The Ultimate Evolution
chapter-196

After clarifying everything, Sheyan felt a rather dry and unsatisfied feeling. Brushing off the dust in his hands, he prepared to leave. The nightmare imprint suddenly transmitted a series of notifications, which instantly left Sheyan dumbstruck!

"Contest no.1018 has passed Gringotts secret test: Devil's snare. Because your party members who have passed with you are all dead, their acquired achievement points have been transferred to you. You receive 2 achievement points + (5 party members x 2) = 12 points." "Contestant no.1018 has passed Gringotts secret test: Winged keys. Because your party members who have passed with you are all dead, their acquired achievement points have been transferred to you. You receive 3 achievement points + (4 party members x 3) = 15 points."

"Contestant no.1018 has conducted a complete exploration of the ruins of the ancient goblin kingdom alone. You receive +5 achievement points." "Contestant no.1018 has conducted a complete exploration of Gringotts deeply concealed secret. You receive +5 achievement points."

"Contestant no.1018 completed a glorious deed: Uncovering historical secret. Completion rate 71.2%. Contestant no.1018 +1 legend* level. Yet to reach the requirements to obtain any rewards."

(TN: Legend here refers to the story legends, folklore)

"Contestant no.1018 completed glorious deed: Uncovering historical secret. Completion ranking: e . Contestant no.1018 receive 6 achievement points. Yet to reach the requirements to obtain any rewards."

"You accumulated a total of 43 achievement points from this experience."

"Your current total accumulated achievement points is 53 points."

"You have fulfilled the conditions to raise your nightmare imprint military rank. You can upgrade your military rank after returning to the nightmare realm."

"You accumulated a total of 43 achievement points from this experience........" Sheyan stood stupefied momentarily at the spot for a moment before regaining his composure. After deep reflection of his previous encounter, he gradually started to understand the reason for such a harvest. Previously, he travelled together as part of the Metals professor's party, hence the evaluation by the realm of the journey process was pretty good. Furthermore, the members in the party had all died, thus their evaluation and achievements had been transferred to him.

His successful exploration of the remnants was hugely relied on Infinite's severed finger to pass through unhindered, it could be considered as cheating. But formerly, it was because of encountering that statue knight that he fell into the abyss, and ultimately he still met with the 'demon king'. Hence, it triggered the conditions for completing this glorious deed. Moreover, it was thanks to that archaic gold coin that released the miserable goblin apparition. Thus, the price he paid and the dangers he experienced wasn't small. Therefore, his ranking still managed to rise from the lowest 'f' to 'e'.

According to the realm, taking away the rewards and only bestowing Sheyan with legend level and achievement points was considered fair. Apart from this, Sheyan curiously inquired on 'glorious deed' and 'legend level' to his nightmare imprint. The answer he got was:

'Glorious deeds' are the ultimate secrets hidden within every world. It is extremely hard to be discovered and possess a certain uniqueness. Once a contestant accomplishes the glorious deed, then other contestants wouldn't be able to reach this objective.

Under non-combat state, legend level can be used to raise the user's reputation in respect to any storyline character in any nightmare world. '+1 legend level = during raising of influence/reputation, the required reputation is lowered by 10%. Any transactions with storyline characters has a +10% discount. You obtained privileges to directly engage in conversations with certain noble storyline characters.'

Under combat state, +1 legend level will enhance your avoidability and accuracy by 5%!

During test completion, +1 legend level can allow you to receive an additional evaluation!

Strictly speaking, this generously dramatic increase of 43 achievement points allowing Sheyan to promote his military ranking, and that +1 legend level was already exceedingly good. Both in terms of long or short term benefits were excellent. To receive these two abundant rewards, Sheyan was extremely satisfied. His previous trials and tribulations weren't a waste at all. Currently, the nightmare imprint once again released notification:

"You can choose to sit on the golden throne, and immediately return to the entrance of the Gringotts secret room. Please note, once you activate this function, you'll be unable to return forever. The historic ruins of the ancient goblin empire would sink further into the ground, to be hidden forever."

Sheyan scanned his surroundings. After confirming there was nothing left to reap, he sat on the golden throne and planned to return. Yet he had a nervous and fishy sensation crawling at his heart, as though he had missed out something. Persistently thinking, he still couldn't pinpoint the exact problem. Hence, he ultimately activated the teleporting function. A flash of white brilliance, an empty golden throne.

At that instance when Sheyan's body was about to disappear, an object twitched violently.

It was actually a sackcloth bag,

That filthy, tattered, ordinarily looking sackcloth bag!!!

The bag was initially straddled across the demon king's shoulder, but it hadn't dematerialized. The sackcloth bag automatically opened up, suching something into the bag - Inifinite's severed finger. The same finger that Sheyan handled over Panke.Jinding to earn his trust, and after confirming it, he placed it aside.

At the exact moment the sackcloth bag opened, Sheyan arrived back at the underground basement in Knockturn alley. He was trembling all over, that familiar and unexplainable feeling terrorizing his mind! Cursing out loud that he actually missed out such a thing! It was that exact peculiar sensation that caused him to choose Gringotts wizarding bank as his starting mission. He finally painstakingly reached Gringotts deepest abyss, in his heart he was determined to solve this mysterious feeling tugging at him. Yet he never expected he would forgot his initial objective and casually teleported back!

Back in the deep abyss, a violent earthquake was shaking the entire ancient goblin empire. It swiftly extended towards the golden throne area. At present, as those exquisite ornaments and precious treasures were wrecked by the earthquake were sinking into the crevices, one could clearly see: Circling the golden throne was a layer of invisible protective screen, or one could call it a seal. This screen was draining power from the mysterious yet formidable massive ancient hebrew characters. Explaining the characters, it would say:

Humankind is unable to contain this wretched soul.

Amidst the violent shakes and crumbling into the deeper abyss, an enormous black-hole spell circle appeared beneath. It possessed irresistible destructive strength, threatening to swallow everything in. Cracks started forming on the golden throne, even the latter of ancient hebrew seal was breaking apart!

At the instance the seal shattered, that sackcloth bag hiding underneath the golden throne suddenly opened up. Aiming towards the cracks in the seal, an unnoticeable ray of light burst out through the seal, and vanished into the air!

That ray of light was the severed finger sucked into the bag previously!

One could clearly sensed that the severed finger had changed. On its surface emitted an indescribable faint brilliance, like a dead object suddenly possessing its own soul. Like a stone dragon, a woman escaping from its painting, a spirit monkey exploding out of the rock*. In that instance they finger escaped, that tattered and worn out sackcloth lost its lustre, disintegrating into speckles of grey and finally dissipated.

(TN: *the author uses chinese stories to explain the sacredness of the severed finger) ************* Frustrated and sullen, Sheyan walked out of the basement. That black old man was still sitting at the same place. Upon seeing Sheyan, he snorted and brushed his hands, fiercely lashing out.

"I've already said I followed the Ministry of Magic's regulations. Why didn't you believe me? Dogs of the Ministry of Magic, you wasted your efforts inside that dusty fireplace eh? Let me tell you, if you didn't have the ministry of magic as your backing, then Kabadaba will definitely gorge out your brains and boil it. Then, Kabadaba will store your brains into Kabadaba's bottles!"

Sheyan ignored him and directly exit. When the azure blue sky greeted his sight, he was momentarily lost and even felt a sudden sorrow. Staying too long in that dark and depressing abyss would really cause substantial traumatic damage to one's mental state.

At present, Sheyan still had 2 hours left in his 7 days duration. During this 2 hours, side missions were impossible to initiate because of his measly charm, and big missions he did not possess the time for. Like the final 2 missions to complete the "Warmhearted Man" milestone. No matter if it was stealing the crafting blueprints for the broomstick 'Firebolt' or acquiring the blood of a unicorn, they required a long time and planning. Merely 2 hours, was not even adequate for the preparations phase!

Bored stiff, Sheyan suddenly recalled that beardy 'Jack the Ripper'. Sheyan was sure he didn't participate in the huge war between the Symbiosis sect and the Banks Syndicate. Wherever he went, that guy was adept at striking water to the left and right*, coincidentally avoiding this complicated mess. Looks like he had returned safely.

(TN:* chinese idiom meaning: everything going one's way) Because of the shortage of time, Sheyan could only test his luck at Diagon alley. Perhaps he could encounter any storyline character that was compatible with him Of course Sheyan was relatively clear, right now the most possible place of receiving a temporary short quest was at Gringotts. Because only the beloved goblins disregarded charm and treated everyone fairly, that is if the other party had the adequate funds. That was indeed a missions haven for contestants who possessed terribly low charm.