Chapter 223 – Getting Mature(3)

After abruptly finishing the quest and barely quieting down the administrator who wanted to return him to Earth, Kang Shin-hyuk sat face to face with Shu in a quiet place within thebasin.

“I like the one baked in the furnace. Eat a bunch,grandpa!”

“It’s delicious.” They were eating the legs of the fire lizard predator. It was really delicious, but the effect after eating it was similar to that of the grilled firelizard.

[Resist Fire skill proficiency is now SS+! Skill proficiency has reached the same level as the rarity. The skill can no longer grow, but there is a possibility it may evolve due to special circumstances.]

[Resist Fire has increased by 80% until the meat is digested.]

However, the extent of the buff was surprisingly different. Now, his Resist Fire skill had reached the limit, and was now buffed by 80%. Wasn’t that at the level where it could determine how a battle went?

“…I have to keepsome.”

“Ahahaha! Just eat more, eat more!”

“You already ate a lot.” Kang Shin-hyuk carefully arranged the meat he had gathered. If the effect was the same when it was made into jerky, it would prove to be popular on the trading board.

“So? What do you mean about becoming an adult? You mean making your body grow, right?” Kang Shin-hyuk had eaten his fill, so he decided to get to the point. Shu corrected her posture stubbornly.

“Right. My growth is slowing down in exchange for the use of my skills.”

“A little?”

“Don’t ask my age, really!” She punched Kang Shin-hyuk on the shoulder. Her palm that flew forwards might’ve broken some bones had he not been using Golden Dragon Fighter to defend himself.

“In the past, it was the simplest price I could pay, so I didn’t care.”

“But now you want to grow up.”

“Yes…” Shu said so with an embarrassed expression.

“I also want to love and have children.”

-The wrongapproach!

“She doesn’t mean with me, so calm down.”

“The administrator’s love for Anvil is still there. It’s amazing to see it myself.” Shu whispered quietly at the sitcom happening before her.

“But I haven’t found love yet, so rest assured, administrator.”

-The moment when Super Ultra Galaxy Fist, who finally discovers the possibility of growth through this member’s devotion and effort, finally falls in love withhim…!

“You have quite the imagination.” It was scary that it often led to such scenes between Kang Shin-hyuk and other members.

-I will introduce you to a good member. How about an artisan from the world, Lestia, who blesses the birth of all living things?

“I can’t do that. They don’t have the power to pull a future that has been delayed.” Lestia. That was the world the hatching accelerator came from if he remembered correctly. Kang Shin-hyuk scratched at his head and let out a sigh.

“I don’t have that ability, either.”

“But you know my abilities well. Wouldn’t it be possible for you somehow?” Kang Shin-hyuk was only a blacksmith who made things out of metal. Of course, he was also good at soulcraft, but the likelihood of creating something that could solve Shu’s problem was unbelievably low. She didn’t have great expectations in the first place; she just had some hope upon seeing his spiritual power.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t give you a definite answer. I’ll try to figure it out,though.”

“Okay, then let’s try it one more time!” Shu reached out to him. It would be normal for someone to reject having their source scrutinized, but she liked it because it felt like he understood her.

“If my grandpa understands me better, it means you’re more likely to make me an adult, right?”

“Yes. But it can be overwhelming for both of us, so only once aday.”

“Yes, because you’re supposed to make them weapons as well.” Shu’s gaze turned to Kwati, who was watching them from a distance. She must’ve been waiting to ask when he intended to forge their weapons.

“Yes, so while I work, you focus on other things too.”

“Anything else?”

“Alright.” Kang Shin-hyuksmiled.

“It looks like they’ll be fighting with the storm turtles, rock wolves, and swamp pigs. Why don’t you help out a little?” They had killed the leaders of each of those races at once, yet that hadn’t solved the conflict. Rather, it was the signal to the start of the war. It was obvious that all the other races in the world would now come for the Yeomin, but it was stupid to wait for them to attack, even if it had little to do with their dimensional quest.

“It’s awar.”

“The war has begun anyway, so let’s take advantage of it.”

“I don’t like it because I’ll be working for the Yeomin for free… yes, that will be the way to save everyone.” Shu worried over his words for a while before nodding with a bitter smile. She knew why the clash had happened between the races earlier. If left as it was, the other races would be destroyed by Jormungand or absorbed into their ranks even if the Yeomin were fine. But if they were overwhelmed and brought together, it wouldn’t be difficult to fight againstJormungand.

“Then I’ll go out and fight for a little bit. In the meanwhile, will you be doing that?”

“Refrain from causing anymisunderstandings.”

“I’ve no clue what you mean. I’ll be back!” Shu laughed and turned away. At that moment, he felt some soft texture left on his cheek for some reason. It was her ability to skip the process and leave only the result. By omitting the process of kissing, the result of a sweet warmness was left.

-The wrongapproach!!!

“Oh, yes. Yes, it is. I have a girlfriend too.”

-The wrongapproach!

“Administrator, calm down. Good,good.”

-I’m not a puppy! 1,000,000HPbonus!

“But then why is there a bonus?” Kang Shin-hyuk laughed in response. Shu felt much more like a granddaughter than Shin Eunah ever did. In fact, it was odd to think about how old she might be despite her child-like personality and appearance.

‘…Maybe that’s bad.’ He didn’t know about all of her abilities or penalties. He wondered if treating her as a younger sister might hurt her.

[Anvil!]

After Shu left him with some complicated thoughts, Kwati approachedhim.

[Where did Shu go?]

“She went to shake down the guys who attacked theYeomin.”

[Ah! …That’s what we have to do. You’ve only come to save us from the fire lizards, but you’ve carried such a burden for us. I’m really sorry.]

“It’s our fault that the Yeomin will have to deal with them.” Besides, if it were a quest to stop Jormungand, they would fail without taking suchsteps.

“I will make siege weapons, personal weapons, and armor. Cooperate with me.”

[Of course, pamperyourself.]

Kwati looked at him with a lot of respect after she had seen him strike down that fire lizard with a single sword blow. She was like his assistant now, her fiery hair fluttering along as she walked alongside him.

-That flame that has no intention of concealing she is a fox is reallydisgusting.

‘Just because you gave me a 1 million HP bonus doesn’t mean you can keep talking likethat.’

-After registering as a member, such talk won’t be possible, so I have to do itnow.

‘Ah… indeed. I thought that might be the case.’ The events of what happened in Kieron passed through his mind when Milia became a member of the Hero Universe. There was a high possibility that Kwati, their leader, would join the Hero Universe.

‘How much isleft?’

-You asked for nothing, but it was quite amazing that she made the flames disappear. It was a monster that had reached the current limit.

‘Indeed.’

-Moreover, that furnace… her understanding of flame will increase. Soon, she can log into the Hero Universe.

‘That’s a good thing.’ The administrator seemed to have a different idea, but he sent no further messages.

[Anvil, I have one thing to say before I get towork.]

“Huh?” As Kang Shin-hyuk thought about what he should make, Kwati looked at him with determination.

[I haven’t told you why the lizards were targeting usyet.]

“That’s because of Jormungand… and they like fire?”

[Probably. But they weren’t aiming for our fire. There is a separate flame for them.]

“In thevolcano?”

[Yes.]

He was aware this volcano was a special place; otherwise, an SS+ rank metal wouldn’t be born here.

“But what are you talking about? Can you showme?”

[I don’t intend to stop with showing it. It doesn’t mean anything to Shu, but I thought it would be okay for you to deal with it.]

What the heck was she intending by saying it so grandly?

[Do you have any plans to become aYeomin?]

“Uh… no? Is that possible?”

[Sorry, I had expected as much. Then, I’ll give youanother.]

Kwati reached out to the furnace of Nephritis.

[Look carefully. This is the reason for our existence… and why we can’t leave thebasin.]

The volcanicspirit.

The moment Kwati quieted down, the volcano erupted.