[Show Pending Notification!] ]

[You have defeated a large group of cursers!] This is a consolidation of multiple battle notifications. For a complete list, request more information. ]

【Reward: 675 points】

My eyes widened at the blue boxes that appeared in my field of vision. Did I really kill so many cursed ones? I tried to recall, but the whole fight felt vague, one desperate action after another. I remember shooting down a lot when they fell on the burning corpses of the cursed people who pried open the doors, but did I really shoot down that many?

I pondered for a moment, then shook my head. It may be hard to believe, but the system doesn't lie. No, what I'm supposed to do now is try to think like a magical girl. What does a qualified guardian do when they receive such a notice?

"Can you show me the notification of the new damned one I killed?" I asked after a while. If I'm going to fight more curses, at least knowing what I've been up against so far makes sense. In addition, there was a hint of curiosity in my heart. The battle is ...... Despairing. I wonder what kind of monster I defeated.

[Of course.] ]

[Defeat (Devouring Bear - Level 7)]

[Reward: 15 points]

It must have been the headless Cursed One, with a big mouth instead of a head. It was fairly easy for me to defeat it, but I shot it straight into the throat. If I guess, it might be more difficult to knock out with a melee weapon.

[Defeat (Flail Screamer - Level 16)]

【Reward: 30 points】

I shudder as I think of the sound the monster made to the rest of the cursers. Again, it is relatively easy to shoot down, but its ability to alert others of its exact location is more than enough to compensate for its lack of defense. If I had to fight them again, destroying them first would be a priority.

[Defeat (Blade -14)]

[Reward: 25 points]

I guess it was a scrawny humanoid creature with blades on all four of its arms. It's hard to hit its emaciated body, and I bet it's going to be a nightmare to get in close quarters with four different arm swings.

[Defeat (Creeping Nightmare - Level 24)]

【Reward: 50 points】

A flash of surprise flashed through my heart. It could only be a curse that opened the door, and it was even higher in rank than the newborn spider. It wasn't a fierce fight, but I used every bullet in the equalizer, and five of those bullets went straight through its eyes and into its brain. Honestly, it's kind of shocking that it takes so much time to kill even if I hit a vital organ. One can only imagine how terrible the battle would have been if it hadn't been preoccupied with opening the door.

[Defeat (Huge Mass - Level 12)]

【Reward: 20 points】

When I walked out of the hedge maze, it must have been a huge curse that caught me off guard at the last moment. I ran my hand over my ribs, but I didn't feel a trace of discomfort, not even the puncture in my spine. Maybe it's not surprising considering my arm was reattached, but the journey from injury to full consciousness still feels weird.

[Now, moving on to the next one," Selina said, leaving me meditating. [I recommend that you wait until it's over before opening the status menu.] ]

Before I could react, another blue box suddenly appeared in my field of vision.

[Congratulations!] You've upgraded multiple times! You're level 12 now! ]

[Available Stats: 0]

I frowned in the last part, wondering how much I had messed up my "build" by focusing on agility and agility. At least I only got four levels. I'm not sure if I'm impressed with my upgrades or disappointed with so many levels. I know I started beating A

Athema, and while I think the experience works just like any other video game I've played, I've never really learned from Sele

e get details there.

Thankfully, there was an expert sitting in front of me.

"Selene, how do you get experience?"

[The main source of experience is defeating the curse.] Selene happily began to explain. [A

The higher the level of the athema, the more experience you gain. Each time you level up, the amount of experience required to reach the next level increases. In addition, the amount of experience required increases dramatically at some "milestone levels". Levels ten, twenty-five, fifty, and 250 are considered minor milestones, while each hundredth level is a major milestone. The only other functional thing you need to know is, beat the A's below your rank

You'll gain less experience when athema, but it's only really significantly reduced when the level difference reaches 15 or more. Of course, the reverse is also true. ]

I nodded slowly. Well, this information is in line with my new level. Thanks to our strategy, most of the curses I eliminated at the shielded station were fairly close to my own. Add to that the fact that I reached level ten, so it's no surprise that I only got level four. If anything, it makes it even more impressive.

[Next?] Selina asked, and I nodded.

[Congratulations!] In order to reach level ten, you have unlocked the profession! ]

[Number of Courses: 10]

[I recommend that you wait for the time being to explore the available courses,] Sele

e Immediately after notification. [Also, while I'm sure you probably understand what a class is, given your gaming history, I'd like to give you a proper explanation later.] I think it might also be beneficial to present your options to other Guardians and ask for their opinions. ]

As much as I was tempted to take a look at what I unlocked, I nodded in agreement. It seems like a good idea to properly summarize what the class has done for me. Most video games deal with classes more or less the same, but there are many nuances between different games. Anyway, I'm not in a hurry to pick one right now, so I've resisted the urge to call my class selection and wait for the next announcement to come along.

[Congratulations!] At level 10, your Augmentation (Sable Wanderer's Eye) has been upgraded! ]

[As your strength grows, your second sins are revealed.] The sin of jealousy opens a new pair of eyes to those who have observed, who have observed others and wondered how they are different, who desperately cling to the normal state of others. Oh sable stray, let your gaze reveal everything to you, for you crave what you will never be able to get. Only those who live in the lonely moonlight can witness the hidden truths of this world. ]

[Do you accept the upgrade?] 】

After reading the description, I felt like last time in my stomach, and when I realized what it meant, a pit formed in my stomach. The system behaves as if it knows everything about me, but that's wrong. Of course, I keep an eye on people, but that's just to keep myself out of trouble. I don't care if I'm like everyone else...

I bit my lip and a bitter taste welled up in my mouth. Maybe...... Maybe I do wish I was a normal person, but it's still not ...... I don't envy them. I just wish things were different......

I glanced at Selina and the anxious knot continued to swirl in my chest, but she just shrugged at me.

[As I said before, the Arcane system has its quirks.] Unfortunately, I can't start guessing what this upgrade will get you in the loop until you accept it. As before, I can only assure you that no matter what your enhancement upgrade is, it won't be harmful. ]

I was relieved when she didn't comment further on the description. I thought about it for a while and decided to take the risk of acceptance.

I gasped for breath as the heat flashed through my right eye, accompanied by the intense sensation of tiny pins pricking my iris. I reflexively raised my hand to my face, but by the time I covered my eyes with my palm, the heat had subsided. I blinked a few times and carefully removed my hand.

There seemed to be no difference in my vision, but after a while, a blue box appeared.

The Demon Eye of the Sable Wanderer

Grade: Highest

Original sin: laziness

[Displays health, mana, astral transformation duration, costume durability, status effects, map data, overlays, and visual aids when activated.] Unlimited. There is no mana cost. Keywords: lullabies. ]

Second sin: jealousy

When the HUD is active, the thin blindfold no longer restricts the line of sight. Active Ability: When activated, the name and level of any cursed, magical construct, magical guardian, or mana awakened creature will be displayed in direct line of sight, as long as your right eye is unobstructed. There is no mana cost. Keywords: Identification.

[Lock]

[Lock]

[Lock]

[Lock]

[Lock]

I read the description several times. Thin eye patch...... Does this mean I can see through the blindfold? I'm used to wearing one eye and it would be a little weird to suddenly use both of my eyes again. It doesn't seem to be of much use other than being a nice little ability, but the activated part seems to be interesting. I'm not sure how good it is-

[Oh my god,] Serena interrupted my thoughts with a loud sigh, her tail twitching. [Hmm...... Mai, I want you to know now that you should not tell anyone about this ability under any circumstances. ]

I tilted my head in confusion, and Selina took a deep breath before continuing.

[There are several reasons for this.] First of all, I need you to understand that there are no skills or spells in the entire system that allow someone to directly get the rank and name of a curse, let alone a magical girl. The closest thing is to those that allow the user to pair A

The powers of athema have skills that have a vague feel, but these skills are vague at best in their reports. What you possess is not just a rare ability, it may be a unique ability that is entirely yours. If other Guardians know that you have this ability, it can cause problems. ]

"Wait......" I frowned. Is it really that powerful? “

[Three reasons.] First of all, Guardians are very secretive about their exact level, stats, and skills. If other Guardians find that you can spot their exact level, it will almost certainly make them uncomfortable. ]

"Why?" I asked. "I mean, why don't you tell people about your level?"

[Hmm.] Let me ask you this question: are you willing to tell complete strangers about your level and exact statistics? Let them know exactly how fast and strong you are? Can you give them numbers that directly measure each of your abilities and have them compare them to you? Would you be okay if other Guardians judged your worth based on numbers alone? Or, worse still, would you be willing to leak your exact stats onto the internet and let a bunch of paper-talking, non-guardians, systems theorists criticize you? ]

"Oh......" I said, feeling stupid when I started fidgeting at the idea. Well...... Isn't it? ”

[That's right,] Selina sighed. [It's human nature to compare things, and the arcane system makes it easy for us to start assigning value from those comparisons.] In a way, your level is a measure of how much you've contributed to the protection of humanity, which doesn't help. Some Guardians began to use hierarchy as a measure of importance, which led to elitism and sometimes bullying. In order to prevent this from happening, the Guardians decided to adopt a policy of revealing only the general rank. The only exception to this rule is when you're teaming up with other Guardians, but even then, it only takes an accurate summary of your abilities. Hiding the exact level will only help prevent any unhealthy comparisons or judgments. ]

I nodded, easily understanding what she was saying. People always turn everything into a competition, and I guess Guardians of the Galaxy is no exception. The system is so gamified that it makes it easier for people to directly compare how "good" someone is to another, which may not help.

[So,] Selene continued, [You can understand why the Guardians would be uncomfortable if they knew you could determine their exact rank, especially the rumors about the Dark Magical Girl.] In fact, this leads to the second reason. If I'm not mistaken, you should be able to use your identification abilities on ordinary people, and if they're Guardians, it will tell you their code name and rank. ]

My eyes widened, and Selina nodded.

[I think you understand the implications.] If the other Guardians know that you can spot them while they are outside of the astral transformation, their opinion may change from just uncomfortable to outright hostile. Unmasking the Guardian is a big deal, and your abilities allow you to do whatever you want. Because of this, it is absolutely necessary for us to completely hide this ability. ]

I swallowed and nodded earnestly. People have become suspicious of the Dark Magical Maiden, and it would be self-defeating to know that they can be discovered without being transformed. I know the value of privacy very well, and the idea of someone walking around as they want and taking it all away is terrifying.

[The last reason is simple. As the Dark One, it is best to hide your abilities as much as possible. If you've ever had to fight other Guardians, whether it's an amicable duel or something else, hiding your exact power is key. That's part of the reason I warned you early on to trust other Guardians. You don't have much of a choice so far, but from now on, I still highly recommend that you be cautious about any new Guardians you come across. ]

I was shaking all over, and the thought of fighting someone else made me feel sick to my stomach. Curses are one thing, and I can easily justify fighting terrible monsters, but what about people? I...... I'm not good at dealing with people. The idea of actually fighting someone, let alone another magical girl......

[Sorry to be down," Serena's soothing voice interrupted my thoughts. [I'm probably too focused on the negatives.] I thought I should congratulate you on once again earning a powerful and unique boost. You continue to impress me, and I can only look forward to what your boosts will unlock at higher levels. ]

I blushed and turned my face slightly away from Selene. I don't know why she was so impressed with me. It's not that I did anything, it's just that the system randomly decided to give me an upgrade. I was just lucky, that's all.

Selene wagged his tail excitedly. [If you'd like to keep checking the notifications, we've already received your mission reward!] Quick explanation: The Arcane system sometimes rewards tasks called "quests" for Guardians to complete. These missions range from destroying a usurped zone to helping a child find a lost dog. Any task that helps to protect or restore human hope qualifies as a task, however, know that the system does not turn everything into a task. There's a lot of debate about how systems decide what should and shouldn't, but that's another topic. What you need to know now is that the task always gives an estimated difficulty, which represents the system's estimate of the danger or complexity of the task when it is provided. This difficulty level is not specific, as the situation is always changing.

"Ugh...... If the system knew that other magical girls were coming, would the Death Wish still be?"

[almost certainly,] Selina nodded. [Think about how difficult it would be to survive long enough to activate the shielding station.] There is also the fact that your rescue attempt was made possible because of your actions, but we will talk about that later. At the moment, the only thing that needs to be discussed about quests is rewards. You only earn points for completing missions, and the amount you get depends on a variety of factors, such as your current level and the dangers you encounter. Please note that a higher reward is not always guaranteed just because the task is more difficult. For example, finding an escaped dog can be classified as very difficult for a Guardian if skills or magic are not searched, but the reward is still relatively small as it is not a super critical task. In addition, complexity during a mission can lead to additional rewards and even the formation of new tasks called "subtasks".

I shook my head. As far as the missions in video games are concerned, it all seems pretty standard, except that you can only get points and no experience.

[Oh well.] Let's see what you've accomplished. ]

[Mission accomplished!] - Shelter escorts]

[Description: Escorting Brian to the vault on the third floor of the mall.] It can be based on A

Athema activities and difficulties encountered and overcome. ]

[Difficulty: Medium]

【Reward: 100 points】

This was definitely my first official mission after becoming a Guardian. Escort Brian getting a hundred points is already quite a big reward, especially since Selina was able to figure out a clear route for me. In fact, I'm surprised that the difficulty hasn't decreased, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that I don't have an astral transformation?

[Mission accomplished!] - Shelter Escorts: Part II]

[Description: Escorting Brian to a vault on the first floor of the mall.] It can be based on A

Athema activities and difficulties encountered and overcome. ]

[Defeating the Cursed Guarding the Vault on the first floor has completed the bonus objective.] ]

【Difficulty: Hard】

【Reward: 300 points】

I was a little surprised by the rewards. Of course, I had to fight a group of cursed ones with only my guns, but even then, that's almost half of the points I get for killing all the cursed ones in the guard station fight.

[Mission accomplished!] - Restart the mana generator]

[Description: Reactivate the mana generator in the mall to restore shield function and save civilians in Vault III.] Depending on the number of civilians saved, bonus points may be awarded. ]

[Difficulty: Medium]

【Reward: 250 points】

[Side quest completed!] - Restart the Mana Generator: A

ach

oma

tis]

[Description: Defeat the spiders guarding the room where the mana generator is held.] ]

[Difficulty: Very Difficult]

【Reward: 200 points】

I looked at both notifications and noticed that the subquest was listed as very difficult difficulty, but still gave less points than escorting Brian to the vault and restarting the generator. Maybe the system is more focused on saving people's lives than just beating A

athema？ This makes sense considering that magical girls exist first and foremost to give people hope.

[Mission accomplished!] - Death's Wish: Shield Generator]

[Description: Reactivate the mana generator on the top floor of the Grand Arcadia Mall to save the inhabitants of the vault on the third floor.] This is the Death Wish mission. Send your final request and any messages to your loved ones to your Pet or Guardian Command. They will be taken care of, and your sacrifice will not be forgotten. ]

[Difficulty: Death's Wish]

[452 bonus points are awarded for the number of civilians rescued in the shelter.] ]

[Note: Some of your Death Wish requests may be modified.] Please consult your entourage for details. ]

[Total Rewards: 1,452 Points]

I stared at the points award, and my heart was dizzy. Serena seemed to notice my shock, and a gentle and pleasant laugh rang out in my head.

[Yes, it is indeed quite a reward.] At your level, the Death's Wish quest earns 1,000 points, and the reward for saving civilians is a nice boost. Truth be told, you should earn more points through quests, but various factors such as the slow maturation of soul gems limit the number of points you can earn. It's also important to remember that since the chances of survival are low, most of the reward for death wishes should come from the request you make. ]

"I ......," I stammered, trying to refocus. Uh, what does it mean that some of my requirements may be modified? ”

[Ah, yes,] Selina turned, her tail curling downward. [So, about the request for Lily to be a candidate for a magical girl.] Generally, this request will be allowed because a magical girl is expected to die, so the replacement is reasonable. As you survive ......]

"Oh......" I replied, Selene's voice waning and my heart sank. It's a bit disappointing, but I guess it makes sense. "So, she'll go straight to the training of a magical warrior, right?"

[She will be taken care of and given all the opportunities she can ask for," Serena replied. [It may be a little difficult to properly communicate everything she will receive due to privacy concerns, but I can assure you that your wishes for her will be fulfilled.] You'll also receive some rather surprising rewards yourself. ]

"Me?" I frowned. "Aren't these points already covered?"

[Yes, but not exactly.] Mai, it's very rare to survive a death wish, and yours isn't just a few violations. We'll get to that shortly, but for now you have more system rewards to claim. Before that, you completed a mission. ]

【Great mission accomplished!】 - Battle of Arcadia]

[Description: Arcadia is under attack from an unprecedented number of usurper districts.] All Guardians are hereby requested to contact Guardian Command for orders. Operational plans have been developed and are being implemented. Any guardian who works with this program will be rewarded with points based on their contribution to the work. Deviation or disobedience may result in a penalty for your point reward or outright cancellation of the task. Go ahead, Guardians, and know that you are defending one of the Seven Fortresses of Humanity. It must not fall. ]

[Difficulty: Very Difficult]

[Participate in the Critical Event (Death Wish) and reward 500 bonus points.] 】

【Total Rewards: 1000 Points】

[Total number of new points: 3,977]

I blinked a few times, staring at my total score, and then the blue text box disappeared from my view. It's almost 4,000 points...... The one that cost me the most was the arsenal of kinetic pistols, a hundred points. What the hell am I spending so many points for?

[Quite a lot of points,] Selina seemed to read my mind and said, "I have a lot of possible purchase suggestions, but there are some notices. The next two are achievement awards, which are given to do something truly outstanding. Of course, they also offer impressive and unique rewards. Glance. ]

[Achievement Unlocked - Broken Wings]

[Description: In the battle against the Curse, you have suffered multiple horrific, near-fatal injuries, and you continue to fight desperately to protect the lives of others.] While magical girls are often portrayed as fantastical characters, with that comes very real danger. You found this out earlier than most, but it's not your own fault. What happens if you lose the power to become a magical girl? While it will be difficult to make up for the trauma you have suffered, accept this award and know that your particular circumstances will never happen to anyone else. ]

[For details on how to earn this achievement, please keep it private.] ]

[Bonus: +10 Vitality]

"That's ......" my voice faded as I looked at the reward.

[Boost your vitality permanently, yes," Selene said triumphantly. [Achievements give very, very powerful rewards, but are also extremely difficult to obtain.] ]

To say it's powerful seems like an understatement. Of course, ten doesn't seem like much, but that's already the amount of energy I add to the level as a whole. Considering that I'll be splitting my stat points between six different categories at each level, that's a huge boost to the stats. Earning permanent level stat points is no small feat.

"Why do you say it's a secret?" I asked, still amazed by the reward.

[Only Guardians who selflessly risk their lives and are injured can earn this special achievement.] The point is that Guardians don't mean to get hurt, they just get hurt while doing their duty. If the Guardian knows that you can get an achievement by getting injured, some may try to play around with the system. Ironically, this only prevents them from getting rewarded. Therefore, it is best to keep the details of how you earned the achievement a secret. ]

I nodded, squinting at the message again, and as I read the second half, a sense of unease came over me.

"Why does this message sound like it's coming from someone? What does the last part mean?

[The tone of the system design is more humane.] Selene shrugged her tail. [The idea is that if it sounds like a friendly guide, the Guardians won't feel uncomfortable.] Ze

ITH also has access to the system to send personalized alerts, tasks, and other notifications, so it could actually be a personal message. As for what does the last part mean...... I'll talk about that later. Now, you have one more achievement to accept. ]

Serena's voice was a little dizzy, but before I could ask, another blue box popped into my field of vision.

[Achievement Unlocked - Seraphim Aura]

[Description: You accepted your wish to die, succeeded, and survived.] What's even more impressive is that you didn't use astral transformation, just one arm. Fate, politics, and misfortune conspire against you, but you stride into the darkness and are fully prepared to be the light necessary to save hundreds, even if it means sacrificing yourself. People may disappoint you and force you to fight without the astral transformation, but you don't let them down. For these reasons, you were awarded the Seraphim Aura, one of the highest awards a magical girl can receive. Thank you for your service. ]

[Rewards: +5 Strength, +5 Agility, +5 Vitality, +5 Agility, +5 Will, +5 Spirit]

[Note: This stat reward will be upgraded at certain milestone levels.] ]

I was staring at the text box and when I saw the reward, my brain shorted. Here are the three levels of stat points, as well as a description of the achievement......

[Congratulations, Mai,] Selina said, her voice warm. [Very few Guardians are able to gain the Seraphim aura.] It's not just an achievement, it's an award given only to the bravest and best guardians of magic, and you've proven it beyond a doubt. ]

My face burned and I lowered my head, a feeling of shame welling up in my heart. I don't know how to tell Sele

e This is a mistake. I've been rewarded for fulfilling the Death Wish, and this ...... I didn't deserve it. All I always wanted to do was save Lily and keep people alive. I'm the only one who can do that, so it doesn't seem like any real decision has been made. It's just that...... I just did what made the most sense. It's not about being brave or anything like that.

There was an awkward silence between us, and then Selina nodded slowly, almost understandingly.

[And your last notice," Serena continued, as if nothing had happened. [It's a bit anticlimactic to end this way, but it's still exciting in its own way.] ]

[New daily, weekly, and monthly missions are now available!] ]

I grabbed the last piece of notice, glad I had something else to think about. I was curious to see what those tasks might be, but before I could ask, my status menu opened right in front of my eyes.

status

Name: Mai Kuroki

Aliases: None

Grade: 12

Credits: 3,997

Health: 83%

Mana: 350/350 (30/min)

basic

Origin: Dark

Aspect: Loneliness

Category: None [10 available!] ]

Signature: Unawakened

Statistics

Intensity: 15

Dexterity: 70

Vitality: 25

Dexterity: 70

Willpower: 35

Spirit: 6

skill

ability

Enhancements

Sable Wanderer's Demon Eye [MAX]

Permissions

Vault

Grimoire

First aid bank (generic) є̶̘͇̀́г̷͇͖̥̏͐г̸̝͖̩̠̑๏̶͈͇̌̌̀̉г̷̩̪͔̐̓̄̍::}̸̈̈̈̄̍:}̈̈̄̍::}͈̈̌̌̀̉г̷̩͔̐̓̄̍::}:̵̪̦̥̒ ̵̖̠̆͛̄̇ย̸̝̰̣̈͒̀͝ภ ̶̟͙̋͆ค̴̡̋๒̷̮̔ɭ̵̮̇́͆́͜є̷̞̆́ ̶̶̨̖̞̮̀̑͋̇̊͒̾ ̇̊͒̾ ̇̊͒̾ ̶̶́͜є̷̞́ ̶̶̨̖̞̮̀̑͋̇̊͒̾̾ ̇̊͒̾ ́͆́͜є̷̞̆́ ̶̨̖̞̮̀̑͋̇̊͒̾̾ ̇̊͒̾ ̇̑͋̇̊͒̾ ๏̵̗̾๏̵̗̞̣̈́́́̂ͅ ̶̜̰̻̊ค̴͘ ̰͙̄ς̶͚̗̀̐̀ς̶̥̹̈́̂̈є̶̨̲̤̍̎ร̵̮̔-�̄̚ร̵̢̩͎̽

Kinetic Pistol (Normal)

Modern Terran costume (normal)

I stared at the statistics section and shook my head. It's hard to believe I've come this far, and most of them only start with ten, except for willpower and spirit.

My gaze moved further down to the section of my spellbook and the broken text there. With all this happening, I forgot that Selina told me she would explain what it was all about.

"Selene? My magic book, which I should have, because I am the ...... of darkness"

[Ah yes,] Selina nodded. [I believe the error text stems from the fact that you haven't woken up your signature magic yet.] As I said before, since your origins are dark, your unique enhancements, signatures, and tome are interconnected. Therefore, I think it's likely that your spellbook is locked because you haven't awakened your signature magic yet. Unfortunately, this process can be a bit tricky, and it's best to use the appropriate tools at Guardian Command to identify all aspects of your personal magic, so we don't have access to it right now. I do think we should prioritize this, though. Knowing what your signature and unique spellbook is will give us a good idea of what path is best for your fighting style. ]

I nodded, mentally putting it at the top of my list of things to do. Now that it's all over and I have a goal in mind, it makes me feel a little better. Maybe it's wrong, but the idea of unlocking new things like in video games excites me. For some reason, it makes things look clearer, knowing what I need to do to "progress".

Before I could ask Serena more questions about unlocking my signature or what it might be, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Hello?" A calm voice asked, its voice muffled by the door. "This is the magical girl Evergrave. Can I come in? ”