Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 104

New Stats (1)

104. New Stats (1)

2022.02.12.

The thought entities, which had been chasing Yeon-woo with crazed eyes, paused. “You bastards! Today is the day you go into your coffins!” A terrifying presence had appeared before the appetizing prey they craved. [Kkeu-reo-eo-eo……!] [Kkeureureuk!] Hungry. But too scared to get close. “Why don’t you try eating to your heart’s content?” Click! Adrian’s gun made a cocking sound. That was the starting point. The thought entities began to back away little by little. Adrian’s skillful herding drove them exactly where he had planned. And finally. [Kkeurararak?!] [Guwooeok!] The retreating entities seemed to sense something was wrong and hesitated. ‘Too late to realize it now.’ If they had any reason left, they wouldn’t have fallen for this lure. But they were already thought entities in a severely degraded chimera state. [Kyaaaaak!] The thought entities screamed hideously and charged. The threat to their survival was meaningless in the face of a greater threat of death. Sensing the greater danger, the thought entities didn’t care that Adrian was standing there with a gun. However. “I finally get to have my revenge!” Adrian, who burst into wild laughter, aimed his gun at the thought entities, who seemed to be struggling as if blocked by something. Watching him, Yeon-woo sighed. ‘Hoo… I was nervous just in case.’ What had trapped the thought entities was none other than a barrier. With his magical power running low, Yeon-woo had few options to choose from. ‘Normal talismans won’t be enough to exorcise them.’ No matter how degraded they were, they were once beings revered as gods. With his magical power depleted, he couldn’t possibly eliminate them with just a few talismans. He had to weaken them somehow. “How those guys slip away from danger like eels. If only I could confine them somewhere…….” Adrian’s words, muttered almost absently, became a hint. A plan quickly formed in his mind. Of course, there was one variable. ‘……Will it work?’ An old memory flashed through his mind. -Kang Yeon-woo! You rascal! Are you not studying properly?! -I’m studying other things diligently?! -What good is schoolwork! You need to be able to cast a barrier to protect yourself!

Memories of him not wanting to be tied to the family business and his mother, Madam Kang, trying to teach him no matter what. He also remembered being trapped in a barrier used by Madam Kang while running away and being subjected to forced education. He had learned it haphazardly, with a reluctant, immature mind… Bang! [Kkeuwoeok!] Taang! [Kkirelerelek!] “You bastards! This is revenge for my teammates! How does it taste!” Seeing Adrian madly shooting at the trapped thought entities, it was clear. The barrier was a success. “You bastards, die! Just die!” Adrian had only one bullet left. A woefully insufficient number for a barrage. But the only reason Adrian could drive the thought entities so enthusiastically right now was this. “Is it really possible to use it like this?” “Yes. But it’s not infinite. Wasting it would be a problem.” “That won’t happen. I used to be called a master of shooting…….” Indeed, it was just as he said. The bullets made of magical power struck the thought entities as they were fired. Kuwoong! Kung! [Geuwoeok!] The confused thought entities couldn’t even offer any resistance. The memories of the past, when they were driven to the brink of death, had been replayed exactly as they were. The plan to stimulate their deepest fears and throw them into chaos was a success. Trapped and unable to escape, the bodies of the thought entities were rapidly collapsing. But that alone was not enough. “I’m running out of bullets!” Adrian shouted. “Okay. I’m going in.” Yeon-woo’s eyes shone coldly.

* ‘It’s like a monster movie.’ A monster war unfolding in a civilized 21st-century society. If anyone was curious about it, he would recommend they skip the movie and just sprinkle some Spiritual Eye Solution [a solution that allows one to see spirits] on their eyes and watch it directly. How did he end up catching thought entities comparable to monsters while coming to film a movie? “Hoo…….” A long sigh escaped involuntarily. [Geuwoeeok…….] [Kieeeek…….] The size of the giant thought entities had shrunk considerably due to Adrian’s attacks. But that was it. Now the bullets would run out, and the thought entities would slowly regain their strength. They needed one final blow to completely finish them off. “At this rate, I might faint from anemia?” When he scratched the surface of his skin with his fingertips, red blood welled up. But instead of flowing down, it was absorbed into Yeon-woo’s palm as if sucked into the air. “You’re approaching them? It’s dangerous. Those guys might devour you!” “That’s why Adrian’s role is important. He needs to completely distract them.” “Still, it’s too dangerous…….” “If we time it right, it’ll work. And unless I get close, the power I can use is limited, so complete exorcism is impossible.” It was different from when he was overflowing with power. Due to the characteristic that its influence diminished the farther away he was, he had to approach directly. In other words, the closer the distance, the higher the destructive power. “Taking advantage of the chaos, you’ll finish them off…… At this rate, it’ll be perfect.” “If it goes well, it will be.” That was the end of this plan. ‘Who knew acting would be helpful in this way.’ He never thought that starting to receive proper diet and physical training while working at Kwon Seong-hyun’s agency would come back like this. Recently, he had even registered for an academy, thinking it would be good to learn how to use his body. It was different from general PT [Personal Training]; it was to learn basic martial arts before entering a full-fledged action school. Applying it was very simple. ‘It’s shrunk, but still not enough.’ Yeon-woo, who floated his body with a running start, materialized magical power under his feet and detonated it. It was a one-time method, but the effect was certain. Immediately, his body lightly kicked off into the air. The sharp, amplified sense of blood surged in his hand. [Kkieeek?!] The thought entities, noticing Yeon-woo, hurriedly turned around. “Too late.” A deep smile spread across Yeon-woo’s lips. He could feel the condensed, giant spiritual body splitting at his fingertips. The thought entity, which had barely clung together, mending each other to maintain its body, shattered into dozens of pieces and crumbled. [Kkiaaak!] The last one tried to struggle before dying, but. Bang! “How dare you attack our benefactor!” It failed due to Adrian’s suppressing fire. The guy quickly turned his body and tried to escape, but, “Where do you think you’re going?” [Kkeuwaeek……!] It was impossible since the surroundings were blocked by talismans. Finally. “Finally……!” Adrian knelt down, looking at the fragments that had crumbled and scattered on the floor. Hot tears streamed from his eyes. “Hoo…….” Yeon-woo let out a long sigh. ‘I ended up performing a physical exorcism.’ He was experiencing all sorts of things because he lacked magical power. Using barriers, flying his whole body to stab with a knife. He had done all sorts of things, but the result was very satisfactory. [The rain…… the rain is stopping.] Drop! Drop! The weather, which had been pouring like a torrential downpour, was gradually clearing up as if it were a lie. Beams of light shone like rays of hope between the dark clouds that had filled the sky. ‘I’m doing all sorts of things just to film a movie.’ Even though it was for his lifespan, he had become more engrossed than he thought. Leaving aside his lifespan, the fact that those mere thought entities were targeting the actors and staff who were working hard together was very unpleasant. Was that why? He had ended up using all his strength, scraping together every last bit of magical power. ‘It’s a relief Madam Kang doesn’t know.’ If Madam Kang knew about this situation, she might have thrown him into the entertainment industry a long time ago. She would say he was commendable for taking down ghosts on his own. ‘I’m tired, so I’m having all sorts of thoughts.’ Now all that’s left is to send a distress signal and reorganize the people to regroup. Even though the biggest culprit is gone, people who have experienced a major event will need time to recover. Thinking that, Yeon-woo was about to get up with his tired body when. A clear and pure sound stopped his movement. -Tring! It was a sudden system notification sound. *

“Huh?” Again? Why is it ringing now? No sooner had he thought that than. [You have perfectly fulfilled the client’s request!] [Congratulations! You acquire additional stats that can be obtained as a reward.] [Reward: Removing obstacles that hinder survival] [A+] The system message popped up in front of his eyes. This was familiar. After the additional stats that could be obtained from Adrian appeared as question marks. Every time he did something, he would get random stats out of nowhere. ‘Removing obstacles.’ That’s right. The thought entities were directly interfering with Yeon-woo’s lifespan farming, so they were obstacles. But. -Tring! This time, it wasn’t the end of it. [Conditions are met.] [You have met the conditions to fully harvest the stats of the person!] [Reward: Survival Expert] [S] “……Huh?” This was a new kind of notification. Survival? No sooner had he thought that than the contents of the status window changed again in front of his eyes. [Survival Expert] [S] -A title that can only be inherited by those who have properly obtained all the stats left by a once-great survival expert. It can be said that those who have this title possess the ability to survive in any situation. In situations of distress or disaster, they can become a shining star and lead people more than anyone else. It is characterized by being specialized in using the surrounding environment to survive in extreme situations. ‘The question mark…… disappeared?’ As soon as the Survival Expert stat appeared, he reflexively checked Adrian’s status window. The additional obtainable stats column, which had only been marked with question marks, now clearly displayed the phrase ‘Survival Expert’. Watching that, Yeon-woo thought. ‘This system is driving me crazy.’ Now it’s making me assemble stat acquisition like a kit. ‘Well…… there’s also stat combination, so is it not that strange to acquire stats like a kit?’ Strictly speaking, the ‘Survival Expert’ he obtained from Adrian this time was also a kind of stat combination. Wasn’t it only unlocked after obtaining as many as six detailed stats? But the notification wasn’t the end of it. -Tring! [You have successfully harvested lifespan.] [Lifespan harvested: 180 days] “……?” What? The stat acquisition is one thing, but why is the lifespan harvest notification popping up now? [Ah…… Finally……!] Yeon-woo, who reflexively turned around, saw Adrian’s fading figure. Adrian, who was gradually turning transparent and scattering particles like sand fluttering in the wind, looked very comfortable.

“Didn’t you ask me to take you off the island?” His first request was clearly that. It was definitely that……. [I am satisfied enough. Thanks to you, we and my colleagues are free from those monsters.] What had kept Adrian tied to this island. It was none other than the existence of the thought entities. He might not have known the exact details of how the thought entities had attacked and hunted his teammates, but he would have instinctively felt it. ‘The reason why a dead soul can’t cross the River of Three Crossings [a river in East Asian Buddhism that the dead must cross to be reincarnated] and becomes a earthbound spirit is obvious.’ It’s because they have such a strong resentment that they can’t go to the afterlife.