Chapter 70: Arena II

“Welfare points, you can gift them too….”

Sola blinked her large eyes as she muttered.

“I tried it out just in case, and it worked.”

“…Why would you try such a thing?”

“That’s right! Uncle, you’re just like a researcher!”

I shrugged, not thinking it was anything to be so surprised about.

Then Sola widened her eyes even more, furrowing her brow, and Yeo-jin opened her mouth in an ‘O’ of surprise.

Their different reactions were kind of cute.

Anyway.

“It’s a hassle to always buy junk items as gifts, so I tried to find another way.”

“Oh… So when sending messages, you can just send a single point? Without buying a junk item?”

“Yeah. That’s possible.”

“Wow!”

No need to keep passing around moldy bread or sour milk anymore.

Since upgrading to the intermediate shop, it had also become harder to find cheap junk items.

But the real reason I gathered everyone and told them about gifting points out of the blue—

“So if we send you points, Uncle, you’ll buy items from the shop and give them to us as gifts, right?”

“Yeah. You might need items from the intermediate shop.”

“Intermediate shop?”

It’s not that we might need them.

We will need them.

According to the note, attached like a footnote at the end of the proposal.

“…However, for those with fire-type abilities, note that there may be less differentiation.”

It was clearly something meant to be hidden from others.

The letters were written so small—about 3-point font in a Hangul document.

I’m used to poring over footnotes to get government support, so I read every detail carefully.

‘For a fire-ability user, less differentiation means two possibilities.’

First, the enemy I have to face is a monster like grass or something that’s not weak to fire.

Second, the enemy mainly uses fire attacks.

In both cases, if both sides have fire abilities, there’s a high chance they’re resistant to each other’s attacks.

Well, it doesn’t matter which way it is.

Whoever has to face the enemy, I can prepare them in advance.

‘I’ll decide after seeing who gets chosen.’

For now, I should get myself ready.

At the very least, I’ll definitely get called up.

“Shop.”

[Summoning Intermediate Shop, ‘The Golden Carriage that is Everywhere and Nowhere!’]

[Please select an item to purchase!]

Thinking that, I summoned the golden carriage.

Even in its translucent form, the carriage gleamed and was about the size of a truck.

I’d seen it several times now, but it still felt unfamiliar. Maybe because I hadn’t had the leisure to examine it closely.

Still, when I grabbed the cool, ornate, medieval-style handles on both sides and pulled them open—

Thunk!

The door opened.

And then.

Flaaash—!

Instead of seats, display shelves filled the interior.

Inside, a variety of items were lined up in rows.

Let’s see.

Thanks to saving up without any big spending, I had about 75,000 welfare points.

The 50,000 points I’d gotten for reviving the skeleton soldiers had been a huge help.

So, I have enough bullets.

‘What should I buy for the best efficiency?’

I can’t just buy anything.

Once I use these points, who knows when I’ll be able to save up this much again.

The skeleton soldier mission worked out by luck, but the normal maximum reward was only 10,000 points.

Anyway, if there had been a weapon that caught my eye, I’d have bought it right away…

But I couldn’t find anything like that, even after searching.

The best items here are—

‘This one, and this one.’

There were two swords hanging side by side, just above eye level.

Even through the translucence, the white sword (Baekgeom) gleamed with a bluish aura, radiating an unusual energy, while the black sword (Heukgeom) lay beside it, bent like a crescent moon and covered in dust.

▣ Barintos’ Meteor Iron Sword (Uncheolgeom)

- A sword forged from meteor iron by Barintos, the renowned blacksmith.

Attack Power +15 when used.

However, due to the weight of the material, high Strength is required.

- Required Stat: Strength 20+

- Price: 50,000 welfare points

- Remaining Stock: 1

The blade was straight on both sides, and the hilt was adorned with ornate carvings of stars and meteors, as if to remember its origins.

And next to it—

▣ Shatter Sword (Pashoegeom)

- A sword crafted with utmost effort by an unknown blacksmith.

Its durability is excellent, but its condition has deteriorated from years of neglect.

Attack Power +10 when used.

However, its weight requires high Strength.

- Required Stat: Strength 15+

- Price: 30,000 welfare points

- Remaining Stock: 1

For a sword with such a cool name, it looked dull, with dust settled on its blade.

In contrast to the gleaming white sword, the black sword looked even more blunt and worn.

But…

─ Vwoom!

Every time I held it, it emitted a faint, short cry.

Even though it was translucent and not fully tangible…

Would it be too much of a leap to interpret that as the sword liking me?

Anyway, the problem is—

‘I can only choose one of the two.’

First, the Meteor Iron Sword.

I like that it gives a whopping +15 attack power.

Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.3) gives me +20 attack power, so with the sword’s effect, that’d be incredible.

However.

‘It’s too expensive.’

50,000 points is a steep price.

Plus, I don’t have enough Strength to use it right away.

Of course, I could buy it and wait until I can use it…

Second, the Shatter Sword.

+10 attack isn’t bad.

If I invest the 2 points I got from the personality test into Strength, I could use it immediately.

‘Which is better?’

Should I go for the stronger white sword that I can’t use yet, or the black sword that I can use right away for this mission?

Or maybe there’s a third option.

Maybe a better weapon will show up later, so perhaps I should just keep using the Beak-Blade Sword and wait a bit longer.

I think an item with versatile uses would be better than pure attack power…

Caught up in these pointless worries, I absentmindedly stroked the two swords on the display rack.

‘For now… huh?’

Then, I felt an odd sensation at my fingertips.

Just above the hilt, my index finger brushed over a groove carved into the base of the blade.

It was a groove, as if inviting something to be inserted there.

Could it be… if it’s what I’m thinking…

‘Guess I’ll go with this one.’

[Do you want to purchase Shatter Sword (Pashoegeom)?]

“Pu—”

Ah. Wait.

Just as I was about to say “purchase.”

[Congratulations!]

[You have acquired the title ‘First Patron’!]

The title I’d received after gifting Je-hyuk during the last observation mission flashed through my mind.

If giving myself a gift also counts as ‘patronage’…

“…Gift to Lee Eun-ho.”

[When patronizing the target, you get a permanent 10% discount.]

[Effects of items patronized through ‘the Eye’ are increased by 10%.]

I asked, with the same feeling as flipping through a coupon before buying something expensive—no expectations, just in case.

Maybe, maybe not.

After a brief silence, the system responded.

[You are gifting ‘Shatter Sword (Pashoegeom)’ to the target ‘Lee Eun-ho’!]

[The ‘First Patron’ title applies a 10% discount.]

[The attack power increase of ‘Shatter Sword’ is boosted by 10%.]

Oh?

It works.

This system…

‘There’s nothing useless about it.’

Thinking I’d need to dig into it even more, I called over Hanul.

“Mr. Hanul.”

“Yes, Teacher?”

“Would you like to use this sword?”

“!!”

I handed over the Beak-Blade Sword I’d been carrying up until now.

Hanul, startled, even let go of Yul’s hand.

“Huh? B-but this is the sword you always used…”

“I bought a new weapon.”

“P-please, let me pay you for it!”

“No need. I can’t even sell it back to the shop anyway.”

“Still… I’m always on the receiving end of your kindness…”

He seemed truly sorry, and perhaps frustrated that he always had to rely on me.

He didn’t need to feel that way.

Maybe he’s just a gentle soul by nature.

How will he survive in this harsh world…

“I’ll definitely repay you! Even if my life’s at stake…!”

“It’s fine… No, thank you.”

I changed my words, thinking this might be the time he repays me.

And then.

“Ji-eun, could you hold onto this for a bit?”

“This is…!”

“I’m not giving it to you, just lending it.”

“Ah… Yes! Still, thank you…!”

Finally, I handed a blade to Ji-eun.

With her gentle smile, my arrangements were complete.

Now, all that was left was to accept the pending mission.

──────◆──────

An additional mission has been arranged to assess the grade of target ‘Lee Eun-ho’. Would you like to proceed?

[Yes] │ [No]

──────◆──────

At last, I looked squarely at the message window that had been floating for a while.

I reached out and pressed the button.

‘Yes.’

With all my will, firmly.

At once, as if waiting, an announcement echoed.

[Commencing additional mission for target ‘Lee Eun-ho’!]

─ Fwaaash!

A tremendous burst of light exploded before my eyes.

As the radiance poured through my corneas and over my whole body, I thought I might go blind.

“!!”

“Kyaaaaa!”

A pillar of light soared upward.

It enveloped me, Ji-eun, and everyone.

[Transferring to the ‘Arena’!]

[Brace for impact!]

---

Thud!

I dropped into a pure white room from about a meter above.

It reminded me of my first day at the training center—a blank, empty space.

The white surroundings blurred the boundary between floor and wall, making my head ache, as if I’d wandered into a psychiatric ward.

And—

‘Why is there so little here?’

The only things in the room were a desk and three large screens on the wall.

All three screens were dark, perhaps powered off or not yet on.

[Welcome to the arena, target ‘Lee Eun-ho’!]

The arena.

This must be the ‘Colosseum’ mentioned in the proposal.

[The offering has been prepared.]

[Starting the broadcast!]

The ‘offering’ would be my companions, the ones who’d been with me just a moment ago.

The real question was, which of them—and how many—had been brought here, but before I could wonder, the system turned on the screens.

Flaaash!

The first screen to light up was the center one.

‘!!’

A gigantic body filled the space on screen, too vast to gauge the size of the room.

Scales that would take a full wingspan to cover.

Two enormous wings, impossible to fully spread inside.

And from its gaping jaws, it unleashed—

Flaaaaaaare—!

Flames.

In an instant, the stone wall was scorched black, like a wildfire had erupted.

This is…

‘…A dragon?’

A dragon, just like in novels.

The divine beast appeared before my eyes.

To be precise—

[Please check ‘Arena I’!]

[For smooth operation, voice connection will begin!]

Between Arena I and II, only a single door separated the rooms.

“D-didn’t you just hear something?! Dammit! Was it just me?!”

“I-I-I heard it! Kyaaaa!”

It was like a coliseum from the Roman era, partitioned with barriers into two arenas and a holding pen for the dragon.

And on the arena floor—on the dirt—my companions were huddled together, trembling.

On the left were—

“Heeek! P-please, calm down! Even if you’re bitten by a tiger, as long as you stay sharp, you can survive!”

Je-hyuk, sweating buckets but trying his best.

“Are we really going to die?”

“Damn it! Stop jinxing us!”

Cursing, legs shaking, stood the foul-mouthed one and Lee Ye-ji.

“Yul, get behind Daddy!”

“Hand! Hold Yul’s hand!”

Hanul and his daughter, legs trembling but still trying to protect each other.

Admirable, really.

And—

[Please check ‘Arena II’!]

Courage, fear, and earnestness were on display on the right screen as well.

─ ROAAAAAR!

“Oh my goodness!”

“Aigo! What’s that noise?!”

In the right arena, despite their fear, stood the security guard and cleaning lady, holding their positions.

“Everyone, get your weapons ready!”

“There’s… something behind the door.”

“Sir, your shield! Sola and Yeo-jin, get behind me!”

And at the lead was Ji-eun, with Sola and Yeo-jin holding hands tightly behind her.

[Please select which door to open!]

Five on the left, five on the right.

Divided so evenly.

Ⅰ≪≪ OPEN ≫≫Ⅱ

On the table were two buttons labeled Ⅰ and Ⅱ, thoughtfully provided.

[Time limit is 10 seconds.]

[If you don’t choose within 10 seconds, you will be immediately deleted—be careful!]

A simple problem.

It’s a matter of choosing which arena the dragon enters.

Press Ⅰ, and I’ll enter the arena with Je-hyuk and Yul.

Press Ⅱ, and I’ll enter the arena with Ji-eun and Sola.

If I press nothing, I’ll be deleted.

[10 seconds, 9 seconds, 8 seconds……]

Either way, I have to choose.

So I—

“Accelerate! Summon! Activate!”

Prepared as much as I could.

[3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second……]

Ⅰ≪≪ OPEN ≫≫Ⅱ

Click!

Pressed the button.

[Selection complete!]

[‘Arena II’ has been opened!]

Rumble rumble rumble!

As the whole arena shook with vibrations—

Bang!

I caught the sound of a gunshot.

Familiar, but much louder and sharper than any I’d heard before.

‘This way.’

When I was summoned to Ji-eun, I’d asked her to find the space with an ‘eye’ drawn on it and shoot it.

So I could figure out where I was trapped.

They’d hammered it in that I couldn’t leave, but…

「※ For fairness, the subject of the additional mission cannot leave the observation room.」

The ‘fairness’ those guys wanted up there—none of my concern.

I’d never intended to just sit there sucking my thumb alone.

So I—

[Using Bone Bomb!]

Hurled it hard at the wall where the gunshot had come from.

Whoosh!

The shinbone, probably from the skeleton soldier, left my hand.

As it drew an arc and struck the wall with a thunk—

Boom—!

The wall exploded.

The pristine white wall cracked, shattered, and rained down ashen debris.

Through the gap came sunlight, a gust of wind, and…

“Eun-ho!”

“!!”

“Uncle, why are you coming out of there?!”

Cheers and shouts of astonishment from people I knew.

Whoosh!

I felt the wind as I judged the distance to the ground.

Not high enough to be deadly.

About six meters?

After jumping off Namsan Tower twice, this is nothing.

‘The Shell Armor will absorb most of the impact… and if I break a leg, I’ll just ask Sola to heal it.’

…Just as I slipped my body through, I heard a mechanical beep.

Beeeeeeep!

[Warning!]

[You have left the observation room! Return immediately!]

Huh?

[You have entered an unauthorized area.]

[A penalty will be applied!]

A penalty…?

[Movement is restricted in unauthorized areas.]

[Agility stat decreased by 99%!]

[Danger in unauthorized areas increases significantly.]

[Defense decreased by 99%!]

…Geez, how am I supposed to thank them for this?