100% DROP RATE : Why is My Inventory Always so Full? - Chapter 179

Chapter 179: Chapter 179 – Final Preparation
Before fully devoting himself to training and shedding the remaining mortal husk, Lucien decided to make his final preparations. It would be disastrous if another invasion occurred while he was in deep seclusion.

But this time, he was not alone.

The Sovereign of All Nations had become his greatest ally. With their authority, they issued new laws and decrees. Orders to survey dungeons for any irregularities, to patrol them regularly and to destroy dungeon cores the moment something seemed amiss.

Anyone who reported such irregularities would be rewarded and those who brought the destroyed corrupted dungeon cores to any government office would receive even greater compensation.

During this period, the Holy Empire also underwent a massive purge. Pope Augustus finally revealed the evidence he had long gathered. The records of the evil deeds of corrupt officials.

Those men had served their purpose and there was no reason to let their wicked roots remain in the Empire any longer. It had been Augustus’ Oracle Skill that stayed his hand before. His visions told him that their time had not yet come.

And indeed, during the previous war, the items those corrupt officials had hoarded for years became crucial resources. Supplies, artifacts, even the catalyst that awakened Elias’s “Path of Dawn” skill.

Their greed… had ironically, saved lives.

Now, however, the Oracle showed him nothing. The threads of fate concerning them were silent.

He realized it was the right time. Evil must be purged.

Pope Augustus requested Clara’s assistance and she obliged. Yet when Lucien saw her leave, his heart pounded uneasily. She wore a faint knowing smile as if she were planning something.

“She wasn’t gonna do anything culty, right?”

He shook his head. Clara would be a tremendous help. Now that her vision had returned, she wouldn’t feel sick seeing colors all the time. She could also now wield Divine Sense at will.

Lucien didn’t want another traitor among humanity, so he agreed to let her go with Augustus this time.

Meanwhile… the Supreme Leader of the Wildlands Federation, the former Elven Chief Elandor, began visiting Lootwell frequently. Lucien was surprised to discover that Elandor was Elunara’s father.

The elves had banished Elunara from their homeland before. Elandor bore the guilt. He had been powerless at that time. He had agreed to it, knowing that if he didn’t, it would have been even more dangerous for her.

When Elunara was young and immature, she had often predicted people’s deaths. To elves, who enjoyed long lives, such predictions were seen as omens of misfortune. They came to believe she was cursing them… especially since she alone possessed affinity for Dark Magic.

In truth, the misunderstanding had been cleared years ago and Elandor had searched for her ever since. It was only during the war against fate that father and daughter met again.

And now… their relationship is starting to heal. But… it was still strained.

Even so, Elunara refused to leave Lootwell. She said she loved this place more than anything in the world. As the principal of Lootwell Academy, she felt responsible for the children there and couldn’t bear to leave them unattended. She had found bonds here stronger than blood.

Hearing that, Lucien felt pride swell in his chest. His people were loyal beyond measure. Elunara had already reached maximum loyalty toward him. He had already copied her skill before.

And there was only one skill Lucien wanted from her. Her five-star skill…

Fate’s Debt.

And so, Lucien began his own preparations.

He reached into his Inventory and took out a certain item. The Heart of Balance. It’s one of the legendary drops from the corrupted monsters. It was supposedly able to stabilize the mana or energy flow of an entire region.

He embedded it at the center of his territory.

The change was immediate.

The previously fluctuating divine energy across his lands became calm, flowing with graceful harmony. Every current of energy harmonized as if guided by invisible hands. It was like art made visible in the air.

With this, everyone could train in their own homes without needing to search for dense energy zones. Absorption became easier and the flow of energy became smoother and safer.

What astonished Lucien most was how far the gem’s influence spread. It reached not only Lootwell but even the neighboring territories. The entire eastern border was now bathed in tranquil energy.

Before long, his friends arrived to investigate. They had long since learned that if something extraordinary happened, it would likely begin in Lootwell. And if not, Lootwell would surely know why.

Aldren Hornvale and Roneth Needlehart, now young barons who had inherited their fathers’ mantles, came to visit. They had become close friends of Lucien’s.

He hadn’t brought them into the Black Mass War. Not out of distrust but because they were not fighters to begin with. Lucien knew their strengths lay elsewhere and he didn’t want to see them die meaningless deaths. He had asked them instead to protect the territory and support Vivian in his absence.

He still felt a pang of guilt leaving them behind even though they have shown their intention to fight with him. But their friendship remained unchanged. No blame, no bitterness, only camaraderie and gratitude.

Lucien then explained the stabilization phenomenon to them and even shared his drops to help them grow stronger.

Next time, he thought, they would fight beside him.

…Though deep down, he hoped there would never be a next time.

When they departed, Lucien observed the changes sweeping through Lootwell once more.

A massive forge now stood in its heart.

At his request, the Crafting Division had embedded the Heartforge Core… the UNRANKED drop from the Giant Goblin… into a great furnace. This core could transform any forge into a living, adaptive furnace that resonated with its user.

The Crafting Division had installed it into their grand furnace which they now called the Heartforge Furnace. And indeed, production flourished. Weapons and equipment were crafted with unmatched precision. Failure was nearly impossible. The flames themselves seemed alive, instinctively adjusting to the craftsman’s intent.

But Elk, the Crafting Division’s head, refused to let beginners use it.

“If you want to be called a craftsman,” she said firmly, “you must learn the basics first. Power means nothing if it’s borrowed. And a true craftsman can’t depend on a tool’s mercy!”

Lucien agreed wholeheartedly. The Heartforge Furnace was now used only for mass production… never as a crutch for learning.

He also spent time studying the contents of the Monster Lords’ Organ Storages and was thrilled by their potential. With them, his territory could advance technologically by decades.

His first project was upgrading Morphis.

He now possessed numerous Soul Cores from the Organ Storages. These Soul Cores could be embedded into equipment circuits, allowing weapons to grow alongside their users and even manifest new abilities.

Of course, Lucien chose the mightiest among them. A dragon’s Soul Core. And then, he asked Seren to embed it into Morphis. It’s a fitting upgrade for the weapon he would carry into the Big World.

During this period, he also spent time observing the other Beacons of Light.

Seren and Anya, in particular, worked astonishingly well together. They find out that Seren’s Essence Shift could also refine ingredients… and paired with Anya’s Blessing of the Hearth, they created dishes unlike anything before.

Grass that tasted like steak, pills that nourished like a full meal, dew that could replace sleep, bread that restored mana, soups that healed both body and spirit, and many many more. Those two could work wonders.

Elias excelled in administration and had befriended Kael who had transformed from a timid merchant into the unshakable leader of the Merchant Association. His keen eyes missed nothing and his refined mastery over Space Magic had grown formidable. Lucien often thought Kael could have been a protagonist in another story.

Ronan had become Lukas’s right-hand man. Together, they oversaw Lootwell’s defenses, often sparring with such intensity that their duels shook the territory. It’s much to the delight and education of the soldiers who gathered to watch.

Robin, meanwhile, trained under Sebas. He had proven himself in the war, saving countless lives by stealing weapons from enemies before they could strike. Now, under Sebas’s tutelage, he was rapidly becoming a force of his own.

The former Assassin Chief and the Magic Tower Master often visited Lucien as well.

Lucien brought them to meet his parents to ease their guilt and to tell them they were not to blame for the past.

The Assassin’s Guild had since disbanded. Its members wanted to join Lootwell too. But… they must undergo under Clara’s “purification” first. And now, they are fully integrated in Lootwell forces.

After speaking with Luke and Cienna, even the Assassin Chief pledged himself to protect what remained of this world.

…

Lucien had also planted Spirit Mountains, one of the things taken from the Monster Lords’ organ storages. These structures could produce Spirit Crystals over time.

He planted one beneath a mountain in Lootwell and another within his Divine Energy Core. It would take years, perhaps decades, before Spirit Crystals formed. But their potential was unimaginable. These were treasures capable of changing the fate of nations. To think he now possessed two… even Lucien could hardly believe it.

With Lootwell secure and flourishing, Lucien turned to his final task.

Planting global safety measures.

Among the relics he recovered was something he’d seen in Zothrak the Magus Goblin’s memories.

Massive obelisks known as Nullspires.

Their purpose was simple but vital. To nullify rift energy before it could manifest. If placed wisely, they could prevent rifts from ever forming.

Lucien began scouting the world for suitable locations to place them… where the laws of the world would support their function.

They were not perfect and he couldn’t be sure how long their effects would last but for now… it was enough.

For the first time in a long while, Lucien could rest easy. He could finally train without worry.