The More the Healer Gets Hit the Stronger He Become

46 – Is My Younger Sibling a Genius?!

‘What could it be, what is he hiding.’

It wasn’t unusual to conceal one’s true power from a stranger.

Even Kangwoo himself was hiding three items: the Orc Lord Leather Glove, the basic magic ring for Alter Magicians, the Ring of Calamity, and the Lesser Spatial Ring.

Yes, it wasn’t unusual.

However, even so, Kang Woo did not let his guard down towards Park Sung-chul.

In the diagonal line where his life was at stake, it was only right to be cautious of unpredictable variables.

Thump!

A big hand landed on Kang Woo’s back, who was lost in thought.

“Younger brother! Are you listening?!”

Next to Park Sung-chul was a two-meter giant, Jang Tae-han, who was continuing the introduction.

“Well, since it seems like the younger brother didn’t hear, let me explain again! If you’re going to talk about this great sword, I bought it for a whopping 16,000 points at the store-!”

“… Excuse me?”

“Hmm? You didn’t hear? Then let me explain again-“

“No, no. 16,000 points?”

As Kang Woo expressed his surprise, Jang Tae-han burst into laughter.

“Even our hot-tempered younger brother can’t help but be amazed in front of my proud great sword! hahahahaha! Since I found this great sword at the store-“

Jang Tae-han’s tearful story of tirelessly collecting points by enduring with the great sword received at the starting square while others were happily obtaining new items continued.

“Wow, 16,000 points…!”

“I-I can touch it once too…?”

“Of course! Here, feel free to touch it!”

And so, the party members, astonished by the price, all exclaimed in admiration, and even the usually composed Park Sung-chul showed interest.

Kang Woo expressed a different kind of astonishment.

“He’s showing off a weapon worth 16,000 points in front of people who have never seen it before?”

Is he crazy?

“People who don’t have a sense of reality, what can you trust…”

Logically, it was simply incomprehensible. It was beyond belief that someone like Park Sungcheol, instead of hiding items, would blatantly advertise a sword worth a whopping 16,000 points!

In the midst of Kang Woo’s astonishment, Jang Taehan, who seemed oblivious to such sentiments, even went as far as handing a 16,000-point sword to the crossbow guy.

“Ooh!”

The moment the sword entered the crossbow guy’s hands.

“Huh…? Uh-uh-uh?”

Thud!

At the swift speed, the crossbow guy’s body slammed into the ground, and simultaneously, the massive sword, accompanied by a hefty sound, pierced the surface.

“hahahahaha! Couldn’t last a minute even with all that! It really is because of the lack of muscles-“

‘This guy is crazy. Absolutely crazy.’

Simply looking at the cheerful Jang Taehan, Kang Woo shook his head in disbelief.

***

After a brief commotion.

“Lee Jaejoon, 21 years old, uses a crossbow as a weapon. His unique ability is called ‘Wind Path,’ and if you think about it, he can shoot guided arrows with increased destructive power.”

“Wow! Guided arrows, that’s impressive!”

“hahahahaha.”

“I’m Choi Taehyun. I’m 20 years old, and my weapon is a shield. My unique ability is ‘Strength Explosion.'”

“Wow! Strength Explosion! What an awesome ability!”

Kang Woo’s estimation of Lee Jaejoon and Choi Taehyun, who he thought were worth only half of a first impression, ended rapidly.

“Now, it’s the younger brother’s turn!”

And so the moment arrived.

Kang Woo, thrown into confusion by Jang Tae-han’s booming voice, hastily spoke up to silence the chatter.

“Choi Kang Woo, 20 years old. My weapon is a shield, and my unique ability is…”

On the 31st floor where healers were abundant and the unknowing 32nd floor, Kang Woo had introduced his strength as an explosive power. On the rest of the floors, he labeled his ability as self-healing prowess.

As per the sorceress Park Ye-rin, the grand trial involving all awakened individuals was imminent. Some knew their abilities as strength explosions, while others understood their powers as self-healing prowess. It was a recipe for disaster, an amateur move, as Ye-rin had said. Yet, it couldn’t be helped.

“If I hadn’t used healing, I wouldn’t have survived those trials, no matter what.”

Resulting in his current state, having conned many with inconsistent abilities.

“It’s strength explosion.”

Once again, Kang Woo altered his ability to strength explosion.

“Wow! You have that ability too! Tankers pair up really well, you know!”

With that behemoth on the team, breaking through the trial didn’t seem too difficult, more so than anything else.

“Alright, just one more confirmation, and we’re done.”

“Hmm? Is there more to confirm?”

“Mr. Jang Tae-han, you only boasted about your greatsword but haven’t revealed your unique ability.”

From Noble mtl dot com

“…!! What a mistake!”

Knowing Park Sung-cheol was hiding something, the judgment was that the more hidden, the better.

“My unique ability is ‘Strength Enhancement!’ It’s similar to strength explosion… If strength explosion momentarily enhances strength, then my strength enhancement increases strength for a certain period. Simple as that!”

Truly an ability that could be considered a superior version of strength explosion.

“Wow. ‘Strength Enhancement’ is something I’ve never heard of.”

Echoing the words of the crossbow man, Lee Jae-jun, Kang Woo was equally impressed.

‘Did God give that monster such brute ignorance, and yet it lacks even in muscle strength…’

Perhaps its physical strength is stronger than mine.

As Kangwoo ascended the tower for the first time, he harbored suspicions that he might be physically weaker than an awakened individual on the same floor.

[The time limit has expired.]

The system notification sounded as if it were confirming his suspicions.

[Mission: Arrive at the portal beyond the mountain.]

[Completing the trial using the portal.]

Gulp.

Along with the sound of someone swallowing dry saliva.

[The trial begins.]

Unfailingly, the trial began.

***

After the trial commenced, Longsword Park Sungchul, who was gazing at the narrow mountain path, spoke suddenly.

‘We just need to arrive at the portal beyond the mountain. Does it matter if we go around the mountain?’

It was an unexpectedly ingenious suggestion.

Instead of using the obvious and perilous mountain path, which anyone could see was a trap set by the tower, they could clear the trial by going around the perimeter of the mountain.

‘Is my younger brother a genius?!’

The party members unanimously agreed and immediately turned away from the narrow mountain path, opting for the mountain’s circumferential trail.

Only about 10 meters.

‘… It’s blocked.’

It was an innovative plan, but the tower wasn’t that easy to fool. At the starting point, every path except the one leading to the mountain was blocked by an invisible barrier, a cat’s warning not to engage in unnecessary nonsense.

“… Isn’t that barrier the one set up at the Safe Zone exit?”

After a brief escapade that brought unnecessary trauma to Gangwoo, who couldn’t escape the tower on his own, the party members moved towards the only path with a sentiment akin to being led to a slaughterhouse.

Two sturdy guys, or rather, only one person with a height exceeding two meters, walked toward the narrow mountain path, which would be filled even with just one person.

After climbing the mountain through such a narrow path, it was already 30 minutes.

“Wow, this is unexpectedly tough…!”

“Younger brother, if you suddenly miss my nutrient-packed protein shake, I can make one for you right now-“

“No, it’s okay. Upon second thought, it seems bearable.”

The party members marched in a single file.

The seating arrangement was Tanker Choigangwoo at the forefront, followed by the giant Jangtaehan, crossbowman Leejaejun, longsword wielder Parkseongcheol, and shield bearer Choitaehyun.

This order was based on considerations that monsters might appear from any side in the mountain, making this arrangement appropriate.

“… Stop talking and focus, I’ll take care of it, just keep it ready-“

“It’s okay. Look straight ahead, straight ahead! Watch the front!”

“….”

As the conversation grew longer, Gangwoo, who was at the front, showed an impatient expression.

“Please keep it quiet for a bit.”

“….”

In response to Gangwoo’s nervous words, a moment of silence fell.

However, before they could take three more steps, Jangtaehan, with narrowed eyes, whispered in a playful voice.

“Little brother, are you nervous right now?”

“Well, maybe because we’re at the forefront?”

“hahahahaha! Don’t worry, energetic little brother. If a monster appears, I’ll just take it down in one go with this greatsword!”

Even though Jang Taehan, who was a bit crazy, and Lee Jaejoon, who was subtly talkative, they were awakened individuals who had climbed up to the 39th floor.

While casually teasing each other, they didn’t neglect their surroundings, and their voices were so low that it was almost like whispering.

In short, they were quietly talking without causing trouble, maintaining a balance that didn’t attract attention.

Oddly enough, Kang Woo’s nervous voice was the only thing that seemed out of place.

“Darn.”

Realizing he was getting worked up over nothing, Kang Woo tightly closed his eyes.

“…Sorry. Please continue with what you were saying.”

“Well, it’s not that important…”

He was sensitive.

This was the 39th floor. Simply because it ended with a 9, he was tense.

“Hmm…”

Jang Taehan, who couldn’t hide his surprise at Kang Woo’s apology, glanced around and fell silent.

And so, an awkward silence settled among the group.

Moving ahead at the forefront, Kang Woo was engulfed in tension, unaware of it, lost in his own thoughts.

“… Will it be okay?”

Challenging the ninth floor with team members was a first for him. Even though there was no magician, there was the Ring of Calamity as a last resort, even if monsters with physical attack immunity like the 29th floor appeared.

Here, there was no need to worry about the ceiling collapsing and crushing them, unlike the mountain where such concerns existed.

There are party members, and it’s not a space where explosive magic cannot be used.

I’m well aware of that in my head.

“…Damn it.”

From the moment I set foot on the mountain path, my heart, beating rapidly, didn’t seem to calm down at all.

From the 31st to the 38th floor, due to the team members forcibly assigned, Kang Woo, who couldn’t even achieve the solo clear achievement and had to share the monster defeat rewards with his party members, didn’t earn many points.

The average points received for each trial were 3,000 points.

Starting from the 32nd floor, thanks to clearing trials almost alone, he also earned a considerable amount of points for the intermediate healing potion purchase cost.

[Master Craftsman’s Open-Face Plate Helmet no.17]

[Master Craftsman’s Plate Armor no.1]

Because the helmet and armor melted like candle wax in the battle with slimes on the 29th floor, failing to fulfill their duties properly, Kang Woo had to repurchase these two as new, and the useless gloves that were babbling were replaced with Orc Lord Leather Gloves.

[Current Points: 226]

This was Kang Woo’s remaining total property.

In other words, when he cleared the 29th-floor trial, the only things that changed were the Shield of Protection Trycy and Orc Lord Leather Gloves.

Not only that.

[Name: Choi Kang Woo

Strength: 49.8 → 53.4 +(5)

Health: 31 → 35 +(3)

Agility: 28 → 32 +(2)

Intelligence: 23 → 25

Mana: 29 → 33+(2)]

From the 31st floor to the 38th floor, due to the team members forcibly assigned through a total of 8 trials, physical strength, stamina, agility, and magical power couldn’t be properly increased. The growth was significantly slower than when clearing trials alone.

In this situation,

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Even with teammates and the ability to use explosive skills, it was natural that the anxiety wouldn’t dissipate.

Kangwoo wasn’t satisfied with his own growth.

Against the backdrop of the rapidly beating heart, how much farther did he walk?

It was around 50 minutes into the hike.

Jang Taehan, who had maintained silence all along, sniffed his nose.

“I smell something strange…”

“… A smell?”

In response to Jang Taehan’s words, Lee Jaejoon, who had been pretending to be asleep due to the atmosphere, quickly teased with a sly smile.

“I don’t smell anything? Maybe I purposely-“

Just as Lee Jaejoon was about to play a prank,

Different from before, a momentary, low, and fierce voice resonated, to the extent that one might mistake it for a different person.

“Halt.”

As Jang Taehan’s words ended, the four people stopped abruptly and vigilantly surveyed their surroundings.

Even Lee Jaejoon, who was about to play a prank, sharply scanned the surroundings with a crossbow loaded with arrows.

So, everyone awaited the next instruction.

Silently raising his hand, Jang Taehan pointed directly above the group.

At the spot where Jang Taehan’s fingertips had traced,

It was eerie how, as if revealed for the first time, the massive head of a bear hung from the branches.

“W-What is that…!”

“Ugh! And there, too…!”

No, along the narrow mountain path, the heads of mountain animals were hung at regular intervals.

‘Damn….’

Countless. So many that one couldn’t even begin to count.