Chapter 10  

After Kim Do-Jin left, Choi Yu-Seong smiled goofily for the remainder of the time.

He’d only watched roughly 60 applicants demonstrate their abilities, until the time Do-Jin visited, and only copied the skills that he thought were useful and didn’t overlap with others.

He used Fusion cautiously. Although he was in a good condition, he could face the consequences of mana shortage, as Jin Yu-Ri warned him.

It would be nice if he could see how much mana he had, like in a game, but reality didn't work that way. There were many cases where players actually passed out or even died because they used too much mana, without knowing how much they had. So it couldn't hurt to be careful.

In the end, Yu-Seong learned one skill from the morning’s demonstrations.

『General Skill, Spark E

Can be used with Fusion.

Spark attacks targets within two meters with a strong electric attack. Its strength increases the closer the target is to the user.』

Fused from two F-rank skills, Friction and Flash, Spark was worth taking up one of Yu-Seong’s five additional skill slots. It was extremely efficient because of its long range of two meters and befitting its electric nature, it could temporarily paralyze the target even if it failed to damage the target.

In the end, however, it failed to overcome the innate limitations an attack skill had. Yu-Seong required skills that were useful for surviving rather than attacking, like skills that enabled users to dodge instantly or protected the mind. Even if they were low-ranked, simply possessing these kinds of skills were highly valued by players.

That was why nobody showed skills like these in the showcase that Yu-Seong opened. After all, Yu-Seong lived in a world where it was normal for a player to always have a trump card hidden up their sleeve just in case.

But the skill that Do-Jin demonstrated in annoyance, as if it was nothing special, was exactly the type of skill.

『General Skill, Insight E

Can be used with Fusion.

Once activated, the player is no longer affected by illusions cast by a skill of a lower rank.

Once activated, the player’s tension is resolved.

Once activated, the player's concentration is enhanced.

Once activated, the player can use this skill to see a fraction of the target player’s information if the target is of a lower rank than the player. The range of information varies according to skill rank. However, it may be blocked by other types of mind barrier skills the target possesses.

A penalty is imposed as it is a copied skill.

Usage count: 8

This skill can only resist illusions cast by a skill lower than E-rank.

The effect of tension resolution and concentration enhancement decreases to 70 percent.

There will be limitations to viewing the target's player information.』

What was there to say? This skill was more superb than any other E-rank skill as it was a skill the main character had. Although the penalties lessened its effects, it was still too good on its own that Yu-Seong didn't want to fuse it with another skill.

'It's pointless to hide that I'm a player when Kim Do-Jin already has this skill.'

Insight was the skill Do-Jin often used in the original novel [Modern Master Returns]. Using this, Do-Jin could determine if his opponent was a player. If he wasn’t able to see player information, then it meant that the opponent had a mind barrier skill, which would make him a player.

If Do-Jin wanted to figure out if Yu-Seong actually became a player, then he could've done it whenever he wanted. Players who used this skill stood out, as they would appear to have a fire inside their eyes once it was activated.

Do-Jin was able to notice that Yu-Seong was a player without using Insight. He probably didn't want Yu-Seong to become hostile toward him for using it.

When Yu-Seong asked him to demonstrate a skill, he activated Insight as it was a chance for Do-Jin to confirm Yu-Seong's player information.

'It was Kim Do-Jin's way of figuring out what types of abilities I had.'

He was the shrewd returner who was determined to not leave empty-handed. In other words, Do-Jin eventually learned a fraction of Yu-Seong's abilities as a player.

'How much did he see? He wouldn't have seen everything since the skill rank is low, but...'

Anyways, it wasn't great that a dangerous figure like Do-Jin was able to learn information about him.

'I wouldn't have been able to copy Insight if it wasn't for him using it. I guess I did what I had to do in order to get the skill from Kim Do-Jin.'

It was a shame that Insight was an active skill and not an inactive, passive skill, as Yu-Seong could only copy active skills using the Eye-of-Replication. In addition, Insight was very useful despite the penalties.

'I can fuse Insight when I acquire a skill that's equally valuable to it.'

Rather than having it lose value by fusing it with a skill not as valuable, he would wait until the right time.

'If the effects of Insight develop by fusing it advantageously...'

Yu-Seong couldn't imagine how great the skill would possibly become. Imagining it changing into something better was a lot to expect.

After all, considering Insight was copied from the main character of the novel, it already was an astounding ability. People always say to dream big though. After an hour passed since Do-Jin's abrupt visit and Yu-Seong obtaining an incredible skill packed with amazing abilities like the mind barrier, Yu-Seong decided what to fill for his third skill slot. That was why he couldn't help smiling the entire time.

'At this rate, I might fill all five slots with extremely satisfying skills.'

He was on the verge of acquiring the five necessary skills for his leveling plan in just a day.

He didn't even expect anything like this to happen, but as he was making more progress throughout the afternoon, Yu-Seong naturally started becoming hopeful.

However, as always, the world was more than ready to remind those who wanted too much how cruel it could be. It was five in the evening, with only three applicants left, when Yu-Seong looked downcast compared to his hopeful behavior at the beginning of the afternoon session. He no longer smiled as his expectations were dashed.

'It was too much to ask from the start.'

After all, he considered it to be successful today if he attained three skills, and since he even obtained Do-Jin's Insight skill, it was definitely a success. Yu-Seong decided to take it easy and called in all three applicants together.

The three were from different groups: a man in his fifties with a belly so big that it was hard to believe he was a player, a young girl whose glasses and hair covered roughly half of her face, and a young man that wore a shirt and a tie as if he was applying for some company interview.

He had the slightest hope, but nothing caught his eye.

The man in his fifties demonstrated an F-rank skill called Gluttony that made it somewhat harder to become full from eating, the girl who he couldn't even recall her face properly also showed an F-rank skill called Sweat Gland-Contraction, and the business-like young man boasted his E-rank skill Sanitation-Maintenance.

'That man could become a legendary food fighter if he upgrades his Gluttony skill. Sweat Gland-Contraction and Sanitation-Maintenance seem similar but they are slightly different... They are not the kind of skill I'd use.'

Although the end was quite disappointing, Yu-Seong still thanked the applicants with a smile and spread his notes out where he recorded the skills and names of the applicants that came today.

He might have missed something now, but think of a great skill combination later. Since it didn't matter whether he visited the person or paid them more to come to him, Yu-Seong had written down all the skills and names just in case.

"You did great today, oppa."

"You really did, young master."

Looking at Yu-Seong scanning through his notebook, Jin Yu-Ri and Jin Do-Yoon spoke.

"You two also did great, starting from early this morning."

Turning away from the notebook to brightly respond to the Jin siblings, Yu-Seong spotted something unbelievable that flashed across his eyes.

"Chae Ye-Ryeong?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Having no time to answer Do-Yoon’s question, Yu-Seong quickly scanned his notebook. After rapidly going through the name in his notebook, Yu-Seong’s index finger stopped at the last line.

‘E-rank skill Sweat Gland-Contraction, possessed by Chae Ye-Ryeong.’

He hadn’t mistaken what he had seen. She was the player that had an ordinary skill, covered half of her face as if she was shy, and wasn’t particularly noteworthy.

“Oh my god.”

Because of the tiring interview, his concentration dropped and Yu-Seong overlooked her, but he shouldn't have done that.

‘The Sorceress of the Flood, Chae Ye-Ryeong!’

It was a peculiar name that he had only seen once in the original novel, but her episode was not insignificant. Chae Ye-Ryeong, a somewhat incompetent player, experienced a second Awakening for some reason and became a powerful calamity that threatened the world a few years later.

The rest of the story was simple. Do-Jin and his party fought the Sorceress of the Flood to save the world and eventually killed her. As always, even the strongest villain couldn’t beat the main character’s mighty party.

Since Ye-Ryeong was described to be one of the strongest villains in the novel, she appeared towards the end of the novel. The original novel hadn't mentioned what Ye-Ryeong was doing in this current period of time in the novel, but now, she appeared in front of Yu-Seong.

Of course, since the world was large and there were various people, she could just have the same name as Chae Ye-Ryeong, but what if she was the real Ye-Ryeong?

‘I would be a fool to let her go.’

Ye-Ryeong, in the novel, was described as a character that was corrupted. Despite difficult circumstances, she raised her siblings on her own with a kind heart. The original novel only explained briefly why she became that way.

‘I can stop it.’

The incident that corrupted her might not happen if Yu-Seong interfered. Therefore, there was only one thing that mattered to Yu-Seong right now.

‘It’s that Chae Ye-Ryeong is still a good person.’

She was a precious treasure that couldn’t be compared to a simple skill that was right before him. Should he just simply watch while Kim Do-Jin got rid of her since she’ll turn out to be a threat in the future? Nonsense.

‘I can convince her to join me.’

The Choi Yu-Seong now wasn’t the original Choi Yu-Seong in the novel. This meant he could alter the story.

“How long ago did the last three applicants leave?”

Wearing his jacket, Yu-Seong stood up and asked the Jin siblings.

“About five minutes ago. Why do you ask, sir?” “I need to find them.”

“What? You mean right now?”

“Understood.”

Although Yu-Ri asked again as she was surprised, Do-Yoon immediately headed out to fulfill Yu-Seong’s orders.

‘They couldn’t have gotten far away.’

Yu-Seong shouted at the bewildered Yu-Ri as he headed out.

“If you find them, call me right away!”

Before Yu-Ri could respond to him, Yu-Seong hurriedly left the room.

‘I mean… you could just call them.’

Alone in the room, Yu-Ri calmed down and picked up the phone.

* * *

Yu-Seong ran through the streets; He only thought about Ye-Ryeong and meeting her.

‘I should’ve known immediately when I saw her name…’

Of the three paths diverging from the streets under the hill-side road leading to his house, he picked the road on his right. Fortunately, he soon encountered a young girl walking in his direction with half her face covered.

‘Chae Ye-Ryeong!’

Almost shouting out her name, Yu-Seong suppressed his emotions and approached her.

“Oh…!”

Eyes widened with surprise, Ye-Ryeong spoke out loud as she noticed Yu-Seong.

“I received your call. I was on my way to heading back.”

Yu-Seong looked like he couldn’t understand what she said.

It was true he was searching for her, but he never recalled calling her. As if Ye-Ryeong read his mind, she smiled and explained the situation.

“I received a call. That you, sir, were looking for me. The voice seemed to be the unnie that sat next to you.”

“I always make things more difficult.”

Although Yu-Seong always considered himself to be thoroughly prepared and strategic before he woke up in the novel, he sometimes made these sorts of mistakes. It was a sloppy part of himself that he admitted to having.

Reaching out to Ye-Ryeong would have been extremely easy. She was a player that came to Yu-Seong’s house to demonstrate her skill. Yu-Seong had her contact information just in case. If he just thought about it for a second, he would’ve done the same thing as Yu-Ri.

“Anyways, what is it that you wanted to see me for?” She tilted her head as she asked in a clear voice.

She was very short, maybe about 160cm tall? Although he initially thought that she wasn’t confident because she covered half her face, that seemed to be a mistake.

Yu-Seong paused shortly to find the right answer to Ye-Ryeong’s question.

‘Should I tell her that I came to ask her to join me?’

No. There was something that had to be done before that. He needed to first confirm whether she was actually the Sorceress of the Flood in the novel. But how?

“Um… Well…”

Flustered, Yu-Seong rapidly thought. Then, an idea to use a skill he acquired today flashed across his mind.

‘Insight!’

He activated the skill right away, originally possessed by Do-Jin, the main character of [Modern Master Returns].

A blue flame shimmered inside his eyes. Quivering shortly, Ye-Ryeong stepped back as if she was scared by his sudden change, but Yu-Seong didn’t have the time to deal with that.

『Name: ???

Age: ??

Personality: ??

Condition: ??

Skills: ??

This player possesses an unidentifiable powerful potential skill.

Information is limited due to skill rank.』

A powerful potential skill that is unidentifiable.

That was the only sentence that Yu-Seong could actually confirm, but it was more than enough. Considering Insight had the ability to see through the essence of the world, it almost never used descriptions like ‘powerful’ in the player information it displayed, more so for a player that was only an F-rank.

‘I’m positive. This girl…is the Sorceress of the Flood.’

. Unnie is a term used in Korea for calling an older sister in a friendly way