Chapter 79
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: A Gift (1)
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Friday night.
I was sitting at my desk, grinning from ear to ear.
With this, the Rabbit Tribe's jumping power is nothing to sneeze at.
D-Rank [85/99]
Those were my stats for strength, agility, and stamina, measured in my personal training room.
This is just too good.
Just yesterday, I was at D-Rank [35/99]. My detailed stats went up by 50 in a single day.
Now, C-Rank was truly within reach.
B-Rank, however, still felt a long way off.
As expected, the rate of increase slows down as the ranks get higher.
When 'Boiling Pure Blood' was first fully assimilated, I went up a whole rank with stats to spare.
Then, when 'Predator's Killing Intent' was fully assimilated, I went from E-Rank [70/99] to D-Rank [35/99], which was about a 60-point increase in detailed stats.
And today.
The full assimilation of 'Rabbit Tribe's Jumping Power' gave me about a 50-point boost.
In other words, the higher the rank, the slower the stat gains.
It's only natural, but...
There's a reason it takes more bonus points to level up at higher ranks.
Going from B-Rank to A-Rank is more than ten times harder than going from F-Rank to E-Rank, which is why it requires ten times the bonus points.
Superhumans know this, which is why they try to save their bonus points for the highest ranks possible.
Still, this was amazing.
A lowly F-Ranker had become a high D-Ranker in just two months.
With a satisfied smile, I closed my notebook titled [Notes on Full Assimilation].
Alright.
I took out a small box I had placed on the corner of my desk.
Taking elixirs is always the right choice.
Inside the box was Honey Bear's Honey.
The byproducts from Wednesday's hunt in the Yeoncheon field had finally been distributed.
They said the distribution was delayed due to the Tyrant Drake incident and processing the cadets' deaths.
To think this one small bottle is worth over a hundred million.
I marveled at the brilliant yellow liquid in the 100ml bottle. It certainly had the color of honey. An incredibly luxurious-looking honey.
Strike while the iron is hot, as they say.
*Pop*
The sound of the cap opening was crisp.
A sweet, enchanting aroma tickled my nose. I swallowed hard, a gulp echoing in my throat.
Here goes.
I downed it in one go.
True to its name, a sweet taste filled my mouth.
Yet, it wasn't overly sweet. A mellow sweetness, perhaps.
It went down like a dream.
It slid smoothly down my esophagus, a cool, refreshing sensation spreading downward.
In an instant, the Honey Bear's Honey was gone, settled in my stomach.
Wow.
So this is an elixir.
I always heard medicine was supposed to be bitter and taste awful. I guess things are different in this world.
It was an addictive sweetness that made me want more.
If it weren't for the side effects of overdose, I'd try to get my hands on more.
Ah. This isn't the time for that.
I snapped back to my senses.
What's important isn't the taste, but the effect. An increase in mana capacity. I wondered just how much of a change there would be.
Full of anticipation, I closed my eyes.
I could feel the mana flowing through the 'mana veins,' the special organs that transport it between my blood vessels.
At the center of my body where the mana veins converged, an intangible energy flickered near my heart.
This was where my fire-attribute mana, imbued by the 'Flames of Imprint,' was stored.
It's the first place to change when one's mana capacity increases.
I focused my senses there.
...It increased way more than I expected.
The change was far greater than I'd anticipated. Was it because my mana pool was small to begin with? It seemed to have grown by about 1.2 times.
One might think it's 'only' 1.2 times, but this was an elixir worth hundreds of millions, something you could get from a field at best.
Meaning, while it's effective, you can't expect a dramatic transformation.
Considering the mana capacity of B-Rank superhumans only changes by a factor of about 1.03, a 1.2-fold increase was absolutely massive.
...Could it be that the evolution of my mana veins increased the absorption rate?
It was probably thanks to the full assimilation of the Elf Tribe. I was almost certain of it.
Anyway, what a score.
I'd gotten a better result than I'd hoped for, so I was very satisfied.
*Kkyang.*
You're awake?
Geumho, who must have woken up at some point, was rubbing his cheek against my leg.
Then, with a light jump, he hopped onto my lap.
...You're going to sleep here?
He curled up and went back to sleep.
He must have liked the scent coming from my body, because he buried his face deep into my chest and started purring.
A smile naturally spread across my face.
*Bzzz-*
Just then, the phone on my desk vibrated.
[Kid. Tomorrow at 11, you know the drill, right?]
It was a message from Meiden Keuritineseu.
[Yes. Of course.]
How could I forget?
Tomorrow was the day I would receive the Ancient Relic from Meiden.
***
In a dazzling room where classical music played softly.
Maestro stood at its center, lost in thought with his eyes closed.
The planto use Gwuiryeong's power to manipulate the drakes' perception as a diversion, then break through the weakened defenses and abduct Shin Jiahad failed.
He had thought it a fairly promising operation, but it ended as a mere kidnapping attempt.
Interesting.
Maestro laughed fiercely.
He wasn't particularly disappointed.
From the beginning, it didn't matter whether this operation succeeded or failed.
If they had succeeded in abducting Shin Jia, they could have obtained information on the Vagabond incident, which would have been better.
But he had never thought the chances of success were high in the first place.
'The one who dealt with Vagabond so perfectly wouldn't fall for such a flimsy scheme.'
The operation's purpose was, from the start, to 'fail'.
In the current situation, where they lacked information, a sacrifice was necessary to gain something new.
And that sacrifice was Geomryeong and Gwuiryeong.
Maestro pressed a button on the controller in his hand.
A video began to play on the wall.
*You motherfuckers. Nice to meet you.*
The scene of Geomryeong and Gwuiryeong fighting Kang Seoyul was being broadcast.
Maestro, who had been certain the two would fail, had recorded the battle with a micro-drone he'd prepared beforehand.
Watching it again, that's not the combat prowess of a cadet.
A short battle, lasting barely ten seconds.
The sight of him overwhelming Geomryeong alone was enough to draw Maestro's admiration.
But that was all.
'The bulging veins all over his body. He's likely using a temporary enhancement-type doping skill. And judging by Geomryeong and Gwuiryeong's sluggish reactions, he probably has a skill that suppresses detection and sensory abilities.'
He must have a buff skill effective enough to overwhelm Geomryeong.
And generally, such skills have a short duration.
As proof, Kang Seoyul stopped his attack right when he was dominating the fight.
'That was to buy time because the enhancement skill's duration was about to expire. He must have figured he'd already made them wary enough.'
Indeed, the flustered Geomryeong and Gwuiryeong were unable to attack recklessly.
'To be fooled by such a bluff.'
Fools.
Maestro clicked his tongue.
*Sister. Use the Confusion Demon.*
The video cut off after that.
The micro-drone Maestro had prepared couldn't penetrate the Confusion Demon.
...I expected as much, but it's still a shame.
Since the drone used mana and was optimized for stealth, he had anticipated it wouldn't be able to get through the Confusion Demon, which caused magical disruption.
He used this method despite knowing its limitations because it was the only drone that could bypass the unusually strict sensors around the Yeoncheon field.
Hmm.
After some time had passed, the next video played.
It was footage from after the Confusion Demon had completely dissipated.
*Bihon Guildmaster!*
The first thing seen were the corpses of Geomryeong and Gwuiryeong, their throats pierced.
Next was the sight of Kang Seoyul, covered in wounds big and small, looking as if he'd had a tough fight.
*I took care of these two.*
And finally, Yuhwa appeared.
Most likely, while Kang Seoyul was somehow holding on, Yuhwa intervened. And it was Yuhwa who finished off Geomryeong and Gwuiryeong.
From this short video, Maestro found his conviction.
So Yuhwa was the mastermind after all.
The mastermind behind the plot that trapped Vagabond was undoubtedly Yuhwa.
Considering she caught the doppelgnger and dealt with Pyo Ilchan, Yuhwa must have a significant grasp of the organization's internal information.
'Or, there could be someone behind the scenes, using Yuhwa as a front.'
Maestro's lips twisted into a smirk.
'There's also a possibility that the cadet, Kang Seoyul, is the one pulling the strings.'
Kang Seoyul seemed quite close to Yuhwa. The possibility wasn't zero.
'First, I should investigate Kang Seoyul.'
Eliminating the least likely possibilities one by one was Maestro's way of doing things.
Besides, something about him had bothered Maestro from the moment he first saw his face.
You seem to be in a good mood, for once.
Hermit.
Hermit appeared behind Maestro.
What is it?
That thing you asked for before. The investigation on Kang Seoyul is finished.
Oh?
A strange light gleamed in Maestro's eyes.
I can't believe the great Hermit would handle a personal request from me. To be honest, I wasn't expecting anything.
It wasn't a difficult task. I just did it on the side.
Hmm. Well, your timing is excellent.
Hermit tossed a few documents onto the desk and spoke.
I'll get straight to the point.
The documents read:
[Kang Seoyul Investigation Report]
There was not a single suspicious point in Kang Seoyul's past.
Not a single one?
Maestro's eyes narrowed.
That's right. The only unusual thing was that he came from an orphanage.
Hmm.
Maestro began to quickly scan the documents.
Just as you said. Other than coming from a shelter called Saetbyeol Orphanage, there's nothing unusual.
It was just as Hermit had said.
The only peculiar thing was the [Saetbyeol Orphanage] entry in the family composition section.
'I can trust Hermit's investigation. I can rule out the hypothesis that Kang Seoyul is the mastermind for now.'
Reading this report solidified his conviction.
Kang Seoyul was just a talented cadet.
His ability to rush to Shin Jia's side faster than anyone was likely because he saw her missed call.
And his desperation was most likely born from 'love'.
'I just need to focus my investigation around Yuhwa.'
Maestro grinned.
...
Hermit watched Maestro and thought to himself.
'Thankfully, he doesn't seem suspicious.'
The investigation records Maestro was looking at had been fabricated by Hermit.
He hadn't just altered Maestro's report; he had also concealed the original records within the organization itself.
'Sunlight Orphanage.'
Hermit thought about Kang Seoyul's 'real' past.
'Kang Seoyul. What in the world are you?'
Hermit's pupils trembled with confusion and bewilderment.
***
The next day, around noon.
I was at the arranged meeting spot, a cafe near Gangnam, sipping coffee.
The time was 10:45 AM.
Fifteen minutes before the appointment.
That's when two women entered the cafe.
It was Meiden Keuritineseu, a beauty who 'looked' to be in her twenties and captured everyone's attention with her obviously stylish fashion, and Yuhwa, a beauty dressed in her usual suit.
I stood up from my seat to greet them.
Hello.
Hello. You're here quite early, Seoyul.
Yuhwa returned the greeting with a bright smile. Meiden's expression, however, was ice-cold.
...You too.
She looked at me with the most serious expression in the world. Did something happen? Or did I do something wrong?
What are you wearing?
Huh?
Black jeans and a black t-shirt...
Meiden pressed the bridge of her nose, her brow twitching with irritation, and spoke as if sighing.
Uh... It's fine, isn't it?
Is it weird?
Is it fine? Of course it's fine. Because your face is a cheat code.
Ah. Is that it?
Kid. With a face like that, don't you feel like it's a waste to dress like that?
I don't think I've ever really thought of it as a waste.
Meiden covered her eyes with one hand and lamented.
Why am I surrounded by people like this?
...Unni. Why are you looking at me?
Meiden's sigh deepened.
One is dressed for the National Assembly, and the other is an all-black addict.
...
...
Yuhwa and I were struck speechless.
This won't do. We're going clothes shopping today, you two.
A fire ignited in Meiden's eyes.
I just stared at her blankly.
Meiden Keuritineseu.
The Dungeon Creator, ranked 32nd in the world.
Her dungeons were famous for two things.
The first, of course, was their viciousness.
The second was...
Kid, while we're at it, let's get your hair done too. I know a great hair designer. He happens to be nearby.
...their design.
You don't really have to go that far...
First, let's get you a few daily outfits... Where's a good department store around here? No, let's start with a select shop.
No, I mean.
Meiden didn't seem to be listening to me at all.
Hwa. What time was the appointment with the Black Smith Korea branch for the kid's gear order?
7 o'clock.
...Huh?
Did you just say Black Smith?
Black Smith.
The major Chinese manufacturer that crafted my 'Horn of the Latent Dragon'.
An artisan maker that doesn't even handle gear below A-Rank.
They're going to make my gear there?
Why? You don't like it? Is the brand too common? Should we go somewhere else?
Meiden tilted her head.
No, it's not that I don't like it... I was just thinking it might be too expensive.
Kiddo.
Meiden grinned, showing her teeth.
Didn't I tell you? I'm filthy rich.
Whoa.
Just trust me and follow along.
Why is she so cool?