Chapter: 39
Prove Your Resolve (1)

Fortunately, my instincts were off the mark this time.

It turned out to be a very pleasant train journey.
Not a single terrorist in sight! We arrived safely at our destination.

What a remarkably long day it was.

The moment we returned to Miss Rubia’s mansion, I collapsed onto the plush, luxurious bed and fell into a deep sleep.

When I woke up refreshed, a smile naturally graced my lips.
‘Truly, there couldn’t have been a better choice made!’

I suppose it was somewhat expected.

This trip to the black market wasn’t just a success; it was nothing short of monumental!

Initially, we had only planned to stop by and purchase a few artifacts.
But we ended up giving the empire a colossal snub and establishing a great rapport with the Black Fangs.

Even without those added bonuses, there were direct benefits right in front of me.

The holy sword, although split in two, still shimmered brilliantly.
And there were heaps of artifacts piling up like they belonged in a treasure hoard!

Not to mention the gold coins provided by Asher and the materials cheerfully supplied by the black market merchants.

But the dazzling lineup of items was what truly caught my eye.

I looked over the mountain of artifacts and, feeling quite pleased, quickly began the sorting process.

Of course, it was impossible to view item descriptions through the status window.

“Resetting the path of fate.”
“…The twist in your fate is severe. Unable to navigate the path of fate. Searching for a solution.”

The status window, which used to merely be a nuisance, now seemed to have thrown in the towel altogether.

“What the heck is it even doing?”
At this point, it might as well not exist.

It’s not like I took advantage of some cheat or bug. I merely followed the given quests diligently, and yet the system malfunctions like that.
Ridiculous doesn’t even begin to cover it!

“Well, fortunately, I’m managing just fine without it.”
I was thriving on my own, thank you very much!

Gathering allies, acquiring the holy sword—indeed, I’m on the textbook route.

Besides, these artifacts are from a previous game. Whether the item descriptions are visible is of no concern because I’ve memorized their effects!

“Honestly, after pouring so much time into the previous game, how could I not know them?”
I spent thousands of hours on that game!

Naturally, I could recite the item descriptions verbatim without missing a single word.

Twenty-five artifacts in total.
Among those, three were equipped on the groaning Siel, so we’re left with precisely twenty-two to categorize.

The sorting was done in a flash.
The artifacts that were piled like a mountain were now neatly organized by purpose.

Thirteen for offense.
Seven for defense.
One for support, and one that was tricky to classify.

Each artifact was quite useful.
Things like armor that boosts defense by 10% or a staff that can fire fireballs three times a day without using mana.

But…

“Ugh, still, the offensive and defensive options aren’t really drawing me in.”
Such thoughts naturally bubbled up in my mind.

Of course, artifacts are artifacts.
Each one possesses remarkable capabilities.

But… from my perspective, they felt more like a double-edged sword.

The reasoning is quite simple.
“My companions are way more overpowered than I anticipated!”

In reality, when I think about it, I might already be one of the top contenders in this world!
Sure, my raw power is still a bit lacking…

All things considered, I’m like a summoner now!
A situation where a genius wizard and a god-tier warrior would fulfill any request I made.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say I formed contracts with two spirit kings. Actually, my situation might even be better than that.

They are stuck in the realm of contracts and have to offer something for their power.
On my side, it’s a friendship bond.
Asking a friend for help doesn’t involve expecting anything in return.

“Seriously, I’m so fortunate to have such allies!”
Just remembering how I gathered such companions fills me with gratitude.

Anyway.

Because of this dynamic, offensive and defensive artifacts weren’t appealing at all for me.
Just look—it’s Lien’s punches that hit harder than any fireball!
No exaggeration, that’s the honest truth!

When we infiltrated Miss Rubia’s mansion, I saw her punch away a fireball the size of a car!

In a similar vein, Siel’s shadow outperforms most armors.
It’s much more efficient to just swallow attacks with a shadow than try to boost my defense to block them.

“What the heck am I supposed to do with these troublesome artifacts?”
They’re too precious to sell.
But wearing them all seems cumbersome, and their performance might fall short.

While I pondered this, an idea suddenly struck me.
“Could there be another way to utilize them?”

The essence of the holy sword is mystery.
Likewise, the essence dwelling within these artifacts is also a mystery!
So… wouldn’t it be possible?

“Repairing the holy sword.”
There was no such feature in the original game. Obviously, no route involved the holy sword breaking!

But now that the game has become reality,
with so much flexibility and a multitude of possibilities, perhaps it’s feasible!

“It’s definitely worth a try!”
A smile crept onto my face.

With the holy sword split and cracked,
was I really going to endure the hassle of scavenging pieces like gathering Dragon Balls?

At that moment, this new option emerged!

“Extracting the mystique to repair the holy sword might be complicated, but…”
I had a solution in mind.

I had encountered many masters during my time playing the previous game.
I could just reach out to them!

These are the kinds of people who would comfortable take on such an absurd request and likely pull it off!
Another smile appeared on my lips.

“Well, I might be counting chickens before they hatch, given that this could all be a pipe dream.”
But haven’t I been on a lucky streak lately?

Everything I attempt seems to go right!
Maybe I could not only repair the cracked parts but also make the holy sword—now practically resembling a dagger—look appealing.

Brimming with hope, I turned my gaze toward the remaining artifacts.
Having decided what to do with the offensive and defensive artifacts, I had two left.

A special artifact and a support artifact!
I quickly recalled the item descriptions from the last game.

“Whispering Earrings: Enhances intuition. Increases speed by 20% when dodging.”
An item that was written off in the original game.

In Blood and Bone, there’s no such thing as dodging invincibility frames, so nobody used the dodge function!
An increase in dodge speed? Totally useless, making this item the bottom of the barrel.

However, the reason I chose to keep it was incredibly simple.
“It enhances intuition!”

Originally, it was just a flashy description included without any real purpose.
But now that the game has become reality, the narrative changes.

Isn’t it a well-known fact just from checking the traits of a healthy physical body?
The boost to intuition is likely just as thoroughly realized!

Especially since I’ve been worried lately that my instincts weren’t quite up to par.
This artifact appeared just in time!

Without a moment’s hesitation, I put it on my ear.
“Did something change?”
Honestly, I couldn’t really tell.

But then again, intuition is inherently a bit ambiguous, isn’t it?
Wearing it makes me think there will come a day when it proves to be useful!

I shifted my focus from the earrings back to the remaining artifacts.
This was where the real fun began!

“The Gospel of the Future.”
Its effect: it reveals the finest possible future for the user.

To be honest, I was genuinely shocked when I discovered it in Asher’s warehouse.
An artifact that a villain used in the previous game for their schemes!

Who could have guessed it would find its way to Asher through some cosmic twist?
I genuinely had nothing but gratitude to offer Asher!

From the holy sword to the artifacts,
it was an incredibly generous contribution!
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to label him an honorary ally!

“There’s nothing more urgent that I need right now!”
At this moment, I had no idea how to avert the impending doom.

I was in dire need of a proper roadmap.
Just then, Asher went out of his way to procure the exact item I needed!

Given Asher’s intentions, it was only fair to put it to good use quickly.
I lightly nicked my index finger with the holy sword.

As my blood dripped onto the Gospel’s cover, a transformation occurred.
The Gospel emitted a strange light.

The pages started flipping on their own, slowly etching text onto the paper.
Before long, it formed a single sentence.

And then…
My expression quickly morphed into one of bewilderment.

It seemed almost inevitable.
What lay before me were instructions that made absolutely no sense!

*“Sometimes, it’s better not to know,
So close your eyes until the day you’re destined to understand everything.”*

…So.
What in the world is this nonsense?