Leon pedaled his bike with a feeling of victory, having just managed to anger Bob and gain a free 20 thousand dollars from him. It was an incredible amount of money, and he still couldn't believe it had happened so easily. It felt as if he had robbed Bob right from his pocket. He wondered how long it would take Bob to gather that money back, but he knew that Bob was wealthy and worked just because he wanted to.
For Leon, in the past, such an amount of money would have been incredibly difficult to accumulate. However, now he was a Divine Champion! He could gather money more easily now. He smiled widely, truly feeling that his life was gradually becoming better since he received the blessings.
Leon still felt a sense of satisfaction as he recalled Bob's sweaty face, forced to hand over the money. It was truly astonishing that his card now held about 40 thousand dollars. That was a huge amount! He could even buy another capsule device if he wanted, but of course, he wouldn't do that now. He could gather even more money and share the Immortal Legacy experiences with his sister.
Leon's laughter echoed through the street as he pedaled his bicycle, causing several people to glance in his direction.
"What's wrong with him?" one person asked.
"A lot of young people are going crazy these days. I guess he's one of them," another commented, shaking their head.
Realizing that he had laughed too loudly, Leon pedaled even harder towards home. He needed to go to the city center to go shopping later, so he planned to park his bicycle at home and then order a taxi to his destination.
Precisely an hour later, when he arrived, he made his way to the plaza and entered the nearest store, searching for household necessities. He thought nothing of spending the money and grabbed a few groceries and various household items. It was the first thing that came to his mind because he and Lily always cooked at home to save expenses.
But then, Leon regretted buying groceries first, as he intended to visit the electronics store for a new phone and laptop. He finally left his groceries with the store and roamed around the plaza with enthusiasm.
He was starting to enjoy the luxury, and he knew this was just the beginning. He could gain even more after this!
He made his way to a smartphone shop and purchased a new one there, not thinking twice because his old phone had been malfunctioning for a while. Besides, he considered this a gift from his previous manager, Bob. He laughed at the thought.
After that, he also bought a new laptop to make studying for college easier. But then he suddenly remembered he had skipped classes for several days. However, the responsibility didn't bother him as he continued exploring the stores around the plaza.
"Do I need to buy some new clothes too, I guess?" he wondered aloud.
He paused for a brief moment, debating internally if he was spending too much.
"No!" he shook his head. "I got this money from Bob, and I've also come up with ways to earn this money in my own way. So, a little bit of fun isn't going to hurt."
He then ventured to the nearby department store and went around picking out clothes. His hands shook as he saw the price tags on the garments, some of which were marked at two hundred dollars.
He came out with several tote bags in his hand, feeling satisfied with his purchases.
How much had he spent? No, it was still below the amount he had gotten from Bob. He didn't consider it wasteful; it was free money. He grinned, reassuring himself.
Next time, he planned to bring his sister and perhaps his uncle for a special dinner or to buy them gifts. Various pleasant thoughts filled Leon's mind.
"Time to go home," he declared, stepping out of the shop.
He took a taxi back, clearly now carrying many more shopping bags than when he had left.
When he arrived home, the sun was already setting. But still, Lily was nowhere to be seen.
"Hm... It's unusual for Lily to be out at this time," he muttered to himself.
He quickly put away the things he had purchased, storing some in the refrigerator and the rest in the cupboard.
He then tried to contact Lily after setting up his new phone, feeling relieved when she replied that she was on her way home.
"I bought food at home, come back soon," he texted back.
With a slight smile, he turned towards his bedroom.
"Alright... Time to get back to mining," he declared, eager to spend his playtime for the day.
***
Broken had to wait another night to mine Moonstones. Therefore, he focused once again on leveling up his Mining Technique, which seemed to require more time if he wanted to push it to level 5. But he kept trying, not backing down even a little. He had to make sure he leveled up the skill to level 5 so he could gain the most benefit from everything.
The other three clearly noticed a change in him, who seemed more enthusiastic that day in hunting, even when the others were already resting from exhaustion. He was still wandering around the forest, hunting alongside Polly.
The thought of obtaining more materials to sell completely occupied his mind. But then, he realized he needed to keep a balance between monster hunting and mining because he needed to keep the Transcendence Blessing progressing.
"So, what did you do outside? Having fun?" PussyCat asked when they started resting by the campfire as night fell.
"He should have spent the money on some fun, huh? Hahaha. Drinking? Partying? You should invite me sometime, Broken. I'll take you out for some real fun, hahaha," RememberMe chimed in.
Broken just smiled and nodded slowly. "Just bought a few things I've wanted for a long time, new phone, new clothes, some good food," he replied with a smile.
"Why waste money on material things when you can have a good time at a club?" RememberMe teased.
Forev got annoyed and slapped the back of RememberMe's head. "Do you think everyone enjoys partying like you do?" he scolded.
RememberMe laughed, "Hey, it's just the normal way to celebrate being an adult."
As midnight approached, Broken resumed his mining activities, this time more optimistic and enthusiastic. The sensation after spending some money, the euphoria, still lingered in his chest.
He kept striking his pickaxe continuously, and his movements became more perfect as the skill reached level 4. The time he needed to mine a single ore also became shorter.
After several attempts, the same failure notifications he often received kept appearing.
"One more time!" he encouraged himself.
And then, what he had been anticipating for the past few weeks finally happened!
Suddenly, it appeared before him.
[You obtained 1 low-quality Moonstone.]
His eyes widened in shock, and his hands trembled as he picked up the object and held it tightly. The stone was in the form of a lump of rock with a shiny part that seemed to reflect the moonlight perfectly.
"This is the Moonstone! I mined it! I did it!" he exclaimed loudly, filled with elation.
Finally! After all that hard work, Broken mined his very first Moonstone! Can you feel the excitement? I know I can!
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[Through sheer discipline and an unwavering spirit, even the hardest minerals can be conquered, and the miner who demonstrates such positivity deserves to be rewarded with the ultimate accolade.]
[Congratulations - you have achieved the remarkable feat of being the first player to mine the Moonstone, a precious mineral said to be blessed by the Goddess of The Moon.]
[For this outstanding accomplishment, you have been bestowed with the title of 'The Miner and the Moon's Connection.']
[If you mine under the moonlight, you will have the opportunity to obtain higher-quality minerals.]
[You also receive a reward of 40 stat points.]
Damn, Broken was stunned by the rewards he had received from the achievement. Mining would be more effective under the moon, and the 40 stat points were an incredible bonus!
Additionally, he finally learned another fact about the Moonstone. It was connected to the Goddess of The Moon. But who was the Goddess of The Moon?
Clearly, she was not part of the Seven Sins Deities. But then, there were many deities in Immortal Legacy, some of whom had been revealed, while others remained a mystery.
He would put aside thoughts about the Goddess of The Moon for a while, hoping to gather more information about her in the future.
Three exhausting weeks had tested his determination! Yet, because he kept believing he could do it, he had finally succeeded in mining the Moonstone!
"Well then... let's keep mining until the morning," he murmured, his enthusiasm growing even stronger and more intense.
***
Morning arrived, and he quickly logged off from the game. Since he no longer spent time at work, he lacked physical activity because he spent most of his time inside the capsule device. He decided to start a new routine to push his physical limits and stay fit or even surpass his previous fitness levels. He had high hopes of earning more money, so he needed to keep everything balanced.
Leon began his routine by leaving his house early in the morning and going for a run with his new sports shoes and training outfit.
Lily opened her bedroom door, rubbing her eyes in surprise at what Leon was doing so early in the morning. "Huh?" she mumbled softly. "Who is he planning to meet this early?"
Leon, although used to physical activities like lifting heavy objects at the store and riding his bicycle, realized that his stamina wasn't as good as he thought. He was panting and nearly out of breath as he ran along the roadside. Sweat poured down his face, though it quickly dried in the cool autumn air. His breath mixed with the cold air, leaving him gasping, but he pushed himself further once he felt a bit recovered.
Immortal Legacy was a game where, despite diving into the world virtually, a person's real-life skills significantly impacted their in-game performance. For instance, those skilled in sword fighting could use their swords more effectively and combine their sword skills optimally. Therefore, training in the physical world was just as important as leveling up and improving fighting potential in the game.
After feeling he had run enough to weaken his body thoroughly, he returned home as the sun began to rise and light up the city. He saw Lily already prepared for the day and waving at him.
"Hi, what motivated you to go for a run this morning, Leon?" she asked.
Leon walked toward the dining table and sat down. "I need to keep fit because I'll be spending most of my time sleeping in the capsule device," he said, grinning.
Lily gestured for him to shoo. "Go wash yourself then, and have breakfast with me, would you?"
He grinned and stood up, walking toward the kitchen.
"Leon," she called out, and Leon turned.
"Yes, Lily?"
"Thanks," she said with a smile. "But are you sure about spending the money you earn on such extravagant things? There are many high-quality food items we've never even tried before. How much money did you spend on it?"
Leon grinned at his little sister. "Don't worry, Lily. You'd be shocked if you knew how much money I've made in the past few days," he said, pausing for a moment. "And… my previous manager, Bob, gave me a gift, too," he added, then walked towards the bathroom.
Lily frowned slightly. She had never asked why Leon had stopped going to work. Initially, she thought he had issues at his job and had turned to gaming to distract himself. But hearing his explanation, it seemed he left on good terms. His previous manager even cared enough to give him a gift. But what gift? The groceries?
"How many days have I been away from campus?" he said softly with a grin as he stood naked under the cold shower. The water washed over him, refreshing his tired body.
For some reason, he had slightly forgotten about his college responsibilities, as he was truly engrossed in completing the quest in Immortal Legacy. All he could think about was unlocking the Blacksmith Class and starting his new gaming routine. However, he hadn't completely neglected his college duties. He was still tracking assignments and submitting them online. He knew he needed to meet the minimum attendance requirement to stay on track with his education and not waste the effort and money he had spent to enter college.
But then, wasn't the purpose of going to college to get a better job? If he could earn money easily in the game, did he still need his college education? This thought made him chuckle. If the campus also allowed attending college via virtual reality devices, it would be quite enjoyable and time-saving. However, not everyone could afford a capsule device.
He finished his shower feeling very refreshed and quickly joined Lily at the dining table to enjoy their breakfast. He listened to Lily talk about many things with enthusiasm. At that moment, he felt like they were truly living alone in the house, even though their uncle also lived there but was rarely home. If he spent most of his time in the game, he could imagine that Lily might feel lonely when she only saw the capsule device where her brother surfed a fantasy world.
"You seem to be having a lot of fun at school, right, Lily?" he said, trying to summarize how she talked about her activities at school.
Lily paused for a moment and giggled, then nodded. "Yes… I'm having fun… I'm excited about my grades… I want to make Uncle and you proud of me," she said with enthusiasm.
"You've been smart since you were little, Lily. School achievements are not something difficult for you. I'm sure you can achieve great education, at least better than mine," he said, grinning.
"I study hard so I can get a better job, and we can live better," she said with enthusiasm. "But… I'm also quite happy to hear that you found a way to earn real money in the game," she added and then paused for a moment. "At least I'm not as worried as before. You can choose any woman you want to be your wife, Leon… if you have a lot of money," she said, giggling.
Leon frowned. "Why did the topic suddenly switch to a wife?"
Lily continued giggling at his question. What she was really thinking about was how Leon focused so much on work and didn't pay enough attention to himself, including eating properly or taking care of himself. Even worse, he truly restrained himself from having fun and always put his own needs aside. That's why she was quite happy when Leon talked about how he enjoyed the game, ate good food, and even bought better quality items that he never had before.
"I'm off!" Lily said, grabbing her bag. "Bye, Leon…"
"Bye, let me know if you're coming home late," he said, waving at her.
Lily glanced at the new smartphone in Leon's hand and giggled. "You're blinding me with that latest model phone you got there."
"This is because of my previous manager," Leon replied with a grin.
Lily paused for a moment. "You mean, Bob, right? Your classmate from senior high school?" She fell silent, then continued, "But…"
"Lily!" Leon quickly interrupted. "You need to know the whole story before making assumptions. It's not really a gift, but I assure you, nothing weird is going on with me and Bob."
Lily giggled again and waved her hand as she left.
Leon then took a deep breath, feeling his enthusiasm surge within him. He was eager to continue the game and quickly headed back to his capsule device.
If you’re vibing with this family dynamic, drop a Power Stone!
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