"Is it really that delicious?"
-Waaah!
| [Fire(EX) says it's to die for!] |
| -------------------------------- |
"I guess Mana Stones have different flavors too. Eat as much as you want. I've got something even tastier coming."
-Waaah!
| [Fire(EX) asks you to give him a higher-rank Mana Stone next time!] |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
"Yeah, sure. For today, just be satisfied with these. I can only enter the Trial Tower once a day."
Fire glanced around the room and stopped complaining.
Even he seemed to understand.
Right now, I simply could not afford to give him better Mana Stones.
-Waaah.
| [Fire(EX) says he'll be understanding since you live in a prison!] |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
"Hey! This isn't a prison."
You little runt.
How dare you insult my first place like that?
Well, it was not exactly wrong.
A sixteen-square-meter studio apartment.
Still, this place meant a lot to me.
It was both my first taste of independence and my first place living alone.
It held traces of all the hardships I had endured.
-Waaah. Waaah.
| [Fire(EX) apologizes for insulting the Contractor's home.] |
| ---------------------------------------------------------- |
"It's not my home, though."
-Waaah?
| [Fire(EX) stares at you as though you just said something absurd.] |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
He was so shocked that he even dropped the Mana Stone he had been eating.
His expression practically screamed, What kind of nonsense is that?
"Of course I'm renting it. What kind of money do you think I have?"
-Waaah. Waaah. Sigh.
| [Fire(EX) asks what you've been doing with your life at your age.]
| [Fire(EX) sighs, wondering how someone like this could possibly be his Contractor.] |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
"Hey, you little—! I'm only twenty-six, and I'm a job seeker! What house am I supposed to own? You really don't know anything about how the world works, do you? Want me to take away the Mana Stone you're eating? Hurry up and apologize."
-...Waaah.
| [Fire(EX) pouts as he apologizes.] |
| ---------------------------------- |
"Phew. Fine. Since you apologized, I'll give it back. I suppose you wouldn't know much about this stuff if you've only ever lived in the Spirit Realm."
I returned the Mana Stone I had confiscated.
I never imagined I would hear something like that from a Spirit.
I should just endure it.
He was a Spirit King who had only just entered the human world, after all.
More importantly, he was a Spirit who could make me money.
So this much was understandable.
Yes, perfectly understandable.
If he did not know something, I could simply teach him.
| ❰Hunger: (250/1,000)❱ |
| --------------------- |
"Oh, it's filling up."
An F-Rank Mana Stone increased it by 10, while an E-Rank one increased it by 20.
That was less than I had expected.
I had thought I would be able to sell the remaining Mana Stones along with the monster byproducts.
And it was not as though Hunger only increased.
Before Fire had even finished eating all the F-Rank Mana Stones—
| ❰Hunger: (240/1,000)❱ |
| --------------------- |
"It went down? Wait, it can decrease too?"
-It is Hunger, after all. You must reach the target value before it decreases.
He was practically a Mana Stone-devouring hippo.
The plan I had made collapsed before my eyes.
Looking at the System, it seemed Fire could only level up once his Hunger was completely filled.
Not by killing monsters.
'Still, if he can spam a skill like that, there probably isn't much to worry about.'
Once we entered the proper Trial Tower, leveling him up should happen in no time.
Judging by how many Mana Stones had dropped, it seemed possible to get him to Level 2.
So there was no need to worry.
More importantly, I should think about my own food.
'The jokbal's here.'
I sensed someone's presence on the first floor.
I could even smell the distinctive herbal aroma of jokbal.
I had heard that awakening enhanced every sense and physical ability dozens of times over.
So this must have been what they meant.
Before awakening, I would not even have known the delivery had arrived until the doorbell rang.
This was on an entirely different level.
'No wonder people call awakening the lottery.'
Even the likelihood of getting sick decreased exponentially.
It seemed I would not have to worry about illness at all until the day I died.
DING-DONG.
"Your jokbal is here~. Your lovely jokbal has arrived!"
A feast was soon spread across my worn-out dining table.
Half spicy and half savory jokbal, various leafy vegetables for wraps, ssamjang, wasabi, and even makguksu.
It had everything.
I picked up a lettuce leaf.
I had to build a proper stack.
Two pieces of jokbal, a suitable amount of makguksu, and a piece of garlic generously coated in ssamjang.
I made a wrap and stuffed the whole thing into my mouth.
"Ahhh!"
This was it.
This was what life was all about.
Wasn't this why people made money in the first place?
I was rolling up my sleeves, ready to dig in properly, when I sensed an intense presence beside me.
It was Fire.
He was not even looking at the Mana Stones in his hands.
Instead, he stared at the jokbal, repeatedly swallowing his saliva.
Something about the look in his eyes made me uneasy.
"Didn't you say you preferred Mana Stones to ordinary food?"
-W-Waaah! Waaah!
| [Fire(EX) says he likes ordinary food too!]
| [Fire(EX) says he ate ordinary food back when he lived in the Spirit Realm!] |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
I shook my head.
Not happening.
"You said Mana Stones were better, didn't you? And tastier too. Don't even think about touching mine."
Maybe I should tease him a little.
I deliberately ate a perfectly prepared wrap right in front of him.
"Mmm, delicious. It's so good!"
I could not help smiling.
I did not mean much by it.
It was merely a little revenge for how he had complained after I gave him expensive canned tuna and Spam.
I was just about to take another bite.
Fire suddenly sprang into the air.
He jumped surprisingly high—and fast.
I did not even have time to react.
He opened his mouth wide and swallowed the wrap I had been about to put into my mouth in a single bite.
The wrap vanished instantly, leaving me biting nothing but air.
"Huh? Hey, you little—! Why did you eat that?!"
-Waaah~. Waaah~.
| [Fire(EX) keeps saying that it's delicious!] |
| -------------------------------------------- |
"Spit it out! Spit it—"
-Gulp. Aaah! Burp.
"Aaaaargh!"
An unexpected commotion erupted inside the studio apartment.
The next morning.
I hurriedly shoved a freshly fried egg into my mouth.
I wolfed down the rice I had bought from the convenience store along with it.
I was not normally the type to rush through meals, but—
'I can't let that pig steal this too.'
Just remembering what had happened yesterday made my blood boil enough that I wanted to smack him again.
All I had done was tease him a little, yet he had devoured half of a medium-sized serving of jokbal.
If I had eaten even a little more slowly, he probably would have stolen the other half too.
Worse, ordinary food was terrible for filling his Hunger.
It did not even restore one-sixteenth as much as an F-Rank Mana Stone.
So this meal, at least, was absolutely off-limits.
I pushed Fire aside as he clung to the bowl and drooled over it.
"I already said I'm sorry for teasing you. You've got Mana Stones, don't you? Eat those."
-Waaah. Waaah.
| [Fire(EX) demands an apology.]
| [Fire(EX)'s eyes gleam sharply as he threatens to eat your food again if you don't apologize.] |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
"Sorry for teasing you. I won't do it again. Happy?"
-Waaah!
| [Fire(EX) demands a proper apology!] |
| ------------------------------------ |
"I sincerely apologize. I will never tease you again! Lord Fire, King of Spirits!"
I even prostrated myself before him.
Only then did he nod in satisfaction.
At this point, I could not tell whether I was raising a Spirit or serving a master.
Still, the rewards were undeniable.
After spending the entirety of last night devouring Mana Stones—
| [Hunger has reached 1,000!]
| [Fire(EX)'s Level increases by 1!] |
| ---------------------------------- |
Level up successful!
Now that Fire had reached Level 2, other things had changed as well.
| ❰Fire(EX) Lv. 2❱
❰Possessed Skill: Hellfire(EX)❱
❰Hunger: (0/2,000)❱
……A new skill will be unlocked upon reaching Lv. 5
| ……Lee Chanyoung will unlock a new skill upon reaching 2,000 Hunger |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
"The Hunger requirement doubled? Does that mean the next one will be 4,000?"
-There is a high probability of that.
The requirements were certainly brutal, befitting a Spirit King.
I decided to think about that problem later.
When I scrolled down, there were more System messages.
| [Successfully reached 1,000 Hunger.]
| [Skill, 'Spirit-Blessed Body(C-),' acquired!] |
| --------------------------------------------- |
| <Spirit-Blessed Body(C-)>
| Description: Every part of the body is enhanced. Sensitivity to Mana is increased. |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
"Oh! I got a skill! And it's even a Passive Skill! Passive Skills are good, right?"
-Yes. That is correct. Skill grades are not limited to F, E, D, C, B, A, and S. Skills themselves are also categorized by type, and Passive Skills are considered among the highest class.
They remained active continuously without consuming anything.
I had only just awakened, yet I had already obtained a Passive Skill.
"I've got to test it right away! But first, let's clear the first floor of the Trial Tower."
The main trial.
The enemies were still Goblins, but as expected of the first floor, there were far more of them.
It did not matter.
At precisely the right moment—
| [Fire(EX)'s possessed skill, 'Hellfire(EX),' activates.]
| [00 : 00 : 00] |
| -------------- |
All we had to do was use Hellfire.
Everything was wiped out in an instant.
| [You have cleared the 1st Floor of the Trial Tower!]
[Defeat 100 Goblins.]
[Goblin: 5,000/100]
| [Goblin Leader: 5/5] |
| -------------------- |
| [You have completely annihilated all five Goblin Settlements on the 1st Floor of the Trial Tower!]
[A new record has been achieved!]
[The Trial Tower 1st Floor World Ranking has been updated to Rank 1!]
| [Clear Time: 1 second] |
| ---------------------- |
| [You have succeeded in overwhelmingly clearing the 1st Floor of the Trial Tower!]
[Goblin Claw × 235 has been awarded!]
[Goblin Hide × 205 has been awarded!]
[Goblin Heart × 55 has been awarded!]
[Goblin Leader's Club × 4 has been awarded!]
[Lowest-Rank Mana Stone(F) × 202 acquired!]
| [Low-Rank Mana Stone(E) × 20 acquired!] |
| --------------------------------------- |
Now that was refreshing.
There was only one drawback.
It was far too loud.
'I should bring earplugs next time.'
Now it was time to test my new skill.
There was no need to test it on the first floor of the Trial Tower.
I had not blown everything away the moment the trial started for no reason.
A new Tower had been unlocked.
A special floor where I could not rely on Fire's overwhelming power.
| [The One-Time Jump Tower has been unlocked!]
| [You may now enter the One-Time Jump Tower!] |
| -------------------------------------------- |
The One-Time Jump Tower.
-To explain it simply, you jump upward and receive a reward if you reach the top. It occasionally appears as a reward for clearing the Trial Tower and can only be attempted once. You will not die even if you fail.
"Okay. You're absolutely sure I won't die?"
-Yes. I am certain.
There would be no reward if I failed, but successfully clearing it would grant a decent reward.
It was perfect for testing my new skill.
Thanks to Fire wiping everything out with a single attack, my body was still in peak condition.
"Let's go!"
The method of entering was the same as with the Trial Tower.
Say the Tower's name, then answer yes.
My bright vision turned completely black before gradually returning from the center.
The Tutorial and the 1st Floor had both been forests.
The One-Time Jump Tower, however, was in the sky.
When I looked down, I saw a grassy platform beneath my feet.
How could there be a grassy floor in the middle of the sky?
Simple.
"Wow, it's floating?"
What I saw ahead surprised me even more.
Small pieces of land, barely large enough to plant my feet on, floated upward at intervals.
The destination was so high above that it looked only slightly larger than a dot.
"Damn, that's high."
I would have to climb for quite a while.
It certainly lived up to the name Jump Tower.
There was only one objective.
| [You have arrived at the One-Time Jump Tower.]
[Reach the destination!]
| [Destination: 0/1] |
| ------------------ |
I dismissed the System message and looked down past the edge of the platform.
There was no visible bottom.
If I fell, death would be inevitable.
Supposedly, I would not actually die, but—
'This is my first time. Of course I'm nervous.'
I took one deep breath to steady myself.
Fire had said he could take care of himself while sitting on my shoulder, so I ignored him and jumped!
The gap was three meters.
The next platform was slightly higher as well.
It was unquestionably a distance an ordinary person could never cross.
"Hup!"
THUD!
"Phew. Made it."
I succeeded with ease.
Part of it was thanks to awakening, but the effect of Spirit-Blessed Body was even greater.
To be perfectly honest, this was my first time seeing a Jump Tower, and it scared me quite a bit.
One mistake and it was over.
Even if I would not truly die, experiencing a fall like that was still something I would rather avoid.
There were plenty of climbers who gave up climbing altogether because of experiences like that.
But if this was all it took—
"This might actually be easy."
Wondering whether I was overestimating myself, I jumped again.
This time, I concentrated as hard as I could.
THUD.
"Made it."
Again.
THUD.
Again.
"...This is easy?"
Not every section was easy.
There were trap sections as well, but Spirit-Blessed Body immediately proved its worth.
I sensed that the ground beneath me was unstable and moved to the platform beside it without hesitation.
As though confirming that I had made the right choice, the platform I had just left plummeted downward.
The skill did not merely enhance simple physical attributes such as strength, stamina, and agility.
It sharpened my senses as well.
Exactly one hour later—
| [You have cleared the One-Time Jump Tower!]
| [Destination: 1/1] |
| ------------------ |
| [You have succeeded in overwhelmingly clearing the One-Time Jump Tower!]
[A Hidden Reward will be granted!]
| [Skill, 'Spirit-Blessed Body(C-),' has been enhanced to 'Body Blessed by All Spirits(B-)'!] |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| <Body Blessed by All Spirits(B-)>
| Description: Every part of the body is greatly enhanced. Sensitivity to Mana is increased, and an inexplicable sixth sense develops. |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
"Oh! An enhancement!"
I had gotten lucky.
To think I had received the third-best reward available from the One-Time Jump Tower.
It was a little disappointing that I had not received any Mana Stones, but that was a minor issue.
My body had become even stronger.
Even the strength with which I clenched my fist felt completely different.
"Let's go home."
Back in my studio apartment, I checked the Mana Stones I had obtained.
"Hmm. I'm a little short since the Jump Tower didn't give me any Mana Stones."
I had already entered a Tower once today, which meant I could neither re-enter nor proceed to the next floor.
A place where I could buy Mana Stones while also selling monster byproducts.
There was only one answer.
The wholesale market for Mana Stones and monster materials.
"Time to go to Namdaemun."