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Chapter 22: Night Shade (1)
Chapter 22: Night Shade (1)
Chapter 22: Night Shade (1)
Chapter 22 Night Shade (1)
As he opened the box, the medicine slowly started to appear in his sight.
The pill's round form made it look like a Starlight Medicine Ball. JaeHyun smiled in satisfaction as he looked at the finished item.
"This is what I wanted. You've worked hard, hyung."
As if relieved by JaeHyun's words, Lee JaeSang replied in a shaky voice.
"Th-Th-Th-That's good. I-I-I-It's still a prototype, b-but"
"Look at this. Hyung, youre really talented."
At the calmly spoken words, Lee JaeSang instantly became teary. It seemed like he'd opened up to JaeHyun quite a bit over the past month.
Thanks to spending time everyday brainstorming in the workshop, the two could be said to have gotten quite close.
Lee JaeSangs attitude toward JaeHyun had also softened a lot compared to how it was in the beginning.
JaeHyun nodded slightly as he checked Lee JaeSangs expression.
Ive succeeded in bringing Lee JaeSang over to my side.
Hed achieved his most important goal.
Lee JaeSang was a genius among geniuses who would turn the country upside down in a few years.
Winning him over at this time was a great victory for him.
Whats left now was checking the medicine and consuming it.
Now then, shall we see how good it is?
JaeHyun quickly unwrapped the individually wrapped medicine. Like he saw on TV, the medicine was a dark brown and had a slightly tart smell.
This is the medicine Ive only ever heard about Mana Enhancement Pill !
Filled with joy, JaeHyun heard the familiar sound of the system notification.
[Consumable Item]
Mana Enhancement Pill
A pill that permanently raises the Magic Stat of the User.
The best effect appears when taken regularly for a month.
*Every time one is taken, the Magic Stat increases by 1.
*After a month of consumption, the Magic Stat increases by an additional 15.
*Only works during the first month of consumption and will not have any effect afterwards.
JaeHyun was grinning from ear to ear.
This isnt at the level of a prototype!
Originally, Mana Enhancement Pill only increased the Magic Stat by 10 after a month of consumption.
But the medicine Lee JaeSang created added 15 points.
Lee JaeSang Hes as great as I expected. I gained a far greater item than I thought I would.
Alchemy was fundamentally a profound and difficult science. Even when making the same item, its level could differ greatly depending on who made it.
If he had given the items and ingredients and asked another alchemist to make the medicine, they probably wouldnt have been able to create an item that would increase Magic by 5, let alone 15.
Would it be alright if I ate it right now?
O-O-O-O-O-O-Of course!
Although he was still stuttering, there was confidence in Lee JaeSangs expression. JaeHyun tossed the pill into his mouth with a glad heart.
Once he chewed the round pill, a bitter smell hit his nose.
Its a bit bitter, but not so much that its hard to take. Well, if it can increase my Magic permanently
JaeHyun wasnt the type who enjoyed bitter food. It went against his principles to add an extra shot of caffeine to his coffee.
But it was different this time.
The medicine he was eating right now was a priceless one that cost at least billions of won. Before he regressed, it was a great medicine that couldnt be bought even if one had all the money for it.
It was even normal for it to taste a bit sweet.
When JaeHyun was about to swallow the medicine after chewing,
he heard a clear voice.
You have started taking the Mana Enhancement Pill (Total of 1 Day).
Your Magic Stat has increased by 1.
Just taking the medicine once had already increased his Magic by 1 point.
A medicine that costs billions of won really is on another level.
After he ate the medicine, he stood up and got ready to leave. Lee JaeSang, who had been watching from the side with a proud expression, spoke hesitantly.
I-I-I-I-Its all because y-y-y-you believed in me. Th-Thanks.
I should be the one saying thanks. Ill treat you to a meal next time.
O-Okay.
Then, Ill be leaving now.
After saying good-bye, he left the workroom.
B-Bye!
Lee JaeSang watched him go while waving his hand. It had been a long time since the terror from their first meeting had fully disappeared.
JaeHyun hid his slight smile.
Now, Ive also gotten the medicine. I guess only the final preparation check is left?
Crash! Bang! Screeech!
As the protective barrier was reflecting the attack, the sound of something breaking rang from the gap. A blank silence came in the secret training hall of Yeonhwa Guild.
Yoo Sung-Eun furrowed her brows and looked at the blue barrier she was holding up.
To think he already made a crack in the beginner-level barrier. Hes grown a lot in two months.
Without even the time to feel proud, JaeHyun continued to attack again and again.
Lightning Chain and, a basic spell hed learned, Magic Spear went toward Yoo Sung-Eun hoping to catch her unaware.
But it seemed like Yoo Sung-Eun didnt plan to go easy on him, as she put some force into her thighs and kicked off the ground.
Thud!
After creating some distance from the rapid attacks, she sent 3 shots of Holy Arrow forward.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Its coming!
JaeHyun quickly rolled to dodge the first arrow, then he stood up and sent the second and third arrows in opposite directions.
Truly accurate acts with no mistakes came one after another.
Phew
They met each others gaze. Then, running toward each other simultaneously, they gathered mana in their hands for their final attacks.
But at that moment
Wrap it up!
Park SungJae said as he stood between the two. He tapped his watch to show them that the time was up.
JaeHyun and Yoo Sung-Eun stopped their attacks at the same time. Dispersing their mana, the two people stomped over and sat down.
Youve both worked hard. Todays spar was also very successful.
Park SungJae said as he passed to them the towels hed prepared. JaeHyun and Yoo Sung-Eun both seemed to be regretful over not being able to finish the last attack.
But if no one had interrupted them in the middle, there was a high chance that the field would have been destroyed. Stopping them mid-battle was the best Park SungJae could do.
Even if the secret training hall was made of Ark Metal, it would take quite a lot of mana to repair the destroyed area.
Thinking about it, Yoo Sung-Eun suddenly asked while looking at JaeHyun.
Oh, right. JaeHyun. Its tomorrow, right? Dungeon Revenge.
Dungeon Revenge was a term referring to situations wherein a raider tried to clear a dungeon they were unsuccessful in clearing previously.
The last time JaeHyun went into a dungeon to level up, he was dragged into Helheim and met a Night Shade that didnt even suit his level. As a result, he only suffered terribly in the dungeon and barely managed to come out with his life.
JaeHyun fidgeted slightly, then replied in a resolute voice while looking at the floor.
Yes. I was thinking I couldnt put it off any longer. Its also important to gain actual experience out in the field.
At his words, Yoo Sung-Eun smiled brightly.
Okay, then. Its your choice. With your current skills, an E-rank dungeon will be a breeze. Do your best.
Thank you for thinking so highly of me.
JaeHyun smiled bitterly as he replied to her words.
Yoo Sung-Eun didnt know that he had been taken to Helheim by the dungeon and met Hel there.
There was no reason for her to believe him if he told her, and he thought that it was better to hide it as a personal secret.
So Park SungJae and Yoo Sung-Eun thought that the dungeon he was clearing tomorrow was E-rank.
Fuu
How nice it would be if it really were an E-rank.
JaeHyun sighed as he thought so.
He had never tried to defeat a C-rank boss monster even before returning to the past. It was because as a D-rank Warrior, there was a limit to how much power he could use.
Can I do it?
JaeHyun contemplated for a moment.
But he quickly cleared his mind and slapped both of his cheeks with some force. His mind instantly cleared up as he carefully recalled his goal.
Ive finished all the preparation. Now, theres only the actual battle left. I have to succeed no matter what.
JaeHyun nodded slightly with immense determination.
It would finally be tomorrow.
JaeHyun was heading to the dungeon to defeat the Night Shade.
***
You have entered a dungeon.
Due to the Nornir System, the user is transported to a specific area.
The current location is Helheims Land of the Dead
The dungeon hed returned to didnt feel as overwhelming as before.
It was still as dark and creepy, but it didnt feel as terrifyingly dangerous. It probably meant that JaeHyun had grown that much stronger.
From that day on, he had trained himself everyday. He studied Magic Knowledge and gained practical experience. He also trained his reflexes and the basics through spars with Yoo Sung-Eun.
Trembling at a dungeon of this level, especially Helheim, was usually unavoidable.
But JaeHyun only had his nervousness to face.
I didnt feel it before the terrifying mana from inside. Its probably the Night Shade. I dont know for sure if I can currently defeat it. But
JaeHyun gulped. A shudder ran through his whole body.
I have to succeed.
He started to walk forward determined.
The time left for him to clear the main quest was merely 9 days.
The woman, who had the power to send him out of the dungeon and walk around after stopping time for the Night Shade, probably meant it when she said she was going to kill him.
Hel I dont know why she decided to appear before me but the system I currently have, Im sure its deeply linked with her.
For what reason did Hel and the Nornir System call him the Adversary of the Aesir?
Aesir was the system used by all Awakeners with the exception of JaeHyun.
What did it mean to be its foe, and how did he get caught up in it?
Everything was unclear and riddled with questions, except for one thing.
Grrrrraaaaa.
The enemy was approaching.
JaeHyun took a deep breath, and then he scanned the movements around him.
The creepy and terrifying sounds coming from the graveyard he had returned to were now already something familiar to JaeHyun.
Okay. Thats how it should be. How can I show what Ive learned otherwise?
It seemed there were more of the wraiths and skeleton soldiers that began to climb up from the graves at a time compared to before.
There were probably around 20? But JaeHyun didnt get flustered.
He knew.
That he was several times stronger than them and that this wasnt a fight he would lose.
These guys are clearly weaker than me.
They were opponents he didnt have much trouble defeating before.
Not to mention, JaeHyuns current level was:
[Personal Profile]
Name: Min JaeHyun
Age: 16
Level: 15
[Skills]
Passive: One Watched by the Gods MAX, Absolute Eye of God MAX, Trained Swordsmanship MAX, Quick Step Lvl 18, Flexible Body Movement MAX, Emergency First-Aid Lvl 19
Active: Universal Derivation, Lightning Chain, 'Sacrifice (Lights Judgment)', Flash Bomb (NEW), Magic Arrow (NEW), Blaster (NEW), Flash (NEW), Magic Guard (NEW), Mana Weapon (NEW)...
[Stats]
HP: 750/750
MP: 3300/3300
STRENGTH: 18
DEXTERITY: 28(+5)
MAGIC: 66(+35)
ENDURANCE: 28
SKILL POINTS: 0
Thanks to the passive skill One Watched by the Gods , which caused all his stats to gain a point every time he leveled up, JaeHyuns current stat had grown enough that he could easily grab the flying fists of most Warrior raiders.
His Magic stat was over 60 thanks to the set equipment. Hed also learned quite a few low-ranked spells that were helpful in battle.
With this, it should be enough to clear a low-ranked dungeon by himself.
Swish!
With a grin, JaeHyun looked at the scythes rushing toward him. The wraiths fierce attacks were flying toward him as if to rip him apart where he stood.
However
Clink!
The thin steel broke, and the sound of it shattering rang in the air.
The scythe that flew toward him was held in JaeHyuns hand, broken into pieces.
A smile spread on JaeHyuns lips.
Shall we get started?
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Editor note: Mana Enhancement Potion --> Mana Enhancement Pill
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