Kryptonians: Man of Steel

Chapter 1509 Newbie Welcome Gift

After intense pain comes a feeling of utter exhaustion, as if the body has been instantly drained of all its energy.

But the effect was stunning.

That faint light actually tore through the thick darkness and killed the monster.

"A brave...apprentice..."

He muttered to himself amidst the rushing water, droplets dripping from his chin, "Such an incredibly cliché setup... My bad feeling about this is off the charts."

A self-deprecating thought arose, but the gratitude for being alive in my heart was incredibly real.

It's better to be in trouble than to die; that's the simplest truth.

After changing into dry loungewear, I felt like I had regained some energy.

Komachi prepared a simple dinner of miso soup, fried fish, and rice, steaming hot and tasting like home.

He ate in silence, finding the food tasteless, but his mind was racing like a high-speed computer, repeatedly processing today's events and analyzing the possible consequences of that "contract."

Komachi seemed to sense his absent-mindedness, and instead of chattering away about school anecdotes as usual, she quietly ate with him, occasionally stealing a glance at him.

After dinner, Komachi thoughtfully cleared away the dishes.

Hikigaya returned to his somewhat cramped room, which was filled with clutter and books.

He closed the door, didn't turn on the light, and let the faint glow of the city lights outside the window outline the blurry contours of the furniture.

Only here, in this completely private space that belongs to him, does he dare to truly confront that extraordinary matter.

He lay down on the bed, the old springs groaning familiarly.

My body sank into the softness of the bedding, but my mind was unusually excited.

He closed his eyes and focused his mind.

Just as when he was given instructions, a clear idea formed in his mind, with a hint of anticipation and a trace of expectation that he himself was unwilling to admit.

"system!"

The field of vision suddenly changed.

An interface brimming with futuristic technology and a cold, metallic feel silently unfolded before his eyes.

The background is a deep cosmic black, dotted with a pale blue data stream that slowly rotates like a nebula.

The main body of the interface is a simple rectangular pop-up window with a cool, bright blue border that emits a faint glow. Several lines of text, also emitting a faint glow, are clearly displayed on it:
[Hero Growth Assistance System Activated...]

[Identity Confirmed: Apprentice Hero - Hachiman Hikigaya]

[Status: Mild fatigue/Minor psychological shock]

[The tutorial is loading...]

[Unclaimed new player gift pack detected.]

Below the last line of text is an email icon that flashes with a soft white light.

"Heh...it really is a gamified interface."

Hachiman Hikigaya silently twitched the corners of his mouth, with his habitual sarcasm.

But deep down, the curiosity about new things and the desire to explore "power" arose uncontrollably.

After all, it's about whether he can survive the next encounter with that monster.

He cleared his mind of all distractions and focused his attention on the flashing email icon.

The moment the email icon is clicked, a slightly smaller new window silently slides out next to the main pop-up, like an overlay on a virtual screen.

This window has a more ornate style, with silver trim around the edges and a small gift box animation effect at the top.

Below the title "[Apprentice Hero's Welcome Gift]", there is a row of neatly arranged thumbnail icons, each of which is quite exquisite, accompanied by a concise text description.

It's a choice of one out of seven.

Hachiman Hikigaya's "gaze" carefully swept over each piece of equipment:
1. [Steel Knight's Longsword]: The icon is a straight, broad, cross-shaped longsword, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen. Description: Sturdy and durable, well-balanced, and easy to use.

It comes with a slight "sharpness" effect (increases base cutting power). 2. [Oak Round Shield]: The icon is a thick wooden shield covered with metal edging.

Note: Excellent physical defense, with extra resistance to blunt force.

It also has a slight "Toughness" effect (increases shield durability).

3. [Iron Spine Spear]: The icon is an incredibly long spear with a gleaming tip.

Description: Has a significant advantage in attack range and excels at thrusting.

It also has a slight "penetration" effect (increases penetration against armor).

4. [Horse-Slaying Greatsword]: The icon is a giant blade with an exaggerated shape and a thick blade.

Note: This weapon has incredible destructive power and is suitable for strength-based heroes.

It comes with a slight "heavy hit" effect (increasing the power of a single attack).

Note: This requires a high level of strength from the user.

5. [Poisoned Dagger]: The icon is a pair of sleek short daggers with eerie, dark green blades.

Description: Lightweight and swift, easy to conceal.

It comes with a slight "poison" effect (attacks have a small chance of inflicting paralysis).

Note: Use with caution to avoid accidental injury.

6. [Apprentice's Short Staff]: The icon is a simple wooden short staff with a cloudy crystal inlaid at the top.

Description: A basic magical channeling medium.

It also has a slight "concentration" effect (slightly increases spell focus).

7. [Worn-out Leather Armor]: The icon is a brown leather armor that looks badly worn and has many stitching marks.

Description: Provides basic physical protection; lightweight and flexible.

It also has a slight "toughness" effect (increases resistance to tearing damage).

"A newbie village equipment gift pack... not surprising at all."

Hachiman Hikigaya stared at the options emitting a faint glow, his mind racing.

There are no fancy lighting effects, no exaggerated attribute bonuses; everything seems so "basic" and "apprentice-like".

But this actually made him feel a little more at ease.

Excessive generosity often means that a huge trap lies behind it.

What to choose?
The longsword and shield are a classic combination, offering both offense and defense, and seem very reliable.

But when he thought about his poor athletic ability and his consistently poor grades in physical education class, he really didn't have the confidence to coordinate the offensive and defensive transitions well.

Long spears require space and are not suitable for use in urban environments; they are also too conspicuous.

A broadsword for cutting down horses?

That thing looks really heavy; I'd probably be exhausted after just a couple of swings.

A poisoned dagger... that sounds dangerous. What if you accidentally cut yourself or Komachi?
Apprentice's staff... magic?
He deeply doubted whether he possessed any so-called "magical" talent.

Worn-out leather armor... Defense is the foundation of survival, but if you only have defense and no ability to counterattack, won't you just be able to take a beating when you encounter an enemy?

"Tsk... It's still troublesome as expected."

He habitually frowned.

Each option seems to have its advantages, as well as its obvious disadvantages or limitations.

It's just like the multiple-choice questions in his life; there are never any perfect options.

He reconsidered the options, his gaze lingering briefly on the dagger and the short staff before finally looking away.

His gaze fell back on the simple, unadorned steel knight's longsword.

(End of this chapter)