Evergreen Tower (2)
My whole body was smashed to pieces, but my right hand was completely fine. That part was kinda funny.
Like it or not, the Black Dragon's performance was rock-solid.
The tough scales must've absorbed the impact.
"You're a hunter, right?"
"Huh?"
"Awakened people have sturdy bodies thanks to the mana flowing through them. That's probably why you could walk here in this state."
The healing hunter put on his glasses and stood up.
"From the looks of it, you haven't been a hunter for long. But reality isn't like the Tutorial Tower. You don't revive if you die here."
"Haha…."
"Anyway, let's start the healing. It might hurt a bit."
Swoosh—
Green light flowed from the healing hunter's hand, seeping into my body.
Every time the light soaked in, a lightning-like pain jolted through my entire body, flashing across my vision.
But.
"…Doesn't it hurt?"
"It's bearable."
It was better than I expected.
At my reaction, the healing hunter paused injecting mana, looking flustered.
It didn't last long.
"Ahem. Let me try again."
The healing hunter cleared his throat quickly and resumed treating my body.
Ten minutes passed like that.
By the time sweat drenched his forehead, he let out a sigh and pulled his hands away from me.
"Healing's done. Luckily, no aftereffects."
"Oh."
My body really felt light now.
The tearing pain all over had evaporated in an instant.
Amazing.
So this is a healing skill.
I rolled my shoulders and glanced back.
The faint green glow lingering on the healing hunter's hand.
Honestly, I was a little jealous.
It'd be nice if I had a skill like that.
The exhausted healing hunter didn't notice my gaze. He wiped his sweaty forehead with a sigh and sat back down.
He took off his glasses, rubbed his face with a towel, then put them back on and looked at me with a tired expression.
"Above all, proper hunters don't just rely on their unique skills."
"You mean common skills?"
"Yes. Hunters use common skills appropriately. That's why they don't get hurt easily."
Common skills.
Unlike unique skills, which have similar but different descriptions, these have the exact same description and name for everyone.
"To acquire common skills, you need effort. For example, to get Downward Slash, you'd have to swing a sword downward a hundred times."
I nodded quietly.
Common skills, huh.
Definitely worth considering.
I've felt it time and again, but I'm slow.
My right hand is strong.
Strong, but my body isn't quite up to par for using it fully.
I have good stamina, but speed is a whole different thing.
"Excuse me. Do you know any common skills that make you faster?"
"No, sorry. I don't know that one."
"Ah…."
"Conditions for common skills are knowledge and info themselves. Unless it's something famous like Downward Slash, the acquisition methods are passed down secretly."
Of course.
Information is power these days.
It wouldn't be easy to get something as valuable as 'skill acquisition conditions.'
The healing hunter scratched the back of his head, looking genuinely sorry.
"So I don't know much either. Plus, I'm a healing hunter."
"I shouldn't have asked something pointless."
In the end, I'd have to find out myself.
No easy paths, as expected.
I stood up from the chair with a small click of my tongue.
"Thanks for your work."
"Sure. Take care next time."
I bowed to the healing hunter and headed to the counter.
Then I dropped my wallet.
"Healing fee is 3 million won."
"…Pardon?"
"Hunter treatments aren't covered by insurance."
Ah.
No wonder healing hunters are topping kids' dream jobs over doctors these days.
I swallowed tears and handed over my card.
"Cash or installment?"
"Cash…."
Its performance was solid, which pissed me off even more.
This confirmed it.
No more taking hits and running like in the Tutorial Tower.
If it's dangerous, run, obviously.
But don't make it a strategy.
Money flies away.
I did get magic stones from those orcs.
Keeping them safe as emergency funds.
But they can't be my main income.
Just lucky encounters.
So save money. My account's gotten light from auto-transfers over the past half-year.
"Whew… Alright, back in."
Body healed, my task was clear.
Return to the tower.
A bit tired, but rest after clearing the 2nd floor.
[Evergreen Tower]
A bright light and floating sensation.
I opened my eyes to find myself back in the lush forest.
"Doesn't return me to where I left off, huh."
The area around me when I exited was a mess.
But now, it was back to normal, like nothing happened.
"Exiting and re-entering is useless from the start."
Tch.
Thought it might be handy. Too bad.
I stretched long, loosened up, and moved to get revenge on the Bloody Mantis.
"Kee-eek…."
Or tried to.
If not for that sound in my ear.
I held my breath and cautiously headed toward it.
"Groooar—."
"Kee-ik."
Slash—
It pinned something with its huge foreleg and swung lightly.
Hiding behind a rock, I peeked and widened my eyes at what it sliced.
That's an Earth Bear.
The guy from the 1st floor.
The one that just dented under my Black Dragon punch without exploding.
And now the Bloody Mantis was slicing it like tofu.
I knew it was strong, but this is beyond imagination.
Seeing that, it hit me.
No chance in a frontal fight with the Bloody Mantis.
But.
Not as bad as the Tutorial Tower guardian.
Back then, win rate was zero.
Now, it's near zero—but still exists.
Two hits. Two hits will do it.
Land two, and it's dead.
So get close enough for two punches.
Now's the time?
It's busy chewing, tearing, tasting, and enjoying the Earth Bear.
Those tough guys must mean solid teeth.
I crept out from the rock, holding my breath. Lightly, lightly.
It's still focused on eating.
Perfect.
I smirked and quietly clenched my fist.
And.
"…How long have you been there?"
Caught immediately.
As I entered its range, its head snapped toward me.
I was the bait, not it.
It turned and raised its foreleg.
The sharp foreleg that diced the Earth Bear came down at me.
But.
Smoke - Mist Shadow
The Black Dragon's iron fist hit first.
"Kee-ee-ee-ek!"
It staggered back with a pained groan.
Its downward swing froze up close.
Confirming cracks in its exoskeleton, I pulled my arm back again.
The moment I swung—
"Kee-ee-ik!"
It released mana in all directions again.
Mana surged from it.
You think I'd fall for the same trick twice?
Anticipating it, I retracted my arm and thrust my right arm forward, willing strongly.
Spread wide, black mist around my right hand.
Swoosh!
The black mist spread instantly at my command.
As it filled the space in front of me, the mana wave hit like clockwork.
"Kuh…."
The mana wave swept over me completely.
Soil churned instantly, thin trees shattered.
The surroundings were bombed to hell.
In the center, shrouded in mist, I smirked.
"Blocked it."
X-ray showed my right arm intact.
Meaning, no matter how strong, it doesn't surpass the Black Dragon.
So I tested blocking with Smoke.
And the Black Dragon rewarded my faith perfectly.
Damn, I trusted it.
Black Dragon for a reason.
Having blocked the mana wave, I clenched my extended hand into a fist.
The Bloody Mantis didn't sit idle, slamming its foreleg at me.
Hard fist met sharp foreleg.
No give on either side.
The winner was.
"Kee-ek!?"
Obviously, the Black Dragon.
What insect dares beat a reptile?
The foreleg that sliced Earth Bears shattered against the Black Dragon's hardness.
Fragments flew, embedding in rocks.
It staggered back in shock.
Its cracked abdomen exposed.
I stepped forward, seizing the gap.
"Hup!"
And slammed my fist into the cracked abdomen with all my might.
"Kee-ee-ee-ek—!"
It writhed with a scream of agony.
Green blood sprayed from the cracked exoskeleton.
Bloody Mantis, but green blood? Funny.
Head thrown back, it twitched, spraying green blood.
Soon, its red exoskeleton crumbled across its body.
Synchronization Rate 1.3%
It turned to complete dust and scattered.
Whew.
Catching my breath, I fiddled with the scattering exoskeleton fragments with my left hand and glanced aside.
"1.3%."
Stubborn bastard.
All that effort for just 0.2% more.
No choice now.
Push to the next floor and fill it to 1.5%.
Defeat the Bloody Mantis
📍 Progress:1/1
🎁 Result:Success
➤ Moving to the next floor
Swoosh—
Light rose from my feet.
When it faded and I opened my eyes.
"Whoa. Another forest."
Standing in forest again.
Can't escape expectations.
"So, what to hunt on the 3rd floor."
Hopefully stronger than Bloody Mantis.
This side's pawned its life to a battle maniac called Black Dragon.
3rd Floor
Defeat the Slime
📍 Progress:0/1
Huh?
What?
I rubbed my eyes and checked the system again.
So….
"Slime? For real?"
That guy I met on Earth?
My jaw dropped.
"Who the hell made this tower?"
Balance is totally fucked.