– Volume 9, Chapter 15,
215. 51 Alchemy (2)
Gremlin. An NPC who hates his own race and lives alone.
no one acknowledges him You are not treated as a person by anyone.
He was slowly drying up and dying.
Mysterious beings who have settled here do not regard him as a lowly or ugly person.
Adventurers passing by only thought of him as a tool for giving quests.
That’s how Gremlins were pushed to their limit.
The fairies rob the mystical beings of their possessions and become like them. That itself was madness, and it clearly showed how far the gremlins had gone.
“I wouldn’t have really believed that they would accept me if I changed like them. That’s why gremlins are so smart.”
[Then why such a quest…]
The ghost who was talking fell silent
[No way.]
“It must have been decided. I would rather die in the form of a fairy than live as a gremlin.”
The gremlins were concentrated enough to wish for that.
[…Is that so? That’s why I didn’t notice.]
“Because you’re an unimaginable choice.”
The ghost risked his life and
came down the labyrinth. And he had a firm will to save his world.
It would not have been possible for him to understand that his goal was to gain recognition from others.
[How did you…]
Did you notice that?
The ghost who was about to ask it realized while he was talking.
[Nothing to ask.]
“There are things only cowards can do.”
Taeyeon Lee. A coward, she
grasped the mind of a gremlin. It was about what he was hoping for and what was at the end.
She said the gremlin was like her.
I didn’t understand what that meant before, but now I do.
Even after clearing Alone Mode, Lee Tae-yeon has a sense of self-doubt, saying that she is weak and does not fit in here.
A gremlin that has an intellect unsuitable for its race, and
goes crazy with its sense of alienation and reactions from those around it.
In a way, it was a resemblance. That’s why she wanted to help the gremlin.
But she couldn’t. The gremlin refused, and she too was mentally driven.
He was in a hurry to deal with his own problems, so he planned to come back and talk to the gremlin later when he had time to spare.
And when she stepped on the depths and came up again, the gremlin was already dead.
‘It’s just self-satisfaction.’
Gremlin is not Lee Taeyeon. It was similar, but different. Even if he saved the gremlin, it wouldn’t have any effect on Lee Tae-yeon.
Still, Taesan wanted to save that remlin for Lee Taeyeon.
fault.
Spread your wings.
Strengthen your senses to read everything in all directions.
At the end of it, Taesan was able to sense the gremlin.
The place where he was was the realm of fairies.
Taesan ran towards it. It wasn’t long before I saw the gremlin.
Taesan frowned.
‘fairy?’
There was a fairy full of scars. However, the energy he felt there was definitely that of the gremlin. The ghost caught his breath.
[Transformation of the body? Did alchemy do something difficult with magic?]
I don’t know how, but that fairy was definitely a gremlin.
cried the gremlin.
“ruler! As you said, I became like you! Accept me!”
And the fairies were attacking the gremlin who was shouting that.
Keying.
Light penetrates the gremlin’s leg. The gremlin groans in pain and collapses to the floor.
[The ugly guy imitates us.]
[It was a joke.]
[I really believed it.]
[It really became us. It’s unpleasant.]
The fairies giggled and wielded the light. The scars engraved all over Gremlin’s body gradually increased.
The gremlin sat down on the ground and just laughed.
“As expected. I can’t accept it.”
As he only smiled, the fairies’ laughter subsided.
[It’s not fun.]
[Let’s kill it.]
The lights come together. When the gremlin intuited death and closed its eyes, Taesan moved.
[You activate acceleration.]
Kwajik.
Pierce the chest of the fairy in front. The fairy vomits blood and flies away.
“you!”
[Scary human!]
The gremlin’s pupils widen. Taesan moves his sword toward
the straight line of light flying towards him .
keying!
The light collides with the sword and scatters in all directions.
The fairies raise their voices.
[He’s the one who killed us!]
[This is a dangerous guy ■!]
Taesan raised his finger. The spirit escaped from Taishan and began to be tangible.
[You activated Wolf’s Follower.]
A translucent wolf appears.
Taesan commands.
“bite.”
[Kuhung!]
The wolf howls and runs toward the fairy. The fairies scream and shoot light at the wolf.
[Ke-huong!]
The wolf howls. The lights distort and pass the wolf. The wolf chews up the fleeing fairies.
[Run away!]
[Run away!]
The fairies are quickly removed.
Taesan kicks his feet.
He followed the fairies into the forest. The gremlin stared blankly at his back.
After a while, Taishan returned with the fairy’s blood all over his body.
“Are fairies naturally created?”
[Because this is an unusual floor. Even if I kill them all, they will all appear before long. It revives much faster than other floors.]
[Kreung.]
Taesan stroked the wolf that was rubbing its head against him. The fairies were devoured without any resistance. It was more than expected.
After returning the wolf, Taesan looks at the gremlin.
The gremlin sat on the floor, staring blankly at him.
“You… ugh!”
The gremlin’s body twists.
The wings fall off and the skeleton grows.
Within seconds, the gremlin
regained its original form.
“Is the duration over?”
[Because I became a completely different being. I can’t stand it for long. I’m still excited To make real changes, not fantasy, with alchemy…]
The ghost’s voice contained admiration that he couldn’t hide.
The bloodied gremlin blankly looked up at him.
“Why did you…
I couldn’t speak. The gremlin’s body collapsed. Taesan caught him as he fell.
“Everyone is dying.”
[If I don’t treat it quickly, I’ll really die.]
Taesan took out fairy powder from the inventory and sprinkled it on the gremlin. Remlin’s wounds began to heal rapidly.
I took the cured gremlin and went back to his house.
after about two hours. The gremlin opened its eyes.
When he came to his senses, he was taken aback.
“Am I alive?”
“Did you think I would let you die then?”
The gremlin hurriedly turned its head. Taesan was sitting on a chair and watching over him.
Only then did the gremlin realize. That Taesan helped him when he was about to die.
Taesan said to the confused gremlin.
“Did you ask for such a quest even though you knew you were going to die?”
The gremlin looked at my hand in silence.
ugly nails.
Realizing that it had returned to its original form, the gremlin laughed.
“It’s over.”
“Why did you do that?”
Taesan asked. Perhaps giving up everything, the gremlin began to speak obediently.
“…No one accepts me.”
The gremlin hung her head gloomily
.
“Even my own people despise and deny me. So do humans. I’m called Remlin and treat you like a circus clown. I thought it would be different if it was a labyrinth where everything comes in, but… in the end, it wasn’t even here.”
The gremlin laughed. A dejected laugh scattered through the forest.
“Did you see it too? fairies mock me The serpent of the sea despises me for being lowly. Even the adventurers passing by don’t see me as an individual. They don’t see me as a single being , they only treat me as a tool that gives them quests .
So did the warrior behind you.”
[That’s… nothing to say.]
The ghost fell silent. The gremlin growled.
“What value do you think a life that is not recognized by anyone has?”
[Is that why he became a fairy?]
“They said it. They say they will accept you if you become like us.”
[Did you believe that?]
“No way. I can’t believe the words of such an existence
. If you don’t believe me, why did you do it… I have nothing to say.”
The gremlin laughed bitterly.
“I just did it anyway. I wanted to grab even a straw.”
“Was it crowded like that?”
“Because nobody wants me. Because I am just a tool.”
said the ghost, who had been listening quietly.
[Certainly I didn’t see you as an individual. I only saw it as part of a quest. That’s… It’s not just me, it must have been the same for those who passed by.]
“Yes. you did You didn’t see anything from me.”
The gremlin’s face became even more depressed.
The ghost opened its mouth.
[But I don’t think it’s this guy.]
The gremlin closed its mouth at the ghost’s answer.
[According to what you said, you are just a tool to receive quests. When the quest is over, there’s nothing more to see. But even though this guy was all over, he came to save you, right?]
Taesan told the gremlin all the quest rewards and the way to the 52nd floor. There was no business with the gremlin anymore.
But he was here now.
The gremlin examined my body. The body was smooth with no scars.
“Fairy powder…
The gremlin realized that he used the thing he received as a reward from the quest on himself.
Taesan opened his mouth.
“I have no feelings for you.”
The beings that Taesan means are those who have lived together, such as Lee Tae-yeon, Kang Jun-hyeok, Keum Joong-geun, and Kim Hwi-yeon. Having seen too many deaths, he did not place much value on most humans.
“But I don’t see you as just a tool. If that was the case, I wouldn’t have come to save you in the first place.”
See it as one life.
At those words, the gremlin was very confused
. Taesan continued.
“Can’t believe it?”
A wounded beast was afraid of people. Lee Tae-yeon also said the same thing to Gremlin, but that Remlin did not believe and distanced herself.
However, Taesan was different from Lee Taeyeon. Even though the quest was over, he helped the dying Remlin and even used fairy powder on him and brought him home.
That’s why the gremlin was confused. He
has longed to be recognized by someone all his life .
He wanted to be recognized as a living being, not as a tool.
He literally lived only for it.
“I didn’t do anything? Are you accepting me?”
But suddenly, the presence in front of him says that he recognizes him. He only gave Taesan a quest, even though he didn’t put any effort into it.
Taesan replied calmly.
“Of course, there are definitely people who don’t deserve to be treated. Even among humans
.”
easy mode. Joonghyeok Choi. Like him who ate the world, those whose existence itself becomes a harm.
“But not you. I don’t care what your race is. And you have that ability. You think that you, as an individual, are to be treated.”
“Ah…”
Gremlin realized belatedly that he had been accepted by Taesan.
he let out a laugh
“…For the sake of nothing like this,
I suffered so much and lived this kind of life…
“So is it futile?”
“no.”
The gremlin shook his head. he chuckled.
“No wonder. Nothing has changed, but it feels like the world has changed.”
There is someone who acknowledges you.
There is an existence that accepts you as an individual.
That fact, which was so obvious, was very new to Gremlin.
The gremlin laughed.
“What’s your name?”
“Kang Tae-san.”
Gremlins hadn’t asked Taesan for his name. He also looked at Taishan as a tool for his own purpose, not as a life.
“Am I the same?”
He smiled and opened his mouth.
“My name is not Gremlin. I’m bari The name I gave myself when I left my people and entered the forest .
But my name was thrown away because no one called it.”
Barija’s eyes were shaking anxiously.
“Can you call me by my name?”
“It is not difficult. Bari.”
Taesan said. At that, Barija laughed very brightly.
“Then don’t die, just stay alive. I will come sometime.”
“ah. let’s go?”
“Because I have my own purpose.”
Barija wanted to be acknowledged by someone.
And Taesan’s goal was to attack the labyrinth. I couldn’t be bound here.
Bariza knew that, but he didn’t stop it, but he made a sad face.
Barija, who had been thinking for a while,
said as if he had come to mind.
“You saved my life. And labyrinths have to be paid for. you. You learned alchemy, but you don’t know how to use it?”
Taesan nodded. Barija clapped her hands as if it was good.
“Good, then. It’s a reward for saving my life. alchemy. The power that can reach even magic created by a great god. I will teach you how to use it properly.”
Level up with skill
