Patching the Distance

by Nasha Rei-Kun

The whole point of the [System] had been to give Sung Jin-Woo gifts of power to prepare him for a role that would lead to a great loneliness at the peak of his world. Yet an addition, a man, a 'simple' addition that could have meant NOTHING... Had meant EVERYTHING. The man who kept up with him, who kept him grounded, who kept his HUMANITY, his uncle. Xover with 'Solo Leveling'.

12. S-Rank Power VII

~NRK~

The training session came to an end with a simple set of mana exercises.

Their mana all formed around them, even Kyung-Hye's with some 'Obito Sharingan Coaching', before Obito nodded to them all.

His mana tightened around his form in a swirling patterning, his 'streaks' so small it was like he, himself, was a typhoon of mana strings.

"This is something I came up with based on my snapping threads," Obito explained.

His mana 'burst' all around his body in routine fashion, Jong-In growing confused as it did while Gina's body gained a solid red outline.

Galdae-In released a long controlling breath.

Her mana followed Gina and Obito's examples with far less control but a similar number of 'bursting points'.

"This is for boosting your attack power, isn't it?" Yoon-Ho realized.

"Not just that," Galdae realized, confusing him. "I-It's like he said, it's like his snapping thread," she closed her eyes and focused.

Her mana shrunk to the size of her shape but twice her width. Her mana wiggled before bursting slowly and randomly in some places.

"Galdae-In's always had good control," Obito explained. "I've had more than enough time to train plenty of the Hunters Guild. They're all likely a step above most Guilds in mana control as a collective."

"Hmph," Yoon-Ho's eyes squinted in challenge while Jong-In wore a sly smirk.

"For now, this is likely to be different for each of you," the Demonic Mage chuckled. "You all don't just need to start with that but to also get used to ensheathing yourself in your mana. As you do this, you're thickening it, you're creating a 'cushion' that lowers the damage you take for more mana. But getting better at this will give you a much needed defense-increase."

Jin-Woo crossed his arms in thought before releasing a slow breath.

The shadows around his feet flickered before swirling up his form and forming on him like a bodysuit.

"I've been getting a lot better at that," he said with a smile as the others blinked in confusion. "Shuushuu helped greatly with this idea, it's been very life-changing as I figure out how to make use of my Shadows and shadow more."

Bearing a seemingly form-fitting 'suit' of mana that had powerful purple accents around the center of his chest, side of his face, and joints, the [Player's] very existence seemed to fill their minds.

'It's not even close to the same,' Yoon-Ho thought flatly. 'This is just some mana exercise?' Nope, he didn't believe that. "I'm guessing using this with an element is different."

"Yep," Gina nodded. "Don't make a mistake, pure mana and then elements are different. And 'Elements' are VERY vague," she told them as her outline of mana shifted before becoming invisible.

And yet the air distorted around her.

"It's mana management on a different level."

"Seems tough," Ki-Hoon said. "Will it help with the Jeju Island Raid?"

"It should," Jin-Woo said as he dropped his newest power. "At present, that's not far off so shoving in as much training as we can get is important."

"True, still, aren't you guys planning something?" Cheung asked. "Guild Master has been pretty excited about it and was focusing purely on offensive buffs."

"She's not wrong," Jong-In said as Hae-In cupped her chin.

"Still, to pull off what you're all going to do, what about 'coverage'?" She asked.

"We can only go for so many of us," the redhead explained. "At present, with our 100 members all sporting the Terrain Bangle with hyung's spell within it, we could get half of the island if we flare out properly and safely with Jin-Woo's Shadows aiding the effort."

"We've got to use what we got," Yoon-Ho said with narrowed eyes. "We don't have much time."

"Around two weeks with all the talk going around," Obito said. "So, let's not waste it."

~NRK~

~A Day Later, [Demon Tower] Floor 75~

Looking down on that skull-faced specter, the party, including one Il-Hwan and Kyung-Hye, readied themselves.

The demonic woman remained at the back in a shin-length black cloak, wearing a gray turtleneck, scale-coated tight black pants, and a pair of knee-high brown boots with some rings on her fingers.

Before them sat an outrageous army of undead, numbers that seemingly went so high that it was comical in amount.

And, at the 'end' of them, sat their Ruler with an White Name.

[The Guide of Souls, Metus]

He was large, maybe 20-feet-tall, with a skull for a head bearing red eyes, rugged black fur that filled his tattered salmon cloak and formed a long pair of horns on the sides of his noggin.

Wielding limbs covered in sickening mud-red skin with gnarly fingernails, a long bone necklace & corset, and a tattered yellow tassel that fell to the bottom of his cloak.

He raised his hands and they released an incredible glow that spread over his ghoulish Zombies, Undead Knights, Arch Liches, and Death Ogres before the army of creature glowed with a sickening purple cloud-like power.

"Z-Z-Zombies?!" Kyung-Hye shrieked as Joo-Hee nodded quickly with similar pale skin.

"Y-Yep, t-those are zombies," she squeaked.

Jin-Ah's eyebrow trembled at the sight. "It's not… That bad," she said weakly as Gina pat her shoulder.

"Sadly, this is rough even for us," the Psion said as the men nodded. "So, if ya want, you guys could stay back."

"Nope, I-I gotta get stronger mentally, too."

"I'll do the usual," Joo-Hee told them as Jin-Woo nodded before growing sheepish.

He pecked her on the cheek, red in the face himself.

"IGRIS, WE'RE GOING!" He shouted as he left the area as quickly as that kiss happened.

Joo-Hee froze, eyes wide, jaw dropped, and face the brightest red they'd ever seen.

Jin-Ah scrutinized her for a moment. "... I-I wonder if I could pull that off," she murmured, running ahead while activating Hi-Sense.

The flow of battle had gone so far in their favor it was nearly boring.

Using Obito's new mana method with only utility-based Skills/Spells being passed between the group, they found their control over it growing by leaps and bounds as they obliterated undead after undead, the large number of them actually working as a benefit for training of all things.

---

Half an hour later, Jin-Woo whistled at his loot, putting on a new necklace that had activated the first set effect of the Demon Set.

"I'm probably never taking these off, like, forever," Jin-Woo declared as Gina rolled up Metus's cloak.

"This got anything good in it?" The American-Korean asked as he Observed it.

{NAME: GUIDESMAN'S CLOTH}

{RANK: S}

{TYPE: MATERIAL}

{A SPECIAL MATERIAL RIPPED FROM THE GUIDE OF SOULS'S CLOAK, THIS CLOTH CAN BE USED IN THE CREATION OF HIGHLY-RESISTANT EQUIPMENT OR ARMOR}

"Oh, that's good, it's good for gaining resistances," the [Player] said.

"Alright, that's gonna go into my cloak ASAP."

"So, these aren't Shadows, are they?" Obito asked as Kyung-Hye was guided over via Joo-Hee, several Cavalry Shadows, and Il-Hwan.

"Nope, the [System] says their mana is 'contaminated', whatever that means," Jin-Woo said. "It's confusing, I mean, why would these ones be any different from Igris & the Knights? These were all made by the [System], right?" He frowned.

"That's the concerning part," Il-Hwan said despite knowing the truth. "But, sometimes, it's for a reason."

Jin-Woo nodded before looking at a pop-up at his side. "Ah, cool, I finished the Quest," he told them. "Went over by, like, 200 souls."

~NRK~

This one, what will you do? Baran asked. The Architect will interfere, Ashborn.

The boy's greatest desires have come together. 'Ashborn' spoke, the two's gaze down upon the 'world' and minding the ongoings of those two Vessels. What more could he need…?

He will gain power in time. Baran considered.

He has gathered powerful allies. Ashborn observed.

His powers had accelerated.

His future is set.

The two looked thoughtful.

Weapons… Baran considered as Ashborn hummed. Armor? Minions?

What of your own, Baran? Does he not need more power?

The 'Crown' holds my traits and parts of my soul. Baran explained, surprising Ashborn. Come now, it's like your own future gift, my Chosen simply has gained his maturity faster.

Ashborn's gaze snapped to the world below as Baran grew confused.

Maturity… Baran, that's it. Ashborn realized.

And that is…?

His comrades are still not strong enough, not even your Chosen, but especially not my own. They need to Ascend.

Is that wise? Four of them have already departed slightly from their humanity, my Chosen being the biggest example seeing as he is almost completely a demon.

Yes but they are different from the other 'Hunters', they have gained bits and pieces of the [System] for themselves, they, too, should benefit from becoming a stronger 'Class'.

Do as you please, my Chosen will find his way.

~NRK~

Collecting his rewards had come with something shocking.

"Wait, WHATTTTTTTT?" Jin-Woo's jaw dropped.

After receiving the Cursed Random Box, gaining a very confusing key in response that he'd saved for later, he'd taken his extra stats and pushed them into 'rounding off' his numbers.

But then he'd gotten something shocking from the 'Hidden Item' reward.

{NAME: CLOAKED APOSTLE JOB PERMIT}

{ITEM RANK: S}

{TYPE: PERMIT}

{NAME: SENSOR QUEEN JOB PERMIT}

{ITEM RANK: S}

{TYPE: PERMIT}

{NAME: PSIONIC TUNER JOB PERMIT}

{ITEM RANK: S}

{TYPE: PERMIT}

"Y-You guys have Job Change Permits," he said, shocked, as the others gathered around. "At least, Joo-Hee, Jin-Ah, and sungmo do."

Handing the three their permits, they grew confused as they read them.

"We need to reach a Level Cap?" Joo-Hee said unsurely as Jin-Woo cupped his chin before realizing something.

"Igris, Tank, come out."

The Shadows-in-question arrived, their stats apparent to him.

"Is this something that those connected to me go through? Will my Shadows Level-Up as well?" Jin-Woo wondered.

"These things are gonna give us a Skill once we reach the Cap of '30'," Gina told them.

"Thirty?" Jin-Ah said, confused. "Um, mine is '40'."

"Same," Joo-Hee said.

"So, they need to gain more Levels compared to Gina," Obito summarized.

"What's going on? W-What are these 'level' things?" Kyung-Hye asked as she looked at her status screen.

"Huh, right, did you Level-Up, mom?" Jin-Woo asked as he checked his [Party List]. "That's weird, you actually have a normal 'Lv.'," he said.

[PARTY]

[PARTY MEMBERS: 7] (Floor: 75)

Sung Jin-Woo - Shadow Lord - Lv. 93

Obito Uchiha - Dimension Baron - Lv. ? + 26 **

Lee Joo-Hee - White Cloak - Lv. ? + 31 **

Gina Acollete - Grand Psion - Lv. ? + 24 **

Sung Jin- Ah - Sensory Princess - Lv. ? + 32 **

Sung Il-Hwan - ?

Park Kyung-Hye - Half-Demon - Lv. 15

[LIST ENDS]

"Wait, what's with the stars?" Jin-Ah asked. "... Is it Job Change Potential?" She wondered.

"You three just got the ability but Obito didn't," Il-Hwan considered.

Jin-Woo remembered the Demonic Crown Quest. "No, he did," he told them.

He explained the Quest he'd received in the middle of fighting Vulcan, the others looking alarmed while Obito nodded.

"He told me during the fight but I guess this cinches what type of upgrade it is. That said, we're likely going to find out tomorrow."

~NRK~

~The Next Day~

Friday afternoon, Obito and Kyung-Hye finished Gina's new cloak.

"Unnie," the male sibling chuckled as his sister giggled. "You're actually incredibly good at handling cloth."

"I mean, Jin-Woo had some of his old stuff in a box and I wanted to fix them, I couldn't help myself," Kyung-Hye admitted. "I found your needle set and did it, I, erm, didn't know it was all magic," she said sheepishly.

"Hey, it's a good skill to have nowadays."

"All done, Love & sis?" Gina came over with a grin as Kyung-Hye nodded with a look of wonder in her eyes. "I can tell, she's enjoying this," she chuckled as Obito smirked.

"You're not wrong," he said as they got up and offered her the new dark red cloak.

Taking it and putting it on, Gina hummed as she glowed before it all moved like a second limb. "Metus had total control over this, he was just too much of a 'Mage' to make use of it," she realized as she held up out her hand and the cloak extended via her mana alone.

It coiled around her front in patterns.

"Yes, with both its stretchy quality, some enhancement from my own ability to craft things, and Kye's surprising ability to thread finely, it's able to stretch past thirty feet… And we stopped before it got any further," Obito added sheepishly.

"That so? Love, I'm gonna play around with this, trust me."

"With that squared away," Kyung-Hye giggled. "How about you both inform me more about your love life?"

The engaged pair grinned in unison.

---

"Oppa, how?" Kyung-Hye's jaw dropped as Obito wore a nervous smile while Gina snickered.

Eating within a cafe in some casual clothes, the trio talked for a good hour.

"It's not all his fault, he was being a full-time guardian, a total teacher, my drinking buddy, and a Miner/Advisor. He wears many hats," she told her sister-in-law-to-be.

Lots of 'dashes' in that title.

"I mean, I suppose, b-but you never made a move?"

Gina sputtered as Obito wore a sheepish, embarrassed, smile. "I-I just, uh, didn't think about it too much. I mean, yeah, I knew he was hot but you gotta look at it from my side of things," she stammered.

"Your side of things, ey?" Obito smirked as she bumped his shoulder with a pout. "Yes, yes," he pecked her on the cheek. "I know~ I'm no good at making a move like that, either, for us we lucked-out by being comrades first."

"Is that so? I suppose it makes sense, oppa has always been someone who needs to warm up to you first," Kyung-Hye said as Gina nodded.

"Yep, that makes sense," she smirked as she pat his hand before Obito held hers, Gina grinning at his own smirk. "Like, would you believe the amount of women who came out of the woodworks when he was even a Miner?"

"What?"

"That did happen," Obito remembered as his lover snorted. "It's been a while since I've thought about those days."

"Stop being old, buddy, you're gonna give me a wrinkle."

"Oh please, as if you're gonna be worried about that as we are."

"Ah, yes, that is something I'm curious about," Kyung-Hye whispered as the two nodded. "So, we're literally almost 40 but there's not a wrinkle in place," she touched her cheeks. "I know I've taken to more training with you all since I awoke but my youth feels like it returned in an odd way."

"Being part-Demon makes us think that our lifespans increased," Obito told her as her face went blank before her head tilted. "Come now, noona, surely that's not that crazy."

"I-I mean, no, I suppose it's not but how much of 'that' is in me? In you?"

"Sadly, likely almost 100% of my being," Obito told her, alarming his sibling. "Yes, I sought power to protect everyone and that's where it led me. The thing is, it's not like I'm not human-looking, my physiology just changed."

"I mean, yes, you don't have horns, wings, or a tail. Speaking of, you both are?"

Gina explained everything about that, how she, herself, sought power, how hers worked, what she'd done to herself, and how that all fed into helping the mother wake up.

"I'm truly thankful, to all of you, I worried about a lot of this," Kyung-Hye said. "I sometimes fear that I've not awoken, that I've just dreamed all of this up," she admitted. "But the difference is that this all has 'weight' while my 'Slumber' was nearly drowning."

"That's true, didn't the doctors reach out to you?" Gina asked as the mother nodded.

"I gave them an account of all I felt while within my Eternal Slumber, they're still wondering how I awoke."

"Sadly, it's not something we plan on 'completing' just yet," Obito admitted. "At present, Kye, we can NOT reveal this. You're part-demon, we're all bearing power beyond our station that's not recognized yet, and then there's just some stuff on the horizon."

"Jeju Island."

"Yes, it's currently the biggest occasion. The Japanese Hunters are going to arrive tomorrow."

"I'm hoping things go well," she told the engaged couple.

"Same," Gina said. "But let's focus on brighter matters, for example, you and your husband trying for your third child."

Kyung-Hye held her own cheeks with a red-cheeked smile.

~NRK~

Jin-Woo smiled at Joo-Hee as they ate more of those amazing crepes.

"I'll be honest, did not think these would taste this good," he laughed as she beamed, their food half-done as they moved down the street. "Still, it's good to find time for dates like this, usually, we're BUSY."

"It's getting crazy," she told him, free-flowing hair shifting in the gentle Summer wind.

The [Player's] eyes caught it as his cheeks reddened. 'I knew I had a thing for brightly-colored hair but hers is so bright,' and had it gotten longer?

Did being a 'Cloak' give her a 'cloak of hair'?

He sweatdropped. "I'm an idiot," Jin-Woo said to himself as he finished his food.

"Hmm?" She turned to him, cheeks full of pastry as he smirked a bit.

"Just thinking about your hair and how long it's gotten," he admitted as she grew flustered, swallowing her food.

"O-Oh, well, if you'd want you could feel it," Joo-Hee said with red cheeks as his jaw dropped.

"Seriously?" No, wait, not 'seriously'! Was he an idiot?!

Who just asked their girlfriend if he could touch her hair?!

"Look, sorry, that's just my inner thoughts."

"N-No, seriously, it's fine if you want. It's not like couples don't do stuff like that."

His cheeks reddened some more before he nodded.

They moved to a park before Jin-Woo helped her get seated wherein which they noticed something surprising.

Her hair moved on its own, shifting out of the way to her side.

"Hold on, suddenly this is more interesting," he said in confusion as Joo-Hee stared at her moving hair.

"W-W-What's happening?" She asked him in disbelief.

"Joo-Hee, it's not like I know… Unless my own hair starts moving."

They looked up at his medium-length locks before he sighed in relief as she pouted.

He chuckled before holding her hand that caressed her hair, the two of them looking down at it.

Jin-Woo combed his fingers through it gently, eyebrow raising as they froze within.

"Wait, this actually feels crazy," he said in shock as he pet it and grew relaxed as Joo-Hee giggled.

"I can kind of feel it," she said sheepishly.

They stopped, blinking at it again as they replayed their words.

"W-Wait, I can feel it?!"

"Suddenly this got really crazy, so, wait," he squinted at it before making a circle with his finger. "How's this feel?"

"Like a scalp massage," Joo-Hee sweatdropped as he twitched his fingers through her hair. "H-Hey!" She blushed, pouting at him as his cheeks reddened and he stoppe- "I-I didn't say stop…" She looked away, face burning as his jaw dropped.

Sung Jin-Woo felt the 'urge' and, so, he made his move as he leaned down with a scheme.

"Look, it's just a bit funny," he chuckled in her ear, alarming the red-faced woman as she turned to him with the biggest of pouts-

He stole them, her lips and mind, as she remained vulnerable and defenseless to his firm and electric lips.

They parted, his face the reddest she'd ever seen.

But if she looked in a mirror, Joo-Hee was sure she had him beat as she steamed like a lobster.

"O-Oh," they said in unison, embarrassed to the high heavens.

~NRK~

Jin-Ho nodded to his father & mother as they ate in a restaurant.

With Jin-Ah, Il-Hwan, Song-Yi, and Soo-Hyun.

'This is kinda crazy,' the 'Princess' thought as she ate more of that shrimp alfredo. "Sorry, what's going on?" She asked Jin-Ho.

"Just telling father about our upcoming Raid," he told her as she nodded.

"From what our scouts tell us?" Song-Yi chimed in as the Yoo-Jin CEO raised a brow. "It's going to be a stony region with a bunch of caves full of beast-based monsters."

"So, it'll probably be full of flyers?"

"Nope, the area's wind currents are low, it's likely going to be ones that crawl."

"So, beastly and crawly," Jin-Ah considered as Il-Hwan raised a brow at them, keeping silent. "We could be looking at monsters that could quickly scale cliffs, ya know. So, expect fast and sturdy types, probably several Golems, maybe tigers or lions. Maybe even lion/tiger beastmen."

The other two perked up as Jin-Ho's father grew intrigued.

Yoo Myunghan was a tall man of mature age, slightly wrinkled fair skin, neatly-combed gray hair, and slender build. Bearing a familiar, but more seasoned, pair of gray eyes, he wore a neat-looking brown suit with black dress shoes.

"You all are so knowledgeable?" The oldest among them asked with interest.

"Ahem, Mr. Uchiha trains us often and helps us understand monster-to-environment relationships, father," Jin-Ho told him. "Though Jin-Ah & Song-Yi have more experience than I do in just the number of Gates."

"It's simply how things go, after all, you have extra duties to accomplish," the gray-haired man said while looking across at Il-Hwan. "And you, sir, helped give birth to quite the interesting man my son has become comrades with."

"Indeed, my son and Jin-Ho have had a pretty good friendship. I'm glad he found more people he could be himself around," Il-Hwan said.

"Ah, I'm glad for Jin-Ho as well."

"Wait, no, I meant my boy."

"Is he also lonely due to 'circumstances'?"

Il-Hwan wore an impressed expression as Jin-Ho's jaw dropped while Soo-Hyun cleared her throat, and laughter, at that moment. "Indeed, he sadly wasn't always social but he found himself with a social circle, I'm glad," he smiled.

"I'm of the same mind, after all, though sociable Jin-Ho has dealt with a different 'hand' when it comes to sociability," Myung-Han smiled calmly.

The two fathers lost themselves in a conversation about their sons.

Jin-Ho wore a trembling brow. "I'm sooo glad father has been… Monitoring my progress in friendships," he said weakly.

Jin-Ah chuckled knowingly.

~NRK~

~Demon Tower, Floor 76~

{QUEST!}

{NORMAL QUEST: COLLECT DEMON SOULS! (PART II)}

THE MONARCH OF THE DEMONS, BARAN, IS RESIDING ON THE HIGHEST FLOOR OF THE DEMON CASTLE.

ELIMINATE BARAN AND COLLECT HIS SOUL.

QUEST COMPLETION REQUIREMENT:

-ELIMINATE THE DEMON KING

REWARD(S):

-1. HIGHEST QUALITY RUNESTONE : [SHADOW EXCHANGE]

-2. BONUS STATS + 30

-3. HIDDEN REWARD

-4. DEMONIC CROWN

}

Informing the others, Jin-Woo came to a conclusion.

"I'm guessing this 'Baran' guy is going to have the Crown," he said sarcastically as Gina smirked.

"What was the first clue?" She said as the air throbbed with heat that was immediately combated by rings of adjusted mana ala Gina Acollete & Obito Uchiha. "Come on," the Psion flared out her cloak.

Several bits and pieces detached before covering the others entirely save for Obito.

Who looked out over the horizon with a thoughtful expression, body thrumming with the world at large. "I wonder if there are 'Floors' in my dimension," he told the others.

"Is that a normal thing for Gates? Or, um, Dungeons?" His sibling asked. "Are they the same thing?"

"Using 'Gates' would be for entryways," Gina supplied helpfully. "While 'Dungeons' are typically used for the interior but most people are lenient about it. As for your first question, sometimes."

"Alright, let's do this," Jin-Woo said as his Shadows shot up from the ground. "We're taking the usual path! Follow your group leaders!"

~NRK~

~Two Hours Later~

Leveling, fighting, searching, and moving had rewarded them with Entry Permits all the way up to the 80th floor.

Which is where things got shocking.

The others rushed to Obito's location at his [Party Call].

As it turned out, using the [Party System] for such extended periods gave them access to small Commands.

[Party Call] - Which let others know your location and hurry towards it.

[Party Rush] - Which used the caller's mana to automatically summon his fellow Party Members.

[Inventory Pass] - Which allowed one member to automatically pass an item to the others via mana.

Seeing as mana was one of the things they all shared in large quantities, and Kyung-Hye surprisingly almost had mana as much as Jin-Woo, they were easily able to abuse it by sending most small Junk Items to Jin-Woo for selling, holding, or Observation.

So, they hurried to Obito's location, minds wondering what he'd have found.

And when they reached him? Um…

"Why the hell are they bowing to you?" Jin-Woo asked with a nervous smile as Obito wore one of his own at the quartet of Demon Nobles, and their steed, bowing to him. "Shuushuu?"

"S-Shuushuu?!" One of them shrieked, one that sounded like a woman. "Y-You've brought your royal family?!"

"Once again, I have no idea what you're talking about," the Uchiha said as the others of the [Party] gathered around. "Who are you? Why the hell are you bowing to me?"

"W-We'd never wish to offend a Demon King!"

That bit of info gained their attention.

"What do you mean?" Jin-Woo asked as he crossed his arms. "How do you know that?"

"I-It's engraved within us but it's confusing," she said, helmet looking up. "I thought… Are you not Baran?"

Obito cupped his chin even as his body throbbed in response.

"For now, he's a candidate to take the throne," Jin-Woo told her, surprising the Demon Noble. "But he needs to get to the top floor and, right, we need the Entry Permit for the next Floor."

~NRK~

Ashborn, w-what is this?

This is a confusing recollection of data taken from the souls of your armies.

The two looked on in confusion as Baran's eyes closed.

I can't apologize, Baran, but I wish there'd been another way. Ashborn told him.

Nay, this is what I brought them into, what became of them is sadly what I desired by going against you. Baran declared somberly. But, surely-

I didn't go on a spree, Baran, I'd never go that far. There were others that I locked away in an alternate plain to stop any rebellions but I never went for their lives.

What of now? That Chosen of mine will gain my power but he will rule nothing?

Ashborn considered that before his gaze narrowed in interest as Baran wore a sheepish expression.

Perhaps not, after all, in a weird amount of irony… Baran grew confused as Ashborn grew amused. He connected to it.

The other being's eyes widened.

He's rebuilding a world alongside the divide between their sealed plane and his spatial pocket. Ashborn rubbed his chin. The demons, your people, have been spatially-displaced. If I return them, it'll be like the very day after our fight for them.

Anything is better than them never being allowed to breath again, Ashborn.

I know, I understand, but that's going to push the issue with the Architect, Baran. Once they're returned, there's no veil, he'll know.

~NRK~

And that had led the group towards a demon castle within the [Demon Tower].

Walking with that four-demon entourage, Jin-Woo's senses observed the one leading them. 'A demon princess? I'm not sure what's going on, why the hell is this place so complex?' He thought, looking at the others.

Il-Hwan nodded, frowning deeply at the long steep trail of stairs they took to the princess's home, the Radir Clan Castle.

"Tell me, hime-sama, who are you?" Obito asked as Gina cupped her chin, the Demon Noble locking onto the limb-in-question.

"A-Another demon?" She asked in alarm, her hands coming up to take off her helmet. "Erm, I'm Esil Radir of the Radir Clan, the oldest princess of our patriarch."

Being a moderate height woman with fair skin, pointed ears with small golden earring braces, long purple hair with two long bangs coming down by her ears, and blood-red eyes with thick eyeshadow that formed 'ticks' down and above her eyes.

"We're one of the 20 demon clans who protect the [Demon Tower]."

"Curious," Gina observed as Jin-Woo nodded. "So, shot in the dark, each of the next 19 Floors is gonna have a Clan in them, aren't they?"

"Yes, w-we are the weakest and that puts us on the farthest floor from our Liege," Esil said.

'Weak?' Jin-Woo's eyebrows rose.

Even if he was sure he could easily defeat her, Esil was clearly on the level of a high-end S-Rank.

Likely, only Jong-In, Hae-In, and Gun-Hee from Korea could handle her while Ryuji & Kanae could beat her within Japan.

'And Thomas Andre or Dong-Su could beat her just as easily,' she wasn't wrong in the grand scheme.

But in terms of 'humans'? She was very much at the top of the 'chain'.

Which only meant the other Clans would be incredibly strong, no?

"So, will your father truly allow us to get the Entry Permit?" He asked.

"Hmm, I… I'm sure this can be done diplomatically," Esil said unsurely.

Going through the front door, Esil requested an audience with her father and had the group going through a number of rooms before reaching an audience chamber.

And seated at the end of it within a large throne was a man with similar skin, ears, and eyes to Esil. Bearing long black hair, a beard & goatee combo, and eyebrows that reached beyond his eyes to form angular squiggles on his face, this man looked at the group in terror.

"W-Who are these people?" He asked fearfully.

"A Demon King candidate," Esil cleared her throat and gestured to the Party. "His wife, siblings, nephew, and nieces," she declared as Joo-Hee's cheeks reddened at the implication.

"W-What?! I'm sorry, Demon Baron, this wasn't meant to be insulting!"

"At ease, it's quite literally you trying to protect your own, that's not an issue as long as we're all fine," Obito declared. "For now, we need to get moving, can you offer us a Permit?"

"Hmm… I apologize for my indecisiveness, I can," the actual demon snapped his fingers. "Bring it," he told one of his bearers who hurried off. "For now, could I offer you some food? Drink?"

---

While they waited, and ate, Obito had seen fit to ask Esil for an interesting favor.

"O-Oh, I could show you," she told him, surprising the man and his group.

"Wait, you can smith?" Il-Hwan asked.

"Yes, of my siblings, I've become the most-skilled and was given the ability to move about and protect our territory," Esil declared proudly.

~NRK~

Obito sat beside the woman as the world around them zeroed-in on the long anvil.

"This is a skill many a demon can't really master," Esil said proudly and obviously.

"Yes, and whoever would teach me would like good-standing, right?" He raised a brow at the throat-clearing princess. "At ease, Esil, it's not like I'm against supporting you."

She perked up. "R-Really?!"

"Yes," despite how long this might not last, seeing as this was all procedurally made, assumably, Obito wasn't even sure if this woman was real.

The [System] was confusing and yet downright godly in design.

To create a 'world' like this one that might not have been real, like with Rasaka's Gate, was concerning. To make such a large Gate that it could easily be the size of a country was mindnumbing.

Gates weren't this big, the only things that were would have been Red Gate but those actually transported you to another world. These were all made for Jin-Woo's development.

"Come on, let's get this underway," Obito smiled for her as Esil beamed.

~NRK~

Hmm? Baran looked thoughtful. This might be a way to regain at least one Clan Head.

How so? Ashborn asked.

You said that one is made up of one of my dead clans' information, no?

A bit of their soul, Baran, but that might not be enough to bring such a person back. She's still been 'programmed' by the Architect.

But can you break it?

Yes, of course, but that'd leave her a few moments to exist before she vanishes due to-

No container.

The silence reigned and yet left Ashborn dumbstruck.

I don't plan to step into your domain, those ones are lost and these 'beings' are merely bits and pieces… But what if those are enough to start? They have all the memories, they have all the knowledge, what they need is a 'higher being' and a 'living container', he can do so with that belt he enhanced with Vulcan's Horns… Ah, of course, we just need them to go back and have him absorb Vulcan and Metus. If he can gain more attributes, that'd give him enough to grant them true demon flesh alongside his queen.

Their passing truly hurt you. Ashborn said more than asked.

I failed them, I failed them and they died. That's not the death a demon of mine should have to go through. Baran declared.

Ashborn looked thoughtful. What is the true end goal for this plan, Baran?

Just to see them again.

Ashborn considered it all before realizing something.

~NRK~

Leaving the castle with Esil in their Party, that left for the Teleportation Circle with Esil's input.

"Most Demons outside of the Noble Clans aren't really worth thinking too hard about!" She shouted over the wind as Tank plowed through the city. "If you need it for training, g-go right ahead!"

"You sure?!" Jin-Woo asked.

"Yes! Just no Nobles on this Floor!"

That gave them all the permission to let loose.

Esil's jaw dropped and quaked as buildings fell en masse, figures moved all over at high speeds that easily kept up with Tank's barreling of the city, and then power & Skill that tore apart demons en masse-?!

She jumped with a squeak, feeling all the EXP rushing over her. "O-O-Oh dear Monarch," w-was this how efficient they were?!

I-If she'd found the wrong one of them SHE'D BE DEAD!

Kyung-Hye chuckled kindly beside her. "Apologies, this can seem a bit odd," she told the 'younger' woman kindly as Esil gawked at her. "But even I'm getting used to this."

"L-Lady Kye, I believe this isn't so cut-and-dry."

"Hmm, that's fair."

~NRK~

~Demon Tower, Floor 82~

Looking at Igris, Tank, and several of the Mage Shadows, they noted their 'Lv. MAX' and Jin-Woo's words about the option to upgrade them.

"So, it's different from us," Jin-Ah realized. "Still, what'd you say those Ranks were?"

"Basic, Normal, Elite, Knight, and Elite Knight are all I've seen. Igris will be the second 'Knight+' I'll ever have seen since Ruka was one from the offset," Jin-Woo explained. "Alright, [Accept]."

The Shadows forms erupted into blaze torrents, each of them being besieged by long-reaching clawed hands and limbs that pulled them into the shadow below them, Jin-Woo's Terrain.

As their transformations finished, he was intrigued.

With Igris gaining an even more slender but taller frame with several horns coming out of his helmet's side, his right shoulder, and the back of his arm, his cloak from before now seemed more and more like a ragged cape.

Tank, meanwhile, gained more powerful-looking glowing mana around his limbs, the large scar on his chest, and down the 'mane' that flowed from his noggin down to the middle of his back.

"So, Igris is now the same level as Ruka."

"The hell he is," said Shadow's head popped out of the floor as Jin-Woo chuckled weakly. "He's good, sure, he's not on my level," Ruka declared as he vanished.

"I think he's more stubborn," Obito chuckled. "So, Ruka & Igris are around S-Rank, maybe as strong as Jong-In is at the moment collectively."

"So, they'd beat Yoon-Ho, Tae-Gyu, Dong-Wook?" Jin-Ah listed off the S-Ranks in Korea.

"It'd be a difficult fight but, yeah, they should be able to. I know Ruka could pretty easily so ya gotta show your grit, Igris," Jin-Woo told his nodding Shadow Knight. "And Tank, you're gonna keep getting better at what you do, bumrushing through enemy lines and buildings."

His family and girlfriend sweatdropped as one at the happy-looking Ice Bear Shadow.

"Alright, with that squared-away, we're getting close," Gina said as her level popped-up. "I'm two away," she told them.

"We're four away," Jin-Ah said as Joo-Hee nodded. "And if shuushuu is like you, sungmo, he's one Level away from hitting '30'. With everything that's going on with him, do you guys think he'll go through something different."

"The strength of a Demon King Candidate will be tested greatly," Esil declared, confusing them.

"Esil?" Obito raised a brow.

"My Liege, you will likely find an individual popping up on one of these Floors who will be like you, a Demon King Candidate who seeks to claim the throne as well."

That got a narrowed gaze from the Uchiha.

"I understand," he said as he nodded to the others. "I guess I'll be finding my 'milestones' soon. Likely, we'll all get Class-based Runestones from this."

"Y-Yes," Esil looked at him in awe as he wore a nervous grin as Jin-Woo smirked. "Indeed! When one of you defeats the other, a Skill will be granted."

"But, wait, Esil. How many of them would he fight?" The [Player] asked.

"Likely two, or three, individuals? Our King remains the last bastion, Sir Jin-Woo, but he's picked his own predecessors before who've failed but wish to try again. Likely, within the last 10 Floors."

More powerful demons, aye?

"Alright, we'll keep a lookout," Il-Hwan said. 'He's being eased into becoming the Demon Monarch,' from what he knew Obito could do?

Likely, he'd be gaining the power to use White Flames soon.

~NRK~

~Floor 88~

Obito noted his 'Lv. MAX' and then Gina's.

The Psion held her Job Permit before nodding and crushing it.

The air around her thrummed as her Permit vanished in flecks of red mana, a number of streams forming around her before coiling up in a burst of mana.

The feeling of it gained all of their attention.

"A Psionic Tuner," Jin-Woo murmured as the window jostled all of their clothing besides Obito's. "I question what this will do for her."

The Demon King Candidate nodded as the winds slowly died down to reveal his fiancee.

And the new glowing red sigil on her forehead and the aura coming from her left eye, its original red iris burning with a slit white pupil.

"That's gonna take some getting used to," she said even as her mana changed, the woman looking at her left arm before clenching her fist.

There was a flash of her mana, body going dark as a network of red appeared while a gold one seemingly sprouted from her left arm.

In that one moment, the golden glow melded with the red before it all went away, Gina grinning as she undid her bandages as glowing red marks formed along her skin.

"Wait, it's back to normal?" Joo-Hee said in shock.

"My newest Skill, [Embodiment], allows me to take in outside mana and meld it into my body as a power boost for a time," the half-American told them. "But, on a personal level, it allows me to even out my own mana and since that arm was considered foreign and 'me', it melded it. Being a 'Tuner' is about tuning mana."

"Well, it's an amazing ability," Obito chuckled as she grinned down at him a bit, his eyebrow raising. "Wait," he walked up to her before lifting up his wife-to-be as she snickered at him. "You're taller-Ah, part-demon," he realized. "Kye's the same way."

Said woman was currently all starry-eyed and squealing as Il-Hwan raised a brow at her. "She is gonna sob at your wedding," he told the two as the Sung siblings smirked or grinned while Joo-Hee giggled.

"W-W-Wedding?!" Esil gasped. "A Queen? W-We never had a Demon Queen before!"

"Really?~" Gina asked, amused, as Obito held her in his arms in a princess carry. "Or you mean someone dating the Demon King?"

"That one."

"Hmph, well, welcome to the new 'norm'."

"Wait, so, how 'demon' are you now?" Jin-Ah asked, amused. "I mean, you melded it to you."

"Around a third-demon, mending it like I did basically enhanced it in balance so I'm a one-third demon," Gina said. "Now, I gotta get better at this Skill, the more I use it I get better."

"After this," Jin-Woo spoke to them. "I think it's time for us to do our Rank Evaluations," he told them all. "Not mom, of course, but dad can reveal his Rank while sungmo can show her changes. Honestly," the [Player] looked at Obito and Jin-Ah. "This will probably get crazy so we'll do it all at once on Sunday or Monday."

"That's gonna be insane," Joo-Hee said as she looked down at her own hands. "I'm not sure if I'm one yet or not, Woo."

"I think it'll come through no matter what at the end of this [Tower]," he told her. "For now, let's focus ahead. Esil, so, these guys who are gonna fight shuushuu, any idea on what they're like?"

"O-Oh!" The demon heiress looked surprised before nodding. "Well, I can only tell you they'll be from one of the other Noble Clans but I know one thing about them," she looked at Obito. "They've practiced the White Element."

"What?" Il-Hwan knew what was happening but asked anyway.

"Baran, our King, is known as the Monarch of White Flames but that's deceptive. He's also capable of unleashing powerful lightning attacks via his fire and his longsword."

Gina jotted that down mentally.

"The White Element is either fire or lightning, usually, but only the Demon King can utilize them as one 'element'."

"I see," Obito said. 'I've long since been using electricity attacks but…' She'd used lightning, not just electricity.

There was going to be a big discrepancy between his moves and those of these other supposed 'Candidates'.

"Is this teachable, Esil?" He requested.

"I just know that it's something they're born with the affinity for, my Liege."

So, he'd be getting those as Runestones, good to know.

"I think we all get it," Jin-Woo said. "Let's get moving. Jin-Ah and Joo-Hee are close to their Class-Ups, too."

~NRK~

~Two Hours Later, Floor 93~

There were three situations at hand as they faced off against this Floor's Noble Demons.

One, well.

Jin-Woo bisected another Demon Knight as white flames burned a trail into the earth around them, the very reach of it getting a frown out of him as a crackle of light blue slammed into the originator.

They found the first Demon King Candidate.

Two, his sister and girlfriend had reached their own Level Caps.

And, three, his mother had learned a thing about demon spells.

Notably, Fire Spells and a Transformation Spell.

That's why she did her best to help Joo-Hee attack from an insane distance.

Flaming arrows rained down around the area with explosive ends, demon upon demon falling to them with wide-reaching buffs the group had going on.

And yet this castle siege was going slow, an hour's time was what it took for them to get past one of the 90s Floors, making it clear how different this all was.

'If I'd been doing this all on my own, some of these fights might have taken well over 4 hours,' if he was lucky. 'That much time for one Floor, now, is no good.'

He looked up as another lance of flames melted one-tenth of the castle they were on.

---

Obito grimaced within Demon Form, his wings flaring out before unleashing a coiling number of high-speed threads.

They slammed into his opponent's chest and sent him flying into a nearby mountain before he slammed against the demon's chest with both his feet.

The area around them erupted as threads crackled.

"DAI SENKO!"

The eruption of blue light carved into the mountain around the demonic fighters, a trail of explosions tearing through the side of the mountain as their knees slammed together.

The Demon Noble's two mouths opened as flames spun within both.

Obito grit his teeth before a dual fist strike punched in the demon's throat.

The explosion of skin-searing flames shot past his side as he tilted out of the way, his form shooting back around the opposing demon as the sky lit-up for a moment.

"He's a completely different threat compared to Vulcan and Metus," he hissed as Cerberus found themselves in his hands, the entirety of his shoulder hissing bare of its transformation before it reknit itself. "Flames are seriously my greatest aide and yet biggest weakness," he shot towards the Demon Noble with his arms crossed.

He stopped short ahead of him as a ball of fire exploded before Obito's arms swung out.

A sparking 'X' carved apart the fire and scarred his opponent's chest.

The Uchiha's right sickle spun in the air as he slammed his hand through the opening of his opponent's chest and out the back in that moment with the demon's heart in his grasp.

The Demon Noble choked on his reddish-purple blood, mouths spilling it en masse before it all glowed.

'Even now?!' Shit! Upclose that was actually deadly!

Obito saw the entirety of the demon's mana surge into the attack, the potency of this attack likely being on a far greater scale than before.

Which meant he couldn't let it release it!

His thread formed around them at high speeds, Terrain forming around them in an instant as his left hand sent his sickle flying far into the horizon.

The attack was launched.

And Obito activated [Gate Maker].

~NRK~

Jin-Woo stumbled in shock as the floor shook, the air rumbled, and a tower of white flames shot into the far-off sky in splitting beams.

"SHUUSHUU?!" He shouted as the entirety of the event kept going.

The amount of heat even reached them here as it slowly died down.

And then the entirety of the clouds split in half as a pair of dots floated in the air.

Jin-Woo released a shaking breath before he used [Party Rush].

Obito's groaning form appeared on the floor beside him with his dead opponent in his grasp, half his body anyway.

With the recently-a-demon man bearing half of his transformed state with a completely bare upper-half covered in several burns, one of his sickles sat half-melted in his left hand's grasp.

"Shuushuu!" He kneeled at the groaning man's side as Obito's left eye cracked open.

"Ohhh, God, Woo," the Uchiha winced as his nephew slowly helped him up. "I… Did not expect this kind of power," he told the [Player] who nodded.

"That White Element, it's incredibly powerful," he observed. "And this isn't the most dangerous one, is it?"

"If we assume the Lightning-user is on a higher floor? Yes, this wasn't even the worst of it," Obito sighed as he put his sickles within his Ravenous Wrapping's hold. "Thankfully, this might fix them," he pat his most recent upgrade.

With Vulcan's Horns, he'd melded them into his Spirit Sash.

Now capable of holding up to 400 pounds worth of material, bearing a new set of [Demon Tower] symbolism, and sporting a blue skull-shaped buckle on the front, they'd come with a curious addition.

They could replicate demon material of whatever he 'fed' it.

Having been feeding it every bit of demon material he could like fangs, weapons & armor, blood, and all other bits, the belt's 'repertoire' had grown greatly even if it could only replicate things on a smaller level compared to the material fed into it.

"Wait, uncle, we should go back to grab Vulcan and Metus's bodies," Jin-Woo realized. "That might even speed up its material ability."

Obito blinked. "I didn't think about it, what with Vulcan being so big," he realized. "Still, we have to end this fight-" He began to say before a screen appeared in the two's peripheral.

{ENEMY SLAIN}

{DEMON NOBLE KARCHE HAS BEEN SLAIN, ALLOWING THE DEMON CANDIDATE TO SUCCEED HIM AND HIS BELONGINGS.

REWARD(S):

-1. HIGHEST QUALITY RUNESTONE: [WHITE ELEMENT: FLAMES]

-2. PASSIVE: [DEMONOLOGY: ARCH LUNGS]

-3. OTUS CLAN SMITHING PASS

}

"Wait, seriously?" Jin-Woo said as they read what had been rewarded. "Wait, that Clan Pass allows you to use their resources to auto-create one object from demon materials."

"And it's guaranteed to be an S-Rank item," Obito read it over. "That's… What in the world do I use it on?" He considered. "Ignoring how good the first two rewards are, that last one means I can use it on anything," the demon's eyes narrowed. "And that's why I'm not going to use it here, I'm saving it for the Final Floor and will see what he drops for materials."

"Good idea. For now, though, how's that Skill looking?"

The world around them rumbled as a large Ancient Demon fell through a part of the castle, Shadows piercing its throat en masse.

"For later!"

~NRK~

~Floor 50~

The half an hour it took to finish Floor 93 was definitely a mark to tell them they needed to rest.

That's why they made the trip back down to the previous Field Bosses' Floors.

With Metus's skull and flesh taken, they did the same for Vulcan's surprisingly not-decomposed corpse.

"I really don't know if some of this stuff is real or not," Jin-Woo admitted as Obito's Ravenous Wrapping slowly absorbed Vulcan from the head down, the entirety of the demon being absorbed alongside its blood splatters.

"I'm pretty sure it half-real and half-not," Joo-Hee told him, confusing the Sung man. "I… I can feel things within them, w-weird things, I didn't know what it was at first but now I'm sure," she moved to stand beside him. "I believe some of the Demon Nobles, Ancient Demons, definitely a lot of the Low Demons, and the rare animals around have some manner of soul in them."

"Some?"

"It's weird but after becoming a White Cloak, I've noticed a lot of my senses became fine-tuned. And with Ahn's Hi-Sense being used so often, I've sort of figured it out, some of these have a bit of literal souls in them but it's weak and surrounded by an empty husk. Even… even Esil's."

They looked back at the happy princess currently eating some of Obito's pre-made food with the others.

"I-It's some weird design by the [System] but I can't help but feel like that's wrong."

"It's too much info, it's too neat and well-compiled," Jin-Woo said as she nodded. "But it's not 'perfect', they've got emotions, fears, understandings, methods, culture, and more. This, Joo-Hee, I think all of this is 'real' but only because it's based on something 'true'."

"The other world," she answered as he nodded. "You remember what you told us about Ruka's place? I think you're right, this isn't a pocket of the other world but it's been made to look like one. Most of these Floors stopped looking like Seoul, after all."

"True. I guess I just wonder what this means for her."

If this was truly all 'fake', then what did that mean for Esil and her family? What did this mean for her? For this world?

Joo-Hee held his hand as they looked over this landscape.

"I-It's weird, I know it is," she began bashfully as he smiled softly at her. "But, for however long this is 'real', for however long she exists, I think we should do our absolute best," Joo-Hee told him. "The 'Esil' before us is just as normal as any person, I don't want to think of her as just some NPC we'll never see again."

~NRK~

… Baran was befuddled as they 'watched'.

More and more, looking on as that group traversed the [Tower] in the name of the Radir Clan.

I am curious, Baran, this clan… Was this not the Clan you favored? Ashborn asked.

…

I'm surprised by how these times of ours work sometimes, by how much fate can settle its hand into matters like these. They desire to help them as much as you do.

Why? The Demon Monarch asked, his confusion apparent. Despite knowing she is not like them, not as real as her soul fragment would be, even while being cautious of the [System]... Why?

Humans, as we've observed, are confusing in every scope.

A 'vision' opened at their side.

One that showed the lifetime of one Obito Uchiha. His suffering, his beginnings, his failures, his emotions.

They watched that human become a monster who barely found the right path again, who found what it meant to stop hurting to the world and try to at least amend for his sins.

I don't understand how these humans can continue on after such a life. Ashborn said. I don't know why he sought love despite it scarring him quite literally time and time again. What pushed him forward? What pushed any of them forward?

That one, Sung Jin-Ah, wanted to be a doctor to help people but mostly her mother.

Despite that goal being attained, why did she still wish to be a doctor?

To help others who'd suffered like she, no?

Why did the one known as Sung Il-Hwan withhold his hand after learning of his son's 'true nature'? He was clearly 'in possession' of one of Them and yet he'd not raised his hand.

Because he loved his son more than even a god's hand could push, no?

All of them, their fears, their wants, their courage.

Humans were emotional beings at their core and, despite all the ones he'd see up to this point who showed a 'demon's heart', he found the 'gems'.

They found the ones who stepped beyond the others because they were good people.

Baran's mind replayed all he knew as they watched Uchiha Obito finish his 'gathering', his lover coming to land beside him.

"Do you think this whole place is gonna go up in smoke after we're done?" That woman, Gina Acolette, asked him as the two looked out into the horizon.

"This place is falsely-made, sadly, I don't know how that ends for Esil and them. Despite feeling kinship with each of them, I'm not sure if this is a situation I can step in on. They call me a 'King', Gina," Obito said. "Even in this reality, it's odd. They taught me methods I didn't know, they consider it a great honor for me to represent them against the other Noble Clans, and they hope for us to win, I don't know these people but they're not evil. They're not bad people… But 'winning', in the end, I don't know if that'll help them."

Baran's eyes closed. Ashborn, just… Just this once. I need to interact with him, blatantly.

Ashborn frowned. You know that this is one chance, is now the time?

Nay, when they gain the Crown.

Hm, I believe you've gained a curious insight on these humans.

Aye, I have. Besides, we can't just drop a dimension on a person like this. Baran smirked as Ashborn cleared his throat. There'd be no proper way to explain that, we have to be blatant.

Very well but it'll be on a needle-thin thread, we don't know how long they'll 'stick around' as human idioms say. How do we know he won't just put it on outside the [Demon Tower]? Ashborn asked.

I'll make him understand, after all, my power is gifted to those constructs' soul information. I can still resonate with th-

~NRK~

"You're looking real thinky over there, hubby," Gina said to him as they held one another's sides. "Come on, tell your tall wife."

"Woman, I will make your new 'asset' my 'advantage'," he kissed her cheek as she laughed perversely. "Goodness, that kid's gonna end up being some kinda weirdo even by our standards."

She opened her mouth before her face went blank as he nodded. "Well, ya know, we'll just have to deal with it. His mom's a Tuner and his daddy's the King of the Demon World," she found her smirk again as Obito grew nervous.

"Well, in that vein, I did think of something crazy," Obito chuckled nervously as Gina blinked. "I question what it'd be like if we did try to visit the other world."

Her jaw dropped. "I-I mean, is that a good idea? Sure, me and you might be able to go and find it, ya know? But safety-wise," Gina told him, gripping her husband's side in worry.

"Maybe, maybe not, we wouldn't know unless we went," Obito told her, pressing his noggin to hers as they closed their eyes. "I never told anyone, mostly because I thought it'd pass but the more time that does? It only solidified itself," he told her. "I feel an obligation, sort of, to at least know what the hell is going on. Not just for our side but also the other, those demons who might very well be dead or without a leader."

Gina stared at him before holding his face.

Their lips met in the middle of it all, the two parting with a forehead touch.

"I guess we'll be heading to the Demon World one day. Hell, what if they decide your pocket dimension is a cool-looking home?" She smirked as he grinned nervously.

His mind was rolling with the idea. "Is it weird that suddenly that doesn't sound crazy?" Obito asked.

"Yes, of course it does, but if this Demon King thing turns out being more real than just some 'game'? You might actually need to double-check in on those ones, what if they help out with the current situation and we can totally boost the culture of our world?"

"Well, it's definitely an idea. The issue is time, where the heck would we find it?"

"That's just a part of the trip, Love, like heading to an airport three hours early."

"You beautiful who lives in my home, that's the perfect metaphor."

She cackled as two torrents of mana rose into the sky behind them.

~NRK~

That seems pretty 'damning', no, Baran?

I need them to hurry up to that fucking Floor.

~NRK~

Joo-Hee and Jin-Ah's eyes slowly opened their eyes.

The Cloaked Apostle bore new white cross-shaped pupils, white tips and bangs for her hair, and black lines that left her sleeves to reach the back of her hand before splitting up five-ways to reach her glowing fingertips.

The Sensor Queen, meanwhile, bore a number of blue marks on her body that even glowed through her attire. One that circled her head, one that marked her biceps, another one that formed an emblem on her back, and the last being a pair of bands on her thighs.

Their glows died down as they looked at their bodies.

"This is my power?" Joo-Hee whispered as a feeling coiled around her finger tips.

She held her hands together before slowly widening them, a glowing white energy arrow forming within them before she gripped it in awe.

"I got [Spirit Arrow Creation] & [Overcharge]," she told the others as Jin-Ah nodded with a grin.

"I got something called [Inner Spirit]!" She beamed. "It seriously goes after the whole 'Queen' thing."

Reading their Skills, Jin-Woo raised a brow at them. "These seem pretty spirit-related," he told them all.

"Oh, um, how do you look?" Kyung-Hye asked while peeking over her amused son's shoulder. "Hmmm, I-I wasn't aware spirit attacks were a part of Hunter combat?" She said unsurely.

"It honestly depends, mom, most of the S-Rank Hunters in Japan use Spirit Arts. Joo-Hee's just the first of us, besides uncle, to get it and hers are more for techniques."

"This entire situation is still baffling to me."

"For now, let us move to the 94th Floor!" Esil declared excitedly.

The group nodded as one.

~NRK~

~Floor 94 through 96~

To say there was an increase in efficiency would be an understatement.

Jin-Woo grinned as car-sized piercing spirit arrows tore through Demon Nobles around him in a display of newly-gained power.

He spun with a burst of mana.

Far-reaching large mana waves tore down the western wall of the Peitos Clan Castle.

From afar, golden arcs of mana removed another watchtower while green swirls shattered walls of defense.

The streams of red and white flames outside, and from within, the castle melted demons in droves that weren't underestimated.

And, finally, erupting 'holes' of mana dotted the area and left hissing 'empty' spots of powderized craters.

'To tune mana is such a powerful ability,' Jin-Woo thought as his Shadows did battle all over. 'And she's not even fully experienced yet,' Gina would likely become a real big monster.

The thought made several parts of his mind relax, those parts that he never truly 'accepted' but knew had a big bearing on his future.

And they found themselves at peace as the fighting all over slowly came to a stop as he hit another Level-Up.

They came together at the center of the destroyed castle with a quick passover one another before they all relaxed.

"This Skill's seriously weird," Jin-Ah said in disbelief as a long translucent cloak sat over her form as her emblem glowed on her back, all of her marks releasing a number of floating familiars.

Joo-Hee nodded as spirit arrows clung to her back in a large 'downfall' that moved as she did, her fingertips glowing bright alongside the lines going down her arms.

Gina chuckled knowingly. "I'm seriously getting a hang of this," she snapped her fingers.

And a construct of mana slowly formed, an array of circles bearing moving emblems within.

"This ability of mine allows me to use ritual spells as well as complete management of mana. I could increase the effects of mana from others if they attack through a complete magic circle."

"But it's kinda slow, sungmo," Jin-Ah said as they watched it form as each second passed.

"Y-Yeah, unfortunately, but it's gotta be an amazing fight-starter. Can't move with it, though," Gina said sheepishly.

"No, you're still right, that's an amazing fight-starter," Il-Hwan said as he pat Kyung-Hye's shoulders. "Still, it's been eight hours and we're about to hit Floor 97," he reminded them. "If we assume each floor is gonna take another hour, that'd mean four hours."

"You've got a point, dad," Jin-Woo considered. "Esil, we'll probably come back in a bit, yeah? We've gotta manage two whole planes of existence," he sweatdropped as Joo-Hee beamed at him. "For now, we'll head out."

"V-Very well, please, be safe," Esil declared.

They ventured back to the 80th Floor and returned her to her father.

"I see?" The man, Aizel Radir, said in confusion. "Very well, my Lord, please return safely."

He, Esil, and the rest of the Demon Nobles bowed to the group as Obito released a gentle sigh.

"Raise your heads, we won't be gone forever," he declared even as his body thrummed and released a notable mana, his Ravenous Wrapping glowing bright. "?" Obito raised a brow at it even as their surroundings shimmered ever so slightly. "Weird but it might be leveling up, I don't know," he murmured. "For now, give us time, we'll return."

~NRK~

~Six Hours Later~

Obito and co. drank Jin-Woo's Highest-Grade Stamina Potions after five hours of rest, their bodies rejuvenated to full.

And that's why Jin-Woo & Joo-Hee went with Jin-Ah to the White Tigers Guild expedition in Jin-Ho's van while Obito & Gina left the Sung family's parents alone.

The looks of embarrassment they'd shot them had been ignored besides a 'tsk tsk' from a finger-gunning Gina.

So, the engaged couple found themselves heading towards their Guild, a large number of people on the street screaming Obito's name as they took picture after picture.

"It's literally been, what, over three weeks? You've really stayed out of the public eye, huh?" She said as they locked hands while they walked. "Gotta wonder what's in their heads."

"I think it's safe to not think about that, Lord knows where their heads are at," he told his fiancee.

They talked about current events and future ones.

"I might be able to spread your thread further," she told him as they reached the Hunters Guild's field. "I just need to figure out a construct to expand your spatial thread."

"You'll have my full support," Obito told Gina as she grinned.

"Welcome, oppa!" Cheung greeted the two as they arrived, seemingly, just in time for something. "You're right on time!"

"What's happening?" Gina asked.

"We've got an A-Rank Gate here, it's been around for around 35 hours now," the B-Rank said. "At present, the A-Team is resting at home while we're doing the Gate for today."

"Oh, that's perfect," Gina smiled even as her fellow Mage squinted at her.

"Hmm? N-Noona, you feel different," she observed.

Gina smiled knowingly. "Do I? I figured out a bigger aspect to my powers," she told the younger woman.

"R-Really?! I-I tried some stuff out, recently, and got something, too!"

"Ya don't say? Well, actually…" Gina raised a brow at something as Cheung held a finger to her lips.

"U-Um, oppa, quick question? Does your training happen to raise mana levels?" Cheung whispered.

Obito smiled as she gasped before beaming.

"Okay, so, you do know."

"Yes, Jin-Ho is currently a C-Rank, Cheung. And Song-Yi's a D-Rank, they were D- and E-Ranked before this," he explained.

"How long? Because we've never done this training before, what, two weeks ago?"

"Honestly? They've been at it for only a bit longer than you, maybe a week."

"I think it also depends on mana control and how close you were to the next Rank anyway," Gina chimed in. "After all, Jin-Ho's been a C-Rank for over a week."

"S-Seriously? I only felt the difference recently, like, yesterday, recently," Cheung tapped her lip. "All thing's considered, my 'ammo' has gone up and I can combine them now, unnie, oppa," she told the two.

"We'll see, Cheung, how much time do we have?"

"As much as ya need."

---

Half an hour later, Obito & Gina led the way into the obviously powerful 'A-Rank' Gate.

"Prepared?" The blonde woman asked the others as they nodded.

"It's good you told us," Ki-Hoon nodded confidently, a new Shield Frame on his large medium-sized shield. "Cheol-hyung, if things get crazy."

"We'll get the backline," Cheol nodded. "You two are our best bets," he told the engaged pair.

"Actually, since we're in here," Gina began as Obito's Sharingan searched into the darkness.

And then his Terrain sprouted without a word like a colorless pulse, one no one besides those with sharp senses could feel, and spread throughout the entirety of the Dungeon.

'Lv.9 is such an incredible power,' Obito realized that reaching the 'MAX' level would likely take this thing to a new scope in powe- 'There you are,' he thought as he put his hands into his pockets.

His Terrain erupted further into the Dungeon, all of it muffled by a miniature Terrain Barrier from within.

Meanwhile, Gina smiled as Cheung blushed under Ki-Hoon's awe. "Yep, we knew, mind you, that's part of what Love traded in Japan for Spirit Cores. Jin-Ho's a C-Rank right now and, likely, all B-Ranks within our Guild will reach A-Rank within a month."

The group's jaws dropped as Ki-Hoon wore a sheepish smile.

"I guess things just keep on happening, huh?" He told her, rummaging around in his Spirit Sash.

"Hehe~ Yep," Cheung grinned as Ki-Hoon nodded sagely.

He held her hand and slid a ring onto it like it was the most normal thing in the world before smiling embarrassedly.

"Yes, yes they do."

The others gawked at him as Gina laughed happily while Obito turned aroun- "That's surprising," he said in surprise as Cheung squealed.

Seeing the hugging A-Ranks, he wore a soft expression.

"Congratulations," he told them as Gina nodded. "Two weddings in one year, I think Jong-In's gonna customize more of his suits," Obito joked as she smirked.

"Yep, now, how many of them did ya attack?" She asked, confusing the others.

"H-Haaaa?" Cheung asked as Ki-Hoon blinked owlishly.

"Ah, that's what that Terrain was about," Cheol realized.

"Yep, so, several things," Obito began. "One, there are High Orcs in this Gate."

"?!" The others choked.

"It's fine, trust me, we're not worried," Gina said as she closed her eyes and another Terrain surged within Obito's own.

One that released a haze-like mana before it shot ahead at high speeds.

She held up a pair of fingers to her noggin, left eye burning with psionic power. 'The mana in this place, I can feel all of it,' this was a trap.

Kargalgan the Great Orc Sorcerer, a BEHEMOTH of a High Orc.

One with a mastery of 12 grand spells.

Her brow furrowed as she breathed in the 'dowsing mana'.

Trap Magic

Gravitational Magic

She frowned as her focus wavered for a moment before breaking.

"Damn," she sighed as Obito raised a brow. "So…" She relayed what she'd learned.

Explaining that this 'Kargalgan' was a sorcerer-based High Orc, one of great S-Rank power, with 12 grand spells she got none of.

"W-Wait, when could you do that?" Someone asked.

"Around nowish?" Gina offered sheepishly. "I never did this before in a Gate like this," not wrong. "And it's clear I have a lot of work to do."

"S-Still, an S-Rank Mage-Type Monster?" Cheung frowned deeply. "12 powerful spells? A-And he had more on top of that?"

"Yep, so, that's going to be a fight you'll all stay out of."

"Huh?"

"We'll handle Kargalgan," Obito explained. "The issue stands that we can't leave…" He pulled out Cerberus.

Obito touched one of his invisible 'strands'.

~NRK~

~White Tiger Guild's B-Rank Gate~

Jin-Woo raised a brow at Kim-Chul the whole while as Jin-Ah, Jin-Ho, and Song-Yi killed one of the four Bosses within this Gate.

That minotaur-like monster's swings found themselves limited by frozen wounds.

His stomps were rebuffed by a steel-like shield.

And all of his movements were predicted, removed, and then brought to an end by Jin-Ah's falling Wind Blade.

An explosion of wind threw their hair back as the trio of younger members stepped back from their kill as many other members of the White Tigers removed the last three.

"They're doing well," Jin-Woo smiled as a car-sized arrow punched through the last of the last Boss's, a flying serpent's, wings before it fell into a torrent of spiritual 'rain'.

It hit the platform with a rumble as Kim-Chul frowned at the Sung while Yoon-Ho blinked as Joo-Hee arrived beside them.

"Um, when?" The beastly man asked her sheepishly.

"A-A bit ago, really recently," the Cloaked Apostle said. "For now, we're just about done," Joo-Hee observed.

And then the two blinked at the rushing trio.

"Shuushuu's calling!" Jin-Ho told them, confusing the hell out of Jin-Woo before he felt his arm.

If he'd not been paying attention, it might not have been apparent at the tugs.

He frowned. "That's weird, usually it's obvious," Jin-Woo frowned as his sister nodded before casting Hi-Sense.

The string became visible and showed a surprised but amused Obito in a hazy image beside it.

"Oh, that got better," Yoon-Ho realized with interest.

"Apparently," Obito told them.

He gave them a rundown on what was happening, the group looking surprised.

"So, I don't know if this stops teleportation," the Uchiha explained.

"Try it, uncle," Jin-Woo nodded. "Um, Yoon-Ho, if this works, sorry for the clean-up."

"It's fine, family's important and we'll give 'em their cut when they get back," the S-Rank Fighter said.

"Alright, so, this did get a bit better recently."

Obito's eyes glowed.

And then a Gate formed beside them in a large red circle, one that quickly formed a clear view of the other side.

"Oh crap, this works!" Ki-Hoon said, leaning out of the circle in disbelief as Jin-Woo laughed with his face in his hand. "It's like a cartoon!"

"Ya don't say?~" Cheung snickered as she stepped out, touched her clothes, and nodded. "Alright, it's not grabbing us, oppa."

"Good to know," Obito said. "Now, this Gate's got a lot of High Orcs, Woo, and you might get a smorgasbord of summons out of this."

"Say no more, guys, let's go," the Shadow Lord said as Joo-Hee giggled and they walked through the slowly flickering portal.

"This isn't as easy, huh?" Gina asked her beloved as he nodded.

"It's difficult. A Gate within a Gate between Gates is a surprising amount of strain," the Demon King Candidate said as the others came over. "Yoon-Ho, we'll see you sometime later."

"Take care," the beastly man said before finding a blushing figure coming out to stand beside him. "H-Hey," Yoon-Ho greeted Galdae-In who nodded quickly.

~NRK~

Obito shook his head as he closed the portal. "I'm not even commenting on it," he said as the B-Team looked amused out of their minds. "Be nice to her, now, let's go," he chuckled.

---

Following the mana trail at Gina's behest, they walked for quite a few hours, several High Orc corpses found along the way alongside some Dungeon Jackals.

"They made them pets," Ki-Hoon kneeled down beside one of the Shadow versions of the panting magic beast. "This is still crazy, by the way," he told the amused Jin-Woo.

"Yeah," he shrugged. "It's useful, though. Now, what's the ETA, auntie?"

"After another 'trailing session'? We're an hour away and the numbers I'm sensing aren't small, there's at least 120 High Orcs in there with Kargalgan, four of 'em are stronger than the others," Gina told them as the B-Team paled. "It's fine, we've got the numbers and power advantage now, the real worry is whatever those 12 grand spells are."

"Hmm, let's try using Inner Spirit, then," Jin-Ah told her as she raised her sword while Jin-Ho's head tilted.

"That Familiar Technique?" He asked, awed, as she grinned.

"Yep!"

Her form 'thrummed' before her power activated, one of her six familiars moving to Gina's noggin.

The Tuner closed her eyes as her Terrain spread once more.

And the many mana trails in the air all became clear to her 'Third Eye'. 'These are the trails of the Boss, all of them,' each one more overpowering than the last.

She breathed out.

And then inhaled all of them.

Gina's body throbbed with the mana, eye glowing bright as her senses erupted.

---

Her mind surged around the Dungeon before moving down at the speed of a thought, finding itself by an odd door.

"What the hell?" She blinked at it, all the mana streams coming from it. "If I'm some kinda mental specter, I've gotta be able to…" She pushed on it-Slipped through it.

Gina blinked in shock at this giant room she found herself in, the entire world seemingly stopped in time.

She focused herself on the specifics.

She saw the 100+ High Orcs, flying around the space to look them all over with a keen eye that discerned all of their mana.

She found herself before the 'Big Five'. "These guys are the strongest," and one of them stood out by a mile.

After all, he was Kargalgan the Great Sorcerer, a GIANT of a High Orc with great magic power.

Wearing a tattered brown cloak with a blue waist tassel falling down from his hips down to his ankles, he wore a pair of large red scaly pauldrons, his cloak had short sleeves that allowed them to see his glowing blue sigil-like tattoos and a large skull atop his right shoulder as a necklace of skulls sat around his neck. The last bit of his large impression being that skull-like mask he wore that covered the top half of his face and allowed his glowing eyes to peer up into the air like a confused king.

"He can sense us this far down," Gina realized. "This would have been a fucking disaster," but now they had the ability to catch him off-guard, yeah?

She observed that large, astral, Sorcery Circle sitting behind him.

It was a large wheel of sorts, an array, with 12 powerful symbols within it that filled her mind with information.

She winced at some of that stuff. "Jin-Woo could get through it but the rest of us couldn't," not unless they were strong enough to ignore the effects. "Wait, we are," Gina blinked but she still worried about her Guildmates.

She looked at it before noticing the oddity that was the connections between Kargalgan's mana and his magicks.

She shot towards it before slamming her hand into the frame, a crack forming over the construct-

"...?!" Gina flinched at a feeling of being 'watched', head turning to the side to see the twitch in the Orc's mana and his turned head?!

It barely moved but she realized she didn't have too much time for this.

So, she reared back with a glowing knife hand before slashing across the top four magicks.

Kargalgan's body convulsed as she shot back with a grin.

"Got it, it's not like high-rank magic-users will be ignorant to this," but this meant she had more possibilities.

To 'tune mana' also meant she could break its connections!

"Later, big boy," she shot him a wink as she slowly vanished. "See you in a bit," Gina cackled.

---

She gasped as she returned, clearing her throat of that opposing mana before nodding to the others.

"H-He's definitely a monster, I know all 12 of his spells but I disconnected his debuffs," Gina said as Obito held her back and she nodded. "Let's go and hit him in the face. The mana realm can still be processed by those with a high aptitude so who knows what'll happen."

The area rumbled as something down below erupted.

"And now he's pissed."

"Jin-Woo," Obito's Terrain Bangle glowed as his nephew's did.

"Yeah, let's take the Thread Express," the Shadow Lord declared as his mana burned down. "Domain of the Monarch."

The floor beneath their feet swirled with a powerful black and blue as Jin-Ho raised a brow as they began to sink.

"W-What's this gonna do?" He asked.

"Teleport us to wherever my thread reaches," Obito told him as one of Cerberus sat in his hand. "Alright, there, prepare yourselves," he ordered.

The others removed their weapons from their sheaths, Joo-Hee raising her hand as her and Jin-Ah's Terrains formed around them.

Burn Booster

Haste

Hi-Sense

Potential Boost

All done, they vanished.

~NRK~

Kargalgan roared in anger as his magic threatened the very fabric of the room's foundation.

This trespass would not stand!

"MURDER THEM! SEARCH FOR THOSE INTRUDING HARLOTS AND BRING THEIR DEAD BODIES BACK TO ME!" He roared as his army roared back in response, faces contorting in excitement or bloodlust.

He raised his hand in command.

"GO AND KILL THE-"

There was a displacement of space.

And then the room filled with bursts of White Flames and explosions of psychic energy.

"W-What?!" Kargalgan's eyes widened behind his mask as the room became ensheathed by dust, howls of agony, and mana.

Incredible amounts of mana that caused him to flinch as the haze vanished.

Revealing the flapping cloak of a burning-eyed Tuner.

She held her hands out at her sides as the Sorcerer roared at her in vicious anger, a hatred that seemingly intensified with her mana's presence.

She grinned before her hands flexed and swung up to slam their palms together.

Kargalgan's vision shifted as he was attacked on both sides by gnarly-looking mana claws the size of his throne.

"GNAHHHHHHH!" He roared at the oppressive 'walls' as his people were slaughtered with haste.

The Hunters moved as the combat unit they were while the Demon Tower Party members attacked as the heavy-hitters and support.

The Orc Sorcerer struggled within Gina's 'grip' as his forces were cut down further and further by the second.

His eyes glowed before his Sorcery Circle formed.

'A fire blast?!' Gina thought as flaming mana began to fill her senses. 'It's gonna be strong, too!' The others would get caught up in it. 'I need to diffuse it.'

The Orc Sorcerer's gullet bulged.

"Hymn of the Fire Dragon!"

His body coiled with mana before he unleashed a blast of fire that easily burnt up the middle of the rom.

Gina slammed her hands together as it came close.

And the flames were forcefully stopped as they fought against a containing force.

She smirked as the flaming mana was dissected by her senses and telekinesis before it dispersed within her hold.

"W-What?!" The giant Orc stepped back in alarm.

Only to find a fist sending him sliding against the ground on his side, Obito's glowing-red form coming down on him.

He coiled in spirit power, mana, and demonic energy before slashing across the Orc Sorcerer's body with a sickle.

"MOSHEN!"

The forces collided in that arc before Kargalgan's body tore itself apart at the nearly waist-splitting slash.

His screams were blood-curdling and gory as he clawed at his wound, Obito's wings keeping the half-transformed man in the air above him.

The Uchiha blinked at his sickle in alarm, a crack forming into the middle of it.

'Moshen is too strong for it,' he realized. 'I need better material,' but that'd likely only come from one place.

The [Demon Tower], most notably, it's Boss's horns.

Call it a hunch but he was sure of this, that Baran's fight would reward them greatly.

There were a number of flying mana slashes that carved out Kargalgan's last dredges of life.

Obito raised a brow at a screen. 'Wait, so, it's still around outside of the [Demon Tower]?' Obito blinked before reading its contents. "Wait, those drops are good," he realized, looking over the four bits of loot.

{ITEM NAME: HIGHEST-QUALITY RUNE: GRAVITY MAGIC}

{Type: RUNE STONE}

{A GREAT ORC SORCERER, KARGALGAN, WAS A LEADER OF HIS PEOPLE EVER SINCE GAINING GREATER INTELLIGENCE.

A MASTER OF THE ARCANE ARTS, HIS GREATEST SKILLS WERE HIS [GRAVITY MAGIC] AND HIS [SORCERY].

A SKILL CAN BE GAINED BY CRUSHING THE RUNESTONE}

That was such a good one, too.

But then he looked at the others.

{ITEM NAME: HIGH-QUALITY RUNESTONE: MARK OF SORCERY}

{TYPE: RUNE STONE}

{AS HE BECAME MORE AWARE OF THE WORLD AROUND HIM, KARGALGAN SEARCHED FOR MORE POWER AND WAS REWARDED WITH THE VERY OPPOSITE OF HIS FORMER BRUTISH WAYS, SORCERY.

A SKILL CAN BE GAINED BY CRUSHING THE RUNESTONE.

- 'MARK OF SORCERY' - GRANTS A 50% BONUS TO ONE DESIGNATED SORCERY}

"Is it just me or are these almost completely magic-based?" Ki-Hoon observed the Runestone, the 'feel' of the Skill getting a sheepish sigh out of him. "Most of this is of no use for all of us."

"Yep, outside me, oppa, and unnie," Cheung said. "Oh! And Jin-Woo, too!"

"Nope, my 'reward' is the Shadow," Jin-Woo said as he gestured to the giant kneeling Shadow of Kargalgan. "I'm gonna call him 'Tusk'."

{ITEM NAME: MASK OF RAGE}

{ITEM CLASS: S}

{TYPE: HELMET}

{KARGALGAN'S RAGE WAS AN EVER-PRESENT DISTURBANCE WITHIN HIS VENTURE FOR MORE SORCERY. SPENDING MANY NIGHTS WHEREIN HIS IMPATIENCE WOULD COST HIM LOST MAGICS AND REWARDS FROM TEACHERS.

HE MADE THIS MASK TO ENHANCE HIS MANNER OF MAGIC VIA HIS NEGATIVE EMOTIONS. ONE THAT CARVED HIS RAGE INTO ITS VERY BEING AND DESIGN.}

{-GRANTS 'RAGE': EACH USE OF MANA IS ENHANCED BY THE USER'S DARK EMOTIONS UP TO 50%}

Obito frowned deeply at this bit of equipment, holding onto that oddly blank mask that could cover the entirety of one's face.

'I might need to keep this,' he thought. 'In my case, this is probably extremely potent,' not like he'd felt so murderous as of late besides Dong-Su.

But with that behind him, he'd lost a big target of negativity.

"It's still fine," he told himself as Gina passed Cheung a bit of loot that looked like a book.

"Yo, Cheung, make sure to make use of that," the Psion said as the summoner caught it.

"... A-A book on disabling spells?" The lolita-dressed woman opened its pages with interest. "4 of them… This might work!" Cheung grinned. "Alright! If I can do something crazy like casting with a summoned creature, this would make me a Debuff Mage!"

"Debilitating Witch?" Cheol tried as she hummed.

"Debuff Witch," Cheung gasped as Ki-Hoon chuckled.

Obito considered their loot before nodding.

His thread snapped around and collected all the magic crystals in the room, the largest one from Kargalgan's corpse being given to Gina.

"Alright, well, Mage-side. With the loot, Cheung's definitely getting the Book of Harrowing Magic, I'm thinking to get the Gravity Magic one, too."

"Hmm," Obito considered the mask. "I'll take the Mask."

"I think the Mark of Sorcery might work better for you," Jin-Woo told him. "Sure, it's a one-Skill boost but it might be a good to have a sort of Ultimate Skill."

"Hmm, are you all fine with this?" The Uchiha asked his Guild members.

"Sure."

"Not like we all did much this time."

"We'll stick with the magic crystals."

"Alright," the oldest amongst them smiled as he took the Runestone while Gina held hers.

Their hands clenched them, breaking the stones.

The Skills filled their beings.

Obito's own showing as a glowing mark on the left side of his chest that bore a flame-like emblem.

"You chose that one," Jin-Woo realized.

"Yes, in fact, I think that's for the best," Obito admitted as Gina crossed her arms in thought. "Honey?"

"Just making sure I can meld this magic with my own brand," she held out a hand.

A glowing purple construct formed in a flash, one that gained a gravitational center and instantly formed.

"Wow, that's useful! I can give these damn things a sort of core with gravity!" Gina cheered. "Hell yes! That's perfect and gives me more ideas!"

"Unnie's taken on a lot of your character, oppa," Cheung giggled.

Obito smirked.

~NRK Out~