Chapter 346: The Great Powers of the Upper Floors (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 346: The Great Powers of the Upper Floors (4)
The Sage's Stone.
An artifact that was practically omnipotent in its own right, with infinite possibilities for its application.
It was, quite literally, the holy relic known as the ultimate dream of any alchemist.
And.
Jinhyuk had created a replica of it specifically for this round of the auction.
'I really worked my ass off for this.'
To begin with, the method of creating a Sage's Stone was highly classified information known only to a select few among alchemists.
Needless to say, the sheer number of materials required was staggering.
'It would have been impossible without everyone's voluntary help.'
Jinhyuk briefly reminisced about the past few days.
He had pestered old Blacksmith Orun... and even raided Alice's treasury.
He had also badgered the spirit beasts to gather materials from all corners of the Tower, making for a truly spectacular time.
'The effect... is guaranteed.'
The reddish liquid smeared on his wrist glowed faintly.
As a sweet scent wafted up, the Homunculus's pupils began to tremble violently.
She had sensed an energy identical to her own origin.
A bond.
Indeed.
To obtain obedience from the First Homunculus, this bond was absolutely essential.
The other deities had failed because they tried to win her over solely through force, but Jinhyuk had accurately seen through what the host truly wanted.
Now, all that was left...
...was to blend this bond with a proper display of skill.
"Whew..."
Jinhyuk regulated his breathing.
As the mana inside his body circulated smoothly, the blade of Fang was enveloped in a blue light.
[The unique ability 'Heavenly Demon Divine Art' has been activated!]
In that instant.
Rumbleeee!
A tremendous aura swept through the area.
The Heavenly Demon in his prime was an absolute being whom even the deities dared not cross.
Thus, his unique martial art was more than enough to inspire awe on its own.
"I knew he... made a name for himself in the Murim, but to think he even mastered the Heavenly Demon Divine Art?"
"But that's all it is. Even a unique holy spear didn't work at all. The Heavenly Demon Divine Art won't change the outcome."
"That's true. No matter how much martial arts he inherited from the Heavenly Demon, considering the short timeframe, his mastery can't possibly be that high."
The deities chimed in one after another.
Most of them held a negative outlook.
It was only natural.
While it was undeniable that Jinhyuk was an outstanding player, that was only within the limits of his current level.
Compared to the apostles they had handpicked, he couldn't be considered particularly extraordinary.
However.
A select few deities harbored completely opposite thoughts.
"Heh."
The corners of Veliel's mouth curled upward.
"..."
"..."
Thor and Loki, representing Norse mythology, also observed Jinhyuk with cautious eyes.
"Hmph. There's no way that terrifying bastard can't handle a mere doll like that."
Anubis snorted as well.
These were all deities who had experienced Jinhyuk firsthand or shared various memories with him.
At the very least, they believed an anomaly was bound to occur.
* * *
The air grew increasingly tense.
It was Jinhyuk who made the first move.
Heavenly Demon Sovereign Step.
Boom!
Leaving a deep footprint in the ground, Jinhyuk's body vanished like the wind.
"...!"
The Homunculus immediately swung her spears.
Just as before, her pair of short spears spun like a pinwheel.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Fang, which had approached from the flank, was deflected away.
As expected, she was no pushover.
'Feinting just two or three times won't be nearly enough.'
Jinhyuk channeled the Heavenly Demon Divine Art even further.
Tap!
Just as the sound of a foot brushing against the ground echoed, Jinhyuk materialized on the opposite side.
'Black Heaven Demonic Emperor Art.'
'1st Form.'
'Black-Wheel Dark-Shattering Fist!'
Boom!
A strike aimed at her back.
Yet, the Homunculus deflected even that attack.
Just as she had parried Medesus's unique holy spear, she stuck to her method of dispersing the force of powerful attacks instead of taking them head-on.
"I knew it would turn out like that."
"He's just dragging out the time, waiting for the host to stop the match."
"She really is persistent. To think a doll could dodge attacks so flawlessly."
The negative reactions soon solidified into certainty.
The battle was practically over.
However.
Even as everyone jumped to conclusions, Jinhyuk caught a glimpse of something in the brief clash.
'Perfect.'
Although it was a replica, the scent wafting from the 'Sage's Stone' was definitely affecting the Homunculus.
Her reactions were minutely slower.
The sensation transmitted through his fingertips.
Just a bit faster...
Just a bit sharper.
[The unique ability 'High-Speed Sword' has been activated!]
[The unique ability 'Shadow Extreme Kill' has been activated!]
Crash!
Clash! Clang! Clang!
Jinhyuk swung Fang in all directions.
Flitting from shadow to shadow, his attack speed was easily doubled thanks to High-Speed Sword.
By now, the trajectory of his dagger was nothing but a blur.
"...Ugh."
A brief groan escaped the Homunculus's lips as she frantically defended against the onslaught.
Now!
At the intersection of their lines of sight.
Jinhyuk deliberately slowed down his attack tempo by one step.
'Glacial Shaping.'
'Ice Prison Kaleidoscope.'
Crackle!
A thin layer of frost began to surge up from the ground.
The cold numbed her senses, and as her body temperature plummeted, she began to hallucinate.
The Homunculus's small mouth parted in a daze.
"Ah...!"
Her brief groan turned into a deep gasp of awe.
As if completely mesmerized by the magnificent and beautiful sight she was seeing for the first time in her life, she could only slowly raise her hand.
[The bond with the target deepens due to the 'Imitation Sage's Stone'.]
[The 'Communion' ability has been activated!]
[The unique ability 'Mentra Taming' has been activated!]
Status windows popped up one after another.
The abilities he had meticulously accumulated until now were finally shining.
"Ah..."
The Homunculus's agitation grew even greater.
Her stamina was depleted from the continuous clash, and her mind was in disarray from the various communion abilities.
To top it all off, she was trapped inside the 'Ice Prison Kaleidoscope', so it was only natural for her to be utterly bewildered.
And that opening...
...was precisely what Jinhyuk seized.
Tap.
The tip of Fang touched the Homunculus's neck.
A single drop of the red liquid from the Sage's Stone trickled down her neck.
Their eyes met head-on.
Her deep blue eyes, which seemed capable of drawing anyone in, locked onto Jinhyuk.
"I'm not good at sweet-talking people with grand promises."
He couldn't promise to give her the best treatment, or offer her a status far above a mere doll if she joined his faction.
"But I don't want to threaten you into submission either."
There was no true loyalty in submission gained through sheer oppression.
Even if the target was a being devoid of emotions.
"But I can promise you one thing. If you come with me, I will never use you as a disposable pawn."
Jinhyuk quietly withdrew the dagger from her neck.
There was no resistance.
This was a sign of acceptance.
Indeed, the mana that had been radiating from the Homunculus had completely vanished.
"From today on, I am your master."
"Mas...ter."
The Homunculus carefully chewed on the word.
Thud.
It was at that moment her knees touched the ground.
Her blue hair cascaded softly down her neck.
With that, the master of the Homunculus was decided.
* * *
The auction house was thrown into utter chaos because of Jinhyuk and the Homunculus.
While everyone had expected someone to take the Homunculus, no one had imagined it would actually be a player.
"Now, now. Great deities. The auction has concluded. The host does not wish for any further disturbance, so how about we all disperse?"
If the host hadn't intervened at the right moment, the deities might have eaten Jinhyuk alive.
That was how unprecedented this event was.
At the host's declaration that the auction was over, everyone smacked their lips in disappointment and withdrew.
As the venue quieted down, only the apostles who followed the deities remained in the space where the gods had vanished.
Medesus, who had been representing Olympus, approached Jinhyuk.
"...This is the first time we've spoken directly. I am Medesus. A resident who received the blessing of Hermes and became his apostle."
A ranker who even possessed a unique holy spear.
Meeting him up close felt quite novel.
Normally, he was someone Jinhyuk would only have a chance to encounter once or twice after reaching the late 20s floors.
"I was highly impressed by what happened earlier. To think, I didn't expect such a skilled individual to be climbing the Tower below the middle floors."
From the perspective of the apostles, the current players were mere greenhorns who had only gotten a tiny taste of the Tower.
Compared to them, the players were at a level where they would have to roll around for at least another ten years to even qualify for a conversation.
"There are quite a few decent talents down there. Besides me, that is."
"Indeed. I plan to pay more attention to the lower floors from now on. In that sense... could you tell me which floor of the Tower you are currently staying on?"
"The order got a bit messed up, but I plan to head to the 19th Floor this time."
"The 19th Floor..."
Medesus nodded slightly.
"It seems it will be quite a while before we meet again. Hurry on up. I look forward to the day we fight together on the upper floors of the Tower."
"Sure. I don't know if we'll be enemies or allies, but I'll be looking forward to it too."
Establishing a connection with Medesus would definitely prove highly useful in the future.
With a brief exchange of greetings, the events at the auction house drew to a close.
* * *
It was several hours later when he returned to reality.
That leech Veliel had clung to him so tenaciously that he had nearly died trying to shake him off.
"Just sit wherever. For now, this is the place I'm using as my home outside the Tower. Don't worry about the lodging expenses; I took a reasonable amount from Alice's wallet."
"Under...stood."
The Homunculus looked around the hotel room before sitting on the sofa.
'First, let's check her stats.'
Jinhyuk activated 'Gluttony's Eye' to inspect the Homunculus's status window.
Ding!
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Name: Homunculus
Gender: Female
Age: 1
Level: 195
Strength: 53 / Agility: 85 / Stamina: 76 / Mana: 62 / Blessing of the Sage: 368
Available Stat Points: 0
Class: Lancer
Unique Ability: Doll Play
Skills: 'Twin Spears' Lv29, 'One Thousand and One Nights' Lv28, 'Movement Detection' Lv27, 'Mana Breathing' Lv21, 'Grievous Wounds' Lv21...
——————————————————
[Special Note: Once a master-servant relationship is established, she will never betray her master under any circumstances. If specific conditions are met, her 'Unique Sacred Chant' can be unlocked.]
Crazy...
How could such absurd stats even exist?
Despite having just been created, her base level was already close to 200.
However, the truly shocking part wasn't just her high base stats.
'Her Blessing of the Sage stat is a whopping 368.'
It was a top-tier stat that could only be obtained by clearing special conditions, much like Gap or Adaptive stats.
On top of that, she could even unlock a unique holy spear. He had hit an absolute jackpot.
Jinhyuk barely managed to swallow the cheer threatening to burst from his throat.
At the same time, he wanted to give this bundle of good fortune a gift.
"You don't have a name right now, do you? A name. You know... a word to call you by."
"A... name? Where I used to be, they simply called me Homunculus."
"Hmm. Is that so? Well, we can't keep calling you that, so I'll give you a proper name. Believe it or not, I actually have an incredible knack for naming things."
"It would be an honor, whatever name you choose to give me."
The Homunculus nodded quickly, her voice slightly tinged with excitement.
Hmm. Let's see.
What kind of name should I give her so it'll be remembered for a long time?