Chapter 208: The Imaginary Fruit
Chapter 208: The Imaginary Fruit
His father, though not particularly kind to him, was a man of strong principles.
He adhered to the spirit of humanity passed down by their ancestors, never bowing or submitting to anyone, let alone becoming a servant to monsters!
Since Ashlanda became a territory dominated by monsters, a small group of people refused to align themselves with these creatures. The Takaichi family stood as a symbol of such defiance.
And General Kaneshiro?
She was the first to side with the monsters, becoming a Spirit Envoy for them.
Many of the monsters were her subordinates.
The royal family held mixed feelings about her—grateful that she kept Ashlanda safe from external monster attacks, but resentful that she turned Ashlanda itself into a monster-infested domain.
What about Takaichi Ryo?
Like his father, he swore eternal enmity against the monsters.
Perhaps this was another result of his fascination with heroic animations.
Before his Third Uncle could finish speaking, Ryo hung up the phone and turned on his computer, intending to download a new game similar to Starlight Sorceress.
It wasn't that he didn't care—it was just… what could he possibly do?
Return to the family and save his uncle?
His uncle wouldn't be killed. If his stepmother and half-brother wanted full control of the family, they'd need his uncle's approval.
Only with the support of the branch families could they consolidate their power over the Takaichi clan.
If he died, the branch families would likely support his younger brother anyway.
In any case, power struggles had nothing to do with a [Painter] like him.
What else could he do? Escape?
Ryo thought to himself that dying in this apartment might be a form of martyrdom for his own unyielding spirit.
He refused to live a coward's life.
Why not return to the family and die in the pursuit of inheritance? At least it would sound more dignified.
But he found the idea troublesome.
Why waste time on that when he could bid farewell to Starlight Sorceress, Boltmon, Cybersaur, and Silver Dragon?
"Hm? What's this? Not Starlight Sorceress, but Mercenary Guild? A new game?"
Ryo paused as he looked at the webpage that had popped up.
A shadowy figure holding a glowing lotus was displayed on the screen. The design looked sophisticated, clearly a high-end game.
Ryo regretfully moved to close the page.
If it were yesterday, he might have taken time to explore this game.
Lacking any combat talents, gaming had always been his way to indulge in the fantasy of being extraordinary.
This game seemed like it could provide an excellent experience.
But now, he only wanted to say goodbye to Starlight Sorceress.
Ryo frowned.
"Why won't this page close? Is the computer broken?"
He glanced at the Starlight Sorceress card on the corner of his desk and shook his head regretfully.
Then, he clicked on the webpage.
He admired ancient cultures, often pondering phrases from fictional classics like The Path of the Infinite, The Spiral of Time, or Before the Dawn.
"One who is given a heavenly task must bear its responsibility," he murmured.
Be it fortune or misfortune, if it found its way to him, it must be for a reason rooted in fate.
For instance, this webpage before him.
Why was he meant to play this game?
Over the years, aside from practicing and gaming, he hadn't learned to do anything else. He was even fired repeatedly from odd jobs.
"Do you desire power?"
Ryo clicked "Yes."
"Welcome to the Mercenary Guild. Please select your 'nickname.'"
After thinking for a moment, Ryo entered the name "Yamata Ghost."
The Yamata Ghost was a mythical spirit from Ashlanda folklore, and the term "ghost" in Ashlanda often symbolized ferocity.
The ghost of the Yamata Spirit had to be the most formidable.
"Lucky Mercenary, congratulations! You've obtained the limited item 'Super Fruit.'
The chance of acquiring this item is one in ten thousand. Use it wisely and complete your tasks."
"Task: Survive."
"Task Details: Live through today."
"Task Reward: 10 points."
"Task Failure: None."
Ryo raised an eyebrow.
"A survival game? But why is there no penalty for failure?"
He muttered, "The task is to live through the day. If I don't, I'll be dead—there'd be no one left to impose a penalty, right?"
A faint, barely perceptible smile appeared on Ryo's lips.
"Interesting."
This game piqued his curiosity.
But as Ryo prepared to proceed, he realized he hadn't actually entered the game. Instead, he was taken to another interface.
The interface had sections labeled [Task List], [Point Store], and [Chat Channel].
"How do I even start this game? And where's my newbie gift, the Super Fruit?"
Ryo frowned, already losing interest in the game.
Just then, a message popped up in the chat window:
"Your Super Fruit will arrive in three minutes. Please stand by."
Ryo raised an eyebrow. Did he really have to wait three minutes?
The game was becoming increasingly absurd. Far from being a rare treasure, it felt like mediocre fare.
Suddenly, Ryo felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. A chilling sensation surged through him like never before.
He spun around, his previously indifferent eyes widening in shock!
Behind him stood a figure shrouded in black, wearing a ghastly mask. Through the mask's eye slits, Ryo could see hate-filled eyes staring back at him, as if he had committed an unforgivable sin.
Instinctively, Ryo glanced at the locked apartment door.
It showed no signs of forced entry.
How had this person gotten in? Was this… a monster? Or a ghost?
When he turned back, the figure had vanished.
His eyes darted to the floor, where his pupils contracted sharply at the sight of a grotesque, otherworldly fruit.
"The Super Fruit!"
The term flashed through Ryo's mind.
He picked it up, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
Piecing together the day's events, an absurd thought surfaced in his head.
An organization called the Mercenary Guild was trying to recruit him.
They had detected that his life was in grave danger and provided him with a Super Fruit to help him survive.
"What is this Mercenary Guild really...
This world is vast, full of truths I've yet to uncover.
To learn the Way in the morning, and die fulfilled by evening."
Ryo felt a shiver run down his spine.
Clutching the Super Fruit tightly, he narrowed his eyes.
"No, I might not have to die.
If such an eerie and mysterious organization gave me this fruit, then I should believe it has the power to help me survive today.
Do I crave power?
Does this Super Fruit hold some extraordinary ability?"
Ryo attempted to probe the fruit with his spiritual senses, but no matter how he tried, the fruit remained unresponsive.
Occasionally, it emitted faint, profound ripples of energy.
Without overthinking, Ryo opened his mouth and took a bite.
[Imaginary Fruit: Class B]
[Consumes spiritual energy to summon any object you see or touch, manifesting it as a tangible projection.]
[If the summoned object is a supernatural entity, the spiritual energy consumption increases, and the projection may exhibit partial supernatural abilities.]
"I awakened? Class B?! And it's a combat talent!"
Ryo's eyes widened in disbelief.
This was the power of the Super Fruit?
Truly, a power akin to that of a devil.
Before he could further explore his newfound talent, there was a loud banging on the door.
The assassins from the Takaichi family had arrived.
...
Meanwhile, on an island near Ashlanda.
An ancient, ornate gate creaked open, and a man named Jack tumbled out.
He lay on the ground like a beaten dog, gasping for breath.
"Ha—ha—damn it.
That kid forced me to cross borders like this… damn it!
Takaichi Ryo, right? You better believe I'll remember your name!"
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