Thumbs Up, Level Up

Chapter 32

There hadn’t been an all-rounder that could do everything quite like Ji-Cheok. This role was rare as a jack of all trades lacked a good punch that those who specialized in one area had.

However, multi-players were in high demand to fight in multiple dungeons as their role acted as an important link in each team during the giant boss monster raids. The presence of an outstanding multiplayer determined a party’s fate. Therefore, in dungeons where a party consisted of a large group of people, a multiplayer usually held a microphone and gave instructions. One needed to know about tanking, dealing, healing, buffs and debuffs to be able to know how to react in a certain situation. In the past, these people had taken a commanding role and had been called ‘Coordinator.’

‘But I still want to find a one-shot skill.’

Ji-Cheok scrolled down the Hunter ranking list and the Hunter ranked thirty-second stood out to him.

[Romana Rashif.

SSS-Rank Prophet.

Level Black.]

An additional explanation popped up when Ji-Cheok clicked it.

[Information Expert - Can find dungeon items and skill books using their prophetic abilities to grow stronger.]

Below the explanation was a link to a GodTube video that detailed her abilities. Knowledge about the future was a powerful weapon. Her dungeon attack method was so interesting and enjoyable to watch that she was even more popular than some of the top SSS-Rank Hunters.

‘To think that using the information skill would give her an added advantage…’

Ji-Cheok could purchase a prophetic skill from the Likes Shop, but he knew it was useful only when the person understood how to apply the information.

‘It would be nice if I had an advisor like Zhuge Liang[1]… Uh, hold up!’

Ji-Cheok started to look among the available skills and finally found what he wanted.

[Advisor of the Twisted Underworld]

[Class: Legendary (Upgradable, Rank F)

A spirit created by the System that can give personalized advice to Um Ji-Cheok. The System had created this spirit by replicating the personality of a sage who served his master loyally. No matter what, it will always find the best path for its master to take.

Purchase Condition: Only available to Um Ji-Cheok.]

Ji-Cheok noticed his name was in the details of this System skill listing.

‘Only I can buy this, whoa… On top of that, the System created this skill. It wasn’t created by gods and doesn’t use their names.’ 

This whole time the System had been special to Hunters as it was the display in their minds that showed what the quest details were, sent level-up messages, and calculated rewards after a dungeon conquest was over. The System was pretty similar to a gamemaster [2].

‘System? Wait, the System is making and selling these items?’

Until now, the skills listed appeared to have been created by heroes or gods of ancient times, like the Divine Thief or that ‘Scrooge’ person from a different dimension.

“Are there any other products made by the System?”

[1 result: Advisor of the Twisted Underworld.]

This search result probably meant that there wasn’t anything else.

When Ji-Cheok put his finger near the ‘price’ part of the display…

[1 Demonic Essence + 10,000 Likes + Intermediate Skill Voucher]

‘You want the Demonic Essence, too?’

Ji-Cheok wondered what it was that made the Demonic Essence so important to all the gods, heroes, and even the System. There seemed to be nothing special about it, even when Ji-Cheok used his Eye of Insight. The Demonic Essence had some sort of potent dark power which could not be used by humans. That was it.

He had asked an expert to assess it while he was in the hospital, but the expert had found nothing special as well. It really seemed useless to humans.

‘So… all that matters is whom I’m going to have to make the offering to.’

Ji-Cheok had not yet been blessed by any god. Even though many gods had expressed their liking of him, something had felt off to Ji-Cheok about entering an agreement with them.

‘What if I just stick with the System?’

That was a crazy idea. Ji-Cheok looked up on the Hunter site to check if anyone was supported or sponsored by the System instead of a god, but there was no one. At best there was…

- Look at my contribution, you fucking System. Why the hell am I the fifth?

- Is the System working? Why would a god break a contract with me? This must be the wrong message, right?

- Ah, this System is giving me shitty quests.

…These were the only postings about the System. There didn’t seem to be an occasion where the System appeared as a person. Then…

‘Okay, I wanna bet on this. It seems like the more interesting path to take.’

“Purchase!”

[You have spent one Demonic Essence and 10,000 Likes.][3]

He now had 122,000 Likes remaining.

A skill book appeared out of thin air. Wait, no… it wasn’t a skill book. It was a White Feather Fan[4], and there was something written on it.

[Twisted Underworld’s Zhuge No.8]

‘...What…?’

Ji-Cheok felt a very weird energy coming from the White Feather Fan.

As he acquired the skill, the skill book—no… the White Feather Fan shone brightly, then disappeared.

At the same time, a handsome and neatly-dressed man giving off a clean scent of incense appeared in front of Ji-Cheok. He seemed to be a combination of all the best-looking features mashed into one person, and was dressed in martial arts clothing.

Only his milky-white hair and oddly-shaped eyes indicated that he was a spirit created by the System, and not a real human.

«Hello, master. Please give me a name.»

‘What should I name him?’ Ji-Cheok asked himself. He planned on working this spirit hard, and didn’t want to name the spirit after the old heroes like “Master Zhuge Liang”. The spirit wasn’t actually Zhuge Liang, but the System had said that the spirit was created based on Zhuge Liang’s personality. Since this spirit was identified as number eight, it was likely that there had been at least seven other spirits created before it.

Ji-Cheok was also struggling to come up with the spirit’s name.

‘It would be better to name him similarly to the person he’s based on, right?’

Ji-Cheok decided to name him ‘Cheok-Liang’ after the parts of his and Zhuge Liang’s names. Written with different characters, ‘Cheok’ meant ‘ruler’ and ‘Liang’ meant ‘measuring’[5], so the name meant ‘measuring things with a ruler’. This perfectly suited the role Ji-Cheok had in mind for this spirit.

«Cheok-Liang. It’s a nice name. I’m a growth-type spirit, and I was created by the System using Demonic Essence as a foundation.»

“But wasn’t the Demonic Essence part of the price to purchase you…?” Ji-Cheok seemed to be confused.

«Yes. It’s also the ingredient that fuels me. The System administrator converts some of these ingredients this way based on the principle of causality. This is to prevent them from falling into the hands of the gods.»

The spirit had been hovering in the air, and came down in front of Ji-Cheok. Ji-Cheok would have thought that he was a real person if his body wasn’t translucent.

“Who’s the System administrator?” Ji-Cheok asked.

«My memories of this have been erased.»

“Then, what exactly is the System?”

«It’s a nurturing device for humans to go beyond their limits.»

“Can you explain in more detail…?”

«My memories of this have been erased.»

Ji-Cheok had continued to ask further open-ended questions, but the spirit responded with the same phrase.

‘Fine. Figuring out this much is enough.’

He decided to move on to the next question.

“I want to use the Likes I have to purchase a powerful attack skill to fight against stronger enemies.”

«Okay. For now, I will return to power-saving mode to perform this task.»

The spirit changed from a human to a small baby fox. He looked like the typical fennec, with silver and gold fur as well as big ears and eyes.

“W…wait, Cheok-Liang.”

«Yes, Master. Please speak.»

“Will I be able to take pictures of you?”

«Yes. I can become fully material using the power of the Demonic Essence that forms my heart.

Materializing in 3… 2… 1… Materialization complete.»

Click!

As a force of habit, Ji-Cheok took out his phone and snapped a picture of the spirit. He was preoccupied with other thoughts and accidentally left his finger on the camera button.

“C… Come here for a bit.”

«Do you want me to go on top of your lap? Okay.»

The baby fennec jumped up on Ji-Cheok’s lap and politely sat with its bum down.

‘Hahaha. It looks so fearless and cute.’

Click, click, click!

Animals were the most popular on GodTube, especially baby animal content.

Cheok-Liang didn’t seem bothered and continued searching for Ji-Cheok’s requested skill without budging while Ji-Cheok was taking pictures and videos of the baby fennec.

«Master, I have a few questions to ask. May I do that now?»

“Huh?”

«I’m concerned that your skill information would be exposed in the video you are currently taking.»

“Ooh shoot, you’re right!”

‘Gosh, it’s even thinking like a mature person too.’

Ji-Cheok turned off the camera, and Cheok-Liang added.

«I’m a newly-born spirit brought into existence through a divine art. In other words, I am a spirit created by a god.»

‘Oh, okay.’

«For now, I cannot maintain human form for long periods of time. I’ll usually stay beside you in the form of a beast.»

‘That's good news.’

«From your expression, it seems like you are satisfied, Master. I’m glad. However, your information might leak to the public if you film me while I search for the skill you requested. Please inform me before you take any pictures or videos.»

“Oh…okay…”

«The System has designed me to get along well with humans. The reason why I’m handsome and cute is all thanks to the System’s planning. So, please take advantage of my looks unsparingly.»

Cheok-Liang scratched its ear using its hind foot.

«Ah, my greatest apologies. The materialization also gave me animal instincts, but I have no issue making rational judgements as a bookkeeper. You don’t need to worry about that.»

‘...Why did you make this baby fennec look this cute, System!?’

Ji-Cheok’s hands were shaking as he was overloaded with how cute the spirit was.

«I need to narrow this search. Please tell me more about your conditions.»

Cheok-Liang’s fluffy tail wagged up and down. Every time its tail moved, Ji-Cheok smelled the sweet scent of milk powder.

“Conditions?”

«Yes. For example, are you okay with skills having huge side effects compared to attack power?»

“Mmm… If there are skills with side effects, are there any that are deadly?

«Yes, searching with these conditions… It’s this skill.»

[Heart Sacrifice]

[Class: Legend (Non-Upgradable, Rank S)

The user sacrifices their heart to draw out power from a god. The power of God Anubis will descend upon the user and maximize their abilities. Since the god’s power requires the user’s body as a conduit, the user will die as soon as the skill is deactivated.

It amplifies the attack power up to a hundred times the user’s original strength.]

[Well, it depends on use, but…]

Cheok-Liang’s ears drooped.

«The user would really die. The greater the risk, the more the user’s ability will be amplified. You could say that it’s the most powerful among the sacrificial skills.»

‘Umm… So, it wants me to create an upper limit condition because the results are endless when it comes to searching for skills.’

“Then, can you find me the best attack skill that I could use around ten times based on the total mana I currently have?”

«Okay. There are two skills, [Hammer of the Furious Thunder God] and [Sword Strike of Death].»

When Ji-Cheok read through the description of the skills, he realized both were quite good. The [Hammer of the Furious Thunder God] could maximize effectiveness by pouring power into a single lightning strike. [Sword Strike of Death] was a swift sword skill imbued with the darkness attribute. Ji-Cheok suddenly decided to ask Cheok-Liang his question in a different way.

“What do you think? Which one would suit me the best?”

«Before I express my opinion, it’s important for me to be aware of Master’s situation.»

“Ah… I should explain that first.”

Cheok-Liang added one more thing.

«As you know, I’m your skill and I am made to serve you as best as I can. The more details you give me about you, the better advice I can provide.»

In other words, Cheok-Liang wanted to know everything about Ji-Cheok without a single detail left out.

‘Well… I wasn’t planning on hiding anything in the first place…’

The two of them were going to spend all day, every day together and it would get tiresome for both of them if he tried to hide things from the spirit. As such, Ji-Cheok told Cheok-Liang about how he had become an Awakened, what had happened after that, and what journey he had taken up to this point.

Cheok-Liang gently closed its eyes and wagged its tail like a White Feathery Fan. After he listened to Ji-Cheok’s complete story, he spoke.

«Seems like you would suffer a loss if you were to get either of these skills.»

1. Chinese statesman, the most accomplished military strategist of the Three Kingdoms era. He appears as a major character in the famous ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ and all related media. ☜

2. An individual who acts as an organizer, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer role-playing game, eg. Dungeon Master in Dungeons & Dragons ☜

3. There was supposed to be an Intermediate Skill Voucher as well. ☜

4. A traditional fan made of a bird’s white feathers that appeared in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. ☜

5. ’Cheok’ is 尺(ruler), while “liang” is 量 (measure, quantity). ☜