NOVEL NEXT Chapter 38: The Legacy of Pluto – Blessing or Curse?
Breireicht is a rather laid-back guy. Alex immediately recognizes his attitude as someone who just wastes time on the job, stretching a simple task as long as possible so he can spend half the day without doing much. It reminds him of his former job, where he would do the same. After a tour of everything, Breireicht finally leads him to the armory and tells him to pick a set of gear that fits.
Alex’s eyes nearly pop out of his head as he sees the massive armory, lined with row after row of equipment. There’s enough gear to arm a small army. It’s clear the Knights of Pluto must have once been a much bigger force, probably numbering hundreds or even thousands, but their reputation must have dwindled so much that they simply stopped recruiting after the current nine members. As he looks around, Alex realizes he probably has some time to make a choice since Breireicht is in no hurry.
To his dismay, though, almost everything he sees is…gray. Rows of [Old Broadsword]s, [Rusty Broadsword]s, [Damaged Broadsword]s. After several minutes, he finally spots a white [Broadsword] with only minor durability damage. He moves it to an empty shelf, deeming it “barely acceptable.” He tells himself, “Light green or nothing. I’ll take a random [Broadsword] if I can’t find anything better”
He sighs, already feeling the odds against him. “Not like I expected anything decent. A normal Broadsword worth 3000 gil would be a miracle in here,” he mutters before scolding himself. “No, stop being so damn pessimistic. Use your LUK and SNS, search like you mean it!” Determined, Alex crouches and begins looking under racks, behind shelves, and in every dusty corner.
“What are you doing, man?” Breireicht calls out. “You’ve got time, but my shift ends in an hour!”
Alex walks over to Breireicht, covered in dust and cobwebs, and begs for a little more time. Breireicht just shakes his head, wondering why Alex is treating this like a life-altering choice. "Does he think we’re heading out to fight monsters?” he mumbles, amused.
Ignoring Breireicht’s confusion, Alex returns to combing the armory like a man possessed. Time ticks by, and he’s only found gray pieces of equipment, and even the white weapons are uninspiring [Broadsword]s. He sets them on the empty shelf too, unsatisfied. He still hasn’t found a single white armor piece worth considering, only standard gray three-piece sets of gauntlets, boots, and breastplates. Among a few badly damaged gray helmets and plate pants, he decides that if he’s going to pick his official armor, he might as well aim for a full set. “It’s free, after all!” he reasons.
Finally, he shoves aside several shelves and spots a few mannequins in full knight’s armor, hidden in the very back. His heart skips a beat at the sight of these suits, which seem like relics from a time when the Knights of Pluto were truly formidable. The torchlight reflects off the polished metal, illuminating them with a faint gleam. “Jackpot!” he shouts. The first few sets he examines are white-grade armor with mostly intact [Broadsword]s, but then his eyes fall on a set pushed all the way to the back. He senses this might be the very first armor ever stored here.
The armor isn’t as bulky as the one Steiner wears but looks high-class, a perfect mix of mobility and defense. Alex leans in for a closer look, amazed at the craftsmanship and detail, then begins inspecting the set closely.
[Armor of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Blue
Type: Armor (Light plate armor)
Required Stats: STR - 7, PHY - 7 AGI - 7
Durability: 69/80
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Increases Max HP by 30 (Flat boost, not increased by skills)
Set: Spirit of Pluto
Set Bonus 5/5: Increases SPR & CHA by 5
[Visor of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Blue
Type: Visor (Light plate armor)
Required Stats: STR - 7, PHY - 7 AGI - 7, SNS - 7
Durability: 64/70
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Increases SNS by 1 (Flat boost, not increased by other skills)
Set: Spirit of Pluto
Set Bonus 5/5: Increases SPR & CHA by 5
[Cuisses of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Blue
Type: Pants (Light plate armor)
Required Stats: STR - 7, PHY - 7, AGI - 7
Durability: 63/70
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Increases Max HP by 20 (Flat boost, not increased by skills)
Set: Spirit of Pluto 1/5
Set Bonus 5/5: Increases SPR & CHA by 5
[Gauntlets of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Blue
Type: Gauntlets (Light plate armor)
Required Stats: STR - 7, PHY - 7 AGI - 7
Durability: 55/60
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Increases STR by 1 (Flat boost, not increased by skills)
Set: Spirit of Pluto
Set Bonus 5/5: Increases SPR & CHA by 5
[Sabatons of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Blue
Type: Boots (Light plate armor)
Required Stats: STR - 7, PHY - 7 AGI - 7
Durability: 53/60
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Increases AGI by 1 (Flat boost, not increased by skills)
Set: Spirit of Pluto
Set Bonus 5/5: Increases SPR & CHA by 5
[Sword of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Deep Blue
Type: Sword (Knight sword 1 or 2 handed)
Required Stats: STR - 8, PHY - 6, AGI - 7
Durability: 68/80
Damage: 30-40
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Impact - Increases impact damage and knockback if the attack is blocked.
[Shield of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Deep Blue
Type: Shield (Kite Shield)
Required Stats: STR - 8, PHY - 6
Durability: 81/100
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Stalwart - Decreases impact of blocked attacks and reflects a part of it.
The greed in Alex’s eyes at this moment could make even Mr. Crabs look like a philanthropist, even when he is stealing candy from crying children. “Oh my god, I need this,” he mutters to himself, immediately deciding to equip the armor and claim it as his own.
Alex straps on the gauntlets first, deciding to test if his Statistical OCD lvl MAX will affect his ability to wear equipment. To his relief, it doesn’t, and he can wear them without any issue. With his STR now at 8, he’s able to equip all the other parts, along with the sword and shield. He feels as though he’s stepped into a divine temple, his very essence renewed by the weight and presence of the gear.
After securing the last piece, Alex notices a surge in his SPR and CHA stats, each rising by 5. The extra SPR makes him feel as if he’s submerged in a tranquil mountain lake, where every distraction and problem simply fades away. He hasn’t felt this level of clarity and peace before in his life. Recalling some of the spells, powerful black mages like the three Black Waltzes are capable of, Alex feels confident that they’ll have a hard time affecting him now.
“I can’t believe my luck,” he marvels to himself. “This has to be the power of hidden quests and my high LUK. Every risk I took to get here has paid off.” Examining the armor, he can hardly contain his excitement. Each piece is incredibly well-made, and even though the set bonus focuses on CHA and SPR, each item has its own unique benefits. They’re slightly damaged, but with the set’s ‘Sturdy’ effect and the high durability, they’ll hold up better than most brand new light purple items, and he can repair them over time using Fantasy Coins in the Fantasy Realm if he manages to keep them.
His enthusiasm dims a little as he reads the identical note under each piece of the armor, sword, and shield:
Note: Can only be stored in your inventory or taken out of this world if you gain the acknowledgment of Pluto.
“Pluto…or maybe even Hades, the god of the underworld, at least in our world,” Alex muses. “Is there something deeper behind the Knights of Pluto? Maybe it wasn’t just a random name because Pluto was the ninth planet… Guess all I can do is give it my best! But for this mission, I’ll be nearly unstoppable with this gear.”
As he stands there, reveling in his new equipment, a notification flashes before his eyes:
Special Quest Offered:
Mission: Gain the recognition of Pluto by killing the following 3 enemies:
Black Waltz 1 - 0/1 Black Waltz 2 - 0/1 Black Waltz 3 - 0/1
Reward: Acknowledgment of Pluto, Unknown
Time Limit: Mission duration
Failure: Leaving this world without killing all the targets, losing or selling a piece of the Equipment, Shield, or Sword of Pluto
Penalty: Curse of Pluto (- 3 SPR permanently), permanent loss of access to the armor set, Shield and Sword of Pluto.
Note: This quest is separate from the main mission and will not impact your mission rating.
Special quest accepted
“Damn,” Alex mutters to himself. “No choice in the matter again… Well, it’s not like I wasn’t planning to face at least Black Waltz 1 and 2, but Black Waltz 3 could be tricky. In canon, he only gets hurt during the first battle with the main characters and actually reappears later. I’ll have to think about how to deal with that. Even if I somehow fail, maybe my Statistical OCD lvl MAX will help me dodge the penalty”
Alex Kerber: Lvl 1
HP: 130/130, MP: 80/80
STR: 7 (+1), AGI: 7 (+1), PHY: 7, SNS: 7 (+1), CHA: 7 (+5), MNA: 7, INT: 7 SPR: 7 (+5), LUK: 7
Available Stat Points: 0
Innate Skills: Genius Conjurer lvl 1, Statistical OCD lvl MAX
Free Skill Slots: 1/2, Free Basic Skill Slots: 0/8
Basic skills: Basic Close Combat Prowess lvl 1, Basic Footwork lvl 1, Basic Endurance lvl 1, Basic Long-Range Combat Prowess lvl 1, Basic Eloquence lvl 1, Basic Concentration lvl 1, Basic Meditation lvl 1, Basic Mana Control lvl 1
Passive Skills: Pistol Proficiency lvl 1
Active Skills: Annihilation Grenade lvl 1
Fantasy Coins: 600 Soul Crystals: Small x1 Gil: 7700
Current Weapons: Mr. 5’s Revolver (Downgraded) (Deep Blue), Sword of Pluto (Deep Blue) Barbed Dagger (Light Green)
Current Equipment: Commander Shepard’s Dog Tag (Deep Blue), Shield of Pluto (Deep Blue), Armor of Pluto (Blue), Visor of Pluto (Blue), Cuisses of Pluto (Blue), Gauntlets of Pluto (Blue), Sabatons of Pluto (Blue)
Miscellaneous Items: Navalia Wolf Jerky x4 (Gray), Healing Potion x2 (White), Freshly baked Pumpkin bread x 3 (Gray), Various cards x36 (Mix) Jack’s Spare Silvery Mask (Light Green) Navalia Fur Armor (White), Navalia Fur Boots (White), Navalia Fur Gauntlets (White) Solid Marine Saber (Light Green)
Alex glances at his new stats, practically brimming with excitement. "I need to find a way to keep these items. They’re insane! I’ve worked hard for white and green items, and now I have a full set of blue gear. No way I’m losing this! I will destroy these damn scarecrows and burn them into ashes”
Alex recalls that Breireicht is still waiting, and after making sure he hasn’t missed anything in the armory’s hidden corner, he walks out with a confident grin, feeling like he’s stepped into a powerful new role. The armor is leagues above Steiner’s rusted tank look, and Alex finds himself looking like a proper soldier of Pluto, well protected and battle-ready, with medium-to-light plates that even cover his upper arms and shoulders. The armor’s deep, dark metallic hue makes it feel like more than simple iron or steel, reminding him of dark iron he’s seen in mid-to-late game gear in his favorite RPGs. Altogether, he looks like a formidable, fully geared soldier, even a bit menacing with the dark, almost mystical look of the armor.
As he exits, Breireicht is there, waiting, wide-eyed and frozen, staring at Alex’s transformation. Unbothered by the reaction, Alex approaches him, stating confidently, “I’m taking this set of armor, plus the sword and shield. Let’s go.”
Breireicht, usually relaxed and indifferent, suddenly seems overtaken by a greedy glint. Blocking Alex’s path, he mutters, “You can’t just take that armor. It needs to stay here, I’ve got to show it to the Captain for inspection.”
Surprised, Alex instinctively draws his new [Sword of Pluto] from his back. Feeling the familiar pulse from his necklace, he locks a cold stare onto Breireicht, saying, "The queen hired me personally, and the Captain himself is training me. Do you, a lowly excuse of a knight who’s never even drawn his blade, think you can steal my rightful equipment? Can you even lift this sword? Here, let me show it to you for a closer inspection.” He thrusts the sword’s tip to hover menacingly in front of Breireicht’s right eye.
A red flash lights up from his necklace, and Breireicht nearly wets himself. His thoughts spiral: "What kind of monster did I just try to rob? Why did I even do that? This is the worst day!"
Trembling, Breireicht closes his eyes, his body shaking uncontrollably. Seeing his reaction, Alex slowly sheathes his sword, a sly smile on his face. He pats Breireicht’s shoulder, saying with a deceptively gentle tone, “Just kidding! I would never disrespect a senior knight like that. I really appreciate your patience with me… but I’m afraid I can’t give up this set of equipment. I trust you understand, Sir Breireicht."
Without waiting for an answer, Alex adds, “So, shall we head to the canteen? I’m starving!” With a firm but friendly nudge, he guides the still-trembling Breireicht out of the armory. Whispering to himself, he mutters, “And I’m curious to meet a certain head chef…”
Breireicht, wiping sweat from his brow, realizes his grave miscalculation. "No wonder the queen recruited him personally… he gives off the same terrifying energy as General Beatrix. He’s going to become a force around here. Best I keep my mouth shut and stay out of his way. If he wanted to kill me, the queen would probably pardon him, or worse, thank him for sparing the kingdom’s budget a bit.”
The two men walk in silence toward the canteen, one grinning as if he’s just scored the ultimate prize, the other looking like he’s walked into a pact with the devil.