Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Heart-Pounding Random Box! (2)
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The day was fast approaching.
The martial arts tournament, held every quarter.
Achieving good results in the tournament would cause one's ranking to skyrocket.
It was truly a chance for a complete turnaround.
Perhaps for that reason, some students would breeze through the ranking matches.
They would conserve as much strength as possible to focus entirely on the tournament.
A-ranks would compete against A-ranks, and B-ranks against B-ranks in a tournament format.
S-ranks, being extremely few in number, held their own round-robin league.
I set my sights on victory.
I needed to complete the quest and, at the same time, make my presence known.
Originally, I had planned to live quietly.
But now that I was already in the spotlight, I had no choice but to change my strategy.
I would face anything and everything with confidence.
As befits the heir of the Crodain family, I would walk the righteous path.
Of course, it would be incredibly difficult.
But if I could pull it off, many things would change.
To move forward on a straight path, I needed to become stronger than I was now.
“…”
I did a quick calculation in my head, and it wasn't going to be easy.
Even the B-rank tournament would be teeming with powerful fighters once I reached the main rounds.
Not all B-ranks were the same.
The top of B-rank was comparable to the bottom of A-rank.
Unfortunately, I was still far from that level.
There was a limit to training, so I needed a special method.
‘I have to worry about that, too…’
The schemes of the hero candidates targeting me.
They had many means at their disposal, but I suspected they would try something during the tournament in particular.
In other words, I had to be prepared to face the strongest of the B-ranks, those close to being rankers themselves.
There wasn't much time left.
From now on, I had to manage my body, so overexertion was out of the question.
There was only one option.
To use all the achievement points I had saved up.
If I could acquire three or four skills, I might just manage.
But…
The ones I wanted were ridiculously expensive.
[Current Points: 187,400]
[Mind's Eye]
[Required Points: 400,000]
[Mind-Sword Unity]
[Required Points: 500,000]
[Perfection]
[Required Points: 1,000,000]
Passive skills.
They could respond to any situation and were always active, making them extremely valuable.
Mind's Eye and Mind-Sword Unity were common skills that one would naturally acquire upon reaching a certain level of mastery.
The top A-ranks and the S-ranks almost all had them.
I would get them eventually, but it was advantageous to get them as soon as possible.
Perfection was Jace's exclusive skill.
An Ex-grade passive that granted this body perfection.
The other hero candidates also possessed exclusive skills of a similar caliber.
Their game-breaking potential was guaranteed, which was why they required an enormous number of points.
Just acquiring Perfection would likely put me on equal footing with an A-rank ranker.
As for attack and defense skills…
They started at a minimum of 100,000 points, which was relatively cheap.
If I saved up a bit more, I could get a couple of them, but what was the point?
Having a trump card would be nice.
But a 100,000-point skill would only be decent at best.
Even then, it would be figured out in advance during the tournament.
‘More than anything, it’s a waste of points…’
I was on the verge of acquiring the active skills anyway.
My body seemed to remember them, and I was slowly getting the hang of it.
If I considered efficiency, passives were the obvious choice, but I was quite short on points.
I needed to win the tournament to get the points.
I needed to acquire a passive skill to win.
The chicken or the egg.
My current situation was no different.
Just then.
As if to solve my dilemma, the system window presented a new option.
[☆Heart-Pounding Random Box☆]
[Beginner's Special Offer. 1,000 Points per try.]
[This is your only chance. 100/100 remaining. Time left: 3:00:00]
“…”
It reeked of gambling.
I could see the malicious intent to suck my points dry.
Limited, special offer, your only chance…
Every single phrase was designed to cunningly stimulate a person's psyche.
There was even a time limit.
It was practically threatening me, saying I’d regret it if I missed out.
Ah, this means I have to fall for it, even knowing what it is, doesn't it?
I’m the type who works hard and steadily, so gambling isn’t really my thing!
Should I do it, or not?
As I clutched my head in agony, my little cutie spoke with concern.
“Why are you groaning? Are you sick?”
I suddenly became curious about her thoughts.
If she had to choose between luck and effort, which would it be?
I thought it was a difficult topic that would require some time.
But contrary to my expectation, the girl answered instantly, without even thinking.
“Every moment in life is a gamble.”
“…”
Well, well, look at the master gambler we have here.
I don't know where she heard that, but her words sent ripples through my heart.
Right, let’s just go all in.
What is there to be afraid of? Why hesitate?
A whopping one hundred chances.
Each try cost 1,000 points, so even if I used them all, it would only be 100,000 points.
‘Worst case, I’ll just think of it as throwing away one cheap skill…’
Statistically, there was no way I could lose.
I didn't have a single skill.
Even if something crappy came out, it would be fine.
“Aruru.”
“Yeah?”
“Close your eyes for a moment.”
“—??”
This isn't for a child's eyes!
Not that she could see it anyway, but the sight of me opening boxes might seem strange.
Thump, thump.
With a heart full of anticipation, I started opening the random boxes.
[Dud × 10]
“—??”
What? Is this a bug?
I opened ten, and all of them were duds?
10,000 points vanished in an instant…
That’s an amount you get only after shaking the point-dispensing machine!
I forced myself to calm down.
It was only ten tries. I still had ninety left.
This time, I opened the boxes simultaneously at the speed of light.
[Dud × 40]
“…”
Why are you doing this to me?
You were one of the good ones…
You were so eager to give things away!
A heart-wrenching sense of betrayal.
I’d been had by a completely unexpected foe.
I thought we were friends, but it had brazenly betrayed my trust.
You’re kidding, right? Right?
I was starting to break down, to the point of denying reality.
[Dud × 10]
[Dud × 10]
[Dud × 10]
Wow, look at this.
At this point, it wouldn't be strange to lose my mind.
Hey! Disclose the rates, now!
I’m going to report you to the Fair Trade Commission!
I had already opened 80 boxes.
Normally, I should have gotten at least a couple of crappy skills by now.
Hoo, well, I’ll keep going for now.
There might be a pity system, so I had to see this through to the end.
[Passive Skill Acquired]
Huh? Something finally came out!
If it’s a passive, it’s a definite gain.
[Contempt for the Weak]
[More effectively combat targets weaker than yourself.]
[Lv 1/10 All stats +12% & Damage taken -12%]
Something incredibly subtle popped out.
A passive that only activated against the weak.
It wasn't bad.
The tournament involved many matches.
I had to win six consecutive times to advance to the main rounds, so managing my condition was crucial.
Well, it was probably worth more than 100,000 points.
It seemed useful even outside the tournament.
Although the concept of looking down on the weak was the complete opposite of this body's persona…
I don't care!
The memory of a million-strong army swarming me right after I returned to the academy had left me with trauma.
Contempt for the Weak would show its true value in such situations.
Still, it was a bit disappointing. What I urgently needed right now was a way to defeat the strong…
“…”
The last ten chances.
Please let there be a pity system. Please let a high-grade passive appear…
As I prayed earnestly in my heart and opened the boxes, an unprecedented event occurred.
[Passive Skill Acquired]
[Passive Skill Acquired]
Aah, that golden light… could it be?
Just from the brilliant effect, I had a good feeling.
It’s the golden rule to save the best for last.
Following that truth, I checked the ordinary skill first.
[Spirit Affinity (Low)]
Hmm, spirits…
It seemed obvious I'd be able to handle low-grade spirits.
The advantage of spirit arts was that it didn't require separate training.
Of course, repetition and practice were essential, but it was nothing compared to swordsmanship or magic.
However, low-grade spirits were pathetically weak.
It might be different if Aruru handled them directly, but generally, their power was negligible.
That's why it had to be combined with swordsmanship.
If I used a wind spirit to increase my speed and enhance the power of my sword…
It might not be a trump card, but it could momentarily startle an opponent.
Ilensia, with her A+ in Swordsmanship and A+ in Spirit Arts, was a good example.
I should try it on my own first, and if I get stuck, I’ll ask her.
Next up was the golden skill.
I cautiously checked it.
[Mind's Eye]
[The mind's eye that sees through all creation.]
[Lv 1/10 Illusion Resistance +16%, Chance to see through opponent's movements +16%, & Sixth Sense activated.]
Whoa, jackpot…
This thing came out here?
I only invested 100,000 points and got a skill worth 400,000!
A simple calculation shows a 4x profit…
No, if I add Contempt for the Weak and Spirit Affinity, it’s over 6x.
Since I obtained skills I couldn't have gotten right away, it was actually more than 10x the value.
Yes, I believed in you!
I gazed warmly at the system window.
I felt so elated that if it had a physical form, I would have hugged it.
“Can I open my eyes now?”
I'd forgotten.
My little cutie had been listening to me this whole time.
“I’ll buy you something delicious today.”
“Huh? All of a sudden? Anyway, I’d love that!”
She cheered cutely with a little ‘hooray.’
As if already looking forward to mealtime, she wagged her tail back and forth.
She looked the same as always.
But… I saw something strange.
The spirits gathered around her.
I had faintly sensed their presence before, but this was distinctly different.
“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”
Perhaps because I’d been spacing out for a while.
Aruru tilted her head and asked.
“Could it be…”
“Yeah. I can see the spirits.”
“—!!”
Her pupils quaked.
She looked as shocked as if I had told her I was pregnant.
“Really?”
A squirrel-shaped spirit was on the girl's shoulder.
A bird-shaped spirit was perched on her head.
The place was teeming with forest friends from all directions.
A horse, a deer, a tiger…
I wasn't sure about the penguin. Hey, are you an ice-type?
“Aah, I’m so happy I can’t calm down!”
She jumped up and down on the spot.
I thought she might like it, but her reaction far exceeded my expectations.
The fact that we now had a common topic of interest.
The girl, thoroughly excited, clung to my body and pleaded.
“Let’s make a contract right away. Okay?”
That was my plan anyway.
But I had only gained a minimal level of affinity, so I wasn't sure if it would work properly.
“I’ll have to go find some nature spirits, right?”
“No, you don’t have to. I’ll lend you mine.”
“—??”
“Which spirit do you want?”
Just trust your big sis!
She brought her face up close with that kind of vibe.
As an S-rank spirit user, I should have felt reassured, but all I could think was how cute she was.
I didn't get greedy.
For now, I could probably only handle one low-grade spirit.
“A wind spirit would be good.”
As soon as Aruru received the order.
She rummaged through her clothes and quickly pulled something out.
“Here, this is a child I cherish. From now on, follow Jace.”
A sleek-looking weasel.
Its long body was its charming point.
The creature looked at me and gave a sharp salute.
“…”
What’s this? It’s so well-disciplined.
Then again, the world of spirits was a strict hierarchical society.
Low, mid, high, spirit kings—the detailed classifications said it all.
Moreover, the one giving the command was Aruru.
A girl revered by high-grade spirits as if she were a princess.
From a low-grade spirit's perspective, she was no different from a god.
[Spirit Affinity (Low)]
[Lv 1/10 Possessed Entities 1/1]
[Wind Spirit (Low) Exp 9300/9999]
[Possession limit increases with each level up.]
[Scheduled to upgrade to Spirit Affinity (Mid) in the future.]
I examined the details carefully.
It was a system where the more I leveled up the skill, the more spirits I could possess.
It would take some time, but it seemed I could eventually handle higher-grade spirits.
Also, my subordinate number one was almost at max level.
Meaning it was the best among the low-grade spirits.
It looked like it would soon be promoted to a mid-grade spirit.
So she was telling the truth when she said she cherished it.
It must have been precious to her, yet she readily gave it to me.
“Thank you. You’re really the best.”
The girl beamed at the single word of praise.
Like her, free of all worries, my heart also felt considerably lighter.
Contempt for the Weak, spirits, and Mind's Eye…
All the conditions to win the tournament were now in place.