Chapter 44
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Submission
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“No matter how much I look, there’s nothing about any ‘god’ in the third-floor manual.”
Lilianne shot Ju Gonghyeok a sharp glance as she checked the detailed rules for the third floor.
Ignoring the succubus who barged into the lodge from time to time, Gonghyeok sat in a meditative pose.
Lately, aside from when he stepped up as ‘X,’ Ju Gonghyeok had been constantly practicing his arts in his room.
[Successfully circulated internal mana through your body according to the formula.]
[Family Secret - Liang Family Heart Method created. Mana Grade C, 4 Stars.]
[You have already mastered Family Secret - Liang Family Five Elements Apex . S-Grade Martial Art ‘Liang Family Five Elements Apex - Apex Form’ created.]
[Strength, Agility, and Technique temporarily boosted according to mana operation in martial arts and internal arts.]
[Trait ‘Unrealistic Martial Arts Aptitude (B)’ added.]
[Job change conditions for ‘Seeker of Iron Fist,’ ‘Close-Quarters Warrior,’ ‘Wanderer’ fulfilled.]
[Title 「I Am the Master」 acquired...]
He dismissed the rising alert windows and focused mana at his fingertips.
When he pressed it against the floor mat, there was a pop, and a hole burned through.
“Excuse me? Can you hear me?”
“Yeah. I hear you. But Lilianne, your Strength is around S-rank, right?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“Then hit me without collapsing the house.”
She scratched her nose for a moment, then awkwardly raised her hand.
“If I go full S-rank, the terrain changes. You mean like A-rank power?”
“Hit me however. Don’t tell me you can’t control that much?”
Lilianne’s temple vein throbbed as she thrust out her hand.
Normally, that alone would shatter every window and kick up a shockwave.
But by adjusting the surrounding space with mana and concentrating all the force in her hand, Gonghyeok’s arms swiftly wrapped around her slender one.
Liang Family Five Elements Apex - Flowing Water Heart .
His hands, embodying the essence of water, calmly gripped her arm.
Liang Family Five Elements Apex - Water Nourishes Wood .
Shaking it like a willow branch.
Wood Nourishes Fire , Fire Nourishes Earth , Earth Nourishes Metal .
In an instant, the energy shifted three times as he pushed forward.
Seizing the gap, he twisted the direction with a fierce, fiery surge, steadying her shaken internals and movements while drawing out her power.
The fist headed for Gonghyeok’s chest was suddenly aimed at the ceiling.
Metal Nourishes Water .
Returning gently to water’s energy, he readjusted his body.
Starting with Water Nourishes Wood and ending with Metal Nourishes Water, more mana returned than he’d used.
The Five Elements Apex grew stronger with each attribute conversion.
Thus, the essence of the Liang Family Five Elements Apex was swiftly and adeptly shifting mana states.
Crackle.
The redirected fist nearly tore off the entire roof, but Lilianne pinned it down with mana.
“...I was gonna go easy if you couldn’t handle it.”
- Ah~ If she’d just died like that, the world would’ve been a bit more peaceful.
“Okay. It works well.”
With Nathaniel dangling upside down by one leg, Gonghyeok stretched his body.
The reason he’d spent the last 2-3 weeks diligently training in martial arts was for the ‘Unrealistic Martial Arts Aptitude (B)’ trait.
The stronger this trait grew, the more unrealistic bonuses applied not just to stats, but to martial arts themselves.
For example, raising an S-Grade ‘Ghost of the Sword’ to max would let him slice spirits effortlessly or cleave targets kilometers away with superhuman skill.
At his current level, it was simple movement corrections, but its value varied wildly depending on the user.
Gonghyeok had twisted the trajectory using Prediction Path and experience via the grafting technique.
‘But someone without regression experience, even with the same trait and martial art...’
Would’ve been turned to mincemeat by Lilianne’s slender fist.
- Let me go! Pervert! Anemone! Sea squirt! You’re worse than that Ju Gonghyeok!
Ignoring Nathaniel flailing while clutching her upside-down skirt, Gonghyeok reviewed his plans and thoughts.
‘I’d prefer learning beastkin martial arts from the Beastkin Wuxia Realm if possible...’
Trying to learn beastkin arts now would only let him mimic techniques and principles superficially.
Mastering their True Form and turning it into a skill was impossible.
Of course, the Liang Family Five Elements Apex wasn’t bad either.
Its creator, Raksha Sword Ghost ‘Liang Xian,’ had once surpassed human limits and slain the strongest beastkin dragon god.
‘Just once out of the last 13 regressions, though.’
He’d even been Gonghyeok’s master four times.
Later, around the fourth time, he’d become Gonghyeok’s disciple instead.
There was value in mastering it again for this run.
Nathaniel, who’d been screaming in a corner, now just clutched her skirt with a flushed face.
- Let me go...
“Status.”
[[Status Open]]
Strength 301 [C] Agility 330 [C]
Endurance 201 [D] Technique 301+100 [B]
Will 301 [C] Mind 251-50 [D]
Mana 301 [C]
Purple Coins: 24,028. Indigo Coins: 31. Blue Coins: 2. Black Coins: 1. White Coins: 1
One B-Grade, four C-Grades, two D-Grades.
‘Plenty of purples leftover.’
Purple coins could raise up to E-Grade stats, so with nowhere left to spend, he had a surplus.
He kept 20,000 as a buffer for potential buffs and steadily fed the rest to Ra-Djehuty for EXP.
From C-Grade up, each stat point cost 2 indigo coins, so he’d paused.
‘Well, normally you’d hit C-Grade around the 10th floor. Around here, stocking indigo coins is a real hassle.’
Of course, Gonghyeok playing solo at C-Grades while most lingered at E was freakishly off-spec.
With talents or genius traits like Soma or Ha Yeonsi, stats shot up automatically, but for an ordinary guy like Gonghyeok with 13 regressions, grinding via training and achievements was strategic.
Reaching those stats would normally guzzle 500+ indigo coins, but he’d saved nearly 100 by +50 from Sephirot stages 1-2, +50 from achievements and training.
Lilianne closed the third-floor manual and sneaked toward the little angel.
“Eek! I wondered what panties angels wear... No panties?!”
- Shut up! Get lost! Filthy succubus!
“GM.”
“You called, Master.”
“Expand Avatar Space. Expand Job Space.”
[Expanding Avatar Space 2/2 requires 1 Black Coin.]
[Expanding Job Space 1/1 requires 2 Blue Coins.]
He fed in the black coin from Nathaniel’s grave and the two blue ones from the ‘Impossible Comeback’ achievement on the second floor.
[3 permissions expanded.]
“This size makes the angel cuter~ Gonghyeok oppa. Mind making her some panties next time? What suits her~ Peppy stripes? Cute frills? Or... bold T-back? Hehe, miss, which do you like?”
- I don’t need that! W-Wait. Don’t pull my clothes! You lewd...
Bang bang bang bang!
As Lilianne toyed with the squirming Nathaniel, the lodge door shook violently.
“Gonghyeok! Breaking news! Breaking news!”
“What is it!?”
A subordinate rushed in to report urgently to Gonghyeok inside.
“Last night, over 150 from the south were slaughtered by the western pirates! Survivors are scattered or being chased!”
“Gasp! Is that true?”
From beyond the door. Gonghyeok yawned in a pressing tone.
“And...”
“And?”
“The south’s commander-in-chief, Omer Ashk, says he wants to see you, Gonghyeok! He’s here!”
Silence fell briefly beyond the door.
“Hm?”
Ju Gonghyeok’s lips curled in interest.
＊＊＊
Omer Ashk asked Gonghyeok, seated in a chair he’d pompously prepared.
“You’re the savior, Ju Gonghyeok?”
“That’s right. Come to think of it, we’ve met before.”
At his reply, Omer gritted his teeth, recalling a month ago.
“Please, let me join your forces so I can fight alongside you. All my comrades were killed by the western pirates.”
“Sigh, I heard. Who’d have thought they’d charge in so recklessly.”
“They set traps with poison and magic circles beforehand. I can’t just back down like this. Let’s cooperate to take down the Tyrannosaurus. Help me crush them.”
Whispers spread among the officers.
‘The boss’s wounds are almost healed now, right?’
‘That Omer shone big in the first week too. If he teams with our boss, we might have a shot?’
Then a heavy mood settled.
Everyone started watching one man.
A muscular figure covered in wounds and blood-soaked bandages.
Soma Sangai, who’d held off the Tyranno alone while Gonghyeok was away and unified the near-collapse north.
‘His stats must’ve spiked. He gets stronger the more he’s hit, that monster.’
Even to Gonghyeok, Soma’s eyes—tempered in extremis—looked different from before.
“Omer. 150 men. Not a chance to flee. Slaughtered?”
“Some might’ve escaped—who knows. But I was busy fleeing with this wing power too...”
Soma uncrossed his arms, and a faint metallic tang filled the room.
Omer tensed instinctively, and the other officers swallowed without realizing.
Soma scanned the room quietly, pondered, then looked to Gonghyeok.
“It’s not for me anymore. It’s for Gonghyeok to decide. I leave it to your judgment.”
He passed the baton in a clipped voice.
Gonghyeok spread his arms wide.
“Our north welcomes any hunter who wants to live. Saving everyone on the third floor is our goal. Welcome.”
Every officer rose and applauded.
A toast to the new member.
And to the slim 1% better shot at turning things around—they were energized.
＊＊＊
The other officers left to show Omer the hideout.
Only Ju Gonghyeok, slouched bored at the head, and Soma remained.
Soma spoke calmly.
“The lava rock Tyrannosaurus. Can we take it?”
He was a bit broken.
Claw marks scarred above his right temple, lips torn by the tail, fangs that pierced his gut, unhealed fractures, bruises everywhere.
Such physical wounds were nothing to Soma.
But now... his heart was a bit broken.
“Soma.”
Gonghyeok spoke pityingly.
“You’ve already hit S-grade stats. How do we take that thing?”
This moment.
In the room with just two, madness and emotions clashed, filling it with silent screams.
“To hell.”
Soma’s lips moved emotionlessly.
“To hell. If I don’t go, who will?”
His colorless eyes fixed straight on Gonghyeok.
“I. Don’t. Blame you.”
Soma rose quietly, pressed his palms together to Gonghyeok, and left.
Gonghyeok pulled out his pipe.
He slowly packed tobacco, lit it with a match he’d saved—refusing to use powers.
The smoke he’d inhaled countless times swept his lungs as always.
“Soma Sangai. You’re truly great.”
Among all the humans Gonghyeok had seen, he ranked top-tier.
Soma genuinely didn’t resent Gonghyeok.
He’d simply despaired at his powerless self, over and over.
All he could do was hope Gonghyeok had some solution.
Suddenly, the intriguing scene from moments ago resurfaced.
‘He’s alive? Omer Ashk.’
Omer snagging Ha Yeonsi had happened four times so far.
The last three, he’d died to her ‘awakened’ hands.
And by the deserted island’s life signs, Ha Yeonsi was still safe.
‘Note it: When Ha Yeonsi meets Omer, he’s got a 25% chance to survive.’
His survival was convenient.
A few puzzle pieces clicked in Gonghyeok’s mind.
Omer Ashk. You’ve strutted shamelessly too long.
Time to end that fleeting life properly.
‘Take the fall for everything and die disgracefully.’
Ash fell from his pipe.