'But how long though?' Nael pondered.
Unfortunately, the Tome didn't provide any additional information about timeframes, making it more frustrating. It could be hours, a day, a week, or even months before he saw any returns.
And if they were locked away for that long, they would be useless to him now when he needed every advantage to survive and reach the desired level 10.
[ Essence: 30/500 ]
As shown in the Tome, the required essence would keep increasing after each advancement. Level 2 required 100 Essence, Level 3 250 Essence, Level 4 500 Essence, Level 5 1000 Essence, and so on.
Plus the refinement time.
'Haha.'
A grimace touched his lips at the daunting progression. The wait for his investments felt like torture, but he couldn't afford to dwell on it. Survival was a matter of the present.
But he still didn't forget to check his remaining investments.
'Hmm. Let's see..'
Nael's gaze dropped to the next entry, his expectations tempered by the sheer improbability of the first.
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[ INVESTMENT #002 ]
[ Beneficiary: Kael & Lia (Sibling Duo) ]
[ Status: ACTIVE ]
[ Initial Capital: 50 Silver Crowns, 1 Basket of Sun-Apples, Actionable Advice ]
[ Investment Grade: C | Risk Assessment: High ]
[ Return on Investment (ROI): CALCULATING... ]
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He gave a slow nod. This was more along the lines of what he'd expected.
A C-grade, high-risk investment.
The returns, if they came at all, would be modest. The siblings were scrappy survivors, and their potential for world-shaking growth was minimal. Right now, at least, since they couldn't awaken yet.
The investment was a gamble on their continued existence, nothing more.
He turned the page, his curiosity piqued by what the third slot might hold. Though he already had a hunch.
━━━ ◇ ◆ ◇ ━━━
[ INVESTMENT #003 ]
[ Beneficiary: Kira's Vanguard (Party) ]
[ Status: ACTIVE ]
[ Initial Capital: Safe Passage Intel, 1x Dungeon Patriarch Loots (Incomplete), Life-Saving Favor... ]
[ Investment Grade: B | Risk Assessment: Moderate ]
[ Return on Investment (ROI): CALCULATING... ]
━━━ ◇ ◆ ◇ ━━━
'So, it really counted as an investment.' A faint, wry smile touched Nael's lips.
It seems like his class really had a broad definition of an 'investment'. Saving lives and providing valuable items were apparently qualified just as much as monetary contributions, or were even regarded as higher.
And Nael was really happy about it. 'This is actually good. I am now certain that I can invest even without money.'
And a B-Grade was respectable. It meant the Great Weave recognized the party's solid foundation and their increased odds of future success thanks to his intervention. Ah, right, it was an investment.
'Though I doubt if that's the right interpretation...' He chuckled. 'And...'
And the other question that had been nagging at him was what form these returns would take. With Mira, it had been clear... Probably.
Her awakening itself was the return, along with whatever mysterious benefits were still calculating...Right?
But for the others? Would it be simple monetary compensation? Equipment? Information? Or something more abstract like favors owed or connections made?
The siblings might repay him with loyalty or future services when they came of age. Only if they can survive to live that long.
'...Hmm.'
Kira's party could provide protection, training, or access to better hunting grounds and contracts. Even something as simple as a recommendation to a guild or academy could prove invaluable.
'Though I doubt any of them will be legendary-grade returns like Mira's...'
Still, useful returns were better than no returns at all. The real problem was the timing. He was now certain the benefits wouldn't manifest immediately, and comparing theoretical future gains felt premature when he hadn't received a single return yet.
The uncertainty was maddening, that 'Calculating...' line, but there was nothing he could do about it now except focus on the present and hope his investments would give benefits when he needed them most.
'Hah...'
Nael took another deep breath, his fingers brushing the edge of the parchment once more, half-expecting it to be the end of the Tome. To his surprise, the page turned again, revealing a new section that made his eyes widen.
At the top of the fresh page, in bold, golden script, was a title that sent a thrill down his spine.
━━━ ◇ ◆ ◇ ━━━
[ Achievements ]
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Beneath it, two entries glowed with soft light.
'A-Achievements?'
Nael's breath hitched.
He'd heard rumors that some delvers received boons for accomplishing great feats, but he'd never seen one by himself.
His eyes scanned down the page, and they widened in sheer disbelief.
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[ Architect of a Legend ]
[ Grade: Legendary ]
[ Condition: Be the sole, fundamental catalyst for a target's awakening into a Legendary-grade Class. ]
[ Your Fulfillment: Provided the essential resources enabling Mireille Solen's awakening as a [Sun Princess]. ]
[ Rewards:
· Title - Prime Investor: All future investments require 20% less Focus to initiate. The first investment you make in a new beneficiary is guaranteed to have a minimum 50% higher ROI than the base calculation.
· Attribute Enhancement: +5 to all attributes, +10 to Wisdom
· Class Skill Unlocked: [Investment Appraisal (B)] - Allows detailed analysis of potential investment targets, also revealing their hidden potential and investment risk. ]
━━━ ◇ ◆ ◇ ━━━
"T-This..."
Nael stared at the achievement, his heart pounding.
'This is amazing!'
The title alone would make him fundamentally more efficient as an Investor, reducing costs and guaranteeing better returns on first investments. The stat bonuses were significant, especially the Wisdom increase. And a class-specific skill that could help him identify promising targets?
'Haha.'
His hands trembled slightly as he read through it again. He had been the catalyst for Mira's awakening. Without his sacrifice, she never would have been able to afford the awakening ceremony in the first place.
'So this is what it means to be an Investor,' he thought, a strange mix of pride and melancholy washing over him. 'I create opportunities for others to shine.'
His gaze moved to the second achievement entry, curious what else he might have accomplished without realizing it.
━━━ ◇ ◆ ◇ ━━━
[ Giant Slayer ]
[ Grade: Rare ]
[ Condition: Defeat of a monster more than 5 Levels above your own. ]
[ Your Fulfillment: Contributed significantly to the defeat of a Lv 7 Cave Weaver Patriarch while at Level 1. ]
[ Rewards:
· Attribute Enhancement: +2 Strength, +2 Vitality
· Skill Essence: [Weaver's Precision] ]
━━━ ◇ ◆ ◇ ━━━
Nael blinked, the memory of that terrifying encounter with Kira's party rushing back.
They'd all been on the verge of death at the hands of the massive spider, whose chitinous legs and venomous fangs were the greatest dangers. But he'd come through with critical aid, ultimately turning the battle around and bringing it to a defeat.
'Yeah... I actually contributed to killing something six levels higher than me,' he mused, a mix of pride and disbelief coloring his thoughts. He must have forgotten about it in the heat of the situation. 'Let's see the rewards~'
The stat bonuses were solid: +2 Strength and +2 Vitality would help with his physical survivability.
But the Skill Essence intrigued him more. Because wasn't he daydreaming about getting them just now?
Besides, he already knew about this skill. It was the famous passive skill of the Cave Weaver's Patriarchs.
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[Weaver's Precision] (Passive): Your attacks have a slight chance to find weak points, ignoring a small amount of the target's physical defense.
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And it was perfect for someone like him.
The skill wasn't flashy, sure, but it made his limited combat capabilities more reliable. Every strike with his weapon would have a chance to bypass armor and tough hide, making his analytical approach to combat even more effective.
'Two achievements already, and I'm only level 3,' Nael thought, feeling a strange sense of accomplishment despite everything that had happened. 'Maybe being an Investor isn't completely hopeless after all.'
The knowledge that his class could unlock such meaningful rewards gave him a spark of hope. If achievements like these were possible, what other opportunities might present themselves?
Would the actual returns be this good as well?
He couldn't wait to receive them.
'But, let's claim these rewards first!'