Chapter 5: Penalty | Lie
My mind is blank after a chance was wasted just like that. I'm completely soulless for half an hour before I decide to get my game together. I quickly open the menu and buy another piece of bread with the last of my IP.
"I've one more chance. I can't waste it!" (Harry)
Slowly waiting in my room like the lonely person I am, the next 30 mins felt like 30 days as I try to prepare myself mentally. The time hits 10:29 and I decide to eat the bread.
I wait...
1 minute...
2 minutes...
5 minutes go by and nothing happens.
"Is the bread really misspelt?" (Harry)
Suddenly I heard it.
'Ding! Mission 2: Mansions are Best Completed! Special Mission: Mansions are Best (Repeatable) Completed! Due to specific reasons, Mission 2's rewards have been put on hold. 50,000 EP, 50,000 IP, 20,000 AP and 20,000 SP Gained!'
'Ding! Congratulations for levelling up, your current level is lv4!'
'Ding! Congratulations for levelling up, your current level is lv5!'
'Ding! Congratulations for levelling up, your current level is lv6!'
...
'Ding! Congratulations for levelling up, your current level is lv11!'
'User can see your current level in the Status menu.'
'Because you used an item to complete Mission 2 within 24 hours, You have been penalised and will only be able to pick one of the Point rewards. Please choose: EP, IP, AP, SP'
Just hearing that beautiful mechanical voice releases the tension that I had from being nervous about the great losses. With the added feeling of constant level ups and crossing the first boundary, I fall into a deep sleep.
~~~
'Please choose: EP, IP, AP, SP' (System)
The first thing I hear in the morning is not the sounds of birds and crickets but of that grinding mechanical voice inside my head. Forcing myself awake, I ask what it's going on about.
"What about a choice System?" (Harry)
'Due to completing a penalty condition for Mission 2, You can only select one point reward.' (System)
"Wait there were penalties? System, Can you add the penalties for each mission in the mission list?" (Harry)
'Affirmative, Upgrading System...87%...System Upgraded! Added a visual representation of the penalties for missions!' (System)
Dejected at the new discovery, I think about what I should pick. If I get the IP I would be able to keep the deal with the oil guy Stan, but I'm running low on SP and AP compared to the other two. If I decide on one of the other two I wouldn't know how long until I could get the Philosophers stone but I would still have to think about the other two.
Thinking hard, I realise that I already have enough SP to get my beloved Tohsaka so I have no reason to summon after that. I believe I also don't need AP at the moment since I don't think I'll need any abilities anytime soon. The same reason applies to EP points so all I'm left with is getting IP.
"System, I'll pick the IP." (Harry)
'Affirmative. Mission 2: Mansions are Best Completed! 50,000 IP Gained! Mission 3: Are you Rich now? has been unlocked! Because of how you completed Mission 2, your rewards for Mission 3 have been cut in half.' (System)
'Ding! Congratulations for levelling up, your current level is lv12!'
'Ding! Congratulations for levelling up, your current level is lv13!'
'Ding! Congratulations for levelling up, your current level is lv14!'
'Ding! Congratulations for levelling up, your current level is lv15!'
'Ding! Congratulations for levelling up, your current level is lv16!'
'User can see your current level in the Status menu.'
I nearly lost conscious from how many times the system has hit me where it hurts. I hardly have any points already and you're cutting my future gain in half as well?
I open the mission list to look at my new mission and all the penalties for my current mission.
Hunting mission: Pest Massacre!
Mission 1: Kill 10,000 Cockroaches
Penalty Requirement: Use Selective Wide-Spread Magic
Rewards: 100,000 Ep, 100,000 Ip, 50,000 Ap, 5000 Sp
Devil's mission: Prepare for the Gift!
Mission 1: Prepare Yourself
Description: When the Devil gave you that contract you should've read it. Now prepare for the consequences!
Penalty Requirement: Use Time Magic
Rewards: 1,000,000 Ep, 1,000,000 Ip, 500,000 Ap, 500,000 Sp
Time Until Completion: 2 years
Wealth Mission: Become Rich!
Mission 3: Are you Rich now?
Description: After you complete this mission there's only one question to ask yourself, Am I rich now?
Penalty Requirement: Cause an Economic Collapse
Progress: Net Profit: $850,005,813/$10,000,000,000
Rewards: 500,000 EP, 500,000 IP, 250,000 AP, 250,000 SP
Thinking about the potential one million points I could've gotten crushes my heart. More importantly though, what the hell is 'Selective Wide-Spread Magic'?
'Selective Wide-Spread Magic is magic that selects all beings that have a particular feature and uses the specific magic on them all at the same time.' (System)
Scary. Trying to distract my mind from coming up with any terrifying thoughts I start thinking about the money I now own and that's when I realise, "I'm rich now".
Thinking about how all those fellow classmates of mine who are probably still working their arses off at small part-time jobs, a giant smirk comes upon my face. Just like always though it disappears like normal as I realise I don't currently have the money.
"I'm definitely talented but I don't think I would be able to outwit a computer. How am I supposed to act surprised at my new found wealth?" (Harry)
Without realising that he's slowly becoming conceited just like the person he hates, he thinks about what he could do to get the money. The person he hates? A prince of a small country named Nesim that for some reason came to Australia to attend a public school in the middle of nowhere. That's a story for another time though.
"It would've been so much easier to do this if I had bought the entry online, I wouldn't have had to deal with that annoying bird either. I wonder if there's an acting skill?" (Harry)
Looking through the list of abilities under the skill filter, I find quite a few acting skills but none that I can afford. I do however find a skill that will do even better but at a cheap price.
Lying Master: 7,500 AP
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
JackTwo
JackTwo Next chapter is going to be a test of how good I can right action scenes. Hopefully it's ok *sweats*
I also know that some of you have been writing suggestions in the comments so I quickly made a discord server where you can put the suggestions and also ask questions about my future plans for the novel.
Discord: https://discord.gg/ts97Nmb
Anyway, Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
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