THUD!
The Boss Monster collapsed.
It had fallen to a single attack from me.
‘What is this……?’
I was bewildered.
I had focused on executing Limitless Footwork and the Limitless Sword Method with precise movements.
But it died that easily?
A Boss Monster strengthened to D-Rank?
“No, that can’t be right.”
Still doubtful, I approached the fallen Boss Monster.
I remained vigilant in case it suddenly leaped to its feet and attacked me.
However, my caution proved unnecessary.
Proof that the Boss Monster was dead appeared before me.
[Vitality has increased. +1]
[Attack Power has increased. +1]
[Magic Resistance has increased. +1]
Messages floated before my eyes.
My stats had increased.
Three of them, no less.
‘I really…… killed it.’
Excited, I opened my Status Window.
【Name】Yu-gwon
【Trait】Martial God’s Successor(SSSSS)
【Vitality】E[95] 【Inner Arts】E[69]
【Attack Power】E[91] 【Defense】E[84]
【Evasion】E[88] 【Magic Resistance】E[74]
【Skill】[Limitless Mind Method(SSSSS)][Limitless Sword Method(SSSSS)][Limitless Footwork(SSSSS)][Swing(E)][Thrust(E)]
【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][Efficient One]
Seeing my growth with my own eyes felt wonderful.
Now I understood why Hunters continued training and hunting Monsters despite all the hardship.
However—
‘Again……?’
More messages appeared in real time.
[You have accomplished something impossible with your current abilities!]
[Achievement added - One Who Accomplished the Impossible]
This time, it was an Achievement.
I had already felt myself grow stronger from the Efficient One Achievement, so my expectations were even higher.
【Achievement】One Who Accomplished the Impossible
[Description] Killing a D-Rank Boss Monster with a single attack is impossible with your current abilities! An Achievement granted for accomplishing such an impossibility
[Effect] Vitality +3, Inner Arts +3, Attack Power +3, Defense +3, Evasion +3, Magic Resistance +3, Attack Power increased by 5%
‘Insane!’
This Achievement was incredible.
It raised every stat by three points and even came with the special effect of increasing Attack Power by 5%!
As far as I knew, Achievements this good were extremely difficult to obtain.
That must have meant my circumstances were equally extraordinary.
Jin Cheon-woo reacted to the sudden change.
- You seem to have grown stronger…… What happened?
“You noticed immediately. That’s right. I became stronger after killing the Boss Monster.”
- Your rate of growth…… is rather fast.
“Am I developing well?”
- I merely said it was rather fast. It is nothing exceptional, so continue working hard to become stronger.
Jin Cheon-woo spoke as though it were nothing remarkable.
However, I could clearly sense it.
Jin Cheon-woo was surprised.
‘My growth must be fast even by the Martial God’s standards.’
My confidence grew.
It seemed I was doing reasonably well.
Just then—
The people inside the Dungeon began murmuring.
“What just happened……?”
“……What did I just see? Is that…… Big-Eared Goblin dead……?”
“The Boss Monster collapsed after a single attack……!”
“That’s impossible!”
The people were in shock.
I understood their reaction. Even I, the person who had done it, was bewildered and amazed. How much more shocking must it have been for those who had merely watched?
However, Martial God Jin Cheon-woo appeared unable to understand the situation.
- Why are they surprised by such an obvious result?
“Obvious?”
- Consider the sword in your hand and the Martial Arts you employ. It would be stranger if you could not eliminate a Monster of that level with one attack.
Jin Cheon-woo’s words made me reconsider the situation.
The Limitless Sword in my hand, the Limitless Armor protecting my body, the Limitless Sword Method, Limitless Footwork, and finally, the Limitless Mind Method.
Every one of them was an absurdly powerful Item or Martial Art that would cause an uproar if revealed to the world.
Furthermore, my stats were already exceptionally high considering how recently I had awakened.
I began to think that perhaps the outcome truly was as natural as Martial God Jin Cheon-woo claimed.
At that moment—
FLASH!
Something gleamed where the Boss Monster had died.
‘Huh?’
The keen eye I had developed while working as a Dungeon Porter told me immediately.
Something valuable had appeared.
I approached and checked it at once.
‘Amazing! It’s a Mana Stone!’
The Mana Stone appeared to be in excellent condition.
It would fetch a high price if sold, and if I absorbed it myself, I could gain a considerable amount of Inner Arts.
SWISH!
I tucked the Mana Stone into my clothes.
I now possessed eight Mana Stones.
I had kept the seven Mana Stones I obtained from the legacy left by Martial God Jin Cheon-woo instead of selling them.
I had originally intended to sell all of them, but my plans changed after An Mi-hyeon of the Hunter Association transferred thirty-two million won to me.
Now that I had enough money to cover my parents’ hospital expenses, I intended to absorb the Mana Stones myself.
‘I have to become stronger.’
Had Martial God Jin Cheon-woo not told me?
If I became strong enough, I could personally heal my parents.
‘As long as it makes me stronger, I’ll devour anything, whether it’s a Mana Stone or something else.’
I decided to absorb the Mana Stones as soon as I left the Dungeon.
For now, I intended to focus on eliminating the Goblins that remained inside.
I was about to move elsewhere when—
- Do you intend to leave that behind?
Martial God Jin Cheon-woo’s puzzled remark brought me to a halt.
“What am I leaving behind?”
- Look at the Monster you killed.
The only thing I saw was the corpse of the Boss Monster, the Big-Eared Goblin.
It would have been different if it produced useful byproducts, but Big-Eared Goblins were not known to yield anything worthwhile.
“What is there? It’s just a Monster corpse…….”
- Check beneath the corpse.
“……!”
I suddenly realized my mistake.
Thoroughly searching a Boss Monster’s corpse was one of the most fundamental duties of a Dungeon Porter, yet I had overlooked it.
‘It hasn’t even been that long since I stopped working as a Dungeon Porter, and I’m already losing my instincts? Get a grip.’
Reproaching myself, I turned over the corpse of the Boss Monster, the Big-Eared Goblin.
It was large for a Goblin, but flipping it over was not difficult.
That was how strong I had become.
WHOOSH! THUD!
The moment I turned over the Big-Eared Goblin’s body, I saw an Item.
It was even good enough that I would have deeply regretted overlooking it.
【Big-Eared Goblin’s Shoes】
[Rank] E
[Description] Shoes belonging to the Boss Monster of a Goblin Dungeon, the ‘Big-Eared Goblin’
[Effect] Defense +5, Evasion +3, Magic Resistance +3, Movement Speed increased by 7%
‘Wow! These are incredible!’
I was startled as soon as I read the Item’s information.
They increased Defense by an astonishing five points and raised both Evasion and Magic Resistance by three!
They even increased Movement Speed by 7%!
SWISH!
I immediately put on the shoes.
TAP! TAP-TAP!
I moved lightly from side to side.
My body felt lighter.
I could clearly sense that I was moving faster.
The noticeable change was deeply satisfying.
‘Excellent!’
I would soon be able to confirm the changes caused by the increases to Defense, Evasion, and Magic Resistance as well.
I immediately began moving.
“H-Huh?! Wait! Shabby Hunter! Could we speak with you for a moment?”
“Could we take a photograph with you?”
“Shabby Hunter! I saw major guilds offering to recruit you in the YouTube video. Have you decided which one to join? Are you already affiliated with a major guild?”
“Shabby Hunter, could you tell us your rank?”
The people inside the Dungeon called out to me.
However, I had no time to pay attention to them.
‘I’ve already been delayed too long. There must still be many Mutated Goblins inside the Dungeon. There are probably many people in danger as well.’
TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP!
I ran in search of Goblins and found myself moving faster than usual.
It was undoubtedly thanks to the Big-Eared Goblin’s Shoes, which increased my Movement Speed.
“Aaargh! Save me!”
“Ugh…… My leg……!”
I heard the pained screams of Hunters in the distance.
I pushed myself to move even faster and soon found them.
Goblins had surrounded the Hunters and were relentlessly attacking them.
“SQUEAK! SKREEE!”
“SQUEAK-SQUEAK! SKREE!”
The Goblins attacked the Hunters while cackling with laughter.
The sight reminded me of the Monsters that had attacked my parents.
CLENCH!
My grip tightened around my sword.
‘I’ll kill every last one of you.’
***
The Hunter Community.
This online community was considered the largest community in the country.
Considering that it consistently had more than one hundred thousand concurrent users, the claim was probably accurate.
However—
The number of users currently connected to the Hunter Community was surpassing two hundred thousand.
『Dungeon Rift Occurs in XX District, Seoul! Numerous Casualties Feared as Hunter Association and Local Guilds Reportedly Dispatch Reinforcements!』
『Rift Occurrence! F-Rank Dungeon Strengthened to D-Rank! Monsters Inside Are Also Likely to Have Reached D-Rank…… Hunters Trapped Inside in Grave Danger……』
A Dungeon Rift had occurred in the middle of Seoul.
The Hunter Association had noticed it belatedly and dispatched reinforcements, but their response appeared to have been too slow.
It was a horrifying situation in which dozens of Hunters could potentially be killed by Mutated Monsters.
The users of the Hunter Community anxiously watched the situation unfold.
- Check YouTube! They’re broadcasting live from around the Gate! Damn…… I hope everyone makes it out alive…….
- The Dungeon where the Rift occurred is a Goblin Dungeon. Apparently, the Monsters rose by two ranks because of the Rift. It is grim, but we should assume the F-Rank Hunters inside are effectively dead.
└ You bastard! Do not say something so ominous! My brother is inside that Dungeon!
└ Agreed. Watch what you say. If all you have are negative comments, keep quiet and offer your support instead.
- They might be all right! Cautious Hunters often hunt in Dungeons one rank below their own, don’t they? If there are enough cautious E-Rank Hunters inside, they will not be easily defeated by D-Rank Goblins!
The Hunter Community users desperately tried to remain positive.
However, they already knew the truth.
If a Rift had occurred and raised the Monsters’ ranks by two levels……
The Hunters inside that Dungeon had almost no chance of surviving.
Then—
- Huh???? People are coming out of the Gate!!!! Watch the broadcast!!!!
- What the hell?! How are that many people escaping? Wasn’t it a Rift Dungeon? Didn’t the Monsters mutate and become D-Rank???
Something they had believed nearly impossible was happening.
Hunters emerged from the Gate connected to the Dungeon.
Moreover, most of them did not appear to be in particularly poor condition.
- Was it…… really possible?
- It’s a miracle……! This is a genuine miracle……!
Hunters continued emerging through the Gate one after another.
Their number had already surpassed thirty.
The Hunter Community users could not conceal their joy at the miraculous development.
However, even amid their happiness, a question arose in their minds.
- But…… how did this happen? Escaping from a Rift Dungeon was extremely unlikely, wasn’t it?
└ It was more than unlikely! It was practically impossible!
- I wonder what happened inside. There must be a reason so many people survived.
How had the Hunters trapped within the Rift Dungeon managed to escape?
How had they accomplished something that should have been nearly impossible?
Their questions would soon be answered.
- They’re conducting interviews! The reporters have started interviewing the Hunters who escaped! Focus on the live broadcast!
- Oh! We’re finally going to learn what happened!
The Hunters who had escaped from the Rift Dungeon—
Had begun their interviews with the news reporters.