Volume 1 - CH 13

Chapter13

4. Second Stage

[Obtained 10 experience points!]

[Obtained 10 experience points!]

[Obtained 10 experience points!]

The notification window announcing the acquisition of experience points kept frantically popping up and disappearing. I swung my sword at a skeleton charging at me from the side, and then bone cracked in the path of my sword.

-Swish!

As I sliced through its shinbone, its body lurched forward and its head came to face me. I then plunged the sword into its skull, and it died without even uttering a scream.

"Phew...."

I caught my breath and stood up. All around me, the bodies of the skeletons were piled up. Although I had already cleared this stage, I was still hunting here. I should have moved on to the second stage, but I was waiting for someone to go to the next stage with. Hence, I decided to focus on hunting here for now. After taking a deep breath, I checked my stats.

═══════════════

[Strength] Level 9

[Stamina] Level 5

[Agility] Level 8

[Sensory] Level 5

[Magic] Level 5

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After my first run, my stats didn't increase much, but it couldn't be helped. As a Insect Third Class, I had to work three times harder than others to keep up with their speed. As a result, I had now accumulated a considerable amount of experience points. I could raise my stats with it, but I did not intend to do so for now. Instead, I wanted to enhance my abilities.

[Invested experience points in 'Radian Flames' ability!]

['Radiant Flames' has grown to Insect Second Class!]

Abilities could be improved through repeated use or by investing experience points. Or by other means, just like when 'Radiant Flames' had temporarily evolved with the help of Shin Sooah but then returned to Insect Third class status thereafter. With this, I realized that people were also important. To enhance my abilities, I had to pour in a considerable amount of experience points, but with Shin Sooah's help, my abilities would jump by two ranks. Shin Sooah was undoubtedly my benefactor.

[You have reached the exit!]

After defeating the skeletons, I found myself at the exit. It seemed like the time I needed to clear this stage each time was getting shorter. I then went to the lobby to catch my breath, where people quickly approached me.

"Ah, Seo Gangrim. Hello. Thanks to you, I can connect to the Wi-Fi!"

All the people who spoke to me had big smiles on their faces. After sharing the Wi-Fi password, it seemed like people had a favorable impression of me. Such treatment was quite unfamiliar to me.

"To think you're the first to clear the first stage, you're really skilled. You know, I'm still struggling."

"Seo Gangrim, what rank are you? At least you must be a Spirit rank, right?"

Even though I didn't answer, they continued talking and smiling.

"Let's go together later. It would be nice to go with you to the second stage together—"

The person speaking suddenly became startled and stopped talking. He glanced back briefly and his complexion changed. He then took a step back as if avoiding something.

"W-Well then, let's talk another time, Mr. Seo Gangrim!"

Along with the others, he fled as if avoiding a demon. And after they left, Dok Gojun approached me with a face full of delight.

"Seo Gangrim, you're working hard today!"

He was the culprit who had frightened and chased away the people just now. While the others and I were having a conversation, he had been staring at people as if he would kill them, so it was understandable that they were scared.

Now, though, he had a smiling face.

"Those extras are very interested in you. Well, it can't be helped. But still, wanting to go with you, it's shameless even for extras," he said with a rather fierce gaze.

Come to think of it, Dok Gojun was good-looking and popular, so people liked him a lot in the beginning. But after his true personality was revealed, everyone avoided him.

I looked at him for a moment and asked, "Dok Gojun, what's the matter? Do you have any business with me?"

"Hey, do we have to have a reason between us for me to call you?"

After clearing the first stage, Dokgo Jun treated me as if he had known me for a long time. Of course, I couldn't fully trust this kind treatment coming from him.

Dok Gojun smiled broadly and said, "I don't want anything, but it would be nice if we could go to the second stage together!"

"I've already told you last time, I haven't forgotten about the incident in the building."

"Hey, forgive me just this once. I want to become closer to you."

'To become closer. I wonder if he ever truly considered anyone an ally?'

Based on his actions in my past life, Dok Gojun was untrustworthy in many ways. When Dok Gojun established a sect, there weren't many members even though it was one of the five major sects. The reason was his personality. When a sect member died and a funeral was held, although he paid a large sum of money, this was what he said: "I thought he was a main character, but to die already... Were you just a supporting character all along? What a disappointment."

In the end, he viewed the people around him not as humans, but as 'characters.'  Now he treated me like the main character, but who knows when and how his attitude might change. Besides, even without that aspect, I didn't want to become too intimate with Dokgo Jun.

"You didn't tell me about your childhood. Tell me about it now. And are you really a regressionist or something?"

He had an excessive interest in me, and it was a bit much. Especially the part where he assumed I was a regressort

"I was just a normal kid who saw ghosts. Possession, reincarnation, what's it all about, ghosts?"

"Oh? Seo Gangrim, don't you read web novels?"

"No, I don't."

"Then you haven't read my novel."

I knew he was famous, but I hadn't really read his work. Despite sensing that I didn't know much about it, Dokgo Jun became even more excited and continued explaining, "I like reincarnation stories, as well as regression and possession stories... But I especially love reincarnation stories. My debut novel was also a reincarnation story!"

"I see."

"Yeah. Somehow, I feel like you're also into that kind of stuff."

While following him wasn't necessarily a bad thing, I wanted to erase the label of 'Seo Gangrim, the regressor' from his mind. Besides, I had separate tasks to accomplish in the second stage, so I couldn't go with him.

"Let's go together to the second stage, Seo Gangrim. You won't be at a disadvantage, will you?"

"Well, I don't really want to go with you. I don't think Dokgo Jun has caught up to me yet, both in terms of skills and abilities."

When I doubted his abilities, Dokgo Jun's eyes narrowed, and he stared at me with a hint of frustration.

"Is that what you think? That I'm weak?"

"I was the one who cleared the first stage first, right?"

Dokgo Jun didn't refute my words, but his pride seemed a little hurt. Then, he suddenly seemed to have an idea and smiled.

"Well, fine. Let's explore separately for now. And while we're at it, let's make a bet on who clears it first. If I do clear the second stage first, then you'll believe in my skills, right?" he said with a gleam in his eyes.

"I'll be looking forward to it, Seo Gangrim. I'm curious about what you'll achieve."

Dokgo Jun chuckled and left.

For now, it seemed like I could act independently from Dokgo Jun, but he would still keep an eye on me. If I were to clear the next stage first, he would undoubtedly follow me, claiming that I was indeed a reincarnator or something. I needed to come up with a plan regarding him.

I headed to the cafeteria to get some recovery potions. As I walked in, I was greeted by a neatly organized interior. Tiny clay figurines, or Tous, were scurrying around. performing tasks such as serving meals, cleaning, and doing laundry. I approached the counter and spoke to one of the Tous, "I need a recovery potion and a water jug."

"Ot!"

The Tous made an indiscernible sound and retrieved a recovery potion and water jug from under the shelf.

"Thank you."

"Ot? Ot?"

The Tous looked at me while tapping the menu board. It seemed it wanted to convey the meaning of "Is the recovery potion enough? Get more!" These guys were always focused on feeding others.

"It's fine. This is enough for me."

"Oh..."

The Tous made a very concerned face. Then, as if feeling sorry for me, it quietly handed me something.

"Ot."

There was a small rice cake and a cup of coffee placed on the counter. It seemed to be a service.

"I'll enjoy it."

"Ot!"

The Tous waved its short arms as if telling me to eat up. Hence, I took a seat and put the rice cake in my mouth, and while I was at it, I heard voices from the entrance.

"Thanks to you, I survived. I thought I was going to die for sure."

"It was thanks to Mr. Goonam who protected us from the attack."

The voices were very cheerful. Soon, people entered the cafeteria and I could see their faces.

A party seemed to have formed in no time. Among them, there were two noticeable individuals. One of them was Shin Sooah. She used to be in a party with me, but now it seemed she had joined forces with others. However, what mattered now wasn't her. There was a man who stood out among the crowd. He was tall in stature, and had a  clean-cut face. He had a gentle and friendly appearance that could easily win people's favor.

"Mr. Goonam, please have a seat. You've worked hard today."

"Did I really work hard? Ah, I'll get some coffee."

Cheon Goonam smiled brightly as he engaged in conversations with people. If one were to ask a passersby about their impression of Cheon Goonam, most would say he seemed like a good person. I was also initially deceived by his appearance.

In my past life, Cheon Goonam spoke to me, an insect rank, and treated me kindly. But it was because of him that my life started to go awry. It happened at some point while I was clearing through the first stage that people started to avoid and reject me. At first, I thought it was because of my low rank, but I was dead wrong. People knew that I had the ability 'Destiny Theft'. I only found out much later, after being ridiculed by everyone for my ability.

Cheon Goonam, the culprit, told everyone what my ability was.