Chapter 21: The Flower That Did Not Bloom (2)

The Flower That Did Not Bloom (2)

"I thought we were just going to talk for a little bit, why did you bring me here?" Lee Jin-woo said.

I brought Jin-woo to the second-grader training ground.

"And why is this place so dirty? The last person didn't clean it." He grumbled.

I laughed. The last person who used it was me.

"By the way, why did you bring me here?" He looked at me.

"I have something to tell you. I think it would be easier if we were here."

"..."

He looked at me as if he doesn't have any clue of what I was talking about.

Instead of explaining myself, I decided to go directly to the point.

"What weapons do you usually use?"

"Weapons? I don't use anything but the training sword and spear provided by the Academy."

"Well..." I considered what he said.

Training sword and spear.

They were not the equipment for his talent.

Regardless of how long he takes training them, it will be in vain.

"Why are you asking?" he looked confused.

"Do you know that I have reawakened?"

"Well? Uh, I know."

"The new trait I acquired is the power to read other people's status." I activated the Akashic Record, letting Jin-woo see my eyes shine blue.

"Uh? Reading the status? I don't believe it. Can you read what's on mine?" His voice was full of disbelief.

I stared at him as I spoke.

"Lee Jin-woo. Characteristic, <First Strike>. In combat situations, the user can unconditionally hit first. The characteristic can only be used once, at the first attack. It could be used in different ways. The First Strike could not be prevented by any defense, and full damage will be received by the target."

"..."

I read the status out loud, proving my ability. Jin-woo was speechless.

"... ... !"

The traveler shook his head.

[What, you said you wanted to hide your ability, but here you are, revealing it...]

It didn't matter.

"I'm going to pull Lee Jin-woo to my side", I murmured to the traveler.

I recalled Lee Jin-woo in my past life.

He sacrificed for others until the moment of his death.

He barely qualified to enter cracks, even just for the lowest position. Still, even that was beyond the limits of his talent.

He was a man who was neglected by everyone, but he never missed a day of training. He had enough knowledge like that of any decent analyst, and studied hard, only taking one day of the week off.

"I should just have been an analyst," I remember him saying in one of our conversations in my previous life. "I thought I had the talent to be a hunter."

"I was from the countryside. When I awakened, I dreamt of earning a lot. It's for my mother... I need to live for a long time and spend my money on her. But this..." he looked down on himself. "Even if there's a little flaw in my armor, I will certainly die inside the crack."

The most diligent hunter I have ever known—the man who worked harder than anyone else.

The sad hunter who took care of his single mother, and told me he needs to live for a long time, lost his life saving a young hunter inside a crack.

Hunters praised him as a hero, but his sacrifice was only equivalent to 2 million won in compensation.

It was heartbreaking. His life was definitely worth more than that.

He's the most hardworking person I know... if he only had talent, he would definitely be one of the best.

"You... what did you... Is that real? Can you really see my status now?" Lee Jin-woo was pale.

"..."

"Uh..." he was still dumbfounded, then he opened his mouth to say, "Wow, I wish you didn't reawaken."

We both laughed as he spits out the words.

"So, did you bring me here just to tell me my status?"

What a great guy. He looked as if he was proud of me, without a trace of jealousy.

If I had someone close to me with such a good ability, I would not be able to endure it because I would be too envious.

I smiled at him, then I replied.

"Your status says your trait was to be able to attack before the enemy..."

"Right."

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"..."

"You know my theoretical grade was high, even before I reawakened. I would have been able to help you if you let me know."

"Hey, it's not easy for someone to share his status, you know."

That was correct. I couldn't blame him.

However, it was still frustrating that I wasn't able to help him sooner.

"While I was reading your status, my first thought was why you're doing the things you do." I told him bluntly and watched his expression change.

I'm suffering as much as he is as I said it. But Jin-woo was prepared for criticism. He would do anything if it could help him develop, even just a little bit.

I continued speaking in an aggressive tone. "You use kendo and spear? Why? You think you can defeat an enemy with that, just because you have First Strike?"

Jin-woo's face crumpled, but he continued to listen intently.

"First Strike is not limited to attacks using manual weapons. Anything you use can damage the other party first, they could not stop it, and they will receive full damage."

[Superior Insight is activated.]

Now, my sense of seeing through essential information was activated. I continued speaking to Jin-woo.

"As a hunter, there is no reason to be fixated in a sword or a spear. You can face a variety of enemies, each with their own characteristics, skills, and class. There is no limit."

Jin-woo was captivated as I continued my explanation and handed him several solutions."

"Since your initial damage is strong, you can use other tools such as modern firearms or poison. Imagine a bullet that cannot be prevented or a poison that cannot be stopped. Just a little change can make a lot of difference in the power of your First Strike."

Jin-woo's eyes shone.

"The moment you've used your First Strike, you're trapped. Think about it. Don't worry about your enemy; worry about yourself."

I continued giving him advice. We stayed at the training ground for hours, watching the night give way to dawn.

Analysis and personal advice poured out from me in my aggressive tone.

Even the traveler reacted to the way I scolded Jin-woo.

[You're terrible, indeed.]

I felt bad, too, but Jin-woo needed to hear those words.

His eyes were shining as he listened to me without even changing his expression.

Instead of complaining, he just thanked me after.

"Thank you, Si-woo. I'll take everything you gave me today, and I'll change."

"..."

"Can you give me more advice in the future?"

"Of course." I nodded.

"Really, thank you very much." I can feel the sincerity in his gratitude as we both began to relax.

It was already 6 am.

It won't be long before class started.

* * *

"Why don't you like to be sponsored?"

She was talking about the many offers from guild officials that have been rejected.

I have strong power with me now, I thought. It's a little quirky and probably weaker than before, but it's still powerful enough to deal with the first plague.

I was speaking over the phone with my 'power', Han Yeon-soo.

She alone had the power equivalent to a whole guild, so do I really need all other guilds to help me?

I decided to keep my relationship with Explorer's Eyes, and rejected the other offers.

"I sent all the items you requested. They were hard to get; I had to purchase them off the black market. If you need more, just tell me, and I'll take care of it. Oh, and did you have lunch today? If you haven't eaten yet..."

In a way, I already have a sponsor. I am sponsored by someone who had the best talent in the world, beyond Korea. Han Yeon-soo is infamous - praised and recognized wherever she went.

"Look, Si-woo," Yoo Ji-yeon approached me. "These are the items the guilds sent me, like robes and magic books. But their prices are..."

"Good. Don't mind the prices. You deserve those things."

When I refused the guild officials offers, most of them flocked to Yoo Ji-yeon. Next to me, she was the student who stood out in the end-of-month exam.

The professors evaluated here as the most promising prospects in the second grader's Magic Department.

Yoo Ji-yeon didn't know how to handle that evaluation, and I told her that it would be better to accept everything she could get.

Everything is going well.

Lee Jin-woo is exploring new weapons or things that can be used as weapons, to complement his characteristic.

Although he is not in the best condition yet, he is definitely better than before, and he was gradually breaking through the prison called "stagnation."

Now the only thing that's left... is the first disaster.

I don't know exactly when it will happen. But it would have been earlier than before.

This time, I didn't drop out and join a government agency, so I could not catch the guy and put him in jail.

If I don't know when it is going to happen, I could find the person who makes it happen.

The first plague is not caused by cracks or monsters.

It was done by a person.

Someone who is as evil as monsters.

I just need to develop my power... just the minimum. The moment I think it's enough, I'll end it.

Wooosh!

"... Jeong Si-woo, 10 points."

I had to go on and on.

"I'll do it one more time."

The arrows I shot were stuck in the same place.

The arrows were hitting the exact same spot, each breaking through the previous arrow, hitting the center of the target.

It was a distance far enough that even third-class hunters would find it difficult to see.

But it was no problem for me. My vision narrowed and zoomed in on the target as I pulled the bowstring tight.

"Jeong Si-woo, 10 points!" an instructor announced my scores from a distance.

I pulled the bowstring one more time, with the same result.

Again, and again.

As I did, I watched and listened to the stories of the beings I'm connected with, using the Communication and Sharing ability

[True, you're getting stronger quickly.]

Only

Wooosh!

The arrow pierced another arrow again, the thud of the arrowhead against the cork echoing inside the training ground.

* * *

Six months passed.

-Freak: You asked me to investigate, and it's done. I don't think it's a big enough deal to be called a 'plague'. Can I call you? Or better yet, I can visit and talk to you in person. When would be the best time?

I considered as I read her text and replied.

-Now.

The preparations are over.