Chapter 61 - Pohang (2)
Kim Sun-woo bent down to examine the monster's corpse that had been torn apart and devoured.
Sharp teeth marks were visible where flesh had been ripped away.
‘That’s not all.’
Claw marks scarred the sides of its torso, as if it had been gripped tightly to prevent escape.
Robert, the team leader peering at the corpse alongside him, gave a curt nod and spoke.
“Beast-type monster. Seems bipedal, though.”
“Werewolf, maybe? The burrow marks match. Saw something like this in a dungeon once.”
“Werewolf...”
“Better if it is. We’ve got solid counters for those.”
Silver, holy water, crosses.
Classic items werewolves—wolf-men—were known to shun.
“Got a silver cross right here. Holy water’s plentiful. Push on? Or pull back?”
“Too little loot to retreat now, right?”
Robert scanned their surroundings.
Standard protocol: scout 30 to 50 percent, secure the path to the main stage.
But they hadn’t cleared even 10 percent from the entrance.
Turning tail now would make them look like amateurs.
“It passed by a while ago, so let’s check just a bit farther.”
“Got it. Sending the scout.”
Jin So-hui extended her hand and clenched the air.
A flame hound materialized from nowhere and bounded forward with vigor.
The Knight Team, battle-ready, advanced slowly, escorting the Crimson Tower mages.
“......”
The deeper they ventured, the heavier the humid air pressed down.
Hunters barely noticed, thanks to their condition-regulating artifacts.
‘Back in the day, my clothes would’ve been soaked.’
Last year, around this time, he’d raided near the sea—not this deep, but close.
By the end, sea breeze moisture had drenched him head to toe.
He’d joked with teammates that fighting in the water might’ve been comfier.
‘Same setup, but this feels great.’
Humidity, temperature—auto-adjusted.
No wonder everyone blew stacks on top gear.
Click.
Trailing such thoughts at the vanguard, Kim Sun-woo raised a hand lightly.
No one ignored the sole B-rank hunter’s orders anymore.
“......”
Tense faces locked forward—
-Grrk.
A beat late, presence stirred ahead.
Splash. Splash. Splash.
Drenched footsteps, fishy stench assaulting the nose, prickling unease.
A grotesque figure emerged from the passage depths.
“...Another tuna?”
Jin So-hui snorted in disbelief, but Kim Sun-woo pointed to its tail.
“Look there. Fresh bite marks.”
“Huh? Looks recent.”
Meaning the predator lurked nearby...
Thud—.
As the thought hit—
The staggering tuna split clean in half.
“Huh?”
Beyond: a blue-haired man in a leather jacket.
He licked blood from his hand, looked up, cocked his head at the stunned hunters, then smirked.
“Ah, gotcha.”
“...Who the hell are you?”
Robert demanded, tense.
Hunting solo in a dungeon?
Some rogue who dodged association and military blockades?
“We’re the association’s exploration team, here to scout this dungeon. You?”
“Blah blah, shut it.”
Thud.
No warning—he launched.
Robert thrust his spear up, ready—
Whoosh.
Kim Sun-woo yanked his nape back and slashed fiercely with the Black Flow Sword.
—CLANG!!!
The shockwave rattled the dungeon.
Aftershocks alone dazed Robert.
‘A direct hit...’
Torn apart, no chance to react.
Clang, clack-clack.
Straight-thrust Black Flow Sword locked in fierce grapple with the man’s fingers mid-air.
He tilted his head, intrigued, flashing a chilling grin.
“Weak aura, but ballsy.”
“...Not human.”
Kim Sun-woo gritted teeth, regripping.
Power surging through the blade was brutal.
Worse: the monstrous hostility pouring off him.
Odd—the others didn’t react.
Even he strained; they felt nothing?
Run or die, yet they geared for fight.
“Snap to—run, all of—!”
“Nah.”
Clang!
Batting the sword, he grinned and stomped forward.
Swoosh.
Eye-blurring speed.
Kim Sun-woo Flash Flow Stepped after.
“Incoming!”
Main tanker Lee Han-su raised shield.
Man’s gesture crumpled the barrier; shield surface shredded, innards exposed.
“...What.”
Lee Han-su blanked.
Blocked Red Drake hits.
Bare-handed?
Clang!
Kim Sun-woo intervened—or shield’s fate was his.
‘...Brand new, big bucks. Tough break.’
Blocking again before Lee Han-su, Kim Sun-woo tsked.
“Back off! Keep distance!”
Robert finally clocked the impossibility, barked retreat.
Beast at back? Suicide.
Bind feet first, then bolt.
Fwaaah!
Buying time upfront, Crimson Tower mages finished chants.
Crimson flames surged walls-to-ceiling, wave-crashing at the man.
No footing, force back—but he stomped, momentum snuffing fire.
Then shoulder-rolled like stretching, eyed Kim Sun-woo.
“Lascael of Wycon tribe. Black-sword wielder—what’s your name?”
“...Kim Sun-woo.”
“Kim Sun-woo. Weird name. Meh.”
Lascael smirked dark, clenched fist.
“Just ate. Hands itching—perfect.”
Zzzzt.
Hostility surged fiercer, haze-visible.
“......”
Hunters paled, now sensing it.
“Sun-woo-ssi.”
“...Ridiculously strong.”
Kim Sun-woo glanced back.
Solo? Maybe. Loaded down? No.
Best...
‘20 seconds!’
Jin So-hui mouthed, eyes locked.
Hold somehow—20 secs.
Kim Sun-woo nodded sharp—Lascael grinned.
“Plotting done?”
Boom!
Kick alone boomed sonic shock.
Luck: straight-line charge soloed Kim Sun-woo.
Rumble—!
Kim Sun-woo countered head-on his direct path.
White flash—lightning bolt erupted.
Lascael veered light, exposed flank smashed hard.
Crack!
Lightning blasted, flung him.
Body wall-smashed amid rubble; Kim Sun-woo eyed Jin So-hui urgent.
‘20 secs...!’
About up.
But her eyes bulged, pointing front.
“Ahead! Careful!”
“......!”
Spine-chill killing intent—twist, Illusion Flow Step.
Screeech!
Razor wind slashed.
Shoulder burned, blood sprayed—yet Black Flow Sword rose...
“Fall back!!!”
Jin So-hui’s cue—he leaped rear.
—KWAAAAANG!!!
Monstrous shockwave quaked all.
Fragile ceiling/walls from their clash caved, debris sealing passage.
Path gone—hunters wheeled, full sprint—
“...Tch.”
Lascael loomed behind rubble, licked hand-blood wistful.
“Prime cut. Tasty blood—rare treat.”
Let slip irked more, but done.
Fate’d reunite.
“Gold realm’s full of fun ones.”
Hands pocket-deep, he trudged inward.
Fwaaah!
Portal rippled—a group spilled out.
Low-rank hunters still outpaced normals stamina-wise, yet all heaved ragged.
“W-what happened?”
Waiting association staff stammered shocked.
“Ambushed. Sun-woo-ssi—treatment...”
“On it!”
Han Su-ah dashed to Kim Sun-woo, heal-bursting.
White uniform blood-soaked crimson.
Left shoulder-top severed clean, guts exposed.
“...Hoo.”
Kim Sun-woo slumped into a chair hunters fetched, sighed deep.
“Hell of a foe. Tracking him was a chore.”
“Tougher than Death’s Land vampire. Fire Dragon tier, maybe.”
City-scorching flame-spewer.
Lascael reeked same dread.
But no old hopelessness.
Solo? Solid scrap possible.
“......”
Robert eyed him, hesitated, spoke careful.
“Sun-woo-ssi, rethink team leader training—seriously.”
“Pardon?”
“Mismatched team just drags you. Pointless.”
“Mm...”
“Teams cover gaps. But you? Beyond specs. C-rank me struggles. Lower? Laughable. Need B’s, A’s—main assault only has that.”
Thoughts Kim Sun-woo mulled too.
Lascael fight: babysitting forced defense.
Shoulder? Bought bind-time.
“Or solo outright.”
“Post-raid call. Focus here... Main assault’s here.”