'Yes!'
omatterwhat,theimportantthingwascompletingthequest.
Andjustnow,thequesthadbeencompletedbyreceivingUmbra’srecognition.ncethemostimportantproblemwassolved,Su-hofinallyfelthehadthebreathingroomtoreallylisten.
“Alright.owthat’veseenthequestcompletionmark,let’stalkforreal—comfortably.Butcanspeakoutloudnow,right?You’rebothrighthere,sothere’snoneedtousentalcommunion.”
-Doasyouplease.
-Whateveryoulike.
Whenthetwoofthemnodded,Su-hosmiled.
Su-hoasked,
“Beforewegetintoalltheotherstuff,let’sclearupthetrafficfirst.Youfirst.”
Withaglance,Su-hoindicatedUmbra.
“gotyourrecognition,sothequestiscomplete.Butaquestisaquest,andwestillhavesothinglefttoexchangebetweenus,right?”
-Yes.willpassthepowerofshadowpossessontoyou.Butbeforethat,weshouldmakeapromise.
“Youanthepromisethatifwinthendependencea,you’llensurefullindependenceformyworld—andthespiritrealmtoo?”
-Correct.
“owdodoit?”
-Byformingacovenant.
AsUmbracontinued,hesnappedhisfingers.
SystemnoticesroseinfrontofSu-ho’seyes.
[heConstellationUmbrawishestoplaceabetonyourvictoryinthendependencea.]
[WillyouacceptUmbra’sbet?]
[hemontyouacceptthisbet,thesurvivalofUmbraandthespiritrealmwillbedecidedaccordingtoyourfinalresultinthendependencea.]
[Youmayrefusethebet.]
oticeshe’dneverseenbefore.
Sothiswashowdealsweremade.
Beforeaccepting,Su-hoaskedonelastquestion.
“Justincase—thisbet.CanonlytakeonefromasingleConstellation?”
-o.YoucantakebetsfrommultipleConstellations.obeginwith,aren’tyouinheritingthewillsofmultiplesuperiors?
“hat’strue.”
fhecouldonlytakeabetfromoneConstellation,he’dbeenplanningtoreconsiderthedeal.
itherway,thiswasatransactionbackedbypower—andtheremightbeaConstellationwhocouldgivehimastrongerpowerthanUmbra.
“fyou’relying,it’snotgoingtobefun.”
-don’tdocheaptrickslikethat.
Su-honoddedandacceptedtheoffer.
[YouhaveacceptedUmbra’sbet.]
[YouhavesucceededinreceivingaConstellation’sbetforthefirsttiinhumanhistory.]
[YouhaveachievedatrulytrendousfeatthatnootherPlayerhasevermanaged.]
[hesystemacknowledgesyoursupreachieventsandgiftsyou30bonusstats.]
Wow.
Allhedidwasacceptasinglebet,andhegotthirtymorebonusstats.
't’saone-tiperkanyway.'
Butthesystemnoticesdidn’tendthere.
[Duetothefulfillntofaspecialcondition,soqualificationsareunlocked.]
[StatusWindowinformationisupdated.]
[Permissionsforaccessingcertaininformationhavebeenstrengthened.]
[imitedpotentialrestrictionsoncertainpowershavebeenreleased.]
[■■congratulatesyourgrowth.]
[■■congratulatesyourgrowth.]
[■■■■congratulatesyourgrowth.]
[■■congratulatesyourgrowth.]
[■■■findsyourcourseofactionextrelyinteresting.]
[■■iswatchingyou.]
[■■■findsyourcourseofactionextrelyinteresting.]
oticespoureddowninastream.
oticessayingqualificationshadbeenunlockedandpermissionsstrengthened.
ButtheonethatdrewhiseyesmostwastheStatusWindowupdate.
Su-hoimdiatelycheckedhisStatusWindowfirst.
[AnSu-ho]
v:311
Class:BloodCardinal
Rank:MiddlePlayer
Betting:＜Umbra＞
raits▲:＜ewBlood★＞＜ercules▲＞＜KingofaRuinedation＞＜rid’sPartner＞＜Sun-MoonBody＞
MightyStrength(S):9
rueDemonorse(S):116
Senses(P):96
Command():130
BonusStats:61
henewlyaddeditemintheStatusWindowwasBetting.
tseedtorecordthelistofConstellationswhohadbetonhim.
Afterconfirming,Su-hosaidtoUmbra,
“owwe’regood,right?”
-Yes.Withthis,thetransactionisestablished.
AsUmbrafinishedspeaking,hisavatarspreadonehand.
Blacksmokecondensedbetweenhisopenfingers,andasingleblackorbwassummoned.WhenUmbra’savatarhelditout,Su-hocarefullytooktheblackorbandasked,
“canlook,right?”
-Asmuchasyouwant.
Withpermissiongiven,Su-hoimdiatelycheckedtheorb’sinformation.
[Umbra’sRune]
rade:S
#ArunecontainingthepoweroftheConstellationUmbra,guardiandeityofthespiritrealmandknownastheShadoword.
#UponusingUmbra’sRune,youmayinheritandwieldUmbra’spower.
#ouseUmbra’sRune,youmusthaveUmbra’srecognitionaswellasettheminimumrankcondition.
Su-ho’seyeswidenedashelookedatit.
'S grade?'
e’dseencountlessgradesuptonow.
otjustS,butS ,evenSS.
Butthiswasthefirsttihe’deverseenS .
Su-hoasked,
“hisismyfirsttiseeingS .Whatisthis?”
-tisoriginallySS,butthingsthatpossessSSaredesignedsothatonlythosewiththeproperqualificationscanseethem.Youdonotyetpossessthatlevelofstanding,soitappearstoyouasthelowergrade—aspecialgrade—S .
“Wow...that’sanewsetting.”
treallywasthefirsttihe’dseenit.
UntilhelearnedtherealmoftheFormlessSword,thehighestgradehe’dseenwasS .
AsSu-horolledUmbra’sRunebetweenhisfingers,heasked,
“henifmystandingrisesand’mabletoseeSS,willthisrune’sgradeshowasSStoo—andwillitsoptionsriseaccordingly?”
-Yes.Soinmypersonalopinion,recomndusingitwhenyourstandinghasrisenenoughthatyoucanseeSS.
“owamsupposedtoknowwhen’lleverreachSS?”
-hatis...
WhenUmbracouldn’tcontinue,Su-holetoutashortlaugh.
“Right?ntheory,likeyousaid,itwouldbemoreefficienttouseitwhenmystandingrisesandcanseeSS.But’mnotthetypetosavethegoodsidedishforlast.owamsupposedtoputitoffuntilthenwhendon’tevenknowwhen’llreachSS?”
-henwillyouuseitnow?
“o,notthateither.here’snoneedtorushanduseitrightnow.’llkeepitforwhensothinghappensthatcan’tsolvewithmyownpower.Fornow,keep.”
Withpoweralreadylacking,therewasnoreasontoabsorbitatthelowpointfornoreason.
fcourse,likehe’djustsaid,inasituationwherehedidn’tknowwhenhisPlayerrankwouldrise,mindlesslypostponingitforeverwasn’tagreatchoiceeither.
'heysayifyouhoardit,itturnsintocrap.'
Sohedecidedhe’duseitwhenasituationcawhereheneededpower,andkeepitfornow.
Su-hotuckedUmbra’sRuneintohischestandcontinuedwithhisquestions.
“sthisallthepoweryou’regiving?”
-Yes.
“hengotwhatyou’regiving,andwesignedwhatwehadtosign—soarewedone?”
-With,yes.
“hen’llseeyounextti.”
-hat’llbedifficult.
“What?”
heonewhosuddenlycutintotheconversationwastheShadowiant,whohadbeensilentuntilnow.
-arlier,heardyoutalkingaboutkeepingitandallthat—howaboutyouusetherunerightawaywheneveryoucan?
“utofnowhere?Why?”
-SinceUmbrahasbetonyounow,hewon’tbeabletogiveyouanyadviceanymoreforthesakeoffairness.o—hewon’tevenbeabletoshowhimselftoyouatall.hat’swhatfairnessrequires.But’mdifferent.
heShadowiantsmiledfaintly.
-’mthecollectionandcrystallizationofthisguy’spower,butbeforethat,’malsoacolleaguehetrustsmorethananyonetowatchhisback.Still,nomatterwhatourrelationshipis,ifwe’rebeingexact,’mclosertohissummonandunderling.Whichanscangiveyouadviceasmuchaswant.hat’swhy’mtellingyoutoabsorbitnow.Umbrawon’tbeabletoseeyou,butcankeepseeingyou.
AttheShadowiant’swords,Umbraalsonodded.
-e’sright.Sincehavebetonyou,wanttogiveyoualotofadvicegoingforward,butforthesakeofthega’sfairness,cannolongerappearbeforeyou.
“henisthisourlasteting?”
-Youcouldsaythat.Fromnowon,willbeconfinedtothespiritrealm,functioningonlyasanon-Playerandhelpertootherworlds.
-Soundsgrand,butyoucanbasicallythinkofitasbeingsealed.
heShadowiantsaiditcasually.
Attheunexpectedinformation,Su-hofellsilentforamont.
hen,lookingattheShadowiant,heaskedslowly,
“What’syourna?”
-ookyoulongenough.MynaisJack.Fullna,ollowJack.hegreatestdivinebeastUmbraevercreated,kingofallshadowdivinebeasts—andyoucouldalsocalltheessenceofshadowmagicitself.Whichansevenifyoudon’tknowmuchaboutshadowmagic,aslongasyou’vegot,you’llbeabletohandleshadowmagicinaveryusefulway.
“ButyoucanonlyuseifyouuseUmbra’sRune.”
-Correct.So’mrecomndingyoustoptalkingaboutwaitinguntilyourstandingrises,orkeepingit,andstartmasteringitrightaway.
Jackwasbrimmingwithmontum.
Butlisteningtohim,itwasallannoyinglyreasonable,soSu-hocouldn’treallyargue.
-Well,thechoiceisyours.
ntopofthat,hewasirritating.
Su-hoshookhishead.
“’lldecidethatsoon.hen...arewedonehere?”
-Yes.
Umbra’seyesflickered.
henhecreatedanexitportalleadingoutside.
Beforesteppingthrough,Su-hoaskedonelastquestion.
“learnedalotthankstoyou.But...areyouplanningtokeepthesecretofthendependenceafromthepeoplehereuntiltheend?”
-Yes.Sotis,notknowingisbetter.
“see.Butsothingjustoccurredto—settingthesecrecyaside,whyareyoustoppingti?Andwhyareyoutakingpeople’sshadowssotheydon’tage?”
Atthatquestion,Umbrafellsilent.
Jack,whohadbeenwatching,spoke.
-’lltellyouthatreasonlater.Soifyou’recurious,assoonasyougetout,usetherune.
tdidn’tseemlikehewasgoingtogetananswerfromUmbra.
Su-holetitgoandsteppedtowardtheexitportal.
“henseeyouagain.o—'lldefinitelyseeyouagain.’llmakesurethathappens.”
-Yes.’lltrustyou.
Afterexchangingfarewells,Su-hosteppedintotheexitportal.
Fwaak!
ightflashed,andhisvisionflickered.
Whenheopenedhiseyesagain,whathesawwastheSubspaceousehe’dbeeninjustbefore.
otfaraway,hecouldfeelPiSeong-yeol’spresenceasheworkedhardatturningthegaCrusher,andasSu-hosensedPiSeong-yeol’spresence,heletoutasmallsnort.
'Youshouldbegratefulyou’rereallyblessed.'
Sopeoplelivetheirentirelivestrappedinfalsemiserywhiletiisfrozen.
hinkingthat,beforeleavingtheSubspaceouse,Su-hotookoutUmbra’sRuneoncemore.
“......”
Alotwentthroughhismind.
UpuntilJack’sadvice,he’dplannedtouseitlater,forthefuture—butafterhearingJack’sprovocationthatwasn’tquiteaprovocation,hedidn’tthinkhecouldwaitthatlong.
'Yeah.’lluseitrightnow.'
avingmadeuphismind,Su-housedUmbra’sRune.
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