Chapter 7: Using the Privilege

M E M O R I Z E

How much time had passed?

“...”

When I finally managed to open my eyes, the gray brick walls of the Summoning Room came into view. Fortunately, it seemed the time for the Rite of Passage had not yet arrived. Feeling like I would fall fast asleep if I closed my eyes again, I grunted and lifted my head.

As expected, unread messages were floating in the air. Even lying down, I could read them without much trouble, so I rested my head back on the floor and began to read.

You have received a massive shock your body could not withstand. Your Stamina has permanently decreased by 10 points. Congratulations. All waste and impurities within your body have been burned away. Vitality circulates, and the flow of magic power has greatly increased. Stamina permanently increases by 2 points, and Magic Power permanently increases by 6 points. Eternally Burning Flame. The Essence of Fire has settled in your heart. Your synchronization rate with the Essence of Fire is currently 100%.

I was blankly reading through them one by one. The moment I saw the message about my Stamina stat decreasing, my mind snapped to attention as if doused with cold water. As I read the subsequent messages, biting my lip, Seraph’s voice flowed into my ear.

“User Kim Su-hyeon. Are you awake? Is your body alright? User Kim Su-hyeon!”

At least my hearing had recovered. Just as I was about to snap back that she should be able to see my condition herself, annoyed by the voice constantly interrupting my thoughts...

“— — —.”

My voice wouldn’t come out. No, a voice came out, but it was just a hoarse rasp. My throat was completely shot. Frustrated, I tried to speak again, but only the sound of escaping air came out.

‘In the end, I have no choice but to wait for my whole body to recover.’

I let out a deep sigh and summoned my Player Status window. I figured I would look over my status, now mixed with the特典, until I had recovered to some extent.

⚔ PLAYER STATUS ⚔

1. Name:

Kim Su-hyeon (Year 0) 2. Class:

Sword Specialist (Secret, Master) 3. Nation:

- 4. Clan:

- 5. True Name · Nationality:

One Who Must Prove His Worth, Prospective User · Republic of Korea 6. Sex:

Male (23) 7. Height · Weight:

181.5cm · 75.5kg 8. Alignment:

Lawful · Chaos

(Before)

[Strength 94] [Endurance 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 78] [Magic Power 90] [Luck 88] (After)

[Strength 94] [Endurance 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 70] [Magic Power 96] [Luck 88] (Remaining Stat Points: 0)

< Achievements (0) >

< Unique Ability (1/1) >

(Description: The Third Eye, an ability that falls into an unconventional category beyond the concept of ordinary sight. It can be described as an 'invisible eye' linked to one's intuition. It transcends the simple act of 'seeing,' allowing for high-dimensional insight into all phenomena occurring in the present. Originally, it could perceive phenomena beyond the present dimension, but because it was forcibly manifested by an unknown power rather than through personal training or enlightenment, it received a 2-rank penalty. However, due to the influence of the Essence of Fire, which harbors pure fire energy, it has received a 1-rank increase. Effectively, nothing in the present can deceive User Kim Su-hyeon's eyes.)

< Special Ability (1/1) >

The state where one who has reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship becomes the sword, and the sword becomes the person. The moment a sword is held, all actions related to wielding it receive a positive additional correction. Although the user has grasped the extremity of the sword, they have not yet reached the highest realm of swordsmanship. However, due to years of seasoned experience, numerous achievements, and class correction, it has received a 2-rank increase.

< Potential Abilities (4/4) >

(Description: For someone who wields melee weapons, this ability has already surpassed the limits. At this point, it can be said that it is not a simple combat skill but the highest state of ascension achievable by a human. In close combat, you will never be pushed back. Due to years of seasoned experience and class correction, it has received a 1-rank increase.)

(Description: You do not know how to give up a fight. You do not accept defeat. Such will allows you to continue fighting even when sustaining near-fatal injuries. Combat is still possible even after receiving a decisive, critical wound, but the effect of maintaining combat power is reduced proportionally.)

(Description: A mind's eye that sees not the outward appearance but the inner self of a target. It refers to the ability to observe oneself and perceive all things, or phenomena with a similar effect. A mind trained to its limit can maintain composure even under the influence of S-rank or lower mental contamination magic.)

(Description: The blessing of Athena, the goddess of war who protects peace. It activates only on the battlefield, a blessing granted to a single soldier within it. The blessed user gains a wide field of vision that can encompass the entire battlefield and can immediately pinpoint the location of allies in crisis. Furthermore, having received a divine blessing, all damage from magical effects is unconditionally reduced, both on and off the battlefield. (This is calculated based on the ability's rank and the user's Luck stat.)

Although User Kim Su-hyeon's Luck stat is decent, due to the blessing's supreme rank, he can partially defend against magical effects one rank higher and receive reduced damage from those two ranks higher.) (Remaining Ability Points: 0)

After reading through my Player Status, I felt a mix of awe and disappointment. Close Quarters Combat and Unfaltering were randomly acquired, so I couldn't change them anyway. But they weren't bad abilities, and their ranks were decent. Besides, wasn't it better to be familiar with abilities I had used before?

The one thing that was not only unexpected but utterly shocking was the decrease in my Stamina stat. Stamina is the pillar that supports all other stats.

70 points of Stamina. I could still produce the output I originally intended. However, the fact that the Stamina supporting it was only 70 points was certainly a problem worth considering. To use an analogy, it was like a car. The design specs were outstanding, but the engine's durability was extremely unstable. If the engine were to overheat, there would be a risk of retiring from the race or even an explosion. In the end, Seraph's prediction and mine were each half-right.

The worry about my Stamina kept circling in my head, but there was nothing I could do about it for now. I couldn't guarantee how many points I could gather in the future, but I had to collect as many as possible to secure a surplus.

‘It’s Year 0, but I summoned my Year 10 body... It’ll be hard to raise it through training.’

It was a problem I couldn't solve at the moment anyway. I pushed the complex thoughts aside and decided to focus on recovering my body for now. Seraph’s glare was getting more and more intense. Then again, my abilities were already dazzlingly brilliant; perhaps wanting more was just greed.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

How much time had passed? It felt like about 20 minutes, but I wanted to know the exact time. Of course, Seraph would take care of it, but after I received all the特典, we had both fallen silent. Communication had been cut off. With a feeling of ‘whatever happens, happens,’ I closed my eyes.

As time slowly passed, my body grew cold. I don't mean I was dying; it was the sensation of the heat that had risen due to the Essence of Fire dissipating. As the heat that filled my insides subsided, my body’s senses seemed to return to normal.

I had checked the Player Status window completely. For the remaining time, I calmly observed the inside of my body.

There was certainly a downside. But I was still alive, so in a way, the plan was a success. And just as the hurdle was difficult, the reward for overcoming it was immense. In particular, all the waste and impurities that had been spread throughout my body were completely eliminated, and all my blocked meridians were cleared.

That wasn't all. An unexpected gain was that even the minute acupoints at the tips of my fingers and toes, where the flow of magic had never reached, were now wide open. My vitality was circulating faster than before, and the speed and efficiency of my magic flow had increased to a level incomparable to the past. Considering that in a battle between users of the same level, the slightest difference could determine the outcome, it was as if I now had several hidden trump cards.

“Hoo.”

Feeling my senses return to some extent, I sent magic power to every corner of my body. It flowed smoothly to the tips of my hands and feet. Gaining confidence from this, I gently moved my right arm and found that my body felt much lighter than before. Of course, my joints still ached and throbbed, but it was much better than when all sensation had disappeared.

Finally, I grunted and sat up. I raised my head and stared straight at Seraph. She, too, seemed unfazed, maintaining a calm gaze as she watched me. My clothes were in a state that was embarrassing to even call rags, but I didn't feel any particular shame. After all, the woman before me was an angel, someone I couldn't see as a member of the opposite sex.

After shrugging once, I tapped my left wrist with my right hand, a gesture asking for the time.

“It is time to enter the Rite of Passage. Please prepare.”

Seraph’s voice was cold and dry. She was clearly angry. In that moment, the image of her stomping her feet in frustration while looking at me just a while ago flashed through my mind.

‘...’

I decided to leave it at that. I wanted to avoid any pointless arguments. After all, I had already gotten everything I wanted.

“I’m ready. Send me.”

“User Kim Su-hyeon. Is your physical condition alright?”

“Yeah. Not bad.”

“...Then I will proceed with the transfer immediately. Time is short, so I recommend you act as quickly as possible once you enter the Preparation Room.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Seraph furrowed her elegant brow at my half-hearted reply. But she soon raised a slender finger and flicked it lightly.

Snap!

With the sound of her fingers snapping, my body began to fade. It was like being erased by an eraser.

“If I may offer a piece of advice, carelessness is forbidden, anytime, anywhere. I hope you pass the Rite of Passage safely so we can meet again. I wish for your success, User Kim Su-hyeon.”

“Seraph. No more nagging. I hope you'll keep your mouth shut next time we meet.”

Kk-geung, kk-geu-geung.

The moment I snarked back, I heard a familiar mechanical sound. Unfazed, I looked down and saw that my body, starting from my legs, was already more than two-thirds faded. Watching it, I slowly closed my eyes.

A new start after 10 years. From now on, a new future would unfold. A future to come, a future to pioneer. A future where no one is lost and no one despairs—a future that Kim Su-hyeon will change. As I thought about it, an inexplicable feeling of being overwhelmed filled my chest.