My Ability Is... (13)
Just as my mind was spinning with euphoric delusions of turning any idle thought into an actual skill, I froze.
Wait a second...
Wait, wait, wait...!
It was fantastic that I had earned the right to craft skills using a Skill Creation Ticket, but there was a glaring catch. According to basic common sense, unless a skill was strictly a passive, it had to follow the universal law of equivalent exchange—costing either mana, health, or stamina to activate.
If utilizing these abilities demanded a price, why hadn't there been any mention of resource costs? For that matter, why hadn't I seen my Status Window even once?
I had only just unlocked my Subspace and peeked inside. When it came to concrete data regarding my own body and capabilities, I was completely in the dark.
It was true. Ever since stepping into the Akashic Records, I hadn't been able to grasp my own condition at all.
First things first: I needed intelligence on myself. That ubiquitous feature, the staple tool every protagonist in a fantasy web novel received right from chapter one—the quintessential interface for assessing one's immediate situation—it was time to summon it!
"Status Window!"
My voice bellowed across the desolate shore, echoing against the waves.
Yet...
Nothing appeared before my eyes.
What is this? Why is there nothing here? Damn it, that's embarrassing...
Right on cue, the system projected a holographic prompt, inquiring about my peculiar behavior with thinly veiled amusement.
★ : The System announces that it has switched to Dialogue Mode.
???
The System inquires what the human believes he is currently doing.
"Huh? Well, since I got my Subspace, I figured I should check my current condition and stats, so I shouted the command! But why didn't anything pop up? Did I get the keyword wrong? Status!"
★ : The System expresses: "Ha... haha... hahahaha!"
The System remarks that the human is engaging in utterly pointless antics.
The System advises the human to recall the precise nature of his own innate ability.
I had tried calling out the English term in case the system was picky, but all I got in return was computerized mockery. The cheek on this interface—spelling out laughter just to rub it in!
Still, what did it mean by that? Recall my own ability?
"My ability...? Gambl—no, Infinite... Gacha?"
The word "gambling" almost slipped out of my mouth. Damn it, it was a branding problem. Whenever gacha was involved, my brain automatically registered it as degenerate high-stakes wagering.
★ : The System commends the human for his fine memory.
The System questions why the human is dawdling when he understands the premise so well.
The System proclaims: "Pull, human! For you, there exists only the Gacha!"
Wow... You complete and utter extortionist.
Did this mean I had to pull every single basic feature from the gacha pool just to function like a normal character? That was absurdly harsh. Talk about the absolute height of user-unfriendliness. A status screen was supposed to come complimentary! Even the stingiest Chinese restaurant tossed in free fried dumplings if you ordered enough black bean noodles!
Sigh...
In short, I desperately needed more Skill Creation Tickets.
Wait a minute...
Come to think of it, hadn't there been one more chest resting inside my Subspace?
Remembering the spare container, I chanted the activation phrase.
"Subspace, open."
With a low hum, the pitch-black rift sliced open before me. Reaching inside, I retrieved the metal box and snapped the aperture shut.
"Subspace, close."
Watching the tear in reality vanish into thin air, I gripped the bottom of the chest firmly and hauled back the latch on its upper lid.
Click—
The lock yielded with a crisp snap. Resting neatly in the velvet recess beneath the lid were... five whole Skill Creation Tickets.
What?
Were the chest contents randomized through gacha mechanics too? They didn't just drop one item at a time?
★ : The System stammers: "?? Five Skill Creation Tickets?? This is blatant cheating!"
The System asserts that such an outcome is statistically nonsensical.
Aha!
Even the almighty System hadn't seen this coming. So the payout yields were variable probability rolls as well! A grin spread across my face as a dark, triumphant chuckle bubbled up from my chest.
To hit the jackpot on a blind pull like this—pure profit!
"Excuse me? Cheating? This is called sheer pedigree!"
★ : The System falls silent: "... ..... ............."
The System concedes that this human possesses monstrous luck.
The System inquires whether the human intends to consume all five Skill Creation Tickets immediately.
Considering that even an elementary UI like a status display had to be forged by hand, I would almost certainly need an automated language translation skill as well if I hoped to survive out in the wider world. Without it, communicating with locals would be a nightmare.
If that was the case, burning through all five tickets right here was unavoidable. Three supportive party buffs, a status window, and universal translation. By sheer stroke of fortune, the numbers matched up perfectly.
"Yes! I'll expend all five tickets right now."
★ : The System states that provided these skills do not represent unprecedented miracles or catastrophically disrupt universal balance, the cosmic scales will remain uninvolved.
The System initiates review of the requested skill criteria and conceptual imagery.
Closing my eyes, I concentrated deeply, shaping the mental parameters for the skills while affixing what I assumed were reasonable limitations.
1. Status Window (Active Skill) — Must be triggered by vocally speaking the command "Status Window."
2. Language Translation (Passive Skill) — In all conscience, make this turn on automatically, but give me an on/off toggle. I need to be able to curse in my native tongue when necessary.
3. Buff: Health Recovery (Active Skill) — Unleashes an expanding crimson wave. Applies a cooldown proportional to the wave's scale and restores health to allies.
4. Buff: Mana Recovery (Active Skill) — Unleashes an expanding azure wave. Applies a cooldown proportional to the wave's scale and restores mana to allies.
5. Buff: Status Ailment Recovery (Active Skill) — Unleashes an expanding emerald wave. Applies a cooldown proportional to the wave's scale and cleanses negative status effects from allies.
I slapped cooldowns onto all of them, so that should pass muster, right?
★ :
1. Status Window (Active Skill) — Requires vocal activation command.
2. Language Translation (Passive Skill) — Automatic operation with manual toggle.
3. Buff: Health Recovery (Active Skill) — Crimson wave; scales cooldown to wave size; heals allies.
4. Buff: Mana Recovery (Active Skill) — Azure wave; scales cooldown to wave size; restores ally mana.
5. Buff: Status Ailment Recovery (Active Skill) — Emerald wave; scales cooldown to wave size; cures ally ailments.
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The System questions whether the human is a common highway robber. (-_-)
A highway robber?! Who are you calling a crook, you stingy heap of code?! And what's with that deadpan emoticon?!
"Hey, what's wrong with that setup?!"
★ : The System rejects authorization due to severe game-balance disruption during skill synthesis.
The System demands that harsher operational restrictions be imposed upon the supportive buff skills.
It stung to give up ground, but picking a fight with the Akashic Records was a battle I was doomed to lose. Deciding that compromise was the only pragmatic road forward, I swallowed my indignation.
"Fine, fine. I'll tack on heavier penalties."
1. Status Window (Active Skill) — Must be triggered by vocally speaking the command "Status Window."
2. Language Translation (Passive Skill) — Automatic operation with manual toggle.
3. Buff: Health Recovery (Active Skill) — Unleashes a crimson wave to restore ally health. Cooldown accumulates exponentially based on the wave's radius and reach. The caster is completely immobilized for the duration of the channeling.
4. Buff: Mana Recovery (Active Skill) — Unleashes an azure wave to restore ally mana. Cooldown accumulates exponentially based on the wave's radius and reach. The caster is completely immobilized for the duration of the channeling.
5. Buff: Status Ailment Recovery (Active Skill) — Unleashes an emerald wave to cleanse ally ailments. Cooldown accumulates exponentially based on the wave's scale. The caster is completely immobilized for the duration of the channeling.
"There. Look it over now."
★ :
1. Status Window (Active Skill) — Requires vocal activation command.
2. Language Translation (Passive Skill) — Automatic operation with manual toggle.
3. Buff: Health Recovery (Active Skill) — Crimson wave; exponential cooldown; caster immobilized during cast.
4. Buff: Mana Recovery (Active Skill) — Azure wave; exponential cooldown; caster immobilized during cast.
5. Buff: Status Ailment Recovery (Active Skill) — Emerald wave; exponential cooldown; caster immobilized during cast.
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The System inquires whether the human is joking right now. (-_-+)
Are you serious? How much more do you want me to bleed?! If you're going to be this picky, provide an example first!
"Hey! Come on, give me some constructive feedback here!"
★ : The System sighs deeply.
The System states that true support mandates personal sacrifice, requiring the caster to suffer tangible, direct harm. Furthermore, the caster cannot benefit from their own buffs under any circumstance.
In return, the System guarantees the potency and absolute reliability of the effects.
"..."
So you're telling me I have to practice self-harm just to buff my allies?
The desperate man digs the well; since I was the one backed into a corner, I had no choice but to swallow the bitter pill. Still, it felt overwhelmingly unfair.
Phoo... All right, fine. You want a sacrifice? I'll give you your pound of flesh. But I'm taking every scrap of collateral value I can squeeze out of this.
1. Status Window (Active Skill) — Must be triggered by vocally speaking the command "Status Window."
2. Language Translation (Passive Skill) — Automatic operation with manual toggle.
3. Buff: Health Recovery (Active Skill) — Unleashes a crimson wave to restore ally health. Cooldown scales with size and distance.
4. Buff: Mana Recovery (Active Skill) — Unleashes an azure wave to restore ally mana. Cooldown scales with size and distance.
5. Buff: Status Ailment Recovery (Active Skill) — Unleashes an emerald wave to cleanse ally ailments. Cooldown scales with size and distance.
[Flesh for Bone] (Passive Skill) — Sacrifice your own flesh to sever the enemy's bone.
* Penalties:
— Upon casting a buff, the user continuously coughs up blood, and their health steadily drains.
— Upon casting, the user must draw absolute aggro so that all allies and enemies on the battlefield immediately notice the buff's activation. *(Method of drawing aggro is entirely at the user's discretion.)*
— The user is immobilized during channeling, and none of the buff effects apply to the user.
* Synergy Effects:
— When allies (excluding the caster) receive the buff, their primary attributes (Strength, Agility, Intelligence) increase for one minute.
— A proficiency system is established through repeated usage. Reaching mastery over the buffs extends the duration of the attribute enhancement.
If this isn't enough, then to hell with it!
"That should fit your ridiculous balance requirements down to the letter, shouldn't it?"
★ :
1. Status Window (Active Skill) — Requires vocal activation command.
2. Language Translation (Passive Skill) — Automatic operation with manual toggle.
3. Buff: Health Recovery (Active Skill) — Crimson wave; variable cooldown.
4. Buff: Mana Recovery (Active Skill) — Azure wave; variable cooldown.
5. Buff: Status Ailment Recovery (Active Skill) — Emerald wave; variable cooldown.
[Flesh for Bone] (Passive Skill) — Sacrifice flesh to sever bone.
* Penalties: Health drain, spitting blood, mandatory aggro generation, self-immobilization, zero self-buffing.
* Synergies: Party-wide stat amplifier (STR/AGI/INT), mastery scaling for buff duration.
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!
The System expresses surprise that the human could formulate such an intricate structure.
The System deems this compromise acceptable under universal equilibrium standards.
The System prompts whether to proceed with skill manifestation.
Having squeezed every last drop of brainpower trying to balance these conditions, I felt thoroughly drained. I waved a dismissive hand.
"Just execute it..."
★ : ....... ........... ....................
The System announces that skill synthesis is complete.
The System instructs the user to review the results.
Finally... the bare necessities were assembled.
Ah... At long last, I can actually begin my journey!
It had taken an agonizing amount of haggling, but it was done. My pulse raced with anticipation.
Inhaling a lungful of crisp coastal air, I planted my feet, threw back my shoulders, and shouted at the top of my lungs:
"STATUS WINDOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Before the vibrations of my roar could even fade into the surf—
A translucent azure pane materialized before my eyes.