Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: Symbiosis (3)
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Johan's eyes, fixed on Yuri, brimmed with embarrassment, absurdity, surprise, and sheer incredulity.
*I'm going insane.*
Johan had arrived at Yoram around lunchtime.
After that, he'd hidden in the trees, planning to visit Yuri late at night.
Then, out of nowhere, an old man from the Bone Tribe showed up, and Johan blinked in surprise.
*Se-kyung Walker? Kongsool? Ha... that guy's aged a lot too.*
His shock at seeing his old friend after so long didn't last.
He watched with keen interest as Se-kyung unleashed the Radiant Star Extreme Transformation Technique.
But soon, that interest shifted to Yuri's enlightenment.
*...He gained enlightenment from watching someone hammer metal?*
Enlightenment could strike anytime, anywhere, sure—but really?
Gaining insight from blacksmithing?
Yuri was an unpredictable guy, he knew that much, but even his path to enlightenment was utterly erratic.
Those thoughts vanished in an instant as Yuri's cherished blade, Whitey, began to transform.
*What the—?*
Rustle-!
Johan shot to his feet, branches shaking noisily.
*D-Demonic Sword?!*
Seeing the Rigid Sword and Flexible Sword had made him think Yuri had trained hard in his absence, stirring a bit of pride.
The Flame Sword earned a 'Not bad.'
But when Yuri manifested the Demonic Sword, all admiration turned to shock.
And when Yuri finally drew forth the Holy Sword...
Johan could no longer stay perched in the tree.
Swoosh!
*This is ridiculous!*
It was unbelievable.
No wonder he revealed himself with everyone watching.
*Huh...?*
Now standing beside Yuri, Johan.
The shock and embarrassment in his eyes compressed into one emotion.
Fear.
*Holy Sword at his age... the realm of sanctity.*
The homework he'd given Yuri was to complete the Demonic Sword within a year.
He hadn't thought it'd be easy.
Yet Yuri... this kid had exceeded his expectations yet again.
*In just over four months... what the hell have you been up to?*
A guy who hadn't even grasped the Rigid Sword had forged a Holy Sword in four months.
No one Johan knew had grown at such a savage pace.
*Maybe even that Sword Lord...*
Yuri's growth was abnormal.
And abnormal growth always came with side effects.
Like right now.
"Urgh—."
Yuri, turned into a crimson figure, groaning grotesquely.
Johan's gaze darkened as ambient mana surged toward him.
*Kid... there's a thing called limits.*
Compared to his preparation, Yuri's enlightenment was way too much.
Not even two years into magic arts, trying to manifest a Holy Sword with pathetically low mana—surviving unscathed would be the real miracle.
On top of that, his soul, body, and energy had always been out of sync.
He'd only just barely harmonized them...
*Excessive enlightenment threw off the balance, leading to mana depletion.*
Johan let out a small sigh and placed a hand on Yuri's back.
To check his condition first.
And then.
"Huh?!"
Johan's eyes went wide.
His pupils shook like there was an earthquake.
A cry of alarm escaped him at last.
"Y-You, you, you lunatic?!"
Johan realized his assumption was dead wrong.
Yuri's state wasn't just imbalance from over-enlightenment.
*The mana core... it's collapsing!*
In a panic, Johan hurriedly infused his own mana into Yuri.
His mind reeled.
*How the hell did this idiot manifest a Holy Sword?!*
Judging by the collapsing core's size, Yuri's mana reserves were nowhere near enough for a Holy Sword.
Maintaining a Demonic Sword for a few seconds would've been impressive.
Manifesting the Holy Sword was a miracle in itself.
Then it hit Johan.
*Absorbing ambient mana... he was thrashing to save his collapsing core!*
In manifesting the Holy Sword, he'd drawn mana from the core's foundation to compensate for the massive shortfall.
It must've been unconscious, but still insanely reckless.
*And it shattered the core!*
In the midst of that, his subconscious sucked in surrounding mana to repair it.
The kid's mana affinity and absorption were so impressive even Johan admired them.
But...
*That ain't gonna cut it!*
Forming a core from scratch was worlds apart from patching up a shattered one.
Especially a grown core that had broken.
Near impossible.
Easier to just make a new one from the ground up.
The problem was the location: Yoram.
A lost core could theoretically recover someday...
*But Yoram ain't kind to those who've lost theirs.*
Assuming they even survived the shattering shock.
Some went brain-dead from it.
Others died from body damage.
Johan had to choose.
Mitigate the shock to save his life, drag him out of Yoram, and build a new core.
Or somehow repair the current one now.
Two paths ahead.
Johan's decision was swift.
*Repair it.*
Seeing Yuri's growth over the past four months in Yoram, leaving him here was right.
Decision made, action followed without hesitation.
Johan poured mana into Yuri's back.
*Already half-collapsed.*
No time to waste.
His mana infiltrated Yuri, gathering the shattered core fragments.
Using his mana as glue, he pieced them together.
Fragment by fragment.
Meticulously restoring Yuri's mana core.
Around 70% restored...
Zzzzt-.
The patched core crumbled again.
Cold sweat trickled down Johan's back.
*Even my mana purity... isn't enough?*
Johan's mana purity: 90%.
Yet it couldn't bond—Yuri's core rejected it like a foreign object, bits flaking off.
*What the hell is this kid's body made of?!*
A mana core, vessel and organ for mana, naturally had higher purity than the mana it held.
But higher than his 90%?
*This won't work...*
Without higher-purity mana, no saving it.
That regretful thought sparked something.
*Wait... higher purity?*
Johan recalled.
His hand flashed, brushing Yuri's neck.
A necklace caught on his finger.
His eyes lit up.
*You had it after all!*
Clear crystal encasing swirling emerald liquid.
Yuri's treasure No. 1: the Elixir.
*This could do it...*
If he consumed it to boost his purity, he might repair the core.
Probably.
But...
*What if it fails?*
If Yuri's core purity exceeded expectations again?
If the Elixir didn't get him high enough?
Core lost, Elixir wasted.
"Hmm..."
Johan pondered, Elixir in hand.
But soon decided.
He gripped hard.
Ting-.
Necklace snapped.
Slick-.
A flick severed the crystal's top cleanly.
Staring at the swirling liquid, he muttered.
"If this fails... I'll suffer big time."
Couldn't save the core but gulp down the Elixir?
Yuri would bitch about it till Johan was in his grave.
The image fueled his resolve.
"No way that's happening!"
He wouldn't let the kid lord it over him.
With that vow, Johan swallowed the Elixir.
Gulp-.
The emerald liquid slid down, sweet with herbal scent.
And then.
Tssst-.
Pale mist-like glow emanated from Johan's body.
Bathed in light, he marveled at the changes within.
*The Elixir lives up to the name!*
It spread instantly, refining a lifetime's mana.
Impure haze expelled from his body.
That was the pale glow pouring out.
Soon, his mana shrank to 70% of before.
30% of a lifetime's accumulation, gone.
Yet Johan felt more vital than ever.
Like being reborn.
No time for sentiment, though.
He pressed both hands to Yuri's back, infusing mana.
Whoooosh-.
A mana vortex swirled around them.
And in it, a fierce struggle unfolded.
Drip- drip-.
Sweat from his brow beaded on his chin.
Johan sweated nonstop.
But his face brightened.
*It's bonding!*
The core, which had flaked off before, now stuck properly.
However...
*Y-You greedy bastard! Sucking it up like a black hole?!*
Yuri's core wasn't content with repair—it greedily devoured Johan's mana, even expanding slightly.
Despite the drain, Johan laughed.
*Fine! Consider it payment for my Elixir! Just this once—take all you want!*
How much could a child-fist-sized core take?
Underestimating, he poured mana ferociously.
Rumble-.
Immense energy rippled from them.
Then, Johan's smile faded.
*W-Wait... even so... this is too much, right?*
Repair plus absorbed mana equaled 10% of his total.
And the core wasn't fully restored yet.
Rumble-.
More time passed.
Another 20% siphoned.
Leisure gone, only bewilderment remained.
*This punk's core takes after its master!*
Gobbling without refusal, then brazenly demanding more—like owner, like core.
*You beggar... eat moderately!*
Johan regretted his choice but couldn't stop now.
How much more time passed?
Plip-plip-.
Veins bulging across Yuri's body sank back normally.
Swoosh-.
The raging energy around them calmed.
Yuri's blood-red skin returned to normal.
Finally.
Slick-.
Johan pulled his hands away.
Yuri toppled forward naturally.
Thud-.
Johan caught his nape.
Holding the dangling, unconscious Yuri, he turned to Se-kyung.
A low voice emerged.
"Long time no see."
"You..."
Se-kyung, who'd recognized him ages ago, shook greatly.
Johan spoke to him.
"It's been ages, so I'm saying this... you..."
"..."
"...got any booze stashed?"
Se-kyung snapped to, reaching for his bomb launcher.
To blast that damn face off.
But he didn't.
Because...
"I could really use a drink tonight, heh heh..."
Johan's sudden hearty laugh strangely tugged at Se-kyung's heart.
"Heh heh... heh heh heh heh!"
A laugh hollow with exhaustion and defeat.
Then Johan's face twisted in annoyance as he flung Yuri to the ground.
"Damn you, worthless punk!"
Thump-.
Yuri sprawled on the dirt, sleeping peacefully.
Snore snore-.
"Y-You...!"
Seeing Yuri's content face spiked his blood pressure again; Johan rubbed his neck furiously.
*That damned punk!*
The kid had taken a total 30%.
Refined by Elixir—equivalent to 21% of his lifetime total.
*The Elixir cost me dearly.*
His mana core half-empty.
"Kongsool, gimme some booze."
Only booze could fill the void.
* * *
Meanwhile, Teresa, Arin, and Poppi, startled by the intruding old man and ready to move...
They stopped upon realizing he meant no harm to Yuri.
They sighed in relief as the old man normalized Yuri's state.
Then questions arose about his identity.
"Who is he?"
"Doesn't look like a Black Sword soldier from his clothes? Yoram staff? Like that bomb grandpa?"
"Hungry?"
As the three exchanged thoughts...
Gunter, who'd seen the old man before, muttered his identity.
"Johan... Redner."
Gunter's whisper was soft but clear to all.
Their gazes swarmed to him.
"Who...?"
"Johan Redner?"
"Hungry?"
At first, they thought they'd misheard.
Why would he be here? They couldn't connect it easily.
But only briefly.
They realized and shouted in unison.
"The Unyielding Sword?!"
"T-The Unyielding Sword, Johan Redner?!"
"Hungry?!"
Heads whipped around in shock.
Their eyes filled with the sight of Johan whining to Se-kyung for booze.