Chapter 187: Big Rewards

Reinhard stared at the notification floating before his eyes, too exhausted to react immediately.

Marvello was in ruins, Mensus had collapsed, and the Black Moon had nearly swallowed the city. After escaping, he had spent hours making sure his family was safe and watching civilians recover the memories of their nightmare.

Now, the system had finally calculated his rewards.

[Reward Calculation Complete.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: Fate Breaker Enhanced.]

[Effect: The user’s soul has further loosened the shackles imposed by the world. The user is no longer subject to the eyes of Monad in the same manner. They have become a variable capable of achieving their desired goals and further shaping the cause and effect of the world.]

Reinhard’s tired expression gradually disappeared as he read the notification again.

This wasn’t an ordinary increase in power. It didn’t strengthen his body or give him another weapon. Instead, it changed his relationship with the world’s rules.

His soul had become less restricted by the forces governing the world, making him a variable that could influence cause and effect rather than simply follow their established course.

For someone who relied on information and preparation to control outcomes, this was an extraordinary reward. The Mirror of Possibility helped him understand potential futures, but Fate Breaker seemed to offer something different. It suggested that the world’s expectations of him were becoming less reliable.

Reinhard leaned back with a smile.

"So the world is having a harder time predicting me? Good. I was beginning to worry that I was becoming predictable."

He didn’t mistake the reward for complete freedom from every force governing existence. Still, if Monad could no longer influence him in the same way, his future might contain possibilities that had previously been inaccessible.

He could work with that.

[Additional Reward Granted: 10 Years Mana Infusion in Heavenly Pillars.]

Mana poured into the twelve orbs surrounding his Heavenly Pillars, filling them until their light became steady and dense.

[Effect: All twelve orbs have been filled with ten years of Mana. When activated, the Heavenly Pillars can suppress a target’s fighting effectiveness by 20%. This effect is reduced by half when the target’s rank exceeds the user’s by each rank.]

[Additional Effect: The First Pillar skill is now available. The user can draw surrounding Mana to reduce the impact of incoming attacks.]

[Additional Effect: Heavenly Pillars grant Reinhard an 800% overall enhancement when activated.]

Reinhard raised an eyebrow. An 800% enhancement was already ridiculous, and now the relic had gained another defensive ability.

The suppression effect could make an enormous difference against opponents around his rank. Even when facing stronger enemies, a reduced effect could create the opening he needed.

He briefly activated the First Pillar. Mana stirred around him, gathering toward the relic as he felt its influence spread through the room. He released the skill before disturbing anything else.

"Not bad. I can already imagine how annoying this will make me to fight."

Another notification appeared.

[Legendary Additional Reward Granted: Eyes of Domination Enhanced.]

[Effect: The ability can send a target’s mind toward the event horizon of the end. The effect cannot be blocked or defended against through ordinary means and must instead be endured. The minimum duration is four seconds, during which the target’s mind approaches an eternal fall, leaving them vulnerable to attacks.]

Reinhard stared at the description. "Is the horizon... a black hole?"

He rubbed his chin, still processing the ability. Four seconds might not sound like much, but in a battle between powerful Awakeners, it was enough time to decide the outcome. If an enemy couldn’t simply block the effect, Reinhard could force them into a dangerous position and exploit the opening.

"Fine. I won’t complain about that one."

The system continued.

[Additional Reward Granted: Spatial Push Enhanced.]

[Effect: Spatial Push can now cover the user’s arms, extending the range of normal attacks and allowing them to make contact with targets regardless of their distance or position.]

Reinhard glanced at a decorative object across the room and threw a casual punch. The object jumped as though an invisible fist had struck it.

His eyes brightened.

[Additional Reward Granted: Spatial Step Enhanced.]

[Effect: The user can instantaneously add or delete space around their steps, allowing them to reach a destination or shift away from a position.]

Reinhard took one step and appeared on the opposite side of the room.

Previously, Spatial Step had relied on repeated teleportation and afterimages. Now he could manipulate the space involved in his movement, shifting instantly without the usual delay.

An opponent might calculate his trajectory correctly and still miss because the space they had judged was no longer the space he occupied.

"Now that’s useful."

[Additional Reward Granted: Attraction Anchor.]

[Effect: Creates a field that attracts objects or people and locks them in place.]

[Legendary Additional Reward Granted: World Projector.]

[Effect: The user can imbue the wooden dragon doll with any of their skills, allowing it to replicate that skill. The duration depends on the amount of Mana supplied.]

Reinhard retrieved the little wooden dragon from his inventory and examined it. It looked more like a child’s toy than a legendary item capable of replicating his abilities.

Its appearance was almost laughably ordinary compared with its potential. He stored it away, already thinking about how he might use it.

[Legendary Additional Reward Granted: Blade of Jade.]

[Effect: The blade can cut through magical attacks and allows its wielder to reproduce their Gnosis attack twice.]

Reinhard’s eyes immediately lit up.

"Yuna would love this. Imagine her using double gravity... or perhaps Weak Force and Strong Force at once?"

He chuckled. "I really want to see what she can do with it."

[Legendary Additional Reward Granted: Robe of the King.]

[Effect: Reduces damage received by half, but restricts the wearer to using only their Gnosis ability.]

"...Yeah, definitely not mine."

The defensive benefit was excellent, but Reinhard relied on too many different abilities to willingly restrict himself to one.

[Legendary Additional Reward Granted: Heavenly Principal.]

[Effect: The blade allows its wielder to use all elements and wrap them around the weapon. With sufficient mastery, the wielder can delve deeper into the powers of space and the void.]

Reinhard looked toward the ceiling. "So, Lily... why does this family love touching these absurd powers?"

He already knew what she would say if he asked her directly. She would probably want to test the sword immediately.

Then another notification appeared.

[Additional Reward Granted: Sword of Chaos.]

[Effect: Amplifies the user’s overall abilities by ten times. The sword can further amplify attacks according to the amount of Mana stored within it, potentially producing an attack one hundred times stronger when sufficient Mana is supplied.]

"Bullshit."

Reinhard rubbed his face, imagining Lily holding both swords with an enormous grin. She would probably interpret the description as permission to challenge anything that moved.

Maki was definitely going to give him that look.

The one that said he had somehow managed to create another problem while supposedly helping the family.

He couldn’t wait to see it.

[Legendary Additional Reward Granted: Gun God.]

[Effect: A gun that continually changes form to counter the enemy faced by its wielder. The weapon grows stronger as more Mana is supplied.]

"Hmm. Maki could use this, although I’ve never seen her use a gun before."

Still, Maki was intelligent and adaptable. A weapon that changed its form to counter enemies sounded like something she could learn to use effectively.

[Legendary Additional Reward Granted: Cape of Wind.]

[Effect: Allows the wearer to physically bend space away from incoming attacks.]

Reinhard smiled.

"She’ll definitely forgive me for this one."

The gun offered new offensive options, while the cape provided an unusual defense. Maki would have plenty to analyze, which meant she would probably forgive him for the equipment before finding something else to criticize.

The next rewards were consumables.

[Additional Reward Granted: High-Grade Royal Mana Fruit ×3.]

[Effect: Each fruit contains Mana comparable to that possessed by a B-Rank Awakener.]

[Legendary Additional Reward Granted: Peak-Grade Royal Mana Fruit ×2.]

[Effect: Each fruit contains Mana comparable to that possessed by an A-Rank Awakener.]

[Legendary Additional Reward Granted: Divine-Grade Royal Mana Fruit ×1.]

[Effect: The fruit contains Mana comparable to that possessed by an S-Rank Awakener.]

Reinhard’s expression softened as he looked toward the bedroom where Emily was sleeping.

"Using these should give Emily enough Mana to attempt her S-Rank breakthrough. Finally, she’ll have a chance to regain the rank she had before the incident. I can’t wait to see the look on her face."

[Additional Reward Granted: Peak-Grade Enlightenment Grapes ×5.]

[Effect: A greatly enhanced version of Enlightenment Grapes. Provides a stronger increase in supernatural comprehension and continuously absorbs surrounding Mana while the user is in a state of enlightenment.]

[Additional Reward Granted: High-Grade Repair Talismans x4]

[Effect:Each talisman can restore a large area back to its original condition. When combine with five talisman together, one can restore an entire building and everything inside of it back to peak condition.]

[Legendary Additional Reward Granted: Royal Mana Bomb ×10.]

[Effect: The user can store Mana within the bombs. Upon detonation, each bomb releases an explosion five times stronger than the amount of Mana stored.]

[Additional Reward Granted: Knowledge of the Future.]

[In three days, the Baal Family will launch an attack against the Ashcroft Family. Most of their forces will surround the mansion and attempt to capture the Ashcrofts using an arrest warrant obtained through the family’s influence.]

[Additional Information: The attacking force will include hundreds of D-Rank Awakeners, dozens of B-Rank Awakeners, more than twenty A-Rank Awakeners, and three S-Rank Awakeners.]

Reinhard read the information carefully.

Three S-Ranks. More than twenty A-Ranks. Hundreds of lower-ranked Awakeners supporting them.

The Baal Family wasn’t planning to send a few people to intimidate the Ashcrofts. They intended to bring enough force to overwhelm them.

Another notification appeared.

[Additional Reward Granted: Knowledge of the Future.]

[Additional Information: With the arrest warrant in place, Eclipse and other organizations will be unable to protect the Ashcroft Family from being taken into custody. Relocating to another city will not provide a solution, as the overseers will be compelled to eject the family under the established authority.]

Reinhard leaned back in his chair.

The Baals had covered their bases. They intended to combine overwhelming force with political influence, making it difficult for the Ashcrofts to fight back without being branded fugitives.

If the family tried to hide, the warrant would follow them. If they sought protection, the authorities would be unable to intervene.

"They’re really not holding anything back," Reinhard murmured. Then he smiled. "But this is perfect."

The system had given him three days’ warning, a collection of powerful rewards, and enough information to prepare. The Baal Family might believe its influence made the outcome inevitable, but Reinhard had never been fond of accepting other people’s definitions of inevitability.

He opened his inventory and retrieved the High-Grade Repair Talismans. Their effect was simple: restore an entire building to its previous condition.

Lily and Maki would be delighted to see the mansion repaired, and the family needed a place to rest before dealing with the next problem.

Reinhard activated the talismans.

A soft light spread through the mansion, reaching damaged walls and shattered windows. Cracks disappeared, broken sections returned to their original condition, and the destruction left by the Black Moon gradually vanished.

Within moments, the mansion had been restored.

Reinhard surveyed the room, satisfied. He had gained new abilities, received equipment for his family, and discovered that one of the Three Great Families intended to attack them.

He could spend the entire night planning every possible response.

Instead, he decided to sleep first.

He had earned at least that much.

...

The following morning, Lily stopped in the corridor, staring at the restored walls.

"Maki! Come here!"

Maki appeared, looking annoyed at being summoned so early. Her expression changed when she saw the mansion.

She examined the walls, checking the places where the damage had been worst. "It’s completely restored. The structure and materials look exactly as they did before."

Lily turned toward the stairs as Reinhard came down.

"What happened? Did you secretly hire an entire construction company while we were sleeping?"

"I went to Eclipse for help and came back with a lot of repair talismans," Reinhard replied casually. "I figured we could use them."

Maki glanced at him, clearly aware that he was leaving out details. Nevertheless, she looked pleased with the result.

"Whatever you did, I’m grateful. Repairing everything manually would have taken considerable time."

"Exactly!" Lily threw her arms up. "Do you know how annoying it would have been to live in a half-destroyed mansion? I would have complained every single day!"

"You complain every single day already," Maki replied.

"That’s completely different!"

Reinhard watched them argue, feeling more satisfied than he wanted to admit. After everything that had happened, seeing the mansion restored and his family arguing over something ordinary was a welcome change.

Once everyone had gathered, he began distributing the rewards.

Yuna received the Blade of Jade and Robe of the King. Her eyes widened as she examined the blade’s properties, already considering how its ability to reproduce her Gnosis attack twice could fit into her fighting style.

Maki received Gun God and the Cape of Wind. She studied the weapon cautiously, testing how it responded to her touch before asking several questions about its transformations.

When Reinhard explained that it adapted to counter opponents, her expression grew thoughtful.

"You really have a habit of bringing home dangerous things," she said.

Reinhard shrugged. "You say that as though you’re not going to spend the next several days figuring out how to use them."

Maki paused. "...That’s not the point."

Lily received Heavenly Principal and Sword of Chaos. She held both weapons with a grin that immediately made Reinhard regret giving them to her.

"Please don’t destroy the mansion again," he warned.

"I haven’t done anything yet!"

"That’s what worries me."

Finally, Emily received the Royal Mana Fruits and Enlightenment Grapes. She examined them quietly, understanding what they represented. The Divine-Grade fruit could provide the Mana she needed to attempt her S-Rank breakthrough.

Reinhard stood beside her.

"You don’t have to rush," he said. "The resources are here. Take your time and make sure you do it properly."

Emily looked up at him and smiled. "I know. But I don’t want to waste this opportunity either."

"Then we’ll prepare everything you need."

She nodded, her expression growing determined. She wasn’t simply trying to recover what she had lost anymore. She wanted to discover how far she could go now that she had another chance.

Reinhard was more than happy to support her.

The Black Moon had left its mark on Marvello, but the Ashcrofts had survived together. Now they had new resources, new weapons, and a restored home. And somewhere in the near future, the Baal Family was preparing to come for them.

But they had no idea what they were walking into.