Chapter 75

"Stop right there!!!"

Just as Woojin was about to lead Nissen out of the jail, a commotion broke out at the door.

"Is it you?! Are you the bastard causing trouble at militia headquarters?!"

Everyone surrounding the entrance wore the same emblem on their chest: a round sun with a pair of wings beneath it.

The Genesis Corps.

"I was going to leave quietly... Guess that's out."

Woojin spoke calmly as he looked at the group.

"Leave quietly? You arrogant little shit!! After what you've done, where the hell do you think you're going?!"

A man whose armor stood out even among the others shouted at him.

Aitz Shuran.

He glared at Woojin with blazing eyes.

"Listen carefully. Your men were holding people prisoner. If this were real life, they'd have no grounds to complain about being arrested."

"This is a game!!"

"So fucking what? Every last one of you keeps spouting that same shit about it being a game."

Woojin walked steadily toward Aitz, who stood at the front.

"So you're saying anything goes as long as it's a game."

"What was that, asshole?"

THWACK!!!

At that instant, Woojin's sword sent his head flying.

"Like this?"

"...!!!"

"...!!!"

[Title: Mad Demon's effect activates.]

▶ You can gain stat points equal to 1.5 times the number of people you have killed in one day.

[Please allocate your remaining points.]

▶ Remaining Points: 45

Light flowed from the corpse and seeped into Woojin.

Along with the experience came Mad Demon's second effect.

Woojin opened his status window.

Level: 50

Strength 145 (+25) Agility 105 (+35)

Constitution 130 (+40) Conviction 55

Dexterity 75 (+20) Tactics 85

Luck 10

Total Points: 1,040

Remaining Points: 0

Mad Demon Effect Points: 45

Traits: Adventurer, Solitude, Dragon Slaying, Indomitable, Swiftness, Presence, Five Elements, Tenacious Life, Grounded Legs, Killing Demon, Coldhearted Winter, Fertile Winter, Savior, Sea King's Blessing, Undulating Sword, Sword Mastery

Titles: [Hunter of Swiftness], [Ruler of Elements], [Mad Demon], [Centipede Lord]. [Savior of the Snowfields], [Ice Lord], [Mist Pioneer], [Hero of Bolton]

Specialization: Soul Imprinting (1/1)

Imprint: Incomplete Essence of Sarbandin

A total of 1,040 points.

It was an absurd figure for level 50. An average level-50 player generally had a total in only the 300–400 range.

Of course, top players' points could also vary thanks to titles and various buffs, just like Woojin's. But by simple calculation, his current stats were already beyond level 100.

Once he allocated the points he had just gained through Mad Demon, the gap would grow even wider.

"B-Boss!!!!"

"What are you all doing?!"

"Kill him!!!"

The Genesis Corps members, briefly frozen in shock at Aitz's death, all attacked Woojin at once.

They had no idea they were moths plunging into a flame.

"..."

The militia members, who had already experienced it themselves, merely hovered outside the jail.

[Activating Piercing Eyes.]

At that instant, the dozens of swords surrounding him seemed to move in slow motion.

Woojin had invested all the remaining points he had gained through Mad Demon in [Dexterity].

His current Dexterity was 120 (+20).

Though it would last only a day, he could use [Reaction] again.

CLAAANG! CLANG!!!

The Genesis Corps members' swords struck the ground in vain as Woojin thrust through their web of blades.

Bolton Secret Art, First Form - Wind and Waves

KRAAASH!!!

A wave of sword energy surged from his blade and pierced the Genesis Corps members.

"Gah...!!"

"Aaaaargh!!"

His blade mercilessly cleaved through their limbs.

"Y-you...!!"

Five members died instantly.

The difference in strength was utterly overwhelming.

Their will to fight gone, the remaining members could only stand rooted to the spot.

"Don't try anything stupid."

Woojin delivered the quiet warning as he walked past the survivors.

"G-gh..."

When he stepped outside the jail, he spotted the militia captain.

"You look like you're hoping for something."

"N-no, sir..."

"Like hell you aren't."

SHING.

Woojin drew the sword from the frozen captain's hip and pointed it at his chin.

"Take it off."

"... What?"

"Your armor. Take it off."

"W-what are you...!"

SHUNK.

Woojin drove the sword into his leg.

"Aaaaargh...!!"

"I won't kill you this time. I'll just cut off your arms and legs and drag you around so you can't even resurrect. Your choice."

"N-no! I'll give it to you!!"

The captain hurriedly removed his armor and handed it to Woojin.

"Let's go."

No one could stop him as he strolled away.

* * *

"Didn't you just hear screaming from the militia building?"

"Leave it alone. It's hardly the first time they've tormented someone there... Shouldn't there be laws against this stuff?"

"Ugh, would that even be possible? What about PKing, then? I mean, they let people get away with outright killing because it's a game..."

"True..."

The village square buzzed over the commotion at militia headquarters, but no one dared go and investigate.

They didn't want to get tangled up with the militia and invite trouble.

"Anyway, it's almost time, isn't it? For the monster wave."

"Yeah. Better start wrapping up business. These damned monsters are making life impossible. Things were better back in the Dark Forest."

"Tell me about it. The Phoenix Corps cleared the Labyrinth Tower's tenth floor, so who knows what'll be summoned this time..."

"Whatever they are, they'll be stronger than last time."

People shuddered at the memory of the previous monster wave.

'So there's a monster wave today.'

On his way from militia headquarters to the inn, Woojin overheard the conversations in the square.

'Good. They have a duty to protect the village, so they won't be able to chase us easily for now.'

Even the Genesis Corps, which backed the militia, couldn't simply turn a blind eye to a monster wave.

"You're back!"

As they entered the inn, they found Karlan and Weden waiting for them.

"How are you feeling?"

"There happened to be an intermediate alchemist in the village, so I had him treat Weden's injuries. He said the bandages could come off in about an hour."

Karlan answered for Weden, who was swathed in bandages right up to his face.

"Can you walk?"

Weden nodded.

"Then come with me. For now, make do with these for your weapon and armor."

Woojin handed Weden the sword he had taken from the captain earlier.

"Mmph...? Mm-mmph...?"

Weden waved his hands, apparently recognizing the emblem engraved on the sword's hilt.

"That's right. It's the Genesis Corps emblem. The militia captain was using it. Turns out he's a member."

"Mmmph?!"

"It's fine. They took your gear too, so there's nothing wrong with borrowing theirs."

"B-but I just lost mine...! You can't just take someone else's things like this..."

Weden shouted as he tugged down the bandages covering his face.

"Same difference."

Woojin lightly ruffled his hair.

"But this is... C-grade, isn't it?"

"It needs to be at least that good to be useful on the central continent."

Woojin fastened the armor on him and nodded as if telling him not to ask any more questions.

"Where are we going?"

"To the mountain behind Thorn Bach."

"What? The mountain? Aren't we going to the Kingdom of Tekan?"

Karlan tilted his head as he asked.

"Right. Treating Nissen comes first. If you have something to take care of and need to go ahead, you're free to leave."

"Not at all."

Karlan grinned at Woojin's words.

* * *

BWOOOOOO!!!!

At the blast of a horn from the village, people began retreating into their homes with practiced familiarity.

DONG! DONG!! DONG!!!

A militia member atop the wall surrounding the village rang the bell with all his might.

It was the signal announcing the appearance of monsters.

"Damn it... Is today Thorn Bach's monster wave?"

Aitz Shuran of the Genesis Corps looked troubled as he watched the militia rush about.

WHOOOOSH...!

Violent winds began to rise around the village.

An ominous presence.

Beneath the black clouds forming in the distance, monsters began appearing one by one.

"Damn it... We defend the village first!!!"

Aitz shouted through gritted teeth.

* * *

"It looks like the monster wave has started."

Ruen activated [Hawk Eyes] as they climbed the mountainside.

"I can see the people we saw at the jail outside the gates, too."

"Good. They'll be too busy defending the village to chase us."

At her report, Woojin nodded to Nissen.

"Here it is."

After they climbed for quite a while longer, Nissen pushed through a dense thicket.

Behind it lay a tiny pool.

"Wow..."

Ruen gasped in wonder at the pool.

Its water glowed pure white. Even at a glance, it was clearly no ordinary water.

"Was it always like this?"

"No. It used to be normal... I drank it without thinking much of it, and ended up like this."

SLURP.

Woojin dipped a finger into the spring water and tasted it.

"... Mmph?"

At that instant, a tingling sensation traveled down his throat.

[The water contains powerful mana.]

▶ Ingestion by someone who possesses mana may cause physical changes.

▶ You do not possess mana.

[No physical changes occur.]

"Hah... Hah..."

Though Woojin had used magic in the other world, he still had no mana in the game.

That could be considered a shame, but this time, at least, he had reason to be grateful for it.

If he had possessed even a modest amount of mana, he could have suffered mana chaos himself.

It had been painful, but perhaps because he had drunk the water himself...

[You have discovered Fairy Water.]

Woojin was able to obtain information about the spring water.

[Fairy Water can cure Stage 2 Mana Vessel Disease.]

"... Hmm?"

Woojin's eyebrow twitched at the notification that followed.

"Lucky us."

He called to Ruen, who stood behind him.

"Drink just a little. It'll help your Mana Vessel Disease."

Ruen nodded and cupped her hands to scoop up a handful of spring water.

WHOOOOSH!!!

As the water flowed down her throat, she took a deep, refreshed breath, unlike Woojin, who had suffered pain.

[Fairy Water thickens the mana vessels.]

▶ Mana increases greatly.

▶ You can use magic one tier higher.

[Limit Break!]

▶ Potential increases dramatically.

▶ Level cap increases. (49→69)

[Traits are enhanced by the Limit Break.

▶ Trait: Descendant of Uldin's effects are enhanced.

▶ Marksmanship increases by one rank → 1.5 ranks.

▶ Spirit affinity increases by one rank → 1.5 ranks.

▶ Vision increases by a factor of 1.5 → 2.

▶ Agility increases by a factor of 1.5 → 2.

[Spirit affinity has met the minimum requirement for intermediate spirit arts.]

▶ You can form a contract with an intermediate spirit.

"M-Master...?"

Unlike Woojin, who had felt nothing but pain, Ruen seemed to sense the changes in her body. Her mouth fell open in astonishment.

"This is... incredible!"

She exclaimed to him, her face filled with surprise.

Woojin took an empty bottle he had prepared from his inventory and filled it with Fairy Water.

'It might come in handy someday.'

He put the bottle of Fairy Water away again and stood.

"But... how do we treat me?"

"I don't know the cure either."

"What?! Hold on! That's not what you said! How can you say something so irresponsible now...!!"

Nissen shouted in dismay at his answer.

"Do you know how Fairy Water is made?"

"What?"

"It forms when powder found only on fairies' wings comes into contact with water."

Woojin gently shook the Fairy Water in the bottle.

The water was full of glittering particles, as though someone had sprinkled powdered light into it.

"That means there's a fairy somewhere around here."

"D-don't tell me..."

"That's right."

He patted Nissen's shoulder.

"We're going to ask it how to cure you ourselves."