Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: A Brutally Fierce Beast Emerges
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My life had been nothing but bad luck.
No matter how hard I trained, my innate ability level refused to budge.
That was why I'd abandoned my dream of becoming a hunter.
And as if that wasn't enough, my family fell ill.
I needed to make a fortune.
Jobs paying top dollar at my age?
There weren't many options.
So I chose to become a mana stone miner.
Who could've guessed that would lead to such fortune?
The problem was this nagging anxiety that I might be the only survivor.
That's why I'd asked Yurek Han to check.
On Kim Team Leader and Senior Apprentice Brother's fates.
I'd know at our next meeting.
"One month, huh."
I'd already used the item.
Now I couldn't meet him for a whole month.
Getting out was out of the question, naturally.
The silver lining was the buffs, at least.
'Prophet's Oracle. I can use it soon.'
I planned to assign it to Lee Ha-rin and Yurek Han.
Reliable allies were always better in greater numbers.
How bitter had it been before?
The neighbor's kid became a hotshot hunter.
Someone else had the wealth to cure an incurable disease.
In a world ruled by connections, good ones were a power in themselves.
Late to the game, I was finally building mine.
'And now, I'm not without talent anymore.'
I spread my hand and peered at it.
A hand rippling with green radiation.
While other hunters wielded mana and such.
Only I handled the double-edged sword of modernity.
"A sword that turns to poison if overused."
This was the change from devouring uranium.
Maybe I could evolve it differently?
With that thought, I eyed the elixir I'd acquired.
'Skill Awakening Elixir.'
Hunters primarily wielded four powers.
The essence awakened alongside them: their innate ability.
The abilities that supported it.
And passives to bolster their bodies.
'Finally, skills.'
These were like ultimate moves.
Encompassing the prior three.
Powerful, but with restrictions.
Restrictions varied wildly.
I still didn't know mine.
"Good thing I haven't used it yet."
My hand held more than just the elixir.
A long metal cylinder.
Transparent lids on top and bottom.
Two round holes up top.
One outlet below.
A one-time-use item.
It improved two identical elixirs into something better.
A gift from helping Yurek Han.
"I'll hold onto the skill elixir for now."
I stared down the descending stairs.
Only thing left was to go down.
That was my sole task here.
"That said, the posts are taking longer than expected?"
I checked the records.
Floors -1 to -3.
No one had reached my current spot.
"Not a single one?"
Incredibly, zero.
Trapped here for days already.
Over ten, at least.
Yet total silence.
Everyone was still wandering -2.
"Where'd GG go?"
The guy hot on my heels had vanished.
Looked like he'd given up the monopoly chase.
No competitors now.
I was alone on -3 and beyond.
'He did seem strong.'
I'd felt it helping Yurek Han today.
A famed name in Turkiye.
An assassin with devastating strikes.
Even he was pushed back.
Goblin Hero unscathed.
Meaning high mana resistance.
"Real hunters must be despairing."
Of course, that didn't apply to me.
Me, Jeong Yu-seong. Zero mana.
But overflowing radiation and raw physical power.
That summed it up.
"To the Tower of Despair, I'm their natural predator."
They never saw it coming.
A mutant strong without mana.
"Question is how far this power goes."
Time to find out by descending.
Looking back at my reckless self.
It hit me then.
Why other nations lagged in.
"You don't know the conditions till you challenge. No quitting midway."
High-rank hunters were precious.
But they could die pointlessly here.
Hence the caution.
They could die from injuries too.
'Me, on the other hand?'
Injuries healed fast.
Near-death wounds recovered.
That said it all.
Couldn't leave anyway.
Only task: descend.
No hunger, no sleep.
2,000 trillion calories fueled me.
A body optimized for.
"Here it is."
Swallowing my epiphany, I arrived at -4.
Unlike -3, not a transformed space.
Pure white, like prior areas.
But something alien in the center.
"What the hell is this?"
A small pillar rising starkly.
A basin atop it.
Brimming with water.
"Whoa!"
Deep and wide basin.
The sheer volume thrilled me.
Could I wash with it?
Scrub off the grime, shampoo this itchy scalp.
The thought dominated my brain.
But reason slammed the brakes.
"No excitement till I know the trial."
I'd memorized hunter survival rules.
Once dreamed of being one, after all.
'Never let your guard down. Suspect everything.'
This basin deserved suspicion.
Approaching closer, the tower reacted.
Overcome this time.
Whatever it was.
I pinpointed the cause instantly.
Kwoooo!
A roar, and it appeared.
A storm-shaped monster.
Just one again.
It wrapped itself in a storm.
Constantly sucking in surrounding air.
Not just air.
'What are those blue particles?'
Immense suction warping the area.
Clumped blue grains drawn to it.
'Mana, maybe?'
True to its name, it devoured mana.
All ambient mana was its feast.
From storm silhouette to earthworm-like form.
The giant worm gaped its maw.
Kwaaa!
A torrent of blue beam.
A breath attack?
Better not take a direct hit.
Instinct kicked in; I kicked the ground.
100,000 calories fueled the sprint.
Body shot forward in an instant.
The breath scorched empty space.
Kwaaang!
The heavy boom vibrated my body.
It kept sucking mana.
Gliding through air, radiation couldn't touch.
"Tch!"
I leaped upward, hoping.
It dodged slyly every time.
'Completely counters my abilities?'
A real pain.
Attrition war was fine.
My body knew no limits.
Long fights were my specialty.
Records were the issue.
If foreign hunters challenged someday?
They stole records, buffs vanished.
Precious assets post-tower.
Overwhelming records were best.
For the future.
'Need to find a way.'
Just reach it.
Then radiation and brute force would end it.
The solution. Find it.
Wait, was that basin's water always glowing?
"Huh?"
Matched the surroundings.
Blue grains sucked toward it.
Blue water-filled basin.
And its name.
Puzzle solved.
"Mana essence?"
Ultra-concentrated mana solidified to liquid.
Precious near-elixir.
10ml traded for billions.
Liters sitting there.
That was the key.
'Mana Eater can't suck that up.'
A brilliant idea struck.
Dodging breaths, I bided time.
Then the perfect moment.
"Hup!"
Straight charge.
Target: basin!
I slathered the water wildly over myself.
"Ahh, so refreshing. Feels like I could live forever."
A do-or-die bath.
Who bathes in mana essence?
Me. The madman here.
"Now that's edible!"
Mana essence spread wide, diluted.
High density dispersed.
It deemed it snack-worthy?
Maw widened.
Goooo!
Body floated up.
Mana coating reacted to suction.
Pulling me along.
What a bizarre sensation.
Who dives straight into a monster's mouth?
I was doing it.
Go?
It sensed wrong, closing maw.
Too late.
Within radiation range.
I controlled radiation, condensing around.
Not on body, but a spot inside.
Target: Mana Eater!
Gaaaaak!
It screamed.
High-concentration radiation engulfed the storm.
Safe inside?
No.
Storm dispersed.
True body revealed.
Swollen, melting pathetically.
It plummeted.
Me too.
Thud!
"Argh!"
Felt like my tailbone shattered.
Healed quick.
But stinging pain drew a tear.
"The thing..."
Checked the fallen foe.
Gasping raggedly.
Not a worm now visible.
"Imugi cousin, maybe."
Too iffy for eastern dragon.
Imugi level, sure.
I personally ended its breath.
A few smashes, done.
"Phew. -4F cleared."
Notifications poured in as if waiting.
Buff this time.
I checked it first.
Long description.
Simple baton pass.
When facing an unbeatable foe.
Use this to survive.
But the designee fights it.
'Initials usable too. Intriguing.'
Tower of Despair exclusive.
Obviously.
Hence the conditions.
'How safe is the safe zone?'
As I wondered.
The tower kindly answered.
Thanks for the explanation, system.
No radiation contamination around, then.
Nodding, I made my choice.
The guild for this buff was set.
"Geon-gon Guild's Lee Ha-rin. To her."
The woman I messaged one-way.
Pre-notify, she'd use it wisely.
One thing always mattered outside the tower.
'Family's safety.'
This too, for family's safety.
Next message took shape.
Send it like this, she'd use the buff well.
I rubbed my hands.
"Alright. What's the reward this time?"
Fun reward check time.
From the half-full mana essence basin.
Pong! Reward floated up.
Got it. Second skill awakening elixir!
Advanced grade even.
Higher quality skills on consumption.
"And I can use it right away?"
Perfect timing.
Wondered how long I'd carry it.
Situation aligned perfectly.
"Make it a damn good one."
Pulled the elixir fusion device from my bag.
Loaded both elixirs.
Sealed the lid.
Powered it up.
Woooong!
Vibrating with a hum.
Heart pounding, I watched.
Two elixirs melted.
Sucked downward, merging into one.
Result formed below.
A golden-glowing orb.
Golden elixir shimmering gorgeously.
"Nice! That's what I'm talking about!"
Supreme grade.
My unlucky days paying off?
Luck exploding now.
I snatched it without hesitation.
"This should give a killer skill, right?"
Heart racing wildly with excitement.
Head dizzy from dopamine.
Finally calmed, I swallowed it.
Gulp.
That instant, insane skills appeared before me.
Wh-what is this?
"Nuclear fission? Thermal energy release?"
Ridiculous words tumbled from my mouth.