Chapter 41 Part6 (2/2)

[You have evolved into a Level 8 Shadow Joker.]

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had somewhat expected this to happen, as he had gained a deeper understanding of his Disguise skill. He would eventually overcome the limitations of life and death, and even overcome the limits of all creation. He knew he would be reborn and that the only term that could describe him would be a 'concept'.

As evidence, he had overcome the livings' limitation of 'breathing'; moreover, he'd overcome the limitation of the undead: 'bones'. He hadn't lost them. He had transcended them. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo could do so at any time, and there was no need for him to obsess over them anymore.

Now he didn't need to breathe to dominate his surroundings. From now on, he just needed to color the world with his shadow. That was the authority of a level 8... No, it was a high rank authority that only Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had reached.

'There's only one step left.'

He was lucky. If he hadn't acquired the innate element before he'd leveled up, then he would've had a long road ahead of him. But he was able to learn of the fusion element within the dungeon, and was able to study an element that harmonized with one's unique characteristics.

Dark Shadow, which reversed cause and effect, was capable of switching one between life and death; human or the undead. He couldn't right this instant, but if he trained, he was sure that he would be able to one day. His cla.s.s as Shadow Joker had made this clear.

[You now have a deeper understanding of the Darkness element. High Rank Darkness has become Lv7 and Magic has increased by 40. You have gained a fundamental understanding of darkness and absorb the level 7 artifact, 'Everlasting Night'.]

”Oh.”

He thought he'd finally finished his level up, but he heard a message in his ear. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was extremely fl.u.s.tered, as he hadn't expected this to happen.

It was the bracelet he'd gotten off of Ethan Cruz, the level 7 bracelet, Everlasting Night. It sharply increased the potency of one's darkness magic, but he hadn't been able to change it into bone thus far, so he'd equipped it and forgotten all about it. However, he hadn't thought he'd be able to absorb it through his understanding of the Darkness element, rather than through Bone Reinforcement!

'Is this what it means when they say that every stream and wave goes to the sea and becomes one?'

To be honest, he didn't really know. However, he did know it wouldn't result in anything bad, so he let it be.

This level up felt truly bizarre. First off, he didn't feel any pain whatsoever. It felt as though his entire being was melting into the darkness. Yeah, as if this is what was supposed to happen from the very beginning.

The Everlasting Night did the same; it melted into him and they became one.

[Absorbing the Lv7 Everlasting Night. Magic has increased by 150. The Mana Acceleration skill has become Lv7 and Magic has increased by 10. The High Rank Mana Bone skill has become Lv7 and Magic has increased by 30. High Rank Darkness has become Lv10 and has reached the MAX level. Magic has increased by 260. You have gained the t.i.tle, 'He Who Has Reached the Peak'. All stats have increased by 50.]

In the process of absorbing the Everlasting Night, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had finally reached the summit of his darkness element. It was only natural when he thought about it. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was born as a skeleton, so he had a high affinity with darkness at birth. Thus, it made sense that the first element that he mastered was the Darkness element.

Since he had reached its peak, he no longer needed the Everlasting Night's amplification ability. He definitely came out ahead if he were to weigh the pros and cons. Because he'd absorbed the artifact's abilities completely, his Mana Acceleration and Mana Bone skills had leveled up, despite them just recently doing so. He was happy about that. Of course, his evolution hadn't stopped there.

[The High Rank a.s.similation skill has become Lv5. Agility and Magic have increased by 30.]

It made sense that a.s.similation leveled up too. Since the a.s.similation skill didn't just refer to his a.s.similation with Jin, but his a.s.similation of the world as a whole.

He understood the darkness and himself better, so he could now melt into the world; therefore, his a.s.similation had leveled up. Perhaps a.s.similation was far greater than Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had imagined. He was really happy when he thought it might be connected to his Joker karma.

[The High Rank Combat Sense skill has become Lv6. Agility has increased by 40.]

Conversely, his Combat Sense skill had leveled up for a more simple reason. His senses had improved dramatically compared to before, so his skill had followed suit and leveled up. Stats were one of the best indicators of one's combat ability, so with this, he could tell just how much he'd grown.

But then, a wave came cras.h.i.+ng down that would prove incomparable to his Combat Sense's growth. He had understood the Joker's essence, reached the peak of the Darkness element, had awakened the Dark Shadow element, and had become a level 8... Because he had become so much more, he was able to attain this new skill!

[The High Rank Bursting Thunder, Thorn Shadow, Emergency Evasion, High Rank Lightning Sprint, and Lightning Shadow skills are fusing together and evolving.]

All of the combat skills he'd acquired thus far had fused together and filled his body. It was no mere combat skill; it felt as though a new weapon and armor was made for him that suited his existence.

It had overcome the limitation of pa.s.sive and active skills, and had become a skill that would create a new stage where he could contain and reveal all.

Could he even call that a skill? He only called it a skill because he didn't know anything that would be appropriate. In fact, he could call it his alter ego.

[You have learned the innate skill, Wild Card Lv1. All stats have increased by 200.]

Once he'd gained the skill of skills, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo smiled within the darkness.

Wild Card? That was the very essence of a Joker.

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