Stop, Friendly Fire!

"Rem, what do you think?"

[It's difficult. More research must be done.]

"Well, I didn't think it'd work on the first try."

[You can count on me.]

Lee Shin Woo left the magic device, Huginn's Eye (which he'd stolen from the training facility), with Kratia and Rem. It was an absurd surveillance artifact, as it could sense multiple presences in a large area, and indirectly influence them as well. It was a level 8 item that was a treasure amongst treasures. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it the core of the training facility.

Of course, he wouldn't likely be able to figure out everything that's going on in the Empire with just this, but if he were to improve its performance, as well as limit its options in order to concentrate its abilities, then... Someday, he'd be able to tell the golems movements. Well, if it can synergize with Rem's abilities that is.

"With this, the connection between Rem and the artifact is complete."

"That means..."

"Yeah. Even if Rem's far away, he can see with Huginn's Eye."

Lee Shin Woo decided to leave Huginn's Eye at his base. Firstly, they hadn't improved Huginn's Eye enough for them to properly use it. Secondly, it wouldn't activate from his inventory and it took up too much space.

Lastly, with Kratia's help, they were able to set up a communication line between Huginn's Eye and Rem. Thus, Rem was able to utilize Huginn's Eye from long range. For the time being, Kratia would study Huginn's Eye and would strive to improve it, so it should be more useful in the future.

"But is it really ok with you? It feels like I'm just keeping you here..."

"My original goal was the artifact. I'm happy that I can continue to study it."

It seemed like Kratia was quite satisfied. Then again, ever since she'd entered the Empire, Kratia hadn't been concerned about heroes or the undead, but magic, so it seemed like the natural reaction from her...

"Plus, not only did my combat-related skills improve, but I learned a new skill related to the artifact. The more I study the artifact with that skill, the faster my magic will increase."

"Is that that amazing?"

"...Shin Woo, you have no idea how amazing it is to learn a new type of skill."

Kratia's eyes sharpenedfor some reason, so Lee Shin Woo apologized to her and decided to take a step back. He couldn't understand it at all, as he gained skills so easily through Bone Reinforcement.

But the more skills one had, the more stats they'd gain, so he realized that the more skills one had, the more capable they were.

"That's why the [elites] are so amazing. Normal monsters don't really have any skills, and only have their stats to back them up, so we can hunt them easily, but... On the contrary, elites possess at least two or three skills on average, so not only do they get stronger the more they use their skills, but they're able to properly exhibit their overwhelming strength (from their stats) through said skills."

"Well, that's true..."

There was an insurmountable wall (in terms of strength) between normal monsters and elites. Once he heard the clear reason between this divide, he found himself naturally nodding his head.

If he put what she said into consideration, then wouldn't he become the strongest if he just lived a long time? The scary part was that the chances of that weren't zero.

"But first..."

Kratia seemed like she would talk about skills for a few hours, so Lee Shin Woo pushed her towards Huginn's Eye. He gathered the last bones he'd acquired from the training facility and sighed in satisfaction.

"Let's level up first."

"You don't have any for me, right?"

"I thought you wouldn't want them, so I used them on myself... Are you disappointed? Should I give you one?"

"It's fine. I respectfully decline."

Before they had cleared the final training facility, Jin had absorbed an unimaginable quantity of bones and had grown tremendously. Moreover, he had also absorbed a level 7 elite's bone, so he wanted nothing to do with bones for the time being. Lee Shin Woo decided to give him a break this time.

Above all, it was most efficient to use Bone Reinforcement prior to a level up. He had acquired four level 7 elite bones purely through luck, but it was still beneficial to him regardless; Lee Shin Woo decided to make this level up something special.

'The Ur Leon's big toenail and shell, the Croc Erantu's molar, and the Emperor Boa's fang I got from Kratia.'

They weren't technically made of bone, but they were definitely considered bones.

Moreover, they were from elite monsters that had fought for dozens of years inside of an area with a high concentration of mana, so they were higher quality than any of the level 7 elite bones he'd absorbed thus far. They were almost comparable to Hansen Von Dorthe.

"Hoo."

"Ugh."

Would Jin be alright from absorbing the info from four bones simultaneously? Jin unnecessarily imagined himself absorbing those bones and shook, while Lee Shin Woo extended his hand and selected the bones. Then he said.

"Bone Reinforcement."

[Consuming all four bones to execute Bone Reinforcement. Strength has increased by 20, Agility by 25, Health by 30, and Magic by 58.]

[The Bone Reinforcement skill has become Lv10. Bones with intersecting memories are combined, allowing you to access complete memories. Verifying that all owners of these bones lived in the same environment, giving you access to their combined memories.]

"Mm."

What a great time for Bone Reinforcement to level up. And it came with a new ability at that. Lee Shin Woo inwardly muttered that he hadn't expected this to happen, but at that moment, a deluge of memories poured into his brain.

Lee Shin Woo gasped. It felt like his limits were being tested whenever he used this skill!

"Shin Woo!?"

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

New information that he could absorb because of Bone Reinforcement's level up... it was a record of the countless battles that these monsters had fought within an artificially made subspace. They were born and grew up within that space of boundless mana; he saw their ability to adapt to their environment, as well as their aspirations, and thirst for vengeance!

No, there was something beyond that. These monsters had been shackled in this mana zone, which had given them their strength on a silver platter, for dozens of years, and their fundamental knowledge of spatial magic flowed into him!

'By absorbing all three of their memories at the same time, I'm able to absorb dozens of years of their memories. This is ridiculous...'

Above all, Lee Shin Woo felt the flowing mana that accumulated more and more over the years, and it felt as though that mana actually moved through his body. In the end, it felt as though the boundary between his body and the world had disappeared.

He couldn't describe that sensation. Lee Shin Woo just wanted to focus on that feeling. His body began to float into the air and started to reconstruct itself. While he absorbed the memories, he was leveling up!

[You have undergone countless training and experiences, and have learned the basics to accepting and manipulating all the energy that exists in this world. Though you are still unskilled, each and every bone in your body breathes, and the resulting strength is nothing to scoff at.]

[You have become a level 7 Breathing Bone Joker.]

A Breathing Bone Joker. Did that mean a Joker whose bones breathed? He had gone from an Elemental Skeleton Joker, to a Powered Elemental Bone Joker and now, to a Breathing Bone Joker. The name was a joke, but he suddenly found that he liked it.

The term 'breathing' made it feel like he had even more potential now, as he was originally an entity that couldn't breathe. It felt like his hopes and dreams had been realized. It felt like it was teaching him what direction he needed to go from now on.

"Guaaaah...!"

Of course, the changes that came about due to a level up were just beginning.

[The Element Absorption skill has become Lv7. Magic has increased by 50.]

[The Intermediate Assimilation skill has become Lv8. Agility and Magic have increased by 10.]

[The High Rank Mana Bone skill has become Lv3. Magic has increased by 60. You understand how mana functions in space, so you are now able to both control a portion of it and resist it. If someone tries to interfere with you with their magic, then you can use your magic to resist the effects.]

The skill that had been most affected by Bone Reinforcement was his Mana Bone skill. It was also the skill that was most affected by the 'breathing' part of his level up. After all, his bones wouldn't be able to breathe if he didn't have the Mana Bone skill!

That wasn't all. He now had extensive experience with spatial magic, so the Mana Bone skill overcame its previous limitations and increased its scope. It used the helplessness and frustration he felt while fighting Feotane Von Seldin as fuel to allow him to resist others' magic! Was that the reason that his Mana Bone skill had leveled up twice in such a short time after reaching the high rank level?

[The Bone Armory skill has become Lv9. Health and Magic have increased by 10. You can now summon eight pieces of equipment at a time. You can now replace any equipment mid-summon with another.]

[The Rule of Bone skill has become Lv10. All stats have increased by 10. If it is a bone you can control, or even if it isn't, you can control it and reinforce it.]

Rule of Bone and Bone Armory were affected quite significantly as well. Lee Shin Woo could not only use his mana more extensively now, but his overall ability to control bone had increased.

He was especially surprised by Rule of Bone's level up. He could control bones that weren't even his and could reinforce them as well. It was proof that Lee Shin Woo's scope of influence had increased.

[The High Rank Combat Sense skill has become Lv2. Agility has increased by 20. You can now more swiftly respond to any attacks using mana.]

[The Intermediate Regeneration skill has become Lv10 and has evolved to the high rank level! Health and Magic have increased by 20. In the case of a mana based attack, you can collect a portion of the mana and activate Regeneration.]

That wasn't all. It seemed like his other skills had been affected by his karma, as they leveled up as they pleased, and increased his stats as well. Whenever he leveled up, he felt like his body was boiling due to the dramatic changes in his stats (plus, there was the increased effectiveness of said stats).

But now that he could more naturally breathe mana, he was able to more naturally accept that change, and even though his body was seething, it felt as though he had just had a refreshing shower.

"Hooooo..."

Lee Shin Woo very naturally breathed out. Of course, he couldn't actually breathe, but his body followed his lead and absorbed a large quantity of mana, only expelling the mana that his bones couldn't withhold.

In the process, the ambient mana was affected by him, and strangely, began to change. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it was being influenced by him. It was like when he had blown up his lightning weapons to transform the surrounding mana into lightning. By continuing his breathing, the mana in the entire area would come under his control!

"A-An Archmage?"

"There's no way I'd become an Archmage."

Kratia had immediately noticed Lee Shin Woo's change (that came about due to his level up), and her eyes went wide. Then, Lee Shin Woo grinned, shook his head, and checked his stats (which he hadn't done in a long time).

[Lee Shin Woo]

[Breathing Bone Joker]

[Corps Destroyer; 10 others]

[Lv - 7 (Status effectiveness 250%)]

[Strength - 1,421, Agility - 1,331, Health - 1,383, Magic - 2,637]

[Passive skills - Acting Lv16, Invisible Heart Lv4, Rebellion Lv4, High Rank Bursting Thunder Lv2, High Rank Mana Bone Lv3, Intermediate Shadow Horn Lv4, Intermediate Command Lv9, Intermediate Assimilation Lv8, High Rank Combat Sense Lv2]

[Active skills - Disguise Lv6, Instigate Lv6, Bone Reinforcement Lv10, Rule of Bone Lv10, Bone Armory Lv9, High Rank Regeneration Lv1, Sacrifice Lv1, Emergency Evasion Lv6, Intermediate Horn Gigantification Lv3, Beginner Shadow Extension Lv4, High Rank Lightning Sprint Lv2, Lightning Shadow Lv4]

[Elements - Intermediate Fire Lv5, Intermediate Ice Lv5, High Rank Acid Lv2, High Rank Lightning Lv4, High Rank Darkness lv1, Absorption Lv7]

[Resistances - Holy: MAX, Darkness: MAX, Acid: High Rank Lv2, Ice: Intermediate Lv3, Fire: Intermediate Lv3, Lightning: High Rank Lv2]

Now he was finally at a pretty good level, with some respectable stats and skills. It was way too early to say that he was [complete], but... maybe this was the first step.

A new level 7 hero had been born in the Empire.