Chapter 142
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 142
The light letters projected onto my retinas were garbled.
I felt a sense of absurdity at the sightnot just sentences, but not even proper words formingbut I clearly sensed that someone was trying to communicate with me through these letters.
One of two possibilities.
Eve or the thing called the system.
Eve knows a lot because shes my longtime friend.
But this system thing? I had no way of knowing what it was.
In this world, the system was an utterly natural concept that had accompanied humanity from birth through growth. To me, who came from outside, it felt profoundly unnatural.
But to the people here, it was so familiar that its absence would cause discomfort; it was deeply embedded in their daily lives.
This feels off.
Am I the weird one for even feeling refreshed after my connection to the status windowknown to be part of the systemwas severed?
They say a normal person left alone in a world of geniuses gets treated like a genius from the geniuses perspective.
Could this be viewed through the same logic?
As my mind filled with such thoughts...
Ding!
Along with the now-familiar cheerful mechanical chime, the status window screen changed.
[Sub Quest: Conditional Sword Saint]
[Desc: You are a living legend and god. That fact is imprinted on your soul, an eternal karma recorded through the tempests of time. Even if that absolute hua was not a miracle born on this land, such trivial truth cannot tarnish your stature. The full truth of you, revealed through one players ability, has now been witnessed by the world and the system, so no what block can . has made a god exist.]
Its condition was better than the previous one, where most of the text was shattered.
But by the final sentence, no matter how I read the preceding context, it was beyond comprehension.
One things for sure.
This was just a sub story with no impact on the main scenario. And that this worlds system had glimpsed my past through Andrealphuss ability.
The front doesnt matter much, but the latter part is nagging at me.
It wasnt because of Andrealphuss ability, folded heteromorphically like puzzle blocks in the space within my ring.
It was that long, drawn-out passage: The full truth of you, revealed through one players ability, has now been witnessed by the world and the system, so no what block can .
Broken words are tough to parse, but context makes inference straightforward.
What it implied was...
The system saw your true face for the first time. Makes sense, since it uses the word witnessed.
Exactly. Well, this very sentence comes through the system, so blind trust is off the table. But reasoning from it...
The system definitely wasnt Eve.
For herwhod watched my authority and power longer than anyone by my sidethe lofty term witnessed didnt fit.
You dont gape at a sight youve seen a thousand times.
No need to elevate it like that.
Of course, this was just baseless inference.
But my intuition bristled, insisting it was spot on.
Baek Seung-woos busted bodys gut wouldnt be worth a damn.
But the Sword Saints? Even with former tacked on, thats trustworthy.
Not a very reliable quest. Fails as a solid commission.
Why? The acceptance and reward?
[Acceptance: Trait Conditional Sword Saint obtained]
[Refusal: ]
The acceptance reward was a trait that looked suspiciously off.
And it came with a pretty unique mechanism.
[Trait Conditional Sword Saint: All stats rise on use. Grants access to the signature techniques of a Saint you couldnt wield before.]
[Price: Every use causes permanent damage!]
This trait boosted all stats on use and let you wield techniques you couldnt normally touch.
Probably the sword aura I handled or the unique ability Id honed my whole life.
Those were mine to begin with.
But if using your own stuff demands permanent damage or harm as payment, no business survives a week.
Let alone when your life itself might be the stake.
Whod accept this lightly?
Anyone short of ironclad resolve, no way.
But...
Really? Thats weird.
What is?
The you I knew gave that systemthing unconditional trust. For you to suddenly turn skeptical...
This piques my appetite?
Tamamo licked her lips, swallowing the rest.
That lascivious sight would stir love and lust in any man, but to me behind the mask, it was meaningless.
I see. With the status window link fading and no eavesdroppers, maybe its not bad to explain leisurely.
Oh? Finally gonna spill? Big sis is touched.
......
Hard to stomach someone from over a millennium ago calling herself big sis, but the mask let me brush it off.
Tamamo actually peeked into my thoughts and bugged her eyes, but soon cocked her head dubiously and shook it off.
Somehow... felt like I read blasphemous thoughts?
Must be your imagination. No room for that now.
My finger jabbed at the sewer ceiling.
Up there on the ceaselessly quaking ground, people slaughtered each other nonstop. Those enlightened by the one-horned woman kept rampaging even after their agitator broke.
At minimum, not the type whose brainwashing lifts if the ringleader takes a near-fatal hit.
Plus, knights once mulling chivalry to guard order and citizens had become the viscounts loyal hounds, standing by idly.
The norths sole city was doubtlessly hell incarnate by now.
We didnt have leisure.
So, best place to start? From the absolute beginnings no easy feat.
Mind if I ask questions?
Fire away.
Ahem. She cleared her throat, fox ears perking as she laid a hand on my shoulder and leaned in.
The foxs breath, hot and close.
Her scent.
Soon Tamamo nipped my earlobe with sharp fangs, whispering right in my ear so I couldnt miss it.
Your life. That cute, tiny childhood. Heights incomprehensible even after glimpsing the source... All fascinating. But right now? Your philosophy intrigues me most.
Philosophy.
Or ideology, put another way.
Wondering the thoughts you lived by... and live by now. Hehe, care to share?
Of course.
Not hard at all.
Just... cut the antics.
Get down instead.
Nah?
Down.
Super no. Yank me off yourself? Oh, rightour tails are spiritually linked. Unless your realm levels up, no grabbing this spirit body directly?
Down.
Nah?
No sign of her relenting, so I quit fast.
Forcing violence could harm an intangible spirit, but thats my absolute last resort.
Best to ignore for now.
Sigh... At least quit huffing in my ear.
Why? Getting... excited?
......What do I even say to you.
Just spill it quick.
Steeling myself, I dredged up an ancient tale.
A memory that endured unchanging at the deepest core, like a dusty tome amid cascading time and tides of knowledge.
As a kid, I took up the sword to protect family. First time? Shielding my little sister.
The age gap with her wasnt huge.
But not tiny.
Back when that kid was too young to even speak right...
Equally young me bolted to protect something for the first time in life.
Staked my life, pulled away from the child.
Result: monsters slobbering tongue swung my way.
In that moment of deaths embrace, what awakened forged me into the Sword Saintmy unique ability.
Strong from then on?
Hardly. Freshly awakened, I bungled mana control. Never even got to use it.
Someone helped in the end.
Owe her my life.
And she became my master.
The one I respect, adore beyond measure.
My first peril.
First aspiration held, first role model I yearned to emulate.
First teacher. First sword instructor.
Claimed many of my firsts in all sorts of ways.
Listing it out feels off.
Anyway, to become a player safeguarding family for the first time...
I entered the officer academy myself. Graduated youngest. Talent so prized, I trained jointly with aces, absorbing their techniques.
But all those techniquesand the ideologies, thoughts woven instarted shaping my days in myriad ways.
Wars inescapable shadow of death whittled away my will.
For my humanly shattered self, what lingered wasnt petty morals or military code, but true law.
Law? That law I know?
Yeah. With all values bleached from me now... only law and precepts hold me together.
Baek Seung-woo of countless masks had a few inviolable laws. Strict adherence kept my identity intact till now.
Above all, this law? Personally crafted for me by the Saint Mother, my lifes greatest teacher.
Comrades added rules one by one later.
I dotted the is, birthing eight laws.
They define me now.
Fail them? Better to die.
First law.
Live for others.
Bearing saviors karma means saving every reachable soul, no exceptions.
Though defining others falls to personal judgment, not societal pacts.
Such vagueness dominated the rules.
(First law? Master Yeomras dying words, FYI.)
Oths mostly similar.
One lone outlier tangled in.
The infamous sixth law.
Sixth law.
No matter what, dont die.
Even shethe Saint Mother, monotheist par excellence, Gods closest, most devout servant...
Believes alone.
No leaning on Himinstead faith in booze. Despite forging the first law herself, why start with six? Her answer:
1s singularity incarnate.
2s good-evil clash.
3s absolute order, Trinitys emblem.
Skipping perfect 7 for whats closest yet...
Incomplete 6. Whyd I pick it?
......
Cause its badass.
Scripture deems Gods world-forging 7th day completion.
Prior 6th? Cant touch completion, just watches helplesslyincomplete.
666s root.
Yet the Saint Mother dubbed 666 badass, crafted the sixth law herself, and bestowed it on me.
This feels weird...
Looking back, yeah.
Honestly? Thought it badass back then too.
I was 18.
But airing thatd drag the talk into tedium, so I zipped it. Not scared of ribbing. Nope.
Oh? Hehe, caught a cute thought there.
Anyway, irrelevant.
No other laws set as precepts.
But beyond the eight, one absolute unchanging even behind masks? My hard-earned demon loathing and murderous urge.
Proof?
......Speaking of, one demons still kicking. Saved one, but the lasts rampaging topside.
Imperfect human archetype that I am, mid-chat I suddenly glared sewer-ward.
Blank wall. Beyond it.
Something there goading my killing intent.
True, Andrealphuselite noble in demon societyfell in one hit.
Her kit skewed non-combat. Had I lacked the edge to pierce her guard, mightve cost an arm.
Nobilitys that exalted.
What of a baron like her, but combat-maxed?
No need someone spelling it out.
Answers obvious.
......Quest. Might have to take it.
Other Qs can wait, trickle in slow.
Pathetic recovery time post-procedure, and like mesmerized, I trudged toward the sewer exit.
Answering her queries piecemeal en route.
The instant exit stairs came into view...
!!!
A massive pulse rocked from above.
Tough enough facing a combat-tuned demon.
Path thered be no cakewalk either, felt like.
Gotta take it.
This godforsaken quest.
No longer optional.
Necessity.