BXBX NOVEL Chapter 2 - Training Upgrade x Cross-Through Count 1
While Luo Lin was watching the scene unfold, a voice suddenly came from the side, and simultaneously, a hand extended a number plate to him.
Luo Lin looked down and saw a greasy, bean-faced man handing him a plate with the number 406 on it.
“Oh! Thanks!”
Luo Lin accepted the number plate and watched the back of the departing bean-faced man, his eyes filled with curiosity.
A sentient, non-human being… And Luo Lin was genuinely curious, wondering whether this bean-faced man was an animal or a plant.
But evidently, as a top secret officer in the Hunter Association, Luo Lin had no chance to study bean-faced men any further.
Ring, ring, ring…
Just as Luo Lin was feeling a bit regretful, a loud alarm clock began echoing crazily throughout the underground tunnel.
Almost everyone present turned to look in the direction of the sound.
On top of the pipes along the tunnel wall, the examiner for the first Hunter test, Satotsu, stood with a calm expression.
“Reporting time is now over, the Hunter Exam officially begins!” Satotsu lightly jumped down from the pipes and faced the numerous Hunter candidates in front of him with a serene face.
“Please follow me!”
After saying this, Satotsu walked deeper into the tunnel.
The numerous candidates exchanged glances but ultimately followed along.
“Let me make this clear: the Hunter Exam is extremely brutal. If you’re unlucky or lack strength, it’s easy to get injured or even die. Cases of candidates becoming disabled for life have occurred before.”
“If anyone wants to back out, please turn around now. Those who aren’t afraid of death, follow me!” Satotsu’s voice wasn’t particularly loud, but it reached the ears of the more than 400 people present with perfect clarity.
As expected, not a single person chose to give up.
Even Luo Lin, who was only planning to run a few kilometers for the experience, remained.
Hearing no one giving up, Satotsu nodded slightly and said in a low voice, “I understand. A total of 405 candidates are participating in the first test.”
“I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Satotsu, the examiner for the first test. I will now lead everyone to the venue for the second test.”
As he spoke, Satotsu’s pace gradually increased, and he began running with a strange gait.
At this moment, candidates following behind him curiously asked why they were heading straight to the second test. But Luo Lin could no longer hear any of this.
Running in flip-flops was far more exhausting than he’d imagined.
Luo Lin ran behind the group, his flip-flops making ‘slap, slap’ sounds as he moved, and the distance between him and the crowd widened.
But Luo Lin wasn’t in any hurry—he didn’t plan on passing the Hunter Exam anyway.
Running leisurely, Luo Lin opened up his system panel and started investigating it.
Although the system panel was so simple that there was nothing much to study, the fact that it could appear and disappear at will was enough to entertain Luo Lin for an entire day.
Ten minutes later…
“Huff—” “Huff—”
Luo Lin stopped, panting heavily.
“I’ve only run two kilometers!”
Looking ahead, he could no longer see the backs of the other candidates.
In normal circumstances, Luo Lin’s stamina, while not on par with the crazy Hunter candidates, wouldn’t have been so drained after just two kilometers.
It was mainly because his flip-flops weren’t suited for running.
“Time to head back,” Luo Lin looked at the deep tunnel ahead and prepared to turn around.
Although it was a bit embarrassing to head back after just two kilometers, continuing further wouldn’t help him pass the first test, and the more he ran now, the more he’d have to run on the way back.
The Hunter Association wasn’t kind enough to send someone to escort stragglers back, so he’d have to walk back on his own.
Just as Luo Lin was about to turn back, he suddenly froze, his system panel making him pause mid-step.
[Level 100 God System].
[Name: Luo Lin].
[Level: 0 (1/1)+].
[Attributes: Not Unlocked].
[World: Hunter x Hunter].
“Experience?”
“Where did it come from?”
Luo Lin stared blankly at the experience points that allowed him to level up.
Wait a second.
Luo Lin’s expression stiffened.
Although his system had levels, no one had ever told him it was the type to level up by defeating monsters!
Which meant…
Combining his thoughts, Luo Lin realized the most likely source of his experience was the two kilometers he’d just run.
“It’s a training-based upgrade system!” Luo Lin’s face fell instantly.
While the system allowed him to level up through training, compared to leveling up by defeating monsters, training was definitely much more grueling.
“Maybe I can level up by fighting monsters too!”
Luo Lin silently prayed in his heart but, at the same time, excitedly clicked the ‘+’ button next to his level.
Whether leveling up was through fighting or training could be figured out later—right now, leveling up was the priority!
The moment Luo Lin clicked the level-up button, a warm current appeared out of nowhere in his chest and spread throughout his body in an instant.
At that moment, Luo Lin felt his whole body warm up, the comfort so intense that he couldn’t help but sink into it.
The sensation disappeared after about ten seconds, and only then did Luo Lin snap out of his daze.
“Is this what leveling up feels like?” Luo Lin’s face showed a trace of longing—he realized he wanted to level up again, not for the power it brought but for the sheer pleasure of the experience.
It took Luo Lin a moment to pull himself away from the craving, and he summoned the system panel once more.
[Level 100 God System].
[Name: Luo Lin].
[Level: 1 (0/1000)].
[Vitality: 1].
[Spirit: 1].
[World: Hunter x Hunter].
[Cross-Through Count: 1].
“A thousand experience to reach level two… So the first level-up was like a newbie gift package,” Luo Lin mused without much concern. “A thousand experience, that’s just two or three thousand kilometers!”
But that still seemed like quite a lot!
“Vitality and spirit…”
Luo Lin raised his eyebrows slightly as he examined the two new attributes.
Though somewhat abstract, he figured vitality referred to his physical condition, while spirit likely represented his mental and soul-related aspects.
“One point… I wonder what kind of standard that is…” Luo Lin pondered, sensing his current physical state.
Maybe.
He could really try participating in the Hunter Exam this time.
As he gazed into the deep tunnel ahead, a glimmer of excitement appeared in his eyes.
If possible.
Of course, he’d want to pass the Hunter Exam!
After all, becoming a Hunter was the safest and most comprehensive way to gain access to nen.
Just as Luo Lin was feeling eager while staring into the tunnel ahead, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention—there was a new, barely noticeable line on the system panel.
[Cross-Through Count: 1].
“Cross-Through Count…”
Luo Lin’s eyes widened suddenly.
What did this mean?
Cross through?
Could he travel back to Earth?
Or…
Could he cross into a new world?
…
Luo Lin stared at the “Cross Through” button on the system panel for a long time, unable to speak.
After a long while.
“Phew—”
Luo Lin let out a deep breath, choosing to temporarily ignore it.
After all, whether it meant returning to Earth or crossing into a new world, Luo Lin wasn’t ready for either option.
“For now, I’ll just pretend it doesn’t exist!” Luo Lin shook his head slightly, using the folding feature he discovered earlier to hide the last line from view, opting for an out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach.
“Let’s run and catch up with the main group!” Luo Lin didn’t hesitate as he started running along the tunnel again.