Guardian of Steel, Han Mu-yeol
The process for advancing ranks was, in truth, nothing special.
Simply, when the stone tablet showed the next grade, one would step toward the distant Black Gate like entering another dimension, and that was how advancement worked.
That was the entire process of promotion.
In other words, as long as one grew, promotion could be achieved at any moment.
However, while climbing from F-rank to E-rank was feasible, the time required to advance from E-rank to D-rank was far longer.
Since one could not view it in real time like through the Analysis, and the stone tablet only briefly displayed the grade, there was essentially no other way to know one’s own stats than to feel them directly. Therefore, growth was far from easy.
Yet the party of Lee Do-hyun had grown at an abnormal speed. This made Han Mu-yeol ponder, for the first time, just how long it would take.
It was still within the working hours of the Association president’s office, so he checked the date.
The day when Do-hyun’s party had entered the E-rank, now five days later.
Looking at that, Han Mu-yeol thought to himself.
‘Promotion will come the next time I enter.’
F-rank was nothing; Do-hyun had already been rated above it since the training center. Half a day was nothing. But from E-rank onward, it was real.
So he roughly thought that promotion would not come on the next entry.
While he was working so comfortably, Han Mu-yeol suddenly felt something disturbing.
The phone in his pocket vibrated. He glanced at it curiously.
Whenever he worked, he always had Do Not Disturb mode on, so it should not ring for anything less than an emergency. Yet he felt the phone ringing and, upon checking, his expression crumpled as if he had seen a ghost.
If anyone had seen him now, it would have been a terrifying demon expression. But as soon as he relaxed his face and picked up the phone, a cheerful voice came through.
Hello? This is Do-hyun. I mean, President Han. I’m out now.
The president’s voice was cheerful yet oddly calm, as if he had just been informed of something astonishing.
What? Do you mean you’ve already been promoted to E-rank in five days?
This was absurd. Han Mu-yeol shook his head at the cognitive dissonance.
At first he thought it was a prank call, but the only person who could speak so cheerfully in his own voice was his wife, his daughters, and that one guy.
Han Mu-yeol covered his work.
It seemed he would not be able to work today after all.
Soon I’ll be there.
See you later~
Still unnecessarily cheerful. Han Mu-yeol rose from his seat after hearing Do-hyun’s voice.
Even within the Association, no one had yet noticed the greatness of Do-hyun’s party. But surely it was only a matter of time.
When they entered the D-rank soon, it might become impossible to stop them.
But I must stop them as much as possible.
Do-hyun still lacked the power to protect himself.
That was why Han Mu-yeol decided he must move busily to block external pressure toward Do-hyun.
At the end of his retirement, he laughed bitterly at the thought of what kind of blessing this was, then headed toward the place where Do-hyun had said he would wait with his cheerful voice.
The moment he stepped out, Do-hyun and the others who had been waiting in the waiting room after receiving Han Mu-yeol’s order to call were there. Han Rin and Ji Yu-chan also watched them with doubt.
The three of them were troubled, as they could not figure out what to say.
Saying something just felt weird.
Do-hyun-ah, was it the president?
Yes, he asked me to contact him last time.
That… then shouldn’t we speak more politely?
Hm? Really? He said to do it however I like, so is this enough?
The two of them could not find anything to argue with, so they had no choice but to nod.
Anyone who knew Han Mu-yeol would think of him more as a hero than as Association president or A-rank hunter. There were many people who respected and revered him, so he was certainly a difficult person.
Therefore, it seemed wrong to treat him so casually like Do-hyun did, but if Han Mu-yeol did not mind, it was pointless for Han Rin or Ji Yu-chan to warn them.
They just needed to speak politely.
Moreover, that was not impolite.
Do-hyun has a unique atmosphere.
Do-hyun had never really cared about such things. Even before becoming a hunter, people called him lighthearted, but that never earned him rebuke.
It was true that Do-hyun had a strange atmosphere that made people feel comfortable. It was unbearably annoying when it was annoying, and it was tempting to hit him once, yet it was also comfortable.
That was why the two of them waited without saying more until Han Mu-yeol arrived.
Do-hyun had been quietly waiting until then, and the moment Han Mu-yeol appeared he smiled as if he had been waiting.
Then.
The gap in levels was too great for Analysis to succeed in some parts.
Han Mu-yeol.
Trait: ??? ???[A] > Fully grown to the limit.
Skill.
Analysis failed.
2500 AP is required for detailed analysis.
Wow.
Even if it only dropped by 500, it still proved the gap was extreme.
But that was fine now. Points were not only plentiful but overflowing in excess.
Do-hyun thought that and opened his status window without hesitating.
And.
Han Mu-yeol.
Trait: Steel Guardian[A] > Fully grown to the limit.
Skill.
Steel Faith[A].
Guardian’s Body[A].
Sword Mastery[A].
Shield Mastery[A].
Steel Iron Hammer[A].
……(See more).
Stats.
Strength: 199.
Agility: 150.
Stamina: 199.
Mana: 90.
Note: It is very difficult to obtain complete skills of full power.
Note: Hunter at the limit of growth.
Note: Only one skill can be obtained.
Oh.
The impression of seeing Han Mu-yeol’s status window was one of awe. More than awe, it was reverence that welled up.
He pressed to see more, but every time he saw the skills his mind thought, How can someone have such a full set of stats and skills?
All the skills he had acquired had reached A-rank, and the stats showed no further growth. Do-hyun felt as if he had glimpsed fragments of Han Mu-yeol’s life.
He had poured all his strength without wasting a single thing and moved toward the best. It was clear he was such a person.
Even just glimpsing the status window left Do-hyun with a feeling that explained why Han Mu-yeol was so respected.
Even Do-hyun with Analysis had no intention of raising some skills, but Han Mu-yeol without it had filled every possible thing to the end.
How was that possible?
People say that when you see something beyond your understanding, you either fear it or respect it.
And Do-hyun felt that too.
Seeing Han Mu-yeol’s status window made him view him differently.
Therefore, Do-hyun made no complaint about the note that Han Mu-yeol could only obtain one skill from Analysis.
He had obtained only one, after all.
It was one of the skills that the man Han Mu-yeol had poured his entire being into and sacrificed everything to obtain.
Its value would never be low. First, Do-hyun raised the mastery of identical skills.
Simultaneously analyzing high-level skills, the mastery of Mana Manipulation[D], Pursuit[D], Stealth[D], Sword Mastery[D], Tracking[E], Detection[E], and Pathfinding[E] all rose by 1.
No stat increase came from skill analysis.
Mastery of Tracking[E], Detection[E], and Pathfinding[E] was now maxed out.
Mastery of Mana Manipulation[E] was now maxed out.
Rank up.
Tracking[E] > Tracking[D].
Detection[E] > Detection[D].
Pathfinding[E] > Pathfinding[D].
Due to the rank-upped skills, Agility and Mana rose permanently by +3.
No AP could be obtained because Analysis of the status window consumed AP.
Stats had risen, but Do-hyun paid no attention.
Right now, it was more important what skill he obtained from Han Mu-yeol than his own stats.
At first he had wanted the Steel Iron Hammer, the most powerful offensive skill, but he shook his head.
Right now Do-hyun had far too many offensive tools.
Magic alone made it hard to list all the offensive skills, but while trying to catch the blind man’s guide he had recalled what he was lacking.
Get the skill I lack.
With that thought, the choice was simple.
He chose the skill Do-hyun had never had before.
5000 AP consumed to acquire Guardian’s Body[A] from Han Mu-yeol.
Skill higher than current stats.
Stats rise more weakly than before.
Due to the acquired skill, Stamina rose permanently by +7.
The skill cannot be used at its original power.
A full 5000 AP had been lost.
Considering the 2500 used to check the status window, a total of 7500 AP had been spent, but none of it felt cheap.
Guardian’s Body did not make the body as hard as steel.
It strengthened self-recovery ability, but did not harden the body or remove pain. Therefore, pain still came fully during defense. That was why Steel Faith was necessary.
A faith as hard as steel that reduced pain and let one endure hardship. Only when paired with Guardian’s Body could one truly become the Steel Guardian.
Do-hyun who had only acquired Guardian’s Body became a guardian who only received pain and kept healing wounds. But Do-hyun actually liked it.
Pain? Just endure it.
Perhaps after receiving Han Mu-yeol’s will, Do-hyun’s attitude of treating him cheerfully and lightly had not changed, but reverence was now hidden inside. Han Mu-yeol also felt it and tilted his head at Do-hyun with a strange look.
Hmm?
He had noticed something different, but since Han Mu-yeol did not fully understand what had changed, he stopped himself from asking.
Anyway, that was not important now.
I congratulate you on your promotion to D-rank.
Thank you.
The only time Do-hyun reached D-rank so quickly was during the chaotic period fifteen years ago.
Hearing that, Han Rin and Ji Yu-chan felt inexplicable joy and pride rising, and Han Mu-yeol spoke with genuine intent for them, not as praise for the three of them.
So be careful. Growing intoxicated with it may bring disaster.
Hearing that, the three felt a chill at the same time.
Be careful of reality.