Seeing Aiden about to make the payment, Chris opened his mouth to speak, but Lucy stopped him with a firm look. She leaned in and whispered, "Don't say anything. I know you want to give him those skills for free, but don't forget our purpose. We need to find out if he has a powerful background. The more he spends, the more likely it is that he belongs to a significant force."
Hearing this, Chris reluctantly closed his mouth without another word.
The cousins followed Aiden to the reception desk on the first floor, where the payment had to be made.
"That will be 500,000 credits for Shadowless Steps and 200,000 credits for Irregular Seven Fists. Please proceed with the payment here, sir." The receptionist said politely and then pointed at the barcode.
Aiden nodded in agreement. After a night of research, he already knew how to make payments through the OL Bracelet.
He raised his OL Bracelet to scan the barcode. A beam of light flashed from the bracelet, illuminating the barcode. Moments later, an AI voice announced, "Payment completed!"
The receptionist smiled and handed Aiden the two skill manuals he had purchased. Along with them, she also provided him with a receipt.
Aiden casually stuffed everything into his spatial ring, his thoughts already elsewhere. His attention was fully drawn to the rows of glowing text that appeared before his eyes:
[Congratulations on spending 700,000 credits. According to the conversion rate, the host has obtained 70 Eternal Points.]
A smile bloomed on Aiden's face.
According to the system, 1 Eternal Point could be earned by spending 10,000 credits. Since he had just spent 700,000 credits, he had gained 70 Eternal Points.
To increase his cultivation base by one level, he needed 100 Eternal Points, which meant he was still 30 points short.
However, there was something else he could improve using just 1 Eternal Point.
[Eternal Force: None (0/1).]
Aiden immediately spent 1 Eternal Point to increase his Eternal Force. The next moment, he felt a cool feeling spread through his mind before vanishing immediately.
And then, some changes appeared in his status panel.
.....
[Name: Aiden Wilder.]
[Race: Human (Mortal).]
[Cultivation: Level 1 First-tier Star Warrior (0/100).]
[Eternal Force: Third-tier Level 1 (0/1).]
[Special Physique: Eternal Body (Mortal) (Can be evolved further).]
[Bloodline: None.]
[Innate Ability: Moment Eternity.]
[Treasures: Golden Dragon Pearl, Level 2 Runic Sword.]
﹂ Spendthrift Function: Activated.
[Credits: 99,999,999,300,000.]
[Eternal Point: 69.]
.....
A smile spread across Aiden's face as he felt the subtle changes in his body and mind. While he still couldn't fully understand the true purpose of Eternal Force, he had a strong intuition that Eternal Force would prove far more valuable to him in the future than his cultivation base.
Without further hesitation, Aiden spent another 8 Eternal Points, raising his Eternal Force to Third-tier Level 9.
His current cultivation base was at Level 1 of First-tier Star Warrior. However, he had decided to prioritize increasing his Eternal Force to the First-tier before using Eternal Points to enhance his cultivation base.
Raising his Eternal Force now required 1 Eternal Point per level in the Third-tier. However, for the Second-tier, the cost had increased tenfold. He now needed to spend 10 Eternal Points to raise his Eternal Force by one level.
Aiden first spent 10 Eternal Points to raise his Eternal Force from Third-tier Level 9 to Second-tier Level 1, reducing his Eternal Points from 61 to 51.
Then, he spent an additional 50 Eternal Points to instantly advance his Eternal Force to Second-tier Level 6.
Each time his Eternal Force advanced, Aiden felt a cool, refreshing sensation spreading through his mind and soul. He quickly noticed that his thought process became sharper and more focused with every improvement.
He also felt his body becoming lighter and stronger. It was as if a heavy weight he didn't know he was carrying had been lifted. He moved his hands and stretched a little, feeling a new energy flowing inside him.
Even his senses improved. Aiden could hear sounds from farther away and see details much more clearly. It was like the world around him became more colorful and alive. He smiled, excited about the changes, and couldn't wait to see how much stronger he could become.
The rapid improvement filled Aiden with a unique sense of exhilaration. This system felt like the ultimate shortcut to gaining strength, and the speed of his progress left him both amazed and delighted.
Excited to see the results of his advancements, Aiden again opened his information panel.
The change was not that huge. Only his Eternal Force and Eternal Point changed.
[Eternal Force: Second-tier Level 6 (0/10).]
[Eternal Point: 1.]
Now that he was left with just 1 Eternal Point, Aiden knew he needed to spend more credits. After all, earning more Eternal Points was the fastest way to enhance his cultivation without expending any effort.
.....
"Let's go grab something to eat!"
Now that Aiden had bought what he needed from the Star Hunter Tower, Chris suggested having lunch together with him and Lucy.
Lucy nodded in agreement, but Aiden seemed to have another idea. "Other than the Star Hunter Tower, is there any other place we could eat? If there is, let's go there. It'll be my treat!"
Hearing this, Lucy and Chris exchanged a quick glance, their eyes gleaming with interest. Chris hesitated for a moment before replying, "There is one place, but the food there is really expensive. Are you sure you want to go?"
Chris's words made Aiden's eyes light up with excitement.
Expensive food?
That was perfect!
The pricier the food, the better. It would allow him to spend more credits and earn more Eternal Points.
"Of course, let's go there! Money is not an issue." Aiden said eagerly.
Chris and Lucy nodded, leading Aiden out of the Star Hunter Tower.
As they walked toward the restaurant, Aiden couldn't help but ponder the ease with which he was increasing his strength. Curious, he asked the system, "Hey, system, isn't it too easy for me to grow stronger with the Spendthrift Function? It feels like I don't even need to work hard at all!"
[You are wrong!]
The Eternal System responded instantly. Its tone was firm. Without delay, it began explaining further.
[The Spendthrift Function can only help you reach a certain level of strength. Beyond that, you will have to rely on your own efforts. Its purpose is to accelerate your growth because, as of now, you are far too weak to be called the next-in-line Eternal.]
"What?" Aiden was stunned. He frowned, not approving of the system's harsh judgment.
"Are you sure about that? I'm only 16, but I'm already a First-tier Star Warrior. And you're still calling me weak?"
The system remained silent for a moment before responding again.
[According to the statistics I gathered after assimilating with this world, there are many 16-year-old Blue Spirit Star Warriors here. Moreover, there is even a 16-year-old Glorious Gold Star Warrior, who is widely regarded as the most powerful genius born in this era.]
Aiden's eyes widened in disbelief, but the system wasn't finished.
[As the inheritor of the only Eternal's Legacy, you are expected to surpass even the most talented geniuses of the universe, let alone this world. Anything less is unworthy of your title.]
[You should know I merely talked about the statistics of this world. There are countless worlds in the universe, each with its own prodigies and mysteries far beyond your comprehension at this stage. To put it bluntly, you are like a frog gazing at the sky from the bottom of a well.]
The system's reply was merciless, shattering the remnants of pride Aiden held in his heart. He drew a sharp breath and struggled to process the revelation about the 16-year-old Glorious Gold Star Warrior.
'Is there really such a terrifying genius in this world?'
Aiden couldn't suppress his curiosity and asked, "Can you tell me who this person is?"
To his surprise, the system remained silent. Its lack of response made it clear that it wasn't going to reveal anything about that individual, at least not yet.
.....
Very soon, Chris and Lucy led Aiden to a magnificent building. Even from the outside, its grandeur was evident. The building had eight visible floors. However, only a select few knew that the building also had three underground levels, hidden from public view.
This was the Golden Star Restaurant, the most prestigious and high-end dining establishment in Riverside City.
As they arrived at the entrance, Chris's OL Bracelet lit up and vibrated. The sudden notification caught his attention, and he glanced down at it. His expression shifted to a frown before turning serious.
After a moment of hesitation, Chris looked at Aiden, then at Lucy, and said, "Lucy, I have to attend to something urgent. Why don't you accompany Aiden and enjoy the food here? Afterward, maybe you could give him a quick tour of Riverside City. How does that sound?"
Although Lucy wanted to ask what had happened, she could tell from Chris's expression that now was not the right time. Nodding, she said, "Don't worry, I'll stay with him. Go ahead and handle your business."
Chris gave her a grateful nod and turned to Aiden. "Aiden, I'm sorry, but I have to..."
Before he could finish, Aiden shook his head and interrupted, "It's fine. You've already accompanied me, and having Ms. Lucy show me around is more than enough. Don't worry about it."
Chris nodded again, offering a quick apology before hurrying to his red flying sports car. Moments later, the vehicle lifted off the ground and vanished into the distance.