Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 583 Determination
"Sigh! This child has an almost obsessive curiosity and thirst for knowledge about arcane magic, which isn't necessarily a bad thing,"

"But after the arrival of the Mad Moon, the infinite future and possibilities were imprisoned, and the original talents and gifts became torture."

The old demigod sighed softly:
"After all, I am just a father."

"There's no need for that. He's more than capable of shouldering this responsibility in every way. With his help, I'm not alone on this path."

Zhang Yuan quickly replied politely, which earned him a wry smile from the other party.

"It was just a little selfishness on my part, and I was being sentimental."

Gone is the private matter; Aghalim led his guests to the treasury that stood in the central courtyard.

"Because of some mini-games I set up in it, this secret realm is called the Demon-Ending Cave by those mortals... um, the labyrinth."

Actually, you're talking about a den of demons, aren't you?

"The brave should be rewarded, otherwise it wouldn't deserve to be called a challenge, so it also has another name:"

"The Treasure Vault of the Demon Lord".

No further explanation is needed; the sheer size of this treasure trove speaks volumes about its extraordinary nature.

Unlike the sky-blue stone used to construct the courtyard, the outer wall of the mansion is a rich and pure cobalt blue, like a sapphire, with patterns and borders, and its color and material are as brilliant as gold.

Not to mention, the entire vault is shaped like a giant treasure chest, dazzling with gold and jade inlays. In the game, it would definitely be worthy of a high-drop-rate dungeon.

A light shone from Aghanim's hands, the runes appearing in his palms reflecting the aura emanating from the vault doors.

hum~
The circular door opens spirally like a fan, revealing a dazzling array of treasures hidden within.

The old demigod generously led the young man inside, the brilliance of various magical items, runes, gems, and strange artifacts almost blinding the latter's spiritual vision.

"They are all good treasures."

Once he adapted to the environment and his vision cleared again, the monk became interested and began to carefully examine and distinguish the treasures in the storeroom.

Leaving aside the various magical crystals and gems, the weapons and props on display are all of extraordinary origin.

The Fall of Daedalus, the Evil Scythe, Shiva's Guardian...

Spell Prism, Divine Mirror Shield, Annihilation...

Whether by guessing based on their appearance or by directly inquiring about their origins, these famous equipment relics from the previous game were identified one by one.

It can only be said that it is worthy of being a demigod's treasure. Only T3 level treasures are qualified to be listed here, and they are basically T4 and T5 level rare treasures.

Most of the equipment is general-purpose, and it's rare to see the pieces wearing personalized equipment, or so-called accessories.

Among the items, the Rubik's Cube Wand is the most eye-catching. The wings on the wand head extend inward, and more than ten rectangular emeralds float, rotate, gather, separate, and combine, sometimes forming the shape of a Rubik's Cube.

Could this very thing have been made by Rubick's biological father?

“I, Aghanim, am not a stingy person; every guest who comes here deserves a gift,”

"And you, my friend, are no exception."

"I'm really looking forward to it."

There's no reason to refuse a gift that's been delivered to your door, so Mr. Zhang gladly accepted it.

"In terms of power and effectiveness, nothing here is ordinary, but since its power is contained in objects, which have form and substance, it is probably impossible to send it to the world of Faerûn."

"But what about the equipment on the chess pieces?"

“You said it yourself, those are chess pieces,” Aghanim stroked his long beard and said meaningfully.
“It is important to pay attention to the distinction between positions. In terms of fundamental rules, concepts are more important than external forms.”

Hey?
The mage recalled his previous futile attempt to steal the cosmetic items worn by Dota heroes for free…

Hmm, no wonder I couldn't figure out those rune arrays no matter what I did, it turns out it was the world's fault.

It was not my fault.
"That's such a shame."

Despite saying this, the shrewd Master Zhang didn't believe the other party would utter such useless words for no reason. Perhaps sensing the questioning and urging in the gaze directed at him, the old demigod simply stopped playing coy.

"I'm sure you recognize these two wondrous artifacts. After I process them, they will be somewhat in line with the order of the Toril world,"

Aghanim took two crystals from the treasure chest, held them in his palm, and handed them to the mage, who almost immediately recognized what they were.

One of them is like a sapphire with a deep and rich color, with a dazzling light and a hazy shimmer. The crystal emits a mysterious light and has a strange rhythm that resonates, causing the sorcerer's spirit to tremble slightly.

Secondly, it seems as if the moonlight has frozen and the dew has turned into ice, and when viewed, it looks like a clear, silvery crystal. Holding it in your palm brings endless excitement and encouragement.

"Aghalim's Staff, Silver Moon Crystal".

He tried his best to control his emotions and slowly pronounced its name.

"So I'm able to 'consume' these two artifacts and bring them back to another universe?"

"That's right!"

The old demigod was somewhat excited, and as the mage took the crystal and examined it, he exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, almost as if in a hymn:
"Take it, accept this gift, and receive the bounty of this world."

"I can't refuse!" the monk sighed inwardly.

Indeed, compared to powerful and domineering divine artifacts such as the Holy Axe, the Sheep Blade, and the Annihilation, the Staff of God and the Silver Moon Crystal are not considered the most treasured possessions, but they are the most suitable for his current situation.

However, if this is the case, the power of the ruins world will truly be integrated into one's own body, and it will no longer be as simple as a cheat code as before.

"Being cautious and conservative in the face of temptation is a sign of wisdom."

Ahhalim was prepared for the mage's doubts:
"Since its descent, the Mad Moon has been devouring and capturing the mysteries of this world. After all, much bait has been laid, and it's time to reel it in."

"And we are the fish that have fallen into His net."

The monk listened silently without saying a word, assuming the other party wasn't trying to elicit sympathy.

"As for you, a few fish baits will be snatched away by passing birds, and that's it, it's no big deal."

"But once Mad Moon has plundered everything, everything you took from the world of ruins will be nothing but dust of the past."

"Including them?"

"Including them."

Zhang Yuan remained silent upon hearing this. What the other party said was not new information. In his previous casual conversations with Lily, Bausch, and the others, he had explored the possible future of the Ruins World... or even its inevitable direction.

However, when that problem, which was originally far away, is directly presented to us, it inevitably becomes heavy.

At the final moment, the sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of Kaguya's heroes seems unable to strike him, but can he truly remain uninvolved?

When that day comes, perhaps Zhang Yuan will have already achieved legendary status and forged his own path; at the very least, he should have achieved something significant.
The ability to establish oneself and protect oneself.

Even if you lose a piece to help you or your fighting strength is weakened, your foundation remains intact.

however…

"I am aware of this matter, and I will do my best."

A thousand thoughts raced through his mind in an instant, but Zhang Yuan firmly grasped the two crystals, his tone unwavering and resolute.

Perhaps my arrival in this other world was a chance encounter, or perhaps they saw it as an inevitable choice made by fate.

Zhang Yuan may not care about the so-called destiny expected by others, but he cannot deny or ignore the friendship between him and the "chess pieces" who have accompanied him through his growth, adventures, and battles.

Could this also be a calculated move? Emotional investments can sometimes be much harder to repay than military loans.

That's not important. One cannot deceive one's own heart. The mage who just crossed the power level has no intention of finding various reasons or excuses to absolve himself.

Then come on, the Mad Moon has been added to the target sequence!

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(I'm guilty for not updating frequently (_))