Chapter 50: Luck

Kaito Sakamoto's first feeling right now is:His terrible luck is truly unbelievable!!!

Three trips out to sea.The first time, he encountered a whirlpool.The second time, he was carried away by a giant bird.The third time, he was directly hit by a cannonball and plunged into the sea.What the hell!?Beep, beep, beep, beep!!!!

This luck is making Kaito so angry that he can't help but act like a telegram operator.After venting his frustration, he looks around again, and all he sees is a vast expanse of white—both the sky and the ground are the same, without any impurities, and the horizon seems endless."Is this heaven?""Or hell?""It can't be; I shouldn't die this weak, right?"

Kaito mutters to himself, raising his hand only to find the little white snake on his wrist is also missing.Just as he's confused, a mechanical voice suddenly breaks the silence.Kaito is all too familiar with this voice; after all, it's the one that brought him into the pirate world and granted him this frail, yet "heaven-defying" skill."Now that's clever.""Indeed, although you're in a bit of trouble, you're not dead yet.""This is the depth of your consciousness. You're currently in a state of slumber."

The system voice, which hadn't been heard for ten years, explains."System?" Kaito responds, filled with disbelief."Yep↗," the system replies, still sounding arrogant."It really is you!!""Where have you been for the past ten years? Have you finally come back to life?!!""Quick, tell me, what the heck is the third ability I drew!?"Is it this bracelet on my wrist?"

Kaito's anger from a decade of forced restraint erupts.For the past ten years, he could only think of the bracelet as the third ability he had drawn, stubbornly refusing to question it.But his mind won't let go, and sometimes he still struggles with the question. Without a definitive answer from the system, he might grapple with it for a lifetime."Actually... it's not!" The system answers with a heavy sigh.Kaito's heart races."Stop!""Fine, if it's not, then tell me right now what the third ability is!""I'm afraid you'll catch a 'virus' and suddenly disappear.""Even though I'm still young, who the hell can wait another ten years!!!"

Kaito bluntly demands, urging the system to get to the point. If it disappears again and reappears after ten years, he might just lose it."Now that's rude!""What do you mean, disappear? What's this about catching a virus?! Are you being polite?""I had something urgent come up!!"

The system retorts stubbornly."Heh.""What do you mean by that!!!"Kaito chuckles mockingly, and the system immediately loses its temper but then comforts itself."Whatever.""Once I tell you about the third ability, I won't have to come back.""Then hurry up and say it!!" Kaito urges."Fine!""The third ability is... beep... beep...""....."".....""Are you shocked? Hahaha."Kaito: ....."Are you sick?" Kaito can't help but doubt if this system is for real. If it is, it should get to work on something useful."Tch, you're not funny at all.""Alright, alright, just tell me directly.""Ten years ago, the third ability you drew is called: Luck."

The system finally reveals the name of Kaito's third ability."Luck...?" Kaito can barely believe his ears."This is called an ability?""Of course, it's not pure luck.""Luck is something you can't see or touch.""Your third ability, to be precise, is: Luck Variation."

The system explains further, but Kaito is even more confused."Can you be clearer?""Really dumb.""Luck Variation, simply put, means your luck changes every day.""You could be lucky.""You could also be unlucky.""Isn't that how it is for ordinary people?" Kaito can't help but interrupt with a curse."Will you just let me finish?!"

Now the system is cursing too."Even though ordinary people have luck that changes, you're different. Your luck increases every day.""Let's put it this way: on a point scale, the maximum luck for a person is 100 points.""And your luck will increase by one point every day. After 100 days, your luck will be maxed out.""Every day, if your luck is bad—even negative—then that extra 100 points of luck will cancel out the bad luck, turning it into positive.""If your luck is good that day and positive, your luck will explode even further."

The system gives a complete and detailed explanation. This ability is indeed remarkable; once 100 days pass with a full 100 points of luck, it's impossible to be unlucky—unless, of course, you're extraordinarily unfortunate and hit a negative 100.But still, that doesn't seem right."That can't be true!!""If this ability is so great, why the hell have I been so unlucky during these trips at sea?"

Kaito questions, wondering if his luck has been negative 100 every day.

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Note: For those interested, you can catch up to chapter 100+ at patreon.com/Esei01.