NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45: Mission Over – Kai’s Privileges and Glitch’s Limitations!
Kai almost forced down the wine in Jon Arryn's mouth.
He held the old man with one hand, opening the low hatch serving as the entrance with the other.
10… 9… 8… 7…
"Well met, my lord," Kai said, hissing the last words in Jon Arryn's ear.
3… 2…
He flung the old man up like throwing a stone. The sound of Jon Arryn's frail figure striking the ground had just entered Kai's ears when the mission finally ended.
1.
The world stagnated.
Kai could feel it in his bones.
He could also tell he was not a part of this world, even though he was standing in it. A blue shine covered him, slowly at first, then it gave out a blinding flash.
…
Outside the sewers, Jon Arryn fumbled to his feet.
It was high noon, with guards patrolling like bees, and in the open area, the Hand looked like a dying rotten rat standing upright. Not a sight everyone wanted to look at, and not a sight anyone could miss.
"Who's there?" a tall, white-cloaked knight demanded. His helm was in his hand, and his face was of an old man. But he looked strong, incredibly strong. There was a power in his every stride, like an old elephant, charging among the young stallions.
Ser Barristan the bold!
Jon Arryn looked at him and smiled. Finally, finally, he was at home. He took a step towards the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, but then his entire body stiffened. It was like he was becoming a block of ice from the inside out. There was horror on Jon Arryn's face, realizing what was happening.
Ser Barristan saw that horror more clearly.
More guards had come out, rushing towards Jon Arryn in their red cloaks and gold cloaks, each trying to outdo the other.
Too late.
The old knight held Jon Arryn's hand and felt the rocky stiffness.
Jon Arryn's lips parted, letting out the last breath. Duty. Honor. Hate. All became the source of an unimaginable strength for him, and he said, "The seed is strong."
Jon Arryn's tale ended there.
*
*
Kai materialized into the White Room.
There was an anxiousness in Kai's heart, thinking if he had succeeded or not. He didn’t get to wait for long.
…
[
WONDERFUL!
MAGNIFICENTLY DONE!!!
]
…
What the? Kai gaped at those words.
He could almost imagine a man shouting out his lungs, his arms outstretched, beaming and roaring. The ecstasy in this notification wasn't unreal, he could tell.
The notification continued.
…
[
One should take a page out of your book to learn
This is true chaos…
But you must be eagerly waiting for the result. Here it is then…
]
…
A long list exchanged the previous words.
…
[
Hidden Mission: The death of Jon Arryn
Hidden Mission Status: Success
Hidden Mission Rewards:
- +400 Mission Credits
- +1 Attribute Point
…
Congratulations Kai Stormborn…
You have completed the Main Mission
…
Main Mission: Thwart the Assassination of Jon Arryn
Main Mission Status: Completed
Main Mission Time Limit: 1 week
Main Mission Grade: E
Side Missions Attempted: 3
Side Missions Completed: 2
Hidden Missions Attempted: 2
Hidden Missions Completed: 2
Calculating Main Mission Clear Rate…
Main Mission Clear Rate: 75%
Main Mission Rewards:
- +600 Mission Credits
- +4 Attribute Points
]
…
It worked. Kai took a deep breath.
He felt the taste of victory and power in his mouth. Sweet. Savory. Kai liked this feeling of being rich. But he also knew what would follow this flux of rewards.
Judgment!
…
[
You have done an outstanding job of spreading chaos, Contestant Kai Stormborn
Let's check if you are worthy as well, shall we?
…
Analyzing Contestant's actions in the random world…
Analyzation Complete
…
Judgment: Worthy
Reward: +25 Worth
]
…
This was a huge increment from last time, Kai observed.
He had got only 5 Worth Points after his Initiation Mission. Then there were the Attribute Points awarded by Hidden Mission and Main Mission’s Rewards.
Kai glared at his Active Attribute Points.
At a glance, his Breath stood out with only 6 points in it.
Kai hadn’t found much use of Breath.
But, from all the Items he had seen so far, he could tell that having all Attributes at 10 helped meeting many Requirements. Later, he could target individual Attributes without worrying about the Requirement at least.
So, taking a deep breath, Kai put 4 of his Unassigned Attribute Points in Breath and 1 in Correspondence. First it was Perception, he thought, feeling the pressure. Now I must get as many points as I can in Correspondence, too. Sigh!
“Show me my Stats.”
…
[
Status of Contestant: Kai Stormborn
Code Name: Red
System: Chaos
Equipped Title: NA
Equippable Titles: NA
Unequippable Titles:
- Traitor: (2/10)
- Poacher: (2/10)
- Novice Collector: (1/10)
Mission Credits: 2305
HP: 100
MP: 110
SP: 100
Active Attributes - (1st Set Quota: 10/20) [ Unassigned Points: 0]
Strength: 12
Agility: 14
Stamina: 10
Perception: 14
Correspondence: 11
Breath: 10
Passive Attributes -
Charisma: 23
Luck: 2
Worth: 135
Abilities:
- Elementary Slither Footsteps (Proficiency: 60%)
- Elementary Twin-Saber Style (Proficiency: 65%)
- Elementary Snake Instinct (Proficiency: 30%)
- Elementary Snake Language (Proficiency: 5%)
- Elementary Fear Absorption (Proficiency: 20%)
Skills: NA
Glitch: Blood Devour
- Blue-Tailed Boa Constrictor (non-magical)
- Misdreavus (magical)
Items:
- Pokeball - Generation 1 (73%)
- Steel-Bone Brigandine (45%)
- Black-Steel Saber (67%)
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Original) (100%)
- Sling Ring (73%)
- Miscellaneous Rent Box [0.25 cubic meter - 250 kg]
Pain Factor: NA
Inventory: 1 Cubic Meter-1000 kg
…
Blood Essence: Blue-tailed Boa Constrictor (rare non-magical beast)
Grade: E
Skills: Light Neurotoxin (Grade: E-), Heat Sense (Grade: E)
…
Blood Essence: Misdreavus
Grade: E+
Skills: Pain Split (Grade: E), Shadow Ball (Grade: E+)
]
…
Kai stared at the long list. It felt good seeing the results of all the risks so openly. He let out a breath, preparing himself for the last task before returning to the Primordial Tower.
Finally, it was the time to get some answers.
…
[Ask.]
…
The notification appeared as if Kai's all thoughts were written on a paper.
Kai ignored the oddness. Since his last appearance in the White Room, a word had been bothering him like a thorn he couldn’t pull out from his skin.
That word was… Privilege!
Where Contestants cried paying Mission Credits for answers, Kai got them for free. Where Contestants didn’t even interacting with Chaos was a possibility, he was getting praises here.
Kai dared not ignore this oddness.
So, in the time he had spent in the sewers, Kai had been planning to get some answers. With the help of Petyr Baelish, he had narrowed it down to a few of the most meaningful questions whose answers he must know
"What’s my ranking in terms of Worth Stat?" Kai asked.
This was Kai’s uniqueness. His Abilities were because of Worth. His rewards were because of Worth. Even his mission progression was because of Worth.
Not to mention, Kai’s Worth was huge compared any other newbie. It was hundred times as high as newly resurrected Contestant.
Kai must know what else Worth dictated for it to be so desired by all Contestants.
The notification appeared then.
…
[
Primordial Tower Worth-Stat Ranking
3rd - Red
]
…
Kai's eyes shot open. “Who are at the 1st and 2nd ranking Contestants?” he blurted.
…
[Contestant Kai Stormborn, you cannot afford this question.]
…
Whoa! Kai was gobsmacked.
All the free questions… and suddenly he couldn’t afford a question at all.
If I am getting such a treatment from Chaos, Kai mulled over it, then they must be getting even more special treatment from the Systems…
Still, he had more questions to ask.
"What are the privileges given to the 3rd ranked Contestant in this list while ascending the Primordial Tower?"
Another notification appeared.
...
[
Privileges available to the 3rd ranked Contestant on the Ranking of Worth:
- The Contestant can ascend an entire Set with 1 Main Mission
- The Contestant can reincarnate as Random World’s Characters
- The Contestant can assign Side Missions
- The Contestant can switch Random Worlds during a Main Mission using Side Missions
]
…
The Contestant can fuck you in the ass! Kai fumed visibly, veins popping up like hundreds of red-blue rivers on his body. Motherfucker… tricked me. It gave me two missions to choose from last time when I could have passed all the three floors with only one.
Then a devastating realization struck him.
The chance was gone.
"Chaos!" Kai shouted, sneering. "I didn't know such a powerful thing as you dwelt in tricking mere Contestants."
The notification blinked.
…
[
Chaos doesn't favor anyone.
You always had the privilege to know. You always had the right to question.
Thinking anything else is just hiding behind your own incompetency, Contestant Kai Stormborn
]
…
Well, it changed its tone soon enough, Kai thought, gritting his teeth. My incompetency… I will show you my incompetency one day.
He took a deep breath, burying the anger. There was one more question he needed to ask, like it or not.
"What are my Glitch's limitations?" Kai asked. The question had been hovering at the back of his mind for a long time.
…
[
Limitations of Glitch Blood Devour:
- It can store only three Blood Essences at a time
- Once the three slots are filled, a Blood Essence must be discarded to store the new one
- Upon discarding a Blood Essence, all Skills and Elementary Abilities attached to it will also disappear
]
…
“What?!” Kai blurted out a shout. “The Elementary Abilities will disappear, too? But they are in my Stats?!!”
…
[
Elementary Abilities granted by Blood Essences are shared mutually by the Blood Essences and the Contestant.
To make them entirely yours, you must increase their Proficiencies to 100% first, leveling them up to Advance Abilities.
Once a Blood Essence’s Ability becomes Advance, you need not activate the Blood Essence to use it, as such an Ability will belong to your Stats.
]
…
Kai let out a breath of relief. So… he thought, … I just need to increase Elementary Abilities’ Proficiencies to Advance before discarding a Blood Essence. Reasonable…
There were still many hidden details in all these notifications, Kai knew. For now, though, he was done with his questions, his mind already thinking about his privileges.
"Send me to the Primordial Tower," Kai said.
…
[
Sending Contestant Kai Stormborn to the 2nd Floor of the Primordial Tower
Good Luck
]
…
Fuck you and your Good Luck, Kai cursed, a white flash taking him away.
