Whole Plane is a world governed by power—more specifically, by "User Information." Seniority, disposition, stats, abilities… every single piece of information a person possesses is compiled and judged to determine their value.
Maybe that's why I was even more sensitive about all this. I never actually expected to receive these perks, and I couldn't create the perfect setup in such a short time. But I had something else—a decade of experience.
I wanted to live. And to live, I needed power. That desperate desire to survive soon turned into a hunger for strength. What should I increase? How could I grow stronger? I agonized, I researched. The fact that I reached Master rank with a mere 48 points in Magic wasn't just luck or chance.
I never imagined these perks would be used this way, but they were a perfect match for the knowledge I'd accumulated over the years.
The randomly selected latent abilities didn't go against my expectations. When I read the names of the two new abilities that filled the empty slots, I felt a wave of relief. All that was left now were one slot each for Unique and Special Abilities, and two for Latent Abilities.
Only after I'd carefully selected those remaining abilities did I finally let out a breath of relief.
"Hoo... I'm done choosing."
"..."
That's when I felt a subtle gaze. There were only two of us in the Room of Summoning, so I didn't even need to look to know who it was.
Our final farewell had been bittersweet, but ten years of resentment didn't just disappear. And now that I understood the system's inner workings to some degree, it wasn't easy to look at the angel before me without skepticism.
I deliberately avoided looking her way, pretending to be distracted, but there was a limit to how long I could hold out. In the end, I couldn't ignore her discomfort and decided to speak up.
"What are you looking at?"
I asked in a deliberately grumpy tone, but her gaze only deepened. Seraph met my eyes briefly, then spoke with a slightly flushed voice.
"User Kim Soo-hyun. I reviewed your stats, as well as the Unique, Special, and Latent Abilities you selected through the perks. After analyzing your setup and your specialization in swordsmanship, I reached one conclusion."
"And who told you to do that?"
"The assistant did."
Her quick comeback caught me off guard. Did an angel just make a joke? Or was she being serious? Maybe it was half and half. Either way, I found myself nodding despite myself.
"So? What did you find?"
"I sensed a deep understanding of stats and ability optimization. You come across as someone who's been in Whole Plane for a long time."
"Hah. Nonsense."
My chest tightened for a moment, but I kept a straight face. Seraph slowly shook her head.
"It's nothing."
"I admit I've got a weird personality."
"I wasn't referring to your behavior. The way you used your perks—your efficiency went far beyond what we expected. No one could make those choices without direct experience in Whole Plane."
"Hold on. No take-backs, right?"
"No take-backs. Again, don't worry about the perks. Angels are not like humans. We don't say one thing and do another. Anyway, I think I now understand what you're aiming for. That's all."
There was genuine admiration in Seraph's voice. But her words were layered with meaning. I couldn't feel too smug.
Honestly, even though I'd done my fair share of research, I was basing my current build on one of the most renowned users in Whole Plane history.
He was famous—but more than that, his name was similar to mine, which made him all the more memorable. Jin Soo-hyun, the Swordsmanship Expert. That secret class was so powerful in mage battles that wizards called him a living nightmare.
Jin Soo-hyun entered Whole Plane about a year after me. But through sheer effort, he closed that gap—and with raw talent, he surpassed me. Even now, I still feel a sharp sting of loss when I think about it.
Anyway, replicating his exact build right now was impossible. We weren't close, and he wasn't the kind of person who'd share his data. Even if I inherited a few basics, it would only account for maybe 20% of the whole picture. The remaining 80% had to be constructed through my own interpretation, my own flesh and bone—backed by a decade of hard-earned experience.
"Anyway, stop staring like that."
I openly expressed my discomfort, and Seraph fell silent.
I'm taking the Swordsmanship Expert for myself.
Feeling a slight pang of guilt, I quietly offered a little prayer for Jin Soo-hyun. He was talented enough to thrive with any class, so he'd be fine without it. With that prayer-like thought, I moved on to the next perk.
Perk 4"You may receive one physical modification procedure."
Despite the term, it wasn't anything too extreme. I'd seen cases where people replaced limbs with machinery or summoned interdimensional beings to inhabit their bodies—but those were situations where they'd lost limbs and had no other choice. With a healthy body, giving up parts wasn't an option. There were other ways to grow strong.
What I had in mind was a tattoo procedure. This was a crucial part of my overall plan. Without this, the success rate of my fifth perk wouldn't even hit 30%. That's how powerful—and dangerous—the item I was about to request was.
I'd spent enough time on the third perk, so I decided to proceed with the tattoo immediately.
"Let's see. Instead of some grand cybernetic modification, I'll go with a simple tattoo."
"That is possible. I'll pull up the list of tattoo options. Please wait."
"Oh, no need. I know what I want. 'Mark of the Ancient Priestess,' please."
"Where would you like it placed?"
I raised my right hand with a calm expression. When Seraph's eyes followed it, I pointed to the left side of my chest.
"My heart."
"Your… heart?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"..."
Seraph said nothing, but I could tell she was calculating furiously behind that calm expression, trying to figure out my motive. But I wasn't going to explain it—not yet.
Most tattoos are placed on the skin. But mine would be etched onto the heart through magical imprinting. That made her nervous.
The heart and magical circuit are the core organs for mana users. Imprinting something that could directly affect the flow of mana onto the heart… that kind of thing carries unpredictable risks.
But the Mark of the Ancient Priestess was different.
Had I chosen a more conventional tattoo—one that amplified mana or increased its volume—Seraph would have argued with me for hours. But this mark was unique.
It had two key effects:
It automatically stabilizes the body when mana surges out of control.
It optimizes the flow of mana through the circuit.
With these stabilizing effects, even Seraph was visibly torn. I stared at her lips, tense. This procedure was the final key that would determine whether my plan succeeded or failed.
Finally, her lips parted.
"Yes."
Bingo.
"Request accepted. The procedure will take approximately 5 minutes and 7 seconds. Initiating now."
"Okay."
Ancient characters glowing blue formed in the air and began circling me. As they spun, I heard a solemn chant echoing faintly, as if sung by priestesses.
Five minutes passed. The characters slowly drifted toward my chest and disappeared into my heart, one by one.
Oddly, it didn't hurt. In fact, each time a symbol entered, I felt slightly more energized. As the last character settled in, the procedure ended.
I couldn't feel any immediate difference—but that would become clear once I tested my mana flow.
'Oh?'
I had expected an overwhelming surge of mana that would be hard to control, but the flow was perfectly smooth. Like water trickling through clean pipes. The procedure was a success, and the results were beyond my expectations.
"Not bad. Seraph? How much time do I have left?"
"48 minutes and 39 seconds remain until the Rite of Passage."
48 minutes. I smacked my lips. Seraph didn't seem worried, but I was. The fifth perk was a gamble—potentially deadly. But it was necessary.
I braced myself and recalled the next perk.
Perk 5"User Kim Soo-hyun may choose one item of any kind. There is no category restriction. However, EX-grade items are excluded."
The range of options was huge—swords, armor, potions, accessories, etc. But if I picked something ordinary, it would've made the priestess tattoo pointless. This perk was meant to obtain something essential.
"Flame Spirit. The Flame Spirit of Fire. I'll use my fifth perk on that."
"Request approved…?"
Seraph's voice tilted upward slightly, and she frowned.
Did she figure it out?
She likely understood what I was trying to do. But she still produced the orb—a small crimson sphere glowing in her right hand.
"..."
"..."
Neither of us spoke. But her eyes said everything. She didn't want to hand it over.
"User Kim Soo-hyun."
"Tanay."
"…Of course. But this is different. Even under Tanay, if something could harm the user, we are allowed to offer counsel."
"Counsel, huh? Sounds like interference to me. Enough talk. Hand it over. You think I chose that priestess mark for fun?"
This was what I hated about Seraph. Even when she had to give something, we'd always argue first. And always part with bruised emotions. Remembering that, harsh words rushed to the tip of my tongue.
But then her eyes—the ones that looked at me so tenderly before we parted—flashed in my mind. I bit my tongue. I decided to hear her out. Just this once.
"I admire your creativity. That a human could think of this… it's astounding. But that's all."
"..."
"User Kim Soo-hyun. Do you know what the Flame Spirit really is?"
"…Just that it can burn anything?"
"Close. Its other name is the Eternal Flame. People say the most destructive fire is the Infernal Hellfire. But this, the pure embodiment of fire, is just as dangerous. It is fire for the sake of destruction."
"I know. That's why I want it."
"Endurance 92. Magic 90. Estimated success rate: 21%. With the Ancient Priestess's mark: 42%. That means a 58% chance of failure."
She was desperately trying to stop me. But the perk was Tanay-tier. She could advise, but not prevent it. I stretched my hand out, demanding the orb.
"If it works, that's all I need."
That sounded simple enough, but even I knew how reckless it was. Seraph looked like she was going to lose it.
"Even if you succeed, you'll face consequences. If you fail, you'll lose everything. Even if you succeed, there'll be a price."
"I was told EX-grade items are excluded. Flame Spirit isn't EX-grade, right?"
"It was originally EX-grade. It exists in Whole Plane but was nerfed to S-grade for balance. That doesn't mean it's safe—"
Enough. This would never end. Tired, I raised my hand to stop her. I wanted to hear her out—but time was running out fast. What if she dragged this all the way into the Rite of Passage?
"I don't want to fight anymore."
"With your high stats, it's still risky. Your stamina is only 78. Please be realistic."
I knew she cared. Anyone else would've been moved by her concern. But I couldn't budge. If I had to give something up, it wouldn't be this. I'd waited too long for this chance.
"Recovery time's not short. Stall any longer and I'll walk into the Rite of Passage half-dead."
"User Kim Soo-hyun."
"No more talk. I officially request the Flame Spirit."
I declared it coldly. Maybe she sensed I wouldn't budge—or maybe Tanay finally overrode her. Either way, Seraph reluctantly moved her fingers. Her expression was full of reluctance, but she handed me the Flame Spirit at last.
But not without one final warning.
"Even if you succeed, I promise—you'll regret this one day."
"…Got it."
Whoooosh.
The Flame Spirit. A pure embodiment of fire. The Eternal Flame.
No preparation needed. I'd long since made up my mind. And considering the aftermath, time was tight.
The spirit floated gently, tracing a crimson path in the air—then entered my mouth.
Gulp.
I'd done it. The Flame Spirit was now within me. A surge of relief and exhilaration washed over me as I scanned my body.
Gurgle.
I felt the orb travel down my throat like a marble.