Gacha Addict in a Matriarchal World

The Wrist Crossbow had always been a weapon that met my expectations.

Of course, it was only possible because I didn’t expect much from it as a secondary weapon…

It was true that every breakthrough subtly added a useful feature.

With a pounding heart, I brought the newly drawn Wrist Crossbow to the previously enhanced crossbow.

Woooong-

With a short vibration sound, the crossbows merged into one.

The Crossbow, which emitted a bright light for a moment, had a significantly different appearance.

The body, which had been thick to load three arrows at once, had become sleek, and the pulley that needed to be turned to load it was gone.

“How am I supposed to use this?”

Creeeak. Clack.

“Huh?”

Without much resistance, the string was pulled and fixed at the back. Just in case, I tried shooting without an arrow.

Piiing!

With a sharp sound of air being pierced, the string trembled. The tension had not weakened. It simply became possible to pull it without any special tools.

Curious, I fiddled around the string. I could clearly see what had changed.

“Has it become an artifact?”

The previous Wrist Crossbow was purely mechanical.

But the current Wrist Crossbow seemed to have used some magic in certain parts to maximize convenience.

The performance itself hadn’t changed, but it became much easier to handle and the reloading speed had increased.

Well, after the last breakthrough, it could shoot three arrows consecutively, making it too big and heavy. Now it feels more like an auxiliary weapon.

I need to firmly stay in place, but it seems I could keep reloading and shooting without rest.

For now, it seems its utility has improved significantly, so I’m quite satisfied with just that.

Smiling slyly and nodding my head, I looked at the next item. There’s no breakthrough now, but among the newly drawn items, there were a few that seemed interesting.

The first thing to check was the Master Key.

It’s a whopping 3-star item. In terms of grade, it’s on par with the Unicorn Horn that became the material for the Unicorn Dagger.

However, the name is what really caught my attention.

“What on earth could warrant a name like ‘Master Key’?”

While rummaging through the pile of Magic Herbs, I soon discovered a suspicious metal lump. And then I realized why it’s called a Master Key.

“Calling a bunch of lockpicks a key seems a bit crazy, doesn’t it…”

Shaking my head towards the Goddess Statue, I examined the lockpick bundle.

Lockpicks of various materials and shapes. Among them, there were rod-like ones with intricate circuits, possibly to penetrate magical defenses.

“…But I don’t know how to use this.”

I could tell it was very specialized equipment, but I didn’t know how to use it. It looked obviously illegal, so it would be awkward to ask someone to teach me.

More importantly, what would I use it for after picking a lock? While there were treasure chests and locked doors in the Labyrinth, they weren’t that common.

“I’ll just keep it for now.”

Still, it might come in handy someday. Being that it’s a 3-star item, I believe it would at least be worth the cost.

“Let’s see, next is….”

As expected, another valuable item to be exchanged appeared, the Masterpiece series.

On the green cover was the rather intriguing title, “I Kidnapped the Youngest Daughter of an Assassin Family”.

“I’ll read it later for now.”

If it’s interesting, I’ll keep it; if not, I’ll sell it off.

Things labeled as Masterpieces might be useless, but they sell for a high price.

“Next is this.”

A small talisman, the size of two finger joints, was buried behind the book. The unknown symbols and characters densely written on it were a bit creepy.

Seeing that the forcibly injected magical knowledge did not react, it wasn’t a magical tool. No divine power could be felt, so it wasn’t something holy either.

Then it means it is something mysterious in itself, unrelated to miracles.

Since the War of the Fallen Gods, miracles have spread widely, but quite a few natural mysteries still exist on the Pan Continent.

Well, it’s called a mystery, but to be precise, it’s more like an unexplained property.

Alchemy is precisely the technique that scientifically uncovers and reproduces such mysteries.

Probably, the Talisman of Protection was made in a similar manner.

Even if the principle is unknown, it has an effect, so it’s either a mystery used over long ages or something intricately reproduced based on deep alchemical knowledge.

Anyway, what’s certain is that, true to its name, it possesses a power to protect against something.

Holding it in my hand, a peculiar sense of reassurance envelops my entire body.

“I guess I’ll always carry this around.”

Unfortunately, it seems to be ineffective if placed in the subspace, so I decided to keep it securely in my pocket.

Even knowing it’s useless for now, it does make me feel a bit more secure.

Nodding my head, I finally examined the most important 4-star item.

Crest of Aerial Leap.

It was an item resembling a brooch with blue patterns on a silver background.

As a fellow 4-star item, I favor the Cloak of Invisibility, and Benny once told me it was a more impressive item than I thought.

Not only was it miniaturized to the size of a cloak, but maintaining perfect invisibility while moving is difficult, even with magic, let alone as an artifact.

In that sense, the Cloak of Invisibility is a top-tier artifact, and Benny was pestering me to study it.

I said I’d consider the research, but the important thing is that a 4-star item is top-tier equipment that even a high-ranking adventurer like Benny would covet.

In that sense, this Crest of Aerial Leap is certainly an impressive item.

“Is there no user manual…”

The problem is, I don’t know how to use this either.

Items, unlike Powers or Skills, do not imprint their information on the soul and body.

Sensing the magic, it seems to be a magical tool… First, I infused it with mana.

Woooong.

The finely vibrating Crest emitted a subtle sky-blue aura. At the same time, the same colored aura started to swirl around my feet.

Got it right away. Well, the more intuitive the usage, the better.

“Once it activates, the rest is simple.”

The name itself is the Crest of Aerial Leap. It likely grants the power to jump again in mid-air.

I lifted one foot and stepped into the air as if climbing stairs.

Then came the sensation of stepping on something. However, it wasn’t like solid ground. If I had to describe it, it felt like something springy, like a trampoline.

Instinctively, I knew. Depending on how much force I put into the kick, the leap speed would vary.

Let’s test it lightly indoors first. I stepped into the air with the force I would use to walk uphill. Then…

“Oh.”

My body floated upwards, stepping on what should have been nothing. Of course, since I applied very little force, I came down quickly.

The mobility in the air is useful, which is a good thing. It’s a good thing, but…for a 4-star, its performance is a bit subtle.

As I tilted my head in curiosity, my gaze was drawn to the sky-blue aura covering my foot.

The foot that had stepped into the air earlier had lost its aura and looked normal. On the other hand, my other foot was still enveloped in a sky-blue light.

“Aha?”

I knew it. There’s no way a 4-star would be this limited.

With each foot, I can leap once. A total of two jumps. That alone would significantly change my range of movement.

The key here is the cooldown time, but…

After testing it by infusing mana every five seconds, I found that it takes about a minute before it can be used again.

While it can’t be used consecutively, the cooldown is short enough for it to be used frequently.

The mana consumption is somewhat significant, but since my mana pool almost doubled after acquiring a 3-star spell, it’s not burdensome.

I need to practice fighting while stepping in the air in various ways…but I’ll get better with time.

I have a few ideas on how to use it, so I’ll test them out next time I enter the Labyrinth.

Interest in me is starting to wane, so I guess it’s time to begin conquering the 3rd Floor.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“But isn’t this a bit too fast?”

In terms of pure specs, I am now on par with adventurers who have gained considerable experience on the 3rd Floor.

It is because my growth bonus in the Labyrinth was further enhanced by Basilieus.

This time, the massive merit earned by practically taking down Minotauros alone, and the stat boost from the Power.

Along with the armor made from Minotauros’s leather, the greatsword made from its horn, and even the items drawn from the gacha.

Equipment, physical abilities, handling methods, etc. Judging by appearances alone, it’s hard to believe that I’ve just cleared the 2nd Floor.

The problem lies in the parts that are not visible.

Combat style, exploration experience, response to unexpected situations, etc.

How long has it been since I learned the basics from Lydia, and now I’m on the 3rd Floor.

It seems okay so far, but it might be good to take some time to solidify my foundation.

I’ll ask Ellie and Lydia about this later.

For now, first…

“I need to eat the Herbs….”

I’ve separated various odds and ends to sell all at once, but there are just too many Herbs.

Whether it’s Magic Herbs or Healing Herbs, there are just too many. Thanks to this, my mana and stamina have significantly increased…but even considering that, there are still too many.

“Stop the self-indulgent hoarding…!”

Muttering to myself, I still pop the Herbs into my mouth. Fortunately, Gluttonous Stomach has strengthened this time, making them more palatable and allowing me to store larger quantities at once.

At least, it won’t be long before I can lie down on the bed again.

“Ugh.”

Sighing deeply for a moment. While rummaging through the heap of herbs, I grabbed something foreign.

“What?”

Pulling it out, I found a beak attached to a half-destroyed skull. Unusually, the head was a bare bone, but the beak had moist flesh as if it were alive.

Touching it, it felt soft.

“Right. There was something like this, wasn’t there?”

I didn’t get a good look at it as it passed by, but I’m sure it was a ‘Soft Beak’ that appeared with 2-stars.

Why did I forget about this?

I tilted my head and examined the beak from various angles. Aside from its rather addictive squishy texture, I have no idea what it’s used for.

“Well, it definitely looks like a material item.”

I’ll store it for now and ask Benny or Eve later about its use.

I roughly shoved the Soft Beak into my pocket and refocused on the herbs.

Fifty gold… So, the reward for 5500 pulls was incredibly satisfying.