After completing the mission, Aurelius and his companions arrived at the entrance of the cave on the abomination side. Aurelius looked at Siri and said, "Captain Siri, can you please connect to Major Luther and inform him of our success?"
Captain Siri nodded and took a rectangular device from his storage ring. He placed the device on the ground and pressed a small button on the right side. The device activated, displaying codes running across the screen. After a few seconds, the device was fully operational.
Captain Siri clicked on settings, selected tower connection, and then chose the connection labeled "Mission Brave Fighter." As soon as he clicked it, the system started loading. Small, hidden towers placed every 100 meters along the cave from their side of the battlefield to the abomination side lit up. The LEDs on these towers, initially black and hidden, turned red and then green as they received the signal.
With the connection established, Captain Siri pressed the call button on the screen and selected Major Luther. The four sides of the rectangular device opened, revealing small projectors that lit up and formed a single image.
Major Luther's projection appeared on the screen. Captain Alexa stepped forward and saluted, then said, "Major, we have successfully completed the mission."
Major Luther nodded and asked seriously, "Any casualties?"
Captain Alexa, with a sad expression, replied, "Major, five brave soldiers have sacrificed themselves to achieve this victory."
Hearing the sadness and pride in his voice, Aurelius, Lana, Jake, and Chris looked at Captain Alexa, feeling a mix of emotions they had never experienced before.
Despite the somber news, Major Luther remained stoic. He nodded and said, "I and the others will be waiting for you on the other side of the cave. Update me when you are near, and we can talk after you arrive."
After ending the call, Captain Siri closed the device and returned to his position. Aurelius and his companions then resumed their journey.
After three days of travel through the caves, Aurelius and his companions finally reached the other side. As they emerged, they noticed Major Luther and a few others standing outside the cave.
Seeing this, Aurelius and his companions moved toward them and stood a short distance away. Captain Alexa and Captain Siri stepped forward, performed a military salute, and shouted, "Major Luther, we have successfully completed the mission."
Behind them, Aurelius, Jake, Lana, and Chris, who were not part of the military, joined the soldiers in saluting, showing determination and acknowledging the sacrifice and effort involved.
Major Luther stepped forward, patting Captain Alexa on the right shoulder and Captain Siri on the left. "Good work," he said.
Then he addressed everyone, "You all did a great job. I am grateful for your efforts in helping us overcome this challenge."
The soldiers responded in unison, "We live for our nation, and we die for our nation. What we do is as it should be."
Aurelius, Lana, Jake, and Chris watched, impressed by the soldiers' spirit and dedication. It was their first time witnessing the unwavering resolve of the underworld's military.
Major Luther then said, "Please hand over your recording devices. You can rest today, and tomorrow your merits will be awarded."
All the soldiers, along with Aurelius, Lana, Jake, and Chris, handed over their small recording devices to the military personnel. After completing the formalities, everyone retired to their rooms to rest.
The next day, Major Luther summoned Captain Alexa, Captain Siri, Aurelius, Lana, Jake, and Chris to his office.
"Congratulations again on your successful mission," Major Luther began, looking at each of them with pride. He then took out a decree from the Imperial Army. The group stood upright in a military manner, ready to receive their rewards.
Major Luther opened the decree and called Captain Alexa first. "Captain Alexa," he read, "for your bravery and successful elimination of a high 5-tier abomination alongside Captain Siri, you are awarded 250 military points, promoted from 2-star Captain to 4-star Captain, and granted one Spirit Root Cleansing Fruit."
Captain Alexa stepped forward, saluted, and accepted his reward.
Next, Major Luther called Captain Siri. "Captain Siri, for your bravery and successful elimination of a high 5-tier abomination alongside Captain Alexa, you are awarded 250 military points, promoted from 2-star Captain to 4-star Captain, and granted one Spirit Root Cleansing Fruit."
Captain Siri stepped forward, saluted, and accepted his reward.
Then Major Luther called Chris. "Chris, for your bravery and successful elimination of an initial 5-tier abomination with peak 4th level cultivation, you are awarded 150 military points and promoted directly to 4-star First Lieutenant."
Chris stepped forward, saluted, and accepted his reward.
"Lana," Major Luther continued, "for your bravery and successful elimination of an initial 5-tier abomination with peak 4th level cultivation, you are awarded 150 military points and promoted directly to 4-star First Lieutenant."
Lana stepped forward, saluted, and accepted her reward.
Next, Major Luther called Jake. "Jake, for your bravery and successful elimination of a mid 5-tier abomination with peak 4th level cultivation, you are awarded 300 military points and promoted directly to 1-star Captain."
Jake stepped forward, saluted, and accepted his reward.
Finally, Major Luther called Aurelius. "Aurelius, for your bravery and successful elimination of a peak 5-tier abomination with perfect 4th level cultivation, you are awarded 600 military points and promoted directly to 4-star Captain."
Aurelius stepped forward, saluted, and accepted his reward.
Major Luther then took out the last decree and addressed Aurelius, Lana, Jake, and Chris together. "For your bravery and willingness to take risks despite not being soldiers, the Imperial Army has granted each of you the right to choose one Spirit Foundation Treasure from the treasury."
Hearing this, Aurelius, Lana, Jake, and Chris were overjoyed. They knew the immense value of a Spirit Foundation Treasure, essential for breaking through to the 5th realm and creating a high-grade spirit root. The grades of spirit roots ranged from 1 to 9, with 9 being the lowest and 1 being the highest. Above these were four extraordinary grades: Human, Earth, Heaven, and Chaos.
Usually, without a Spirit Foundation Treasure, when a person breaks through, their talent determines that their spirit root will be between the 1st and 9th levels. However, with a high-quality Spirit Foundation Treasure, they can surpass the 1st grade and achieve a spirit root of an even higher grade.
Knowing they would receive such a treasure from the Imperial Army treasury, they were confident it would be of the highest quality. Their joy and anticipation were evident as they thanked Major Luther and left the office, their spirits high with the promise of their new rewards.
Finally, Major Luther concluded, "Tomorrow, please arrive at 6 AM in your military uniforms, which will be provided to you tonight. You will be granted teleportation access directly to the Imperial Treasury."
After wrapping up the conversation with a bit of small talk, Captain Alexa and Captain Siri stayed behind, while Aurelius, Jake, Lana, and Chris left the office.
After leaving the office, Aurelius, Jake, Lana, and Chris went to the food court. After ordering and receiving their food, they sat down at a round table.
Chris started the conversation, "I didn't expect them to give us military positions."
Lana commented, "It's just a title with no real power, but it can also act as protection."
Jake added, "Since we've chosen the path of warriors, having a military position can serve as a backing and shield us from many malicious people."
Aurelius nodded, "Achievements not only offer protection but also bring many benefits, such as discounts on food, shops, and other establishments. They also help us meet influential people."
Jake, Lana, and Chris nodded in agreement.
Lana then asked, "What do you think about tomorrow?"
Jake, the most knowledgeable among them, replied, "In the treasury, you can find treasures of human level, earth level, heaven level, and chaos level."
"Human level treasures cost around 1-10 million. Earth level ranges from 10-30 million. Heaven level is between 30-70 million. Finally, chaos level treasures range from 70-150 million."
"Selecting a spirit root foundational treasure depends on two categories. First is grade, with chaos grade being the best. Second is compatibility. Everyone has compatibility with different types of elements, so you must ensure it suits you before choosing."
"Usually, chaos level treasures are hard to find, but in the imperial treasury, we can find a wide range of them. If you find something compatible, make sure to get it. Another plus is the discounts. Every honor medal and status, such as military status, can help us buy spirit root foundational treasures at a lower cost."
Aurelius, Lana, and Chris were enlightened by this information.
Chris then exclaimed, "Man, this is awesome! I didn't expect to get an opportunity like this."
Lana nodded, "Yeah, with a spirit foundation treasure, we can reach heights unlike others."
Aurelius didn't say anything but smiled and nodded.
After having lunch, everyone went to their rooms, eagerly waiting for tomorrow.