[Elation's 20-Sided Die] (1-Star): Erudition is a pile of scrap metal, Preservation is a dummy; The Hunt has no sense of humor, Destruction is a madman. Aeons are all one-track minds, and Aha has no face at all!
Roll for Points: When the user encounters a crisis, they can randomly roll the die to obtain a number. If the number is less than or equal to 10, you will become even more unlucky. If the number is greater than 10, you will successfully resolve the current crisis, but there is a probability that the process will become extremely absurd or elated. Can only be used once per crisis. Place your bets!
Bet on Win or Loss: The user can select a target and randomly roll the die to obtain a number. If the number is less than or equal to 10, you will become the source of the target's amusement in the ensuing events. If the number is greater than 10, the target will become your source of amusement or randomly encounter an event of Elation, and you will be the ultimate beneficiary. There is no limit on the number of uses against the same target.
[Hee-Hee]: You feel happy when tossing the die in your hand. No special effect, purely for joy.
[Not Hee-Hee]: When anyone other than you touches the die, it will spin on its own, and the degree of unhappiness is determined by the rolled number.
[Elation Points]: After you create amusement, you will gain varying amounts of Elation Points. Elation Points can be used to increase or decrease the rolled number after it has been determined. The accumulation limit is 10, because... one must enjoy life while one can!
PS: Friends, this is a gamble of Elation! Don't be a sore loser if you lose!
That's right, this was a 1-Star Curio.
But Chen Li only invested 40 crystals into this Curio.
The standard consumption for a 1-Star Curio was 100 crystals, but the cost could be reduced through Entry substitution and offsetting negative effects.
The former relied purely on spending money (crystals), while the latter was a matter of skill.
The sources for this Curio were a Masked Fool's mask personally gifted by the Aeon of Elation, and a Relic.
Their original Entries were already very bright, so there was no need for extra brightening.
So, whether Chen Li could spend fewer crystals to forge it into a 1-Star Curio depended on whether he was willing to retain some negative effects to increase the Curio's Entry capacity.
Just like [Pale Justice].
However, his Curio Forger profession experience only increased by 40, and another 20 was added after Chen Li gave himself a positive review.
Chen Li initially didn't intend to make this a 1-Star Curio, but he couldn't help it when he used the [Allocation] skill to observe the [Elation] Entry and found that its positive and negative effects were a fifty-fifty split.
Retaining some negative effects actually maximized the effect of the [Elation] Entry.
It could only be said that this was truly very "Elation."
However, Chen Li didn't like things that were completely out of his control, so [Elation Points] were a must.
If not for this point system effect, Chen Li would have chosen to dismantle the Curio and forge it again.
"Question: Is this a Curio?" Screwllum, who had been watching the entire process from the side, stared intently at the pink die emitting a dazzling light in Chen Li's hand.
In Screwllum's eyes, the ethereal blue Miracle Fire seemed to contain endless possibilities, which was fascinating.
Screwllum was very much looking forward to seeing what kind of effects a Curio forged from Miracle Fire would have.
"That's right, its name is [Elation's 20-Sided Die]." Chen Li nodded, then directly dismissed the Miracle Shield.
Anyway, that mask had already been forged into a Curio by Chen Li. If the Aeon of Elation wanted to snatch it back, He would have to snatch this die, but it was impossible for a Curio to be snatched away.
As for the Aeon of Elation flying into a rage out of humiliation and exploding Chen Li with one punch?
Chen Li still had his Friends Circle. Chen Li still had so many friends, and so much friendship and bonds...
They could definitely help Chen Li block many attacks.
Moreover... after Chen Li summoned the Miracle Shield, the Aeon of Elation hadn't even touched it.
This made Chen Li feel that the Aeon of Elation didn't seem to care at all about the mask being snatched away.
And if the Aeon of Elation chose to attack Screwllum... Screwllum was currently standing right next to Chen Li, and Chen Li's Friends Circle now included him. Chen Li could quickly run away with Screwllum after blocking a few attacks.
He would wait until he forged a God-Slaying Armament, then come back and fight the Aeon of Elation!
"Question: What is the effect of this Curio?"
"Tossing for points to bet on winning or losing. After selecting a target, if the rolled number is less than or equal to 10, I will become their entertainment. But when the number is greater than 10, they will become my entertainment. This effect might not even exempt an Aeon," Chen Li said.
Although a 1-Star Curio only had a probability of countering the world rules, just because it couldn't counter the world didn't mean it couldn't counter you.
Chen Li felt that even an Aeon might not be an exception, but he hadn't tested it.
Chen Li would absolutely not use this Curio until he had accumulated enough [Elation Points]!
Just to avoid digging a pit for himself.
"A Curio actually has such a magical effect? Conclusion: A magnificent work," Screwllum exclaimed.
"What happened?" Robin suddenly pushed open the door of the reception room and looked inside in panic.
"Hmm? Robin, why are you here?" Chen Li tilted his head.
"Just now, a laugh echoed across the entire planet again, causing quite a commotion. I came over after dealing with part of the disturbance because I felt this shouldn't be unrelated to you," Robin said as a matter of course.
"This... indeed. You don't need to worry; it was just Aha, the Aeon of Elation, being amused by me just now," Chen Li explained casually.
"Is that so... You can speak so calmly about something that sounds so incredible. As expected of you. So what is that die in your hand?" Robin asked curiously.
"Hmm, want to see it? Here." Chen Li tossed the pink-glowing die to Robin.
After Robin instinctively caught it, the sound of a die being rolled suddenly rang in her ears.
Even though the die was firmly held by Robin, a phantom image of a die rolled in front of her, then slowly stopped spinning.
[13]
Robin's expression instantly became sad.
"Oh, you're in trouble. You rolled a 13. Can't laugh now, can you? Aha." Seeing this scene, Chen Li quickly switched to taunt mode.
"How did you discover it? Oh, my dear friend, this is truly too sorrowful. It's simply like being kicked hard by Grandma Susan's size 45 slipper next door." The small wings behind Robin's ears couldn't help but droop.
"You're not angry?" Chen Li looked at the 'Robin' in front of him with interest but didn't answer the other party's question.
If I told you I discovered your identity because the Entries on your body were blindingly bright, what would I do next time if you're prepared and send someone else to mess with me?
Although he couldn't see the specific content of the Entries on the other party before touching them, he could know how dazzling the Entries were.
When Robin entered the door just now, Chen Li was almost blinded by the Entries on her body.
Chen Li not sensing the Aeon of Elation peeping was one thing; whether Chen Li could discover the Aeon of Elation when He appeared in front of him was another.
"Although I can't be happy right now, the fact that Aha can't be happy is itself very amusing... even though I still can't laugh right now." Robin, with a frowning face, threw the die back to Chen Li.
[Not Hee-Hee].
"Heh." After getting the die, Chen Li smiled even more happily.
[Hee-Hee].
"I hate it most when people disguise themselves as women to deceive me, especially disguising as such a beautiful woman to seduce me!" Chen Li tossed the die with one hand.
And since the Aeon of Elation couldn't laugh right now, did it prove that this die was indeed effective against an Aeon?
Hmm, this was indeed very "Elation."
The fact that the Aeon of Elation encountered amusement but couldn't laugh directly granted Chen Li 5 [Elation Points].
Now, unless his luck was extremely terrible and he rolled a 5 or below, it was impossible for Chen Li to be unlucky when using this Curio.
"What happened?" The real Robin ran in from outside the reception room.
"Eh? This is... a Masked Fool?" As soon as Robin entered the reception room, she saw another version of herself looking sorrowful.
"No." Chen Li shook his head.
"Then that is..."
"If I said he is the Aeon of Elation, would you believe me?"
Robin shook her head frantically.
She couldn't believe it right now.
Even if she believed it, she had to not believe it.
After all, what if the Aeon of Elation threw a tantrum?
"A very interesting person. Do you want to become an Emanator of Elation?" The [Not Hee-Hee] Aeon of Elation looked at Chen Li.
"No thanks. I'm so handsome, I should become an Emanator of Beauty!" Chen Li shook his head and refused.
It was said that the Aeon of Elation liked to randomly bestow the power of the Path upon mortals and then play them like a fiddle.
Although Chen Li could run away with the Aeon of Elation's power and the money, acquaintances like Robin couldn't run.
Besides, the Aeon of Elation had already suffered a loss once; Chen Li didn't believe He would dare to transfer the power of Elation to him again.
Maybe He would just use the power of Elation to simply write the four words [Emanator of Elation] on his forehead.
"Alright then... I originally wanted to give you a special mask that belonged to you." Aha spoke casually, without any airs of an Aeon.
After all, this was an unserious Aeon who could disguise Himself as a mortal to infiltrate the Astral Express and lurk beside the Aeon of Trailblaze; it was normal for Him to add any persona to Himself.
"Wasn't that what you gave me just now?"
"Oh, that mask just now? I swiped that from an unlucky Masked Fool in passing."
"???" by Chen Li.
As expected of the Aeon of Elation, treating His own believers as entertainment. And He could be so self-righteous about it.
"Alright, goodbye, little guy. I will be watching you." Aha forcibly used His fingers to prop up a smile on 'Robin's' face, and then vanished.
"..."
[Not Hee-Hee].
"Bad news. I'm being watched by Aha. What do I do now?" Chen Li turned his head to look at Screwllum beside him.
"Apologies, I am powerless to help." Screwllum spread his hands.
You want me to fight the Aeon of Elation? For real?
"Forget it. If it's a blessing, it's not a curse; if it's a curse, it can't be avoided. Who do you think this Elation Mask belonged to?" Chen Li looked at the red and white mask in his hand, feeling an inexplicably strong sense of déjà vu.