Chapter 101 – Kraken’s Core (1)

<xxxx Time xx. Rank 1> Rank Up: xxx

The unknown skill appearing on the phone was clearly due to Sylvia’s ability.

But right now, it was a situation where he couldn’t know what skill it was or what would happen.

Sun-woo pondered briefly then put the phone back in his pocket. There was no need to keep pondering what he couldn’t understand no matter how much he looked.

Since it said it would tell him something after one day, he decided to think about it again then.

Sun-woo who postponed his thoughts took out the <Kraken’s Core> from his pocket.

Unlike the neidan used as the contamination facility’s core, the <Kraken’s Core> looked clean with contamination disappearing when the Kraken died. He handed the sparkling core to Sylvia.

“What is this?”

Sylvia received the <Kraken’s Core> and tilted her head. As she said, being a prophet didn’t mean knowing everything.

Sun-woo had no choice but to explain about the core.

“My goodness. You caught a Kraken? Hmm, among people who went on reconnaissance, someone saw a giant monster, so they didn’t see wrong. Do giant monsters gather because of that contamination facility?”

Sun-woo could only suspect too, unable to know the truth.

“I’ll look into that problem separately. First, let me find out what Sun-woo-ssi asked. You asked about a method to eat this monster’s core to raise abilities, right?”

At Sylvia’s confirmation, Sun-woo nodded.

“Looks like I have no choice but to see the future. But even just me seeing the future and Sun-woo-ssi knowing the content can change the future. Is that okay?”

At her following explanation, Sun-woo fell into brief thought.

According to Sylvia’s words, actions taken knowing the future and actions taken without knowing differ, so the future could change.

She as a prophet adjusts while seeing the future even to such parts, but the futures of other people who heard about the future easily change.

For this reason, Sylvia made it a principle not to reveal the future to people.

“But the former prophet mentioned my future briefly?”

The grandmother prophet he saw before constantly talked about seeing Sun-woo would become an important figure in the future.

To Sun-woo’s question brought up while tilting his head, Sylvia made a strange smile. There seemed to be some reason for that too.

But looking at the atmosphere, she clearly wouldn’t tell him. Eventually, Sun-woo gave up hearing the answer and returned to the original story.

“It’s okay even if it changes. There’s something I need to check too.”

The future was originally unknowable. Even if it changed, from Sun-woo’s position it didn’t matter at all.

Moreover, to check the skill that suddenly appeared this time, he needed to hear about the future.

Since it derived from her skill, he thought it might tell him something.

At Sun-woo’s permission, Sylvia went through the exact same process as before then returned the <Kraken’s Core> to Sun-woo.

“You can just eat it? When others ate it, I saw futures where they couldn’t endure and died, but Sun-woo-ssi seemed to endure well though suffering a bit.”

Fortunately, there seemed to be no major problems. Probably thanks to undergoing Body Transformation by eating the neidan before, he seemed able to sufficiently handle the <Kraken’s Core>.

“But it’s a bit strange after eating the core.”

Sylvia looked at Sun-woo while making a strange smile.

“What? Is there a problem?”

“Not a problem… Hmm, check it yourself.”

Though she ended ambiguously at the end, anyway he could obtain helpful information.

Now the <Kraken’s Core> ownership problem remained, but unlike the <Contaminated Neidan> obtained from the facility, the Kraken was something he caught alone, so that problem seemed to have no major difficulties either.

The two people’s conversation ended with the <Kraken’s Core>.

The two people returned wordlessly while lost in their own thoughts, passing through the underground river to where Sun-woo first drilled a hole.

Several people with worried expressions were waiting for the two people there.

Though Sylvia talked about it in advance, they seemed worried since they didn’t return for a long time.

People who waited for Sylvia who returned safely all made relieved expressions, and Sun-woo went to lodgings guided by Clara.

“Probably dimensional movement preparations will finish soon. Please wait a bit.”

She seemed to have made preparations in advance before Sun-woo drilled the cave. Though showing a slightly weak appearance briefly in between, she certainly seemed right as prophet and this underground city’s leader.

Seeing her use her prophecy ability to prepare things in advance naturally made him think that way.

***

The lodgings were where the party stayed before. The lodgings made by drilling walls felt leisurely with only the party staying unlike the bustling underground city.

In the living room, only Nan-seol was waiting for Sun-woo. The others seemed all tired and went to bed.

“I’m back.”

“Good work.”

A smile seemed to briefly flow across Nan-seol’s face, and at the two people’s greetings, Clara seemed to make a meaningful expression.

But the subtle atmosphere broke when Sun-woo called all party members.

Once crossing dimensions, there was high possibility of immediately crossing to each one’s dimension. Before that, he needed to convey the story he heard to everyone.

And there was one more reason to convey the story in advance.

When Clara returned and all party members gathered, Sun-woo told the party about what happened so far and the <neidan’s> past he heard from the prophet.

At the story of contaminating spiritual creature neidan to contaminate the entire planet, the party all made absurd expressions.

The party who at least experienced related missions with Sun-woo seemed to understand somewhat, but gravity ability user Diane was only bewildered. The black knight was clearly the same though invisible behind the helmet.

Thanks to that, the party had to explain missions so far to the two people for quite a while.

“The story roughly connects… But ordinary people couldn’t think of it, right? From saints being able to contaminate, to giant monster cores contaminating wide regions. Now hearing it makes me understand, but discovering this seems impossible.”

The party seemed to agree with Daniel’s words, but at Michael’s following words, everyone smiled bitterly.

“Well, that’s a problem those upper guys or Association higher-ups need to ponder. We just need to convey the story.”

As he said, it was a story too much for the party to ponder and figure out.

“Then the story is finished? I came out while dozing so I want to sleep more.”

“Ah, and Hayden plans to remain here.”

“Huh? Not going together?”

“I must liberate contaminated regions together with underground city people here. Fortunately, it’s not impossible if we eliminate contamination facilities.”

At Hayden’s words, Daniel and the party could only agree. Though he became a summoner, saving his own world was clearly more important.

Remaining continuously in this world where forced summoning didn’t happen was much better.

“Plus you seem quite close with that woman Clara…”

“She’s just a close older sister!”

“Your preference is older women?”

The serious atmosphere flew away at Michael’s teasing.

Taking advantage of that atmosphere, Sun-woo brought out the other reason he called the party.

“Lastly, there’s the Kraken’s core caught in the river. This also can’t be put in inventory, so if there’s no opposition from everyone, I plan to use it separately.”

“Uh, that’s…”

“That’s something Sun-woo-ssi caught alone.”

At Sun-woo’s words, Michael tried to object to something, but Nan-seol quickly took Sun-woo’s side.

Thanks to that, Michael who brought up words had to close his mouth with an awkward face. Anyway, he brought up words half-jokingly, but unnecessarily picking a fight with that rigid female swordsman would be no good for him.

Even his danger sensor was continuously sending warnings that going further here would have bad consequences.

Other party members also looked at Nan-seol with slightly surprised eyes, but Nan-seol had a completely unconcerned expression. She seemed unaware that her actions differed from usual.

Thanks to that, the <Kraken’s Core> became usable as Sun-woo pleased without any noise.

The party who finished talking all went back to rest, and Sun-woo also entered the room assigned to him.

Sun-woo who entered the room took out the <Kraken’s Core> from his pocket. Anyway, since he couldn’t cross dimensions with it, he had to use it right here.

Honestly, he wanted to eat the neidan decided to give to Hayden too, but eating a contaminated neidan couldn’t be fine. Moreover, it was a neidan the party obtained together, so claiming ownership was difficult.

Sun-woo sat cross-legged on the floor then fully drew up internal energy with the <Kraken’s Core> placed on his hand.

On top of that, he wore <Physical Enhancement> on his body and took out potions beside him. Though Sylvia said it was okay, thorough preparation couldn’t be bad.

When everything seemed prepared, Sun-woo threw the <Kraken’s Core> into his mouth.

The core shaped like a small gem passed Sun-woo’s throat entering his stomach and immediately began melting in the stomach.

Soon energy similar to before rose from his chest spreading throughout his body. This time, without blood vessels and muscles twisting, the swirling energy immediately moved toward his head.

At the energy’s movement different from the neidan he ate before, Sun-woo was startled, but fortunately his body responded well even to the unexpected situation.

Blood vessels passing through his head sufficiently endured the sudden energy movement, and brain nerves also succeeded in enduring the energy running wild in his head.

When energy gathered toward his head, the room where Sun-woo was became bright with light flowing from Sun-woo’s head.

If it had been a room with windows instead of a room made by drilling walls, all city people would have nearly gathered at the brightly shining window.

Like that, after considerable time passed in another form of trance, Sun-woo could come to his senses.

Fortunately, this time nothing broke in the room nor wounds on his body. For Sun-woo who didn’t know his head had become a light bulb, this <Kraken’s Core> absorption felt very comfortably finished.

Sun-woo felt his head became very clear. Unlike before, physically there seemed no major changes, but the elation wasn’t very different so he was fully expectant.

“Let’s see how much it rose.”

Sun-woo opened the phone and checked the skill window.

<Earth Spirit. Rank 7> Rank Up: 400p

<Illusion Technique. Rank 5> Rank Up: 200p

<Wheel-Turning Divine Demonic Art. 8 Stars> Rank Up: 1,000p

<Wheel-Turning Sword Technique. 8 Stars> Rank Up: 800p

<Wheel-Turning Divine Technique. 8 Stars> Rank Up: 800p

<Physical Enhancement. 3 Stars> Rank Up: 100p

<Water Magic. 3 Circles> Rank Up: 200p

<Fire Magic. 1 Circle> Rank Up: 200p

<xxxx Time xx. Rank 1> Rank Up: xxx

[An error occurred. Linked to skill in uncontrolled situation. Starting readjustment. Time remaining 19:23]

Sun-woo’s movements stopped completely.

The skills had absolutely no changes!