Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Mana Conversion
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I was more interested in mana conversion, which had emerged from the evolution of the suit skill, than in the mediocre shop skill.
This was a pretty interesting skill.
It wasn't limited to simple mana manifestation; materialization was possible too.
I imagined the image of black armor and imbued my mana with will.
Then, following my will, the black mana wrapped around my body, forming simple and stylish black armor to my taste.
If I made something like an enhanced armor suit in the future, wouldn't it feel like this?
The defense was guaranteed in proportion to the mana poured in, but using it as a thin suit like before was more mana-efficient.
Maintaining that form also required a certain level of concentration.
Of course, just like the previous suit skill, I could handle it by having Suni maintain the form without me needing to focus.
Honestly, this materialization was a waste of mana just for looks.
Still, the fact that I could create anything from my imagination at will was intriguing and amazing.
Naturally, that made me curious about the mana interference technique I'd gain by raising this mana conversion skill to level 2.
"Mana interference..."
Should I level up the skill to check it out?
Since the skill level is still low, it only costs one skill point.
I'm curious, but for now, I decided to hold back the urge and think about it more.
Objectively speaking, the inventory skill is more urgent right now.
There was still plenty of time.
"Am I being too diligent?"
I'd come back after a long time to rest a bit, but I couldn't hold back and was at it again.
Still, developing my abilities or discovering new ones was fun.
And my abilities were the kind anyone would envy.
I had no idea how long I could keep them hidden.
I figured some of my abilities would inevitably be revealed during the mana test.
I was doing my best to be careful, but you never know with people.
When a powerless guy has a unique ability, it's easy to get swept up by those around him.
"If I don't want to get swept up?"
Simple.
I just need enough power to avoid it.
Until then, I'd have to work a little harder.
I was using the next level of body strengthening as my benchmark.
At the next strengthening level, I'd probably be close to S-rank in this world.
It was starting to feel like a burdensome amount of points.
Considering only low-grade corrupted beings and accounting for level-ups, I'd need to take down at least 70 to raise the body strengthening skill by one level.
If I thought about raising other skills too, how many more would that be?
No point worrying about it now.
It was a full-belly problem anyway.
On the bright side, if I took it step by step, it was solvable.
As I lay languidly on the sofa with those constructive thoughts, my stomach started rumbling.
Should I order delivery? But I'd eaten plenty of the delivery food I'd stocked in my inventory from the zombie world.
I was craving sundae gukbap from my regular spot.
It was a clean little place I'd drop by whenever I reminisced about my gate herbalist days.
Not some amazing foodie spot, but it had clean side dishes and solid taste as a baseline.
That sundae gukbap place didn't deliver, so I'd have to go out.
I wasn't thrilled about heading out, but once the craving hit, I couldn't resist.
"Might as well pack a few to go for the inventory."
I threw on some casual clothes and headed to the sundae gukbap place.
The distance was awkward for driving, so I walked.
It was already dark outside, with streetlights and bright shop signs illuminating the streets.
Having spent a while in the zombie world, even that felt like a novel charm.
As I walked along with that unfitting sentiment, a fierce man's voice shattered the street's peace.
"Fuck, you bitch! You got nowhere to go anyway!"
"You fucker! Still no!!"
A sharp woman's voice rang out, no less fierce.
A fight?
"This fucking bitch, thinks she can act up just 'cause I've been letting her."
-Smack!!!
"Aak!! You fucking bastard! Why'd you hit me!!"
Two burly guys and one sleazy thug were... fighting with a woman?
Strictly speaking, it was the sleazy thug punk fighting the woman.
Gates had ruined the old days' good security, and punks like that had multiplied in the gaps.
"Fuck! What're you looking at? Scram!"
"Don't think nonsense, just go your way."
The two burly guys were snarling at any onlookers, chasing them off.
The woman's hair was a mess, making her face hard to see, but the body showing above her tight miniskirt looked damn good.
Her mouth was rough, but standing up to those guys without backing down was impressive.
"They seem to know each other."
They're arguing, but I had no clue what their relationship was.
"You fucking bitch, you should've followed if I told you to. Not the first time—what the hell is this?! Huh?!"
To the woman's continued resistance, the sleazy guy roughly grabbed her hair and started dragging her.
"Aak!!! Fuck! Let go?"
The woman looked like a virgin ghost from a horror special, with her hair all wild.
Her eyes met mine through the tangled mess.
Her gaze was incredibly complex, beyond her age.
Anger, despair, emptiness, desperation...
Or at least, that's how it felt to me.
I wasn't a mind reader or anything.
She seemed like she wanted to say something when she saw me, but her mouth wouldn't open.
But her eyes were screaming for help.
"What to do with this..."
She seemed to want help but wouldn't speak up.
Unusual woman.
Even in a situation like this, she didn't want to drag an innocent bystander in?
As I pondered that sight...
"Fuck! What're you staring at? Wanna die? Don't act tough just 'cause you're big—shut up and go."
But the thug punk lightened my dilemma a bit.
Still, I had to ask first.
If I butted in for no reason and it turned out to be some lovers' quarrel, I'd be the one in the shit situation.
The world's full of weirdos, after all.
"How about it? Need help?"
"Help what, you fuck?"
The two burly guys closed in.
"...Yes..."
The woman's tiny voice reached me, barely audible without my abilities.
"Uncle, don't act up on your size—ignore us or you'll drop dead quick?"
The sleazy thug said that while slyly flashing a hidden knife.
I showed him my big hand.
And grabbed the head of the thug punk who was holding the woman's hair.
"Huh?"
The thug didn't seem to grasp the situation even then.
I put just a little strength into my grip.
"Kuaaa!!!"
Then I carefully tapped the arm holding the woman's hair.
-Crack.
"Kuh. Khek."
The thug's face twisted in agony as he let go of the woman's hair.
Seeing that, I hurled the punk whose head I was holding.
-Thud!
"Kuaak!!"
The guy was rolling around, clutching his broken arm in pain.
"Aak!! F-Fuck!!! What're you doing—beat him!!"
The thug yelled from the ground, and the two burly guys, dazed by how fast it happened, rushed me.
I lightly low-kicked the leg of the first one charging from the front.
-Crunch.
"Uheuk!"
With the sound of bone breaking, the burly guy flew up, spun half a turn, and slammed into the ground.
-Thud.
"Too strong?"
For the one coming after, I just lightly jabbed his chin.
-Tap.
The moment he took it to the chin, his eyes rolled back, head snapped up, and he collapsed unconscious.
"Aak! Fuck!! Stop! Stop... I think my arm's broken!!"
After dealing with the two, the woman with the ghost-like messy hair was already beating the thug punk with her high heel.
-Thud. Thud.
"Fuck! Motherfucker. Die!!"
"Aak... Pl-Please!!"
The thug was curled up tight, covering his arm and head as best he could.
"Fuck! Fucking bastard. Hoo. Hoo."
Tired from beating him with her heel, the woman was panting roughly in her disheveled ghost-like state.
Still not satisfied, she kept kicking the thug punk even while catching her breath.
-Thud. Thud. Thud.
"Motherfucker! Fucking bastard! Shithead!"
I trudged off toward the sundae gukbap place, watching her gleefully beat the rolling thug with curses.
After walking a bit, I heard the woman's voice.
"Uncle! Go together!"
I turned to see some woman running toward me.
A somewhat familiar sight.
"......?"
Looking closer, it seemed like the woman I'd just helped.
"Thank you."
"Uh. Sure."
Chased me down to say thanks?
Pretty polite girl, unfitting for these times.
And that thought was shattered right away.
"Uncle, where you headed, by chance?"
The woman asked out of nowhere.
"Do I need to tell her that?"
I examined her face more closely.
Couldn't tell when she looked like a ghost earlier, but now somewhat tidied up, she had long straight hair down to her chest, pale skin—a decent beauty.
Her cheek was still red from the thug's slap.
"Going to eat."
"Uncle... I'm hungry..."
".....?"