Chapter 46: Chapter 46

[Translator - Night][Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 46: Seems Like the Order Faction is Skimming Rewards (1)

[You have acquired the B-rank active skill ‘Focused Enhancement LV1.’]

Focused Enhancement?

[Focused Enhancement LV1]

[Temporarily boosts the output of mana manipulation techniques. The output increases by 2x, but mana consumption rises by 3x. This ratio applies up to 6x output. Cooldown: 3 minutes.]

So, it rapidly burns mana to significantly enhance power in a short period.

To test it, I tried using Fireball.

“Fireball.”

When used normally, the Fireball swells up to about the size of my body.

My magic skills have steadily improved even while I was resting, and now it’s grown to this size.

What if I use Focused Enhancement here?

“Focused Enhancement. Fireball.”

The moment I cast it, the Fireball started inflating massively.

It really felt like its size limit had been drastically extended.

What used to be impossible to make larger was now six times stronger.

It even made nearby mages murmur in astonishment.

“How can a Fireball get that big?”

“Hunter Kim Jiho is a mage?”

“He’s not just a mage, is he? He uses magic, bows, and swords. Not a normal class, clearly.”

Seems like rumors have spread.

In any case, this skill was simple but very useful.

I’d struggled with enemies with strong defenses a few times before, but now I could easily overpower them.

The 3-minute cooldown was a bit of a letdown, though.

Was that treasure chest really a sacrificial offering for this?

And the new title I got…

[Champion of Kevrian]

[Rank: B]

[A title given to a champion striving to revive the already-destroyed planet Kevrian. Greatly appeals to Kevrian natives. When on Kevrian, all stats increase by 15%.]

A B-rank title.

The 15% stat boost was tempting, but the appeal to Kevrian natives was also worth noting.

I could swap it out for my current title, the “Bat Awakener.”

When I changed titles, I suddenly felt stronger.

If “Champion of Kevrian” is this good, I wonder how great the titles I didn’t get must have been.

If I’d gotten 80,000 SP, I’d feel much more secure right now.

What’s with this system?

The difficulty level of the planet was lowered because I dealt with that Ampellion bastard.

Yet, no proper rewards.

“Seriously, this system is too much. Is it a bug? Shouldn’t it have given me 200,000 SP instead of just 100,000 for reducing the difficulty level?”

Thinking about it made me angrier.

Like a stingy employer withholding a promised bonus from a part-timer.

“Couldn’t it just pay me when I get back to Earth? Come on.”

About 10 minutes of grumbling for anyone to hear, and finally, I got a response from the guardian deity.

[Pollux says SP will be paid out in weekly installments of 20,000.]

Weekly?

Kevrian time or Earth time?

[Pollux clarifies it’s Earth time.]

Whoa!

If it’s Earth time, that’s 70 days per week on Kevrian.

To get 80,000 SP, I’d need to stay here 280 days.

That’s nearly a year!

[Pollux adds that you’ll just have to come and go, so don’t complain. Also, when you get back to Earth, come to the Pantheon to claim the remaining items and complete the mediator contract.]

Hey, wasn’t that stuff already promised?

Come to think of it, doesn’t the neutral faction have anything to offer?

[Aurelia expresses regret that the neutral faction’s influence on Earth is too small this time to match the rewards of the Order faction.]

Tsk… I wanted more options, but it seems that’s not possible.

So, I’ll just have to take it in installments…

Can’t they add interest, at least?

[Pollux sighs deeply and says they’ll consider it.]

Oh.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much, but they agreed surprisingly easily.

Good.

If payments are delayed, at least I should get some interest.

“Jiho, what’s next? Pursuing them seems tricky…”

Lee Jinseong approached me and asked.

Indeed, the fortress was still in the middle of festivities, but the awakened ones looked unsure of what to do, standing around awkwardly.

Some free spirits were fidgeting as if wanting to join in but kept glancing at me for permission.

I see.

I got so absorbed in the reward issue that I didn’t pay attention to everyone else.

Honestly, I see my role as the Apostle Commander, but I’ve been treating the awakened ones under my command more like XP-sharing companions.

I hadn’t been issuing orders.

Yet, they seemed to be much more conscious of my opinions than I expected.

I guess I have to explicitly tell them to relax.

“Take it easy today. Go steal some Dwarven beer or something.”

“They won’t launch a night raid? That’s a common tactic.”

“This is a Spirit Fortress. If enemies approach, we’ll sense it.”

“Okay. Then I’ll relax and go try some Dwarven beer.”

At my signal, Lee Jinseong informed the others and immediately dashed toward the Dwarves.

The other awakened ones scattered in small groups to enjoy the fortress’s atmosphere.

I climbed to the top of the fortress walls and looked out over the fields.

What will the next main quest be?

Now that I think about it, the reward for subduing Ampellion is still pending.

They better not hold out on it.

Though that guy almost committed suicide, my contribution was clearly the highest…

Originally, I would’ve expected a 100% payout, but after this SP installment nonsense, I’m getting nervous.

“Jiho!”

“Oh, Shia. Beer?”

Kang Shia had approached me unnoticed and handed me a mug of Dwarven beer.

A large wooden mug, almost the size of a 1.6-liter pitcher.

When she offered it, we clinked glasses and tasted the Dwarven beer.

Ah!

This is amazing.

The smoothness and cool sensation immediately lifted my spirits.

But the alcohol content seemed quite high.

“I think I understand why Dwarves mix their beer with spirits. This is pretty strong.”

“Yeah, it’s delicious, but it’s easy to get drunk quickly.”

Kang Shia’s ponytail swayed slightly in the breeze as she continued sipping her beer.

Her face was already a little flushed.

Compared to the Elves nearby, her beauty didn’t pale in the slightest.

Enjoying beer with a beauty in the cool breeze made me feel refreshed.

“Do you think Lady Diana is on her way?”

“Not sure. Since I completed the quest, it’s certain the enemy retreated, but she hasn’t shown up yet.”

“She looks so much like Lady Liana. Could they be the same person?”

“They probably are. Though their personalities are drastically different…”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Liana exuded confidence as Earth’s strongest, but Diana seemed emotionally fragile, burdened by the loss of her subordinates.

Kang Shia’s expression darkened slightly as she gazed beyond the fortress walls.

“This planet, Kevrian, is already destroyed, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Then Lady Diana must’ve died too. What about Lady Liana on Earth? Could she have been saved as an Apostle of the gods before she died?”

I recalled the quest related to Diana.

According to the quest from the Sun God, Diana hadn’t become an Apostle of the Sun during her lifetime.

So, could she have become one after death?

I couldn’t be sure, so my answer was vague.

“She might’ve been saved before her death or maybe even after.”

“What will happen if Earth is destroyed?”

"The Earth?"

"Yes. Thinking about the Death Knight we encountered last time, I feel unsure if we can restore the broken world. The Lord of Chaos is bound to be even stronger."

"But haven’t hunters leveled up quite a bit recently? At this rate, we might actually defeat the Lord of Chaos."

"Yes, that’s true, but reaching C-rank is still a long journey... The Spirit Fortress was safe, but once we go outside, there will probably be countless casualties."

The fortress really was a sweet spot.

I don’t know what the next main quest will bring, but once we leave the castle, it’ll be much harder to take it easy like the past few days.

"I'm starting to feel doubtful about whether we can pull this off. Eshtar hasn’t progressed a single step because the world keeps being destroyed, and the situation is the same for some of the awakened ones who entered other planets."

"How much time do we have left?"

"Less than a year. There’s only about eleven months left until the elves retreat. I heard the UN will hold a secret assembly next month, too."

Only 11 months left?

That’s way too short…

If we can’t restore even one of the broken worlds during that time, it means the legions of the five worlds will invade us.

I really don’t think we can stop that...

"Eleven months? Has that much time passed already? It feels so short. What do they plan to talk about at the assembly?"

"They’ll probably argue about whether to reveal the truths that have been hidden from the world until now. They might even call you, Jiho."

"Me?"

"Yes, you’re a Kevrian expert, after all. And among the planets, Kevria has shown the most progress. If they’re desperate, they might even send all the D-rank hunters to Kevrian."

Are they planning a war of attrition?

Before encountering the Death Knight King, I would’ve thought that would work…

But now, it feels like everyone would just get wiped out.

"There are moments when I really wonder if this is even beatable."

"Exactly. Sigh... If I want to survive, I’ll have to stick close to you, Jiho."

"What? I’m probably the one in the most danger."

"Didn’t Diana get saved by the forces of Order? Since you’re the most outstanding person on Earth, wouldn’t the gods of Order save you too?"

Kang Shia laughed weakly.

"If I stick close, won’t I just get dragged along for a 1+1 deal?"

"Come on, no way."

"I think staying near you is the safest option, Jiho. I’m going to stick right by your side."

"If a beauty stays by my side, I don’t mind at all."

"Really? I’ll take that as your permission."

She smiled more brightly this time as she took another sip of her beer.

She leaned closer to me.

She smelled nice.

For the first time in a while, I calmed my heart like a clear mirror and drank with her.

One glass, then two—soon, I started to feel a pleasant buzz.

Kang Shia’s face was already red as she staggered, clearly drunk.

Dwarven beer has quite the kick.

Even with my monstrous physical abilities and the calming effect of my clear mirror state, I only felt a mild, pleasant buzz…

"Jiho, I can’t walk anymore…"

Kang Shia, drunk and swaying.

It seems even hunters can’t handle too much alcohol.

She asked me to take her to her lodgings, claiming she couldn’t walk.

As I helped her onto my shoulder, I felt her body, soft and yielding.

Phew.

A sudden heat rose in my chest.

My heart pounded as a wave of impulse surged.

Her earlier words about sticking close replayed in my mind.

[Clear Mind state activates.]

The heat dissipated as if doused in cold water. Sёarᴄh the Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

But every time her body brushed against mine as I supported her, the heat surged and subsided again.

Phew.

My clear mind state is really earning its keep today.

Kang Shia’s lodgings in the fortress were in a building shared with other female hunters.

It resembled a university dormitory.

When we reached the entrance, the female hunters there looked at us with curious smiles.

"Captain, Kang Shia’s room is on the top floor."

"What? No way. How could I step into a forbidden zone? Could you help her instead?"

"Come on, it’s not forbidden..."

But as soon as I handed over the sleeping Kang Shia, the female hunters stepped in to support her.

"Please take good care of her."

"Of course, Captain."

"Are you really sure it’s okay?"

"Yes, no problem. Really."

"That perfume smells nice..."

The female hunters, muttering incomprehensible things, waved goodbye as they took Kang Shia inside.

"...Is he an impostor?"

I faintly heard the hunters whispering.

Impostors?

What’s that supposed to mean?

Surely they don’t mean impotence, right?

[Pollux curses you out, calling you an idiot for failing to take advantage of the situation even when it’s handed to you.]

What situation?

No way, they don’t mean earlier, do they?

No, no.

Absolutely not.

A superior can’t act like that toward a subordinate.

That’s a guaranteed recipe for a #MeToo scandal.

Sure, I find Kang Shia attractive, and I felt the impulse, but acting on it while she’s drunk would be wrong.

[Pollux screams, demanding to exchange your infinite stamina skill for something else since you’re wasting it.]

[Aurelia praises your restraint, saying the Clear Mind skill was a wise gift.]

Sigh.

See?

Even the goddess agrees.

It could’ve been a disaster.

Pollux continued to rant in the system interface, but I ignored him and walked away.

Still, my footsteps felt heavier with every step.

Ugh, this feels off.

Did I just act like an idiot?

Is this one of those moments I’ll cringe about ten years from now?

No, I did the right thing.

[You have completed a linked quest.]

[You successfully prevented Diana’s summoning of the Spirit of Wrath for 50 days. She has now become a true apostle of the Sun God, who is pleased and grants you a reward.]

[Quest rewards are granted.]

[Flame Chariot Summon skill upgraded to Level 3.]

[Phoenix skill enhanced.]

[You receive the Sun God’s Blessing.]

Huh?

Was today the day for completion?

My mood lightened a bit.

Yeah, I’m not disappointed.

I got rewards.

Not disappointed at all...

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]