Chapter 40: Star, The Training (3)

Swish―!

As Chang-Sun lowered [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth], its blade smoking from residual friction, he heard a gasp.

『Huh…!』

Song Yoo-Jun exclaimed in disbelief.

He had also learned the Three Basic Skills, to the extent that he could manifest the three derived Skills—the Tiger Form, Tiger Teeth, and Tiger Claw—in his sleep. Considering it had taken him a decade to get to that level, he was dumbstruck. In that moment, he realized just how much talent mattered in everything. He finally understood why Executive Director Oh paid so much attention to Chang-Sun, and realized…

‘Was this why he practically lived in the library…?’ Yoo-Jun thought as he recalled how Chang-Sun had immersed himself in books without going home for over a week.

‘I guess geniuses do train themselves in secret to make their talent flourish,’ Yoo-Jun thought, concluding that he had guessed incorrectly. He began to respect Chang-Sun, who was far younger than him.

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『You’re so great! I respect you a lot.』

“…?” Chang-Sun was unsure why Yoo-Jun had suddenly begun acting differently. However, he paid it no heed; after all, Yoo-Jun’s guess was not entirely wrong. It was true that Chang-Sun’s understanding of the Three Basic Skills had deepened while searching for Heoju-related data in the Fierce Tiger Library for the Skill Unification, enabling him to use them with great proficiency.

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ looks contentedly at you, one who has understood his teachings very well!]

Heoju seemed to have taken a liking to Chang-Sun as well.

‘He must have started to want me now,’ Chang-Sun thought, vividly imagining what Heoju no doubt looked like.

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ promises you that if you continue to display great accomplishments like this, he will bestow an unimaginably high position onto you.]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season To Hunt’ is unhappy.]

Heoju had begun dangling a large carrot, seemingly to motivate Chang-Sun. Pabilsag looked very discontented as she watched the conversation between Chang-Sun and Heoju.

“I think I’ve shown enough to prove myself,” Chang-Sun calmly told the supervisor.

The dumbfounded supervisor simply stared at Chang-Sun for a moment, before eventually coming to his senses and clearing his throat with a nod. He heard the other instructors unanimously voicing their opinion, stating that they had no objections.

“Yes, that’s enough. Mr. Lee Chang-Sun, you may exit the zone,” the supervisor said, pointing to the Safe Zone’s exit.

Nodding, Chang-Sun thanked the supervisor and exited the Safe Zone. However, even after he began moving, the remaining people in the Safe Zone fixed their gazes on him until he disappeared completely.

* * *

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ is very curious about what kinds of achievements you will earn in the dungeon.]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ excitedly looks forward to seeing whether you can really clear the dungeon as you proclaimed.]

‘Was he watching the conversation I had with Executive Director Oh?’ Chang-Sun wondered for a moment.

The forest he had just entered was much rougher than the ‘Forest of Firewielders’, his first dungeon, where he had undergone the Tutorial. There was not a single paved path, and a dense cluster of trees covered the surface of a steep hill. On top of that, the air was so stuffy that it made Chang-Sun’s movements feel sluggish.

The air in Dungeons was usually filled with abundant mana, which meant it was good for Chang-Sun to accumulate it and use it for himself in the future. However, the air in this dungeon was completely different; its poor quality constantly interfered with his magic circuit.

He knew that the dungeon ecosystem had changed due to the negative influence of unknown magic, and it seemed that the first change in the ecosystem lay in the air. Being exposed to such an environment alone would likely make ordinary Players extremely irritable without even realizing it, which meant they would be unable to maintain rational thoughts or judgments, or even become more violent. Of course, that did not apply to Chang-Sun at all.

[The Fire of the Eight Trigrams Brazier is purifying the air!]

The embers scattered all throughout his body made it impossible for any impurities to remain.

[The Skill ‘Unbending Spirit’ has been activated!]

[The Skill ‘Composed Spirit’ has been activated!]

On top of that, Chang-Sun even had Minerva’s bonus rewards, which enabled him to stay composed no matter what.

Click―!

Continuing onward as if nothing were out of the ordinary, Chang-Sun put [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] back on his waist, then took the pair of batons out of his drawing tube and combined them.

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ looks forward to seeing what kinds of tricks you will use again, watching you with sparkling eyes.]

Grabbing the spear, which he referred to as the ‘Nameless Spear’ because he felt that just calling it ‘the spear’ was too half-hearted—even though ‘Nameless Spear’ was not much more of a name—Chang-Sun sprang forward.

Thump!

[The Skill ‘Tiger Prowl’ has been activated!]

[‘Zhen Jiao’ has been applied to the skill using the principle of rotational force.]

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Rummbble―!

With the Nameless Spear in hand, Chang-Sun approached a quiet forest. He was unable to detect any presence within it at first; however, as he channeled an aura he created using [Tiger Prowl] and amplified with [Tiger Kill] into his spear, the forest changed completely. The trees in front of him shook wildly, and with a strange sound, a monster that had been hiding furtively in the bushes leaped out toward him.

It was a one-legged monster known as a Dokgakgwi[1], with blazing eyes and a revolting stench.

Baaang!

Apart from its considerable strength, a Dokgakgwi could potentially create a plague, which meant it would take two to three Players in the Level 20 range to kill it. However, Chang-Sun thrust the Nameless Spear forward, creating a loud explosion like the roar of a cannon, killing the Dokgakgwi without leaving a trace.

Kikikikiki!

Kyakyahkyah! Kyahkyah!

Roughly ten Dokgakgwis, which had been hiding nearby, fled in surprise.

The ‘Black Blood Mountain Range’ was filled with so many monsters that Chang-Sun practically encountered a new foe with each step he took. Holding onto the bottom of the Nameless Spear’s handle, Chang-Sun swung it, drawing a line in the air. Although his movements looked very similar to the Tiger Teeth technique, which he had demonstrated in the Safe Zone, it was actually somewhat different.

[The Skill ‘Black Mountain King’s First Claw’ has been activated!]

The moment he used the skill he had acquired in the Fierce Tiger Library, his aura was amplified several times over. His swing sent forth a gust of biting wind infused with black energy, as sharp as a treasure sword.

Swoosh―!

The Dokgakgwis leaped into the air in an attempt to flee, but the black wind soon engulfed them, killing them without leaving a single intact body. Only traces of blood and large gashes that raked across the ground remained.

Rumble! Thud!

Crash…!

Additionally, the trees behind the Dokgakgwis were cut in half, and nearby boulders were reduced to rubble. Everything within a five-meter cone spreading outward from Chang-Sun was left completely ruined.

‘It definitely uses up too much of my mana,’ Chang-Sun thought with a frown.

At first glance, he could tell the skill was very powerful. However, he was disappointed because it had used up half of his mana in an instant, leaving him unpleasantly dizzy. Although he had thought it was worth trying at least once in the field, it seemed he could not put it to good use at the moment unless the situation truly demanded it.

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ is surprised by the power of the claw you unleashed.]

‘Luckily, Heoju didn’t notice… I definitely have to increase my mana somehow,’ Chang-Sun thought as he moved forward, continuing to use [Tiger Prowl]. There were still many Dokgakgwis left alive. Like a tiger running forward at full speed to catch escaping prey, he moved forward with quick but heavy footsteps.

Slash, slash, slash!

Every time he swung his spear, a Dokgakgwi’s severed head landed on the ground. For any Dokgakgwi that was too far from Chang-Sun, he took off his bracelet and smashed its head with his whip. For those that were too close, he drew [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] with his left hand and sliced through their single leg, leaving them collapsed on the floor. If too many attacked him at once, he disassembled the Nameless Spear and slashed their chests with both short spears.

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[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ genuinely marvels at your fighting skill!]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ wants to study your behavior patterns, because you have been making full use of his bonus reward.]

The way Chang-Sun only struck the Dokgakgwis’ weak points using [Viper Eyes] was a display of pure artistry. A long spear, two short spears, a whip, a dagger… The proficiency he showed with various weapons would no doubt make any onlookers exclaim in surprise. One by one, he killed the Dokgakgwis whether they ran away or pounced at him, making his way toward the Dokgakgwi village.

Kieeehh!

The village leader, the ‘Big Dokgakgwi’, bravely flung itself at Chang-Sun with a shriek.

Slash―!

Thud!

Chang-Sun needed no more than two strikes to send the Big Dokgakgwi’s head falling to the floor. The Nameless Spear forged by Choi Bu-Yong was so unbelievably exceptional that referring to it as a ‘treasure’ would be no exaggeration.

[You have successfully cleared out the Dokgakgwi village!]

[As a reward, a ‘Dokgakgwi’s Leg Joint’ has been obtained.]

[As a reward, a ‘Big Dokgakgwi’s Bat’ has been obtained.]

…

Tssssss―!

A cloud of black smoke billowed upward from the Dokgakgwi corpses, indicating the activation of [Soul Exploitation]. The Purgatory Brazier burned their souls and delivered the ashes to Chang-Sun.

Feeling the fatigue that had accumulated during his unrelenting approach fading little by little, Chang-Sun inspected a weed growing on the ground. Such weeds were common in the Dokgakgwi village, but there was something ominous about their purple leaves.

Kwiiiii!

When Chang-Sun uprooted the weed, it made a bizarre sound that resembled a ghost wailing in pain.

[As a reward, a ‘Crying Flower’ has been obtained.]

‘I got it!’ Chang-Sun shouted inwardly when he saw the message he had been waiting for.

[Crying Flower]

A flower that is known to grow in the Seocheon Flower Garden[2], a place located between the Underworld and the Saha World.

It often screams for no reason. As it contains deadly poison, it can cause great trouble for anybody who eats it recklessly.

· Type: Ingredient. Poisonous plant.

· Effect: Yin energy intoxication.

The Crying Flower’s roots extended and slapped Chang-Sun’s wrist multiple times as if it were telling him to let it go, but he only tightened his grip even more.

First Elder had told Chang-Sun about a secret method to obtain the [Impervious Body]. However, the Chang-Sun called Second Elder taught him another use for the [Impervious Body].

“You want to strengthen the [Fire of the Eight Trigrams Brazier]? Why are you asking me, you crazy bastard?” Second Elder asked.

“Because I heard you knew how, and I have no intention of just using the fire to regenerate my body,” Chang-Sun said with a shrug.

Chang-Sun explained how he planned to use [Fire of the Eight Trigrams Brazier] in detail to the Second Elder, as it would be his ‘ace in the hole’ for sending the Zodiacs plummeting from the sky. After he explained his ambitious plan, the frowning Second Elder burst into laughter.

“What? Hahahaha! I heard you were insane, but I didn’t realize it was true. You’re going to change the properties of Taishang Laojun’s [Fire of the Eight Trigrams Brazier] from life and creation to destruction and chaos? On top of that, you’re going to create ..?! So you’re going to follow ‘his’ shadow!” Second Elder exclaimed, laughing uncontrollably.

“So, are you going to refuse to teach me then?” Chang-Sun replied, tilting his head.

“Of course not! I’ll definitely help if that’s the case, and I don’t even have a reason not to explain, as this is my specialty,” Second Elder said with a pleasant smile.

“Tell me the method first,” Chang-Sun urged Second Elder.

“The method is very simple. You can increase its power by adding another fire instead of firewood,” Second Elder explained.

“Fire?” Chang-Sun asked.

“Yeah, but normal fire will just get swallowed by the original fire, so you’ll need a vicious and violent fire,” Second Elder calmly said.

“Do you have any recommendations?” Chang-Sun asked.

“Find the monsters ‘Liji’[3] or ‘Jigwi’[4],” Second Elder answered.

“Then?” Chang-Sun asked.

“You’ll be able to ignite the Eon Fire,” Second Elder replied with a grin.

As Chang-Sun was planning to use the [Fire of the Eight Trigrams Brazier] as a weapon, the more destructive the fire in it was, the better. Thus, he quite liked the prospect of igniting the Eon Fire. Such a destructive fire, which normally only appeared amid the world’s destruction, suited Chang-Sun’s future plans better than any other.

However, in order to make that happen, he had to find the Jigwi, which was known to be hiding somewhere in the ‘Black Blood Mountain Range. In order to do that, he needed to lay some groundwork.

First, he needed to stoke the [Fire of the Eight Trigrams Brazier], turning its embers into constantly blazing fires. The Crying Flowers were an ingredient that could achieve that. He had heard that they mainly grew in the Dokgakgwi village; sure enough, they turned out to grow all over the village.

Kieeeehhhh!

Shoving the screaming Crying Flower into his mouth, Chang-Sun chewed it slowly. Although the sensation of it screaming and squirming inside his mouth was unpleasant, he swallowed it without showing any discomfort.

[You have swallowed a Crying Flower!]

[Its deadly poison has spread.]

[The Effect ‘Ten Toxin Immunity’ has been applied, making your body immune to its effects.]

[The ‘Fire of the Eight Trigrams Brazier’ blazes, purifying any impurities.]

The Crying Flower’s poison did not particularly affect Chang-Sun. The immunity created by [Ten Toxin Immunity] was extremely powerful, and a poison on its level was unable to endure the [Fire of the Eight Trigrams Brazier].

[All the toxin has been detoxified.]

[Purified mana has been accumulated in your magic circuit.]

[Your Mana has increased by 0.3!]

‘I’m strengthening the fire and increasing my mana. Things are going really well,’ Chang-Sun thought, smiling victoriously

He pulled out all the remaining Crying Flowers; they tried to resist by flailing their vines, but their attempts were futile. After all, even the Big Dokgakgwi had failed to kill Chang-Sun. He was in the midst of a garden of wonder drugs, and there was no way he would leave them behind.

Kieehhhh!

[Your Mana has increased by 0.4.]

[Your Mana has increased by 0.2.]

…

1. This is a real monster from mythology. Its characteristics differ from country to country, but a Korean Dokgakgwi roams around on rainy days and makes people sick. ☜

2. A flower garden that exists in Korean mythology, known to contain many flowers with magical abilities. Some can be used to resurrect people, while others can be used to destroy the world. Readers may remember Princess Bari from Chapter 20. She traveled to this garden to get the herbs she needed to resurrect her parents. ☜

3. This does not refer to mythological monsters; rather, it des; rather, it describes a state in Buddhism where one does not yet realize all beings are buddhas by nature, and thus does nothing to escape the eternal cycle of reincarnation. ☜

4. A fire ghost (hwagwi) who died from the pain of his unrequited love for Queen Seondeok of Silla. ☜

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