Chapter 51: Additional Base (1)

After overcoming all trials,

Han-seong headed to the 2nd floor with Aei.

To purchase the skillbooks he had marked earlier.

The first thing Han-seong bought at the shop was a defensive skill.

[Skillbook: Mana Shield]

-Creates a protective barrier that absorbs damage by consuming mana when attacked. The barrier automatically disappears when mana falls below 30%.

▷Protection Range: 3m radius

▷Duration: Constant

▷Cooldown: 1 hour

▶Grade: 4th Tier

▶Price: 10,000 Coins

Even if he could intercept enemies remotely, he needed at least one defensive skill. Han-seong had realized this acutely during the battle with the Vampiric Tree.

The price was also reasonable.

So he immediately acquired the skill.

[Activating skill.]

[Protection: Mana Shield]

[Mana Shield will be maintained constantly.]

A bluish membrane briefly appeared around his body before disappearing. With this, he could feel somewhat safe even if suddenly ambushed.

He’d have to test later how much mana is consumed depending on the degree of damage, but still.

‘The second skillbook is…’

One of the most expensive among 4th Tier skillbooks. Since its effects were just as good as its price, he purchased it without hesitation.

[Skillbook: Dimension Vortex]

-Creates a vortex that sucks in everything around it at designated coordinates, including ground and air.

-Targets that enter the vortex’s area have 10% of their mana absorbed, which is then absorbed by the caster.

▷Effective Range: Up to 5km

▷Absorption Range: 150m radius

▷Duration: 120 seconds

▷Mana Cost: 1,000

▷Cooldown: 12 hours

▶Price: 25,000 Coins

An upgraded version of the Decoy Dummy skill.

The dummy can only be placed on the ground. So it’s ineffective against monsters that fly through the air.

‘But this is different.’

It can be placed on both ground and air.

Moreover, it has the effect of ‘Mana Drain’ which absorbs mana from the enemies it draws in. Even if the price is a bit high, it’s a skill worth the money.

After purchasing the second skillbook, Han-seong turned his attention to the last one.

[Skillbook: Gravity]

-Applies pressure to designated coordinates. The intensity of pressure is divided into 3 levels and varies depending on the amount of mana injected.

-The pressure does not affect the caster, nor any summons or minions controlled by the caster.

▷Pressure Range: 500m radius

▷Mana Cost: 5/10/25 per second

▷Cooldown: 6 hours

▶Price: 15,000 Coins

A skill that can be used to subdue enemies or as an attack depending on the amount of mana consumed.

The details would have to be tested, but he thought it might come in handy, so he bought it. In preparation for conflicts with humans, not monsters.

Just then, Aei spoke up.

“Are you done shopping?”

“I’ve bought all the skillbooks for now.”

“So that means…”

“Now I need to buy runes.”

Since he had also marked some lower runes,

Han-seong immediately moved to the Rune Shop and selected the rune he had his eye on.

[‘Splitting Spear’ purchased.]

[18,000 Coins consumed.]

A lower rune exclusively for Magic Spear.

It’s a rune with the effect of splitting a fully charged Magic Spear into five and loading them.

After purchasing the desired rune, Han-seong looked around the shop to see if there were any other runes worth buying. Then he discovered the most expensive rune.

“This is…”

[Name]: Greed’s Warehouse

[Effect]: The collection range of the inventory is changed to the observable range. Also automatically collects all loot with ownership.

[Additional Ability]: Storage Capacity +400%

[Price]: 30,000 Coins

A rune costing a whopping 30,000 coins.

But its effects were just as good. Not only is the inventory’s collection range greatly expanded, but the storage capacity also increases fivefold.

That’s when Aei spoke in a surprised voice.

“So you have the Inventory skill.”

“Oh, is it a rare skill?”

“It’s one of the nine hidden pieces Eden has concealed. Since only one exists per star, you could say it’s rare.”

So Inventory was a hidden piece too.

He didn’t know that. As he was making a curious expression, Aei continued her explanation.

“However, unlike other hidden pieces, it’s relatively easy to acquire. Inventory is sold at the auction house in the early stages of the apocalypse.”

“Why sell something so rare at the auction house…”

“It’s to find and support those with outstanding potential in the early stages. A kind of investment. Oh, by the way, the seller of Inventory is □□□□…”

Aei, who had been chattering away, suddenly shut her mouth and muttered in an awkward tone.

“Information restriction has been applied. Ahaha.”

Han-seong brushed it off casually.

He was curious, but it didn’t particularly bother him. That’s when Aei spoke up again.

“So are you going to buy it?”

No need to ask twice.

Although it seemed quite expensive, being able to collect all loot within the observable range was a different story. He also liked that the storage capacity would increase.

And there was one more reason.

‘Using the Collector to bring loot has reached its limit now.’

Killing an enemy 60km away and dispatching the Collector to retrieve the loot?

Including the round trip time, the Collector would have to travel 120km. The travel time is wasteful, and the mana consumed during that time is also wasteful.

So Han-seong decided to purchase it.

[‘Greed’s Warehouse’ purchased.]

[30,000 Coins consumed.]

A large sum of money disappeared in an instant.

After checking his balance, Han-seong bought two more lower runes that were relatively cheap.

[Name]: Haunted Doll

[Effect]: The Decoy Dummy’s steel doll moves towards areas with more enemies. Automatically attacks enemies affected by disruption.

[Additional Ability]: Attack ability added

[Price]: 5,000 Coins

A special effect for Decoy Dummy.

It moves around provoking enemies and even has an attack function added. The price wasn’t bad, and it seemed useful, so he decided to buy it.

[Name]: Method to Call Lightning

[Effect]: When Chain Lightning hits 7 or more targets, Call Lightning strikes in that area. The Call Lightning that falls at this time has a separate cooldown applied.

[Additional Ability]: Impact Range +50%

[Price]: 7,000 Coins

Next was a special effect for Chain Lightning.

An effect where Call Lightning strikes when hitting a certain number of enemies.

It seemed good for dealing with elite monsters that bring minions, so he bought it.

‘Remaining coins: about 17,000 coins.’

He decided to save this for emergencies.

There wasn’t really anything else worth buying at the moment anyway. Just as he was smiling with satisfaction after finishing this shopping spree,

Aei spoke up again.

“Aren’t you going to buy any equipment separately?”

“No, I didn’t see anything better than the Mage’s Staff I got as a quest reward.”

He had briefly looked at the beginning, but couldn’t find any useful equipment.

If the Mage’s Robe, which was one of the quest completion rewards, had been there, he would have bought it immediately.

As he was silently swallowing his disappointment,

Aei’s reply followed.

“That may be true now, but you’ll be able to get some useful items after a little more time passes.”

“You mean they haven’t been stocked yet?”

“Well, rather than that, it’s because the aether □□ in the star where Eden exists has □□… I’m sorry. This seems to be information restricted too.”

Aei let out an awkward laugh.

On the other hand, Han-seong didn’t mind.

He wasn’t sure what the restricted information words were, but anyway, it meant that useful equipment would be stocked after some time passed.

“Are you going back now?”

“I suppose I should.”

Han-seong replied readily. It seemed he had done everything he could in the tower. Meanwhile, upon hearing his answer, Aei immediately snapped her fingers.

And at that moment,

Clank!

A door appeared in front of them.

A door gleaming silver.

“This door is…”

“It’s the door to return to your original location.”

So we can go back directly.

Han-seong immediately opened the door.

Soon, a gaping darkness greeted him.

Just before stepping forward, he turned to Aei and bowed his head slightly.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

“Yes, please visit again anytime. I’ll be waiting for the day we meet again, Mage.”

Aei bowed her head as well.

Han-seong took a big step towards the darkness beyond. Then he heard the sound of the door closing, and as he walked a bit further,

Flash!

“Ugh!”

Han-seong tightly shut his eyes at the sudden burst of light. After a while, sensation gradually returned to his body.

Some time later. When he opened his eyes again, what he saw was a familiar ceiling.

“This is…”

It was the room in the officetel.

As he was staring blankly at the ceiling for a moment, a new notification appeared before him.

[You have left the Mage’s Tower.]

[Time until next visit: 71:59:59]

It meant he could only enter again three days after visiting once. Having learned this new information, Han-seong silently nodded.

Then he looked around the room.

‘No one’s here.’

The only thing in the room was the Collector in standby mode. Ji-hye and the Vampire Tree were nowhere to be seen, having left their spots.

Could they be downstairs?

Han-seong got up from his seat.

Or rather, he tried to. But of course, his legs wouldn’t move.

“…Ah.”

And he belatedly realized.

That he was no longer a consciousness form. Realizing the reality, Han-seong smiled bitterly.

“If I had known this would happen, I should have asked about a way to move my legs again.”

Because he could walk around normally in the tower, the question itself didn’t even occur to him. But upon returning to reality, he acutely realized it.

Let’s ask next time we visit.

Having finished his thoughts, Han-seong moved his wheelchair to the desk. Then he reached out towards the empty air, looking at it.

“Open Map.”

Soon the familiar map unfolded.

If there was any difference from before, it was undoubtedly that the observation range had greatly expanded.

A 62.5km radius centered on the officetel.

Now he could observe not only all of Seoul, but beyond Suwon all the way to Pyeongtaek. Just then, an area that caught his attention came into view.

‘There are a lot of survivors there.’

Near Seryu Station in Suwon City.

The entire area was so full of countless survivors that it appeared blue. When he zoomed in on the map, there seemed to be at least several thousand.

Besides that, there were quite a number of survivors around Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. If all the survivors were added up, it would easily exceed tens of thousands.

“…That’s a relief.”

Han-seong let out a sigh of relief.

The fact that there were many survivors meant that the chances of his family being safe were also high.

Right after thinking of his family, he looked towards the edge of the observable map.

‘The current observation limit on the map is…’

The border between Gyeonggi Province and South Chungcheong Province.

He could create an additional base up to 20km away from that point. Han-seong searched for candidate locations with this in mind.

And as a result,

He found the most suitable candidate.

‘Cheonan Station.’

A location that just touches the maximum distance.

Moreover, there’s a high-rise new apartment complex near the station. If he sets up a base on the top floor, he should be able to observe the entire surrounding area.

‘And Daejeon will also be within observation range.’

So Han-seong made up his mind.

Create an additional base at those coordinates and install a Warp Gate. Then send the Collector and Vampire Tree to clean up the area around the base.

‘Once Ji-hye returns, let’s go right away.’

Looking at the map, he could see that Ji-hye was currently returning after finishing zombie hunting. Ji-hye and the Vampire Tree were marked as blue square dots on the map, so he could tell without using Detection.

As he was looking over the map like that,

“Huh?”

He suddenly noticed something different from before.

Two changes. First, the elite monster Grotesque Fish that had been near Nodeul Island had completely disappeared.

There was a possibility it had dived deep, but he couldn’t be sure. It had never disappeared from the map until now.

‘What happened?’

He looked along the river to see if it had moved elsewhere but couldn’t find it. After furrowing his brow for a moment, he turned his attention to the second change.

Towards Kangil Girls’ High School.

‘The number of survivors has drastically decreased.’

Although they had been through a lot, Kangil Girls’ High School had consistently maintained about a hundred survivors. But now only about thirty were visible.

There was a possibility they had left the base to hunt zombies, but no blue dots could be found anywhere around Kangil Girls’ High School.

‘Did they perhaps get attacked?’

Maybe a new elite monster appeared?

That’s not it either. There’s only one elite monster left in Seoul. Even that one is confirmed to be in the direction of Bukhansan Mountain.

Han-seong frowned.

‘While I was away…’

What on earth happened?

Since he couldn’t guess, he was silently pondering when he heard someone coming up the stairs beyond the front door.

It was Ji-hye and the Vampire Tree.

Bam!

The two opened the door and entered.

Soon after, his eyes met Ji-hye’s. She shouted with a startled expression:

“Gasp! Ma-Mage?!”

“I’m back.”

Han-seong waved with a smiling face.

At this, Ji-hye ran over in one breath and hugged him tightly without warning.

“Uuu, I missed you so much.”

“Haha, why are you making such a fuss? I wasn’t gone for that long.”

“No, it was a very long wait. So long that I was struggling with severe thirst.”

Severe thirst?

Han-seong tilted his head.

According to experiments over the past two weeks, Ji-hye and the Vampire Tree could easily endure for three to four days without receiving blood from Han-seong.

Thirst would come after that.

‘But…’

It hasn’t even been a full day since he entered and left the tower? Feeling somewhat uneasy, Han-seong asked Ji-hye a question.

How much time had passed. Then he received a shocking answer.

“It’s been exactly a week today.”

“A-a week…?”

Han-seong’s eyes widened.

He knew time flowed differently between reality and the tower, but he never imagined it would be such a big difference.

After a while, having finally regained his senses, he shared his blood with Ji-hye and the Vampire Tree. After a week, they would certainly be feeling severe thirst.

“Whew, now I feel like I can live.”

Ji-hye smiled happily.

The Vampire Tree, which had been withered, also stretched its roots as if showing off its renewed health. Once the situation was settled, Han-seong turned back to Ji-hye.

“Was there anything special while I was gone?”

“Ah, I actually have something to tell you.”

Probably related to Kangil Girls’ High School.

So he silently waited for Ji-hye to tell him the whole story. But a moment later, the answer that came back was something he never expected.

“A provisional government has been formed.”

“…What?”

Han-seong asked back with a blank face.

The Grotesque Fish, and Kangil Girls’ High School too.

What on earth happened during the past week? As he looked at Ji-hye with a bewildered expression, she began her story.