novelraw Chapter 290 290: 290. Cursed Dream, Dawn
Chapter 290 290: 290. Cursed Dream, Dawn
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Final Evaluation in Progress.
In the pitch-black void, a ring of pale blue particles spun rapidly, steady and rhythmic, like a loading icon from an old computer game that never seemed to reach the end.
Kael, reduced now to a hazy, human-shaped soul, felt streams of energy being pulled from within him as the blue ring rotated. The sensation was unmistakable.
These were the items he had purchased during his Machamp life.
Now that the Machamp body was gone, the two Legendary-grade pieces of gear he had carried for that entire run were being reclaimed by the system, converted into something abstractpoints quietly boosting his overall evaluation.
Gear Reclamation…
Stat Summary…
Combat Summary…
Event Summary…
Countless lines of small blue text scrolled past. The system's evaluation process was enormous, intricate, and quietly profound.
This was the settlement.
And the harvest.
A rising anticipation gathered in Kael's chest, slowly washing away the lingering attachment he still held for the Machamp world.
It wasn't his first cycle. No matter how deeply that life had carved itself into him, he understood the truth.
To those worlds, he was only a passerby.
He might leave marks on their history, but time would erode them. Eventually, they would be forgotten.
Clinging too tightly was something he had to resist.
Only the elevation of the soul mattered now.
Just as that mix of longing and anticipation tangled in his mind, a sudden disturbance made him freeze.
"Hm…"
A light, airy hum rose through the silent void, distant and reverent, like a hymn echoing through a cathedral.
A brilliant strand of golden radiance drifted out from an unknown corner of space, moving like a living thing. It circled Kael's intangible soul with uncanny grace, trailing a long tail of warm light behind it.
"This is…"
Confusion flickered in his eyes.
The space he occupied was a temporary evaluation zone halfway between reality and the reincarnation realm sealed and hidden by the system itself.
And yet—
"Beep."
A mechanical prompt sounded.
"Detected Legendary Gift, Converting to points."
Kael, of course, had no idea this light was a reward from Arceus the Creator granted for his decisive role in preventing the world's collapse.
He assumed it was something left behind by Tapu Koko, or Xerneas.
Either way, he didn't dwell on it.
Points were points.
No downside. No clear answers. Better to accept it and move on.
"Beep-beep."
At last, after the system's complex computations, the final settlement screen appeared before him.
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Points Summary…
Stat Bonus: 2853
Combat Bonus: 2760
Event Bonus: 3627
Legendary Gift Bonus: —
Settlement Complete.
Overall Rating: S
Points Earned: —
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The display was packed with tiny text, enough to blur his eyes.
He read through the entries carefully. When he finally finished, he exhaled slowly.
He hadn't expected the haul to be this massive.
An amount of points nearly four times what he had earned in the Ampharos world left him stunned.
But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.
First, while the Ampharos world had been his first long stay, its duration still fell far short of this Machamp run.
Second, the peak power he reached this time was terrifying. With stacked states and boosts, he had fought on a level that didn't lose to certain Legendaries something his Level 40-something Ampharos self could never compare to.
And finally, the experiences themselves.
The danger, the stakes, the impact he had on the world this run dwarfed the last.
Before, he had operated mostly around a single shadow organization, dealing with threats that topped out around Mythical-tier opponents.
This time, without those constraints, the chain of encounters had pushed him into a far higher realm. He had faced enemies like Guzzlord and Xerneas true Legendary threats. Even the battles alone carried weight beyond anything he'd experienced before.
And in the end, his own change of heart had forced him to shoulder something immense.
Saving the world.
Taken together depth of growth, the severity of trials, and the meaning he found in this Machamp world had far surpassed the Ampharos one.
So yes.
A total nearing twenty thousand points wasn't outrageous.
Still—
Kael's gaze narrowed, puzzled, as he stared at the absurd number listed under Legendary Gift Bonus.
"Why is it so high?"
Even the two thousand points he had once received from Ho-Oh had felt like a windfall.
This number looked like the system had mistakenly added an extra zero.
He couldn't help but think, half joking—
"Don't tell me this came from that… llama."
The sacred feeling in that golden light had been unmistakable.
A moment later—
"Vrrm…"
A sharp, metallic hum rang out in the void.
Then something surged into existence.
A familiar energy dark violet, like mist and flame rolled forward, wrapped in a reddish-brown heat that carried the unmistakable pressure of Fighting-type power.
The two forces entwined.
Spun together.
Compressed and expanded.
Friction and collision.
Two entirely different energy signatures, guided by some unseen will, fused with astonishing precision.
At their core, a deep crimson glow bloomed mysterious and beautiful.
The light born from the perfect union between Ghost and Fighting.
And as it stabilized—
A badge formed.
Metallic.
Deep red.
It drifted down into Kael's palm
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Cursed Dream, Dawn
Type: Badge
Rank: Legendary
Effect: +20% Critical Hit Rate. +10% Critical Hit Damage.
Evaluation: The highest recognition of life's value, a tribute to one who carried a world.
Note: Born from a brilliant dawn that tore through nightmare's shadow and let warm light fall on the world again.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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