Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Part 11

【Item: Arachne's Lament】

Rank: Legendary

Type: Auxiliary Weapon

You can designate a shadow or dark space within your field of vision and instantly move there.

Mana is consumed in proportion to the distance traveled, and no mana is consumed at night or in darkness.

Yugeon approached and picked up the gemstone lying on the floor.

A red gemstone that still retained some warmth.

Within it, the vengeful spirits of the devoured General Spiders and Arachne's emotions were mixed together, swirling violently.

This Legendary item was only created after the queen devoured the General Spiders she herself had given birth to.

And only when she subsequently felt fear.

'That's why it's nearly impossible to obtain under normal circumstances.'

You had to induce her to eat the General Spiders.

Then, afterward, you had to make her feel fear as well.

Fulfilling both of those conditions was extremely difficult.

"It'll suit Hwang Mungi perfectly."

Reading the description again after a long time, Yugeon gave a faint smile.

Arachne's Lament.

He did not need it.

He would not need it in the future he was planning, and neither would his companions.

"My fighting style isn't like that in the first place."

That was why he had handed it over to someone else in his previous life as well.

Even if he kept it, it would not be particularly useful.

'It would be much better to exchange it for the item Hwang Mungi is bringing me.'

That was an item absolutely necessary for his plans.

"Brother, the boss disappeared into powder. I thought we'd at least be able to get some by-products."

"When this item appears, it turns to powder like that."

"Ah."

"Want to take a look?"

Whoosh.

"Oh..."

Mincheol let out a sound of admiration as he touched a Legendary item for the first time.

Legendary items were still extremely rare in the world.

"Are you really going to give this away?"

"We don't need it."

"But you could make a fortune if you sold it."

"Money... I actually have plenty of that too."

"Pardon?"

At the mention that he had plenty of money, Mincheol tilted his head.

"Later, I'll give you a Mythic item too. So don't feel too disappointed about the Legendary one."

"Y-You're going to give me a Mythic item?! Brother..."

Mincheol looked at Yugeon with moved eyes.

He already felt terrible about constantly receiving things from him.

But hearing that the item he would receive was Mythic made him feel greedy despite himself.

"Let's look around the castle once before we leave."

"Yes!"

Yugeon and Mincheol wandered through the castle, gathering every useful item they could find.

Then, without a trace of lingering attachment, they turned around and walked outside.

At the same time.

Rumble.

The enormous castle began collapsing all at once.

____________

"Here, take it."

"?"

In front of Cha Mincheol's house.

Just as he was about to go inside, Yugeon suddenly held something out.

【Item: Steel Skin】

Rank: Advanced

Type: Skill Book

Wraps the entire body in mana, hardening the skin and muscles like steel.

While active, defense and impact resistance against physical attacks such as slashing, piercing, and blunt force are greatly increased.

"It's a skill called Steel Skin."

"Oh... Steel Skin."

"It's for you. Learn it."

"You're giving this to me...?"

Mincheol stared blankly after receiving the skill book.

Why did Brother keep giving him everything like this...?

"It's not that great. It's just useful in the early stages. So don't feel burdened by it."

A skill book obtained from the top of the Spider Castle.

It was not an overwhelmingly powerful skill, but since it hardened the skin like steel and increased physical defense.

It was an essential skill for a tank.

Of course, that did not mean one should learn just any skill book.

Secondary abilities were also heavily influenced by constitution and type.

It was possible for a warrior-type Awakened to learn magic skills.

However, the efficiency would be disastrously low.

It was much better to learn secondary abilities that matched one's unique ability.

In that regard, Steel Skin was a perfect skill for Mincheol.

"Why don't you use this, Brother..."

"I don't need it."

Yugeon shook his head.

It was an item that held little meaning for him.

Even if it had been Mythic rank, he would not have learned it.

"And make sure you read the description before learning it."

"The description?"

Mincheol slowly read through the item's description and tilted his head.

He read it carefully and thoroughly, but there was nothing particularly unusual.

There had to be a reason Brother had said that, though.

"It only says it increases overall defense..."

"Because it isn't overall."

"Ah!"

Only then did Mincheol nod.

"This only gives resistance against physical attacks."

"So I shouldn't just take magic-type attacks head-on while relying on this skill."

"That's right. There will be many skills like this in the future too. So always read the descriptions carefully."

Yugeon advised Mincheol.

The moment you became excited because you had obtained something good.

You could make the wrong judgment.

Of course, given Cha Mincheol's traits, he would not die just because he took a single magic-type attack.

Still, it was much better to understand things properly from the beginning than to learn after getting hit.

_____________

Area 1, Floor 7 [Rusty Railway].

Clatter.

Creak.

Bang.

After climbing up a ladder, Yugeon lifted a rust-covered iron door and entered a certain space.

Ding-!

Hidden location discovered.

You have entered [Engineers' Rest Area].

For 5 hours, mana recovery speed increases.

Prevents monster intrusion.

"It's been a while."

An empty space with nothing inside.

Despite being called the Engineers' Rest Area, it was a completely empty space.

It was about the size of a high school gymnasium.

A place so enormous that even several hundred people could enter and still have plenty of room.

But it was utterly useless in Area 1.

It supposedly prevented monster intrusion, but to get here, one had to cut down dozens of goblins.

In other words, there were no monsters anywhere nearby.

And because it was only Area 1, there was no reason for hundreds of people to seek out a safe zone either.

"They should've put a place like this higher up instead."

Area 8, Floors 71 through 80, where the highest number of deaths occurred.

If a safe zone like this had existed there, many people would have survived.

"Then again, there's no way that god bastard would've made a safe zone like this there."

Clatter.

Bang!

Cursing the god, Yugeon closed the entrance.

The reason he had come here alone today was to obtain something.

'I told Mincheol to rest for the day.'

Had he said he was going to a department store with his mother?

But Yugeon had work to do.

Shing.

Moving to the center, Yugeon drew the Godslaying Sword from his waist.

"It doesn't really matter since they're still in my memories, but I should register them anyway."

The martial arts he remembered.

He could perform martial arts based on his memories.

But their power was far lower than the originals.

Part of that was because he had no internal energy, but more importantly, his body itself had not learned them yet.

"So I'll register every martial art in my memories again."

Of course, anyone watching might find that strange.

How could he register martial arts when he had no internal energy?

Shouldn't he relearn an internal energy cultivation method first?

But doing that would take far too long.

'Of course, there's a shortcut.'

Swoosh.

Yugeon smiled and closed his eyes.

At the same time.

Ding-!

【Infinite Realm】 has been activated.

[Consumes 1 Feat.]

Bzzzzzz.

The moment he used Infinite Realm, the world stopped.

Even the dust floating in the air froze, and every faint sound disappeared.

Then.

Ding-!

【One Sword of Heavenly Destruction】 has been activated.

[Consumes 1 Feat.]

Whoooooosh!

The moment he used One Sword of Heavenly Destruction, a sense of omnipotence began surrounding Yugeon's body.

The realm of the Martial God.

Upon reaching that state, an indescribably immense power began flowing throughout his entire body.

Swoosh.

'I perform every martial art in this state.'

Every martial art he remembered.

The martial arts that had protected him in the ruined world.

It was time to draw out everything that remained intact within his memories.

Slash-slash-slash-slash!

Yugeon's sword began moving brilliantly.

First Form of the Plum Blossom Sword Art.

Then every form of the Plum Blossom Sword Art flowed continuously like water.

And once every form of the Plum Blossom Sword Art was completed, he smoothly transitioned into the Twenty-Four-Hand Plum Blossom Sword Art.

'If anything, it's fortunate that I don't have internal energy.'

As mentioned before, the only reason he had been able to learn every martial art despite their differing natures was because of the system.

But right now, martial arts themselves were not registered in that system.

In such a state, using martial arts of conflicting natures should inevitably cause qi deviation or twist his blood and energy.

'But right now, I don't have a dantian.'

It was only possible because he had reached the realm of the Martial God through One Sword of Heavenly Destruction.

Whoooosh!

THOOM!

After completing every form of the Twenty-Four-Hand Plum Blossom Sword Art, Yugeon immediately began performing another sword art.

Whirl.

It was the Supreme Ultimate Wisdom Sword.

____________

Ding-!

Skills have been registered through the user's movements.

Plum Blossom Sword Art

Twenty-Four-Hand Plum Blossom Sword Art

Violet Mist Divine Art

Hundred-Step Divine Fist

Lion's Roar

Supreme Ultimate Wisdom Sword

Two Principles Sword Art

Extinction Sword Art

Supreme Purity Sword Art

Demon-Subduing Sword Art

Sun-Shooting Sword Art

Imperial Sword Form

Ten Thousand Flowers Rain

...

Shaaaaaa.

As the stopped time began flowing once again.

Countless skills began registering before Yugeon's eyes.

'As expected, it worked.'

Looking at the countless martial arts listed endlessly before him, Yugeon smiled.

The realm of the Martial God.

After reaching that state and performing every martial art.

They had all become 'embodied' within him.

'And I've recovered my own martial art as well.'