Chapter 6

Chapter 5: National Central Museum (2)

Thud! Thud!

"Devour them."

Jinhyuk tapped the tiger's back twice.

Then,

"Roar!"

The massive beast kicked the ground.

The distance closed in an instant.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The jackals' bodies were torn apart like paper.

It was an overwhelming display of power.

"Screech!"

"Screech!"

Like ants challenging a dinosaur, the five Egyptian guardians, which were supposed to protect the place, were extinguished without even a decent resistance.

***

Rattle!

Yuri's body shook uncontrollably.

"No, this can't be. My summons can't just... be so easily... ."

It was unbelievable.

She was certain they were the strongest.

She thought obtaining the Great Eastern Map in the museum would be no problem...

But why?

She didn't know.

The only thing she was sure of was that the man in front of her was far beyond her imagination.

"You. How many floors have you climbed?"

"Let's see. How many floors have I gone up?"

"Y-You don't mean... more than 20 floors, do you?"

"..."

Jinhyuk didn't answer.

"21st floor. 22nd floor... or even 23rd floor? 23rd floor?"

Yuri kept asking.

Climbing one floor at a time seemed cute.

Just talking about the 20s made her feel like she was about to suffocate.

What would her reaction be if he said he climbed to the 50th floor?

'Would she faint, foaming at the mouth?'

She was curious, but that would have to wait for another time.

"Isn't it a bit late to ask how many floors I've climbed?"

Jinhyuk approached Yuri's nose.

Yuri shuddered.

"Y-You're going to kill me?"

"I don't have a hobby of killing scared newbies."

Mocking and laughing at someone's expense was something he graduated from long ago.

"Who are you calling a newbie! I'm...!"

"Sure, sure. I get it. Hand over the artifact you obtained from the Egyptian exhibit, like the 'Mask of Tutankhamun.'"

At Jinhyuk's words, Yuri's eyes widened.

"That thing is pretty useless in Korea. What do you need it for?"

"That's none of your business. If you don't want to camp in the tiger's stomach tonight, hand it over."

Jinhyuk glanced at the tiger beside him.

"Grumble..."

The tiger's mouth was already stained with blood from devouring the jackals.

It was a sight that could haunt one's dreams.

"Fine, I'll give it to you. I'll give it to you!"

Yuri reluctantly took out the mask from her bag.

A golden mask of a pharaoh.

[You have obtained the holy relic (replica) 'Mask of Tutankhamun'.]

'Good.'

Before coming here, he had already secured his first holy relic on the first floor. Now, with this, he had secured his second.

"You're after the Great Eastern Map too?"

"Map?"

Right. There was such a thing.

He had forgotten about it because he didn't pay much attention to it.

It supposedly contained information up to the 10th floor.

"Sure, I'll say that."

Jinhyuk chuckled and stroked the tiger's back one last time.

"Guard this place well. Don't let anyone follow."

"Roar!"

The tiger guarded the entrance to the stairs leading to the next floor.

Well then,

'Shall I go?'

Jinhyuk climbed the stairs to the upper floor.

***

"This is really... unexpected."

At the top, Min Jeong-woo was waiting.

He seemed quite surprised.

He probably didn't imagine that Yuri would break through.

But Jinhyuk was equally surprised.

"Why aren't you going inside? Why are you here?"

The purpose was the Great Eastern Map.

He couldn't understand why Min Jeong-woo was hesitating.

"Even I wanted to go in, but someone has set up a barrier here."

Min Jeong-woo stretched out his hand toward the air.

Whoosh!

His hand was repelled.

"Physical attacks and magic are both useless. I've never seen a barrier like this before."

That makes sense.

"It's a level 1 barrier."

"Hmm. You know about this?"

"Sort of..."

Unlike the barriers set up around the museum, this was a 'real' barrier.

A barrier created through a skill.

Jinhyuk's eyes narrowed.

'So, he's here.'

He knew a player who frequently used this ability.

He had encountered many of them in the game.

Jinhyuk, who had been lost in thought, spoke.

"I know how to break it. But."

"But?"

"You need to keep using fire magic to weaken the barrier."

"How long?"

"Until I go in, get the necessary holy relics, and come back out."

"Heh. So, while I'm using magic outside, you'll be inside?"

Impressive. He caught on quickly.

'You did well.'

"I understand your hesitation, but this is the only way. It's almost dawn, and we can't leave empty-handed, can we?"

After all the hard work, it would be the worst outcome to leave with nothing.

"Of course, I'll give you the map. I need something else more."

"..."

Min Jeong-woo tightly closed his mouth.

Which choice would be more beneficial?

Which choice was necessary?

He started calculating in his head.

But no matter how much he thought, there was only one conclusion.

He had to trust.

It would be uncomfortable for Min Jeong-woo, but what choice did he have? This was the only way.

"Will you definitely hand over the map?"

"Of course. I don't want to be on bad terms with a magic user."

"Alright... I'll trust you."

Min Jeong-woo finally made his decision.

"Keep using the skill without stopping. Otherwise, I'll be trapped inside."

"I'll do my best."

Jinhyuk stood in front of the barrier.

He found the weakest point of the barrier.

Where the flow of mana was disrupted.

'Here.'

...carpo.

The Latin phrase written in blood glowed.

"It's now!"

Whoosh!

At Jinhyuk's words, Min Jeong-woo unleashed a stream of fire.

The hot flames quickly heated the surface of the barrier.

At that moment.

Crack!

A crack began to form in the center of the barrier.

'Done.'

Jinhyuk quickly entered the barrier.

"Hurry up."

Min Jeong-woo was sweating.

"I will."

He intended to make an effort.

'In my own way.'

***

Unlike the lower floors, this floor's exhibit showed no signs of being tampered with.

Or rather, there was one difference.

'They've already finished and left.'

Jinhyuk looked at the empty display case.

It had contained the 'iron sword inscribed with Qianlong (乾隆)' just a moment ago.

No matter what was happening elsewhere,

He had secured what he wanted and left.

'True to form, he doesn't take any unnecessary risks.'

He only takes the best parts, doesn't he?

But even such a person wouldn't know.

That the artifact he took from this museum was only a second-rate item.

'I remember it was around here...'

Jinhyuk walked between the display cases.

He stopped at one.

A round artifact made of rusted iron.

Sangpyeongtongbo (常平通寶).

A currency used from the reign of King Injo of Joseon to the late period.

Of course, it now held value beyond its monetary worth.

'Finally found it.'

Jinhyuk's lips curled upward.

A unique ability for himself.

And the final piece needed for it.

Finally, everything was in his hands.

Then,

"Wh-What are you doing!?"

Min Jeong-woo, outside the barrier, shouted.

"What do you mean?"

"Why aren't you securing the Great Eastern Map first? Why are you stopping at something else?"

"Just wait. The map isn't going anywhere. I'll solve my problem first and then give it to you, nicely wrapped."

Interfering at such an important moment.

Jinhyuk sat down leisurely.

He laid out the holy relics he had obtained from the museum on the floor.

'Mask of Tutankhamun (B)'.

The part needed here was the 'right eye'.

Crack!

He dug out the eye area and placed it in the 'Persian Ritual Mold (E)'.

[Two holy relics are reacting.]

A short message appeared.

A message that only appeared when the correct holy relics met.

At the same time,

It also meant that a suitable price had to be paid to proceed further.

Thud!

Jinhyuk dropped 15 'Sangpyeongtongbo (D)' into the mold.

Then,

Rumble!

An indescribable energy began to flow from the mold.

[Three holy relics are reacting!]

[You have successfully fused them!]

[You have obtained the holy relic 'Eye of Truth (SS)'.]

[Eye of Truth]

Acquisition Difficulty: SS

Description: Allows you to view another person's status window and determine the 'truth/falsity' of what they say (3 times per day).

'Success!'

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Jinhyuk's heart beat wildly.

The five 'eyes' in this world.

Among them, the 'Eye of Truth' was considered the best.

It was only natural.

This eye had a special effect that allowed it to determine the truth of what someone said, three times a day.

A nearly god-like effect.

But his excitement wasn't just because he had obtained the 'Eye of Truth'.

He knew an even greater reward would follow.

[You have successfully fused despite the extremely low probability.]

[You have achieved a rare event.]

[You have obtained the unique ability 'Fusion (Overrank)'.]

Fuse three replicas of B-rank or lower to create an item of S-rank or higher.

This was the condition to obtain the unique ability 'Fusion'.

And,

Among the countless holy relics and items, there was only one possible combination.

Fusing those three.

[Unique Ability 'Fusion']

Acquisition Difficulty: Unmeasurable (Overrank)

Description: By completing specific quests, you can store other people's unique abilities and skills in the 'Memory of the World' and fuse them to create higher-dimensional abilities.

However, if the difficulty of the conditions to be copied increases significantly, the conditions may be modified.

Copying and storing numerous abilities in the world.

Fusing stored abilities to create even more powerful skills.

This was the reason and purpose for coming here today.

"Phew."

Jinhyuk exhaled the breath he had been holding.

He had prepared all evening to obtain these two things, and everything went smoothly.

Then,

"Hey! I don't know what you did, but if you're done, hurry... I can't keep this up any longer!"

Min Jeong-woo, gritting his teeth, shouted.

His face had turned completely white from mana depletion.

'Let's see. What do I need to do to copy this old man's ability?'

[Copy Condition: Min Jeong-woo always hid his emotions behind a mask. Make his true feelings visible.]

'In other words, make him angry, right?'

Of course, it was an easy task.

Especially in the current situation.

Jinhyuk took out the Great Eastern Map and approached Min Jeong-woo.

"You can stop using that skill now."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Actually, there's no need to."

Weakening the barrier required using attack magic continuously?

What a ridiculous idea.

The barrier and the skill worked in completely different ways.

Just writing a Latin incantation on the part where the mana flow was disrupted was enough.

The person who set up this barrier was still only level 1.

"Then, why did you tell me to use the skill...?"

Why?

"To deplete your mana completely."

He had watched Min Jeong-woo work hard, sweating profusely.

Now, he wouldn't even have the strength to move a finger.

If,

He burned the map right in front of him.

Whoosh!

Jinhyuk used a lighter to set the Great Eastern Map on fire.

The flames quickly devoured the entire paper.

"Wh-What are you doing! Why are you burning it! Why...?"

"As I said, I don't need it."

He already knew everything about the tower.

The map was meaningless.

'But, it would be a waste to give it to someone else.'

With the map, someone could learn the information up to the 10th floor.

His advantage would be at risk.

The most certain way to prevent that was to eliminate the possibility.

Just like this.

"Y-You bastard! I'll kill you! I'll drink your blood! Son of a bitch!"

Min Jeong-woo lost his composure.

'Wow. When this old man gets angry, he really lets it all out.'

This shows that one shouldn't judge a person by their appearance.

Just then,

[Conditions met.]

[You have successfully copied the skill 'Element of Fire (B)'.]

[The copied skill will be stored in the 'Memory of the World'.]

[Element of Fire]

Acquisition Difficulty: B

Description: Allows you to control flames and increase your affinity with fire.

The status window indicating that the copy conditions were met appeared.

'Element of Fire...'

Not a bad start for the first copy.