Reversing Life With Item Copy

One, two, three, four…

Kim Do-Joon squinted as he counted the approaching figures. There were ten of them, all warriors of the Naga Tribe.

it wasn’t a particularly large number. Compared to the hundreds of Sky Beaks he’d fought in the Sky Bridge dungeon, it was nothing. The only issue was that he had something to protect this time.

[You have claimed the empty land of ‘Harbor.’ Defend against the invaders and conquer their territory.]

Defend against the invaders?

Kim Do-Joon muttered to himself, wondering what exactly that meant. Did it just mean preventing the enemy from setting foot in the harbor? While he pondered this, a new message flashed before his eyes.

[If the Aether Core is destroyed, you will lose your ownership of this land.]

The Aether Core?

He wasn’t entirely sure what that was, but one thing was clear. He didn’t need to fend off the enemy out of the harbor, which was a relief. For a moment, he had considered using his Flame Heart’s Fragment to reduce the entire front of the harbor into molten sea. It’d have stopped the invasion for sure, but he would’ve been trapped too, which sounded troublesome.

Memorizing their direction, Kim Do-Joon retreated into the harbor.

[Aether Core]

Durability

- 100%

He found the core in no time, floating in the center of the harbor’s plaza. It was slightly larger than a basketball, hovering silently in the air. When he first scouted the harbor, this thing hadn’t been there.

Still, now that he knew where the core was, the next step was simple. The enemy's target was obvious, so all he had to do was wait.

Kim Do-Joon perched on the edge of a dry fountain, drawing his spear. He didn’t need to go looking for trouble because it’d come to him.

“Krrrk?”

After a short wait, the first Naga Warrior poked its head into view, glancing around cautiously. Kim Do-Joon stood up slowly.

“Kiiieee!”

One of them, seemingly more impatient than the rest, saw him and charged immediately. Sprinting toward him, the Naga Warrior spun its blade in the air, looking menacing.

However, with a swift swing of his spear, Kim Do-Joon sent the Naga Warrior flying into the side of a house.

Whoosh!

Crack!

The Naga had tried to block the spear with its curved blade, but the thin piece of steel didn’t stand a chance against Kim Do-Joon's powerful strike. It shattered, scattering across the ground.

"Krrrk…?"

Seeing their comrade so easily defeated, the other Naga Warriors hesitated, visibly shocked. They weren’t even given a chance to exchange proper blows—one strike was all it took. It was a clear display of difference in power.

"Kyaaah!

However, that didn’t stop the others from charging at him again. Whether it was out of a sense of mission or sheer stupidity, Kim Do-Joon didn’t care. Their determination made things easier for him, because he just had to deal with those that approached him.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

[You have defeated a monster. You have gained Experience Points (EXP).]

[You have defeated a monster. You have gained Experience Points (EXP).]

…

All nine of the remaining warriors fell just as easily, each receiving a fatal blow from his spear. Though the scales on their skin provided some protection, they were no match for Kim Do-Joon’s mana-infused spear.

[Naga Warrior's Curved Blade]

[Blue Naga Tribe’s Hardened Scale]

Kim Do-Joon began collecting their loot, which included the curved blades and their fallen scales. A quick glance at the information screen told him that neither item had any special effects. They were just ordinary, offering basic attack and defense power.

Well, it’s better than nothing.

Satisfied with his loot, Kim Do-Joon made his way to the house where the first Naga had crashed. Inside, through the broken wall, he found the warrior sprawled on the floor. Its eyes were wide open but its body still. Since his chest was rising and falling, evident of breathing, it seemed like he had only been knocked out.

Kim Do-Joon stood over the creature, his spear ready. He could kill the Naga Warrior easily, but there was something he wanted to test first. Then, without a sound, he slipped into the shadows.

***

"Krrrk…"

The unconscious Naga Warrior’s eyes slowly fluttered open. Staggering to his feet, still dizzy, he clutched his curved blade tightly, never letting it go. It was the kind of determination fitting for a true warrior.

Confused, he glanced around, trying to gather his bearings. As his memory slowly returned, he recalled finding the Aether Core and then getting knocked out in a single blow by that human. As the memory grew sharper, rage consumed his mind.

"Kiiieee!"

He let out an ear-piercing screech. How could one of the tribe’s top warriors like him be defeated in a single strike? Absolutely preposterous! The human must’ve used some strange sorcery!

Furious, he bolted out of the building. To his surprise, none of his comrades were in sight, nor was the human. He frowned, puzzled. Amidst his overflowing anger, a rational thought nagged at him, giving rise to questions.

However, the moment his eyes landed on the Aether Core in the center of the square, all doubts vanished. His mission was simple: to destroy the Aether Core on another island. It was the order given by their leader, Nagaraja. That was all that mattered.

Suppressing any lingering confusion, the Naga Warrior focused on his objective. He sprinted toward the Core, raising his fist, ready to smash it with all his might. A grin spread across his face. Regardless of what had happened earlier, once this Core was destroyed, his mission would be complete!

With that thought in mind, he slammed his fist down onto the core.

Clang!

"Kaak!"

However, instead of the Core, it was his fist that almost broke. He blinked in disbelief. Was the core always this hard?

Sure, he knew the Aether Core wasn’t fragile, and he hadn’t expected it to break with just one hit. And yet, he’d smashed it with all his strength, and yet there wasn’t even a scratch.

"Krrk…"

There must’ve been a mistake—

With renewed strength, he slammed his fist into the Core again.

Bang!

Bang! Bang!

Baaaang—!

For several minutes, the sound of the Naga's relentless assault echoed in the square. However, after countless blows, he finally collapsed to the ground, clutching his trembling arms in defeat. His face was a mix of confusion and frustration.

The Aether Core wasn’t supposed to be this tough! At best, it should’ve had the durability of solid rock!

Then, he thought, if he couldn’t destroy it, there was only one other option. He had to bring it back to the main base and present it to Nagaraja.

As the Naga Warrior reached for the Core, a shadow slowly loomed over him from behind. His hand froze, and a chill crept up his spine. He turned his head, only to see the same human standing behind him.

"Looks like it's holding up pretty well," the human said, looking down at him with a cold smile.

The Naga Warrior panicked, trying to get to his feet, but to no avail.

Thud!

"Kuh!"

He looked down in horror to see a spear piercing through his chest.

Swoosh!

With a harsh pull, the spear was yanked out, and blood splattered into the air. The Naga Warrior collapsed face-first onto the ground, lifeless.

Kim Do-Joon calmly wiped the blood off his spear using the fallen warrior’s clothes. He then turned to the Aether Core and tapped it lightly. A satisfied grin spread across his face.

[Aether Core]

Durability:

- 99.9%

[Additional Effect]

- Defense power + 351

He’d used the scales of Naga Warriors, along with some old armor in his inventory, to fortify the Aether Core. Ever since he had acquired the indestructible Invincible Body, the need for armor had significantly decreased. As such, he had accumulated quite a few pieces in his inventory.

Looks like the defense power effects are holding up, and the durability barely took a hit.

Although it wasn’t completely indestructible, the fact that the Core had only lost 0.1% of its durability after numerous attacks showed how incredibly tough it was. Without copy-pasting the defense power stat from the items, the Core would’ve broken long ago. After all, its original durability wasn’t very high.

Still not the best way to use good items like this though…

Kim Do-Joon clicked his tongue. Even though he personally didn’t need the armor, he could have used it elsewhere. For example, for Kim So-Eun, or sold for a decent profit. Still, clearing this labyrinth took priority over everything else.

This labyrinth, in particular, was different from the ones he had encountered before. There was a real chance that if he failed even once, the dungeon would close permanently. If that happened, he would not only lose the ability to train in these labyrinths but also forfeit the chance to obtain the key to the next one.

Therefore, holding back resources wasn’t an option. If he found more items that enhance defense power, he’d immediately use them to fortify the core.

Alright, the Core is secured. Now what…?

Having successfully defended against the first wave of attackers, he had a few options. He could just stay here and wait for the next attack, or he could go out and hunt some Ice Golems in the area in the meantime. The enemies would likely come again soon.

However, the second half of the message, “conquer their territory” was bothering him.

[You have claimed the empty land of ‘Harbor.’ Defend against the invaders and conquer their territory.]

This isn't a dungeon where you just sit back and defend, huh?

Judging by the message, this was not just a Defense-type labyrinth. If he simply waited around, it would be a losing strategy. With his path now clearer, Kim Do-Joon lightly tapped the Core.

The problem is this…

Even though its defense power had increased, it wasn’t invincible.

I wonder if it’ll fit in my inventory.

The next moment, Kim Do-Joon tried to store the Core, but nothing happened. Unlike other items that he could freely move in and out of his inventory with just a thought, the Aether Core stayed unresponsive.

With a sigh, Kim Do-Joon pulled out a large net. He then placed the Core inside and slung the net over his shoulder.

Thankfully, the Core could still be moved. With the Core secured, he set his sights on a new destination—the coastline, where the sleds the Naga Warriors had arrived on were parked.

***

Ring— Ring—

The phone in the office of the Karma Guild was ringing. At his desk, the guild master, Oh Tae-Jin, was scribbling notes when he picked up the call.

“It’s me,” he said curtly.

— Guild Master! It’s the Haenam Branch!

There came a panicked voice from the other side of the line.

Sensing the urgency, Oh Tae-Jin straightened in his chair and took off his glasses, setting them on the desk.

"What’s going on?" Oh Tae-Jin asked.

For the next few moments, Oh Tae-Jin listened intently as the guild member reported in detail. His expression remained calm as he absorbed the information. Once the call ended, he didn’t put down the phone. Instead, he immediately dialed another number.

The person on the other end picked up.

— What’s going on? It’s rare for you to call me directly.

“I just received a report from Haenam, President,” Oh Tae-Jin said, addressing Son Chang-Il, the president of the Hunter Association.

— Haenam? Is it about that matter you mentioned last time?

Son Chang-Il’s tone indicated that he already had an idea of what was happening.

He was referring to the barren land left behind after the clearing of an S-rank gate in Haenam. Reports had mentioned the sudden appearance of an unknown tree there, but since there had not been any significant changes or threats, they had only sent a few formal investigation teams. And nothing had come of it until now.

“You know, that tree… it’s grown into an entire forest,” Oh Tae-Jin reported.

“What?” Son Chang-Il raised his voice.

Oh Tae-Jin grimaced as he continued.

“And the mana being measured from the forest is almost comparable to that of the S-rank gate.”

— …

There was silence on the other end, followed by the sharp sound of a chair being pushed back.

Bang!

Son Chang-Il got up from his seat.