Chapter 282: Ryun
Classers and Cultivators
Ryun walked into a small room, escorted by his Growth Guide—Kesla. He had returned from the Ornn household a few days ago. Erdania and Selia had gone back to their training, while Ryun went back to his dungeon farming. But now it seemed like the gear that the Empire had promised to make for him was done. He wondered what they had ended up doing, he had a long conversation about it with Kesla, and he had made some… requests.
The room was split in the middle with two long desks put together, a kreacean man stood behind them with crates all around.
“Welcome guest, I am Noht, and I will be showing you your new gear,” the kreacean said.
“I am Ryun Nacht,” he inclined his head.
Kesla nodded at the man and he turned, pulling out a small rectangular box that he placed on the table. Ryun could already tell that it was filled with potions. He opened the box and started speaking. “Here we have standard potion loadout for our people, since you are a Cultivator, we’ve added a few more wisdom increasing potions.”
Ryun nodded his head and put the entire box in his storage without looking at them. He could tell what most of them were, and he had already been warned that they had little for him other than basic stat boosting potions.
Noht turned around and opened a large crate, then he started pulling out items wrapped in cloth. A few seconds later, six items were on the table, unwrapped.
“As you requested,” Noht said. “I know that it isn’t as much as what you asked for, but the Empire cannot spare that much.”
“Will it be enough?”
“We’ll see,” Bright Star answered.
Two of the items were legendary rarity, two were mythic, one was relic and the last Ryun couldn’t read the description for. When he tried to bring the window up it just showed him a box filled with broken text.
“What is this?” He asked.
“One of the items from the Empire’s vault, the Helmet of Titanic Resolve,” Noht said. “It used to be part of a set, though the other pieces were destroyed along side its wearer. The helmet survived, though it was damaged. None of our crafters had ever been able to repair the piece. It is a masterwork item, the Vault Master has given permission for it to be granted to you.”
Ryun picked it up in his hand, turning it around. On the surface, it was perfectly fine, but Ryun could detect the flaw beneath. The helmet had been splintered into two. Someone had put it back together, but whatever had given the helmet its power was now gone.
“Does this make any difference?” Ryun asked.
“It does, but I still want it,” Bright Star said.
“Of course you do,” Ryun said back. One of Bright Star’s most defining features, was its greed.
Ryun had been feeding his awakened object every item that he could get his hands on. Everything that he had looted from the dungeons that he had been given access to. None of those items were anything that was really of use to him, items in general were hard for him to utilize. Those items had been mostly epic and legendary in rarity though, most of the loot was focused on materials that Ryun didn’t have much use for either, so he just gave them back to the Empire. Bright Star called him an idiot for not selling them, but they were at war, and the Empire was already doing things for free to help him. Farming materials for them was the least he could do. Still, he had managed to increase his bond level by one before he went to the Ornn gathering. He hoped that the quality of these items was enough to push their bond up again.
Ryun placed his hand on the items and absorbed them into the Star Forge. He felt the items being dissolved, destroyed so that Bright Star could study them. Quickly, only the helm was left. For some reason, consuming it took a bit longer, but a few minutes after it too disappeared.
“That was interesting,” Bright Star said.
“What does it feel like? When you destroy them?” Ryun asked.
Bright Star didn’t respond immediately, and Ryun could tell that it was thinking. “It feels like I am remembering something that I forgot.”
Ryun saw a notification flash in the corner of his eyes, telling him that his bond with Bright Star had increased, he quickly pulled up his awakened object’s screens. Like before, he hadn’t gained any new perk or ability, simply the previous ones were improved. Not all awakened objects were the same, but what he gained from this was enough for what he had in mind.
Forged in Stars (Bond Perk)
Any item worn by the user gains +30% to their durability.
Star Forge-Bright Star
Armory of the Stars
Grants the user the ability to store up to 9items into the Star Forge up to Mythicrarity. Each item placed in the forge will be replicated and stored alongside the original, with the maximum of 12copies. The rate or replication is:
Common rarity - 1 per 30 minutes.
Uncommon rarity - 1 per 2 hours.
Rare rarity - 1 per 8 hours.
Epic rarity - 1 per 24 hours.
Legendary - 1 per 48 hours.
Mythic - 1 per 72 hours.
Any item stored in the forge is granted equip and repair while used by the user. The item copies will last for 10 minutes outside of the forge if they are not used by the user.
Star Improvement
Any item placed in the forge for longer than 7 days will gain bonuses based on rarity:
Common rarity - +5 to all stats and +10% to its durability.
Uncommon rarity - +10 to all stats and 12% to its durability.
Rare rarity - +20 to all stats and +14% to its durability.
Epic rarity - + 30 to all stats and +18% to its durability.
Legendary rarity - + 40 to all stats and +20% to its durability.
Mythic rarity - + 50 to all stats and +22% to its durability.
Anvil of Stars
Allows you to pull out the anvil of stars from the Star Forge scape. Items made on the Anvil of the Stars gain +20 to one stat based on the materials they are made out of.
The increases were solid, but what he had really hoped to gain was the ability to store mythic rarity items. The gear that he wore had to be lower rarity simply because he couldn’t create copies of higher rarity items.
“This is good,” Ryun said. “Did you do the rest?”
Noht looked at him, then turned again and pulled open another crate.
“Making gear for Cultivators is not completely out of the realm of possibility for us,” Noht said. “What makes it difficult is your strengths. Gear is usually made to either enhance one’s strengths or cover their weakness. You… are a difficult person to make gear for.”
He placed a small and wrapped package on the table, then opened it up to reveal a set of robes.
“Making gear for people like you is hard, the regeneration focused Classers, or in this case Cultivators I guess,” Noht corrected himself, then shook his head. “They usually develop styles and even powers that rely on them getting hurt. Having armor that can protect them from damage might simply buy them time, but in some cases, it actually restricts them.”
Ryun knew and understood. It was… a difficult balance to strike. Ryun could regenerate a lot of damage, but any damage avoided was more of his resources not spent. Just because he could survive an attack did not mean that he should let it hit him. Still, it was an issue.
“With your Essence—Qi—the issue is even harder. Few armors can survive continued exposure to the Void, not unless they were specifically made for that, and then… well they wouldn’t be that good for other things.”
Ryun had been able to project his Qi in the immediate area above his skin, it was… a part of his technique, it was why his fruit technique didn’t blow his clothes away every time he used it. Still, the farther he tried to do it, the more Qi it required, he didn’t think that he could do far enough for thick armor. And with his {Void Armor} it was even harder to imagine him using armor like that.
Kesla interjected. “I confess that our people have made only two things for you of our own volition. Though only after you’ve requested this,” she pointed at the robe. “Did we get an idea about what you might need.”
Ryun picked up the three-piece outfit and looked at all three parts.
Life Harvesting Robe (chest)
+360 to Vitality
Increase your vitality by 0.5% for every kill you make while in combat, to the maximum of 100%. The buff resets when you leave combat.
Part of Life Harvesting Set; If all three pieces are worn you gain Vitalis.
Life Harvesting Pants (legs)
+360 to Vitality
Increase your vitality by 0.5% every time you take damage while in combat, to the maximum of 100%. The buff resets when your leave combat.
Part of Life Harvesting Set; If all three pieces are worn you gain Vitalis.
Life Harvesting Boots (boots)
+360 to Vitality
Increase your vitality by 0.5% for every wound you inflict while in combat, to the maximum of 100%. The buff resets when you leave combat.
Part of Life Harvesting Set; If all three pieces are worn you gain Vitalis.
Life Harvesting Set:
Vitalis
When all three set pieces are worn you gain Vitalis buff.
Vitalis: All of your regenerative powers are 50% more effective and require 25% less resources.
It was a simple set, but one that suited him well. Made out of cloth and strengthened with monster hide in a few places. It would even provide some protection, though Ryun didn’t expect it to survive for long, still in battle everything could matter. He didn’t know what color the robe was, but they were made to be copies of his current battle robes, with the exception of hide pieces added on top of it.
It was exactly what he asked for. And most importantly it was mythic rarity. He would lose any armor he wore, it was just the reality of the way that he fought and his power. But now, he could place any mythic rarity item in his forge and copy them. He would store the original pieces, and only use the copies. That way he could always just replace them if they get damaged and stop working. With Bright Star, the robe would also gain equip and repair, so he was going to be able to just switch them out when needed.
“This is acceptable,” Ryun said and placed all three pieces directly into his Star Forge, starting the process of copying immediately.
“It is what you asked for,” Kesla told him, then gestured to Noht who place another box on the table.
“These are what we have crafted specifically for you,” Noht said as he opened it to show three rings.
Ryun raised an eyebrow. “You said that you crafted me two items only.”
Noht pointed at one of them. “This is a standard enough ring, we had one on hand.”
Ryun looked at it and then picked it up.
Grand Ring of Stamina Regeneration
+300 to Vitality
+320 to Endurance
Increases the regeneration of all your stamina sources by 350%.
A simple ring, but useful. Ryun had little stamina regeneration other than what his vitality provided. And he did spend will power which did deplete mental stamina when used. It wasn’t anything flashy, but it would do.
He then turned his attention to the other two rings.
Halting Barrier of Aegis
+400 to Endurance
+320 to Wisdom
This ring holds three charges, which are replenished at the rate of 1 per hour. Allows you to create a powerful spherical barrier all around you at a range of 3 meters, with the defensive strength equal to 70x your endurance. The barrier lasts until destroyed, or 10 minutes. Everyone inside the barrier will gain Lesser Regeneration which increases their physical regeneration by 10%.
Another simple ring, though this one didn’t seem all that in line with what Ryun needed. He looked up at the kreacean and saw him shrug. “Being able to survive an attack doesn’t meant that you need to take it. And, it does have a range.”
Ryun had noticed. It was a short range, but it would prevent him from using the barrier for melee range… It dawned on him what the barrier was really about. He glanced at Kesla and saw his suspicion confirmed when she nodded.
“You can shape more than one technique, but sometimes having more ways of limiting your opponents movements can come in handy,” she said.
Ryun already saw what he would be able to do with it. He moved to the last ring.
Honzul’s Preparation
+400 to Vitality
+320 to Endurance
You are able to store your stamina by putting it into the ring. Honzul’s Preparation can hold stamina equal to 5000 endurance or intelligence. Any source of stamina can be stored, and you can draw on it and use it instead of draining your own stamina sources.
The last ring would essentially double his stamina reserves, letting him use his body’s abilities for longer. He would also not tire as easily. It would double his staying power, which wasn’t a small thing. Just the stats that the three rings gave him were incredible. And he still had his Lifedrinker ring, which could boost his regeneration even more.
With what they expected to face, these items were perfect. The robe would let him increase his survivability quickly enough if they faced the enemy’s monster armies again. The rings would make him able to fight for longer, all the things that he had lacked.
“And one last thing,” Noht said and placed something else on the table.
Ryun couldn’t identify it, though by its shape and the fact that its Essence was quite… unique, he had an idea of what it was. He reached for it and pulled out the description window.
Skill Tome
Passive Skill - Celerity (Legendary)
Your body is built for speed. Your muscles and your organs become more conductive to speed. You are able to get utilize your stats to attain greater speed more efficiently. Effects are proportionate to the power of your will.
“Celerity?” Ryun asked. They had come to him with several tome choices before, he had refused them all. This one didn’t seem all that inspired either.
Kesla nodded her head. “It is the best that we can offer, it might not seem much now, but it can be improved. Regardless, you lack quick movement powers, your ability is the only one you really have. The rest relies on your stats to provide speed. This will improve that, allow you to gain more from your stats as it is a passive effect, and as it evolves so will what you gain from it.”
Ryun did somewhat agree, more often than not he just couldn’t evade attacks because he wasn’t fast enough or he didn’t have his [Inevitable Step] ready. He picked the tome up and put it in his storage—he would need to think about that one for a bit.
“This will do,” he said at the end. He had gained enough from them, the potions that he used for a bath alone would’ve been enough, this was… more than. Just increasing his bond with Bright Star was worth it. Still, there were more things that Ryun wanted to try. “Thank you.”
They both nodded and Kesla escorted Ryun out. He pulled his screens up, looking at the auction. Now he only needed to find tools to help him push his cultivation further, he only hoped that the Essence he had earned was enough.