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Path to Prosperity - B1 Chapter 51
🕑 Added 2024-07-24 10:00:06 +0000 UTCThe Glacia Knights stared at Lady Reeze in disbelief.
The Blueflame Hawk was an Elite Monster. Even if it was a rather weak Elite Monster, it was a fast avian, capable of scouting and surprise attacks. The Monster Card of an ordinary Blueflame Hawk was far more valuable than Michael’s enchanted sword.
[Sharpness] was one of the simplest weapon enchantments. Percy’s Ego might adjust the runic enchantment perfectly to the Tempered Silvron Sword, which avoids straining the weapon no matter how often [Sharpness] was activated. However, it was still not worth nearly as much as the Blueflame Hawk Card.
Despite that, Liam smiled while the Glacia Knight Captain’s expression remained unchanged. They didn’t seem surprised about the change of events. It was almost like they expected the young heiress to behave like that.
Percy nibbled on his lower lip while his eyes drifted from Melissa to the Blueflame Hawk Card.
I have one open Card Slot, and enhancing the Gnoll Warrior will cost a fortune now. If I can acquire more Augmentations from another Monster Card and claim another ally to fight by my side, I should easily survive in the Moonlight Forest. But accepting the Monster Card will have consequences. Even if there are no official conditions, Melissa is doing me a favor. She is…investing in my growth.
The Blueflame Hawk was incredibly valuable, but there was more to Melissa’s generous trading offer. She might not say it aloud, but the young heiress wanted more. It was similar to his debt to the Glacia Knight Order, yet different. Melissa’s action was a proper investment of a future Duchess.
She was spreading her wings out to acquire trust and loyalty.
Do I like this? Not really. But I do like the Blueflame Hawk. It should have some good Augmentations.
He went through the pros and cons one more time and nodded at last.
“I accept.”
Percy handed Melissa the enchanted Silvron Sword and received a bonafide copy of the Tempered Silvron Sword. Not enchanted, obviously. The interface appeared as well. Everything worked as intended.
[Tempered Silvron Sword – Excellent Quality – 5295 Prosperity]
“You did the right thing. That was probably the cheapest option to acquire an Elite Monster Card you could have hoped for. Other than hunting Monster Cards on your own,” Melissa commented, handing over the Blueflame Hawk Card.
Percy, however, was already busy with something else.
[Tempered Silvron Sword’s blade has been enhanced. 15,000 Prosperity has been deducted.]
[The blade has reached its limit. [Sharpness] is overflowing with Prosperity.
[Sharpness] will be interwoven into the essence of the Tempered Silvron Sword.]
Streaks of vibrant ocean-blue mana engraved eight beautiful marks into the newly acquired Tempered Silvron Sword, transforming the ordinary weapon into an Artifact before everyone’s eyes.
“I hope so, Lady Reeze,” Percy responded quietly as his eyes trailed to the Blueflame Hawk Card.
[Monster Card - Blueflame Hawk (Elite – ⭐) – 185,000 Prosperity]
The Monster Card wasn’t special, but that didn’t change anything. Percy could add the Augmentations as he acquired more Prosperity. He had only 4,000ish Prosperity left but chose to check the Augmentations of his newest acquisition nonetheless. Percy had to claim the Monster Card properly to ensure he wouldn't miss any details.
He pulled his new shirt down, exposing a part of his bare chest. Melissa blushed slightly at his mannerless gesture but remained where she was without uttering a sound. Her ears turned red while Percy focused on the mana circulating through the Monster Card. It stirred wildly when Percy pressed the Blueflame Hawk Card against his chest.
The wild mana within the Monster Card reached out for Percy’s mana, which he accepted. Percy willed his mana to burst toward the Card and engulf it. The temperature around him dropped slightly – contrary to his first experience with the Gnoll Card – until Percy shivered. He was in pain and felt like freezing to death, but he never thought about retrieving the Monster Card. Percy felt that the Monster Card belonged to him no matter how painful it was. That the pain was exactly how it was supposed to be.
Everything was perfect.
Percy closed his eyes with that thought and endured the pain without halting his mana circulation. The mana within him circulated wildly, trying to heat the chill spreading through his chest.
He lost track of time, but it must have been a few hours. The surrounding forest was dark and silent. The Glacia Knights on night duty smiled at him but said nothing. Meanwhile, Melissa, Ulfhar, and the rest looked at him.
They ignored his drenched clothes and exhausted appearance and smiled at him.
“I hope you’re not going to leave us hanging like that. We waited for you to finish absorbing the Monster Card,” Igore teased Percy while Melissa Reeze cleared her throat.
“What are the Augmentations your Blueflame Hawk can acquire?”
She looked straight at his bare chest, the head of an azure-blue hawk engraved next to the Gnoll Warrior’s head. Both were etched into his chest and glowed dimly into the night.
Percy didn’t have to tell them anything, but he was also curious
[Blueflame Hawk – Healthy]
[Name – None]
[Potential: Elite ⭐ ~⭐~]
[Augmentation]
~[Hawk Eyes ⭐]~
~[Basic Agility Boost ⭐⭐] ~
~[Frostbite ⭐⭐⭐⭐]~
~[Silent Reaper ⭐]~
Percy relayed the information to the others, mostly because he was curious if Melissa or Ulfhar knew anything about [Frostbite] and [Silent Reaper]. He might be able to sense how big the resistance to unlock either of the Augmentations was but had no clue which one to unlock first. Not that he could unlock any of his Augmentations instantly in the first place. It would be good to have a rough idea to start planning already.
“[Hawk Eyes] is probably one of the most common Augmentations for most hawks. It enhances their eyesight, and – if the star rating is high enough – it allows monsters to pinpoint their enemies’ weak points. It is a great Augmentation for most Cardists, but Archers and Scouts profit from it the most, except if you can pinpoint your enemies’ weakness with [Hawk Eyes] at a high star rating,” Knight Liam commented, his eyes glimmering.
It seemed like he had some great experiences with Cardists who owned [Hawk Eyes] and had a decent star rating.
“[Basic Agility Boost] is self-explanatory. But…[Frostbite] and [Silent Reaper] are very interesting.” Ulfhar smiled, turning to Melissa, who nodded slowly.
“[Frostbite] is the Augmentations most high-ranked Glacia Knights are trying to acquire to emulate the Reeze family’s Elemental Ego. We don’t know many monsters with a low probability of procuring Frostbite, especially not at such a high star rating. Four stars…” She looked back at the Glacia Knight Captain, “I think we know what monsters to hunt once all this is over.”
Did I just cause the extinction of a whole race? I surely hope not!
Percy frowned but continued listening. Or he would have if the others said something else.
“What about [Silent Reaper]? It shows even more resistance than [Frostbite], even though it’s only a one-star Augmentation,” he asked when nobody said anything.
Melissa shrugged, and Knight Liam shook his head. All eyes rested on the Glacia Knight Captain, who smiled wryly.
“I’m not all-knowing either. I didn’t know an Augmentation called Silent Reaper existed. The only thing I can think of when I hear ‘Silent Reaper’ is the legend of the Endless Shadow.”
What’s that? Percy wanted to ask but Ulfhar’s expression twisted into a clear ‘no questions’-grimace.
With that in mind. Percy changed the topic. He grinned brightly at the others.
“So…what awaits us at the Wintermoon estate?”
**
The following day passed quickly. Too quickly, if one was to ask Percy.
He slept until early morning when a group of Kobolds attacked the carriage. Percy wasn’t in a good mood because he missed sleeping on a soft and comfortable mattress dearly, but fighting with the Blueflame Hawk and the Gnoll Warriors on his side wasn’t too bad either.
That was what Percy did the entire day until late afternoon. He fought alongside his monsters and learned how to control them more precisely. His understanding of the Blueflame Hawk increased quickly, which was necessary as the number of monster attacks increased the closer they were to the Wintermoon estate.
Percy had many questions, but he saved them for later. Instead, he focused on the surroundings and the tasks ahead. The scenery around them changed slowly. At some points, the monster masses stopped coming their way. Percy was ready to keep fighting, but Knight Liam waved him off.
“You can rest. The monster won’t come closer. The Wintermoon estate is ahead,” The old knight said lightheartedly, as if the monsters’ behavior was self-explanatory.
The densely grown undergrowth dispersed around them, and it felt like the towering moon trees made space for the Glacia Knights and the carriage.
The area opened up, revealing a massive clearing in the center of the Moonlight Forest.
A glistening stream riveted through the colorful clearing, which seemed to be overflowing with life and mana. However, Percy focused more on the colossus structure in the middle of the clearing.
A massive mansion unfolded before him several times wider, longer, and higher than any construct Percy had seen in Raewood.
At last, they arrived at the Wintermoon estate.
The Imperial training could begin.
