I Just Subscribed and It’s the Best Hunter of All Time - Chapter 102

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#Episode 102.
Jung Han-sung assumed Bargenthor was either joking or spouting flattery mixed with nonsense.
But Bargenthor’s expression was grave.
It didn’t seem like a tactic to muddy the waters with irrelevant remarks while being interrogated.
“Wait. What kind of title is that, exactly? And why does it refer to me?”
Bargenthor answered without much hesitation.
“In our world, we bestow titles upon climbers of note. And you are currently one of the most notable climbers.”
“How? Like you said earlier, we’re in different dimensions. Records and such are divided by Tower, aren’t they?”
“True, but there are rumors circulating in the Neutral Zone, are there not? Word of an Awakener ascending The Tower at an extraordinary pace has spread even to our region.”
“Ah. The Neutral Zone.”
The Neutral Zone was not singular. And climbers who reached a certain floor could freely traverse between different Neutral Zones through way stations.
Bargenthor continued.
“Moreover, recently rumors spread that this climber had passed through Phatalith’s Trial. The title ‘Beloved of the Gods’ was likely affixed shortly after that.”
That meant the title had been given mere days ago.
“Wait. So rumors spread that I passed the trial?”
“Yes. People present in the Neutral Zone at the time reportedly even witnessed the message themselves.”
At that, Jung Han-sung opened his mouth briefly, then closed it.
When he’d heard the story from Cheon-ung, he’d thought it had only spread among those in the same Tower, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.
“You didn’t see it?”
“I was not in The Tower at that time. But my close friend witnessed it, so I can confirm it’s true.”
Jung Han-sung found himself at a loss for words at Bargenthor’s statement.
But Bargenthor didn’t stop talking.
“Oh! And before that, you were called ‘One Who Rises Like the Morning Star.'”
“Enough. I already knew that. But what made you think I was… Beloved of the Gods or whatever?”
“Lightning and swordsmanship.”
Bargenthor spoke simply.
“A wielder of great lightning dwelling within the body, commanding it with perfect freedom, and executing mysterious swordsmanship. In the moment a single strike descends, not a blade but thunder cleaves the enemy… That is the tale I heard.”
I waited to see if there was more explanation, but Bargenthor simply stared up at me intently.
“That’s it?”
“Is that not sufficient? Those who command lightning are extraordinarily rare. One possessing such rare and formidable power while wielding swordsmanship of considerable skill is rarer still.”
Bargenthor reasoned that the probability of encountering the famous Awakener from the rumors was far higher than the probability of coincidentally meeting another rare and powerful being with such abilities.
―That’s persuasive.
Onyx spoke, licking his teeth.
Then Bargenthor’s eyes gleamed as he spoke.
“Come to think of it, that peculiar armor and familiar are also included in the rumors.”
―Familiar? Who’s calling me a familiar?
Onyx seemed displeased at the word “familiar,” emitting a threatening hiss—shhhk, shhhk.
But Bargenthor seemed not to understand the meaning, merely regarding it with curiosity.
Meanwhile, Jung Han-sung’s own mind was equally turbulent.
‘The rumors spread that widely?’
I was well aware that my existence had become quite the topic of discussion on Earth, but I hadn’t expected the news to spread to other dimensions through the Neutral Zone.
After all, Elion and Hank, who were beings from different dimensions, didn’t seem to know much about me at all.
As I let that question slip away, Bargenthor shrugged and spoke.
“The older and more powerful a dimension, the less interest it tends to take in other dimensions. Newer dimensions like ours, however, are quite sensitive to information about other dimensions.”
“What do you mean by old dimensions and new dimensions?”
“A dimension where The Tower appeared not long ago is called a new dimension. A dimension where The Tower appeared long ago is called an old dimension.”
“When did The Tower appear in your dimension?”
“Only fifty years ago.”
Fifty years being ‘only’.
Perhaps sensing that thought crossing my face, Bargenthor spoke again.
“By the standards of other dimensions, fifty years is certainly young enough.”
“I see… Ah, but has news of my abilities spread that widely too?”
“Indeed. Everyone takes great interest in rumors about powerful climbers.”
Then where did those rumors originate?
As I pondered briefly, I concluded there were countless paths through which they could have spread.
‘I never particularly hid my abilities in the first place.’
Both lightning and swordsmanship were abilities I’d used openly since the lower floors. And I’d acquired Onyx relatively early on.
It wasn’t strange for rumors to spread when so many had witnessed me fighting as I climbed The Tower.
“Ah, but I never expected you to handle necromancy as well. Though our schools differ in nature, your skill in it seemed far from ordinary.”
“Well, it’s just beginner level.”
I answered casually.
Due to the contract, he couldn’t reveal information about me to others anyway, so I felt no need to explain in detail.
Instead, I brought up what mattered.
“Since you mention it, how will you provide the necromancy knowledge?”
Bargenthor answered without hesitation, as if he’d anticipated the question.
“First, I cannot share all the knowledge of our school. If I did, I’d be as good as dead. The school would have me executed.”
“So?”
“What you’re interested in are the self-detonation and concealment spells. Just those two incantations, correct?”
At those words, I nodded slowly.
“That’s right.”
I was curious about what the Necromancer School defined as necromancy, but that was merely a matter of curiosity.
What I wanted from Bargenthor was indeed those two spells—the self-detonation and concealment incantations.
They were the most impressive things I’d experienced facing him.
“Then I can explain those two right here and now. By the contract, you need not worry about me intentionally teaching you the incantations incorrectly or leaving anything out. Perfect transmission is part of the contract itself.”
“Good. Do that then.”
I nodded.
Bargenthor seemed somewhat relieved at that, and immediately began explaining the knowledge I’d requested.
The two spells were called ‘Covenant of Ash’ and ‘Veil of the Living’ respectively.
Covenant of Ash was a spell that sacrificed undead to create a powerful explosion, while Veil of the Living was a spell that concealed deception and illusion, making undead appear as if they were alive.
“Hmm.”
I listened to it several times, committing it perfectly to memory, then nodded.
“Good. I’ll experiment with this myself.”
“By all means.”
Bargenthor spoke with unwavering confidence.
After that, I continued asking Bargenthor various questions until I felt I’d received sufficient answers, then rose from my seat.
Nearly two hours had passed.
“Have meals brought at regular times. I know it’s inconvenient, but bear with it.”
“I’m already grateful enough just to be alive.”
Bargenthor answered with a wry smile. Though how much sincerity lay behind it was impossible to say.
I left Bargenthor behind and exited the building.
* * *
“Is there anything left to do now.”
I muttered to myself while standing inside the cottage.
I had just finished interrogating Bargenthor, had a brief conversation with Baek-seol and Cheon-ung, and returned home.
All that remained was to enter The Tower.
But then Onyx interjected.
―Shouldn’t you go through all the items you’ve acquired? You haven’t even properly checked what you got from the wave yet, have you? Now that you’ve decided on a main channel, shouldn’t you subscribe to a membership?
“There’s no rush for that. More rewards will pile up once I climb The Tower anyway. And I want to test out the abilities before choosing a membership.”
There was no urgency in checking items.
I’d always preferred to check rewards in bulk rather than one by one as they came.
Most importantly, right now I wanted to test the abilities from the channel I’d subscribed to rather than acquire new items or additional powers.
The Shadowless Divine Thief’s channel, that is.
Time kept passing since I’d subscribed, but I hadn’t had a chance to use it even once.
―That’s true, I suppose.
Having silenced Onyx with that, I gazed comfortably into the void and thought.
‘Enter the next floor.’
Immediately, the familiar vertigo washed over me, and before long, I was standing on a gray-tinted road.
[Objective: Eliminate the master of the Gray Tower]
[Time Limit: 6 hours]
As the objective materialized, I lifted my head and looked ahead.
There stood a towering gray structure.
“Hmm.”
The current floor was Floor 60.
Floors ending in zero typically had a Floor Master.
‘Usually floors with a Floor Master involved direct combat.’
This time seemed to follow a different format.
I surveyed my surroundings.
But all I could see was the gray tower and the road extending toward it.
Everything else was engulfed in darkness.
“Still, the objective is clear enough.”
―That seems to be the case.
Onyx nodded in agreement with my assessment.
Given that nothing existed here except the Gray Tower, the master of that tower must be inside it.
I began walking directly toward the tower.
‘A tower within a tower.’
It was an odd sensation.
I was already inside The Tower, whose end I couldn’t fathom, yet here I faced a mission to conquer another tower within it.
At least the Gray Tower didn’t appear to be particularly tall.
‘It looks to be around 4th or 5th Floor height at most.’
I continued my thoughts as the tower drew closer.
‘Now that I think about it, this floor was included in the challenges, wasn’t it?’
I opened the challenge window to verify. Two challenges immediately caught my attention.
―[Bronze] Clear Floor 60 within half the time limit.
―[Silver] Defeat the Floor Master of Floor 60 without a single scratch.
If I executed this well, I could obtain two tickets at once.
Since the ticket system had been restructured, I’d been suffering from a ticket shortage—this was welcome news.
‘I’ve been spending tickets far too liberally lately.’
I needed to earn as much as I spent to maintain balance.
With such frivolous thoughts, I stood before the Gray Tower’s entrance.
Creeeeak―.
As I placed my hand on the door and applied pressure, it slowly swung open with the sound of aged hinges.
Beyond the opening, the dim interior of the tower came into view.
Rather than entering immediately as I usually did, I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them.
In an instant, my senses expanded.
Within the silent stillness, I faintly perceived the texture of air flowing along the walls.
The drift of dust particles brushing through cracks in the stone floor. A faint vibration resonating from somewhere deep within the darkness beyond the door.
‘There are traps. One near the entrance. One near the staircase.’
I immediately identified several traps from where I stood.
It was the ability of my newly subscribed channel.
Combined with the Shadowless Divine Thief’s extensive experience, it revealed the optimal path to my objective.
‘Good.’
I slowly stepped into the tower.
My movements had become remarkably stealthy—so silent that even walking across stone in solid shoes produced no sound whatsoever.
For this floor, I decided to set aside other abilities and rely primarily on the Shadowless Divine Thief’s skills.
Whoosh―.
Thus I effortlessly cleared the 1st Floor and ascended the staircase.
The 2nd Floor that followed was equipped with far more vicious traps than the first.
Not only were genuine dangers concealed behind simple traps, but the traps themselves seemed arranged to intercept an intruder’s predicted movements.
‘Yet it’s far too obvious.’
Nevertheless, I cleared even this without difficulty.
On top of that, I had even grasped the structure and principles of the traps with leisure to spare.
Of course, the purpose wasn’t to actually show off—it was all to internalize the senses of the Shadowless Divine Thief.
Simply using the channel’s abilities wouldn’t leave me with anything lasting.
In any case, thanks to the Shadowless Divine Thief’s abilities, I ascended through The Tower without any obstruction.
―That’s impressive. It seems smoother than a Dungeon Specialist’s channel?
Even Onyx couldn’t help but express admiration watching me.
I came to a halt on the 4th Floor. And for the first time, I felt bewilderment.
It wasn’t that I’d encountered a trap I couldn’t breach.
What I faced was an unusual entity.
―Isn’t that a Floor Master?
Hair with a deep gray hue. Horns sprouting from the crown of its head. And an intense aura radiating from its entire body.
The being, which looked unmistakably like a Floor Master-class entity, was absorbed in its work.
“Hmm. This would be more effective if I reinforced this area. Should I pour in more mana? No, but when is that intruder going to climb up?”
Completely unaware of my presence.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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