Chapter 88: Gigant - (4)
Seeing that there was no special reaction from Ham Jiyeon, it seemed that she had not earned the title due to a lack of contribution.
Just seeing the label of an A-rank title flashing made his heart race.
More than 90% of players would never obtain an A-rank title, even after over a decade.
Since Sanghyun remembered most of the past statistics, he could recall the relevant data.
And yet, Sanghyun already possessed four A-rank titles. If he included Lotus Flame, wouldn't that make five?
Transcendence. Demon Hunter. Throne’s Attention. And even Endurance's Defensive Techniques.
He was already enjoying privileges that even other players could not easily obtain. That was why he felt so thrilled.
Sanghyun examined the title more closely.
//s_win
//win_h ■ Title Description: The King of Patience commends you for toppling the beast, Gigant, through relentless challenge.
//e_win
The King of Patience grants you a means to weaken your opponent's defense, turning the impossible into possible.
However, this weakening effect applies only to you and cannot be shared with others.
This title weakens players, monsters, and structures that meet the following conditions:
//s_win
//win_h ■ Defense Stat Criteria
1 - 500: 10% reduction.
501 - 1,000: 20% reduction.
1,001 - 2,000: 40% reduction.
2,001 - 3,000: 50% reduction.
3,001 and above: 60% reduction.
//e_win
‘Isn't this a hard counter for defense-stacking cases? It penetrates defense to this extent?’
His mouth dropped open in shock.
The Lotus Flame title worked in a way that the higher the opponent’s defense, the more drastically it reduced their stats.
A player of Jo Jinho's level would likely have at least 2,000 defense stat.
That meant he could halve their defense. With just a single title.
There was no need to cast any debuff skills related to weakening. It was a permanent effect.
Of course, there could be players with titles that enhanced them when their defense stat fell below a certain threshold.
But how common was that?
Sanghyun was convinced that just as he had obtained a rare title, such counter-cases were exceedingly rare as well.
‘This title is absolutely insane.’
He couldn't take his eyes off it for a long time.
For debuffer players to weaken an enemy’s defense, they had to go through grueling practice and effort.
Even if they had such skills, reaching the level where they could significantly reduce stats was not easy.
However, just by possessing this title, that concern was completely resolved.
‘As levels increase, it's common for more monsters to be focused on defense and stamina.’
That was why Sanghyun deeply appreciated the significance of this title.
The three key factors for a player's growth were dungeons, gates, and rifts.
These three stages bore an uncanny resemblance to game mechanics.
Just like how old games adjusted difficulty by inflating monster health and defense due to power creep,
so too did this system.
Even with just a slight level restriction increase, the first stat to rise in monsters was their defense.
Thus, the meaning of the Lotus Flame title was beyond imagination.
‘A title like this would have an inherently low supply to begin with. This is amazing.’
There was still more happiness to savor. A single artifact had dropped from the defeated beast.
Since Gigant’s original attire barely covered its body, there were no clothes or accessories to loot.
However, just like when he had obtained the Crimson Stone before, Gigant’s heart had transformed into an artifact and was given to Sanghyun.
//s_win
//win_h 「Gigant’s Heart」
■ Artifact Rank: Diamond
■ Artifact Description: Gigant, whose blood carried the spirit of a warrior, possessed the trait of burning even brighter when pushed to the extreme.
At a certain limit, the fear of death disappears, allowing entry into a transcendent warrior's state.
■ Strength +100
■ Defense +150
■ Special Skill - Frenzy
//e_win
Though classified as an artifact, something like a heart functioned more like a talisman and had to be carried around.
Since it was the size of two adult fists combined, he couldn't exactly hang it around his neck.
So, Sanghyun consumed Gigant’s Heart. Absorption rate: 50%!
He successfully inherited 50 Strength and 75 Defense.
And the special skill attached to it, Frenzy, was naturally registered as Sanghyun’s skill.
//s_win
//win_h 『Frenzy』
■ Skill Level: Stage 1 (0.0%)
■ Skill Description: When health drops below 10%, you enter a frenzy state.
All awakening and buff skills are enhanced by at least threefold and persist until health exceeds 10%.
Additionally, complete immunity to all status effects is granted, lasting until health exceeds 10%.
Once the health condition is met, the Frenzy skill activates automatically, consuming 1 mana per second.
//e_win
‘This is literal frenzy.’
The skill perfectly matched its name.
There was no better skill to embody the idea of a desperate struggle just before death.
Of course, dropping below 10% health also meant being at the perfect threshold for dying.
That meant he would be constantly walking a tightrope. He couldn't just mindlessly indulge in Frenzy.
‘If I combine Over Psychedelic with Frenzy, I’d go on a rampage like a madman.’
Thanks to Ham Jiyeon's unexpected report, this gate had given him a massive stat boost.
With the large-scale second Personality Subjugation Battle ahead, nothing could be more satisfying.
Ham Jiyeon had also obtained a top-grade magic stone worth 1 billion won from Gigant.
No complaints. Everyone was satisfied! A cleanly executed gate conquest.
“……Huh?”
“Jiyeon!”
“…….”
The moment they stepped out of the gate, Ham Jiyeon tilted her head in confusion before suddenly collapsing to the side.
Sanghyun caught her immediately, but she had already lost consciousness and did not wake up.
Thanks to Ham Jiyeon, Sanghyun had gained a lot from the gate, so he had been about to express his gratitude when an incident occurred.
"Jiyeon-ssi?"
"Kreuuu..."
She had already fallen into a deep sleep.
"Is it because of the Gourmet Constellation?"
It was a plausible guess.
Since the battle with Sage Nekas, Ham Jiyeon had no time to replenish her nutrition at all.
In fact, though she hadn't shown it, she had been experiencing extreme fatigue by the latter half of the battle.
However, not wanting to become a burden to Sanghyun, she had fought alongside him with sheer determination instead of replenishing her strength.
As a result, she had failed to meet the meal quantity desired by the Gourmet Constellation and was now forced into slumber.
He lifted the limp Ham Jiyeon in his arms.
She was lighter than expected.
Normally, a powerless body would feel heavy when carried, but she felt as light as a feather.
"Where did everything she ate go?"
Considering the food she had consumed inside the gate weighed over 10 kg, it felt as if it had completely disappeared.
Moreover, her body weight itself seemed to barely exceed 50 kg.
Given that she was over 165 cm tall, it was safe to say that none of it had turned into fat.
In the dead of the night, at the orphanage.
Arriving at the front gate, Sanghyun carefully moved Ham Jiyeon's finger to complete the fingerprint recognition entry process.
Then, using his Shadow Step skill to silence his footsteps, he quietly took her to the director's office.
"Oh? Ah...?"
"Ah, so there was someone here."
"You must be Shin Sanghyun, the one Jiyeon always talks about?"
It was Ham Jiyeon's friend and the orphanage’s deputy director, who had been in the office next to the director’s room in the early morning.
It was Sanghyun’s first time seeing her, but the deputy director recognized him immediately.
It seemed Ham Jiyeon had talked about him quite a lot, hence the word 'always.'
"She talked about me? Ah, more importantly, let's lay Jiyeon-ssi down. She fell asleep instantly, probably due to shock."
"Seriously, Jiyeon! How many times have I told you not to skip meals..."
Even as she grumbled, the deputy director quickly brought a blanket for Jiyeon to lie down on.
After Sanghyun carefully laid her down so her head rested on the pillow, the deputy director covered her with the blanket and turned off the bedroom light.
Seeing her sleeping soundly, she looked as innocent as the orphanage children.
When he stepped outside and closed the door, the deputy director had already prepared a cup of coffee for him.
It was a thoughtful gesture, just when he needed something to wake him up.
"Thank you. I'll enjoy it."
"My name is Jung Mihye. I'm Jiyeon's middle school friend and also the deputy director of the orphanage."
"Are you a Player?"
"No. So when Jiyeon is away like today, I take on the role of the director."
"That must be tough."
"Not at all! More importantly, Jiyeon has talked about you a lot. She said she met a Player at Hyunjeong Market who sells artifacts, and that he's incredibly handsome!"
"......"
Even though it was a compliment, it felt awkward—probably because he still wasn’t used to being praised.
"She might have even joined your fan club."
"Fan club?"
"Anyway, our Jiyeon is really kind, loves kids, and is so good-hearted that it's almost foolish!"
"I've thought the same when watching how she interacts with children. She seems truly pure."
"Ah, my loose tongue! I shouldn’t have said that. This wonderful girl hasn't even had a boyfriend once..."
Sanghyun listened with a smile as Jung Mi-hye continued to mumble.
It was heartwarming to see a friend caring for another friend, and it wasn’t unpleasant to hear.
After chatting for a while, he left for home at dawn.
And then, he collapsed into sleep.
No matter how much stamina he had, even Sanghyun needed rest after an all-nighter.
Morning.
As soon as Sanghyun woke up, he headed straight to a real estate office.
As planned, he intended to move to a new house.
If his current rented house couldn't be re-leased immediately, he planned to maintain both residences for the time being.
He had lost any attachment to his Bronze-tier residence after the battle with Tory.
So, he moved to the Gold-tier district.
Deposit: 1 billion won.
Monthly rent: 30 million won.
A Player Town with a deposit and rent beyond the imagination of ordinary people, but it was manageable for Sanghyun.
He didn't want to live in a general residential area with lax security. There were too many variables.
From the Gold-tier district onwards, security was significantly upgraded, allowing him to feel at ease.
Additionally, due to the recent Tory incident, security for the entire complex had been reinforced, so it seemed safe now.
The move was completed in an instant.
After signing the contract for a vacant unit in the Gold-tier district in the morning, he immediately called a moving service to handle the relocation.
Since all the furniture was built-in, all Sanghyun needed to move were a few pieces of clothing.
So, it was done in half a day.
Perhaps because he had moved to a more expensive place, the view from the window was breathtaking.
He had no regrets about the move.
That evening.
Thinking it might be nice to get some fresh air, Sanghyun took the elevator.
The elevator, which had been rapidly descending from the highest floor, 32nd, suddenly stopped at the 31st floor.
Having another passenger join him was nothing unusual, so he casually looked toward the opening doors.
"......!"
Sanghyun was so startled that he froze on the spot.
"Oh?"
"Hmm, an unexpected encounter."
Two people boarded the elevator from the 31st floor.
One of them was a man known as the Sword Demon—Do Kyungsoo, a named Player.
In both the past and present, Do Kyungsoo was someone Sanghyun admired, and now he was facing him directly!
It was completely unexpected.