Chapter 69
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Special Case 0-A (4)
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Grrr...
The master of the Elder Dragon Lair let out a low growl.
Nine hunters had it surrounded.
Kane gripped his greatsword and muttered under his breath.
"That sin deserves death."
[Judgment Knight's primary skill. 'Bell of the Guillotine' activated]
[Avatar 'Round Table Knight Gareth' secondary skill 'Fragment of Light' activated]
A sword cry that instilled fear in the enemy rang out as the blade struck the dragon's ankle.
Gareth, heir to the bloodline of dragon and sun.
His power blazed forth. The tough dragon hide tore open, and the greatsword bit deep into bone.
Keeek!
The Elder Dragon flapped its wings in startled panic.
[Telekinesis (C) activated]
[Magic power input: 1,220% of normal]
But dozens of tons of pressure clamped down on its wings, rendering the flight attempt futile.
In that brief opening.
Flames from the avatar 'Aini' and Kane's follow-up strike came flying in.
Its horn was scorched, and a deep gash carved into its underbelly. The pissed-off dragon bellowed.
Kraaarara—!
[Boss monster uses 'Dragon Roar.']
A roar proclaiming, 'I'm a fucking super-strong Elder Dragon!' The team members unwittingly fell back.
The Elder Dragon's roar inflicted not just physical damage but status ailments as well.
Let your guard down for even a moment, and your mind could go blank, freezing you in place.
"You're doing great. Doing great. Don't flinch at the spit—keep pushing."
From the back, Gonghyeok encouraged the team while savoring the cigarette Bai Yan had given him.
"Yeonsi, I get the enthusiasm, but you're too close. Fall back a bit more. Sachin, don't chicken out over a missing arm—get in there. Yeonsi'll reattach it soon enough. Sally, quit shaking your legs. Can't you see Soma Sangai tanking up front? Trust him for once."
'Easy for him to say.'
'I trust him, but it pisses me off somehow.'
As the team felt an inexplicable surge of anger, Soma Sangai charged forward.
He didn't care that half his upper body was in the dragon's jaws—instead, he jammed a vajra into its tongue.
[Heavenly Vajra Thrust Golden Pillar activated]
[Vajra Victory skill 'Indra's Thunderclap Vajra Thrust' providing support]
[Combo skill 'Thunder Emperor Summoner (S+)' activated]
Lightning bloomed from the vajra embedded in the tongue, spreading like fireworks.
CRITICAL HIT!!
Kuaaaah!
The critically wounded dragon hurled Soma away.
Seizing that opening, Kane's greatsword plunged into the dragon's jaw from below.
Puk!
"Ha Yeonsi! Assist!"
At Kane's shout, Ha Yeonsi amplified her telekinesis.
The S-rank greatsword struck the dragon's jaw, now stripped of its magical barrier.
Her telekinesis took hold there.
Sizzzzz.
Kuh...
The scaly jaw tore open like raw flesh, splitting hideously in two.
"Yaaah!"
Sachin, who had been waiting for his chance, buried his axe into the torn wound.
The long neck split vertically, the axe reaching all the way to the sternum.
"Gotcha."
[Avatar 'Magic Bullet Shooter (B+)' tertiary ability 'Devil's Magic Bullet' activated]
[100% accuracy on any target you lay eyes on. Magic defense penetration +230%. Physical defense penetration +400%.]
[Target—Dragon Heart.]
The avatar 'Magic Bullet Shooter' grinned. Schumacher's S-grade musket spat fire.
A round iron ball—far from any modern engineering ideal—traced a bizarre trajectory and slammed straight into the dragon heart.
Keee...
The Elder Dragon's head let out an agonized screech as Kane's greatsword severed it clean off.
[First to defeat boss monster 'Elder Dragon Clan.']
[First clear reward: 3 indigo coins to each hunter.]
[Raid contributions: 1st Kane Marques 18%, Soma Sangai 16%, Ha Yeonsi...]
[Drops 21 indigo coins and 522 purple coins.]
[Elder Dragon scales drop...]
"Hah... hah..."
Kane, who had moved the most aggressively, collapsed flat on his ass.
Ha Yeonsi approached Sachin and sprinkled Flesh Mending Flower on his severed arm. Sally clutched her staff, steadying her trembling legs.
Someone else came running from afar.
It was Soma, who had been carried to the back of the cave in the Elder Dragon's mouth.
"Haha, Mr. Soma. Hunt's over. Take it easy..."
Kraaarararara!
A Dragon Roar that shook the entire cave.
It meant, 'Son, it's dinnertime. Come on up.'
Normally, the reply would have been, 'I'm a super-strong Elder Dragon—I ate outside. There's an invisible X-dragon watching, so don't come in.'
But there was only silence.
Kraaarararara!
'Son! Eat first, then study!'
Like a mom peeking into her son's room...
What she saw were humans milling cluelessly around her son's mangled corpse.
Gruk?
"Shit... goddamn it..."
The team members swallowed their groans.
It was the hidden boss with its low spawn chance.
[Hidden boss 'Enraged Giant Elder Dragon' has appeared.]
[Attack power increased due to grief over lost son. Bonuses applied to select stats.]
Grrruk...
The mother dragon took in the scene, tears streaming...
[Sephirot stage 1 authority 'Gigantification' acti...]
[Sephirot stage 3 vessel unlocked. All stats +50...]
['Spirit Possession (A)' ene...]
['Archangel's Purification (S)'...]
[Flames of the spirit...]
[Angel's wings accelerate...]
"Instant kill."
Kujijik—
"KO."
Alert windows flashed by in an instant.
A massive hammer smashed the reptile's skull at lightspeed.
Skull shards and blood sprayed the cave walls like it had taken a bazooka round.
"......"
The team members, unable to process the sudden shift, muttered.
"Something just whooshed by..."
[Achievement 'Powerful Hidden Boss Slain' unlocked!]
[Reward: 5 indigo coins to all participants.]
[Time attack bonus! Elapsed time: 1.12 seconds!]
[Incredible time attack! Achievement 'Topple the Boss in 10 Seconds' unlocked!]
[Rewards: 3 blue coins and S-grade skill coin 'Seven Steps Soulkill.']
[Raid contributions: 1st Ju Gonghyeok 100%]
[Drops 65 indigo coins and 2,009 purple coins.]
['Dragon Heart in Excellent Condition' has dropped.]
[Skill coinbook 'Dragon Clan's Magic Tome (B)' has dropped.]
[Boss monster damage at 100%—10 times achieved!]
[Unique title 「Perfect Slayer」 acquired.]
[All stats +20 points against boss monsters.
Physical impact amplified 125% against boss monsters.
Weapon cutting power doubled against boss monsters.
Weapon durability quadrupled against boss monsters.]
Nathaniel crossed her legs atop the cascade of rewards.
- Hehe~ How do you like it? This Nathaniel's skill! There are only a handful of angels who can activate seven angel skills that fast.
"Not a handful—one hand wouldn't cut it; it's two hands."
- ..... Still impressive to count on two hands, isn't it? Azazel's faster, sure, but she's a pure combat machine. This is great angel-level operation efficiency, you know? You could praise me.
"Yeah. Good job."
Gonghyeok executed his signature chin scratch.
Nathaniel's expression melted, and she let out a 'Gya-rung, gya-rung' purr.
Reflexive response to her trainer. She went 'Ah!' in dismay.
- Wait, when I said praise me, I meant buy some peach honey preserves on the way back and offer them up. Not scratch my chin...
"Good job. Good girl. There you go. Good girl."
- And don't scratch my side like some pervert...
"But you need to shave off another 0.2 seconds."
- ...Why?
"Because I was aiming for the 'Topple the Boss in 1 Second' achievement."
- Please, find yourself another angel?
"Nope. If you can't do it within a week, it's sweat-soaked Kane panties with spirit possession and the rest omitted..."
- Get your hands off my body, you human trash.
"No thanks."
Faced with the angel's dead-serious glare—no trace of humor—Gonghyeok replied with dominant ease.
"Oppa. Gonna do 'work' here too?"
"Yeah. And pass these out."
To Ha Yeonsi, who had come over, he handed over 50 indigo coins from the dragon kill.
"Same as always—hush money."
Letting them see boss monsters go down this easily would complicate things.
They had trust from all the favors and tips.
But a black-haired beast was still a black-haired beast.
He was using the GM's probability calculator to divvy up the hush money.
"Got it. We'll head out quick."
She nodded and left with the rest of the team.
"Hmm."
He reached for the cigar case in his pocket.
There was the pretty little angel, grunting as she fished out the cigar case.
With her tiny hands, she pulled out a single cigarette and carefully placed it in Gonghyeok's mouth.
His heart warmed. He smiled like a grandpa watching his granddaughter's antics.
"Heh heh. Our little Nathaniel's gotten so perceptive."
- Just hurry up and die.
"Heh heh heh. Such a cutie."
She was cute, sure—but fail to punish now, and the rebellion would grow out of hand.
He enlarged her slightly and grabbed her soft wings in one hand.
- Hold on, you pervert bastard! I said don't touch my back!
"This your weak spot? Right here? Here?"
- Ah, fuck! Stop touching...
Right before the moan escaped.
Something gazed down on them in pity.
= Having quite the romp in my bedroom, I see.
It was Brasmaty, the ancient dragon avatar bound to the dungeon.
- See?! You pervert bastard! Have you no shame?!
Gonghyeok, whose fun had been thoroughly ruined, sighed.
"Ah, kid. Can't read the room at all."
= ...You. A mere human with no manners.
"You're the one who needs to watch your mouth around Human Sir from now on."
= What?
The ancient dragon avatar looked baffled.
Gonghyeok, with an irritated scowl, snapped his fingers.
"Whatever. Let's start with the arms."
The GM materialized behind him.
Along with those razor-sharp teeth.
[Predation commencing.]
＊ ＊ ＊
= It huuuurts~~! Ouuuch~~~!
"Does it hurt a lot?"
= Yes! Human! It hurts! It huuurts!
The ancient dragon, now bereft of both proud arms, hopped in agony.
Gonghyeok watched and sighed again.
"Bro's heart hurts too. But get this education, and it'll help big-time with your future social life."
= Social life? What nonsense is that?!
"Learning to read the room like this—that's social life. You reptile punk."
Crunch crunch.
The GM chomped into one wing, drawing a roar of agony.
= Human! This body was wrong! Please, stop!
"Human?"
= Hu... Human Sir...
Gonghyeok exhaled cigarette smoke and gave a light clap.
"Good. Good. Now the education's sinking in. Hold up, GM."
[Yes, Master.]
Gonghyeok scratched his chin as he eyed the wrecked ancient dragon Brasmaty.
"Then get over here and kneel."
= ......
Brasmaty gnashed his teeth at the humiliating command.
Giiiing—!
The grind of an electric drill.
He could see the GM's teeth whirring like a chainsaw.
Brasmaty twisted his reptilian face into the most deferential expression he could muster and dropped to his knees.
"So listen up."
= Yes.
"Bro's thinking of starting a hotel business and stuff in the dungeon later."
Hotel business?
What the hell is this lunatic human babbling about?
The confusion was plain on Brasmaty's face.
"Huh? Can't control your expression?"
= N-no.
"No? GM..."
= No, Human Sir.
At the call of GM, Brasmaty shuddered.
"Ahem. Don't interrupt Human Sir—keep listening, GM."
[Yes, Master.]
"Just snap one chain and expand the authority."
The GM floated over and bit through one of the chains binding Brasmaty.
It was the 'Dungeon Authority Edit' function, expanded with 10 blue coins.
['Elder Dragon Lair' partial restraints destroyed.]
['Ancient Dragon Brasmaty' authority expanded.]
[Can now control monster respawns and assign tasks.]
= This is...
Amid the utterly unforeseen progression since their first encounter, Brasmaty voiced his doubt.
"Disable monster respawns in the zones I designate. Easy, right?"
= Khrh h h...
The ancient dragon's body glowed, regenerating his lost parts.
= With this much... this body...!
Crunch.
"Don't like it? Fine, I'll kill you and chat with whatever new avatar spawns."
With his upper body devoured, Brasmaty wagged his tail in eager agreement.