Chapter 47. The Trainee Hunter (2)
Fuck, we're screwed.
The reason for that blunt declaration was painfully obvious.
“Sprite...?”
Just as Philip had muttered in disbelief, the boss's true nature was a Sprite.
A monster composed of mana in a slime-like form, lacking any distinct physical shape.
“A Sprite? Isn't that not that high a rank?”
Wakin stared at the monster's vague cyan glow and turned to Jeonghyeon.
“Well... to most hunters, sure, it might look that way.”
But Jeonghyeon couldn't give her a straight answer.
Sprites were ranked by color. The lowest were red, scaling up through the rainbow to the highest, purple.
And the one looming before Jeonghyeon's party was a cyan-tinged beast. If it had been any deeper, it would've been untouchable—but as it stood, he figured it was around the level of a Hello Knight, the quintessential A-rank boss monster...
Still, it was a nightmare matchup. Desperate for any edge, Jeonghyeon activated his analysis.
Attribute Disruption.
Sprite – Prism Blue
Rank: A+
Attack Pattern: Mana Condensation Projectiles
Traits: Immune to Physical Attacks. Immune to Vibrations. Immune to Sword Aura
Weakness: Mana Attacks
Dry data followed by the Demon King's signature taunt, as if he'd penned it himself.
Sprites rank up by their prism color! You humans know that much, right? So what's the difference between plain Blue and Prism Blue?
It's immunity~! Once 'Prism' hits a Sprite's name, assume it's immune to physical attacks. Oh, and sword auras, shockwaves, or even that brute mace's AoE swings? All no-sell. Good luck!
What fresh gimmick was this? Credit where it was due—the Demon King's dedication was something else.
Handcrafting snarky notes for every monster Jeonghyeon might face...
This guy's begging for a curse.
It was beyond infuriating.
“Need a hand? In a mana-vs-mana slugfest, this one never loses. And thanks to those mana stones, I've stocked up plenty~”
Nus poked its face out from Jeonghyeon's inventory, striking a dramatic pose.
“Nah.”
“Of course you'd say that, you arrogant worm—wait, what? Why not?”
Anyone could see this was the Demon King scripting Nus to shine. So why refuse the easy win?
Nus looked just as baffled.
“With my aid, we'd crush it in seconds! Have you forgotten your own incompetence?”
“No, I just know what you'll demand later.”
“...”
Jeonghyeon didn't fully trust Nus yet. Not even close.
A fanatic bordering on cultist for the Demon King— the moment it learned his goals, it might turn on him in a heartbeat.
“Th-that's fair, but...”
Nus had gained freedom beyond the tower thanks to Jeonghyeon, but it planned to use him just the same.
Centuries surviving alongside the Demon King meant its schemes and wits outclassed most demons.
“We're in a contract, aren't we? Don't wanna see your king?”
“That's the last thing I want.”
Jeonghyeon dropped into a low stance, pondering the Sprite's weakness.
“What...?”
“This feels too scripted. Like the Demon King handed me a companion to test its power on.”
Exactly that.
Jeonghyeon had long hated the sensation of following some preordained growth path, like a character in a game.
He'd sworn to charge toward the Demon King on his own terms—yet he'd fought tooth and nail to break that mold, denying his foe the satisfaction of puppeteering his rise.
Not that it's worked perfectly... but this is blatant.
Acquire Nus. Unlock its power. Grow easy-mode. A cheat key served on a platter. The nausea boiled up from deep inside.
“Your help would make it simple. But coasting like that? I'd fail again.”
Time to clash head-on. Jeonghyeon gripped his Blood Dissector tight.
“Can't reach the Demon King if I can't solo a Sprite here.”
With that, he leaped silently toward it alone.
***
“Eat this!”
Jeonghyeon hurled a fireball at the Sprite. He knew it wouldn't stick.
Fizzle.
The mana vanished into its body without a ripple. Absorbed—or more precisely, nullified.
“Tch. Figures.”
Physical immunity didn't mean it was sloppy enough to eat a half-assed spell from a non-mage like him.
Luckily, the Sprite showed little interest in him yet. Time to think.
Greeeeek—!
His attack must've tripped a trigger. The Sprite slowly levitated, drifting toward the dungeon core.
“Philip! Can you stall it?”
“Physical won't work!”
“Immunity doesn't mean no knockback!”
“No idea what that means, but here goes!!”
Philip charged with his mace, unleashing a double swing.
“Double strike, you bastard!”
Boom boom—!
Two impacts rang out in one motion. The Sprite recoiled slightly from the vibration.
“Ah...!”
That was the 'effect' Jeonghyeon meant. No damage, but it could push the thing back—or at least slow its advance to the core.
“I'll shove it back as far as—!”
Before Philip could swing again, a projectile slammed into his chest.
Thud—boom!
“Guh!!”
A mini-explosion hurled him meters away.
“Philip!!”
As Jeonghyeon rushed to help, the Sprite finally clocked him—firing another shot.
“Shit!”
He dove forward mid-stride, barely dodging. But the barrage didn't stop.
Damn!
And behind him: Philip down in one hit, the non-hunter Wakin sisters, and the dungeon-winning core.
Can't just dodge blindly—too much at stake behind me...
Thud-boom!!
A split-second dilemma, but enough time for the projectile to tag him.
Another blast flung Jeonghyeon back.
“Huh?”
He should've blacked out. Instead... no pain at all.
Just the jolt of tumbling from impact.
“Pathetic humans.”
Nus's irritated voice hit first, then Jeonghyeon felt it—clinging to his chest like a shield.
“What... the?”
Perplexed, he asked. Nus spread wider, reshaping into a cloak around his coat.
“You think a lowly beast like you, borrowing a sliver of the Demon King's power, can reach Him?”
“The hell is this?”
“Don't you dare mimic His aura.”
Shwoop—!
Seizing the opening in their talk, the Sprite fired three projectiles at once.
Thud-kaboom—!
Just a nudge this time. Nus absorbed the rest.
“I'm not helping you. Your words just echoed His style— piqued my interest. So struggle on.”
“...”
“Prove you can reach Him without my faith.”
Jeonghyeon cracked a faint smile at Nus's words.
“Fuck.”
No wonder the Demon King's power felt so natural. Same damn personality.
I'll puke later. For now...
He regripped his Blood Dissector and charged the Sprite.
“Hup!”
Fireball. Slash with the knife. Nothing scratched it.
Thud-boom! Boom!
Tanking a few hits, but Nus seemed to enjoy his reckless assault.
Like the Demon King.
“Yes! That's the bearing of one who wields His power! Show it that pressure!”
Pressure?
A counter flashed in Jeonghyeon's mind.
“Right... that.”
“Nus. Can your mana heal wounds?”
“Possible, but...?”
“Go patch Philip.”
“Sudden, but fine! Insult my power again, worm!”
Nus yelled, then stretched and split, half latching onto Philip.
“...It can do that?”
“Short range only.”
“Handy.”
“Isn't it~?”
As Nus healed, Philip's mana began regenerating—like an incubator fitted to his massive frame.
“But why?”
“Need something from him.”
Jeonghyeon cast Attribute Domination on the unconscious Philip.
Subordinate's status: Unconscious
Ability efficiency severely reduced.
Fine by me.
He only needed one skill.
“You said 'Demon King pressure' earlier?”
“Indeed.”
Jeonghyeon opened his inventory and beckoned Nus inside.
The Sprite was charging up.
“Have you lost your mind, you idiot...?”
“Stay out here, you die.”
His cold, sunken tone silenced Nus's rage.
“...Confident?”
“Watch.”
Nus merged and slipped into the inventory.
Sealing it tight, Jeonghyeon stood bare before the Sprite—no shield, solo.
Greeeeek—!
The mana blob didn't register his shift. It gathered projectiles for the kill.
“Regressed, body weak. Mind even weaker.”
Jeonghyeon exhaled deeply, eyes opening. Sclera blackened, irises blood-red—Demon King's Eye full force.
Overwhelming mana surged. He pointed at the floor and growled low.
“Kneel, you fuck.”
His voice boomed as Shout, vibrating the space. The Sprite slammed down like gravity had quadrupled just for it.