Chapter 34: Boss Monster.
Chapter 34: Boss Monster.
Over three million Gold Points?
For a moment, I couldn't grasp what she was saying, but then I remembered something Seraph had said before I returned to the past.
〈Please do not misunderstand. User Kim Soohyun currently possesses a considerable number of points. Allowing them simply to disappear would be entirely irrational.〉
Did that mean I had points left over even after receiving my privileges? I wondered if I'd really had that many, but it wasn't entirely unbelievable. Even though I'd completed countless achievements in the later stages, I never paid any attention to my Gold Points. Still, I remembered receiving a massive amount of GP when I finally obtained the Zero Code. In any case, this was an unexpected stroke of luck.
“Great. Then pull up the User-Exclusive Shop list. You can do that from here, right?”
“Yes. Understood. However, there are still rewards left to distribute.”
“Again?”
Seraph nodded in response to my question.
“The Boss Monster, that is. I will distribute the rewards now. You can check the messages for the details.”
After she finished speaking, Seraph snapped her fingers lightly. Instantly, a flood of messages appeared before me.
『Great Achievement! You have eliminated the Boss Monster, predator of the Rite of Passage and killer of countless promising prospective Users. Your achievement count increases by one.』
『You have been awarded 2 Free Stat Points.』
『You have been awarded 50,000 User-Exclusive Gold Points. User-Exclusive Gold Points can be used in the Summoning Room or at the User-Exclusive Shop within a major city.』
Whoa.
The achievement and the 50,000 points were one thing, but receiving Free Stat Points was a literal jackpot. As far as early mission rewards go, the only way to get stat points right away was the four points you get for graduating from the User Academy after three months.
The other methods I knew of were few and all took time. This was a huge windfall. Especially considering that out of the 21 achievements I'd earned in the past, only a single one had given me stat points. I looked at Seraph with an excited expression.
Seraph, her expression still composed, displayed the User-Exclusive Shop list in front of me.
『User-Exclusive Shop』 * Can only be purchased with User-Exclusive Gold Points.
『User Kim Soohyun's Gold Points: 3,834,720 GP』
I was about to start picking items, but what I was looking for wasn't there. Then, with a sudden realization, I looked at Seraph and spoke.
“I’ll pay the shop 77,777 Gold Points without buying anything. That’s the exact amount, so hurry up and reveal every hidden item.”
A long time ago, a User who happened to spend exactly 77,777 GP discovered a hidden secret. Known as the 77,777 GP Hidden Piece, it could reveal the shop's hidden item list for a single time. The funny thing was, that User had no GP left to buy anything. And apparently, Users who had already spent more than that amount were in the same boat.
“…How did you know about that?”
“The Boss Monster told me while it was begging for its life.”
“Please do not lie. Executing the command is not a problem. However, this time, I implore you to refrain from any strange behavior like what you did with Eternal Flame.”
I chuckled and nodded. But Seraph gave me a brief, sharp glare, as if she didn't trust me, before continuing.
“…77,777 GP has been received. For this one occasion, the entire hidden list will be revealed. User Kim Soohyun’s remaining balance is 3,756,943 GP.”
Seraph’s face tightened slightly as she spoke, but she soon waved one hand. The active list before my eyes refreshed. Without bothering to look elsewhere, I immediately selected Elixirs. There might be an elixir capable of raising my Stamina.
Watching the page scroll down with a soft whir, I calmly began to browse through the items one by one.
Oh, they had this too? It wouldn't be a bad idea to have an Elixir on hand... But it costs 300,000 points. Hmm. One that can raise the rank of a Special or Latent Ability by one level... This one's good too. 500,000 points. Affordable.
I was casually purchasing items whose enormous GP prices would have made other Users gasp. Unless I was saving for something specific, it was better to spend GP immediately rather than hoard it. Opportunities like this were rare, so I intended to use as much as possible. I had absolutely no intention of buying a Wish, however. Using one went against my principles, and more importantly, it was useless except when saving a User.
“Ha. An elixir that gives 6 stat points. Price is 900,000 points. Seraph, I want to buy three of these.”
“That is not possible. Hidden items disappear from the list the moment they are purchased. In other words, you may only purchase one of each item. It is impossible to purchase more than one of anything, with the exception of the Potions section.”
That meant once I bought the stat-boosting elixir, no other buyer would ever be able to obtain it. It was disappointing that I could not buy three, but since only I would be able to consume it at all, I decided to settle for one. After calmly examining all eleven categories, I finalized the following purchase list.
『Total purchase cost is 3,610,000 GP. Refunds are not possible after purchase. Do you wish to proceed?』
“Yeah.”
『Purchase complete. User Kim Soohyun's remaining GP is 146,943. The items have been sent to your User-Exclusive Warehouse. The User-Exclusive Warehouse can be accessed from any small city.』
Phew. After finishing my enjoyable shopping spree, I looked up to see Seraph covering her beautiful face with both hands. I'd never seen her look so devastated before, so I spoke with a bewildered expression.
“Seraph. Are you sick? Why are you crying?”
“…User Kim Soohyun.”
“What.”
“To spend so much at once… I can overlook the other purchases… but of all things… the Formless Sword… Haaah…”
I stared at the sighing Seraph with a strange look. The reason I'd spent so much at once was obviously because an opportunity like this wouldn't come again. I could always earn more GP. I had used my own GP, which I had earned and inherited fair and square (?), to buy what I wanted. I couldn't understand why she was making such a face.
As if sensing my gaze, Seraph quickly composed herself and looked at me calmly.
“The Formless Sword… looks plain. There are countless other weapons with brilliant appearances, useful functions, and excellent performance. I would like to know why you specifically chose the Formless Sword.”
“Obsessing over a sword's appearance is something only idiots do, so I won't bother explaining that part. It's a shame it doesn't have other special functions, but the fact that the sword is invisible gives me a huge advantage at the start of a fight. Most importantly, with this sword, I can achieve 100% magic attack and defense against all attributes. When you think about its connection to Eternal Flame, there's no better sword. It's durable, and it even repairs itself. What, are you worried now?”
Seraph responded to my taunt with a lonely smile.
“To be honest, I am beginning to worry. User Kim Soohyun, you are strong. If you equip everything you purchased with GP, you would rank in the upper echelon even among the top-tier Users who entered before you—perhaps even beside those standing at the pinnacle… Nevertheless, you must not lower your guard. You may already know this, but Users in the Hall Plain are strongly inclined to preserve and defend their established interests. More than a few groups are willing to resort to extreme methods. You cannot accomplish anything alone.”
The words ‘You cannot do anything alone’ stabbed me in the chest. I found myself biting my lip without realizing it.
“I know what you mean. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Don't worry.”
“I am relieved that you understand.”
I looked at Seraph's face for a moment with an indifferent expression before continuing.
“By the way, how much time is left?”
“A little over two hours have passed since you completed the Rite of Passage. If you wish, I can provide you with a general explanation of the Hall Plain.”
“…I don’t need it.”
I decided to meditate. Meditation was intended for self-cultivation, but once I began observing my inner self, I tended to lose all sense of time. I had just crossed my legs and was about to sink inward when Seraph’s beautiful voice struck my ears as I started to close my eyes.
“User Kim Soohyun.”
“What.”
“There is one thing I would like to ask.”
“Spit it out.”
Seraph quietly watched me continue snapping at her, then slowly opened her mouth.
“User Kim Soohyun, do you hate me?”
What is she talking about now? I opened my eyes and stared at Seraph in discomfort. I could not imagine why she had suddenly started spouting such nonsense. Apparently noticing my reaction, Seraph immediately continued.
“I am a helper meant to guide and support only User Kim Soohyun.”
“From my perspective, you're just an angel who meddles and interferes annoyingly.”
“During the Rite of Passage, you presented yourself to your companions as a reliable, composed grown man. Is that the real User Kim Soohyun? Or is the person who speaks with me your true self?”
I stared at her blankly for a moment. If I had to say, my current self was a little closer to the real me. After all, I needed to maintain a certain persona during the Rite of Passage. I could roughly guess what she was curious about.
“…Humans are animals with a thousand faces.”
Perhaps she thought I was about to snap at her again, because when I spoke in a slightly softer voice, Seraph's eyes widened.
“Please explain in a little more detail.”
“It means I change depending on the person. I'm good to people who like me. Is there any need to be good to people I dislike?”
At my words, Seraph tilted her head for a moment before replying.
“That seems like a very clear-cut way of thinking. In that case, I do not dislike User Kim Soohyun. But you have never once looked at me with a favorable gaze.”
“Don't draw the line so simply. Sometimes, humans hope that someone who dislikes them will come to like them. Which means the opposite can also be true, right?”
The convenient thing about talking with Seraph was that the conversation flowed instantly. She didn't need to pause to understand; she accepted my words as they were and performed her own rational analysis. Seraph soon nodded and continued.
“I understand. It seems I have received a valuable lesson today.”
“What do you angels expect from someone you kidnapped on a whim and used as an experimental subject? Honestly. In any case, don’t speak to me again.”
At my words, Seraph looked as if she had more to say, but in the end, she closed her mouth. I immediately cleared my mind and began to meditate.