Chapter 7

02. The Teacher's Grace is Like the Sky (3)

The corridors flickered with a sharp red light. A green arrow crossed the red-lit corridor.

"You can't see this?"

I described the scene I saw, but everyone said they couldn't see anything like that.

Only I can see it? To test this, I had Seo Young-un, the strongest among us, step on a red tile. A fireball dropped from the ceiling. Thanks to our preparation, no one was hurt, but we were all stunned.

"Red means danger. Pretty straightforward, huh?"

"Isn't your skill active? Your eyes have changed color."

"The change in my irises is due to the skill, but it doesn't have that function..."

Then I remembered seeing a strange system message earlier.

I hurriedly opened the skill window and looked for the Eyes of the Scout.

- Detects the weaknesses of targets with keen observation.

- Grasps the essence of targets with keen insight.

"Temporary activation?"

This skill has been there since I first awakened. There shouldn't be any unknown phrases...

Ah, trait evolution! That must be why it changed. Anyway, it's fortunate.

"It's my skill. It seems there was an effect I didn't know about."

"Kim Seo-bang, you have a great ability!"

If red means danger, green must mean safety.

We can get through this somehow. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

Thanks to the Eyes of the Scout, we have some extra time to discuss what to do next.

'Hey, what's this?'

Just as I was about to close the skill window, I noticed an unfamiliar icon. I moved my hand over the icon instinctively.

"Ouch!"

A meticulously constructed mana circuit unfolded without warning. The circuit, which suddenly appeared, folded in half and shrank before disappearing.

A system window popped up where the circuit had been.

- Tutorial prepared by Carlos for his clumsy disciple

- Clear condition: Follow the guide's instructions

- Time limit: None

- Reward: Method of using 'Enchant (S)' (Guaranteed success for the first use)

- Penalty: None

"Tutorial?"

I stopped abruptly, and the others turned to look at me. I told them it was nothing and read the quest window.

A tutorial, and it guarantees success for the first use.

A way out has opened. Maybe I should have sought out my teacher instead of the gods.

'Why didn't you tell me earlier?'

I hopped over the red tiles with light steps and ran to the safe zone.

"Are you okay? I was worried you might be too exhausted."

Cha Tae-yang whispered to the goblin. When I turned around, Cha Tae-yang was awkwardly whistling.

I was no longer afraid of that message.

We sat down to discuss our plan.

"Yoon Gaho Hunter, can you use that skill to find other safe zones?"

"The skill activates through my eyes, so it's difficult. It only works properly when the target is within my line of sight."

"It's better than nothing, so we should be grateful, right?"

Seo Young-un's face was dark as he muttered. In just a few hours, he had changed significantly. The pressure of protecting everyone must be weighing on him.

Despite everything, defensive hunters are all strong-willed.

"Cha Tae-yang Hunter, can you explain more about the skill you mentioned earlier?"

"I told you I can't use it now, so why do you keep asking! Do you think Tae-yang is doing this on purpose?"

"I'm not trying to torment you. I think we might have a way out."

Cha Tae-yang, who had been calming the goblin, reluctantly explained his S-grade area skill, Ghost Gate Opening.

"Ghost Gate Opening is a secondary skill attached to my trait."

"Hey, you're A-grade, right? But you have an S-grade secondary skill? What kind of trait is that?"

"Traits shouldn't be talked about lightly. Do you have no common sense?"

Jo Sung-hyun's face turned red as he turned away.

Some people are born with traits or skills that are higher than their overall evaluation. This means...

"You're lucky."

"What do you mean?"

"You have the potential to grow to S-grade."

"Is that so?"

Seeing Cha Tae-yang's bewildered expression, Jo Sung-hyun clicked his tongue.

If Jo Sung-hyun were a Seoul training facility student, he would be an elite. But S-grade, which can't be reached without being born with it, is a more remarkable existence.

Cha Tae-yang, who had been glancing around, continued his explanation.

Ghost Gate Opening is a skill that summons a gate to send back beings from the netherworld.

From the skill description, "Swallows the impure things standing before the master," it is expected that all undead within Cha Tae-yang's line of sight can be eliminated.

"Great. Let's try it."

"How?"

"I have a skill to enhance equipment. I'll use it to remove the restriction on Cha Tae-yang Hunter's skill."

"I've never heard of such a skill!"

Jo Sung-hyun, who had been lying on the ground, jumped up and pointed at me.

"I got this skill recently through a hidden quest. I haven't told anyone yet, so you wouldn't have heard of it."

I managed to calm down the agitated Jo Sung-hyun, who was raging about why I didn't mention it earlier. Seo Young-un's gaze also carried a hint of reproach.

No, I didn't know it would turn out like this...

***

"From now on, I will focus all my efforts on enhancing Cha Tae-yang Hunter's weapon. In the meantime, please discuss how to use Ghost Gate Opening effectively."

"That means..."

"Yes. We will clear this place with our own hands."

Seo Young-un and Jo Sung-hyun's faces twisted simultaneously. Only Cha Tae-yang, who knew little about hunters, nodded.

Clearing a level is the job of high-ranking hunters. As a C-grade hunter like me, I never dreamed of such a thing. Suggesting a strategy must mean I've really changed, as Cha Tae-yang said.

Even though I suggested it, I couldn't control my expression.

After a moment of silence, Seo Young-un laughed bitterly and replied.

"I'll also think about what to do if we fail."

"Thank you."

"Hey, Cha Tae-yang! Don't interfere and come here too!"

I received the glove from Cha Tae-yang and sat in a corner. The quest window was blinking, urging me to accept it quickly.

Well, let's start. I pressed the accept button on the quest window, which was shining in a corner of my vision.

※ If the skill 'Eyes of the Scout (A)' is deactivated, the quest will be forcibly terminated.]

Forced termination?

I hastily took a mana potion from my inventory and drank it. I was about to deactivate the skill because it consumed a lot of mana, but I almost made a big mistake.

"Gaho, what are you staring at?"

A small guide NPC resembling Carlos appeared in the air. The mini-sized Carlos, slightly larger than a palm, crossed his arms and looked down at me.

"Teacher?"

"I'm only helping you this once."

Seeing that Cha Tae-yang, who would have been amazed by such a sight, was behaving normally, it seemed only I could see it. Mini Carlos began to explain in a detached voice.

"Your skill 'Enchant' grants new power to items. It's faster to try it out than to talk about it. Come on, take out an item."

Even though I knew it wasn't my real teacher, I felt a bit embarrassed and hesitantly extended Cha Tae-yang's glove.

- Health: 5

- Strength: 7

- Agility: 3

It was a piece of equipment that adjusted health, strength, and agility, suitable for a melee dealer.

It seems Cha Tae-yang, who said he came here for the first time today, was using a standard-issue piece of equipment from the guild. Despite that, it had such power... A-grade really was different.

The sound of Mini Carlos clicking his tongue snapped me out of my admiration. He frowned as if he had seen something worthless.

"You brought such a poor item... Are you really going to use this?"

"There's no other option right now."

"Tsk, first, read the flow of mana. The more you understand the structure and essence of the item, the higher the success rate. With your destructive skills, you need to improve your understanding of the item."

Reading the flow of mana was something I had heard repeatedly from Carlos's house. But it seemed different from sensing the mana flowing from the item.

"Hey, what's this?"

The mana circuit engraved on the item was clearly visible. Was it because of the skill?

I unconsciously sent mana into the circuit and faintly felt how the structures were connected. I didn't realize a C-grade piece of equipment could have so many knots.

"This glove has studs that increase the strength value..."

Mini Carlos, who had been looking at me with a somewhat pleased expression, clapped his hands to draw my attention. He then opened my inventory without permission.

What, is that even possible?

"Such a player doesn't even have a proper mana stone..."

"Why do I need a mana stone?"

"Your skill can grant two effects to an item. Inherent effects can be achieved using the item's innate properties, but for acquired effects, additional materials are needed."

The properties of the item used as material determine the acquired effect. And how it is combined with the item to be enhanced can result in vastly different enchantment effects.

It seemed to be a skill with endless possibilities.

"Is this not good enough?"

When I took out a D-grade mana stone, he firmly shook his head. Mini Carlos, who had been looking at the inventory window with his arms crossed, grumbled.

"An item of such low grade is almost useless."

"Then can I just grant inherent effects?"

"What a naive question. Everything has balance."

Mini Carlos clicked his tongue and muttered about abstract concepts, then closed his mouth. I had no choice but to speak first.

"Then how about this?"

"Hmm, it's a bit disappointing, but it will do."

Seeing the ruby staff I had brought along by chance when leaving the dorm, Mini Carlos gave a positive response.

'Equipment items are also fine.'

Before I could think, Mini Carlos added that using equipment items as materials is inefficient. But there was no other choice now.

Following his instructions, I placed the two items side by side.

"The best material is a mana stone. An item that complements the equipment is also good."

"An item that complements the equipment?"

"I'll tell you later. We don't have time. Now, think about how to naturally connect the structures of the two items. Imagine your mana as the adhesive that connects the circuits."

It was vague, but I had no time to question it, so I had to try.

I visualized the structures of the glove and the staff in my mind and activated the skill.

- Inherent: One-Hit Kill (B), Steel (C), Sturdy (E)

- Acquired: Sage (A), Fiery (C)

※ The world's greatest craftsman is helping you. The success rate is fixed at 100%.