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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Observer, Storm Awakening!
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[Hunter Ju Gonghyeok]
Age: 21
Title: 'Horn Breaker'
Used Avatar: Observer (E)
Strength: 14 [F] → [F] 16 (+2)
Endurance: 21 [F] → [F] 23 (+2)
Agility: 17 [F] → [F] 18 (+1)
Technique: 38 [F] → [D] 298 (+260 Balance limit reached)
Mind: 12 [F] → [E] 149 (+138 -50)
Will: 34 [F] → [D] 300 (+266 Balance limit reached)
Mana: 16 [F]
[Stats have increased by a total of 678 points. 'Technique' and 'Will' have reached the stat balance limit.]
Skills: Battlefield Analysis (D-), Terrain Grasp (E)
Advantages
-Living Hunting Manual (SS)
-Indomitable Incarnation (SS)
-Master of All Martial Arts (S++)
Disadvantages
-Soul Worn to the Bottom (-A)
In his regression, mental or experiential aspects like technique, mind, and will had carried over.
The reason Gonghyeok could time the Minotaur's fingers and ankles was thanks to his insane technique stat.
But mind is influenced by the body. With such a gap in ability scores, they had hit the limit.
Gonghyeok checked the traits that carried over from his regression.
[Living Hunting Manual (SS)] granted various advantages against all monsters, from stats to evasion rates.
[Indomitable Incarnation (SS)] allowed combat to continue in any situation and provided resistance to mental magic.
[Master of All Martial Arts (S++)] enabled master-level handling of all weapons and granted combat advantages against opponents lacking A-rank or higher martial arts advantages.
As Gonghyeok skimmed through the advantages, his eyes caught a disadvantage with a higher rank than in his previous regression.
[Soul Worn to the Bottom (A)]
[He is now exhausted. No one knows what sustains him, but steeped in distrust and skepticism toward the world, he is prone to impulsive actions like easily discarding his life.
Mind stat permanently reduced by -50.]
Gonghyeok gave a wry smile as he looked at the disadvantage signaling he was slowly reaching his limit.
'It'll be tough from here on.'
He had made it this far fueled by madness and the wills of many others. But even those people had died multiple times by now. He could feel the limits of being human closing in.
This regression would be his last. With that thought, Gonghyeok opened his true purpose—the Avatar.
[Avatar 'Observer (E)'] Lv.06
Stat Increase - Technique, Mind stats +2
1st Ability Unlocked 'Analysis'
2nd Ability Sealed ???
3rd Ability Sealed ???
Final Ability Sealed ???
Skills Granted to User: Weak Point Grasp, Battlefield Analysis
Anti-Person Aptitude F
Anti-Army Aptitude F
Anti-Boss Aptitude F
===
Pathetic stats. It's only E-rank thanks to its solid scouting and surveillance skills. Compared to the basic +200 stats on the princess carry (SS), it's apocalyptic F-grade.
Gonghyeok gave a wry smile at the Observer's status, but it didn't matter.
He wouldn't trade it for an S++ Chronos or SS Indra.
The Observer's true value shines when its final ability 'True Sight' unlocks and it awakens into the next stage, the 'GM' Avatar.
The ??? marks on the Observer's sealed abilities.
An Avatar's seals represent its 'potential.'
Hunters push through death lines countless times with their Avatars, pouring in coins to gradually awaken that potential.
The more they surpass crises, max out their abilities, and gain self-insight, the more seals unlock.
Countless Hunters, including Gonghyeok, had climbed dozens of floors in Babel, unlocking abilities one by one.
But.
Leaping through death lines, pouring in coins—
Those were just processes to find 'answers.'
Did Gonghyeok, who already knew the 'answers,' need to go through the same process?
No.
Gonghyeok dumped all 82 purple coins he had brought.
If used for stat boosts, it could raise them by 8. In money terms, about 32 million won.
If Yeonsi knew, she'd turn pale and say, 'Oppa, what about my share? The orphanage operating costs…?'
'Forced Awakening'
A secret he learned in his 5th regression.
[★Observer's level has reached 9☆]
The Observer's body sparkled like a neon sign, thrilled.
Gonghyeok placed his hand gently on the semi-corporeal Observer's body and spoke.
"Observer, initiating synchronization. Read my information."
[Observer is synchronizing with user 'Ju Gonghyeok's' information.]
A ripple formed on the Observer's body, connecting to Ju Gonghyeok's consciousness.
Then, he gripped and twisted the Observer's heart like he was clutching it.
'No time to explain step by step. Read my information. This is your future self.'
Ju Gonghyeok's massive 200 years of combat experience and the Observer's future form were injected.
The Observer's body trembled violently from the overwhelming data volume. Numbers and noise cluttered the screen.
[Processing information from synchronization. Observer's information is being newly updated.]
[The form of the origin is expanding. Possibilities and potential confirmed.]
Watching the successful synchronization, Gonghyeok began unlocking the sealed abilities one by one.
'Assign value to everything and predict.'
[Observer 2nd Ability Unlocked
The iron-plate mask clanked noisily as a monocle scout appeared over one eye.
'Prediction,' combined with Ju Gonghyeok's experience, allowed prediction of enemy attacks. If Gonghyeok wished, he could grasp which muscle would move, when the blade would be drawn, and when the attack would land.
The Observer's awakening didn't stop.
'Mark enemies on the map. Detect hidden foes.'
[Observer 3rd Ability Unlocked [Enemy Detection]]
'Enemy Detection' marked enemies and allies on the Observer's default 3D map.
Combined with Ju Gonghyeok's prediction, it could 100% detect hidden enemies through unnatural air movements or rustling foliage.
In other words, with 'Enemy Detection,' no ambushes could ever catch Gonghyeok off guard. He would always hold the hunter's position.
Whirrr whirrr whirrr! Beeeeeeep!
The Observer turned bright red from overload. Steam billowed from its body like an electric rice cooker.
[Awakening limit reached.]
[Final Ability unlock requires at least 5 indigo coins.]
[Unique SSS-grade Skill 'Forced Awakening' added!]
'Even with my abilities, 80 purple coins can only go this far.'
Coins came in 7 rainbow colors, with purple being the lowest.
In order of value: purple < indigo < blue < green < yellow < orange < red, with rare white or black coins requiring exceptional achievements.
In practice, coins obtainable from hunting ranged from lowest purple to red, and tutorial purple coins alone could never unlock the final ability.
[Excessive information updated and applied over 5 hours. Rest required.]
The Observer slumped, flickering like a broken fluorescent light.
Stats jumping by hundreds in a day, gaining unique skills left and right—it must have been an exhausting day.
Outside, it was already pitch-black midnight.
He'd returned to the orphanage at dusk, and hours had passed awakening the Observer.
Gonghyeok cracked his neck, stretched briefly, and left the director's office.
Around 10 PM? The orphanage was dead silent. It had only been a few months since monsters threatened humanity's survival.
TV and radio were under state control, computers nonexistent, electricity unreliable.
Humanity's sleep patterns had reverted to the Joseon era, bedding down at 7 PM.
Heading to the kitchen, he spotted Ha Yeonsi at the table.
She was pitifully asleep, using a ledger crammed with memos as a pillow. Gonghyeok quietly draped a blanket from the corner over her.
Gazing at Yeonsi for a moment, Gonghyeok went to the sink and unlocked a padlock.
It secured dangerous tools away from the orphanage kids.
Thirteenth regression or not, his schedule was packed. He needed to rack up achievements starting now to gain an edge even when climbing Babel.
'Time to kill some people.'
Pondering what achievements he'd gain from killing people,
Gonghyeok drew a kitchen knife.
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