Academy Munchkin Grew Up To Become a Genius

Episode 16 Friend (1)

Kang Seo-jun left the security team behind and walked to the place where Gui-bul had fallen.

-Wiggle.

On the dark floor, red flesh was wriggling like bugs.

The name of these is ‘Hell Slime Mold’.

It was a parasitic creature attached to Guibul’s body and the hidden piece that Seojun Kang wanted to obtain in this dungeon.

“Hmm….”

Kang Seo-jun bent his creaky knees and looked at them up close.

Because they are parasitic creatures, their vitality is quickly depleted from the moment they lose their host.

A few of them were already dead, turning gray as if their strength had run out, and those that were still alive were twitching intermittently, so it seemed like they would soon meet their fate.

Kang Seo-jun quickly opened the lid of the glass bottle containing the green liquid.

This green liquid is ‘test tube nutrient solution’ purchased from the dimension store.

This nutrient solution would prolong the life of the hell slime mold.

Kang Seo-jun carefully picked up the hell slime molds one by one with iron tongs and transferred them to a glass bottle of nutrient solution.

As soon as the hell slime molds that were dying entered the nutrient solution, they regained their vitality and swam like worms.

‘I have to start working right away when I get home.’

In order to safely use hell slime mold, several essential processes were required.

Originally, the essence of hell slime mold is a monster and is a very harmful creature to humans.

Just as a tree exhales oxygen every time it breathes, hell slime mold exhales demonic energy every time it breathes.

Magic energy is a powerful force for monsters, demons, and demons, but it is a fatal and harmful energy for humans.

So, if you transplant these things into your body without any process, you will only end up adding one more man-eating parasite.

No matter how strong Kang Seo-jun is in his 30s, if he is continuously exposed to demonic energy, his body and mind will inevitably deteriorate.

Your identity as a human will be eroded little by little, and eventually you will be reborn as a complete demon.

If that happens, it is virtually the same as death in some sense.

Because the ego has changed regardless of one’s will.

Even if only cancer could gain strong power, that was not what Kang Seo-jun wanted.

However, if hell slime mold is purified into mana slime mold through a special process, its effectiveness changes 180 degrees.

‘It becomes a living mana generator.’

It has the same effect as implanting an infinitely regenerating mana elixir into the body.

Kang Seo-jun watched the slime molds swimming for a moment with eyes filled with anticipation, and then put them away in his inner pocket.

Now that I had gotten what I wanted, it was time to go home.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

After successfully completing the dungeon, the group dispersed to their respective destinations.

Seo Eun-ha was immediately taken to the hospital, and the bodyguards took Kang Seo-jun home and left work.

The only people who still had work left were Assistant Manager Ko and Jin Se-rin.

They visited the research institute under Sungjin Group.

This was to verify the stability of the crystal received from Seojun Kang and record the data.

Late afternoon, after dinner time.

The lab is quiet after all the employees have left work.

The doctor said while observing the crystal through a large microscope.

“This is a really interesting item.”

The assistant manager asked.

“What do you think?”

Jin Se-rin, who was next to Assistant Manager Go, also swallowed her saliva as if she was nervous about the results.

The doctor took his eyes off the microscope and wiped the moisture from his glasses.

“Well, the ingredients have been confirmed, but it feels like there’s just one more question mark…”

Mr. Go looked frustrated.

“Could you explain in more detail?”

“Please sit down first.”

The doctor offered Jin Se-rin and Assistant Manager Go a seat and took out a crystal from a large analysis machine.

“It looks like a solid gem or glasswork on the outside, but its properties are not from the material world.”

“A little easier….”

“Hmm… So, to use an analogy, it can be seen as a tangible form of intangible energy. In the case of this crystal, it is closer to a crystallized spirit.”

Jin Serin just blinked, not knowing what it meant, and Gu Dali frowned at her.

“Crystallized spirit…? So does that mean it’s alive?”

The doctor smiled faintly.

“Yes. It’s alive. It’s not a common case, but spirits materialized like this are sometimes found in dungeons or gates. This is a particularly special case. I’ve never seen one crystallized this tightly in any material. .”

The doctor seemed interested and looked around at the fragments of the purified soul under fluorescent light.

Mr. Go asked, tapping his fingers on the desk.

“For what purpose are the spirits materialized like that used?”

“Hmm. Well, it’s very case-by-case, but it’s usually used by attaching it to equipment. It’s not an item imbued with a spirit, but a spirit itself, so as long as you tame it well, it will be a good partner.”

“Hmm… Then, are there any cases of sleeping with a materialized spirit… Or anything like that?”

“…Huh? Ah.”

The doctor blinked for a moment as he could not understand the meaning of the question, but then explained as if something had occurred to him.

“Well… Since it’s a living being, I think it’s possible to sleep with it like a pet to increase friendliness…”

The doctor himself seemed unsure, so he trailed off once in the middle of his sentence.

“Well, I don’t think it’s that common.”

“Then what is the possibility of harming someone?”

This was the main point.

As I conquered the dungeon with Kang Seo-jun, my distrust of him was greatly alleviated, but unless I had completely identified his identity, I had to check what needed to be checked.

“Hmm….”

The doctor smiled inexplicably.

“No, that’s not likely. Especially with this guy.”

The doctor rubbed his fingers as if stroking the crystal.

“This friend is alive, but he has almost no ego. And his mana wavelength is quite friendly to humans. He has a very gentle temperament.”

And then he returned the crystal to Jin Se-rin.

“Thanks to you, it’s been a while since I’ve had a good look at it. I’ll have to do more research to find an appropriate use for it, but I don’t think you’re curious about it that far.”

“Yes…”

Jin Se-rin accepted the crystal with a sour expression.

Now that stability has been proven, all that remains is effectiveness.

“Thank you for your time, Doctor.”

“What? I do it because I enjoy it. Next time, if you find something interesting, please bring it anytime.”

The stability verification ended in a warm atmosphere.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

That night.

After hearing directly from the doctor, “This product is harmless,” Jin Se-rin fell asleep holding the crystal in her hand as Kang Seo-jun said.

Because so much had happened in the dungeon, Jin Serin, who was tired, quickly fell into a dream.

“Ugh….”

That’s how the nightmare began.

It wasn’t my first dream.

2 Years ago. A dream I often started having when my growth began to stagnate.

“Ah…”

It was the end.

Earth, sky, there is no place that does not burn, no place does not boil.

The sun turned black, the moon shattered, and the stars disappeared.

Anomalous beings constantly flooded and poured out of the cracks that bloomed in the air.

Mountains were crushed, storms raged without stopping, and sulfur dyed the world yellow.

The home of humans was taken away a long time ago and became a nest of insects and corpses.

The blood did not dry, and the screaming continued.

Jin Se-rin felt it all with all her senses.

Fire, cutlery, bugs, corpses, stench, storm, filth, disease, screams, fear.

Even if I tried to force myself to wake up, I couldn’t escape.

Even if I grit my teeth and move my trembling legs, wherever I go, there is only hell.

In the end, Jin Se-rin chose to sit there and crouch like always.

Close your eyes, block your ears, and hold your breath until the terrible images move away from you.

If you wait like this for a while, it will appear.

-Hwaaaaa.

Soon, a strong light appeared in the sky.

This is what she was waiting for. This too was the same trend as always.

The terrible heat, tearing screams, and disgusting stench subsided, and a warm warmth enveloped Jin Se-rin.

Jin Serin raised her head and looked up at the sky.

A huge hand appeared in the sky, shining brightly.

Her hand broke through her cloud and was pointing straight at Jin Serin as always.

As if she was the only one chosen in this hell.

But that is not a choice for salvation.

Rather the opposite.

Chosen as the savior to save the world from this hell.

Even if no one taught it, the meaning was conveyed to Jin Se-rin as if it were natural.

“Ah…. Ah….”

That is why even when all the terrible images around us disappear, the fear in our hearts does not subside at all.

There is no way she could save the world from this hell.

She said she was just an ordinary person, just one of many, many people in this world.

Nothing is special or exceptional.

Even though she cried and appealed to the shining hand, the hand just pointed calmly at Jin Serin.

The flow of this nightmare was to complain until I was exhausted and then wake up.

But.

“Uh…. Huh…?”

For the first time, the nightmare changed.

Her hand, which was silently pointing at Jin Serin, slowly moved and then gave a thumbs up.

Only then did Jin Serin realize that her right hand was shining.

To be exact, the crystal she was holding in her right hand was shining brightly.

The purified soul fragment left Jin Se-rin’s hand and slowly ascended to the sky.

Her glowing hand, with her thumb raised, moved further and further away from the crystal, and the world became silent.

From noble mtl dot com

For the first time, I felt the fear in my heart slowly subsiding.

-Tweet.

-Sureuk.

For the first time, Jin Serin opened her eyes to a different ending.

Birds were chirping outside the window.

“Ah…”

The crystal that must have been held and slept with has disappeared.

But Jin Serin was not embarrassed.

For some reason, it felt natural.

Jin Serin squeezed her own hand instead of hers.

I felt a force in my hand that was completely different from before.

“Uh, huh…? Uh huh…?”

Finally after two years.

It was the moment when Jin Serin felt her growth.