In the month since he obtained the System, Leo Ash had received multiple rewards from it.
From the items drawn through these lottery tickets, he had tentatively figured out the classification of their ranks.
Generally speaking, things that glowed white were mostly trash.
White items like the Glock pistol and the [Skill Book - Honkai Energy Manipulation (Beginner)], which were top-tier within their grade, were incredibly rare.
The next level was blue.
Among the blue items, there was already a powerful skill book like Galactica Phantom.
As for purple, Leo Ash felt that, aside from bizarre items like Kiana's omelet rice, the other purple items were worthy of their value.
He had only obtained one golden item so far, the [Fragment of the Void Demon Stone], but this item had helped him solve many problems.
As for the deep red items, the Royal Guard skill book was undeniably powerful and effective.
And as for the Title: Cold, Handsome Man, which Leo Ash initially thought wasn't particularly useful, he only realized after about a month how wrong he had been.
His acting skills were actually quite mediocre, but often, a poker face combined with some outrageous-sounding words was enough to solve many problems.
His lack of expression wasn't a problem; it was the desired effect.
When others saw his expressionless face, they would automatically fill in the blanks.
So, there was no great actor Leo Ash; it was all the Cold, Handsome Man carrying the team.
It was for these reasons that Leo Ash believed deep red was theoretically the highest-grade item in this system.
The resentment brought on by the eight consecutive white lights was instantly dispelled by the appearance of two deep red glows.
[Ah, although you've imagined all that, this System feels it must explain to avoid misunderstandings.]
[White is the lowest-tier scrapyard, that's correct, but after white, there's green. You just haven't drawn any green items.]
[In the lottery pool provided by this System, the item grades are white, green, blue, purple, and gold. The deep red pool, however, is a bit hard to define.]
*Ah, there's a catch?*
[Mhm, the items in here aren't necessarily bad, but... the disparity among them is the greatest.]
[When this prize pool database was being established, due to some issues, the deep red pool ended up with items that 'this System doesn't know what grade to classify'.]
[Although this System has gradually removed some of the trash, there are still some weird things lurking inside.]
*...You're making me a little nervous. Give me an example?*
[Alright, let's take the Magnetic Field Rotation system we mentioned last time as an example. It contains the soul fragments of some powerful individuals.]
[But not every magnetic field powerhouse is so polite. Some weaker hosts have drawn the soul of Great Shark, only to have their own souls destroyed and their bodies taken over on the spot.]
*...Don't tell me the reason the System's items are adapted to the host is because of that incident?*
[Wow, you're pretty sharp.]
Listening to the applause in his mind from the System, Leo Ash fell into deep thought.
[So, if I draw an item I don't want, can I just throw it away?]
[Oh, other items don't have this issue, but for the deep red ones, this System has specifically added a delete button.]
[This System is here for entertainment, not to get you all killed. At least, as long as you don't provoke this System, it won't screw you over outside the rules.]
*Well, thank you for being so understanding.*
With mixed feelings, Leo Ash looked at the first item after the light faded.
This huge, bizarre, spherical item, which he didn't know how to describe, shrank in size the moment it appeared.
As it manifested, its details also appeared in Leo Ash's mind.
[Special Equipment - Sphere - The Wavering Scales (Super Robot Wars Z series)]
[Equipment Description - One of the 'Fragments of Taiji' from the corresponding world, a Zodiac Sphere that governs 'Judgment'. The wielder is called a Sphere Holder after reaching the second stage. Equipping it grants corresponding special abilities, and new abilities can be gained upon reaching the appropriate awakening stages.]
[Special Ability (Dimensional Energy Supply) - An ability that can be used even by non-Sphere Holders, guiding Dimensional Energy for use as a powerful energy source.]
[Special Ability (Willpower Propagation) - The Sphere technique of The Wavering Scales, which spreads a powerful will that has seen through to the essence of things to others, guiding them onto the right path.]
[Note: With insufficient awakening, excessively overdrawing the Sphere's power or the holder's excessive obsession with certain emotions can lead to the holder being swept away by emotions and losing their ability to judge.]
[Note 2: Adopting appropriate stimulating measures can allow the Sphere Holder to offset the negative effect of 'losing the ability to judge' to some extent.]
[Note 3: The will sought by this Sphere is one that cannot be broken even in hesitation. In other words, to become a Sphere Holder, since one needs 'a will that cannot be broken even in hesitation', the prerequisite is naturally that the Sphere Holder's heart must have hesitation.]
[Subsequent equipment and corresponding skill descriptions are pending unlock. Please have the holder reach the second stage first, after which this equipment description will be updated.]
After reading through this complicated description, Leo Ash could only say...
—This System is really lazy.
If someone else saw this description, they probably wouldn't understand just how terrifying 'The Wavering Scales' Sphere is.
The problem was, Leo Ash happened to have read the descriptions of this Sphere and Dimensional Energy.
In its corresponding world, Dimensional Energy is essentially the power of the source, and a Sphere Holder who reaches the 'third stage' can even achieve immortality and other more terrifying feats.
Simply put, this thing's power level is terrifyingly high. If he could perfectly control this Sphere, many problems would cease to be problems.
But...
[But, you are well aware that perfectly reaching the highest stage of a Sphere Holder is by no means a simple matter.]
[There are about three and a half years from now until the battle with Finality, and you cannot guarantee that you can reach the 'pinnacle' within that time.]
*Yeah, if I can't awaken myself, the Sphere in my hands is just a special energy supply unit.*
*The upper limit of this thing is indeed extremely high, but for many people, they can never touch the upper limits of these rewards.*
*It's like things such as Magnetic Field Rotation and Saiyan bloodline. Some people think if they get it, they'll become a second Kakarot or a reincarnation of Bai Junlang, but in reality...*
*—Reaching the level of Raditz or a Magnetic Field General would already be considered quite talented.*
But in any case, having a high ceiling is better than drawing some useless, abstract junk.
After calming himself down, Leo Ash looked at the Sphere before him and asked the System.
[This thing should also be an item that can be 'implanted', right?]
[Yes, but after implanting it, you need to be mentally prepared.]
[For now, this System suggests you look at the next reward before implanting the Sphere into your body.]
*Alright then.*
After returning the Sphere to his storage space, Leo Ash looked at the next deep red item.
What appeared before him this time was not a special piece of equipment or a title, but a skill book.
[Skill Book - Special Beam Cannon (Dragon Ball series)]
[Skill Description - A combat skill created by the Namekian Piccolo. Its essence is to concentrate energy at one's fingertips through charging, then unleash an extremely powerful energy beam surrounded by a spiral of energy at the enemy.]
[When using this move, the user cannot move their body until they have reached a very high level of proficiency.]
[Additionally, this move requires a certain amount of time to charge after entering its charging state. Users are advised not to do something stupid like suddenly charging up in front of an enemy and getting killed.]
[Note: Qi-based martial artists receive a power bonus when using this move.]
*How should I put it, a very subtle skill.*
*Although even the weakest Special Beam Cannon is an attack that can easily destroy the moon, that's on the premise that the user is Piccolo.*
*In my current state... forget it, I am lacking a powerful long-range attack skill.*
*I should be content. As long as it's not a seriously problematic item, I should be grateful.*
[Although you say you should be content, you know very well in your heart—desire is the greatest driving force for becoming stronger.]
[People with insufficient desire are easily satisfied, and those who are satisfied lose their fighting spirit.]
[In this dangerous world, losing one's fighting spirit is equivalent to disregarding one's own life and safety, so you believe—]
*Although you're right, I think I should rest.*
[Sigh, how can you be so lacking in ambition.]
*Although I've already guessed what you're going to say, for the sake of the two deep red rewards, I'll begrudgingly listen to you nag for a bit.*
[For you, who is familiar with the plot, you know very well that the thing you should be doing most right now is...]
[—Of course, to conquer Bianka and Kiana!]
[One will sooner or later reach the pinnacle and become the strongest person in history.]
[The other will inherit the power of Finality and become the god of the planet.]
[As long as you win them both over, with two of the thickest thighs to hold onto, why would you worry—]
Ignoring the rest of the System's words, Leo Ash speechlessly chose to implant [Sphere - The Wavering Scales] into his body using the 'Implant' skill.
In the past, Leo Ash had considered the pointless question of 'if I implant all these weird things, am I still human?'.
But this question vanished from his mind after only three seconds.
From the moment he had the fragment of the Void Demon Stone inside him, he was no longer purely human in a physical sense.
He didn't know how humanity should be defined.
He wasn't sure if he counted as human now.
But at least for Leo Ash, he knew that pursuing these answers didn't have much meaning.
Welt, as a Herrscher, wasn't exceptionally powerful, but he could risk his life on the front lines fighting the Honkai.
In contrast, Cocolia, who was still human... just mentioning her name, those who know, know.
He couldn't be as great as Welt, but at least he could control himself while his mind was still intact and not do anything too terrible to harm others.
For Leo Ash, being able to do this was already 'passing' in his eyes.
The implantation process went smoothly. After all, being able to draw this Sphere meant that Leo Ash, whose birthday is in Libra, had already been chosen by [The Wavering Scales] to some extent.
However, implantation was one thing; implanting the Sphere didn't mean Leo Ash had met the awakening conditions required by it.
With the implantation of the Sphere, some knowledge about Dimensional Energy even appeared in his mind.
Faced with this knowledge, Leo Ash could only say after a few seconds...
—I don't get it, I don't get it at all.
Before being hit by a runaway truck, Leo Ash was just a graduate from a third-rate university.
Expecting a recent graduate from a third-rate university to instantly grasp 'what is the essence of Dimensional Energy' and 'how should Dimensional Energy be used' was obviously asking too much.
[That's why this System said it a long time ago, it's better to find a good thigh to hug than to work hard.]
[That Goose's legs are so white and tender, if they were yours, you could play with them for—]
*Ah, that's enough.*
*I'm really curious about the mental state of the person who created you.*
*Being lewd on a daily basis is one thing, but you seem to have split personalities too.*
*Who was it that told me in the past that a person must ultimately rely on themselves?*
.
Schicksal HQ
Inside Schicksal HQ, Otto's confidante, Amber, looked at the Schicksal members around her and felt that the reception Otto had organized this time... was a bit over the top.
Admittedly, Leo Ash's achievements this time were great, but the problem was, she had only ever seen this level of reception for Theresa and Durandal.
Leo Ash... was this young man really worthy of such a grand welcoming ceremony from Lord Otto?
A few minutes later, when Leo Ash and Durandal arrived in the main hall of Schicksal HQ from the transport plane, both were stunned by the sight before them.
Especially Leo Ash; he had never expected that Schicksal HQ would send so many people to welcome him.
Honestly, was this the kind of treatment a B-rank knight could receive?
And without giving Leo Ash time to react, Amber, a high-ranking official with a high status within Schicksal, actually took the initiative to walk up to him, curtsied slightly, and said with great respect.
"Lord Leo Ash, welcome back to Schicksal."
"It's a bit sudden, but please go and meet with Lord Otto. After all..."
"—Lord Otto is very much looking forward to meeting with you right now."
Hearing Amber's words, although Leo Ash's expression remained unchanged due to his Cold, Handsome Man trait, he felt inwardly that something was even more wrong.
The reception was so grand, and even Otto's confidante like Amber was so respectful to me.
She even used the word 'meeting', which had special connotations, openly telling me that Otto values me more than before.
For an ordinary Schicksal member, gaining the appreciation of Lord Bishop Otto would of course be a great thing.
However, Leo Ash, who appeared extremely calm in front of everyone, felt even more panicked inside after fully understanding what was happening.
*People valued by Otto—oh, I can't say that no one lives well.*
*In fact, many technicians who were valued by Otto were even kept by him in Kolosten, not only saving their own lives but also the lives of their families.*
*But to be valued by Otto, and to be on the front lines, and even to be by Kiana's side...*
*Although I knew this day would come, it's come too quickly.*
*Can he please stay far away from me?*
*The closer he gets to me, the further my good days are from me (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻*
.....