Damned System

Chapter 52. Main Scenario (1)

The current funds I had at my disposal amounted to 21,263 mana.

Including 3,000 required for Level 3 access, it exceeded 24,000.

“……”

Regardless of the joy it brought, it was a number that felt unreal.

It was a given since the unit of consumption had suddenly leaped from hundreds and thousands to tens of thousands.

Just because it felt unreal didn’t mean I wouldn’t spend it.

‘Should I buy the skill as planned?’

When entering Level 3, acquiring a fireball was my first priority.

Among skills that included words like explosion, shock, radius, and area, a fireball was the cheapest.

But now, I had a budget large enough to buy the fireball and still have plenty left over.

Naturally, this directed my gaze towards slightly pricier skills.

「Hellfire (19,113 mana)」

– Category: Permanent Skill
– Description: Burns everything within the caster’s radius. The scale and power of the skill vary depending on the amount of mana used for its invocation.

I crossed my arms, reading through the description.

According to Ahel’s explanation, each skill requires a suitable attribute.

However, this Damned System completely omitted such details.

‘Those who wasted their mana are truly pitiful.’

What crime had players committed to be unable to use the skills they purchased at the expense of their mana?

And what crime am I committing being so indecisive before buying a new skill?

‘Since it appears to be fire-related, can my attribute handle it?’

What if it required an advanced attribute?

While I had all four main elements stacked, I lacked an advanced element.

If this skill required advanced elemental mana, I would be squandering nearly 20,000 mana.

“Ugh.”

In the past, I would have just bought it without a second thought, but now I was filled with hesitation, worried I might not be able to use it after buying it.

They say ignorance is bliss; it couldn’t be truer than in this situation.

Even though I earned this mana as a bonus, it was too much to risk on sheer adventurous zeal.

‘Let’s put it on hold.’

There’s a clear line between being bold and being hasty.

In a situation where the information I had was uncertain, I couldn’t gamble.

‘Perhaps armor would be better.’

At least with armor, there’s no chance of it failing.

‘Since I needed equipment anyway….’

I had been bitten by crocodiles dozens of times.

I also used a fair number of potions to treat the injuries I sustained at that time.

Minimizing the mana expenditure on consumables was wise.

Choosing what appeared slightly cheaper and using it more frequently would ultimately result in a hefty loss in the long term.

As I systematically sorted through my thoughts, I found my inclination shifting more towards armor than a new skill.

So, I navigated past the skill tab and opened the equipment tab.

‘Let’s see……’

I had looked through this tab numerous times, but I never made an actual purchase.

‘Mainly because of the high prices.’

Weapons had a surprisingly low threshold.

A dagger similar to the tutorial reward cost around 300 to 400 mana.

Swords and spears ranged from 1,000 to 2,000 mana.

However, armor started at a minimum price of 1,000 mana.

And that wasn’t even for solid armor or shields, just gloves and greaves.

Shields could be found from around 3,000, and actual armor began appearing after 5,000 mana.

That’s why it was largely overlooked in the early stages.

‘Why not go for something solid now that it’s come to this……?’

Was a brigandine the same as a breastplate? Were they different?

‘How would I know if I’ve never worn armor before?’

It wouldn’t hurt to include images, but the dense text was suffocating.

Yet, despite this, I wasn’t angry.

My expectations of the system had already hit rock bottom.

Anger wasn’t worth the little time I had.

Hence, I diligently roamed the equipment tab, examining armors.

After an extended period of shopping, I finally stumbled upon something satisfactory.

And that’s when I suddenly felt a persistent gaze locking onto me.

“Gasp!”

Quickly turning my head, I found golden eyes with a peculiar glint staring right at me.

It was Rashar, who had approached unnoticed.

She stood with a frosty expression, her hand resting on her sword.

A faint halo lingered in her eyes.

‘This…’

A similar encounter happened when I had first met Rashar.

A sensation of being watched by something or someone unfamiliar, making the hairs on my neck stand on end.

Though I didn’t understand why, it was unsettling and terrifying.

Without warning, a significant sense of murderous intent enveloped me.

‘Why so suddenly?’

As I rose abruptly, stepping backward, the shoelace tied around my waist snapped.

The rusty iron shield fell to the ground with a loud clatter.

Rashar’s golden eyes shifted toward the noise.

Gulp.

Before I knew it, the force that had been pressing on me disappeared.

While idly fingering the sword at her waist, Rashar looked down at the fallen shield and spoke in a composed tone.

“If I startled you, I apologize.”

“…… No problem.”

Feigning nonchalance, I bent down to pick up the shield, trying to calm my trembling body.

Part of me wanted to touch my neck right away, simply to confirm my head was still attached.

The only reason I was alive was that she hadn’t drawn her sword.

If she had unsheathed and brandished it…

‘I’d be dead.’

Without a chance to resist, I would’ve died right there.

As I nervously tied the shield back to my waist, Rashar let out a sigh and spoke.

“It wasn’t my intention to act as if testing you.”

“…….”

“I’m sorry, but this is a highly sensitive issue for us. I hope you understand my circumstances.”

Coming in and exhibiting murderous intent, what on earth are you talking about?

‘Are you saying it’s okay to kill someone if it’s a sensitive issue?’

Before I had a chance to question her, Rashar ran her left hand down her face.

Momentarily, weariness was smeared across her revealed expression and eyes.

“Personally, I don’t think you’re a bad person.”

Despite this, she still clutched the handle of her sword.

“For this reason alone, I must confirm this before returning to the base.”

With a long sigh, Rashar’s expression turned devoid of warmth.

“Since the first time we met, the mana emitting from you increased. Like a variant species.”

Finally, the doubts that had persistently lingered became clear.

“Can you explain that?”

No wonder she was acting irritable; it was because my mana had increased.

“…… Are you suggesting I’m a monster?”

“If not, then how do you explain your mana increasing while possessing a Messeo?”

“Should I ask back? If I was a monster, what then?”

Rashar answered by slightly unsheathing her sword.

“Tsk.”

She was dead serious. Unless I provided a satisfactory explanation, she intended to kill me right here.

Of course, I didn’t want to die. But destroying the Connection and escaping wasn’t an option either.

‘I’ve come too far to abandon it.’

To uncover mysteries about this hellish game, I needed to reach the temple.

The fact she mentioned an Outsider while pointing at me was a clear sign there’s a connection between the game and this unfamiliar world.

To unravel it, I must stay close to Rashar all the way to the base!

‘The dialogue with the system is also offered as a reward.’

I pondered how to clear Rashar’s doubt.

“K, I need an explanation.”

Prompted by Rashar’s urge, I anxiously clenched and unclenched my hands.

At that moment, my gaze met Ahel’s, who was watching me from beyond the store window.

Moments ago, images of him tumbling across the ground lingered.

“Ah.”

Seeing something with one’s own eyes is better than hearing it a hundred times, and it sparked a good idea.

The reason Rashar unsheathed her sword was because my situation was ambiguous, neither human nor monster.

Considering my mana increased even while carrying a Connection.

Therefore, it wasn’t necessary to explain the exact relationship with the Connection.

‘I just need to show her that I’m different from a monster.’

Rashar seemed able to sense mana, detecting when another’s mana increased or decreased.

This meant she could see my mana diminishing.

Exploiting this, dispelling her suspicion wasn’t too hard.

“You can see and judge for yourself now.”

After leaving those words, I pressed the purchase button in front of me.

* * *

When K exited the place where barrier magic was implemented, Rashar initially held suspicions about him.

Despite the gratitude he deserved for saving her subordinates’ lives, it wasn’t enough to earn trust.

Rashar had encountered many instances that warranted thankfulness but not trust.

However, K flipped her doubts aside by utilizing the authority of Finelpenia.

The suspicion and vigilance vanished in an instant.

There was no way the Seven Great Virtues would grant authority to enemies.

Thus, Rashar naturally believed K was the Outsider mentioned in the prophecy.

That was why she voluntarily offered to guide K, even though he possessed a Messeo.

Such was the solidity of her faith and trust in the authority and the Seven Great Virtues.

Yet now that Ahel had awakened and they could return to the base, that faith wavered.

‘The trait of enemies is growing stronger by absorbing others’ mana.’

Sometimes through the Messeo, at other times through devouring other beings.

How often had she despaired before enemies growing stronger with every mana absorption?

By nature, the amount of mana one has is fixed from birth.

Some are born with ordinary amounts, while others are endowed with massive mana.

It’s an infallible rule and an obvious truth.

Just as individuals are born with their own bodies, mana is intertwined with the self.

Absorbing another’s mana only heightens the craving for greater power.

Ultimately, they become fallen creatures, losing all reasoning.

This is why black mages who plundered others’ mana throughout history were deemed abominations.

Therefore, with every increment in K’s mana, Rashar’s nerves frayed.

The fear that she might be bringing an enemy to the base, planted by her own hands, loomed over her.

Over about a day, since the previous afternoon, K’s mana change became Rashar’s burden.

‘Was it haste?’

Did he indeed rob, rather than receive the authority?

Was Finelpenia secretly collaborating with the enemy?

What if K was not an Outsider, but an enemy impersonating one?

Then, his actions so far were merely to extract information?

‘If that weren’t the case, how else to explain increasing mana.’

Once seeded, doubts didn’t just grow; they branched out.

If K was an adversary in human disguise, intentionally getting close.

‘Even rescuing the company members would’ve been a calculated approach.’

It was already peculiar how swiftly their farm infiltration was discovered.

Perhaps it was an orchestration to plant K within.

All seemed to fit together.

With this in mind, taking K to the base was inconceivable.

Rashar gritted her teeth.

‘If deemed dangerous, I’ll have to eliminate him.’

Yet, she couldn’t proceed.

‘What if he isn’t an adversary?’

If he truly was the Outsider from the prophecy?

By her actions, the sole hope she found would be blown away.

K sustained his reason despite increased mana, showing no violent tendencies.

Rashar rehashed how rationally K behaved.

But just as her inclination tilted towards believing he was the Outsider, her mind wavered again.

‘What if it turned out not to be?’

Personally, she admitted to finding favor in his character.

His clear articulation was notable, and even when suspected by her, he chose calm responses over anger.

It was precisely this behavior that seeded more doubt in her.

What if his character itself was a ploy to win her affections?

If through her personal sentiments she made a careless decision that resulted in harm to the base.

If due to her lone decision, the Resistance suffered irreparable damage.

Rashar gritted her teeth unnoticeably.

The future that could unfold from her choice terrified her.

It was this fear that led to her predicament of pushing and pulling him inconclusively.

At the end of all these thoughts, the confrontation with the eventuality scared her.

Thus, Rashar neither could, nor dared destroy him.

“K, I need an explanation.”

All she could do was push for answers with a restless heart.

“You’ll see and judge for yourself,”

Before she could comprehend the meaning of his response, she sensed the mana emanating from K lessening.

Damned System.