NSE-Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He closed his eyes as if fainting.

Kim Min-woo’s consciousness scattered in an instant. Everything grew hazy, as if in a dream.

‘Did I pass out?’

Come to think of it……

He had been so exhausted that he was on the verge of collapse. Passing out wasn’t strange.

At that moment, he saw messages appear.

[Beginning Achievement settlement.]

[This body has the worst talent. A correction value is added to all Achievement settlements.]

[Achievement ‘The 100 Billion Won Spar’ attained!]

[It’s nothing short of money-splurging!]

[Grade: B]

[Achievement ‘Who the Hell Are You?’ attained!]

[One of the main characters in the game begins to watch you intently!]

[Grade: B+]

[Achievement ‘Ultra-Powerful Combat Continuation’ attained!]

[You showed a will to fight that surpassed limits with a wretched body!]

[Grade: A]

[Achievement ‘Swordsmanship Genius From the Sprout’ attained!]

[You gave great enlightenment to more than a hundred outstanding Swordsmen!]

[Grade: A+]

[Achievement ‘The Maddened Ordinary Person’ attained!]

[You engaged in a fierce spar with an S-rank Awakened!]

[Grade: S]

[Achievement ‘Teacher of the Sword Immortal’ attained!]

[The Sword Immortal has begun to face the wall that had been blocking him!]

[Grade: S+]

[Achievement ‘Sword Art Founder’ attained!]

[You founded a Sword Art of an astonishing level during Awakening!]

[Grade: ??]

[Totaling all Achievements.]

[Totaling…….]

[This is an out-of-standard Achievement that has never appeared before.]

[The existing grades cannot express its limits.]

[A new Achievement grade must be opened.]

[A meeting is being convened!]

Kim Min-woo’s eyes flew wide at the messages that kept appearing.

The highest Achievement grade he had received so far was S.

These were phrases he had never seen at S.

‘Could it be higher than that?’

His heart pounded, thump-thump.

If he could attain an Achievement above S right from the start!

He would be able to get vastly ahead of the original Kim Min-woo, who had learned the E-grade Spinning Slash.

‘But what is this meeting?’

Just as Min-woo tilted his head.

Unlike before, a blue message began to appear.

‘This is…….’

He had seen it exactly once while playing the game.

The message that had appeared before moving to the Phase 6 stage!

It was the same.

〈1. How astonishing. That someone who has accumulated deeds beyond the limits of the species has appeared.〉

〈1. He has shown possibility. Should we raise humanity’s growth limit?〉

Soon, messages in many colors, not only blue, began to appear.

[2. Is there any need to? That’s just that human being a special exception.]

[3. 0 and 1 are different. That one has appeared means two or three may appear as well. Possibility matters.]

[4. If we intervene, ??? will also start to exert power. It’s dangerous.]

〈1. Isn’t it the case that without risk there is no reward?〉

[3. I agree with her. We have stagnated. It is time for a bold decision.]

‘What is this?’

The messages were exchanging conversation as if they were alive. It was a sight he had never seen in his entire life.

Just then…….

[2. Even so, I’m opposed…… Wait. Don’t tell me that human is peeking at our conversation right now?]

[Warning!]

[The Beings Behind the Veil have noticed an anomaly!]

A chill from somewhere made Min-woo shiver.

〈1. There is no time for chatter. We must settle this agenda before that one awakens. I am in favor.〉

[3. I will place my hopes on humanity. In favor.]

[4. ……To think he would notice us. Fine. We can back them once, I suppose. In favor.]

[2. Are you all confident you can handle the aftermath? Are you insane……]

● In favor 3. Opposed 1.

● Agenda passed.

● The World Line changes!

● Overcoming the Species!

● The potential of all ‘humans’ increases greatly!

● Achievement ‘The One Who Opened the Horizon’ attained! This Achievement is added to the existing Achievements!

● Warning! Warning! Warning!

● ??? senses an anomaly!

● ??? begins searching for the cause!

● Be careful. ??? will never take this situation lightly!

* * *

Min-woo’s eyes opened to the fragrant smell of medicinal herbs. A tub filled with lukewarm brown liquid.

His body was submerged in it.

‘This is…….’

It was the Sword Sea Pavilion’s traditional remedy, the Tears of the Sword.

Its main effects were loosening the muscles, aiding blood circulation, and cleansing the blood vessels.

‘This must be a pretty precious remedy.’

A remedy compounded by mixing monster by-products, Elixirs, and Mana Stones.

He knew it was quite expensive, so seeing it used lavishly, he had clearly scored some points with the Sword Immortal.

“Feels light.”

The muscle pain had vanished as if washed away.

On top of that, the fatigue had long since faded. As Min-woo rotated his arm like that, a message appeared before his eyes.

[All Achievement settlements have been completed.]

[Settlement Result: EX]

[Class Skill Book(EX) is granted!]

[Choose the Class you want.]

‘EX-grade!’

His eyes lit up.

It was the grade attached to the Skill the Dragon Lord had used.

‘With a single Dragon Tongue, all the top-tier Artifacts had turned into scrap metal.’

It was a grade overwhelmingly superior to S. There was no way the start could have been better.

Knock knock.

A knock sounded from inside the bathhouse.

“Who is it?”

“If you’re awake, get dressed and come out.”

A grudging voice came through.

It was somehow a familiar voice. Soon, several memories surfaced in Kim Min-woo’s mind.

The Sword Immortal’s granddaughter, Seo Ye-rim.

Even the image of himself leering at her slyly.

‘Ugh.’

Never mind.

It wasn’t something he had done anyway. It was all the doing of that guy, Kim Min-woo.

There was no need to cower for nothing. Couldn’t he just not do that from now on?

He changed into the clothes hanging by the bath and stepped outside.

“Do you need something?”

“Grandfather said to bring you when you woke up.”

“Let’s go.”

At the sight of Kim Min-woo walking ahead so nonchalantly, her feelings grew complicated.

Something, something was different.

He was someone who, not long ago, couldn’t even meet her eyes, and now he was casually conversing with her, and not only that……

‘His eyes are different.’

The jet-black pupils looking at her held not a trace of lust. Had he gone off and attained enlightenment in the meantime?

Walking amid the silence, Seo Ye-rim’s mouth opened.

“……That Sword Art from earlier, where on earth did you learn it?”

“I’ve never learned it.”

“Liar!”

The graceful and perfect distribution of force.

Even the seamless linking of consecutive Forms.

Though he had no Mana and the wielder’s body was pitiful, what Kim Min-woo had swung was unmistakably a single refined Sword Art.

And a powerful one that even surpassed Grandfather’s Wind Sword Art!

If he had never learned it, then could it be……

“Don’t tell me you actually created a Sword Art on the spot?”

“I just swung it however it came, so a Sword Art is a stretch……”

Seo Ye-rim, who had mustered some courage to ask, was truly dumbfounded.

Something swung however it came was better than Grandfather’s Sword Art.

Did that make any sense?

Her pupils trembled wildly.

“How, how is that…… possible?”

Even I couldn’t do it?

She swallowed the latter words with superhuman patience and spoke, and.

“You can’t do it?”

At Kim Min-woo’s words that followed, asked while tilting his head as if genuinely puzzled, she felt a vast despair.

“……Let’s go.”

It seemed she couldn’t hold any more conversation for now.

And so they arrived at the Inner Courtyard where the Sword Immortal was waiting.

“You’ve come.”

“Yes. Thank you for treating me.”

“It’s nothing worth mentioning.”

The Sword Immortal said with a gentle chuckle.

“Congratulations on your Awakening. Your brilliant talent will be given wings.”

Hearing the Sword Immortal’s words, Seo Ye-rim secretly gritted her teeth.

From the age of seven until now at twenty-two, she had swung her sword without missing a single day.

Respect and admiration poured in from all around, but Grandfather, of all people, was different.

Not once had she heard the Sword Immortal say she had talent.

Until now, she hadn’t taken it to heart. Because no one of her generation had heard such words from the Sword Immortal.

But now…….

“Take it.”

The Sword Immortal handed over a small box. Min-woo took the box, opened it, and looked inside.

A fragrant smell spread out.

A small reddish pill came into view.

The Sword Shadow Elixir.

It was one of the finest Elixirs made by the Sword Sea Pavilion. A treasure hard to obtain even with money.

“This seems like a precious Elixir……”

Even as he said so, he slyly tucked the box holding the Elixir under his arm.

There was no reason to decline.

In exchange for giving the folks at the Sword Sea Pavilion enlightenment, this much was well deserved.

“I’ll put it to good use.”

“Good. Oh, by the way. Min-woo, would you consider becoming my disciple……”

“No.”

“I see, you don’t……”

The Sword Immortal’s words caught in his throat.

“Could it be that you have no intention of becoming a Swordsman?”

“Right.”

“Why?”

Why else……

The Sword Immortal was now making a serious misunderstanding.

The reason he looked like a genius was that he had used the Sword Art created by the future Sword Immortal.

And on top of that, since a top expert had moved the body, he must have looked like a genius.

‘But it has a short shelf life.’

What about after he became an Awakened?

Swordsman was the Class that depended most heavily on the body. Growth would hit a wall at some point.

Because the physical talent Kim Min-woo possessed was truly the worst.

Conclusion.

Kim Min-woo, you suit Necromancer better than Swordsman.

It was the conclusion of a pilot who had been through every kind of hardship, even aerial combat.

He had no intention of rambling on about that in front of the Sword Immortal, so……

“I saw my limit.”

“You saw…… your limit?”

An eerie light settled in the Sword Immortal’s eyes.

“What did you see?”

“Illusion and its boundary line. The realm of No-Self lying between them.”

What was that supposed to mean?

Truth be told, he didn’t know either.

After creating the Thunder Wind Sword Art.

He was merely repeating word for word what the Sword Immortal, having broken through the wall, had muttered.

‘The old man did talk a lot of airy nonsense.’

A dreadful silence continued.

“Illusion, boundary, No-Self……”

The Sword Immortal quietly mumbled to himself with his eyes closed, as if he had sensed something.

“I realized it instinctively. That I cannot go any further than that. But I don’t wish to measure my limits just yet. If it’s a realm other than the sword, perhaps I could.”

The Sword Immortal quietly closed his eyes.

As expected……

At times like this, airy nonsense is the best.

“I’ll be leaving now. The donation will be delivered shortly.”

Leaving the silent Sword Immortal behind, Kim Min-woo left the Inner Courtyard.

Looking at her grandfather with his eyes closed, Ye-rim, unable to do one thing or the other, plopped down on the spot.

‘Illusion? Boundary? No-Self? What on earth is that supposed to mean?’

She understood none of it.

Then, the Sword Immortal’s eyes snapped open.

“……It’s far too profound.”

“……What?”

“It wasn’t merely a brilliant talent. That Kim Min-woo is a genius!”

“Is he…… really?”

Seo Ye-rim’s voice, asking back, sank low.

“Yes. And a genius of the kind seen once in ten thousand years! A monster has popped up in Ilseong Group. This is no time to waste. Bring me my phone! Quickly!”

Even the Sword Immortal didn’t know exactly what Kim Min-woo’s words just now meant.

But he could grasp at least a faint thread.

It was an enlightenment of the heart.

If only he could make this tickling feeling a little more concrete!

He might see not just the next realm but the one after that.

That was why the Sword Immortal decided.

To forge a closer bond with Ilseong Group, a relationship that had so far been kept neither distant nor close.

Wouldn’t that lead to more points of contact with Kim Min-woo as well?

The absurd greed of taking him as a disciple had long been abandoned.

Because Kim Min-woo was already a complete Seeker of the Sword who had seen the end.

‘He needn’t be a Swordsman at all.’

Now the Sword Immortal simply wanted to talk with the lad a little more. No, preferably a lot.

“Heh heh, Chairman Kim? This is Seo Jin-cheol. The reason I’m calling is……”

* * *

On the way out of the Sword Sea Pavilion.

The bodyguards’ gazes converged on him. Countless questions were packed tightly in their eyes.

‘Hold on a bit, friends.’

Now it was time to carry out the most important and sacred task.

He had no room to spend mental energy on private conversation.

Fortunately, the bodyguards seemed to have sensed his mood and were professionally holding back their questions.

After boarding the back seat of the vehicle.

“Take me to the main house.”

He covered all the connecting windows with curtains. The interior turned into a pitch-dark room.

Now it was time to craft the EX-grade Skill Book.

[Using Class Skill Book(EX)!]

[You have chosen the Class Necromancer!]

[Caution: Once a Class is decided, it can never be undone!]

[Would you like to craft the Necromancer’s first EX-grade Skill?]

‘Of course!’

Soon, light burst forth……

[Changing Class to Necromancer.]

[Stats are being generated.]

[Inventory is opened.]

[EX-grade Skill is granted.]

A message appeared before Min-woo’s eyes.