Chapter 746: Kim Ho’s Bucket List

▷[Sky Vision(S)]

Next were the items I had obtained while clashing with the Blood Cult.

At the ruins, I had won my wager with the War Demon Commander, and from the Blood Demon, I had received payment in exchange for placing [Invitation] on him.

On top of that, I had threatened the retreating Chief Protector and squeezed out even more.

Three A-rank elixirs.

[Azure Stalactite Milk(A)], [Five Elements Divine Pill(A)], and [Great Rejuvenation Pill(A)].

If I ate them all alone, the efficiency would probably drop, so I planned to divide them evenly among the [Bond] members.

Next, equipment materials.

In exchange for placing [Invitation] on the Blood Demon, I had received [Thousand-Year Evergreen(S+)].

As one could guess from the fact that it was wood,

[Deep-Rooted Crow Tree(S+)]

▷An extremely strong power of dimension can be felt.

▷CAW—!

▷CAW?

▷Indestructible

▷[Octopus Arms]

▷Upgradeable

it would fit perfectly into the final slot.

Considering the material, the possibility of reaching EX-rank was also quite high.

But using it right away would be a waste.

I thought it came first to draw out the material’s potential as much as possible.

To do that, just as [Starmascus(EX)] had received Meteor Dragon’s [Consecration], I would need to receive [Consecration] from two powerful beings.

The first is the dimensional crow.

To begin with, the crow tree was equipment specialized in spatial magic.

If I aligned the upgrade material’s wavelength with that, the final option that came out would likely be even stronger.

The second is Mountain Dragon.

The keyword “tree” itself was closely linked to “nature.”

If I could receive [Consecration], it would likewise greatly raise the equipment’s performance.

As for the crow, I could simply meet it in a dungeon as I had until now.

Mountain Dragon, true to its name, was the enormous mountain that resided near the Emerald Mage Tower.

The problem is that just because it’s a mountain doesn’t mean anyone can climb it.

Anyone without permission would be attacked by dragon-body soldiers the moment they set foot on it.

Even if someone had the skill to defeat them, an enemy would not go through the troublesome work of performing [Consecration] for them.

Of course, I knew this, which was why I had started laying the groundwork some time ago.

I had gotten fairly close to the Emerald Gwak siblings, and the same went for Park Nari of the Nature Club.

On top of that, I had created a small debt by giving them a hidden-piece walkthrough during this outside request.

I was already planning to visit the Nature Club soon anyway, so I would have to bring it up then.

Last is what I got from the Chief Protector.

[Trait Extractor(S)]

For something I had received after a little threatening, it was an outrageously good item.

It could extract and let me learn anything among options that were judged to be “traits.”

Naturally, it was single-use.

For example,

[Cloud-Stepping(A)]

▷Automatic durability recovery

▷Bonus to movement-type skills

▷[Ignore Inertia(C+)]

▷[Multicolored Defense(C)]

▷[Double Leap(B)]

[Ignore Inertia] and [Multicolored Defense] were traits, so they could be extracted.

[Double Leap] was a skill, so it could not.

For another example,

[Immortal Kim Ho Kim Ho Pot(S+)]

▷Indestructible

▷[Force Aura Block(S)]

▷[Impact Nullification(A+)]

▷[Severed Space(S)]

▷Upgradeable

Both [Force Aura Block] and [Impact Nullification] were traits, so they could be extracted.

[Severed Space] was a skill, so it could not.

Even if I only took [Force Aura Block] from there.

The damage I received from martial artists or warrior classes who used aura would likely drop sharply.

Wouldn’t I be able to put up a decent fight even against the Blood Demon?

Still, for now, I have no choice but to give up on it.

Because there was a trait far superior in both performance and versatility.

[Heaven-Earth Magatama(S)]

▷Taiji[2/2]: Growth bonus strengthened

▷Growth bonus(Medium) to the skill and trait with the lowest rank

▷Taiji[2/2]: Damage Reduction(F)

▷Three Taiji[2/3]: ???

▷Three Taiji[2/3]: ???

▷Three Taiji[2/3]: ???

Damage Reduction.

Originally, it was an option that was effectively impossible to grow.

The only method was to collect the final magatama and complete Three Taiji.

But what if I used the extractor?

Since it would become wholly my trait, a path to grow it would open up.

And after raising it to S-rank, if I shared it through [Bond]?

A party of damage dealers like tanks would be complete.

Honestly, I want to take it right away.

But for the time being, it seemed better to put it on hold.

It was F-rank right now, but if I obtained the final piece, [Human Magatama], and completed [Three Taiji], it would likely be several stages higher.

That would save me that many rank-ups.

On top of that, I needed to increase the shared trait slots anyway, so it would not be too late to extract it once the other conditions were ready.

In any case, I offered deep, heartfelt gratitude to the Blood Cult Leader, the Chief Protector, and the War Demon Commander for giving me such precious items.

Now, what remained were the items I had been able to obtain with the help of Meteor Dragon and the guardians.

Starmascus.

The [Consecration] had gone off properly, and it had ultimately broken through the wall to EX-rank.

There was enough to craft one main piece of equipment and one auxiliary piece.

I’ll think about the main equipment slowly.

If the plan related to [Thousand-Year Evergreen(S+)] went well, there would be no need to use it on my staff.

It would be fine to craft equipment for another [Bond] member instead.

For instance, a “Starmascus bat” for Dang Gyu-young.

For the auxiliary piece, I’ll try using it to upgrade the pot.

Since one final slot remained, I planned to take it to the crow seamstress.

For reference, asking the Great Sage for [Consecration] would be best.

In many ways, I had more reasons to meet them now.

Last is the pocket watch.

[Golden Pocket Watch(S)]

▷The turbulent currents of time swirl.

▷Time Leap(S)

Charge:1.39

▷[Swift Second Hand(A+)]

▷[Time Double(A+)]

▷Bonus or rank +1 to all time-type skills/traits

▷Indestructible

The options visible right away were already incredible, but even this was not 100% complete.

Because in order to move up the production timing, some parts had been replaced with substitutes.

If I replaced those one by one with S-rank parts, the performance would improve, and there was a high possibility that one or two additional options would be attached.

Of course, compared to my other goals right now, its priority was on the lower side.

With this, I could consider what I had obtained in Hyeseong organized.

And I can’t forget my skill and trait-related goals either.

Obtaining the third part after [Transplanting Flowers, Grafting Trees] and [Dipper-Shifting Star-Transposition], then completing [Great Heaven-Earth Shift].

And further solidifying my build, which was still riddled with holes.

If I gathered everything I had mentioned so far in one place,

[Kim Ho’s Bucket List]

▷Receive [Consecration] for [Thousand-Year Evergreen(S+)] - Great Sage of the Crows, Mountain Dragon

▷Complete Three Taiji with [Human Magatama], extract [Damage Reduction]

▷Craft or upgrade equipment with [Starmascus(EX)] - crow seamstress

▷Replace [Golden Pocket Watch(S)] parts

▷Complete [Great Heaven-Earth Shift]

▷Supplement wind and freezing builds

I’m going to be busy.

Not that I ever wasn’t.

Just as I thought that, a note-shaped icon blinked in one corner of my vision.

I had sent a message to Dang Gyu-ri as soon as midterms ended, and their reply had come back.

[Kim Ho:I finished midterms]

[Dang Gyu-young:(peeking fox emoticon)]

[Dang Gyu-ri:(dissatisfied fox emoticon)]

[Kim Ho:Why are you angry again?]

[Dang Gyu-ri:(dissatisfied fox emoticon)]

[Dang Gyu-ri:(fox emoticon taking their anger out on the wrong thing)]

[Kim Ho:Let’s meet and talk]

[Dang Gyu-ri:Where are you?]

I chose a meeting place and headed there.

And after I arrived and sat on a bench, it was not long before I saw Dang Gyu-ri walking toward me from a distance.

They’re sulking.

Their eyes were already full of dissatisfaction.

They even stuck their lips out every now and then.

That did not mean I could let myself be affected too, so for now, I waved cheerfully.

“It’s been a while. Sit down first.”

As I said that, I pointed to the seat beside me, but Dang Gyu-ri only stood in front of it and sent me a sullen look.

“.......”

It was as if they were protesting that they did not want to sit there.

At the same time, their gaze flicked to my lap now and then, so I made another proposal.

“You can sit here too.”

“.......”

Then, contrary to their sulky attitude, Dang Gyu-ri promptly planted themself on my lap.

From there, they glared sideways at me and opened their mouth.

“......Looks like you had a lot of fun in Hyeseong.”

“As I told you, I was busy protecting world peace. I even scuffled with the Blood Cult.”

“For that, you seemed to have a lot of free time in between.”

“To be honest, I had fun then.”

Maybe that pushed their sulking to the extreme, because Dang Gyu-ri lifted my arm and chomped down on it.

“Hey, having fun is one thing, but you should contact me often.”

“Didn’t I contact you every morning and evening?”

“Not that mechanical stuff. You have to put your heart into it. Throw in an ‘I miss you’ every now and then. Huh?”

They added, “How could you be so hurtful?”

At that, I slowly nodded.

“Of course I missed you too.”

“Then you should express it.”

“Still, I was with Seo Ye-in then, so it was right to focus on her. It wouldn’t be polite to think about something else, would it?”

And right now, I’m focusing on you.

At that, Dang Gyu-ri seemed somewhat convinced, and their anger also softened a little.

But perhaps they were still somewhat sulky, because they spoke in a grumpy tone.

“......Then while you’re focusing, settle the backlog too.”

“What backlog?”

“Pecks have piled up for two whole weeks.”

“Let’s do that.”

I showered Dang Gyu-ri with pecks on their cheeks, forehead, crown, neck, and wherever else.

By then, nearly all traces of their sulking had vanished.

“Is that enough now?”

“......Almost? But it still feels a little lacking.”

“If you give me feedback, I’ll try to reflect it.”

Dang Gyu-ri spoke in a tone as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“What are teeth for?”

“I see. So that was the direction.”

Meaning pecks alone were not enough, and I should occasionally mix in bites too.

So I did as they wanted and lightly bit Dang Gyu-ri’s ear.

“Heh-heh.”

Next, I gave them a peck, then after that, bit their neck.

But at that moment,

“Oh my, so this is where you were!”

At the familiar voice coming from behind us, we turned our heads at the same time.

Sure enough, Shin Byeongcheol was approaching from over there with a big grin.

When he came closer and saw Dang Gyu-ri sitting on my lap, he froze in place.

“......You were here too, junior?”

“Hello, senior.”

Dang Gyu-ri greeted him in a tone that could not have been kinder.

But their two eyes had sunk coldly.

Shin Byeongcheol’s face turned the color of dirt.