Chapter 48 (1/2)
SoJ Episode 3 Chapter 48
Episode 3: Age of Ghosts / Chapter 48: Colonize (5)
TL: emptycube
Editor: Lesurous
Choi Hyuk gripped the sword in his hand. The wire attached the end of the handle fell down to the floor and back up to the ceiling.
“Do I need to activate my skill using this?”
{Yes.}
Swis.h.!.+
A blue Karma Blade surged out from his sword immediately.
The first time he created a Karma Blade to kill the Wyvern of Destruction, it was transparent like a haze, but now that his karma has been reinforced by his Karma Heart, it gave off a blue hue.
Swis.h.!.+
At the same time, the surrounding opaque curtains disappeared and a rocky plateau appeared. There were monsters. Some were further away while others were closer. Some were large while others were small.
Choi Hyuk looked at his surroundings and examined himself again. In his hand was the same white sword with his Karma Blade. However, the wire that was attached to the handle had disappeared.
“… This is dimensional teleportation?”
Yet he didn’t feel the particular nausea that accompanied dimensional teleportation.
{No. It’s only an illusion.}
“… Amazing.”
There was no way to tell that this was an illusion. He believed it was simply because the AI had said so. If this was a trap set up by his enemies, he would undoubtedly fall in.
Choi Hyuk became lost in his thoughts. The AI brought him back to reality.
{Attack however you wish.}
“Okay.”
He needed to do what he could now. He rushed towards the monsters. The length of his Karma Blade would get smaller or larger depending on the size of the monster he was slicing.
And against a solid monster.
Vvriiing!
The karma circulating the blade accelerated. Not long after, he finished up all 30 monsters.
Blaze!
The illusions turned into flames as they disappeared. Choi Hyuk was once again standing inside the opaque curtains. He looked around, but there was no change. Just a moment ago, he was running around a vast rocky plateau, but now he was in the not-so-large Fitting Room 0087.
“If it was all an illusion… did I just jump around in here by myself?”
{Yes.}
“… How is that possible?”
He couldn’t help but ask even though he knew it was a stupid question.
{It is a secret.}
A stiff reply. Choi Hyuk clenched and unclenched his hands. He still felt the sensation of slicing apart the monsters in his hands.
{Outputting results.}
——————–
{Karma Blade – Choi Hyuk}
Releases a Karma Blade interlinked with a Karma Heart.
-Power: C
-Stability: B
-Karma Efficiency: B
-Skill Cost: 85
——————–
Even with a glance, it was easy to tell that the results were better than {Soaring Slash}. It was even better than the other recorded skills. Only, the Skill Cost was vastly different. {Soaring Slash} was 61 so the cost of his skill was 24 higher.
“What’s that Skill Cost? Is it good?”
{It is not.}
The AI mercilessly replied.
{The first three are known as skill specifications. If you only look at the specs, it appears to be quite a useful skill. However, the Skill Cost is too high.}
“So, what is it?”
{The fundamental principle for creating skills is ‘even a child could use it’. A skill is created so that anyone who has the required karma can use it.}
Choi Hyuk usually used his own original skills so he wasn’t familiar with this but skills were usually activated the moment you thought about activating it. Skills did not require the user the change the characteristic or structure of the user’s karma before activating it.
{However, there is definitely a cost a.s.sociated with that convenience. As the karma needs to be arranged automatically, skills can’t help but overtax your karma more than if you did it yourself. That is Skill Cost. The amount of karma consumed per unit increase in power.}
“Then the reason why my skill cost is high…”
{It is because of your Karma Heart. As you can see, the Efficiency is B so there is no problem when Sovereign Choi Hyuk uses it. You are able to reach C rank Power with a comparably small amount of karma. However, the story changes completely if you recreate that process with a skill. It is because we need to temporarily create a Karma Blade and a Karma Heart. As even creating the Karma Heart requires a high cost, the 85 Skill Cost is justified. The skill stats are between B and C rank while it costs as much as a top B rank skill.}
“… Meaning it’s not very good.”
{Yes. The cost-to-effect ratio is bad.}
He somehow felt unhappy so he became silent.
{However, we can purchase it for research data. As it is the first skill created by a human. Taking that into account, we will offer 1,000 Mission Points. Will you sell it?}
1,000 Mission Points meant that he could purchase a decent C rank equipment. However…
“… No. I’ll try again. This time, without the Karma Heart.”
{Understood.}
Like the time he killed the Wyvern of Destruction, Choi Hyuk formed a Karma Blade without his Karma Heart. He coiled the karma in his body and swirled it around the sword like a current.
——————–
{Karma Blade – Choi Hyuk}
Forms a Karma Blade after creating a chain of karma.
As you are able to adjust its power with its acceleration, you are also able to adjust its length.
-Power: C
-Stability: D
-Karma Efficiency: D
-Skill Cost: 59
——————–
The Skill Cost had become lower than before, but so did its stats.
{The cost-to-effect ratio is bad this time as well.}
The relentless AI.
“… It’s difficult.”
{The skills publicized here are skills that have been proven through long battles. Of course it is difficult to reach that level. Will you sell it for 1,000 Mission Points?}
It seemed that it had no worth besides the fact it was created by the earthling, Choi Hyuk. It was the same amount as before.
Choi Hyuk momentarily stood there, lost for words. His original skill he created to kill the Wyvern of Destruction. He seemed to have been proud of the skill without noticing it. He shook his head. This was reality. He wasn’t even a speck of dust when compared to the existences who sent him to battles.
He needed to struggle his way up. He who had nothing had nothing to lose.
“Yeah. I’ll sell it. And I’ll sell one more.”
{Understood. What kind of skill is it?}