Chapter 64
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Palace in the Gap (4)
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Lee Min-jun and his group finished cleaning up the battlefield with the Nam brothers' team members and immediately headed back to their home base, the 'Garak Outpost Camp (1)'.
They had already decided to discuss minor details about how to proceed after getting some rest first.
Before any team discussions, Min-jun and the team members agreed to take some personal maintenance time.
Those who wanted to wash up took turns in the underground water tank room, those who were hungry used their hard-earned Survival Time to buy food from the Space Market as if ordering delivery, and those needing rest lay down on the newly prepared soft beds and closed their eyes.
'Do whatever you want during personal maintenance time, but absolutely review your own growth first.'
As long as they followed that one condition, Min-jun didn't care how the group spent their time.
It was about immediately assessing how much Survival Time they'd earned from this battle, how much their skill levels had risen, and what new abilities or items they'd acquired.
Min-jun believed he had survived because he always thoroughly reviewed these things himself. That's why he insisted the team do the same.
```
[Status Window]
Name: Lee Min-jun (Gold, Platinum promotion on hold)
Title: Proxy
Survival Time (ST): 30,106 hours
Karma: +16.5
Stats
[Strength Lv.35] [Vitality Lv.35] [Agility Lv.35] [Star Power Lv.14]
Passive Skills: [Apostle's Nemesis (M)], [Apostle's Predator Lv.15 (M)], [Pesticide Lv.15 (M)], [Sicarius's Blood (M)]
Active Skills: [Space Domination Lv.12], [Time Separation Lv.5], [Time Perception Lv.1]
```
'I thought I'd used a ton of Survival Time this time... but I've recovered even more.'
Even after raising his stats and buying several consumables like potions for safety, his Survival Time had actually increased.
It was probably due to the Star Ground effect and killing nearly twenty demons.
Min-jun no longer felt much excitement even at 30,000 hours of Survival Time.
'Sigh, what's the point of earning a lot? There are already a dozen places I need to spend it right now...'
30,000 hours wasn't a small amount, but the problem was there were too many places to use it.
First, he needed to upgrade the level of the newly acquired [Garak Outpost Camp (2)].
He had already upgraded [Garak Outpost Camp (1)] to Lv.3 long ago, so it was producing 150 [Small Starstones] per day.
Starstones were valuable not just for Survival Time but also as the most crucial material for raising his current Star Power level, so some investment was essential.
```
[Camp Control Room]
Name: Garak Outpost Camp (1)
Camp Leader: Lee Min-jun
Grade: Lv.3
Durability: 9000/9000
Personnel: 42/80
Productivity: 150/day
Notes: None
```
'Upgrading the camp's grade takes time in squares, so 1 to 2 is 2,000 hours, 2 to 3 is 4,000 hours...'
To secure starstones like in Outpost Camp (1), he'd need to pour a total of 6,000 hours into [Garak Outpost Camp (2)].
Upgrading it further wouldn't be efficient in terms of time right now. Even combining with the Nam brothers' team, they wouldn't reach 50 people, so this should more than suffice.
'Of course, maxing it out as fast as possible would pay off in the long run, but I'll upgrade it gradually when I have spare time later...'
Min-jun closed the camp control room window and checked his Title window and skill list next.
There were two things to focus on this time.
First, mastering the Apostle's Predator and Pesticide skills he'd relied on since the early days.
Second, the new time skill 'Time Perception' he'd just acquired.
'Pesticide aside... The [First Apostle Slayer] title related to Apostle's Nemesis and Apostle's Predator doesn't evolve even after maxing the skill levels? I thought evolution titles would upgrade automatically once skills are mastered... but no.'
It provided extremely useful skills, so being able to upgrade it to the next stage would be incredibly reassuring.
But no matter how much he pondered from his seat, he couldn't find a clear answer.
'Considering [First Apostle Slayer] was earned for killing the first Apostle, maybe its evolution requires some special event too? Like killing a Star Lord, for example...'
Or something massive like 'purifying an Outer God's Star.'
It was just vague speculation, but it felt like the title needed something on that scale to advance to the next stage.
'I should start preparing soon.'
The day would inevitably come when he'd have to fight Star Lords like Atlnak or Arktine.
He needed to prepare more thoroughly for that day.
Min-jun reaffirmed his resolve and set the issue aside for now.
He had to handle everything he could right away, but in a proper order.
With that, Min-jun closed the Title window and opened the Skill window to check his new ability.
It was the second time-related skill he'd acquired since [Time Separation] from Mang-san High School.
[Time Perception Lv.1]: By opening your senses, perceive and feel everything within the current flow of time. (Consumes 500 hours of Survival Time per minute)
As expected of a time skill, the insane Survival Time consumption jumped out first, followed by its profoundly impressive effect.
'Perceive everything? When I used it, there was a tingling sensation, and I felt instincts? Intuition? Something like that...'
He had verified it during the fight with the twenty demons.
Even without eyes in the back of his head, he vividly remembered the directions and methods of their attacks forming in his mind.
'And not falling for illusions must be part of the skill's effect too.'
It had been crucial for finding Fraus's palace inside the gateway and escaping his illusions.
Without this skill, he would have either died of thirst in the desert or drowned endlessly in the trauma illusion.
'Anyway, I'll know the exact effects once I test it more, but it's a skill with endless uses. I need to experiment with it continuously.'
Min-jun closed the Skill window after that. He'd confirmed everything he needed to.
Now, only items remained.
Min-jun rubbed his dry palms and pulled out a sinisterly glowing red orb from his pocket.
'Whoa... I'm more nervous than when I did gacha pulls back in the day.'
Last time, killing Sicarius had given him [Sicarius's Blood], so expectations were high this time too.
It was time to check the final reward, [Fraus's Gem].
* * *
```
['Fraus's Eyeball]
Grade: Rare
Type: Gem
Required Stats: None
Info: Fraus's red eyeball, which creates illusions. Can be socketed into items with sockets to grant special properties.
Weapon: 25% chance on hit to inflict status ailment 'Confusion'
Armor: 25% chance on being hit to generate 'Illusion Field' that distorts enemy's senses
Accessory: Immunity to status ailments 'Charm', 'Seduction', 'Brainwash', 'Hypnosis', 'Mind Control'.
```
Min-jun had seen all kinds of items so far, but this was his first socketable gem.
'And the properties it grants change depending on what it's socketed into... Back then, I'd prioritize status immunity, but now with [Time Perception], the weapon effect seems better... Hmm.'
As he pondered, he realized he had no items with sockets, so he opened the Space Market.
Starting with necklaces lacking a socket spot, then rings, bracelets, shields, daggers, belts—dozens of items appeared via search filters.
But none caught his eye.
'I can't just socket it into any random item when I might not be able to remove it later. It needs to be at least Rare grade... Frustrating that my grade is still too low—'
Bzzz—
At that moment, the [Shotgun Bearing Starlight] hanging from his sling vibrated.
"...?!"
Min-jun reflexively stood and scanned his surroundings. This was their home base—no demons should be here.
If anyone was present, it was just his trusted comrades, who had stuck with him.
"No demons around, so why is this suddenly... Huh?"
Then, as if responding to the vibrating shotgun, the ruby-red [Fraus's Gem] began to glow.
Quick on the uptake, Min-jun realized the two items were connected and began inspecting the shotgun closely.
He knew this shotgun well, having used it since the early days—it had no socket spots.
Click—
"...Huh?"
Looking again, there was one spot that could pass for a socket.
This was a break-action shotgun, so the barrel had to fold for reloading.
He discovered a tiny socket carved between the gap.
A small hole so cleverly hidden by the barrel that it was impossible to notice in the heat of battle.
Min-jun hesitantly slotted the pulsing gem into the gap, and it clicked perfectly into place, as if made for Fraus's eye.
Swoosh—
The matte black exoskeleton barrel emitted a soft glow and began morphing like a living creature.
What was once a utilitarian Southern U.S.-style simple design now had ornate wave patterns engraving themselves onto the half-severed barrel.
"Whoa..."
Min-jun fiddled with the transformed sawed-off shotgun, examining it from every angle.
The barrel now gleamed with a subtle moonlight hue instead of dull black, paired with the smooth curves of the wooden stock and grip from fine finishing.
And the ornate engravings covering it all.
With a pounding heart, Min-jun hurriedly opened the item info for the revamped shotgun.
```
[Apostle's End]
Grade: Rare (Growth-type)
Type: Weapon
Required Stats: Star Power Lv.10
Info: Once merely a shotgun that could hold Star Power, it has gained spirituality by mounting 'Fraus's Eyeball'.
-'Apostle'-prefixed/suffixed skills have 2x effect
-Reacts to demons.
-(Fraus's Gem) - 25% chance on hit to inflict status ailment 'Confusion'.
```
"Whoa..."
This was an unexpected gift.
A growth-type title followed by a growth-type item. And it synergized perfectly with the [First Apostle Slayer] title.
Of course, the [Apostle's Nemesis] effect—drawing Apostles like honey to a hive—would also double.
But with [Apostle's Predator] at Lv.15, every third hit now dealt 1500% bonus physical damage, so it was a risk he could easily accept. Plus...
'If the [First Apostle Slayer] title evolves later and grants new Apostle skills... the effects will be even better.'
The options were truly endless.
Fraus really was a giving tree.
Min-jun hummed unconsciously as he removed his armor and weapons, storing them neatly side by side.
Review complete—it was finally time for the long-awaited rest.