Chapter 14
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: What Remains After Survival
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A full day had passed since Min-jun parted ways with them and So-hee and Dong-gil arrived at the police station, but the station's door hadn't budged once since the two of them entered.
"He definitely promised... No way..."
"No, that can't be."
The look in Min-jun's eyes at the end wasn't that of someone who'd given up on life.
"He'll come back for sure."
He was the guy who'd survived being crushed under that massive light fixture at Jamsil Station.
So-hee bit her lip and paced around the inside of the police station, while Dong-gil, who had been watching her the whole time, was just as conflicted.
Logic told him that young man named Min-jun couldn't possibly survive... But what if that performance against the larvae meant otherwise? What if he wasn't the type to fail to make it here and wait for their help? Those thoughts refused to leave his head.
Min-jun was his lifesaver.
And he wasn't the type to run away and live his life as an ungrateful bastard who ignored favors owed.
Dong-gil stood up from his chair and opened his mouth.
"I'll go scout the area around here, so So-hee, you wait here."
"..."
"So-hee?"
"...Yes? What did you say?"
When So-hee whipped her head around in surprise, Dong-gil placed a hand on her shoulder.
He gently pressed down, guiding her to the sofa.
"You haven't slept a wink, So-hee. Close your eyes while I'm gone. That way, we can head out right away when Min-jun gets back, right?"
So-hee shook her head at his words.
"No. I should go look around. You're still not fully recovered, so rest here, Uncle."
"Hey now! I wasn't going to bring up my age to avoid sounding like an old fogey, but how old are you, So-hee?"
"...Twenty-six."
"I'm forty-two. The world's gone to hell, sure, but some things are still best left to adults. Just rest here..."
Ding-a-ling.
At that moment, the bell on the glass door jingled.
They both turned their heads at once. There, barely leaning against the door, covered in blood, was Min-jun.
"...Sorry... I'm a bit late."
Min-jun spotted So-hee and Dong-gil's faces, flashed a grin, then immediately collapsed to the floor.
"Min-jun!!!"
"He's bleeding badly. Quick, to the sofa—"
The two rushed over and supported him, carrying him to the sofa.
His body was burning hot like a lump of fire.
"It's fine... just... a bit... quiet... please."
"How is this fine at all! You're a total wreck!"
"...Cough!"
Finally, Min-jun spat up blood and lost consciousness, making So-hee's heart race.
"Uncle! Hurry!!"
At her shout, Dong-gil rummaged through the first-aid kit in the corner of the police station and handed her a pile of bandages.
So-hee took the bandages and carefully peeled away Min-jun's clothes, which were stuck to him with dried blood.
"Good lord..."
Dong-gil let out a sigh.
His body bore far too many ordeals for wounds sustained in just one day.
Bruises everywhere were nothing; his legs and arms were swollen as if fractured, and lacerations large and small covered his entire body.
But the biggest problem right now... was the deep gash that looked like it'd been sliced by something sharp, from which blood was pouring out far too much.
It was a miracle shock hadn't set in yet. The gaping wound looked so severe he probably needed major surgery at a big hospital right away—but in this world, what big hospital? Not even a decent local clinic would be left intact...
In the end, they had no choice but to rely on So-hee's [First Aid] skill and Min-jun's high stats.
There was some hope in how generously the [First Aid] skill applied.
But in this dismal setup, "treatment" meant disinfecting with saline at best, sprinkling medicine, and wrapping pressure bandages.
No one could guarantee how much effect the skill's power would add, so even with Min-jun back alive, So-hee and Dong-gil's expressions didn't brighten.
All they could do.
For Min-jun, who'd spilled more blood than stained the police station's first-floor floor in dark red... the fact that this was all they could manage weighed heavily on their hearts through the night.
* * *
'But... was So-hee's skill effect this good?'
The next morning.
Making a mockery of their worries, Min-jun woke up in perfect shape and checked his condition.
Dong-gil was asleep on the bed in the back room, and So-hee was dozing against the sofa where Min-jun lay.
Careful not to wake them, Min-jun quietly examined his body and let out a soft gasp of admiration.
Some limbs had been broken, and some gashes were so deep they couldn't possibly heal in a day or two.
Yet overnight, all the major visible wounds—not to mention the smaller injuries—had vanished, leaving only scars.
'Even when So-hee treated me before, it wasn't this much...'
There was a slight stiffness, but compared to his injuries, it felt like the most refreshing morning imaginable.
After inspecting his body here and there and confirming it was fully healed, Min-jun shifted his gaze to the new star-shaped scar on his left palm.
'All the wounds healed, but this mark alone didn't vanish.'
The mark and the qualification it granted.
He couldn't know for sure, but judging by the circumstances, his full recovery was undoubtedly thanks to these.
```
[Sacrifice Mark]
Rank: Rare
Effect: A mark bestowed upon a human chosen as a sacrifice by a Star Lord.
All Star Lords recognize your existence, and Apostles hunt you.
To remove the mark, kill the Star Lord who bestowed it.
```
```
[Minimum Qualification]
Rare
Effect: The qualification to stand against a Star Lord. Gain a body and abilities matching your Karma.
```
He hadn't expected anything good from a name like Sacrifice Mark anyway, but with Apostles already hostile, adding this effect—who knew what minefield synergy it would create?
'Well, I gained plenty from this fight, so I'll call it even.'
He'd faced death multiple times, sure, but coldly calculating gains versus losses right now, the gains overwhelmingly outweighed.
Thanks to the Star Ground, he'd earned a ton of Survival Time; his stats and skill levels had surged; and he'd gotten a 'High-Grade Item Exchange Ticket.'
Lost in thought, I opened the Status Window to review my acquisitions at a glance.
```
[Status Window]
Name: Lee Min-jun (Gold)
Title: First Apostle Slayer
Survival Time (ST): 2,567 hours
Karma: +5.2
Stats
[Strength Lv.10] [Vitality Lv.10] [Agility Lv.10]
Passive Skills: [Apostle's Nemesis Max], [Apostle's Predator Lv.5], [Pesticide Lv.3]
Active Skills: [Shadow Step Max]
Note: Body Change Rate (66.6%)
```
First off, the Survival Time I'd dumped into stats, leaving barely 11 hours, had ballooned to an enormous number, and all skill levels had risen by at least two stages.
'Cleared the main quest, and now my rank's up to Gold...'
There was something that had always bugged me.
'What the hell is this rank?'
'Looking at the rewards for ranking up, it doesn't seem like a cheap perk... Maybe there's some hidden function?'
No matter how much I checked, the only difference was more items available in the Space Market, so I'd half-given up, figuring I'd learn eventually.
If it was the item effects attached to the tomahawk as a perk, then Assemblyman Lee Gi-dong could buy items with special options too.
From my chat with So-hee before leaving Jamsil Station, the difference in purchasables between Bronze and Silver ranks wasn't that significant either.
'But today.'
The moment Min-jun summoned the Space Market, heart pounding at the 'High-Grade Item Exchange Ticket' notification.
He could really feel the difference between Silver and Gold.
* * *
Ever heard of a certain game in the AOS (Aeon of Strife) genre where you only get the season's signature rewards after hitting Gold rank?
By that token, let me just say the Space Market truly begins at Gold.
If Bronze and Silver sold modern-world items or modern items with weird effects tacked on.
The stuff in the Gold tab was the real deal.
Weapons and armor straight out of the Middle Ages.
Potions and skillbooks from fantasy novels, mysterious ingredients of unknown use, and more.
Never mind the absurd prices—the categories themselves had expanded massively.
Plus, where before only Common-grade items were available, now higher-grade ones were searchable too.
```
[Red Potion]
Price: 500 hours
Rank: Common
Info: A potion highly effective against external injuries.
```
```
[Dummy Ring]
Price: 2,000 hours
Rank: Uncommon
Info: Summons a Dummy with the wearer's exact appearance and aura for 5 minutes.
Cooldown: 24 hours.
```
```
[Sea Serpent's Scale]
Price: 2,000 hours
Rank: Uncommon
Info: A scale that lets you breathe underwater when held in the mouth.
```
'Whew... The Survival Time I scraped together was small and precious, huh...'
The need to grind time more aggressively than ever hit home for the first time.
After checking prices, Min-jun felt intimidated, like he'd wandered into a luxury boutique back in the day.
But recalling the 'High-Grade Item Exchange Ticket,' he straightened his shoulders.
With the tomahawk and shield both shattered, at least he could pick a top-tier weapon without price worries.
'Which weapon to choose?'
Truth be told, he had a rough idea of what kind of weapon he needed.
'A large one.'
To handle upcoming monsters reliably, he needed more raw destructive power.
Use a chicken knife for chickens, an ox cleaver for oxen.
Small larvae were one thing, but now he had to fight Star Lords too, and every one he'd seen dwarfed human size.
Hand axes and daggers like he'd used so far would barely scratch big monsters.
'Let's see...'
Scrolling through the item list, he constantly fought the urge to sweep everything up.
But Min-jun shelved that impossible dream and began comparing every registered weapon one by one.
Eventually, three caught his eye as the best fits.
```
[Ownerless Great Sword]
Price: 2,500 hours
Rank: Uncommon
Required Stats: Strength Lv.10
Info: A massive, crude slab of a sword once wielded by someone. Better for smashing than slicing.
```
```
[Red Dragon's Molar]
Price: 2,600 hours
Rank: Uncommon
Required Stats: Strength Lv.10
Info: A greatsword forged from the molar of a young red dragon fresh from hatchling stage. Ignites foes on contact with intense flames.
```
```
[Giant's Hammer]
Price: 2,800 hours
Rank: Uncommon
Required Stats: Strength Lv.10
Info: A hammer that crushed 100 giants' skulls. Houses a giant's soul, allowing you to borrow their power.
```
Price-wise, [Red Dragon's Molar] looked like the best deal.
But [Ownerless Great Sword] appealed with its hefty presence that could pulp anything.
And [Giant's Hammer], with giant powers, perfectly suited his goal of monster-slaying.
'Whichever it is, it's expensive... so it'll be worth it. Hmm.'
After agonizing, Min-jun finally decided and clicked purchase.
Before his eyes, the massive weapon shimmered into existence, gleaming brilliantly.