Chapter 15
Chapter 15 – You Have a Skill Too? (3)
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Translator: HH
A week passed .
-Gor…
The monster stumbled making the sound of a pot boiling . A king goblin . The senior member of the 5th floor had fallen .
I looked down at the king goblin’s face with determined expression .
“Gor . ”
This monster was the strongest of the ones that I saw this week . Ah, how many times had I died to get this monster? I sent away the king goblin with the mind of sending away a brave enemy warrior…
-Stop bullshitting yourself . You psychotic zombie .
“Ah . Geez . I barely managed to hunt this after 6 Coins . Can’t you just let me look in peace?”
6 Coins meant that I had put 6 lives on the stake . Right now, I was on the 6th coin, so I had died 5 times to get this king goblin .
Bae Hu-ryeong snorted .
-You’re a psycho if you get lost in thought like that after catching a monster . I only speak facts .
“Wow, I see . Our Sword Emperor’s personality is so nice . ”
You might be able to tell from our conversation, but I was used to Aura now . Time was still flowing slowly because of the effects of the elixir .
It was just that I was speaking a lot faster than normal by focusing my Aura on my tongue .
“Gork . ”
Although it wasn’t a steadfast victory and one that I use dirty tricks to win .
I pulled out a poop-colored card and checked it .
[Goblin High Society]
Rank: F
Effects: The king goblin was lost it thought . ‘The level of culture for us goblins is too low . All languages end in kerrk, kerk . I cannot show my dignity with this!’ Then . The king goblin’s genius mind flashed . ‘That’s right! From now on, I will speak gork and not kerk . Gork! It’s a pronunciation that perfectly fits the precious king . ’
※However, the fights within the tribe become worse .
※This is a skill copied from the Great King Goblin monster .
I clicked my tongue .
“Goblins worry about the most unnecessary things . Kerk and gork as basically the same thing . ”
-That’s why they’re goblins . Humans aren’t that different either .
“What?”
-I was talking to myself .
When I was about to ask him what he meant, a voice rang in my head .
[Your existence is becoming clearer . ]
It was a voice that I had never heard before .
However, I knew what it meant . Countless players had testified to it, and even showed their own videos about it .
“F, Finally!”
It was leveling up!
[Hunter Kim Gong-ja’s level is developing . ]
“Ah…”
It was moving . I had lived my entire life as a F Class hunter . I was anxious that I might continue to live like this . But I had the copying skill and the regressing skill, and after hurdles of pain…the moment of leveling up finally arrived for me .
[Your skill slots are increasing!]
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[Your hunter rank is now E Class!]
Although I was only an E Class .
[May luck be with you . ]
Swoosh!
Red Aura flamed up from my feet . The thing that was similar to red liquid covered my body . Then, it slid back down and disappeared .
-…Was that a firework?
Bae Hu-ryeong scrunched his eyebrows .
-Or blood? Hm . That’s confusing . I think it’s either a firework or blood…
“That was just a level up artifact, right?”
-It’s not an artifact that just looks cool .
Bae Hu-ryeong scratched the back of his head .
-It’s a kind of hint .
“Hint?”
-Mm . The type of artifact that reveals itself decides the [Shape of Aura] . Even the Flame Emperor that you killed . That guy’s shape was probably [Fire] .
“Fireworks, you say”
I tried to remember . The scene of the Flame Emperor killing the Saintess with fire in the slums . It wasn’t a good memory to rehash but…it definitely seemed like Yoo Soo-ha dealt with a shape of Aura that was relating to fire .
-A hunter’s trauma is usually based on the shape of their Aura .
Trauma .
-Important events . Scenes . Memories . The ones that benchmark your life appear as the shape of your Aura . Like the shape of one’s unconsciousness? Well, it doesn’t have to be a negative trauma . But they generally are .
“I wonder . ”
-From what I can tell, yours is either fire or blood .
Listening to him speak , I became curious .
“Now that you say that…what’s the shape of Sword Saint’s Aura?”
-Moonlight .
Bae Hu-ryeong casually tossed it out .
-Grandpops Marcus said he lost his way in the mountains when he was young . He didn’t want to die, so he climbed all the way to the top, and as he reached the peak, the leaves covering the night sky started to show the sky . When he got to the top, he saw the entire black night sky .
Moonlight(月光)
-He said he thought of something then . The moon didn’t shine by itself, but with the light of the sun . Even the life of someone who just accepts could be more than beautiful . Ah . I also want to shine by receiving that light .
“…”
-He said it was memorable enough for him to keep it in his heart his entire life .
I was unsettled listening to his story .
“But he said it was when he was young . ”
-Yup . When he was 12 .
“What kind of 12 year old would have those deep thoughts?”
Bae Hu-ryeong nodded .
-That’s why grandpops Marcus was a born boomer . Tsk tsk . When I was 12, I only thought about how to efficiently crush the bully in front of me .
“No, I don’t think that’s…normal either…”
If Sword Saint was a born boomer, then what was Bae Hu-ryeong? A born bully?
-Anyways, you’re used to the 5th floor . Let’s go up to the 6th .
“Ah, about that . ”
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I spoke .
“Can’t we just go straight to the 10th floor boss?”
-What?
“I know that I can copy a monster’s skill . I’m somewhat used to the Aura now . I think that I can get the 10th floor boss now . ”
Bae Hu-ryeong closed his mouth for a moment .
He looked fiercely at me .
-Kim Gong-ja . Is a newbie already being too arrogant?
“Definitely not . ”
I firmly replied .
In our world, no one had succeeded in passing the 10th floor for several years . Since I dared to say I would clear that high difficulty area, Bae Hu-ryeong’s worry about me was expected .
“I’m really confident . ”
But I really believed I could do it .
No, I was sure .
“If I can’t do it with 2 Coins, I’ll call you Seseung-nim . ”
-Oh? 2 Coins?
Bae Hu-ryeong looked tempted .
-A guy that took 6 Coins to catch the goblin boss is gonna defeat the 10th floor boss with just 2 Coins? Really? You must not know, but I don’t let people out of bets that easily .
“But! I have a condition . ”
-Hm?
I lifted my forefinger .
“You have to tell me what kind of skill the 10th floor boss has without hiding anything . You can’t lie about this . Tricking me with cards is also not allowed . ”
-Hm . Sounds easy enough .
“Also!”
I grinned .
And if I win, call me Gong-jnim . As politely as possible . With respect . ”
-… . .
“Why? Scared? Ha . If you’re scared, you should quit . ”
Squirm .
The expression that a bully hated the most was probably ‘scared?’ And Bae Hu-ryeong wasn’t a normal bully . He was the greatest bully that had climbed the 99th floor .
His facial muscles twitched .
-Spit! This newbie is mocking the great Sword Emperor just because he had some cheat skill? Hoohoohoo, fine . Let’s bet on it!
“Bet . ”
-Bet! Kim Zombie, you won’t be able to subjugate the 10th floor boss and have to call me Seseung-nim until you die . Ah! But since you can’t die, you’ll just have to say Seseung-nim forever .
“Do you have a hallucinating skill as well? Get ready to serve Gong-jnim . ”
-Hehehe .
“Kehehe . ”
We both glared at each other and laughed evilly .
Hunters who had been hunting goblins from far away whispered amongst themselves .
“Hey . That person keeps on talking to himself from earlier . ”
“And now he’s even laughing to himself . Does he have a mental problem?”
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“Sh! He might look this way . Pretend you didn’t see, pretend . ”
“…”
…I would probably have to cut back on talking to myself now .
I calmly shut my mouth and headed for the 10th floor .
4 .
Unlike other hunting grounds, there was a doorkeeper in front of the 10th floor boss room .
The person sent from the Hunter’s Association furrowed his eyebrows listening to what I said .
“You want to attempt the boss room yourself?”
“Yes . ”
It only took two seconds for his face to switch into an expression like he was asking ‘Who is this crazy guy?’
“Um . I don’t know if you saw the news last time…30 honor members from Black Dragon guild . Along with the 4 highest rankers, they failed . Hunting by yourself is committing suicide . ”
“So what?”
I was confident .
“Sending a hunter to an attack they want to is the Association’s rule . ”
“That’s true but…”
He had a troubled expression .
“Pardon me, but I write down all the hunters who enter here . My boss will probably look through this…and I’ll end up being a bad guy who let a hunter die . Please consider my situation as well . ”
“Mm . ”
What should I do? I calmly stroked my chin .
-What? Hunter’s Association? We never had those guys in my world!
I meant to say that I was the only calm one .
-These stupid fools! I didn’t like how they did fucking politics making guilds and associations . That’s why they are still begging on the bloody 10th floor! Hey, Kim Zombie! Just beat this guy up and go into the boss room .
‘What Why would I beat up an innocent person?’
-He dares to block your way .
He wasn’t only a psychopath but also a mosquito .
“Doorkeeper-nim . ”
I clicked my tongue inwardly and got out a pocket .
“I can see you working hard . You’re right . Me attempting it by myself is just a suicidal plan . But…I really want to kill myself . ”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m just so tired these days…”
I bitterly smiled .
“My girlfriend died 1 year ago . Some time ago, the Alchemy Castle said I have a terminal illness . Even if I live, it’ll only be half a year, and I don’t have the confidence to endure that half year without my girlfriend . ”
“Ah…”
-What?
Bae Hu-ryeong grimaced .
-What kind of shit is this zombie guy saying?
I ignored him . And I continued whispering to the doorkeeper .
“But even if I’m a lowly ranker, I’m still a hunter . I don’t want to enter the Alchemy Castle’s hospital wondering when I’ll die . Even if I die…I want to challenge a monster until the very end . ”
“You had that kind of…”
He had a pitiful face looking at me . You know . The face people make when they listen to others misfortunes .
“This is money I collected to fight . ”
I handed the pocket to the doorkeeper . There was 100 Gold inside .
“I don’t have anywhere to use it anyway…you can have it . ”
“I, I can’t accept this money!”
“I want to lightly leave the world, door keeper-nim . And please don’t write down that I entered here . It’s the last request of my hunter life…”
His face turned heavy, like he was going to cry . And a bit of that heaviness was probably from that moneybag .
“…Alright . Enter . I didn’t see anything…”
-Ha, look at this .
He was baffled .
-Hey . Are the two of you filming a movie? This isn’t a prank, right?
Whatever the case, the doorkeeper let me in .
I left him and moved inside . It was a cobblestone path . The place the 10th floor boss stayed was like an extravagant residence of an old noble family . I walked the cobblestone path .
‘The 10th floor Flame Emperor Yoo Soo-ha cleared . ’
I stood in front of the large door .
I slowly pushed the door open .
‘This time is different . Instead of Flame Emperor…no . ’
Creaaak .
The door opened with a loud sound .
‘I’ll write a fancier legend than Flame Emperor .
I took a step forward .
And it began .
-Hahahahaha!
I heard laughter from around me . At the same time, the door that I used to come in closed . Boom! In an instant, it became dark around me, and the shiver-inducing laughter became louder .
Candles flickered on one by one .
-Are you gonna play with me?
Here and there . Candles flickered on although no one had touched them . Where candles were lit, there were dolls . Small dolls that children players with .
-Are you going to play with us?
The dolls spoke .
-Freeze tag? The flower had bloomed? Hide and seek?
-The ice is melted . The flowers are ripped . Let’s go with hide and seek!
-Let’s! Play with us! Play hide and seek with us!
-Hahahaha!
I got ready .
“Alright . I’ll play with you . ”
The Aura that I trained in my body soared up .
Like it had been waiting for me, a voice rang in my head .
[You have entered the boss stage . ]
[The challenger/s is hunter Kim Gong-ja . 1 person . ]
[May luck be with you . ]
The stage that humanity hadn’t cleared yet .
The ‘Hide and Seek of Hellfire Residence’ began .