Leveling Up Alone

There was still a pile of mana stones in front of Han-Yeol, and he immediately grabbed and absorbed them one by one. When he absorbed the fifth mana stone, a message suddenly popped up.

Ding!

[You have obtained enough mana from external sources.]

[Your MAG stat has risen by 1.]

‘Huh?’ Han-Yeol muttered inwardly in confusion when he read the message that appeared in front of him. He absorbed the mana stones because he wanted to increase his Mana Absorption skill level, but he never expected his MAG stat to increase as well. ‘So this is how it works?’

Han-Yeol’s passive skill, Body Strengthening, increased his STR, AGI, and VIT stats whenever he trained his physical body. This meant that he could increase his MAG stat whenever he absorbed mana from external sources.

‘Jackpot…’ Han-Yeol thought with a smile. He wondered if this was how the researcher who developed Viagra had felt when he had accidentally stumbled upon it while trying to develop a drug for heart diseases. His heart beat faster as the ecstasy of his newfound jackpot only pumped his adrenaline further.

Then, after absorbing five more mana stones…

Ding! Ding!

[You have obtained enough mana from external sources.]

[Your MAG stat has risen by 1.]

[The rank of ‘Mana Absorption’ has increased from (F) to (E).]

Han-Yeol’s MAG stat increased by one and his Mana Absorption skill level ranked up after he absorbed the tenth mana stone.

‘Status window,’ Han-Yeol called up his status window.

Name: Lee Han-Yeol

Level: 64

Points: 0

STR: 122

VIT: 123

AGI: 105

MAG: 170+2

LCK: 10

Invoke: 60

Skills: Dismember (D), [Sword Mastery (M) : Flash Strike (F)], Walking (B), Mana Control (A), Mana Mastery (B), Power Strike (A), Sixth Sense (B), Restrain (B), Body Strengthening (C), Mana Eyes (B), Stab (C), Dagger Mastery (F), Chain Mastery (B), Infinite Library (M), Shield Bash (B), Fire Attribute (C), Mana Explosion (B), Chain Smite (B), Marksmanship (C), Martial Arts (D), Enchant (E), Sword Breath (D), Restore (E), Healing Bullet (E), Enhance Healing (E), Summon Demon (D), Telepathy (D), Power Meditation (E), Psychokinesis (E), Force Shield (F), Cat Walk (F), Mana Absorption (E).

‘Huh? The absorbed mana shows as a + instead?’ Han-Yeol thought after observing his status screen. He noticed that his Mana Absorption was now E Rank. Then, he wondered, ‘Hmm… Should I increase it to C or at least D in one go?’

***

Han-Yeol loved the strange sensation he felt when he used Mana Absorption, and he loved the fact that his MAG stat increased when he absorbed a mana stone.

He continued to absorb the mana stones’ mana like he was in a trance, and he soon finished absorbing all of the sixty-four stones that he had brought with him.

The result was astonishing.

Name: Lee Han-Yeol

Level: 64

Points: 0

STR: 122

VIT: 123

AGI: 105

MAG: 170+12

LCK: 10

Invoke: 60

Skills: Dismember (D), [Sword Mastery (M) : Flash Strike (F)], Walking (B), Mana Control (A), Mana Mastery (B), Power Strike (A), Sixth Sense (B), Restrain (B), Body Strengthening (C), Mana Eyes (B), Stab (C), Dagger Mastery (F), Chain Mastery (B), Infinite Library (M), Shield Bash (B), Fire Attribute (C), Mana Explosion (B), Chain Smite (B), Marksmanship (C), Martial Arts (D), Enchant (E), Sword Breath (D), Restore (E), Healing Bullet (E), Enhance Healing (E), Summon Demon (D), Telepathy (D), Power Meditation (E), Psychokinesis (E), Force Shield (F), Cat Walk (F), Mana Absorption (E).

His MAG stat increased by an astonishing +12, but Han-Yeol was still not satisfied. His Mana Absorption skill did not level up further from E Rank.

Han-Yeol went back to the truck where the two Porters were after absorbing all of the mana stones, and there he found the two soundly sleeping.

Snore… Snore… Snore… Snore…!

‘Was I a bit too harsh on them…?’

Han-Yeol wondered.

He was well aware that his hunting pace was a bit too fast for normal Porters to keep up with, since he had once been a Porter as well, and that was the reason why he was willing to compensate them with a higher wage.

He initially thought that it was fine to up the pace since the Porters did not have to dismember anything, but it seemed that he had been mistaken about it and he had gone a bit overboard this time.

‘Was I being insensitive…?’ Han-Yeol thought.

He realized that even though he had been aware that the Porters couldn’t keep up with his pace, he had decided to turn a blind eye to it since he wanted to hunt more and more golems. Further reflecting on his actions, he thought, ‘Well, it’s not that important to cater to the needs of others in this day and age where most people are self-centered, but I guess I should compromise a little bit in the future.’

Han-Yeol reflected on his own actions so much because he had been a Porter once, and he knew very well how difficult and tiring the job was.

‘Hmm… Then should I hire four Porters instead in the future…?’ he pondered.

Money was not an issue for Han-Yeol when it came to hiring Porters, because hiring two or four did not really make a huge difference to him, but he realized that he could further increase the pace if he brought four Porters next time. By doing that, he could make them work in shifts, thus increasing his hunting efficiency.

Of course, he could also hunt in a party, but he was more comfortable working alone since he did not have to be conscious of others. There was also the added advantage of not having to discuss things with others before making a decision and not having to share the profits from the hunt.

Besides, there was no reason why he could not hunt alone when ‘soloism’ was a trend these days, where people ate alone and drank alone at restaurants and bars.

“Hmm…” Han-Yeol muttered for a moment as he pondered what to do.

Han-Yeol decided to wake the Porters up. As much as he wanted to let them rest, it was not appropriate to sleep in this place. Then, he told them that they were free to go home and that he would personally return the truck to the Hunters’ Association. He also transferred five million won to each of their accounts, as their wages for today.

“I-Is it alright for you to p-pay us so much…?” the two Porters asked in surprise when they saw their wages come in. They had initially expected Han-Yeol to pay them two million won each.

Hunters usually earned quite a lot, but they were often stingy when it came to paying Porters. That was the reason why the two Porters had assumed that Han-Yeol was going to be no different from the others. In fact, there was nothing they could do but to receive whatever amount Han-Yeol chose to pay them. There was no way for them to lodge a formal complaint as long as he paid them the minimum wage stipulated by the rules of the Hunters’ Association.

However, Han-Yeol paid them a whopping five million won, more than double the amount that they had expected him to pay, for a single day’s work.

“Of course, the two of you worked really hard today. I think that you have done more than enough to deserve getting paid this much,” Han-Yeol replied.

“T-Thank you very much!” the two Porters exclaimed at the same time as they bowed toward Han-Yeol.

The Porters were very grateful for Han-Yeol’s generosity; five million won was a sum that they could only earn after going on three hunts. In turn, this meant that they were able to rest for three hunts without any hitch on their finances.

The Porters, who were now very touched by Han-Yeol’s generosity, offered to return the trucks to the Hunters’ Association, and Han-Yeol gave them the other emptied truck and sent them on their way.

Han-Yeol had more urgent matters to attend to now that the Porters were gone. Cutting the back of his hand now that he was alone, he muttered, “Summon Demon.”

[Kihihihi! Amazing! I never thought that you would call me so quickly,] Dellchant said as he appeared with his eerie laughter.

“Here is the hundred kilos of gold that you have requested. Well, it is technically more than a hundred kilos, but I will not ask you for the change,” Han-Yeol said respectfully, with just a hint of arrogance.

[What an arrogant human! Kihihi! However, I love arrogant humans like you. The customer is always king as long as you don’t run off with my payment!] Dellchant replied as he floated in mid-air. He went to the truck where the gold was, and after weighing the gold, he exclaimed, [It is a hundred kilos, like you said! Excellent!]

“Of course,” Han-Yeol said.

[The transaction has been completed! Feel free to call me anytime if you need anything else! Kihihihi!] Dellchant exclaimed before waving his hand and shoving the pile of gold into the backpack-like round thing that he carried on his back.

‘So that’s a bag,’ Han-Yeol thought as he observed the thing on the demon merchant’s back.

Whoosh!

Dellchant immediately disappeared after he collected his payment.

“Hoo… Well, that’s one thing done,” Han-Yeol muttered to himself. He had paid the price for the Mana Absorption skill that he had bought from the demon merchant, and he no longer had to worry about his soul being taken away by the demon.

‘Dellchant…can be quite a useful demon, but I could end up losing my life if I use him too recklessly,’ Han-Yeol thought, realizing that the demon merchant was a demon that he had to deal with carefully.

Han-Yeol ended his hunt with zero financial gains, albeit having increased his skill and level. This was the first time ever since he had awakened that he had ended a hunt without making any money, but it did not bother him that much. He still felt good.

***

Three months had passed since the Gold Mine hunt had ended.

A monster was recklessly charging toward Han-Yeol, who jumped and twisted in mid-air before delivering a powerful high kick to the monster.

Whoosh… Pukeok!

“Kieeeek!” The monster let out a shriek.

Han-Yeol’s kick was so powerful that it twisted the monster’s neck and flung it to the ground, and the monster was no longer able to get up.

Han-Yeol was currently at a mudflat on the west coast.

A dimensional gate had appeared on this mudflat, and the government had immediately responded by erecting a barrier around it, thus turning it into a hunting ground. This mudflat was home to the Lizardmen, which were the weakest among the intermediate-ranking monsters.

The Lizardmen had large builds, walked on two legs, and were very adept at handling weapons. They were able to freely walk around the mud thanks to their feet, which were typical of amphibians, so they were very difficult to deal with in the mudflat. That was why most Hunters steered away from hunting them even though they were weak.

However, this terrain was not a problem for Han-Yeol at all.

[Kuhahaha! That Cat Walk skill of yours is really amazing. It’s amusing that you can move just like those Lizardmen in this muddy terrain,] Kajikar said with a laugh.

“I know, right,” Han-Yeol replied.

Han-Yeolhad spent the past three months training under Kajikar, and the demon drill sergeant had trained him so ruthlessly that he felt as if he had been training in hell. It had been a hellish period where he did not think about anything else other than training, and the result of that was simply amazing.

Name: Lee Han-Yeol

Level: 85

Points: 0

STR: 148

VIT: 150

AGI: 135

MAG: 235+52

LCK: 10

Invoke: 100

Skills: Dismember (D), [Sword Mastery (M) : Flash Strike (E)], Walking (B), Mana Control (A), Mana Mastery (B), Power Strike (A), Sixth Sense (B), Restrain (A), Body Strengthening (B), Mana Eyes (A), Stab (B), Dagger Mastery (F), Chain Mastery (A), Infinite Library (M), Shield Bash (B), Fire Attribute (B), Mana Explosion (B), Chain Smite (A), Marksmanship (B), Martial Arts (B), Enchant (D), Sword Breath (C), Restore (D), Healing Bullet (E), Enhance Healing (D), Summon Demon (D), Telepathy (C), Power Meditation (E), Psychokinesis (E), Force Shield (E), Cat Walk (E), Mana Absorption (D).

Han-Yeol’s status window had gone through a lot of changes. His level had increased by a whopping 20, and most of his skills had also increased by a level each. It would not have been possible for him to evenly level up his skills like this if not for his meticulous personality. He paid attention to leveling up the skills he frequently used instead of focusing on and relying on a single skill.

In addition, he had asked Karvis if there was anything that he did not understand and sought Kajikar’s advice whenever he needed it.

‘I’m quite grateful that I have someone to ask about the things I don’t know. I’m really fortunate to have these two to turn to,’ Han-Yeol thought.

He finally understood what his teachers had meant back in his school days when they had told the students to ask if there was anything they did not understand regardless of whether it was during classes or after classes.

Splat… Splat… Splat…

“Ughh…”

On the other hand, Yoo-Bi was struggling to move around the mudflat unlike Han-Yeol, who had Cat Walk to assist his movement.

This was the main reason why the Lizardmen were not that famous and not frequently hunted unless the Hunters received a quest to hunt them. Even though the Hunters themselves sometimes had a skill that assisted their movement, as Han-Yeol did, the Porters struggled.

Han-Yeol had not chosen this hunting ground because it was deserted; instead, he had specifically chosen the Lizardmen because they were able to help to his goal of strengthening himself, as they gave quite a lot of experience points.

It just so happened, by sheer coincidence, that the sweet leveling spot he had found turned out to be a deserted one.

“Be careful, Yoo-Bi. It’s going to hurt real bad if you fall down and accidentally cut yourself with the saw,” Han-Yeol warned.

Han-Yeol could easily patch Yoo-Bi up no matter how seriously injured she was, as long as she was still alive. However, he continuously asked her to be careful; such excruciating pain could leave her traumatized for life, and it could even affect her career in the future.

“Please do not worry, I have been doing this for quite a while now, you know?” Yoo-Bi replied, pouting.

“Well, I guess you are right. This is going to be your second month now,” Han-Yeol said.

“Hmph!” Yoo-Bi scoffed and pouted because she felt that Han-Yeol was looking down on her.

“Haha, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I just teased you a little bit since you are doing such a good job,” Han-Yeol said with a laugh.

“Forget about it,” Yoo-Bi replied, switching on her electric saw.

Whiiiiiing!

Yoo-Bi was now quite the veteran Porter, displaying skillful movements in dismembering the Lizardmen. She split the monster parts into the ones worth something and those worth nothing, just as she had learned from Han-Yeol. Then, she loaded them up on a sled.

It was impossible for a vehicle to run on this mudflat, so they had to make do with a seven-hundred-kilo sled that was specially designed for mudflats.

Han-Yeol grabbed a mana stone and used his skill. ‘Mana Absorption.’

Whooooong!

He has done this a hundred times now.

‘Ugh… How much money did I throw away because of this crap I’m doing…?’ Han-Yeol grumbled inwardly.

He had been easily and thoughtlessly absorbing the mana stones for the past three months, but he soon realized that he was literally absorbing an astronomical amount of money. In addition, the number of mana stones that he had to absorb increased the higher his bonus MAG stat got.

Just as he had completely absorbed the mana stone in his hand, a message popped up.

Ding!

[You have obtained enough mana from external sources.]

[Your MAG stat has risen by 1.]

[The rank of ‘Mana Absorption’ has increased from (D) to (C).]

‘Finally!’ Han-Yeol exclaimed inwardly. The skill that he had poured tens of billions of won into had finally reached the level that he desired.

[Kuhahaha! So you can finally use the jewel that I gifted you!] Kajikar exclaimed.

“Yes, I can finally use it,” Han-Yeol replied.

“Congratulations, oppa,” Yoo-Bi said. She was roughly aware of what was going on since Han-Yeol had explained the situation to her, and that was why she was able to sincerely congratulate him on his achievement.

“Thank you, Yoo-Bi,” Han-Yeol replied.

He took out the red jewels that he kept in his backpack—the Demon’s Eyes. He gripped them tightly in his hand and he exclaimed inwardly, ‘Mana Absorption!’