NOVEL NEXT Chapter 319: Marionette (4)
Chapter 319 Marionette (4)
“Let’s take it all out.”
Inspecting the information page one last time, Yoon-seok made his decision. This was his opportunity to clean up anything that wasn’t very helpful.
“Let’s start with skills.”
He had a pile of general skills in his possession. None were bad, but they were pretty meaningless at this stage. This was why it was faster to pick out which ones should stay rather than what should be eliminated.
「Corpse Dismantlement (Rank F+) is sold.」
「Acquired 5,000AP.」
「Force Shield (Rank A+) is sold. 」
「Acquired 1,920,000 AP.」
…After shaking off all the skills with Skill Selling power, there were only six left. Vajra Step, Eyes of the Executor, Appraisal, King of All Swords, Yin & Yang, and Soul Bond.
‘Soul Bond is there just in case…’
Originally, he was going to use it on Elle. However, Yoon-seok put that decision on hold now, given this new information from Henigus. However, it still didn’t feel right to sell. Should he say it was like a white elephant gift?
“Done. Pretty much.”
Yoon-seok finished with his general skills and moved on. He didn’t sell any equipment just to be safe, so there was quite a collection.
「Energy contained in Unique Skill b Source} is decomposed and converted.」
「15 million APs are extracted from Thunder God’s Necklace (Rank S-).」
「19 million APs are extracted from Storm Ax (Rank S+).」
「25 million APs are extracted from Sea God’s Bracelet (Rank SS).」
「17.5 million APs are extracted from Purity (Rank S-).」
…Yoon-seok didn’t hesitate to recycle everything. Not just equipment, but also the various mechanical devices and Dragonian patterns presented to him by Cheon-ma after slaughtering Dracar’s robot.
“…”
After completing the entire process, Yoon-seok checked the information page again and hardened it.
’How many zeros are there…?’
A penny saved is a penny earned. About 400 million AP was gathered. This huge amount of money could build-up to his current level, starting from the bottom.
He had already decided where to use it.
“Then, should we upgrade those?”
He didn’t need skills. Any new ones, he wouldn’t have the time needed to properly utilize them.
「 Your purchase has arrived.」
「 Your purchase has arrived.」
「 Your purchase has arrived.」
「 Your purchase has arrived.」
…It was the same for equipment. So far, he didn’t benefit from equipment while developing. Two swords that fit in his hands were all he needed. So, there was only one option left.
‘Let’s raise the stats.’
If he improved his stats, he would never have to face another loss. Furthermore, if the Tower’s abilities worked against them, now would be enough, and if not, nothing he bought would mean much anyway.
Yoon-seok didn’t hesitate to buy the stats potions and gulped them down one after another.
「Rank of Magic (SS+) has increased.」
「 Rank of Magic (SSS-) has increased.」
「Rank of Magic (SSS) has increased.」
「Rank of Magic (SSS+) has increased.」
「Rank of Magic (EX) has increased.」
「Actual stat of magic has reached MAX.」
「Achievement Dragon’s Heart is completed.」
A total of 150 million AP was consumed in a blink, but it wasn’t a waste at all. To be honest, Yoon-seok wondered if things would change if his overflowing magic increased anymore.
Whoooooosh-!
Yoon-seok could immediately feel the changes. With additional corrections to the basic stat, he felt unstoppable.
’I’ll check the achievements later…’
Yoon-seok then upgraded his next ability. The next most important skill was strength.
「Actual stat of strength has reached MAX.」
「Achievement Super Body is completed.」
He completed another achievement. However, about 170 million AP was invested in improving strength, one rank lower than magic, so only 90 million AP was left.
’Using points ends in a second….’
He didn’t have enough points to raise another ability to MAX. Yoon-seok contemplated for a while and bought an additional upgrade.
「 Your purchase has arrived.」
「 Your purchase has arrived.」
「 Your purchase has arrived.」
「Achievement Falling Wealth is completed for the first time.」
「Rewarded LP will increase by 3x.」
Falling Wealth? And he was the first to complete it. It was an achievement related to points…
Yoon-seok decided to continue finishing what he was doing before checking.
「Rank of Agility (SS-) has increased.」
「Rank of Agility (SS) has increased.」
「Rank of Agility (SS+) has increased.」
「Rank of Agility (SSS-) has increased.」
Unfortunately, agility could only be raised to Rank SSS, but there were no points left after this.
Yoon-seok approached the tablet and checked the achievement page.
「List of Achievements」
Dragon’s Heart (Actual magic stats reached MAX) + 2,500 LPs.
Super Body (Actual muscle strength stats reached MAX) + 2,500 LPs.
Falling Wealth (consumed more than 300 million points in 5 minutes) + 7500 LP.
Was there such an achievement? It was understandable he was the first to achieve it. It was extremely rare to save 300 million and even more rare for someone to spend it all in five minutes.
’Now that I think about it, I have a lot of LP too….’
Yoon-seok’s LP alone reached 15,000 since he’d been saving up.
‘Indeed, because I rarely buy anything other than mission tickets.’
As he surfed through the achievement stores, Yoon-seok clicked his tongue. Should he say he had a lot of money but nothing to buy? There were so many unique items that couldn’t be purchased in the other stores, but they seemed useless
’But it’s a waste to just keep it….’
Yoon-seok read from the top of the list to find something.
’Okay, let’s just get lots of these.’
Just to play it safe, he bought many consumable items such as Elixirs.
*High Elixir – Upon drinking, all harmful effects on the body, mind, and soul are removed and healed, increasing lifespan permanently.
Price: 1,500LP.
What Yoon-seok purchased was twice more expensive than regular Elixirs, and the description was a little more comprehensive. However, it wasn’t a waste. Normal elixirs only removed abnormalities such as lost limbs, diseases, and curses.
「 Your purchase has arrived.」
「 Your purchase has arrived.」
「 Your purchase has arrived.」
Yoon-seok, buying ten bottles of Elixirs by using up his remaining LP, carefully arranged them in his bag. He bought them without having a suitable place to use them, but he thought it was worth the money.
’I feel reassured.’
Feeling proud with his shopping spree, Yoon-seok closed the tablet. Now that the maintenance was over, it was time to prepare in earnest.
“You’re here.”
As soon as he arrived at Earth, Ashton welcomed him. Yoon-seok was a little fascinated.
“Did you clean it up already?”
Only one hour had passed, including the maintenance time he spent in the waiting room, but what was this? The court bands sent by the British royal family, the chefs from all over the world, or the numerous other people who fell asleep drunk as the night stretched on were gone. There were no signs of the banquet left.
If it weren’t for Ashton’s slightly tipsy expression, he would’ve been convinced the night before was a fever dream.
“That’s the only thing I can do here.”
He said it as if it were nothing, but did he know? This ability was more impressive than even cutting down an invader. Well, if he said that, Ashton would only wave him off, saying it’s not like that.
“…Anyway, am I the first one?”
“Yes. No one has arrived yet. So… how was it?”
Only then did Yoon-seok realize one thing.
“Ah…”
They couldn’t check the ranking board here. He could only wait here for an hour without knowing who died and who survived.
“Don’t worry. Everyone came out alive.”
“The sky helped us.”
“…Sky?”
Yoon-seok smiled as he looked up at the black sky where the invaders still poured down. Ashton smiled. Perhaps he was embarrassed or relieved.
“Anyway, everyone is probably working on the final adjustments by now.”
“Then have you finished up already?”
“Yes. I didn’t have anything complicated to think about, so it ended quickly.”
“I see.”
There was a small pause before Ashton continued.
“So, have you decided?”
“Decided?
“Who will fit into the remaining seats?”
“Ah, that’s what you meant.”
The maximum capacity of the Last Fortress was twelve people. There were three seats left since Yoon-seok wasted a month and a half in Cheonma-dong. Therefore, Ashton showed Yoon-seok a list of candidates during the banquet and suggested choosing them.
‘As expected, I have no choice but to take some of them.’
“I’ve made up my mind.”
Ashton didn’t hide his curiosity.
“Who is it?”
“The first one is Sword Demon Jeong Dae-woon.”
“That’s a wise choice. First of all, he’s a rare duel ranker, and his loyalty is unrivaled.”
He was pretty skilled, but Yoon-seok’s high regard for him was his loyalty. When someone had to do what everyone else refused, he’d do so with a grin.
’Of course, it’s ideal to avoid that….’
They had to win this showdown. Therefore, Yoon-seok intended to act according to that goal, even cold-heartedly.
“So, who’s the second one?”
“It’s Aren.”
Aren was the guardian deity of the Katlan Empire. To be exact, he was an AI creature created by magic 500 years ago. When Yoon-seok killed the crown prince, they became enemies.
“It was said he returned to the emperor of the time, but I’m a little worried. If the restrictions were to disappear there…”
He might turn into an enemy. However…
“It’s going to be okay. When I met him last time, he was very obedient.”
“What? When did you meet him?”
“I dropped by during the banquet last night. Didn’t you see him?”
“Ah, because I had a lot of work to do… can you elaborate?”
Yoon-seok explained the events that happened last night. It was a short story about a little boy named Aren looking for the princess, and when he saw Yoon-seok and was hit by Cheon-ma, he became docile.
“If it’s that person… I understand why.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
In front of Cheon-ma, everyone becomes nice. Other than the Heavenly Buddha, he’d never seen anyone go against that trend. At least, none that were still alive.
“…”
“…”
There was still a lot to say, but time passed.
Ashton came to his senses first.
“So, who’s the last one?”
Unlike before, Yoon-seok hesitated for a while. He had a lot of worries making this decision. Ashton would doubt upon hearing this name, as it wasn’t on the list of candidates.
Should he say they were sort of like a wild card? Well, he’d have to find out in person whether it was a good or bad thing, but…
‘I’d better take him with me.’
Wasn’t it a future that hadn’t been reached in any world? It wouldn’t be bad to have at least one chaos variable.