The first episode where the Lake of Mana was discovered was the 8th episode.
The first episode where the proof of protection was obtained after solving the gimmick was the 9th episode.
I still remember the information about the artifact that the measurement showed at the time.
[Player Correction System: Measurement]
▶ Measurement: Proof of Protection
▶ Elements: “Artifact” “Supreme” “Prosthetic Arm” …
▶ Embedded Ability: “Protection”
▷ Detailed Description: ??? (Locked)
– It’s here…!
With exhilarating tingles from my fingertips to my toes, I raised my arms in triumph.
The hard-to-get supreme artifact has appeared.
While I was trying to hide from the death cult’s assassination orders, I only wanted to raise my mana stats at the Lake of Mana… and boom!
It appeared!
‘And what’s this option? It looks amazing!’
Protection. To guard and protect.
It clearly looks like a defensive ability. Plus, it’s supreme grade, and it’s a prosthetic that can be equipped…!
My eyes sparkled at the thought. I had been relentlessly battered by the assassination orders.
If I could wear this, maybe it would reduce how much my character turns into a ragdoll!
Thinking that, I clicked to equip it with a grin.
– Ding!
[Artifact “Proof of Protection” is assessing the user.]
…
[Player Correction System: Measurement]
▶ Titles
“Bewildered Ghoul” “Devourer” “Mass Murdering Fiend” “Most Wanted”
…
▶ Mental State
“Hunger”: Extreme hunger.
“Desire to Eat”: Extreme desire to consume food.
“Void”: Empty and hollow.
“Murderous Intent”: Thoughts and feelings of killing.
“Malice”: Will belonging to evil.
…
[Player Correction System: Exploration]
[Quest “Kill 100,000 Civilians (Achieved)”]
[Quest “Assassinate 1 Association Council Member (Achieved)”]
[Quest “Destroy the Free City Trevan (Achieved)”]
[Quest “Destroy the Free City Rodrenium (Achieved)”]
…
[Artifact “Proof of Protection” is enraged!]
[Artifact “Proof of Protection” shows intense hostility!]
– Zzzzzt!
[HP 1002/2981]
…
[HP 998/2981]
‘Ah, damn it.’
I couldn’t use it.
It was the kind of tool that filtered out who it would receive.
Back in the 9th round, where I had just entered a malicious route, I couldn’t handle it.
Of course, I didn’t give up and tried several times, but the artifact was incredibly picky.
There was also some unfairness. I had been on a good route right up until the previous 8th round, but the moment I deviated from that, this nonsense appeared.
I thought about just casually “devouring” it, but I feared it might explode in rebellion before digesting, so I sold it off on the black market.
I couldn’t use it even in the 10th round.
In the 11th round, I made a push with a bit lower evil stats, but I got zapped.
It was an artifact with annoyingly demanding conditions.
So, I had some concerns.
Could I even use this?
Would an artifact that openly desires a good disposition satisfy me for use?
…
…
…
Done.
It happened so easily… it unlocked on its own without me doing anything.
‘What the heck is this?’
I observed the Proof of Protection, now awkwardly placed on my left arm.
True to its name, the Proof of Protection takes the form of an arm.
Its appearance is more rugged than delicate, and the color is a bright white.
‘It’s prickly.’
The severed end of my arm feels sore.
It’s a mix of tingling and burning as if it’s been cauterized.
During the fight with Aelus, while I was losing my arm at Shipnaha, the mana circuits were naturally torn out as well.
– Zzzzzt…
The torn mana circuit twitched, gradually rooting itself toward the prosthetic arm.
Mana was being extracted from the prosthetic and connecting to my mana circuit.
This manifested as golden lines emerging from the surface of the prosthetic.
It’s like a synchronization or transplant process, I suppose.
“Ah, ah! Wait, Junior!”
As I endured the rising pain, Ji-yeon, who had been blankly blinking, suddenly gasped and slapped my left arm… the Proof of Protection.
“You can’t use that! Take it off quickly…!”
[What?]
Take it off?
As I questioned her out of the blue, Ji-yeon seized my left arm with urgency.
Perhaps because the transplant was taking place, I felt a slight tingle.
“Using that kind of artifact will block your bodily regeneration!”
‘Ah, so that’s what you meant.’
Even in a world where abilities exist, loss of limbs is indeed a serious injury.
But it’s not an injury I can’t recover from.
It takes a considerable amount of time and resources, but recovery of limbs is definitely possible.
Even if the body is lost, the blueprint for that part remains in the soul.
Based on that, the body gets revitalized and the limb restored according to the blueprint.
‘But…’
I casually glanced at the prosthetic. The golden lines on its surface were glowing. My sensations were becoming increasingly precise.
If I attach an artifact that would allow for the embedding of the torn mana circuit, that blueprint could be altered.
In other words, wearing this might mean I won’t be able to restore my real arm.
[It’s alright.]
“Pardon?”
I don’t mind.
Ji-yeon blinked in surprise.
After gently removing her hand from my arm, she lowered her head slightly.
[Thanks for worrying about me.]
[But it really is okay.]
I shook my head while awkwardly moving my fingers on the left side.
‘This is no time to be fussing over such trivialities…’
I might not be able to live for another ten years; that’s a real question mark.
How could I throw away a supreme-grade artifact out of fear of not being able to recover one arm?
– Swish!
Using the power of space, I opened an exit.
The space a little ahead split open.
A blue vortex formed in the center. The fog that permeated the cave was swept away into the vortex.
[The exit has opened.]
[Let’s hurry out.]
According to what I heard, I didn’t have time to mess around here.
Realizing that Ji-yeon had been looking a bit dazed, she let out a deep sigh and nodded.
“…Right. We should.”
She then collected the terrain calmly and formed her armor, taking the lead.
Ji-yeon exited the dungeon first.
It was a tank-like display at its finest.
I too threw my body into the swirling vortex.
…
…
…
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1VmJxZERiOVBPUXM0UmIzVzdaR1BETG9sa1RsS3ByeklHVmxjS2FmcDJldA
Click
As soon as I came out of the dungeon, I felt a sense of discomfort.
The surroundings had changed from when I entered.
The ground was dying.
There’s no toxic wave surging outright, but everything that was already wilting seemed to be reacting to its vicinity.
‘The poison exhaled by the two-headed poisonous dragon…’
This place too is influenced. Even though the entrance was different, it’s still the same dungeon.
It seems the entrance was relatively close by.
If that’s the case… the two-headed dragon isn’t far either.
Upon confirming that, my face hardened even more.
‘Did it really become a spirit?’
In the original story, the resurrection of the two-headed dragon occurs about three years later.
During that time, I needed to gather offerings and byproducts of the dragon.
Even so, it was a setting that was vividly trapped and running wild uncontrollably.
‘But…’
According to Ji-yeon, the two-headed dragon was indeed unstable but was clearly being controlled.
I knew the specs of the death cult leader, Kyowon.
I understand that since it’s reality and not a game, there can be variables.
Even considering that, I still couldn’t comprehend it.
Even if it had descended, if it had the power to control a third-tier alpha entity, it wouldn’t have needed to hide and bide its time.
– Click, zzzzzt…
[Transmission Failed.]
“Damn, communication’s down.”
Ji-yeon, who was attempting to communicate with her smartwatch, clicked her tongue.
[It seems communication will be difficult since there are many dungeons nearby.]
The space concentrated with multiple dungeons muddles the mana wave lengths.
Because of that, interference in communication happens frequently.
Ji-yeon continued to try to communicate while observing the surrounding geography.
“So let’s head to the nearest Free City.”
[Are you planning to stop the two-headed dragon, Senior?]
“Yes. Support will arrive quickly, but we cannot afford to wait around until then.”
Ji-yeon spoke as if it were a matter of course.
She truly is an impressive person.
‘What a good person.’
The concern she shows for my potential life with a prosthetic arm, and her instinctive assumption of the lead role despite being injured, all of it reflects her character.
Right now, she’s willing to throw her life into danger without hesitation for the sake of others.
After all, the reason she was injured in the first place was that she took on the bait to save someone else.
I’ve only exchanged a few words with Ji-yeon, but I’ve already perceived her as a good person.
– Ah, that damn talent gap.
…In the original story, it would have made me feel a slight inferiority—or maybe jealousy—towards Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Ahrin.
[Yes.]
[Then please wait a moment.]
After asking Ji-yeon for a moment before she jumped into action, I took a deep breath to gather my concentration.
My left arm still caused pain, gnawing at my nerves, but it wasn’t painful enough to complain about it.
‘Observation’s ability.’
Usually, I keep the method fixed.
I defined a specific range and gathered all information within that range.
Sometimes I adjust the range temporarily, but ultimately it’s always bound by a designated scope.
That’s all it is.
It’s the method I used when it was clumsily linked with the authority of space.
That method is quite convenient and effective, but since my level is low, I can’t fit all this large landmass into the scope.
Limitations of the range. Collection of dense information within the range.
‘I’ll change my method.’
I won’t limit the range to its maximum. I’ll simply skip past the underground and expand the range as much as possible.
I don’t desire dense information. I only seek the information of a single entity.
I joined my hands in front of my chest. After losing my left arm, I hadn’t used this technique… a form of self-hypnosis.
The white prosthetic arm and the hand covered in black arm sleeves met.
– Splash!
Cracks spread through the observation range.
Like a spiderweb, the cracks expanded and soon crashed down.
The walls collapsed, and the range expanded.
Zing! A slight pressure was felt in my head.
My nose tingled.
“Junior?”
I must have gotten a nosebleed. It’s nothing to worry about. I continued to expand the range.
There was no dense information at all. I screened everything out. The information I accepted was merely poison.
There seemed to be a growing density of poison in one direction. I adjusted my observation’s focus towards that way. The poison intensified further.
The wave of toxic energy surged toward me.
And…
– Chill.
‘Found it.’
I couldn’t call it living.
I observed a snake as big as a city.
Its massive body had an empty head, with waves of poison incessantly pouring from its maw.
My face stiffened.
It was right in front of a city.
Many people had yet to evacuate from that city.
[Found it.]
“Let me take care of the nosebleed first… Wait? What did you find?”
Ji-yeon, who had taken a cloth from her spatial pocket to wipe my nose, questioned me.
[Double-headed dragon.]
[Coordinates pinpointed.]
Ji-yeon’s eyes widened in shock. She looked as if she couldn’t quite believe what she heard.
I reached out and took Ji-yeon’s hand.
“W-wait! Why suddenly grab my hand…”
Ji-yeon trembled. I felt a bit guilty for potentially startling her, but there wasn’t time to waste.
[I’ll explain later.]
[I’m moving right away.]
“Wait? What’s with holding hands…?”
– Whoooosh!
Ji-yeon’s words were instantly cut off.
The surrounding space rippled repeatedly.
“Wait, hold on…!”
– Power activated, Space.
The rippling space contracted abruptly, distorted in a swirling manner.
We were swallowed by the vortex.
Instantly, a dizzying weightlessness enveloped my entire body.
Woosh! The sound of rushing wind slapped at my ears.
My hair lifted as if it were being blown upwards.
“W-what?!”
Ji-yeon was once again left dumbfounded.
“Ah.”
She turned her head, glancing around. She would surely see the sky, and the ground would be visible just beneath her.
“What the hell.”
And there, right beneath her, she would also see the head of the two-headed dragon.
While she was stunned, I pulled my right arm back.
‘Expansion Ability, Homogenization.’
Clutch! I clenched my fist. The gathered mana transformed. Mana flowed out between my fingers.
It was night. The surroundings were dark. The earth soaked in poisonous energy looked green.
‘White Night.’
Suddenly, radiant golden light pierced through the darkness.
That light cut straight through the shadows, driving right into the head of the two-headed dragon.
*
[Artifact “Proof of Protection” is assessing the user.]
…
[Artifact “Proof of Protection” acknowledges the user.]
…
[Player Correction System: Favorability]
Lee Ha-yul → Choi Ji-yeon
●●●○○○○○○○(21▷31/100)
“Heir of Taesan” “A Good Person.”
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