The Useless Prince Is A Gangster
Chapter 79. Shadows

Chapter 79: 79. Shadows

Reo sprawled on his soft bed, the evening light filtering through the dorm window, casting soft shadows across the room. For the first time in day, he felt a bit of peace—no coma, no torture, no talk of the Ruler’s Prophecy. Just quiet. He has to return to Caulem Dukedom.

He stared at the ceiling, exhaustion tugging. Lifting his arm, he gazed at the simple ring on his finger, its faint gleam makes him remember a dream, vivid and warm, of a life with Chloe and their child. A life that wasn’t real. He sighed, whispering. "Elynn."

[Good afternoon, Reo Carter.]

The Elynn interface displayed into his vision, its voice smoother, almost human, laced with a warmth that hadn’t been there before.

Reo’s brow furrowed. The upgrade still confused him—why was Elynn so different now? Shaking his head, he muttered, "Display my stats."

[CURRENT LEVEL: 12!]
 [EXP POINTS: 4,250 / 5,000]
 [Current Stats:
 STRENGTH: 60
 ENDURANCE: 51
 DEFENSE: 49
 SPEED: 62
 STAMINA: 58
 MANA CAPACITY: 39
 INTELLIGENCE: 70
 BATTLE INTELLIGENCE: 83
 SOUL RESONANCE WEAPON: Blood Dragger (Lvl 1)]
 [STAT POINTS AVAILABLE: 8]

Reo sat up, the bed creaking under him. "So, I get to choose how to upgrade my stats now?"

[Precisely!] Elynn chirped, its tone almost playful.

He studied the stats, his mind sharp despite his fatigue. His build was balanced, but his mana capacity was pitifully low. A sly grin spread across his face. "Put five points into mana."

[Mana Capacity increased: 39 → 44]

Reo’s grin widened. That should keep him from running dry mid-fight. "Now, one point to stamina, two to defense, and one to endurance."

[Stamina increased: 58 → 59]
 [Defense increased: 49 → 51]
 [Endurance increased: 51 → 52]

Satisfied, he leaned back, ready to explore more. "Open the shop."

The interface shifted, revealing a sleek, glowing menu that looked like a futuristic shopping app—rows of options, Consumables, Weapons And upgrades, stats enhancements and special items. Reo chuckled. "What is this, Bmazon?"

[...] Elynn’s silence felt like a pout, almost like a human.

"Alright, alright," Reo said, laughing. "Show me consumables."

The screen updated, displaying a list of items, each with a thumbnail and detailed effects.

[[CURRENCY: Mana Shards | Balance: 400]

[CONSUMABLES]

[Health Potion]
 Cost: 50 Mana Shards
 Effect: Restores 20% Stamina. Single use.

[Mana Potion]
 Cost: 60 Mana Shards
 Effect: Restores 25% Mana Capacity. Single use.

Reo’s eyes lit up, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Now this is what I need." No more relying on Elynn’s healing or mages for support. These items could keep him in the fight. "Do these only work for me?"

[Yes! These items are bound to your soul. They won’t work for anyone else.]

"Good." Reo’s voice was firm, his mind already strategizing. "Now, show me weapons and gear."

The interface shifted again, revealing a new list that made his pulse quicken.

[WEAPONS & GEAR UPGRADES]

[Soul Resonance Lvl. 2
 Cost: 1500 Mana Shards
 Effect: Upgrades Soul Resonance Weapon to Level 2, evolving it into a new form.]

[Armor Reinforcement
 Cost: 500 Mana Shards
 Effect: +8 Defense, resists one critical hit. Requires repair after damage.]

[Boots of Agility]
 Cost: 600 Mana Shards
 Effect: +5 Speed, +10% dodge efficiency. Recharge required after heavy use.
 Description: Enhances mobility and evasion.]

[Resistance Ring
 Cost: 560 Mana Shards
 Effect: Nullifies Poison, Paralysis, or Mana Drain for one encounter. Single use.
 Description: Counters status ailments.]

Reo leaned forward, his smirk growing sharper. These weren’t just tools—they were game-changers. His fingers twitched, itching to spend his Mana Shards, but he forced himself to think strategically.

He leaned back on his bed. "Show me stat enhancements," he said, his voice steady but laced with anticipation.

The interface flickered, revealing a new menu.

[STAT ENHANCEMENT ITEMS]

[Strength Enhancer]
 Cost: 150 Mana Shards
 Effect: Boosts Strength by 30% for 10 minutes.

[Endurance Core]
 Cost: 140 Mana Shards
 Effect: Boosts Endurance by 25% for 10 minutes.

[Mana Amplifier]
 Cost: 160 Mana Shards
 Effect: Boosts Mana Capacity by 20% for 10 minutes.

[Speed Amplifier]
 Cost: 160 Mana Shards
 Effect: Boosts Speed by 30% for 10 minutes.

Reo’s eyes scanned the list, he already got them as rewards in the past, but he has to buy things now. Each item was temporary. He rubbed his chin, then said, "Now, special items."

The interface shifted again, displaying a shorter, more exclusive list. The items here felt... heavier, their descriptions radiating power.

[SPECIAL ITEMS]


 [Summoner’s Favor]
 Cost: 390 Mana Shards
 Effect: Increases summon power by 100% for one encounter. Single use.

[BearDefense]
 Cost: 300 Mana Shards
 Effect: Creates a protective shield that blocks any attack, no matter how powerful, for one minute.

[Absolute Bow]
 Cost: 800 Mana Shards
 Effect: Fires a single shot that never misses, damaging any target within visible range. Single use, no mana cost.

[Phantom Shard]
 Cost: 600 Mana Shards
 Effect: Summons a spectral blade for one strike, dealing double damage and ignoring armor. No mana cost. Single use.

[Pet Collar]
 Cost: 50 Mana Shards
 Effect: Changes the form of your pet as needed.

Reo’s brow furrowed at the last one. "Pet?" he muttered, puzzled. He didn’t have a pet, unless Elynn was hiding something. Shaking his head, he pushed the thought aside, his focus sharpening. His current balance was 400 Mana Shards—not enough to splurge, but enough to make a difference.

A few minutes later, Reo sat on his bed, legs crossed, staring at the Elynn interface. His Item Space glowed with three new items: a Mana Potion, a Health Potion, and an Endurance Core, all saved for emergencies. He had only 100 Mana Shards left, but he felt good about his choices.

"Done shopping," he said, a small grin on his face. "Now, let’s try Pride Ehodh."

[You can summon shadows with your mind!] Elynn’s voice rang out, sounding excited.

Reo took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing. "Come out," he whispered.

The room felt heavy, like the air was pressing down. His shadow stretched across the floor, twisting and growing. Two Shadow Wraiths rose from the darkness, their sleek, creepy forms glowing with purple eyes that stared right at him.

Reo froze for a second—these were the same monsters Valtharion used in their fight, the ones that helped him so much. Now, they stood in front of him, ready to obey.

A sly grin spread across Reo’s face as he looked at them. "Well, damn," he muttered, his voice quiet but thankful. "Nice one, Valtharion."

The wraiths tilted their heads, like they knew he was their new boss. Reo leaned forward, his brain buzzing with ideas. These weren’t just summons—they were like weapons, partners, a gift from an enemy he’d beaten.