CH 159

“Dang it. I don’t think I’ve gone crazy.”

Of course, the situation wasn’t exactly the same as it was in-game. Other than not having his items or an overarching safety system, there was also a stark contrast in his physique. For one, he did not have the Golden Pill Immortal Technique’s internal energy, and he also didn’t have his planetary system with Mercury, Venus, and Earth or a magic stone like the Star Ruby. However, the differences weren’t this simple. His fundamental physical form and structure were different.

In DIO, users possessed a wide and varied knowledge of martial arts, but they weren’t aware of the intricate details regarding qi meridians and qi flow or how physical development worked. This was not due to a lack of research but because there was ‘no such need’ for users. Even Arthur had never experienced physical development in-game, and he probably had to modify his body twice to match his development. This was because every user started the game with the ideal physical state.

From the beginning, a user’s character innately possessed an awakened divine nature and qi sense, and waste never accrued in their body. Furthermore, a user’s qi meridians and qi flow were already fully operational. Since every user was given a perfect vessel as a body, there was no need for physical development, growth, or modification.

“On the other hand, this body of mine… all my qi meridians and qi flow pathways are totally dry and in disuse. No, is it more accurate to say that they’ve atrophied?”

Surprisingly, his real body didn’t possess qi meridians or qi flow pathways. There were hints of their existence remaining in his body, but like a human’s tailbone, it seemed these spiritual pathways and organs had long ago atrophied and become useless. Similar to how a modern human couldn’t pick something up with their tailbone, they also wouldn’t be able to use or even awaken their spiritual power.

“Yet, I can sense and feel it. Is it because of… this?”

After raising a hand mirror to his face, Yongno stared at the ‘Heaven’ sign on his forehead. The first guide NPC that greeted users, Marionette Hold, had gifted this to him when they parted. Surprisingly, the ‘Heaven’ sign was acting as his spiritual pathway and organs, his spiritual power system.

“I don’t have internal power in my body. Forget one cycle. I don’t even have a single day’s worth of internal energy.”

Although Mari had left him with an operational spiritual power system, Yongno didn’t have any cultivation technique like the Golden Pill Immortal Technique, and even if he did, he still couldn’t use it. Without the organic qi meridians and qi flow pathways, he wouldn’t be able to train in traditional martial arts or develop skills that relied on them.

“It’s not just humans. Animals and plants, even non-living things… everything on Earth only possesses the bare minimum of qi to sustain its existence.”

This was the reason why spiritual beings and plants didn’t exist on Earth. Obviously, items that possessed unique powers wouldn’t exist either. However, when he reasoned up to this point, he felt a sudden sense of suffocation. He realized that he based his assessment of reality on the ‘in-game’ DIO worldview.

“… What the hell.”

He didn’t feel that his line of reasoning was moving in the right direction. No matter how amazing the game was, it was part of reality, not the other way around. Reality should be a guide for the game rather than going to the game as his baseline. If the game was his main frame of reference….

Woong!

As Yongno summoned and circulated his genuine qi, a golden glow emanated from his right hand. He didn’t move internal energy from his dantian to his hand through the qi flow pathways; he gathered the qi that was floating in the air and concentrated it into the palm of his hand. This was the vision that Mary had imbued within him - Qi Heaven.

“I knew I wasn’t playing a normal game, but I never thought it would allow me to use magic and martial arts….”

Creek!

Accompanied by the sound of metal scratching against a tough surface, a magic circle formed on Yongno’s coffee table before he groaned.

“What the hell is happening? What’s going on?”

*** Event and No Manner ***

Ting.

A two-meter by ten-meter table was filled to the brim with magic circles. The Gigas parts he obtained from the last mission were also neatly spread across the table. On one side of the wall was a large device akin to a monitor; it circulated pertinent information about the Gigas parts, like properties and operation mechanisms. Meanwhile, the other side had an ice pillar that contained a blue magic sphere radiating light. Inscriptions covered the ice pillar’s entire surface.

“Oh, I’ve used up all the magic powder.”

Merlin had been busily moving about while typing on a keyboard-like magic panel when he took off his glasses and closed his eyes, rubbing them. His facial expression and behavior clearly displayed his obvious exhaustion.

Whir!

Merlin retrieved a card from his parts inventory and threw it into the air carelessly. The thrown card started spinning like a top and grew larger, only stopping once it reached the size of a door. With this done, Merlin opened the door, stepped inside the inventory, and took out two Kalib King Clamshells that were about a meter inside the parts inventory space.

“Quiet Heaven, warm these up with some Blue Spirit Flames.”

“What? Hey, do you know how busy I am right now!”

Whoosh!

Above Merlin was Quiet Heaven, which was perched on an iron hook attached to the ceiling. Quiet Heaven was constantly sending out flames, and it complained aloud when it received another order. Before Miho’s death, Quiet Heaven had spent most of its day doing reconnaissance and avoided participating in any fights, but afterward, Merlin’s personality seemed to change. He now requested countless things from Quiet Heaven, preventing him from taking a moment’s rest. Previously, Quiet Heaven could escape some of Merlin’s requests by stating that it was still under certain restrictions, but after Merlin acquired a tremendous amount of EXP in the New Continent, all its restrictions were lifted.

Furthermore, Merlin’s requests were within the guidelines of the agreement between master and pet. Each request kept Quiet Heaven’s skillset in mind and did not overwork or weaken it, so the eagle couldn’t do anything but complain.

“Oh, the work you’re currently doing should be ending soon.”

“What?”

As soon as Quiet Heaven replied, a magic circle on the ceiling started to emit light and dropped a red aura downward.

Whoosh!

When Merlin grabbed the red aura dripping from the magic circle, a shockwave rang out. Then, a thumb-sized ruby appeared in Merlin’s hand.

“This process reduces the time required, but the purity level isn’t enough to properly ignite the Howling spell. If the Howling spell is an ultimate-type spell, I could probably use this ruby to cast something slightly less effective.”

Merlin placed the ruby in his inventory and turned around. Seeing this, Quiet Heaven was about to make its way down from the hook, but at that moment, one of Merlin’s spirits, Shining, pushed a King Clam shell in front of Quiet Heaven.

“Please.”

“Argh! Let me rest a bit!”

“You can rest ten minutes every three hours. I’ve already told you this. You have fifteen minutes left.”

“Ugh, this is an exploitation of labor. It’s a sweatshop!”

While complaining, Quiet Heaven gathered Dao power and started outputting blue flames. This was the precursor process to creating magic powder.

Beep!

At that moment, a monitor on the wall showed a schematic blueprint. While he examined it, Merlin fell into thought.

“It’s too difficult to create with the current modern user’s tech. Though we’re advancing quickly, it’ll still take us about six months before we have the requisite technology.”

Six months in real life was six years in DIO since time moved 12 times faster. Though it wasn’t a small period, for users just getting used to their special talents, obtaining the necessary tech to understand modern and future science necessitated such a time investment.

“That means there’s only one option.”

Merlin tapped on the magic panel and closed the parts inventory door. After shutting, the door folded in half once, then again. In the end, it turned into a housing card. At the moment, Merlin was also within a housing card. Merlin had purchased a Rank A Housing Card and used the space to create his research facility and lab. He used his initial housing card as a parts inventory storage space.

“Anyway, what are your plans, master? That blueprint and what you’re making now… all of this seems dangerous.”

“There’s nothing particularly hazardous. This is probably the exact direction the developers wanted and foresaw. The only issue might be that I’ve quickened the pace a bit.”

“Well, if you say so, then it must be… anyway, here you go.”

“Thanks.”

After he took the King Clam shell that Quiet Heaven had burned with his spiritual blue flame, Merlin placed the shell on a grinder. Once he grounded the shell, added some additional ingredients, and processed the entire thing with a few magic spells, he’d be left with an excellent magic catalyst powder.

“Ah, isn’t it about time for the event to start?”

“I’m going to stop by the Magic Tower of Babel before heading to the event. I’m planning on gathering as much as I can.”

“Yeah?”

Quiet Heaven controlled the air surrounding it and gently glided down from the ceiling, landing atop Merlin’s head. Merlin’s head was pushed down a bit, but he didn’t mind.

“Why? Is it weird that I’m participating in the event?”

“You, uh… how should I put this… seem like the quiet type. The event will be chaotic, with a cacophony of sound and countless users. I wouldn’t think that you’d like such places.”

If the old Merlin liked to travel and seek adventure, the new Merlin gave off the air of a veteran scholar. The glasses that Merlin always wore added to this effect, but his purchase of an additional housing card just to make a research and lab facility clearly illustrated this change.

Moreover, Merlin converted his main fighting style from martial arts to magic. To be more precise, ‘main fighting style’ wasn’t the correct term. In the past, Merlin mainly used martial arts with magic as a secondary option; however, now, Merlin only used magic.

“Well, that assumption isn’t entirely wrong, but that doesn’t mean I dislike the event itself. It looks like it’ll be fun, and the rewards aren’t half bad. Most importantly, I have a distinct advantage.”

Merlin thought about Yongno. During the last fishing event, Merlin had hidden underneath an outgoing boat and caught fish that remained below the surface. By doing this, Yongno wasn’t seen or recognized by anyone else. At the time, Yongno had captured around one percent of the entire gem fish population, so he had reaped a significant harvest.

Yongno had always moved in the shadows. While he wanted to participate in the fishing event, he didn’t want to be seen by others. Merlin snorted after recalling this fact.

‘I don’t know why he was so cautious. Was he afraid of gaining others’ attention?’

Like Arthur and Cruze, Yongno possessed monstrous potential, but no one knew this. This was because Yongno always played in areas where others weren’t looking. Yongno probably wasn’t the only solo user, but there weren’t likely to be many other users who stayed away from people as much as Yongno previously did.

‘Well, it seems like it’s getting harder for him to live his usual lifestyle.’

Yongno and Merlin openly shared their memories. They were from the same body, so this was only to be expected. Since they shared their memories, Yongno knew what Merlin was up to in-game, and Merlin knew what Yongno was doing in reality. When Merlin realized that Yongno could use his talents and special skills in reality through Mary’s ‘Heaven’ imprint, Merlin inferred more information and insight into the origins and objectives of DIO.

“Yongno doesn’t know how to properly use his intelligence, but I’m different.”

Merlin took out a large sapphire. After Yongno’s consciousness faded, Merlin lost the option of utilizing martial arts, but Merlin could still operate genuine qi, so he continued to make Howling spell gems whenever he could. However, it took two weeks to create a single Howling spell, so he had only been able to create one, but that one gem could flip the table during the event.

“I need a lot of gem points.”

Smiling, Merlin stepped out of his housing space.

“I’ll need to gather as much as I can, to the best of my abilities.”