kscans

Chapter 397 - Before / After

Starting with the decisive southern ranker tag team, players around us began to crush their [Glass Orbs of Transfiguration] based on their own judgment.

With these kinds of irreversible choices, it's standard practice in games to wait for reviews from the pioneers… but we were those very 'pioneers.'

And thanks to the information shared by those who boldly went first, the detailed specifications of the two types of 'Trance' became a little clearer.

First, [Transfigure (Trance)]. There are no random elements regarding stats, so it's mainly about appearance—the form after the avatar's gender transformation.

In short, the appearance after [Transfigure] is completely random, leaving only a slight resemblance. Auerin, who kept his hair and eye color and even the atmosphere around his eyes, was one of the lucky ones who retained features from before the change.

Basically, the appearance becomes that of an 'unrelated brother or sister' who you wouldn't recognize unless told. Additionally, while you do become a fantasy-esque beauty, you look somewhat 'generic'… rather than a meticulously crafted super beauty, it has a more 'natural look.'

Honestly, in Arcadia, I think this is a factor that gives a sense of uniqueness.

Precisely because appearance can be freely created, a randomly generated, un-editable appearance could, in a sense, be truly unique.

Well, I'm already a genuine original, but… By the way, it seems we don't have to worry about the VRE's operability with the transfiguration system.

The reason is a mystery. But, as usual, the knowledge installed in my brain says 'it's not a problem,' so I have no choice but to believe it.

Why though? If changing gender or growing ears and a tail isn't a problem, then changing your face shouldn't be a problem either. Explain the breakdown of why it's 'not a problem.'

I'm not convinced, so if I get the chance, I'll grill Chitose-san about it.

Anyway, that's pretty much it for [Transfigure]. The only additional information is that a new 'Equipment Set' feature will be implemented along with the dual status sheets.

It seems you can set equipment for both your original and transfigured stats, and when you activate the skill, your equipment will automatically change to the corresponding set as you switch over.

A very considerate feature. Not everyone can do instant outfit changes with [Quick Change], so it's an essential function.

Overall assessment—having two status sheets is simply convenient and undoubtedly strong. And being able to completely flip your gender and become a 'different person' seems genuinely fun.

Next, about [Enshroud (Trance)]. There isn't much additional information on this; it's pretty much the same as the pre-release information from the system.

One of the six stats—VIT, STR, AGI, DEX, MID, LUC—is eliminated, and in exchange, the other stats are significantly boosted… Thanks to a few pioneers, the stat fluctuation patterns have become clearer.

While there seems to be some individual variation in the overall increase, basically, the value of the eliminated stat plus around 200 points is distributed among the remaining stats.

A boost of about twenty levels. It's incredibly powerful, but the fact that the distribution destination is currently presumed to be random makes it a high-stakes gamble.

However, a very merciful point is that it seems the 'stat with the most points invested' is immune to elimination. The data is still only about twenty cases, but since all of them have the same result, it's safe to assume that's the case.

In other words, the worst-case scenario of your build becoming non-functional and useless can be avoided to some extent, depending on the person.

This also means that by using the stat reset function when using [Enshroud] and adjusting the values, you can definitively protect one arbitrary stat.

It's unknown what happens if there are multiple stats tied for first place. With my AGI, MID, and LUC all tied at 300, I'd have no choice but to tremble before the random gacha as I am, so if I choose this, using the stat reset will be essential.

—And so, based on the information above… my conclusion was set.

"…Alright, since we're all here, let's do it all at once."

The rankers, who had naturally split into male and female groups for consultation, gathered together, and Goldow, still with that troubled, awkward look on his face, took the lead.

I understood how he felt; frankly, I was probably making a similar face.

I mean… come on, right? The female players have it easy. They're all beauties, even as avatars, so whether they grow ears or a tail, it'll just be 'oh, how cute.'

And even with [Transfigure], if they turned into handsome guys, it would look good both physically and mentally. The female fans of the world would surely swoon.

But for us guys, depending on the circumstances, it could be a major disaster.

And I mean, specifically me. As far as I know, Irori is in the same boat with the same real face, but he's so good-looking that there's no comparison.

I've been trying to improve my self-esteem lately, so I'm not trying to be self-deprecating, but I'm still not a 'man of unparalleled beauty' or 'super handsome.'

Above all, since I'm aware that this avatar is 'me as I am'… from a recognition standpoint, it's like doing cosplay sober.

It's just plain awkward. And I'm sure the other guys feel a similar sense of embarrassment and hesitation, though perhaps not to the same extent as me.

Goldow, Tetra, and Irori all have indescribable expressions, and even Genkotsu-san is holding up his glass orb with a slightly grim face.

Overall—it was a stark contrast to the female players, who were eagerly waiting with bright expressions.

Oh well, there's no backing out with a 'I'll pass' at this point. As a form of escapism, I'll just look forward to seeing what my partner's transfigured form will look like… and just get it over with and crush the damn thing.

"Alright… let's do this, on three!"

Not just Lux, Auerin, and Fuji-san, who had already made their choices, but the ranker members, who had formed a circle, were naturally drawing the attention of all the raid members.

Under Goldow's almost desperate command, we all crushed our glass orbs at once—

The scattered particles of light unraveled in the air, and I was assaulted by an immense sense of wrongness.

It was probably because my stats had plummeted to their base, unallocated state after switching to my second status sheet. My body felt incredibly heavy and unbearable.

So, the choice I made was not [Enshroud], but [Transfigure].

Which means, this body now is—… or rather, I can't see in front of me.

"Whoa, my hair… is so long…"

The unfamiliar high-pitched voice that escaped my lips was another source of immense wrongness. It was a strange, unprecedented sensation, as if someone else was speaking according to my will.

Swaying at my back was not just hair that tickled my neck, but ultra-long hair that I thought might even reach my feet. As I pushed aside the curtain of equally long bangs with my hand—

I was met with an incredible number of stares.

…What is it? Why are you all staring?

I wasn't the only one whose appearance had changed. Not only the members of the 'circle,' who had changed their faces, grown ears, and tails, but even the gazes of the players who had been watching from the sidelines seemed to be mostly directed at me.

A bad feeling… or rather, as I was simply bewildered, I turned to my side—

"…! …, ……!!!!"

Long, thin, straight hair—my partner, whose gaze I met through a curtain of pure white like snow, her eyes wide as saucers… her face turned beet red, and she backed away.

…Eh. Hey, wait a minute?

"…Um, excuse me…?"

Yeah, my voice is super pretty, I'll admit. If I started streaming songs, I'd probably get popular—but what about my face?

"I don't suppose… my face has become something unbearable to look at, has it?"

I mean, I don't get why you'd blush at seeing an ugly face, but for Sora-san to back away from me… Wait, being silently handed a hand mirror just makes the suspicion grow! Did I really bomb the appearance gacha!?

And why isn't anyone saying anything? Even Iris is silent, or rather, it's not my imagination that she looks like she's trembling, right?

What is going on… Argh, to hell with it!

It wasn't so much that I had resolved myself, but an evasive action to chip away at the fear of the 'unknown' by quickly accepting reality.

In the silent gaze of the crowd, I peered into the hand mirror Sora had given me—

And stared at the girl's face reflected in the small circle.

I stared at the white-haired, blue-eyed, transcendentally beautiful girl, whose beauty rivaled even that of the Sword Queen, for a good ten seconds or more—

"…Where did the resemblance (me) go???"

The voice that escaped was so clear it was chilling.