I Became a Disaster-Class Newbie by Stealing Abilities - Chapter 65

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 065. Festival of Two Colors (2)
Jung Ju-sang deliberately pulled up the status window he’d been holding back.
[You have met the conditions for advancement to a Hidden Job!]
Thump-thump! Thump-thump! Thump-thump!
His heart hammered with anticipation.
All the build-up he’d been doing to acquire a job tied to the Sovereign lineage.
If something like “Military Strategist” or “Immortal Commander” came up, at least he’d land a solid hit.
If “Tyrant” or “Sage King” appeared, that would be the jackpot.
‘After coming this far, the odds of a blank are supposed to be zero, but….’
Since he wouldn’t know what appeared until he opened it, half excitement and half dread was the honest truth.
It was then.
[You have achieved the impossible feat of harmony between two races!]
[A Hidden Job that has never once been revealed throughout all history is now available!]
Oh!
‘See? The system knows my worth. After all the blood and sweat I’ve poured in!’
That message alone made his accumulated fatigue seem to dissolve.
But.
Jung Ju-sang’s expression twisted viciously at what the status window showed next.
[You may advance to Rural Village Chief (Growth Type).]
Village Chief?
A village chief, of all things.
What kind of sick joke was this?
For a moment, reason fled and he nearly hurled Black Sun at the status window.
But the instant additional status windows continued to appear.
“Huh?”
The rage boiling up to his scalp vanished like a lie.
Effect: You may take ‘Boss Monsters’, ‘Named Monsters’, ‘Guardians’, and others as residents of your village.
Skills: [Resident Council] [Forced Eviction]
Territory: End of Muhan [Very small and precarious]
Population: 0/6
If it had simply been a rural village chief somewhere in the Outskirts of Gyeonggi Province, he would have thought he’d drawn a dud among duds.
But if that place was Muhan, the story changed entirely.
A location he’d only been able to taste the faintest hint of despite over 50,000 hours of play.
Yet now he could build a village there and invite all manner of high-ranking creatures as residents.
This job truly lived up to the prestige of being Hidden.
‘The territory’s size and the resident count are still pathetic.’
But wasn’t it called Growth Type?
As he developed it steadily over time, one day it might become a force vast enough to rival even the Empire.
“I accept.”
Jung Ju-sang agreed readily.
[Status window has been updated.]
[Jung Ju-sang]
Rank: 7-Star
Job: Rural Village Chief [Growth Type]
Unique Abilities: Plunder, Gate of Muhan, Guillotine Match
Traits: [666] [Legion’s Shield] [Lesser Calamity]
Strength 115 Constitution 130 Agility 175 Mana 593 Anti-Mana 62 Sovereignty 100
Skills: ‘Falling Star Flow’ ‘Sword Spirit Unity (Passive)’ ‘Show Time’ ‘Essence of Fire’ ‘Frost Flame Ultimate Sword’ ‘Spirit Forest’ ‘Shattering Gale’ ‘Black Sun’ ‘Spear Heaven Grand Harmony Divine Art’
Looking at the text-filled status window, warmth bloomed in his chest.
Growing well, it seemed to say.
That’s what it felt like.
* * *
The next day.
Jung Ju-sang distributed the elf-side rewards Hong Su-ah had promised to Baek Seol-gi and Heuk-bi, one apiece.
“Are you really sure I should accept this?”
Baek Seol-gi’s eyes widened as she gazed at the trait glowing in crimson light.
“Of course. The Blessing of Elements is a treasure passed down through generations among the High Elves, so it’ll be plenty useful.”
Those born under the Calamity-Fate ordinarily had trait-capacity limits incomparable to ordinary people.
The average was eight.
In Baek Seol-gi’s case, she could equip up to a maximum of twelve.
‘Right now, Seol-gi possesses two characteristics in total.’
Twisted Preference—her inner power grows each time she creates an ice statue.
Obsessive Fixation is a penalty-type characteristic that causes her to become intensely attached to her target.
‘If I’m going to raise her properly, I need to set things up right from this point on.’
In that sense, the Blessing of Elements—which could amplify the power of each element by up to ten percent—was the finest characteristic available.
Especially since Seol-gi’s main technique happened to be cold-attributed.
‘Still, I was lucky.’
Ordinarily, characteristics couldn’t be distinguished by the naked eye, but this one was an exception—a trait passed down through the generations among the high elves.
It had already been verified long ago through special relics.
“I understand that rare characteristics hold value beyond measure, yet you would bestow one upon this girl… I am truly grateful.”
“Mm. If you know its worth, use it well. This is expensive.”
How could I neglect the first member of my guild?
I intend to work her hard in the days ahead, so there’s no need to be so grateful.
To Heuk-bi, I gave a ring fashioned from leaves and petals.
It was an essential defensive item for an Onmyoji, whose durability was relatively weak.
It could ward off both physical and magical attacks, and could even partially negate armor-piercing damage.
It meant she could weather the blow of an 8-Star-level master two or three times over—a tremendous boon for survival.
“Your Majesty, Heuk-bi shall devote herself faithfully to your service henceforth.”
Perhaps it was because she’d only ever served as a retainer to the Namgung clan.
She seemed not to have dreamed she would ever receive a gift like this.
‘This type responds all the more faithfully in return the better you treat them.’
Just as she had sought to protect Namgung Su-ho, the one who saved her.
That loyalty would now flow entirely toward me.
It was at that moment.
[Gate opening!]
A shimmer rippled through the air.
A group of people stepped through the fluctuating gate.
Knights.
All of them from the official ranks, all belonging to the Upper-Rank Knight Order.
“Look, look. Isn’t that the 2nd Knight Order?”
Those who recognized the black suits emblazoned with the golden eagle cried out.
The Empire’s mightiest military force—one whose face was rarely seen even in backwaters like this.
And not just one, but four of them had come.
Three men and one woman.
All of them were formidable masters.
Thrum, thrum, thrum, thrum…
The very air inside the Labyrinth shifted at their arrival.
“We’ve heard that the Calamitous Beast Gung-gi was here. He vanished after the fall of the Immortal Cult, is that correct?”
A golden-haired, strikingly handsome man spoke first.
It was Benermoph—the knight I already knew of.
Yet the atmosphere around him was wholly different from when we’d last met.
Both his sword and the equipment adorning his body were of the finest quality.
‘Terrifying. Is this his full power mode?’
I felt anew just how absurdly strong an Upper-Rank Knight truly was.
“Y-yes, that’s correct. We’re doing our utmost to search, but the Labyrinth is so vast that more time is needed.”
At Benermoph’s words, the Master of the Haemosu Guild answered with a face drained of color.
Ever since it became known that his guild members had profited from their ties to the Immortal Cult, he’d been sitting on pins and needles.
The other guilds around him were trembling with dread in equal measure.
“Search with your very lives on the line. Your punishment will be determined based on the results of your work.”
There was no need for a trial.
Knights held the authority to carry out immediate execution.
“Y-yes, sir!”
“You all heard that? I want every one of you running so hard you sweat through your soles!”
In an instant, the people who had been gathered in the plaza scattered.
Once the situation had settled somewhat, Benermoph approached Jung Ju-sang.
“You were the one who dealt the decisive blow in driving out Gung-gi and exposing the machinations of the Immortal Cult and the Murim, weren’t you? Some are calling you a hero who will usher in a new wind.”
“You are too kind. I merely did what was naturally expected of me as a citizen of the Empire.”
“A citizen of the Empire, you say… Hm, hm. So your deeds were, in the end, nothing more than service to His Majesty the Emperor?”
What was this?
Despite his smile, something felt distinctly off about his words.
It felt much like the first time he’d met Benermoph.
That same uncanny certainty that a single word could tip the scales between life and death.
Jung Ju-sang’s eyes narrowed to slits.
Always standing at the center of major incidents—was that what made him suspicious?
The deliberate mention of a “hero” suggested the man found such an existence troublesome. Perhaps threatening.
New changes had always led to revolution or rebellion before.
Caution was warranted, whatever came next.
“We’re merely grateful you’ve received us from such distant lands. Naturally, we mean to repay such kindness.”
“It’s reassuring to hear you say so.”
Was that enough?
He’d thought he might slip past this moment—
“Which brings me to the point: would you consider joining this raid? Gung-gi tends to be rather elusive, so we’d feel considerably more at ease with another skilled fighter on our side.”
Benermoph had made yet another peculiar proposal.
A raid alongside the 2nd Knight Order…
Ordinarily, he would have accepted without hesitation.
Opportunities to work with such a formidable group didn’t come often.
But.
“I’m not confident I can keep pace with knights of your caliber. I’d rather not burden you with liability.”
He declined with careful courtesy.
Something smelled of a trap.
Besides, he’d already extracted the most valuable Characteristic—the Calamity-Fate—so there was little reason to remain attached.
And he needed to prevent further exposure of his true strength and information.
Knights.
The sword of the Empire that guards the Emperor.
They were not allies.
They were obstacles that would need to be swept aside eventually.
“Hmm. Well, I see. Then there’s nothing to be done.”
Benermoph smiled deeply, as if he’d known exactly what that answer would be.
Damn. So that too had been a probe.
Upper-Rank Knights were all the same—slippery as serpents, their intentions impossible to read.
* * *
Half a day later, Benermoph assembled a new Attack Party and launched the raid on Gung-gi.
The subjugation had begun in earnest.
‘The atmosphere is certainly grim.’
With Benermoph so seriously committed, even Gung-gi would struggle to survive this.
Not that the Immortal Cult would be backing him this time.
Right then—
“Oh, right. Did you ever check out that site I mentioned?”
Hong Su-ah, sipping beer, remembered something and asked.
A site—she must mean that community forum or whatever she’d mentioned back at Namhansanseong.
“Not yet.”
“Come on, I took the trouble to think it through and tell you about it. Go visit and look around a bit. I’m sure there’s stuff that’ll be useful.”
A kind of community centered on the exchange of information,
Hmm.
Maybe Hong Su-ah was right—there might be something worth using there.
Besides, he had some free time while Baek Seol-gi trained to fully master her new Characteristic.
“Alright. Got it. I’ll take a look.”
“Wise choice. And if you need my help, just tag me there. By the way, my username is ‘MustBeBeautifulAndCultured.'”
“…Are you serious?”
“What, what’s wrong with it? If you use an existing username, you can access higher-tier information. They even give you a shiny badge. Seems childish, but it’s actually pretty big in there. Once you start participating, you’ll understand what I mean soon enough.”
If that was the reason, it wasn’t completely incomprehensible.
Still, ‘MustBeBeautifulAndCultured’ was pushing it.
“Anyway, we’re about to head back to Itaewon.”
“The captain called us in. Next time we should all get together.”
Hong Su-ah and Bang Dong-hyeok said their farewells.
After the two of them left the Labyrinth, Jung Ju-sang, now alone, turned on his smartphone.
[You have entered the community.]
A blue status window flickered as he accessed the address Hong Su-ah had given him.
[Please set your username.]
[If you use an existing username, you may obtain 1 Heir of the Soul badge.]
[The information you can access varies depending on the number and type of badges you hold.]
So this is how it operates.
They’ve exploited humanity’s instinct well—that hunger to wear a mask in anonymous spaces.
Throw in an impressive-sounding title like ‘Heir of the Soul’ and a platinum-gleaming badge, and they’d bite even harder.
‘Let me check one thing at a time.’
Ju-sang entered an ID.
[You have selected ‘Eibakson’.]
[This is not a previously registered ID, so no badge will be awarded. Do you wish to proceed anyway?]
Well, well.
I suspected as much, but there really is a way to verify someone’s credentials?
He grew more curious by the second about who’d created this community.
At the same time, Hong Su-ah’s insistence that he join suddenly made sense.
The left-handed spoon killer.
‘She wanted to see if I’d use that ID.’
The moment a badged left-handed spoon killer started posting, they’d immediately connect it to him.
Clever, clever woman.
Sorry, but I’m not fool enough to hand over my identity just to collect some badge.
[You have selected ‘Dubai Mill’.]
After Baek Seol-gi came Chapssal, and then Mochi.
Every member conjured images of soft, pillowy rice cakes.
Amy even resembled Injeolmi in sound and appearance.
Not a weak link in the bunch.
And now mixing in the Dubai chocolate that’s all the rage?
This is a guaranteed box office hit.
In fact, when naming the Guild back then, this had been the second choice after Yeongpoti.
Though the members’ coup d’état had crushed that dream in reality, he thought at least in this virtual world he could fulfill what he couldn’t achieve before.
“Fine. Let’s proceed.”
The moment he entered the community, a deluge of information poured in.
-Greuneupseong Knight [2-Badge Verified]: Anyone interested in info on a major raid the Vatican’s planning recently?
-185cm75kg20cm [3-Badge Verified]: Looking for one DPS dealer, 6-star or higher, for an expedition beyond the Gangwon Province wall. Currently have a priest and tank with n-round expedition experience.
-I Came to End This Game [6-Badge Verified]: Putting out an assassination contract. Rate is 1 billion won plus. Accept and I’ll give you the details.
-Pacifist [11-Badge Verified + Elder Member]: Ugh, I’m so damn frustrated. Nothing’s working out!
There were so many posts that it made his head spin trying to figure out where to start.
It seemed categorization was the only way to make sense of it.
[Accessible only to those holding 3 or more badges.]
[Accessible only to those holding the ‘Slayer’ badge.]
[Accessible only to those holding the ‘Elder Member’ badge.]
The most sensitive information was restricted to either those with many badges or those possessing specific ones.
Speaking of Elder Members—could that mean the original fifty who were active in The Emperor back then?
‘One of them might have created this site.’
Of course, that was only speculation.
Verification would require more time and information.
Then a particular nickname caught his eye.
-It’s said that something odd is happening at Jamsil Sauron Tower at present.
Author: One Who’s Learned Quite a Bit [2-Badge Verified + Elder Member]
[Attached: Seoul National University, 7th Grade Class 3, Student ID No. 23]
Viewing Permission: Unrestricted Access
It was genuinely nice to see this friend again after so long.
His obsession with academic pedigree was a sore spot, sure.
But aside from that, he was honestly good people.
‘Wait. Jamsil World Tower, you said…?’
Ju-sang quickly checked the post.

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