Skillbook My Way - Chapter 049
Chapter 49
"Hoooo."
I sheathed my spear and caught my breath.
O Seyeon was collapsed on the floor. The horns that had been growing from her head were gone.
The living room was a complete mess from the shock of [One Flash] moments ago. Sparks and flames had caused a fire to break out, and the shockwave from [One Flash] had shattered or blown away the windows and any remaining furniture.
Enhanced by the [Spear Master] skill, [One Flash]’s output had risen even higher than before.
'It’s an abandoned apartment anyway, so I don’t care, but if a fire gets going, I’m in danger too.'
I took out my cane and used the [Evolution] skill. The flames clinging to the living room died down instantly.
"That aside, what am I going to do with this……"
I looked down at the collapsed O Seyeon and the dark-gray sword. Even after falling, she hadn’t let go of the blade.
'Will the government even believe that the identity of the demon was actually a Hunter? No, more importantly, this woman is an extremely dangerous being. She seems to be in a coma right now, but what if she comes at me again once she wakes up? But earlier, she told me to attack her. Hmm……'
After agonizing over it, I hoisted O Seyeon over my shoulder.
I had to get out of here for now. Hunters would be swarming in after hearing that explosion just now.
"Perfect Invisibility."
I used the skill on myself and O Seyeon, then made my way down the apartment building.
As expected, Hunters were coming up the stairs, and I carefully slipped out of the apartment without bumping into them.
'This should be far enough.'
After leaving the apartment complex, I used [Earth Shrink] to get to a nearby hill.
Since [Earth Shrink] was optimized for solo use, carrying O Seyeon on my back put a strain on my body.
I recovered my HP with the [Recovery] skill, then examined O Seyeon, whom I had laid on the ground.
Still seemingly in a coma, she couldn’t open her eyes.
In that moment, I thought this was my chance.
I spent 5,000 Exp to create a bookmark and pressed it against O Seyeon’s body.
Seeing the bookmark being absorbed into her, I summoned the book. O Seyeon’s status began to float up on the pages.
What kind of stats and skills did she have to display such insane abilities?
I had to find out, if only to know how to deal with her going forward.
"……What is this."
Having checked her status, I muttered in disbelief.
"Is this really O Seyeon’s status?"
The book contained an unbelievable fact.
***
An uninhabited apartment complex.
Seven Hunters had arrived at the apartment where Hwajin and Seyeon had been just moments ago.
"According to the other Hunters, there was a huge explosion here. For that, there’s way too little burn damage."
The tank, Sin Chusim, said while looking at the trashed living room.
"But the Hunters definitely said they saw lightning and flames."
The one who spoke was the Hunter wielding a whip, Yu Songhwa.
At the mention of lightning and flames, the Hunters of the Overlord Guild all thought of the same person.
"Don’t tell me that bastard is here too?"
Kim Ujin gnashed his teeth.
"Nothing is certain yet."
The one who spoke with a blank face was Im Jiyeon, who had taken the role of leader in the last bout.
"But if I Hwajin and O Seyeon were both here, it means at least those two aren’t on the same side."
Im Jiyeon looked around at the scorched floor and walls, and the shattered windows.
"In other words, I Hwajin is chasing O Seyeon too?"
Kim Ujin said.
"Whether he’s just a Hunter who took a quest or has the same goal as us, we can’t tell. But we need to hurry."
Im Jiyeon looked out the apartment window. In the distance, a not-so-high mountain was visible.
"We might be able to catch both of them."
The seven Hunters quickly left the apartment.
"But what kind of trick did both of them use?"
Yu Songhwa asked, looking at Im Jiyeon.
"For D-rank Hunters to become S-rank in just a few months."
"That’s exactly why we’re trying to catch them."
Im Jiyeon replied, looking around.
"They might know a way to break through the limits of growth. Even if they don’t, they’re suitable as sacrifices to raise soul capacity. Let’s split into three teams. Kim Ujin and Jeong Cheonyeol, take the apartment complex. Sin Chusim, An Donghyeon, and Gang Ibong, go toward the river. Yu Songhwa and I will head to that mountain. Even if you find them, don’t engage and make sure to contact us. I Hwajin is one thing, but O Seyeon is absolutely not an opponent that a few people can handle."
At Im Jiyeon’s orders, the Hunters of the Overlord Guild split into three groups and continued their search.
***
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-Status-
O Seyeon
HP: 17/200 MP: 80/120
Vitality: 10 Strength: 13 Mana: 12 Mental Strength: 11 Sense: 13
Unique Skill: [Sword Unity Lv.2]
--------------------
'No way.'
O Seyeon’s status was far more ordinary than I had imagined.
The fact that her Vitality, Strength, and Sense stats were even lower than mine was shocking.
'Then this woman’s strength doesn’t come from her stats.'
I examined her unique skill.
'A level!'
The indicator next to the skill called Sword Unity was something I hadn’t seen on the status of any Hunter I had used a bookmark on until now.
Naturally, I opened my own status.
--------------------
-Status-
I Hwajin
HP: 320/320 MP: 100/100
Vitality: 16(5+11) Strength: 20(3+17) Mana: 10(3+7) Mental Strength: 10(4+6) Sense: 16(3+13)
Unique Skill: [Edit Lv.3]
Exp: 60127
--------------------
'A being like me.'
I recalled how O Seyeon had called me a Listener.
'Maybe this woman’s skill changed after she died and came back to life too.'
I pressed the skill called [Sword Unity] with my finger.
Then the skill’s detailed information appeared.
--------------------
Unique Skill: [Sword Unity] (Lv.2)
Tool: Sword
Mana Cost: -
Required Stats: Vitality 1 Strength 1 Mana 1 Mental Strength 1 Sense 1
Description: You become one with the sword you wield. The higher the sword’s rarity, the more your stats rise, and depending on the sword’s effects, you can use special skills.
-------------------
'So that’s how it was. Her abilities change depending on the sword.'
Looking closely, the sword O Seyeon was holding now was different from the one she had when fighting the fire dragon.
Now that I knew the skill, her weakness was painfully obvious.
This woman became powerless if you just kept her from holding a sword.
I tried to pull the dark-gray sword from O Seyeon’s hand.
"Good God."
When I pried open O Seyeon’s hand gripping the sword, I felt nauseous.
Small tentacles had emerged from the sword’s hilt and were clinging tightly to her hand.
I tried to forcefully pull it off, but the sword didn’t budge.
Curious about the true nature of this sword, I placed my hand on it.
--------------------
[Sariosa’s Demon Sword] (Bound to: O Seyeon)
A sword used by the King of Strange Deeds, Sariosa. It is said that a ghost is sealed within it.
It is a demonic sword that devours its owner’s mind. Even someone who has never wielded a sword before can cut through rebar with it, but once held, they become cursed to never let go.
It is said that only Sariosa could wield this sword freely.
--------------------
'As I thought……'
This dark-gray sword was cursed equipment.
*Squelch.*
Just then, tentacles suddenly burst from the blade.
"Uwah!"
I quickly pulled my hand away, but the tentacles had already wrapped around it.
'Damn, I was careless!'
I grabbed my poleaxe with my other hand and tried to cut the tentacles. However, they didn’t cut at all.
[Grab me. Hold me. And give your soul to me.]
A horrifying voice came from somewhere.
'Damn it! Wasn’t O Seyeon enough, so it’s trying to devour me too?'
Cold sweat poured down like rain.
If I didn’t do something, I might end up just like O Seyeon.
The skill [Perfect Release] came to mind, but it felt like the curse would devour me during the 10 seconds it took for the effect to activate.
'Wait?'
A thought flashed through my head.
I quickly brought my hand to my neck.
I felt a cool sensation from a small glass bottle.
'Crux’s Potion!'
I pushed the lid aside with my thumb and took a gulp of the contents.
"Ugh! Bitteeer!"
It was a bitterness I had never tasted in anything I had ever eaten in my life.
The next moment, a faint light emanated from my body, and the tentacles that had wrapped all the way up my arm vanished.
"Hah, hah……"
Wiping the cold sweat, I glared at the sword.
The description for Crux’s Potion stated that it eliminated any negative effects.
I had gambled on the chance that it would also remove the curse, and fortunately, it paid off.
I closed the glass bottle’s lid and approached O Seyeon. Then I removed the inventory from her waist and fastened it to my own.
'She doesn’t have another sword, right?'
I checked O Seyeon’s body all over and confirmed there was nothing else sword-like. While doing so, I also checked a few other things.
*Pop!*
Finished checking, I opened the potion hanging at my neck and dropped about a gulp’s worth into O Seyeon’s parted lips. Then her eyes snapped open.
"Bitteeer! Huk!?"
Seeing Sariosa’s Demon Sword fall from O Seyeon’s hand, I shoved her back. Then I struck the demon sword stuck in the ground with my poleaxe like a golf ball and sent it flying.
"I-it fell off. How……"
O Seyeon looked at her hand in shock.
"Besides, you’re that Listener I saw……"
"Long time no see."
I spoke while holding my poleaxe.
"Sorry, but I’m holding onto your inventory for a bit."
At my words, O Seyeon quickly brought her hand to her waist.
"Keuk……"
As expected, without a sword, she couldn’t do anything. She remained still, simply glaring at me.
"I checked your bound items too. Fortunately, there was nothing you could use to attack."
At my words, O Seyeon’s body flinched.
When I checked earlier for any swords, I had also found out the effects of her bound items.
For now, there was nothing that posed an immediate threat.
"What are you planning to do with me?"
"Calm down. I have no intention of killing you. Not yet."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Hah."
I let out a sigh.
"I get why you’d be on guard, waking up to find the Hunter you attacked before having taken your inventory and standing there with a weapon."
I deliberately put emphasis on the fact that she had attacked me. Meaning I hadn’t completely let go of my grudge, either.
Seeing O Seyeon flinch at my words, I smirked.
"Think harder. Who do you think you have to thank for breaking free from that cursed item and having your HP fully recovered?"
O Seyeon wore a blank face for a moment, then looked up into empty space. It was the characteristic action of Hunters when looking at their status or item description windows.
"Hmm……"
O Seyeon’s eyes clouded with hesitation.
I put my poleaxe into my inventory and plopped down onto the ground. Then, O Seyeon made a puzzled expression.
"Sit."
I said, looking up at her.
"Let’s have a talk."
"A talk?"
That’s right, a talk.
I have an enormous amount of things I want to ask you.
***
"Bingo."
A woman poked her head out from the bushes and smiled.
A pair of man and woman had entered her field of vision. The two were sitting facing each other, talking.
"Yu Songhwa. Contact Kim Ujin’s team. I’ll contact the others."
"Got it."
At Im Jiyeon’s words, Yu Songhwa took out her smartphone.