Chapter 58

< Pretending to Forget (1) >

In the midst of a verdant plain, a small lake spreads out.

The lake environment, rich in profitable resources, was quite popular, but only when it was a C-grade dungeon or higher. D-grade and lower dungeons were also profitable, but underwater battles were too complicated for lower-level hunters.

Without the relevant skills, one had to prepare special equipment or items, and there was a risk of incurring losses. Thanks to this, the current D-grade dungeon wasn't hard to bid on.

"The view is nice."

The clear surface of the lake reflects the azure sky. Whenever a breeze blows, the grass leaves dance and the ripples sing.

Even before the regression, when I was busy saving my own life, the scenery of the dungeon sometimes felt strange. Now, with my leisure, I began to wonder.

Creating something like this and resetting it every time—wouldn't that require a god-like being?

'The system developers seemed far from omnipotent, though.'

Come to think of it, it's quiet today. Are they busy? Their constant chatter was annoying, but it's a bit disappointing without even a greeting.

'I'll be able to have a proper conversation in a few days.'

Let's clear the dungeon quickly and get out. This is already the third unauthorized outing. It wouldn't be strange if I start getting caught. I need to finish quickly and return.

I moved closer to the lake. With the Wall Lizard skill active, there was still no change in the lake.

'Ordinary monsters were aquatic eels.'

Eel-like monsters that could move to some extent outside of water.

The items I'll use today are the Mana Boost Earring and Mana Potions. I don't plan to enter the water myself.

I knelt by the lakeside and put my hand in the water.

Viscous poison.

The C-grade poison, already potent, had its effect doubled and then doubled again by the Veteran status. The terrifying poison slowly spread through the water. The once crystal-clear water began to take on a faint gray hue.

"Feeling a bit guilty, somehow."

It's a dungeon, the opponents are monsters, and everything will reset after the run.

Still, it feels like I'm doing something I shouldn't. Using poison to fish is illegal. Electric shocks are also not allowed. Love nature, protect the environment.

- Croak croak

Before long, a three-meter-long eel leaped out of the water with a sound like a frog's croak.

Splat!

Flop!

The eels that jumped out of the lake one after another died without even twitching. Near where the poison started, the eels died instantly without a struggle, their bodies floating to the surface.

The effect is really good. It's so good that I feel like I've become an illegal sewage pipe discharging toxic wastewater.

'This should be enough.'

I pulled my hand out of the water and waited. Large and small eels kept jumping out and floating to the surface. It's a small lake, but there are a lot of them.

-Roar!

When more than half the eels had died, a blue eel raised its head from a small island in the middle of the lake.

[6th Grade Water Dragon Species ? Blue Eel

Current Stat Level C

Potential Stat Level C

Optimized Initial Skill

Water Cannon (C) Acquired

Tail Wave (C) Acquired]

So, it's a dragon species. Though its race is an eel. A 6th-grade Water Dragon with C-level stats is at the lower end of C-grade monsters. Still, dragon species are more expensive as corpses than mana stones. I released the Wall Lizard skill to lure it onto land.

-Grrr

The blue eel noticed me. It raised its head proudly and moved its fin, which had long claws, into the water.

"Come here, then."

I'll give the mana stone to Peace and the skin and bones to Myungwoo. The materials are too cheap for SS-grade skills but should be good for practice.

-Creak

The blue eel, which had been swimming hard, gradually slowed down.

-Crr...

Its scales began to turn gray. Oh, dear. It doesn't look good. It didn't even reach the shore where I was.

-Keeek

Gurgle

...I'll pray for your soul.

The blue eel sank into the water with a dying sound. The poison was strong, but I thought it would be mostly neutralized. I considered using a tentacle to retrieve it but decided against it. Using a poisoned corpse would be a bit much.

Then, an escape gate appeared by the lakeside.

Well, what kind of title will I get this time?

...Hmm. The message window isn't showing.

"...Hey, developers of the system?"

Is it lagging? It was unusually quiet, so maybe there's a communication issue.

[Great Achievement! Successfully soloed a D-grade dungeon with F-level stats, F-level or lower attack skills, and using five or fewer items!]

Oh, the achievement window... finally showed up.

'But they're silent again.'

I waited a bit, and the message window appeared again.

[Choose one.

Sturdy (S)

Unfindable (S)

Swift (S)]

Suddenly, there are choices? I've never heard of being able to choose a reward title for achievements. Did they prepare this and that's why it was late?

'I appreciate the choices, but it would be nice to see an explanation window too.'

Still, I could guess from the title names. They are likely related to defense, stealth, or agility and teleportation. Did they intentionally make them simple for clarity?

'They all seem like good titles for protecting myself.'

I wanted a special skill effect boost, but this is a bit stingy for a solo D-grade dungeon run. S-grade again? I thought it would be SS-grade. Disappointing.

Anyway, I need to choose one. What should I do?

'S is a good defense skill, but stat boosts are a gamble.'

Of course, as an S-grade title, it will boost my stats significantly, but with my F-level base stats, it won't be meaningful. The earring's shield skill might be more useful.

'Still, since the system developers chose these, they probably didn't mean to drown me. It's likely a skill title.'

An S-grade defense skill would be perfect for short-term battles. But in the long run, I'd just be a turtle hunkered down. I don't have any attack methods, and in a room, I'd be stuck if I just locked the door.

'Anyway, there won't be many trying to kill me unless they're monsters, so stealth or agility would be better.'

Swift, from the name, is likely not a spatial teleportation skill but something to boost movement speed or teleportation. Still, stealth is better. Just look at how useful the Wall Lizard skill is.

An S-grade title with a stealth skill would be at least A-grade. Still, I might as well ask.

"Unfindable, does it come with an A-grade or higher stealth skill?"

[˙~˙;;;]

Ah, no, they won't tell me.

"Send an emoji if Swift is a spatial teleportation skill."

It's quiet. So it's not a spatial teleportation skill. Then, I'll go with stealth.

I chose Unfindable from the three titles.

[Unfindable (S)

A F-grade Hunter who soloed a D-grade dungeon is a master of stealth?

Find the Hidden Picture (A)

Bonus One More (S)]

The title description seems to be tailored to fit the achievement. The other two probably have similar descriptions. Find the Hidden Picture is likely a stealth skill, and what is the Bonus One More? It sounds like an additional bonus, but it's S-grade.

'The other two probably had a similar combination.'

Defense and agility skills with an additional bonus. That's how it was.

[Find the Hidden Picture (A)

Becomes hard to recognize even when concentrated and searched for]

Find the Hidden Picture makes it hard to recognize, not invisible, similar to the Wall Lizard skill. And the Bonus One More.

[Bonus One More (S)

Share one S-grade or lower title or skill with one contact

15-day cooldown per skill

*Excluding this skill]

...Wait, what? Is this the main feature? Can you share skills and titles? What S-grade or lower titles and skills are there?

"They paid attention to my grumbling about the dud."

A little touching.

Let's see, the recent S-grade titles I got are Miracle and Veteran. Double item drops and double attack skill effects. Damn.

If I had known, I would have chosen the defense skill.

'Since it requires contact, I can probably only follow mid-level dungeons.'

With the earring, I can use a B-grade shield skill. Stealth is useless in a melee. An A-grade or higher defense skill would make higher-level dungeons worth following! A pity.

Still, if an S-grade dungeon breaks out, I can clear it quickly. As the dungeon difficulty increases, I'll inevitably find it useful.

Besides, there are Find the Hidden Picture, two useless auxiliary skills, and the Seed skill.

'The system developers probably aimed for the Seed skill. They seem to want me to raise hunters.'

Optimization Awakening has a 30-day cooldown. With this, I might be able to use it up to three times a month. The Bonus One More skill has a 15-day cooldown.

The problem is that it's limited to keyword targets. My Seed skill is L-grade, so it can't be shared. I either can't use it or it applies to someone I've applied a keyword to. Given that the system developers included the Bonus One More skill, the latter is more likely.

So, the remaining issue is who to share the skill with.

'I need to keep Optimization Awakening hidden, so I need someone I can trust.'

If this is discovered, it will be really troublesome.

Giseungsu has demand from large guilds and high-level hunters. But Optimization Awakening would attract all unawakened people worldwide, who would beg to use it once.

Actually, I wonder if I'm an unscratched lottery ticket.

When Awakeners started appearing, everyone must have had this thought. But if someone could increase the winning chances and scratch the lottery for you, wouldn't you want to go to them and hand over your ticket?

Especially with a limit on the number of uses, it would become a chaotic mess just thinking about it.

'Aside from high-level hunters who spend days in dungeons, the only one available right now is Myungwoo.'

I don't need to immediately use Optimization Awakening, so I'll wait and see.

When I got home, a package had arrived. It's the new phone I bought.

The one I used to have was damaged when I was kidnapped, and the camera quality was poor.

"Come on, Peace. Look here. No, don't come."

-Grrr

If you stick to my leg, I can't take a picture.

"Chirp, did you go into the kitchen again?"

-Chirp chirp!

I fed Chirp in the kitchen, so he keeps crawling in and chirping.

"Chirp, come here."

-Chirp!

"I have some mana stone powder."

I put the bottle of C-grade mana stone powder on the table, and soon,

Tap tap tap tap

The small footsteps of the chick approaching could be heard. The chick started flapping and jumping under the table.

-Chirp chirp chirp!

Does it taste that good? I took a picture of Chirp struggling to get on the table. Should I record a video?

-Chirp!

After jumping for a while, Chirp suddenly stopped and turned to the side. His eyes landed on Peace, who was sitting at my feet.

-Chirp chirp

For some reason, Chirp approached Peace. Then,

"Good job."

He started climbing onto Peace's body. Peace looked up at me, looking confused.

-Chirp!

"Wait a moment."

Chirp, you're not that stupid. Good job.

-Chirp!

Finally, Chirp stood on top of Peace's head, flapping his small wings and letting out a victorious (or so it seemed) cry. Peace gave me a look that said, "Do something about this annoying kid."

"Just a moment, just a moment."

So cute. I have to take a picture.

-Chirp, chirp

Chirp, perched on Peace's head, turned towards the table. He spread his wings dramatically. The distance is a bit far, but will he be okay?

-Chirp!

He jumped! Then,

Thump thump

He landed precariously on the edge of the table, bounced a few times, and rolled to a stop. Oh, he made it.

-Chirp!

"Our Chirp, you've gotten a bit smarter."

It feels like just yesterday he couldn't tell the difference between the TV and reality. It was just yesterday, but. I took a picture of him clinging to the mana stone bottle and breaking an F-grade mana stone.

-Chirp!!

What's wrong? He's complaining about not eating immediately. This kid is getting pickier about his food.

"Not eating? I'll take it away?"

-Chirp!!

When I reached for the mana stone, he quickly ate it and hugged the bottle again.

"Peace, look at your little brother. He might swallow the whole bottle."

-Chirp

Peace, as if saying, "It's not my job," tapped my leg with his paw. That's your food, you know.

I left Chirp and the mana stone bottle alone and picked up Peace, sitting on the sofa. I had already installed the SNS app.

'This is really the first time in a long while.'

I've never really used it properly. I made it to follow trends but stopped because I had nothing to post. I set the profile picture to the one I just took of Peace and Chirp. So cute. Then I uploaded old pictures of Peace as a baby, Chirp rolling on the table, and Chirp hugging the bottle.

Should I add some tags?

'Hmm, let's do it roughly.'

First, I followed the Hae Yeon guild, Seung, Breaker, and Han Shin. I also followed MKC. And the Hunter's Association, and a separate market account.

While I was browsing,

2,155 followers

The followers, which were zero, increased rapidly. What's going on? The guild accounts have already followed back. The comments are also increasing.

-Peace!!! It's me, your sister!!! T_T

-Oh, so big T_T What's that fluffy thing T_T

-Wow, is this really Han Yujin's account? Did you get a new monster???

-I want to put it in my mouth like a rice cake!!!!!!!

-Cute... Peace, can I have you when you were a baby...? Take me♡

Hmm, our kids are pretty cute. To avoid suspicion on the Reit account, I need to increase my following by about a hundred more. I shouldn't follow only hunters, so I'll look for some famous entertainers. Who's popular these days?

I checked the messages that came in while I was thinking. More than half were asking if it was really me. One excited message caught my eye.

-Hi!! It's Park Hayul from the broadcasting station! I'm sorry to message you out of the blue, but I'm really happy! Is Chirp a new monster you brought? He's so cute T_T

Broadcasting station? Park Hayul? Who is that? As soon as I entered Park Hayul's account, I remembered.

The guy with the Face Optimization skill.

< Pretending to Forget (1) > End

ⓒ Geunseo