Having finished checking his system notification, Nightclown looked around.
The Bomb Bouncer was gone. In its place, a massive, perfectly round cartoonish crater marred the dungeon floor. Steam was still rising in comedic spirals from its edges.
Scattered around the impact zone were several objects. Glinting piles of coins. Several rough chunks of metal ore. And, right in the center of the blast radius, a sturdy iron treasure chest.
Nightclown decided to test his upgraded Speed to pick the objects. He activated [Sprint!]. He shot forward. A blur of grey fur and blue cloth. Making a whooshing sound effects.
He overshot the nearest coin pile by a good three meters. Skidding violently to a halt.
He tried again. Aiming for a small cluster of copper ores. His hand swiped. Too fast. Missing them entirely as he whizzed past.
The speed was immense. Practically many times faster than normal. But precision was impossible for now. This wasn't for detailed work. It was for charging, escaping, or covering ground. Not for delicate action like... picking up tiny objects from the ground.
He deactivated [Sprint!] and returned to regular speed. He then methodically moved to gather the scattered loot. Once everything other than the chest was collected, he paused. Checking his inventory.
[==Consumables==]
[ o Coins: 564]
[ o Main EXP: Growth Carrots (x0)]
[ o Permanent: Vigor Eggplant (x0)]
[ o Temporary: -]
[ o Healing: Recovery Cabbages (x4)]
[ o Raw Material: Ironwood Branches (x4), Stones (x32), Copper Ores (x4), Iron Ores (x5), Silver Ore (x1), Mystic Iron Ores (x12), Mystic Silver Ores (x2)]
His coin count was healthy now, 564. He had definitely used two [Recovery Cabbages] after the boss fight. Leaving him with four.
The raw material section showed a good haul too. With twelve [Mystic Iron Ores] and the addition of two [Mystic Silver Ores]. A solid harvest from the dungeon for today.
The iron treasure chest remained. Nightclown walked over to it. The chest was locked. As expected.
He reached into his inventory and pulled out his recently acquired [Utility Tool: Iron Chest Key]. The key slotted perfectly into the lock. With a satisfying thump and a cartoon spring sound, the lid popped open.
Inside, there was only one object. A bright blue gear. It was cartoonish, large and vibrantly colored. It almost seemed to glow with playful energy. He picked it up.
[ITEM ACQUIRED: Toon Gear]
[Utility Tool] updated.
He quickly brought up his status panel. Scrolling down to the [Utility Tool] section to examine his new acquisition.
[Utility Tool: Toon Gear]
[Tier Quality: ✪✪]
[Characteristic: Fusible]
[Description: An object that can be fused with any common utility tool to give it the characteristics of toon tool: indestructible and upgradeable.]
"Fusible, huh?" Nightclown mumbled to himself. An object to turn a common tool into an indestructible and upgradeable toon tool. The possibilities immediately started to spin in his mind.
His [Wild Nunchaku] was out. It was a weapon. And not exactly common. The system had categorized weapons differently from tools.
What should he fuse it with? A simple pickaxe for mining? A shovel? A fishing rod? Wait! Could it be fused with objects from real world?
What about electronic device? A computer? A camera recorder?
Or vehicles? A bike? A motorcycle? A car?
But before he could formulate a definite plan further, a familiar surge appeared. The vibrant colors of the Toonworld Dungeon began to blur. The sounds were fading. His time was up.
The world flickered. Then, solid reality returned. He was back in his own bed. The faint scent of his real world room was filling his nostrils. The [Toonworld Watch] on his grip dimmed.
Jester was back.
...
The next morning was Wednesday. It arrived with a familiar chill.
Jester pulled himself from bed early. The residual buzz of Toonworld yesterday still a faint echo in his mind. Level 10. That was his level now.
The Bomb Bouncer had been a brutal fight. But the payoff felt real. He glanced at his [Toonworld Watch] tattoo on his palm. He knew he needed to strategize his next move in the Toonworld. But for now, real-world demands waited.
He did his usual physical exercise. He could feel his strength improved. But it was the improvement of his speed that gave him a nice surprise.
He felt he could sprint 100 meters in 8 seconds. Breaking the record of human speed in his previous life.
Well, it was not that exceptional in Sherra. With the existence of Soulheart Gear and its multitude of superhumans. But for a teenager just awakened a few days ago, this was incredible.
Today, school started with Social Study. A droning class about early Sherran political structures. Jester tried to focus on the lecturer's monotonous voice. But his mind kept drifting to the Market District.
The Horned Wereboar. The Black Goatman. The unfortunate child. His fists clenched under the desk. He needed to get stronger. Faster.
That afternoon, he would have two Rogue learning subjects. Acrobatics & Evasion. And Poisons & Antidotes. They felt more important than ancient treaties. Practical skills. Survival skills.
The lecture was nearing its merciful end when the classroom door was knocked. A young man, the headmaster's assistant, came in and talked to the teacher in soft voice.
Afterward, he scanned the room. He spotted Jester and Vale and beckoned them out with an urgent invitation. "Jester Eventide. Valiant Bardean. The Headmaster requests your immediate presence in her office."
Jester exchanged a quick, questioning glance with Vale. Vale simply offered a small shrug with baffled look. They gathered their minimal belongings and followed the assistant out. Leaving behind the dull drone of history.
Jester wondered what it was about. Had their research caused some kind of problem? Or was it about a different matter? He felt a prickle of anxiety.
They walked the polished halls in silence. Until they reached the Headmaster's office. The dark, heavy wooden door was slightly ajar. The assistant knocked once. Then pushed it open further. Indicating for them to enter.
Ms. Cyantrace, the school headmaster, sat behind her practical desk. Her usually unreadable stern face held a hint of a smile this time.
But it wasn't just her in the room. Three other men were present there. Jester recognized two instantly.
Mayor Bardean, Vale's uncle, sat to the Headmaster's right. He looked remarkably pleased with himself.
Beside him sat Mr. Steve Leyson. He was the Minister of Education of their country. The Republic of Misterra. Jester remembered seeing his face on news broadcasts just a few days ago.
The third man was a broad-shouldered individual in an impeccably tailored black suit. Unlike the others, he stood silently by the window. He radiated an air of quiet efficiency and danger.
"Come in, Boys! Take a seat." Ms. Cyantrace said. Her voice was surprisingly warm. Two chairs had been placed opposite her desk.
Jester and Vale sat there. Feeling suddenly small in the imposing office.
"Mr. Eventide. Mr. Bardean." Ms. Cyantrace began, "I'm sure you know Mayor Bardean and Minister Leyson. This is Mr. John Pendrake, Minister Leyson's assistant."
Jester nodded politely. His eyes were on Pendrake. 'Assistant?' he thought. 'More like a deadly bodyguard. He should be a high level transcender.'
The man's gaze was sharp. Assessing. He looked like someone who could snap a neck without breaking a sweat. Not one who compiled a report or arrange schedules.
Minister Leyson was a man in his late fifties with intelligent, if slightly tired, eyes. He cleared his throat.
"Mr. Eventide. Mr. Bardean. Thank you for coming." His voice was deep. Authoritative. "We won't take up too much of your time. I wanted to deliver some news personally."
He paused. A slight smile graced his lips. "As you know, you both published a rather... revolutionary piece of research concerning Soulheart Awakening. My Ministry took immediate interest."
Jester felt a tightening in his stomach. This was it. The reckoning.
"Over the past two days, my team of experts, along with a number of unawakened teenagers, has rigorously tested your findings." Minister Leyson continued.
He picked up a folder from the desk. Tapping it lightly. "And I must say, Gentlemen... The results are nothing short of astounding."
He looked directly at Jester. Then at Vale. "Your method works. Flawlessly. Every single test subject who followed your specific instructions awakened a Soulheart Gear of exceptional star power."
Jester and Vale looked at each other. Smile started to appear in their faces.
"We've seen an unprecedented number of seven, eight, and even nine-star gears in just forty-eight hours of testing." Minister Leyson claimed. "This promises to fundamentally change how our nation approaches Soulheart Awakening."
A collective sigh of relief, unvoiced, passed between Jester and Vale. Jester felt a rush of pride. They had done it.
"This discovery..." The Minister pressed on. His voice swelled with genuine admiration. "... is, quite frankly, a game-changer for the Republic. For the world."
He further explained. "In an era where demonic incursions and dungeon threats are growing, ensuring our next generation has access to powerful Soulheart Gear is critical. You two have, with great degree of certainty, provided a vital defense for our future."
He leaned forward slightly. "Therefore, the Ministry of Education, with the full backing of the President's office, wishes to formally recognize and reward your extraordinary contribution."
Jester braced himself. He'd expected a commendation. Maybe a small scholarship...