Chapter 123: The Astral Gate
2015-03-24
Author: Floating Tower
Frost Giant’s Power.
A Legendary Power Belt, made from the skin of the Frost Giant King, grants the wearer strength comparable to that of an adult Frost Giant. It is the best power belt in the Material Plane; to find something better, one would have to look in other planes. The complete Frost Giant’s Power should consist of two pieces: the ‘Frost Giant’s Power Belt’ and the ‘Frost Giant’s Power Gloves.’ However, during a legendary battle, the ‘Frost Giant’s Power Gloves’ were destroyed, leading a legendary mage to merge enchant it, enhancing the remaining ‘Frost Giant’s Power Belt’ from a First Tier Legendary Item to a Second Tier Legendary Item.
After that, only one piece of the Frost Giant’s Power remains!
In the past, the Frost Giant’s Power set enhanced strength by 4 points each, allowing the user to increase their strength by a total of 8 points, reaching a maximum strength value of 22 points. Essentially, equipping this legendary item would allow an ordinary adult man with 10 points of strength to instantly become an indomitable warrior with 18 points of strength. After merging enchantment, the Frost Giant’s Power Belt has become a Second Tier Legendary Equipment, increasing strength by 6 points, unfortunately, only one piece is left.
Gloria quietly watched Soren and softly said, “Put it on and see.”
Soren glanced at her, then loosened the belt he was wearing and put on the Frost Giant’s Power Belt while removing the Ogre Power Bracers from his arms. Such extraordinary equipment can only be worn one at a time; equipping the Frost Giant’s Power Belt would render the Ogre Power Bracers ineffective.
Relying on externally boosted strength comes with certain requirements.
It can be roughly divided into three parts: the first is equipment-boosted strength, the second is spell-boosted strength, and the third is one’s own explosive strength.
The first category includes equipment like the Ogre Power Gloves and the Frost Giant’s Power Belt; these effects do not stack and have certain limitations. The second category involves spell-boosted strength. For example, if Soren first cast ‘Berserk’ and then Vivian added ‘Dragon Strength,’ the effect of Berserk would be overridden by Dragon Strength, just like how the Frost Giant’s Power overrides Ogre Power.
As for the last category of strength enhancement…
It belongs to potential explosion-type strength enhancements, which typically only occur in professions like Berserkers and Barbarians.
Soren’s ‘Slayer Transformation’ also seems to belong to this potential explosion-type strength enhancement, allowing it to stack with equipment-boosted strength and spell amplification strength.
Crack!
Soren slowly buckled the belt; as he wore this Second Tier Legendary item, an overwhelming sense of power surged through his body. He experimentally picked up a nearby cup, but unexpectedly crushed it due to the overwhelming strength. It took him a while to regain control over the suddenly amplified strength with the coordination brought by his agility.
This is the most valuable extraordinary equipment!
Because its added strength effect is constant, as long as it is worn, the wearer will continuously have this power.
“Item Type: Frost Giant’s Power Belt
Item Level: [Second Tier Legendary Item]
Item Description: This is a legendary item with a quite long history. Its creation seems to stem from a defeated Frost Giant King, initially crafted by a great mage into the Frost Giant’s Power Gloves and Frost Giant’s Power Belt. However, one piece was destroyed during a legendary battle. Yet, someone still managed to reforge and enchant the destroyed item into this belt, further enhancing its power. Inside this belt is inscribed a passage — [The Last King of the Frost Giants.]
Equipment Requirements: None.
Equipment Effects: Increases strength by 6 points, up to a maximum of 22 points. (Strength of an adult Frost Giant)”
…………
Soren flipped the belt inside out.
Indeed, he saw that inscription — [The Last King of the Frost Giants.]
Gloria surveyed Soren with satisfaction, circling around him. It was less about assessing the effectiveness of the belt and more about determining how well it fit him. It must be said that women are truly strange beings; even a legendary piece of equipment seems worn regardless of fit. One wonders how much combat power it could amplify.
“Just right!” Gloria nodded in satisfaction, a hint of a smile gracing her lips.
Soren moved slightly and found it did indeed fit well, essentially not affecting his combat ability. However, just as he was about to say something, the entire Wizard Tower shook, followed by a slight tremor.
In an instant!
Both Soren and Gloria reacted swiftly.
Gloria’s figure nearly vanished in a heartbeat. She immediately appeared near the window, with spells radiating around her as if activating three or more protective energy fields. Soren’s reaction was not far behind; a legendary curved blade, Icebane, appeared in his palm, and then he leapt towards the left side of the room, holding the blade defensively beside Gloria.
It must be said!
From this moment on, their coordination was remarkably harmonious.
The Wizard Tower continued to tremble faintly; both Gloria and Soren’s expressions turned serious, as the entire Wizard Tower felt as if it were shaking violently, dust raining down from the ceiling. Both were quite aware of the defensive capabilities of the Wizard Tower, and the current situation hinted at something significant having occurred.
“It’s not an enemy attack!”
A crystal ball appeared in Gloria’s palm, and after a gentle sweep, she furrowed her brows and said, “It’s a tremor coming from underground!”
An earthquake?
Soren looked at Gloria with confusion; both wore strange expressions.
Could it really be an earthquake?
Just as they were puzzled, the shaking of the Wizard Tower intensified, followed by a strong spell light appearing at the top of the astrology platform.
“The Eye of the North is summoning us!”
Gloria touched a crystal button on her chest, and soon a white light emerged from her palm, and Soren and her figures reappeared above the stargazing platform.
“Is it really an earthquake?”
Soren gazed at the distant city, where he could see a section of the city wall already cracked.
This is undoubtedly a large-scale earthquake.
Moreover, the intensity of the earthquake is quite high; in the distant city, buildings have already collapsed, while scattered villages with wooden structures and thatched roofs suffered little casualty. Nevertheless, the tremors of the earth still instilled fear in many; Soren could see panicked crowds gathering like ants from a distance.
“Gloria! Activate the Maze!”
A hoarse, aged female voice echoed from the stargazing platform, followed by a hazy figure appearing — an elderly witch with white hair. Most striking were her eyes, which were almost entirely white. Soren had a certain impression of her because she is the most powerful witch in the Northern Region.
The legendary [Eye of the North]!
In response to the command of the Eye of the North, Gloria didn’t hesitate and activated a certain magic formation in the Wizard Tower, followed by a beam of light shooting straight into the sky!
One, two, three…
In the distance of Soren’s vision, beams of light began to appear, rising towards the sky and intertwining into a formation that seemed to be an incredibly mysterious giant magic circle.
——“Silver Moonlight [Maze]!”
A tremendous power erupted, almost beyond belief.
Although it was still daytime, a full moon appeared in the sky, and under its radiance, all the light beams formed a Maze, enveloping a vast area. This was the legendary Maze, the Witch Council’s strongest trump card, passed down from the ancient Silver Moon City, which had been destroyed during the Arcane Empire period. Soren remembered it had once taken down a weak divine avatar of a saint, yet it seemed to have not been activated for hundreds of years.
“Activate the Maze Defense!”
The expression of the Eye of the North was very serious; she gazed towards the sky with her pale pupils and hoarsely said, “Enemies are invading! All members of the Witch Council of Fourth Tier or above, come with me to the Astral Realm!”
——“Soul Projection! [Legendary Spell]”
——“Astral Gate! [Legendary Spell]”
A door enveloped in strange light appeared in the center of the maze, and all the Wizard Towers were encompassed within the protection of the Maze. Then, a soul’s shadow materialized; the soul projection of the Eye of the North appeared above the sky like a female giant, towering thousands of meters, resembling a legendary transformation. As this massive soul projection appeared, streams of spell light emerged, and other soul projections began to materialize around her.
This is the legendary witch that has existed for hundreds of years!
With just a motion, she cast numerous legendary spells; before Soren could recover from the dazzling changes, he saw Gloria also moving towards the center of the beam, seemingly intending to project her soul into the Astral Realm. After all, she was still a witch of the North, a high-ranking member of the Witch Council. With the Eye of the North similarly alarmed, something significant must have happened in the Astral Realm.
In this instant!
Soren hardly thought twice before reaching out and grabbing her arm. He wanted to convey to Gloria just how dangerous the Astral Realm could be, but when he saw the determination in her eyes, he could only sigh in resignation. Yet just as Gloria thought Soren would release her and let her go, she was taken aback when Soren unexpectedly grasped her palm, their fingers interlocking. In Gloria’s surprise and touched expression, Soren stepped into the light connecting to the Astral Realm.
Their bodies froze at this moment!
Then, two souls appeared outside their physical bodies, transforming into beams of light shooting straight into the sky before the Astral Gate.
Since she had made up her mind to go to the Astral Realm, Soren could only accompany her.
…………
(PS: Data needs to be organized. The Astral Realm may have differences as well. That’s all for today.) (To be continued ~^~)
