Karma Party
* * *
In the conference room of Class 2-4, I sat at the head of the table, surrounded by the high-ranking officials. The tension in the room was palpable. Mercy, Jake, Yunji, and Aiden were present, each representing a crucial part of our operation.
"So, did you manage to gather them as I requested?" I asked, my voice steady.
Mercy nodded, but her expression was guarded. "Yes, I did. But why did you insist on this? People weren't too happy about it."
I leaned back in my chair, eyeing her. "I said I'd give them back. There's something else I must do."
Mercy raised an eyebrow. "And what's that?"
"Just give me the coins you've collected," I said firmly.
There was a moment of hesitation before Mercy sighed and a system window popped up. It read:
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[System Window]
Mercy is sending you 93,100 Coins.
AcceptDecline
---------------
I stared at the amount. "How the hell do you have so many coins? You barely have any members in your team."
Mercy shrugged nonchalantly. "I killed all the teachers myself. Got a lot of karma from it, which I then converted into coins."
Yunji's face twitched in annoyance at Mercy's coldness. I could sense the tension between them, but I didn't let it distract me. I turned to Jake next. "And you?"
Jake pulled up his own window:
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[System Window]
Jake is sending you 119,210 Coins.
AcceptDecline
---------------
Jake's amount made sense given he had around 200 people under his command. The high number of coins was a direct result of the numerous battles they'd been through.
"Alright, Yunji, your turn," I instructed.
Yunji followed suit, and her window appeared:
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[System Window]
Yunji is sending you 102,300 Coins.
AcceptDecline
---------------
I accepted the transfer, noting the amount. Despite her larger non-combat team, the lower coin count was expected. Their primary role didn't involve killing, which meant fewer opportunities to earn karma.
Then, I checked my balance.
Coins: 314,610 Karma:15,320
My own balance of karma was 15,320, bolstered by the 15,000 I had saved up for the second phase and the once I had gotten from my previous fights.
My gaze shifted to the store interface.
"Store," I commanded, and the familiar screen appeared. I navigated the store, knowing that exploiting the system's mechanics would be crucial for our survival.
"Discount coupon," I searched, finding the option I had used before. It still offered the same benefits, giving me 50% back on all purchases. I'd need to use this effectively.
I prepared to make my next move, calculating the best way to utilize my resources. This was the calm before the storm, and every decision had to be calculated precisely to ensure our dominance in the coming chaos.
* * *
I stared at the screen, my mind racing with the numbers displayed. My karma count stood at an impressive 102,287. Even after repaying everyone, I still had a mountain of karma. The store discount coupon had proved to be a goldmine.
According to the novel, the Coin King—that one guy in Russia that had found out this exploit—had discovered that the discount coupon could only be used three times.
He regretted using it too early, wishing he had waited until the later rounds when he could have accumulated even more karma. I wasn't going to make the same mistake.
I had already used the coupon twice: once before the 1st round and again before the 5th round.
I had one last opportunity to use it before the store vanished at the end of Phase 1. The store would disappear as soon as the Domination Game concluded, so there was one final chance for me to exploit it.
Looking at my current balance, I knew I needed to plan carefully. Karma's value was set to skyrocket in Phase 2, so I needed to save a substantial amount for the next phase.
I decided to keep 52,287 Karma for Phase 2. This meant I could allocate up to 50,000 Karma for use before the final round.
I planned to use the coupon one last time during the final round of the Domination Game. By doing so, I'd maximize the benefits when the stakes were the highest and ensure I had the best possible advantage.
"50,000 Karma," I muttered to myself, "that's what I'll use before the final round."
With the knowledge that the store would be gone after Phase 1, I was determined to make every move count. The final rounds would be pivotal, and I was prepared to leverage every advantage to secure victory.
* * *
The tension in the room was palpable as Mercy's eyes widened in disbelief. "How the hell do you have so much karma?" she demanded, her tone a mix of amazement and irritation.
I smirked and waved a dismissive hand. "Let's just say I know how to use the system to my advantage."
Ignoring her reaction, I turned to the high-ranking officials. "Here," I said, pulling up the transaction window. "I'm giving each of you 5,000 karma. Consider it a bonus for your hard work."
A series of notifications flashed as I transferred 20,000 karma in total. The room was immediately filled with gasps of shock and murmurs of disbelief. Even Mercy's eyes widened further as she processed the amount.
"Use it however you want," I said, leaning back in my chair. "We have three hours before Round 5 begins."
Mercy's expression shifted from astonishment to excitement. "Nice! I can finally get out of this blood-soaked uniform and some new clothes. And a weapon," she said with a grin.
Jake's eyes lit up. "I'll can get new gear for the combat team," he added eagerly.
Yunji nodded in agreement. "I'll get a weapon," she said, her voice steady. "I want to help out in battle."
As they began to discuss their plans, a new window popped up in my view. The message was unexpected:
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[System Window]
Aiden is sending you 400,000 Coins.
AcceptDecline
---------------
Aiden, who had been quiet up until now, looked at me. "I don't need that much," he said, his voice modest. "I'll just take 1000 karma."
"Go ahead," I told him. "Do your thing."
I accepted the transaction, and the room buzzed with renewed energy as everyone prepared for the final phase before the chaos of Round 5.
The team was gearing up for the challenges ahead, and I was content with how things were shaping up.
As the officials dispersed to make their purchases and preparations, I took a moment to reflect on our current position. With the additional karma and the preparations underway, we were in a strong position for the upcoming battle. I watched as they went about their tasks, each one readying themselves for the trials to come.
In three hours, the true test of our strength and strategy would begin.