22. Third Specialization. (2)

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Achievements (9/???)

1. First Specialization Obtained.

2. 10 Akche Eliminated.

3. 100 Akche Eliminated.

4. Second Specialization Obtained.

5. Title Level 1 Upgraded.

6. 100 HP Achieved.

7. 1000 Akche Eliminated.

8. Third Specialization Obtained.

9. Title Level 2 Upgraded.

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Hmm.

I’ve achieved four more achievements.

The title achievement was probably in the storage, right?

I pressed number 9.

[You have obtained 1 storage slot.]

Right.

With this, I now have a total of 4 storage slots.

Number 9 is done, what about the others…

“Ugh.”

Damn, I need to pee.

I went into the bathroom, relieved myself, and sat on the toilet because I didn’t feel like getting up.

Then, I pressed the achievement for 100 HP.

[You have obtained a skill.]

Huh?!

A skill?!

I immediately opened my status window.

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Chosen One

[Specialization – Wild Hunter] [Level – 1]

[Title – Growing]

Status

[HP – 100/100] [Senses – 2/2]

[Strength – 45/45] [Agility – 4/4]

[Spirit – 71/71] [Intelligence – N/A]

[Unassigned Points – 0]

Skills

[Passive – Soul Tattoo Lv. 2]

[Passive – Recovery]

[Passive – Limit Achievement]

[Active – Precision]

[Active – Acceleration] (Auto-activated)

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A new passive skill has appeared.

I pressed the “Limit Achievement” skill.

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Passive – Limit Achievement

HP Achievement – The user’s physical abilities are enhanced.

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Hmm?

Enhanced physical abilities, what does that mean?

I looked down at my hand.

I turned my hand to look at the back.

Through the hole in the back of the maintenance glove, I could see my tattoo.

…Nothing seems to have changed?

I looked around.

There’s nothing in the bathroom stall.

I grabbed the toilet lid and applied some force.

Crack!

The corner of the toilet lid broke off.

I looked down at my hand.

The chunks and fragments of the broken lid fell from my hand with a thud.

“…Crazy.”

Could I have broken this with one hand?

No way.

This thing is really sturdy.

I stood up and grabbed the door from the top.

I gripped it tightly with my hand.

The bathroom door splintered and came into my hand.

I held the piece of wood that was once the door and chuckled.

My strength has really improved.

…Improved strength?

I looked down at the sword on my waist.

I’ve been stabbing it all this time.

Because stabbing definitely kills.

I’ve been hesitant to slash because, no matter how sharp the blade is, I wasn’t sure if I could cut through a skull with my strength.

Cutting a skull and stabbing a hole through it are completely different.

Even thinking about it, swinging to cut takes a lot more strength.

The maintenance glove keeps the blade sharp, so that’s not the problem. The problem is my arm and back strength.

If the blade gets stuck in the skull while cutting?

I might lose the chance to stab a couple more times.

That’s why I’ve been stabbing…

But now, I might be able to just slash?

I walked out of the bathroom and tried slashing the door from top to bottom.

Crack!

It cut through perfectly.

I didn’t even feel like I used much strength.

I smiled.

“…I like this.”

I was a bit disappointed when I couldn’t reach 135 HP, but this more than makes up for it.

I swung the sword a few times in the air and sheathed it with satisfaction.

Swoosh-Click.

Good.

Next.

“Achievements.”

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Achievements (9/???)

1. First Specialization Obtained.

2. 10 Akche Eliminated.

3. 100 Akche Eliminated.

4. Second Specialization Obtained.

5. Title Level 1 Upgraded.

6. 100 HP Achieved.

7. 1000 Akche Eliminated.

8. Third Specialization Obtained.

9. Title Level 2 Upgraded.

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Might as well open them all in order.

I pressed number 7.

What was the achievement for eliminating Akche?

[You have obtained a tattoo.]

…I had forgotten.

Right, the achievement for eliminating Akche gives a tattoo.

“…Phew…”

I put my hand on my waist and sighed, but smoke started rising from my right arm.

Looking at my arm, the flame tattoo that was on my elbow had now reached my shoulder.

Loops had also appeared near my deltoid.

“Hah… Tch.”

Right.

I knew this would happen.

I already vented my frustration when I became a tattooed thug last time, so I’ll just sigh now.

I opened my status window, and sure enough,

[Passive – Soul Tattoo – Lv. 3]

The tattoo level had increased.

I pressed the tattoo to check.

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Soul Tattoo

Immune to evil.

Immune to minor diseases.

Resistant to common diseases.

Wound recovery speed slightly increased.

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Hmm…

Resistance to diseases.

Slightly faster wound recovery.

These two have improved.

Minor diseases, like a cold or flu?

What does “common diseases” mean?

Maybe malaria?

I’m not sure.

Still, it’s better than nothing.

I nodded and opened the achievement window to press the next achievement.

Number 8, the new specialization achievement.

[You have obtained a Projectile Duplication Belt.]

…Oh.

An item.

A Projectile Duplication Belt?

“Inventory.”

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[Soul Stone – 1,119] [Projectile Duplication Belt] [] []

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The Soul Stone doesn’t do anything when touched.

I immediately tried the Projectile Duplication Belt.

In the next moment, smoke rose from my hand, and a long belt appeared.

The belt had a slightly blunt and pointed end, gradually thickening and then becoming blunt and pointed again at the end.

If I had to compare it to something, it’s like a feather?

It’s quite similar to a feather, but the color is a dull metallic silver, so it’s not really like a feather at all.

It’s about 30 centimeters long.

Quite thin.

But it’s solid.

It feels like a 30-centimeter plastic ruler.

A belt, you say?

What kind of belt is this?

I held the 30-centimeter ruler and slapped it on my palm.

It’s perfect for slapping.

Slap.

The moment it touched my palm, the belt bent and wrapped around my hand.

“…Oh.”

So that’s how it works.

I pulled it off, and it returned to its solid, long shape.

But…

Projectile Duplication Belt, right?

Projectile, like an arrow or something?

How does it duplicate?

It’s just a belt, really.

I slapped it on my forearm.

It wrapped around my arm.

I pulled it off, and it straightened and became solid again.

Interesting.

Slap, slap.

I played with the feather belt, wrapped around my arm, but I couldn’t figure it out.

What does it duplicate?

I’d need a projectile to test it, but I only have my phone, bag, and sword.

…If I throw the sword, that’s a kind of projectile, right?

Slap, slap.

I wrapped it around my arm and then slapped the sword sheath.

It wrapped around the sheath with a thud.

“…………”

Nothing happened.

The maintenance glove is really inconvenient.

Can’t you just explain it?

I shrugged and wrapped the feather belt around the sword sheath, then left the bathroom.

Whatever.

I’ll figure it out when the time comes.

I’ve opened all the achievements and obtained a new specialization.

Let’s go back.

The area near the bathroom is clean.

Not really, with bodies lying around.

I’ve killed everything around the bathroom and the fountain.

Now, I need to find a ranged weapon.

And figure out how to use this Projectile Duplication Belt.

I sighed.

My sword is already powerful, so do I really need to increase my 2-point Senses for a ranged weapon?

Maybe I should just max out my Strength to 100.

“…Phew.”

On my way back to the large mart building, I stood in the alley near the convenience store and looked at the supermarket.

Near the utility pole…

They’re not there.

Do they scout sometimes and not other times?

They’re unpredictable.

Shower.

It’s raining quite heavily.

Are they resting because of the rain?

Convenient buggers.

I chuckled and walked back to the building, letting the rain wash the blood off me.

10th Floor.

The 10th floor here is quite…

Strange.

A scene you’d never see normally.

Why? Because all the doors are wide open.

Only the empty rooms are closed.

I can hear people chatting and eating from the open doors.

A scene you rarely see in the apocalypse, or rather, a scene you only see because of the apocalypse.

Outside, there are things biting and tearing at people, but here on the 10th floor, true neighborly relationships are forming.

At the end of the hallway, by the window, two people are standing.

The woman who was scared of me.

And the inline man who works in real estate.

The atmosphere is quite good.

The woman, who was scared, worried, and exhausted, now looks much brighter.

The inline man is also smiling.

He seems to be trying to flirt a bit.

Such a scene in these times.

I chuckled and walked over.

The two people noticed me and waved.

“Seonghun, you’re here?”

“It’s raining a lot, isn’t it?”

I waved back and replied.

“Yeah, it’s raining a lot. I’ll take a shower.”

“Oh, the boarding house grandma made really delicious doenjang stew. Should I bring you some later?”

Doenjang stew sounds good.

I was about to thank her when Suhyun came out of Jeong Eunseo’s room.

Ye-eun came out too.

“Big brother! Big brother is here?”

“You’re back, Seonghun.”

So-eun poked her head out too.

I smiled and said,

“You said the doenjang stew is good? Give me a bowl after I shower.”

With that, I walked to Suhyun’s place.

She answered from behind.

“Got it. I’ll bring it over soon.”

I shuffled in my slippers to the next door.

The next door is also wide open.

There’s no need to knock or call out; I just walk in.

The neighbors from the previous door, Hoon and the married woman, came out with a baby. They greeted me.

“You’re here? You must be tired.”

“You’re here, sir. You should eat something.”

I nodded and replied.

“Yes, I’ll take a shower and rest.”

Hmm…

Everyone has their doors wide open, not caring who comes or goes.

Even though they live in separate houses with steel doors, they act like they live in the same house.

Quite…

Strange.

Is Jeong Eunseo okay?

She probably isn’t.

But with so many neighbors around, her mental state won’t plummet to the bottom.

They’re good people.