The moment of transformation arrived. The system's voice resonated like divine decree, scanning the depths of Lee Seong-jun's memories and strength. The process of advancement—normally unpredictable, sometimes cruel—halted for a heartbeat with a flicker of error, before locking onto his existing path. The system chose not to randomize, not to strip him of his foundation. Instead, it refined what he already held.
The Reinforcement Sorcerer was reborn.
And in that instant, Seong-jun became something greater—a Mystic.
New power surged through him. Green light washed across his vision as skill after skill engraved itself into his body and soul. Blessing of the Earth, a gift that hardened flesh, bone, and muscle, raising strength and stamina beyond natural limits. Wind Protection, a swiftness that made the body glide like the breeze. And above them all, Amplification, a keystone skill that magnified every strengthening art by half again.
It was overwhelming. A sorcerer who could empower others had now stepped into a realm where he could elevate himself to stand among the true titans.
Seong-jun tested this new might. His bare fist struck a tree—at first, nothing more than a tremor. But with Blessing of the Earth coursing through him, his blow hollowed out the trunk, wood splintering as if the strike carried the weight of steel. His body barely tingled. The durability granted by the skill turned fragile flesh into living armor.
For the first time, external martial arts—techniques once reserved for those who dedicated decades to hardening their bodies—were within his reach. Memories of Cheolmujin, the Geumgang Demon of the Blood Sect, surfaced. That master had shattered iron walls with nothing but his hardened body. Seong-jun, though no practitioner of such paths, could now glimpse their domain. With Mystic's power, even forbidden external arts were no longer closed to him.
And still, Amplification lingered as the true jewel. Every skill—old and new—swelled in effect. Strength, stamina, agility, endurance… the numbers soared. Combined, the increase was enough to push him to the brink of S-rank combat power. For ordinary hunters, such progress took decades. For Seong-jun, it was a leap achieved in mere days.
A smile curved his lips. With these abilities, he could finally step beyond D-rank gates. C-rank dungeons, once too inefficient, now lay within reach. He would no longer need to hold back. Still, he was not reckless. Family time mattered more than blind ambition. With dinner waiting at home, he ended his day's hunt, his heart warmed by the ordinary joy of eating and laughing with his loved ones.
Yet even in rest, his path pressed forward. The Association, ever vigilant, secured a C-rank gate at his request. By morning, the coordinates were already delivered by Jo Kang-hyun, proof of the alliance's trust and efficiency.
And so, as dawn's light spilled across the horizon, Lee Seong-jun stepped into a higher battlefield.
The gate's distortion rippled around him. His vision blurred, the air shrieked, and then—calm.
The C-rank hunt was about to begin.