Chapter 46 - Lessons to learn and points to spend

With great enthusiasm, Kazue displayed her stat window for everyone to see, which they all observed with interest—especially Adam, who quickly started calculating her score. He knew she had entered the previous scenario with exactly 0 points, so he could deduce that the points she had earned as a reward were the same as his, consisting of the base reward and the bonus for completing the subplot, along with the increase in her skill levels and the new skill she had acquired. However, three things stood out to him in particular: the increase in her potential stat, her C-rank merit, and the title she had earned.

"It seems we all averaged around 2200 points overall, that's quite an impressive amount, considering what we received during the previous scenario. However, there are three things in particular I'd like to ask about, Miss Rima."

Adam spoke calmly, but was met with a pout from the girl, something that took him by surprise.

"Don’t call me that, friends who've shared near-death experiences should treat each other with familiarity, not formality!"

Kazue blurted out the statement, not really upset but clearly serious. Adam, unaware that the phrase was actually from one of Kazue’s many anime references, took her words at face value... Friends? Were they friends? They barely knew each other, so how could she call them friends so quickly? He shook his head, pushing the thought aside—it wasn’t important right now, so he simply carried on.

"Alright, Kazue... I'd like to know how you managed to acquire these three things"

Kazue quickly answered the question regarding how she acquired the three variables, and the others even confirmed it. Everyone in the group shared the title and the merit, except for Adam and Li, who mentioned that the title he received was different. This had happened after they defeated the Lord of Envy, which was rather curious and worth investigating. Adam then remarked that he would examine all possible fields in the profile to verify if there was any additional information to uncover.

Most of the information in the profile didn't reveal more than what was already stated, so in the end, the summary was limited to what was truly new and important.

[Skill: Electric Resistance Lv2] [Passive skill that increases the user's resistance to the electric element. The user will receive reduced damage from electrical sources of level 2 or rank-E and will be immune to electric shocks from attacks of level 1, rank-F, or lower.] [Cursed Vision Knowledge] [Hint: This skill shows signs of evolution; upon reaching level 5, three possible paths will open for the user to choose based on their preference.]

⌠Titles: “Outstanding Rookie”⌡ ⌠Cursed Vision Knowledge⌡ ⌠Despite being a novice, you managed to defeat an enemy far beyond your capabilities. Congratulations!⌡ ⌠Hidden: When facing situations or enemies significantly superior to yourself, you will receive a physical increase equivalent to +1 in your species rank.⌡

[Thaddeus’s promised reward - (Pending)] [Token of appreciation from the character Thaddeus Volta from the "Steam and Steel: The Age of Confrontation" scenario. It can be exchanged in the store for any item belonging to the 'Stratos Technology' faction for 0 points.]

“Wow…”

Certainly, the three items were extremely good, and while Adam was impressed by them, Kazue was on the verge of an emotional outburst. Not only did she have a passive ability that she could eventually customize to her liking, but she also had a title that made her stronger and a completely free pass to anything within Thaddeus's company.

"I'm going to choose one of those giant robots!"

Exclaimed the girl, super excited, as she selected the option "Thaddeus’s promised reward" from her information window, which summoned a shop window right in front of her. However, before she could choose anything, both Adam and Drake lunged at her to grab her arms and prevent her from doing anything hasty.

"Stop! We said we would discuss it among all of us first! Don’t rush into getting something that might not be useful later!"

"What’s there to think about? It's a giant robot!"

For a few seconds, the girl struggled with all her might to stretch her arm and select something on her screen, while her two companions tried to stop her—without using too much force, but just enough to keep her from moving. It was quite a funny situation, making the other three men watching feel like they were witnessing some sort of comedy sketch. However, one thing was clear: despite everything, they seemed to get along very well.

"We don't have any information about those machines. You could buy it and end up unable to use it for some reason. At least let me read the details of all the options before making a decision!"

Adam finally managed to calm her down, despite her insisting that she wasn't planning to choose anything other than the giant robot. However, after her previous experience with a technique she couldn't use at first, she knew she had to be more cautious this time.

Once everyone had calmed down and Kazue was released, Adam proceeded to examine the special menu she had opened earlier. It displayed a list of all the available items, but after a quick glance, a significant problem became evident. The menu indicators showed that it contained a staggering 5,220 possible items, with no search function. This meant that if they wanted specific information on something, they would have to search manually—a tedious task that severely limited their ability to make a well-informed decision. Was this intentional? Perhaps it was meant to prevent users from accessing something too convenient, forcing them to stick with what they had learned from the scenario itself… Hmm, It was a possibility.

Due to Kazue's insistence, Adam began scrolling through the list until he found what they were looking for, grateful that at least it was organized alphabetically and that they knew the names of the siege machines. Once located, he asked Kazue to select it, since it was her menu, and he prepared to read the resulting information.

[Sea Knight ‘Atomica Worldbreaker’- Rank A+ ] ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠An extremely advanced war machine created by the ‘Stratos Technology’ company to assist its plan of revolution. These headless giants have a massive, cube-shaped body made of riveted steel plates reinforced with iron bands, giving them a brutal and imposing appearance. Each Sea Knight is equipped with powerful, gear-driven limbs, allowing it to trudge effortlessly along the ocean floor, unaffected by the crushing depths. At the center of its chest, a large, glowing power core hums ominously while refining atomic energy, giving the machine the ability to use the skills [Plasma Cannon Lv13], [Radioactive Forcefield Lv13], and [Atomic Self-Destruct Lv13].⌡ [Cursed Vision Knowledge] [Warning: This treasure is not designed to refine its own energy to function.] [Hint: Skills like [Skill: Automatic Infosphere Lv6] and deep knowledge about atomic power are adviced to make it work properly.]

That wasn’t what he was looking for, but no matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find a regular Sea Knight or Sea Warrior anywhere—only the ones modified with Thaddeus’s ability. It was then that he finally understood the issue, and, to everyone’s surprise, he let out a deep sigh of resignation.

"Our options are much more limited than I thought. Things like war machines, combat suits, or vehicles are out of our reach... The system only lets us choose items that belong to 'Stratos Technology,' and from what I can see, even though they were the ones who developed the Armada's technology, it's technically no longer theirs. So we're limited to those that require Thaddeus's ability and his knowledge of the 'Atomica Arcanum' to work."

Not only did they require a level 6 skill, but they also demanded information on an S-rank item, which was completely out of the question. The others seemed to understand the problem and simply resigned themselves to it, though the most disappointed was Kazue, who had no choice but to abandon her plan to pilot a giant robot as she had wanted. However, after that, she began to seriously consider what she could choose instead, an internal debate that fortunately didn't last long.

"I know! I want another gauntlet!"

That declaration made Adam raise an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Another gauntlet? Are you sure? It seems like something too basic. Besides, if you already have one, why would you want another?"

Adam couldn't conceive a valid reason for something like that, especially since having another identical gauntlet would mean using it on his non-dominant left arm. He didn't think it was a good idea at all. However, Kazue simply smiled smugly and began to shake her finger slowly.

“Tch, tch, tch! You’re not looking at the bigger picture. If you say there are only objects from Thaddeus’s lab, I’m sure there will be a different gauntlet from the one I have now, which is a modification of a pirate item with an electric core. Also, I don’t plan to use it the same way I use this one. Instead, I intend to get another core. Remember the heat orb that was next to the electric one? I’m sure I can afford one of those in the shop. I want to have a variety of elements at my disposal since I want to have an elemental build!"

Li, Drake, and Nikolai seemed to understand what the girl was referring to, but Adam’s expression mirrored that of Sebastian. Build? Was she implying that she wanted to accumulate techniques based on elements or something like that? If so, it was an interesting proposal, especially since Kazue had learned that it was possible to control a source of elemental energy at will with enough practice.

"I think something like that is feasible... Any objections?"

Adam asked as he looked at the others, and no one objected, except for Drake, who made a small comment before saying he agreed with the idea.

"I just want to remind everyone to be more careful when handling an element. Kazue ended up electrocuting herself by carelessly testing her technique last time."

“She… What?”

"Nothing, nothing! Don't listen to him! He's just joking, right? Haha, it's an inside joke!"

After the blond's words, Adam turned to the girl with a confused expression, only for her to insist that it wasn't true and that Drake had just been joking. She then shot him a murderous glance, making it clear that she didn't want it to be known, as that moment had been completely embarrassing for her.

Without giving it much thought, Adam returned to the store screen to look for a gauntlet similar to what the girl wanted. It wasn't easy to navigate by name alone, but after a few minutes, he managed to find one that coincidentally resembled what he was searching for. He pointed it out for Kazue to select so that its information would be displayed.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

[Atomclad Fist - Rank B ] ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠A stunning mechanical gauntlet with a steampunk aesthetic, ingeniously modified to harness the power of an atomic energy core. Its design features intricate brass fittings and spinning gears, embodying both elegance and strength. Equipped with advanced overload protection, the ‘Atomclad Fist’ enables rapid, sustained attacks and skills without fear of failure or damaging its core.⌡ [Cursed Vision Knowledge] [Warning: It does not have a core by default to function.] [Hint: It's capable of storing cores from various energy sources.] [Do you want to exchange [Atomclad Fist - Rank B ] with ‘Thaddeus’s promised reward’? ] [Y/N]

Once Kazue understood what the gauntlet did and confirmed that this new item could hold different types of energy sources, she pressed the accept button without hesitation. The familiar sound of the store confirming the order rang out, and the selection screen vanished, making way for the formation of the redeemed item. Unlike the 'Enhanced Steamgear Knuckle,' this gauntlet was two ranks higher, boasting a beautiful onyx color and a sleeker, elongated design. As she slipped it on, it fit snugly up to her elbow, automatically adjusting to the thickness of her arm.

“Fits like a glove… Literally”

Kazue exclaimed as she started throwing excited punches into the air, her enthusiasm palpable. This caught Drake's attention, who watched intently, observing every movement she made.

“Alright, now that that’s settled, we can move on to your spending of points. 2200 is quite a sum, especially considering the cost of the core you want to acquire. There’s something else I’d like to mention: it seems there's a way to exchange merits for more points. I did that with the D-rank merit I obtained in the first scenario, and if I remember correctly, a C-rank merit like yours is worth about a thousand additional points. You could make the exchange and…”

But Adam’s explanation was abruptly cut off when the girl raised her hand, signaling him to stop.

"I won't change the merit. Trading it for points sounds tempting, but I'm completely sure that these will be important at some point. Like in any game, if you get a rare item, you don't sell it immediately; instead, you look for what it can be used for."

That reasoning had a certain logic to it, as Adam was also sure of this. After all, the exchange menu for merits stated that they couldn't be used yet because the shop didn't have a sufficient level—whatever that meant. With that said, the girl proceeded to search for the core she had seen in the lab; however, something caught her attention, and she called Adam over to verify what she had found... Not only was the basic core she had seen before displayed, but also an improved version of it.

⌠Enhanced PyroFlux Generator - Rank C: 1500pts⌡ ⌠Are you sure you want to buy “Enhanced PyroFlux Generator”?⌡ ⌠Y / N⌡ ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠An enhanced version of an ordinary ‘Pyroflux Generator’ resembling a glowing core encased in brass and iron with intricate gears and vents. It emits extreme heat, harnessed from its inner combustion of rare, high-energy materials.⌡ ⌠Cursed Vision Knowledge⌡ ⌠Warning: The temperature emitted by the core is so high that it can even penetrate steel. Caution is advised when attempting to handle it.⌡

Technically speaking, if the new gauntlet could withstand atomic energy, then a core that generated only heat shouldn't be much of a problem. However, Adam warned them to remain vigilant and, in the worst-case scenario, to select the healing option for Kazue. The latter, on the other hand, was undeterred by the prospect of the object she was about to purchase. She selected the option to accept and stretched out her left arm, expecting the core to appear nearby.

To her surprise, the core appeared in its inactive state, resembling the gray spheres she had seen in the lab. This gave her just enough time to grasp it with her free hand and place it in the special compartment of her new gauntlet. The change was immediate; the sphere began to glow a bright red, and every fold of the mechanical arm followed suit, exuding a large amount of vapor into the surrounding air.

"Kazue, are you okay?!"

Adam exclaimed suddenly, worried about the sudden curtain of steam that enveloped the area. Fortunately, the girl responded almost immediately.

"I'm fine! I can't feel the heat at all; it's perfect!"

The steam dissipated within a few seconds, revealing that Kazue was perfectly fine. In fact, the black arm with glowing red stripes she now had looked quite imposing. Although she couldn't feel the heat emitted by her own object, the others certainly could; it was like being in a sauna just from being nearby. As a result, she had no choice but to make her gauntlet disappear, knowing that she could at least summon it again when needed.

Once her excitement had calmed down, the discussion about what to do with their remaining 700 points came up again. Kazue expressed that all she wanted was to buy a technique similar to the one she already had but based on heat so she could use and train it just like she had with the previous one. In fact, with that amount of points, she had enough to acquire one that was truly good; however, it was then that Li spoke up.

"Before you do that, there's something you must get without exception. Actually, all of you should get it. It's something that can only be purchased once after each scenario, but it's essential for your survival."

Approaching the girl's shop window, Li typed something into the search bar and then pointed to the result, surprising both Adam and Kazue, who were watching.

⌠Physical Strength Boost Package: 300pts⌡ ⌠Are you sure you want to buy “Physical Strength Boost Package”?⌡ ⌠Y / N⌡ ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠Unique enhancement option that permanently increases the user's physical attributes by a small margin. This boost is cumulative, allowing users to stack improvements over time, making it an invaluable investment for those looking to enhance their strength, agility, pain tolerance, speed, etc. However, it can only be purchased once after completing each scenario.⌡

That was indeed useful, as the previous scenario had shown that people with a normal physique really didn't stand a chance in dangerous situations. Except for Drake, the only times the others had been able to do anything significant in combat had been thanks to the buff from Li's spell. This option would allow them to improve gradually, even if its price was a bit steep.

A bit reluctantly, Kazue agreed to buy it, causing a strange glow to envelop her body and giving her a feeling of lightness like never before. She felt better than ever and was just starting to thank Li for suggesting it when this time it was the blond who spoke.

"Before thinking about buying another technique, I suggest you look for a skill or an option that will allow you to use your left arm properly. It's clear that you don't know how to use it."

Drake said this more seriously than usual, surprising several of those present. However, knowing that he had mentioned practicing martial arts, even though he hadn't been seen using them at any point, it was possible that he really knew what he was talking about. The girl wasn't very convinced, but the blond insisted.

"Using your non-dominant arm means that anything you do with it won't have even half the strength of your right arm; you'll always be at a disadvantage."

“Hmmm…”

Kazue still wasn't entirely convinced; after all, she didn't fully understand the topic and didn't think it could really be that way. How difficult could it be to punch with her left arm, after all? But her thoughts were interrupted once again, this time surprisingly by Nikolai, who had been paying attention.

"Basically, you need to find a way to be ambidextrous. You wouldn’t want your new cool toy to not be able to express its full potential, right? Plus, just imagine how great it would be if you could handle any object with both hands!"

The girl's eyes lit up upon hearing this, as Nikolai had hit the nail on the head regarding her priority. Drake let out a sigh of relief and gave his teammate a thumbs-up, to which Nikolai simply responded with a smirk. Immediately after, Adam wasted no time and set out to search alongside Kazue for the last two skills she wanted, discarding alternatives that were either too expensive or didn’t serve the exact purpose she needed. Finally, he settled on two options that he proceeded to read aloud.

⌠Skill: Ambidextrous Mastery Lv1 - 100pts⌡ ⌠Are you sure you want to buy “Ambidextrous Mastery”?⌡ ⌠Y / N⌡ ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠It grants the user the ability to use both hands with equal proficiency, enabling seamless and simultaneous actions.⌡

⌠Skill: Burn the Witch! Lv1 - 300pts⌡ ⌠Are you sure you want to buy “Burn the Witch!”?⌡ ⌠Y / N⌡ ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠A very powerful skill that imbues the user's heat-based attacks with a supernatural fire. Upon striking an enemy or perceived threat, the target becomes engulfed in flames that cannot be extinguished by water, inflicting the altered status effect [Burn]. This relentless fire continues to consume the target, causing ongoing damage.⌡ ⌠Cursed Vision Knowledge⌡ ⌠Warning: The skill's effect only works on targets that the user truly perceives as an ‘enemy’ or a ‘threat’, otherwise the flames are harmless.⌡ [Hint: This skill will level up by consuming enemies and threats.]

With that last purchase, Kazue was back to exactly zero points, but she was incredibly happy with everything she had acquired, especially the final skill that had cost a notable 300 points and had a pretty interesting effect that she was eager to try out. Without saying much, she began to play with her fingers, feeling a newfound control in both hands, then moved to the side and sat down.

“Okay, who’s next?”

Adam said calmly, grateful that Kazue’s turn had ended and that it was now the other members’ turn, who likely wouldn’t have as many issues when it came to choosing and debating what to buy.

"I'd like to go next, although I already have in mind what I want to get."

Drake stepped forward, raising his hand and displaying his status window, which looked a bit different from what everyone had been expecting.

⌠Name: Drake Shaw⌡ ⌠Age: 23⌡ ⌠Species: Human - Rank D⌡ ⌠Points: 2590⌡ ⌠Potential: E⌡ ⌠Merits:⌡ ⌠Merit Rank C x1⌡ ⌠Titles:⌡ ⌠Outstanding Rookie⌡ ⌠Otherworldly Fanbase⌡ ⌠Skills: None⌡ ⌠Treasures:⌡ ⌠Thaddeus’s promised reward x1 (Pending)⌡