The More the Healer Gets Hit the Stronger He Become

32 – Madness….

“Damn it?”

It was unbelievable. It was unbelievably so for a long while.

“You’re telling me you can’t answer a simple question right now?”

Is it okay for a manager to be like that?

You can’t even report this to customer service.

Kangwoo, who had been boasting for a while, weakly sank into his seat.

“Still… I’m not completely without income.”

If we were to summarize the income obtained from this unexpected encounter, it went like this.

Firstly, there was a manager in the tower. And that manager could be met through the VIP shop.

It might seem like an insignificant income, but it was a tremendous thing.

If you gathered only 20,000 points, you could meet the manager through the shop, someone who could influence the tower.

Although he looked like a drama geek, from Kangwoo’s perspective, it wasn’t a bad thing. Thanks to his geeky appearance, even a slight scratch would give hints in his expression.

‘If I’m good at it, I might be able to effortlessly extract the information I want.’

Well, he might attempt to abuse his power like chasing people out of the shop again today. So, it might be necessary to talk around it without him noticing, but still.

Secondly, the manager had a favorable attitude towards him. And that was probably because he was the ‘savior preventing the Earth’s destruction.’

Although the manager looked geeky, Kangwoo had already experienced the tremendous momentum emitted when asking about the high-level magic and fire punches that the manager wielded.

It was a formidable appearance, enough to make you not think of the person as innocent-looking.

So, revealing a kind, bright, and geeky appearance to him, someone who could be a powerful figure capable of tearing and killing with just a flick of his finger, seemed reasonable. This was because the strong figure had something they wished for from Kangwoo, like the mentioned ‘preventing the Earth’s destruction.’

Three, Asper’s Flame Fist is a person higher than the administrator.

The administrator, who had shown favor for a moment for the same reason as ‘two,’ suddenly changed and emitted a powerful aura.

It was merely because he tried to inquire about Asper’s Flame Fist.

From addressing Asper’s Flame Fist as ‘Master’ to reacting excessively when the Flame Fist was mentioned, it all instilled a conviction in Kangwoo. The Flame Fist of Asper might be higher than the administrator, or stronger, or both.

Four, the Flame Fist and the administrator. Or perhaps more Aspers than that. They might be related to the destruction of the Earth.

– Those beings who existed in such distant dimensions. Why, on earth, are you bothering to prevent the destruction of the Earth?

Milena, in response to her own question, didn’t give a warning or anger as she did when asking about Asper’s Flame Fist, but she was simply ‘confused.’

Just like someone who has been pricked.

‘It’s strange to build a tower to prevent destruction after causing it themselves.’

Nevertheless, it felt uncomfortable. Milena’s expression, unable to hide her momentary confusion when she received the question.

Whether directly or indirectly, intentionally or accidentally, the dimension called ‘Asper’ seemed to be related to the destruction of the Earth.

‘What could it be… Why?’

For a brief moment, the influx of overwhelming information made Kangwoo’s mind complex.

As Kangwoo continued his thoughts on the tower, the administrator, and Asper’s Flame Fist, he suddenly noticed a silver box that caught his eye.

“Uh… Uh…?!”

Shop!

Unconsciously opening the shop, Kangwoo quickly checked the bottom left.

[Available Points: 2,205]

“Oh, no…”

Thunk.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no—!!”

Kangwoo’s body, seated, slumped forward weakly.

“Oh, no…! My, my 20,000 points! How did I even accumulate them…! And now, to burn them in a random box…!! Is the administrator truly insane?!!”

As Milena poured out incessant words, attempting to evade his own questions, the barrage of words, like a rapid-fire pistol, went unheard in the confusion of the situation.

And so, he remained oblivious.

– Our VIP shop is currently offering a groundbreaking event for first-time customers, providing the ‘Intermediate Item Random Box’ for a mere 20,000 points.

– To purchase it at the regular price, you would need 50,000 points, so consider it a real steal. We believe you’ll definitely make the purchase, so please accumulate at least 50,000 points and visit us next time! From the second visit onwards, an entrance fee of 5,000 points will be deducted, so please keep that in mind!

This absurd purchase was unknowingly unfolding.

“Re-, refund. Where’s the refund counter? Manager, I’m going to request a refund—!!”

His mother had warned him.

Whether it’s a game or pranks among friends, never get involved in things like gambling.

If, by some chance, the ‘D’ in gambling catches your eye, on that very day, lock up your desires, whether it’s your fingers or toes, crush them thoroughly……

‘Why did my thoughts flow in this direction?’

Whoosh. Shaking his head, Kangwoo, who had cast his consciousness away, stared at the random item box with eyes that trembled slightly.

Whenever it was. Back in elementary school, witnessing an event offering character skins, purchasable only through real money, in a random box using in-game currency. He had spun the random box until he finally exhausted the game money he had saved for two months, crying as he pleaded with his mother to buy the character skin, only to receive a scolding.

Since then, he had vowed never to give a second glance to randomness, yet here he was, embracing the random item box.

“…This seems like it’s going to be a disaster.”

Throughout his life, Kang Woo, who had never pulled a break-even from a gacha, was consumed by anxiety.

“If I fail, as soon as I gather 20,000 points, I’ll go into the VIP store and spoil the ending of a drama.”

Shivering.

Kang Woo, tightly closing his eyes, swiftly opened the box.

“aaah! Please-!”

Between tightly closed eyelids, he felt a bright light emanating from the box.

“Please, please, please!”

How much time had passed? Kang Woo, sensing the light diminishing, gently opened his eyes to check inside the box.

Bang! Bang!

Was this indeed an intermediate item random box from the VIP store with a cost of 50,000 points?

As he entered the tower, an unfamiliar congratulatory message, weaving through the air, appeared for the first time.

Even a kind explanation was attached above the item.

“What?”

Kang Woo, quickly checking the item description, hardened his expression.

“I can’t believe….”

He really didn’t intend to do something like this… But it was too much even if he did.

As Kang Woo rose from his seat, glaring at the air.

“Thank you!!”

He bowed, bending his waist 90 degrees.

[Ring of Calamity, Phernice]

A ring embedded with an explosive skill. When the skill is used, the explosive effect is imbued onto the weapon chosen by the user. The skill activates instantly upon impacting the weapon, with the explosive force proportionate to the user’s magical power.

The intermediate item random box, purchased for 20,000 points, was distributed with such generosity that it made one wonder if it was okay.

It was a jackpot.

***

[You have challenged the twenty-second trial.]

In the eerily dark 22nd floor, where the blood-red clouds completely obscured the sun, creating an atmosphere akin to early evening.

Tilting his head back, Kangwoo, who had deeply inhaled the dark and heavy air, exclaimed in admiration.

“Ah, the air is good.”

Under normal circumstances, Kangwoo would have shivered at the strange atmosphere, wondering why it felt this way. But currently, he was a bit unhinged, with one screw loose.

If the sky is a bit blood-red and the air a bit thick, what does it matter?

[Ring of Calamity, Fernices]

He possessed a ‘skill item’ that would make awakening individuals from all over the world cry and beg, clinging to his legs, pleading to be sold.

“Heh, hahahahaha-!”

All items sold in the shop either increased stats or, in rare cases, had enchantments on the items themselves.

There were no items that granted skills to the user.

In other words, unless one was a very rare awakened individual who stumbled upon the VIP shop, most awakening individuals, unaware of the existence of skill items, were the majority.

‘Next time, I should casually ask the administrator how many customers I am.’

In reality, after clearing the 21st floor, Kangwoo had many concerns.

The spiders in the 21st-floor cave, aside from their beggar-like webs, didn’t have any notable attacks that could be called skills. He managed to clear them by pushing through like a bulldozer.

But if the next trial introduced flying monsters using magic, victory was far from guaranteed.

‘Taking a physical hit a couple of times is one thing, but taking magical attacks head-on…’

Kangwoo, who recalled the fierce sparrow on the 6th floor spewing flames with its cute figure and the bat on the 15th floor incessantly emitting magical rays from its beak, shivered.

The magic attacks comfortably concentrated in the air towards a single intruder…

Wielding a bow and shooting arrows a couple of times was one thing, but when he realized that his own damage was several times more severe than the decreasing monsters…

From then on, just holding a shield and running away was all he could do.

“Kahahahaha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!”

Until obtaining the Ring of Calamity, that is.

“If you put an explosion on an arrow and shoot, it goes kaboom. Quite enjoyable, I assure you! Kahahahaha-ha-ha-!!”

It was when Kangwoo, who had more than a couple of experiences of being smacked by flying monsters, burst into a mad laugh.

[Mission: Defeat the Boss Monster.]

[When the mission is accomplished, the trial will end.]

Upon hearing the system’s notification, Kangwoo’s eyebrows twitched.

“I anticipated it, but….”

Like the 21st-floor trial, the mission of the 22nd-floor trial didn’t precisely specify ‘who the boss monster is.’

“Once again….”

Kangwoo, erasing his laughter, pulled out a bow from the spatial ring. At a time when he couldn’t exactly identify the enemy.

It was a judgment based on the belief that choosing a long-range weapon would be better.

[The trial is beginning.]

At the start of the trial, the uneven ground covered with lumps of soil began to ripple from all directions.

Clatter. Clatter.

Outside the swaying heap of soil, hands made of white bones revealed themselves.

Upon the appearance of the rounded skull that followed, Kangwoo spoke.

“… It seems like a Gate-type Trial.”

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

Skeletons, completely emerged from the ground, gathered on the opposite side of Kangwoo.

Shield, sword, bow.

Watching skeletons with various weapons form orderly ranks, Kangwoo, who had been quietly observing, marveled.

“Wow. Seems like you got some new gear?”

It wasn’t a rusty sword-wielding mob from the 12th floor; it exuded the aura of well-trained elite soldiers.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

Whether they understood the praise or not, the skeletons, led by the officer, responded by moving, and Kangwoo’s smile stretched wide.

“I got a piece of gear too.”

[Longbow Infused with the Breath of the Wind]

Kangwoo, with an arrow on the longbow, forcefully drew the bowstring.

Tap, tap, tap—

In response to Kangwoo’s action, one of the skeletons standing in front raised its sword high.

A breathless confrontation ensued.

Whoosh—

Simultaneously with the Skeleton’s sword striking down, Kangwoo infused magic into the Ring of Calamity, Fernikis.

Ooooooo—

The intangible force imbued in the arrow, pulled to its limits.

Dadadadadadadak-!

The moment skeletons began their charge!

Whoosh-!

An arrow, departed from the quiver, pierced the rear of the charging skeletons.

A single high-grade arrow.

A moment when no one paid any attention.

——.

A dazzling light burst from the arrowhead.

Kwaaang-!!

A belated massive explosion swept through the area.

“Insane….”

From Noble mtl dot com

Of the two hundred skeletons, thirty percent turned into ashes in an instant.