The upgrade and direction obtained at Level 1 are the same skills.
However, this time the upgrade is not on equipment but on the body, which is a significant difference.
"Modification? Are you telling me to become a cyborg?"
An android robot from a sci-fi movie came to mind.
Created by human hands, but eventually, it becomes a destructive machine that destroys all civilizations.
[Whirr~ Clank! Whirr~ Clank!]
Nova materialized the sounds that came to mind.
As his face frowned, Nova suddenly became serious and said earnestly.
[As expected of Master. You've acquired a far better skill than I expected. This increases the probability of the Earth salvation scenario.]
"...Is this really a good skill?"
[Master's greatest weakness is your stats. Your strength is lower than a warrior, your magic power is weaker than a mage, and your agility is lower than an archer.]
"Well... because I'm in a support role."
When leveling up, stats increase according to the job.
The highest stat of his currently, ironically, was mental strength.
Thanks to this, he could stay sane in dangerous battlefields and easily defend against enemies' mental attacks, but it was an ambiguous stat for combat.
[Master's combat power relies solely on Genocide and my performance. But if body modification is possible, the story changes significantly.]
"Ugh!! Are you really suggesting modifying my body?"
For a moment, he imagined all his body except his head covered in grotesque machinery.
Nova teased Hyeon Su-ho.
[I'll show you some modification samples.]
At that moment, a video opened, showing changes due to body modifications.
"Ew!"
He reflexively jumped.
Nova's video far surpassed his imagination.
One form had eight mechanical legs like an octopus, moving between buildings...
Another had a giant robot over 20 meters tall, with only a brain floating in a water tank on its belly...
There was even a form with just a head attached to a flying tank.
These forms were more monstrous than monsters.
It might increase combat power, but socially, it would be a dead end.
[How about 'Android 19' as a nickname for Master?]
"...!!"
As Hyeon Su-ho pulled a long face, Nova continued in a playful tone, as if offering a generous concession.
[These are just samples. I'll show you the final form calculated by my superior AI.]
"...How much more grotesque could it be?"
[You can look forward to it.]
The final form... does that mean something even more horrifying than what he just saw?
Thinking about a shape far more bizarre than the video made his head spin.
But what Nova showed was...
"What is this? It's just my current form."
It was an ordinary appearance with no modifications.
[Of course. Instead of metal parts, we used monster materials.]
"Monster materials? But the skill description said parts."
[It's a matter of perspective. Don't hunters make equipment from monster materials? It doesn't necessarily have to be metal.]
He thought of mechanical modifications, but Nova had a completely different picture.
[It's a form that combines hunter's passive skills with the genetics and biotechnology of Eos. Let me show you the cross-section.]
Then, a cross-section of the body started to appear.
The skin peeled off, revealing muscles and organs, with blood vessels vividly visible.
Is this what it looks like after an autopsy?
"It feels weird..."
[Focus, student.]
"...Explain."
[It's very simple. We replace muscles, bones, and even organs with those of monsters. This way, you gain physical abilities close to that of a monster.]
"Is that... possible?"
[It's impossible. Only trees can graft. Even with Eos technology, transplanting organs from entirely different species has failed. Instead, they created clones to harvest organs.]
"Then why are you showing me this?"
[Because it's possible with the hunter's skill.]
Hunter skills are like the superpowers of superhumans.
Until obtained, they are unknown and unrecognized, but once obtained, their use becomes instantly clear.
Hyeon Su-ho also realized it was possible while listening to Nova's explanation.
Nova knew it more quickly and certainly than he did.
"If this is possible, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
[Hehe! Because Master's reaction is too amusing.]
Anyway, Nova's prank was quite successful.
The image of a head attached to a tank was horrifying enough to appear in nightmares.
Despite the mischievous prank, relief came before anger.
"...So you're saying I should catch monsters and replace my body parts with theirs?"
[That would be ideal, but unfortunately, it's not feasible. The total capacity for modification is determined by Master's level.]
Assuming he has a total modification capacity of 100 points right now.
Replacing muscles with those of a goblin requires 10 points, and replacing them with those of an ogre requires 50 points.
Even for the same part, using better, stronger monster parts requires more points. Naturally, the values increase according to volume.
As the level increases, the total modification capacity gradually rises.
[Moreover, parts from regular monsters can't be used.]
"Regular monsters can't be used? Then what can be?"
[Only the bodies of boss monsters can be used for body modification.]
Boss monsters.
Powerful monsters that appear at the end of a dungeon or through special events.
Even at the same level, boss monsters are at least 2 to 4 times stronger.
Of course, catching them is a concern, but an even bigger problem is encountering boss monsters.
"How do I catch a boss monster?"
Good hunting grounds where boss monsters appear are occupied by large guilds or under government control.
After some thought, the answer came.
"I need to take on guild quests."
It's hard to randomly encounter a boss monster in a hunting ground, so he must take on suitable quests, defeat the boss monster at the dungeon's end, and modify his body.
The problem is that not all quests necessarily involve monsters.
Fortunately, Nova alleviated his concern.
[By analyzing big data, we can find missions with a high probability of encountering boss monsters, even if not 100%.]
"You're saying you can compile a list? How much time do you need?"
[...Just finished it.]
"You already looked it up?"
Nova quickly infiltrated the Hunter Association network, analyzing not only the current quests but also those soon to be posted.
[Haha! This was an easy task for me. I've already marked the relevant quests on your terminal, Master.]
Hunter Association missions can now be conveniently accepted with a simple click on the terminal.
The problem is that the difficulty level of the missions requires a minimum level to accept them.
Looking at the missions Nova marked, Hyeon Su-ho frowned.
"An emergency mission?"
[Yes. The request came in 30 minutes ago. If we leave now, we can make it in time.]
"But this requires level 3, and I'm only at level 2."
Not only the level but also the fact that he belonged to a support class meant he couldn't even apply for the mission.
Nova confidently responded.
[I hacked the Hunter Association and changed your level and class, Master. You can check your terminal.]
Startled, Hyeon Su-ho checked his terminal...
"It's true! It shows me as a level 4 Vanguard."
Both his level and class had been altered.
"How did you do this? I heard it's impossible to hack the Hunter terminal."
[With Earth's technology, yes. But I am different. Haha!]
Nova boasted.
This time, Hyeon Su-ho couldn't help but acknowledge Nova's capabilities.
Since he applied for the mission, it would be accepted unless there were significant issues.
With the mission accepted, another worry arose.
"If I hunt the boss monster, do I have to replace my entire body?"
He couldn't even begin to imagine where the modifications would start and end.
Do I replace everything but the brain?
Or even the brain?
Fortunately, or unfortunately, a complete overhaul wasn't necessary.
[You don't have enough modification points for that. You can't modify everything at once, so you'll have to prioritize the most efficient parts.]
"Then... what's the top priority?"
[The heart, of course.]
"The heart? If it's a monster's heart..."
[It's a Mana Stone.]
"Whoa!"
Hyeon Su-ho involuntarily glanced at the Mana Stone of a Giant Mantis.
It was a hard, stone-like object, completely different from a human heart.
The thought of having such a thing inside his body...
"Isn't it dangerous?"
[No Hunter skill has ever failed.]
That was reassuring.
A growth-type skill that becomes more effective as levels increase.
[Later, when you obtain a Dragon Heart, it would be best to split it between my circuits and your heart. That way, you'll gain output far surpassing that of a space battleship.]
"You seem obsessed with Dragon Hearts."
[Not. At. All.]
"…Alright. What's next after the heart?"
[Bones and muscles, of course. Enhancing survivability is the priority. Moreover, with improved physical abilities, you'll be able to wield weapons more effectively.]
"Weapon skills..."
Although he had used a chainsword a few times, it was more about swinging it haphazardly than employing any swordsmanship.
It felt more like using a chainsaw to cut through something.
Indeed, proper combat skills were essential to becoming a true Hunter.
"If I hunt a boss monster, I can collect the materials and use them later when my level increases."
[That's not possible. Haven't you watched medical dramas? The body parts need to be freshly harvested.]
"You're strangely realistic in certain aspects."
[It's about time to depart. We might be late otherwise.]
"Alright, let's go."
The mission begins with gathering in the southern gate of Seoul.
Feeling upbeat due to his level increase, Hyeon Su-ho headed out.
* * *
Shortly after, at the southern gate of Seoul.
Arriving about 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled time, he saw a sign with the mission number and an employee from the Hunter Association.
A young-looking male staff member.
Hyeon Su-ho approached and presented his terminal.
"I'm Hyeon Su-ho."
"Let's see, Hyeon Su... here you are. You're early. Please wait in the vehicle. We'll depart once everyone arrives."
The man pointed to a large truck nearby, where guides in uniform were chatting and smoking.
The association's modified truck.
It looked more like a heavily armed vehicle than a truck, with a machine gun capable of shooting down aircraft on the roof and a radar that could detect underground monsters.
The truck's front was covered with thick monster hide. Trucks used by the association were equipped with hides from at least level 5 monsters.
The truck functioned more like a tank.
'The Hunter Association sure has money.'
Since there was still time, Hyeon Su-ho asked the man about the mission.
"What kind of mission is this?"
"Well... most emergency missions are similar. A party entered an instant dungeon and failed their mission, with only one person managing to escape. Our mission is to rescue them."
Instant Dungeon.
Often called In-Dun.
Unlike dimension gates, these dungeons appear randomly around the world and disappear once cleared.
Though relatively smaller in scale compared to dimension gates, it doesn't mean they're less challenging.
The difficulty depends on the level and number of monsters, not the size.
Rewards from instant dungeons are relatively less generous than those from dimension dungeons, but the materials and monster parts inside can be freely taken.
This makes some Hunters prefer instant dungeons over dimension dungeons.
Apparently, a party or guild had entered an instant dungeon but couldn't escape for some reason.
It's a common occurrence in this industry.
[If it weren't an emergency mission, it would be tough for you to enter such a premium dungeon.]
'Good job. Well done.'
As Nova said, it was a dungeon with a high probability of encountering a boss monster.
While waiting for the other Hunters, he pondered how to obtain the boss monster materials.