Chapter 13 - Valedictory

Elias stupefied after hearing Hansoo's words but soon regain his calmness. He opens the pouch and finds about a hundred runes inside it. This amount is much higher than what he collected after killing those goblins earlier, also, there are some runes which not base stats.

"Are you serious? This favor is too heavy," Elias hesitate to take this pouch. He takes one black rune with a glowing white and shows it to Hansoo, "for example, this skill rune. It's quite rare as I explain earlier, you need to kill at least ten thousand monsters in colorless level to get one. Are you sure—."

He wants to explain it to Hansoo clearly to make sure Hansoo won't have any regret later, even though skill runes is rare — it still doesn't worth to get it but become Hansoo's enemy. However, before he can complete his sentences, it cut off by Hansoo.

"Yes, I'm sure. I already know what its value, but your information is worth more. I can always collect those runes later by killing any random monsters, but I don't want you to think I take this kind of information for free. Also, I need to show my goodwill to you as someone who saved my sisters."

Elias silents, hearing his words. Hansoo didn't say it out loud in his speech, but he can read between the lines. He understands that Hansoo wants to build foundations for their mutual relationship later. In his previous life only some great people can get his recognition, he never expected to become one of them — it creates a strange feeling but not a bad one.

"Thank you, I'll remember this favor," he let out a relieved sigh which then replied by a smile from Hansoo.

Elias immediately takes a red rune from that pouch. Usually, runes have the shape like stone shards, but this one has an oval shape — a characteristic for a consumable rune. As its name says, consumable rune doesn't increase any stats and only do its specific ability once and disappear.

This red oval thing in his hand is something he wanted in this kind situation — a recovery rune, which can heal his wounds and recover his stamina. Although it can't regrow his limb like regeneration rune, it'll make do for now.

He grabs that red rune while closing his eyes, Emily and Hansoo still looking next to him with curious eyes. They want to witness how it happen from outside perspective. Hansoo, on the other hand, especially wants to verify whether what Elias said is a truth or not.

After Elias consume that rune, his body feels warm, every cell inside his body rejuvenated and his blood cell multiplied. He takes deep breaths and as time passes his respiration became stable.

His stamina is recovering as he can feel his muscles become relaxed.

His wounds are closing at a visible rate which makes his pain dissipating over time. While he savors these moments, a sound appears in his mind.

*Ding*

He opens his eyes and sees holographic sentences on his retina.

[Consumable rune sub-category added into Store]

[Recovery rune(Colorless — 25 points) added to Catalog]

Elias stunned for a moment but soon let out a smile. These notifications are validating his theory, the store indexes will increase as he consumes new kind of runes. He already expects this, but this confirmation still makes him happy.

When he sinks in his joy, a familiar voice enters his ears.

"Even though I see it directly, it still feels strange," Hansoo mumbles.

"Yeah, at first, I too find it hard to believe," Elias says with a helpless smile.

"Well, at least I find it early and can act accordingly," Hansoo sigh, "Emily, he's already healed. It's time to search for Amber."

"Um," Emily nod but then she silent for a while — thinking something, "Elias, please come with us. We can work together to survive in this world."

Elias stunned because of an unexpected proposal from Emily, he looks at Hansoo expression and there no sign of opposition. He thinks it for a moment, this is a beneficial suggestion to him. He can cooperate with Hansoo to gain new runes with more ease. It also increases his survival chance and grows stronger than his previous life.

There is no downside to himself if he chooses to follow them. He may be even will find new artifacts or monsters and then add it to his catalogs.

This idea is very enticing even for monks.

Emily suggestion is just that favorable.

However, he already decides what he wants to do and then shook his head.

"No, Emily, I can't. I need to do something in the south," Elias rejects her suggestion.

"So what? We can go to the south together," Emily says.

Elias doesn't answer her question, but instead, he looks at Hansoo.

Hansoo sigh after noticing he looks at him. Doesn't understand how this man even know what he thinks. However, after he got transferred to this world, nothing can surprise him anymore.

"Emily we can't go to the south, Amber's Qi is in the north," Hansoo explain it to Emily.

"But, but… fine, I understand," Emily tries to find words to convince Elias or her brother, but can't find any.

She needs to find her little sister with Hansoo, even though that girl has martial arts skill to some extent because of Hansoo training, but all and all, she only an ordinary person. Also, it still better for them to gather together than separated in this strange world.

"It's not like you'll separate with him forever," Hansoo chuckle after seeing her sour expression.

"What's that even mean brother," Emily pouted after hearing her brother remarks, but Hansoo doesn't reply to her tantrum and facing Elias instead.

"It seems this is the time for us to part," Hansoo says while protruding his hand.

"Um, until we meet again," Elias grabs and shake Hansoo's hand.

"Yeah, until we meet again."

After that, Hansoo brings Emily together towards the south with a piggyback. Hansoo speeds while carrying Emily is still faster than him running alone. When looking at this spectacle, he understands that his strength is still far from enough to protect everyone.

"Take care, Emily," Elias shouts while waving his hand towards both of them.

"You too," Emily also shouting from the distance while carried by Hansoo.

Her voice becomes smaller over time until it finally fades into silence. Their meeting is short, but it still strengthens his resolve to do better in this second chance — to save everyone he indebted to and protect his loved ones.

This world isn't a game where human is the players. This world is a battlefield for survival where the human race is only NPC.

This second chance isn't only for him, it also for the human race.

Now isn't the time to let greed for power blind him from what important to see.

Elias sits down below shades of trees and opens the pouches, he consumes all runes one by one, starting with the one he got from killing T'lear. Soon, a series of dings appear in his mind.

[Perception rune(Red-Small — 4,800 points) added to Catalog]

[Strength rune(Colorless-Medium — 10 points) added to Catalog]

[Strength rune(Colorless-Big — 80 points) added to Catalog]

[Stamina rune(Colorless-Big — 80 points) added to Catalog]

[Agility rune(Colorless-Medium — 100 points) added to Catalog]

…