Chapter 15: The Value of Power

It seems that this system upgrade has made it more suited to this world, no longer just a game like before. Franz felt both excited and worried. It looked like he would need to buy a few more things to ensure his safety.

However, when Franz looked at the system, his eyes widened. Since when had the Mangekyō Sharingan reached 80,000 silver coins? The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan had also risen to 700,000 silver. Even the other jutsus had increased in price. Now, with only 2,000 silver coins, he could barely afford E and D-rank jutsus.

Exiting the system, Franz felt incredibly frustrated. The system was such a greedy merchant! Seeing how easily he made money, it raised the prices—just like in his past life. Every time gas prices went up, so did everything else, but salaries never did. Suddenly, Emon entered and said, “Young master, the patriarch and the elders are waiting for you in the main hall.”

When Franz entered the hall, he saw Duss along with the council of elders. Leona and the other top 8 participants were also there. Franz guessed it was time for the rewards. Leona immediately pulled him to stand beside her. Geoffrey and Grey smiled at him warmly. Only Sothe remained cold as ice, and Desmond looked at him with venomous eyes.

As expected, after some speeches and encouragement, the elders began distributing rewards to those outside the top 4. Grey and Sothe tied for 4th place. Grey received a large blue oval shield, taller than him, engraved with a golden lion crest and adorned with a shimmering magic core in the center. It was clear at a glance that this wasn’t an ordinary item but a magical piece of equipment. Sothe received a suit of magical scale armor—lightweight but offering great defense—reportedly made from the scales of a 5th-level magic beast, the Venomous Green Snake.

Although Desmond had been eliminated early, as the grandson of the Great Elder, he was still given a set of magical armor, though it was inferior to the other rewards. Desmond’s glare toward Franz grew even more hostile, causing Franz to frown slightly.

When it was time for the top 3 rewards, the patriarch himself handed them out. This time, two of his own children were among the top 3, making him beam with joy, though Duss still maintained his dignified demeanor as head of the family.

“Leona, this time you’ve made it to the top 3. The family rewards you with a magical bracelet engraved with a fire-enhancing spell and a 6th-level fire spell, the Flames of Wrath.”

Leona accepted the bracelet, clearly delighted. She immediately put it on, revealing a delicate, lily-white hand from the wide sleeve of her robe. It was hard to believe that this hand had beaten so many opponents to a pulp.

Next was Geoffrey. Duss presented him with a long spear, its body a dark copper-red, with a serpent coiled around the spearhead.

“This is the Serpent Spear, well-suited to your combat style. It’s also enhanced with a 3rd-level spell, Lightning Serpent Frenzy.”

Duss handed the spear to Geoffrey. It suited him perfectly, and Franz felt as if he were seeing the legendary warrior Zhao Yun. Franz knew the power of Lightning Serpent Frenzy—it could paralyze enemies, much like the Kusanagi Blade. But he also knew the limitation of magical equipment: it could only unleash its magic once per day.

Finally, it was Franz’s turn. Duss couldn’t help but let a slight smile form. Franz’s reward was in a small box.

“Your reward is a pair of daggers. While they aren’t magical, their sharpness and piercing ability are extraordinary. They also have two grooves for applying different poisons. However, three years ago, one of the daggers was stolen, so now there’s only one left. You may choose a magical weapon from the first floor of the family vault as compensation.”

Duss glanced at Leona, who lowered her head, avoiding his gaze. Franz was puzzled and opened the box. Inside was a dagger about 9 inches long, completely black, without reflecting any light. Two grooves ran along the blade, just as Duss had described, and it emanated a chilling aura. But what was even more remarkable was that this dagger was identical to the one Leona had given him when he was 12.

So, it was Leona who had stolen the dagger from the family to give to him. She thought her secret was safe, but it hadn’t escaped Duss’s sharp eyes. He just hadn’t mentioned it before. Today, with Franz winning first place and the Great Elder’s pressure, Duss used the opportunity to reward Franz with the remaining dagger and let him pick another weapon.

Franz was moved. He hadn’t realized how valuable the dagger Leona had given him was. However, he felt a bit troubled. If the elders investigated and made a big deal out of it, Franz might not even know how he ended up dead. After thinking about his reward for a moment, Franz spoke.

“I don’t want equipment, but I want a 6th-level magic core and 100,000 gold coins.”

“Very well.”

Before the elders could react, Duss agreed immediately. Last time, Franz had taken a 6th-level magic core from the family vault, and Duss had noticed. He even secretly thought the boy was too honest for not taking more. Who knows how Franz would feel if he knew his father’s thoughts.

Franz had carefully considered his reward. The Gamer Mode was over, and now he had to face the real, dangerous world. No matter how strong one was, it was impossible to fight alone against countless enemies. That’s why he decided to build his own power. He realized that his family wasn’t as stable as it appeared. Having his own forces would be a better way to protect himself. And to build power, the first thing he needed was money.