Chapter 13: Tutorial’s End

Lee Tae-sung returned to the Soaring Dragon Sect with Elder Dam Ho-pung.

“I’m going to turn this over to the sect. Half of the credit will be recognized as your achievement, so use it wisely later.”

Elder Dam Ho-pung spoke while flicking the Blood Explosion Art secret manual.

It was something taken from the second of the Crimson Brothers, but since learning it carried side effects, Tae-sung hadn’t even thought about touching it.

However, Dam Ho-pung suggested handing it over to the Soaring Dragon Sect in exchange for contribution points.

“If you would do that for me, I would be most grateful.”

Tae-sung felt like he had just been handed a windfall.

He had obtained the hybrid mana cultivation method from the secret cave, but he still lacked many things.

He needed more skills.

To learn the desired skills sleeping in the Soaring Dragon Sect’s library, one had to perform deeds for the sect and earn contribution points.

This incident would be a significant help.

“Right. Go in and rest. You worked hard today.”

“It was an honor to accompany you, Elder.”

“Kid. Quite the talker, aren’t you?”

With a slight smirk, Elder Dam Ho-pung waved his hand and headed toward his residence first.

Afterward, Tae-sung was left alone.

Dam Ho-pung told him to rest, but the thought of resting wasn’t even in his mind.

He immediately headed toward a corner of the public training ground.

‘I have to learn the skill quickly!’

The Sun Holy Power Art.

This was the treasure he had obtained this time.

Tae-sung’s constant concern had been his lack of both internal power and mana, but if he could master this, that problem would vanish.

It was a Grade 5 hybrid mana operation method!

Of course, it wouldn’t be solved immediately upon learning it—it would take time—but it was the solution nonetheless.

-Ding!

[Would you like to learn Sun Holy Power Art (Unique)?]

[16 Skill Points are required.]

Depending on the skill’s level, the points required to learn it increased by double.

A Grade 1 skill cost 1, Grade 2 cost 2, Grade 3 cost 4… and so on.

The Sun Holy Power Art was a Grade 5 hybrid skill.

It required a whopping 16 Skill Points.

‘…Crap.’

And Lee Tae-sung did not have that many skill points.

-Ding!

[Insufficient Skill Points.]

The initial skill points provided were 10.

Every time he leveled up, he received 1 point, and he had just earned 3 from completing the recent quest.

However, he had learned more than just one or two skills in the meantime.

The Flame Sword Art, Thunder Fist, Dragon Shadow Wind Step, and even the Three Talents Sword Art he had learned at the beginning—even if they only cost one point each, they had added up.

After nibbling away at his points, he only had 10 skill points left.

This wasn’t a small amount, either.

The problem was that Lee Tae-sung had obtained skills that were far too good for his level and status.

“I’ve completely messed this up.”

Tae-sung frowned.

To have a treasure right in front of him and not be able to learn it!

Sitting down haphazardly, he fell into deep thought about how to handle this catastrophe.

In truth, there weren’t many options.

He could raise his level to gain skill points or perform quests that rewarded them.

However, Tae-sung wasn’t at a level where he could just take on those kinds of quests at will yet.

He needed to increase his level and rank a bit more.

Just as he was agonizing over it…

“Ah. I forgot to tell you this, but tomorrow you…”

“Elder Dam?”

“…Hmm. You have a very troubled look on your face.”

Elder Dam Ho-pung, who had parted ways with him just a moment ago, had returned.

He had been about to say something, but seeing Tae-sung’s expression, he noticed there was a problem.

He gave a short laugh and continued.

“I thought you Outsiders could learn martial arts or magic just by glancing at it once. I suppose that isn’t always the case?”

“…Haha. I can’t hide anything from your insight, Elder. Yes. It’s a bit difficult for me to learn this right now.”

When Tae-sung gave a bitter smile, Dam Ho-pung thought for a moment.

“Then why don’t you try our way? In fact, you people are the strange ones. Originally, all techniques are learned through enlightenment and agonizing effort.”

When receiving a transmission from a master, magic and martial arts were learned through long periods of training.

Hybrids were slightly easier to enter, but even then, the situation became similar for high-grade hybrid arts.

“I ask for your guidance.”

Tae-sung nodded. Anything was worth a try.

“The Sun Holy Power Art is a hybrid, but it leans heavily toward martial arts. The foundation starts with an internal power cultivation method, intended to focus on fire-attribute magic. Therefore, to learn this, you must understand the overall system of internal power cultivation.”

A solid foundation must be laid to build a tall structure upon it.

Dam Ho-pung began his explanation calmly.

He spoke of martial arts in general, blood points, the meridian system, the internal universe, the microcosm, the macrocosm, and the realms one must reach.

‘This is information within a game?’

The explanation continued for several hours until dawn.

Tae-sung, who had been listening intently until then, was amazed.

He had simply thought of it as a skill, but everything he heard from Dam Ho-pung was a synthesis of ancient knowledge and wisdom.

It felt as if martial arts truly existed, and he was listening to their history and origin!

Even for a hyper-realistic game, could they really create something like this in such detail?

Just as that question was about to surface…

-Ding!

[Your understanding of the skill increases.]

[The Skill Points required to acquire the skill are reduced by half.]

[Would you like to learn Sun Holy Power Art (Unique)?]

[8 Skill Points are required.]

Tae-sung’s eyes widened.

It was an notification he hadn’t expected.

The required skill points decreased!

‘W-Was this possible?’

While many tips for Dream World were widespread in reality, the truly important things were kept tightly under wraps.

This place was no different from another world, so what fool would release all of their knowledge?

The knowledge that understanding a skill directly could reduce the required points was the same.

It was information that could not be obtained under normal circumstances!

Moreover, it was information that most people couldn’t use even if they knew it.

Who would go through the trouble of tearing apart and understanding a skill one by one to learn it?

They would rather just level up, do quests, and earn more skill points.

Regardless, it was a good thing for Lee Tae-sung.

He could finally enter the Sun Holy Power Art.

-Ding!

[You have acquired a new skill.]

[Skill: Sun Holy Power Art]

-Ding!

[You have acquired a new skill.

Skill: Sun Holy Power Art]

The notification rang twice—once in the game and once in reality.

Tae-sung was finally able to wear a truly relaxed smile.

“Congratulations.”

And Dam Ho-pung, standing before him, noticed the change in Tae-sung. He was inwardly quite surprised.

‘I gave him some teachings because of his sincerity, unlike other Outsiders… but to think he would reach the entrance so quickly.’

He knew that was how Outsiders were, but seeing it with his own eyes was quite impressive.

“But keep this in mind. Reaching the entrance of a mana operation method is not the end, but the beginning. You must continue to persevere and deepen your understanding until you achieve great mastery.”

“I understand!”

Tae-sung nodded.

Now, all that was left was to grow his internal power and mana based on the Sun Holy Power Art.

***

Immediately after completing the second Hunter mission last time, Manager Song Sang-yeop from the Association had said he would visit Tae-sung.

If Tae-sung had purchased mana stones from the Score Shop, Song needed to collect them and provide as much advice as possible.

However, because of the escort quest with Dam Ho-pung at the time, Tae-sung had contacted him again to postpone the schedule.

It was also because he had purchased equipment for himself and had only been able to buy a single low-grade mana stone.

-Pshhh.

The capsule opened, and Tae-sung rose from his seat.

Tae-sung opened his eyes.

For a moment, a faint golden wave flickered in his pupils before vanishing.

He placed his hand near his lower abdomen.

“…My internal power and mana have increased.”

After entering the Sun Holy Power Art in Dream World, he had sat down and focused on cultivation until dawn.

Since it was his first mana operation method and a high-grade one at Grade 5, he wanted to see the effects.

The results were incredible.

His internal power and mana capacity had noticeably increased.

And that change wasn’t limited to the game.

The body in reality had also seen an increase in internal power and mana to a similar level!

“This is just insane.”

Does it work the other way around too?

He would have to try it to find out, but either way, he had no choice but to focus on cultivation in the game from now on.

“Whew. Haa.”

Closing his eyes, Tae-sung lightly operated the Sun Holy Power Art.

Based on his breathing, mana circulated through his entire body.

It was mana that carried the faint energy of the sun.

“Third mission. Let’s go!”

At this level, it was well worth trying.

Of course, he wasn’t just aiming to clear it.

Since the missions up to the third one were easy, he had been confident in clearing it even before learning the Sun Holy Power Art. However, a simple clear was not what Tae-sung was after.

Since he had to earn a lot of scores to move house, he aimed for a perfect clear just like before.

And now, he had sufficient confidence.

“Ah. Before that, I should call Manager Song Sang-yeop.”

Let’s talk to him before entering the mission.

***

National Hunter Association.

-Click.

As soon as Manager Song Sang-yeop of the Hunter Management Department put down the receiver, Assistant Manager Kim Min-chan, who was next to him, clung to him.

“How did it go, Manager?”

Assistant Manager Kim Min-chan had been listening intently from the side for a while.

Hunter Lee Tae-sung.

It had only been a few days, but he was recently the most talked-about figure in the Hunter Management Department.

Not everyone who awakens as a Hunter can perform missions.

Many had skills that couldn’t be used in combat, and they could lose their lives if they entered a mission.

In such a situation, Lee Tae-sung, who openly possessed combat skills, was a talent worth watching, and he had recorded perfect scores in both the first and second missions.

Since the call was with such a person, Kim couldn’t help but focus more on Song Sang-yeop’s phone call than his own work.

“He says he’s entering the third mission.”

“Wow. Already? Even if it’s the early stage, the interval is incredibly fast.”

“That means he’s that confident. Just listening to his voice, he sounded calm and composed.”

“Not just his skills, but his courage is no joke. Is a truly legitimate Sovereign Hunter being born?”

A Hunter so immense that they could control a single corporation with the scores they earned was called a Sovereign Hunter.

They successfully completed numerous missions, bringing back massive amounts of scores and treasures, some of which were absurd enough to enrich the entire planet.

This was why every nation in the world struggled to discover talent that could become a Sovereign Hunter.

“This is only the third mission. We don’t know yet. You have to consider that the tutorial is only just ending.”

Missions up to the third one were easy.

That was the formula of humanity, which had experienced missions for decades.

From then on, the difficulty of the missions changed, and the rewards weren’t just simple scores.

“True. The real value shows from the fourth mission. But… still, wouldn’t it be okay to expect great things from Hunter Lee Tae-sung? He got ‘Perfect’ on the first two.”

“Too much expectation is forbidden. For now, it’s a period of adjustment, so he should focus on returning safely.”

“That’s true, but… couldn’t he get another Perfect?”

“No way.”

Manager Song Sang-yeop shook his head.

“I’ve looked up all the old records. Early missions can usually be cleared easily, so unless you’re intentionally looking for trouble, getting a Perfect is difficult.”

No matter how great a Hunter was, would they really go out of their way to suffer?

The most important thing was one’s life, so clearing it stably was the priority.

Since Song had told him that over the phone just now, Tae-sung wouldn’t act recklessly.

Manager Song Sang-yeop believed so.

***

-Ding!

[You have entered the mission.]

When he opened his eyes, instead of the room ceiling he had seen moments ago, he was in the middle of a reed field.

The entire area was a field of reeds, with one large path cutting through the center.

Tae-sung was standing right in the middle of that path.

-Ding!

[This is the third mission. The difficulty is adjusted to Very Low.]

Mission: Holding One’s Breath.

[You are currently in the Odencho Reed Field. There are numerous monsters among the reeds, but they have poor hearing and a habit of not wanting to come out into the open path. Pass through the reed path without provoking the monsters.]

TIP: Utilize the rocks seen throughout the path.

Throwing them far away to create sound will distract the monsters’ attention.

[Mission success upon reaching the end of the path.]

Mission Reward: 5 SC.

Very low difficulty with a clear reward of 5 SC.

It was an easy mission that could be passed just by walking carefully along the path.

One could even avoid danger by throwing stones from the path into the reeds when it felt like they might be caught.

It could be seen as even easier than the previous two missions.

After slowly reading the entire mission description, Tae-sung took a step.

Along the path?

No!

To the right!

-Rustle.

Tae-sung, who immediately left the path and entered the reed field, activated the Flame Sword Art.

-Whish!

Scores!

Give me scores!