System's POV

Chapter 461: Zion’s Investment For The Future

"Speaking of gifts, when do you plan to give us our items?" Rianna asked. "Since you gave Shana and Diana two items, you should give us two items as well, okay?"

"Don't worry. Both of you will receive the same item," Thirteen answered. "That way, both of you can't complain."

Mildred felt a little better after hearing that they would also get two items as a reward for working hard in their training.

"By the way, that ring Erica is wearing on her finger? Did you give that to her?" Mildred asked, making Shana's ear perked up after hearing it.

"Oh, this?" Erica raised her hand and showed them the ring she was wearing. "Yes, Zion gave this to me. It's our engagement ring."

"As if," Thirteen replied. "How many times should I tell you that it's not an engagement ring?"

Erica giggled because being able to tease the teenage boy was something that made her feel a little better, especially after all the harsh training that she had been doing as of late.

"That ring is called the Fire Lord's Ring," Thirteen stated. "Just like Shana's earring and Diana's bracelet, it absorbs the excess Aether that escapes Erica's body. It can absorb it infinitely.

"Once activated, it will summon a Dragon made of flames, but it can only be used once. The longer she doesn't use the ring, the more powerful this attack will become. If she doesn't use it for a decade, it can probably one-shot a Majin Prince."

Mildred felt envious after hearing that her friend got an overpowered item. A moment later, a sly smile appeared on her face.

"But why a ring?" Mildred inquired. "You can just make it a bracelet, a necklace, or an earring. Why did you choose a ring instead?"

"Because Erica is a klutz," Thirteen answered with a sigh. "She tends to forget things unless she has it on her. Earrings and necklaces can be taken off. But rings are harder to take off.

"Also, I get the feeling that, in the future, when she faces the greatest threat of her life which will make her despair, she will look down on her hands. Perhaps, seeing the ring will make her remember that she still has a way out of her predicament."

"Oi, don't say it like a prophecy," Erica commented. "What will you do if it really happens?"

Thirteen didn't answer and only gave a casual shrug.

He didn't need to answer this question because he knew that it would happen. This was why he gave Erica something that could possibly save her life in the future.

"Then, I want a ring as well," Rianna said as she approached Thirteen with a smile. "I'm also a klutz, and I tend to forget things. Shana can vouch for me."

"You don't have to worry about that because you and Mildred will both get a thumb ring," Thirteen stated.

"A thumb ring?" Rianna smiled happily before giving the teenage boy a hug. "You really know what to give me. I like it!"

Thumb rings were something that was very useful for archers, so being gifted with one made Rianna truly happy.

"And what's the other gift?" Mildred inquired.

"An arrowhead necklace." Thirteen replied. "Just like Erica's Trump Card, it is also a Trump Card. Once you activate it, it will transform into an arrow. But you can only use it once, so make sure to use it when you're backed in a corner."

Rianna, who understood that Zion would not just give her an ordinary arrow, decided to press for more details.

"What kind of arrow is it? Come on, tell me?"

"Uh… you really are pushy aren't you?"

"Since you will tell us what it can do when you give it to us, what's the harm of telling us what it can do now?"

Thirteen pondered a bit before heaving a sigh.

"Okay, let me tell you first what your thumb ring can do," Thirteen said. "Once you nock an arrow on your bow, and you are wearing the thumb ring, it will add an elemental property to your arrow." ????????.???

Rianna's and Mildred's eyes widened in shock because they had never heard of such an artifact before.

"The elements that will be imbued on the arrow are fire, lightning, holy, and wind," Thirteen replied. "You need to have a clear picture in your head of what element you wish to enchant your arrow with to make it manifest.

"If you don't choose an element, it will randomly imbue your arrow with one. So, if you want a specific effect, make sure to make it clear inside your head. Also, you can choose to set a default element for it.

"If you only want to imbue your arrows with the fire property, you just need to say the word 'Fire', and all the arrows you fire will have the fire element. Pretty convenient, right? Just so you know, you won't see this anywhere in the market.

"My father also dabbled in the crafting of accessories, which is why he's able to do something like this. However, it's not for sale, so don't tell your family and friends about it, okay?"

Rianna and Mildred both nodded their heads at the same time. Exclusivity was a thing, and they didn't want every other archer that they met to have the same thumb rings that they were going to wear.

"Now, the arrowhead necklace can also be imbued with an element of your choosing once you activate it and it turns into an arrow," Thirteen stated. "However, there is a synergy effect to it when you're wearing the thumb ring.

"The arrow you release will have the piercing power and speed of a Railgun. But, that's not all. The size of the arrow will also increase, making it as big as the Bolt that we used to shoot against Arundel when we fought against him."

Rianna, who knew exactly what Zion was talking about, couldn't help but open her mouth wide enough for an egg to pass through.

That was how shocked she was.

"You're not joking when you said that it's a trump card that can only be used once," Rianna said in a serious tone. "So, answer me this. Theoretically, can it one-shot a Rank 9 Sovereign?"

"In theory… the possibility exists," Thirteen replied. "But if you want a sure-kill, a Rank 6 and Rank 7 Sovereign is the perfect target."

"Can you mass produce this?" Rianna smiled evilly.

Thirteen shook his head. "Of course not. The chances of Pops succeeding in crafting this are already low, to begin with. Don't ask for the impossible."

Mildred, who had no idea what the two were talking about, couldn't help but look forward to the weapon that had the potential to kill a Rank 7 Monster in one hit.

If she would really get two artifacts that could save her life in the future, then she wouldn't mind enduring the teenage boy's hellish training.

After all, these items he promised would only be given to them as a reward.

As long as she was able to survive and pass Thirteen's training, she would get two things that any Wanderer, who specialized in Archery, would desperately want to have in their arsenal.

Shana pouted a bit because the teenage boy hadn't given her anything that could also one-shot strong monsters.

She had been fighting against a Rank 3 Sovereign as part of her training, and although the flag that also served as a spear had a hidden martial technique embedded in it, the Saintess still hadn't mastered it completely.

Diana's flag also had the same ability, which made her an all-rounder Crusader.

Not only did she possess strong defensive abilities, she now also had a strong offensive ability, which she could use to deal damage to the foes, who wished to harm the people in her party.

The Laplace Demon and The One approved of all of this special artifacts imbued with Thirteens' Rune Magic to strengthen the Hero Party.

At first, the teenage boy didn't have any plans of giving Roland and Joshua anything.

But after careful consideration, he decided to give them an item each.

That way, they would not call him stingy. Besides, this was also Zion's investment for the future.

If the Hero Party was too weak, how would he be able to use them to fight against Fate, which he believed would be making her move the moment he returned to Solterra.