After ending the stream, Hinata-san and I spent the night inside the Floor 7 Monster Room.
The next day was April 27th.
We started the broadcast at 8:00 AM, lapping the Monster Room at our usual pace of fifteen runs per hour.
We grinded intensely until noon, completing sixty laps before taking an hour-long break for lunch. Hinata-san had leveled up earlier that morning; at her current level, she no longer needed Mana Potions to maintain our pace.
Still, just to be safe, I had her pretend to drink them. It was a tactical move to maintain the impression for the viewers that she was still consuming resources off-camera.
I also made sure to cap our pace at fifteen laps per hour. Honestly, we could have gone faster, but that would have looked suspicious. Even if the combat itself was brief, the manual labor of gathering all those Magic Stones took a considerable amount of time.
If we were allowed to ignore the Magic Stones entirely, I think we could have managed sixty laps an hour.
Actually, scratch that—even Hinata-san’s MP pool wouldn’t be able to keep up with that level of madness.
"I’m sorry, Hinata-san. Please use a Mana Potion to top off whatever your natural recovery didn’t catch," I said.
"Sure, I understand. I'll drink one when I have a moment," she replied.
We peppered our conversation with these slightly staged exchanges, making a point to emphasize that she was "properly" recovering her resources.
At 1:00 PM, we resumed our grind.
Then—it happened just after 2:30 PM, right as we finished our eighty-fifth battle of the day.
It probably goes without saying, but I check my Status after every single fight. More specifically, I stare at the "Remaining Experience Points" column.
Part of it is to confirm the XP actually hit, but part of it is the psychological need to "consume" the information.
You know how people say modern society "eats information"? It’s probably the same thing. I think.
Verifying that the Experience Points have been safely deposited in my account just makes the high that much better.
But when you open your Status, your eyes naturally wander to the other columns.
That’s when I saw it. Not just the remaining XP, but a blatant, impossible change elsewhere on the screen—
"—Hogyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!?"
I leaned back so violently I performed a full Inabauer. Even with my strengthened Explorer physique, I couldn't support my own center of gravity, and I slammed onto my back with a heavy thud.
"Takeo-kun!? What’s wrong!?"
"Leveling Junkie Bro!?"
"What happened!?"
"Wait, did he level up again!?"
"No, look! This isn't a level-up reaction!! This is the face he makes when he finds a new skill!!"
"Expert Bro!? Expert Bro is in the chat!!"
Hinata-san rushed over in a panic while the comment section exploded into chaos.
"Hi... Hi... Hinata-san...!!"
"Yes? What is it?"
Hinata-san peered down at me with deep concern as I struggled to find my voice.
My entire body was paralyzed by a cocktail of pure shock and exquisite pleasure. My mouth refused to cooperate.
This impact was on a completely different level compared to when I unlocked Indomitable Spirit or Blue Sky Beyond the Clouds.
To explore the potential of the Seeker series, I had dumped points into those skills and successfully unlocked derivatives by looping the Monster Room. However, those had ultimately been auxiliary skills—tools to make fighting under the effects of Seeker and Asceticism easier. They weren't what I truly craved: a way to push the experience multiplier even higher.
But this... what I saw on the screen now was fundamentally different from those support skills.
I hadn't just found a new skill.
I had acquired a Title Skill.
And it was this.
————————————————
【Title】
Awakened One — A Seeker attains enlightenment at the end of grueling asceticism. Mastering a single truth accelerates learning through all experiences and brings about growth that leaves all others in the dust. Grants the skills "Awakened One" and "Equanimity."
【Skills】
Awakened One Lv.1 — Experience Points 1.2x. Multiplier increases to 1.4x in combat when using either "Seeker" or "Asceticism." Increases to 1.6x when using both. (Displayed multipliers are for this skill alone).
Equanimity — Having realized one’s destiny, the mind is peaceful and undisturbed.
————————————————
...Do you realize how insane this is?
It’s unconditional. It’s a skill that increases Experience Points just for existing. I don't even have to be killing Goblins.
Plus, because it’s a Title Skill, it’s already active without me having to spend a single skill point. That is beautiful.
Furthermore, if it’s 1.2x at Level 1, it will likely reach 2.0x by Level 5. But the real kicker is how it scales with Seeker and Asceticism.
Following the logic, it should eventually reach 2x base, 3x with one auxiliary skill, and 4x when using both.
That means in my case, by stacking Goblin Genocider, Seeker, Asceticism, and Awakened One, I could potentially reach a 32x experience multiplier.
Even if I’m not fighting Goblins, I’ll still be getting 16x XP.
I-It’s so goooood...!! It’s too goooood...!!
This is beyond logic. When the time comes for me to step under a 32x experience shower, will I even be able to remain sane?
The New Game Plus mode in a certain famous RPG only goes up to 10x XP! Does this mean I’m playing a New Game Plus in real life!? Exactly what loop is this world on right now!? (System Error: Brain Overheating)
I-I’m terrified...!! I’m so full of hype and anxiety that I’m actually shaking...!!
Then there’s the other one.
This "Equanimity" skill just sprouted out of nowhere. I have no idea what it does, and it doesn't even have a Skill Level. Even after memorizing every corner of the Modern Dungeon Strategy Wiki, I’ve never seen a skill like this.
"Realizing one’s destiny, the mind is peaceful and undisturbed," huh...?
I was the exact opposite of peaceful the second I saw the Awakened One skill. I’m still vibrating right now!
The description is so vague and alien compared to normal skills that I can’t wrap my head around it. I tried to focus on activating it, but I didn't feel anything. It’s probably a passive skill like Danger Sense.
And then there’s the Title itself.
This Title feels different from the ones I’ve seen before.
I suspect that the prerequisite for earning it was the acquisition and prolonged use of both Seeker and Asceticism. If you read the description, I think you’ll agree.
I’ve never heard of a Title tied specifically to the usage of certain skills. Well, Hinata-san’s "Saint" title is similar, but this feels even more specialized. It literally names the required skills in its own flavor text.
It’s not just a "higher-tier" version of a skill; it’s something you’d never get unless you were specifically aiming for it—and even then, it would be nearly impossible.
My mind raced with theories. This was a discovery of global proportions. Without a doubt.
I desperately tried to open my mouth to share the news with Hinata-san and the chat—
"A-A-A... Hinata-san...!"
"Y-Yes?"
"Ah... I... Ah... Ahyuuu...!"
Twitch! Twitch!
It was no use. Just the thought of 32x XP sent such a wave of ecstasy through me that my motor functions checked out entirely.
I lay there, convulsing with an expression on my face that should never be broadcast to the public.
It stayed that way for a while.
"—Phew. Sorry to keep you waiting."
"You can say that again!!"
"I can't believe we were just sitting here for thirty minutes."
"What did I just watch?"
"A Leveling Junkie Bro reaching Nirvana while Hinata-chan nurses him and we all watch. What a bizarre dimension this is."
"That was the most nonsensical thirty minutes of my life, lol."
"So, the experts say it wasn't a level up. What actually happened, Junkie Bro?"
"Well, you see..."
Once the tremors of joy finally subsided, I began explaining everything to Hinata-san and the viewers. I told them about the manifestation of the Awakened One Title and the acquisition of the Awakened One and Equanimity skills. I gave them the gist of the effects.
"—And that's the situation."
"A four-fold multiplier... that's incredible...!" Hinata-san whispered, her eyes wide with shock.
The viewers, on the other hand...
"Wh—!!?"
"Wait wait wait wait wait!!"
"4x XP at max level!? And it stacks with Seeker and Asceticism for 16x!? What kind of broken skill is that!?"
"This is the definition of a game-breaker!!"
"The multiplier is higher than a New Game Plus after you’ve already saved the universe once!?"
"Can you please stop out-gaming actual games in reality...? (shaky voice)"
"16x... all those Seekers bragging about their 2x multipliers look like absolute clowns right now."
"(´;;`) Sob"
"(´;;`) Sob"
"(´;;`) Sob"
"↑ Hey, you Seekers in the chat, lol. I get it, but stop with the emotes. It sounds ridiculous when the text-to-speech reads the symbols www."
"I mean, Awakened One is obviously insane, but what is Equanimity!? I’ve never heard of a skill without a level before!?"
"The effect description is pure nonsense too! 'Peaceful mind'? The Junkie Bro was the furthest thing from peaceful!"
"They say Equanimity is a state of enlightenment... but Junkie Bro is the literal avatar of worldly desires! The desire for Experience Points!!"
"Wait, hear me out. XP lust is a very recent phenomenon in human history. There's a chance it's not officially categorized as a 'worldly desire' by the system...!!"
"There’s a chance...!! No there isn't! Either way, 'Awakened One' and 'Equanimity' are the last words I’d use to describe the Junkie Bro! Why did he get that Title!?"
"Based on the Junkie's story and the text, it’s clearly tied to Seeker and Asceticism... but Title Skills usually require some kind of public recognition to manifest, right?"
"Combat using Seeker and Asceticism is already impossible for normal people. Aiming for Awakened One sounds like a suicide mission."
Comments flooded the screen, the text-to-speech engine struggling to keep up with the torrent.
Once the initial excitement died down, Hinata-san and I prepared to resume our laps.
Time to put the effects of Awakened One to the test!
————————————————
【Currently Undisclosed Information】
Conditions for acquiring the Title "Awakened One":
The following conditions must be met:
- Reach maximum level in the skills "Seeker" and "Asceticism."
- Achieve 100 victories and deliver the finishing blow to 1,000 monsters while both "Seeker" and "Asceticism" are active at their maximum levels. *Condition for "active": The XP multiplier effect must be functioning during the killing blow.
- Total bonus Experience Points earned specifically through the effects of "Seeker" and "Asceticism" must exceed 10,000,000 XP.
- Recognition Condition: Unused resources within the Title System must have reached the threshold required for the manifestation of "Awakened One."