Chapter 15
-Ding.
[The trait 'Golden Rule+' activates.]
The tier of the Stigma being created increases.
[As an EX+++ achievement reward, the fivefold increase is applied.]
The increase in power gained relative to the restriction is increased fivefold when creating the Stigma.
"…Wow."
My mouth fell open.
Just when I thought I was used to getting things for free.
Even I couldn't help but be shocked.
'The Stigma alone is already an amazing deal, and now it's giving me even more?'
A Stigma is basically an active skill.
When an Awakener says, 'Make me something like this,' it creates one to order.
Do I even need to explain how powerful it is?
Hwang Hee-chan alone sliced a boss monster into four with a single activation of his Stigma.
It's not for nothing that anyone who clears the second tier of the Pilgrim's Tower is treated as a top-class Awakener.
A skill like that had just fallen into my lap.
And its tier had even increased.
'It was probably Tier 2 originally, so Tier 3?'
A Tier 3 Stigma, obtainable after clearing the third tier.
I'd gotten one on Floor 20.
It was now on the same level as Hwang Hee-chan's Stigma.
-Gulp.
'No, it's not even comparable.'
My gaze swept over the notification again.
An increase in power relative to the restriction.
Those thrilling words caught my eye.
'Was the restriction Hwang Hee-chan imposed exhaustion whenever he used his Stigma?'
The more restrictions you attach to a Stigma, the more powerful it becomes.
Add something like death upon use, and it becomes a true ultimate skill.
But…
Even if I impose the same restriction, mine will be five times as powerful?
'This could even carry me through the fifth tier!!'
I immediately raised my arm.
As for what kind of skill to make with it…
I already had an idea.
"When the Stigma activates, I can send a homing sword strike toward any enemy I want, as far as I want."
A ranged attacker.
That was the most urgent thing.
Even Awakeners attempting Hard difficulty told you to prepare at least one ranged attack.
Of course, I already had a Rare-grade sword with sword energy, but…
It had a ten-minute cooldown, and I was eventually going to get a weapon better than this.
Better to prepare in advance, right?
'Then the restriction….''
"Ahem, ahem."
After thinking that far.
I cleared my throat.
From here on, I was going to decide on the core of Stigma creation: the 'restriction.'
Of course, I'd already decided on everything before coming here.
I had no hesitation.
"When I activate the Stigma, I take damage proportional to the range and homing power."
The restriction would be additional self-inflicted damage.
It was a restriction no sane person would ever impose, but…
'With 80% damage reduction and immunity to instant death once a day, it's manageable.'
The Mythic-grade traits Dragon Armor and Guardian Dragon's Blessing.
I decided to force it through, trusting only in those.
And the moment I finished speaking.
-Ding.
[Restriction set.]
[Would you like to create the Stigma as is?]
-Fwoosh—!!!
The energy glowing on my forearm flared up.
Since it was an exceptionally difficult, practically suicidal restriction, the Stigma seemed to have been greatly enhanced.
'Though in reality, it was a freebie for me.'
"Yeah, make it this way."
Satisfied, I nodded.
The blue energy blazing on my forearm immediately coursed through my entire body.
-Jump!
"Kyaaang!!? Kkang, kkang!!!"
The sight apparently looked like some kind of self-immolation, because Dohwa tried to put out the flames with their tail, but…
The commendable attempt was of little use.
The flames died down within a few seconds.
More precisely, they sank into my body.
"Dohwa, stop overreacting."
"…Kyaaang?"
While Dohwa stood there flustered,
I calmly examined my forearm.
A faint burn mark had appeared on my forearm.
-Ding.
[Stigma creation complete.]
[Tier 3 Stigma - Spatial Slash+]
The more wounds its wielder suffers, the farther its strike shall transcend even space to reach the enemy.
"Okay."
I got a ranged skill with homing.
Clearing the third tier should be an easy freebie now.
Not that I planned to challenge the third tier right away, but still.
'Shall I test its performance?'
"Dohwa, go back in for a moment. Dismiss summon."
"Kkang!!"
After dismissing Dohwa's summon.
I took a sword from my Inventory and gripped it.
Then I muttered softly.
"…Spatial Slash."
-Swish—
A blade slashed downward through empty air.
At a glance, it looked like an ordinary motion.
But what happened afterward was anything but ordinary.
-Crack!!!
"Oh."
A sword mark appeared in the stone wall of the safe zone.
Even though my sword hadn't touched it.
It had been gouged deeply in the shape of my sword swing.
The wall was about five meters away…
'It doesn't hurt at all?'
It was about as painful as a fly landing on the back of my hand.
It wasn't painful; it wasn't even itchy.
The safe zone seemed too narrow for testing the Stigma's performance.
'Still, twenty meters should be easy.'
"This is satisfying enough~."
I casually got to my feet.
I could check its power later.
For now, I planned to go home.
I was just about to take the portal straight to Floor 20, the large-scale safe zone, but…
-Pause.
'That's right, a greeting.'
Something flashed through my mind at that moment.
I immediately reached out and touched the Status Window.
Before long, the Awakener community appeared before me.
[Pilgrim's Public Channel]
Author: Hyunseo
Title: I Want Kimchi Jjim
Day Laborer: You already cleared Floor 20, right?
Day Laborer: You're hanging in there, right?
Hyunseo: Huh? No, wait, what???
Hyunseo: It hasn't been long since you cleared the first tier.
Day Laborer: I'm a bit quick.
Day Laborer: Ah, the third tier will take a while.
Hyunseo: Well, it did take me two months to clear the third tier.
Hyunseo: No, how did you clear the second tier in less than a week? That's physically impossible.
Day Laborer: It wasn't impossible.
Day Laborer: Anyway, see you next time.
Hyunseo: Wait a second!! Mr. Hee-chan is asking who you are…
-Tap.
"Okay."
The chaebol's third-generation heir trapped on Floor 39.
After giving the lucky military-service dodger's tofu-soft mentality a quick check.
-Whoosh—!!!
I thrust my sword into empty air.
Then I swept it powerfully downward.
-Ding.
[The traits 'Sword God,' 'Myriad Severance Sword,' and 'Dragon Knight'….]
[The trait 'Dragon Eyes' activates.]
[Safe Zone on the Boss Floor of Awakener '???']
Someone had stayed here for a short while…
"Hmm."
'Well, this much for now?'
The 'dimensional wall' surrounding the Tower.
On the first tier, I'd only been able to make a hole large enough to peek briefly beyond it, but…
Now I could fit my head through.
'Wait a few more weeks, third-generation chaebol heir.'
I'll come rescue you soon.
I'll do it while I'm climbing the Tower—might as well.
* * *
-Ding.
[Return complete.]
"Ughhh~."
In front of the Wimp's Tower.
I stretched vigorously.
At a hero's return, the citizens watching should've been rushing to present me with liquor and women…
-Murmur, murmur.
"Look at that guy acting proud after clearing Easy difficulty."
"Tsk tsk, if a man has all four limbs intact, he should go to Normal."
"Even a guy like that awakens, so why don't I…."
"……."
Ah, the world is full of Wimp's Tower haters.
"Sigh."
'Still, this is a good thing.'
I wasn't hurt by being ignored.
No, if anything, I was a little grateful.
After all, what if the guy climbing the Wimp's Tower were actually the national-power-level Awakener Cheol Gangmin?
Who would believe that?
It was perfect for someone like me who wanted to hide his identity.
'Then, shall I test the necklace's performance?'
After briefly looking around.
I poured mana into the necklace.
The Artifact 'Necklace of Seclusion,' which erased its wearer's presence in proportion to the amount of mana infused, glowed faintly.
And the result?
"Hello~ Do you believe in Jesus~."
"……Oh."
The proselytizer handing out tissues walked right past me, and me alone.
It felt like the darkest place was right under the lamp.
People would notice me if I stood right in front of them, but otherwise, I seemed difficult to perceive.
Now even a Management Bureau employee could show up and I'd be safe…
-Pause.
'No, Awakeners with detection traits might be different. Let's not rely on this alone.'
I held back the part of me that kept trying to become complacent.
One must be careful in all things.
Even when crossing a stone bridge, tap it first.
I recited my parents' teachings in my heart.
Of course, my parents had died in the absurdly unfair Gate Break incident.
But that was just an absurdly unfair turn of events.
Still, I should be careful wherever I could be, right?
'Then, shall I go home?'
I began walking at an unhurried pace.
My thoughts were already all sunshine and flowers.
I was excited at the thought of moving before challenging the third tier.
I was about to take the subway home, but…
-Beep-beep-beep!!
[Attention, passengers. The train ahead of us….]
"Hmm?"
The subway announcement rang out just as I was about to board.
I tilted my head and listened.
It wasn't particularly good news.
'An Acute Break occurred?'
An Acute Break.
It was the term for a Gate with an extremely short time limit, where a Break occurred before a raid party even had time to enter.
It was a natural disaster that happened from time to time.
For a moment, my expression almost turned serious,
[Acute Break near Seoul Station, Arirang Guild currently handling it]
"Phew."
Another guild was already responding.
After all, it had happened right in the middle of Seoul.
A nearby guild must have rushed over immediately.
Thanks to that, no one would die.
'Then, shall I go watch?'
Once I relaxed, other thoughts naturally came to me.
Arirang was one of the top five Awakener guilds in Korea.
Could I really pass up the chance to watch them fight firsthand?
It was only about two subway stops away.
No, I couldn't pass it up.
Let's take a look while I'm here.
'Necklace of Seclusion, I'm counting on you!'
-Dash—!!!
I immediately turned around and started running.
I moved faster than a delivery motorcycle.
Thanks to that, I arrived at the scene in no time.
-Bustling.
"Make preventing civilian casualties our top priority!!"
"Move away! This is a real situation!!"
"Oh."
I'd expected chaos, but things were more under control than I'd thought.
The citizens were only watching from far away.
Thanks to that, the Awakeners were able to deal with the monsters with ease.
As for taking down the boss too…
Well, three hours should be more than enough.
I was about to feel dejected at that thought, but
-Ding.
[The trait 'Dragon Eyes' activates.]
[Lesser Demon Knight]
Level: 450
Weakness: Neck
"Oh?"
The boss's information came into view at that moment.
I immediately knew what I was dealing with the instant I saw it.
That was…
A perfect target dummy.
'Its level is reasonable, and the other Awakeners are tanking it. Perfect.'
I immediately pumped mana forcefully into the necklace.
I also put on the Legendary-grade invisibility hat, 'Tarnkafe,' from my Inventory.
My body blended into the surroundings and became invisible.
When I checked myself through my phone camera, nothing showed up except a slight wavering like heat haze.
'No one else can see me either.'
Just in case, I checked the citizens' reactions, but no one noticed me.
No, even an Awakener with a detection trait probably wouldn't be able to see me.
My invisibility hat was Legendary-grade.
It was a truly precious item, one of only a handful in the entire world.
Since I had it on my head and had activated the Artifact as well,
there was no chance I'd be caught even if I acted a little recklessly.
-Shing.
'Well then, shall we give it a try?'
After drawing a Rare-grade sword from my Inventory.
In a situation where no one could see me.
I whispered very softly.
"Spatial Slash."