It's been several hours.
It was any second now, for the treasure crates to drop.
[The treasure crates have been dropped Please check your watches for locations!]
The announcement cut through the air, sparking a rush of anticipation within me.
Finally, I've been waiting for this for 5 days!
Quickly checking my watch, I noted the coordinates of the nearest treasure crate—600 meters to the west. I set off immediately.
-------------------------------
Upon reaching the designated spot, I paused briefly to scan for any potential threats before shifting my focus to the crate. Its yellow hue stood out against the surroundings.
As I attempted to lift the crate, its weight surprised me. It was way too heavy. Just then, my watch vibrated.
Ding*
[A Yellow box has been discovered, You receive 1000 points! You may use the points in the points shop.]
A points system?
I made a mental note to explore it later.
For now, I needed to get the treasures hidden within the crate.
With caution, I opened it, revealing two items bathed in an unnatural light—a black short sword and a glowing orange potion. The short sword, though heavy, was only around 70cm long, it felt expensive seeing how dense the knife was, as I weighed it in my hands and tossed it lightly in the air to test its weight. As for the potion, I was unsure of its nature, so I decided not to drink it immediately, as it might even be poisonous.
Just as I pondered the potion's nature, another vibration rang on my watch.
[Would you like to appraise this item? (100 points per appraisal)]
I might have to pay more attention to the watch; it had quite a few abilities. I'll check it out later.
“Yes,”
I confirmed.
【-100 points】
{Potion of Invisibility}
Effect: 12 Minutes
Side effects: None
Description: This potion grants the user a layer of Quantum Stealth, rendering them invisible to others within a 20-meter radius. It works effectively on individuals of shard rank or lower. However, caution is advised for those with health issues or allergies to its components (Bael leaves, Salt, Lemon).
=======================================
A potion of invisibility? I'll put it in my pockets for now; it might have its uses later. Should I appraise the knife too? Nah, I should avoid spending my points without knowing what is in the points shop.
“Bro! I see…”
I seemed to hear a distant shout; they might be here for the box. Well, I had already taken the loot, so they were wasting their time. The item I wanted wasn't in that box, unfortunately, but I did get some decent loot. It's time to go loot the next crate.
I took out the watch and checked the map. The next crate was 700m away. It's going to take a few minutes.
---
(Meanwhile)
“There it is!”
A pair of people seemed to be rushing towards the crate.
“We found the crate!”
“I found it; I'll take the item inside.” One argued
“That’s bullsh*t.” The other one responded
"Whatever, open the crate first," he said while thinking to himself.
'I'm a middle rank, while you're an Early rank. I'll just force you to give it to me.'
As they opened the box, a soft glow emanated from within, casting an ethereal light on their faces. Expectation hung heavy in the air as they peered inside, and..
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Eh?”
“Eh?”
They simultaneously looked at each other.
——————————————
(Third POV)
Meanwhile, the man who had looted that crate observed two weary combatants facing off by a crate that was similar to the one he had looted earlier, except it was blue in color.
The rhythmic clashing of their weapons echoed through the air, creating fleeting sparks. Cling-Clang* One combatant wielded a hefty axe while the other brandished a gleaming sword, both showcasing around Early to middle ranked prowess. The way they used their weapons instead of their magic to fight showed they were running out of energy.
A huge detriment in Shard Rank was that you couldn't recharge on your own, you were only able to absorb from the surroundings. Therefore, many used their weapons when their energy reserves were low. Coupled with the fact that your physique is improved upon as you progress through ranks, it is a good secondary fighting style.
Clang*
Once again, they clashed. Both falling down at the same time due to knock back from the clash.
‘It should be time for me to take the loot. They both seem too tired to fight.‘ Teron thought as he looked at the scene in front of him.
‘Now!’
Swoosh*
Just as he was about to swoop in and grab the treasure, something leaped out. It was a man.
‘There was another guy here?'
Seeing the newcomer, Teron stopped in his tracks and decided to let the situation unfold itself a little before he jumped in.
"Hey, you're pretty strong!" exclaimed the axe-wielder, sprawled on the ground with limbs outstretched like a sea star.
"You're no slouch yourself," replied the sword-bearer, acknowledging the display of strength
Both were on the ground with their faces facing up, unable to notice the newcomer.
"Hah, you seem like a decent guy. How about we team up? I've been flying solo. Name's Max," said the cheerful axe fighter, extending an offer.
“Sure! I don’t have anyone to team with either. I’m Zelk.” Zelk responded.
“Isn’t it strange how we were fighting a second ago and now we’re-”
Sliing*
A sharp, piercing sound cut through their conversation.
“Hey, what’s that sound? Are you still there? Hello?” Zelk, Still unable to control his limbs, couldn't see what had happened and tried to call out.
As if trying to make a joke to diminish his uneasiness, Zelk yelled out again:
“Hey, I know I’ve just met you, and now somehow we’re teamed up. But I really don’t like your sense of humour! You better Respon-”
“Shut up, will you. Your friend’s dead” The newcomer calmly retrieved his sword from the now-dead man's chest, displaying a nonchalant demeanor as he did so. He then reached into his bag and retrieved a cloth, using it to wipe the blade clean .
"Hey! Who are you?" Zelk demanded, his voice tinged with a mix of urgency and suspicion as he managed to pull himself up, his arms trembling but determined.
“YO! I’m Jack. Now, if you don’t mind. I’m kind of in a hurry, I will take this crate now.” the man, identifying himself as Jack, smiled at Zelk as he turned his attention back
Zelk gritted his teeth, he could feel the man inf front of him was stronger than him, even in his recovered state. However, despite this, he still wanted to question the man.
"You could have just taken the crate without harming anyone! We can't even stand up. Why did you have to kill him!" Zelk yelled out, his voice cracking with a mix of anger and desperation.
Jack, unfazed by his outburst, calmly walked over to the crate and began rifling through it.
“Answer me!”
“Look man, you’re getting on my nerves. I know that a man that you met a second ago just died, alright? Does it really matter? Do you even know his last name? Do you really care about his death? Or do you just want to justify your guilt of not warning him despite knowing I was here. I know that you knew I was here, from observing your fight, you seemed to rely on your hearing a lot. Your Zodiac must be special. It allows you to hear way better than normal. You must've heard me. You didn't tell him because you were F*CKING scared. I'm too tired, I don’t want to kill anyone else today. OK?”
"..."
Jack continued to sift through the contents of the crate.
Just then, he felt a presence behind him. He raised his sword in anticipation and turned behind.
he saw a man, he similar to him in rank, it was Teron.
Silence ensured.
There was a standoff between them.
Teron was the first one to break the silence
“It’s nice to meet you again, Jack”
Teron had already guessed Jack's identity when he first saw his face, but had confirmed it when Jack introduced himself.
"?" Jack seemed confused at first, tilting his head slightly.
“Wait! I know you. You’re that guy that interrupted the fight between me and that chick. You’re Karen right?” realization dawning on Jack's face.
“Umm… close enough, my name’s Teron” Teron replied
“Well, it’s nice to meet you again.”
““…”"
Silence ensued.
Even with the brief exchange between them.
The atmosphere between them was thick with tension, like the stillness of a storm brewing on the horizon.
Teron took a step forward, his eyes locked on Jack's.
"Well, it seems we're in a standoff, aren't we?" Teron said, a hint of amusement coloring his voice.
Jack sneered, Still cautious. "And what do you want, Teron?"
"Actually, at the beginning, I was thinking of just taking the loot. But now that you're here, I don't think I can do that " Teron tossed his knife slightly in the air.
"And what are you going to do now." Jack raised his sword up.
"I want to team up."
Jack's eyes widened, then laughed harshly, his gaze never leaving Teron's. "For what? This crate? You want to team up for now to split it? Find another one. This one's mine."
"No," Teron said, shaking his head. His tone was firm, steady "I want to team up for the entire training, an entire year. "
Jack blinked at that, his grin fading into something more serious. He looked at Teron for a long moment before finally speaking.
"Are you ready to kill?"
Teron didn't answer immediately. He seemed to contemplate the question, or perhaps the man who asked it.
Finally, he nodded. "Only if it's necessary."
"Necessary..." Jack repeated the word softly, as though testing it on his tongue. He glanced at Zelk, still struggling to stay on his feet. "Prove it."
"Prove...?" Teron followed Jack's gaze to Zelk.
"Kill him," Jack said simply.
"Wait!" Zelk protested weakly.
But no one paid him any mind. It was clear this was a test between them now - a test of wills and of intentions.
Teron stared at Zelk for a long moment, then back at Jack. His eyes were hard as steel.
The tension between them spiked once more, an ominous pressure bearing down on them all - like the crushing weight of an imminent storm.
Then Teron stepped forward again - and everything changed with that single step.
"Alright," he said. The word resonated in the air between them.
---------------------------------
Vocabulary:
Quantum stealth: a material that renders the target completely invisible by bending light waves around the target.