After learning about my ability, Jong Ho did not stop me from entering the level 23 dungeon .
He was instead eager to inform me about the dungeon .
It was because I could go about the dungeon with Meteor Call and Iceberg in each hand .
After using Louver's gear set, I couldn't feel any rise in difficulty despite going into a dungeon 5 levels higher than before .
The level 23 dungeon has a lot of monsters .
And matching that, they should leave lots of essences after death .
Absorbing all those essences, the Louver set was like an unstoppable batter-… shield I mean .
This meant I could use both hands for attack skills .
Other than the need to obtain essences from the initial first or second run, I had no need to cast shields .
And thanks to this shield, the Proof of Oath was put to good use .
Testing the effectiveness of this shield, I found out that it was several times sturdier than other shields .
Perhaps enough to easily block an attack from Jin?
During hunting, I used Louver set's shield .
After hunting or when going to sleep, I used Mana Shield for the perfect defense .
At the level 23 dungeon, 'Lich King's Staff' dropped .
It was also the weapon I used previously .
Well a fake one to pretend I was using it .
It was a weapon that raised my Mana stat, which was useless to me .
But what I was aiming for was the 'Lich King's Armor' .
As the name implies, it was a helm and armor piece .
Magician ranker Yoon Jong-sun was wearing one of these defensive gears as well .
It didn't raise stamina or dexterity stats like regular armor .
However there was a reason why this gear was so popular .
Because each armor and helmet reduced physical and magical damage taken by 20% .
You could say this armor was made for combat .
The Titan Boots that resists all status debuff effects along with the damage reduction from the Lich King's Armor, I could display quite the combat prowess .
Hunting and combat . It was a choice to capture both rabbits . 1
Of course, it'd be only possible if the hidden boss Lich King would appear frequently .
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Then it wouldn't be only a distant dream to get the Lich King's armor .
I'll make it possible like I've been doing it until now .
* * **
The worst part of the level 23 dungeon was the stench that my shields didn't block .
Hundreds of ghouls appear in this dungeon .
Say the word ghoul and the first thing people would imagine would be the undead or zombies .
Not dead or alive .
These ghouls were exactly that .
Skin that peeled off just by moving about .
Bodies beyond healing or saving, rotting away .
Nothing different from living corpses .
Ghouls with different attributes appear here .
The amount of variance of the monsters makes the strategies to take them down that much more complex .
They could be put into three main categories however .
Those who charge quickly, attack viciously with their nails and teeth .
Those that cast curses and magic .
And finally those who use ranged weapons or spit acid from afar .
However their attacks could never put me in any real danger .
That was because their attacks were based on poisoning .
Poisoning falls under the category of status debuff effects .
Since I was wearing Titan Boots, their main attacks didn't work on me in the first place .
The only things left they could hit me with were physical and magic attacks .
However, someone like me who had infinite shields wouldn't be hit in the first place .
All of them had metal legcuffs .
Almost like being punished in hell .
Think about it . Like a frozen field, slippery and cold, and the sound the metals clinging against the floor as they charge .
To get them all, I had pulled 300 at once .
Running to the end of the dungeon to pull them all, I saw them approach me . It was like a scene from a zombie movie .
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"KWAGH!"
"Ugh . Disgusting . ���
'Ghouls with such killing intent . But they're only fodder for my profit . '
A level 50 Meteor fell upon them .
As the skill level rose, the increase in size and speed could be easily seen .
However I couldn't take them all out at once like that .
They're level 23 dungeon monsters . Wouldn't be defeated so easily now, would they?
The Meteor struck, blowing the mobs to pieces . However, as if still alive, the pieces began to charge .
Most died from the secondary fire damage over time .
The ones on the radius' outskirts survived and began attacking again .
However .
Half out of the horde of ghouls pouring on me were sliced apart due to the Reflect Shield .
The Reflect Shield was already over level 150, with a 40% chance to deflect 65% of the damage taken .
It was time to prove that Ghouls do far more damage compared to how sturdy they are .
Hit by the 65% reflect damage, they disappeared like red smoke .
I welcomed the narration of my experience rising .
The red glow from the Blood Stone made me happy as I could be .
The speed which I'm clearing with is incredible too .
The experience per kill was far below the griffon 2 and the poison nagas…
But I was clearing out plenty of them as if buying hotcakes at a sale .
* * *
"Hey . Min-Cheol . The picture you showed me . I found out where I saw it before . "
"The machines installed atop the portals?"
"Yeah . Look at this . "
Jong Ho opened a thick heavy folder .
The paperwork within was yellowed with age, as it was at least 20 years old .
My hopes rose at his confidence attitude .
"This . This is it!"
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When I saw the same machines form the Noblesse's guild building, I pointed with excitement .
Just like what I saw, the picture had hundreds of Awakened connected to it, transferring mana .
Reading the information below it, apparently it was an experiment to try finding out how to stop portals from exploding .
The purpose was to pour out condensed mana to nullify the portal .
"It's similar… . "
"This about it . The post-it was made accidentally from attempts of making the super glue . Is it possible that they're using this machinery to speed up or cause the portals to explode?"
Jong Ho had a point .
Jin and his group wouldn't work on research to get rid of the portals . They weren't the type to do that sort of work .
It also makes sense why they want my ability of having endless mana .
Using my endless mana to hasten or cause the portals to explode .
The target would be to a portal above level 28, similar to the ones found within a volcano .
"Oho?"
"And apparently according to the news at that time, the research caused the portals to explode, which led to mass casualties . After that, all the nations forbade anyone from messing with the portals . "
"I'm sure of it . Mana sent to the portals hastens the explosion . "
"That's right . They must be aiming for that . "
"The government or the association should have learned about this from the underground floor of the Noblesse's guild building, and there should have been similar cases before . But why is this news not public? Even if you keep it under wraps to prevent mass panic, it wouldn't make sense that it wasn't exposed for all these years . "
"Do you think that fruits come from a tree that is rotted to its roots? Even if it bore fruit, it would probably be eaten from the inside out by bugs . You cannot trust the association or the government at the moment . "
"… . . "
"Was there a point to telling you that this era is for the criminals?"
For a moment, I had thought to go to the association or the government with information regarding Jin and their group .
But due to the interference in signal, I was not able to record any proof . If I acted rashly, their guns would be pointed at me .
It's going to be a personal fight .
I can't help it but it's going to be filled with bitterness, loneliness, and difficulties .
"Thanks hyung . "
"I can understand maybe 10% of your mother's interest in studying . Found a lot of good stuff as I looked . "
"Please let me know if you get ahold of any good info like this . Sorry I always rely on you . "
"Do you see it? I have goose bumps . I say this every time but please let's refrain from talking like that .
"Ku . I get it . "
* * **
In the sector of Mapo-gu was the headquarters of the Korean Awakened association .
It was a meeting dealing with special cases .
A location where they interrogated 20 members . Some had unlawful entries to the dungeon, while others had unnatural growth .
There were those that would help you get into dungeons for the right price by using their credentials .
To get their licenses revoked, they must've have done plenty of a crimes .
Most had caused physical harm or damaged property using the strength they gained from being an Akawened .
In the center sat a 40 years old man .
He was the vice president and special director of the Awakened, Kim Ho Jin .
He was yelling as he slammed the desk .
"How can this be?"
"You're right . "
"How does someone who became Awakened in August go into a level 23 dungeon by himself?"
"No matter how rich you are, it's difficult… What should we do?"
"What do you think . Report it immediately and take countermeasures . What . He even took the bonus for taking care of the succubi portal explosion in September? He's definitely someone we have to confirm!"
"We'll take care of it immediately . "
The association's topic was Min-Cheol .
To enter the dungeons, and Awakened had to verify themselves using their license by the machinery at the entrance of the dungeon .
Both entering and exiting . All the data was recorded and sent to the association .
During both the succubi portal explosion and the attempt to receive the reward for it, the association had been suspicious of Min-Cheol .
A level 18 dungeon was understandable, but a level 23 dungeon…
A dungeon difficulty that is way beyond someone who has been an Awakened for only 100 days .
Thinking of it as a simple error, the machines were checked repeatedly for those dungeons .
The association came to the conclusion that someone was clearing the dungeon under the guise of Min-Cheol via using his license .
"Start surveillance on the owner of the license!"