"Status window."

    [Ahn Suho]

    Lv: 8Class: HealerStrength: 12Vitality: 12Mana: 12Perception: 8Bonus Stat: 0

    Suho checked his status window.

    It had been some time since he entered the Gate.

    Already, he had reached level 8.

    I think it''s about time I meet him.

    Suho knew everything about this Gate.

    Yet he had deliberately delayed his encounter with the Gate’s master and boss monster.

    After all, absolute strength ultimately came from levels, and unpredicted Gates like this one were rarely monopolized. It was better to level up as much as possible now.

    But hobgoblins were hardly visible anymore.

    He had nearly wiped them out.

    After a bit more scouting, Suho found a small group of hobgoblins.

    Alright.

    After finishing them off, I’ll call for him.

    By now, he’d earned nearly all the experience he needed here.

    Thinking that, Suho picked up one of the swords left by the hobgoblins and aimed it at them.

    Then he threw it.

    [You have a high understanding of Throwing.]

    [The system is now assessing your talent.]

    [Congratulations! You have mastered Throwing (B).]

    At the same time, he acquired the Throwing skill.

    It was no longer surprising.

    Crack!

    The sword struck dead center between the brows of one hobgoblin.

    [You have defeated a hobgoblin.]

    The hobgoblin died instantly.

    That was the beginning of the fight.

    Four hobgoblins remained.

    They quickly identified the direction the sword had come from and charged toward Suho.

    Alright, come at me!

    Suho didn’t dodge.

    At level 8, he had already secured most of the skills necessary for movement.

    When the distance between Suho and the hobgoblins was reduced to just a few steps, Suho’s figure suddenly vanished.

    “Kirik?”

    The hobgoblins were startled, seeing that Suho, who should have been right in front of them, had disappeared.

    But it wasn’t because he’d used a stealth skill.

    Slash!

    A sharp slicing sound.@@@@

    The hobgoblins turned their heads in shock, but by then, it was too late.

    Using his exceptional footwork, Suho had moved behind them and was slicing through them with his sword.

    [You have defeated a hobgoblin.]

    [You have defeated a hobgoblin.]

    [You have defeated a hobgoblin.]

    With precise strikes to their necks, he killed three of the four.

    The remaining one clutched its injured neck and trembled on the ground.

    Suho kicked the sword the fallen hobgoblin had dropped, sending it skittering away, and motioned behind him with his chin.

    "Go."

    It wasn’t a mistake.

    Suho was letting it go.

    For a single reason.

    It would lead its leader to him.

    That way, he wouldn’t have to go through the trouble of tracking him down. This method worked well with Gates that didn’t have any special conditions—a trick he’d picked up with time.

    The hobgoblin hesitated at Suho’s gesture, then began to retreat cautiously before bolting away.

    It won’t be long now.

    After sending it off, Suho calmly gathered the magic stones. A short while later...

    Thud, thud, thud!

    It sounded like an earthquake.

    But it was the heavy footsteps of countless goblins.

    These were undoubtedly the ones he had been waiting for.

    How many are there?

    The Gate’s master and boss monster, the “Hobgoblin Chief,” liked to move in groups, as was typical of goblins.

    In other words, he never traveled without at least twenty subordinates.

    A moment later, the bushes parted, and they appeared.

    [Dodge and Side Step are now combined as ‘Basic Footwork’.]

    [Congratulations! You have mastered Basic Footwork (B).]

    By system logic, Dodge and Side Step had been merged into a single skill, “Basic Footwork.”

    Now, I have all the basics.

    Swordsmanship, footwork, and parrying.

    The foundation for Suho’s original sword technique, the “Suho Sword,” was complete.

    All that remained was diligent practice to gain further system recognition.

    After closing the notification window, Suho switched his stance and started moving aggressively.

    In moments, the hobgoblins, who had been stumbling around, fell like autumn leaves.

    [You have defeated a hobgoblin.]

    [You have defeated a hobgoblin.]

    [You have defeated a hobgoblin.]

    ...

    Most of them had already injured each other, so all he had to do was finish them off.

    So he targeted vital points to end them swiftly.

    Soon, nearly all the hobgoblins were dealt with, leaving only the Hobgoblin Chief, still observing with a grim expression, in front of Suho.

    At the moment the last of its underlings fell...

    [Your level has increased.]

    [All stats have increased by 1.]

    [You have received 1 bonus stat point.]

    His level had gone up again.

    Now level 9.

    Suho allocated the bonus stat to Mana, then raised his sword toward the Hobgoblin Chief.

    Then, he tilted his blade in a taunting motion.

    “Kerrrk!”

    Did the taunt work?

    A wave of fury spread across the creature’s once-stoic face.

    Suho looked at its level.

    – Hobgoblin Chief Lv.20

    Its level was more than twice his own.

    But so what?

    Although level could be a measure of strength, that depended on the opponent.

    What did level matter against an insect?

    Grabbing its oversized axe, the Hobgoblin Chief charged at Suho.

    “Graaargh!!”

    [The Hobgoblin Chief uses Fear.]

    [You are in a Fear state.]

    [Your body is immobilized.]

    The Hobgoblin Chief’s Fear skill activated.

    As monster levels increase, many can use this skill, but at low levels, only bosses or named monsters typically have it.

    Fear causes muscle paralysis, overwhelming the target through level and stat pressure, leaving Suho with no way to evade.

    But Suho remained calm, raising his sword and stabbing his own palm.

    Thunk!

    The blade pierced his hand, sending sharp pain coursing through his body.

    [You have escaped from the Fear state.]

    An incredible effect occurred: as soon as he inflicted pain, the debuff effect of Fear disappeared.

    Unfazed, Suho withdrew his sword.

    Imposing physical pain is one of the best ways to break free from mental debuffs like Fear.

    It''s basic knowledge.

    Of course, it would be preferable to have a skill for mental protection or an item with such effects, but Suho had just returned to the past with nothing at hand.

    Now free from Fear, Suho sidestepped the Chief''s axe swing with fluid precision.

    At the same time, he cast Light of Healing.

    [You are using Light of Healing.]

    [The designated area is starting to heal.]

    With the wound on his left hand, he used his left hand to channel the skill, feeling his mana drain as the injury began to heal. Since it was a deep puncture wound, full recovery would take a while.

    But that was fine.

    He’d invested extra bonus stats into Mana for this very reason.

    With Light of Healing still active in his hand, Suho raised his sword in his other hand.

    Using his newly acquired footwork, he rapidly closed the distance between himself and the Hobgoblin Chief.

    Stab!

    He drove the sword deep into the creature''s thigh.

    “Kraaaagh!!”

    The Chief’s piercing scream echoed through the area.