Paths and Possibilities

When Jibril departed, a look of dejection etched across her face, Riku breathed a sigh of relief. It had been his first full-powered battle since gaining newfound strength. While he lacked combat experience, he couldn't help but feel satisfied with how the fight against Jibril had unfolded.

At the same time, a sense of luck washed over him. Thankfully, his calculated actions had paid off, sparing him from any unforeseen consequences. Had things gone awry, he might have paid dearly to make his escape.

But even now, Riku felt the exhaustion weighing on him. The repeated use of powerful moves had drained him significantly. He, who had only recently gained strength and lacked finesse, found himself weakened and weary.

"Thank goodness the seeds of chaotic energy can absorb energy like the Ex-Machina Race without causing any elemental reactions. Otherwise, restoring my power would be quite the challenge," Riku mused as he shook his head.

"Next, it's time to search for treasure chests," he decided, a gleam of determination in his eyes. Riku opened the map, scanning the marked locations of each treasure chest. With the Dwarf's telescope and Shambhala in his possession, he was in no hurry to return. This was the perfect opportunity to seek out more chests and grow stronger.

"But I have quite the journey ahead of me. I can't afford to be detected again, especially by that Flügel idiot. Escaping from her wasn't easy," Riku contemplated calmly.

Flügel possessed spatial control capabilities that could track their targets by detecting spatial fluctuations caused by the use of any space-related abilities. Riku had factored this in during his escape, using an explosion to shield the spatial fluctuations.

A day later, Riku took numerous detours and traveled hundreds of kilometers from the battlefield. He soared through the skies with the Hermes Boots, although he maintained a controlled pace to avoid detection.

During his journey, Riku encountered several demon species, but he refrained from hunting them or recycling their bodies. After his recent battle with Jibril, he wasn't willing to take any risks.

Upon reaching a high mountain, Riku came across a silver treasure chest, the cold wind whipping around him. Relief washed over him as he approached it.

Up to this point, Riku had opened three bronze treasure chests. However, he couldn't help but chuckle at the results, a mix of laughter and frustration.

The first bronze chest contained a pack of sanitary napkins, utterly useless in his current situation. The thought of giving them to Couronne as a practical joke crossed his mind, but he dismissed it, not wanting to be labeled a pervert.

The second bronze chest was equally confounding, yielding a large box of Nuclear Fire Noodles. While food was valuable in this world, Riku hungered for something more substantial to bolster his strength, like a genetic fortification fluid.

The third bronze chest, however, provided a glimmer of hope: Swordsmanship Proficiency. It was a step toward addressing his combat shortcomings, especially after Jibril had ridiculed his swordplay.

"I hope this doesn't disappoint me. If I keep getting rubbish, when will I reach the level needed to challenge and outmatch the God of War and the Flügel race?" Riku contemplated with a hint of frustration.

He placed his hand on the silver treasure chest, and it promptly opened, revealing a radiant light ball.

Ding.

"Congratulations to the host on opening the silver treasure chest and obtaining the item - the Divine Escape Talisman," the system chimed.

Riku's eyes lit up as he examined the newly acquired item. "The Divine Escape Talisman, now that's a useful tool. With this, escaping becomes a real possibility," he remarked, his initial concern about fleeing resurfacing.

"Wait, why am I thinking of escape first?" Riku frowned at his own train of thought. It seemed that his mentality hadn't shifted since the encounter with Jibril.

"I have greater ambitions to pursue. How can I consider using this for escape?" he scolded himself, realizing the need to refocus his goals.

"The Elven race's capital, a platinum treasure chest..." Riku contemplated his options. The Divine Escape Talisman could undoubtedly help him reach the platinum treasure chest, even if he couldn't guarantee securing it. The Elven capital was teeming with magicians from the most magically adept race.

Moreover, if events followed the original storyline, the Elven Forest Country would eventually fall victim to Jibril's destructive power.

"In less than a year, that's when it'll happen," Riku noted, considering the timing.

Turning his thoughts to the Vampire race, Riku wondered if he should venture to their territory and recycle their bodies and ships. Dwarf warships were especially appealing, but he soon realized it was a futile idea.

"Dwarf species aren't to be trifled with, and their advanced technology could detect my presence. The risk is too high for now," Riku concluded.

"So, that leaves..." His gaze settled on a particular race, and his eyes sparkled with intrigue.