On Duskrice 3, 1850 AC (Arbiter Calendar), everyone, including Alistair, was shocked by the custom-made treasure chest. The receptionist called for the higher-ups, which included the Vice-Guildmaster and the Guildmaster of the Hunter Branch Guild. The Vice-Guildmaster, Torian Brightwind, was a Gold Hunter Rank, and beside him was the tall, muscular Guildmaster, Elowen Solas, also a Gold Hunter Rank. They descended from the second floor to inspect the treasure chest.
Lady Elowen addressed Alistair, saying, "Yes, it's indeed a custom-made treasure chest. You must be the new hunter, Alistair, correct?"
Alistair replied, "Yes, Guildmaster. By chance, I found this treasure chest near the outskirts of Leaf Village while I was digging for treasure. If you want proof, you can ask Village Guard David; he sent his guards to verify where the treasure was discovered."
The Guildmaster smiled and nodded. "Congratulations, Hunter Alistair. This brings good news for everyone. What Hunter Alistair found is indeed a custom-made treasure chest. The good news is that the mechanism to open the treasure chest works only for the original owner or for aura users who are at the Aura Transformation Realm. Hunter Ismeria, could you please open it since you are at the Mid-Aura Transformation Realm?"
Ismeria nodded and, using her strength, opened the custom-made treasure chest. Everyone gathered around the receptionist to appraise whether the items inside the treasure chest were valuable.
The receptionist carefully examined the first item. "Let's see..." she began, and her expression quickly shifted to one of shock. "This is a refined weapon imbued with aura; it's a Gauntlet. According to the description, the Imbued Aura Gauntlet can smash through thick trees and allows any aura user from the Aura Materialization Realm or the Aura Transformation Realm to double their speed while wearing it. Given its exceptional quality—it appears unused and is in perfect condition—this item is worth between 50 and 75 Silver Talers."
Everyone in the room was astonished by the gauntlet's description and its high value. The receptionist turned to Hunter Alistair, asking, "Do you plan to keep this gauntlet or sell it to the guild?" Alistair had already made up his mind. "I plan to give this gauntlet to my older sister, Lyra."
Lyra was overwhelmed upon receiving such a valuable gift from her younger brother and began to tear up. She pulled him into a tight hug, saying, "Thanks, little bro."
The receptionist continued, "The next item is... another refined weapon." The hunters were once again surprised to witness a second refined item. Some of them had suspected that this custom-made treasure chest would contain valuable items.
"This is an Imbued Aura Copper Sword," the receptionist explained. "It can slice through thick trees but requires a 10-second charge to activate its ability. The sword can be charged a maximum of 10 times before it reverts to a regular copper sword. Its value ranges from 50 to 75 Silver Talers."
The receptionist looked at Alistair as he replied, "I plan to sell it." She nodded and began speaking with the officers and guild masters. After some calculations, she said, "You will receive 70 Silver Talers, minus the 10% Guild Tax, which brings your total to about 63 Silver Talers, along with 1,000 Merit Points. If you choose to exchange your Merit Points for Leaf Village Territorial Merit Points, the Leaf Village Territorial Merit points will be added by 100. You can also trade Merit Points for exclusive items created by the Hunter's Guild across the Freedom Continent."
Afterward, the receptionist examined the last item and gasped at its effects. "This is a Strengthening Aura Pill, which enhances an aura user's physical strength for 10 minutes. It can elevate the Aura Materialization Realm, allowing the user's Aura Color Level to rise by one for the duration. Once the effect wears off, the user returns to their original state. For those in the Aura Transformation Realm, the effects kick in within just 3 to 5 minutes. For example, if an Early Transformation Realm user takes this pill, they will temporarily elevate to a Mid-Aura Transformation Realm for 3 to 5 minutes."
Everyone was shocked by the Strengthening Aura Pills and their effects. Some people's jaws dropped, while others dropped their food in surprise. The Vice Guildmaster and the Guildmaster were equally astonished. Alistair turned to Lyra and asked, "Big Sister Lyra, is finding a Strengthening Aura Pill really that shocking?"
Lyra nodded and replied, "Yes, it's rare to come across one, even the one our mother received from Lady Celestra. As you know, refining an aura pill is incredibly difficult, and they are usually only found in cities or empires. Finding one here in Leaf Village is considered a miracle. Alistair, the treasure chest you discovered contains valuable items. You must have some first-time hunter's luck. Great job, little bro!"
The receptionist observed the officers, the Vice Guildmaster, and the Guildmaster as they began discussing and calculating. After a few moments, they announced, "After our discussion, we've determined that the quality of the Strengthening Aura Pill is top-notch. Its value is estimated at 5 Gold Royals."
Everyone was already shocked, but they were even more taken aback by the substantial amount. One of the hunters exclaimed, "5 Gold Royals? Isn't that enough to buy a small-scale town?" Another added, "With that amount, you could purchase top-quality items for Silver or Gold Hunter Ranks."
Alistair then stated, "I plan to sell the Strengthening Aura Pill." The Guildmaster responded, "Are you sure? It would be more beneficial to keep it for emergencies." Alistair shook his head, saying, "It's alright, Guildmaster."
The Guildmaster smiled and accepted Alistair's decision. After the guild tax was deducted, Alistair received 4.5 Gold Royals and 5,000 Merit Points. He also sold the custom-made treasure chest, which he couldn't use. Although he was the owner of the chest, his perfect alibi—that people believed the owner was no longer in this world since it was buried underground, or that only someone in the Aura Transformation Realm could open it—allowed him to sell it. As a result, Alistair became the first-ever hunter on his first day to earn a total of 5.5 Gold Royals, 63 Silver Talers, and 6,000 Merit Points.
The challenge for Alistair was figuring out how to tell his mother about the amount he received. When he asked one of his two older sisters, they advised him to keep the rewards since he had earned them himself during his treasure hunting mission. As the sun began to set, the three siblings made their way home. When Alistair shared the details of his first hunting mission, which was a treasure hunt, their mother was shocked and nearly fainted at the news of the significant rewards he had received.
"Oh my god, Alistair! As long as you're safe and not hurt, you can continue your adventures. I don't mind how surprising they are," she said, hugging Alistair with a smile.