Chapter 288: Imperial Ranking War: Rewards (End)

The end of the week had finally arrived, and the Heavenly Bronze Empire Team was ready to leave the secret realm.

The past several days had been some of the most relaxing the representatives had experienced since entering the Imperial Ranking War. Their inventories had been unlocked, their confiscated possessions returned, and the equipment and supplies they had purchased before the competition were once again available to them. For those who had spent months making do with whatever resources they could obtain, the return of their belongings had been a blessing in itself.

Some had immediately changed into their original clothes, while others had spent hours inspecting their weapons and armor. A few had even taken the opportunity to enjoy food they had bought but never been allowed to use during the competition. The sight of people happily eating their own stored delicacies had become common throughout The Rock, and more than one representative had complained that they would never take ordinary food for granted again.

The atmosphere was excellent.

After six months of survival, the representatives could finally relax without worrying about the next calamity, an approaching monster, or another team trying to kill them. They had won first place, and the World System had already confirmed their ranking. All that remained was to receive their rewards and return home.

Naturally, everyone was excited.

They had spent the past few days speculating about what the World System would give them. Some expected valuable resources, others hoped for rare cultivation materials or powerful equipment, and a few had started making ambitious plans based on the assumption that their personal rewards would be substantial.

Ren didn’t participate in most of those discussions. He was content to wait and see what the system had prepared. Whatever the rewards turned out to be, their victory had already accomplished more than he had originally expected.

Then, as scheduled, the World System appeared.

[The evaluation period has concluded.]

[Congratulations to the Heavenly Bronze Empire Team for achieving first place in the Imperial Ranking War!]

[Your unprecedented performance has exceeded the established expectations of this competition. By surviving six months of calamities and eliminating all competing teams, you have demonstrated exceptional adaptability, coordination, and combat strength.]

[Your victory has been confirmed. The following rewards will be granted to the Heavenly Bronze Empire.]

The representatives immediately quieted down.

The announcement had finally arrived.

[ First Reward: Imperial Fortune Upgrade. ]

[The Heavenly Bronze Empire’s Imperial Fortune will undergo a substantial upgrade. Its influence will extend across the empire’s territory, improving the distribution of natural opportunities and increasing the likelihood of producing talented individuals. The empire’s overall fortune will be strengthened, and its people will benefit from improved prospects for advancement.]

For a moment, the representatives stared at the announcement.

Then the noise began.

An upgrade to their empire’s fortune!

Anyone who understood the importance of imperial fortune knew just how significant this reward was. Fortune wasn’t merely a number or an abstract blessing. It influenced the opportunities available to an empire, the emergence of talented individuals, and the likelihood of encountering valuable resources. A prosperous empire could produce more geniuses, discover more treasures, and recover more easily from disasters.

The benefits would extend to generations who hadn’t even been born yet.

This wasn’t a reward that would disappear after a few years. It was an improvement to the future of their entire empire.

And it was only the first reward.

[ Second Reward: Imperial Resource Enrichment. ]

[The natural resources within the Heavenly Bronze Empire’s territory will undergo a beneficial transformation. Selected resource deposits will increase in abundance, while the growth rate and quality of suitable medicinal plants and natural materials will improve.]

[ Third Reward: Imperial Heritage Blessing. ]

[The Heavenly Bronze Empire will receive access to a sealed heritage domain containing martial arts inheritances, cultivation methods, and historical records. The domain will be made accessible to qualified imperial citizens according to its established conditions.]

[ Fourth Reward: National Protection Blessing. ]

[The Heavenly Bronze Empire’s territorial defenses will receive a permanent blessing. The stability of its protective formations will improve, and the effectiveness of suitable defensive measures against external threats will be enhanced.]

[ Fifth Reward: Imperial Opportunity Decree. ]

[For the next hundred years, the Heavenly Bronze Empire will receive preferential access to a limited number of opportunities designated by the World System. These opportunities may include resource discoveries, special domains, and other beneficial encounters. The nature and value of each opportunity will vary.]

[All five rewards have been confirmed. Their effects will be implemented according to the World System’s regulations.]

Silence lasted for approximately two seconds.

Then The Rock practically exploded.

"FIVE REWARDS?!"

"THE IMPERIAL FORTUNE UPGRADE IS REAL!"

"A HUNDRED YEARS OF PREFERENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

The representatives could barely contain themselves. Some laughed, others shouted, and several began congratulating one another as if they had personally received every reward. A few were so excited that they forgot to maintain their usual composure, jumping around and waving their arms while their companions tried to calm them down.

There was no need to calm anyone down.

They had just secured five enormous rewards for their empire, and every single one would benefit people far beyond the fifty-one representatives who had participated in the Imperial Ranking War.

The resource enrichment would strengthen their economy and provide more materials for martial artists, healers, craftsmen, and other professions. The heritage domain could give future generations access to knowledge that might otherwise have been lost forever. The protection blessing would improve the empire’s ability to defend its territory, while the opportunity decree would provide a century of advantages that other empires couldn’t simply purchase with money.

And above all else, the upgrade to imperial fortune would support the entire empire.

The rewards complemented one another. More resources meant more opportunities to develop talented people. Better inheritances meant those people could grow stronger. Improved defenses meant the empire could protect its gains, while the opportunity decree would continue bringing benefits for generations.

This was not a temporary windfall.

It was a foundation for long-term prosperity.

The representatives understood that much, even if some couldn’t fully grasp the implications. They had entered the secret realm hoping to bring honor to their empire, but their victory had delivered something far greater than a prestigious ranking.

They had changed the future of the Heavenly Bronze Empire.

Ren listened to the celebrations with a satisfied expression. The rewards were considerably better than he had expected, particularly the imperial fortune upgrade and the century-long opportunity decree. Those two alone could justify the entire competition, and the other three would provide practical benefits that the empire could use immediately.

Most importantly, the rewards didn’t merely benefit the ruling family or a handful of powerful clans. Their effects would spread throughout the empire, creating opportunities for people who had never even heard the names of the representatives standing inside The Rock.

That was the kind of reward he preferred.

Strength was valuable, but an empire couldn’t rely on a single generation of powerful martial artists. It needed resources, knowledge, security, and opportunities for the people who would come after them.

The World System had delivered all four.

However, the announcement wasn’t finished.

[The rewards for the Heavenly Bronze Empire have been distributed.]

[The individual rewards for the participating representatives will now be presented.]

The cheering gradually subsided as everyone turned their attention toward the sky.

[In recognition of your individual contributions, every surviving representative will be transferred to a special blessed secret realm.]

[The secret realm contains numerous opportunities, inheritances, resources, and other beneficial encounters. Each representative may explore freely and pursue opportunities according to their preferences, abilities, and circumstances.]

[The nature and value of the rewards obtained will depend on individual fortune, compatibility, and choices.]

[However, the World System guarantees that no representative will return empty-handed.]

That last sentence earned another round of cheers.

They would receive personal rewards, too!

The representatives began speculating again, although the system soon provided further clarification.

[The blessed secret realm does not pose a threat to the lives of its visitors. No opportunity within the realm requires participants to risk their lives, and no unavoidable trial or difficulty will be imposed upon them.]

[The opportunities within the realm may require participation in various tasks, responsibilities, or activities. Some will suit a representative’s abilities and interests, while others may not.]

[Participation is voluntary. Representatives are free to decline unsuitable opportunities and continue exploring.]

[The quality and quantity of individual rewards will depend on each representative’s fortune and the opportunities they choose to pursue.]

The explanation was straightforward.

There would be no deadly trials, no monsters trying to eat them, and no ridiculous challenges designed to force them into desperate situations. The realm would simply offer opportunities, some of which might require them to perform certain tasks or accept responsibilities.

If they liked an opportunity, they could pursue it. If they didn’t, they could move on.

And regardless of their decisions, nobody would leave empty-handed.

For people who had spent six months fighting to survive, the arrangement sounded almost too good to be true.

One representative laughed. "So we’re being rewarded with a vacation?"

"With treasures," another corrected him.

"What’s the difference?"

That earned another burst of laughter.

Ren shook his head, amused by their conversation. A peaceful secret realm full of opportunities sounded perfectly acceptable to him. After spending months directing everyone else’s movements, he could finally explore something without having to worry about keeping fifty people alive at the same time.

He was particularly interested in discovering what kinds of opportunities the World System considered suitable for him.

Knowing his luck, there was a reasonable chance he would find something troublesome.

Then again, troublesome things weren’t necessarily bad.

The announcement concluded with one final message.

[Transfer will commence shortly.]

[Congratulations once again to the Heavenly Bronze Empire Team. Your participation in the Imperial Ranking War has concluded.]

The representatives began gathering their belongings, checking their equipment, and saying their final goodbyes to The Rock. Some looked back at the base that had protected them through six months of calamities, while others were already discussing what they intended to pursue in the blessed secret realm.

Ren stood among them, hands in his pockets, waiting for the transfer.

Their mission was complete.

Their empire had received its rewards.

And now, it was time to see what the World System had prepared for them personally.