Just like loot in games, the Land of Origin had its own version.
The difference was that you couldn't simply touch a monster's corpse, shout "loot," and watch materials burst out.
While occasionally a monster corpse might burst out some loot, most of the time, the corpse itself was the loot, and you had to manually dismantle it to get what you wanted.
However, there was one common type of loot that usually appeared from dead monsters.
[Unranked Spirit Crystal]
"I actually got a Spirit Crystal on my first kill! So lucky!"
Michael picked up the transparent crystal, which contained a bright, solidified liquid.
Spirit crystals, said to be superior to mana crystals, the advanced version of mana stones, were highly valuable. They were materials that could only be found in abundance in the Land of Origin.
Mana stones were cultivation resources that both Cultivators and Awakeners could use for their growth.
A mana stone could increase cultivation speed by up to three times.
This meant that using a mana stone for one month of cultivation was equivalent to three months of normal cultivation.
The value of a mana stone was clear.
Then there was the advanced version: the magic crystal, which could boost cultivation speed by up to five times.
Five times the cultivation speed meant that one month of cultivating with a mana crystal was equivalent to five months of normal cultivation.
Given how valuable mana crystals were, just imagine the value of spirit crystals, which were placed above them.
The two could hardly be compared.
A spirit crystal could boost cultivation speed by up to ten times!
Ten times meant that one month of cultivation with a spirit crystal was almost a full year of normal cultivation.
However, something as valuable as a spirit crystal was rare and in short supply.
But what really excited Michael about the appearance of this spirit crystal wasn't because of its cultivation benefits.
Like most Awakeners, Michael wasn't too focused on the strength brought from cultivation.
The real reason he was thrilled about the spirit crystal was its value.
For someone like Michael, red-eyed with poverty, the money-making potential of being an Awakener was a big motivation. One way he planned to make a profit was by selling loot to the Supers Association.
As a common loot dropping from every three to four kills—or sometimes even less out of every 10 kills—Michael paid close attention after learning of its existence.
In the Supers Association store, a mana stone was priced at $1,000, while a mana crystal sold for $5,000 due to its rarity and ease of absorption. Outside the association, these prices were even higher.
A spirit crystal, thanks to its rarity and the pure, easily absorbed mana it contained, was valued at a whopping $20,000.
Twenty thousand dollars!
Though the selling price would differ from the store price, Michael estimated he could still get over $15,000 for it.
It was clear why he was so thrilled with this find.
"To think I'd make my monthly allowance from the Supers Association on my first outing! Truly, being an Awakener was a fast track to riches!"
Michael was pleased, but he grew a bit conflicted upon remembering another use for the spirit crystal.
Aside from boosting cultivation speed, mana stones, mana crystals, and spirit crystals could also help recover exhausted mana, though this was often seen as wasteful.
However, certain energies, like soul energy, couldn't be replenished by mana stones or crystals.
He had seen some posts on the Supers Association forum mentioning souls, but the topic felt distant and complex.
Michael figured such topics would be covered in an Awakener Academy, if he ever managed to get into one.
Though Michael didn't think much about the topic of souls, he knew soul energy was tied to something he possessed—a talent. Talents were considered an advanced form of spells but were more powerful, as most skills couldn't match their capabilities.
Talents didn't require mana to use; instead, they needed soul energy, a resource no Awakener could ever have enough of, making talents a sort of pseudo trump card.
Since soul energy wasn't the same as mana, it couldn't be restored by mana stones or crystals. If an Awakener didn't want to wait for soul energy to recover slowly on its own, a spirit crystal could be used to replenish it. This made spirit crystals especially valuable to Supernaturals who relied on soul energy, not just Awakeners or talent holders.
Michael had a talent, which was why he felt conflicted about using the spirit crystal—even though he'd never actually used his talent.
Talents were powerful abilities, and though Michael tried not to be bothered by his current inability to access his, he couldn't shake a sense of discomfort.
'Would I be able to finally use my talent if I absorbed this spirit crystal?'
Michael was uncertain. This hesitation made him take a while to decide.
'Michael, look at the bigger picture. Money is good, but strength is better! If I can get one spirit crystal, I can get another. It's better to use this spirit crystal if there's even a chance of using my talent. With more strength, I'll be able to hunt more monsters and earn more spirit crystals!'
Gritting his teeth, Michael finally chose to absorb the spirit crystal.
****
Author's Note:
Apprentice Cultivators can only passively absorb mana through breathing or meditation techniques, with the amount depending on their innate talents. They are unable to actively draw mana from resources like mana stones until they advance to official Cultivator status.
This limitation makes resources that accelerate cultivation for Apprentice Cultivators, with little to no side effects, highly valuable. However, mana stones, mana crystals, and spirit crystals are excluded from this category, as Apprentice Cultivators lack the ability to access the mana contained within them.
Also, even after advancing to official Cultivator status, apprentice Cultivators are still referred to as apprentices—though now in a more formal capacity. Interestingly, those in the pre-advancement stage were originally called trainees, but this term has fallen out of use over time.