Solo Hunt

Chapter 4: Chances

'Am I dead?'

Jin asks. As he felt that he was pulled down the abyss, his body felt cold as if he was drench in icy water.

'Sigh, I wasn't able to finish my goal. It was all due to my selfishness, tch! I can't accept this! I want to live!'

Jin's thrive to survive was still burning. He didn't want to stop until he fulfills his goal. Even if he was to return from square one, he'd continue in his path and become stronger as he wanted it to happen.

This was his only option so he could show everyone that he was not just some loser who had to live his life in fear, as his dream was to become a hero. Someone who is there to help others in need and fight for what's right yet those were just imaginative thoughts as reality was harsh.

Yesterday was history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift, that's why it's called a present. As what Master Oogway said.

Yet for Jin, every day was as expected. Nothing surprised him no more as he would know what's the outcome of his actions.

People can see more of what you had done wrong to what you had done right. No inspiration could make Jin continue on as he was completely dead, not from the outside but more in the inside.

The only thing he could think of that made him happy was his Mother. She was there when he was sad, she was there when he was bullied, she was there every time yet Jin didn't see this.

He hated his mother for leaving him alone when he needed him the most. When his mother had become ill, that time only Jin had realized all of his mistakes.

His mother had kept her illness as a secret cause she didn't want Jin to know of this since Jin had already have too many problems.

His mother did everything she can to comfort Jin but Jin didn't count her efforts.

As he only thought of her as a parent whose role is to provide for her children.

Only then when he found out about her illness that he had regretted everything he had done to his mother. He had hurt her badly, her feelings and her love to him had only gone as a waste.

After the first day of evolution had happened to earth. Jin couldn't focus too well as he was worried about his mother.

What had happened to her as she was in a coma?

He thought of the people that might take advantage of her as she was weak as a delicate flower.

His concern to her safety had became priority one. He didn't think of anything for the past days as he was focus on finding her mother yet he couldn't find her.

He would even think that she might have died but thankfully, after knowing that the humans who die would just revive made Jin worry no more.

He was waiting for the 10 years to pass so he could see her mother again. Even If he wouldn't see her in this world, he'll just be waiting until he can return so he can apologize to her for all the mistakes he had done.

"Mom...I miss mom."

Jin cried in thought. Slowly, his vision had been regained. He saw that he was deep in the sea, a very cold ocean and he feels like he was sinking down but he didn't want to suffocate in the cold water, his burning compassion to live didn't want him to die.

With all his might, he chose to swim up flapping his limbs, forcing himself to go up.

Reaching above the horizon, he finally saw the bright sun reflecting the mirroring sea.

As he held his breath longer, almost at his limit, he didn't stop on swimming as he arrived at the latter, what met him was the window interface.

Ting!

You have revive!

Your level has decreased by 1.

"Ugh, I'm.....alive! Hahaha! *sniffs."

Jin's tears flowed out from his eyes. It was tears of joy for him thinking that he had managed to live at the end.

As he scanned his surroundings, he saw that he had been revived at the temple in the kingdom in which hunters respawn.

"That was scary! That thrill when I died due to that acidic poison, I think I'd rate it 100 as it was to gorish!"

Jin came back to his senses. Now he wouldn't do the same stupid act he'd do and he will be more vigilant and careful before doing things.

He check his status, there he saw that his level went by 1 and the 5 points where deducted.

Ting!

Name: Jin

Class: Rogue

Level: 17 (14%)

HP: 2500/2500

MP:240/240

[AGI]: 47

[STR]: 44

[VIT]: 25

[INT]: 28

Status pts: 5

(Note: Each point placed in VIT will increase 100 HP)

"Phew, I guess I should return back there. I still need 5 more levels to get a class advancement. Distribute 5 points in INT."

Ting!

"Wait! I think I have a new skill?"

Jin opened his skill window. He saw the new skill that was given to him as a reward for slaying the Widow and he was stunned after seeing it.

[Steel String], it wasn't just any type of skill. It was different to normal skills, not only its font is unique, this was an indication that it was an enhanced type of skill.

Enhance type of skill has 3 stages, the 1st stage is where you are given the basics of the skill. After mastering the 1st stage, you can activate the 2nd stage in which the skill will evolve further, you'll need to be proficient with the skill and given the certain conditions, you can evolve it to its final form where it will become a very powerful skill that will grow along with its owner.

Ting!

[Steel String] (CC/DMG) Lvl. 1 (0%)

You can generate steel threads from your fingertips. You can manipulate the movement and length of the string by consuming some of your mana. If you are able to constrict a target, the damage dealt is equal to 100% of your STR. If your STR is multiplied by 3 and will be equal or greater than the HP of the target, the target will instantaneously die.

Mana: 3 per/meters. 2 per/movement

"This is skill is broken!"

After Jin read the skill info, he was in awe. If he had enough strength, he could instantly kill anyone. But the problem is how, how can he move the strings? Should he use telekinesis? Should he use force? He couldn't think of anyway as the info only said to use mana.

Well, there was no problem if he tried.

"[Steel String]!"

In his fingertips, thin threads flowed out. It continued on flowing as he couldn't control its generation.

The string just fell down the ground as it remains on flowing and Jin could feel his mana slowly depleting.

"Shit! How am I gonna stop this?"

He tried to waggle around the threads but the strings still flowed and he thought there was no way to stop the string.

"Stop it! It's getting too long!"

Jin sweated, still the string didn't listen and as it continues on its flow. With no more option in mind, Jin stiffened both of his hands just then the strings stop on flowing.

"It...it worked!"

Jin gleamed in joy. As he stop on stiffening his hands, the strings returned on flowing.

"Oh crap!"

Quickly, Jin stiffened his hands again to stop its flow.

"Now I know how to stop it but the question now is how to remove from my fingertips?"

Jin thought of ideas, Jin tried to stiffen his hands harder but nothing happened. Next, he tried to stiffen it in a split second but still nothing. Lastly, he tried to flick his fingers while stiffening it to make like a ripple to his nerves but yet no response.

"If it won't work with body movements, I might try phrases."

Since all skills required phrases for it to activate, it might also be the case for this skill so tried using words that might connect with the skill cancellation

"Stop! Cut! Abort! Recall! Call off! Revoke! Cancel!"

Still, the phrases didn't work. If he couldn't remove the strings, he might have to live his life with steel strings attached to his fingers while forever stiffening his hands.

He thought of the outcome and it made him shudder.

'Damn, even cancel didn't work?'

Tik!

Unexpectedly, the string was cut off from his fingers. 

"What the crap just happened?"

He couldn't understand it. He had tried many procedures yet nothing work. What had switch it that made itself cancel? He didn't have the answer to that and he only had to recall what happened.

"I just said something in my head and it made the strings cut itself. What was it again? "Damn, even cancel didn't work." right?"

Jin said so. He was afraid of activating the skill again as he didn't know if his thoughts were right. He might have been just lucky but no he didn't believe of luck.

"No matter what happens, I'll try and try until I succeed. [Steel String]!"

Upon activation, the steel strings flowed out from his fingertips but before it continued, he repeated the words in his head.

'Damn, even cancel didn't work.'

Tik!

His superstitions were right, the strings had again cut itself.

"Now I know it, but I'm pretty sure that it's not the whole sentence "Damn, even cancel didn't work." Let's try it again but word by word and if it doesn't work, the system is just stupid to make the cancellation that phrase."

"[Steel String]!"

The strings flowed out in Jin's fingertips. Now he was ready to say the phrase again in his head but word by word.

'Damn! No? Even! No? How about Cancel!'

Tik!

The string had cut itself after Jin said the word "Cancel" in his head. Finally, he had now found out the phrase to deactivate the skill.

Lastly, his only problem is how to make the strings removed. The strings that were cut off had slowly fade itself into thin air it would seem that it had also a duration just like the thorns that appeared in the skill [Hunter Strike].

"Let's see [Steel Strings]!"

Jin let the strings flowed up to 5 meters and then stiffened his fingers. Mostly, types like these would work by using telekinetic powers, but if it didn't work, it was impossible for him to use the nerves in his hands as that was superbly hard to even do.

Since Jin didn't have any telekinetic type of skills, the only way he could ever think off is by using his mind to control the movement of the strings.

As Jin exhaled and inhaled deep breaths, he was now mentally focused. He closed his eyes and imagined that the strings had form itself into a wriggling worm going up the sky.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. Surprisingly, it had relatively work in his first try.

"Puahahaha! It fucking work!"

Now he knows that you can freely move the strings with just your own imagination.

As he was happy with this, a window interface popped up in his view.

Ting!

[Steel String]'s proficiency has risen by 30%!

"Kuhahak! My skill proficiency rose!"

Gladly he laugh in thought with a very reminiscing look. He couldn't wait to try this skill towards monsters to try and master this skill so he could evolve to its 2nd stage.

•••••••

Jin returned to Gaia's Canyon as he wasn't finish on searching monsters. He returned to the location where he was halfway on clearing the entire map.

Also, Jin wanted to level since he had lost one level. He began to repeat the process of going back and forth to the place and moving 20 meters away in the corner side every time he reaches the endpoint.

As he cleared 3/4 of the map he unexpectedly encountered a wandering Griffin that seems to be resting in the shade of a bending giant rock.

"Oh! A Griffin! [Steel String]!"

The thin steel strings flowed out from his fingertips as he let it continue to flow until it reach about ten meters. Then he imagined that the strings tied the Griffins body. The strings moved as what he wanted and began to coil on the Griffins's body constricting its wings stomach and legs dealing continuous amount of damage.

-490

-490

-490

.

.

.

.

.

The Griffin had 15,000 HP meaning, Jin had already dealt enough damage to kill it but Jin was imaginative. His experiments had all been a success even if it was just a based theory.

Since he wanted to deal more damage, Jin canceled [Steel String] and activated [Thunder Clap] first. 

Kurururug

Now Jin was covered with blue aura, his next step was to activate the strings.

"[Steel String]!"

When the strings flowed, it was accompanied by electricity resulting in crackling noise. After having enough length, Jin let the strings coiled towards the griffin's body and when he put all of his strength towards the strings, in addition to the thunderous effect the steel strings electrocuted the poor Griffins body roasting it alive.

-570

-1230

-570

-1230

-2900

.

.

.

As the continuous damage effect drizzled the Griffin. Normal damage, true damage, and sometimes Critical damage would appear and not even 10 seconds had passed, the Griffin had immediately died.

+150,000 XP

[Steel String]'a proficiency has risen by 35%!

"Heck yeah!"

It was true, the griffins had an amazing amount of exp meaning Jin was halfway on reaching level 18. Not only that, but Jin's proficiency on the strings had also gone up by 5%, it won't take long for him to go to the next stage if he keeps this process up.

Jin continued on going back and forth until he was able to search the entire place. At this moment, he encounter a bunch of monsters that were seen hiding in the edges giving him the experience he needed to rise for a level and increase his proficiency by 50%.

As he was about to reach the end corner, a window panel greeted him.

Ting!

For discovering the entirety of Gaia's Canyon, you have been rewarded!

Rewards:

+1 level

Location of the Mountain Drake

"..!"