Now Even That?
After slipping out of the dungeon, I glanced back at him following behind. His legs were trembling. Before long, Jae-wook plopped down onto the ground with a thud.
If we'd kept fighting like that, he would've slipped up at some point and gotten seriously hurt. Only now realizing his condition, the guy scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly.
You had to maintain things properly before they broke if you wanted to keep using them for a long time.
"Your skill proficiency go up a lot?" I asked, looking at Jae-wook as he caught up.
Zombie's Tomb was a unique dungeon, but only F-rank, so no worthwhile items dropped. Still, the advantage was that skill proficiency rose faster here.
"Huh? Oh yeah, I didn't check. Hang on."
He pulled up his status window, then flashed a bright smile and slapped my shoulder.
"Hey, Min-ho! This is huge. Proficiency shot way up. Seems like it rises faster here than other places?"
"Obviously. That's why it's a unique dungeon."
"For real, seriously, thanks, Min-ho. I'll pay you back for this someday."
"Yeah, yeah, what are you talking about? We're friends."
"Hahaha, right, friends forever~!"
I smiled softly at him bursting into laughter, clearly in high spirits.
Yeah, let's keep pushing like this from now on. That's how he'll learn Indomitable Will, the A-rank passive skill.
It was a notoriously hard passive to pick up without insane effort. But once you had it, it nearly doubled your stamina without any further work—a cheat of a skill.
Even without going that far, just grabbing Body Reinforcement at B-rank would mean he could live without getting pushed around anywhere.
My eyes gleamed as I looked at Jae-wook.
"Rest up today and come back tomorrow."
"Huh? Y-yeah, maybe?"
His words said yes, but his eyes wavered. Checking his condition had changed his mind, it seemed.
"Who knows? There might be more hidden skills."
"No way?" Jae-wook chuckled skeptically.
His face said he was plenty satisfied with just picking up Warrior's Cry, a C-rank skill. If he knew there were two higher-grade ones waiting, he might have a heart attack.
Instead of answering, I just patted his shoulder.
"Let's wash up first. You stink."
"Ugh, yeah, now that you mention it."
Once we got outside and breathed fresh air, our dulled senses kicked back in, and the foul stench hit us hard.
A little later, the two of us sneaked quietly into the dorm.
"Ugh! What the hell is that smell?"
"Did the septic tank burst or something?"
"Toilet clogged?"
"Smells like rotting corpses."
"Urk! Hey, close the window!"
That evening, our dorm erupted in chaos.
After over an hour in the shower, I finally scrubbed off the stench and stepped out. Sitting at my desk, I dried my hair while sorting my thoughts.
Got Powerful Strike pretty easily.
D-rank skill, and Jae-wook had used it for ages, so it was familiar and easy to grasp. Or maybe thanks to my Talent skill. Plus, it was common enough that he didn't freak out when I had it too.
Have to hold off on Warrior's Cry for a bit.
Even a dense guy like him might get suspicious if he learned I had his new skill. Better take it slow, step by step. Rushing could ruin everything.
I'd reveal my abilities only after I had the power to back them up.
More importantly, need to steal those professors' skills quick.
I jotted down 'Park Cheol-gyu' and 'Kim Hee-yeon' in my notebook, tapping the pen on the desk.
For Professor Kim Hee-yeon, I'd need to drag her into an exploration dungeon, make her heal wounds, analyze cores—really put her through the wringer to unlock her inactive S-rank emotion skill or the S-rank advanced healing.
She wouldn't just follow me into one out of the blue, and I wasn't at that level yet anyway. Looked tough for now.
Professor Park Cheol-gyu might be easier.
Seemed straightforward, wore his emotions on his sleeve—no schemer. Problem was, as an S-rank, he wouldn't dungeon with an F-rank like me.
Guess I just have to rank up fast.
Best case? Team up with them for a brutal clear. Bonus if it was an irregular dungeon—one that starts C-rank and jumps to S.
Yeah, like things ever go to plan.
I smacked my lips and closed the notebook.
Over the next week, Jae-wook and I were insanely busy. Orientation gave us plenty of free time amid the school intros.
"Wooooooah!"
Warrior's Cry effect activated. All stats increase by 10% for 30 minutes.
"Nice!"
The surge of vitality made me shout in delight. Crack.
"Grraaah."
The zombie's head shattered from my elbow strike to its temple.
I'd taken down fewer than Jae-wook, but still a solid number. Enough to learn tricks for one-shotting them.
Using Powerful Strike like this is more effective.
The moment my understanding deepened—
Deepened understanding of Powerful Strike. Powerful Strike effect increased by 30%.
Huh? I stumbled at the unfamiliar chime.
"Grraaah!"
A zombie lunged, mouth agape. Its head exploded.
"Watch out, Min-ho."
Jae-wook dashed in perfectly timed, nodding to himself.
"Yeah, Warrior's Cry does hype you up."
"Think you're the only one?"
For days now, he'd been diving into zombie hordes, flailing limbs like a maniac.
"Heh, busted?"
"Gonna pick up Berserker at this rate?"
"That'd be awesome."
A-rank Berserker doubled all stats instantly—a monster skill. One Chinese S-rank topped the rankings with it alone.
But you're not that type, buddy.
A bearish tank suited him better. Like just now, rushing to save me the second I was in danger. That's why his title was Great Protector.
Anyway.
Skills could improve like this? Never heard of it unless the rank itself upgraded.
Maybe my Talent? I tilted my head, smashing a zombie's skull with Powerful Strike.
Crack.
Definitely different feel. Head flying clean off.
Jae-wook whipped around at the sound, jaw dropping. Even he could tell it was a clean hit.
What the hell kinda guy is he?
Jae-wook knew Powerful Strike better than anyone—it was his main. Yet this low-rank punk was smashing zombies cleaner than him.
Gonna get caught up for real...
Gritting his teeth at the bad feeling, he turned to the horde.
"Come at me, you bastards!"
The smug face of the guy who'd caught up taunted him.
No way I'll let that happen!
That day, Jae-wook hunted twice his usual zombies in a frenzy. And spent the next laid up in bed.
Dumb bear.
Had to go solo the next day.
Fine, time to learn Warrior's Cry.
No zombie presence nearby inside.
Yeah, after sweeping 'em like rats.
A week's frenzy cleared the place. Other dungeons might drop items, but expecting that here was pushing it.
"Alright, let's try it."
Thanks to Jae-wook spamming it nonstop, I knew the principle cold. First time using it myself, though.
"Ahem."
I gathered mana and roared.
"Wooooooah!"
Acquired skill Warrior's Cry (C).
Deep understanding of Warrior's Cry. Skill rank upgraded.
Acquired skill Berserker's Roar (B).
Berserker's Roar effect activated. All stats increase by 30% for 40 minutes.
What the—?
Stunned by the rapid alerts, I reviewed them slowly.
Berserker's Roar? Jae-wook's skill, upgraded.
Not just exact copies?
I couldn't close my mouth at the unexpected twist. Low-rank skills could evolve into superiors sometimes.
Jackpot! Legendary skills all like this?
Wouldn't know—I'd lived oblivious to mine. But this was a game-changer for me now.
"Grraaah!"
Zombies charging with bared teeth had never looked so welcome.
"Take this 30% boosted punch, punk!"
Splat!
Zombie head bursting satisfyingly. Crack!
"Grrraaah."
A ghoul leaped high, claws aimed down at me.
Thud.
Claws sank deep into the ground—sharper than any sword, slicing earth like tofu.
Too predictable.
Threatening, but simple pattern. Easy once you got used to it. And it had a fatal flaw—like now.
Can't move right away.
I kneed its exposed side.
Splat!
Ribs snapped under tough hide. An F-rank landing a crit on a D-rank ghoul? Not normal.
This is the buff power.
30% from Berserker's Roar, plus 30% extra on Powerful Strike.
The slowed ghoul was zombie-fodder. A rank higher, it lasted longer—but not by much before its head caved.
They always attack the same way, huh?
Patterns got familiar after repeats. Muscles tensing for leap, arm swing for balance, gleaming eyes mid-plunge—all slo-mo in my mind.
I understood the ghoul's moveset.
Ah, got it.
Acquired skill Leaping Strike (B).
Holy shit!! Now monster skills too?