Chapter 333: Unique Ability
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 333: Unique Ability
I may have gained a new unique ability slot, but I never thought I'd awaken an ability this quickly. After all, my first ability awakened under rather dramatic circumstances.
It was surprising, but the first thing to do was check what kind of ability I'd gotten. To be honest, I had a rough idea of what it might be, inspired by what I saw in Agar, but my heart still fluttered with anticipation as I checked my status.
[ Weapon Integration ]
[ Accept a specific weapon into your body and integrate with it. Only one weapon can be integrated at a time. ]
‘Just as I thought...’
It seemed that being so impressed by his ability to accept nature and strengthen his body had helped me in this way.
But it's impossible for me to accept nature like Agar did. No, that option probably never existed for me in the first place. Unlike him, I have no interest in things like nature or harmony. I can't know how effective this ability will be right away, but it's not called a 'unique ability' for nothing.
The more I use it, the higher its proficiency will climb, and it will become more efficient, just like my old Weapon Switch ability.
Come to think of it, I have a great many weapons now. Levatain, Dainsleif, Mistilteinn, the Great Tribe Leader's Hammer, the Greatsword Too Large to be a Sword, Isaac's Staff, and Isaac's Throwing Dagger... It was only natural that the moment I integrated, my physical specs would increase along with the specs of the weapon's own unique abilities. If I use it according to the situation, depending on the magnitude of the stat increase, I could become something beyond the standard.
This applied not only to the weapons I currently possessed but to any I might integrate with in the future.
I knew what it felt like to integrate. No, it would be more accurate to say I now knew.
I immediately looked at Levatain and activated the unique ability.
[ Activating Unique Ability: Weapon Integration. ]
[ Target - Levatain ]
A massive flame erupted from Levatain in an instant.
The bursting fire immediately began to envelop my entire body.
‘It's hot.’
So hot. It felt like my whole body was burning away, and for a moment, I wondered if this was some dangerous ability, but that couldn't be right. An unknown magical energy was continuously flowing into me. It felt like my body was on fire. In fact, my body was glowing red, as if it had been heated in a forge.
“Heh...”
Feeling a heat on my back, I glanced behind me to see my back completely wreathed in flames. I felt like a demon of fire.
“Haaa....”
When I let out a breath, I heard a beautiful voice for the first time.
- We finally meet, playboy.
“What the...”
- I'll at least praise you for choosing me before that crazy bitch or the timid one. Hehe.
‘Levatain?’
- That's right, darling. Can't talk for long yet, can we?
She was right. The rate at which my magic was draining was enormous. Thanks to Mistilteinn, my magic was recovering automatically, but that was it. I certainly didn't have a small amount of magic, but considering my total reserves, this rate of consumption meant I wouldn't last even an hour.
I looked toward the place where Agar and Sand Glave had been. I felt like I had received a decent gift. When I stretched out my hand, a giant hand of fire began to rise from the ground. I felt like a god. I glanced to the side and saw a large boulder. I had no talent for sculpting, but I formed the images of Agar and Sand Glave in my mind.
Flames with cutting power flew at my command and began to carve the rocks. No, it was a mass of rock so large it was more fitting to call it a mountain. Controlling it was quite difficult, but it wasn't a bad feeling. The melting boulder gradually began to take shape. Perhaps because of the erupting flames, my body began to float into the air. Just as I felt the immense power becoming too difficult to control, I withdrew the fire.
Before my eyes stood a giant stone statue of two Orcs, their sword and hammer crossed. It looked like it would need some work after the war, but it was sufficiently majestic.
[ Here lie two men who respected each other their entire lives. ]
No other words came to mind.
- You can become even stronger, darling.
‘Thanks.’
- You'll call for me next time, right?
At her voice, I gave a silent nod and immediately deactivated the unique ability. Consuming any more magic felt like a waste. I immediately started running toward the North and sent a communication to Jang Ye Ri. I was worried about the overall situation.
[ Jang Ye Ri. ]
[ You've contacted me at just the right time, my mate. ]
[ The East... ]
[ The old king was revived. There was no need to worry. I have become much stronger than before... I was busy finishing the conversation we couldn't have back then. It was a pleasant time. ]
Jang Ye Ri's voice sounded rather bittersweet. I had a good idea why. It wasn't because of the old king or her brother.
It was most likely because of her mother.
[ Your mother... ]
[ I also spoke at length with my mother, my mate... ]
[ Mmm... ]
[ We didn't speak for very long. All she did was tell me she was grateful. Though I was the one who should have been grateful. I didn't show her Ratga. We just spoke quietly, and I sent her off quietly. ]
[ What did she say? ]
[ Isn't it obvious? Anai Tottka. ]
Live on.
I smiled faintly at Jang Ye Ri's words. Those were the words that sustained her. I thought they were wonderful words, no matter how many times I heard them. Seeing my silence, Jang Ye Ri spoke again.
[ In any case, you must have called because you're curious about the situation. ]
[ That's not it. ]
That was the correct answer, but I had to deny it for now.
[ Hahaha. You don't have to deny it. Well... I have some news, so I'll tell you. I heard the Minotaur of the Plains is playing a major role on the Eastern Front. He's holding the line against a large number of troops. The tribe members who remained in the Brother's Land and Park Han Cheol of the East are fighting back against the dead. The reports keep coming in. I hear the situation isn't bad. ]
The Minotaur of the Plains, Earth Wave, is one of the old heroes who established the Land of Glory alongside Agar, Storm Shadow, Silver Fang, and Sand Glave. I had expected him to do well, but it seemed he was performing beyond my imagination. Even if a truly massive number of undead had risen on the Eastern Front, he probably wouldn't be broken.
For Earth Wave, who values harmony, the undead are an intolerable enemy. He was likely feeling more rage than anyone.
[ What about the children? ]
[ The children are all with me. I would like to fight as well, but protecting our family comes first. ]
A second wave probably wouldn't come. But Jang Ye Ri was preparing for the worst-case scenario. She had judged that the safest course of action was to stay with the children herself, just in case another attack came.
[ Thank you. ]
[ I'd like you to repay this gratitude with a second child. ]
[ Hahahat. ]
[ In the West, I heard Choi Younghoon, who once led the Holy Knights, was resurrected. The Green Goblin was no match for him, but Choi Seulgi, who joined up with Choi Eunju, took care of him. While the remaining humans in the West are being moved to the North, the Green Goblin Clan is waging a constant guerrilla war against the undead pouring toward the Eastern Front. I heard they're fighting alongside the nearby rogues and assassins. He seems stronger than I thought. The Green Goblin, I mean. ]
[ That's right. He is a Green Skin who is like a master to me. ]
The Green Goblin who taught me for three years. Of course, I have surpassed him now, but he must have grown stronger as well. From his perspective, he was working for free, so he probably hated it, but his skills were the real deal. Especially now, whittling down enemy forces with guerrilla warfare was the specialty of the assassination-focused Green Goblin Clan. Since they were working with rogues and assassins, they were likely an extremely annoying opponent for the enemy. I was grateful that he was making such a contribution, even though his unique ability might not work on them.
[ Right. I heard he was like a master to you. What is the situation in the South? ]
[ The Great Tribe Leader has closed his eyes again. He has closed his eyes forever, along with Sand Glave. ]
[ Mmm... ]
[ Storm Shadow was seriously injured, but that's all. The warriors in the Land of Glory will rise again and are preparing for another great battle. I've confirmed they're trying to send reinforcements to the large and small settlements in the South. ]
[ So they're holding up well. ]
[ It must be because we have grown that much stronger. During the time the old warriors were sleeping... ]
[ I see. We have grown stronger than before. ]
Jang Ye Ri, having faced the old king once more, probably understood that difference better than anyone.
The dead do not grow. While they slept, the continent went through many things. We fought countless battles. Humans and Green Skins became one, supporting each other, and the weak grew stronger than before. They gained experience from those who had taught them and given them so much. For as many times as we fell, we built ourselves up just as high.
It might sound out of place, but this is a succession, an inheritance.
Those who supported the continent in the past are gone. Now, we are the ones supporting this continent. And we are fighting for those who will support it after us.
There's no way we can lose a fight like this.
I sent another message to Jang Ye Ri.
[ What about Choi Eunju? ]
[ She is with me, but... she's at her limit... No... she says she will go herself. ]
Of course she'd reached her limit. She had been using teleportation magic on a huge number of people for almost the entire day. I bit my lip for a moment but gave a slight nod. I didn't know what was happening in the North, so I had to be the one to help. At the same time, I began to feel a familiar magic. As soon as I gave her the exact coordinates, she teleported straight to me.
Choi Eunju, with her long hair, appeared before my eyes.
“I'm... glad you're safe. Shall we... head to the North? Honey?”
I could see she was suffering from magic exhaustion. No, more than that, her appearance alone showed how much she was overexerting herself. Her face was pale, and her hair had turned pure white from using too much magic.
“Your hair...”
“Ah... it will probably go back to normal. It might take some time, though... Is it unsightly?”
“No...”
“Ah... that's a relief. Hehe... This will probably be the last time. I'm sorr...y I can't be of more help.”
“Thank you.”
“No. This is for us. It's for the children we'll have in the future. And it's for... you... Haa...”
She looked precarious as she swayed slightly. But I had no choice but to nod.
“Are you sure you're okay?”
“Yes... for one more time.”
I nodded, and Choi Eunju looked back at me. The spell was being chanted haltingly, and I took her hand. Perhaps due to the influence of Mistilteinn, I felt her breathing begin to even out slightly.
“Don't feel too sorry, honey.”
“............”
“Everyone is fighting.”
And just like that, my vision shifted in an instant. A giant wall of ice appeared before me, and I could hear all sorts of shouts. The moment she teleported us to the North, Choi Eunju collapsed. I bit my lip as I lifted the white-haired woman into my arms.
“Don't get pushed back!”
“Fuck... there's no end to them.”
“Priest! Priest!”
“Kieeeeeeeek!”
“Reserves! Support! We need support!”
I couldn't see any standout individuals yet, but everyone was probably at their physical limit. The undead were continuously climbing the walls, and so were the others. The bodies of fallen comrades were immediately burned by nearby mages or priests. The dead could not even leave a corpse behind.
I still couldn't sense any immense magical power. However, there were a few conspicuous Named Monsters. One was fighting Goff atop the wall, its body incredibly massive. There was a corpse with a long, serpentine body, and a Death Knight with blue light radiating from its eyes. No area was being noticeably overwhelmed. It seemed they were continuously sending in cannon fodder to wear down our stamina, and were now starting to mix in other troops.
Information on the creatures I saw with my Piercing Eye kept flooding in. None of them seemed to be the brains of the operation. They were all physical enhancement types. I spotted some humans who had become ghouls, but they were nothing more than expendable pawns.
My eyes followed the Blood Dagger Clan, and I could see them reinforcing the areas that were clearly being pushed back.
“For Blood Dagger!”
“For victory! Only for victory!”
It seemed they hadn't noticed my arrival. It wasn't a dramatic entrance, but I felt I had appeared at a rather opportune moment.
Taking everything in, I slowly activated my second unique ability.
[ Activating Unique Ability: Weapon Integration. ]
[ Target - Mistilteinn ]
Roots of the World Tree began to coil around me from the spear I held. A vast amount of magic began to flow in.
Just like with Levatain, there was pain. To be precise, it was even more painful than with Levatain.
Grrrrrind.
‘Fuck...’
I could hear the sound of my teeth grinding. It seemed this was a form of adjustment that happened when my sync with the weapon was off. I figured it was because Mistilteinn was not yet as close to me as Levatain was.
The integration effect of Mistilteinn, which restored the user's magic and stamina, was just as I had expected. As I raised the corners of my mouth into a smile, a voice suddenly reached me.
- I-It's because you don't use me often. O-Of course I don't want to be like this either... sob... A-And it hurts my feelings to hear you say that to my face.
‘Sorry.’
- O-Once is my limit.
‘Thanks.’
- D-Did it hurt?
I didn't answer her last question, merely nodding. My transformed appearance was reflected in my vision. I looked as if I had become Jung Hayeon. If before I was fire, now I felt like I had become a plant. My tail felt like the stem of a giant plant. My hands and feet were the same. A faint green light swirled continuously around me.
Seeing this, I smiled and raised my hand.
At the same time, the unknown magic of Mistilteinn began to spread out in all directions.