I stretched my arms. Even though I'm outside of TREE, there were still eyes on me, specifically the badge on my uniform.
I'm about to tear this badge off and throw it away.
Uncultured people. Have they not seen the same thing? There are other F-rank Skills in red and blue. Look at them for once!
[Ding! The people of Numen classified offense Skills as the most powerful Skill, defensive Skills as the second most powerful, and support Skills as the weakest.]
What kind of Skills count as supporting Skills?
[Ding! The first type of Support Skill can enhance a person's stats and skills. The second type of Support Skill can give the ability to gain knowledge. The Host's Skill, "Appraisal III," is the second type of Support Skill.]
What about the rest of my Skills? What kind are they?
[Ding! Immortality is a Defense Skill, Rosetta's Gift is a Support Skill, and Fortuna's Contract is a Support Skill.]
So I have no combat Skills.
[Ding! The Host does not.]
I felt an immersive headache.
For the first time, I felt the number of Skills I have was lacking. I didn't have any way to protect myself other than dying repeatedly.
[Ding! The Host can improve his battle prowess by using an Artifact.]
I've never fought with anyone in my life. What's the point of using an Artifact when I don't know how to fight? Might as well learn karate or something.
[Ding! Would the Host like to find an Art to learn martial arts?]
What kind of Art gives you knowledge about martial arts? But sure, find me one.
[Ding! The Host does not have enough mana to rely on Art.]
The System insulted the amount of mana I have.
Let's ignore Arts for now. Where's the artifact?
[Ding! The nearest artifact is 0 meters away from the Host's location.]
What? Where?
[Ding! Hanging on the right of the Host's waist.]
I looked down at the dagger I received from TREE.
That was not what I was asking!
[Ding! The System asks the Host to specify his request.]
I wanted something that could help me to fight for myself currently. Why is the System being difficult?
[Ding! There are 361939 Artifacts that match the Host's request; "something that could help me to fight for myself currently".]
Why are there so many? I thought you'll give me something useful with the weapons I currently own.
[Ding! There are 249 Artifacts that match the Host's request: "useful with weapons I currently own".]
Okay, where's the best one?
[Ding! The System asks the Host to specify "best."]
Can't you just read my mind or something? Wait, you're reading my thoughts already.
[Ding! There is 1 Artifact that matches the Host's request: "easy to use with the highest ability to orchestrate the death of a human body."]
Where is it?
[Ding! "Widow's Silk", made out of threads of the Death Goddess, Morte. Currently in the Abaddon, center of the Demon World.]
Demon world? How am I supposed to get there?
[Ding! Currently, the Host lacks the ability to visit the Demon World.]
What's the point of telling me about the artifact? Can't you give me information about one that I could get?
[Ding! Earring made out of Kalli's tear in a branch of Farrier Inc, currently 24.83 km away from the Host's current location.]
I sighed.
It was too far away. Am I going to take a two-hour bus ride?
[Ding! The Host can travel to Taeyang city, the location of the Artifact, with a teleport station in the nearest branch under Farrier Inc.]
Really? Free?
[Ding! No, teleportation is not free.]
I'm going to ride the bus.
As I was about to prepare myself to leave for my destination, the annoying "ding" sound rang in my ears.
[Ding! Does the Host have enough money to buy an Artifact?]
I stood still, silent, realizing my 53 billion won debt is probably not going to buy me an artifact.
I sat down on a bench nearby, depressed. The students passing by were giving me weird looks.
Ignoring the passersby, I thought to myself. How can I make money? Looking for part-time jobs? I needed to improve my stats before I could get hired for anything. Rob a bank? I'm a model citizen. I would never stoop that low. Selling my organs?
[Ding! The Host claims that he's a model citizen. The only place to sell your organs is on the black market.]
It's just the black market. What is the government arresting me for? Killing myself? I have Immortality, I totally could-
[Ding! In the process of rejuvenation, the donated organs will vanish like dust.]
My proposal to make vast sums of money just shattered like glass.
There goes my plan.
[Ding! The Host can sell the corpse of magic beasts to make money.]
A ray of hope shone through the darkness. Forgetting that I'm sitting in public, I shouted at the top of my lungs "H-How much?"
Everyone within 100 meters of me simultaneously gave me a disgusted look, but I can worry about my reputation later. That's not important right now.
[Ding! The System asks the Host to be specific.]
I thought for a second. There's no way I can kill a high-rank Beast, and finding a corpse in the middle of nowhere is even harder. The only ones I stand a chance against are the F-rank Beasts in the Elgin forest.
How much will I earn if I sell one of those mana stones I swallowed or the corpse of a Gray Wolf?
[Ding! A low-quality F-rank mana stone from a Shadow Raven will earn the Host 10k won on the black market. An undamaged corpse of a Gray Wolf will earn the Host 150k won.]
250k!? Wait- why can the mana stone only be sold on the black market? Only 10k? That's cheap!
[Ding! The mana stone from a Shadow Raven is labeled as a dangerous poison. No sane person would try to consume a Shadow Raven's mana stone. The chance of the mana stone killing a Demon Worshipper who does not have Shadow Raven's Arts is 90%.]
90%? I thought the death rate was 60%? 5% of obtaining a portable inventory and 35% of earning Shadow Step?
[Ding! Since the Host's body was enhanced by the System, the chance of success was increased by four times.]
What about people that aren't Demon Worshippers?
[Ding! The chance of death is 100%. The Host is not a Demon Worshipper, but because the Host owns a System, the requirement of being a Demon Worshipper was removed.]
There's no emotion in the System's robotic gender-neutral voice, but I have a feeling that the System is bragging.