Chapter 16
Chapter 16
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Skill Enhancement (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The five weeks at the training camp passed by quickly.
Kang Hyun-soo never did anything to stand out and got through camp life without issue.
Of course, even while doing so, he used the Replica skill the instant its stacks filled up.
It was to raise the Replica skill's rank.
That wasn't all.
Kang Hyun-soo kept using any skills that seemed immediately useful, depleting all his mana.
It was to grow the Mana Heart skill.
The result?
The Mana Heart skill grew to E-Rank.
The Replica skill must have accumulated quite a bit of proficiency too.
'Time for discharge already?'
It was time to receive the reward for spending five weeks at the training camp.
"You have received boundless grace from His Majesty the King... From now on, you will live as subjects of the Terra Kingdom!"
The discharge ceremony was boring.
Was that why?
"Woooaaah!"
The moment the long, drawn-out speech ended, a massive cheer erupted.
The speech's content had been simple.
It would recognize the players as subjects of the Terra Kingdom.
In other words, pay your taxes on time and absolutely heed the call to arms in wartime.
'The kingdom isn't a pushover.'
If anything, it was more like a ruthless debt collector.
The ceremony's finale was using the Engraving skill to stamp a seal onto the back of their left hands.
The seal, which appeared when injecting mana, served as a form of ID.
With the stamping done, the discharge ceremony ended.
The result?
[An EX-Rank quest has been activated.]
[You have completed the tutorial and academy training to become an official player. Defeat the Demon King's army and protect the Atlantis Dimension.]
[Conditions - The Demon King's army must be annihilated or abandon the conquest of the Atlantis Dimension.]
[Reward - Return to Earth.]
One quest had appeared.
'I couldn't clear that quest before regressing.'
But this time around, he would complete it no matter what.
Following the quest, a new system message window popped up.
[You have acquired an outstanding achievement.]
[Title: Training Camp Graduate C-Rank has been granted.]
It was an achievement message.
You could get one achievement just by lasting five weeks at the training camp.
'It's only C-Rank, though.'
Better than nothing.
'And it's not like getting the top scores gives you a higher-rank title.'
If it did?
Kang Hyun-soo would have graduated with the highest scores in history.
Unfortunately, no such benefit existed.
It was only natural, really.
'Getting a title after the tutorial ends is like reaching for the stars.'
Handing out a C-Rank title for graduating the training camp was pretty much the last perk for beginners.
'Before regressing, even this was something to be grateful for.'
Anyone who graduated the training camp without failing got the C-Rank achievement.
The instructors had beaten the trainees during training precisely to help them earn that achievement.
"What? I didn't even know this existed!"
"Why didn't they tell us beforehand!"
A few who had failed and missed the achievement shed tears of regret.
But it was too late.
You could only enter the training camp once.
No second chances.
'Pathetic bunch.'
The instructors had endlessly stressed that graduating with passing scores or better meant no penalties.
It was their own fault for slacking off despite the warnings.
"Hyun-soo."
Song Ha-na approached Kang Hyun-soo.
Their barracks had been separate, but during breaks, Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na had met up often, spending time together and building their bond.
They had already agreed to stick together after graduating.
'In the end, I couldn't recruit anyone from the training camp.'
He had planned to poach any promising candidates who could serve as subordinates.
But those who showed early promise had all been snatched up by major guilds.
He had scanned diligently during training for any familiar faces hiding their strength.
In the end, nothing.
'Was I being too greedy?'
He had already secured a list of players worth recruiting beforehand.
He had just checked in case there were hidden gems in the dirt.
Unnecessary greed.
"What are your plans now?"
Song Ha-na looked at Kang Hyun-soo curiously and asked.
Most players who graduated the training camp joined the kingdom army or a mid-tier guild.
The players who ended up free agents?
They were mostly those whose scores were so poor no one scouted them.
It wasn't a choice—it was forced.
Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na fell into this group too.
Their scores had been below average, after all.
'No matter where you join, there's bound to be some interference.'
What if they had scored a bit higher?
Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na could have joined the kingdom army or a mid-tier guild.
But there was no need.
They wouldn't get the intensive management of a major guild rookie, but the kingdom army and mid-tier guilds offered almost no free time either.
That's why Kang Hyun-soo chose to go free.
"Let's find a place to stay first."
Song Ha-na nodded at Kang Hyun-soo's words.
Before discharge, the quality wasn't great, but they had free room and board inside the training camp.
Not anymore.
They had to earn money for food and lodging themselves.
Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na headed to a mid-tier inn.
"Two rooms, please."
At Kang Hyun-soo's words, Song Ha-na jumped in surprise.
"Isn't the lodging and food here too expensive?"
Song Ha-na asked Kang Hyun-soo cautiously.
The money Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na received upon discharge was 1 gold each.
Combined, just 2 gold.
Staying at a mid-tier inn meant about 10 silver per day for two people in lodging and meals.
Since 100 silver made 1 gold, they'd be broke after just 20 days.
"How about a low-tier inn?"
A low-tier inn's lodging and meals cost about a third of a mid-tier one.
With the same money, they could stay two months instead of twenty days.
"We learned at the training camp that low-tier inns have poor security."
Song Ha-na's expression hardened slightly at Kang Hyun-soo's words.
Low-tier inns had poor facilities, were near slums, and had bad security.
If you were unlucky, your throat could be slit while sleeping.
"We've still got some money to spare, so let's stay at a mid-tier inn for now."
"Then let's get one room."
"Pardon?"
"We should save on lodging at least."
Song Ha-na said firmly.
Kang Hyun-soo nodded readily.
'No need to worry about money.'
Kang Hyun-soo was a regressor.
He knew countless ways to make big money.
With their current skills, hunting monsters alone would earn them plenty.
'This place isn't that great either, honestly.'
He wanted a high-tier or top-tier inn.
He was just holding back due to lack of funds.
In the end, Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na took one room.
'As long as I have time, money won't be an issue.'
Once they had plenty?
They could get two rooms then.
'No need to feel awkward either.'
They had already spent over a hundred days together, pulling all-nighters and roughing it outdoors.
Sharing a room wouldn't be a problem.
"It's still early, so how about checking out a hunting ground?"
Song Ha-na nodded at Kang Hyun-soo's suggestion.
The training camp wasn't just about training combat skills.
It taught vast information on the Atlantis Dimension's culture, economy, geography, common knowledge, and more.
Naturally, that included info on beginner hunting grounds.
* * *
'It's crawling with people.'
The beginner hunting ground at the forest edge outside the outer walls was swarming with players.
'And plenty of familiar faces.'
Most of them had just graduated the training camp today.
'As expected, mostly free agents.'
Those who couldn't join the kingdom army or a guild.
All they could do was hunt monsters at beginner grounds.
"Let's go a bit deeper."
"Okay."
The forest entrance had more players than monsters—no way to hunt there.
Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na headed deeper into the forest.
The number of players dwindled as they went.
This forest was one massive hunting ground and the invasion route for monsters released by the Demon King's army.
Naturally, monster levels rose deeper in.
'On the first day, most will prefer safe hunting.'
Once time passed and confidence grew, reckless players would increase.
But not yet.
By the time Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na reached the area with 30~40-level monsters.
Kyaaang!
A leopard-like monster the size of a bull, hidden in the brush, bared its teeth and charged at Kang Hyun-soo.
Slash!
Kang Hyun-soo drew his sword and swung lightly.
The leopard monster's head flew off in an instant.
At the same time.
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
... (continued) ...
His level shot up like crazy.
'This much was expected.'
Kang Hyun-soo cautiously opened his status window.
"Kukukuk!"
Laughter burst from Kang Hyun-soo's lips upon checking it.
"Hyun-soo?"
Song Ha-na looked puzzled, but he couldn't stop laughing.
'My prediction was spot on.'
He had worried just in case.
Since levels dropped and rose again, what if undistributed stats weren't granted?
But no more need for that worry.
'10 levels up, 100 undistributed stats gained.'
The rule of 10 undistributed stats per level applied perfectly.
'Platoon Composition.'
Kang Hyun-soo used the Platoon Composition skill on the leopard monster he had just hunted.
[One stack has been consumed.]
[Stats have been permanently consumed.]
[You have formed a new platoon.]
[The existing platoon has been disbanded.]
Shaaa!
Kang Hyun-soo's mana gathered, forming a mana-composed leopard summon.
'Gotta grind this diligently.'
His current summons were based on 20~30-level monsters and players.
Their combat power was inevitably weak.
'Level up, consume stats to improve the quality of summons in the platoon composition.'
Infinite loop, and when Skill Enhancement's cooldown returned?
Use Skill Enhancement to raise Replica's rank, then drop back to level 0.
'Then level up again.'
That way, he could infinitely strengthen the skill rank and summons.
"My plan worked out perfectly. Let's keep hunting for now."
Song Ha-na nodded at Kang Hyun-soo's words.
The two hunted monsters, venturing ever deeper into the forest.
* * *
'I overdid it on the first day.'
Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na only returned to their inn—now their lodging—late at night.
'Got a good haul of items, skill books, and magic stones.'
He fed all the items to the Sword of Gluttony.
They split the higher-rank skill books between them and planned to sell the rest.
'Having tons of skills doesn't mean they're good.'
Higher-rank skills were harder to level up.
It was crucial to focus on main skills.
'I don't have the leeway right now, even if things change later.'
For now, even raising Replica's rank was tight.
'Let's use all the levels I gained today first.'
Skill Enhancement's cooldown had already returned.
He considered leveling more before using it.
'But using it the instant cooldown's up is better long-term.'
[Activating Replica Skill Enhancement - E-Rank.]
[How much experience do you wish to consume?]
'All the experience I have.'
The Skill Enhancement activated with Kang Hyun-soo's choice.
[Consuming all held experience to upgrade Replica - D-Rank.]
[Skill Enhancement has grown from E-Rank to D-Rank.]
[Unique skill Replica D-Rank has grown.]
[Your level has dropped to 0.]
'My choice was right.'
Sadly, Replica's rank didn't rise.
But Skill Enhancement reached D-Rank.
'Cooldown down to 20 days.'
Maybe because its rank was low, Skill Enhancement grew fast.
'Too bad Replica's rank didn't grow too.'
The total levels Kang Hyun-soo gained today exceeded 40.
Yet Replica's rank didn't budge.
'No greed.'
It was just one day's worth of experience.
In 20 days?
He could definitely raise Replica's rank then.
'I came out today to scout hunting grounds.'
If he went to a higher-level monster ground tomorrow?
He could level even faster for sure.