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35. Exp Continues to Rise (2)
“Kya… Min-Cheol.”
“Again. Why?”
“Touch it over here. Doesn’t it feel a lot harder than before?”
“Why are doing this. Ew! Won’t you go away? Shoo! Shoo!”
“Ha…. You’re something else. Hyung’s mood is something else right now. Wow… My eyes have opened to a new world.”
If people only heard what was happening, they would definitely misunderstand this conversation.
The trade business ended earlier than expected.
There was still 9 hours left before the dinner with mother.
Recently, she has become friendly with the residents of the safe house and for the first time ever, decided to go watch a musical.
Mother was finally hanging out with people her age, and was enjoying life to the fullest now.
“It’s been a week since we went on a date together. I’m so sorry. But let’s have a nice dinner at least.”
That’s what she told me as she put on makeup.
Musical.
If you think about it, it’s not a big deal.
Looking so excited like a young lady, I couldn’t help but think that it was cute.
With this situation in mind, the two solo 1 Awakened ended up at the level 18 dungeon after finishing the business exchange.
Without anywhere to go, where else would we end up at.
And now, with two level ups, Jong Ho was really hyped.
It was because he experienced hunting on another level unlike anything he did, speed hunting.
Putting 10 points into strength, he showed off his biceps and told me to touch them.
Looking at the childlike happiness Jong Ho had, my heart felt as ease thinking that I had paid off even a little bit of the debt I owed to him.
Before entering, he was rejecting the offer.
Honestly, he was probably half afraid and half sorry for me.
It was only a month ago when I was beating down the succubi, and now going to a level 18 dungeon.
Just the two of us to boot.
I think it took at least 20 minutes to convince him.
‘Sigh. And too nice as well?’
His type was the type that refuses to cause trouble for others, so he kept making excuses.
At one point, Jong Ho declined it like this.
Guess trying the clear the dungeon sounded very dangerous.
To reassure him, I said that I will clear the dungeon in 20 minutes by myself and pulled out my identification license.
It was to show that I could clear the level 18 dungeon, so I can calm him down.
I was about to have the identification license scanned.
Then.
“Hey. Min-Cheol, don’t do it! It’s too much! Too much!”
“Why are you doing this! I clear this dungeon like I live here.”
“No way! No way! Are you struggling with something? Let’s talk this out with hyung. You have to think about your mother at home!”
“Ha…..”
‘You sweet potato like person…..” 2
It was like eating three cold sweet potatoes in a row without any kimchi. 3
Jong Ho saw that I was trying to go in and was stopping me with everything he had.
There were no words for what was happening, and I felt that Jong Ho cared for me a lot more than I thought of Jong Ho.
Considering his pleading, I put away my Awakened license.
And then grabbed his hands.
“Yes. Min-Cheol. Good decision. Let’s go talk by the bench over there.”
“Hello.”
No matter how much he clings onto me, physically I was a lot stronger than him.
Holding onto his hand, I threw him far.
Even if he was thrown, Jong Ho was an Awakened. He shouldn’t be hurt.
As he flew, he cried my name with a tearful face.
Even now, if I think of him crying out, I could only snicker.
“Min. Cheol!”
“Yes. Yes. Min-Cheol isn’t dead.”
* * *
Noon, in the midst of hunting with Jong Ho…
A line of luxurious black sedans were driving in.
Jong Ho, who was looking at his status window with glee looked towards it.
“Some young master is going around it seems.”
“Young master?”
A girl left the car.
She seemed to my age.
Two men stood by, one each to her sides.
Her armor and a staff in hand did not seem that luxurious.
It probably wasn’t made by a blacksmith.
Those two weren’t the only bodyguards.
Around the dungeon, many people with black suits were stationed.
All were highly alert, maintaining their distance.
Looking at this absurd situation, Jong Ho spoke.
“I heard Ilseong CEO’s granddaughter had Awakened. Looks like that’s her?”
“Are you talking about that huge company Ilseong? TV. Air conditioner?”
“Yeah. Korea’s third biggest company. That’s right.”
“But why would the granddaughter be sent to the dungeon then?”
“Min-Cheol. Do you see the Awakened around her? And the others around her.”
“Yes. I see. There are a lot.”
“I don’t know about the person on the right, but the one on the left. The person who has half his face covered with a mask is ‘Yoon Jong-sun’. A ranker who’s one of the top magicians in Korea.”
“Oho. He looks like your average neighbor… but he’s famous.”
“When the explosion took place in the central plant center, he’s one of the ones who prevented the damage from extending further.”
“Then why is someone so important next to a kid like her? Do they know each other?”
“That kid just wants to go around sightseeing the different levels of the dungeons. Otherwise why would they come here? Yoon Jong-sun is probably being supported by the company, as no matter how much money you have, you can’t always get Awakened essences and rare items. ‘You lend the company power, and in return be rewarded with tremendous rewards’ is what I’m saying.”
“I see. Still, the granddaughter of that CEO is just a little kid.”
“Kid? It looks like there only is a year or two differences? Why are you cosplaying as an elder!”
“I’m jealous. No need to worry about money, and born into a family where your grandpa is a CEO. And Awakened on top of that? I’m here struggling because buying a weapon seems wasteful… After the dungeon tour is over, maybe I should ask to be carried to a level 26 dungeon.”
“Don’t even look at them, just think of them as people who were on another level since birth. What can you do. Ah! And don’t forget. I’m someone who was happy about buying an armor that costed me 4 billion!”
Laughing at each other’s poor jokes, we continued the battle of the poor Awakened.
Well, we’re not really poor since we’re Awakened.
The conversation continued for a while, but we watched them the entire time.
Until they entered the dungeon and disappeared from our sights.
Comparing myself to those who were geared, I looked pathetic.
Unlike others, I had infinite mana.
With this ability, I was able to grow at rate 10’s of times faster.
But what if I was able to get items on top of this ability? Wouldn’t something amazing occur?
I couldn’t help but be greedy.
One of the reasons why I thought this way was due to the ‘Louver’s Bracelet’.
I needed equipment that wouldn’t just raise stats, but ones that give special abilities.
That’s why I was planning to obtain the Louver set from the level 18 dungeon.
With the original goal of an M/A rank weapon as well.
I heard the abilities of Louver’s ring and necklace from Jong Ho on the way back.
The ring synergized incredibly well with the bracelet.
When attacked by magic, it could absorb the magic energy.
Naturally, that absorbed power would go straight to the bracelet.
It had quite the synergizing effect.
The necklace on the other hand, it a completely different effect.
It had chance for any skill casted to ignore the target’s defense and magic resist.
If that’s the case, a magician could hunt where magic attacks do not work.
How convenient it would be. I wouldn’t even have to expend any effort in getting a strength based weapon.
But due to the fact that the percentage for it occurring was so low, it was gear that wasn’t used that often.
What I was looking for was the set effect from wearing all three.
The ‘Louver’s Protection’.
When wearing all the named items, a set effect occurs.
From the level 18 dungeon I could clear and onwards, named monsters start to appear from time to time.
Out of the set effects, Louver’s Protection was a decent one.
If you stand in the aura that spread from the wearer’s feet, you could absorb monster souls like the reaper Louver did.
Unlike Louver who turned the absorbed soul’s abilities as his own, it became a shield that covered the weaknesses of those affected.
Everyone in a party, including myself, could receive this effect, but that factor did not concern me.
If I could obtain this set, I would not have to cast shields in dungeons that I can clear swiftly.
It was a set effect only for hunting.
What item is better than letting me hunt safely and quickly?
* * *
Making Jong Ho wait at the entrance, I pulled all the mobs recklessly.
After moving past his field of vision, I slaughtered them all.
Showing Jong Ho my abilities made me a little uneasy, but the real reason was this.
The two main skills I used were the Gravity Laser and Fire Shock.
Both skills could not select targets.
Even if you wait at the entrance, the experience you get is the same.
There was no need to stay close.
It would only increase the risks.
Especially since both skills were Awakened, if it hit Jong Ho who was in his early level 60’s, it would result in a fatal injury.
After killing the last mob Louver, I headed towards the center of the dungeon.
Since 20 min has passed, Jong Ho should me coming to the center as well.
I saw Jong Ho far away in the dark dungeon.
“Hm?”
But something was off.
If I met Jong Ho, that means this is the center of the dungeon, but an exit hadn’t appeared.
“What. Why is there no exist? Did I miss one? That shouldn’t be.”
“Aren’t you done killing Louver?”
“Yeah. I finished and headed this way.”
“Killing the boss and Louver who appeared last, why isn’t the exit appearing?”
“Hm, that’s odd. I’ll go look around once more.”
“Wait. Maybe…..”
“Hm? What is it? Do you have an idea?”
Instead of answering, he turned back towards the way he came from, and started to swing wildly with his sword.
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