Chapter 94 – Black Market Ninth Shopping (5)
Sungjin checked the updated and upgraded Moon Specter’s status screen. The Operator brought up the display shortly.
Moon Specter – Possessed sword of the Malevolent Spirit
Unique Legendary Katana – Strength SS Dexterity S Mind A
Passive
Soul Absorption(IV)
Recover 4% of the total mana per hit.
Blessing of the Ghost(I) – Spirit of the Ghost Blade protects the user.
Active Skill
Deathly Wail (IV)
A ghost will roam the vicinity for 10 seconds to induce strong fear in all nearby creatures.
Cooldown 20 minutes
Sword possessed by a malevolent Spirit
Many things had changed. Sungjin checked each stat, comparing them to his memory.
‘Strength and Dex... and the mind all rose by a tier. Soul Absorption rose by 2%... Blessing of the Ghost? What’s that? Deathly Wail changed to a continuous type. But 20 minute cooldown? That’s too long! Should I just be happy that the effect upgraded from fear to strong fear?’
Sungjin was checking the changes one by one when
‘We finally meet, Master.’
He heard a soft feminine voice coming from the sword. He was shocked on hearing it and stared at his sword. Kargos grinned when he saw Sungjin’s reactions.
He must have heard her voice while working.
‘I have always been protecting you, but I was unable to greet you until now. I am Moon Specter, the spirit sealed within the blade.’
Sungjin said to her
“You are the ghost from the cemetery...”
‘That is correct. You were unafraid of my appearance and even decided to keep the sword I am bound to. Most people ran away due to my appearance...’
‘I died once too’
He didn’t tell her what he was thinking and instead replied
“Thank you. I have defeated many of my foes with your help.”
‘I am glad to hear that.’
Sungjin felt a little embarrassed when he noticed that Kargos was watching him exchange words with the ghost.
Like with Besgoro, speaking with the spirits would look like he was talking to himself. Sungjin bowed deeply towards Kargos.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Yeah. Go ahead and draw the sword first.”
Sungjin did as the blacksmith asked and pulled out the sword from the scabbard.
“Wow...”
Sungjin couldn’t help but exclaim when he saw the blade. The blade of the Moon Specter had always been impressive, but it looked even more sinister and fancy. Kargos said
“I noticed that a spirit was sealed into the blade while working on it... so I put in a bit more effort in fixing it up. It’s like someone’s home you know.”
“Thank you very much”
“But... you know... about the scabbard... I haven’t gotten started on it yet, so it’s the same as before... If you just wait another hour, I can make you a new one.”
“No no, there’s no need. I’ll use the old one.”
“Are you sure? It’s so worn out.”
“No, it will be fine. I like it better this way.”
Sungjin shook his head. The Moon Specter’s worn out appearance was better. The visual of a specter jumping out of a tattered and aged scabbard was like a scene out of a horror movie. Fear is more effective when it is unexpected.
“Yeah? Then do as you please.”
“Then I’ll go ahead and hand over the fee now.”
“Ah alright.”
Sungjin sent forth his cube to complete the transaction of 10,000 coins.
“Thank you. I’ll be back again.”
Sungjin left once he bid goodbye. He headed towards the Ninety Nine Nights after leaving the smithy. Meanwhile, he asked the most pressing question in his mind.
“How did you become sealed in the blade?”
‘I always had a weak body since young. I was 20 when I died of an illness. My parents mourned my death and anchored my soul to the Columbarium. I grieved my fate, but I found solace in that place.’
Sungjin recalled the Columbarium the day he found Moon Specter. It was old and weathered, but it still looked like it was well decorated when it was first built.
‘But the day after I died, the Necromancer Oryx appeared at my grave and cast a strange spell upon me. He had known of my passing at a young age and intended to turn me into a banshee...’
Necromancer Oryx. He was the Greysoul Cemetery’s hidden boss.
‘I put up a fight, so Oryx sealed me within one of my father’s swords. That is why I was unable to move on and was forced to wander around the sword.’
“Yeah... Necromancer Oryx... I killed him though?”
‘Yes, you had slain him using me. Thanks to you I was able to get my revenge.’
Sungjin tried to remember the event. Now that he thought of it, he had obtained the sword before fighting Oryx. He had no idea he was carrying out her revenge for her at the time.
‘I would like to thank you once more.’
“No need. I only did it because of the mission anyway. But... are you okay? Continuing to fight while trapped in that sword?”
‘Yes, It is fine. At first, I was afraid... but I am used to it now... It’s fun watching everyone run away terrified of me.’
“Don’t you want to move on?”
‘No. Things are fine as they are now. I’ll move on when the time is right.’
Her words made him feel strange, hearing from a 20 year old virgin lady that she had grown accustomed to the bloody battle.
“Oh yeah, what does the Blessing of the Ghost passive do? How does it activate?”
‘After I became a ghost, my perception had vastly improved. Well... not really perception... more like 6th sense? If something dangerous is happening without your awareness, I will give you a warning.’
He wasn’t sure how yet, but it sounded like it could be useful.
“Really? Thanks.”
‘You’re welcome.’
While exchanging words with her, he recalled Besgoro’s existence.
‘I’ve got two ghosts now... at least this lady seems calm enough... could they speak to each other? If they could... Besgoro is a perverted old man who can’t keep his eyes off of young ladies...’
Even as he thought so, he said to Moon Specter
“Well, I look forward to working with you as always.”
‘Me as well.’
Sungjin arrived at the Ninety Nine Nights while having a conversation with her. He arrived next to Cain who had grown so large that he could no longer enter the inn.
“Woof grr”
Sungjin had an idea of what Cain wanted to convey.
“Ah.. I was just retrieving this...”
When Sungjin lifted up the sword to show Cain, Cain looked around, as if he was seeing something invisible.
‘Hmm... I think I’ve heard that animals could see ghosts with their eyes...’
“Yeah, I came with the lady. I’m not sure if you were aware of her since before though.”
He said as he entered the inn. Behind him
“Arf woof!”
Cain barked. Sungjin said to him
“Ok, see you in a bit Cain.”
*
‘Gourmet’s Monocle... use with Romance of the Three Kingdoms... Star of the nameless...’
Star of the Nameless would come in handy throughout the chapter. Use Master Hunter to start, switch to Treasure Hunter for the hidden pieces, and finally Adjudicator for troll hunting.
“Operator equip the Master Hunter title.”
[Applied.]
Sungjin had activated the ‘Master Hunter’ Title for the first time in a while. Afterwards, he allocated his points.
“2000 to Strength, 2000 to Dexterity, 1000 to Endurance, 1000 to Magic Power, and 3853 to Mind Power.”
[Applied.]
“How do my stats look now?”
Title: Master Hunter
HP: 108100 MP: 127990
Strength: 18086 13912 (+ 4174)
Dexterity: 18971 14593 (+ 4378)
Endurance: 10810 8315 (+ 2495)
Magic Power: 7955 6119 (+ 1836)
Mind Power: 12799 9845 (+ 2954)
Unallocated Points: 0
The main goal of stat allocation was the continual growth of Strength Dexterity and Endurance. Followed by Mind power and Magic power. If Magic power rose by too much, then he would only be able to cast spells once or twice.
He had the help of Moon Specter and the Lich’s finger to assist in regaining mana, but he needed high Mind Power to use multiple spells per fight. More so if he wanted to chain spells together with Besgoro.
Now that Sungjin was looking at his stats, he thought
‘I should start allocating points as soon as I get them... so that it could benefit the people who receive buffs from me.’
The ‘Chosen One’ receives 20% of his basic stat points. If he allocates the points earlier, they can benefit from his stats.
The stronger the Chosen Ones become, the easier the end game would become. Once he finished allocating points, Sungjin prepared his gear one by one.
If one thing changed, it was that he had Moon Specter as the starting weapon. In the past, he had left the Moon Specter on his side at times due to having lower attack rating than Blood Vengeance, and lower Magic resist compared to the Artemio, using it primarily for the Ghastly Wail. But now the stats of the sword outshone both of the other two swords.
“Don’t worry. I’ll slowly upgrade you guys as well.”
Once he was done double-checking his things, he took out Besgoro and equipped it. Finally, Besgoro said to him
‘I missed you, although it has only been a day.’
Sungjin shook his head.
“No thanks.”
‘But... what’s this feeling...’
Sungjin felt a premonition.
‘...No way... can he sense Moon Specter?’
But
‘Ah, Hello Mr Besgoro. I can hear the two of you speak.’
Moon Specter was the first to speak.
‘Ooh... I see that the Moon Specter lady is now able to communicate as well. Congratulations congratulations.’
‘Thank you.’
The worst case scenario came to pass. Sungjin cringed thinking that Besgoro was going to make sexually harassive statements towards Moon Specter with him stuck in the middle. Sungjin, worrying for the future, preemptively said
“I forbid you from speaking to each other. It can’t be helped if you are conversing with me, but speaking with each other without me present is absolutely not okay.”
‘Ok.’
‘Understood, Master.’
The two ghosts agreed for now. Sungjin decided to put the final nail in the coffin.
“Especially you Besgoro grandpa, if you break this rule I will sell you off at the auction house.”
‘Okay okay. Anyway... what about that boo... I mean the glamorous lady, did she not contact you afterwards?’
Sungjin remembered about Nada. The day had passed and the morning came, but she still had not contacted him.
“... Yes.”
Sungjin answered feeling downhearted. He came back down to the 1st floor of the Ninety Nine Nights.
“Dalupin, Vanilla Latte and one slice of cheesecake.”
“Understood Mr Hunter.”
Once the breakfast was ordered, he began to read the ‘Information regarding the Red Dragon’s Lair’ in great detail. The next raid was the 10 man Raid.
No matter how strong Sungjin had become, this was no longer a format of Raid he could complete alone. Sungjin read the note while munching away at the cake.
And when the time came, he was teleported.
To the Red Dragon’s Lair.
Editor: Poor Besgoro getting CB’d by Sungjin xD Glossary will soon be updated for the items and there will be character names as well