Thumbs Up, Level Up

.
It was like having a crack in a dam.
Someone had to use their fists and protect this place.

‘Will I be able to do this?’

As Ji-Cheok kept repeating this thought, he started to move.

“I think you’ll be able to leave now.
Run as far away as you can,” he explained the situation to the passengers.
His head felt endlessly dizzy, but his body kept going.
Was this because of his grandfather’s teachings or was it due to his own instincts?

The passengers nodded.
Surprisingly, no one was frantically running away by themselves.

“Raise your hand if you’re seriously injured.
Who can’t move by themselves?” Ji-Cheok inquired.
The people who could move would carry the injured on their backs.
After confirming that the passengers were leaving the bus one by one, he immediately called forth the store.
The store menu appeared before his eyes as its theme sound rang.

Ring-

[The store has been opened.]

[Likes are your power, Hunter.
Become popular and hit the jackpot!]

The god must have been out of his mind again today.
Ji-Cheok quickly bought one of the things he had spotted before.

“Purchase the Beginner’s Package!”

[Opening the Beginner’s Package.
Confirm the package items.]

“Use all my remaining points to build Strength!”

Ji-Cheok would have normally chosen mana, but now he needed the strength to fight right away.
It couldn’t be helped, because the goblins had shown up.
Goblins were usually known as monsters that appeared in hordes.
It would have been different if he had any skills dealing wide-area attacks, but otherwise, Strength was more important now.

[You have increased your Strength rank!]

His Strength went up one level, from D- to the D rank.
That alone made Ji-Cheok feel like his muscles were burning.
It was known that D rank strength was the equivalent of a fitness trainer at the very minimum.
‘This should be enough to smash a goblin.’

After thinking about it, Ji-Cheok prompted the system to check the Beginner’s Package.
It supposedly contained everything that a beginner needed, but actually, most Hunters wouldn’t purchase the package.
The problem was that it was very expensive.
By the time the Hunters gathered the necessary points to buy one, they would’ve already passed the beginner level.
Therefore, almost nobody got one unless a guardian angel bought it with their own money and helped the user level up with it.
But thanks to the Likes he had received, Ji-Cheok was able to buy it early, while he was still at level 1.

“Open the Beginner’s package!”

Ring-

[As a beginner, you can use 2 skills!]

[The basic equipment set is being created!]

[An item drop rate booster has been applied as well!]

[Your skill proficiency has increased.]

At that moment, a short sword and a shield took shape in Ji-Cheok’s hands.

[Beginner Skill: Steady Heart Class: Beginner Premium (Non-Upgradable, Rank A) You will stay calm and maintain your composure while fighting on the battlefield.
You can also resist the lowest grade of psychic magic.

[Beginner Skill: Sword and Shield] Class: Beginner Premium (Non-Upgradable, Rank A)

Your defense and endurance stats will increase with the number of attacks you block.
Your strength and speed will also increase with the number of enemies you attack.

[The Beginner’s Effects have been applied due to the use of the Beginner’s Package.
]

A sprout symbol appeared above Ji-Cheok’s head, which indicated that he was a beginner.
Everyone looked at his head in amazement.

“A sprout?”

“Beginner?”

“Dad, that man has a plant growing out of his head,” a boy shouted.

“Don’t say that nonsense.
He’s helping us.”

With the situation being so shitty, Ji-Cheok couldn’t even laugh.
He had to buy as much time as possible for these people to evacuate.

Grrr!

As the scouting goblin was returning to the Gate, Ji-Cheok ran towards it and swung his sword.
The goblin noticed him and screeched.

“Hissss!”

The goblin was more agile than Ji-Cheok, and threw its club first.
However, Ji-Cheok instinctively blocked it with his shield.
He felt proud, as the movement came almost naturally to him.
While the goblin staggered to regain its balance, he sliced its head off with his sword.

Thud!

The goblin fell down, with a sound like a watermelon splitting, and it surprised Ji-Cheok how calm his mind remained.

‘I can do this.
Is it thanks to my Steady Heart skill that I’m not disturbed at all? This is great.
I’ve been wondering how the Hunters can fight so well.
Does everyone have a skill like this? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it, though.’

Steady Heart was clearly a mental skill.
Ji-Cheok had an idea about what skills were good through his work experience in the Hunter world.
However, he had never heard of such a skill being in a Beginner’s Package.

‘Could this be due to my strange job as a GodTube Star? I’ve heard of ‘Sword and Shield’, but…’

While he was thinking this, he heard another goblin’s roar.

Screeech!!!

‘Oh shit, too many have come out of the Gate.
Shit.
We’re screwed.’

Three more scout goblins crawled out from the Gate, and Ji-Cheok knew that the goblins would keep coming as long as the Gate was left open.

Watching the goblins looking around, Ji-Cheok charged at them without hesitation.

“Attaaaaaaack!”

He thrust his sword out at one of the bewildered goblins.
The tip of the blade pierced the goblin’s throat.

‘I got one!’

“Keuuck!”

“Keu…!”

Of the three goblins that had gotten out of the Gate, the one in the middle dropped dead.
The remaining two charged at Ji-Cheok from each side.
They were holding short daggers and wore what seemed to be tattered leather clothing.
One leapt like a frog and lunged to strike him, while the other thrusted his knife from below.
In the fleeting moment, he reacted quickly.
Pulling out his sword from the first goblin’s throat, Ji-Cheok swiftly took two steps back and swung his shield.

He was ready.

If you want to support us, please download our awesome cultivation game Taoist Immortal!