NOVEL NEXT chapter 90
90 – S-Rank Weapons (2)
Chirp, chirp.
The sound of birds chirping outside.
Awakened by that sound, I let out a long yawn and got up from the cot.
I then pulled a Spirit Pill from my inventory and popped it into my mouth.
“Mmm.”
A refreshing sensation spread throughout my mouth, dispelling the lingering dryness.
At the same time, the unique energy of the Spirit Pill coursed through my body, making my sweat-soaked skin feel as fresh as if I had just bathed.
Feeling invigorated, I hummed to myself as I changed from my casual clothes into my battle gear. I took out a golden apple for breakfast, crunching into it as I stepped outside the tent.
As I did, the cool breeze and morning sunlight enveloped me.
Flap!
Two sparrows, caught up in their affectionate antics atop the tent, startled and took flight.
Though I unintentionally disrupted their sweet moment, I didn’t mind and stored the entire tent, cot and all, back into my inventory.
Activating the infinite stamina I had turned off for sleep, Terra sent me a message as if waiting for this moment.
[Master, did you sleep well?]
Nodding at Terra’s morning greeting, I replied.
“Nothing happened while I was asleep, right?”
[No, nothing at all, except for some wild animals wandering around.]
“Good, that’s a relief. But just in case, please stay alert.”
[Yes, understood. Leave it to me.]
With Terra’s confident assurance, I nodded again and swiftly stored the nearly finished apple into my inventory.
Next, I took out the ‘Broken Vessel Spear (S-)’ and ‘Astra (S)’, two items I had purchased but hadn’t tested yet.
“First, let’s test the spear.”
I levitated Astra with my psychokinesis and gripped the spear tightly with both hands.
Then, I slammed it down towards the ground.
With a thud, the spear embedded itself into the floor, and a sound like a vibration echoed as red and purple waves radiated outward.
The waves spread out to a kilometer, then vanished as per the item’s effect.
I opened my status window. My stats remained unchanged.
“I expected as much, but the spear’s installation buff doesn’t apply to me.”
Well, it does say ‘when using the spear,’ so if the area buff applied too, it wouldn’t be S- grade.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
After all, stacking buffs is a given for anyone playing a role-playing game.
I smacked my lips and pulled out the spear. The black line etched on the spearhead split apart with a sharp crack.
“…Is it really supposed to do this just from pulling it out?”
Isn’t that a bit too fragile?
“If that’s the case, I can’t set it up right in the middle of the battlefield.”
Sigh, that’s the trouble with second-hand items.
I let out a deep sigh as I noticed the crack that had spread from the spear shaft to the spearhead.
&
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[Results of testing the spear with the power of the Infinite Item]
1. The spear can only be reinstalled once.
If pulled out a second time, the spear will be destroyed.
With such low durability, it’s impossible to stick it right in the middle of the battlefield.
Someone must always be guarding the spear.
2. Golems also receive buffs.
If I recognize it as an ‘ally,’ it seems the buffs apply regardless of the type of weapon.
However, since equipment doesn’t seem to apply, it appears to only pertain to weaponry that can move.
Or perhaps it’s because the classification of equipment is ‘property’ rather than ‘ally.’
3. Buff stacking is also impossible.
Same name, same effect.
It was only natural that stacking wouldn’t be possible, so I had neither expectations nor disappointments.
4. The buff from the spear activates only when it is installed.
When I summoned the golem while the spear was stuck in the ground, the buff did not apply.
However, when I stuck the spear into the ground while the golem was already summoned, the buff was applied.
5. The installation duration of the spear is one hour.
I thought it would be able to maintain like a totem, but it suddenly got destroyed while I was testing Astra.
Wondering if I had accidentally touched it, I took out a new spear to install. After watching it for an hour, I confirmed that it wasn’t a mistake but rather a natural destruction.
[Test Impressions]
A piece of junk with only good buff effects.
Cannot be used without the Infinite Item.
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…I organized the glitch effect in the memo pad of my smartwatch and shut down the holographic screen and typewriter.
Then, I resumed the halted Astra test.
“This one doesn’t work, this one’s no good, this one… sigh.”
Thwack, thwack.
I let out a deep sigh as I watched Astra spit out some items while swallowing others.
“…At least everything was registered in the game.”
Muttering this, I lowered my gaze to the items scattered on the floor.
Glitch effects, training and crafting firearms, Aegis, and various materials and consumables, among others.
A jumble of items lay haphazardly around.
“Items offered as sacrifices are generally accepted, but registered items are not, huh?”
As I said this, I held out the automatic potion injector (A).
In response, the item was sucked into Astra with a slurp, as if it were being consumed.
“…You’re pickier than I expected.”
I let out another deep sigh and checked Astra’s information.
────────────────────
– Form: 「Transformation」
[Current Transforming Form: Basic]
[Number of Registered Items: 4]
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The number of items currently registered in Astra was a mere four.
Atlas Armor, (Special Modification) Thunderbolt, the Angel of Death, and the recently registered automatic potion injector.
Indeed. Astra, this weapon, was an item with a severe case of picky eating, unlike in the game.
Items used as sacrifices for Mimicry and Descent would be accepted as long as they were not below C-grade, but.
Items registered for Transformation could only be equipment, and they had to be A-grade or higher, with no negatives allowed.
That’s why there were only four items registered in Astra.
The only A-grade equipment I had that didn’t carry a negative was just that.
“…I guess it’s letting me off easy because of its performance.”
Vroom.
I flicked Astra lightly with my finger, causing it to vibrate softly in response, and began to gather the scattered items into my inventory.
Then, holding Astra in my hand, I decided to try using the transformation ability.
Clack.
As soon as I thought about transforming into ‘Thunderbolt,’ Astra, which had been in arrow form, instantly shifted into a pistol.
Then, when I envisioned ‘Angel of Death,’ the pistol morphed into a minigun. However, the form of the minigun had slightly changed.
The minigun, coated in black, now shimmered with blue and white like Thunderbolt, and its hefty shape had taken on a sharper edge.
Crackle, crackle.
Moreover, the distinctive blue lightning of Thunderbolt flickered and danced.
I decided to check the information on Astra that I had left open.
────────────────────
– Form 「Transformation」
[Current Transforming Form: Thunderbolt (+ Angel of Death)]
[Registered Item Count: 4]
────────────────────
In the transforming form, Thunderbolt was listed as the main, while Angel of Death was the sub.
“…This is a new discovery, isn’t it?”
Perhaps it was because this was reality; there was a feature that didn’t exist in the game.
Like a child who had stumbled upon something fun, I began to experiment with various transformations.
Thunderbolt with Angel of Death.
Atlas Armor with Thunderbolt and Angel of Death, along with a potion auto-injector.
I mixed and matched the two weapons with Atlas Armor and the potion auto-injector, trying out different combinations.
“This is fun.”
My dissatisfaction vanished.
Now that I realized ‘Transformation’ wasn’t just a simple change but could also mean ‘Synthesis,’ there was no reason to feel discontent.
“I guess I have developed a taste for the finer things.”
I gently stroked Astra’s arrow fletching, which had returned to its basic form. At that, Astra trembled, vibrating softly.
Continuing to pet Astra like a puppy, I proceeded with the next test.
────────────────────
– Form 「Imitation」
[Current Imitating Form: None]
[Items Offered: 100,000 / 100,000]
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The number of items filled to the brim.
I had only filled the count last night and fell asleep right after, so I was finally able to test it now.
“Is this also random like in the game?”
Or could it have a new feature, just like the one I just discovered?
With a heart full of anticipation, I used the form ‘Imitation.’
[Number of items dedicated: 0 / 100,000]
In an instant, the count of 100,000 changed to 0.
Tremble, tremble, tremble.
The Astra I held in my hand began to vibrate violently.
At the same time, the surroundings darkened.
I looked up.
“…Space?”
The blue sky, which had just moments ago been bright with the sun, transformed into a universe filled with stars.
“…Should I call this different?”
In the game, only the form changed, but reality revealed the cosmos?
I let out a hollow laugh at the grandeur of the imitation transformation and spread my hands. As if waiting for this moment, the Astra floated into the air and shot toward the universe with a whoosh.
And a moment later.
A star floating in space twinkled.
At the same time, the Astra that had ascended into the cosmos flew back to me as if in reverse.
The moment I reached out to grab the returning Astra.
Flash!
A brilliant light burst forth from the Astra.
And as the light faded, what appeared was a spear made entirely of white bone.
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– Form “Imitation”
[Currently imitating form: Gáe Bolg]
[Number of items dedicated: 0 / 100,000]
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It was the weapon used by the hero of Ulster, Cú Chulainn.
&
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【Gae Bolg(S) – Imitation】[Attribution: Lee Yu-jin]
The spear used by Cú Chulainn, the hero of Ulster and the hound of Culann.
Crafted directly by his master, the goddess of death, Scathach, from the bones of a sea dragon.
– On attack, applies ‘bleeding’ to the ‘enemy.’
– On attack, applies ‘confusion’ to the ‘enemy.’
– On attack, applies ‘despair’ to the ‘enemy’ (not usable).
– On attack, applies Scathach’s curse.
「First Curse: The Curse of Taste.」
「Second Curse: The Curse of Smell.」
「Third Curse: The Curse of Hearing.」
「Fourth Curse: The Curse of Touch.」
「Fifth Curse: The Curse of Sight.」
「When all curses are applied, triggers the Invitation of Death (not usable).」
– When thrown, applies a perfect hit effect.
– On a successful throw, applies the Dragon’s Curse.
「First Curse: Physical Decay.」
「Second Curse: Spiritual Decay (not usable).」
– All stats +100 (+50).
– Indestructible.
[This is the ‘Imitation’ form of Astra. Some effects are limited.]
[Imitation Duration: 12 hours.]
[Imitation Reuse Cooldown: 24 hours.]
– To my beloved disciple, Cú Chulainn, I gift this with love and curse.
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“…The imitation has been patched permanently.”
I let out a hollow laugh at the visible duration and reuse cooldown in my sight.
But that laughter was short-lived.
“Well…, this is indeed how it should be.”
I accepted the limitations placed on the imitation.
And even with the limitations, Astra was still a cheat item.
Despite being a ‘copy’ rather than an ‘authentic,’ it could utilize most of its effects.
No matter how tricky the item was, it didn’t require user testing.
Of course, effects akin to ultimate skills were restricted, but still, this was something.
I thought this as I swung the harpoon with a flourish. It felt as if it fit perfectly in my hand, tracing an intricate arc as if I had used it my entire life.
And just as I was about to throw the harpoon at the bird floating in the air, stomping my foot on the ground.
Whiiiiiiiiiiiiing─!
A strong wind rushed in, accompanied by the sound of turbines and motors whirring from behind.
Turning around, I saw the transport aircraft of the 9th Strike Force descending from the sky. And as the cargo door opened—
“Lee Yu-jin─!”
Arthur, who had taken on a more androgynous, or rather, slightly feminine appearance, jumped out.
And with a thud, he ran towards me.
“I missed you, Lee Yu-jin!”
He wrapped his arms around me tightly.