Chapter 2
"Huh?"
The ten capsules popping out of the vending machine began to spin around Jung-hoon's head as if beckoning him.
Jung-hoon blinked his eyes widely. If his memory served him right, gold effects were definitely... 7 stars, right?
And there were two of them. Two 7-star capsules.
"...Are 7-stars popping up frequently?"
Before opening the ten capsules, Jung-hoon logged into the LaSe Inven and quickly posted on the "Patron Board" again.
"Guys. Are 7-stars popping up frequently? Just got two 7-stars in a 10-pull."
Comments appeared as if they had been waiting.
- Haha, what a cheap attention-grabbing tactic. If you want attention, lurk on the board for three months. Rookie.
└ What's lurking?
└└ Lurking on the Patron Board, duh. Stop trying to be cool.
- No, seriously, I got two.
└ Show proof. Did your Patron eat up the screenshot function? Oh my. Then your Patron is the gluttony head of the Seven Sins, Beherit. Congrats on 8 stars.
- Really. Are you jealous?
└ Haha, jealous? What's there to envy about a delusionary 7-star? Just say you won the lottery. That's more realistic.
"Hmm."
Jung-hoon scratched his chin. Judging by the reactions, it seemed like it was a rare case... Rather than feeling good about it, he felt bewildered.
"I'm not usually lucky... What's going on?"
Last time, even though he spent so much money on gacha games, he failed to get the target card... Oh, maybe this is a consolation for that?
"Well, whatever. The fact that they popped up is what matters."
Jung-hoon reluctantly accepted it and threw the screenshot of the Patron Board. The board went wild for a moment.
- Huh, what the hell. Is this a game?
- LOL. Obviously a fake. So obvious.
└ Ugh, the jokes about popping up every time you fail are so gross. Just quietly hit your head and burrow, okay?
- We, the Hermes Guild, would like to recruit you...
After enjoying the board's reaction for a moment, Jung-hoon returned to the game. The guy who started the argument seemed to be apologizing profusely, but... Right now, he was more curious about the results of the capsules.
"Phew."
After taking a short breath, Jung-hoon touched the bronze capsules above his head first.
Bang! Bang!
With the sound of fireworks, the capsules began to open one by one. With each opening, smoke-like substance flowed out, forming a shape.
"Wow."
The shape of the first capsule he touched was completed. It was a man in his early fifties, with impressive eyebrows. As Jung-hoon focused on the man, letters began to appear above the completed shape.
Ding.
「1-star - Duracan」
[Commander of the Ashen Wolf Mercenary Corps - Duracan]
[Survival. That is the true testament of strength!]
[He was the commander of the mercenary corps Ryu Yu, which operated in the small country of Halis on the continent of Riona. As an experienced warrior, he will be an excellent guide for the player.]
[Type: Warrior]
"Hmm. So it's like this."
Just to be sure, Jung-hoon looked for additional information, but there was no more information available. Probably, detailed information would appear when he confirmed his selection of the Patron.
"Alright. Now that I know how it works."
There's no need to hesitate anymore! Jung-hoon quickly checked the other capsules.
Ding.
「2-star - Jinshuman」
「3-star - Laphcane」
「3-star - Jegalsol」
「1-star - Guldan」
「1-star - Krasia」
「4-star - Nimpaa」
「1-star - Jinhyun」
Among the eight bronze capsules opened earlier, including the 1-star, Jung-hoon casually skimmed through the information.
"There's nothing special here."
When a 4-star appeared near the end, he paid a bit more attention to the details, but there was nothing particularly noteworthy compared to the other Patrons.
Or even if there was something special, he wouldn't have paid much attention to it with two sparkling golden capsules in front of him.
"Phew."
Finally, the moment had come.
Jung-hoon took a quick breath.
Thump!
He simultaneously touched each of the golden capsules with both hands. Instantly, with a cheerful sound effect that hadn't been heard when opening the bronze capsules, a golden aura began to emanate from the capsules.
"Wow."
Indeed, were these 7-stars! The dazzling effects were incomparable to the bronze ones. It didn't take long for the two auras to transform into human figures.
"The visuals are amazing."
One was a middle-aged man with black hair wearing Eastern-style armor, and the other was a young man with blonde hair wearing full plate mail.
「7-star - Cao Cao」
「7-star - Roland」
One from the East and one from the West.
And they were two renowned figures that anyone with even a slight interest in history or games would know.
"It's not absolute, but the performance of Patrons is often related to their fame," Jung-hoon recalled reading something like that in the strategy guide he had seen earlier. Most Patrons were fictional characters from virtual worlds like fantasy or martial arts, but mythological or historical figures from Earth also appeared as Patrons.
Ding.
「7-star Cao Cao」
[Emperor Wu of the Great Han - Cao Cao Mengde]
"I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me!"
"The last victor of an extravagant era and the founder of the Wei dynasty. He was a renowned commander, politician, and ruler. His charisma and martial prowess will lead you to greatness."
[Type: Ruler, Commander]
「7-star - Roland」
[Mad Knight - Roland]
"A knight never falls!"
"The epitome of a Paladin. Among the countless legendary knights in history, he stands out as the best among the Franks. Nothing can withstand his sword, and his steel-like body never breaks."
[Type: Paladin, Berserker]
"There's not much special explanation for 7-stars," Jung-hoon noted. Compared to 1-star Patrons, the explanations were a bit longer, but that was about it. Being a 7-star didn't necessarily reveal detailed information.
"But LaSe is a game that's been out for half a year," Jung-hoon reminded himself. He summoned the strategy guide again and searched for the keyword "Cao Cao." He quickly found the information he wanted.
「7-star Cao Cao - by the LuckyDungShittyGameShutdown」
"Haha. Finally, our Emperor's turn has come. Actually, if you get Emperor Cao, you don't even need to read this guide.
Did a golden light flash when you spun the vending machine? Congratulations. You've built up some good karma in your past life.
Just pick him. Even if you're not a superfan... No, even if you are, pick him. The leader of the 7-star line. The great Emperor Cao. Oh! Emperor!
Actually, he wasn't really noticed early on. In fact, in the beginning, he was heavily criticized for being a 6-star Patron wearing a 7-star disguise. It was quite ambiguous overall. But as users grew and factions formed, the evaluations changed drastically. The guild battles began in earnest."
"Ah, I see," Jung-hoon nodded as if understanding. Indeed, earlier, the information mentioned that Cao Cao was a 'commander.'
[Our esteemed commander attribute Patron! And not just any commander, but the top tier! In large-scale battles, especially against human opponents, Cao Cao's true value shines. When his special skill <Paddo of Wumuji> is activated... well, there's no need for words.
It's the ultimate weapon in large-scale battles. If anyone has summoned Cao Cao as their Patron, congratulations, and if you whisper to me, I'll promise you guild membership and the best treatment.]
"Oh, I see," Jung-hoon nodded in agreement. It seemed like earlier, the information mentioned that Cao Cao was a 'commander.'
[Our esteemed commander attribute Patron! And not just any commander, but the top tier! In large-scale battles, especially against human opponents, Cao Cao's true value shines. When his special skill <Paddo of Wumuji> is activated... well, there's no need for words. It's the ultimate weapon in large-scale battles. If anyone has summoned Cao Cao as their Patron, congratulations, and if you whisper to me, I'll promise you guild membership and the best treatment.]
It seemed like earlier, the information mentioned that Cao Cao was a 'commander.'
[Our esteemed commander attribute Patron! And not just any commander, but the top tier! In large-scale battles, especially against human opponents, Cao Cao's true value shines. When his special skill <Paddo of Wumuji> is activated... well, there's no need for words. It's the ultimate weapon in large-scale battles. If anyone has summoned Cao Cao as their Patron, congratulations, and if you whisper to me, I'll promise you guild membership and the best treatment.]
It seemed like earlier, the information mentioned that Cao Cao was a 'commander.'
[Our esteemed commander attribute Patron! And not just any commander, but the top tier! In large-scale battles, especially against human opponents, Cao Cao's true value shines. When his special skill <Paddo of Wumuji> is activated... well, there's no need for words. It's the ultimate weapon in large-scale battles. If anyone has summoned Cao Cao as their Patron, congratulations, and if you whisper to me, I'll promise you guild membership and the best treatment.]
"Partial to Cao Cao," Jung-hoon muttered, noting the overwhelming length of information compared to other Patrons. Surely, the user named LuckyDungShittyGame was a Three Kingdoms enthusiast, particularly favoring Wei.
Continuing, Jung-hoon searched for information about Roland.
「7-star Roland - by LuckyDungShittyGameShutdown」
"Among the 7-star lineup! The immortal knight, Roland. Are you aiming for solo play? Interested in PvP content? Just pick him. In a 1:1 duel, he boasts a special skill more formidable than any other Patron... Ah, frustrating. Hey, you admins, patch this! This is outrageous... Phew, sorry. I got triggered remembering my humiliating defeat in PvP. Anyway, objectively speaking, he's a must-pick. Even if you try to summon a Patron better than Roland, you need at least 8 stars... You know? He's not coming out. Just bow down and pick him."
"Ah, he's also among the 7-stars," Jung-hoon noted. Checking the guide to alleviate his dilemma only seemed to deepen it... However, he could clearly determine his direction.
For party play and guild battles, it was Cao Cao.
For solo play and PvP dominance, it was Roland.
"And if it's neither..."
Jung-hoon checked his inventory, where nine coins still shimmered. In other words, he had 90 more pulls remaining.
"Hmm."
The Patron summoning system in LaSe was dirty. Very dirty.
In a typical gacha game, selecting the best outcome among 100 pulls would be the end of it... But LaSe wasn't such a forgiving game.
If he proceeded to the next 10-pull without choosing from the current one...
The results of the previous 10-pull would be completely erased. Whether he had pulled two 7-stars or none, it would all vanish.
And conversely, the moment he chose one from the first 10-pull, the remaining 90 pulls would all disappear.
The moment of choice was the end.
The moment of skipping was the end!
This was the 'Patron summoning,' known as the alpha and omega of LaSe.
"Ugh. The system is seriously messed up," Jung-hoon acknowledged.
He knew that continuing here wouldn't increase the chances of getting a better Patron.
But.
But!
Just throw away the remaining 90 pulls?! How could he not be curious!
What if, by some chance, there was an 8-star, or even a 9-star, hidden among them!
If he were a hardcore gamer, he wouldn't have hesitated. But sadly, Jung-hoon was just a casual gamer.
Jung-hoon quickly logged onto the Patron board, posted a thread, and waited as comments began to pour in.
"Hey, guys. I got 7-star Cao Cao in my first 10-pull. Should I just start with that?"
- What are you waiting for? Offer your respects, shed some tears, and then summon. Whoever's hesitating about this is clueless.
- Tsk tsk. Average Joe. How could you be so easily swayed by immediate gains and miss out on something greater? If you add four more pulls, you'll get 8-star Raphael. Or I'll compensate you.
- Hey. Honestly, if I got Cao Cao after like 70 pulls, I'd tell myself to stop, but if it's in the first 10, it's too much of a waste. The first pull in this game is the most fun.
└ Yeah, seriously. If it were me, even if I got an 8-star in the first 10-pull, I'd still continue pulling. Pulling is the most fun.
└└ That's going a bit too far. You should just pull the 8-star for sure;;;
- Author, all those people telling you to summon above are just messing with you, you know? Please summon Cao Cao and start the game, and give me a whisper for 'Porris.'
└ Foolish kid. Everyone knows about the first 10-pull where someone got a 7-star Patron and skipped it until the last 10-pull where they got an 8-star.
- Ugh. Another 7-star Patron is going to be buried because of these crazy gamer kids...
Jung-hoon closed the board and looked up again.
The two golden 7-stars shimmered as if they were asking to be chosen.
But... Jung-hoon's mind was already made up.
"Yes. If I think about it rationally, today's my lucky day."
Though it wasn't a rational thought at all, Jung-hoon's brain was already corroded by the drug called 'summoning.'
Normally, he had always ended up wasting money on other gacha games without even pulling a single 7-star from the start.
But today was different.
His normally crappy luck had accumulated an incredible luck stack, and it had exploded massively today! His spine tingled, a sure sign that today was the day.
"The courage to reject a 7-star."
That's all he needed. A rational mind not swayed by trivial gains was the path to reaching 9 stars!
Jung-hoon didn't hesitate any longer.
The two 7-stars passed by and stood in front of the vending machine, and he took out a coin from his inventory.
"Let's go!"
And without hesitation, he inserted the coin.
* * *
How much time had passed?
A man stood before the vending machine, his eyes fixed on it as if he had encountered his worst enemy.
"...."
There was no twist.
Having exhausted all his luck in the first 10-pull, Jung-hoon didn't witness a single effect in the following 80 pulls.
The highest grade he got was a 5-star.
Even though the Patron famous for its Truth 5-star appeared in the fourth 10-pull... In the midst of rejecting even 7-stars, what chance did a Truth 5-star have?
Jung-hoon boldly skipped it and proceeded with another 10-pull.
Of course, he couldn't witness a 5-star after that.
"Damn. LuckyDungShittyGame, seriously."
Jung-hoon usually refrained from swearing as much as possible, but this time, curses escaped involuntarily.
But soon, he resigned himself. Who could he blame? It was all his own foolishness.
"I got carried away for a moment."
That was the only way to explain it. The spine-tingling sensation, as if he had become the protagonist of a gambling manga! There was a power there that made everyone, not just himself, inevitably lose.
"Hoo."
He sighed deeply. As his mind calmed down, reason began to return.
"Yeah, this isn't just a gacha game. Among the rankers, there are many users for whom Patrons are just so-so."
Patron summoning was only a small part of LaSe's content. While it was true that having a good Patron greatly aided growth, there were countless other variables.
"Let's just put in the last coin and get on with the game."
Jung-hoon inserted the last coin nonchalantly.
Bang!
"Huh?"
An effect appeared.
"Wow. At least one showed up in the end."
A streak of silver light.
It was the effect indicating a 6-star. Jung-hoon chuckled as he checked the last 10-pull.
「1-star - Gillian」
「2-star - Hoyer」
「3-star - Namgoong Jincheon」
「3-star - Adeias」
「6-star - Kay」
「2-star - Oh Ryuhyun」
......
"Kay?"
Jung-hoon glanced at the strategy guide again.
One of the knights of the Round Table, and among the 6-stars, he received decent praise as a Patron. Jung-hoon nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. Let's start with this..."
That's when it happened.
Just as Jung-hoon was about to select Kay, the other Patrons he hadn't checked caught his eye.
There was something there that shouldn't exist.
「0-star - Kang Jin-ho」
"What's this?"
Jung-hoon murmured in disbelief.
It was the moment when the server's first 0-star Patron appeared.
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