Chapter 26: Chronos’ Gift: A Taste of Freedom

Squelch.

“Alright. I’ll buy it.”

“Thanks for the deal~ I’d appreciate it if you could pay upfront.”

“Tch!”

He must’ve been planning to bolt the moment he got the ledger.

But cheap tricks like that didn’t work on Exitra.

Squelch…

Exitra took the money and handed over the ledger.

The deal was complete.

“Oh, and while you’re at it, could you drop by the Architect Guild and send someone over? Actually, not just you—have another merchant handle it too.”

Originally, he had planned to buy the items from Mosquito.

But there was no way he could trust the merchandise this guy brought.

Who knew what kind of defective goods might be mixed in?

It was safer to call in another merchant.

“Why should I go that far?”

Mosquito looked visibly annoyed.

He had already been milked dry.

In his position, he had zero interest in doing anything more.

“Oh, really? I haven’t been paid for keeping my mouth shut yet. I thought we could call it even if you sent someone over.”

“Wh-What do you mean, hush money?! The ledger is—”

“You may be holding the ledger, but what do you think would happen if I told the Merchant Guild about it? Even if you’re a fallen noble, it would still raise some eyebrows, right? Especially when it contains relief supplies… Well, I don’t need to spell out what happens next, do I?”

“Eek!”

— [Wow, I kinda feel bad for Mosquito now.]

— [He’s already been squeezed dry… just let him go…]

— [Who’s the real villain here, anyway?]

— [Dude… is he crying? Is he actually crying?]

He got completely outplayed.

Tried to scam, but ended up being scammed himself.

“…Fine. I’ll talk to someone I know in the Architect Guild and have them send someone over. Another merchant too…”

“Make sure they’re competent. If they’re not… you know what happens, right?”

Exitra puffed out his cheeks slightly.

“You never know when my tightly shut mouth might open.”

“…Tch. Fine. I’ll send someone skilled.”

With the power dynamic completely shifted, Mosquito had no room to argue.

And just like that, he left.

He had walked in proudly, chest puffed out.

But now he left with his shoulders slumped.

It was the classic walk of a defeated man.

Left alone in the reception room, Exitra paused the game.

“Alright~ That’s it for today!”

— [Nooo, don’t stop now!]

— [I just got here!]

— [I was just getting into it—how could you end here?!]

— [He’s ending stream?! NOOOO!]

“Guys, it’s already 1 AM. I need to sleep too.”

Exitra’s words startled the viewers.

— [Wait, it’s that late already?]

— [How is it 1 AM?!]

— [Seriously, 5,000 viewers at this hour? That’s insane.]

— [You’re gonna go big, no doubt about it…]

[Constipation has donated ₩50,000.]

— [Gah, I’m so sad the stream is ending… But thanks to you, Exitra, my constipation is finally gone! Thank you!]

“Hahaha… Th-thank you, Constipation… Anyway! It’s late, so I’m signing off for now!”

— [Bye Exitra~]

— [Good night!]

— [See you tomorrow!]

— [Thanks for the stream! I feel so refreshed!]

“See you all tomorrow~”

***

The next day, a man sat in that very same spot, deeply troubled.

“Do I really have to do this…?”

“You promised, didn’t you?”

“I mean, I did… but… sigh…”

“You really should’ve stopped when I told you. Why’d you let greed get the best of you…?”

The man sitting across from him shook his head in disbelief.

Yongseok let out a loud shout.

“Come on! Let’s be real—wasn’t it impossible from the start?! A Spirit Mage taking down a Giant Black Mountain Goat? Hunbae, didn’t you fail when you tried to catch it?”

“Yeah, to be fair, that part shocked even me.”

Hunbae shrugged.

No one could’ve predicted it.

That someone would actually defeat the Giant Black Mountain Goat.

And it had a weak point.

Now that they knew where it was, taking it down wasn’t out of the question.

‘I should try it myself when I get back.’

“But Exitra, huh… He’s blowing up lately. What are they calling him now? Brainpower Monster?”

“You didn’t watch my analysis stream?”

“I did.”

“Then you get it, right? There’s no better way to describe him.”

“Yeah… I guess you’re right.”

“Exactly. He controls six spirits effortlessly. There’s no better term than Brainpower Monster.”

“You’re not wrong. I tried it myself out of curiosity—could barely manage three and nearly passed out. Just getting them to move was tough.”

“Even three is impressive.”

“I’m good at physical control, but that kind of stuff? Not my thing.”

“That’s why you’re a physical-type monster.”

“Monster? That’s a bit harsh.”

“Should I call you a natural-born talent instead?”

“That’s too much credit.”

Hunbae smiled.

“Kim Yongseok, you’re up~ Come in!”

“Ugh!”

Yongseok clutched his head at the sound of his name.

If he had any hair, he probably would’ve yanked it out.

Too bad he didn’t.

“Go on, they’re calling you.”

“And tell us how it goes. I heard it actually feels nice—kind of curious now.”

“Goddamn… You say whatever you want since it’s not your problem.”

“It’s really not.”

“Just wait till I get back…”

Yongseok trudged inside.

It was time for Dogry the streamer’s full-body waxing session to begin.

‘These skills are really useful.’

Flashback Vision, Multitasking, Weakness Detection—

They were insanely handy.

So far, he’d only used them in Molgahub, but what if they worked in other games too?

‘I’d be starting from a completely different place than everyone else.’

‘Physical prowess?’

‘Natural talent?’

‘He didn’t need any of that.’

As long as he had skills, those things could be completely bypassed.

He was already being called a Brainpower Monster in Molgahub thanks to his skills.

Ding!

[Don’t forget how much of this is thanks to me.]

“Haha, yes, I know.”

Everything had been possible because of Chronos.

With these skills, he could crush raw talent and athleticism alike.

There was just one downside—

He couldn’t use most of them in real life.

He’d already tested it several times.

Flashback Vision worked.

But Multitasking and Weakness Detection didn’t.

‘A restriction? That must be it.’

Ding!

[Of course! If you could use those skills in reality, it’d be completely broken!]

“True.”

If he used Multitasking or Weakness Detection for anything else, Minseop could do some seriously shady stuff.

But clearly, there were restrictions in place to prevent that.

Even Flashback Vision didn’t let him cheat the lottery.

The system drew a clear line.

It was saying:

[Broadcast.]

[Play games.]

This system was designed to work only in virtual spaces.

Ding!

[That’s why I’m helping you. Don’t do anything else. Just. Stream.]

Minseop chuckled.

He still didn’t know if this thing was a god or a human.

But it felt much more human than divine.

“Not bad at all.”

“What’s not bad?”

***

His mom entered the room.

She was carrying a tray with a glass of iced Americano on it.

“Ah, nothing.”

“Tired from streaming? I added syrup and tried making iced Americano. Want some?”

“Of course!”

It was iced Americano his mom had made.

How could he ever turn that down?

‘She not only bought the machine for me… she even learned how to make it.’

Before the accident, Minseop had loved coffee.

Especially Americanos.

But after losing mobility, he couldn’t go out anymore, and drinking it became a rare luxury.

So his mom learned how to make it herself and occasionally served it to him like this.

“Thank you.”

“Oh, it’s no big dea—Ah!”

But just then, she tripped as she walked in.

“Ah!”

Minseop flinched in shock.

His body instinctively tried to move— To catch his mom before she fell.

But—

‘My legs…!’

They didn’t move.

Without help, he couldn’t even get out of bed.

It felt like the chains binding his legs in the game had crossed into reality.

‘Goddammit…!’

His mom fell to the floor, and the iced Americano spilled across the floor.

“Aigoo… What a mess… I’m so clumsy.”

“M-Mom! Are you okay?!”

“Ah, it’s fine. I just tripped by accident.”

“Are you really okay?”

“I said I’m fine. Anyway, I spilled the coffee… Hmm… I’ll make another one.”

Embarrassed by her fall, Minseop’s mother grabbed a towel nearby and quickly cleaned up the mess before rushing out of the room.

Watching her, Minseop clenched his teeth.

‘…I could have caught her.’

He had been close enough.

If he could’ve moved, he could have stopped her from falling.

But he couldn’t.

“Damn it…”

Minseop hit his leg.

He couldn’t feel a thing.

A stronger sense of helplessness than ever before gripped him.

It was as if chains were wrapped around his legs, pinning him down and refusing to let him move.

“Haah… Damn it…!”

He could only watch as his mother fell.

His heart grew heavy.

‘If only I could’ve moved my legs… then Mom wouldn’t have fallen… none of this would’ve happened…’

Minseop clenched his fist in frustration.

That’s when it happened.

Ding~

[Please don’t be too discouraged. After all, I’m right here with you.]

[I can’t do everything for you just yet. But if it’s only temporary, I suppose it’s fine.]

[Because you’re so upset about your unmoving legs, a skill has been transmitted to you.]

[Skill ‘Legs of Freedom’ has been created.]

“‘Legs of Freedom’?”

At the same time as Chronos’s comforting words, the skill was granted.

Minseop tilted his head in confusion.

“What is this?”

He checked the skill.

***

[Legs of Freedom] [Active]

[Description: Your deep desire to gain true freedom has manifested into power. For a short time, you will be able to move freely.]

[Cooldown: 24 hours]

[Duration: 1 minute]

***

“…?”

Even after reading the description, he didn’t really understand what it meant.

To find out, he had only one option: use the skill.

‘It’s from Chronos. It can’t be anything bad.’

“Legs of Freedom.”

As soon as he activated the skill, something amazing happened.

A soft light flowed down his legs, and a strange sensation ran through them.

“This is…”

He moved his toes just to test it.

‘And what do you know?’

The toes, which hadn’t budged no matter how hard he tried for years, twitched.

They wiggled.

“W-What the…?”

Minseop touched his leg.

Unlike before, he could feel it.

He could feel that the leg that had been paralyzed… was now moving perfectly.

“No way…”

Minseop shifted his body.

His legs responded, letting him turn and sit on the edge of the bed with ease.

“They’re moving… They’re actually moving…”

It had finally happened.

For the first time in 17 years—counting even before his regression—his legs were moving.

“I’m standing! I’m actually standing!!”

He stood up.

After three years of immobility, his leg muscles should have deteriorated, so standing like this should’ve been impossible.

‘But maybe it was the power of the skill?’

He felt strength surging through his legs.

He even felt like he could run.

“I’m standing! I’m actually standing! Hahaha!!”

Minseop burst out laughing.

He never imagined that he’d ever stand on two legs again—not even in his dreams.

“I’m standing on my own two feet… in the real world!”

It felt completely different from standing in virtual reality.

He could feel it—he was standing with his own strength.

“H-Hahaha…”

Just as Minseop was laughing, the skill’s effect wore off.

At the same time, the strength that had been holding him upright vanished.

The feeling faded, and the imaginary chains wrapped around his legs returned.

“Urgh!”

His now-paralyzed legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

It hurt.

But Minseop still smiled.

Only then did the meaning of the message sink in.

[You have gained the opportunity to seize true freedom. Continue striving forward.]

Now he understood what it meant.

He fully grasped the meaning of true freedom.

‘With this skill… I can move.’

One minute wasn’t true freedom.

It was just a preview.

A taste, to motivate him to keep going without distraction.

“Hahaha! This is amazing, absolutely amazing!”

His excitement wouldn’t die down easily.

After 17 years, he had stood and walked again in the real world.

It was a miracle.

Minseop clenched his fists.

He had a goal now.

He still didn’t know exactly how he would achieve true freedom—but one thing was certain.

“If I keep streaming, I’ll definitely get it.”

Ding~

[That’s exactly it.]

***

The forums of Heir of a Fallen House were always filled with new information.

Among them, one post stood out with a striking title: [Strategy Guide for the Giant Black Mountain Goat]

The Giant Black Mountain Goat had been an unstoppable, catastrophe-like presence that no one had managed to defeat.

And now, a guide had appeared.

In less than an hour, the post had over 50,000 views and more than 5,000 upvotes.

Here’s what it said:

***

[Strategy Guide for the Giant Black Mountain Goat]

[-You all know what the Giant Black Mountain Goat is, right? Some of you might not have encountered it yet, but you’ve probably seen it through YouTubers.

Let’s skip the introductions and get straight to the point.

You can’t kill the Giant Black Mountain Goat using normal methods.

But! Today! Someone figured it out.

And that someone is none other than Exitra, the Brainpower Monster.

With incredible insight, Exitra… [omitted]

Okay, that intro was a bit long.

For the strategy itself, just watch this video.]

***

A video link was attached.

The footage showed Exitra hunting the Giant Black Mountain Goat.

It wasn’t flashy or action-packed like other streamers’ fights.

But it was simple and overwhelming.

He struck the Goat’s weak point and took it down instantly.

And he did it as a Spirit Mage, a class everyone had dismissed as trash.

— [Wow, that’s insane…]

— [That was possible??]

— [How did he even catch that thing…?]

— [LOL, the achievement for killing it is actually called “How Did He Catch That?!”]

— [Wait, seriously?]

— [Yeah. I saw it live. It was epic.]

The reactions were explosive.

Until now, everyone had just given up whenever the Goat appeared.

It was the symbol of game over—no one could stop it.

But Exitra had been the first to defeat it.

— [Is this real? Not edited?]

— [Nah, it’s real. There’s a replay. Go watch it.]

— [Wow… So a Spirit Mage can fight like that?]

— [I’m switching to Spirit Mage right now lol]

— [Dude, don’t. That class is a trap.]

***

After seeing Exitra’s video, people started throwing themselves at the idea of becoming Spirit Mages.

Before, they’d all said things like:

— [This class sucks!]

— [Trash tier!]

— [Ugh, this is a cursed class!]

— [But now that someone was succeeding with it, they started thinking,]

— [Wait… maybe it’s OP?]

Unfortunately, the casualties started piling up.

— [I just switched to Spirit Mage… It’s actual trash…]

— [Just faced the Goat. Weak point strategy? That’s possible?? How are you even supposed to see that tiny red gem under its belly?]

— [I saw it, but it’s tiny… and to hit it, you have to go under the Goat.
…I tried. Got stomped to death.]

— [ㅠㅠ]

It wasn’t called a catastrophe for nothing.

To exploit the weak point, you had to crawl under the Goat’s belly.

But if it decided to plop down at that moment… splat.

You were a pancake.

You needed bold judgment and action.

If you hesitated even slightly—you were dead.

— [By the way, his little brother is adorable.]

— [I killed my brother in-game, but now I miss him… That kid was so cute.]

— [He’s such a tsundere LOL]

— [How can he treat his little brother like that…]

And now the viewers were obsessed with Exitra’s brother—Alfredo.

Every little reaction from Alfredo to Exitra’s words was ridiculously cute.

Before, everyone had hated Alfredo—calling him a tumor, an annoying brat, someone who deserved to die.

But now?

Now he was cute.

No one had imagined he’d be this much of a tsundere.

— [I’m starting over today. I killed my little brother before…]

— [I’m setting out to find my brother again! I’m sorry, bro!!!]

People were now trying to get their brothers back.

But not by rejecting or ignoring them—instead, by embracing them with love and care.

That was their new goal: to raise a cute little brother.

But they still didn’t know the truth.

“I won’t hand you over to anyone.”

“Brother…”

“If I kill you with my own hands, then you’ll forever live on… as an idol in my heart.”

They didn’t realize that having only one side to a personality isn’t everything.

Of course, that realization would come much later.