Chapter 604. “Hey! Why Cover It?!”

 

"A supplement?"

Sejun examined the red apple Flame handed him.

[Immortal Apple]

???

"Immortal Apple?"

Strangely, no other options appeared.

Wondering if <Alias: One Who Gazes Deep into the Primordial> would activate, Sejun stared at the apple, but there was no change.

While inspecting the apple, he felt a tingling sensation.

A wave of energy radiated from the apple, spreading through his hand, and Sejun shivered. True to its name, the Immortal Apple emitted a warm aura, yet after the energy passed, a cool, refreshing sensation remained, rather than pain or discomfort.

What is this?

Instinctively, Sejun sensed this apple was unusual.

[Hehe! Sejun-nim, eat up! It's good for you!]

Flame urged on a hesitant Sejun. Thinking too much leads to hesitation, and hesitation means missed opportunities.

Although Flame spoke with a smile, there was an irresistible force in his voice.

With newfound conviction, Sejun decided, "Alright. I trust my Flame!"

Crunch.

With a big decision made, Sejun took a generous bite of the apple.

Delicious!

Sweet and sour juice flooded Sejun’s mouth with each bite, bringing him joy.

Crunch, crunch.

In no time, Sejun had finished the entire apple.

"Ah. Guys, I ate the whole thing alone..."

As he looked at his companions, who were staring at him with hopeful eyes, Sejun felt bad for having eaten the apple by himself.

[You have consumed the Immortal Apple.]

[All stat potentials increase by 10,000.]

[All stats increase by 1,000.]

[The blessing of Sacred Flame burns away impurities within your body.]

"Urgh!"

With the message, a fiery heat surged from his chest, spreading throughout his entire body.

And then—

"Whoaaah!"

Sejun expelled the heat from his chest, breathing fire.

Though no match for a dragon’s breath, the flames Sejun emitted turned an entire 10,000-pyeong field to ash in an instant.

Flames roared.

At the same time, Sejun’s clothes and body were engulfed in flames.

Yet—

Huh?! This feels... refreshing?

The more Sejun’s body burned, the cooler he felt until—

He lost consciousness. Luckily, high-grade items like his Dragon’s Return Bracelet were unharmed.

Squeak! Squeak!

[Master! You can't die! The Great Kamangi will save you!]

Kamangi dashed toward Sejun to put out the fire.

But—

Squeak?

Squeaaak!

[You can’t interrupt Dad!]

Kuengi grabbed Kamangi with telekinesis.

Meanwhile—

Roar!

Sejun’s entire body burned, leaving only dragon bones.

Well, to be exact, his body was reduced to ashes, except for Dark’s Heart, the Divine Blood, and the Super Sunfish Dual Core within his dantian.

Everything else had burned away.

[Hehe. It worked.]

"Heh. Indeed! It worked!"

[The Tower Administrator says they were on edge, fearing Sejun would ask for an item appraisal.]

Koohehehe. Squeak!

[Hehe. Kuengi was also worried about how Dad would refuse the apple!]

Eileen, Theo, Flame, and Kuengi all watched Sejun with relief.

Actually, Sejun had a significant issue.

<Authority: Unyielding Dragon’s Bones>

<Authority: Divine Blood Flowing Through Dark’s Heart>

<Authority: Super Sunfish Dual Core>

These three authorities.

Normally, dragons, gods, and divine beasts are born with innate authorities, so their bodies are naturally optimized to handle them.

However, Sejun had acquired these authorities after birth, and his body was as ordinary as could be. Managing the conflicting natures of these three authorities was not easy.

Consequently, these authorities constantly vied for dominance within Sejun's body, causing it to strain and groan.

Theo had been acting as a mediator for this internal conflict.

Part of Theo’s “decay” was due to his efforts to mediate the authorities' power struggle within Sejun’s body, which caused him strain.

Although there was no need for Theo to crush his face over it,

“Heh. I just enjoy stepping on the face of the great hybrid Chairman Park!”

It was simply Theo’s preference.

As the group watched over Sejun, the flames that had burned him now began to rebuild his organs around his bones, heart, and core, forming muscle fibers and veins as they spread.

At last, Sejun was reborn with a body better optimized for the authorities.

With the new body taking shape,

"Nya! I, Vice Chairman Theo, will protect Chairman Park's privacy!"

Bang! Bang!

Theo erected monuments of the God of Creation around Sejun to shield his bare body from view.

[Yes! Kuengi, hurry up and cover him too!]

Squeak!

Flame supported Theo's suggestion, urging Kuengi to help.

With eight monuments surrounding Sejun—

"Hey! Why cover it?!"

Eileen, watching Sejun through a crystal ball, was visibly disappointed.

The monuments blocked the Tower Administrator’s sight.

Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! Hehehe.

[Cover Master quickly! He might die of embarrassment! After all, he’s a sunfish! Hehe.]

Kamangi barked excitedly, teasing Sejun.

Crack.

Sejun’s forehead muscles twitched slightly, though Kamangi didn’t notice.

A moment later.

[The Tower Administrator says the dragon bones seem fully settled.]

"Heh. Chairman Park, you’re far less rotted now!"

[Hehe. Sejun-nim, you’ll live at least another 500 years!]

Squeak!

[Dad, you’re healthy now!]

Hehe. Squeak! Squeak!

[Hehe. Master, you’ve done well! Now you can further grow your core!]

As the group watched Sejun, who lay on his bed covered in a blanket, the year drew to a close and a new one began.

Hehe. I’ll make more supplements for Sejun-nim!

Flame, the devoted and fiery daughter, made a new year’s resolution as she watched Sejun.

“Hooray!”

“Hooray!”

Podori and Sausage, fellow supplement supporters, cheered. It was truly a wonderful New Year’s gift.

Then—

Squeak! Squeak!

[Kuengi is going to sleep now! Goodnight, Dad!]

Kuengi kissed Sejun’s cheek and left the room.

But instead of going to Pinkfur right away—

Step.

Kuengi stood in the middle of the burned field Sejun had created.

And then—

Roar!

Kuengi ignited a massive flame from his body.

Koohehehe. Squeak!

[Hehe. Now Kuengi can use fire like Dad!]

Imitating Sejun’s newly acquired skill, Kuengi joyfully embraced his fiery trait.

Grrr...

Pinkfur watched Kuengi from afar, a sad expression on his face.

As Pinkfur’s sorrow deepened, so did the night.

 

The next morning.

“Ugh… huh?!”

Sejun awoke, feeling the bare skin touching his blanket, and quickly threw it off.

Why am I naked?

He recalled his last memory.

“I definitely ate the apple Flame gave me…”

Ah. Did I faint again?

Sejun took it in stride. He’d fainted so many times by now that it wasn’t even surprising. In fact, it was pretty mild this time—he fainted without any pain.

Recalling the events of the previous day, Sejun slowly checked the messages he hadn’t seen.

[Your body is being reconstructed under the blessing of the Sacred Flame.]

[Your previous <Authority: Unbreakable Sturdy Body> has been reconstructed under the blessing of the Sacred Flame.]

[You have acquired <Authority: Strong Body>.]

[You have acquired the title <Alias: Reborn from Flame>.]

“Oh.”

Authority and a new title?!

Sejun hurriedly checked the authority and title.

<Authority: Strong Body>

As its name suggests, it is an indestructible body.

As long as you have mana and life force, you can withstand fatal damage.

Tough skin greatly reduces damage.

Subdues authorities below transcendence level.

All stat potentials +20,000

All stats +1,500

<Alias: Reborn from Flame>

Having been reborn from flames, you are immune to fire damage.

You can regenerate your body through the power of fire.

“Wow.”

A gasp escaped him.

The options for the authority and title were incredibly good.

I feel bad about this...

After eating the Immortal Apple, his stat potential increased by 10,000, and his stats by 1,000, not to mention the benefits of the authority and title.

He felt genuinely guilty toward his companions.

Surely, they had given it to him to share, yet he ate it all...

He especially felt sorry toward Flame.

Then—

[Hehe. Sejun-nim, you’re awake?]

Flame entered the bedroom with a radiant smile.

“Yeah... Flame, I’m sorry I ate the whole apple.”

Sejun, feeling guilty, cautiously apologized to Flame, who had never once shown anger.

But then—

[Hehe. It’s okay! There are plenty of apples! Since you pushed yourself yesterday, save that one for a month later!]

Pointing to an apple that was somehow placed by Sejun's bedside, Flame spoke.

She’d prepared a lot to drain his energy.

“Huh?!”

There was another one?

“Then, Flame, let’s eat it together. Shall I slice it for you?”

Sejun offered as he picked up the apple.

[No! Well… that apple won’t help me…]

Flame quickly stopped him. The apple wasn’t powerful enough to benefit her, so it wasn’t exactly a lie.

But—

“I see… Alright. How about we go for a walk?”

[Hehe. Yes!]

Thinking Flame was too weak for the apple to help, Sejun took Theo, Flame, and the Kamangi Family outside.

A moment later—

“I’ll slice the rice cake, so go play outside so you don’t get fur and dust everywhere.”

“Nya?! No way! Vice Chairman Theo doesn’t shed!”

Theo immediately objected to Sejun’s suggestion. Thanks to his talent <Strong Hair>, Theo didn’t shed at all.

[Hehe. I don’t have fur either!]

Not wanting to leave Sejun’s side, the usually compliant Flame joined Theo in staying put.

Squeak!

[Kuengi doesn’t shed either!]

Kuengi chimed in.

Squeak! Squeak!

[I’m staying with my siblings! I’m not going out!]

Kamangi also barked energetically.

“Well, then Kamangi, you should stay here too. Why don’t you all go play nicely outside?”

Better to cooperate.

Sejun stared Theo down as he spoke.

“Heh. Fine!”

[Hehe. Yes!]

Squeak!

Squeak!

The group went outside to play, and Sejun began slicing the rice cakes he had stacked in the kitchen.

It was the first day of the new year, so he planned to make rice cake soup.

Hehe. Will Bossaboo be celebrating his 301st year as a single?

Excited at the thought of teasing Bossaboo later, Sejun smiled.

As he sliced the rice cakes, he removed the fish bones from the broth pot and added seaweed to boil together.

As the broth turned a rich, milky white, he added the rice cakes.

"Mmm. Nice."

He seasoned it with soy sauce and salt, chopped green onions, and prepared toppings by stir-frying egg yolk strips and slime meat to garnish the rice cake soup.

“Too bad there’s no seaweed…”

I’ll make it a New Year’s resolution to find seaweed.

As he set his goal, the rice cake soup was ready.

“Guys, breakfast is ready! Bossaboo, come eat breakfast!”

Sejun called out to his companions.

Then—

"Eileen, here’s your rice cake soup. I put extra meat garnish just for you. As much as my affection."

Hehe.

He sent Eileen a bowl of rice cake soup with plenty of meat garnish.

[The Tower Administrator says it seems like love is lacking.]

“Eileen, if I put any more meat, it’d be just stir-fried meat, not rice cake soup.”

As Sejun explained that he wasn’t lacking in affection—

“Heh. Chairman Park, hurry and give me some grilled fish!”

[Hehe. Sejun-nim, could I have some water, please?]

Squeak!

Squeak!

The group hurried into the kitchen, taking their seats at the table.

Squeak.

[I’ve trained so hard my stomach feels like it’s stuck to my back.]

Bossaboo, who had trained all night with Sejun No. 3, rubbed his round belly as he joined them.

Thanks to him, Sejun’s swordsmanship skill had reached Basic Aura Swordsmanship Lv. 7.

After breakfast—

“Hehe. Bossaboo, congratulations on your 301st year as a single.”

Squeak?! Squeak!

[301st year as a single? I haven’t had my birthday yet!]

“Actually, in Korea, we gain a year at the start of the new year.”

Unaware of Korea’s law change, Sejun teased Bossaboo, enjoying the moment.

In the Land of Destruction.

“Help me…”

Someone, deep within the dark abyss, was desperately pleading for aid.