Chapter 24
Chapter 24
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Constitution Improvement
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Elixir.
A term for spiritual medicines brimming with mystical energy or potent effects.
So powerful they could elevate a human's very 'limits,' the principle was to consume only one type at a time.
If energies from different types mixed before full absorption, they could become contaminated. Plus, an excess of such potent energy spreading through the body often turned people into invalids.
Even the dosage was recommended to be minimal.
Overdoing even a single type could rupture one's vital energy and meridians, leading to death.
Overdoing it leads to deficiency.
This idiom fit 'elixirs' perfectly.
But Park Chan-woo was different.
'The fact that it's converted to a buff effect means it's being recognized as volatile.'
Was it because his body couldn't properly absorb elixir effects?
With his pure stats fixed at 1 due to the debuff 'Weakest,' the elixir effects transformed into buffs lasting 100 hours.
Buffs could be stacked by dozens without side effects.
Since they were volatile anyway, they simply faded with time.
Of course, even buffs couldn't be stacked if their properties clashed or canceled each other out.
But that didn't apply to Park Chan-woo either.
'With Void, even opposing properties impose no penalties on me.'
The effect of 'Void (Eternal)' that had impulsively driven him to buy it at the nightclub.
It nullified side effects from clashing properties.
This wasn't limited to magic.
It even neutralized conflicting energies from elixirs.
Thanks to that, Park Chan-woo could devour every elixir he found without hesitation.
Once he'd consumed over twenty types, his attack and defense both surpassed 1,000.
'...This is ridiculous.'
He let out a hollow laugh at the sheer absurdity.
His current state had easily surpassed the realm of comprehension.
If someone else had told him this story, even he wouldn't have believed it.
He might have scolded them to at least lie convincingly.
And understandably so—1,000 attack and defense were stats achievable only past level 30 at minimum.
Even then, only with top-grade gear equipped.
Meanwhile, Park Chan-woo's level was -95.
Impossible by any common sense, but perhaps because his very existence belonged to the 'realm of the impossible' from the start.
Negative times negative equaled positive, somehow.
'Thanks. Yoo Han-seop.'
He offered genuine gratitude to Yoo Han-seop.
The map Yoo Han-seop had spread out.
The countless elixirs marked on it.
Park Chan-woo had been scouring the Water Abyss like it was his own backyard, collecting every single one without fail.
'That said... constitution change.'
The elixirs' effects had mingled, transforming his constitution.
Along with the title 'Elixir Addict,' changes began rippling through his entire body.
What had changed?
As his thoughts reached that point, as if on cue.
"Ugh."
Park Chan-woo clutched his chest with a low groan.
A scorching heat surged wildly through his body.
It felt like all the elixirs' myriad effects were blending together.
His body was frail to begin with.
Due to the debuffs 'Sickly' and 'Frail,' he was perpetually low on energy and highly susceptible to illnesses and curses.
Meaning he reacted sensitively to even minor changes.
Sudden fever hit, the world spun dizzily, and sweat poured out like mad.
"Hup...!"
Park Chan-woo hurriedly clamped his mouth and nose shut.
Instinct had warned him the elixir energy was about to overflow.
But the trapped energy only intensified the heat ravaging his body.
Every cell screamed in agony.
He wanted to scream along with them.
'Endure it. Park Chan-woo.'
With superhuman endurance, he held on—and kept holding.
Constitution: improving the overall quality of one's body.
It wouldn't be true if it didn't hurt.
Park Chan-woo knew from experience that letting the elixir effects leak out here would leave him with nothing worthwhile.
It was akin to the enlightenment that came with breaking through limit levels.
Humanity faced 'limit levels' every 10 levels, and breaking them was required to advance further.
The higher the stage, the harsher the trials and greater the pain.
Fail to endure, and you couldn't surpass them.
Compared to the vertigo he'd felt breaking past level 90, this pain was nothing.
Any ordinary person would have blacked out a hundred times over.
'I'm used to it.'
To him, it was familiar.
Not just because he'd broken limits many times.
To survive, he'd endured every torment imaginable.
Even when captured by 'Human Hunters' and doused in boiling molten metal, or tortured by having nails ripped out and salt rubbed in, Park Chan-woo had never given up on himself.
Even when the demon called 'Butcher' flayed every strip of flesh from him over 30 hours, or when bound by the 'Illusion Fairy' and tormented by horrific visions for 30 days.
Park Chan-woo had endured it all.
So this level of pain?
No matter how weakened his body, it didn't make sense for him—the man returned from a horrific future—not to endure.
Soon, his expression relaxed.
Even leisure entered his eyes.
As the energy stabilized, another message appeared.
Aaah...!
A smile bloomed on Park Chan-woo's lips.
The countless elixirs had spread through him like poison.
Their overwhelmingly potent effects were no different from venom.
By adapting to all that energy, he'd attained 'Hundred Poisons Immunity.'
Had he not blocked the energy from escaping through his mouth and nose, he'd have ended up with mere 'Ten Poisons Immunity' or minor poison resistance.
'Poison resistance is invaluable in the Abyss, no matter the reason. Especially Hundred Poisons Immunity.'
Not mere resistance—his very constitution had become immune to poison.
Typical 'poison resistance' only worked against poisons matching its level, but a constitutional change allowed enduring even the deadliest toxins to some degree.
The difference was impossible to ignore.
At least he wouldn't die screaming from poison.
Soon, Incarnations wielding poison would appear in earnest.
Abysses filled with poison fog across entire areas, or monsters with lethally potent venom, would emerge.
Other elemental resistances mattered, but poison resistance was essential.
'I've obtained something rare.'
Not just rare—impossible at this stage.
'Hundred Poisons Immunity' was achievable by only a tiny few.
Of course, reaching level 80 would grant comparable ability automatically, but that wasn't easy either.
'If I consume more elixirs, could I reach Thousand Poisons Immunity or Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity?'
Greed naturally arose.
Twenty types had granted Hundred Poisons Immunity.
Yoo Han-seop's map marked over fifty elixirs.
Devouring them all might enable Thousand or even Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity.
'Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity' was a realm where poison simply didn't work.
No matter how deadly, it was useless against Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity.
And as far as Park Chan-woo knew, only one person had ever reached it.
'Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity, Water and Fire Immunity, Adamant Indestructibility... all held by one bastard.'
Conditions that made one the absolute strongest, and he'd hoarded three.
The first to reach level 99.
A loathsome son of a bitch whose name he couldn't even bear to utter!
Park Chan-woo shook his head to clear the thought.
At least right now, he was ahead of that bastard.
Even if limited to 100 hours, his overwhelming attack and defense proved it.
He wanted to sweep away all the Incarnations here, including that one.
'Killing the Water God comes first.'
Doing so would render his 'Non-Existence' meaningless.
If the Creators and Water God noticed, all plans would crumble.
Kill the Water God, have South Korea reach 5,000 points—that came first.
Park Chan-woo wiped the sweat from his brow and left the cave.
He had no intention of resting even a minute until he'd devoured every elixir.
Especially since...
'The elixir that bastard wanted is likely in the poison mist swamp.'
That guy had definitely obtained elixirs here back then.
He'd come searching for them and obstructed people to prevent Water Abyss clears.
His biography as the long-time 'Savior' was well-documented.
Witness accounts existed of him leading people to 'work a miracle in the poison mist swamp' at this time.
The location wasn't far from here.
And per the map, the swamp shrouded in poison mist held the most elusive elixir.
'I am the strongest.'
Yoo Han-seop was strong.
Not just in his ability to form the 'Dawn Fellowship' and lead people.
He knew how to hide his emotions, was ruthless and cunning, and feared no blood.
Thanks to that nature, a powerful 'Creator' had chosen him, granting him Incarnation status and myriad benefits.
He had talent.
Ambition aplenty, and he never slacked in effort.
The epitome of a perfected genius.
He far exceeded projected survival rates in the Abyss, and in the 'First Night Abyss,' he'd ranked 10th in contributions against the 'Twelve Divine Generals.'
His combat prowess was exceptional.
'Even Incarnations can't match me.'
Whoosh!
Yoo Han-seop smiled down at the burning corpse.
Already three.
The number of Incarnations he'd slain.
Even those grown under Creators' full support couldn't stand against him.
But Incarnations were meant to lead humanity—beings above humans.
It wasn't that they were weak; Yoo Han-seop was exceptionally strong.
Unlike normal humans, Incarnations' bodies burned to charred husks upon death, making them easy to distinguish.
Every time a corpse burned, the Creator expressed satisfaction with a 'Gold Box.'
Thieves who stole what he'd arranged.
This was his punishment for them.
Yoo Han-seop opened the gifts immediately.
'...Unique. Not bad.'
Not just not bad—it was excellent.
One out of three was Unique grade.
Far above average for Gold Box rewards.
His highest gear currently was the 'Silver Knight's Sword (Epic)' from a 'Gold Box (★)' in the First Night Abyss.
'Normal, Rare, Unique, Epic. No higher grades discovered yet.'
Humanity's peak at this point was likely Epic.
No rumors of anything beyond.
Yoo Han-seop eyed his new gear with trembling anticipation.
'Ooh. Unique option!!'
Yoo Han-seop clenched his fist with a grin.
Unique grade and above came with 'Unique Options.'
They typically boosted stats or granted special functions.
At a stage where +1 to a stat mattered hugely.
+2 Vitality? What greater boon could there be?
"Thank you, my god! I shall punish the thieves all the more diligently and with all my might."
Yoo Han-seop bowed deeply to his Creator in gratitude.
The foundation for even greater fervor in Incarnation hunting was set.
Equipping the Amber Knee Guards and new gear, Yoo Han-seop consulted the map and headed to a nearby 'arranged' spot.
The arrangements had already been stolen, but unaware Incarnations would still come.
And before long...
'Here they come.'
As expected, someone arrived.
Coming here meant high odds of being an Incarnation.
But upon confirming the newcomer, Yoo Han-seop couldn't help frowning.
'...That guy?'
The man who'd slain a 'Dragon God General' with one strike in the First Night Abyss.
Lee Hyuk-soo had appeared.