Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 137

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Even Hastily Made Ones Keep Stacking Up as EX-Rank (137)

 

Deliberately Intended

 

However, he couldn’t put it into action right away.

 

Because the current state of the 〈Soul-Pursuing Harpoon〉 wasn’t suitable.

 

‘The reason becomes clear when I think about the principle of Origin Artifacts.’

 

A few days ago, when he had succeeded in creating an Origin Artifact by separating Gyeongdo Pavilion from 『Subspace』.

 

What process had Lee Si-hyeok followed during that creation?

 

He had succeeded by completely separating the Gyeongdo Pavilion site from the other spaces within Subspace.

 

‘And that was an idea I got from the Soul-Pursuing Harpoon.’

 

In other words, the internal circuits of the 〈Soul-Pursuing Harpoon〉 were separated into multiple branches.

 

For example, just like using ‘folders’ to organize computer files more neatly, this harpoon also had individual folders inside it.

 

The foundational special ability 『Soul Pursuit』 and 『Bright Light』 absorbed from the Guardian Hunter were stored in separate spaces.

 

But…

 

“What I need to do now is the complete opposite.”

 

Not separating multiple abilities from each other.

 

But mixing them all together in one place to give birth to something new.

 

It was work perfectly suited to the term ‘creation.’

 

“So how will you do it?”

 

As he quietly looked down at the Soul-Pursuing Harpoon, Lumibra asked with apparent curiosity. Her voice was filled with inexplicable excitement.

 

“I’m curious. Excluding the Great Creator, this is the first time I’m watching someone else’s work process.”

 

Lee Si-hyeok smiled faintly. Then, after briefly checking the materials laid out on the table, he answered in a low voice.

 

“First, I’ll start the modification.”

 

“Modification! What a welcome word. What kind of modification will it be?”

 

“Well, to put it simply, I’ll be tearing down walls. The walls of the rooms containing each ability.”

 

That way, all the separated abilities would mix together in one place.

 

“And… honestly, I don’t know what comes after that. It’s my first time attempting this, and I’ll have to respond according to each situation as it comes.”

 

“Oh my.”

 

“So for now, I’m just going through simple modifications first.”

 

Leaving behind Lumibra, who was filled with anticipation, Lee Si-hyeok put on his work gloves. As he snapped the rubber at his wrists, his mood seemed to finally settle.

 

His excited emotions calmed down, replaced by composure.

 

[『Mimicry』 is activated.]

 

[Lv. 2 – Origin Artifact blueprints are automatically provided.]

 

Part of his confidence came from 『Mimicry』, which had grown to Level 2.

 

A blue window appeared before his eyes, covering the Soul-Pursuing Harpoon placed on the table.

 

‘A blueprint.’

 

Mana circuits designed in dozens and hundreds of layers.

 

Through their minute gaps, several empty rooms were visible.

 

And in two of those rooms, mana was surging powerfully.

 

He could tell at a glance. 『Soul Pursuit』, which tracked others’ souls to steal their abilities. 『Bright Light』, which emitted powerful light to grant lightning-like power.

 

Those powerful forces that would make someone called an S-rank awakener just by possessing a single one were all dwelling within a single artifact, revealing their presence.

 

For a moment, a chill swept across his skin.

 

Just resonating with mana alone caused this reaction. It might be due to his recently grown skill level, but even considering that, it was an absurd energy.

 

“Be careful, dear.”

 

From behind, Lumibra released warm mana that enveloped Lee Si-hyeok’s body. Thanks to that, the stinging pain quickly subsided.

 

Lee Si-hyeok calmed his gaze and focused on his work again.

 

He checked the blueprint.

 

[Searching for the optimal method…]

 

The blueprint that had come to mind moments ago was being modified moment by moment, searching for a better path. How to twist the circuits to maximize stability, which parts would be dangerous to touch.

 

All of that was expressed.

 

However, Lee Si-hyeok soon closed all those windows.

 

‘It would only become more complicated.’

 

He had already grasped the general content by looking at it once.

 

Continuing to cling to the blueprint would be close to foolish attachment.

 

The tweezers Lee Si-hyeok moved carefully dismantled the handle part of the Soul-Pursuing Harpoon. True to being a weapon called a ‘harpoon,’ it was in the form of a considerably long rod.

 

After organizing the outer shell of the separated handle, he slowly examined the mana circuits inside.

 

In the process, Lee Si-hyeok suddenly felt troubled.

 

“This…”

 

It was a more complex design than expected.

 

When viewed from the outside, the circuits were cleanly classified by their respective roles, but when actually opened, they were tangled haphazardly without any classification.

 

Why was it like this?

 

After pondering for a moment, he realized the answer.

 

The corners of Lee Si-hyeok’s mouth slightly rose.

 

‘They deliberately tangled it. So that others couldn’t tamper with it.’

 

If someone else discovered this artifact and tried to modify it, it could be seen as having been prepared in advance to make that absolutely impossible.

 

What clearly revealed that intention was precisely this mana circuit’s ‘triple entanglement.’

 

Originally, circuits make contact with other circuits a total of three times: once when starting, once in the middle, and once at the final moment.

 

Each time, appropriate reactions occur such as the circuit receiving or supplying mana, but normally in this process, the contact points with other circuits are never twisted into three layers.

 

Because it’s the most unstable structure.

 

Up to two layers doesn’t matter since only weak mana flows through, and from four layers onward, the mutual attraction becomes stronger so the more twisted it becomes, the more stable the structure becomes, but…

 

Three layers belonged to neither category—it was an extremely ambiguous design.

 

But didn’t this Soul-Pursuing Harpoon function properly?

 

That was true.

 

This harpoon had a more perfect design than any existing artifact.

 

However, this part was an exception, simply because that human called the Great Creator was too excellent.

 

The reason triple entanglement is normally taboo is because it cannot maintain stability, but he freely crossed that ambiguous line itself and eventually stopped precisely at the perfect extreme point.

 

Like playing on a seesaw as a child and coincidentally stopping exactly at the point where it becomes horizontal.

 

The difference was that this was merely coincidence, but…

 

‘This was intentionally designed.’

 

Lee Si-hyeok chuckled softly.

 

The confidence of this being was truly remarkable.

 

Even so, he had no intention of giving up.

 

After quietly laughing for a while, Lee Si-hyeok soon moved his hands.

 

Whooom….

 

He put down the tweezers and removed his work gloves.

 

When he brought his palm over the separated handle, a resonant sound echoed and the mana began to feel much clearer.

 

Originally, he had tried to physically break down the walls between spaces directly, but it seemed he needed to take a different approach. Only through resonance with mana.

 

‘…If that’s your intention, I’ll play along.’

 

He closed his eyes and activated his skill.

 

『Mana Control』 activated, and a faint energy seeped in.

 

He wedged into it and burrowed between circuit and circuit.

 

Going deeper and deeper like that, finally, thoom!

 

A vibration rang in his ears and he felt the sensation of touching something.

 

He slowly opened his closed eyes. The complex circuits still blocked his view, but through his narrowly opened eyes, he could see the space beyond.

 

The empty room he had confirmed earlier.

 

He slowly let his mana flow and knocked on that wall.

 

Thump, thump, thump.

 

He didn’t apply too much force. Rather than breaking it all at once, he applied impact in multiple strikes.

 

When he delicately and gently caressed the wall, he soon felt the sensation of something crumbling down. Like a built-up sandcastle gently collapsing, like soft food melting in one’s mouth.

 

It was exactly that kind of sensation.

 

‘That’s one down.’

 

Lee Si-hyeok didn’t stop there and continued breaking down walls in succession.

 

However, he didn’t connect all the spaces.

 

In case he might gain the ability to separate them later, he left a few spaces alone and connected most of them into one space.

 

Whew….

 

Lee Si-hyeok exhaled deeply, organized his mana, and read through the interior of the Soul-Pursuing Harpoon once more.

 

The result was a perfect success.

 

Even the debris from the collapsed walls was cleanly organized, and the 3-tier entangled circuit structure showed no cracks whatsoever. There had been some minor crises, but not a single failure.

 

Lee Si-hyeok reattached the separated handle, finished the final touches, and stretched with a satisfied smile.

 

“Whew, finally finished. Sorry for keeping you waiting….”

 

He glanced back and unconsciously stopped speaking.

 

“….”

 

Because Lumibra, who had been watching from the corner of the workshop, was now sprawled out on the floor sleeping.

 

Her furry legs were completely visible through her flipped-up skirt, which was quite unsightly.

 

Lee Si-hyeok’s expression twisted in disgust.

 

* * *

 

“Ahem, hmm, I fell asleep without realizing it…”

 

Lumibra, who had been dragged to the underground laboratory in a half-asleep state, said while wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth. Lee Si-hyeok looked at her… well, him, as if he was dumbfounded.

 

“No, if you’re going to sleep, you could have gone to the rest room to sleep. Why are you causing a fuss by sleeping in the sacred workshop?”

 

“I think it’s because I ate 4 bags of snacks earlier…”

 

“Don’t tell me it’s food coma?”

 

“Ahem. Yes, this is my first time having such a physical body, so I can’t control it properly.”

 

“Good grief.”

 

Once again, Lee Si-hyeok’s expression showed his exasperation.

 

However, that was only for a moment. Soon, when they arrived in front of the experiment chamber containing Necrosis, his expression calmed down.

 

Lumibra looked at the Soul-Pursuing Harpoon in Lee Si-hyeok’s hand.

 

“Oh! You finished it all while I was sleeping!”

 

“Yes. Now we just need to test it.”

 

“Then, could you let me have it for a moment?”

 

Lee Si-hyeok handed the harpoon to her.

 

After all, since Lee Si-hyeok was a non-combat type awakener, he couldn’t draw out the artifact’s maximum efficiency.

 

Moreover, even considering that, didn’t Lumibra possess enough mana to overwhelm even other high-ranking Hunters? It would be appropriate for her to conduct the experiment directly.

 

Soon, Lumibra held the harpoon and extended it toward the experiment chamber.

 

—Go, gooooo!

 

The Necrosis, which had only been trembling, seemed to sense something ominous and began to go wild.

 

Thud thud! Thud thud thud! The experiment chamber vibrated frantically, and Lee Si-hyeok moved far away from Lumibra, whose eyes had become quite serious.

 

At that moment, several messages appeared before his eyes.

 

[〈Soul-Pursuing Harpoon〉 has found a suitable target. 『Soul Pursuit』 is activated.]

 

[Target ‘Necrosis’. Searching for suitable abilities.]

 

[Confirmed possession of unique property 『Necrosis』.]

 

[Pursuing the corresponding property.]

 

It was instantaneous.

 

A stream of mana extended from the harpoon in Lumibra’s hand. The rushing light pierced straight through the experiment chamber glass and reached Necrosis’s heart.

 

—Gooooo! It hurts! It hurts! Save me!

 

The creature twisted its body frantically, but that was all.

 

The surging beam of light gradually became tainted with an eerie black color, and the life disappeared from Necrosis’s eyes.

 

Thud.

 

As if losing strength, the creature’s body collapsed.

 

[『Soul Pursuit』 was successful.]

 

[Completely absorbed 『Necrosis』 from target ‘Necrosis’.]

 

[New property 『Necrosis』 is being added to 〈Soul-Pursuing Harpoon〉…]

 

[…Anomaly detected. Change discovered in the originally designed artifact.]

 

[Cannot adopt the original method…@$#%&!]

 

…

 

Looking at the breaking letters, Lee Si-hyeok narrowed his eyes.

 

A deliberately caused error.

 

What kind of skill would be newly born?

 

Just as he was rapidly turning his thoughts and speculating.

 

[Unique properties are fusing together.]

 

[A new property that never existed before is being born.]

 

[Hidden Achievement achieved.]

 

[Accordingly, a new Special Skill is granted!]

 

“…?!”

 

A completely unexpected message appeared.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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