The Rise of the Winter Wolf - Book 7 - Chapter 32 - The Truth

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Wolf

As usual with when I arrive in the System’s Grand Hall, I find three System Items floating above the counter at the end of the hall. And also as usual, they’re things I wasn’t expecting.

Although what I am most surprised about is the fact all three of the items on the counter are Tier 10.

I walk up to the counter while glancing at the chat.

[So many Tier 10 items…]

[And to believe Tier 10 items are supposed to be once in a lifetime finds in the entire universe…]

[Just how many Tier 10 is Wolf going to find?!]

[I’m starting to want to be there just for those Tier 10 items…]

[Don’t be ridiculous. You’d die in a few minutes of being in the Beta Dungeon.]

[Yeah, that’s just wishful thinking. The better the rewards the higher the risk after all.]

[I wonder how many sponsorships he’ll get from Progenitors by the time he finishes the dungeon?]

Yeah, that’s to be expected. Pretty much all the chat is talking about are the Tier 10 items in front of me now.

Well, putting their chatter aside for the moment, I walk up to the counter and focus on the item on the left first. Which is in the form of an amulet.

And when I look at the item’s description, I find myself feeling rather shocked, to say the least.

Very shocked.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Item | Amulet of the Unbroken Mind | Tier 10

This item grants the wearer a near perfect defense against any and all effects towards the mind. Additionally, it grants the wearer a high resistance towards any effects towards the mind that break through that defense.

The only effects that can break through this item’s defense are those originating from Progenitor level creatures.

System Favor: This item is safe to wear and was carefully made by the Progenitor of Illusions herself.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

This is… incredible.

This may be the best item I’ve ever gotten before.

I reread through the thing again and can’t help the large smile that spreads across my face as I do. Because this item alone will be incredibly useful in my battle against Loki.

Even if Progenitors can break through it, the description says that it still gives me a high resistance towards anything that affects the mind.

Which includes illusions.

So my battle against Loki will be a lot easier when I wear this.

As I’m rereading the System Favor part though, I feel my mind just kind of halting.

Wait… huh?

I reread the last word of it again another time.

Herself?

Loki… is female?

I stare blankly at the message for several seconds. Then I look up while tapping my chin and trying to remember everything Fenrir’s told me about Loki.

Specifically how much enjoyment Loki seems to get from his countless pursuers. To the point of straight up laughing while enjoying the attention of countless women pursuing him romantically.

And not laughing in a way that seems like he just enjoys the attention or anything, but laughing as if he’s mocking them.

The usual laugh he does when he plays pranks on people.

Or I guess, the usual laugh she does when she plays pranks on people.

Now that I think about it, it sounds exactly like something Loki would do. Playing a prank on absolutely everyone who knows her while laughing at everyone behind the scenes.

And something tells me this Beta Dungeon Centurion Floor is going to be the grand stage for her prank to be revealed for the greatest laughs for her.

Or something like that.

It would also explain why Loki is helping me so much. Far more than Beelzebub did.

After all, Loki’s even given me an amulet that makes me highly resistant to her element. Not to mention that she gave me that hint before.

As for this System Favor note? Either Loki didn’t realize it would be mentioned to me, or she doesn’t care. After all, I’m the only one who can see the System Favor parts of the messages.

No one else can see those.

I reach out to grab the amulet as I study the thing.

The amulet is largely blue and purple and makes a matching set with that scepter from the temple. It has a purplish blue gem in the middle in a diamond shape, with a silver-blue metal around it encasing the gem.

What’s most interesting about the amulet though is that it’s in the shape of a fox head.

My thoughts immediately go towards the mythical creature known as a kitsune.

Because kitsune are often known as pranksters. And on top of that, while some kitsune use fire, a lot of kitsune use illusions.

Hmm…

Could Loki’s true form really be a kitsune?

It would make some sense at least.

I glance at the chat.

[A fox head amulet? Unexpected choice.]

[Fox! Does that mean Loki is a kitsune?!]

[Kitsune! Kitsune! Kitsune!]

[Maybe it’s just representative and Loki isn’t really a kitsune?]

[It would fit at least]

Yeah, the chat’s having the same thoughts as me on that matter.

No surprise there considering that whole ‘mythology from every world being based on Progenitors’ thing.

Anyway, I go ahead and put the amulet on. At which point I feel a wave of power covering me in the form of a protective field. And on top of that I also feel something in my mind as well.

I’m not really sure how to describe it though.

It just feels nice.

I smile at that sensation.

Nice. I’m really glad my first Progenitor clone to fight after Beelzebub is Loki.

Putting aside her incredibly irritating personality, she’s just doing all this to play a prank on people. And if she wants that prank to go well, she’s gonna have to lose in here.

After all, even if she just decides to reveal her real body while fighting me, people won’t believe it’s her real body. So the only way to reveal it and pull off the prank is for her clone to die and her illusions to fade.

All that said, I don’t expect this battle to be easy. Even with this amulet, and with her wanting to end it in a loss for her.

With that in mind, I turn my attention to the next item.