Escape from Stamina Burnout! ------------------------------------------------------------------------
After tidying up the equipment in the third-floor storage, I managed to fend off Ansol and the baby unicorn’s persistent whining and finally reached the temple with Kim Hanbyul. Honestly, I had my own reasons for visiting this time, but it was a coincidence that Kim Hanbyul’s schedule overlapped because her assigned helper had summoned her.
We walked slowly to the temple, and once there, we followed the priest’s guidance to the room with the portal. Now, with the priest having closed the door and left, I found myself staring at the portal’s shimmering blue light.
I thought of the angel waiting for me inside and tried to calm the anger that rose within me.
Angels are certainly dedicated when they act as helpers. But this time, I was the one seeking assistance. I couldn’t find answers about my abilities on my own, so it was necessary to set aside any unnecessary emotions.
Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I inhaled deeply and leaped into the portal.
As I entered the space that shimmered like the sea, an indescribable energy enveloped me. I surrendered to the pulling sensation, closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, I found myself in a familiar setting—the summoning room.
The scenery here never changes. As I looked around, my gaze fell upon a familiar rectangular altar. And sitting on that altar would be an angel.
I lifted my head, and sure enough, there was a beautiful angel with transparent wings shimmering, looking at me. As always, the angel had a playful expression and pink hair that glinted with a golden hue… Wait, what?
‘What?’
Before I could voice my confusion, the angel on the altar waved a hand cheerfully.
“Oh, you’re finally here! Hello~.”
”?”
“I was just about to call you soon, so this is perfect~. Nice to meet you! I’m Sandalphon, your new helper…”
“Hey.”
I interrupted, and Sandalphon, who had been wiggling his fingers at me, widened his eyes in surprise. But then he shrugged with a playful smile, which somehow annoyed me.
I quickly, yet calmly, assessed the situation. The most likely scenario was that my helper had been replaced while I was away. It wasn’t unheard of, so it seemed the most plausible.
After pressing my temples a few times to ease the throbbing pain, I spoke quietly to the mischievously smiling angel.
“Do you guys switch helpers without the user’s consent? Change back to Seraph, now.”
“Oh, come on. Why so hasty? Don’t be like that. Come over here and sit down. Let’s chat since it’s our first meeting. Okay?”
“Get lost.”
“Don’t be like that~. I really want to be your helper~. And didn’t you dislike Seraph? I’m different from that inflexible Seraph. Okay?”
“I said get lost. Oh, Seraph? I know you’re listening, so come out in five seconds. Otherwise, I’m never coming back to the summoning room. Your call.”
“Yes.”
As soon as I finished speaking, a brilliant light flashed beside the altar where Sandalphon was sitting. Emerging from the light was, as expected, Seraph. She looked at me with her usual calm expression, then turned her gaze to Sandalphon. Her voice, though serene, carried a hint of triumph.
“First-rank angel Sandalphon. Unfortunately, the user’s request for restoration has been confirmed. As per our prior agreement, you must return to your original position.”
“Wait! This isn’t fair! We haven’t even had a proper conversation yet!”
“That’s your problem. Didn’t you claim to be confident? Sandalphon has failed to meet expectations.”
“No! I can’t leave like this! Hey! Hey! Wait a minute! This is too much!”
Sandalphon tried to resist, but with a simple wave of Seraph’s hand, he was enveloped in light.
“What’s too much? We’re merely fulfilling the original contract as agreed.”
”……!”
Sandalphon seemed to want to say more, but his voice faded as the reverse summoning completed. In an instant, Sandalphon vanished completely. Seraph, expressionless but seemingly pleased, gracefully stepped onto the altar and sat down.
“I’m sorry, User Kim Suhyun. It’s been a while, and I’m sorry you had to experience such an unpleasant situation.”
Seraph bowed her head slightly in apology. Though a bit taken aback, I had a rough idea of what had happened, so I shook my head calmly. In a way, it wasn’t entirely without fault on my part.
“It’s fine. I guess the other angels had issues with my attitude… Just don’t switch without notice next time. Unless it’s someone like Archangel Gabriel or Michael, I don’t want to deal with someone like that scatterbrain…”
“Thank you for saying so. But does that mean you would consider changing helpers if it were Gabriel or Michael?”
“If I say yes, will another angel show up?”
“Gabriel is currently on standby.”
“Tell them not to come. Don’t they have other users to assist?”
“Yes. I’ll inform them right away.”
Seraph looked visibly relieved and began to busy herself with her tasks. Whether it was my imagination or not, I thought I heard a faint humming from somewhere.
After a short while, Seraph finished her work and looked at me with her serene, jade-colored eyes.
“Honestly, I was surprised you came to see me first, User Kim Suhyun. I was planning to call you soon, but there was a delay due to the helper situation.”
“Oh. I need your advice on something.”
“You need my advice? In that case….”
Seraph seemed to ponder for a moment before her expression shifted to one of realization. I quickly observed her face. Her eyebrows raised slightly, and her lips formed a triangular shape, indicating she was about to launch into a lecture. So, I decided to preempt her.
“I know what you’re going to say…”
“Hold on. Seraph. Just keep quiet for a moment.”
“I think I know what you’re going to say. Didn’t I warn you from the start? If you continue like this, you’ll definitely have stamina issues….”
“I know, I know. That’s why I’m here now, isn’t it?”
Though she looked exasperated, Seraph finally closed her mouth. However, her eyes were filled with concern, as if she was ready to bombard me with advice to increase my stamina.
I took out a cigarette from my pocket. Before lighting it, I murmured quietly.
“I already know what you’re going to say. But the reason I came to you is because you’re the only one I can talk to about Hwajeong.”
”…….”
“If you’re really my helper, listen to me for once. Don’t just talk from your perspective under the guise of helping me. You could at least try to see things from my side for once.”
I almost blurted out, “You’ve always been like this,” but managed to hold it back.
As I lit the cigarette to find some calm, I noticed Seraph’s piercing gaze soften slightly.
Sizzle. Sizzle.
“Ahh.”
As I exhaled a thin stream of smoke, Seraph’s small voice reached me from the front.
”…Yes.”
“Good. No interrupting halfway through.”
“Understood. I’ll listen carefully to what User Kim Suhyun has to say. I’ll try to think from your perspective as much as possible. But this time, I won’t back down. No matter what you say, increasing your stamina is non-negotiable.”
“Okay.”
Angels always keep their promises. Since she said that, I knew I could at least say everything I needed to. Her last words were a bit concerning, but I nodded, partly agreeing with her.
After taking another deep drag, I felt a bit more at ease and began to speak slowly.
I wasn’t sure what Seraph would think, but my mind was a tangled mess. My current dilemma about my abilities, my personal thoughts on the matter, and my plans moving forward.
I wanted to raise my other stats to 101 while keeping my stamina at a reasonable level. But Hwajeong was a problem. On the other hand, investing everything in stamina meant giving up on reaching 101. Or maybe I could hold out a bit longer. If I maintained my stamina in the 80s, I might benefit from another elixir. But my current physical state was a wreck, like a ticking time bomb ready to explode.
Yes, Hwajeong was the real issue.
After finishing my story, I looked at Seraph, waiting for her response.
“I’ve listened to everything you said, User Kim Suhyun. I can understand your feelings.”
“Really? Then I’d like to hear your thoughts.”
“I said I understand, but that doesn’t mean I agree. Are you sure you want to hear it?”
”…Go ahead.”
“Alright. Then, User Kim Suhyun, what are you saying? Do you know the state your body is in right now, and what consequences raising your stats to 101 in this condition would have? No, you do know. From what you just said, it’s clear you understand. That’s why it’s worse. Do you want to see me worried?”
”…….”
“I shouldn’t have given you Hwajeong in the first place. That’s why I tried to stop you, but why on earth….”
Rattling off like a machine gun.
‘I was an idiot to expect anything different.’
As I savored the bitter taste rising from deep within my throat, I lit another cigarette. The pile of cigarette butts around me had already grown to more than ten.
Sensing my mood, a soft voice came from across the table.
“User Kim Soo-hyun.”
“Yeah?”
“I have listened to everything you said, as promised. May I speak now?”
“What do you mean, ‘speak now’? Never mind, go ahead. Do as you please.”
“Thank you. Please take a look at this.”
With a snap of her fingers, Seraph conjured a rectangular graph in front of me.
“I will now project User Kim Soo-hyun’s physical condition onto this graph.”
“This is my physical state?”
“Yes. You should see that your entire body is marked in red.”
A human figure formed within the graph, just as I had seen a few times before in the first round. What caught my attention was that, as Seraph mentioned, everything was indeed colored red.
“I apologize for my earlier hasty explanation. Let me start from the beginning. User Kim Soo-hyun, you are a warrior. Unlike mages or priests, your combat style is fundamentally different. As a warrior, physical strength is crucial. Now, if you wish to raise other stats to 101, that’s fine. But if you increase your stamina to 90 and refrain from using the Flame of Purification, you can proceed. Raise your stamina to 80, use an elixir to boost it again, and then cease all expeditions and battles for at least a year, preferably two, focusing solely on recovery. If you do this without using the Flame of Purification, I won’t stop you.”
”…”
I listened quietly. Seraph seemed to gauge my reaction before adding another comment.
“Whether you can create such an elixir again is uncertain. But I am considering your perspective, User Kim Soo-hyun. However, I have my limits too.”
As I pondered Seraph’s words, I realized that avoiding the use of the Flame of Purification was not an option. I hadn’t chosen it as a perk for nothing.
After tapping the floor for a while, I asked in a weary voice, “Is it really that serious?”
“I’m not lying. Why would I hinder your progress to a higher status without reason? I’m telling you the truth. Your body should have collapsed long ago. It’s a miracle you’re still holding on. Do you remember when you first accepted the Flame of Purification?”
I remembered. Accepting it had cleansed my body but permanently reduced my stamina. Not just a reduction, but a permanent one. Recalling that moment, a thought suddenly struck me.
“Could it be…?”
“Yes. If you use the Flame of Purification even once more, something similar will happen. It might not be a permanent reduction, but the chances of a negative impact are high. Is that what you want?”
“So, you’re saying I have no choice but to increase it.”
“I didn’t expect your condition to deteriorate so quickly. Unless you’ve been overusing the Flame of Purification…”
Seraph’s lament stung a corner of my heart. The situation was more dire than I had thought. It seemed the battle with Mavolo had acted as a catalyst, unleashing accumulated damage from overuse.
“I want to see you healthy again, User Kim Soo-hyun. I understand your ambitions, but I recommend prioritizing your current safety over an uncertain future.”
“Hmm…”
I didn’t respond immediately. My mind was still a tangled mess, but it was slowly unraveling. My initial thoughts weren’t entirely wrong, but there were nuances I hadn’t considered. Seraph’s words were helping to clarify them.
Just then, I heard a soft rustling from the altar, and a sacred presence approached. I looked up to see Seraph standing before me, her eyes filled with concern. She gently took my left hand in hers and placed it against her chest, speaking in a voice close to pleading.
“Thank you for listening to me, even if I seemed rude. I realize now that I misunderstood you.”
”…”
“I’m truly glad, but I must ask one more thing. Please, increase your stamina. Your body is in a critical state, like a motor on the verge of breaking down. If you don’t increase your stamina now, truly…”
Seraph’s voice trailed off, but the way she tightened her grip on my hand conveyed her sincerity. Her touch was warm and soft, almost dizzyingly so, but I managed to pull my hand away.
“User Kim Soo-hyun…”
“Sigh.”
After some more deliberation, I finally made a decision.
With a sigh, I nodded and summoned my user information screen.
[Strength 96(+2)] [Endurance 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 90] [Magic 96] [Luck 90(+2)]
(Remaining ability points: 6 free points.)
‘I would prefer you allocate all remaining points to stamina.’
‘Remember, you’re not entirely safe yet. Even with stamina at 90, raising any other stat to 101 will increase the strain on your body.’
‘Elixirs won’t be a reliable option in the future. But there are other ways. Consider achievement rewards and equipment. Though uncertain, they could potentially yield 5 additional points, giving you a total of 11 points to invest in stamina. This would free you from the constraints of the Flame of Purification. You don’t need to raise other stats; User Kim Soo-hyun…’
After my conversation with Seraph, I returned to the Hall Plain through the portal. A priest awaited me outside. As I followed him out, I couldn’t take my eyes off the user information screen.
In the end, I had increased my stamina. I decided to heed Seraph’s advice and agreed to raise it.
Of course, it wasn’t complete agreement. I left 6 points unallocated, keeping them as a contingency for unforeseen situations. There was some debate over this, but we reached a compromise that I would allocate points as needed.
Following Seraph’s advice wasn’t a bad idea. If I could fully utilize the Flame of Purification, I would gain a stat at 101 and a powerful weapon.
‘Besides, my physical stats aren’t lacking…’
“Sigh.”
Having increased my stamina, it was foolish to dwell on it any longer. As Seraph said, if my condition was severe enough to risk stat reduction, raising my stamina was a necessary choice.
The effect was noticeable. My body, which had felt heavy all morning, was now significantly lighter. I was eager to see how I would feel after a night’s rest.
After passing through the corridor, I stepped outside the temple, escorted by the priest. As I descended the steps, I noticed a slender figure sitting on the stairs, gazing out.
Sensing my approach, the woman turned her head slightly and met my eyes.
It was Kim Han-byeol.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
Congratulations! Kim Soo-hyun has finally overcome his stamina issues! Yay! Clap clap! Haha. I mentioned in previous notes and replies that Seraph was always meant to appear at this point to advise on Soo-hyun’s stats. Although 6 points remain, I had planned to leave them for a specific purpose since the beginning. I hope you look forward to the dramatic developments I’ve planned. ^^
PS. There’s a piece by BrokenFan commemorating Soo-hyun’s escape from his stamina woes. It says, “I’m no longer a stamina weakling!” Thank you! ^^
PS. I’ve posted a MEMORIZE comic by Jabet on the notice board. Thank you, and more will be added soon.
『 Reader Replies 』
Miwolya: Congratulations on being first. As explained in the last and this chapter, Kim Soo-hyun is a warrior who fights physically. With stamina at 90 and agility over 101, there’s no issue, but using the Flame of Purification in that state is problematic. The Flame is powered by magic, which amplifies all stats. Even with stamina at 90, the strain from using the Flame can’t be ignored, and raising other stats over 101 increases the burden. You can’t avoid using elixirs either, as failing to do so could prevent you from raising stamina to 73, making it impossible to use elixirs. It’s safer to use them and keep spare points. This is mentioned in the text. :)
Flute: I was planning to reveal this at the end of the current chapter, but it got too long, so I had to cut it. It’ll make a comeback in the next chapter’s title. ^^
Pineiro: I suppose there’s always the thought of taking on a challenge someday. But now isn’t the right time. Things are fine as they are, and there’s no need to take unnecessary risks. By the way, you got the answer about stamina right! Impressive. :D
Pulchocho: The military, huh? I miss it. Not that I want to go back, though. Haha. Keep up the good work with your service!
Lizad: Some things will be resolved soon, while others might take a bit longer. As for Seraph, well, who knows? Haha.
ImaginationFruit: Nope. If you’ve already consumed it, the game’s over. But if you haven’t, even if you did, it wouldn’t have any effect, right? :)
Hwanggeol: But isn’t the content these days really packed? Hehe. I’m really putting out a lot…
Hongseba: Haha. 101 is much stronger than 100. I’ve hinted at this all along. But with that strength, a swordsman needs the stamina to handle it. (Suhyeon can manage with a stamina of 90, but Hwa-jeong is the issue.)
[DeepBlue]: That’s why Suhyeon felt sorry. A strange special ability was unlocked. But do you think I’d just leave Yujeong like that? Remember what class Yujeong had before…? Haha. Here’s a hint: the Twilight Priestess can upgrade to a secret class by gathering three powers. :)
PotatoChip: Suhyeon’s stats are so high right now, but even at 100, it’s enough to be superhuman. The Giant’s leader is indeed a demigod. The Giant Lord is a demigod in a different sense, so it’s a bit tricky to define by stats. Haha.
Thank you all for reading. Your recommendations and comments are a great support.
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
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