Chapter 15: Dual Core – 2

The Great Potion of the World Tree is the highest level potion in the game that greatly increases abilities.

It mainly boosts mana the most, followed by strength and mental power.

Typically acquired in the mid or late game, so the increase is usually around a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 15 when combining the increases of the three stats.

Considering that each stat has a limit of 99 and it’s difficult to raise stats in the late game, this is truly an astonishing level of ability increase.

‘What on earth is this?’

Even though I knew this fact well, I couldn’t believe my eyes as I looked at the status window in front of me.

At this point in the game, it’s like the very beginning, just after finishing the tutorial.

Yet, I consumed the Great Potion of the World Tree.

It was obvious that my stats would increase significantly.

However, even so, I couldn’t believe the extent of this growth.

[Seong Yujin]

Gender – Male

Age – 20

<Status>

Stat Points: 24

Strength: 31+(18)

Mana: 48+(23)

Mental Power: 25+(17)

<Skills> Boundary Magic (EX), Body Enhancement (C), Mana Circulation(B), Gungnir (S), Rune Magic (E), Dual Core (A), Insight (B), Overload (D)

<Mystic Abilities> Sovereignty of Another World (EX), Golden Rune (S), Heir (??)

Mental power had risen to 25 at once, while strength and mana had completely changed their standards.

Moreover, what are the plus sign and numbers in parentheses next to each stat?

The simple representation in the status window had become complicated, and with the complexity came a strong sense of power.

‘New skills even emerged.’

I can understand that Mana Circulation rose to rank B.

But the creation of skills is a separate story.

Skills like Dual Core, Insight, Overload…

These are not skills that can be learned at this stage.

‘What on earth happened while I was sleeping… Huh?’

My pupils lowered.

In the section where Sovereignty of Another World and Golden Rune were, a new addition to the mystic ability, ‘Heir,’ caught my eye.

When was this added?

I’ve been paying too much attention to the skills to notice.

‘I’ll know once I check.’

I checked the information on the effects of the Heir that had been injected through the status window.

[Heir (??)]

– Inherits the footsteps. The core of the inherited character is created.

[ Heir

– RomanceTwo: Complete

– Barrier Fighter: Incomplete … Inheritance Progress]

[2nd Round Data: Inheriting ‘Barrier Fighter #BoundaryMage’]

“Wait, this…?”

Several familiar nicknames appeared instead of a detailed explanation of the Heir.

All of them were nicknames I had personally given to characters.

“My character nicknames.”

Nine characters’ nicknames that I had created and played in “World Saviour Online” were all listed in the status window.

Among them, RomanceTwo stood out particularly vividly.

This was because I had just peeked at the first playthrough records through the log, but also because the emotion commonly called nostalgia made the memories vivid.

It was inevitable.

RomanticTwo was the first Barrier mage character I created when I started the game.

During the times when my understanding of the game and the profession was lacking, I diligently nurtured my first character.

Although it eventually became a mishmash character due to various issues, it still had the most diverse range of skills.

‘I just learned any skill that looked good.’

If a skill name seemed cool or somewhat useful, I learned it right away with that character.

As a result, I didn’t learn several essential skills for the build, but like most first rounds, I have very fond memories of enjoying it.

Memories of struggling with a character that had some flaws but ultimately managed to see the ending flooded back vividly.

And now, it’s just a story that has become a memory.

‘But why are those skills in my status window?’

Vaguely, the reason floated up from the information stored in my brain’s memory.

It’s not that I understood the cause, but rather, the status window had inserted that information into my mind.

Heir.

As the name suggests, it’s the entirety of an ability that inherits something.

Part of the strength of the nine characters I’ve played so far is partially inherited through this method.

‘As expected, the additional stats and skills are changes resulting from inheriting characters from the first round.’

Some of the character’s stats are added as bonus stats in parentheses, and similarly, some of the skills acquired are added to my skills.

‘It’s possible…’

‘…Wait, seriously?’

A thought flashed through my mind.

If this was a comic, a lightbulb might have appeared above my head.

Stats obtained through heir are added as bonuses regardless of the limit.

While luck might be necessary to acquire desired skills, it’s possible to immediately learn several types of skills that the character was familiar with.

Moreover, the sudden increase in the cores, which are the lives of magicians and hunters, is also due to the effect of succession.

‘If all characters complete their succession, will I have ten cores in my body?’

It gave me chills.

A person with ten cores, breaking through stat limits while using them?

If that was the case, there would be no need to worry about magic depletion or circuit overheating during battles.

It could lead to cheat plays as players have mentioned, or even beyond that in combat capabilities.

‘Just completing the first succession and it’s already like this.’

The potential peak has not just risen but soared through the sky.

Just looking at the stats, it’s evident.

Though indicated as bonus stats, my current stats are ridiculously high.

Adding my original stats and bonus stats, my strength is 49, mana is 71, and mental strength is 42.

It’s comparable to characters transitioning from the mid to late stages of the game.

‘These are the stats after receiving the first succession in the early stages of the game.’

I couldn’t hide the smile creeping up on my lips.

It was so unbelievable that it made me chuckle.

“Is that for real?”

“Yes, it is. My cores really increased.”

Along with the voices of two people from the corridor, the clicking sound of heels echoed.

It seems Professor Bella has brought the magic department professor.

Swoosh…

As the sliding door opened, the presence from the corridor entered the infirmary.

As expected, the owner of the presence was Professor Bella.

She came straight to me as she returned to the infirmary, her face relieved as she smiled.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.”

Since there weren’t any actual issues, I replied that I was okay.

Professor Bella nodded and stepped aside.

Into her empty spot walked a familiar figure of a woman.

With pointed ears, presumably an elf.

She wore a doctor’s white coat and tied her emerald green hair in a bun.

It’s Professor Reyna Graven, the magic department professor of Eden.

“I was preparing for my lecture when Bella suddenly brought me here, wondering what could be the matter…”

With such fuss, it seemed suitable to bring her along.

She murmured as she approached me.

Then, just like Professor Bella did, she placed her hand on my abdomen and infused a bit of magic.

“…Wow, won’t it cause a big commotion if this gets out?”

An individual can only contain one core in their body.

It’s in the setting of the game’s world, something I’ve accepted as common knowledge.

“Honestly, until I checked for myself here, I thought Bella was just teasing me.”

“Why would I tease you like that?”

“There’s a limit to frivolous talk. And it wasn’t long ago that it was proven that dual cores or multi-cores are impossible.”

I didn’t know this fact, but scholars in this world have been striving for years to achieve dual or multi-cores.

And just recently… well, a few years ago, the research on that came to a conclusion.

Humans can’t handle multiple cores.

“Seong Yujin, I’ve never heard of anyone successfully duplicating their core. There have been no survivors of core transplantation from others.”

During the process of core duplication, intact cores were damaged, or the recipient of core transplantation died due to magical collision or reflux.

“So let me check your body for a moment. Being the first case of having multiple cores intact, please understand.”

“Oh, sure.”

As I started to shuffle the blanket covering me, Professor Bella shot Professor Reyna a glance, as if asking why she’s stirring up the patient.

Contrary to her worries, standing up wasn’t much of a problem.

Since my body was fine, I just stood up, and Professor Bella looked at me with a very worried expression.

“I’m okay. There’s really nothing wrong with my body.”

“…But don’t overdo it.”

After reassuring Professor Bella, who was looking at me anxiously, the examination by Professor Reyna began.

The procedure, which would have taken several hours if done by ordinary magicians, proceeded smoothly with a single gesture from Professor Reyna.

After a few minutes passed, the result came out as expected, without any problems.

“It’s really interesting. Not only is there no problem, but there seems to be synergy with the existing core.”

The test results revealed by Professor Reyna matched my condition as indicated by the status window precisely.

As I was once again impressed by Professor Reyna’s skills, she suddenly cleared her throat a few times.

“Ahem, Seong Yujin?”

“Yes, what’s the matter?”

As our eyes met, Professor Reyna, with an excited expression, a smile spreading on her lips indicating joy, and anticipation evident in her crescent-shaped eyes, asked.

“Would you be interested in joining the magic studies club I’ve established?”

For a moment, I recalled a senior from school who had been dragged into graduate school.