Chapter 187: I Make This Wish With Ten Years Of My Master’s Life
[Congratulations, Master, for a successful fusion]
[Platinum-tier item: The Nibelung Ring (minor flaw)]
[Effect: can resist platinum-tier attacks. The ring can trigger the Symphony of Fate skill.]
[Additional effects: Song of Courage, Song of Wisdom, Song of Glory, Song of Determination, Song of Freedom]
[Additional skills: Alchemy Fusion, Symphony of Fate (obtain the ability to make a wish, but you must pay double the price to get something. It can only be activated once a day).]
Watson’s gaze was drawn to the Ouroboros on the ring, which he held in his hand. In that world, the Ouroboros symbolized fate, reincarnation, and infinity.
“The Song of the Nibelungs, like the Ouroboros, has a distinct meaning in that universe.”
Watson stroked his chin. He had looked through the books on the shelves to learn magic when he had just transmigrated to that world. One of the books, the Legend of the Dragon Slayer, had left a deep impression on him.
A long, long time ago, the world was not what it was then. It was much larger than anyone had antic.i.p.ated. The G.o.ds still dwelt on the land, and the Rhine, a golden river, meandered through the entire planet. The Golden River was thought to be the incarnation of a particular source of magic. The gold in the river was the world’s most valuable treasure.
A weapon formed out of Rhine gold could pierce a dragon’s neck or even a G.o.d’s chest.
One day, an evil dwarf stole a chunk of gold from the river and made it into ten rings. He tried to dominate the world but was killed by a G.o.d who discovered him in time. Before he died, the dwarf threw the rings into the river, and he left a vicious curse on it. The person with the rings would gain unparalleled power. As a price, he would lose his beloved forever.
Later, a royal n.o.ble named Siegfried found the ring and helped the country resist their enemy’s invasion. He also killed the evil dragon that harmed the country, and he was known as the Dragon Slayer. Then, he fell in love with the young and beautiful princess named Brunhilda.
Watson remembered that story so clearly because his sixth sister, Margaret, who had just gotten out of a bad state of mind at home, had read the story to him. Margaret wanted to become a novelist because she had read that book; she wanted to create a dragon-slaying chapter that was even more exciting than that story.
“Master, you said that those rings came from the border count. Well, the border count lost his favorite sister ten years ago, and these are the Nibelung rings. Does he have anything to do with that legendary story?”
Watson thought for a moment, then shook his head and smiled self-deprecatingly. “How is that possible?”
He focused his attention on the ring in his hand instead.
After all, it was a five-in-one ring, so it had half the power of the complete set of the Song of the Nibelungs rings. He decided to try the Symphony of Fate ability.
“Ring, I want to make a wish. Give me another hundred wishes.”
[Sorry, that wish cannot be fulfilled.]
“Alright, it looks like cheating won’t work. In that case, Ring, I want to make a wish. I’m willing to exchange two silver coins for a piece of sweet cake.”
The medium to activate the Symphony of Fate ability was to twist the ring and say the line, ‘I want to make a wish.’ Then, he would need to announce the wish that he wanted to obtain in exchange for something of his. However, if that item did not belong to him, he would need to get permission from the owner first.
As the ring processed his wish, it emitted a bright light.
The ring emitted a bright light as it processed his wish. An illusory shadow appeared on the ring before it gradually turned into a palm-sized, three-layered cake wrapped in cream and cocoa. It had a fragrant and sweet smell; one’s appet.i.te would soar when one looked at it.
At the same time, a voice echoed in Watson’s mind.
[The host has obtained a piece of cake and lost two silver coins. The number of wishes today has been used up.]
“Looks like I made a wish successfully. This ring is quite powerful.” Watson grabbed the cake and stuffed it into his mouth; the rich, sweet cream filled his senses. It was no different from a real cake, from the texture to the feeling of being full. He touched his pocket; he was missing two silver coins.
“Turning silver coins into food; well, this is quite different from the magic I know.”
The essence of magic was bound to the laws of the world. For example, fire magic could melt a stone into the liquid, but it could not turn a stone into gold or anything else. However, the Nibelung ring was different. It could change the rules; Watson could even make a wish to turn his feces into food, which was also edible.
“When food is scarce during the winter, money won’t be as important. This ring is more useful than I thought.” Watson’s eyes twitched.
He had taken in a significant number of refugees and was still concerned about their food, clothing, and shelter. Even though he had a fusion system capable of producing materials, it would also consume raw resources. It was also more difficult to go out and get them. Things were different since he had the ring. If he desired something, he might make a wish and have it granted.
However, he would have to spend twice as much each time, and he could only make one wish per day. Those two constraints were a little too severe, but he had already devised a solution.
Watson smiled at the astrologer as he turned around. “Thank you, Master. I appreciate the gift you gave me.”
“Walter, that’s not what you said just now.”
As usual, when the astrologer noticed Watson had secured the item, he conveniently fused it and obtained the Nibelung Ring’s hidden ability. He did not think anything of it. Instead, he was perplexed by Watson’s words.
After a few days of acquaintance, he was more familiar with Watson. He knew that his disciple would only show such an expression when he wanted to con others.
“Master, I need a small favor from you; it’s for some experiments.”
“What favor?” The astrologer had a bad feeling. He heard Watson say in a coquettish tone, “Master, promise me, and I’ll tell you! Don’t worry; that favor will not affect you in any way.”
“No, tell me first.” The astrologer did not care that Nightingale and the others were beside him, and there was a large group of refugees.
Watson’s att.i.tude meant that he wanted his master to do something dangerous. He did not dare to risk his own life.
“Well, I want to test the effect of the newly fused Nibelung ring. Master, you know that that ring requires resources to make a wish. I don’t have many things on me. I would like you to make that wish on my behalf.”
“That’s it?” The astrologer sighed in relief. “That’s easy. I agree.”
He had thousands of pieces of silver and gold-tier equipment beside them, and those were worth more than 200,000 gold coins. No matter what Watson’s wish was, even if he wanted to build another Blackmoon Castle, those resources would be enough for that.
Since the astrologer had agreed, Watson stretched his right hand outward. Green branches floated out of his palm and absorbed the Starlight in the sky. They gradually broke and turned into 24 gold cards with different G.o.ds and other ill.u.s.trations carved on them.
His face was pale, and his skin was damp with sweat; that was because he had made 24 cards simultaneously. Then, he pointed at the ring and the cards in his hand at the same time. “System fusion, activate.”
Before that, he needed at least two materials to fuse a weapon, but after he had learned to make the astrologer tarot cards, he could use the World Tree branches to make those cards that were equivalent to gold-tier weapons. It meant that he could still fuse weapons without extra materials. That was why he looked down on the equipment that the astrologer brought for him.
He had created 24 gold-tier cards casually. Although it was a little tiring, he could do that once a day. In other words, he could make 24 gold-tier equipment every day, so mere silver-tier equipment was nothing to him.
Swoos.h.!.+
With a soft sound, 24 streams of light covered the Nibelung ring and turned it into a ring that flowed with colorful lights. It covered Watson’s finger and wiggled gently. It did not look like an ice-cold ring but more like a living creature.
[Congratulations, Master, for a successful fusion. You have obtained a peak platinum-tier item, the Wish for the World Ring. With the original ability retained, you can increase the number of wishes that you can make to two. Each wish will only cost half the price of the wish itself.]
After it fused with the 24 cards, the Nibelung ring was upgraded to peak platinum-tier, and it had also become an independent item. It no longer relied on the remaining five rings.
What was that?
Nightingale stood at the side; she was dumbfounded. She had been excited to see Watson, as she had not seen him for a long time. However, when she saw Watson’s consecution fusions, she stood frozen to her spot. Her body shuddered when she saw the power that Watson emitted as he created the astrology tarot cards. It was as if he was not human.
When she had left Blackmoon Castle, Watson was not her match, but it looked like he had surpa.s.sed her in a short amount of time. She heard that the astrologer had become Watson’s teacher. Did the astrologer teach him well, or was it because Watson was too talented?
While Nightingale pondered that, she heard Watson, who had successfully fused the ring, shouted excitedly as he raised his right hand. “Master, I’m going to make a wish. Are you okay with it?”
“What problem would I have? Hurry up and make a wish.” The astrologer used his feet to push the boxes on the ground toward Watson’s direction, indicating that he should start. Watson nodded at the astrologer as he began to chant resolutely.
“Ring, I want to make a wis.h.!.+ I’m willing to exchange ten years of my master’s life for the health and happiness of Blackmoon Town’s residents.”
Nightingale and the Shadow Guards were stunned.
The astrologer also reacted; he almost fell to the ground in anger. “Brat, what kind of wish is that? Just make a wish in exchange for the armor and weapons on the ground. How can you waste my life like that? Do you think your master will not die fast enough?”