Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Kim Sangyoon bathed himself and, with an awkward expression, walked out of the bathroom.

I didn't have any clothes that would fit him in my quarters, and I was worried he'd be left in an embarrassing situation after washing up... Fortunately, though, he carried extra pants in his inventory.

I was surprised at the sight of his bare torso.

Shoulders and abs...the body underneath his clothes was made of tightly knit muscles. When he was clothed he looked so fat...Honestly, he should just walk around naked. His outstanding body made me have such ridiculous thoughts. I now understood why he insistently protested when his viewers called him a pig.

Just...Why would you go around wearing those kinds of clothes? If you wear something like what a real gangster would wear.... 1

"Achoo!" Kim Sangyoon sneezed.

"....Excuse me for one moment."

"Yes...."

Kim Sangyoon's sneeze jolted me out of my thoughts. My admiration faded as I remembered how he was overpowered by Seo Dawon.

If those muscles couldn't move an inch against one measly skill, then there must be a limit to physical strength. As expected, Mage is such a god-level class.

When I went to the kitchen to grab warm water for Kim Sangyoon, I made eye contact with Seo Dawon, who had been watching me for a while.

He scrunched his face as if he had some complaints to make...?

He continued to stare at me, without a word-I wondered if his mood had soured. Since Kim Sangyoon was still waiting inside the house, I simply passed by Dawon and went back to the sofa. Kim Sangyoon sat blankly, lost in thought, as I approached; he received the cup I handed over and accepted it graciously.

"Take it. It's warm water."

".....Yes. Thank you so much."

The Kim Sangyoon I knew had carried confidence within his arrogant voice...Maybe because of his sagging red hair? He looked so dejected-like a different person.

"Umm....."

"So......"

Trying to break the awkward silence, the two of us began to speak simultaneously.

I yielded, motioning him to speak first.

However, Kim Sangyoon, flustered, bowed his head politely, "No. Please, after you."

Is this the same Kim Sangyoon who sat cross-legged at a cafe and spoke to me in an informal manner....? Inwardly, I was shocked by the sudden change in attitude, but I stopped myself from indicating any such surprise on the outside. "As fast as possible...I need to level up. I would like it if you could help us out..."

"We can start immediately. Tomorrow?"

"R-Really?"

"Yes." Kim Sangyoon fiddled with the towel around his neck before looking up at me. "It would be good to organize a party, but.....For now, we should move alone, right?"

"Umm....."

"Yeah. Tell him we'll move as three." Seo Dawon said.

When did he get here anyway?

"...Yes. It would be better to keep it to just us three for now." I said, parroting my ghostly servant.

After hearing my answer, Kim Sangyoon nodded. "Then, I'll see you tomorrow." Then, he hesitated for a while and cautiously asked, "But...Could I ask one more question?"

"What is it?"

"Seo Dawon-nim...How did this happen?"

This must all be so confusing from Kim Sangyoon's point of view: Seo Dawon, who should have been dead for three years now, had suddenly appeared in front of him. I looked towards Seo Dawon asking with a silent look, 'What do you want to do?'

He shook his head.

Well...I guess it is too early to tell Kim Sangyoon everything.

In the end, I responded vaguely, "That's....something you should ask Seo Dawon directly."

Kim Sangyoon closed his mouth though I knew he must have had further questions. Perhaps he saw my reluctance in my eyes and knew he would get no straight answers.

Cutting through the tense atmosphere, Seo Dawon asked me, "What's his level?"

"Sangyoon-nim, what's your level?" I asked.

He replied, "I'm level 71."

"Ahhh....."

"Level 71 and still that's the best he can do?" Seo Dawon scoffed.

"......"

"Hmmm, I guess Warriors are a bit ignorant."

I pretended to be deaf to Seo Dawon's scathing criticisms.

Kim Sangyoon continued, "I've risen to level 71, but.....lately I feel like that's a bit lacking...."

Surprisingly, it seemed as if he was answering Seo Dawon's unheard question. Seo Dawon looked him up and down and told me, "Ask what main skills he uses."

"Um, so...What kind of skills do you mainly use?" I complied.

"Me?"

"Yes...."

"'Chest Slash' connected to Berserker, and 'Rending Cleave'."

"He only has two main skills at that level? What about proficiency?" Dawon said.

"......How proficient are those skills?"

"They're both superior grades." Kim Sangyoon answered.

"We're doomed....."

"We're doo-.....I mean, Hmmm....." I stopped myself from repeating Seo Dawon's unenthusiastic complaints.

"What?"

I chose to ignore Kim Sangyoon's confusion and instead looked towards Seo Dawon. He tapped his chin and muttered, "I'm curious how he even reached level 71." Once again, he ran his finger along some invisible line in the void to access his spatial distortion and took out an old leather book.

When the book suddenly dropped from midair, Kim Sangyoon scrambled to his feet in surprise. The book rolled to a stop right in front of the Warrior. Seo Dawon pushed me to action, "Pretend it's from you."

I was clueless, but I had no choice but to comply with a frozen smile, "This. Is. For. You."

"T-this is..." Kim Sangyoon grabbed the book after he received my permission.

I think Seo Dawon must have given him a skill book. When the Warrior grasped at its pages, the book glittered blue and disappeared before our eyes. A bright exclamation mark that denotes a new skill acquisition floated on top of his head for a second before gradually scattering into many particles.

When learning a skill for the first time, usually through books, the User would be shown a description of the skill and, if lucky, a short video clip showcasing its use. Thus, those who newly acquired a skill are likely to focus on the explanation, unwilling to look around.

So, in the meantime, I sent Seo Dawon a message.

╔═══════════════╗

Choi Lee-kyung: What did you give him?

Seo Dawon: A skill I stole from a Warrior I killed in the past, lolol

Choi Lee-kyung: Gah...

╚═══════════════╝

Setting aside how he obtained that skill...Even the most inexpensive of skills would cost ten million won or more... Furthermore, if Seo Dawon was hoarding that skill, wouldn't it be extremely useful?

He's just handing something like that over?

I looked at him for a moment, wondering if he was replaced by a body double.

However, Seo Dawon's next words made me retract my doubt. "If with this skill there's still no answer to his uselessness, you'd be better off killing him and using him as a zombie."

Kim Sangyoon, unaware of his dangerous situation, unfroze and stared at me with a deeply moved, reverent expression. Perhaps he thought I had given him a high-quality skill as a favor after listening to his concerns about his inadequacy...

Ah. The gleam in his eyes is too burdensome.

"H-how could I p-possibly repay this favor...."

".....It's nothing." I didn't give it to you, and I don't think Seo Dawon gave you this skill with good intentions either. I was extremely embarrassed to receive his fervent gratitude.

Kim Sangyoon continued to thank me, bowing his head countless times.

At this point, I had wondered what on earth was contained in that skill book for him to grovel so obsequiously. Of course, I couldn't ask Kim Sangyoon when I was supposed to be playing the role of benefactor.

"I will definitely master the skill you have given me within a month!" Kim Sangyoon clenched his fist and swore, determination burning brightly.

I had no choice but to offer vague noises of approval. However, Kim Sangyoon didn't seem to have noticed the oddness in my behavior. He simply lifted his bloodshot eyes and wiped them with his arms. "I'm so sorry."

Kim Sangyoon...This person wasn't the type to be so sincere. For him to be so overwhelmed with gratitude, the skill must have been quite rare?

So, while patting the tearful man on the back, I shot Seo Dawon a questioning look.

Seo Dawon deduced my unspoken questions. "Are you asking what I gave him?" He smiled when I nodded.

"That's Lim Jisoo's brother's skill. [Buster Blade]."