Chapter 218. The Gilded Touch
"I'm on a roll. To stop now would be an insult to the Prophet himself!" Noah declared, his spirits high after securing Malzahar's legacy. He waved away the floating shards for now, deciding to save the crafting and dismantling for a time when he wasn't standing in a literal hole in reality.
He reached out to the bonus chest. At his touch, the ornate box didn't just open; it shivered with anticipation. The lid groaned back, and two spheres of light spiraled into the air—one a serene, deep blue, the other a stark, clinical white.
Knowing the patterns of the system, Noah grabbed the white orb first.
[Received: 2000 Essence]
"Predictable, but welcome," he murmured with a satisfied nod. Between his recent exploits and the mission rewards, his coffers were overflowing once again. By his tally, he still had 8800 essence left from his previous hoard, and with this extra 2000, he was already halfway to another ten-fold summon. If the next chest followed suit, he could keep the cycle going.
He turned his attention to the blue orb, popping it like a soap bubble.
[Received: Summoner Spell – Heal]
"Heal?"
Noah's enthusiasm dipped slightly. In a world of gods and monsters, a basic curative spell felt a bit... pedestrian. Still, utility was utility. He touched the icon, and a stream of vibrant, emerald energy surged into his palm, before weaving itself into the very fabric of his being.
He raised his hand, focusing on the new spell. A soft, rejuvenating glow enveloped his skin, radiating a warmth that felt like a spring morning—a stark contrast to the cold, emerald flame of the Rune of Bravery. This was pure, unadulterated life energy.
Curious, he pressed his glowing palm against his chest and activated the spell.
Fwoosh.
A wave of soothing coolness washed through him. Since he wasn't currently bleeding out or nursing broken ribs, the restorative effect was subtle, but the secondary blessing was immediate. His muscles tightened with a sudden, twitchy vitality. His heart rate spiked, and for a few seconds, his body felt light as a feather, as if the gravity of the Abyss had lost its hold on him.
"A burst of speed to go with the mending," Noah observed, feeling the lingering rush. "It's a decent panic button, though the Rune of Bravery's shield still feels more substantial for a real fight. Still, I won't turn down a second chance at life."
He took a deep breath, settling his nerves. "Alright, system. Round two. Give me something that screams 'legendary'!"
With a flourish, he triggered the second x10 summon. The blue vortex roared back into life, its magnetic pull churning the violet mists of the Abyss into a frothing sea. Ten orbs shot out, followed by another bonus chest. Noah waited, his eyes scanning for that tell-tale streak of light that indicated a hero template was about to hijack his brain.
Five seconds passed. Then ten. The orbs simply hovered, glowing with a steady, rhythmic pulse.
"Ah, I suppose the gods of RNG have a limit to their charity," Noah sighed, though his disappointment was mostly theatrical. He knew the odds. Pulling a high-tier hero like Malzahar was a feat in itself; expecting two in a row was just greedy.
"Let's see the consolation prizes, then. Maybe there's a hidden gem in the rubble."
He began popping the spheres, one by one.
[Random Hero Shard x1] "A solid start. Every shard is a step toward a new soul."
[Health Potion x1] "Really? One? Don't spend it all in one place, I guess."
[Random Skin Experience Card x1]
Noah paused, squinting at the new item. It was a shimmering, translucent card that seemed to shift colors depending on the angle. "A Skin Experience Card? I haven't seen this one before. System, what's the catch? Do I need the base hero to use this?"
[System Notification: Skin Experience Cards function similarly to Hero Experience Cards. Upon activation, the Summoner will temporarily inherit the powers, aesthetics, and specialized abilities of that specific skin, regardless of whether the base Hero template is owned.]
"Now that," Noah grinned, "is a game changer. It's basically a 'try before you buy' for godhood." He tucked the card away, his mind already racing with the possibilities of what might be written on the other side.
He cleared the rest of the board in a single sweep.
[Stealth Ward x2] [Health Potion x1] [Health Potion x1] [Hand of Justice] [Elixir of Iron] [Hand of Justice] [Mana Potion x1]
Noah froze, his gaze locking onto the twin icons of a golden, clenched fist. "Hand of Justice? Wait... is that a TFT item?"
He was surprised. The system usually pulled from the main Rift, but it seemed the rules of the "Auto-Battler" were also in play. He reached out to grab them, expecting to feel the weight of heavy gauntlets, but the items dissolved into golden dust before they touched his skin.
Instead, a searing heat erupted from his own hands.
He watched in fascination as his knuckles and forearms began to glow with a divine, golden radiance. It wasn't armor; it was an enchantment, a shimmering aura of justice that settled over his skin like a second, more powerful layer of reality.
"I thought they were gloves," he whispered, clenching his fists.
As he slammed his hands together, a shockwave of golden sparks rippled through the air. The "Hand of Justice" didn't just increase his raw physical output; it felt like it had tuned his body to a higher frequency. He could feel a predatory hunger in the energy—the legendary 'omnivamp' effect. Every strike he landed would not only shatter his enemy but feed his own vitality.
"Magnificent," he breathed, watching as the gold light faded into his skin at his command. It was the perfect hidden ace. He could walk around looking like an ordinary man, only to unleash the literal hand of god when the time was right.
"Alright, golden hands... let's see if you can pull one more miracle from the box."
He reached for the final bonus chest.
[Received: 2000 Essence]
A single white orb. 2000 essence. Exactly enough to replenish what he had spent to get here.
Noah stood in the silence of the Abyss, the golden warmth of his new powers still tingling in his fingertips. He looked at the summoning panel, then back at the dark horizon of the void.
"I think that's enough for today," he decided, closing the interface. "The Abyss has been kind, but I shouldn't push my luck until I'm back on solid Earth. A wise gambler knows when to walk away with his head held high."
With a final look at the swirling violet mists, Noah turned, his heart already looking toward the horizon of home.
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[Item Unlocked: Hand of Justice]
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