Chapter 248
Chapter 248
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 248
Chapter Title: Flesh Reformation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
One day, a scene from the past suddenly came to mind.
A subway station shelter.
“Waaah, Mommy, Mommy! Waaaaaah!”
A little girl who looked about elementary school age was sobbing her heart out.
She had collapsed onto the ground, crying until her voice gave out.
I was just watching her.
‘An orphan who shows up every month... no, every day.’
In a world that had fallen to ruin, after just a month, kids like her were as common as pebbles scattered along the roadside.
At least this one was lucky enough to make it to the shelter.
“Waaaaaah! Where’s Mommy?!”
Back then, I think I was pretty mature for my age.
Whenever kids cried, I’d hand over a can of food I’d scavenged.
And I’d leave them alone until they cried themselves into exhaustion.
From experience, most of them wouldn’t listen to a word no matter what you said.
Only after they came to their senses a bit.
Once their instincts kicked in enough to let them eat.
That’s when I’d teach them the survival rules.
What they needed to do to survive in this shelter.
What their job was.
There weren’t many adults left here.
Most had gone off to fight monsters near the shelter.
Or they’d awakened their unique abilities and headed out, never to return.
That made survival in the shelter even harsher than you’d expect.
- Dong-hoon.
Suddenly, my father’s voice echoed in my mind.
The last night he left to fight monsters approaching the shelter.
- Don’t worry. I promise.
- I’ll come back no matter what.
- So be strong, okay? Dad believes in you.
Bullshit.
No matter what.
A month passed, then half a year, then a full year.
No word from my father.
Even when other men and older boys searched, they couldn’t find a trace.
I remember it being tough on me at first, too.
I snapped at everyone and glared at them with eyes full of resentment.
I was only ten back then, so it made sense.
Anyway.
I adapted pretty quickly, as I recall.
I looked after all the brothers, sisters, and younger kids in the same boat.
I even mimicked survival methods in my own way.
‘Of course, that didn’t last long.’
Society normalized faster than expected.
People earning a living with their unique abilities were called 「Hunters」, and governments around the world built systematic dungeon exploration systems.
Honestly, sometimes I think.
If my father hadn’t gone out that day.
If he’d just stayed hidden with me.
Would he still be alive and well now?
“Hoo.”
A wave of regret brought out a sigh.
But that breath felt incredibly cold.
‘Huh?’
The moment I sensed the chill.
Flash!
My eyes snapped open.
* * *
“Gahhh!”
The instant I opened my eyes, an immense pain surged through me.
Even in this bizarre state where I had no sensation in my body, my chest tightened from lack of oxygen.
I flapped my mouth like a gasping goldfish, desperately seeking air.
“P-Professor?!”
“Master!”
“Master, are you awake?”
Ssssssh!
I sucked in a breath.
Hoooooo!
And exhaled.
“Eldrin! Air! Give him more air!”
“I’m doing it! My energy’s almost gone!”
“We need to squeeze out even one more bit!”
Everything was spinning.
A black backdrop filled my vision, crammed with skulls of bones.
My sight was too blurry to see clearly, but from the voices, it was Arin and Eldrin.
Which meant.
‘Did I... survive?’
I just closed my eyes again.
Staring at the blurry view was making me nauseous, so better to wait until things stabilized.
“Professor! Did you know? Ancient Magic came and went! You’re so lucky.”
Ancient Magic?
That SSS Grade entity?
It came here?
What the hell does that mean?
“It might be dizzying right now, but once you stabilize, you’ll be fine!”
I couldn’t make sense of anything.
“......”
So I turned inward, observing my body through sensation.
It felt like every cell was waking up after a long sleep.
Even twitching a single muscle was exhausting...
‘Huh?’
Something was different.
‘My energy’s circulating faster than before.’
They call it the microcosmic orbit, right?
If the energy flowing forward from the navel is the conception vessel, then the one rising along the hips and spine is the governing vessel.
Like my meridians had expanded, the energy from the Azure Heart Method raced through the conception and governing vessels.
If it used to be a stream, now it was a river—swift and powerful.
“It said it remade your body a bit. Humans aren’t suited for surviving in space, but in some worlds, you can evolve by altering your physical composition...”
That wasn’t the only change.
The structure and shape of my bones felt different from before.
“Urghhh...”
I opened my eyes with a groan and looked at Arin.
“Professor, don’t talk! You need more time to stabilize!”
I was curious.
They kept mentioning ‘Ancient Magic’.
What happened.
What went down.
Did she sense my thoughts?
“It was nothing much.”
Arin spoke up.
“Ancient Magic just appeared out of nowhere, waving its staff this and that, and you were writhing and groaning. But after that, your expression eased up.”
So.
That entity helped me out, no strings attached?
Did our brief encounter in Delaila’s trial count as some kind of bond?
Either way, I got lucky.
“Hah, hah!”
My ragged breathing gradually steadied.
Even with eyes closed, the spinning dizziness slowed.
“Hoooo.”
After some time passed.
When I finally opened my eyes, I saw a massive barrage of status windows.
[Processing ‘War God.’]
[Constellation captured.]
[Great achievement accomplished.]
[Congratulations!]
[Rewards arriving!]
[Your Myriad Arts rank rises to S Grade.]
[Your Pain Resistance rank rises to SS Grade.]
[Your Poison Flash rank rises to SS Grade.]
[Your Martial Advance rank rises to SS Grade.]
[Acquired SSS-Grade Random Box.]
First, the constellation capture.
And its rewards.
I borrowed the essences’ power, so it wasn’t purely my own strength, but a capture was a capture.
‘It hurt like hell, after all.’
I deserved the rewards.
Narrowing my eyes, I read the next window.
[‘Ancient Magic’ (SSS Grade) offers greetings once more to the wondrous being.]
[‘Ancient Magic’ (SSS Grade) bows in worship.]
[‘Ancient Magic’ (SSS Grade) asks if it may use its power, though not under the ‘Ancient Oath.’]
[‘Essence of Fire’ nods.]
[‘Essence of Fire’ relaxes and closes its eyes.]
[‘Essence of Water’ closes its eyes.]
[‘Essence of Wood’ closes its eyes.]
[‘Essence of Metal’ closes its eyes.]
......
Records of Ancient Magic and the essences remained.
Next.
[‘Ancient Magic’ (SSS Grade) assesses your body.]
[What you need: recovery of innate essence and skeletal alteration.]
[‘Ancient Magic’ (SSS Grade) searches for the appropriate spell.]
[‘Ancient Magic’ (SSS Grade) uses ‘Flesh Reformation’ (SSS Grade).]
[Warning! Warning! Warning!]
[Penalty exists.]
[‘Ancient Magic’ (SSS Grade) ignores and proceeds.]
[Vitality permanently reduced by 1,000.]
[Reconstructing body and nerves.]
[‘Pain Resistance’ (SS Grade) skill downgraded to ‘Pain Resistance’ (A Grade).]
[Skeleton transforming.]
[You can now move more efficiently.]
[You can now use energy more efficiently.]
Ah.
No wonder it hurt so much.
My Pain Resistance skill, which had just risen to SS Grade, dropped even lower.
And I had to give back the 1,000 vitality from the constellation reward.
‘Hmm.’
Still not bad.
It revived my lost innate essence.
The gains from capturing the constellation were bigger.
Plus, my body was improved.
“Arin...”
I quietly called to Arin as I read the windows.
My voice was still raspy, but I finally felt alive.
“Professor!”
“How long was I out?”
“......I don’t know. You were down for a while... But that doesn’t matter. Just waking up is a miracle.”
I could feel her emotions.
If she weren’t just bones, tears would be streaming down her face.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
I smiled.
“You, and all of you.”
My subordinates.
While I was unconscious.
Beings who were absolute powerhouses of their worlds banding together, frantic to save me.
It was funny, but it warmed my heart.
“Time to head back.”
This dungeon was insane—worst ever.
Even tougher than fighting Aranbalon back then.
I wanted to get home and rest.
“......”
Floating on a drifting asteroid.
Gazing out at the vast universe.
Bzzz!
Something appeared in the void.
A translucent lump swirling with red, blue, green, and gold.
[Rewards arriving!]
[Congratulations!]
[Acquired item, ‘Spirit King’s Will’ (SS Grade).]
[Ding!]
[This item is associated with your class.]
“The catalyst, huh.”
Catalyst dungeons morph to fit the situation each clear.
This time, it changed again.
Spirit King’s Will...
Definitely from the bone creature whose seal we broke.
‘But.’
It’s SS Grade.
The ‘Soul of the Martial Artist’ was S Grade, and now this is SS.
‘How much harder can it get?’
Was this dungeon just unreal?
Even with my reckless, challenge-loving nature.
I couldn’t help but feel a shiver.
‘Whatever.’
Gotta take it first.
I nodded and reached for the glow.
Bzzz!
It coalesced into a small orb and plopped! into my palm.
[Item: ‘Spirit King’s Will’ (SS Grade)]
[Rank: SS]
[Type: Catalyst]
[Description: An orb that unlocks the secrets of hidden ruins.]
[Effect 1: Opens dungeon, ‘Spirit Realm.’]
[Effect 2: Bound to Hunter, ‘Joo Dong-hoon.’]
[Effect 3: Activates at Hunter rank SS or higher.]
SS Grade.
“Phew.”
I let out a sigh of relief.
Still S Grade, so I can’t even open it—why does that feel like such a blessing?
I’ve been pushing too hard nonstop.
Time to rest without overthinking.
‘Now.’
With the catalyst acquired, my vision should blur soon.
The process of returning through the original gate after clearing.
I closed my eyes again.
Felt a strange sensation envelop my whole body, then opened them.
“Ugh.”
Whoosh!
Wind and dust brushing my cheek.
Sand crunching in my mouth, a musty smell.
The sight before me: Budapest, ravaged like it had been hit by a nuke.
* * *
Meanwhile.
“Waaaaah!”
“Whoooaaa!”
Earth— the whole world—was buzzing with humanity’s cheers.
Why?
Because in about 30 minutes!
The festival for all humankind.
Earth’s biggest party.
The 「World Ranker Announcement Ceremony」!
Boom boom boom!
It would cap off 2023.
And usher in the new year of 2024.