01x04 - I've Gotta Get Stronger

[bunniefuu]

I can do that?

No, no, I've already
been to hell and back.

I won't let you
take this from me.

I won't die!

Did increasing my strength stat
make that much of a difference?

It doesn't matter.

It's still got me outclassed.

My att*cks aren't working.

How am I supposed to win?

I can't do this alone.

No party, no healer.

I only packed water and food.

I'm screwed.

I should've brought some
kind of magic w*apon.

Wait.

Open inventory!

How'd Mr. Kim's sword
even get in there?

I remember him saying he
paid three million for it.

Way outside my budget,
that's for sure.

But since I have it,
I should use it.

Hey, the pain's fading.

Now that I'm armed,
you're not scary.

It's stuck!

Come on!

Come out!

I guess you're called
Steel-Fanged for a reason.

But I just got this sword, so...

Do you want something else?

I've gotta admit.

Compared to those behemoths,
you mutts are nothing.

Hmm?

Whoa, I'm at level 2.

Completing daily quests
never changed that.

Guess it's triggered by real combat, which
explains why my wound suddenly healed.

And the bonus for leveling up is all my
stats go up by one, which is cool, I guess.

If I get five points each time, and
daily quests only net me three,

fighting definitely seems
like the way to go.

I wonder if one point really makes a
noticeable difference in power,

because there are values for
perception and intelligence, too.

But strength's the easiest to gauge.

My body feels much lighter than before,
and that's with just 32 points.

Based on what I've learned, I'm willing to
bet that I have unlimited potential now.

My level and abilities
will just keep going up.

If that's true, then
I can get stronger.

Well, I've only k*lled five magic beasts,
so maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.

Let me see here.

Did you drop any essence stones?

Hm?

Oh, okay, I guess I get
fangs and stuff instead.

In this strange system
I'm caught up in,

its rules follow game logic,
as opposed to real-world logic.

So the beasts in this dungeon will be
different from the ones inside the gates.

Oh, I have access to a shop.

Can I buy?

Beginners are locked out.

Figures.

I'll sell, then.



And no way of telling how
much that's actually worth.

Considering I still have a pulse,
I think it's an E-rank dungeon,

so 20 is probably
not all that much, really.

Okay, what's next?

To get out of this place,
I gotta defeat the boss.

Teleporting is out since
I don't have any stones,

and I can't waste time
looking for them either.

I don't have enough
food to stay that long.

E-rank dungeon or not, I don't think
I can b*at a boss all on my own.

But maybe my chances would
be better if I leveled up.

I'm sure they would, though I
could easily die in the process.

I shouldn't be afraid.

After all, I've already d*ed once!

I'm not going down easy.

And I expect a good
fight from you, too.

Gotta say, If I k*ll you too fast, I just
know that I'm gonna feel bad.

You're qualified to be
a hunter, Mr. Sung.

Now we can pay
for Mom's treatment.

I wish I had
another chance.

Let's go.

Come at me with
all you've got.

Fight as hard as we can,
to the very end!

If it means I'll get stronger,

I'll follow these rules, no
matter how ridiculous they are!

Man, that can't be good.

The Association needs
to fix this status.

This blade...
it's pretty much spent.

At the end of the day,
every w*apon is disposable.

Even the ones with outrageous price tags
are ruined after a handful of dungeon runs.

But...

I know this sword
is why I'm still here.

That battle scored
me 34 wolf fangs,


Traveler's Cloak,

and look at that...

a safe escape via my shiny
new teleportation stone.

Should I call it and leave?

What if I never get the chance
to level up this easily again?

This dungeon might vanish
the instant I teleport out of here.

I don't know.

Maybe it's like a
limited-time event,

which makes the disappearing
thing all the more likely.

Ultimately, I'm being played
by someone or something.

On the Buddha's palm,
doing my little dance.

Do I keep going forward,
or head back?

Yes?

Joohee Lee speaking.

Oh, of course I remember, sir.

I'm sorry I turned you
down the other day.

There was a dungeon
break at that gate?

That's not too far.

If I'd accepted his offer...

We've been reaching out to
every available hunter we can, but....

there's a major shortage
of healers, Miss Lee.

I'll be right there.

Each time my level goes up, k*lling magic
beasts gets a little easier for me.

Their labels change colors, too.

I think white means
they're relatively weak.

Orange is about equal to me,

and red...
red means trouble.

The Lycans were red
when I first fought them.

Now they're all white.

That's just how much
stronger I've gotten.

And yet, I'm still hesitant to take
on whatever's waiting down there.

My perception stat got a
significant boost, so I can sense it.

There's something powerful
beneath me,

and it's giving me chills.

I doubt I can level
up any more here.

And this sword's a few
swipes away from breaking.

Is it just me, or does this thing
have more steps than it used to?

How is this place
Hapjeong Station?

It's fast!

The sword!

What color's the name?

God, please be white, please
be white, please be white!

I leveled up 14 times,
so surely you have to be...

Crap.

King of the Swamp and
Boss of the Dungeon, yeah?

Even before it broke, no way this
sword could pierce those scales.

And fistfighting's definitely out.

Between its speed and how
it throws its weight around,

getting through its
defense is gonna be tricky.

I mean, what can I do
against armor this thick?

One clean hit on me,
and I'm dead.

The little strength I
gained was huge for me.

But it's...

it's still not enough.

How much stronger
do I need to get....

before I'm finally
able to escape?

My past is a
laughingstock!

The weakest hunter
of all mankind.

Yeah, I hear that's what
they've been calling you.

Oh, I see.

They're adults, yet they act like
such childish jerks sometimes.

Work hard and prove
them all wrong.

I know you can.

Right.

I will.

Thanks, Mr. Song.

I'm weak, so I get
a crappy nickname.

I'm weak, so no
one believes in me.

I hate how worthless I am.

I want strength!

Overwhelming power brings
people to their knees.

The strong go into every
situation with an advantage,

while the weak quiver in fear
or stand around helplessly.

The weak get
looked down on.

It doesn't matter how smart,
creative, or kind they are.

The weak always lose!

I always lose.

My kindness never saved me.

No.

What I need now is true strength, and
I am not gonna give up until I get it!

Just watch me!

I swear it.

I'll get stronger if
it's the last thing I do.

I'm not done yet!

Compared to that thing,

compared to the terror
I felt that day,

this is nothing!

I put all of my ability
points into strength!

With the power I have!

With the power I have!

I know I can k*ll you
right here and now!

Even if it's just a bit,

the weakest hunter of
all mankind got stronger.

Well, at least I
bagged a nice prize.

Though I'm kinda shocked it's made
from the snake's fang instead of its bone.

It has double the att*ck
power of Mr. Kim's sword,

plus paralysis and drain effects.

What do we have here?

Seems too scary to use,
but I'll still hang on to it.

I b*at the dungeon.

It's like a ghost town.

What time is it?

Hey, you!

No civilians beyond this point!

Did you not listen to the broadcast?

What broadcast?

Look, kid, this isn't a joke.

Wait, are you a hunter?

Yes, sir.
That's correct.

I apologize for the confusion.
Allow me to escort you.

Right this way.

Oh, okay.

Sounds like something bad happened.

Of course, a dungeon break.

How many magic beasts
are still wreaking havoc, sir?

Most have been dealt with
since it's nearing the end.

Only one left now,
and it's a big one.

My enhanced perception
told me as much.

It's over there.

The boss is alive and kicking.

No pictures, please!
You should be evacuating.

How much longer
will this take?

What if this fight continues to
escalate and gets even worse?

Come on, healers!

Focus all of your energy
on supporting the t*nk!

That's what we're doing,
can't you tell?

Are none of you damage
dealers taking this seriously?

I don't think you put a
single cr*ck in this rock!

Its defense is insane, at
least against physical att*cks.

And we're short on mages,
so what can we do?

Make way!

Hunter coming through!

This crew looks thrown
together last minute.

Very out of sync.

Low ranks, too.

I see....



One of the Ds is a t*nk, which

is why this battle has dragged
on longer than it should.

As for healers, we've
got two D and a B.

Hey, you gonna help or not?

You're the highest-strength healer we have,
and we clearly need some support magic!

Don't just stand there, lady!

Right, I'm sorry!

Stay alert, and you
won't have to be.

One week later,

and she's still
shaken up about it.

Can't blame her, though.

I am, too.

No!

It's a D-rank boss,

and I just tore through a
much tougher beast's throat.

We'll be wiped
out at this rate!

Why don't we recruit
higher-rank hunters for this?

If I breach its
defenses, that's it.

They win!

Can I pierce it with one strike?

Let's see!

Look!

It's barriers down!

Now's our chance!

You guys we
actually did it!

Our att*cks barely scratched it, then
suddenly its shield was obliterated.

No one goes from doing zero to a
hundred damage, so it wasn't us.

Who or what was it?

A boss-level golem that
withstood the att*cks of over



Got done in by a piece of junk?

Excuse me, sir.

Yes?

Did you happen to see who
threw that broken sword?

Yeah, it was that
straggler hunter there.

Wait...

What incredible power!

How high is that guy ranked?

I didn't think a single
att*ck would work.

Best guess is that golem's
stamina was already low.

Jinwoo, was that you?