The Third Bullet

I returned home.

The second floor had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠been way too easy, hadn't it?

The penetration power of the gun I was handling felt absurdly overwhelming. I went in all tense, muscles coiled like a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spring, ready for a real fight, and it just ended in a whimper.

Maybe that was just how it was supposed to be. Good outcomes for good results.

The reward I got was the option to choose a special trait skill and 110 grams of mana stone.

Would they be stacking 10 grams more for every level or something? I couldn't sell it right away, so I'd have to hold onto it for now.

That special trait skill choice...

It was a dazzling rainbow-colored skill book.

I'd use it immediately.

A rainbow beam shot out from right around my chest.

Before I knew it, my entire field of vision flashed white, and when it cleared, a System window floated up.

All three skills seemed tied to my traits. In other words, they were the ones I'd earn as I kept grinding hard in the future.

So... I'd pick the one I needed right now.

That was what I told myself. But I had no clue what Shell Peeling or Agile Snake Motion even meant.

Let's check each one out.

Clearly, I didn't even need to look twice. Third Bullet was the obvious pick.

Once I climbed the tower, I was going to be blasting bullets like crazy. Why wouldn't I save or replace them?

I had to pick it.

Choose Third Bullet.

Even if my pistol ammo ran ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dry, I no longer had to worry. I could just make more Third Bullet mana bullets.

Armored goblins that couldn't be pierced? Boost the bullet.

UR really was something else.

Thinking about it, I'd leveled up too.

Let me check the status window.

Wait... Originally the level 2 points should have been 6, right?

Zero in all the base stats was normal. The displayed numbers only showed the stats gained after becoming a hunter.

But the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠remaining points were 6?

Earlier I thought it was 4, didn't I?

I should probably check the gallery.

Everyone who said Deokbae died, where the hell did they go lol lol lol [7]

This is me, Kim Deokbae, the girl. Yeah, it's true ㅇㅇ [2]

Is this newbie still climbing the tower as an unregistered hunter? [3]

Why did my face suddenly heat up?

But I wasn't exactly unhappy about it?

Hahaha....

You kid! Snap out of it.

Check the announcement and get out quick.

There was probably one about beginner hunter guides or something.

Why were there so many useless announcements?

This wasn't it, and neither was that.

There it is.

-Click

Why?

Scroll down to the bottom of the announcement that had the link.

Damn it... of all times.

Looking at the date, it coincided with the height of the gallery's construction boom.

Great. No recovery for a while.

I couldn't post anything right now without it getting buried anyway.

Time to head straight to the Snake Gallery.

This post was about me too....

No matter where I went, it was always about me.

Embarrassed and secretly pleased at the same time. My lips kept curling up without me realizing it.

Anyone else would think it was a weird smile.

Let me click on one post.

I'm too nervous, please come back. Or maybe it's not because of me.

We'd been chatting like this until recently.

Were these people stationed in the gallery 24/7?

From what I could tell, only these three were active.

Let me reply right away.

As expected, replies came flooding in immediately.

Not Hard, though. Extra difficulty.

I tossed out a bait.

One level gave two points, huh.

But why did I have 6?

Was this an Extra difficulty special bonus?

Looking at the responses, my mouth... no, my fingers were twitching.

I really wanted to blurt out, "The Extra difficulty climber who's been wreaking havoc in the gallery is me."

Hold it... hold on!

One day I'd prove it with an authentication.

These people definitely knew a lot about Hard difficulty.

Let me poke a little.

Two out of three were Hard climbers...

At least B-grade and A-grade were possible. S-grade? Probably not. Korea only had five.

Why was the gallery called Hard Gallery?

Both of them were B-grade?

If there was even a rumor of an A-grade hunter, the gallery would be flooded.

I shouldn't ask casually.

I needed to get more used to the gallery's atmosphere first.

Naturally turning the topic.

Agility looked best at first glance, but even if I got advice from veteran references, it wouldn't hurt.

Did I have to finish the sentence?

Ah?

Was it normal for there to be only one skill at first?

I must have slipped up, but there was no helping it.

In situations like this, being honest was better than clumsily dodging.

I'd listed every special trait skill I had, including the Third Bullet thing.

Instead of answering the question, they were in total chaos among themselves.

Something like "That must be an S-grade trait" and "Why did they hide in a Hard Gallery like ours" floated around.

Since I couldn't leave it like that, I jumped in.

The comment section went quiet.

After about two minutes, a new reply appeared.

Byeolbaembaem's long reply followed.

In summary: I had no idea how much Third Bullet would cost in mana, so I should just grind for now.

If focusing on Third Bullet, use mana. If using real bullets, then strength or agility.

It was the perfect answer.

The real value was in the part that came after.

Why that was okay.

Stats could be allocated anytime, anywhere.

Even during intense combat, I could still allocate stats.

That was some useful info.

Later, when I sold the mana stones, I'd definitely have to upload a 100-gift-con package as thanks.

Conclusion: I had to keep climbing the tower.

Good.

Real combat was always the most important part, after all.

I'd forgotten to ask about floor 3.

Whatever, it didn't matter.

The Snake Gallery, which I originally planned to just dip my toes in, turned out to be pretty nice.

Just looking at the comments, everyone seemed knowledgeable and friendly at first glance.

Good. Let's grind hard again tomorrow.

Boom!

Whoa...

The goblins scattered in every direction, their souls having fled.

Thunk

The weapon in my hand dropped limply to the ground.

What came out of my mouth wasn't a battle cry but a terrified scream.

Its performance was insane.

The goblins' heads... no, their upper bodies...

They just popped like water balloons.

Was floor 1 really the hardest?

I couldn't stop the corner of my mouth from lifting up.