‘What... is this?’
A dazzling light emanated from the necklace around Kang Hyunsoo's neck.
Lowering his gaze, he examined it.
[Vanished Necklace of the Sun God]
[Grade: Legendary]
[Effects:]
[You have mastered all forms of Sun Swordsmanship.]
[The Lost Technique has been unlocked.]
The skill, which had been locked until now, transformed before his eyes.
[Skill: Lost Technique (?) has been changed to Divine Beast Descent (SSS).]
[Skill: Divine Beast Descent (SSS): Summons Aphelion, the guardian divine beast of the Sun God, to devastate a designated area. Mana cost: 3,000.]
‘An SSS-grade skill?!’
Hyunsoo’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Skills and dungeons were generally considered capped at SS-grade, but here was an ability of an even higher tier.
And the surprises didn’t stop there.
As the Lost Technique unlocked, the necklace's brilliance intensified, illuminating the cavern.
[Resplendent Necklace of the Sun God]
[Grade: Mythic]
[Effects:]
“...!!”
Hyunsoo was speechless at the sudden upgrades.
Swallow, perched nearby, spoke up, voicing what Hyunsoo couldn’t.
“Wow... This is like getting a full deluxe gift set, Master!”
A deluxe gift set? It was more like winning the lottery several times over.
The Flame Sword had risen from Legendary to Mythic rank, and the necklace now boasted an SSS-grade skill.
But none of this was mere luck.
“Wait... Am I really getting all this without even a trial?”
“Trials are only for those who need to prove themselves. You are already worthy, so there is no need for proof. Use the restored ancient powers as you see fit.”
With those words, Aphelion dissolved into flames and vanished.
Hyunsoo stood frozen, bewildered.
His original plan had been to upgrade the Flame Sword to Legendary rank, but now he had gained far greater power than anticipated.
Looking down at the Incarnation Blade in his hand and the necklace around his neck, curiosity began to stir.
He had used the Incarnation Blade in his past life, but the Sun God’s Necklace was a new acquisition, and he was eager to test its destructive capabilities.
As if on cue, the perfect test subjects arrived.
“Shaaaa!”
“Skaaaa!”
[Lv. 394. Ancient Frost Elf of the Ice Cavern]
[Lv. 393. Ancient Frost Elf of the Ice Cavern]
While Hyunsoo was upgrading the Flame Sword, a swarm of over a hundred Frost Elves had descended upon the secret passageway.
This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.
The summoned Wraith Knights were holding the entrance with their swords and shields, but...
<Summon>
[Lv. 250. Wraith Knight of the Fallen Empire]
[Summoned Wraiths: 8/10]
Outnumbered and overwhelmed, the knights were gradually being pushed back. Their ranks had already dwindled from ten to eight.
“Let’s see what this thing can do.”
“Oh, an SSS-grade skill! This should be fun to watch!” Swallow adjusted his sunglasses, clearly ready to enjoy the show.
Hyunsoo approached the passageway, gripping his newly upgraded Incarnation Blade.
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, channeling mana into the sword. Then he activated the skill.
【Activate】
[Divine Beast Descent (SSS)]
The air trembled.
The fabric of space seemed to tear as a crimson portal materialized above.
From within, the sound of flapping wings echoed.
“To those who have forsaken the divine, I bring the flames of judgment!”
Aphelion emerged, its body cloaked in fire as it had been during the Flame Sword’s upgrade.
Spreading its massive wings, Aphelion soared toward the passageway. With a mighty breath, it unleashed its flames upon the designated area.
KWOAAAAAAA—!!
The entire passageway was consumed in an inferno.
The Frost Elves and Wraith Knights alike vanished in the blaze.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOOM!
Not only did Aphelion’s flames incinerate its enemies, but it also caused massive explosions, reshaping the dungeon itself.
[Lv. 394. Ancient Frost Elf of the Ice Cavern has been slain.]
[Lv. 393. Ancient Frost Elf of the Ice Cavern has been slain.]
[The summoning of the Wraith Knights has been canceled.]
Where the passageway had once been was now a vast chasm, its icy walls completely melted by the intense heat.
“Hmph, pitiful. To limit my power to this extent... Call me again when you have worthier foes to judge.”
With a dismissive snort, Aphelion vanished into the portal.
[Divine Beast Descent (SSS) has been deactivated.]
Silence descended.
The once-bustling cavern, filled with Frost Elves moments ago, now contained only Kang Hyunsoo and Swallow.
“The power of a divine beast is... staggering.”
“And that was it holding back.”
Indeed, the skill had annihilated over a hundred A-rank monsters in one strike while reshaping the dungeon itself.
But there was no time to bask in awe.
BOOM! CRACKLE! RUMBLE!
The dungeon trembled violently, its collapse accelerated by the aftermath of Divine Beast Descent.
“This isn’t good... We need to get out of here!”
“Agreed, Master. Since the passage is gone, I’ll make a path for you.”
[Your Charming Companion uses a stunning protective shield!]
Swallow flapped its wings, creating a shimmering bridge of protective barriers over the chasm.
Meanwhile, icicles began falling from above.
“Not bad! I’ll treat you to a fruit basket when we get out.”
“Make it wine, and we have a deal!”
The two were increasingly in sync, and thanks to their efforts, Hyunsoo reached the boss chamber in just 20 minutes.
***
“Is it true? A hunter went into the A-rank dungeon alone?”
“Yeah, I saw him earlier while waiting. He went in by himself. And he’s not even a famous hunter. Though, I gotta say, he was really good-looking.”
“Who could it be? If someone’s that skilled, it’d be normal for them to be well-known.”
Near the A-rank gate at Han River Park, a group of over ten people gathered, chatting curiously about the lone hunter who had entered the dungeon.
The Ice Cavern Dungeon wasn’t one that hunters typically raided unless they were trying to prevent a dungeon break due to its strict time limit. However, earlier, during a casual stroll, someone had spotted a lone hunter entering it.
It was enough to spark curiosity.
As some hunters and civilians lingered near the gate, one among them suggested, “Why don’t we grab some ramen at the convenience store while we wait? It’ll be a while before he comes out anyway.”
“What if he comes out while we’re gone?”
“No {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} way. It’s been barely two hours, right? I’m not even sure it’s possible to solo it. And even if it is, he’ll need the full 10 hours to clear it.”
“Yeah, that makes sense.”
The Ice Cavern Dungeon had a time limit of 10 hours. Even for teams of hunters, it typically took six hours to complete. For a solo run, it would naturally take much longer.
As people considered leaving briefly, the unexpected happened.
FLASH!
Just as one person was heading toward the convenience store, a bright light burst from the portal inside the gate.
Step. Step.
A figure emerged.
“What the...?”
“Already cleared it?!”
“No way!!”
The crowd stared in disbelief at the lone figure exiting the gate.
Holding twin swords and dressed in a shirt, slacks, and a cardigan, the hunter didn’t look like someone who had just completed a raid. But appearances didn’t matter—what shocked them most was the time it had taken him to clear the dungeon.
All eyes were on him.
- As expected, there were people watching when I went in. Looks like they’re watching on my way out too.
‘It can’t be helped. This is a time when hunters draw more attention than celebrities. Especially for higher-ranked dungeons.’
Hyunsoo, fresh from clearing the Ice Cavern, answered Swallow, who was hovering invisibly nearby.
He had anticipated the attention.
Even during his entrance, he noticed plenty of onlookers.
But this reaction was different from his previous life.
Before his regression, clearing an A-rank dungeon solo hadn’t garnered much interest. Yet now, people had waited for over two hours to see the result.
“Excuse me, would it be okay to take a picture with you?”
“Which guild are you with, by any chance?”
A crowd swarmed toward him, firing off questions.
Previously, people might have whispered amongst themselves while keeping their distance. Now, smiling faces approached him directly, eager to interact.
And it wasn’t just one or two—it was an entire group.
This was a first for Hyunsoo.
“...Sorry, I’m in a bit of a rush,” he said, attempting to excuse himself.
“Oh, wait! Just a moment!”
“Are you the hunter who fought in the Paju terrorist incident?”
Hyunsoo quickly activated Acceleration to escape the scene, leaving the crowd behind.
Flying after him, Swallow quipped, “Your appearance is so appealing now that people feel comfortable approaching you.”
“Is that so? Ugh, being good-looking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
In his previous life, he had thought being handsome was always a good thing. Now, he wasn’t so sure.
The attention was tiring, and he felt guilty for ignoring people.
Still, he had no choice.
Every decision required focus and prioritization, and public attention wasn’t something Hyunsoo needed right now.
Instead, he needed to concentrate on cultivating key relationships—especially for completing his Beauty Quests.
After evading the crowd, Hyunsoo pulled out his phone to check his messages.
There were plenty.
[Samcheon Guild - Jin Seoyun]
Hunter Kang Hyunsoo, are you doing well? Our Samcheon Guild would love to have you join us. Do you have time to meet?
[Hunter Yuhana]
Hyunsoo oppa! Are you busy? Want to raid a dungeon together?
[Hunter Bureau - Choi Jiwoo]
I heard you fought Babylon during the Paju incident while I was on a mission. Are you okay? Too bad my summoning orb is still on cooldown.
Even Jin Seoyun, Yuhana, and Choi Jiwoo had reached out to him.
Such attention from women was something he could never have dreamed of in his previous life.
Of course, these weren’t romantic interactions, but it was still an improvement.
However—
“Nothing from her, huh...”
Hyunsoo sighed. He had hoped for a message from Do Minjung after returning from the Ice Cavern, but there was nothing.
“It’s okay, Master! You can always start fresh. I’ll find her for you in no time!” Swallow encouraged, flying upward to scout the area.
Hyunsoo chuckled softly, accepting reality.
“You’re right. No need to feel down.”
It wasn’t a big deal, after all. He hadn’t been rejected or anything.
But then—
Just as he gave up and was putting his phone away, it buzzed.
[Do Minjung]
Yes, nice to hear from you.
A reply from Do Minjung.