Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Cloak
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“This is… the Cloak of Sacrifice.”
A single cloak tinged with a dark, murky color.
The identity of that item was a one-time use tool that consumed stamina to boost other stats.
“Wow… I know this thing is pretty rare. Looks like the battalion commander was really impressed with how you handled that gate this time.”
Well, yeah.
If it hadn’t been for me, at least one person would’ve gotten seriously hurt for sure.
“On the surface, it just looks like a blanket.”
To a civilian’s eyes, it might even pass for a quilt. This item was ranked C-grade.
“When was it… The black card I got at the amusement park back then was about B-grade, and the Harvest Necklace is probably C-grade too. Energy stones… those are A-grade.”
Kim Min-jun recalled the item grade chart arbitrarily set by the Hunter Corps.
Naturally, higher grades were harder to obtain and boasted significant effects or power.
The item grade chart was a sample distributed first to officers, not regular soldiers, but it was still worth referencing.
“For something this good to be only C-grade.”
The evaluation of this cloak wasn’t great.
It consumed stamina to raise whatever stat you wanted.
Just hearing that, anyone would think it was a ridiculously overpowered cheat item.
“But there’s a catch.”
Hunters who had used this item could only boost their stats by a measly 1 or 2 before collapsing.
For the insane amount of stamina it drained, the payoff just wasn’t worth it.
“I think the officers who tested it ended up bedridden for three days.”
That’s probably why it got slapped with a C-grade—terrible efficiency.
“But if I use it, it’s different. Battalion commander, I’ll put it to good use.”
Kim Min-jun grinned, draping the cloak over his shoulders.
[Cloak of Sacrifice equipped.]
[Effect of Cloak of Sacrifice applied.]
[Stamina is being consumed in real time.]
[Please select the stat to convert to.]
Messages popped up one after another in front of his eyes.
“The stat to raise is obvious. Magi.”
No need to think twice—he selected magi.
“Whew.”
The cloak wrapped around his body writhed, starting to emit heat.
At the same time, fatigue began piling up in his flesh as time passed.
Kim Min-jun just stood there motionless, but physically, it was no different from fighting monsters nonstop in the worst possible conditions.
“I get why the hunters could only raise their stats by a little.”
Most of them hadn’t even lasted five full minutes, from what he’d heard.
And it made sense.
Even he, who’d never once felt exhausted, was starting to break a sweat.
“It’s been a while since I felt this thrilling. Gotta have these tough moments once in a while.”
Sixty minutes had passed since equipping the Cloak of Sacrifice.
Sweat dripped down Kim Min-jun’s face.
[Magi stat increased by 1!]
[Magi stat increased by 1!]
[Magi stat increased by 1!]
“Whoa. Magi up by 3 just from standing still for an hour? Gotta push it right to the brink then.”
That brought his magi stat to 43.
In this environment where gathering magi was such a pain, watching it shoot up like this?
It was a godsend in a drought.
His magi stat had been climbing nicely, right on the verge of hitting a plateau, and this solved it in such a neat way.
“Let’s see who gives out first—you or me. Bring it on!”
Ninety minutes in, and Kim Min-jun was still holding onto consciousness.
[Magi stat increased by 1!]
[Magi stat increased by 1!]
[No further stat conversion possible.]
The item gave out first, melting away against his monstrous stamina and mental fortitude.
It had exhausted its effect, reaching the end of its lifespan.
“I could’ve held out longer. What a shame.”
The item had vanished without a trace.
Kim Min-jun licked his lips in regret as he wiped away the sweat.
“Still, bumping magi by 5? More than pulled my weight.”
[Absorbed a certain level of magi. Desire Magi unlocked.]
[Corruption Rain skill grade increased to C!]
As he caught his breath, a message announced the unlocking of a new skill.
[Desire Magi (D): Instantly amplifies the magi within your body. All abilities temporarily increase.]
“Even gives a nice explanation. Not that I didn’t already know.”
Desire Magi.
A pretty useful skill had just been unsealed.
At his current level, he could use it about twice a day.
Activating it let him unleash double his normal power for a short burst.
Completely penalty-free, too.
“Double is a huge boost.”
He’d benefited from that skill plenty back in Isgard.
It was the main reason he could turn the tables in so many bad situations.
“I could push it to triple if I overdid it, but that’d come back to bite me.”
Monsters popping up here weren’t anywhere near strong enough to need it anyway.
[Kim Min-jun]
Founder of the ‘Celia noona is my fave’ doctrine.
Strength: 78 Agility: 70 Stamina: 63 Magi: 45
Skills: Corruption (C), Night Walker (B), Dark Arrow (D), Magi Singularity, Grasp of Magi (C), Magi Whip (D), Basic Blunt Mastery (E), Basic Swordsmanship (D), Strength (C), Agility Boost (E), Whip of Pain (C), Corruption Rain (C), Hell Ghost Explosion (D), Vicious Charge (C), Desire Magi (D)
“There we go. Now I can finally play the part of a black mage.”
He’d reclaimed nearly 40% of his lost black mage power.
To think he’d recover this much strength in such a short time.
Hunter Corps life at the front lines was paying off big.
“Gonna spend the rest of the time on some moderate training.”
His black mage powers were restored to a satisfying level, but his physical abilities still had a ways to go.
To earn stars with overwhelming achievements, he needed to be more perfect.
With that thought, he began his personal training.
**
Meanwhile.
A meeting was in full swing at Hunter Headquarters.
Not just about Kim Min-jun—there were other major issues too.
“Hmm… Looks like we need to move up the timeline on this.”
That’s why even the Hunter Corps Commander, who rarely showed his face, was seated there.
One of only five four-star generals in the entire Hunter Corps.
Commander Goo Hak-cheol read through the report with a serious expression.
“…….”
“…….”
Silence hung over the conference room.
One word of criticism from him could unleash a typhoon across the Hunter Corps.
Because of that, the division commanders swallowed dryly, staring straight ahead.
It felt like facing a new private fresh out of basic.
“Heh. Chuncheon just had one, and now a gate in Gangneung? This year’s being a real pain in the ass.”
Goo Hak-cheol clicked his tongue a few times, then skimmed another report.
“Replay that previous footage.”
“Yes, sir!”
At his command, an officer acting as aide quickly played a video.
Footage of a single Hunter Corps member taking on monsters alone.
A scene where a Hunter Corps officer dispatched a frozen Lycanthrop with his bare hands.
In one instant.
“You’ve all seen this, right?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Indeed!”
“Tech these days is too advanced sometimes. 100x zoom or whatever. How does it come out this clear from that far away?”
The video’s source was footage shot by the high schooler Kim Min-jun had saved.
He wanted to show the world someone risking his life to protect the country, or so he said.
“If the press runs it like that, we can’t even request a takedown. Those journalists are getting smart.”
Goo Hak-cheol chuckled heartily as he downed a cup of coffee.
From his reaction, he didn’t seem particularly upset.
“Kim Min-jun, huh… That’s beyond normal hunter territory. Should we even call it hunting? Reminds me of that green monster from those foreign movies.”
“We agree completely, sir.”
Hunter Headquarters had known for a while.
That Sergeant Kim Min-jun was exceptional.
Anyone denying it after his constant special promotions would be lying.
So why treat him like a regular hunter? Because of figures like Commander Goo Hak-cheol.
“I can’t believe we didn’t use a talent like that for research. Could’ve secured blood samples or other data.”
Just like he’d said, he didn’t treat soldiers humanely.
To him, Hunter Corps grunts were just manpower.
Disposable—toss them when they wore out.
Despite that dangerous mindset, he’d earned his stars because his abilities were that outstanding.
He looked like an ordinary old man nearing retirement.
But he was a general who could crush mid-to-high-grade monsters barehanded.
“That kind of thing is too much even for modern times, sir.”
“The Ministry of National Defense wouldn’t approve it anyway…”
The division commanders forced smiles as they replied.
‘Crazy bastard. What, hunters are lab rats now?’
The 104th Division commander, especially, was cursing Commander Goo Hak-cheol inwardly.
‘The Hunter Corps Commander having that mindset is bad enough.’
Coming to a meeting just to spew that nonsense.
He wanted to let loose with some real curses.
Of course, that’d be suicidal—he couldn’t handle the fallout.
“Heh heh. What do you take me for in this day and age? One slip and my head’s on the block. Just thinking out loud. Let’s keep watching for now.”
Goo Hak-cheol let out a hearty laugh.
He continued, instructing them to give Kim Min-jun, with his stellar achievements, proper rewards.
“Also, major Hunter Corps policies have changed, so make sure to relay them properly to the troops.”
The meeting dragged on late into the night.
And that very night.
A shocking new policy was added for the Hunter Corps.
**
The next day.
As the hunters assembled on the training field for morning roll call, the battalion commander appeared.
The soldiers couldn’t help but tense up at the sight of the battalion commander, whom they rarely saw outside of training.
“Unit, attention!”
“Salute to the battalion commander!”
“Loyalty! Honor!”
“Good work, especially with monsters rampaging lately.”
The battalion commander announced that a new Hunter Corps policy was being added, effective immediately.
‘Hunter Corps policy?’
‘What now?’
The hunters murmured softly.
New policies popping up wasn’t rare—once or twice a day, even.
Different units, different environments, so policies adapted accordingly.
But this time felt different.
For the battalion commander to come out in person and announce it.
“The Ministry of National Defense is relentlessly developing weapons against monsters. But in the past few months, gates have popped up one after another in Chuncheon and Gangneung.”
Because of that, they planned to distribute new weapons entering the final development stage.
Prioritizing hunters serving on the front lines.
Up to here, it sounded great.
However.
The battalion commander’s next words left the soldiers stunned.