Chapter 39: Prove Your Resolve (1)
Chapter 39: Prove Your Resolve (1)
Fortunately, my hunch was off the mark this time.
It was a very pleasant train journey.
We didn’t see a single terrorist and arrived safely at our destination.
It was a very long day.
As soon as we returned to Miss Rubia’s mansion, I lay down on the plush, luxurious bed and fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke up refreshed, a smile naturally formed on my lips.
‘Truly, there was no better decision than this.’
It seemed almost inevitable.
This trip to the black market was nothing short of a monumental success.Originally, it was just a place to shop for a few artifacts.
But it turned into so much more, like giving the empire a massive snub or forging a good relationship with the Black Fangs.
Even setting aside these additional benefits, there were direct gains right before my eyes.
Though it was split in two, the holy sword still shone brilliantly.
And then there were the heaps of artifacts.
There were also gold coins provided by Asher and materials joyfully supplied by the merchants of the black market.
But none of that caught my eye as much as the dazzling array of items before me.
I looked at the mountain of artifacts and, satisfied, quickly began the selection process.
Of course, as expected, it was impossible to view item descriptions through the status window.
The path of fate is being reset.
...The twist in your fate is severe. Unable to navigate the path of fate. Searching for a solution.
The status window, which used to be merely annoying, now seemed to have given up on its job altogether.
‘What the hell is it even doing?’
It would be better off not existing at this point.
It’s not like I exploited some cheat or bug. I just diligently carried out the quests given to me, and yet it malfunctioned on its own.
It’s beyond ridiculous.
‘Well, fortunately, I’m managing fine without it.’
I’m doing well on my own, without the convenience of such status windows.
Gathering allies and acquiring the holy sword, I’m indeed following the textbook route.
Besides, these artifacts are all from a previous work. It doesn’t matter whether the item descriptions are visible or not.
I’ve memorized all their effects.
‘Honestly, it would be strange if I didn’t know them, having invested so much time.’
Thousands of hours spent on the previous game.
Naturally, I could recite the game item descriptions perfectly without missing a beat.
Twenty-five artifacts in total.
Of these, three were equipped on the groaning Siel, making it precisely twenty-two artifacts categorized.
The sorting was done in a flash.
The artifacts, which had been piled up like a mountain, were now neatly organized by purpose.
Thirteen for offense.
Seven for defense.
One for support, and one that was hard to classify.
Each artifact was quite useful.
An armor that increases defense by 10%, or a staff that can shoot fireballs three times a day without consuming magic power.
However…
‘Still, I’m oddly not drawn to the offensive and defensive stuff.’
It was a thought that naturally occurred to me.
Of course, artifacts are artifacts.
Each one possesses truly exceptional capabilities.
But... from my perspective, they felt somewhat like a mixed blessing.
The reason is quite simple.
‘My guys are way more overpowered than I expected.’
In fact, when I think about it, I might already be one of the top overpowered characters in this world.
Though I’m still somewhat lacking in brute strength.
Essentially, I’m something akin to a summoner now.
A situation where a genius wizard and a god-like warrior would do anything I ask.
At this point, it would be no exaggeration to say I’ve formed contracts with two spirit kings. Actually, my situation might even be better than that.
They are bound by contracts and must offer something in exchange for their power.
On my side, it’s a relationship cemented by friendship.
Asking a friend for help doesn’t involve expecting anything in return.
‘Really, I’m so lucky to have such allies.’
Just thinking about how I managed to gather such companions makes me feel grateful.
Anyway.
Because of this, the offensive and defensive artifacts didn’t seem like attractive options for me.
Lien’s punches are stronger than fireballs.
That’s no exaggeration, it’s the truth.
When we infiltrated Miss Rubia’s mansion, I saw her counter a fireball the size of a car with her fist.
Similarly, Siel’s shadow is more effective than most armors.
It’s much better to simply swallow the attacks with a shadow than to increase defense to block them.
‘What should I do with these troublesome artifacts?’
They’re too precious to sell.
But wearing them all seems cumbersome and the performance might not be that impressive.
As I was pondering this... I suddenly realized something.
‘Could there be another way to utilize them?’
The essence of the holy sword is mystery.
Likewise, the essence within the artifacts is also mystery.
So... could it possibly be feasible?
‘Repairing the holy sword.’
There was no such feature in the original game. Naturally, there wasn’t a route where the holy sword would break.
Now that the game has become the reality.
Beyond just having a high degree of freedom, this situation where anything could be tried might just be possible.
‘It’s definitely worth a shot.’
A smile naturally formed on my lips.
The holy sword, split into two and even cracked.
Would I have to endure the tremendous hassle of roaming around collecting pieces like gathering Dragon Balls?
In the midst of such thoughts, this alternative appeared.
‘Extracting the mystique to repair the holy sword might be a bit difficult.’
But there was a solution of sorts.
The many masters I encountered while playing the previous game.
I could just contact them.
They are the kind of people who would calmly accept such an absurd request and likely manage to fulfill it.
A smile naturally formed on my lips again.
Well, it feels a bit like counting chickens before they hatch, given that this might not even be possible.
But haven’t I been incredibly lucky lately?
It seems like nothing I do could possibly fail.
Maybe I could not only repair the cracked part but also make the now almost dagger-like holy sword look decent.
With that hopeful prospect in mind, I turned my eyes towards the remaining artifacts.
Having decided on the disposal of the offensive and defensive artifacts, two remained.
A special artifact and a support artifact.
I quickly recalled the item descriptions I had seen in the previous game.
‘Whispering Earrings, enhances intuition. Increases speed by 20% upon dodging.’
An item that was a dud in the original game.
Blood and Bone had no invincibility frames for dodging, so no one used the dodge function.
An increase in dodge speed was a function so useless it made the item the dregs of the dregs.
However, the reason I kept it was incredibly simple.
It enhances intuition.
Originally, this was just a flashy description added for the sake of appearance without any real meaning.
But now that the game has become reality, it’s a different story.
Isn’t it a known fact just by looking at the characteristics of a healthy body?
The text about enhancing intuition also had a high likelihood of being faithfully implemented.
Especially since I’ve been worried that my senses weren’t quite right lately.
This artifact came just in time.
Without hesitation, I put it on my ear.
‘Has something changed?’
I can’t really tell.
But then again, intuition is inherently a bit of an ambiguous area.
Wearing it makes me wonder if it will prove useful someday.
I turned my attention away from the earrings and focused on the remaining artifacts.
This was where things really began.
‘The Gospel of the Future.’
Its effect is to reveal the most favorable future possible for the user.
Honestly, I was shocked when I found it in Asher’s warehouse.
An artifact used by a villain in the previous game for his schemes.
Who would have thought it would end up in Asher’s possession through some twist of fate?
I really owed Asher nothing but thanks.
From the holy sword to the artifacts.
It was truly a generous support.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him an honorary ally.
‘There was nothing more crucial for me at this moment.’
I was clueless about how to prevent the impending doom.
I was at a point where I needed proper guidance.
And just then, Asher had gone out of his way to procure and provide me with exactly what I needed.
Given Asher’s goodwill, it was only right to make good use of it quickly.
I lightly nicked my index finger with the holy sword.
As a drop of blood fell onto the cover of the Gospel, it began to transform.
The Gospel emitted a strange light.
The pages flipped on their own, and text slowly etched itself onto the paper.
Soon, it formed a single sentence.
And then…
My expression quickly turned to one of perplexity.
It seemed almost inevitable.
The directive before my eyes was utterly incomprehensible.
[Sometimes, it is better not to know,
So blind your eyes until the day you are destined to understand everything.]
...So.
What in the world is this nonsense?
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