SSS-Class Revival Hunter - Chapter 15

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 15: Do you have skills, too? (3)

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A week had passed.

-Grrrr...

The monster staggered while making a sound like a boiling pot. The Great Goblin. The creature was practically the resident lord of the fifth-floor hunting ground, but it finally collapsed with its throat cut.

I looked down solemnly at the corpse of the Great Goblin.

"Gorr."

This monster was the toughest opponent I had faced in the past week. Ah, how many times had I died to defeat this beast? I felt like an honorable warrior bidding farewell to a rival as I stared at the Great Goblin...

-What a load of bullshit. You crazy zombie.

"Ah. Come on. It took me 6 coins to finally hunt it down. Can't I indulge in my thoughts for a moment?"

6 coins meant I had risked my life six times. This being the sixth coin meant I had died five times while trying to defeat the Great Goblin.

The Sword Emperor snorted disdainfully.

-Getting sentimental over killing a monster is the definition of insanity. I only state the facts.

"Wow, that's how you are. Our Sword Emperor really has a great personality."

As already evident from my free conversation with the Sword Emperor, I had become accustomed to using aura. Even now, under the effect of the elixir, time flowed sluggishly around me.

But I was speaking 'much faster' than usual because I was focusing aura on my tongue.

"Gorr."

Though I had won through trickery rather than a head-on fight.

I pulled out a brown-colored card and checked it.

[Goblin High Society]

Rank: F

Effect: The Great Goblin agonized over a problem. 'Our goblin culture is far too crude. All our speech ends in kerreuk or kereuk. How can this sovereign's dignity shine under such conditions?' Then the Great Goblin's genius flashed. 'Indeed! From this day forth, this sovereign shall say goreuk instead of kereuk. Goreuk! A pronunciation worthy of this sovereign's refined sensibilities.'

*However, this causes internal conflict within the tribe.

*Skill copied from the monster Great Goblin.

I clicked my tongue.

"Goblins worry about such pointless things. Keruk or Gorr, it's all the same."

-That's why they're goblins. Humans aren't much different, though.

"What?"

-Nothing, just talking to myself.

Just as I was about to ask what he meant, a voice echoed in my head.

[Your existence becomes better defined.]

A sound I had never heard before.

But I knew what it meant. Many hunters had testified in interviews, and some even showed it in personal videos.

"At last!"

Level up!

[Hunter Kim Gong-Ja is leveling up.]

"Ah..."

I was overwhelmed. I had lived my entire life as an F-rank hunter, afraid I might remain one forever. But after obtaining the copying skill and the regression skill, and overcoming so much pain... at last, my moment to level up had arrived.

[Your skill slots have expanded!]

[You are now an E-Rank hunter!]

Even though it was still just E-rank.

[May fortune be with you.]

Whoosh!

Red aura burst from beneath my feet. Flames or maybe just a stream of red fluid, it enveloped my body for a moment before flowing down and disappearing.

-...Flames, perhaps?

The Sword Emperor narrowed his eyes.

-No, blood? Tch. It's confusing. Looks like flames or blood...

"That was the level-up effect, right?"

-It's not just an effect to look cool.

The Sword Emperor scratched his head.

-It's a kind of hint.

"A hint?"

-Yeah. The type of effect shown during a level-up determines the [Shape of Aura]. Take that Yoo Soo-Ha guy you killed, for example. His aura's shape was undoubtedly [Fire].

"Flames."

I recalled the memory. The scene where Yoo Soo-Ha burned Saintess in a slum alley. An unpleasant memory I didn't want to revisit... But it was certain Yoo Soo-Ha used aura in the form of flames.

-The shape of aura usually depends on the hunter's trauma.

Trauma.

-A significant event, scene, or memory that has shaped their life. It manifests as the shape of their aura. Like an unconscious image, I guess? Not necessarily a negative trauma, but mostly.

"I see."

-From what I see, you, zombie, are either flames or blood.

I got curious as I listened.

"What about Sword Saint? What shape is his aura?"

-Moonlight.

The Sword Emperor said nonchalantly.

-Marcus got lost in the mountains as a child. He climbed to the top, not wanting to die, and as he neared the summit, the leaves blocking the night sky thinned. Finally, at the peak, he saw the vast dark sky lit up by moonlight.

Moonlight.

-At that moment, he thought: the moon does not shine by itself and merely receives the sun's light, yet even a life spent only receiving can be beautiful. Ah. I want to shine through acceptance, like moonlight.

"..."

-He was deeply impressed and carried that memory throughout his life.

I was dumbfounded.

"He was a child at that time?"

-Yeah. He was 12 years old.

"What kind of 12-year-old thinks so deeply?"

The Sword Emperor nodded.

-That's why Marcus is a born old fogey. Tsk tsk. When I was twelve, all I thought about was how to beat the gangster in front of me as efficiently as possible.

"Well, that's also... not exactly normal..."

If Sword Saint was a born old fogey, what about the Sword Emperor in front of me? A born ruffian?

-Anyway, you've gotten used to the 5th floor. Let's move up to the 6th floor hunting ground.

"Ah, about that."

I spoke up.

"Why don't we just go straight for the 10th floor boss?"

-What?

"I can replicate monster skills now. And I'm somewhat familiar with aura. I think I'm more than capable of taking down the 10th floor boss."

The Sword Emperor fell silent for a moment.

His gaze on me was piercing.

-Kim Gong-Ja. Are you getting arrogant already?

"Absolutely not."

I answered firmly.

10th floor!

Our world hadn't conquered the 10th floor for years. It was known as an impregnable fortress. To suggest clearing such a difficult area, it was natural for the Sword Emperor to be worried.

"I really believe I can do it."

But I truly believed I could conquer it.

Actually, I was certain of it.

"If I can't defeat the 10th floor boss within 2 coins, I'll call you Master."

-What? 2 coins?

The Sword Emperor suddenly looked intrigued.

-You, who took 6 coins just to defeat a goblin leader, think you can defeat the 10th floor boss within 2 coins? Really? You know, I've never gone easy in a bet.

"But! There's a condition."

-Oh?

I raised my index finger.

"Don't hide any information about the 10th floor boss's skills from me. No lying. And no cheating with the cards."

-Hmm. Well, that's reasonable...

"And!"

I smiled slyly.

"If I win, you must call me 'Sir Gong-Ja.' With utmost politeness and manners."

-......

"Why? Are you scared? Hey, if you're scared, just give up."

A twitch.

The phrase 'Are you scared?' is probably the most disliked by a ruffian. And the Sword Emperor was not just any ruffian. He was the strongest ruffian from another world who had conquered up to the 99th floor.

The Sword Emperor's facial muscles twitched.

-Ptui! You reckless brat, do you think one cheat skill gives you the right to mock the great Sword Emperor? Fine. Let us have this bet!

"Deal."

-Deal! Kim Zombie, you will fail to conquer the 10th floor boss and for the rest of your life, or rather eternity since you can't die, you'll call me Master. Ah! You'll have to live forever with the word 'Master' in your mouth.

"Do you have a [Delusion] skill? Start preparing to attend Sir Gong-Ja."

-Hehehe.

"Hehehe."

We exchanged sinister laughs, staring each other down.

Hunters hunting goblins in the distance murmured.

"Hey, that guy has been mumbling to himself."

"Now he's even laughing alone. Does he have a mental issue?"

"Shh! Don't let him look this way. Act like you don't know him."

"......"

···I should probably cut down on talking to myself.

I quietly shut my mouth and headed to the 10th floor.

Unlike the other hunting grounds, an attendant stood outside the tenth-floor boss room.

The person dispatched from the Hunter Association frowned upon hearing my story.

"You want to challenge the boss alone?"

"Yes."

It took less than 2 seconds for the guard's expression to change to 'Who is this madman?'

"Look, I don't know if you've seen the recent news... The Black Dragon Guild sent 30 elite members and 4 top-rank hunters in an assault team and still failed. Solo hunting is suicidal."

"So what?"

I stood my ground confidently.

"It's the Hunter Association's rule to allow any hunter who wishes to challenge the boss."

"That's true, but..."

The guard looked troubled.

"No offense, but I record every hunter that enters here. If my superiors check the records later... I'll be the bad guy who let a sure-to-die hunter enter. Please consider my situation too."

"Hmm."

What should I do? I calmly stroked my chin.

-What? Hunter Association? We didn't have such nuisances in our world when conquering the tower!

Of course, I was the only one being calm.

-These bastards have gone soft! I've never liked how they form bureaus and guilds and waste their time playing politics. That is why they are still floundering on the tenth floor! Hey, Kim Zombie! Just beat this bastard up and enter the boss room.

'No. Why should I hit an innocent person?'

-He's blocking my way, isn't he?

Typical of a psychopath, considering human rights as insignificant as a mosquito's.

"Guard sir."

I sighed inwardly and took out my purse.

"I can see you're always working hard. You're right, Guard sir. Going in alone is just suicidal. But... I really want to commit suicide."

"What?"

"I've been having a tough time lately..."

I put on a bitter smile.

"My lover died a year ago. Recently, Alchemy Castle diagnosed me with an incurable disease. They said I have at most half a year to live. I can't bear to live that half-year without my lover."

"Ah..."

-What?

The Sword Emperor was puzzled.

-What nonsense is this zombie spouting now?

I ignored it and continued whispering to the guardian.

"But I'm a hunter, even if just a lowly one. I don't want to end my life waiting for death in Alchemy Castle. Even if I die, I want to challenge monsters until the end."

"That's a sad story..."

The guard's expression slowly turned sympathetic. You know the kind of expression people make when they hear a stranger's tragic misfortune. That one!

"Here's the money I saved up for my treatment."

I handed the heavy purse to the guardian. It contained a hundred gold.

"It's of no use to me now... You take it, Guard sir."

"I can't accept this kind of money!"

"I want to leave this world light, without leaving anything behind. Guard sir, please don't record my entry here. It's my last request in my hunter's life..."

The guard's expression grew heavy, almost as if he was about to cry. Perhaps the weight of the purse added to that heaviness.

"...Alright. Go ahead. I didn't see anything..."

-Oh dear.

The Sword Emperor was incredulous.

-Hey, are you two shooting a movie? Is this some kind of hidden camera show?

Regardless, the guard let me pass.

After parting from the attendant, I continued onward. A stone path stretched before me. The tenth-floor boss inhabited an extraordinarily ornate mansion resembling the estate of an old aristocratic family. I walked along the stone path toward it.

'The 10th floor was originally cleared by Flame Emperor Yoo Soo-Ha.'

I stood in front of the mansion's gate.

Slowly, I pushed the doors open with both hands.

'This time it's different. I'll replace the Flame Emperor... No.'

Creak.

The hinges trembled as the doors of the mansion opened.

'I'll write a more splendid legend than the Flame Emperor.'

I took a step forward.

And it began.

-Kya-ha-ha-ha!

Laughter echoed from all directions. At the same time, the door I had opened shut behind me. Bang! The surroundings instantly darkened, and the eerie laughter intensified from the darkness.

Candles lit up one by one.

-Will you play with us?

Here and there, candles stuck to the floor lit up, untouched by anyone. Wherever a candle was lit, a doll was inevitably placed. Dolls that looked like young ladies, the kind often played with by children.

-Will you play with us?

The dolls opened their mouths.

-Freeze Tag? The Rose of Sharon Has Bloomed? Hide-and-Seek?

-The ice has melted. The flowers are torn. Let's play Hide and Seek!

-Yes! Play with us! Play Hide and Seek with us!

-Tehehehe!

I got into position.

"Alright. I'll play with you."

Aura, honed over the past week, blossomed from my body.

As if waiting for that response, a voice sounded in my mind.

[You have entered the boss stage.]

[Challenger: Hunter Kim Gong-Ja. Alone.]