Chapter 28: Preparation... (5)

"I returned through the Crack of Reality, quickly clearing off the blood on my blade."

"It's finally over."

"Ugh, ugh!"

"Aaron collapsed, heaving bile. His whole body was soaked in nervous perspiration, and the hand holding the lance shuddered."

"Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine."

"Jenna tapped Aaron's back. After Aaron quieted down, we left for the square. As the Break closed, Aaron, with shaking eyes, looked at the sealed entrance of the Fusion Chamber."

"What will happen to me?"

"I don't know."

"In truth, Aaron didn't contribute much in the new fight. He played the role of a link between Jenna and me, but he mostly just stabbed or swung the lance randomly between us."

"Nevertheless, it was better than nothing."

"[Added Aaron() to favorites.]"

"You will be alright."

"R-Really?"

"Can't you tell? The door isn't opening."

"I'm alive! I'm, I'm still alive!"

"Aaron bowed down, lifting two hands in victory."

"[Enlisted Well-Crafted Steel Blade(- C) to Han() exclusive equipment.]"

"[Enrolled Durable Iron Shield(C) to Han() exclusive equipment.]"

"[Enrolled Balanced Short Bow(C) to Jenna() exclusive equipment.]"

"[Enrolled Sharp Lance(C-) to Aaron() exclusive equipment.]"

"Why isn't the arsenal opening? Shouldn't we return the weapons?"

"Jenna said."

"I got a message stating that the exclusive gear had been enlisted. Exclusive gear referred to a system that bound specific items to a hero. No one other than the designated hero could use exclusive gear. Therefore, there was no need to store them in the arsenal."

"The expert believes we should keep them."

"We don't have to bring them back? Awesome! Does that mean I can practice with this bow instead of the training bow?!"

"Jenna's eyes shimmered. As I nodded, she cheered and hugged the bow."

"The wooden weapons available at the training grounds were different in weight and size from the real weapons we used. It would be much better to get used to the weapons we would use in real combat."

"Could we ever return now? It seems like it's over for now."

"It's not finished yet. Wait a bit longer."

"Although the Fracture, Fusion Chamber, and arsenal were closed, the light overhead didn't fade. I walked slowly toward a corner of the square and sat down."

"Nina, I'm going! Wait for me!" Aaron yelled.

"I looked at him then at Jenna, and then said,"

"Bring him along as well."

"Jenna dragged Aaron, who was performing some strange ceremony while bowing, and joined me, as I watched what Anytng was doing."

"[Pop-up! Would you like to purchase the New Bundle for 65,000 won?]"

"[Yes (Select)/No]"

"A holographic screen appeared with a bundle containing blue pearls and gold coins."

"New Bundle, a one-time bonanza offer for new masters!"

"5,000 jewels and 300,000 gold for just 65,000 won!"

"This amount will be put on your phone tab for the next month. Are you sure you want to proceed with the payment?"

"[Yes (Select)/No]"

"Please enter your payment password."

"[ ]"

"Now Loading"

"Payment complete!"

"The items have been delivered via mail. Please check!"

"What is it that the Expert wants to do? It seems like there's no fighting and nothing happening."

"Well, he really wants money if he insists that we should follow through with something."

"Money?"

"Didn't you say yesterday that you're tired of eating baked potatoes? Here you go."

"To put it plainly, Shot in the Arm is an idle game."

"Unlike other mobile games that give gems for completing missions or hold events where gems are generously given away, Shot in the Arm has very few of those. Even with 1,000 gems, you can't do much. You could easily spend all of them on two paid gacha pulls or two basic facility expansions."

"The ways of getting gems, a premium currency, for free in Shot in the Arm are limited."

"As I thought, you were thinking about spending money."

"He's having fun."

"The varied reactions of the heroes and the realistic battles. Surely, to Anytng it seems like he was controlling real people in the lounge rather than data made out of zeroes and ones."

"Anytng's character started to gradually show."

"First, his login time was fixed. There was a high chance he had some work with set driving hours. Unlike when he first started playing, randomly going for battles, and calling 1-star heroes, he was steadily expanding the facilities for some time now. And today, he even used the capability of exclusive gear that couldn't be known through in-game tips. There is a high probability that he had researched strategies on Shot in the Arm-related websites."

"If he's a user who understands strategies, he can predict where to spend those 5,000 gems."

"[Developing facilities. Please touch the desired facility type.]"

"[You have selected Residence Lv.1. Would you like to expand this building?]"

"[Yes (Select)/No]"

"The Residence has reached Level 2. The limit on the number of heroes you can have has increased."

"[You have selected the Dining Hall, an auxiliary structure of the Dorm. Would you like to construct it?]"

"[Yes (Select)/No]"

"The square shook."

"Due to the unexpected vibration, Aaron and Jenna started overreacting. I focused on the rapidly appearing completion windows."

"[You have selected the Carpentry Studio, an auxiliary structure of the Arsenal. Would you like to construct it?]"

"[The Studio, an auxiliary structure of the Armory]"

"[The Training Ground Lv.1]"

"[The Dining Hall is completed! Quality meals will be provided to the heroes.]"

"[The Carpentry Studio is completed! Rewards will be given for equipment crafting.]"

"[The Studio is completed! Rewards will be given for equipment crafting.]"

"[The three auxiliary structures of the

 Arsenal, the Fashion, Carpentry Studio, and Studio, are combined to create the new facility, the Equipment Crafting Hall!]"

"[The Training Ground has reached Level 2! The training efficiency of heroes will increase.]"

"Great!"

"Due to the proliferation of facilities, the square advances to Level 2!"

"Various items appeared in the square that were just blocked before."

"Benches made of wood, small flower beds with blooming flowers, and a fountain. The previously barren atmosphere gained a bit of vitality."

"Of course, Jenna and Aaron were surprised to the point of their jaws dropping, as there seemed to be objects appearing out of nowhere."

"I summarized the recent situation and figured it out in an instant."

"They both already know that this place is governed by a being known as the Expert."

"Doesn't the dining hall improve as you go up the floors?"

"Is the Expert a grand magician? Oh my, to think something like this is possible!"

"Grand magician."

"In a way, that could be the right answer."

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