Translator: Seven
Editor: Ana_Banana
There was one thing the Messiah Guild always told their guild members.
“Don't trust anyone except your guildmates.”
To not trust any player other than their peers.
“The more you talk, the more you tell.”
If someone who you talked to a lot asked a favor, it was hard to refuse
“In a dungeon. It's better to trust a reliable guy than to have hostility.”
But the most important thing in a dungeon was your ability to survive and kill monsters.
Kim Woo-jin himself had taught this to the members of the Messiah Guild when he was a part of it.
'Kang Young-ji is a typical Messiah Guild member.'
Of course, Kim Woo-jin knew them. He didn't have to talk for a long time with Kang Young-ji and her colleagues to know what they were like.
'Players who could trade with the devil, just to clear a dungeon.'
But if you were too overwhelmingly strong, they might point the tips of their spears at you instead of the monsters.
“Hey, you're gonna just leave like that? You're not gonna give a big speech?”
Of course Lee Jin-ah wouldn't really know this so he could only ask.
Lee Jin-ah also knew that their goal in the dungeon wasn't just to secure the horns of the Horned Fox, but also to become the benefactors of the Messiah Guild.
So, he thought that this was a good time to gain some favor.
In response to his question, Kim Woo-jin only spoke briefly.
“There's no reason to do that.”
Lee Jin-ah then nodded.
“You're right. A talkative man wouldn't be popular. There's nothing as unseemly as a mouth flapping with nothing to say. Instead a man should talk with his body, without needing any words. Like me.”
Kim Woo-jin turned his head slightly to look at Lee Jin-ah, who caught his gaze.
“What? Did I say something wrong?”
When Kim Woo-jin didn't respond to him, Lee Jin-ah kept looking at him. He didn't think he said anything wrong.
“What is our plan now?” He asked.
“You could say that the group of Black Werewolves just now was the largest group here.”
“That's true.”
“A little while ago, that group was wiped out, that means that we're the owners of this stage now.”
“So?”
“So that means that we can now hunt for 5 days without resting.”
Lee Jin-ah's expression stiffened.
'He wants to go mess around like that again?'
He knew that he was about to experience another period of hardship.
Lee Jin-ah carefully studied the man opposite him.
“Well, how about we eat some rice before that? You know I have anemia…no, actually I don't have anemia. Actually, I'm full of iron. It's so overflowing that I'm going to become bald like Se-chan.”(TL: Jin-ah has ptsd)
Despite saying that, in his head, Lee Jin-ah was saying.
'This son of a b.i.t.c.h wouldn't give me time to eat.'
But contrary to his expectations, Kim Woo-jin nodded.
“You have to eat to fight.”
“…huh?”
Lee Jin-ah, who'd rarely been given even a chance to eat, was surprised.
“Really?”
“Because you always get a last meal before the death penalty.”
“What?”
Kim Woo-jin didn't say anything longer in the face of Lee Jin-ah's surprise.
On the first day, even though the battle with the Black Werewolves ended, screams could be heard from within the frozen forest.
The screams were also present on the second day.
Throughout the forest, an unadulterated ma.s.sacre seemed to be occurring. As Kim Woo-jin said, he began hunting in earnest.
'There is no better stage to level up.'
He knew the spots where the monsters appeared the most, so using the effect of Ruler of the Battlefield to the maximum, and with Lee Jin-ah serving as a tank, the Skeleton Soldiers swept through them.
'My current level is 32, I should reach level 35 in this dungeon.'
Kim Woo-jin was using the stage that he'd created to quickly raise his level.
'd.a.m.n, I'm going crazy. Being in a team with this guy would make anyone go crazy…'
Of course, Lee Jin-ah was still willing to use it as well.
The hunt, which fit the term 'hacking', eventually came to an end.
[24 hours remaining.]
Kim Woo-jin and Lee Jin-ah were finished by the fifth day. As they wrapped up, Kim Woo-jin received a notification.
[Your level has increased.]
'I reached level 35.'
It was the message that signified that he'd reached his goal.
Feeling happy, Kim Woo-jin wanted to immediately activate his status window and check his stats.
[The Emissary of the Underworld is now paying attention to only you.]
His halo paid more attention to him.
Of course, this always happened to Kim Woo-jin, however his expression changed when he realised that the notification was different from usual.
'Paying attention?'
Kim Woo-jin's expression changed at those two words, because he knew what they meant to get a lot of attention from a halo.
“What's wrong? What's going on?”
Lee Jin-ah tilted his head in confusion at Kim Woo-jin's expression.
“Is it because of my complaining(~moaning)? Hey, that was a joke. Between us…”
Of course Kim Woo-jin didn't respond to Lee Jin-ah, instead he lifted his finger to his lips.
Shhh.
Lee Jin-ah who saw this, suddenly tensed up.
“Why are you so scared..?”
[The Emissary of the Underworld wants you to be active.]
[The Emissary of the Underworld conveys some of his power to you.]
[The skill rank of the Blood Poison skill has been increased by one.]
[The Blood Poison skill has transcended it's rank due to the effect of the Plus Ultra Ring.]
Another string of notifications brought with them an amazing gift.
There were stages in the process in which the halo's became interested in the players that chose it.
At first, they gained its interest. The players were considered as prospects at this level.
If you continued to be active in the halo's spotlight, you would become 'expected'. At that point, the players had a chance to get out of the prospects and be recognized as a good player.
When a player reached such a level, the halo would want you to be even more active.
The sponsorship of a halo was made up of various levels. Kim Woo-jin knew this better than anyone.
'The second time.'
Even though he'd become a player later than most other players, it was thanks to his halo's sponsorship that he was able to reach the level of Lee Se-jun and the world's strongest players.
Of course, it had been after a while that he'd reached the level where the halo wanted him to be active. With the name of 'The Hunting Dog' he'd been active in the Messiah Guild.
'It was when I reached level 160 and cleared the 6 Floor Dungeon.'
To be honest, around that time, even without the attention of a halo, he would've been called a monster.
And now it had happened to Kim Woo-jin again.
'It's quite different this time.'
After a little over half a year, his halo wanted to see his performance. And it gave him appropriate support.
[Blood Poison]
Rank: Ex
Effect:
Turns your blood into poison.
Consume Magic Power to create black blood with increased toxicity.
Blood Poison had become an EX rank skill. Of course, all the halo had done was make the Blood Poison skill which was A rank, S rank, and that was the limit.
Kim Woo-jin had never experienced or heard of an S rank skill become EX rank before.
'Johann Georg must've been delighted.'
This would explain why the King of Undead would hunt someone for an item.
'But this favoritism is too much.'
Even then, Kim Woo-jin had not expected the level of favoritism the Emissary of the Underworld showed.
The reason for the difference in strength between Johann Georg and the rest of the players was now evident.
'I'll need to change my tactics again…'
And it was then that Kim Woo-jin had to abandon all the scenarios and plans he had made for the Horned Fox and create a new one.
“What's going on?”
At that time, Lee Jin-ah threw a question toward Kim Woo-jin with a worried look.
“What is it so suddenly huh? Your face is all screwed, did you eat real p.o.o.p?”
In a situation where he couldn't see or sense anything, Kim Woo-jin's reaction was strange.
Kim Woo-jin turned to Lee Jin-ah.
“I'll only ask you one thing.”
At that time, Lee Jin-ah's expression became serious.
“What?”
Kim Woo-jin pointed toward the spear that a nearby Skeleton Soldier was holding.
“How long can you keep standing if you were impaled by a spear.”
Lee Jin-ah answered the question.
“Hey, have I ever cheated you? If you have, I will kneel down here and apologize…”
