Chapter 308: Eyes
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 308: Eyes
“That was satisfying, but also a little frustrating!”
“Hmph…”
Choi Seulgi spoke up as we walked. My revenge might have been a little different from the revenge she wanted, but it was only a difference in method. I didn’t think one way was superior to the other, but she still seemed a bit disappointed. She had probably yielded to my wishes.
But that expression was fleeting. A moment later, as if she’d forgotten everything, Choi Seulgi spoke again.
“Anyway, you looked pretty happy earlier… What exactly did you get as a reward?”
“You’ll be surprised when you hear. I got access to the Secret Store and another Unique Ability slot opened up. And Customization, too…”
“Oh. That’s something to smile about. I got access to the Secret Store, too… but getting another Unique Ability… I’m jealous.”
It was an incredible reward. Even if I just got my old HP Increase ability, it would be a noticeable spec upgrade.
“I’ve never even heard of something like this…”
“Did I not tell you there’s someone in our clan with two Unique Abilities?”
“Really? Without the power of a Seat? Is that possible? Who is it?”
I nodded and opened my mouth.
“I don’t think I’ve introduced you to Kim Yoora, have I?”
“Kim Yoora…? Ah… ha… That girl who was riding the wolf?”
She remembered her surprisingly well. I hadn’t introduced her to every single member of the tribe, but she had clearly been paying attention.
“You remember her well.”
“Of course I do. There was something unsettling about that kid’s eyes.”
I didn’t understand what she was talking about, so I tilted my head, only to see Choi Seulgi looking at me as if she were dumbfounded.
“Be careful around that kid. She’s just a child, but she’s way too forward, and her eyes were a little strange. I might not remember the other kids, but I definitely remember her.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Forget it. This bastard… How would you know, running around spraying your pheromones everywhere. Anyway, if I tell you to be careful, then be careful, you bastard. Don’t go setting some poor, innocent kid’s heart on fire for no reason.”
That wasn’t what I meant. I knew what she was implying, but I didn’t think Kim Yoora liked me as a member of the opposite sex. What was in her eyes was not affection, but respect and admiration. Still, I figured it was best to just play along, so I gave a half-hearted nod.
“Also, I have to run a quick errand, so wait for me in the tent. It’s perfect, since you said you got Customization. Make sure you change it back to the old Kim Taesung. Your… thing down there.”
Unfortunately, I had no intention of changing my clone. I liked its current version much better. But saying that would just cause trouble, so I simply nodded again.
“Alright.”
I didn’t know what her errand was, but Choi Seulgi vanished in a flash. I had hoped we could spend the whole day together, so I was a little disappointed, but I had plenty to do myself. Like her, I needed to check the rewards I’d received.
The Item Shop or Customization. I had plenty of time, but it was better to get one of them out of the way. I mulled it over, but the decision was made in an instant. First, I needed to improve my physical specs.
[ 1. Seat of Sorrow and Despair ]
Returning to the tent, I immediately thought of number one, and the scene I had witnessed once before unfolded before my eyes. It was as if I were having an out-of-body experience, my body becoming visible from an objective viewpoint.
Converting the emotions I held into points, I had over 5 million. Considering I had about 3 million after the last tally, I now had quite a lot. A smile naturally spread across my lips. There had been a great war, but it was Ha Yuri who had gifted me this enormous amount of points.
I could add wings, or I could add demonic eyes. I couldn’t do both, but either one would grant me a huge boost in power.
I could see my large horns and long tail. My face was also quite handsome. I had already reconstructed my body once, but it wouldn’t hurt to strengthen it a bit more. I liked my appearance as it was, so there was no need to touch it. The same went for my large horns and fangs.
“Hmm…”
After my first Customization, the part I was most satisfied with was, without a doubt, my tail. It could serve various roles, and it had proven quite effective in the fight against Ha Yuri. I considered making it harder or giving it a different function, but I felt I should minimize the points I used.
A little harder. The tip a little sharper. If I swung it while imbuing it with magic, even a human who prided themselves on their skill would be blown away without a trace. I would increase its hardness so it could achieve that level of efficiency even without magic. Of course, the same applied to my body. Orc bones, Ogre muscles, Troll skin—I would upgrade them all, little by little.
Even if I obtained a new item, it would be useless if my basic physique wasn’t the foundation. Since I was only slightly raising my specs, it didn’t consume many points.
What I needed now were wings, with demonic eyes as a secondary option. Getting wings like the Sword Saint Ha Yuri certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing.
As I had experienced firsthand, they had their advantages, and the ability to shoot divine power from them like feathers was, even now, quite tricky to deal with.
But they weren’t without their limits. In reality, her wings had been a target for me. For someone like me, who could conjure countless swords of fire and blood, wings were useful but not essential. In fact, I believed it wasn’t entirely impossible for me to fly, even if only for a moment.
Honestly, the wings were tempting, but I wanted to put more power into these eyes. Wings could be used as a large shield, but I had Aegis. In the first place, the premise of blocking an attack is to perceive and identify the opponent’s attack.
Besides…
‘There were attacks I couldn’t see.’
Even with my mind focused to its absolute limit, I’d had trouble following Ha Yuri’s movements back then. The same went for the Queen of the North. It seemed like a good idea to invest in my eyes for now.
I’d have to think about what functions I could add, but if I could somehow imbue them with divine power, I would be ecstatic. The types of demonic eyes I knew of were things like petrification and charm. I could create those with my current points, but I wouldn’t do something so foolish as to spend points on that kind of eye.
However…
Even though Customization was based on imagination, it wasn’t without limits.
For example, creating eyes that could kill an opponent with a single glance was completely impossible, regardless of the points. Eyes that could change the world or a right arm that could nullify all abilities were also impossible.
That level of power was what you would call the power of a god, so it was understandable, but I couldn’t help but think the system was being a bit stingy.
So, what was the acceptable range? The answer was that it had to be a power the individual could handle. For example, a thousand times the strength of an Ogre was a power that this individual body couldn’t handle.
The reason Ha Yuri’s Customization was so spectacular was because she was specialized in divine power and her direction was sound. The halo above her head that supplied divine power, the wings that served as shields and could pour out divine power—it was correct to say she understood herself well and had chosen a good path for growth.
In that case…
‘I need to identify my own strengths.’
First is my Unique Ability, Weapon Switch. As long as a weapon is within my line of sight and doesn't have a recognized owner, I can swap it with my own.
Second is my concentration. When pushed to its limit, my concentration makes my opponent’s movements seem to slow down.
Third is my ability to utilize various weapons and my physical prowess.
“Hmm…”
I don’t know any flashy swordsmanship or martial arts secrets. Therefore, what I need are eyes that see better, eyes that see through things, eyes that see the essence. Eyes that can predict how an opponent will move. They don’t have to be perfect. With a body trained and evolved to its limit, I can react even if the prediction isn’t perfect.
To see farther. If possible, it would be great to see through an object to the target behind it. It would be the icing on the cake if I could also identify what Unique Abilities my opponent possesses. It might not sound like much, but it could be more useful than any other kind of eye.
It might not be enough to be called a demonic eye, but being able to see an opponent’s essence is definitely an extraordinary power.
Is it possible or not?
As I imagined the eyes I wanted, I felt the points draining away in an instant.
I had secretly hoped it wouldn’t cost too many points, but it seemed the continent’s system considered this power to be far greater than I thought.
I was a little disappointed, but also pleased. It was far more appealing than petrification or charm, which could be resisted with magic. I had some points left over and thought about adding divine power, but it seemed it wasn’t compatible with me. It looked possible, but it seemed to require far more points than I had imagined.
I can see farther and in greater detail. Not only that, but I can also pierce through to the opponent’s very essence.
It’s not grand enough to be called a demonic eye.
But it’s efficient, useful, and it suits me.
This was enough for this Customization. Remembering Choi Seulgi’s words, I naturally dumped all the remaining points into my clone. Of course, I didn’t change it back to the old Kim Taesung. On the contrary, a far more ferocious creation was completed.
I immediately selected the body I had created. Naturally, the same pain as last time washed over me. But it was bearable. Last time, I had changed my entire body, so the pain had been understandable. Just as I let my guard down for a moment, an excruciating agony shot through my eyes and my clone.
“Grrrk.”
I bit my lip without realizing it. My hands clutched at my eyeballs, which couldn’t be held, and just as I was writhing in pain for what felt like an eternity, the world suddenly began to look different.
“Hahahaha…”
The world looks different.
I can see the flow of mana drifting through the air, and I can see the movement of a single speck of dust in detail. When I zoomed in a little, everything came into focus with incredible detail, as if I were looking through a microscope.
It was then.
“Kim Taesung? I’m coming in.”
Choi Seulgi had returned, having finished her errand. She had arrived sooner than I expected, which made me realize her “errand” hadn’t been a big deal, but seeing her appearance, I understood why she had needed to step away for a moment.
Pink lips and a face that could be seen as pure if one chose to look at it that way. I had seen many sides of Choi Seulgi, but I don’t think I had ever seen her like this. The white one-piece dress suited her strangely well. With a simple necklace, she looked like a pure maiden.
To be honest, I thought the outfit would look better on Jung Hayeon or Choi Eunju than on Choi Seulgi.
Looking at her with my new eyes, I could see her in even greater detail. Her face was slightly flushed, and it looked like she was sweating faintly.
[ Target - Choi Seulgi ]
[ Status - Assessed to be extremely aroused, sexually frustrated, nervous ]
I hadn’t expected a system message, so I was startled. But no sooner had I flinched than Choi Seulgi’s voice reached me.
“My first time… are you ready to take it?”
In stark contrast to her appearance, her voice was incredibly seductive.
Without realizing it, I found myself nodding my head over and over.