Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 020
Chapter Title: Black Egg
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Mana Absorption amount has explosively increased. Mana Absorption amount has reached 95. "Hmm..."
After absorbing the Nebula Sword, the absorption amount had reached 50 again.
So he figured he might get his reward right away.
But he was just 5 short.
Staring at the system message in disappointment, that's when it happened.
"...Wait, what?"
Suddenly, new messages popped up one after another.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Corruption energy detected from the 'Ironclad Shield'. Absorbing the Corruption energy. Mana Absorption amount has reached 100. Mana Absorption amount has been reset to 0. "Corruption energy?"
He recalled the Adamantium Turtle, its body pitch-black except for its head.
That black energy was no ordinary thing, after all.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Would you like to defer receiving the reward? Selecting Accept will increase the grade upgrade probability for the next reward. For a moment, Han Jeong-woo hesitated.
'I deferred last time, so maybe I should take it this time.'
From experience, he knew hoarding wasn't always the best strategy.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Reward selected. Acquired 'Black Egg' as random reward. As the message faded, a rugby ball-sized egg materialized in midair.
Its surface was smooth and utterly black.
Han Jeong-woo carefully caught the falling egg with both hands.
"Black Egg... What am I supposed to do with this?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The creature inside the egg grows by absorbing its master's mana. Right then, he felt his mana slowly draining from the palm cradling the egg.
"So I'm the master, huh."
It was so absurd he almost laughed. But Han Jeong-woo quickly accepted it.
This was a 200-point reward earned by deferring and even absorbing Corruption power.
The Tower wouldn't give something this bizarre without reason.
He couldn't just smash it because he didn't like it.
"Fine, whatever. Eat up and hatch soon."
Han Jeong-woo gazed at the Black Egg like a father doting on his child.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day, moving day dawned.
"Lucky there's hardly any stuff to move from the studio."
Choi Jin-il, who arrived early to help with the move, looked around the now-empty studio and said.
"We've filled your new place with top-grade furniture. If you need anything else, just let us know anytime."
"Thanks."
"But..."
Choi Jin-il trailed off as he scanned every corner, then made a puzzled face.
"Um... Jeong-woo, where's that American national treasure sword, the 'Nebula Sword,' we gave you yesterday? It couldn't just disappear in this tiny studio..."
Cold sweat trickled down his back. Han Jeong-woo had already smashed a 3-billion-won ring right in front of him.
"Oh, that sword? It's fine, don't worry."
Choi Jin-il's heart sank at Han Jeong-woo's nonchalant reply.
'No way... a 100-billion-won sword?'
He shook off the anxiety.
The sword was Han Jeong-woo's property anyway.
Whether he smashed or tossed a 100-billion-won sword, it was his call. Not for a mere employee like him to meddle in.
He shifted topics, eyes fixed on the black object Han Jeong-woo cradled carefully.
"Anyway... what's that you've been holding? Too black and big for an egg."
As Choi Jin-il reached out curiously toward the smooth surface—
Pzzzt!
"Gah!"
Black sparks erupted from the egg's surface.
Choi Jin-il yanked his hand back with a stifled yelp, but Han Jeong-woo, holding the egg, looked unfazed.
"...This is no ordinary thing."
Choi Jin-il muttered, rubbing his tingling hand.
"Where'd you get this one?"
"From the Tower."
He couldn't quite believe Han Jeong-woo's answer.
From Gate Creation Tickets to picky eggs.
Hundreds, thousands climbed the Tower—why did this guy alone keep pulling these absurd items?
But Choi Jin-il brushed off the thought again.
Trying to understand a Mutant was overstepping.
Soon after, the car carrying them arrived at a quiet villa in the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.
"Whoa... this is my house now?"
The mansion's grand gate, straight out of a movie, welcomed him.
"Please, come in. It's your home now, Jeong-woo."
The gate opened, and Han Jeong-woo stepped inside cautiously.
"...!"
He froze in shock upon entering.
Before him stretched a lawn as vast as a soccer field, sprinklers spraying water here and there.
"Don't worry about the lawn. The staff here will handle it all."
"There's... staff?"
"Of course. How else would you manage this place alone?"
With a casual expression, Choi Jin-il strode to the entrance. Han Jeong-woo, still dazed, followed while gawking around.
Inside, a shoe closet as big as his old studio greeted him, followed by a hallway. Deeper in loomed a living room vast beyond comparison.
The floor gleamed with dazzling marble, one wall all glass overlooking the garden.
"TV's the latest 100-inch. Sofa over here, as you see."
Choi Jin-il's explanations washed over Han Jeong-woo like tales from another world.
"This is the kitchen. Induction, oven, dishwasher—all high-end. Upstairs: bedrooms, study, and a gym."
Drawn like a moth, Han Jeong-woo climbed to the second floor and opened the largest room's door.
A king-size bed, top-of-the-line, sat in a room far bigger than his studio.
"Haha..."
Just a month ago, he'd been thrilled over a crumbling villa lease, feeling like he'd conquered the world.
He gently placed the cradled Black Egg in the bed's center.
'This... is my home...'
The vast space holding just him and the egg felt unreal.
"Like it?"
Choi Jin-il asked carefully.
"Of course! Honestly, it still feels like a dream."
Han Jeong-woo's round eyes, like full moons, showed he meant it.
"Glad you like it. We could've finished the interior faster, but... your requests took some time."
Han Jeong-woo's request was simple: reinforce the floors for heavy loads.
Of course, Choi Jin-il hadn't pried why. Granting a Mutant's whims without question was his job.
"Sorry for the hassle. Thanks."
"No, it's fine. Sorry we couldn't finish sooner."
"Sorry? Nothing to be sorry for. I'm on top of the world right now."
Relieved by Han Jeong-woo's bright smile, Choi Jin-il gave a few notices and headed to the entrance.
"Staff quarters are out back. One lives on-site for the garden; cleaning on request at set times. Paths separated for privacy, so no worries. Anyway, paperwork calls—I'll head out."
With that, he left.
Silence settled over the mansion.
Alone in the huge room, Han Jeong-woo flopped onto the bed.
Closing his eyes brought thoughts of his mom.
"Why'd you have to go so soon? Look how successful I am now."
He roughly wiped away trickling tears with his sleeve, then sprang up, hugging the Black Egg from the bed's center to shake off the sentiment.
The unfamiliar drain of mana through his palm oddly comforted him.
"Gotta invite Big Brother Jong-su over for a housewarming soon."
Big Brother Jong-su would be as thrilled as his late mother.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...Whoa, this is Big Brother's house?"
Park Jin-ho, visiting for training, gaped at the mansion, mouth agape.
"C-can I live here too? Looks like ten spare rooms... and you need cleaning help!"
"There's separate cleaning staff."
"Ugh, really?"
Park Jin-ho deflated briefly, then found another excuse.
"Th-then utilities! A place this big, electric bill alone must be insane... We split it if I move in!"
"Government covers it all."
"Oh."
He'd forgotten for a moment.
This man wasn't just any Awakener—he was Korea's future, a Mutant.
"Big Brother! Let me live here? I'll be good!"
"We'll see how you do."
Han Jeong-woo chuckled.
Spare rooms galore, so one for Park Jin-ho was no big deal.
Having him handle chores like cleaning and laundry would even help hide his identity.
Still, teasing him was fun.
"By the way, know what 'Corruption' is?"
"Corruption?"
A rare question from Han Jeong-woo.
Eager to help, Park Jin-ho pondered.
"20th floor, Corrupted Pixie—that Corruption?"
"Yeah, that."
"Not really sure? Why the sudden interest...?"
Park Jin-ho saw 'Corrupted' as just a monster prefix, so he didn't know much.
"Isn't it just part of the name? Corrupted this-or-that... Oh yeah, 50th floor has monsters with 'Corrupted' too."
"50th? Right, I think I saw that online."
"Feels like it means something special... but I dunno. Just that monsters get ridiculously strong with 'Corruption' slapped on?"
'Yeah, that's the normal take.'
Han Jeong-woo nodded slowly and walked to the living room wall's display shelf.
The Black Egg sat there like decor, set down earlier due to its endless mana drain.
He picked it up again.
"Huh, Big Brother? Not just decor?"
"Nah, my companion egg."
"...Pardon?"
Park Jin-ho blankly stared at the unprecedented term 'companion egg'.
"Anyway, I'm heading to the Tower. Train in the gym."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Target's gravity increased by 8x. "Gah... S-suddenly?!"
Leaving Park Jin-ho writhing on the floor, Han Jeong-woo headed to the Tower.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Entering Korea Tower 31st floor. The 31st floor was a blindingly sunlit beach.
Han Jeong-woo scanned his surroundings warily upon entry.
Worried about another trap like the 26th or Corrupted monsters.
Fortunately, nothing happened.
📜 NEW QUEST 📜 Slay 5 fish with legs.
With the message, five actual legged fish waddled out from the shallows.
"Mackerel... hairtail... pufferfish too?"
Familiar fish, human-sized and bipedal—utterly grotesque.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Withdrawing 'Adamantium Dagger' from inventory. Their tough scales and spines shrugged off normal attacks, but they were no match for him.
Crushed by 50x gravity into the sand, the Adamantium Dagger pierced them effortlessly.
Their corpses turned to mana orbs, sucked into him instantly.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Mana Absorption has slightly increased. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 31st floor cleared! 31st floor clear rank: SSS! Acquired 500g of mana stones as reward. Thus, Han Jeong-woo blitzed through to the 34th floor.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Entering Korea Tower 35th floor. 📜 NEW QUEST 📜 Slay the Corrupted Sand Shark.
"...Corrupted?"
Han Jeong-woo's eyes flashed.
First, he tested exit—the message appeared normally, easing him.
Hiss, hiss!
A black-skinned, legged shark burst through waves. Spotting him, it gaped wide, sawtooth teeth glinting in the sun.
"...Huh?"
Because of the Corrupted Sand Shark? In that instant, the Black Egg in one arm throbbed.
"No way... you want to eat that?"
The egg didn't speak, but the feeling transmitted clearly.
'This must be the bond between master and companion egg.'
As if answering, the egg pulsed stronger.
"Got it. Feeding you now."
He wondered if Corruption was safe fodder, but since it was born from it...
For quick kill, he unleashed skills on the shark.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Target's gravity increased by 50x. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Using skill: Gravitational Pull. Target's Gravitational Pull increased by 50x. A black mark etched on the immobilized shark's head in the sand.
His flung dagger bullet-pierced its skull.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 35th floor cleared! 35th floor clear rank: SSS! Acquired 600g of mana stones as reward. Acquired new skill 'Gravity Distortion' as 35th floor reward. "New skill...!"
As Han Jeong-woo rejoiced over 'Gravity Distortion'—
The Black Egg in his arms began to glow.
It sucked up every wisp of black energy from the shark's corpse.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The '???' that consumed Corruption energy is happy with a full belly.