9. Growth
Today, too, I lay in bed and tuned into the convenience store where Eun-byeol was working.
It had been about a week since I'd taken her on as my first apostle, but she was still slinging part-time shifts at the store. I'd figured she'd quit right after awakening, but nope—money troubles, I guess. She kept at it.
It had been a while since I'd last checked her apostle window. My SP had piled up enough—it was time to buff Eun-byeol.
Remaining SP: 8905
I'd blown a bit midway—teasing that ragtag high school delinquent, copping feels on passing girls' pussies or tits, chatting with Eun-byeol—but still over 8,000 banked. Should be plenty.
I dove into the traits tab first. Last time I'd hooked her up with growth speed, so now for something else.
Lemme see... Agile Movements and Sturdy Stamina? Both basic stat boosters. Can't go wrong. Dirt cheap at 1,000 each.
Apostle's level is too low. Apostles can only have 1 trait per level.
"What the fuck? That's bullshit."
But no dice—level-locked. Made sense, though. Infinite traits would be broken as hell for 1,000 SP a pop. Stack a hundred and she'd be invincible.
"Tch."
I closed the traits tab. No instant level-up for her, so growth another way. Talent window next.
SP can be spent to prematurely awaken apostle's talents.
Current constellation level: 1. Higher levels reduce SP cost for talent awakening.
Talents seemed like innate potential, unlike traits. Checked Eun-byeol's.
So Eun-byeol's Talent
Light of Extermination (98.3% / 100%)
"What?"
Eun-byeol had a talent called Light of Extermination. No clue what it did, but...
"98.3%? Not zero?"
The number next to it was weird. Didn't start at 0%—straight from 95% or whatever.
No way.
This wasn't a system-made talent; it was her real potential. Only explanation. Light of Extermination was genuine, baked-in from birth.
So even without me, she'd have awakened eventually?
At 98%, yeah probably. Just needed a trigger—she'd been missing that spark. Average awakeners hit it before 25, so maybe a year tops for her.
Damn good thing I snagged her pre-awakening. No way she'd fall for a shady fuck like me otherwise.
Lucky break.
System said SP could force-awaken it. So close already—a little push and boom.
Heh, I'll play it like I gifted the skill.
I grinned, planning to nudge it to 99%, then splash SP and take full credit. She'd never know it was hers all along. Loyalty through the roof.
First, cost check?
No rush to awaken, just gauge it.
1000 SP required to raise Light of Extermination awakening by 0.1%.
Holy shit, pricey. Gotta grind to 99.5% naturally. Could bump 0.8% now, but better to dump all at once. No point risking her popping it solo while I'm away.
Closed talents. Stats it is, instead.
All her stats at 1—which was probably sub-1, rounded up. Minimum display was 1.
Consume 5532 SP to raise apostle So Eun-byeol's Strength to 1?
Boom—5,532 just to hit "1" on Strength. No hesitation; dumped the SP. 5,500? Pocket change, I'd farm it back quick.
"Hyaah?!"
Crash!
Eun-byeol, restocking milk bottles, suddenly surged with power and let out a weird yelp. Dropped one—shattered, white milk splattering everywhere like cum. Some hit her face, bukkake-style.
Whoops, my bad...
'The One Who Observes Fate' says he's sorry.
"N-no! It's fine. J-just caught me off guard, first time and all."
She waved it off, grabbed a mop from the back, and cleaned up. Lucky no customers.
Got an idea.
I approached. Her lightly made-up face, dotted with milk drops. Stuck out my tongue and lick—swiped the milk off her cheek.
Lick.
10 SP consumed.
"Hyat?!"
Another weird squeak. She clutched her cheek on instinct.
"Wh-what was that?"
'The One Who Observes Fate' is puzzled.
"J-just a weird feeling suddenly..."
Too quick to register—chalked it up to imagination. She tilted her head, finished mopping.
"Phew, finally cleaned up."
Back at the counter quick. Deducted the milk from her card and said,
"Couldn't say earlier with the chaos, but thank you always, Constellation."
'The One Who Observes Fate' shrugs.
"Just now, power flooded my body outta nowhere—total shock! Like veins expanding, muscles twitching? Super weird vibe anyway. Still buzzing..."
Blah blah blah. Nonstop chatter. Cute, but goddamn she talked a ton. Nodded along, then bailed with a "busy" excuse.
Hungry.
Killed Diorama, hit the kitchen. Ramen sounded good.
Or chicken delivery?
Classes earlier, ramen was the plan—but now? Too lazy to boil. Ordered chicken. 10 PM—KFC prime time.
Back in bed, delivery app up. Burger set, few chicken pieces—15,000 won.
"Fuck."
Post-order, spotted banner: half-half bucket 13,000. Tears. Too late to cancel. Nothing ever went right. Thrashed in bed, then flopped.
Gacha time.
3,500 SP left. Long-overdue pulls.
One authority, one skill, rest on items. Five item pulls first—clear the trash for luck later.
◈ Non-prescription glasses.
◈ Tough thread. Can use as floss.
All garbage. Expected it—no disappointment.
Skill next. Pulled without pause.
Harden (E) - Skin toughens. Hurts less when hit.
Would've loved in school. Low expectations, but usable—win.
Alright, final boss: authority.
Hand hovered, shaky. Items/skills refillable, but authorities doubled cost each pull. No mass-gacha here—had to nail it.
Deep breath. Pulled.
"Let's go!"
Observation