[Jung Si-woo]

[Underground Player]

[Lv 35]

[Strength-152 Agility-156 Stamina-170 Mana-35]

[Passive Skills-Chaos Tail Lv1, Courage of the Ignorant Lv4, Poison Resistance Lv6, Fire Resistance Lv2, Soul Collect Lv1, Living Lv2]

[Active Skill-Grant Lv18, Slam Lv12, Battle Run Lv11, Magic Shot Lv6, War Cry Lv4, Stone Skin Lv1]

After having napped for three hours at the rest point, Jung Si-woo awoke with a contented sigh and checked his status. All his skills seemed to be in order as he admired the rate at which they were improving. The defense skills he had gained from absorbing the giant slime’s essence had improved, and he could feel it within his core. He briefly pondered Stone Skin, a superb skill that gave one unprecedented protection from violent impacts.

There was only one problem, though…

“Why aren’t special achievements available anymore?”

“Well, they cannot be attained through mundane means and can be quite rare. You have other advantages, though!”

Soo Ah-rin replied. In her view, his current form was marvelous, for he had started with greater physical attributes than most other players due to the mysterious nature of his birth. For the average player, strength, agility, and stamina didn’t increase by two upon leveling up, and increasing such attributes outside of leveling could usually be done by being lucky or gaining achievements dedicated to them. That being said, the average rate at which mana increased was one point five. So, while Jung Si-woo gained double the physical attributes, his magic was capped at a growth of one.

All of this meant one thing in the end: he could physically overwhelm a fair amount of players yet had to be very calculating when channeling his magical reserves.

“Do not fret at your small pool of mana. While the exact source of your strength as an underground player remains a mystery, you are becoming mightier than many with each level! Always remember, even a small amount of magic can achieve great deeds!”

Jung Si-woo still felt nervous, yet Soo Ah-rin’s rational appraisal of him provided some respite from those fears. Privately, she was gladdened that his Battle Sprint had become so well-honed. Her heart thumped with pride every time she considered the staggering rate at which he was improving.

“So, we will enter soon? Truly?”

Soo Ah-rin asked as a bus drove past them.

“Hah, yes! We must try, at least. Besides, not entering will cause your student to starve to death.”

Jung Si-woo was planning to return to the dungeon of the Armored Orcs.

“No matter how well the city of Seoul is organized, the escape of such beasts would cause a disaster on a national scale. You don’t have to choose the toughest challenges first.”

“I want to clear out that Orc dungeon before departing Seoul. However, you’re correct. Orcs rampaging through markets and streets and schools would be nothing less than complete carnage.”

Soo Ah-rin nodded. Armored Orcs craved battle above all else. Highly trained warriors such as them would reap a fearsome tide of slaughter the moment they gained their liberty. It would matter little how many elite players were in Korea, for the Orcs would face them head-on without hesitation.

“If you fight for ten more days in lesser dungeons, would you not be better suited to face them? The dungeon hasn’t yet been cleared; there’s still time.”

Soo Ah-Rin had always known his growth to be exceptional. She had always wondered what gave him power, whether it be some birthright or his relentless drive for perfection. Regardless, he was adapting well to his changing body. She had already gone through such a process and knew how wonderful it was. Jung Si-woo smiled before giving his reply.

“Are they that overpowered in their abilities? I believe that now is the optimal time to expand my skill set and hone my body and mind.”

He wished to face greater challenges, being tired of stamping through easy dungeons where he could easily steamroll over insignificant foes. Jung Si-woo yearned to wage a true and brutal war against worthy foes. Soo Ah-rin let out a bitter chuckle in response.

“I will take a step back then on this next one.”

From the very beginning, he had wanted to grow by fighting through high-risk dungeons, yet she had somehow convinced him to settle for easier challenges so he could level up while gaining a basic understanding of his skills. Now the time had come to relent.

“Let us make a practice round of the Orcs, then.”

Her only response was a nervous yet proud: “Okay.”

Jung Si-woo guided his motorcycle through the streets. One of his passive skills, Living, subtly coerced nearby drivers to slow down or make their way as appropriate. He had been experimenting with Living for four months now, one of the reasons being his desire to prevent accidents upon the road. He knew that at higher levels of mastery, Living could keep others safe over great distances.

“Flesh and Mana. Mana and flesh…”

Living had so many interesting facets to it. If he possessed more leisurely time, he would’ve spent it cruising the roads and attempting to unwrap the mysteries of such a complex passive skill. Jung Si-woo chuckled as his body leaned into a turn. He was thinking about his days of idleness before he had become a player. Life was like that, he knew. A thing taken for granted was only sorely missed once one could never again attain it. He viewed the passage of time along such lines.

After an hour’s drive, they found themselves in a worn part of the city, where a shimmering dungeon gate floated in the middle of the road. With a single gesture, he sent his bike into his inventory.

“This is it then.”

He mumbled as he read the glowing sigils upon the gate.

[Armored Orc Colony Dungeon: High Risk]

The gate was fragmented and ethereal as it spun lazily in the air. Jung Si-woo made a running jump, grabbing at the gate’s ledge with both his arms and his tail. Grabbing the platform, he wasted no time in stepping through the portal, which sucked both of them into the dungeon beyond.

[Ant Cave Area #84 Armored Orc Colony]

[Clearing Time Limit: 3 days]

Jung Si-woo slowly opened his eyes, drinking in his surroundings.

“There is a locked time limit, which means..”

An automated voice without an obvious source gave the response.

“The player receives no benefits from the secondary challenge. Moreover, the act of the player entering the dungeon could in some way alter the metaphysical structure of the dungeon.”

“If you leave, the dungeon will be reset.”

He nodded.

“If this all works out, I’ll just report this anonymously to the guilds.”

The two of them chattered on idly as they went deeper into what seemed to be a natural cave. In a far corner, near a stalagmite, they came upon Yong Se-ha, who was sitting absolutely still. To Jung Si-woo, it seemed as if all his vitality had drained away completely.

“Are you dead?”

“I…am not. Not yet, at least.”

Yong Se-ha responded in his sluggish voice.

“No… I’m getting used to the reduction of my being. After some time, perhaps, I will be able to shrink myself as you do, Soo Ah-rin. Or perhaps I will fade away, leaving no trace of what I once was.”

“I’m sure he’ll prevent that from happening.”

“Truly? This is… amazing. I respect you, Jung Si-woo. I…I…also envy you.”

Yong Se-ha was starting to get on Jung Si-woo’s nerves. His responses were very slow, his eyes glazed, and his actions merely indicative of a lackluster approach towards existence in general. Was death coming for this man? Jung Si-woo despised the mortal truth of humanity as he was not as accustomed to death as Yong Se-ha.

“I…I will remain here. I shall await your return. Helping you is…hard now. I must sit.”

“Stay here, Yong Se-ha. Soo Ah-rin, I know that you will remain too.”

At his current level, Jung Si-woo knew that fighting Orcs while safeguarding Soo Ah-rin wouldn’t be possible. She now regarded him with an unreadable expression, only caring that he handled himself well in the trials to come. She had one question to ask, however.

“When three Orcs attack at once, can you handle them?”

Jung Si-woo grinned.

“See, if I face them one-on-one, it matters not whether there are three or thirty.”

Having dropped that jocular piece of bullshit as he spat upon the common laws of war, Jung Si-woo entered the dungeon’s first chamber, which was cut from reddish-brown stone. His sledgehammer was slung over his shoulder, which proved fortuitous as he immediately came face to face with an Orc.

[Kekekekeke, you’re a human!]

Jung Si-woo came to a halt, promptly analyzing the Orc. Was this the same Orc as last time? He couldn’t say with any degree of certainty. The beast spoke once more.

[Ah! A warrior, and not one of those hybrid man-things who weep mana yet have so little flesh upon their bones. Yours is a strong body! I’m glad.]

Si-woo merely raised his hammer in response and shifted into Battle Sprint.

“Block this, scum!”

He roared as he rushed towards his foe. The Orc grinned as it tightened its grip upon its ax, and Si-woo channeled his mana into his hammer, feeling his will becoming as metal. As he met with the Orc at a great speed, his weapon became an ethereal blur, driving its massive weight right into the Orc’s head. Blood and skin tore free as the Orc staggered back and shook its head like a wet dog, a guttural shout of pain erupting from it.

Jung Si-woo paused for a moment, relishing the thrill of having used mana as part of his Battle Sprint and also at having landed the first strike.

[Simply executed, yet with great might! I, too, have tricks, human.]

“That was what I was hoping to hear.”

Jung Si-woo retorted. He was new to the use of magic and thirsted for that moment when the magical and the biological became as one.

[Don’t look down on an Orc’s power!]

Yes, this was an Armored Orc, a species that channeled its mana into machine and metal. These beasts had skills, and here was one with a strong passive one bound deeply into its very flesh.

[Khaaaahaaakhaa!]

With its roaring laugh, the Orc’s ax began spitting electricity that wildly flew this way and that. Jung Si-woo thrust out his hammer, blocking a few of the bolts with his wooden shaft as he took a step back. He sensed a power building in intensity between him and his foe, as each summoned deep reserves of willpower to add a lethal edge to their actions.

“Hmmm! Interesting passive skill.”

Their eyes locked in a rigid stare.

[We Orcs always attack from the front!]

He attacked, yet Jung Si-woo dodged the wild, crackling ax swing due to a small remnant of unused speed that bled from his Battle Sprint. Then, he swung his hammer in a downward arc. The Orc jumped back, the hammer missing him by inches as it slammed into the floor. Jung Si-woo thrust one of his legs back, letting his hammer fall to the ground as he channeled mana into his arms and upper torso. He leaped toward the Orc, suddenly feeling Battle Sprint become ready once more. Such was his empowered charge’s speed that he slammed into the Orc in a bright release of arcane energy as he expelled all his mana at once. The Orc was slammed to the ground, still gripping his ax.

Jung Si-woo didn’t deliver the finishing blow but rather picked up his hammer only to mockingly twirl it around in his hands. He was absolutely delighted.

“Come on then, stand up!”

“Huh…huhahuhahaa!”

The Orc’s laughter echoed into the cavern. This enemy was strong and possessed such skill! The Orcs savored battles against mighty foes, evident by his grin now stretching from ear to ear.

“Right then! Let us do true battle!”

Watching the battle from the cavern, Soo Ah-rin gave an audible sigh. In reality, though, she was struggling to hide her smile. To her, it seemed clear that Jung Si-woo had won this exchange with exquisite flair.