abcnovels
Chapter 124
Chapter 124
Chapter 124
“Phew...”
After wiping off his sweat and changing into a new set of clothes, Se-Hoon entered the living room and looked at his right hand.
“Let’s see...”
As he drew up his mana, he pondered over how his impression of In-Cheol had changed since they first met. The initial boredom and emptiness had been burned away by a fierce flame, ignited by newly discovered possibilities. In-Cheol’s burning passion was full of life but dim due to its entanglement with his past. But despite that, this flame was so fierce that it would even consume itself as fuel if it meant shaking off the past.
That—was the newly created image of In-Cheol that Se-Hoon clearly formed in his mind.
A faint hum sounded as Se-Hoon’s right hand glowed slightly, and soon, a piece of ore was created over his palm.
The ore was like a block of wood, with its ripple pattern in a vermilion hue. Though it seemed to differ from In-Cheol’s previous Fatestone only in color, the sensation it gave from within was completely different.
It feels stickier.
The previously created Fatestone had been completely dry, while this one felt damp, with a subtle warmth that made it quite unsettling. After confirming the sensation, Se-Hoon checked the information message.
[Fatestone - Adhesive Ember Iron]
[Tier: Advanced] [Quality: Perfect]
[A metal with a flame clinging to it.
It has a wood-like texture and maintains its properties until it burns out completely.
*Depletes durability to maintain the flame]
“It’s changed quite a bit...”
It wasn’t only the sensation that had changed. Unlike the previous Fatestone which could store flames, this one maintained flames. Considering In-Cheol’s talent with flames, it was evident that his mindset had shifted significantly in a more extreme direction compared to before.
If things go wrong, this could be fairly dangerous.
Concerned, Se-Hoon gazed at the Adhesive Ember Iron for quite some time before pushing aside his concerns. He then immediately took out the Eternal Nocturne’s Phalanx from his dream storage.
Swish-
The fingerbone engraved with spells naturally merged into his right index finger, bringing about an alien power he could feel from within. Realizing that the more he used the Phalanx, the more clearly he felt its power, Se-Hoon figured out that it was the authority of the Eternal Nocturne.
Maybe it’s because this hasn’t been processed yet. Unlike the Ascension Ring, it seems to have a slightly invasive nature.
Noting that prolonged use might cause problems, he wiggled his right index finger a few times before casting the Eyes of Boundary.
Swoosh-
The familiar power enveloped his eyes and his vision was filled with countless crack-like lines that appeared on the Adhesive Ember Iron. He scrutinized the lines for a while until he found one that looked like it contained a memory. Wasting no time, he drew out the Phantasmal Spyblade and brought it to the Adhesive Ember Iron.
Mirage Fire
Fwoosh-
The purple blade turned into flames, transforming the Adhesive Ember Iron into a mass of dreams and burning away the unnecessary parts in the process.
Quickly noticing that the speed at which the Adhesive Ember Iron burned was faster than before, possibly due to its properties, Se-Hoon promptly took extra care to ensure that the memory strand wasn’t damaged.
Finally, at the moment when only the scarlet-hued memory of In-Cheol remained, he acted.
Shank!
Calming his consciousness, he plunged the burning blade into his heart. Instantly, he felt like he was diving into sticky water, the unpleasant sensation rapidly affecting his entire body. Then, something seemed to invade his mind, digging at it as if to shred him from the inside.
Ugh...
Compared to the natural transition he’d experienced with his own memories before, the current sensation was unbearable. It was to the point that Se-Hoon began to seriously ponder over whether to forcefully wake himself, but then, an unfamiliar voice echoed in his ear.
“Hey. Wake up.”
In the blink of an eye, the sensation disappeared and his vision cleared, revealing an unfamiliar gray ceiling. He rose from the bed and saw a man standing at the door with his arms crossed.
“What’s with the sleep-in today?”
The cheerful man had a tall, slender figure. He wore black light armor and sported a ponytail tied with a pink hair tie. At his waist hung a red sheath, which looked quite high-tier even at a glance.
While Se-Hoon scrutinized the unfamiliar face, the owner of the body he was in, In-Cheol, asked, “What’s with the crap on your head?”
His voice was younger and sharper than his current self.
The man at the door straightened his body and proudly shook his ponytail.
“My daughter did it. How is it? Not bad, right?”
“Disgusting.”
“Yeah, yeah. What would a guy who’s neither got kids nor married know?” said the man with a chuckle as he shook his head.
Getting out of bed, In-Cheol frowned and asked, “What about the meeting?”
“How should I know? But judging by the serious faces going in, I think they plan to decide on something today.”
As he listened, In-Cheol finished changing into his work clothes and headed out, brushing past the man at the door. Although his attitude seemed rather cold considering that the man still had more to say, the man didn’t mind and just followed, chattering away.
“Have you heard already? Another Perfect One has appeared.”
“Huh, who?”
“You know that guy who recently became an S-rank, the Fist Saint. He suddenly entered a Tower of Heroes again and came out as a Perfect One.”
“Looks like there’ll be a fuss again. What’s his title?”
“Uh, I think it was... Trailblazer?”
Like that, the conversation continued, with In-Cheol responding indifferently to the man chattering excitedly. But despite seeming strained, their conversation flowed surprisingly well.
The emergence of the Trailblazer... that should have been about twenty years ago.
Having been listening closely the entire time in the background, Se-Hoon interest was piqued by that important information.
If it was twenty years ago, it was also the period when peace began to take hold in the world, albeit imperfectly, as the six Perfect Ones still had to suppress the Demon Force.
With the timeline now accurately identified, Se-Hoon looked around with In-Cheols’ vision to observe the surroundings.
The facility is quite large.
The simple protection devices and the caliber of people in passing seemed impressive, especially considering it was twenty years ago—a scene truly reminiscent of a renowned global research organization.
As Se-Hoon continued to observe the surroundings, the two men passed through an automatic door and entered a conference room.
“It’s still too incompetent to proceed further with the ritual. We need to improvise the vessel further...”
“I’ve told you countless times that it’s that very incompleteness that completes the ritual! Now is the perfect time!”
“And what if it fails and the vessel breaks? Are you going to take responsibility? If you’re going to talk like that, you should find another candidate for a vessel of that caliber first!”
“Oh...”
“Tsk.”
The atmosphere of the meeting room was like a marketplace, with dozens of people shouting simultaneously, completely oblivious to the new arrivals. The rambunctious scene made the man next to In-Cheol simply click his tongue in disapproval, unlike In-Cheol who openly expressed his annoyance.
The atmosphere grew more and more tense until a woman’s voice broke through the noise.
“Enough.”
Sitting at the head of the table in the meeting room, the woman, whose brown hair was neatly tied back, easily commanded the room’s attention with her voice.
“This isn’t a meeting where the person who shouts the loudest gets to win. We’ve all expressed our opinions sufficiently enough, so let’s move on to the decision. Those in favor of proceeding with the ritual, raise your hands.”
The meeting room fell silent at her command, and the hands went up around the room.
“Fourteen to fourteen. Excluding myself and the tardy researcher number twelve over there, it’s a perfect split.”
At her words, the attendees finally noticed the two people standing by the entrance.
“Sorry for being late, Director.”
“It’s alright. You sure did overexert yourself yesterday.”
Seeing the smile the Director gave, In-Cheol flinched and averted his gaze slightly.
“Ooh....”
“Shut up.”
Enjoying the situation, the man beside In-Cheol playfully nudged him with his elbow, ignoring In-Cheol’s face flushed with irritation. The sight of the man and In-Cheol, who was trying to swat him away, made the others chuckle quietly. The atmosphere had suddenly become amiable.
The entire scene made Se-Hoom gleam with interest.
Is the Director Kim In-Cheol’s lover?
It was surprising to see such a past from someone who seemed indifferent to such matters. Fascinated, Se-Hoon watched as the Director spoke up.
“Given that the decision has come to a tie, let’s leave the final decision to researcher number twelve. I will also follow his decision.”
Acknowledging that the Director’s trust seemed to stem from professional confidence and not just personal affection, the other researchers accepted her decision without complaint.
With all the attention focused on him, In-Cheol surveyed the room and then slowly said, “I think we should proceed with the ritual now. While the vessel’s completeness is important, further delaying the ritual might cause degradation during the bonding process.”
“Good. Then let’s begin preparations for the ritual immediately.”
The Director nodded in satisfaction, and those who had been shouting earlier acquiesced smoothly.
At this point, Se-Hoon realized that the seamless flow of events indicated a shared goal among the participants, despite their differing methods.
While their paths may differ, they share the same goal.
These people were all willing to see themselves as mere components to achieve that goal and that made him sure of where he might be.
“Oh, right. My daughter wants you to visit again sometime. She really liked the toy you made for her last time,” the man next to In-Cheol told him.
Contemplating it for a moment, In-Cheol responded, “If I have time.”
“You always say ‘If I have time.’ My daughter told me she’d make snacks for you if you visited. Do you know how rare that is?”
The man relentlessly persisted despite In-Cheol’s prickly attitude, but before he could convince In-Cheol, someone called him.
“Captain of the Guard,” the Director called over.
“Yes, madam!”
Responding promptly to the Director’s call, the man next to In-Cheol stood at attention.
“After discussing with the researchers, it seems best to use high-purity materials for the preparation of the ritual. Can you procure them?”
“High-purity materials? In that case, the orphanage...”
“No.”
The Director shook her head.
“Your daughter seems like the most suitable candidate.”
Silence fell over the meeting room as all eyes turned to the man.
“...”
In-Cheol also slowly turned his head to look at the man, who had just been trying to invite him over to see his daughter moments ago.
“It would be our honor!” the man shouted.
The Captain of the Guard was displaying a smile brighter than ever before.
***
[Activating Awakening Dream.]
Whoosh-!
Jolted out of the memory by the sensation of having his head severed and plunged into cold water, Se-Hoon opened his eyes and shuddered at the alien feeling coursing through his body.
This feeling...
Crack.
His bones, muscles, and even his internal organs were twisting into a completely different shape, and it made him scream in agony. With his barely working mind, he managed to deduce that his body was trying to recreate the body of a being entirely different from himself—In-Cheol—he was horrified.
The illusion was blending with reality due to the confusion of memories. This state was something had already sort of anticipated, but truly being unable to discern himself from someone entirely different was on another level.
Boom!
The two conflicting types of elemental mana inside his body clashed against each other as they began to perceive each other as enemies in the confused body that housed both of them; they were rampaging wildly.
Hiss!
Red steam rose from his entire body, and blood streamed from his nose and mouth. As his vision turned crimson, Se-Hoon frantically tried to come up with a solution.
Apart from the body being twisted... the mixing of the synesthetic mindscapes is causing the most damage.
Since he had just experienced In-Cheol’s past, In-Cheol’s synesthetic mindscape had naturally ingrained itself into his body. This caused his own elemental mana to perceive his own body as an enemy.
Identifying the cause, Se-Hoon swiftly utilized Soul Honing to expel the remnants of In-Cheol’s synesthetic mindscape from his body.
Clang-!
Like hammering off the residue from a heated metal piece, the synesthetic mindscape clinging to his fell away from his body. Instantly, the rampaging types of elemental mana calmed, and he quickly assessed his physical condition again.
This is a complete mess...
Though he had managed to resolve what was causing this whole issue early, preventing major injuries, the areas around his mana circuits were already severely damaged. If left unattended, that damage could lead to mana impairment later on.
Pondering the next of his unending problems, he remembered something.
Right, with injuries like this...
Ignoring the pain that made even the slightest finger movement excruciating, he gritted his teeth and accessed his void pocket.
Whoosh-
A yellowish-brown ore emerged from the pocket, exuding a faint earthy smell and clear energy. His hope was the purifying energy from Purifying Earthstone, an ore containing earth mana.
Splitting it into pieces might be difficult...
Placing his left hand on the Purifying Earthstone, he took a deep breath and clenched his fist tightly.
[Bond Imprint ‘Iron Desire’ has been activated.]
Crunch!
The Purifying Earthstone was compressed in half and then melted in an instant. He quickly swallowed the liquefied ore.
Hum-
Along with a faint hum from the energy being generated within his body, earth mana entered his system from the Purifying Earthstone.
Feeling that both of the two materials had entered his body, he directed them toward his damaged insides.
Rumble!
The earth mana that seeped into his torn and split body was followed by the intense energy from Iron Desire that heated and reinforced his tissues, forcibly stabilizing them.
With the earth mana acting like cement, deeply penetrating and reinforcing his body, his disordered physique quickly corrected itself. Noticing when it finished, he channeled his remaining earth mana into a third path.
Zoom!
The third path didn’t overlap with the existing two elemental manas, and due to his blood raging from the infused energy, the typically sluggish earth mana circulated smoothly within his body, solidifying its position within the new circuit.
The entire process was so seamless like he had prepared it all beforehand.
Finally, Se-Hoon visualized a hammer in his mind.
Clang-!
Slamming down his hammer with all his might, the refinement process was complete.
“Huff! Cough, cough!”
Acrid smoke billowed from his mouth as he exhaled. Knowing that it was waste produced during his body’s healing process, he forcefully expelled the rest with a few more coughs and checked his surroundings.
“Hmm... this is a mess.”
His clothes and the entire area around the sofa he had been sitting on were soaked in blood. It seemed like the blood had burst out of his body during the rampage.
To an onlooker, he looked like he had barely survived a near-fatal incident.
Well, anyone else would probably already be dead, so it’s not an incorrect assumption.
He took off his ruined T-shirt and examined his body.
His physique had become more defined, and, more importantly, its density had increased. He squeezed his muscles and nodded in approval.
“Not bad.”
The earth mana that had permeated his entire body during the reinforcement process had imparted its unique durability to his muscles as well.
Recalling the rampage caused by the Phantasmal Spyblade, he thought, Once the earth mana settles in properly, I should be able to withstand future attempts.
But until then, it would be wise to avoid viewing other people’s memories to prevent any unforeseen consequences.
At that moment, notification messages appeared before his eyes.
[The effect of ‘Soul Honing’ has boosted all stats.]
[Elemental Mana ‘Purified Earth (F)’ has been developed.]
He quickly reviewed his updated stats.
[Lee Se-Hoon]
[Strength - C (190) Endurance - C (198)
Mana - B (201) Agility - C (175)
[Purified Earth] ?D?
[Earth mana attributed to clean, purified soil.
It has the properties of correcting the flow within the body and can also alleviate injuries.
It also has the ability to purify mana and demonic aura.]
It seems that strength and durability have increased quite a bit.
His mana had also risen slightly, finally reaching B-rank. Considering his initial stats, this was impressive growth.
The earth mana I gained is Purified Earth... which is not that bad, I guess.
Having confirmed that the third type of elemental mana had successfully settled, he finally took a deep breath and carefully recalled the memories of In-Cheol that he had seen through the Phantasmal Spyblade.
A cutting-edge research lab from twenty years ago. The vessel and the ritual. And a deranged Captain of the Guard willing to offer his daughter as material.
Listing all of the abnormal things one by one, he became absolutely certain.
Kim In-Cheol was a member of Offering.