Life Rebooted with Copy and Paste-Chapter 41. Karlish

Kim Do-Joon went home with the Spear of Purpose.

— Oh! Was that a warp spell just now? So you're a wizard, huh?

The spear exclaimed in an old man’s voice, amazed by the sudden change of scenery. Kim Do-Joon scratched his head. He decided to postpone the explanation because it’d be cleared up soon enough anyway.

— Where are we?

"In my house," Kim Do-Joon replied.

To be precise, it was the storeroom behind his shop, filled with the scent of dried herbs.

"Please wait in here for a moment," Kim Do-Joon said.

— Hmm? What do you mean wait in here? Where exactly am I...?

Before the old man could finish his sentence, Kim Do-Joon put the spear into the inventory.

Kim Do-Joon wondered what it looked like inside the inventory. He’d have to ask later. Leaving the storeroom, he entered the shop. It seemed to be in the middle of business, as there were customers present.

"I'll take this and... also three bottles of this, please."

— Thank you. I'll help you with the payment.

Siwelin accepted the card from the customer, handling the transaction with ease. It was a stark contrast from her usual duty, which was praying in her old-fashioned, priestess robes. Nevertheless, she didn’t seem out of place, which was a relief.

Kim So-Eun, half-hidden behind Siwelin, watched her work. She noticed Kim Do-Joon coming in and called out, "Daddy!"

She ran toward him, intending to jump into his arms, but Kim Do-Joon stopped her.

"No, Daddy's dirty right now."

Kim So-Eun pouted, trying to be cute. Having finished the transaction, Siwelin picked up Kim So-Eun. The customer watched them and smiled.

"Are you the owner? Your daughter is adorable, haha."

"Thank you," Kim Do-Joon replied.

Which parent wouldn’t be happy to hear their child being complimented? He cheerfully saw the customer out.

— You're back?

Siwelin greeted Kim Do-Joon.

"Yes. Did we have many customers?" Kim Do-Joon asked.

— Yes, I think we had around five today!

The number was not high, but given their erratic hours lately, it was understandable. They’d have to steadily build trust.

"The customers kept saying how pretty Unni is!" Kim So-Eun chimed in.

"Oh, really?" Kim Do-Joon replied.

"Yes! They said they would come back next time!" Kim So-Eun added.

Kim Do-Joon hoped they were interested in the products, and not just Siwelin. He was a bit worried, but then again, she was stronger than most people.

"I'll be downstairs for a while. Please take care of the shop for a bit longer. We’ll switch later,” Kim Do-Joon said.

— I'm fine, take a good rest.

"Daddy, play with me!" Kim So-Eun pleaded.

"Sorry, So-Eun. Daddy's not finished with work yet.”

He wanted to play with her too, but checking the identity of the spear took priority. He couldn’t exactly invite her to have a conversation with a mysterious spear? So, Kim Do-Joon promised to play with her later and headed to his basement workshop.

Kim Do-Joon took the spear out of the inventory.

— Wow! What was that dark space?

The old man exclaimed as soon as he got out.

"It's called an inventory, which is similar to a storage space. Was it very cramped?"

— Not really... But to have such a subspace, you must be quite a high-level wizard!

Rather than clear up, the misunderstanding seemed to deepen.

Kim Do-Joon shook his head and replied, "I'm not a wizard."

— Huh? You’re not a wizard? Then what was all that?

The old man seemed puzzled.

"I'll explain that later. But, first, let's have a proper introduction, shall we?" Kim Do-Joon said.

— Oh, right. It's been so long since I've seen anyone. My apologies.

"I'm Kim Do-Joon."

— My name is Karlish.

“...”

— ...

Kim Do-Joon waited for a moment, but the old man remained silent.

"Is that all you have to say?" Kim Do-Joon asked.

— Well, what else is there to say?

“Why don’t you start explaining why you’re in the spear? What is this ‘sealed ago’ thing is all about?”

— Well, I don't really know.

Kim Do-Joon looked confused.

— I have no memory. When I came back to my senses, I found myself stuck among those filthy pigs. Damn, those filthy creatures! If they used me, they could at least have cleaned me up!

Now that he mentioned it, the spear was indeed grimy, coated with an extra layer of blood and dust.

"So, is this spear like... your body?"

— Well, it’s more like a home. No, wait, that's too grand. I’d say it’s a room. I've been trapped in this cramped place for God knows how many years. Tsk!

The short response still provided some information. The old man didn’t seem to be a spirit or an ancient consciousness tied to the spear.

Was this what the curse in the information window referred to? The old man being imprisoned within the spear?

Placing the spear on the workshop floor, Kim Do-Joon sprayed it with a cleaning solution. Then, he wiped it down with a cloth.

— Thanks, Kiddo. Those bloodstains only suffocate me even more. By the way, what's the world outside like these days? I've lost track of time hanging out with those orcs, with no memory and no contact with people.

Kim Do-Joon frowned slightly, unsure how much he should tell him. After a slight contemplation, he began to speak.

"This isn't the world you used to live in, Karlish," Kim Do-Joon explained.

— What?

Kim Do-Joon continued, careful not to reveal too much about his copy-paste skills. He told Karlish about Earth, the dungeons, and how he found and brought the spear from the labyrinth.

— So we’re in another world? I’ve been kidnapped to a different world?!

"What do you mean I kidnapped you? If someone heard that, they’ll get the wrong idea.”

— Argh! How could this happen! I’m in a different world?! Then how am I supposed to recover my memories?!

Karlish started to cry after hearing the reveal.

"Do you want to recover your memories?" Kim Do-Joon asked.

— Of course! I have to find my kin and take revenge on the one who trapped me! Isn’t that obvious?!

It was a reasonable statement.

— I thought my memories would gradually return as I moved around! Besides, there should be people who know my name. But that won’t happen if I’m in another world! My memories won’t return at this rate!

"Well, that... does make it less likely," Kim Do-Joon agreed.

— Send me back! Send me back to my world! To find the culprit who trapped me in this spear and get my revenge, I need to be free!

Sending him back was simple enough. Kim Do-Joon could just return to the labyrinth in a week and leave the spear there.

"Are you sure? That place is now overrun with orcs. There's no sign of people or even civilization," Kim Do-Joon explained.

— T-that’s...

Karlish fell silent, contemplating Kim Do-Joon's calm and logical argument. After spending countless days being passed from orc to orc, he was probably aware of it himself.

— What on earth happened to my world? Where did all those orcs come from? Where have all the people gone?

Karlish lamented, thoroughly dejected. Kim Do-Joon couldn’t think of anything to say to comfort him. He was just as clueless about the situation.

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"For now, just stay with me. Here on Earth, I'm likely the only person who can enter your world."

Kim Do-Joon was not trying to force anything. He was merely stating a fact. His calm tone made it clear to Karlish that he wasn’t lying.

— I get it... I guess there's no other way. Not like I can do anything on my own, anyway.

Karlish’s spirit noticeably diminished. The news had clearly been a significant shock. Not only did he have no memories, he also found out that his world was overrun with monsters. If Kim Do-Joon were in Karlish's shoes, he’d have been bewildered as well.

— I’ll be relying on you, Mr. Master

Karlish addressed Kim Do-Joon with an interesting title. What kind of title was Mr. Master?

"I'll be relying on you too, Karlish," Kim Do-Joon replied.

And so, Kim Do-Joon’s unusual relationship with the peculiar spear began.

***

Although the conversation with the spear took precedence, Kim Do-Joon had been focusing on one thing the whole time. It was the fact that this spear was an item—the targets of his abilities.

[Usash's Hymn, the Cursed Spear]

Description

- A spear legendary for splitting the land and sea at its creation. Held immense symbolic significance for the Usash Empire. With the empire's downfall, it became cursed and deteriorated.

Rarity

- Only One

Classification

- Weapon

Effects

- Indestructible

- Sealed Ego

Kim Do-Joon checked the two effects on Karlish’s information window again. Indestructible and Sealed Ego. The second was likely related to Karlish, who was sealed.

I wonder what would happen if I transferred this item effect...?

Could he transfer the sealed ego to another piece of equipment? What if he transferred it to an animal or a person? Would it possess them like the spear? Or would it be like a full-on possession?

Despite his curiosity, the situation wasn’t ideal for experimentation. He couldn’t predict the outcome, and it might be harmful to Karlish and whoever else might be involved. While he could test it on himself, the notion of being possessed by an old man didn’t sound appealing.

In addition, the Indestructible item effect was also incredibly tempting.

Honestly, if I had to choose between the two, I'd definitely pick Indestructible.

Still, he was concerned because copy-pasting it would destroy the item. What would happen to Karlish’s ego?

If he was lucky, the curse imprisoning Karlish might be dispelled, and he’d be set free. That would be a fairytale ending. But what if it didn’t? Karlish might get obliterated.

I could gamble and just extract it...

— Earlier, you seemed to be in high spirits, but your spear skills were quite sloppy. To become my master, you have to be worthy! I'll thoroughly instill the true spear technique in you, hahaha!

Karlish exclaimed cheerfully, as if nothing had ever happened.

Kim Do-Joon chuckled and said, "And how are you supposed to teach me when you don’t remember anything?”

— I only lost personal memories. I don’t know from where or whom I learned spear techniques, but the knowledge itself remains.

Instead of despair over the past, Karlish’s voice was filled with hope and anticipation for the future.

Yeah, I really don’t want to see him disappear...

Kim Do-Joon felt uncomfortable with the idea of eliminating someone, especially when he knew they were innocent. Moreover, the spear techniques Karlish offered to teach him were intriguing.

Kim Do-Joon pondered what he should do.

How do I protect the material while using the copy-paste skill? Wait... Maybe I can use the Coins?

One potential solution was the Coin, but could he preserve this unique item with his last Coin? It was his first time encountering an Only-One rarity item.

What if the process requires like a hundred Coins?

[One of the item effects of the Usash's Hymn, the Cursed Spear can be copy-pasted onto Kim Do-Joon.]

[Item effects available for copy-pasting:]

1. Indestructible

2. Sealed Ego

[The rarity of this item is “Common.”]

[Would you like to use a Coin?]

What?

Kim Do-Joon was puzzled. How could this item be Common? The information window clearly displayed it as Only-One rarity. He rubbed his eyes, and sure enough, the rarity didn’t change.

However, the copy-paste skill listed it as a Common rarity item.

This means...

Although the reason was unclear, one thought flashed through his mind: the Yggdrasil system classified this item as Only-One rarity, while the copy-paste skill saw it as a Common item.

This implied that the Yggdrasil system and the copy-paste skill operated on entirely different principles.

Knife.

Kim Do-Joon took out one of the many knives he always kept in his inventory.

[Ding!]

[The item effect has been successfully copied and pasted.]

[You have used a Coin to protect the Usash's Hymn, the Cursed Spear.]

[The transferred ability will be adjusted according to the recipient's classification.]

Kim Do-Joon then embedded the Indestructible item effect into the knife.

[Usash's Hymn, the Cursed Spear]

- Indestructible

- Sealed Ego

[Knife]

[Additional Effect]

- Indestructible

Upon checking both items’ information windows, Kim Do-Joon confirmed that he’d successfully copy-pasted the effect.

Good, I managed to extract the Indestructible effect.

This way, even if the experiment failed, the cursed spear wouldn’t disappear, causing Karlish to cease to exist.

And if the copy-paste skill operated only within the Yggdrasil system...

Copy-pasting the knife’s ability to himself probably wouldn’t destroy it. After all, didn’t “Indestructible” mean that an item wouldn’t be broken under any circumstances?

Kim Do-Joon gulped and gripped the knife, using his copy-paste skill on it.

[The item effect has been successfully copied and pasted.]

[The Knife has been destroyed.]

The knife disintegrated into dust, just like always. So, the Yggdrasil system and the copy-paste skill indeed operated under different rules, with the latter being superior.

Kim Do-Joon’s mouth fell open slightly in shock. Despite using it numerous times, he had never truly grasped the nature of the copy-paste skill. But now, he’d glimpsed a fraction of it.

[The transferred ability will be adjusted according to the recipient's classification.]

Kim Do-Joon succeeded in copy-pasting the Indestructible item effect.