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nChapter 35 – Exp Continues To Rise (2)

n“Kya… Min-Cheol.”

n“Again. Why?”

n“Touch it over here. Doesn’t it feel a lot harder than before?”

n“Why are doing this. Ew! Won’t you go away? Shoo! Shoo!”

n“Ha…. You’re something else. Hyung’s mood is something else right now. Wow… My eyes have opened to a new world.”

nIf people only heard what was happening, they would definitely misunderstand this conversation.

nThe trade business ended earlier than expected.

nThere was still 9 hours left before the dinner with mother.

nRecently, she has become friendly with the residents of the safe house and for the first time ever, decided to go watch a musical.

nMother was finally hanging out with people her age, and was enjoying life to the fullest now.

n“It’s been a week since we went on a date together. I’m so sorry. But let’s have a nice dinner at least.”

nThat’s what she told me as she put on makeup.

nMusical.

nIf you think about it, it’s not a big deal.

nLooking so excited like a young lady, I couldn’t help but think that it was cute.

nWith this situation in mind, the two solo Awakened ended up at the level 18 dungeon after finishing the business exchange.

nWithout anywhere to go, where else would we end up at.

nAnd now, with two level ups, Jong Ho was really hyped.

nIt was because he experienced hunting on another level unlike anything he did, speed hunting.

nPutting 10 points into strength, he showed off his biceps and told me to touch them.

nLooking at the childlike happiness Jong Ho had, my heart felt as ease thinking that I had paid off even a little bit of the debt I owed to him.

nBefore entering, he was rejecting the offer.

nHonestly, he was probably half afraid and half sorry for me.

nIt was only a month ago when I was beating down the succubi, and now going to a level 18 dungeon.

nJust the two of us to boot.

nI think it took at least 20 minutes to convince him.

n‘Sigh. And too nice as well?’

nHis type was the type that refuses to cause trouble for others, so he kept making excuses.

nAt one point, Jong Ho declined it like this.

nGuess trying the clear the dungeon sounded very dangerous.

nTo reassure him, I said that I will clear the dungeon in 20 minutes by myself and pulled out my identification license.

nIt was to show that I could clear the level 18 dungeon, so I can calm him down.

nI was about to have the identification license scanned.

nThen.

n“Hey. Min-Cheol, don’t do it! It’s too much! Too much!”

n“Why are you doing this! I clear this dungeon like I live here.”

n“No way! No way! Are you struggling with something? Let’s talk this out with hyung. You have to think about your mother at home!”

n“Ha…..”

n‘You sweet potato like person…..”

nIt was like eating three cold sweet potatoes in a row without any kimchi.

nJong Ho saw that I was trying to go in and was stopping me with everything he had.

nThere were no words for what was happening, and I felt that Jong Ho cared for me a lot more than I thought of Jong Ho.

nConsidering his pleading, I put away my Awakened license.

nAnd then grabbed his hands.

n“Yes. Min-Cheol. Good decision. Let’s go talk by the bench over there.”

n“Hello.”

nNo matter how much he clings onto me, physically I was a lot stronger than him.

nHolding onto his hand, I threw him far.

nEven if he was thrown, Jong Ho was an Awakened. He shouldn’t be hurt.

nAs he flew, he cried my name with a tearful face.

nEven now, if I think of him crying out, I could only snicker.

n“Min. Cheol!”

n“Yes. Yes. Min-Cheol isn’t dead.”

nNoon, in the midst of hunting with Jong Ho…

nA line of luxurious black sedans were driving in.

nJong Ho, who was looking at his status window with glee looked towards it.

n“Some young master is going around it seems.”

n“Young master?”

nA girl left the car.

nShe seemed to my age.

nTwo men stood by, one each to her sides.

nHer armor and a staff in hand did not seem that luxurious.

nIt probably wasn’t made by a blacksmith.

nThose two weren’t the only bodyguards.

nAround the dungeon, many people with black suits were stationed.

nAll were highly alert, maintaining their distance.

nLooking at this absurd situation, Jong Ho spoke.

n“I heard Ilseong CEO’s granddaughter had Awakened. Looks like that’s her?”

n“Are you talking about that huge company Ilseong? TV. Air conditioner?”

n“Yeah. Korea’s third biggest company. That’s right.”

n“But why would the granddaughter be sent to the dungeon then?”

n“Min-Cheol. Do you see the Awakened around her? And the others around her.”

n“Yes. I see. There are a lot.”

n“I don’t know about the person on the right, but the one on the left. The person who has half his face covered with a mask is ‘Yoon Jong-sun’. A ranker who’s one of the top magicians in Korea.”

n“Oho. He looks like your average neighbor… but he’s famous.”

n“When the explosion took place in the central plant center, he’s one of the ones who prevented the damage from extending further.”

n“Then why is someone so important next to a kid like her? Do they know each other?”

n“That kid just wants to go around sightseeing the different levels of the dungeons. Otherwise why would they come here? Yoon Jong-sun is probably being supported by the company, as no matter how much money you have, you can’t always get Awakened essences and rare items. ‘You lend the company power, and in return be rewarded with tremendous rewards’ is what I’m saying.”

n“I see. Still, the granddaughter of that CEO is just a little kid.”

n“Kid? It looks like there only is a year or two differences? Why are you cosplaying as an elder!”

n“I’m jealous. No need to worry about money, and born into a family where your grandpa is a CEO. And Awakened on top of that? I’m here struggling because buying a weapon seems wasteful… After the dungeon tour is over, maybe I should ask to be carried to a level 26 dungeon.”

n“Don’t even look at them, just think of them as people who were on another level since birth. What can you do. Ah! And don’t forget. I’m someone who was happy about buying an armor that costed me 4 billion!”

nLaughing at each other’s poor jokes, we continued the battle of the poor Awakened.

nWell, we’re not really poor since we’re Awakened.

nThe conversation continued for a while, but we watched them the entire time.

nUntil they entered the dungeon and disappeared from our sights.

nComparing myself to those who were geared, I looked pathetic.

nUnlike others, I had infinite mana.

nWith this ability, I was able to grow at rate 10’s of times faster.

nBut what if I was able to get items on top of this ability? Wouldn’t something amazing occur?

nI couldn’t help but be greedy.

nOne of the reasons why I thought this way was due to the ‘Louver’s Bracelet’.

nI needed equipment that wouldn’t just raise stats, but ones that give special abilities.

nThat’s why I was planning to obtain the Louver set from the level 18 dungeon.

nWith the original goal of an M

/A rank weapon as well.

nI heard the abilities of Louver’s ring and necklace from Jong Ho on the way back.

nThe ring synergized incredibly well with the bracelet.

nWhen attacked by magic, it could absorb the magic energy.

nNaturally, that absorbed power would go straight to the bracelet.

nIt had quite the synergizing effect.

nThe necklace on the other hand, it a completely different effect.

nIt had chance for any skill casted to ignore the target’s defense and magic resist.

nIf that’s the case, a magician could hunt where magic attacks do not work.

nHow convenient it would be. I wouldn’t even have to expend any effort in getting a strength based weapon.

nBut due to the fact that the percentage for it occurring was so low, it was gear that wasn’t used that often.

nWhat I was looking for was the set effect from wearing all three.

nThe ‘Louver’s Protection’.

nWhen wearing all the named items, a set effect occurs.

nFrom the level 18 dungeon I could clear and onwards, named monsters start to appear from time to time.

nOut of the set effects, Louver’s Protection was a decent one.

nIf you stand in the aura that spread from the wearer’s feet, you could absorb monster souls like the reaper Louver did.

nUnlike Louver who turned the absorbed soul’s abilities as his own, it became a shield that covered the weaknesses of those affected.

nEveryone in a party, including myself, could receive this effect, but that factor did not concern me.

nIf I could obtain this set, I would not have to cast shields in dungeons that I can clear swiftly.

nIt was a set effect only for hunting.

nWhat item is better than letting me hunt safely and quickly?

nMaking Jong Ho wait at the entrance, I pulled all the mobs recklessly.

nAfter moving past his field of vision, I slaughtered them all.

nShowing Jong Ho my abilities made me a little uneasy, but the real reason was this.

nThe two main skills I used were the Gravity Laser and Fire Shock.

nBoth skills could not select targets.

nEven if you wait at the entrance, the experience you get is the same.

nThere was no need to stay close.

nIt would only increase the risks.

nEspecially since both skills were Awakened, if it hit Jong Ho who was in his early level 60’s, it would result in a fatal injury.

nAfter killing the last mob Louver, I headed towards the center of the dungeon.

nSince 20 min has passed, Jong Ho should me coming to the center as well.

nI saw Jong Ho far away in the dark dungeon.

n“Hm?”

nBut something was off.

nIf I met Jong Ho, that means this is the center of the dungeon, but an exit hadn’t appeared.

n“What. Why is there no exist? Did I miss one? That shouldn’t be.”

n“Aren’t you done killing Louver?”

n“Yeah. I finished and headed this way.”

n“Killing the boss and Louver who appeared last, why isn’t the exit appearing?”

n“Hm, that’s odd. I’ll go look around once more.”

n“Wait. Maybe…..”

n“Hm? What is it? Do you have an idea?”

nInstead of answering, he turned back towards the way he came from, and started to swing wildly with his sword.

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