Awakened Talent: 10,000 Exp Converter!

"W-What are you?"

"Y-You're not human!"

The two Thrygians stammered, their bodies frozen in fear. Although the effect of Dragon's Might had long since dissipated, its presence lingered heavily in their minds like an ominous shadow they couldn't escape. Your journey continues at empire

Standing behind them, Garga had an incredulous expression etched across her face. Since Vincent had specifically targeted the two Thrygian guards with Dragon's Might, she herself hadn't experienced its oppressive force. Instead, she was left to wonder why her guards were acting so disgracefully.

"What the hell is wrong with you two? Are you trying to embarrass me?!" she bellowed, her frustration bubbling over.

"L-Lady Garga…" one of the guards stammered.

"We—we don't dare, but…"

"But what?!" Garga snapped, cutting them off mid-sentence. However, her tirade abruptly paused as a peculiar odor wafted through the air. Wrinkling her nose in disgust, her sharp eyes darted around in search of the source.

"What is that smell?" she muttered before her gaze fell upon the guards. Following their trembling figures, she noticed the dark stains spreading across the fabric of their pants. Instantly, her naturally purple-skinned face flushed a deeper, angrier shade of violet.

"Y-You…" She pointed at them, her voice faltering between rage and sheer disbelief. "You—"

Her words trailed off, leaving her momentarily speechless. The sight of her supposed elite guards reduced to such a pitiful state rendered her unable to articulate the depth of her anger.

Meanwhile, Vincent ignored their pathetic display entirely. He turned toward Valyn, who stood nearby, still stunned by what she had just witnessed.

"Big Sis, aren't we leaving?" Vincent asked, his tone calm and unbothered.

"Y-Yeah…" Valyn replied absentmindedly. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, trying to comprehend what she had just seen. What kind of skill could instill such overwhelming fear that even a Tier 3 Origin Warrior like her had felt pressured—albeit indirectly—from a mere Tier 1 Origin Warrior?

The two mounted Fenro, the Silverwood Fox, and rode off without sparing Garga and her trembling guards a second glance. Garga could only watch helplessly as her hated enemy disappeared into the horizon. Finally, when they were completely out of sight, she erupted.

"Fucking bitch!!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the surroundings in frustration and humiliation.

After a not-so-short journey, Vincent and Valyn arrived at the North Entrance of No.3 Novice Sanctuary just as the sun began its descent, painting the sky with hues of orange and crimson. Throughout the ride, Valyn remained lost in her thoughts. Despite her curiosity, she knew better than to pry into secrets that Vincent clearly wasn't ready to share.

As they approached the sanctuary gates, Vincent dismounted Fenro, leaving Valyn on the creature's back.

"Thank you for today, Big Sis," he said with a grateful smile.

"Don't mention it. I had fun today—especially when I saw Garga's face. That frustrated look of hers was enough to make my day," Valyn replied, her tone laced with amusement.

"Haha," Vincent chuckled, recalling Garga's face turning an even deeper shade of purple in anger.

The two shared a lighthearted laugh before Valyn's expression softened.

"Alright, go on inside. I'll contact you later once I get a response from your Special Instructor," she said, her voice gentle.

"Contact? About that, I still don't know the communication method here in the Origin World," Vincent admitted, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

Valyn raised an eyebrow. "You don't know about the Prismstone?" she asked, pulling out a three-finger-sized transparent crystal from her storage.

"No…"

"Heh, this is common knowledge. Just what have you been doing in the Origin World?" she teased, shaking her head in disbelief. Despite her light reprimand, she didn't press the matter further. Instead, she handed him a Prismstone.

"Here, register your Origin Energy to it, and it'll bind to you."

Vincent accepted the crystal and channeled a small amount of Origin Energy into it. The process was seamless, and soon, he felt a faint connection form between himself and the Prismstone.

Valyn then demonstrated how to link contacts. She held out her own Prismstone, channeling her Origin Energy into it. A thin, wire-like mist made of energy extended from her Prismstone to his.

"Do you want to add this to your contacts?" a monotonous voice emanated from the Prismstone, startling Vincent slightly. He quickly recovered and entered the name 'Big Sis Valyn' into his contacts.

"Done?" Valyn asked, smiling at his slightly awestruck expression.

Vincent nodded.

"Now, use your Origin Energy and think about calling me," she instructed.

Following her guidance, Vincent focused his energy on the Prismstone. Within moments, a soft click resonated in his mind, and Valyn's voice rang telepathically in his ears.

"Moshi Moshi, can you hear me?" she asked playfully.

"Yes…" Vincent replied absentmindedly, marveling at the technology. Though he came from a modern Earth where smartphones were common, the telepathic nature of the Prismstone felt surreal and far more advanced.

"I've got to get one of these!" he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with excitement. He extended the Prismstone back to Valyn. "Thanks for letting me try it. Where can I buy one, and how much do they cost?"

Valyn chuckled at his enthusiasm but didn't take the Prismstone back. "I bought mine at the Verdant Wild Market for 50,000 Origin Crystals, but you can also find them in the Sanctuary's Market."

"50,000?!" Vincent's jaw dropped. Even with the loot he had obtained from Old Bone's minions, he only had around 15,000 Origin Crystals to his name.

Valyn giggled at his reaction. "Don't worry about it. Just keep this one. Consider it a gift from your Big Sis to commemorate our partnership."

"No, I can't accept something so expensive," Vincent protested.

Valyn feigned a pout. "Are you saying you don't see me as your Big Sis?" she teased, pretending to be offended.

Caught off guard, Vincent could only relent. "Fine, thank you, Big Sis. I'll make sure to pay you back someday."

Valyn's teasing smile softened. "You don't have to. But if you really want to, just buy me a gift when you can."

Her mention of a gift sparked an idea in Vincent's mind. He rummaged through his storage and retrieved a beautifully crafted ring.

"Then, please accept this as my gift to you," he said, holding out an emerald-colored ring designed like a twirling vine. The ring radiated a faint aura of vitality.

Valyn hesitated before accepting it. The moment she inspected the ring's details, her eyes widened in shock.

Item Name: Veridian Tortoise Circlet

Type: Ring Accessory

Grade: Rare

Effects: +2 Base Defense, +10% Natural Recovery Speed

"A rare item?!" Valyn gasped.

"I can't accept this—it's far more valuable than a Prismstone!"

Vincent shook his head firmly.

"Oh? So you're the one who doesn't see me as your younger brother?" he countered, mimicking her earlier words.

Valyn was momentarily speechless before bursting into laughter. "Alright, you win. I'll cherish it. Thank you," she said, slipping the ring onto her finger.

After bidding Valyn farewell, Vincent returned to his rented room in the Newcomer's Lounge. Sitting cross-legged on his bed, he laid out several Origin Crystals around him.

"It's time to increase my strength," he muttered to himself, determination glinting in his eyes.

Over the past few days, he had focused on farming and upgrading his skills, neglecting his cultivation in the process. While others might not consider this a long time, to Vincent, it felt like an eternity.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

He began circulating his Origin Energy according to the principles outlined in his cultivation manual, Flow of Origin Energy. His first task was to convert the remaining 500,000 experience points he had earned from slaying the Infernal Horn Hare into purified energy.

1,000 experience points and 100 Origin Energy consumed!

+1 Purified Energy!

The system's notifications rang continuously in his ears as he diligently converted his experience points. When he was finished, his total purified energy had increased to 1,650.

Without hesitation, Vincent began upgrading his Force Attribute. His current base Force, unaffected by external buffs, was 7.6. He allocated 400 purified energy to raise it to 8.0.

Do you want to use 400 Purified Energy on the Force Attribute?

The moment he confirmed, a surge of power coursed through his body, strengthening every fiber of his being. Yet, it wasn't enough. He continued, spending an additional 1,200 purified energy to raise his Force Attribute to 9.2.

As he opened his eyes and clenched his fists, Vincent felt the unmistakable improvement in his strength. Yet, a frown crept onto his face.

"This is still not enough," he murmured.

Reaching into his storage ring, he retrieved several experience potions he had earned from Dean Thorne and the Tower of Combat. Without a moment's hesitation, he began consuming them.