Chapter 49: Fairy Tear

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Fairy Tear

Victor was cornered once again, but he hadn’t forgotten about the excellent shield that was currently biting into his neck. He thought quickly before the needles shot toward him and, gathering all his strength, shoved the dog in front of himself.

The needles struck the beast, which fell onto the dust, writhing in agony. A second later, it stopped moving.

"Looks like you’re not very smart," Victor said as blood trickled down his neck. His hands trembled around the sword’s hilt, and he couldn’t deny that it had hurt like hell.

What’s more, he was lucky he could still move after using Ironclad Defense combined with Against All Odds. If he was going to pass out, it couldn’t be now. He had to kill this monster, even if it was the last thing he ever did.

For that reason, he stood his ground and advanced toward the Penitent. The specter whispered as it had been doing for some time, uttering prayers that made little to no sense to Victor.

Clenching its fist tightly, the Golden Bone Penitent summoned powerful winds from beneath its black robes, pushing everything in their path away.

A curtain of dust rose, and Victor was pushed backward a few inches by the force of the blizzard. But he didn’t give up; he kept advancing, digging his feet into the ground. He was already here, standing before this monster, and retreating was not an option.

He raised the sword over his shoulder, his eyes fixed on the specter. His steps grew steadier and heavier, and soon he had closed the distance between himself and the monster.

Victor swung the sword in a straight downward slash, and for a moment, he thought he would hit the Penitent. However, it dispelled its wind magic and floated backward a couple of meters.

’Slippery bastard of a skeleton.’

The Penitent stared at him in silence, almost as if it were mocking him as it remained motionless in front of that house.

[The god "Serpent That Bites Its Own Tail" bites its own tail in anticipation.]

[The god "Fisher of Opportunities" clenches its fist tightly.]

[An unnamed god rises from its seat and looks you in the eyes.]

"Shut up," Victor whispered.

He raised the sword high once again, without any particular technique or plan in mind, and charged toward the Penitent with all his strength.

The specter raised its hand once more, and before it could chant any more strange phrases, Victor held his sword in one hand while pulling out the flare gun. He aimed and fired immediately.

The bright crimson flare flew like a shooting star and struck the Penitent squarely in the chest. The specter staggered backward, trying to pull the flare out as it slipped its fingers beneath its robes, but the projectile’s high temperature caused its cloak to catch fire.

Regaining his composure without stopping, Victor gripped the sword with both hands again. He leaped until he was just a couple of meters away from the Penitent, then used the force and weight of his body to drive the sword into its chest.

The Golden Bone Penitent let out a deafening scream, while its putrid stench assaulted Victor’s nose. Nevertheless, he held his ground and pushed the sword deeper until he heard the sound of something cracking.

The specter stopped moving after a brief struggle, and the light in its eyes went out.

Victor dropped to his knees, exhausted.

[Congratulations!]

[You have killed a Golden Bone Penitent (Event).]

[+100 Coins.]

[+1 Luck Value.]

[A reward will be granted to you.]

’Seriously... I hope it’s something good.’

The System window flickered, and a small blue orb emerged from it, dropping into Victor’s hand.

[You have obtained: Fairy Tear.]

[Description: A powerful crystallized tear from an ancient fairy, whose power calms the mind in the most desperate moments. It will slightly increase your perception and reduce your sense of pain.]

’It doesn’t have a rarity, but I suppose that’s because it isn’t a gacha item. Either way, it’s pretty good compared to what I’ve been getting from the System over the past few days.’

The tiny tear, about the size of a marble, fit perfectly in his hand. Victor wrapped it in bandages and hung it around his neck like a necklace.

’This monster also gave me 100 coins and one point of Luck Value. That’s quite a bit more than I expected.’

Apparently, fighting a Golden Bone Penitent had truly been worth it, as the rewards justified the risk. On the other hand, although he could still move, the sudden use of his abilities had taken its toll on Victor.

He dragged himself across the ground until he could lean against the wall and rest.

[The god "Serpent That Bites Its Own Tail" wishes for you to continue the massacre.]

[The god "Fisher of Opportunities" believes it would be better to rest and look for a new opportunity.]

[The god "Serpent That Bites Its Own Tail" disagrees and hisses threateningly.]

[The god "Fisher of Opportunities" lets out a tired sigh.]

The System window illuminated Victor’s face in the darkness.

Regardless of what they thought, he wanted to follow his own path without the influence of these three crazy gods. First of all, because he didn’t trust them one bit. And secondly, because if he did nothing, he would remain stuck in the same place as the other participants.

There was the man he’d found before fighting the Penitent, and then there was the child who had died in such a horrible way. Looking back, this multiversal game was so disgusting that Victor couldn’t help frowning whenever he remembered that he was part of it too.

[Trial: "The Hero’s Will"]

[Requirements: Demonstrate your will and escape alongside your companion.]

[Rewards: Evolution of the Path "Gacha System Master."]

[Punishment for failure: Death.]

’I don’t have time to waste.’

Reluctantly, he got up from the ground and prepared to continue the hunt, much to the excitement of the Serpent That Bites Its Own Tail. However, as he walked down the street, a delightful floral scent filled his nostrils, accompanied by the faint smell of blood.

Victor sighed, looked up at the sky, at that morning star, and wondered:

"Why are there so many participants nearby all of a sudden?"