Chapter 18. Black Root (7)

The mana stimulated various parts of the body, inducing changes and also played a role in correcting the physical balance that had collapsed due to extreme changes.

Crack. Crack.

After a considerable amount of time had passed,

['Flame Heart, Frost Verse' has been successfully anchored. You have obtained a new body, Reinforced Bones.]

[Your affinity with fire has increased by 30.]

[Your affinity with water has increased by 30.]

As always, the mana left a significant trace before dispersing throughout the body and disappearing.

It seemed that handling mana would require more time than initially expected.

However, everything else was

completely satisfactory.

"Huff."

Yeonwoo exhaled a long breath.

With that, all the fatigue that had accumulated seemed to vanish instantly, and he felt his energy returning.

'Status Window.'

[Player: Cha Yeonwoo]

Traits: Cold-Blooded, Reinforced Bones

Strength: 81 Agility: 83 Vitality: 89 Mana: 21

Skills: Dragon Eye (5.2%). Enhanced Senses (25.9%). Time Prediction (0.0%). Physical Resistance (10.2%). Combat Will (7.1%). Bathory's Vampire Sword (3.2%)

Yeonwoo smiled contentedly as he examined his transformed body.

Thanks to Bathory's Vampire Sword, which had absorbed the essences of monsters, his ability values had soared to unprecedented heights.

However, what pleased Yeonwoo the most was something else.

The addition to the traits section.

'Reinforced Bones.'

[Trait: Reinforced Bones (强化骨)]

Description: A form where the heart is imbued with the essence of flame and the body with the essence of frost. The fusion of fire and water attributes boasts excellent immunity and resistance, and fatigue does not accumulate easily.

* Flame Heart: A heart that contains fire, boasting excellent cardiovascular endurance and healing ability. Stamina increases significantly.

* Frost Verse: Hardens the body. Defense against physical impacts increases, and it boasts excellent immunity to curses.

Reinforced Bones harden the body and prevent it from tiring easily.

Especially, due to its excellent self-healing ability, it reduces the likelihood of sustaining major injuries in critical situations.

However, there was another reason why Yeonwoo needed this trait.

[Physical growth has been confirmed. The vessel has become more solid. The interrupted inheritance process has been resumed. 6, 7... 12%...]

[Current progress: 21.3%]

[Status has changed from 'Incomplete Dragon Body' to 'Immature Dragon Body.']

'Alright.'

Yeonwoo clenched his fist.

The reason he needed a reinforced body.

While one of the purposes was to gain a favorable high ground in the rough tower, the main reason was to resume the incomplete Dragon Body inheritance process.

To complete the inheritance process, a solid vessel was necessary.

Reinforced Bones was the essential step to create such a vessel.

'But this is just the beginning. The vessel needs to be continuously strengthened.'

Even so, with the solid framework of Reinforced Bones in place, the subsequent steps could proceed smoothly as originally planned.

Yeonwoo fully felt the changes in his body and then called up the next message that had been waiting for his response.

The quest he received when he first entered the dungeon.

It was time to claim the reward.

[You have earned 1,500 merit points.]

[You have achieved a feat that few can easily accomplish. Additional merit points are granted.]

[You have earned an additional 500 merit points.]

[Additional rewards are available. Choose your reward.]

[Reward List]

* Artifacts

1. Blood Magic Sword

2. Deep Sea Pearl Hard Knife (珍珠硬刀)

3. The Brave

...

* Skills

1. Kanusha's Indomitable Spirit

2. Six Dragon Slash

3. Blood and Snake's Eye

...

Yeonwoo smiled as he looked at the 'Reward List.'

Perhaps because he had achieved all the hidden pieces, this was the first time he was seeing a list of rewards rather than being given a random one.

Some of the items were important enough to have been seen in the mysterious merchant's shop.

It was a bit regrettable that he had to choose only one, but Yeonwoo didn't dwell on it and scrolled all the way down.

Fortunately, he found what he wanted.

98. Additional Merit Points 2,000

He had already obtained everything he could from B-Sector, from Bathory's Vampire Sword to Reinforced Bones.

There were many more things to gain in the future, so he didn't pay much attention to the other options.

Currently, what Yeonwoo lacked the most was merit points.

To maintain the top position, he would need a lot more merit points in the future.

Without hesitation, Yeonwoo clicked on reward 98.

[You have chosen 'Additional Merit Points 2,000' as your reward. The reward has been granted.]

[You have earned 2,000 merit points.]

After the message, another one appeared.

[Your Tutorial ranking has been updated.]

[Do you want to register your name on the ranking?]

'Finally made it to the ranking.'

The Tutorial provides real-time rankings of the top 300 players.

When there are significant changes in the rankings, such announcements are made to boost player morale. Registering a name means making it into the ranking.

However, Yeonwoo only found significance in making it to the ranking and didn't particularly want to register.

There were no benefits to registering, and it would only raise the vigilance of top players.

So he shook his head.

'Refuse.'

[Registration has been refused. You will be listed as 'Anonymous' on the Tutorial ranking. You can switch to 'Public' if you wish.]

[Tutorial Ranking]

1st. Edora (57,111 points)

2nd. Pant (55,982 points)

3rd. Kan (50,473 points)

...

281st. Anonymous (6,700 points) (You)

...

'Sure enough. 281st place.'

Starting as a latecomer, he had finally caught up to the leading group to some extent.

He had accumulated a total of 6,700 merit points, a significant amount considering he had only passed B-Sector.

However, the joy was short-lived.

'Making it to the ranking is good, but what is this? The gap with the leading players is too large.'

Yeonwoo furrowed his brow as he scrolled back up.

'Or are the leading group's skills even better than expected?'

He had heard that the merit points of the top three players at the end of the Tutorial were usually around 50,000.

His younger brother had around 52,000 points when he completed the Tutorial and achieved the final 2nd place.

However,

even with a considerable amount of time left until the Tutorial's end, there were already three players with over 50,000 points.

'Edora, Pant, Kan. What are they doing?'

These scores were enough to win the Tutorial with room to spare.

It was like encountering a hidden ace in an unexpected place.

Yeonwoo glanced at the three names again and closed the ranking list.

'I can't let this go. I need to speed up.'

The gap with the leading group was around 50,000 points.

Considering they would also be progressing quickly, he needed to move even faster.

'First, I'll move to E-Sector as quickly as possible.'

The next hidden piece Yeonwoo was targeting was located in E-Sector, where 'that guy' he had been eyeing lived.

There was nothing noteworthy in C and D Sectors, so he planned to skip them as quickly as possible.

Yeonwoo organized his thoughts, adjusted his grip on the greatsword, and sheathed it at his waist.

He moved towards the exit.

* * *

While moving through the corridor to exit the dungeon,

"Hmm?"

Yeonwoo narrowed his eyes and looked towards the exit. He drew his greatsword from his waist and gripped it tightly in his right hand.

Beyond his sensory range,

he sensed two presences he had never felt before.

'Outsiders?'

The presence of monsters and players was significantly different, so there was no way he could mistake them.

However, he had never encountered other players here.

Had someone else discovered this place in the meantime?

Yeonwoo didn't want to meet them if possible, but with only one exit, he had to move cautiously.

What made him tense the most was

'They're not easy opponents.'

The two players he sensed were not below his level.

Even in his current state, having obtained Reinforced Bones and Bathory's Vampire Sword, which had led to explosive growth,

if he had met them any earlier,

'Or are they after me?'

How could such strong players still be in B-Sector?

If they weren't here by chance but were after him, it made sense.

The guys he had clashed with while helping Yul.

If the Arangdan had come for revenge,

Yeonwoo didn't know why such skilled members of the Arangdan would act as mercenaries, but he couldn't just sit and take it, so he lowered his presence as much as possible.

As the two presences turned the corner of the corridor and entered the chamber where Yeonwoo was,

Swish!

Yeonwoo swung his greatsword in reverse, aiming for the forehead of the one who was turning the corner.

A young boy with a tousled head and sleepy eyes, with a youthful appearance.

He belatedly noticed Yeonwoo's attack and widened his eyes.

Instinctively, he tried to dodge to the side, but the greatsword was already in motion.

"Doil!"

At that moment, the young man next to him grabbed the boy and pulled him to the side, swinging the sword at his waist with great force.

Clang!

The greatsword was deflected mid-swing.

Or rather, the young man's sword, which seemed to have excellent performance, split the greatsword in two, sending fragments flying upward.

Yeonwoo realized his ambush had failed and pushed off the ground, retreating a considerable distance.

He then drew two more greatswords and held one in each hand.

The boy, Doil, turned pale and fell to the ground, breathing heavily.

The young man, Kan, who had barely saved his brother, scowled and growled,

"What the hell is this all about!"

Yeonwoo narrowed his eyes under his white mask.

"Arangdan. Aren't you?"

"Why would Arangdan be here?"

Yeonwoo instinctively realized that Kan and Doil were not related to the Arangdan.

If they were here as mercenaries, they would have attacked without any conversation.

Moreover, the reflexes that saved Doil and swung the sword were not below his level.

Of course, it could be an act to make him let his guard down.

But it didn't seem like they needed to lie with such skills.

"Then why were you following me?"

Kan's eyes widened slightly, realizing they had been read, but he soon frowned again.

"Does that mean you think it's okay to attack us out of the blue?"

"If you follow someone without any explanation, wouldn't you naturally think they have bad intentions? Isn't that right?"

A valid point.

Kan was speechless.

'Why is this guy so good with words?'

He had thought the guy with the strange white mask would be taciturn.

But he couldn't just admit defeat.

Meanwhile, Doil, recovering from the shock, finally stood up. Despite the brief lapse, he was now radiating a presence far more intense than when they entered the waiting room in B-Sector, which surprised him.

Kan glared at Yeonwoo for a moment, then sighed deeply.

Even though they had been ambushed, they were the ones who caused the situation, so an apology was in order.

He couldn't afford to make a bad impression, especially since they were here to scout for a team.

Thud!

Kan stabbed the sword he was holding into the ground and said,

"I'm sorry. We were in the wrong this time."

Kan apologized sincerely, and Doil followed by bowing his head.

Yeonwoo's eyes under the mask sparkled.

Players were generally proud and stubborn, often refusing to admit their mistakes.

But these two were admitting their fault so readily.

Yeonwoo realized they had no ill intentions and finally relaxed his guard.

Sheathing his greatswords at his waist, he asked,

"So, what's your business with me?"

At that moment,

Kan, as if nothing had happened, curled his lips into a confident smile and declared,

"You, be my teammate!"

"..."

"..."

The abrupt and blunt manner of his request.

Doil, standing behind him, turned his head away, embarrassed.

Yeonwoo involuntarily furrowed his brow.

'What is this guy? A moron?'