Even if you're Weak,
there are miracles you can seize with your
hands if you fight on to the very end.
...
The ever-growing count of souls and experience points told him that his shadows had started the regular hunt they had been doing ever since they entered the cave inside the demon castle. Soon, in just a few hours, their hunt ended as Jin really wanted to quickly finish this dungeon. He hurriedly retrieved all the loot and entered the floor-transfer magic circle.
[Which floor would you like to transfer to?]
"76th."
***
The Eastern United States.
Hwang Dong-Su writhed this way and that as if he was having a nightmare, before he shot up from the bed.
'…..??'
The first thing he saw was the white ceiling. Hwang Dong-Su tilted his head at these unfamiliar surroundings.
"Is this…. a hospital?"
…It wasn't…
…It wasn't a dream?
Hwang Dong-Su wiped the strand of cold sweat travelling down his chin. It was at this point that he discovered the patient gown he was wearing and the IV needle stuck to his arm.
Hwang Dong-Su's expression hardened in fury. And then, he spoke in a cold voice.
"If you have something to say, hurry up and say it, and leave."
The deputy director of the Hunter Bureau was there with him in the room. A middle-aged Caucasian man, with more white than black on his head, slowly approached Hwang Dong-Su's bed.
"There is something I wanted to ask you personally, so I waited for you to come around."
What did he want to ask? Hwang Dong-Su raised his head.
The deputy director held his gaze without backing down and asked.
"That man named Sung Il-Hwan… was he really a monster?"
"Do you think I'd attack someone who was a human?"
"I'm not saying that I don't trust you. Only that, I wish to confirm what I saw with my own eyes."
The deputy director pushed his phone towards Hwang Dong-Su.
A certain video footage was playing on its screen.
"And this is….?"
"Footage captured by CCTV cameras nearby on that day."
In the footage, one could see an Oriental man rescuing employees from the collapsing Hunter Bureau building. There was no need to ask who that man was. How could Hwang Dong-Su forget? That face was the last thing he saw before he blacked out. That man was Sung Il-Hwan.
The deputy director's complexion darkened.
"I… have never heard of a monster rescuing humans before. Is there no change to your opinion that this man is a monster?"
"…He's definitely a monster."
"….Understood."
The deputy director pocketed the phone.
"Once you're discharged from here, stop by the Bureau. There are a couple of documents you need to sign."
Hwang Dong-Su asked the deputy director as the latter was about to turn around and leave.
"What happened to that man?"
"He disappeared after fighting you. We're in the midst of tracking him down, but he's powerful enough to knock you down easily, so whether he could be caught or not is, well…."
Just before he stepped out of the hospital room, the deputy director opened his mouth again, sounding more troubled than before.
"By any chance, do you have any idea where that man might head off to?"
"….."
"...."
Seeing Hwang Dong-Su resolutely keep his mouth shut as if he had nothing more to say, the deputy director quietly left the room. But, once he was gone, Hwang Dong-Su furiously yanked the IV needle out of his arm.
"F*ck!!!"
What a humiliating defeat that was. Even before he could figure out what happened, he found his neck trampled on by Sung Il-Hwan. Not only that, shamefully cowering on the floor, too! Just as he began gasping for air, Seong Il-Hwan spoke to him.
– "Do not take a step into Korea. This is for your benefit, not my son's. If you do, you will not be able to rest even in death."
And he couldn't remember anything after that. When he had opened his eyes, he was here.
'I won't be able to rest even in death?'
What did that mean? Was it a threat that he would be viciously killed?
'How dare you threaten me?'
Hwang Dong-Su's clenched fists began shuddering in rage. Not only did he lose to a 'monster', but that man also managed to inflict an unforgettable disgrace on Hwang Dong-Su, as well.
'I know where he will go.'
Hwang Dong-Su would do anything to catch that man. But, how? It didn't matter whether that b*stard's identity was a monster or not, there was no denying the fact that he was strong.
'I need better equipment if I want to kill him.'
Thankfully, it wouldn't be hard to get his hands on that equipment.
'I should call my Guild.'
The Guild Hwang Dong-Su was a part of, Scavenger, was one of the very best in the world. Hell, there was even a joke going around that, if one were to tally up the value of all the artifacts in possession of the Scavenger Guild, it'd easily exceed the annual budget of a small nation.
'If I get my hands on some artifacts, there shouldn't be a problem.'
Madness burned bright within Hwang Dong-Su's eyes.
To South Korea.
That was Hwang Dong-Su's next destination.
***
[You have defeated a Superior Demon.]
[You have earned 2,310 experience points.]
[You have acquired (1) Souls of Demons.]
[You have acquired (3) Souls of Slave Demons.]
'I did it!!'
Jin couldn't hide his elation. His luck was good, and he acquired four souls from the very last demon he killed. With that, he got the score of 25K.
So, he was thinking it was a good time, just like any other, to claim the rewards.
[Collected Souls of Demons: 25000]
Ring~.
[You completed the 'Normal Quest: Collect the Souls of Demons! (1)' long ago.]
[Your rewards have been available for a while.]
[Will you confirm the rewards? (Y/N)]
'Obviously.'
Once he replied, the list of rewards popped up in his view.
Ding~.
[The following rewards are now available.]
1. Any one item available in the System.
2. +20 Bonus Stat points.
3. An unknown reward.
[Will you accept them all?]
Other rewards did catch his eye, but right now, the first one on the list demanded the most of his attention. It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to say that he completed this quest solely for the first reward, too.
'Accept the first reward.'
Ding!
[You can choose from any of the items available from the System.]
[Is there an item you want?]
An item he wanted, was it?
Of course, just like the story demands.
[You can choose from any of the items available from the System.]
[Is there an item you want?]
The System asked him again, as if to urge him on. After a short deliberation, Jin-Woo made his reply.
As the rules of the world and he had some curiosity toward one another thing.
"The Cursed random box."
****
Back when he found himself standing on a dusty road, Jin chose both the 'Blessed random box' and the 'Cursed random box'.
And got the Keys to two fabulous dungeons. But now he knew what he had to choose. And the result of that decision was the keys to Demon's Castle and Angel's Layer.
Thanks to that, he gained entry to this instant dungeon and earned a lot. His level had risen greatly, he acquired lots of items, and as for Gold… Well, it was overflowing to such an extent that he was beginning to think he should start spending some soon.
The 'Blessed random box', supposed to give him what he wanted, and the 'Cursed random box' that was supposed to give him what he needed. But now what it will give him was nothing he needed.
'I did get what I wanted and what I needed in the last four tries from both the Blessed random boxes and the 'Cursed random box' that's for sure.'
But now he was curious about something else; the perfect chance to satisfy that curiosity once and for all had landed in his lap.
'…..' The System's answer. He thought that its reply was slower than usual. Or was it just his mind that was beyond the realms of human thinking, at speeds far surpassing human thoughts.
Ring!
The System did reply pretty soon afterward.
[You have chosen 'Item: Cursed random box'.]
[The chosen item is now available.]
Shururu….
A small box slowly materialized in front of his feet.
Jin patiently picked the box up. However, he was suddenly overcome with a feeling that the weight of this box was rather familiar to him.
He ripped the lid open and confirmed what was inside, only for the smile on his face to grow larger.
"…..…?!"
It was a pitch-black key that seemed to absorb all light, just like expected. But then came the totally unexpected part.
There was no information popping up in his view, either. This was something that hadn't happened in the Manhwa.
It was supposed to show the info the moment he took the key out, and it's not like he was on a level gap; in fact, he was far over-leveled for this, even by level, not to mention his stats that surpassed even OG Jin.
'This is my first time seeing an item with absolutely no information….'
The keys to instant dungeons could be seen as pretty common, since he got them from random boxes every now and then. But this guy here, he had never seen anything quite like it.
'Wasn't there supposed to be a description?'
No, wait a moment, perhaps because he was too fast to do this. I mean, not even two months have passed in the world's time since I came to this world (not counting the time I spent in Akame Ga Kill), and because of this, I am processing much faster than the plot itself. By now, I wasn't even supposed to pass level 70 yet; here I am on 113.
Heck, by the time OG Jin crossed level 100, the story was already on its second final arc.
Is it due to me being too fast and the plot is yet to catch up to me?
And "Double Gate" Dungeon Gate is far from appearing soon, so there wasn't any description.
Jin couldn't help but think that there was an ominous aura circling around the key.
'Well, I'm sure I'll get to use it sooner or later. Even if I don't get to know, it's not like I am losing much if I don't get it.'
The Cursed random box was supposed to give him something he needed; after all, this was literally the key for the plot to move forward.
****
After getting used to the heat, climbing the next floor became even easier.
While Jin's army was hunting on this floor, Jin was sitting in the literal melting rock.
First of all, he summoned his Stat window.
'Status.'
Ding.
A long, long wall of text that almost disoriented him popped up in front of his view. Jin's gaze stopped at the Status column.
[Stat points available to distribute: 20]
Yet he was yet to do that. As soon as he was done with the 75th floor, he claimed the next floor.
The additional Stat points he earned as the quest completion reward were still waiting for him. And, of course, he put them all in Intelligence.
Ding.
[Stats]
Stats
Strength: 316
Constitution: 283
Agility: 261
Intelligence: 416
Sense: 262
Finally, Intelligence had exceeded the other Stats.
Ding~
Due to the player's Intelligence stat crossing over a threshold of 400, something beyond human realms, the player has gained a skill 'Arcane Cognizance'.
Arcane Cognizance Passive (Lv. Max): Arcane Cognizance:
As the player's intelligence surpasses 400, their mastery over magic becomes unparalleled. Arcane Cognizance grants them an innate understanding of all magical phenomena, enabling them to manipulate mana with unprecedented precision.
Effect: This skill enhances the player's control over mana, allowing them to cast spells with minimal effort and maximum effectiveness. It also grants them the ability to analyze and decipher complex magical patterns and phenomena, leading to the creation of unique and powerful spells, and the ability to cancel opponent's spells and outright rewrite others' magical spells with enough understanding.
The world around Jin seemed to blur for a moment as a huge sum of information flooded into his mind.
Thumb! Thumb!
As if a whole nuke had been dropped into his brain, even with his intellect, it took time to even know what was going on.
To say Jin was speechless would be an understatement. He was shocked, too shocked, but he closed his eyes as much information about mathematics, Arcane, and mana started to be processed by his mind. He felt like he had become smarter, with a much more intimate understanding of mana, and his mind became so clear. It was hard to describe his situation, but for one thing, he realized he was an idiot in the past.
Though, frankly, if he didn't have his INT stats surpassing 400 and all the bunch of titles, perks, and skills related to High Intelligence, which he received previously, the process of accepting this reward wouldn't be so smooth.
In fact, he was sure his mind would have been fried, and he would have been either paralyzed or brain-dead.
Thumb! Thumb!
So he controlled his ragged breathing, took a deep breath which didn't help in the least, and closed his eyes, taking Lotus's position. He let his mind process all the knowledge dumped into his mind.
…
Finally opening his eyes after hours of doing nothing but letting his mind process and understand all the knowledge.
The effects of the Arcane Cognizance skill washed over him. He stood in awe, his mind racing to grasp the enormity of the power that now coursed through his veins. It was as if a doorway to a realm of infinite possibilities had swung open before him.
His senses tingled, and he felt an innate connection to the very fabric of magic itself. Every strand of mana in the air resonated with his newfound understanding. The skill granted him not only control but also an intimate knowledge of the magical phenomena that had once eluded his comprehension.
As the reality of his newfound power settled in, Jin couldn't help but imagine the incredible feats he could achieve. His thoughts danced with visions of spells cast with unparalleled precision, each incantation flowing from him effortlessly.
The mana responded to his call, forming intricate patterns that brought his spells to life in ways he could only dream of before.
His imagination ignited as he envisioned manipulating the elements with the finesse of an artist. Fire, water, earth, and air would bend to his will, harmonizing in ways that defied conventional magic.
He would be able to conjure storms that danced to his whims, control the temperature of his surroundings with a thought, and sculpt landscapes with a mere gesture.
The ability to analyze magical patterns excited him to no end. He saw himself deciphering ancient texts written in languages long forgotten, unraveling the arcane secrets of civilizations past. With each enigmatic symbol he understood, he envisioned the creation of spells that could reshape the very laws of reality.
A mischievous grin played on his lips as he considered rewriting existing spells. His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he imagined standing before a formidable foe, casting their own spells against them, but with subtle modifications that rendered their magic useless.
He envisioned weaving intricate enchantments that could shield him from harm, harness the power of his enemies, and manipulate the flow of time itself.
But among the myriad possibilities that Arcane Cognizance offered, Jin's heart thumped with the desire to innovate. He saw himself creating entirely new spells, weaving mana in ways that had never been done before.
His mind was a cauldron of ideas, bubbling with excitement as he pondered the untapped potential of his newfound skill.
With the realization that the possibilities were limitless, Jin's determination soared. He had gained a power that could alter the course of fate itself. The knowledge, the understanding, the control—he held them all in his grasp. The world was his canvas, and the magic that flowed through it was his paint.
.....