Chapter 757: Meltdown

I chuckled and said to Hong Yeonhwa,

“Why are you reading the room? It’s not that, so don’t worry.”

“……Okay.”

“It’s nothing else. I just feel bad that I haven’t been looking after you much lately. There was the outside request, then midterms, and I don’t think I’ll be able to go down with you this week either.”

Since I had to put the dimensional crow and Dang Gyu-ri first, I had no room to enter the freezing dungeon.

Hong Yeonhwa hurriedly waved her hands.

“No. I’m fine. We can go later…….”

“I appreciate you saying that, but I can’t just leave it forever—”

I showed her the [Blank Trait Scroll] I had just obtained.

“—so I’m going to make you one with this.”

“Is that really okay? But……?”

Hong Yeonhwa’s eyes went round.

It was an item even rarer than a blank skillbook, so she seemed puzzled that I would use one I had finally gotten on her.

I shrugged.

“I did have to think about it. There are so many places to use it.”

Since it could create a custom trait, it was a perfect chance to supplement a build and raise specs.

Or I could create a highly versatile trait and share it through [Bond].

“Still, I figured giving it to you would bring the biggest profit.”

“……!”

It was also a trait I would have made her learn eventually anyway.

By this point, Hong Yeonhwa seemed more curious than anything else.

“What kind of……. trait is it?”

“The kind that links with my build.”

“Links? Then…….”

“You’ll probably only get any effect when we’re together. It’ll be almost useless when you’re alone.”

“…….”

“Still want to learn it?”

In cases like this, the person’s own will mattered most.

If she learned it and then did not work on its rank, everything would be pointless.

Of course, I was only asking to confirm, and Hong Yeonhwa nodded without hesitating at all.

“I’ll learn it.”

“Nice and decisive.”

“It’s…… necessary, right? For us…….”

“That’s right.”

“Instead…….”

Hong Yeonhwa edged closer.

She looked up at me, then shyly glanced this way and that as she continued.

“You have to…… spend more time with me. So I can use the trait often too……?”

“Of course. I won’t let you feel neglected.”

I lightly kissed Hong Yeonhwa on the forehead.

The order had only been pushed back because of various conditions. I still planned to keep clearing the freezing dungeon steadily.

Now, shall we make the trait?

FLASH—

A moment later, the [Blank Trait Scroll] began giving off blue light.

Letters densely filled the space where nothing had been before.

No need to make it complicated.

If it had been a trait I would use myself, I would have adjusted several options in detail toward pissing off the opponent, but Hong Yeonhwa was different.

So I continued the creation while focusing only on the core parts, and—

FLAAAAASH—!

A final burst of bright light poured out, and the scroll was complete.

When Hong Yeonhwa used it as it was,

[‘Meltdown(F)’ has been learned.]

[Meltdown(F)]

▷Increases fire damage dealt to targets affected by ‘Frozen.’

▷Ignores 1 rank of resistance from targets affected by ‘Frozen.’

“Ah……!”

Hong Yeonhwa let out a quiet gasp.

It seemed she had realized what I meant by “it only works when we’re together.”

Water/ice attribute and Frozen are strictly different things, after all.

For example, Lee Seulbi and Han Gaeul were Sapphire mages, but they did not go around wearing ice on their bodies.

Naturally, [Meltdown] would not apply to them either.

To see the effect, you have to freeze them first.

Of course, there was no law saying she had to link with me specifically.

If someone else hit the target with a freezing skill, that would work too.

The problem is, there isn’t anyone else.

Most people who mainly used freezing skills were Sapphire mages.

The Ruby Mage Tower and Sapphire Mage Tower were practically sworn enemies, so unless it was a very special situation, there would be no chance for them to link up.

Maybe if Hong Yeonhwa had enough overwhelming sociability to transcend conflict between groups, but objectively speaking, she did not.

At least for now, it has to be me.

I had various freezing methods, including [Mutual-Destruction Eye], [Frost-White Shot], and [Mystic Sound Jade Demon Finger].

On top of that, as I showed at the end of midterms, I could combine them with [Sky Vision] and freeze a wide area.

And I have [Diamond Freeze] too.

Normal freezing would all melt the moment Hong Yeonhwa cast a single fire spell, but if “cannot be dispelled” was attached?

During the duration, [Meltdown]’s effect would continue to apply.

Once the condition is met, the return is pretty significant.

There was additional fire damage and resistance ignore, and it would get stronger as its rank rose.

It was worth using a precious blank scroll.

Hong Yeonhwa seemed to be thinking along similar lines, because she looked at me and said,

“I’ll work hard to raise it. I’ll try developing magic too…….”

Apparently, learning a new trait had given her some kind of inspiration again.

Since she did well on her own even without me staying attached and teaching her constantly, she was the easiest of the [Bond] members to handle.

A pleased smile naturally settled on my lips.

“Yeah. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“……Ah! And this…….”

Hong Yeonhwa had been about to say goodbye, but then she seemed to remember something and rummaged through her inventory.

Soon, she took out several rolled-up magic scrolls.

[Rank Up(F)]

[Rank Up(E)]

[Rank Up(D)]

“You said…… you needed them.”

“I did.”

[Manifestation], which I had learned as a main quest reward.

It was a skill even I had obtained for the first time, but it was not hard to guess that its growth method would be extremely limited.

After all, it was difficult to use even once, let alone repeatedly.

So I had asked the [Bond] members to let me know if they ever found [Rank Up].

“I didn’t think you’d get three this quickly.”

“Mom and my older sister……. sent them.”

It seemed Father-in-law and Mother-in-law No. 3 had made a move.

As a former Mage Tower Association master, she apparently still had considerable influence.

Hong Yehwa also seemed to have helped, even if she disliked her younger sister.

I was not in a position to refuse, so I accepted the Rank Ups.

“I’ll use them well. Tell both of them I said thank you.”

“Okay……!”

A proud smile appeared on Hong Yeonhwa’s lips.

*****

[Using ‘Rank Up.’]

[‘Manifestation’ rank has increased. (F→C)]

[Manifestation(C)]

▷Manifests one target from the inner world.

▷Charge: 1.08

▷Duration: 1 second → 5 seconds

▷Cooldown: 100 days

▷Same target cannot be resummoned

Now I can finally breathe a little.

Honestly, 1 second had been absurdly short.

If I linked [Amplification] and raised it to A, I should be able to secure enough time for the summoned hero to actually do something.

Next, I focused on the “Charge” option.

It was 1 before, and now it’s 1.08.

It had been creeping up little by little each time I used [Austerity] and [Invitation] on [Bond] members.

The condition seemed to be using skills or traits related to [Sovereign].

Since the rank went up, the charging efficiency probably improved too.

It was not displayed directly, but according to old-timer big data, other charge-type skills and traits tended to show a similar pattern.

I expected it to fill a little faster from now on.

Once I secured 2 charges, I would be able to use it with much more breathing room.

That was enough for [Manifestation].

I thought about my next plan.

First on Kim Ho’s Bucket List is the dimensional crow.

Receive [Consecration] on [Thousand-Year Evergreen] from the Great Sage.

Commission the seamstress to fuse [Starmascus].

The problem was that I had to choose only one of the two.

Unfortunately, their appearance periods overlapped during this raid week.

Their importance was roughly similar, so—

I’ll have to consider the side factors.

For example, what dungeon they appeared in, and what could be obtained there.

On that front, there was actually little room to agonize.

The Great Sage was scheduled to visit a B-rank dungeon, and the seamstress an E-rank dungeon.

The difference in rewards alone is huge.

Not only that, the relevant dungeon contained an extremely useful hidden piece.

An item used for Dang Gyu-ri’s [Shadow Extraction] slot.

So the direction was set toward meeting the Great Sage.

After making an appointment, I headed to the dungeon wing late at night.

No sooner # Nоvеlight # had I arrived than I saw Dang Gyu-ri walking over from the opposite side.

Their steps were light, as if they were in a particularly good mood today.

They looked around and asked,

“You said it’s just us, right?”

“For tonight.”

It was a B-rank dungeon, but unlike <Black Serpent Fang> or <Descent of the Feathered Serpent>, it was small enough for two people to clear.

There was no need to bring a whole crowd.

And everyone is busy this week.

Go Hyeonwoo had his sacred relic inheritance ahead of him, and Hong Yeonhwa had just learned a trait.

It was only right to give them time of their own.

Dang Gyu-ri seemed pleased, if anything.

“It’s been a while since just the two of us went down.”

“It really has.”

<Rainbow Lake>, which we cleared last year, had been the first and last time.

After that, we had always moved as a party.

Soon, Dang Gyu-ri smiled brightly and held out their hand.

“Hehe. Hold it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I could sense some personal motives mixed in, but that was not all there was to it.

SLIIIIIDE……

Shadows crawled up from under our feet and wrapped around us in black.

A stealth skill.

Since there were only two of us, it could be controlled more efficiently and surely.

With our hands joined, we began stepping down the circular staircase.

“Hehehe~”

Perhaps because they were happy to be descending with just the two of us after so long, a smile stayed on Dang Gyu-ri’s lips the entire time.

They even hummed under their breath, just barely audible.

Even so, they faithfully performed their role as guide and shook off Discipline Committee members and faculty without much difficulty.

SLIIIIIDE……

Sometimes, we leapt across long distances with [Shadow Leap] too.

We moved without hesitation like that, and around the time we reached Floor D, we checked below and exchanged glances.

She’s here again today, without fail.

She really must want to catch you.

Song Cheonhye was on patrol.

In the exact same place where she had been last raid week, and the raid week before that.

What was different from before was—

CRACKLE, CRACKLE.

[Lightning Rods] had been set up here and there.

And Song Cheonhye looked extremely happy.

“♪♩♫~”

She was walking around with steps even lighter than Dang Gyu-ri’s.

Then, she suddenly glanced at a [Lightning Rod].

ZAP!

She used [Thunder Jump] and moved.

Even though it was barely any distance at all.

Then she looked around to see if anyone was watching and struck a pose.

It made me imagine lines like this.

—Learning [Thunder Jump] has definitely changed my life.

—Who am I? A [Thunder Jump] holder.

Dang Gyu-ri let out a hollow laugh at the sight.

She’s exactly like you when you learned ★Blink★, isn’t she?

Honestly, you can’t resist that.

That was something you had to show off.

Anyway, we decided that was enough sightseeing and continued moving.

But just as we were passing Song Cheonhye and heading down—

ZAP!

The sound of [Thunder Jump] activating rang out again.

The next moment, Song Cheonhye appeared very close to us.

“……?”

As she looked around, her gaze kept turning in our direction.

But judging by her ambiguous expression, she did not seem to have seen through our stealth.

Apparently, she had only jumped over because she sensed something suspicious.

While she was doing that, another Discipline Committee member’s voice came from above.

“Why? Is something there?”

“……No. I think I was mistaken.”

Song Cheonhye turned away, still looking thoroughly doubtful.

Dang Gyu-ri watched her, then turned back to me and narrowed their eyes.

“…….”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“……It’s strange. I didn’t make a mistake, and she didn’t find us either.”

Then the conclusion was…….