Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The First Level Up
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# Chapter 7
The battle was grueling.
Even though Snowl wasn't a particularly dangerous monster, Woojin faced death several times.
He hadn't grown properly yet, and this insane weather had stiffened his movements a great deal.
If Ailin hadn't come to his aid at the right moment, Woojin would already be a cold corpse rolling in the snowfield.
“Hah— hah—”
Each ragged breath felt like it was tearing his throat apart.
“Stabilize your breathing.”
When breathing falters, the mind grows hasty, and movements turn sloppy.
That was why Ailin kept stressing it.
Woojin agreed with her.
His current state proved it perfectly.
‘But how the hell am I supposed to do that when my body won’t listen!’
This was already the fifth one he’d hunted.
Even just exercising this much would exhaust him, but hanging his life on the line in combat made it inevitable that he’d tire even more.
And yet Ailin kept urging him to steady his breath.
Woojin clenched his teeth.
Then he desperately tried to calm his ragged breathing.
But it only lasted a moment.
“Damn it!”
He spat a curse at the Snowl charging straight at him.
“Let me catch a break, you bastards!”
Breathing be damned.
First, he had to dodge those fangs.
Slash—!
Blood sprayed.
He wished it was the Snowl’s, but unfortunately, it was his own this time.
“Aaack!”
His frozen body had slowed his reaction, leaving long claw marks gouged across his chest.
He was already covered in wounds, but this one was the worst.
Fortunately, it wasn’t fatal, so Woojin swung his sword wildly amid his scream.
Schwick—the sound rang out as the Snowl’s front paw was severed clean off mid-charge.
It was incomparably cleaner than his first swing.
“Breathing!”
She kept barking advice as he struggled, bleeding and fighting for his life.
But to Woojin’s ears, her voice didn’t register—only the pounding of his own heart.
Thump-thump-thump-thump—
Fast and heavy.
Matching its rhythm, Woojin took a step forward and thrust his sword.
The blade pierced the Snowl’s maw as easily as stabbing tofu.
Pffuk—!
The bloodied tip burst out through the back of its skull.
And then...
Fwaaaah—!
A brilliant light exploded outward.
* * *
“That’s... a level up...”
Ailin’s mouth fell open at the sight of the light—so radiant it felt almost holy.
She knew the theory and had heard plenty of tales from records and people’s accounts.
About the way summoned heroes grew.
But there was a world of difference between knowing something in your head and witnessing it firsthand.
The light was so blinding that the battle halted for a moment.
Even the soldiers—not to mention the Snowl pack—couldn’t tear their eyes away.
‘Warm.’
Ailin, right beside it, felt the cold recede.
No, it wasn’t just a sensation.
The injury she’d sustained blocking the Drakus had healed completely.
“Ah...”
She’d heard that a hero’s level up perfectly healed their own wounds.
But she hadn’t known it extended to those around them.
The light, which had healed not just Ailin but the nearby soldiers’ injuries as well, soon faded.
Revealing Woojin beneath.
Even caked in blood as he was, not a trace of his wounds remained anywhere.
He even looked healthier than when the subjugation had begun.
“Woojin?”
Ailin called his name without thinking.
Woojin, who had been standing there dazed, snapped to attention at her voice and turned his head.
His slightly flushed face was full of embarrassment.
“Are you all right?”
Ailin asked.
Woojin nodded.
“Ah, yeah.”
“How does it feel?”
The whole concept of growth through levels was utterly baffling to Ailin.
She only understood it as “level up means you get stronger,” so she was curious about the specifics.
But Woojin couldn’t give her an answer.
“I don’t really know how to describe it.”
It was a sensation that defied explanation.
A sense of fullness?
Satisfaction?
Simple words like that fell woefully short.
“The one thing I can say for sure is that I’m a little stronger than before.”
Woojin had grown stronger.
His strength felt greater, and his body lighter.
Of course, hitting level 2 hadn’t brought any dramatic leap.
Even so, he now felt confident he could hunt a single Snowl without taking a scratch.
‘Is it the same for the others? Or just me?’
He had no idea if other heroes grew this much or if it was because he was “immeasurable” grade.
With no heroes around, he couldn’t make a proper comparison.
‘Compared to Ailin...’
After mulling it over in his head for a moment, Woojin shook his head.
No matter how he thought about it, reaching Ailin’s level would take at least level 5.
“Fascinating.”
Curiosity mingled with envy in Ailin’s eyes as she watched him.
Sensing it, Woojin averted his gaze.
He could well imagine what she was feeling.
Knights devoted every moment outside of eating and sleeping to training.
That was the only way to grow even a little stronger.
Yet here he was, growing stronger just from hunting a handful of monsters...
It was only natural she’d feel jealous.
‘I’d be pissed too if I were her.’
From her perspective, it was no different from him using a cheat code.
Catching Woojin’s glance, Ailin made an “oh no” face.
She’d realized her slip-up.
“The battle’s wrapping up.”
She deftly changed the subject.
It was an awkward pivot, but Woojin pretended not to notice and played along.
“Yeah. Looks like I’m not needed anymore.”
The fight, which had paused in a lull due to the bright light, resumed.
It had been overwhelmingly in their favor from the start, but now with their stamina restored by the light, the soldiers pressed the Snowl pack even more fiercely.
“We should take a break.”
Even to Ailin’s eyes, there was no longer any opening for Woojin to jump in, so they opted for rest.
‘Something feels different...’
Ailin snuck a sidelong glance at Woojin, who was walking silently beside her.
His presence definitely felt a bit changed.
‘He doesn’t feel like a powerhouse yet.’
Level 2 at best.
A novice hero just starting his growth.
The Empire already had heroes at level 5, so Woojin was barely at the crawling stage.
And yet Ailin sensed a strange pressure from him.
‘He’s only D-grade.’
D-grade heroes had limited growth potential.
He shouldn’t have changed much at all.
But Woojin was different.
‘Are all heroes like this?’
If a D-grade grew this much, what about A-grades, S-grades, or higher?
Her mind reeled a little, so Ailin cleared her thoughts.
If she dwelled on it, jealousy would consume her.
Meanwhile, as Woojin fell back, he replayed what had just happened.
The sudden burst of light—and the text that had appeared before his eyes.
[You have leveled up.]
Just one simple sentence, but the results were anything but.
Power began overflowing through his body, and his senses sharpened like a whetstone-honed blade.
But that wasn’t the reason Woojin was most shocked.
‘Darkness...’
In stark contrast to the level-up light, Woojin had faced pitch-black darkness.
So deep and endless it was an abyss with no bottom in sight.
He should have felt fear, but instead, an infinite coziness washed over him.
‘Like being held in my mother’s arms.’
His mother had died when he was young; he barely remembered her.
It didn’t make sense even to him.
“Ailin.”
At that moment, a voice snapped Woojin out of it.
“And Woojin.”
He looked up to see Testron.
Like Ailin, Testron was gazing at him with wonder.
“What’s going on?”
Ailin asked, tilting her head.
Testron was supposed to be guarding Baron Slaine’s side—his presence here was odd.
“The Lord is calling for you.”
He addressed Ailin, but his eyes stayed fixed on Woojin.
‘This is awkward.’
Meeting Baron Slaine was never something he looked forward to.
But he couldn’t refuse, so he had no choice but to follow Testron with Ailin.
As Woojin walked, the soldiers’ piercing stares focused on him.
“He’s a real hero, alright.”
“Still just D-grade. Didn’t you see him fighting the Snowl?”
“Yeah, it was a mess.”
Most of the talk was still negative—expectations of major contributions from a D-grade were low, even after his growth.
‘I thought I fought pretty well, all things considered.’
It was his first real battle.
Sure, it had been a mess, but he’d still killed five Snowls.
That was an achievement worthy of praise.
And yet the soldiers weren’t receptive.
“Don’t let it get to you.”
Had she noticed his disappointment?
Ailin spoke up.
“Easier said than done.”
“They all have high expectations for heroes.”
A single hero’s power defied imagination.
On Earth terms, it was like comparing to a nuclear weapon.
Thanks to that, nations with powerful heroes gained even greater strength and influence.
Zion in particular needed strong, high-grade heroes due to its endless monster conflicts.
“So a D-grade showing up has them up in arms.”
Woojin said sarcastically.
“I’m sorry.”
“Ah, no, I didn’t mean you.”
Ailin’s sudden apology flustered him, and he waved his hands.
“You don’t need to apologize for that.”
It was Testron.
Having overheard their exchange, he’d stopped walking and continued while looking down at Woojin.
“It’s an undeniable fact that he’s only D-grade and won’t be much help to Zion.”
“Sir Testron!”
Ailin cried out with a frown, but he paid her no mind.
“The soldiers are disappointed in you, and they’re lashing out. It can’t be helped.”
“Up to that p—”
“So grow stronger.”
Ailin froze, about to intervene.
She’d thought it was his usual mockery of Woojin, but it didn’t feel that way.
“Whether D-grade or S-grade, just get strong enough that no one can touch you.”