Luck tested the sword with a few quick swings.
It moved faster than before, slicing the air without resistance. A faint shimmer trailed behind—like a ghost chasing the blade.
He paused and narrowed his eyes. "Was it always like this?"
Another swing. Same result. The glow moved with each slash, subtle but impossible to miss.
"System, what is this?"
[It's the blessing.]
Luck raised an eyebrow. "So just a visual effect? That I can only see?"
[Correct. The glow is a result of the Sword God's Blessing syncing with your body. It's a sign of compatibility—only you can see it unless you choose to show it.]
"So... customizable sword aura. Not bad."
He tightened his grip and focused, just to try it. The glow pulsed slightly brighter, more defined now.
"Did it work?"
[Maybe try showing it to someone who isn't you. ]
Luck rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the groundbreaking advice. Whatever—I'll check it later."
He turned to where Johan's body vanished.
In its place, a few items lay scattered—dull against the bloodstained dirt, but still intact.
He crouched down and started picking through them.
A velvet pouch, heavier than it looked. He opened it and raised an eyebrow—gold coins, neatly stacked.
"Sweet holy mother of God," he whistled. "I'm rich!"
Next, a silver ring etched with tiny runes.
It gave off a faint hum, like a sleeping engine. He slipped it onto his finger.
No reaction. Maybe it needed magic—or maybe it was just expensive jewelry. Either way, it looked good.
His eyes landed on what was left of Johan's armor.
The full set sat there, still holding its shape like the prince had just stepped out of it—but now covered in dirt and streaks of dried blood.
"Well-made, but not for me."
If he ever wanted for protection, he preferred something lighter—leather, maybe reinforced gear like the kind assassins or archers wore. Easy to move in.
In the end, nothing was really useful to him aside from the sword.
So he sold the whole set—chest plate, shoulder guards, even the belt buckle.
Threw in the gold coins too. After taxes, he walked away with exactly 1,258 EC.
Not bad, considering all it took was nearly dying, bleeding out in a ditch, and questioning every life choice up to that point. What a bargain.
'I should check out the gold box now,'
Looking back, he realized he should've cracked it open before duking it out with Johan.
Who knows, it might've held a magical item to make his life a whole lot easier.
When he thought about the box, it appeared in front of him—even though he left it in the bedroom. Just another one of the system's tricks.
'Now for the great reveal,'
A dazzling light appeared, but thankfully it wasn't as blinding as last time when he had to fumble around like a mole in sunglasses.
'You got to be kidding me,' he clutched a gleaming golden Desert Eagle, its polished surface glinting under the waning sun, while in the other hand, he held a box of ammunition.
Forget about making things easier. One shot from this, and Johan wouldn't have lasted a second.
"System, did you intentionally give me this reward to mock me?"
[No, the primary mission reward was established from the start. The gun was provided to improve your chances of survival because your grandfather has very little confidence in your ability to survive your first mission. If the owner didn't verify it, that's your responsibility.]
Luck opened his mouth, then closed it.
"Alright, I messed up this time, no need to rub it in," he shook his head as he examined the ammunition box, only to find it empty.
"Hey system, where's the ammo?"
[You need to purchase it.]
"What do you mean? Then why is the ammo box included?"
[So the owner has a place to store the ammo. ]
Luck almost threw the gun away out of frustration but stopped himself, weighed it in his hand, and holstered it.
There was something comforting in feeling the cold, heavy grip at his side—stupid, but also empowering.
Not that he could fire it. For now, he was nothing but a peacock with a fancy, useless tail.
He approached his desk and checked his laptop to buy ammunition.
Before he could purchase a cheaper option, the system notified him that this particular gun required Golden Ammo, with the least expensive option costing 100 EC.
Despite the high cost, he decided to buy two rounds just to be cautious.
If the system had provided him with this gun, it was reasonable to conclude there was something in this world capable of killing him, and it certainly wasn't the prince.
"Can I come out now?" Neve asked, peeking from her room.
"Sure, but I'm a mess , so just hang on a bit. Let's take a bath together," he teased her.
"Okay," she bit her lips, liking the idea very much.