Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Trait Shop Level 3
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Chapter 42
"I'm definitely possessed by a demon or something."
In the clearing in front of the "Distorted Forest of the Lowest Spirits" gate.
Jeong-hyeon sprawled out unsightly as he thought to himself.
He wasn't the type to believe in superstitions, but there was no other way to explain this.
The explanation Suyeon had given him on the way back was utterly ridiculous.
"This is what they call Spirit Rage—it happens when the hunting pace is too fast. We never imagined it would apply to us, so we didn't warn you ahead of time. Sorry about that."
A pattern that triggered because they hunted too well.
What kind of nonsense was this?
He couldn't shake the suspicion that they were throwing in all sorts of bizarre phenomena now that bosses and villains weren't enough.
"A level 3 gate is like this... Going into a high-level gate would be... Ugh, scary to even imagine."
Well, he was fine.
Given his traits, he could shrug off any gate bullshit.
But what about the fellow hunters who had to hunt with him?
Take Sun-hyeong's party, for example.
They'd been enjoying normal hunts until he joined, and now they were experiencing once-in-a-lifetime events left and right.
...Their proficiency levels were rising nicely, so maybe it was a good thing.
"Still, the results aren't bad."
First off, all the spirits caught during the Spirit Rage had dropped spirit stones.
Some kind of compensation, apparently.
Plus, he'd checked and had 9 coins now.
The biggest gain, right when a Trait Shop level-up was in sight.
"Only 6 coins left to level up... I could level up and buy something."
Finishing his thoughts, Jeong-hyeon looked around.
People who could at least walk in the spirit realm were now sprawled everywhere, no different from him.
Suyeon at least wasn't lying down; she was leaning against a wall.
Her pallor suggested that if she were any closer to the others, she'd have collapsed too.
"Hoo... Everyone, good work..."
Sun-hyeong spoke in a voice like he was on his deathbed.
That seemed to be the cue—everyone groaned and struggled to their feet.
Their limbs trembled, and their bodies ached with elemental aftereffects, but they had to get home.
They'd survived, after all.
"Hunting with hyung is thrilling—makes you feel alive."
"...Yeah, good work."
'Is that thrilling? We almost died.'
Sang-su's gaze suggested he thought it was getting a bit too dangerous now.
They said too much strong stimulation made you numb to lesser thrills, and apparently that applied to life-or-death too.
Anyway, Sun-hyeong's party eventually left, leaving just Jeong-hyeon and Suyeon in the clearing.
She could've left earlier but seemed to dawdle.
"Anything you want to say...?"
Unable to take it, Jeong-hyeon asked.
Suyeon hesitated before stammering.
"I know it's rude, but... what are your traits like...?"
'Well, it must look weird.'
Jeong-hyeon nodded inwardly.
Frankly, anyone not thinking like Suyeon would be the weird one.
He understood, but answering was another matter.
"Did your section chief tell you to ask?"
"Oh, no! I was just curious. It's not quite throwing skill, but not pure agility either..."
Her small frame made her flustered look pretty cute.
Watching her stirred some mischief in Jeong-hyeon.
'What if I said I have both?'
If he joked a bit, she wouldn't believe it anyway.
She'd think he was lying absurdly because he didn't want to tell.
Or, having seen his feats, she might believe he was a re-awakener.
No need to stir up trouble, though.
"Just an agility trait."
"Then the rank at least... Not F-rank, right?"
"Uh... not F-rank."
Saying F-rank here would just make things weirder.
His abilities had long outgrown F-rank anyway.
And he'd graduated from actual F-rank ages ago.
"You worked hard too, Suyeon. I'll head out then."
With that greeting, Jeong-hyeon turned.
Suyeon felt a sudden urgency.
As HR, her instincts screamed not to let him go like this.
"Uh, want a ride?"
She'd driven here, so she blurted it out.
Jeong-hyeon, who seemed about to vanish, stopped dead.
"If you insist... sure, thanks."
'......?'
It felt a bit too eager, but she'd at least built one more layer of connection.
Good enough.
"Th-then, let's go."
***
"Ugh, I'm dying."
It felt like he said the same thing every time, but Jeong-hyeon was home.
As sub-tank, he'd taken the brunt of the spirit attacks.
Doyun's heals had fixed most wounds.
"You should've warned us the aftereffects were this bad..."
Unlike weapon or physical damage, spirit attack pain lingered.
Fire spots burned like burns.
Water felt heavy.
Lightning tingled with numbness.
Wind stung.
Suyeon said spirits handled elements differently from normal nature, but healed or not, it should've gone away.
"Heh heh heh..."
Still, a strange laugh escaped Jeong-hyeon.
Had he reached the level of enjoying pain?
No.
"Trait level's at 3 now..."
[Coins needed for next level: 4
Current coins: 9]
The glorious coin status floating before him.
"Even if reroll flops, this is worth it!"
As he said, these coins were mostly for leveling the trait—mental damage would be low.
[You purchased 「Stealth Enough to Fool Goblin Eyes」(E, Lv.1).]
First, the stealth trait he'd eyed last time but lacked one coin for.
The rest was for the final level-up reroll.
Then, an irritated voice from next door, fed up.
"Playing games again?"
He usually yelled in joy but felt bad for the neighbor, so he smiled sheepishly.
"Yeah, I'll try to be quiet..."
Whether he'd manage, who knew.
[List refreshed.]
[「Trait Shop」(EX) proficiency level rose from 2 to 3.]
Like at the Hunter Association before.
Now, Trait Shop was his first level 3 trait.
"Level up done... Let's check probabilities—gah!"
Eager, he opened the Trait Shop probabilities.
He realized the Trait Shop wouldn't betray his expectations.
[「Trait Shop」(Lv.3)
Coins needed for next level: 70
Equippable traits / Stored traits: 0 / 5
Trait probabilities: F 40%, E 30%, D 18%, C 7%, B 4%, A 0.7%, S 0.3%]
"Fi-finally..."
F-rank finally below 50%.
'Pathetic somewhat agile, goodbye!'
D-rank—now his mainstay—had surged.
Four times higher, probability-wise.
C-rank from a measly 2% to 7%.
D had popped at 4.5%, so C wasn't a pipe dream anymore.
Possibility of reaching Jin-uk's monster level or Suyeon's solid C-rank.
"Hm? What's this."
Not just level-up.
New alert.
[「Trait Shop」(EX, Lv.3) achievement reward.
Unlocked Coin Probability Calculation, Sudden Coin Quests.
Coin Probability Calculation: Coin drop rates from each monster now visible.
Sudden Coin Quests: Enter combat and meet conditions for extra coin quests.]
"Crazy! It's here!"
Reading slowly at first, Jeong-hyeon jumped off the bed.
Next door's enraged reaction was bonus—he'd been reveling in victory.
"Quiet my ass!"
"Sorry, ajusshi! Really sorry—I'll treat you to meat later!"
"Cough."
Beef or pork till the ajusshi forgave him—how could he contain this joy?
Good things grow when shared, as the sages said.
Single-life roommates—ajusshi didn't seem too mad at meat offer.
He vowed no more yells at the refreshed level 3 list.
He opened the shop.
[Shop list (refresh cost: 2)
「Faint Attribute Imbuement」(F, Lv.1), 1C
「Hundred Li Eyes」(D, Lv.1), 3C
「Hot Fire Magic」(E, Lv.1), 2C
「Eye-Catching Axe Skill」(E, Lv.1), 2C
「Decent Punch」(F, Lv.1), 1C]
Seeing the list, Jeong-hyeon's face turned ambiguous.
"Huh?"
A D-rank appeared.
「Hundred Li Eyes」.
Simply put, an upgrade to Jeong-a's "Ten Li Eyes."
Boosted vision and archery stats.
Would synergize well with his throwing skill.
Vision enhancement traits were popular anyway.
But he hesitated to buy.
'Damn, if only a few more coins!'
D-rank was good, but situation sucked.
5 coins left.
Buy Hundred Li Eyes for 3, left with 2.
Refresh fine, but that's it.
One more reroll possible, but no coins for worthwhile buys after.
'Better if throwing skill or existing trait hit D...'
He'd planned coins for level-up, but now choice loomed, he wavered.
Upgrading movement or combat sense to D was guaranteed value.
"Sigh... Logically, buy it..."
His head screamed buy Hundred Li Eyes, no hesitation.
But a nagging regret if he did held him back.
Then,
"Heh heh heh, from the vibe, today's revenge day."
Triumphant voice next door.
He got it—he'd tormented the guy—but.
'An elder going for revenge...'
Never imagined this revenge.
Curious how, though.
If real noise rage, he'd have knocked already—not chat through wall.
'Pushing refresh like last time?'
Curiosity solved soon.
And ajusshi's plan was impressively grand.
"Even if good stuff's here, better could come next."
"Mm."
"But rationally, passing a tempting option for reroll is brainless, right?"
"Huh?"
Jeong-hyeon's right eyebrow twitched.
Expected refresh push—strategy changed.
"Spending all savings on expensive? Feels wasteful."
"Ugh..."
"Buy it and regret!"
"Please, stop!"
Unable to bear, Jeong-hyeon writhed.
Worse than spirit aftereffects—the voice sowed chaos.
"Ahh! Cool reason or beastly heart—that's the question!"
"Uwaaak! Refresh!"
He shouted refresh unwittingly.
Self-chosen, yet felt forced—whichever way, regret loomed.
"Heh heh, I win today. Safe bet there."
Ajusshi's victorious voice followed.
'Lost... But isn't ajusshi too idle?'
Tears welled.
But spilt milk.
Forget Hundred Li Eyes—check new traits.