Chapter 35: The Great Decapitation (4)
Fwwoosh!
As expected, Baltman activated a mechanism to shield himself with the protection of fire.
Kang-hoo, having anticipated this response, had already retreated and quickly regulated his breath.
Temporarily blinded by the theft of sight, Baltman had no idea of Kang-hoos whereabouts.
Thus, Kang-hoo resorted to an old but reliable method of attack for this situation.
Haap!
With a shout, he released the Spear of the Skys Delight from his fingertips, roaring as it flew toward Baltman.
It was a dagger throw.
Ill kill you! I will definitely kill y Argh!
Baltmans words were cut off as his body, ablaze with flames and revenge, was pierced right between the eyes by the dagger.
There was no need to check; the strike was clean and lethal, resulting in instant death.
Baltman fell to his knees, motionless as if time had stopped.
Loose lips often lead to a bad end.
Kang-hoo clicked his tongue as he confirmed Baltmans extinguished life amidst the flames.
[Your level has significantly increased to 39.]
[You have successfully plundered the Great Decapitation skill from the target.]
Two messages appeared simultaneously.
He had reached level 39.
Level 40, which unlocked basic skills for assassins, was just within reach.
The excitement was inevitable; the new skill would start with maximum proficiency upon acquisition.
[Great Decapitation]
[Skill Proficiency: Lv. Max]
[Consumes 25% of both health and mana to deliver a critical strike to a designated target.]
[Damage is proportional to the equipped weapon and the user's total strength, and inversely proportional to the target's resilience.]
[Monsters and hunters below 33% of the user's level will meet instant death.]
With my level now at 39, monsters or hunters below level 13 will face instant death,
Kang-hoo noted, satisfied as he examined the Great Decapitation skill.
The skill configuration would have been disastrous if he had learned it with an occupational penalty.
However, without any penalty and with maximum proficiency, the composition was almost overpowered.
A billion won spent on the license rental?
Not regrettable at all.
If one considered the potential value, it could have been worth ten, even a hundred times more.
The loot is decent too.
He then picked up two green magic stones that had dropped where Baltman died.
With each worth a hundred million won, he had recovered two hundred million won.
He was eager to reach levels 40 and 50 quickly.
The joy of gradually acquiring more skills was truly satisfying.
[You seem underwhelming.]
The Dimension Plunderer, who rarely spoke, initiated a conversation after a long time.
It felt pleasant to hear from the usually quiet constellation.
Thinking of tackling higher-level dungeons now.
[Indeed, that seems advisable. Your current level won't provide sufficient motivation.]
Im ready for any test. Itd be nice if youd suggest one without hesitation.
[The decision is mine to make.]
When more constellations start showing interest in me, you might end up a forgotten old man in the back room.
[Your arrogant nature is charming, but don't think it can provoke me.]
Huh, time is on my side.
Kang-hoo smiled slyly in response.
It was a display of his confidence.
If he had been an unremarkable hunter, time would certainly have been on the side of the constellations.
However, Kang-hoo considered himself a hunter of considerable investment value from the perspective of the constellations.
He had already mastered dungeons below level 100 without much difficulty.
The only real challenge was the boss monsters, but even these remained within the realm of solvable problems.
For a level 39 hunter, soloing dungeons of levels 40 to 50 was typically the limit of capability.
But Kang-hoo was shattering these limits, turning the impossible into the possible.
This is why he was monopolizing experience points in higher dungeons, experiencing explosive growth.
It wasnt just a stroke of luck.
His wisdom had led him to utilize 200% of his capabilities.
That night,
Kang-hoo decided to celebrate his successful skill acquisition at a bar near Suwon Station.
As per his usual, he ordered a Solarkium Burst.
The bars atmosphere was lively and cheerful. Security seemed to be doing its job well, as there were no unpleasant incidents.
He mused that if the vibe of Suwon Station could be replicated elsewhere, it could make for a very livable city.
At the very least, there was no threat of sudden battles or bloodshed.
Yet one should never let their guard down completely.
In places too at ease with peace, hungry wolves tend to emerge.
Daejeon Station, now engulfed in a great war, was once a safe haven.
The tragedy unfolded when Eclipse and Heuksaja, greedy for the prosperity fostered in peace, reached out to Daejeon Station. Lee Ye-rins Cheong-an turned it into a battlefield.
Hmm.
Kang-hoo grimaced, noting his table was the only one with a solitary occupant.
Its not that he minded being alone, but that didnt mean he preferred it.
The absence of a friend to share his struggles with was indeed a profound loneliness.
He could have confided in Han Seo-yeon, but that wouldnt have been fair to her.
Friendship. Love. These emotions hardly stir anything in me, probably because Ive grown numb.
A hint of self-mocking cynicism crept in.
Shin Kang-hoo was designed to be a character without warmth, cold-blooded.
Yet he wasnt perpetually cold; on rare occasions, he thawed slightly.
I wonder how my friends from Cheongmyeong Detention Center are faring.
Like at that moment.
Fleeting memories and sentiments crossed his mind, but they stayed just that.
He never let empathy or pity sway him to make inefficient or dangerous choices. His actions were always controlled by reason.
One day, I should really take a good rest.
After finishing his Solarkium Burst with satisfaction, Kang-hoo stood up to leave.
He had pushed his body quite hard in the battle with Baltman.
The ambiance of Suwon Station was tranquil enough to make him want to sleep there in peace.
His business there was now finished.
Next was Ground Zero.
From collecting Mad Solarkium to dealing with Jo Gu-bin, as requested by Lee Ye-rin.
At that moment,
I wonder how hes doing?
In the VIP room, also known as the top floor of the Rikou Hotel, which is exclusive to Rikou Guild members and also a five-star hotel, a man reminisced about Kang-hoo over a glass of wine.
It was An Yeong-ho.
After returning to Japan,
He utilized his guilds internal and external intelligence networks to investigate Kang-hoo.
Naturally, since he had used the alias Jung Sun-kyu, the information collected matched that name.
There seemed to be quite a bit of information.
However, when the data was compiled, it barely filled half of an A4 sheet, indicating its insufficiency.
From this, it was impossible to guess Kang-hoos actual skills or level, let alone how he acquired such abilities.
Each skill he used to save me was extraordinary even my uncle doesnt believe it.
An Yeong-ho vividly remembered every moment spent with Kang-hoo.
Even though he hadnt seen it himself, he had heard how Kang-hoo single-handedly subdued two level 80 hunters.
To kill trained hunters with one blow is no easy feat, nearly impossible.
Yet, Kang-hoo had easily subdued his enemies and saved him by leaping between buildings.
His class was definitely Assassin, but the combination of skills he used seemed to go beyond the constraints of his profession.
Thats why his uncle and the assassin Suzuki Fumiya also misjudged and didnt believe it.
Of course, An Yeong-ho was deeply grateful to Kang-hoo for saving his nephew.
The privileges and benefits promised to Kang-hoo by the guild were not just lip service. He was planning to treat Kang-hoo with the respect he deserved.
He just thought that his nephews memories of Kang-hoo might have been somewhat exaggerated.
I hope he visits Japan soon. There are some good dungeons here. It would be nice to sync our rhythms.
Thinking of Kang-hoo, he felt admiration and awe toward the powerful.
It was like the feeling of seeing a celebrity, but perhaps even stronger because Kang-hoo had saved his life.
Maybe I should leave him a message?
He casually thought of contacting him, eager to know when he would come to Japan.
An Yeong-ho, not liking to be indebted, wanted to show his gratitude to Kang-hoo in a more tangible way.
Jung Sun-kyu hyeongnim, how are you doing? I am An Yeong-ho, whom you saved before
He made his decision and acted swiftly.
An Yeong-ho began typing a message to Kang-hoo immediately.
The exorbitant cost of living in Seoul.
For the average person, the cost of living in Seoul was so high that it felt like having to drink bathroom tap water instead of bottled water.
But for Kang-hoo, who now had a significantly larger bank balance, this was no longer a major concern.
Seoul was indeed stable in every aspect.
Guards were stationed in every building.
And safety shelters were mandatory in every structure.
These shelters became safe havens for civilians when out-of-control hunters committed violence or crimes.
Designed to withstand attacks for at least an hour, they usually held up until the Hunter Public Safety Bureaus officers arrived, often sooner.
Seoul isnt wrongfully called the city of CCTV.
Kang-hoo shook his head as he noticed CCTVs wherever he went.
While most people saw them as a strong protective measure, Kang-hoo perceived a different picture.
Jang Si-hwan and his group effectively used CCTV to control and monitor the public.
Anyone who fell out of their favor in Seoul couldnt escape their surveillance network.
In other words, once you were targeted, there was nowhere to hide. You would inevitably be caught.
Then,
Breaking news flashed across the giant screen at Seoul Station.
Just now, a meeting between Jeonghwa Guild Master Jang Si-hwan and Fortuna Guild Master Casey Rex took place.
The two Masters moved to a conference room to sign an agreement on mutual cooperation and comprehensive exchange.
Ha! Is Jeonghwa Guild going global now? The Fortuna Guild is recognized even in the U.S., right?
Exactly! Even guilds in China and Japan cant get in line with them, but Jeonghwa Guild broke through in one shot?
Its all thanks to Master Jang Si-hwan, right? Nothings impossible when youre that skilled!
Ah, its intoxicating, really intoxicating!
People rushed to heap praise on Jang Si-hwan and his guild after hearing the news.
In fact, the whole of Seoul seemed like a giant fan club for the Jeonghwa Guild, or more specifically, for Jang Si-hwan.
Given his status as Seouls hero, such favorable reactions werent surprising.
However,
The problem is that Casey Rex is one of the Thirteen Stars.
Knowing the uncomfortable truth, Kang-hoo could only view this planned play as petty.
Such a farce it was.
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