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29. My Way
After three months of being an Awakened, I felt like I accomplished something.
I wondered if I ever came back home brimming with this much confidence before.
Within seconds of ringing the bell, mother opened the door hastily.
Guess she was worried for her one and only son.
“I’m back.”
“… Are you okay, son?”
With a look of worry, she checked for injuries.
You wouldn’t know how touched I was from her expression of worry.
I purposefully raised my tone of voice and answered.
“Mrs. Bak. Have you forgotten our promise at the hospital? That I will not get hurt or die.”
“Thank you. Thank you.”
“It’s all over now. That entire headache inducing interest and even the original debt is gone from this time onward. Before when you were dealing with those three goons, you were amazing. Pulling up your sleeves! Looking straight at them.”
“What are you saying. When did I do that.”
“It was the most beautiful side of you that I have seen. It all starts from here. I’ll get you all the money in the world! Let’s spend lots of money! How about we change our family motto to ‘splurging and living!’ How about it?”
With my expression and tone filled with playfulness, mother smiled brightly.
Her eyes were wet, not with sadness and despair like before, but with happiness and affection.
‘Yes. This is what I wanted most after becoming Awakened.’
A young age of 18.
The Awakened status that found me. And the incredible ability of having infinite mana.
If I put in the effort, no one could stand against me.
I dare anyone to block my path.
I’ll give you the answer to if the afterlife exists or not.
* * *
There was only one hour left before I had to attend school. After eating breakfast with mother, I quickly went to my room.
It wasn’t because I was looking forward to the skill books in the shoulder bag. 1
The kelvacore dropped the decent Eye of the Storm support skill last time.
Repressing my expectations, I scanned the skill book.
Personally, I was hoping for an attack skill A rank or above.
After the scan finished, the skill information popped up on the phone.
-Reflect Shield-
Usable Class: Bagi Warrior. Paladin. (If obtained by other classes, mana cost increases ten fold.)
Mana Cost: 200 (For every 10 skill levels, mana cost increases by 10%.)
Skill Introduction:
* After casting, you are protected by an invisible shield.
* Absorbs physical attacks aimed at the caster.
* With a 10% chance, returns 50% of the damage taken. (For every 10 skill levels, reflection chance increases by 2%, and reflected damage by 1%.)
Cooldown: 30 min.
Duration: 5 min. (For every 10 skill levels, duration increases by 10%.)
Additional Explanation: Can be used simultaneously with other shields.
Skill Book Price: 3.5 million.
I thought it wasn’t a bad skill.
With this, I had 3 defensive shields.
Unlike other shields, Reflect Shield had the ability to deflect damage.
A skill like this compliments a tank class.
To tanks that had a low attack capability, it was skill that allowed a chance to reflect physical attacks back to the monsters at a fixed rate.
No matter what, I was going to Awaken all shield type spells, but I was not fan of how the level of the skill affected the reflect chance as well as the amount of damage reflected.
If I was able to master it after Awakening it, the reflection chance would increase by 50%. It was a spell that only reflected physical attacks, but this made me realize there must be skills out there that protect me against magic attacks.
If it wasn’t anything that raised my mana stats, whether equipment or skill, I thought it was the correct decision to obtain it.
As my skill rose, I became more disappointed of the higher ups.
Anyone who had fun leveling would know.
With quick leveling and physical growth as my basis, I thought that I could clear the level 28 dungeon in a single attempt for the first time like ‘Choi So-Hyeon’, the one Tae-Seong could not stop fanboying about.
As if to laugh at all the decades of effort they showed.
My interest for the skill book was brief.
I was distressed about Noblesse Park Hyun’s text message.
Today at 6, round two of the guild war would began against Empire.
I planned to head to the Noblesse guild’s building today.
* * *
In the building of Noblesse, 60th floor where Park Hyun’s office room was located, there I was.
5 in the afternoon. Roughly 1 hour before the guild war began.
With the guidance from the intern secretary, I entered the office and dropped the Dark Sword on the conference table.
Wondering what my actions meant, with a small nod, Park Hyun sent all the secretaries out and asked me a question.
“Mr. Min-Cheol. What is it? I was about to move because the guild war was about to begin.”
“I think it’s time to return this sword.”
Hearing my words, she could not hide her confusion any longer and spoke.
“What are you saying…? Do you not like the weapon?”
“No.”
Taking a moment to relax my breathing, I continued.
“I’m quitting the guild.”
“…..”
As I finished my sentence, Park Hyun’s face became cold for a split second.
But she changed her expression again, and in silence, fiddled her thumbs about.
Contemplating for a while, she opened her mouth.
“Hm….. What is it? Is it the requirement to join the guild war?”
“There is no reason. I’m losing my own time.”
“If that’s the reason, instead of making a hasty decision, we can solve it by talking…”
In the middle of her sentence, I cut her off.
And after bowing politely, I spoke.
“I am very thankful that you saved me. I feel a gratitude that I cannot forget for the rest of my life. However, I don’t think that Noblesse is where I belong.”
“You won’t even tell me the reason?”
“…..”
She looked straight at me, who remained silent, and asked.
“Is there a scouting offer from another guild? What deal are they offering?”
“No. I just dislike situations where I am underneath another, being ordered around.”
Park Hyun. She was a guild master, taking command over hundreds of Awakened.
It was an incredible display of a poker face.
She was a woman who became scarier the more you learned about her.
My prediction stated that she was going to cling onto me till the end.
But I could not help but be surprised at her next words.
“Well… Okay, sure. Looking at your expression, I don’t think I can hold you no matter what I say. If that’s the case, it can’t be helped. Contracts are contracts. According to the contract we’ve created before, you are free to leave. Without any penalties of course.”
With her words, I could not help but be confused.
“…Yes. I am aware since I searched thoroughly in the contract.”
“If you do not need a guild, then do as you please. But you don’t know how life will turn out. If we meet again and you return, then I sincerely hope that we are together once more.”
Her cryptic words ended, and I was left with both relief and yet felt unsettled.
Was it because my weapon was gone? No.
It must be the doubt I feel towards Park Hyun.
The feeling of confusion was brief. With that, I left the Noblesse guild.
“Must I raise my rose knife again?” 2
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