Chapter 16 Part6 (2/2)

A silver table formed and chairs rose up. Finally, a beauty with red hair appeared on the opposite side. She resembled Pleine, but she was also extremely different; before him was a woman who possessed countless appearances. The woman saw Lee s.h.i.+n Woo and spoke leisurely, as if she had been waiting for him.

”Why don't you sit down?”

”...Alright.”

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo replied meekly and sat down in the chair. He had just noticed, but he had returned to his human form. He thought this might happen, as this was a mental world; whatever appearance he himself perceived would manifest in this world.

He was touched that he was in his original human form again, but he wasn't too shaken. Since he was well aware that this appearance just existed in his consciousness. Therefore, he instead asked his first question.

”Where did Jin go?”

”Did you really think I wouldn't be able to talk to you both at the same time?”

He thought that they would both meet G.o.d at the same time like when they went to the secret shop, but it seems like they each received a one-on-one talk. He was worried that Jin had already been caught up in G.o.d's pace. However, it seemed as though G.o.d had seen right through him and laughed softly.

”I didn't call you to punish you, so don't worry. Your delicate and innocent partner should easily get a new blessing. You see, there's a suitable skill that'll strengthen him.”

”...It sounds like that's not the same for me.”

”Exactly. You're neither delicate nor innocent, are you?”

G.o.d tilted her head above the table, resting her chin in her hand; she was clearly looking straight at him. Her eyes looked truly amused.

”There's nothing more I can do for you. I a.s.sure you, your talent in handling mana is greater than any hero before you. If I knew you had such talent, then I wouldn't have gone through the trouble of turning you into a mere skeleton.”

”...”

The moment he heard that, it would be a lie to say he wasn't p.i.s.sed. Before she sent him to the Underground Empire, she was the one who had to ascertain his talent and take measures! However, it seems as though she'd noticed the dissatisfaction in his eyes and waved her hand.

”Even I don't have a way to measure how talented someone is who hasn't yet manifested mana. The only thing I could do was to listen to your wish and try to answer it as best I can.”

”Well, it is true that my request was excessive. At the time, I was so scared of the Empire that I was just trying to figure out a way to stay safe no matter what. ...But you should've told me. You should've explained karma in more detail.”

”I definitely said that you'd have to pay the price back then.”

”...”

Hearing that, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo briefly gazed at G.o.d. Her att.i.tude p.i.s.sed him off, but he couldn't shake off the thought that she had deliberately responded so absentmindedly to rile him up. It felt as though she tried p.i.s.sing him off so that he wouldn't think deeply about the subject.

Therefore, he thought of something else. Perhaps it wasn't just due to her ill nature that she turned him into a skeleton, but another, important reason... However, G.o.d stubbornly didn't give him the chance to ask.

”Sorry to disappoint you, but we can't talk for very long. There's nothing I can do for you in terms of skills or karma, so I'll give you an item in exchange. If you have any other questions, ask me next time.”

”...Then I'll ask a quick question. Is it fine to leave Ethan Cruz as is?”

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had asked under the a.s.sumption that his senior hero, Ethan Cruz, was an s...o...b.., causing G.o.d to momentarily pause; however, it wasn't something that she could just easily pa.s.s over.

”It's really hard for me to control those who I've bestowed my power to. I can't take back what I've given, and I cannot personally exercise my power...”

”That's enough with the pretense. What do you really think?”

”Honestly, I don't really care what happens so long as the Empire is purified. Ethan Cruz is, at the very least, a truly devoted hero in that aspect.”

That was bulls.h.i.+t; so much so that it was unbelievable that G.o.d had said it herself. G.o.d must've realized that what she was said was too harsh, as she quickly added.

”But don't worry. He can't do anything to you. Ah, your partner too.”

”If there was one thing similar between us, it's that our curse resistance is maxed out... It seems like that a.s.shole's authority is connected to the curse. Well, the Empire is filled to the brim with the curse, so if you want to get stronger, someone who can handle the curse would have an advantage. ...Wait a sec, did you plan for that from the start by giving us these authorities?”

”I wonder. I just gave you what you wished for.”

G.o.d played innocent until the very end, but one part of her face was stiff. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo couldn't help but acknowledge that he'd been robbed[1] by this short talk. G.o.d's eyebrows quivered.

”...Did you gain a lot in the Empire?”

”There was a lot I could recover from countless peoples' memories. It's all because of you.”

”You desperately wished for immortality above all else, yet it seems like you're actually ignoring that ability right now and are moving in an effort to get stronger; that's quite funny.”

”It's because I possess immortality that I can move so proactively. ...So I don't regret it. I'm satisfied with myself right now.”

The moment he finished speaking, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was engulfed by blazing black flames. The flames that only burned what its owner wished for it to burn! His skin, hair, muscles, and flesh were all burned, and what remained was a level 5 Elemental Skeleton Joker.

He had completely discarded the part that was still attached to his human self, and he had fully accepted himself as is.

”...Ha.”

G.o.d couldn't believe what she was seeing and just laughed. And to G.o.d, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo firmly said.

”Now I'll tell you what I want.”

”A level 6 item is enough, right?”

”Please give me a quest.”

”Hmm...?”

Neither a skill nor an item, but a quest? G.o.d tilted her head, wondering what he was plotting, and then she heard something unbelievable.

”I would like to give the heroes who have died and become undead peace. Please give me their location, as well as a quest to eliminate them.”

[1] T/N: Talking about how he didn't get a lot of answers despite paying such a high price.

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