Thumbs Up, Level Up

Chapter 101

Stone Ants were ant-type monsters that looked like they were made from solid rocks. However, even though they looked like that, they were not inanimate monsters like the stone golems, but living beings of flesh and blood. Ji-Cheok heard that they ate rocks to harden their chitinous armor.

Their main food source was rocks, so naturally, their teeth were as menacing as a mining machine in a coal mine. But that was it. Hunters only feared these Ants because of their overwhelming numbers, their hard shells, and their teeth that broke through rocks. Therefore, elemental attacks as well as some special attacks offered an advantage against these monsters. It was especially advantageous for earth element wizards who could shake the very axis of the Earth, or water element wizards who could make their shells softer.

“Wow… It’s very different from what we saw in the briefing videos,” Ha-Na said.

‘I agree with you, Ha-Na.’

A tsunami of Ants poured in. Gray-brown waves covered the ground as they picked up the pace, running toward the wall of the fortress.

‘The scenery is magnificent.

“Alright. Let’s get started,” Ji-Cheok said.

Ji-Cheok slightly bent one knee and put his hand inside his shadow.

-Huh? Wtf is that? Wtf is that? Wtf is that?

-Keukeuk… Our Umji finally made a pact with the Darkness.

-Are your hands in the shadows?

-How many more abilities do you have, Umji?

-Why is our Umji-pooh so talented? What are you going to do with all that talent?

[You have received 1 Like!]

[You have received 1 Like!]

[You have received….

The Likes were coming in like tidal waves. The chat was so chaotic that Ji-Cheok put it aside and moved on to the next step. He took out a heavy military duffel bag and handed it to Ha-Na.

“You are a national treasure, Ji-Cheok. I can’t even remember the time when you weren’t with us~” Ha-Na said.

“Thank you.”

‘But, Ha-Na… Your previous sad elf-like expression seems to have gone to the underworld.’

She chuckled and put the duffel bag next to her. Ji-Byeok approached, took out the contents, and started handing the items directly to Ha-Na.

“Okay! Let’s get started!”

The marbles in Ha-Na’s hands flashed with mana light.

“Ripping Blade Trap!”

When she activated the skill, the sharp waves of mana made Ji-Cheok’s skin tingle. In an instant, the marbles sprouted dozens of blades, turning into circular saw blades, and flew away like a meteor shower. As they landed on the ground in front of the fortress wall, the bladed marbles started spinning.

Ha-Na kept activating these traps and throwing them onto the ground. She picked up speed more and more, to the point where she almost looked like the Thousand-Armed Gwaneum.

-Byul Ha-Na… Was she this strong?

-Oh… Oh… All hail the Thousand-Armed Gwaneum!

-Buddha has descended! All hail the Thousand-Armed Gwaneum!

-Unnie! You look so cool.

Ji-Cheok realized he wasn’t the only one thinking like this. As her name suggested, Ha-Na scattered her traps like the stars in the night sky.

Eventually, the Stone Ants began to attack.

Crack! Crunch!?

The countless traps laid on the floor exploded almost artistically and started to grind the Stone Ants. It was the art of destruction in full bloom.

‘I’m sorry but there’s more where that came from.’

“Holy shit, why is she so strong?”

“Everyone, activate your skills! Hurry! We can’t put our names in the ranking system if we just stand here like this.”

“Damn it! Out of all the days she could have cleared the dungeon, why today?”

The other Hunters started swearing at Ji-Cheok and the gang as they activated their own skills. They bombed the ground with their thunder and fire-type skills. They also sprinkled poison clouds and let a rain of steel fall upon the monsters. They even took out their water and grass magic items.

‘This is what it looks like when Hunters try to buy titles with money.’

There were Hunters whose skills were rather lacking in comparison to their level. They didn’t have the confidence to deal with a large number of Stone Ants by themselves, but they had a lot of money in their bank account. These people would buy disposable artifact bombs like this and throw them at the enemies. Of course, the viewers didn’t like this.

There were already many videos of this kind on GodTube. The viewers had been interested at first but had gradually gotten tired of them. They would criticize these Hunters for being not good enough to clear this dungeon and that they were just using money to get titles. Eventually, no viewers would watch these kinds of Hunters. That’s why GodTubers like Ji-Cheok wouldn’t even dream of doing something like that.

‘But handmade bombs are a little bit different!’

There were many videos of people buying luxurious sports cars and trying them out. However, if they were to make?their own luxurious sports car and show it off, that would become a completely different kind of content. Ha-Na’s throwing skills as a ranged dealer were perfect for showing off!

The NPCs also started to move around and shoot their arrows, but as expected, their rain of arrows didn't seem to have much effect on the Stone Ants. In the end, the System wanted the Hunters to clear it with their power. Even so, it was better than nothing, and the firepower of the twenty-three Hunters stationed on the northern wall, including Ji-Cheok and the team, was enough to block the Stone Ants from coming into contact with the wall. Among all of them, Ha-Na stood out the most. This was all possible because Ji-Cheok had been storing the traps she was going to use in his [Shadow Pouch].

It was a massacre!

[You have killed 10 monsters in a short time.]

[You have earned the title [Killer]!]

[You have killed 100 monsters in a short time.]

[You have earned the title [Slayer]! The title [Killer] has been replaced with [Slayer].]

[You have killed 500 monsters in a short time.]

[You have earned the title [Slaughter Expert]! The title [Slayer] has been replaced with [Slaughter Expert]!]

[Slaughter Expert]

[Class: Special

You have killed a large number of living things in a very short period.

Increases wide-area attack damage by 20%

Reduce mana consumption by 20% when attacking in a wide area.]

“Wow! You already got the [Slaughter Expert] title!” Ji-Cheok said.

“It’s all thanks to your strategy. This is working great!” Ha-Na said.

“See? The highest peak of production is alchemy!”

After the live stream was over, Ji-Cheok was planning to make a video on trap production. This way, he could earn twice as many Likes.

[You have received 1 Like!]

In this dungeon, contribution was recognized even if the contributing Hunter was not the one attacking. Healer priests, the rangers who set the traps, the alchemists who made the traps, and the tanks who moved the traps, all got their shares of the contribution. This meant that Ji-Cheok, who made the traps using his alchemy, Ji-Byeok, who carried the military duffel bag, and even Ha-Na, who activated the skill, got contribution points for killing the Stone Ants.

?And I am sure Ha-Na can get the attention that she wants!?

‘Yupp! It may not be the sad elf-like image that she wanted, but she can be called the Human Carpet Bomber!’

“Everyone, are you seeing this? Who said that rangers are assassins weak in one-on-one combat? All of these traps are fresh homemade by yours truly!”

-Is it even legal to shoot out traps like a machine gun?

-I’d rather buy a scroll and use it on the enemy. What kind of idiot makes their traps one by one? That would take too much time.

-Ha-Na is no longer a human. She is a grenade-throwing machine.

-Isn’t that a trap? Not a grenade?

-It’s as powerful as a grenade. So it’s a grenade.

->>>>Bomber Byul Ha-Na<<<<

‘I think being called a Bomber is better than a sad elf. Bomber sounds more powerful.’

?Well… Master. I think you should ask Ha-Na for her input on this.?

‘No, but listen, Cheok-Liang. If she starts being called an innocent and pretty elf, she might have to split her hamburger into eight pieces before eating it. That’s a tragedy.’

?But a Bomber, Master…? A Bomber???

Ha-Na was still mindlessly throwing her traps, which the viewers now called grenades, at the Stone Ants, so only Ji-Cheok and Ji-Byeok could discuss the title they had just won.

Ji-Cheok also received 1 Like from Ji-Byeok.

‘I feel a little bit guilty. This strategy was devised by you, Cheok-Liang.’

?I am Master’s skill from the beginning and my existence only belongs to Master. It is an important task as an advisor to make Master stand out.?

‘Still, I’ll have to feed you something delicious after this dungeon.’

The Ants couldn’t break through their formation, but the formation on the other side was eventually penetrated by the Ants.

“AHHH! Stop them!! Fuckin’ hell! Don’t let them come up the wall!”

“Damn it! I told you to bring plenty of items!”

The Ants climbed up the wall, finally reaching the top, and close-quarters combat ensued. Tanks used their skills to taunt the Ants, while dealers and NPC soldiers attacked the enemies. In the meantime, Ji-Cheok and the gang consumed all the traps that they brought along in the [Shadow Pouch].

?I guess this is where phase 2 starts, Master.?

‘Yes.’

“Summon Mono Bike G!”

Flash!

Mono Bike G appeared next to Ji-Cheok with a brilliant light.

‘This time, I need your help.’

“Cheok-Liang!”

?Your wish is my command, Master!?

Cheok-Liang unwrapped himself from Ji-Cheok’s neck, jumped up, and shapeshifted into his bigger form.

Cheok-Liang, who had become a large beast capable of carrying three people, appeared gallantly.

-Cheok-Liang!! Cheok-Liang!! Cheok-Liang!! Cheok-Liang!! Cheeeook-Liaaaaaaang!!! MY FUCKING BABYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Holy shit. He has cultivation skills, shadow skills, AND summoned beasts? He has everything!

-Did you see the title [Slaughter Expert] popping up earlier? Our Umji had a plan all along~

-But why did he take out the Mono Bike G? What is he going to do with it?

-No way… is he…?

“Alright, Let’s go!” Ji-Cheok said.

As soon as he got on the bike, Ha-Na jumped on the back of Cheok-Liang, like a circus acrobat. On the other hand, Ji-Byeok climbed onto the back seat of the bike.

Cling. Cling.

Ji-Byeok fixed her boots firmly to the footrest of the rear seat of the Mono Bike G.

‘Tank rule number one, check your feet first.’

If healers had the highest suicide rate, tanks were the close second. Some tanks couldn’t overcome the guilt when a Hunter died because they couldn't protect them. They were always the first to come forward, hold their shield up, and feel the heat of the action. One tank even said that it was their job to take the hit for other Hunters. That was why a lot of people with devout faith, like real-life paladins, took this job. It was said that in the early days of the Awakening in Korea, religious people such as nuns and monks awakened to become tanks. After that, many young people started to awaken, and there were still many faithful people among the young Awakened.

‘Ji-Byeok is an atheist, though.’

The Jungha Group was a company that had flourished with the Awakening and was stained with the blood of countless people. Since Ji-Byeok knew the reality of this place, it was not easy for her to believe in any kind of religion.

Instead, Ji-Byeok firmly fixed her feet onto the bike.

Click.

“Let’s go.”

Her feet stuck to the motorcycle seat. This gave her both balance and freedom to move while she was riding the bike.

“If you’re ready, then let’s roll!”

Mono Bike G ran down the wall, the Wall Drive skill as the only thing preventing freefall.

-Umji, you crazy bastard!

-YES! Finally, he used Spider Riding!

?Hey, that skill is called Wall Drive.

?Just let the man have some fun.

-Isn’t that the Bike and Self as One that I saw before? And are those blades?on the front of the bike?

-Umji!! Let’s gooooooooo!!!

1. Gwaneum, also known as Avalokite?vara, Guanyin, and Kannon, is a Buddha often depicted as having a thousand arms.

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