Chapter 3: New Skill
The top floor of a skyscraper.
“······.”
A place overlooking the downtown area of Seoul through wide windows.
A woman with bobbed hair sitting in a chair checked the system window with an intrigued expression.
“······It’s been a year.”
Her nickname was Morning Sunshine.
She was one of the thirteen Hell Players existing in the world.
‘Mad Dog’s side will definitely try to approach them.’
Tap, tap-tap······.
As soon as she checked the system, she didn't hesitate to use the Community function to send a message to Cheonha.
‘I can’t let them take a new Player.’
A new Player clearing Floor 1 of HELL Difficulty.
Some might say it was "only" the first floor, but the reality was different.
First of all, for the past year, there hadn't been a single Player who cleared HELL Difficulty.
It was because of the rumors.
The rumor that if you enter HELL Difficulty, you have a 99% chance of dying.
Because of that, not only Players but even ordinary people came to avoid HELL Difficulty at all costs.
In such a situation, there was no way new Awakened would challenge HELL Difficulty.
‘The problem is that it’s actually true.’
HELL Difficulty was hard.
If it ended at just being "hard," that would be lucky; for most Players, clearing it was simply impossible.
HELL Difficulty was something only a few chosen Players could climb.
In that regard, the Player Morning Sunshine was a chosen being.
Class: ‘Saintess of Salvation.’
It was a Class evaluated as the top of the top tier.
Only these top-tier Classes were capable of climbing HELL Difficulty.
In fact, the other twelve Hell Players were also climbing the Tower based on similarly overwhelming Classes.
The problem was that even with such Players gathered, climbing HELL Difficulty was difficult to the point of being nearly impossible.
‘We need as many people as possible.’
They were in a situation where new Players were needed to break through the upper floors.
The message of Cheonha’s clear rang out at just that timing.
It was an opportunity that couldn't be missed.
Player Morning Sunshine.
Real name: Shin Ah-rin (Female).
She leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes.
‘I wonder what Class Cheonha is.’
Flash—.
Soon, a bright radiance began to flow brilliantly from above her head.
Nationality, occupation, name, current location, even hobbies and preferences.
By utilizing her ability, she could find all of that out without much trouble.
However.
The space between the eyes of the closed-eyed Shin Ah-rin narrowed.
‘······What?’
The information wasn't visible.
As if walking through pitch-black darkness.
She couldn't find even a trace of the Player ‘Cheonha.’
‘This is the first time this has happened.’
After pushing through the pitch-black fog, Shin Ah-rin discovered an extremely faint silhouette.
‘It’s too blurry.’
Inside, Shin Ah-rin was able to grab a single thread-like piece of information. Even that was at the level of catching it by chance.
The rest of the information couldn't even be looked for.
‘I can only find out this much?’
To think that the only thing she salvaged from a Player who just cleared the 1st floor was their Class.
Shin Ah-rin slowly opened her eyes.
As she was chewing over the information she had obtained with difficulty, her eyes shook violently.
“······No way.”
Player Cheonha’s Class was Rogue.
A Rogue.
Just a Rogue.
Truly, just a Rogue.
Unable to believe it, Shin Ah-rin rolled those two characters in her mouth over and over.
Ordinary?
Even that evaluation was a luxury.
A Rogue was Trash.
It was a level where it was difficult to properly clear even Normal or Hard difficulty.
Much less HELL Difficulty?
It was absolutely impossible.
You could tell just by looking at Floor 1 of HELL Difficulty right now.
A Player had to survive for 5 minutes against 23 Goblins. And one of them was a Knight-level that used sword energy.
‘Just how did he do it?’
Every single skill of the Rogue class is utterly inferior.
This wasn't mere disparagement, but a fact based on reality.
Stealth doesn't work in a place with no cover. If the first skills he obtained were things like Lock-picking or Wall-Climbing, it was even more of a lost cause.
‘No, the very fact that he thought of climbing HELL Difficulty with a Rogue class in the first place······.’
He was out of his mind.
Even if she wanted to find out more detailed information, her ability wouldn't work.
Shin Ah-rin looked up.
‘Is he saying he cleared the 1st floor purely with his own ability?’
Even the special agents of America, who were said to be so strong, failed to clear HELL Difficulty.
It meant that if the Class didn't support it, human physical ability was meaningless before the Tower.
Furthermore, clearing the Tower while burdened with the Rogue class was something close to impossible.
Cheonha had accomplished that.
‘Whatever method he used······. It’s an absurd thing.’
Cheonha is a human no different from a monster.
Shin Ah-rin reached that conclusion.
‘I have to recruit him to our team.’
Classes can be changed.
It’s even more difficult in HELL Mode, but it’s not impossible.
However, a Player’s innate Aptitude does not change.
There were countless Players who died even after obtaining a great Class. All of them lacked Aptitude.
But Cheonha is different.
He has Aptitude.
That much was certain.
Whatever it is, for sure—.
Ping.
At that moment, a message arrived in front of Shin Ah-rin.
It seemed the message she had sent in advance had an effect.
Shin Ah-rin let out a thin sigh.
It was a relief.
She had been worried he might contact Mad Dog.
“Yes. You should come to me, of course.”
Tap, tap-tap.
After checking the message, she began to send a reply.
Player Cheonha.
Hoping he was a human she could talk to, she composed the message as carefully as possible.
Because there was no way a person who chose HELL Difficulty after getting the Rogue class could be sane.
***
A reply came back immediately after I sent the message.
“A reply came for now.”
Morning Sunshine.
It’s a familiar name.
Are they Korean?
The names of half the Hell Players are not known. Morning Sunshine was one of those types.
‘What does the country matter?’
Thinking about being dragged back to HELL Difficulty in 24 hours made my mouth go dry.
For now, I had to grab the rope that had been thrown down.
Ping—!
A message arrived even though I hadn't replied.
It was a quite kind message.
Given that they readily gave me information on the 2nd floor and all.
The problem was······.
The fact that the difficulty of the 2nd floor was at a level that made my mind dizzy as soon as I saw it.
Not only was it questionable if I could go head-to-head with a Knight, but even if I did, there was no way I could dodge Arrows flying from behind.
It doesn't seem easy at all.
‘······I have Stealth, so I think I can make it work somehow.’
It was hard to be 100% sure.
Since I hadn't fully grasped the Stealth ability yet.
The next piece of information she gave was quite unexpected.
Since I hadn't even requested it.
‘Hidden Place.’
In the Tower, there are hidden places on some floors. In those places, you can obtain good Items.
In HELL Difficulty, where you have to use only Items you’ve obtained yourself, it was information worth its weight in gold.
I was slightly moved.
To think they would tell me so kindly.
No matter how precious a newbie is in HELL Difficulty, information should be money.
Even better, Morning Sunshine didn't demand anything.
‘Are all HELL Difficulty people originally this kind?’
I couldn't be more grateful.
‘For now, I’ve obtained various pieces of information······.’
But why did she tell me not to contact Mad Dog?
Mad Dog was also one of the Hell Players whose name wasn't known.
When I asked about him, a reply came back immediately.
She didn't give me the detailed story.
Well, there must be a reason.
I finished the conversation by sending a message saying thank you.
I could prepare to clear the 2nd floor like this, but······.
‘I need cross-verification.’
It’s a sorry thing for Morning Sunshine, but the risk was too high to enter the 2nd floor after listening to only one side.
My life is on the line.
I can't trust one side 100%.
‘It’s not like I’ll die just by messaging.’
Tap-tap-tap. I sent a message to Mad Dog as well.
The reply came just as quickly.
Apparently, the Hell Players know each other.
‘He doesn't seem like such a crazy person?’
For now, the words of the two people match.
I guess I can view it as certain information.
This was new information.
It’s quite helpful.
Furthermore, he’s kind.
As expected, he doesn't seem to be a crazy person.
Seeing how both sides badmouth each other, they might just not get along.
‘I did well to ask both sides.’
As a result, I obtained highly reliable information. Since I even finished cross-verification, it should be fine for the most part.
Just in case, I tried exchanging messages with the Awakened Management Bureau, but they only tried to dig up my information, and a proper conversation wasn't established.
‘They almost seem like imposters.’
Naturally, I kept my information ironclad.
Lastly, I scanned the Community.
Regrettably, there wasn't a single piece of plausible information about HELL Difficulty.
It seemed that not only is the number of Players small, but exchanging information through private messages like I did is common.
‘Then, first of all, it’s the Hidden Place on the 1st floor······.’
I examined the system window.
There was plenty of time to go to the Hidden Place.
The problem is whether I am prepared.
‘Shall I use the reward first and then think about it?’
I took out a ticket from my Inventory.
Currently, the only Skill I had was one Stealth(N). In order to clear the 2nd floor, I needed at least one usable attack Skill.
The problem was······.
‘Did they say the Rogue class doesn't have many attack Skills?’
Instead, I heard that Rogues have many auxiliary Skills. They were all miscellaneous things like Wall-Climbing, Lock-picking, and Trap deactivation.
Nothing will change by worrying.
What else can I do but pray?
‘Please, let an attack Skill come out.’
Riiip—!
I tore the ticket.
Light poured out from the ticket that was split in half.
Flash—.
The Skill thus acquired was.
For now, the name sounded like an attack Skill.
‘Oh······.’
I touched the system window to bring up detailed information about the Skill.
It was definitely an attack Skill.
‘Nice.’
The problem was.
“But is this a good one?”
I couldn't be sure just by reading the description.
Since it was around Unique grade, it should be a good Skill.
I scanned the Community first.
“······.”
It was another evaluation saying it was a trash skill.
Just in case, I searched with the keyword Ambush and looked through the Community.
There was no rock bottom like this.
‘It’s Trash to that extent?’
As a result of looking through a few more posts in the Community.
The performance of Ambush could be summarized as follows:
Activation itself is difficult because the conditions are tricky.
Furthermore, the damage is ambiguous.
In a word, a Skill like a white elephant.
Something is missing to use it as a main Skill.
And there are many better Skills to use as an auxiliary.
‘······.’
Still, it’s better than nothing.
Since my Stealth skill was at the level of an Invisible person. In other words, it meant I could perfectly satisfy the activation condition of Ambush.
I’ve cleared the first hurdle easily.
‘Instead of this, let’s try using it directly.’
I was about to enter the Tower immediately but then hesitated.
‘What if it doesn't recognize me again?’
If I get dragged to Floor 2 of HELL Difficulty by any chance, there’s truly no answer.
Since I don't even have a decent weapon right now.
“······.”
I quickly went outside.
I bought one Dagger from a Player supply store. Since it’s a normal Dagger and not an Item, I can use it even in HELL Difficulty.
Then I said cautiously.
“······EASY Difficulty Floor 1.”
The difficulty I was going to clear was EASY.
A Player of HELL Difficulty can freely clear lower difficulties. It was one of the few advantages of HELL Difficulty.
Since EASY would be much better for testing my Ability.
I stared at the system window.
Whew. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be any problem this time.
I nodded after checking repeatedly.
“Enter.”
Flash—.
The scenery before my eyes changes in an instant.
This time······.
I entered correctly.
Beyond the thick forest.
I could see one Goblin standing blankly.
It wasn't even holding a single weapon in its hand.
‘This is it. This was it.’
The difficulty I originally intended to clear was EASY, but just how did I end up clearing HELL Difficulty?
After letting out a sigh, I used the Stealth Skill and then approached the Goblin.
It’s no use complaining.
I had to do what I had to do.
Kiek?
Even though I was walking toward it in plain sight, the fellow didn't notice at all.
‘Stealth is no problem. Next is Ambush.’
I went around behind the Goblin and raised my Dagger.
A state where the activation condition for Ambush—being undetected—was perfectly met.
Whirr—.
As if to prove it, a smoky, ash-colored energy was flowing over the blade.
It felt like I just had to stab it in.
‘It doesn't need to be amazing; it just needs to be usable.’
I don't expect great power.
It was enough as long as it was better than stabbing normally.
I thought so, but······.
At the very moment the thrust sharp Dagger pierced the Goblin.
Splatter!
The Goblin pierced by the Dagger disappeared as if exploding while scattering blood.