The next day started with a buzz for Orion. As he checked his messages in the morning, he found a notification that immediately caught his attention. An additional 2340 Clan Contribution Points had been credited to his account, bringing his total to an impressive 5000 points. For an awakener of his level and age, this was a substantial sum, equivalent to 450,000 credits.
Sitting at his desk, Orion opened the Clan Trade Hub app on his communicator, browsing through the listings with keen interest. Despite the variety of items and resources available, nothing particularly caught his eye. He could purchase some useful items, but nothing seemed pressing enough to warrant immediate investment.
Switching to his Store System, Orion scanned the daily offerings. The Store System refreshed its sale items every day, presenting an ever-changing array of goods that could sometimes include rare and valuable finds. However, today's selection, while interesting, didn't compel him to part with his points.
Orion leaned back in his chair, contemplating his next move. With a substantial amount of points at his disposal, he wanted to make sure any expenditure was beneficial in the long run. "Better to save these for something really worthwhile," he muttered to himself.
He thought about the possibility of urgent needs arising in the future, where having a reserve of points could be a game-changer. Additionally, the chance of stumbling upon a unique or powerful item in the Store System's daily sale was always an exciting prospect.
Orion pondered the potential of future emergencies where having a substantial reserve of points could be crucial. The thought of being caught unprepared was something he wanted to avoid at all costs. He remembered instances in the past where he had come across intriguing items in the Store System, only to pass them up due to a lack of funds. The regret of those missed opportunities lingered in his mind, reinforcing his decision to save his points.
The possibility of encountering unique or powerful items in the Store System's daily sale always held a certain allure. Orion knew that such finds were rare, and having a healthy balance of funds would put him in a position to seize these opportunities without hesitation.
Orion sat contemplating his next move, found himself at a crossroads, contemplating the myriad tasks and quests that lay before him. Each option presented its own set of challenges and rewards, creating a dilemma of where to channel his focus.
One of his primary quests was the substantial task of upgrading a dungeon under his keepership. He had chosen the Shadow Veil dungeon, an F rank dungeon, as his target, primarily due to its relatively lower energy requirements for upgrades. Despite his consistent efforts, making regular visits to infuse the dungeon with his mana and Qi, progress was frustratingly slow. The energy reserves had only increased marginally, moving from 423,213,244 to 424,012,011.
Orion had spent time calculating what it would take to fully charge an empty dungeon's reserve. The numbers were staggering. He estimated that approximately two million mana and spirit stones would be required. Each stone, he noted, contributed a mere 500 units of energy to the dungeon's reserves. This realization brought into sharp focus the enormity of the task ahead. Given his current financial resources, he could only afford a small fraction of the total number of stones needed.
This calculation underscored the immense challenge Orion faced in fulfilling this quest. He understood that he would need to strategize and perhaps find alternative methods to accumulate the necessary resources. The slow pace of progress was a constant reminder of the long journey ahead in his role as a Keeper.
Another quest on his list was to become the Keeper of ten dungeons. Focusing on F rank dungeons could expedite this process, but Orion suspected the rewards might be proportionate to the dungeons' ranks. This task required careful consideration of both time investment and potential outcomes.
Earning points in the Adventurers Guild was third ongoing endeavor. Although the journey to becoming a Gold rank member was a long one, requiring half a million points, these points could also be utilized for various other benefits within the Guild.
Training to increase his level was a continuous process, but Orion didn't feel an urgent need to rush it. He was confident that his level would naturally progress over time with his active involvement in various missions and tasks.
Cultivation, another crucial aspect of his journey, had slowed significantly after he reached the Mortal Realm - Initiation (Rank 7). Advancing to the next rank could potentially require weeks of dedicated cultivation, a commitment that didn't seem feasible or practical at the moment.
Lastly, contributing to the clan remained a priority. However, the lack of special missions and the fact that his team was now reduced to just Sarah and Emma meant that he needed to reassess how best to support the clan's efforts.
As Orion mulled over his options, an unexpected system notification abruptly shifted his focus.
[ System Notification: New Quest Accepted! ]
[ Quest: Defense ]
[ Location: Forgotten Forest Dungeon ]
[ Objective: Forgotten Forest Dungeon is under attack by an alien species. Defend it. ]
[ Difficulty: D-Rank ]
[ Reward: Energy Accumulation Ring, +5 Free Stat Points, +1 Free Skill Point, Universal Language Skill ]
[ Failure Penalty: Loss of Amulet and Key of Forgotten Forest Keeper ]
Orion stood up abruptly, his mind racing. An attack by an alien species on the Forgotten Forest Dungeon? The stakes were high, not just due to the attractive rewards, but also because of the severe penalty for failure. It was the first quest he'd encountered that had a failure penalty.
Without hesitation, Orion swiftly equipped himself and used the Key of the Great Keeper to teleport directly to the core of the Forgotten Forest Dungeon. Upon arrival, he was met with an unusual sight. The typically white, giant floating sphere at the dungeon's core was now an alarming shade of orange.
Orion placed his hand on the sphere, connecting to the dungeon's core. His vision shifted to one of the active instances of the dungeon where he spotted a group of humanoid figures with sharp ears and dark purple skin. Dark Elves. The presence of Dark Elves in his dungeon was baffling and concerning.
As he surveyed the scene, Orion noticed something new in his mind – a button that had never been there before. It was labeled [ TELEPORT TO INVADED INSTANCE ]. The addition of this function suggested the urgency and uniqueness of the situation.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Orion pressed the button without a second thought.