awakening

In this lifetime, I had no intention of investing karma in combat power.

I tried to use it efficiently where I needed it, such as ‘floating’ when using Apollo’s palace or ‘corrosion’ that melted the skeleton king’s brain.

However, as I went through various combat situations, my thoughts changed a little.

Since the regression, there has always been someone by my side to help.

When I got out of the villain training center, I got help from heroes, and when I was attacked by ‘Swamp’, Leon was there.

When he was attacked by Apollo, he was helped by Arias and the saint, and when he was attacked by the earthlings, his father was there.

‘It always worked out.’

However, that was not an achievement achieved only with my pure skills. That’s just lucky.

You shouldn’t be optimistic that someone will be by your side forever.

The most important thing is my skill.

The state of 9 stars is not in the middle of the way I am going, but it is a basic condition from the beginning.

So, I entered the Earth’s dungeon to collect karma.

When I came out after clearing my first dungeon, I felt a great sense of satisfaction.

The dungeon didn’t give me as much karma as the villains or the Skeleton King who combined with the monsters I killed in the lab. The difference between the level of a monster and a monster is huge, so it has to be.

But what if you don’t compare it to the Witchbeast?

Objectively, the karma given by the monster could be said to be quite large.

A place where you don’t have to feel uncomfortable when you kill someone, and you can get karma according to karma.

Dungeons were heaven for me.

So, from clearing the first dungeon until now, for a whopping 3 years, I practiced and cleared the dungeon repeatedly.

And finally, two months ago,

Without the help of karma, I had 8 stars in front of me with only my own efforts, and thanks to that, the accumulated karma reached almost 30,000.

‘After all, I scored 8 stars last week.’

And three days ago, I finished adapting to the body of an 8-star superhuman.

There is only one reason why I move so quickly.

It was because there were only a few hundred points left until 30,000.

‘Nine stars are right in front of you.’

I will clear the dungeon tomorrow, fill up 30,000 points, and become a 9-star superman.

* * *

I decided to talk about the dungeon in detail tomorrow, so I came down to the lobby to go to the city of Busan where the dungeon is located.

“brother!”

A tall man jumps from afar with a feather-light gesture.

When I see him, I smile.

“Come slowly. The building will collapse.”

“Did you just go without seeing me?”

“You were supposed to eat together tomorrow. I was going to see it then Or do you want to go eat now?”

“It’s work time right now, so that’s a bit… … . Hehe.”

“Jjasik- you’re all grown up.”

At the age of 16, Tom grew up to be over 2m tall and weigh over 130kg.

He eats the same as we do, but why is he so big?

Every time I see him, I think of Cedric.

Could it be bigger than Cedric when the growing season ends?

“How about training?”

“fun. You can see things you can’t see in Roden.”

“Good.”

The guy who was always serious sent me because he was strangely curious about the earth, but I’m glad he seems to be doing well.

“By the way, did the star increase by one?”

“Yeah, I went into the dungeon yesterday and came out and it got 5 stars.”

“Awesome… … .”

Is the growth of the body and the elevation of the realm proportional?

As expected, people develop more when they live their lives doing what they want to do.

“Master! let’s go together!”

I asked Tom sneakily as I saw the ugly guy who hadn’t even woken up running.

“How is Colsen?”

“Good.”

“… … ?”

“I like people.”

What answer is this?

“No, you are doing well.”

“… nice.”

It wasn’t that Tom didn’t know what I was asking.

I just couldn’t speak.

“okay… … .”

Also our good Tom.

He held Tom’s hand as he saw Leon and Elise standing by the door.

“Brother, I will come tomorrow. go and work.”

“Yeah, I need to call you as soon as you come up.”

“okay.”

He threw away his large bag and shouted at Colsen, who hurriedly ran in with the scabbard around his waist.

“Come quickly, you bastard!”

* * *

After spending the night at a hotel in Busan, we gathered in a conference room.

Looking around at the people sitting there, I think it’s a bit excessive.

Me, Leon, Alice, and even Kim Jung-moon. With the exception of Colsen, all of them are superhumans of 8 stars or higher by Roden standards.

With this level, it seems that you can clear SSS-level dungeons, not S-rank?

“From now on, I will start with a brief explanation of the dungeon we have to clear today.”

At Elise’s words, everyone’s eyes turned to her.

“The name of the dungeon is ‘Fight against yourself’.”

What dungeon name is that?

“As some of you may already know, the monsters that appear in this dungeon are doppelgangers.”

If it’s a doppelganger, I’ve heard of it.

‘It’s a monster that imitates people, isn’t it?’

I can understand why the dungeon is called ‘Fight against oneself’.

But shouldn’t that be enough for a triple S-class instead of an S-class?

My doubts were cleared by Alice’s explanation.

“But you don’t have to worry. Doppelgangers from dungeons have limitations. The doppelganger is a hunter who entered the dungeon… That’s why I imitate all superhumans, but I can’t exert more power than the master.”

It shouldn’t be that difficult.

“The minimum number of people to enter the dungeon is three, and the dungeon’s test is conducted in three phases. Originally, Martin-sama, I, and Mr. Colsen were going to go together.”

He raised his hand and asked a question.

“Three phases for three people means that the doppelganger changes form to the three people entering the dungeon.”

“you’re right. We just need to defeat that doppelganger.”

“Is a pincer attack possible?”

“yes.”

Is this too easy?

“Why is such a dungeon S-class?”

“A doppelganger demonstrates the abilities of the target it mimics 100% at a level below the master. You can use the latent power that even the hunter himself doesn’t know about.”

“… It’s definitely going to be difficult to clear unless you’re a master or higher.”

Ellis, who nodded and smiled slightly, continued her explanation.

“Here, Colsen-kun is a taster, so I’m rather grateful if my doppelganger imitates him, and in my case, I’m using the power of the constellation Apollo, so my doppelganger won’t be able to imitate it. The same principle applies to Jeongmoon. The problem is Martin… … .”

Elise looked at me for a moment, then continued with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. After all, you’ll only be able to use less than Master’s power anyway.”

At that moment, I felt my heart beating wildly.

‘Why are you doing this?’

It’s something I’ve experienced several times in my past life.

After thinking about whether I should say this, I quit.

You shouldn’t make other people anxious.

But Alice must have seen me like that.

“Martin, do you have anything to say?”

“Well… no. It just feels a little odd.”

Everyone’s faces hardened at my words.

‘This is why I didn’t want to talk about it.’

I said with a bright expression on purpose.

“Sometimes this happens, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

Only then do faces light up again.

I had to work on managing my facial expressions while watching them.

I didn’t tell them, but in fact, there was never a time when nothing happened after this strange, inexplicable pounding.

‘Maybe I’ll have to struggle a bit.’

Well, it must be an S-class dungeon.

We must have suffered.

I thought so.

We ate lunch and gathered at the entrance of the dungeon.

As always when I go around the dungeon, a lot of people are gathered.

Maybe it’s because I announced the Phoenix Raid yesterday, but it seems like there are a lot of them today.

“I’m also a teenage hunter… This is really huge.”

Kim Jung-moon is shaking his head with a tired face. To his words, Elise added as if it were natural.

“Because you are a warrior.”

Anyway, you have a knack for embarrassing people.

I smiled awkwardly and looked around until I found Colsen gaping blankly.

“Hey, calm down.”

“yes?”

“Calm down.”

“yes?”

No matter what I said, the stupid disciple kept repeating ‘Yes?’

It’ll get better once you get into the dungeon.

After seeing the group once, I opened my mouth.

“Let’s eat dinner outside.”

“yes!”

We entered the S-class dungeon, ‘Fight against oneself’.

* * *

“You bastard!”

“… … .”

“Where are you holding your head upright on the subject of trashy people!”

“… … .”

Our eyes turned to one person.

The person who received the gaze was unable to raise his head as his face turned red.

“I’m embarrassed? You said you were like that when you first met our kids?”

In my previous life, I was the worst mani ever, and I cast a mental victory with that kind of tone, maybe?

‘It’s fun.’

The first doppelganger we met in ‘Battle With Yourself’ was Colsen’s doppelganger.

Colsen demanded us in a trembling voice.

“This, such a dark history… … . Please get rid of it quickly.”

But I took the sword out of Colsen’s scabbard and put it in his hand.

“You do it.”

“yes? I, how do I… … .”

“Anyway, that thing can’t even handle magic. You can win enough.”

I want to do it with an honest heart.

Because that’s all karma!

But Colsen would never have another chance to awaken like this.

It’s a big deal and concessions.

“good. Go and do your part.”

“… Can I?”

I patted the boy on the back.

“you can do it. I believe in you.”

The guy stared at me for a moment, then turned around with a firm expression and started walking towards the doppelganger.

And when you get a little closer

shock-

He swung his sword at his doppelganger.

‘It’s quite a bit.’

Except for the fact that he couldn’t use magic, he had no flaws.

‘Are you so resentful of being beaten up by Alice?’

Talent alone does not produce such an attitude.

Perhaps the time he held the sword was longer than the time he let go of it.

But it wasn’t because of that attitude that I recognized him.

boldness.

I thought he would hesitate even a little, judging from his mentality, but as soon as he entered the gap where the sword could come and go, he swung the sword without the slightest hesitation.

Rather, before the doppelganger.

Pick an enemy, grab a sword, and cut.

It’s simple, but not all tests can do it.

But Colsen put it into practice.

He is weak and young, but his mindset is already a proper swordsman.

Colsen swung his long sword at his doppelganger, who looked exactly like himself.

It’s frustrating, but it’s an upright straight sword.

‘Not bad.’

There is no surprise, but because of that, there is no chance of receiving an unexpected blow.

Colsen Colling, the tight-knit hero I saw in my previous life.

His appearance is visible at first glance.

‘But I don’t like the opponent.’

At least if he hadn’t reached the Master, he was a doppelganger who could draw out his own power better than he did, so as time passed, Colsen had no choice but to be pushed back.

It was natural.

After a certain amount of time, when Colsen’s body started getting scars one by one, Kim Jung-moon asked me.

“Are you going to keep watching?”

“yes.”

“Don’t you care about your disciple? At this rate, I will die soon.”

“I’m still fine.”

It’s still worth holding on to.

The time I intervene will be right before he dies.

I wish I could wake up before then.

Shyuk- Chaaak-

His chest cracked and blood spurted out.

some serious injuries.

But Colsen’s face didn’t frown at all.

Even though he was out of breath, his eyes were focused only on his doppelganger, and he moved his body without rest in line with the doppelganger’s movements.

Concentration is great.

He probably doesn’t even know that his chest is bleeding like that.

“I have to stop it.”

Kim Jung-moon, who was worse than him, prevented him from interfering.

“Wait.”

My “penetrating eyes” began to see something fluctuating inside his body.

Something wandering around as if searching the inside of Colsen.

‘Go in quickly.’

As I hoped, it soon found a nest and settled quietly there.

‘done!’

I shouted as soon as I confirmed that the mana had settled in my heart.

“Draw magic from the heart!”

As soon as my words ran out, Colsen’s sword began to exude magical energy.

Newly born and still weak mana jumped out of the heart that had settled just a moment ago, and took its place in Colsen’s sword.

Incredible speed of dissipation of magical power.

Even though I didn’t have time to practice separately, it must mean that I’ve imagined this moment countless times.

whoop-

Normally it would have ended here, but not in Colsen’s case.

The magic power attached to his sword is greatly amplified.

Kwaaa-

Now only 1 star.

However, the power felt from the magic attached to the sword is not just one star.

‘Is it a simultaneous awakening?’

The character window of the guy I saw changes.

『Colsen Colling (16 years old), the one who opposes evil (A) (taste -＞ awakening)

Stats increase in proportion to the opponent’s evil karma.』

Colsen, who has awakened his magical powers and characteristics at the same time.

The guy wields a sword.

squeak-

The sword cut the sword of the monster doppelganger with evil karma, and then.

squeak-

He cut off the monster’s neck.