Ethan hadn't expected it at all.
When the final boss fell, not only had it dropped a gold-tier replica necklace, but also a dark-gold-tier necklace. The loot was so absurdly lucky that even he had to stop and appreciate his fortune.
And that luck sparked a bolder idea.
He waved the sales assistant over and pointed at the Skill Enhancement Stone displayed on the tablet. "I want this. Can you give me a 20% discount?"
The truth was, after today's sales, he had just over 180 million credits on hand—still short of the 200 million price tag.
The assistant glanced at the tablet. That enhancement stone was the crown jewel of Darunhua's inventory, a prestige item kept more for display than for sale. At such a steep price, most professionals would rather buy a purple skill outright. The store even charged a premium simply for keeping it in stock.
But this was Ethan—Darunhua's diamond VIP, and now one of their most profitable clients. She didn't hesitate. "Of course. For you, the discount applies. Diamond VIP benefits never expire."
Ethan transferred 160 million without another word and accepted the smooth, palm-sized crystal.
This time, he knew exactly where to use it. He had already upgraded his old Vine Entangling skill to Thorn Bind (blue) earlier. Now, with a blue skill in hand, he could take it to the next tier without any waste.
He ignored the temptation to strengthen his other skills. The utility of his vine control abilities was too high to pass up.
> "Skill Enhancement Stone (Elementary) used successfully!"
"Thorn Bind (Blue) → Thorn Imprisonment (Purple)."
Thorn Imprisonment: Summons thorn-covered vines to imprison targets. The number of vines scales with mental power consumed. Enhanced feature: Permanent duration.
That last part—permanence—was the real prize.
Before, even his strongest vine cages, like the hundred-meter-diameter one he'd used before, would dissolve into energy fragments after about ten minutes. Now, they would remain indefinitely, impossible for trapped enemies or monsters to break without outside help.
It meant he could literally lock a target away until they starved.
Ethan smiled faintly. "That's more than worth the price."
---
With the skill upgrade done, he leaned back in the reception room's plush chair to rest. The morning's fight had been intense, but a professional's stamina recovered quickly. While he waited for Charles to return, he browsed through the Zerg monster research materials the sales assistant had provided.
About an hour later, Charles walked in. The deep shadows under his eyes were still there, but noticeably lighter than before. His frenzied excitement from the previous night had faded into a calmer determination.
It was during this rest period that reality had sunk in for him—Ethan's help had completely changed his life. The 10 million credit sponsorship he could repay eventually. But the chance to work with such valuable equipment? That was trust he could never afford to betray.
If he failed Ethan, it wouldn't just be a mistake—it would be a disaster.
Seeing Ethan absorbed in his reading, Charles didn't know how to start. But Ethan made it easy, tossing two necklaces to him without looking up.
Charles caught them reflexively, startled. "You want me to—?"
"No pressure," Ethan said lightly. "Just synthesize them."
He had already prepared for the worst. If it failed, he'd simply use the newly acquired dark-gold necklace and ask the principal's grandmother to duplicate it.
Charles nodded. "Alright."
Normally, a smith would keep their synthesis method secret, but Ethan's obvious trust made Charles drop the pretense. He summoned an exquisitely crafted forging furnace into the room.
First, he placed the gold-tier necklace inside. Heat built rapidly until the metal began to melt, glowing faintly under the rising temperature.
When the gold was nearly molten, Charles used a special tool to extract a glimmering core of light from the liquid—a condensed form of the necklace's special attribute. To Ethan's surprise, it felt almost solid in Charles' hand.
Charles then fused the core and molten metal into the untouched dark-gold necklace.
Ethan nodded to himself. So that's why he can guarantee one piece remains undamaged. The process is more delicate than I thought.
Even so, Charles' forehead was beaded with sweat. His hands never stopped moving, and he didn't pause to wipe his face. Every motion carried precision and focus.
Finally, a rich dark-gold glow pulsed from the furnace. Charles exhaled, visibly relieved. "It's done."
Ethan reached out, but instead of taking the new necklace, he dropped his other dark-gold necklace into Charles' hand.
"Can you synthesize dark-gold gear?"
Charles blinked. "I… can. But the success rate is much lower than gold-tier synthesis. Are you sure you want to risk it?"
"Shouldn't we wait until my success rate is higher?" Charles suggested cautiously.
Ethan shook his head. "Strike while the iron's hot. I can only wear one necklace anyway." He grinned. "Haven't you heard? Sometimes you've got to try—turn a bicycle into a motorcycle."
Charles sighed inwardly. This man… Selling the extra necklace could easily net a fortune, but Ethan was treating it like a casual bet. Still, he wasn't about to refuse.
---
This was his first attempt at synthesizing dark-gold gear, and his nerves were obvious. He glanced at Ethan for reassurance, but the man was still calmly flipping through his Zerg material.
Was that genuine composure… or just a way of easing the pressure? Charles couldn't tell.
The earlier smelting seemed to have left a "residual heat" in the furnace. The process flowed smoother than expected, each step blending seamlessly into the next.
Then it happened—a sudden blinding platinum-gold light erupted from the furnace. Charles froze, still processing what he was seeing.
"…That's it?" he murmured.
---
Important events in this chapter:
Ethan buys a Skill Enhancement Stone at a discount for 160 million credits.
Thorn Bind (Blue) → Thorn Imprisonment (Purple) with permanent vine duration.
Charles successfully synthesizes a gold-tier necklace into a dark-gold-tier one.
Ethan pushes Charles to attempt dark-gold + dark-gold synthesis despite low success rates.
The synthesis process goes unexpectedly smoothly, ending in a brilliant platinum-gold glow.
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