Chapter 12: Strengthening my ability

As the hunting team walked back, the male Hunter who stabbed Lee Seung was the closest to him. A smirk curled on his lips.

He asked, sarcastically, "So what if you heal fast?" He added, putting his hands in his pocket, "It's not as if you can lay a hand on me. I am a-"

"I can't?" Lee Seung asked, flashing to his back and placing the dagger close to his throat. He said, "If you are okay with this, I will grant it for you immediately."

Of course, Seung had already demonstrated his speed to the Hunter. Belittling him for being an F-rank Hunter in that situation would be insane, considering he already had the key to his life.

Later on, Lee Seung dropped the dagger, heading towards the exit.

He knew if not for the screen's intervention, he would have lost his life. However, he couldn't bring himself to kill another person. He became a Hunter for a better reason and that's just what he was going to do.

"What's with this guy?"

"Isn't he just an F-rank Hunter?"

The E-rank Hunters mumbled.

"Hey!" The team leader called him, making him stop.

Seung turned his back, "What's it?"

The man, his eyebrows furrowing, said, "What happened today is part of what you encounter as a Hunter. You will face even greater challenges soon."

Seung smiled slightly. "I will deal with that myself."

Upon getting to the main entrance of the F-rank dungeon, Seung found Mr. Choi and his clone waiting for him. Later on, the three of them got into the car and left the place.

In no time, they reached his apartment.

"Good work today, Mr. Lee. I have wired you your portion of the profit," said Mr. Choi.

"Oh, okay," Seung responded. He then told him, "I, um, am moving to another apartment tomorrow. So, I won't be able to hunt."

"There's no problem. Call me when you are ready," said Mr. Choi, grinning. "Bye."

"Yeah, bye."

Later on, the Range Rover drove away and Seung and his clone went into the apartment. He lied flat on the white sofa, completely tired.

And then, his clone lay on the sofa beside him.

He smiled. "You also take a nap?"

Snore.....

He heard his clone snore loudly. He chuckled, making space for him on the sofa.

He then sat at the edge of his bed and thought of checking his stats. He believed he must be close to levelling up now, having worked out for couple of days and fought monsters.

The screen opened widely before him.

[User: Lee Seung]

[Stats]

[Strength: 0.62*1.62]

[Reflex:0.51*1.51]

[Mana content: 2.53*3.53]

[Endurance:0.56*1.56]

[Stamina: 0.51*1.51]

'Wow, all my stats have increased by one! Is this why I felt stronger recently?' Lee Seung thought, agape. He rubbed his chin, 'How many more points do I need exactly to level up? Can't -?'

Automatically, the screen switched to a completely different icon which Seung had never seen before.

What's it talking about?

He read in his mind, 'Subject has reached the requirements to level.....up.'

[Congratulations, you have levelled up.]

[Bonus rewards have been granted]

[All stats have increased by 0.5 points.]

....

[Welcome to Subject's Information icon.]

[Lee Seung]

[Ability: Cloning, LV. 2]

[Skill: Light Speed, LV. 1]

Seung's heart was filled with excitement on seeing that he had levelled up. When he first awakened the ability, he took the screen for granted, not knowing that it's serious on making him stronger.

[Your cloning ability has been strengthened. Please summon your second clone.]

He grinned as he walked to the centre of his room. He shouted, "Emerge!"

Blue flames encircled him; his hairs billowed with the flames, legs slightly above the ground. And then, mana drift out of his chest, settling a few metres away from him.

Swoosh...

He opened his eyes, and was excited to realise he successfully summoned another one. He believed that now that he had two clones, levelling up would be easier.

"Welcome home, second. I look forward to seeing how well you perform," Seung said, grinning.

"Okay, master."

Seung gave him a cloth too. He then said, "Since the first is tired, let me take you to the gym. Follow me."

"Yes, master."

* * *

A few moments later, Seung and the new clone got to the gym. The manager welcomed them back.

"Second, go and try to lift that barbell," Seung said. As the clone complied, he watched closely. He thought, 'I have to know if the power in my clones decrease with every new set or the other way round. If it increases, I would need to accumulate more energy to create a third clone and so on.'

The clone gripped the 100 pounds barbell and pulled it up with all strength he had. Consequently, he was only able to lift it a little, although better than the other clone.

Seung nodded his head, 'This means I must work very hard to level up again.'

"Hey, we are done for today. Let's go," Seung said to his clone.

The manager, who was initially making some records, glanced at Seung when he heard what he said.

"Why so quick? That's so much unlike you."

Lee Seung smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. He said, "I have something to attend to. That's why."

"Okay, see you around, mister," said the manager, smiling widely.

"Yeah."

Meanwhile, Mr. Song appeared at Seung's doorstep. He was holding unto a food warmer and he knocked the door.

"Lee Seung, are you in there?"

The door opened and he entered instantly.

"I realised that it's been long since you last had a better meal than ramen so I brought you food to eat," Mr. Song said. He went to the dinning, placing the warmer there. "Come and eat."

Unbeknownst to him, that's no Seung. It's his first duplicate. Anyways, the clone gets hungry too.

The clone sat down and stared at the food. Grabbing the spoon, he began to eat quickly like a person that had been hungry for the past one week.

Grumple....

"Thanks for the food!"

'What's gotten into Seung? Is he that hungry?' Mr. Song thought. Anyways, he then told him he was returning to his shop - the guy didn't act as if he heard him.

Later on, Mr. Song exited the house and walked down the stairs. But upon getting downstairs, he was completely shocked. His eyes widened, as well as his mouth.

Seung stopped walking too, knowing what made Mr. Song like that.

'Oh God, he has seen my clone!'