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#27 Chapter Promising Candidate (4)

There was a book I read in my previous life.

It was about powerful rulers who randomly selected people from colony-like places to participate in a battle royale, where the protagonist narrowly escaped death multiple times but ultimately survived, even managing to outsmart the organizers.

What do you think the organizers did to the protagonist? Did they kill him on the spot for daring to defy a colony member?

The answer is “No.”

They couldn’t harm the protagonist, and instead, when he started to self-harm as a trick, they spared his life.

The reason is simple.

The protagonist’s journey through the battle royale was broadcasted and consumed by citizens back in the homeland as entertainment, and the citizens who became fans of the protagonist for his “dramatic” survival were furious when he died in a meaningless way.

Though they were powerful rulers, they couldn’t withstand the intense demands of the citizens.

It’s a slightly different case, but one could also reference a certain drug-addicted detective.

The author wanted to kill the protagonist, but due to mounting pressure from fans, in the end, they raised a white flag and resurrected him.

Public opinion is such a powerful weapon. If you can draw them in, any “show” is worth it.

“No way, isn’t it a bit crazy to use those dying in front of us as content?”

What are you talking about? You have to use anything that can be used. I’ll suck it dry to the bone.

“You’re not the one sticking your neck out; you’re just dumping it on some poor kid.”

Well, characters that save people, like heroes or saintesses, catch on easily but come with many restrictions.

I might end up as the “main” on their camera later, but at least not now.

I glanced furtively at Nadia, who was panicking, then stepped away from her.

When Nadia was scrambling to gather fame and the camera’s attention with her “helping people” schtick, I had something else to do.

“Trying to tackle the royal tomb?”

That’s something for later. For now, I had all the map pieces secured, and at my current level, I could solo it without issue, but if that ended up in the rankings, it would just be troublesome.

“So… is it that again?”

Yep. The reason I chose the least popular class, the Black Knight, in the first place was to maximize the benefits that the Black Knight class could reap by taking advantage of the low competition.

I intended to seize the opportunity to acquire my first unique skill.

*

It had been two days since the first trial ended and the second trial began.

Thanks to a beginner training system created by some younger sister, there were players hastily starting at the starting point, but of course, not every player was like that.

No, when considering the ratio, there were rather more players actively working on their self-enhancement.

However, how they went about “getting stronger” varied widely.

If you were to ask how different it was, you’d find players behaving in ways that seemed downright crazy, as if they’d lost their minds amidst a death game.

Some players just secured the bare minimum level in the beginner zone, then hunted goblins day and night without ever returning to the city, disregarding the fact that they weren’t getting any experience past the level cap, continuing even as their health hovered dangerously low.

Others intentionally bought bundles of subpar “crude wooden spears” to repeatedly charge at sturdy stone golems, only to have their weapons smashed. Considering the stone golem’s level was 30, just taking one hit would be deadly madness, but they still went for it.

Some players even mistook the game genre for a dating sim, casually chatting in front of a tree while engaging in hunting only as an afterthought for ten whole days. They’d shoo insects away, chase off birds, and even clean up their surroundings if it got dirty.

Yet, they weren’t insane, nor were they acting recklessly with the mindset of whatever happens, happens.

──── ──── ────
『No.38 Goblin Slayer』

Acquisition Condition: Awarded to the first player to defeat 10,000 goblins.

Effect: Increases damage by 30% against goblin-type monsters. When encountering goblin-type monsters, there’s a 10% chance to inflict the status effect “Fear.”

[【This skill has already been acquired by someone.】]
──── ──── ────

──── ──── ────
『No.531 Weapon Breaker』

Acquisition Condition: Awarded to the first player to experience weapon destruction 1,000 times during combat.

Effect: Increases weapon power during skill activation. The stronger and rarer the weapon, the greater the increase. Weapon durability decreases rapidly during skill activation.

[【This skill has already been acquired by someone.】]
──── ──── ────

──── ──── ────
『No.1212 Oinone’s Blessing』

Acquisition Condition: Be recognized first as a friend by the nymph Oinone.

Effect: Cures any poison-type status conditions. Once used, cannot be reused for one hour.

[【This skill has already been acquired by someone.】]
──── ──── ────

[Total number of unique skills available: 10,000]

[Number of unique skills not yet acquired: 9,412]

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BE (Beyond Elysion) was not a mysterious game full of the unknown.

It had already been officially launched for over a month and millions of players had enjoyed it.

The exact acquisition conditions for unique skills were disclosed only to the skill holders, but once a player acquired a skill, they tended to boast about it rather than hiding the conditions away. After all, as long as I don’t relinquish the skill, others can’t get it either.

The so-called “proof shots” became commonplace.

Naturally, many of the acquisition conditions of unique skills were known to the public, and some players ignored leveling up and equipment entirely to focus on obtaining unique skills. You could catch up on levels and gear later, but if you let someone else get a unique skill before you, that was the end of it.

Initially astounded by what others were doing, the new players grew increasingly anxious as the unique skill list displayed in the system window gradually turned into “Unobtainable.”

They started digging through the skill list diligently for the unique skills, cursing under their breath.

──── ──── ────
『No.91 Glutton』

Acquisition Condition: Challenge the limits of eating. Common sense is merely what others have decided.

Effect: Seems to be a skill that allows you to eat something…

[【This skill has not yet been acquired by anyone.】]
──── ──── ────

──── ──── ────
『No.200 Walker between Lightning』

Acquisition Condition: Walk 200 steps in a casual manner at the spot where the King of Thunder roars.

Effect: Seems to be a skill that allows for a powerful lightning attack proportional to the user’s level…

[【This skill has not yet been acquired by anyone.】]
──── ──── ────

──── ──── ────
『No.7000 Eagle Eye』

Acquisition Condition: The best way to see a city’s scenery is to climb to the highest point in that city. The more cities, the better.

Effect: Seems to be a skill that allows for instant comprehension of the terrain of the place being overlooked…

[【This skill has not yet been acquired by anyone.】]
──── ──── ────

“What the hell is this nonsense?”

“No way, did those advance scouts get these skills just from that kind of hint? What kind of idiots are they?”

The hints were like clouds to grab at.

Somewhat clear were conditions like “Goblin Slayer” or “Orc Slayer” which counted kills of specific monsters, but unique skills requiring actions unrelated to combat were a triple cross of reasoning, imagination, and absurdity.

However.

No matter how ridiculously difficult the problem might be, the examiners surely know the answers.

Starting from the town of Archaia. If you head north for a while, there’s a lake, and Erin quietly made her way there.

Next to the lake stood an old-looking cabin, and without hesitation, Erin stepped inside.

Inside the cabin were quite a few decent-looking items.

Armor seemingly made from monster hides, a large axe hanging ornamentally on the wall, and numerous books and junk.

Had a regular player discovered this cabin for the first time, they likely would have gathered every item and equipment as if exploring a new place they had never visited.

However, Erin paid no attention to those items and directly lifted the carpet laid on the cabin floor.

The floor underneath, which seemed ordinary at a glance, revealed itself to have parts that could be peeled away like tiles upon closer inspection.

As Erin peeled away the tiles, a hidden dial lock appeared.

A 12-digit dial composed of numbers from 0 to 9 and letters from A to Z.

Without hesitation, Erin manipulated the dial.

[DEAD FACE 4444]

Originally, this dial was supposed to be unlocked by defeating “The Reaper-possessed Murderer Jack,” “The Soldier Contracted with the Reaper Otto,” and “The Zealot of the Reaper Jill” in different locations and obtaining the password from their belongings, but Erin swiftly skipped that process and opened the door leading to the basement.

In the basement were two kinds of items.

A skull-shaped black helmet emanating an ominous aura.

A partly broken sword with missing blades.

+++

【Relic: Helmet of the Reaper Knight】

【Description】

A helmet left by a Black Knight who had a contract with the Reaper.

When worn, it transforms into a form akin to armor, increasing the wearer’s strength and magical power.

Moreover, it possesses the power to obscure the user’s identity from view.

【Note】

The vengeful knight wished for vengeance.

The Reaper said, “I will accept your afterlife.”

The knight replied, “Even if I suffer eternal pain in the afterlife, grant me the power to exact revenge on them.”

The contract was sealed.

+++

+++

【Relic: Black Sword of the Reaper Knight】

【Description】

A sword left by a Black Knight who had a contract with the Reaper.

While it had aged and been damaged over time, the magical power within the sword had only grown stronger.

It regenerates the blade using the user’s stamina and magical power, and when a critical hit occurs, it adds magical damage equal to half the damage dealt.

【Note】

The knight who completed their revenge attempted to negotiate with the Reaper.

The Reaper shook his head. “There is no such eternal pain. You will merely fade away.”

The knight was terrified, but the Reaper did not stop the execution.

The contract was concluded.

+++

After confirming the not-so-impressive descriptions, Erin donned the helmet and held the broken sword in her hand.

The helmet transformed into cold, metallic full-body armor with feminine curves, and the sword absorbed Erin’s blood and magical power to form a complete blade.

Then Erin noticed a system message appearing in front of her.

【The Reaper offers you a contract. If you accept, you will receive “tasks” from the Reaper instead of deities of the pantheon.】

Erin nodded vigorously, and soon a new message popped up.

──── ──── ────
『No.4444 Reaper Knight』

Acquisition Condition: Limited to the Black Knight class. Awarded to the first player to find a relic containing the Reaper’s power and establish a contract with the Reaper.

Effect: Restores 4% health/mana for every kill count increased.

[【This skill has already been acquired by someone.】]
──── ──── ────

Next to Erin, Ryu Inseo in robot form grumbled.

“When I said you should put in unique skills, you asked why to include balance-breaking causes; now you’re the one using them the most.”

“Should I just die instead of getting revenge on those thieves?”

“Why do you have to say that so harshly?”

After displaying an emoticon that seemed to sigh, Ryu Inseo asked.

“So what’s next?”

Erin simply replied.

“I’m thinking of tackling the royal tomb. Do you think I can walk there?”