Chapter 204
Chapter 204
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 203
Chapter Title: Unreasonable
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It's unreasonable.
Those who train in Vitality Arts are synonymous with tenacious life force, and once they perfect the Extreme Will Body and reach Transcendence, they become practically immortal. Yet such a being dies helplessly to a single attack?
No, if there's a pattern like that, why even have a tank? Dealers and tanks both die in one hit—what kind of fairness is that? Does this make any sense!?
It... makes sense.
Yeah. In fact, it does.
That's the instant-death pattern...
I slowly calm my excitement. Right. Thinking about it, even the Chromatic Dragon F·D, renowned as a powerhouse of the universe, once died absurdly to an instant-death spell.
"For now, whew..."
As exhaustion floods in and I take a deep breath, Flower lays me down in her arms.
"I'll handle the duties on my end. Can you eat something?"
Her words make me grimace for a moment. Maybe because of the stress increase from the Forerunner's Mask, I've lost my appetite. Still, for recovery's sake, I should eat.
"Bring it."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After finishing the meal Flower brings, I fall straight asleep.
Like that, one day, two days, three days, four days pass.
I end up taking an extended break. The resurrection aftereffects are more severe than expected. While my body has recovered to some extent, my mind and soul have taken an enormous hit.
I lie in bed for a full week, then afterward, I go sightseeing here and there with Flower. I need to clear the lingering [Stress] gauge on my mind.
"Your Majesty! They say the newly developed stick bread is amazing! How about eating some while watching a show?"
"Sure, why not. Bring some over?"
"Yes!"
I mutter to myself, struck by how happily Intelligence runs off.
"He's taking to it more than I thought."
Flower smiles at my words.
"It's his first trip with Your Majesty. If it's not too much trouble... I hope we can have more times like this."
"..."
It's a rare personal request from Flower, so I think it over.
Come to think of it, I'm not even a good father in jest. I hardly spend personal time with my son Intelligence or show him much attention.
In a way, it's ridiculous.
Only after my body and heart ache do I start spending time with family.
"...Yeah. Having time like this now and then wouldn't hurt."
"Ah."
"Hm?"
I turn at the soft sound, and Flower beams like a flower in full bloom.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After that, I take Flower and Intelligence out every day.
"It's a musical based on a work by Sister Rozarian. It's popular across the entire empire right now!"
We catch all sorts of musicals and concerts.
"Wow. So this is what the real sea looks like."
We fly through the skies on Kasim or visit distant oceans.
"There are so many unique enchanted weapons!"
We sneak into night markets in disguise.
After another week like that, I've shaken off the resurrection damage enough.
'Over half a month of rest.'
Of course, it's not like I just played around; once I had some leeway, I organized my martial arts.
Rumble...
When I sink into meditation, an image of a vast ocean forms.
An impression etched into my mind, distinct from my inner world.
'I'm using it well enough... but I still don't fully get it.'
If I'd opened the Heavenly Gate with [Internal Energy] chakra, the effect would have been more straightforward. I could've wielded near-infinite internal energy literally.
A completed microcosm at the Heavenly Gate holds that much power, and there are actual cases. Martial arts and chakra mesh relatively well.
But martial arts as a whole... shoving an entire category of abilities as an element? Cases are rare, and even rarer for reaching Transcendence that way.
No joke, it might be unique in the universe, so I have to blaze my own trail.
'Can't become the Great Vessel Late Bloom Grandmaster, huh.'
With the cheat-like organ [Great Vessel], I've become a chakra master who forged a [Microcosm] of martial arts. The arts I use are too unique and personal to teach anyone else.
At best, I'll just codify martial arts for my own use.
Gurgle.
In the vast Great Vessel like an ocean, fish swim about.
Among them, I spot a school of anchovies swarming in a group.
'This is... Swift Array Technique.'
One or two are small and insignificant, but in a massive school, they overwhelm everything.
The pinnacle of modern heretical arts.
The latest martial art that lets you reach second-rate warrior level easily, even without deep understanding.
Splash!
A bluefin tuna slices through the current. It's the Momentary Strike I once favored.
Rumble...
A massive sea turtle drifts slowly along the flow.
Divine Art Philosophy, Ease of Tendon Washing Marrow Scripture.
'Marvelous.'
No human in the world has a dantian like this. It can't be explained by the Great Vessel alone.
'The Great Vessel fully fused with chakra.'
Proof: swimming through the water aren't just martial arts.
In the ocean's center stands a rocky island like a pillar—element, body.
Choppy waves from knife winds battering the internal energy sea—element, single strike.
Flying fish soaring like seagulls—element, acceleration.
That's not all.
Crack!
A woman in human form walks the sea floor. It's the special boss from the Idolization Point, the Ice Queen.
'Thought it'd be a fish... but it kept its special boss form. Makes sense—no need to remake ones with clear images.'
My eight attributes from conquered lodestar points also roam the depths. Though it looks like an ocean, it's all internal energy imagery, so they stay without issue.
"Whew."
By the time I stabilize the imagery, the resurrection aftereffects fade. Truth be told, I could've fought without issue a week ago, but I rested extra for safety.
I eat a hearty meal, get a healing shower from the imperial priests, and return to my office.
And then.
"Log out."
Back to Rune Planet.
[No way, damn it! Does this make sense? You show up all flashy and then die pathetically like that?]
Powerforce's lament echoes from afar.
'Good, resurrection was instant.'
Subjective time felt long, so I worried, but seems fine.
-Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!
Up in the sky, the near-dead Deep Eye sprays amethyst light everywhere.
'Time to end it.'
I kick off the ground, the fixed dimension, and soar.
Powerforce screams.
[He's alive!?]
[No, he definitely died! I saw it!]
Ignore him—I charge the Deep Eye.
The purple light covering everywhere is unavoidable, but no matter.
I have the item I just got.
Ding-!
The Space-Time Hourglass activates, freezing space-time. In stopped time, I watch the purple energy fade before reaching me.
With conditional invincibility, I surpass the instant-death.
"Die."
And the moment I reach the Deep Eye.
-YOU DIE.
* * *
I stare blankly at the hanged man...
At my weeping mother.
The rest is worthless to describe.
[The Forerunner's Mask has been destroyed.]
"Log... in."
Back to Ardania.
After sleeping solidly for two straight days, I yell in frustration.
"Story-wise! Huh? Isn't the Space-Time Hourglass supposed to work here? No, how does it ignore that and hit me?"
In game progression, item acquisition structure. In a novel, it'd be foreshadowing—a natural flow. And dying after using the Space-Time Hourglass from there!
Does this make sense!?
It... makes sense.
Yeah. Killing the Demon Sword King for the Space-Time Hourglass had nothing to do with the Deep Eye.
An independent variable, so to speak.
Assuming it'd work just because I got it right before is naive.
'Combat intuition didn't help either.'
I can see the future, but only the immediate instant, split-second moments.
I see the attack hit me, but not if I live or die. It doesn't split my head on impact, so even more so.
Anyway, end result: I lie bedridden another week.
"Your Majesty! Sister Harmony is doing a 10th anniversary concert! You're going, right?"
Another week traveling with family.
"Intro to Administration is a great guide, but it doesn't fit Humanity Empire's reality in many ways."
Sharing meals, long talks.
Born with the cheat organ Great Vessel, Intelligence prefers administration and politics over combat.
He loves listening to music, favors flour breads and sweet desserts over muscle-building meat.
"...so player classes and collection registrations should factor into taxes."
"I see... I'll consider related policies."
Thanks to that damn instant-death pattern, I get rare downtime. As a workaholic who trains even with spare time, it's unusual.
Normally I'd train, but... can't now. Training with high stress breaks the mind.
And like that, another month.
Fully recovered, I gaze down at the city from my office.
'It wasn't bad time...'
But I can't die again.
Only one Forerunner's Mask left.
"Alright. Let's go."
I lay out items on the office desk, sit in the chair.
"Log out."
Back to Rune Planet.
An incredulous voice right away.
[No, insane. You came without checking guides? Even without, against a mythic monster, you retreat if it's fishy—instead you just charge...?]
[Hey, look.]
[He's alive again.]
[Does this make sense? Immortal?]
Looking at stunned Powerforce, I think.
'Right. It's a gimmick.'
In games, gimmicks are specific elements—like monster, trap, puzzle patterns and mechanics.
These often work in ways 'pure specs can't beat.'
Not brute-forcing the monster, but learning by dying, figuring out the 'strategy.'
I dodged the Deep Eye pattern with the Space-Time Hourglass, but useless. Probably, until the gimmick triggers, the instant-death repeats.
Boom!
I kick the ground and leap.
[No, charging straight again!?]
Powerforce screams or not.
Among the purple energy firing everywhere, I dive toward red. It hits and bursts on me—a red icon appears over my head.
'Yes. The seven colors firing randomly without order is the hint. Wrong order or touching another color triggers the pattern.'
I leap into orange clump. Jump again. Midair—kicking dimensions, I blitz through yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.
-Cursed Breakthrough!
Sharp narration, instant-death ends.
Crack.
Deep Eye splits horizontally.
Clatter!
About 10 items drop. 5 Legendaries, 5 Heroics.
And there.
Hum!
Transcendent Weapon Zero Sum shines.
[Stored drop adjustment decreases.]
[Legendary 301 → 291]
"Ah, whiff."
Regretting no Mythic despite Legendaries, when—
[Hey! Who the hell are you!]
"Hm?"
At the sudden shout, puzzled, then thud—Guardian Constellation Powerforce lands beside me.
He yells.
[No way, you sweep all the items without a word?]