Chapter 33 Part4 (1/2)
<chapter 33.=”” t.i.tan=”” -=”” 4=””>
”Oh my, Mr. s.h.i.+n Woo! Guten tag!”
Once Lee s.h.i.+n Woo entered the secret shop, Pleine, who had been sitting at the counter with a wearisome expression, lit up and waved at him. It seemed like she was quite happy to see him.
”It's been such a long time since you last came. We may not have any bones left to sell, but you should come by at times to further our partners.h.i.+p...”
”I'd like to improve this item. I need any materials that increase heat, durability or compression. Even better if you have a bone which belonged to an individual who could control heat.”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo dispensed with the pleasantries and went straight to the point. Pleine picked up on this and soon adopted a serious expression, and surveyed the giant fossil that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had placed on the ground... the Giant Solar Fossil.
”It's a sunlight stone (or used to be). When it changed, it began to radiate heat rather than light... though I have no idea what you plan on using this for.”
When she took into account Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's Bone Reinforcement skill, then there were a couple of items that she had in mind. Pleine turned around, entered into a storehouse-like place that wasn't visible to Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, and began to dig through her inventory while Lee s.h.i.+n Woo waited nervously.
”I found it. I guess I didn't sell it!”
”What is it!?”
It was worth coming here! It seemed like Pleine understood how urgent Lee s.h.i.+n Woo felt, as rushed back and placed a deep, a very deep crimson-colored gem atop his bony hand.
”It's called the Lunatic Scarlet and is a top rank ruby capable of containing a high amount of heat. Any fire magician would want it... Anyway, that doesn't matter. It costs 41 million Perium!”
”Here!”
”Thank you!”
It cost about as much as a level 7 elite bone, but Lee s.h.i.+n Woo bought it without hesitation. He felt it as he gripped the ruby. Although it was quite small, in terms of its ability, it was in no way inferior to the Solar Fossil!
[The Lunatic Scarlet is affected by the Bone Reinforcement skill and is transformed. You have acquired the Bone of Lunatic Scarlet!]
It was compatible with Bone Reinforcement as well! Although the transformation caused the item to a.s.sume an uglier form, the heat within, as well as its durability had increased, and Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was sure that this would work.
”Bone Reinforcement!”
[Consuming the Bone of Lunatic Scarlet to reinforce the Giant Solar Fossil! A resounding success! The Giant Solar Fossil has become the Scarlet Solar Fossil!]
[Scarlet Solar Fossil (48.7%)]
He expected as much, but it was indeed a resounding success. In the process of absorbing the Bone of Lunatic Scarlet, the Giant Solar Fossil had become compressed, and its durability, as well as its heat, had increased. Ultimately, it radiated a red light and emitted an overwhelming amount of heat, becoming a fossil about the size of a human being. However...
”Ugh.”
This wasn't enough. Even now, Kratia and Rem were desperately a.n.a.lyzing the core and were creating a blueprint for the golem's body. However, the Scarlet Solar Fossil was far from enough for the golem. ...Even so, he was going in the right direction.
”Pleine, please. Give me some more Lunatic Scarlets... Give me as many as you can. I need at least three of them!”
”I beg your pardon? If the Lunatic Scarlet wasn't enough, then what... there's nothing left in the storehouse. That's quite the rare gem!”
”Then, please give me something similar!”
Pleine was fl.u.s.tered and opened her mouth wide from Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's request, but soon, she looked like she wasn't going to give up. She was in charge of the secret shop, a place that would sell anything a hero needed, so it would be humiliating if she couldn't provide what he needed.
”...Then, I'll have to use some other methods to get what you need. I'll be going on a business trip.”
”What did you say?”
”A business trip to the surface. I don't have what you need, so I need to go get it for you. It's been a long time since I've left the store. I don't know what you're trying to do, but... please provide me travel funds. It costs three secret shop permits.”
Travel funds were equivalent to three secret shop permits? He quickly gave her the permits but thought that something was off. Wait a sec, if secret shop permits were used as travel funds to go to the surface, then...
”I'll be back soon, so please wait here. Please remember that I wouldn't normally do this for anyone!”
Once Pleine grabbed onto the three permits (normally, permits were invisible to the naked eye, but Pleine had a way of giving them a physical form), layered them together, and bit on them. At that moment, the red haired beauty abruptly disappeared from the shop.
”What the...”
[Jin Taylor: Hey, the barrier's shaking! I think Metafel's finally found where we are!]
”Ah, d.a.m.n.”
He'd expected as much, but to think Metafel would get there so quickly! This was probably a result of his heightened ability to dominate the surrounding mana from becoming a level 8 Eater. Or it could be the Eater karma's ability, allowing him to sense the presences of nearby prey. Or maybe it was a bit of both.
[Jin Taylor: Of course, it seems like he's still a far ways off from getting to the deepest part, but that guy's really no joke... Uh, I think Kratia will only last for a couple of hours!]
”Stay strong for a bit longer. Pleine left to get me some items.”
[Jin Taylor: To get you some items? In any case, you're saying that you can't come back right away, right? ...s.h.i.+n Woo, you have to make a decision now. We can still run away with our level 6 or higher troops. We'll be able to get away if we sacrifice the lower level ones.]
”What...?”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo hadn't expected Jin to come out and say that and was briefly caught off guard. Jin soon sighed and continued.
[Jin Taylor: Most of the other guys are pretty weak, so they won't be useless. But if Metafel manages to eat all of the elites, he'll become so strong that it'll be difficult to face him later. I don't want to leave these guys behind, but...]
”I'm so shocked that you'd come to such a logical conclusion.”
[Jin Taylor: I have my own ideas too! ...You act like you don't, but you do take a lot of risks. Until now, you've gotten by with your abilities, but... Well, even though you got some help from me or some other people, ultimately, you overcame all adversity, but it's too much for you this time. That's worrying for me.]
He was right. They hadn't even seen the original form the of t.i.tan's Heart, or the t.i.tan Bone Core as of yet (which was their only chance of success), the core itself had just barely been restored, and what's worse, they were in the middle of researching how to recreate the main body while their time was limited.
What's worse, getting those materials relied solely on luck. It would be foolish to think that they could win in any safe manner... However, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo replied firmly.
”But Jin, if we just leave him here and run, it'll be even worse later on.”
If he hadn't seen Metafel evolve into a level 8, then he might've chosen to run. However, now that he'd born witness to his evolution, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo couldn't run away.
”It doesn't matter if it's us or not, Metafel can go anywhere to eat. The longer we just leave him be, the stronger he'll become. We have to take care of him here, if for no other reason than ensure that he doesn't become a bigger threat in the future.”
[Jin Taylor: That's... it doesn't have to be us that takes care of him though...]
”Maybe, but that's only if I could actually trust the other seniors. In any case, I've decided that we have to finish him here, so don't worry so much. If need be, I can just use the core myself.”
[Jin Taylor: If you do, then you really will die!]