Chapter 31: Even the Absolute Being Is a First-Time Dad
Absolute One, First Time Being a Dad - Episode 31
In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed, and during that time, Bong-gu had achieved progress tangible enough for him to feel it himself.
"Huuu..."
Exhaling deeply, Bong-gu slowly swept his gaze from left to right, assessing the situation.
Five orcs had him surrounded, closing in from all directions.
If this had been him just a short while ago, he wouldn't have even dared to face them head-on, but now...
"I can do this."
Muttering to himself as if giving a pep talk, Bong-gu tightened his grip on the 'sword' in his hand.
'Even just learning some basic martial arts means I won't lose control when enemies close the distance. And if I have a weapon I can wield proficiently, that's even better.'
Following Kang-jun's advice, Bong-gu had resolved to train in both martial arts and a single weapon technique simultaneously...
"Since you're right-handed, it'd be best to choose a weapon light enough to wield comfortably with just your left hand. Something like a shortsword, for example..."
"Hmm, why's that?"
"Think about it. When casting spells, you unconsciously use your right hand, don't you? Right-handed people usually cast magic with their right hand."
"Oh, you're right!"
"Since you'll need your right hand for spellcasting, you should pick a weapon that's easy to handle with just your left."
Kang-jun had explained that his primary means of attack would always be magic, with swordsmanship and martial arts serving only as supplementary attacks or defensive measures.
For that reason, Bong-gu had chosen a 'shortsword'—a weapon designed to be light enough for him to wield effortlessly with just his left hand.
Thud!
Bong-gu kicked off the ground, charging toward the nearest orc while gathering mana in his right hand, the one not holding the sword.
Crackle...
Blue sparks flickered across his right hand like flowing electricity.
When Bong-gu pressed his right hand against the orc's abdomen, the creature's eyes shot wide open as its entire body began to tremble violently.
Lightning Bolt.
An elementary spell that converted his mana into the 'lightning' attribute, electrocuting the target and briefly stunning them.
While it might serve to momentarily immobilize an enemy, it certainly wasn't powerful enough to kill an orc outright, but...
Squelch!
Without hesitation, Bong-gu drove the tip of his shortsword deep into the orc's neck, twisted it, and pulled it free.
'Four left...'
The remaining orcs roared in fury, charging at him with reckless abandon, swinging their axes wildly.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Despite being outnumbered, Bong-gu didn't falter in the slightest, deflecting every attack with nothing but swift sword strokes.
Not only that, but he seized every opening that appeared, counterattacking with a mix of sword strikes, punches, and kicks.
His movements were so aggressive and relentless that it was like watching a wolf let loose among a flock of docile sheep.
"In my experience, the ones who die fastest are the idiots who tunnel-vision on magic, calling themselves mages."
"Really?"
"In games, you might get called a jack-of-all-trades or a useless hybrid, but this is reality, isn't it?"
What else had he said?
"If you want to survive, don't make excuses—learn at least one more skill. Otherwise, that one trick you've mastered will become your grave."
'Ah...'
"It'll be tough, but try to endure it with patience. The sweat you shed in training now is the blood you won't have to shed later."
Once he realized just how invaluable the lessons he was receiving were, Bong-gu stopped cutting corners and threw himself into training with everything he had.
Slash!
Swish!
Slash!
Thud!
Though he couldn't avoid suffering shallow and deep puncture wounds in the fierce back-and-forth exchanges with the orcs...
Bong-gu paid no mind to such minor injuries, losing himself in the heat of battle and charging forward even more ferociously.
"Hyung-nim, is there any secret to getting stronger quickly?"
It was a question born of exhaustion.
"Hmm, honestly, I was strong from the very beginning, so I never really thought about it deeply..."
After a moment of contemplation, Kang-jun answered.
"Maybe the secret is not trying to get strong quickly?"
Lost in thought, Bong-gu barely managed to snap himself back to reality and slowly surveyed the scene before him.
He had survived.
Four of the orcs that had charged at him now lay motionless on the ground, while the fifth still had a sword embedded in its neck.
Kneeling, the orc glared at him with murderous intent, coughing up mouthfuls of blood as its body trembled faintly.
Thud!
Finally, the last remaining orc collapsed forward, its hands clutching the sword wound in its neck.
"Haa, haa..."
Gasping for breath, Bong-gu flopped onto his back without even bothering to retrieve his sword from the orc's neck.
His head spun dizzily, his breath coming in ragged gasps that made his vision blur.
As he struggled to steady his breathing, Bong-gu suddenly began to laugh like a madman.
"Keuk, kkeuk, kkeuheuk..."
In the past, he would have been helpless against even a single orc, let alone five.
But now, he could take on five at once and emerge victorious without sustaining any serious injuries.
"Status Window."
A semi-transparent window appeared before his eyes, neatly displaying various pieces of information.
[ Player Name: Kim Bong-gu ]
[ Class: Mage ]
[ Level: 22 ]
[ Title: Hardworking Dunce (D-grade) ]
[ Strength: 17 ]
[ Agility: 16 ]
[ Stamina: 18 ]
[ Magic Power: 20 ]
[ Unallocated Points: 0 ]
[ Special Note: If you continue to keep the sword in hand, you may qualify for a 'Hidden Class' transition. ]
Just looking at his 'Status Window,' every stat had improved so dramatically compared to before his training that they were incomparable.
For starters, his level had risen by a full ten levels, and he had even acquired a new 'Title.'
'Hardworking Dunce...'
Though it was only D-grade, it was a fairly useful title that significantly boosted his experience gain.
Moreover, a few days ago, a 'Special Note' had appeared, hinting at the possibility of transitioning to a new class.
"Nice..."
If he spent the remaining days before his scheduled 'Promotion Exam' as diligently and earnestly as he had been...
Rather than humiliating himself, he might actually achieve some impressive results.
Just as he was grinning to himself while catching his breath, Kang-jun spoke up, sounding displeased.
"Hey, what's so funny that you're laughing like a lunatic?"
"Just... feeling proud..."
"Hmm, I think it's about a hundred years too early for you to be feeling 'proud.'"
After a pause, Kang-jun added in a low voice.
"Self-deprecation chant."
"Now?"
"Self-deprecation chant."
"But I just—"
"Self-deprecation chant."
With a muttered "Tch, damn it..." Bong-gu raised his voice, veins bulging in his neck.
"I'm nothing but a carbon dioxide-emitting oxygen waster!"
"Good!"
"I'm just a shit-producing machine!"
"Correct!"
"I'm nothing more than a talking potato!"
"Excellent!"
Finally satisfied, Kang-jun nodded a few times before adding flatly.
"That's right. Always stay humble."
"Yes..."
"Now, let's gather anything valuable and head back."
As the two began collecting monster corpses, harvesting magic stones and other sellable byproducts...
At that moment.
Bong-gu let out a thoughtful "Hmm..." before cautiously turning to Kang-jun.
"Hyung-nim, no matter how bothersome it is, I think we should stop by the market today to sell some of this stuff."
"Today?"
"We haven't been there in half a month, and the car's packed to the brim with loot, right?"
"Well..."
Now that he thought about it, the interior of their large van was indeed crammed full of magic stones and other materials, leaving no room to even step inside.
'There's something I need to check anyway...'
He had been meaning to find out whether the goblin-run 'loan vaults' existed in this so-called 'market.'
"Alright, let's go."
Centered around the Insa-dong area, this market was essentially a 'large-scale commercial district' made up of shops dealing in goods from beyond the Gates.
The most actively traded items were undoubtedly magic stones, but weapons, potions, alchemical ingredients, and souvenirs were also commonly sold.
Beyond that, there were even shops selling merchandise like figurines and bromides of famous hunters.
As Kang-jun followed Bong-gu, looking around in amazement, he couldn't help but mutter, "Wow."
"Brings back memories."
Most of the 'otherworldly races' that had migrated to Earth from beyond the Gates had settled around this market, making a living through commerce...
Everywhere he looked, there were exotic signs.
For instance, an otherworldly cuisine pub run by elves, or a weapon forge operated by dwarves—each shop had its own unique flair.
It felt less like Earth and more like walking through a bustling interdimensional city where multiple races coexisted.
"Bong-gu."
Hearing Kang-jun's call, Bong-gu, who had been walking a few steps ahead, turned back. "Yes, Hyung-nim?"
"Is there a goblin-run loan vault here too?"
Bong-gu nodded in response. "I've never used it myself, but I think there's one near the 'regular buyer' I always sell to."
"Then let's hit the 'Goblin Loan Vault' first. I'm not entirely sure, but I think I might have left some money there a long time ago."
Bong-gu readily nodded again. "Should we take our time and look around while we're at it?"
"Up to you."
"It's past mealtime, so we might as well grab a bite and wet our throats..."
"Know any good places?"
"There's this amazing place deep in the market that's always empty."
Just then, Kang-jun suddenly turned his head to look behind them.
"Hyung-nim, what's wrong?"
"We've got a tail."
Bong-gu took a deep breath before replying. "We should probably be careful. It's probably some money-hungry jackal who caught our scent."
"Hmm..."
"Since this is where all the valuable goods gather, crimes happen left and right."
Kang-jun responded curtly. "Is there anywhere secluded enough that no one would notice even if we killed someone?"
After muttering, "Well..." Bong-gu seemed to remember something and snapped his fingers. "There's a place called 'Abandoned Alley' deep in the market. It's where most murders and robberies happen..."
Kang-jun nodded once. "Then lead the way."
"Huh?"
"You wanna go shopping with a tail?"
"Ah."
Bong-gu had described their pursuer as a 'money-hungry jackal,' but Kang-jun's assessment was quite different.
Given how skillfully they concealed their presence, they were clearly a well-trained 'assassin.'
'Must be from that group.'
Kang-jun was certain the pursuer belonged to the same organization that had attacked the convention hall during the medal ceremony.
They had probably been waiting for an opportunity to kidnap Bong-gu and had decided today was the day.
"What are you waiting for?"
Swallowing hard, Bong-gu led the way toward 'Abandoned Alley,' his face tense with nervousness.
With every turn, the scenery changed drastically.
The desolate streets were lined with dilapidated buildings that looked ready to collapse at any moment.
In the narrow gaps between buildings, failed otherworldly immigrants rummaged through trash cans in search of food.
The cracked walls were plastered with wanted posters for vicious criminals and warnings to stay away.
People drunk on drugs or alcohol lay sprawled on the streets, while others in tattered clothes silently held out their hands, begging for spare change.
A few individuals walked past without stopping, their eyes fixed ahead as they headed deeper into the alley.
"We're here."
Finally, the two reached a dead end.
At that moment.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from the alley's entrance. "Tap, tap."
"Filial Son Kim Bong-gu."
The pursuers who revealed themselves were two elderly men, one dressed in a white robe and the other in black.
"We wondered why our master coveted you so much, but seeing how you noticed our pursuit, we're starting to understand."
One had long white hair and wore a white robe, while the other was his mirror opposite—long black hair and a black robe.
Just then.
Bong-gu, who had been studying their faces intently, suddenly paled as he realized who they were.
Core executives of the Anti-Management Bureau Union, a massive criminal organization—infamous, high-profile villains...
"The Black-White Twin Fiends..."
The Black-White Twin Fiend brothers.
"Are they famous?"
Kang-jun asked abruptly.
"Yes, extremely..."
"Strong?"
"Probably..."
Kang-jun muttered curiously. "If they were holding bamboo flutes, they'd look exactly like my high school history teacher..."
"Huh?"
"I got beaten so much by that teacher that even after three hundred years, I still remember his name."
Under his breath, he murmured, "Teacher Hyun Seung-uk," before stepping forward with an icy tone.
"Your crimes are truly heinous."
At that, the Twin Fiends' brows twitched.
"First, the crime of resembling a teacher I'd rather forget."
"......"
"Second, the crime of wearing modified hanbok in the 21st century."
As everyone except Kang-jun wondered, 'Is that even a crime?'
"Therefore, the sentence is death."
With those words, Kang-jun's figure vanished in an instant.