The Player Who Can't Level Up

“Mother, I’m back,” Gi-Gyu greeted his mother.

“There you are, Gi-Gyu! It has been so long since I last saw you, my son,” his mother replied happily. 

“I’m sorry I haven’t been coming around more often,” Gi-Gyu apologized. 

“Don’t say that. You must be very busy with your work, so I’m just thankful you visited me,” his mother reassured him. She couldn’t turn her neck because of her condition, so she was looking up at the ceiling as she talked to him.  

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?” Gi-Gyu asked. It was late at night, so he expected her to be asleep, but she was still wide awake. His mother replied, “I couldn’t… sleep. But Yoo-Jung is sleeping, so don’t wake her up.”

“Alright.”

Gi-Gyu could already see Yoo-Jung sleeping on a sofa nearby, so his mother’s message was more of a reminder to him. Yoo-Jung’s blanket had slipped to the ground in her sleep, so Gi-Gyu picked it up and covered Yoo-Jung. Then, he began massaging his mother’s legs and asked, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, thanks to my son,” his mother replied quickly. 

“You always say you’re fine. I’m going to talk to your doctor tomorrow morning and hear the truth from his mouth. So, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Of course. I’m living such a luxurious life, all thanks to my son, right? But Gi-Gyu, I’m okay with staying in a group room instead of this fancy private one. After all, it must be costly,” his mother said hesitantly.

“Please don’t say that,” Gi-Gyu replied. It seemed his mother was a little too worried about the private room’s price. So, he reassured her, “I made a lot of money recently, so please don’t worry, Mother. All you need to do is focus on getting better.”

“But I can’t help worrying about burdening you, Gi-Gyu,” his mother replied. Gi-Gyu’s reply was to continue massaging her arms silently. 

Knock, knock.  

Just then, someone knocked on the door. Gi-Gyu smiled widely and said out loud, “Come in, Hyung.”

“Umm… I’m sorry about visiting you so late at night. I came here with Gi-Gyu, so I thought it would be rude not to come up and see you,” Tae-Shik said to Gi-Gyu’s mother apologetically. 

“Welcome,” Gi-Gyu’s mother greeted Tae-Shik, who was blushing and coughing awkwardly. This woke Yoo-Jung up, who greeted Tae-Shik, “Uncle! Welcome!”

“Yoo-Jung! Did I wake you? I’m sorry. You should go back to sleep,” Tae-Shik apologized. 

“It’s alright. I have exams tomorrow, so I need to study anyway,” Yoo-Jung replied with a smile. Tae-Shik coughed inelegantly again and placed the fruit basket on the table. He explained, “I bought some fruits for you. Please enjoy them with Yoo-Jung.”

“Oh, you shouldn’t have. We’re already very grateful for all you’ve done for us. You don’t have to bring anything when you visit me,” Gi-Gyu’s mother replied quietly. 

Happy to see Tae-Shik and his mother chatting pleasantly, Gi-Gyu announced, “I’ll be back, so you two have a nice chat.” Gi-Gyu wanted to have a private chat with his sister, so he took Yoo-Jung to the break room. 

Gi-Gyu asked, “How’re your studies going? Are you ready for the exams?” 

Gi-Gyu was a very attentive and involved brother. He kept himself well-informed of Yoo-Jung’s school schedule. Yoo-Jung tried her best not to burden her brother with these things, but Gi-Gyu couldn’t help being concerned for his sister. 

“It’s alright…” Yoo-Jung replied weakly.

“You don’t have to feel pressured about getting good grades. All I want is for you to live your life the way you want to. Always keep what I said back then in your mind, okay?” 

“Yeah… Okay,” Yoo-Jung nodded as she rubbed her eyes sleepily. 

Just then, an elderly woman appeared out of nowhere and asked Gi-Gyu, “Are you Yoo-Jung’s older brother?”

“Pardon?” Gi-Gyu asked in confusion.

“Granny! You still haven’t gone to bed?” Yoo-Jung asked in surprise, seemingly familiar with the stranger. The elderly woman explained, “I couldn’t sleep, so I was taking a walk when I heard your voice, Yoo-Jung.”

Then, the older woman suddenly held Gi-Gyu’s hands tightly, but he didn’t pull away; instead, Gi-Gyu gently held her hands in return. Her eyes filled with warmth, the elderly woman said, “I have been wondering how Yoo-Jung was raised to be such an upstanding young woman. Now, I can see that it’s all thanks to you, young man. You have a good energy about you.”

“Thank you,” Gi-Gyu thanked her as he glanced at Yoo-Jung. When he gave his sister a curious look, Yoo-Jung scratched her head and explained, “I found her collapsed in the hospital park, so… I just called the nurses for help.”

“My goodness, that’s not true. You did much more than that! Thanks to Yoo-Jung’s quick thinking, this old woman’s life was extended just a bit longer,” the elderly woman explained gratefully.

“Good job, Yoo-Jung. I’m so proud of you,” Gi-Gyu told his sister with a fraternal smile. 

“Yes, you should be proud of her, young man. Yoo-Jung bragged about her older brother so much that I feel like I already know you,” the older woman said to Gi-Gyu familiarly. Gi-Gyu was indeed proud of his sister for growing up to be such a kind young woman. Seeing a stranger thanking her made Gi-Gyu believe that all the hardships he went through in the past were worth it. 

The elderly woman turned toward Gi-Gyu and murmured, “Young man…”

“Yes, Granny,” Gi-Gyu replied respectfully. 

“I can see many energies clashing around you. Please don’t lose yourself and be careful. I hope you overcome all the hardships you’re about to face in the future,” the woman continued. 

“Pardon? Granny?” Gi-Gyu asked in confusion, unable to understand what the elderly woman was talking about. Before he could even ask for an explanation, the elderly woman had somehow left him far behind. It would have been rude to demand an answer from the elderly lady at this hour, so Gi-Gyu decided to ask later if he got a chance. 

Gi-Gyu and Yoo-Jung chatted for a few more minutes before returning to see their mother. Afterward, he returned to the break room to sleep.

***

“Hyung, you’re still here?” Gi-Gyu asked Tae-Shik when he woke up from a loud noise. He noticed Tae-Shik sitting in front of him, nodding off. Tae-Shik also woke up and replied, “How could I leave after what you told me about the gate? We’ll first talk with your mother’s doctor about her condition this morning. Then, you’ll come to the association with me, and we’ll talk about the gate there.”

Gi-Gyu flinched and asked, “You’re going to report this to the association?”

“What? Do you think I’m an idiot? I would never do something like that. We just need a quiet place to talk, that’s all,” Tae-Shik replied in annoyance. 

“Alright,” Gi-Gyu nodded in understanding. Because Tae-Shik’s office had a strong barrier, he must’ve thought it would be safer to talk there. Some items could neutralize such barrier items, but the barrier in Tae-Shik’s office was created by a player of the support category. This meant the barrier around Tae-Shik’s office was stronger than most, and therefore, safer. 

Gi-Gyu was heading toward his mother’s hospital room when someone called him from behind, “You’re patient Lee Su-Jin’s guardian, right?”

“Ah, yes,” Gi-Gyu answered. When he turned around, he saw a doctor in a white coat standing behind him. The doctor asked, “Can we talk for a moment in private?”

“Of course,” Gi-Gyu replied immediately. 

“May I join you?” When Tae-Shik asked the doctor, the doctor asked Gi-Gyu for his permission. Gi-Gyu nodded without hesitation. 

Instead of going to Gi-Gyu’s mother’s room or his own office, the doctor led them to a park bench outside the hospital building. Gi-Gyu found this odd, but he followed without a word. Tae-Shik, on the other hand, looked very worried for some reason. The doctor, Gi-Gyu, and Tae-Shik sat down on the bench together. 

The doctor asked Gi-Gyu and Tae-Shik, “Would you like something to drink?”

Gi-Gyu shook his head, and Tae-Shik asked, “Is this bad news?” 

When the doctor flinched visibly, Tae-Shik explained, “I’ve been to plenty of hospitals before. My parents also passed away inside a hospital, so I know the drill.”

“Oh, I see,” the doctor replied knowingly. Hearing Tae-Shik’s worried tone, Gi-Gyu became tense as well. He asked the doctor, “Is there… Is there a problem with my mother?”

“Erm… Yes,” the doctor replied hesitantly. He was planning on beginning with a mundane conversation before slowly bringing up the main topic; because of Tae-Shik, it seemed he had to get right to the point. Realizing what the doctor was trying to do, Gi-Gyu offered, “I would prefer it if you just tell me. Tae-Shik hyung probably knew this, and that was why he said what he said just now.”

Gi-Gyu explained to the doctor what Tae-Shik was trying to do. Realizing he had no choice, the doctor nodded and replied, “Alright.” The doctor now seemed more relaxed and less burdened as he continued, “Your mother is in grave condition. She refuses to show it, but the complete body paralysis has severely damaged her muscles. Her body is also having a hard time absorbing any nutrients. All the paralysis-related complications have progressed markedly. I can see you have been trying your best to take care of her; unfortunately, it’s too late. Our hospital is doing its best, but at this rate…”

“How long? How long will she be able to live?” Gi-Gyu asked bluntly. 

“Anywhere between three months and a year,” the doctor muttered. Suddenly, something ridiculously heavy began pressing down on Gi-Gyu’s chest. The doctor continued, “There is more. We came across another problem while we were inspecting her spinal damage. To be frank, we still haven’t been able to figure out the source of this problem. And I even believe that the main issue is something else entirely; the paralysis and this new problem are just side effects.”  

“What is that?! Please, just tell me clearly!” Gi-Gyu yelled, but the other patients and passersby in the park didn’t pay attention to him. After all, a scene like this was very common in the hospital setting. 

The doctor looked at Gi-Gyu awkwardly while Tae-Shik held Gi-Gyu’s shoulder to stop him. Everyone here, including Gi-Gyu, knew the doctor was doing his best, but sometimes that just wasn’t enough. The doctor replied, “I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

“Haa…” Gi-Gyu sighed in despair as tears rolled down his eyes. Gi-Gyu was in no shape to be asking rational questions, so Tae-Shik took the helm and asked, “Alright. Now, is there anything you can do at all?”

“In a situation like this, there is only one solution.” When the doctor replied, Tae-Shik murmured in understanding, “Elixir…”

The doctor agreed, “Yes. Only an elixir can save patient Lee Su-Jin.”

***

-Don’t overdo it.

-Master…

Gi-Gyu didn’t reply to Lou and El’s worried murmurs. Instead, he continued to swing them viciously.  A large minotaur failed to dodge Lou and El and fell in three pieces. Its corpse disappeared in a few seconds, leaving a single crystal in its place. 

-You need to snap out of it!

Lou screamed, but Gi-Gyu ignored him again and walked off to find another minotaur to hunt. Nearby, he spotted another monster wandering with an ax in its hand. Normally, Gi-Gyu would’ve approached with caution since his preferred hunting method was a surprise attack. But, things were different now. Like an untamed stallion, he dashed toward the monster and swung Lou down its head. 

Dun!

The minotaur spotted Gi-Gyu and blocked Lou with its ax. Gi-Gyu swung El with his other hand, but the monster took a quick step back and roared, “Moarrrrrr!!!!!!”

Da, da, da, da, da…

Suddenly, the ground began shaking as thundering sounds echoed throughout the wooded forest. 

-At this rate, we’re all going to die! Can’t you see a minotaur herd is coming at us?

When fighting a minotaur, it was necessary to cut its neck or use silence magic to stop it from crying out loud. Its cry had the effect of attracting all nearby minotaurs toward it. It was very similar to how wolves howled to gather their kind. 

Normally, Gi-Gyu would’ve followed this strategy to a tee; now, he was hunting as if the great unknown had possessed him. 

Dun! Dun! Dun!

By now, the ground quakes were stronger than ever. The minotaur Gi-Gyu had been fighting just now was already dead, leaving another crystal behind. But by the time Gi-Gyu looked up, he was surrounded by dozens of angry minotaurs. 

“Moar!”

“Moarrr!”

“Moarrrrrr!” 

The minotaurs began to roar again. However, their cries didn’t seem to worry Gi-Gyu, who murmured, “So noisy…” 

He kicked the ground once more and swung Lou and El. The two swords, although plunged at an incredible speed, were blocked by the two minotaurs’ axes. 

“Moarrrr!”

Slam!

Gi-Gyu was temporarily held in the air when another minotaur stormed toward him. The monster headbutted Gi-Gyu, making him grunt, “Ugh!”

One of the minotaur’s horns struck Brunheart, saving Gi-Gyu from a mangled torso; the other horn left a giant gash on his unprotected right arm. The blood from the injury poured onto his thin white shirt, slowly turning it red. Gi-Gyu dropped to his knees and vomited a large amount of blood. He quickly opened his bag and drank a potion. 

“Moarr!”

Several minotaurs tried to strike their axes toward Gi-Gyu, but they made the mistake of attacking simultaneously. Consequently, all the axes tangled together before they could even strike Gi-Gyu. As for the select few that didn’t get tangled, they struck the spot where Gi-Gyu was kneeling before he escaped. 

-Crazy bastard! You’re going to die!

Lou screamed again, but Gi-Gyu untied his bag and took out a smoke shell without acknowledging his Ego. He threw it toward the minotaur; then, a frenzied slaughter took place. From within the black smoke, only the minotaurs’ shrieks and the clanking noises of metals colliding with each other rang out. 

Also, one could see Lou and El flashing ominously from time to time. 

***

“Haa… Haa…” Gi-Gyu panted loudly. It had already been two weeks since he visited his mother at the hospital. Since then, Gi-Gyu hasn't returned to his mother; instead, he had spent every waking and sleeping moment in the Tower. He was now standing on the 19th floor. The next floor was where he had to take the third test. 

Gi-Gyu had killed countless monsters on his way to this floor. Accordingly, his Egos’ abilities have increased significantly. They didn’t gain any new skills or any additional changes to their status screens, but the overall level increase in their abilities was astounding. 

Gi-Gyu was becoming stronger at an incredible speed, but the pain he felt inside was even greater. It felt like he had a voracious hole in his chest, and it all began the day he had that devastating conversation with his mother’s doctor. After panting like a dog for a while, Gi-Gyu finally calmed down his breathing and sat down on the ground quietly. 

-Have you finally calmed down? You crazy jerk.

-Master, are you okay now?

“I’m sorry I made you two worry,” Gi-Gyu murmured and laid down on the ground. He whispered, “What do I do now?”

An elixir wasn’t something even money could buy. It certainly wasn’t something Gi-Gyu could afford with what he had, even if it was for sale. Even the strongest player couldn’t purchase an elixir. People liked to say that an elixir was given only to those who were chosen by god.  

Gi-Gyu was lying on the ground somewhere on the 19th floor, surrounded by over fifty navy crystals. 

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