Soar, Robert
Robert glanced around smoothly. He peeked at Zhuque before turning to me.
"Is it all done?"
"Yes."
"You worked hard. But... that spirit is rather large. It feels strangely familiar."
"Must be your imagination."
"Perhaps."
Robert chuckled softly and continued.
"You said it was a precious lost item, but it turns out to be the source of this stage's boss's hidden power."
"There's only one."
And now even that's gone. If I died again, maybe I could get another, but as you know, the Fire Spirit Divine Essence is useless to me or Zhuque now. And I can't give it to my other comrades either. Humans die if they consume a divine beast's inner core.
"Anyway, let's go."
"But do we have a way back?"
At my question, Robert nodded toward the Parachao Immortal Fan.
"If we use that, we should manage somehow."
That was when it happened.
"Heh heh. We don't need that. Master!"
Whoosh!
Zhuque flapped its wings once, sending a blast of fiery wind everywhere. The surrounding air grew scorching hot.
"Then what do you suggest?"
"This!"
Zhuque wrapped its body with its wings, curling into a perfect sphere. I wondered if it was evolving again, but the orb flew straight toward me. Knowing it wasn't trying to harm me, I stood still and accepted it. Soon, it settled somewhere inside me and began transmitting its power.
Realizing one's own potential. Divinity begins to dwell in soul and body.
I no longer wondered who was awakening. Zhuque and I had become one in body and mind.
Southern Seven Mansions: Zhuque Chapter
Unity of Object and Self
I awakened the first star.
Fwoosh!
My red hair blazed like flames.
Next, the second star. Crimson flames ignited in my eyes. Eyes that seemed to pierce through all of nature.
Then the third star. Flames rose with every breath I exhaled.
The fourth star. The Fire Spirit Divine Essence settled in my heart. When I drew up my qi, flames swirled around me.
The fifth star. Flames enveloped my limbs.
And the sixth star. Zhuque's wings sprouted from my shoulders.
Flap, flap!
I instinctively knew how to move them.
Robert's eyes filled with awe.
"Mm...! This immense energy. Truly worthy of the name divine beast."
"Let's go."
"Just a moment... there."
Robert wrapped his body in a magical barrier. Since I'd have to carry him while flying, without it, the heat would char him black.
As tempting as it was to savor this power calmly, there was no time. I could feel something draining from me with every passing second. This state wouldn't last long.
But its effects were phenomenal.
Shoooooom—!
Like a jet leaving a contrail, my wings traced fiery trails through the air. From the crater floor to the exit—300 meters straight up in the blink of an eye.
I burst out of the crater and landed on solid ground, then severed my connection with Zhuque. It naturally returned to the Sealed Sword.
Robert let out a sigh and spoke.
"Whew. Section Chief Kim Jeongha, you are truly a mysterious person."
It wasn't just Zhuque. I could tell from how his eyes darted around, as if scanning my surroundings.
"Why do you say that?"
"I checked your mana resonance earlier."
"What, like there's a wall blocking mana around me or something?"
That was what Robert had said to me in my previous life.
"No, I've never heard of such a case."
But his answer was different this time.
"There are four concentric rings centered on you, and eight orbs orbiting those rings."
"Do you know what that means?"
"I've never seen anything like it in my life. Looking at it feels like... facing something profoundly sacred."
I wondered if he'd glimpsed my spirit pills. Maybe my magical talent had grown!
"Then can I learn magic too?"
"Well, a case like yours is unprecedented... I'm not sure what to say."
"I don't need anything fancy—just something to boost my movement speed."
"If it's just that, scrolls would suffice. Much faster, easier, and simpler than learning magic."
"Can you make scrolls?"
"I haven't in this company, but I remember how. It won't take long."
I brightened up.
"Let's talk more after we get out of here."
"Sure."
With that, my business on Floor 14 was completely finished. No reason to come back here again.
Back at the company, I chatted with Robert for a few minutes. He'd made magic scrolls before, but not on ordinary paper.
"It needs special materials infused with magical power for the spells to take hold."
"Like what?"
"Mana stones would be best, but no one's gotten anything like that from the stages yet. Unfortunately."
"Tch."
No solution, then? But suddenly, a memory flashed in my mind. I smirked subtly.
"Maybe I can get some for you."
Robert's face lit up.
"Really? If so, I'd love a few for myself."
"We have to check first. It's not certain yet."
"I'll await the good news."
I parted ways with Robert for now. Next, I headed to the training grounds. It was time to go get the Parachao Immortal Fan. But first, I needed to learn lightness skill.
Back at Parachao Pavilion, I'd asked Nam Bi how far Fire Mountain was. Hundreds of li away, she'd said. Even she prepared thoroughly for the decade-long trips there.
Of course, I now had Zhuque's six-star power. But I could only maintain it for about a minute.
And in the Unity of Object and Self state, divine power drained in real time. I'd panicked seeing my divine power drop from A-rank, but Zhuque assured me it would recover naturally—like the auto-recharging Manager Badge.
In other words, I couldn't use Unity of Object and Self whenever I wanted.
Still, no big regrets. To become a true immortal, I had to hone my own martial arts—not borrow power from others.
Lost in thought, I arrived at the training grounds.
"Do-cheol."
"Mm, Kim So-hyeop. I heard the news. That..."
"Tae Ja-seok?"
"Yes."
Gwak Do-cheol nodded and glanced somewhere. Following his gaze—sure enough.
Clang! Kaang!
"Kuhk! Urgh!"
Tae Ja-seok was getting beaten black and blue. His sparring partner was unexpected.
"Lee Gun?"
As I wondered aloud, Gwak Do-cheol crossed his arms and explained.
"Earlier, Section Chief Lee Jun-yeol came by, said his analysis was done, and showed his swordsmanship to that Plum Blossom Sword Master. Then he had some realization and looked for a suitable opponent to test it out."
"And Tae Ja-seok caught his eye."
Gwak Do-cheol shook his head.
"Not quite. I introduced him."
"Pardon?"
"A guy like that needs a good beating to come to his senses. Ahem."
"Ah."
Looks like he'd gone after Gwak Do-cheol too.
"He must've been crushed."
"I didn't even go easy. Just spread my sword intent, and he tucked tail, calling me a master."
"Mm."
Soon, Tae Ja-seok and Lee Gun's spar ended. His face was so swollen it was unrecognizable.
Spotting me, he flinched, bowed to Lee Gun, and approached. He clasped his hands in a fist and bowed with a fawning grin.
"I apologize once more for my earlier rudeness. Defeated Sword Kim, the Great One. Heh heh."
"Defeated Sword?"
"I heard the title from Great Hero Lee, the Plum Blossom Sword Master. I should've known your fame sooner—deserved to have my head lopped off then."
"No head, no talking."
"Exactly right. Your mercy is vast as the sea; this lowly soldier owes you his life. Heh heh heh."
I nodded.
"Good, you get it. But where are those goons who followed you around?"
"Ahem... They're badly injured. Your comrades don't hold back either."
I recalled Kim Hansu's massive palm smacking the newbies. Bones cracking nonstop. Maybe their whole skeletons were pulverized. And with medical care varying by employee rank, recovery would take time.
I scanned Tae Ja-seok's bowed form. Burly build, ugly mug, scar by his eye—like a bandit.
I glanced at Lee Gun, who'd come closer.
"Lee Gun. How's Tae Ja-seok's skill level?"
"Generously, mid first-rate."
Decent power, then. With the fairy village on Floor 15 now under Safety Planning Department control, I needed a proxy village chief. Wonder if Tae Ja-seok fit the bill. Testing him seemed worthwhile.
Of course, I'd have to confirm if he was truly loyal or just biding time for revenge.
Gwak Do-cheol and I now stood at the far wall of the training grounds.
"Hm. So, here to learn lightness skill."
"Yes. Teach me, please."
"Impatience won't make you faster."
True enough.
"Watch closely, Kim So-hyeop. Hup!"
Gwak Do-cheol widened his stance and stepped forward.
Thump! Thump!
With each step, he covered more ground, leaping higher.
Clang!
"Get out of the way!"
"Huh? ...Wha—aaah!"
"Gonna get hit—aaah!"
Gwak Do-cheol showed no mercy to those blocking his path.
Thwack! Thwack!
Employees flew left and right, smacked by the flat of his blade. Yet his speed never slowed—only accelerated.
Soon, each footfall rippled the air like stones skipping on a lake.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
I just gaped. Not just me—everyone in the grounds was mesmerized by his divine technique.
"I-Is that even human?"
"That guy's been training here all day, every day. If I grind like that, can I get there?"
"Pfft, impressive, but can he top the HR Director?"
"Never seen the Thunder Sword pull that off."
"Duh. He turns into lightning—zap here, zap there."
"Come on, bodies don't turn into lightning."
"Magic swordsmen do."
Hunters whispered around me. Ignoring them, Gwak Do-cheol zipped from one end to the other and back—even faster on the return.
"Whoa... insane."
Nothing else to say. Thrill surged through me. I was about to learn that amazing lightness skill!
"Insane? Sorry if I smell that bad."
I waved it off.
"No, it's slang from my world. Means I'm dying to learn it."
"Haha. No worries. I'll teach you step by step."
Gwak Do-cheol looked proud to have something to teach. Only way to repay him: learn with full focus!
He glanced around—the whole grounds staring at us—and suggested moving.
Unlike swordsmanship, lightness skill drew too much attention. Fine by me.
Then a great idea hit.
"How about we go to Floor 15 together? You can cut loose there."
"Sounds good. Let's go."
As we headed out, the door opened on its own. A familiar face appeared—one unrelated to me. I planned to ignore it, but the face grabbed my arm.
"You're Hunter Kim Jeongha, right? Safety Planning Department. Section Chief rank. Correct?"
I furrowed my brow at the smiling face before me.