Chapter 21 Part2 (1/2)

<chapter 21.=”” inherited=”” hope=”” -=”” 2=””>

[But we'll be exposed to the curse on the way there. What do we do about that?]

[Even if we travel as quickly as possible, we'll still be affected by the curse. Ugh... I'm concerned that we might spread the curse to the healthy trees.]

Though the concerned Dryads had been convinced to move by Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, they weren't stupid. Ultimately, they asked something that had to be addressed. However, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was sporting a relaxed expression.

”Don't worry. It's not perfect, but I have something in mind.”

[Really?]

[As expected of Zero Paul! So, what's that method?]

”So that's...”

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo momentarily turned his attention to Jin. Jin, who had been observing how the situation was progressing, panicked and retreated.

'What are you trying to do?'

'No. I was just thinking that you could absorb the curse from them with your ability.'

That's right. The reason Lee s.h.i.+n Woo thought 'it'll all work out somehow' was because he trusted Jin. And Jin also... had a rough idea why.

'Like when we restored the sanity of that Corrupted Dryad?'

'Also, they're in much better shape than the Corrupted Dryads. Can you do it?'

'Mmmmm...'

Jin was anguished. After all, at the end of the day, his curse absorption ability was a by-product of his resistance, not the main facet. He couldn't intentionally control his absorption ability. It wasn't easy to tell whether or not it would be possible.

'Even if it is possible, I can't do it by myself. I need your help.'

'I suppose it can't be helped.'

Of course, he roughly expected him to say something like that. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo chuckled, approached Jin, gripped his back with one hand, and activated his a.s.similation skill. Now they could extremely naturally tie both their consciousness and mana together.

'How is it, s.h.i.+n Woo?'

'Mm, good... I can roughly tell how it works.'

'Really!?'

Jin himself hadn't even figured out how his ability worked, so how did Lee s.h.i.+n Woo figure it out!? He suddenly felt frustrated, but that's what it meant to be talented, so there was nothing he could do.

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo more deeply a.n.a.lyzed the curse absorption ability... which couldn't be considered a status or even a skill, and added.

'Yeah. Since it's an ability that absorbs the curse, it probably wouldn't have any effect on those who have already become undead, but it should be able to absorb the curse from these spirits.'

'That's amazing.'

'This ability is impressive. It'd be hard for me to replace the absorbed curse energy with life force, but maybe if I were to apply it in a different way...'

's.h.i.+n Woo, you're not forgetting what you're supposed to be doing, are you?'

'Tch, it can't be helped.'

Jin's curse absorption ability was such an innovative ability that it made Lee s.h.i.+n Woo wonder why he hadn't seriously looked into it before. Perhaps that ability would have a positive effect on Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, as he could freely transform mana however he wished.

'I'll look into it more in depth later, but for now...'

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was now sure that it would work, and stretched his hand towards the closest Dryad.

”You. Could you come over here?”

[Sure!]

The Dryad obeyed doubtlessly. While the other Dryads nervously watched her, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo stretched out a hand while keeping the other on Jin's back.

[Take care of me.]

The Dryad firmly grabbed his outstretched hand without question. Though the spirit's body possessed a different composition, the sensation she conveyed from touching him felt the same as any other living being. Her hand felt extremely soft, and he felt a refres.h.i.+ng energy coming from somewhere; he grabbed the Dryad's hand and Lee s.h.i.+n Woo suddenly felt sad.

'd.a.m.n it. If I were a human, I would've...'

'Hey. Your thoughts are leaking out.'

When Jin pointed that out, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo became docile, and earnestly began absorbing the curse from the Dryad.

The curse had burrowed deep into the Dryad's body, so it wasn't easy to find at first, but because Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was tenacious and in control of Jin's ability, he was able to gradually, very gradually draw out the curse.

[Oh!?]

[What's wrong?]

[What's going on?]

The Dryad was momentarily surprised and shouted, so the other Dryads yelled in shock. The Dryad kept holding Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's hand and yelled exuberantly.

[The curse within me is being drawn out!]

[How!?]

[It seems like he has an ability that lets him draw out the curse!]

[Is that why Paul Zero is different from the other skeletons?]

[I thought it was strange ever since feeling his power over nature!]

The Dryads opinions were quite intelligent. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo let their lively voices stay in the background and focused on sucking out the undead curse. She wasn't very corrupted anyway, so Lee s.h.i.+n Woo quickly pulled out the root of the issue.

[Wow... Wow.]

The Dryad, feeling the curse that had caused her heart so much discomfort leave her body completely, touched her body all over while slack-jawed. Was it just him? She looked a bit younger too.

[The curse is gone!]

[It's true. The curse is really gone!]

[Thanks Paul Zero!]

While the Dryads made a huge fuss, the cured Dryad stroked Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's head while holding onto him tightly. He felt her soft skin all over his body, yet his heart felt calm, like an ocean without a single wave.

[You're my savior!]

”I get it, so could you stop stroking my head? Now, you've seen how it works, so next! I think I can do several at once.”

[Waaaaah!]

[Me first, me first!]

As soon as Lee s.h.i.+n Woo gave the signal, the Dryads cheered and rushed towards him, as if they were waiting for that! Lee s.h.i.+n Woo and Jin were suddenly buried in spirits.

'You must love it, huh?'

'You already know that I don't really like it.'

It was such a relief that he was a skeleton that didn't need to breathe in times like this. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo calmly began to suck out the curse from the Dryads everywhere and send it over to Jin.

Jin possessed the ability to absorb the curse, not Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, so Lee s.h.i.+n Woo would just act as the pa.s.sageway that gathered the curse. Because of that, the amount of times Jin could revive through the Blessing of Death suddenly increased.