Chapter 9

I'm sorry for being late.

Here are the main results of today's gacha.

2 Whites, 2 Golds

I'm quite disappointed that only two golds came out, which were expected to be 5%, but getting two whites in a day is a first for me. It could be considered a big hit since the first day I got one black and one white.

As for the contents, the golds are a new card called "千里眼" (千里 eye) and something that looks like a fruit, which I assume is a status-up item that hasn't been identified yet.

By the way, these might just be regular buff items, and I can't bring myself to use them because they feel too precious. Especially the white gold buff items, which are sure to be trump cards. Thinking about it, I can't bring myself to use them.

Now, about the white golds, one is a "再生" (regeneration) card, and the other is a skill orb.

I don't know the official name, but it's the seven-colored orb I got from the black on the first day. I didn't expect it to come out from white gold, so it might not be as powerful as the black one.

However, gifts in this world are powerful. There should always be a place to use them, no matter what. Above all, having more skills is never a bad thing.

So, let's acquire the new skill right away.

I touch the skill orb with my finger and focus on "use." Then, just like when I got a skill before, power and knowledge flow into me.

The skill I got is "Water Magic."

Let me say it again, "Water Magic."

Fantastic, the other world.

Thank you, fantasy.

From today, I'm going to be a mage.

I finally got the magic skill I've been wishing for. Just as I was about to try it out, I noticed something.

All the spell names start with "Water." In the case of cards, the water attribute is "Aqua," but for magic, it's "Water."

I tilt my head, not understanding the difference.

Well, I'll figure it out when I use it, so I choose the spell I want to cast in my head. Then, the incantation to cast the spell comes to mind.

Yes, fantastic!

"Water, respond to my call of mana, become the power to defeat my enemies."

The incantation is romantic. I was secretly moved.

"...Water Bullet!"

But nothing happened.

I felt really embarrassed, as I had even struck a pose. It seems I failed because my concentration was broken by being moved by the incantation.

But that can't be helped. This is the real deal, the magic and incantation I've always dreamed of. It's not like the fake magic that feels like a magic item you can just use by thinking "use" with a card.

To avoid failing again, I clear my throat and take a deep breath.

Okay, I'm good.

"Water, respond to my call of mana, become the power to defeat my enemies, Water Bullet!"

But nothing happened.

Huh?

"Water Bullet" is classified as a mid-level spell. It should be within my reach in terms of difficulty... Is there something I'm missing?

Despite a bad feeling, I try a low-level spell this time.

"Water, come to my hand and become a blessing, Water Creation!"

But nothing happened.

Ah, I see.

I understand.

Why can't I use magic?

It's simple. I don't have any magic power.

Of course, I can't use magic with 0 MP.

In other words, I can't become a mage.

This can't be... I can't use a skill I got from the gacha... This is too cruel...

I drop to my knees and hang my head in despair.

I was perfectly set up for a "rise and fall" moment, and it was with my own skill, too.

"My own skill?"

The words that popped into my head slip out.

(That's right, it's my own skill...)

I reach into my bag and pull it out.

"Source of Magic"... a status-up or buff item from white gold, or so I assume. It must be this.

I can't use something that came from my skill. How can that be?

No, it can't be. If I can't use it, there must be some kind of measure in place.

Yes, this "Source of Magic."

If I don't have magic power, and I can acquire a magic skill, there must be some way for me to gain magic power.

If that's the case, this "Source of Magic" fits the bill perfectly.

When else will I try it if not now? Now, right?

I grip the Source of Magic and, just to be safe, focus on "use" before biting into the fruit-like object.

Then, the Source of Magic is absorbed into my body as particles of light.

Phew, that was close, I almost ate it.

I don't know what would have happened if I had eaten it, but in a world with fantasy elements, "use" usually works. This seems to be the case as well.

I don't see any particular changes, but I don't really know what magic power feels like. Even if it increased, I wouldn't be able to tell. With that in mind, the real experiment of using magic begins here.

With renewed hope, I review the steps to cast a spell and resume my experiment.

Conclusion: It didn't work.

At first, I thought it was just that my maximum MP had increased, but my MP was still at zero and hadn't recovered. After a one-hour break, it still didn't work, so I thought maybe it would recover if I slept. Then I remembered I had a mana potion.

I drank it and tried again, but it still didn't work. It wasn't that I didn't know how to use magic; it was that I didn't have any magic power.

It seems that item didn't have a status-up effect.

Unable to give up, I tried using the magic stones in my bag, but it was in vain.

Therefore, I had to conclude:

I can't use magic right now.

That's "right now." I want to use it someday.

My ambition won't be crushed by this. Even if people call me a middle-schooler, magic is romantic. I can't give up.

But later, I realized that the "no magic power" characteristic could disappear, and I was glad that my magic power hadn't increased, but the fact that I still couldn't use magic was a big blow, and my mood didn't improve.

The weather is nice.

The sun is high in the sky, and under the blue sky, I'm walking down the road.

If I stay in a dark place for too long, my mood will sink. People need light. This sunlight will heal my heart.

Thinking that, I walked down the road leisurely.

The endless plains... the lush mountains in the distance. There's no better scenery to heal my gloomy heart. The only drawback...

If only I wasn't surrounded by bandits, it would be perfect.

I just wanted to take a walk to change my mood, and this is what happened.

I was walking happily when I saw two men walking toward the road from the forest ahead. They had bows on their backs, so I thought they were hunters. Then, two more men who looked like hunters came from the right.

The ones in front stopped to block the road, while the others came straight toward me. When I looked behind me, four more men in similar attire were coming this way.

Ah, these are bandits.

By the time I realized that, the包围圈 was almost complete, and my escape routes were being cut off. Since I was far from the forest, there was no place to hide. So, my options were limited.

Kill them here or kill them later.

I'm not without hesitation when it comes to killing people, but these guys would just cause more victims if I let them live. It would be easy to kill them all with a preemptive strike, but since I'm here, I might as well have them lead me to their hideout for a cleanup. There might be a captured beauty or stolen treasure.

So, I need to figure out how to get them to lead me there.

"A solo journey is dangerous, kid."

When the包围圈 was complete, the bandit in front of me approached and spoke. It seemed they were trying to draw my attention to the front while the others came from behind.

I had already used the "Detect" card before they got close, so I could see the movements behind me to some extent. It's like a radar in my head, which is quite convenient.

In any case, I need to deal with these guys first.

If they're bandits, they're after loot. If I don't have anything, they'll probably go for my life. So, I just need to offer them a reason to keep me alive. The plan is to lead them to their boss or hideout.

So, all I have to do is one thing: throw the bag I'm carrying over my shoulder to the ground. Of course, the cards are stored separately. I found out earlier that cards can be used even when they're inside my clothes, so my pockets are full of them.

I take the bag off my shoulder and throw it to the ground with a soft thud.

"As you can see, there's nothing left."

One of the men in front of me picks up the bag and shakes it, then shakes his head to indicate the result.

"There was food in it, but it's all gone this morning."

The man behind me pulls something out of his pocket. It's probably a knife.

There's no time to waste; I need to talk fast.

"But I have a hidden fortune. With it, I can improve your equipment and food supplies."

The man with the knife stops moving. The man holding the bag, who isn't the one with the knife, raises his right hand slightly. The man behind me takes a step back. He seems to be the leader.

"Kid, if you're begging for your life, you should do a better job."

"If you think so, feel free to take my life or do whatever you want."

I reply casually. Of course, if I sense any intention to kill, I'll start fighting immediately. The card for that is "Fire Shield."

If I can't target humans and attack like last time, I'll prioritize defense and hide in the shadows. Once I'm in the shadows, I can ambush and kill them or escape.

The leader is looking at me silently. Do I need to add another action?

"One question."

Oh, I didn't need to.

"I understand you don't have enough money to hire a guard. But if you have a hidden fortune, why are you walking alone in a place like this?"

Now that you mention it, that's true... What am I agreeing with?

"It's simple."

I try to sound as if I've given up on everything. I've never acted before, but I'll do my best.

"I couldn't pay the bribe. The demands have been getting higher recently... When I left the capital, they literally took everything I had. Unfortunately, the hiding place is at my family's home, so I'm traveling alone."

"Hehehe... So, why are you telling us, a bunch of outlaws, about your hidden fortune?"

Why am I telling you? I want to know that too.

"I don't care anymore. In a world where the higher-ups unjustly take everything, no matter how much I earn..."

"Hahaha!"

The leader suddenly burst out laughing. I focus on the radar in my head, ready to activate Fire Shield if it fails.

"Take this guy to the boss."

It seems to have worked.

"Hey, this is a rotten country. If you live in a city, it's the same everywhere. Why not join us? You won't change anything unless you switch from the side being robbed to the side doing the robbing."

Huh? Do I have some kind of rapport or increased favorability?

Before I know it, I'm surrounded by other bandits and greeted. I won't remember the names of the extras.

While being led to the hideout, the bandit leader starts talking.

He says he used to be a merchant, but his shop was shut down and his family killed when he refused to pay a large bribe. He became a bandit to avenge his wife, who was raped and killed in front of him.

Yeah, protein.

When the pointless story ends, we're in front of the cave where the hideout is. It's an open area, perfect for what I have in mind.

"I... I mean, I've been wondering what I've been doing all this time. Just earning money to be exploited... I knew this country was corrupt, but..."

I suddenly stop and start talking. I didn't really listen to the story earlier, but it should be fine.

"I... I don't want to be on the side being robbed anymore. I'm tired of being the victim. If I'm going to be robbed, I'd rather be the one doing the robbing! Please, let me join you!"

"Yeah, I welcome you... "

"What did you think I'd say, baka!"

I spread my hands to the sides of my face and taunt them.

"Wow, I didn't expect you to lead me to the hideout so easily. Thanks, thanks a lot!"

I say it in a mocking tone, but the bandits are frozen. Do I need to push them a bit more?

"You became a bandit to avenge your family, but you should go after the people who killed them. Killing and robbing innocent people doesn't make you a hero. Don't be a coward just because you're dealing with soldiers. You got bullied by the weak, so now you bully the weaker?"

"Kill him!"

Finally, the bandit leader explodes in anger. He physically explodes as well.

As he screams, I use Earth Ball. I was able to target, so I used it immediately, taking out the leader and the two next to him. That leaves five.

Of course, there was a reason for the taunting.

Why couldn't I target the girl with Ice Arrow before?

But the Earth Ball just now was successful. Why?

This is an experiment to find out.

What I focused on was "hostility." Could it be that the condition for targeting is someone who is hostile, opposing, or recognized as an enemy?

That's why I deliberately taunted them to make them hostile. It's not for fun, as there's no risk of losing.

So, let's continue the experiment.

The Ice Arrow that failed last time activates, and Thunder Arrow follows, piercing the bandit's head. That leaves three.

"What are you doing!?"

At this point, he's just a lackey. I killed him with Ice Shot, but five ice chunks came out. I remember the last time it was three... Does the number depend on the attribute? Another thing to test.

The remaining two have lost their will to fight and are frozen in place. Perfect for the experiment.

"Hey, can you tell me about the boss?"

"You... You're doing this..."

"Die without talking, or get a chance to live by talking."

But the chance is only given to those who talk, I add, watching their reactions.

"I'll talk!"

Without hesitation, the one who didn't resist raises his hand. I assume he's completely given up and try to gift him an Aqua Arrow, which pierces his forehead beautifully. It seems I can target even if the hostility is gone.

"You..."

"Haha, sorry, sorry. I don't really need your boss's information."

I use Wind Shot on the last one, who looks at me as if I'm something unbelievable. I aim for his legs, but the wind chunk hits his feet, blowing off everything below his ankles. The accuracy isn't great.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The bandit falls to the ground, unable to stand without his feet, and screams in pain.

"Ah, sorry, sorry. I saw a kid whose tendons were cut by bandits yesterday, so I did it without thinking. Forgive me, Hyacinth."

I raise my hand in a casual apology, but there's no real intention to apologize.

The experiment isn't over yet. Considering what I have to do next, an apology is meaningless. If the screams attract more bandits from the hideout, it'll be a hassle. I need to finish this quickly and move on.