blueteamnovel Chapter 81
Chapter 81
“You managed to endure that pain, truly impressive.”
Derek, who had handled the potion himself, knew firsthand just how potent and deadly the essence of the Demon King’s Heart was. It wasn’t just “poisonous.”
“If we’re talking poison, it’s more toxic than the venom of a zimcho.”
The legendary zimcho bird was said to carry an extreme, incurable poison, so strong and terrible that antidotes were nonexistent. In Ihan’s original world, it was merely a myth recorded in ancient history. Here, however, such a bird actually existed—and Derek even knew its habitat.
Still, knowing the habitat didn’t mean he’d dare to retrieve it.
Acquisition difficulty: Unknown.
Attempting to acquire it would likely end in death, so he never considered it a viable option.
And yet, the Demon King’s Heart was equally—if not more—dangerous than the zimcho’s poison. Consuming it directly was out of the question. Derek had planned to reduce the toxicity as much as possible before Ihan ingested it, but Ihan had consumed it immediately upon fainting, disregarding any caution Derek had advised.
Even though Derek had left explicit instructions to wait.
...But then again.
“Still, enduring it... that alone is significant....”
Derek understood. Simply surviving the undiluted essence of a potion with an “Unknown” level of toxicity could easily lead to the emergence of new traits.
“It’s like he fought against and conquered that vicious poison. Absorbing all of it within an hour or two proves it, so it’s clear.”
Originally, Derek intended for Ihan to consume the potion with anesthesia and a safer method, but Ihan had ended up battling the pain head-on, forcing his body to absorb the essence.
One might call it an achievement.
“[Endurer], [Madman], [Pain Enthusiast]—he must have developed one of these traits, at least.”
“And his [Poison Resistance] level would have gone up....”
“...There’s a chance other traits might have leveled up too!”
It sounded overly optimistic, but there was no exaggerating the feat.
Just surviving the “Potion’s Agony” was that impressive.
Imagining Ihan’s growth spiking steeply, Derek found himself trembling.
It was an exhilarating shiver of anticipation.
“Level 7 traits wouldn’t have leveled up; Level 8 traits are on an entirely different scale.... But even adding new traits or raising lower-level ones is an incredible accomplishment!”
The addition of a trait was far more than just gaining new skills. It symbolized a deepening potential, an endlessly broadening capacity for growth. In the Instructor’s own words, it was akin to being blessed by the Heavenly Virtues.
“...He might reach Level 8 before the year’s out....”
[Aura Users], Swordmasters, and Heirs of the Dark King—those at Levels 9 and 10 were transcendent beings, rarely moving as if they were gods, silent watchers from the mountains and skies, the immortals. In other words, living strategic weapons who only acted under extreme circumstances.
But starting from “Level 8 Warriors,” they roamed the mortal world as living symbols of terror and power, like Mountain Kings!
“Though they’re not unbeatably strong, they’re the kind who could take on a thousand knights alone.”@@@@
One against a thousand.
Heroes of the highest class, capable of altering the tides of a battlefield single-handedly, transforming defeat into victory....
No exaggeration.
And the “weakened Demon King” Ihan had faced the previous day had been Level 8.
“...At full power, it would have been Level 9, maybe even 9.5.”
Regardless, the Demon King was among the upper echelon of Level 8 monsters, no doubt.
So, Derek was hopeful.
A difference of just one level was absolute.
And yet, Ihan had somehow closed that gap and fought the top-ranking Level 8 boss monster head-to-head.
“If he’s already like this... what would happen if he actually reaches Level 8?”
If that happened...
“A Level 8 who could stand toe-to-toe with a Level 9... a true PvP threat?”
Derek looked at the Instructor, wondering just how far Ihan would grow.
“Feels... light?”
His body felt light—not just light, but like he’d gone back to his youth.
Who doesn’t remember those days?
When your body was so light you could run endlessly, your knees never ached, no matter how hard you pushed yourself, and you woke up completely fine the next day. That’s how his body felt now.
Whoosh!
“And I can do this too.”
Unable to explain further, Ihan casually punched the air. But despite the casual nature of the punch—
Boom!
“...??”
So-Shim was stunned once again.
Right now...
“You hit something thirty steps away? ...With just your fist power?!”
“Right. I could previously reach ten steps, but now thirty seems achievable.”
“How is that possible?”
“Good question.”
Hundred-Step Divine Fist.
When he’d first showcased it in Vulcan, it could only strike targets within ten steps, but now things were different.
Thirty steps.
Now, he could reach objects thirty steps away and even destroy them. With this precision, he could even strike down assassins from afar.
Not only that, but countless other techniques had surely leveled up too.
“Now, I could probably perform three consecutive Spear of Heaven strikes, and my Plum Blossom Swordsmanship could be unleashed twice in a row.”
Precision works like that. You use strength efficiently, harnessing it with finesse and cunning.
And he realized.
In his current state, he could fight the Demon King one-on-one.
Without needing others’ help, unlike the day before.
“It’s ironic.”
To consume the Demon King’s heart, only to become as powerful as the Demon King himself....
It was irony, yet perhaps this was the rule of the strong.
The winner takes all.
If you’re alive, you’re the victor.
“The strong don’t always win. The one who laughs last is the true winner.”
And now, Ihan felt he could shake off the helplessness he’d felt in the monster-slaying mission the previous day.
The creature was gone, devoured to become his strength.
Satisfied, Ihan smiled.
“Watch closely. I don’t know if this will work, but I’ll try it out.”
“Huh?”
“...Let’s see.”
He attempted a joyful performance.
Tap.
“Oh, it works.”
“...”
“What do you think? Impressive, isn’t it?”
“...”
So-Shim could only stare in stunned silence at the cheerful question.
Did he just see what he thought he did?
Skywalking?!
Watching Ihan walk as if ascending invisible stairs, So-Shim was utterly speechless.
What kind of...
“Maybe he’s not from my hometown. Perhaps... a true martial artist reincarnated?”
Maybe he was the former head of the Shaolin Temple.
It seemed far more reasonable, and So-Shim found himself lost in thought.