Rewards and Pains

Tia paused briefly, the weight of her reflection in the ornate golden-framed mirror weighing on her. The room, muted and heavy, echoed her stillness. Her hands, trembling slightly, methodically buttoned her coat.

Her world was shaken once again—the last person she trusted turned into the source of her suffering while she was degraded into nothing but a tropical pet.

'Money... it is always greed. She did it all to me just for some stinky money.' She still doubted the red-eye's words, but she had to admit they didn't sound too farfetched.

'I will visit her myself and find out the truth.'

As her fingertips lightly grazed her cheek, memories of Red-Eye's touch flashed in her mind. A part of her wanted to cherish that unexpected tenderness, causing her heart to flutter. Yet, she quashed that sentiment swiftly.

'Her pet...' The thought brought a mixture of emotions: 'Could've been worse. No matter how degrading it is, people at least tend to cherish their pets.'

She rebuked herself, forcing such thoughts into the recesses of her mind, 'No! I can't simply come to peace with being her pet.'

She sighed deeply, realizing the impossibility of escape. 'Given her fixation on me,' she pondered, 'escaping might mean being chased across the entire galaxy, with her fleet right behind. She alone would be a problem, but she has an entire country backing her.'

Her two lives had always been a pursuit—once for power and now for freedom. The constant struggle wore her down. 'Perhaps it's time to slow down... At least until I gather enough strength. If I run now, it might just be from one captor to another, potentially even more dangerous. She discovered me, so can someone else, potentially someone who would just gut me as a lab animal.'

Brushing aside the cloud of melancholy, Tia shifted her attention to the present, 'Systems, display the total stat gains from the instant rewards.'

Beep!

<<<<>>>>

<+2 to VIT>

<+1 to WILL>

<+1 to MAG>

<+1 to ENE>

<<<<>>>>

Ding!

//

+2 to VIT

+1 to WILL

+1 to MAG

+1 to ENE

//

Tia's expression tightened with annoyance at the system's incessant bickering, exacerbating her already sour mood. 'Please, just... one at a time.'

Collecting herself, she took a deep breath to regain her composure. 'Alright, let's focus on the final rewards now.'

Beep! Ding!

///\\\

The joint mission was cleared.

The Reward Pool:  1 x EP; 1 x Free Body Modification Coupon; 2 x WP; 3 X +2 to Random Stat; 1 X Special Mission Voucher

Bonus: Six members of your squad have survived -> +150% to rewards

Bonus: Your squad has eliminated 40 enemies (rounded up) -> +20% to rewards

Final Rewards: 2 x EP; 2 x Free Body Modification Coupon; 5 x WP; 8 X +2 to Random Stat; 2 X Special Mission Voucher

Change from fractional rewards: 2 x EP; 2 x WP; 2 x Freely Assignable Stat Point

\\\///

'This is a jackpot!' Tia almost yelled loudly as she saw the treasure floating before her eyes. A single glance at the rewards immediately brought a smile to her face, even dispersing her bad mood.

Beep!

<<<<<<>>>>>

+2 to INT

+2 to VIT

+2 to AGI

+2 to STR

+4 to ENE

+2 to MAG

<<<<<<>>>>>

Tia's eyes widened slightly as the surge in her stats made her feel invigorated. A newfound power coursed through her muscles, and the boost in her vitality was particularly reassuring. A weak smile crept onto her face, contrasting her previous solemnity.

'With this, the chance of dying to a stray bullet should decrease.' There were still the two points she could freely assign, making her think while smoothing her hair.

'Maybe I should invest in my physical stats.' She had recognized a certain predisposition in her systems, which seemed to favor the rapid advancement of her mental and magical attributes over the others.

The echoing knock snapped her out of her contemplation. It reverberated through the room, coming from behind her.

'I'll decide on the points later. Also, I should check what's going on with those perks and my telekinesis.' Tia sighed, knowing she had run out of time.

Gathering her composure, Tia moved gracefully away from the mirror, adjusting her skirt with a quick tug. Her strides, while confident, still held a hint of uncertainty as she approached the imposing double doors.