Chương 149: Chapter 139-Chosen Beauty's Determination

Life isn't always about you. Sometimes it's about somebody else. Instead of focusing on myself, I can focus on somebody else. Take now, for instance. I could focus on the delectable snacks in front of me. The apple fritter, bowl of carrots, and cream puffs. But I could instead focus on, let's say, Hopper. He's sitting next to me on the blanket we laid out. He seems relaxed, but if you look again, you can see him being a bit too focused on the bowl of carrots.

Then there's Professor Stargazer, who has a worried look, but is also steadfast in her belief in her students. She's not looking at the snacks. Finally, there's Penelope. She stands there in the middle of the training field with a determined and unwavering sense of self. She swings her greatsword with ease as her drills gently sway from side to side. Everything about her is refined, exquisite, mesmerizing, but if you look deeper, you can see the small imperfections.

One of her drills is smaller than usual, her fingers are gripping the handle a bit too tightly, and she's not snarky. All of this can point to only one thing. She's nervous. I guess it would be normal. After all, she is taking her [Attribute-Skill Acquisition], which has a 75% failure rate. Professor Stargazer takes a deep breath.

"Princess Penelope, you can start whenever you're ready," she says as she holds a white wooden wand in her hand.

"Knock'em dead, Penelope," Hopper yells some encouragement as he tries to sneak a carrot. Penelope nods and then gives me a small glance at me.

"Try to beat my time, Rank 2," I [Taunt] with a wink. A small smirk forms and quickly disappears.

"Thanks, Hopper. Okay, I'm ready to start." As she focuses on the space before her. Nothing seems to happen. Guess it really does look like nothing from the outside. That's weird. Well, now I just have to focus on Penelope and these snacks. There's nothing to worry about at all… By Relat's light. I've heard about it from my brothers, but to think the [System] is capable of creating this. It's truly astounding. Gently, I place my hand up against the blue walls.

Based on my research, a message should appear any moment now. [Attribute-Skill Acquisition] has been initiated. Please stand by as a suitable challenge is selected for you. As expected. I'm eligible for three of these because my [STR], [CON], and [INT] reached 50. The [System] can either give me three separate challenges or a combined challenge. The upperclassmen I talked to said it can vary, but no matter what challenge is thrown at me, I know I can handle it. A suitable challenge has been selected. Huh, odd.

My [Skills] and equipment are still available to me. Which means the [System] created a challenge that requires the use of them. This is going to be difficult. Determine the pattern while surviving the environment. Depending on the method of success, you will be rewarded with a suitable [Attribute-Skill]. Survive the environment? My fingers sizzle as the greatsword in my hand starts to turn red-hot. Reflexively, I drop my blade. Sweat beads immediately form as I take in my surroundings.

The blue box I was once in has shifted into a sea of lava, with the island I'm on being the only refuge within sight. This is certainly an environment to try to survive. Then where's the pattern? The feeling of a rising heat closes in behind me. With [Shield], I block the sudden attack. Turning to the source, I find a humanoid made of fire. In a split second, I sort through my memories. A Fire Spirit. Weak to water. Immune to fire and physical attacks. [Imbue] should do the trick.

Stomping the ground, I send my greatsword up into the air. With trained movements, I catch the handle and push past the pain using [Pain Res.]. Then, in one efficient motion, I cut up my arm, [Imbue] my greatsword, and cut straight through the Fire Spirit. The Fire Spirit dissipates as lightning crackles off my blade. That was too easy for this type of challenge. Flames burn up my sides as another Fire Spirit appears from behind. With a slice, I cut through the new enemy. When did they appear?

From the same place as the first one, a Fire Spirit materializes. Within three seconds, it whips me with fire, which I block using a [Shield]. What's the challenge here? With the same swing as before, I defeat the creature. Is there something in the environment that I'm supposed to predict? With my greatsword, I block the flame whip from behind me. Again? I [Step] behind the Spirit, slashing through it as I do. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! Wait!

Could this be the pattern that the [System] was talking about? Turning back to where the first one first appeared, I'm suddenly hit from the sea of lava. Pain sears through me even with [Pain Res.], but I can't let myself falter. Another Fire Spirit? A large spirit the size of a small carriage pokes its head out of the sea of lava, spewing fire as it does. That's a big one, but it only has size on its side. With a single thrust of my hand, I send a [Light Beam] straight through the creature's chest.

As it dissipates, I look around for another attacker. From the first position I encountered a Fire Spirit, I watch as another one begins to materialize. So that's how it is. This is the pattern the [System] wants me to figure out. Is it random or based on some sort of distance? As I think I cut through the first Spirit. No, if it were random, there would be no point in trying to figure out the pattern. Distance doesn't make any sense either, considering the seemingly random distance between each attacker.

With a [Step], I appear behind the second one and cut it down the middle. Next should be the big Fire Spirit from the lava sea. From the same spot, I watch as the same carriage-sized Fire Spirit spews fire at me from the lava sea. Using a [Light Beam], I pierce it right through the head. Their attack patterns vary ever so slightly, but they always appear from the same place. I need to cut them down before they can hit me, or else the pattern starts from the beginning.

Which means that a new fourth attack will be coming from seemingly anywhere, but I can't predict from where. There's nothing to go off- Two globules of flames scorch my back as I barely manage to dodge the other three. The fourth attack is five spirits coming in from the sky. So they're not limited to the ground. Technically, I already learned that with the sea one, but this is the first time they came from above. A sea of flames scorches the rock I'm hiding behind. Flames? These are Fire Spirits.

Spirits almost purely subsist off mana. Mana! Every time they take physical shape, they are soaking up the ambient mana. The flames suddenly stop. Must be out of steam. Turning the corner, I fire a [Light Beam], taking out the five Fire Spirits. I know that the mana in the air is the key to figuring out where they are going to appear, but with the heat and mana-rich environment, it won't be easy. Rushing forward, I slash through the incomplete Fire Spirit.

Without stopping, I slide and cleave the second Fire Spirit in half. The third one will be coming from the lava sea, but I can't keep using my heavy-hitting [Skills]. I don't know how long this pattern is going to be or how many times I'm going to have to repeat it. I'll have to conserve energy until I absolutely need it. Slamming my greatsword into the ground, I lodge deep into the surface. Pushing my muscles to their limit, I rip a chunk of hardened magma out of the ground.

The lightning of my blade extends to the hardened magma right as the large Fire Spirit appears. As it goes to spew fire at me, I duck clear under the flames and cleave straight through it, destroying the hardened magma and the Fire Spirit. The remnants of the Fire Spirit scatter around me as I struggle to catch my breath. The toxic gases, combined with the heat, burn away at my eyes and throat. Even if the pain is lessened, that doesn't mean my body won't react to this.

Soon enough, my vision will blur to the point that it will become a detriment to my fighting ability. Five Fire Spirits will appear in the air in 15 seconds. They'll be too high for me to realistically reach them with pure [STR]. I'll have to use [Light Beam], but mana-wise, it isn't the most optimal decision. Without Hopper, I can't deal with ranged enemies, but I've accounted for this very scenario. After all, in battle, anything can happen to anyone. Those without a plan are left at the whims of those who do.

Rushing forward, I leap high into the sky. The spirits shimmer into existence right as I begin to crest back down, but before I fall, I summon a [Shield] below me and then one above the Fire Spirits. The instant my foot lands, the [Shields] shatter as I [Step] above my enemies. With a spinning slash, the lightning from my greatsword cuts through the group of creatures. Rocketing down, I land hard on the ground. Ignoring the pain in my legs, I look around with my blurry vision.

I haven't gotten this far, and my vision is gone. I'll have to rely on the ambient mana. Closing my eyes, I focus on the lifeblood of the world around me. The way the mana flows and breathes through rock and lava. The way it's drawn to my greatsword and body. Focus on only the mana and nothing else. As the bubbling of the lava and the sting in my nose fall to the background, I feel the mana begin to pool in a spot to my right. Without hesitation, I cut through the area, eliminating the pool of mana. Another pool.

Another slash. The air gets heavier. The pain in my hands dulls. The muscles in my legs burn. Time marches on as everything in this area falls away, leaving only the mana behind. With a final slash, I collapse to one knee. No more mana pools appear. Exhaustion has built up along with the wounds on my body, but one thing melts it all away. You have survived the environment and have determined the pattern. A suitable [Attribute-Skill] has been chosen for you. I did it. Thank Relat! I did it!

The face of the most annoying man I have ever met fills my vision. He seems worried. I must be heavily wounded if he's worried, but just as quickly as the worry appears, it also disappears, replaced by a devilish smile. I hate how much I like that smile.

"Well, look at that. I guess you can do it when you try," he says as Professor Stargazer feeds me a potion. My wounds heal, but the exhaustion remains. Healing Potions may heal the body, but they can't heal the mind. Although I'm not complaining. I'll take any healing I can get.

"You did it. Can't be that hard, Charlatan," I say with a slight smile. Congratulations! You have gained <Predict>!