Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!-Chapter 232 : Cosmic Tier Item. Renaissance Painter

[Master, how exactly do you plan to reach the core of the Nexus Forest?] Levi's voice chimed in. [You can't rely on yourself forever, you know.]

Ah. Right. That little problem.

Levi wasn't wrong.

Parker couldn't just rely on his own powers. Even if he touched Ere and yoinked her dimensional or shadow abilities, he still wouldn't be able to use them. Not in the way that mattered.

So instead of answering, Parker just huffed out a dry laugh.

"Levi." He adjusted Ere in his arms and took his first step deeper into the forest. "You're forgetting who the hell I am again."

[Meaning…?]

"Meaning, I always find a way." He let Ere's tail flick against his wrist as he moved forward.

"Now, open the system shop, Levi."

Because he wasn't walking into the unknown empty-handed.

[Ding! System Shop Items Available:

1. Journal & Map of the Chosen. No description. $50M

2. Mask of Illusion. $2M

3. Overpriced Quill. $500M

4. Endless Ink. $200,000]

Parker squinted at the list.

"...So it's true, huh?"

He had suspected this for a while, but now? Now, it was confirmed.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

The system had a habit of dropping exactly what he needed into the shop whenever he was in a tight spot. Almost like it had been waiting for him to struggle. And sure, technically, that was useful—but it also felt a hell of a lot like some shady, back-alley dealer popping up at the worst possible times.

Like, oh, you suddenly need a life-saving artifact? That'll be fifty million dollars, please.

Leeches.

But Parker wasn't about to complain.

He rarely even opened the system shop—mostly because he never actually needed to. His power carried him through most things, and if that wasn't enough, he could just use his money and get a cashback for that.

Until today.

Today was different.

Because today, he needed two things.

Two things that could literally save his ass if he ran into something even Ere couldn't handle. Not that he planned on fighting anything, but you know… life happened.

And—surprise, surprise—the exact two things he needed were sitting right there in the shop. And there were four items now, instead of three.

Coincidence?

Yeah. Right.

Parker didn't hesitate. He immediately dropped half a billion dollars on the Overpriced Quill—because, despite the stupid-ass name, it was beyond worth it. Then, without a second thought, he grabbed the Endless Ink.

[Ding! Purchase Complete!]

Ding! Overpriced Quill Acquired!

Overpriced Quill: At the young age of 10,000 years, Ignisra experienced her first molting in a battle against Selzara Emberlyn to see who had the hottest flames. The baby phoenix lost a feather in the fight and cried to her master for centuries. After decades of consideration (and exhaustion), the Prince of Existence finally yielded to her endless whining and transformed the fallen feather into a divine quill for his rune studies. He went on to become one of the greatest rune masters and painters in existence!]

Parker stared at the description.

Then he snorted.

He didn't have the memories yet, but he knew Ignisra. And yeah, that little menace would throw a thousand-year tantrum over something like this—let alone a decade. Parker let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Damn bird."

Still… turning her first molted feather into something legendary? Yeah, that definitely sounded like something he'd do given how much he adores her.

Then came the Endless Ink, swirling into his other palm—a luminous, ever-flowing liquid, pure white yet shifting subtly, as if refusing to settle on a single shade.

[Endless Ink: Oh, Ignisra, the spoilt brat. Like she knew the future and what her master was going to do with the feather. The little phoenix made sure to correct her tears whenever she cried—for a decade. Did she know how valuable her tears were? Yeah. And so, she removed every cosmic property that made her tears priceless, refining them into an endless ink for her Master's paints. But—not all the cosmic properties of her tears were lost.]

Parker clicked his tongue. "So even her damn crying had a strategy behind it. She really is a menace." Parker snorted, shaking his head. "What a brat." His smirk deepened. "Alright, let's see how these two like each other."

He flicked his fingers, summoning the Overpriced Quill into existence. A single white phoenix feather materialized in his grip—long, sleek, and pristine, but with a faint shimmer, like the cosmos itself had been woven into its barbs. Ignisra's essence lingered in the strands, the traces of a cosmic beast refusing to be ignored. Even in quill form, that little menace still carried a presence.

The Endless Ink, swirled into his other palm—a luminous, ever-flowing liquid, pure white yet shifting subtly, as if refusing to settle on a single shade. A gift born from Ignisra's weaponized crying—because of course, the spoiled brat had customized her own damn tears before handing them over.

She had stripped away their rare cosmic properties just to ensure her Master had an infinite supply of ink.

But Parker wasn't stupid. Not all of the cosmic properties had been removed.

His smirk deepened. "Alright, let's see how these two like each other."

He brought the feather and ink together.

Merge.

A pulse of light flared between his hands. The ink lashed out, tendrils of liquid stardust curling around the quill like a serpent, binding, fusing. The cosmos stirred. The feather trembled in his grip before the ink sank into it, bleeding into the fibers, the shimmer intensifying. A brief moment of resistance—then, like something finally clicking into place, the energy snapped.

The quill pulsed once.

[Ding! You have merged two Cosmic-tier items!]

[An item has been created: A Brat's Blessing!]

Parker narrowed his eyes. "That better not mean what I think it—"

[Brat's Blessing: A painting quill forged from a young phoenix's first molted feather and her own cosmic tears. As long as your will remains strong, it can scribe endlessly… and in exchange, you must acknowledge Ignisra as the most adorable Cute Ball.]

Parker stared at the notification.

Then stared some more.

"Cute Ball, she said?" He ran a hand down his face. "She knew I'd merge them one day, didn't she? Planned this whole thing from the start." His thoughts raced back. That ridiculous fight with Selzara, the endless crying, the strategically altered properties—was that her end goal this entire time?

[Yes, Master!] Levi chimed in, way too damn cheerfully. [That's why you refused to merge them in your third life—because you finally saw through her!]

Parker's expression went flat. "You knew… and you didn't warn me?"

[Master's orders! You specifically stated that whoever became the system spirit in the last life could never tell you anything!]

He exhaled. "That does sound like me."

With a resigned sigh, he twirled the quill between his fingers, watching the soft cosmic glow flicker along the feather's edge. Whatever. At least it worked.

"Alright," he muttered, cracking his neck. "Now let's go get that little brat and her twin sister."

It was time to paint.