I spent some time recovering, then set about looting Vex's equipment. I took the Kamina shades first:

Can analyze people and objects with its Scan function. Cooldown: 5 minutes. This item has been upgraded through unknown means to reveal certain hidden information when Scan function is used on other Challengers.

By "certain hidden information" I took that it meant detecting Qualifications. It might be lucky if it revealed even more stuff too...but honestly, I wasn't going to try wearing them myself. They took up the same slot as my Amplifier Helmet, which gave more bonuses than just its Enemy Scan.

That was the practical reason I could give anyone for dismissing that possibility, but come on. The things were hideous. Even if I didn't have a practical reason going for me, Bruzigan or anyone else would have had a heck of a time making me wear them.

Next, I removed the combat suit, storing it without checking its properties for now. Thankfully, as was standard, he was wearing coverings underneath. Once that was done, I noticed an amulet on a gaudy gold chain around his neck:

Neck Equipment (Silver Grade)

Requires Regeneration 100, Pure Magic trait

Regeneration +30

Mana Regeneration +50%

Now this was something I'd consider equipping myself. I doubted the chain was important, and even if it was, it wouldn't be that bad considering the benefits with it. Although, another 50% on top of that massive mana regen boosting trait wouldn't be that great. Plus 30 entire points to even any one stat was bonkers, though.

He also wore an accessory—a badge or pin on his short under the combat suit in the shape of a phoenix:

Accessory Equipment (Silver Grade)

Requires Fire Mana Network

-20% Fire Spell Cooldowns

+20% Magic Power of Circle 2 or greater Fire spells

Set Bonus 1/4:

Full Set Bonus 1/8:

"Interestinger and interestinger..."

Armor Set bonuses were increasingly rare to see as the Grade increased. On Common or White Grade equipment, they tended to be decent but not good enough to justify keeping a set over replacing it with something higher-grade if you could get it. Bronze Grade was another story, and I'd never heard of set bonuses on Silver grade, either. No set bonus I'd yet heard of required filling all eight of your inventory slots, either. As I stored it for now, I made a mental note to research this set once I got back to the virtual space where I could access Grosstin's item database.

Then, on his left wrist was a curious bracelet that seemed to be made up of golden runes. Thin though it was, I had to wonder how I hadn't noticed it before now. I tried to collect it like the rest, but the moment I touched it, it vanished with a bright flash. "O-kay...that's weird."

Lastly, there were his boots—and I resolved to keep them for my own equipment immediately:

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Foot Equipment (Silver Grade)

Requires 75 Speed, Fire Mana Network

Speed +20

Special Passive:

Improves friction on slippery terrain, even at high speeds.

Special Active:

Removes movement restrictions from the user and increases the user's Speed by 15% for 2 minutes. Above a certain speed, user will leave a trail of superheated flames behind them. Cooldown: 4 hours.

Finally, he wore a spatial storage ring. There was nothing valuable inside—only stuff like provisions, standard restoration potions, and things that I guessed would alleviate boredom—apparently he’d been waiting for me here well in advance, though he couldn’t have been staying here since he’d first caused the Fire Sanctuary to fall. However, the ring itself was Silver grade, which was extremely rare to see even among the elite of Area 1 who had one. The ones Edwin had gotten for Mewi and I had only been White grade, so this would be a major trade-up. Now, it was time to turn my attention to actually restoring the Fire Sanctuary.

At the rear of the chamber, the red orb had continued following a track down the wall which then came back along the floor a short distance, and had finally stopped at a portion of the floor that had been marked with a circle. There was also now a ring of stone—or rather, the same material the Sanctuary walls were made of that LOOKED like ordinary stone—surrounding its middle, though not entirely. As I walked around it, I saw that there was a small set of steps that led up to a point where it was easily within reach.

I approached. The orb was no longer glowing like it had been in the door. I reached out to touch it, and when I did, a bell tone rang from it, echoing throughout the Core Chamber. Then, the orb lit up--though not nearly as brightly as before. Words appeared inside, as though it was some kind of sci-fi control monitor. Which I supposed was exactly what it turned out it was.

[Fire Sanctuary Core Self-Repair complete. Current status: INACTIVE.]

[To activate Sanctuary Core, it must be primed with Fire mana. Guardian, place both hands on console to initiate transfer.]

Hoo boy. I wouldn't call my mana storage reserves shot, but I hope this thing can get by on about 20,000 points worth...

I placed my hands on the orb—and felt the mana network in my body react on its own. The orb glowed brighter and brighter, and another line that led from it to the central structure glowed red-hot.

Through the orb, I could see a glow begin as well in the transparent chamber at the center of the core structure. As my mana reserves got lower and lower, my own mana pool constantly emptying and refilling from this drain, the core got brighter and brighter. Then, just as I was genuinely worrying that I really would run out of mana before this restart could complete, my hands jerked away from the orb--they'd not been able to pull away when the process started—and a whirring noise came from the core, growing steadily higher pitched.

The noise became a steady, high hum, and another notification appeared.

[The Fire Sanctuary has been restored. 9 Sanctuaries remain.]

[The Sanctuaries have granted you their blessing for your efforts.]

[New Personal Trait: ]

Fire mana and Fire spells restore your health. You cannot be harmed by fire or Fire spells of Circle 3 and below.

[You have received a spell book.]

Sixth Circle Fire Spell

Required Intuition: 762

Temporarily transform your body into pure Fire mana, taking the form of a Fire Elemental. Can be canceled before the maximum duration.

Duration: 5 minutes

Cooldown: 12 hours

Mana cost: 4,112

Well, I wasn’t going to be learning that spell anytime soon with an Intuition requirement like that. The spellbook’s cover was a LOT fancier than any I’d ever seen before, and it was dictionary-tier thick to boot. That was okay, though. The new personal trait, on the other hand, was completely bonkers. Elemental absorption was the kind of ability that was usually balanced out in video games by having huge weaknesses attached to it—and almost never being available to player characters in any case. I never liked breaking games, I wasn’t used to thinking along such lines—and even I was already filling with ideas on how to make this trait completely broken. Setting Lesser Incendiary Mines on myself on purpose, for a start. I’d have to experiment to see if I’d be at risk for my own stun effect.

And the Sanctuary wasn’t even done with me.

[Because of your performance in the trials, the Fire Sanctuary has acknowledged you as the .]

New Title:

Fire spell Mana costs and cooldowns –20%.

You may teleport to the Fire Sanctuary from anywhere in . When you leave the Fire Sanctuary after activating this effect, you will return to the exact location you left.

Another new Title. I was definitely happy with the reward, since the effects were excellent, but I expected a little more for the extra effort.

Little did I know, I was absolutely about to get it...

[Congratulations. You have made an exceptional achievement.]