Huh… so the system actually had hidden rewards? Why didn't I know about this before?
Shin muttered to himself in disbelief.
Since crossing into this world, this was the first time he had triggered a system mission reward. It was a small but genuine surprise.
Glancing around, he noted the endless waves of Hollows pressing in. Pesche and Dondochakka were cutting them down nonstop, creating corpse after corpse. Every factor, terrain, timing, and opportunity, was lining up in his favor.
No reason to hesitate. He had to seize the moment and complete the mission.
A corpse crashed down from above. Hugging Nel tight with one arm, Shin reached out to touch it with the other.
[Ding~ Congratulations, Host. N-rank attribute "Fangs" acquired. Proficiency +500.]
Shin flicked his finger and dismissed it.
[Ding~ You have discarded "Fangs." 500 Spirit Power converted.]
Before the message had even faded, another body dropped at his feet. He repeated the motion.
[Ding~ Congratulations, Host. N-rank attribute "Back Spikes" acquired. Proficiency +500.]
Shin shook his head in disappointment.
[Ding~ You have discarded "Back Spikes." 500 Spirit Power converted.]
Ten minutes passed in a blur. He had touched countless corpses, some already half-dissolved into nothing. Yet not a single valuable attribute appeared.
His only gain was another ten thousand Spirit Power stored in his body.
The mission required him to gather fifteen sets of attributes at N-rank or higher within one hour. But the first waves of enemies were mostly weaklings, Hollows without even Cero or Sonído. There was little chance of obtaining anything beyond the lowest grade.
At this rate, he would miss the time limit.
Even so, Shin refused to give up.
Fortunately, the latest wave was different. Stronger Hollows emerged. Pesche and Dondochakka were clearly straining under the pressure, but the higher the level of enemy, the better the quality of corpses they left behind.
With a heavy crash, a giant Hollow's body fell near Shin.
He rushed forward and placed his hand on it.
[Ding~ Congratulations, Host. R-rank attribute "Bone Contraction" acquired. Proficiency +1000.]
Finally, an R-rank. Shin's eyes lit up. It might not be particularly useful, but it brought him closer to the goal.
He pressed on, moving from corpse to corpse.
[Ding~ Congratulations, Host. R-rank attribute "Adhesive Reishi" acquired. Proficiency +1000.]
[Ding~ Congratulations, Host. SR-rank attribute "Size Manipulation" acquired. Proficiency +2000.]
[Ding~ Congratulations, Host. SR-rank attribute "Ring-shaped Cero" acquired. Proficiency +2000.]
[Ding~ Congratulations, Host. SSR-rank attribute "Blade of Reishi" acquired. Proficiency +5000.]
…
When the word SSR rang out in his head, Shin nearly lost composure.
The Menos Forest, so unassuming at first glance, was turning out to be a treasure trove.
He knew the "Attribute Editor" sorted abilities by rarity, N, R, SR, SSR, and the legendary UR. N-rank was the most common, almost always exchanged for Spirit Power.
But rarity wasn't just about how special the ability was. It also depended heavily on the completeness of the corpse. The same attribute, drawn from a severed limb, would rank far lower than if extracted from a whole body. The more intact the corpse, the truer the attribute revealed.
On a battlefield, intact corpses were rare. To draw an SSR out of the chaos was practically miraculous. No wonder Shin felt almost giddy.
Half an hour later, he had already collected fourteen qualifying attributes. Just one more, and the mission would be complete.
But luck turned. The flow of fodder began to dry up. Fewer Hollows attacked, and corpses became scarce. Their enemy had changed tactics.
Sure enough, the Adjuchas commanding the swarm barked an order into the night sky.
At once, a grating hum filled the air as spiritual particles scraped against one another.
Shin looked up, and saw it.
Encircling them on all sides, Gillians loomed in the darkness, massive forms sealing them in. At each gaping maw, threads of light converged into seething orbs.
"Damn it! They're going to launch a Cero barrage!" Dondochakka shouted in alarm.
But he and Pesche were too tied up by raging Hollows to intervene.
"I'll take care of the Ceros. Nel, I'm leaving with you two for now."
With those calm words, Shin set Nel down behind them, patting her gently on the head before striding toward the encirclement.
"Shin! Get back!" Pesche cried. "Your tricks can't block so many blasts. I'll carve us an opening, take Nel and run while you can!"
His voice was firm, carrying the weight of resolve. Pesche was prepared to sacrifice himself.
But Shin only waved him off with a faint smile, as if to say there was no need to worry.
Closing his eyes, he issued a command within his mind.
"System, activate attribute: Ring-shaped Cero."
Every time he collected a new skill, the system inscribed its usage and properties directly into his mind. Shin knew exactly what to do.
If the Column Cero specialized in concentrated penetration, then the Ring-shaped Cero was its opposite, less about raw damage, but devastating in its reach.
[Ding~ Host, attribute "Ring-shaped Cero" successfully activated.]
As the notification echoed, Shin stamped the ground. Dust and sand burst upward as his figure launched skyward, rising alone into the center of the encirclement.
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150 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter