Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Slot Expansion
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Chapter 43
In truth, the biggest obstacle to Jeong-hyeon's current growth was coin supply.
If he had enough coins, he could have scooped up all the appealing traits without a second thought.
Moreover, it took a total of 40 coins to reach Level 3.
But to go up to Level 4, it was 70 coins, wasn't it?
Considering the level-ups ahead, it felt even more distant.
"Honestly, hunting alone has been tough."
In that situation, showing coin drop probabilities by monster or giving quests for extra coins was something to welcome with open arms.
What if the monsters Jeong-hin had yielded to other party members actually had a 70% coin drop chance?
What if he'd only been picking off the ones with a mere 20% chance so far?
Of course, this was just speculation.
"But given my luck up to now, it's plausible."
He couldn't outright dismiss such suspicions.
On top of that, while he didn't know the difficulty of sudden quests yet, earning them in advance could provide a huge boost when truly needed.
But those were matters for the future.
What was truly most important to Jeong-hyeon right now was something else.
It was the single item floating in the shop list, catching his eye.
[Equippable Slot Expansion Ticket (D), 3 Coins]
And he had exactly 3 coins left.
Wasn't this practically begging him to make the perfect purchase?
"Uncle, thank you so much. This is good for you too. When I make money, you can move out sooner."
Jeong-hyeon clasped his hands and offered a solemn prayer to the neighbor next door, who looked like he was about to keel over from stomach pain.
That wrapped up the formalities.
[You have purchased the 'Equippable Slot Expansion Ticket' (D).
Equippable slots expanded from 4 → 5.]
As soon as he bought the expansion ticket, the message he needed most appeared.
Now, only one thing remained.
Equipping Stealth, which he'd stashed in storage.
'It feels like a synergy will definitely form.'
But at the last moment, Jeong-hyeon's hand hesitated.
The thought of enduring that godawful adaptation pain again made him shudder.
"Ha, if there was an Adaptation Pain Waiver, I'd buy it for 5 coins in a heartbeat."
He voiced his lingering regret, but the system wasn't likely to offer such conveniences.
Either way, there was only one choice.
From past experience, it was better to start when he was this exhausted anyway.
That way, he could pass out immediately and sleep soundly until morning.
'Thinking like this probably isn't normal either.'
[Equipping 'Stealth that Can Fool Even Goblin Eyes' (E, Lv. 1).]
In the end, he equipped it and squeezed his eyes shut.
Then he bit down on a towel rolling around nearby.
'They said even healing can't fix this once it's out.'
Even the omnipotent healing beyond modern medicine supposedly couldn't cure three ailments.
One was a lost tooth.
...I'll leave the other two to your imagination.
And as always, excruciating agony crashed over him.
In the end, Jeong-hyeon's prediction was spot on.
[Trait synergy, 'Blind the Eyes, and It's Assassination' (E), applied.
After activating 'Stealth that Can Fool Even Goblin Eyes,' the first attack has an increased chance of inflicting critical damage.
Accuracy of 'Fairly Sharp Throwing Technique' increased.]
Stealth and Throwing Technique traits had triggered a synergy effect.
And it was a fantastic one.
First, critical damage.
Even if reality had turned game-like through the system, critical hits weren't calculated with uniform probabilities.
You couldn't expect a crit from barely hitting a toe.
At minimum, you had to strike a vital spot properly, and then crit was the next issue.
For example, the Rock Spider he'd one-shot died because his dagger pierced its brain precisely.
Since critical judgments were so skill-dependent, the system adjusting those odds was a hunter's dream come true.
It could drastically shorten fights that would otherwise drag on for tens of minutes.
The accuracy boost to his throwing trait was an even better perk.
"I should head to the Association soon for a test... Ahhh."
Jeong-hyeon clutched his waist against the lingering pain.
But he couldn't hide his joy.
He could see himself growing layer by layer.
Everyone else judged hunter life by proficiency levels alone.
This applied to both low and high ranks.
Countless hunters knelt in despair when their proficiency stalled.
'I remember a documentary on a B-Rank who couldn't reach Level 4.'
He couldn't recall the name, but he'd been a promising talent back then, now running a diner.
He seemed content and bright-faced, but who knew.
He must have been devastated when growth stopped and he had to leave gates behind.
But Jeong-hyeon had more than just proficiency levels.
He had an absurd growth path: new traits and rank-ups.
Sure, it meant scraping together every coin, but that was a price he could gladly pay.
"For now, I really want to try a Level 4 gate soon."
The gap between Level 3 and Level 4 gates was huge.
Hunters rated it two to three times tougher than between 2 and 3.
But he'd hunted Level 3 gates with plenty of leeway, and now he had a second synergy, so it shouldn't be an issue.
Plus, Level 4 gates held symbolic weight.
'No F-Ranks from Level 4 onward.'
Level 4 was considered the growth limit for F-Ranks.
No F-Rank had ever registered at Level 5.
Even expanding to unregistered hunters, examples were nonexistent outside confirmed high-rankers.
Can't a Level 4 F-Rank enter a Level 4 gate?
Of course they could.
But,
'With a 30% mortality rate teetering on the edge, who'd go?'
It was far too risky.
With current knowledge of gates and monsters, the death rate might have dropped a bit.
Still, it remained life-risking dangerous.
Thus, F-Ranks reaching Level 3 often stuck to guiding in Level 3 gates to avoid proficiency gains.
Hitting Level 4 was practically retirement.
This retirement trend intensified with higher levels.
Gaps between levels widened progressively, while overcoming innate rank limits was near-impossible.
Naturally, low-rank hunters active at their level received top-tier guild treatment as a courtesy.
An unregistered like Jeong-hyeon entering a Level 4 gate publicly?
'It means I have no choice but to surface.'
No more sloppy excuses like "smoke and mirrors" would hide his true value.
But it was inevitable eventually.
Jeong-hyeon logged into Hunter Net, browsing the recruitment board, specifically Level 4 gate threads.
- [Level 4] Seeking one vanguard position.
Gonna go hard, no E-Rank or below. Details...
- [Level 4] All positions wanted.
Black Goblin hunt. Send hunter cert for contact. Trolls get insta-blocked with reports.
Mostly like that.
Jeong-hyeon sighed deeply.
"Sigh, I didn't really expect anyone to bite anyway."
Sending his unregistered hunter ID?
Instant block, obviously.
They hadn't hunted with him, so why trust him?
Sunhyeong's party might take him, but their specs weren't quite Level 4 yet.
Even E-Ranks needed serious skill beyond levels for Level 4 gates.
"Who knows! I'll sleep on it and think tomorrow!"
Pondering wouldn't summon takers, and he'd just escaped the Spirit Forest yesterday.
His body ached, so he'd rest a few days, and if still no luck, grind more Level 3 gates.
***
- Test complete.
The now-familiar voice from the hunter measurement room.
This time, Jeong-hyeon challenged D-Rank Level 4.
He wanted to test his strength for Level 4 gates if possible, and Level 3 was too easy to gauge his new Stealth-Throwing synergy properly.
And rightly so,
- Your percentile among same rank and level: Top 1%.
He'd comfortably hit top 1% in D-Rank Level 3 before.
That's why he retested at Level 4.
- Your percentile among same rank and level: Top 35%.
35% was solidly upper-tier even within the level.
Not everyone testing was pure that level.
Some downranked for stress relief.
Others tested lower for familiar difficulty when trying new leveled traits.
Thus, 35% was generously seen as top 20%.
"Now it's clear I match Level 4 gates..."
This cemented his confidence.
But the issue remained,
"I need people to take me!"
No one to party with for Level 4.
Jeong-hyeon had cautiously messaged a few times.
- Hey, I'm unregistered but confident I'll do great? Give me one shot, I'll give my all.
- Blocked by recipient.
- Hi, D-Rank Level 4 hunter. On probation, traits unregistered.
- Blocked by recipient.
But every single one blocked without hearing him out. No progress.
"They've never been unregistered themselves. Like frogs forgetting tadpole days."
He vented pointless frustration, but nothing changed.
He nearly called Assistant Manager Seo Jin-uk without realizing.
Luckily, he caught himself just before hitting call.
Asking Jin-uk—or even Suyeon from last hunt—for a Level 4 run would be easy.
It'd be awkward, but he'd earned points with them.
But requesting help first?
That was leagues beyond their prior "voluntary" support from Jeongjin Guild.
This would be like declaring he'd join Jeongjin.
'Plus, after all they've done, it'd burden them more.'
In the end, Jeong-hyeon just shuttled to the Association's testing room without progress.
As he ended the program and opened the door,
Screech—
He happened to glance at someone entering the next room.
He shouldn't have.
'What the hell! Why is he everywhere I go!'
He hurriedly tried shoving back inside and shutting the door.
Measurement rooms locked from outside if occupied.
Click—
"Oh, long time no see. Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon?"
But his nemesis—radiant A-Rank Level 5 Cha Ye-rin—slipped her foot in the gap.