Chapter 23 Part3 (1/2)
<chapter 23.=”” level=”” 6=”” -=”” 3=””>
”She got me again...”
”Why did you come back so late... What's wrong with you?”
Jin looked at Lee s.h.i.+n Woo oddly, who'd just returned after being completely robbed at the secret shop. He wondered whether he should tell Jin that he'd been caught up in Pleine's business ac.u.men and only had 20,000 Perium left, but decided against it.
”Did you get a charge skill?”
”I was able to get a good one.”
”That's a relief... But wait, why were you late in the first place?”
Jin was extremely curious, but Lee s.h.i.+n Woo didn't tell him the details. That's because he had promised Pleine that he wouldn't tell anyone else what they'd discussed.
Therefore, when Jin suggested that they practice the charge skill together, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo shook his head, saying no to that as well.
”Let's try it after I gain Lightning Resistance.”
”Lightning Resistance!?”
”It's a good skill, but I didn't think it'd have that kind of a problem when I bought it... No, I'd probably still have bought it even if I knew about it beforehand.”
After paying a sum total of 41.5 million Perium, he'd learned the high rank skill, Lightning Sprint, which would wrap the entire body in lightning and charge with an impressive speed and destructive force; a wild skill.
Ordinarily, the skill could only be used when one is contracted to a lightning spirit, but Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was able to use the skill without any problems, as he could create lightning by himself. It also had a high compatibility with Bursting Thunder as well.
”High rank skills aren't often sold in the shop, but when they are, they're sold immediately. But it seems like this one hadn't been sold because of the troublesome conditions.”
”You're saying that you've satisfied all the conditions, but you can't use it because of me, huh...”
There was no way the lightning would inflict damage on its caster, but the problem was Jin. Because it would create such intense lightning, befitting its high ranking, he couldn't use it before Jin learned at least intermediate lightning resistance. If he himself possessed lightning resistance, he would be able to share it with Jin, but he didn't have it.
”I could also just not ride on your back and use it, but that's pretty pointless.”
”That's true.”
The reason Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's charge attacks possessed such destructive force was because of Jin's formidable speed and reaction time. He couldn't match it, even with a high rank skill.
”They don't sell lightning resistance in the shop?”
”It's not just lightning. They don't sell any resistances. I didn't really know, but apparently resistances are really amazing.'
”Ah, yeah. That sounds about right...”
There was the problem of obtaining the resistance, but there was also the issue of training it. Resistances level up when one is heavily damaged by an element, but most people weren't stupid enough to continuously put themselves in that kind of situation... Even if one possessed resistances, low rank to intermediate would probably be the max for them.
”But that means that you can't use that charge skill of yours.”
”I guess we have no choice but to subst.i.tute it with your skill and Shadow Horn for now...”
Though he spent pretty much all his money to buy these three skills, he couldn't even use a single one of them immediately! It felt as though he'd been robbed, but he'd already learned the skills, so he couldn't get a refund. Jin threw something out there.
”Why did you even go to the shop again?”
”It hurts enough without you reminding me, so could you lay off?”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, who'd been hurt both physically and mentally, travelled to the closest golem train station. There were only two trains that went to level 3 danger zones, located in either the western or eastern part of the Empire.
They were areas he couldn't have even imagined going to when he first rode on the train, but now they had to go to at least level 3 danger zones to grow. They would've moved on to the level 3 danger zones earlier had it not been for the Paul expansion plan.
”When I look back, we've travelled through about 60% of the Empire in a few months.”
”But the tough part starts now.”
After they'd heard an explanation regarding the concept of 'danger zones', a few months had pa.s.sed, yet nothing changed amongst the other heroes. Most of them were still residing near the level 3 danger zone satellite cities that were connected with the large cities.
Apparently, they would only be able to see level 6 or level 7s in level 4 or higher danger zones; so it could be said that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo and Jin's experiences were just a taste of what is to come. Their adventure, as well as their Bone Reinforcement had just begun.
”Level 7 elites... Bones that are tasty and good for you...”
”Man, you're already starting to talk about that?”
This wasn't the first time that he'd looked at Lee s.h.i.+n Woo and thought, 'I guess I'm going to die this time', but it seemed as though that time was actually quickly approaching this time. Even after he'd seen firsthand that s.h.i.+no Rendu had died after invading a satellite city, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was still ready to attack it!
”Even I won't do something as stupid as s.h.i.+no Rendu. Yeah, I'm going to attack the city, but I'm going to get out quickly too.”
”So in other words, you're going to invade the city and then rely on my mobility.”
”You noticed that? You really are the best partner.”
”Yeah, though you don't have any of that sense.”
”Who, me?”
Whilst conversing with Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, Jin had become uneasy, and checked how many Blessings of Death he'd acc.u.mulated.
Because of Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's instruction, Jin was better able to absorb the surrounding curse and had acc.u.mulated nine lives. However, he was still concerned whether or not this was enough.
”The speed at which your Blessing of Death stockpiles will increase from now on as well.”
”We're going to a place really close to death, aren't we...?”
The two arrived at the train station and unhesitatingly rode the train. They were now used to the sudden acceleration, and Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was no longer weak enough to fall from its speed. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had realized just how much he'd grown from such an unexpected source.
However, the moment the train stopped and they got off and onto the platform, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo felt a powerful but familiar wave of mana. He tilted his head, and instinctually hid his mana.
”Huh?”
[It's been a while, Paul Zero.]
In the center of the platform where all nine trains were on standby, they saw Guillotine Steelworker, someone they hadn't seen since being given authorization to use the trains. It seemed as though he'd confirmed that the train had entered the platform and had come directly over.
”It's been a long time... Were you waiting for us?”
[That's right.]
Guillotine looked quite serious, causing Lee s.h.i.+n Woo to inwardly feel quite uneasy, yet he maintained a calm expression. To be honest, the only thing he needed to do was keep his goblin fire blazing at a steady rate.
”But we haven't been causing much trouble lately.”
[You're right. You've also been disposing of the low rank golems for us... I was thinking about spying on you, but I chose not to. I wasn't waiting to interrogate you.]
”Then, do you have a request?”
[You're really quick on the uptake, you rascal.]