Chapter 78
Chapter 78
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Dark Knight
-----------------------------------------------------------------
‘Stronger than the Beast King, at least.’
Kang Hyun-soo eyed Duke Kalmus, the Guardian Saint of Muran.
‘The captain of the Royal Guard coming in person. Muran Kingdom must be desperate too.’
As befitting the title of Muran’s Guardian Saint, Duke Kalmus served as the captain of the Muran royal family’s Royal Guard.
Sending the kingdom’s final shield—the protector of the royal family—to the front lines.
This was proof that Muran Kingdom viewed the dragonkin monster horde’s invasion as an existential threat to the nation.
‘Good call on their part.’
Kang Hyun-soo approved of their swift judgment.
‘Then the Rokto Empire must have sent reinforcements too.’
All they had to do was hold out until then.
This war would be a victory for their side.
‘Duke Kalmus, Muran’s Guardian Saint, was one of the named players who died before my regression.’
Thanks to his sacrifice, Muran Kingdom hadn’t been utterly destroyed. Instead, they’d repelled the dragonkin monster horde led by the wyrm dragon Karas with the loss of half their territory to flames.
‘Unique.’
Unlike other beastkin players, Duke Kalmus’s appearance stood out.
He wasn’t just a human base with partial beast features.
His entire body was covered in thick fur, and his head and limbs took the full form of a wolf.
Like a werewolf straight out of the movies.
‘Beastification.’
It was one of the unique skills some beastkin players possessed.
That skill was the key to why Duke Kalmus had earned the saintly title within his kingdom, even if limited to his homeland.
‘It’s got to be different from the ones other beastkin have.’
Kang Hyun-soo felt tempted.
‘Replica.’
He activated the Replica skill.
[Using unique skill Replica – A-Rank.]
[One stack is consumed.]
[Creating replica of Beastification – EX-Rank.]
[Replica skill Beastification – F-Rank has been created.]
[The Replica skill possesses 130% of the original’s capabilities.]
……Omitted……
Kang Hyun-soo had steadily used the Replica skill in the meantime.
During hunts, against Song Hana and the Combat Emperor.
After hunts, back in the great city of Lujaven in the Mightor Kingdom, against other players.
But he hadn’t acquired any worthwhile skills.
It had greatly helped raise skill ranks, though.
On top of that, Kang Hyun-soo had used Skill Enhancement to boost the Replica’s rank.
As a result, the Replica skill was now A-Rank.
Skills acquired through Replica now exceeded 100%, unleashing 130% of their power.
Stacks had increased to 24 as well.
‘It hit A-Rank ten months ago, so it might reach S-Rank soon.’
If he’d raised skill proficiency the normal way?
Such rapid growth would’ve been impossible.
But Kang Hyun-soo had Skill Enhancement, obtained from the traitor Hwang So-wook.
‘Skill Enhancement’s rank rose to B too.’
The Replica version of Skill Enhancement delivered 130% amplified effects.
Once the Replica skill hit S-Rank?
‘The amplification from the Replica Skill Enhancement would rise even further.’
An S-Rank Replica skill amplified to 160% of the original.
By raising just the Replica skill’s rank?
The power of all skills Kang Hyun-soo had learned through Replica would automatically strengthen.
‘Wonder if I can hit EX-Rank this time?’
Before his regression, Kang Hyun-soo hadn’t managed to make Replica EX-Rank.
He’d tried desperately.
But starting too late, SSS-Rank was his limit.
This time, though.
‘It’s plenty possible.’
Kang Hyun-soo’s growth speed was incomparably faster than before his regression.
‘Once Replica hits EX-Rank, next up is making Skill Enhancement EX-Rank.’
If he kept producing EX-Rank skills that way, while expanding his summons with the One-Man Legion skill?
‘It’s doable.’
Revenge and returning to Earth.
Kang Hyun-soo felt confident he could achieve both goals.
‘First, secure more summons.’
He used the Legion Composition skill to revive one named player and four rankers from Muran Kingdom who had perished in the wyrm dragon Karas’s breath as summons.
‘Only use humanoid summons.’
Kang Hyun-soo wanted to keep hidden the fact that he could turn the dead into summons.
Even if circumstances forced it out.
‘At least conceal my identity.’
A misstep could lead to him being mistaken for a demon king’s minion.
Even if he cleared up the misunderstanding, everyone would still distrust and shun him.
‘Can’t repeat the mistakes of the past.’
Because of Replica, Kang Hyun-soo had faced much suspicion and persecution.
Even the one called One-Man Legion before his regression was no exception.
‘Even if it gets out.’
He wouldn’t face suspicion and persecution again.
Instead.
‘I’ll make them fear me.’
Better to be an object of terror.
Than one of suspicion and scorn.
Then.
[Using unique skill Replica – A-Rank.]
[One stack is consumed.]
[Creating replica of Beastification – EX-Rank.]
[Replica skill Beastification – F-Rank has been created.]
[The Replica skill possesses 130% of the original’s capabilities.]
He’d finally obtained the Beastification skill of Duke Kalmus, called Muran’s Guardian Saint.
‘Wonder if it’s any good.’
He’d copied it out of curiosity with Replica.
But Beastification hadn’t been on Kang Hyun-soo’s list of desired Replica skills to begin with.
So he needed to check the details.
[Beastification – F-Rank]
- Active skill
- Consumes mana to transform the body into a beast’s.
- Beast instincts strengthen.
- All stats increase by 1%.
‘Oh ho.’
Transforming into a beast raised all stats by 1%.
No penalties.
Stronger beast instincts.
For Kang Hyun-soo, who had the Wild Sense skill, that was actually a plus.
‘As expected of Duke Kalmus.’
Before his regression, Kang Hyun-soo had Replicad a beastification skill from another beastkin.
Its effect? Merely “Slightly increases physical stats.”
Meaning the stat boost was below decimal points.
The problem was the penalty.
“Beast nature erodes reason.”
‘Losing reason makes you no better than an animal.’
Too big a penalty to sacrifice for sub-decimal stat gains.
So Kang Hyun-soo deleted the skill immediately.
With a fixed number of slots for Replica skills, he had no room for one with such a heavy drawback.
‘Many beastkin even seal their Beastification or treat it as a last resort.’
All because of the penalty.
In contrast, Duke Kalmus’s Beastification was pure upside, no penalty.
‘All stats up 1%. Plus Replica’s amplification.’
In practice, that’d be 1.3% boosted.
‘What if that 1% amplifies like the Legion Commander job skill?’
The Legion Commander job skill started at 1% stat boost as Squad Leader.
Now at B-Rank, it was a whopping 20%.
At EX-Rank?
All stats up 45%.
‘Indeed.’
Kang Hyun-soo had wondered how Duke Kalmus earned the title of Muran’s Guardian Saint and displayed such divine feats.
Now the mystery was solved.
‘If I make this Beastification EX-Rank?’
All stats up 45%.
‘If One-Man Legion hits EX-Rank?’
All stats up 45%.
‘Total 90%.’
Factor in the amplification from an EX-Rank Replica skill?
‘Total 180%.’
A satisfied smile spread across Kang Hyun-soo’s lips.
One-Man Legion wasn’t a Replica skill, so no amplification—just Beastification applied.
Even so, the projected figure was a staggering 180%.
‘Got a good one.’
No cooldown especially pleased him.
With infinite mana supply?
‘It means I can raise skill ranks faster than anyone.’
Kang Hyun-soo had Mana Heart from Song Hana.
Currently B-Rank.
As Replica, it boosted mana capacity and recovery by 26%.
‘The issue is the appearance.’
A full werewolf like Duke Kalmus might draw eyes.
‘Well, can’t be helped.’
That’s what Beastification was, after all.
Fortunately, this was Muran Kingdom, land of beastkin.
Wandering around Beastified, he might get suspicious glares wondering if he’d cause trouble.
‘As long as I don’t cause any, they’ll just shrug it off.’
‘Try it now?’
Kang Hyun-soo had joined this war in a party with Song Hana and the Combat Emperor.
The enlistment form only required name, nationality, job class, and rough level.
‘No race field.’
So pretending to be beastkin with Beastification starting now wouldn’t be a problem.
‘Beastification.’
Eager to raise its rank even a day sooner, Kang Hyun-soo activated Beastification.
Crack! Crack!
He felt his muscles swelling.
Ears sprouted from atop his head, and his tailbone itched as something pushed out.
‘What kind of beast will I turn into?’
Beastification was a beastkin-unique skill.
Typically, the beast form was fixed.
Wolfkin became wolfmen.
Rabbitkin became rabbitfolk.
Oxkin became oxfolk.
So what beast would Kang Hyun-soo, based on human, become?
To satisfy his curiosity, Kang Hyun-soo looked at his hands.
‘Huh?’
Something was off.
He definitely felt his muscles writhing, changing.
‘They’re the same?’
Not thick, fur-covered beast paws.
Just his normal human hands.
‘Come to think of it?’
His height had shrunk instead.
‘Don’t you usually get bigger with Beastification?’
Why smaller?
‘Not by much, though.’
Felt like about 10 cm shorter.
‘What animal did I even turn into?’
Kang Hyun-soo touched his face.
No protruding beast muzzle or fur.
‘This is just my face?’
Something was wrong.
‘But I can feel the ears and tail?’
The new ears and tail sensations were clear.
To resolve his doubts, Kang Hyun-soo sent his will to Song Hana and the Combat Emperor beside him.
-I Replicad Duke Kalmus’s Beastification skill and used it, but something’s weird.
Receiving Kang Hyun-soo’s intent, Song Hana and the Combat Emperor turned.
Then.
“Pfft!”
The Combat Emperor burst out laughing.
“So cute! Too cute!”
Song Hana’s eyes sparkled as she repeated “cute.”
-What the hell did I turn into?
Kang Hyun-soo had expected his body to fully morph into a humanoid beast like Duke Kalmus.
Why?
That’s how beastkin usually transformed.
But because he was human?
Even with Beastification, the external changes were minimal.
His body had oddly shrunk instead.
‘So what animal is it?’
Why else would the Combat Emperor laugh and Song Hana keep saying cute?
-Better see for yourself.
With those words from Song Hana, she drew a small dagger and held it up to reflect Kang Hyun-soo’s face.
His reflection in the sharp blade was.
‘I look younger?’
Kang Hyun-soo’s current age was 23.
But in the dagger?
Even generously, he looked 14 or 15.
The only oddity: perky puppy ears atop his head.
‘What the?’
Kang Hyun-soo’s current look.
Was like a wolfkin boy still in his growth spurt.