Chapter 99: Cloning Technique
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99: Cloning Technique
After a brief encounter with the unexpectedly friendly group from China, Seo-un returned home and collapsed onto his familiar bed.
As he lay there with his eyes closed, memories of the recent game flickered through his mind. It had been shorter than his previous sessions, yet it was undoubtedly the most spectacular one yet.
"Phew."
Returning to reality from a game meticulously designed to accelerate at a breakneck pace left him with a lingering sense of dissonance.
"From now on, I need to be more suspicious of the main quests and the map."
To seize the initiative on the main quest and maintain mobility, he had focused on destroying the Seondongun more than any other squad. As a result, he had summoned the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven.
Ultimately, the Great Sage’s presence had set the game’s progression ablaze, causing the magnetic field to shrink all the way to the Seondong Stone on the Central Island in just two weeks.
If the Great Sage had appeared later…
If the game had lasted a month, or perhaps even over a hundred days, his stat growth could have been astronomical.
The best outcome for this game was maximizing stat growth while clearing it. Even from a team perspective, the growth potential would have been much higher.
He didn't know who was managing the game or setting the rules, but the design was brilliant.
Having finished his review of the game, Seo-un closed his eyes.
Thanks to his mental exhaustion, he fell into a deep sleep early in the evening. When he woke up at dawn, he habitually checked his phone.
[Hyung, my sister was discharged safely. Go to Wonju first tomorrow. I’ll head down after I finish preparing to liquidate the items.]
He checked the message Gi-chan had sent. It was only 2:30 AM.
"I'm hungry."
Rubbing his stomach, he opened a delivery app, ordered two chickens, and went out to the living room to turn on the TV.
Sitting on the sofa he had recently bought, he felt a sense of novelty watching TV for the first time in a while. Come to think of it, it had been quite some time since he’d lived a life that included television.
What was most fascinating was the sheer number of programs centered around Cloyd or ability users.
— Searching for Ability Users! The first broadcast ever to meet a real ability user!
A sensationalist narration caught Seo-un’s eye.
— Hello, TBN viewers. I’m Catsby, the wild reporter for 'Sniper of Tastes.' Today, we have successfully contacted a real ability user. Stay tuned to witness the life and powers of a true ability user right now!
Despite the "right now" promise, the show dragged on for ten minutes, showing the tedious casting process and the journey to the rural area where the supposed ability user lived.
Just as Seo-un was about to change the channel out of boredom, the reporter finally met the self-proclaimed ability user.
— Hello. I’ve traveled a thousand miles after hearing rumors of an ability user. Are you truly an ability user who has accessed Cloyd?
Seo-un chuckled at the sight of the man, who was dressed shabbily like a mountain hermit.
— Yes. That is correct. I am a true ability user who obtained power through Cloyd.
"Wow, hearing him call himself a 'true ability user' is so cringe."
— It’s not that we doubt you, but to satisfy our viewers' curiosity and skepticism, could you demonstrate your ability?
— Certainly.
— Did you hear that, viewers? From this moment, we will begin the verification of this ability user’s powers. So stay tuned! We’ll be right back after these commercials.
"Ugh..."
An incredibly long string of annoying commercials followed. Despite his irritation, Seo-un couldn't bring himself to change the channel; a stifling sense of frustration built in his chest.
"Just what kind of amazing ability is he going to show..."
He had seen plenty of incredible powers in his daily life, but strangely, his curiosity was piqued by this "first-ever" ability user on TV.
— Viewers, thank you for waiting. The verification of the ability user’s powers starts now!
As the verification program proceeded, Seo-un almost threw the remote at the TV.
"Whose brilliant idea was this pathetic setup?"
Inviting a professional fighter and a physical education student to compare physical abilities was one thing—analyzing those abilities seriously was somewhat tolerable.
The highlight, however, was when the production crew threw rubber balls to see how many the fighter, the student, and a regular person could dodge, before finally showing how many the ability user could avoid. Seo-un shook his head in disbelief.
Just as the chicken was delivered, he returned to see the final scene where the man demonstrated his "true" powers.
Three flying daggers and a sphere of flame flew toward a scarecrow standing in the middle of a field. In an instant, the scarecrow’s head was incinerated, and the three daggers were embedded perfectly in its head, chest, and stomach.
— Incredible! Did you see that? Summoning and throwing a massive flame, and then throwing these three daggers before the flame even reached the scarecrow... This is truly a power that far transcends human limits—
Seo-un immediately changed the channel.
"What was I even expecting...?"
Aside from that, almost every channel was buzzing about ability users, reflecting the world's obsession. Amidst the flood of programs, Seo-un finally found a mukbang show and began eating his chicken.
After stuffing two whole chickens into his stomach to satisfy his hunger, a wave of greasiness hit him. He washed it down with some cola, stood up, and headed down to the first floor.
He hopped onto his well-parked bike, put on his helmet, and sped toward Wonju.
Racing down the open road, he reached Wonju and immediately began climbing the mountain. Using Gale Step, he sprinted up to a clearing halfway up the mountain. He took a deep breath and roused the Immortal Qi slumbering in his middle Dantian.
It was a completely different energy from internal power.
If internal power was like water flowing through the body, Immortal Qi felt like smoke accumulated within. It rose much more lightly, and no matter how much he drew upon it, it placed no burden on his body.
With internal power, even if it was energy he had cultivated in his own Dantian, drawing too much too quickly could damage his Qi channels or, in severe cases, cause internal injuries. Immortal Qi, however, could be used with far less strain, and its response was almost instantaneous.
Feeling the mysterious Immortal Qi occupy his entire body as soon as he willed it, Seo-un finally began to use the essence skills of Yoseonsul one by one.
[Ding! You are using the Transformation Technique, which has absorbed Mimicry.]
[Caution: The result may be inadequate if your observation of the target is lacking. At the caster's current level, the Transformation Technique cannot change gender.]
Poof!
With a sound, his original form vanished, replaced by the appearance of the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven. As Seo-un reached out his hand, Hamit, who had been wrapped quietly around his neck as a pendant, slithered down his body like a snake and became the Ruyi Staff in his hand.
Whoosh, whoosh.
As Seo-un warmed up by spinning the Ruyi Staff, his body suddenly snapped back to its original form.
[Ding! Your concentration wavered, and the Transformation Technique has been canceled. Skills that manipulate Immortal Qi have a very low correction limit in Cloyd.]
"Is that so? It means the system won't do all the work for me."
Muttering to himself, Seo-un ran a hand through his hair. The powerful force of genetics left several strands of hair in his palm. Looking at the precious strands, Seo-un gave them a wistful look before blowing them into the air.
Poof, poof, poof!
For now, he could only create three clones.
"The number of clones increases as my Immortal Qi grows."
"The key will be how long it takes to accumulate Immortal Qi."
"Maybe I can absorb Immortal Qi from monsters that possess it."
"Or maybe a Nascent Soul will appear like last time."
Seo-un watched with interest as his clones continued his thoughts aloud.
"It's like..."
"An AI based on me?"
Seo-un’s smile deepened as the clones snatched the words right out of his mouth.
Simultaneously, the four Seo-uns took a step using Muryeong Phantom Step. Every time their forms flickered, more appeared, until forty-eight Seo-uns filled the clearing.
"Wow... this is incredible."
Just as Seo-un was marveling at the unexpected performance of the clones, his Immortal Qi rapidly depleted, and the clones began to vanish one by one.
"The Immortal Qi runs out faster than I thought..."
Poof!
The last clone vanished before it could even finish its sentence, leaving a single strand of hair drifting in the air.
Even though his middle Dantian was empty, he felt no physical abnormality, unlike when internal power was exhausted. Sitting down where he was, he began to operate the final Yoseonsul skill: Chukseon Art.
Unlike the Qi Condensation used to build internal power through breathing, this technique involved opening all the pores of the body and meditating as if becoming one with nature. It was a method entirely different from internal cultivation, absorbing the Immortal Qi dispersed throughout nature into the middle Dantian.
Deep in meditation and feeling the natural world, Seo-un felt the warm Immortal Qi filling his middle Dantian. When he opened his eyes, bright sunlight was pouring into the dark forest.
"Are you finished?"
Gi-chan, who had been leaning against a tree, approached as he saw Seo-un open his eyes. Bathed in the sunlight, the guy looked exceptionally handsome today.
"Why don't you go shoot a pictorial?"
"Huh?"
"I asked when you got here."
Gi-chan tilted his head, feeling like he was being picked on for no reason, but he quickly brushed it off.
"About ten minutes ago. I saw a warm energy swirling around you, and a sparrow even landed on your head. I thought you were achieving enlightenment or something."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. That wasn't normal energy circulation, was it?"
"Immortal Arts. Immortal Qi is definitely different from internal energy."
"If you've refilled your Immortal Qi, show me!"
Seeing him full of expectation with sparkling eyes, Seo-un shook his head.
"I used it for a moment, and it took hours to refill. Next time."
"Aww..."
Seeing the guy pouting unlike his usual self, Seo-un felt a surge of amusement.
Poof!
Gi-chan’s eyes widened as he saw a version of himself appear with a puff of smoke.
"Aww... Chan-ie wants to see the cloning technique sooooo bad~"
Gi-chan was mortified as he watched Seo-un, wearing his own face, perform a punch-inducing display of aegyo.
"W-when did I ever do that?"
"U-wun! Chan-ie just did it wight now!"
"Hyung!!!"
Poof!
As Seo-un returned to his original form, Gi-chan’s face turned bright red.
"Even you think it's an eyesore, right? Don't ever do that again."
"I-I didn't do that!"
"Whatever. Learn this."
Gi-chan huffed as he took the secret manual tossed from the subspace and read the item description.
"Huh? A staff technique?"
"It's a martial art that uses a short staff or a club as a weapon. I got it from a draw, but I don't really need it. I prefer bare-handed combat like Blood Bone Claw and Boundless Fist. But it's an 80-pointer. It's a high-level martial art."
At the mention of a club, Gi-chan immediately realized why Seo-un had given him this manual. Seo-un smiled as he watched Gi-chan turn the manual into dust and pull out the Staff of the Abyss. Then, Seo-un lunged.
Whoosh!
As Seo-un threw the first strike of Boundless Fist, Gi-chan tilted the Staff of the Abyss to block the punch aimed at his midsection.
For the next few days, the two repeated their training, combining their newly learned martial arts and magic skills into new combos. Their daily routine consisted of sparring in the clearing all day and heading back down to the house for a light meal.
"This data is incredibly thorough. It even lists blood types, friendships, and social circles. The Chinese guys' intelligence network is insane," Gi-chan remarked, sitting on the sofa and reading about the people who would appear in the upcoming Guild War.
"Ugh. You don't need to look at it too closely. There's no guarantee those guys will even show up, so just skim it."
Seo-un replied while sipping ramen broth. Gi-chan glanced at him and then returned his gaze to the documents.
"Still, it's very credible data. Especially this mage and witch who have consistently worked with that Subaru guy—won't they definitely show up?"
"Probably. That mage seems to be around your level. And that witch, or priestess, seems to have a unique power specialized in debuffs."
Gi-chan nodded, furrowing his brows.
"Witches are definitely a pain to deal with. But... Hyung, aren't you being a bit too relaxed?"
"Huh? Am I? Maybe it's because the games have been so grueling lately, but I don't feel much. They've poured money into it, they're rankers aiming to conquer Asia... but I wonder if they're as tough as the enemies we've fought so far."
Compared to the Nascent Soul, Nam Sa-gwang, the wraith of Kutrapa, and the guild led by Ye Haoran, these enemies didn't feel particularly pressuring. Above all, they had information on the opponents, and they even had a monstrously powerful ally like Nam Sa-gwang. There was no reason to be tense.
And so, the date of the promised Guild War arrived.
The moment the appointed time came, their vision shifted. With a familiar sensation, they found themselves in a wide clearing in the middle of a bamboo forest.
Tokugawa Hashio, the man with the slicked-back hair they had met before, spotted Seo-un and twisted his lips into a smirk.
"I see you finished a game in the past week."
"Yeah, well."
"Did you enjoy your final game?"
Seo-un picked his ear at the man's irritating accent and replied, "It's good to be full of fighting spirit, but there's nothing more embarrassing than counting your chickens before they hatch and then getting humiliated."
The man, still wearing a sly smile, stepped right up to Seo-un.
"I don't particularly like chicken."
"Is that why? Your breath smells like pickled radish. Get your face out of mine."
"Your way of getting under people's skin is the same as ever."
"Your pronunciation is the same, too. Try saying 'McDonald's' for me."
Seeing Seo-un being just as sly as himself, Hashio’s face was the first to crumple.
"Fine. Let's see how long that bravado lasts. I assume you've familiarized yourself with the rules?"
"Ah, before that. There's one rule I'd like to add."
At those words, Hashio replied firmly, "No rule can change the existing ones."
"It's not like that. How about we bet all our items as well as the participation rights?"
Hashio’s eyebrow twitched.
"That doesn't seem like a fair trade. Of course, there's no way our side will lose unless the sky falls, but our core members have items that cost astronomical amounts of money."
"We won't know until we see them. Have you heard of ego weapons? We also have the staff that Kutrapa supposedly used. Our side isn't exactly lacking in the gear department either."
In truth, aside from those two items, they were quite outmatched, but Seo-un didn't mention that. After a moment of deliberation, Hashio raised the stakes further.
"Fine. Then how about we bet all our abilities as well as our items?"
"Oh! That's good. If you lose, you just go back to being a regular person. You had a better idea than you look. But is it possible to bet abilities?"
"As long as Cloyd mediates, almost nothing is impossible. Fine. We bet all items and the abilities of the participating players."
As soon as he finished speaking, a translucent sword effect appeared over Seo-un and Hashio’s hands.
[Ding! A new rule has been added. Do you agree?]
As the notification sounded, the two shook hands. The swords crossed, and a notification announced that the rule had been finalized.
"I'm going to strip you of everything."
"I was just about to say the same."
[Ding! Please select the regular team members to participate in the battle.]
From the list that appeared with the notification, Seo-un selected everyone except Lyle. One by one, the players were summoned to the battlefield.
When Li Lingwei was summoned last, she gave Seo-un a bright smile. Instead of her usual elegant palace dress, she was wearing a tight black martial arts uniform that accentuated her figure. Seo-un quickly looked away. He hadn't realized her chest was quite so... large. He wondered if she was showing off on purpose or if she had padded it, and he felt his face flush.
"Th-thanks for participating, everyone."
"I have one thing to say."
At the words of Nam Sa-gwang, who was working with the team for the first time, everyone’s attention turned to him. Ignoring their gazes, Nam Sa-gwang kept his eyes fixed on one spot and continued.
"I'll take care of those three women entirely."
Seeing the guy licking his lips like a predator that had found its prey made Seo-un feel uneasy.
"Think about that after we kill that big guy in the middle."
Nam Sa-gwang tilted his head as he looked at a player wearing compact yet bizarrely shaped black armor.
"Is that guy their main force?"
"Yeah. It's an estimate, but he's likely Sword Emperor level and decked out in all sorts of optional items."
"Ho. Come to think of it, I've seen that armor before."
As Nam Sa-gwang trailed off, Juriel nodded with a grim expression and finished his thought.
"Dragon armor made from dragon scales. And it's Black Dragon armor. It's said that even a sword aura can't easily break it. It's an absolute defense. Why would a player on Earth have legendary armor that even an Emperor of the Empire would find hard to obtain...?"
At those words, Seo-un smiled and spoke.
"If we win this fight, we can strip them of all those items."
Everyone’s eyes began to sparkle with greed. Even Juriel, who had been tense at the appearance of the legendary item, was now busy examining the enemy mage’s staff and robe.
In the midst of this, Seo-un tapped Nam Sa-gwang on the back.
"Aren't you curious? Sword aura versus Aura Barrier. Which is stronger?"
"Hmph! I've already checked. It was certainly a powerful energy, but Aura Barrier is superior."
"Then you can cut through that armor like tofu, right?"
"Well, I don't know about tofu, but I don't think it's impenetrable. But will it be okay? We need to strip it off intact to use it, right?"
"They said it's dragon scales. As long as we bring it back, we can sell it for a fortune."
Seeing Seo-un’s team members already discussing the distribution of their items, Hashio’s team members scowled. No one liked being treated like a mannequin in a shopping mall.
"Strategy meeting, start!"
When Hashio shouted in annoyance, a pitch-black wall appeared between the two sides, cutting off all sound.
"He's prickly."
Seo-un nodded at Nam Sa-gwang’s remark.
"Now, for the strategy... This is the plan I've been working on for a few days. We'll do this and end it within the first five minutes. What do you think?"
Except for Gi-chan, the team members' eyes widened in surprise at the strategy Seo-un proposed.
"Is that even possible? If it is, I'm confident," Nam Sa-gwang said.
Gi-chan answered in Seo-un’s stead. "I've already practiced it with Hyung. It's definitely possible."
"Junior... have you transcended the limits of a martial artist?"
"Rather than transcending, let's just say I've strayed from the path using the cheat code called Immortal Arts."
"If it's possible, we can certainly end the battle quickly."
As even Juriel agreed, everyone nodded in approval of Seo-un’s strategy.