CHAPTER 84: CHAPTER 84: [NINE-DRAGON TREASURE BOX]

Shane, Ryan, and Eric were still getting treated. Their injuries were serious. Without treatment, they might not even make it back alive to the Ice City settlement.

Ethan didn’t get hurt at all in this operation.

At first, he only finished off a few thieves that Shane had already badly wounded. Even when they ran into the thieves’ leader—Sinclair in his monster form—it was still Shane and the others doing the fighting.

Aside from the thieves that showed up at the end, Ethan barely fought at all.

Now that he finally had a moment, Ethan lowered his head and checked his watch.

After killing Sinclair in his monster form, his level went up, and the [Ten-Thousandfold Intelligence Reward] also dropped an Orange-quality Intel for him.

This was another Orange-quality Intel reward, besides the [Hellblade Class Intel (Fragment)].

But Ethan didn’t check the Orange-quality Intel first. He felt a sense of anticipation, hoping it would be about the strongest hidden class, [Hellblade].

He looked at his character stats first and found that after killing the thieves’ leader, Sinclair, his level had gone up by three.

His level had already risen from 14 to 17.

From leaving Safe Zone 9527 to arriving at the Ice City settlement, only half a day had passed, and he had gone straight from level 10 to level 17.

If he told anyone about leveling this fast, they’d surely think he was cheating.

But Ethan knew players would still have to wait a while before they could explore the Frost Valley underground caves map and grind levels there.

He was lucky to catch the window when Shane’s team was clearing the thieves. Otherwise, he’d only be able to hunt some normal mobs outside.

In that case, there was no way he could have leveled this fast.

After checking his level info, Ethan opened his [Inventory]. First, he looked at the Purple-quality item dropped by the thieves’ leader, Sinclair.

[Shadow Belt]

[Quality]: Purple-quality

[Requirement]: Level 20 or higher

[Effect 1]: +5 Strength, +5 Defense

[Effect 2]: Frenzy — When the wearer uses a long knife or a short knife, Attack Speed +50%.

[Effect 3]: Life Recovery — When the wearer’s HP drops to 10%, Shadow Belt restores 1% HP per second for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 24 hours.

[Note]: Put on this belt and you’ll be much harder to kill!

Ethan’s eyes lit up. He didn’t have any Purple-quality weapons, gear, or items yet, and the Shadow Belt’s effects really surprised him.

Besides the +5 Strength and +5 Defense, it had two effects that suited him very well.

[Frenzy] could boost his attack speed when he used the [Damaged Blood-Drinking Long Knife], making his strikes faster and harder to dodge.

And [Life Recovery] fit perfectly with the [Damaged Blood-Drinking Long Knife]’s [Bloodthirst]!

A perfect combo!

With the Shadow Belt equipped, when his HP dropped to 10%, the [Bloodthirst] effect would last 10 more seconds!

Don’t underestimate those ten seconds.

When his HP fell to 10%, his Strength would go up by 6, Speed by 6, and Defense down by 6, lasting 20 seconds!

Twenty seconds was enough for Ethan to take down who knows how many enemies.

This was no doubt a big boost to his power.

The only pity was that this Purple-quality [Shadow Belt] required level 20, and Ethan was only level 17.

He’d need some time to reach level 20 before he could equip it.

Ethan felt a bit disappointed. He really wanted to put on the [Shadow Belt] right now.

After finishing the [Shadow Belt’s] info, Ethan was about to check the Orange-quality Intel drop when his eyes were drawn to a black box.

It was a treasure he had taken while using the [Stalker Cloak].

There were definitely more treasures in the Frost Valley underground cave than just this black box—lots of Dawn Coins and other items too.

Sadly, when that strange tentacle appeared, many things fell into the cracks in the ground. Ethan also couldn’t go back into the cave to search again.

All he could do now was hope the black box Sinclair tried to grab first had something he’d be happy with inside.

[Nine-Dragon Treasure Box]

[Quality]: Orange-quality

[Requirement]: None

[Effect 1]: Sturdy — Cannot be opened or destroyed by any means, except with the Nine-Dragon Key.

[Effect 2]: Everlasting — Items inside the Nine-Dragon Treasure Box do not age. Even after ten thousand years, they stay the same as when they were stored.

[Note]: A legendary box made to hold rare treasures. Its last owner was a great alchemist named Jasper. It’s said he made a potion that could cure all diseases and also improve a user’s talent. But without the Nine-Dragon Key that opens it, this box is just a solid, unbreakable stone.

When Ethan saw the words "Orange-quality," his eyes widened a little. He thought he’d hit the jackpot—getting an Orange-quality item from a Purple-quality Intel reward.

But after reading all the details, his excitement faded, and he felt speechless.

He only had the [Nine-Dragon Treasure Box]. He didn’t have the [Nine-Dragon Key] to open it.

In other words, at least for now, this box really was just an unbreakable stone to him, just like the Note said.

Ethan frowned slightly and read the Note again. The last owner of this [Nine-Dragon Treasure Box] was an alchemist named Jasper, and he made a potion that could cure every disease?

Every disease?

Ethan instantly thought of his own situation. Dr. Axel had said his illness was getting worse, and he had less than three months left to live.

If the [Blue Ice Potion] could be made in the real world, it could improve his body and help him live a bit longer.

So, if he could find the [Nine-Dragon Key] and open the [Nine-Dragon Treasure Box], could it hold the potion that alchemist made—the one that can cure all diseases and boost a person’s talent?

What could be inside an Orange-quality box?

Ethan couldn’t be sure, but he was sure about one thing: whatever it was, it had to be more valuable than the Orange-quality [Nine-Dragon Treasure Box] itself.

Maybe it didn’t just hold a potion. Maybe there was also a recipe even more valuable than the potion.

Thinking of this, Ethan’s heart sped up. Besides what Dr. Axel said about Veritas Snow Group working on a new drug, he saw another hope that might fully cure his illness.

But it was only a hope. What if the [Nine-Dragon Treasure Box] held something else?

That could happen too.

Still, isn’t life about chasing a hope, no matter how small?

Ethan took a deep breath and clenched his fist. He would try to find the [Nine-Dragon Key]!

Right then, Shane, whose wounds had stopped getting worse, stood up. He walked over to Ethan, looked him in the eye, bent slightly, and said seriously:

"I still don’t know your name. If it weren’t for you today, I wouldn’t have gotten my revenge. I might have died in there—no, I definitely would have died."

Ethan told him his game ID.

Gratitude filled Shane’s eyes. He nodded and went on, "We agreed you’d get first pick of the loot. Sadly, the sudden appearance of the [Siphoner] ruined everything.

"The mission to clear the underground cave thieves is done, and we also found clues about [Calamity]. When we get back to the Ice City settlement, I’ll give you all the credit and rewards that should be mine, as compensation.

"Also, I owe you a favor. If you run into trouble, you can come to the City Lord’s Mansion at the Ice City settlement and find me anytime."

Ethan nodded. He had already picked up the [Shadow Belt] that Sinclair dropped, as well as the Orange-quality Intel reward. But at the time, Shane and the others were trapped by that strange tentacle and didn’t see it happen.

Ethan began slowly: "I also got a few things this time. You—"

Before he could finish, a figure suddenly appeared in the howling snow in the distance, rushing toward them fast.

It was a tall, middle-aged man wearing a tiger-skin cloak. His face was stern, and he gave off a strong, powerful presence.

Snowflakes were falling all over Frost Valley, but as they neared the man, an invisible force melted them away.

In the middle of the blizzard, not a single snowflake stuck to him.

Ethan also saw there were no footprints behind the man at all, as if he wasn’t walking on the snow but floating over it.

Ethan realized at once: this middle-aged man was a terrifyingly strong fighter.