The Power of the Written Word

Jae-sung opened his stat window.

Name: Jae-Sung

Level: 18

Class: Ferromancer

HP: 93

MP: 68

[Stats]

Strength: 31

Stamina: 25

Agility: 35

Intelligence: 39

(Available points to distribute:10)

[Skills]

-Steel wire

-Metal body enhancement (Lvl. 2)

-Metal manipulation

As Jae-sung gazed at the points he had recently earned, he made a calculated decision to allocate five of them to enhance his strength. With the remaining points, he bolstered his intelligence stats. While scanning through his skillset, he noticed that one of his abilities had advanced to the next level.

As he began to focus on channeling this skill, he sensed a curious transformation occurring within his body. It felt as though his entire being was merging with metal, adopting the fluid characteristics of a non-newtonian substance. His form seemed to ripple and flow, like dense mercury in motion. And yet, whenever he encountered resistance, his body hardened, becoming impervious and unyielding.

A sudden inspiration struck Jae-sung, and he began to walk with a purpose, inhaling deeply and continuously without pause. His journey led him to a majestic oak tree, standing tall amidst the white landscape. Jae-sung raised his arm, his finger poised in the shape of a gun, and aimed it at the tree's trunk. With a calm and collected demeanor, he declared a single word.

"Bang."

In an instant, a .50 caliber sniper bullet made entirely of his enchanted metal erupted from his finger, hurtling through the air with a sharp whistle. The projectile hit the tree trunk with an explosive force, tearing a gaping hole the size of a football in its midst.

With the aid of his enchanted material, he constructed a chamber within his body to trap air, effectively forming a pressurized scuba tank. This marvel of engineering was capable of withstanding astonishing amounts of pressure. Then, by channelling the pressurized air towards his arm he created an impromptu air rifle.

But even with his newfound powers, Jae-sung couldn't ignore the biting cold of the snow-covered plains. Gathering all the valuables he had acquired, he set out to find a way out of this frozen wasteland.

He bids his farewell and sets off on his journey towards the trading district once more. As Jae-sung stepped into the bustling marketplace, the hustle and bustle of merchants hawking their wares and haggling with customers distracted him. But he managed to sell his wares he had scavenged from his most recent hunt.

He made his way past the colorful stalls, his eyes scanning the various items on display. He was searching for one person in particular - the magic item collector, a man rumored to have the most rare and powerful artifacts in the land.

Finally, he spotted him, sitting at a small booth at the edge of the market. The old man, appeared to have more grey hairs in his beard than the last they met. He was surrounded by a dazzling new array of items - glittering artifacts, intricate staffs, and ancient tomes filled with arcane knowledge.

Jae-sung approached the booth and the collector looked up, a small smile crossing his face. "Ah, my young friend," he said. "I've been expecting you."

The two men began to discuss the various items on display, the collector regaling Jae-sung with stories of how he had acquired each one. He showed him a spear forged by the dwarves of the mountain kingdom, a staff imbued with the power of the ancient druids, and a tome for warlocks filled with forbidden spells that could summon demons from the depths of the underworld.

As Jae-sung examined each item, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder. The collector had truly amassed an incredible collection, and he couldn't wait to see what other treasures lay hidden within.

But as the conversation continued, the collector's tone grew more serious. He leaned in closer to Jae-sung and lowered his voice. "There are other tomes, even more powerful than these," he said. "Tomes that hold great secrets. But they are not meant for mortal eyes."

Jae-sung felt a shiver run down his spine as the collector spoke. He couldn't help but wonder what secrets lay hidden within those forbidden tomes, and what power they could wield. But he knew that such knowledge came with great risk, and he would have to be careful.

As the conversation came to an end, Jae-sung handed the collector a pouch filled with gold. "Take this," he said. "Give me your finest wares."

The collectors eyes widened. "This should be enough for one of the intermediate tomes." Handing Jae-sung a book.

"Pleasure doing business." The merchant said, as he hastily closed the curtains to his shop.

With the weight of the book safely secured in his bag, Jae-sung made his way back to the academy. The halls were bustling with activity, and he was lost in his thoughts when suddenly, a familiar voice pierced through the noise.

"Jae-sung!" cried Seo-yun, running up to him with a look of excitement on her face. "You won't believe it! You've been nominated for The Academy Games!"