Phantom's Greed

I had no idea how the watch supposed to work and what's the exact drawback. But I'm pretty sure it had something to do with greed.

"Put it on."

Uh... "Is it okay?"

"It's okay, the drawback is not that strong. Mommy will be here, so you don't have to worry." She exudes security, her presence alone makes me feel safe.

"If you say so, mom." It's not like I'm worried or anything.

The watch’s design is unlike what I had expected. It doesn’t have the same style as the people from my old home had been using. Is this what the modern watch is supposed to look like?

Now I feel like an old man who was out of style.

I put the watch on my left hand and suddenly it latched itself tightly around my wrist like a snake.

If mom was not here, that would freak me out. For now, I observed the watch curiously. Unlike an ordinary watch, there’s no clock to indicate time. There is only an empty black screen. What am I supposed to do with this?

I glanced at Mom, but before I managed to ask her, a sharp pain erupted from my wrist.

“Ouch!”

I looked at my wrist and saw the tail of the watch morphed into a snakehead and biting my wrist.

Aside from the pain, there’s something...

This feeling... it's absorbing my blood?!

Kuh, what should I do?!

My other hand stiffened and prepared to tear off the watch from my wrist but I resist the urge. Thinking that it might be one of the procedures to wear an Artifact.

I glanced at Mom, and sure enough. She looked calm as always. This might be the procedure after all.

Ding!

[Congratulation! You have contracted an Artifact, Phantom’s Greed has been successfully installed!]

Huh? the status window responded to the Artifact! Is this supposed to happen?

“Are you okay, honey?”

“Um, yeah I’m fine mom. But, just now my status window...”

Ais patted my head, I could feel relief emanating from her gaze, “It’s okay, after contracting an Artifact, you’ll be able to view and alter their properties on your status window.”

Mom was right. They’re responding to the status window. I was just taken by surprise because in these six years I spent messing with the status window, it doesn’t seem to have any other use other than observing my status growth. It's a bit useless.

But this new development made me a bit excited. Without waiting even for a moment I summoned my status window.

Beneath the [Status] there's additional stuff, it says [Artifact].

"Interesting. Let's see, Artifact."

[Artifact]

Phantom's Greed

Rating: Normal

Description: A bodysuit crafted with a weight manipulation effect. Users can change the "Off Mode" into various shapes. On Mode will turn the Artifact into a bodysuit. Increased the effectiveness of weight training by 200℅. Any attacks from the third-class heroes and below will be deflected when in bodysuit form.

Status: On, {Off}

Off Mode: {Watch}, Bracelet, Earring, ...

Weight: Custom, {1kg}, 50kg, 100kg, 200kg, ...

Colors: Use the slider below.

Transparency: Use the slider below.

Drawback: Users will be affected by the mental effect [Greed].

===

This...

This is amazing!

I was especially intrigued by deflecting property and 200℅ effectiveness. So if I was killed out of the blue, it must be done by a second-class hero or higher. Good stuff.

The 200% effectiveness is also not that bad. It means my training will be many times more effective! It sure gets me pumping.

As for this form thingy...

It turns out it will change into a bodysuit once I turn it on. I can even change the off mode from the watch into an earring and glove? Interesting.

The weight itself can be changed according to my wishes by using a slider. Is there a limit? I can't wait to test this out. As for this transparency, I moved the slider to 100℅ and then to 0℅, but nothing seems to be changed, it's still the same obsidian watch. I can still see it as clearly as before.

Ah, it might be a setup only for the On Mode. I guess It's very useful if I want to make the bodysuit invisible to the naked eyes.

To prove my hypothesis, I turned on the watch and the obsidian color started to fade as it melted into a metallic liquid. Slowly, the liquid flowed to my chest. Once it reached my shoulder, it shifted and spread to my whole body and went further to reach below my waist.

Before long, beneath my clothes, a black bodysuit could be seen as it went past my collar and stopped on my lower neck.

It clad my body tightly in a sleek and durable-looking bodysuit. It was so tight that it looked uncomfortable. But weirdly enough, even when I stretched my arms and turned my body around into various shapes, I couldn't feel any discomfort.

It changes to fit my body perfectly, clinging to my skin. But even so, it still feels comfortable. I guess this much is expected from an Artifact. Even the simple one like this can be useful.

I just hope the drawback won't be too awful.

===

After trying out the Phantom’s Greed, we leave the vault without checking the other Artifacts. Wearing more than one artifact in one go is very dangerous, especially if the user had no idea what the drawback is supposed to be. It could prove fatal when they engage in a battle before mastering their artifacts. Some artifacts when used together might synchronize with each other and bring unexpected change. It could be a boon or a nightmare. Mom said so.

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But it won't be hurt to take a look right? There might be something that will come in handy and could be used as a life-saving trump card.

Before I realized it, my feet already moved by themselves. Pain followed as my hand froze into a sculpture.

I grit my teeth and forcefully snap my hand until it broke into pieces. Shit!! I know it's just an Illusion but it hurts like hell!

"Honey? What's wrong?"

Huh? What the? I saw Ais staring down at me, looking so worried. She patted my back.

"I, uh... It's nothing." I managed to say between gasps. I stared down at my hand, it was back to normal. My hand is intact. I sighed in relief.

I wiped the sweat dripping down my cheeks. I'm drenched.

That must be why mom advised me to get used to Phantom’s Greed first before I choose another artifact. I glanced at my feet. This must be what the [Greed] mental effect is all about.

What dangerous stuff.

After collecting myself, Ais walked closer to me. She must be worried. I feel sorry for her. If only my willpower is stronger...

"Honey, I'm glad. You've managed to control the artifact. You've strong willpower."

"Eh, me? but... I was caught up in an illusion because I can't control my greed."

Ais patted my head, "Of course, that will happen to anyone below first-class hero. What matters is how you conquer that greed."

"Huh? Are you saying it doesn't have any effect on you because you're a first-class hero, mom?"

She bent down to reach my eyes level and embraced me, "That's about right. That's why you should be proud instead to be able to break the illusion without my assistance."

"It's because you're at my side, mom. I love you." I return her hug.

"I love you too, honey."

On our way to leave the vault, I felt happier and feel more at peace. It feels kike I was getting better. Did my life force increase? It feels like it. I opened my status window and sure enough, I gained some magic stats!

I can't believe this. There's plenty of reason for this increase. It's worth investigating later on.

It was then that we passed the battleground between mom and the unknown monster. When I glanced at the bloodstained door, I can’t help but stopped in my track.

My heart thumped.

Beside the door, there should be a doll lying on the floor. I remember it clearly!

But now...

There’s no sign of the doll.

It disappeared!

My eyes darted around frantically, looking for any sign of the doll. But I can’t seem to find the trace of it.

Is it a ghost?

I gulped my saliva as my heart thumped loudly in my ears.

N-no, there’s no way such a thing exists in this world. The monster managed to escape from Ais, so it might be her doing.

I glanced at the door.

Could it be...

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

My heart jumped at the voice.

“Uh, it’s nothing, mom. I’m coming.”

I rushed to her side and hold her hand.

I really want to see what's on the other side of the door. But I can’t do that with mom here.

But why? With mom on my side, it would be even safer for me to explore beyond the door. My mind told me so.

But my heart didn’t agree with my mind.

I don’t know the reason why, I just can’t bring myself to do it. Just like I can’t bring myself to ask her the most crucial thing.

===

I spent the whole day on the dojo, getting used to Phantom’s Greed. I started by familiarizing myself with the settings. In the end, I set the transparency to 0%, rendering the black bodysuit invisible to the naked eyes, though I can still feel it on my skin.

As for the Off Mode...

I also changed the watch into another shape. I don’t know why, It feels uncomfortable to wear a watch on my wrist. I turned it into various shapes, starting from the glove and glasses.

After 20 minutes of hesitation and indecision, I choose to change it into an earring. It doesn’t make me uncomfortable aside from the initial pain in my ear. And the most important thing is it won’t distract me when I’m in a battle, maybe.

But who would have thought that choosing the earring is not the end of the matter? The nightmare had just begun.

The status window asked me to choose the shape of the earring.

Such a horror!

For an indecisive person like me, it was a nightmare.

In the end, I spent another 20 minutes in front of the mirror, mulling over the best earrings suited to my taste.

Finally, after much thought and consideration, I choose the one with a cross. It reminds me of Nobless’s earring.

Isn’t it amazing?

Done with the design, I turned the Phantom’s Greed mode to On, covering my body in an invisible bodysuit. But it’s not over yet as I haven’t set the weight of the bodysuit.

Currently, it was set to default which is 1kg. But it won’t do to set it so low. To make it worthy to be called a weight bodysuit, it should have a minimum weight of 500kg as a starter.

Click!

As I moved the slider, I feel an invisible weight pop out of nowhere. It increases in intensity as I slide it further to the right.

And when I reached 500, I felt like a mountain of boulders was pressing on my back. I can’t help but knelt to one knee, breath hitched in my throat.