Growth 2
‘Ugh… It’ll take a bit longer to fully recover.’
All her external wounds had healed, but the internal injuries from being caught in the mana stone explosion lingered. Not only was her mana tangled, but she’d also suffered significant mana loss. And what made it even harder for her was the enemy hunter’s mana.
The moment she’d been hit by his attack, traces of his mana had begun accumulating inside her body. It periodically assaulted her own mana or sent electric shocks through her flesh. That had made the fight itself tricky enough, but now that she’d sustained internal damage, the effects were amplified.
Whenever she tried to gather her mana to untangle it and heal, his mana would suddenly appear and strike. If she focused on eliminating it, the bastard would swiftly sever its connection and flee into the knotted mana, hiding away. Because of that, her recovery was dragging on.
‘Who the hell was that guy?’
She’d never failed a mission before, so the shock hit her hard. She’d clashed with plenty of notable hunters during assignments, but she’d never been pushed back like this—not even once. The most likely suspect, considering Kim Taehoon was Korean, was the Brain Emperor, Choi Taesu. But jumping to conclusions would be foolish.
The opponent she’d fought this time was far stronger than the known abilities of Choi Taesu. He was on a level that could easily rank him among the world’s top ten strongest hunters.
‘He might’ve been hiding his true power, just like me. What the hell is Kim Taehoon, anyway? To have someone on par with the world’s top ten guarding him…’
For now, she’d submitted her report, so all she could do was wait for the results.
‘Haa, this is frustrating.’
It felt like a massive stone was weighing on her chest. She didn’t care about her injuries or winning or losing the fight. What tormented her most was that her comrades had all died, she’d survived alone, and worst of all, she’d failed the mission personally assigned by the Prophet.
At that moment, the summons she’d been waiting for finally came.
“Miss Berche, are you feeling alright?”
As she entered the conference room, seven figures sat around a large round table. The one in the center, the White Witch—no, to Berche, the 1st Elder—greeted her with concern.
“Yes. Aside from some tangled mana, I’m fine, 1st Elder.”
“It’s a miracle you only came away with that after using a mana stone bomb. We’re truly relieved you made it back alive.”
The 1st Elder expressed his worry once more, but Berche could only bow her head.
“I have no face to show you.”
A heavy silence fell after her apology. Moments later, the 1st Elder spoke again.
“Before we dive into the main discussion, let’s take a moment of silence for our fallen comrades.”
Everyone rose from their seats and bowed their heads. Once the silence ended and they sat back down, the 1st Elder continued.
“Let’s begin the meeting. First, 4th Elder, you said the investigation results are in?”
“Yes. Based on Miss Berche’s report, the man she fought is most likely a new figure of unknown identity. The Brain Emperor from Korea, whom she suspected, was confirmed to be working with Support Guild’s guild master, Hunter Kim Suho, at the time.”
The 5th Elder picked up from there.
“Kim Suho—the dual-class hunter you’ve been monitoring, right, 6th Elder?”
“Yes, exactly. As you said, 5th Elder, he’s the one under your watch, 6th Elder.”
As the other elders’ gazes turned to the 6th Elder, he spoke up.
“I’m currently in regular contact, building rapport. Since meeting me, he’s awakened new abilities and become much more active externally. Recruiting Kim Suho would let us gather comrades in Northeast Asia, a region that’s been nearly barren for us. That’s why I’m approaching him cautiously.”
The other elders nodded in agreement.
“We’ll leave that entirely to you, 6th Elder. 4th Elder, support him well. With that settled, let’s return to the main topic.”
As the conversation threatened to stray, the 1st Elder smoothly reined it in. The 4th Elder continued.
“The emergence of a top-ten-level hunter is surprising enough. But what’s even more shocking is Kim Taehoon’s true identity. It’s still just suspicion, but I believe there’s a high chance he’s Miracle.”
The unexpected name sent the elders into stunned shock, their faces paling in disbelief.
“W-who did you say? M-Miracle?”
“He’s Miracle? What makes you think that?”
“My god. Are you saying we just attacked Miracle?”
No one was more shocked than Berche.
‘N-no way… He was Miracle? That’s impossible. How could…?’
Miracle was the hunter the Council had designated as their top recruitment priority—the one with the influence to resolve their long-standing wishes in an instant. They’d desperately searched for him, but with Europe as their base, tracking activity in Korea was difficult, and he’d hidden his info thoroughly. The thought that she’d nearly killed Miracle with her own hands made her chest tighten with guilt.
As Berche writhed in self-reproach, the 1st Elder spoke.
“Everyone, calm down. The 4th Elder hasn’t finished. And Berche, the raid on the Dungeon Studies Research Institute was a Council decision—not your fault alone. Don’t blame yourself.”
The room quieted at his words, and the 4th Elder resumed.
“The reason I suspect Kim Taehoon is Miracle—first, when I thought about which Korean hunter could have a world top-ten guarding them, Miracle came to mind immediately.”
The elders nodded instinctively, while Berche’s already ashen face grew even paler.
“Also, per Berche’s report, Kim Taehoon was obsessed with dungeon books. That led me to hypothesize he might be able to read them. I suspect his rival potions come from knowledge gained that way too—why else couldn’t countless potion makers replicate them despite studying? He was probably accessing the Dungeon Studies Research Institute to gain new knowledge from a dungeon book. That’s why I believe he’s Miracle.”
A profound silence blanketed the room after the 4th Elder finished. Though still speculation, his logic resonated, hardening everyone’s expressions.
Then the 1st Elder spoke again.
“I’ve heard the 4th Elder out. Like the rest of you, I find it plausible. But we can’t act on possibilities alone. And while whether Kim Taehoon is Miracle matters, we must also discuss follow-up measures for this incident.”
The 2nd Elder, who hadn’t spoken until now, finally chimed in.
“The 1st Elder is right. Whether he’s Miracle or not is secondary. Even if he is, if he won’t join us, it means little. Worse, if this breeds hostility, we should act preemptively.”
“2nd Elder, what are you implying? We should be apologizing, not attacking Miracle now? If he truly is Miracle, striking him means war with the world. We gathered for hunters’ rights—not to wage war on the world.”
The 3rd Elder shot back firmly, but the 2nd countered.
“So you’re saying we just let it slide? Berche already tried to kill him per the report. Think he’ll forgive us with a ‘sorry, our mistake’? Can you guarantee he won’t turn hostile when we expand later?”
“That’s why we investigate now. And wasn’t pushing the hardline your idea, 2nd Elder? The Prophet said we needed dungeon books—never to raid the institute. You can’t flip like this after starting it all.”
As the hawkish 2nd Elder clashed fiercely with the dovish 3rd, the 1st Elder intervened.
“2nd Elder, 3rd Elder—please calm down.”
Unlike his soft voice, a heavy pressure emanated from him, bearing down on the two. They instantly fell silent, their reddened faces pacified.
“It was a Council decision—our collective responsibility, not any one person’s. Figuring out Kim Taehoon’s true identity comes first, not how to handle him. We can decide that later. More importantly, the Prophet’s will. He may need dungeon books as a tool to recruit Kim Taehoon—if he can truly read them.”
With the topic shifted, the elders exchanged views and continued. Berche, still reeling, thought of Kim Taehoon.
‘Kim Taehoon is Miracle? Protecting dungeon books for hunters’ rights? What’s he really thinking?’
A casual remark from Kim Suho had sent Berche’s imagination soaring alone.
Meanwhile, as talk of Kim Suho flowed, the man himself was utterly lost in a dungeon book.
[Daewon Calendar, Year 32, November 12th. My empire, which seemed eternal for a thousand, ten thousand years, was crumbling just 32 years after its founding.]
[With no successor named, the Emperor’s sudden death sparked a war among the princes. The vast empire splintered, torn apart, with battles raging daily.]
[The Imperial Guard shattered too, scattering to their favored princes. But I rejected all offers out of loyalty to the Emperor—and that choice led to my doom.]
[No regrets. Born a commoner, I met the Emperor, roamed the continent, and joined his dream. A life without remorse.]
[Only regret: letting this internal energy technique, which elevated a commoner like me to the Guard, be buried. I leave it here, hoping another seizes the chance I had.]
Class NPC effect activates.
Acquired Jinheo’s Internal Energy Technique.
Internal energy technique effect: Strength +50.
Internal energy technique effect: Vitality +50.
Internal energy technique effect: Mana +50.
‘Strength and vitality actually went up?’
The diary’s author lived in an era straight out of a wuxia novel. No mages, but cultivators with internal energy techniques—and he was one. The effects matched what he knew of such techniques. He’d hoped while reading, and sure enough, his strength and vitality rose.
Amazed once more by the dungeon book’s power, he soon realized this was just the beginning.
[Crusader Calendar, Year 1, January 12th. The fifty-year war ended in humanity’s victory.]
[Over 90% of the continent’s lizardfolk perished; the rest fled to their original home, the Black Continent.]
[But I had no time for joy. My body, fighting since Year 1, had long surpassed its limits—like it’d barely held on for the final battle. Now, it was failing.]
[Victory, yet unease lingered. What if the lizardfolk invaded again? I can’t pass my divine power directly, so I leave the techniques honed rolling in battlefields for fifty years. May someone learn them to prepare for future lizardfolk wars.]
Class NPC effect activates.
Acquired skill <Mana Mine>.
<Mana Mine>
Creates a mine using mana.
Consumes at least 10 mana; explosion range and power scale with mana spent.
However, regardless of mana consumed, it detonates upon receiving a fixed amount of impact.
‘S-skills too? You can get skills from these?’
This diary’s author was a hunter like him, so he’d given up on stats. He’d hoped for dungeon info instead. Amid wars with bizarre lizardfolk, the guy never stopped conquering dungeons—maybe some intel there. But as the protagonist died right after the war, he thought that was it—until the sudden skill acquisition shocked him.
And the skill? He’d never heard of anything like it.
‘What the hell is this skill even for?’
One thing was clear: dungeon books exceeded all expectations.
He was so immersed, he’d lost track of time.
To be continued in the next chapter... The Hunter Who Awakened as an NPC