Episode 48.
The Giant Ghoul was a powerful enemy. Not only did it have its naturally intense strength and stamina, but the Giant also gained even more power from a unique condition as it was released from the Boss Room into a zombie and ghoul-infested city.
The unique condition was Kinship Predation. Losing the Banshee and in panic, The Giant Ghoul inflated its power by eating many zombies and ghouls!
[Guahhhhhh!]
“Damn, it’s weak.”
Of course, the problem was that it was weaker than the Armored Orc Commander. Jung Si-woo realized that the boss monster could increase his strength through Kinship Predation and lamented about the monsters he caught before. But what was done was done. He held back his tears and celebrated the last moments of the Giant Ghoul’s life.
“This boss doesn’t feel like a boss at all…”
“Naturally, when the boss has a power-up event, it means that the main character is that much stronger. A true boss would step on the main without having to do that.”
“That statement fundamentally denies all RPG games.” Jung Si-woo ignored Soo Ah-rin’s words and slammed the Giant Ghoul’s body with the hammer again. This was looting.
“Phew…”
“What a terrible sight…”
As Jung Si-woo lifted his head after completely recovering its dollars and beads, he saw the Serien’s scene in the darkness. Serien, the city of the dead, had indeed become the dead city. There wasn’t a building that had made it out alive.
[Dungeon Clear]
[Time Achieved: 2:35:56]
[Defeated 1,327 zombies, 916 skeletons, 164 ghouls, 59 wraiths, 1 banshee, 1 giant ghoul]
Within the desolate ruins, Jung Si-woo’s dungeon clear was successful.
[Attain special achievement: Dungeon Destroyer]
[Additional Reward: Player Skill Acquisition – Curse Resistance (Passive)]
[Clear Rank – EX]
[Additional Reward: Secret Douser acquired]
[Experience calculation completed.]
[Player Level has risen by 6.]
[Jung Si-woo]
[Underground player]
[Lv.66]
[Strength – 224 Agility – 228 Stamina – 242 Magic Power – 88]
[Resistance – Poison Lv.7, Flame Lv.4, Curse Lv.1]
[Passive Skill – Chaos Tail Lv.2, Courage of the Ignorant Lv7, Soul Collect Lv.3, Dragon Dignity Lv.3, Heavy Weapon Battle Lv.3]
[Active Skill – Grant Lv.27, Strike Lv.24, Battle Sprint Lv.22, Critical Bullet Lv.5, War Cry Lv.6, Stone Skin Lv.8, Cruel Charge Lv.3]
The price of Jung Si-woo’s suffering was evident. He had risen to level 6 as his combat skills also grew. This time he had even gained a third resistance skill, gaining new gear as well.
If Jung Si-woo, who was already stronger than the monsters of this dungeon, had cleared just by eliminating those in front of him, he would have grown only by about three levels no matter his high rank. However, thanks to completely releasing the sealed Banshee, and the Giant Ghoul, who was pulled down from the boss room and fed other zombies and ghouls, doubling the rewards was a success!
“It’s not normal to grow like this every time you clear a dungeon.”
“Which is why I’ve been clearing a lot of other crappy dungeons too. That’s how I match the average.”
“Normal people don’t clear dungeons in such a short period….! Oppa, if everyone grew at your pace, they would have cleared the level 32 dungeon in ten, no, less than a year!” Soo Ah-rin exclaimed.
“Yeah, okay, let’s just blame it on my skills.”
Jung Si-woo half-assed responded to Soo Ah-rin as he checked the special reward. Secret Douser, he wondered what it was. It looked like a water vein detector, having two sticks.
[The Secret Douser]
[Rank: B-]
[A magic tool used to find the secrets hidden within dungeons. It vibrates when it gets close to the ‘secret,’ and it reveals the secret’s identity when used. Disappears after three uses.]
“Oh…”
Perhaps this reward popped up because he succeeded in discovering the dungeon’s secret! Jung Si-woo, whose only talent was ignorantly charging forward, gladly welcomed the artifact.
It did have the disadvantage of disappearing after three uses, but there was no need to take it literally. It said Secret Douser vibrated the closer it got to the secret. Even if Jung Si-woo didn’t use the Secret Douser, he could discover the secret by exploring around himself with its indirect help.
“Seems like an artifact an explorer or succession player would like.”
“I was just clearing a dungeon, then this extraordinary reward reveals itself…”
Jung Si-woo preciously held the Douser in his arms and started walking. Before the dungeon collapsed, he had to find the altar. It seemed better to dedicate the beads of the Banshee and the Giant Ghoul to the altar and obtain artifacts.
“But Oppa.”
The battle was so hectic that there was something Soo Ah-Rin had completely forgotten to ask.
“How on earth did you reinforce the divine powers I granted you?”
“It was just another method of granting.”
“You’re saying that Grant is enough for that?”
If that were the case, all top players would no longer have to fear undead monsters. Because that wasn’t reality, there were beings like Priests or priestesses who were praised for their divine power; their strength was more than mana. Even if one were to pry, Jung Si-woo’s answer would still be the same.
“I think the mindset that it won’t work is odder. You know it might work if you all tried.”
“Why do I even ask…”
Jung Si-woo passed through the shattered iron gate of the boss room and reached the altar. He hoped that there would be a reinforced altar, but only an altar of white light was present.
“It feels like if you pour it all at once, it will bounce off.”
“Boots, it would be nice if it gave us some boots.”
Jung Si-woo grabbed all the beads of the Banshee, Giant Ghoul, and elite monsters, adding them all at once onto the altar. The dungeon rank was somewhat high, so no tragedy of bouncing beads occurred.
“But….”
“Hyeong-nim, I feel like this is…” Yong Se-ha tilted his head as he watched the crowd of lights appear on the altar.
“It feels like it’s a hammer for some reason.”
“I think so too. Ugh, no way it’s category duplication!”
The pain of not getting the item you want no matter the time exploring the dungeon. A feeling anyone who had played RPG in Korea experienced once before!
However, Jung Si-woo was rather blissful as he confirmed the hammer’s appearance on the altar. He felt that the Black Wolf’s Paw attack power was already lacking.
“The enchantment in the Black Wolf’s Paw is regrettable, but honestly, I’ve wanted a stronger weapon.”
“Don’t worry too much because you will be able to use synthesis altar once you have completed all the weapon proficiency levels. That’s that, but boots… Oppa, how about we try offering the leftover beads?”
“You already know my answer.”
“Oppa, you should get the barbarian class later, seriously!”
Jung Si-woo laughed at Soo Ah-rin’s words and grabbed the hammer that had wholly revealed itself.
On the outside, the sledgehammer’s size was not significantly different from Black Wolf’s Paw. Interestingly enough, it was white metallic, close to transparent, and the hammer’s head was dyed with vivid purple color. If you were to look at it under the sun, it might seem like a purple mass floating in the air.
[Giant’s Scream]
[Rank C++]
[Attack power: 1,350 – 1,950]
[Proficiency – 0/400]
[Option – ???]
[A hammer containing the power of an intermediate undead. Living beings are afraid to touch this hammer. A lot of power hides here.]
“It’s quite heavy.”
“It looks quite similar to Black Wolf’s Paw?”
However, it was quite cumbersome. Jung Si-woo felt it was heavier than the Thunder God’s Rifle, which weighed more than a few hundred kilograms. Though he was at a level that could handle it without difficulty, other players couldn’t without strengthening their bodies with Grant. This was in regards to even the levels of the top players.
“What even is this made out of to be so heavy?”
“It seems like the real rank is hidden.”
“That can happen?”
“Of course.”
The weapon’s rank was C++, good enough to be an incredible artifact from the outside view. Its description, excessive weight, and the fact rank could change from accumulating proficiency/hidden options made it evident that this was a hidden piece.
“That’s why people shouldn’t throw weapons with hidden options away. Although carrying those weapons individually while increasing one’s proficiency is the last thing anybody wants, there are a few players who have completely changed their rank thanks to a hidden piece.”
“Oh, those who gave up artifacts just by rank probably have hit the ground regretting it….”
It seems like Yong Se-ha had experienced something similar before. Jung Si-woo patted him on the back while placing the hammer into his inventory.
“Then, let’s leave this hammer for now and increase the level of Black Wolf’s Paw to the maximum.”
“What level is it now?”
“229.”
“Wow.”
For reference, the maximum skill level of Black Wolf’s Paw was 240. Surprisingly, the other option had has not been revealed yet. Jung Si-woo thought that Black Wolf’s Paw might also be a kind of hidden piece.
“Then let’s get out of here.”
“Hopefully, once we leave, there won’t be Mt. Seoraksan waiting for us.”
“Don’t start with the strange foretelling. It is making me nervous.”
Should they return to the resting place? Jung Si-woo momentarily thought about it, but he shook his head. It was getting to be time to breathe the outside air. Even if there were people around, he was now able to conceal his identity with his headpiece! There shouldn’t be a problem, no matter the situation.
Yes, it was.
Jung Si-woo threw himself towards the gate, then suddenly found himself submerged in water.
“Ooooboooop!?”
What was this?! The words did not flow properly out of his mouth. Water rushed into his mouth and prevented him from breathing properly. It wasn’t like he knew he was going to dive! Who wouldn’t panic after falling into water without warning!
“Eup, eup eup!”
Soo Ah-rin tapped his chest desperately. Jung Si-woo nodded and hurriedly pulled out the access key to the resting place, lifting it. They were currently located in the seabed: the bottom of the sea. It seemed that the dungeon closest to Seoraksan was a dungeon on the seabed. He hurriedly inserted the keys onto the floor, and their party was sucked straight into the resting place.
However.
Jung Si-woo, who raised his head for the last time before entering the resting place, saw something.
Back there was a giant monster lurking in the middle of the seafloor.
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