Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 91

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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 (91)

Near unconscious

“Are you really not hungry?”

―That’s right, human! Just a moment ago I was full… I guess I was mistaken!

“Didn’t you say before that you’d be eternally hungry unless you absorb your main body?”

―Of course it would be nice to merge with the main body again! But that’s not true! I misspoke!

“Hmm, I see.”

Necrosis was spouting the complete opposite of what it had said just moments before.

It seemed like 〈Phazesis〉 was working well.

The ‘resonance fibers’ installed during the creation process became artificial tentacles that flew toward the creature at tremendous speed, and as soon as they touched its body, they absorbed its mana and replaced that space with ether instead.

As a result, the cognitive manipulation properties of ether had activated.

‘I temporarily erased the sensation of hunger itself.’

Normally, it should have become even hungrier as its mana was drained.

While delicate mental interference wasn’t possible yet, even this much was an incredible achievement. Even if someone attacked him, he could just nullify their ‘hostility’ itself.

“This should be enough.”

After conducting various experiments including manipulating Necrosis’s mind to make it do twerking, Lee Si-hyeok retrieved the artificial tentacles.

―Groooow…? S-suddenly I’m hungry again… What is this now. Why was I shaking my butt…!

But that was the moment.

When the mana absorbed from Necrosis brushed past Lee Si-hyeok.

Unexpected messages appeared before his eyes.

Ding!

[New information has been acquired from 〔Necrosis〕’s mana.]

[This is a memory rooted deep in its mana, close to unconscious.]

[You can confirm the location where 〔Necrosis〕’s main body is hidden!]

…Main body? Lee Si-hyeok stepped back hesitantly.

At his reaction, Necrosis banged on the experiment chamber asking ‘What’s wrong, human!’, but he couldn’t hear it at all. He had seen a similar message like this before.

After clearing the Corridor of Selection. When he learned the location of the ‘Obsidian Mining Site’ Gate. Hadn’t a similar message appeared then too?

Lee Si-hyeok gulped and slowly nodded his head.

Then some numbers were listed in a long sequence.

‘This is…’

Latitude and longitude. Same as before.

He immediately took out his smartphone and searched for the location.

The exact location appeared at the top.

[Nari Basin, Ulleungdo, Gyeongbuk]

Lee Si-hyeok’s eyes narrowed.

Nari Basin, he felt like he had heard of it somewhere before…

“No way.”

He immediately closed the map app and checked the text message that had come from the Association a few weeks ago. Related to the first session rewards. It was the summary the Association staff had sent after finishing their conversation.

Exclusive usage rights to the matter accelerator, highest grade magic stone samples.

He quickly scanned through the listed items.

And at the very bottom.

[Nari Basin Gate, Ulleungdo, Gyeongbuk]

[1. Exclusive ownership of Gate byproducts]

[2. Authority to directly explore inside the Gate]

[We will prepare this list according to your convenient time, Mr. Lee Si-hyeok. Please let us know anytime.]

Nari Basin Gate.

Lee Si-hyeok remembered it clearly too.

And for good reason, as someone who had thoroughly studied numerous Gate-related research papers, it was quite a unique case.

While the grade itself was A-rank, the level of byproducts and monsters discovered there far exceeded even S-rank. It was a case never found anywhere else.

“…”

There’s one basic premise that the magical engineering field operates on. A major premise that must always be the foundation, no matter when, where, or what research is being conducted.

―There are no phenomena without reason in this world.

If there’s a result, there must be a cause, and if there’s a cause, a result must exist. If this premise doesn’t hold, magical engineering itself becomes meaningless.

If results without causes existed, the discipline that studies those causes would naturally lose its way.

Lee Si-hyeok had also thought this way until now.

In that sense, when he learned about Nari Basin Gate, there were quite a few suspicious aspects.

Clearly the measured mana density and most indicators showed it was A-rank, but why were the internal components beyond S-rank?

Why, how?

‘…What if that was related to Necrosis.’

What if the mana emanating from the main body sleeping there had changed the ecosystem itself?

That would be ecological succession.

Ecological succession on an absurd scale, where everything around changes due to a single existence.

…That’s ridiculous. Lee Si-hyeok groaned and looked at Necrosis.

―Human! Don’t tell me you’re hungry again! You eat better than me, human!

That creature probably doesn’t know where its main body is. Both from what it said directly, and because the message described it as ‘memory close to unconscious.’

In other words…

‘I’m the only one in this world who knows about Necrosis’s main body.’

That tremendous material with power that vastly transcends S-rank boss monsters, only Lee Si-hyeok could process it.

His eyes shone calmly.

* * *

Lee Si-hyeok stayed in the bunker for about another week.

While he had gotten a hint about Nari Basin, there was no need to rush.

‘They said the Gate conquest isn’t finished yet.’

He had contacted the Association as soon as he came up from underground, and they said the raid team was still working hard on clearing it. They said it would probably be finished soon.

It seemed to be taking quite a long time.

It had already been over a month since the first session ended, but they were still struggling with the Gate conquest. It really wasn’t an ordinary A-rank Gate.

Anyway, that meant he had time until then.

Clatter.

Lee Si-hyeok took off his work gloves and stored the flask in the display case.

Most of his daily life for the past week had been research and experiments.

The research reports Chronos left behind were fresher than expected, so it was fun to dig into them one by one. It was also enjoyable to handle various precious materials.

“Whew…”

Lee Si-hyeok stood up with a satisfied smile.

Still, he hadn’t pulled all-nighters. Since he still had time and this was a rare period of rest, it would be better to prioritize recovering from fatigue as much as possible.

He organized the messy table and packed documents into his backpack.

After tidying up for a while, everything was restored to its clean original state.

“I can’t stay here forever.”

It was almost time to leave.

He had also thought of things to do, and all the experiments he had planned were finished.

〈Phazesis〉 and 〔Necrosis〕.

Just obtaining these two things was already an incredible achievement.

Feeling secretly grateful to Ryu Se-eun, he went down underground. It was to meet Necrosis before leaving.

―You’re here, human! Give me food!

“Wait a moment. I actually came to bring you food anyway.”

―Grooooar!

I crossed the massive laboratory and arrived in front of the glass tube.

I dropped the large bag I’d been carrying on my shoulder to the floor with a thud! The entire space vibrated from the tremendous weight.

―Hm? What’s that?

“Your food.”

―Gasp. Wh-what did you bring so much of! Just how many are there…?

“About three hundred or so, I’d say?”

―…?!

As I took out the artifacts from the bag one by one to show them, the creature trembled its tentacles as if in shock.

“I’m planning to leave today. I should give you some food to eat before I go.”

―You’re… leaving?

“I can’t live here forever. I have things I need to do too.”

Was the news of my departure that shocking?

The creature stared blankly at Lee Si-hyeok, who was putting artifacts into the experiment chamber with its mouth agape.

Well, that didn’t make me feel sympathetic though.

Either way, wasn’t this thing a monster? From spending a few days with it, it could communicate quite well, but ultimately it was fundamentally different from humans. Moreover, this creature had massacred countless people in the past.

I had to maintain a clear distinction.

The only feeling I had was regret that I couldn’t experiment more.

“Still, I’ll visit from time to time. I’d hate to just abandon this completely.”

―Fr-from time to time… when would that be?

“When you’ve finished all the food?”

―Food!

However, as soon as Lee Si-hyeok finished speaking, the creature began devouring the artifacts like it was possessed. Crunch crunch. It inhaled them at an incredible speed.

“…Let me correct that. When you’ve finished all the food at a normal pace. I won’t come if you wolf it all down like that.”

―Groooo… what a shame…

Would there ever come a day when I’d release this creature?

I wasn’t sure. As time passed, if there came a time when hunters’ levels rose to the point where even S-rank bosses seemed trivial. Then I might consider releasing it.

Lee Si-hyeok chuckled and stood up.

I’d finished pushing in all the artifacts, so it was really time to go.

“Anyway, I’m leaving. Take care while I’m gone.”

―…

“No answer, huh. Farewell.”

The creature just watched with its grotesque body drooping down.

At that pitiful sight, Lee Si-hyeok shrugged his shoulders and left the bunker.

* * *

Danyang County, Chungcheongbuk-do.

Coastline near the underwater cave.

“Ah, Team Leader Kim Seung-hyeon.”

Lee Si-hyeok, having removed his diving artifact, immediately made a phone call. A quiet voice responded, as if he was in a meeting.

“Are you busy? Then I’ll contact you later.”

―…Please go ahead. What Lee Si-hyeok has to say is twice as important as this meeting.

Silence fell over the phone.

As if all his colleagues had heard the name Lee Si-hyeok, everyone held their breath waiting for what would follow. That Lee Si-hyeok…?

Sensing that atmosphere, Lee Si-hyeok scratched his head awkwardly.

“It’s nothing major, but I think it’s time to collect the rewards from the first session.”

―…Rewards!

“Yes, I happen to have some free time.”

―Excellent. However, the Nari Basin Gate is still being cleared…

“It’s not about Nari Basin. I’m talking about the ones from before that.”

Lee Si-hyeok briefly moved the smartphone away.

Then he entered the messaging app and quickly checked the reward summary that the Association staff had sent.

[1. Exclusive usage rights to Association’s large-scale mana facility (Matter Accelerator)]

[2. 14 highest grade magic stone samples]

[3. Free research authorization for 37 types of specially stored legacy artifacts]

[4. S-Grade Gate Core Essence]

“The reward I’ll be collecting this time is…”

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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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