Piercing the First Seal
Three days had passed since entering the dungeon.
After grinding yesterday, he'd hunted until 1 a.m. again today, pushing himself to the brink of death.
Exhausted, he collapsed into bed and fell asleep instantly.
At 7 a.m., Mu-hyuk woke to his alarm, washed his face to clear his head, ate an apple, and headed to the gym.
After a solid workout and a shower, his mind sharpened.
On the way home, his pocket buzzed.
Sung Min-woo?
He hit the call button.
"Yo, long time no talk."
(Yeah, what're you up to?)
"Just finished working out, heading home."
(Damn, you're dedicated. Still grinding Illusion hard?)
"Obviously."
It was Sung Min-woo.
(What's your level now?)
"38."
(What? 38?)
"Yeah."
(Dude, you were 31 just a bit ago, and now 38? That's insane. How's your leveling speed that nuts?)
"The early gains are paying off big time."
(Whoa, I was gonna ask if you wanted to hunt together.)
"Oh yeah? What's your level?"
Last time they'd talked, it was 32.
(36 now.)
Still, that meant he'd gained four levels.
"Not bad, pretty quick."
(I went freaking ham on it. But still can't catch you.)
"Got lucky. Anyway, not right now. Let's hunt together in about a week."
(Sounds good! I'll hit 38 by then, no matter what!)
Seeing his fired-up determination made Mu-hyuk smile.
Well, I can't let him catch up.
There was fun in spurring each other on like this.
"Alright, see you then."
(Okay!)
Mu-hyuk ended the call and logged into Illusion with a rare sense of refreshment.
Welcome to the World of Illusion.
He checked his diamonds first thing.
He'd slain hundreds of Red Bears, but diamonds dropped rarely.
That left him with just 150—fifteen drops at ten each.
What the hell is the drop rate?
All he knew was it was brutally low.
What pissed him off more was the peddler not showing up.
He'd backtracked the path where he'd met him before, but even at the entrance, no sign.
In the end, he had no choice but to press forward—again and again.
Hope he shows today...
He'd already hit his diamond goal anyway.
Mu-hyuk advanced.
Thud. Thud.
A Mawlking and Red Bears appeared.
Hunting was still tough—his specs hadn't changed.
After another brutal fight like yesterday, he took down dozens of Red Bears.
And thanks to that...
His level rose to 39.
Diamonds dropped: twenty total now 170.
Still no peddler, so he just kept stockpiling.
He'll show eventually.
Reassuring himself, he hunted more Red Bears.
Kroooar!
They were still tough.
"Hoo..."
After hunting, he sat to rest—and crafted a sword. A decent option sword emerged.
He stowed it in his inventory and leaned against the wall.
Hm...?
The ground rumbled faintly.
He listened closely.
The vibrations grew clearer.
Thud. Thud.
Footsteps, definitely.
He looked straight ahead.
He's here...!
The peddler had finally appeared.
"We meet again."
"Yes, I'd like to buy something."
"Of course. Shall I show the wares?"
Mu-hyuk shook his head.
"Upgrade it."
"Again?"
"Yes."
"Hmm, alright. Let me show the status first."
Dungeon Upgrade Lv1
All damage increased by 0.5%.
- Lv2 (11 Diamonds): All damage increased by 1%.
Mu-hyuk pulled out all his diamonds.
"Max it out with 170 diamonds."
"Whoa, for real?"
"Of course."
"Got it."
The level shot up rapidly.
Dungeon Upgrade → Lv2
User and all associated summons' damage +1%.
Dungeon Upgrade → Lv3
User and all associated summons' damage +1.5%.
Mu-hyuk ignored the intermediate messages.
He only noted up to level 10.
Dungeon Upgrade → Lv10
User and all associated summons' damage +5%.
This was it.
The dungeon peddler's seal system Mu-hyuk had been waiting for!
"Upgrade complete! Dungeon Upgrade is now Lv11. Huge congratulations on unlocking the first seal! Total diamonds spent: 165. Here's your 5 back!"
The peddler stared at Mu-hyuk as he received the diamonds.
"Hmm, fascinating."
"What is?"
"You don't seem surprised at all—like you knew the secret from the start."
Mu-hyuk had no real response.
Just an excuse.
"No, I'm shocked. I'm just bad at showing it."
"Is that so? Well, alright. Clear this dungeon for sure."
With that, Mu-hyuk set off again.
Piercing effect.
How much would it help hunting?
Anticipation building, he awaited monsters.
Thud. Thud.
About three minutes in.
Chichik!
The Mawlking's signature cry.
Bone Bows, attack ready.
From past hunts, he'd mastered its first pattern: it always burst from right in front of him, underground.
Before, spotting it only let him land minor hits.
But now, with piercing...
It might change things.
With that hope, he commanded.
"Bone Bows, rapid fire!"
The Mawlking erupted simultaneously.
Puk!
A bone arrow pierced its side. The force sent it flying into the cave wall.
He'd hit like that on first encounter too. Then he'd closed in, but retreated after claw damage.
Now?
Worlds apart. The piercing bone arrow punched clean through flesh, embedding in the wall.
The Mawlking dangled like a skewer, thrashing futilely.
"Whoa."
Mu-hyuk sighed and approached.
Up close, it slashed wildly with claws—but too far to connect.
His staff's reach let him strike comfortably.
Whoosh.
The staff cracked its torso.
Piercing Effect applied.
Damage increased by an additional 10%.
Tsutsut, tsutsut!
It shrieked.
This time, he crushed its skull head to extend the blade, then stabbed the chest.
Piercing Effect applied.
Pierces flesh, inflicting continuous damage.
This was piercing's power.
The 10% extra wasn't huge.
Piercing itself.
Enabling what weakness once blocked.
It skewered through flesh to the wall, plus ongoing damage.
Essential for Mawlking kills.
A smile crept across Mu-hyuk's face.
This easy?
Now he could hunt Red Bears and Mawlking in the same time.
EXP doubled, diamonds easier too.
Unlock the second seal fast.
His attacks continued. The Mawlking's body already shimmered silver—HP critically low.
Kroooar!
The arriving Red Bear—he switched skeletons to auto and let them handle it.
Bye.
Puk!
Blade after blade pierced; the body slumped.
Experience gained.
Corpse Dissection yielded bones. He recovered 10 dropped diamonds and turned.
Skeletons were tangling with the Red Bear.
*
Eight Bone Swords with shields pressed frontally.
Four archers peppered arrows, stacking damage steadily.
One-on-one, they'd be trampled.
But thin twigs bundled thick? Not snapping easily.
Kirrik, kiririk!
Even on auto while Mu-hyuk handled the Mawlking, Bone Swords and Bone Bows held firm.
Thanks to boosted Wisdom absorbing combat experience into body and mind.
Hmm.
The fight looked good.
Four Bone Swords encircled the Red Bear, shields up purely defensive. Others behind shield-bearers slashed or thrust.
Bone arrows restricted movement; weapon enchants smoothed the coordination.
Kroooaaar!
Frustrated roar.
No change.
Five Bone Swords despawned, but the Red Bear already staggered, combat-crippled.
Thud. Thud.
Mu-hyuk closed in for the finish.
"Corpse Dissection."
Bones again.
No diamond—pity.
He stood, scanning his skeletons.
Less summons, more comrades now.
Anyway.
"Good work."
A word left, then all despawned.
Time to rest a bit.
Waiting for MP regen, Mu-hyuk dove back into the grind.
Clang! Clang!
Crafted a sword, listed it at auction.
Sizzle.
Filled up on his cooking.
*
Hunting flowed smoothly.
Mawlking, Red Bears—melted like butter.
All piercing's doing.
Before a day passed—real-time just before midnight.
"Hah."
He reached the 1st floor's end.
Stairs, as expected. Multi-floor dungeon.
What monsters on B2?
Piercing might handle them, but probably not.
Need Lv25 for ease.
That's when second seal unlocks, he recalled.
Then 50 next?
Past info, not exact—but close enough, Mu-hyuk figured.
Before descending, inventory check: about 100 diamonds left. Only enough for four more levels.
Lv15 max.
1st floor cleared anyway.
No respawns.
To hit 25, hunt B2 monsters.
Down we go.
He descended the stairs.
Thud. Thud.
Deeper, darkness thickened.
Gloom heavy.
Not pitch black—objects visible.
Good. At stair's end, he opened the sealed door. Brighter light flooded in.
Glowing stones embedded in walls.
Eyes adjusting, the interior came into view.
"Ugh..."
A groan escaped.
The environment was utterly unlike the 1st floor.