**Heavy Sphere**
At Hero High School, you can find everything necessary for living within the campus. Most essentials are provided by the school, but there is a well-stocked store for personal preferences, especially suited for young people.
To buy things from the store, you use Hero Points. These points are like an allowance given at the entrance ceremony and function as the school's currency. Initially, you receive 50,000 Hero Points, and now, a month and a half after enrolling, I have 200,000 Hero Points left.
You might wonder why my points have increased. Typically, daily expenses like buying juice from vending machines would gradually reduce them. The reason is simple: I use the training building.
Many students at Hero High School seek Hero Points to enrich their school life. The school provides several ways to earn Hero Points. One representative way to earn points is through training in the training building. By practicing in simulated dungeons and training rooms, you earn Hero Points based on usage time and frequency. This system encourages students to train voluntarily, and it's impressive how smart the school is.
I didn't necessarily want Hero Points but visited the training building obsessively to get stronger, thus accumulating 200,000 points. This number is likely top-tier among first-year students. The second place is probably Shibahime. She might have already surpassed me, but before I started point missions, she was also a training building fanatic.
"So, what should I buy with 200,000 points?"
I headed to the weapon shop. Here, you can buy dungeon equipment.
"The short model of the magic sword costs 5,000 Hero Points."
I had a vague idea of throwing daggers, but I also knew that even magic swords could chip. Throwing them made me hesitant. My throwing skill didn't consider the blade's angle or impact. If the thrown sword missed and hit the dungeon's hard rock walls, its blade's lifespan would decrease significantly.
"Maybe it's okay... hey, clerk."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Can I test this dagger's durability by smashing it against the dungeon wall?"
"Could you tell me your name? I'll report it to your homeroom teacher."
Nope.
I put the dagger out of my mind and looked elsewhere.
"What is that?"
Something unusual caught my eye. It seemed to be waiting for me, capturing my gaze and not letting go.
"What is that?"
"Good eye," the clerk said cheerfully, guiding me to the item. In the corner of the shelf sat a black trunk, slightly open, revealing two rusty black iron balls.
"This is an anomaly. It's rare to see such items displayed in the academy's weapon shop."
"So, it's amazing?"
"Yes, it's amazing. It's been here for two years, though."
"What? Did you say something?"
"No, nothing! Please, take a look."
Lucky me, finding something so amazing. When I touched the black iron ball, an item name appeared. Blessed explorers can view some information by touching anomalies.
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**Heavy Sphere**
A strange weapon used by the legendary Big P
The blood-rusted steel ball increases in weight for the user
To take a life requires an appropriate weight
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Is this a weapon? It looks like a shot put.
"This weapon's true value is revealed when used to strike an opponent with it."
There's no other way to use it. But it might be perfect for throwing. It's the size of a mug and has sufficient weight.
"I'll buy this. How much is it?"
"Are you serious..."
"What? Did you say something?"
I felt the clerk murmuring something, but he smiled and said, "Nothing."
"Anomalies are very precious. It's 2 million Hero Points."
"Two million... Can you give me a discount?"
"How many points do you have now?"
"I can give you 200,000."
"That's impressive for a freshman... I'm inclined to invest in young talent. For now, I'll sell it to you for a special price of 200,000 Hero Points."
What a kind person. I thanked him wholeheartedly and obtained the anomaly, "Heavy Sphere." I was allowed to take the trunk as well, so I carried it back to the simulated dungeon.
"Take this, heavy cannon!"
I immediately named the technique and launched the black iron ball with my 'Throw' skill. Due to its size, it flew at considerable speed, smashing the dungeon Pomeranian into pieces.
"Wonderful, what destructive power."
"Pome!"
"Don't think you can catch me off guard, you Pomeranian!"
I launched the second iron ball with 'Throw.' However, it didn't fly.
"Pome!"
"Ahhh!"
The dungeon Pomeranian sank its fierce fangs into my neck. Blood spurted out, and intense pain assaulted me. I opened the status window in my mind, watching my HP rapidly decrease. Below, my MP showed '0 / 200.'
"Damn, out of MP..."
"Pome!"
"Don't underestimate me, you Pome scum!"
I grabbed the Pomeranian by its neck, forcibly pulling it off. My neck's flesh was torn away in the process.
"I'm used to pain, ha ha!"
"P-Pome...!?"
I wonder how the Pomeranian saw me. I twisted its neck with brute force and threw it against the wall. Light particles entered my body, and only silence remained.
"...I'm surprisingly strong."
This is the dungeon's first floor. With my strength, I can kill first-floor monsters with my bare hands?
"It hurts."
I retrieved the iron ball, applied a cloth to my wound, and returned to the dormitory to take a recovery potion and rest.
The next morning, I checked my healed wound. Blessed ones truly possess superhuman abilities. With a recovery potion developed by the Dungeon Foundation and a night's sleep, most injuries heal.
I checked today's point mission in the bathroom.
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**Status**
Makoto Akaya
Level: 0
Health: 100 / 100
Magic: 200 / 200
Defense: 0
Strength: 30,000
Dexterity: 300
Intelligence: 0
Resistance: 0
Agility: 0
Mystery: 0
Spirit: 0
**Skills**
'Basic Health'
'Basic Magic' x2
'Basic Dexterity' x3
'Advanced Strength' x3
'Harden'
'Soften'
'Stick'
'Throw'
'Pull'
**Equipment**
'Skill Tree'
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**Skill Tree**
Tree Level: 1
Skill Points: 0
Point Mission: 'Pome Hunting'
**Skill Menu**
'Basic Health'
Available: 4
'Basic Magic'
Available: 3
'Basic Defense'
Available: 5
'Advanced Strength'
Available: 2
'Basic Dexterity'
Available: 2
'Basic Intelligence'
Available: 5
'Basic Resistance'
Available: 5
'Basic Agility'
Available: 5
'Basic Mystery'
Available: 5
'Basic Spirit'
Available: 5
'Hold'
Available: 1
'Bend'
Available: 1
**Completed Skills**
'Advanced Strength'
Available: 0
'Basic Strength'
Available: 0
'Harden'
Available: 0
'Soften'
Available: 0
'Stick'
Available: 0
'Throw'
Available: 0
'Pull'
Available: 0
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**Today's Point Mission**
Keep working steadily!
'Pome Hunting'
Pome Hunting: 0/20
**Continuity Days**: 15 days
**Steady Rank**: Silver
**Point Multiplier**: 2.0x
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Alright, today's mission is 'Pome Hunting.' I woke up early, so let's get it done quickly.
I took my new weapon, the 'Heavy Sphere,' and headed to the simulated dungeon. Yesterday, I couldn't test skill combinations due to running out of MP. Today, I will.
My skills 'Harden,' 'Soften,' 'Stick,' 'Throw,' and 'Pull' should allow for considerable flexibility.
"Let's try the second floor today."
I bought jerky for the second floor from the vending machine at the dungeon entrance and stepped in. The jerky adjusts the dungeon's settings, generating suitable monsters.
"Pome!"
"It's coming... wait, did it get bigger?"
The Pomeranian seemed slightly larger. As you go deeper into the dungeon, monsters grow bigger. I knew this from class, but seeing it in person is overwhelming.
It charged at me, baring its fierce teeth. I countered with my heavy cannon. The iron ball flew at high speed, smashing the second-floor Pomeranian. Its power was more than expected. Defeating a second-floor monster in one hit was surprising.
"Pome, pome!"
"This feels familiar!"
Another Pomeranian approached from behind. But it's clever enough to kick dungeon rocks at me with its hind legs. Could it be smarter than me!?
"Impressive, but naive. Magic card, activate!"
With zero agility, I couldn't dodge. So, I had to block the attack. Though my defense was also zero, I had a plan. I applied 'Soften' to the remaining iron ball. When I punched it, it spread like pizza dough. Simultaneously, 'Harden' took effect, turning it into a shield that protected me from the Pomeranian's stones.
"P-Pome...!?"
"I am smarter, Pomeranian."
I moved the transformed iron ball shield aside and approached the stunned Pomeranian. I shouted "Power!" and struck it down