Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Reward
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Orca's battle with Agwi had felt one-sided even when Yuri had witnessed it yesterday.
Of course, if Agwi had prepared a decisive strike targeting Orca regardless of their difference in caliber, it might have been different. But in a fight where Agwi couldn't use divine power and Orca wasn't in her true form—both handicapped—the advantage had consistently been Orca's.
To Yuri, it wasn't just one-sided or advantageous; it bordered on absurd. The blade storm from Agwi, which Yuri hadn't even been able to approach, failed to properly block Orca's lightning.
Just as it had been for Yuri against Agwi, Agwi's matchup against Orca was the worst possible. As in the game, Orca's lightning magic was hell itself for warrior classes.
Derusia's lightning magic carried near-guaranteed first-strike priority. No matter how high one's agility, speed, or evasion stats, dodging Orca's spells wasn't easy. Even Lee Soo-hyuk's Padrip Immunity had needed an absolute evasion skill before challenging her.
Like most mages of that type, Orca's own durability was below average... but what did durability matter if you couldn't even get close? Orca was a proper mage. Her spells killed opponents before they could approach, with overwhelming firepower and speeds beyond perception.
‘Lucky I got to watch.’
And lucky he'd taken a hit from Agwi first. He'd failed to kill or capture Agwi. It was an injury that could have been fatal, but Agwi had fled and might return once healed.
Especially since Yuri had driven Holy Flame Force Emission into Agwi's chest right up to the end, piling on resentment separate from the Pantheon incident. Yuri would need to prepare for their eventual rematch.
“If you're that insistent, I'd like one of Orca's unique spells.”
Orca's signature unique spell was Thunder God Illusion, but Yuri didn't aim that high.
“A unique spell?”
Orca, wearing Reisi's face, deepened her smile. She looked like she'd expected it to some degree.
“What spell do you want?”
“I don't know the name.”
Magic in the game and Orca's real-world magic were bound to differ. Rather than rashly naming one, Yuri relied on what he'd seen and described it.
“The spell that kept Agwi from approaching.”
Orca's lightning had struck as if preemptively predicting Agwi's movements. A simple attack spell? There were better ones. But the one Yuri coveted most right now was that.
If it came with near-prophetic intuition, it could be applied diversely even without always unleashing lightning. Orca and Agwi's fight was a high-tier clash far beyond Yuri's understanding, but he'd drawn much inspiration from the lightning weaving through the mana-choked space.
With that, not only could Yuri realize his Cloudy Heaven Cloud Flow Fist, but also the flow-severing fist technique he'd glimpsed in his spar with the Fist King.
“Four Gates Thunder Seal.”
Orca nodded and replied.
“Good choice. Among the unique spells you saw yesterday, this one's the most helpful for you.”
“If it's too much, I'll pick something else.”
“You're saying what you don't mean.”
Orca let out a low chuckle and shook her head, slipping a hand inside her white robe.
“As I said earlier, this is Reisi's life price. I'm not here to haggle over it. Yuri, if you want Four Gates Thunder Seal, it's yours.”
As if she'd anticipated Yuri wanting a spell from the start, what she pulled out was a notebook and pen.
“So, Four Gates Thunder Seal it is?”
“If I asked for Thunder God Illusion, would you give it?”
“That's a troublesome, cheeky question.”
Orca smiled faintly and looked at Yuri's face.
“I've said multiple times I won't haggle over Reisi's life price. If you asked for Thunder God Illusion, I'd have to give it to save face.”
“I'll settle for Four Gates Thunder Seal.”
It was just a test; he wouldn't push further. As Orca said, he could probably get Thunder God Illusion, but he wasn't sure their friendly relations would hold afterward.
“If there's something you'd like on top of Four Gates Thunder Seal, how about this?”
Orca paused while writing the incantation in the notebook and spoke.
“Yuri. You'll face many enemies ahead and go through crises aplenty. What if you meet one you can't handle? You won't always be this lucky. You survived because Agwi was stupid and arrogant, ultimately.”
“True.”
“If you could get my help in such situations, you'd survive most crises.”
Orca's gaze shifted from the notebook to Yuri.
“Of course, engraving a terminal doesn't guarantee transmission. You'd need at least a 6th-tier vessel and more soul force.”
“Grateful, but I'll pass.”
“Why?”
“It'd make me reliant on you, Lady Orca.”
Repeatedly beating foes beyond his ability with Orca's support would stunt true growth.
That wasn't the only reason. Orca's pursued ‘Akashic Record’ was a grand, wondrous magic—but for now, it was solely hers. What Yuri especially wary of was that Orca had used his soul for artificial possession.
Having a terminal meant the risk of receiving Orca's soul transmission anytime. Even if he refused, what if she forced it? Would she fully take his body? Like other possessors in this world, could she eradicate the original soul?
He didn't think Orca would, but the mere possibility repelled him.
“If you don't want it, no helping it.”
She'd offered directly but didn't press. After a short while, the pen stopped. Orca checked the incantations in the notebook several times, then nodded.
“By the name of Derusia Magic Tower Lord, Orca Derusia, I guarantee this. The Four Gates Thunder Seal incantation is real—no tricks or traps.”
“Never doubted it.”
“Passing incantations to others requires this protocol. Higher-tier magic is harder to learn, with backlash on failure. Yuri, know the easiest way to ruin a mage?”
“No idea.”
“Make them learn a fake incantation. Or embed a trap in it.”
As she spoke, Orca closed the notebook. Wooong...! Her words became a spell, infusing it with light. She handed the dimmed notebook to Yuri with a smile.
“Coincidence aside, meeting you was fun.”
“Same here.”
Yuri had more questions. He still didn't know how Orca had hidden her inner energy to mask her realm in Lutran.
But he didn't ask. To Orca, Yuri was an intriguing subject and a stimulant for Elena's zeal and madness—not an interrogation target.
“Don't die.”
Orca smiled, layering meanings. Soon, the light in her eyes sank deep.
“Ugh... Uuugh...”
Reisi soon awoke. Clutching her throbbing head, she groaned long.
“Ah... Ah, damn...! I'm ripping out that terminal for sure...!”
Panting, Reisi spotted the notebook in Yuri's hands and blinked several times. Sensations not her own clung to her brain. Recalling them nauseated her. That discomfort was why she shunned knowing Orca's unique spell incantations.
“Four Gates Thunder Seal?”
Reisi mumbled. Then she let out a short exclamation and nodded.
“So that's what you got from Lady Orca? Nice pick. Great synergy with martial arts too—Urk...”
Mid-sentence, she clamped her mouth. The aftereffects of yesterday's transmission lingered, and forcing another had its price. Seeing her shoulders tremble, Yuri forced himself up despite his pain.
“Are you okay?”
“Okay... Uuuurk...”
She wasn't. Her empty stomach churned with vomit. Reisi hastily wheeled toward the bathroom but couldn't hold out.
“Urghhh...”
Yuri shuffled over, dragging his feet, and patted her back. Reisi couldn't speak, just heaved as he patted.
“...”
Then the door opened, and Ha-ryeong and Estor entered. Stunned by the mess, they sprang to action. Estor went to the hall to call servants; Ha-ryeong took over patting Reisi's back from Yuri.
“Kuuh...”
Having emptied her guts, Reisi slumped limply in her wheelchair and left with the servants.
Yuri moved to another room.
*
Four Gates Thunder Seal.
As Yuri thought, it had ample potential for fusion with martial arts. Spreading thunder qi through spatial mana to strike first was impossible with his current soul force, but the preceding sensory enhancement could be attempted bit by bit.
That was because he'd mastered Self-Rotation Thunder Nerve Technique. His dantian's inner energy could become thunder qi anytime. Combining Four Gates Thunder Seal's incantation with thunder qi manipulation—
‘Spreading thunder qi through spatial mana... Like spinning a spiderweb.’
A thunder qi web centered on himself. Through it, he could sense minute spatial movements—no, beyond that, presences, gazes, intents.
Reciting the Four Gates Thunder Seal incantation repeatedly, Yuri closed his eyes and tried immediately. Zzt. Inner energy spread from his dantian as thunder qi through his meridians. His body wasn't fully recovered to move it freely, but curiosity outweighed the pain.
Sensations rooted in every hair follicle. Minute air flows, even unseen dust motes felt. Not enough. Four Gates Thunder Seal should sense mana flows, not dust.
Attacks threatening Yuri all stemmed from mana, inner energy, qi. Cloudy Heaven Cloud Flow Fist governed flows; the Fist King's technique he wanted to add severed them.
‘It’s possible.’
Mastering Four Gates Thunder Seal would let him read foes pre-movement. Yuri took it slow, gradually extending thunder qi beyond his body.
‘Spiderweb...’
Sensation of spreading thousands, tens of thousands of invisible threads from his body. Connect without snapping, weaving densely, expanding. Zzt, zzt, zzt... The more threads, the chillier his body, the more his head throbbed. Dantian scraped raw, heart area ached.
‘It forces triple dantian use.’
Deep immersion revealed insights. Mages didn't use dantians. They wielded this world's mana via soul force to manifest magic.
A martial artist's three dantians weren't wholly separate from soul force. Opening and linking all three for simultaneous control could enable high-tier magic.
‘Not easy, but...’
Repeat to comprehend. Yuri grinned, cheek twitching. Unlike Exhaustion Eternity, too advanced to attempt, Four Gates Thunder Seal applied Self-Rotation Thunder Nerve Technique studies—entry not hard.
‘Focus on Four Gates Thunder Seal to control triple dantians and expand soul force.’
Minimum caliber achieved, Exhaustion Eternity entry possible. Imagining it sent shivers of ecstasy. This precise build growth matching his vision was why he'd obsessed over that rotten game.
‘This is my limit now.’
The dense thunder qi web spanned 1 meter around him. Response time to sensed threats needed testing, but ample for close combat. Dripping cold sweat, Yuri extended a bit more, then exhaled long and retracted the qi.
“Stamina's the issue.”
With Elixir, inner energy wasn't lacking. This was focus and stamina drain. Realistically, natural combat in this state was beyond him yet.
“Lady Yuri?”
Ha-ryeong's voice came from outside, catching his mutter.
“Time's approaching. May I enter?”
Yuri turned to the clock. Indeed, 30 minutes short of the appointed time.
“Yes.”
Ha-ryeong entered, clucking her tongue and shaking her head at sweat-soaked Yuri.
“You plan to meet Mabeld Patriarch like that?”
“Didn't plan to sweat.”
“What'd you do to sweat that much?”
“Trying the spell from Lady Orca.”
“Looks like you like it.”
“Yes.”
Yuri grinned. Ha-ryeong nodded with a stoic face.
“As it should be. What you got includes what I should’ve claimed.”
“Pardon?”
He had to ask in shock.
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly that. Lady Orca offered Reisi Yuzha's life price to me too, but I refused. Told her to add it to yours.”
“Why?”
“Honestly, I did little in that fight and had nothing to ask of her.”
Ha-ryeong approached, replying flatly.
“You master martial arts and magic alike, but not me. One style's enough burden. I couldn't use any spell she'd give.”
Come to think, when offering payment, Orca had said no haggling for reasons. He'd brushed it off then; turns out it was Ha-ryeong.
“But Lady Orca didn't mention you?”
“I asked her not to.”
“Then why tell me now?”
“Gotta say it direct for your gratitude, right? You're welcome, Lady Yuri.”
“Th-thank you.”
Yuri bowed awkwardly. Even without Ha-ryeong's share, could he have gotten Four Gates Thunder Seal? Fleeting doubt, but irrelevant.
“You won't refuse Mabeld Patriarch's payment too, right?”
“Are you mad?”
Ha-ryeong replied sternly.
“I skipped Lady Orca's because nothing worth taking, but Mabeld's different. I've already picked what I want.”
“What?”
“Peak-or-higher inner art heart method.”
Elixir solved his inner energy, but Ha-ryeong's martial limits lingered unresolved. She still trained half-baked arts.
“Mabeld Family amassed wealth rivaling Ascard. Not martial, but their vaults hold rare arts, backed by mighty knights and guests.”
Ha-ryeong sought arts granted to vassals for loyalty. Bearing the family name, even lowest were peak-grade. She'd pick a fitting heart method.
“What about you, Lady Yuri?”
“Not decided.”
“With your possessions, little needed. Lucky you.”
“It is.”
“Wanna swap.”
Her mutter was whisper-soft, but Four Gates Thunder Seal-sharpened senses heard it crystal clear, like spoken aloud.
“Wash up before Patriarch. You stink of sweat.”
“Really?”
“Sweat that much and expect no smell?”
Stifled by her serious rebuke, Yuri meekly got off the bed.
‘Mabeld... Mabeld, huh...’
No clue what to claim.
‘Gonna burst?’
Four Gates Thunder Seal filled him; now Mabeld's reward too. Plus more pending: Haber Tower, Earth Church. If Agwi's lost item—or maybe Gabriel's—bracelet too—
“I'm becoming a 3 billion woman today at minimum.”
Ha-ryeong's voice trailed Yuri toward the room's bathroom.