~NRK~
They'd eaten Obito's cooking and chatted before the man sat within the living room with two of those High-Grade Spirit Cores in his hands.
"So, to make a system of mana filtering, basically, what exactly is the method?" Jin-Ho asked from beside Jin-Ah. "Is it really as simple as making a 'network'?"
"No, it's not just about that," Jin-Ah began while going through a notebook. "Mom's body can't handle it, even if we made a network it'd probably just make it worse, we need to enhance her body, her cells, her vitality, to adapt," she said while flipping through some pages. "I looked into some of it, we need a permanent increase in her ENDURANCE," she phrased it specifically.
"So it's item-shopping at this point," Il-Hwan said with a thoughtful frown, hair a cleaner 'unkempt'. "Or can we find Gates with specific stuff like this?"
Jin-Woo considered her words. 'Wait, so, something like Rasaka's Poison?' That powder he'd received for killing said giant snake that lowered his STRENGTH for Damage Reduction but since he had [Immunity] by that point he'd only gained the benefits.
Did they need to find another monster's 'powder' item? Or… Or could they make their own?
"I think we need to just make something," the [Player] said. "We need to isolate a monster's vitality, though, where can we find something like that?"
Joo-Hoo looked down in thought before her eyes widened. "Wait, do we need to do that?" She asked.
"What idea did ya have, noona?" Jin-Ah asked.
"If you possess her body with those Cores, wouldn't it be better to make a ritual? If I and Jin-Ah use Terrain on Mrs. Park, couldn't we keep her body vitalized during the entire process?"
The others looked surprised at her words. "But will that reach deep enough?" Jin-Woo asked. "And if they do and you add the Cores, will that stay?"
"Not if you can't affect her permanently," came the voice of one Gina, the woman coming in from the balcony with a body covered in bruises and a smile. "Hey, Love, guys," the mix-blood greeted them as Obito got up, his rewarded Cores held up by some thread. "Heard ya before I landed, I think you can do this, Obi," the blonde woman smiled as Obito held her cheek and raised a brow.
And then his eyes widened as she raised her left arm, the limb covered by bandages from the tips of her fingers up to her elbow.
"Gina?" Obito was alarmed.
"Just something that might have been the final bit to your ideas."
The S-Rank Mage gently lifted her bandaged limb before kissing the knuckle, his senses, lips, and eyes all confirming it. "You've truly been taking your power to its limits," he said as she wore a soft smile.
"Of course, someone incredibly close to you is in need of help and you all are doing your best, can't be lacking in that regard," she smiled. "And it's not like I haven't been training a long time to accomplish 'this'," Gina declared.
"Yeah," her fiance smiled. "You've got a point."
"What's… H-Hey, noona," Jin-Ho's eyes widened at that 'feeling'.
With Obito's words to always be sensing, to continue opening up his sensory channels, the Tank had just been doing as told.
And made him aware of what was going on.
"What did you do to yourself?"
Il-Hwan blinked, confused, while Jin-Woo raised a brow and looked at Gina.
And then really looked at Gina as something splashed over the living room before coming to a stop, the woman's grin getting a dropped jaw out of him.
"There's no way," he said in disbelief. "H-How?!"
"It's like I told Love, you need to affect her permanently," Gina's cheeks colored. "And with the two of us, we can do that," she said sheepishly. "Y-Ya just, uh, need some of his DNA so I can force a change."
"That so?" He asked, excited, before his face went blank as the woman's face reddened something fierce. "Wait…" Jin-Woo's eyes squinted as Il-Hwan cleared his throat.
"Oh, oh, I get it, AHEM," he said.
The [Player's] face slowly turned green as he replayed her word- "Oh my God," his eyebrow trembled as Obito scratched his cheek.
"Wait, no, what's up?!" Jin-Ah asked as Joo-Hoo blushed when 'it' hit.
"I-It's nothing!" She said quickly. 'That's indecent!' The older Healer thought with a red face.
"Yeah, we're just going to ignore that for now," Jin-Woo said while facepalming. "Let's focus on the whole 'helping mom' thing, please?"
~NRK~
Getting past the embarrassing implications of Gina's words, they took to the 'Helping Kyung-Hye' task with gusto.
With Obito and Il-Hwan giving input on mana networks, Jin-Ah & Joo-Hee's healing power affecting one of the Cores with Obito's direction, study between Jin-Ho & Jin-Woo, and Gina's small revelation of how good she was at 'deep adaptations', the group worked as a single-minded unit for over three days.
That's why they arrived in Kyung-Hye's hospital room with determined expressions under the moonlight of night, the entirety of them sneaking in via her window, Terrain, and cloaks.
Gently moving her to the center of the room, the Terrains were cast.
Joo-Hee & Jin-Ah focused, Obito & Jin-Woo's Terrains solely for the purpose of enhancing their own pair's magical power instead of some effort on their end.
Il-Hwan watched from the edge of it with Jin-Ho as Gina, Obito, and Jin-Ah stood around the bed.
"Alright," the younger Healer released a shuddering breath as she held out her hands. "Potential Boost."
Obito felt that surge of fire fill his being, his 'Class' brimming with power and effectiveness.
And was why he held out his arm and slit his wrist to allow glowing blood to flow before it swirled up at Gina's beck and call, the woman also holding the two High-Grade Spirit Cores in her telekinetic grasp.
"Hi-Sense."
The world of magic became apparent to all within the room, the group looking on at Gina's magical flow filling the Sung matriarch's being with all within the magic terrain.
The magic, the one Core holding the mana network, the other Core holding Jin-Ah's potent healing energy as a passive skill, the hybrid blood, and then knowledge.
All the aspects filled the woman's body from her head to her toes as her body and soul began to evolve.
'A hybrid body that's full of vitality,' Gina thought in a mantra. 'The magical power to feed the adaptation,' she released a focused breath.
The healing focus to allow the body's cells to produce more powerfully, the Core of Healing that'd give an internal affinity to it.
And finally the 'network' to allow mana to flow through and then out her body, interaction with mana would continually improve the woman's VITALITY, keeping her healthy and strong.
She repeated every step as a mantra, each development visualized by Hi-Sense and giving them a view of the different magical powers surging throughout Kyung-Hye's body opening up channels that were similar to all of them.
In a way, they were forcing an Awakening.
This accepted nature of their world, they probed for that feeling.
That Awakening of the mother's very being.
There was an odd feeling that thrummed within the circle and all affected by Jin-Ah's buff.
It was like a small gong that filled the back of their minds before they continued their focus.
Enhance the body.
The woman's blood circulated.
Enhance the soul.
That network took hold.
Embrace mana.
It shifted through her body like a filter.
And adapt her very being to being part-demon.
There was a small shift in color of the woman's hair, that black gaining a glossy hue near the tips as her skin relaxed, wrinkles of age slowly vanishing like, well, magic.
Then, the entirety of the Terrains, the magic, the blood, and the Cores were sucked into Kyung-Hye's body with a glowing presence above her chest.
They stared at that glimmering 'crystal' that gently slipped into her chest.
There was a current that surrounded her body before their senses noted the change in phenomenon.
Mana slipped through her body.
Jin-Woo's throat constricted.
The youth of her flesh.
Il-Hwan's tears fell down his cheeks.
The strength of her body that creaked against the bed sheets.
Jin-Ah's eyes glistened as she wore the happiest grin.
And the new powerful nature of her soul filled her being.
Glimmering black eyes slowly cracked open as her hands slid around her sheets to come up and hold her head.
Obito released the most warm he'd ever worn as she groaned softly, rubbing her forehead.
When those eyes landed on him, they grew amused.
"Have you been watching me sleep?" She chuckled.
The drip of water confused her.
"No, we've been trying so hard to make sure you woke up," Obito grinned that happy tearful grin as Kyung-Hye's eyes slowly widened.
And then they trembled as she looked at the three others who approached her bed, the age of two of them alarming her before she found one that stunned her.
One that took her breath away.
He sobbed happily in her ears.
One that truly broke the dam on her tears.
"You're back," he whispered happily. "Thank God."
Kyung-Hye's eyes turned to see the loving smile and happy tears.
She broke down as they embraced her, held her hand, and made her realize this was real.
All of this was real!
The happy tears, hugs, and love that filled that room had Jin-Ho wearing the happiest grin, Joo-Hee wiping away some tears of her own, and Gina wearing proud smile as the family was fully and truly reunited.
Father, brother, mother, son, and daughter.
They were all back together.
It took thirty pure unbridled minutes to let the emotions calm down.
To let the reality set in and their hopes to soar.
Yet, the mother looked ready to cry again as she pressed her forehead against her husband's, the long long years apart finally brought to an end.
Jin-Ah wore that grin of pure joy as they sat on her bedside.
"A lot has happened," Il-Hwan whispered to his wife, the love of his life. "And you need to be informed of so many things it'll take an eternity," he smiled as Kyung-Hye reciprocated.
"An eternity is more than enough time," she told him back.
Obito wrapped his arms around Gina's waist, head on her shoulder. "I mean it, Gina, you really did bring an amazing vector to my life," he smiled as she chuckled, the two nuzzling against one another.
"I'm glad, you handsome man, my life became so special with you in it," the female Mage said as he chuckled, holding her close.
"What's happened to everyone?" Kyung-Hye asked warmly as she and her husband sat in her medical bed. "You're so big," she said softly to her children.
"A lot mom," Jin-Woo whispered with Joo-Hee's smile at his side. "A whole lot."
Jin-Ho grinned for Jin-Ah as she nodded with wobbly eyes. "W-We've gotta tell you so much!" The youngest Sung said.
"I'd love to hear it," the mother said.
That led into the explanation of the first two years after her slumber.
"My word," the woman reached out and held her son's cheek, looking at his seasoned smile with a solemn one. "You've grown, you keep your promises," Kyung smiled as his eyes widened before trembling.
'Y-Yeah," he said. "I couldn't let you and uncle do this alone."
She whispered kind words to her relieved child.
What followed was the next years following her slumber.
"Oppa, I'm glad you were around when we couldn't be," Kyung-Hye smiled as Obito reciprocated. "... And you got married?!" Her eyes went wide at his sheepish grin and Gina's proud showing of her ring.
"N-No, noona," the Uchiha chuckled. "We're engaged but not married on paper yet, in fact, that's next week," he admitted.
Kyung-Hye's eyes shone with excitement as her family laughed.
The next year's explanation came with Jin-Woo's nod.
He demonstrated by showing his Shadows. "I'm a Mage-type Hunter," he said. "And these guys have made life pretty convenient because they can do things like chores and painting."
Joo-Hee giggled. "Yep, they all helped with painting my apartment," she said as Jin-Woo looked sheepish.
Kyung-Hye's head tilted as her mind connected the dots. "M-My word, even my son's dating?!" The woman looked alarmed as the two-in-question blushed before looking bashful about it.
"Y-Yeah, mom, we're dating," the Shadow Lord said.
"P-Pleased to meet you, ma'am!" The Healer Adept bowed.
"Goodness, did all of you start dating while I was asleep?" Kyung-Hye asked as her line of sight went to her daughter & Jin-Ho.
"Wait, you're dating someone?" Jin-Ho asked Jin-Ah as the Healer's jaw dropped at him while her entire being trembled. "Hmm," he felt a bit jealous.
The kind, if not teasing, Jin-Ah was an amazing person to be around and he could easily say he enjoyed her presence.
"Mm, they have to be a good guy!" He declared.
The Healer held her head in her hands as even Il-Hwan shot Jin-Ho a look.
"Wait, they're not?" He looked confused as Jin-Ah blushed up a storm. "Ohhhhh."
"I know, I thought so, too," Kyung-Hye said in surprise as Jin-Woo smirked while Obito chuckled with Gina. "Hmmmm," she observed her embarrassed child and nodded. "No, Young Jin-Ho, she's just embarrassed by my questions, I doubt she's dating anyone."
"R-Really?" He said, surprised, and a bit relieved. "O-Oh, yeah, uh, I'm sure that guy would have gotten reamed by this point by us," Jin-Ho said cluelessly.
Obito let out a bark of laughter as Gina's jaw dropped at this clueless bastard.
Il-Hwan looked stumped by such obliviousness while Jin-Woo's eyes went blank at the Tank.
Joo-Hee's eyes glimmered at this romcom-esque situation while Kyung-Hye chuckled knowingly.
Jin-Ah's face burned as she tried to decipher what the hell that was supposed to mean.
Getting Kyung-Hye out of the hospital came with three bits of 'intent'.
Il-Hwan looked down on the doctor.
Obito shot the man a real high brow.
And Jin-Woo leaned on his counter with a defiant grin.
Needless to say, she'd gotten discharged that night, no problems at all.
~NRK~
Returning to the shared apartment had them going to sleep victoriously.
And also why they all slept on the large U-couch Obito brought in preparation for this day.
Kyung-Hye wore a soft smile with her daughter & husband asleep on her sides, her son at her feet with her fingers combing through his hair, Obito leaning on Il-Hwan's shoulder with Gina beside him and Jin-Ho on Jin-Ah's with Joo-Hee on him.
She felt the love, happiness, and warmth of waking up all over again.
~NRK~
Truly awaking the eight hours later filled her with a happiness that was hard to deny.
A-And then she truly awoke in her bedroom, looking at her mirror showing her looks.
'I-It's like I went back five years,' she thought at herself, remembering what Obito had revealed about them. 'Part-demon…' Kyung-Hye looked at her eyes, the only real thing that either of them could point out as 'demon-ish'.
There was a gleam in them, those gray eyes of hers had a sort of small fiery glimmer in the iris that denoted her 'quarter-hybrid' status.
She blushed once more at her body, this thing of hers she'd taken good care of even before falling to Eternal Slumber.
Four years seemingly were nothing in the face of magic, healing, and demon power, huh-?
The door was opened by one man, a man who'd gotten bigger than she remembered him being.
A MAN who took one look at what she was doing and locked the door behind him as he stalked over to her reddened visage.
By the time Il-Hwan held her waist and leaned down by her face in her reflection, both of them knew this body of hers would be christened in seconds.
"It's been real long," he whispered into her ear, her recent-revitalized 6-foot-height still paling in the face of his seven-foot one. "A real long time, Kye," kissed her cheek and she remembered that she was here, half-naked in just some undergarments.
She really ASKED for this.
~NRK~
Jin-Woo blinked at the small rhythmic bursts of demon energy coming from the apartment, finished with his run with Jin-Ho stretching at his side.
"What is that?" He asked the taller brunette.
"Um…" He checked his Shadow-Nuh-uh, not looking at THAT. "Oh God," Jin-Woo looked green in the face. "Jin-Ho, we're running another 10 miles!"
He beat a hasty retreat that alarmed the heir. "H-Hyung, wait up!"
~NRK~
Two hours later, they didn't return to the Sung residence.
Feeling that 'horrid' rhythm even now, Jin-Woo looked miserably happy.
Yes, that contradiction was quite apparent.
So, they instead ran to the Hunters Guild HQ before finding a curious sight in the yard.
"Nice!" Jin-Ah cheered as Song-Yi blushed while nodding.
"These are so cool!" She beamed.
Wearing a dark blue cloth-top that wrapped around her torso with a black leather chest piece, a pair of pair of leather vambraces with a familiar pinwheel sigil on the backs and matching leather pauldrons, a pair of dark blue pants held up by a large brown belt, and a pair of black knee-high greaves, a familiar Knight's Sword sat on her back as she looked down at her hands, a thin dark blue scarf with a black sun on the ends tied around her neck.
"I-I feel so light," Song-Yi grinned as she gave herself a few jumps.
And jumps they were as she cleared eight feet with shocked ease, landing with awe at her feet.
"Whoa!" Jin-Ho said in shock and awe as she preened before gesturing to her classmate.
"And now presenting~ Lady Angh!" She giggled as Jin-Ah blushed with a determined grin.
"Hey, oppa, Jin-Ho," she waved them over.
Wearing a black pinstripe tunic that sat snug on her growing strong frame, it had slits on the sides that allowed it fall over the front and back of her baggy gray shinobi trousers that were held up by a pair of crossing silver belts , black shinobi sandals sat on her feet.
Adorned in some gleaming silver chestplate with matching silver pauldrons bearing a snake motif, she had on a single silver gauntlet on her left arm with fingerless gloves on both hand and a thin one-sided dark blue mantle sitting on her shoulders bearing a black sun emblem on the back.
Her Ursine Greatsword sat in a holster at her back while her shield over it.
"Hehe~ Nothing too bulky but all kinds of protection," she told the arrivals.
Jin-Woo's eyes glowed for a moment as he observed their equipment with a smile. 'They've got at least 23% Damage Reduction,' he was glad.
But that wasn't all.
{Skills List: Sung Jin-Ah}
{-Wrath}
{-Potential Boost}
{-Priestess Rejuvenation}
{-Terrain}
{-*Wind Blade}
"Shuushuu bought us some new Skills," Jin-Ah smiled. "I got a wind-element attack while Song-Yi got a sensory skill and ice enchantment along with her new personal skill!"
"Really?" Jin-Ho looked intrigued. "What did you get?"
"I guess I'm a lot more of a speed-type," the Fighter said. "I got a Skill called 'Streamline', it boosts my speed, attack, and reflexes in exchange for defense and resistances."
"That's gotta be a powerful move," Jin-Woo observed. "Hmph, you guys really should take a shot at joining a Raid Party together to see where you all hold up."
"Actually, I got something from the White Tigers," Song-Yi said sheepishly. "They're taking us through a B-Rank Gate for experience, they said we could invite anyone."
"I'm down," Jin-Ah smiled. "What about you, Jin-Ho?"
The C-Rank Tank considered the idea before remembering Obito's words from when they'd still been doing his C-Rank Raids. "... Alright, I'm in," he smiled as they cheered, the young man looking sheepish at their excitement. "Still, when is it? You guys remember the wedding's next Saturday, right?"
"Oh crap, it is!" Song-Yi squeaked in shock as Jin-Ah snickered. "W-Well, it should be fine, the Raid's in three days on this Saturday."
"Then, I guess we'll do it. I should actually get myself some new armor," Jin-Ho considered before Jin-Ah pat his shoulder. "?"
"I already designed 'em, remember? Uncle already made your stuff by using some of your old equipment," she smiled as his eyes widened.
"W-Where?!"
"They're with him, when he gets here-"
"I'm here, Anh," came the call of a certain smithing Mage as he and Gina stood before them. "And she's right, I've got your stuff, Jin-Ho," Obito smiled.
Wearing what looked like an upgraded version of his 'Trial Outfit' from his fight with Dong-Su, the man's haori had seemingly lost its fur as a thick black border sat on the edge instead.
With his Song-Sung Boots transformed into a pair of toeless dark blue stockings with golden bottoms, his pants had become more fitting to his frame and gained a near pair of horn-based motifs on the sides with a new black Spirit Sash replacing his old harness and belt.
And rounding it all up were his Ursine Vambraces new slimmer thick-cloth-like forms and bony finger plates that covered his digits fully, a new dark blue headband hanging around his neck with that black sun symbol on it.
Actually, Jin-Woo's eyes looked him over before Obito mouthed the word 'Observe'.
The [Player] cupped his chin as he did and realized how useful his uncle's smithing and creation abilities truly were.
[]
Cloud Dragon Pants & Plates - Sky Dragon Trousers - High Defense (18%). Grants resistance to harsh winds/Wind Pressure/Wind Magic (A) and increases striking power ©
Frost Ursine Haori - Frost Bear Emperor Attire- Enhances VITALITY (+10) and resistances to Ice Magic & cold weather (A). Medium Defense (8%).
Ursine King Vambraces - Mauling Gauntlets- Enhances VITALITY (+15). High Defense (12%).
Wrath Bangle Lv.6 - Gives [Skill: Wrath] which allows an 80% increase in stats for fifty seconds. Enhances INTELLIGENCE (+10).
Terrain Bangle Lv.7 - Gives [Skill: Terrain] which allows the user to form a terrain where his magic is doubled - tripled in efficiency. Enhances INTELLIGENCE (+20)
Spirit Sash Five-Fold- Holds up to 243 lbs of weight.
Song-Sung Boots - Attire of the Silent- Silences sound (A). Low Defense (5%).
Banshee Mail - Screeching Skin- Reduces the effects of debuffs (A). Low Defense (5%)
Symbol of the Black Sun - Low Defense (2%)
[]
"T-That's so sick," he said. 'Wait, that's right,' Jin-Woo looked at his own attire and grinned.
{Item: Ursine Monarch Armor}
{Item Class: A}
{Type: Armor}
{ + 15% Physical Damage Reduction / STAMINA + 15}
"Yep, over 50% is so damn good," he chuckled as Gina smirked.
Wearing what seemed like a short-sleeved skin-tight black top with red accents underneath an auburn steel corset, she had on similar-colored plated bicep armor alongside a slender golden gauntlet on her right arm.
Around her waist sat a new golden Spirit Sash with a familiar black pinwheel and sun on the sides, said sash releasing a knee-length auburn and gold skirt under which were a pair of black tights that fed into a pair of knee-length red shinobi sandals.
The familiar article of clothing pulling it all together was obviously her red mantle but said object was now a shin-length cloak with a large collar that pooled around her shoulders with the largest black sun sigil on its back.
Gina allowed all of her wild-locked glory to fall around her head and into her hood. "Welcome, you two," she chuckled as Obito deposited not just clothes for Jin-Ho but Jin-Woo as well in two wooden boxes. "On a training run?"
"Yeah," Jin-Ho smiled as he picked up his equipment with a sort of surprised expression, feeling some of the pauldrons and the newly-altered armor. "D-Did really try to wear this? I feel like this was a bit big for me," he admitted.
"It was back then," Obito told him. "Now, even if I've adjusted them, they'll fit you," as Jin-Woo grinned at his own set. "And, you, I made some simpler but tough attire."
With those two hurrying to some temporary dressing rooms on the field, they came out minutes later in their new attire.
"This feels so tough," Jin-Ho smiled as Jin-Woo smirked.
The Tank wore a white gold-bordered double-breasted tunic with his white Spirit Sash securing it around his waist alongside his black pants, said trousers bearing golden accents on the knees that fed into his black combat boots.
Wearing a pair of bicep-length leather sleeves and fingerless black gloves, the last addition was his new waist-length white coat with golden pauldron and a collar armor piece with the black sun sigil on his collar.
Jin-Ho looked down at his hands in awe as he felt like the entirety of his body grew more taut, a nice tightness at that, that made him feel secure.
Bringing their new-clothing sextet to a close was none other than the [Player], himself.
Wearing a pair of black boots, fitting black pants held-up by a gray-plate-scaled black belt, and a sleeveless black top with a turtleneck collar with his Emperor Bear Armor over it in its new sleeker design, the Shadow Lord wore a pair of black-and-white gauntlets with soft material underneath and between all the joints.
Jin-Woo smirked as he felt his gauntlets, the sight of a white sun sigil on the back of his armor. "Oh yeah, I like it, shuushuu," he said.
"Yep, now ya don't look like a bum!" Jin-Ah declared with a thumbs-up as he slumped. "Can't be the 'basic' Hunter you used to be!"
"I-I'm not basic."
Gina laughed at the look of concern on his face.
~NRK~
With new armor on their persons, Joo-Hee's with Jin-Woo for when he saw her next, they returned home two hours later after stress-testing their new attire.
"Wait…" Jin-Woo's eyes squinted as they looked at the door to the Sung residence. "We ran from here for some reason," he said.
"You guys? You ran?" Jin-Ah asked.
"That sounds weird," Song-Yi said.
"Yeah… I'm trying to remember why we did," the Shadow Lord said as he felt his eyebrow tremble.
Obito considered what things could possibly happen that it'd not be life-threatening but they'd run-Oh no.
"Oh," he realized what had happened, Gina raising a brow. "... So, we may have left two very far-apart lovers of powerful romance alone in an apartment," Obito said as he let the words sit.
The general 'tension' in the group rose in pale-faced horror as the Sung siblings looked sick.
"Oh God."
"The old man's in there with mom."
"W-We should probably leave!"
"Y-Yeah!"
Looking at their younger members, Obito steeled his nerves as Gina shot him an amused look.
"Look, I'll just go inside and check," Obito told them, gently ushering them to the side of the door before opening it and going inside- "Oph, that didn't work!"
He shot out of the room like a damn phantom, face pale.
"Let's go and see a movie," he said immediately as they ran for it.
~NRK~
Three hours later, the Sung parents looked the most embarrassed they'd ever been as the group finally 'returned'.
"We're not going to say anything," Gina's grin nearly broke into laughter, Obito facepalming at her side. "But, uh, you guys gotta be more prepared for this."
~NRK~
That night, the Demon Tower Group walked up to the Song Pa Gu Tower without one Il-Hwan.
They didn't give that more thought than necessary before going inside.
Demon Tower, Floor 25…
"So, we've got three days until Anh has to go raiding," Gina said. "We know how this works, find the Entry Permit, kill Demons, and get stronger."
~NRK~
As it turned out, they'd truly developed as a group of Hunters.
And were incredibly lucky as it only took them four hours to reach Floor 40.
"Hmm," Jin-Woo looked over their Party List. 'His title-Actually, theirs did, too.'
[PARTY]
[PARTY MEMBERS: 5] (Floor: 40)
Sung Jin-Woo - Shadow Lord - Lv. 81
Obito Uchiha - Dimension Baron - Lv. ? + 15
Lee Joo-Hee - White Cloak - Lv. ? + 15
Gina Acollete - Grand Psion - Lv. ? + 14
Sung Jin- Ah - Sensory Princess - Lv. ? + 22
[LIST ENDS]
'Dimension Baron? Psion?' Even his sister's 'priestess' had turned into an 'princess'. "What the hell is with these Titles?" He muttered as Tank moved him, Jin-Ah, and Joo-Hee around the city towards those two figures in the sky unleashed building-leveling attacks like a Ultra-Magic Sentry.
Every second, invisible bursts of magic force shot into their surroundings, the feeling of being 'scanned' filling the arriving trio's minds.
"She keeps all targets in range," Joo-Hee realized.
"And he nails them," Jin-Ah giggled.
Getting closer, Jin-Woo whistled loudly before the two's sentry-like attacking came to an end and they floated down to them with Obito holding the Entry Permit Floor. 41.
~NRK~
Eight more floors of fighting and leveling had them with the 50th floor's Entry Permit.
"It's been, what, five hours in total? So it's 8 pm right now," Obito said. "So, is getting to Floor 50 still our goal, Jin-Woo?"
The [Player] considered his words. 'If we could traverse 25 floors in that many hours…' But there'd been a change.
The Demons were now High-Grade Demons and, while still capable of being killed easily by them all sans Joo-Hee, who knew when the Field Boss would show up?
"I don't know, let's see what Floor 50 has for us and then decide," Jin-Woo nodded as they all walked towards the teleporter.
~NRK~
~Floor 50~
[RULERS OF THE LOWER FLOORS, AVARICIOUS VULCAN]
When they'd arrived, what they found was something that told them this would be the last fight of the night.
Sitting within a large circle of jagged bone shards surrounded by Vulcan Guards, beings of various heights covered in humanoid jagged red armor with various weapons, was the so-called 'Ruler'.
"I-Is it a Giant-based demon?" Joo-Hee asked nervously, eyes dilated at it's 100-meter-tall height.
'Vulcan', as it were, was a large FAT grotesque red demon with a belly larger than its collective other body parts, a head half-covered by hard material that sprouted four large horns and showed its three eyes.
Having a large jaw full of sharp teeth and bearing large cheeks and some double-chins, he had large thick bulbous arms spread out on his throne of bones, one of them holding a large club, an odd loincloth-shorts attire over its crotch with a demonic skull 'latch', and stubby legs that truly didn't look like they should have held up… Any of its entirety.
"God above, he's fat," Jin-Ah's jaw dropped.
"A Boss-Grade Demon," Jin-Woo frowned as he held up his hand. "Can't let it get ahead of us or else we're screwed. Arise."
His summons, his soldiers, his Shadows sprouted from below him as the space beneath the group's feet began to shift twice over in color.
The [Player] gripped his right arm's wrist, the bangle on it glowing bright. "Domain of the Monarch."
A large swirl of shadows and darkness sprouted from his heels alongside his Terrain before it enhanced one another to reach beyond a mere 400 meters to two MILES.
The sheer depth of the Skill mix-up made Jin-Woo's body heated with excitement.
200 Shadows formed around them before the group bore their weapons at Vulcan.
[Vulcan Guards have detected an intruder.]
"Clear out the smallfry first," Obito told them. "Ambush the leader afterward unless he comes to us."
He, Jin-Woo, Jin-Ah, and Gina shot into the crowd of demonic guards, carving through their numbers with some ease.
Jin-Ah parried and stabbed before rotating around and beheading a Guard, jumping back from a pair of crossing stabs before she reared back her glowing blade.
"Wind Blade!" She swung out.
The slashing shockwave carved through their abdomens, stunning them long enough for her to get a double-kill with a single follow-up rotating slash.
'It's really negligible,' she thought as she rushed into the fray once more. 'These guards are decently tough but I'm strong enough to slash them,' strong enough to remove their weapons even in a 2-on-1 on occasion. 'How strong does this truly make me?' She wondered.
When it came to 'game' and 'real life', what was the true difference of these things to Hunters?
Her brother had said even a Mid-Grade Demon was only a C-Rank, hell, the best of them was only C-Rank.
High-Grade Demons were B-Rank. If these guys were a level above that, which the young woman was honestly sure they were, they were A-Rank.
And she was beating them!
Arrows rained down from above, the Vulcan Guards finding many in their eyes, joints, or roaring mouths.
'But they're all goons, there's no thought,' she reminded herself as she widened her stance as Jin-Ho taught her.
Her arm angled up and blocked the heavy hammer of one of the larger Guards, the floor crunching beneath her greaves and cratered the ground.
But she barely felt it!
She coiled in her magic power and unleashed it with her shield.
She repelled the hammer with a grin.
The [Player's] eyes narrowed as the tide truly began to turn in their favor.
'Vulcan's not moved even with almost all his forces gone,' so did that mean this boss had the ability to fight them all on his own?
Jin-Woo came down on one of the larger Vulcan Guards and carved it apart, landing behind it-
And feeling a horribly large presence behind him.
'Oh shit,' he thought, eyes wide as his head turned to see Vulcan already mid-swing. 'How the hell did he get behind me like that?!'
As that building-sized club came around and down, it was kicked up by a glowing figure who used that moment of shock to slash his sickle across the wood.
Obito was repelled and came down beside his nephew, surprised. "That is not what I expected to happen," he told Jin-Woo who tilted his head, the man's feet transformed already.
"That wood's likely not normal," Jin-Woo told him before they dodged around another heavy swing of the club.
Only to keep dodging as it began to come down like rain, the two looking more shocked as they kept going.
"Christ, does he not stop?!" Jin-Woo yelped as they outspeed the club but it kept coming. "Sungmo!"
There was a lumbering shadow the size of Vulcan's head that slammed into him, Gina's form flying towards the giant Demon.
'Time to see what this can do!' She thought as she unwound the bandages around her left arm.
And revealed the thickening golden scales that led down into a humanoid claw.
Its magic alone outstripped her own by three magnitudes. 'Demon flesh has better hold over magic, it's triple efficient!' Gina thought as she reared back her hand before the claw slashed across the air.
And cutting through two of the buildings past the ducking Vulcan, her eyes glaring at the 'moving'- "What the hell?" Her eyes glowed as Hi-Sense's effect spread over her just then.
And she saw 'it', how this thing moved like a phantom.
'It's allowing the mana in the air to lead it,' she realized. 'It's basically movement that only requires the reading of mana and one's body!' Gina's eyes narrowed as the trail moved behind her.
Just in time for a pair of fists to land in Vulcan's noggin.
The giant-sized Demon tore across the cityscape around his 'nest', the three flying over to Jin-Ah's form riding on Tank.
Landing on the large monster-class Shadow, they hurried towards Vulcanus.
"Magicians!" Jin-Woo summoned his magic-users, the Shadows forming atop Tank's back. "Shuushuu!"
"Yeah!" Obito reared back both his arms, thread pooling into them into constantly-rotating balls of compressed magic thread. "At my call!"
There was a high-rising aura that released shockwaves that nearly startled Tank.
{RULER OF THE LOWER FLOORS, AVARICOUS VULCAN IS USING [SKILL: WRATH]}
{VULCAN'S STATS WILL INCREASE BY 50%}
{VULCAN WILL MAINTAIN ITS RAGE STATUS}
{VULCAN WILL FEEL LESS PAIN}
"Wait, his 'Wrath' is different?" Jin-Woo said in shock, relaying the information as they caught sight of the enraged Demon. "Are there different 'aspects' to Wrath?"
Obito's Sharingan dilated and retained every bit of Vulcan's Skill, every bit of magic recorded, burned into his mind.
His Wrath Orb glowed as his eyes snapped to it. 'Wait, did it gain a new definition?' Were his creations capable of such a thing? 'No, I have to assume this is because Wrath is a game-like Skill that there are more types of, it's probably the only thing that will gain something from this.'
~NRK~
He stared in shock at the second mutation he'd ever seen in his 'work'.
"How is the [System] changing details?!" The winged being didn't understand!
Where were these mutations coming from?! Why were those two being gifted things like this?!
~NRK~
Did we truly meet again? You who betrayed me? Why did you show up at my side once more? What purpose does this serve you?
The opposing being turned from him but didn't leave.
Why? Why do all of this? Even with That One's work for him, why did the Demon Monarch stand before him? Why… Why did he feel so apologetic?
Why did you betray me? Why do you show apology now? When our time has passed, what… What happened to you?
… There was more silence as the Demon Monarch closed his eyes.
… Did you truly choose that one? That 'oddity' He told me was my perfect vessel? Why?
Don't you wish to pick your own successor?
The first utterance of words from the Demon Monarch confused him.
Then I did the same. There is little else to be said.
I think there is… I think you're doing something that confuses me further. Why, Baran, why at the very end did you not say anything? Why did my hand crush your head to the feeling of emptiness inside of me?
Because you are different from us, all of us, hmph. 'Baran' chuckled. And I could never forgive myself.
… Bara-
No more, the Architect is surely to notice this intrusion, especially with you 'reliving' my essence.
~NRK~
Jin-Woo, meanwhile, blinked at another Screen popping up. 'So, it continues?' He thought.
{IMPORTANT QUEST}
{GRAND MATERIAL II: DEMONIC KING CROWN}
{OBTAIN THE LEFT BEHIND ARTIFACT AND CROWN THE NEXT DEMON KING, PROTECTED BY THE DEMONS OF THE [DEMON TOWER], IT HOLDS THE TRUE SOUL OF 'HE WHO OWNS THIS WORLD'.}
[QUEST COMPLETION REQUIREMENT: 0/1 DEMONIC CROWN]
[REWARDS: -BONUS STATS + 20]
'Demonic Crown?' The Shadow Lord was truly confused.
Why was he receiving another Quest like this obviously meant for his uncle? Had the [System] acclimated to his presence and chosen to involve him further?
'Still, what does it mean when it says he owns the Demon World?' What kind of abilities would be afforded to his uncle if he got that on him? 'Guess it's our job to find out!'
Halfway, Vulcan's lumbering form appeared in the air.
"IGRIS! RUKA!"
"OH YES!"
There was a pair of blurs riding on rising shadow spires.
Ruka's glowing purple form lunged about the Lower Floors Ruler's body like a high-speed gnat, splashes of purple blood and lacerations forming on the Boss's skin before Igris's blade found its way into one of the wounds.
The juggernaut of a knight used that to rush around the Boss's body and split it open.
"Demon Form."
"Psionic Mail."
Obito and Gina glowed red in unison, the former's body enveloped by his demonic technique as his lover's arm gained a new series of symbols on its forearm.
"Potential Boost!" Jin-Ah raised her blade as the air grew violent.
The Monarch's Domain thrummed in response as Jin-Woo smirked once his body vibrated with shadows.
"Good work, give us a bit," he laughed as they vanished and reappeared within his Terrain atop a building, Vulcanus's crash site erupting and throwing back their hair. "See you in a bit, Ahn."
"Hurry back, I'm hungry," she gasped. "We should go out and eat! A-And, um, invite Jin-Ho, ya know?"
"God, you're so easy when I know about it."
There was a flying bolt that plunged into their building and cast Burn Booster alongside one of two new Skills in Sturdy.
For the building, by the way, not for him.
"I'm reaching that point in my relationship, how crazy."
He leapt from the rooftop and the only reason it didn't explode was because of the buffing bolt.
The Sensory Princess blushed as she considered how different relationships were from her 'single' status.
"I… I-I should really just do it, huh?" Jin-Ah thought as her cheeks reddened. "J-Just over a month away," her face hurt and her heart was throbbing.
Vulcan's body hit the ground with an earth-shaking rumble that didn't move her building.
The young woman nodded to herself. 'In a month,' she thought. 'When school's done for me, I'll do it,' she'd not let things go on the way they had.
Life was potentially too short for that.
There was a towering eruption of magic, incredible torrents, impossible forces, and everlasting darkness shattering the entirety of the city around her building and then past it.
Jin-Ah blinked away her surprise, looking up at that large rumbling explosion that began to die down.
When it did, she jumped at a feeling of three whole Level-Ups. "G-Guess it's done," Jin-Ah muttered as a pair of figures landed at her side.
"Jin-Ah?" Joo-Hee looked relieved as they locked eyes and the younger Healer smiled.
Wearing a thin white, thigh-length, dress that hugged her body, a large black tassel-like apron-cloak going down from the neck to her knees in the front and back, a pair of black pants reinforced by straps, and a pair of knee-high white-scaled boots, it sported a familiar white sun on its apron as a large steel quiver sat on her back and a glowing bow sat in her hands.
The carrot top's long hair flowed free of its usual ponytail as she looked over to that large splatter of purple blood.
They climbed down the building they were on, quickly leaving its twenty-story height in under a minute before running over to the others.
A mile later, they smiled at the trio looking over four large Drops.
"Hey," Jin-Woo smiled at the arriving pair, nodding to Joo-Hee as he put on a stony-looking earring. "We got some good stuff," he grinned.
{DEMON MONARCH'S EARRING}
{Item Rank: S}
{Type: ACCESSORY}
{+20 STRENGTH, +20 VITALITY}
{SET EFFECT WILL ACTIVATE IF THIS ITEM IS EQUIPPED ALONGSIDE:
-DEMON MONARCH'S NECKLACE
-DEMON MONARCH'S RING
SET EFFECT:
-SET EFFECT 1: (LOCKED)
-SET EFFECT 2: (LOCKED)}
"But that's just the beginning," Gina laughed as she held an orb. "A real ridiculous addition if I can remember what this feels like."
{Item: ORB OF AVARICE}
{Item Class: a}
{Type: MAGIC ITEM}
{ORB CREATED BY HARDENING BLOOD OF THE HIGH-RANK DEMON, VULCAN. IT WILL AMPLIFY MAGIC EFFECTS TO DO MORE DAMAGE.}
{DESIRE FOR DESTRUCTION: DOUBLES MAGIC DAMAGE}
"This isn't even just a crazy item, it's a ridiculous item," she told him as he handed it to Obito.
The feeling in this bit of hardened demon blood gave Obito ideas. 'I wonder,' he looked at his bangles before blinking as all three objects resonated. "Woo, tell me, does this thing have a set effect?"
"Nope, just these earrings," the [Player] said with interest. "Oh man, I wondered if you could make armor bonuses."
"I've never noticed," Obito admitted as he raised a brow and activated his Sharingan. "... So, it's because all three emulate a similar effect… It's not a full-on bonus, likely, this is just a resonance but it's more than I had before," he chuckled as he handed it to his nephew. "I'll look into it, the best craftsmen in the world can still make objects that boost someone over 30%, that has to mean I can get past it with my blood."
"True but then you also have that," Jin-Woo gestured to that other item leaning on a large rock.
{ITEM INGREDIENT: WORLD TREE'S FRAGMENT}
{Item Class: ?}
{Type: INGREDIENT}
{A LEFTOVER PIECE OF WOOD FROM REMOVING THE CORRUPTED PARTS OF VULCAN'S CLUB. WHICH WAS CREATED FROM THE WORLD TREE'S BRANCH.
WOODS FROM THE WORLD TREE CONTAINS A POWERFUL MAGIC AND THUS IS USED AS AN INGREDIENT FOR MAGIC ITEMS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY.}
"That's surprising, ain't it? It's got no rank?" Jin-Ah asked.
"Yeah, usually stuff is considered 'JUNK' or something else, ya know? Hell, uncle just got Vulcan's Horns and they're considered S-Rank."
{Item: VULCAN'S HORN}
{Item Class: S}
{Type: INGREDIENT}
{HORN OF THE LOWER FLOOR RULER, AVARICIOUS VULCAN, THE HORNS OF A HIGH-RANKING DEMON THAT CAN BE USED IN THE CREATION OF EQUIPMENT OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY}
"So, you can make stuff out of these," Jin-Woo cupped his chin. "Thoughts?"
"Hmm," Obito considered them. "I don't know yet, I don't need a helme…" His eyes went down to his hanging headband before he chuckled. "Alright, I know what to use them on. Come on, I think we're done for tonight, we can try another 25 Floors tomorrow."
~NRK~
Getting back home with Obito checking the coast to be 'clear', they entered the large apartment to smell cooking…
The Sung siblings shot into the kitchen and greeted their mother in a familiar sight for the Uchiha.
"Hmm, I hope our kid is that eager," Obito chuckled as Gina nodded.
"Question, uh, you think they'll retroactively be a demon or…" She spun her hand as Obito blinked.
"... Likely part-demon by this point. We'll have to make sure life is prepared for them, it's been a month," he pecked her on the cheek as she smiled nervously.
"I know, we'll do what we can."
"R-Really?" Joo-Hee asked.
"Of course, it's pretty obvious with us," Gina said while showing her bandaged arm. "I turned my arm into a demon arm, it's literally three-times more powerful than my human side and Obito was likely part-demon after the fight with Dong-Su, there's likely a high chance the kid'll be part-demon. The upside? Kyung-Hye is as well but she's got, what, an eye glimmer?"
"It's true, we're still part-human, that means the boy or girl will likely be similar to us… I question if they'll have a demonic transformation," Obito cupped his chin as Joo-Hee sweatdropped.
"Shuushuu, you truly are an adaptive man," she said.
"I try, now, where the hell is hyung?"
"Yo, welcome back," came Il-Hwan as he came in from the balcony. "How'd things go?" He asked.
"25 Floors, met a boss, Jin-Woo's got near 5000 Demon Souls, and I got a couple items for use in my crafting," Obito summarized. "And, apparently, one that will likely come from defeating the [Tower]..." He explained everything Jin-Woo had told him.
And the more he did, the more alarmed Il-Hwan was. 'Is it… Preparing Monarchs?' But the question then became 'why?'.
What the hell was on the horizon that this was happening?
~NRK~
The following morning saw the family going over a good amount of their adventures as they made it to a familiar park surrounded by familiar vehicles.
"Truly? Lizarding? S-Ranks? W-What in the world did you do, son, oppa?" Kyung-Hye asked in disbelief.
"We got into trouble because it found us," Jin-Woo groaned as Joo-Hee nodded. "That's sadly the best way to put it."
"But we came out of it stronger than ever," Obito told her as they saw some waves.
"Hyung, welcome?" Jong-In looked surprised by Kyung-Hye's presence, looking at the other members of the Sung Family. "Who are you, ma'am? No offense, we've never met."
"Jong-In, this is Park Kyung-Hye, my sister," Obito smiled as the other S-Rank Mage froze. "Yes, we truly solved some things," he chuckled as Gina nodded with a proud smile.
"We pooled together all that we are to make a small miracle," the 'A-Rank' said. "That said, this isn't a simple 'surgery'," they walked in close. "We used Lover's true nature," Gina whispered as Jong-In's eyes widened and went to Obito to see the older man's nod. "Speaking of, we should talk about that in more specifics since we've got the time," not everything but what Obito had become.
As they nodded to the others and moved off to the side to talk, the others continued on to meet up with that bigger group a bit further away.
"Sup?" Ki-Hoon smiled with a raised hand as he and Jin-Woo locked forearms. "How's life?"
"Pretty good so far, I'd say things are interesting," the [Player] chuckled before stepping back and presenting his mother. "Like this, meet my mom," he said.
"Really? She looks super young, I'm guessing good genetics" he nodded sagely as Cheung rolled her eyes at him and bumped his hip. "Hey," Ki-Hoon whined as the B-Rank Mage giggled.
"Pleased to meet all my son's friends," the mother of two said as her children sweatdropped while the others snickered. "Park Kyung-Hye, I hear a lot about the Hunters Guild from TV so it's curious seeing you all in-person," she smiled as Jin-Ah giggled while Joo-Hee smiled, Jin-Ho hurrying up to the group alongside a familiar model.
"Hey, guys!" The heir greeted as he and his cousin came to a stop. "Did shuushuu start the training yet?"
"Nope, we all just got here," came the voice of Yoon-Ho, the White Tigers Guild Master coming up to them in similar workout attire as the others. "Alright, we should all be here, what's this looking like?"
"Well, hyung hasn't finished his talk with the Guild Master yet," Cheung said as Galdae-In slowly shimmied over to the embarrassed lion man. "But if I had to guess? It's gonna be more of his 'Area Training', can't lie, it's doing its work," she flared out five talismans, one of them glowing dark blue compared to their usual lavender shade. "I feel so much more focused with magic now, it's like I'm slowly opening up channels of strength."
'Maybe you are,' Yoon-Ho considered as Obito, Gina, and a thoughtful Jong-In came over with a sheepish Hae-In. "Alright, all good?"
"Yes, just explaining some things," Obito said. "Now, for this go-around, we'll be trying something a bit more intense," he explained as a pair of woven wings formed from his back.
They flapped before the area slowly grew more and more red.
"I'm taking us somewhere a bit more vertical," Obito spoke as his voice grew distorted more and more. "The goal of the exercise is to reach me under your own power, use all your Skills to climb this torturous-"
~NRK~
"-Terrain."
His voice faded away as he did along with Kyung-Hye, the sight of a large glowing tower of red and blue magic in the distance.
"It continues to surprise me how much land he truly moved," Jong-In said as he snapped his fingers and a fire-made phoenix took him ahead at the very end of his sentence. "Keep up, now!"
"Dick!" Most of the group shouted before they charged into that large stretch of wasteland, sand, and dunes.
And, as they did, the air thrummed before growing heavier and denser.
Il-Hwan released a measured breath, his body thrumming with a soft gold glow while Jin-Ah and Jin-Ho ran at his sides with glows of green and brown, respectively.
"Your uncle never fails to make this more dense as time passes!" He told them as Cheung's form 'glided' at their side atop an enlarged flying talisman, the bespectacled Mage snickering at them as she glowed purple.
"This whole thing is gonna get intense!" She 'divined' while looking ahead with glowing eye- "Oh, it's giant rock golem things this time."
"Ah crap," most of the others whined or groaned as they began to pass a large hill.
Just in time for stony hands to spring up, their invisible strings, their very literal invisible strings, moving them at the speed of a B-Rank Assassin.
They were attacked, destroyed, or dodged in various measures, though the ones not slowed down in the least by them were most of the [Demon Tower Party], the Guild Masters and most of their Vice-members, and then a single Jin-Ho alongside most of the high A-Rank Hunters.
"You got something new?!" Ki-Hoon asked him as they passed a third-way mark made by a large floating rock formation with the numbers on it. "Seems cool!"
"Thanks! I got it two weeks ago!" Jin-Ho answered.
And then the next third of this 'course' shot up into large impossible plateaus with a dark space below them that'd send them to the Uchiha in failure if they fell.
With several floating rock steps, some 'stairs' in the shape of large boulders or cliff-side trails, and then just the large space in the center with a foot-thick 'path' of thread going from this end to the other, they had their options.
Jin-Woo grinned as he took the middle path before his Terrain Bangle glowed.
He slipped into it as Gina laughed as she flew overhead with Jong-In, Cha-In rushing down that narrow path at a blitzing speed.
"He's making good use of his many powers!" The fire-user declared as the air distorted before rocks shot out from each plateau in blunt spires. "Hyung, be a bit more creative!" He raised his hand.
Mirroring pillars of flames attacked the continuous threats as he made it halfway-
"Oh," he said as something shot up from the darkness below. "I see!" Jong-In held out his hand and a spiraling fire barrier formed around him.
Just in time for those water geysers to slam into it and release a large blockade of steam.
As it turned out, Obito's threads had gained a new quality to them alongside the fire ones. They could latch onto liquids now, the ability to move groups of it determined by magic power and skill.
So, obviously, that giant water dragon was to be expected, especially when all their paths came to a halt.
"Defeat the Dragoons."
The 'Announcement' was another part of this space.
He could be heard in stereo, hilariously.
More water dragons sprouted up or curled around those plateaus.
"Hmph!" Jin-Woo grinned as he popped out of Jin-Ah's shadow before rearing back his arm.
[Dagger Throw Lv.3]
It scored a hit on that 'rocky membrane' used as a target for their 'defeat' before sweatdropping as the 'dragon' became a 'hydra'.
"It's not THAT easy, nephew."
"Oh come on!"
Il-Hwan laughed as he charged ahead before taking that incredible leap towards one of the five hydra heads.
He spun with a heavy slash, bisecting it and landing on its 'stump' before jumping off from another head's 'charge', landing on the side of the plateau before kicking off to dodge the explosion of stone.
He slid to a stop as Gina's form attacked the largest one in the center, bursts of psychic power repelling that large dragon before she lifted her middle two fingers.
Stone shot into it from the sides before breaking up to make dust.
It coated the dragon, weighed it down, and caused its movements to slow in time for Yoon-Ho's jumping lunge to slash the top of its head off, 'scalping' the water.
He landed on that falling portion before jumping off as Hee-Jin's large flying earth stakes stabbed it.
They attacked like waves, destroying these dragons in their own ways before the path ahead continued and they ran as the way back collapsed.
"Bastard's having fun with this one!" Someone yelped as a fourth of the group dropped. "Holy shit, this is scary!"
The others laughed or high-tailed it in just as much fear.
By the time they cleared it, they had 2/3rds of the group left.
Moving past the same amount of land left them heading towards a pit.
Nothing unusual, just a pit-Oh, that was GOOD.
They ran towards that seemingly unremarkable pit, that thing that was just a divot, just a big shape in the ground… And then they passed the signs.
The first to put five people into the dirt get a free meal.
They couldn't have survived with a condition like that.
Anyone who was pushed into said dirt was absorbed like some sort of hilariously terrifying quicksand and things quickly descended into anarchy.
~NRK~
Obito chuckled with his hand on his face at the number of people who 'arrived'.
"Did they even think about what was going to happen?" He asked Kyung-Hye with a barely restrained laugh as his sister giggled madly to herself. "Oh my God, they dropped you all the first chance they got."
~NRK~
That's how, ten minutes later… Well, some people looked like they had to beg for forgiveness for a good bit.
Jin-Woo was still laughing, by the way, him, Il-Hwan, Ki-Hoon, Cheung, Jin-Ah, and even the usually polite Joo-Hee couldn't help herself.
It was funny as hell and they got their laughs, and apologies, out before getting to work on exercises.
Obito went down and they followed, their one arms tied behind their backs as large rocks atop them.
"If you can keep going, we're going for 400," the hybrid said as over half of the group dropped out at that 300th mark.
Joo-Hee released a focused breath as she kept going but sweat dripped off of her like a faucet, Jin-Woo smiling for her as they went down and up again-Uh-Oh.
His eyes went as they snapped ahead. 'Oh crap, s-she's just jiggling!' His hormonal mind couldn't help itself, it seemed.
He remembered 'them' clearly, dammit!
He went faster just for the sake of breaking this 'trance' or to add pain to his focus, anything would do.
Jin-Ho, meanwhile, blushed as he stopped at 334. "Y-You guys can just keep going," he muttered as Jin-Ah smiled for him, his eyes making sure they stayed at face-height. 'When did she get like that?' Sure, okay, he'd never checked her out but Jin-Ah had always rather mature for 17.
She'd grown taller than most her age, and seemingly was getting to his own height, with a truly athletic build that took tips from him on 'tanking'.
'She got so much stronger than me,' he thought, not in self-disapproval but awe. "I don't know how you keep getting amazing," Jin-Ho chuckled sheepishly.
Never seeing the bright red face left in his words' wake, Jin-Ah's jaw dropping at him as she froze mid-push-up.
'W-What the hell did he just say?!' She shrieked mentally, trying to find her composure but it all seemed to evaporate.
Obito wiped his chin thirty minutes later at his nephew and niece, the two's frazzled visages very obvious to not just his eye but also the two's parents.
"What happened?" Il-Hwan raised a brow.
"I think they learned a bit more about the opposite sex," Kyung-Hye tilted her head, a similar raised brow on her face. "I have to wonder what our son's eyes saw to look like that."
Obito snorted as Il-Hwan rubbed his chin. "That so?" The tall man wondered before nodding. "Should I talk to him?" He asked them, running his hands through his hair. "I'm sure I could give him a talk about this…"
"Do it," Obito smiled. "You need to get more 'father time' with him and I'm sure that is something you're very recently familiar with, hyung."
"I'm sorry!"
Jin-Woo ruffled his own head of hair, seated off to the side with red cheeks. 'Look, it's fine, your girlfriend looks nice, w-while it's not why you truly wanted to get with her it's not wrong to notice,' he groaned.
"What's going on… Son?" Came the unsure call of none other than his father, the [Player] looking at him in surprise as the larger-than-ever man sat down beside him. "... Ya look like you're confused?"
The Shadow Lord sweatdropped. "I'm not… I guess I am?" He didn't look sure, cheeks red the entire time. "... D-Dad?"
"Yes?"
"When it comes to women and, uh, noticing more about them, how do I?"
The silence that reigned left the two looking forward with similar groans.
'Oh, come on, your son's looking for help!'
'I just weirded out dad, just great, good going , Woo.'
They took a pair of unified breaths and fully-turned to face each other.
"Look, what you're feeling is normal. Sadly… Sadly, I never got to give you The Talk, it wasn't in the cards, but I can say that you're doing something normal. It's not weird that you're noticing women in attractive ways besides a nice face and hair, hell, that says more about your character," Il-Hwan released a relieved breath as Jin-Woo blinked in surprise.
"I know, at least, I'm sure but should I really be looking at Joo-Hee 'that way' when we've barely been dating?" Jin-Woo asked with a frown. "She deserves better than me being a perv a literal month into the relationship."
"Son, attraction is normal, just because you feel a bit overeager doesn't mean you'll act on it, for one. Two, you honestly think women don't check men out? Really?"
"Uh…"
"Jin-Woo, what in the world? How have you gotten to this point without noticing the legendary 'Bad boy' gossip trends in women?"
Jin-Woo looked nervous. "Um, it might have something to do with me totally focusing on only being stronger?" He said weakly.
Il-Hwan ruffled his own head of hair, stopped, and hesitated.
Jin-Woo's eyes widened at the hand on his head.
"You had to do a lot, so much growing up because of my absence," the larger man said. "I'm real fucking proud but now you get to enjoy life, my boy, your wants and dreams, what do you think they mean to you?"
The [Player's] head dropped as that hand ruffled his locks. "D-Dammit," he rubbed at his eyes before taking a deep breath once that hand left. "I just want to be strong enough to never let our family break apart," Jin-Woo declared. "All these are coincidences, dad, when I think about it in the grand scheme? This is literally all a miracle I can never recreate no matter how many times I'd imagine it."
Il-Hwan blinked at him before his eyes softened, nodding to his son's words. "You're right, this entire situation," their eyes went over this landscape.
This bit of the world that was created at one man's hands, one who'd never expected to become a demon, one who didn't expect 'S-Rank'.
A man who'd fought beings far beyond his scope, someone who had to take up the mantle of, no doubt, 'Father'.
"Shuushuu's been one of the best things to ever happen me," Jin-Woo admitted without a hint of doubt. "He helped make me strong, he taught me, he made me think, and… And he helped me connect with people without a moment of loss," he looked unsure. "The stronger I get, eternal growth, I wonder what's at the end a lot of the time. But uncle makes me aware that, no matter what, no matter where, no matter how 'far away' I am… There are people who care, who are still connected to me, who are still more precious to me than anything else."
It wasn't like the world had fallen on his shoulders, he'd not been tasked with some great quest, Sung Jin-Woo had only been given a still-worrisome 'System' that made him stronger than his wildest dreams, quite literally his wildest dreams.
He'd never dreamed of commanding armies of his enemies, he'd never dreamed of singlehandedly being capable of overtaking a damn city, he'd never dreamed of being able to PUNCH A DEMON ACROSS A CITY.
This entire 'arc' of his life was literally greater than anything he could have imagined and that made him concerned.
What was out there? Obito had said it before but Jin-Woo didn't give it much thought in the past.
There was BALANCE. An odd ever-present thing that people never considered, assumably.
Jeju Island, the Raid that had failed three times over the length of their short time as Hunters. An S-Rank Dungeon Break that could literally destroy Korea but the only reason they hadn't was because of something as odd as a water barrier.
They'd never won, right? Yet, the fighting wasn't done, life moved on like it was just a memory despite how dangerous it was.
Who was the one meant to handle Jeju Island? What force would arriv-Well, actually… Yeah, it had arrived.
His uncle, he the [Player], himself, and the great power of fire from one of the most powerful fire-users who his uncle knew.
They alone could probably remove that damn island off the map. Was that it?
Was fate's balance so possible? If so, who was HIS counterpart? Who'd counteract his endless potential for strength? Or, more worryingly, what group would arise in direct opposition to his very being?
"I'm worried to hell and back and feel like I'll never be strong enough to stop anything that pops out after Jeju Island."
"Wait, what?" Il-Hwan's eyes widened as his son nodded.
Jin-Woo explained what they'd been told in Japan, the word on Jeju Island surprising him.
"Did you actually go near that, dad?"
"Nope, I got lost even before the first attempt if my timeline's right," Il-Hwan considered it. "But you tell me that you, Obito, and that Choi kid can handle it?"
"It's gonna be a single large-scale move that requires Terrain and every bit of fire magic we could all conjure," Jin-Woo grinned. "You've never seen it but it's crazy."
Meanwhile, with Jin-Ah, she watched Jin-Ho go through sword forms with Ki-Hoon, a couple of sword-based Fighters, and Hae-In.
Seated on a large rock with her knees pulled up against her chest, she considered her options, her feelings, and the coming end of school.
She'd actually be graduating early if you'd believe it, having truly taken every chance she could over the years to study harder topics and the like that just seemed to make her a step above her classmates.
And then she'd be 18 soon after.
'Do I just spring it on him? Or do I make it romantic?' She thought in wonder, eyes focusing on the Tank as he went through those forms with heavy steps. "He's always been a Tank so he stomps and braces more than flow."
"Truly?" Kyung-Hye sat beside her daughter with a smile. "You notice a lot about him~."
Jin-Ah blushed, pouting off to the side. "W-Well… Yeah, I like him," she admitted with crimson cheeks as her mother's giggles stopped and she stared.
"My little girl," the woman smiled, hugging her daughter close as Jin-Ah melted into her touch. "Tell me, Ahn, tell me about everything you've done and how you feel about it."
She did, the younger woman releasing words, stories, and perspectives to her mother as she just listened.
"I feel stronger than anyone."
"It's weird, being this powerful, yet it feels like I'm normal."
"It just happened, I don't know."
"Maybe I'm trying to make sure bro doesn't get a big head."
"We've seen so much and yet this makes me feel like a little girl."
"I'm k-kinda head-over-heels right now, mom," Jin-Ah said outright as Jin-Ho laughed at something the others said while Ki-Hoon got chased by Cheung. "It's weird, it's so crazy, I feel like I'm gonna flip… But I like him a lot."
"Hmm~," Kyung-Hye held her close as they closed their eyes. "I think you know more than anything what you're feeling but, from an outside source, you look like you're just growing up. You've found someone you feel heavily about, that's a precious moment that I believe, for you, is FAR longer-lansting than you think."
"So, I just tell him?"
"Mmm, yes."
There was silence as they sat there before the young woman pouted as her mother laughed.
~NRK Out~