Gathering Wives with a System

Chapter 573: Overpowered Effects Of Legendary Equipment

Tidegrave Veil increased magical defense by one hundred and twenty percent while boosting Spirit and Mana by five hundred each.

Those attributes alone were enough to place it among the finest support equipment one could hope to get, but what truly caught his attention were its passive skills.

The first passive, [Holy Focus], increased the effectiveness of all healing skills by forty percent. The second passive, [Clear Mind], granted twenty percent resistance against all mental and social skills.

Isaac narrowed his eyes as he reread the description.

The wording mattered more than the numbers. It did not increase existing resistance by twenty percent.

Instead, every mental or social skill that targeted the wearer would have its final effect reduced by twenty percent before other calculations were applied.

Even someone without any resistance could benefit greatly from such an effect.

If the wearer already possessed a high Spirit stat along with additional resistance skills, mental attacks would become significantly less effective. Against weaker abilities, they might even be able to ignore the effects altogether.

"If I give this equipment to Alice, and she gains another mental resistance skill or two—no, even a Spirit-rank equipment that specifically increases mental defense would be enough—She might actually be able to ignore quite a few of Sis’s mental skills. She may even be able to locate Sis while she’s hiding," Isaac muttered.

He could not help but be amazed at the thought.

Catherine’s disguise and concealment abilities were among the most troublesome skills he had encountered. Once she decided to disappear, even experienced Overlords struggled to notice her presence.

This veil offered an answer to that problem. It did not directly reveal hidden enemies, but weakening Catherine’s mental interference meant Alice’s perception would remain much clearer. That showed how powerful it was.

Isaac shifted his attention toward the active skill. [Purification Wave] removed one debuff from every nearby ally. The effect closely resembled Alice’s own Miracle of Grace healing skill.

The difference was that Miracle of Grace had a noticeably shorter cooldown, allowing Alice to use it more frequently during extended battles. The veil’s active skill, on the other hand, carried a cooldown of sixty seconds. Even so, Isaac immediately found a use for it.

The equipment should not be used to replace Alice’s own healing ability. Instead, it would cover the brief windows when Miracle of Grace was unavailable, preventing enemies from exploiting those moments.

That alone made the active skill far more valuable than it initially appeared.

A satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"This is definitely worth giving to Alice," he said quietly. Without wasting any more time, he opened the details of the next legendary equipment.

The next item was the [Saintess Robe]. It was a beautiful white robe woven from soft fabric that seemed almost weightless. Silver embroidery flowed across the sleeves and hem like gentle ocean waves, while pale blue threads formed elegant patterns that shimmered faintly whenever light passed over them.

A sapphire crystal rested beneath the collar, radiating a calm glow that gave the robe an almost sacred appearance.

It looked graceful rather than extravagant, but every detail reflected extraordinary craftsmanship. Isaac appreciated the balance between elegance and practicality.

He immediately looked at the attributes. The robe increased defense by two hundred percent while increasing magical defense by another one hundred and sixty percent. On top of that, it granted six hundred Mana.

The sheer defensive bonuses already placed it among the best robes he had ever seen. Then his eyes moved to the passive skill. It was called [Sacred Protection].

Whenever the wearer healed someone, the healed target would automatically receive a buff that reduced all incoming damage by twenty percent for the next twenty seconds. Isaac blinked before reading the description once again. He wanted to make sure he had not misunderstood it.

"...This is ridiculous," he muttered.

The passive was overpowered beyond words. Alice constantly healed her allies during battles, which meant nearly everyone receiving her healing would also gain substantial damage reduction. In large-scale engagements, entire squads could remain under the effect almost continuously.

Isaac quickly understood just how valuable that would be.

The robe also possessed an active skill called [Water Barrier]. It created a barrier of condensed water capable of absorbing damage equal to twenty percent of the user’s maximum Mana. The skill had a cooldown of two minutes.

"That’s quite a good skill," Isaac muttered.

Since Alice’s Mana pool was already enormous, the barrier would naturally become stronger as she continued to grow. It was the kind of defensive ability that scaled exceptionally well.

He nodded approvingly before moving on to the next item. The third legendary equipment was the [Tidewoven Gloves]. They were made from smooth white fabric that fit closely around the hands without restricting movement.

Thin blue lines ran along each finger like flowing streams, while tiny pearls were embedded near the wrists. The design looked refined and practical at the same time.

Their attributes immediately caught Isaac’s attention. They increased Spirit by eight hundred while granting another two hundred Mana. The Spirit bonus was one of the largest he had ever seen on a legendary item.

Then he examined the passive skills. The first was [Gentle Current], which increased casting speed by forty percent. The second passive was called [Overflow].

Overflow granted a ten percent chance for any healing spell to become one hundred percent more effective. Isaac considered the skill for several moments before speaking.

"The chance isn’t particularly high, but Alice heals large groups all the time. If Overflow activates on even a few targets during those situations, she’ll save a considerable amount of mana. That becomes much more valuable during prolonged battles," he muttered,

He found himself growing increasingly impressed. Each legendary piece seemed designed to strengthen a healer without overlapping too heavily with the others. Every item contributed something unique.

Finally, he opened the last legendary equipment of the set. The [Oceanstride Sandals] were crafted from pale blue leather reinforced with silver straps that wrapped securely around the ankles.

Small translucent gemstones were embedded near the soles, releasing faint ripples of water with every imagined step. The sandals appeared incredibly light, almost as though they could carry someone across the surface of the sea. Despite their elegant appearance, they looked remarkably durable.

The attributes were equally impressive. They increased Agility by four hundred while increasing movement speed by twenty percent. Isaac quickly moved on to examine the skills.

The first passive was [Walking Tide]. Whenever the user walked, they could summon a small wave of compressed water that rolled outward like a miniature tsunami. The second passive, [Sea Breeze], reduced the mana cost of all movement skills by thirty percent.

Isaac rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he considered the combination.

"Walking Tide is surprisingly useful. Alice can already produce shockwaves of flames with Daybreak Incarnate skill, and if she combines that with this passive, she’ll be able to create mist across the battlefield," he said.

His thoughts quickly expanded beyond the obvious application. The mist could block vision, interfere with ranged attacks, and create opportunities for allies to reposition. If Alice raised the temperature of her flames further, the mist would transform into dense steam instead.

Steam could be used as an attack. It could also disrupt formations and create confusion during critical moments. The more Isaac considered the possibilities, the more useful the passive became.

He closed the equipment window with clear satisfaction. Every legendary item in the set was exceptional on its own. What remained was the set effect.

As soon as he opened the description, another panel appeared before him. Equipping any two pieces of the set would activate the first set effect. Isaac quietly read through the details.

The effect was called [Sacred Tide]. Whenever the user healed someone, that target would also receive two additional buffs. Mana regeneration increased by ten percent, while magical defense increased by twenty percent for one full minute.

A faint smile appeared on Isaac’s face after reading the final line. Unlike flashy offensive abilities, this set effect quietly strengthened everyone Alice supported throughout a battle. The longer a fight continued, the greater the advantage those accumulated buffs would create.

The first set effect alone was enough to make the equipment invaluable.

Isaac continued reading and found the second set effect. It required all four pieces of the equipment to be worn by the same person before it would activate. The effect was called [Blessing of the Deep].

All overhealing performed by the user would be converted into a protective shield. The shield could accumulate until it reached one hundred and twenty percent of the target’s maximum Health. Isaac’s eyes widened slightly as he understood what that meant.

"Wouldn’t this practically give everyone an extra life?" he muttered while reading the description once more.

Alice’s healing was already excessive in many situations, especially when allies had suffered only minor injuries. Instead of letting that healing go to waste, it would now become a massive shield.

The more he thought about it, the stronger the effect appeared. His soldiers could enter battles with shields already protecting them, and those shields would continue to recover as Alice healed the injured.

Killing anyone under her protection would become an exhausting task.

A satisfied smile spread across Isaac’s face before he continued reading. There was still one more set effect remaining. Considering how impressive the previous two had been, he was eager to see what the complete set offered.

The third bonus only activated when all four pieces were equipped together. Unlike the previous effects, this one granted an active skill called [Tidal Sanctuary]. Isaac immediately opened the detailed description.

The skill created a healing zone with a radius of one hundred and fifty meters that lasted for ten seconds. Every ally inside the area recovered health every second, one debuff was removed from each ally every three seconds, and everyone inside gained twenty percent water resistance. Even more impressive was its cooldown, which was only ninety seconds.

Isaac re-read the description to make sure he had not been mistaken. The effects were excellent, and the enormous stat bonuses from all the equipment only made the entire set even stronger. It was difficult to imagine a healer who would not dream of owning something like this.

That was not even the most busted part. Isaac possessed four complete sets of this legendary equipment! Four identical sets were enough to influence the strength of several powerful factions!

One set would naturally go to Alice without any discussion. The second could be reserved for one of Emily’s future summons if she ever contracted a powerful healing-type creature. Such a summon would be able to make excellent use of the equipment.

The remaining two sets would stay in Isaac’s possession for the time being. If someone perfectly suited the equipment joined his territory in the future, he could reward them with one of the sets. If no suitable candidate appeared, they would become valuable bargaining chips.

Saintesses and powerful healers were respected almost everywhere. More importantly, Saintesses were favored by the Gods themselves, making them influential figures well beyond the cities they belonged to. Offering equipment of this quality to a Saintess from another city could easily earn Isaac the goodwill of a God.

The potential benefits were enormous. Gods were powerful, unpredictable, and often dangerous, so having a few of them as allies was far preferable to making enemies of all of them. That consideration had become even more important after Isaac’s conflict with the Purification Cult and its patron deity, the God of Axe.

He also remained cautious of the Goddess of Love, Harvest, and War. Although she had never directly acted against him, she still presided over Florathi. After the betrayal of the Third Priest, Isaac had decided that blind trust was no longer an option.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he opened the next legendary equipment set. The name displayed before him was [Abysswalker Requiem Set]. Unlike the previous set, this one was clearly designed for offensive classes.

It could be equipped by Assassins, Dark Mages, and Rangers. Catherine represented the Assassin class perfectly, while Vale belonged among the Dark Mages because of his curse-based abilities. Rangers, on the other hand, covered archers and hunters who specialized in ranged combat.

The set consisted of four legendary items. They were the Abyss Hood, Requiem Cloak, Shadow Gloves, and Grave Boots. Isaac immediately opened the details of the first item.

The Abyss Hood granted five hundred Agility along with two hundred Attack Speed. It also possessed two passive skills named [Hidden Presence] and [Night Vision]. Isaac carefully examined both descriptions.

Hidden Presence reduced an enemy’s chance of detecting the wearer by twenty percent. He immediately recognized how valuable that passive would be. For an assassin who depended on remaining unseen until the perfect moment, such an ability was among the strongest possible effects.

The second passive, Night Vision, allowed the wearer to see clearly in darkness and even through magical fog. At first glance, the skill seemed ordinary. However, Isaac knew it was anything but simple.

Many abilities existed solely to blind opponents by covering their surroundings in magical darkness or enchanted mist. Certain types of magical fog were so powerful that even Overlords found their senses heavily restricted while inside them.

There were even monsters that had bodies of fog, which after blinding you would put you into an illusion.

A passive that gave high resistance against such obstacles was exceptionally valuable.

Isaac tapped the table thoughtfully while considering another possibility.

"Magical fog... would that include the fog we travel through inside the spatial passage during teleportation? I’ve always wondered whether there’s actually something hidden beyond it," he muttered.

The thought lingered in his mind for several moments. He decided that once the equipment was distributed, he would personally test the passive. If Night Vision truly worked inside the mysterious teleportation passage, it might reveal secrets that no one had ever witnessed before.

With that possibility still occupying his thoughts, Isaac shifted his attention toward the next piece of the set, the Requiem Cloak.

It was a long black cloak woven from smooth fabric that absorbed light instead of reflecting it. Dark gray patterns were stitched along its edges, and the hood blended seamlessly into the shadows around it, making the entire cloak appear strangely indistinct.

He quickly moved on to its attributes. The cloak granted three hundred Agility and four hundred Strength, making it suitable even for assassins who relied on powerful close-range attacks. It also possessed a passive skill called [Shadow Veil].

Shadow Veil increased the effectiveness of all camouflage skills by thirty percent. Isaac immediately understood how significant that bonus was. For someone like Catherine, whose camouflage abilities were already frighteningly powerful, this passive would push them to another level altogether.

The cloak also came with an active skill named [Phantom Escape]. Whenever the user was attacked, they could instantly warp to any location within fifty meters. At the same time, a life-like clone would be left behind to deceive the attacker.

The skill only had a cooldown of two minutes. Isaac found that surprisingly short considering how powerful the ability was. If Catherine combined Phantom Escape with her existing illusion clones and body clones, identifying her real body during combat would become nearly impossible.

He slowly nodded to himself while imagining different battle scenarios. Catherine’s fighting style naturally forced her into dangerous positions if she wanted to eliminate important targets. Even though her concealment skills were extraordinary, there was always the possibility that someone would eventually see through them.

Using clones reduced the damage of death, but real body still took damage from clones. Also, if soul was directly attacked, then complete damage would transfer from clones.

Equipment that increased her chances of surviving those situations was invaluable. Isaac cared less about increasing Catherine’s damage than ensuring she could safely retreat after completing her objective. Phantom Escape perfectly filled that role.

Without wasting any time, he opened the details of the next equipment.

The [Shadow Gloves] appeared before him. They were sleek black gloves made from an incredibly soft material that clung tightly to the wearer’s hands without restricting movement. Their surface was smooth to the touch, while faint silver lines ran across the fingers like tiny threads of moonlight.

The gloves granted two hundred Dexterity. More importantly, they possessed two passive skills called [Assassin’s Precision] and [Poison Affinity Bonus].

Assassin’s Precision increased the chance of dealing a critical hit by twenty percent. Whenever a critical hit occurred, the damage dealt would increase by another forty percent. Isaac could immediately see how terrifying that would become in Catherine’s hands.

Her clones were already capable of overwhelming opponents through coordinated attacks. With a significantly higher chance of landing critical strikes, her burst damage would become even more difficult to survive. Enemies who underestimated a clone could easily lose their lives before realizing their mistake.

The second passive made Isaac pause.

For a brief moment, he wondered whether he had misunderstood the description.

Poison Affinity Bonus granted Level 3 Poison Affinity to anyone who did not already possess the affinity. If the wearer already had Poison Affinity, however, its level would instead increase by one.

"Sis’ Poison Affinity is already Level 15. She’s been stuck there for several years and hasn’t been able to raise it any further. Elemental Affinities receive major improvements every five levels. If this lets her reach Level 16, her combat strength will increase dramatically," he said excitedly.

"Really?"

The unexpected voice came from directly behind him.

Before Isaac could react, he felt a soft warmth against his back. A pair of slender white arms slipped around his waist, and delicate hands reached forward to take the gloves from his grasp.

Catherine casually examined the equipment before slipping the gloves onto her hands. She rested her chin lightly on his shoulder as though appearing behind him without warning was the most natural thing in the world.

"How did you enter my Shadow World? I didn’t notice you coming in at all, and I couldn’t even sense that you were standing behind me," Isaac asked.