LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter: 16: Meeting and Reunion [3]
“Oy, wake up!”
I heard a manly voice from beside me.
“Get the hell up already would you?’
I heard Glenn’s irritated voice as he shook me. I slowly regained consciousness and saw that he was supporting me over his shoulder.
“Huaam... Good morning!” With a yawn I spoke.
“Good morning my ass!”
I steadied my body and stood on my own.
In front of me stood a metal vault. Not any metal vault. One could tell from one look that this was no ordinary made vault!
“It’s reinforced with the strongest metal on Earth and mixed with a special ore. Even an S+ ranked hunter can’t put a scratch of this baby.”
He elaborated.
Clank—!
With a small sound the vault opened and I finally saw the inside.
There were thousands upon thousands of bookshelves, on which there were thousands of books and scrolls.
It looked like a normal library at first glance, but I could feel it, the Mana inside the books which harboured the Skills.
“You’ve got an hour, take your time and decide which one skill you wanna take?”
He continued.
“... and it’s best for you if you only select a skill which is appropriate for your current rank and level. Don’t get greedy and select only a single skill... and don’t go for the other sections, besides the E and F rank section, okay?”
Glenn’s tone was serious. Not like his usual--I just want to rest--attitude.
And I knew this better then anyone, just how precious a skill really was. I even saw people kill each other for a skill, in my previous life.
Because a skill is different in it’s entire aspects.
Skills can be perfectly learned on the spot. Where it takes a person years to master and perfect a technique.
Just thing of it like copy/paste. You take the skill –which is the copy/ source code– and paste– the human body– , the source code in to your body.
With a Skill you can perfectly imprint that code into your body without having the trouble of training and wasting years upon years.
That’s why Skill are so valuable!
I stepped into the vault and the vault behind me shut closed.
Just as the vault closed, I saw Glenn waving at me!
“One hour, huh?”
I looked at the bookshelves around me. Right now, I was not in the need for a new skill.
I had just brought a skill from the system shop recently.
“But still, while I’m here let’s have a good look of what kind of skills they have in stock.”
So began my hunt for Skills.
I first looked through the F rank section, but couldn't find a single skill worth taking notice.
Then reaching the E rank section, I looked through the skills and only two of them intrigued me, but not enough to take one of them.
I snapped my head on the left side and saw the bookshelves on the second floor.
The Mana density around them was different, compared to the E rank section.
“S rank Skills!"
The strongest ranked skills!
But you’re not on that level yet, Jiwoo... even if I got an S rank skill, I won’t be able to use it until I reach the appropriate level.
And for that I need to level up.
My current level would seem high, but it is nothing compared to the monsters out there.
And the biggest monster among them all... The Demon King!
“Oh crap times almost up!”
I looked at the clock which was on the wall to my left.
The time I had inside the vault came to an end.
In the end I couldn’t decide on a skill. My level was alright equal to a
Acausality put a massive burden over my body and the damage I received was seriously too much! I could only briefly use it. But still being able to stop time even for a split second can change the entire outcome of a fight.
Even if it would hurt like a bitch later!
My time was up, so I walked up to the vault gate and waited for it to open.
Just after I stood there, the gate opened and I stepped out.
Still a pity that I couldn’t look through those S rank skills.
“So what did you take?” Glenn curiously asked.
But shaking my head side ways, I replied.
“I couldn’t decide in the end.”
“Is it that you couldn’t decide or you didn’t take one?” Glenn had the-- don’t give that crap, that you couldn’t decide-- look!
“Sometimes I can’t tell if you are a genius or an idiot!”
He scoffed.
“I’m honoured to be called a genius, but,... I would have felt it, if some big shot said it to me instead!" I countered with my own sarcastic remark.
But Glenn didn’t respond to my provocation and simply turned around.
Clank—!
With another low sound the vault closed shut and I walked up to Glenn.
“Follow me!” He exclaimed.
He began to walk in front of me. I did as he said and obediently followed him.
Reaching the end of the hallway, we both entered the elevator.
Ting—!
He pressed a button and the elevator began to ascend.
On the way up we both stayed silent!
Ting—!
The doors of the elevator opened and we both stepped out and found ourselves in another hallway.
But there were two doors only ten meters away form the elevator.
Looking to my left and right, I saw long corridors.
“This way!” Glenn said.
Again following from behind, we both walked up to the door. Glenn extended his arm and grabbed one of the door knob of the two doors.
Clank—!
Opening the door we both entered the room.
The moment I entered the room, the pleasant smell of lavender evaded my nostrils. The smell felt refreshing!
Turning my head left to right, I examined the room. It was decorated exquisitely.
Expensive sofas! Black marble floor adorned with the white walls of the room.
Painting on the walls, an antique clock on the left side of the room.
There was a desk and chair just ahead the sofas.
Walking up to the sofas, Glenn and I sat down on one of each.
I moment I dropped down on the sofa, a moan almost escaped me.
Not in a weird way! The I moment I put my cheeks on the cushions, I felt as if I had sat on features.
Leaning back into the sofa, I crossed my legs and looked at Glenn. The tired expression on Glenn's face was still the same, when I saw it the first time.
“You didn’t bring me here just to ask how I am, or for a cup of tea, right?”
Leaning an inch forward, Glenn spoke with a tired and a half grumpy voice.
“I told you to come here in order to give you your reward, which would have been a skill, but, you only wasted your time in there for some godforsaken reason and didn’t take one...”
He continued.
“... you got a bank account?”
I confusingly looked at him before answering.
“Yeah, I do!”
“Then great give me your banking card.”
Taking my bank card out of my inventory, I handed it to Glenn.
There was a transaction device on the table. Placing my card inside it, he pressed on the touch screen and after a few seconds he handed me my card back.
“You didn’t take a Skill, a foolish decision, but, we have to reward you somehow!”
He leaned back into the sofa as he continued to speak.
“I have transferred 10 million Dollars into your account! Roughly 13.3 billion won.”
“I see, but, isn’t that a little too much money?" I solemnly said. I was surprised but I didn’t show it over my face.
“Don’t sweat it. The black market makes a hundred times this amount only in a few hours.” Glenn said. "And this was a pretty big incident, so this much of a reward is right!"
“Alright!”
I guess I have served my purpose here!
I got up from the sofa and grabbed my mask before walking up to the door. Glenn did the same and and we both stepped out of the room.
***
Exiting the Portal house, Glenn stood outside with me. Taking a cigarette out of his cigarette pack and lighting it up, he started puffing the cigarette.
Puff—! Puff—!
“Then see you later!” I said as I took a step forward.
“Do your best in the tournament, Jiwoo! I’ll be rooting for you!”
He said.
“Yeah.” With a brief goodbye, I pressed my heel on the ground and walked off.
***
Vroom—! Vroom—!
I heard the bustling sound of cars and other vehicles on the main road.
It was now 10:09 am!
‘Two hours flew by so quickly!’
I waited for the light to turn red and walk to the other side of the street.
The light turned red and all the vehicles came to a halt.
By this time I was hungry. I hadn’t eaten breakfast so I was looking for a restaurant or a diner to eat in.
“Jiwoo...!”
Just as I was about to take a step forward, I heard someone call my name.
Turning my head side ways, I saw a young woman standing a few meters away from me.
Her glossy black hair and obsidian black eyes looked beautiful. Her skin pure white and devoid of any imperfection.
She wore a white blouse and a long black skirt, which enhanced her beauty even more. She looked outstandingly beautiful.
“Jiwoo, so it really was you!"
She walked up to me and hugged me.
“Jihye...” I instinctively said.
“What are you doing here in Seoul? If you were back you should have given me a call at least!”
“Haaa... that’s the problem with adolescent kids, they don’t listen to anyone!” I could genuinely feel the sacarcasm in her voice!
With every word she spoke, I didn’t feel irritated, rather a sense of peace enshrouded my heart and mind.
“Been a while, Jihye!” I awkwardly said.
This was my first time meeting her! ‘Jiwoo’s sister'!
If I said I didn’t felt awkward in this situation, would be blunt lie.
Growl—!
But my stomach had a mind of it’s own.
“You had breakfast yet?” She asked.
I snapped my head left and right.
She grabbed my hand and dragged me across the street.
After walking for about five minutes, we passed through many shops and stores, before we stopped in front of a mall.
“This mall?” I said whilst looking at the mall.
“I was going to do some shopping today, but I met you by chance," she said with her eyes bright. “And there’s also a restaurant in this Mall, it's a little expensive but they serve really tasty food.”
Money was not a problem for me now! After receiving the money I got from the black market as a reward and selling of the monster' drops, I had made a large some of money.
Cough—! Cough—!
I saw Jihye cough. I worriedly looked at her.
“I’m fine! I just caught a cold a few days ago, but I’m alright!”
But still I was worried! Whether these emotions I felt were this body's way of reacting to Jihye’s conditions or not.
I was genuinely worried about her. I knew from just one look, that she was tired.
I had already accepted that everything associating this body associates to me.
And now, Jihye was my older sister!
“Let’s go!” The excitement in her voice could be evidently heard.
Afterwards we both entered the mall.