven-defying… utterly Heaven-defying," Malik breathed, unable to describe what he felt.
He opened his full character sheet.
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[Man like Malik]
Commander of the Blackroot Legions | Duke of Green Leaf Town | Martial Expert | Drunken Master | Beast Breaker | Wolf Slayer
Level: 48
HP: 650,000
Strength: 9,500
Defense: 12,000
Agility: 7,500
Intelligence: 200
Skills:
Eyes of Insight [S Rank]
Vicious Trampling [A Rank]
Rending Claw Strike [B Rank]
Infernal Slash [A Rank]
Techniques:
Iron Fist [Level 9]
Iron Mountain Stance [Level 4]
Iron Fang Kick [Level 9]
Equipped Gear:
Crimson Set Equipment [6 pieces, Gold Rank]
Goremaw's Belt [Dark Gold Rank]
Ring of Sovereignty [Unknown Rank]
Storage Ring [Silver Rank]
Weapons:
Bloodcleaver [Epic Rank, Dagger]
Corrosive Dagger [Dark Gold Rank]
Description: A talentless adventurer with countless titles and a chaotic path. What's a martial artist doing with an assassin's daggers and a warrior's armor?
Luck: 0
Physique: Primordial Chaos Physique
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"With these stats," Malik whispered, then burst into laughter, "I could insta-kill Varthos if we had a rematch!"
Still grinning, he pressed the logout button as his silhouette shimmered and vanished from God's Realm.