“Wow, just wow. And again, wow.”
Before examining the last remaining ring, I decided to check Sol’s player status. I was curious about her progress and wanted to ensure the ring was properly bound to her. As Sol’s information appeared, a smile crept onto my face.
『 Player Status 』
Name: An Sol
『Abilities』 (4 unused ability points remaining)
[Strength 20] [Endurance 22] [Agility 24] [Stamina 30] [Magic 86(+1)] [Luck 100]
The ring was successfully bound, and her other stats had improved significantly. Considering her stats, except for magic and luck, were in the teens when I first saw them, this was remarkable progress. Especially reaching 30 in stamina was commendable.
“Our Sol has worked hard and is reaping the rewards. Congratulations.”
I praised An Sol warmly, something I hadn’t done in a while. If she continued at this pace, she might reach a magic stat of 90 in less than a year. With more effort, she could even hit the top-tier magic user benchmark of 94 within the next year.
For context, the highest magic stat in the first playthrough was 101, but that user was exceptionally overpowered. Among other users, the highest known magic stats were 98 for three users and 97 for two. To engage in battles with the likes of
Sol, clearly pleased with my genuine praise, lowered her head, but I could see the joy in her eyes as she fiddled with the ring. Watching this heartwarming scene, Jeong Ha-yeon spoke softly.
“Well, everyone else has received theirs, so the leader should take this ring. You’re not going to refuse this one too, are you?”
“Hmm. Hand it over… What’s this ring?”
I already knew everything about it thanks to my third eye, but Jeong Ha-yeon’s expression compelled me to ask. Her eyes burned with a desire to explain, so I decided to let her have her moment.
“It’s not as impressive as the ring that boosts magic, but this one is valuable too.”
Of course, I already knew that, but her dramatic pause made me respond with a nonchalant face. Jeong Ha-yeon smiled and placed the ring in my hand.
“Don’t be surprised. This ring has an anti-magic spell on it. It seems to recharge as well.”
“Oh, that’s impressive. An anti-magic spell, you say.”
Specifically, it can be used three times a day, recharging once every eight hours. Jeong Ha-yeon squinted at my textbook-like response.
”…You don’t seem very surprised.”
“No, I’m genuinely impressed. Anyway, we’ve spent enough time here. We should continue our exploration.”
”…….”
Though Jeong Ha-yeon looked a bit dissatisfied, she couldn’t argue with my point and began to gather her things. Our party, now equipped with new gear, cheerfully collected the gold and jewels scattered on the floor. Having fully explored the west, it was time to move on. Shin Sang-yong seemed to have the same thought as he turned to me.
“So, leader, we’ve checked all the rooms in this passage. Where to next?”
“Let’s head north.”
I replied simply.
At the end of the northern passage, we opened the door to the last room and found a drooling creature standing there.
“Brother, what is that thing? I don’t like it.”
“Hmm. Not sure. It looks like a mutant.”
Yu-jeong’s voice came through, calm and composed. The creature before us had the body of a wolf but three heads. Another peculiar feature was the fire constantly spewing from its nostrils and mouth.
“A mutant? No way, is it a Cerberus? That can’t be.”
“Of course not. That’s impossible.”
I dismissed Vivian’s question firmly. There was no way the gatekeeper of hell, Cerberus, would appear here. Besides, the real Cerberus was nothing like this. It stood over three meters tall, engulfed in fierce flames—a truly terrifying beast. If the real Cerberus saw this mutant wolf and heard Vivian’s words, it would surely shudder in indignation.
There was only one mutant wolf, but the scattered wolf bones around the room suggested there had been more. For some reason, this one had survived.
“Growl…”
Wolves are cunning creatures, but this one seemed different. Had it undergone some intelligence enhancement program? I chuckled at the thought and gave my orders.
“Vivian, you’re the keeper. An-hyun, Yu-jeong…”
“Roar!”
Whoosh!
The mutant wolf attacked before I could finish speaking, its central head opening wide to unleash a crimson flame. I heard voices quickly chanting shield spells behind me, but I calmly raised my left hand, adorned with the ring.
“Anti-Magic.”
A white light from my ring collided with the fireball in mid-air, both dissipating rapidly. The chanting stopped, replaced by gasps of relief and awe. I continued speaking in a steady voice.
“…behind me. Vivian, you know why you’re the keeper, right?”
“Yep. Hehe.”
Vivian chuckled, finding my actions amusing. With her Block of Fire, she could easily withstand the wolf’s feeble flames. After absorbing the essence of fire, such flames seemed trivial.
“After the mages and Sol’s initial attack, once the creature is immobilized, we’ll charge from three directions. I’ll handle the heads. You focus on harassing it from the sides.”
“Ok, brother.”
“Yes, hyung.”
“Until then, maintain formation. Here it comes. Be careful.”
The wolf seemed startled when its fireball was easily blocked, but it grew furious as we continued our conversation, seemingly ignoring it. Could it understand us? I wanted to use my third eye to check its information, but dealing with the charging wolf took priority.
The creature veered off its direct path towards me, suddenly changing direction to target Yu-jeong. It seemed to instinctively avoid the strongest threat—me—and go for the weaker target first. Yu-jeong’s stance wavered slightly, caught off guard.
“Hah!”
I quickly moved to cover Yu-jeong. Despite the surprise, she met my gaze and swiftly leaped into the air, aiming to land behind the wolf, using her agility to her advantage. It was a decent plan, but…
“Oh…?”
Whoosh!
Yu-jeong’s leap wasn’t high enough. She hadn’t had time to properly prepare her jump. To make matters worse, a flame shot from one of the wolf’s heads, and Yu-jeong’s face showed panic. She was in danger of being hit mid-air or landing within the wolf’s reach. Just as I was about to intervene…
”───. Gust of Wind!”
A gentle breeze rose from where Yu-jeong had been standing, lifting her into the air. The timing was perfect, allowing her to dodge the fireball and land safely behind the wolf, as she had intended. The gust not only helped her avoid the attack but also boosted her jump. It was Shin Sang-yong’s doing.
“Great job, mister!”
“I’m not a mister…”
Yu-jeong’s voice was filled with joy, and Shin Sang-yong responded with a mumble. Impressive. Truly impressive. He had been overshadowed by Jeong Ha-yeon, but this move certainly raised his standing.
Not to be outdone, Jeong Ha-yeon and Sol launched their magical assault.
“Shackles!”
”───. Cone of Ice!”
Sol’s shackles wrapped around the wolf, halting its movements. Immediately, ice shards erupted from the ground, piercing the creature’s body. Not Aqua, but Ice. She was indeed skilled in water-based magic.
“Yelp! Yelp! Yelp!”
The wolf howled, thrashing about, but the more it struggled, the deeper the ice shards embedded themselves. And it wasn’t over yet. As a skilled mage, Jeong Ha-yeon had mastered rapid incantation and double casting, and her lips parted once more.
“Broken!”
Crack! Crackle!
The sound of Jeong Ha-yeon’s shout echoed, and the ice spikes embedded in the creature’s body shattered and scattered in all directions. Watching the ice shards burst out beautifully, Ahn Hyun and Yoo-jeong couldn’t help but gasp in awe. It was painful enough to be pierced, but now the ice was exploding from within. The creature’s three heads twisted and writhed, frothing at the mouth.
“Serves you right, you bastard! You were after me, weren’t you? Ha!”
Yoo-jeong, who had been watching the whole scene unfold, seemed to be fuming from the earlier incident. She gripped her dagger tightly and charged forward. Thanks to her enhanced magical abilities, the creature was still bound, giving her the perfect opportunity to attack.
I watched as Yoo-jeong stabbed and slashed with her dagger, as if she were pounding on a drum, and I couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle.
“Ahahahahaha!”
Yoo-jeong laughed maniacally, intensifying her assault with the dagger. The creature’s condition was pitiful, yet it struggled to turn its body around. But it couldn’t achieve its goal, as a long spear soon followed.
“Hup!”
“Gah!”
With a sharp intake of breath, Ahn Hyun thrust his spear into the creature’s mouth. One of its heads let out a long tongue and died instantly. The remaining two heads whimpered, but they were mercilessly cutting down the mutant wolf’s remaining lifespan. Unable to watch any longer, I rushed in and severed the two remaining heads in one swift motion.
It was pitiful. So pitiful that even I felt sorry for it. Watching the wolf’s body collapse with a peaceful expression, I sighed. Yoo-jeong, still seething, clashed her two daggers in the air. The clear sound of metal meeting metal rang out, and blood dripped from her daggers.
Finally, as if her mood had improved, Yoo-jeong turned to me with a bright smile. Covered in blood, her grin made everyone take a step back.
“Oppa, did I do well?”
”…Yeah, you did well.”
“Hehe, I got a compliment.”
I praised Yoo-jeong, which was unusual for me. Typically, novice female users in close combat roles don’t adapt this quickly. The more pampered they were in the modern world, the more they hesitated when faced with monsters. Even those who graduated from the user academy often hesitated when confronted with a monster.
But Yoo-jeong defied my expectations, showing the true nature of a berserker. Watching her nonchalantly wipe off the blood splattered on her, I couldn’t decide whether to be pleased or concerned. If she continued to grow like this… I felt a bit uneasy, but at that moment, she looked beautiful to me. I gently raised my hand and caressed her cheek.
As I wiped the blood from her face, Yoo-jeong looked at me with wide eyes, then closed them, savoring my touch.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
Ah, I was worried I wouldn’t have time to write today, but thankfully, I managed to finish on time. The energy I get from my readers is truly amazing. I used to struggle to write one chapter a day, but now look at me. Anyway, I think I’ll be able to leave the house before midnight. Haha. It’s 11:43 PM as I write this, so I need to finish the replies in 10 minutes. :)
『 Reader Replies 』
MTBear: Oh, it’s been a while since you got first place. Congratulations. :) Bear bear!
Kajimas: Haha, that was a witty comment. It made me laugh. Thank you for the coupon. :)
hohokoya1: There’s a certain satisfaction in gradual growth, isn’t there? Haha. (Though if you’re referring to the protagonist, I must admit, I’m a bit guilty.) Even in online games, the most fun part is leveling up.
AR0000: Wow, you’re always welcome. Thank you. :)
LatiDoll: Oh, do you have egg sausages too? I’d love to try them. I’ll dedicate my continuous writing to you. Thank you. (__)
Hwiul: NO. If your special abilities and potential are full, there’s no benefit in inheriting more. 風月主人 made a good analogy. :)
zjekfksqlc: Hehe, you have excellent taste (…….) Ahem. Hehe. Please look forward to it. Haha. (I’m also excited!)
MoonlightDew: Hehe, the protagonist has a dual nature. He’s endlessly kind to those within his circle, but merciless to those he perceives as enemies. You’ll see more of his other side soon. Please be patient. :)
Bookworm: Oh, I see. I’ll make the corrections right after writing this note. (__)
KTF[Z1]whdtjs: Ah, you know. But I prefer dumplings. Hehe.
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I always read all the comments repeatedly.
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