Awakening：The Infinite Evolution of My Talent as a Low-Level Awakener

"No, no, no! Please, reconsider our offer. If you join us, you would become the most honored protector of Orichalcum, with access to boundless resources and wealth, all free of charge!

Your strength is indeed impressive, but the depths of Ashen's power are not to be underestimated. They also have high deities as their backers. Orichalcum could serve as your perfect Safe Haven!"

Watching Morette's tireless persuasion, Sterl could barely suppress a smile, a peculiar expression crossing his face.

If only Morette knew that he was the same one who, three years ago, had seized the golden code and slain six of Orichalcum's deities—what kind of expression would he wear then? Would he still be so eager to invite him now?

Then again, maybe it wouldn't matter. In this world, there were no eternal friends or enemies, only eternal interests. If his presence could benefit Orichalcum enough to help them escape their current crisis, they might indeed let bygones be bygones and overlook his past actions.

After all, such things had happened to him many times before. Whether it was the king of the Divine Mountain Empire or the Dark Moon Alliance of Gloria, even after he had slain their followers right before their eyes, they had still extended olive branches because of his strength and potential.

As the saying goes, invest in others, and you're just a sycophant. But invest in yourself… and congratulations, bro—you'll gain knowledge, wealth, status, and even women.

Sterl understood this all too well, which was why he never relied on anyone else. He relied only on himself.

"A perfect Safe Haven?"

He chuckled, casting a glance at the brutal battlefield below and the injuries Morette bore, saying nothing more. Yet his look said it all.

How could a faction that couldn't even protect itself offer him a Safe Haven? It was almost laughable.

Seeing this, Morette felt a tinge of embarrassment. Here they were, having been saved by this powerhouse, yet now claiming to be his Safe Haven—it was indeed a bit comical.

Still, he pressed on, undeterred.

"You misunderstand. Orichalcum has existed for countless years, amassing immeasurable wealth and resources, and gathering formidable strength. It's only due to an irreversible upheaval that we had no choice but to merge into this world."

"The royal city is still in the process of merging. That's why those lowly forces of Ashen managed to get the upper hand," Morette explained, a mix of frustration and pride in his voice. "We were caught off guard, yes, but more importantly, the fusion isn't complete, and so we can't yet unleash our full strength.

Once the royal city fully merges with this world, then you will see Orichalcum's ultimate weapon! The power of the royal city is invincible!"

He spoke with fervor. Then, catching the look in Sterl's eyes, he quickly smiled and added, "Of course, with your support, Orichalcum would gain added strength. Your joining us would be a win-win arrangement! Ashen would be crushed underfoot."

"Oh, really?" Sterl replied indifferently, though inwardly he felt a twinge of caution. He'd witnessed the power of Orichalcum's royal city before, but he still didn't fully understand it. It seemed he'd need to eliminate every potential risk before he could move forward with his grand conquest.

Seeing Sterl still looking as though he might leave, Morette hesitated, his face full of inner conflict. Finally, he gritted his teeth, as if making a momentous decision.

"Our treasury holds an extremely rare Soul Treasure! If you agree to join us and help defeat Ashen, I will personally persuade the other deities to gift you this Soul Treasure!"

At this, Sterl's eyes lit up instantly.

A Soul Treasure? Just from the name, it sounded incredibly valuable. Judging from Morette's expression, it was likely a highly prized relic for Orichalcum. With the wealth of this grand city, the value of such a rare treasure was beyond imagination. If he could obtain it, it would be a major gain!

Seeing the change in Sterl's demeanor, Morette finally breathed a sigh of relief. So, he had a taste for treasures, after all. For a moment, Morette had feared that this powerhouse was someone with no desires—that sort of person was the hardest to sway and the most terrifying to deal with.

As for the Soul Treasure, while extremely precious, Morette reasoned that for the future of the royal city and victory in the war, it was worth the offer. Besides, if they could use this opportunity to wipe out all the native forces and seize control of an entire world, they would easily recoup the cost of losing a treasure.

"Yes! The Soul Treasure!" Morette continued eagerly. "I can show you a glimpse of its powers, and we would also be willing to provide you with any rare arcane skills and equipment you desire. Whatever you need, Orichalcum will do its utmost to provide it!"

As he spoke, Morette immediately shared some information about the treasure. Even though Sterl had mentally prepared himself, he was still astounded by what he saw.

The information was brief, but it revealed a general ability: it consumed Soul's Power to enhance any chosen target. There was no specific limit to this enhancement, but according to Morette, it could even have a slight effect on deities, which is why it was one of Orichalcum's most prized treasures.

This truly piqued Sterl's interest. With his unique advantage, his own strength grew quickly, but this left his followers struggling to keep up. To him, those followers were not worth much but a shame to waste, useful only for handling minor tasks.

But if he could use the Soul Treasure to elevate them uniformly to third class, legendary, or even demigod level—and with formations to bolster their strength—they could form a force even stronger than the army he had just wiped out. They might even be capable of taking down deities!

This would make them a true asset, finally worthy of keeping up with him and greatly enhancing his capabilities.

Indeed, to wait for the big payoff was wise. If he'd accepted right away, Morette would never have offered such a precious treasure, and Sterl would have missed out on such a powerful resource.

After a moment of silence, with Morette watching him anxiously, Sterl finally gave a reluctant nod.

"In that case, I'll join you. However… I'll help you deal with Ashen, but that Soul Treasure must be mine!"

His eyes flashed with determination, a hint of threat emanating from him. Morette, however, didn't mind, nodding eagerly in excitement.

"Rest assured, I swear on my soul: as long as you help us destroy Ashen's main forces, the Soul Treasure will be yours!"

"Good."

Sterl nodded, and a system notification echoed in his ears.

[You have joined the Orichalcum faction]

[Faction: Orichalcum has been unlocked]

[Current reputation: (Respect 0000/50000)]

[Current contribution points: 0000]

[You have unlocked the Orichalcum's final mission: Destroy Ashen's main forces. Completion will grant you the Soul Treasure, with additional rewards based on mission performance.]

[Your strength has earned the recognition of Orichalcum's deities. You may now freely accept tasks related to the fight against Ashen and use contribution points to exchange for Orichalcum's treasures.]

Due to Sterl's instant annihilation of Ashen's five deities, combined with the earnest invitation from Morette, a dual

divine authority

god, his reputation and contribution points in the faction immediately skyrocketed to 10,000 upon joining!

Orichalcum's attitude toward him had already reached a level of deep respect. He now had free access to faction missions, allowing him to amass a significant number of contribution points and rewards—all perks that came with his strength!

Sterl felt a surge of excitement. As the saying goes, "the stronger you are, the more opportunities you find." Now he could fully explore this faction and reap the benefits!

With no time limit on the final mission or on his legendary story quest, he could afford to take his time. After all, he'd only reach legendary status by conquering the world and becoming its ruler. Until then, he would use this period to his advantage.

"Welcome, honorable Lord Hades."

Morette grinned ear to ear, having received information that this mysterious powerhouse was a powerful player! This reassured him; Hades wasn't a local deity, so Orichalcum's ambitions to conquer the world wouldn't offend him. All it cost was a Soul Treasure, which, to gods, was

not worth much but a shame to waste

.

"Hades" was, of course, a fabricated name Sterl had chosen. With Facade of Vanity and Blood of the Holy Spirit, no one could see his true identity.

"Rest assured," Sterl said, "since I've joined you, we're on the same side now. Let's go. I sensed the presence of those despicable Ashen forces to the north and south while I was passing through. It seems Orichalcum's situation isn't very favorable."

Now that he could freely accept faction missions, he wouldn't miss this opportunity. The Southern War Preparedness Zone and Northern War Preparedness Zone would give him the chance to earn additional rewards. Ideally, he could raise his reputation with Orichalcum to a level of reverence, making any future plans much easier to accomplish.

Morette's face fell immediately; it seemed his suspicions were correct. These despicable natives had indeed launched a multi-pronged assault. Without Hades' intervention, he might already be dead. He could only imagine the devastation in the other two zones.

…