NOVEL WEB Chapter 17
Background Shopping
Category / [Character Settings] – [Background]
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<ol type="1">⁝
"Hmm."
In fact, I'm not sure if this method will work. Maybe I'm just doing pointless shit. As in, wasting my points.
My aim here is to overlay the numerous backgrounds sold here on my character. It's a possible way to escape the author's control, but it's burdensome, too.
Installing a backstory means establishing the character's identity and goals. In other words, a role that you must perform in this world.
What if I buy and install all forty backgrounds here on sale?
It may even not be possible, but even if it is, you'll be overworked to exhaustion trying to fulfil each role and grab the various ‘rice cakes' for all the background stories.
But, of course, there are also benefits to purchasing each backstory.
Some come with distinct abilities, and for others, it reduces the cost of a certain facility or gives some usable benefits.
In addition, one clear benefit of any background is that it creates a point of contact with various future events and new characters.
And another one. The character's rank.
I don't know exactly what this means yet, but I guess it's a concept similar to the ‘weight' or ‘significance' of the character in the narrative. And as it grows, ‘frequency of appearance' and ‘influence on plot development' also gradually increase.
In order to raise it, purchasing a background is essential.
The reason is simple, because the characters who play an important role in the story usually have one or more of the following characteristics:
<ol type="1">In other words, the more intertwined a character with the storyline, the higher its class.
Besides, there will be a lot of things to worry about in the future. For my character, which didn't even appear properly in the original, to stand at the centre of this story and make it to the end, there will inevitably be a constant conflict with the author who will try to preserve the flow of the narrative.
And facing that inevitability, the right choice is to prepare myself to resist the author's control from early on, armed with all kinds of secrets and rice cakes.
Resolving myself, I began to examine the possible choices one by one.
Even if talk about painting the background with some colour, you can't just blindly buy them all. Obviously, there will be choices that are mutually exclusive.
In addition, I had to avoid backgrounds with latent unique abilities and clearly assigned role. Because they would lower the character's degree of freedom, meaning voluntarily accepting the author's control.
So,
"… Okay, let's start with this one."
I chose the background to purchase first.
▶ [Wandering Guide] – 1400p
- Explanation: It's only been 3 months since I realized that I have the ability of a Guide, and embarked on an adventure. Finding a new path is still awkward.
- Purchase benefits: Pathfinding eyes shine slightly brighter.
The explanation was sparse, and the purchase benefits insignificant.
At first glance, this product had the lowest cost-effectiveness, worth 1,400 points.
But I didn't think there was anything else to prioritize over this.
Once purchased –
Although not mentioned as a separate ability, ‘pathfinding eyes' is also an honest-to-goodness ability. It's something like a ‘hidden characteristic', similar to my ‘a little strong', or Leo's ‘luck'.
Although not explained in detail, but in my opinion, these hidden characteristics are basically capable of ‘growth'. And the driving force behind that growth is nothing other than the character's ‘rank' or ‘class'.
Just think about it, low-ranking characters have little to no hidden traits, yet high-ranking characters always have plenty of hidden traits.
Leo was the proof. As the highest-level being in the world, his ‘luck' alone surpassed the scope of others' unique abilities.
In other words, these hidden characteristics, nurtured to the extreme, can compete with unique abilities. In addition, there is no limit to how many of these you can have, unlike unique or special abilities, so it's always a good idea to collect as many as possible.
‘Really handy[1].'
But, of course, I didn't choose this background as my top priority simply because it included a hidden trait.
Rather, it was the word in its name that caught my attention.
Guide.
The most important keyword and concept in the world setting of Adventure King is, naturally, ‘adventure'.
In this manga, adventure doesn't just mean exploring forgotten ruins alone or pursuing the traces of ancient history.
Adventurers in this world are basically aiming for a single ultimate goal.
To climb to the top of the ‘Tower of Adventure', and acquire the ‘King's Token' from there.
The basic setting of this manga is that the adventurer who accomplishes this will become the next ‘Adventure King'.
The Tower of Adventure is hidden somewhere in Midland, a place called the ‘Land of the Adventure King', and to get there, you have to go through three basic steps.
Step 1. Be registered as an official adventurer by passing the test of the Adventurers’ Association.
Step 2. Achieve ‘S' level as an adventurer, or successfully complete at least three adventure quests of ‘A' or higher level.
Step 3. Form a party of seven or more qualified adventurers and apply for a Midland Expedition.
If you pass the Association's screening, you will be permitted to enter the ‘King's Road' leading to Midland.
Out of all three conditions, the most difficult is the 3rd, ‘party recruitment', and not just because it's difficult to gather seven outstanding adventurers. The difficulty comes from having to configure the party with all the required adventurer types.
There are three main types of adventurers:
<ol type="1">In principle, an adventurer's party consists of at least two guides, two or more decipherers, and three or more adversaries.
Of these, the rarest type is the decipherer, followed by the guide and the adversary. But the ratio is about 1:2:7, so guides are still quite rare.
This was the real reason why I chose [Wandering Guide] as my number one priority.
"1400p isn't a bad deal, since it includes the ability of a guide."
I immediately purchased the background and started to scan the background list again.
After a while,
"Hmm, are these the only ones worthwhile?"
What caught my attention were the following three backgrounds.
<ol type="1">There are six major powers in this world.
First, the governments of each of the four continents, ‘Eastland', ‘Westland', ‘Northland' and ‘Southland'.
Next, the Adventurers' Association, and finally, the International Council.
These six powers cooperate closely with each other when it comes to ‘adventure', basically like this –
The government of a continent may ask the Adventurers' Association to solve any problem that has cropped up on their continent. The Adventurers' Association dispatches adventurers in response. And the International Council formally raises the complaints on behalf of the government regarding the numerous ‘destructive' and ‘illegal' acts the dispatched adventurers might commit in the process of resolving the problem.
Overall, the Adventurers' Association has the strongest power, and the International Council seems from outside a mechanism to keep it in check, but in reality, the setting is that the leaders meet in secret to preserve the balance of the world.
The reason why the above three backgrounds caught my eye was simple. Because I thought I could make a connection, however light, to each faction.
But the problem with that was,
‘It's all a bit pathetic…'
There really wasn't anything attractive.
[Expelled Corrupt Adventurers' Association Member] seemed to have some ties with the Association, but nothing great, and didn't look like it would be of much help after being expelled for corruption.
[Westland Government Security Officer] was by itself not bad, expect for the fact that it was troublesome to work from an office. I would have to start going to work from tomorrow.
[Secret Agent of the International Council] was expensive for a reason. First of all, the purchasing benefits were enormous. Special abilities, personal connections, and even the right to access various confidential information. In addition, guaranteed to appear in the next chapter.
However, this meant that I was given a clear role to play, meaning it was a background that I had to avoid as much as possible.
Hmmm.
‘For now, let's just wait and see.'
I continued exploring the backgrounds.
After 10 minutes or so,
"Wow, look at this?"
I was able to find a gem I never even thought possible.
▶ [The Boy Cursed by the Witch] – 5000p
- Explanation: One day, I drank some drink left on the table and my face turned weird. It was done by a witch who was jealous of my appearance. I can only return to my old form at most once in a fortnight. If I could find the witch who ran away, I might be able to regain my original appearance…
- Purchase benefits:
- Once a fortnight, you can change into a handsome boy for 1 hour.
- When certain conditions are satisfied, you can change into a handsome boy ignoring the time period.
- Condition 1) Eat herbs that neutralize the witch's abilities.
- Condition 2) Contact the witch.
- Uniqueness: If you get rid of the witch or get a healing potion, you can live as a pretty boy forever.
Appearance was something I'd always had in mind.
Appearance is more than half the charm of a character in a manga. No matter how good your unique ability is, and no matter how significant your role is, if the appearance doesn't keep up, you can't attract readers.
Naturally, the vast majority of popular characters have great looks, and if not, at least they don't look offensive, or they have a style full of personality.
Appearance is the most intuitive factor that marks a character's ‘class'.
So, I was thinking about plastic surgery right from the start. Actually, I visited the [Appearance] tab in the character shop a lot.
The problem was that there were at best a few hairstyles and a handful of outfits that could be purchased right away. You couldn't do anything dramatic with just those.
But that didn't mean there were no products.
Face shapes, eyes, nose, teeth, skin, body shape, etc… There were many products. Many, many products, but for some reason they were all impossible to purchase.
As expected, the products in the [Appearance] tab seemed to be available for purchase only if there was a corresponding ‘reason for change', first.
For example, if I acquired the ability to change appearance on my own, or if I applied a background with a strong pessimism about appearance, or maybe if I appeared in a new chapter after a long time?
In fact, I had no choice but to accept it. Because a change of appearance without any reason can cause confusion among the readers.
So, to be honest, I had almost given up on the matter of appearance for now…
‘It's great.'
It was a bit pricey, but I didn't think it was a loss at all.
I quickly purchased [The Boy Cursed by the Witch].
It was the first time the points didn't feel wasted at all.
"Okay!"
I kept skimming through the background list non-stop.
Maybe there'll be something else good?
That was then.
"How long are you going to sit there and grunt?"
When I turned around, Cocoa was looking at me with gloomy eyes.
"… Hmmmm."
I'd forgotten about her.
"Go play. Bring another slot machine or two."
"The casino is already closed. Even the owner is gone."
"…"
"Not going? You're being watched right now."
When I looked around at those words, people looking like employees were indeed hovering around me. Looked like they couldn't talk to me carelessly, since I'm a VIP.
"Yes. I'll go."
I closed the hologram window.
There was no need to complete the purchase right away, anyway. It should be fine to take a little time and consider it.
"Where are we going now?"
"Someplace. You'll know when we get there."
Then I laughed out loud.
A place where as many as 7 or 8 chapters will unfold one after another.
A historic site where the first great arc of Adventure King will begin.
"Get ready."
"Huh? What?"
"Same as last time. Spatial movement. We're doing that again."
Cocoa asked, surprised by my words.
"Huh? Really? Isn't that expensive? I thought it'd be really, crazy expensive."
Seeing her surprised look, apparently, she'd thought it was one of my special abilities.
"It's fine. Don't you know? I'm a VIP at the Goldam Casino. Lots of money."
Of course, it took points, not money.
Then Cocoa quickly nodded her head.
"Right. But it's kinda… Then can you give me some pocket money?"
"Okay, hand."
"Here."
Next, I activated the movement right I'd purchased.
"Destomb!"
One of the central offices of ‘Black Shadow'.
A dozen or so men were seated around a table, but the room was so quiet that even their breathing could not be heard.
After a long silence, the man in the centre spoke.
"From Virgin City to Goldam City. One has been destroyed, and the other has lost its boss."
"The Queen was not the actual boss. El Viego is the real boss of the Mafia Alliance in Goldam."
"That doesn’t matter."
Then the man quietly opened his eyes.
"The point is, those boys touched the mafia."
Haka knew who the ‘boys' the man was talking about were.
The little kids named Leo and Kiriko.
The duo who destroyed the mafia of Virgin City, and took the Queen of Goldam City.
However, they weren't the ones who truly occupied his mind.
Instead, it was a guy with a squat jaw.
Surprisingly, that guy knew about the existence of the ‘goblins'.
At the time, Haka got flustered enough to miss him, but surprisingly, traces of that man could be found again in Goldam City.
So now Haka was sure.
‘That guy is obviously following the one called Kiriko.'
There was no basis. There was no objective reason. But it definitely stank of something.
"An order has been issued from above to pursue them. Two people will suffice. The mafia will follow them anyway. Volunteers?"
"Let me go."
At Haka's words, the man showed a hint of surprise.
"Haka, you? For even you to go…"
"I just want to get some air."
Then the man nodded his head.
"If you go, there will be no need for another. Just be mindful. Don't touch them. It's up to the mafia to deal with them."
"All right."
"They're heading for Destomb."
"Okay."
And then,
Ssh –.
With a faint rustle of clothes, Haka vanished from view.
Editor's Notes:
[1] 개꿀 (lit. super honey) is a slang for something super easy (barely an inconvenience!).
More worldbuilding being sprinkled all over. As you can see, author isn't shy about borrowing from HXH either.