novelraw Chapter 98
Chapter 98
"Whew~"
Lee Shin, who had obtained a clean body and mind after showering, decided to check his current self first.
It was a similar feeling to the saying that the culprit returns to the scene of the crime.
'Huh, something's strange? Hmm... well, it doesn't matter since it's no different in that it values the starting point.'
Since it wasn't an important matter, he decided to just let it go.
Lee Shin called up his status and skill windows for the first time in a while.
Name: Lee Shin
Level: 3
Path: Mad Dragon
Strength III: 39
Agility III: 48
Sense III: 56
Intelligence III: 52
Internal Energy: 65
Lee Shin smiled with satisfaction as he looked at his status.
Although he hadn't fought intensely except when he was tormenting Baek Hyun-woo, Eun Yeon-woo, and Lee Hyun-seok after reaching LV.3, his stats were steadily rising.
It was to the point where Lee Shin's stat-raising speed, who was just lying on the sofa and lifting his legs a few times, was faster than the players who entered dungeons every day.
However, if anyone saw how Lee Shin raised his stats, they would be able to accept this result.
'Hmm, as expected, it's easy to raise my stats because even simple movements become exercise when I break my body with [Madness] and recover it with [Recovery].'
Lee Shin's stat training method was simple.
First, he would move his body simply while releasing [Madness] at full power.
There was no need to make large movements.
As [Aberrant Madness] rose to [Mad Dragon], the maximum amount of [Madness] he could draw out increased tremendously, so just enduring it made his muscles scream on their own.
As a bonus, the minimum amount also decreased tremendously, making it much more convenient as he could now activate [Madness] even while grocery shopping at the mart.
Of course, the pain of carving his bones and flesh continued, but to Lee Shin, pain was just a stimulant that awakened his mind, like an iced Americano.
Next, he would eat a nutritious sweet bean jelly and recover his broken muscles using [Recovery].
Thanks to this, Lee Shin had purchased so many sweet bean jellies that he was treated as a VIP by the 7th team of [Wonderland].
Irhegue was also working hard, operating the [Flame Lightning Water God Art].
For reference, since the outside was sparse in mana compared to dungeons, he had to eat mana stones to be able to circulate his energy, so mana stones were now one of Lee Shin's staple foods.
The reason people don't eat mana stones as they are is because they contain the lingering thoughts of the monster and the monster's nature, so if you just swallow it, you could suffer from qi deviation.
Kyuuuuuut--!!!
But that lingering thought was a perfect plaything for Irhegue.
Since Irhegue was almost one with Lee Shin's internal energy, he could directly destroy the lingering thoughts and characteristics within the mana stone.
Of course, it seemed possible only after winning a fight, but since Irhegue was at a level that could be called LV.3, a mere LV.2 was no match for him.
In other words, when Lee Shin ate a mana stone, Irhegue was happy because he could fight, and Lee Shin benefited because Irhegue circulated his energy.
Destruction and recovery.
By making these two a part of his daily life, Lee Shin had built a system where his stats would rise just by breathing.
'The status part is perfect, so next is the skills.'
-[Flame Lightning Water God Art] Rare
-[Flame Lightning Water God Spear] Rare
-[Flame Lightning Water God Step] Rare
-[Mad Dragon] Unique (Growth Type)
-[Regeneration] Unique
-[Hundred Poisons Immunity] Rare
Lee Shin was lost in thought as he looked at his skills one by one.
'[Mad Dragon] is... honestly, it's written as a unique grade growth type, but I'm not sure. Well, since I'm using it a lot, it will probably rise on its own. It's also my main buff skill.'
It was a skill he was using so well that it made the time he had thought of it as a white elephant seem colorless.
'The rare grade [High-Speed Recovery] also rose to the unique grade [Regeneration] because I used it often. Well, it was about time it rose, considering how much I've used it.'
Lee Shin simply passed over it, but this was a tremendous achievement.
[Recovery] is a skill that most players obtain, but [High-Speed Recovery] is rare.
And a skill above that.
It was a skill that could not be obtained unless one was a human who could efficiently self-harm their entire body like Lee Shin and endure the pain.
'After the battle with the Jewel Spider, [Ten Poisons Immunity] has also grown into [Hundred Poisons Immunity]. Then next is...'
Lee Shin moved his eyes and looked at the one at the very top.
'[Flame Lightning Water God Art].'
"Hoo-woo~"
Lee Shin lay on the sofa for a moment, completely emptying the air in his lungs and then filling it up again, repeating the process.
As he relaxed his entire body, he slowly turned his consciousness inward.
Thud-
Then, a moment later, Lee Shin stepped into his mental world.
Kyuuuuu--!!!
At the same time as Lee Shin stepped into his mental world, a dragon with red scales roared loudly from afar and flew over.
Irhegue, who landed in front of Lee Shin, flapping his wings, had changed into a form that suited the word 'dragon'.
His size had grown to be about the same as Lee Shin's eye level, and his reddish scales had a faint golden light, giving him a sense of dignity.
On top of that, the black horns that had been protruding like lumps had grown quite stylishly, surrounded by golden growth rings.
-Kyuuu~ What is it? Are you done with all your work?
Irhegue asked, his odd eyes flashing, in a cute voice that didn't match his size.
"Hmm, no. But I can say I'm about halfway done."
-Is that so?
After a light exchange with Irhegue, Lee Shin sat down, leaning his back against the Flame Lightning Tree.
Hwoong-
Then, Irhegue flapped his wings and flew into the air, at the same time reducing his size, and then went up to Lee Shin's head and lay down.
"You could reduce your size too?"
-Of course. I am a dragon, the pinnacle of all living things.
"Then why are you on my head?"
-A dragon is a being that is originally on top of the heads of all living things.
Irhegue said, and tapped the back of Lee Shin's head with his tail as if to say, 'don't fuss over the small things'.
Since he seemed to be in a good mood and wasn't being a particular hindrance, he decided to just let it go.
"Then shall we begin."
Lee Shin sat still and imagined his own form.
Then, as if a wind were blowing from somewhere, a 'Lee Shin' holding a spear naturally appeared in front of him.
Lee Shin smiled, looking at the man who had the exact same body, same face, and same eyes as him.
"Now then, shall we appreciate it."
Kyuuu-
Hwoooong-
'Lee Shin' lightly swung the spear he was holding and began to unfold everything he had one by one, as if drawing a picture on a white canvas.
Hwareuk-
Pajijik-
The sight of 'Lee Shin' swinging his spear was beautiful.
Every time he swung the spear, leaves of flame scattered, and every time he thrust the spear, branches of lightning stretched out.
A scene as if he were dancing, clad in flames and lightning.
"Hmm..."
Watching it, Lee Shin let out a groan as if he were displeased.
"As expected, I can see many lacking parts with my current eyes."
-I think so too.
It continuously changed from flames to lightning, from lightning to flames.
-It's all show and no substance. Kuru.
"Yeah, it looks plausible on the outside, but the flow inside is too inefficient. Being able to handle [Flames] and [Lightning] at the same time is certainly an advantage, but the fuel efficiency is too bad."
Usually, martial arts that contain something of nature either contain only one thing or pursue efficiency by creating synergy and conflict using the five elements or yin and yang.
No one does what Lee Shin does, creating a normal internal energy with no special characteristics and then changing it to fire ki or lightning ki on the spot.
The reason is that it's complicated to do so during a battle, but in the first place, that method is inefficient because you have to change the internal energy on the spot.
People with the talent and knowledge to create their own martial arts see through this and do not create such martial arts.
In other words, there was no fool in history who created and used a martial art for the simple reason of 'I want to', like Lee Shin.
Well, Lee Shin didn't particularly regret it.
He just did it because he wanted to.
Even if his legs were to break while running, as long as the result was fun, that was all that mattered.
"Well, if there are lacking parts, I just have to supplement them."
Lee Shin observed his own movements created through imagination and constantly looked for points to improve.
***
What should one do to get a flashing inspiration?
If someone were to ask Lee Shin that, the only advice he could give was to fill each day with a slightly different color.
In fact, Lee Shin had also gone to an art exhibition and found the painting that became the inspiration for the [Flame Lightning Water God Art].
That's why Lee Shin decided to spend a slightly fresh daily life while also taking care of his backlogged work.
By going around here and there to look at houses for sale.
And to take a light walk.
Of course, Lee Hyun-seok and Lee Hyun-young did not come with him.
1 PM.
He had told Lee Hyun-seok to enter a dungeon with Eun Yeon-woo, and it was time for Lee Hyun-young to be at school.
'Well, even if they were here, I would have just come to see it alone anyway.'
Lee Shin went around and saw several houses, but there was no house that caught his eye.
"Can I see the next house too?"
"......Yes?"
So he asked the real estate agent to show him the next house, but his reaction was strange.
"Hmm? Isn't there more? I'm sure I heard at the beginning that there were ten properties that met the conditions."
At that, the real estate agent let out a small sigh and followed Lee Shin.
The real estate agent was worried.
When the man came in the morning, he was happy thinking he was a customer, and when he heard about the conditions of the house he was looking for, he was excited thinking he was a big shot he hadn't seen in a while.
He welcomed him with a kind smile and showed him the houses on the list.
He had looked at a total of 9 houses, and now he was about to fill the 10th.
But... he shouldn't go to that 10th house.
'Whew, if I had known it would be like this, I should have said there were 9 houses instead of 10.'
He blamed himself, but the water was already spilled.
Since there was no way to turn it back, it was right to move in the direction of resolving it.
"Uh... sir?"
"Yes? Did you call me?"
"Well... there's something I need to tell you before we go to the last property, so could you spare some time at a cafe? I'll buy."
"Uh... yes, well."
Lee Shin wondered what was going on all of a sudden, but he accepted for now.
Thus, the two sat facing each other in a cafe.
The real estate agent, who had been silent and sweating profusely for a while, opened his mouth with difficulty.
"Whew, it's about the property I mentioned was left a moment ago."
"Yes."
Lee Shin said roughly, with the thought of just listening to what he had to say.
But the topic that came out of the real estate agent's mouth was enough to arouse Lee Shin's interest.
"There's a problem with that property."
"Hmm? What, do wild animals appear nearby or something?"
"No. That's not what I mean. Rather, if you consider the various conditions, I can assure you that it has the best facilities."
The real estate agent said, and showed Lee Shin the tablet screen.
"Oh."
Lee Shin, who saw the picture, let out a small exclamation.
It was a modern-designed 3-story detached house, and it had a garage where he could put his bike, and a yard.
In particular, the fact that the yard was all made of stone, so he didn't have to worry about weeds, caught Lee Shin's heart.
Above all, the price was a tenth of what he had seen so far.
"What is this? This suspicious yet alluring property?"
"It's what they commonly call a haunted house."
"Hoo~"
Lee Shin, who heard the real estate agent's words, smiled broadly.
If either Lee Hyun-seok or Lee Hyun-young had been here, they would have noticed Lee Shin's thoughts and tried to stop him to death, but unfortunately for them, no one was here now.
(End of Chapter)