ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝟟: 𝔚𝔢𝔞𝔭𝔬𝔫 𝔖𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔠𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 ℭ𝔞𝔯𝔡

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Soon, a minute had passed since Noel used Calculated Liability, and it automatically deactivated as he chose not to expend any more Spirit Energy. Just as he was about to move on, something unexpected occurred—a surge of new information appeared in his mind, as if it had always been there but had just resurfaced.

It was a revelation about his Innate Talent: he could deactivate an Inflicted Liability whenever he wished within the minute duration of its activation, but to use it again, he would have to pay the Spirit Energy cost anew.

Noel’s breath caught by how the knowledge had seamlessly integrated into his consciousness, as if he were recalling a memory that had long been buried.

‘So this is how it works... bit by bit, the training methods just become part of me as I use the ability more,’ he thought, marveling at the process.

The sensation was almost mystical, bordering on magical. He couldn’t help but wonder how the F.U.T.U.R.E. Conglomerate had managed to create such a sophisticated game, one that blurred the lines between virtual and real so effectively that it felt almost indistinguishable from reality.

Understanding that frequent use of his ability could accelerate his progress in Mastery Level, Noel decided not to waste any time. He activated his ability again and instead of relying on the safer Calculated Liability, he decided to push further with Enhanced Liability.

A stronger Liability that would quadruple his attack damage while making a minor part of his body susceptible to four times the damage.

When the prompt appeared to choose a body part, Noel selected his left shoulder. Instantly, a red glow emerged, outlining his shoulder through the fabric of his shirt.

Unlike the faint, light red glow he had seen earlier with Calculated Liability, the glow was deeper, more intense, casting a foreboding sensation that made him uneasy, ‘It’s like a beacon, outright pointing out my weakness for anyone to see.’

Yet, beyond the unsettling glow, he felt no immediate changes—no sudden burst of strength or increase in speed. It was the same as with Calculated Liability.

The strange, shimmering layers began to form again around him, but it was more pronounced. The air around him started to distort with a stronger, wavy effect.

They clung tightly to his skin, creating an optical illusion that bent and refracted light, making the space around him ripple and shift more dramatically than before.

The intensity of the distortion made it clear that Enhanced Liability was a step above Calculated Liability, amplifying both his power and the dangers that came with it.

He repeated the process a dozen more times, each repetition bringing a flood of new information about his ability, searing it into his mind with vivid clarity.

Every time he activated a Liability, more nuances and intricacies became clear, shaping his understanding of how to wield his power effectively.

The most comforting revelation was that the ominous red glow from the Liability-inflicted parts was only visible to him and no one else. The discovery brought a wave of relief; knowing his vulnerabilities wouldn’t be easily exposed to potential enemies. He wouldn’t have to worry about giving away his weak spots at a glance.

As he continued to explore his abilities, he also learned another crucial detail: the pain he experience on the Liability-inflicted parts was directly proportional to the increased damage those areas would receive.

It meant that each time he activated a Liability, he had to brace himself for the corresponding pain, which would serve as a constant reminder of the heightened risk he was taking.

Apart from that, he also discovered a strategic advantage—he could assign specific body parts as default targets for each of his three Liabilities. Being able to pre-select targets would allow him to bypass the prompt in emergency situations, saving precious seconds when they mattered most.

For Calculated Liability, he chose to target his right leg’s pinky toe—small, relatively inconsequential, and easy to protect. For Enhanced Liability, he selected his right shoulder, balancing the risk with the reward of quadrupled attack power.

When it came to Critical Liability, the stakes were much higher. He ruled out the head, chest, abdomen, and back—areas too vital and too exposed to risk in a battle. Instead, he opted for his right thigh, a part of his body he could protect more effectively due to his natural stance, which favored keeping his right side safer.

By aligning all three Liabilities on the right side of his body, Noel created a consistent strategy that would allow him to defend his most vulnerable points while maximizing his offensive power.

As soon as he finalized his choices, a notification flashed before his eyes, signaling a breakthrough in his progress.

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮

﴾ Congratulations! Your understanding of Lv.1 Liability Training Methods has advanced your Innate Talent Mastery ﴿

﴾ Lv.2║Liability Mastery║﴿

* Use your ability more to have Lv.2 Liability training methods ingrain into your mind step-by-step. Comprehend them to deepen your mastery and enable more effective versatility in your abilities.

* Time Estimated for next Mastery Level: 24 mins of comprehension

╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯

Seeing the notification, Noel couldn’t help but feel a surge of accomplishment. Each step forward brought him closer not only to mastering his abilities but also to completing the First Instance.

The progress was tangible, and it gave him a sense of control in the unpredictable game. He was beginning to understand the rhythm of his Innate Talent, the intricacies of how it worked, and how it could be his greatest asset in surviving the challenges ahead.

As he looked at the time required to reach the 3rd Mastery Level, Noel found himself reflecting on the process so far.

He realized that he had used Liabilities precisely 14 times during his journey, carefully applying what he had learned. Out of those 14 uses, he had consciously focused on comprehending his Innate Talent during 12 of them, which directly correlated with the time considered for the next step in his Mastery.

However, as he noted that the comprehension time requirement had doubled for the next Mastery Level, a question lingered in his mind.

‘Would the time requirement keep absurdly doubling with each level or is there was some kind of reasonable pattern to it?’ The thought intrigued him, but he knew better than to get lost in speculation.

Noel didn’t dwell on it for long. He understood that overthinking could be a distraction, and in an environment where he could be attacked by a monster at any time, he couldn’t afford any lapses in focus.

He deactivated his ability, watching as the shimmering waves of distortion around him faded, the air settling back into stillness. The intensity of the Enhanced Liability ebbed away, but Noel’s mind was already shifting to something else—the contents of his Inventory.

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In a place as unforgiving as he was in, every advantage mattered. His Innate Talent was powerful, but he needed more than just ability to survive; he needed a weapon that could give him an edge in the battles to come.

Noel accessed his Inventory, scanning the items before his gaze settled on the purple embroidered card. Its intricate design seemed to glow with promise. He retrieved it, feeling the firm texture under his fingers before activating the one-time use card.

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮

﴾║Weapon Selection Card║⧼Common Grade⧽ ﴿

* A reward for new drifters upon vanquishing their first monster.

* Select a weapon from one of the 7 categories listed below within the next three minutes.

* Warning: Failure to choose will automatically result in receiving the weapon with the highest compatibility with your Innate Talent.

﴾ WEAPONS ﴿

Ranged

Recurve Bow | Longbow | Crossbow

Composite Bow | Compound Bow | Short Bow

Arbalest | Flatbow | Reflex Bow | Sling

Piercing

Lance | Halberd | Trident | Short Spear | Long Spear

Javelin | Pike | Glaive | Polearm

Partisan | Ranseur | Spontoon

Slashing

One-Handed Sword | Two-Handed Sword

Short Sword | Long Sword | Sabre

Broadsword | Katana | Scimitar | Falchion

Rapier | Cutlass | Dagger

Bludgeoning

Club | Mace | War Hammer

Battle Axe | Maul | Morning Star

Flail | Cudgel | Quarterstaff

Thrown

Throwing Knives | Throwing Axes

Chakrams | Boomerangs | Shuriken |

Javelins | Bolas | Tomahawks | Harpoons

Unarmed/Hand-to-Hand

Brass Knuckles | Gauntlets | Claws

Tonfa | Nunchaku | Sai | Cestus | Tekko

Speciazed

Chain Reavers | Whip | Hook Swords | Scythe

Kusarigama (Chain Sickle) | Urumi (Flexible Sword)

Rope Dart | Butterfly Swords | Meteor Hammer

╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯

Noel’s heart raced as he skimmed through the options on the Weapon Selection Card. Each weapon name flashed briefly in his mind, accompanied by a holographic visual that appeared beside it—a brief, clear image of what he could wield. The time limit was just three minutes, but he knew he had to decide faster than that.

Ranged weapons appeared first. Bows of various types, from the Recurve to the Longbow, floated into view. Noel admired their design but quickly moved on. He wasn’t a skilled archer, and learning under pressure seemed like a bad idea.

Next, Piercing weapons appeared. Spears, lances, and halberds. The reach of a spear intrigued him—he could keep threats at bay from a distance. But his hands had no muscle memory for these weapons, and that could spell disaster.

He moved on to the Slashing weapons. Swords of all kinds—One-Handed, Two-Handed, Long, and Short—stood out to him. The sword seemed like the safest bet. Easy to learn, versatile, and reliable. If he needed to defend himself quickly, a sword was a natural choice.

Bludgeoning weapons came next, flashing images of clubs, maces, and war hammers. Heavy, powerful, and perfect for crushing, but Noel knew their weight would slow him down. He didn’t want to risk it.

The Thrown category scrolled past. Throwing Knives, Axes, Chakrams—lethal at a distance but requiring precision. Noel considered the javelin again but quickly moved on. He needed something more straightforward.

Unarmed/Hand-to-Hand weapons appeared, displaying Brass Knuckles, Gauntlets, and more. Fighting bare-handed seemed like a last resort, not a first choice. He dismissed them, albeit with a hint of regret—he admired their raw, brutal efficiency.

Lastly, the Specialized category showed an array of exotic weapons—Chain Reavers, Hook Swords, Scythes, and more. Noel marveled at their uniqueness but felt a twinge of hesitation. They were unfamiliar, and the learning curve would be steep.

As he reviewed the list, Noel kept checking the timer. two left. Then one.The seconds ticked away, each one adding weight to his decision. His eyes kept darting back to the swords—practical, reliable—but the reach of the spear tugged at his thoughts, tempting him with the safety of distance.

But before Noel could finalize his choice, with just 15 seconds left, the ground beneath him began to vibrate, and the sand trembled with a growing intensity. Noel’s breath hitched. He knew what that was—he had faced something similar before, a Sand Stalker.

However, these vibrations were far more intense than anything he had experienced earlier. He could only guess there must be more than one. Without wasting a second, Noel darted out from the cluster of jagged rocks, abandoning the safety of the crevice.

The vibrations intensified, reverberating through Noel’s boots as the sand rippled ominously beneath him. The ground felt alive, thrumming with the promise of danger as something surged upward, ready to break free.

Noel’s mind raced—time was running out. He had to choose a weapon, and he had to do it fast. The holographic image of a sword lingered in his mind, clear and decisive. He took a breath, mentally preparing to select it in the final seconds.

But before he could act, the ground erupted in front of him. A Sand Stalker lunged out of the sand, its powerful body emerging with terrifying speed. Noel was caught off guard, forced to react on instinct as the creature came at him.

He barely managed to sidestep, feeling the rush of air as the beast’s claws sliced through the space where he had been standing just moments before.

He didn’t have time to recover. As he staggered backward, two more Sand Stalkers burst from the sand on either side of him, their movements synchronized, as if they had planned the ambush together.

Noel’s heart pounded in his chest as he twisted to avoid the first, narrowly ducking under its swipe, only to find himself leaping to the side to dodge the second. The creatures moved with terrifying coordination, their size and speed overwhelming.

Noel could feel the hot breath of the second Stalker on his neck as he barely escaped its jaws. The sand sprayed around from their earlier ambush still hung in the air as the Stalkers began to slowly circle him, their eyes glowing with a predatory hunger as they closed in.

In the chaos of dodging the relentless attacks, he lost track of the countdown and the timer hit zero, as a new notification flashed before his eyes.

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮

﴾ You have failed to choose within the give time. The weapon with the highest compatibility with your Innate Talent has been added to your Inventory ﴿

╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯

Noel grunted in frustration as he scrambled to distance himself from the circling Stalkers. He quickly opened his Inventory, desperate to see what weapon he had been given.

"Damn it!" he hissed, staring at the weapon in disbelief. It was the last thing he would’ve chosen—a weapon that seemed more like a cruel joke than a lifeline.

"Argh! Why does it have to be this weapon? How does one even use something like this?"