Malik chuckled at the thought and glanced at the ones rolling through the explosion.

They all wore dark blue uniforms with an insignia he couldn’t quite make out from this distance.

An organized bunch, no doubt about it.

"We are the White Bear Faction, and we demand that you evil scum clear out this city immediately!"

As if confirming his thoughts, they introduced themselves and their demands.

’Are these guys stupid?’

Malik tilted his head, now more confused than irritated.

They must have heard the cityfolk screaming about the Sultan’s return—about his return—so why attack now?

Either they were suicidal, or this attack had been planned before such information was known, and they thought they had to go through with it regardless.

In any case, they seemed much stronger than the soldiers present around him.

The guards at the gate were likely already dead. These White Bears had killed their way in.

For the second time, Malik didn’t see a way out of this unless he used another Soul Glyph.

He really didn’t want to use one.

Yes, his Fear Points were slowly increasing, but he only had one peak Soul Glyph left.

Without a peak Soul Glyph, he’d be guaranteed to die if the worst ever came to pass.

A mortal body against trained soldiers with spells? No chance.

’Hm. Buying a single-use Ember’s Touch might not guarantee victory here.’

Malik needed something else.

Something with more punch but a lower cost.

For the first time, he opened the system and looked at the ’Wheel Of Fortune’ tab.

—

{Wheel Of Fortune}

[One Roll — 5 FP]

—

’That’s much more expensive than I thought.’

Malik couldn’t help but click his tongue.

Five Fear Points for a single spin—that was nearly everything he had!

But then again, he desperately needed an edge, and he needed it now.

The soldiers around him were already engaging the enemy, their blades clashing against the White Bears’ own.

Obviously, this was a gamble.

He could not get anything at all, or at least nothing usable.

But with the information he currently had, he saw this as his best bet.

And so, he decided to do it.

It was time for him to test his luck!

A Wheel of Fortune appeared before his mind’s eye.

It spun quickly, a blur of colors and symbols.

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

It spun and spun, then began to slow.

DING!

A familiar sound resonated.

—

{Shifting Ground (Single) x 2!}

—

’...damn.’

That was incredible value for five Fear Points!

Two single-use Soul Glyphs of a higher-tier Rune!

Best-case scenario, he had expected something small, maybe a few extra Fear Points or a cheap single-use Soul Glyph. But this?

’Am I actually not unlucky?’

Malik began to doubt that.

Luck had never been on his side before. Maybe the system was just generous with the first spin. Or maybe the world was setting him up for a bigger fall.

Either way, he wasn’t about to complain.

Ding!

—

╔════════════════════╗

║NEW SOUL GLYPH ACQUIRED!║

╚════════════════════╝

[Shifting Ground (Single) x 2]

[Rune Description: This Rune grants you dominion over the terrestrial crust, allowing you to control the very foundation of your surroundings.]

—

Again, the description was vague. But just like with Ember’s Touch, the moment the Soul Glyph entered his Soul, Malik understood it.

He could either destabilize the earth and swallow his enemies whole, or he could move the ground upward to form shields or spikes. In other words, he could crack the terrain, bury charging opponents, and create trenches and walls out of nothing.

This was exactly what he needed!

Now he had both the strongest defense and the strongest attack!

While Malik was excited about his new power, around him, the soldiers began to fall.

Because indeed, the world didn’t pause while he was busy with his system, and the White Bears’ attack was fast.

While they weren’t as strong as they first appeared—their destroying the gate and killing guards likely being done by a single-use Holy Relic—they were still plenty strong with their Ice Element...

At least relatively.

The nice soldier—the same one who had helped Malik earlier—was locked in combat with two enemies at once, his sword moving desperately.

Other soldiers lay on the ground, bleeding.

Many of the villagers had run into their homes, slamming doors shut.

A few brave Souls dragged fallen soldiers to safety, pulling them by the arms across the dirt street.

It would’ve been an incredibly tragic scene if not for a white-haired, frail-looking old man standing in the middle of it all.

’Ah. I need to stop ignoring my surroundings when using the system.’

Malik shook his head and looked forward.

The soldiers fought very hard.

Despite being outmatched, they didn’t retreat.

Unflinching, they met the White Bears with steel and fury.

"You scum don’t deserve what you have! But don’t worry, we’ll take it off you! So just stop resisting!"

Again, they called the cityfolk "scum." But why? What about these people was so evil?

Malik had never been treated so nicely before—

’...’

This time, he himself cut off his thoughts, ending the streak.

The same nice soldier stomped one of the attackers’ heads into the curb.

A full-force stomp.

The enemy’s head cracked against the stone, dead, but the soldier didn’t stop there.

He picked up what remained and flung it at another invader who was also fighting him.

The messy sludge of a head splattered against the second man’s chest, and while he staggered back in horror, the soldier lunged forward and ran him through with a sword.

’...huh.’