Chapter 256
Chapter 256
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 257
Chapter Title: New Traits
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[You have achieved the ‘Body Regeneration’ accomplishment.]
[You have acquired 3,000 points as a reward.]
Time passed, and my mangled arm returned to its original form.
I examined my arm from every angle. I wiggled my fingers and even tested body reinforcement with the tiny amount of mana I had left.
It moved perfectly.
As if nothing had ever happened, it was back to its pre-injury state.
“……Phew.”
I’d been worried I might never use my arm again, but thank goodness that wasn’t the case.
If I hadn’t acquired ‘Super Regeneration’ from the Victory Report back then…… Just imagining it was horrifying.
That aside, the process of my arm getting shattered had yielded an unexpected windfall.
In fact, getting injured might have led to an even better outcome.
I checked the traits I’d newly acquired.
First up was the upgraded Pain Tolerance.
[Pain Tolerance (C)]
Category: Trait
Description: Your body adapts to pain.
[Passive Effect]
►Pain Adaptation
Perceived pain is reduced by 25%.
Stamina recovery speed is increased by 15%.
Perceived pain had risen from 15% to 25%, and stamina recovery speed from 10% to 15%.
It had jumped three whole grades from D to C, but since C-rank was still a low grade in itself, the numerical boosts weren’t dramatic.
Still, the grade-up meant I’d grown, so I was plenty satisfied.
“Next up……”
[Physical Resistance (C)]
Category: Trait
Description: Your body gains greater resistance to physical damage.
[Passive Effect]
►Tough Skin
Stamina +1.
Strength +3.
Physical attack defense +15%.
Physical Resistance.
True to its adaptive trait nature, the effects were straightforward and intuitive, no complicated explanations.
Basic stat boosts plus 15% defense increase.
Judged purely on the trait’s effects, it wasn’t anything exceptional…… but as I’d always said, the beauty of adaptive traits was that you got them for free.
This was more than satisfactory.
It even made me regret not self-harming more like I used to in order to rack up more adaptive traits.
“……Though I got Physical Resistance later than I expected.”
Thinking about it, over the past year, I’d been through several life-or-death battles, yet I’d never sustained any major injuries.
I’d gotten plenty of scrapes and scratches, sure, but this was the first time a part of my body had been outright shattered.
……Guess I’d just been lucky until now.
Dangerous situations like this would only increase going forward. I needed to be more careful.
“Whew.”
With a sigh to shake off my worries, I checked the final trait.
The one I’d gotten from the Victory Report effect: [Berserk Transformation Stage 1].
This was the most anticipated trait of the bunch.
[Berserk Transformation Stage 1 (B)]
Category: Trait
Description: You go berserk in extreme situations. Achieving certain conditions will raise your berserk stage. Higher stages increase power but also penalties.
[Active Effect]
Can activate in extreme situations.
Upon use, you lose composure, and all stats increase by 30%. All recovery abilities increase by 100%.
Super Regeneration activates permanently.
You lose precise mana control. However, body reinforcement efficiency using mana increases by 50%.
After berserk ends, you suffer mana exhaustion for 24 hours.
*Duration: 10 minutes
“……Hmm.”
Had my expectations been too high?
It felt a bit ambiguous.
Of course, the ability itself wasn’t bad.
The trade-offs for losing composure and precise mana control were decent enough.
If someone like Lee Seo-jun got this, they’d become ridiculously strong.
But not me. My specialty was ‘Manifestation Type’.
From what I could see, Berserk Transformation’s effects leaned heavily toward ‘Enhancement Type’ users.
Plus, losing precise mana control could actually be a detriment for me.
“I wonder what the next stage is like.”
According to the description, higher stages meant greater power.
Since this was Stage 1, reaching Stage 2 or 3 might make my close-combat prowess with Berserk stronger than using ‘Manifestation Type’.
Other demons went nearly twice as strong once they berserked, after all.
Thinking of it that way, it wasn’t so bad. I’d figure out how to level it up later.
I dismissed the window in front of me and stood up.
My body felt like stone from the mana exhaustion side effect of the Mana Elixir.
“Ugh……”
I opened my interspatial storage and pulled out the Chalice of Life. I filled it with water and chugged it down.
At once, I felt some of the lingering fatigue lift.
“Much better.”
……Alright, time to head back.
It was getting late.
I’d said I was going to the bathroom, and after all this time, everyone would probably be suspicious.
Though a few of them might’ve already caught on. Time to play it cool.
I looked around, confirmed no one was nearby, and changed into Kim Sun-woo’s clothes.
Just as I finished changing, I heard footsteps approaching from afar.
Soon, a familiar face appeared before me.
“……Sun-woo?”
It was Han Se-yeon. Her hair was damp with sweat, like she’d been running around frantically.
I’d been a little worried something might’ve happened to her while the King was chasing the Sword Ghost, but she looked unharmed.
“I heard Lee Seo-jun participated, but I didn’t realize you did too, Sun-woo.”
“……Yeah.”
I nodded slightly.
“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”
Han Se-yeon approached with a worried expression. At that moment, my face stiffened without me realizing it.
Whenever I was in front of Han Se-yeon as Kim Sun-woo, I always ended up more guarded than necessary.
She noticed my wariness and stopped in her tracks.
“I…… I’m not asking for any other reason. I was just genuinely curious if you were okay.”
She spoke carefully. Knowing her intentions, I nodded faintly.
“As you can see, I’m fine. Not a scratch on me.”
Han Se-yeon let out a relieved sigh.
“That’s good to hear. I just got word that Association wizards are handling cleanup. It should all be sorted out fine, so no need to worry.”
I nodded slightly instead of replying.
“Um……”
Then Han Se-yeon called out to me. I turned my gaze back to her.
“……Just to make sure, have I ever done anything rude to you, Sun-woo?”
My mind blanked for a second. For her to ask directly, my attitude must’ve really been bothering her.
“No, it’s not that……”
As I trailed off, Han Se-yeon looked at me with curious eyes.
“……I just get nervous sometimes.”
“Nervous?”
My answer seemed to surprise her.
“Anyway, Han Se-yeon…… Ahem.”
I almost said ‘Han Se-yeon-ssi’.
“I don’t have any ill feelings toward you.”
We were staring straight at each other when footsteps came from behind.
“Director!”
Han family security wizards arrived late.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No, I’m fine. More importantly, the others……”
“We’re handling the situation now. Fortunately, there are hardly any injuries.”
Han Se-yeon sighed in relief.
As I quietly watched their exchange, my smart student handbook chimed with a message.
I checked it right away.
[Yoon Ha-young]
[Sun-woo, how’s your arm? I’m covering for you so the kids don’t suspect anything. Don’t worry about here—head to the hospital first!]
Seeing the message made me chuckle.
She’s up to her usual nonsense again.
It said not to worry, but I was worried she’d come up with some weird excuse.
It even made me think I should take the long way around.
Then I felt a gaze and looked up.
Han Se-yeon, who’d been talking with the security wizards, was staring right at me. Her expression was off somehow.
Shock in her eyes? Not sure why, but I bowed my head politely to her.
“Anyway, I’ll be going now.”
I had to head her way, so I walked toward Han Se-yeon. As I brushed past her……
I sensed a flurry of presence from her.
Wondering why, I glanced back slightly.
Han Se-yeon was staring at me with wide eyes.
Han Se-yeon blankly stared down the hallway where Kim Sun-woo—the one who’d just passed her—had disappeared.
Her mind was a mess.
Kim Sun-woo looking down at his smart student handbook with a smile.
That smile looked too much like someone she knew.
She’d thought they resembled each other before, but the smile being identical was too much……
‘No, okay, fine, even the smile.’
When Kim Sun-woo had brushed past her, a faint whiff of his scent had ridden the air to her nose.
But was it her imagination?
The smell coming from Kim Sun-woo was awfully similar to Kim Jin-woo’s.
Of course, it could’ve been a mistake.
There was the gunpowder scent from outside mixed in, and her sense of smell might’ve been numbed.
Even so, the connection between Kim Sun-woo and Kim Jin-woo that had briefly faded resurfaced in Han Se-yeon’s mind.
……Time passed.
The demon raid that had caused massive chaos was fully contained by the dispatched Association wizards.
Fortunately, a mysterious terrorist (?) had stirred up confusion before the demons attacked, preventing greater damage than expected.
No civilian deaths, just about ten injuries.
Considering an S-rank demon had attacked, this level of damage was nothing short of miraculous.
“But where the hell did Kim Sun-woo go? He’s not picking up his phone.”
Meanwhile, Lee Seo-jun’s group was searching for the vanished Kim Sun-woo.
“I told you, Sun-woo went to the bathroom.”
Shin Young-jun scowled at Yoon Ha-young’s words.
“Yeah, but what bathroom takes over an hour?”
“Maybe he got trapped because of the demons. Or lost his way.”
“That make any sense? And this is the guy who navigated the maze like it was nothing?”
With no comeback, Yoon Ha-young clamped her mouth shut.
“But that hooded wizard we saw earlier.”
Choi Seo-yoon spoke up. Lee Seo-jun reacted first.
“His fighting style kinda reminded me of Senior Kim Sun-woo, didn’t it?”
“Huh? Yeah! I felt it too. Super similar style. The sudden speed burst and using manifestation type up close.”
Shin Young-jun chattered excitedly, then turned to Lee Seo-jun.
“You felt it too, right?”
“……Yeah. I did.”
He turned to Yoon Ha-young next. She shook her head seriously.
“……Huh? No? Totally different?”
Ignoring her, Shin Young-jun turned back to Lee Seo-jun and grinned playfully.
“What if that was Kim Sun-woo?”
Lee Seo-jun didn’t answer. He just stared at the floor, lost in thought.
Shin Young-jun tsked at the bland reaction.
Then, as if remembering something, he turned to Yoon Ha-young.
“Oh, right. One more thing I’m curious about—that spell you used earlier, what was it?”
Here it comes, Yoon Ha-young thought, shrinking back.
Uh…… How do I explain this? The whole truth?
“……It’s my trait.”
Everyone’s faces lit up with curiosity at ‘trait’.
“A trait? Whoa, awesome. When’d you awaken it?”
“A while back. I recognized it early last year, but it might’ve awakened even earlier……”
“Wild. What kind of trait?”
“Uh…… Hard to explain, but think of it like an innate attribute only certain people are born with, like light affinity.”
“An attribute……”
Everyone recalled the spell Yoon Ha-young had cast.
Her usual ‘arrow’ form. But not ice—some alien mana.
It definitely felt like an ‘attribute’.
Even if it wasn’t technically classified as one.
“Cool. So what attribute? Boosted destructive power?”
Shin Young-jun rubbed his chin, theorizing.
“Kinda.”
“Then you’ve got dual attributes?”
“……Uh? Y-yeah?”
Shin Young-jun shot her an envious look. Feeling the pressure, Yoon Ha-young gave an awkward smile.
“Oh, yeah. Can you keep this trait a secret?”
Everyone nodded at her request.
“Sure, no problem.”
“Yeah, our lips are sealed.”
Hiding one’s power was common among wizards.
So they didn’t suspect anything from Yoon Ha-young’s plea.
“Hehe. Thanks.”
……As they chatted.
“Hey? Senior!”
Choi Seo-yoon waved energetically at someone.
Everyone’s gazes followed.
Kim Sun-woo was walking in from the stage entrance. From his clothes, no sign of injury.
Shin Young-jun crossed his arms, grumbling.
“Kim Sun-woo. Where’ve you been all this time?”
“Sun-woo! Why are you here?!”
Yoon Ha-young cut him off and rushed to Kim Sun-woo.
He stared at her, then smiled faintly.
“What? Can’t I be here?”
“Huh? No, it’s not that……”
Yoon Ha-young mumbled to herself, then glanced at his right arm. Hidden by his sleeve, she couldn’t tell its state.
That’s when Lee Seo-jun strode over.
“Where’ve you been?”
“Dealing with demons outside. Helping with cleanup.”
Lee Seo-jun stared at his relaxed face.
Then he sighed and said,
“……Roll up your sleeve and show me your arm.”
“Why my arm?”
“Need to check.”
All eyes locked on Kim Sun-woo’s arm.
Sighing like he had no choice, he raised both arms and rolled up his sleeves.
……
Perfectly fine arms, no scars.
Yoon Ha-young’s eyes widened in shock as she stared at him.
Kim Sun-woo looked at her, then turned to Lee Seo-jun.
“There. Happy?”
Lee Seo-jun gazed at him with complicated eyes.