Chapter 26

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 026

Chapter Title: Black Sorcery Fortress #1

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Hwaaaaaak-!

The Breakthrough Stone had shed all those impure fragments, radiating a beautiful, crystalline brilliance.

Twenty polishing opportunities granted to the Breakthrough Stone.

That meant every single one had succeeded!

"This... this is real...?"

Hammer dropped to his knees on the floor with a thud.

Everyone watching the scene was left speechless.

"Yor, this Breakthrough Stone is probably one of a kind across the entire continent—unprecedented and likely never to be seen again."

Clink-.

The Major handed me the stone, his face even more aged, sweat pouring ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠down in streams.

It was just a bit larger than my thumbnail.

"Guess this old man's luck hasn't run out yet... Haaah... Now I can finally rest easy..."

'Liberation - unlocks the potential of a Soul Engraving?'

Curious, I checked the "Double-Edged Sword" Engraving Scroll I'd acquired.

An extra option had appeared.

Something like this had never been mentioned in the game?

"Hey, newbie, how'd it go? Anything different?"

Hermit showed some interest.

As all eyes turned to me, I said calmly,

"All my stats went up."

"Really?"

"Yeah. By about 1 percent."

It was a lie.

The stat increase was 10 percent.

But information isn't free, right?

I couldn't just hand out everything I'd gained by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠taking on the risk for free.

Hermit, oblivious, started counting on her fingers.

"There's a hypothesis that Blessed Ones get about a 10 percent physical stat boost per level up. So for you, Yor, that effect is... like 1/10th of it!"

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"That's not even half a level up's worth. Seems kinda meh."

"It probably hasn't fully cleared the Appraisal Worm's toxin yet, so he's not lying."

"Appraisal Worm! That guy didn't even flinch during that insane polishing!"

Heh heh heh-.

My info control was perfect.

Even eating the Appraisal Worm had turned into a gain.

Seizing the moment while everyone buzzed, I pulled out the Engraving Scroll.

Yes-!

The Engraving Scroll crumbled into dust and scattered.

Shoooo-.

Vitality surged through my body like blood rushing faster.

This was the power of 20 polishes +2 engraving!

The Major slapped my shoulder with a pang.

"Urk!"

"Yor, you said 1 percent?"

"Yes."

"Don't be swayed by small numbers. For old folks like me, whose growth has hit a wall, even that's impressive."

"Is that so? Even just 1 percent?"

"Yeah. There were so many times a single step made all the difference. As your training and survival continue, Yor, its value will easily surpass millions in Ether."

Ether gains surpassing millions!

I couldn't stop my lips from curling up.

That's when Jeremiah, the Director who'd stayed silent through the polishing party, spoke up.

"But Major, if the Breakthrough Stone has that much potential, doesn't that mean the traitor Vane could aim for extra gains too?"

"If Vane knew about this, it fully explains why he hesitated—cough!" Cough, cough...!

The Major hacked deeply.

Blood stained his palm, panicking everyone.

"Major! Are you okay? You must've pushed too hard with this polishing!"

Hammer hurriedly supported the Major.

I felt a needless stab in my chest.

"Major, I'm sorry! I made you overdo it!"

The Major waved his palm dismissively.

"The polishing's got nothing to do with it! It's just age, age! It's always been like this. Damn it."

Jingle jingle-.

A bell rang suddenly.

Soon, a man appeared from afar, face veiled by cloth painted with bizarre eyes.

He had nets dangling all over his body and was barefoot.

A beggar?

He held a staff with bells, and Hermit scowled fiercely.

"That guy's a sorcerer. Gives me the creeps..."

"Sorcerer?"

"Same job as me, a mage. But shadier and more irrational. They call it sorcery... Anyway, I just don't like sorcerers."

Hermit eyed the sorcerer warily.

The sorcerer ignored her completely and approached the Major.

"Major, the Great Wall's cold air is poison to you. Let me prescribe medicine—come back to Aldor Fortress with me."

"Medicine? Damn it, are you advertising to the world that Raiden of Thunder is dying of lung disease? Shit, our enemies would love that!"

Raiden the Major grabbed his staff and slowly walked off.

"Yor, thanks to you, I got to experience something remarkable in what little life I had left."

He passed by my side and murmured softly.

"Success or failure. Ultimately, odds are fifty-fifty—. That's why I like meeting young folks. Even opens my eyes wide."

A few days passed since the 20-polish Breakthrough Stone incident.

We took it easy with nothing much to do.

Because Miscannic University was the only place beyond the Great Wall where the sun rose.

"Erdarri are crawling around Miscannic University, and we've already met our quota—no need to take unnecessary risks. Regroup!"

Hammer really loved stable party management.

Hermit giggled, clearly approving of Hammer's call.

"Good timing. I've got papers to write and need to hatch my familiar Aldo too, so I've been busy. I'll hole up in my workshop for a few days—don't come looking."

"Take your settlement first! Pay from when Yor crit the Velzer's head last time—mana potions and gems!"

Jingling jingling-.

300,000 Ether settled per person.

"Ooh, yes!"

My balance now: 6 million Ether total.

Time to level up?

"Hit level 10. Guess I've shed the newbie label now?"

I felt inexplicably proud and accomplished.

With the 10 percent stat boost from the polishing bonus, I was effectively level 11.

Secret from everyone, though.

Hermit poked my side.

"Not many ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠level up that fast without carrying."

"Heh heh heh, I'm kinda amazing, huh."

"But now the real fun starts. Ether costs skyrocket per level from here."

"I know, I know. Hey, Felix! Come watch me at the training grounds!"

I called Felix over.

Training with him lately had been fun.

Partly to get used to the stat boosts from the Breakthrough Stone.

And to adapt to this engraving.

The 30 percent damage dealt boost felt huge.

Proof: hurling throwing knives at the straw dummy—

Kwachik-, kwachik-!

The impacts, once just pak pak pak, now roared far more violently.

Thanks to the level up and absorbing the Engraving Scroll.

Felix checked the dummy.

"Against a dummy, that's enough to one-shot the stone men in the volcanic zone. Combat support confirmed."

Combat support: one full slot locked in!

From the human-slaying Felix, so I could brag.

Felix asked me then.

"But really, the Major didn't say anything about me?"

"I told you, no."

"You're not lying?"

"Felix, do I look like a liar to you?"

"The Major's like a father to me. For him to come to the Wall and not meet me? Doesn't add up."

I hadn't known then, but Felix had deep ties to Raiden the Major.

Trained under him since childhood.

"Maybe you two aren't that close?"

"What nonsense. After my parents died, he took me in."

"What? Your parents passed away?"

"Oh, didn't mention that?"

Felix rarely talked about himself.

Stoic, just poses—Hermit's evaluation.

'I see. Felix is an orphan too.'

'Feeling sudden inner camaraderie.'

More importantly—

The Major said if the 20 polishes succeeded, he'd grant one wish.

When's he gonna deliver?

I had a bunch of requests.

'Maybe he bluffed.'

Just as suspicions mounted.

Sniff sniff-.

A bitter scent wafted to my nose.

I knew that smell.

The antidote for the Appraisal Worm.

No way—I turned and—

"Director Jeremiah!"

Snap-. Felix saluted.

I got uneasy for no reason.

"Director, my innocence was already proven, right?"

"Indeed. Yor, you're cleared. Because we caught the traitor colluding with Erdarri at the Wall."

...What? Germain's tail finally got caught?

No wonder I hadn't seen her lately.

Probably dragged to a dungeon full of interrogators.

"I'm here about that traitor. This is the traitor subjugation mission order. Want me to read it?"

"Traitor subjugation? We have to do that too?"

I thought we just farmed Ether at the Wall.

Jeremiah smiled faintly at me.

"You were on standby anyway? It's a top-secret order straight from the Major. If you don't want it, Yor, I might have to pass it to someone else..."

"We'll do it!"

Felix jumped in.

What the—didn't even ask me?

I didn't have time for chasing traitors.

Needed to farm Ether!

But no backing out once pants are down.

Jeremiah handed us the orders.

"You all head to Black Aldor Fortress by tomorrow."

Whoosh—he was gone.

Felix grabbed my arm with the orders.

"Not time to dawdle! Gotta tell everyone!"

Bang bang bang-.

Felix pounded on Hammer and Hermit's doors.

Hermit was annoyed.

"Felix, I said don't disturb me—I've got papers!"

"We're going to the Black Fortress."

"What? For real? Then we can't waste time!"

Hermit's face lit up instantly.

Hammer laughed so hard his armor rattled upon hearing.

"Yor, snap out of it! We're being dispatched to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the fortress city where Raiden the Major is!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah! Chances to leave the Wall for a fortress city don't come often! Outing time!"

Outing.

Ah, an outing—that's why everyone was thrilled!

But I liked the Wall, so I was a bit miffed.

"Does that mean we can't sortie into Night Land anymore?"

"Yor! Ether Roundtable's there too! You can go farther, to more places!"

"Oh! Ooooh!"

My dissatisfaction vanished in a flash.

Anywhere with Ether farming sorties was home!

I rushed back to pack.

Then hit the bathroom to drain the lizard, but the door was locked.

"Damn it, again? Spit it out quick—I'm in a hurry!"

—Hey Yor, you heading out?

Germain sis.

How'd she know about my outing?

It was top-secret orders.

"But sis, heard they caught the traitor colluding with Erdarri. Wasn't you?"

—Heh heh heh, Yor, you think sis's tail gets caught that easy?

"Nope."

—Heard you're going to the Black Fortress? One favor from sis.

—I've got stuff there. Can you grab it for me?

—Need it to proceed your next training phase.

What—.

Next training phase!

What came after chest fondling?

Gahhh-! Beyond my wildest imagination!