Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Stat Fix Skill
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‘From Count Amot’s perspective, he had no choice but to lose his mind.’
Count Amot believed that the nobles involved in human trafficking had joined forces with Geo Guild to eliminate him, the thorn in their side.
‘It’s a total mess.’
A political struggle had broken out among the nobles.
The captured low-ranking Geo Guild members were tortured mercilessly to reveal the location of the guild’s leadership, who were rumored to have fled.
But Geo Guild’s leadership had already been completely wiped out by Kang Hyun-soo’s hands.
The low-ranking members had no idea where their leaders were.
‘In the end, even the nobles who had allied with Geo Guild turned their backs.’
Once they were branded as accomplices in the assassination attempt on Count Amot—an event no one had even planned—they cut off their tails.
The result?
All the captured Geo Guild members vanished as morning dew on the execution ground.
They had properly paid for their crimes.
And that wasn’t the end of it.
Based on the ledger he had obtained, Count Amot tracked down players who had been unjustly enslaved and restored their status to free citizens.
‘The roots of the human trafficking organization have been uprooted.’
By eliminating Oh Deok-gu, he had prevented humanity’s division and weakening.
Was it recognition of that achievement?
He even received a tremendous accomplishment.
[You have achieved an astonishing feat.]
[Title: Guardian of Freedom (A-Rank) has been granted.]
‘I didn’t expect this to count as an accomplishment too.’
For Kang Hyun-soo, it was just a side effect of removing a villain who would later become a scourge to humanity while acquiring the Protector of the Beginner Hunting Grounds accomplishment.
Yet it had earned him a new one.
‘The reason it’s A-Rank instead of EX-Rank is probably because I didn’t eradicate human trafficking across the entire Atlantis dimension.’
Oh Deok-gu had been the biggest player in human trafficking.
But smaller traffickers were still running rampant.
‘I’ll smash them whenever I get the chance.’
If he kept at it, he could raise the Guardian of Freedom title to EX-Rank.
* * *
Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na crossed the border and safely entered the Mulan Kingdom.
‘I was a bit worried.’
The skill of the forger whose seal had vanished like morning dew on the execution ground was truly perfect.
Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na used a teleport gate inside the Mulan Kingdom to head to the capital, Gula.
‘Now I just need to find Yukimura.’
He even knew which guild he belonged to, so he should be able to acquire the stat fix skill soon.
“This place really makes me feel like it’s a different dimension from Earth.”
Upon arriving in Gula, the capital of the Mulan Kingdom, Song Ha-na looked at the Mulan locals passing by and spoke.
“The Terra Kingdom is a human-only nation, but the Mulan Kingdom isn’t.”
The Mulan Kingdom was a country formed by beastkin uniting with a small number of humans.
With the vast majority of the population being beastkin, it was bound to seem wondrous from an Earthling’s perspective.
‘Over 90% of the people on the streets are beastkin.’
Lion beastkin, tiger beastkin, cat beastkin, cow beastkin, sheep beastkin, deer beastkin, and so on.
For Song Ha-na, who came from Earth and had lived in the Terra Kingdom until now, her eyes widened in amazement.
“Should we find a place to stay first?”
At Kang Hyun-soo’s words, Song Ha-na nodded.
‘This time, we’re going for a top-class inn.’
There was no shortage of money, so there was no need to settle for a mid-class inn anymore.
Kang Hyun-soo and Song Ha-na booked a top-class inn.
‘The facilities are nice.’
A spacious, luxurious living room and two neatly arranged bedrooms.
“There’s a shower booth and a bathtub!”
Song Ha-na entered the bathroom and shouted in startled excitement.
In mid-class inns, washing up meant fetching water or paying the staff to help.
But the top-class inn had shower booths and bathtubs like something out of the modern world.
“And a flush toilet!”
Song Ha-na gaped at the bathroom, which exuded a modern vibe.
‘Top-class inns can stand toe-to-toe with Earth hotels.’
Money really was the best.
“Hyun-soo, should we head to the shop right now?”
Song Ha-na asked, eyeing the bathroom with longing.
‘Well, we haven’t been able to wash properly while traveling.’
Seeing Song Ha-na’s grubby state, Kang Hyun-soo spoke up.
“I’ll handle the shop alone. Go ahead and wash up and rest.”
“Huh? No, I’ll come with you.”
“It’s fine. I’ll swing by the shop, check out prices and geography in the Mulan Kingdom, and take a slow look around. So rest up today.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize. I’ll be back.”
Kang Hyun-soo left Song Ha-na at the inn and headed out alone.
‘I needed an excuse to separate for a bit anyway.’
From multiplying his money to meeting Yukimura.
It was more convenient for Kang Hyun-soo, who had a lot to do alone, to naturally distance himself from Song Ha-na like this.
‘Shop first.’
Kang Hyun-soo headed to the shop.
To sell off the spoils from raiding Geo Guild.
In fact, disposing of Geo Guild’s loot was the official reason for leaving the Terra Kingdom for the Mulan Kingdom.
‘I don’t need to tell Song Ha-na about Yukimura’s skill.’
Kang Hyun-soo sold all the spoils from Geo Guild at the shop he had used before regressing.
As a result, his funds increased to 120,000 gold.
‘It’s a decent amount of money.’
But it wasn’t enough for A-Rank items—maybe five or six B-Rank items or skillbooks before it ran dry.
No need to worry, though.
‘I have plenty of ways to multiply it.’
Especially here in the Mulan Kingdom, not the Terra Kingdom.
Using one piece of information Kang Hyun-soo knew, he could turn 120,000 gold into 1.2 million gold easily.
‘The Fighting Emperor went undefeated, winning every martial tournament he entered in the Mulan Kingdom.’
From the 1-50 level tournament up to the unlimited level.
The Fighting Emperor claimed victory in every tournament he entered without a single loss.
‘It’s still a ways off before the Fighting Emperor makes his name.’
He started gaining real attention after five consecutive undefeated wins in tournaments.
‘Before that, he was dismissed as just lucky.’
0-50 level, 51-100 level, 101-200 level, 201-300 level.
Despite four undefeated tournament wins, the Fighting Emperor drew little notice.
The reason was simple.
‘He was a Rabbitkin, called the weakest among beastkin.’
Beastkin had vast differences in innate physical specs depending on their base animal.
Among carnivores, lion, tiger, wolf, or hyena beastkin had high specs; among herbivores, elephant, rhino, hippo, or buffalo beastkin topped the charts.
Rabbitkin, however?
‘Their innate specs are the absolute weakest.’
Thanks to deep-rooted beastkin prejudices...
After his fifth consecutive undefeated win, the Fighting Emperor got some attention, but only after eight did he truly capture the public eye.
‘I wonder how many consecutive wins he’s at now?’
Kang Hyun-soo headed to the martial arena.
To check the tournament schedule.
‘Betting on the Fighting Emperor is a sure win.’
Before he gained widespread fame, the odds would be high.
‘At least several times payout.’
If the odds were really bad?
He could get dozens or hundreds times return.
‘Let’s see.’
Kang Hyun-soo arrived at the arena and checked the participant lists.
0-50 level, 51-100 level, 101-200 level.
‘Not here?’
Each level bracket allowed only one entry per tournament.
So the Fighting Emperor might not be in this round’s tournaments.
‘Please be here.’
No real need to panic.
By checking schedules consistently, a chance to bet on the Fighting Emperor’s tournaments would come.
But sooner was better.
Kang Hyun-soo meticulously checked the 201-300 level participant list.
‘There.’
The Fighting Emperor’s name was listed.
‘201-300 level tournament. That’s his fourth entry.’
Few were paying attention to him yet.
‘The odds.’
A whopping 22x.
‘Too bad the bet limits are low.’
With the 201-300 level tournament, overall betting volume was small.
Raising the bet amount lowered the odds further.
‘No helping it.’
Still, investing his entire 120,000 gold fortune?
‘It should multiply to about nine times.’
Kang Hyun-soo’s face lit up.
‘I planned to stick around the Mulan Kingdom for a while anyway.’
Betting every time the Fighting Emperor entered a tournament?
He could keep multiplying his money.
Kang Hyun-soo went to the arena’s betting office and wagered all 120,000 gold on the Fighting Emperor’s victory.
‘If there were bets on winning every match from prelims to finals, I could’ve made even more.’
With just winner and runner-up bets, no prelim or round winners, the odds weren’t sky-high.
‘Still, this is the best for now.’
In the Terra Kingdom?
The returns would’ve been lower.
There were ways to multiply money there too.
‘But tournament betting yields more.’
After betting, Kang Hyun-soo headed to the eastern district where guild houses clustered.
‘Will Yukimura be at the guild house?’
If he was there now?
‘I can grab the stat fix skill without wasting time.’
If not for some reason?
‘I’ll have to pound the pavement a few more days.’
Kang Hyun-soo arrived at the Musashi Guild house, where Yukimura belonged.
‘Time to wait.’
He settled at a nearby teahouse, patiently waiting for Yukimura.
Asking around might find him faster.
‘But that could raise unnecessary suspicion.’
Kang Hyun-soo was a Korean player.
In the Mulan Kingdom, dominated by Japanese players, anything he did would stand out.
Kang Hyun-soo waited silently.
But.
‘Not coming today?’
The day was fading, and Yukimura showed no sign.
Then.
Creak.
The Musashi Guild house door opened, and a group of players poured out.
‘Found him.’
Yukimura finally appeared.
‘First time seeing him in person.’
Even so, recognition was easy.
He had seen his face countless times before regressing, as such a famous figure.
‘He’s been inside the guild house this whole time.’
The wait paid off.
Kang Hyun-soo cast Replica on Yukimura.
[Using unique skill Replica.]
[One stack consumed.]
[Creating replica of Iron Body – SS-Rank.]
[Replica skill Iron Body – F-Rank created.]
[Replica skill holds 70% of original’s power.]
……(continued)……
‘Not coming easy.’
Yukimura had more miscellaneous skills than expected.
‘Take it slow.’
He had stacks to spare.
But Yukimura and his group were gradually moving out of Kang Hyun-soo’s sight.
‘Follow? Or wait for next chance?’
Kang Hyun-soo pondered while continuing to cast Replica.
Then.
[Using unique skill Replica.]
[One stack consumed.]
[Creating replica of Stat Fix – SSS-Rank.]
[Replica skill Stat Fix – F-Rank created.]
[Replica skill holds 70% of original’s power.]
‘Success.’
He barely snagged Yukimura’s Stat Fix skill.
‘Let’s test it.’
Stat Fix had a 24-hour cooldown.
For Kang Hyun-soo, who paired it with the long-cooldown Skill Enhancement?
The cooldown was practically nonexistent.
‘Skill Enhancement is available too.’
He had deliberately saved Skill Enhancement despite its cooldown being up.
Kang Hyun-soo immediately used the Stat Fix skill.
Then activated Skill Enhancement.
[Consuming all current experience to raise Replica – C-Rank rank.]
[Unique skill Replica C-Rank has grown.]
[Level dropped to 0.]
‘How much stats left, I wonder?’
Kang Hyun-soo checked his status window curiously.
Stats: [Strength 802] [Agility 807] [Vitality 803] [Mana 825] [Mental 801]
Unallocated Stats: [0]
‘Ho.’
Almost no stats left.
Roughly 1% of what was consumed?
But.
This was enough.
‘I was so worried, but it worked.’
Kang Hyun-soo’s biggest concern was that even after using Stat Fix, all stats gained from level-ups would vanish.
But they didn’t.
A mere 1%, sure.
Even with level dropped to 0.
‘Stats from level-ups remained.’
Stat Fix was just F-Rank.
And only 70% of original power.
‘If Replica’s rank rises and Stat Fix’s rank rises?’
Even dropping level to 0 via Skill Enhancement.
‘All stats from level-ups can be preserved.’
Then?
Kang Hyun-soo could stay at level 0 while infinitely raising skill ranks and stats.