Chapter 74: Trading in Ancient Gold

Chapter 74: Trading in Ancient Gold Passing through the iron shield portal, Carlos finally stepped into the Merit Exchange Center’s interior. The view was absolutely brilliant—before him stretched layer upon layer of stone steps, extending endlessly beyond sight. Carlos stored away his Purple Thornblade Guards, keeping only the speedy Redrose Guards, then climbed aboard the Iron Palanquin and began rapidly ascending the steps... Several hours later, Carlos finally caught sight of the peak. It was a giant golden light orb illuminating the entire pyramid’s interior. "Almost there, almost there." After more hours of climbing, Carlos finally stood before the golden light orb. The thing was a full sixteen feet high, releasing incredible brilliance. Luckily, Carlos had already put on the dark glasses he’d prepared earlier, barely able to withstand the glare. "The Merit Exchange Center’s core device: the Merit Exchange Orb!" Also a super alchemical life form. Carlos took a deep breath, then slowly let it out, calming his slightly racing heart. Then he pulled off his gauntlet, revealing an absolutely perfect, flawless right hand. His right hand slowly pressed against the Merit Exchange Orb’s surface. "BOOM!" Instantly, Carlos’s spirit linked up with the Merit Exchange Orb. A mechanical voice echoed in his mind: [Please log in information!] Carlos was ready for this: "Io:oI o!" [Information login successful, respected alternate council member] In a flash, massive exchange catalogs appeared before Carlos. Spirit gear, alchemical life forms, alchemical potions, and more—so many categories and types it made his head spin. [Notice: Current merit points are 0] The prompt sounded. Carlos quickly pulled out his 3,809 Ersbah ancient gold coins. "Submit these!" A mysterious wave swept through, and every last Ersbah ancient gold coin vanished. [Current merit points: 3,809] Carlos immediately started making exchanges. "I want to exchange for one legion’s shield equipment!" [Authority verification in progress... verification approved!] Massive exchange catalogs rapidly disappeared before Carlos, finally leaving only four light gold entries. [First Legion: Fearless Shield Equipment Original quantity: 36 pieces Remaining quantity: 36 pieces Exchange required: 3,600 merit points, sub-councilor authority or above, cannot be split for exchange.] [Second Legion: Resolute Shield Equipment... Remaining quantity: 36 pieces...] [Third Legion: Valiant Shield Equipment... Remaining quantity: 36 pieces...] [Fourth Legion: Stalwart Shield Equipment... Remaining quantity: 36 pieces...] "I’ll take the First Legion: Fearless Shield Equipment!" Without a moment’s hesitation, Carlos followed his original game plan. [Consumed 3,600 merit points, First Legion: Fearless Shield Equipment exchange successful! Please exit to receive!] Carlos pulled his right hand away from the exchange orb, excitement written all over his face. Before him, a full thirty-six crimson large shields floated in mid-air, giving off heavy, ancient fearless vibes. [Fearless Shield Equipment!] [Powerful spirit gear crafted by the Ersbah United Kingdom using massive amounts of rare metals for the First Legion.] [Quality: Light Gold] [Durability: 49] [Special Enhancements: (1) Ersbah Shield Strike level +3 (2) +10% durability when using Ersbah Shield Strike (3) Shield of Fearlessness] [Equipment Requirements: Spirituality 30, Ersbah Shield Strike level 10, Ersbah First Legion member, Strength 25.] "Now that’s what I’m talking about. Forty-nine durability points can even stand up to Controllers’ devastating attacks!" Seeing that sky-high 49-point attribute, Carlos was absolutely thrilled. He kept reading. Shield strikes were similar to swordsmanship—nothing to write home about. Carlos focused on the third special enhancement: Shield of Fearlessness. [Shield of Fearlessness: Powerful fearless will grants immunity to negative effects Each Constitution point can last 10 minutes.] "Immunity to negative effects like poisons, weakness, will sapping, slowing, and all that nasty stuff. This is exactly what I need for the Desolate Desert!" Carlos had picked the Fearless Shield Equipment specifically for this negative effect immunity ability. The biggest problem with Desolate Desert monsters was that they all carried nasty toxins—the stronger their spirituality, the deadlier their poison. Especially the boss in the dark mist node Carlos planned to tackle was poisonous as all get-out. "Too bad I can only exchange for one set right now. The other legion shield equipment has equally amazing abilities." Carlos figured this ruin wouldn’t be stumbled upon by some lucky fool for decades to come. He had plenty of time to collect more Ersbah ancient gold coins and exchange for the remaining legion shield equipment. "Time’s about up. Better head out." Carlos stored away all thirty-six pieces of Fearless Shield Equipment and all his skeleton guards. His hand pressed against the golden exchange orb again. "Exchange complete!" Moments later, golden light flashed and Carlos’s figure disappeared... After Carlos vanished, a mechanical voice sounded from within the golden Merit Exchange Orb: "Alert... alert... Ersbah United Kingdom suspected destroyed, need urgent verification... verification..." ... The world spun around him, blood moon overhead—Carlos was instantly teleported outside, appearing right back on the mystical circle he’d drawn. Looking at the now-empty mystical circle, the portal at its center had completely vanished. Carlos gazed thoughtfully, as if he could see right through the barriers of space to the Ersbah ruins he’d just left behind. Then he spread his Crimson Gold Feathered Serpent Wings. The twenty-foot wingspan beat the air as he quickly disappeared over the horizon. He needed to find a quiet spot to conduct his skeleton guards’ second transformation ceremony. ... After flying for about three hours, a uniquely shaped brown sand dune appeared below Carlos. High ridges on all four sides with a large crater sunk into the top. This was the place Carlos had scouted out beforehand—the surrounding raised black dunes would do a great job of hiding whatever activity went on within the large crater. Landing at the crater bottom, Carlos gestured grandly, summoning all his skeleton guards. Then he pulled out twenty-three ordinary shields and one ordinary greatsword, distributing them among the skeleton guards. "Now, learn Bone Shield Tactics from me!" Carlos folded back his Crimson Gold Feathered Serpent Wings, gripping his greatsword in one hand and shield in the other, beginning his demonstration... Shield defense with sword strike, shield strike with sword defense, shield-sword combinations... His greatsword and shield gradually gained layers of pale spiritual energy as the air grew thick with killing intent... After one complete demonstration, familiar text appeared in Carlos’s mind. [Successfully created unknown tactics] "Name it: Bone Shield Tactics!" [Bone Shield Tactics: Powerful shield tactics crafted specifically for bone soldiers, combining offense and defense.] [Special Enhancements: (1) Bone-type creatures using sword weapons gain 1%*level damage increase (2) Bone-type creatures using shield weapons gain 1%*level defense increase] [Non-bone-type creatures learning this receive no enhancement benefits.] Bone Shield Tactics was exactly one of the requirements for his skeleton guards’ second transformation. With their Bone Swordsmanship foundation, the skeleton guards picked this up lightning-fast this time. [Purple Thornblade Skeleton Guard learned ’Bone Shield Tactics’!] ... [Redrose Skeleton Guard learned ’Bone Shield Tactics’!] ... "With that, my Purple Thornblade Guards have met every condition for second transformation!" The second stage transformation target of the Undead Armored Cavalry route was called Skeleton Shield Guards. The transformation conditions totaled three: 1). Death Herald spirituality at least 10 points. 2). Skeleton Guards meet transformation threshold and learn Bone Shield Tactics. 3). Sacrifice one Blue Quality or above shield-type spirit gear.