Chapter 4: Character Shop

***

【Character Shop】

- You can purchase desired items using character points.

- Current points: 103p

‘I guess 100 points are given by default.’

It didn’t feel like a lot, but I was quite satisfied. I had expected to start from zero.

The shop menu appeared at the bottom of the holographic window as soon as the chapter ended. I guessed that the shop was unavailable while I was in the middle of a chapter. I would need to confirm this later.

I slowly scanned the catalog displayed on the holographic window.

The items were divided into three main categories:

◆ Character Settings

◆ Chapters

◆ Special Items

I decided to check the items under ‘Character Settings’ first.

When I touched the menu, a list of subcategories appeared:

◈ Background

◈ Abilities

◈ Appearance

◈ Army

◈ Others

Some of the categories were as I had expected, while others were completely unexpected.

‘What’s “Background”? Does it refer to the character’s backstory?’

I first checked the list of items under ‘Background’.

Category / [Character Settings] – [Background]

※ Touch to view details

1. Wanted Bandit with a 30,000 Gold Bounty – 25p

2. Naroshi City Bounty Hunter – 40p

3. Adventurer from Sol Village – 70p

4. Roger Town Security Officer – 130p

⋮

After a quick scan, I got the general idea.

It seemed that by purchasing these, I would be given the character’s backstory.

I scrolled down.

⋮

13. Former Member of the Assassination Organization ‘Black Shadows’ – 1500p

- Currently not available for purchase. To purchase, [Special Ability - Blackwork] is required.

“Wow, there’s even this?”

It was intriguing, both the background itself and the purchase conditions.

I immediately touched the item to view the details.

▶ [Former Member of the Assassination Organization ‘Black Shadows’] Detailed Page

- Description:

I have been on the run from the organization’s trackers for five years now. Everyone who knew me is dead. The only proof of my origin is the Blackwork, a skill that only members of the organization can master. As long as I don’t use the skill, the pursuit will not continue. Finally, I am free.

- Purchase Benefits:

- Gain the special ability ‘Assassin’s Eye’ (15% chance to identify an enemy’s weakness)

- 5% discount on all information guild fees

- Obtain a random hideout in Westland

- Special Note:

- Using Blackwork in major cities may result in attacks from ‘Black Shadows’.

I was familiar with the ‘Black Shadows’ assassination group. They were the first major obstacle Leo faced.

From my perspective, having seen the story almost to its conclusion, I couldn’t say they were particularly strong. As is typical in shonen manga, stronger beings tend to appear as the story progresses.

However, they did appear quite frequently in the early episodes. If I were to purchase this, I would likely have a few opportunities to interact with the protagonist.

Of course, I had neither the points nor the intention to buy it right away.

‘It’s quite interesting, though.’

With renewed interest, I scrolled all the way down.

What else could there be?

Next,

38. Guardian of the Black Dragon from the Cork Mountain Range – ???p

- Currently not available for purchase.

- Detailed page is locked.

I was shocked.

‘Is it even possible to buy this?’

There were no points available for purchase, no conditions listed, and the detailed page was locked.

However, I knew exactly what this background meant.

The Guardian of the Black Dragon, Itsin.

He was one of the world’s strongest characters, only appearing around volume 40.

Acquiring this background would mean I could potentially possess Itsin’s power, the power of one of the ‘Seven Kings’ who could destroy the world on their own.

It seemed that this character was only a setting at this stage and had not been fully developed.

‘This is incredible.’

My heart began to race. If I could have such a background, surviving until the end would be a piece of cake.

Next, I decided to check the items under the [Abilities] category.

This was the category I was most interested in.

In the world of Adventure King, abilities are divided into two main types:

First, [Unique Abilities].

These are abilities that only those with exceptional adventurer qualities are born with.

Since it’s a manga, there are no limits to the abilities expressed.

Basic abilities include increased strength and the ability to fly, but there are also characters who can transform into animals or use cloning techniques. Some can even teleport or drop meteors.

Abilities can be developed and evolved, and sometimes mutations occur.

While it’s said that not everyone has them, as the story progresses, it becomes increasingly rare to find someone without an ability.

Second, [Special Abilities].

These are abilities created by ‘Doctor Cruet’ for those who do not have unique abilities, and they can be obtained by consuming special drugs.

Like unique abilities, there are no limits to the abilities expressed, but they have clear power limits and side effects. The side effects vary depending on the type of drug, but they often include physical weakness and heart disease.

With a racing heart, I opened the [Abilities] tab.

The list of subcategories appeared:

◇ Unique Abilities

◇ Special Abilities

As expected.

I first checked the unique abilities.

※ Touch to view details

1. Growing Power – 1,000p

2. Wanderer of the Sky – 3,000p

3. Steadfast Boulder – 6,000p

⋮

“Wow!”

A notable ability caught my eye right away: Steadfast Boulder.

This ability allows the user to turn their body into rock. I remembered it more for the character who used it than for the ability itself.

Mano, the guy who shattered a diamond with a rock.

Curiosity piqued, I touched it.

▶ [Steadfast Boulder] Detailed Page

- Description: Can turn the body into rock.

- Basic Features:

- No limit to hardness.

- Resistant to heat.

※ Currently, the character’s rank is too low to apply this item.

The description was simple, but there was a peculiar phrase.

‘Character’s rank?’

At first, I didn’t understand what it meant, but after some thought, I got the idea.

By default, [Unique Abilities] are only available to a select few. In other words, it’s unlikely for a minor extra like me to have one.

I guessed that if I increased my character’s recognition or acquired a valuable backstory, I might be able to learn one.

I continued to scroll down.

⋮

10. Descendant of Giants – 70,000p

11. God of Leaps – 100,000p

“Is this it?”

There weren’t many, and the prices were astronomical. It was consistent with the setting that ‘not everyone can obtain them.’

However, I wasn’t particularly disappointed. I didn’t think the current unique abilities were that impressive.

While Adventure King is praised for its detailed settings, like most battle manga, it suffers from a power imbalance as the story progresses.

In other words, better and stronger abilities would appear as the story progressed, and they would likely be cheaper.

I suspected that this shop would be updated regularly. New abilities would appear as new characters were introduced, and some might disappear.

What caught my attention more than the items was a phrase at the bottom.

※ Only one unique ability can be acquired.

It was a straightforward statement. Except for rare cases, all characters, including the protagonist Leo, can only have one unique ability. This is the setting in the manga.

The reason this sentence caught my attention was simple. I wondered if it might be different for me.

I thought I was a rather special existence in this world. After all, I was a character with a ‘holographic system’ and a character shop.

I wasn’t sure if there were others like me, but it was clear that the villains who died in Chapter 1 didn’t have this. If they had known their lives were in danger, they wouldn’t have acted so predictably.

To be honest, when I first saw the list of items for sale, I had a feeling. With this ‘system,’ I might not just survive but become the strongest character. After all, even the ‘Guardian of the Black Dragon’ was available as an item.

However, seeing that sentence, I had to change my mind.

The fact that the shop limited the purchase of unique abilities to one meant that this ‘system’ also adhered to the manga’s settings.

While I could acquire backgrounds and abilities without experiencing them, I couldn’t exceed the ‘plausibility’ of the story. In other words, the ‘system’ was just a tool, and I couldn’t obtain power that would contradict the settings.

‘Well, having it is better than nothing.’

As I was about to move to the next category, a previously unnoticed ability caught my eye.

7. Mimic Acrobat – 30,000p

“...Huh?”

Wait, what was this?

I didn’t recognize the name, but a scene flashed through my mind.

‘No way.’

I quickly checked the details.

▶ [Mimic Acrobat] Detailed Page

- Description: Can mimic others’ abilities under certain conditions.

- Basic Features:

- No limit to the total number of abilities that can be mimicked.

- Cannot surpass the ability of the mimic target.

- Cannot mimic two abilities at once.

- Cannot mimic the same ability within 24 hours after mimicking.

- Cannot use the ability for 1 hour after mimicking.

- Mimic Conditions:

- Confidential

※ Currently, the character’s rank is too low to apply this item.

“...Crazy.”

I had never heard of this ability or its detailed features, but I knew it.

It was a brief appearance in the early episodes.

An acrobat-like character who showed off various abilities, surprising the party.

At the time, there weren’t many abilities to mimic, and the character himself was unremarkable, so he was easily forgotten. However, it later became a hot topic in the community. People said it was a truly cheat-like ability. Despite strict conditions, if satisfied, it allowed the user to use almost any type of ability.

It was rumored that the author created it for fun but quickly removed it out of concern for the future.

The mimic conditions were listed as confidential, but I already knew them.

1. Must know the face and real name of the ability user.

2. Must directly observe the ability in action.

3. Must understand the mechanism of the ability.

4. Must have a body suitable for the ability’s rank.

Of course, meeting these conditions wasn’t easy.

The acrobat character tried to mimic the protagonist’s ability but failed to meet the second condition and fell flat.

I didn’t think it would be easy to mimic a new character’s ability. If the target just kept their real name hidden, it would be almost impossible.

However,

‘A new character... Is there such a character?’

I was an exception.

Through the manga, I already knew the faces, names, and abilities of almost all the ability users. If that met the conditions...

A shiver ran down my spine.

‘This is it. I have to buy this!’

This was an ability that only I could fully utilize.

Moreover, in terms of character growth and usefulness, and even in appealing to readers, there was nothing better. It was impossible for readers not to be interested in a character who could use multiple abilities.

The problem was,

‘When did the acrobat appear...?’

I didn’t know when this ability would disappear from the purchase list.

Chapter 15? 17? It was definitely within 20 chapters.

I had to buy it before then.

‘Alright, my first goal is to get this.’

I skipped the [Special Abilities] tab, as I couldn’t buy anything and had a rough idea of what was there.

I decided to check the items under [Army], [Appearance], and [Others] later, as they were not essential at the moment.

Instead, I immediately went to the [Chapters] category.

When I saw the items, I knew my intuition was right. What I needed to survive was indeed here.

※ Touch to view details

※ Special sale is ongoing.

1. Explore information about the next chapter – 150p → 50p

2. Immediate teleport to the next chapter’s location – 200p → 100p

3. View major characters revealed up to the current chapter – 500p → 300p

4. View reader comments from the previous chapter – 2,000p → 1,000p

5. Confirm the main character of the current chapter – 3,000p → 1,500p

Except for item 3, all were useful.

Especially items 4 and 5.

First, item 4. Authors can’t ignore characters loved by readers. If I aligned my character’s direction with reader comments, it would definitely help my survival.

Item 5 was even more important.

While the story would initially follow the protagonist Leo, as more characters appeared, the story would branch out. Leo might be the main character overall, but the main character of each chapter could change. Being by Leo’s side didn’t guarantee survival.

“Okay, noted.”

I had a plan. I knew what to buy and what I needed immediately.

Next, I moved to the [Special Items] category.

There was only one item for sale in this tab.

[Deletion Deferral – 5,000p]

※ Caution: The author’s ‘absolute deletion’ command cannot be resisted.

Seeing this, I felt a sense of pride.

It seemed my character was recognized as being worth at least 5,000 points. That was better than being considered a disposable character by the author.

‘Of course, I’m not satisfied with just that.’

After a quick scan of the shop, I fell into thought.

What should I do now?

Actually, there wasn’t much to think about.

I needed to go to the start of the next chapter and prove my character’s value.

The question was where to go.

I had two options: Chapter 2 and Chapter 3.

From what I remembered, Chapter 2 took place in an unnamed forest.

Leo met a group of bandits there, dealt with them, and asked where to find the ‘strongest guy’ in the area.

‘Would I have a chance to intervene?’

It was a relatively short chapter, mainly to build up for the next part.

It would be awkward to do anything, and even if I did, it wouldn’t be easy to prove my character’s value.

‘Decided.’

I made up my mind.

I would take my chances in Chapter 3.

I immediately reopened the shop and went to the [Chapters] category.

- Do you want to purchase [Immediate teleport to the next chapter’s location]?

“Purchase.”

It was a bit expensive, but I had no choice. Wandering around would be even more wasteful.

Even though I knew the manga’s content, I didn’t know the geography of the world. Especially in the early chapters, the cities didn’t even have maps.

Not knowing when the next chapter would start or end was another reason to buy quickly.

If I missed it, I might be excluded from the chapter’s cast.

I immediately touched the purchased teleportation item.

- Please specify the location you want to go to. Currently, five chapters are open for teleportation.

No options appeared. This information was likely a separate item for sale.

But as a huge fan of Adventure King, I already knew.

Chapter 3. The chapter where Leo meets his first companion.

The chapter where ‘that guy,’ a character who has never been out of the top three in reader popularity votes, appears.

I knew this just by recalling his nickname when he first appeared.

The mad gunner of Virgin City.

With a racing heart, I shouted,

“To Virgin City!”

A bright white light burst from the hologram, enveloping my body.