Chapter 19. A peek into Kirin thoughts

Kirin's POV:

It was just another day. The routine felt almost mechanical at this point: upgrading my Grade 1 troops to Grade 2, then Grade 2 to Grade 3, and finally, the nerve-wracking leap from Grade 3 to Grade 4.

I sighed, staring at the upgrade interface. My talent, Battle General, was a double-edged sword.

Talent: Battle General

Converts 10 Grade 1 troops to 1 Grade 2 at a 100% success rate.

Converts 10 Grade 2 troops to 1 Grade 3 at an 80% success rate.

Converts 10 Grade 3 troops to 1 Grade 4 at a 50% success rate, with a slim 0.1% chance to trigger a Grade 5 upgrade.

Limit: 5 Grade 4 upgrade chances per day. Better pray before you click.

Grade: A

Upgrading from Grade 3 to Grade 4 always felt like gambling at a rigged casino. Supposedly, it had a 50% success rate, but in practice, it felt more like 10%. Still, every Grade 4 troop I managed to create was a game-changer. They were powerhouses, the vanguard of my invasions, capable of turning the tide of any battle.

But today wasn't just another day. Today, as I completed my upgrades, something extraordinary happened. Standing before me was Hansel—a man with a sleek, futuristic firearm and an aura of absolute dominance.

Grade: 5

I blinked, staring at the system message confirming his rank. My hands trembled. A Grade 5 troop. The pinnacle of military power, the stuff of legends.

"This… this is amazing!" I muttered, my heart racing.

---

Feeling giddy, I decided to share the news with someone who had, for better or worse, been a significant benefactor in my rise—Ace. Though sometimes, I wondered if Ace was raising me like livestock, fattening me up for some grand, unseen purpose.

It wasn't just paranoia.

When mana potions were selling for 200 gold coins in the market, Ace had sold them in the Chamber for 50 gold coins. Sure, it helped me and my friends amass resources quickly, but it felt too… calculated.

And then there were the mana crystals.

While the going rate was 850-900 gold per crystal, Ace had sold them for 400 gold coins each in the Chamber and what's more ,10,000 of them at that! At the time, we thought it was a blessing—a chance to stockpile wealth and grow. But now, looking back, I couldn't shake the feeling that we'd been set up for something larger, something we couldn't yet comprehend.

Still, I owed him. So, with mixed feelings, I sent him a message about Hansel.

---

"I'll buy it!"

The reply came faster than I expected. My jaw clenched.

Hey! I didn't tell you this to put him on sale! I screamed internally.

I typed back a curt response: "Hell no!"

A moment later, another message arrived.

"Fine. I'll rent him. One week. Name your price."

I hesitated, my mind torn. On the one hand, Hansel was a game-changer for my expansion plans. On the other hand, Ace had been my benefactor. Maybe this was a chance to repay him, in a way.

Before I could decide, Ace called. I hesitated but picked up.

"100,000 mana crystals for one week," he said without preamble.

"100 what?!" I sputtered, utterly flabbergasted.

"Alright, fine. 300,000 mana crystals. Final offer. Just one week. Come on!"

The sheer absurdity of the number left me stunned. Who even had 300,000 mana crystals just lying around?

"O-okay," I stammered, though what I meant to say was more along the lines of wait, let me think about this.

But Ace didn't wait. The call cut off as soon as I agreed, and I slumped in defeat.

300,000 mana crystals… I thought to myself. That's more than my entire territory produces in years.

With a heavy heart, I sent Hansel to him. Maybe he really did need the Grade 5 troop for some grand battle. After all, Ace was always in the thick of things, maybe fighting wars far beyond the scale of anything I could imagine.

Still, as I lay back that night, staring at the pile of 300,000 mana crystals I'd received, I couldn't help but smile.

Tonight, I'll sleep on a mountain of wealth.

---

The next morning, I logged into the world chat, a habit of mine to see what was trending.

The chat was abuzz with excitement, everyone talking about a certain lord offering to borrow a Dragon Heart for 100,000 mana crystals per day.

Of course, it was Ace.

I groaned and closed the chat. "That's enough internet for today," I muttered, repeating the joke I always saw online.

But deep down, I couldn't help but wonder.

Just how vast is Ace's empire? How can he casually throw around that many mana crystals?

Even with all my expansions, my mana crystal mine only produced 400 crystals a day. It was a far cry from the staggering wealth Ace seemed to wield.

---

As I prepared for another day of upgrades and management, my thoughts lingered on Ace. He was a puzzle I couldn't solve, a force that seemed both benevolent and terrifying.

I vowed silently: Next time, I'll keep my Grade 5 troop. No matter what.

But a small, nagging voice in the back of my mind whispered that when the time came, Ace would find a way to make me say yes.

For now, though, I would focus on my territory, my troops, and my dreams of one day standing on equal footing with him.