I Gave Up Being Stronger

Chapter 83

The categorization of stages—such as novice, beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert—varied slightly from Region to Region. The terms used to refer to each stage also differed. For instance, in the case of the Chinese Region, instead of terms like advanced or expert, they used words like Profound Realm and Enlightenment Realm.

This classification was not a System-based one but rather based on people’s convenience in each Region, resulting in slight differences. However, there was one thing that was unified.

They regarded reaching Level 60 as a significant milestone. Taking the Korean Region as an example, Level 60 marked the beginning of the intermediate stage. This was because upon achieving Level 60, Players received several perks. All Skills and abilities were slightly upgraded, and the Players’ physical attributes significantly improved. The difference between Level 59 and Level 60 was said to be like night and day.

Cha Jin-Hyeok muttered as if he were livestreaming, “I just reached Level 60 and many of my abilities got enhanced.”

Boom!

Fists collided together. Jin-Hyeok took a few steps back, and Swordmaster La’kan also flinched.

A moment of stalemate followed. Jin-Hyeok gritted his teeth and fixed his dislocated shoulders, making a cracking sound.

“My shoulder seems to be dislocated from the attack, but I can manage this much.”

Jin-Hyeok was very excited. He had parried such a devastating attack, an attack that even the Tank could not withstand head-on. If he could parry this, he could withstand even more. It would be much easier with a sword, too.

The opportunity to experience the power of reaching Level 60 was incredibly enjoyable.

Jin-Hyeok continued to speak.

“As I reached Level 60, I even gained the opportunity to combine some Achievements.”

He completely forgot that he had turned off the livestream. He continued speaking as if he were still livestreaming.

“So I combined the All-Clear Achievement from the Sareoga Mart Dungeon and the Repeating Shortcuts and Hidden King Achievement. The main Achievement was the former, and the consumed Achievement was the latter.”

Jin-Hyeok explained while comparing each line with the previous Achievement descriptions. He had already captured the descriptions of the Achievements before combining them.

[All-Clear (Sareoga Mart Dungeon)]

[An Achievement that is given to those that All-Clear Sareoga Mart Dungeon.]

“This was the previous description.”

[1) Mark of the All-Clearer (on activation, appears on: right wrist)

- The Achievement bearer will not be attacked by the monsters of Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

- The Achievement bearer receives a significant boost in all experience gained in Sareoga Mart Dungeon.]

“The Achievement effect that used to apply only within the Sareoga Mart Dungeon has changed to this.”

[1) Mark of the All-Clearer (on activation, appears on: right wrist}

- The Achievement bearer will not be attacked by monsters within a radius of 1,000 meters from the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

- This effect applies inside Dungeons that are within a radius of 1,000 meters from the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

- The Achievement bearer receives a significant boost in all experience again within a radius of 1,000 meters from the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.]

The Achievement effect was now applied not only inside the Dungeon but also within a radius of 1,000 meters from the Sareoga Mart Dungeon.

“However, what was important today is the following.”

Jin-Hyeok moved to the safe zone for the livestream, though the livestream was still off. His party members started fighting against Swordmaster La’kan as before, ensuring a stable environment for his livestream(?).

“Take a look at this. This was the original Achievement effect.”

[2) +1 to Defensive Attributes

- The Achievement bearer may boost the Attributes of one of their defensive abilities.

- The Attributes of the defensive ability that are boosted will differ depending on the ability.]

“Thanks to upgrading my Defensive Attributes, I was completely immune to all physical attacks below Level 50. And by combining the Repeating Shortcuts and Hidden King Achievement, it is now changed like this.”

[2) +1 to Defensive Attributes

- The Achievement bearer may boost the Attributes of one of their defensive abilities.

-When using defensive Skills/Traits,

┗Complete immunity to physical attacks below Level 80.

┗Partial immunity to physical attacks below Level 100.]

“I am currently using this All-Clear Achievement, and I am in a state of partial immunity to all physical attacks below Level 100. Thanks to this, I was able to withstand attacks from Swordmaster La’kan to the extent of just my shoulder getting dislocated.”

As Jin-Hyeok finished speaking, he felt a mix of various kinds of pride and suddenly snapped back to his senses.

‘What the hell am I doing right now?’

He had turned off the livestream, and he was not even recording. There were no plans to put this content on his channel either. Yet, he had acted as if he were actually livestreaming.

‘This… is a symptom of insanity…’

And he was happy about that.

‘First, I should join the fight and take down that monster.’

Jin-Hyeok actively joined the battle against the Swordmaster La’kan. With Jin-Hyeok’s participation, the party finally succeeded in hunting down La’kan on the seventh attempt.

For the next few days, they continued to challenge the Tomb of the Greatsword of La’kan and kept defeating the monster. Thanks to this, the Levels of the party members gradually increased, and Han Sae-Rin also reclaimed second place in the Ranking Board.

Sae-Rin was not so much happy as astonished. Her amazement toward Jin-Hyeok was beyond imagination. The more she observed, the stranger Jin-Hyeok seemed.

‘Is he a Streamer, a Damage Dealer, a Tanker, or a Ruler?’ Sae-Rin thought.

His true identity was utterly confusing. She should have noticed when he killed Go Doo-Hyeon’s party back then.

‘He just seems like a Streamer, but in reality, he is an All-Rounder, isn’t he?’

Moreover, even the party’s sole Healer, Cha Jin-Sol, needed Jin-Hyeok’s assistance, which was his blood, to fully display her abilities.

‘This is a unique party where top-tier Players from each class are gathered…’

And even then, Jin-Hyeok, a non-ranker, stood out in this unique party. Sae-Rin was beginning to have doubts about the Ranking System.

‘What’s the point of rankings if it’s like this?’

Under Jin-Hyeok, everyone else seemed to be on an equal footing. Furthermore, as time passed, Jin-Hyeok seemed to lose some of his rationality. While he had initially held back his strength intentionally, now it seemed like he was rampaging recklessly.

However, the more he did so, the shorter the time it took to defeat La’kan.

The initial awe gradually faded for Sae-Rin as she became accustomed to Jin-Hyeok’s power.

‘When are we going to stop killing the same monster?’

Sae-Rin wanted to go to more challenging Dungeons. Her desire for extremely difficult challenges was growing.

“I really want that Greatsword, but it’s not dropping as a reward,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“The fact that we killed the monster so many times, and it still didn't drop, could it be an item that cannot be dropped?”

“No.”

“How do you know that?”

“I can see it with my Broadcaster’s Clairvoyance.”

Actually, not everything was visible, but Jin-Hyeok didn’t say that part.

After several more attempts, they eventually gave up for the time being.

‘I need a better plan,’ Jin-Hyeok thought.

When Jin-Hyeok returned home, he summoned Angel Girl, Song Ha-Young. He had been separately recording videos since the seventh attempt and showed Angel Girl the footage.

At first, Ha-Young was irritated, feeling her time had been taken away, but she gradually got engrossed in the videos.

“Is there anything strange about the videos?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“Of course there is. Why wouldn’t it be there?”

“What is it?

“Why aren’t you stealing that Greatsword the monster is holding?”

Jin-Hyeok barely suppressed his excitement. He had never mentioned wanting that Greatsword, but Ha-Young had figured it out herself.

‘As expected, she is an expert!’

He had been frustrated by her in the past when she was his enemy, but now that she was on his side, he could not feel so dependable.

“How do you steal that?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“I only know that it’s possible to steal the Greatsword. But to be more certain, I think I need to see it firsthand.”

Ha-Young decided to join the party as well.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“You two know each other?” Jin-Hyeok said.

Angel Girl, Song Ha-Young, and Pathfinder, Han Sae-Rin, had met each other before. To be precise, it was more like they were enemies. It was something about Sae-Rin having her wallet stolen by Ha-Young.

“My wallet!”

“Did I steal your wallet?”

“Give it back, you thief!”

“What kind of bad Thief gives back what they’ve stolen? That’s tarnishing the honor of Thieves.”

They were both arguing so intensely that Jin-Hyeok had to mediate the situation.

“Hey, how can a Navigator get things stolen by a Thief?”

The Navigator’s role was to protect and guide the party through the Dungeons. It was also the Navigator’s role to anticipate and prepare for threats from Assassins and Thieves. Sae-Rin had failed at that.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Jin-Hyoek said.

His logical intervention fortunately worked well.

“He’s right. But to have the audacity to ask for the wallet back? Can a Navigator really do that?” Ha-Young said.

“...”

“I want your apology, Navigator.”

“...I’m sorry?”

“Fine. I’m a big-hearted person, so I will accept your apology.”

Both Ha-Young and Sae-Rin were convinced and they were able to strengthen their teamwork.

Anyway, the party reentered the Tomb of the Greatsword of La’kan Dungeon. On the fifth attempt after Ha-Young joined, she discovered something.

“Why didn’t I notice this before?” Ha-Young said.

“What is it?”

“The Dungeon’s name is the Tomb of the Greatsword of La’kan, right? That giant monster is not the main target, it’s the Greatsword itself!”

When the giant monster died, the Greatsword also lost its life and disappeared, but regardless, the main target should have been the Greatsword.

“I think we need to take that sword away from that monster.”

Just like what Ha-Young had said, the party made several attempts and eventually succeeded in cutting off La’kan’s wrist. Ha-Young moved swiftly to grab the Greatsword. Compared to her swift movements, she was barely able to drag the Greatsword. She stuck the Greatsword into the hole where the pillar of flames was shooting up.

“It’s only this hole that the flame keeps shooting up to the same height, right?” Ha-Young asked.

“Yes,” Sae-Rin replied.

The Thief and the Navigator were collaborating properly. It seemed Jin-Hyeok’s intervention worked well. Suddenly, the flames shot up.

A much larger flame than usual engulfed the Greatsword. Ha-Young leaped into the pillar of flames.

“It’s your time to shine, Healer!”

Ha-Young seemed quite happy as she leaped into the flames. Flames like these could not possibly quench her passion for Thievery. Jin-Sol did her best as a Healer to heal Ha-Young, and eventually, Ha-Young retrieved a sparkling orb from within the flames.

It looked like a Core of something.

“Here. I was able to retrieve this. I managed to get this far, but from now on…”

Ha-Young could not continue her words any further. Her body was suddenly cut in half horizontally. For a moment, everyone was silent.

Ha-Young tilted her head.

“What’s going on? Why am I lying down?”

She seemed as if she did not even feel the pain of her body being cut in half. After a momentary pause, the eyes of Swordmaster La’kan, having struck down Ha-Young, lost its light, and it fell to the ground.

“I guess I’m dying,” Ha-Young said while she smiled. “Still, I’m probably the only one in the world who has stolen—”

She lost consciousness. She looked as though she were dead. The orb that she had been holding turned to dust and disappeared. Jin-Hyeok approached her and murmured softly, “That could’ve been great content for my channel…”

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Jin-Hyeok called Ha-Young when he returned home. The phone rang several times, but no one answered the call.

‘So this is how it’s going to be?’

[Do you wish to activate the ‘Tight-Fillet Spell’?]

Jin-Hyeok activated the spell. In less than thirty seconds, his phone started ringing.

[Song Ha-Young]

‘I knew it would be like this. How dare she ignore my call?’

[Do you wish to activate the Tight-Fillet Spell?]

‘Activate.’

His phone kept ringing. But he decided not to answer.

[Do you wish to activate the Tight-Fillet Spell?]

‘Activate.’

‘Activate.’

‘Activate.’

‘Activate.’

Since she ignored his call for thirty seconds, he decided to annoy her for thirty minutes. His KakoTalk went crazy, buzzing incessantly.

[Please, save me.]

[I’m sorry. I was completely wrong.]

[I’m on my way now.]

[Please forgive me.]

Jin-Hyeok answered the call and said, “If you don’t come within ten minutes, I will keep using the Tight-Fillet Spell.”

Ten minutes passed.

‘Activate!’

Ha-Young was probably suffering and having seizures while coming here, but that was not Jin-Hyeok’s fault.

[I’m on my way!]

[Please!]

Another ten minutes had passed.

‘Activate!’

Despite facing some significant difficulties along the way, Ha-Young somehow managed to arrive at Jin-Hyeok’s house. She collapsed in front of the front door, panting heavily. Her appearance was not the most dignified, but that was not his concern.

“Using a clone to pretend you died was a pretty clever move. Turning the orb into dust to feign not stealing it was also a good attempt. All in all, you’ve portrayed the role of a Thief quite impressively. I am genuinely surprised,” Jin-Hyeok said.

Pretending to die using a clone was indeed a decent strategy.

After all, a good Thief should always pursue freedom. She had to keep running away from Jin-Hyeok. Settling down was not an option.

“If you hadn’t tried these tactics, I would have been disappointed in you,” Jin-Hyeok said.

And her act of dying looked genuinely real. If staged well, it might be suitable for an Eltube video.

“Your attempts were truly amazing,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“B-But, why on earth did you…”

“Well, you got caught.”

“...”

“What’s the point if you get caught? You should’ve not gotten caught.”

Ha-Young looked at him as if she realized something.

“So, trying to escape, secretly swiping the Core, none of that was wrong?”

“A Thief should always try their best to steal and run away. If you don’t steal, can you even call yourself a Thief?”

Ha-Young could not argue with his logical and sensible comment. It was hard to counter something that made so much sense.

“Alright, hand it over,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“In what scenario would a Thief give back what they’ve stolen?”

“Well, in a scenario where they’re getting robbed.”

Being a Thief did not mean they didn’t get robbed from time to time.

“Give it to me, now.”

“...This is going to tarnish my reputation as a Thief.”

“You’re getting robbed, so it’s okay.”

“A-Are you sure?”

“Yes, your reputation isn’t tarnished.”

“T-Thank you…?”

“Don’t sweat it.”

In the end, Jin-Hyeok obtained the Core from Ha-Young.

[Core of the Greatsword of La’kan]

‘But how can I make this into the form of a sword?’

No matter how much he thought about it, he could not figure out the method.

‘Ah! Could that method work?’