’Last time it all but pointed me at where to go; it might do the same here.’

With that thought in mind, Malik called up his system, and the interface materialized before his eyes, displaying its familiar layout.

—

╔════════╗

║Fear System║

╚════════╝

{Class: 11 (Knight of Rukh)}

{Unlocking Class (10): 0/101}

{Fear Points: 33.6}

{Soul Glyphs: None}

{Invaders Fear}

[White Bear Faction (Class Eight) - 90% Increasing!]

{Items}

[Holy Relic — Stranger’s Ring]

[Holy Relic — Golden Throne]

[Holy Relic — Spine Splitter]

{Runes}

[Ember’s Touch — Rank 5]

{Traits}

[Wielder Of Spine Breaker]

[Description: A title belonging to the only man who wielded the sword of lions.]

[Misunderstood Villain]

[Description: A title that once described the Sultan of Blood and Fire.]

[Bane Of Corruption]

[Description: A title that spoke of the Sultan’s animosity towards IT.]

{Quests}

{Shop}

[Soul Glyphs]

[Embers Touch — 2 → 4 FP (Single) | 32 FP (Peak)]

[Goliath’s Fall — 8 FP (Single) | 16 → 32 FP (Peak)]

[Scorpion’s Sting — 16 FP (Single) | 32 FP (Peak)]

[Devil’s Footsteps — 32 FP (Single) | 64 (Peak)]

[Zephyr’s Kiss — 64 FP (Single) | 128 FP (Peak)]

[Shifting Ground — 128 FP (Single) | 256 FP (Peak)]

[Eternal Life — 256 FP (Single) | 512 FP (Peak)]

[Thirst’s Quench — 512 FP (Single) | 1024 FP (Peak)]

[Dust to Stone — 1024 FP (Single) | 2048 FP (Peak)]

{Wheel Of Fortune}

[One Roll — 6 FP]

[Fate Points: None]

—

After reading it for a while, noticing the changes—the increased prices on some Soul Glyphs, the new items in his inventory, and the traits he had unlocked—he looked at the Wheel Of Fortune tab and purchased a single roll for six Fear Points.

’One Roll.’

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick—

DING!

—

{Nothing!}

—

Malik stared at that word for a long moment, his golden eyes fixed on the screen as if waiting for it to change.

’...nothing? Did I get an item named ’Nothing’?"

He checked his Items tab and saw that ’nothing’ had changed.

’Hm, maybe it is a Soul Glyph then, a Nullity Element.’

He checked that tab as well and saw ’nothing’ there either.

Ding!

—

[Your Luck has failed you. 1 Fate Point has been allocated as compensation!]

—

’Seriously? Is this like those try-again sticks in those ice creams? But was not this just a way for my past self to give me the needed Holy Relics at the right moments? Does that mean there aren’t any?’

But if that were the case, the existence of Fate Points would not make any sense.

’Maybe for it to succeed, I would need more Fate Points, almost like a prerequisite.’

Yes, perhaps the Fear Points he gave to this Wheel Of Fortune were what it needed to materialize an item, while the Fate Points were what determined the quality.

This meant the next item he would get was going to be much more important to him!

—

╔════════╗

║Fear System║

╚════════╝

{Wheel Of Fortune}

[One Roll — 6 → 7 FP]

[Fate Points: 1]

—

Buying another roll for seven Fear Points, he activated it without hesitation.

’One roll!’

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick—

DING!

—

{Nothing!}

[Your Luck has failed you. 1 Fate Point has been allocated as compensation!]

—

"Goddamm... no, no. I can’t be caught swearing."

That did not suit his image; he was the Sultan for Hell’s sake. So give him the item already!

Malik sighed and looked down at the floor, his shoulders slumping just slightly.

’Perhaps gambling is my real greatest enemy.’

He had spent six, then seven, totaling thirteen Fear Points already.

What remained could get him a Peak Soul Glyph from the shop, one that he currently needed, as he had none.

But Malik was stubborn.

He still wanted to buy another despite knowing that it was dumb and that he should have just gone the safe route and bought a Soul Glyph.

Until now, nearly everything he did had been safe and calculated. Doing this would be going against his core beliefs, straight and simple...

But his mind gave him convenient excuses.

He was safe here, in his palace, surrounded by his people. His family would protect him.

Besides, he needed a damned win here.

How could a Sultan lose to his own system?!

’I will try one last time. If I get nothing again, then I will stop. Wheel Of Fortune!’

Buying another roll, this time for eight Fear Points, he immediately activated it.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick—

DING!

—

{Nothing!}

[Your Luck has failed you. 1 Fate Point has been allocated as compensation!]

—

’...’

Were these Fate Points useless?

He had three of them now and nothing to show for it except a smaller number of Fear Points and a growing sense of frustration and complete regret.

—

╔════════╗

║Fear System║

╚════════╝

{Class: 11 (Knight of Rukh)}

{Unlocking Class (10): 0/101}

{Fear Points: 33.6 → 12.6}

{Wheel Of Fortune}

[One Roll — 8 → 9 FP]

[Fate Points: 3]

—

In the blink of an eye, his Fear Points were almost gone!.

Twenty-one points spent across three rolls!

’Okay, fine, it got me...’

But, since there was barely anything truly useful he could buy with so few remaining Fear Points—twelve points would not even get him a peak Soul Glyph—he found himself staring at the Wheel Of Fortune tab again.

’Ninety-nine point nine percent of gamblers stop before they make it big.’

He purchased another roll for nine Fear Points.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick—

’Let it ride.’

DING!

—

{Shifting Ground (Single) x 5!}

[Three Fate Points have been used!]

—

’...’

Malik stared at the system in silence, the words hanging in the air before him.

After spending nearly all the Fear Points he had—thirty total—he had only gotten himself five single-use Soul Glyphs.

Not a peak Soul Glyph, not a permanent upgrade, not a Holy Relic that would solve any of his many, many problems...

Just five single-use Shifting Grounds.

He did not know whether to laugh or weep.

Malik wanted to complain about the system, but to whom should he turn? Himself? The past versions of him that had designed this entire mechanism?

They were gone, dissolved back into the orb, leaving him alone with his choices.

"Damn... try again!"

Just as he mumbled those words in anger, he heard a cough from the gates.

"Sorry, my Sultan."

It was Azeem, his Right Hand.

"I will come back later."

’Ah.’

Lifting his head, Malik wiped his face with his hand, smoothing his expression back into something neutral and composed.

"No, just enter."

The gates opened, welcoming a bloodied Azeem.