After learning about my ability, Jong Ho did not stop me from entering the level 23 dungeon.

He was instead eager to inform me about the dungeon.

It was because I could go about the dungeon with Meteor Call and Iceberg in each hand.

After using Louver’s gear set, I couldn’t feel any rise in difficulty despite going into a dungeon 5 levels higher than before.

The level 23 dungeon has a lot of monsters.

And matching that, they should leave lots of essences after death.

Absorbing all those essences, the Louver set was like an unstoppable batter-… shield I mean.

This meant I could use both hands for attack skills.

Other than the need to obtain essences from the initial first or second run, I had no need to cast shields.

And thanks to this shield, the Proof of Oath was put to good use.

Testing the effectiveness of this shield, I found out that it was several times sturdier than other shields.

Perhaps enough to easily block an attack from Jin?

During hunting, I used Louver set’s shield.

After hunting or when going to sleep, I used Mana Shield for the perfect defense.

At the level 23 dungeon, ‘Lich King’s Staff’ dropped.

It was also the weapon I used previously.

Well a fake one to pretend I was using it.

It was a weapon that raised my Mana stat, which was useless to me.

But what I was aiming for was the ‘Lich King’s Armor’.

As the name implies, it was a helm and armor piece.

Magician ranker Yoon Jong-sun was wearing one of these defensive gears as well.

It didn’t raise stamina or dexterity stats like regular armor.

However there was a reason why this gear was so popular.

Because each armor and helmet reduced physical and magical damage taken by 20%.

You could say this armor was made for combat.

The Titan Boots that resists all status debuff effects along with the damage reduction from the Lich King’s Armor, I could display quite the combat prowess.

Hunting and combat. It was a choice to capture both rabbits. 1

Of course, it’d be only possible if the hidden boss Lich King would appear frequently.

Then it wouldn’t be only a distant dream to get the Lich King’s armor.

I’ll make it possible like I’ve been doing it until now.

* * **

The worst part of the level 23 dungeon was the stench that my shields didn’t block.

Hundreds of ghouls appear in this dungeon.

Say the word ghoul and the first thing people would imagine would be the undead or zombies.

Not dead or alive.

These ghouls were exactly that.

Skin that peeled off just by moving about.

Bodies beyond healing or saving, rotting away.

Nothing different from living corpses.

Ghouls with different attributes appear here.

The amount of variance of the monsters makes the strategies to take them down that much more complex.

They could be put into three main categories however.

Those who charge quickly, attack viciously with their nails and teeth.

Those that cast curses and magic.

And finally those who use ranged weapons or spit acid from afar.

However their attacks could never put me in any real danger.

That was because their attacks were based on poisoning.

Poisoning falls under the category of status debuff effects.

Since I was wearing Titan Boots, their main attacks didn’t work on me in the first place.

The only things left they could hit me with were physical and magic attacks.

However, someone like me who had infinite shields wouldn’t be hit in the first place.

All of them had metal legcuffs.

Almost like being punished in hell.

Think about it. Like a frozen field, slippery and cold, and the sound the metals clinging against the floor as they charge.

To get them all, I had pulled 300 at once.

Running to the end of the dungeon to pull them all, I saw them approach me. It was like a scene from a zombie movie.

“KWAGH!”

“Ugh. Disgusting.”

‘Ghouls with such killing intent. But they’re only fodder for my profit.’

A level 50 Meteor fell upon them.

As the skill level rose, the increase in size and speed could be easily seen.

However I couldn’t take them all out at once like that.

They’re level 23 dungeon monsters. Wouldn’t be defeated so easily now, would they?

The Meteor struck, blowing the mobs to pieces. However, as if still alive, the pieces began to charge.

Most died from the secondary fire damage over time.

The ones on the radius’ outskirts survived and began attacking again.

However.

Half out of the horde of ghouls pouring on me were sliced apart due to the Reflect Shield.

The Reflect Shield was already over level 150, with a 40% chance to deflect 65% of the damage taken.

It was time to prove that Ghouls do far more damage compared to how sturdy they are.

Hit by the 65% reflect damage, they disappeared like red smoke.

I welcomed the narration of my experience rising.

The red glow from the Blood Stone made me happy as I could be.

The speed which I’m clearing with is incredible too.

The experience per kill was far below the griffon 2 and the poison nagas…

But I was clearing out plenty of them as if buying hotcakes at a sale.

* * *

“Hey. Min-Cheol. The picture you showed me. I found out where I saw it before.”

“The machines installed atop the portals?”

“Yeah. Look at this.”

Jong Ho opened a thick heavy folder.

The paperwork within was yellowed with age, as it was at least 20 years old.

My hopes rose at his confidence attitude.

“This. This is it!”

When I saw the same machines form the Noblesse’s guild building, I pointed with excitement.

Just like what I saw, the picture had hundreds of Awakened connected to it, transferring mana.

Reading the information below it, apparently it was an experiment to try finding out how to stop portals from exploding.

The purpose was to pour out condensed mana to nullify the portal.

“It’s similar….”

“This about it. The post-it was made accidentally from attempts of making the super glue. Is it possible that they’re using this machinery to speed up or cause the portals to explode?”

Jong Ho had a point.

Jin and his group wouldn’t work on research to get rid of the portals. They weren’t the type to do that sort of work.

It also makes sense why they want my ability of having endless mana.

Using my endless mana to hasten or cause the portals to explode.

The target would be to a portal above level 28, similar to the ones found within a volcano.

“Oho?”

“And apparently according to the news at that time, the research caused the portals to explode, which led to mass casualties. After that, all the nations forbade anyone from messing with the portals.”

“I’m sure of it. Mana sent to the portals hastens the explosion.”

“That’s right. They must be aiming for that.”

“The government or the association should have learned about this from the underground floor of the Noblesse’s guild building, and there should have been similar cases before. But why is this news not public? Even if you keep it under wraps to prevent mass panic, it wouldn’t make sense that it wasn’t exposed for all these years.”

“Do you think that fruits come from a tree that is rotted to its roots? Even if it bore fruit, it would probably be eaten from the inside out by bugs. You cannot trust the association or the government at the moment.”

“…..”

“Was there a point to telling you that this era is for the criminals?”

For a moment, I had thought to go to the association or the government with information regarding Jin and their group.

But due to the interference in signal, I was not able to record any proof. If I acted rashly, their guns would be pointed at me.

It’s going to be a personal fight.

I can’t help it but it’s going to be filled with bitterness, loneliness, and difficulties.

“Thanks hyung.”

“I can understand maybe 10% of your mother’s interest in studying. Found a lot of good stuff as I looked.”

“Please let me know if you get ahold of any good info like this. Sorry I always rely on you.”

“Do you see it? I have goose bumps. I say this every time but please let’s refrain from talking like that.

“Ku. I get it.”

* * **

In the sector of Mapo-gu was the headquarters of the Korean Awakened association.

It was a meeting dealing with special cases.

A location where they interrogated 20 members. Some had unlawful entries to the dungeon, while others had unnatural growth.

There were those that would help you get into dungeons for the right price by using their credentials.

To get their licenses revoked, they must’ve have done plenty of a crimes.

Most had caused physical harm or damaged property using the strength they gained from being an Akawened.

In the center sat a 40 years old man.

He was the vice president and special director of the Awakened, Kim Ho Jin.

He was yelling as he slammed the desk.

“How can this be?”

“You’re right.”

“How does someone who became Awakened in August go into a level 23 dungeon by himself?”

“No matter how rich you are, it’s difficult… What should we do?”

“What do you think. Report it immediately and take countermeasures. What. He even took the bonus for taking care of the succubi portal explosion in September? He’s definitely someone we have to confirm!”

“We’ll take care of it immediately.”

The association’s topic was Min-Cheol.

To enter the dungeons, and Awakened had to verify themselves using their license by the machinery at the entrance of the dungeon.

Both entering and exiting. All the data was recorded and sent to the association.

During both the succubi portal explosion and the attempt to receive the reward for it, the association had been suspicious of Min-Cheol.

A level 18 dungeon was understandable, but a level 23 dungeon…

A dungeon difficulty that is way beyond someone who has been an Awakened for only 100 days.

Thinking of it as a simple error, the machines were checked repeatedly for those dungeons.

The association came to the conclusion that someone was clearing the dungeon under the guise of Min-Cheol via using his license.

“Start surveillance on the owner of the license!”