### Chapter 343 – Party Time – Sanctum of Blessings (2)
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[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 683,629
Current Location: Floor 1, Corridor
Sage’s Advice: 1]
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– Han Kain
Early in the morning, while waiting for my companions in the corridor, Elena approached me.
“Have you been staring into thin air for a while? Is something there?”
“Oh, it’s just that the date in my status window is really unreadable.”
“What does it say?”
“683,629 days.”
“… um, that’s a ridiculously huge number. I thought you might have used some advice or something.”
“I spent it on researching the Grimoire.”
“Grimoire, huh….”
Elena seemed to have something on her mind as she opened and closed her mouth, looking a bit anxious about it.
“Do you have something to say?”
“… No, it’s nothing.”
As more people started gathering, we naturally began to move toward the Sanctum of Blessings.
My brother Jinchul was clearly excited about getting a ‘Powerful Enhancement’, while some people were expressing envy.
I wondered who would be next in line for enhancement this time.
Just then, Eunsol, who seemed to be calculating something, spoke up.
“It seems like it’s about time for someone who hasn’t enhanced in a while. Seungyub and Arin both enhanced after Room 202, so it shouldn’t be them.”
Based on the same logic, it probably ruled out Elena, who had enhanced after Room 201.
At that moment, I heard Songee’s complaining voice.
“Honestly, isn’t it my turn this time? I haven’t enhanced since Room 103!”
“It’s been a long time for me too.”
As Grandpa began to grumble as well, we arrived at the 1st floor main entrance, where we could access the sanctum.
*
Kim Sanghyun, Yu Songee, Cha Jinchul, Han Kain can enhance. Would you like to proceed?
The moment the list appeared in the sanctum, everyone’s jaws dropped halfway.
The doctor and Jinchul had basically been guaranteed, and it was about time for Songee as well.
But to see my name there? That was something I hadn’t anticipated!
“Wait! My name is there?”
“It’s been a while! Congratulations!”
Soon, my companions began to offer light congratulatory remarks.
The doctor beamed at me as if it were his own achievement.
“I’m glad. Truthfully, it’s heartbreaking that the person who struggled the most in Room 203 had no reward.”
“Um… that’s strange.”
“What do you mean? Is it because you don’t remember? That shouldn’t be the issue.”
What I found strange wasn’t the lack of memory.
Considering the hotel’s tendency to wipe out memories at will, the presence or absence of recollection regarding the resolution process didn’t seem relevant to the contribution evaluation.
But, were they adding up contributions even after losing participant status?
“It’s a good thing if I can enhance, so why hesitate? Just press it!”
As Jinchul urged me, my vision suddenly went dark.
*
– Kim Sanghyun
— Thud!
…
— Thud!
…
“Stop standing there and get over here!”
The patron I met for the first time appeared as an old man filled with muscles and scars.
Of course, I knew that this appearance didn’t really mean anything.
“Understood.”
As I stood next to a hot forge, feeling a wave of intense heat, the patron extended a hammer toward me.
“A hammer?”
“You know how to use it, right?”
“…”
“I watched the events of Room 203; it was primitive, but you managed to forge a steel weapon, didn’t you?”
Endless, unbearable hours passed.
I had already heard from my companions that patrons were mysterious beings with absolutely no ordinary traits.
However, I never expected to be stuck forging endlessly.
…
As beads of sweat soaked my upper body, the old man grabbed the piece of metal I was hitting.
He held the glowing red iron with his bare hands and didn’t even flinch.
“How does it feel?”
“It’s exhausting.”
“Isn’t it fun or interesting?”
“… saying that would be a lie.”
“Sure. How could this be considered fun?”
As the old man clapped his hands, the scene of the forge disappeared in an instant, revealing a refreshing meadow instead.
My body felt renewed, as if I had just taken a shower.
“Have you heard this saying?”
“What saying are you referring to…?”
“The diligent cannot outpace the talented, and the talented cannot outpace those who enjoy what they do.”
“That’s a famous saying. I’ve heard it.”
“What do you think about that?”
“I think it has a certain meaning, but it’s an imprecise saying.”
“Why do you think it’s imprecise?”
“In order for a person to achieve results in any task, both inherent qualities and acquired efforts are necessary. If someone enjoys the work itself, they can advance even more easily.”
“Why do you think it’s imprecise?”
“Enjoying something and being good at it are quite different things.”
“Exactly. Isn’t your companion evidence of that?”
“My companion?”
“The little one, of course. I’ve heard she enjoys a particular computer game and has spent quite a long time on it.”
“…”
“She’s devoted time, so that counts as effort, and she enjoys it, so she’s one who has fun, but that doesn’t mean she can earn a living from it. In the end, she lacks talent, so no matter how much she enjoys or strives, there are limits.”
“I, I’m not aware of those details.”
“I believe there’s an important implication in this proverb.”
“I’ll listen.”
“If a human can find joy in their work, it certainly aids greatly in achieving results.”
“That’s an obvious statement, isn’t it? Effort tends to be painful for both body and mind, but when you do something enjoyable, that pain lessens, allowing for more time spent on it.”
“I want to impart that obviousness to you.”
“Excuse me?”
“Enjoy! Pain is growth, and patience is the foundation. I grant you the strength to move forward…”
“Wait, exactly what power are you granting me?”
The old man sent me away with just a clap.
*
[Kim Sanghyun (Diligence) -> Acquired ‘The One Who Enjoys’]
*
– Cha Jinchul
The scene changed again.
The place where I first met the patron was a field filled with swords, and the second location was a sea of lava with iron plates floating around.
This time it was a traditional, old-fashioned East Asian mansion, with floating suits of armor surrounding me.
“I’ve arrived!”
One of the floating suits of armor turned to face me.
Though it was just an empty suit sans any human shape, a voice echoed.
“This time, there were both disappointments and commendable points.”
“Are you talking about the last room? Room 203 ‘New Beginning’? Or Room 204 ‘Hotel Cinema’?”
“Charging fearlessly at a powerful enemy was indeed valuable. However, what do you think of your fighting style?”
I was surprised that the patron posed a ‘question’ to me.
He had never once engaged in any conversation with me up till now.
The Patron of Courage always sent me off after saying what he needed to say.
“About my fighting style…?”
“Isn’t it generally monotonous? You rely heavily on direct attacks and often engage mostly in simple strength battles.”
“I’ll learn a thing or two.”
“But, it’s unavoidable.”
“Pardon?”
“Even if you brought the greatest martial artist on Earth, they’d fight you with little difference given your current body. Firstly, when it comes to pure strength, it’s rare for you to be overpowered, so studying complex techniques is a waste of time.”
“Honestly, that makes sense.”
“Secondly, your mind cannot precisely control the movements of your body. Even if your movements become twice as fast or strong, that doesn’t mean your judgment has doubled or tripled.”
Since we were discussing martial arts, the patron’s explanation became unusually lengthy and friendly.
“What should I do?”
“That’s a problem only you can solve.”
“I see?”
“It’s a problem only I can solve. I will grant you the promised powerful strength now.”
As the space began to shake slowly, the armor spoke ominously.
“It would be wise to adequately learn how to use it. The ‘Transcendent’ in the next room will not be one you can face with mere strength.”
“What? The ‘Transcendent’ in the next room? No, could you please elaborate a little more -”
*
[Cha Jinchul (Courage) -> Acquired ‘Instant Moment’]
*
– Yu Songee
I found myself in what resembled an Indian shrine.
Animal-shaped statues surrounded me, and a giant elephant in the center gazed at me steadily.
“Hello! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“…”
As before, my patron didn’t speak ‘human words.’
However, the patron’s intentions seeped into my mind on their own.
That was likely due to my first enhancement, ‘Telepathy’, functioning.
“I’m happy to see you again!”
A peculiar dialogue or period of ‘Telepathy’ flowed by.
The patron didn’t say a single word, yet I understood his intent, and he understood mine.
“It’s time for me to gain a powerful enhancement, isn’t it? I feel happy but honestly a bit anxious. Do you know how long it’s been since I last came here? I’m not sure if I will be back again.”
The patron then indicated that I could obtain even a weak power immediately.
“Could you let me know what the weak power that I can obtain immediately is and the strong power that would require more contribution?”
A vague image or string of text flickered in my mind.
The weak power wasn’t complex; it was fundamentally related to the affinity I had now.
It allowed for slightly more powerful manipulation beyond just communicating with creatures of chaos.
However, the strong power was incredibly unexpected.
“Wait? Is this real?”
The patron conveyed confusion at why there would be any reason to deceive me.
“… this is kind of an embarrassing power!”
The strong power felt like the manifestation of an elementary school student’s imagination.
“…”
Suddenly, I recalled the lesson I learned from the Hotel Cinema.
People are inherently childish even after growing up, and I too am human.
So, I gladly accepted to gain the power that embodied a child’s imagination.
As the crumbling space enveloped me, I pondered what exactly I should say to my companions. Saying it felt too embarrassing!
*
– Han Kain
“Wow… I didn’t expect to see you here!”
The patron seemed to have just been locked in a cage as punishment for giving me convoluted advice last time.
He looked fine now—had he already paid the price?
“…”
“You mentioned last time that the odds of meeting you again while understanding the scenario was quite low, right?”
“That was the case.”
Suddenly, I felt a change in energy.
The once overwhelming aura from the patron? The intangible pressure? It felt absent this time.
Could it be that the Owl lost its power due to being trapped in that cage?
“No. The reason you feel that change isn’t because of me, but because of you.”
“… So you can read my mind. Alright then. What enhancement is it my turn for?”
“Apologies, but that’s going to disappoint you. It’s not your time yet. It’s not far off, but today isn’t the day.”
It seemed I wouldn’t be gaining an enhancement of blessings this time.
Seeing that it wasn’t far off, it must be after resolving the next room.
“Then, is there a reason you called me?”
“Follow me.”
With that, the Owl took to the sky once more.
???
What do you mean by ‘follow me’?
—
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