Chapter 107 : Chapter 107
Chapter 107: Mimicry Art (1)
“Ha, crazy bastard. How much do you have to eat to be satisfied?”
Seeing the Mimic chewing the loot like crazy, a futile remark slipped out.
Do you know how much I suffered to catch Gonta?
Destroying the Viking, doing all sorts of crazy things.
To think it swallowed what I barely obtained so vainly like this.
Of course, I was contemplating whether to bind it or not due to the demerit the item had.
[You have absorbed ‘Gonta's Face Skin’.]
Now even that choice was gone.
“This is ridiculous.”
I let go of the Mimic and dropped my shoulders in dejection.
It was then.
The guy's cover started to tremble minutely.
‘Huh?’
Something was changing.
A low vibration spread out from the center of the Tactical Manual Mimic.
A faint light spread, and an antique green pattern was engraved on the entire cover.
A subtle airflow shook the space as if a vortex was rising.
DING-!
[Tactical Manual]
[The Tactical Manual is updating.]
Messages floated up one after another.
[Passive ‘Mimicry Instinct’ reacts.]
[Abilities are expanded.]
[You have acquired a new active skill ‘Mimicry Art’.]
[Mimicry Art: Mimics the target's characteristics and appearance. The degree of mimicry possible varies depending on the reproduction rate. Consumes a certain amount of SP.]
I stared blankly at that text for a moment.
‘Mimicry Art?’
Ripples appeared on the cover.
A shape emerged from its center.
Clusters of light soared up as if drawing constellations in the black void.
At first, the images of a stone, a bearded man, and an earthworm with an eye were drawn together.
[Tactical Manual]
[Mimicry Art - lv.2]
[Mimics a target.]
[Rock]
- Appearance Modification: 100%
- Mimicry Passive: [Hardening], [Natural State]
[Balzac]
- Appearance Modification: 10%
- Mimicry Passive: [Soul of the Emperor], [Weight of the Crown], [Master of Deception]
- ??? : Condition not met
- ????: ■■■■
Then a list floated above the system window.
At the same time, a gentle vibration flowed over my skin.
A subtle trembling that started from my fingertips and spread to my whole body.
It was the sensation of something inside me slowly awakening.
‘It’s changing.’
It felt like a new circuit opened deep in my chest.
My consciousness slid along that circuit.
I naturally executed the newly engraved ‘command’.
[Mimicking ‘Rock’.]
Instantly, my mind settled down quietly.
A silence where even the air seemed to coagulate heavily.
The sensation of becoming a ‘stone’ that I had felt before.
As I focused a little more, the surface of my arms and shoulders slowly changed texture.
A hard weight filled up under my skin and movement ceased.
“…….”
I took a short breath and canceled the mimicry.
My skin became soft again and my body slowly started to move.
Only then did I realize.
The passive [Mimicry Instinct] I originally possessed.
That was not an ability I could control.
There were times I received help when it activated suddenly in crisis situations, but that was all.
But now, I can activate it in the form I choose whenever I want.
‘Does that mean?’
I looked at the Mimic.
Just a moment ago, the guy chewed and swallowed the artifact I obtained as it pleased.
Voraciously, like chewing on pig skin.
I wondered what kind of crazy bastard this was.
But now I think I should say this.
‘Thank you.’
Actually, it's better.
Eat more. More.
The moment I looked at the Mimic with satisfaction.
WHOOSH-
My eyes flashed, and my entire vision flipped in an instant.
***
When I opened my eyes again, it was reality.
I was lying on the hospital bed exactly as I was right before my consciousness turned off.
‘I really can't get used to this no matter how many times I do it.’
I pressed my temples as if tuning a frequency to the rising headache.
Even though I spent quite a long time in the ‘inner world’, it seemed almost no time had passed in reality.
Because the time displayed on my smartphone hadn't changed even by a minute.
[KKIHEEHEE! Tasty! Lick lick!]
The Mimic was chuckling and enjoying itself as if ruminating on something inside.
The edge of the cover twitched and trembled.
‘Rascal, you eat well.’
Normally, I would have cursed at the crazy bastard for doing something weird again, but not today.
Looking at the Mimic with a smile that formed on its own, I inhaled slowly.
And the sensation from just before swirled through my body once more.
The sensation of pressing a certain switch inside my body passed by.
[Mimicking ‘Rock’.]
In a flash, my blood cooled.
My muscles hardened.
Then, under my skin began to change into the texture of hard and heavy stone.
[Rock (Mimicry)]
[Passive: Hardening, Natural State]
My mind was also becoming strangely calm.
I bent my finger.
Even though it was a simple movement, it wasn't easy.
It seems there are restrictions on movement as much as the body hardens.
Anyway, it definitely works. Even in reality.
‘Mimicry Cancel.’
The stone texture disappeared, and I returned to a soft body again.
Only then did my shoulders relax.
‘It’s good.’
I can use it at my will.
At the moment I want, as I want.
At least within the lines permitted by the system, it seemed to be free.
‘But, how is the target for mimicry determined?’
Let's say the rock was there from the beginning.
Balzac must have become possible by satisfying some condition.
Then does that mean these two are the only forms possible right now?
A question naturally grazed my mind.
‘Can't I add others?’
I looked around the hospital room slowly.
Bed, TV, vital check panel.
Fire sprinkler attached to the ceiling.
Rescue helicopter visible through the window.
As I was scanning the room like that, my gaze stopped at one spot.
The place where my gaze stopped was none other than a teddy bear placed on the table.
It was a souvenir bought at Hero Land.
I didn't buy it; Do Haru did.
She left it insisting that looking at cute things makes recovery faster.
There wasn't anything particularly special about it.
The only unique point is that it's wearing the uniform of a ‘Patrol’, which is the police role in this world.
But now, that doll caught my eye.
Because a strange scene was unfolding.
[Bongbong Teddy Bear]
[Touch: 10]
‘……Touch?’
A question mark formed in my head immediately.
After obtaining the Eye of Deception, when I looked at people, an information window appeared next to their heads.
Conveying emotions, status, and other information.
But nothing really appeared for inanimate objects or animals.
It didn't tell me a cat's emotional state or an object's status information.
‘That was definitely the case, so what is this again.’
But now it is appearing.
It looked like a price tag was attached to the object.
A square box was stuck there, extending out in a straight line.
I reached out and picked up the doll.
And at the same time, the number changed.
[Bongbong Teddy Bear]
[Touch: 9]
“9?”
I went blank for a moment.
The number decreases.
‘A countdown?’
Then what happens when it becomes 0?
Just as I placed the doll in front of me on the blanket and was about to touch it again.
KNOCK KNOCK-
A heavy knocking sound was heard.
“Junior~ Are you inside?”
A familiar voice followed.
Aside from the voice, there is only one person who calls me ‘Junior’.
“Spike Blue?”
“I’m coming in~.”
The door opened, and Spike Blue revealed himself.
His casual outfit looked somewhat like a youth soccer coach.
Functional t-shirt, windbreaker, and sports sunglasses on his eyes.
On top of that, a fruit basket in one hand and three bottles of sports drinks in the other.
Like this, I can only say he really is a youth soccer coach.
As he entered the hospital room and walked towards me, he stopped in his tracks.
Soon, silence fell.
‘Mm?’
He maintained a frozen state with his head turned towards me.
Although his gaze wasn't visible because it was hidden by sunglasses.
[Jeong Cheongrok (Spike Blue)]
[Gladness, Perplexity]
He was definitely perplexed.
Why on earth?
I inadvertently looked down.
And I realized the reason Spike Blue stopped.
There was the teddy bear.
Placed on the blanket in a direction facing me.
As if I had been playing with it diligently until just now.
‘……Ah.’
When I slowly raised my head, Spike Blue cleared his throat and pushed up his sunglasses.
“Mm, it is right to respect a person's taste. I understand, Junior.”
He was showing an awkward smile and even giving a thumbs up.
It’s not understanding, it’s a misunderstanding, you geezer.
Suddenly, I became a 17-year-old boy playing with dolls.
I immediately moved the doll aside and spoke.
“A friend gave it to me, so I was just looking at it for a moment.”
“Right, I understand.”
What do you keep understanding, damn it.
This guy isn't listening to a word I say.
Meanwhile, while putting the doll on the hospital table, the touch count had decreased to 7.
It seems I'll have to touch it 7 more times after Spike Blue leaves.
Because I need to know what on earth that means.
However, touching it while someone else is here is a bit much.
‘I decline deepening the misunderstanding.’
Shaking my head, I leaned my back against the bed.
I feel like I'm getting rapidly tired.
“Well, anyway, this senior came to see if his junior is okay. How is your body?”
Spike Blue asked cheerfully as he plopped down on the chair next to the bed.
It was at that moment.
[Spike Blue]
[Touch: 25,000]
‘Huh?’
The moment he came into close range, a ‘Touch Count’ was appearing.
Unlike the teddy bear's 10, this time it was 25,000.
Showing a ridiculously high figure.
“……So I did the interview myself. I think I'll be called to the Association tomorrow too. They said all heroes who were there are scheduled to visit for the investigation. It’s totally chaotic, you know? Hey Junior, are you listening?”
“Ah.”
Even while Spike Blue was chattering away, I was distracted by the number.
What is that number appearing suddenly?
Why is the rabbit doll only 10, but Spike Blue is 25,000?
“I’m sorry. I was a bit spaced out. Could you give me some water?”
“Ah, drink this, this. Sports drinks will be better for recovery.”
Spike Blue held out a beverage bottle.
As I accepted it.
TAP-
I naturally touched the back of Spike Blue's hand.
“Uh-uh, are you okay? You can't even receive a drink properly?”
“Ah, a little dizziness…….”
“It seems your condition is worse than I thought. Oh my.”
Spike Blue's brow furrowed.
It seems he is worried.
But my interest was on a completely different side.
[Spike Blue]
[Touch: 24,999]
It decreased.
Literally, 1 decreases per touch.
I looked at the teddy bear again.
[Bongbong Teddy Bear]
[Touch: 7]
What will happen if I touch it 7 more times?
The question I had lightly before settled heavily this time.
“……Junior, it seems I was interrupting a good time.”
Spike Blue's gaze alternated between the doll and me.
“Yes?”
“Seeing you keep looking at the doll, ahem. Indeed, alone time is important.”
It’s not, you geezer.
He's making a person out to be someone who would die if they couldn't play with dolls.
KNOCK KNOCK-
And at that moment, the knocking sound rang once again.
“Hm? Is it a nurse?”
Spike Blue stood up saying he would check instead, opened the door briefly, then closed it and returned to my side.
“Junior, what is your true identity?”
“Yes?”
Spike Blue suddenly asking seriously.
I was perplexed.
Because it wasn't a question that would come out suddenly.
Did a strange being visit beyond the door?
Don't tell me Bremen? Chief? All sorts of thoughts started to occur.
“I might have seen it wrong but……. No. I think I saw correctly.”
“What is it?”
Just as he was continuing to say incomprehensible things.
A clear voice was heard from outside the door.
“Is this the hospital room Cadet Ryu Jinwoo is using? I intend to visit to inquire after his health.”
A familiar voice and a tone peculiar to an old soul.
Spike Blue opened his eyes wide as if he couldn't believe it and looked at me.
“That, that's Lee Junhyeok! You are friends with the Sword Emperor's son too? You're close with Seol Hayun too, right? How? Why? For what reason? What is it?”
What on earth is your secret?
His eyes were asking fervently.