Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Skill Aquisition is Always Difficult
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“Thank you!”
“Yeah. Good work.”
It had been about thirty minutes since I finished treating Kim Il-woo’s dislocated shoulder. Now it was time to finally acquire some skills.
Of course, before that, I had to put the slaves to work. I'd given them a thirty-minute break, so it was about time they started earning their keep.
“Hey. Jin-seong.”
“Yes, Hyung-nim!”
“Take the kids and clean up the inside of the mart.”
“Clean up the inside, sir?”
“Yeah. Get rid of all the zombies left inside the mart.”
“Understood! Ah, Hyung-nim. Um... What about Kang Hwa-yeong?”
I turned my head. Kang Hwa-yeong was sitting with her head bowed, still dazed and muttering to herself as if lost in thought.
“Her... Ugh... Damn it. Let's just leave her be for now and watch her. Something seems off with her, maybe because of her class.”
“Yes! Understood!”
“By the way, you leveled up, right?”
“Yes! I'm, I'm level 10 now!”
“You can choose your own skills. You guys can choose your own skills too!”
I planned to manage only my own skills, Eun-ji's, Ha-rin's, and Kang Hwa-yeong's, who had just acquired a hidden class.
Managing the skills for all those other slaves would take too much time. It's not like they're hidden classes. Besides, they're the kind of people I could discard if necessary, so it's better to let them choose for themselves.
“Understood!”
“Ah, right. Check if the water and electricity are working too. Check the condition of the food section.”
“Yes! I'll check everything!”
Jin-seong gathered some tools and led the two non-awakened slaves down past the rooftop entrance.
The building was five stories tall, but most of the zombies had swarmed to the rooftop, so there probably weren't many left inside.
And the food court was in the basement, so it should be fine, for the most part. It has to be.
‘Don't worry. They all leveled up a bit last night, so they should be able to handle it. I'll stop worrying and focus on my own skills.’
I had gone up a total of five levels last night, and I just acquired Human Sacrifice, so I can pick four more skills.
Still, it was a bit disappointing. I'd killed a double-digit number of special zombies, but my level had only gone up by five.
‘Maybe special zombies don't give much EXP at level 10.’
From level 5 onwards, normal zombies barely gave any EXP. Maybe from level 10, even special zombies stop giving much EXP.
I was skyrocketing until level 10, but now it feels like I've hit a wall. To break through the level 10 barrier, I'll probably need to hunt named monsters, something beyond special zombies.
‘Named... a new realm that special zombies reach after fulfilling certain conditions... If I knew the conditions, could I mass-produce named zombies? Or not? Is the fact that you can't mass-produce them what makes them named?’
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind: what if I captured special zombies and forced them to meet the conditions to mass-produce named ones? If that were possible, I could level up quickly and easily.
Of course, I also immediately thought that it probably wouldn't be that easy to create named zombies, but it seemed worth trying.
‘Regardless, it's too early for that. I haven't even secured a single shelter properly yet; mass-producing named zombies is a story for much later.’
For now, I needed to focus on survival itself, so I didn't continue the thought. First, I had to clear out all the remaining zombies inside the mart today and clean up the corpses left on the rooftop. I also needed to clean up, wash up, and then rest a bit to prepare for the coming night.
‘Since our numbers have dropped significantly, we won't be swarmed by an insane number of zombies like last night. It seemed like the more people there were, the more they were drawn to us.’
I hoped the coming night would be a little more peaceful. If they keep coming without a break, we'll just get worn down. We need time to prepare for the future.
‘First, let's check my stats... and acquire the remaining four skills.’
I needed to handle what I could do right now while I had a moment, so I could make the most of the day.
There's no time to rest easy until we get used to this calamity.
“Status.”
⚔ STATUS ⚔
⚡ Name: Jang Jo-jun
⬆ Level: 10
✨ Class: Cultist
💪 Strength: 47
💨 Agility: 46
💪 Stamina: 45
✨ Willpower: 50
🛡️ Magic Power: 245
🍀 Luck: 666
💀 Karma: 1
Skills: Tentacle Eruption, Slave Mark, Surging Flesh, Profane Touch, Altered Vision, Human Sacrifice
My Magic Power had increased by 200 thanks to successfully consuming the Black Serpent's Core, and all my stats from Strength to Willpower had increased by 10 as a reward for breaking 100 Magic Power. On top of the stats gained from leveling up, I also got an additional 10 points, making my status window incredibly dazzling. On top of that, Tentacle Summon had changed to Tentacle Eruption, and a new stat, Karma, had appeared as a result of sacrificing a person to a god.
‘Just looking at my stats is insane. Am I not the strongest at my level...?’
I felt a sense of pride just looking at my status. In terms of stats alone, they were far higher than a typical level 10. My physical abilities had also improved due to mana flowing through my body.
‘Especially 245 Magic Power is just crazy.’
With just my Magic Power, I could probably overwhelm most opponents. If I swung Tentacle Eruption with both hands, I could probably tear apart any special zombie or whatever else.
‘This... I'm turning into a munchkin... Ah, no. I think I had a similar thought last time and got completely screwed over. And last night, even though I wasn't letting my guard down, all the slaves except the three of us almost got wiped out...’
Don't get complacent. Even without being complacent, last night was dangerous enough.
If the Peddler hadn't appeared at the perfect moment and sold me the Black Serpent's Core... Probably, everyone except me, Eun-ji, and Ha-rin would have died.
‘Get a grip...’
I had just about taken over the mart, only to almost lose it to the zombies and lose most of my slaves. Even without being complacent, this happened. If I get complacent just because I've gotten a little stronger, who knows what kind of disaster will strike.
‘On top of that, by getting involved with the Evil God, I've incurred the disgust of the players of the Good God faction. I don't know what kind of guys the players of the Good God faction are, but if they're beings connected to a god, they might have benefits and strength comparable to mine... That's chilling.’
There might be a real munchkin somewhere on Earth. For example, someone with a Luck stat of 777 who consumed all sorts of opportunities from the very beginning of the calamity and became ridiculously strong.
Just because I have 245 Magic Power, acting all high and mighty, I could get cut down by some hero or saint who suddenly pops out from somewhere.
‘Plus, thanks to the Mark of the Myriad Demons, beings with other divine marks will automatically be hostile to me...’
Beings with other divine marks. This meant that regardless of whether they were from the Good God or Evil God faction, anyone with a divine mark would be automatically hostile to me. I had to hide the Mark of the Myriad Demons as much as possible. It would be more advantageous for survival if I didn't even let them know of my existence. I don't know how to hide it, though.
‘Damn it... This is no time to be letting my guard down... A being with a divine mark might notice my mark, approach me in a friendly manner, and then try to assassinate me after I've let my guard down.’
From now on, whenever I encounter players, I'll have to either make them into slaves or kill them. There's no other option. I can't let my guard down. I never know when or where I'll get a knife in my back.
‘But looking back, that's how I've been acting from the start.’
After making the resolution to kill or enslave all the Awakened, I realized I had been acting that way from the beginning. The moment I acquired Slave Mark, I tried to enslave every Awakened I saw, and if that didn't work, I killed them.
‘I never intended to make companions on equal footing. Right, I always preferred vertical relationships over horizontal ones... relationships where you give and receive orders.’
On top of that, I'm the type of twisted person who always feels at ease only when I know someone's weakness, a past wound I can dig into, or their past history. That was me.
Thanks to that twisted personality, I didn't have many friends or close acquaintances. But now, it's a relief that this ruthless, sociopathic personality is advantageous for survival.
‘Hoo... Let's stop with the stray thoughts and choose a skill...’
I want to pick my skills quickly, get my achievement rewards, and rest a bit. Just being awake is tiring. Even though my Stamina stat is a whopping 45, that doesn't mean I've become a superhuman who can't feel fatigue. Rather, it's strange that Jin-seong is so unusually energetic.
“Skill Select.”
⚡ SKILL SELECTION ⚡
1. Twisted Carapace 2. Favor of the Myriad Demons 3. Abyss Observation 4. Selfless Demon Eye
‘A defensive skill...’
I don't know to what extent it can block attacks. Can it block bullets? If I knew that, I would have picked Twisted Carapace without a second thought.
I don't have any defensive skills, so I'll definitely have to get one eventually, but for now, I plan to choose Abyss Observation.
‘How much is it going to hurt this time...’
Every time I've acquired a skill, it's been so painful I felt like I was losing my mind, so I figured it would hurt this time too and gritted my teeth. I wonder how nice it would be if I could get used to the pain. The pain is always new and fresh, so I need to be mentally prepared.
‘Hoo... I choose Abyss Observation.’
“Skill is being applied.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. This time, I'd probably be writhing in pain, drooling...
“Huh...?”
However, this time, no pain or agony came to me.
There was no horrific sensation of an awl piercing my brain, nor the overwhelming feeling of knowledge being forcibly etched into me.
Only...
‘This feeling... What is this...?’
In an instant, a wave of depression, lethargy, and apathy washed over me.
My body trembled in a deep, profound despair that felt like I was about to lose my mind.
It wasn't physical pain but a psychological shock and fear. The symptoms of Abyss Observation were very different from what had happened when I acquired other skills.
The moment I learned Abyss Observation, I felt a dizzying terror, as if I were falling into a deep abyss in the darkness.
My surroundings grew quiet, as if I were left alone, and I was mentally cornered. Fear. An inexplicable dread squeezed my heart. I felt stifled.
“Ah... No...”
It was as if I had fallen into a bottomless swamp.
Downward. I was being sucked further down.
Into that impossibly deep, dark pit from which I couldn't escape...
‘What... what am I... doing...?’
What on earth did I make contact with?
Where is this?
Who... am I...?
I feel stifled. Crazily stifled.
The sensation of my breath being cut off.
I can't breathe...
“...Ba!..”
I thought I heard someone's shout... Is that just my delusion?
I don't know.
In the darkness where even sound, along with everything around me, had melted away, I was left alone, struggling.
To escape this space of madness, where only primal fear remained and no one else was there...
To escape this inexplicable stifling feeling, loneliness, and fear.
“Oppa!!!”
“Huff...!!!”
I opened my eyes to find Eun-ji shaking me awake.
“Ugh, Eun-ji...”
“Oppa!”
Eun-ji hugged me tightly. She was sobbing softly.
What in the world happened to me?
It felt like I'd had some kind of terrible nightmare.
My chest was soaked with cold sweat.
“What... what's wrong, Eun-ji...”
“No matter how much I called you... sob... you wouldn't wake up... no reaction... you weren't even breathing...”
Eun-ji babbled an explanation of my condition just a moment ago.
Ha-rin, who was lying down, instinctively felt something was wrong and woke up to call me. But I didn't respond, and that's when Eun-ji realized the situation was serious, so she got up, called my name, and shook me awake.
And during that time, I wasn't even breathing...
Then Ha-rin, who had been crying, approached me and reached out her hand. It looked like she wanted me to hold it, so I gently took Ha-rin's trembling hand in mine.
“Master... From now on, never acquire a skill alone. Your skills are strange... It's better if we're watching you when you do it.”
“Yeah... You're right. That would be better.”
Ha-rin's hand, which was looking at me with worried eyes, was as cold as ice, as if all the blood had drained from it. I held her trembling hand tightly but not enough to hurt, so she could feel reassured.
‘Since both of them trust and rely on me so much, the thought that I might suddenly die must have been a huge shock to them... I never expected something like this to happen to me either...’
Abyss Observation. A completely different phenomenon had occurred than before. It wasn't just physical pain but a collapse of the mind. Honestly, if Ha-rin hadn't noticed quickly and Eun-ji hadn't woken me, I might have been consumed by the skill.
‘But... definitely... I felt a similar overwhelming feeling when I felt Kashnax in that darkness where I couldn't see a single inch ahead... A god... A god was there...’
This allows me to speculate on one possibility. Abyss Observation might be a skill related to a nameless evil god, completely different from Kashnax. The fact that it was particularly emphasized when it first appeared as a choice seems to confirm this. It's not certain, but it just feels that way. If Tentacle Summon is considered Kashnax's authority, then Abyss Observation might be borrowing the authority of another evil god.
‘Is it just Kashnax, or do other evil gods also have an interest in me? Is it because of my 666 Luck? Is this something Kashnax bestowed upon me? I have no idea what's going on.’
I still don't have enough information. Wouldn't I naturally find out as I continue to level up and grow? Like how I became aware of Kashnax's existence while acquiring Human Sacrifice.
As I pondered this, information about Abyss Observation naturally entered my mind.
‘Consume 1 Karma to peer into the abyss... The incantation is Craw—Win—Asmer...’
To use the skill, I have to touch my thumbs and index fingers together to form a triangle and chant the incantation.
Then, the triangle formed by my fingers connects to the abyss, allowing me to communicate with the beings lurking within. Of course, that's assuming communication is possible.
‘Communication should be fine thanks to the Mark of the Myriad Demons... The problem is that this one skill alone is difficult to use effectively.’
It seems I can form contracts, but the conditions are often outrageous, and every time I peer into the abyss, I have to consume one Karma and go through this complex process.
‘This is ambiguous. Aren't there any supplementary skills...? Right, I can soften the harsh contract conditions with Favor of the Myriad Demons... If only the summoning process were simplified, it would be perfect.’
The effect of the Favor of the Myriad Demons skill is 'Gains the interest and favor of otherworldly beings, and contract conditions are softened.' So this skill is related to Abyss Observation. If there's a skill to soften contract conditions, shouldn't there be one to simplify the contract process?
Having to sacrifice a person every time I summon a being from the abyss is highly inefficient.
‘I'll have to acquire more skills first. I can still pick 3 more, so let's hope the answer comes within those.’
This time, I had told Eun-ji and Ha-rin in advance that I would be acquiring a skill.
“Skill Select.”
⚡ SKILL SELECTION ⚡
1. Twisted Carapace 2. Favor of the Myriad Demons 3. Oral Summon 4. Selfless Demon Eye
‘Oral Summon: Summons a Maw from another dimension. It tears and devours the limbs of enemies.’
‘Hmm... What is this?’
Beyond summoning tentacles, it summons a Maw... Does that mean it summons a mouth?
This is a skill I can't get a grip on at all. Summoning a mouth to tear and devour the enemy's limbs...
‘This is an unavoidable choice.’
The ability to summon a mouth to sever an enemy's body. It's the ultimate skill for fighting opponents I must kill. This, along with Tentacle Summon, will probably become one of my strongest cards.
“I choose Oral Summon.”
The moment I acquired the skill, the same reaction as when I chose Abyss Observation occurred.
“Kugh....”
Once again, I felt a lethargic sensation as if being sucked into a swamp.
Simultaneously, the hands of Eun-ji and Ha-rin, who were sitting beside me watching over me, tightened.
I also gripped their hands tightly. The warmth was transmitted through our clasped hands.
As if holding onto a lifeline, I held onto their hands and endured the skill application.
I think I'd rather have my brain hurt. That was just pain and nothing more. That's how much of a fresh shock this mental attack was.
‘If Kashnax was an introductory evil god for beginners... then this unknown being is an evil god that provides a more advanced level of shock... The skill effect is a mana consumption of 10... I need to chant Alacum Pluton while making a motion of biting with my hands... I can use it 3 times a day... Hmm...’
This is definitely a special skill related to a being from the abyss. If Tentacle Summon was a special skill related to Kashnax, then this is definitely a technique granted by a being from the abyss. The fact that it can only be used 3 times a day also points to that. I suspect this skill will also be enhanced later on if I find a way to contact the abyss god, perhaps through Human Sacrifice, just like how Tentacle Summon was enhanced to Tentacle Eruption.
‘Now, two left.’
“Skill Select.”
⚡ SKILL SELECTION ⚡
1. Twisted Carapace 2. Favor of the Myriad Demons 3. Eternal Contract 4. Selfless Demon Eye
‘Eternal Contract: Forms a permanent contract with an otherworldly being. You can summon the creature by consuming mana.’
‘Eternal Contract... Shortening the summoning process. This is the way to properly utilize Abyss Observation.’
I could shorten the long and complex process of peering into the abyss, communicating, and finding a being to form a contract with. I could form a contract in advance, and then summon that being as my summon, consuming only mana to call it out repeatedly.
‘The remaining two skills will be Favor of the Myriad Demons and Eternal Contract.’
I chose Favor of the Myriad Demons without hesitation.
‘Will my brain hurt this time... Or will my mind be in peril...’
I held Eun-ji and Ha-rin's hands tightly as I waited for the pain that Favor of the Myriad Demons would bring. However, this time, neither physical pain nor a mental collapse occurred.
“Ah...?”
What I felt was a gaze.
A countless number of them.
Gazes were fixed on me.
As if appraising their prey.
“Ugh...”
I quickly covered my mouth to suppress the nausea that rose up in an instant.
It felt as if an enormous number of things were watching me for a moment, but it didn't even last a few seconds before I returned to my original state.
‘Th-that... what was that...?’
Am I the only one who finds acquiring skills so difficult? This is making me want to quit the game... How is it that acquiring skills is more difficult than beating up zombie bastards?
‘There's not a single thing I can let my guard down about... I wasn't even letting my guard down from the start, but isn't this too much...?’
Something beyond what I can endure and bear always keeps appearing.
Since I can't predict it, I'm now genuinely afraid of acquiring skills.
“Hoo...”
“Oppa....”
“Master. If it's too hard, you can do it later.”
“No, it's fine. I need to acquire my skills quickly... and get my achievement rewards... I have a lot to do.”
I'm just grateful for their concern. So I need to work harder and finish this quickly. These are skills I have to acquire eventually anyway. Right, the pain will come eventually.
“Skill Select.”
⚡ SKILL SELECTION ⚡
1. Twisted Carapace 2. Incomplete Membrane 3. Eternal Contract 4. Selfless Demon Eye
‘Incomplete Membrane: You can sprout wings from your back. You will be able to fly.’
“Hoo...”
The description alone is amazing.
Of course, as I've come to realize through my experience, a Cultist's skill is never normal. I've learned through nearly ten skill acquisitions that Cultist skills are monstrously powerful but come with immense backlash.
‘Judging by the looks of it... it's going to hurt like hell every time I sprout these wings...’
Still, being able to fly with wings is a huge deal. This is a skill I absolutely must get when the time comes.
Of course, for now, I'll choose Eternal Contract first to properly use Abyss Observation.
‘Skill Selection.’
This time, I felt like I was being pulled down again, so I quickly grabbed their hands tightly.
The warmth from Eun-ji and Ha-rin's hands helped me quickly regain my composure.
* * *