Chapter 327: Upgrade
Lein sighed, setting aside his thoughts about the Bubble Realm for the time being. He turned back to the Guardian panel. This time, he chose to upgrade another branch: the Resource Branch. His finger tapped the plus icon next to the branch's name.
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[You are about to upgrade the branch (Resource Branch). Are you sure? Yes/No]
Without hesitation, he selected Yes.
Just like before, a notification appeared with a soft chime:
[Congratulations, upgrade successful! Resource Branch has been upgraded.]
Lein waited for a moment, letting the panel load the latest information. After a few seconds, he read the upgrade details:
- Spawn Rate +1K.
"Hmm, an interesting upgrade," Lein thought. He turned again and walked toward the Resource Orb to confirm the changes.
The Resource Orb emitted a bright blue glow, exuding a calming and peaceful aura. The latest description of the branch was now displayed clearly:
[Resource Branch]
- Level: 2
- Spawn Rate: 11K/hour
- Monster Level Cap: 30
- Chest Cap: Gold Chest
- Monster Race Cap: Low-Tier Race
Lein carefully read the information, noting the increased spawn rate, which had previously been at 10K/hour.
"A higher spawn rate," he murmured, touching his chin. "This will significantly impact the flow of resources."
Lein stood still for a moment, letting his mind process the new information. He understood that each upgrade to the branches of life was not just about numbers but also about the vast potential they could unlock in the future.
"The next step is to delve deeper into the function of each branch," Lein thought, his eyes gleaming with determination. "And perhaps… find that Bubble Realm."
Indeed, the spawn rate had increased to 11K/hour. Lein observed the number with a slight frown.
"It's so little," he muttered, a hint of complaint in his voice.
He had upgraded two branches using nature crystals, but the results felt far from satisfying. Despite the upgrades, the benefits seemed disproportionate to the effort required. Gathering 78 nature crystals alone had taken Lein nearly two full days. The process was slow, and the results felt insignificant.
"If this is the pace, upgrading all the branches will take forever," Lein thought as He gazed at the crystal orb before him. Yet, he knew that complaining wouldn't change anything.
Lein took a deep breath before deciding to continue his experiments. He reopened the Guardian panel, his gaze immediately locking onto the next option: the Protection Branch. Without hesitation, Lein pressed the "plus" icon.
As before, the confirmation panel appeared, offering a simple choice:
[Are you sure you want to upgrade the branch (Protection Branch)? Yes/No]
"Yes," he answered firmly.
He waited in silence. Moments later, the familiar notification popped up, announcing the upgrade results.
[Congratulations, upgrade successful! (Protection Branch) has been upgraded.]
- Defense Energy +10K.
Lein turned to inspect the crystal orb representing the Protection Branch. Its figure resembled a softly glowing shield, radiating an aura of protection. A description panel appeared, displaying the updated details. Defense energy now reached 110K, with an energy regeneration rate of 1K per second.
[Protection Branch]
- Level: 2
- Defense Energy: 110k
- Energy Regeneration: 1000/second
- Energy Reflection: 1k + 1%
"As expected, the increase is minimal," Lein muttered in a flat tone. Even so, he wasn't disappointed.
Slowly but surely, the upgrades would still prove useful. "No need to rush," he thought, calming himself.
Lein returned to the Guardian panel to complete the upgrades on the two remaining branches: the Energy Quality Branch and the Luck Branch. He pressed the "plus" button for each option without hesitation.
Notifications appeared almost simultaneously:
[Congratulations, upgrade successful! (Luck Branch) has been upgraded.]
- Upgrade: Luck Energy +10.
[Congratulations, upgrade successful! (Energy Quality Branch) has been upgraded.]
- Upgrade: Nature Energy +10.
Lein paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on the small numbers displayed on the screen. "Only ten? Seriously?" he complained, his tone tinged with disbelief. He had expected modest results, but numbers this small were beyond his expectations.
To confirm, Lein turned to examine the orbs of each branch.
[Luck Branch]
- Level: 2
- Luck Energy: 11,510
[Energy Quality Branch]
- Level: 2
- Nature Energy: 1,010
- Talent Limit: Tier D
The Luck Branch now had a total luck energy of 11,510, while the Energy Quality Branch displayed a nature energy value of 1,010.
Lein noticed an intriguing detail in the description of the Energy Quality Branch: the talent cap was limited to Tier D.
"What does this talent cap mean?" he asked himself. "What is this branch connected to? Could it be important to someone's strength?"
Questions swirled in his mind, but no answers emerged. As always, the mysteries of the Celestial Sky Realm seemed too vast to comprehend quickly.
"Take it easy, no need to rush," he thought, trying to ease his confusion. Finally, he decided to focus on something more tangible: resource power.
Lein shifted his attention back to the Guardian panel. Of all the branches he had upgraded, the Resource Branch felt the most beneficial for now. In his view, the Celestial Sky Realm desperately needed a steady resource supply to support the development of lower-tier rulers.
"Alright," Lein said with a determined tone. "Let's upgrade it again."
***
In an elegant hospital room, a young woman lay weakly on a bed, a white blanket covering her body. The air in the room was quiet, broken only by the soft footsteps of a male doctor approaching the bed. Carefully, he placed a stethoscope on her chest, checking the rhythm of her heartbeat.
"Your heartbeat is normal," the doctor said calmly as he removed the stethoscope. "You'll recover in a few days."
At the bedside, a young man stood with a face full of concern. His gaze never left the doctor. "How is she, Doc? Is my sister really going to be okay?" he asked in a soft yet hopeful voice.
Across the room, a middle-aged woman sat clutching the feet of the woman lying down. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she murmured, "Nima, how did this happen to you?" Her voice was hoarse, filled with sadness.
Seeing the family's overwhelming worry, the doctor finished his analysis. He turned and looked at them with a small, reassuring smile. "Ma'am, there's no need to worry. Your daughter is going to be fine," he said gently, his voice like a calming breeze in a storm of anxiety.
The young man's eyes brightened slightly, though he still sought assurance. "Doctor, who brought her here?" he asked again.
The doctor nodded slowly before answering, "Captain Haze himself brought her. So, you don't need to worry."
At the mention of that name, everyone in the room fell silent for a moment. The young man was startled. "Captain Haze? You mean… the platinum-tier captain?" he asked, his tone incredulous.
"That's correct," the doctor replied with a faint smile.
"Captain Haze even personally came to see me, asking me to take care of your sister and ensure her full recovery. I'm honored."
Their mother wiped her tears and nodded slowly. "Thank you, Doctor. Hearing this makes us feel much calmer."
The doctor bowed politely and then said, "Well, I'll take my leave. If anything happens, just call me." He left the room with measured steps, leaving the family to continue their conversation.
Inside the room, silence enveloped the four remaining individuals: the young man, his mother, a little girl sitting quietly in the corner, and Nima, who remained weak on the bed.