Su Xiao's heart pounded; he had assembled the full Hunter set.
Not only that, but the Hunter set's pistol was unexpectedly powerful. Its explosive needle effect was particularly formidable.
When a bullet containing an explosive needle hit an enemy, it exploded and drove the needle deep into the target's body.
If only one needle hit, the damage upon detonation would be 80–100 points, which was significant but not overwhelming.
However, if the enemy was hit by five bullets and had five needles embedded in them, their nightmare began.
With physical defense reduced by 35%, healing effects reduced by 20%, and movement speed reduced by 10%, these combined effects were deadly.
This combined state of reduced defense, impaired healing, and slowed movement was lethal. Su Xiao's Breath Release ability already reduced an enemy's physical defense by 15 points and increased stamina consumption. When these two effects stacked, the enemy's defense would be drastically reduced, making Su Xiao's attacks devastating.
Hitting an enemy with five shots from the [Hunter's Judgment] wasn't difficult. This close-combat gun allowed Su Xiao to shoot from within 20 meters. With his Lv.30 firearms proficiency, missing would be almost impossible.
Once hit with five bullets, the enemy was as good as dead, in line with the ability's name: Death Sentence Explosive Needle.
While the Hunter pistol's attack power wasn't the highest, lower than some gold-quality firearms, its special effects were perfect for Su Xiao.
Slowing the enemy, reducing their defense, and decreasing their healing effectiveness were all tailored for Su Xiao's fighting style. The Hunter set, even with a gun as one of its pieces, was designed for close combat.
The Hunter set included three items: a ring, a necklace, and a pistol.
Su Xiao had the complete set: the [Hunter's Ring], the [Proof of the Hunter (dog tag-shaped)], and the [Hunter's Judgment].
Although the [Proof of the Hunter] looked like a dog tag, it was a necklace. Wearing it around the neck as a tag wouldn't activate its effects.
With the complete set, Su Xiao could finally activate the Hunter set's attributes.
However, the wolf butler began urging Su Xiao to leave the treasure trove, so he had no choice but to follow the butler out.
As he walked, Su Xiao began adjusting his equipment. He first removed the [Will of Fire] necklace, a pale gold item that conflicted with his abilities. The main attribute of the [Will of Fire] was:
Heart of Stone (Passive): Significantly enhances willpower, increasing pain tolerance and resistance to mental control (immune to mental control skills below 80 intelligence).
The significant enhancement wasn't an increase in willpower but an amplification of the effects derived from willpower, providing immunity to mental control below 80 intelligence.
The [Will of Fire] conflicted with Su Xiao's Mind Blade ability, which was much stronger.
He donned the [Proof of the Hunter], having already worn the [Hunter's Ring] for a long time.
Taking a deep breath, Su Xiao designated the [Hunter's Judgment] as a secondary weapon.
[Notification: You have activated the Hunter set attributes.]
Su Xiao immediately checked the Hunter set attributes. He knew the first two, but the third one had always been hidden.
Hunter Set Effects:
Set Effect 1: Demon Hunter (Passive) - Strength +15, Agility +10, Stamina +10.
Set Effect 2: Close Combat Expert (Passive) - Close combat damage increased by 40%, and maximum health increased by 20%.
Set Effect 3: Hunter's Trophy (Passive) - In each battle, it will be determined whether it's a Hunter state. Killing an enemy will increase the Trophy value. Once the Trophy value reaches 100% and consumes 5 Large Soul Crystals and 3 Sources of Birth (Gold), the Hunter set will be upgraded to a gold-quality set. Existing abilities will be replaced or enhanced, leaning towards close combat.
Seeing the effect of Set Effect 3, Su Xiao paused. He finally understood why the Divine Emperor and Stan's group had fought so hard for the Hunter set.
For Tier 4 contractors, dark purple sets were rare but not uncommon. There was no need to mobilize an entire adventure group to chase Gulu in the Naruto world for the Hunter's Ring.
Now it was clear that the Hunter set was more than just a dark purple set. Once the conditions were met, the three pieces could be upgraded to a gold set. A gold set of three items was invaluable to Tier 4 contractors, explaining why they went to such lengths to obtain it.
The Hunter set was rightfully called the dream set for close combat, and now it was clear this wasn't an exaggeration.
The requirements for upgrading the Hunter set weren't excessively difficult. The Trophy value could be increased by killing enemies, something Su Xiao did daily. The 5 Large Soul Crystals were rare but not impossible to obtain.
The 3 Sources of Birth (Gold) might seem daunting, but they weren't as difficult to obtain as they appeared. These came from melting down or dismantling gold-quality equipment.
Melting down three gold items for this? Unnecessary. Instead, these could be sourced from skilled forgers who dismantled broken gold items, obtaining Sources of Birth (Gold), essential for crafting equipment.
If Su Xiao wanted Sources of Birth (Gold), he could purchase them for a reasonable price, roughly 100,000–300,000 Paradise Coins for three.
Such straightforward requirements for a gold-quality set explained why the Divine Emperor and Stan mobilized their groups to fight for it. Su Xiao would have done the same if he had known about the potential upgrade.
Unfortunately, Su Xiao hadn't broken the 80-point attribute barrier, so the three-attribute boost from the Hunter set wasn't yet effective. Still, the 40% close combat damage increase and the 20% maximum health boost significantly enhanced his capabilities.
Su Xiao's current health was likely higher than most main tanks, a satisfying realization. He had never wanted to be a fragile close-combat fighter; a close-combat specialist needed a robust constitution.
For instance, assassins who had previously tried to kill Su Xiao found his defense too formidable. Unable to deliver a killing blow, they met their end once he turned to face them, often dying in agony.
This enhancement suited Su Xiao's preference for direct, robust combat. He relished the thought of his newfound strength and resilience, ready to face whatever challenges awaited.