The Player Who Stands Above All

Chapter 232

A strongly burning flame spreads its heat to its surroundings.

A being that encounters that spreading heat begins to burn along with the flame as if drawn to it.

As if to prove this, seeing the form of No. 2 who had cast off his former self like a phoenix in the blazing flames of awakening, Irehgue began to burn along with him as if he had been waiting for that light and heat.

The flames of enlightenment burned everything Irehgue had perceived, and within it, a world of pure white selflessness greeted Irehgue.

In that space, for the first time, Irehgue stood alone, forgetting even Lee Shin's existence, and revealed his own being to the world as it was.

And in that pure white world, he freely unfolded his own thoughts.

Wooooong-

The magic power spread around Irehgue and the internal energy in Lee Shin's dantian responded to Irehgue's will, gathering towards him like a vortex.

Irehgue's body, which had a clear substance, blurred like a heat haze.

In Lee Shin's eyes, he saw two types of internal energy, [Flame] and [Lightning], concentrating into Irehgue's blurred body along with magic power.

Seeing this, Lee Shin realized what Irehgue was trying to do and smiled with interest.

'Is he trying to create a core of magic power in his body?'

Just as No. 2 had created a Dragon Heart next to his own heart, Irehgue was trying to create a new organ in his own body that could play the role of a Dragon Heart, a heart of internal energy.

'But that should be impossible, shouldn't it?'

The Dragon Heart has numerous functions, but if asked to name its most representative one, it would be the ability to create and spread magic power throughout the body just by breathing, and the ability to store infinite magic power within it.

And the latter of these, at first glance, seems similar to a martial artist's dantian, but there is a fundamental difference.

A martial artist's dantian is a virtual organ created by human imagination, but a Dragon Heart is a living organ that actually exists in the body.

'Although it's a greatly degraded version, the reason No. 2 could create a Dragon Heart in his body was probably because that organ was there in the first place.'

An organ he had from birth but had been dormant, which began to operate as the dragon's blood awakened due to this incident—that was Lee Shin's hypothesis.

In other words, it meant that creating a Dragon Heart in the body was impossible unless one was born with dragon's blood from the start.

Because that was a realm between evolution and creation, beyond the concept of regeneration.

And that wasn't the only problem.

'In the first place, Irehgue, he shouldn't be able to create a core in his body, right?'

It wasn't like Irehgue was always lazing around on Lee Shin's head.

Irehgue himself knew that his state was incomplete, so he had tried various things to somehow stabilize his condition by borrowing Lee Shin's knowledge.

And they all failed.

And among those many failures was a plan, just like what Irehgue was doing now, to create a core of internal energy in his body to stabilize the external internal energy containing his consciousness and maintain his existence more strongly.

It was a plan that sounded simple in words but was impossible to actually execute.

The phrase 'creating a core' sounds simple at first.

But looking at it differently, it meant that Irehgue would have his own organ for storing internal energy, in other words, a dantian.

And in a broader sense, that meant Lee Shin would have a total of two dantians, one inside and one outside his body.

To create another dantian outside the body while having one inside, and to maintain it.

It was a strange event that had never existed, no, could not even be imagined, in the long history of the Pantheon, which was filled with the legends of countless martial artists.

And Irehgue knew that well.

Yet, to do something like this meant…

Grin-

'I don't know what it is, but it means he's found a way!'

Lee Shin chewed on an elixir with the [Mask of a Gourmand] and operated his martial art to build new internal energy in his dantian, from which it was rapidly draining.

Unexpectedly, the number of things he had to care for had increased to two, but this sudden happening was quite enjoyable, so he decided to let it slide.

Wooooong-

Inside Irehgue, the two types of internal energy concentrated and formed a sphere, and seeing that, Lee Shin's eyes shone.

The reason Irehgue couldn't create a core of internal energy within himself.

It was because the moment he tried to create a core of magic power, his own existence would try to scatter, just like now.

To create a core, it is necessary to concentrate all internal energy at one point and maintain its form.

And that 'all' included Irehgue's existence.

In other words, for Irehgue, who formed his shape externally by borrowing Lee Shin's internal energy, concentrating a core meant erasing his own existence.

He could complete 99.9...%.

But at the final moment, Irehgue's consciousness would disappear, so he could never reach a 100% complete state.

For Irehgue to create a core in his body, he needed a heart floating in the sky, connected to Lee Shin even without internal energy, that could store his consciousness.

Shaaaa-

Therefore, Irehgue created it.

His own heart that could contain his will.

'That is…'

Lee Shin saw another light gathering and forming a sphere next to the core of internal energy.

A sphere of light mixed with blue, ocher, white, and green.

The moment he saw it, Lee Shin realized the identity of that light and the answer Irehgue had found, and let out a hollow laugh.

'Gaia's Blessing.'

The new heart Irehgue had chosen was Gaia's Blessing.

Swaaaa-

Irehgue absorbed the Gaia's Blessing he had and made it into a heart that could contain his consciousness.

And the moment the two formed complete spheres and connected with each other.

Paaaaat-!

Irehgue's body completely scattered, leaving only the two spheres.

And with the 'Gaia's Blessing Heart Version' and the 'Pseudo Dragon Heart' at the center, Irehgue's body began to be newly re-established.

'Was this it?'

And watching that, Lee Shin realized the identity of the lock-like sense of disharmony he had felt the moment he received the blessing.

For a blessing that was said to be able to turn even the sun to dust with a light gesture, the effect of the blessing Gaia had given was too meager for its amount.

And that was precisely because Lee Shin's level, who had received the blessing, was absurdly low compared to Gaia's.

Only by raising his own skills could the lock be released and the power contained within be obtained.

And it would probably be the same for the blessing of unknown identity that Lee Shin possessed.

'I can't imagine it will be given as obediently as the Gaia's Blessing that Irehgue has… but well, I'll be able to do it somehow.'

Lee Shin, who had unexpectedly obtained a hint for growth, smiled and thought of No. 1 and No. 2.

'I suddenly got two kids, but… well, in return, I got to see something interesting and received something good, so is it a gain?'

Lee Shin raised the corners of his mouth in amusement and quietly flowed internal energy into Irehgue's and No. 2's bodies.

◎ ◎ ◎

"Hoo…"

"I-Is it over safely?"

As Lee Shin exhaled, No. 1, who had been frozen in tension, asked cautiously.

At No. 1's appearance, Lee Shin chuckled and replied.

"Yeah, I've fixed everything, so you don't have to worry about that guy dying anymore."

"Th-Thank goodness…"

At Lee Shin's words, No. 1 exhaled in relief and slammed his head into the dirt floor as if his strength had left him.

Meanwhile, Lee Shin rummaged through the pockets of the dead guys, took what looked like wallets, and then walked towards the collapsed No. 1.

"Well then, now that we've finished the things we had to do, shall we continue our postponed conversation?"

"…Hmm?"

As No. 1 looked up at him with a dumbfounded expression, Lee Shin looked down at No. 1 with a wide, smiling face and said.

"Hey, why are you making such an innocent face? Have you already forgotten why I came here?"

"Th-Ah…"

At Lee Shin's playful words, No. 1's face turned pale as he remembered the atrocity he had committed.

"Looks like you remember?"

Seeing that, Lee Shin's eyes curved upwards.

"If you took someone else's things, that means you were prepared for when you got caught, right?"

"W-Wait a minute! I'll give it back! I'll give it back, okay!"

No. 1 shouted urgently.

Because of the pressure points, only his face could move, but that alone was enough to convey No. 1's desperation.

"What, is it okay to give up so easily? That stuff is super expensive and rare, you know?"

"It's fine! I stole it because of my brother in the first place! Now that my brother is okay, I don't need it anymore!"

At No. 1's urgent words, Lee Shin, who had been thinking about something for a moment, said in a voice full of laughter.

"Well, alright. Your heart for your brother is commendable, so if you just return the things you stole nicely, I'll specially go back quietly."

"There, it's over there!"

No. 1, fearing that Lee Shin might change his mind, quickly pointed in one direction with his tongue and shouted.

Lee Shin, who had picked up the pouch from where No. 1 had pointed, released No. 1's pressure points so that only his hands could move, and then handed him the pouch, saying.

"Here, you open it and check."

"…Me?"

"Yep."

"No, you can just open it yourself, why do you have to make me…"

At that, No. 1, who had been looking back and forth between Lee Shin and the pouch with a puzzled expression, grumbled softly and opened the pouch to check inside.

"Huh?"

And after checking the pouch, No. 1's eyes widened in shock.

At that moment, as if he had been waiting, Lee Shin reapplied the pressure points he had released, sat on No. 1's back as if it were a cushion, and tapped No. 1's neck with his finger, saying.

"Wow, all my medicines have turned into stones? Where did you stash all those things?"

"N-No! I was focused on running, so I didn't even touch what was inside the pouch!"

"What, are you lying now too?"

No. 1 couldn't say anything.

Was it because he remembered the killing intent Lee Shin had unleashed a little while ago?

Lee Shin's finger tapping his neck felt just like a cold awl.

"I-I really didn't do anything…"

"Then, what?"

While No. 1 was stuttering due to nervousness, Lee Shin held out two fingers in front of him.

Between Lee Shin's two fingers was an elixir with a unique scent.

Even though it was his first time seeing it, No. 1 knew that this was the medicine he had overheard about at the mercenary guild.

"So what you're saying is that the perfectly fine medicine…"

At that moment, Lee Shin's hand shook lightly.

Then, the elixir between his fingers instantly turned into an ordinary stone.

"Suddenly turned into a stone like this?"

No. 1, who had seen that scene head-on, couldn't say anything and just stared blankly at Lee Shin.

'What, did he switch the pouches the moment he gave it to me? No, in the first place, if he's someone who can do something like this, there's no way he would have been robbed by someone like me…'

Having thought that far, No. 1's eyes filled with a look of shock.

"Don't tell me it was full of stones from the moment I first took the pouch…?"

"Ah, I don't know what you're talking about~"

Lee Shin blatantly avoided the question and smiled widely.

"Well then, now it's your turn to pay the price for making my expensive elixirs disappear, right?"

Tak-

Having said that, Lee Shin stopped the finger that was tapping No. 1's neck at a spot where he could accurately feel the pulse.

"Well, you don't look like you have anything expensive, so let's make a deal in a different way."

"A different way?"

"Yeah, it's a bit of a loss for me, but let's just call it even if you answer a few of my simple questions."

At Lee Shin's words, No. 1 said cautiously.

"Do I have the right to refuse…?"

"Hey, a guy who seems sharp shouldn't ask things like that."

Grin-

"There's no way something so convenient would exist for you."

At that moment, the little kid felt it strongly once again.

He was screwed.