Chapter 259
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 259
Chapter Title: Siegfried's Soul
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Honestly, I thought it would take at least a month.
A month? No way.
It was a soul that hadn't dropped even once until now.
The odds of it not dropping even after a year, let alone a month, were high.
'Getting it to drop is a miracle in itself.'
Before his regression, the first Dark Soul had dropped when Jeong Hoon reached level 500.
Even back then, the whole world had been abuzz about the soul dropping.
They'd debated whether the Dark Soul was even a real item.
It had been a gamble close to pure luck, but in the end, Jeong Hoon had won.
"Lucky break."
Luck yeah. There's no other way to explain it.
"So, how about handing over that reward now?"
Jeong Hoon grinned.
Baal's eyes narrowed at the smile.
I was hoping to watch a bit longer.
"If you want, we can bet again next time."
Not a bad idea.
As soon as Baal finished speaking, a message appeared in front of Jeong Hoon.
You have acquired 10 of Ultimate Energy.
You have reached 60 of Ultimate Power. Achievement points: 300,000 awarded.
You can now undertake the 'Path of the Ultimate (2)' quest.
With Ultimate Energy surpassing 60, he could now take on the second stage of the Path of the Ultimate.
'Path of the Ultimate, stage two. Wonder what it'll bring.'
He had evolved so much during the first stage.
The second would surely offer rewards on par with that.
"Experience points?"
The rewards from Baal weren't over yet.
There was still the one trillion experience points he'd offered.
Impatient, aren't you? I was just about to give them.
Another message appeared as Baal spoke.
You have acquired 1,000,000,000,000 experience points.
A full trillion experience points had been awarded.
Level up.
All stats 1.
Bonus stat 1 awarded.
His level shot up like crazy.
It kept climbing endlessly before finally stopping at a certain point.
'517.'
With one trillion experience points, Jeong Hoon's level jumped straight to 517.
'Jackpot.'
He hadn't expected to break level 500 before heading to Darvis.
Jeong Hoon checked his level with eyes full of emotion.
Detailed Stats
-Strength: 634(63) - 697
-Agility: 622(63) - 685
-Vitality: 584(59) - 643
-Defense: 605(60) - 665
-Wisdom: 565(56) - 621
-Mana: 824(82) - 906
-Holy Power: 824(82) - 906
-Mental Strength: 560(59) - 619
His level hit 517, and with bonus stats properly allocated, both Holy Power and Mana exceeded 900.
'Perfect. With proper buffs, I'll hit 2,000 in no time.'
Jeong Hoon smirked.
At this point, few monsters in Darvis would be able to stand against him.
"What do you think? Heading back now?"
Jeong Hoon asked Baal.
Hah, as if. Now I want to make you mine even more.
"You're the worst."
Kukuku, I'll show up again in Darvis. Wait for me.
"Sure."
Now, about that soul?
Baal eyed the Dark Soul in Jeong Hoon's hand.
But Jeong Hoon had no intention of handing it over.
"Why should I?"
What?
"Our bet was whether I'd get the Dark Soul. I don't remember anything about handing it over to you."
Baal let out a hollow laugh, looking like he'd been slapped.
No words for that. Fine. Keep the soul.
"Well, if you really want it, we could bet on this."
No, what I want is a contract with you. See you soon.
With that, Baal vanished.
Left alone, Jeong Hoon immediately summoned Michael.
"Michael."
"Yes, Master."
Michael's face was etched with exhaustion.
"Not going well?"
"Yes he won't listen at all."
The soul Jeong Hoon had won from his previous bet with Baal.
He'd ordered Michael to tame it.
But Michael still hadn't managed to do so.
"How much longer do you think?"
"No idea his pride is too strong. He won't bend easily."
Michael couldn't hide his frustration.
He had to tame it on Jeong Hoon's orders, but this damn thing refused to obey.
In all his time as a Necromancer, this was the toughest soul he'd ever handled.
"I see. Mind summoning him for me, then?"
"Summon him?"
"Yeah."
"Uh, one moment."
Michael chanted a spell, forcibly summoning the soul.
Since Jeong Hoon had bound it to Michael upon acquisition, it could be summoned even without full taming.
"."
The soul that emerged showed no reaction.
"Hey! Show some respect to the Master!"
Michael fumed, trying to force the soul to bow, but it didn't budge.
As I thought it's that guy.
Mukho, who had been acting suspicious, suddenly spoke up.
"Who."
Siegfried.
"Siegfried?"
Jeong Hoon tilted his head.
He'd felt a familiar vibe when he first encountered the soul.
But the aura it gave off was different from Siegfried's.
Yet Mukho was certain it was the same person.
Definitely. Trust me.
Mukho had been with Siegfried.
So he must have recognized something in the soul.
"Siegfried."
Jeong Hoon called to the soul.
The previously motionless soul's shoulders twitched.
'Mukho was right.'
Who would've thought the soul he'd taken from Baal was Siegfried.
Thinking back, Mukho knew Baal.
Siegfried had lost his life to Baal.
Baal loved bets, so he'd probably lost a wager and had his soul taken.
Sigh, why'd you lose and end up like that? The Master's just toying with you now.
Mukho clicked his tongue, displeased with Siegfried's state.
"Anyway, Siegfried, I need your power. To end this damn game."
Siegfried's shoulders trembled again at Jeong Hoon's words.
His face was shrouded in darkness, invisible, and his voice inaudible, but his emotions reached this far.
Finally, Siegfried nodded.
"Master! He's obeying!"
In that instant, black light enveloped Siegfried's form, and it was absorbed into Michael's hand.
He had become Michael's familiar.
"Good. Summon him again."
"Yes!"
Michael summoned Siegfried once more.
Now a proper familiar, Siegfried's form was much clearer than before.
He was indeed the Siegfried they'd seen before, just as Mukho said.
"Now you're talking."
Siegfried finally spoke.
"Long time no see."
"Do you know me?"
Siegfried seemed clueless about Jeong Hoon.
'How long was he trapped?'
So long he'd lost all sense of time.
He'd been locked away, then released.
But even outside, he wasn't free.
Not only confined again, but some ragtag nobody was trying to tame him.
He wanted to slit the guy's throat, but his body wouldn't obey.
Like a puppet.
'Only moved when my name was called.'
Even then, just a slight shoulder twitch.
If Jeong Hoon hadn't asked for help, he wouldn't have become the ragtag's familiar.
"Yes. We've even talked a few times already."
"Really? Strange I don't remember that."
"Can't be helped."
NPC.
That was the word the Transcendents used for them.
Just puppet dolls reborn.
So it was natural Siegfried's soul didn't recognize Jeong Hoon.
"Anyway, I asked you to lend your power to end the game?"
Jeong Hoon nodded.
"Any memories stand out?"
"None."
Siegfried shook his head.
He didn't remember where he was born, how he'd lived, or why he'd been trapped.
Yet he felt he should help Jeong Hoon anyway.
Simply because it felt right.
A straightforward reason.
"The story might take a while. That okay?"
"Yeah."
Jeong Hoon began a long tale for Siegfried.
How this damn game started, how the dimensions were destroyed.
And how he'd lost a bet to Baal, his soul taken.
Siegfried nodded calmly after hearing it all.
"Not surprised?"
"Well, figured there was a reason I was trapped."
"I see. So you'll lend your power?"
"Why else would I become a familiar for that weakling?"
Weakling.
Michael bristled at the words.
"What? Weakling?"
"Am I wrong?"
"Wow Master! That's insubordination, right?"
Michael sent an SOS to Jeong Hoon.
But Jeong Hoon brushed it off.
"Not wrong."
"Master."
Michael stared at him with betrayal in his eyes.
"But disrespecting your master isn't a good look."
Carrot after the stick.
As Jeong Hoon pointed it out, Siegfried scratched his head.
"Fair point."
"Master! I knew you had my back!"
"Not thrilled, but Master, looking forward to working with you."
Siegfried bowed to Michael.
"Good enough?"
"Yes! You little shit! Punished for insubordinationI'll grind you down!"
Michael grinned wickedly.
"Now, back inside."
Jeong Hoon dismissed Michael, and Siegfried vanished with him.
Siegfried, man, I'm a bit hurt.
Mukho sulked openly.
It stung that his old comrade didn't recognize him at all.
"Cut him some slack. Can't help lost memories."
Jeong Hoon turned and exited the dungeon.
Two days later.
"Done!"
Jang Dae-hwi stretched his sore shoulders after finishing the edit.
Two 30-minute videos sat on his monitor.
He'd edited the footage from Jeong Hoon into two parts.
Pure highlights in bothviews were guaranteed.
"All set?"
Behind him stood Jeong Hoon, Ha-jin, and Bong-gu.
They'd stuck around before heading to Darvis to confirm the upload to YouTube.
"Yeah. Take a look."
Jang Dae-hwi confidently played the videos.
Two 30-minute parts.
An hour straight, and Jeong Hoon nodded in satisfaction.
"Nice. Ready to upload like this?"
"Man how many times did you take that thing down?"
"Bro, you're insane!"
Ha-jin and Bong-gu had seen Jeong Hoon take down the Ultimate Knight once.
It had ended too easily.
But in the video, the Ultimate Knight unleashed all sorts of abilities, only to get crushed by Jeong Hoon each time.
"Don't hype it up. Easy boss once you know the strategy."
"Easy? It's level 1,100."
Bong-gu laughed awkwardly.
Strategy or not, it was level 1,100.
Just facing it up close made his legs shakehow could anyone take it down easily?
But once this video spread the strategy, even at 1,100, it'd get cleared for sure.
"Alright, uploading part one first. Part two in a few days okay?"
"Yeah."