Chapter 46: Uninvited Guest (6)

[I have obtained a power that should not be given to humans!]

[Level increases. (+1)]

[2 → 3]

As soon as I obtained the Demonic energy stat, my level rose at once.

It must have meant that the power held by this Demonic energy was that immense.

“Hoo…….”

As soon as I exhaled, a black aura flowed out from my breath.

The remnants of Demonic energy.

It also meant that I had fully controlled and embraced the Demonic energy that had permeated me just moments ago.

‘To think something like this was possible…….’

As I had said before, the Demonic attribute was extremely rare in the World of Justice.

An attribute possessed only by beings like some of the highest-ranking demonic beasts or demons.

But now I, in a human body, have come to control Demonic energy.

It was a miracle that would have been impossible without the power of the Postponer of Ruin.

‘But… the fact that the Demonic energy began its corrosion as soon as I absorbed more than a certain amount of the Ascension Stone Fragment, means it must be the same for other users…….’

It was obvious, but it was highly likely that other users did not have the means to resist the Demonic like I did.

After all, just as the Demonic attribute was rare in the World of Justice, the methods to resist it were also almost non-existent.

In other words, it meant that users who had absorbed more than a certain amount of Ascension Stone Fragments were likely already being corroded by Demonic energy.

‘Demonic energy isn’t the kind of energy humans can handle. Their minds and bodies must both be getting contaminated.’

Hadn’t even the demonic beasts, beings so very close to Demonic energy, come into contact with it and been born as an entirely new species called mutants?

No matter how robust the users’ minds and bodies were, being corroded by Demonic energy was a completely different problem.

‘This is no small matter.’

If a human was corroded by Demonic energy beyond a certain level, what on earth would happen?

Thinking simply, death would be the normal outcome, but I also didn’t think that the users’ strongly forged minds and bodies would collapse that easily.

In the worst-case scenario, with both the user’s mind and body contaminated by Demonic energy, they could become something that was human, yet not human.

Of course, the toughness users possessed might even overcome the corrosion of Demonic energy, but to be honest, I was negative about that possibility.

Even if it was bearable at first, the more Ascension Stone Fragments they obtained, the corrosion of Demonic energy would inevitably grow stronger.

‘Should I post this on the Anonymous Bulletin Board?’

However, I soon shook my head.

Even if I did post this fact on the Anonymous Bulletin Board, who would actually believe it?

It was obvious I would just be ridiculed for a clumsy attempt to monopolize the ■■■ Fragments.

In reality, there must have been more than one or two users who had absorbed more Ascension Stone Fragments than me, yet I, too, had never seen anything similar to this on the Anonymous Bulletin Board.

There were two main possibilities as to why this was happening.

They already posted it but were ignored.

Or they had no intention of posting it in the first place.

Whichever of the two it was, or even if it was both, in the end, this fact would not be accepted on the Anonymous Bulletin Board.

Because the Ascension Stone Fragments, no, the ■■■ Fragments had already become the one and only hope in this world for the Anonymous Bulletin Board users.

In fact, even I, despite having seen the other side of the Ascension Stone Fragments, had no intention of stopping my collection of them.

Not only had I not yet figured out the secret held by the Ascension Stone Fragments, but I also couldn’t give up the various advantages that came from collecting them.

‘Perhaps… it might be the same for others, too.’

Curiosity and greed.

Because the Ascension Stone Fragments had a power that stimulated humanity’s primal instincts.

If there was one fortunate fact, it was that, at least, the Demonic energy dwelling in the Ascension Stone Fragments could not cause me any harm whatsoever.

No, rather, it had even settled within me as a power I could now utilize.

‘First, I should check that part.’

Setting aside my thoughts about the Ascension Stone Fragments and Demonic energy for a moment, I stroked my left ear.

It was to check the status window, which must have changed.

──────────────

Name : Vell Blackwood

Level : 3

Stamina : 4

Strength : 4

Mental Power : 4

Demonic energy : 1

Trait : [Postponer of Ruin(EX)], [Weapon Summon(??)], [Endurance(D)], [Fire Resistance(C)]

Art : [Survival Swordsmanship(D)]

Magic: ─

──────────────

Just as I expected, there were several changes in the status window that finally appeared.

Among them, the biggest changes were, expectedly, the level and the existence of the Demonic energy stat.

Although I didn’t know exactly what kind of power Demonic energy wielded, one thing was certain: it possessed a very deadly power.

‘Then…….’

I also checked the rest of the notifications I had set aside for a moment.

[Bulletin Board Level increases.]

[Lv.2 → Lv.3]

[Current Bulletin Board Level is ‘Lv.3’.]

.

.

.

[Trait ‘Weapon Summon(??)’ grows.]

[The trait level of ‘Weapon Summon(??)’ has increased.]

[Lv.2 → Lv.3]

[‘Lv.3’ weapon list is added to the summonable list of ‘Weapon Summon(??)’.]

[‘Lv.2’ ammunition list is added to the summonable list of ‘Weapon Summon(??)’.]

Was it because the Ascension Stone Fragment possessed by the mutant I just dealt with was quite large?

My Bulletin Board Level and Weapon Summon trait, which had both been level 2 until just a while ago, both rose to level 3 at once.

Honestly, I had thought I would need to absorb Ascension Stone Fragments maybe one or two more times to level up, but it seemed the size of the Ascension Stone Fragment had a significant influence on leveling up.

‘First, I should check what needs checking.’

I immediately checked the newly added list of accessible bulletin boards as well.

────────────

[Accessible Bulletin Board List]

[Anonymous Bulletin Board] [Lv.1]

[Auction house] [Lv.2]

[Guild Bulletin Board] [Lv.3]

────────────

After checking the newly added bulletin board list, I couldn’t hide my slight bewilderment for a moment.

‘A Guild Bulletin Board?’

At this point in time, what meaning could a guild possibly have?

‘……No, rather, is it because of the current situation that guilds have more meaning?’

It seemed I would need to take a proper look at the Guild Bulletin Board.

‘That’s not all.’

Before looking at the Guild Bulletin Board, I briefly turned my gaze elsewhere.

Because there was something else I needed to look into even before checking the Guild Bulletin Board.

It was none other than the Weapon Summon trait, which had just reached level 3.

──────────────

[Weapon Summon]

Grade : ??

Type : Active

Level : 3

Summons weapons and ammunition.

The types of weapons and ammunition that can be summoned increase according to level.

Currently summonable weapon types : 3

Currently summonable ammunition types : 2

──────────────

‘Hoh…….’

The level up of the Weapon Summon trait.

To be honest, I would have been satisfied if just level 2 ammunition had been added this time, but impressively, along with the trait level up, both the summonable ammunition types and weapon types had increased.

Considering the growth process of the Weapon Summon trait so far, it had grown by a whopping two steps at once.

‘The summonable ammunition is obviously going to be for the level 2 weapon, the B686 Double Barrel Shotgun… The important thing is what the newly summonable weapon is.’

If I had my way, I wanted to use Weapon Summon right now to check, but for now, I decided to postpone it since there were watchful eyes around.

Of course, it wasn’t the first or second time I had used a Weapon Summon in front of them, but using what they thought was magic—Weapon Summon—when it wasn’t an urgent situation was not a very wise thing to do.

‘As long as they believe my trait is magic, it’s better not to overuse it.’

All magic required a fitting price, and there was no need to go out of my way to show a sight that defied that common sense.

‘Although I’ve already shown plenty of it.’

After briefly examining the Weapon Summon trait, I turned my gaze once more.

The matter of Weapon Summon was also very important, but since it was ambiguous to investigate it in detail right now anyway, I turned my attention elsewhere.

[Guild Bulletin Board]

‘The Guild Bulletin Board…….’

Just like other online games, a guild system existed in the World of Justice.

I preferred solo play, so I didn’t have much interest in things like guilds, but still, guilds were a pretty meaningful system in the World of Justice.

A massive faction formed by users.

Even Oseong, one of the factions that led the Destruction Dragon raid, meant five large guilds, so the power structure built by guilds within the World of Justice was immense.

But for the function that appeared after acquiring level 3 access to be the Guild Bulletin Board…….

‘I’ll know when I see it.’

Fortunately, I had the capacity to look into this part even while returning to Winter Castle.

Because Conlan, Albino, and Alicia were all completely preoccupied with pushing and pulling the cart full of demonic beast materials.

[Opening the Guild Bulletin Board.]

──────────

[List of Recruiting Guilds]

──────────

──────────

▶ [Ground Zero] Ground Zero is recruiting veteran users level 5 and above.

▶ [Jeoksong] Jeoksong is recruiting people to join us.

▶ [Hell Party] People who will clear this game together.

▶ [ShitGameProtectors] Grand Recruitment!

▶ [Moonlight Knights] Friendship hobby guild.

▶ [Veritas Blood Pledge] Recruiting blood pledge members. There is an age limit.

──────────

‘This is…….’

An interface that was extremely familiar to me.

This was the same interface as the Guild Bulletin Board that existed in the World of Justice.

As if drawn by something, I pressed the post written by a guild with a strangely familiar name.

──────────────

Jeoksong is recruiting people to join us.

──────────────

[Guild Name]

◆Jeoksong

[Guild Introduction]

◆Jeok for Red, Song for Pine.

◆Gathering those who will survive together in this world.

◆There is no separate level limit, and we hope for those who will grow with the guild.

◆For guild admission inquiries, please send a 1:1 inquiry first before applying.

[Apply for Admission & 1:1 Inquiry]

◆Apply for Guild Admission

◆1:1 Inquiry

──────────────

What should I say……. It was such a familiar sight that I was at a loss for words for a moment.

Setting aside the fact that the guild system still existed, guilds were this active?

‘Wait, come to think of it…….’

I had occasionally seen posts recruiting for so-and-so knights or so-and-so clans on the Anonymous Bulletin Board too.

Could it be that those were referring to guilds?

‘……How absurd.’

The existence of guilds had already been revealed in various places, yet I had barely thought about it.

That was because, for me, guilds weren’t that significant in the first place.

‘It wasn’t that I hadn’t belonged to a guild a long time ago, but… it was almost meaningless.’

For me, a guild was just a means to obtain content or benefits exclusive to guilds, and it held no meaning beyond that.

In fact, later on, when I thought the benefits the guild provided were no longer useful, I left the guild without any lingering attachment.

‘But it must not be like that for others.’

Humans are animals that instinctively form groups.

In the first place, civilization itself was born from such human instincts, and if a system called guilds existed, users would naturally try to band together.

Because it was an extremely obvious fact that in this goddamn world, it was more advantageous to survive as many rather than alone.

‘Guilds…….’

I wondered just how many guilds existed in this world, and what their purpose was.

Ascension Stone Fragments and ■■■ Fragments.

Demonic energy.

The Great Heaven.

Guilds.

Not one of these things was clearly organized, but at least one thing was certain: what I had to do from now on.

‘Survive.’

Somehow.

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