[ SYSTEM ANALYSIS COMPLETE ]
[ TRIAL 2 PERFORMANCE EVALUATED ]
[ STATS: ]
[ OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTION: 100% ]
[ DAMAGE SUSTAINED: 81% ]
[ TACTICAL EFFICIENCY: MODERATE ]
[ TIME COMPLETION: SLOW ]
[ COMPLETE BASE CONDITION: SUCCESS ]
[ OVERALL RANK: C+ ]
[ SYSTEM REWARD ALLOCATION COMPLETE ]
[ REWARD GRANTED: ]
[ SKILL UPGRADE CARD ]
[ x2 Vitality Elixir ]
[ x1 Random Stats Increase Elixir ]
As Soji rests in silence, his rewards start to materialize in the air; he then quickly reaches his hand to grab all of it. The reward consists of a card that upgrades a skill to a level, two vitality elixirs but this time they're not lesser anymore, and an elixir that raises a random stat.
As Soji contemplates the rewards he received, he thought about checking his stats, and before he could say it, the system manifested before his eyes, accompanied by a chime.
[ Challenger Name: Soji Takashi ]
[ Rank: G → F- ]
[ Title: None ]
[ Race: Human ]
[ Condition: Stable (Heavily Wounded) ]
[ Passive Skill: ]
Physical Enhancement (Uncommon)
– Increases STR, DEX, and CON by 30%
[ Unknown Skill: ]
Null ( ??? )
– A mysterious force that disrupts the target's mental and physical functions, rendering them unable to act for a long time regardless of the target's resistance. Effects are temporary. Very Short Cooldown.
[ Base Stats: ]
STR: 2 ( 2.6 )
DEX: 2 ( 2.6 )
CON: 3 ( 3.9 )
INT: 6
LCK: 0
Soji is shocked by the sudden appearance of the system and makes a discovery reply, "Woah! So I can just make the system appear with my mind?"
"Well... that's useful. I don't like shouting systems every time I want it to show like those third-rate MCs all the time... " he continued to mutter with a heavy sigh.
As Soji takes a look at the ground with the items he received as a reward, he reaches out for the skill upgrading card first.
"First, let's upgrade my cheat skill... I judged very early in the armament room, not knowing this skill would save me."
He used the card, mentally selecting the unknown skill Null as his target of upgrade.
But suddenly— the system appears forcibly.
[ -ERROR- ERROR - ERROR- ]
[ UNABLE TO UPGRADE SKILL: NULL ]
[ UNKNOWN SKILL IS UNCLASSIFIED ]
Soji was shocked and bewildered by the sudden error of the system. "Wait... what?!"
"Unclassified?! Oh my fucking god! I'm not even allowed to upgrade my cheat skill?!" He uttered in pure disappointment and disbelief.
"Forget it... This tower was unforgiving in the first place... and like I could do damn thing about it..."
The system pinged again, offering him alternative option for the skill upgrading card.
[ AVAILABLE SKILLS FOR UPGRADE: ]
[ Passive Skill: Physical Enhancement (Uncommon) ]
He exhaled sharply in disappointment. "Fine... Power is power. If I can't upgrade my Null skill, then why not just use this instead..."
He used the card again mentally but this time selecting his own passive skill, Physical Enhancement.
The system pinged again, appearing with success in the skill upgrading.
[ SKILL UPGRADE SUCCESSFUL ]
[ UPDATING SKILL INFORMATION... ]
[ Passive Skill: Physical Enhancement (Uncommon) → (Rare) ]
– Increases STR, DEX, and CON by 50%. Reduce incoming damage by a small percent. Reduces stamina consumption and increases stamina regeneration by 10%.
Suddenly, a tingling and weird sensation can be felt by Soji around his body. His head spinning for a split second, his vission blurring for a bit, his skin tightening, his muscles involuntarily flexing around his body, and his hair sweating profusely. This all happened in a span of thirty seconds. The upgrading was successful, and now Soji is reshaped into something that is a little stronger, more resilient and capable.
"Man! I feel light! Wohooo..." Soji exclaimed with excitement as he started to jump a little bit before his previous wounds started aching.
"Oh– Fuck!" I forgot about my injuries..." He winced while placing his hands on his opened wound.
Soji dropped to one knee and quickly grabbed the two Vitality Elixirs lying on the ground and wasted no time yanking and uncorking both of them and drinking them. This time the taste caught Soji off guard, as it was too sweet, a more enhanced artificial strawberry flavor running through his tongue.
"Ugh—this is too fucking sweet... I can feel my tongue dancing," wiping his mouth and licking his hand for the remaining juice that's left, savoring the tasty sweet artificial flavor.
Suddenly Soji felt the relief of his body starting to come in, his painful injuries closing with a weird sensation, and his sore muscles starting to recover, gradually relaxing one by one. Soji can now stand up perfectly with no issues, his body fully recovered from the beat-up self earlier and better than before.
As Soji takes a breath from the lingering pain, his eyes taking a glance at the Random Stat Increase Elixir. His final reward for the suffering he endured earlier, Soji took the bottle; the liquid inside shimmered with an iridescent glow, constantly shifting between colors of crimson, emerald, sapphire, and gold. Soji stared at It for a moment because it was unlike anything he had seen so far.
"Now it's time to test my luck... my zero luck. I hope I get strength though..." Soji muttered as he proceeded to uncork the bottle and then drank it quickly.
The taste was bizarre, almost like an adventure for his tongue, as it tasted like cold liquid metal with no flavor at all. Soji then checked his updated system stats with a glimmering hope.
[ SYSTEM STATS UPDATE ]
[ DEXTERITY +1 ]
[ Base Stats: ]
STR: 2 ( 3 )
DEX: 2 → 3 (4.5)
CON: 3 ( 4.5)
INT: 6
LCK: 0
Soji blinked, neither disappointed nor proud. "Dexterity? Well... Better than nothing."
He moved his hands, feeling the subtle shift in his movement; his fingers were a little lighter, more responsive. His eyes are now somewhat observant and fast.
Soji sneered, feeling the change in his whole body. "Heh... I bet I'd be dodging those goblins right now if I had these stats."
The silence from the forest returned. All the chaos from before and even the snarling goblins, the blood-soaked stones, and the sound of his own panicked, restless breathing—had faded. All that's left now is the eerie blowing gust of wind. Soji stood still for a moment, feeling the cold breeze of the wind brush past him until the system reminded him again.
"After all that I'm still ali-" [ Please proceed to the next Trial! ]
Soji was shocked by the sudden voice of the system. "Oh! My— FUCKING GOD! This goddamn system..."
Now all that remained was the aftermath… and the inevitable next challenge.
As Soji glanced at the glowing portal waiting to be traversed, he couldn't help but notice that the ground was still strewn with goblin corpses. Decapitated heads, lifeless eyes, and pools of green blood painted a grim reminder of the battle that had just ended. But more importantly—weapons.
A lot of them. He needed them. For him, weapons are the most vital part for survival now, considering that he didn't even choose a weapon at the armament room.
Chipped swords, cracked axes, crude spears, even bone knives. Each goblin had fallen with their weapon still close at hand, abandoned on the green blood-soaked ground. Soji then started scavenging and looting the corpses.
Soji blinked and then smirked. "Oh hell no! I'm not going into another trial empty-handed again."
He gathered the corpses and knelt quickly, each inspecting the nearby remains and weapons. Most of the weapons were rusted, dull, or barely held together. But then his hand landed on a short, jagged bone dagger—stained, but sharp. A dull axe, but it maintains its shape. And lastly, a sword with a chipped, broken edge at the tip, but the sides are still sharp.
He picked it up, gave it a few quick swings, and nodded.
"Good enough. I'll be taking the bone dagger and the sword, I guess..."
He strapped the bone dagger to his side, its rough leather sheath barely holding it in place, and placed the chipped sword over his shoulder using a torn piece of goblin cloth as a makeshift strap.
Soji exhaled, glancing once more at the battlefield... The silence and the breezing cold wind are almost deafening him at this point.
As Soji braces himself and steps into the portal, waiting for the next trial "Let's hope the next trial goes well... I'm now armed... And now I'm tougher and more resilient... Thanks to my PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENT."