My Self-Indulgent Skill Book - Chapter 65
Chapter 65
'Don't tell me the monsters I took down with poison are all being counted as my experience?'
There was no other way to explain the constant experience notifications ringing out.
I quickly summoned the book and checked the experience.
'800,000. 1,500,000. 4,600,000… It’s still going up.'
The numbers written in the book changed without rest.
Just then, the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hwajin!"
"Mister?"
"The poison you made is incredible! We’re already done clearing the monsters here!"
The place where Mister was located was near City Hall, where the guild was.
"Huh?"
"What is it?"
"No, the ranking board appeared in the sky… Hwajin, your name’s on it?"
"What?"
"1st place: I Hwajin, with 80,000 points?"
I was speechless.
Shortly after, the ranking board also appeared at Dongdaemun.
Again, I was in 1st place with 80,000 points.
***
The moment the raid ended in Seoul, the monsters in all other cities disappeared.
Furthermore, the cities that had turned black and the people who had been caught up in them returned to normal.
Overflow was still ongoing overseas, but Korea alone was in a festival atmosphere.
Two days after the monster assault ended.
I was feeling the unfamiliar sensation of wearing a suit.
"Being in a place like this makes me nervous, I suppose," Hyeri, who was dressed in a suit, said.
"I thought I’d never set foot inside a place like this in my entire life."
Mister, also wearing a suit, muttered while looking around.
A wide lawn, a blue-tiled building standing beneath the blue sky, and Bugak Mountain behind it came into view.
When I turned my head, people who looked high-ranking—soldiers wearing medals, or politicians whose names I didn't know but who often appeared on the news—were seated to one side.
Behind them, cameras and broadcasting station staff were set up in formation.
"Ahem…"
At the sound of a dry cough, I turned to see the Vice Guild Master making an extremely nervous expression.
It was the exact opposite of the Guild Master’s face, who looked as happy as a child beside him.
Shortly after, the ceremony began.
The Guild Master and I went forward. I caught a glimpse of the camera lenses chasing after us as a group.
'I’m a bit nervous.'
I stood straight in my place as I had practiced beforehand.
Then, the face of a middle-aged man came into view, wearing a perfect smile that he had probably been practicing his entire life.
'Who knew I’d end up seeing the President right in front of me.'
The President held out his hand to the Guild Master and me in turn, shook hands, and pinned medals on our chests.
"The National Hero Medal is being awarded to the representative of the guild that saved the country from the monsters’ large-scale assault, and to Hunter I Hwajin, who displayed the most distinguished service."
The ceremony host’s voice, amplified by the microphone, rang out.
"Additionally, as a reward, the Atlas Guild is granted a permanent exemption from guild tax, and a building established by the state for the Atlas Guild is being awarded…"
At the same time as the host spoke, the President handed me a case containing a plaque made of crystal.
"To I Hwajin, the newly established SSS-Rank Hunter title is being awarded for the first time in Korea."
Along with camera flashes erupting, loud applause rang out.
Being the first SSS-Rank Hunter was nothing more than the existing SS-Rank benefits plus a pension, but I didn’t dislike it.
It wasn’t like I came in first from behind; since I took first place from the front, there was nothing to feel bad about.
The problem was that my name had become too well-known.
A few days after receiving the medal, I was lying in my room when Jinhee came in with an annoyed face.
"Oppa. They’re here again."
"Again?"
I went outside in annoyance.
When I opened the door, men in suits were standing there.
"Ah, Mr. I Hwajin."
"I’m not buying. Not buying. Go back."
I tried to close the door.
"W-wait a moment. We’re not peddlers!"
"We’re from the Hunter Equipment Association! Hwajin! We’ll provide you with equipment free of charge if you would just use it…"
"I already have equipment fitted for me, so I’m fine. I told you yesterday I wouldn’t use it, didn’t I? If you knock on my door again, I’ll knock on you too. Keep that in mind."
I said that and closed the front door. Shortly after, I heard the sound of people leaving.
"Haa."
I let out a sigh.
After the footage of me receiving the medal was broadcast on TV, this kept happening.
Who knows how they found my address and phone number; people came from everywhere asking to join hands with them.
Those people were rather decent. There were also many who held out their hands asking me to help them, or grabbed at my pant legs.
Even when walking on the street, people who recognized me approached and bothered me, and some even came to sightsee because this was an SSS-Rank Hunter’s house.
After suffering through that for the past few days, my faith in humanity was on the verge of disappearing.
"You’re certainly paying the price of fame," Mister cackled after hearing my story.
I hadn’t been joking.
"My friends kept asking about you too, Mr. Hwajin, so I got scolded," Hyeri said.
Her friends, who knew she belonged to the Atlas Guild, kept asking if she was close with the hero who saved Korea.
"Must be nice. Being famous."
O Seyeon said in a voice that seemed somewhat displeased.
"What’s nice about it? Didn’t you hear my story?"
I rolled my eyes.
"There’s probably no hunter in Seoul who doesn’t know your name now. Your name was all over the sky."
At Seyeon’s words, the memory of that day came back.
When all the raids ended, the total Raise Points (RP) I received was 2,000,000.
'The RP displayed on Seyeon’s sword was 125,000.'
What exactly were these RP, and why they were given to those who defeated monsters, was unknown.
'At least experience is used to make skills. What the hell is this for?'
Through this large-scale raid, an enormous amount of experience (EXP) came in besides RP.
It was to the extent that I could make a thousand 9-Word skills and still have plenty left over.
It was so much that I couldn’t even begin to think about using it.
That evening, new news was reported. The Overflow that had been continuing overseas had stopped simultaneously.
E’s words came to mind—that if even one city was protected, the monsters’ assault would stop.
'Come to think of it, my unique skill still hasn’t been upgraded.'
I checked the book.
[Edit] skill’s level was still 4.
I never thought the book would scam me.
'No. The one scamming me wasn’t the book, but E.'
***
"It is not a scam."
E said in a sulky voice.
Right now, I was in that pure white space where I had met E some time ago. That is, I was dreaming.
"Didn’t you say before that meeting me required using power, and that you couldn’t come except in special circumstances?"
I said to E, who had appeared again not long after.
"Now that the eyes are gone, I could come without forcing my power."
No eyes? Did that mean someone had been watching?
"Still, I can’t stay long, so I’ll get to the point quickly. First, the matter of your unique skill’s promotion will be handled soon. Through the experience you gathered from this incident, Mr. Hwajin. It’s an enormous amount, so this promotion will be a bit different."
As if truly pressed for time, E’s words were a bit fast.
"The reason the reward was delayed this time is because of that. The functions are being recalibrated due to the experience that exceeded expectations. I never thought you’d stop the Special Raid in such a manner. And there’s one thing I wish to ask of you."
"What is it?"
"You must absolutely not die. From now on, it’s impossible to revive you as was done before."
"What?"
"The world will change greatly. It will become even harder to survive. But please survive. I beg of you."
E said so with a sad face and then disappeared as before.
'Running off again after only saying what they wanted to say.'
Awakening from sleep, I mulled over E’s words.
The words telling me not to die.
***
It didn’t take long to understand what E meant by the world changing.
[This is a news flash. A phenomenon has occurred where all portals leading to dungeons in Korea have disappeared.]
[Not only Korea, but portals have disappeared overseas as well…]
[There is speculation that the world has returned to before the monsters appeared…]
News came that dungeons which had been disappearing one by one had vanished entirely.
However, there was no need to worry about what would happen to hunters if monsters disappeared.
As I was watching the news at home, an object fell from the air without warning.
'What is this? Where did it come from?'
I picked up the object and looked at it closely.
"Core Ticket…?"
It was similar in shape to the disc I had seen when entering the Core Dungeon with the Vice Guild Master in the past.
"Ugh!"
My head suddenly hurt. It was a pain as if someone had drilled a hole in my skull and was thrusting a needle inside.
But that pain soon disappeared.
"Ah."
New knowledge had entered my head.
It was exactly like when I had first become a hunter and naturally realized how to view the status window and how to wield mana.
I gripped the disc and opened the status window.
--------------------
[Ticket] (Bound: I Hwajin)
Progress: 0%
Last Destination: None
Remaining Time: 7 Days
--------------------
Then a voice was heard.
[You have passed the first stage.]
[Advancing to the next stage.]
It was the same voice I had heard countless times when entering dungeons.
I took the Field Ticket and went outside.
Another world was spread out in the sky like a mirage. People had all stopped and were looking up.
I raised the ticket and opened my mouth.
"Enter."
In that instant, I felt my body float, and the world’s appearance changed.
[You have entered the Safety Field.]
[The RP Shop is now available.]
A vast space unfolded before my eyes. The floor was made of dark gray tiles, and multicolored lights passed through the gaps.
The light illuminating the surroundings was brilliant, but the feel of the vast space was extremely inorganic.
Looking around, there were several people standing blankly like me, holding tickets.
There was no need to ask to know that they were all hunters.
I raised the ticket and opened the status window once more.
--------------------
[Ticket] (Bound: I Hwajin)
Progress: 0.001%
Last Destination: SF 1
Remaining Time: 7 Days
--------------------
There had been a change.
'SF must stand for Safety Field.'
I closed the status window.
"Shop."
As I said that, a gray window listing various items appeared before my eyes.
There were easily recognizable items like recovery potions and rope, but also things like Orian Salt or Mermere’s Feather, whose uses were completely unknown.
Next to the items’ names, numbers and RP were displayed.
'So Raise Points are used here.'
I tried searching using the knowledge injected into my head.
"Search, Karote."
Then the gray window displayed the name Karote along with a sword icon. The +7 number was not attached.
'Don’t tell me Seyeon came to this world in advance? She did say she picked it up in the world with the red sky and black land…'
I closed the shop window for now.
'What’s that?'
There was a large circular tile on the floor about 50 meters away. Red light was emanating from the only circular tile.
I walked toward the circle. Then people followed.
When I reached right in front of the circle, a voice was heard.
[You cannot exit until you reach the next Safety Field. Will you enter the World?]
Then E’s words came to mind.
'You must absolutely not die.'
'It is impossible to revive you as was done before.'
'Please survive.'
A warning. And a plea.
I stopped the foot I was about to step forward with.
Just then, a hunter entered the circle. Bright light emanated from the circle, and the hunter who had entered disappeared.
[Jang Giyeon has taken a courageous first step.]
[The title 'First Adventurer' has been bestowed upon Jang Giyeon.]
[A reward of 100,000,000 RP is given.]
'100 million!?'
It was exactly at the moment I wondered if I had pulled my foot back for nothing.
[The record is being updated.]
A massive 3D screen appeared in the air with "Scoreboard" written on it.
--------------------
-Scoreboard-
Jang Giyeon
Highest Reached Layer: Grassland 1F
Total Survival Time: 2 seconds
Killed by Thunder Dog
--------------------
All the hunters around the circle stepped back.
I swallowed.
If the scoreboard was telling the truth, it meant the hunter who had just entered had died immediately upon entry.