Seung's heart pounded in his chest, the rhythm quickening with each second as anxiety constricted his throat. He could feel the raw power surging around him, suffocating him, rendering him frozen as if his limbs had been shackled by fear itself. The monster before him, a hulking mass of fury and claws, was draining their mana with a relentless force.
Panic clawed at his thoughts.
'It's absorbing our mana! Am I going to die here?' The question screamed through his mind, but he found no answer, only the numbing coldness of dread.
Suddenly, the screen flickered to life with a message that brought a spark of hope. His eyes widened as he read:
[Blocking external attack...]
[Completed. You can continue the fight now.]
Seung stared at the monster, and a slow smirk crept across his face. "What an idiot," he muttered, a new confidence settling over him.
The azure light that had encased them flickered out, along with the dungeon boss's menacing reddish aura. Without its power, the monster seemed to deflate, and Seung, along with his clones, crashed to the floor with a bone-jarring thud.
"Yagrhh!" The monster roared in fury, lashing out with a massive blow that sent tremors through the ground. Seung barely had time to roll out of the way, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His clones, echoing his movements, scrambled to their feet, their faces pale but determined.
'We're on the same page,' Seung thought, a fleeting smile tugging at his lips. This was no time for second thoughts. He gripped his dagger tighter, feeling the weapon thrumming with elemental energy, a crackling promise of the power within. With a sharp intake of breath, he propelled himself toward the monster's eyes, his target clear.
The air whistled around him as he closed in on the beast's face, his dagger poised for the killing blow. The weapon gleamed with a deadly light as he brought it down with a cry,
"Go to HELL!" The blade sank into the creature's bulging eye with a sickening squelch, causing the Chimera to thrash wildly, its pained roar reverberating through the dungeon.
Despite the violent shaking, Seung clung to the creature's head, his knuckles white as he fought to maintain his balance. The beast's screech echoed off the dungeon walls, but Seung's resolve hardened. His gaze flicked to his clones, who were already on the move.
"If you guys aren't tired, let's finish this hunt already!" Seung's voice rang out, his determination cutting through the chaos.
"Yes, sir!" The first clone's voice was strained, but his resolve was unyielding. With a fierce yell, he drove his dagger into the monster's body. The sound of the blade tearing through flesh was followed by a spray of green blood, the sickly fluid splattering across the ground as the Chimera snarled in agony.
The second clone didn't hesitate, his own blade carving deep, jagged lines into the dungeon boss's hide. The monster's roars grew weaker, its body trembling as the trio reassembled in front of it, their breathing heavy but synchronized.
The Chimera, now a cornered beast, snarled in defiance. The air around them thickened once more, the pressure building as if the dungeon itself was holding its breath.
'I will finish this immediately!' Seung's resolve crystallized. His grip tightened around the hilt of his dagger as the screen blinked, displaying the activation of his skill: 'Light Speed.'
In an instant, Seung was gone, a blur of motion. The next moment, an azure light slashed through the air, slicing clean through the Chimera's neck. The severed head tumbled to the ground with a resounding thud, followed by the colossal body collapsing lifelessly behind it.
Silence descended on the chamber, broken only by Seung's labored breathing. He stood there, back turned to the monster, dagger clutched against his chest.
"I have... wheh, I have done it... right?" His voice was a whisper, disbelief and exhaustion mingling in his tone.
He turned, eyes fixed on the massive corpse. As the reality of his victory sank in, his lips curled into a wide grin.
"I knew an E-ranker is just a punching bag for me," he chuckled, though the weariness in his voice was undeniable.
"Aigoo," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "but I was pushed to my limit to defeat it. I should train and hunt more frequently from now on; besides, it may not be long before I find a C-rank dungeon."
Outside the dungeon, Mr. Choi paced nervously, his hands gripping his waist as he stared at the portal, worry etched on his face. He couldn't shake the ominous words the soldiers had shared earlier.
"Even though this is a weak dungeon, no Hunter has been able to defeat it."
"It means no adventurer has ever stepped out of the portal."
"I don't want to believe anything," Mr. Choi muttered to himself, swallowing hard as he kept his gaze fixed on the portal. His thoughts were interrupted by the presence of a soldier standing behind him.
"Excuse me, sir," the soldier began, his tone casual, "Do you mind if we go inside to clean up? It's been over an hour since..."
"Please wait a bit longer," Mr. Choi cut him off, his voice firm, his eyes never leaving the portal.
A sharp sound pierced the air—Twish! —and suddenly, there was movement.
"The Hunters are coming out!" someone shouted.
Mr. Choi's heart leaped in his chest as he spotted figures emerging from the portal. He grinned widely, relief washing over him as he recognized Seung and two other men, their faces obscured by masks.
"There's so many people here," Seung remarked, a hint of surprise in his voice as they approached Mr. Choi.
"What took you so long?" Mr. Choi asked, his voice tinged with concern. "I was worried about your safety..."
"You need not worry, Mr. Choi," Seung replied softly, "I will always be safe because my clones are with me."
With that, the four of them climbed into the red Range Rover and drove away, leaving the soldiers and the maintenance team to their work.
* * *
As the car rumbled down the road, Seung leaned forward, asking Mr. Choi to drop him off at his previous apartment instead.
"Is there something you forgot to take when leaving?" Mr. Choi asked, curiosity lacing his words.
"Nothing specific. Besides, it's already been demolished."
In no time, they arrived at his former neighborhood. Seung's eyes were drawn to the spot where his apartment once stood, now reduced to a heap of rubble. He sighed, shrugging off the weight of the past as he entered Mister Song's shop.
The old man was just about to leave when Seung greeted him. "Good afternoon, Mr. Song."
"Ah, Seung," the old man smiled warmly, "How are you doing?"
"Fine," Seung replied, his gaze sweeping across the shop. "Ahjussi, are you locking up because you're going out?"
The old man nodded, explaining that his granddaughter would take care of the shop in his absence. Seung murmured a quiet "Thank goodness," though the reason for his relief remained unspoken.
As he ventured further into the shop, Seung noticed that no one was around.
"I thought he said she was inside..." he whispered to himself, puzzled.
A soft, feminine voice broke the silence. "By any chance, are you here to ask for forgiveness?"
Seung turned, finding himself face-to-face with a slender figure—Mister Song's granddaughter. Her posture was graceful, her presence commanding, yet her voice carried a gentle warmth.
"Ahh, you... I didn't know you were inside," Seung fumbled, forcing a smile. But his eyes were drawn to hers, her gaze so expressive that it held him captive for a moment.
She said nothing, simply taking a seat nearby. Seung hesitated before joining her, maintaining a respectful distance.
"Uhm, something important came up that day I left you at the restaurant. You don't find it insulting, do you?" Seung asked, though he already knew the answer he feared.
Jiwon pressed down on the chair, her eyes drifting into the distance as if searching for something unseen. After a long pause, she spoke, "Normally, it would be. But you said you had to attend to something quickly, so we are good..."
Seung raised an eyebrow. 'Why is she speaking as though we have known each other for a long time?' he wondered.
Silence settled between them, heavy and awkward. Jiwon seemed lost in her thoughts, staring at nothing in particular, while Seung stared at his feet, cursing the silence that stretched on.
'D*mn, is no one going to sp...?'
His thoughts were cut off as Jiwon finally spoke. "That I told you it doesn't matter doesn't mean I have forgiven you. I had to pay for your noodles when you didn't even eat them."
Seung winced internally, realizing she was asking for something in return. But what did he have to offer?
"You're the top student at school..." Jiwon began, a grin tugging at her lips as she leaned slightly closer, causing Seung to shift back instinctively. "...so could you please be my personal tutor?"
"A-a personal tutor?" Seung stammered, straightening up and clearing his throat. He hesitated, "Why would you ask your mate to be your personal tutor?"
"That may be true, but you're more knowledgeable than anyone else in school," she replied softly, her voice laced with sincerity.
Seung could see she was genuinely in need, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of responsibility.
"Just be my tutor till the final exams are over. Please..." Jiwon pleaded, her hands clasped together in a gesture of earnestness.
Seung's mind wandered back to when she called him the most knowledgeable student.
'So she knows me as the top student, not the one always being bullied? What a relief!'
Eventually, he agreed to her request, promising to get back to her after he rescheduled his plans. As he left the shop, the weight of the day's events settled over him, his body aching with exhaustion.
When he finally returned home, he gave his clones their orders—one to work out, the other to clean the house. "They can't just be eating my money away," he muttered to himself.
Collapsing onto his bed, Seung was about to drift off when his phone vibrated, pulling him back to reality.
Ding...ding...ding...
He picked it up, his eyes widening at the notification.
[Account balance: seven hundred million one]
[About $623,000]
"Yahoo! Whoa!" he shouted, leaping off the bed. He threw his fists into the air, a grin spreading across his face. With that kind of money, he could finally have a proper meal, maybe even buy a few things he'd been eyeing for a while.
Seung sat back down, still smiling, when a thought crossed his mind. After killing the E-rank boss, he remembered the mana crystals scattered across the chamber. He knew he couldn't absorb them into himself, nor could his clones, so he had drained the mana to enhance his weapon instead.
'Switch to Residue section,' he commanded mentally, and the screen displayed the mana in its solid form—a pure white crystal, different from the red one he had seen before. He had no idea why the mana was different, but he felt certain it would improve his weapon.
[External mana absorbed: 5000]
"Now, let's upgrade Shadow Blade," Seung murmured, excitement bubbling in his chest. "I can't wait to see what new skills I can unlock."
Thanks for the support, guys. You guys are the best.
Our hero tonight is Training _I_am, thumbs up for he/she. This person marks the beginning of a new title.
[Training_I_Am — F-rank Hunter]
-----
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"Upgrade my blade," Seung muttered, a faint note of desperation slipping into his voice. He watched the screen intently, expecting the familiar process, but instead, something different appeared. His brow furrowed as he whispered to himself, "What? Why can this mana upgrade my stats, but the recent one couldn't?"
[Are you sure you want to use the entire mana on weapon improvement?]
Seung hesitated, staring at the screen as uncertainty washed over him. He rubbed his chin, his mind caught between two conflicting thoughts: the urge to enhance his blade and the nagging need to boost his own abilities.
[Options: Weapon Improvement/ Stats Improvement]
He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Forget it. I need to summon more clones quickly. I'll level up with that amount of mana."
Without any physical input, the screen responded to his thoughts, highlighting the stats improvement option. Seung's excitement began to build, his heart beating faster in anticipation—until his eyes landed on the screen's next message.
[1000 external mana = 1 point]
His excitement evaporated in an instant. "What the heck is this? I never knew this AI could be such a pain!" he groaned, collapsing onto his bed, pulling the blanket over his head in frustration. Yet, the thought of leveling up gnawed at him, refusing to be silenced. The temptation to give in to the meager offer grew stronger, wearing down his resolve.
Eventually, Seung kicked off the blanket and sat up. 'Invest the five points into Mana Content,' he commanded internally. The screen switched to his stats, the numbers shifting before his eyes:
[Lee Seung]
[Mana Content: 7.03**12.03]
Silence filled the room as Seung stared at the screen, his breath catching in his throat. Tears of frustration threatened to spill over. He gently touched the screen as if it could offer him answers.
"Wh-why isn't the section changing? Haven't I still been qualified to level up?"
Ding... ding!
His phone vibrated on the bed, the screen lighting up with a new message. He grabbed it, squinting at the bright display.
[Sender: Manager Choi Minho]
- I hope you've seen the money I wired to your account. The reason for messaging is that the W.H.A has made a ridiculous announcement for Hunters to do a stats test. I'll give you more information tomorrow. We'll move in the morning, ASAP.
Seung stared at the message for a moment before shutting off the phone. He let out a weary sigh and gazed out the window. The sky was already shrouded in faint darkness, the last remnants of daylight slipping away.
"I should go to bed now," he murmured, rubbing his temples. But then, as if remembering something, he got up and walked out to the sitting room.
The second clone was lounging on the couch, eyes glued to the TV screen where an anime played out. He was so engrossed, his expression mirrored that of a child lost in a fantasy world.
"The house is neat now," Seung said softly, a gentle smile tugging at his lips as he watched the clone. "Second, leave the video for now."
"Ok-okay, sir," the clone stammered, reluctantly tearing his gaze from the TV. He stood up, still sneaking glances at the screen.
Seung chuckled at the clone's reluctance. "Go join First at the gym. Don't stop working out until the next day."
"Yes, sir!" The clone darted out of the house, leaving Seung alone in the quiet room. With a tired sigh, he returned to his bedroom, wrapped himself in the blanket, and allowed sleep to take him.
---
The morning sun cast a soft glow over Starfall Estate, its rays filtering through the curtains. Outside, the world was alive with the gentle rustle of leaves and the melodic calls of birds. Seung stepped out of his apartment, locking the door behind him. He paused for a moment, basking in the warmth of the sun, a small smile forming on his lips as the light touched his skin.
Whirr!
The familiar sound of a car's engine hummed in the distance. Seung turned his head and spotted Mr. Choi's car idling by the curb. He approached, slipping into the passenger seat as the door clicked shut behind him.
"Good morning, Mr. Choi," Seung greeted, nodding politely.
Mr. Choi's expression was unusually stern. He glanced at Seung with a slight frown. "You look different today, Mr. Lee."
Seung blinked, taken aback. He didn't know how to respond to that, so he simply said, "Yes, yes, thanks. Can we move now?"
Mr. Choi's serious demeanor softened just a bit, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Sure."
As the car pulled away, Seung found himself studying Mr. Choi. Something felt off. 'What has gotten into him? He never used to be funny,' he thought, puzzled by the man's sudden change in behavior.
Minutes later, they arrived at a white-walled room. The atmosphere inside was tense, the air thick with anticipation. Seung stood beside Mr. Choi, both of them staring at the machine in front of them. The silence between them grew heavy until Seung broke it.
"I'm curious about something."
Mr. Choi glanced at him. "What's that?"
"There are Eclipse Hunters guild members doing the test, and I'm the only outsider here," Seung said, his voice low. "Why do I seem like an intruder here?"
Mr. Choi's eyes flicked around the room before he leaned closer to Seung, his voice barely a whisper. "It's like that because my guild isn't yet independent. Normally, the W.H.A President ordered that every guild should handle its Hunters personally, but since mine hasn't been fully recognized, you are undergoing the test here. Other independent guilds have taken their members to the nearest dependent one."
Seung's curiosity deepened. "Why is this necessary, though?"
Mr. Choi's gaze shifted, scanning the room for any prying eyes. He leaned in even closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"There's a rumor among the lower guildmasters that an Awakened has stolen advanced war tech that belongs to the W.H.A. This test is supposed to identify the person because they'll surely have rare and extraordinary strength."
Seung's heart skipped a beat. 'Extraordinary strength? Is that it?' he thought. But as he scanned the room, a strange feeling crept over him. He couldn't shake the sensation that everyone was watching him, and Mr. Choi's words seemed to carry an edge of jest.
His hands trembled slightly as he rubbed his eyes. 'Why am I feeling uneasy all of a sudden?'
Before he could dwell on it further, a voice called his name.
"The next person is Mister Lee Seung. Please, step up before the machine," a soft, calm feminine voice announced.
Seung turned to see the speaker, a tall, young woman with a composed demeanor, standing with the other personnel conducting the test. Her white blouse contrasted sharply with the cold air of authority she exuded.
"Is he the last on the list?" she asked a man beside her.
"Yes, Miss Eunji," the man replied, his tone respectful.
Seung's eyes met Eunji's for a brief moment, a flicker of recognition passing between them. But his thoughts were clouded by the bizarre sensations still lingering in his mind.
'Maybe I've been too worked up,' he mused.
"Come stand before this machine, Mister Lee Seung," Kim Eunji's voice broke through his thoughts, colder this time, with a trace of impatience.
Swallowing down his anxiety, Seung walked forward, ascending the small stairs to the circular platform where the massive machine loomed above him. It stood about five meters tall, a hulking presence that filled the space with an almost oppressive weight.
"The test will begin as soon as you place your hand on the screen," Eunji instructed.
Seung stared at the smooth, warm screen in front of him, hesitation gripping his mind. The stats of the Hunter who had tested before him flashed briefly on the display:
[Name: Park Yul, D-rank Hunter]
[Strength: 15.70]
[Reflex: 13.40]
[Mana Content: 17.34]
[Endurance: 16.00]
[Stamina: 18.29]
His shoulders slumped, a sigh escaping his lips. 'My stats aren't too high, are they? This person is clearly stronger than me... so, I think I'm nowhere near being abnormal. Right?'
"Could you please do as you're told?" Kim Eunji's voice cut through his thoughts, louder and sharper than before.
Seung took a deep breath and placed his hand on the screen. The surface was warm, almost comforting, as a greenish light traced the outline of his palm.
Buzz...
[Name: Lee Seung, F-rank Hunter...]
[...]
A sudden hush fell over the room, the tension thickening as murmurs spread among the personnel.
"What?! How can an F-ranker have this kind of strength! Miss Eunji...!" the older man beside Eunji whispered, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Eunji silenced him with a sharp look. She whispered back, "No worries, Mr. Chu. I think we've found the culprit."
Mr. Choi, sensing the shift in the room's atmosphere, stepped closer to Eunji, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the screen.
His face paled as the numbers sank in. "I thought he was still an F-rank Hunter," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
Seung remained motionless, his hand still pressed against the screen. He could hear the whispers, the disbelief in their voices, but he didn't dare look back. He knew the truth. He wasn't stronger than a D-rank Hunter—or at least, that's what he kept telling himself.
"Besides," he murmured under his breath, "I am not stronger than a D-rank Hunter."
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