Would You Like to Transfer the Skill?

[Skill Transfer?]

What?

The status window was forcing a choice on me.

Yes.

In an instant, the mystery of why my skill slot had been empty was solved.

"Graaah!"

Of course, it was ironic that I was on the verge of being torn apart by the minotaur right then.

Lots of skills, but only one S-rank. No need to think twice.

I selected Flame Fury.

Yes.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Rank adjustment? This felt like bad news... Guess the system wasn't generous enough to hand out an S-rank for free.

Ding!

A notification rang in my head.

What? EX-rank?

I widened my eyes like saucers in shock. Was there even such a rank?

From what I knew, skill ranks went from S down to F—seven in total.

EX?

"S... Skill window."

Oh...

Whatever it was, this was a total cheat skill.

This has to be an upgrade.

An S-rank hunter had died right in front of me, but thanks to that, I'd hit the jackpot.

"Oh right! The remaining time..."

The 90-second cooldown was a concern, but ironically, I had about 60 seconds left. All or nothing in one shot.

But why was this guy just staring blankly?

"Hey."

"Grrr."

The minotaur snorted instead of answering, flexing its muscles.

Intimidating as hell.

"Hey, why aren't you attacking?"

"Graaah! This lowly human dares provoke me?!"

"What? 'Me'?"

I could guess why it wasn't charging.

"These days, even cowheads get treated like superior species?"

"What?!"

The minotaur's eyes turned bloodshot red.

"You bastard! I'll rip you limb from limb!"

"Kruuung!"

Its body stayed surprisingly docile compared to its raging mouth.

"Can't attack, huh."

Even after provoking it, no movement—must need full aggro to target me.

Okay.

Target confirmed.

"If you won't attack, I'll come to you?"

"Grrr... Come, I'll show you hell."

"Think I'll be the one showing hell."

I chanted the skill name in my mind.

In that instant, continuous flame explosions erupted from my entire body.

Kwaaang! Kwaaang!

The flames pouring intensely from my hands stretched out, laying waste to a 30-meter radius.

Just 3 seconds.

Rumble rumble!

The majestic minotaur temple turned into a hellscape of inferno, everything burned to ash.

It was hell, literally.

The minotaur wasn't just unrecognizable—it was completely obliterated.

Effect's solid...

But then,

"Shiiit..."

Does the caster take damage too?

My whole body was covered in burns like seven apertures bleeding, and my arms had no sensation—they were charred black.

"Kuhuk..."

Thud!

I lost consciousness before the notifications even rang.

The notifications scrolled up, then light filled everything as space shifted.

That night, Korean news headlines were all about the 50th floor clear.

Click.

Hunter Association President Kim Cheol-su turned off the TV.

"Ridiculous... Did an awakener sneak in?"

He stared gravely at the 40-inch TV monitor in his office.

"I believe that's highly likely, sir."

His secretary, Han Ye-rin, replied.

"That difficulty wasn't something an S-rank couldn't handle. We confirmed non-awakeners in the mining and data teams before entry, right?"

"Well... Reports say everyone was checked except one. And that one emerged from the tower severely injured..."

"What? Some crazy bastard was in there."

Kim Cheol-su responded dryly, as if he'd expected it.

"Seems he had no idea his presence would ramp up the difficulty."

"You buy that? Looks like he eyed the first-clear reward, backstabbed Joo Tae-su from behind."

If a hunter faced criminal charges, it was usually team-kill. Killing your own team for solo rewards and slipping out. The problem? Proving it was nearly impossible.

"But to pull that off, you'd need at least A-rank, no, S-rank, right?"

Han Ye-rin voiced her doubt.

"Exactly... Why would an S-rank hide their identity, then reveal it on the 50th floor?"

"They say his arms were skeletal, like they'd been completely burned."

Kim Cheol-su shot up from his seat.

"Then it's certain. That's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Joo Tae-su's skill."

"Guess we need to meet him in person."

No matter how hard team-kills were to verify, fire attributes weren't common.

Joo Tae-su attacked him first.

"Right now?"

"Meet while he's not fully recovered. Curious what lunatic pulled this off."

"Yes, I'll prepare the car immediately."

Clack clack.

Han Ye-rin hurried out.

Kim Cheol-su quickly donned his suit jacket.

Attacking Joo Tae-su? That guy's a total psycho.

Meanwhile, Kang Deok-su lay in the ICU.

"Ugh..."

Luckily, Magic Tower injuries qualified for national workers' comp insurance, so treatment was immediate.

His skeletal, branch-like arms were wrapped tight in bandages.

A supposed S-rank healer woman had just treated him—otherwise, he'd have lost them forever.

Abyss of Hell my ass... Attacks its own user?

I'd heard of headaches or nausea from overuse, but disability? First time hearing that.

One more use, and I'd be the world's first to die from their own skill.

First-clear title? Don't care anymore...

The issue was my body couldn't handle EX-rank firepower.

After some thought, this skill was too risky. Seal Abyss of Hell for now!

"Skill window."

A second skill slot had opened. Slots increase every 20 levels, and from here, you can buy/sell skills with skill stones to customize.

Of course, auction house max is A-rank. S-rank and above? No sellers, few owners.

"Hmm..."

The notification hovering over Joo Tae-su's corpse still cracked me up.

If I'd known about this cheat ability from the start, no year of slaving at the company.

A little friendly explanation would've saved that misery...

Thinking it over, one question arose.

Does every skill get adjusted to EX-rank?

If so, I'd be the ultimate cheat character ever. Wait... I already am?

EX-rank... Never heard of it...

Slide.

As I patted myself on the back, the ICU sliding door opened.

A middle-aged man peeked in.

"Huh? Tree-branch-arms uncle?"

"It's Du-cheol."

It was Yong Du-cheol, the miner I'd met today.

"How's your body holding up, lad?"

The uncle had come with a basket of fruit.

"No... Look at my arms."

"Dear me..."

My extended arms looked grotesque even to me—twisted and withered.

"What the hell happened? You bolted out, then emerged soon after. They say the hunter died, and folks claim you cleared the 50th floor."

"Aw, clear? Nah, just landed the killing blow. When I got there, the hunter was already dead, and that cowhead monster was on its last legs. Stabbed it with the sword hilt I grabbed on the way out—'Kweeeek,' dropped dead."

"Right? I heard rumors you killed the hunter..."

Cough... So that's the rumor mill?

"Pfft, me kill someone? Even if you swung your pickaxe at it, it'd die."

"Makes sense... But what about those arms?"

"Oh, these? Yeah, 50th floor's no joke—body heats up just entering the boss map. Anyway, stabbing the cowhead, blood sprayed 'psshhh'—"

"Psshhh?"

"Yeah, psshhh onto my arms, I screamed 'Kyaaak!' Melted 'em right off."

"Th-that tower's a scary place, alright."

The uncle glanced at me sideways.

Buys it? Seems like it...

"Yeah... Used some energy today, feeling beat."

Time to go, uncle. Lying feels bad.

"Right! Rest up. I'll head out—owe you my life. Drinks when you're better."

Du-cheol handed me his business card.

"Thanks for your hard work too, uncle."

"Yep."

Du-cheol stepped out. As the door closed, a suited man and woman waited.

"Go on in."

They entered right after he left.

Kang Deok-su locked eyes with the middle-aged man entering with a young woman.

The man looked familiar.

Where do I know him from...?

"Hello. You're Kang Deok-su, right?"

"Yes."

Who is he...?

"I'm Hunter Association President Kim Cheol-su. There are some questions about the Magic Tower incident..."

Oh, Kim Cheol-su! Seen him on TV tons. Why's he here? Busted?

"Sorry to bother you while recovering, but just a few questions."

"Ah... Sure."

Just procedure, probably.

"Are you an awakener?"

Startled.

Haha, straight for the throat.

"Yes. I am."

Kim Cheol-su was surprised at my admission.

"As expected..."

"So, Deok-su, you knew your presence raised the 50th floor's difficulty?"

"Pardon?"

First I'd heard of it.

"Two awakeners means recalibrated difficulty. That's why S-ranks solo towers."

"Ah..."

Mystery solved. I killed Joo Tae-su—indirectly, that fucker.

Should've warned me.

I widened my eyes innocently.

"I really had no idea."

Pulling a pitiful face.

Kim Cheol-su paused.

"Yeah... Not here to interrogate. Just curious about a few things."

"Yes..."

"Why no awakener registration? You're employed—register, mine mana stones on floor 1, double your salary easy. Didn't know?"

"Well..."

No point lying anymore, so I spilled everything—except the EX-rank part.

"I see... Explains it all. So you're an S-rank hunter now?"

He didn't buy it. Stared like I was delusional, half-hearted reply.

Hard to believe myself.

"Y-yeah, something like that."

"Shocking. Transfer and use a dead hunter's skill at full rank. That right?"

"Yes, exactly."

Sounded like admitting insanity.

"One promise?"

I asked the president.

"Sure, what?"

"I need time to get used to it... Keep it secret a few months?"

Didn't want headlines and constant tower climbs, death looming.

"Of course."

"One request from me?"

"Yes."

"Come to the Association next week for registration? Secretly. Just show the skill from Joo Tae-su."

"Sure, no problem."

"Good. I'll message the location. Excuse us."

Kim Cheol-su bowed slightly and left.

Thud thud.

"What do you think?"

Han Ye-rin asked Kim Cheol-su.

"Ripley syndrome. Doesn't seem like a lie—he truly believes he stole Joo Tae-su's skill. Watch till next week; if he can't prove it at the Association, arrest him."

"Understood."

I visited the Hunter Association for my promise to Kim Cheol-su.

My arms fully healed in a week. S-rank healers rock.

Bodyguards awaited.

"This way, hunter."

These guys are huge. All hunters, probably...

Following the burly men led underground to a gym-like area.

"Go in?"

The guard politely gestured inside.

Entering, Kim Cheol-su's voice boomed from ceiling speakers.

"Deok-su, can you hear me?"

"Yes, clear."

Up front, reinforced glass—Kim Cheol-su sat behind.

"Good... As promised, use the skill you transferred from Joo Tae-su."

Wait...

"Here?"

"Yes, right now."

I panicked.

Use it here? Everything'll burn...}