I had worked as a Dungeon Porter for two years.
It was a period that could be considered either short or long.
To me, it had felt long.
That was probably because I had done my utmost at every moment and lived desperately.
To earn more money and awaken sooner, I had tried to observe every situation without overlooking anything.
As a result, I had naturally developed a keen eye.
One of those abilities was an eye for identifying Items.
- You appear to be in a good mood.
“Yes. I think I found something useful.”
Of course, I was no professional appraiser.
I could merely recognize a decent Item with a fairly high degree of accuracy.
Hoping that my eye had served me well this time, I approached the object lying where the Goblin had died.
The object practically radiated value.
By this point, I was certain.
That faintly gleaming object was undoubtedly an Item!
‘It was a pair of gloves?’
The object turned out to be a pair of gloves when I saw it up close.
They had a distinctive appearance. I could never call them stylish…… If I had to describe them, I would say their design had a strong sense of individuality.
Holding the gloves in my hand, I focused intently on wanting to view their information.
The Item’s information appeared before my eyes.
【Goblin’s Glossy Gloves】
[Rank] F
[Description] Gloves once worn by a wealthy Goblin
[Effect] Attack Power +2, Defense +2
“Oh!”
The Item exceeded my expectations.
Since it had dropped in an F-Rank Dungeon, I would have been satisfied if it raised even one Combat Stat by a single point.
Yet it increased both Attack Power and Defense by two points!
‘This must be one of the best Items obtainable from an F-Rank Dungeon.’
It might have been an Item of the lowest rank, F-Rank.
However, an Item with effects this good would be expensive.
Would I receive more than ten million won if I sold it?
Still, I had no intention of selling it immediately.
“I should use an Item this good myself and sell it after I find something better.”
- You call that good? It looks grotesque, and its craftsmanship appears poor.
Unlike me, Martial God Jin Cheon-woo evaluated the gloves mercilessly.
I could understand his reaction. The Goblin’s Glossy Gloves did not look particularly impressive.
‘They have a faint sheen because they belonged to a wealthy Goblin…… but it would be difficult to call them luxurious.’
Even I had tried to dress up my first impression by calling their appearance distinctive. To be honest, they were rather ugly.
Nevertheless, I had no intention of changing my mind about wearing them.
Of course I would use gloves that increased my stats and made me stronger!
SLIP! SWISH!
I put the gloves on both hands.
I immediately felt the additional strength.
The sensation of having grown stronger put me in a good mood.
‘Now I should check the Achievement.’
The messages that had appeared immediately before I discovered the Item were still floating before my eyes.
[You killed 40 Goblins within 10 minutes.]
[Achievement added - Goblin Hunter]
It was an Achievement I had received for killing numerous Goblins within a short period.
I opened the information for the Achievement named Goblin Hunter.
【Achievement】Goblin Hunter
[Description] Hunting 40 Goblins within 10 minutes is no easy feat. An Achievement granted to one who accomplishes such a feat
[Effect] Vitality +1, Attack Power +1
“Oh! My stats increased again!”
I was satisfied.
I was already pleased that the Item had raised my stats, and now an Achievement had increased them as well!
The moment I learned that my stats had risen, I instinctively opened my Status Window.
【Name】Yu-gwon
【Trait】Martial God’s Successor(SSSSS)
【Vitality】E[93] 【Inner Arts】E[69]
【Attack Power】E[86] 【Defense】E[80]
【Evasion】E[87] 【Magic Resistance】E[73]
【Skill】[Limitless Mind Method(SSSSS)][Limitless Sword Method(SSSSS)][Limitless Footwork(SSSSS)][Swing(F)][Thrust(F)]
【Achievement】[Special Beginner][One Who Learned the Martial God’s Mind Method][One Who Astonished the Martial God][One Who Learned the Martial God’s Sword Method][One Who Learned the Martial God’s Footwork][Goblin Hunter]
‘My stats have increased tremendously! I’ve accumulated quite a few Achievements before I even realized it.’
Looking at my Status Window filled me with pride.
It made me feel that I was growing stronger at a steady pace.
More importantly—
‘This isn’t the time for that.’
I could not stand around admiring myself after achieving only this much.
I had to become stronger.
Strong enough to heal my parents.
***
I moved around busily in search of Goblins.
Even while traveling, I tried to utilize Limitless Footwork.
It consumed Inner Arts every time I used it, but I did not consider it wasteful when I thought of the Proficiency I would gain.
The amount of Inner Arts it consumed was not especially large, either.
Unfortunately, however, I encountered Hunters everywhere I searched.
“Over here! We need support!”
“Goblins spotted! I hit them first! They’re ours, so let’s start hunting!”
“Oh! There are Goblins over there! Hurry and land the first hit!”
The Hunters hunted Goblins as though they were competing against one another.
It was only natural.
To them, Goblins represented both Experience Points and money.
Of course, the Goblins were not the only ones suffering.
Although it did not happen often, some Hunters collapsed after being seriously injured by Goblin attacks.
It was happening even now.
“Aaargh!”
A Hunter screamed after a Goblin’s sword left a deep gash in his neck.
He appeared terrified by the possibility that he might die.
Fortunately, one of the companions fighting beside him seemed to be a Healer. The Hunter immediately received treatment and appeared to survive the dangerous moment.
‘As expected, I can’t underestimate Monsters. I never know when I might allow a dangerous attack to get through.’
Remaining vigilant, I continued searching for a suitable place to hunt Goblins.
‘……There really are a lot of people.’
It became increasingly difficult to find an area without Hunters.
However, I could not stop hunting Goblins.
Naturally, I also began swinging my sword whenever a Goblin appeared, as though competing with the other Hunters.
SLAAASH! SLASH!
However—
At some point, the Hunters around me stopped moving.
I felt them staring at me, but I tried not to pay attention and continued hunting Goblins.
‘Are they not going to hunt them? That works for me.’
Just then, I heard what the Hunters were saying.
“Who is that guy? Why is he so strong?”
“Why would someone that strong come to an F-Rank Dungeon? But judging by his equipment, he does look like a beginner…….”
“How is he fighting that well with a rotten sword and rotten armor……? That’s incredible……!”
Apparently, I looked like a powerful Hunter to them.
I did not dislike hearing that. However, they had called my sword and armor rotten.
That was going too far!
- Tsk! What a group of blind fools! How dare they say such things after seeing the Limitless Sword and Limitless Armor?
Martial God Jin Cheon-woo sounded dumbfounded.
I agreed with him.
“Exactly. They might be old, but they certainly aren’t rotten.”
- Old?! You have yet to witness the Limitless Sword and Limitless Armor in their true forms!
Jin Cheon-woo bristled at my words.
He appeared to take tremendous pride in his belongings, but I had only ever seen them in their worn-out state, so I could not entirely sympathize.
“I would like to see the Limitless Sword and Limitless Armor in their true forms soon.”
- Release their seals. Then you will see them.
“Yes. I’ll work hard to release them.”
Martial God Jin Cheon-woo’s words served as a hint.
The First Seals on the Limitless Sword and Limitless Armor were currently the only ones that had been released, but he had implied that more of their seals could be released in the future.
‘I suspected it, but their additional seals really can be released!’
I felt as though I had gained yet another reason to work harder and become stronger.
Renewed with energy, I hunted the Goblins even more fiercely.
“Wow! Who is that guy? He’s killing Goblins incredibly quickly!”
“This is insane! Today’s hunt is ruined! He’s going to wipe out every Goblin in the Dungeon!”
“If he kills all of them by himself, what are the rest of us supposed to hunt?”
The area around me was noisy.
However, I could no longer clearly hear what everyone was saying.
That was how deeply focused I had become.
I repeatedly killed every Goblin in sight before immediately moving on to hunt the next one.
Even in such circumstances, however, I obeyed the Dungeon’s unwritten rule.
That rule was commonly known as ‘no kill stealing’: never attack a Monster that another Hunter was already hunting.
SLASH! STAB!
I executed the Limitless Sword Method with the Limitless Sword.
My form became more precise as time passed.
I could now reproduce the movements I had practiced in the Private Training Center even while fighting Monsters.
Of course, they still did not appear to satisfy the Martial God’s standards.
- When you thrust your sword as you just did, you should have twisted your body more forcefully! Did I not tell you to make full use of the force generated by the rotation?
His advice continued without pause.
To someone else, it might have sounded like nagging.
To me, however, every word was precious.
His advice was genuinely helping me tremendously.
STAB! SHNK!
I thrust my sword and pulled it free, causing two Goblins to collapse.
I had attempted to thrust while utilizing the rotational force, just as Martial God Jin Cheon-woo had advised, and the result seemed satisfactory.
“Whoa! Did you see that? One strike, two kills!”
“He killed two Goblins with a single strike?! Why is someone like that in an F-Rank Dungeon……?”
“Now that I look closely, maybe that sword and armor are some veteran’s gimmick outfit. You know how some experienced Hunters deliberately use lousy Items to show off in beginner Dungeons.”
“He definitely isn’t a beginner Hunter. I would say he is at least an E-Rank Hunter.”
“E-Rank? He has to be at least D-Rank!”
The people’s conversation reached my ears once more.
My concentration had probably weakened after I finished off the nearby Goblins.
More importantly, they seemed to keep misunderstanding me.
‘First they said I was using rotten Items, and now they think it’s some veteran’s gimmick outfit? This is ridiculous.’
The people continued watching me and making all kinds of comments.
However, I was not particularly displeased.
At any other time, I might have felt deeply wronged by their assumptions.
At that moment, however, I could not spare much attention for their words.
The messages appearing before my eyes had completely captured my attention.
[Vitality has increased. +1]
[Attack Power has increased. +1]
Messages announcing that my stats had increased!
They were more than enough of a reward for diligently hunting Goblins.
However—
“Oh! What is this?!”
Beneath the messages that had already appeared before my eyes, new messages were being generated.
[Skill ‘Swing(F)’ has advanced! F -> E]
[The effects of Skill ‘Swing(F)’ have changed!]
[Skill ‘Thrust(F)’ has advanced! F -> E]
[The effects of Skill ‘Thrust(F)’ have changed!]
I was startled the moment I read the messages.
‘My Skills have advanced already?’
I knew that Skills could advance.
I had heard stories about it even when I worked as a Dungeon Porter.
However, they had advanced far too quickly.
‘Why did it happen? Was it because of the Limitless Sword Method? Or did the power of an SSSSS-Rank Item like the Limitless Sword accelerate my Skills’ advancement?’
When I heard about it during my days as a Dungeon Porter, I had been told that advancing a Skill took a considerable amount of time.
A highly capable Hunter had told me that, so I had considered the information credible.
However, judging by what had just happened to me, perhaps that Hunter had been wrong.
‘I don’t know the exact reason, but a Skill can apparently advance rapidly depending on the Hunter’s circumstances!’
I tried to calm my excitement.
Then I considered what I needed to do first.
“I should check how the Skills have changed.”
Swing and Thrust.
Just as I was about to inspect the information for the advanced Skills—
RUMBLE!
The ground began to shake.
The vibrations were so powerful that it was difficult to remain standing.
“It’s an earthquake!”
Someone shouted.
Immediately afterward, frightened cries erupted one after another.
“A Rift! It’s a Rift……!”
“Aaargh! It’s a Rift! Run!”
“We’re finished…… We’re all as good as dead……!”