Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: The Exclusive Weapon System
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Chapter 12
Lemegeton has a system that's unique... or at least, that's what you'd say if tons of other games hadn't already adopted it.
It's the exclusive weapon system.
To explain it simply, it's not all that different from pulling familiars.
Familiars can equip various weapons depending on their type, and their stats get boosted based on the weapon's grade and traits.
But calling it just a "stat boost" doesn't do it justice by a long shot. The weapon system itself is one of Lemegeton's core mechanics.
True to its status as a core system, simply using weapons gives players a massive edge.
For starters, as mentioned, it boosts stats, but the equipped weapon also determines which skills you can use.
And this isn't limited to low-grade familiars.
The crowning glory of this weapon system is the exclusive weapon mechanic!
It's a system where 6-star demons unleash special effects when using their exclusive weapons.
A 6-star demon with its exclusive weapon is stronger and wields a wider array of powers than one using a regular weapon.
To put it extremely, a demon with its exclusive weapon might as well be an entirely different being.
Sure, it sounds like a flawless system, but of course, it has its downsides.
One major issue stems from the fact that exclusive weapons are also obtained via gacha.
This system is so insidious that players once complained about spending way more to pull a demon's exclusive weapon than on the demon itself.
Handing your desired demon its exclusive weapon is a path of pure torment.
That's why the value of these Hell Shards—which let you select an exclusive weapon guaranteed—is comparable to Demon Stones.
In some cases, if you urgently need an exclusive weapon, Hell Shards can even outvalue Demon Stones.
The ability to "guaranteed" "select" what you want... well, you can imagine how players feel about that.
Anyway, this weapon system is a diabolical gacha model designed purely to squeeze money from users...
But here's the funny part: unlike other games that adopted similar systems, the reception here was surprisingly positive.
The reason? One crucial feature unique to Lemegeton...
"Lord Faust."
Lucifer cut off my train of thought.
Ah, time already?
"...Phenex?"
"She's resting. Shall I summon her...?"
"No, never mind."
Phenex is recovering from a major battle. No real need to call her.
"Alright, then... as planned..."
"...Right."
Swoosh...
"We're heading to the Hell Gate."
Now's the time to breathe new life into the dungeon.
* * *
I returned here with only my trusted aide, Lucifer, in tow.
The dungeon's basement, where the Hell Gate resides.
The skull of Aje Rup, the first Demon King and the gate's ego, spoke up.
Clatter...
"You've come. I figured you would soon—the upper levels have been noisy."
Swoosh...
"Lucifer."
"Yes."
Clank...
Clank...
What Lucifer set down was a chest brimming with magic stones and another half-full one.
1,500 magic stones from Chamar's belongings, plus 3,000 from hunting Agneia, totaling 4,500.
A 15-pull.
A lot if you're flush, but endlessly scarce if you're not.
You might wonder why make a big deal of 15 pulls, but for a F2P player, they carry unavoidable weight.
No developer notices for freebies, no zero-cost fodder pickups.
Attendance events or pickups? Who knows if you'll even get them.
In other words, these 4,500 might be the last magic stones I'll see for a while.
'And... there are still unconfirmed factors.'
Well, that can wait until after the 15 pulls.
"Plenty of tribute... With this many magic stones, my gaze might even reach into Hell. Seeking anyone in particular?"
Right, that's the key.
After Lemegeton first launched, they ran a beginner pickup event for a while.
The devs knew newbies couldn't build a decent dungeon with standard pulls alone.
Forest, Fire, Lightning, Water.
Pickups targeting familiars and objects for those four field types.
It let beginners assemble a pretty solid single field.
Forest and Fire.
Lightning and Water.
The attribute I'd chosen was...
"Forest. Find me the ones that dwell in the forest."
"Forest... Forest! Timid, shadowy types!"
My heart rate picked up just a bit.
Creak...
The Hell Gate swirled with a green-bordered glow. The beginner pickup was active.
Clank...
A box of 10 magic stones was claimed by the gate.
My heart clenched as the stones' glow was sucked into Aje Rup's nostrils.
"Kuhahaha! I'll peer through for you—rare treasures and horrors from beyond the world! Behold!"
Whoooosh...
Rumble rumble rumble!
A 10-pull from this world? First time for me too.
'What an incredible thrill... Huh?'
Rumble rumble!
Something's off.
Why is that guy's...
Eyes...
"Graaaaaah!"
Light burst from Aje Rup's eye sockets.
Incredibly... unbelievably... it was blue.
'Blue... Blue means...'
[★★ Poison Dart Trap search successful.]
[★ White Spore Poison Mushroom Colony search successful.]
[★★★ Hobgoblin Warrior summoned.]
[★★ Goblin Poison Dart Shooter summoned.]
[★★★ Goblin Shaman summoned.]
[★★★ Orc Axe Warrior summoned.]
[★★★ Orc Shield Warrior summoned.]
[★★ Blood-Soaked Lumberjack's Great Axe search successful.]
[★★★ Deer Antler Ritual Staff search successful.]
[★★ Curse Talisman of Rekindled Light search successful.]
Vwoooom!
The Hell Gate spat out the items one by one amid the light, then shuddered once and went still.
"......"
"......"
A joke?
...Don't joke.
This feels familiar... Like when I pulled Phenex.
Haha... Why does that feel so long ago...
"...Lord Faust, are you alright?"
No.
Not at all!
Swoosh...
I shot a glance at Lucifer.
Is my face rotting right now? I hope not. All my acting so far would be for nothing.
But even the stone-faced crack under a gacha dud barrage.
"The familiars."
"Understood."
Lucifer herded the five familiars aside.
- Sniff sniff...
- Kee...
Whether sensing she's a top-tier demon or because they're bound by contract, they moved without resistance.
'...Damn it! A dud barrage right at the start!'
The 10-pull haul was disastrously meager.
Five familiars at 3-star or below.
One trap, one terrain.
Two weapons, one curse.
'At least the Curse of Rekindled Light came right away... Not the worst.'
This 2-star curse is a forest-attribute staple for early game. With my pool heavy on awkward 6-stars like Phenex, it's super useful against Act 1 bosses.
'Still... pretty balanced pulls, all things considered...'
Terrain, trap, weapons—all well-rounded.
'The problem... is the grades.'
Not time to judge yet.
Five pulls left.
"Next. Let's go."
"Heh heh... Yes! Let's find something decent this time."
Rumble...
The magic stones' energy slowly drew into Aje Rup's nostrils.
A calm summon, unlike the prior frenzy.
Gray.
[★ Goblin Grunt summoned.]
Blue.
[★★★ Prankster Tree Spirit summoned.]
Nice! Next...
...Blue.
[★★★ Carnivorous Tree search successful.]
Blue.
'Kill me?'
[★★★ Rain of Fusion search successful.]
'Please... just one...'
Crackle...
'Purple! Finally!'
[★★★★ Dark Elf Assassin summoned.]
* * *
"Lord Faust, shall I prepare tea?"
"...No need."
This is...
A disaster.
I knew luck could run dry.
I've done plenty of gacha, and sunk serious cash into Lemegeton.
'One 4-star, rest 3-star or below...'
It happens.
That's gacha for you.
Some days you're hot, some cold—like coin flips. Today was tails.
But why today? Why me?!
Sigh...
'At least...'
Swoosh...
The 4-star Dark Elf Assassin showed up.
A race skilled in espionage.
High racial bonuses mean they're packed with high-grade familiars.
Kneeling on one knee, awaiting orders.
The rest had moved off to their assignments.
I kept this one because communication is possible.
"Bill."
"......"
"That's your name."
"I am honored. Bill is my name."
This one will help unravel my lingering doubts for a while.
'Haa... What a mess.'
This 15-pull was like pocket money from parents for cram school.
A huge sum you absolutely can't waste. Losing it blacks out your vision.
And...
'I wasted it. Damn.'
Why? Because it failed the benchmark for a successful first gacha.
'...No boss-grade familiar.'
The dungeon's dire straits.
No mid-boss to anchor it, like Phenex.
Dungeons typically use 5-star-plus for bosses. 4- or 3-stars happen with special conditions or for newbies.
'Headache... And no more magic stones.'
If Phenex were a more versatile demon, it'd be easy.
No use dwelling.
'Past is past. Find a way.'
Silver lining: excluding the boss slot, the gacha went as planned.
Why pick forest in the beginner pool?
'Forest never fails.'
Solid mid-tier lineup from 2- to 4-stars, with great synergy between familiars.
Forest fields offer beginners more appealing options than other attributes.
I'll see the full payoff once the dungeon's built.
'Less to worry about, at least...'
Screeech!
Phenex burst through the core chamber door.
"My lord! Big discovery!"
She always shows up unannounced. At least she didn't kick it open this time.
"...Weren't you sleeping?"
"Yeah! Woke up earlier. Saw a bunch of new faces cleaning!"
Talking about the fresh familiars. They're scrubbing Agneia's charred nest.
I threw every resource at cleanup for one reason.
'What facility is hidden there?'
Exploring dungeon zones unlocks or builds facilities.
Agneia's spot.
Its facility is still a total mystery.
What could be sleeping there...
"Something came out."
"...What?"
"A huge wooden barrel! It popped up, my lord."
...Wooden barrel?
"Describe it in detail."
"So, it's shaped like this, and this big..."
I think I know.
Click...
"No way..."
"Lord Faust?"
"I'll check myself."
No way...
No way!
Agneia's death site by fire was spotless now.
Save for one massive wooden barrel, surely tangled in her webs and dormant for ages.
I know what to call that barrel.
Step...
Step...
"A mailbox...?"
Creak...
Opening it spilled two letters.
My hands... they're shaking.
Because Lemegeton dungeons have no "mailbox" facility.
Mailboxes were only in the player UI. Usually for...
Rip...
I tore one open and read.
[Notice: Lemegeton Launch Celebration Event!]
- Hello, newbie Demon Lords! Thanks to your interest, the 72 Demons of Lemegeton have launched successfully...
'Yes, this is...'
A notice.
No—fodder.
A shiver raced through my body!
Electric thrill seized me entirely.
[Claimed 3,000 magic stones.]
[Magic stones available in the core chamber.]
"Hah..."
My survival odds might be shifting by the second even now.