[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 726: The Great Path (4)
“Huh...? This first slot isn't going to be easy.”
As Yeongwoo stroked his chin, Eroom ran a hand along his waist and asked,
-Why? Did a bunch of bizarre attributes show up? Judging by the things you do, nothing would surprise me.
“No, maybe because it's the first slot, there isn't anything too bizarre. It's just that they're all so different from each other.”
There was Piercing Shot, which ignored Insight.
Then Stealth Shot, which guaranteed a sensory-type effect in Slot 2.
Then Sharpshooter, which provided automatic firing support while amplifying Slot 2's effect by a full 50%.
Even the final option, Confidence, specialized in fighting against multiple enemies.
It granted a 10% attack increase per adjacent enemy, up to a maximum of 100%, and caused a conditional Slot 2 attribute whose effect was amplified by 25% to appear.
'The balance is incredible. If the base attribute is excellent, the Surprise effect is vague. On the other hand, if the base attribute is mediocre, the Surprise effect becomes exceptional.'
The one that had caught his eye first was naturally Stealth Shot, but after thinking it over, ignoring Insight might not have much long-term significance.
He already possessed a 50% chance to ignore Insight, and monsters—or experts—above Grade 4 probably didn't rely that heavily on Insight to begin with.
'Though there's one thing that bothers me—the Surprise effect.'
Surprise: There is a high chance that an effect with the #Sense attribute will appear in Slot 2.
Being able to determine what attribute would appear in the next slot was a huge advantage.
Besides, he already possessed plenty of equipment related to the senses, so the synergy would be excellent.
'But on the other hand, choosing this would also block the appearance of other attribute types.'
This equipment would be forged at 110% Activation.
That meant there would likely be plenty of unique effects that were difficult to predict.
Just looking at the second option, Sharpshooter, wasn't its effect something no one could have anticipated?
【Sharpshooter】
|A small, intelligent mechanical arm fires in your place.
Surprise: Amplifies Slot 2's effect by 50%.
'Small and intelligent...? I don't know just how intelligent it'll be, but having another arm dedicated solely to shooting would definitely increase my combat power.'
Moreover, the mechanical arm's shots would also have a 50% chance of ignoring Insight.
'Though if I ever end up fighting President Lemu, it probably won't function properly.'
Still, the Surprise effect that amplified Slot 2's effect by a whopping 50% possessed value that was truly irreplaceable.
“Now this is a gambler's option.”
As Yeongwoo muttered while looking at Sharpshooter, Eroom started butting in again.
-...What is it? As payment for returning my younger brother, I'll lend you a bit of my wisdom.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Yeongwoo was about to answer with nonsense as well, but changed his mind.
Come to think of it, hadn't Eroom already forged Projection Equipment once before?
He might not have worked with 110% Activation, but he could probably still offer some meaningful insight.
So Yeongwoo first explained the three attribute effects to him before pointing out Sharpshooter's Surprise effect.
“It amplifies Slot 2's effect by 50%. But since it can't specify what kind of Slot 2 effect appears, it's completely unpredictable.”
-That's true. At least the others still produce new attributes within a somewhat defined framework.
“If it were you, which one do you think you'd pick?”
-Me? Well, if it were me...
Eroom shifted his gaze into empty space.
-I would've picked Confidence.
【Confidence】
|Attack increases by 10% per adjacent enemy, up to a total of 100%.
Surprise: A conditional attribute appears in Slot 2, and that attribute's effect is amplified by 25%.
Yeongwoo's eyes widened at the answer.
“Confidence? Why?”
-I'm the young heir of the Salzeo family. Sometimes assassins come after me, and there are occasions when I have to go to war.
“So you're planning around fighting outnumbered.”
-Exactly. And that conditional attribute attached to the Surprise effect... is actually a very broad concept. It includes all sorts of conditions, like losing an arm, having your highest stat be a specific attribute, and so on. So its versatility isn't bad either.
As expected of the heir to a prestigious family, he favored stability.
Then Eroom's expression changed.
-But if I were truly you, I'd have picked Sharpshooter.
“What? Why?”
-Aren't you the Lord of Planetary Ships? A Wonder of the Universe. A rebel who led celestial bodies away from their natural orbits.
“What does that have to do with Sharpshooter?”
-Shouldn't someone like you be bold enough to gamble? You're really going to give up a 50% effect amplification...?
“You bastard, you're the one who said you'd pass on it.”
-That's because I have too much to lose.
“And I'm a Wonder of the Universe...?”
-Which means your odds of winning the gamble should be higher too.
At this point, Eroom was just saying whatever came to mind.
Yet, ironically enough, Yeongwoo could more or less understand what he was trying to say.
This wasn't a problem that could be approached with pure logic.
“Guess I really am the incarnation of unpredictability.”
-That's probably why you even got a Surprise effect in the first place. Normally, Surprise effects don't appear at all.
“Ah... right.”
Yeongwoo was reminded of something he had briefly forgotten.
This Surprise effect had been a special privilege.
And it was a one-time privilege at that.
“Come to think of it, there won't be another Surprise effect in the second slot.”
-Probably not. Which means your only chance to gamble is with the first slot.
That was Eroom's argument.
If this was his only opportunity to make use of the Surprise effect, then choosing Sharpshooter, which possessed the strongest Surprise effect, was the choice befitting the Lord of Planetary Ships.
“The more I hear you, the more it sounds like you're talking so casually because it's someone else's problem.”
-That's true. But it's also true that you'll never get another opportunity to make this kind of gamble.
“You make it sound nice, but in the end, I'm the one who has to bear the consequences if it fails.”
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Even as he spoke, however, Yeongwoo couldn't tear his eyes away from Sharpshooter's Surprise tooltip.
Surprise: Amplifies Slot 2's effect by 50%.
It was a gamble that left every possible outcome in the pool, without steering it toward any particular tendency.
That didn't mean it could produce an attribute that actually reduced his abilities, did it?
'I'll just have to hope that mechanical arm is truly as intelligent as it claims. Either way, choosing this means giving up Insight Ignore and anti-group combat performance.'
Yeongwoo squeezed his eyes shut.
Then he opened them again.
“Damn it.”
-Looks like you've made your decision.
“Of course. If the Surprise effect activated because it reflected my path, then the choice itself ought to be just as unpredictable.”
With that, he selected Sharpshooter.
Fwaaash!
The moment Yeongwoo filled the first slot, every tooltip floating before his eyes disappeared.
Immediately afterward, system messages appeared once again.
<Accordingly, the effect of Slot 2 will appear with a 50% amplification.>
It was then that waves of deep blue light poured across the empty space before Yeongwoo.
It was probably a visual indicator that Sharpshooter's Surprise effect was being applied.
Finally, a message announcing the composition of the second slot appeared.
Fwaaash!
<Second Slot - Primary Function>
'Primary function? Am I finally getting the gun's actual performance?'
Yeongwoo's eyes lit up.
The explanation unfolded exactly as he had hoped.
<The second slot determines this firearm's primary function.>
Then, just as before, three attributes appeared one after another.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
【Dangerous Hybrid】
|Attack increases by 30% for each damage attribute you possess.
You currently possess Physical, Supernatural, Poison, and Lightning—a total of 4 attributes.
【Master Marksman】
|This firearm remains invisible until the moment it is fired, and increases all of the user's firearm damage by 105%.
【Intimidation Reload】
|Equipped with a special reload function that produces a loud noise. Each time you reload, the next bullet's damage increases by 37.5%, stacking up to a maximum of 187.5%.
“What the hell...? The second slot is completely insane.”
Were these really effects generated based on the Lord of Planetary Ships' data?
Yeongwoo couldn't help reflecting on his own past.
“And none of them are even bad...?”
The one that immediately stood out was naturally Master Marksman, whose very name was extraordinary.
But in terms of overall versatility, the answer was obvious.
'Dangerous Hybrid... If I picked it right now, it'd already give me a 120% damage increase.'
It was so good that simply storing it in the Weapon Catalog and benefiting from its effect would be worthwhile.
When Legendary 110% Activation was combined with the special effect of Surprise, it was apparently capable of producing monstrous options like this.
“There's really nothing to think about here.”
Yeongwoo immediately selected Dangerous Hybrid, causing Eroom to raise his head.
-You've already filled the second slot?
“Yeah. One of the options was just overwhelmingly strong.”
-Then it's the last one now. The most important choice.
“The third slot is the most important? What comes out there?”
-The final slot is something like a signature. It reflects the equipment's overall disposition more than anything else. That mythic sword of yours should be the same.
Hearing that, Yeongwoo quickly checked the Bastard's third slot.
【Challenger】
|Combat ability increases dramatically when fighting opponents of a higher grade than yourself.
"...I see."
-Which means even that ridiculous pistol of yours will be granted one distinctive characteristic.
“It already feels distinctive enough.”
Yeongwoo nodded before turning his gaze toward the system message.
<Third Slot - Personality>
At last.
The final choice.
<The third slot determines this firearm's personality. It generally improves the firearm's performance, but corresponding drawbacks may also arise.>
'Drawbacks?'
The moment Yeongwoo's brow twitched, what were likely the most troublesome choices of all appeared one after another.
【Repentant Trigger】
|Deals 20% increased damage against Evil Karma holders, and whenever this firearm attacks an Evil Karma holder, you gain a small amount of Good Karma.
【Biased Malice】
|This firearm can only deal damage to Good Karma holders. In exchange, the user's attack power increases by 30%.
【Anti-Government Pistol】
|When attacking government officials with this firearm, all of the user's combat abilities increase by 15%.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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