Unique Ability Awakening

As Kim Hyukjin predicted, Senia had no choice but to accept his proposal. For Senia, Kim Hyukjin’s offer was incredibly tempting.

[The Item Shop’s grade has been upgraded.]

[The Item Shop’s grade has risen to ‘Novice Rank.’]

Senia added an explanation.

“Lower grade Item Shops can be activated at any time.”

In other words, Kim Hyukjin could open a ‘Tutorial Rank’ shop whenever he wanted. Though it seemed unnecessary.

“The Item Shop has several catego……”

“Item Shop. Potions and Return Scrolls category. Open.”

Senia was momentarily taken aback. Kim Hyukjin knew even without her explanation. As expected. He’s not a typical player. She didn’t ask further. Senia didn’t rule out the chance that he might be some ‘higher being’ she wasn’t aware of. She answered politely.

“Understood. I will activate the Novice Rank Item Shop, Potions and Return Scrolls category.”

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[Item Shop -Novice Rank -Potions & Return Scrolls]

1. Basic Health Potion 300COIN

2. Basic Mana Potion 300COIN

3. Basic Healing Potion 400COIN

4. Basic Safe Zone Return Scroll 3000COIN

5. Basic Treatment Potion 400COIN

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Healing Potion and Treatment Potion are slightly different. The Healing Potion cures ailments such as diseases and poisons, while the Treatment Potion heals ‘physical injuries’.

[Purchased 1 Healing Potion.]

[Purchased 1 Treatment Potion.]

Kim Hyukjin cautiously began pouring them into Seonhwa’s mouth.

‘Please.’

Wake up.

‘If it’s only basic… it should be enough.’

He was hoping a basic level would suffice for recovery.

‘Wake up! I’m begging you.’

The berserk Magi-Troll was a formidable monster, but it was still ‘Tutorial’ rank. The items Kim Hyukjin used were from a higher ‘Novice Rank’.

[Purchased 10 Healing Potions.]

[-4000COIN]

[Purchased 10 Treatment Potions.]

[-4000COIN]

There were just about 1,000COIN left. The COINs were not a regret.

‘Please.’

He poured them into her mouth.

‘Wake up.’

By the time he’d used about five potions, Seonhwa finally came to her senses.

“Are you feeling a bit more conscious?”

It was a relief, a real relief.

‘If it hadn’t been for Seonhwa…’

If Seonhwa hadn’t absorbed the damage, Kim Hyukjin’s head might have been crushed by now. No, it would’ve been crushed. The delicate images that had been conveyed through hyper-sense had depicted his own death.

Thanks to Seonhwa, he had survived. And she must have known it.

‘That she could die if she intervened.’

She must have known, and yet, without a second’s hesitation, she had reached her hand out towards the giant fist of the two-meter-tall monster.

‘I owe her my life.’

And then Kim Hyukjin became certain of something. That his talent was far from ordinary. He had envisioned movements of higher level monsters without seeing them. It was as if he had acquired a new ‘sense.’ It was then the notification came back to him.

[Your unique ability ‘Hyper-Sense (超感覺)’ has been forcibly activated.]

‘A unique ability… Did I have one?’

A unique ability refers to the ‘innate abilities’ each player is born with. Kim Hyukjin had memorized the definition of ‘unique ability’.

‘A natural ability that blossoms in special situations, inherent to each player.’

This was literally the realm of ‘talent’. Kim Hyukjin, who previously received a [No Talent] assessment, had his unique ability ‘Hyper-Sense’ activated.

He heard Seonhwa’s voice.

“Did I… survive?”

“Yes. You did quite well. You.”

He spoke as indifferently as possible, as if nothing had happened, so as to lessen the shock for this young child.

“I… I’m alive.”

Seonhwa got up, surprised to have survived, thinking she’d been dead. The empty potion bottles around her gave her a clue as to how she survived.

“You said you’d leave me behind if I became a burden.”

“Being a burden was barely avoided. It would’ve been a waste to leave you behind.”

Seonhwa, who had just returned from the brink of death, smiled brightly.

“I… wasn’t abandoned.”

Was she happy about being alive, or not being abandoned? There were tears in Seonhwa’s eyes. Unaccustomed to such a situation, and even unable to understand her tears, Kim Hyukjin awkwardly turned his gaze away and looked at Senia, who was still standing there.

The urgent crisis had passed. Now, it was time to collect his rewards.

“Now, recite the rewards. The personal rewards. There are still some left, right?”

Senia had definitely said this.

[Player Kim Hyukjin. Your hunting of the Magic Troll has been acknowledged.]

The system notification had informed him of this.

[You will receive personal rewards through the middle manager in addition to the overall system reward.]

He hadn’t forgotten that. The reason why Senia hadn’t left her position was precisely to give the ‘personal reward’.

‘Recognition went to Masanghyeon, but I’m the one reaping the benefits.’

It seemed that way. Senia spoke.

“The personal reward will now begin.”

Before the rewards were assessed, Kim Hyukjin added with a sly smile.

“But about the Item Shop upgrade…”

“Yes?”

“You know we didn’t sign a contract, right?”

“…….”

Senia hadn’t written a contract and had simply upgraded the rank based on a verbal agreement. In reality, a verbal agreement holds little weight.

“That, that’s…!”

Everything is proven by ‘paperwork.’ Senia’s face stiffened at the fundamental mistake, while the now-conscious Seonhwa could see Kim Hyukjin grinning deviously, almost demonically.

* * *

Initially, when I first entered the second floor of D Tower, my level was 15. Senia tried to maintain her composure as much as possible as she spoke.

“……3 Level-up points have been granted.”

Simply put, he had leveled up three times. It was applied immediately.

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[Status Window]

Name: Kim Hyukjin (Player)

Level: 18

Titles: [First Pioneer] [Exceptional Player]

Unique Ability: [Hyper-Sense (超感覺)]

Strength: 17 Intelligence: 17

Agility: 23 Sense: 17

Vitality: 17 Spirit: 17(+30)

Bonus Stats: 6

Random Stats: 3

Remaining Stats: 9

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The ‘Unique Ability’ was updated on the status window.

‘Current level 18.’

Considering the level cap of the tutorial was ‘10,’ it was a figure absolutely unattainable for a novice player just finishing the tutorial. On top of that, Kim Hyukjin received yet another 3 random stats. Random stats are typically not given, yet Kim Hyukjin kept receiving them.

‘I’m…’

At this point, it was clear.

‘Definitely a genius.’

But the issue was the duration of this genius. There were plenty of players who only shone in the beginner’s area. Those players were called ‘super novas’ or ‘super rookies,’ but they soon vanished. It was much too early to rejoice at being a genius.

“Also, the title ‘Exceptional Hunter’ has been upgraded.”

It was formerly known as ‘Exceptional Hunter,’ but it had advanced to the rank of ‘Exceptional Player.’

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[Exceptional Player]

A special title given only in the tutorial field, and it is upgraded only when hunting the boss monster of the tutorial field. It applies to all ‘hunting subjects’.

1) An additional 20 percent damage calculation.

2) Movement speed increased by 20 percent.

3) Special skill ‘Exceptional Strike’ available. Medium chance to ignore special attributes of hunting subjects.

4) Experience gained increased by 10 percent.

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Even Kim Hyukjin couldn’t help but open his mouth at the magnificent effects of the title.

‘Such effects from a title for an A-rank dungeon much less… And only from the tutorial?’

Additional damage. Movement speed increase. Ignoring special attributes. Increased experience gain. Special skill. Each one was a precious option.

‘So early in the game…?’

He was already benefitting from a 10% experience bonus and the ‘First Pioneer’ title effect.

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[First Pioneer]

An honorable title given to those who pioneer new areas.

1. Experience +20%

2. Can be applied in conjunction with other titles.

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It meant leveling up 30% faster than others. It’s not just about leveling up quickly. Leveling up quickly means rapid growth, which in turn means seizing everything first.

‘I know the future.’

The strategy guide was inside his head. The ability to pre-empt, and the knowledge to match it. He had everything.

‘All this was hidden in the tutorial.’

It didn’t seem like this was created for people to acquire. Normally, low-level players couldn’t hunt a ‘Lycanthrops,’ it would be impossible without a trick. From that alone, it was meant to be unattainable. Normally.

A 3-level up, random stat distribution, and upgrade of titles. And there was more to come. Even this would have already been ‘ jackpot-level’ rewards, but there was still more.

‘This is the real jackpot.’

Kim Hyukjin thought about the new ‘personal reward’ he had just received.

* * *

Back then, when I faced death at the hands of the Magic Troll and ‘Hyper-Sense’ was extremely activated, I received this notification.

[‘Hyper-Sense’s ‘Death Sentence’ has been overcome.]

[‘Hyper-Sense’s fusion conditions have been met.]

My unique ability, ‘Hyper-Sense,’ definitely warned me of death. No, it foresaw death. But Seonhwa created a variable, and I ended up surviving.

[‘Tutorial Privilege’ or ‘Open Beta Privilege’ fusion is possible.]

I had two open beta privileges. The ‘Brave Lion King’ had granted a ‘High Strength Elixir’ used hunting the Lycanthrops. The other was the ‘Cold Observer’s Eye,’ gifted by the ‘Unnamed Observer’ that accompanied me nearly as soon as the tutorial began.

[High Strength Elixir.]

[Cold Observer’s Eye.]

The High Strength Elixir had already been used. What remained for me was the ‘Cold Observer’s Eye’.

[Cold Observer’s Eye]

The fusion of ‘Cold Observer’s Eye’ and ‘Hyper-Sense’ was possible. I had heard of ‘fusion’ before, but that was something usually applicable to top-tier rankers, not commonly known among ordinary people. It was something that might just come up in deep government studies.

‘Fusion existed in the tutorial.’

I thought perhaps there were many secrets unknown to mankind hidden within the tutorial.

[Do you approve the fusion of ‘Hyper-Sense (超感覺)’ and ‘Cold Observer’s Eye’?]

I approved. My heart pounded so hard it was like hot blood surged throughout my body, invigorating me. It felt as if steam was coming out of my body, if I were to exaggerate a little.

[The fusion of ‘Hyper-Sense (超感覺)’ and ‘Cold Observer’s Eye’ is starting.]

[The fusion process will bring extreme pain.]

[If you cannot endure the pain, you will die.]

Suddenly, a severe pain pierced my heart.

“Argh!”

This is insane. I should have been warned about this sooner.

“Oh, brother. What’s wrong?”

I collapsed, clutching my heart. This level of pain was unknown to me. I couldn’t exactly describe it, but it felt like my heart was boiling. It seemed like every drop of my blood was boiling. My whole body was burning up, a terrifying sensation as if my brain was being penetrated by something monumental.

“Aaaaaaagh!”

My body screamed uncontrollably, regardless of my will.

It hurt.

It was excruciatingly painful. The word ‘pain’ fell short of describing the state I was in. I’d rather die.

Snap!

I felt something breaking. Thereafter, I can’t remember. I must have lost consciousness.

During my loss of consciousness, I faintly heard ‘fusion successful.’ It was faint, as if heard within a dream. But anyway, I felt like I heard such a phrase. I didn’t clearly remember.

The moment I regained consciousness. I was faced with an unbelievable reality.

‘Could this be…!’