Rise Of The Hoarder

I chose Karma Points for one simple reason… it was the best option available.

For sure, the proposed Skills were sure to be useful. After all, they would be equal to the amount of work I had put in… at least by the calculation of the System.

Even the Grade 2 Drop that would be awarded was certainly going to be top tier, even among items of the same grade.

However, these two options had one thing in common. Uncertainty!

I had no idea what I would be getting, so what was the point? What if I got something I already had? Besides, even if they were entirely new, I barely had any Skill Slot left—exactly three!

Not only did I have to learn Skills from the Hobgoblin King, but also from the other Hobgoblin Chiefs and Champions. There was a good chance I would be getting more Skills soon, but, I couldn’t take the risk.

The Grade 2 item option was very tempting, but Karma Points were more important! That much was certain.

‘Many people don’t realize it now, but soon after the beginning phase ends, they will come to know… that Karma Points are everything in this new world!

There was no way I could have too much of them. Five thousand Karma Points were no small amount, at least by normal standards. If I added it to the sum I had currently as well as the ones awarded to me because of my recent achievements, then… the total would be over 10,000 points!

That was more than enough, considering most Gifteds wouldn’t even have triple digits Karma Points by the end of the beginning phase.

While I was thinking about what a good choice I made in the Karma Points department, something else popped into my head.

“The System is certainly taking very long with this… must be because of the error—”_.

Before I completed my mumble, the clogged-up System alerts appeared and blessed me with the glorious pings I had been expecting.

[You Have Leveled Up]

[You Have Leveled Up]

[You Have Leveled Up]

[You Have Leveled Up]

[You Have Leveled Up]

[You Have Leveled Up]

[.]

[.]

[.]

It kept pouring out that I couldn’t keep up, even with my heightened senses. My body experienced changes rapidly and I could feel myself transcending the limits I once knew.

By the time the pings stopped, a new System Window appeared.

[SYSTEM UPDATE]

~Congragulations! You Have Exceeded Level 300~

<Karma Points Have Been Awarded For This Achievement>

~You Are The First Ever To Achieve This Threshold~

<Additional Karma Points Have Been Awarded>

~You Have Achieved The Impossible. Correction, Your Very Existence Is Impossible!~

<Title: Singularity Has Been Awarded For This Achievement>

~Your Skill Slots Have Increased To 50 Slots~

~Your Primary And Secondary Jobs Have Leveled Up~

<Primary Job Has Reached Level 6>

<Secondary Job Has Reached Level 3>

<All Existing Skills Have Been Strengthened, Skills Cooldown Habe Been Shortened, And The Durations Have Been Extended>

~You Have Successfully Defeated The Hobgoblin King~

<Title: Dominator Has Been Awarded>

[See More Information]

As expected, I really did receive more Skill Slots. It was unfortunate that I didn’t receive any new Job-Related Skills, but wishing for even more goodies at this point would just be plain greedy of me.

I did receive more Titles, though—three Titles, to be exact. One from killing more than 1 Grade 2 Boss solo, and the other two were displayed just now.

Of course, I would want to know more about them.

[System Information]

<Titles>

[Conqueror]

Accomplished by exterminating more than one Demon Boss and closing more than one Gate solo. It is an advanced derivative of the Title [Champion]

~Title Effect: Deals 20 Percent Extra Damage on Demon Bosses. Inflicts the <Fear> Status Effect On Demon subordinates when facing the Boss.

Title 2: [Dominator]

Accomplished by exterminating a horde of highly organized Demons and the Boss. Having usurped the authority and taken over their territory, this Title is only befitting.

~Title Effect: Strengthens all Mental-Based Abilities. Increases the user’s hold on any target once a domination-type ability is used. Can usurp control from another if the user has a superior level.

Title 3: [Singularity]

Accomplished by achieving the impossible and being a questionable existence, judged even by the System. Due to the multiple errors the user can cause to the System, The <System Correction> Skill can be used.

~Skill Effect:

—<Fix>: Corrects the Glitches caused by the User’s abnormal existence. (Passive)

—<Reversal>: Returns any Item in the user’s possession back to its original state, ideal state, or vice versa (Active)

[End Of Information]

The Titles were all good ones, but the one that got my attention the most was the <Singularity> title. My existence was basically an anomaly, I had already guessed that much, but even the System had to admit it.

‘Hopefully, this doesn’t affect anything…’

It would be unfortunate if I was penalized due to my strange status, but that seemed unlikely. Not only was I given a Skill that would ensure glitches were solved, but I could also return objects to their original state or turn them into their ideal state.

If that was the case, then…

“Does this mean… if I used this Title’s Skill Effect on my current items, I can ‘correct’ their size and cause them to suit me?!”

There was a huge probability that the answer was ‘yes!’

“Amazing! Simply amazing!”

I now had a whole bunch of Skill Slots, new Skills still locked in Demon Cores, awaiting harvesting, and I had managed to rack up nine titles… while still being in the beginning phase.

‘I’ve done pretty good for myself, haven’t I?”

Excitement poured over my face as I brought out the enormous gears within [Subspace] to see if the <System Correction> Skill would be effective.

There was only one way to find out!

I brought one of the Hobgoblin Chief’s Boots closer to me and decided to use it as my guinea pig. In the scenario where <System Correction> deleted these items, I wouldn’t really miss the boot… unlike the other weapons and extremely valuable items.

And so, concentrating on my target item and praying for the ideal form to manifest, I activated the Skill.

“<System Correction>”