I lost track of the instant teleportation stone!
And I don't have time to look for it!
The only way I can survive is by beating them all!
Stamina's at its limit!
I can't use Stealth or Murderous Intent!
But that doesn't mean...
that I'm giving up!
I am going...
to survive!
I was always at the bottom. I know what it's like better than anyone.
But I could never give up on striving for more!
His nickname is "The Weakest Hunter of All Mankind."
Weakest? Not strongest?
Nope.
Like, a trip through an E-Rank gate landed him in the hospital.
He might be the weakest hunter there is.
Sung, that's enough. You don't need to keep forcing yourself.
He's right, Jinwoo. You'd be better off if you stopped.
You're getting what you deserve.
Why insist on something so dangerous?
You were an E-Rank, but look how far you've come.
That should be more than enough. Shouldn't it...
Jinwoo?
The third Jeju Island raid...
My body was no longer fit for combat by then, so I wasn't there.
How about you?
I was. I was on perimeter security, acting as a point of contact, sir.
So many lost their lives.
And those who survived still bear the mental scars...
The kind of scars that all hunters have.
And they must overcome that pain,
or destruction will be all that awaits.
I gotta ask, is this really me? I can hardly recognize myself.
Taller, and in much better shape.
Looking pretty strong!
But the differences are only skin deep. On the inside, I'm still weak.
And it looks like I'm about to die again.
Sung Jinwoo, E-Rank hunter. That's all you'll ever be.
A dreamer who never learned his place in the world.
Shut up.
Still not good enough.
This is what you get for patting yourself on the back about how "ready" you are.
You're gonna get yourself killed.
Is it all the same...
as back then...?
What happened after that...?
The quest is ending?
I guess luck is a factor in skill after all.
It seems they don't want you to die just yet.
Until next time, then.
This is... the penalty zone?
Oh, yeah... I never did the daily quest for today.
Well, either way...
Nice timing. That "penalty" saved my life.
"Good luck," huh?
Because the quest was just that hard?
Or because the system wants me to survive enough that it's cheering me on?
Well, whatever.
Store.
I've never seen my exhaustion exceed 90 before.
So if you're seriously injured, potions can't restore your HP anymore?
I can either wait to heal naturally or try and get restored by leveling up...
Looks like I was worried for nothing.
"Until next time"?
Right. If I manage to survive, I'll see him again.
And as long as it doesn't kill me, any pain I go through
is only going to make me stronger!
That was a weird dream.
And Jinwoo still isn't home yet?
He can't be working this late, can he?
Could he have gotten a girlfriend...?
Nah, no way.
And I told him there's a guardian-teacher meeting today...
Will he be able to make it?
Being able to recover by leveling up really is convenient.
I've got over ten minutes left. I should sort out my gear in that time.
Buy.
"Knight Killer." Deals 25% more damage to armor-type beasts.
A little pricey, but that's not half bad.
Okay, that just leaves this:
the rune stone I got in my fight with Igris.
I'm sure the skill will come in handy.
Ruler's Hand...
A skill that doesn't require mana? Should be easy to manage, then.
The ability to affect objects without directly touching them, huh...
Is that what he did?
I guess I can't move anything large yet.
That's all the preparations I can manage for now.
The rest will come down to luck.
It's only been a few hours, but you guys sure have grown in number.
We'll be arriving in the airspace over Jeju Island's security perimeter shortly.
Understood.
I'm sorry. I know this must be painful for you.
No. It's not a problem.
I wasn't a hunter during the third raid,
but I understand how you must feel, Guildmaster.
It's a relief to hear that.
Guildmaster Choi!
I'm detecting multiple sources of mana from the water!
Bringing up the feed!
What the...?
The Knight Killer is coming in handy!
This is way better than fighting bare-handed!
But...
What's this weird sensation?
I keep killing them, but it doesn't feel like it.
Plus, there's no sign of me leveling up.
And what are their mages doing?
They've been casting spells, but no attacks are incoming.
Only the knights have been attacking.
So what have they been doing?
Gates! It's summoning magic!
The knights are just weapons that they've been summoning!
I can beat them, but it won't give me any experience!
Which means I should target...
you mages!
I was right. I need to go after the mages.
Now that I know that...
Five more to go!
Four more!
How long are you gonna hide back there?!
Three left!
A golem?!
I bet they think a single, stronger enemy will fare better than the knights...
but having fewer targets just makes it easier to go after you guys!
The casters are already gone!
So why don't you...
shut the hell down?!
It's over, right? Now what happens?
I can switch to a more advanced class with the points I've earned...
I'm getting a class based on my performance during the quest?
So I don't get to choose?
Huh? What's that mean?
The shadow... army?
Hang on, what the hell is this?!
This is my new job class...?
Necromancer?!
Hang on a second! I haven't put anything into my intellect stat!
So how did I...?
Necromancers are usually a magic-type class that summons undead monsters as servants.
But I'm an assassin build,
with a close-range combat style.
My main stat is strength, and my skills fit that style, too!
If I get a back-line class like necromancer, all that will be wasted!
Yes or no? I can reject it?
Changing my class to necromancer... The benefits are too unclear.
No.
A hidden class?!
Does this mean it has some kind of special power?
A necromancer... If I had some kind of example to judge by...
Summoning magic!
That's right. Those mages were using summoning magic.
In terms of commanding others, that's a similar power to that of a necromancer.
Not only that, but my previous fights here
all felt like I was revisiting my past battles...
It was called a job-change quest, but was this all prearranged?
Is the system doing this?
Still, it's interesting.
These guys weren't very strong on their own.
But I am.
There's no rule that says necromancers can't fight on the front lines.
If classes work like stats do, then as I level up, my skills will, too.
It makes sense that this shadow army thing would become stronger as a result.
In other words,
I won't be solo leveling anymore!
All right, then. Yes.
Here you are.
Thank you.
It's already dawn.
Hunter Choi and his people should have arrived at the island by now.
Right.
Sorry to keep you so late.
It's fine.
Since you're here, would you mind humoring me for a bit?
"Shadow monarch"? I've already got another class?!
Did I really earn that many points?
Unique class skills and 10 ability points... Along with a new title...
If my rewards are ready, is the quest finally over?
Have I completed the job change?
I can hear something like a moaning... It sounds like people in pain.
Shadow Extraction...
I have to designate a command word...
Arise.
This is awesome!
The unique skills are Shadow Extraction and Shadow Storage.
A skill that lets you drain mana to create shadow soldiers,
and one that lets you hold onto those shadows and summon them whenever you want...
These must be those shadow soldiers.
I'll have to be careful, since the extraction can fail
depending on the strength of the target and the time since death.
And I've got the mages, as well as the knights.
They come in different ranks, too.
If it's possible to extract A or S-Rank shadows,
and their strength reflects how strong they were in life...
Good!
There seems to be an upper limit to extractions and storage.
I'll release 11 of the infantry.
Sorry to wake you for nothing.
Now, then...
Knight Commander Igris the Bloodred.
If I can bring him under my control...
Arise.
What?!
This must've been what it was warning about before.
Two more tries...
Arise!
Damn it!
It goes without saying, but unless we hunters undergo a reawakening,
our powers will neither grow stronger or weaker.
Which is why we train our combat techniques and gather allies.
Are you waiting for your king's return?
When you have no idea when that might be?
Knight Commander Igris...
You're a warrior.
Cutting down foes with that sword should be your purpose in life.
Do you really intend to let it rust in this dank and decrepit place?
If you need someone to whom you can dedicate your sword, serve me.
Instead of defending the throne of one long gone,
defend the man who stands before you.
Arise.
Which is why... there's something I like to envision occasionally.
About how there are new awakenings every day.
It should be obvious.
Igris.
That's your name.
Someone who defies all our expectations,
strong enough to become a new guiding light,
could be born this very moment.
You're with me now.
Guildmaster Choi...
What in the world is this?
I don't know.
To my knowledge, this has never happened before.
But now...
They're evolving?