My Talent's Name Is Generator Chapter 652: Merit Shop

I lingered within the pocket space for several moments, allowing my mind to settle. Soon, a gentle chime resonated in my ears. It was a notification.

I opened the interface to review it.

[Quest Update]

Objective 1: Investigate the base | Reward: 10 Merit Points | Status: Done

Objective 2: Capture the traitors | Reward: 20 Merit Points | Status: Done

Objective 3: Kill Abominations and Phutonomies | Reward: 100 Merit Points | Status: Done

Objective 4: Destroy the base | Reward: 500 Merit Points | Status: Done

[Quest Complete]

[Total Merit Points: 630]

[Current Rank: XXX29]

A slow breath escaped my lungs.

The notification confirmed that the asteroid behind me was no longer intact; it had been reduced to drifting dust and debris where a massive fortress and legion once stood. I had dubbed the parting gift I left there the Time Bomb—a delayed detonation of Fractured Unity.

A secondary panel manifested before me, one I hadn't seen before.

It was a merit shop.

My gaze swept the inventory, filtering for items within my current budget. Any goods requiring more MP than I possessed were blurred into illegibility.

There were laws available for purchase:

[Minor Law of Fire – 100 MP]

[Minor Law of Water – 100 MP]

An entire category was dedicated to minor laws, with prices spanning from 100 to 1000 MP. It was an alluring prospect, but not a priority for now.

Next were skills, sorted by elemental affinity, weapon type, and category. Most appeared lackluster, fit only for common combatants. They held no value for me.

The information section was currently blank, though a "submit request" button was present. I surmised this allowed me to petition the system for specific intelligence in exchange for a quoted fee.

Further down the list were weapon manuals, martial tutors, and specialized training chambers. Then came the more exotic utilities.

Charts leading to hidden realms, locations of ancient treasures, data on rare bloodlines, elemental springs, and forbidden zones. These were the types of secrets men would commit murder to obtain.

However, one specific entry caught my eye and made me hesitate.

[Disable Status Identification] Prevents others from identifying your name or level through system scans. Cost: 500 MP

I didn't need a moment to deliberate.

I made the purchase instantly. While there was no physical sensation, my Merit Point total plummeted from 630 to 130.

A brief confirmation appeared:

[Purchase Successful]

I gave a satisfied nod.

Confident that my work was finished, I exited the pocket space and made a sweeping gesture with my hand. A ripple in space expanded, causing the portal and the pocket dimension to dissolve into nothingness.

I extended my perception across the entirety of Horus, finding that peace had returned.

With the crisis resolved, I deactivated my Shadow-Forged form. My frame contracted back to its human stature, my skin resumed its natural color, my wings vanished, and the violet haze evaporated. Once I felt like myself again, I left the two captives in their guest rooms and took to the sky, flying toward the cave.

*****

I touched down near Knight and Silver. They were both seated on the stone chairs I had manifested earlier. Silence hung between them. Knight was as motionless as a monument, while Silver reclined with his wings sagging, clearly dying of boredom.

"You're back already?" Silver asked, his brows arching in surprise.

"Yeah," I replied, casually flicking dust from my clothes. "It wasn't difficult. I took out a few phantoms and roughly a million abominations."

Silver let out a low whistle of impressed disbelief.

Knight remained stoic, though he offered a small nod. "I felt my power surge. I figured you were busy slaughtering something."

I flashed a grin.

"Anyway, I have someone for you all to meet."

I called forth Aurora.

A glowing crimson circle materialized at my side. With a pulse of light, Aurora emerged. Her hair seemed to vibrate with static energy. Her eyes darted between me, Knight, and Silver before settling on me with a look of bright curiosity.

"Is this your true shape?" she inquired. "The human one? Or was that other form the real you?"

"This is the real me," I answered.

She nodded in contemplation before turning her attention to Silver and Knight.

"Oh. It seems you have more slaves."

I cleared my throat awkwardly. "They aren't slaves. They are my summons, the same as you."

Tucking a strand of blue hair behind her ear, she remarked dismissively, "It is the same thing."

Before I could argue, Silver lunged out of his chair so quickly it scraped against the stone. He appeared right in front of her, sniffing near her shoulder like a fascinated hound.

"You're an elemental!"

Aurora nodded with polite grace. "I am. And you appear to be... a hawk, or something of that nature."

Silver puffed out his chest. "Exactly. I am Silver. How should you be addressed?"

"Aurora."

"Excellent!" Silver whirled around, gesturing with a wing toward Knight. "Aurora, meet Knight."

Aurora gave a soft, "Hello."

Knight simply inclined his head in greeting.

She looked back at me. "Is this the extent of your summons?"

I shook my head. "There are two others."

Her interest piqued. "May I meet them as well?"

I gave a shrug and summoned both Lyrate and Ragnar.

A flash of crimson light announced their arrival as they stepped from their respective circles.

"How dare you leave this queen for last!" Lyrate barked the moment she materialized.

I blinked, baffled. "How would you even know you were called last?"

Ignoring me entirely, she vanished and reappeared directly in Aurora's personal space. They stood eye-to-eye, their faces only inches apart.

The two simply stared at one another.

Aurora’s gaze traveled slowly from Lyrate’s hair down to her feet and back. A tiny smile played on her lips. "An elf. Fascinating. You may call me Aurora."

Lyrate returned the smile. "I am Lyrate. It’s a pleasure, Aurora. So, you’re an elemental."

"I am," Aurora confirmed.

Lyrate tilted her head, inspecting her. "Then why do you look like a woman? I was under the impression that elementals lacked gender."

Aurora’s brow twitched slightly.

"Those are merely rumors. Elementals select a form. We choose what we wish to be."

"You choose? Can you change it whenever you want?"

"It doesn't quite work that way," Aurora explained with forced patience.

Before Lyrate could launch into a full interrogation, Ragnar stepped between the two with a loud, theatrical cough.

"Hey, Lyrate, save the gender studies for another time." He thumped his chest with pride. "Greetings, Aurora. I am Ragnar. I am the most powerful member of this group."

Aurora blinked and regarded him with a calm expression.

"Hello, Ragnar. Yes... I can clearly see you are the strongest." Her voice was soft and sounded entirely sincere. "I look forward to being in your care."

Ragnar’s chest swelled as if it were being inflated. He beamed a wide grin and nodded. "Naturally. I shall protect you."

A weary, long-suffering sigh came from the background.

Knight, still seated with his arms crossed, shook his head in exasperation.

"Wonderful. Another person for Ragnar to show off for. We're going to need a second storage ring just to hold his ego at this rate."

Ragnar whirled around. "Hey!"