Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Blood Nest
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This much conversation should suffice.
The judgment was up to them, but Su-ho trusted Gu Yeon-hwa's discernment without a doubt.
‘All that's left is to wait patiently.’
They were probably quite flustered.
And rightly so, since they were a secret society that had never exposed themselves to anyone, practically existing in a 'ghost-like' state.
That was precisely why Su-ho had to pass the Grade 5 exam no matter what.
Even someone as suspicious as Gu Yeon-hwa would see it as a more reliable means of revenge if Su-ho truly passed Grade 5.
Having wrapped up his first meeting with Banshee, Su-ho immediately called a taxi and headed to his next destination.
He had met Banshee; now it was time for the next plan: reaching 'Level 50.'
Why aim specifically for Level 50?
Simple.
At Level 50, players unlocked their first 'Trait.'
‘My first Trait was Path of the Sword.’
Traits were a crucial growth system that elevated players' levels even further.
Unlike skills or items, Traits were always active or could be used with minimal mana consumption.
In that sense, Su-ho's 'Path of the Sword' was a relatively common Trait, but it was absolutely essential and invaluable for aspiring swordsmen.
Upon unlocking, Path of the Sword increased experience gain for all swordsmanship-related skills by 50% and boosted all swordsmanship-related bonuses by 20%.
‘But this time, I'll acquire a different Trait.’
With that in mind, Su-ho had already decided which Trait to obtain this time.
While current people believed Traits were assigned randomly, in the future, specific formulas for acquiring them were discovered.
‘That's when research into Trait acquisition formulas exploded.’
Of course, Su-ho knew almost all of those formulas.
Even those he'd only glimpsed were fully reconstructed through the Library of Memories.
That's why he could plan ahead.
There were many who rose to monster status with just one Trait, and Su-ho knew all the ones worthy of being called cheat-level.
The taxi carrying Su-ho shot forward smoothly toward its destination.
***
Su-ho arrived at the Seoul Central Blood Center.
The Central Blood Center, once in Gangseo, had moved to Jongno—one of the famous safe zones—after several Gate incidents.
Upon reaching the Blood Center, Su-ho glanced at the neatly built entrance before vaulting over the wall next to the firmly shut door.
Surveillance cameras?
He ignored them.
Though countless cameras dotted the Blood Center, thanks to the effects of 'Monochrome Solitude' applied to Su-ho, anyone watching would naturally fail to notice him.
Successfully over the wall, Su-ho activated Mana Detection and began scanning the building's surroundings.
There, in one dark corner of the building, he spotted something black as grime glimmering faintly.
‘Here it is.’
Invisible now in the darkness, it was crystal clear to Su-ho's eyes under Mana Detection.
The characteristic mana leakage from a Gate, pretending to be a shadow or dirt.
Su-ho pulled a dagger from his inventory and sliced his palm.
He then squeezed blood from the wound onto the shimmering Gate section.
Drip, drip—
Blood drops fell.
Then.
Wuuung!
As Su-ho's blood hit, the murky stain glowed briefly before emitting a faint light.
[You have discovered a Hidden Point.]
[Conditions have been met.]
[You have discovered a Hidden Gate.]
[You have achieved a remarkable feat. The system gifts you 5 bonus stats.]
[Would you like to enter the Hidden Gate?]
System notifications appeared before his eyes.
Simultaneously, a portal to the Gate formed.
Seeing it, Su-ho quietly curled his lips upward.
It confirmed he had come to the right place.
But it was a bit regrettable.
If his regression had been just a little earlier, he could have been the first to discover this Hidden Gate, earning a 'legendary' feat instead of 'remarkable' and gaining 5 more bonus stats.
Still, Su-ho was satisfied enough and nodded immediately to the system's question.
[Entering the Gate.]
[Loading Gate information.]
[Blood Nest]
- Entry conditions: Unknown.
- Max entrants: Unknown.
Terribly uninformative Gate info.
Just like the Greenred he'd cleared first, this Hidden Gate was akin to a Sudden Gate in nature, so it couldn't be helped.
But Su-ho stepped into the portal without hesitation.
He already knew everything about this place.
***
The moment his foot entered the portal, the surroundings flashed and changed instantly.
No exit.
Upon entry, Su-ho's body was scattered somewhere within the Gate.
It didn't matter.
No matter where this was, the end was predetermined.
After scanning the pitch-black surroundings, Su-ho pulled a small cloth pouch he'd bought in advance from his inventory.
He untied the string at the mouth and scattered its contents into the air.
[Glow Powder activates.]
Glow Powder.
Among items that illuminated like torches or lanterns, this was top-tier.
It lit up the surroundings like broad daylight upon use, as if flipping on fluorescent lights.
Duration: 1 hour.
Efficient and versatile, but pricey.
Su-ho bought it without hesitation.
He wouldn't risk his life in a Gate over a few saved coins.
With light, the Gate's true interior emerged from the darkness.
It was a massive cave.
Drip—
A water drop fell from a stalactite on the ceiling, and Su-ho looked up.
There, between stalactites, countless bats clung with wings folded.
Su-ho narrowed his eyes to check their info.
- Vampire Bat Lv.62
- Vampire Bat Lv.65
- Vampire Bat Lv.61
……
So many.
Levels in the 60s.
A 20-level gap could be bridged somehow with stats.
But with dozens, hundreds? Different story.
‘They say no one beats a gang-up.’
Yet Su-ho was confident.
He'd made all necessary preparations.
As Su-ho reached out, Ghost Shadow Spear emerged from his shadow.
He gripped it, assumed a javelin stance, and hurled it without hesitation at the stalactite with sleeping Vampire Bats.
[Javelin Throw activates.]
Kwachik!
Boosted by Javelin Throw, the Ghost Shadow Spear pierced one Vampire Bat and embedded in the target stalactite.
It died without a scream—irrelevant.
The spear in the stalactite created massive vibrations and noise, successfully waking every sleeping Vampire Bat.
"Kieeeek!!"
Fwoosh!!
Starting with one cry, all on the ceiling unfurled wings and flapped noisily.
So many, so loud, ears rang.
They hovered briefly before diving at Su-ho.
Leading with needle-like fangs and claws no ordinary bat possessed.
But Su-ho didn't move an inch.
Instead, he activated one skill.
[Intimidation activates.]
Piiing!
Intimidation.
Similar to monsters' Fear, it crushed the opponent's mind with innate presence, inducing fear and stun.
Against foes 20 levels higher, any sane person would call Su-ho's action reckless.
But his Intimidation was no ordinary one.
The original A-Rank Intimidation had been upgraded to S-Rank via Dragon Blood's added effect.
And S-Rank Intimidation could more than cover a 30-level gap.
Proof:
[Vampire Bat falls into fear state due to Intimidation.]
[Vampire Bat falls into stun state due to Intimidation.]
[Vampire Bat falls into fear state due to Intimidation.]
[Vampire Bat falls into stun state due to Intimidation.]
[Vampire Bat falls into fear state due to Intimidation.]
[Vampire Bat falls into stun state due to Intimidation.]
……
Su-ho watched the dense system alerts and bats plummeting en masse.
"Kiii……."
Twitching on the ground.
This was Intimidation's power.
‘Good thing I acquired it early.’
Of course, it didn't work on everything.
Boss monsters, named monsters, or special ones like Tower of Challenge resisted.
Even accounting for exceptions, its versatility made it a must-have early on.
‘Intimidation only from monsters, and they're designed never to lose fighting spirit easily.’
Su-ho recalled the Ghost Shadow Spear and began stabbing the twitching ones one by one.
[Vampire Bat defeated.]
[Vampire Bat defeated.]
[Vampire Bat defeated.]
……
What easier hunt?
Soon, Su-ho leveled up once, and after slaying all Vampire Bats here, he gained three levels.
"Status window."
[An Su-ho]
- Lv: 43
- Class: Healer
- Strength (R): 5
- Vitality (R): 5
- Mana (R): 5
- Sense: 55
- Bonus Stats: 8
Even with red stats, the rule of +1 per level remained.
Su-ho invested all into Sense.
Mana or Vitality might be more efficient, but all stats matching colors triggered another set effect.
Only extreme bonus stat holders could enjoy such sets.
‘Most focus on 2 main stats.’
Even past-life Su-ho, a world-class player, managed 3.
‘But this time, I can manage all.’
Not greed—calculated conclusion.
Finished allocating, Su-ho stuffed all dead Vampire Bats into Subspace House and moved to the next spot.