WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 14: Do you have skills, too? (2)

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Regardless of the Sword Emperor's complaints, the voice continued to instruct me.

[Please select a skill card.]

This was undoubtedly reality!

Two brass-colored cards began darting through the air. Whoosh. Whoosh. They moved quickly enough to make my head spin, but something else was truly driving me out of my mind.

-For fuck's sake, what kind of cheat is this? Copying even monsters' skills is too much. Hey, who runs this tower? Why give a skill like this to a nobody instead of a hunter as sensible as me?

"Ah, please, can you just be quiet?"

-Come out! This does not count. Damn it, I'm seriously losing my temper!

The Sword Emperor flailed about in frustration, looking utterly ridiculous. It was like watching a child throw a tantrum over not getting candy. I couldn't help but think how pathetic it looked for an adult to behave this way.

"I need to focus on these cards."

I scrutinized the two bronze cards floating in the air.

"Neither will be a good skill, since they're both shit-colored, but..."

Still, I couldn't help but feel excited. To share a skill with a monster felt like a secret mischief. It was thrilling.

"I'm curious."

I slowly reached out my hand.

"Let's just pick one and see!"

Just as I was about to randomly select a card,

-Oh? You're choosing that one?

The Sword Emperor couldn't help but interject, instantly cooling my excitement. His talent for ruining the mood was unparalleled.

"Yes, it doesn't matter which one I choose."

-Why wouldn't it matter?

The Sword Emperor peeked from behind the card.

-You're going to reap the benefits anyway, so you might as well choose the better skill.

"Oh, come on. You're really slow on the uptake today."

I shouted in frustration.

"The cards are the same color! I can only see their backs! There is no way to tell them apart, so how am I supposed to know which skill is better?"

Then, the Sword Emperor tilted his head.

-I can see the front of the cards.

"What?"

-Yeah, I can see what's written on them.

The Sword Emperor nonchalantly claimed to see the other side of the cards, which baffled me.

"That makes no sense..."

Just as I was about to retort, I realized the answer midway through.

Position!

From where I stood, I could see only the backs of the cards. Even if I shifted my gaze, the cards moved with me. Just as no one on Earth could see the far side of the moon, I could never see what was written on the other side.

But that applied only to me. The Sword Emperor could move freely through this dark space.

Of course he could fly to a position with an unobstructed view of the cards' other side!

"My God..."

"Can you see from there? Can you really read the card descriptions?"

The Sword Emperor furrowed his brow.

-Of course I can. What do you take my eyes for? I've been famous for my dynamic vision since I was little. There was a kid in my neighborhood named Gaeddong who fired a cap gun at me, and my eyes were already good enough to dodge it when I was five. Eventually I even mastered the Thousand-Li Eye (千里眼). Heh, that's how great I am...

"Eureka!"

-Shit, what now? Why are you yelling?

The Sword Emperor jumped in surprise, but I paid him no mind.

"Eureka! Eureka! EUREKA!"

Ecstatic about this newfound realization, I ignored the Sword Emperor's puzzled look.

-This zombie's brain must be rotting like a true zombie. Tsk tsk...

2.

The cards the Sword Emperor described were as follows:

[Blessing of Reproduction]

Rank: E

Effect: Nature gives us a home but also challenges. The orc race has maximized its breeding to overcome nature. Killed an orc? Don't worry. Nine more are hiding somewhere!

*However, you will be in heat all year.

[Tchweek, Tchwik]

Rank: F

Effect: "We always end our sentences with 'chweek.' No idea why, chweek! Try a sip of this, chweek." The orc gives a thumbs up. "You'll never escape the joy of 'tchwik' once you start, chweek!"

※However, tchweek tchwik.

"Wow..."

Truly garbage skills. I was astounded by their ridiculousness.

-How about it? If I hadn't stopped you, you would've chosen [Tchweek, Tchwik]. As a man, you should at least have the strength of an orc. Thank me now. Go on!

The Sword Emperor's nonsense was equally absurd.

"Hmm."

I ignored him and pondered my options.

"If I must choose, [Tchweek, Tchwik] seems better."

-What? Are you crazy?

"No. I think I'm right."

I nodded confidently, my decision made.

"Regardless of how you look at it, [Tchweek, Tchwik] is far more useful than the [Blessing of Reproduction]."

-Hey, hey! Wait! Just think a little more. Consider it calmly...!

I smirked as the Sword Emperor fumbled in panic.

"It seems like you're thinking the same as me."

Before the Sword Emperor could stop me again, I quickly snatched the shit-colored card. The cards moved quickly, but that was no serious problem. It might have been different if several were flying around at once, but there were only two.

[Selection complete. Copying skill.]

[You will return to 24 hours ago.]

-No, don't do it!

"It will!"

Our shouts echoed together like a chorus.

[You are currently an F-Rank Hunter.]

[No penalty will be incurred due to the skill.]

With that, the dark world brightened.

ㆍ

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ㆍ

ㆍ

Flash. I opened my eyes.

"Hmm!"

My mind felt refreshed.

"Ah, that's good. Indeed, a comfortable sleep is the best cure for fatigue."

This place was no longer the tiny 2-pyeong room. It was an accommodation I had arranged through Sang-Ryun. Though not spacious, it was a hotel room ample enough for one person. After winning the first prize in the lottery, I decided to stay here for a while.

Meanwhile.

-Damn it! I thought I could fool you, but you're just too cunning!

"Hehe."

The Sword Emperor was floating in the air, kicking at nothingness. He seemed quite frustrated at not being able to trick me. Hmm. Just watching it was calming, almost like a beautiful landscape painting.

"Alright, let's gather the elixir again... and check the status window."

There was no reason to waste time here. I checked my status window as I headed to the hunting grounds.

+

Name: Kim Gong-Ja

Rank: F

Skills (4/4)

1. I Want to Become Just Like You (S+): Passive

2. Returner’s Winding Clock (EX): Passive

3. Sword Constellation (A+): Passive

4. Tchweek, Tchwik (F): Active

+

"Good. No problem."

The skill slots were full, but it was okay. When the time came to acquire a new skill, I could just overwrite [Tchweek, Tchwik].

I will use it to my heart's content until then.

-Gong-Ja. I've thought about it... Maybe we should just meditate peacefully in a lotus position. Why suffer and die during training? Meditation. Mental cultivation. Isn't that wonderful?

"Hoo."

I arrived at the 3rd floor hunting ground.

In the distance, an orc was wandering around.

-Grrrr... tchweek.

I noted the orcs' positions and took out the elixir. The thermos was warm. I downed its contents in one shot.

-Hey, Gong-Ja? Are you not listening to me? Let's train peacefully in meditation. I can help you master the aura within half a year. What does it matter how we train, right? Just trust me.

"Kheh! Tastes good."

This was only my second time drinking it, but I could already feel myself acquiring a taste for it. The Apothecary had clearly paid attention to flavor while preparing the elixir.

I waited for the effect of the medicine, then spoke.

"Sword Emperor, do you know something?"

-Huh? What? Are you going to meditate?

"When it's advantageous for you, you call me a zombie, but when it's not, you call me Gong-Ja. And you've been calling me Gong-Ja, not a zombie, just now."

Thump.

"I'm kindly informing you to change your habit."

As soon as I finished speaking, the world in front of me seemed to slow down.

My heart throbbed. Along with the pounding heart, I felt a faint flow again.

Aura!

The training method devised by the Sword Emperor was definitely effective. Unlike in the previous loop, I immediately gained a clear sense of the Aura.

"Hu, uuh... Hoo..."

I approached while steadying my breathing. Twitch. Sensing someone's presence, the orc's ears pricked up. The enormous green monster slowly turned around.

-Grruk?

The orc's eyes widened. From its perspective, the situation must have been bewildering. Some prey had come walking toward it on its own two feet.

-Grrrrr!

The orc, deciding to humbly accept this fortune, raised its club high.

The moment I inwardly smiled was then.

[Activating skill.]

I opened my mouth.

"Tchweek...! Tchwik...!"

Hesitation. The orc's eyes widened even more. Its club, which had been cutting through the air, stopped midway.

-Tchweek... Tchweek? Tch...week?

The orc tilted its head, puzzled over how a mere prey managed to learn the language of its kin.

Of course, the limits of the orc's IQ made it impossible for the creature to understand the situation, while my own IQ was not low enough to let such a perfect opportunity escape.

"Tchweek!"

Perfect Orcish flowed from my mouth.

A level of proficiency comparable to a native speaker!

-Krr? Tch...week?

The monster in front of me was even more bewildered. It was clearly confused and unsure of what to do. Even as I charged, the orc failed to put up any proper resistance.

Swish!

My blade smoothly slit the orc's throat. Neither too much nor too little, I sent exactly one drop of Aura into the sword point. THUD! A fountain of blood erupted as the orc's massive body collapsed.

-Tch...week...? Grr... Tchwik...

As if lamenting something unjust, it grumbled.

Perhaps, in human terms, it was a dying cry like 'Et tu, Brute?'.

"Tchweurk."

I smiled victoriously. Using the aura forcefully made my body ache, but I was in much better shape compared to the last loop. It was fine. Using just this much aura wouldn't pose a problem.

-You sneaky bastard! I knew it would be like this!

The Sword Emperor trembled with rage.

-How does it feel to deceive a good orc like that! Huh!? Have you ever thought about how the orcs feel, you filthy human? It's because of humans like you that the pure orcs of this world suffer!

I didn't retort with 'Didn't you say there's no high or low in training methods?'

Instead, I simply gave him a single mocking word.

"Tchweek!"

-Aaargh! I'm angry! I'm annoyed! Why did the tower give such a trickster a cheat-like skill!?

A week later.

I had breached up to the 5th floor hunting ground.

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