Jackpot!!!
Obsidian's heart surged with joy as the well exploded with golden light.
Normally, items from the well came in three levels of rarity.
And gold light? That was the highest—Triple Lamp rarity, also known as "Infinite Radiance."
Items pulled at this level were always powerful. From what Obsidian knew, the well could produce all kinds of things—Singularity technology, top-tier Workshop gear, ultra-rare personas, vast resources, or priceless tools…
After all, this was a well connected to infinite possibilities.
"…So, what's in there?"
Texas stared at the well, still dazed. Only after the golden glow began to fade did she finally speak in a quiet voice.
"Huh? Oh, just some good stuff." Obsidian blinked, then smiled calmly. "Looks like you've got some serious luck. We pulled a pretty nice haul."
He wasn't lying. Every item from those three pulls was a win.
Obsidian had already whisked the results away into a concealed corner of the city. He couldn't fight monsters directly, sure—but moving things around as the city's will? No problem.
Some of the rewards weren't immediately usable. He'd deal with those after Texas left. For now, something else was more pressing.
He turned his attention to the other two items he'd received.
One of them: a Spindle. One-lamp rarity.
Obsidian mentally tallied the loot he'd stacked in the corner. There were five spindles—not many, but still a solid start.
Spindles were essential for enhancing personas. Personas were projections of alternate versions of oneself, manifested using a special technology known as the Mirror. When overlaid onto a person, the persona's strength depended on both its sync level and the user's own ability.
Then, Obsidian looked at the second item—and his grin widened. Aside from the Triple-Lamp gold, he'd also pulled a Two-Lamp rarity item:
[A Persona Extraction Voucher.]
It was a card that allowed the user to extract a persona—though it couldn't produce anything beyond Two-Lamp rarity. Still, it let you use the persona without needing Mirror tech, and minimized side effects. The extracted persona could coexist with the user's native personality—less identity conflict, more practical synergy.
For Obsidian's current situation? More than enough.
He knew immediately how he wanted to use it.
With a flick of his fingers, a soft golden voucher appeared between them, like a magician's trick. He blinked innocently and handed the ticket to Texas.
"Try this. Toss it into the well. It'll give you something useful in return. This is your reward—for the Sweeper you took down earlier."
"What is it?" Texas asked, eyeing the pale yellow card with surprise.
But Obsidian just smiled encouragingly. After a beat, Texas gave in, tore the card open, and threw the pieces into the well.
In the next instant, the well was suddenly encased in a writhing mass of chains, glowing with orange-red light. Just as Texas stiffened in alarm, a single card launched out of the well and landed in her hands. The chains vanished like mist.
She blinked, looking down at the card.
It had two small lamp icons engraved in the corner. The front and back bore the same image: herself, clad in a regal, militarized uniform with a long coat draped over her shoulders, both hands resting on a sidearm slung at her waist. The whole card was shaded in rich reds and browns—she looked like some aristocratic enforcer, cold and composed.
She flipped the card and read the name aloud:
[Texas · Thumb Soldier Persona]
Note: A rank-and-file Thumb soldier. Known colloquially as cannon fodder.
"…Congratulations. Looks like you pulled a good one," Obsidian said with a light chuckle, glancing at the card in her hands.
"You recognize this?" Texas raised an eyebrow, her sharp eyes locked onto his.
"I've got a few similar cards. Most Fixers in the City end up with a couple of these," he replied vaguely. Then, pointing at the card, he added:
"With this, handling Sweepers will be a whole lot easier. Come on—we'll go hunting. You're probably still hungry, right? We can grab something to eat while I show you how strong these persona cards really are."
"…Fine."
Texas hesitated for a moment. But in the end, she gave in to his smooth pitch, slipped the persona card into her pocket, and followed him out.
…
"Okay, listen. First, place the card flat against your stomach. Speed is everything—quick, clean, and precise…"
"After that, strike a pose. Doesn't matter what it is—the card will memorize it and sync to you. Got it? Pretty straightforward."
"Then all you need to do is shout 'Henshin!' and the card'll activate—you'll merge with the persona."
Obsidian strolled through the outskirts, chatting casually with Texas, half-joking, half-explaining. She, meanwhile, walked beside him in silence.
What the hell is all this nonsense…
"This actually do anything useful?" she interrupted flatly.
Obsidian paused, then grinned mysteriously.
"Oh, it'll give you something you didn't have before. Just try it. Look, there's a whole pack of Sweepers up ahead. Perfect for a test run!"
"Hey—wait!"
Her pupils shrank the moment she saw the monsters. But by the time she turned, Obsidian had already taken a step back.
The Sweepers had seen her. And now, they were charging forward.
In that moment, Texas grit her teeth—ready to turn and bolt.
But something flickered in her mind.
Maybe… I should just try it?
And once the thought took root, it was impossible to shake.
She stopped running. Took a breath. Then, in one swift motion, slapped the card to her stomach and shouted—
"[Henshin]!"
In the next instant, her body twisted—reflected like a warped mirror. From beyond that mirrored surface, a long rifle extended outward, followed by the steady grip of a hand on the trigger.
Click.
The trigger snapped. The round burst from the custom firearm in a flash, streaking straight toward the lead Sweeper.
Texas emerged from the mirror, fully transformed—now dressed in the same noble, military uniform as her card. She held the rifle with both hands, eyes wide with surprise as the new power settled into her bones.
And then—
Boom. The shot blew the Sweeper's head apart.
One thought echoed in her mind.
Sir… the times have changed.
This was on a whole different level than any gun or blade she'd ever used.