Chapter 48: Compromise
Chapter 48: Compromise
Going back in time to a day before.
The day before Han Dong went to the Knight Academy to register.
During the move from the Samai Commoner's District to the school district, most of the relocation work was done with the help of the local security officers.
When it came to furniture, there was his sister Nina and her mother, who went to the large market in the civilian area to select it, and as long as they paid for it, the staff would deliver it to the house.
During the day, Han Dong didn't have to worry about anything, he just needed to rest.
Only, Han Dong didn't have any intention of relaxing and resting.
He chose to study behind closed doors in his old home in the completely emptied civilian area.
First, he read ghoul-related books for about five hours... to gain a detailed and in-depth understanding of this odd species, and then he began to train and use the 'arm'.
In order to use this brand-new arm, it was necessary to at least use it smoothly, not to say skillfully.
The first thing that Han Dong realized was the 'weight problem'.
This arm, taken from a mature ghoul, didn't fit at all on Nicholas' skinny flesh that was barely 1.7 meters tall and chronically lacking in nutrition.
Counting the length of the fingernails, the arm could touch the ground with its normal draping, strong musculature that reached nearly the same width as the body... it didn't fit at all.
"The weight of this arm is estimated to weigh 20-30 kilograms, and a body like mine can't even handle it... Once it's wielded, my entire center of gravity will be unbalanced, and I won't be able to fight at all."
After just less than ten minutes of practice, Han Dong was no good.
He was sweating like rain and panting.
The characteristics that the ghoul arm possessed: [Huge Strength], [Swift Movement], [Fungal Characteristics], and [Certain Regenerative Properties] were limited to this arm only.
Han Dong's health was still poor.
"This is not the way to go on, this body of Nicholas is not something that can be trained simply... A solution must be phased out.
Without being able to explain the existence of [Sinister Chen Li], he cannot make Chen Li show up in front of others.
If I encounter danger on the way to registration, I must be the one to solve it... A short sword alone is not enough, I must harness this arm and completely turn it into an ability of my own."
"Is there any compromise... a way to harness the power of the Ghoul Arm without having to bear such weight."
Han Dong stared at this giant arm.
The only thing he could do was to disguise the arm as a human through the "mimicry" ability granted by the Faceless Head, in addition to being able to disguise the face.
Was there a way to compromise?
Han Dong spent four hours switching between prototype and camouflage.
Slowly.
As the number of switching times increased, the more skilled the switching became.
So much so that Han Dong gradually felt the amazing sensation when the two made the switch... it was to capture that feeling and stop midway through the switch.
Before he knew it, it was already dark.
The room was out of reach due to the removal of the kerosene lamp in the room.
But for a moment, the room was glowing with green light, scaring some of the neighbors passing by to quickly return home.
The green light came from the "graveyard fungus" attribute within Han Dong's right arm.
A green fluorescent blood vessel covered the arm and even protruded out.
In addition, the front part of the arm had a 10cm long claw.
They are short and thin... but they are even sharper.
In this form, the arm as a whole yet maintained the same size and weight of the human form.
The green light radiating from the arm reflected Han Dong's eerie smile.
"Ha-ha... it worked! That's the compromise, keeping the arm weight and size as it is, but triggering the "Graveyard Fungus" and "Claw" properties.
It's a big loss in strength, but I'm able to manage it freely."
Han Dong waved his right arm with ease.
Wherever the claw passed, the air would leave behind some highly aggressive fungal spores.
After spending a full half day, he was finally able to use this brand-new arm freely... However, Han Dong's practice plan wasn't over yet.
By taking out a few white candles from his backpack, he lit up the darkened old room.
"Miss Chen Li..."
As Han Dong called out.
The candlelight wavered.
Red clothes floated out.
The woman had hung her head and stood in the darkest corner of the room.
Such a scene was truly a bit terrifying, and Han Dong was almost substituted into the horror scenario, breathing slightly faster.
"Don't... don't scare me."
"...I didn't mean to." Chen Li immediately tied up her hair with a rubber band, "I'm just used to this...this image will make me feel better."
"Habit? So, scaring people isn't what ghosts are supposed to do?"
This was the first time Han Dong had ever heard such a statement.
Once Chen Li tied up her ponytail, the sense of terror disappeared without a trace.
Perhaps due to the evil refining evolution, Chen Li also took off quite a bit of the rustic aura that she brought from the mountain village.
The strong evil aura made her appear even more high and cold, while making her skin delicate and cold.
"What do you want from me?"
"Practice with me... As you can't be allowed to show yourself in public at the moment, there may also be a series of tests or examinations on this trip to the Knight Academy.
I must have a certain level of strength myself, or else I won't be able to hold my head up in the academy and affect my subsequent development."
"Spar? I'm worried that... it will hurt you."
Chen Li's eyes would dodge from time to time as she locked eyes with Han Dong.
"It's okay, won't it be fine to stop at the right time? Some superficial wounds are irrelevant."
"I'll try it then...full force?"
"Try full strength first, and if I can't keep up, then slowly tone it down."
The words just fell.
There was no room for Han Dong to react... A gust of gale whipped through his body, and the kitchen knife was already on his neck.
Chen Li was no longer the mildly evil person she was in the Destiny Space.
After drinking the liquid in the chalice to get evolved... Chen Li's temperament, amount of evil energy, and overall attributes had all improved greatly.
It could be said that she was completely beyond the human category.
"Err... Slow, a little bit slower."
Eventually, with the two of them grinding together, Chen Li was able to reduce her strength to thirty percent when it was just at the training intensity that Han Dong needed.
With that kind of training... it was almost midnight before Han Dong went home to rest.
........
Time to return to the present, [Dark Moon Forest].
Thanks to this kind of training.
Only then did Han Dong choose to formulate a battle plan centered around himself and face the 'Scissor Stitch Monster' alone.
The monster's tongue wielding the scissors while attacking created much less pressure than Chen Li.
"Speed, terror, and boldness aren't as good as Chen Li's, so..."
As the suture monster is approaching.
A section of plague energy is shot from the end of the short blade.
It shot precisely into the opponent's mouth, corroding off the critical tongue... the long tongue fell to the ground along with the scissors.
Han Dong's right arm had changed to a normal size that could be manipulated at will.
Green veins protruded from the surface of the skin, and the claws were in position.
Swish!
Taking advantage of the gap when the stitched creature's tongue broke off, Han Dong took the initiative to attack.
The hand claws cut into and forcefully ripped open the suture creature's body.
A dark core was clinging to the stomach wall.