Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Burning Vitality
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"Kkaebi. Incoming."
In front of Kkaebi, who nodded, a Ghost Tree revealed itself.
A monster about 3 meters tall, a red tree with screaming faces.
Two thick branches attached to its body like arms stretched straight toward Kkaebi.
The Ghost Tree's branch slammed deep into the ground.
But Kkaebi had already used Wind Step to circle behind the Ghost Tree in an instant.
Splat!
He smashed the red core with his dagger.
'Easy. Nothing to do.'
And as the Ghost Tree collapsed, just like with the Orc Shaman, it even dug up the magic stone on its own.
I'd confirmed there were no issues with Kkaebi fighting using the dagger.
"Kkaebi, let's head to the summit like this."
Now, the task at hand was finding the dungeon. I only knew the approximate location, not the exact one, so we'd climbed the mountain blindly.
One, two, five.
We advanced together, killing countless Ghost Trees.
After hunting for a while like that, we'd reached the summit before I knew it.
'Now, where's that cave?'
I looked around.
But even rubbing my eyes, I couldn't spot a hint of a cave entrance.
'Well, if it were that easy to find, it wouldn't have taken two years to discover.'
I had plenty of time anyway.
"Kkaebi. Search the area for a cave."
At my command, Kkaebi began scouring the surroundings.
About 10 minutes later?
Kkaebi approached me. I turned at his presence and asked,
"Found it?"
It was like striking gold.
"Where? Lead the way."
I followed behind Kkaebi.
"Here?"
The spot I stood was in front of a towering cliff. No cave in sight, no matter how I looked.
As if reading my thoughts, Kkaebi's message appeared.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Kkaebi says it's a place where the path of the wind leads.] A place where the path of the wind leads...?
'Maybe?'
I reached out toward the cliff's solid rock. Like magic, my hand sank right in.
"You didn't mention this important part, huh?"
Well, there was no need to explain in detail since no one else would rediscover this dungeon.
Trial dungeons were one-time only.
It was just that I'd remembered a passing comment from my old comrade days.
I stepped inside without hesitation.
Before me unfolded a brightly lit cave interior. Glowing stones were embedded at regular intervals along both walls.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [You have entered the dungeon.] Finally found the dungeon.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Summoned beast is forcibly unsummoned.] At the same time, Kkaebi vanished without a trace.
"As expected, a trial dungeon."
There are four types of dungeons.
Boss dungeons, trap dungeons, trial dungeons, and finally hidden dungeons.
Among them, this one I'd entered required clearing solely with my own power—a trial dungeon.
"Random selection from there, right?"
A short walk later, the true dungeon entrance signaling the trial's start appeared before me.
A stone wall blocking the cave.
"Really doesn't suit you."
At its center was a circular roulette wheel.
As I approached, a message appeared.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Spinning the roulette will grant a 'Passive Skill' suited to the selected stat.] Content I already knew.
I looked at the 16 sections divided into Strength, Agility, Stamina, Magic Power.
"Personally, I liked the skill that guy used."
Jeong Ji-un, who betrayed me, said Strength had been selected on the roulette.
The skill he got was Double Apex.
A skill that doubled the impact of all attacks with 10% probability.
"Alright! Let's spin it."
I grabbed the roulette handle and spun it vigorously.
Rrr rumble rumble!
The roulette arrow spun rapidly.
"Anything but Magic Power, please. Even if it's not Strength."
I had no intention of using Magic Power. The reason was the limitations of active skills that consumed it.
Like the Orc Shaman, if you ran out of Magic Power, active skills became useless.
Plus, seeing Kkaebi, I'd realized summoned beasts didn't need my Magic Power to use their own traits.
"In the war against the Demon Realm, physical abilities are relatively more helpful the stronger they are."
So, for facing the endless demonic hordes, passive skills that didn't consume Magic Power were more important.
Rrr rumble...
The roulette slowed to a stop.
Creak. Click.
It finally halted completely.
"At least it's not bad."
Not the desired Strength, but Stamina was selected.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Stamina has been selected.] [Place your hand on the Trial Gate.] I placed my palm on the stone wall as instructed.
A soft light emanated.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Level 15. Confirmed.] [F-grade Stamina Trial set.] Kindly adjusting the trial to my level.
Of course, that didn't make it easy. It was a trial that pushed you to your absolute limits.
The original owner of this dungeon had to smash solid steel with nothing but his fists.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Once the trial begins, you cannot exit until completion.] [The trial begins upon passing through the Trial Gate.] Also, failing meant dying inside forever, unable to escape.
Still, I was confident.
'That guy took a month, but I'll finish in a day.'
Unlike him, who'd evenly distributed stats on every level-up.
"After grade assessment, distribute all remaining stat points to Stamina."
I'd prepared by investing everything into the trial's required stat.
My surging Stamina made the blood in my body surge wildly for a moment.
I could vividly feel my heart pounding, bones hardening, skin toughening.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ⚡ Strength: 11 💨 Agility: 12 ✨ Magic Power: 14 💪 Stamina: 66 ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Remaining Stat Points: 0] This was my current status.
A Stamina stat six times that of an ordinary person.
Natural recovery improved, lung capacity increased. And when Stamina hits 100, right? Unless it's a vital spot, bullets won't even leave a mark. But after getting the Undying Lord trait, I hadn't felt it personally.
Before long, the Trial Gate swung wide open to both sides.
"Let's go."
I passed through without hesitation.
Immediately, a thud echoed as the Trial Gate behind me sealed shut. As if declaring I'd never see the outside world again if I failed.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Beginning.] "Huh?"
The moment it began, the floor beneath me gave way, and I plummeted rapidly.
Should I jam my sword into the wall to stop the fall?
'Not my old body anymore.'
With my current Strength, no chance. It wouldn't stick; my shoulder would shatter instead.
And would they kill me right at the start of the trial?
They must have measures so falling wouldn't kill you.
Splash!
I plunged into icy water.
Floating on the surface, I surveyed my surroundings.
A fully enclosed space on all sides.
What trial had they prepared?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Press the blue button on the wall and the red button on the floor alternately 100 times.] Press buttons?
I checked the blue button on the wall, then dunked my head underwater.
Far below on the floor, a red button gleamed.
'Depth about 40 meters.'
Definitely a trial that would've been troublesome without dumping everything into Stamina.
'Food would get soaked anyway, useless.'
I boldly ditched my bag. Holding onto it out of pity would only hinder diving.
I swam to the wall first and pressed the blue button.
Then took a deep breath.
"Hup!"
And dove for the red button.
Without Strength investment, my speed was slow, but high Stamina meant no breath issues.
'I can clear this quick.'
The water's chill barely affected me either.
Honestly, my current Stamina stat?
At least level 40 average.
So a trial made for level 15 was no challenge.
I pressed the two colored buttons alternately without rest.
'If I hadn't invested fully in Stamina, I might've frozen or starved to death.'
It really drove home the power of information.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Trial cleared.] 100 times.
Done in about 4 hours.
Whoosh!
The water drained rapidly, lowering my body to the floor.
The fully exposed floor.
"Amazing. An illusion?"
My soaked clothes were pristine as if by magic, and the bag I'd tossed lay dry on the ground.
"Wonder what skill it is."
And in the center of the floor sat a rusty iron box.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Check your reward.] "I'd do that anyway."
I opened the box.
A single sheet of brown, rolled-up parchment caught my eye. I carefully picked it up and unrolled it.
⚔ SKILL ACQUIRED ⚔ Burning Vitality (S) Burning Vitality? S-grade at that?
Unlike unique skills, acquirable skills had grades.
"Check info."
I immediately checked the skill.
[As long as your heart burns ceaselessly, you shall not tire.] Oh?
Fancy wording, but simply put: no fatigue.
'Incredibly good.'
It meant endless hunting like Kkaebi.
No hesitation, I spoke.
"Acquire skill."
The parchment crumbled to dust from the edges.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Acquired skill 'Burning Vitality (S)'.] First skill acquired. At the same time, light appeared on the floor where I stood.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Returning to entrance.] Suddenly, I was back in front of the cliff I'd first passed through.
I reached toward the cliff face.
Solid rock texture.
The dungeon had vanished without a trace. Jeong Ji-un, who'd betrayed me, would never learn Double Apex.
'East from here, right?'
I turned and gazed far into the eastern lands.
An ominous black wasteland.
The hunting ground for me until Jeong Sia's birthday.
"The plan was solid... but it took longer than expected."
Summoning Kkaebi and reaching here had taken a full day.
This place, dubbed the Land of the Dead.
A hunting ground of withered trees, swamps, and undead monsters everywhere.
"Kkaebi. Those guys die by decapitation."
The monsters at the entrance to the Land of the Dead were Ghouls.
"Grraaagh."
"Grraaagh."
Ghouls made of ragged corpses wielded potent corpse poison in their claws and teeth.
That poison rotted flesh on the slightest graze.
'Hard to find healers here.'
Without healing traits or antidotes, you'd die helplessly.
That's why it was emptier than other hunting grounds.
"This is your world, Kkaebi."
But perfect for Kkaebi.
The reason was obvious: his abilities.
As a skeleton, poison didn't affect Kkaebi, and Ghouls were incredibly slow.
Slash! Slash!
So Kkaebi's lightning-fast attacks were sharper and quicker than ever.
"Guess I'll join in."
Couldn't just watch because it was dangerous. I drew my sword, joined Kkaebi, and rapidly thinned the Ghoul numbers.
It was the obvious choice since I needed to grow stronger faster than anyone.
'Nice.'
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ [Burning Vitality (S)] Really good skill.
No fatigue from swinging my sword nonstop, so I could go all-out on each one.
In that trance of hunting.
"Oh ho? An interesting skeleton."
An uninvited guest appeared.
After severing the neck of the Ghoul in front of me, I turned toward the voice.
There stood a man with a roguish grin, leading various kinds of skeletons.