Possessing Nothing

Chapter 35

Because of magic, the penalty of weight became a lot easier to cope with. But that was only for a few days. The moment that he felt used to it,

It became heavier.

Sungmin bit his lips. Mushs penalties were harsh and cruel. As he got used to it, it became worse and worse.

Sungmin walked. He used the strength magic. He added inner strength just to be able to move.

[Its gotten worse.]

Sogo came up as Sungmin was struggling to lift his spear. She put out her hand towards Sungmin. Sungmins spear came to her.

Sungmins weight didnt count towards her. Sogo swung her spear a few times and shook her shoulders.

[You dont have to swing your spear all day to practice spear techniques, cant you use your bare hands?]

[But its better with the spear.]

[Youre so stubborn on strange things.]

Sogo laughed

[Itll be harder to practice Shadowless. If I told you, I shouldnt have taught you it.]

[Wow.]

[Im kidding. Since its like this, Ill give you some advice.]

Sogo gave back the spear. When he got it, he almost dropped it because of the weight.

[The suffering of this mountain, if you think about it, helps you move towards your goal]

Sogo started to write.

[Its the hardships to reach your goal that you keep in your mind. Do you understand?]

[... I dont understand.]

[Its simple. As you keep achieving your goal, you get more rewards.]

[Rewards. Thats strange.]

[Its not like that all the time. That is Mush is pretty fair. Suffering always gives rewards. For me, its the level of martial arts.]

Sungmin tilted his head. Sogo kept writing.

[Its like this. Lets say you made your goal to reach the 2nd level of Shadowless. If you succeed that, you might get up to the 3rd level, not just the 2nd.]

It was direct and easy to understand. Sungmin barely understood the mechanisms of the mountain.

Mush said that the mountain was a reward. That wasnt wrong. The goal that he made for this mountain was to get stronger. As he achieved that, he achieved fast rates of growth.

Therefore, rewards were coming to him.

[I dont know what you're goal is. You didnt say. I dont want to criticize you for making such a high goal. But there is this saying. A thousand miles starts with a step.]

Sogo smiled.

[How about keeping your goal smaller?]

At that, Sungmin figured out something. He had Wijihoyun as a goal, and he was reckless to that goal.

A sparrow gets hurt trying to walk like a stork

Sungmin smiled bitterly. It wasnt a good feeling thinking that he was a sparrow. No, maybe he wasnt.

He might be.

Name: Lee Sungmin

Job: No Class

Skill:

Bright ear.

[Sense brightens in the forest. Can hear small sounds.]

Slaughterer

[Can easily dismantle corpses.]

Murderer

[Experience with murder.]

Quiet steps.

[Can quiet the footsteps.]

Below the useless passive skills.

Amethyst Cloud(4)

High Heavens Sungmin(3)

Iron Skin(8)

Stone Body(8)

One Thunder(6)

Shadowless(1)

Haste

Strength

Fatigue recovery.

Mental cleansing.

His skills and magic showed up. The Iron Skin and Stone Body increased in power natural as inner strength grew. The Amethyst Cloud improved a bit, and so did the High Heavens.

But Shadowless was slow. It might be because of the penalty of weight.

The goal is Shadowless to the 2nd level.

Sungmin made a goal.

I dont understand.

Sogo stopped her steps. She sighed and looked towards the direction of the sound. Plam was sitting on top of a tree. Plam smiled brightly as he jumped off.

Why do you care about that kid?

Plam asked.

He doesnt have talent. Hes just a normal kid. Why do you care. You made him your pupil.

Instead of writing. Sogo mouthed something. Plam understood what she was trying to say.

Dont worry about it? Why? I cant stand curiosity. You know me.

Sogo wrinkled her face. She moved her mouth and Plam shook his head.

Oh is it that? The normal people are just trying to help each other?

Sogo turned cold at that. Murderous intent covered Plam. He was shaken slightly at that but wasnt afraid. Plam smiled and waved his hand.

Youre mad because its true?

Sogo didnt say anything. She closed her mouth. Plam laughed at seeing the expression on Sogos face.

Its funny. A genius like me doesnt understand that feeling.

Plam turned around and left. The skill that he showed on purpose while leaving was Shadowless, Sogos best skill. Sogo bit her lower lip. What that kid showed was nothing different from what Sogo could do.

She didnt move from that spot for a while even after he left. She regretted showing off her malice and rubbed her neck. Normal people helping each other. That wasnt false. Sogo wasnt a genius to Plam.

You dont know.

Effort. Plam didnt know. He didnt have to stay in this mountain. But he was, only to have fun with the mountains penalties.

Therefore, Plam wasnt suffering anything. He was enjoying them and was using his genius talent to make fun of the other trainees.

Sogo wasnt a genius.

She fell into despair when she first met Plam. Theres a person like that in the world. Compared to him, Sogo was nothing.

But now, she didnt care. There was nothing that she could get out of being in despair. Thats why she stayed here. Scarlet, Bejun, all of them faced that.

And Sungmin.

Thats why Sogo taught Shadowless to Sungmin. To make him not fall into despair. To not be discouraged. To stand up and take up the penalties.

She wanted to help.

That was all.

She was that sort of person.

After a month, Sungmin reached the 2nd level of Shadowless.

No, the third level

Sungmin was surprised as he checked the status screen. His goal was to reach the 2nd level of Shadowless.

But what showed up was the 3rd level. Naturally, the 3rd level of Shadowless came up in his head. Like Sogo said, there was a reward.

Its suffering and hardships.

A voice came to him. Sungmin felt surprised as he turned around. Mush. Mush was shaking and laughing.

But human. Dont be too happy. If you can reach something easily, how is that hardship. Like the penalties, when you get used to it, the rewards get harder to reach.

Mush smiled and laughed. It was a small goal. He had gotten the reward. He was going to do this a lot, but Mush was saying that it wouldnt work anymore.

[Why are you here?]

Sungmin wrote down. Mush was a God and could appear anytime. When he wanted Mush, she was there. She was a pretty sweet god.

Its time.

Mush smiled and said. He felt it then.

Half a year.

After half a year, a penalty is added. It was for everyone, Sogo, Scarlet, Bejun. Plam as well.

[I didnt get used to my penalties yet.]

You wanted those. Thats not my concern.

Mush answered.

If you want to stay longer, you need to get a penalty. Thats the rule.

Sungmin had 4. Weight. Taste. Voice. Dreams. The ones other than voice were incredibly annoying.

The rewards get better as more penalties occur.

He understood that. With his lack of talent, he had already gotten up to a nice level of martial arts. He was probably at the first rate now. His body wasnt strengthened yet, and its only been 2 years since he came here, but he had already surpassed his previous self.

Of course, it wasnt all because of Sungmins efforts. Wijihoyun was there. Potions were there. Sogo was there. Also, without the mountain, Sungmin wouldnt have learned this fast.

[Telepathy.]

Youre avoiding it.

Mush laughed at Sungmins answer. There was no choice. He had a few that he was thinking of but not yet. He couldnt get another annoying one without getting used to his current penalties.

So he was avoiding this one.

Well, thats fine. Youre probably going crazy over the ones that you have. Haha. How long can you last

Mush laughed and held out her hand.

If you want, sell your soul to me. Then, I will give you rewards. Way more than what youre trying to achieve.

Sungmin turned around without answering. The soul that bypassed the principle of life. Mush wanted that.

But Sungmin didnt plan on giving up his soul to Mush.

At least, not yet.