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She paused for a moment, wide-eyed, as she realized the truth.

’The City Lord really gave me a reward!!!’ The thought made her squeal with excitement, and a smile spread across her face. ’I’m definitely going to work hard to earn more of that fruit!’

With renewed energy and determination, Rose immediately got back to work, conjuring more Ice Crystal Spikes along the wall, knowing that whatever Kisha had given her was exactly what she needed to keep getting stronger.

Seeing Rose fired up and fully committed to creating Ice Crystal Spikes, Kisha couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction.

It was clear that Rose had figured out the significance of the fruit she’d been given and was now thoroughly motivated, likely hoping for another Spiritual Fruit as a reward.

Kisha admired Rose’s sharp intuition—while she and Duke had consumed more of the same fruit, they hadn’t noticed the changes in their abilities as quickly or as precisely as Rose had.

This was likely only Rose’s second time consuming anything imbued with spiritual energy.

The first had been during an experiment when Kisha successfully cooked something using the spiritual crops into a meal.

Watching Rose now, Kisha felt a sense of pride; not only had the fruit worked, but it had also sparked a drive in Rose that could inspire others around her.

As Kisha descended the wall, a voice called out to her, catching her attention.

"City Lord!" Aston called, jogging toward her with a sheet of paper in hand, his expression slightly tense.

Kisha slowed her pace and turned to face him. "What’s the matter?" she asked, her tone calm but curious.

"I’ve received the latest list of newly awakened ability users from the person you assigned to oversee their registration," Aston said, pausing to catch his breath before continuing.

"Apparently, most of the abilities this time are classified as ’Artisan’ abilities." He frowned slightly, his tone a mix of confusion and curiosity. "I don’t really understand how that works, but that’s what the overseer said—they’re artisans."

Aston shifted awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "It’s not that I don’t know what artisans do, but I’m struggling to see how that fits as an awakened ability. I mean, I haven’t awakened myself, so I don’t really know the specifics."

"Hoooh!" Kisha exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she scanned through the list. "Isn’t this great?!" Her excitement grew visibly as she read further, a wide grin spreading across her face.

Aston tilted his head, still puzzled. "Is it, though?" he asked hesitantly, unsure of what had her so thrilled.

"Well, they might not be particularly useful for direct defense or offense," Kisha explained, her tone brimming with enthusiasm, "but they excel in support. These abilities allow them to create things that provide invaluable aid—just like artisans did in our previous society."

"Well, I can imagine what they might create, but how exactly does it help?" Aston asked, genuinely curious.

"Is it by crafting weapons that both normal humans and superhumans can use?"

He wanted a clearer understanding so he could better explain the potential of these abilities to the artisan-type awakened users.

Vulture and Sparrow, with their own unique abilities that were specialized in either offense or defense, couldn’t assist in guiding them, especially since many artisan-type ability users felt disheartened and useless.

They couldn’t directly contribute to defense or offense, and it’s not like they could just toss a pot they made at a zombie and expect it to be effective, right?

"Well, yes and no," Kisha replied, her tone calm but thoughtful.

Seeing Aston’s expression, she could already sense his concern. It wasn’t just him—those who awakened as artisans probably felt useless right now.

Kisha understood their predicament all too well. In her previous life, despite being a support-type ability user herself—or so she had thought at the time—artisan ability users had often been overlooked.

Their focus on creating and crafting meant they were treated by other superhumans as no more than ordinary humans. They were tasked with building structures, making everyday items, forging weapons, and so on.

To many, they seemed "lesser," even compared to other support types.

In the harsh reality of those times, artisans were often regarded as tools, valued for their work but not their worth as individuals—treated more like slaves than equals.

Kisha’s expression hardened slightly as she recalled those injustices, determined not to let that history repeat itself.

Why was Kisha so excited?

The reason was simple. In her 40th to 99th life, most especially on her 99th life, she had come to a crucial realization: awakened abilities were not fixed in their potential—they depended entirely on how the users chose to wield them.

She had discovered this herself when her telekinesis, initially thought to be just a support ability, became a game-changing power with the right applications.

Motivated by this insight, Kisha had begun experimenting with other awakened ability users, including artisans.

While artisans might initially seem no different from ordinary humans, she uncovered something extraordinary.

As their levels increased, so too did the quality and power of their creations.

Their crafts, once mundane, could evolve into incredible tools of support, utility, and even offense.

This potential made Kisha view artisans not as secondary players, but as crucial assets to their survival and growth.

For example, a blacksmith at level 0 would craft a weapon no different from anything a regular human could make.

But as they leveled up, the weapons they created would gain additional effects—almost like enhancements similar to the abilities and stats provided by her system.

While the power and effects of these artisan-crafted weapons wouldn’t match the abilities, effects, and stats her system granted the items coming from the mall, sales channel, or achievement shop, they are still formidable in their own right.

These weapons could deliver devastating blows, often tipping the scales in battles against powerful evolved zombies.

In her 99th life, Kisha had relied on weapons crafted by awakened blacksmiths to survive.

Even though she couldn’t purchase weapons from her system, the artisan-made gear proved invaluable, and it was through these unique creations that she managed to stay alive for so long.

Just recalling this made Kisha feel a surge of excitement.

For her, the items created by artisan-type awakened ability users might seem ordinary, but for others, they were a game changer.

After all, it wasn’t as if she could supply every single one of her warriors with items or weapons from her system—each of those items was as costly as Duke’s space ring.

While her system provided the best of the best, relying too heavily on it wasn’t practical or sustainable.

The high-quality gear it offered was a significant advantage, but it wasn’t a feasible solution for outfitting her entire army in the long run.

As Kisha’s mind raced with concerns, this unexpected news felt like an answered prayer, making her heart leap with excitement.

Without wasting a moment, she rushed to where the artisans were gathered, with Aston hurriedly trailing behind her.

In her enthusiasm, what was meant to be a simple walk turned into a brisk stride, almost like a power walk, as Aston couldn’t help but chuckle at her energetic pace.