Chapter 37: Dungeon Hunter (2)
TL: Hanguk
After escaping from the boss room of the "Forgotten Mine" dungeon.
We didn't leave the dungeon but continued to fight the respawning Normal Dullahans to gain experience points.
As a result, I was able to level up two more times, reaching Level 38.
Moreover, the Dullahan can be considered the best monster to hunt, not just for the experience points but because you can farm the equipment they wear.
[Dullahan's Gauntlet Pair / Premium Grade]
- Must be worn as a pair to apply the stats.
- Strength +2, Sword Aura duration increased by 10%.
[Dullahan's Greaves Pair / Premium Grade]
- Must be worn as a pair to apply the stats.
- Strength +2, Sword Aura duration increased by 10%.
It seemed like they dropped equipment roughly once every 50 kills.
The gauntlets and greaves didn't impact my fighting style, so I equipped them as soon as I obtained them.
Additionally, I also acquired a helmet, chest armor, sword, and shield of the same Premium grade.
Although they ended up in my inventory because my existing equipment was better or didn't fit my fighting style, the Dullahan was the most rewarding farming monster I've encountered.
I suspect that once the overall skill level of hunting parties improves, the Dullahan spawning area will become a popular hunting ground that attracts a lot of people.
[Status Window]
- Level: 38
- Title: Awakener (All Stats +1)
- Stats
Strength: 19 (+10) Agility: 21 (+5) Magic Power: 22 (+11)
Remaining Stat Points: 0
- Coins in possession: 104,212
This is my current status.
My base stats are already quite substantial, and with the added effects from various items and the title bonuses, I have a total of 26 additional stat points.
Thanks to this, my average stats are about six times that of a normal person.
I have now reached a level where I can do a Sergeant Jump of nearly 3 meters without even using the Leap skill.
With the Ring of Strength and Dullahan gear, my Strength suddenly increased by 7, slightly disrupting my balance, but given how much my stats have fluctuated, I was able to adapt quickly.
'And at some point, I got a title.'
I wasn’t exactly sure when I got the title.
This morning, I absentmindedly opened my status window and discovered that I now had a title.
Still, the Awakener title boosts all my stats by 1, so I was quite satisfied with it.
Except for the experience of fleeing from the boss monster in the dungeon, it was a perfect day.
So, I returned to Wolgwang Island feeling good with Willia and Woof-woof...
“Who are you?”
What greeted us was a large, green monster holding the equipment I had definitely given to Fatty.
[Fatty / Orc / Level: 17]
“Are you kidding me?”
The identity of this imposing monster was none other than Fatty, who had raised his level by a whopping 7 in just one day, exuding a presence far beyond that of other Orcs.
‘What on earth happened to you?’
I couldn't help but be amazed.
The once somewhat stupid-looking Fatty had transformed into a seasoned warrior who looked like he had been through countless battles.
That wasn’t the only surprising thing...
[Acquired Skills]
- Slash (Infuse the sword with magic power and swing.)
He had awakened a skill that even Woof-woof, who was Level 30, didn’t possess.
"No, seriously, what on earth happened to you?”
Since I couldn’t communicate with him, all I could do was imagine all sorts of scenarios on my own.
I decided to equip Fatty with the chest armor, helmet, sword, and shield that I had obtained by defeating the Dullahans.
“Wow, you look intimidating.”
He now looked undeniably like a boss monster.
“You like it?”
- Kkuik.
At least, despite his fierce appearance, his voice hadn’t changed, which was a relief.
I patted Fatty on the shoulder, telling him he’d done well.
Willia was also surprised to see how much he had changed, while Woof-woof sniffed him, as if to confirm that this was indeed the Fatty he knew.
After that, I washed up at the bathhouse in the safe zone and then we headed to the newly completed lodging that had been finished the day before.
In the middle of the house, there's a kitchen and living room, with my space and Willia's space located at both ends, forming a simple rectangular layout.
“Won’t it be uncomfortable to live here?”
“This is more than enough. I used to always sleep sitting down at the shrine.”
“Is that so?”
Sleeping while sitting? That was the first time I’d heard that.
I wondered if the system's NPCs were being treated worse than I thought.
‘But more importantly, so NPCs do sleep? I wasn’t sure, but I’m glad I placed a bed.’
Our house is perfectly furnished.
Currently, I have 9 waypoints registered, and by visiting all 9 of those safe zone shops, there's nothing I can't get.
However, there is just one thing that I'm not satisfied with from the shops: the food.
There is a shop in Manripo that sells groceries, but the selection of products isn’t very diverse.
So, I took out some food items I had looted from a convenience store in Hongseong.
“Tonight's dinner is cream pasta.”
I prepared the meal by simply boiling the pasta and adding some store-bought sauce.
“Mm!”
Willia enjoys everything no matter what, and it's fun to watch her reactions when we eat together.
It’s like having a meal while watching a mukbang show.
Thanks to that, we finished our dinner pleasantly, then sat side by side at the living room table, sipping canned coffee that I had brought from the abandoned convenience store, chatting about various things.
“When we're around others, I think it would be better to just call you ‘Lia-ssi’ instead of Willia-nim. What do you think?”
“Oh, is it because the name Willia sounds too Western?”
“Yes. I think using Lia might feel less out of place, since it's a name that’s occasionally used by Koreans as well.”
“That sounds good. In fact, it feels more familiar, so I like it.”
After chatting like that, we went to sleep.
It was almost impossible to resist turning my head toward Willia’s side, but there was a large partition in her space, so I couldn’t check if she was sleeping well.
So, I just went to sleep.
‘It feels like a luxury now to be able to sleep on such a soft bed.’
***
The next day, Willia and I left the house feeling quite refreshed.
The new house might have made for an uncomfortable sleep, but after a whole day of labor, I just closed my eyes, and before I knew it, it was morning.
“Did you sleep well?”
-Awoo!
-Kkuik.
When Willia and I stepped out of the house, Woof-woof and Fatty also emerged from their respective yurts (nomadic houses).
I had originally planned to build a separate outbuilding for the pets as quickly as possible, but since they seemed to grow bigger with each level-up, I thought it best to hold off on the outbuilding until their sizes stabilized.
‘I wonder if any new NPCs have arrived.’
Then, we headed to the safe zone on Wolgwang Island.
When Willia became my companion, a message appeared stating that a new NPC named Herald would be assigned to the vacant shrine one day later.
Thinking that the new NPC might have arrived by now, I checked the shrine...
[The new shrine NPC Herald will arrive in 1 hour and 5 minutes.]
The arrival time hadn’t come yet.
Looking at the remaining time, I thought that if I finished up my tasks on Gauido Island, the timing would be just right.
So, I left Willia and Woof-woof in the safe zone and headed to Gauido Island with Fatty for our scheduled tasks.
“Oh, you’ve arrived!”
The residents of Gauido Island had set up benches in the safe zone.
You could often see the residents resting there to relieve their fatigue, but when I showed up, the people who were glad to see me were startled when they saw the intimidating presence of Fatty behind me.
I had to explain to the residents that Fatty was a pet I was raising to clear up their misunderstanding.
“Wow, what an impressive appearance. Looks like he could split any monster in half with a single blow.”
I laughed it off and led Fatty to the place where the youth group of Gauido Island was gathered.
Throughout Gauido Island, greenhouses had been set up to plant potatoes.
Even though I had found a shop where I could purchase food with coins, I continued farming because, so far, this method was the most efficient way to secure food.
‘Buying a single potato from the coin shop costs 1 coin. That’s way too expensive.’
Just like in the past, and even more so in the future, food will become a powerful weapon.
I believe that preparing even a little for the future is never a bad idea.
So, in addition to Gauido Island, I was also supporting various survival camps like Padori and Manripo by providing initial capital in exchange for taking 20% of their crops. This arrangement allowed them to focus on farming.
“Hello, sir!”
A little while later, I met with the youth group from Gauido Island who had been learning how to fight directly from me.
They, too, were shocked to see Fatty standing behind me.
Kim Min-hee, the village chief’s daughter, had the most extreme reaction.
“Today, we’ll train together for an hour, and afterward, you’ll go hunting with Fatty. Even when I’m not here, you now have someone to protect you, so let’s use this opportunity to level up quickly.”
“Yes, sir!”
Their current level was 8.
They still had a long way to go.
From now on, I planned to have Fatty accompany them so they could engage in more intense hunting sessions.
“Please treat Fatty with the same respect you would show me while I’m away.”
“Yes, sir!”
I figured there shouldn’t be any issues since disrespecting him might result in them getting cut in half.
And so, the training session for the youth group of Gauido Island began.
The group consisted of one exceptional individual, two average members, and one who lagged slightly behind.
The most remarkable among them was Kim Min-hee, the only woman in the group.
‘She’s got quite a knack for this. She uses her head well too.'
If she continued to level up smoothly, she could grow enough to become a worthy companion.
Her sword strikes were almost instinctual, sharp, and precise, with a sense for exploiting her opponent’s vulnerabilities.
Honestly, she was on a different level compared to the others.
I was quite eager to see how far she would progress if she continued to level up smoothly.
“Min-hee ssi.”
“Yes, teacher.”
I decided to pass on some of my equipment to her, holding a bit of expectation.
“Use this sword from now on.”
[Tieri’s Sword / One-Handed Sword / Grade: Premium]
- A longsword used by the named succubus Tieri.
- All stats +1
This was the sword I had used until I defeated the Elder Monster Zerka, so she wouldn’t need to worry about weapons until she reached level 30.
Since it was originally used by a female monster, its elegant design and lightweight feel seemed like a perfect fit for Kim Min-hee.
“You’re giving this to me?”
“Yes, I have better swords now, so please, go ahead and use it.”
She looked utterly surprised and delighted at the unexpected gift.
“This is a reward for your outstanding progress so far, Kim Min-hee ssi. I hope the others will work hard as well.”
“Yes, sir!”
I wrapped up the training by presenting the gift to Kim Min-hee as a reward.
After that, they headed off with Fatty to the hunting grounds outside the village, and I made my way to the village chief’s house.
While I came to Gauido Island to train the youth group, I also had another purpose in mind.
[Oh, Baek-ho, is that you?]
“Yes, father.”
I needed to ask my father for a favor.
That favor was this:
“Can you tell me the locations and information about the dungeons discovered so far?”
[Are you planning to go around clearing dungeons now?]
“Yes, the rewards are significant, and it seems to be the fastest way to grow stronger.”
Acquiring dungeon information.
This was to get the rewards from the dungeons before anyone else could.
After fleeing from the "Forgotten Mine" dungeon yesterday, I figured it would be much easier to target dungeons that the government had already discovered and clear the ones with manageable difficulty.
[…]
My father seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment, probably thinking my plan was too dangerous.
[Alright. I’ll gather the information and let you know.]
“Thank you.”
But in the end, he agreed to my request.
Knowing my father's worries, I smiled as best as I could and reassured him not to worry, and was about to end the call with a brief farewell.
But then.
[Ah, right. I was going to tell you something.]
I received some completely unexpected information from my father.
[There’s a rumor that the government hunting team has acquired an item that allows them to bring someone to a waypoint, even if that person has never visited the location before.]
“What? Really?”
[Yes, and the source of this information is quite reliable.]
Does that mean there exists an item that could allow me to bring my parents to Wolgwang Island at any time?
No, it goes beyond that.
I could create a survival camp in a remote, undisclosed location exclusively for my people.
This item holds incredible value, no matter how it’s used.
“Do you know how to obtain it?”
[It seems like it was found in a dungeon treasure chest.]
This gives me another reason to focus on clearing dungeons.
***
“Huh?”
When I returned to Wolgwang Island, still lost in thought over the item my father had mentioned, I saw Willia talking to a man I didn’t recognize.
Wondering who he was, I shook off my distractions and immediately headed over to Willia.
[NPC Herald / Favorability: -]
- Since a senior NPC has already been hired, you cannot increase the favorability with this shrine’s NPC.
I soon realized that this man was the new NPC.
“Baek-ho nim, you’re back?”
When I arrived, Willia greeted me with her usual bright smile.
Not only her, but the black-haired Asian man also welcomed me, but...
“Nice to meet you. I’m Herald, the new caretaker of the Wolgwang Island shrine.”
“Oh, hello.”
I had to flinch at his greeting.
The reason was...
“You look more like an assassin than a priest.”
“I think so too.”
Willia nodded in agreement with my observation.
The man had the look of a hardened criminal, making it seem like he would be tough to get close to.
He looked like he wouldn’t back down even in a staring contest with the now formidable Fatty.
“Seo Baek-ho nim, since you’ve already recruited the senior priest of the Wolgwang Island shrine as your companion, you won’t be able to increase your favorability with me.”
I nodded, indicating that I was already aware of that.
A related message had popped up when I saw him, and Willia had also mentioned this to me beforehand.
It seems to be a rule designed to prevent players from monopolizing NPCs from the same spot.
‘Well, it’s just as well. I had no intention of trying to earn the favor of some dark-looking guy.’
I extended my hand to Herald, saying that I looked forward to seeing him often in the future.
But then, something seemed off about him.
-Wink.
He suddenly winked at me, for no apparent reason.
I instinctively felt threatened, barely holding back the urge to throw a punch.
Was he seriously planning to assassinate me with that assassin-like face?
-Wink. Wink.
But Herald didn’t stop winking.
At that moment, I sensed that something was wrong.
“Huh?”
We were standing at the entrance to the safe zone.
For reference, the safe zone on Wolgwang Island is situated on a high hill, offering a stunning view of the ocean.
I realized then that Herald wasn’t winking at me on purpose—he was squinting because something in the ocean was reflecting light directly into his eyes.
“What’s that?”
Willia soon also narrowed her eyes, looking in the same direction.
-Flash. Flash.
And soon, we realized that the light was a distress signal, intentionally created by someone.
***
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