"Is your hand okay?"
Kivas Chariot, age 22.
"It's fine, tis' but a mere scratch, is what I always wanted to say."
On the way to his home after an overtime work, a robber brandished his knife at Kivas' back. Unfortunately for the burglar, his victim noticed him and blocked his stab with his palm. In the end, Kivas subdued the robber after a sudden crude victory in close quarter combat.
But instead of calling the police, he urged both of them to sit down side by side near the wall of the alley, not to talk about something amongst themselves, but because of 'why not'?
"Are you calling the police yet?"
"I told you, I have no intention of doing that. Besides, you haven't stolen anything and your face is more swollen than a pork bun as of the moment we speak."
"I'm sorry… Truly, I'm forced to do this. I have no money, and my debt is piling up. I can't even buy my favorite instant ramen at the end of the day, the only thing that makes me cop a feel…"
"Isn't that what they all say?"
"Right…"
"Well, you're free to rob the next passerby, I care not."
"Oy, oy, don't you think that you should prevent me from doing it again instead of letting me!?"
"If I tell a human to not do something, they will eventually do it."
"Speaking from experience?"
"Nah, I made that up."
"Pfft. You sound weirdly chill for someone whose palm is bleeding."
"You sound weirdly friendly to someone who wants to stab others on the chest."
"Right… Sorry."
"Eh, don't feel sorry."
"I should, though."
"You shouldn't. You have it hard too. Not everyone should be blamed for taking drastic measures. Although, if I were you, I wouldn't do it. Heh."
"Hahahah... This is the first time I heard someone do this, let alone willing to talk to their attacker."
"Not like I have anything to lose for doing this. Not like I have anything to gain for giving you to the police." Kivas tried to move his bleeding palm. "I have nothing to lose, and I want nothing more."
"... You said that while you're smiling edge to edge, what a creep."
"Of course I'm smiling! Because somewhere, deep down, I know that things will get better." Kivas lit up his cigarette, painstakingly holding his lighter as he did so. "Instead of being down bad and killing others for their fortune, I would rather suffer and see the blinding light at the end of the tunnel."
"That's rather hardcore. I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"I will. But if I can, I want to give others a better chance. A better chance to see things clearly. A better chance to…
'Live their life to the fullest!'
Kivas tightly grasped one of the three orbiting purple orb, crushing it down into floating powder as they float and formed two screen panels of option for him.
The first choice was [Blight Expansion], and the second was the same boon with the three lines of runes as the symbol.
'HMMMMMM- I don't know what this one will do, but it's better than nothing!'
The second wind chime soothed his hearing.
-Boon of Utility-
[Tautology]
-The villain of the villain is the villain, aren't they? They who disappear into the ashes of wood, will someday leave a strange red liquid. It's late at night on New Year's Eve, and the chimney monster has died. They slept barefoot. It was like an artificial flower. The fake's fake is a fake, aren't they?-
-Sometimes, the original description of the boon doesn't make any sense. Henceforth, thou shan't despair! For the rest acquired boons from this point onward, shall have a second description that precisely tells what they actually do. Like this!-
'Woah, this is actually useful! But that's not what I really need right now!!!'
Kivas then had a sudden realization.
'Wait, this is actually what I really need!'
Kivas then immediately grabbed the second purple orb.
The first option of boon was [Lizardman's Constitution: Scales Body Type A] and a [???] with the symbol of his three finger claw having a barrier around it. Either that or it was showcasing a still-motion of the claw getting bigger.
But Kivas have no time to try new things he has not acquired, he wants to try the new thing that he just acquired!
'Huh, it didn't appear on the description within the choosing phase. Also, why do I always get this basic lizardman skin? If there is Type A, there should be Type B, right? Why do I always get this cursed option in at least most of my runs? Is somebody cursing me?'
It seemed like Kivas needed to actually choose it first so that it was available on the later run.
'Alright, annoying lizard skin, I choose you!'
-Boon of Constitution-
[Lizardman's Constitution: Scales Body Type A]
-Jolly! Jolly all around! For the Lizardman sings, dances, and wails. They shed their skin like a snake, and left their scale for others like altruistic snails. The scales won't be worn like a home however. They will repels any misfortune of others away, and provide their wearer with protection like a chainmail-
-Durable, reliable, and regrowable! The Type A scales of the Lizardman provide a tight protection that protects the surface of the body as a whole, except for some private parts. And because these scales are directly mimicking the scales of the Lizardman's tribe that lives near the shore, it was said that the shedded scales increase the luck and fortune of others! Except the Lizardman of this tribe themselves-
'That is a very long second description!! But it is somewhat useful??'
As the panel turned into a floating sphere, it then hurled itself to Kivas.
Once again, Kivas had acquired the same scales that became the death of him multiple times. As the he grew his protective scales from bottom to up, his three canine heads were also generated along with the scales.
Now, instead of looking like a weird red blobby creature, he looked like a weird lizard with three hands and three canine-heads.
The succubus who witnessed all of this were shocked beyond belief, to the point that she became somewhat forgotten that she had just lost an arm and a leg. Shaking her head, her face was struck with the realization before quietly whispering to herself.
"... It is the Guardian of the Tomb."
No, he wasn't.
Doubting herself for thinking that such an important and majestic existence was a cute and puffy ball of slime, she began to remember the weird dance and belittling words that she did and told in front of the presumably ancient being.
2 minutes, 11 seconds left until the bomb exploded.