Chapter 6
—
He used Regression Mode for 2 minutes to break through the floors and spent the remaining 2-hour cooldown hunting goblins on the 6th floor and kobolds on the 7th floor.
In total, it was 6 and a half hours of hunting and leveling up with 3 uses of Regression Mode.
As a result, he was able to clear the 10th floor late in the evening.
“Status Window.”
== Status Window ==
[Name]: Bang Hyukmin
[Level]: 24
[Job]: None
[Stats]:
Strength – 50
Agility – 61
Intelligence – 33
Stamina – 34
Mana – 21
=======
When he started in the morning, his level was only 4, but in just one day, he raised it by an astonishing 20 levels to reach 24.
He couldn’t help but feel satisfied with the result.
“Hunting really is the best way to level up.”
Honestly, without Regression Mode, such rapid growth would have been impossible.
While his memories from his past life were helpful, Regression Mode was crucial, and what contributed significantly to his swift leveling up were the Immortal Demon Technique and the Immortal Demon Blade.
“Yeah, without the hidden features, this kind of hunting wouldn’t even be possible.”
The passive effect of the hidden Immortal Warrior—life-steal on all damage—could be considered the MVP of the day.
No matter how hard he fought, he didn’t tire, and even when he took damage, the life-steal effect allowed him to recover by inflicting significant damage.
This effect enabled Hyukmin, who was only level 11 at the time, to fight recklessly against hordes of goblins and kobolds without worrying about his health.
Opening his inventory, he checked the growth of today’s MVP.
[D-Rank] Immortal Demon Blade
- A blunt, old dagger that cannot be sharpened due to its hardness. Its durability, which prevents it from breaking, also detracts from its sharpness.
- Life-steal on all damage: 15%
- Experience: 138 / 200
Along with leveling up, there was another satisfying growth.
The experience gained from hunting had transformed the Immortal Demon Blade from E-Rank to D-Rank.
“This is decent progress. Ugh.”
Although old, rusty, and blunt, making it unsuitable for cutting or stabbing, it was still 100 times better than a box cutter.
When he had to hunt with a box cutter, it was so frustrating that it drove him crazy.
The blade was thin, it bent easily, and it couldn’t withstand even a little force. It was the worst weapon imaginable.
Compared to that, the Immortal Demon Blade, even in its deteriorated state, was a far better option, resembling a weapon in form if nothing else.
He couldn’t help but feel pleased.
“Satisfied.”
How could one be full after just one meal?
The mere fact that he had obtained a hidden item and witnessed the potential of a growth-type weapon was enough to leave him highly satisfied.
He placed the Immortal Demon Blade back into his inventory.
As he opened the inventory again, the sight of the cluttered space full of magical stones became an eyesore.
The inventory was packed tightly with magical stones, making his head spin.
“So messy. I need a bag. I wonder how many magical stones I couldn’t carry because of this.”
Compared to when he had no inventory, this was already an unbelievable improvement, but he couldn’t help but feel regretful about the magical stones he had to leave behind.
The number of discarded magical stones alone amounted to about one-third of the inventory.
“I need to empty and organize this quickly. It’s too chaotic.”
After a moment of regret, Hyukmin decisively turned his back on the tower and headed to the Ronin Guild.
= = =
“Woah… wow…”
Perhaps it was because of how clearly he had established authority during their first meeting.
The Ronin Guild staff member, who was looking at the pile of magical stones, stared at Hyukmin with a surprised expression.
But the gaze was slightly off.
“I told you not to mind it.”
In a guild like Ronin, where even small quirks could lead to rumors, being cautious never hurt.
When he warned the staff member, who was staring closely at where his inventory was located, she quickly lowered her head.
“I’m sorry.”
“How much is it, in total?”
“Please wait a moment.”
Since he had already experienced being shortchanged before, he thought they wouldn’t dare to try it again so soon.
And his expectation was spot on.
The staff member, determined to provide a thorough and transparent calculation, brought out an electronic calculator and a current market price list, meticulously calculating everything one by one.
The result of six hours of hunting was impressive.
The sheer quantity of magical stones was overwhelming, and it took the staff member 30 minutes just to calculate their value.
Not long after, the staff member returned from the guild’s interior carrying what was clearly a money-filled bag and placed it on the table.
“The number of magical stones is substantial, but unfortunately, their grade is low, so this is the assessed price. Here you go.”
With a click, the bag opened, revealing a substantial amount of cash inside.
Hyukmin took out two 50,000-won bills emitting a golden glow and handed them to the staff member.
“Thank you for your effort.”
“Ah! Thank you!”
The staff member repeatedly bowed her head in gratitude.
However, Hyukmin’s hand continued to move, pulling out exactly half of the 10,000-won and 50,000-won bills from the bag and placing them on the table.
The staff member looked puzzled.
“What is this for…”
“I’m buying some information.”
“Our Ronin Guild sells information on tower strategies, dungeon locations, and the like. What kind of information are you looking for?”
Closing the bag with a click, Hyukmin spoke softly so no one else could hear.
“Find me a B-rank dungeon near Goseong, Gangwon-do, preferably one where an NPC sells something right at the entrance.”
“Ah, if that’s what you’re looking for, we can find it. There aren’t many dungeons with NPCs, so you’ll likely get an answer in a day or two. But more importantly…”
The staff member, who had been accepting the request, glanced awkwardly at the money on the table.
“This amount is too much for dungeon information…”
“One more thing.”
The next request seemed to be of a different nature.
With a sly and meaningful smile, Hyukmin made his next demand.
“Recently, a company called Jisoo Construction has been building a building in Sindang. Find out who the client is.”
“Um… we don’t handle that kind of information. If you want that, you should contact an information guild…”
“I know. I know it very well. Just ask your superiors. When they compare the amount with the value of the information, they’ll probably thank you for accepting it. It’s not even a particularly difficult request; the Ronin Guild’s internal information network alone should suffice.”
“Is that so? Understood. I’ll inquire about it.”
Hyukmin took out a piece of paper and pen, scribbled down his phone number, and handed it to the staff member.
“Take care.”
As he left the Ronin Guild, Hyukmin noticed the staff member making a phone call and let out a quiet snort.
“Kid, I know the Ronin Guild far better than you ever could. Tsk tsk.”
Clicking his tongue, he hailed a taxi and headed home.
Watching the scenery pass quickly outside the window, Hyukmin spoke to himself quietly.
“What did you do to my family in this era, Park Chung-ho?”
= = =
After leveling up and stopping by the Ronin Guild, it was late evening by the time Hyukmin finally sat down to have dinner.
His mother, thrilled that Hyukmin had gone outside to do something, hummed happily the entire time she prepared dinner.
She didn’t stop there; she sat across from Hyukmin while he ate dinner, asking him what he had done today, showering him with her full attention and joy.
It was overwhelming to the point where he barely knew how to eat his meal, but even this situation brought a sense of happiness to Hyukmin.
As they were talking and he was keeping her company, his mother suddenly grabbed his arm and tilted her head in curiosity.
“But, were your arms always this thick?”
“…?!”
For a moment, he was so startled that he almost dropped his spoon.
‘Ah!’
He had forgotten something obvious.
When stats increase, the body naturally transforms to sustain that strength.
That’s why, from his mother’s perspective, the Hyukmin who was Level 4 in the morning and the Hyukmin who was now Level 24 must have seemed completely different.
With over ten times the difference in stats, it would be stranger if there were no noticeable changes.
But it wasn’t just his arms or body frame that had changed.
“Not just your arms—was your jawline always this sharp?”
“Uh, uh, no way. Isn’t it just because I’ve been stuck in my room for so long?”
“It’s strange, though.”
The instincts of parents are truly terrifying.
Her suspicious gaze shifted to another unexpected area.
“You never used honorifics before. Why are you suddenly using them now?”
“Th-that’s… Ah! I decided to become a new person now that I’ve left my room. That’s why. And about my body, you didn’t notice because I’ve been in my room all the time. You wouldn’t believe how much I worked out before coming out.”
Was it because his intelligence had increased?
In that moment, memories of his life as a shut-in flashed through his mind, and he decided to tie everything back to that.
And the explanation worked perfectly.
“Really? Oh, my poor son, you must’ve worked so hard.”
His mother believed him entirely, as if she had no doubts.
Then, perhaps influenced by the emotions of the night, her cheerful expression gradually gave way to tears in her eyes.
“My son going outside, being active, and even eating dinner in the living room… I feel like I could die happy now. Is it okay for me to feel this happy?”
“Mom…”
“It’s true. I’m so happy.”
His heart ached once again.
He was simply living like a normal person.
She only thought he was living an ordinary life like his peers.
And just from that, she felt this immense happiness.
In that moment, Hyukmin began to resent the past version of himself, who had lived as a shut-in, severing himself from the world.
“Don’t worry. I’ll never go back to being like that. From now on, I’ll come out every day and eat dinner with you. Don’t be too happy just yet. Over time, you’ll be even happier.”
He deliberately spoke more brightly and cheerfully.
‘I’m so relieved. Truly relieved.’
The resentment he had toward his past self in his previous life was only momentary.
Now, it was different.
He had been given a new opportunity to correct his wrong choices.
Instead of resenting the past, it was time to move forward and make choices without regret.
In his previous life, he had left his family neglected and abandoned.
But now, he wouldn’t do that anymore.
Wrong choices, lost time, and the newly given opportunity.
From now on, he would make only the right choices.
“Were you always this young, Mom?”
As he wiped away his mother’s flowing tears with his own hands, he smiled brightly, happier than anyone else in the world.
He then tried to change the gloomy subject of the conversation.
Stuffing a big spoonful of food into his mouth, he grinned broadly on purpose.
“This is so delicious. Mom, you’ll cook for me forever, right?”
“Of course~ Naturally. I hope this isn’t a dream.”
“Oh, come on, of course it’s not a dream. I hope this isn’t a dream either.”
Although he had tried to change the topic, the conversation returned to a sorrowful tone.
To hide the emotion welling up in his voice, he took another big spoonful of food and shoved it into his mouth.
“Ha, haha. It’s choking me.”
Awkwardly, he smiled at his mother.
“It looks delicious.”
Taking a spoonful of the kimchi stew his mother had made, he smiled again for no particular reason.
Feeling like he might actually cry if this continued, he looked around.
Then he glanced toward his father, who was clearly absent, as if to distract himself.
“Mom, isn’t Dad home yet?”
“Your dad will be back soon…”
Ding-dong.
When his father’s face appeared on the intercom, his mother quickly wiped her tears and lightly tapped Hyukmin on the back.
“He’s so hopeless.”
“Hahahaha.”
When his mother opened the door, his father came in, smiling brightly.
Spreading his arms wide, he looked at Hyukmin sitting in the living room eating dinner and shouted.
“My son! You’re eating here!? Oh, how wonderful.”
Hyukmin looked at his father with a bright smile as well.
“Welcome home.”
But then, seeing the uniform his father was wearing, his expression slowly stiffened.
[Jisoo Construction]
It was the name of the construction company he had requested information about from the Ronin Guild.
The very reason he wanted to purchase that information.
“Ugh! Go wash up quickly. Who are you trying to hug with that dirty body?”
“Got it, haha. I’ll wash up quickly. Wait for me, son~”
“Yes, I’ll wait.”
He quickly fixed his expression, smiling brightly at his father.
“Geez, you only notice your son. You don’t even see me?”
“Of course not~ My dear, how have you been?”
“Oh, stop it~ Go wash up. I made kimchi stew.”
They were a harmonious family.
Just looking at them brought a smile to his face, yet a sense of purpose made his gaze shift elsewhere.
From his father’s shoulders, to his mother’s hand, and finally to the uniform hanging on the coat rack in the living room.
The harmonious image of his family he had longed for and the words “Jisoo Construction” written on the uniform.
These two elements clashed in Hyukmin’s mind, forming a single resolution.
‘Just wait. I’ll destroy you so you can’t mess with my family again.’
Clench.
‘Just like back then.’
—
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