Arena Chapter 47:
Chapter 47 Special Skill (Part 1)
I come home and everyone is out .
This is actually better . I needed the time to quietly calm myself down .
I take out this and that for side dishes and eat when suddenly my phone rings . I’ve gotten a text from someone I don’t know .
[Among the assist skills, there is a special skill, get that first . From the pretty Ji-soo noona *<3*]
(TN: It’s a heart emoticon if you didn’t know . )
It’s Yoo Ji-soo . Contacting me to give my advice, I am thankful . I’m not sure about the pretty part though .
‘Now that I think about it, I haven’t checked to see how much karma I got . ’
I summon my board .
-Name: Kim Hyun-ho
-Class: 7
-Karma: +1300
-Mission: rest until the next exam .
-Time limit: 19 days 16 hours
-You may receive your karma prize . To receive the prize, summon your board and say ‘karma prize . ’
I’m completely surprised . I’ve jumped two classes and earned an incredible 1300 karma .
I earned 900 karma on the 2nd turn, and even then that was the highest grade for that turn .
But this time, it’s 400 more than that .
‘Then again, I did play a big role . ’
I eliminated 12 lycanthropes and personally threatened the village leader to win over the villagers . The one who led the results was definitely me .
‘I basically killed all my teammates…’
I laugh bitterly .
What a superb score for a team leader that obliterated his whole team .
Anyway, I decided to retrieve my karma prize .
‘She said to get the special skill . ’
Since it is the advice of a 19th, no, 20th, turn veteran examinee, Yoo Ji-soo, I think that she has a point .
But for now, I decided to first get the opinion of Cha Ji-hye .
I don’t know how my future with the Korean Arena research center will be going forward, but as of now I am still contracted . By contract, Cha Ji-hye is my manager and I cannot just use my karma without consulting her beforehand .
I send a text to Cha Ji-hye .
[Me: I am intending to choose my karma prize . I heard that I should first get the special skill, is this true?]
Ring .
A reply comes quickly . She is indeed diligent .
[Cha Ji-hye: How much karma did you receive?]
[Me: 1100]
I lower it a little . I don’t think I should reveal it all since I don’t know how my relationship with them will be going forward .
[Cha Ji-hye: You really received a lot . Then getting the special skill first is correct . Please get your special skill first and then contact me again . ]
[Me: Okay . ]
I speak to my board .
“Karma prize . ”
-Please select a prize .
Skill: gain a capability . Item: gain a weapon, shield, or other item . Other: turn an object from the world into an item . Something that has been turned into an item can be carried into the exam .-Remaining karma: 1300
“Skill . ”
-Please select a skill .
Main skill: a basic capability needed for performing the exam . As the most important skill in determining an examinee’s competence, only one selection is possible . Assist skill: a skill that aids the examinee in addition to the main skill, according to conditions, can be selected .-Remaining karma: 1300
“Assist skill . ”
Then a whole list of assist skills I can learn appears .
There are all kinds of assist skills, and I keep flipping through them when I discover the special skill .
??? (Special skill): The special skill is determined by the examinee’s constitution and propensity . Only one special skill may be selected . It is unknown what skill will manifest and it cannot be cancelled or changed . (-300)I don’t know what the skill will be .
So, I can get a good skill or I can get a completely useless one .
I hesitate a moment but Yoo Ji-soo and Cha Ji-hye both said to get this first, so I decide to follow their advice .
“Select special skill . ”
Pat!
A light shone from the board and seeps into me .
Then, some words appear on the board .
-You have acquired the ‘skill synthesis’ special skill .
-Skill synthesis (special skill): A ‘skill’ and ‘skill’ or ‘skill’ and ‘item’ that you possess can be joined to create a new skill . Retrieve the board and say ‘skill select . ’
*An item that is used for the synthesis will be consumed .
*A skill that is created through the skill synthesis cannot be used for synthesis .
-Remaining karma: 1000
‘Skill synthesis?’
I think it’s a skill where I can put together skills I already have to make a new skill .
‘So in other words, it means I can gain a new skill without using karma?’
Acquiring a new assist skill costs at least 100 karma . But a skill made through the skill synthesis is free .
This is actually a great benefit!
‘What a great skill! So this is why they said to get this first . ’
Seeing is believing .
I decide to try out this skill synthesis .
I speak to the board .
“Skill synthesis . ”
And the words on the board change .
-Select the skill or item for synthesis .
Possible skills for synthesis: spirit summons (Sylph), physical buffer, direction GPS Possible items for synthesis: Mosin-Nagant, item bagUsing an item for synthesis gets rid of it so I must not use those . I should synthesize skill and skill .
There’s no need to think this one through . I’ll synthesize them together in order .
“Synthesize spirit summons and physical buffer . ”
-Spirit summons (Sylph) and physical buffer are being synthesized .
Pat!
A white light twinkles from the board and then it gets sucked into my body . It’s a sight similar to when I acquire a skill with a karma prize .
-Synthesis successful . You have acquired the divine protection of wind (synthesis skill) .
-Divine protection of wind (synthesis skill): stir up wind with your body . It is influenced by the user’s concentration and skill level along with the spirit’s skill level .
*Entry level 1: time duration 15 minutes . Cool time 1 hour .
‘Whoa…’
I can’t stifle my surprise .
I can’t believe I got such a great skill for free . I can gather what an impressive special skill I just got .
‘Let’s keep synthesizing . ’
“Synthesize spirit summons and direction GPS . ”
-Spirit summons (Sylph) and direction GPS have been synthesized .
-Synthesis failed .
‘A fail…’
I guess not everything can get synthesized together .
I continue and try to synthesize the physical buffer with direction GPS .
Pat!
This time, a success .
-Synthesis successful . You have acquired athleticism (synthesis skill) .
-Athleticism (synthesis skill): improved reflexes and movement .
*Entry level 1
As it states, reflexes . Turning physical condition and direction into reflexes, this is fun . Does it tell me where and how to move my body?
I’ve been told I am clumsy since I was young so this is a particularly good skill for me . In addition, this skill isn’t used but is a skill that is permanent and continuous like the physical strength buff .
‘With the wind protection and reflexes, I should be okay fighting in close range now . ’
I am a physical buffer entry level 4 . It’s a strong body like that of a marine .
But I am that much of a klutz that even with this good of a body I got one-sidedly beat the **** out of by Cha Ji-hye in sparring . Even though there is the point of her being trained .
But this new athleticism covers that weakness of mine .
I can use the divine protection of the wind so while Sylph does the long distance shooting with the gun, I can fight in close combat .
I am deep in thought like so when I get a phone call from Cha Ji-hye .
‘Oh right . Didn’t she say to call after getting the special skill?’
I pick up the phone .
“Hello?”
-How is the special skill?
After a quick pause, I decide to lie .
“I received a skill called the divine protection of spirit . I think the skill, it’s like getting strength from the spirit .
-Really? That’s neither here nor there . It would have been good to get something better .
Cha Ji-hye is disappointed .
“I thought this much would be good, is there a special skill that’s better?”
-Special skills are all special to each examinee so there is no repetition of skills . Another examinee I know had a most special skill, and it was a revival .
“Re, revival?”
-It was a skill for reviving at the cost of 300 karma . That’s why I am disappointed . I wanted you to gain a special skill just as powerful to overcome your obstacles .
“…well . It is what it is . Isn’t this pretty good, though? When Sylph’s summons time is up, I can still call the wind to help . ”
-I did not say that was bad . Then we should think about spending your karma prize around your special skill . You have 800 karma left, correct?
“Yes . ”
-Then first, we should invest in your main skill, your spirit .
“The spirit? Didn’t you say there’s not much point in increasing the main skill level in the beginning?”
-We are not raising the level .
Cha Ji-hye cuts in .
-I have heard that you can work with two spirits, Sylph and Kasa, Is that correct?
“Oh, yeah . ”
-Acquire the fire spirit, Kasa . Then in an emergency you can call summon both spirits, Sylph and Kasa, into the fight, and the option for your spirit divine protection special skill will increase as well . How about it?
Sounds like a good idea .
If I get Kasa and use it as an ingredient for the skill synthesis, would I get the divine protection of fire like I did for wind?
“That sounds like a good idea . I’ll do that . ”
-And we have to use your remaining 400 karma to reinforce your close combat ability . Hmm, for now, increase your physical buffer to entry level 5 with 300 karma, and the remaining 100 karma to gain another assist skill would be good .
“Which assist skill?”
-The combat and acceleration are good . Whatever it is, we have to use it to train you in a martial arts and overcome your clumsiness .
“…well, then, yeah, let’s do that . ”
This woman too thinks I am clumsy . Meh, it’s an accurate observation .
Even though I don’t need those because I acquired the athleticism skill .
-And I am still in discussions with upper management at the research center regarding your situation . I am doing my best so please do not despair too much and wait .
“Yes, thank you . ”
-No need . Well then…
“Yes . ”
I end the call and as she said, I raised my physical buffer to entry level 5 . I used 300 karma to increase my level and my body gets even harder .
All around my body the detailed muscles grow harder and seeing it, I can’t help but be awed .
Would it be believable if I stood on my finger?
My physique is incredible enough to do those cartoonish acts .
It really is true that entry level 5 is the limit for the human body .
I continued and spoke to the board .
“Show me main skills . ”
-Examinee Kim Hyun-ho currently has spirit summons entry level 1 .
-Spirit summons (main skill): summon the lower level wind spirit . You may summon by saying ‘Sylph . ’
*Entry level 1: summons time 2 hours . Time counts down when Sylph’s power is used .
*Entry level 2: summons time 2 hours and 15 minutes . (-500)
Raising the level to entry level 2 costs 500 karma and even at that, the summons time only increases by 15 minutes . It’s too inefficient .
Like Cha Ji-hye said, raising the main skill level in the beginning is a waste of karma .
It is definitely better to get the fire spirit, Kasa, than it is to increase a level .
“I will make a contract with Kasa . ”