Chapter 530: Reinforcement Impoverishes Three Generations

"Found it!"

Just as GSD had his own Ghost Knight dojo and Feng Zhen possessed his own martial arts hall, Kiri's domain was not as conspicuously placed as it once had been; instead, she occupied her own secluded dwelling and workshop.

Like these Gunner adventurers, Kiri hailed from the Empyrean, and within the extraordinarily advanced technology of that realm, there existed one creation that had brought about a earth-shattering transformation for almost all adventurers across Arad—the Reinforcement Machine from the Empyrean.

Perhaps it utilized utterly high-end technology to temper implements anew, rendering their edges sharper still, or perhaps it blended technology with magic to reprocess them multi-dimensionally and systematically through a powerful, mysterious Empyrean paradigm; whichever the case, the results it yielded were nothing short of astonishing—even a blade worn and dilapidated beyond measure, once processed by this reinforcement machine, could be transformed into a treasured weapon that could take a life without shedding a drop of blood.

In a corner of the shop.

"Look, this is it!" Within the screen, a tall Priest clad entirely in black was seen entering this workshop alongside a female Priest dressed in black sacerdotal vestments, bearing a massive scythe upon her back that resembled the grim reaper's own.

The most prominent fixture within the workshop was that colossal, strangely shaped machine; as it labored, a pale green magical luminescence flowed through its form, and one could even discern mana, moving like a fluid substance, being channeled along the transparent conduits lining the edges.

"This is the place!" Many things here, even to certain entities who had endured through uncounted ages, could not necessarily be entirely explained.

"Hello there, I'm Kiri!" The person in charge of this machine was a cheerful woman of about twenty-five or twenty-six, clad in a blue, white-bordered robe that fell past her knees, her hair somewhat casually tied back behind her head.

This Avenger uncle, enshrouded within a large black cloak, appeared thoroughly impatient: Who cares what you are called?

Of course, he did not know at this moment that in the times to come, his impression of this name might not merely be deep, but etched into his very bones.

"We intend to reinforce these weapons; how should it be done?" the Avenger uncle inquired.

"Well, that's very simple." The woman before them enthusiastically began to teach them how to operate the reinforcement machine.

This reinforcement machine was simple indeed; one had only to place the item requiring reinforcement into the reaction furnace, and all other matters would be completed by the machine itself.

"To think it could be so convenient?!" In the corner of the shop, a figure concealed within a black cloak betrayed a hint of utter astonishment.

"This game truly is full of surprises at every turn!" From behind his back, he drew forth an elegantly shaped great scythe and placed it inside. "The Level 25 scythe just purchased from that merchant cost us quite a number of gold coins; it has not even tasted blood yet, and I know not to what heights it can be enhanced."

At this time, purple equipment was nearly impossible to come by; if you found it, you had it, and if not, no amount of money could buy it, leaving them with no choice but to use blue weapons.

Recalling the manner in which that Blade Master had effortlessly eliminated monsters in a matter of seconds (on Normal and Adventure difficulties), he could not help but rub his hands together in anticipation: "With such an aid, reaching level thirty today will absolutely be a certainty!"

"That little slip of a girl only reinforced her weapon eight times, yet achieved such an effect," the Mistress beside him remarked. "We shall reinforce it eighteen times."

"Reasonable!" Filled with enthusiasm, he immediately initiated the first reinforcement.

Before long, the reinforcement machine spat the scythe back out, and the two of them witnessed a faint, shimmering light rise from the blade.

"It appears its might has increased!" The Avenger uncle chuckled softly. "Let us do it a few more times!"

With that, he readily paid the gold coins, placed the Ryan Cokes inside (the system version of low-grade equipment required Ryan Cokes just like the original version, while high-grade equipment required Clear Cube Fragments), then deposited the weapon and pressed the start mechanism.

Only the rumbling roar of the machine in operation could be heard.

The second reinforcement, successful.

The third, successful.

The fourth...

The fifth...

The sixth...

Beholding the scythe that had previously been dim and lusterless, now radiating waves of singular magical splendor, he could not help but marvel in admiration.

"Indeed," he exclaimed. "The power of this weapon has truly risen; it is not merely a matter of becoming sharper. I can feel that by wielding this blade, the magical power I possess within myself is likewise granted a far greater amplification."

"Excellent!" The Mistress, gripping the scythe in her hands, murmured softly, "Then in a moment, I shall try as well."

"Again!"

"Fortunately, I brought enough gold coins, otherwise it really might not have sufficed." Having paid an even higher fee of gold coins, he began the seventh reinforcement.

The seventh, successful.

"Again!" He watched as the scythe in his hands emitted a strange and radiant magical light.

The eighth, successful.

Looking at the data of this scythe upon the game interface, with every reinforcement, its power increased by a greater margin than the time before.

The Avenger uncle laughed in spite of himself: "This truly is a wondrous thing, though I know not if such enhancement has any effect upon magical talismans."

"It is said to be something from that city above the sky," the other remarked. "Though this young girl does not look like an immortal, this thing called a machine is certainly not simple."

"Again!" Having said this, he fumbled in his pocket. "Hmm...? I had accumulated quite a lot of gold coins earlier; how have they all been spent in just a moment?"

Somewhat bewildered, he spoke: "Lend me a little first, let us at least finish reinforcing this final level."

"Nine is the limit of numbers, and there is the saying of the supreme eminence of nine and five," the female Priest beside him spoke. "It fits our status well enough; let us allow you to reinforce it first."

The uncle, clad all in dark tones, emptied his pockets completely, and then took the opportunity to borrow a portion of gold coins from the Mistress who had come along with him. After making the payment, he once more placed the scythe, which was flashing with dazzling magical light, into the reinforcer.

Along with the operating sounds of the machine, the figure waited with a heart full of anticipation.

"This machine is truly miraculous," he lamented as he waited. "To think one can place any implement inside, and it will encounter no issues whatsoever."

Eight times in succession, a smooth journey all the way, with clearly no problems encountered.

Hardly had the words left his mouth when the sound of something shattering echoed from within the reinforcement reaction furnace.

Crack!

Subsequently, what was rejected from the reinforcement machine consisted only of a few Clear Cube Fragments and some black, residual dross.

"!!??" The two of them stared blankly at the machine, no expression discernible beneath their pitch-black cloaks.

Only after a long while did a voice drift forth: "Destroyed... It was destroyed?!"

(In the old version, reinforcing blue and white equipment could result in shattering at just +8)

I emptied out my entire savings just to reinforce it to 9, and you show me this?!

"What... What is the meaning of this?!" he bellowed, pointing a finger at the reinforcement machine.

The woman named Kiri strolled over, cast a glance, and said, "Oh dear, it seems something went a bit wrong with the reinforcer, your equipment has been pulverized..."

She let out a hollow laugh: "After all, it was brought over from the Empyrean and suffered a bit of damage; it's only natural for a small hitch to occur occasionally, hahahaha..."

"..."

In the next instant, a series of thunderous, crashing noises erupted from within the room: "Devil's Hand!"

"Death Slicing!"

"Keep bragging! No one can dodge my bullets~"

Immediately following, only two wretched shrieks were heard...

Soon, before the entrance of Kiri's shop, two players appeared covered in dirt and soot: "Buying gold coins, Ryan Cokes, and purple scythes!"

Reinforcement 5

Reinforcement 6

Reinforcement 7

Reinforcement failed.

The game interface prompted: Your weapon's reinforcement effect has been nullified

"!!??" The two exchanged a glance, frozen in place.

Outside Kiri's shop: "Buying gold coins, Ryan Cokes!"

...

Enhancement +6

Enhancement +7

Enhancement +8

Enhancement failed.

"..."

Outside the doors of Kiri's shop, two figures crouched lifelessly on the ground, their voices hollow as they cried out, "Buying gold coins, Ryan Cokes! Trading Black Diamond membership for gold coins, trading for Ryan Cokes!"

Buying...

Glancing at the time, panic set in: "Oh no! It's already noon!"

They had arrived at the shop in the early hours of the morning, and now noon had already come, which meant...

There were only about two hours left before their computer time ran out.

"I haven't even finished spending my fatigue points yet!!!"

.