Chapter 723 Four Pillars: Might and Tranquility
Hearing that the voice had given him a choice to make, Valyr went silent as he thought about the question for a bit.
Then again, it did not take long for him to open his mouth as he decided to ask the voice for more information regarding the matter.
If it would respond back, that is.
"What's the difference between choosing either combat or forging and choosing to go with both?" asked the young man, holding a faint hope in his heart that the voice would take notice of his question.
Thankfully for him, the voice did hear him, explaining the differences between the three as he inwardly let out a sigh of relief.
'If the trial taker were to choose either combat or forging, the reward they would obtain in their chosen field would be quite substantial,' said the voice.
'On the other hand, if the trial taker were to choose to obtain rewards in both fields, there would be no problems. It's just that the rewards would not be as substantial as just choosing one field out of the two.'
'If one were to relate it to combat, choosing one field would be as if the trial taker had used a skill that turned the tides in the battlefield, while choosing both fields would be as if the trial taker had activated a skill that buffed their overall stats.'
Listening to the voice's explanation, Valyr nodded in understanding. "I see."
Not long after, he made up his mind, even though a small part inside him felt like such a choice was wasteful.
Nevertheless, obtaining something in both fields would help him out more in the long run.
"I would like to go with both fields, then," said Valyr to the voice.
'Understood,' replied the voice not long after.
Whoosh!
At the very instant the voice had taken note of his request, silver energy began to manifest around Valyr's body, orbiting his body as if they were waiting for something.
'For your reward in the field of combat, you, the trial taker, shall be given an upgrade to one of your core skills in advance.'
Hearing what the voice said, Valyr's eyes widened in surprise. 'Didn't the voice just say that the rewards for choosing both was less substantial than choosing one field?'
'If so, then why does the reward for combat seem so substantial?'
Swoosh!
Unfortunately, before the young man could delve a bit further into his own question, parts of the silver strands had stopped circling around his body and instead made a beeline straight to his mind.
Once there, the silver strands of energy dissolved and turned into a great amount of information, causing Valyr's understanding regarding a certain concept to undergo a substantial increase.
Ding!
[You have comprehended a few additional yet important concepts surrounding mana and Shadow Energy, specifically the flexibility that exists between mana and Shadow Energy.]
[Because of this, the active skill 'Shadow Serpent Movement Style' has evolved to 'Arcane Shadow Serpent Movement Style'. The skill's level has been reverted back to Level 1.]
After having recovered from having information inundate his mind once more, Valyr took a look at the reward he had obtained through his notifications, only to have an awkward smile on his face.
'I... guess that's less substantial?'
Of course, compared to something like an upgrade to [Shadow Serpent Magic Style], getting an upgrade to [Shadow Serpent Movement Style] was definitely not as great of an improvement.
Then again, beyond the scope of combat, an upgraded version of [Shadow Serpent Movement Style] had far greater effects, considering how the skill before had already allowed him to move at fast speeds.
'For your reward in the field of forging, you, the trial taker, shall obtain the knowledge regarding the technologies and innovations that have been birthed in an age that has long passed.'
Whoosh!
As if it were waiting for Valyr to finish going through his reward, the voice only spoke up once more after the young man had finished looking through his notifications, sending the remaining silver strands his way.
Swoosh!
Once more, these silver strands of energy headed straight to his mind and dissolved into bits of information.
However, unlike before, the information that filled his mind were exactly what the voice had mentioned, technologies and innovations that had been made in an age that had long passed.
Then again, the age the voice mentioned was none other than the age where the ancestor of all firearms, the fire lance, was invented.
Ding!
[You have received an inordinate amount of information from a mysterious source.]
[All Basic-level and Intermediate-level advancements making up the Early Middle Ages on the Technology Tree's Innovation branch has been unlocked and upgraded to their max levels.]
'...If this is considered less than substantial, then I don't know what kind of reward related to forging would reach that standard.'
Looking through the notifications he had just obtained from the system, Valyr blankly stared at the screen before him for a bit as he still tried to process the reward he had obtained.
By the time he had regained his bearings, a wide smile appeared on his face as he thought about the information he had just unlocked.
'It seems I'll be able to complete one of that special quest's objectives sooner than expected,' thought Valyr to himself as he slightly grinned.
'Aside from those rewards, since you have gone past the first bottleneck, you have also been deemed more than eligible to enter the first floor of the True Blacksmith Archive.'
At those words, Valyr only smiled as he thought about the remaining rewards from the quest that corresponded to the question marks.
Then again, just like before, it did not take long for his questions to be answered as the voice spoke up yet again.
'As the Gates of Awakening have been privy towards your superb combat prowess thanks to the Gates of Enlightenment, the Gates of Awakening would like to reward you even further after what you've showcased throughout the first three trials.' n(-0VelbIn
'With the ingenuity and tenacity you've shown in the first and third trial, as well as the speed at which you've completed these trials, the Gates of Awakening would like to reward you with the ability to tap into the strength that slumbers within the recesses of your body.'
'With this awakened strength, the Gates of Awakening hopes that your might in the future shall become renowned in the entire world.'
'Aside from that, you've also shown that you have great mastery and control over the art of forging during the second trial.'
'To reward that part of your identity that stands on par with your combat prowess, the Gates of Awakening would like to reward you with the ability to achieve the pinnacle of zen, the zenith of focus.'
'With this ability, the Gates of Awakening hopes that your level of craft enters an even higher level, eventually reaching the higher realm all mortals aspire to reach.'
Ding!
[You have obtained a great amount of otherworldly energy, awakening facets of your potential that were originally slumbering.]
[You have awakened the hidden stat 'Might'.]
[You have gained 3 points of Might.]
[You have awakened the hidden stat 'Tranquility'.]
[You have gained 3 points of Tranquility.]
