CHAPTER 3
Dancing with the Five Viscera and Six Bowels (2)
[Your lungs have awakened.]
[Your lungs give you a thumbs-up.]
[Your lungs have donated 100 HP to you.]
[Current HP: 100]
"…What?"
Without realizing it, Rakiel muttered a question.
All he did was perform acupuncture on himself at the Zhongfu point.
Yet, a strange message popped up before his eyes.
'What is this? I haven't taken any medicine.'
He turned his head to the side.
But it was no use.
The message floating in front of him moved along with his shifting vision, just like the scenery in a VR game.
'What the hell is this?'
Rakiel didn't have time to dwell on his confusion. Before he could even finish reading the message, Sir Gardin's worried voice pricked at his eardrums.
"Your Highness? Are you alright?"
When Rakiel turned around, he saw that Sir Gardin was already in a state of distress. His face looked as anxious as a mother hen who had lost her chick by the water.
Was he really that concerned?
Rakiel let out a chuckle.
"I'm fine. I told you, it's nothing serious."
"But, Your Highness… the needles—"
"Shh. Let's finish what we started."
"..."
With that, Rakiel easily silenced Sir Gardin.
He picked up the second needle.
Right above the Zhongfu point.
Inside the coracoid process of the shoulder blade.
He found it.
He aimed.
Without hesitation, he inserted the needle.
Tock.
A sharp sensation pricked the Yunmen (Cloud Gate) point, the second acupuncture point along the Lung Meridian. At the same time, another message appeared before Rakiel's eyes.
Ding-dong!
A clear, melodious sound echoed across the world the moment the needle pierced the Yunmen point. Then, a series of messages flowed across his vision.
[You have accurately performed acupuncture on the Yunmen point.]
[Your bronchi have received a refreshing stimulus.]
[Your bronchial asthma symptoms are slightly alleviated.]
[Your chest tightness is slightly relieved.]
[Your lungs gaze at you deeply.]
[Your lungs have donated 100 HP to you.]
[Current HP: 200]
Again.
Just as he had suspected.
Another message appeared.
"..."
What exactly was this message?
At this point, he was more curious than surprised.
He was even starting to feel a bit intrigued.
Rakiel picked up the third needle.
He aimed.
'Next is the Tianfu (Heavenly Palace) point.'
The Tianfu point was located on the upper forearm.
On the outer edge of the biceps brachii muscle, three cun below the anterior axillary fold. He inserted the needle to a depth of five fen.
Tock!
"…Ugh."
Have you ever stabbed your own bare forearm while fully conscious?
Rakiel's brow furrowed tightly. But despite the pain, he didn't miss the new message that appeared before him.
Ding-dong!
[Your coughing symptoms have slightly subsided.]
[Your lungs take a joyful breath in and out.]
[Your lungs have donated 100 HP to you.]
[Current HP: 300]
…Again.
Now he was certain.
These messages weren't a hallucination or a trick of the mind.
'That means they must have some kind of significance.'
For now, he would keep performing acupuncture.
If he continued, he might be able to decipher the true meaning of these messages. And perhaps, he could find a way to make use of them.
From that moment on, Rakiel focused even more on his acupuncture.
Tock!
He skillfully inserted the needle into the Xia Bai (Narrow White) point.
A pressure point commonly used to treat chest pain, nausea, shortness of breath, and coughing. As expected, the irritation in his throat eased slightly when the needle stimulated the acupoint.
But one thing was bothering him.
"Sir Gardin?"
"..."
Rakiel turned his head.
Sir Gardin was kneeling on the floor, muttering something desperately.
Was he… praying?
'…I should just finish the acupuncture.'
Tock!
Regardless of whether Sir Gardin was worried or not,
Rakiel pierced the Chize (Cubit Marsh) point.
A hollow spot on the cubital crease, between the biceps brachii tendon—essentially, the soft inner fold of the elbow.
"Hsss."
This time, it really stung.
Even Sir Gardin, who was watching, winced in pain.
Rakiel found it ridiculous and asked,
"Hah. I'm the one getting stabbed, so why are you the one in pain?"
"Well, I… I was watching, and…"
"Rather than that, could you sterilize the tip of my next needle over the candle flame?"
"…Excuse me?"
"I think that would be more helpful to me than your prayers."
"A-Ah, understood, Your Highness."
While Gardin awkwardly sterilized the needle,
Rakiel pierced the Kongzui (Maximum Opening) point.
And he didn't stop there.
Tock! Tock! Tock!
He inserted the needles in quick succession.
The Lieque (Broken Sequence) point, located along the radial side of the forearm.
The Jingqu (Passing Through the Meridian) point, near the radial artery close to the wrist.
The Taiyuan (Great Abyss) point, at the wrist joint.
The Yuji (Fish Border) point, on the outer root of the thumb.
With precise, flawless accuracy, he inserted each needle.
Only then did another message finally appear.
Ding-dong!
[Your proficient acupuncture skills have stimulated multiple acupoints simultaneously.]
[Your lungs have relaxed comfortably.]
[Your lungs are searching for a massage chair.]
'What? Why are you looking for a massage chair? And why didn't I get any HP this time?'
Before he knew it, a sense of defiance welled up inside him.
Rakiel picked up the 11th needle.
He took aim.
The Shaoshang (Lesser Shang) point.
Located at the outer root of the thumbnail, 0.1 cun from the nail bed.
Or, in simpler terms—
The spot grandmothers prick when someone has acute indigestion.
Tock!
In that instant…
[You have successfully completed acupuncture on the Lung Meridian of your left upper body.]
[Your lungs perform a triumphant tap dance.]
[The rhythm of the tap dance awakens the organ paired with the lungs—the large intestine.]
[The intestinal villi of your large intestine wriggle in sync with the rhythm.]
[Your large intestine has donated 100 HP to you.]
[Your lungs have donated 200 HP to you.]
[Current HP: 600]
'Huh?'
Not just the lungs, but even the large intestine?
Messages rolled across his vision, declaring that they had awakened and donated HP.
And it didn't stop there.
[Your HP has reached the threshold for skill activation.]
[You can now select/unlock your first skill.]
[Available skills are based on your existing knowledge and expertise.]
[Would you like to view the available skill list?]
[YES / NO]
"..."
Rakiel blinked.
It was absurd yet fascinating.
Receiving points from his own organs was already baffling enough. But now, he could unlock skills with those points?
However, Rakiel remained composed.
'Well, if we're talking about absurdity, the fact that I became a character in a novel already takes the cake.'
So, he wouldn't let this faze him.
If he had time to be surprised, he'd rather use it to his advantage.
With that resolve, he selected 'YES.'