Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 161: A Miracle Occurs (5)

“Alright, let’s start filming from there.”

“Yes, unni!”

The Horus raid party's base camp was quite lively despite it still being daybreak. The Mulan crew members were busy filming the Porters as they worked, while also conducting interviews with the Egyptian Hunters. They had already hired three Arabic translators for Level Up TV, considering that most of Han-Yeol's hunts were now with the Egyptians.

Naturally, Han-Yeol had to endure Yoo-Bi's nagging once again, as all three of the translators were women.

‘I mean… It just turned out that the best candidates were all women…’?Han-Yeol felt wronged.

He gazed at the tranquil day of the Horus raid party when a sudden recollection of the string of messages he had glimpsed before losing consciousness struck him. Fatigue from the battle had overwhelmed him at the time, discouraging him from investigating further. However, with his mind now clearer, curiosity piqued within him, compelling him to delve into the contents of those messages.

‘I remember hearing a bunch of notifications. I wonder what it says…’?He remembered the piercing sound of the alarm ringing multiple times, accompanied by a flood of messages that filled his vision at that moment.

Badump! Badump! Badump! Badump!?

‘Status Window!’?With excitement coursing through his veins, Han-Yeol swiftly accessed his status window, his heart pounding in anticipation.

Name: Lee Han-Yeol

Level: 267

Points: 500

STR: 323

VIT: 300

AGI: 305

MAG: 310+219

LCK: 20

Invoke: 300

Charisma: 55

Skills : Dismember (B), [Sword Mastery (M) : Flash Strike (M), Head Cutter (B), Vicious Stabs (D)], [Walking (M) : Mana Pouch (C)] Mana Control (M), Mana Mastery (M), Sixth Sense (M), [Restrain (M) : Crowd Restrain (E)], [Body Strengthening (M) : Berserk (E)], Stab (M), Dagger Mastery (B), [Chain Mastery (M) : Tornado Smash (D)], Infinite Library (M), Shield Bash (M), [Fire Attribute (M) : Fire Ball (D)], Mana Explosion (B), Chain Smite (M), [Marksmanship (M) : Homing Bullet (D)], Martial Arts (M), Enchant (A), [Sword Breathe (M) : Explosion (B)], Restore (A), Healing Bullet (B), Enhance Healing (B), Summon Demon (C), Telepathy (M), Power Meditation (B), Psychokinesis (B), Force Shield (A), Cat Walk (A), Mana Absorption (A), Demon Eye (A), Mana Strengthening (B), Mana Bullet (B), Reflect (A), [Enhance (M) : Enhancement Aura (E)], Item Appraisal (C), Translation (F), Blood Drain (B), Taming (D), Hammer Mastery (E), Hammer Shock (E).

‘W-What the hell is this?! I gained one hundred levels?!’?Han-Yeol was absolutely stunned after seeing his status window.

Adding to his exhilaration, he discovered that the majority of his skills had increased by one or two ranks.

‘A-Awesome…!’?he exclaimed inwardly.

He had been fighting against formidable monsters in recent days and sensed that his stats were rather inadequate, but that ceased to be a concern after he acquired a hundred levels at once. He prioritized enhancing his STR, AGI, and VIT through training instead of allocating the bonus stat points directly. However, he soon grasped that training had its limitations once he surpassed a certain level.

Consequently, the surplus stat points obtained through leveling up provided him with myriad possibilities to enhance his strength. Additionally, upon inspecting his status window, he observed that it was in a complete disarray.

‘At least, I’m like a hybrid game character but in a good way…’?he thought.

Han-Yeol possessed the ability to engage in combat at melee, mid-range, and long-range distances, all thanks to his extensive skill set. His versatility as a fighter stemmed from his open-mindedness in acquiring various skills during the initial stages of his training. This allowed him to develop into a well-rounded combatant.

‘It’s good that I have a lot of skills, but… I have quite a few that I don’t need… It would be great if I could erase skills I don’t need or have a way to tidy up my skill list…’?he thought while going through his numerous skills.

Han-Yeol possessed many skills, which meant that he was bound to have a few he did not need. Initially, he thought there was no harm in having more skills, but over time, the number of his skills increased, including some that he had stopped using a long time ago.

‘I understand that it's similar to a game system, but there are significant differences compared to a regular game. Nowadays, many games offer players the option to buy items using cash in order to reset or erase specific skills. However, since I haven't invested any points in those skills, it would be a major mistake if they were to be reset.’?

The saying that human greed knew no limits was the perfect quote to describe him. Nevertheless, Han-Yeol remained unperturbed by his own greed, as he considered it to be quite normal.

‘A human being is bound to adapt to their situation and needs. Anyone will feel discontent once they settle in their situation.’?

It could be said that this was both good and bad, as it meant that he was thirsty to become stronger. However, not being content was bound to cause him stress whenever he failed to solve a problem. That was the reason he came up with the mindset to ignore the things he cannot fix and focus all of his energy on things that he can fix.

‘I should distribute my stats now. Hmm… Which one should I focus on…?’?Han-Yeol merrily thought.

This was one of the moments that he looked forward to the most.

‘I should invest one hundred points into Invoke.’

He had approximately one hundred Invokes' leeway to summon another intermediate demon, but he never knew when he would need another or a stronger demon. Therefore, he decided to increase his buffer to two hundred Invokes.

Shwaaaa…!

A change occurred in the mana that surrounded his body after he invested one hundred points into Invoke. The stat Invoke was technically the power of demons and held a darker attribute compared to mana. It was understandable why a change in Han-Yeol’s mana would occur after he invested one hundred points into this stat.

‘I have four hundred bonus stat points left… I should divide it equally among STR, VIT, and AGI,’?he quickly allocated the stats and felt a surge of mana in his body.

“Fwaah…”?

He felt exceptionally well. A distinct sensation of ecstasy engulfed his body upon investing all three hundred points at once.

With one hundred bonus stat points left, he wondered, ‘Should I put this in MAG or in Charisma?’

It was quite the dilemma for him, as he could simply increase his MAG by absorbing mana from mana stones, but then he would be 'using' a lot of mana stones in the process. He was already using up a lot of the mana stones he hunted, thanks to Enhance, and a situation where he would use more mana stones than what he gained from hunts could occur in the future.

‘Ugh… I guess there’s no choice… I’m going all-in on Charisma!’?

However, he decided to invest his stat points into Charisma instead.

‘It's unfortunate that I'll be using the mana stones, but I can hunt for them or purchase them with money. On the other hand, it's impossible for me to buy stat points...’?

Selling mana stones to another person was officially illegal, but that didn't mean it was impossible. There were numerous loopholes one could exploit, or they could buy them from smugglers coming from other countries.

‘Hmm… I should probably depend on smugglers for the time being…’?

There were several countries that did not change their government policies even after the dimensional gates appeared. For instance, the few remaining communist states only altered their economic stance to capitalism while maintaining their commitment to communism for social issues.

These countries typically had a sufficient number of Hunters to gather mana stones, but they were obligated to sell the mana stones to their government at a low price. In return, their government utilized the stockpile of mana stones to export various products to other countries or present them as diplomatic gifts to enhance their country's reputation.

It was not an inherently negative narrative, but it created an opportunity for individuals to purchase mana stones from the Hunters, albeit illegally, as long as they paid more than what their government offered.

There were a significant number of Hunters from these countries who preferred to sell the mana stones at a higher price rather than selling them to the government, as humans naturally prioritize their own well-being above all else.

‘I should ask Albert to find me a dealer.’?He recalled hearing from somewhere that the majority of these smugglers preferred to conduct their transactions in US dollars rather than their own local currency. The likely reason behind this preference was that they used the proceeds to acquire superior equipment from first-world countries.

Flap! Flap!

“Kyu!”?Mavros flew up to Han-Yeol after he finished allocating his bonus stat points.

“Hey, Mavros.”

“Kyu!”

“How are you feeling?”

“Kyu! Kyu!”

Flap! Flap! Flap! Flap!?

Mavros flapped his wings to show that he was fine, and Han-Yeol could not help but find his pet dragon to be extremely adorable.

***

Two months passed quite quickly.

It was revealed that the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva was a treasure in itself after the research team from Egypt conducted their research on its remains. One of the biggest treasures in the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva's body was the precious metal it was made of, and this precious metal was something that the metals found on Earth could not compare to.

The Egyptian team of researchers coined the name "mana metal" for this newly discovered precious metal.

The mana metal possessed much greater durability compared to normal metals, and it had the ability to generate mana by itself without receiving it from an external source.

The research team was in a festive mood after their discovery. On the other hand, the Korean Hunters' Association was about to die from envy.

Still, the association did its best in the two months to better support their raid parties, and this allowed the Master Rank Hunters to hunt down all six remaining boss monsters.

The Korean Government was elated after obtaining all six boss monster corpses, and they confidently proclaimed on the news that the looming financial disaster was going to be averted thanks to these treasures.

The news was widely received by the general public, but that did not change the public's opinion as they knew that there were no benefits for them no matter how many boss monsters the Hunters brought down.

Why?

Simple, everything the Hunters hunted was monopolized by the Hunters, the association, and the conglomerates.

“Tsk tsk…?This is why Korea isn't developing. The people have realized that they have been lied to for far too long, and they have started writing negative comments on such good news,” Han-Yeol clicked his tongue and grumbled while reading the news on his tablet PC.

He had just gotten out of the shower and was now in his bathrobe.

Han-Yeol had become one of the wealthiest people in South Korea, with a net worth of over four trillion won, and it was quickly approaching five trillion won.

‘Tsk… This is why I don’t feel like reading the news these days…’?he grumbled inwardly once again.

As mentioned before, Han-Yeol had stopped reading the news due to being occupied with various interesting activities. However, the main reason behind his decision was that reading negative news and comments spoiled his mood and caused unnecessary stress. He believed it was unnecessary to subject himself to such negativity.

Nevertheless, he still occasionally read the news to stay informed about current events, but he couldn't help feeling frustrated when he encountered distressing news articles. Despite his newfound wealth and status as one of the elite in the country, he had spent nearly thirty years living in poverty as a nobody. His financial success over the past year hadn't changed his mindset from that of a commoner to that of a "noble."

Seuk…

Han-Yeol swiped his finger across the tablet screen, turning to the next page. This time, he found himself in the entertainment section, and the headline immediately caught his attention.

[Yun-nim has once again donated one million blocks of charcoal for the needy.]

‘Wow, this guy is really generous,’?he thought.

As winter approached, South Korea was experiencing a drop in temperature, and the cold was becoming more pronounced. However, a concerning issue arose as the news article explained that many people were struggling with financial difficulties and unable to keep warm.

The article highlighted that those who couldn't afford or lacked access to gas lines resorted to using blocks of charcoal as a means to heat themselves during the harsh winter.

‘Hmm… Should I donate charcoal too…?’?he wondered.

Ever since he was young, Han-Yeol had developed a habit of giving. Although the amounts he donated might not have been substantial, he made it a point to consistently contribute thirty thousand won to non-profit organizations whenever he had the opportunity. However, his charitable giving came to a halt after his father fell ill and required hospitalization.

‘Well, I guess thirty thousand won can’t be considered a significant donation now…’?he thought before he reached for his phone on his glass coffee table and called his lawyer.

Ring… Ring… Ring… Ring…?

[Aigoo~ Han-Yeol Hunter-nim! How have you been?]

“Hello, lawyer-nim. Is it a good time for you to talk?”

[Haha! Yes, I am free right now. The law firm is running smoothly, thanks to the lawyers we hired with your investment. My only job is to be on standby for anything you would require, Han-Yeol Hunter-nim! Hahaha!]

L Law Firm was on a roll these days, and it was the fastest-growing law firm in the legal industry. The firm used Han-Yeol's initial investment of one billion won to grow its operations, and his additional investment of one hundred billion won gave it the money to recruit the best talents available.

It went without saying that its revenue was quite high as it was a law firm specializing in dealing with Hunter-related matters, and the fact that it was legally representing and advising the Horus raid party in Korea catapulted it to the top of the industry.

“I’m thinking of making some charitable donations.”

[Oh! That is indeed a noble act. The future of our country is bright since such an outstanding Hunter like you has a heart for ordinary people! Hahaha!]

Han-Yeol thought that Lawyer Han always had an intense personality.

[So, how much are you planning to donate?]

“Hmm…” Han-Yeol pondered for a while.

He never thought about how much he was going to donate, but there was that method he had read from books when he was young, and he dreamt of doing it himself one day.

No, it was not by doing physical volunteer work as he could not be bothered to do that. In fact, the only time he ever worked as a volunteer was during his school days when he needed to gather community service points to pass.

He was the type who preferred to donate money instead, and this worked quite well for him even in his younger days. He felt extremely good about himself whenever people praised him for being generous when he told them that he consistently donated thirty thousand won without having to do any laborious work.

Some people might call him out for being a hypocrite, but they would not be able to accuse him of being a bad person at least, since giving something was always better than giving nothing.