I Gave Up Being Stronger-Chapter 223

[You never saw me! Please keep this between us! I am always cheering for you. - From Kim Min-Ji, Chul-Soo Land No.1.]

The note had another hastily written line.

[The hacking room is only effective for five minutes!]

It was not detailed but seemed to imply something like ‘Otherwise, I will get scolded by my mom.’

‘Kim Min-Ji... Who exactly is she?’

Cha Jin-Hyeok looked around. This hacking room seemed almost like a new dimension. He wondered why someone with the ability to create such a thing was concerned about her mother’s scolding.

‘What kind of person is Min-Ji’s mother?’

Jin-Hyeok could not help but chuckle.

‘Everything related to this is good content for my channel.’

He then examined Picasso’s Brush and left a checkpoint in the recorded video.

[*This was the original setting of Picasso’s Brush.]

[(*Note: Retouch is limited to one use per item or Player and cannot be used on the holder of the item.)]

This setting had changed just as he wanted, but that was not the end.

[(*Note: The number of times you can use Retouch is unlimited for one person. (Hacking room privilege is applied.)]

‘Ah, so this is why Min-Ji told me the hacking room is only effective for five minutes. This... is fate.’

After obtaining Picasso’s Brush, Makendra became a world-renowned ranker. Jin-Hyeok wondered if he could do the same.

[Do you wish to use ?Picasso’s Brush??]

He applied Picasso’s Brush to himself. It felt like he was covered in many different colors of paint, as though he had fallen into a pool filled with paint. Yet, he felt no suffocation or discomfort. The various colors of paint seemed to seep into his skin, flowing through his body like blood.

‘It feels sort of refreshing.’

[?Picasso’s Brush? has been applied to you.]

He could not feel any significant changes.

[*I think it would be good to add my old dialogue here.]

[“Using it on overly complete Players would have minimal effect.”]

It was just as he had suspected. Until now, the God of Luck Mystery seemed to be rejecting him, but now it felt like the Mystery was shouting at him to use its power immediately.

‘I will use it, but not just yet.’

God of Luck could be used only once. This Mystery was too powerful for him to handle right now, and using it would undoubtedly knock him out.

‘I will try to use God of Luck after I’m done using Retouch on myself.’

Jin-Hyeok realized something.

‘Wait, doesn’t retouching too many times ruin the artwork?’

***

The Mad God of Favoritism, also known as Kim Min-Ji, was pulling her hair out in frustration. “What if Chul-Soo is confused because of me?”

Choi Gap-Soo offered her an iced chocolate and comforted her. “Please calm down. At this rate, the buildings in Cheongdam-dong will all collapse.”

An unusual earthquake had struck the Cheongdam-dong area, causing evacuation chaos.

“Too much Retouch can actually backfire,” Min-Ji said.

“...Still, Chul-Soo will be happy. He loves great content for his channel.”

“But! What should I do? Should I go back quickly and tell him not to use Retouch too much?”

“I think if you help him again, your mother might find out.”

“...Yeah, you’re right.” Min-Ji let out a deep sigh and sat on the sofa. “If I make even a little more sound, Mom will probably shave my head and put me in an endless hell. She will say, ‘Haven’t you come to your senses yet?’ And she would put me to sleep for the next three thousand years this time.”

Debris began to fall from the ceiling of Gap-Soo’s workshop. At this rate, the workshop would collapse soon.

“Hold on. Do you doubt Chul-Soo, Miss Min-Ji?” Gap-Soo asked.

“Doubt him? Me? No one believes in Chul-Soo as much as I do!”

“Then why are you so anxious? Chul-Soo is the best content creator, chosen by the one and only Kim Min-Ji! You need to trust him more.”

Those words made Min-Ji a bit relieved, and she took a sip of her iced chocolate. “You’re right. I like Chul-Soo not just because he is handsome.”

‘You’re lying! I know it’s because he is handsome!’ Gap-Soo wanted to shout.

“Hm... If I may ask, can you peek at what Chul-Soo is doing right now? You know... with your abilities?” Gap-Soo said.

“That’s not right!”

“Huh?”

“That is not respectful toward Chul-Soo. He might have things he does not want to show... Such shameless acts are what stalkers do.”

“Too bad. It would have been a great opportunity to observe Chul-Soo’s crisis management and situation handling.”

“...You just really want to see Chul-Soo Play, don’t you.”

Gap-Soo pondered what to reply for a moment, then smiled lightly. “Yes! I really, really want to see it. A private Play video just for me! I really, really want to see it!”

“So, if I use my abilities to peek at Chul-Soo, it’s all because of you, okay? Not me.”

“Yes! Thank you for giving me such a great opportunity.”

“I guess I have no choice then. You have been a great help to me living on Earth. This is repaying the favor. I can’t believe you’re making me do this.”

A keyboard appeared in the air. As Min-Ji typed several commands on the keyboard, a video played in the air.

***

‘Min-Ji... She’s quite cute, but that’s a sign of danger,’ Jin-Hyeok thought.

Being cute was a very dangerous thing. Anything pretty and cute needed to be approached with caution.

‘Ah wait. This could be one of the System’s tricks!’

The System always prioritized balance. That was why it did not acknowledge regressions.

‘She might be pretending to be on my side while planning to stab me in the back. She could be a high-level GM.’

That was probably why she had displayed these strange powers with the hacking room and such. Jin-Hyeok was becoming more and more convinced of his theory.

‘The whole Chul-Soo Land No.1 fan thing can also be a smokescreen to deceive me.’

This was the logical and rational way to understand what was going on.

‘She must be pretending to bestow favors on me, inducing me to use Retouch multiple times.’

It seemed like God of Luck had seen through this and tried to warn him. Jin-Hyeok picked up Min-Ji’s note.

Min-Ji, who was watching the live video, got very excited. “Oh, what should I do? Chul-Soo seems to be reading my note again!”

[Kim Chul-Soo has activated the Latent Skill ?Fire Control Technique?.]

Whoosh!

With a hint of anger, Jin-Hyeok burned Min-Ji’s note to ashes.

“W-Why...?” Min-Ji blinked in confusion.

Gap-Soo was momentarily flustered, not knowing how to console her. “That’s...”

However, Min-Ji found an excellent explanation herself. “It has to be for his Eltube channel, right?”

“O-Of course...”

“Look at that splendid flame. I remember Chul-Soo obtained the Fire Control Technique as a Latent Skill after consuming the Phoenix Heart. He gained that Skill during meditation in the Trance Realm.”

“You remember all that?”

“Of course, I should remember all that as a fan, right?”

“...”

“The flames are prettier than before. He must have made the flames prettier for the video he is going to upload later. His professional attitude toward his livestream is so cool!”

‘I think you just find anything Chul-Soo does cool.’ Gap-Soo wanted to say that but had to hold back.

Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok was gathering his resolve.

‘I’m counting on you, God of Luck.’

[You have activated the Mystery ?God of Luck?.]

[You have activated ?Picasso’s Brush?.]

Jin-Hyeok proceeded to use Retouch once again.

***

‘I activated God of Luck and didn’t even faint.’

Jin-Hyeok was surprisingly stable. This hacking room was extremely favorable to him. It felt like the space itself was aiding him.

‘Hm... I guess the System thought such privileges would prevent me from suspecting anything.’

As always, cute and pretty things needed to be handled with caution. Jin-Hyeok knew this very well, but he had learned the lesson again today.

‘This actually worked.’

Jin-Hyeok had many doubts. Various colors of light burst out from his microcosm, and he had to make a choice—which light to grasp and how to apply the effects of Retouch.

“I think helping the Seo sisters transition to their new Jobs was a great experience.” If he had not led them and helped them Awaken as Shadow Rulers, it would have been difficult. “And I was inspired by the Homepage Master, who helps me a lot.”

Jin-Hyeok was not sure whether he should release this video or not. Still, he continued speaking enthusiastically, as if he were doing a livestream.

“Homepage Master Kang Eun-Woo... He showed me the miracle of turning Traits into a Job. He showed me that it was possible.” That was how Jin-Hyeok was able to make a choice. “This is one of my Traits called Munchkin.”

Publishing this video right away was probably not the right call. Almost no one knew that Jin-Hyeok had the Munchkin Trait, and he did not want to reveal it yet. However, maybe in the distant future, after becoming the universe’s greatest Streamer, he could release this video and make for a touching story.

“This Trait has become my Job.”

[Munchkin Streamer]

Since the basic concept of Picasso’s Brush was retouching, the major framework of the Streamer job was not broken. Just Munchkin had been added in front of Streamer.

“Now, my Job is called Munchkin Streamer.”

Had he been a Swordsman, he could have been slightly disappointed. Munchkin would have been a more versatile Job than Munchkin Streamer.

‘But I prefer it this way.’

Jin-Hyeok was extremely satisfied with being a Streamer. Every day was exciting and fun.

“Someday, I hope to be remembered as a Great Streamer. This video is dedicated to my future self.”

Jin-Hyeok also kept one fact a secret.

‘She said Extra Life would be destroyed!’

However, the Trait seemed to have become stronger instead.

‘I can even use this for my next Eltube video!’

He was thrilled in many ways.

***

“Ugh, my heart!” Min-Ji said, clutching her heart.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Gap-Soo asked.

“I made eye contact with Chul-Soo.”

“...What? Chul-Soo is just talking to himself right now.”

“No way! You don’t know anything about Chul-Soo, do you?”

“...I don’t?”

“No, you don’t. Chul-Soo knows that I am a hacker. I think he is aware that I might be watching him.

‘No, that’s definitely not it,’ Gap-Soo thought.

“He knows that I got nervous and made a mistake. That is why he is kindly explaining things to me. Telling me that everything is okay.”

“...”

She seemed to be reading too much into it.

“He’s so good to his fans. I have no choice but to love him even more!” Min-Ji said.

“...”

“You think so too, right?”

“...Aren’t you going to love him more no matter what?”

Min-Ji was not listening to Gap-Soo. “I’m going to love him forever.”

In the video Jin-Hyeok said,

?“Someday, I hope to be remembered as a Great Streamer. This video is dedicated to my future self.”?

Min-Ji clasped her hands and reverently nodded. She was thrilled, as if she had heard him say, ‘I dedicate this video to you, Min-Ji.’

“Wow... His fan service is unreal!” she said.

Gap-Soo struggled to understand how this could be described as fan service. He had no idea where she found such an emotional moment, but he again held his tongue.

Meanwhile, Jin-Hyeok continued to film himself. “My Broadcaster’s Barrier has been strengthened. Its name has been changed to Absolute Barrier... Quite a grand name. We will have to see if it lives up to the name. And Broadcaster’s Clairvoyance has been changed to Broadcaster’s Insight. We will also have to see—”

Jin-Hyeok suddenly stopped talking.

‘This strange sensation...’

He felt as if his hair was standing on end. A tingling sensation seemed to spread throughout him, climbing up his spine.

‘Someone is targeting me.’

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