novel
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<Chapter 19. Clean Up - 4>
"It took quite a long time."
While Lee Shin Woo was visiting the shop, Kehebe remained quiet. Jin must've been really bored being stuck in the city alone as he welcomed him back. Lee Shin Woo grinned and replied.
"That's because we were setting the price of each and every barrel of wine."
"So? How was it?"
Jin asked whether the wine was sold at a high price or not, and Lee Shin Woo simply replied like this.
"I took all of the level 6 elite bones they had. It seems like there aren't a lot of people killing level 6 elites."
"..."
"Yet there's still a barrel of wine leftover."
"Why didn't you just sell it and buy a weapon or something?"
The only thing Lee Shin Woo didn't sell was the first wooden barrel he'd discovered in the winery containing the Kerr Century Dellocus 395 (52 L). While he could obtain all the bones without selling it, there was another important reason to it.
"I'll probably use it later somewhere."
"It doesn't seem like we'd have a use for it, but... No, do what you want."
He was probably being considerate, but it didn't really work. Lee Shin Woo chuckled and changed the subject.
"Then shall we start reinforcing?"
"Oh no. Don't."
Lee Shin Woo possessed 120 million Perium in total; this came from selling all the wine that he'd gotten from the winery, as well as from the battle that ensued with the corps. With that 120 million Perium, he'd brought something that cost as much as 30 million! That was a level 7 elite, Fenno's bone.
And with the remaining 90 million he bought all of the level 6 elite bones, which ranged from 1. 5 million Perium to 7 million. As a result, there were 24 bones on the ground emitting light; 23 level 6 bones, and one level 7 bone.
"Life is all about luck."
"It's scary just looking at it all..."
What they'd acquired from selling all of the wine trumped everything that Lee Shin Woo and Jin had acquired thus far through their blood, sweat, and tears!
However, Lee Shin Woo knew that life was like that. What was most important in life? It was luck. Lee Shin Woo was just happy that luck was on his side right now.
"Right now, the most important stat for you is magic. So let's put all the bones that increase magic in your direction."
"Level 6 bones... The level 5 bones hurt like crazy, so do you really think that I can absorb the level 6s?"
"I'll help you. You should be able to endure it."
"Ugh..."
In the end, Jin resolved himself. He couldn't back off for his own sake, and he couldn't back off for Lee Shin Woo's sake as well, since he wanted to be more helpful to Lee Shin Woo.
Lee Shin Woo realized that Jin was all ready, so he raised one level 6 bone in his hand. It was a bone which was radiating an extremely deep blue; it was quite obvious that in terms of pure magic, the original owner of this bone was greater than Vitas, who led a corps of 10, 000 strong.
"We're connected, so it shouldn't be that hard."
"Hoo... I got it. Let's go."
"... Alright."
As the level of his Bone Reinforcement increased, he was able to share almost all the memories within the bone when used on another person, so it was certainly an important moment for Lee Shin Woo as well.
He softly placed the bone atop Jin's head, who was gently closing his eyes and concentrating, and activated Bone Reinforcement. At that moment the magic knowledge and the immense magic within flooded Jin's mind and instantly filled it to the brim.
[Executing Bone Reinforcement on Jin Taylor by consuming the Lv6 Skeleton High Wizard, Punetra's skull. ]
"Urgh... !"
"No, you can take this much. It'll end soon."
"What about you!? Ugh!"
Lee Shin Woo calmly bore with the countless, confusing memories and organized them one by one. He accepted the information that wouldn't be helpful to Jin, and helped him to absorb the knowledge that would help him to utilize mana.
If it weren't for his joint research with Kratia, this would've been difficult for him as well, but now that wasn't so. He hadn't become a magician; he'd just become very familiar with the method in which they accumulate their knowledge and skills!
[The Empire's magic is too outdated. ]
[Why didn't my teacher tell me his plans and leave on his own?]
[A Royal Magician? They're just worms without a speck of talent. ]
There were some fragmented memories that came along with the experiences that he judged to be ineffectual and unimportant; he was absolutely sure that the original owner of this bone possessed a sharp temper and was quite arrogant. Big talk for someone who'd died when he was only level 6.
However, there would be a place where he could use these magic patterns, so he at least decided to memorize all of them. Since a Joker could absorb one thing, mix it together with something else, and create three or four new things!
[Jin Taylor is reinforced through Bone Reinforcement. A significant amount of memories and experiences are divided and shared. Magic has increased by 3. Low Rank Fire has become Lv7. ]
Bone Reinforcement was successful. Because the bone's original owner used fire magic, Lee Shin Woo's fire element had leveled up.
It was the first element he'd acquired, and humiliatingly, it was also the lowest level of his elements, but if he leveled it up just a few more times, it would be at the intermediate rank, and would exhibit a similar level of power as acid or lightning!
"How about you? It seemed like he was a magician who specialized in Fire Rain, so did you get a skill similar to that?"
"Nope. I'm sad. I'd rather be the falling rain."
Because he was dealing with the awful deluge of magic and knowledge, Jin became way too sensitive. Although Lee Shin Woo picked out and organized only the helpful parts, it was a level 6 bone, so the original owner's thoughts and power were on another level...
"Shin Woo, it's way too hard for me to absorb magicians' bones. This much magic knowledge is plenty, so couldn't you just give me a stupid warrior's bone instead..."
"I guess it can't be helped. Then let's go with a monster without intellect instead."
Since elite magicians' bones were really rare, he only had two anyway. But he did have several monster bones which emitted tremendous amounts of mana that Jin couldn't refuse.
[Jin Taylor is reinforced through Bone Reinforcement. A large portion of memories and experiences are divided and absorbed. Magic has increased by 2. Proficiency in the Intermediate Mana Bone skill has increased by 9%. ]
[Jin Taylor is reinforced through Bone Reinforcement. A large portion of memories and experiences are divided and absorbed. Magic has increased by 1, and Strength by 2. Proficiency in the Intermediate Mana Bone skill has increased by 4%. ]
[Jin Taylor is reinforced through Bone Reinforcement. A large portion of memories and experiences are divided and absorbed. Magic has increased by 4... ]
Because he'd absorbed 10 bones in a row, Jin looked half-dead. They were level 6 bones, plus they were all bones focused on magic, which Jin lacked in, so his magic stat had increased by almost 200!
Lee Shin Woo had gotten a portion of those stats and his own magic increased by 30, so nothing else needed to be said. Moreover, his fire element increased by another level, so now it was at low rank level 8. Lee Shin Woo trembled at the power of money.
"So thrilling, so refreshing. Money truly is the best!"
"I'd rather die! Kill me!"
"I'm done with your share, so just keep rolling over there."
While Lee Shin Woo's fire element was the only thing that leveled up, it seemed as though Jin gained three or four new skills.
Most of them were skills that supplemented his magic, so they should help him use Steel Heart from now on; Jin would have to develop and evolve those skills in a direction that suited his growth.
"It's my turn now..."
Lee Shin Woo examined each of the lined up 14 bones in order. The level 7 bone was the main dish, so he had removed it for later, and the other 13 bones were placed in order by how much mana they emitted.
If there were one thing he regretted, it was that all the level 6 bones seemed much weaker compared to the level 6 bone he'd gotten in the past, the Weapon Trickster's bone.
'I suppose that's obvious. It seems like the Weapon Trickster was an extremely rare karma... and it was also the reward of an important quest. '
He decide to accept it, as the bone he'd acquired as a quest reward was just that good.
Lee Shin Woo carefully reached his hand towards a bone. It was a red bone; amongst the bones, it seemed like it would increase his health significantly.
"Bone Reinforcement!"
[Executing Bone Reinforcement by consuming the Lv6 Big Mino Fighter, Eldur's head horns. Health has increased by 14, and Strength by 3. You have learned the active skill, Lv8 Low Rank Twin Horn Charge. ]
[Grr... My charge won't stop until it breaks either you, or me. - Mino Charge Commander, Eldur]
"Huh?"
He thought that it would be impossible for him to learn new skills the more he and his skills leveled up, because the scope of his skills became wider, but that was just arrogance at work. Until now, he'd relied on Jin's charge skill, but now he had his own charge related skill.
"Twin Horn Charge."
Lee Shin Woo said softly, and two tough horns, comprised of mana, formed atop his bone helm. At the same time, he felt as though someone was forcefully pushing him from behind.
He would let the skill take over, dash forward, and strike his opponent with the twin horns; that was the technique.
"You're really like a monster."
"Nothing new."
Jin, who had stopped rolling on the floor, looked at Lee Shin Woo and gave him his honest opinion; Lee Shin Woo replied curtly and deactivated the skill. It was definitely a good skill that would increase the power of his charges, but it wasn't really his type of skill. However, he had a chance to refine this skill.
'Fortunately, the mana pattern that manifests this skill isn't very complicated. You charge quickly with the Twin Horn Charge skill, and simultaneously focus your strength in the horns; the Minos created this skill for that very reason. If I change that part around a bit then I might be able to... '
He didn't think for very long. Lee Shin Woo was really eager to work on the skill, but it wasn't that easy to solve. It was more important to absorb the rest of the bones for now.
[Executing Bone Reinforcement by consuming the Lv6 Great Hornet's reinforced exoskeleton. Agility has increased by 8, and Magic by 4. Proficiency in the Intermediate Acid skill has increased by 27%. Proficiency in the Intermediate Bursting Thunder skill has increased by 11%. ]
[Executing Bone Reinforcement by consuming the Lv6 Corpse Eater's jawbone. Strength has increased by 5, and Health by 11. Proficiency in the Rule of Bone skill has increased by 16%. Proficiency in the Bone Reinforcement skill has increased by??%. ]
[The Lv6 Dotorus' toe bone... ]
Each level 6 elite monster possessed their own inherent quality and growth. In the process of absorbing their various skills, Lee Shin Woo's skills advanced more than he'd thought they would. Amongst them, this was the greatest one.
[Executing Bone Reinforcement by consuming the Lv6 Bewitcher's rib bone. Health has increased by 7, and Magic by 9. Proficiency in the Acting, Disguise, and Instigate skills have increased by 19%. ]
'Mm. '
A Bewitcher was a rare monster that used their own mana to captivate and control their enemies. They used a type of mana that possessed an extremely dangerous property, and when he absorbed its bone, the proficiency of all three of his Joker's innate skills increased. Lee Shin Woo learned quite a bit from that.
'A Bewitcher's mana... If I can master this mana, I should be able to grow significantly as a Joker. '
Of course, it wasn't that easy. If he were able to proficiently use a Bewitcher's mana by just absorbing one bone, then Lee Shin Woo wouldn't have had to study a golem's mana for so long.
'But it's true that I've gotten a hold of a hint. If I meet another one of these later, then... '
Lee Shin Woo engraved the Bewitcher's pattern that both manifested and controlled their mana deep within his mind. He promised he would practice using the Bewitcher's mana pattern the next time he used his Joker skills.
He now only had one bone remaining. It was none other than the level 6 magician's finger bone that Jin had refused.
"You didn't change your mind, right?"
"Don't come this way with that thing!"
"Alright, alright."
Jin was really startled, and continuously rolled on the floor; seeing that, Lee Shin Woo snickered and activated Bone Reinforcement. Then...
[Executing Bone Reinforcement by consuming the Lv6 Royal Magician, Celon Von Betadorn's finger bone. You have exceptional compatibility with the target, so the skill is a resounding success! Magic has increased by 14. Absorbing Celon Von Betadorn's experiences and memories more deeply. ]
The message, which he'd only seen once before, was accompanied with a sudden surge in his interior mana. When had he seen that message before? Right. It was when he'd absorbed the Anti-Skull cooperator, Gerrit's bone!
He'd succeeded in preserving his memories, but the moment Lee Shin Woo sported a joyous expression, his consciousness faded.
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