Chapter 53 : The Strongest Finger

“So, you’re the audacious little canary I was told about.”

“Are you, by any chance, the infamous being trapped in the constellation jar?”

“Yes, there are few alchemists who know my alias, so I appreciate you recognizing me.”

“The person you referred to as ‘canary’ swore on the name of the constellation that I would not be harmed when they gave me the Human Transmutation Scroll and the Philosopher’s Stone. But can you explain what is happening here?”

Even though I was unintentionally dragged into the shrine, I remained calm and mentioned the vow made in the name of the constellation.

At that moment, the being trapped in the transparent jar, resembling a fetus, let out a grotesque laugh.

“Khehehe!! Indeed, the moment the canary made that vow, I could feel the chain of fate being formed. So, do you think I set up this whole scheme just to harm you? And that too, expending the Philosopher’s Stone?”

“Then, may I ask what your purpose is in inviting me to the shrine?”

“Inviting a Stigma bearer to the shrine surely means that I intend to make a contract with a constellation, doesn’t it?

I heard that, even after half a year at Pantheon Academy, you still haven’t found a suitable constellation to make a contract with.

If you form a contract with me, even a fragile human like you can become a monster in no time.

Using the Human Transmutation Scroll itself means you’re somewhat ready to abandon your humanity, right?

So, won’t you make the contract now?”

It was a genuine opportunity to make a formal contract with a constellation, not like Ashakariel’s multi-level constellation contract or the short-term job of the Projection of Wisdom.

For a failed student like me, it was an opportunity as precious as gold, but I couldn’t give an immediate answer.

After running multiple simulations in my mind, I concluded that making a contract with the being in the jar would be a bad move.

In fact, if I had encountered such an event in a game, I would have instantly accepted it, thinking, “This is awesome.”

If I went down the route of the being in the jar, my species would change from human to homunculus.

While losing my humanity, I would gain immunity to all mental attacks and powerful physical abilities.

In a game, the only drawback to losing my humanity would be the inability to form relationships with academy students, whether as friends or lovers.

However, in reality, losing my humanity would pose a risk of completely damaging my identity as Kim Sunghoon.

Therefore, just like when I met the Witch of the Underworld, I bowed down flat and spoke.

“I appreciate the offer from the being in the jar, but I am a humble alchemist with little talent. I am not worthy of serving a constellation, so I must respectfully decline.”

“I already saw that your talent is not much to speak of.

However, you are a pure human with no mixed blood from any other race.

I value this and am offering you the chance to make a contract with me.

Also, the Philosopher’s Stone I gave you is not an ordinary one.

It’s a 100% pure Philosopher’s Stone that completely negates the side effects of Human Transmutation.

It’s rare for a constellation to be so generous, even during Pantheon’s entrance ceremony.

Yet, you still wish to refuse my offer?”

“I am truly sorry. I’m not sure if I still have the chance to undo this, but before using the Philosopher’s Stone, I would like to return it to you, the being in the jar.”

“Hmm…”

Although I knew the Philosopher’s Stone had already evaporated, I politely but firmly rejected the offer.

Seeing me maintain such a humble attitude, the being in the jar, who had been smiling, couldn’t respond harshly and paused for a while before speaking.

“If that is your decision, I won’t force the contract.

However, while the Human Transmutation Scroll may be common, the Philosopher’s Stone is an extremely rare item, and I cannot simply give it away for free.

So, here is my proposition: Whenever my little canary is in danger, swear to help me actively.

In return, I will pass the Philosopher’s Stone through the chain of fate.”

“Yes, I understand. Though my power is weak, I will do my best to help if the canary is in danger. And once again, I thank you for your merciful judgment, the being in the jar.”

If I rejected the Plan B proposed by the being in the jar, I wasn’t sure how he might react, so I accepted the chain of fate without further resistance.

Honestly, considering the actions of the Black Agent, the canary, I didn’t want to help at all, but there was no choice.

After concluding the negotiation with the being in the jar and returning to the dorm, I witnessed the Philosopher’s Stone crumble into white ash.

As expected, when I activated the Human Transmutation Scroll, the Philosopher’s Stone fell into an irreversible state that even the constellation couldn’t recover.

Thanks to that, my right index finger, combined with the Magic Ink Brush, had become slightly darkened around the nail, but there didn’t seem to be any significant side effects.

‘If it had changed into something like an alien’s finger, that would have been a serious problem. And although there’s no outward difference, I can feel it in my body. I can sense how great the change has been.’

I stepped outside the dorm to test the new power I had gained.

I thrust my index finger into a nearby tree with great force, and a hole easily formed, as if drilled.

Moreover, I was able to do push-ups with just one finger, something I could never have attempted before.

The power of Human Transmutation was truly astounding.

Had I tried this with another finger, the bone would have broken immediately, but even after performing over 50 push-ups, there was no issue.

What was surprising was that the above effects were not even the real abilities of the Magic Ink Brush but merely an added bonus.

“If I get used to handling the power of the Magic Ink Brush, I should be able to carve Orin letters from a distance or even block an opponent’s vision with ink.

The main ability is to summon copies, but depending on how I apply it, the potential for development is limitless.”

At this point, I felt satisfied, as if I had transformed from the perennial last-place student, Kim Sunghoon, into a capable student at the Pantheon Academy who could contribute.

Although I used a technique that was more akin to legal manipulation than a traditional training method, wasn’t it true that in games, it’s all about using tricks to win?

Iris and I accepted that we came from different backgrounds, and we planned to continue growing stronger in our own, unconventional ways, just like seasoned players.

***

“Have you gathered much information regarding the dungeon practice? I’ve managed to get some small details from senior students who have already gone through it.”

“Really? Then don’t hesitate, just tell me.”

“Well, the lowest level dungeon, the Goblin Lair, apparently has an unbelievably low difficulty. It seems that even ordinary adventurers, not just students with a Stigma, can clear it.”

“Of course the difficulty is low because it’s an F-level dungeon! What’s so special about that information?”

“Well, that’s true, but the Goblin Lair, despite its low difficulty, guarantees the lowest score if you clear it the normal way.

Apparently, you need to perform at least a full clear in under 10 seconds to get a score equivalent to clearing a D-level dungeon.”

“Full clear in 10 seconds? Is that even possible? Even if it’s an F-level dungeon, there should be multiple rooms in a dungeon. How could that be possible?”

“I’m not sure about that part either. I think a senior who mastered Transference Magic used some combination skills, but given the special reward given to the fastest clearers, they probably wouldn’t reveal the specifics of their method.”

In a large park in the center of the academy, at a bench, I was meeting with Zeke Wolftail and Vex to prepare for the upcoming dungeon practice.

Vex was the one leading the conversation most actively, while I was more focused on how to best handle the Magic Ink Brush, paying little attention to the dungeon practice itself.

“What do you think, Kim Sunghoon? You’ve looked troubled since earlier.”

“Me? I want to approach the dungeon in the most straightforward and safe manner.

We’ll start with the F-level Goblin Lair and clear progressively more difficult dungeons within our ability.

If we reach a dungeon that’s impossible to clear, we’ll just give up without taking unnecessary risks.”

“So, you’re saying you’ll do your best and leave the results to fate? Actually, the seniors also recommended that approach… but I have a different opinion. So, please listen carefully to what I have to say next.”