Chapter 40 Backroom Key
The key floating in front of Raven was small, about an index finger long. It was made out of some kind of black material, almost like obsidian, while its bow had a circular shape with a letter B shaped in its middle. As for its shoulder, shanks, and tip, they were formed in a way that represented a wave with small and sharp bits on it, giving it a rather unique appearance.
"This... is a key? Why did it appear here?" Raven asked with a raised brow, showing no signs at all to grab the key.
"You don't have to feel scared, that key is harmless," Dinas then spoke calmly, "In fact, that key is your reward for being the very first human reaching the backrooms, hence this key is rightfully yours. Of course, until you have the strength to keep it with yourself."
"Eh? What does that even m-"
"Anyways! I advise you to take that key now or don't blame me for taking it back and giving it to the very next individual that will walk into this sacred place! I am pretty sure whoever comes in next won't hesitate even a second to take it!" Dinas suddenly declared, quickly forcing Raven to swallow his previous question and with clenched teeth grab the key.
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[Item: Backroom Key]
? Rarity: Ultra Rare (Unique Item!)
? Description: A special key capable of opening the path into the Backroom of the Realm Shop through any doors if [Special Requirements] were met!
? Price: 1,000,000,000,000,000 Astral Cores (100% Discount!)
<This Item requires also 1,000 units of Mystique (10 points of Mystique) every time it is used!>
<This Item can only allow the person holding it to travel into the Backrooms of the Realm Shop!>
~~~
[Special Requirements]
-> Complete 5 Realm Games or clear 5 Realm Domains!
-> Sacrifice 500 Astral Cores!
-> Sacrifice 1 Realm Domain Core!
<Successful completion of Special Events or after every Worlds' Clash Rounds the Item can be automatically used!>
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Raven's eyes widened in disbelief when he reached the end of the description of the key, immediately causing numerous questions to pop up in his head.
"No, don't even waste your breath asking questions as I can't answer any of them. No, it is better to say that I had been prohibited to tell more than necessary." Dinas quickly stopped Raven from speaking.
"Prohibited? By who?" Raven frowned but soon, even without Dinas' help he could easily figure out the individual he had been talking about.
Etia.
The goddess who caused all this mess and who was the reason humanity was literally on the verge of chaos. The only reason Earth had not fallen into a post-apocalyptic state was that the United World League held enough power at every point on the planet to keep everything under control.
However, Raven knew for sure that if this would have happened before, or even worse, during the Third World War, things would have escalated to such heights that it was not impossible to assume that humans would have pushed themselves to the verge of extinction!
As Raven thought about this, unbeknownst to him his fingers tightened into fists despite he, at the moment, felt no anger or any negative emotions.
"Well then, now that you have gotten your welcoming gift, why don't you look around and check out my sweet little babies? I am sure you will find something your will like!" Dinas after a few seconds began to speak, his voice literally filled with the thirst for more wealth.
'How many Astral Cores do I have?' Raven pondered as he summoned his Avatar Status and checked on his current amount of Astral Cores.
"118..." Raven mumbled before he asked Dinas to help him make all the items above 119 Astral Cores vanish.
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2 hours later, inside Raven's room within Old Dan's mansion.
Whoosh!
Appearing out of thin air with a silver flash, Raven staggered a few steps until he regained his balance while the door behind his back vanished from sight without leaving behind not even the slightest sign that it was there a few moments ago!
"Raven!" while Raven was straightening his back, suddenly Luna's anxious voice filled the room, attracting his attention in an instant.
Luna was ready to jump at Raven when she saw how he appeared out of nowhere, but when she realized he was still injured she quickly stopped herself just in time.
"What happened here? Where did that door come from? Are you okay? Did you get injured?" numbing her brother with all kinds of questions, Luna walked around Raven like a cute puppy, searching if she could spot anything weird and out of ordinary.
"I am fine, don't worry." Raven showed a smile but soon watched as another figure approached from the side.
"Father."
Dan stared at Raven in silence for a few seconds, but in the next moment he raised a brow, "Your wounds have healed?"
"What?! That is impossible!" Luna refuted Dan's question, however, when she saw how Raven stood straight without any painful expression or hand on his side, she became also puzzled.
"Huh? Wait... It's really true. I don't feel pain at all and I can move around just as always!" Raven mumbled with disbelief before thinking, 'Also, now that I think about it, right after I have entered the backroom I didn't feel any pain at all! Was I healed then? But how?'
Even more questions than until now appeared in Raven's head, his expression gradually shifting into a troubled complexion.
Old Dan seemed to understand what Raven was thinking about hence he sighed and after pulling out the chair from the side and sitting down on it, he looked at his son and asked, "So? Care to explain to us what really happened here and on the other side of that door?"
Luna was also curious and nodded as a way to show it, but she decided to remain beside Raven almost as if she feared he would vanish if she took even a single step backward.
As for Raven, seeing both his father and his little sister, he could do nothing but sigh, and after he plopped down onto his bed with Luna beside him he began to narrate everything from start to finish.
Time passed just like that, and half an hour later, when he told everything, Raven sighed and said, "And that is everything."
Dan pondered in silence for a long time, his gaze fixed on the key that Raven made into a necklace before he sighed and asked, "About this item, you have mentioned earlier. The one that can be used even outside Realm Games and Realm Domains. Can you show me?"
Raven nodded his head and gently waved his hand.
Whoosh!
The item that appeared out of thin air in Raven's hand was a pair of fingerless gloves, one having a white while the other one having a golden color. Both felt smooth to the touch, however, with enough force pressed on them their surface could become as hard as steel!
"This is called the Collector's Gloves. When I wear them, they grant me the ability to either double the items I collect or I can enhance their effects to a small degree. Though, it does not work every time as it has and Activation Requirement which is depending on one's luck."
"Huh?" both Old Dan and Luna were puzzled for several moments before the latter frowned and asked;
"Okay, let me get this straight. You have gone to this... backrooms after successfully breaking all of your Traits through 10 points, correct?"
"Yes."
"And inside that place, hundreds of thousands of items were lying on shelves and tables, the majority of them having the ability to grant you powers that so far could have been only used inside of Realm Games and Realm Domains, right?"
"That is correct."
"Yet, you still have decided to choose those gloves, that are not only useless outside those death games, but even work solely on items acquired within there. Why?"
"And that is incorrect." Raven shook his head and showed a smug smile, "Just who said these gloves cannot be used outside Realm Games and Realm Domains?"
"But you have just said, items you collect while wearing them." Old Dan was confused, showing a deep frown.
"Oh... It seems I have explained it wrong," Raven laughed awkwardly and after he stood up he walked in front of his desk and grabbed a pen with his black glove on.
"When I said to collect, I meant to touch, meaning, whenever I touch an item, whether it is small or large, I can either enhance their effects, alas I can make them more effective, or..."
And once Raven reached that point in his talk, under the confused gazes of Dan and Luna, the pen within his hand started to glow with a black light before it gradually split, quickly becoming two with the exact same appearance!