Chapter 15 – Magic Swordsman Skill

[Skill – Enchant Sword]

– Grade: D

– Effect: Imbues a one-handed sword with an attribute and increases damage.

– Damage: All damage +10%

– Usage Restriction: Level 150 or higher, one-handed sword required

– Description: Imbues the one-handed sword with the attribute of the magic currently in use.

A skill that imbues weapons with attributes and amplifies damage.

It may seem good at first glance, but it’s a skill people don’t seek out.

The reason is simple.

‘The biggest reason is that people don’t know the merits of attributes.’

People don’t yet know that each attribute has affinities and damage variations.

Moreover, since monsters disappear like smoke when they die, leaving no corpse, it’s not easy to research them.

Of course, this will be revealed in two years, but for now, attributes have no meaning.

‘In this situation, no one would use a skill just for damage amplification.’

In such circumstances, it’s better to learn one more attack skill than to receive a 10% damage increase.

Despite this niche skill, Min Do-joon didn’t retract his choice.

There was no reason not to choose it when he could increase damage by 20% against monsters with opposing attributes by imbuing attributes.

‘The next skill to choose is…’

[Skill – Mana Sword]

– Grade: D

– Effect: Increases the attack power of a one-handed sword.

– Damage: 100% of magic power

– Usage Restriction: Level 150 or higher, one-handed sword required

– Description: Surrounds the blade with mana. Cutting power increases with higher magic power.

‘This is it.’

Min Do-joon chose another buff-type skill like Enchant Sword.

It was an essential skill for magic swordsmen who evenly raise strength and magic power.

‘It’s a good skill that more than doubles the weapon’s damage.’

Yet people don’t seek it out because of the magic power condition.

‘It’s nonsensical for a melee dealer to raise magic power.’

Melee dealers who fight up close don’t need magic power.

Why?

Because most melee skills require strength.

However, the Mana Sword skill requires using a one-handed sword while also demanding magic power.

In other words, it’s telling melee dealers they need to raise magic power to become stronger.

‘There are many other good skills that require strength, so there’s no reason to invest in magic power just for this skill.’

This imbalance was why the magic swordsman class became obsolete.

‘Of course it looks like trash when you have to raise all stats evenly.’

Min Do-joon wouldn’t have given magic swordsman a second thought if not for Sim Jin-seop’s characteristic.

But now he knew.

How powerful a magic swordsman becomes after gaining the characteristic.

‘That’s why I’m switching to magic swordsman skills and equipment like this.’

After purchasing the skill, Min Do-joon spoke the activation word.

‘Learn.’

[Your skill slot is full. Would you like to remove a skill and learn this one?]

‘Learn.’

[Which skill would you like to remove?]

‘Ice Spear.’

As soon as he finished speaking, the skill book disappeared in a flash of light.

Min Do-joon checked his status window.

– Name: Min Do-joon (Born 2000)

– Level: 150

– Grade: D

– Combat Power: 8,754

– Korean Ranking: 17,929th

– World Ranking: 2,654,017th

– Strength: 156, Vitality: 151

– Agility: 163, Magic Power: 206

– Unallocated Stats: 0

– Characteristics: Revenge(S), Hunter Hunter(EX), Magic Swordsman(S)

– Skills: Lightning Spear(E), Energy Shield(E), Enchant Sword(D), Mana Sword(D)

Typically, the total stats of a level 150, including items, is around 240.

In comparison, Min Do-joon’s total was approaching 700.

It was an overwhelming stat difference.

‘With this level of specs, I should be able to clear the Mantis Dungeon without much trouble.’

But before that, there was another place to conquer.

‘There’s a hidden dungeon that can be entered at level 150.’

Unlike regular dungeons, hidden dungeons are not publicly known.

As such, hidden dungeons are places where various rewards that are difficult to obtain in regular dungeons can be found.

‘I should go there first.’

Of course, he planned to go secretly without telling Park Dong-yun.

* * *

Ten years ago, the world was peaceful.

But since the appearance of monsters, humanity’s main enemy, citizens had to live each day in fear.

But that’s an old story now.

“Hey, we’re here.”

“Is this the dungeon you said you discovered?”

“Yeah.”

Since the appearance of hunters who could fight against monsters, citizens were able to secure safety.

Just looking at the two middle school students who fearlessly came to find the dungeon showed how safe the world had become.

“Wow, I’m seeing a dungeon for the first time.”

“You’ve never seen one before?”

“No. My mom says it’s dangerous and doesn’t let me go anywhere near them.”

“What’s dangerous when there are hunters around?”

The reason dungeons are dangerous to citizens is because of dungeon breaks.

If no one conquers it for 120 hours, the monsters inside come out one by one, and the dungeon disappears.

The number that comes out is as many as listed in the dungeon conquest.

Generally, about 100 monsters come out sequentially.

If even one coming out is extremely dangerous, what if all 100 come out into the world?

The damage would be unimaginable.

“Hey, are you sure it’s really not dangerous?”

“Ha, are you a coward? I told you it’s not.”

“A dungeon break won’t suddenly happen, right?”

“Of course not. Why do you think government hunters exist?”

Hunters are broadly divided into three categories.

Freelance hunters like Min Do-joon who hunt freely.

Guild-affiliated hunters who hunt in parties under contract with guilds.

And government hunters who work under the government.

The job of government hunters is to check dungeon break times and enter beforehand to prevent them.

Therefore, there’s no need to worry about dungeon breaks even if no one conquers them.

Government hunters will surely appear to reset them.

That’s why government hunters are generally composed of strong people who can clear dungeons alone.

“Let’s get closer.”

The dungeon the two students faced was located in quite a secluded place.

“Is that the entrance? The blue rippling thing?”

“Probably?”

“Wow, that’s cool. But how did you find this place?”

“You know I’ve been playing Pocket Mob Go lately. I found it by chance while wandering around trying to catch pocket mobs. What do you think? Isn’t it awesome?”

“Yeah, I admit. It’s really awesome.”

“It’s my first time coming this close too. I was scared to come alone, hehe.”

The two students who were staring at the dungeon in wonder soon noticed something strange.

“But why don’t I see any soldiers?”

“Huh? You’re right.”

“I thought soldiers guarded dungeon entrances?”

“Did they go to the bathroom?”

They kept looking around, but there was no sign of any soldiers.

“Hey, this is great. We can get even closer.”

“Um, I’m still a bit scared though…”

“If you’re not going, I’ll go alone!”

“Hey, let’s go together!”

The two students approached the entrance.

Then.

[Hwamaru Werewolf Dungeon]

– Difficulty: D

– Personnel Limit: 4 people

– Entry Restriction: Level 120 or higher

– Conquest Goal: Exterminate 80 Werewolves

– Failure Penalty: Random stat decrease by 1

– Time Limit: 4 hours

– Time remaining until Dungeon Break: 32 seconds

A hologram containing the information appeared.

“Wow, this is killer! Look at this!”

“Whoa, a real hologram appeared!”

“So this is the Werewolf Dungeon I’ve only heard about?”

“Werewolf? Isn’t that a huge wolf?”

“Yeah. How did you know?”

“I saw it on the internet.”

“It must be super scary to see in real life.”

“Hehe, but that won’t happen.”

The excited students read through the hologram content.

But when they saw the time written at the end, their faces froze.

“Hey… What’s this? The time keeps decreasing.”

“The dungeon break time… only 5 seconds left?”

The students who belatedly checked the dungeon break time stepped back hesitantly.

3 seconds. 2 seconds. 1 second.

“R-run…”

It was already too late to shout “run.”

Whoosh!

The dungeon entrance turned bright red.

Tsuuuu-

Then, with a ripple, a werewolf appeared.

Grrrr-

The students screamed frantically at the huge monster baring its teeth and dripping saliva.

“Ruuuuun!!!!!!!!”

“Aaaaaaah!!!!”

The werewolf chased after the students who fled in panic.

Tap tap tap!

The distance narrowed quickly even though they hadn’t run far.

“Uh, uwaaaaah!”

The students screamed in terror seeing the werewolf approach right behind them.

“Aah!”

Just then, one student tripped over a tree root and fell.

“W-Wonho!”

The student who stopped running seeing his fallen friend was caught in a dilemma for a moment.

Should he save his friend, or use his friend as bait and escape alone?

He was afraid of the werewolf to save his friend, but his conscience bothered him to escape alone.

While he was unable to do either, at that moment.

A flash of lightning crossed between the two.

Crackle!

Clang!

At the same time, someone rushed in at high speed.

Slash!

The werewolf’s body was split vertically.

“Huh?”

The students, dumbfounded by the sudden situation, soon saw a man holding a one-handed sword.

“Are you okay?”

It was none other than Min Do-joon.

“Huh? Yes, we’re okay.”

“Th-thank you for saving us.”

The students stood up with bewildered expressions.

They stared at Min Do-joon.

“A-are you perhaps a hunter?”

Min Do-joon nodded at the students’ question.

The students’ expressions brightened in an instant.

“Wow, so you really are a hunter!”

“I can’t believe I’m seeing a real hunter!”

The students were excited, hard to believe they were trembling in fear just moments ago.

That’s how much of a hero hunters were to ordinary people.

After all, hunters were the only beings who could fight against the monsters threatening humanity.

“You two, what are your names?”

“I’m Kim Won-ho!”

“I’m Lee Sang-hoon!”

“Alright, Won-ho. You have a cell phone, right? Call 112 right now and explain the situation. The police will call hunters for you.”

“Okay!”

“Meanwhile, Sang-hoon, explain the situation to me. What happened here?”

“Ah, well…”

While one student called 112, Min Do-joon was able to hear a brief explanation of the situation.

‘As I thought, it was a dungeon break.’

Encountering a monster outside a dungeon can only be explained by a dungeon break.

‘To think I’d suddenly face a werewolf while passing by…’

The reason Min Do-joon came here was none other than for the hidden dungeon.

He didn’t expect to end up fighting outside the dungeon unintentionally.

“So the entrance turned red, and one werewolf chased you guys? The werewolf I killed was that one.”

“Yes! That’s right!”

“Then that must be the second werewolf?”

Where Min Do-joon was pointing, a werewolf was just being summoned with a ripple.

“Yes, that’s the second one!”

“I see. You guys step back over there, it’s dangerous.”

Min Do-joon raised his sword and approached the entrance.

“I need to stop the werewolves in the meantime.”