< Chapter 155: Best Effort (2) >
The next day.
I officially started my training. As mentioned before, the goal is to fully embody the ‘traits’ I currently possess.
I’m not sure to what extent it will be embodied, but I should at least give it my best shot.
“…It seems like the Breath of the Forest will be fully embodied soon.”
Honestly, fully embodying the elf traits doesn’t hold much significance.
Even if the charm increases beyond this point, it won’t make much of a difference.
“Still, there’s meaning in achieving full embodiment.”
The most important thing is to fully embody the angel tribe’s traits.
Since it’s ‘black,’ it needs to be improved to at least ‘red.’
“I should have used divine punishment more often.”
The problem is that all three traits of the angel tribe that I am currently acquiring are far from being fully embodied.
I have only recently acquired [Divine Power] and [Battle Angel].
I hardly used [Divine Punishment]*, so it’s practically a recently acquired trait.
I am aiming to fully embody ‘Divine Punishment’ since it’s somewhat closer to full embodiment, and I have been using it consistently.
“This is like… the cost-effectiveness is too bad.”
The mana efficiency is too terrible, it’s frustrating to death.
It’s worse than the Flames of the Spirits.
Of course, the Flames of the Spirits became usable because of the ‘fire attribute affinity’ adjustment, but still.
In the current state, the cost-effectiveness of Divine Punishment is worse.
That’s why I had left Divine Punishment untouched.
Using ‘Flames of the Spirits’ with the same amount of mana is more efficient.
“Still, I have to embody it within 20 days somehow….”
I received a list of ancient artifacts confirmed to be exhibited in the museum from Yu Hwa, and there were many useful items among the artifacts of the angel tribe.
To use those artifacts, I need to at least fully embody one trait, such as Divine Punishment.
“Then shall we slowly get started again?”
My mana must be fully restored by now.
I finished resting and stood up from my place.
* * *
That time.
The most critical hideout within the organization of the saviors of truth.
“Boss. Here’s the report.”
Maestro handed over the report to Unknown.
“….”
Unknown just stared at the report, not making any moves to take it.
His gaze towards Maestro was incredibly cold, a facial expression signaling dissatisfaction.
“….”
Observing Unknown’s expression, Maestro subtly bit his lip.
Trust between Unknown and Maestro had been broken since the last incident involving the pursuit of Hermit.
To be more precise, Unknown had become unable to trust Maestro.
‘The mistake was too big.’
The failure of the Yu Hwa kidnapping operation.
As a result, they lost Alchemist and returned without gaining anything.
Moreover, the decisive blow was that Hermit wasn’t the real spy.
Through a series of continuous mistakes, he had lost Unknown’s trust.
Unknown, who had been only looking at Maestro who was still offering the report, received it with a grimace expression.
Then, without saying anything, he began to read the report quickly.
“There are no mistakes in the report correct?”
While halfway through reading the report, Unknown asked coldly, his gaze still fixed on the report.
“…Yes.”
At that question, Maestro’s forehead twitched.
His pride was hurt, being doubted even about such a basic report.
“Then, you may leave now.”
Without even looking at Maestro, Unknown waved his hand dismissively.
“…Yes.”
Maestro quietly left the room. As soon as he closed the door, his expression distorted hideously, so evil that it could be comparable to a wicked spirit.
“…Damn it.”
How did it come to this?
He knew Unknown’s personality very well.
He despises the losers and scorns the failures. Whether that failure was a mistake or a lack of skill, a failure is a failure.
That is Unknown’s philosophy.
‘How have I endured until now….’
Maestro had never made a mistake or failed until now, for almost 10 years.
That is why he was able to sit in the second-in-command position overseeing the executives, receiving Unknown’s absolute trust.
‘It’s dangerous.’
Maestro recalled the expression on Unknown’s face. An expression that looked as if he was seeing a disgusting bug.
Maestro knew better than anyone how the former executives who were looked at with such eyes by Unknown disappeared.
‘Disposal…’
Executives who became useless are ‘disposed of’ while being used as ‘sacred martyrs’ at the same time. That is the fate of executives who lost trust.
‘Is there a way to reverse this situation?’
A way to regain Unknown’s trust. If he can’t find a way somehow, it’s over for him.
He was mulling over it, gnawing at his lip.
“The great Maestro looks quite pathetic~”
Lust approached Maestro with a sneer on his face.
“…Get lost.”
Maestro growled with a vicious look, as if ready to release his power at any moment.
“You’re quite sharp-tongued. I came because I’m somewhat worried, you know.”
Lust gave a small smirk.
“You. If you stay like this, you’ll be disposed of. You know that, right?”
Maestro’s expression became even more distorted.
“That won’t happen.”
“Do you have any tricks up your sleeve? It won’t be easy to change the boss’s mind with just any solution.”
Maestro shut his mouth.
“None, huh?”
A hint of joy flowed in Lust’s eyes.
‘Good. Just as Hermit said.’
Then I can proceed according to plan.
Thinking so, Lust continued speaking.
“Then let me make a suggestion.”
“…A suggestion?”
“Yes. I thought of one way for you to regain the boss’s trust.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Good choice.”
With a serious expression on Maestro’s face, Lust smiled playfully.
“In the upcoming raid on the Dragon’s Lair…”
The words transmitted from Kang Seo-yul to Hermit, and from Hermit to Lust,
“…You understand, right?”
Reached Maestro at that moment.
* * *
“I received a message from Lust.”
That night.
As I was alone, exerting myself in training, a black mist approached and spoke to me. Needless to say, it was Hermit.
“What did Maestro say?”
“He hasn’t given an answer yet, but he will surely move according to our intentions.”
Hermit’s eyes shone coldly.
“In the first place, this trap is like a pitcher plant where he has no choice but to fall into, whether he knows it or not. I find Kang Seo-yul, who came up with this idea, to be quite frightening.”
Hermit smiled faintly.
“That’s an overstatement.”
“I’m serious. When I heard the detailed plan along with the words that we would use Maestro, I got goosebumps.”
Hermit rubbed his arm over his black coat.
“A meticulous operation that could not be established without understanding 100% of Maestro’s disposition… yet it is meticulous and harbors a deadly trap… I can’t help but admire it when I think about it again.”
I felt embarrassed just listening to it.
“Anyway, it seems like things are going well, right?”
“Yes. In my opinion, we have succeeded by 99.9%.”
“What is the 0.01%?”
“It refers to the occurrence of natural disasters or a situation equivalent to that. I’m talking about unprecedented events like the recent gate runaway.”
“….”
“If such a situation occurs, the entire plan would be ruined. Of course, that probably won’t happen. Haha.”
I suddenly became anxious.
When I recall the events up until now.
The more meticulously I prepared the operations, the more miserably they fell apart.
…It can’t be this time as well, can it?
No, don’t unnecessarily think negatively.
Let’s not have strange thoughts.
I desperately shook my head, shaking off the ominous thoughts.
“Anyway, contact me if anything happens.”
“Yes.”
With this, the second condition has been met.
Now all that remains is to become stronger.
* * *
I pondered for a while, but in the end, I decided not to tell others including Maiden about ‘Master’ being ‘Unknown’.
It’s not that I don’t trust those four, but there’s no such thing as a perfect secret in the world.
There’s also a saying that to deceive the enemy, one must first deceive their allies.
‘I don’t know what Maiden would do if she finds out the true identity of the master.’
Since anger is an emotion that is difficult to control easily, no matter how much it’s Maiden, one cannot predict what mistake she might make.
Besides, I am the only one participating in this raid on the Dragon’s Lair.
In this situation, there is no need to unnecessarily reveal the master’s identity to those four and create unnecessary trouble. It’s not too late to tell them after everything is over.
“…I’ll get scolded anyway when it’s over.”
I smiled bitterly.
At the same time, I got up from my seat.
My mana should be fully recharged by now.
“Phew. Let’s start again.”
The break ends here.
“Divine Punishment, let’s fully integrate today, please.”
As I prayed fervently, about to use Divine Punishment, it happened.
Kwaaaaang-
“!”
An enormous booming sound echoed from outside the training ground.
The sudden loud noise made my heart pound.
“…No way.”
Has another variable occurred?
After finally setting up the operation, again…
“I have to check it out…”
I quickly ran outside of the training ground.
Damn it.
What is it this time?
I can’t think of any pertinent event that would occur at this time.
‘Please, let it not be another out-of-spec variable like the descent of Lucifer or the unsealing of Mephisto.’
With that desperate prayer, I looked toward the source of the booming sound.
A building was engulfed in flames, burning. Despite the loud noise, the fire wasn’t that big.
The surrounding civilians seemed considerably calm too.
“Phew.”
Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like something serious has happened.
“What happened?”
A passerby who just appeared, like me, asked someone. I listened to their conversation.
“It was an accident. Apparently, there was a problem while transferring captured monsters.”
“What kind of problem caused such an explosion?”
“Something about the magical conduit used to contain the monsters exploding.”
…Ah, I see.
That’s the situation.
Then it really isn’t a serious situation.
‘Thank goodness.’
I sighed a sigh of relief.
Unnecessarily making my heart race. It annoyed me for nothing.
“What about the monsters that escaped?”
“They’re cunning creatures. Currently, they have taken nearby pedestrians as hostages.”
“…It’s a mess.”
That’s the situation.
Immediately, I leaped up to the rooftop of a building.
Having arrived on the rooftop in no time, I activated ‘Elf’s Eyes’.
My vision broadened, and I started to see the scene of the incident in the third person.
‘There are 13 hostages… the monsters are… Fire Eaters. They are rumored to be clever, but I didn’t expect them to take hostages.’
From what I could see visually, there were 20 of them,
but just to be sure, I also activated ‘Dragon Eyes’.
In addition to the third-person view, ‘mana’ began to visibly penetrate through objects and terrains.
The hostages were colored blue.
‘There’s one more person between the structures. So, it’s 14 in total.’
The Fire Eaters are red.
They are hiding in greater numbers.
‘A total of 30.’
I can see superhumans forming a perimeter around them. They seem hesitant to approach because of the hostages.
‘…Hmm. It seems like something I can handle?’
The Fire Eaters have extremely hot bodies.
If they hold onto the civilians in that state, they would burn instantly. Knowing this, they maintain a certain distance from the civilians while keeping them surrounded.
‘They know that living hostages are more useful.’
Truly cunning.
Anyway, the important fact is that they are ‘not in contact’ with the hostages.
‘There’s no need to worry about additional casualties.’
As long as I control it well, there won’t be any additional damage from electric shocks.
“Alright.”
It’s the perfect timing.
Zap!
Lightning flickered in my right hand. My target was the 30 Fire Eaters setting up a formation at the scene. Adjusting the intensity of the Thunderbolt based on the amount of magic power they possessed.
Crackle, zap!
‘Now, if I repeat this intensity 30 times…’
Small spheres of lightning emanated sparks and multiplied from my hand. Adjusting the power and ensuring precise location control, along with simultaneous activation, was extremely taxing.
Still, it wasn’t impossible.
I kept revolving my magical power.
‘24, 27, 30!’
And when exactly 30 lightning spheres floated above my palm…
Crackle! Zaaaap!
I released the lightning spheres high into the sky.
Rumble, rumble, rumble,
Simultaneously, the sky roared. And then…
Kwa-aaaaang!
30 bolts of lightning fell down.
“Bingo!”
My ‘Thunderbolt’ accurately struck right above the heads of the 30 Fire Eaters.
* * *
[The promising future of South Korea, Kang Seo-yul, single-handedly resolves the Fire Eater hostage incident!]
[Not affecting the hostages at all, only ‘dealing’ with the monsters. Notice the perfect ‘Thunder attribute’ magic control! The best talent since the legendary Dangun!]
[Citizens are proud to have such a promising figure like Kang Seo-yul in Korea.]
[“We love Korea as much as Kang Seo-yul,” foreigners in Itaewon who chose to naturalize.]
That night,
I was looking at the news articles on the portal.
“Why do journalists keep mentioning ‘Korea’?”
Well, if I was an ‘enhanced human’ active abroad, it would be almost like promoting national pride. But isn’t this a bit too much?
“Does this get more views?”
Perhaps this nationalistic phrasing is used because it garners more views?
“Ugh, it’s so cringy and upsetting that I can’t look anymore.”
The articles were embarrassingly praising, while the comments were full of criticism.
“The green portal news is the same here as it is in the original world.”
Still, I never expected to be identified so quickly.
After all, aside from those with lightning powers, I was the only one using thunderbolts. It was bound to get noticed.
Even without that, there were many testimonies of people witnessing me nearby.
Well, becoming famous is what I wanted, so that’s good.
“Moreover, I’ve finally fully integrated Thunderbolt.”
Thanks to the complex usage of Thunderbolt earlier, I’ve finally achieved full integration.
“Just before, I also fully integrated the ‘Breath of the Forest’…”
‘Breath of the Forest’ is a trait I used frequently, so its integration was completed quickly.
“And most impressively, the giant race’s trait, ‘Overwhelming Strength’, has been integrated.”
Thanks to its simple effect of increasing muscle rank by one, it integrated quickly.
As expected, the full integration of the giant race resulted in a strength increase.
But it wasn’t that significant.
Roughly from A(2/99) to A(22/99).
‘As the rank increases, the growth rate decreases.’
The full integration of the Beastmen race will probably show a smaller increase. Since the Beastmen race enhances three different attributes, its effect is a bit weaker.
‘And finally…’
I took out my phone and checked the messages.
[Yu Hwa]
[This is a list of ancient relics handed over by our guild. Let me know if you need anything.]
[Shin Jia]
[These are the ancient relics pre-arranged for storage by the Shinwa Group. Contact us if you need any from this list.]
Finally, the ‘actual’ ancient relics began to be exchanged in earnest.
“It’s raining ancient relics from the sky…”
The time has come when all of Adam’s Marks will turn entirely red.
“Hehe.”
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
< Chapter 155: Best Effort (2) > End.
*Thunderbolt
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