Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Level 2 Player

Blessing of Hwangsin and Hongsin (2)

First Hunter and One-Hit Kill were achievements he had intended to obtain from the start. In the case of Barehanded Hunter, he tried it just in case after seeing Barehanded Killer, and it succeeded.

The problem was that all the titles obtained that way had completely extinguished.

Jin-su checked the status window.

‘No change at all.’

All stats were fixed at 22.

‘The loss is too great.’

At minimum, stats should have risen by 50 or more from acquiring achievements, but not even one rose.

‘Will it continue to devour titles from now on too?’

Then an enormously big problem occurs in Jin-su’s growth. Titles permanently raise stats. Even if the level is the same, depending on how many titles one possesses, the difference in combat power widens to the level of heaven and earth.

Titles are unconditionally the more the better.

‘As long as the blessings exist, is there no meaning in acquiring titles?’

If it continues like this from now on, there is no meaning in acquiring titles.

‘Let’s continue for now.’

The first goal was to sweep up all the titles and hidden dungeons obtainable on Floor 1.

He had no intention of giving up on acquisition just because the titles disappeared.

“Kiiiik!”

“Kyareuk! Kyareuk!”

Jin-su advanced forward while hunting monsters. He quickly swept away the monsters on Floor 1, achieved achievements, and acquired titles.

[Title Monster Hunter extinguishes.]

[Title Master of Hunting extinguishes.]

[Title One Against Ten extinguishes.]

Titles extinguished as soon as they were acquired.

[Level has risen.]

[Stats have increased.]

In the midst of that, the level rose. Even though he moved with achieving achievements as the primary goal, it was natural since he caught quite a lot of monsters.

[Blessing of Hwangsin is satisfied with the level changed by level up.]

[Blessing of Hongsin is satisfied with the stats changed by level up.]

At that time, a system message suddenly appeared.

‘Could it be?’

[Blessing of Hwangsin nullifies the level that rose due to level up.]

[Blessing of Hongsin chews and eats the stats that rose due to level up munch-munch.]

[Level has decreased.]

[Stats have decreased.]

‘What is this?’

He was dumbfounded. The blessings didn’t even allow Jin-su’s level up.

‘What on earth is the reason for doing this to me?’

Jin-su furrowed his brow. Not enough that title acquisition is impossible, it even blocks level up? This meant that growth as a player was perfectly blocked.

[Blessing of Hwangsin has grown.]

[Blessing of Hongsin has grown.]

At that time, a new system message appeared.

‘The blessings grew?’

Jin-su opened the status window. And he checked the information of the blessings.

[Blessing of Hwangsin]

-Increases Strength stat by 2.2%.

-Increases Agility stat by 2.2%.

-Increases Mana stat by 2.2%.

[Blessing of Hongsin]

-Increases Stamina stat by 2.2%.

-Increases Durability stat by 2.2%.

-Increases Mental Power stat by 2.2%.

‘This time Mana and Mental Power increased by 2.2%. Did it absorb rather than nullify the titles and level?’

But there was one strange point. If the blessings grew by taking titles and levels as food?

‘Why on earth did the blessings grow twice consecutively the first time?’

At that time, Jin-su hadn’t obtained titles nor leveled up.

‘There’s too little information about the blessings.’

Moreover, if it continues like this from now on?

‘The efficiency is too low.’

All stats 2.2% increase.

Percentage buff skills are top-tier buffs whose effects are maximized the higher the basic stats.

‘The problem is the cost-effectiveness.’

The titles the blessings had devoured so far numbered over 10. On top of that, they even absorbed the experience points for one level up. If you add up all the stats Jin-su should have obtained from titles and level up, it exceeds at least 80.

And what rose was not even a 22% increase to all stats, but a mere 2.2%. It devoured an amount that could raise stats by over 80 at minimum and only raised decimal-unit stats.

‘Of the 6 stats, 4 were raised before devouring titles and level ups.’

Then practically, it was only absorbing 12 titles and the experience points for one level up and raising Mana and Mental Power stats by 0.484 each.

From Jin-su’s position, it was a truly enormous loss. The cost-effectiveness was too bad even if bad. If it continued like this, let alone conquering the Tower beyond Floor 2,222, he would lose his life on the lower floors.

‘Let’s move for now.’

Jin-su quietly moved his body to do what he had to do. If he had been disappointed and frustrated just because the immediate result was not good? If he was the type of person who whined that efficiency was low and cost-effectiveness was trash and just gave up?

Jin-su would never have been able to climb to Floor 2,222 of this Tower.

However, Jin-su never let go of the thread of hope no matter how despairing the situation. He continuously exerted effort and, without giving up in despairing situations, somehow found a new path and advanced forward.

That was the path the human Jin-su had lived, and.

The path he had to live from now on.

Jin-su quietly immersed himself in hunting.

[Title One-Hit Kill extinguishes.]

[Level has decreased.]

[Stats have decreased.]

The titles he had painstakingly acquired disappeared. The level fell as soon as it rose. However, Jin-su did not stop and diligently moved while continuing to hunt.

[Blessing of Hwangsin has grown.]

[Blessing of Hongsin has grown.]

At that time, a system message appeared again saying the blessings had grown.

Jin-su opened the status window and checked the information of the blessings.

[Blessing of Hwangsin]

-Increases Strength stat by 12.2%.

-Increases Agility stat by 2.2%.

-Increases Mana stat by 2.2%.

[Blessing of Hongsin]

-Increases Stamina stat by 12.2%.

-Increases Durability stat by 2.2%.

-Increases Mental Power stat by 2.2%.

‘The buffs for Strength and Stamina stats rose from 2.2% to 12.2%.’

The growth width increased by a whopping 454%.

‘The efficiency is still low though.’

Considering the titles and levels devoured so far, even if the buff efficiency increased by 454%, the fuel efficiency was still too trash.

‘Still, hope is visible anyway.’

It was still only a meager number. But increasing by 454% at once meant that the growth width of the blessings themselves was enormously large.

If it continued to grow like this from now on, the stat increase rate could become several thousand, tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of percent.

‘Well, even so, the basic stats are too low so the efficiency is extremely bad.’

No matter how large the increase rate, if the basic stats are too low, there is no great meaning. Even if you grow a bean a thousand or ten thousand times, a bean is still a bean.

‘I should look for a way to raise the basic stats.’

There is no answer right now, but he had no intention of giving up. He would find the answer somehow. No matter what means he used.

***

‘I think I heard it was around here.’

Jin-su, who had been moving while immersing himself in monster hunting and title acquisition, arrived near the destination.

‘Here it is.’

The place Jin-su arrived at was a small cave.

‘Hobgoblin Dungeon.’

A dungeon located on Tower Floor 1, a one-time hidden dungeon where one can receive the mission to eradicate the goblin group led by a hobgoblin.

‘The difficulty is quite high.’

Players who have just arrived at the Tower have physical abilities and mental states no different from ordinary people. For such players, the Hobgoblin Dungeon is the same as a kind of trap.

In a state where it’s hard to handle even 1–2 goblins, not only do dozens of goblins appear, but even a hobgoblin that can be called a boss monster appears.

‘But the reward is good.’

The mission reward is a reward, but the side income was substantial. Because one could obtain the treasure pouch that the hobgoblin possessed.

The treasure pouch was a space-type artifact that could hold about the amount of items of one handcart. If you put food in a space-type artifact, it doesn’t spoil. It was also good for storing items.

There is a downside. The number of items that can be put in is limited to 20, and the weight cannot exceed 200 kilograms.

‘Later may be different, but in the early stages the utility value is large.’

Decisively, the treasure pouch possessed by the hobgoblin often had something inside rather than being empty. If lucky, one could obtain a large amount of food or weapons or other artifacts.

‘Then shall we go.’

Jin-su entered inside the dungeon. The rewards from achievements and level ups had all disappeared so all stats were still 22, but.

‘On Floor 1, that alone is more than enough.’

Moreover, in the middle, the blessings grew once more and the increase rates of Agility and Durability stats rose to 12.2%.

‘Even so. It didn’t rise much.’

Even if the stat of 22 rises by 12.2%, it only becomes 24.684.

‘Still, better than nothing.’

Fortunately, the early-important stats of Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Durability had risen. Jin-su entered the dungeon.

[You have entered the Hobgoblin’s Dungeon.]

[Mission - You have received the subjugation of the Hobgoblin group.]

[Challenging personnel: 1.]

[Calculating mission clear reward.]

[Mission clear reward - 10 Strength Pills.]

[You cannot leave the dungeon until the mission is cleared.]

As soon as he entered the dungeon, the mission was forcibly granted.

“Kiiiik!”

At the same time, the goblins charged toward Jin-su.

‘The reward is quite substantial.’

Strength Pills were elixirs that raise the Strength stat.

‘Seeing that it gives 10, it seems the reward was made calculating a 10-person party clear.’

Jin-su swung his two swords.

Seogeok! Jwaak!

“Kiik!”

“Kyaeuk!”

The goblins that had rushed at Jin-su were cut down powerlessly like rice straw.

“Kuuueeek!”

The hobgoblin, fully enraged by the deaths of its subordinates, charged toward Jin-su. Compared to ordinary goblins that had the height of a child, the hobgoblin’s height was large enough to approach 2 meters. Moreover, seeing that its movement speed was quite fast, the level also looked quite high.

‘Of course the stats will be higher than mine too.’

But high level and stats didn’t unconditionally mean strong.

Hwiik!

The hobgoblin swung its club.

‘The movements are too big.’

The strength looked considerably strong. Jin-su twisted his body.

Kwaaaang!

The moment the hobgoblin’s club struck the innocent floor.

Puuk!

The sword held in Jin-su’s right hand pierced the hobgoblin’s neck quickly and accurately.

“Keogeogeok!”

Kuuung!

The hobgoblin that had appeared with great momentum lost its life emptily.

[Mission - You have completed the subjugation of the Hobgoblin group.]

[Mission clear reward - 10 Strength Pills are paid.]

[You can leave the dungeon.]

[You defeated a monster of higher level than yourself with the first attack.]

[Title The One Who Overcomes is granted.]

[You defeated a dungeon boss monster with the first attack.]

[Title The Victorious One is granted.]

[Blessing of Hwangsin thinks satisfactorily of the titles The One Who Overcomes and The Victorious One.]

[Blessing of Hongsin is satisfied with the existence of the titles The One Who Overcomes and The Victorious One.]

[Blessing of Hwangsin chews and eats the titles The One Who Overcomes and The Victorious One crunch-crunch.]

[Blessing of Hongsin chews and eats the titles The One Who Overcomes and The Victorious One munch-munch.]

[Titles The One Who Overcomes and The Victorious One have been extinguished.]

‘Yeah, I knew it would be like this.’

It wasn’t surprising anymore.

‘First the reward.’

Jin-su smiled and put one Strength Pill in his mouth.

[You have ingested the Strength Pill.]

[Strength stat increases by 2.]

It was only Strength stat rising by a mere 2, but gathering dust makes a mountain. But a problem arose.

[Blessing of Hwangsin smiles satisfactorily while looking at the stats changed by ingesting the Strength Pill.]

[Blessing of Hongsin smiles satisfied while looking at the stats changed by ingesting the Strength Pill.]

[Blessing of Hwangsin chews and eats half of the stats that rose due to the Strength Pill crunch-crunch.]

[Blessing of Hongsin chews and eats half of the stats that rose due to the Strength Pill munch-munch.]

[Stats have decreased.]

‘What is this?’

Jin-su was dumbfounded. Because he never thought the blessings would nullify not only the stats that rose due to titles but even the stats that rose due to elixirs.

“Fuck! Why are you guys doing this to me! You said well done! You said satisfied! But why are you doing this!”

Jin-su shouted with a heart full of frustration.

“This isn’t some kind of offering I’m dedicating to you!”

Even though the fuel efficiency is bad, shouldn’t you eat moderately?

“Haa...”

After spewing curses for a while, Jin-su exhaled a long sigh, forced himself to calm his heart, and bent his waist to pack the treasure pouch hanging at the hobgoblin’s waist.

‘Let’s check if there’s anything inside.’

Jin-su put his hand inside the treasure pouch. Then the information of the items inside the treasure pouch floated up in his mind.

‘Most are useless things.’

Food was the most, but they weren’t the kind that humans could eat, let alone goblins.

‘There are items?’

He thought it was a dud, but there was something after all.

[Ring of Recovery - Level 22]

-Can use the active skill Recovery.

[Ring of Worsening - Level 22]

-Can use the active skill Worsening.

‘Ring of Recovery and Ring of Worsening.’

They were a set item in the form of a silver pair of rings.

‘The level is quite high and the options aren’t bad either.’

The Ring of Recovery had the Recovery skill that treats injuries as an option, and the Ring of Worsening had the Worsening skill that makes wounds open as an option.

The set effect was an increase in the power of the Recovery and Worsening skills.

‘Lucky.’

Recovery-type items were quite rare on the lower floors. If you go beyond Tower Floor 50 there are healers, and if you go beyond Floor 200 there are potions made by alchemists so injuries can be recovered. However, on the lower floors, if you get injured, there was almost no way to recover the wounds other than going to the next floor.

‘A passive skill book with the option of increasing self-recovery power is more efficient, but the items aren’t bad either.’

In the case of Worsening, it could also help in combat to some extent. Jin-su put the pair of rings on his fingers.

[The set of Rings of Recovery and Worsening has been gathered. The set effect activates.]

[Blessing of Hwangsin has grown.]

[Blessing of Hongsin has grown.]

[Blessing of Hwangsin has grown.]

[Blessing of Hongsin has grown.]

At that moment, system messages saying the blessings had grown appeared twice in a row.