Chapter 325
Chapter 325
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 325
Chapter Title: Defense
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Back in reality, I headed straight to the kitchen and pulled out some ice-cold water from the fridge to chug it down.
My head was a mess.
'Which skill should I reinforce?!'
I gulped down the cold water and then picked up my smartphone to complete the quest.
Reinforcement effects are random.
'Even if I reinforce a skill, I won't know how it'll turn out.'
It was a bit disappointing, but no loss. Just being able to reinforce a skill was a huge gain for me.
'Now, the question is which skill to reinforce... Damn, this is harder than choosing between jjambbong and jjajangmyeon!'
I could just order both jjambbong and jjajangmyeon, but there's only one Skill Reinforcement Ticket. I had to think carefully or I'd regret it.
'First, the skills I have...'
Complete Recovery, Sensitivity Heightening, Acceleration, Hacking, Blessing of Water.
Five in total.
Wait until I get a new skill to use the 'Skill Reinforcement Ticket'? Ridiculous. Who knows when the next skill will come, and I wanted to use it right now.
'They say hoarding turns it to shit for a reason. And hesitating might make me miss out on women.'
The first skill my eyes went to was Sensitivity Heightening.
'An amazing skill. I've used it a ton... But Sensitivity Heightening is plenty strong as is. And lately, I haven't been using it much.'
As my sex experience piled up, I could get women hot and bothered without Sensitivity Heightening. In fact, nowadays I held back from using it because it made things too easy.
'Sensitivity Heightening is out! Blessing of Water, which I barely use, is out too!'
I looked at the Hacking skill.
Hacking is heavily influenced by the worldview. In modern or future SF worlds with lots of machines, it's a cheat key, but in wuxia or fantasy worlds without machines, it's a useless skill with no chance to use it.
'Right now, Hacking isn't super important to me.'
I eliminated Hacking.
'Left with Complete Recovery and Acceleration...'
Complete Recovery is my trump card. Even if my arm is severed or my guts pierced, as long as I'm alive, it perfectly heals wounds and restores condition to peak. Plus, it fully recovers mana.
Not only that, Complete Recovery removes all status ailments. If I'm sick or cursed and weakened, one use clears it all no questions asked.
'It's basically using an elixir every 12 hours. No matter how dire the situation, Complete Recovery can turn it around.'
Acceleration is the second-most used after Sensitivity Heightening. Sensitivity Heightening for sex, Acceleration for combat.
'Lately, I've been using Moment more. With Moment, I can slice through most guys in one go.'
If I compared usage frequency in combat, Acceleration edged out. Reinforcing it might make beating monsters and enemies even easier.
'...Hmmmmm...'
After much deliberation, I reached a conclusion.
'Complete Recovery! Reinforce Complete Recovery!'
I weighed the skills' importance.
Reinforcing Acceleration wouldn't make me A-rank Hunter level. Combat would be easier, but I could get strong without it.
On the other hand, Complete Recovery had been a huge help so far and would be even more vital ahead.
"Use it!"
I tapped my smartphone.
"Oh, ooh...! Hell yeah!"
I trembled with excitement as I shouted.
The top-tier skill Complete Recovery had one flaw: it required me to activate it.
In other words, if my head got pierced and I died instantly, I couldn't use it.
But the new reinforced effect, Death Resistance, gave me 15 seconds of grace even if I died.
'If I use Complete Recovery within 15 seconds... That's basically full resurrection! Haha!'
Choosing Complete Recovery over Acceleration was the right call.
'Normally, I'd test a new skill right away.'
But testing by killing myself seemed wrong no matter how I thought about it, so I skipped it.
'Feeling great. I can sleep like a baby tonight. Head straight to bed... Nah. Let's check the quest world's ending first. Kinda curious.'
In the 'Miracle on the Han' Playful World, I coupled up with the protagonist's daughter and had sex. On the very night I saved her family, no less.
'What the fuck! I couldn't even hold that girl's hand!'
Afterward, I married her. There were some legal issues from stealing the car, but they got sorted out somehow.
As I kept watching my Playful World self, I couldn't believe my eyes.
'......I didn't cheat and lived a faithful married life?!'
The protagonist's daughter was pretty, but not stunning enough to marry without a second thought.
I realized the 'Miracle on the Han' avatar was quite different from me.
'......The avatar isn't influenced much by my actions. And I only spent 2-3 hours in that world. Minimal influence.'
I had become a world-class baseball player. Using transcendent physical abilities to become the top sports star.
'With that body, making a living is no issue.'
I got bored. Ordinary marriage, ordinary sports career. Dull from my perspective.
But 10 years later.
The 'Miracle on the Han' world changed drastically.
Monsters reappeared in human society. 10 years ago it was the Han River in Seoul, but now mutant animal monsters emerged worldwide.
'World end?!'
No.
The military wasn't weak. Humanity didn't perish, but the peaceful world was gone.
'Boring.'
I fast-forwarded the ending video. The avatar lived to 95 and died.
After assassinating the old cock, I wandered the jianghu as a ronin. With superior physical abilities, mana control, and sword aura, I made a name for myself among ronin.
I even had a nickname: Thunder Sword. From the Yeongcheon Style martial art I used.
'Why this nickname! Some in Japan called me Thunder Child... Fuck!'
Thunder Sword roamed the jianghu. Outwardly upholding justice and chivalry with his sword.
'Outwardly...'
At night, Thunder Sword changed. Masked, raping beautiful women.
'Hmm. Shitty sex skills. I'd do it differently...'
Eventually, Thunder Sword settled in the Namgung family, marrying Namgung So-mi, the family head's daughter. He had ulterior motives: his Yeongcheon Style.
A sword art wielding thunder. Without it, they wouldn't accept a ronin son-in-law.
'...Wasn't Namgung So-mi the heroine? Story went off rails from the start.'
50 years passed. Peaceful 50 years.
The Demonic Cult rose, and the martial world erupted in war. The original protagonist was an elder in the Wudang Sect; I was at peak realm.
(Note: In the original, the protagonist surpasses Wudang sect leader to become Alliance Leader.)
The problem was me. After 50 years, not even transcendent, let alone super peak.
Considering my talent, no surprise, no disappointment. Peak wasn't low; most martial artists are third-rate, peak could found a small sect.
Without Playful Life stats and Yeongcheon Style, even this would be impossible.
'Screwed.'
Died fighting a Black Wind Squad member of the Demonic Cult. Not even an elder or captain—just a regular grunt.
I felt my talent keenly.
'......This might actually be useful?'
Videos of Namgung family techniques, duels between martial artists. Could study later for gains.
My party and I escaped the island on the yacht and safely returned to port. We reported to the police right away, and the horrific island incident spread across the U.S., terrifying many.
'Jessie and Rachel became my sex friends, as expected. But damn... this guy's living the life.'
He slept with every beauty at college. Used transcendent physique to become a football star, made bank, lured and banged hotties. For those who resisted, threats or drugs—no hesitation.
Sex scandals nonstop, but as a football legend, minor ones didn't matter.
Off-season: vacations.
'Trips to bang women.'
Ran into Johnson.
'...Right, it's a series. Johnson shows up fine in the sequel. That's why?'
But Johnson was no match; I killed him again. A few died in the process of banging women, but no guilt.
Kept running into Johnson like fate's prank.
'I kept winning, though.'
My end in that world sucked.
Died instantly in my 40s at a sex party, bullet through the head.
'Oof... Touching the president's daughter too soon led to this. Gotta be careful.'
Of the three, 'Monday of the 11th' had the best ending. Assassinated in 40s, but lived life to the fullest.
'I'm living forever.'
???
Dispatch day.
Han Ha-rin and I headed to the Association together.
The Association staff handed documents to the 10 Hunters, including us, gathered in the meeting room and explained our mission.
"Han Ha-rin and Sung Yu-jin will head to Uzhuk Village. Assist the Chinese Hunters guarding it in evacuating the residents of nearby Lanzhousi Village. The Chinese Hunters there will brief you, but note: using vehicles might attract monsters' attention. Monsters have keen hearing and smell. Residents' safety first, so go on foot. It'll take about a week. After evacuation, follow Association orders in Lanzhousi. Once the situation stabilizes, we'll help with your return."
Uzhuk Village.
A village of about 5,000. Satellite photos showed mostly old traditional houses.
Aiming for tourism, now isolated, awaiting Hunter rescue. Why not helicopters? China had no spare resources.
'Ugh... Already annoying...'