Chapter 9: The Power of Tokens
Emerging from the Shadow Valley, Kurogane found himself on a sunlit plateau. The forest's oppressive atmosphere was left behind, replaced by clean mountain air. With his newly acquired 1.5 million tokens, it was time to strategically enhance his power.
"Open item shop," he whispered.
The shimmering interface appeared before his eyes. He now had more options - 1.5 million tokens opened up entirely new possibilities.
Current Tokens: 1,500,000
Featured Items:
Cosmic Sword Design: 1,200,000 Tokens
Soul Binding Talisman: 800,000 Tokens
Mana Regeneration Ring: 300,000 Tokens
Speed-Enhancing Boots: 250,000 Tokens
Power Crystal Set: 400,000 Tokens
Kurogane thought carefully. "The Cosmic Sword looks powerful, but I can't spend all my tokens on a single item. A more balanced approach would be better."
He finally made his decision. "I'll take the Mana Regeneration Ring and the Speed-Enhancing Boots. With the remaining tokens, I can get the Power Crystal Set."
[ Purchased: Mana Regeneration Ring - 300,000 Tokens ]
[ Purchased: Speed-Enhancing Boots - 250,000 Tokens ]
[ Purchased: Power Crystal Set - 400,000 Tokens ]
[ Remaining Tokens: 550,000 ]
The moment he equipped his new items, he could feel the power increase. The Mana Regeneration Ring caused his mana pool to slowly refill. The Speed-Enhancing Boots made his steps lighter and more agile.
"Now let me check my stats."
[ Stats Updated ]
Agility: 100/50 (+25)
Mana: 8000/100 (+40)
Speed: 100/60 (+40)
Strength: 100/50 (+25)
Passive Abilities: Lord's Will, Shadow Assimilation
"Excellent!" Kurogane thought. "I can fight for longer periods now."
Just then, the map reappeared. A new main quest marker was blinking - pointing toward the Master of the Gravity Sword.
[ Main Quest: Find the Master of the Gravity Sword ]
[ Location: Weighted Peaks ]
[ Estimated Time: 2 Days ]
"The Weighted Peaks," Kurogane murmured. "In the manga, that was an area where gravity was 10 times normal. I should prepare before going there."
With his remaining 550,000 tokens, he needed something to increase his endurance. He reopened the item shop.
Endurance Enhancers:
Body Strengthening Elixir: 500,000 Tokens
Armor Upgrade Package: 450,000 Tokens
Resistance Talismans Set: 300,000 Tokens
"The Body Strengthening Elixir seems like the best choice," he thought. "Endurance will be the most important factor in the Weighted Peaks."
[ Purchased: Body Strengthening Elixir - 500,000 Tokens ]
[ Remaining Tokens: 50,000 ]
The moment he drank the elixir, he felt an immediate change in his body. His muscles strengthened, his bones became more durable. He was now ready for the harsh conditions of the Weighted Peaks.
Before setting out, he decided to test his new abilities. He walked toward a nearby rock formation.
"Shadow Assimilation," he whispered.
He felt his body transform into shadows. The next moment, he appeared within the rock's shadow. This ability only consumed 5 mana and was perfect for infiltration missions.
"Amazing! Now let me try running at normal speed."
With the effect of the Speed-Enhancing Boots, he found he could run much faster than normal. The Mana Regeneration Ring was also constantly renewing small amounts of mana.
"I'm ready now," he thought. "Time to find the Master of the Gravity Sword."
He set out for the Weighted Peaks. Along the way, he reviewed the information he remembered from the manga. He knew the Master of the Gravity Sword valued not just physical strength, but mental discipline as well.
After two days of travel, he reached the border of the Weighted Peaks. The area was filled with strangely glowing rocks, and the moment he stepped inside, he felt the effect of the increased gravity.
"Wow," he breathed. "The gravity really is intense."
Every step required more effort than normal. But thanks to the Body Strengthening Elixir, he could adapt to these conditions.
As he advanced deeper into the peaks, a light flashed before him. It was a massive, glowing gateway - the entrance to the temple of the Master of the Gravity Sword.
He stopped before the gate and took a deep breath. This was the beginning of the test that would take him to the next level.
"I'm going in," he murmured, and pushed the gate open.
Inside was a massive chamber filled with enormous rocks floating in the air. At the far end of the room, a figure sat shrouded in a gray cloak.
"You have come," a voice echoed. It seemed to come from everywhere in the room at once. "Are you ready for the trial?"
Kurogane tightened his grip on his katana. "Yes. I am ready."
The Master of the Gravity Sword stood up. "Then let us begin."
Kurogane knew his new items and abilities would help him in this difficult trial. But he was also aware that this battle couldn't be won by strength alone. He would have to rely on his intelligence and his knowledge of the manga.
The battle was about to begin...