"Umbrella?"
As I stared at the item that had appeared in my hand, I had to admit that I’d expected something far more impressive from a three-star card.
The card’s dark appearance, the ominous mist surrounding it, and the way it had behaved differently from the others had made me think I would receive a powerful weapon or at least a rare ability.
Instead, all I had was a black umbrella.
Still, a closer look made it obvious that this wasn’t an ordinary item. Unlike modern umbrellas made from plastic and metal, it had a long, straight shaft and numerous thin wooden ribs. When opened, its wide, circular canopy resembled a traditional Japanese umbrella.
The fabric was a matte black that absorbed almost all light. Although there were no decorations around its edges, it looked simple and elegant. If I rested it against my shoulder and wore the right outfit, I might even look pretty cool.
However, I couldn’t be happy about spending my three-star card on an umbrella just because it looked good.
To learn what it actually did, I raised my head slightly.
"System, show me Umbrella’s properties."
A translucent blue panel appeared beside the umbrella.
[UMBRELLA]
[Shape-Shifting: Can take the form of any inanimate object desired by the user.]
[Energy Absorption: Absorbs energy from attacks directed at it. Once the stored energy is full, it can be used for a counterattack.]
[Attack Absorption Rate: %2]
[Stored Energy: 0/100]
[Special Trait: This item cannot be destroyed.]
I read the panel from beginning to end twice. Although I had initially felt cheated, the listed abilities were far stranger than anything I would have expected from an umbrella.
The ability to take the form of any inanimate object was incredibly useful on its own. On top of that, it could absorb attacks, use the collected energy for a counterattack, and conceal my presence.
The final line was the boldest claim of all: this item couldn’t be destroyed.
"I don’t completely understand it, but it seems useful."
I decided to test the simplest-looking ability first. Holding the umbrella with both hands, I imagined the shape of a sword, but nothing changed during the first few seconds.
"Come on... Turn into a sword."
Apparently, saying it wasn’t enough. I closed my eyes and focused more carefully on the shape I wanted, including the length of the hilt and how the blade should look.
The umbrella’s shaft began vibrating between my palms. Its folded fabric melted and stretched like a black liquid, while the wooden ribs fused together. A few seconds later, I was holding a completely different object.
It was a long, single-edged black sword.
"Ooo..."
I raised the sword to eye level and examined it. Every part of it, from the hilt to the sharp point, was pitch-black. Rather than reflecting the streetlight, its surface seemed to absorb it. Although it was slightly lighter than a real sword, it didn’t feel like a toy in my hands.
I stood up to test whether the transformation had truly worked and gripped the sword with both hands, preparing to swing it. Just then, the headlights of a passing car illuminated me, and I stopped halfway through the motion.
Being seen swinging a black sword in a park in the middle of the night wouldn’t be good. I could frighten people, make someone call the police, or worse, get recorded by a security camera.
Being taken to a police station in this body and having to explain that I was actually a man was the kind of disaster I didn’t even want to imagine.
"Let’s try something less threatening first."
I sat back down on the bench and pictured a small tea glass. The sword’s hard surface immediately softened and shrank between my palms. A few seconds later, I was holding a completely black glass.
When I turned it between my fingers, I saw that even the smallest curves of the shape were accurate. The part that should have been transparent like glass was still black. Apparently, Umbrella retained its color no matter what form it took.
During my next attempt, it transformed into a black glove. The moment I slipped my hand inside, it adjusted perfectly around my fingers and became so light that it almost felt like part of my skin.
"I could use this in everyday life."
When I transformed the glove into a crown, the result was far more impressive than I had expected. With long, pointed spikes and a small black stone in the center, it looked as though it had been taken from the head of a demon king.
I opened my phone’s front camera and placed the crown on my head. I genuinely liked the way my blue hair, pale skin, and dark crown looked together.
"This is pretty cool."
The fact that walking around like this would be extremely strange didn’t stop me from liking it. Maybe if I prepared a new costume for the stream in the future, I could even add the crown to my avatar.
I then transformed Umbrella into a black scarf and wrapped it around my neck. The fabric was soft and warm, and its ends didn’t move too much even when the wind blew.
When I imagined armor, the scarf spread down from my shoulders and transformed into thin black armor covering my chest and arms. Despite looking solid from the outside, it didn’t restrict my movements. When I stood and rotated my arms, the sections around my joints adjusted to my body and moved without friction.
It had successfully taken the form of a real weapon, a glove, a crown, a scarf, and armor. Apparently, the System’s claim that it could become "any inanimate object" hadn’t been an exaggeration.
"Simply amazing..."
My initial disappointment over receiving an ordinary umbrella had completely disappeared. Instead of carrying clothes, weapons, or defensive equipment with me, I could transform a single item into whatever I needed.
I still didn’t fully understand the Energy Absorption ability, though. While transforming the armor back into a scarf, I opened the System panel and looked at the two-percent value.
"So how does this counterattack work? What happens when the stored energy reaches one hundred?"
[A detailed result cannot be calculated until sufficient energy has been accumulated.]
"You’ve been very helpful."
To fill the energy storage, Umbrella needed to be struck by attacks. However, its absorption rate was only two percent. Since I didn’t know how much energy a powerful attack would provide, I couldn’t estimate how long it would take to fill the counter either.
"Why is the Attack Absorption Rate so low?"
[Umbrella was not created as armor or a talisman for defensive purposes.]
I looked at the black scarf around my neck, then at the Shape-Shifting ability on the open panel.
"I can see that."
The fact that it had transformed into armor a few moments ago apparently didn’t matter to the System. Changing its shape probably didn’t alter the item’s fundamental nature or absorption rate.
I transformed the scarf back into an umbrella. The black fabric separated from my neck and spread through the air as the hardening pieces joined together. Within a few seconds, it had returned to its original form.
I opened and closed the umbrella while inspecting its ribs. It looked sturdy from the outside, but what interested me most was the final property in its description.
"Indestructible, huh?"
I stood and gripped the umbrella’s shaft with both hands. The wooden bench in front of me looked hard enough to test that claim.
After pulling my shoulders back, I swung the umbrella against the edge of the bench with all my strength.
Crack!
The umbrella instantly snapped in half.
Its upper section fell onto the grass while the shaft remained in my hands. The broken wooden ribs stuck out in different directions, and the black fabric had torn down the middle.
For several seconds, I stared at the piece in my hand in disbelief.
"MOTHERFUCKER, YOU TRICKED ME!"
My voice echoed through the empty park. I dropped to my knees and picked up the piece on the ground. A few minutes ago, I had thought I’d obtained a priceless item.
Now I was holding a broken umbrella.
"I spent my three-star card on this..."
Just as I tried to place the pieces together in disappointment, thin black threads resembling smoke rose from the broken surfaces. The shaft in my hand suddenly vibrated, and the upper section on the ground was pulled toward it by an invisible force.
The two pieces joined together in midair.
The broken ribs returned to their original positions while the torn fabric repaired itself. A few seconds later, not even a single scratch remained on the umbrella.
Apparently, "indestructible" didn’t mean it could never be broken. Even if it was shattered, it would immediately repair itself and refuse to be permanently destroyed.
As though it had been waiting specifically for this moment, a System notification appeared before my eyes.
[Did you say something, Chosen One?]
I narrowed my eyes.
"You did that on purpose, didn’t you?"
[I do not understand your question.]
"Fuck off."
The blue panel silently disappeared.
After checking the umbrella one more time to make sure it was intact, I stood and began walking home. It was getting late, and if I wanted to return to the park early tomorrow morning, there was no point in lingering any longer.
Besides, I still needed to wash my tracksuit.
If I exercised at the same time tomorrow morning, there was a good chance I would encounter the blonde girl again. The moment I remembered her clear blue eyes and golden hair swaying behind her as she ran, I couldn’t help letting out a deep sigh.
I had only seen her once and had even forgotten to ask her name. Yet for some reason, it already felt as though I were thinking about someone I hadn’t seen in a long time.
As I walked down the dark street with Umbrella resting against my shoulder, a foolish smile spread across my face.
"I miss you, my angel..."