Thumbs Up, Level Up

“Okay. Let’s start with Mu-Cheok.”

“Got it.”

‘Here we go! Message sent!’

[You have requested Um Mu-Cheok to be your apostle.]

[Um Mu-Cheok has accepted your request.]

[Um Mu-Cheok is now your apostle.]

A simple message popped up in front of him, but even without the message, he could feel the connection to Mu-Cheok. It was the same feeling as when he connected with Bi-Ga.

“What? It’s so simple! I feel nothing!”

“Nothing has changed for now. Alright, this is the real deal.”

Human, Heaven Martial Body, and True Human were the best combination that allowed a Hunter to increase their potential as a human. Originally, Human was a hidden skill that could only be acquired after mastering all the lesser human-related skills, but since Ji-Cheok had acquired the skill himself, he could bestow it upon his apostle.

‘Here we go again!’

Flash!

Light emanated from Mu-Cheok’s body as he began to float. There was a crackling sound, and energy from all directions was sucked into his body.

‘What’s going on?’

«That is Metamorphosis, Master. His body is being reconstructed by the effects of your skill!»

‘Huh? This quickly? If I had known this would happen, I would have gone to the training room. What is this? Wait, this is not the time to panic. So he’s absorbing energy from the environment and undergoing Metamorphosis, right?’

“Everyone back off!” Ji-Cheok shouted at the other team members.

Ji-Cheok drew out pure energy from his body and poured it into Mu-Cheok, and his little brother’s skin began to glow. At the same time, his body became completely transparent, like an astral body. His skin was peeling off, and it smelled foul.

“Activate Clean!”

Ji-Cheok used an impromptu cleaning skill to wipe away the filthy stuff dripping from Mu-Cheok. As he continued to channel his mana, Mu-Cheok’s body floated higher and higher

«He is in the Trance of Levitation, Master!»

Ji-Cheok had once been told about mind-body-spirit integration—the perfect state of the mind, body, and spirit. When the Qi in one’s body reached optimal concentration, one could attain a physique that was in harmony with their Qi, provided that a proper balance was achieved between the mind, energy, and body. It was said that, if all went well, one could experience the Trance of Levitation while going through the process of Metamorphosis, which required a unification of one’s mind and energy.

Although Ji-Cheok didn’t recall going through a Trance of Levitation himself, his Divine Intuition was telling him that Mu-Cheok was getting stronger. And according to his knowledge, this would take a long time.

“This is going to take a while, so let’s all go rest in the guest room.”

“Is that what is going to happen to us?”

Ha-Na pointed to the nearly naked Mu-Cheok.

‘This woman is pretty bold…’

“I am not sure. I mean, Mu-Cheok had some modifications done to his body. Maybe that’s why he is like this,” Ji-Cheok said.

“Maybe you are right. Then, let’s take a break as you said,” Ji-Byeok said as she patted Ha-Na on the shoulder.

The two went inside. Seong Kwang shook his head and went inside as well.

‘Next time, we are definitely doing this in the training room.’

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“Wow… This is crazy.”

“Yeah, You’re much more powerful now.”

The effectiveness of the three skills, Human, Heaven Martial Body, and True Human, was astonishing. Mu-Cheok finally opened his eyes after a full day in the Trance of Levitation. When he woke up, Ji-Cheok immediately came to the training room with him to check out his little brother’s newly acquired skills, and Ji-Cheok was amazed at Mu-Cheok’s performance.

Mu-Cheok had been an Enhanced Human to begin with, but now, the mechanical parts that had been inserted into his body had completely fused with his own organs.

‘It looks like the machines have taken on a life of their own…’

All of Mu-Cheok’s stats had been raised to S-Rank.

‘That’s terrifying…’

Bam! Bam!

Mu-Cheok lightly swung his hand, casually breaking the sound barrier.

‘Crazy… He is like a walking weapon of destruction.’

“Hyung, thank you.”

“If you wanna thank me, just don’t die on me.”

“Don’t worry, hyung. You think I’m an easy guy to kill?”

“Fair point.”

Creak.

The door to the training room opened, as Mu-Cheok was checking out his new skills. It was Ha-Na.

“I saw that you weren’t in the living room, so I came here to find you… Is he done?”

“Yes, he’s done.”

“Are you okay, Mu-Cheok? How are you feeling?”

“You have to do it. This is awesome. I feel so much stronger!”

“I’ve never seen you this excited, so it must be good.”

“You have nooo idea.”

‘They have gotten really close while I’ve been gone…’

“Come on. We have still got some work to do, so let’s save the conversation for later. I want you to go stand in the middle over there.”

“Okay.”

Mu-Cheok obeyed and went to the center of the training room and stood.

“What are you going to do?” Ha-Na asked.

“I’m going to give him more skills.”

“Wow… That’s really generous of you.”

“Mu-Cheok needs it. Since he is a ranged Hunter, he needs some skills related to that. And some mana too…”

The [Triple Mana Heart Core] skill was even better than the ones Ji-Cheok had acquired one by one throughout his career. In addition, [Divine Bloodline — Descendant], [Divine Archer Talent], [Power of Meteors], [Mana Bullet of Doom], [Master of Firearms], [Expert of War Weapons], [Mana Gun Marksman], [Master of Bullets], [Shadow], [Shadow Pouch], [Mana…].

These were all skills that Ji-Cheok knew and approved of. He picked out the ones he thought Mu-Cheok might need and bestowed them to him, spending around five hundred million Likes.

“Ahhh!”

Mu-Cheok flashed with light. His body throbbed with vitality once more, and he began Metamorphosis anew.

‘Hmm? I guess he’s going through that once more.’

«You have also undergone Metamorphosis a couple of times before, Master.»

‘At least mine was not as violent and didn’t last that lo—oh, never mind. This one ended pretty quickly.’

While Ji-Cheok was talking to his advisor, Mu-Cheok’s Metamorphosis was complete.

“Sigh. That came out of nowhere,” Mu-Cheok said.

“I think that’s it. You can go and check out your new skills.”

“Am I done?”

“Yup.”

“Then I’ll just stand by and watch.”

“Sure. Alright, next up is… Byul Ha-Na. You’re just in time.”

“Yes! I’ve been waiting for this!”

“Okay, please stand over there.”

Ji-Cheok restarted the process, this time with Ha-Na.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

‘I’m a water bear. I have many friends~♪ That cluster of stars is my home~♪’

Ji-Cheok could survive in space.

So there he was, high up in the Antarctic stratosphere, looking down at the ground.

Ji-Cheok was crossing his arms and thinking about what had happened the day before. He was thinking about his team members and how he had bestowed skills on his little brother.

«It was certainly an amazing experience, Master.»

“I know, right? I mean, I have seen it happen before, when I got multiple skills and they merged into one, but it’s quite different for them. I wonder if it’s because they have been chosen by other Gods.”

Ji-Cheok had experienced skill evolution and skill consolidation time and time again.

His Immunity Passive, All Stats Passive, and Skill Master Passive were like that. For example, the power of all the immunity-related skills was combined into the Immunity Passive skill.

[Immunity Passive]

A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.

[Class: Eternity

A timeless skill created by the [GodTube_superstar].

74% reduction in damage of all types.

Immune to normal physical attacks.

Immune to negative mental effects.

Increased damage reduction when gaining additional resistance and immunity skills.]

The ‘reduction in all types of damage’ was the important part. It had actually kept him from death many times. When he fought [Slow Forest Shade], for instance, he would have burned to death if it wasn’t for this. In addition, he was now completely immune to normal physical and mental attacks.

‘I’m so powerful! I’m a human water bear!’

His other two skills had evolved as well.

[All Stats Passive]

[Class: Eternity

A timeless skill created by the [GodTube_superstar].

Many Stats boosting skills have been completely fused together.

Increases the effectiveness of all types of Stats-boosting effects by 102%.

Effect rate is increased when acquiring new Stats-boosting skills.]

‘Do you see the 102% increase?’

The effects of all other Stats-boosting skills were doubled, including those of the Human, Heaven Martial Body, and True Human. It was unbelievable! On top of that, Ji-Cheok had one last extraordinary passive skill.

[Skill Master Passive]

[Class: Eternity

A timeless skill created by the [GodTube_superstar].

Many effect enhancement skills have been completely fused together.

Increases all types of skill effects by 107%.

Effect rate is increased when acquiring new effect enhancement skills.]

‘Do you see the 107% increase? They don’t just add up, they multiply!’

For example, his [King of Production] skill gave him a fivefold increase to all his production. When this skill was multiplied by the Skill Master Passive, it broke through the tenfold wall! That was ten times the original!

His already insane production speed was even more terrifying now! This was why it had been possible for Ji-Cheok to build that many towers when defending the Arctic construction site.

Now, he had bestowed little bits of his skills to Seong Kwang, Ji-Byeok, Mu-Cheok, and Ha-Na. He did not have enough Likes left over to give them every skill he had, so he had only given them the essentials.

As a result, the four of them now had the same three passive skills. In addition, each of them also ended up with one unique skill.

Seong Kwang got a skill called [Gods, Look Down Upon Me], Mu-Cheok got [The Protection of Seven Gods Reside In Me], Ji-Byeok got [Earth, Rise Again], and finally, Ha-Na got [Stars, Please Guide Me].

Ji-Cheok checked out the descriptions for all of those skills.

[Gods, Look Down Upon Me]

[Class: Eternity

The God you serve bestows favor and grace upon you, always watching over you.

Function: Divine power never runs dry

Function: You are a messenger of the Almighty.

Function: Once a day, you may invoke a divine ability.

Function: All of your divine skills have 100% increased power.

Function: You are allowed to serve as an apostle of another God.]

The tone of the description was different from Ji-Cheok’s. He wondered if the System was discriminating.

Besides, the effects of the skill were incredible.

‘Wait, I gave him my passive skills, so how did he get a completely different skill? And he is now allowed to be an apostle of another God… Well, thanks for telling me that sooner!’

The most incredible effect was that Seong Kwang’s divine power would never run dry.

‘Doesn’t that mean he has an infinite amount of mana, practically? Like an overpowered sorcerer in a video game with an infinite amount of MP. That’s so OP!’

This meant that Seong Kwang had just become the most powerful Healer in history.

‘I wonder if he should be called a Monk rather than a Priest now, since he can use cultivation skills.’

Mu-Cheok’s new skill was also interesting.

[The Protection of Seven Gods Resides In Me]

[Class: Eternity

A man who transforms the world by using words extracted from the Library of the Abyss.

He is now protected by Gods of words, Gods of machinery, and one young God.

Function: Able to purchase the skills and powers of the Seven Gods.

Function: Able to apply the protection of Seven Gods simultaneously.

Function: Co-apostle of the Seven Gods.

Function: Always in a state of perfection.]

Mu-Cheok had become quite powerful himself. He had not received infinite power like Seong Kwang, but his new ability surpassed Seong Kwang’s in terms of applicability and had some similarities to Ji-Cheok’s.

‘But my little brother is a Chronicler in the first place, so why are all the other Gods so interested in him? Though, I mean, he is a pretty awesome Hunter.’

Finally, Ji-Byeok’s skill…

[Earth, Rise Again]

[Class: Eternity

You have been chosen by the Earth Goddess, [Mother_of_the_lowest_place], to be her avatar, so protect the land with all your heart.]

Function: You are immune to normal physical attacks.

Function: You are immortal as long as you are in contact with the earth.

Function: Your Mana never dries up as long as you are in contact with the earth.

Function: Your Strength is greatly increased as long as you are in contact with the earth.

Function: Your resistance of all kinds is greatly increased as long as you are in contact with the earth.

Function: You may serve as an apostle of another God.]

‘A God named [Mother_of_the_lowest_place]... I’m pretty sure that is Gaia, the Titan. Her powers are freakin outrageous.’

Immortality. In other words, as long as she touched the ground, Ji-Byeok would never die.

‘I remember there was a God who made that kind of offer to me once, but this God is just giving it to Ji-Byeok.’

Also, the last phrase was a bit different from Seong Kwang’s.

‘Is it a personality difference between the Gods?’

Also, the description was written like an ancient classic—the effects of the skill were rather vague and there were no numbers to quantify the increase in Strength, for instance.

Still, that skill is clearly strong… I feel like Ji-Byeok can become so much more powerful.’

[Stars, Please Guide Me]

[Class: Eternity

The stars have chosen you, so walk in their ways.]

Ha-Na’s skill was the weirdest.

‘Like... It’s really weird. Where’s the functional explanation?’

Ji-Cheok didn’t know what had really changed, if anything, but Ha-Na told him that she had changed a lot. She would look at Ji-Cheok and say things like ‘This is crazy! OMG OMG!’.

It was like she was ‘seeing’ something that other people could not see.

Now, having reinforced his team members with new skills, Ji-Cheok was looking down at Antarctica and thinking.