Arena

That’s how we received my family’s blessing for our marriage.

Being elated, we drank and played until the early morning.

Intermittently, Cha Jihae had to receive protesting text messages from her subordinates from the military days. It was that they were complaining why not introduce girls to them, too.

With the people who she did not talk to on regular basis, Cha Jihae ended up exchanging messages with a bunch of them, in a hurry.

Even her loneliness seemed have been resolved.

I was even more certain that day. That was, I wanted to finish the test. That was to return to my daily life and live happy, ordinary life with my family.

* * *

When we came back, we were awarded with karma rewards.

-Name: Kim Hyunho

-Class: 46

-Karma: +15,750

-Mission: Take the final break.

-Time limit: 88 days and 11 hours

The last test wasn’t all that difficult, yet a lot of karma rewards were received.

It was the proof that I am well prepared for the battle with Amani Empire.

Well, the territory was overtaken by Cha Jihae, in reality, but as my actions that brought Odin and elfs into the alliance became my accomplishment, the score was high.

Still, as even Cha Jihae received 9,500 karmas, I felt better.

At any rate, it was possible that this would be the last karma rewards. 𝐟𝓇ℯ𝒆we𝒃𝘯𝒐νe𝑙.co𝚖

As I was faced with the last test, I had to be cautious and thought about receiving the maximum possible rewards.

“Show me all my skills.”

-Showing all the skills that Kim Hyunho tester obtained.

-Main skill: Spiritual power (high level 5).

-Auxiliary skill: stamina compensation (Mid level 5), guide (Beginner level 1), teleportation (Mid level 1), vision compensation (Beginner level 1), animal handling (Master).

-Special skill: skill synthesis.

-Skill Synthesis: wind protection (Master), fire protection (Master), motor skill (Master), life fire (Mid level 4), penetration (Master), virtual space (Master), marksmanship (Beginner level 1), ammunition compensation (Master), reload, visual detection (Master), see through vision(Beginner level 1), orbital perception, growth inducement(Master), animal pursuit, cool, clawing wind (Beginner level 5), strengthen toenail (Mid level 1).

-Karma Balance: +15,750

As a note, the spiritual power, which was at mid level 4, has been raised by one level during the last test.

I was feeding life fire to Sylph and Cassa on a daily basis, and it appeared that the effects from that were finally being recognized.

I had seen its fruitfulness, from diligently feeding it every day for 2 years, during the most recent test.

In order to increase to a mid level 5 from mid level 4, 4,800 karmas were needed, but that was almost equivalent to a reward for clearing an ordinary level test.

15,750 karmas……

It was somewhat of an odd number.

Even if it was to be invested wholly in the main skill of spiritual power, it was only enough to increase the level by two.

5,100 karmas needed to increase to mid level 6, 5,400 karmas to level 7, 5,700 karmas to level 8.

That was, 16,200 karmas were needed to increase to level 8, but was just a tad insufficient.

It did not feel as if there would be a dramatic effectiveness even if the level was increased by two steps.

Instead, my attention was more on the clawing wind and toenail strengthening which I stopped from increasing.

-Clawing wind (synthesized skill): Create cutting wind and attack the enemy.

Animal handling (auxiliary skill) is applicable only to the domesticated birds.

*Beginner level 5: Cool time 1 minute.

-Strengthen toenail (synthesized skill): The toenails strengthen and becomes hard and sharp. Animal handling (Auxiliary skill) is only applicable to domesticated animals.

*Mid level 1: The toenails become as hard as diamonds.

I was thinking about increasing these two skills to the master level, and see how it would be like by strengthening the combat power to the eagle’s claws.

I spoke into the stone panel.

“Show me the conditions when clawing wind and toenail strengthen were mastered.”

Then the words on the stone panel wiggled and changed.

-Showing when Clawing wind (synthesized skill) and strengthen toenail (synthesized skill) were mastered.

-Clawing wind (synthesized skill)

*Master: Unlimited (-4500)

-strengthen toenail (synthesized skill)

*Master: toenail becomes as hard as ore. (-4100)

-Karma balance: +15,750

‘This is really great?’

I could use the clawing wind without limit!

If the claws of 10 eagles were flying in formation and attacked with unlimited clawing wind, it would be almost equivalent to the level of the bombers.

I felt like I could reap great results during an Amani empire.

Toenail strengthening was the same as well.

It would be as strong as ore! It would be like having 10 ore expert level knights. Of course, as it was possible to bombard with the clawing wind while flying, its value would be in the tens of times.

‘OK. I’ve decided.’

I have increased the two skills to the master levels.

-Karma balance: +7,150

Now, how should the karmas be used?

‘Should I just increase the spiritual power by one level?’

However, it caused me to tilt my head. Was there something that could be used to show that there would be effects with more certainty?

Then suddenly, I became curious about Cha Jihae’s karma rewards.

“How do you plan on receiving the karma rewards?”

“I’m thinking about increasing the ore skill.”

“How much can you raise it by?”

“With the current level of karmas, it can be increased up to mid level 10.”

Bummer.

It would be at high level 1, if the level was just increased by one. Then that would be at the ore master level.

I asked out of curiosity.

“How much short are you in karmas in order to increase to high level 1?”

Cha Jihae said after performing a brief calculation.

“I’m short of 3,400 karmas.”

“Ah!”

Then I realized how I could use my remaining karmas, so that it could be most effective.

“I can give you 3,500 karmas. Use that to become an ore master.”

“Isn’t giving up your karmas to me an ineffective way of using it?”

“I don’t particularly have any skills to upgrade. On the other hand, if you can become an ore master then it would definitely be more helpful in your next test battle.”

“…..”

Cha Jihae hesitated to respond. She didn’t appear to be happy that I might be on the losing end.

I stroked her head as I smiled.

“No matter what, all tests will end with the next one. What good are remaining karmas or skills?”

“I think you’re right. But then why are you stroking my head, all of a sudden?”

“It’s a force of habit.”

“Please stop now.”

“I can’t stop it as it has become a force of habit. A force of habit is a scary thing.” 𝗳𝗿𝐞ℯ𝙬𝗲𝗯n𝗼νel.𝒄𝑜𝘮

“…..”

The level of my brazen way of talking to Cha Jihae was increasing on a daily basis.

At any rate, I purchased 7 item packs of 1,000 karmas and gave then to Cha Jihae.

She then put them in her possession with the purchase price of 3,500 karmas after a discount. Using that, she has increased the ore control to high level 1.

She, too, has become a master. As far as I could recall, her speed of growth was faster than Odin who was said to have never failed in clearing a test.