Chapter 18

Infinite Skill Copying with EX-Grade Interpretation Chapter 18

“Is this it? The place called Cheonji Restaurant?”

Originally, I would have finished processing the mana crystal and returned to my lodging at the Scabbard Guild.

But there was still something left to do.

Even though it was late at night, I slowly stepped into the restaurant, which was still brightly lit to attract customers.

It was my first time in a place like this, so I felt a little nervous.

The only restaurants I knew were places that sold roughly grilled skewers made from rat meat or chunks of meat with the rotten parts cut away.

There was no way I had ever been to such an elegant place.

Naturally, I had no idea how I was supposed to behave.

But that only made me act even more shamelessly.

“That’s strange. My boss said I just had to come this way. Can I go inside and check whether my party is there?”

“If you tell us the name of the person you’re meeting, we can guide you.”

“Seriously, how am I supposed to know his name when I’m meeting him for the first time today? I said I’m going inside to check.”

It felt awkward at first, but once I steeled myself, the words came out naturally.

Right now, I wasn’t Lee Yeonwoo the former scavenger.

I was Lee Yeonwoo the suit.

Instead of the shabby clothes I normally wore, I had stolen and put on the clothes of those white-suited bastards who had cursed at me while swinging swords.

I was even wearing the sunglasses they wore on their heads, making my face difficult to recognize.

So I simply shouted with even more confidence.

“I asked if I could go inside.”

“I’m sorry. Our establishment has its own circumstances, so until we confirm your reservation...”

“Ha, seriously, you’re bad at your job. I told you my party is inside. Are you going to take responsibility if this causes business trouble?”

“No, w-we also...”

“Ahem, my apologies. He is with me. It seems there was a misunderstanding.”

Perhaps he had heard the commotion outside.

A man who appeared to be the person I was supposed to meet according to the orders was approaching me and the employee.

He seemed accustomed to places like this restaurant, walking toward us with an air of elegance.

Gray hair that was nearly long enough to be called long.

His eyes... were almost completely closed, so I couldn’t see them.

He was so tall and lanky that even I had to look up at him.

I could feel him looking me over in much the same way.

“I came under orders from above. You’re the one delivering the item today, right?”

“Yes... That’s correct. He’s with me, so we may enter together, correct?”

“Y-yes! We apologize for the inconvenience.”

With the man’s appearance, the situation was resolved in an instant, and we were guided into the restaurant.

Forget merely being luxurious.

It was less elegant and more secretive.

A small room that seemed designed so only two people could sit together without hearing or seeing anyone else.

The man and I simply sat facing each other without saying a word.

“Let’s eat first. I come here often, so I can guarantee the food is good.”

─Slide.

With those words, he passed me a bowl of soup.

The pure white soup gave off an extremely sweet and rich aroma that made my mouth water, but I didn’t touch it recklessly.

I had no idea what kind of trick might have been done to the food, so I left it alone.

“The item?”

“...They said they were sending someone who handled things thoroughly, and they weren’t lying.”

No matter how delicious the food might be, I honestly wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible.

Who knew? Another one of the men in suits might get dispatched here.

“This is the item you people have been searching for so desperately.”

─Tap.

What the man took out was a small box about the size of a fist.

As though telling me to check it, he pushed the box across the table with his fingertips.

What kind of item was so important that they had called someone out to transport something this small?

Curious, I naturally picked up the box and opened the lid.

And inside was...

“A tooth?”

“Yes. It is the relic you people were looking for. A relic we barely found in the freezing region beyond the twentieth floor.”

“Beyond the twentieth floor...”

The Great Forest beyond the tenth floor... more precisely, even the Elf Forest had barely been within my reach, so that sounded incredibly far away.

I had no information about that place either.

And whether my strength would work there... no, it would.

I had cut down several third-grade hunters and could even fire lightning, so I should be able to make it to the twentieth floor without much trouble.

‘Hmm. Then let’s take a proper look.’

I could go beyond the twentieth floor whenever I wanted. What mattered right now was this thing they called a relic.

Whenever I encountered relics, I always gained something from them.

That made me even more excited.

What would be waiting for me this time?

[Using the ability ‘Interpretation.’]

[Interpreting the relic.]

[Yeti Tooth]

─A tooth from a yeti that once lived in a glacial region.

─Contains fragmented memories.

[Interpreting the memories.]

There it is.

Fragmented memories, literally divided into pieces, gradually began flowing into me.

The first thing I saw was pure white snow.

And the next thing I felt was one thing.

Cold.

An overwhelming cold that seemed ready to freeze my hands and feet solid, while my vision gradually whitened as though my eyes themselves were beginning to freeze.

A hopeless memory.

Even so, they loved the snowy fields and adapted to them.

They used ice.

They coated their sharp teeth and claws with ice, using that power to hunt beasts and build their civilization.

And they called their civilization this.

The Age of the Yeti.

“Huff...! Ghh, cough.”

The instant the memories ended, I unconsciously grabbed both of my arms as I felt the illusion of cold lingering at my fingertips.

“Are you all right? If you’re feeling unwell...”

“I’m fine, so focus on the business.”

The fragmented memories ended.

And what appeared at the end was a familiar window.

[The experience within the memories settles into your body.]

[You have acquired skills.]

[You have acquired the skill ‘Cold Resistance (D).’]

─Your resistance to cold increases.

[You have acquired the skill ‘Snow Walk (E).’]

─You can move slightly faster on snow.

‘Nice.’

If I planned to go beyond the twentieth floor, these were skills I absolutely needed, and I had obtained them like this.

There was no other way to describe it than good luck.

I had stolen the relic and gained skills.

There was no reason for me to remain here anymore.

“That’s a relief. When I first heard about this plan, I wondered if it would really work.”

“Hmm?”

Plan?

Was there another plan besides this relic?

At that question, I simply listened for a moment to hear what the man had to say.

“I went to take a look myself, and it was fascinating. Wow... To think they excavated ruins on the twenty-fourth floor, in a place that cold.”

“Ruins.”

“I’d never heard of something like that being hidden inside the Tower. Still, it’s fortunate. With that relic, you’ll be able to break through the ruins.”

“Hmm. Right. Yes, now we can relax. The others are so excited they haven’t even been drinking.”

“Haha, I’ll go take a look later too. I’m curious about these ruins myself.”

I nodded along at the man’s words.

So there are ruins on the twenty-fourth floor?

And this tooth is something like a key that lets you enter them.

‘These bastards were planning to enjoy something good all by themselves?’

I had no idea what these ruins actually were, but if they were talking about them like this, they seemed pretty impressive.

And I had even obtained fragmented memories from the relic.

That was enough to make up my mind.

‘I should take it for myself.’

It was human nature to feel bitter when someone you considered a comrade got ahead.

So did they really think I, someone who hated them and had nearly been killed by them, would just sit back and let them have it?

I had already decided.

Before they could obtain another relic, I would reach the ruins first and take everything inside.

I absolutely couldn’t stand seeing those white-suited bastards succeed.

“Ahem, I’ve talked too much. Then I’ll be going to transport the item first.”

“You’re not going to eat?”

“No. Finishing this job takes priority.”

Still imitating the men in suits until the end, I placed my hand on the door to leave the cramped room.

“Wait.”

“What is it?”

The voice stopping me made me tense for a moment.

Did he notice? If so, I had no choice but to immediately...

I moved my hand toward the sword at my waist so I could draw it at any moment.

“If we meet again later, could you tell me what was inside the ruins?”

“What?”

“I’m simply curious. Ruins inside the Tower... What hunter would ever have imagined such a thing?”

At his words suggesting we meet again under the simple excuse of curiosity, I quietly gave my answer.

Instead of words, I raised my middle finger and quietly left.

Like hell we’re meeting again.

“Then, good luck.”

─Slide.

With those final words, I opened the door and stepped outside.

I quickly began walking toward the Tower.

I needed to stab them in the back before they even realized I had taken the item.

All I could do was move quickly.

___________________

My impression of the Tower after returning for the first time in a while was simple.

“Were you guys always this weak?”

─Kieek!!

The monsters below the tenth floor that used to take me quite a while to kill one at a time.

─Slice!

Could now all be finished with a single swing of my sword.

And that wasn’t all.

It was similar even beyond the tenth floor, where the scenery changed.

The Giant Spiders that I remembered struggling against because of their size.

And the other monsters living in the forest could all be cut down without much effort.

‘I really did grow insanely fast, huh?’

I had thought I had grown a lot even inside the Tower.

But too many things had happened outside.

Thanks to that, I had grown at an unimaginable speed.

And because of that, I was able to face it.

The monster that could be called the greatest obstacle on the way to the twentieth floor.

I walked toward a monster I never would have dreamed of facing before.

“Wow... You still look fucking nasty even the second time.”

Cyclops.

The first time I saw this thing, I thought there was no way I could ever kill it.

Think about it.

With the strength coming from that enormous body.

If that gigantic club hit me, it was obvious I wouldn’t merely be injured.

I’d die instantly.

However.

“I need to get past you. Let’s finish this quickly.”

I had to defeat it to reach what lay beyond.

My heart began pounding like crazy at the thought of my first proper one-on-one fight against a boss.

─!!

As though it had no intention of warning me, the moment it saw me, its massive body began charging forward like a tank.

The pressure of its enormous frame.

─THUD!

[Using the skill ‘Perfect Acceleration.’]

The gigantic club approached right in front of me.

I used the skill and narrowly dodged it.

And.

─BOOM!

Another attack came.

I had to dodge.

If even one hit landed...!

Instinctively avoiding its attacks, I never took my eyes off its club.

I simply kept dodging.

Even so, I wasn’t afraid or frightened.

Because.

[Using the skill ‘Spirit Arts.’]

─!!

I had quite a few cards in my hand now.

The spirit appeared, scattering yellow light as it took position behind the monster.

Unaware of that, the Cyclops simply raised its club.

Just as it roared, preparing to smash my head in once again.

─CRACKLE!!

“Got it.”

Before the club could swing, powerful lightning struck its head.

The electricity burned its body starting from its head, delaying its movements.

I also brought my blade toward it.

[Using the skill ‘Demon Flash.’]

─Slice.

I only swung my sword once.

─Thud...

I hadn’t ended the fight by cutting off its neck, but even so, I smiled.

Its threatening, enormous arm rolled across the ground.

Naturally, blood poured from the severed arm.

“As expected... it works?”

I was certain.

I could beat this thing by myself.

No, was that all?

[Using Interpretation.]

[The Cyclops is currently severely wounded.]

[It is highly wary of you.]

This is easier than I thought?