Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Soul Collector
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[Soul Collector (Passive) (Intermediate)]
A certain amount of mana is recovered each time an enemy is killed.
Special effects attached to equipment vary in performance based on the equipment's grade, even if the effect is the same. Common-grade equipment gets Low-grade Soul Collector, while Rare-grade gets High-grade Soul Collector, and so on.
Strictly speaking, the Soul Collector on my Sword of Conviction isn't all that high-grade. It's literally just tacked on there.
However, an effect like Soul Collector makes a meaningful difference in combat even if it's just barely there.
Especially for a warrior like me with a small mana pool.
Slash!
Three goblins are cleaved apart in one strike. There's almost no resistance felt at the sword's tip. The smooth sensation, like slicing through tofu, makes me doubt whether I just cut through living flesh and bone.
Thud!
I stomp the ground. I have to brace my stance firmly. The power is so immense that when I swing the sword, my body gets dragged along by the force.
Crunch!
The bones and flesh of what was once a goblin charging straight at me scatter into the air. A thick mist of blood rises, and the oncoming goblins scream and halt in their tracks.
"One slash at a time! One slash at a time!"
"What is this? What the hell is this?"
I ignored their panic and checked my rising mana.
"Not bad efficiency."
Half of my spent mana had refilled, bringing a smile to my face. At this rate, I could afford to pump even more mana into my strikes.
Thud! Thud!
"Argh!"
"Kek!"
I turned at the sudden screams and saw the Ironclad Rhino Sting goring and trampling the goblins charging at it with its horn.
The goblins clung to Sting's flanks and legs, swinging daggers, but not a single scratch appeared on its body, covered in steel scales.
"As expected, even a mount can fight. Well, it's a living creature, so of course."
Now that I'd confirmed that, Sting's job was done. I sent it back and summoned a new pet.
[Blessed Bluebird Fu Purufuru (Rare) has been summoned!]
[Fu Purufuru uses Traveler's Blessing!]
[All stats increase by 20 points!]
[Buff duration 4:59]
Unlike the massive Sting, this pet was about the size of my palm.
The buff-type pet Fu Purufuru.
As a Rare-grade, it grants a pretty strong buff. The issue is the cooldowns in between... but it has another function to make up for it.
Poyorong!
Fu Purufuru zipped through the goblins at a speed belying its plump form and landed on a fallen Goblin Clan Seal.
Pop!
The Goblin Clan Seal instantly moved to my inventory.
That's right. Fu Purufuru is a loot-farming pet. A common ability among buff-types.
Boom!
The sword moved again, slicing four goblins horizontally or diagonally, sending them sprawling to the ground.
No critical hits.
'I cut them in half at the waist, and it's not a critical?'
A hollow laugh escaped me, but it wasn't my job to patch the game, so I'd adapt.
Creak!
I tensed my entire body. I heightened control by sensing and commanding each nerve fiber.
[Incomprehensible Body Control].
I could make my heart beat ten times per second or once per minute. I could wiggle my manhood like a finger or control my vocal cords to mimic sounds like a parrot.
Thanks to this incomprehensible ability, I could effortlessly control the monstrous strength that would overwhelm any normal human.
"Surround him at once! Just knock him down!"
"Monster human! But there's only one! Only one—"
Screech!
[Critical Hit!][Critical Hit!][Critical Hit!][Critical Hit!][Critical Hit!][Critical Hit!]
Six heads soared into the air. Not a straight line like before, but a serpentine path that curved smoothly to sever necks.
And the result.
[Expert's Unity] x6.
An icon appeared in my buff window.
Thud!
I kicked off the ground the moment I confirmed it, charging toward the goblins that had stopped attacking.
Slash!
Heads hit the dirt, blood geysering up. Each swing whipped up a fierce sword wind, flinging nearby stones and leaves into the air.
I accelerated.
I plunged straight into the heart of hundreds, thousands of goblins. Confirming my buffs were maxed, I swung with full power.
Zzaaaack!
The air tore with a deafening roar as every goblin in the sword's range exploded into pieces.
That wasn't all.
The blood and flesh from the shattered goblins sprayed in a fan shape, toppling dozens more.
"Whoa."
I groaned amid a sea of blood and chunks.
"Is this the sound of swinging a sword?"
"It hurts! My ears! I can't hear!"
"My chest... a bone flew into my chest! It hurts! It hurts so much!"
This was nothing like the swordsmanship demos from sword masters on TV or MyTube. Their sword qi had no mass and extreme sharpness. Even huge swings only made a "ping."
My case was entirely different.
Swinging at full power tore the air and boomed like thunder. It was the result of pure physical force.
The flashy noise typical of body cultivators, not qi practitioners.
'Well, not bad. It's rough.'
I caught my breath, thinking that.
"Hoo... hoo... hoo... huff huff."
My breathing was ragged, on the verge of collapse. With trembling hands, I pulled out a healing potion and drank.
The only "injury" was bruised fingertips from gripping the sword, so it was basically just to quench my thirst.
Healing potions were cheap at the shop and light enough to carry 200-300, so I often drank them instead of water.
"Haa... haa... whew. Everything's great, but my stamina is a total premature ejaculator."
I'd dumped all level-up bonuses and gear stats into strength and vitality, so a few swings drained it completely. Extreme physical prowess impossible from normal training.
The flaw showed immediately.
"Tired? He's tired. He's tired!"
"The monster human stopped! No need to run!"
"Swarm him before he recovers! Knock him down!"
The goblins, scattered and watching warily, began creeping back in. I raised my sword, but my sword arm trembled. Stamina fully depleted.
But of course, no problem.
"Log out."
Back at the convenience store, I pulled out a chair behind the counter and sat.
"Ugh... exhausting."
Stamina bottomed out, feeling like death. But the reward for squeezing my body to the limit was sweet.
[Stamina increased by 1 point for an unknown reason!]
"Yeah... stamina like this..."
I rested in the chair for about 30 minutes, but my condition didn't improve easily.
Powerless all over, limbs shaking at the slightest movement—no way I could continue fighting!
However.
"One salmon rice bowl, three Halla Mountain kimbaps, one Allot juice. Awakening agent for 4 hours. Here's my permit, cashback coupon, and verification card."
"Coming right up."
Plenty good enough for convenience store work. I was slumped from fatigue, but I'd lived a life tough enough not to whine over this.
"Ugh, so tiring."
Groaning, I kept at it when a man entered, smoking while on his smartphone.
"Yeah, that bastard was acting all cocky like he wanted to die. So I—"
"Sir."
I subtly blocked the man entering.
"No smoking indoors. Please extinguish it."
"What the fuck, just cast a purification spell, why block the way and bitch..."
He scowled and turned, then froze at the sight of me.
I flashed a grin.
"No smoking."
"Ah... right. Smoking indoors isn't civilized. Haha!"
He quickly stubbed it out and smiled innocently.
He bought his items politely and left.
"Yeah. That's normal."
At over 190 cm with a muscular build packed with muscle, only a crazy asshole or blackout drunk would act up against me.
"Huh, my bulk-up is especially bad today."
The mirror showed my uniform stretched taut, ready to burst. Muscles swollen everywhere, making my already huge frame even bigger.
"Probably the strength..."
I'd need looser clothes from now on. Covering my mouth, I whispered.
"Log in."
The goblins surrounded me, creeping closer.
Gulp gulp.
I chugged a potion before they got nearer.
Munch munch.
I ate the Sandwich (Common).
[Consumed Sandwich (Common)! Vitality and recovery +5 points for 1 hour!]
"Log out."
Back at the store, I chewed and swallowed the sandwich I'd held in my mouth, holding my post. I sorted my auto-hunting character's inventory, did daily quests, main quests, events, etc.
No time to check the game screen during work at Bear Woman Steel or prayer shifts at Stargate, so I handled manual play at the store.
"Hyung! I'm here! Whee!"
Sehan bounced in unusually chipper.
"You're chipper. Something good?"
"Yeah! I hit 4th class!"
"What? Whoa, impressive!"
I turned in surprise. 4th class in Ardenia was Archmage level. Not on Earth, sure, but at 21? Top-tier talent, top 0.1% of mages. 4th class mages were common only because most stalled at the 5th class [Wall].
"Lucky. Researching engraving spells, applied it to my mana—got an effect not even in papers."
"Didn't know our store had talent like this. Quitting the part-time?"
"Nah. Iron Giant Mage Tower acceptance is January anyway, need to consolidate rank. Plus, slow customer traffic here is great for studying."
His grin sparked a thought.
'Man, it'd be great to have talent like this in my territory.'
4th class, specializing in enchant, with destruction magic as elective—dream personnel. One like this could transform an army.
'Dreams high, reality 2nd class. Sigh, why can't Smile hit 3rd... guy's over 30.'
Grumbling inwardly, I finished the shift, changed, and headed to Bear Woman Steel.
I'd realized my stamina had somewhat recovered.
"Good, log in."
Back on the battlefield.
"Kill him! Quick! Fast! Stab something before he recovers!"
"Knock him down first! Hang on his legs! Pull his arms!"
The goblins had closed in right to my face, their killing intent sharp to finish me before recovery.
And facing that intent.
"Hahaha!"
Laughter burst out. Power surged, muscles creaking tight.
"Come at me!"
I lowered into a solid stance, feeling recovered muscles engage.
Zzaaaack!
I swung the sword.