Numerous lights, more than ten cameras, and reporters approaching me to request interviews.
‘What is all this?’
I tried to understand the situation.
It was not easy, especially since I had just emerged from the Dungeon exhausted after a difficult battle.
Still, as I listened to the reporters and the people cheering around me, my thoughts began to settle.
‘It seems word has already spread about what I did.’
A Rift had transformed an F-Rank Dungeon into a D-Rank Dungeon.
Someone had rescued the beginner Hunters trapped inside that Rift Dungeon, where the mortality rate was said to be extremely high?
‘It’s certainly the kind of incident that would attract attention.’
It was an event that would naturally draw considerable public interest.
The incident might already have been reported on the news.
More importantly—
How long was our esteemed Martial God Jin Cheon-woo going to continue making such a fuss?
- An attack utilizing light! That object producing those strange sounds might be a weapon intended to unleash a Sonic Art! Is your body unharmed? We do not know what manner of sorcery this is, so inspect yourself carefully!
“I’m perfectly fine. Please calm down.”
The cameras and lighting equipment had startled Jin Cheon-woo.
Considering how astonished he had been by cars and the subway, his reaction was not particularly strange.
‘My ears hurt so much.’
His incessant shouting had left my ears ringing.
“I told you to calm down. They aren’t dangerous objects.”
- ……Is that so?
“Yes.”
- Ahem!
Martial God Jin Cheon-woo cleared his throat, apparently embarrassed.
I looked at the reporters standing before me.
“Hunter Yu-gwon! Would you be willing to grant us an interview?”
“Could you tell us what happened inside the Dungeon?”
“We heard that you eliminated a D-Rank Boss Monster with a single attack. Is that true?”
“What do you think about the nickname ‘Shabby Hunter’?!”
“Many people are curious about your Hunter Rank! Would you be willing to disclose it?”
The reporters repeatedly requested interviews.
Some were already bombarding me with questions even though I had never agreed to speak with them.
Dozens of people were also cheering while calling me the Shabby Hunter.
The entire situation was far too chaotic, so I made my refusal clear.
“No. I will not be giving an interview.”
Of course, I would have refused even if the situation had been less overwhelming.
I believed that spending the time on another training session would be far more worthwhile.
“Please reconsider and answer just one question! Many people watching the live broadcast are curious!”
“You accomplished something remarkable. It would be a shame if you refused to tell us anything about it!”
“H-Huh? Where are you going? Please wait!”
I began running.
By employing Limitless Footwork, I efficiently wove my way through the crowd.
After running for some time and putting considerable distance between myself and the people—
“Ugh, that was overwhelming.”
I entered a Private Training Center I had located using the map on my smartphone.
I had a great deal to do.
I needed to review everything that had happened in the Dungeon, and I also had to absorb the Mana Stones.
- Those people appeared to be waiting for you.
“Yes. It certainly seemed that way.”
- You rejected their requests without the slightest hesitation.
“I don’t have time to stand around giving interviews. I need to become stronger as quickly as possible if I want to heal my parents.”
- ……An admirable attitude.
I meant every word.
I had no idea how long it would take me to reach the level necessary to heal my parents.
I needed to work diligently to become stronger.
However, I did not believe my current rate of growth was slow.
‘If anything, it’s fast. I became far stronger than I expected.’
I had gained a tremendous amount of Experience Points inside the Goblin Dungeon that the Rift had strengthened to D-Rank.
My Combat Stats had risen considerably, and I had obtained several useful Items.
【Goblin’s Glossy Gloves】
[Rank] F
[Description] Gloves once worn by a wealthy Goblin
[Effect] Attack Power +2, Defense +2
【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%
Both Items were currently of great assistance to me.
I was especially pleased with the Big-Eared Goblin’s Shoes, which I had obtained from the Boss Monster.
‘The effect that increases Movement Speed by 7% is incredible.’
An effect that increased Movement Speed was fairly rare.
It would help the Item fetch a high price when I eventually sold it, and it was tremendously useful for me to wear as well.
It had already helped me escape through that enormous crowd.
It had also allowed me to reach this Private Training Center quickly.
CLICK!
I entered the training room I had rented and closed the door.
I had just returned from a difficult battle, but I had no intention of resting yet.
- Do you intend to train without resting?
“Yes.”
- You possess a remarkably relentless side.
“How could I rest while my parents are lying there in that condition?”
- Even so, adequate rest is necessary. You may believe that constantly pushing yourself is the only way to grow stronger, but that is not true. Impatience can cause adverse effects and even slow your progress.
“I’ll keep that firmly in mind.”
I tried to engrave Martial God Jin Cheon-woo’s words into my memory.
In truth, I had been consumed by the desire to become stronger as quickly as possible without taking any rest, but his words calmed me somewhat.
‘Phew……!’
I took a moment to catch my breath and reviewed the battles that had occurred inside the Dungeon.
I had fought against Goblins strengthened to D-Rank.
Since I possessed an absurdly powerful sword, I had been able to eliminate every Goblin with a single attack.
However, my battles had not been flawless.
‘I made several mistakes, especially toward the end.’
After I had killed more than fifty Goblins—
Mental and physical exhaustion had begun causing mistakes.
I sometimes misstepped while using Limitless Footwork, and I also performed movements from the Limitless Sword Method incorrectly.
Whenever that happened, Jin Cheon-woo’s thunderous scolding restored my concentration.
However, because I was exhausted, mistakes continued appearing elsewhere.
“Is there a way to avoid making mistakes even when I’m tired?”
- There is.
“What is it?”
- Train more. Train again and again until the techniques become completely yours. It is a simple matter.
“……You’re right.”
Jin Cheon-woo’s words struck me like a blow to the head.
That was how deeply they resonated with me.
‘He’s right. Ultimately, I made mistakes because I haven’t trained enough. Once I’ve practiced until every movement feels perfect, I won’t make mistakes even when I’m exhausted.’
I raised my sword.
It was the weapon that had given me confidence even inside the Rift Dungeon everyone had considered so dangerous.
【Limitless Sword】
[Rank] SSSSS
[Description] Martial God Jin Cheon-woo’s sword. The First Seal has been released.
[Effect] Attack Power increased by 30%, Evasion increased by 30%, Ego
It was an insane sword that had even cut down a Boss Monster strengthened to D-Rank in a single attack.
I began swinging the sword.
So that I would not make mistakes even while exhausted.
And—
To become stronger.
***
The Hunter Community was filled with far more discussion than usual.
The reason was a Hunter who had been given the nickname Shabby Hunter.
- That nickname sounds so unimpressive. Why did it have to be the Shabby Hunter? Hahaha.
⎿ Hahaha. The nickname is funny, but because he’s strong, even that ridiculous nickname somehow sounds impressive.
⎿ Do not insult the Shabby Hunter. He is a hero who saved an enormous number of people.
- Everyone! I do not know much about him, but is the Shabby Hunter really that strong?
⎿ He is strong. However, judging by the footage of him hunting Kiraks, he seemed more like a talented prospect than someone overwhelmingly powerful. Recent rumors also claim that the Shabby Hunter only received his Hunter License a short while ago. That could mean he awakened recently.
⎿ What? How does that make sense? Didn’t he kill a D-Rank Boss Monster in a single strike? Wasn’t everyone assuming he was at least a B-Rank Hunter?
⎿ Perhaps that worn-looking sword is actually an S-Rank Item.
⎿ Hahaha. There is no possibility that such a trashy sword is an S-Rank Item. The Shabby Hunter is simply a veteran Hunter. He may not have been publicly known, but he was probably already somewhat famous within the industry.
⎿ Exactly. If the rumor that Yu-gwon only recently received his Hunter License is true…… then he must have been a veteran Hunter who previously operated without one. There is absolutely no possibility that he recently awakened and obtained his license as a beginner Hunter.
⎿ The explanation above makes the most sense.
- Everyone is offering different theories, but I think Yu-gwon is a veteran who simply received his Hunter License late. A beginner Hunter could never defeat a D-Rank Boss Monster.
⎿ But didn’t someone post a story about Yu-gwon’s time as a Dungeon Porter? If that person was telling the truth, Yu-gwon really did awaken only recently.
⎿ You believe that unverified nonsense? You should be careful not to get scammed.
- I have excellent instincts, and the Shabby Hunter is simply a natural-born prodigy. He awakened recently and is already that strong.
⎿ Stop talking nonsense.
⎿ Everyone, let us simply ignore the troll.
Yu-gwon.
Just how powerful was the man known as the Shabby Hunter?
Had he truly awakened only recently, as the rumors claimed?
Was he merely a beginner Hunter with an almost absurd degree of talent?
The Hunter Community users were desperate to know.
Their curiosity had only grown after Yu-gwon refused an interview and disappeared.
“Just what kind of person is he?”
TAP!
An Mi-hyeon set down the smartphone on which she had been browsing the Hunter Community.
She was also one of the Hunter Community’s users.
She was becoming increasingly curious about a man named Yu-gwon.
“They think he’s a B-Rank Hunter? That can’t be right.”
An Mi-hyeon, known as the Goddess of the Hunter Association—
Had heard Yu-gwon say it herself when they met.
He had awakened recently.
If those words were true…… Yu-gwon was a genius who had killed a D-Rank Boss Monster with a single attack despite awakening only a short while ago.
Of course, she could not simply accept everything Yu-gwon had said without question.
Even then, Yu-gwon had demonstrated combat ability that was almost impossible to believe from someone who had only recently awakened.
‘He killed dozens of Kiraks back then as well. He eliminated every Kirak with a single attack.’
An Mi-hyeon’s cheeks puffed out.
It was something she did whenever her frustration grew.
“Did that man lie to me?”
No matter how long she considered the question, she could not find an answer.
Eventually—
After agonizing over it, she mustered her courage.
“I need to meet him……!”
***
After entering the Private Training Center—
I devoted myself entirely to training.
I kept my rest to a minimum as I repeatedly practiced my swordsmanship and footwork.
I did not neglect the Limitless Mind Method, either.
The message currently appearing before my eyes was proof of that.
[Inner Arts has increased. +1]
‘Excellent!’
I clenched my fist without realizing it.
That was how delighted I was to see the message.
However, it was not the first such message I had seen in some time.
My Inner Arts had already increased three times since I entered this Private Training Center.
【Inner Arts】E[75]
My current Inner Arts stat was 75.
Considering how recently I had awakened, it was an extraordinarily high figure.
‘My Inner Arts is growing incredibly quickly!’
The rate of growth was astonishingly fast.
No, it was effectively impossible.
If this fact became known to the world, many Hunters would be shocked.
Martial Arts-Type Hunters would be especially stunned.
【Limitless Mind Method】
[Rank] SSSSS
[Description] Martial God Jin Cheon-woo’s Mind Method
The SSSSS-Rank Limitless Mind Method—
This absurdly powerful Mind Method was making the impossible possible.
- Have you fallen asleep?! If you have finished circulating your Mind Method, get up and swing your sword at once!
The Martial God’s thunderous reprimand suddenly erupted.
I unfolded my crossed legs, sprang to my feet, and began swinging my sword.
WHOOSH! WHOOOSH! SWISH! SHNK!
My legs continued moving without pause.
I incorporated Limitless Footwork into every swing of my sword.
My movements felt considerably more precise and fluid than they had several days ago.
The same was true of my swordsmanship.
I could now swing and thrust the sword faster and more smoothly while still delivering tremendous force.
‘Both my swordsmanship and footwork have improved!’
Martial God Jin Cheon-woo had yet to praise me even once and did nothing but criticize me.
Nevertheless, I could clearly feel my skills improving.
‘If I continue training diligently, I can become even stronger.’
I believed in the effort I was making.
I was certain that if I continued repeating the movements again and again, I would grow stronger.
That belief and conviction did not betray me.
[Your Trait Realm has risen - Second Star]
[Vitality has increased. +1]
[Attack Power has increased. +1]
[Defense has increased. +1]
[Evasion has increased. +1]
[Magic Resistance has increased. +1]
[Vitality’s rank has increased. E -> D]
[The Second Seal on the ‘Limitless Sword’ has been released.]
[Additional information about the ‘Limitless Sword’ can now be viewed.]