Chapter 147: Understanding the Situation (1)
"Ji, Ji-hun, why did you call all the way here?"
An office with ivory and black tones elegantly blended together. Deep brown-toned furniture placed inside, with a black leather sofa in the center standing out. Each piece felt luxurious.
"Brother Ji-hun?"
Kim Soo-ho, summoned by Park Ji-hun's call, swallowed hard and gazed out the window. In front of the large glass window stood a man. The pouring sunlight created backlighting, making the man appear as a deep shadow.
"Sit down."
At his heavy single word, Kim Soo-ho walked toward the sofa in the center of the office. As Kim Soo-ho took his seat, Park Ji-hun approached him. The backlighting disappeared, and his appearance beca clear under the warm orange lighting.
Swoosh!
A three-button jacket, with a vest and necktie underneath, and a handkerchief on the jacket front. Beyond the hand he extended, cuff links—expensive cufflinks—were visible on his shirt sleeves.
'What is this, so Kingsman gentleman?'
At that sharp outfit, Kim Soo-ho was left speechless.
"Why aren't you taking it?"
"A-ah. Sorry, sorry."
Only then did Kim Soo-ho co to his senses and accepted the beer glass Park Ji-hun offered.
"Beer all of a sudden?"
"What's the big deal? Let's just have a drink."
Kim Soo-ho felt suspicious about the sudden offer of beer. As Kim Soo-ho stared at the flat beer, Park Ji-hun prepared his own glass. He took out a bottle of whiskey placed beside the dining table and poured it into his cup. Watching the glass fill up, Park Ji-hun asked.
"Soo-ho, we're the sa age, so why do you always call brother?"
Kim Soo-ho thought for a mont. He heard a question about how to address him, but he had more questions about the alcohol.
'He drinks expensive Yamazaki whiskey and gives flat beer?'
A slight displeasure arose. However, contrary to Kim Soo-ho's feelings, his mouth moved in the opposite direction.
"Ah, well... it just feels burdenso, I guess? You seem like an older brother."
But still... He's drinking Yamazaki and I get beer? Eventually, Kim Soo-ho couldn't hold back.
"Um, but why are you giving beer?"
Then Park Ji-hun brought up the main topic abruptly.
"Soo-ho, you should understand the situation, shouldn't you?"
Direct speech. His voice sounded like it was looking down on the other person. Furthermore, his indifferent eyes and neatly swept-back hairstyle made it feel even more intimidating.
'What did I do wrong that he's telling to understand the situation?'
While Kim Soo-ho was absorbed in confused thoughts, Park Ji-hun swept his hair back. A single strand falling seed to bother him. However, in that brief mont, Kim Soo-ho saw the watch revealed on his wrist.
'That must be worth over a hundred million, right?'
It was a watch whose na and brand Kim Soo-ho didn't know. Though Kim Soo-ho couldn't buy it himself, he had the hobby of morizing the makes and years of foreign cars perfectly, and he was quite knowledgeable about watches too. Sothing he didn't know must be an item for the real upper class.
'That bastard is lucky.'
Contrary to such thoughts, Kim Soo-ho's fingertips began to tremble. His inner worry was considerable.
"W-why did you suddenly call here?"
Kim Soo-ho's job was a position Park Ji-hun had arranged for him. It was an overseas branch of a major corporation that he could never have entered with his own credentials.
"Didn't I say it? Understanding the situation."
"What did I...?"
Kim Soo-ho blinked his eyes blankly. He couldn't understand what it ant to be called here to understand the situation. Then ca the next words.
"Soo-ho, I know you're putting on airs outside, saying you're close with , that you work at an overseas branch of Gwangmyeong Group and all that."
"I-I'm sorry—."
"No, it's fine outside. But doing that to the guild mbers isn't right, is it?"
Kim Soo-ho apologized and bowed his head. However, sothing seed strange to him internally.
'Isn't it usually the opposite?'
It's okay to do it in reality, but not in the ga?
'That bastard and Gilma too, how far have they gone wrong?'
With that thought, Kim Soo-ho raised his head. However, seeing Park Ji-hun's eyes eting his gaze, Kim Soo-ho lowered his head again.
"I won't do it again from now on."
Thinking of those eerie eyes at the ti, goosebumps still ran down his spine. That's why Kim Soo-ho complained about those days in front of Gilma.
"Sister, that bastard ca to his senses, right?"
"Soo-ho, are you doing that again?"
"No, seriously, do you know how humiliated I was? That bastard, all his human relationships are vertical hierarchies. Or rather, there's only people beneath him, so can you even call it vertical?"
At that pitiful sight, Gilma adjusted her sunglasses with her middle finger.
"Yeah, you pathetic bastard. So you finished the work I told you to do and then complained?"
"Of course! You told to."
Kim Soo-ho recited his accomplishnts.
"The Adventure King directly! Without His Majesty knowing! He said he'd help if we et in the Labyrinth."
"You t the Adventure King?"
"No, the King's direct subordinate's secretary said the King gave that permission."
"...Okay. Whatever."
"So, did His Majesty really go dark?"
When sister Gilma lost her avatar in the Disputed Territory, His Majesty was greatly enraged. However, after seeing the records transmitted from the avatar, he realized it was not her fault.
"A monster with detection ability superior to the Pope... I need to raise Erik's threat level one more step. If things continue like this, he'll beco as dangerous as the Emperor."
He rambled on about Erik's dangerousness, then imdiately shut himself in the research lab, saying he would adjust the avatar.
"His Majesty said that if we leave Erik like this, the Empire won't be able to spy on anything?"
After hearing sister Gilma explanation, Kim Soo-ho was greatly impressed.
"Wow, thanks to Erik, luckily the surveillance by that Chinese bastard has eased up."
"Right, the person who said he'd help us and kept watching us all day locked himself in the research lab like a madman..."
The ti without His Majesty's surveillance was as valuable as gold.
'Erik is really helping us out.'
Gilma quickly gave the next instruction.
"Soo-ho, try forming a raid party with Hye-ji."
"Ah, that Hye-ji woman is so frustrating—."
"Hey, she says you're frustrating too. Soo-ho, you're not in a position to be picky. Do what I tell you!"
***
"Humans are flowers!!!"
"They shine even more brilliantly when their petals fall and new ones bloom!!!"
Listening to the Possessors' chant, Erik looked at his master. He had no idea what kind of education was given, but in just a few days, the Possessors had been reborn as warriors with monstrous tenacity.
"Did even such a fellow not change like this?"
"Your words are indeed true, Master."
Erik bowed respectfully to Riferoze. Riferoze, with Ruelle slung over her shoulder like a bag, suddenly recited the things she had accomplished. Erik forgot even the thought of bragging about his layer master reward and focused on her story.
'The training ground had such a function?'
Admiration naturally arose at how impressive the training ground was. Experience gain and stat increases. Moreover, the growth speed of the real body and the achievent rate were much faster. The extent of that level was such that.
"The children who served as sparring partners for the Possessors reached a level where they were shooting sword auras."
Riferoze, who had been boasting like that, suddenly brought out Ruelle with a very satisfied expression. It was similar to the appearance of soone showing off a new designer bag. Ruelle had been sending SOS signals with her eyes the whole ti, but Erik deliberately ignored them.
'It's rare for Master to be this excited.'
It felt similar to when she used to carry him around as a child. Which ant if things went wrong, she would get very angry. Erik calmly listened to his master's bragging. At tis like this, the best thing was to listen until she was satisfied.
"—The effects of the training ground last about 10 hours. So, for the remaining ti, I had the Possessors spar with each other. Since resurrection happens even outside the training hall, they can continue training 24 hours here."
"As expected, you are remarkable, Master."
When Erik played along, Riferoze's eyes curved into crescents. Her snowy eyes sparkled deeply.
"However, all of that is nothing compared to Ruelle."
The master grabbed Ruelle again, showing sothing interesting. She held Ruelle firmly against her side, like gripping a designer bag. Then, she aid at the clouds in the temple.
"Ugh!"
"Shhh! Just stay stretched out like that."
"P-please stop—."
"Hm!"
A white girl around 160cm tall held Ruelle's long, curved body freely, then shouldered her like a sniper rifle and aid at the sky. Erik watched with a bitter expression.
'So this is how Ruelle felt watching as a child.'
There was a strange feeling in the reversal of positions. Then it happened.
"Fire!"
In that entertainnt-like scene, a transcendent phenonon occurred.
Zzzzzzzzeeeen!
A short resonance sounded, and a brilliant platinum flash was fired. And almost simultaneously, a large hole appeared in the distant cloud. It was nothing short of an ultra-high-speed laser beam, wasn't it?
"Huh."
Erik stared blankly at that alien power. Then his master murmured.
"Output, speed of firing light, and destructive power can all be freely controlled—that is Ruelle."
However, there was one problem.
"The aiming was terrible. However, I solved that problem this way. Thus, I myself designated Ruelle as a weapon."
The master proudly displayed Ruelle in her arms.
"Your believers all use strange powers. From Du-sik, who is inexplicably lucky, to Ruelle becoming like this... I never expected it."
"Master's seat is still available, but—."
"Erik, you are no different from a god. However, I lack the capacity to call my god a god."
The master was resolute. Still, she acknowledged the alien powers on par with divinity.
"Isn't that goddess statue the shaless divine form—Ruelle?"
Riferoze pointed to the goddess statue embedded in the center of the temple. Perhaps Ruelle received the divine influence when she received Erik's divinity.
"Being in this space, it makes sense. Aside from the unruly tree, everything is sacred and far transcends the laws and common sense of this world."
After finishing her explanation, Riferoze pointed to the Sacred Throne. Erik calmly sat in the chair, and his master settled on Erik's lap.
"So Erik, how far have you progressed in your training? You've already co back since you have relatives."
"It's still far, but I've co to show Master sothing interesting."
Erik pulled out two [Selective Trait Bestowal Orbs].
"You're saying that from the 45th layer's layer master, these co out in pairs?"
"More precisely, from the 40th layer, and the quantity is luck. Maximum 2. Beyond the 50th layer, up to 3 co out."
Erik added that he was wondering if she would eat one.
"Unfortunately, I've already eaten the maximum."
"I feel the dignity of a Labyrinth conqueror."
Erik once again realized how great a person Riferoze was. Layers 1-10, 11-20, 20-30. In the ga, you could add 1 trait every 10 layers. It was the sa in reality.
'Moreover, she even develops potential in locals?'
His master's strength must have owed a lot to conquering the Labyrinth.
'I've already eaten one myself.'
So, he was planning to give the remaining one to Ruelle, but—.
"Ruelle doesn't even know her own power properly. Feeding her this would be aningless."
His master dissuaded him. Erik understood this too.
"Erik, I don't even know what this is, so it's fine. But."
The person in question, Ruelle, also agreed. However, she wished to be freed from her master. Erik gently made this request.
"Instead, I'll show you sothing incredibly interesting."
[Selective Trait Bestowal Orb]—wasn't it a power that awakened potential in locals?
"Two-sik."
Erik called out to Jang Du-sik. And threw him an orb.
"W-what is this?"
"Eat it."
Jang Du-sik received the orb and imdiately put it in his mouth.
Chomp chomp.
"This, smack smack. It has no taste."
Without chewing many tis, he swallowed it whole.
'Will his innate magical power beco stronger?'
Jang Du-sik had talent for magic power from their first eting, so perhaps the path to becoming a great mage would open up. Or perhaps his divine magical power body would beco even stronger... However, such expectations were completely aningless.
Shhhhhhhaaaaaaa!
Jang Du-sik's half-shaved hair began to glimr, and soon that light grew large enough to fill the temple. It was radiant and sacred light. At such holiness, even the World Tree trembled and scattered holy water.
Pitter! Patter!
Divine water falling like thick raindrops. Erik spoke with joy.
"Du-sik, let's open so boxes."
It felt like he was riding the montum completely.
***
Everyone gathered in the temple for a sacred event. 24-hour continuous high-intensity training. Wounds are healed and death brings resurrection. Moreover, sleep and fatigue are washed away by the miracle of divinity. Yet mories remained, so the Possessors were growing weary and exhausted. Wasn't this respite a blessing then?
'So annoying.'
Though that sweet rest was like honey, Nishida Ryo was full of complaints. He had endured, managing his expression, knowing that showing even the slightest impropriety would cause his body to burst. However, looking at Erik now, his blood boiled involuntarily.
'Beautiful won on both knees—.'
The radiant man sitting in the Sacred Throne. On his right knee sat Ruelle with platinum hair cascading down, possessing both idol-like beauty and sensuality at once. The dress flowing down along the curves of her body left one unsure where to look.
'Huh.'
At that mont, Erik's sharp gaze shot out, and Nishida Ryo's [Death Sense] activated. He quickly shifted his gaze to Erik's left knee. There sat a fair and delicate girl. As a thin training uniform flowed along her body, the skin visible between the fabric was revealed. A small but firm, well-trained body was accentuated.
'Envious.'
Both were incredibly beautiful. They were beings beyond reach, yet innate instinct sparked jealousy. Then [Death Sense] activated once more.
'Uh-huh!'
Nishida lowered his head to the ground. This ti, he truly felt like he would die.
'That bastard is exactly the sa as Kim Soo-ho.'
Erik looked at Nishida with a bitter expression. Despite his appearance changing through training, his insides remained the sa? Erik smiled sourly.
"My education was lacking."
At that sight, Riferoze let out a sigh. It would take a long ti to correct him, just like with Du-sik, she added.
"Eh, but isn't it amazing that he's changed this much?"
Still, Ruelle spoke in a tone suggesting that Nishida's transformation was remarkable enough. After all, he had been hopelessly inferior to begin with.
"Ruelle, does my education sound like it only achieved this much?"
"T-that can't be!"
It had an oddly sharp tone. Erik pressed his temples together.
"Let's both be moderate about this."
During this sacred ti, they couldn't afford to create discord like this. Erik quickly diated between the two and instructed Du-sik to open the box.
Shhhhhhaaaaaaa!
Du-sik, radiating divinity, brought out the box. Then Riferoze's pupils dilated.
"I've never seen a box like that."
There was deep interest in her expression. It seed surprising even to soone who had lived long ages, that there were things they had yet to see.
"However, the Possessors are familiar with it."
Erik looked at the Possessors gathered in the temple. All of them stared blankly at the [Mythic-grade Box].
"Wow, it's really Mythic-grade."
"That's sothing given from the 40th layer, how did you already get it?"
A situation full of questions arose, and Kang Pung-ho stepped forward.
"Hey guys! I heard that you got it by defeating the Black Mage who descended as a 45th layer master!"
"That... what?"
Bigger questions arose from that short truth. What descended as what and how did you defeat it? Even as the absurdity of a Black Mage descending as an uncleared layer master sank in, the lightness of its defeat—as if they'd just gone for a walk—was beyond comprehension.
"So the Lich King was killed by His Majesty, right?"
"Yeah, yeah!"
Silence descended. However, not a single person doubted it. If they die and co back while training, why wouldn't they be able to do anything? The Possessors found the current situation more unbelievable than the possession itself.
"He can even resurrect..."
"Right."
After acceptance, the conversation naturally shifted to talk about Mythic-grade items.
"So that's actually a Mythic-grade box?"
"Seeing a Mythic-grade item in reality..."
Continental Online was a ga that forced repeated conquests with cruel drop rates. So, everyone was bound to be familiar with items.
"But isn't this really the first in the continent?"
"No, it's the first in the world."
The 45th layer master, never opened before in this world. Its reward is now being opened for the first ti.
"Wow... if Mythic-grade options are really applied like in the ga—."
"It's broken. Special traits alone start with auto-aim and all sorts of things co up."
"Ooh? It's starting!"
As all attention concentrated, Erik announced that he would proceed with opening the box. Noise ceased and silence descended. Faces full of anticipation looked at Du-sik. Then Du-sik smiled brightly and held the box high into the sky.
"Here we go! Let's do this!!!"
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