Magic Stone Gacha
Magic Stone Gacha
There's this thing called "VS" games.
Pouring sauce vs. Dipping sauce.
Rogue Ninja vs. Toad Sage.
Pizza for life vs. Ramen for life.
Ronaldo vs. Messi.
These are topics that always set communities on fire because they never reach a conclusion.
Oh, for the record, I'm a "dipper," a Rogue Ninja fan, and Team Pizza.
Pouring sauce is not something a human would do,
In that eye-battle manga, the guy with the stronger eyes is the winner,
And pizza can be customized with toppings.
As for the Ronaldo vs. Messi question, I'll offer no comment.
I don't really know soccer anyway.
Anyway.
There's a time-honored, traditional debate in these VS games.
It's Dagger vs. Club.
I used to be neutral.
That was before I met the Orc Chieftain in person.
"This club is a freaking broken weapon."
Once a physical monster picks up a club, there's no reason to use a dagger.
What's the advantage of a dagger?
It has short reach but can deal massive critical damage, right?
When an Orc holds a club, their basic attack is basically an instant-kill nuke.
For that green monster, whether to use a dagger or a club wasn't even a topic for discussion.
-Chwi-ik, you're gonna die in one hit anyway, chwi-ik. Choosing a dagger? You're stupid!
You ask if the big wind-up is a problem?
Sorry, but in front of overwhelming physical stats, armchair theories about mysterious techniques or attack trajectories mean nothing.
'Even if you see it, you can't dodge it.'
That's the truth I realized after 2 tries.
"Tsk."
What do I do?
My conclusion is that with this body, even if it's optimized for gaming, there's no way to dodge that first attack.
Block?
You think that'll work?
Plus, the time limit is only 10 minutes.
I can't even dodge the attack, yet I have to kill that monster within 10 minutes.
It's a tutorial, so I don't die if I fail, but if I can't beat it, a retry is guaranteed.
"As expected of Infinity Difficulty. It was made to be unbeatable."
It feels like a game made by a developer whose only goal is to screw over the players.
But who am I?
A fresh, green newbie of the IR Gallery.
Former pro-gamer Lee Han-gyeol.
If monkeys can write the complete works of Shakespeare given infinite time, what can't a human, the lord of all creation, do?
What matters is an unbreakable spirit.
With that in mind, I opened the IR Gallery and wrote a post.
[F***, this is impossible to dodge lol. Going for try #3]
[Author: Amor Fati]
(Thumbnail of a head being gruesomely exploded)
Let's just figure out the first pattern.
Alright.
"Let's go for try #3!"
I was about to enter the Tower.
Until I saw a comment that appeared immediately.
└Solo Hero*) Stop!
A magical word that, when shouted with firm resolve, makes a classroom freeze.
I couldn't help but stop due to the mana contained in that word.
└Solo Hero*) Newbie, at this rate, you'll be stuck in the same spot for a thousand years. You absolutely can't dodge this at your level. Stop trying for a bit.
└Martial God*) Is the difficulty for real? I don't think even a top-tier martial artist could do it.
└PoisonCoated*) Hey, hang in there.
└Heresy Purger*) Brother..... T_T
└Dungeon Thief*) (Sticker of a mint-haired character wiping tears with a handkerchief)
└Archmage*) Hmm...
└Vampire Princess*) It is time to receive the help of the Puppet AI.
I see.
So the difficulty wasn't just "hard"?
In the Head Admin's view, I wouldn't be able to dodge that attack even in a thousand years.
Having experienced it myself,
"It makes sense."
I calmed my heart for a moment and waited for Puppet Master's comment.
It seemed like the other IR Gallery members also accepted Puppet Master's claim as the established theory.
Ding!
└Puppet Master*) No need to even run the numbers. The structure itself makes clearing impossible.
"What!"
I was startled.
It's not that the difficulty is high?
So, they systematically blocked the clear itself?
Fortunately, my guess was pleasantly off the mark.
└Puppet Master*) However, that's assuming we don't intervene. So, stop the meaningless tries. You're just draining your mental stamina.
"I thought it was something else."
└Amor Fati*) OK OK, stopping for now.
It meant that without the IR Gallery's intervention, it was impossible to clear no matter how many times I tried.
High difficulty and a hard-coded block are different things.
But?
If our IR Gallery members help?
"It's not impossible."
└Puppet Master*) First, we need to take the long view to increase the odds. What do you think, Martial God and Archmage?
└Solo Hero*) Hey, why leave me out?
└Puppet Master*) Head Admin's mana cultivation method and swordsmanship are for geniuses only, so no.
└Martial God*) Ah, you're hurting my feelings again.
└Archmage*) Hahaha, you rotten brat.
└Puppet Master*) It's called "for geniuses," but honestly, that's just for Head Admin;;
└Puppet Master*) And we need to help the newbie. Is the newbie important, or is your pride important?
Wait, hold on.
"This hurts my feelings too!"
Isn't it obvious that the Head Admin's secret manual has the highest potential?
But to be judged as a commoner already...
└Amor Fati*) Why? Don't you know until you try?
└PoisonCoated*) Hahahahaha, what do you mean "don't know"? The answer is obvious just by watching the initiation video.
└Dungeon Thief*) Head Admin created his own mana cultivation method at age eight because he said the kingdom-certified one was trash.
└Heresy Purger*) It's okay, brother! If you work hard, you'll improve gradually!
└Solo Hero*) Hmm. Come to think of it, my mana cultivation method wouldn't be very meaningful. Still, don't worry too much. Martial God's talent was just average too.
└Solo Hero*) And in my opinion, your vision itself is already opened. This is a kind of vision not everyone can have.
└Archmage*) Average, my foot! It feels like just yesterday he was flooding the gallery with "Oh Heavens!" because he couldn't even get past a third-rate martial artist in the marketplace!
└Martial God) When was that, f**.
└Puppet Master*) Enough with the small talk.
└Puppet Master*) So. What do you two think?
Two comments from the regulars were posted simultaneously in response to Puppet Master's comment, which had cleared up the traffic.
└Martial God*) Is there anything else to look at? The newbie's world didn't have Qi, or mana, before the Tower appeared, right? Plus, as Head Admin said, his vision is innate. In this case, it's martial arts.
└Archmage*) It is a pity, but given the world setting, martial arts seems to be the right choice for "right now."
Seeing him put single quotes around "right now," it seemed the Archmage was also a bit disappointed.
Seeing the Archmage's reaction, it was clear that martial arts was the answer for clearing the tutorial.
"Martial arts!"
As expected, the historical and traditional strength-based character was the answer?
Yeah, just looking at the Orc gives the answer.
Strength against strength!
└Amor Fati*) Then what do I do from now on?
└Martial God*) lol First, let's try making a Dantian.
└Amor Fati*) Meditating and breathing, stuff like that?
└Martial God*) You know your stuff. I'll give you more details for now.
Afterward, Martial God taught me the Dantian breathing method he claimed to have developed.
Certainly.
It did seem like the details were slightly different from regular meditation?
└Amor Fati*) But isn't this just the same as regular meditation?
└Martial God*) Divine arts are originally made with just a slight difference lol.
└Solo Hero*) Martial God's breathing method is definitely really good for beginners. Learn it well.
"Is that so?"
True.
To transform from a simple heavenly-tier user into a pro-gamer, you need that slight difference in detail.
And it's normal for a Bronze user not to even recognize that detail.
I sat cross-legged and focused my mind on the spot about 3cm below my navel, just as Martial God said.
└Martial God*) Inhale deeply through your nose. Not just the concept of holding air, but with the feeling of accumulating the Qi flowing around you into your Dantian.
Since the Tower appeared, mana had started to scatter throughout the world.
"Sss-eep."
It really did feel like something subtly different from air was slowly accumulating below my navel.
Well, that's just how it felt.
After meditating for about an hour, I was getting restless.
Isn't it supposed to feel all ticklish below the navel or something?
Even after meditating for an hour, there was no change.
I was just a young man who had been breathing.
└Amor Fati*) Dude, is this right? I really don't feel anything?
└Martial God*) Of course;; You said mana just started spreading in your world, right?
└Amor Fati*) ? Then do I have to keep doing this?
└Martial God*) Yeah, for about 3 years?
"What?"
└Amor Fati*) No, dude.
└Martial God*) Why?
└Amor Fati*) You're telling me to just do this for 3 years?
└Martial God*) Pretty awesome, right? Creating a Dantian in 3 years in a world where mana is scarce is really not easy.
└Martial God*) It only takes 3 years because it's a breathing method I made myself.
"Hmm."
This is bad, right?
Just stay cooped up for 3 years and only breathe?
'Where is the awesome protagonist's exclusive encounter, easy-growth route?'
Of course, this is my personal opinion.
Come to think of it, this Dantian breathing method Martial God taught me was the real deal.
It means even an ordinary person can use martial arts.
Back in my day, if you weren't judged as an Awakened, you were an ordinary person for life.
So, before making a hasty judgment, let's hear more.
└Amor Fati*) Hmm, it's subtle. OK, what do I do after making the Dantian?
└Martial God*) What do you mean, what? Break the pottery.
└Archmage*) The foundation must be solid for the future to be comfortable.
└Solo Hero*) Just close your eyes and try making it ten times lol.
└Martial God*) If it were up to me, I'd want to roll you for a hundred years, but you can build a decent foundation just by making it about ten times.
"What?"
My head hurts.
I'd rather have my head exploded by the Orc.
I've looked only at the Tower my whole life.
I finally got player status.
And you want me to endure that again?
Repeat it ten more lifetimes?
3 years, ten times.
30 years?!
"That's older than I am!"
There's a saying.
"You've endured this much, can't you endure it twice?"
I completely disagree with that opinion.
It's because I've endured this much that I can't endure it twice.
└Amor Fati*) I don't want this.
└PoisonCoated*) Hahahahahahaha
└Vampire Princess*) Agreed, agreed again. This is why humans are...!
└Dungeon Thief*) Don't you have a status window? Try shouting it.
"Status Window!"
Of course, a status window didn't miraculously appear.
If a status window appeared here too, that would be three windows I'm looking at.
Unfortunately, I'm giving up on the strength build.
What kind of pro-gamer is a strength build?
An intelligence build suits me better.
└Amor Fati*) Magic. I'm going with magic. Magic is open to everyone.
└Martial God*) ;;
└Archmage*) Hahaha. In terms of foundation work, a mage's core is better than a martial artist's Dantian. Unfortunately, it's impossible.
"No, why!"
└Amor Fati*) Why!!!!
└Archmage*) Why do you think I recommended martial arts? Because anyone can create an Aura Hole used by knights or a Dantian used by martial artists if they just know the method.
└Archmage*) In fact, you can make it bigger and stronger depending on your own skill.
└Amor Fati*) How is a mage's core different?
└Archmage*) Because a core is something you're born with through a mage's bloodline, or you have to break through with a spirit herb.
└Archmage*) Furthermore, neither has anything to do with skill. A good bloodline and a good spirit herb are what make a solid foundation for a core.
"A mage's bloodline?"
Excluded for now.
I don't know who my parents are, but I'm sure they're Muggles.
└Amor Fati*) Doesn't that just mean I can eat a spirit herb?
└Archmage*) You don't know what you're talking about. Didn't you say there wasn't even a concept of mana in your world until the Tower appeared?
└Amor Fati*) Yeah, that's right.
└Archmage*) There's no way there would be spirit herbs in such a world. They can only be made if you have spirit herbs that have grown for at least 50 years in a place where the flow of mana is concentrated.
└Martial God*) Newbie. Just for reference, the standard for spirit herbs that old man is talking about is different from ours lol.
└Martial God*) In the end, breaking through with a Dantian is the fastest way right now compared to breaking through with a spirit herb. Anyway, the mana cultivation method isn't much different from making a Dantian.
└Archmage*) It's a pity, but that guy is right. Ordinary spirit herbs are useless for an ordinary person to become a mage. It would be better for you to spend the time creating a Dantian.
"Sigh."
In the end, time is the answer.
This is driving me crazy.
Should I just make a Dantian in the morning and enter the Tower in the evening?
No, that's meaningless.
According to Martial God, it takes at least 3 years to build the foundation of a Dantian.
The moment I enter the Tower, regression is guaranteed.
It's Infinity Difficulty, so if I fail, it's an instant death verdict.
A frustrating situation where I can't do anything.
Then suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind.
└Amor Fati*) Wait, wait. I have a question.
└Archmage*) What is it?
└Amor Fati*) You said you need spirit herbs that grow where mana flow is concentrated to make spirit herbs.
└Archmage*) That's right.
└Amor Fati*) By any chance, can't I just use a Magic Stone where mana is purely condensed?
└Archmage*) The fact that you can contain mana in solid form in a Magic Stone itself seems like a miracle product. But that would be difficult too.
└Amor Fati*) Why, why?
└Archmage*) Because the purity is low. Purity is what matters.
"This is it!!!"
└Amor Fati*) Can I make a core if it's a 99% purity Magic Stone?
└Archmage*) If such a Magic Stone even existed, I would have told you to make a core right away.
"Yippee!"
It works!
This works!
As expected, intelligence build over strength build!
Long live magic, hooray, hooray!
└Amor Fati*) Newbie will get that. Wait.
└Archmage*) It's impossible. It's a ticket where the result is already determined.
└Martial God*) Oh, hey! Do you think we haven't tried that? If it were gambling where humans intervene, maybe, but that kind of probability is fixed once observed! Let's just make a Dantian, okay?
└Dungeon Thief*) I tried to get the status window reward again too, but it's meaningless.
└PoisonCoated*) You think it'll work? lol
└Heresy Purger*) I'll pray for you, brother!
└Puppet Master*) 0%
└Vampire Princess*) (Sticker of a vampire character laughing annoyingly)
└Solo Hero*) No. Just try it. You never know.
└Vampire Princess*) You are the most malicious one...
└Solo Hero*) I'm serious.
Head Admin is right.
You don't know until you try.
Why do super plays happen?
Super plays only happen when you have the courage to go in alone while everyone else is pinging retreat.
Besides, according to Archmage, if I have such a Magic Stone, I should make a core right away.
The chance for an exclusive encounter is still alive.
"I'll have to show them what a reroll mad movie is."
The minimum condition for takeoff is a 99% purity S-Rank Magic Stone.
Now, I'm going to reroll.
"Enter!"
.
.
.
.
Skip, skip, skip!
I don't need anything else, just give me the ticket!
After the Tower's message said something about praise, a brilliant light gathered on my palm.
Then the light disappeared pyo-pyo-pyong, and a ruby-colored ticket was created.
I closed my eyes and put my hands together as if praying.
"Please, please!"
Even though an F-Rank Magic Stone appeared on the 2nd try.
Gacha is supposed to have duds as the baseline, right?
The only thing I need right now is one thing.
"Just change the result!"
Possibility.
I just need to confirm it's not 0%.
Desperately.
And earnestly, I tore the perforated line of the ticket.
Do-do-do-dok-
Bbam-ppa-ra-bam!!
Piu-ung-
I slowly opened my eyes.
Something, it feels like my hand got a little heavier?
"Did it pop?"
A message window from the Tower was floating in front of my eyes.
[E-Rank Magic Stone Won!]
"Kuuu!"
I held the Magic Stone in my hand and shivered.
See.
It works.
'If I hadn't rerolled and was just making a Dantian in my studio apartment, I would've been screwed.'
As expected, you have to just go for it to make anything happen.
I pressed the stop recording button and posted on the gallery.
I wonder what kind of reaction I'll get?