1358 Pick

Varian's plan to the current crisis facing down humanity was, at least, procedurally, simple.

Get into the < Origin Laboratory > by hook or crook, steal the secrets of < Prime World > and turn the solar system into one before taking into into Hortus.

Then, come what may, a rank 8 assasin or a rank 9 powerhouse, he could flee and bide his time. The universe being so vast, it'd be very easy for him to remain hiding.

Princess Sonya, his 'sister-in-law', a famous alumni, told him about a famous competition that occurs every few years.

'You don't have to take a bigger risk. Just win without raising suspicion and get into the lab. My sister said you have a knack for scamming and stealing. So, I guess it's no big deal for you.'

He could still remember her piercing gaze when she said those last few lines. If there was an approval meter for brother-in-law, it must've gone into negatives for those few seconds.

The Ruler of Humanity, the Emperor of Solar System, the Holder of Slivers was seen as a Conman! As a fucking scam artist!

Still, Varian endured. He didn't view himself as a good man, but he didn't want to beat up his sister-in-law over such a small issue.

He's not that violent, okay?

Though before he left, he did end up replacing Isadora for one of Sonya's training sessions where he used his spirit power and threw her into an illusion where she had to keep eating the same food without stop for three full days.

…That's not violence. It's his way of showing love to his sister-in-law. Yep, that's it. There's no hint of revenge whatsover.

Anyway, back to the academy. Winning against a bunch of cadets was easy. Sure, he'd have to fight against a bunch of peak rank 6s and maybe a few rank 7s. But none of them were going to be really strong. If they were, they'd have graduated already.

So the biggest challenge of this whole endeavour had always been 'Not Raising Suspicion'.

But looking at the number 2 of th first grade looking at him with a burning gaze, Varian wanted to sigh. "Awaken my natal treasure?"

"Yes. There's a bit of risk involved. But no pain no gain, right?" Prince Samatv said with a grin.

"Well, I don't really…" Varian paused for a moment and gave it some thought.

Even though he assumed the identity of Telor, he needed some justification for the sudden increase in strength that'd allow him to win in the competition two weeks later.

'Natal Treasure awakening, depending on its quality, can give a strong one-time boost to your rank. That's enough justification.'

Varian focused back on the Prince.

'I don't really need a real natal treasure when I can fake it. But if anyone wants to investigate, this guy can serve as a perfect distraction.'

"What's the risk?" He asked, carefully concealing his intent to use this guy.

"Hahaha, nothing too much. Just a bit of side effects. You know, some vitality loss or a few bad sleeps or a bit of mental unstability."

'He means risk of total vitality loss aka instant death, going into an indefinite coma or even going insane.'

Varian rubbed the back of his neck to stop his hand from punching the academy genius.

But it's clear. Samatv was trying to use him as a test subject for him some dubious project.

'No problem. Because I'm also using you.'

"If it's for my natal treasure, I'll do anything! Anything!" Varian grabbed Samatv's hands and looked at him with tears in his eyes. Choking on his tears, he asked in a hoarse, breaking voice, barely able to hold in the chaotic emotions. "C-Can you really help me?"

'Yes! Look at him! Look at how sad he is! All that suffering is threating to break out!' Samatv looked at Telor with a pitiful gaze. 'This is why I must succeed! For him! For the many like him!'

'It makes sense for me, the victim, to act. But why the fuck are your eyes tearing up?' Varian was dumbfounded.

Glancing around vigilantly, Samatv closed the door and took out a spinning top. An opaque barrier quickly enveloped them.

"Telor, make a choice." The Prince stretched out his palms.

A glowing blue pill in the right and a glowing red pill in the left.

"Take the blue pill, you'll go from low rank 7 to mid rank 7 for three weeks. You can win against Robert in this period. And then the side effects will kick in. You'll go back to low rank 7 and will stay there for at least a century."

"Or."

"Take the red pill. The side effects are likely going to be small. But they can also be big.

You'll awaken your natal treasure. Anything can happen after that. Maybe you'll not grow your rank at all. Maybe you'll jump a sub-rank.

Or maybe just maybe, your entire life trajectory will change."

Varian gulped his saliva, his gaze frantically alternating between the two pills.

Samatv maintained a neutral gaze, as if he was not affected by Telor's conflict.

'No matter how much you struggle, you cannot resist your own greed. You'll pick the red one anyway.'

Not a single person had ever picked blue, though none of them met a good ending because the drug was still being experimented on.

'But one day, it'll be perfected. All these sacrifices are necessary for a better future.'

Samatv looked at Telor with a confident gaze.

"What's your choice?"

"…Can I pick both?"

"W-What?"

Varian rubbed his cheek and said with a sheepish expression. "Someone I know used to say 'Only children make choices, adults pick them all.'" 

"…he's a great guy." Samatv took a deep breath to control his emotions.

"Hahah, very handsome too." Varian laughed with a smug expression before he said. "Ugh, can I take a few more of these pills? A dozen blue and a dozen red. I want a dozen natal treasures and increase my rank by one or two.

Even if it's for a week, it's going to be awesome being a rank 9! I can't wait! Come on, Sam! I'm counting on your pills."

Samatv took another deep breath, but veins still popped on his forehead. Gnashing his teeth, he still said with a smile on his face. "I-It doesn't work like that. You can only take one or another. If you take both, it doesn't work."

"Awww~ It's a pity." Varian let out a long sigh. "Then I'll take the red one. But can I also take the blue? Just in case, you know?"

"No!"