Chapter 29
Using the Liberation Stone is simple.
If you break the Liberation Stone, the energy inside it will flow into you. With a trembling heart, I broke the stone, and as soon as I did, I felt a strange energy.
【You have used the Liberation Stone.】
【Warning! Prerequisite conditions have not been met!】
【Partially unlocking the power of Self-Sacrificial■■.】
Self-Sacrificial■■.
Even at the cost of one’s life.
───────────────
Name: Han Ji-an
Age: 23 years old
Gender: Male
【Unique Abilities】
Random Summon (Rank E)
Infinite Love (Rank EX)
Self-Sacrificial■■ (Rank E)
■■■■ – Sealed (Rank ■■)
To unlock abilities, prerequisite conditions must be met.
───────────────
───────────────
【Self-Sacrificial■■】
- The summoned creature takes damage on behalf of the summoner.
- Sealed.
- Sealed.
- Sealed.
───────────────
After several years, I finally obtained my third ability, but something feels off.
It seems like this skill is also related to Nika, which makes me wonder—was I destined to be a summoner?
But based on the skill description, even if the shield gets breached, all the damage meant for me will go to Nika. Is that okay?
“Nika, are you really fine with this?”
【What is it?】
“It says you’ll take damage in my place.”
She replied without a moment’s hesitation.
【I’m fine!】
She even looked delighted with her radiant expression.
Is this really okay? That Nika will take all my damage instead of me?
…No matter how I think about it, this doesn’t seem right.
My deliberation didn’t last long, and I acted immediately.
“Remove unique ability.”
【Warning! Once a unique ability is deleted, it cannot be restored.】
“Remove Self-Sacrificial… whatever it’s called.”
【Do you want to remove the unique ability: Self-Sacrificial■■?】
“Yes.”
【Removing the unique ability: Self-Sacrificial■■.】
The moment the unique ability was removed from my status window, something unexpected happened.
Just as each character began to disappear, a golden light shone, and a new window appeared.
【Prerequisite conditions for Self-Sacrificial■■ have been met.】
【Unlocking the full power of Self-Sacrificial Gratitude!】
Self-Sacrificial Gratitude
Even at the cost of one’s life, repay the favor.
───────────────
Name: Han Ji-an
Age: 23 years old
Gender: Male
【Unique Abilities】
Random Summon (Rank E)
Infinite Love (Rank EX)
Self-Sacrificial Gratitude (Rank EX)
■■■■ – Sealed (Rank ■■)
To unlock abilities, prerequisite conditions must be met.
───────────────
───────────────
【Self-Sacrificial Gratitude】
- The summoned creature takes damage on behalf of the summoner.
- The summoned creature becomes completely immune to physical damage.
- The summoned creature becomes completely immune to magical damage.
- The summoned creature becomes completely immune to mental damage.
───────────────
“What is this…?”
Although it still states that the summoned creature will take damage in my place, the ability also declares total immunity to physical, magical, and mental damage. Doesn’t this mean Nika won’t take any damage at all?
As I stared at this absurd unique ability in disbelief, Nika, snuggled in my arms, looked up at me intently.
“Is something wrong?”
【I love it! I love it! I love it!】
Nika rubbed her face against mine, displaying her usual charm.
Resisting this would make me less of a man.
I picked her up and enjoyed a joyful moment with my adorable Nika when an alarm rang.
Who has the nerve to contact me at this time?
…It’s my younger sister.
I stopped by the hospital where my sister was staying, bringing her some clothes and the food she had asked for.
After a brief chat, I left and headed home.
For a moment, I almost turned toward my old house, but thankfully, I came to my senses and redirected myself to the new place.
Seriously, I feel like I’ve been losing my focus lately.
Just as I was eager to get home and rest, an emergency evacuation broadcast echoed.
【A Gate has appeared nearby. Residents are advised not to approach.】
I checked my phone, and the estimated Gate rank was A.
So far, I’ve only ventured into B-rank Gates, though even those weren’t truly B-rank.
They just happened to be labeled as such, but I’d been unlucky to encounter particularly tough ones.
I wonder what an A-rank Gate would look like.
…Should I sneak a peek?
Drinking the invisibility potion Lillian had prepared for me, I hugged Nika tightly and approached the Gate.
From a distance, I could see hunters affiliated with the Awakener Association.
Oh, Hunter Cha Mi-rin is here too.
Even though I’ve met her a few times, the sense of camaraderie makes me want to say hi—but doing so would get me caught.
She recently advanced to S-rank. I’m envious, to be honest.
How much longer do I have to keep living this low-profile life?
…Though it’s safer this way.
As I stepped cautiously into the Gate to take a quick look inside, I felt something was off.
No way…
【You have entered a Corrupted Gate.】
【Exit is restricted until the Gate is cleared.】
I’m screwed.
Corrupted Gates.
Before entering, you can’t tell if a Gate is normal or corrupted.
Once even a single Awakener steps inside, the Gate turns dark red, entry and exit are sealed, and no one can leave until the dungeon is cleared or the Awakened individual inside dies.
In short, I can’t leave until I clear this Gate. And even if I do, dealing with the aftermath will be a problem.
I entered before the Awakener Association did, after all.
“…There’s no way to slip out quietly, is there?”
【Hunt?】
“Yeah, I think I’ll have to hunt.”
Excited by my words, Nika jumped out of my arms. From the dense forest we’d been transported to, it was clear this would be a hassle.
Corrupted Gates only appear at A-rank or higher. There aren’t many A-rank Gates set in dense forests.
Among them, the worst-case scenario is encountering otherworldly beings.
They’re cunning, skilled hunters, and often turn the tables to make the hunter their prey.
An arrow aimed at me was blocked by Nika, turning my suspicion into certainty.
The arrow, coated with a sticky liquid, was destroyed as Nika intercepted it.
【How dare they! How dare they! How dare they!】
The “elves” in the forest launched arrows in a guerrilla-style attack, while Nika fought back with her acidic saliva and massive claws.
With a single strike, part of the forest was demolished, accompanied by the anguished screams of the elves.
Now, who’s the hunter?
“Team Leader! We have a situation!”
“I see it.”
The Gate had turned dark red, sealing off entry and exit.
It was now a Corrupted Gate, but the bigger issue was the identity of the person who had entered before the Awakener Association hunters.
Not many people could slip past my senses, even after I advanced to S-rank.
“Han Ji-an….”
“Pardon? Did you say something, Team Leader?”
“It’s nothing.”
After instructing the team to stay vigilant, I called Lillian on my phone.
She answered quickly, though her sleepy voice suggested she had just woken up.
“What’s going on…?”
“I believe Han Ji-an has entered a Corrupted Gate, so I’m contacting you.”
“…….”
“He entered a Corrupted Gate without any equipment. What should we do?”
Contrary to my worries, Lillian’s voice remained calm.
“Don’t worry about it. Nika is with him.”
“Wait, Nika is with him?”
“Besides, he’ll probably come out soon.”
“But he just went in. That doesn’t seem possible.”
Contrary to my expectations, the Gate began to tremble.
The dark red Gate gradually turned blue, normalizing before it started to vanish entirely.
If the Gate hadn’t begun to disappear, I’d have assumed the worst-case scenario.
However, its disappearance meant the Gate had been cleared.
Clearing a Corrupted Gate in just five minutes?
That’s impossible.
Even if my sister were to spam fireballs nonstop, it would still be unthinkable. How did this happen?
“…The Corrupted Gate has been cleared.”
“See? I was right.”
Acknowledging Lillian’s confident tone, I realized it was time to take action.
“Well then, please handle the aftermath.”
“Understood.”
Ending the call, I approached my bewildered subordinates, ordering them to keep quiet about this.
Then I contacted a few reporters I knew to make a public announcement quickly.
Since many citizens had already witnessed the event, addressing it head-on was the best approach to managing the situation.
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