{Kim Dokja POV}
Maybe we would’ve fought for a long time.
[The exclusive skill ‘Bookmark’ can now be activated.]
[The number two bookmark has been activated.]
[The level of the Bookmark skill is low, shortening the activation time.]
[Activation Time: One minute.]
Well, I had this. Otherwise my bones might be torn off my bones or my blood might clot.
[Your understanding of the character is low, so only a part of the character’s skill is activated.]
[Weapons Training Lv.1 has been activated.]
But it didn’t. To be exact, I couldn’t afford it. I used all the powers I had. I squeezed out all my strength and ran through the tentacles.
The landscape around me flashed by. The only thing left was the afterimage of a sharp white light and the sense of cutting something.
[Your understanding of the character ‘Lee Hyunsung’ has increased.]
[The number two bookmark has been disabled.]
I felt like I had lost strength. I had poured everything out in one blow. Then after a while. I heard a trembling voice in the air.
[…C-Constellations. Did you all see it? I-I didn’t see wrong…?]
It was the appearance of Dokkaebi Biryu, who had forgotten his duties. In fact, it wasn’t strange to be surprised.
[A few constellations are doubting their eyes.]
[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is flaring fiercely.]
It was a powerful grade 7 demon lying down with damaged tentacles in front of me.
[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ pulls his hair as if he is pleased.]
[500 coins have been sponsored.]
The severed tentacles lay on the ground and the surrounding ground rats had long been killed or fled in the aftermath of the fight. Only the dark keeper lay breathing roughly on the ground, its lips twitching.
Originally, the grade 7 demon was an enemy that I couldn’t cope with. Thus, I was prepared. I wasn’t as strong as Yoo Jonghyuk and I didn’t have a good sponsor like Lee Hyunsung.
[The obsessive-compulsive constellations praise your readiness.]
[200 coins have been sponsored.]
It was just that the ‘information’ I had was more advantageous than others. But sometimes, ‘information’ was more powerful than anything in the world.
The very result of that information was the white light sword now in my hand.
[A-An ‘ether blade’ in the beginning scenarios…C-Constellations. Is this a true story?]
Fortunately, I didn’t have to explain it as the dokkaebi was in full swing.
Ether Blade. It was the flagship technique of the incarnations supported by the highest level sponsor. The technique was often called ‘energy blade’ in Murim novels.
“To be exact, it isn’t a real ether blade. The real one is much stronger than this.”
[T-That’s right! Strictly speaking, it is Broken Faith that has absorbed the White Pure Star Energy and made the blade…]
Looking at the dokkaebi, he wasn’t a complete idiot.
[Amazing… There is this guy in that brat Bihyung’s channel…]
As if waiting for this, the Blade of Faith turned off.
[Broken Faith’s durability has run out. This item is no longer available.]
It was a pity but it did its part.
“Give me the compensation for finishing the sub scenario.”
[Uhh, that’s right. W-Wait!]
Biryu hurriedly entered something in the air and a message soon popped up.
[You have met the conditions to clear the sub scenario!]
[You have earned 500 coins.]
[A handful of constellations admire your scenario.]
The reward was smaller than I thought. It was natural. It was because I haven’t killed the dark keeper.
[By the way, are you not going to kill that guy?]
Biryu looked at me with expectant eyes.
I let out an exhausted breath and glanced at the dark keeper on the ground. Then I kindly said.
“I have a non-killing ideology.”
[N-Non-killing…?]
“I’m not someone who kills easily.”
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ admires it!]
[100 coins have been sponsored.]
Of course, it was a lie.
[The constellation Secretive Plotter is smiling slyly at you.]
[100 coins have been sponsored.]
The bewildered Biryu stammered.
[B-But won’t the reward be great if you kill this guy? You will be the first to kill a grade 7 demon and I will give you 7,000 coins! Do you know how big 7,000 coins is?]
“I won’t kill it. I need to open the compensation box so please step aside.”
I removed the irritating Biryu from in front of me. The dark keeper wasn’t the real reason I came here. So…
[The grade 7 demon, ‘Dark Keeper’ was killed.]
The dokkaebi who looked like it was so funny he would die and the dark keeper who died with a knife in his chest. Then.
“Haha, hahahahat! N-Now I can be strong! Kim Dokja, you son of a bitch! You didn’t know this!”
Han Myungoh was the one holding the knife. I had a rough idea of what happened. Then explosive messages were heard in my ears.
[A grade 7 demon has been hunted for the first time!]
[An impossible feat has been accomplished.]
[You have earned 8,000 coins.]
[Contribution: Kim Dokja, Han Myungoh]
Perhaps these messages were also shared with Han Myungoh. I only received a few coins because I didn’t deal the finishing blow but…
I could see Han Myungoh dying with happiness at the messages.
“Non-killing ideology? Stupid guy! What is killing in this burning world? There can’t be a person like you! You know―”
Then Han Myungoh stopped. Now he knew what he had done.
[The grade 7 demon ‘dark keeper’ has been killed and the demon king ‘Asmodeus’ has noticed the murderer’s presence.]
[The demon king Asmodeus will chase the one who dealt the finishing blow until they are dead.]
[The demon king Asmodeus has put a terrible curse on the person who dealt the final blow!]
[Final Blow: Han Myungoh]
“W-What? What is this message?”
Han Myungoh cried out fearfully.
[The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ admires your wickedness.]
“Ah…didn’t I tell you? I intentionally didn’t kill it.”
[The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ has recommended your scenario to Star Stream.]
Han Myungoh stared into the air like he had lost his soul.
The curse of the demon king ‘Asmodeus’ was the most terrible thing for a killer. I didn’t know what it was but it was surely terrible.
I looked back and saw Lee Gilyoung and Yoo Sangah looking this way with bemused expressions. I smiled as if nothing had happened.
“We’ll open the rewards together.”
After a while, we searched through the treasures and pulled out one each.
“I got this.”
“I have this…”
Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung found a small bracelet and old shield respectively.
[Magic Power Recovery Bracelet]
[Old Iron Shield]
They were both D grade items but it was better than nothing. The Magic Power Recovery Bracelet was a useful item for everyone and the Old Iron Shield would be good for Lee Hyunsung.
It was difficult to ignore the ‘iron’ in the name. This iron was much harder than Earth’s iron.
Yoo Sangah spoke with slight disappointment.
“It is less than I thought.”
Less. Her words weren’t wrong. It was too shameful to call this a ‘treasure trove.’
Yoo Jonghyuk.
The guy who left yesterday had probably gone through this place. He knew he would be tired fighting the demon so he took a chance and stole the treasure.
In the end, we were robbing a place that was already robbed.
“it is okay because the main thing is still left.”
I looked at a black box in the centre of the warehouse. We didn’t waste any more time and opened the box.
The thing in the box was a stove. It was small enough to fit into a pocket and it was shameful to call it a stove.
[Magic Power Stove].
As expected, it was still here. This item was in fact the key item in this sub scenario.
[Magic Power Stove can only be used once per person.]
Obviously, Yoo Jonghyuk had taken one so there were two Magic Power Stoves in total.
“…What is that thing?”
“Well, I think I know a bit about its purpose.”
I purposely trembled, activated the stove with magic power and raised a dead ground rat’s leg.
It was funny since it didn’t fit the size of a plate of food, but in five seconds, a remarkable change happened to the leg of the ground rat.
“Wow! A delicious smell!”
There was a sweet smell and the leg of the ground rat changed to a golden colour.
“Meat!”
Lee Gilyoung cried out excitedly. Yoo Sangah asked urgently.
“C-Can we eat this?”
“I’ll try it first.”
I grabbed the greasy hind leg and dug into the flesh. The juices ran from the flesh…I forgot to chew and closed my eyes. Tasting it was different from reading it in the book.
[A few constellations are drooling.]
[The constellations have sponsored you 100 coins.]
[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ has swallowed his saliva.]
[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ is biting his nails.]
·····.
The messages continuously popped up. Indeed, eating broadcasts were the best. Everyone was united in front of food.
“Eat it. I think it is okay.”
The two people rushed towards the meat as soon as I spoke. They hadn’t had a proper meal for three days so they would be quite hungry. Han Myungoh recovered and came over hesitantly.
Han Myungoh’s complexion turned as white as death. I said it like a joke but Han Myungoh really would die. Asmodeus’ pursuit was hard for even Yoo Jonghyuk to overcome.
Everyone ate the meal in silence. Was it due to the light spreading gently from the Magic Power Stove? I was feeling a bit sentimental.
Killing something and eating it in order to live. This was the life of a human. It had been like this so far but I wondered why it felt so fresh.
Suddenly, I looked up and met Yoo Sangah’s eyes. Ha, Yoo Sangah came to her senses and suddenly cried out.
“I’m pathetic.”
“…Huh?”
“Dokja-ssi worked so hard and I am just eating like a pig… I was no help at all…”
“No, Yoo Sangah-ssi. That…”
“But how does Dokja-ssi know all this? You know how to cook a beast and…”
“Ah, that…”
“Indeed! It must be because you read fantasy novels, right? Really, I didn’t know the world was going to be like this. My silly self was just memorizing Spanish.”
I felt somewhat strange when I heard Yoo Sangah say this. I opened my mouth to comfort her.
“It is because Yoo Sangah-ssi studied foreign languages that you learned the language of the demon species.”
Of course, it wasn’t very helpful.
“I see… Thank you, Dokja-ssi…”
I smiled at Yoo Sangah and got up from where I was sitting. The party was immersed in eating again. I took a break and headed for the back of the party.
In fact, the Magic Power Stove was important but my real purpose was a separate item. I looked closely at the ‘black box’ that contained the Magic Power Stove. It was this. There was no doubt about it.
Yoo Jonghyuk, who took the Magic Power Stove, probably didn’t know about it. The real treasure of the warehouse was this ‘black box.’
In the original story, Yoo Jonghyuk only knew about this after the 6th round of regression.
Who was the first to discover this. Was it ‘Heavenly Maid Hori?’ Well, it was hard to remember. It wasn’t accurate but it was probably something like this:
「 “Over there. There are strange boxes in the early areas. If you put something in there…” 」
At this time, I met Yoo Sangah’s eyes.
“What is the box for?”
“Huh? Ah, this…”
Yoo Sangah said as she looked at the box. There were unknown characters written on the box.
…Could she read them?
“Random…item box?”
Damn. This was why foreign language proficiency was important.
“Uh…that…um. So that is what it means.”
I was a bit embarrassed. Yoo Sangah cried out.
“Quickly use it, Dojka-ssi!”
“…Is it okay?”
Nod nod. Lee Gilyoung nodded vigorously.
“You don’t need to worry about us. All the items obtained here are yours. That is obvious.”
Yes, I was caught so let’s do it quickly.
“Then I will use it well.”
[A few constellations are nodding at your decision.]
I took the nucleus of the grade 7 demon from my pocket. I had cut it from the dead body of the dark keeper. In addition, I took out Broken Faith which had run out of durability. According to the original plot, the use of this box was simple.
「 “Who knew? There would be a limited edition coin item.” 」
I placed the demon core and Broken Faith into the box.
「 “Ha, you can’t believe me words? Is it real? Put sub items in there and close the box!” 」
In fact, I didn’t know what would happen when I put in these two items. But I was certain that something huge would come out.
「 “A top item will unconditionally come out!” 」
A moment later, a dazzling light burst out from the closed box.
I looked down at the vibrating box. The random draw was about to start in earnest.
[A sword type item will be awarded for putting in the same type of items!]
[The random draw has started!]
The limited edition random item box randomly spat out items of a higher rank related to the item you put in. There was a chance for anything from a C grade to a SSS grade item to come out. In the end, it was all up to chance.
[The offered items are related to a certain constellation!]
[The probability that an item associated with this constellation will appear is greatly increased.]
It was an unexpected message. But it didn’t seem to be a disadvantage for me. Both my hands were sweating. I hadn’t been so nervous when I bought a random chance item in an online game. Please let it be an A rating.
[A top rated item has appeared!]
[The number of available random item boxes is 0.]
The box soon stopped trembling and the faint light subsided. I looked around at Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung, whose eyes were shining.
“Shall we open it?”
“Yes!”
We opened the box.
Lee Gilyoung was so surprised that he screamed. By the way, it really was amazing. A luxurious silver guard and a white blade…the shape was somewhat similar to Broken Faith?
I immediately checked the item information.
+
[Item Information]
Name: Unbroken Faith
Rating: Star Relic
Description: In the past, it was the sword of the hero ‘Kaizenix’, who led the Grusiad during the Great Demon Age. The great ether dominance of Kaizenix allowed him to create a ‘Blade of Faith’ that contained fire, darkness and divine power respectively.
As an additional option, it increases strength and stamina level by 2.
+
I was speechless. No…was this real? It wasn’t a simple alphabet rating but a star relic item?
“D-Dokja-ssi! Doesn’t it look like a huge item?”
It really was a huge item.
In the world of Ways of Survival, the ‘star relics’ were the only items excluded from the ratings table. It wasn’t just because they had a strong performance but because these items were special.
Every star relic contained the power of a living constellation.
The difference in performance varied depending on whether the constellation was the hero of a certain world and how much awareness they had. However, they contained the power of a constellation so the relics had tremendous value.
In addition, it raised the level of his strength and stamina by 2. When taking into account that A grade items increased the total stats value by 1, it must be at least a S grade item.
Yoo Jonghyuk hadn’t obtained an item like this yet.
I looked around at Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung.
“…I can really have it?”
“Of course. It naturally belongs to Dokja-ssi.”
Yoo Sangah responded in advance to his repeat question. Lee Gilyoung also nodded eagerly.
I looked at Han Myungoh but he was just eating the leg of a ground rat with a stupid expression. He was muttering unknown things to himself. I thought he would insist on having the item…it was strange.
[You have acquired a star relic.]
[The owner of the star relic is curious about you.]
The message showed that the constellation existed somewhere. Later, I would open up Ways of Destruction and look for it.
“Then we should go back. There are plenty of ground rats out there so we can go back with just the Magic Power Stove.”
“But how do we get back?”
“It won’t be a problem to leave with Gilyoung’s power. Use Diverse Communication and…”
However, Lee Gilyoung’s expression wasn’t bright.
“Hyung, I…”
“Huh?”
“There aren’t any insects nearby.”
Come to think of it, the insects around here had burst from the pressure when I was fighting the dark keeper. It was a problem I hadn’t thought about.
“There really isn’t one? Some of them should still be alive. If we move for a bit and use the ability…”
There were so many insects in the world that I didn’t have any sympathy for the few who died. But Lee Gilyoung still had a dark expression.
“Well, there is one I can actually call…” Lee Gilyoung closed his eyes and started concentrating.
“Dokja-ssi, isn’t this a big strange?”
Lee Gilyoung’s eyes were gradually losing focus. Then blood flowed down from his nose.
“Gilyoung?”
All of a sudden, there was a loud vibration from above them. Dust started falling down. The vibration was coming from above ground…
At this moment, goosebumps appeared on my skin.
“Gilyoung! Lee Gilyoung! Wake up!”
“Ye…Hyung?”
Lee Gilyoung’s eyes returned to normal.
“Gilyoung, stop the skill! Quickly!”
The surprised Lee Gilyoung stopped the skill and the vibration subsided. I sighed with relief.
There were incredibly dangerous monsters running around above ground. There were numerous high rated monsters, including the grade 7 rhinoceros. Among these monsters was the insect king. It was obvious a type of insect just based on the name.
“You really…”
I placed my hand on Lee Gilyoung’s head and didn’t say anything. He was about to call an insect king from aboveground… was he Fabre? We almost got buried here.
“For the time being, seal this skill. Don’t use it unless I tell you to. Understood?”
“Yes…”
Lee Gilyoung replied in a sad manner. Now there was no choice but to wait.
“We will get lost in the darkness. Let’s wait a bit longer and move when small insects appear in the vicinity.”
It was easy to enter but the Edge of Darkness was a very dangerous place. It was a place where someone could disappear for a day or two if a little mistake was made.
Then Yoo Sangah raised her hand.
“If it is just going back, I think I can fill in for Gilyoung.”
“…How?”
I was going to ask if she would converse with the Edge of Darkness but stopped because it seemed sarcastic. Yoo Sangah replied in a slightly uncertain tone.
“I have a similar skill.”
When I thought about it, I still didn’t know Yoo Sangah’s attribute and sponsor.
“What is the skill?”
“That, it is a complicated skill to untangle…”
Untangle?
“…Excuse me, can I ask what Yoo Sangah-ssi’s attribute is?”
Yoo Sangah wasn’t a character in the novel so I didn’t know her attribute. It was like Lee Gilyoung and Han Myungoh.
“Uh, that…”
Yoo Sangah made a difficult expression. It wouldn’t have been so frustrating if I could use Character List on Yoo Sangah. I tried to use Character List once again as a test.
[The exclusive skill, Character List is activated.]
[This person isn’t registered in ‘Character List.’]
Indeed… But there was one more message.
[Currently collecting information about the corresponding figure.]
It was a message that never existed before. Come to think of it, I heard a system message when Yoo Sangah used the ‘Interpreter’ skill. It wasn’t something that was originally heard.
Was it possible for the Character List to be updated after some time? Perhaps…
I organized my thoughts and decided to let Yoo Sangah go.
“Forget that I asked. By the way, nice work. In the future, don’t let other people know about your personal attribute.”
“That’s not it! I trust Dojka-ssi…!”
Well, Yoo Sangah’s appearance said otherwise. At the moment, I got an idea.
“Can Yoo Sangah tell me about the nature of your sponsor?”
Yoo Sangah bowed her head.
“I’m sorry.”
The words barely escaped from her trembling lips. Based on this level, it was possible that she made some type of promise in the contract with her sponsor. Perhaps there was a life constraint in respect with the spilling of information.
I didn’t know what sponsor they were but it seemed they had decided to raise Yoo Sangah in earnest.
“It is okay. I understand.”
“Thank you, really…”
There was no need to thank me. She couldn’t tell me her sponsor…it made my heart tense. It was the desire of a reader who wanted to fill the space between empty lines.
“Then try using your skill.”
Soon, a faintly shining thread emerged from Yoo Sangah’s fingertips and started to stretch out.
“In fact, I tied up a ‘thread’ when I got kidnapped.”
One branch of the thread was connected to me and the other one was connected outside. Maybe it was bound to Lee Hyunsung or Jung Heewon.
“Let’s go.”
There was no reason for Yoo Sangah to have such a skill from the beginning. This was definitely the stigma provided by her sponsor.
By the way, it was a ‘thread’ to escape the labyrinth. This…somehow, I thought it was a constellation I knew.
Jung Heewon seemed much better as she swung her shoulders in a test. The meat of the underground species actually contained detoxification components.
“Did you get a lot of things in there? In addition to the Magic Power Stove…”
“I got a few things.”
I looked at Lee Hyunsung and said.
Lee Hyunsung put on and removed the Old Steel Shield that he received from me several times. Now he was polishing the surface again and again. It was like someone with a new car.
[The character ‘Lee Hyunsung’ feels a faint loyalty to you.]
Jung Heewon seemed envious of the scene and asked.
“Is there anything I can use?”
“No.”
“What is that blade?”
“It is mine.”
“…Will you distribute the meat to the people?”
“If they have coins.”
“But…you are really stingy. Kim Dokja.”
“Let’s say that I have a strong sense of survival.”
As we were passing around a piece of cooked ground rat, the tunnel ended. The surroundings suddenly brightened and people started to be seen. But the atmosphere was weird. What was this urgent and bustling mood?
[There are 20 minutes left until the paid settlement.]
[Prepare the survival fee.]
I belatedly noticed the time. That’s right. It was already that time. It was amazing that the word ‘paid’ sounded so scary.
“Coin, coins please!”
“I don’t have enough coins! Please, a few coins…”
100 coins wouldn’t be a problem if they faithfully participated in the scenario, but such humans were rare.
“I’ll give you one million won, no, ten million won! Who will sell 100 coins?”
The price of the coins was soaring. It was funny. There was a ridiculous premium on money that had no value until the beginning of the destruction.
And there were people smiling as they watched from afar. These guys already had enough coins. It was Cheon Inho and the Cheoldoo Group.
[The attribute of character ‘Jung Heewon’ is about to blossom.]
The time had come for Jung Heewon. It wasn’t bad if her attribute blossomed now…yet. She needed some patience in order to get the ‘attribute’ I was thinking about.
Then a system message emerged.
[After a while, the survival settlement will begin.]
“S-Save me! Save me!”
The expressions of the party changed. Lee Hyunsung bowed his head sadly while Jung Heewon bit her lip while holding her blade.
Everyone knew what the price of the ‘paid settlement’ was. There was no one here who hadn’t experienced it.
“…Dokja-ssi.”
Then Yoo Sangah looked at me.
“Yes.”
In this world, coins were power. A person with coins could obtain good items or good stats. Coins were everything.
[Several constellations with scenario recommendations have been added to the channel.]
[The constellation Secretive Plotter is watching your choice.]
[The constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband is watching your choice.]
[The constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire is watching your choice.]
And I was current the person with the highest number of coins in the station.
____________________________________________
“Young master-nim, I can’t feel it anymore.”
“Taerang also said that it has disappeared.”
“Maybe it got destroyed or someone’s taken it. We should try to go to the nearby station. We could ask if there is some survivors there.”
They decided to search around the area while keep looting the stores and banks they passed onto until they decided to go to the nearby station.
<to be continue>
Author's note: Thank you for your comments ItzChoco_milk,UwURin3,Shlyncl16 & wflooo. I just need to listen to my elder nagging for 3 hours and luckily she still has jetlag so I hope I can write next chapter after few hours. Thanks for reading, votes and comments. I hope you enjoy the story.
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