Growth Potential (2)

'Why didn't I think of that?'

Yeong-sik gazed down at his right arm, the thought crossing his mind. His body was composed of countless mechanical devices. So surely he could use his Structure Analysis skill—2/31—the one that analyzed machine structures.

"So that's a thing."

Yeong-sik nodded with a sly grin. He'd always been curious about the exact structure of his own body. This was the perfect chance to uncover at least some of its secrets.

"Structure Analysis."

Yeong-sik murmured the skill name while staring at his right arm.

3/31

And then. In that instant, a mechanical voice rang stiffly in his ears.

4/31

"Ngh?"

A sharp pain stabbed through Yeong-sik's head. He nodded instinctively.

The sound of gears meshing echoed from somewhere inside his body. An image flashed through Yeong-sik's mind.

A barren desert stretched out, dominated by a mountain made of countless mechanical devices. He was walking slowly toward it, 5/31 reaching out with eyes sunk deep in shadow.

As the gears meshed, the mechanical mountain stirred. It split open to either side. He stepped slowly inside, murmuring softly.

"Where did it all go wrong?"

The faint mutter ended the vision in Yeong-sik's mind.

6/31

"Urgh!"

Yeong-sik clutched his head against the intense headache, swallowing a pained groan.

This is...?

What had surfaced was a fragment of his past memory. It was similar to the time he'd forcibly unlocked a security level during his fight with Nam Gi-tae.

Does unlocking security levels bring back memories?

Yeong-sik's eyes gleamed.

7/31

It was just a brief shard now, offering no clues to his identity. But if he kept unlocking security levels, he might recover enough memories to uncover who—or what—he'd been.

'Blade?'

Yeong-sik tilted his head at the voice in his ear.

8/31

Just like with Rocket Punch, information about the Blade began flowing into his mind.

"Yeong-sik? What's wrong?"

"Did something happen?"

Gil-su and A-ra asked with worried looks, seeing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him suddenly grab his forehead in pain.

Yeong-sik slowly raised his head and activated his new weapon, the 'Blade.'

"Kyaa!"

9/31

His left wrist split open slightly, and a small sword about 30 centimeters long sprang out like a switchblade.

A-ra screamed in surprise as the blade suddenly emerged from his left hand.

"This is...?"

"I used Structure Analysis on my own body, and it unlocked this weapon."

Yeong-sik spoke with a hollow expression, as if even he found his body ridiculous.

'Less impact than Rocket Punch, but...'

10/31

Yeong-sik gave a wry smile as he eyed the blade protruding from his left hand. It lacked the shock value of his first weapon, but it seemed far more practical. A sword wasn't a one-shot deal like the punch, after all.

"Hm?"

Yeong-sik's eyes sparkled at the blue message window floating before him. It clearly read 'Level cap increased.'

He hurriedly opened his status window.

12/31 → 14/31

'The level cap really went up.'

And it wasn't just that. Though the gains were modest, every stat from HP and MP onward had increased. A thrilling shiver ran through Yeong-sik's body.

'Unlocking security levels raises the level cap too.'

One of his nagging worries had been his pathetically low cap—below average, even. He'd been pondering his future, but this solved it neatly.

15/31

"Hmm... But it's just a sturdy sword, huh? I figured you'd pull out something like a plasma cutter."

"Ah, yeah, I kinda thought the same."

Gil-su and A-ra eyed him with faint disappointment.

Yeong-sik let out a hollow laugh at their reactions.

"What the hell do you guys think I am?"

"Well?"

"Ahem. Precious comrades, of course."

16/31

Gil-su and A-ra averted their gazes. Yeong-sik swallowed a groan.

"Anyway, does that mean you get a new weapon every time you use Structure Analysis?"

Gil-su changed the subject.

Yeong-sik's eyes lit up.

"Guess we'll have to test it."

He used Structure Analysis on himself again.

17/31 → 18/31

A mechanical chime accompanied the blue window before his eyes.

Yeong-sik nodded, a touch disappointed but not surprised. Honestly, a Lv 1 Structure Analysis cracking every security code would have been more absurd.

"Not at this level. Looks like I need to raise the skill ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to unlock more weapons."

"Oho. Skill levels... Just spam it, right?"

"No, it only goes up on success."

Yeong-sik frowned slightly as he spoke.

19/31

Come to think of it, there's no other machines around to raise proficiency.

The only machine in this world was his body. His low level prevented repeated use on himself, so he'd need other machines—but there were none worth analyzing.

...Guess I'll have to make some later and level it that way.

20/31

That left creating his own machines to analyze. Yeong-sik retracted the blade into his left hand, thinking to experiment later.

The 30cm blade vanished into his body.

"Let's rest well tonight and start hunting local monsters for info and gear tomorrow."

Gil-su and A-ra nodded at Yeong-sik's words.

Thus, their life ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on the continent began smoothly, without incident.

21/31

The next day, Yeong-sik's party immediately scouted nearby monsters. The Adventurers' Association—middlemen connecting freelance summoners to jobs, bypassing guilds—made info easy to come by.

They acquired an axe for Gil-su and a beginner's magic staff. But stocking up drained their 3 gold in a flash.

22/31

Yeong-sik had planned more prep before hunting, but with no coin left even for a bed, they advanced the schedule.

"Ugh. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Didn't expect 3 gold to vanish so fast."

Yeong-sik sighed as they trekked a forest near the port city of Bellen, their first stop.

23/31

They headed for an orc village.

"...Sorry."

A-ra spoke cautiously, gripping her staff with its tiny blue magic stone.

The biggest drain? Her staff. Way too pricey.

"Hahaha. No need to apologize. We'll earn more."

Gil-su chuckled warmly, his usual affable self.

24/31

Yeong-sik's expression softened a bit.

"Yeah. Good thing monsters drop gold like in a game."

Ernoir's monsters dropped currency—gold, silver, copper—with a chance on death, treated as legal tender here.

'One orc averages 3 silver, right?'

He couldn't pin the drop rate, but it struck him as stingy.

25/31

Killing man-eating beasts for pocket change? And not guaranteed.

"We'll need at least four per day."

Yeong-sik calculated their daily costs aloud.

A-ra gripped her staff confidently.

"We got four-plus in the tutorial. We can do more now."

"True enough."

26/31

Yeong-sik nodded. They'd synced up before heading out, and results were solid. Four orcs at once? Doable. Maybe five.

Or even five, possibly.

He recalled practicing with A-ra and Gil-su. Gil-su was still rough around the edges, but A-ra's magic was astonishing.

27/31

She'd be the party's ace before long, Yeong-sik figured—not him.

"Found 'em."

"Three...?"

Wandering the woods, Yeong-sik's group spotted three orcs. He walked a bit away and spoke up.

"This spot's good."

Yeong-sik glanced around, pulling a fist-sized hunk of rabbit meat from his pouch.

28/31

Orc catnip.

He placed it beside a dense bush—swapping A-ra's old bait role.

A sweet aroma wafted out.

The party ducked into the bush as planned.

"A-ra strikes first, then Gil-su charges to draw aggro."

29/31

"Got it."

"Yeah."

Gil-su and A-ra nodded tensely, excited for their first orcs in ages. A-ra swallowed, prepping her debut spell cast.

Rustle.

"Snort! Snort!"

'Here they come.'

Twigs snapped underfoot with the orcs' signature grunts. Yeong-sik clenched his right fist.

30/31

Just three orcs—A-ra's magic downs one, Gil-su's rush another, and his Rocket Punch finishes the last. Easy.

But.

Yeong-sik's face hardened.

Over ten orcs burst from the brush—way more than three.

31/31