MTLNOVEL Chapter 2: Silent Phantom
Markus did not waste time.
Before entering Korea, he ensured complete fluency in the language.
He spotted two native Korean speakers during his final flight, one was a businessman in first class, the other a university professor.
[Select up to three cards to copy.]
[Fluent Korean – Level 5] (Complete mastery of spoken and written Korean.)
[Academic Korean – Level 4] (Advanced vocabulary used in legal, scientific, and literary fields.)
[Public Speaking – Level 3] (Confidence and fluency in formal conversations.)
Markus copied both language-related abilities, integrating them immediately.
The change was instantaneous.
One second, Korean was a foreign tongue, the next, it was as natural as breathing.
"This ability is ridiculous," Markus thought, smirking. A lifetime of learning compressed into mere seconds.
Using one of his fake IDs, Markus entered Incheon Airport without any trouble. His alias was a Spanish-speaking foreigner to reinforce the deception, he spoke entirely in Spanish when dealing with airport officials.
Nobody suspected a thing.
From there, he rented a luxury suite in a high-end hotel for two months. With the funds he carried, it was pocket change.
The first night, he rested early, tomorrow, the real hunt would begin.
The First Day at the Korean Hunter Association (HA)
At 6 AM sharp, Markus arrived at the Korean Hunter Association headquarters.
He didn't enter, he merely observed.
Using Card Copy's detection range, he started analyzing the Hunters and Agents entering the HA building.
For hours, he scouted, checking the floating cards appearing around each person.
Unfortunately, most had combat training, basic firearm skills, or low-level tracking abilities.
Not what I need.
But by the afternoon, luck finally struck.
Abilities Acquired from Hunters Entering HA
[Ice Bolt – Level 4] (A low-tier projectile spell that launches a condensed bolt of freezing energy.)
Effective Range: 15 meters
Cooldown: 2 seconds
Mana Cost: 12 MP per cast
Effects: Freezes a small area upon impact, slows enemy movements.
[Heal – Level 5] (Basic healing magic capable of closing wounds and restoring minor injuries.)
Effective Range: 1 meter (touch-based)
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Mana Cost: 40 MP per use
Effects: Accelerates tissue regeneration, removes minor pain.
[Mana Manipulation – Level 3] (Allows controlled use of internal mana, improving spell efficiency.)
Effective Range: Self-Only
Cooldown: None (Passive Skill)
Mana Cost: None (Passive Skill)
Effects: Increases mana efficiency, reduces spell cost by 5%.
Markus didn't hesitate, he integrated all three abilities immediately.
The moment Mana Manipulation activated, he felt his control sharpen. His mana flow stabilized.
It was a solid first day. But Markus wasn't satisfied. By the evening, Markus devised a faster way to increase his healing abilities.
He wasn't stupid. He wasn't about to stab or injure himself repeatedly like some lunatic.
Instead, he went to a hospital.
Under the guise of a visiting foreigner, Markus roamed the hospital halls, finding injured patients.
Whenever he found someone in need, he cast Heal.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Each successful use leveled the skill, and since Mana Manipulation controlled the efficiency of his mana flow, it leveled up in parallel.
Final Skill Levels by the End of the Night
[Heal – Level 9] (Basic healing magic, now significantly improved.)
Effective Range: 2 meters (Touch or Close Proximity)
Cooldown: 5 seconds (Previously 10 seconds, reduced due to level-up.)
Mana Cost: 30 MP per use (Reduced from 40 MP due to level-up.)
Effects: Regenerates moderate injuries, stops minor internal bleeding, numbs pain completely.
[Mana Manipulation – Level 8] (Increased mastery over internal mana flow.)
Effective Range: Self-Only
Cooldown: None (Passive Skill)
Mana Cost: None (Passive Skill)
Effects: Reduces spell mana cost by 20%, increases spellcasting speed by 15%.
By the time Markus left the hospital, he was completely drained of mana, but the results were more than worth it.
"One day in Korea, and I already have three combat-related skills at near-mastery," he mused, smirking.
Tomorrow?
Tomorrow, the real hunt would begin.
The following morning, Markus returned to the Korean Hunter Association headquarters, resuming his observation of incoming Hunters and agents. His patience was rewarded when he spotted Kang Taeshik, a B-Rank Assassin known for his stealth capabilities. solo-leveling.fandom.com
Seizing the opportunity, Markus activated his Card Copy ability, focusing intently on Taeshik. A series of cards materialized before him, each representing one of Taeshik's skills:
[Stealth – Level 5]
Description: Allows the user to become invisible to both the naked eye and magical detection.
Mana Cost: 200 MP to activate; 10 MP per second to maintain.
Cooldown: None.
Limitations: Can be detected by individuals with advanced sensory abilities or detection skills.
[Assassination – Level 4]
Description: Delivers a critical strike aimed at vital points, increasing damage dealt to unsuspecting targets.
Mana Cost: 50 MP per use.
Cooldown: 5 seconds.
Effect: Increases critical hit chance by 30% when attacking from stealth.
[Shadow Step – Level 4]
Description: Enables rapid movement between shadows, allowing the user to traverse short distances instantly.
Mana Cost: 80 MP per use.
Cooldown: 10 seconds.
Range: Up to 10 meters.
[Poison Blade – Level 3]
Description: Coats the user's weapon with a deadly toxin, inflicting additional poison damage over time.
Mana Cost: 60 MP per use.
Cooldown: 15 seconds.
Effect Duration: 10 seconds, dealing 5% of initial damage per second.
[Enhanced Agility – Level 4]
Description: Temporarily boosts the user's agility, increasing movement speed and reflexes.
Mana Cost: 40 MP per activation.
Cooldown: None.
Effect Duration: 5 minutes, increasing agility by 20%.
Prioritizing utility and self-enhancement, Markus selected and integrated the following skills:
[Stealth – Level 5]
[Shadow Step – Level 4]
[Enhanced Agility – Level 4]
Returning to his hotel room, Markus was eager to master his new abilities. He focused on Stealth, activating it repeatedly until his mana was exhausted, then resting to allow regeneration before resuming practice. This cycle continued throughout the night.
By dawn, despite his fatigue, Markus was elated. His relentless training had elevated Stealth to Level 10, presenting an opportunity for evolution.
"Let's see what new heights this power can reach," he mused, anticipation coursing through him.
[Stealth – Evolution Available]
As Markus focused on his skill, a familiar system prompt appeared before him.
[Stealth has reached Level 10. Would you like to evolve this ability?]
[Yes] [No]
Without hesitation, he selected "Yes."
His body shivered slightly as the skill underwent its first transformation, an exhilarating sensation washing over him as the new details appeared.
[Silent Phantom – Level 1] (Evolved from Stealth)
Description:
The user blends seamlessly into the environment, erasing their presence and sound. This ability makes the user invisible to normal sight, and harder to detect even by mana-based sensory abilities.
Improvements Over Stealth:
Movement is now silent, no footsteps, no breathing sounds.
Visual invisibility improved, reduces chances of detection even against mana-sensitive individuals.
Reduces Mana Drain from 10 MP per second → 6 MP per second.
Now lasts longer per activation before depleting mana.
Faster activation, can now be toggled on or off instantly.
Effective Duration:
As long as mana is available. (Drain: 6 MP per second.)
No cooldown; can be toggled on and off freely.
Detection Countermeasures:
Advanced Mana Sensors (A-Rank or higher) can still detect distortions in mana flow.
Heat and motion sensors are now partially ineffective against the user.
Markus grinned.
"Silent Phantom, huh? Perfect."
While it wasn't an absolute invisibility, it was a significant improvement, he could now move without a sound, remain undetected for longer, and become even harder to track.
The hunt was only beginning.
The First Dungeon
Dressed in dark, casual clothing, Markus activated Silent Phantom and vanished from sight.
His presence faded, his footsteps ceased to exist, and even the ambient sounds around him seemed to distort slightly, swallowing any noise he made.
He moved like a ghost.
Finding an E-Rank Gate
After an hour of searching, Markus found what he was looking for, a low-difficulty Gate.
A dimensional rift pulsed faintly in the alleyway between two buildings, a swirling portal of blue energy barely noticeable in the urban sprawl. An E-Rank Gate.
Standing nearby was a lone agent from the Korean Hunter Association, casually smoking, barely paying attention as he checked his phone.
"Too easy."
With Silent Phantom still active, Markus simply walked past him and entered the Gate.
Inside the Dungeon – A Goblin Den
The air was stale, the cavern dimly lit by eerie, bioluminescent moss clinging to jagged rocks.
Markus moved silently, observing the surroundings.
It was a classic E-Rank dungeon, a Goblin Den.
Scattered across the cave were small green humanoid creatures, no taller than his waist, armed with crude weapons and primitive armor.
"Perfect. Low-tier monsters. Ideal for grinding."
Markus watched them bicker over scraps of food, oblivious to the predator stalking them from the shadows.
His first test subject was isolated near the edge of the cavern.
First Combat Experiment – Ice Bolt & Heal Spam
While still in Silent Phantom, Markus raised his hand and cast Ice Bolt.
A jagged shard of ice materialized in an instant, glowing with a cold blue hue before shooting forward.
- WHOOSH! -
The bolt struck the goblin in the chest, freezing a layer of ice across its torso and immobilizing it. The creature tried to let out a screech, but it was too late.
Markus grabbed the frozen goblin and dragged it into a secluded corner.
"Alright, let's see how the system reacts to abuse."
He placed a hand on the goblin's icy body and cast Heal.
A faint green light washed over the creature, undoing some of the frost damage. The goblin's shivering subsided slightly, though it still looked terrified.
Then, he cast Ice Bolt again.
The goblin froze again.
Another Heal.
Another Ice Bolt.
Another Heal.
Again.
Again.
Again.
System Notification – EXP Gained
[+25 EXP gained.]
Markus grinned.
"Oh?"
The goblin had died, its body still frozen solid, yet he had gained experience from repeatedly freezing and healing it.
He chuckled, amused.
"It keeps giving… should have come bearing gifts."
With that, he vanished from sight once more, his stealth activating instantly.
"Let's find another one."