Chapter 60

Chapter 60 – Special Training (2)

Kang Hyeon fell into deep contemplation.

“How should I drive these guys to level up quickly?”

The best method would be to push them to the brink of death. However, unlike himself who can come back to life even after dying, these guys would really die if something goes wrong.

“If only they had a physical regeneration skill or something like that.”

This time, one of the Guardian Guild members did have a similar skill. It was an E-grade skill called ‘Intermediate Self-Healing’, but hearing its effects, it seemed like a downgraded version of Kang Hyeon’s bodily regeneration skill.

“Sigh... Team Leader Han Si-hwan.”

Feeling frustrated, Kang Hyeon called out to Han Si-hwan.

“Yes, Guild Master.”

Han Si-hwan had been given the position of team leader for the newly formed Strategy Team 1. In fact, it was just gathering the Guardian Guild members and giving him a leadership position, but he seemed satisfied.

“You said there was someone with a healing skill among the friends who came this time, right?”

“Yes. Her name is An Yeon-ha, and she’s a really kind and diligent friend.”

“I’m not interested in whether she’s kind and diligent. What level is she?”

“21.”

“Haa... I expected it, but still.”

He had anticipated that her level would be low since she rarely participated directly in combat. However, the situation was more serious than he thought.

“The healing skill is B-grade, received from the tutorial, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“But with such a low level, she’d be panting after just a few heals, running out of magic.”

“...”

Han Si-hwan kept his mouth shut at these words that hit the mark.

“You know that stats can increase through exercise and training, right?”

“Yes... I’ve heard about it.”

Han Si-hwan had heard about it but didn’t believe it. He had never experienced his stats increasing no matter how hard he tried.

“Magic increases just like other stats if you keep at it, you know?”

“What? Magic too?!”

He didn’t believe that strength and stamina could increase. But now he’s being told that even magic can grow.

“Um, Guild Master. Even though we’re not sure if that’s reliable information...”

“I’ve raised my stats by about 20 points like that so far, what are you talking about?”

“What?! You’re saying you raised that much without leveling up?”

The person in front of him had accomplished something he had simply treated as a rumor.

‘No, this goes beyond accomplishing, it’s a complete overachievement!’

Han Si-hwan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“What exactly is the method? And you raised 20 points? The rumors I heard said it was at most one or two...”

“There’s no special method. You just have to work yourself to death. When you’re truly on the brink of death, your stats increase one by one.”

How could he have raised stats by 20 when others find it difficult to raise even one? This was beyond Han Si-hwan’s comprehension.

“Actually, the higher your stats, the harder it is to raise them... In a way, it might be fortunate that this An Yeon-ha friend has a low level.”

A plan for the future was gradually forming in Kang Hyeon’s mind.

“Alright. Gather all the guild members.”

“Understood.”

As Han Si-hwan was about to leave after the conversation, Kang Hyeon held him back.

“By the way.”

“Yes?”

“What happened with asking Team Leader Shin Tae-gil to look for a new office?”

“I got scolded for even mentioning it.”

“Tsk. I see. I’ll have to talk to him again later.”

***

Ippotranslation

***

D-grade dungeon ‘Golem’s Grave’

This was a simple dungeon where only one type of monster appeared.

Golems. And these were incomplete golems on the verge of being scrapped.

Nevertheless, the reason this dungeon was ranked D-grade was clear.

Because golems are very powerful.

-Kwang!

The fist of a 4m tall golem struck the ground.

Dust rose everywhere, obscuring vision, but the ability users didn’t stop moving for even a moment.

“If you stay still and get hit even once, you’re done for! Move faster!”

Kang Hyeon, standing far from the battle, shouted enthusiastically.

“Uwaah!”

Led by Jo Seong-chan, Jo Dong-won, and Han Si-hwan, all the former Guardian Guild members moved frantically.

“You’re fumbling just to defeat one golem, and you dare talk about protecting the world, you bastards!”

Kang Hyeon deliberately kept scratching at the pride of the Guardian Guild members.

He knew well how anger could be a driving force in battle.

-Kurururung

Just as the golem was finally destroyed and the guild members were about to catch their breath, suddenly the ground shook.

-Kung, Kung!

“What? Again?”

“Damn it! Are you telling us to die? When are we supposed to rest at this rate?!”

Complaints erupted from all around, but Kang Hyeon pretended not to hear.

“Next are two of them. Run if you want to live!”

Shin Seong-a, who had completed her task of luring the golem to where the guild members were gathered, stood next to Kang Hyeon.

“I’ve completed the mission and returned.”

***

Day 2 of Kang Hyeon’s reckless special training.

The guild members, completely exhausted after just one day, gathered in front of the dungeon, moving like zombies.

“Is it Golems again today...?”

“Please... spare us.”

“You idiots. This is a different place from yesterday. This is...”

D-grade dungeon ‘Hieros Mountain Range.’

Despite the grand name, the monsters that appeared were simple.

It was a place where everyone’s friends, Goblins, appeared.

“Kwon Ji-seop isn’t coming, right?”

“Of course not. How could he come after nearly dying from being hit by a Golem?”

Kwon Ji-seop was an ability user who had been critically injured by a Golem’s attack yesterday.

Fortunately, he was able to save his life, but it would be difficult to see him in the dungeon for a while.

“Hey, hey, he’s coming.”

In the distance, a flashy van with ‘Badass’ painted on it was approaching.

Finally, as the van stopped in front of the dungeon, a demon from hell got out.

“Did you all get a good rest last night?”

“Yesss...”

“It seems there are no brave souls who dared to be late. Good. That’s how it should be.”

And then, An Yeon-ha and Kwon Ji-seop got out of the van together.

“Wh-what?”

“Kwon Ji-seop, are you okay?”

“Yeah...”

He seemed to be in a daze.

Moreover, An Yeon-ha, who was getting out with him, also looked extremely haggard, which didn’t seem normal.

“Everyone, applaud! These friends have excellent willpower. To recover from their injuries in just one day!”

At Kang Hyeon’s words, An Yeon-ha and Kwon Ji-seop shuddered as they remembered the previous night.

‘I never want to experience that again...’

***

Ippotranslation

***

The day before.

An Yeon-ha, who had been repeatedly using her healing skill all day in the Golem dungeon, was completely exhausted.

That’s why Kang Hyeon caught An Yeon-ha, who was about to head straight home after the dungeon raid.

“What is it...?”

“Where are you going? You need to heal this friend.”

In the direction Kang Hyeon pointed, Kwon Ji-seop could be seen, barely clinging to life.

“I’d like to, but I’ve run out of magic today... Besides, injuries this severe with broken bones, if healed incorrectly, could actually be harmful.”

An Yeon-ha wasn’t simply lying to go home.

Both the fact that she had run out of magic and that such injuries could cause bodily abnormalities if the bones were set incorrectly were true.

“We have a healing expert here, what’s there to worry about?”

“Huh? Where...?”

Kang Hyeon pointed at himself.

“And I know well about magic shortage, but when you really run out of magic, it’s hard to even walk. From what I see, you still have plenty to spare.”

“...”

No one depletes their magic to the point where they can’t even move their body.

It was mentally too exhausting, and the strong feeling of weakness in the body made recovery much slower.

“I’m sorry, but I really worked harder than usual today.”

“Remember the promise you made when you first joined the guild?”

“Yes.”

“As long as you’re in the guild, you follow my orders unconditionally. If you don’t like it, you leave.”

“...”

“I don’t care whether you become a loser or not, or whether you live apart from Han Si-hwan.”

The fact that An Yeon-ha was dating Han Si-hwan was a secret that almost no one in the guild knew.

But Kang Hyeon, who already knew this fact, deliberately mentioned Han Si-hwan to shake An Yeon-ha’s heart.

“So if you want to leave, leave anytime. I won’t stop you.”

The horrible things that happened after that were something she really didn’t want to recall.

Kang Hyeon forcibly inserted his hand into Kwon Ji-seop’s body to set the bones.

And in that state, he demanded the use of skills.

“Aaaaargh!”

Kwon Ji-seop writhed in pain, but he couldn’t do anything against the overwhelming physical strength.

“Hmm, the bones have gathered here like this... Good.”

Occasionally muttering something to himself and nodding, Kang Hyeon performed incomprehensible acts.

-Crack!

He shattered Kwon Ji-seop’s bones that had just been barely connected.

“Aaaaargh! Damn it!”

Eventually, Kwon Ji-seop, who had been screaming, fainted, but Kang Hyeon didn’t even glance at him.

“This needs to be healed again.”

“Huff, huff... Yesss...”

An Yeon-ha, who was completely exhausted, repeated the healing as if possessed by something, following Kang Hyeon’s words.

After the great surgery that continued all night like this, Kwon Ji-seop showed the miracle of moving his body in just one day.

“Don’t worry about injuries, you guys. As long as you don’t die in one go, I’ll fix you all up.”

The face of Kang Hyeon, speaking with a smile, looked like a demon.