Chapter 18: Becoming Stronger

After thinking about it for a while, Venture decided not to gamble on rather if the child's parents arrive early since who knows what they are doing at the time, that requires absolute attention to before doing anything else. Also, because Venture finally got to the point of checking on what his newest [Title: The Unknown's View] could really do, even though it only has a single sentence on what it does.

But, that alone was enough for Venture to literally see the future or at least a potential future the moment he tried to use it together with the [Chance Accumulation] and [Everything Is A Gamble], where Venture literally saw the [Poison Fang Faction] sending down multiple waves without stopping at all until everyone in the [Dark Star Faction] are dead; well, Venture manages to barely survive, but with his right arm had to be cut off due to being poisoned by something very dangerous and no antidote due to Edify got killed at some point in this potential future.

Nevertheless, this potential future wasn't something he wanted to happen, even if he could use the [Chance Accumulation] to create a new path into this deadly future. Sadly, due to lack of practice. Venture ends up making it worse as even with the pre-included knowledge on how to use the [Chance Accumulation]. It does not come with experience nor all the knowledge related to it. That is something Venture has to figure out on his own just like he did with his previous [Unique Skills].

Luckily for Venture, thanks to the whole 1% mental fatigue reduction every second. So, he won't have to deal with being tired due to overthinking too much or using one of his [Unique Skills] that requires more mentally than physically wise.

Now, while he got the chance before the next wave hit. Venture took this time to gamble again. This time, Venture aiming for physical fatigue reduction like with mental fatigue.

Gain: Gain a new [Unique Skill] and [Title] related to gambling. With no side-effect included.

Add-In: The physical fatigue's percentage will naturally reduce back to 0% by 1% per second. With no side-effect included.

Condition: A coin flip. Heads: Gain | Tails: Add-In.

However, before Venture activate [Everything Is A Gamble]. He uses [Chance Accumulation] first, then afterward, made sure to get tails in his coin flip, and now, Venture should have physical fatigue reduction.

Name: VentureTitle: [Gambler of Fate] - You are fate's gambler and making the impossible possible.Hidden Titles: {Visible}Health: 100/100%Physical Fatigue: 24/100% | 1% Reduction per secondMental Fatigue: 0/100% | 1% Reduction per secondUnique Skill: [Everything Is A Gamble] - The user is able to use anything to gamble with fate. [Price]: The medium used will disappear afterward.Hidden Unique Skills: {Visible}

Venture sighed in relief, that he no longer has to worry about food and the need to sleep to bring mental fatigue back to 0%. Of course, Venture will have to be careful of what he does and for how long until he needs to eat and rest again. Potentially, as long Venture doesn't do anything, then he could stay alive for who knows how long without the needs of food and sleep. And including the whole no side-effects.

Then, the side-effects of staying awake too long and not eating anything for weeks would become null and void. Such a thing Venture will never get; well, until he does something that pushes his physical fatigue and mental fatigue to climb up in percentage in no time, which is many things that could do the trick.

Now, that Venture thinks about it. All he gave himself was the ability to recover faster and require not many resources before returning back to battle. Overall, Venture wonders if there are [Modifiers] that does the same thing by natural reduction the physical fatigue and mental fatigue like Venture can right now.

But, these thoughts are pushed behind his head. As Venture has more important things to do now, that his problems with physical fatigue and mental fatigue are technically solved. Yet, that doesn't mean he won't continue to eat and sleep. So, Venture heads to the fourth floor to grab a quick bite before coming back to the sixth floor.

-LIABG-

Today is the fourth day since the last wave from the [Poison Fang Faction]. Also, with today being the first week since taking this protection job. Yet, Venture finds himself a little depressed due to the fact, where the client wasn't going to appear today from what Gat told everyone this morning. Therefore, at 3 weeks, or less, would be the time when the client comes for their child.

Onto Venture's latest training. So far, he finally mastered [Inaudible Movement] to move with complete and absolute silence, without disturbing anything and able to sneak up on anyone; well, not anyone. Since Gat, Cope, and even Bout can easily detect him somehow. But, at the least, without having to activate [Solitary of Silent] to use [Inaudible Movement] now. But, once he does, Venture would bet that those three won't be able to detect at all, no matter how hard they try.

Venture leans against the wall near the door of the sixth floor. With only Bout and the child with him; however, that didn't mean much to Venture as those two are talking by themselves and Bout did try to invite Venture into the conversation, but currently, Venture is too busy thinking about the next [Unique Skill] he should aim for, because even with the whole needs of just waiting for a minute and 40 seconds or less to be fully brought back both physical fatigue and mental fatigue to 0%. That doesn't mean, Venture would be unkillable or whatever. So, it's better to have one more [Unique Skill] before stopping until he needs to add more [Unique Skills] later on.

It took some time, but Venture got something.

Gain: Gain a new [Unique Skill] and [Title] related to a form of [Magic]. With no side-effect included.

Lose: Losing the [Unique Skill: No Explanation]. No side-effect will occur upon losing this [Unique Skill].

Condition: A coin flip. Heads: Gain | Tails: Lose.

Once again, Venture is delighted to have [Chance Accumulation] to give him what he wanted. Also, having so many bullets made it easier on Venture too, on what he has to give up to activate the [Everything Is A Gamble].

Bringing up the status, where Venture wants to see what [Title] he obtain and the version of the [Magic] he wanted.

Name: VentureTitle: [Gambler of Fate] - You are fate's gambler and making the impossible possible.Hidden Titles: (4th) [Scholarly of Magical Formula] - You are someone, who possesses deep knowledge over [Magical Formulas] and continue to seek out even more knowledge to expand one's horizon. {Visible}Health: 100/100%Physical Fatigue: 0/100% | 1% Reduction per secondMental Fatigue: 0/100% | 1% Reduction per secondUnique Skill: [Everything Is A Gamble] - The user is able to use anything to gamble with fate. [Price]: The medium used will disappear afterward.Hidden Unique Skills: (4th) [Magical Manifestation] - The user can cast [Spells], which is a procedure for producing specific [Magical Effects]. [Price]: Require something to power the [Magical Effects]. {Visible}

Venture wonder if he should be happy or sad, because what he got was the basis of how to use [Magic] and many methods on how to use the numerous types of [Magic] at its basic level. But, most of the methods are useless to Venture. In fact, the [Unique Skill: No Explanation] is somewhat better than [Magical Manifestation] due to having free ranges of using it and doesn't require much research.

Due to [Scholary of Magical Formulat]; Venture is required, not that it doesn't say so on his status, to learn what is what and how is how related to [Magic]. Furthermore, [Magical Manifestation] has some set of [Magical Formulas] that is beyond Venture's capabilities to use and ties to the price.

Actually, even with the price for using the [Magical Manifestation], there is an extra unwritten price as well. This just made Venture wonder if he should have just aimed for something else than being given the ability to use all kinds of [Magic] instead of sticking with [No Explanation] as its potential is massive and only require time and effort before Venture could become overpowered with this [Unique Skill] alone.

Well, that was before Venture took a bit more look at the [Scholarly of Magical Formula], where Venture slowly gaining more new [Magical Formula] every second now, but require Venture to focus on it, to get a better insight of the [Magical Formula].

In a way, this solved Venture's temporary problem of having to study years to develop new [Magical Formula] to use [Magic] above the basic level.

"Hey, Venture." Bout call for Venture's attention. "The leader is calling for you to meet her on the fourth floor. No idea why, but she just told me you to come right away." Bout puts his phone in his pocket. "You better hurry, I rather not make the leader wait if I were you." Also, because Bout knows how Gat sometimes gets when she is forced to wait on others.

"Got it." Venture wasn't planning to make the leader of the [Dark Star Faction] wait any longer nor did he want to find out what happens if he does.

-LIABG-

"Good. You're here." Gat grin at Venture, where she sees him taking a couple of deep breaths and his forehead cover in a bit of sweat. Proofs that he rushed here right away. "Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you here."

"It isn't to ask me to set up traps all over the apartment is it? Because if so, I don't think I have enough on me to do it, but at least 70% is possible." Venture thought up a believable answer about why Gat asked him to come to the fourth floor. Maybe give him more traps to fill the remaining 30% of the apartment, then the entire apartment would literally be a death trap.

"Uh, no... Wait, you can cover 70% of the entire apartment with traps?" Gat asks in disbelief, because of all the people with [Assassin-Type Skills]. Only a few are specialized in traps, and even then, they would be weaker in close-ranged combats, yet Venture could do so. Making Gat wonder what his [Title] is since his [Skill: Assassinate Rate] doesn't have much relationship with traps at all.

"Yeah; well, I have to ask Cope to allow me to check the place so I could figure out exactly where I can place the traps." Venture made sure to point, that even in theory he could cover 70% of the apartment with traps, but that is only if he is given permission to scout the entire apartment, excluding the basement since he has no idea if someone among the members from the [Poison Fang Faction] has the ability to dig a tunnel and breach the basement.

"Hmm. I'll get back with you on that later. No, what I asked you to come here is to privately ask you if you want to join me in another job after this one. Of course, after this current protection job is over, you will be a true member of the [Dark Star Faction] and will gain more benefits afterward. Anyway, with the way, you dealt with those [Poison Fang Faction] members so far. I think you would help me out greatly with this next job I'm taking." Gat believes she and everyone else will survive this whole ordeal with the [Poison Fang Faction]. All she needs is to wait for the client to show up and the [Poison Fang Faction] has lost the [Faction War].

"Depend on what the job is before I decide on rather accept the job or not." Venture wasn't going to accept it straight away without learning what the job is in the first place.

"Fair enough." Gat shrugs her shoulders. "The job is mainly searching for the target and capture them. Lethal is allowed if the target isn't taken down quietly." Gat begins to explain what type of job she is taking and why she decides to include Venture, and that's because of the way he can take down the enemy as long he has info on the target. With enough info, Venture should take care of the target if the situation calls for the target's death.

[Unique Skill] or not, Gat can't do much to the target without going all out, which is something she rather not do and end up in a bad position for others to take advantage of her while she pretty much used all her resources against the target.

"I don't think I will be much help with this." Venture wouldn't outright say it's impossible, because the impossible became the possible thanks to his [Title: Gambler of Fate]. Not to mention, after finding out the hidden ability of switching [Titles] from passive mode to active mode. Not once had Venture dare switch the [Gambler of Fate] to active mode before, nor does he want to find out what would happen if he does.

Of course, Venture could just work on [Magical Manifestation] to use a [Tracking Spell] and a [Capture Spell], to get the job done. But, Venture not going to tell Gat that any time soon. Plus, it will take Venture a while to learn how to cast a [Tracking Spell] and [Capturing Spell].

"Oh, I'm sure you will. Trust me, you'll be a great help in this job and the reward is something worth taking this job, even if we both split the reward in half." Gat grin at Venture, knowing that she already caught Venture's interests. "In fact, I'll even tell you what the reward is and something benefits you more than me really. It's a set of two [Modifiers] based on the [Unique Skill: Defying The Heaven], the [Forced Body-Refining] that's meant for the body to become stronger without any limits at the cost of mainly time and resource, then there is the [Inhaling of Life] to give one the ability to feed off the air and tempering one's mind. That's just the gist of main things to know about these two [Modifiers], no idea what else they could do at the moment."

Venture blankly stare at Gat. As he starts to think if this world has cultivators, because if so, this world just got a lot dangerous than already is and Venture dread of those arrogant young masters trying to pick a fight with pretty much almost everyone if anyone so much as to cause a small disrespect to these young masters.

"What's with that look? Don't believe me? I'm letting you know now, that the reward for these two [Modifiers] are for real being given to us if we complete the job." Gat noticed the look on Venture's face, or more like the lack of being excited/surprised by the reward she just revealed.

"Oh, I believe you. It... just..." Venture trails off.

"Just what?" Gat place a hand on her hip and raise an eyebrow at Venture. "You do realize, I'm going out of my way to invite you to this job, right? I would have gladly asked the others, but they don't have enough raw power to kill the target if things go south."

"It's just that I'm a little concerned if there are other people who took this job as well and we end up fighting them. And seeing how you mention that I have the required raw power to kill, then other people taking this job might have the same killing power as me or stronger." Venture explains carefully. "Not to mention, I'm a little worried that we may come across arrogant and/or hot-headed people that would outright fight with us for the smallest reason." Venture finished off after thinking of the words to explain his concern with those arrogant young masters.

"Oh? Is that all? Ha!" Gat grin at Venture, not feeling annoyed anymore as she realized why Venture was being a bit difficult with her. "Don't worry, as long as you're with me. No one dares to act arrogantly with me around. As for those hot-headed people. We'll deal with them if we come across them." Gat knew how annoying it's sometimes when dealing with people who are too arrogant without having anything backing them up. Either personal power or family background, even both. Otherwise, these arrogant people will soon die an early death in no time. "So, would you like to join me in this job? This is the last time I'm asking you. And honestly, this is more on the line of a welcome gift for joining the [Dark Star Faction]. Also, because you don't have a [Modifier] yet, I thought this would be something good for you."

"Oh, okay, I'll join then." Venture could just use his [Everything Is A Gamble] in case something life-threatening about to happen. "Also, why mention two [Modifiers]? Is it possible to install more than one [Modifier]?" Venture wonder if this is one of the many methods for others to gain more abilities than what they could do with their [Skill] and [Title].

"Nope. You can only install one. Though, between you and me. I think there are people from other cities who have discovered a method to allow others to install more than one [Modifiers]." Gat didn't mind sharing her thoughts since this pretty much just rumors, then again, her current position doesn't give her classified info that only the ones in the higher up in the government area family would know. "Anyway, glad to have you on the job. Well, for the time being. We will just have to protect the child for a few more weeks before we're done. Now, I don't know about you, but I just finished training before you came here. So, I'm off. If you need me for anything related to the job after this one. Ask Bout or Edify to call me." Gat starts walking off, to get herself clean and maybe a quick snack before heading to bed.

"Alright." Venture nods at Gat before looking at the [Battle Arena Augmented Reality], thinking about if he should work on his [Magical Manifestation] or not.