Editor: Cherish
Now, the goal of catching Hong Jun Tae was not the cloudless future of Korea.
(Editor's Note: His goal is no longer making Jun Tae expose his crimes and making Korea better.)
Kang Yu cancelled the effect of the Power used earlier and allowed the man to keep as many dirty secrets as possible. Taking a deep breath and calming down, he entered the storage room for special items.
He was immediately approached by Young-ju.
— Well, how did it go?
— I told him to report that his opinion against me was biased. And, of course, I denied him from revealing everything.
— Phew! Thank God.
— All the lousy actions of the country were almost exposed…
The two people in this room were, one might say, glad it didn't leak out.
— What? — Young-ju questioned Hwa Yeon's staring.
— N… no, nothing. — The girl frowned and rubbed her forehead.
She did not know whether it was simply worth loving life as it is, or whether it would be more correct to repent for all sins.
'The world is not as simple as it seems.'
She, being a star, a girl who leads a military unit, just had to get used to this.
— Well, that problem has been solved, now you can try on the equipment.
Kang Yu took the Black Pearl coat into his hands with anticipation in his eyes.
As soon as he put on the coat, a couple of notifications arrived.
[You have equipped Legendary Elite gear.]
[The process of unity with the Black Pearl coat has begun.]
He could only rejoice at such notifications.
The coat began to radiate an incomprehensible magical power.
The bright blue light emanating from his coat began to shine into his body.
[The unity process has been successfully completed.]
[Oh Kang Yu is now installed as the Black Pearl coat owner.]
[Magi increases by 5 units.]
Along with the pop-up notifications, the guy also felt the changes take place in his body.
In an instant, his Magi increased from 83 to 88.
The surge of strength that came out of nowhere spread pleasantly through his body.
He did not fully understand how the system of stats works.
'Amazing.' Kang Yu thought, looking down at his coat.
But there was one thing he understood for sure – after he'd reached 80 units of Magi, each increase of Magi could clearly be felt and gave him a large amount of strength.
'And if there is also the ability to double the bonus…'
Though only for a moment, he could increase the number of Magi to as much as 93 units.
He broke into a satisfied smile.
'Speaking of Legendary gear, I didn't think I'd be able to boost Magi with it.'
It would not be an exaggeration at all to call this 'fate.'
Kang Yu opened the status window without taking off his new coat.
[Status Window]
Player Name: Oh Kang Yu
[ Level: 54
Rank: 6
Special skills are currently sealed.
Special Ability Rank 1: The Power of the Devourer (Class: ???)
Special Ability Rank 2: Overwhelming Hunger (Class: C)
Special Ability Rank 3: Thirst for Maryok (Class: A)
Special Ability Rank 4: Master of Magi (Class: A)
Special Ability Rank 5: Master of Hell's Creatures (Class: S)
Special Ability Rank 6: ??? (Class: ???)
*This ability will become fully available upon reaching the highest degree of demonic form.
Strength: 38
Vitality: 35
Physical ability: 32
Maryok: 0
Magi: 88
Intellect: 25
Wisdom: 23
Effect of the equipment used:
Resistance to physical damage: 990
Resistance to magic damage: 650 ]
— Wonderful.
Just one Legendary item was able to dramatically change his status window.
Not only Magi, but resistance to physical and magical damage have increased beyond recognition.
'Can the equipment give strength to surpass all?'
If you use a dozen Legendary items at the same time, then using only their effects you could try to break into the World Ranker.
'But that's almost impossible.'
After all, this coat alone already caused such a fuss.
Legendary equipment is not something that can be purchased with only money.
Since it is made of special materials and the help of hard human labor, being rich was not enough to afford it.
Kang Yu asked Young-ju about it, to which she chuckled in response.
— That's just not possible. A single Player can use no more than five equipment at a time.
— Only five?
— Yes. You know how the Maryok in the gear interacts with the Player's body? So, if the Player decides to use more than five at a time, then there will be no effect.
— Who decided that? — Kang Yu was a little upset, but nodded his head in understanding.
He'd been planning to look for other equipment in his spare time, but now this plan needed to be reworked.
'But at least five can be used.'
Still, it would be quite difficult to find other Legendary outfits that enhance the unique Player stats.
— Well, do you like it?
— Very much! — Kang Yu replied without hesitation. — I even want to test how much stronger I became. —
'Hmm.' Young-ju reluctantly made an offer:
— Do you want to try to fight me in the training room?
— Training room?
— Yes, the one in Hwaran's main branch is quite spacious. Hwa Yeon, do you think we can use it?
— Sure.
— Okay, thank you. — Young-ju turned to Kang Yu again.
— Well, do you want to try?
— I have no reason to refuse.
Young-ju was one of those at the top of the country.
She was a great opponent to test how much stronger he has become after reaching Rank 6 and equipping Legendary gear.
'Moreover, I wanted to see for myself just how strong Young-ju is.'
He and Young-ju were on friendly terms.
That was precisely why it was important for him to know what power his ally possesses and what role she can play in the future.
It wasn't just Kang Yu thinking this way.
Young-ju squinted as she observed the guy.
'I wonder how strong he is now?'
After all, even when she met him for the first time, she thought that the guy had the potential to become much stronger than herself.
Even so, she could not have imagined that he would develop so quickly.
The rate of his levelling was much higher than that of all Players ever recorded.
In fact, even the World Ranker in 1st place, Grace McHobbin, did not develop so quickly.
'It's not just speed.'
She learned that after dealing with Orias, Kang Yu reached Level 50 and Rank 6.
Rank 6 in two months is, of course, surprising in itself, but that wasn't even the problem.
'With only 3rd rank, he was able to defeat Moon Yeon Ho.'
The Player named Oh Kang Yu was amazing, not only because of his level up speed.
She didn't hesitate to use the word 'amazing' because, when comparing his level to his strength, his strength was far ahead.
After all, at 3rd rank he'd defeated a Player who'd almost attained 7th rank.
Comparing them by stats, Kang Yu was like an elementary school student while Moon Yeon Ho was an adult man – so much was the difference in their stats.
No matter what high-class special abilities a Player may have, he still would not be able to bridge a gap of such scales.
'But Kang Yu was superior to Moon Yeon Ho.'
That's what was alarming.
How could an 'adult' not defeat the 'child' in hand-to-hand combat?
He certainly had some other strength separate from his level and stats.
'Now that the opportunity presents itself, I need to find out what he's capable of.'
The girl hardly knew much about Kang Yu.
So she thought that if they were going to work together in the future, it would be nice to learn more about her partner.
— Shall we start right away?
— Yes, — the guy replied rather contentedly.
Heading into the training room, the girl lightly clenched her fists.
'I'm not going to give up easily.'
She knew perfectly well that he was already at the level of other Players at the top of the nation.
Be that as it may, she couldn't afford to lose easily.
Young-ju herself was one of the strongest Players at the top of the rankings.
Except, it didn't Kang Yu long to convince her otherwise.
Dozens of metal chains covered the floor. Created from a special alloy, they, with spikes radiating Maryok, covered the entire hall.
The chains rotated from side to side.
And from the outside they looked like a flock of writhing snakes.
They created a deadly grid from which it was impossible to break free.
In the moments when the 'snakes' wriggled, Kang Yu managed to set foot on where the floor was still safe.
Using the Power of Fluency, his movements were faster than that of an ordinary human. He was moving at the speed of sound.
It was in this position that the chains tried to grab him.
Then, using the Power of Heaven, he defied the laws of physics and climbed up at a right angle.
The remaining chains below lost sight of him.
With the Power of Detonation, the chains on the floor flew to the sides and he sank to the floor.
Chains immediately swooped down on him from all sides, piercing his skin with sharp thorns.
But he hardly cared.
Kang Yu quickly ripped open the mesh made from the chains.
— Kh! — A brief exclamation.
Young-ju crossed her arms and tugged at her chains. The chains that had been scattered all over the floor fell into a heap right in front of her.
The guy spread his arms wide and clapped. With a touch of his hands, there was a powerful rumbling.
— W-aah! — In an instant, Young-ju stopped hearing anything.
Grasping at her ears, she shivered. Trying to concentrate, she created a shield from the chains.
'Power of Rising Strike, Power of a Thousand.' Kang Yu raised his right fist, which began to be shrouded in black energy.
It gathered and began to take shape.
It began to seem like his fist was expanding tenfold.
He pulled back the right side of his body and, bending enough, threw his fist forward.
'Heavenly Rift.'
Kang Yu switched techniques.
Two simultaneous forces enveloped his fist.
— Aaah!
Young-ju was thrown against the wall.
The wide wall, about a meter deep, crumbled as if it were made of paper, and the entire room trembled from the force.
— A…h…
Strength left the girl's body, and she rolled down the wall to the floor.
She stared up at Kang Yu with horror.
Didn't she plan to not lose so easily?
To not give up?
Nonsense.
'This one's a monster…' Young-ju muttered softly.