Chapter 314: Random Other Skill |
Strictly speaking, 『Random Other Skill Acquisition』 was the most rational choice. It cost a whopping 500,000 points per use, but the acquired skill was shared among all avatars, including the main body, which was an incredibly efficient deal.
‘How can I resist a skill that costs less than 50,000? It would be a loss not to buy it!’
The acquired skill 「Xenoglossy」 had proven to be incredibly useful.
Of course, 「Sturdiness」, acquired in the previous attempt, had been absorbed by superior skills like Harley's 「Ultimate Evolved Lifeform」, Heinz the Second's 「Blood Ancestor」, and Horus's 「Gold Dragon」…
…but it had still served as nourishment, strengthening those abilities, even if the effect was negligible due to the vast difference in their levels.
But considering the rapidly increasing Karma points, it wasn't a bad investment.
‘So, this isn’t my fault. It’s more like… an accident.’
Having convinced himself, I stared at the message displayed on the screen.
《Activating random potential. You have acquired the skill “Underwater Breathing”.》
A survival skill that prevented drowning.
To be more precise, based on the knowledge imprinted in his mind, it was the ability to extract oxygen from water through skin respiration.
“Ah…”
I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, a sigh escaping my lips.
It wasn’t a useless skill.
He was now immune to drowning, and the added water affinity would be useful in some situations.
But was it a jackpot?
‘Hans, the undead, is irrelevant.’
And the other transcendent avatars were already beyond such limitations.
Horus, the mana-dependent dragon, was also unaffected.
‘That leaves me, Hubert, Howard, Hesperon, and Hugo in Ganghwange… Five in total.’
The expected value of the skill had already doubled, from less than 50,000 to 100,000.
And the other avatars weren’t exactly in situations where they needed 「Underwater Breathing」.
‘…A wealthy merchant, a craftsman locked in his workshop, a guest in the safest place in the continent… drowning? Well, I guess I don’t have to worry about slipping in the bathtub anymore.’
Hugo, who was alone in Ganghwange, was the most likely candidate to use it.
It would be useful against the bandits operating around rivers and lakes.
‘Though Harris has already cleared out most of them…’
He recalled the leaders of the Dongting Eighteen Strongholds and the Changjiang Waterway Stronghold… then shook his head.
Those insignificant bandits were no longer a concern.
He had a more pressing issue.
‘This is the last time. Just one more.’
His balance sheet had gone from zero to negative.
He couldn’t back down now!
‘I still have over 5 million points. …A few more gambles won’t hurt.’
And he hadn’t received the full Karma payout from the Master of Heaven’s Turn Society incident yet.
Like always, additional Karma would continue to trickle in as the aftermath of the event unfolded.
So—.
‘I’ll get one more useful skill, and then I’ll quit.’
This ‘investment’ in himself was justified.
I stared intently at the 『Random Other Skill Acquisition』 option, my eyes burning with a strange intensity.
Honestly,
He was past the point of caring about the cost.
______________________
Sometime later.
“Hmm, I almost lost control.”
Fortunately, Han Seong-hyeon regained his senses before completely depleting his Karma.
No, he considered himself quite restrained.
After all… including the first attempt that resulted in 「Underwater Breathing」, he had only used the gacha four times!
‘Not bad at all.’
Of course, he had already forgotten about his repeated vows to stop after ‘just one more’.
“And the results aren't bad either.”
It wasn't just empty praise.
He extended his hand, and his fingertips vanished as if digitally erased, the surrounding air shimmering and distorting.
Swish—
His hand, now gone up to his wrist, reappeared as he pulled it back.
And in his hand was a pen that hadn’t been there before.
It was a manipulation of subspace.
‘To think I’d actually get an inventory skill.’
He tossed the pen onto the table and chuckled softly.
The official name of the skill he had acquired in his second attempt was 「Subspace Storage」, but he preferred to call it ‘Inventory’.
He had acquired the ability to manipulate subspace, practically a staple of video games.
But despite its seemingly impressive nature, he wasn’t completely satisfied.
‘I haven’t really felt the need for an inventory until now.’
「Avatar Cloud」, which allowed his avatars to share items, combined with his abundant resources and access to magic tools, had been more than enough.
Even this seemingly powerful skill was just a convenient addition.
‘But it’ll still be useful. My avatars will have direct access to subspace, which will free up some resources.’
His overall assessment of 「Subspace Storage」 was… slightly positive.
But he wasn’t satisfied.
‘I’m glad I didn’t give up. The next one was the real deal.’
He nodded with a satisfied smile, recalling the previous attempt.
After acquiring 「Underwater Breathing」 and 「Subspace Storage」, he had tried again, his greed insatiable, hoping for a true jackpot, and…
《Activating random potential. You have acquired the skill “Limit Break”.》
…acquired 「Limit Break」.
It was a self-enhancement buff, a kind of ultimate technique, usable by all avatars regardless of their level.
It allowed them to temporarily transcend their limits, unleashing their full potential.
Of course, it came with severe side effects, so it couldn't be used recklessly… but it was a valuable lifeline in critical situations.
“Excellent.”
And just as he was about to stop, feeling satisfied with his gains,
He had been on a winning streak. He couldn’t resist the temptation to try again.
‘I’m on a roll! I can feel it! One last time!’
And so, possessed by a gambler’s spirit, he had boarded the hype train…
“…Right, I’ll stop here.”
…and then promptly gotten off after acquiring another mediocre skill, as if to maintain balance.
That’s how he had managed to escape the clutches of the random skill gacha after his fourth attempt.
Having recovered from the initial shock, he checked his Karma balance again, as if to confirm his losses.
『Karma Owned - 3,641,965』
The first digit had changed, his balance significantly reduced.
It was still an enormous amount, unimaginable to most… but compared to the 5.5 million he had just a moment ago, it seemed… lacking.
“…”
It was still better than losing everything, but he had gotten carried away and spent more than he had intended.
500,000 points per skill, and he had used it four times!
‘It can’t be helped. I still have 3.6 million left… That’s not bad.’
And time was flowing quickly in other worlds, so his Karma was constantly increasing.
It wouldn't be long before he reached 5 million again, and then 6 million…
‘But…’
If there was a way to accelerate the process, he would take it.
Especially considering Heaven’s Turn Society, lurking in the shadows, and their leader, who had been forcibly expelled from Auterica and was probably plotting his revenge.
“I need more Karma. It’s never enough.”
He sighed, a hint of frustration in his voice.
He was already extracting Karma from Auterica at near maximum capacity.
And with the aftermath of the ‘Apostle of the Foreign God’ incident still unfolding, it wasn’t easy to create more chaos there.
‘They need some time to recover. Should I… expand my operations? It’s time to plant some more seeds…’
His thoughts shifted from Auterica, where most of his avatars were located, to a single, isolated individual.
Hugo, the pioneer sent to Ganghwange to establish a new foothold.
Hugo, now known as Ha Seung-hoon.
______________________
Yungjung Mountain, Hubei Province, the home of the Zhuge Clan.
The mountain itself wasn't particularly tall, but the ancient buildings and structures within exuded an aura of power and prestige.
It was the stronghold of a powerful force, its presence felt throughout the region, and the concentrated energy, a result of the formations and spells woven into its very foundations, amplified that effect.
An unknown master had once appeared, tearing through their defenses… but that was long ago.
They had thoroughly analyzed the incident and reinforced their stronghold, making it even more impenetrable.
The current Zhuge Clan’s main residence was a fortress, an unbreakable bastion.
“Oh ho, this could be useful.”
And within that fortress, in a private training ground,
A young man, Hugo, stood with a sword in his hand, a thoughtful expression on his face.
As an avatar, he had naturally acquired the new skills.
「Underwater Breathing」, which might be useful in aquatic combat. 「Subspace Storage」, a convenient addition to his daily life. 「Limit Break」, a potential lifesaver in critical situations.
And the fourth skill…
‘“Mimicry”, huh? This could be quite useful, especially in Ganghwange.’
「Mimicry」 allowed him to copy the techniques he witnessed.
It sounded like a cheat-like ability, but naturally… there were restrictions.
‘To mimic magic, I need to be a mage, and I need to understand the underlying principles and be able to cast it myself.’
Skills were supernatural abilities, but 「Mimicry」 couldn’t overcome the user’s inherent limitations.
He couldn't copy techniques from other species with different physical structures, and he couldn't replicate otherworldly magic without the necessary training and understanding.
‘I can only copy techniques from those with similar abilities and knowledge.’
And in that sense, Ganghwange was different from Auterica, with its diverse races and magic systems.
Non-human races were practically nonexistent, and ‘martial arts’ was the dominant form of supernatural ability.
Even the Zhuge Clan, renowned for their formations and sorcery, considered martial arts a necessity, not a choice.
‘So…’
Assuming he understood the principles of martial arts,
‘I can steal any martial art in this world…’
…Just by watching it.
Comments 1