Chapter 460: A Grinder’s Certainty or a Gambler’s Prayer
I woke up to the sll of burnt toast and sothing that might have been coffee if coffee hated you personally.
Maki was gone.
The bed was cold.
My ribs still hurt like soone had used them as a xylophone.
Sixty-seven hours until Reyna kicked my ass in front of the entire Academy.
Fantastic.
I sat up and imdiately regretted every decision that had led to this mont.
My phone showed forty-seven unread ssages.
Most from people I didn’t know asking if I was dating the President’s sister.
Three from Natalia with variations of "don’t die."
One from Skylar: break her nose first. sets the tone.
Emi had sent a picture of protein pancakes with a heart emoji.
Akari’s ssage was just: daddy needs to win so we can celebrate properly later~
I threw the phone across the room.
It bounced off a pile of dirty laundry and survived.
My status screen flickered to life.
Blue text hanging in the air like a cosmic to-do list I couldn’t ignore.
SATORI NAKANO
Level: 3 | Title: KOGH, TSP, BK, GB, BGS, THT | Class: None | Schema Points: 3,015
ATTRIBUTES:
Strength: F-0 | Endurance: F-0
Dexterity: F-0 [ 150] | Magic: F-0
Agility: F-0
Right.
The lie that kept
alive.
F-Rank trash on paper.
High A-Rank monster in reality.
I pulled up the hidden values.
The ones that actually mattered.
Hidden Attributes (Level 3):
Strength: 6,250
Endurance: 6,250
Dexterity: 6,250 [ 150 bonus]
Magic: 6,250
Agility: 6,250
Multiplier: 2.5x (Active)
True Ceiling (Level 3): 7,750 per stat
Numbers that would make most B-Ranks cry.
Stats that put
in the sa weight class as veteran A-Rank Hunters who’d been doing this for decades.
And Reyna?
Reyna was S-Rank potential.
Training since she could walk.
Backed by Olympus Rising, a guild that made money printing money.
I was still probably going to die.
Morning, sunshine.
Nel’s voice dripped through my consciousness like honey laced with cyanide.
Sleep well?
"Like shit."
Excellent. The Audience loves watching you suffer.
"The Audience can kiss my entire ass."
They’d probably enjoy that too. You’re very popular with the demographic that appreciates n in emotional distress.
I walked to the window.
The sun was barely up, painting the Atoll in shades of gold and pink that made everything look softer than it actually was.
Below, students jogged in formation.
Sentinels in their silver.
Phantoms in their red.
None of them were about to fight La Sirena in a duel that would probably end with my face as abstract art across the Crucible floor.
"Pull up my abilities."
The screen shifted.
ACTIVE ABILITIES (2/3):
[EMBER] [IN USE] - Silver Tier
[SPATIAL CLEAVE] [IN USE] - Gold Tier
PASSIVE ABILITIES (3/4):
[MYSTICISM] [IN USE] - Gold Tier
[PROTECTION FROM ARROWS] [IN USE] - Platinum Tier
[BLESSING OF THE SOVEREIGN] [IN USE] - ???
DEVELOPNTAL ABILITIES:
[COMBAT ARTS] - F Rank
I stared at that third passive slot.
Blessing of the Sovereign.
The one ability that refused to explain itself.
"Nel. What the hell does Blessing of the Sovereign actually do?"
Oh, that? Just a little sothing that makes your bonded partners stronger when they fight alongside you. Synergy chanics. Team buffs. The usual.
"The usual."
Don’t sound so skeptical. It’s what allowed Natalia to freeze an entire battlefield in the Necropolis. What let Skylar’s illusions trap an Arborist. What helped Cel survive a Black Gate on fus and spite.
"So I make them stronger."
You make them better. There’s a difference.
I thought about Natalia tearing reality apart to stop a death beam.
About Skylar pinning herself to my side in every fight like she couldn’t function unless I was there.
About Emi healing through injuries that should have killed her.
About Cel freezing a river despite being completely empty.
About Akari not being present for most of this but probably planning her own dramatic entrance.
"Three thousand Schema Points."
Indeed. A veritable fortune.
"What can I buy?"
The screen shifted again, and Apollo materialized.
Not his chibi avatar.
The full god.
Golden and impossible and grinning like he’d just witnessed the funniest joke in creation.
"Morning, Protagonist! Sleep well?"
"What do you want?"
"So hostile. Can’t a patron check in on his favorite mortal?"
"You only show up when you want sothing."
"True." He snapped his fingers. The room filled with golden light. "But this ti, I’m here to give you sothing. A gift, if you will."
"I don’t trust your gifts."
"Smart boy." He waved his hand and a banner materialized in the air between us.
APOLLO’S DIVINE TOURNANT SPECIAL
LIMITED TI: 72 Hours
Featured Rates UP!
Combat Skills | Legendary Weapons | Mythical Traits
500 SP per Pull | Guaranteed Silver or Higher
"You’re kidding."
"I never kid about the gacha." Apollo’s smile widened. "The Tournant Arc begins soon. Every guild at full strength. Julian nursing his grudge. Petrova sharpening her students into blades. Reyna waiting to dissect you in front of everyone you’ve ever t."
"I get it."
"Do you?" He leaned closer. "Because right now, you’re running on borrowed ti and stolen power. Your hidden stats are impressive. Your titles are cute. But Reyna Cabana has been trained by S-Ranks. She’s fast enough to dodge your Spatial Cleave. Smart enough to stay out of range. And her Volt Marionettes will turn your bat into a lightning rod."
"So you’re saying I need the gacha."
"I’m saying the smart play is upgrading your existing abilities. Spatial Cleave to Dinsional Rend for 600 SP. Ember to Inferno Stream for 400 SP. Nice, safe, guaranteed improvents."
"But?"
"But where’s the fun in that?" Golden light pulsed around him. "The banner guarantees at least one Gold-tier per pull. Maybe you’ll get exactly what you need. Maybe you’ll pull another Fairy Tale Princess and end up singing with bluebirds while Reyna electrocutes your spinal column."
I looked at my SP total.
3,015.
Six five-pulls if I went all in.
Or I could play it safe.
Upgrade Spatial Cleave.
Boost Ember.
Get increntally stronger in ways that made tactical sense.
The smart play.
The Kaelen play.
He’s baiting you.
Nel’s voice cut through Apollo’s golden aura.
Don’t listen. Use the points for attributes. Pump Strength and Agility to the ceiling. You’ll hit 7,750 in both and actually stand a chance.
"Boring," Apollo sang.
Safe, Nel countered.
"You could also save the points," Apollo added. "Wait until after you lose to Reyna. Lick your wounds. Be responsible."
He said responsible like it was a communicable disease.
"What are the odds?"
"Of pulling sothing useful?" Apollo’s grin stretched. "Statistically? Seventy-three percent chance of combat-relevant abilities. Twenty-two percent chance of utility trash. Five percent chance of sothing that changes everything."
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