Desire's Reflection

"So... who is she exactly? Other than her name, of course." Jiang asked, as he was curious as to what the relationship was between his edgelord pal and this strange girl here.

And of course, that means their edgelord got his girl faster than even the residential romance MC. As if that wasn't kicking Anssa-um into the ground enough now.

"Yeon Sanzang. I've met her for the first time during my first culinary class, and we've come to know each other since then. Especially during the transitional phase between my running career and the culinary business." Daegok-soo explains the relationship between them.

"I tried to make contact with you, but you just simply don't pick up at all. Did you really try to tackle a problem head-on again?" Yeon said that she was partly infuriated by his decision-making at the time, but they had already come to tolerate one another at this point.

"But still, how did you know that this is my place in particular? None of us has yet to leave this tower at all. Daegok-soo said as he found the question needed to have a proper resolution in mind.

"I heard of a rumor about a man coming to the guild just to ask where he could find a tavern. That's just such a 'you' thing that I just knew instantly that it was you". Yeon said as she couldn't help but smile at the mischievousness behind her.

"If Anssa-um is here to see this, he will be so angry to see you two being this close together." Jiang said, nearly unable to hold back his laughter after seeing the irony of the situation.

Gwi-jaum enters the tavern once again now that he has obtained his breather. He decided to be calm and cool for once now that the change is about to take effect and that much of what he learned may be annulled in due time.

"Show me what your skill is so that I might be able to give pointer advice about it. Everyone here received one, and if you intend to join us on our journey, then you must agree to do so." Gwi-jaum explained his condition.

Yeon hesitated at first, but with Daegok-soo's help, she came to trust his decision as she showed her status screen in front of Gwi-jaum.

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Master of Magic (Rank: D) {Growth}

You are given your birthright to magic, and all of that shall heed

your command as you mandate.

You start with 5 MAG and gain additional power based on the final calculation of your MAG attritubute.

Currently: ^1.05

Current Holder: Yeon Sanzang

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This. This is why Yeon became known as the Witch of Blood. Due to just how much growth potential she has, she will soon be able to cap out her own MAG stat with minimal investment.

MAG stats indicate how well someone can manipulate the mana around them, and Yeon would soon learn to just cast it out of her hand because her own body has become a far better mana conduit than any wand or staff that can be crafted for her. And that life itself becomes manipulatable under her power. Hence the title.

With the unequal power that she wields, even someone like Gwi-jaum struggles to put an end to her atrocity and only does so when they have reached near the end of the 98th floor.

How did an innocent girl like her become that much of a menace? Even with all the power he has, that forever remains a mystery from his previous life.

"Okay then, I see that there's not a lot to guide you other than just keep investing in your MAG stat until it reaches the cap for the current floor." Gwi-jaum said as he took a breather and pointed out the obvious. You really can't get any more straight-forward skill than this.

"Now then, can you show me how you manipulate mana? Like making a claw of it as an example."Gwi-jaum, as he needs to gauge her current mastery over her power.

Upon hearing what he said, Yeon immediately concentrates as she directs the pinkish-hue mana within her body as it wraps around her hand. Then it continues to extend as it forms into the form of a wolf's claw.

"Here, catch!" Gwi-jaum said as he took an onion from the storage room and tossed it at her.

The moment she tried to grasp for it, the aura that wrapped her hand cleaved the onion into slices. Which proves that her control over mana has exceed even apprentice level of understanding which demands her control to be cohesive to begin with.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to!" Yeon said as she panicked at the mess she had made.

"Don't worry, we have a stockpile of it for some reason". Daegok-soo said as he grabs the broom to clean things up.

"Heh... Sure reminds me when I was in love too". Harold said as he leans himself on the wall somewhere while acting mysterious.

"I'm certain that whoever accepts to have your hand is as eccentric as you for sure." Gwi-jaum said. Partially as truth and lie mixed together because believe it or not, that man actually has loved one. Although that is a tale for a different time.

"By the way, can you teach me how to manipulate mana too? I don't think I have the grasp for it like you do." Daegok-soo asked her as this is the opportunity for him too.

"Sure, any time you wanted to". Yeon replied.

The two went into the kitchen as they have a lot of things to do and discuss, and that is cooking lunch . Of course, no one would skip for a free meal and certainly not Harold.

You have consumed Mediocre Scrambled-egg with Onion

You have activated Hyper-Metabolism. You have gained +2 STR & +1 INT

"Really pushing the limit with onion, aren't you?" Harold said as he ain't complain for the free meal for the taking.

"Anssa-um isn't here. He's still at the blacksmith isn't he?" Jiang said as he wonders what is it that occupy his time like that.

"And the motorbike is in his inventory. Tough luck for all of us if we want to find him, I guess". Gwi-jaum said as what Anssa-um does in particular isn't too much of an interest to him right now.

"Huh, to think that him missing out on group lunch would be quite a bummer. Especially with Yeon having assisted with the cooking here or it would be hard-pressed of me to keep making original dishes with the same ingredient I have right now". Daegok-soo said as Yeon looks at him with agreement of his words.

"Well, we ain't carry any preserving container so by the time we brought any for him, it would just be cold and bland by then". Gwi-jaum said as it wasn't his intention to rain down the parade for everyone, just stating the obvious.

"Actually, by using mana reinforcement, one can in fact create something similar to one. Due to mana's nature and property, it's possible isolate a container's content from outside environment." Yeon said as she once again show her brilliance as to why she can become the Witch of Blood to begin with.

"It's decided then. We will meet up with him. If he didn't come back for a reason after all then we will know soon." Daegok-soo said as he stood up and prepare for the trip.

Yeon follows him too while Gwi-jaum felt that he is going to have a headache trying to interact with her. While she acts much like the people her age, he still can't shrug of the ominous sensation that lingers around her. After that journey that was his previous life, he couldn't ignore that sensation lest that he put himself to damnation due to ignorance.

Should he continue to doubt her or put his trust on her this attempt? Much as he really want to go for either one right now, he decided that he need much more observation with her to make proper judgement. Because if he really judge someone for something that didn't happen yet or at all, he would only come off as crazy and irrational.

"I'll see what you will do. And Daegok-soo, may luck be on your side". Gwi-jaum said to himself as for the first time, he felt indecisive. They really put their faith on a social inept of all people that could save this world.

Daegok-soo and Yeon takes their step outside the tavern as Daegok-soo prepares himself once more. He took notice on how there's little public transport to be used around here outside of the main street and thus often enough, people would travel on foot around here.

"Yeon, let me carry you. If we run separately, I would just leave you behind with how fast I run". Daegok-soo explained to her.

She blushed a little upon hearing it, then she immediately let herself be carried in his arm.

As Daegok-soo lifts her up within his arm, he recalls to the mana manipulation technique that Yeon taught him. Focus on the points that is within the body, the best description probably those Wuxia novels' dantians. Link them up together and harmonize the flows so that the reinforcement is even and the differences in mana flow won't disrupt the body's functionality.

Yeon did it so casually that he genuinely that if she was born in a fantasy world, she would no doubt be a mythical figure in one while he struggles to maintain his mana control flow.

You have learned Improvised Mana Circulation (Rank: F)

"Duh..." Daegok-soo muttered in his mind of the obvious conclusion.

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Improvised Mana Circulation (Rank: F)

A novice's understanding of mana reinforcement of human body.

As long as its holder learn and understand of mana manipulation, this skill will change and evolve accordingly.

Increase its user's Physical Attribute stats by 30% of MAG.

Current Holder: Sung Daegok-soo

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"Hey, can I see your stat?" Daegok-soo asked, he could have just scanned her using Eyes of Secret but that would be uncourteous of him.

With no additional reply, Yeon showed her private status screen to him with all to be seen so far.

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Name: Yeon Sanzang

LV: 1

+Physical Attribute:

STR: 6

END: 4

AGI: 6

DEX: 5

+Non-physical Attribute:

INT: 8

MAG: 5 (+1)

CHA: 8

Remaining Attribute Points: 0

+Passive Skill:

*None*

+Active Skill:

-Mana Circulation (Rank D)

-Master of Magic (Rank D) {Growth}

------_____{\\\\////}_____------

"Not too shabby, I guess?" Daegok-soo said before he apply his Improvised Mana Circulation.

As previously unseen power circulate through his body, he applies them toward his own legs as they immediately take effect. His DEX and AGI is already above 10 thus even if the additional effect is minimal, the increase in speed is no doubt noticeable.

In a burst of speed he goes, his previous 100m record of 10 seconds was shattered into 8 seconds. And that number is about to be shorten even more as he continues to improve himself.

"Daegok-soo! Watch out for that sharp turn!" Yeon said as she sees that Daegok-soo isn't slowing down for turning.

How couldn't he forget about that? That's sharp turn was where he failed the first time when being pursued by Harold for high-speed response training. After that, he continues to fail every instance of it or similar despite trying his best.

Why? Because he just simply don't have enough friction or grip to do so. But with Mana Circulation and control, it will change right now at this very moment.

Thousand March Footwork Motion Form - Branching Leap

The shoes that he wore manifests its aura as he quickly make a sharp turn while his momentum still slides him toward the wall. With sharp calculation, he managed to divert his inertia as he then bursts forward in the right direction.

If Harold sees this, he would be somewhat proud that he managed to even overcome his problem.

Now, the next and larger barrier that he must cross, is to maneuver an U-turn fast without losing too much speed. Recalling how Harold did it, the way he done so is a bit too much to replicate despite not having too much stat to compensate.

He basically turned around on his own axis before overcoming inertia with raw stat alone. Which that even Daegok-soo isn't sure that he is capable of at this moment. And he certainly didn't want to try while carrying Yeon.

When he approaches one, he slowed down instead so that they can maneuver safely. There's a time for training and it's not now when he carry Yeon. There's minimum amount of courtesy that one has to uphold and there's no arguing with that.

"That would have just ended in disaster if I got Yeon hurts because of it". Daegok-soo said as he recalls how much STR that Harold has to do so.

If STR 10 is of peak deadlifter who can do hundreds of kilograms then 15 would just make light of all previous mentions. Now that he remembers it, he could notice the dent when he did so on the stone floor which would be too imperceptible at a glance but it is clearly so.

"Darn, either I improve my Improvised Mana Circulation or raise my level, which way it is either way". Daegok-soo muttered as he realized how a lot of the Thousand March Footwork still rather demanding of stats to be equalized to one another.

"Daegok-soo, can you put me down please? I think that I might just be slowing you down". Yeon said with concerns.

"Uh, your speed aren't even catching up with me unless that your Mana Circulation is that good". Daegok-soo said his counter-argument.

Daegok-soo slowed down a bit before stopping entirely. It's not like they are losing too much time either way but he is just willing to put the benefit of doubt for her.

He puts Yeon down before she did her work.

Mana Circulation

Using his Eyes of Secret, he gazes into her status screen now that she activated her Mana Circulation to see how much difference it makes. Needless to say that his previous thought was understating the actual reality.

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Mana Circulation (Rank: D)

Your understanding of mana is now that of an intermediate. The mana can even be manipulated into solid form if focused hard enough.

As long as its holder continue to learn and understand of mana manipulation, this skill will change and evolve accordingly.

Increase its user's Physical Attribute stats by 60% of MAG.

Current Holder: Yeon Sanzang

------_____{\\\\////}_____------

______-----{////\\\\}-----______

Name: Yeon Sanzang

LV: 1

+Physical Attribute:

STR: 6 (+4)

END: 4 (+4)

AGI: 6 (+4)

DEX: 5 (+4)

+Non-physical Attribute:

INT: 8

MAG: 5 (+1)

CHA: 8

------_____{\\\\////}_____------

"Fuck..." That's what Daegok-soo would have muttered if it weren't for his self-control. At least she could keep up with him if he deliberately slows down a bit for her sake. If this is just her starting out right now then she would come to surpass him by far before he could realize it.

Daegok-soo sighed before moving on. As he picks up his speed once more, Yeon promptly follows him from behind. From there onward, nothing too unusual occur in the meantime.

That is, until his Eyes of Secret picked up something. He quickly slows down to detect that unusual purple glow that seemingly carved into an eye graffiti the wall that no one else noticed.

Yeon seemingly understands what is going as she noticed the purplish glint and iris that wasn't his original color before. Then it returns to normal as Daegok-soo approaches the place.

Almost no shop is established here, this place is distant from the original marketplace thus unless deliberate, one wouldn't come to notice at all. And as the eye graffiti on the building disappeared once he got close, he decided to check why his Eyes of Secret chose this place.

"It's... a glassware shop?" Daegok-soo said as he looks at the surrounding.

As the two looks around the shop, Yeon come to notice the quality craftsmanship that shouldn't be possible with just medieval method of practicing. The intricacy and crystal-clear quality that carries the tremendous amount of skills that shouldn't be underestimated.

Daegok-soo noticed it later but his thought is the same as her. Most people wouldn't be aware of such things at all because when you read medieval fantasy novel, you don't exactly look up for glasswork in particular, or anything on productive side that isn't mindless sword slashing.

There's no one to supervise who enters or not means this shop isn't even well-known enough to even have thieves entering for its items. But the contradiction still remains that such quality craftsmanship go unnoticed.

Then, an old man steps out from the backroom, with no shirt on showing his chiseled chest and a towel over his neck. Like what Daegok-soo expected, wholesome old craftsman who will support you no matter what. The old, true and tired trope that simply has no proper replacement. No proper Tower novel is completed without one.

"Welcome, esteemed customer. What brought you to my humble little glasswork shop?" The old man said as he doesn't remotely bother with his appearance.

"We just happened to find this shop but seeing this craftsmanship, it is quite curious that such intricacy is left unnoticed." Daegok-soo said as he is partially doesn't know how to proceed the conversation.

"That's what happen if you establish your shop in a geographically disadvantageous place. I fall for that trap of cheap real-estate and now I barely earn a profit to stay afloat. That bloody loan took dozen of years of my life to pay." The old man said as he blames the circumstances around his situation and made no remark on his lack of making his effort known.

Daegok-soo takes another sigh again. People never tries to improve their own situation and keep thinking that everything is beyond their circumstances. He understand where that line of thought come from but not everything is as hopeless as they think. Prime example, him.

"Have you tried to advertising your brand? I mean like imprinting signs and symbols to your own work so that it become known to be? It's not like your own works are mediocre." Daegok-soo asked as even in the era before mass-communication, there are still methods to have yourselves known.

"Kid... If that has worked before for me then I wouldn't be in such financial struggle. Either you buy something or scram". The old man said before he turned around in disappointment.

"Quite a headache-inducing stubborn individual we're dealing with here, Yeon. But since my skill is calling me out to this place then there's must be something that we can do around here". Daegok-soo said as he doesn't want to think too hard about how to deal with this situation.

"All of these glassworks. I think that they would be of great uses as alchemy tools. They're clear and durable which are obvious advantage in comparison to the usual that we found". Yeon said as she continues to examine the glassworks using her mana for further details.

Of course, having early access to alchemy would grant them tremendous advantages. Not even Gwi-jaum would disagree with that if that's what Yeon entails.

And even if they can't do it right now, it is better to have prepared for later than never.

And the best way to convince someone is to show them the practical. It's always did.

"Okay, then can I loan some of your glasswork then mister? For advertisement, I promise you that you will not regret your decision to cooperate with us". Daegok-soo said as he partially anticipated for a 'No'.

"Whatever, I don't put their price above 2 digits most of the time. Just goddamn pay the money for them and that's all". The old man said from the backroom workshop.

Ding! You have found a hidden side quest!

You have gained 1 Attribute Point. Per Eyes of Secret's effect. [Daegok-soo] 

______-----{////\\\\}-----______

Hidden Radiance (Secret)

The master glass-craftsman Kristen White has constantly been

struggling with trying to make his work known well and earn a

decent profit despite his masterful work.

Help his wares made known and he will reward you for your work.

Reward:

-Depends on how well you have accomplished the quest.

-EXP.

------_____{\\\\////}_____------

"... It seems that not even Gwi-jaum was aware of this secret at all. Or anyone even". Daegok-soo said as he is a bit surprised.

It seems that Eyes of Secret doesn't just register secret stashes as secret. Any hidden side quest or event that will benefit the user will be registered either way. The reward will depend but if it is what he guessed it be then it would be better for them to do this while they can.

A gold saved is a gold earned.

The two immediately went into discussion of how to proceed this quest.

"First off, would be the money. I haven't yet reclaim the bounty at the town hall for subduing the assailant back then so I can use it to legally purchase some glassworks as advertisement" Daegok-soo said as he made the first step to the plan.

"Advertisement is problematic in an era where mass-communication doesn't exist but words of mouth while effective is a bit too slow for a solution. However, give them something brilliant and they will come naturally". Yeon said as she uses her mana to imbue one of the glassworks. The refraction light created looks mesmerizing that Daegok-soo could probably pass it as a mystical artifact.

This old man didn't just make basic stuff like cups, jars or containers. He also made intricate glass sculptures which looks like they were made with lifetime of efforts in mind. But with them lining up like this while collecting dust just give them whiplash of how such beautiful things are left forgotten like this.

"There will probably never be someone with such talent like this again". Daegok-soo admit that they looks captivating regardless of whether or not he is a craftsman.

The two discuss with one another of how to make this old man's wares known and popularized is to sell this thing to people who need them. With their quality proven, people will no doubt swarm this place for even a single of his glassware.

With their plan set, the two opens the exit door as if they are mentally preparing to finish this quest as fast as possible. There's no actual time limit here but they mentally felt it is. After all, they were supposed to be delivering the meal to Anssa-um but it was already post-afternoon either way.

"3..." Daegok-soo broke the silence.

"2" Yeon followed.

"1" 

"THE TIME OF PARTING HAS COME!"