Chapter 351 - Game testing

Waking up from his slumber Caelum quickly got off his bed to prepare heading back to his work. He already knew where to go and did not need anyone to get him. It was still early decided to head out around the city to train his body that had been rather stiff. 

He went outside and was about to run around when he spotted a familiar face heading his ways opted a smile and called out her name that got her attention.

"Woo-Nim, good morning."

Caelum spotted her rather gloomy conflicted by an inner turmoil like any other person. He got closer receiving sudden arousal from her seeing his body and appearances. 

"Good morning, Mercer-Nim. How was your day moving in?"

"It's alright, though I don't know much about the places? I was planning to grab some coffee then I recalled that I didn't know where to go."

Caelum laughed at himself despite already memorizing everything to heart and only acted as his nature to befriend those he found interesting. 

He finds the woman before him interesting as if it would lead to a chain of events sooner than later. Furthermore, she reminded of his sister which triggered his brotherly tendency. 

"I can show you around?"

She felt confused why she was offering to help him and her anxiety about certain things seemed to vanish the moment he appeared. 

"Really? That would be great!"

Caelum exclaimed before walking beside her who never expected to talk to someone beside that person who had caged her. She felt the same around him, protected yet free at the same time that confuses her emotion.

"That's quite the inner turmoil. You should find someone to talk to about that or it would swallow you whole."

He spoke along the way, noticing she was taking glances of him while deep contemplation. For someone who lived as long he had understood the very core of human nature.  

They would always hide their problems until not realizing it already swallowed them. It is always advisable to rant and complain as it is a way to relieve stress.

"It's nothing."

"Nothing is something. I'm quite good at listening. Perhaps a cup of coffee would calm your nerves."

She couldn't utter a word as he made her want to tell him everything and bizarrely trust him. They soon arrived at the coffee shop and ordered their drink before taking a seat.

"Not bad, I would prefer more bitter to balance the sweet. I thank Woo-Nim for showing me the way."

"No, it was alright. I do find it strange that I'm talking to someone I barely know."

"Hahaha I get that all the time. Like I said, I'm quite the good listener."

"...It's too personal."

"I understand, but eventually you must choose between the two paths. By the end of the day, it is your choice and no one else."

Caelum took a sip from his coffee letting the young woman contemplate her inner turmoil. He is not one to pursue other business like his old self when the accumulated wisdom had condensed into his new mentally. 

He was less perverted and took everything more seriously than before. Though, maturity did not mean he completely changed his ways. He is greedy, selfish, lustful and a hypocrite never denying this fact. 

'lust huh? Perhaps I've been taking it the wrong way. It was not purely lust, rather it included my own desire, my own sins.'

Looking down on the cup sees a reflection of himself, the version of Ycnagnnisssz. The person who is him is the deepest part of himself yet not him at the same time. 

The more he's gone deeper questioning himself and contemplating himself slowly realize more about himself. 

'I vaguely understand that rather than being lustful I should train my Desires.'

Desire is not by definition evil. It is the reason why we strife, grow and evolve more than before. Only by being consumed by Desire would it become evil.

"Are you alright? You seem to doze off?"

"I apologize, I just realized something about myself while talking to you. Perhaps I am the one who needed someone to talk to hehehe."

"I meant to ask but where did you live before moving to Korea?"

"Hard to say….I travel around the world training my Martial art then stumble to Japan before heading here."

"What? Travel around the world to train Martial art? That sounds rather unbelievable."

"It's true but I don't expect everyone to believe it."

"Hold on. Now that I think about it, you look familiar. Are you this person?

She took out her phone and showed him a video when he patted the escape lion as if it was some domesticated cat. 

"Yeah that's me. Gotta say quite the views."

"Wait, it's real!? How can someone just casually pat a lion? It's got to be all an act, right?"

"Nope, the lion naturally submits itself when faced with a strong opponent."

"You're saying you're strong?"

"Perhaps."

Her twitch couldn't even react properly seeing how calm he was as if taming a lion is an everyday thing. Caelum chuckled, finding her reaction contrasted her figure.

"I'm not buying it. This got to be fake."

"Fake or not does not hold any benefits. If I wanted to prove it I can but what would it do? Nothing and show how I am easily tamed by measly mockery of others."

"What are you a monk?"

"Hell no, I don't want to be bald. Anyway, I can see you've calmed down a bit. Like I said, just talk to someone then you'll be able to feel at peace."

She finally noticed how her mind had become more clear than before forgetting every problem that she had and made the world disappear where only the two of them remain.

"...I noticed, thank you."

"It's alright. Hmm?"

Caelum heard his phone ring and quickly answered it. He nodded before closing his phone.

"I have to get going. Someone needs my help."

"Wait, can I get your number? I might need someone to talk with."

"Sure, here you go."

They exchanged numbers afterwards and went his way to S.A Groups leaving the dazed young woman. He had greatly helped her find a piece of mine from a simple coffee. 

Meanwhile, Caelum arrived at his destination where Yoon Nahee was waiting for him. She seemed to recall everything from the other night and felt embarrassed about the thing she blurted out.

"Morning, Yoon-Nim. Hope you had a pleasant night."

"I still have a slight hangover from last night but overall I'm fine. Hey uhmm can you do me favor?"

"Forget everything you blurted? Sure, no one will know."

He made a gesture imitating a zipper sealing his lips. Though, it did not stop her embarrassment enough to calm her down. They headed their way to the meeting and continued their discussion about everything.

"Now we need someone to test it. Mercer-Nim can you help us with the testing?"

"Sure I don't mind. Let's go."

Lim Cheolho took him to the large machine where virtual reality is run and quickly went inside. Though the large size is intimidating, it is still somehow affordable by the general public due to the former paying for most of it.

He knew that once it bloomed with the general public would acquire sponsors and more money than he was willing to give away. 

"You would feel a bit strange but that's normal. Also you won't be able to change the character model."

"Alright."

"Remember the time dilution is 1:3 hours."

"Yeah, let's get this started."

The machine closes in before his senses grow numb and find himself looking at a screen that says 'Enter username'.

"Paragon."

He entered his username before a blinding light came and once it subsided find himself in a forest. He quickly stood up and opened his status window, which is bizarre since his old stats are quite long.

[Status window] 

Name: Paragon

Level: 1

Class: Beginner

Title: None

Health: 150/150

Mana: 20/20

Strength: 10

Agility: 7

Stamina: 15

Intelligence: 10

"Not bad. Normally it would be lower."

{Hello , do you hear us?}

Caelum heard the voice of Lim Cheolho contacting him. They were watching his movement in the real world monitoring the assimilation of his consciousness to the game. 

"Yeah, I hear you clearly."

{Good, we want you to move around afterwards you can leave the came.}

He nodded before testing his body inside the game that was considerably weaker but enough for him to execute his Martial art.

[By performing the movement and elegantly executing complex movements acquired the Basic Martial art technique. Strength stats increase!]

[Pushing yourself to the brink of collapsing has given you the Indomitable stats. You won't easily give up and will not tire easily.]

Caelum, hearing the notification nodded to himself, found the game was helping him. The basic Martial Art technique appeared nothing special, giving him increased attack power while unarmed. 

{Alright that is enough you can get out now.}