I sat on the sofa, staring at my smartphone.
[Sung Yujin]
[Level: 34]
[Strength: 21 Stamina: 21 Agility: 22 Intelligence: 12 Vitality: 30]
[Available Points: 173]
I had accumulated quite a few points. Today, I planned to use them.
First, Yeongcheon Style.
[Use 120 Points to increase Yeongcheon Style Lv. 6 to Lv. 7?]
A whopping 120 points. I hesitated for a moment.
If I hadn't learned the advanced techniques of Yeongcheon Style Thunder Flash and Dark Shadow I might not have bothered leveling it up.
Yuria has reached Aura Expert and continues to grow... but I'm the only one standing still.
I had absolutely no talent for Mana. In the world of "Plum Blossom Sword Saint," I was the very definition of Mana Insensitivity.
No matter how diligently I practiced the Mana Breathing Technique, I couldn't accumulate Mana within my body. I desperately needed a Mana Awakening Potion.
I'm far short of the money required to buy a Mana Awakening Potion.
The Mana Awakening Potions sold at the Magic Tower cost approximately 40 billion Ner an amount even most nobles couldn't casually afford.
Borrowing from the Prucus Family isn't an option either.
Even for the Prucus Family, 40 billion Ner wasn't a sum to be taken lightly. They could spend it if they wanted, but the problem lay in my talent.
I lacked the swordsmanship prowess that would make the Prucus Family consider investing in me.
Currently, I was hailed as an invention prodigy within the mansion, but the Prucus Family remained fundamentally a Martial Family. Their foundation lay in swordsmanship.
I can't reveal my true skills.
The Yeongcheon Style is an assassination art, and the Prucus Family would never approve of it. Besides, I can't even use Mana, let alone accumulate it in my body, so revealing my skills would be pointless.
If I were to reveal my skills, they'd realize my body is perfectly normal.
And I'm not ready to give up my title as the sickly noble.
Having a heart condition grants me various privileges. For example, I can easily skip formal events like social gatherings by claiming to be unwell.
Sigh. If only I had a talent for magic.
Mana aside, I have absolutely no aptitude for magic. I tried learning from Hassent and Yuria, but I couldn't even understand what they were talking about.
It was a concept so alien and detached from the modern knowledge I'd accumulated that even modern science felt easier to grasp than magic.
"I shouldn't rely too much on Mana. After all, the foundation of my abilities lies not in Mana itself, but in the Pleasure World App."
I leveled up the Yeongcheon Style.
The moment the Yeongcheon Style reached Level 7, a piece of knowledge I had never encountered before imprinted itself into my mind.
I closed my eyes, absorbing the information as fully as possible.
[Youngcheon Qi Technique.]
[A method for manipulating Mana specifically tailored to the Yeongcheon Style.]
It resembled the Mana Breathing Technique used in the Plum Blossom Sword Saint world. Through controlled breathing, one could accumulate Mana.
I let out a bitter laugh.
"...What's the point of having this knowledge? It's all predicated on being able to sense Mana in the first place. Just as Sister Seyoung said, without that ability, it's utterly useless."
I had anticipated this to some extent, so the revelation didn't come as a major shock. Still, it was undeniably frustrating.
[Sung Yujin]
[Level: 34]
[Strength: 21 Stamina: 21 Agility: 22 Intelligence: 12 Vitality: 30]
[Available Points: 53]
With 53 points remaining, I hesitated before deciding to allocate some to my stats.
[Sung Yujin]
[Level: 34]
[Strength: 23 Stamina: 23 Agility: 22 Intelligence: 20 Vitality: 30]
[Available Points: 17]
The remaining points would be used for random draws.
"Life's all about that one big hit," I muttered.
And life truly is about that one big hit.
Since awakening the Pleasure World App, my entire existence had been transformed. Without it, I'd likely still be at home, wasting my days.
Who knows? A Mana Awakening Potion might just appear in the random draws.
With renewed determination, I initiated 17 consecutive random draws.
And then, a legendary jackpot hit.
***
[Elixir]
[Restores all wounds and recovers from all status ailments. Congenital disabilities and diseases are also completely healed.]
[Price: 15,000 Points]
[*Caution]
[The elixir contained in the bottle is the exact dosage. The full amount must be consumed at once for proper effectiveness.]
***
[Fountain of Youth]
[Drinking it makes you five years younger.]
[Price: 1,000 Points]
[*Caution]
[Ineffective on children under eight years old.]
***
[Affinity Level Up Ticket]
[Increases the Affinity Level of one character. However, the Affinity Level must be below 10.]
[Price: 1,000 Points]
***
"Yippee-yaaaaaa-hooooo!"
I let out a joyful shout and jumped up and down in my seat. Everything else had been a bust, but the Fountain of Youth was the real jackpot.
With enough time, accumulating 1,000 Points wouldn't be difficult at all.
Drinking it makes you five years younger. What's more, the Fountain of Youth is incredibly affordable at just 1,000 Points.
In other words, the concept of lifespan becomes meaningless for me. Assuming I live safely indoors, I could live for a thousand years, ten thousand years, or even longer.
"Eternal youth! Fuck yeah! I'm Elf Sung Yujin now! Hahahaha!"
If I gifted this to my parents, it would be the ultimate filial piety gift. Selling it to the public would make me a billionaire in no time.
Of course, these are just fantasies for now. For now, I'll keep it hidden deep inside the house.
"The Elixir is amazing too."
Despite my words, my expression remained indifferent.
The Elixir is an incredible item, capable of restoring congenital illnesses and disabilities.
But I possess the Complete Recovery Skill. Though it can only be used on myself, I can continuously activate it every 12 hours.
"Well, the Elixir has its own advantages. You can use it on others, after all."
I'm not sure when I'll ever need to use it.
Next is the Affinity Level Up Ticket.
To be honest, this one's a bit ambiguous. I still don't fully understand what Affinity Level does.
What's clear is that the higher the Affinity Level, the more deeply someone thinks of me.
It's similar to favorability, but distinct.
Take Yuria and Hassent as examples.
[Hassent's Affinity Level is 5.]
On the day Hassent swore his loyalty to me, his Affinity Level jumped from 1 to 5 in a single leap.
I had assumed Affinity Levels increased gradually, step by step, but that wasn't the case. It seems that meeting certain conditions can cause the level to rise instantly.
Currently, Yuria and my Affinity Level is 8. I achieved this level recently, after having sex with her.
What's truly astonishing is that her level was only 6 before we slept together.
In Yuria's case, her Affinity Level was 2 upon our first meeting, indicating that my initial deal with her had significant impact.
Through subsequent "training," her level rose to 6. This part isn't particularly remarkable; I had invested even more effort into Yuria than I had into Choi Seonmi.
"Jumping from Affinity Level 6 straight to 8 must mean that day's sex was truly special for Yuria."
Then, a shiver ran through me as realization struck.
Could it be because I've been training Yuria? I hadn't actually penetrated her during our training sessions.
So that's it! You can rapidly increase Affinity Levels through training!
For now, I'll hold onto the Affinity Level Up Ticket. If it can only be used below Affinity Level 10, using it at Affinity Level 9 would be the most efficient.
But... having a high Affinity Level is a good thing, right?
Apart from the points awarded when Affinity Levels increase, there were no tangible benefits, so I couldn't be certain.
Hassent arrived at a remote village far from Pter Territory, the heart of Prucus Territory. A round moon had already replaced the sun in the sky.
From his perch in a tree, Hassent quietly surveyed the village. It was quiet.
With the sun having set, most villagers had retreated to their homes to sleep. Unlike the city, there were few shops open late.
Young Master Sung Yujin said he's the only butcher in the village.
Hassent moved. A pitch-black shadow writhed beneath his boots a magic spell to silence his footsteps. Even when he stepped on fallen leaves, no sound escaped.
Concealing himself as much as possible, Hassent moved through the village, weaving through the narrow streets.
"...Found it. The stench of blood is strong here."
It was an old hut located on the outskirts of the village. Hassent circled the building before infiltrating through a window.
He soon frowned.
The air reeked not only of blood but also of decay. The interior was a mess.
Old, filthy clothes and rags hung haphazardly on the walls, while blood-soaked butchering tools lay scattered across the table.
Filthy bastard. Living up to his reputation!
Even if Hassent had to butcher something himself, he wouldn't entrust the task to a butcher like this.
He reached out to the shadow on the floor. The shadow rippled, and his Longsword slid smoothly upward.
Hassent moved toward the direction of the steady breathing.
A man lay sound asleep on the bed, the blanket disheveled, his arms and legs dangling off the sides.
It was a strange sight.
It was early winter, and even burning wood in the stove barely kept the room warm. Yet this man slept under a thin blanket without any sign of cold. In fact, he seemed to find the blanket more of a nuisance than a comfort.
Filthy demon!
The sword swung silently, its blade shimmering with a dark aura.
The man on the bed suddenly rolled sideways, dodging the blade and springing to his feet.
"An assassin? Who sent you?"
The man's body convulsed, then began to transform. The whites of his eyes turned black, and his pupils glowed with a blood-red intensity. His skin became ashen, and two horns erupted from Mia's forehead.
"Demon scum. You've been hiding well all this time."
"You're not even surprised to see me?" The man's voice cracked, a grotesque sound that could hardly be called human.
"You knew I was a demon and came here! How did you find out?! Did the Order send you?!"
"You don't need to know. Accept your death quietly, you filthy creature!"
"Insignificant insect."
The demon lunged forward, its claws extending to a razor-sharp 20 centimeters.
The demon charged at Hassent, smashing through the bed in its path with brute force and speed.
"Even if nothing else, those fingernails... they might be poisonous."
The creature was a low-ranking demon, but it possessed skills equivalent to a mid-level Aura Expert or higher. This was no opponent to underestimate.
"Hah!"
Hassent inhaled deeply and swung his sword, slicing through the demon's shoulder. Yet the demon's charge didn't falter.
"I'll hack off your limbs first, then slowly pry out the truth!"
As the demon lunged within striking distance, a shadow erupted from the floor like a wall, slamming into the creature.
The demon was hurled backward, smashing through the wooden wall and tumbling across the filthy earthen floor several times before finally skidding to a halt. It staggered to its feet, crimson blood dripping from the corner of its mouth.
"So... you're no ordinary opponent!"
The demon rolled its eyes frantically, backing away and searching for an escape route.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Thwack! A sword flew through the air, piercing the demon's calf and embedding itself in the ground.
"Aaaah! You human bastard!"
The demon shrieked, hastily yanking the sword free. Hassent was already standing right in front of it. The demon's mouth stretched into a wide, sinister grin.
"Heh heh heh. You fool! The moment you got this close, you were dead!"
The demon's jaws gaped wide, spewing thick, greenish-black smoke poisonous fumes. Without hesitation, Hassent swung his hand.
A shadow blade materialized in his palm and sliced through the demon's neck.
The demon's body collapsed to the ground. Yet the poisonous smoke continued to pour from its severed neck, mingling with the gushing blood.
"Heh heh heh. Twenty years of effort, all for naught... But I'm satisfied knowing I could kill a strong human like you!"
Even with its head severed, the demon's mouth moved, and its voice echoed.
Hassent crossed his arms, neither fleeing nor flinching. He stared down at the demon with cold eyes.
"W-what? Why are you still standing?!"
"Poison like this is commonplace in this world."
Though Hassent had mastered magic and swordsmanship, his true profession remained an assassin. Using poison and cultivating resistance to it were second nature to him.
"Gah!"
The demon gritted its teeth, its expression twisting with fury before its movements ceased entirely, as if it had finally died.
"Hmm. I was instructed to retrieve the demon's corpse."