Chapter 4 - Beginner Package (Rewritten)

After stepping out of the shower, the system reminded me to open my starter package. It was a good opportunity to familiarize myself with the functions it offered and start planning my future actions.

While this world may be based on an erotic backdrop with a flawed storyline, I couldn't ignore the lurking dangers it held. Excessive focus on explicit content undermined the game's seriousness and turned it into an average adult game. It was a flaw that I despised in the game's writer.

Moreover, the thing I didn't like about the game was not its background or world setting; no, it was the way the story progressed.

Although playing those snu-snu moments is okay, if it is excessively used, the game will lose its seriousness and will just become an average Eroge game you can find everywhere.

And this was the lacking thing about the game and made me hate the writer of the game.

However, the important thing is even though the game was bad at explaining the events happening around the world, that doesn't mean they didn't happen or the villains introduced suddenly vanished from the world.

No, they didn't vanish, and they are still out there waiting.

There is also the fact that I still don't know why I am here and who made me. Who is the person that merged the soul of Aaron and Callius? And why did he/she do it?

What kind of power does he/she possess? 

Or does he/she even exist? 

What if I appeared because of some unknown magical phenomenon?

Furthermore, there was the enigmatic presence of the system itself. Despite introducing itself as an AI, I couldn't discount the possibility of it becoming an adversary in the future. These were questions that couldn't be answered at the moment, and I doubted the system had the answers either. Therefore, it was prudent to set those questions aside for now and focus on resolving my immediate concerns.

Brooding over unanswered questions while neglecting the present dilemmas would be foolish. I didn't possess the answers I sought, nor did I have the means to acquire them. With that in mind, I decided to temporarily set aside those questions and prioritize addressing the challenges that lay before me.

"Show me the beginner package," I requested from the system, realizing the need to organize my belongings before things became more chaotic.

"Understood, host. Here you can see the beginner package," the system responded, presenting a panel before me.

BEGINNER PACKAGE:

1 Random Art ticket

1 Random Skill ticket

1 Random item ticket

1 Random trait ticket

Letter from a goddess

Examining the contents of the beginner package, I noticed that there were four different random items included. Although I didn't understand why my luck stat appeared as "???", I hoped that it would at least have a positive effect.

'Hey, system. Why is my luck stat unknown?' I inquired, although I already had a suspicion in mind.

The system replied, confirming my expectations.

The concept we refer to as "luck" is intertwined with the notion of "fate." It represents the range of potential scenarios that may unfold in the future, including the storyline of the Eroge game. However, with Aaron's consciousness merged with Callius', the course of the story will deviate from the original, rendering my luck incalculable. The orchestrator of my destiny exists beyond this world, further obscuring any measure of luck. This is the understanding I have gleaned from the system's explanation.

Nevertheless, since my luck transcends this world and remains unknowable, there is no point in dwelling on it any longer. With that realization, I made the decision to utilize one of the art tickets.

"Use Random Art ticket," I commanded, eager to discover what artistic creation awaited me.

As I used the art ticket, I sensed a transformative energy surging within me. Initially, it felt like something was being infused into my being, but soon the sensation intensified into a searing heat. In that instant, a burning agony consumed my eye, and had it not been for the [Toughness] trait I possessed, a scream surely would have escaped my lips.

Once the torment subsided, I hastened to inspect the changes that had occurred. Gazing into the mirror, I discovered that my eye color had indeed undergone a transformation. It now possessed a mesmerizing polychromatic quality, with hues in a constant state of flux. However, the phenomenon was fleeting, dissipating within moments and returning my eyes to their former appearance.

The experience left me both intrigued and curious about the nature of these art tickets and the potential alterations they could bring forth. 

'What is my art about?' I couldn't help but ask myself, looking at the things that happened. 

Even though the purpose of this art seems apparent, I still wanted to inquire about the system to ensure that I am not overlooking any crucial information.

I couldn't help but be amazed by this skill. It seemed incredibly useful for a mage, providing an advantage in combat by discerning areas with denser attributed mana. However, I was aware that developing true proficiency would require time and effort, as my mastery of the skill was still in its early stages.

Now you need to understand the distinction between art and skill. Arts, like talents, can be honed and customized through practice and effort. Skills, on the other hand, are fixed and lack flexibility in their application. Talents, such as the art I just acquired, hold the potential for extraordinary growth and adaptation.

While I knew that my current mastery might limit the skill's effectiveness, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement for its future potential. With dedicated training and progression, it could become an incredibly potent and versatile ability.

With my thoughts settled, I resolved to utilize the Random Item ticket next.

'Use Random skill ticket.'

'Explain the details of skill.'

The next item I decided to use was the Random Item ticket. "Use random item ticket," I instructed the system. "" In an instant, a colorless bottle materialized before me—the Foundation Enchantment Liquid. This rare and valuable potion was hard to come by, even for noble houses like Augustride. I knew it was a precious find, and it was best to use it before awakening my class, as its effects were most potent prior to receiving a blessing.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I asked the system about an inventory function. "System, do you have an inventory function?" 

"" I nodded in understanding, realizing that I couldn't store items from the outside world but that the inventory would still prove useful.

"Store the Foundation Enchantment Liquid in the inventory and use the random trait ticket," I instructed the system.

"" In response, a new trait appeared—[Witcher]. A smile crossed my face as I recognized the significance. As an avid RPG fan, I knew exactly what this trait entailed. It would make me stronger in battles against monsters, with the effects growing even more powerful as I defeated more of them.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I turned to the system for more information about the Witcher trait. "System, how much does the [Witcher] trait increase damage against monsters?" 

""

Satisfied with the response, I focused on the last item in the beginner package—the letter from a goddess. I pondered its significance, knowing it must be connected to my forthcoming blessing. Since I hadn't received a blessing from Celestia or any other gods, it seemed there was someone or something preventing it. This mysterious goddess held the key to unlocking my true potential.

With anticipation, I opened the letter, eager to uncover the secrets it held within.