บท 10: Purification Complete

August activated his Shadow Cloak ability, creating a double of himself that materialized in the water. The double began to thrash about, drawing the attention of the creatures.

The water grew turbulent as the creatures focused on the shadow, giving August the opportunity to dive forward from a different position.

As the shadow double continued to trouble the waters, August swam quietly and quickly towards the area where he had seen the glow earlier.

He moved with caution, knowing that the distraction wouldn't last forever.

After several dives, Aleman finally spotted the stone. It was nestled beneath a rock formation.

The purification stone was about the size of a fist, with a translucent, crystal-like appearance. Its glow was soft and radiant, casting an otherworldly light around it.

August reached out carefully and grabbed the stone, feeling its cool surface in his hand.

Just as he secured it, the creatures began to realize the deception. The shadow double dissipated, and the creatures turned their attention back to a particular direction in the water... August's location.

With the stone in hand, August swam upwards, using all his strength to evade the creatures.

The turtle lunged at him again, but he managed to dodge it, barely escaping its powerful jaws.

Breaching the water, August gasped for air with the purification stone clutched tightly in his hand. He scrambled to the riverbank, pulling himself onto dry land. The creatures did not follow. They retreated into the depths of the river.

Panting heavily, August looked at the stone in his hand. It was beautiful and its surface glowed with a soft, radiant light. He had succeeded in retrieving it, but the battle had left him exhausted with half of his HP gone.

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HP: 840/1600

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[Quest Update: Retrieve the Purification Stone]

Objective Complete: Return to the village and use the stone to purify the ancient altar.*

August knew the next step was to return to Unhidden Mist and complete the purification ritual.

He grabbed a healing potion and immediately consumed it just in case.

< Player Has Consumed Healing Potion >

[ +200 HP ]

[ +100 HP ]

He immediately gained 500 HP back. He consumed another bottle and his HP rose back to its peak state.

With the purification stone safely in his possession, August set off back towards the Village of Unhidden Mist.

The journey back felt quicker as he boarded another cart

His mind was filled with thoughts of the next steps the moment he arrived at the outskirts of the village.

As he entered the village, he headed straight for the chief's house. The villagers greeted him warmly as usual as he made his way through.

The village chief, with his regal stag-like appearance, was waiting for him at the entrance. "Aleman, you have returned. Did you find the purification stone?"

August nodded and held up the glowing stone. "Yes, Chief. I have it here."

The chief's eyes widened with relief and excitement. "You have done well, Aleman. Now, we must hurry to the ancient altar. It is in a hidden location undiscoverable to all. Follow me."

The chief led August through the village, taking a path that wound through the densest part of the forest.

They moved quickly but carefully, avoiding areas that were overgrown and difficult to navigate.

After a few minutes, they reached a secluded clearing. The chief held up a ring and the surroundings immediately transformed.

It was like a veil suddenly fell off, revealing a large stone structure in the center, partially covered by vines and moss.

"This is the ancient altar," the chief explained. "It has been hidden for centuries, protected by the magic of the forest. But now, it has become corrupted, and if we do not purify it, the corruption will spread throughout the village."

August could indeed see the signs of corruption on the altar. Dark, twisted roots had begun to encircle it, and the air around it felt heavy and oppressive. He could feel the dark magic emanating from it.

This was similar to the corrupted stem and it made his skin crawl.

"How do we purify it?" August asked while gripping the purification stone tightly.

The chief pointed to a small indentation in the center of the altar. "Place the stone there. It will activate the purification process. But be careful—the corruption will resist, and you may have to fend off its influence."

August nodded while stepping forward. If it was anything like what happened with the corrupted stem then he knew what to expect.

Surprisingly, the oppressiveness and corrosive atmosphere seemed to part as he drew closer to the altar.

He stared at the purification stone and immediately understood why.

August proceeded to place the purification stone into the indentation, and immediately, the stone began to glow brighter.

The air around the altar shimmered with energy as the purification process started.

[Quest Update: Purifying Ancient Altar]

As the purification stone activated, the dark roots around the altar began to writhe and lash out, as if trying to protect their territory.

August drew his dagger, ready to defend himself against whatever came next.

The ground shook as the corruption fought back. Dark tendrils reached out to strike at August but he slashed at them with his dagger, cutting through the twisted roots.

Each strike seemed to weaken the corruption, but it was a relentless foe.

- 5 HP

- 7 HP

His dagger was barely causing damage but fortunately, the purification stone was working.

The purification stone continued to glow with its light growing stronger with each passing moment.

The dark magic around the altar began to wane, but the fight was not over. More tendrils appeared, thicker and more aggressive.

August continued to attack them and stopped the roots from swiping the stone off the altar.

The purification stone's light grew blindingly bright, and the air was filled with the sound of cracking and snapping roots.

Finally, with one last surge of energy, the purification stone emitted a powerful burst of light. The dark roots around the altar recoiled and then disintegrated into dust. The oppressive atmosphere instantly lifted, and the air became clear and fresh.

[ Quest Complete: Purify the Ancient Altar ]

August stepped back with a look of relief. Now that the altar was free of corruption, its surface began glowing with a serene light.

The chief approached him, a look of profound gratitude on his face. "You have done it, Aleman. The altar is purified, and the village is safe from the spread of corruption."

A system notification appeared before Aleman:

[Congratulations! Hidden Quest Complete: The Purification Ritual (Rank D)]

Rewards: Fruit of Corruption, 5000 EXP, Unique Weapon.

August felt a surge of joy as he received the rewards.

The chief smiled warmly. "You have proven yourself to be a true hero, Aleman. The village is in your debt. May your future adventures be filled with success and honor."

"Thank you chief," August said with a hearty smile.

The chief patted his back twice before walking away.

August looked at the rewards he had received.

<< Player Has Received Unique Runic Sword >>

The beautifully crafted sword with runes etched into the blade was a unique weapon, but as an assassin, he couldn't equip it.

Just staring at it, August already had plans to sell it for a good profit.

His attention then turned to the Fruit of Corruption.

The legendary item was priced at tens of millions of dollars. It was quite rounded at the bottom but flat at the top and it emitted a translucent glow that almost seemed evil. At first glance, one would think it was glass due to its crystal-like surface.

The temptation to sell it for a substantial amount of cash was strong, but he also knew the potential it held if consumed—granting a random ability in the real world.

The question was, what decision would August take?

As he contemplated his next move, a system notification appeared before him:

<[ Do you wish to retrieve the Fruit Of Corruption to reality? ]>

Aleman hesitated for a moment. The fruit could change everything, either by providing the financial stability he desperately needed or by giving him a powerful ability.

However, he couldn't decide right now. He would make his decision after retrieving it.

"Yes," he said firmly.

The fruit began to glow, and a soft vibration filled the air as it started to vanish. The process took only a few moments, and then the fruit was gone.

<[ The Fruit Of Corruption Has Been Retrieved To Reality ]>

August decided to log out of the game to confirm this.

As he removed the VR helmet and climbed out of the pod, he looked around the room.

There it was...

Sitting on the edge of the game pod, was the Fruit of Corruption. It looked exactly as it had in the game—translucent, crystal-like, and glowing with a soft, radiant light.

August stared at the fruit as his mind raced with possibilities. The excitement of having such a valuable and powerful item in reality was overwhelming. He picked it up, feeling its cool surface in his hand.

The potential it held was immense, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of adrenaline.

But now came the hard part. What should he do next? The fruit could be sold for tens of millions of dollars, providing financial security for him and Sophia.

It would solve their immediate problems and give them a comfortable future. On the other hand, consuming the fruit would grant him a random ability in the real world, something that could potentially be even more valuable in the long run.

He sat down on his bed with the fruit still in his hand and weighed his options. Selling it would be a safe and practical choice, but the allure of gaining a supernatural ability was hard to resist. The decision was not just about him; it was about their future and what would be best for both of them.

"As a businessman... I need to go with the best decision to maximize profit."