Chapter 72
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: New Record
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[You have defeated the High Orc!]
[Experience +54.79%]
[Gold +8,000]
[Additional Gold +4,000]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have acquired 'High Orc's Gauntlets'.]
[You have acquired 'High Orc's Tusk'.]
[You have acquired 'Low-grade Purple Mana Stone'.]
[You have acquired 'Stone of Balance'.]
[Sub Quest Progress: Stone of Balance 4/4]
Ryu Min remained unfazed by the cascade of messages filling his vision.
After all, they were messages to be celebrated, not flustered by.
[High Orc's Gauntlets]
-Type: Gauntlets
-Grade: Epic
-Defense: 60
-Effect: Strength +10, additional Strength +5 when facing orcs
-Durability: 1,000/1,000
-Usage Requirement: Regular Grade or higher
-Description: Gauntlets modeled after the fists of a violent and brutish High Orc. Orcs fear them.
Though the gauntlets offered a decent boost to his Strength, Ryu Min gave them no more than a passing glance.
Their stats weren't good enough to make him give up the Shadow Gauntlets he was currently wearing.
Besides, something else had captured his attention.
[You have completed the sub-quest!]
[You will be rewarded with the 'Rune of Balance'!]
[The acquired rune will now be automatically inscribed on the player's body!]
He had obtained the Rune of Balance, an essential component for growing stronger.
[Rune of Balance]
-Effect: If the difference between the minimum and maximum 'pure stats' is 10 or less, all stats are doubled.
The pure stats mentioned here referred only to the stats allocated through points, excluding any bonuses from items or other effects.
The condition for the Rune of Balance was simple.
The difference between stats must be 10 or less.
And it was based purely on stats from points.
'Simple, but not easy. It means I have to raise all four stats evenly.'
For example, take an ordinary level 20 player who had allocated their stats as Strength 30, Agility 14, Intelligence 3, and Luck 3.
'In this case, the minimum is 3 and the maximum is 30, so the difference is 27. It doesn't meet the condition of being 10 or less.'
Naturally, the Rune of Balance would be useless.
On the other hand, what if someone had balanced their stats with Strength 20, Agility 10, Intelligence 10, and Luck 10?
'The difference between the minimum and maximum is 10 or less, making them eligible for the Rune of Balance's effect.'
Consequently, all their stats would be doubled, giving them an advantage that surpassed the previous example.
To get stronger, one had to raise their stats in a balanced way to activate the rune's effect.
But what if someone obtained the Rune of Balance without knowing this?
'They'd have a hard time trying to rebalance their stats later on.'
Trying to supplement with items would be useless.
It was based solely on pure stats allocated through points.
But Ryu Min didn't need to go through such trouble.
'I've already been raising them evenly, assuming I'd get the rune.'
Currently, Ryu Min's pure stats were Strength 27, Agility 26, Intelligence 18, and Luck 28.
By investing less in Intelligence, he had set the difference between his minimum and maximum stats to exactly 10.
'Besides, my Intelligence is already high enough thanks to the Rune of Radiance.'
His pure stats were also high for his level.
This was because the 9 points he gained from the Orb of Eternal Slumber were also counted as pure stats.
'Let's see just how much my stats have increased…'
Opening his status window, Ryu Min was inwardly surprised.
-Strength: 374, Intelligence: 614
-Agility: 518, Luck: 374
'All my stats are over 300?'
The round buff gave 1.5x, the Rune of Slaughter 2x, the Rune of Balance 2x, and Bless 1.6x.
In total, his stats had increased by 9.6 times.
These were unbelievable numbers for a level 40 player.
It was only natural that his eyes widened.
'Of course, it's mostly thanks to the round buff and Bless…'
Even so, the numbers were beyond his imagination, and he couldn't help but be surprised.
'No, I shouldn't be surprised. I should be happy.'
And that wasn't the only thing to be happy about.
[Your grade has risen from 'Regular' to 'Expert'.]
[You can now use the trade function.]
Upon reaching level 40, his grade had increased.
The trade function, which allowed players to exchange gold, was now available.
'Though it'll only be truly useful if the other party has this function as well.'
The trade function didn't matter.
What was important now was that he had learned a new skill.
[In commemoration of your grade increase, the Mark of Death skill will be enhanced!]
[The additional damage of the Mark of Death skill will be increased from 120% -> 140%.]
[In commemoration of your grade increase, the Night of Death skill will be enhanced!]
[The range of the Night of Death skill will be increased from 500m -> 1,000m.]
[Additionally, you have learned the Reaper-exclusive skill 'Moonlight Rend (月光殲)'!]
[The next skill can be learned automatically upon reaching level 60.]
His existing skills were enhanced, and he had learned a new one.
The Reaper's one and only offensive skill.
[Exclusive Skill – Moonlight Rend (月光殲)]
-Effect: After gathering energy for 1 second, deal 1,200% area-of-effect damage in a fan shape in front of you.
The damage is a hybrid of physical and magical damage, split evenly. When used at night, the damage increases by 1.5x.
It has a 10-minute cooldown and can only be used while wielding a scythe.
'I finally learned it. The Reaper's only attack skill.'
Unfortunately, the Reaper class had only one offensive skill.
The rest were all buffs or debuffs.
'I guess that's the only downside to the Reaper class.'
With only one attack skill, he naturally had to use it sparingly.
If he happened to miss, the risk would be immense.
'There's nothing more devastating than wasting your ultimate move.'
But that was only if he missed.
As long as he was confident in landing the skill, the risk was practically nonexistent.
'I can pierce an opponent's eyeball with a scythe. Moonlight Rend should be a piece of cake.'
Moonlight Rend was a relatively easy skill to land.
With its wide, fan-shaped area of effect, it was almost impossible to miss.
You'd deserve to be called an idiot if you managed to miss with it.
'And there aren't many skills as powerful as this one.'
It dealt 1,200% area-of-effect damage, which increased to 1,800% at night.
It was hybrid damage, a mix of physical and magical, so he had to raise both Strength and Intelligence, but it was that much stronger for it.
'Plus, if an enemy is immune to physical damage, I can deal with them using this skill.'
For now, he was only facing trivial monsters, but later on, beings that seemed utterly unbeatable would appear.
'Those bastards really are hopeless. The Seven Archangels who rule the heavens.'
The Seven Archangels were beings that even Ryu Min couldn't handle.
He had met them only once, but their power was indescribable.
'Of course, I was never given an absurd quest to kill them…'
But since this was his last chance, Ryu Min wanted to try killing at least one of those archangels.
Seeing as he got an item from killing a regular angel, he suspected those guys would have some kind of reward as well.
'Well, that's a challenge for when I reach max level.'
For now, growing stronger was the priority.
Ryu Min looked at the last message that had appeared.
It was time to check the time attack reward.
[You have defeated the 5th round boss, 'High Orc', in 1 second.]
[This is a boss to whom the time attack rule applies.]
[Additional gold will be awarded based on your record.]
[As you defeated it in under 10 seconds, you will receive the maximum reward of 100,000 Gold. Congratulations!]
He had earned a whopping 100,000 gold in an instant.
'Last time, it took me 43 seconds to kill it, and I only got 23,255 gold. This is incredible.'
Combined with what he'd already earned, he was swimming in gold.
'With this, I should buy all the common skills I haven't learned yet.'
Satisfied, Ryu Min was about to look away when he paused.
He realized there was another message.
[You have set an unprecedented record in the history of time attacks!]
[Your achievement will be registered in the Akashic Records.]
[As a reward, you will receive a 'Unique Item Selection Ticket'!]
'What's this? A reward for setting a record?'
Even for Ryu Min, a one-second kill was a first.
He had never expected to receive an additional reward for it.
He checked his inventory and, sure enough, there was a Unique Item Selection Ticket.
'A chance to choose a unique item. Does this mean I can pick anything?'
He immediately used it, and just as he suspected…
[You may select one unique item.]
[Please touch an item category first.]
└ 1. Weapon
└ 2. Shield
└ 3. Helmet
…………
………
……
└ 8. Ring
It seemed he could indeed choose any item, as he was prompted to select a category.
'Unique… a unique item I need…'
Pausing his selection, Ryu Min stroked his chin in thought.
'I plan on crafting a unique weapon after I return, so I don't need one of those. As for something else…'
Right now, he needed utility more than raw power.
He thought about what kind of ability would be helpful in his current situation.
'Ah! That would be perfect.'
Ryu Min's finger tapped on number 3.
***
Eom Jun-seok stared blankly into space.
His pupils were dilated.
His pants were soaked.
Was this what it felt like to come back from the brink of death?
But more than anything, he couldn't comprehend the situation.
'N-No way. That monster, in just one hit…'
The High Orc that had crushed his comrades with a single punch.
The head of that very monster was now rolling absurdly at his feet.
It was the result of a single swing from the player called Black Scythe.
'Was Black Scythe… always this strong?'
Eom Jun-seok was dumbfounded.
How could a level 30 player instantly kill a monster that five level 20 players couldn't even scratch?
Of course, Ryu Min was no longer level 30, but level 40.
Furthermore, he was strengthened by the round buff and Min Ju-ri's buff.
Slicing off the High Orc's head in one blow wasn't entirely impossible.
Especially since he had aimed for the neck, its weak point.
Eom Jun-seok's unintentional distraction had also played a part.
Naturally, he was unaware of any of this.
He could only look at Black Scythe with a sense of awe.
Just then, Black Scythe, who had been tapping at the air as if checking his rewards, turned his head toward Eom Jun-seok.
He flinched and was about to say something.
"Ah…"
Black Scythe quickly left the area.
A look of disappointment crossed Eom Jun-seok's face.
He hadn't even been able to thank him.
***
Finally, when the time limit ended, the players were all transported to one location.
And, as if on cue, the angel appeared.
[Well, did you all finish the quest?]
“…”
[It seems your numbers have dwindled quite a bit in the last 10 hours. You couldn't have died to measly orcs… Did you perhaps fight amongst yourselves over prey?]
Despite the obvious mockery in her tone, the players kept their mouths shut.
They were in no position to talk back, nor did they have the energy to do so.
[Well then, shall we see the results?]
Priscilla's wings fluttered, and a results screen appeared.
At the same time, looks of shock appeared on the faces of the people.
