33
Unless one is a born genius, humans are bound to be clumsy and struggle with things they experience for the first time.
Kwoong──!!
However, humans are intelligent beings that grow through learning and experience.
Kyaaak!!
Though talents differ and there may be slight differences in time from person to person, humans ultimately master anything through repetition.
Kaang──!!
The greatsword that collided with the halberd, which had risen in a perfect arc, was sent flying from the Goblin Warrior's grasp and spun through the air before plunging into the ground a short distance away.
The halberd, raised high above the head, slashed diagonally according to the will of its wielder gripping the shaft, tearing through the Goblin Warrior's right shoulder.
Kyaaaaak!!
With a scream full of agony, the Goblin Warrior's legs gave way helplessly as it fell to its knees.
"Huu, huuhk."
Having thoroughly incapacitated all of the Goblin Warrior's limbs without allowing a single attack, Baek Woojin exhaled the breath that had risen to his chin and kicked the Goblin Warrior's chest with all his might.
He couldn't remember how many times it was, but he had once died from having his throat torn out by the creature's fangs while reviewing his victory in that state.
"Haaah, somehow I actually managed to succeed."
Resetting dozens of times after getting a hole punched in his chest.
He eventually succeeded in deflecting all of its attacks.
He failed and died a few times along the way, but from around the twentieth attempt by his memory, even if he failed to deflect, he could completely subdue the creature.
"Something feels a bit lacking."
Perhaps because the difference in physical strength was too great, when it charged head-on, it was impossible to deflect its attack no matter what he did.
Baek Woojin alternated his gaze between the Goblin Warrior, soon to breathe its last from the ceaselessly flowing blood, and the halberd whose blade was soiled with the creature's bodily fluids, and thought.
The feeling that if it's now, he might be able to try something──
**
Blink.
A familiar ceiling comes into view.
He was sure he had been standing holding a halberd just a moment ago, but the world before his eyes had flipped in an instant as if someone had changed the TV channel.
Once his mind cleared somewhat, Baek Woojin groggily sat up straight on the sofa. And sitting across from him was Schloedin, wearing an extremely subtle expression.
"You certainly enjoyed it quite thoroughly."
A hint of displeasure could be felt from Schloedin as he stroked his pure white beard that looked like it would be nice to touch at least once, but since Baek Woojin had merely utilized the given environment, he nodded calmly.
"It's not an opportunity one can easily experience."
"Hoho, right. That's true. Hohoho."
Like a broken machine, Schloedin laughed hollowly for a while.
"My goodness, at my age, I never thought the day would come when I'd misjudge a person."
When Schloedin's laughter stopped, his clear eyes shone even brighter, creating a deeply mystical atmosphere.
"I knew you had a certain degree of tenacity. But to think you'd be the kind of rare specimen who, rather than having their spirit eroded after experiencing death so many times, would actually burn even brighter, haha."
"…Is that a compliment?"
"Did it sound like an insult?"
"No. I just wanted to hear it directly from your mouth, Lord Schloedin."
"You rascal."
Looking at Baek Woojin with the gaze of a researcher who had discovered something interesting, Schloedin leaned comfortably against the back of the sofa and continued speaking.
"For your information, the weapon you used until the end wasn't something I created midway, but one that had originally been mounted on that wall."
"…Was it?"
"It was hidden at the very top of the wall, though."
At those words, Baek Woojin's brow furrowed slightly.
"The fact that you try to think for yourself rather than immediately asking back is also quite appealing, young man."
"Thank you for the compliment, but did you also test whether I could find the weapon?"
"Test? I'm not so harsh an old man as to test a child who has just begun to walk."
The crease between Baek Woojin's brows deepened even further, and Schloedin, watching him, smiled slightly as if finding it amusing.
"I'll tell you the answer at our next meeting."
"It's time for me to return."
"Indeed. The time you spent in that space was roughly ten days. In reality, it would be about an hour."
"…Thank you."
Schloedin didn't answer, but instead softly drew a benevolent smile on his lips that only those who had lived through the years could wear.
"It's an investment for the future, so there's no need to be that grateful. Just continue to strive without breaking as you are now, and that will suffice for the moment."
"I'll make sure you don't regret your investment."
"That's not something I worry about."
As Baek Woojin's body slowly began to fade, Schloedin rose from the sofa and moved to the chair in front of the desk. Then, opening the book he had set aside, he spoke to Baek Woojin, who was now only visible from the eyes down.
"This old man has never made a losing deal in his life."
**
Upon opening his eyes, the familiar ceiling of the hotel room came into view.
"Never made a losing deal, huh."
Baek Woojin exerted strength in both hands and sat up straight.
Schloedin's final remark contained a dual meaning: it revealed his confidence in his own discernment while simultaneously indicating how highly he evaluated Baek Woojin's potential.
"I never thought the day would come when I'd get excited over a little praise at this age."
Baek Woojin needlessly wiped his face a couple of times to calm his involuntarily twitching lips.
'Should I wash up first?'
He wanted to enter a dungeon right now to verify whether he had properly absorbed the experience from that space, but unfortunately, there was no weapon available to help him confirm it.
To calm his mind, which had been fired up by Schloedin's trust and over a hundred battles, he first entered the bathroom and settled his body and mind with hot water.
Baek Woojin stood for a while under the shower water running down his head, then looked up and casually swept his bangs, which covered his eyes, upward.
'It really feels like I'm playing a game.'
As if someone were watching, a new objective was given right at the timing when he achieved his primary goal and had free time.
If Schloedin hadn't let him experience that space today, he would have been helplessly running dungeons until the Tower opened in June, searching for Mana Stones that might never drop and fattening his bank account.
'…Come to think of it, it seems like nothing has really changed much.'
Since the increase in stats was blocked anyway, the only thing he could do until June was to run through dungeons and accumulate proficiency.
The difference from before was that he had finally found the weapon he wanted and could accumulate more proficiency with that weapon during the remaining time.
"Wait, this means I don't have time to rest, do I?"
Baek Woojin, who had been leisurely enjoying the warm water from the shower on his face, quickly turned off the water and went outside to pick up his smartphone.
The person to contact was, of course, Heo Sangmin.
-Yes, Hunter-nim.
"I'm sorry for the late hour, but I contacted you because I have an urgent request."
-I'm just on my way home from work, but if you say it's urgent, I should go back. Yes. What is it?
"I'd like you to arrange some E-rank dungeon bosses for me. The type doesn't matter."
-Ah, for something like that, I don't need to go back to work. When would be good? If it's E-rank dungeon bosses, I can schedule it for you anytime you want.
Is this why people try to expand their networks?
"Is it possible anytime I want?"
-For E-rank bosses, yes. Just send me the party member list and schedule via text, and I'll contact you with the exact schedule and location.
"Thank you. Then I'll contact you again later…… no, by any chance, could you lend me some money?"
-Suddenly? Well, it's not like you're going to run away somewhere, so lending you money isn't difficult.
"I'll repay you generously later."
-When you say that, should I get my hopes up?
"As much as you want. Then I'll tell you the amount later as well."
-Not too large an amount, okay?
"Yes."
After ending the call with Heo Sangmin, Baek Woojin immediately accessed a search app and found the contact for the Blacksmith Guild that had made the sword he was currently using, and contacted them.
**
April, when winter ends and full-fledged spring begins.
Kkae-gaek!!
The mournful howl of a beast echoing across the open field.
"If he was going to do that, why did he bring me……."
Jang Hyena, sitting on her massive shield as if it were a mat, glared with half-open eyes at Baek Woojin, who was devastating a two-headed hound in the distance, and muttered softly.
He had made such a bombshell declaration when they parted and left as if running away.
Then out of the blue, about a month later, he contacted her asking her to go into a dungeon with him, so she made time in her schedule to come…… and if he was going to treat her like a bystander, why did he call her?
Kahek?!
"That's pretty clean."
When the vicious-looking halberd blade traced a single ashen trajectory, the body of the hound that had been charging in tatters was sliced exactly in half and scattered across the field along with its innards.
"How is that face twenty years old……."
Jang Hyena, who had been watching Baek Woojin rummaging through the insides of the Devil Dog, a higher species of Street Dog and the boss of E-rank dungeons, stood up from the shield she had been sitting on and gathered her equipment.
"Woojin-ssi! Stop poking around at things that don't even make money and let's get out of here!!"
Although she had learned his actual age, he carried an atmosphere that made it oddly difficult to speak casually to him, so Jang Hyena, who had decided to continue using semi-formal speech, shouted, and Baek Woojin, who had been rummaging through the Hell Dog's stomach, sheathed his dagger and approached her.
"You contact me after a month and even took up my time, and this is it?"
"I'm sorry. You're the only trustworthy person among my acquaintances, Hyena-ssi."
"Do you think I'll feel good if you say it like that?"
Contrary to her words, Jang Hyena had to make a considerable effort to keep the corners of her lips from curling upward.
"Anyway, if you're done now, buy me a meal. Even if I don't look it, I'm pretty expensive labor, you know?"
"Of course. I actually asked an acquaintance and reserved a nice restaurant to treat you to dinner."
"Khem, well. Still, I gu…… wait a minute."
Jang Hyena, whose mood was about to completely improve, tilted her head as she mulled over Baek Woojin's words from a moment ago.
"What time is it now?"
"It's a little past 11."
"But dinner?"
"Yes. Dinner."
"Why?"
As Jang Hyena asked as if she truly couldn't understand the reason, Baek Woojin blinked and answered instead.
"Because there are still more dungeons to clear, of course?"