35 - Obtain & Destroy

Lucas Tanaka stared at the screen in front of him, a wry smile slowly fading as his thoughts raced.

The initial frustration of getting skills that seemed to have nothing to do with soccer vanished as he pondered what Céos had mentioned. The idea of destroying the cards to possibly get something better tempted him, but he knew there was a considerable risk involved. Uncertainty was part of the equation, and while 50% was a reasonable chance, it still meant that the other half of the possibilities could leave him empty-handed.

Lucas shook his head, trying to put the dilemma aside for the moment. He had to focus on what was in front of him.

The champion system had given him two loot boxes as a reward for his last few missions, and he was now pinning his hopes on them.

The first was an epic loot box, a treasure chest wrapped in a pulsating purple aura.

The second was an unusual loot box, simpler in appearance, but still shimmering with a slight green tint.

"Let's start with the least promising, shall we? If the worst comes to the worst, I still have the Epic to save me."

He held out his hand, his fingers hovering over the unusual loot box. When he touched the box, a gentle animation unfolded. The sound of a lock opening echoed in his mind, followed by the greenish glow that grew until it completely enveloped him. The light slowly faded, revealing three items floating in front of him.

[You have obtained the item: <Lightning Boots (Level 2)>]

[You have obtained the item: <Quick Recovery Gel>]

Lucas raised an eyebrow as he examined the items. The boot immediately caught his eye. Its design was aerodynamic, with details in a shade of electric blue that seemed to pulsate. This boot had no branding, but it was beautiful. He knew that even though it was a level 2 boot, it probably offered some kind of speed boost - something that could be extremely useful on the field.

The recovery gel, on the other hand, was handy, but not exactly what he expected from a loot box.

"Well, it's not all bad... At least there were two items this time." Lucas thought aloud, picking up the items and carefully placing them in his inventory. "But I really hope for more next time."

His attention turned to the epic loot box. The purple glow seemed more intense now, as if the box itself was eager to be opened. He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his decision. This box had the potential to change the course of things, to provide him with an item that could make all the difference in his journey.

Lucas clicked on the epic loot box, and the animation that followed was even more magnificent. Sounds of metal being forged, like hammering on an anvil, mixed with the sound of stormy winds and thunder, all blending into a symphony that seemed to herald something monumental.

The box opened with a flash of purple light, revealing three items floating majestically in front of him.

[You have obtained the skill: <Titanic Weight (Level 1)>]

[You have obtained the item: <Storm Sword (Level 3)>]

[You have obtained the item: <Light Vision Elixir>]

For a moment, Lucas did not react. The first thing he noticed was the Titanic Weight skill.

"This is it... That's exactly what I needed!" Lucas exclaimed, feeling a wave of relief and excitement. "What does this skill do?"

[The <Titanic Weight> skill transforms your body weight into the equivalent of a 120 kg person for 1 minute.]

"That's good, but... won't it slow you down?"

[It will make you slower, but also much stronger and more resistant to impact].

In other words, although the Titanic Weight skill had its drawbacks, it also had its advantages for use on the field, such as making a pivot or not getting pushed into the opponent's goal area.

"I think I can leave this skill aside for now," Lucas muttered, still thinking about the other rewards.

The Storm Sword glowed a deep blue, as if it was constantly surrounded by an invisible thunderstorm. The sword seemed to scream power, but Lucas knew that as tempting as it was, he didn't have much use for such a deadly weapon in his current life.

"But it could be useful if I could sell it... But it would be too risky to sell it to humans. Hey, Céos, can I sell this sword to the system or to you?"

[Yes, it's possible to trade the sword for credits within the Champion System].

"Then I want to trade it."

[The Storm Sword is currently worth 100 credits. Are you sure you want to complete the trade?"]

"Is that a lot?"

[Enough for you to buy a skill when you reach Star Level 10 and unlock the Champion Shop].

"Very well, you may make the exchange."

Lucas picked up the Elixir of Sharp Sight and twirled the vial in his fingers. The substance inside had a greenish color.

"This might come in handy someday... who knows?"

Lucas carefully placed all the items in his inventory and turned his attention back to the abilities he had gained from the mysterious cards. The idea of destroying them and trying his luck at something better was tugging at him, and he knew he couldn't rest until he'd tried it.

"Let's do it then. I won't lose anything by trying." He said to himself.

Lucas opened the Champion System menu, located the skills, and selected <Mastery of Judo>. A red button with the word [Destroy] appeared on the screen, pulsing slightly as if to encourage him to make the decision.

"Are you sure about this, Lucas? Remember, destroying a skill doesn't guarantee you'll get something better."

"I know. But I'd rather take the risk than keep a skill that has nothing to do with what I need now. Judo is good, but I need something that will help me win at soccer."

With a deep sigh, Lucas pressed the destruct button. The screen flashed, and then the <Mastery of Judo> skill began to disintegrate, turning into a cloud of glowing particles that vanished into thin air. For a moment, nothing happened until a message appeared.

[No skill obtained].

Lucas frowned, but shrugged. "Well, it was worth a try. I still have two more chances."

Two more skills to destroy, but Lucas hesitated for a moment. This time, he selected the <Fast Vegetable Slicer> and clicked the [Destroy] button, and the skill began to disintegrate into a cloud of glowing particles.

Lucas' heart pounded as he waited for the result. When the screen flashed with the same message as before, he felt a wave of frustration.

[No skills obtained].

"Damn... Weren't my chances 50%?"

"Yes, but 50% for each attempt. The chance of a coin landing on the same side twice is lower, but it's not zero."

Lucas closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Even though he had lost two abilities for nothing, there was still one last chance.

"There's no point in moping around... I've still got a chance."

He selected the <Garden Expertise (Level 1)> skill and destroyed it. Then the screen flashed again, and finally, a new skill appeared in front of him.

[Rare skill of <More than Quick Reflexes> obtained!]

[<More than Quick Reflexes> Unlocked!]