Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Ghost Endurance Training
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Ghouls crawled out from underground one by one, forming a pack.
Ghouls were E-Rank and not particularly strong. The reason hunters avoided them was because they were filthy. With rotting flesh, they emitted a putrid stench unlike anything from everyday life, strong enough to smell from a distance.
It got worse up close, and even a minor hit could lead to poison infection. On top of that, if you struck them wrong and bits of their flesh splattered, you'd get poisoned too.
Ghouls didn't have meaningful mana stones like skeletons. They had no nutritional value and were a total pain to deal with—a bastard of a monster. Still, if they weren't stopped, a Gate Break would happen, so the Awakening Bureau had no choice but to push hunters in with promises of rewards and promotions.
Sanghun hesitated to step forward.
"This time, it's my turn to shine."
Nayoung created multiple mana balls in the air and launched them all at once. Each one accurately burst a ghoul's head. Ever since she got the A-Rank wand, her magic's power, control, and efficiency had all improved across the board. Plus, I'd been taking her along to level her up a ton, so it was like giving wings to a tiger.
We easily dealt with the ghouls, but before we could catch our breath, more monsters appeared beyond the hill.
"Over there."
I pointed past the hill.
"Ghosts? Way better than ghouls. Let's take them out quick."
Sanghun showed some enthusiasm.
"No, leave this to me. You two head right from here and loop around wide. I'll go left."
I'd trained these two myself, so I could trust them with this much.
Plus, I needed special training against ghosts to level up my Regeneration Skill. Once Regeneration reached B-Rank, I'd be able to emit life force externally for attacks and defense.
In other words, I'd be able to use aura, the bare minimum requirement for an S-Rank Hunter. That said, while S-Rank Hunters could use a ton of aura, I'd be limited to my available life force. Still, that was way better than nothing.
"Got it."
"See you later, boss."
They knew my skills, so they agreed without argument.
After watching them head off, I set down the bag with holy water.
Wooooo......
A ghost approached right in front of me, letting out its characteristic eerie wail.
I swung my fist at the oncoming ghost. Its body rippled, but as expected, there was no damage, and it passed right through me.
As the ghost phased through my body, a chill ran through me, and I felt my life force draining. My body felt a bit heavier, even if just slightly.
No matter how much I kept swinging, my fists just passed through the ghost's body.
Over a dozen ghosts took turns phasing through me, each siphoning a little life force. My life force was higher than a normal hunter's, so I didn't collapse, but if these had been higher-rank ghost-types instead of E-Rank, even I'd have taken serious damage.
Once the ghosts realized I couldn't attack them, they assaulted me more fiercely.
But when they saw I wouldn't go down no matter what, they just circled me and eventually tried to leave for elsewhere.
I couldn't just let them go. I chased after and swung at the ghost's body again. It rippled like before, but the ghost didn't like it. It phased through me again to attack.
Seeing I was still fine, they fled again. And we repeated this.
As time passed, the number of ghosts grew. It started with about ten, but now around thirty were swarming around me.
No matter how little damage they did or how full my life force was, taking hits from thirty ghosts without resupply made my body feel seriously heavy.
Breathing raggedly, I recalled the sensation of emitting life force from my past life and swung my fist. But still, no effect.
Seeing their numbers increase and me tiring, the ghost pack stopped fleeing and kept phasing through me.
The sensation of dozens of ghosts passing through wasn't pleasant in the slightest. It felt like something disgusting and cold was flowing into my body, melting away my life force.
My movements gradually grew harder.
It should have leveled up by now, but the skill wouldn't rise. Even if it did now, I wasn't sure I'd have the strength left to deal with them all.
Had I gotten too complacent lately with levels and skills rising so smoothly?
Eventually, my mind grew hazy, and I dropped to one knee.
Thinking I might actually die like this, I pulled out a small potion from my belt and downed it. As expected from a high-grade potion, a good chunk of life force filled up.
I kept chugging potions to endure the attacks. When I used the last one I had on me and had no more left, the ghosts finally gave up and started drifting away one by one.
The color had drained from my hands, turning them pale white. A bit more, and it might have been dangerous.
I flopped onto my back for a short rest, then went back to where I'd left the bag, eating potions and rations to recover my stamina.
As expected, reaching the level of ten years from my past life in just half a year with skills wasn't easy.
After a brief rest restored my body, I dusted myself off and resumed hunting.
Skeletons and ghouls were easy, but whenever ghosts appeared, I'd inevitably get attacked and drained.
Only when I was on the verge of blacking out did I recover with potions.
I figured the Regeneration Skill would evolve if I was in danger, but whether it needed more experience or didn't judge me as in enough danger, it wouldn't level.
Doubts flooded my mind that this method might not work.
I decided to give up on just tanking ghosts and switch to sprinkling holy water on myself to attack. As I resolved myself and moved toward the bag, a pack of ghosts appeared.
Even now, with life force drained, moving was tough, and if that many joined the attack, my life force could hit zero in seconds.
I gulped down a potion from my pocket and ran full speed, but I couldn't even reach half my normal speed.
The ongoing attacks slowed even that pace, and I got slower and slower.
I dropped to my knees and stretched a hand to the ground to keep from falling over.
By now, I should've heard the alert for the skill I'd been waiting for, I thought as I lost consciousness.
* * *
"Hey, Sanghun! You're awake!"
"Boss! You okay?"
"Ungh...."
My head felt heavy.
"What happened? The ghosts?"
"We saw a ton of ghosts gathered, so it seemed weird and we came to check. You were collapsed in the middle of the ghost pack."
Good thing I didn't die. A good amount of time must've passed, but they hadn't stolen the minimal life force at my body's core. Was that why the skill level didn't go up?
"You two took care of them?"
"Nuna handled most of it. I tried attacking to save you and got yelled at for being reckless. She rained down mana balls like crazy."
Sanghun whispered.
"Don't push yourself too hard."
Nayoung said, looking teary.
"Sorry. I didn't think it'd turn out like this."
I really hadn't.
"But we still have to keep going."
I needed to level the skill. Now that I knew ghosts couldn't kill me, I had to push even harder.
"No."
"Huh?"
Her firmness caught me off guard.
"Then come with us. If it looks dangerous, we'll save you."
"That won't make it level up."
"That's how I leveled up. Let's try it together."
Nayoung grabbed my hand tight and looked me in the eye.
"Okay."
Her gaze overwhelmed me, and I accepted before I knew it.
"Let's head to the next Gate."
I said as we exited.
"Rest today. We'll do it tomorrow."
"No, I'm fine now."
"No. Sanghun, mind driving?"
She smiled firmly, shoved me into the back seat, and got in the other side.
"Boss, you're totally under her thumb."
Sanghun's words rang true, so I couldn't retort.
* * *
"Oh my, you eat those spirit stones right up~"
Nayoung's mom had piled food mountain-high and watched me eat.
"I was shocked at first, like, what the heck. Skin and bones, but eats like a horse."
"This kid eats way too much even for how much he eats. It was already hard cooking alone, but thanks to you, Nayoung's mom, I'm surviving."
The moms sat me down and started chatting.
After the Im Sungjun incident, Nayoung and her mom had returned to their place, but whenever Nayoung and I headed to Gates, they'd come over like this to chat with my mom and help around the house.
"I'm so glad you two are doing well."
Nayoung said, sitting next to me.
"My mom was bored too after suddenly moving out here. When there's no Gate schedule, bring your mom and come visit often."
"We will."
Our eyes met.
"You two are just overflowing with affection. Single folks like me are dying of jealousy."
Sanghun grumbled from the side.
"Oh my, look at the time. I need to prep for the Gate."
"Alright, if we're done eating, let's gear up."
I'd stuffed myself full, so today was off to another Gate for Regeneration rank-up attempts.
I couldn't win against Nayoung's insistence, so solo looping was off the table.
We'd hunt together, and when ghosts showed, they'd let me take priority; if I was in danger, they'd help.
"It's gonna happen today for sure!"
Nayoung cheered me on.
"Boss, fighting!"
"Thanks. Sanghun, you too."
We blitzed skeletons and ghouls at light speed and searched for ghosts.
"Found 'em. Up ahead, one... about ten."
They were far and semi-transparent, hard to count.
"I'll go first, so keep your distance and only help if it's really dangerous."
I told the two and charged at the ghosts.
The ghost pack spotted me and rushed in.
My fists still did no damage to the ghosts. In turn, they all phased through me at once, draining my life force.
"I ate a ton today. Let's see who wins."
Yesterday the skill didn't level because my body and skill judged ghosts couldn't kill me. So instead of expecting a one-time danger spike, I aimed for steady exposure to make it level.
To do that, I'd stuffed myself to the limit.
The fierce battle with the ghosts dragged on, but the skill wouldn't rise, and only my life force slowly drained.
They took so much life force that I couldn't move anymore.
The moment I dropped to my knees, Nayoung and Sanghun rushed in and cleared the ghosts in seconds.
"You okay? Here, potion."
Nayoung said worriedly.
"Thanks."
I chugged the potion, and my life force recovered some.
"You think it'll really level like this? You look so exhausted."
"If not, we'll find another way. But we don't know the conditions, so we gotta try everything."
I racked my brain, wondering if I'd missed something, recalling when it leveled in my past life.