Levelling Up In An Exclusive Dungeon

Chapter 29

Kang Jin-hyuk summarized the events that had occurred outside briefly for Lucia.

He explained how his profession and skills had changed, talking openly about which skills had transformed without holding back.

Among hunters, leaking such information is considered foolish, yet Kang Jin-hyuk believed there was no need to keep secrets from Lucia.

Not only was she not a hunter, but she also taught him how to handle aura and even helped him catch a new type of monster.

Moreover, he had personal questions for Lucia.

“What do you think about this karma value?”

Among the skills he had newly obtained was ‘Discernment,’ which allowed him to see karma values.

Kang Jin-hyuk wasn’t quite sure what it meant, and he wondered if she might know more about it, having lived in another world.

“The number you murmured when looking at the dwarf and me is that, right?”

“Oh? You heard that?”

“While you might deceive a dwarf, it’s hard to fool my ears.”

Lucia, asserting her elven nature, wiggled her ears.

“You said I had an 82, and the dwarf had a 72?”

“That’s right.”

“Then what number did you see yourself as?”

“I think I was around 64.”

From just the numbers, it appeared that Kang Jin-hyuk had the lowest and Lucia the highest, which could imply their relative strength.

However, the skill description specified that ‘up’ defined the meaning of karma.

“It sounds to me like the more evil deeds you commit, the higher that number rises…”

Kang Jin-hyuk proposed this, observing Lucia’s reaction.

If his inference was correct, that would mean she was the most wicked of them all.

Surprisingly, despite the uncomfortable connotation, Lucia didn’t seem displeased.

Instead, she nodded as if she understood.

“I think so too. I’ve lived a rather rough life, so it wouldn’t be strange for my evil deed count to be high.”

“What? Just last time, you bragged about being a platinum grade adventurer with high credibility.”

“At least I’ve never stabbed anyone in the back.”

“Does that mean you’ve stabbed them in the front?”

“More shot them down than stabbed.”

As an adventurer, Kang Jin-hyuk was aware that various incidents were inevitable while accepting requests.

He had encountered bandits while escorting goods and had to fight against companions who coveted the achievements from monster hunts.

Moreover, being a half-elf, Lucia’s striking appearance had undoubtedly drawn unwanted attention, leading others to set traps or ambush her.

In this harsh reality, the naive resolution of ‘I will never kill anyone’ wouldn’t suffice to survive.

“Living as an adventurer in my world isn’t a clean lifestyle.”

Kang Jin-hyuk appeared somewhat shocked at her words.

It was difficult for him to accept that someone who had helped him so much could express such sentiments.

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In just a short time, he seemed to have grown attached to Lucia.

He felt an inexplicable urge to defend her.

“Still, the difference between you and me isn’t much, just 20 points.”

“Whether 20 is a small or big difference remains uncertain.”

Without knowing which actions influenced the points, one couldn’t hastily conclude anything.

“Come to think of it, there was a saint in my world who could differentiate between good and evil every few hundred years…”

Hearing Lucia’s cryptic mumbling, Kang Jin-hyuk was left speechless.

“I’m a guy. I have no relations whatsoever with beings like saints.”

Although he was unfamiliar with the specific role of the saint in Lucia’s world, the word ‘woman’ made it clear that it was a profession that could never match his masculine identity.

“Unless it was a holy son, huh?”

Kang Jin-hyuk dismissed this thought with a laugh.

He felt confident he had lived honorably, but he didn’t necessarily consider himself virtuous.

Above all, the phrase about turning the other cheek was completely at odds with his philosophy.

If someone slapped him, he’d retaliate double.

“Who would call you a saint? I meant to say that such a person existed in our world.”

“The saint dealt with the ability to differentiate right from wrong, but can I be certain my capabilities are similar to theirs?”

Kang Jin-hyuk’s hidden skill couldn’t be defined solely by guesswork.

Multiple cases needed to be tested to attain accurate judgment.

Lucia, enjoying the sweetness of the candy she had just put into her mouth, deep in thought, eventually came to a conclusion.

“Anyway, now isn’t the time to search for mines.”

This wasn’t said out of spite for the dwarf; rather, she quickly added additional explanations as if she couldn’t help herself.

“I need to figure out the standards for that karma value immediately.”

“Standards? Is it just that it rises when you do evil deeds?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why is that?”

“Think carefully. Who determines the standards of what constitutes good and evil?”

Realizing this, Kang Jin-hyuk found himself entirely in the dark regarding the judging entity of morality.

If the system defined it, who established the criteria for that system?

“If I don’t know who created the standards, I need to figure it out myself, even physically, right?”

“Still, shouldn’t we prioritize the dwarf’s request first…?”

“Delaying that is no big deal; there’s no fixed deadline. By the way, do you even know how strenuous it is to climb down there?”

Lucia’s words indicated that it would take Kang Jin-hyuk more than three days at his pace.

Given the frequent encounters with monsters, progress would surely be even slower.

“Are you expecting me to endure this nagging curiosity throughout the exhausting search for mines? That’s practically torture for me.”

Lucia expanded her fingers to present two tasks, forcing Kang Jin-hyuk to pick one.

“Finding the mine versus investigating your skills—what’s more urgent for you?”

As Lucia indicated, the most important thing for Kang Jin-hyuk was unveiling the true nature of his hidden skill.

Yet, besides the guilt for delaying the dwarf’s request, an additional reason made him hesitate.

“I can’t do it right now.”

“Why not?”

“There might still be guys out there looking for me.”

Kang Jin-hyuk was still in a frenzy outside due to the revelation of him hunting a new type of monster.

There were surely violent individuals eager to ambush him like the brutal figure he’d encountered before.

He didn’t wish to become embroiled in hassle again, even for self-defense.

For him, taking a life was not something he could easily do without consequence.

“Hmmm.”

Upon hearing his reasoning, Lucia seemed to understand his apprehensions.

However, that didn’t mean she was willing to relent on her desires.

Putting curiosity aside simply because he refused was incomprehensible to her.

“It’d be a shame to pass up such an interesting discovery.”

Lucia’s long life as a half-elf had granted her a tolerance for what others might find exciting.

Had she been a real elf, perhaps drawn to nature, she wouldn’t have felt boredom in a long life.

Sadly, half of her blood belonged to humans, so avoiding mundane experiences was a must.

Having no time dedicated to mental training, she continually sought novelty to fight off the ennui of her extensive existence.

If she didn’t, she felt as if she’d wither away in a joyless life.

This pursuit led her down the path of becoming an adventurer, opting for a life rife with occurrences.

Now, to abandon her freshly discovered interest seemed almost torturous to her.

Lucia wished to resolve her curiosity about Kang Jin-hyuk as soon as possible.

“So, as long as we deal with anyone trying to ambush us, we should be fine?”

“Well, that’s true, but right now, it’s not easy to avoid attention.”

“Then don’t avoid it.”

“What do you mean by that? Do you plan to take them all on and expect me to…?”

Before finishing his sentence, Kang Jin-hyuk realized Lucia’s intentions.

The excited sparkle in her eyes indicated that her intent was not without purpose.

Her expression conveyed the eagerness to help rather than a mere invitation from a whim.

“Do you plan to assist me?”

“If you really want me to.”

With a flickering grin, Lucia subtly pressed for his affirmative nod.

While Lucia’s aid would significantly benefit him in many ways, Kang Jin-hyuk found it difficult to understand.

Why would someone so hesitant to venture outside want to help just out of sudden curiosity?

Such inconsistent moods were puzzling.

Without knowing the reasons behind her motivation, Kang Jin-hyuk felt compelled to hear a credible explanation.

“Why do you want to help me investigate my skill? Aren’t you supposed to be investigating this dungeon to return to your original world?”

Did she already give up on that? The thought crossed his mind, but Lucia shook her head in denial.

“I do want to return, but I’ve got plenty of time, so there’s no need to rush.”

As a half-elf, her lifespan was at least 200 years and beyond.

Being away from family or acquaintances in her original home meant there wasn’t any pressure to hurry.

“And honestly, this seems far more entertaining than something that may or may not even happen.”

“Entertainment…”

Was that really the only reason?

Kang Jin-hyuk believed that he and Lucia weren’t close enough to mutually provide assistance without any expectations.

Although their bond had grown, reciprocity was essential to establish trust. Accepting unwarranted help felt unsettling.

If someone abruptly handed over a million won, few would accept it without a second thought.

While some would accept, many others would be wary, considering underlying motives.

Kang Jin-hyuk clearly belonged to the cautious group.

“Is that really the only reason?”

“That should be sufficient. What else do you need?”

Contrary to Kang Jin-hyuk’s suspicions, Lucia was genuinely earnest.

“It’s a power I’ve never seen before. Don’t you want to know what abilities you possess?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then why are you hesitating?”

Throwing her arm around his shoulder, Lucia flashed him a refreshing smile.

“Why are you panicking? Are you worried I’ll stab you in the back?”

“N-no, that’s not it…”

“You think I have any desire to deceive you for gain? Quit overthinking it. If I’m offering to help, just accept it.”

Lucia was in no position to desire anything, and reflecting on that revealed her stance.

Rationally, coming from another world, she had no need for money from this realm.

Additionally, given her overwhelming capabilities, there was no reasoning behind her suddenly wanting to utilize Kang Jin-hyuk.

With that realization, Kang Jin-hyuk’s suspicions began to dissipate.

-Getting treated as a toy felt like something to consider, though.-

But at this moment, the importance lay in her cooperation, which clearly surpassed any problems.

“You’re right. After all, I have a hidden skill I’ve just acquired. It would be silly not to understand it properly.”

Kang Jin-hyuk retrieved two return stones from his inventory and tossed one to Lucia.

Though he missed slightly, Lucia snagged it effortlessly.

“Have you thought about how to investigate?”

“That’s something we’ll figure out as we proceed.”

“…You persuaded me and yet don’t have a plan?”

Kang Jin-hyuk sighed softly as Lucia shrugged nonchalantly.

“I only promised to deal with any ambushers.”

After observing her reaction, Kang Jin-hyuk couldn’t help but let out a resigned sigh.

“Right, it’s my skill, so I’ll figure it out.”

“Ahahaha! That mindset is admirable.”

Kang Jin-hyuk silently apologized to the dwarf within, utilizing his return stone.

In an instant, a message appeared before him.

[Karma points have risen.]