Chapter 12: Another Companion

Chapter 12: Another Companion "Come on! Just a bit more...!" Xu Tao had lost track of time. The small space he was in was now filled to the brim with junk. As for his original target—the Storage Rings—he had already collected fifteen of them. Fourteen were Rare, while one stood out as SSR, boasting a capacity as vast as a mansion. The so-called "junk" surrounding him was just the excess from rolling non-stop. He’d been so obsessed with pulling more items that he hadn’t even bothered to organize them into his massive new ring. "Fuck! Another miss...!" Yet another 10x roll wasted—nothing but random junk. It had been like this for the past several pulls, making him feel like Fate itself was mocking him. For a moment, he regained some calm and took a deep breath. "Phew..." He steadied his breathing and cleared his mind. Then, he began tidying the mountain of items, feeding everything into the SSR Storage Ring. Thankfully, it came with a special feature: it could absorb nearby items based solely on proximity, the user’s will—and a string of Qi. "PUI!!!" With righteous vengeance, Pepe sprang out and head-butted Xu Tao in the stomach—not that it hurt at all. The little guy had almost suffocated beneath the pile of trash. It was literally on death’s door before Xu Tao cleared the debris! But Xu Tao didn’t even glance at his pet, instead placing a hand to his chin in deep thought. "I can feel it," he muttered, checking his remaining rolls—56 left. "Just a bit more and I should be getting something big... I can tell!" Of course, he had zero logic to back that up. It was just his gambling brain convincing him that a win was close. That said, he had gotten lucky a few times. So far, he’d received three SSR items. One was the mansion-sized Storage Ring currently saving his life. Another was some bizarre weapon with a revolving mechanism, a few tube-shaped depressions, a large barrel up front, and a grip complete with a curved trigger. He had no idea what it did, but the System had called it a "Revolver (SSR)." The last item was a necklace. Xu Tao was never a fan of accessories, but this one was worth making an exception for. It increased his Strength by 50% and his Vitality by a full 100%! With that much Vitality, he could probably tank a few hits from the Sand Beetles—aside from their head-chopping moves. Judging by the interval between those SSRs pops, he felt sure he was due for another big one just about now. The urge in his finger was undeniable... and down went another 10x roll. The usual animation played again: grasslands, forests, blue skies... But this time, the "wind" wasn’t white, blue, purple, or even gold. It was all of them. Swirling together in a radiant mix. "There it is...!" Xu Tao shouted, grinning from ear to ear. "I knew it!" This was it—another jackpot! As soon as the results window appeared, the "items" manifested directly in front of him. But this time, it wasn’t "just" items that dropped. A woman materialized mid-air in this cramped sphere, crashing right on top of Xu Tao and pinning him to the ground. Startled, he quickly inspected the unexpected arrival. She wore a full set of polished, silver-sheen light armor—a striking blend of radiant metal and royal brown leather, highlighted with intricate gold fleur-de-lis. Atop her head was a simple, open-faced great helmet. The front was lifted, revealing her beautiful face. A plume of royal blue feathers adorned the top, giving her a noble yet martial air. A short white cape fluttered from her shoulders, just barely reaching her waist. Her features were stunning. Light-blonde hair framed her face, cut just at the shoulders. Her eyes were a pale, crystalline blue, with a golden diamond shimmering at their center. Her lips were a gentle rosy red, curled into a brave smile. She looked to be in her early twenties, but something about her presence felt much older—worn by battle and divine purpose. That face... Xu Tao had seen it many times before. "You are... Jehanne d’Arc?" he asked, stunned. The UR Companion Character. The one guaranteed at the 500th roll. She had just dropped—in under 300 rolls! The woman, hearing her name, tilted her head and smiled even brighter. "Why yes, I am Jehanne. But who are you? You don’t seem of Saracen descent, nor of my own. How do you know my name? And where is this place?" Her voice—soft and high-pitched—was sweet and innocent, but carried a weight like the world depended on her. And more than that... ’This woman... she’s powerful!’ She wasn’t a cultivator, and there wasn’t a drop of Qi in her body. Yet she radiated an aura that felt as dangerous as a Nascent Soul cultivator! "Pui!" Pepe suddenly rammed Xu Tao’s cheek from the side, his beady eyes full of jealousy. Only then did Xu Tao realize—he and Jehanne were still in a very compromising position. Keeping his voice calm, he asked, "I’ll answer your questions, but... can you move off of me first?" "Oh! Pardon my rudeness!" She quickly stood up, adjusted herself on the curved floor, and sat down in front of him. "There. Now—will you answer me?" Xu Tao nodded and began. "I’m Xu Tao. I’m a cultivator. I don’t have a fixed weapon, but I usually fight with either my sword or my fists." "Cultivator? You mean, like... a farmer?" Jehanne blinked innocently. "Not quite... though technically, yes," he admitted with a chuckle. "Farmers cultivate the land and grow crops. We cultivators cultivate our bodies and souls, building power through cultivation techniques and combat mastery." Jehanne nodded slowly, seemingly understanding his words, then removed her helmet to let her hair fall freely. "I see..." she said, thoughtful. "Then I suppose it’s my turn—though you seem to know me already." "Only your name and face, really," Xu Tao replied honestly. "I am Jehanne. But my soldiers call me Joan of Arc. Or Jehanne d’Arc. My main choice of weapon is a spear, attached with the Holy Flag of our Faith and Nation." She placed a closed fist over her heart in a modest salute. "I was fighting the forces of Burgundy and fell. I’d just been captured by them and then... I awoke here." Then, as if a divine spark of inspiration came to her, she leaned in, her smile deepening and her eyes glowing with reverence. "Then you must be God’s apostle—sent to save me, yes?!" Read latest chapters at fr(e)ewebnovel.com Only