he rest of the trip went by without anything worth mentioning—just a few minor bandit skirmishes here and there, giving only a handful of CP. Now, sitting on top of the carriage, Axel watched the road ahead. They were close to Shirotsume.
As the sun began to set, painting the sky orange, Axel felt the gentle sway of the carriage and the calming sense that came with nearing the city. This close, the bandit attacks finally ceased. It was the perfect moment to check the System.
Achievement Category:
Physical Mastery (Low Risk) — 80 CP
Quick Defeat (x3) — 30 CP
Perfect Guard (x2) — 20 CPTotal: 130 CP
His new Conquest Point total was:670 CP + 130 CP = 800 CP.
Only 200 CP left until the Boosted Gear.
Axel opened the menu and navigated to the [GACHA] tab. The gacha still fascinated him; after all, that was where the super-soldier serum and Shadow Step had come from. And the coincidence between the Sleeping Dragon Soul (Hidden Magic) reward and the relatively low shop price of the Boosted Gear was too suspicious to ignore.
The System sold gacha tickets in exchange for Conquest Points:
Common Ticket — 10 CPRank C – High risk. Huge chance of useless items.
Rare Ticket — 50 CPRank B – High chance of low-level abilities or lacrimas.
Epic Ticket — 200 CPRank A – Guarantees a rare Magic or Skill. Chance of SSR.
Legendary Ticket — 500 CPRank S – Guarantees a high-level Magic or Artifact. Chance of EX.
Mystic Ticket — 1,000 CPRank SSS – Guarantees an Origin Power or Dimensional Bloodline.
The rest was so expensive Axel didn't even bother checking.
He pressed his lips together. He had 800 CP.
He could gamble: buy a Legendary Ticket for 500 CP and pray for the Boosted Gear—or maybe even a Dragon Slayer Magic (which cost 1,500 CP in the shop but could appear in the gacha). That would leave him with 300 CP, still close to the goal.
But he could also be patient. Only 200 CP left—something he could earn with one simple Green-Rank mission or two good Blue-Rank ones.
— The risk is too high. If I spend 500 CP on a Legendary and get something useless… I'm back to square one.
Reason won. Axel knew he didn't have that much luck.
But… the Epic Ticket cost 200 CP.
If he bought one, he would still have 600 CP. Then he'd only need an extra 400 CP for the Boosted Gear. And if he got a useful Rank A magic—Archive, Possession, Elemental Support, anything—it could be worth it.
He took a deep breath.
— No. The plan is the Boosted Gear. Focus.
Axel exited the Gacha menu, but the temptation still echoed in his mind. To distract himself, he opened the [SHOP] tab, searching for something small, useful, and cheap—something that could give him a little boost.
Camping Sleeping Bag — 5 CPRank C – Comfort guaranteed.
Communication Lacrima (Simple) — 20 CPRank B – Short-range two-way communication.
Magic Manual (Basic) — 30 CPRank B – Speeds up the understanding of Rank B and C spells.
Axel smiled.
— The Basic Manual can help me learn Earthland magic faster.
He confirmed the purchase.
[30 CP DEDUCTED. ITEM ACQUIRED: MAGIC MANUAL (BASIC)][Remaining CP: 770]
The book wasn't physical—information was simply injected straight into his mind. In an instant, he understood Makarov's theories about ethernano, the difference between 'Caster Magic' and 'Holder Magic,' and how Earthland mages manipulated their power.
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Magic Theory (Basic) — Reward: 10 CP][Remaining CP: 780]
— Perfect. Almost recovered the investment.
The lights of Shirotsume were already flickering in the distance, signaling the end of the journey. Only 220 CP left until the Boosted Gear.
Axel stood atop the carriage, ready for the final stretch of the escort mission—and eager for the payment. With just two more successful jobs, he would reach his goal.
And he already knew exactly where to find them.