Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Kobold Hunt
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Yuseong arrived at the western highway. Standing at the entrance to the road, he gazed out at the gray landscape.
‘It’s not much of a view.’
For Yuseong, who preferred Arc’s vibrant, life-filled scenery, this inorganic expanse of gray rocks was hardly appealing.
The only consolation came from a few hardy shrubs that had stubbornly taken root in the rocks, bursting with vitality.
Small shadows darted about on the road.
‘Those must be the kobolds.’
They didn’t look particularly threatening. Their small stature and crude wooden clubs contributed to that.
Even their sharp claws and the teeth visible between their elongated snouts seemed downright cute compared to real-world monsters and beasts.
‘Let’s gauge their level first.’
According to the strategy guide, they posed no danger to him. Still, it never hurt to know the enemy.
He drew his gun and approached the nearest kobold.
As the guide had advised, they traveled in packs. The three huddled together all turned to stare at Yuseong in unison.
‘If one notices, do the others automatically know? Or do they just have similar detection ranges?’
Either way, luring them one by one seemed tricky.
-Kieeeek!-
-Kiik! Kiik!-
-Kuiiik!-
The kobolds screeched as they closed in on Yuseong, swinging their wooden clubs. It was the kind of sight that might rattle someone unused to combat.
Of course, that didn’t apply to Yuseong.
Bang!
[A critical hit has triggered.]
The kobold that took a bullet to the head slammed face-first into the ground. The other two shrieked even louder.
Not long ago, he would have hurried to reload. But the pistol he now held was the Eonir revolver.
Bang! Bang!
Two clean shots rang out, and the remaining kobolds crumpled.
‘Easy.’
As he reloaded the spent rounds, Yuseong walked over to where they had fallen. The kobolds’ bodies dissolved into light, leaving bundles in their place.
A bit of money and some junk items. He gathered them up and moved on.
‘Keep moving quickly.’
The faster he farmed money, the brighter his future prospects. Yuseong approached another pack of kobolds that caught his eye.
* * *
Tar had player NPCs too. They were out hunting monsters with fairly solid gear, and the newbie awkwardness had largely faded from their movements.
Yuseong weaved through them as he hunted. At first, a few who had been focused on their own prey began eyeing him.
It was the same as back in the Green Plains village, so Yuseong ignored it.
Bang!
One shot dropped a kobold. From the cluster of NPCs who had paused their own hunts to watch, an “Ooh!” of admiration rose up. Someone even clapped softly.
Pockets dotted the highway here and there—caves slanting downward at an angle. Those were the kobold lairs.
There were plenty of kobolds wandering the highway, but for serious kobold hunting, diving into the lairs was the way to go.
Yuseong picked a suitable one and entered.
The lair was dark. Only faint light filtered in through tiny holes in the ceiling. It was nothing like the naturally bright hideouts of rats.
‘It gets even darker ahead, right?’
Providing light sources in pitch-black underground areas was a thing for low-level fields.
As field levels rose, the ambient light dwindled until it vanished entirely, per the strategy guide.
‘Still, this much isn’t hindering combat.’
He passed the entrance and entered the tunnel. No sign of the player NPCs who had been common on the highway.
‘They avoid it because it’s dark and dangerous.’
Yuseong could understand that, but clearing kobolds in bulk quickly mattered more.
The lair wasn’t huge, but it was labyrinthine in its own way—forks in the path, chambers with tunnels branching every which way.
-Kyaack!-
Rounding a corner, a kobold charged at him. Newbies often flinched in such situations.
Naturally, that didn’t apply to Yuseong.
Bang!
The kobold swinging its club flew backward. A bullet hole marred its head. Two more kobolds were there, but they met the same fate.
Three kobold corpses appeared in an instant. They soon vanished, leaving bundles behind. Yuseong scooped them up.
‘Not enough yet.’
A few more steps, and he ran into another group.
Another reason the lairs were dangerous: the kobolds were packed close together.
Fail to dispatch an encountered group quickly or hesitate and stray too far, and you’d run into the next pack right away.
More numbers meant tougher fights, and in the worst case, you’d get swarmed by over a dozen kobolds.
That was game over. Most players couldn’t survive it.
But this didn’t apply to Yuseong either.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He fired at the oncoming kobolds.
Even a crude wooden club had its attack power.
But no matter how devastating—even if it were some legendary item that could one-shot anything with a single hit—it was useless if it didn’t connect.
The last kobold collapsed right at his feet. Its dropped club rolled to a stop against his boot.
Yuseong picked it up. The rough-textured thing vanished along with the kobold’s body.
‘Getting a bit boring.’
Yuseong didn’t crave fierce battles—he actively avoided them—but this repetitive chore-like hunting was starting to wear on him.
The fact that every target looked the same only amplified it.
【All monsters around here are just regular kobolds. Shall I guide you somewhere with other types?】
‘No, it’s fine. The quest target is regular kobolds, right?’
It was monotonous drudgery, but for free black bread, he could endure.
Yuseong kept repeating quests. After clearing a few lairs and entering another, it happened.
‘Did NPCs get here first?’
No kobolds in sight. He’d seen this before—NPCs who arrived early and cleared them out.
‘Better try another lair.’
There were plenty of lairs. No need to fixate on one and compete.
That’s when it happened.
A commotion echoed from deeper in. Multiple footsteps mingled, suggesting a group on the run.
‘Kobold pack?’
But something was off. Most were the light pattering typical of kobolds, but mixed in were heavier thuds.
Whatever it was, anything charging got dealt with.
Yuseong opened his revolver’s cylinder, confirmed all rounds were loaded, and faced forward.
It didn’t take long to spot the threat. A figure rounded the corner and bolted out.
An NPC in reinforced leather armor—the standard gear around here.
He spotted Yuseong and shouted in a panicked voice.
“R-Run!”
Nine kobolds followed him around the corner. He must have entered the lair, gotten into fights, attracted multiple packs, and was now fleeing.
Staying put would mean the kobolds turning on Yuseong too.
But Yuseong didn’t run. Instead, he calmly extended his gun.
“Wh-What…!”
Did he think it was aimed at him? The NPC panicked. But Yuseong’s barrel was trained slightly off, away from him.
Bang!
The gunshot rang out. The charging kobolds numbered eight now.
“Huh?”
The NPC glanced back in shock. Yuseong kept pulling the trigger. Gunshots echoed in succession, and the pattering footsteps dwindled.
When the Eonir revolver’s cylinder ran empty, only three kobolds remained in pursuit of the NPC player.
“This I can handle…!”
The fleeing NPC spun around and engaged the kobolds with his shortsword.
The three swung their wooden clubs.
He blocked a few with his shortsword or arm guard. But he couldn’t fend them all off, taking several hits.
Kobolds couldn’t drain his full HP, and in the end, he slew them all.
“Whew!”
He let out a long breath, pulled a potion from his belt, and gulped it down. He tossed the empty vial aside carelessly and turned to Yuseong.
“Wow, you’re incredibly strong!”
His eyes sparkled as he approached Yuseong.
“Oh, right—greetings first. Thanks for saving me. I really thought I was done for, game over for sure.”
“It’s fine.”
Yuseong replied curtly and walked past him to the kobold corpses. He began picking up the bundles from the ones he’d killed.
“Uh, um…!”
The NPC seemed to have something to say, so Yuseong paused and looked at him.
NPCs tied into the crucial Attention metric. Better to humor anyone who approached, even if annoying.
“Something to say?”
Was it about loot rights? But all he’d done was run from monsters.
The six kobolds Yuseong killed—their items were surely his.
“Are you Yuseong? The one who took down those two extra bosses in a row?”
That explained it. This NPC was curious about him, like the others.
“Yes.”
“I knew it!”
He made a big fuss.
“I never dreamed I’d run into the famous Yuseong here!”
Most who approached Yuseong praised him lavishly. But this one dialed it up even more.
Yuseong responded moderately while collecting all the items. Just junk, but each one could buy another black bread.
He left the NPC’s kobold loot alone, though.
“You can have those too.”
The NPC said something unexpected.
“You sure?”
“If not for you, I’d be dead anyway. Consider it a bargain for my life.”
“Thanks.”
Yuseong took them without protest. It was as good as dozens of black breads, lifting his spirits.
But it wasn’t enough. He needed more kobolds.
“Well then.”
He gave the NPC a slight nod and prepared to resume hunting.
“W-Wait!”
“What is it?”
Yuseong turned to the NPC who’d called him. He hemmed and hawed, then spoke up.
“Mind if I hunt with you?”
Just like the others.
“Doesn’t matter.”
He’d hunted with plenty of NPCs so far. One more wouldn’t hurt, and it’d boost his Attention too.
“Thanks!”
The NPC bowed deeply. Yuseong nodded silently and pointed into the lair.
“Let’s clear this place first, then.”
“Yes!”