Chapter 104: Chapter 103: The Next Phase Part 2 (2/2)
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”Did you really just learn Judge's Gavel?”
”Mhm,” I said, as I sipped my tea.
Anton had dragged me all the way up to his office on the fifth floor to interrogate me.
”Really?”
”Really really,” I calmly replied to his question he asked for the umpteenth time.
”Wow…I really can't believe you. I couldn't ever since you learned the Unrivaled skill. How are you able to find all these good things? You really are a selfish prick.”
-Was I ever this greedy?-
I wasn't like this during my past life. I had learned the hard way as an orphan that wanting too many things and being greedy was very bad for one's health. I never complained when I couldn't get another promotion, and never complained when my coworkers pushed their work on to me at the factory. I always lived the simple life, even after the Great Change.
But now? I wanted everything.
”Yeah, I guess I am,” I said, nodding.
”Anyway, thanks for being the first to learn Judge's Gavel from my Store,” Anton said, cackling.
”Master Anton, I think it's a good idea to give Master Lee that item now,” said Marie.
”Okay. Here, it's a reward for being the first to learn Judge's Gavel. Choose one from the list.”
I read through the piece of paper Anton handed me.
=[Increase STR by 1,000
Increase AGI by 1,000
Increase VIT by 1,000
Increase WIL by 1,000
Increase INT by 1,000]=
”You'll give me whatever I choose from here?”
”Yup. We'll, it's not from me. It's the actual reward I'm supposed to give to whoever learns Judge's Gavel first.”
I smiled widely at what Anton just said. What a bonus!
”Can only one person learn Judge's Gavel?”
”No, but it can only be learned by someone who is qualified.”
”What qualifications?”
”That I don't know, either.”
I decided to stop my questions. I wasn't that curious, seeing as how I had managed to learn it.
”Then I'll choose STR.”
”Okay.” Anton looked over at Marie, who left the office for a moment and returned with something in her hand.
”Here you are.”
”It's a pill.”
”That's right. It may look like that, but it's really precious, you know?”
Obviously, if it could raise my STR by 1,000 points. I put the pill in my mouth and swallowed.
==[Will of the Judge – You have absorbed the Weak Essence of STR.
Your STR is now increased by 1,000 points.]==
”Whoa!” I couldn't help but shout in amazement as I saw my STR jump by that much. The message didn't stop there.
==[Your base STR has surpassed 10,000 points.
Your total STR points: 12,705
Your base STR points: 10,740
STR points increased by items: 1,260
STR points increased by skills: 705 (Shaman Ko's Stat points)]
[You will be awarded a bonus for surpassing 10,000 points in STR before anyone else.
STR will be increased by 1,000 points.
This bonus is awarded to the first person to accomplish this achievement.]
I was floored. I wanted to get up from my chair and do a little jiggle. I was that happy.
”Yeah, yeah. I suppose you're happy. You got free STR points just for being the first to learn a skill. What's not to love?” Anton thought I was happy just from the pill, but I just got another extra 1,000 points!
I burst out laughing. I just couldn't hold it back anymore.
”Are you that happy?”
I stayed a little longer for some small talk before finally leaving his office. As soon as I left, there was a huge crowd waiting outside, staring at me.
”See? See?!”
”Whoa! It really is Lee Jiwon.”
”I knew it was him when Anton burst out of his office.”
”Lee Jiwon is in the upper ranks now, isn't he?”
”Yeah. The only two Koreans in the top 50 were Song Myungsoo and Song Haein, but now he's up there with them. Someone finally pushed the Japanese out.”
”Song Myungsoo and Song Haein have the Sunbin Guild supporting them, but isn't Lee Jiwon on his own?”
”Yup. That's what makes him that much greater. You saw the video from Egypt, right?”
”There was that fiasco in Macau with the San Tuan Guild, too.”
”Aren't people saying the battle was close?”
”They're only saying that because they were paid to. The San Tuan Guild was nearly destroyed and surrendered because they couldn't handle it anymore.”
”That's right. That's what my friend in Macau told me.”
I could hear what they were saying to each other as they watched me. I was half-relieved when no one noticed me when I arrived earlier that day, but having all of them stare at me like this was almost suffocating.
-Is this what it's like to be a celebrity?-
I quickly weaved through the crowd and left the Store. As soon as I exited the Store, I used Blink to get the hell out of there.
”Well, I suppose it's time to start!” I put my hat and sunglasses back on and left for the nearest restaurant.
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Two organizations became busy once Lee Jiwon returned to Seoul; the Sunbin Guild and the Gnosis Guild! Both organizations had abandoned Lee Jiwon before, in a sense. Song Haechang had tossed him to the curb, while Song Daechul let it happen, and Han Yong Suk had turned him away when he came knocking.