Chapter 84
Chapter 84
Mad Black Mage's Tower Strategy
Chapter 84
An unexpected gift from Seo-jin. However, Han Seo-hee frowned.
"I appreciate it, but I don't smoke."
Even though she still respected her father, she disliked the smell of cigarettes.
"If you dislike cigarettes."
Seo-jin took something out of his pocket and placed it on the table.
RATTLE-.
Transparent crystal-like substances were contained in ziplock bags, divided into small portions.
From the outside, it looked exactly like dangerous stuff.
Han Seo-hee looked at Seo-jin with half-closed eyes.
"This... isn't some kind of shady stuff, is it?"
Rather than this, cigarettes would be better, no matter how you look at it.......
"It's not what you're thinking."
It just has a similar effect.
Seo-jin continued.
"It will alleviate the side effects of the black magic you're suffering from."
"......!"
Of course, this was developed exclusively for Seo-jin, so it wouldn't produce the same effects for Han Seo-hee.
In the first place, her level was much higher, and the accumulated adverse effects of the magic energy were significant, so it wouldn't be easily cured.
However, if he analyzed her constitution and made a specialized medicine, he might be able to completely cure the side effects.
Unlike Seo-jin who continued to overexert himself, she had retired from the front lines and was recuperating.
"If you're really suspicious, you don't have to use it."
Who would readily take medicine made by others, wondering what bad things might be in it?
Since it was made together with his master, So-yul could persuade her that it was harmless, but the decision was ultimately Han Seo-hee's to make.
Seo-jin left both the cigarettes and the medicine on the table and departed.
"I'll be going now."
***
"This place is nice. Let's go with this one."
After the meeting with Han Seo-hee. A luxury apartment near the Association headquarters.
"Three rooms and two bathrooms. The living room is spacious and gets good sunlight."
WHOOSH-.
So-yul even tried turning on the water once. Seo-jin looked around reluctantly.
"It's big for one person to use."
"Better than something cramped. If you live here, you'll end up using it all."
Since he had plenty of money anyway, it didn't matter.
"Let's put Se-yeon on the upper floor. I also live on the 7th floor."
"Is it an apartment where rankers have gathered?"
"Yes, I have a separate family home, but I sometimes stay here because it's close to the Association headquarters. The facilities are also decent."
She said the community facilities like the swimming pool and gym were well-equipped, and security was perfect too.
She said it was a building where all the top-floor strategy team members owned a unit each.
"How much?"
"About 4 billion?"
At So-yul's words, Seo-jin doubted his own ears.
Does oil come out of the ground or something? Why is it so expensive?
He didn't feel it was a waste to spend money on items or artifacts, but somehow this seemed expensive.
"It's a bit expensive, but Seo-jin, you have a lot of money, right? Or should I lend you some?"
"That's fine for me, but what about her?"
So-yul put her hand on Se-yeon's shoulder.
"For now, unnie will buy it for her. If Se-yeon sells the magic stones and items she has, repayment will be possible soon enough."
"......"
Indeed, Kim Se-yeon was no longer in a position to be treated as an orphan girl.
A climber with insane talent who was climbing the tower at a similar speed to Seo-jin.
If she disposed of the magic stones and spoils of war she had swept up so far, this level of apartment would be sufficient.
"Then shall we go with this place?"
The contract was decided.
***
After staying one night at a hotel owned by the Association, the next day, Seo-jin paid the down payment and immediately moved into the apartment.
An apartment in central Seoul that might be a lifelong dream for ordinary people. Normally he should have been happy, but strangely he felt no particular emotion.
Because if he couldn't prevent the Tower's collapse, all of this would become a vain thing that would crumble.
Even though he got a new house, he left his old studio apartment as it was. Because he somehow felt attached to it.
There was no luggage to move from the studio apartment.
The only thing he prepared was a mattress topper bought from a nearby mart.
Seo-jin spread the topper carelessly in the living room and lay down on it.
As he lay alone in the empty house, the doorbell soon rang.
DING DONG- DING DONG-.
After that, packages kept coming.
They were gifts sent by the Han sisters.
Perhaps it was a kind of bribe.
All kinds of white appliances like luxury refrigerators, washer-dryer towers, stylers and air purifiers he wouldn't even use, 90-inch TVs, robot vacuum cleaners, etc., came in succession and began to fill the empty house.
Se-yeon upstairs was in the same situation.
General appliances that filled the living room even after the installation technicians left.
It had been a long time, so he was confused not only about installation but also about how to use them, but he soon got used to it.
Next, Seo-jin toured the community facilities provided in the apartment complex.
Interestingly, there was even a restaurant, and breakfast was provided to residents.
It was a service that climbers who didn't have time to cook would welcome.
Seo-jin toured the facilities within the complex and arrived at the gym.
In the gym was a very familiar figure, yet one he hadn't expected to meet like this.
CLANG-.
"Whew."
A muscular giant similar in height to Seo-jin but of a different race in terms of overall volume.
A distinctive figure with hair that had turned completely white due to side effects of medicine, slicked back appropriately with wax.
It was Fist King Choi Gang-hyeon.
A member of the same strategy team as Seo-jin in his previous life, a bad friend who he had fought with fists several times.
Even calling him a bad friend, he wasn't sure if Gang-hyeon considered Seo-jin a friend.
He too wasn't completely free from suspicion of Ju Won-jae's execution.
The only ones free from that suspicion were those who had died at the time, and Ha-yeon who had been trapped in the Eternal Snow Ice.
'But why is this bastard working out here?'
Leaving the good magic training grounds inside the Tower.
"......"
Choi Gang-hyeon noticed Seo-jin but soon lost interest and focused on his training again.
Coincidentally, there were only the two of them, Seo-jin and Choi Gang-hyeon, in the gym.
No, this wasn't a coincidence.
The dangerous aura he exuded must have driven away all the other residents.
"......"
But Seo-jin had nothing to regret. He wouldn't avoid using this gym just because Choi Gang-hyeon was there.
Kim Se-yeon also needed to come and use it, so he needed to pave the way first.
Seo-jin silently entered the gym, changed clothes, and stood in front of the equipment.
To Seo-jin, Choi Gang-hyeon asked without even looking at him.
"A new resident?"
"Yeah."
At Seo-jin's answer, Choi Gang-hyeon spoke as if pleased.
"Somehow there wasn't a single person in the gym, so this is welcome."
'They ran away after seeing you, you crazy bastard.'
What sane person would dare disturb the Fist King's training?
If it had been a different gym, many ordinary people would have come to see the Fist King, but since it was a gym within a luxury apartment complex, such a situation didn't occur.
Choi Gang-hyeon glanced at Seo-jin and struck up a conversation.
"You don't usually exercise, I see."
Seo-jin had a naturally good frame but only had some small muscles developed, so he wasn't noticeably large in physique like Choi Gang-hyeon.
"On the contrary, you seem to do it often."
Unlike the muscles of bodybuilders who pursue physical beauty, these were muscles trained through the pressure of magic power and countless battles.
Even though he knew Gang-hyeon didn't particularly care about muscle size, when he looked again, his bulk seemed even more massive.
Muscles like steel cables woven with magic power had a different structure from ordinary human muscles.
With some exaggeration, it looked like even a knife wouldn't penetrate them. And it probably wouldn't in reality either.
CREAK-.
'Physical-type climbers can exert some degree of power even outside the Tower.'
Of course, outside, the stats increased by the Tower's blessing also lost their effect, and it was impossible to strengthen muscles through magic power operation.
Like mages, there were hardly any people who knew how to operate internal energy without the Tower's correction.
However, the body that had been adapted and trained in high magic power concentration remained intact.
Physical-type climbers were superhumans with strength and durability transcending ordinary people even outside the Tower.
This was why physical-type climbers were treated better than mage types.
At Seo-jin's words, Gang-hyeon put down the barbell and said,
"Well. It's different from appearances too."
THUD-.
Gang-hyeon casually put down the barbell that must have weighed several hundred kilograms.
In his previous life, didn't that guy say that the muscles used for combat and the muscles that showed externally were different?
He couldn't remember exactly.
"If you want, I'll teach you some of my routine. What's your profession?"
Choi Gang-hyeon readily offered to teach him exercise.
He was blunt but strangely meddlesome. Or maybe he was just doing this because he was bored.
Seo-jin answered lightly.
"I'm a mage."
"Ho, that's rare, a mage who exercises."
"Combat magic also requires physical ability."
At Seo-jin's words, Choi Gang-hyeon nodded as if agreeing.
"That's right. There are more than a few guys who hide behind others, mutter, and die screaming. You should at least learn enough to protect yourself. What's your name? I'm Choi Gang-hyeon."
"I'm Lee Seo-jin."
When he calmly revealed his name, Choi Gang-hyeon chuckled.
"You're not surprised even after hearing my name."
"Is there anything particularly surprising about it?"
He was distinctive enough to be recognized even from 100 meters away.
If you came this close, you'd already know who it was before approaching.
"......"
Choi Gang-hyeon looked with strange eyes at this mysterious resident who didn't care even after knowing his identity.
But there was nothing particularly to pry into.
In the first place, Choi Gang-hyeon himself wasn't particularly interested in others, and it was also rude to pry into Tower affairs in reality.
His only interests were personal strength and proving martial prowess.
In some ways, he was similar to Lee Seo-mun. But there was a slight difference between the two.
While Lee Seo-mun pursued the ultimate in martial arts, technique and the Way, Choi Gang-hyeon pursued pure physical strength.
Fists were just the most suitable for implementing that strength, which was why Choi Gang-hyeon was called the Fist King.
Moreover, seeing that he didn't respond when offered to teach exercise, he seemed to have no particular interest in learning either.
"......"
Thus, the two men began exercising at their respective positions while keeping their distance.
CREAK-. THUD-.
The only sounds in the gym were the metallic sounds of exercise equipment and dull impact sounds.
How much longer did that hellish silence continue?
"Huh?"
Se-yeon, who came to the gym late, stopped in her tracks.
"......"
When the gazes of Seo-jin and Gang-hyeon suddenly met, Se-yeon felt her body stiffen with a start.
She was like a cat caught between wolves engaged in a battle of nerves.
With the instinctive sense that it would be better not to get involved, Se-yeon tried to turn around and run away, but.
"Come here."
At Seo-jin's call, she had no choice but to step into the gym.
Choi Gang-hyeon also looked at Se-yeon with raised eyebrows as if finding it interesting.
"There are many new residents."
"Yeah, she also moved in today. Excuse me for the first meeting, but could you possibly teach this child exercise?"
"Ah. Ah......"
Unlike Se-yeon who was confused by Seo-jin's sudden words, Gang-hyeon seriously pondered while stroking his chin.
"Hmm."
He checked Se-yeon's frame and muscles to confirm her potential.
There was possibility.
She seemed to be a physical-type profession that used her body, so if trained well, she would become a good warrior.
After finishing his assessment, Choi Gang-hyeon asked.
"Would that be okay? Her case is different from yours."
It was different from casually teaching exercise to some mage weakling.
As much as he saw potential, he might ruthlessly work her to death.
That was what Choi Gang-hyeon considered true education.
However, there was a serious problem with that education: most people would stick out their tongues at Choi Gang-hyeon's education and run away.
It was natural. Humans are weak. Most people couldn't follow his exercise intensity.
Neither their bodies nor their will met Choi Gang-hyeon's standards.
To this, Seo-jin answered.
"Try teaching her for now. As a trial."
Choi Gang-hyeon nodded.
"Fine. But I won't set specific times or occasions. I'll only teach a little when we happen to meet."
"That works."
That bastard was a crazy guy who only exercised all day except for eating and shitting time.
Unless Choi Gang-hyeon was participating in top-floor strategy, Se-yeon could come to this gym anytime and receive Choi Gang-hyeon's teachings.
"Then before teaching, let's check basic physical fitness. Run."
WHIRR-.
When Gang-hyeon pressed the button, the treadmill began spinning fiercely.
30 km/h speed.
A speed that ordinary people couldn't easily catch up to even running at full speed, it was a treadmill exclusively for climbers.
Looking at the crazily moving floor, Se-yeon instinctively knew she was in serious trouble.
Looking at the pad of the treadmill moving like mad, Se-yeon instinctively knew she was in very serious trouble.
***
After Gang-hyeon's simple physical fitness test.
"Are, are you planning to kill me?"
Se-yeon, who had returned home, shouted at Seo-jin.
It was almost the first time that Se-yeon, who usually never showed emotion, got angry at Seo-jin.
But Seo-jin just casually threw her a towel.
"When it comes to training the body, there's no specialist like that guy. It's good to learn."
Se-yeon's power was Berserk.
It was ultimately a power greatly influenced by individual physical ability.
A trained body could exert greater power for longer periods than a skinny body.
"......I don't want to become that bulky."
"Don't worry. You can't become like that even if you wanted to."
Even if you only ate and exercised, it was impossible to have a body like Choi Gang-hyeon's, so it was needless worry.
That was the product of madness created by crazy genes and even crazier effort.
Considering Se-yeon's activity level, she could expect a sleek model-like body at most.
"Wash up and come out. Han So-yul said there's somewhere to go."
The place they would visit this time was a wholesale market exclusively for climbers.
Since he happened to have someone he needed to buy a simple gift for, let's go take a look.