A Background Character’s Path to Power

I nodded in quiet satisfaction as I absorbed the implications.

Grade 7.

In a world where elemental affinities were graded from 0 (nonexistent) to 9 (legendary peak), reaching 7 meant stepping into the realm of the gifted.

Most Resonators spent lifetimes trying to push their affinities past Grade 5, yet here I was, already standing among the rare few who could claim mastery over Water, and by extension, its evolved states: ice, mist, and snow.

A soft exhale escaped me.

The Rime Weaver truly was my lucky jackpot.

Not only had it granted me a Mythical-tier bond, but it had also elevated my innate affinity to a level most could only dream of. And this was just the beginning. Grade 7 was strong, but not the limit.

With time, training, and the Rime Weaver's influence, who knew how far I could push it?

My fingers flexed instinctively as if testing the phantom weight of this newfound control.

Good.

Very, very good.

A wry chuckle bubbled up in my chest.

Well then... should we do some shopping?

With a mental flick, I dismissed the Bonds window. The interface shimmered, dissolving into particles of light before reforming into a new display, one adorned with sleek, minimalist icons arranged in neat categories:

◈ Potions

◈ Relics

◈ Arts & Techniques

◈ Materials

◈ Etc...

But my gaze immediately snagged on the golden box hovering at the center, its surface emblazoned with a glowing question mark.

"Special Prize Box"

Huh.

Curiosity prickled at me, like a gamer's instinct flaring up. I resisted the urge to tap it immediately, opting instead to read its informational tooltip.

[You are guaranteed to receive a prize tailored to your current needs and progression. There are no refunds.]

My eyebrow twitched.

Need, not want. Interesting distinction.

And the "once a year" limit reinforced its exclusivity, hinting at its immense value.

Then I spotted the price.

1000 Scenario Points.

I gulped.

So expensive?!

A quick glance at my funds:

Scenario Points: 400

...

Yeah, no.

Not happening anytime soon.

Still, I filed the knowledge away. If the System was willing to charge that much, the reward had to be substantial.

For now, though...

I turned my attention to the more affordable sections, already strategizing.

Let's see what else this Shop has to offer.

Just as my finger hovered over the Potions section, a sudden pop-up materialized in my vision, flashing obnoxiously:

[CONGRATULATIONS!]

[You've won a 50% DISCOUNT on the Special Prize Box!]

My lips twitched.

...Are you kidding me?

This felt exactly like those shameless mobile game ads, "Limited-time offer! Buy now!", except the System was the one peddling it.

My apologies, I muttered sarcastically, but even at 500 points, I'm still 100 short. Nice try.

I swiped to dismiss it, only for another pop-up to explode across my vision.

[DOUBLE CONGRATULATIONS!]

[You've been selected for a LIMITED-TIME LOAN of 150 Scenario Points!]

...

I stared.

Deadpan.

The System had gone from "subtle nudge" to full-blown extortion.

Are you trying to scam me? I asked inwardly.

Silence.

Of course.

...Fine. I narrowed my eyes. Any interest on this 'loan'?

The message updated instantly:

[0% INTEREST!]

[No hidden fees!]

[Repayment deadline: 30 days!]

I exhaled through my nose.

Unbelievable.

But...

Alright, I'm taking the loan.

Not that I'd rush into this. First, I'd browse the Shop properly. If nothing else caught my eye, then I'd gamble on the box.

With that in mind, I started with the Potions section, watching as the interface expanded to reveal neatly organized rows of shimmering vials.

At the very top were the basic-tier options, nothing fancy, but practical:

[Basic Stamina Potion] (2 Points)

[Basic Aura Recovery Potion] (3 Points)

[Basic Healing Potion] (2 Points)

Scrolling further down, slightly more refined versions appeared:

[Enhanced Stamina Potion] (5 Points)

[Enhanced Aura Recovery Potion] (7 Points)

[Enhanced Healing Potion] (5 Points)

And then there were the rare basics, their prices jumping significantly:

[Elixir of Minor Clarity] (15 Points) – Temporarily enhances mental focus

[Restoration Elixir] (20 Points) – Accelerates natural healing for a day

Hmm.

The pricing made sense. Stronger effects had a higher cost. But I wasn't here to stock up on consumables. Not yet, at least.

Still, I couldn't help but wonder…

System, is there a search function?

A prompt flickered into existence:

━━━━━━━━━━━━

[Search Feature Locked!]

Unlock Condition:

- Make 3 separate purchases

OR

- Complete 1 major purchase (e.g., Special Prize Box)

━━━━━━━━━━━━

My lips twitched.

Of course.

It was still trying to sell me that. And for a brief moment, I thought about buying the three cheapest potions to unlock it, just to mess with the system, but I stopped myself in time.

No. No reckless spending.

These points were hard-earned, and I wasn't about to waste them on convenience alone.

With that in mind, I closed the Potions tab and moved on to the next section.

[Relics]

This one was… interesting.

Most of the items here were low to mid-tier, their descriptions hinting at hidden potential but nothing game-breaking:

[Frostforged Bracer] (80 Points) – Enhances ice-affinity techniques slightly

[Mistwalker Cloak] (120 Points) – Grants minor resistance to mental interference

[Echoing Pendant] (150 Points) – Stores a single move for later use

Useful, but not essential.

And the truly powerful relics?

[Veil of the Arctic Monarch] (4000 Points) – Sealed

[Cryoheart Core] (4500 Points) – Locked

Yeah, no.

I didn't even have half the points for those.

[Arts & Techniques]

Now this was where things got tempting.

From basic martial forms to esoteric circulation methods, the selection was vast, but again, my budget limited me to the lower tiers:

[Frozen Palm Technique] (50 Points) – A beginner-tier martial art utilizing ice affinity

[Mist Step Movement] (70 Points) – Short-range teleportation within mist-covered areas

[Glacial Meditation] (100 Points) – Enhances aura recovery in cold environments

My fingers hovered over several particularly enticing options:

[Telepathic Resonance] (120 Points) – Enables limited mind-to-mind communication with willing participants

The cliche but necessary telepathy technique. I really wanted to learn it.

[Parallel Processing] (150 Points) – Allows simultaneous handling of multiple mental tasks

This… this could be game-changing. Multitasking at a new level? Wasn't this exactly what I needed?

[Mental Fortress] (150 Points) – Defensive technique against mental attacks and manipulation

Given my not-so-messy life, this might be essential. But I already had high mental fortitude, Crescent Mirror, and Virion's Blessing. So I didn't exactly need it.

I exhaled sharply, forcing my hand away.

Control the greed.

As tempting as these were, none were immediate necessities.

Scrolling further, I finally found what I'd been truly searching for...