[■■■■ Skill Book purchased.]
5,000 points vanished in a flash, causing a ripple.
Along with it, the familiar notification window popped up. The kind that appears when you buy a one-time-only item and the list gets rearranged.
[Updating Shop List.]
[You can still purchase existing items while the shop list is being updated.]
“Huh? Estimated time?”
Compared to last time, one notification window is empty.
Thinking that, Rohan reached out. For now, satisfying this curiosity came first.
His hand entered the distorted space.
Rohan immediately showed suspicion.
“Huh?”
It wasn’t like the moment he learned the Scorching Blade, where understanding came as soon as he put his hand in.
This time, something was different.
There was something inside with a definite shape, something tangible. Similar to the sensation of buying physical food or water.
Thud!
What emerged from the void into Rohan’s hand was an old book.
True to its name as a Skill Book, it was unmistakably in the form of a book. Rohan was rather flustered.
“A real book…?”
He checked the front and back. There were no words written on the cover.
Flipping through it, all the pages were blank. Not a single dot, just clean, empty pages.
“What is this?”
He was filled with anticipation, thinking luck was on his side, but he couldn’t figure out how to use it.
The only immediate use that came to mind was as a ramen coaster.
“Hmm.”
Rohan pondered as he felt the texture of the book.
The key to moving this unknown object, revealing its identity, more intricate and varied than fingerprints, a personal password.
The answer was clear.
‘Mana.’
Rohan channeled the mana within his body, letting it seep into the book.
The change came immediately.
<Whoosh!>
The book opened on its own. The pages flipped rapidly, stopping about halfway.
Rohan quietly observed this poltergeist-like phenomenon.
[Opening Restricted Book #2 for Authorized Personnel Only.]
‘This time, it’s a book, not a video?’
Rohan read the notification and froze stiff.
With the number jumping from 1 to 2, it was impossible to predict what would happen now.
How long did he wait for this phenomenon, unprepared?
<Sizzle───!>
Embers moved across the book, burning the paper as they passed. Surprisingly, no smoke rose, and there was no smell of burning.
The black traces gathered and transformed into letters.
Rohan’s eyes naturally began to read them.
[What a sorrowful and tragic fate. How pitiful it is that the flame, which burns away even reason and nature, must ultimately be held in the hands of humans who have passed through the ashes.]
[Even if humans lose everything, they will never let go of the flame… This shall be both our blessing and our punishment.]
[Lowell… Jenny… For the sake of your wishes…]
Someone’s lament-like writing.
Just by the shape of the forcefully pressed letters, you can understand the emotions they carried.
It was as if you could hear a voice.
‘A flame that burns reason and nature?’
Is it a metaphorical expression?
If not for such a vague description, I would’ve questioned where such a flame that burns intangible things exists in this world.
But as soon as Rohan read this passage, an image came to mind.
‘The one I saw in the video…’
Me as a child sitting on a chair. It’s laughable to call it “me,” but whatever, it’s me.
It was just a guess, but for some reason, that image wouldn’t leave my head.
‘And who are these people?’
The names Lowell and Jenny. Names I’ve never heard before in Abyss City.
Yet, they don’t feel unfamiliar.
A determination to investigate these two names etched so vividly in my mind.
“Hmm…”
As if Rohan’s voice, lost in thought amidst his tangled mind, was a signal.
The open book snaps shut!
This time, a faint flame flickers on the cover, imprinting the letters boldly.
[Heavenly Sun’s Divine Judgment]
The title of the book emerges, carrying sparks.
Seeing the Chinese characters, Rohan felt a sense of being enchanted and muttered.
“…Cheonilseongjae.”
Along with his voice, flames erupted fiercely from the book.
The radiant flames on his hand weren’t hot. And it wasn’t surprising.
For some reason, Rohan felt this process was an utterly natural procedure.
The book, crackling as it burned, turned to ashes and seeped into Rohan’s body.
And a voice was heard.
─ Shine in the abyss, for the night always comes, and there is no night without a sunrise.
─ You who grasp the ember and tear through the veil of night, this is the path of salvation we have chosen.
─ Follow the journey inscribed by the Heavenly Sun.
[Restricted Book #2, unauthorized access prohibited, is now closed.]
The fire attribute, which had been sitting in the status window like a decoration.
Rohan sensed a fittingly intense change. He opened the skill window.
And faced the result.
[Heavenly Sun’s Divine Judgment Sword ─ Lv.1]
◇First Sword – Flame Sever
◇Second Sword – Dawn’s Setting Sun
The subtle sheen flowing through the skill name and the level proving the potential for growth. Unlike the Murder Manual or Blazing Blade, it has no grade.
It means a unique skill that only the user can possess.
After finishing his realization, curses spilled out of Rohan’s mouth.
“···Crazy!”
Possessing two unique skills is a symbol of S-rank in Abyss City.
Rohan already has two unique skills: Weakness Infliction and Shop.
There was no S-rank character with only one unique skill, nor was there any insane playable character with three.
But now, that rule has been broken.
Because my skill window now holds three unique skills.
‘Sword Technique··· So there’s a martial arts-like skill name outside of Samhwa Kingdom.’
I roughly got an idea of what the southern region, which wasn’t highlighted much in Abyss City, feels like.
‘What should I do?’
Rohan wanted to test this sword technique right away. His hands were itching.
To stave off hunger, he needed to wash up and get ready, but his eyes wouldn’t leave the skill window.
The corners of his mouth twitched at the still unreal luck.
Should I buy a proper sword on installment, or run to the Academy to swing it and head to the instructor’s place?
‘Or maybe just borrow a sword from the instructor?’
Rohan decided to start preparing and jumped up from his seat.
He wrote the names Lowell and Jenira in his notebook and smartphone memo.
Below that, he continued to jot down the words that lingered in his memory.
[Shine in the abyss, the night always comes, and there is no night without a sunrise.]
[Grasp the ember and tear through the veil of night, this is the path of salvation we have chosen.]
[Follow the journey carved by the heavenly sun.]
‘There’s no night without a sunrise··· Not bad.’
Leaving such thoughts behind, Rohan moved to wash up.
*****
The water pressure was shockingly strong, and hot water poured down like a waterfall.
On top of that, there were high-end shampoos, treatments, body washes, and cleansing foams that I’d only seen in bookstore magazines.
Clara finished her shower, trembling at the luxury.
She dried her naked body with a fluffy towel that absorbed water cleanly in just one wipe.
Creak.
Clara peeked her head out through the door crack.
The thick steam trapped in the bathroom flowed out into the living room, puff by puff.
The girl moved her head around, looking for her clothes, but seeing nothing, she had no choice but to call out to Juyun.
“Um···.”
“Clara.”
“Yes, yes···?”
Juyun approached with a serious face, step by step.
Clara, herself…
Afraid her frail body might show, she quickly pulled her head back inside the door and just blinked.
“I’ll go buy some underwear, so wait a bit. It’ll take some time to run the dryer too.”
“Uh, that underwear…”
Juyun must have seen her underwear size.
Clara’s face turned red at the thought of her private matters being exposed.
“If not, I don’t have any clothes that would suit Clara, but I can give you something thick enough to cover up.”
“Just the clothes… please.”
That was actually better.
When Clara made the request in a small voice, Juyun brought over the clothes she had placed on the sofa.
A thin sleeveless top to wear inside and a thick hoodie.
For pants, she brought out black sweatpants.
Clara thanked her, took the clothes, and went into the bathroom.
She came out wearing oversized clothes.
The pants dragged on the floor, and only her fingertips peeked out from the hoodie sleeves.
Juyun looked at Clara and thought to herself.
Isn’t this the kind of woman men fall in love with?
‘What a cute and beautiful girl.’
Even her damp hair looked charming.
If she had a younger sister that everyone always worried about, would she have been like this?
“Come here. I’ll dry you off.”
“!”
When Juyun reached out her hand, Clara froze like a statue.
Juyun’s hand passed by the nervous girl, and the moisture on Clara’s hair disappeared cleanly.
Withdrawing her hand along with her magic, Juyun spoke up while looking at the fidgety Clara.
“Clara. There’s something I’m curious about.”
“Yes…?”
Juyun thought of those small pieces of fabric spinning around in the washing machine.
Just the thought made her swallow hard in embarrassment.
But under the purpose of breaking the ice and understanding the cadet better, Juyun asked as casually as possible.
“By any chance… are you dating Rohan?”
