Who Are You?
Who are you? As soon as we stepped out of the dungeon, An Jeong-hwa, who had been waiting, approached us.
"You're late. Hmm, something good happen?"
"Huh? Nah, just thinking about what to eat."
"How about meat?!"
"Yeah, let's go for meat. I'll cover it today."
"For real? Wow!"
Was meat that exciting? Well, nothing beat free meat from someone else.
I hadn't made a single won from today's hunt, but a grin wouldn't leave my face.
Consumes energy to regenerate damaged body parts. Missing parts can be restored using internal energy reserves. Regeneration speed varies by damage type.
Strengthens possessed acidic substances.
Devours kin to absorb power with high efficiency. Fulfills conditions to evolve into a higher specimen of the same lineage.
'Do dungeon boss-grade monsters need to have skills?'
It was the same with Brina. It seemed only exceptionally strong individuals at boss level possessed skills or abilities.
From now on, conquering various dungeons to turn boss-grade monsters into onaholes would be my main schedule. The goal was collecting diverse skills from different bosses. Unique abilities would be even better.
'Bosses only—and my line in the sand is no asexual specimens.'
No matter how good the skills on an onahole, to use the skill replication effect of Onahole Absolute Ownership, I had to use it at least once.
Onahole Absolute Ownership
All of the onahole is yours. No one can interfere with this ownership. Replicate and possess one skill or unique ability from an onahole used at least once.
An onahole like Brina? I could use her endlessly. She welcomed it. This new slime onahole wasn't particularly sexualized either, so I was curious without repulsion.
But one with a dick? Impossible. Absolutely not. I'd barely looked at the onaholes from those thugs yesterday—using them? Urk.
Even with S-rank unique abilities, I'd pass. No way I'd touch it.
After settling everything but the Big Slime core at the dungeon management office, I gave An Jeong-hwa 300,000 won. My share? Zero. I'd used the core, so it was deducted.
"Meat~ Meat~"
Back at the same barbecue spot from yesterday, An Jeong-hwa sang her meat song while we grilled, bubbling with excitement.
'Come to think of it, I don't even know Jeong-hwa's unique ability.'
Skills? She wouldn't have any on her first dungeon run last time. But had she awakened a unique ability? If so, what was it? I was curious.
'But if I ask, she might ask mine back. Awkward.'
Telling her my Onahole Master (EX) unique authority? Embarrassing. And I wasn't sure she wouldn't blab to someone.
Honestly, just hearing "Onahole Master" might make her ditch the party.
'I'd bail too.'
I gave up asking and focused on grilling, but An Jeong-hwa brought it up first.
"We've got an official party now, but we still don't know each other's abilities?"
"Huh? Yeah, true."
"What's your unique ability, Yeoul?"
"Uh, well..."
Why's she suddenly curious?! What do I say?
"O..."
"O?"
"Ooh, this meat's top quality today! All done. Dig in."
I pivoted hard, dropping a perfect piece onto her plate. An Jeong-hwa pouted a bit.
"Fine. Don't wanna say? Don't. Not like I need to know. You're way stronger anyway. Never used your unique ability in the dungeon with me, right?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"...When I get strong enough to pull my weight solo, tell me then."
Luckily, she dropped it and ate. No more prying.
"But aren't you curious about mine?"
"Huh? Yeah, but didn't wanna ask when I haven't shared mine."
"I'm the student here, so you should know. We can train accordingly."
"True. Spill it."
"...Nothing else about me you're curious about?"
"Heard it all from drunk Jeong-hwa yesterday?"
"Ack! Don't bring that up!"
She blushed, remembering spilling her life story on her first drinks, then explained her ability.
"Mine's Human Determination Conquers Heaven. Means human effort beats the heavens—man's power can overcome fate... or so the dictionary says. Honestly, I don't know the exact effect yet."
Sounded badass, but vague. No clue how it worked. Man's power overcomes fate? Grand, but impractical.
"Hard to tell from the description. Mind sharing the rank?"
"A-rank. High, right? Never fought, so hunter life wasn't on my radar, but the official testing it raved and pushed me."
"A-rank's top 5% of awakeners. Makes sense."
Higher than expected. Genius talent plus A-rank ability. Master it, fix her stamina issue, and she'd shine in higher dungeons immediately.
'I've got an eye for people.'
Today's training would be brutal. I grabbed some meat, but An Jeong-hwa spoke with conviction.
"Knew you wouldn't be shocked."
"Huh? I was. A-rank's rare."
"That's not shocked. Guessed it—yours is A-rank or higher? S-rank??"
"...No."
"Whoa, that hesitation! It is S-rank?"
"No, really not. I'll tell you later. Eat."
"Totally S-rank..."
Her sharp instincts kept the suspicion up. I sweated coldly.
I hadn't lied. Not A or S. Not even a unique ability.
'Will I ever tell her?'
I hoped so, finishing my meat.
Beep—
User Han Yeoul, An Jeong-hwa confirmed.
Fueled by meat lunch, we arrived at the skill training center. Mana tattoos on our hands authenticated us, triggering the system message as the entrance opened.
"Not even a dungeon, but system messages here?"
"Hose made it via contract with the system. Governments worldwide are involved too."
Not just training halls—system traces everywhere. New Daehan Republic's admin ran on Tower systems. How the contracts happened? Classified. Even Hose and Abigail clammed up.
Most didn't care. The Tower helped humanity survive. Why question it?
"Master Hose... still out."
Our info should've reached him on entry, but no sign. Busy as usual.
'Other instructors then? Where?'
Hose, archmage, had little to teach my close-quarters cold weapons or her style. Expected others, but scanned around—empty.
"Huh? Said an instructor waits this hour."
"Uh, her? Another elf. Whoa, those boobs..."
"Boo—no, elf?"
Elf? Besides Hose?
Where she pointed: an elf emerging from a mock dungeon door. Chill wind blew from within. Pale silver-blue hair like dawn snowfields whipped around her—a woman elf whose chest asserted presence amid mystic aura.
Something felt familiar. Déjà vu nagged as I muttered.
"Feels like I've seen her..."
"...! You! Han Yeoul!!"
Her ears twitched, eyes locked on me, bulging in rage. She knew me.
But who? I hadn't met many elves, let alone busty ones I'd forget.
Who the hell?
"Do I know you?"
"...!!"
Shocked at my question, the silver-blue-haired elf shrieked and charged.
"Forgotten in just ten years, you ungrateful bastard?! That humiliation you gave me is still fresh!!"
"Wait, what?!"