Holy B-Class Life

#089

“The skill is quite useful.”

Yoon Pa-ran ignored the annoying evaluation from the S-class guy who had somehow already returned after killing all the remaining monsters.

Surprised by the immense power he had unleashed, Yoon Pa-ran looked down at his hands. He was completely absorbed by his suddenly increased abilities. He also felt excited about the many new things he could do now.

He could somewhat understand why Dan Joo-hyuk was so obsessed with the [Sacred Skill]. If there was a way to elevate one’s abilities to the next level like this, even he would consider it.

Just as he was thinking that far, Yoon Pa-ran suddenly came to his senses.

“…Ah.”

To think I’d start understanding that crazy bastard!

“Did another status window pop up?”

“No.”

It was truly frustrating. To think he’d start understanding Dan Joo-hyuk’s perverse actions.

Frowning, Yoon Pa-ran hurriedly checked his curse list. He wondered if perhaps his curse immunity hadn’t activated, allowing perversion to infiltrate him.

With that furrowed expression, he alternated his gaze between the empty air and Dan Joo-hyuk’s face. Despite the half-glaring look, Dan Joo-hyuk asked nonchalantly:

“How’s the new skill?”

It was a typical response from someone obsessed with Gate information. Thanks to this, Yoon Pa-ran, who had finally calmed down, seriously recalled his new skill this time.

“The range is wider than I thought. I think I can manipulate it from even further away…”

“From what I saw, it seems to be the type that moves moisture.”

“That’s right.”

To think he could detect the invisible skill Yoon Pa-ran had deployed from behind while fighting.

He was once again impressed by Dan Joo-hyuk’s monstrous abilities. He almost felt envious, even though he had just gained tremendous power moments ago.

“Can you detect the moisture inside monsters’ bodies too?”

“Yes.”

“Then you should be able to use the skill from much further away.”

Dan Joo-hyuk gave advice about the skill more seriously than expected. Although his kind behavior was quite unexpected, it was an opportunity Yoon Pa-ran couldn’t miss, so he focused on his words.

Come to think of it, doesn’t Dan Joo-hyuk also have a skill that moves moisture like this? Though he had never actually seen him use it, wondering if it wasn’t suitable for combat.

“Try it again. Over that monster in the middle.”

“Like this…?”

Soon, Dan Joo-hyuk took a step closer and nodded towards the monster corpse that Yoon Pa-ran had dispatched.

“You were attacking again with the extracted bodily fluids, try that too.”

“Okay.”

Not even conscious of the distance closing between them, Yoon Pa-ran hurriedly deployed his skill as instructed.

Why is he being so helpful today of all days?

“Hmm, since Yoon Pa-ran is water-attributed, there’s definitely a difference in how it operates.”

“What kind of difference?”

After observing Yoon Pa-ran’s skill a few times, Dan Joo-hyuk calmly analyzed it.

Normally, sharing skills in such detail was only possible between very close companions, so it felt awkward.

“My skill is closer to evaporating moisture. So unlike Yoon Pa-ran, the extracted moisture doesn’t remain, and I can’t reuse it.”

“Ah…”

“Moreover, since bodily fluids are a kind of monster component, it seems to receive an attack power boost.”

“You’re right. It did seem that way.”

As he said, it was easier to pierce through monsters when controlling and attacking with the blood they shed compared to just using water streams. Though the difference in skill grades would also play a part.

Although the skills operated on similar principles, the difference in attributes led to different usage methods. And understanding these subtle differences sometimes determined life and death.

“So if you can deploy the skill like that anyway, attacking like that is inefficient.”

“Then?”

“It’s simpler to just make it burst out from inside like a blade.”

“Ah…”

Simply put, Dan Joo-hyuk’s skill was the type to dry up moisture by igniting fire from the outside. On the other hand, Yoon Pa-ran’s could directly move and extract moisture from the inside.

So as Dan Joo-hyuk said, moving the moisture inside the monster like a blade would increase its power.

It meant it was more lethal than simply drying it up.

It was truly valuable information. Although he might have figured it out himself through fighting, it would have taken quite some time to realize such a detailed principle.

Just as he was feeling newly grateful to him, Dan Joo-hyuk spoke in the same ordinary tone he had been using so far:

“Try it on me.”

“What…?”

“Aim for this arm. I’ll teach you how to reduce the range.”

His voice was very calm as he pointed to the arm not holding the sword. Far from being playful, he was as serious as when they had been analyzing the skill together until now.

Instinctively realizing the difference, Yoon Pa-ran exclaimed in shock:

“Are you crazy?!”

“Why? We can just heal it with a potion right away.”

Dan Joo-hyuk tilted his head as if puzzled by this reaction. Yoon Pa-ran found himself fixated on Dan Joo-hyuk’s dark eyes, which remained so calm.

Why go this far?

“I won’t do it!”

Yoon Pa-ran instinctively shouted first.

Belatedly, he realized why Dan Joo-hyuk was doing this. He probably just wanted to know in more detail how Yoon Pa-ran’s new skill worked.

Even so, to suggest using his own body as an experiment like that.

A strange shock overwhelmed Yoon Pa-ran. It was a moment where he found it hard to open his mouth, not knowing what to say.

“Ah.”

Dan Joo-hyuk let out a slow exclamation.

“What.”

He was very tense, wondering what Dan Joo-hyuk would say next. What if he forced him to use the skill on him?

However, contrary to his worries, this time he heard nonsense.

“Were you worried again?”

“Worried about what!”

Dan Joo-hyuk was smiling with his eyes curved, having completely dispelled his earlier serious demeanor.

Though it seemed like it had all been a joke until now, his instinct told him that the suggestion to use the skill on his arm had been sincere.

Unable to rebuke him further and hesitating, Dan Joo-hyuk moved on shamelessly.

“Then let’s go into the safe zone and rest for a bit. You must be tired from adapting to the skill.”

His attitude was as if nothing had happened. Yoon Pa-ran, at a loss for words, reluctantly picked up his belongings.

And before following him, Yoon Pa-ran firmly warned:

“And I wasn’t worried.”

“Is that so?”

He didn’t bother to reply to Dan Joo-hyuk’s smooth response. He just muttered some curses internally.

He really is crazy about the Gate.

Why is he so unpleasantly crazy?

“…”

It wasn’t far to the second safe zone. After pushing through the jungle that had been devastated by monsters, a statue came into view.

Yoon Pa-ran looked at the safe zone statue, entwined with vines, with a complicated gaze. Then he glanced at Dan Joo-hyuk.

“…”

Throughout the walk, he found himself watching Dan Joo-hyuk’s profile as if trying to read him.

He seemed to be in a very good mood. Considering what had happened earlier, it was truly strange.

That wasn’t the only strange thing. As he observed, he suddenly realized something. He was feeling the intense waves that always lingered around Dan Joo-hyuk much less frequently.

It was puzzling that he had to concentrate to feel that Dan Joo-hyuk’s waves were still there. Was he deliberately hiding his waves because he was in a good mood? Though it felt a bit different from that too.

In any case, he needed to stay alert. There was no telling when he might suddenly change again.

“You’ve been staring so intently for a while now, why don’t you just say you want to take a look at the sword?”

Dan Joo-hyuk suddenly turned his head and said. Yoon Pa-ran, whose gaze had unintentionally met his directly, tried to hide his startled expression.

They had already passed the safe zone statue. The area was full of lush, untrampled grass, proving that no monsters had entered.

“Can I?”

It seemed Dan Joo-hyuk had misunderstood because Yoon Pa-ran had been glancing at the sword repeatedly since entering the Gate. In any case, it was fortunate, so Yoon Pa-ran quickly responded.

He had been curious about the sword anyway. Especially since Dan Joo-hyuk had asserted it was definitely SS-class.

Then he suddenly felt a bit disappointed. Did Dan Joo-hyuk think he would naturally pounce on item information? Like Dan Joo-hyuk himself?

…Though it was true he had been curious.

“Don’t touch the handle. There’s a curse on it.”

Dan Joo-hyuk, who had tossed his belongings onto a suitable open space, drew his sword. Then, as if handing over a toy, he kindly thrust it into the ground in front of where Yoon Pa-ran stood.

That kindness felt vaguely unsettling, but Yoon Pa-ran soon forgot about it. As he sat down with a thud, the blade as tall as his upper body came clearly into view.

“Wow…”

The blade had unfamiliar patterns meticulously engraved on it. It was a method rarely used on ordinary blades because it reduced durability.

However, this was SS-class. Even without an indestructible option, it wouldn’t break in most Gates.

As he observed it as if entranced, Yoon Pa-ran suddenly asked something he was curious about without hesitation:

“It’s SS-class, so how did you deal with the curse?”

They probably had it removed in Russia. However, he couldn’t even begin to estimate how many [Broken Blessing Fragments] would be needed for an SS-class curse.

He thought it was an insignificant question. He was just curious about how Dan Joo-hyuk had obtained so many Blessing Fragments.

However, for some reason, Dan Joo-hyuk hesitated slightly and looked at him.