Chapter 99 – 40th Floor (2)
Currently Gi-Gyu stood on the 35th floor. He had already cleared all the floors that were inhabited by the beholders. Now Lou had the maximum immunity against psychic attacks. So he didn’t have to focus on killing more beholders; instead he had to look for monsters that could provide other immunities stats or abilities.
The 35th floor was the low-level succubi’s territory. Unfortunately their blood offered Lou no other abilities than immunity to psychic attacks but Gi-Gyu had to hunt them regardless.
Blaze.
The fire from the sword burned brightly as it targeted the monsters. Unlike the beautiful succubi these monsters boasted of gruesome appearances. They were none other than the dwarves.
“Squeeel!” the dwarves shrieked in pain. Due to their ugly appearance it was impossible to tell their genders. Being subspecies of incubi and succubi they also specialized in psychic attacks and were low-level monsters.
The monsters scurried away in pain as the fire burned them alive.
Gi-Gyu announced quietly “Summon.”
Thud!
Suddenly the area was filled with loud footsteps. Three creatures materialized from the drops of blood and Death’s violet smoke. The first was a humongous steel giant while the other two resembled familiar human players.
“Split into pairs and destroy them all.” The three beings made of blood and Death nodded and sprinted out. The huge steel giant Kersetu and the mystical wold Bi took care of the monsters on the right side while the creatures that looked like Rhodes and Choi Min-Suk handled the ones on the left.
These summoned creatures quickly hunted down the monsters; soon only several dozens of crystals and monster corpses remained around Gi-Gyu.
“Transmutation” Gi-Gyu shouted as he raised Lou. Then the three summoned beings turned back into blood and Death’s violet smoke before returning to Lou. Once they were absorbed Gi-Gyu felt a kind of fullness and satisfaction.
“This is just the beginning” Gi-Gyu murmured with a naughty grin. He kept Lou raised as he still hadn’t absorbed the floor monsters’ blood. Once everything was over only the dying flames and the crystals were left behind.
“Open” Gi-Gyu announced and dark clouds only he could see appeared from Lou.?It was a barrier-like skill that made the surrounding area invisible.
Brunheart’s gate quickly opened and the skeletons orderly walked to collect the crystals.
“This is so convenient.” Gi-Gyu couldn’t hide how impressed he was. Only one thing had changed yet everything was different now. He now didn’t have to hunt the monsters one by one he didn’t have to pick up the crystals himself and lastly he didn’t have to worry about others seeing his skeletons. And all these conveniences were thanks to one change.
-Ahem.
More specifically it was thanks to Lou.
“Hmm… I know you’re being arrogant but I can’t fault you for that.” Gi-Gyu couldn’t even muster up any sarcasm since Lou’s new powers had truly awed him.
-You must remember that this is still not even?a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of?my true power.
“Yeah yeah I get it. Would you stop repeating that line?” Had Gi-Gyu not stopped Lou he would have continued on and on about his true power.
-Anyway it appears that you can finally start using?a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of?my true power. Ahem.
“Are you satisfied now?”
-What are you talking about? Not even close. Once I regain my power the entire world will kneel before me!
“Shut up Lou.” Gi-Gyu interrupted his Ego. Suffice to say Lou’s first evolution increased his abilities and stats exponentially but it also significantly changed his personality. After what happened on the 30th floor Lou had become a little more solemn. But now Lou has returned to being childish and rude.
El murmured
-It feels like I have less and less work to do Master.
After Lou’s first evolution Gi-Gyu didn’t use El much. Lou’s summoned beings took care of the monster hunt and Brunheart’s skeletons dealt with the resulting crystals. The other Egos had their specified duties but Gi-Gyu’s need for her was fading away.
‘Does she feel insecure?’?Gi-Gyu wondered if this was why El had been sleeping more and talking less. He thought she felt useless since her role in his life was declining.
He consoled her “Things will improve for you soon.”
He truly believed this because his sharp instinct told him so and the current situation also suggested the same.
‘Once I reach the 40th floor there will be many changes’?Gi-Gyu thought. When he patted El gently her anxiety lessened a little. Still she murmured
-Things won’t go the way you think Master.
Her voice was very faint as if she was trying to hide her nervousness.
***
-Why don’t you have a look at my stat screen?
“Pfft.” Gi-Gyu did his best to stop himself from laughing when he heard Lou’s shy request. Lou usually acted cool and arrogant so Gi-Gyu didn’t expect him to make such a request.
“You just love your new powers don’t you?”
-Hmm…
Lou coughed uncomfortably making it obvious he loved his new abilities. Without teasing Lou further Gi-Gyu opened Lou’s stat screen.
[Lou]
[First Evolution Completed]
[Title: Master of Black Magic and Evil Swords]
[Level 103]
[Power: 197]
[Speed: 180]
[Stamina: 201]
[Magic 241]
[Poison Immunity: 13% Flame Immunity: 12% Heat Immunity: 13% Psychic Attack Immunity: 15% Defense: 7.7% Magic affinity increased]
-Available Skills-
[Accessory]
[Cannibalism: You can prey on corpses to regain your stamina.]
[Transmutation : You can absorb the blood and souls of hunted monsters.]
[Spirit Fusion: You can give elemental powers to Lou.]
[Amplification: Lou can amplify a skill’s might.]
[Summon: You can summon absorbed Egos.]
[Death: Can control death.]
[Egofication: Absorbed souls can be egofied with a set success rate.]
[Black Magic: You can bless other Egos with black magic.]
[Absorbed Demon: 0]
[Absorbed Player: Choi Won-Jae’s fragment Chalemont’s fragment.]
[Ego: Rhodes Choi Min-Suk Kersetu.]
[Ego Management]
Needless to say there were significant changes in Lou’s status screen. For starters all the skills he gained through Cannibalism were gone replaced by?many new skills. Lou could now absorb the blood and the souls of monsters from a distance with Transmutation. Spirit Fusion allowed Lou to use Bi’s elemental skill to create much destruction. The invisible barrier from before was just a combination of Lou and Elemental Dark using Spirit Fusion.
Summon was responsible for the three summoned beings from the last fight. Since Gi-Gyu’s demon fragments weren’t Egos yet he couldn’t summon them. For a successful Egofication he needed a soul and a truckload of luck.
“Death and Ego Management” Gi-Gyu murmured the name of his two favorites. Originally Death only appeared on Gi-Gyu’s status screen; now it was on Lou’s screen too. Consequently he would now feel less rebound from using this skill. Also Gi-Gyu and Lou having the same skill created synergy increasing the skill’s usage capabilities.
The last thing was the Ego Management category. The Egos sacrificed for Lou’s evolution weren’t actually sacrificed: Better yet they could be restored by replacing their soul blood and attributes that Lou absorbed.
“It will have limitless possibilities in the future” Gi-Gyu announced in satisfaction. It was already beneficial to him but he suspected it would be even handier later.
“Someday it might even be enough to take down Lee Sun-Ho or Ironshield.” Lou’s evolution alone gave Gi-Gyu’s strength an incredible boost. More importantly he knew he would grow more.
-You better respect and serve me better from now on.
“You want me to hit you again?” Gi-Gyu muttered to Lou. The only con was that Lou’s old personality had returned.
***
After 15 days inside the Tower?Gi-Gyu decided to return home. Hunting was important but maintaining relationships not just with his family but also with his friends was also vital. He looked like a handsome homeless now so he had to take care of that too. He could trim his beard inside the Tower but he couldn’t wash off the thick smell of blood.
As Gi-Gyu came down to the lower floors the low-level monsters tried their best to avoid him. Gi-Gyu was covered in high-level monsters’ blood so he probably seemed like the grim reaper to them.
After first going to the association and taking a shower Gi-Gyu visited Tae-Shik’s office. Looking at the empty office Gi-Gyu asked the secretary “Where did General Manager Oh Tae-Shik go?”
“Ah please give me a minute.” Oh Tae-Shik’s secretary made a quick call. Soon Sung-Hoon appeared and said to Gi-Gyu “The general manager went to your home Ranker Kim Gi-Gyu.”
“My home?” asked Gi-Gyu in confusion.
“Yes… He went through some stuff recently.”?When Sung-Hoon explained Gi-Gyu nodded.
Finding the Caravan guild couldn’t have been an easy task. Tae-Shik sometimes looked like a silly middle-aged man but he was like a tiger when he worked. Most people felt uncomfortable around Tae-Shik despite his courteous nature because he could be quite overwhelming.
‘Given his strength and assertiveness he could’ve easily become a king in the olden days’?Gi-Gyu thought.
Sung-Hoon asked “Would you like to head home?”
“Hmm…” Gi-Gyu caressed his beard and contemplated. Earlier he had shaved using Lou so he still had a thick stubble on his chin. He regretted not shaving again with a proper razor.
“No I should drop by somewhere first.” When Gi-Gyu replied Sung-Hoon offered “I’ll drive you.”
“Thank you.” Gi-Gyu didn’t spend much time with Sung-Hoon lately so he accepted the offer and Sung-Hoon quickly brought Gi-Gyu’s car out of the parking lot. Watching his car Gi-Gyu contemplated “Hmm…”
“What’s wrong?” Sung-Hoon asked in confusion. Gi-Gyu turned at Sung-Hoon and muttered “Do you like secondhand stuff?”
“Secondhand? Secondhand what?”
Gi-Gyu slowly raised his finger to point at his car. Still confused Sung-Hoon tilted his head and murmured “Well if you mean your car of course I would love it. It’s a very fancy car after all.”
Gi-Gyu’s car was indeed an expensive foreign car. It was technically a secondhand car but it was practically new because Gi-Gyu barely used it. So accepting it was a no-brainer for Sung-Hoon.
Gi-Gyu suggested “Then you can have it. I feel like I haven’t shown you my appreciation lately.”
“Are you serious?”
“A-actually no.” Gi-Gyu shook his head. “I’ll give this to Yoo-Jung and get you a new one. Giving you my second-hand car seems wrong.”
Gi-Gyu quietly took Sung-Hoon to the deserted parking lot and opened his gate. Sung-Hoon knew about his gate but he couldn’t understand why Gi-Gyu opened it now.
With a smile Gi-Gyu said to Sung-Hoon “Please follow me.” action
The two men walked into Brunheart’s gate.
1. Cannibalism has evolved as it can now steal stamina and egofy stronger creatures.
2. Used on weaker grunt-like creatures also works on numerous creatures simultaneously as opposed to Cannibalism.
