Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: The Engraver Jinun
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Thud, thud—.
Following the man, Lee Soo-hyuk was swept up in a strange feeling.
This vast manor they were walking through now, and the man ahead of him. It was impossible to feel that all of this was from over twenty years ago.
'Nothing's changed.'
The manor hadn't changed.
It was still immaculate, showing no trace of human presence.
How on earth did he clean it all by himself?
"Do you know me?"
The man asked as he led the way, back turned.
Though unseen, Lee Soo-hyuk nodded.
"Yes."
"Have we met before?"
Lee Soo-hyuk hesitated for a moment.
Should he say it?
That he was actually Lee Soo-hyuk.
That he'd become a different person, and though it was very late, he was that same guy from back then.
He parted his lips slightly, then closed them again.
It would be fortunate if he believed it.
But nine times out of ten, he wouldn't. And he might end up despising him, going beyond just kicking him out.
As a fraud daring to impersonate Lee Soo-hyuk, no doubt.
"...No. First time."
"Really? But you act like you know me well. I feel oddly familiar with you too."
Saying that, the man glanced back at Lee Soo-hyuk.
A sharp pang stabbed at one side of his chest. The situation made it hard to pretend total ignorance, so Lee Soo-hyuk mixed in half the truth.
"I did know about you before coming."
"How so?"
"Weren't you famous? Not anymore, though."
It wasn't wrong.
He might be forgotten by many now, but up until a few decades ago, everyone knew him.
Lee Soo-hyuk had too.
To think the man who'd saved him was this person.
"Uncle Jinun."
Myoje Jinun.
He was an outstanding martial scholar and formation expert from the Murim world.
Having embraced the tower's new knowledge, he'd fused Murim formations with Pantheon's magic to create new techniques, then vanished abruptly.
A giant retired from Murim.
That was the identity of the grumpy old man standing before Lee Soo-hyuk now.
"Yeah. I was famous. Back in the day."
His tone still held lingering doubt.
He stopped before what seemed to be their destination—a single room.
"Here for some work?"
"Yes. I'd like an engraving done."
"Not just painting with a brush, I assume..."
Creak—.
As Jinun waved his hand toward the door, it slid open like an automatic one.
"So, you're here for the procedure."
As if to facilitate conversation, two cups of tea sat in the room's center. As though anticipating this exact situation, the tea was still steaming, not fully cooled.
"Sit. Your legs must be tired."
"Yes."
Lee Soo-hyuk sat as invited and immediately lifted his teacup. The tea was perfectly warm—not too hot to drink.
As he took a sip to wet his throat, Jinun spoke.
"I don't do procedures for people whose faces I don't know."
Not touching the tea he'd prepared himself, Jinun continued.
"That was the rule with Lee Soo-hyuk too."
Lee Soo-hyuk's hand paused mid-sip.
Jinun had mentioned his name.
Was it intentional?
Staring at Jinun from behind his mask, Lee Soo-hyuk found him as inscrutable as ever—no tells in his expression or eyes.
'The face...'
Indeed, he was one of the few who knew what Lee Soo-hyuk's face looked like.
Someone he'd trusted deeply, a benefactor who'd helped him immensely.
Without him, his previous life's self might not have existed at all.
"I don't know where you heard it, but if you really want my work..."
Swish—.
Jinun's words cut off midway.
Lee Soo-hyuk had removed his mask. Jegal Jinun's eyes trembled faintly at the sharp features blending with dark eyes.
An unexpected turn, apparently.
"...You're showing it easier than I thought."
"What, it's not some amazing face."
It had been ages since he'd shown his bare face to anyone. No—in this life, it was the first time.
There wasn't any special reason he had to hide it. His lifestyle had just made it habitual, and he maintained a mysterious persona for his streams.
But those reasons weren't enough to hide from Jegal Jinun.
"Of course you'd say that..."
Confirming Lee Soo-hyuk's face, Jegal Jinun looked somewhat disappointed.
"Doesn't resemble him at all."
"Pardon?"
"Just same name. Tch."
Lee Soo-hyuk sank into thought at the irritated muttering and tongue-clicking.
The name.
He knew his name—Lee Soo-hyuk.
It wasn't just the mask. In this era, plenty of guys cosplayed as Lee Soo-hyuk in that mask.
Yet Jegal Jinun had seen through it because he'd watched his streams.
A soft, warm feeling enveloped him. Jegal Jinun was disappointed, but Lee Soo-hyuk was glad.
He couldn't have been happier to learn the man missed him.
He covered his face with an unmasked expression for the first time in ages. Even so, his lips curved up slightly, making Jinun frown.
"What's so funny?"
"Was I smiling?"
Lee Soo-hyuk tried to force down his stubborn smile as he asked.
"You've been looking for someone in me since earlier."
"Looking for who?"
"You just said it doesn't resemble him at all..."
"Talking to myself. To myself."
Even waving it off didn't sway Lee Soo-hyuk.
Finally, glancing slyly, Jinun gave in with a sigh.
"Fine. Lee Soo-hyuk."
"Yes."
"No, not you. The guy you're imitating. Thought same mask meant same everything, but face is totally different."
Indeed, his previous life's face and this one's were completely different. Back then, sharp impression; now, gentle aside from the eyes.
"Why are you looking for that Lee Soo-hyuk?"
"We were close. Then bam, he up and dies on me, like you know. Damn fool."
Words nearly slipped out at the grumbling.
"......Do you miss him a lot?"
Alive or dead, no.
But I'm back.
"Miss him?"
Jinun uttered words he'd never say to the real one face-to-face.
"If it wasn't that, why would I make some random guy take off his mask?"
"Is that so?"
Having barely pulled down his smile, Lee Soo-hyuk beamed brightly.
"That makes me happy."
* * *
Following Jinun, they arrived at a grand hall.
Though only Jinun lived here, the grounds were vast enough for a mid-tier guild's entire base.
Upon reaching the hall, Jinun glanced at Lee Soo-hyuk and said,
"Don't touch a damn thing."
Clunk—.
Jinun pulled the door handle. Instantly, the sharp, acrid scent from entering the manor assaulted his nose.
Strong enough to make the weak-stomached vomit on the spot.
Glancing inside, Lee Soo-hyuk was impressed.
'Even more now.'
He hadn't expected it to be the same as before. With players' levels rising overall, Jinun wouldn't have stagnated for twenty years.
The hall was Jinun's workshop.
It was littered with pungent herbs and liquids, sharp awls and brushes—unique materials and tools.
"You might not know, but my procedures are a bit pricey."
Lee Soo-hyuk nodded at Jinun's blunt remark.
"A bit" understated it—they were very expensive. But considering the effects, not unreasonably so.
"How far are you thinking?"
"As far as possible."
"As far as possible..."
Jinun scanned Lee Soo-hyuk up and down at his answer.
"Then we need to see how far that's possible. Take off your top and sit. I'll check."
At Jinun's words, Lee Soo-hyuk undressed and sat. Circling behind, Jinun placed a hand on his back.
"Not a bad canvas. For someone who just hit Floor 5..."
Jinun called a procedure candidate's body a "canvas." His work was mainly on the back, forming patterns like formations.
Examining Lee Soo-hyuk's body slowly, Jinun murmured lowly,
"...Impressive."
Genuinely shocked, especially from someone stingy with praise.
Lee Soo-hyuk's body was too perfected for a Floor 5 player.
"How far can it go?"
"Procedures vary. Direction and cost depend on what you want."
"Stamina."
His prepared answer.
"Strong enough to endure Lightning."
An unsolved issue for him, past or present.
Lightning.
A skill of immense power that burdened the user's body.
Using it against Jeong Yu-won had required a full day to recover fatigue.
Master of Lightning went without saying. Even gaining dozens more stats climbing Floor 4, it was still far off.
'Much better, but... still not enough.'
He knew it was greed. Much had already been compensated unbelievably.
Lightning Heart granted full electric immunity and massive resistance.
Selfish Sacrifice performed better with each level up.
But he needed more.
Until now, he'd overcome Lightning's penalties with things he hadn't in his past life.
Now, it was time to add what he had done then too.
After all, he'd halved Lightning's flaws once before.
"You want what even we couldn't achieve."
We.
Lee Soo-hyuk and Jinun had long strived to conquer Lightning together.
Lee Soo-hyuk trained stamina, leveled relentlessly, climbed the tower.
Jinun researched body-enhancing procedures, advancing them continually.
But as if mocking their efforts,
Lightning grew stronger, burdening his body more.
"You know? What killed that guy was Lightning itself."
Thus, he was certain.
Nothing but Lightning had killed past-life Lee Soo-hyuk.
Not wrong.
Had he overcome it,
He could've slain Kim Il-su and all foes there, surviving.
"I figured as much."
"Knowing that, you'll still challenge it?"
"Yes."
Without hesitation, nodding firmly, Lee Soo-hyuk bared his heart.
"Even the same result—I won't regret it."
"...Is that so?"
As if amused, Jinun burst into laughter at his answer.
Somehow, excitement bubbled up. A problem ended in failure, a chance thought gone forever, had returned.
Jinun made his decision.
"In that case, I can help."
To accept this young man before him as a client.