CHAPTER 36 – Training plan (Part 1)

*CRISTOPHER'S POV*

Looking at my laptop, I started to check the new functions, which really, weren't that many, I counted three.

The first one, the one that got me interested the most is one called "Devil List". As its name implies. It is a list. A list with a lot of interrogation signs, except for one.

[1. ???

2. ???

3. ???

4. ???

…

14. ???

15. ???

16. Duke Zepar/???/???/???

17. ???

18. ???

19.???

…

80. ???]

"Duke Zepar huh… Well, for what I can see… This has a list of the Devils from The Novel's Extra. It has 80 numbers on it… What's weird is… Where these demons come from?"-I said while checking the entire list full of "???" symbols.

There are different ways to classify demons, the most known is the Ars Goetia or Lesser Key of Salomon. It has 72 demons, each one with a noble title. Still… There were even more ways, like the ones based on the Seven Sins. And what to say about other demons not classified… There are hundreds of them.

{If I don't remember wrong. A few demons that appear here are Asmodeus, Baal, Leraje, and I also met Zepar, all four from the Ars Goetia… Even more, the one I met was 'Duke' Zepar, which locks him to the Lesser Key of Salomon when it comes to the title.}- I thought while looking at the list. {Still, there's also Lilith here… Which isn't part of the Lemegeton… And there're 8 more numbers than in the Lesser Key, assuming one of them is Lilith, there're still 7 more demons.}

Apart from the name of Duke Zepar, I had nothing else. He even got 4 more lines of interrogation symbols right beside him, which I assume is information I don't know, or I 'can't' know.

"I won't find anything looking at this thing constantly. So, moving on."-I said while changing towards the next new function. "Smartwatch link".

As its name implies. It is literally an app that lets you link the laptop to a smartwatch. I also tried to link it with the smartphone. But couldn���t find how. Now, it is indeed a good option in the case I want access to any information I have on the laptop without bringing it with me and do weird moves in the air as Hajin does.

For the record. It doesn't have any distance limit. Not that I tried, after all, I was still wearing those pink clothes, so I'm not going out before changing my clothes. I found out while reading the app's instructions.

I don't know how it works, but let's assume that it somehow hacks into the smartwatch communication system and uses the same satellite that lets it works everywhere without limits. I've never seen Hajin or the other characters change smartwatch each time they go through a portal, so they perfectly work everywhere, that must be the same way this app works.

"Still, I better take it with me each time I leave Korea. Just in case."-I said while moving to the next app. "After all, I won't like to lose this little app."

The last app, which was practically the only reason I would want to connect my smartwatch to the laptop, was called "Violet Banquet".

"Now this, this is good."-I said while accessing the site. "And I thought I wouldn't be able to access this place for all the time I would be here. Really too lazy to look for a way to enter, though I don't think it would be too difficult, it's better to have it with me."

Violet Banquet was a special site. It was kind of like a black market, the best site in this world's Deep Web.

What made it that good? It was the reward from the Tower of Information. This means it is a precious treasure all by itself. Also, it didn't care at all for the laws of any government, not even the two more important ones of this world, the USA and Korea.

What's more, no government would try to do something against it, as basically all the "true" heroes have an account here, making it impossible to make a move on the site. That is unless you wanted every hero in the world to attack you.

Here, you could exchange for anything, in the most secure way. Sellers and buyers' information was completely protected, and only your username and rank would be known. It lets this place sell any kind of product or service; from information to a hitman for hire.

"And Hajin would have to pay 200 SP for it…"-I say as I look into the site entrance page, or well, my entrance's version of it. "Still… I would like to pay some kind of removable resource, and not money. *sigh…*"

Just as Hajin had to pay 200 SP for it, I have to pay for something to open my own account on the site. To be more precise, I would have to pay 50.000.000 won; or what's the same, around 50.000 $ of my world…

"Not that I can do anything for the moments with it. Don't even have the money at hand."-I say while standing up from the couch and stretching. "Well, time to take a shower and change me, it's almost 11:00 PM."-I said, looking at the hour.

After that, I took the loot from the hoodie, put them on the table, wore off the pink clothes, and threw them to bed before going towards the bathroom. Putting on some music while taking a shower.

***

It was 23:33.

[Rank 915, Cristopher D. Lamas, Confirmed]

I was entering the training center. Right now, there was no one inside. No one except for two girls.

One of them was passed out on the floor close to the gravity room, while the other one was next to her, looking down at her with a pity face.

As I made my way towards the girl on the floor, the one standing, Chae Nayun, noticed me and turned to look at me.

"…"- She just stares at me, without saying any word.

{Not that I have a problem with that. I prefer to stay away from that psycho that probably already made Shin Jonghak bully Hajin with her useless talk.}-I thought while walking towards Olivia, who is passed out on the floor.

"Tell her not to drop on the floor… Or better yet… Not to use the gravity room if she can't handle it. It's a nuisance for the rest of us."-Just as I was getting close to picking Olivia up, the spoiled brat talked to me.

"…"-I just gave a quick glance but chose to ignore her. {I should learn from previous mistakes and not follow the game of these crazy girls. I have a lot on my plate with Olivia already.}

"Hey! Don't ignore others when they talk to you!"-Said the spoiled brat again. {I swear… If Hajin doesn't make her fall in love with him faster. He won't need to anymore. Because I'll kill her.}

"First of all. You and me? We're not even acquaintances. So why would I give a fuck about what you say in the first place? Second. She's just on the floor, and as I can see, there's plenty of room around here to move. She's not bothering anyone. And finally. Whether or not she can or cannot endure the training inside the gravity room, that's for her to worry about. Not you, not me. So, fuck off to your own training and leave her be."-I said while glaring at her, before going down to pick Olivia up from the floor and put her on my shoulder like some kind of potatoes' sack.

"…"-She just stayed there dumbfounded, with her mouth slightly open. {It seems she's not that accustomed to being treated that roughly, not that I care. *sigh…* I'm still kind of susceptible from the Dungeon…}-I thought while going to one bench to put Olivia down.

Chae Nayun just glared at me a little before going to her own training. It seems like it clicked to her that she didn't have to take care of Olivia in the first place, as they don't even talk to each other. Not that I know, of course.

After putting down Olivia, I sat on the bench next to hers, and start looking around for some things on the Internet. Mostly about history, magic, legends, and myths. Why? Because I need to know the basics that made this world.

And for basics, I mean the legends and myths all through history. I do know that Norse Mythology is included, though with some changes, like Munnin being an eagle, for example. I need to know what other stories are out there. Because of what I can see. They would affect the Dungeons I'm going in, and that could also determine the changes that would take place in them once I go inside.

All in all, I could find a few clues here and there. Most of all. Demons, Angels, Norse Myths, Grecian and Romans Myths, Gods, and even some of Tolkien's works.

"*sigh…* This guy… He could make a little research if he was going to write about this kind of thing…"-I murmur to myself after some time of reading. "And you, open your eyes already. I know you're awake."-I said while turning off my smartwatch and looking at Olivia who's faking being asleep for who knows what reason.

"…"-She silently sits up while averting her eyes. "Why do you always know when I'm awake or not?"-She asks before stretching herself a little.

"Does it matter how I know? Just stop trying to trick me. So. Ready?"-I ask her while standing up and going to her bench.

"Y-yes…"-She said while blushing…

{Huh?}

"Huh?"-My thoughts went out. "What's wrong with you blushing? You creep me out. Stop it."-I said to her while taking a sudden step back and putting up my guard.

"Y-you! Asshole!! I'm not blushing!!! You're seeing things!! It seems like you already went crazy!!!"-So she said… While looking away.

"*sigh…* Whatever. You know how it's done. So, move. I want to finish this faster." -I said while sitting up beside her, with my front pointing at her.

"R-right…"-She hesitated somehow as she sat with her back pointing at me. "Will it hurt?"

"Not if you don't do anything stupid. Though, don't worry. It won't hurt that bad even if you do something stupid, you will just explode from inside-out. It will be like a little hit and then puff. Complete nothingness."- So I say while preparing myself with a little bit of stretching, just to make it a little bit more dramatic.

"…"-She freezes up. Her back instantly straightened and I could see her neck's back hair standing straight. A chill surely went up to her spine. "Y-you di-didn't t-tell m-me it was dan-dangerous…"-She stuttered while glancing at me sideways.

"Oh? I didn't? Well, don't worry. It isn't."-I said with a perfect 'do-not-worry' smile. "That is unless you do something stupid like going against my instructions."

"…"-She turns again. Agitated. "C-can we… stop? Please?".

{Oh no. You won't escape this. I already made it all the way here.}

"No. We can't. Now shut up. Relax, and listen to me."-I say while putting my hands' palms on her back. "When I say one, you inhale deep and keep the air inside. When I say two, you exhale all that air. You will be feeling weird energy going inside of you. Don't even pay attention to it. And for the love of whatever you hold dear, don't try to touch it or repulse it with your own mana. Or you will blow up, and I don't want to be covered in blood at this hour. Understood?"-I ask her once I ended up explaining.

"Y-yes… I understood…"-She answers.

"*sigh…* Fine, let's start. Remember. As I count, you do as I told you. One."-I said, injecting Natural Energy inside her as she inhales deeply. "Two."-I said once the energy ended up circulating through her magic circuit and she exhaled it out. "At least you can follow instructions when your life is on the line. That's good. We're keeping this up. Prepare. One"-I start again.

I must say that I found something interesting.

The first time I did this, Hajin's mana completely repulsed my Natural Energy, just as David Ross' mana did. As if it was its complete antagonist. With Olivia? Not quite so… While the mana still rejected the Natural Energy, it wasn't that bad. Like they were still enemies, but not the worst of enemies.

{This either means that she has a better tolerance towards Natural Energy, or, that my 'Affinity' is somehow changing how the energies interact in this world. I'll have to test it with Kim Hajin in the next training to be sure.}

We kept up the recovery for a little longer than 3 minutes. Almost 4. It seems she was more exhausted than Hajin.

"So? How do you feel?"- I ask her while finishing the last cycle.

"Why are you worried about me all of a sudden?"-She says with a freaked face.

"… You know. You're right. Forget I asked."-I retorted while standing up.

"W-wait… I… feel good. It did help to recover my stamina... A lot…"-She says while looking down.

"Mmmm… Okay, that's good then. Remember. This was a one-time thing."-I said to her. For the record. Chae Nayun is still training, so I won't have to see that spoiled brat's face again before leaving. "Well, I'm leaving. See you around. Or, better not."-I said goodbye while walking towards the exit.

"Huh… yeah, thanks. Bye."-She said, almost in a whisper, to which I just raise my arm up, saying bye with a wave of my hand before going out.