Chapter 45

"Why me?"

"Dude, you're gonna be famous in no time. You know how fast word spreads with those guys."

"Haha, bro. I've got no interest in worldly fame anymore."

"...Is that kimchi Chinese? What the hell are you talking about all of a sudden?"

"Auntie'll be offended."

I chugged some ice water and stood up.

"I'm heading out."

"Already? Where to?!"

"Don't wanna deal with the nagging!"

Another lie.

What could I do? My heart was racing.

This was nagging at me.

The moment I got home, I shoved everything aside and sat on the bed.

Squeeeeak.

The springs let out a weary groan. You're suffering from a bad owner too, huh.

I wanted to set you free soon, but hang in there a bit longer.

"Can't send you off yet."

I muttered nonsense under my breath and summoned the alert window.

"Phew..."

Stay calm, stay calm. Get too excited and I might screw up.

I'm a fossil who lived before rocket delivery existed.

Feeling that pre-delivery anticipation mixed with the dopamine rush of finally unboxing, I tapped the alert window.

...What was this? Such modern phrasing?

Baridegi's Cheonki Nuseol, but with a scroll pressure warning?

I scrolled carefully to avoid overload.

As I dragged the skill window down with my fingertip...

"Now it finally looks like a proper status window."

〔……!! ……!!!〕

Hemo, peering from my shoulder in droplet form, bounced excitedly too.

"Guess they unlock once levels hit the requirement."

After clearing the Greenbelt Gate, I'd reached level 26.

The glorious mid-20s.

I could really feel the difference from before.

With higher stamina, even hanging with hyung and Han Biyeol didn't leave me in severe anemia.

That's how I managed to scam the North Ocean Guild without wilting.

But just boosting stamina and physical stats wasn't enough.

Hunters each have unique skills.

If awakening ability is a hunter's heart, unique skills are the muscles, bones, and blood.

Take someone like Namgung Hyunil—top-tier hunters inevitably leak some abilities.

But unique skills? They hide them to the bitter end.

Ultimate moves they only reveal when life hangs by a thread.

"And I can buy these with points."

Is this the perk of the blessing? Definitely different from standard awakening abilities.

Wanna ask hyung if he has a shop like this.

"...Probably not."

Status windows seem to be my exclusive thing anyway. No records in my memories, past or future.

That was decades after awakening and gates appeared. Zero cases reported, so safe to assume none.

Only I see status windows, shops...

Some unknowable entity favoritism?

But my luck stat's stubbornly negative.

No matter how much I level, this damn luck won't climb above ground...!

Every gate I hit turning disaster-level? Blame the luck.

The world doesn't want ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me succeeding.

The Great King and General told me.

They'd been waiting for one to defy fate.

I wanted to shout back.

I don't wanna go that far.

Tough.

As I stewed internally, Hemo rubbed my cheek. Squishy, not sticky.

〔……!! ……! ……!!〕

"Sorry. My situation's feeling kinda pathetic."

〔……. …….〕

The bed's the pathetic one?

Haha, this guy's got a way with words—dialect or not.

"Tonight, I'm sleeping on you instead of the bed. Got ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it."

〔!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!〕

No take-backs.

Spilled water can't be gathered, you pitiful Red Slime.

I gently placed the despairing Hemo on the blanket.

Stroking my chin, I pondered.

"With my current GP, looks like I can buy two out of three..."

Not buying now didn't mean goodbye forever. Just a matter of timing and priority.

"Hemo, what's your take?"

I regularly draw blood into Hemo for storage. Couldn't ignore my blood bank's opinion.

〔…….〕

Hemo flattened like kimchi pancake, sulking.

"Don't pout. We'll grab some hanwoo later."

Gotta pay off that tab with dongsaeng too.

〔……! ……!!!〕

"Ah, these two?"

I flashed a toothy grin.

"We're soulmates, Hemo."

Way better than Namgung Hyunil's crap.

But before buying, needed to check skill costs.

Those ■ marks...

I instinctively pulled up my stat window.

Five boxes next to mana stat.

Four red-filled, one empty.

Always wondered what mana was for.

It kept updating, but no clear use.

Plus, as a sorta martial artist, mana felt distant.

"Looks like stamina or mana concept."

〔……! ……!!〕

Not that simple?

"What's your theory?"

〔……!〕

I listened intently to Hemo.

Moments later.

"Makes... sense..."

I nodded thoughtfully.

Originally all five should be empty □.

Mana in 50s.

Stamina in 40s.

Total slots tied to mana, uses to stamina.

Red boxes mean 'blood volume'?

In summary.

Skills activate by consuming my blood.

Games split HP/MP, but mine's combined.

"Just freed from anemia, and now this constraint..."

〔……. ……!!〕

"You're right. Still OP. But regrets are regrets."

Hemo's a big T (true).

"Got the gist, so let's buy."

I reached out.

"..."

No dramatic changes.

Just lines struck through in the shop?

"Gotta test performance in the field, huh."

Korea's got great testing grounds for that.

In Yeouido.

Chaos Gates.

I was adding it to tomorrow's to-do when—

Bang!

The bathroom door flew open, a tiny thing bouncing out.

"I almost got sucked into that hideous water bucket thingy!"

The flower-crown fairy, as expected.

Greenbelt Gate broke safely.

Letting the monsters inside taste outside air.

This arrogant fairy included.

Side note: left alone, it'd cause trouble, so I kidnapped it.

Planning to work it hard. Pay for its crimes, right?

"It's called a toilet bowl."

"Toi-let...! The name alone is terrifying!"

"Would've suited you if it sucked you in."

"...What do you mean by that?"

"Where filth ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠flows down."

The fairy's eyes blazed.

"Are you calling me filth right now?!"

"Judging by what you've done?"

"...You insolent Homo sapiens... Urk!"

As it tried sprinkling pink dust, I slapped a Blood Collection Sticker on its chest.

☻☻

Pulled just enough—not mummifying it.

The fairy clawed at its neck, asking.

"Wh-what is this!?"

"Good boy sticker."

Riiip!

"Kyaaak!"

It convulsed when removed.

I stuck them on my forearm.

"How dare you... to me, to me...!!"

The fairy gnashed teeth, glaring. Air thickened with blood scent.

"I won't let this slide! Terror to Homo sapiens! Chills...!"

"Grovel."

Thud...!

A rolling PET bottle on the floor leaped low.

Like a dissection frog, the fairy sprawled flat, looking up at me.

"Still don't get your place?"

"...Hiiik!"

"Keeping you alive isn't mercy."

I shoved my face close.

"From now on, you're my messenger pigeon. Check if North Ocean's eyeing wrong spots from Paju, report back as my live courier."

"Hiiiik!"

I didn't wanna go this harsh.

But it's a monster hostile to humans. Gotta be firm.

"Or I'll flush you down the toilet."

"I-I'm listening!"

"Lemme see. Where's the plunger? Haven't clogged a toilet in ages..."

"Anything! Just give orders!"

"Good."

I lifted the punishment.

The fairy clutched its throat, coughing.

For some reason, Hemo beside me seemed to snicker.

What a mess.

Reality hit late.

"Sparkle, water."

"...Y-yes, sir!"

Fairy Sparkle presented a water cup its body size on my palm.

Low-grade monster, panting from one cup.

"Sit."

"Yes!"

Kneels primly.

I gulped the water with Sparkle in front.

Ahh, refreshing.

Clink.

Set empty cup on floor.

"Get in."

"H-here?"

"Toilet cozier?"

"Dive!"

Sparkle hopped right in. Curved glass flattened its reflection.

"Sob, sob."

"Don't be too sad. Finish your job, I'll release you back to Paju."

"...Still don't get it."

"What."

"Same Homo sapiens, why not trust them? They promised you!!"

Monster naivety?

"Know what animal harms humans most?"

"...??"

"Humans."

Bitter taste in mouth.

"Fleeting emotions lose to primal urges. Those hunters are hyped on image rehab now, but it won't last. Someone's gotta watch."

"Then... just whack 'em?"

"You little."

"Hik! Sorry!"

I shot Sparkle a scolding glance, then sighed.

"Even trashy hunters become precious assets eventually. One by one."

Right now, guilds busy biting and slandering.

Who wouldn't want to?

But can't kill recklessly with the public enemy coming years later.

Millennium Gate.

Revenge on guilds? Sure.

But to prep solidly for Millennium Gate, can't just 'whack' those bastards easily.

Of course, planning bone-deep ordeals for the hunters.

Humiliation beyond what Sparkle's feeling.

Speaking of.

Sudden thought.

I had Hemo spread the five-colored fragments from Baridegi-nim.

"Gotta test these tomorrow too."

Getting busier.

I sentenced Sparkle to 12 hours in the cup and hit the hay.