Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Blessings of the Sanctuary
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For a player of Shin Su-kyung's caliber, raising basic stats was no small feat.
She had already been given several elixirs, so the training required would have increased even more.
"......"
This was utterly ridiculous.
"There's no need to be so surprised."
Go Yohan spoke up then.
"Not all stats are perfectly maxed out."
It was something he'd realized after long observation of the consideration shown by the goddess called the System.
Numerical strength was merely a concession to help humans comprehend it.
"You can think of it as drawing out potential she hadn't recognized in herself and making her aware of what she already possesses."
Stats weren't perfect.
Not because the goddess wasn't perfect.
'It must be her way of telling us not to get fixated only on what she shows.'
Zealot thinking, of course, he didn't voice it aloud.
"It's better to see numerical stats as just making them a bit easier to use. You know how it is sometimes?"
Go Yohan said.
"Beating an enemy you normally couldn't, in some moment of crisis."
"...I see."
It made a certain sense.
After all, if numbers were everything, level rankings would match combat rankings exactly.
"Also."
Cheol Jung-bae said.
"Not everyone receives this blessing."
He spoke politely toward Shin Su-kyung.
"The chosen 100. The Sanctuary can bestow blessings on that many for now."
If the power was limited.
"...Impressive."
But it was still impressive—that was Shin Su-kyung's honest feeling.
No, impressive didn't even begin to cover it.
"There are a few more things I'd like to show you."
Cheol Jung-bae said.
"Recall your weapons? Or you can take out the ones you were using."
Not just Shin Su-kyung, but Go Min-ji too, pulled out her weapons at his words.
"Hm?"
The change was immediate.
Mana in the Sanctuary naturally infused the weapons.
"Wha, what the...?"
They began to glow.
"The grade rose...? Wait."
The grade of legendary weapons like Ogulak's Twin Fangs remained the same, but their sharpness had changed.
Unique-grade items saw no grade increase, but their effects were enhanced.
[Dwarven Blessing infuses.]
Rare-grade items became Unique.
Normal became Rare.
"......!"
"This is Sanctuary Reinforcement. And also..."
Shing.
A finely honed sword appeared in Cheol Jung-bae's hand.
"Weapons of this level can be manifested with imagery alone."
And then.
Kwaaa!
The moment he swung the sword, mana surged, carving a massive gash in the ground.
"In the Sanctuary, the power of blessed items increases."
"......"
"Moreover."
Srrrrk.
The split earth.
The shattered debris reverted to its original state amid the light.
"The Sanctuary has self-repair capabilities, so you can train without any reservations."
"......"
She was at a loss for words.
"...Anything else? Just maybe?"
Go Min-ji asked cautiously, very cautiously.
One wrong move and who knew what might pop out and make her faint.
"There are about fifty-two more features, but we don't have the time."
"......"
"And that statue holds a great secret too."
Heh.
Cheol Jung-bae's lips curled up, his face brimming with deep confidence.
*
*
*
The temple tour was over.
Shin Su-kyung and Go Min-ji both looked like they had plenty to say, but they held back.
Just sorting through what they'd seen and experienced in their heads was overwhelming enough.
"...Amazing."
That was the extent of her impressions.
"You're a total lunatic."
At Go Min-ji's words.
Smack!
Shin Su-kyung slapping her back with her palm was the incident in question.
In any case, they hadn't come to the church for the temple tour.
December 24th.
"Hi?"
It was Christmas Eve, so they'd come to Yohan Orphanage instead.
"Hellooo...."
Children peeking out from behind Go Yohan shyly poked their heads out and greeted them.
Then.
"Pretty big sis."
"Sis!"
Shaking off their shyness, they ran out and hugged her.
"......?"
Not Go Min-ji, but Shin Su-kyung.
Go Min-ji wore an expression like she'd been clubbed with a blunt weapon.
"You should call her Grandma."
Shin Su-kyung stroked the children's heads as if it were routine.
She had visited the orphanage kids several times already.
"Grandma isn't this pretty."
"Oh my."
As Shin Su-kyung smiled faintly.
"What did you do...?"
Go Min-ji looked at Go Yohan with utter disbelief.
"Nothing... at all."
Go Yohan was just as flustered.
He knew the kids grew fast and were clever, but not to this extent.
"She's not sis or big sis, though. More like..."
Shin Su-kyung crouched down to meet the kids' eyes and said.
"Mom or auntie."
"...Really, really okay?"
"Of course!"
"...Mommy!"
The kids ran and hugged Shin Su-kyung.
"...Never thought I'd lose to a mom in my life."
Shin Su-kyung, in her mid-fifties.
But her looks could pass for early thirties.
Player traits slowed aging, but her natural beauty was the main reason.
The divine bloodline wasn't called OP for nothing— just looking at Go Min-ji or Go Yohan's appearances gave the answer.
"What about sis? Isn't sis pretty?"
Go Min-ji sidled up, clearly wanting to hear it.
"You're not pretty."
"......?"
"Seung-ah sis is way prettier."
"......!"
"Really...?"
"Really!"
Go Min-ji stared blankly.
She'd prided herself on never losing in looks, but this treatment.
"Ha! Kids know nothing...."
Go Min-ji picked up one kid and said.
"This sis is super pretty too. Though Seung-ah sis is the prettiest in the world."
"No."
The kid was firm.
"The prettiest is..."
The kid said.
"Harin sis."
"Harin?"
Go Yohan flinched.
He'd heard Rust occasionally came out of her room to look after the orphanage kids, and the memory must have stuck.
Kang Harin—Rust's name.
"Hm."
Go Min-ji looked quite wounded in pride, but soon smiled.
"You guys wouldn't know. This sis over here? She's Yohan's real big sis."
"...! Really?"
"Yeah."
Only then.
Bow.
The kids bowed their heads in greeting.
"It's an honor to meet you!"
"......"
That came with its own issues.
"I never taught them that."
Go Yohan waved his hands emphatically, denying any involvement.
*
*
*
"Ha, haha."
Go Min-ji let out a hollow laugh.
For Christmas, she'd prepared heaps of presents for the orphanage kids.
But.
"What's... that?"
The orphanage had everything from rare limited-edition toys to things you couldn't find anywhere.
"Doesn't it ring a bell?"
Go Yohan said, leaning against one wall.
"Greed's the biggest donor here."
"...Oh."
She'd heard the stories.
About the titan—no, too modest a word—who dominated the world economy.
The one who pulled strings behind the curtain on global capital was actually one of Go Yohan's Apostles.
"...The one who donated ten billion to Yong-yong...."
Thinking of her casually dropping ten billion in donations made it believable.
"...Well, this couldn't just be a normal orphanage."
How did divinity compare?
Her life had always drawn envy, but feeling this shabby was a truly novel experience.
Swoosh.
Go Min-ji instinctively tried to hide the gift boxes she'd brought.
"Presents?"
The kids approached, eyes sparkling at the gift boxes.
"Uh.... Um.... Well...."
"Wow, for us?"
"Sort of."
"Can we open them?"
In the end.
"Yeah, they're for you."
At Go Min-ji's words, the kids started opening the boxes.
Go Min-ji had never felt this way even opening treasure chests from boss monsters.
She'd smacked her lips, expecting disappointment on those innocent faces.
But.
"Wow...!"
"Waaah!"
What followed were cheers.
"It's Tinypon!"
The kids' toy famous as Bankruptmon.
"There's Gandam too! Destiny Gandam!"
"Waaah!"
The kids were genuinely thrilled.
"...You, you like them?"
"Yeees!"
"Sis is the best!"
"We love sis!"
As the kids swarmed her, Go Min-ji cleared her throat awkwardly.
To think they'd love them this much.
"...Hey, you know kids can't get too used to material abundance already, right?"
With that, Go Min-ji played with the toys alongside the kids.
It was a heartwarming sight, soothing just to watch.
As if it weren't just days ago she was separating monster bone from flesh, covered in someone's blood.
"Tomorrow, you free?"
Shin Su-kyung cautiously asked Go Yohan.
Eve with the orphanage kids and the church.
And on the day itself.
"Yeah, I'm good."
With family at the Divine Residence.
"Bring those friends too."
"I will."
Shin Su-kyung invited the Apostles as well.
She'd wanted to call everyone, but it wasn't realistic.
"Yun-su's coming today too, so it'll be the first time in ages we're all together."
Her second son, Go Yunsu, who had been on long overseas dispatch, was returning to Korea.
'She said he's already on the way.'
Go Yohan had heard the news.
Before Go Yohan, the biggest troublemaker in the Divine family.
Divinity bloodline members had followers attached, so he'd gotten the updates.
"You'll be surprised."
Go Yohan smiled.
Shin Su-kyung would see Go Yunsu after so long too.
"No one more than you."
They laughed together in happy times.
-Captain.
Greed's low voice reached him.
'What is it.'
Go Yohan's expression hardened.
-Your brother's plane has disappeared.