Part 3
Blinded by Greatness
Ongoing
"When a man is blinded by six-seven, he cannot see the trap set before his feet." | An adventure inside the Wisdom Shrine
1:22am
You were just walking through the great halls of Fanprose. Different people were scattered all over. Some were ranting their thoughts, people bartering and looking for trades for their pocas, and some were just peacefully reading their Winter x Jollibee fic in the lounge the FP gods have set up for their citizens. But the most bustling area was the shrine.
The beauty shrine is the most popular with the longest line. Some looked at their cards with a nervous gaze, fearing the shrine’s decision for their precious poca. Some just got out of the power shrine and had a smug look while lining up.
You were supposed to line up for the beauty shrine. That was your routine: slowly converting a mere Common Liz 101, dreaming for it to become and bloom into this beautiful Cosmic Liz 107. But then something caught your eye…
The Wisdom Shrine.
The line wasn’t long. Some just guessed their combination and then left. Some were pulling out notebooks full of their notes and attempts, and some were having the best dopamine hits yet as they got the most beautiful secret tier card for their bias.
You don’t know what happened, but you slowly walked out of the line as someone tried to take your spot. An argument occurred behind you, but you were too entranced by the big sign of the wisdom shrine.
You have never done the NEW wisdom shrine. You remember, back in the day, always being one off before someone sniped it. You remember how this shrine always craves a richer tribute before getting sniped, and on other attempts it was overwhelmed before someone sniped it again.
“Hello there, traveller. Is this your first time in the wisdom shrine? "A calm voice calls out to you.
You didn’t notice it, but you have already walked inside the wisdom shrine. The portal behind you glowed before slowly dimming down to its idle state. There was a clairvoyant gently waiting on the table before you slowly sat down across from her.
"Hello…uh, yes, this is my first time. Well, I also tried it back in the day when you could overwhelm—"
The clairvoyant interrupts you as she asks if you knew the rules of the shrine. The rules were never revealed explicitly; it was something you had to learn by yourself or hear about through the grapevine.
Her hand then hovers over the table before 4 slots magically appear as she waits for your input. Her face was stoic and calm as you fumbled with your satchel filled with your pocas.
You then try to gauge a reaction to you as you gently place your first set of pocas on the table. You placed down your first guess using common cards. The seer looks at you for approval as you nod before her eyes glow green.
The pocas gently burnt as their ashes drifted into the air before disappearing.
“33%”
Her booming voice declared the result of your attempt as a small smile appeared on your face. You actually got a number correct. You then gently fanned your stack of pocas, scanning their quality as you decide on another combination.
“0%”
You took note of the quality of the cards as you look for more pocas. You are starting to see the fun in this shrine, and you thought, Why haven’t I done this earlier?
Another combination was placed on the slot as you watched the mesmerising sight of it gently burning before the woman declared your result.
“67%”
That number. It activates you like a sleeper agent as you giggle. You hit the six-seven while the clairvoyant tries to keep her composure.
You got the hang of it already. You thought as you looked at your depleting stack of pocas. Before thinking about another 4-digit combination.
“0%”
“33%”
“33%”
“67%”
The seer’s voice echoes in the shrine every time she announces your result. And every time you got 67%, you were giggling and hitting the emote with such vigor that the seer couldn’t help but cringe.
MANY ATTEMPTS LATER…
2:35am
You were drained. You were discouraged. But you knew that you could NEVER end on a loss. Attempt after attempt depleted your stack of pocas into a mere handful. But you didn’t want to give up.
As you put another 4-digit combination, the woman across from you couldn’t help but yell at you as she stops your hand from putting the 4th poca on the slot.
“YOU DO KNOW IT COULD BE A 3-DIGIT COMBINATION, RIGHT? BECAUSE I AM FUCKING TIRED OF YOU FUCKING DOING THAT STUPID SIX-SEVEN EVERY FUCKING TIME."
Her composure finally shattered as she calmed herself as you looked at her with wide eyes. You completely forgot about that. You were too busy getting occupied by the six-seven you wasted all of your life savings.
You looked down at your remaining pocas as you saw the quality was not the needed numbers. You rushed outside the shrine as you ran through the portal into the trading village. Running towards common and uncommon cards that had the auto-accept. Vendors looking at you weirdly as you slam 2 cards of any type and then snatching the card out of their hands before they could give it to you.
As you ran back through the portal into the wisdom shrine again, the seer was still seated calmly on her seat. You slam a 3 pocas on the slot as you wait for her announcement. Your heart was beating as her eyes slowly dimmed down back to their amber eyes.
“67%”
She announced. You couldn’t even laugh anymore. Reality has struck you like Bus-kun. Your supply of pocas are gone. Burned to ashes. You pace around the room as you look down on your scratchpad. It was filled with stupid memes and 6-7s and that cool 3D 'S' you learnt in school.
You were panicking, trying to see what the right combination is. Then you saw it. Your last chance.
2-3-4
With shaking hands you browsed through your satchel. Then you finally sat across from her again before you gently placed it into the slots.
A dusty, uncommon Sakura 102
A bent, uncommon Siyeon 102
And a fresh epic Vivi 104.
That was the last of your supplies. Even using an epic you were planning to use in the beauty shrine. As you were sweating. You pray that you will not leave this shrine empty-handed.
The blaze of the fire reflects on your teary eyes as you carefully watch the pocas burn as their ashes drift into the air…
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