Chapter 96: Proving Worth (3)

Chapter 96: Proving Worth (3)

Deal!

With Ban Se-yeongs agreement, the deal was strucka significant wager involving the rare material known as Hematite.

She didnt accept Kang-hoos proposal lightly.

The Expansion Room was a place Ban Se-yeong had visited several times before, alongside Jeon Se-hyuk and Park Dong-jae.

Even Jeon Se-hyuk, with his overwhelmingly superior stats, couldnt match half the rooms expansion speed.

No amount of acceleration buffs and agility items could change the impossible.

Especially Park Dong-jae, who had a penchant for recording and analyzing data, concluded:n0ve(l)bi(n.)co/m

Only a professional assassin hunter, specializing in skills and beyond level 500, could possibly manage it.

Trusting this assessment, Ban Se-yeong had faith in Park Dong-jaes judgment.

He was never off the mark. If he doubted his conclusions, he wouldnt voice them at all.

[Let's begin.]

Swoosh.

Instantly, the barrier blocking the path to the Expansion Room crumbled.

Pop!

Simultaneously, Ban Se-yeong made her way towards the previously mentioned one-man army point.

Securing that spot meant there were no issues with defense in the Expansion Room. Simply enduring was sufficient.

Meanwhile, Kang-hoo entered an accelerated state and immediately executed a leap.

Just as the 12m leap was concluding, he seamlessly used Shadow Step to continue his movement.

Upon activation, Shadow Step caused three shadows to extend forward from Kang-hoos body.

This move also had a leaping effect, with the shadows stretching about 8m in front instantly.

Using Leap consecutively places a significant strain on the body.

However, combining Leap, Shadow Step, and then Leap again significantly reduces this strain.

For instance, if the strain from the former sequence is considered a 10, the latter sequence only exerts about a 5.

Kang-hoo continued to intersperse acceleration skills between each move relentlessly.

Normally, this wouldnt be a good choice.

The advantage of acceleration skills is that they can accelerate infinitely without limit, but thats also their downside.

Because it mechanically applies acceleration, ignoring the physical limits the body can endure.

In other words, thoughtlessly using acceleration could result in the body not withstanding the pressure and breaking.

Breaking would be rather fortunate; unluckily, it could burst or be torn apart, leading to death, which wouldnt be strange.

Its starting to come.

After using acceleration about five times, his body started sending signals.

Its enough at this point. Going further will cause problems. Moderation is key.

But in a world where a single mistake could cost a life, where does moderation fit?

It was a word that didnt suit him. Living moderately means growing moderately and dying moderately.

He didnt want to live that way.

The dystopian world was made bearable only by pushing to ones limits.

The original creator filled it with a dark, damp worldview, filled with resolute determination.

Therefore, one must give their best at every moment. Only then can one grow and transcend a level.

At the same time.

Whats with that guy? Hes scary

As Ban Se-yeong started to pick up speed, she saw Kang-hoos figure, which began to blur with afterimages.

Exaggerating a bit, it felt like a tail had formed behind Kang-hoo, like a comet.

Initially, she thought he was just fast, really fast, but now her impression changed to, is that even possible?

Indeed.

Kang-hoo seemed to have reached a realm beyond what a human, no, a hunters body could endure.

Looking back, Jeon Se-hyuk was also moving as far forward as allowed to observe the situation.

It was secondary whether the body could endure it; could the mind withstand the pressure of the skills?

No matter how you looked at it, Kang-hoo was using skills non-stop.

Skills always require mental focus, so continuously using them in such a manner made it impossible for the mind to endure.

Yet, from Ban Se-yeongs perspective, there wasnt a single hint of faltering in Kang-hoos figure.

Like a beast silently stalking its prey, Kang-hoo quietly pursued the increasingly distant altar.

.

Kang-hoo exhaled a hot breath.

At the same time, he felt the experience points from all the vanished monsters being settled all at once.

His level jumped to 96 in a flash.

Even though he had only conquered one room, his level had immediately climbed a step.

Usually, when approaching level 100, it was difficult to gain even one level from a single dungeon.

Its not for nothing that hunters stake their lives on leveling up. Its truly a long and arduous path.

So it is possible.

Thump.

He slumped to the ground.

He was paying the price for pushing his body and mind to the extreme, beyond even the utmost limits.

Though he thought he had just slumped down, Kang-hoos gaze was now directed towards the sky.

His body, devoid of any strength, had succumbed to the flow of gravity.

After investing in stamina points as usual, Kang-hoo checked his status for the first time in a while. It was time for a mid-check.

Shin Kang-hoo Lv. 96

Class: Assassin

Innate Talent: Quite Excellent Strength / Remarkably Superior Dynamic Vision

Strength 470 Agility 85

Stamina 532 Magic Power 20

Magic Resistance 170 Toughness 395

Who would believe these stats belong to an assassin not even level 100?

The corners of his mouth naturally lifted.

Thanks to his congenital mana hypersensitivity, he didnt need to invest stats in mana.

He could focus all his growth energy on stamina.

His current stamina was much higher than that of a same-level tank-type swordsman who considers stamina their main stat.

It meant he could perform the tanking role even better than a same-level professional tank.

The same went for magic resistance and toughness.

The notable point is that Kang-hoo is neither a tank-type swordsman nor a hunter specialized in defense.

Yet, all related stats are high. Not to mention his countless skills.

For an ordinary hunter, a magic power of 20 might seem pitiful.

However, congenital mana hypersensitivity transformed this low total mana into an advantage rather than a drawback.

Age of Barbarians

Skill Proficiency: Lv Max

If the learner's mana stat is below 50, the mana cost of all skills is reduced by 50%.

The Age of Barbarians, a berserker-exclusive skill acquired through a loophole, was the cherry on top. Who else could claim such a unique combination?

One Hematite secured.

Clutching the blood dew tightly, Kang-hoo closed his eyes and whispered.

The bet with Ban Se-yeong was serious business.

The difference between upgrading a skill with a Hematite or not was truly significant.

It wouldnt be surprising if that one skill ended up determining life or death later on.

Of course, Ban Se-yeong must have been confident she wouldnt lose in this incredible bet.

He felt the dungeons breeze for a moment.

The scent of flowers in the wind, which he hadnt noticed while running absorbed in a trance, now caught his attention.

Yes, it was the scent of dandelions.

The tickling at the tip of his nose was a very pleasant fragrance.

But it was too peaceful a scent for a dungeon filled with blood and flesh.

How much time had passed?

Crazy brother! Youre really crazy! Even if its for a Hematite, to create such an unbelievable situation?

Put down the gun for now.

Opening his eyes, Kang-hoo was startled to see Ban Se-yeongs face upside down and the gun barrel right in front of him.

Ban Se-yeong was looking down at him with trembling eyes and hands.

Her gaze still couldnt believe the situation.

Right.

It would be stranger to believe it.