Demon Integration Rate.
In simple terms, it was a device that adjusts the user’s sense of pain. The higher the integration rate, the more immersive the user experiences the game.
The more it is increased, the more the game company’s phrase about feeling “another reality” holds true. Users can feel everything almost exactly like reality, from taste and touch to sight, smell, and sound. They may even get the illusion that they are in a completely different world.
However, it was also the setting that had to be handled with the utmost caution. After all, this insane game company had vividly implemented pain as well.
There were already horror stories circulating in the community about cases of injury at a 90% integration rate. Someone who had maxed out their integration rate and died was sent to a mental hospital, and another who had died at around 80% claimed they had nightmares every night since.
Psychological PTSD was a given, and if things went poorly, it could even lead to shock death. In fact, there had been reports of fatalities in countries outside of Korea. There was even news of a brave player who played at 90% and got chewed to death by a monster, subsequently dying from shock.
...Thinking about it, one might wonder how such a dangerous game made it into society.
Anyway, the integration rate was dangerous enough as it was. Yet right now, Yor was forcing her to raise it. He even claimed that this integration rate was what was hindering her growth.
‘You want me to... raise this? I’m already in pain...?’
Of course, Chae-rin reacted negatively. No matter what, she didn’t want to feel more pain here.
However, knowing her hesitation, Yor gently persuaded her in a soft tone.
“Don’t worry. If you raise it, we’ll end the sparring here.”
“Really? You’re not suddenly going to start hitting me or anything, right?”
“Do I look like that kind of psycho to you? Just raise it. I’ll protect you if monsters come.”
“......”
At those words, Chae-rin sent him a suspicious glance but decided to raise the integration rate anyway.
To be honest, she didn’t want to continue sparring any longer. She felt that she had underestimated the educational broadcast... it was exhausting both mentally and physically.
Once she raised the integration rate, he casually commanded her.
“Sit down.”
Chae-rin sat down on the floor as he said.
Every sensation became vividly clear. The slight throbbing felt in her body, the grass blades brushing between her fingers, and even the sensation of the wind against her skin.
Up until now, she had only felt it at 90% when tasting delicious food. But now, as she focused on her senses, it felt almost indistinguishable from reality.
“Now close your eyes and concentrate on your body. Then try to find the strange energy you feel in your body.”
Chae-rin followed his instructions. As she closed her eyes, darkness enveloped her. The sound of her heart beating, the tightness of her armor constricting her body, etc. Her heightened senses became even more sensitive.
But she didn’t feel the “strange energy” that Yor spoke of. She had an idea of what he meant—he was telling her to find her mana.
She knew what that was and how it worked. Just using a skill like ‘Invisibility’ caused her to lose mana. Even when moving vigorously or engaging in combat, she depleted mana. If she ran out, she felt a strange sense of weakness.
Regardless, Chae-rin had unknowingly been using mana.
However, she had only used it; she had never consciously recognized or manipulated it.
That was only natural. The game system had always assisted her, so why would she bother with such cumbersome tasks?
It was also uncertain whether she could even recognize and manipulate it at all.
“Don’t feel anything?”
“Um... no.”
“Really? Just a moment...”
Of course, Yor wasn’t going to just sit by and watch. As her teacher, it was only natural for him to pierce through her confusion.
Tap.
“Eh?”
He placed his hands on her shoulders. She flinched slightly at the sudden contact.
Unfortunately, he was a mere human without any learned skills, so he couldn’t guide her mana by touching any acupoints.
However, there were definitely other methods. Though they were a bit extreme.
Essentially, he would forcibly inject his mana into her body.
No matter how much she couldn’t sense it, if he injected a substantial amount of energy from someone else, she would inevitably have to recognize it.
With that in mind, Yor injected a large quantity of mana into his own body.
“Ha?!”
Chae-rin reacted immediately, starting to tremble and emit strange noises.
Well, considering that foreign energy had entered her body, it was only natural that she would show a rejection response. Just like how the immune system reacts when pathogens enter.
Yor glanced at the chat window for a moment.
[Oh fuck] [Did I just hear something disgusting?] [Chae-rin, is it normal for a man to make such boyish noises?]
The chat window was slightly on fire. However, Chae-rin wasn’t in a position to check that right now. The influx of mana entering her was too intense. It felt as though her body was on fire, with heat rising within.
Yor asked her as he watched her fidgeting.
“How does it feel? Can you feel it?”
“Ugh, yes! I can feel it...!”
“What kind of feeling?”
“Ahh, ha! It’s so hot and intense!”
[This is really messed up] [Are they having sex or something?] [N] You have been kicked by the manager.] [Yor, the one forcing Chae-rin to climax ㄷㄷㄷ] [N] You have been kicked by the manager.] [But isn’t it kind of hot? ㅎㅎ] [Hot? ㅅㅂ, are you a lesbian?]
Coughing, Yor cleared his throat for a moment.
As the chat suggested, the moaning was somewhat unsettling. Of course, Chae-rin didn’t seem to have the luxury to care about that.
In order to quickly free her from this state, Yor continued with the training.
“Alright, think about gathering that energy into one of your arms.”
“Uh, haah. How...!”
“Just think. Just think about it.”
Fortunately, she obediently followed Yor’s words. Focusing her mind, she gathered the strange energy in her body to one arm. Soon, the mana began to genuinely gather toward her arm.
Of course, it wasn’t purely her strength that accomplished this; it was originally someone else’s mana.
But right now, it was only possible because Yor allowed her to move and guided her.
“Good, now think of releasing it and throw the dagger.”
At Yor’s words, Chae-rin threw the dagger.
Just in front of her was a good target—a solid rock.
With her current power, it would be impossible to break through that obstacle.
However, this time was different. As soon as she released the dagger, the intense heat she had felt in her body vanished.
That heat acted as a propellant and accelerated the dagger’s speed.
In no time, it crashed into the rock at a tremendous speed.
Thud!
A massive crack appeared in the rock.
The dagger she threw, seemingly with no effort, lodged itself squarely in the center of the rock as if it were Excalibur.
“Uh?”
[?] [???] [What just happened? ㄷㄷ] [What was that flying? ㄷㄷ]
In the midst of everyone’s confusion and shock, Yor casually remarked.
“Well, that was roughly done.”
Fortunately, Chae-rin smoothly felt her mana and returned.
...Although as a side effect, her arm and body became a bit ragged.
Regardless, she had indeed felt it.
“When you fight from now on, or when you’re training alone, raise the integration rate. That way, you’ll be able to use it more properly.”
Listening to his final piece of advice, Chae-rin headed back toward the city.
And that day, the community experienced a brief uproar.
While her broadcast itself was one thing, the information Yor had shared was quite useful to the users.
Thanks to that, related analysis posts were gradually appearing in the community.
[What Yor said seems worth trying?]
I’m sure a lot of friends have felt their growth slowing down lately.
The levels aren’t increasing much, but monsters are getting harder to deal with.
Some might be slowly getting A rank, but strangely enough, there are those who lose to B rank NPCs.
Well, it doesn’t matter for those with talents like Shin Hanbyeol, but for commoners like us, shouldn’t we at least try that?
[Integration Rate 90%? Is that even a thing?] [N] Seriously, do we really have to risk our lives for a game?]
[No, that’s what he said—just do it during training, not combat.]
[But can you really feel the mana or whatever while practicing?]
New n𝙤vel chapters are published on freewebnovel.cσ๓.
I really don’t know. Damn.
[Isn’t it that Chae-rin girl who used it? Didn’t you see?] [N] I went in for a bit, but the sound was so off-putting that I left right away.] [N] But it seems like she definitely felt something, haha.]
[But the fact that she used it was kind of a trick, right? That NPC was doing everything for her.] [N] But still, she must have gotten a grasp of it.]
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TL note:
"Drop a Comment and Level Up!" ????
Hey, legends! What did you think of Chapter 58? Did Chae-rin's training make your heart race? ???? Don’t forget to smash that like button and let us know your thoughts in the comments! Your feedback fuels our adventure, so let’s hear it! ????✨