Is the work going well?

I opened the laboratory door and said.

No. I feel like Im dying. Save me.

My clone bastard was making a fuss over nothing.

Its not nothing, you know. You damn main body bastard.

While watching the grumbling clone bastard, I clicked my tongue and sat down.

The analysis of the authorities that the clone bastard gained on the 61st floor was at its peak.

Though it was something Id done several times before, analyzing authorities always brought new challenges.

An authority is the implementation of ones will through divinity, which is the essence of ones identity, by a being who acquired godhood with their own power.

It honestly wasnt much different from magic.

Perhaps the gods dont think that theres a difference between magic and authorities.

They would use the power of miracles known as mana, and unleash their will onto the world.

Their divine power is used as a medium to invoke their authorities, which produces miracles; said authorities are determined by their divinity.

While magic is limited by its power, scale, perception, and range, gods power is limited by their identity.

There are gods that probably use their power without even thinking about it very much, but I couldnt use it as comfortably as them.

I had to thoroughly analyze it, study it, and pass through countless trials and errors before I could barely imitate it.

Thats why all the authorities that I use, that were gifted to me by the gods, are all imitations.

Though I could say that theyre improved products.

As I continuously used their authorities, I realized the principles behind them.

I realized how my suspicions, the gods divine power, as well as their personal identities were connected.

In this artificially restricted space where time would be repeated and stopped, I watched as the authorities were cast instantaneously and analyzed what kind of process they go through as theyre cast.

And I would use that data as a basis to fabricate those authorities.

Through magic.

I was the disciple of several gods, used those authority skills so much that I got sick of them, become sensitive to divine power, had a great understanding of the divine, realized the height of magic, and lastly, had the seed of the divine within me.

If not for those, I wouldnt have been able to attempt it.

But in any case, Im doing it now.

I had enhanced Blink Orb* on a previous evening, as well as familiar authorities like Soul Siphon. Now, I was succeeding in improving the authorities that my clone bastard had brought this time, one by one.

[TL Note: Previously translated as Blink Emblem by other translators but should have been translated as Blink Orb.]

But because there were so many authorities that the clone bastard stole, it would take a long time before I could make all of them mine.

But ultimately, it was just a matter of time.

No matter how obscure or complicated the principle was, there werent any authorities that seemed impossible to analyze and remodel.

No. About half of them are impossible. I said that its impossible. You crazy main body bastard.

Why are you saying its impossible without even trying? It seems like itll work.

If something goes wrong, there are dozens of things that could cause my head to blow up. You call something like that impossible.

But we can succeed if you overcome the risk of your head blowing up. Thats what you call possible.

You crazy bastard.

While my clone bastard muttered some curses, I halted the activation of the magic circle.

The giant magic circle that had been spread all across the laboratory disappeared.

Considering the scale of the laboratory, how it took a quarter of a day just to walk from one end to the other, the magic circle that my clone bastard had been maintaining was truly huge.

Of course, it wasnt to cast something, but for analysis.

Still, my clone bastard should be feeling extremely exhausted.

Know-it-all

Then lets rest a bit.

Oh, really? Whats the matter?

Since you need sufficient rest to be more efficient.

So youre saying youll give me a task that requires high efficiency again, arent you. You damn main body bastard.

Even while my clone bastard was complaining, he sprawled out onto the floor and prepared to rest.

I saw him take a novel out of the subspace and I too reclined on my chair.

And I opened my message window.

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: Contact me when you have the time.]

It was such a dry and brief message that I felt as if the existing moisture evaporated.

It seems like she sent me a message like that in order to minimize the interference in my authority analysis.

Its not much of a disturbance, so you can send me a long message if you want.

Is it because of what happened before?

Since Ive made some mistakes, I nagged at myself as well.

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: Im resting a bit right now. Whats the matter?]

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: Theres new information from the outside. Hows your work going?]

Thats what I had asked my clone bastard before.

My work is going well.

No, its not. Its not going well.

I ignored my clone bastards voice and continued to send messages.

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: Of course its going well. And send longer messages. What do you mean by contact me when you have the time. Thats too dry.]

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: I did it that way because I thought I might get in the way of your work.]

It was the reason that I had anticipated.

I felt bitter for no special reason.

And I felt apologetic.

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: Youre not getting in the way at all. In fact, Id appreciate if it you sent me messages more often.]

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: Are you sure? You said you were busy doing something lately.]

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: Its ok. And am I busy? Youre the one whos busy. Is your work going alright? Youre not pushing yourself too hard?]

While I could analyze as much as I want, when I want to, as well as rest and play whenever I wanted to, Park Jung Ah was finishing her work on schedule.

Aside from that, she was focused on counseling, coordinating opinions, and even trivial matters, so she was really busy.

Rather, its to the point where Im the one whos waiting for her messages more.

After Kim Min Hyuk went outside, it looked like she didnt even have a few hours of spare time a week.

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: Whats this? Why are you so nice all of a sudden? Its not like you.]

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: You dont like it?]

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: No, I like it.]

You crazy

My clone bastard cursed at me.

I ignored him.

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: I wonder why youre doing this all of a sudden. You wouldnt have contracted a terminal illness; are you having an affair?]

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: What do you mean by an affair; there are only the three of us here: Yong Yong, my clone bastard, and me.]

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: If a man becomes kind all of a sudden, they say that its evidence of cheating.]

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: Says who?]

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: The community.]

Shes like that because she learned about dating from books too.

Though Im no different.

For a short while, I talked to Park Jung Ah about trivial matters.

The conversation had no value to it, but it was a joyous talk nonetheless.

My clone bastard, who was listening beside me, twisted his body around, and when he started to look tormented, Park Jung Ah brought up the main point.

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: Lee Joon Seok failed to defeat a G-rank monster. To be exact, the information states that before he attacked, Lee Joon Seok declared that the attack was inadvisable and ran away.]

That was unexpected.

Thats a surprise.

My clone bastard thought the same as me.

Right before Lee Joon Seok cleared the Tutorial, he had told me that he was level 201.

Level 100 had been the maximum value in the early phases, and if you compare him to the other Awakened on Earth, there really was a overwhelming gap that existed.

Thats why I had been optimistic.

That Lee Joon Seok would be able to defeat it, since Earths Awakened had already successfully hunted a G-rank monster before.

So he shouldve prepared for the attack.

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: Was it by chance an attack initiated by Lee Joon Seok alone?]

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: No. Korea, China, and Japan temporarily transferred a considerable amount of Awakened, and the ASEAN and the U.S. became the key members; it was an attack they had prepared for.]

It doesnt seem as though they lacked anything for the attack.

Then what couldve been the problem?

They had succeeded in safely subjugating the G-rank monster on the U.S.s eastern shore.

Back then, the force of rallied Awakened, and the American Navy had taken considerable damage, but had, in any case, successfully taken care of the monster.

Under the assumption that they prepared a similar force, Lee Joon Seok joining them shouldve raised their chances of success by more than 50%.

And I relayed my thoughts to Park Jung Ah.

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: Then it makes sense that he cancelled it. A 50% chance of victory isnt very high. And the casualty count wouldnt be low. Wouldnt they consider cancelling the attack and look for the next opportunity with a success rate like that?]

Is that so?

Is it because I think too lightly of danger and sacrifice?

Obviously, you crazy main body bastard. In that sense, isnt continuously pressuring me into doing a job that doesnt even have a 10% chance of success too much?

You wouldnt die from it anyway.

After I had ignored my clone bastards complaint, I sent a message.

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: Do you by any chance have any detailed information regarding the attack on the monster at the eastern part of the U.S.?]

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: Nope. The only things we know are in the data that was officially published by the press. It didnt convey any detailed information regarding the G-rank monster.]

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: What about the Academy Line?]

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: They had the same information that the press had revealed.]

Academy Line.

The Korean government, after the Tutorial had been disclosed, required the entire nations citizens to train their physical fitness, as well as undergo battle training; at the same time, they had established facilities to train special elites.

The government would sort out the individuals with extraordinary physical abilities and decision-making abilities, and started to train them in preparation for the Tutorial.

Of course, there was no guarantee that the Academy trainees would enter the Tutorial at the right time.

It was much better than standing still and gawking.

Honestly, there are occasionally a few trainees that enter the Tutorial.

These trainees had more information than what was revealed by the press, and they remembered messages that they had to transmit to the challengers within the Tutorial.

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: Firstly, well use the people who have cleared in this round to relay a message to the outside that we want information regarding the G-rank monster.]

Lee Joon Seoks failure was a really serious issue.

The other people probably thought a G-rank Awakened has appeared, so lets try it out once. If not, we can just cancel it. and had prepared accordingly, but Lee Joon Seok shouldve been different.

Through the conversations we had before he went outside, Lee Joon Seok had assured me that hed be able to take on a G-rank monster on his own.

I thought the same.

If we go by the data weve been given regarding the G-rank monster, it was certainly possible.

That Lee Joon Seok had given up on the attack.

I wonder why?

If the data we have isnt true.

If there are far more casualties than were aware of.

Or perhaps the success of the attack in its entirety is a lie.

How should I determine the danger of the G-rank monster?

Theres no standard.

So long as we cant trust our reference point, the last attack, we cant blindly assume the G-rank monsters strength.

I sorted out all my thoughts.

In conclusion, I could only wait until new information came in.

The evidence that Lee Joon Seok had given up on the attack.

Precise data on the G-rank monster.

The information was lacking.

Like always.

After I had finished thinking, I suddenly had a weird feeling.

That Lee Joon Seok, after clearing the Tutorial, had went outside.

And for the news of Lee Joon Seok on the outside to be relayed.

It was truly a strange feeling.

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: Jung Ah, how old are we again?]

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: 29.]

[Lee Ho Jae, 60th floor: What? Havent you also passed thirty now?]

[Park Jung Ah, 90th floor: Since I havent counted my age after 29, Im 29.]

Whats with that unbelievable stubbornness?

* * * * * *

For a while, I chattered with Park Jung Ah through my messages, and eventually closed my message window.

I had finished resting, and looked at my clone bastard.

He was still lying prone on the floor, reading a novel.

Arent you going to work?

Lets just rest a little more. No, cant we just rest for the entire day?

So youreallydont want to work.

Its not that I dont want to work, I really feel like Im going to die.

He was laying on the floor, and spoke while swinging his legs around.

I clicked my tongue, seeing him lie on the floor and speak while swinging his legs around.

I told you to do some magic training. At this rate, Yong Yong will catch up to you.

I dont really care if he catches up to me, you know. Yong Yong isnt as cold-hearted as you, so even if he becomes stronger than me, hell take care of me well.

I didnt believe a single word of what my clone just said.

Really.

The phrase, desire to improve myself was always extremely important to me.

I fundamentally liked to improve myself through my own efforts.

And I cant stand falling behind others.

Along with that, I really,reallyhated passing the boring and tedious time without doing any work.

I always had to be doing something or I wouldnt feel satisfied.

My clone bastards personality was created using mine as the base.

To be exact, it was a personality formed by using my memories inside of the Tutorial.

He should obviously be doing his utmost to train, as he doesnt know much about the world outside the Tutorial, and only holds intense memories from within the Tutorial.

Despite that, the reason he doesnt want to improve is clear.

He must think itll have an adverse reaction to his development.

Regardless of how important you regard the desire to improve, or how your personality develops, if someone else coerces you and pressures you to do so

As soon as youre born at that.

Youd have no choice but to have an adverse reaction to it.

Ill go call Yong Yong. Since its already dinnertime. Lets eat together.

My clone bastard said, and as I watched his back, I once again had mixed feelings.

With an apology.

I dont know why Im remembering so many memories that I feel sorry about today.

My clone bastard who had been walking along paused, and turned his head towards me.

Why. What. You got something to say?

Id thought after closing the link, but it seems like my emotions had leaked out.

If not, then whatever.

He once again turned his back on me and started walking; I spoke to his back.

If I dont say it now, I felt like I wouldnt be able to say it in the future.

I was sorry about what happened before.

He had been walking, yet stopped.

His back was still, yet he couldnt help but turn his attention towards me.

I felt embarrassed so I touched my chin or my nose for no special reason.

The brief silence continued on, and soon I heard his responding voice.

As long as you know, its fine.

As he opened the lab door and walked out, he added one more thing.

Your apologys way too late. You damn bastard, Ho Jae.

And he left, closing the door with a thud.

My embarrassment wouldnt end.

I hadnt felt anything like displeasure or fury from him before hed closed the door and left.

Rather, his feelings were warmer and brighter.

My embarrassment really wouldnt fade.

I pondered briefly and I sent this through telepathy.

[Thanks.]

He was my younger sibling, something that the protagonist of a fantasy novel yearned for.

Lee Ho Chi quickly sent a message back.

[Im really feeling goosebumps here, so stop it.]