Busan Mega Gate (5): Crushing the Colossal Jumper

A bridge that didn't look all that long compared to its massive size. Among its many eyes, one particularly enormous pair stood out.

"Jumping spider?"

It looked roughly like a jumping spider. Sure, it was the size of a house.

Squeeze—scritch! As I tightened my fist, it must have sensed the threat and quickly backed away.

I grabbed the arm of the male hunter I'd been facing off with and leaped back a bit.

"What's your rank, sir?"

"B-rank, Lee Joo-seon."

"And the situation?"

"I ran into that thing while looking for my teammates or the exit. But..."

"It's too strong."

So this was why they'd rated it a B-rank gate. Like Na Ha-rin said, the field was full of nothing but slimes, but this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guy had dragged the average way up.

"From fighting it, it's at least an A-rank monster. You're C-rank, so in this gap, we should call for backup—"

Step—

"W-wait, where are you going...?"

"Gotta take it down."

"Didn't you hear me? It's an A-rank monster! A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠C-rank can't handle it!"

"Ah, don't worry about that. Feels like I've been missing a promotion or two anyway."

Hunters here were weaker than I'd expected, objectively speaking. At my level, wasn't I stronger than even national-level powerhouses? Not that I'd seen one yet, of course.

"Good thing the poison didn't get you. Take a breather. I'm eyeing that thing's byproducts anyway."

I shook out my hands and stepped forward. Lee Joo-seon reached out from behind to stop me, but the spider lunged at me first.

Twaang! True to its jumping spider name, it rocketed toward me at insane speed. Its trajectory arced in a parabola from above, aiming to smother me.

I dropped into a low stance and clenched my fist hard.

And the next instant—

"If you're ambushing, at least come in straight."

Splat! As I swung my fist upward, the spider's descending leg vanished.

"Quit whining. You've seen worse."

Crunch— The severed leg burst and regenerated at high speed, sprouting a new one. A shed husk remained like byproduct trash.

"Traits: rapid regeneration, speed, and poison, huh?"

Tricky combo. Its base physicals were way below Leviathan's, but even that thing would suffer from the venom. And it was sustaining that regen by slurping up the gathered slimes around it.

Hmm, part of me wants to breath it away since it's a bug... but with others here, that'd be risky. They'd get swept up and die.

"Annoying..."

Pfft. "Wanna fight me? Come find me. Even if I'm ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nice, a dragon's a dragon. Gets boring sometimes."

Instincts don't fade, even for me. I preferred settling things with fists anyway—proof of my draconic aggression.

"Back in the other world, tons of 'heroes' charged at me. Earth's got none."

Shame—their swords were decent quality.

Thud—Crack! Mid-chat, it lunged again. I swatted it lightly, sidestepped, and punched. As it lost balance, I stomped hard.

Rumble! The ground cracked and shook violently, like a massive dragon had slammed the area.

Before the tremors faded, I reached out and clenched my fist.

Golden light erupted from the cracks beneath its legs.

Shick?Pffft!Thud! Spikes of molded earth shot up at the spider in varying lengths.

But it had sensed the threat early—or its eight eyes tracked every one and dodged. It twisted away to safety.

"Some dynamic vision."

"What the...?"

Lee Joo-seon, watching the fight, sighed and wiped cold sweat.

"Stay back."

"But—"

"You'll just get in the way. In the way."

The spider readied again. All it knew was jumping?

I turned the vision-blocking spikes back to plain dirt.

"Hmm."

This was turning into a bullfight. Time for me to move.

Twaang! Unlike before, I moved first, vanishing in an instant.

The spider's eyes darted wildly. Even with eight, it panicked, twisting its body to find me.

"Ugh... hate grabbing bugs barehanded."

Crunch! Grimacing, I appeared beside it and ripped off a leg.

Slash— It spun fast, baring venomous fangs, desperate to bite.

Wouldn't work on me anyway... such effort.

Now what? Rip all legs and kill? Hmm... better save some. Best part for materials? Fangs, probably.

Musing on what to harvest, I pondered the kill.

"Recharging!"

Na Ha-rin burst from the woods in just a tank top—jacket sold off?—thrusting her glowing pile bunker.

Thud! She stuck to its massive body, gripped her right arm with her left, clenched her fist—

"Explode!"

Boom! A sharp kiai and heavy blast to its side.

It toppled sideways, off-balance.

"Ow, arm's numb!"

Clunk!Hiss— Spent all energy? She yanked the fuel rod, elbow down.

But without the jacket... damn, excessive jiggle...?

"Heh, no need to thank me!"

"Uh... yeah."

Wait, clip exists?

"...Don't delete that quick, or I'll hunt it down myself?"

Sigh... who treats a dragon like that...?

...Nah. Human imagination always outdoes me. Better toss swimsuit bait before worse horrors?

"Now! Hit it with the sword!"

"Ah, right."

Yeah, handle this first, think later.

Whoosh— I grabbed the golden spear. Cleanest way: pierce the vitals.

Legs shoulder-width-plus, spear pulled back, left arm forward. Javelin stance.

Javelins: basic hunt, siege-breaker in war. Deadly from human hands—what about a dragon's?

Scarier than siege weapons, obviously.

Flash! Power surged; the spear, devouring light, blazed golden as it flew—

Crunch! Straight between its huge eyes.

Thud— The bug convulsed, then flipped.

I approached, yanked the spear from its head roughly.

Splat— Green goo splattered; it stilled.

High-grade and top-grade mana stones? A set bonus? Perfect for Terra to process.

And...

Even a variant gate doesn't boot you out instantly. Giving time to loot? Nice.

Okay, tidy up—

"That was awesome! Incredible!"

Boing—

Ugh...

"Uh, yeah... put some clothes on first."

"Oops! Sorry! Rushed here, it was in the way, hehe. Da-jeong's coming too!"

I turned from the nutrient-free chat to Lee Joo-seon.

"...Ahem."

Our eyes met; his shoulders twitched.

"Healer's coming soon. Let me check your wounds first."

"This is embarrassing. A B-rank useless in front of C-ranks..."

"Eh, enemy was off-spec. Though I'm stronger, sure."

"Haha! Totally. Goldie-nim's amazing. S-rank for real?"

Let's see... lacerations on abdomen, burns on arms, bruises everywhere. Not a spot unscathed.

"Fought rough, huh."

"Barely held a few times. Gave it all, ended up like this."

Step—

"Hah... huff..."

"Oh! You made it?"

"Ha-rin, what the— eek?! What's that?!"

"The boss! Already dead, no worries!"

Kim Da-jeong arrived right on time. I pointed to Lee Joo-seon.

"He needs treatment. Can you handle it?"

"Party leader...? Yes, of course, right away!"

"How's Ha-eun?"

"Ah!... Breathing's stabilized. No fever, she'll wake soon."

"...Ha-eun?"

Lee Joo-seon, overhearing, turned at "Ha-eun."

"Red hair... that kid. Park Ha-eun?"

Suddenly asking her name.