My Unique Skill [Gacha] Will Save the World - Episode 17: Superior Variant

Episode 17: Superior Variant  

“….…Could this be a superior variant?”  

While monsters exhibit individual differences in strength, the gap is rarely so pronounced that it’s immediately obvious. However, exceptional cases do exist—monsters with an unmistakable edge in power. They are known as superior variants.  

“Tch, wasn’t this supposed to be a newbie player’s area?”  

“…Fssshhhhhh”  

The Basic Potion had closed Rindou’s wounds. But the pain hadn’t completely subsided. His bitten left leg still throbbed with a dull ache.  

(If more monsters show up, I’m done for. I need to defeat this one and retreat.)  

Running away was an option. Yet, Rindou couldn’t shake the possibility that defeating a superior variant might trigger a special gacha reward.  

(The initial gacha, the five-monster kill reward, and the ten-monster kill reward all worked. So why not a first-time superior variant kill reward?)  

This hope drove him to dismiss the idea of retreating.  

“…Alright, let’s do this!”  

“Fshhhhh!”  

The superior variant let out a feral cry as Rindou charged toward it. Their swords clashed repeatedly—once, twice, then nine, ten times. Initially, they seemed evenly matched. But as the battle wore on, the tide began to shift.  

“Hyah! Hah! Haaah!!”  

“…!?”  

Had Rindou been an ordinary person who had only recently awakened as a player, the superior variant would have overwhelmed him. However, Rindou had spent years aspiring to become a player. He had trained his body rigorously in preparation for this day.  

Compared to others his age, he was physically stronger, more resilient, and better informed about monsters. He had studied their characteristics, including those of Goblins, Wild Wolves, and even Ghost Knights.  

Finally, the Ghost Knight took a step back, breaking its stance.  

“Now’s my chance!”  

“—Brgyaaaaah!?”  

Lowering his body and focusing his strength in his legs, Rindou exploded forward. He stepped into the superior variant’s range. It was closer than his Gale Sword’s usual reach. And he slashed horizontally with all his momentum.  

The strike cleaved through the superior variant’s armor, splitting it in half. The creature trembled violently as its body began to fall apart.  

“This is the end!”  

Knowing that monsters are most dangerous in their final moments, Rindou immediately turned and delivered a decisive diagonal slash. He bisected the superior variant completely.  

“G-gorrrraaaa…aaa…aaahhhhhh…”  

The superior Ghost Knight’s armor shattered. As it fell to the ground, Rindou finally exhaled deeply and let his shoulders relax.  

“Whew… I-I actually won!”  

Overcome with tension, Rindou plopped down on the spot. He was savoring his hard-earned victory. He turned his gaze to the shattered remains of the superior variant’s armor.  

“…Come to think of it, there are loot drops besides gacha rewards, huh.”  

Scattered on the ground were not only the superior variant’s armor but also the clubs from the Goblins. These items represented the spoils of this battle.  

“Normally, this would be the end of it……… Oh! Here it comes!”  

In this world, items could only be obtained from monster drops or treasure chests hidden in various locations. However, Rindou’s unique gacha skill doubled the potential for rewards. It made monster drops even more lucrative.  

[Through 11 gachas, you’ve obtained: [Basic Potion] x 2, Equipment [Iron Gauntlets], and 10% skill proficiency.]  

Seeing the display in his system window, Rindou clenched his fist in satisfaction. The reason? He had just defeated a total of twelve monsters in this fight.  

[First-time superior variant kill bonus gacha unlocked. Acquiring the skills of the defeated monster.]  

“…Huh? The skills of the defeated monster? Does that mean—?”  

[You’ve acquired the Ghost Knight’s skill: [Basic Swordsmanship].]  

Upon realizing he had earned a skill he already possessed, Rindou was momentarily stunned. However, the system window continued.  

[As you already possess [Basic Swordsmanship], the skill will be converted into proficiency. You’ve gained 25% skill proficiency.]  

“…Hahhh. Well, at least it wasn’t wasted. But seriously, the same skill?”  

Rindou couldn’t help but wonder if he should have saved the superior variant for another time. Still, he decided to focus on the bright side—his skill proficiency had increased.  

“Come to think of it, I was getting skill proficiency from normal gachas too. Let’s see how it looks now.”  

From a regular gacha, Rindou had gained 10% proficiency in the skill [Basic Swordsmanship].  And from the special bonus gacha, he had gained 25%. He checked his current status in the skill menu.  

“……..The proficiency for [Basic Swordsmanship] has risen to 48%. Does that mean it increases just by fighting monsters?”  

Defeating monsters not only earned him gacha spins, but also increased his skill proficiency. Realizing that, Rindou’s motivation ignited.  

“I was planning to head back. But since I got more Basic Potions, I’ll keep hunting monsters for a bit longer!”  

In the end, Rindou spent a total of eight hours hunting monsters inside the gate that day.  

Typically, a new player would return after no more than three hours. Needless to say, a concerned male guard eventually called him back. The guard was worried about his prolonged absence.