Chapter 367 - 366: The Price

Chapter 367: Chapter 366: The Price

[Please select a target item!]

[Current upgradable items: Silver Moon Earrings (D-level), The Unfettered Guild Badge (special item, no level).]

’It makes sense for the Silver Moon Earrings to be here, but this Badge...’

’What does this mean?’

’If I use a Space Crystal, can I turn this Badge into a Space Badge with storage capabilities?’

Seraphina Sinclair’s gaze flickered between the two items. A moment later, she made her decision.

Space Crystals were rare.

She already knew what would happen if she used it on the Silver Moon Earrings—expanding the space again would obviously be beneficial, but Seraphina didn’t have a pressing need for more room right now.

’Besides, if upgrading the Badge also just adds storage space, then it’s no different from upgrading the earrings. But if it’s something else...’

Gritting her teeth, Seraphina Sinclair chose The Unfettered Guild Badge.

She had already verified its effects. ’An upgrade is never a bad thing.’

The instant her finger pressed down, the Badge in her hand was lifted by an invisible force.

At the same time, the Space Crystal began to melt, dissolving into sparkling, starlight-like blue particles.

The two objects slowly rose before Seraphina, spinning as they gradually drew closer in mid-air.

The moment the blue particles touched the Badge, they were absorbed without a sound, like water into a sponge.

The faint, pale-cyan light that had been flowing across the Badge’s surface suddenly flared brightly.

The light intensified, gradually shifting to a deep blue that intertwined with the cyan.

Seraphina held her breath, her eyes glued to the sight.

The few cyan feathers pressed within the alloy seemed to unfurl slightly in the light, becoming more vivid, as if they might take flight at any moment.

The entire process lasted about ten seconds.

The light abruptly receded, pulling back completely into the Badge’s interior.

CLACK.

The Badge fell back into Seraphina Sinclair’s open palm.

It still felt cool to the touch, but now there seemed to be an additional, indescribable warmth to it.

She couldn’t wait to use Insight.

The name and Description hadn’t changed. Undiscouraged, Seraphina continued scrolling down. As expected, the change was in the traits.

The original trait was now Trait One, and the new one from the Space Crystal upgrade was Trait Two.

[Trait Two: A new ability gained by upgrading with a Space Crystal! The Badge can access items within other storage devices worn by the owner. After targeting a desired item with Heart Lock, it can be activated instantly per Trait One’s function, bypassing the need for manual retrieval.]

Seraphina stared at the new description, her mind racing to process its meaning.

’This... this seems far more ingenious than just adding more storage space. It’s more in line with the Badge’s original purpose of convenience and being unfettered!’

’In simple terms, the Badge has gained a new level of access!’

’It can bypass the step of "manually taking something out of a storage item" and use items directly from my other storage equipment!’

Seeing was one thing, but trying it for herself was another.

Without hesitation, Seraphina chose another Potion as a test subject. A thought stirred in her mind, and just in case the Badge’s reaction was slow, she deliberately waited a moment before checking her status panel.

’It increased!’

’It really increased!’

Excitement washed over Seraphina, but she quickly calmed herself and tried again, this time with a rune.

This time, it wasn’t about the effect, but to test the Badge’s Speed.

The very instant the thought of using the rune formed in her mind, a ball of fire appeared in Seraphina’s hand.

Seraphina casually tossed the flame away, a wide grin spreading across her face.

’This Speed... it’s fast!’

’Much faster than taking out a rune and tearing it myself!’

Feeling the lingering heat on her fingertips, Seraphina was practically overflowing with joy.

The new ability the Badge gained from the Space Crystal enhancement was far superior to its previous function!

Not only did it perfectly eliminate the slight delay of having to retrieve an item, but it elevated thought-to-activation to a whole new level.

’Truly! Zero-delay, instantaneous activation!’

In high spirits, Seraphina took a moment to properly organize the contents of her Silver Moon Earrings.

Frequently used combat items went in one section, and things she didn’t need went in another.

’As for sorting things more meticulously...’

Seraphina considered that a waste of her time.

Once that was done, she turned her gaze to the last item on the floor.

It was a dark red Bone Nail, about a palm’s length. It was cold to the touch, its surface covered in a dense, complex pattern of indentations that resembled twisted veins.

Seraphina brought it closer to inspect it and only then noticed the traces of dried, blackened blood on its tip.

Just holding it, Seraphina felt a cold, sinister aura silently coiling around her fingertips.

’This is definitely not a good thing.’

But if the Grace that Shatterer used came from this... then it would all make sense.

Seraphina glanced at the empty floor. This was the last of Shatterer’s dropped items. If Grace didn’t come from this, it meant Grace was an even more special item, one that couldn’t be obtained by the next survivor upon death.

Of course, Seraphina wanted an ability like that.

Even if she didn’t use it... just possessing "Grace" would give her another kind of trump card.

She took a deep breath and used Insight on the Bone Nail.

[The Price (S-Class)]

[Description: To pay the price, pierce your heart with the nail.]

Seraphina’s pupils contracted sharply. For a split second, she stopped breathing.

S-Class!

This was the first time she had seen an S-Class item since entering this world.

The last time she’d seen something of such a high level was Yog-Sothoth’s Door Key, which she’d pulled from the Black Fog Lottery.

To this day, she still had no idea what that thing did. But this... with this, Seraphina could at least grasp a sliver of its potential.

This nail had belonged to Shatterer, and its Description said to pierce one’s heart with it.

When Shatterer used Grace, Seraphina had seen it with her own eyes. A red light had first burst from his chest, and only then had the grayish-white patterns slowly crawled over his entire body.

’In that case, this item... must be Grace.’

And with that, Seraphina understood what the item’s name and Description meant.

To obtain Grace, one first had to pay a price.

’The price... is to plunge this nail into your own heart.’

Seraphina gripped the nail, her knuckles turning white from the force.

’That’s your heart we’re talking about.’

’Not an arm, not a leg, but the very heart that beats within your chest to keep you alive.’

’Willingly drive a bizarre, ominous Bone Nail of unknown origin into *that* spot?’

Just imagining the scene sent a chill shooting up from the base of her spine to the crown of her head. Even the fingers holding the Bone Nail felt a numb, stabbing pain.