The glowing window hovered in front of Ji-hoon's eyes.
[Active Skills:– Spark (F)– Kick (F)]
His lips tightened as he read the words again. Spark was pitiful, but at least it looked like a hunter's skill. A flicker of lightning that barely singed paper. Kick, on the other hand, wasn't even worth mentioning. Who needed a skill to throw their foot out?
A new window blinked beneath them.
[Both skills are eligible for Evolution.Choose one to begin.]
Ji-hoon's hand clenched into a fist. His body still ached from the dungeon collapse, his pride stung from the way his party had abandoned him. And yet, here was a chance. A choice.
He stared at the words for a long time before muttering, "…Kick."
If he could turn the weakest, most laughable skill into power, then nothing could be called useless again.
The System responded instantly.
[Evolution process initiated.][Condition for Evolution: Use "Kick" 1,000 times within 25 hours.][Failure to complete: Forced teleportation to Evolution Trial Dungeon.]
Ji-hoon's eyes widened. "One thousand…?"
It sounded impossible. His body was thin, weak, and scarred by years of work. But the second line made his stomach twist. Teleportation to Evolution Trial Dungeon. Even without knowing the details, every part of him screamed that it meant death.
He pulled on his ragged jacket and limped toward the door. "Then I don't have a choice."
The hospital courtyard was quiet, washed in early morning light. A single old tree stood near the edge of the grass. Ji-hoon pressed a hand against its rough bark and steadied his shaking legs.
"Alright… let's start."
He raised his foot and struck.
A dull thud echoed.
[Kick Count: 1 / 1,000]
He exhaled, sweat already prickling his skin. "This is going to be hell."
Kick.Kick.Kick.
The counter crept upward. His form was sloppy, his strikes weak. He looked like a man pretending to train, not a hunter preparing for battle.
The hospital doors opened behind him. Two nurses stepped outside with coffee cups, stopping when they noticed him. One tilted her head.
"…Isn't that the miner from yesterday?""Yeah. What's he doing, kicking a tree?"
They snickered.
"Shouldn't he be resting? He looks like he'll collapse.""Guess he's pretending to be a hunter. Poor guy."
Ji-hoon's ears burned, but he didn't stop.
Kick.Kick.Kick.
[Kick Count: 47 / 1,000]
By the hundredth kick, his legs trembled. By two hundred, sweat poured down his face. By three hundred, blood smeared the bark where his shin scraped, and his lungs begged him to quit.
The nurses' laughter had long since faded. Their expressions shifted from amusement to unease. He looked like he was killing himself.
Still, he kept going.
Kick.Kick.Kick.
[Kick Count: 742 / 1,000]
The sun dipped lower. Hours bled away. Ji-hoon's body screamed with pain, but his mind replayed the System's warning again and again.
Failure means death.
At 999, he could barely breathe. His vision swam with black spots. He leaned against the tree, blood on his shin, body on the verge of collapse.
A window flashed.
[Kick Count: 999 / 1,000][Time Remaining: 00:02:13]
Ji-hoon's lips split into a bloody grin. "Just… one more."
He dragged in a ragged breath, forced his shaking leg up, and threw it forward with everything he had.
THUD!
[Kick Count: 1,000 / 1,000][Condition Met.][Skill "Kick (F)" has evolved into "Impact Kick (E)."]
Ji-hoon collapsed onto his knees as light surged around his leg. Power thrummed through the muscle, raw energy humming beneath his skin.
A new window appeared.
[New Active Skill Acquired: Impact Kick (E)][Effect: Channel force into your leg to deliver a strike 3x stronger than your normal physical capacity.]
Ji-hoon's eyes widened. His hand trembled as he gripped his thigh. "It… it worked."
But before relief could settle, another window flashed.
[Warning: Evolution Trial Imminent.][You will be teleported to the Evolution Trial Dungeon in 10 seconds.]
Ji-hoon froze. "What? But I finished—"
[Evolution achieved. Now prove it.]
The courtyard blurred. The world twisted into shadows and stone. Ji-hoon's heart hammered as glowing red eyes blinked open in the darkness ahead.
A guttural growl shook the air.
Ji-hoon staggered to his feet, his newly evolved leg trembling with fresh power. He clenched his fists, teeth gritted.
If I don't fight… I die.
"Fine," he whispered. His eyes narrowed. "Let's see what this 'Impact Kick' can really do."
The monster lunged—