SWNOVELXO Chapter 202: Change (2)
“Hoo.”
As Cha So-hyeok died, Kang-hoo’s first reaction was to let out a big sigh.
Was it relief? Or perhaps a sense of liberation?
It seemed like both.
On one hand, it felt like a sigh of relief from having finally fought a worthy opponent after so long.
‘So many constellations…’
The things he hadn’t noticed during the fight now became clear.
He saw the constellations he had taken from Cha So-hyeok, the black mage, and the assassin. And their items too.
There were too many to check all at once, and more importantly, the duration of Mad Solarkium was about to end.
In other words, it was time to stop the runaway train and cool down the heat that had built up.Ayane was walking toward him.
He had promised her the items held by the archer. It was something they had already discussed.
Since she had a 100% claim on the hunter’s death, it was only natural to secure the corresponding spoils for her.
As Kang-hoo collected the items from the three hunters he had killed, he immediately called An Yeong-ho.
-Yes, hyung-nim.
“Yeong-ho, I think you’ll need to clean up a bit.”
-Huh? Did something happen all of a sudden? I knew you were out, but…
“One hunter with a personal grudge against me and three from the Tou Shi Guild came after me. They wore the insignia.”
-What the… hyung-nim, are you okay? You’re not hurt, right? Are you safe? Where are you?
In response to An Yeong-ho’s rapid-fire questions filled with concern, Kang-hoo answered calmly.
“Yeah, I killed them all, so it’s fine. But I need you to clean up. I’ll send the location.”
-Got it, hyung-nim. My uncle is here with me, so I’ll tell him right away.
“Thanks, I owe you.”
Since they were in Rikou Guild territory, there shouldn’t be any issues with handling the cleanup.
Kang-hoo decided to dispose of all the items he couldn’t wear from the three hunters.
There was also the matter of the orange mana stone from the Undead Dungeon that he and An Yeong-ho had visited before…
It felt like he was giving Yeong-ho more work to do, but at least the troublesome parts would be dealt with.
【You have fulfilled your daily quota of two kills.】
【If you conduct a ritual to pray for the souls of the deceased, you may gain two random stat boosts.】
The vile priest constellation flaunted itself as usual.
Since stats were too precious to ignore, Kang-hoo offered a brief prayer.
Of course, he didn’t sincerely wish for their peaceful afterlife. He just hoped they’d suffer in the hellfires of the underworld.
There wasn’t even the slightest chance he would wish for peace for those who had sought his life.
After praying for their souls twice, he gained 3 strength and 3 agility stats, respectively.
Stats didn’t just fall from the sky, so it was still a gain.
At that moment.
Ayane, who had already approached him from a distance, looked at Kang-hoo with shining eyes and spoke.
“As expected, my instincts weren’t wrong. Amazing. You’re exactly the kind of assassin I want to be!”
Since she had said the same thing when they first met, he was already used to it.
Thanks to her, the plan had gone smoothly.
They had been outnumbered, and their levels were lower, so it was crucial to reduce the enemy’s numbers. She had been a great help.
In fact, Kang-hoo had been able to plan the attack more aggressively because Ayane was with him.
If she hadn’t been there, he would have changed the plan—perhaps luring only Cha So-hyeok, or focusing solely on him.
“You did well. I owe you. Now, let’s…”
“…Huh?”
At that moment, as he continued speaking, Kang-hoo staggered slightly.
Even though he seemed fine just a moment ago, cold sweat began to drip down his forehead.
That night.
In a hotel room in downtown Osaka, Ayane reflected on the day’s events.
Despite having drunk plenty of wine from her glass, she wasn’t even slightly drunk.
Perhaps it was because the vivid memories of the day left her no time to get intoxicated? Today’s events were that fascinating.
“I don’t care about who died. What’s stuck in my mind is every move, skill, and reaction of Shin Kang-hoo… He was… impressive. Truly impressive.”
Ayane laughed as she gazed out at the night view of Osaka through the wide-open window.
She had rarely laughed while watching another hunter fight.
Most hunters’ battles had too many flaws to count.
Some said she was too harsh, but she thought it was fine to have high standards.
In Ayane’s critical eyes, Kang-hoo was perfect.
That’s why she kept being drawn to him.
Her admiration and curiosity toward a strong person had driven her to become who she was today and fueled her fighting spirit.
“But…”
There was one thing that bothered her.
Just as they were about to wrap things up, Kang-hoo had suddenly started sweating and sat down to rest.
He had been sweating profusely, and his complexion had paled. He looked as if he were gravely ill.
He had said he was fine and sat on a rock to rest, but he kept pressing his forehead, groaning softly.
“Maybe… he’s terminally ill…”
The thought crossed her mind.
Her heart ached for a moment.
Could he be burning away the last of his life, slowly fading away in loneliness?
Thinking back to his first impression and appearance, it wasn’t hard to imagine. He had seemed like someone living only for today.
What kind of hunter would dare to fight head-on against someone nearly three times their level?
That was exactly how Kang-hoo fought against Jeung Seon-rak. She knew his level was below 200.
Jeung Seon-rak was a ki master hunter with a level well over 550, even by conservative estimates.
“I might not see him again. He could die…”
Thinking that way, Kang-hoo’s image overlapped with sadness, loneliness, and solitude. She even began to tear up.
Ayane immediately grabbed her smartphone. If today was the last, she wanted to leave him a message.
At the Same Time
Kang-ho chuckled as he read the direct message Ayane had sent him through Huntergram.
“A terminal illness, huh? I didn’t think she’d be so imaginative.”
Ayane had sent a message asking if Kang-ho was gravely ill and if there was no cure for his condition… It was a very cautious inquiry.
At some point, Ayane had come to believe that Kang-ho was living a life with little time left.
It was an understandable assumption.
After their fight, Kang-ho had to sit down and rest due to the aftereffects of Mad Solarkium.
He hadn’t moved much, just taking shallow breaths while sitting on a rock, which might have led her to think that way.
He briefly wondered if he should have taken Gaksinhwan instead.
Though the effect lasted for only a short time, it allowed him to enter an awakened state far beyond his limits.
He had saved it, thinking he might regret using it later, but it seemed like he would have to use it soon.
For instance, when he faced Go Gyeong-ho during the Constellation Trial of the Pure Black Seeker… it would certainly be necessary.
Kang-ho replied to Ayane with a message, his tone serious but filled with playful sarcasm.
<Yes, I could die as soon as tomorrow.>
It wasn’t entirely wrong.
Even without a terminal illness, no one living in this world could guarantee their safety tomorrow.
“Her skills were solid.”
She was a gunner capable of killing a hunter from a considerable distance with a single shot.
Though their connection had been unexpected, Kang-ho thought it might be worth staying close to her.
She was a superior version of Ban Se-yeong. Just by that comparison, Ayane’s value skyrocketed.
At that moment.
A message came from An Yeong-ho.
He had completed the final appraisal of the items and mana stones entrusted to him for sale, and they were now up for sale.
He also mentioned that there would be an official statement from the Rikou Guild.
Even though the attackers were outsiders, they had openly targeted Kang-ho within the guild’s territory, so it couldn’t simply be overlooked.
That was a matter between the guilds, so Kang-ho didn’t concern himself too much with it.
For now.
Kang-ho checked the items he had kept for personal use, separate from the ones he had entrusted to An Yeong-ho.
First, he took off Molis Maniche, the 5th-grade gloves.
Then, he equipped the gloves he had obtained from the assassin.
The name was “Accursed Ties,” a 3rd-grade item.
Molis Maniche was no longer necessary.
Since he could now retrieve weapons whenever he wanted using Soul Imprint, the gloves’ former utility had diminished.
【Accursed Ties – Gloves】
【Grade: 3rd-grade】
【Agility +100】
【Bloodstorm – Allows the use of an additional weapon, limited to daggers. However, the additional weapon must be of a lower grade than the main weapon.】
The Bloodstorm effect.
This was the reason Kang-ho had decided to wear the Accursed Ties gloves as soon as he saw them.
The explanation was simple.
With these gloves, he could dual-wield daggers.
To be precise, if he wielded an additional dagger, its stats would also be applied.
Under the regular system, only one weapon could be equipped per slot, like any other weapon.
But with the Bloodstorm effect, he could wield two.
Kang-ho’s main weapon was Corrupted Conviction, a 2nd-grade dagger.
That meant he could equip Blood Tear, a 3rd-grade dagger he had been holding in reserve.
“I guess I’ll have to start practicing dual dagger techniques.”
Now that he could wield two daggers, just holding them without using them would be laughable.
He planned to train whenever he could. Since he was ambidextrous, adapting to wielding a dagger in his left hand would be quick.
Next, he removed his 5th-grade shoes, As the Wind Guides, which reduced his agility by 50.
However, the new 4th-grade shoes, Stella, boosted his agility by 100, giving him a net increase of 50.
After equipping Blood Tear, he checked his stats for the first time in a while. Thanks to Blood Tear, his stats had risen significantly.
【Shin Kang-hoo Lv. 197】
【Class: Assassin】
【Unique Talents: Quite Outstanding Speed / Exceptional Dynamic Vision】
【Strength 1063】【Agility 1168】
【Stamina 909】【Mana 21】
【Magic Resistance 560】【Durability 710】
【* Dark Period 446】
“By minimizing stat and item investment in mana, I can significantly increase my other stats.”
His strength and agility had surpassed 1000, and his stamina was nearing that mark.
For an ordinary hunter to achieve this setup, they would need to be at least level 350 and have invested heavily in items.
But by avoiding mana investment, he had freed up resources to boost his other stats, resulting in a substantial increase.
Compared to other assassins of the same level, his specs were overwhelmingly superior.
Most hunters had to invest in mana stats and items to solve the chronic mana problem, which limited their overall stats.
But for Kang-ho, increasing his mana had no meaning.
His Congenital Mana Hyperreactivity caused pain because his body explosively absorbed mana.
It was a matter of speed, not quantity.
As long as he had this condition, there would be no reason to invest in mana stats.
In fact, he had to ensure his mana stat didn’t exceed 50.
Considering how every hunter struggled to increase their mana, his trait was truly ironic.
Of course, this was part of what made Shin Kang-hoo’s identity unique.
An unchanging, fingerprint-like trait.