Strategic Denial
Thud thud thud thud thud!
Five zombie heads exploded simultaneously.
Shattered skulls and the black brains inside plummeted through the azure liquid. It was the power of Jeong Myeong-ho's Water Creation.
No monster in the First Zone could threaten the Lincoln team.
Kim Jun simply watched the battle unfold.
All he had to do was walk forward in sync with the team's unique rhythm.
Occasionally, the captain turned his head to glance at Kim Jun, his eyes checking if a precious object was still intact.
A face twisted with a sly, mocking smile.
Kim Jun had to endure the provocation.
In truth, the team reshuffle had caught him completely off guard. It was a perfect blindside.
Jeong Myeong-ho's intent was crystal clear.
By pulling Kim Jun from Pink Team and slotting him into Lincoln Team, not only could item searches proceed more smoothly, but they could also keep tabs on his every move—where he was, what he was doing. It was an exquisitely cunning choice.
In terms of scoring, Jeong Myeong-ho was up by one point.
The problem was the boredom.
Kim Jun's body itched with restlessness. As he reached for the Thunder Brain Sword, thinking he should at least take down a monster as a main dealer, a voice came from beside him.
"Don't do anything."
It was Kang Hyun-woo, the second dealer who had shown Kim Jun his positioning and a few key precautions.
"You're here for one reason only: item searching. Don't forget that, or we'll have a problem."
Kang Hyun-woo stared at Kim Jun. Despite his refined features, his body was solidly built—the best physique among the dealers Kim Jun had seen so far.
Kang Hyun-woo glanced at the Pink Team leader, raised his bow, and loosed an arrow.
Whoosh!
The arrow whistled through the air and sank into the slime's skin with a wet thunk. A second later, it detonated with a boom. The slime didn't die, but one side was mangled, sending it fleeing in panic.
The more he watched, the more impressive the skill became.
Suddenly, Yeon Archery flashed through Kim Jun's mind.
The moment he'd rescued the kidnapped Choi Muhyun and stepped out of that rundown warehouse, arrows of devastating power had rained down. Even though the Thunder Brain Sword had instinctively deflected them, Kim Jun had felt the full force transmitted through his hands and arms into his body.
Arrows that pierced steel plates like paper, curved like boomerangs, multiplied into multiples—Yeon Un-jae's relentless barrage. Surviving it had been pure luck.
Anger surged hot and fierce.
He usually forgot about it, but when the memory resurfaced, the emotions from that moment felt vividly alive.
One could never predict the twists of fate.
The very Yeon Un-jae who'd done that had not only lent him the Yeon Ga armor he wore now but also taught him the advanced skill Thunder Brain Wall.
The patron-client relationship itself was a miracle.
Just because someone was an enemy today didn't mean they'd be one tomorrow—that was the Raider world.
That said, Kim Jun wasn't generous enough to embrace those who kept causing trouble. He preferred settling scores in kind. He couldn't befriend everyone, nor did he want to play the fool.
Kim Jun silently observed Kang Hyun-woo.
The moment the buffer signaled a monster's approach, Kang Hyun-woo reflexively drew an arrow from his quiver, nocked it, and drew the bowstring. When Captain Jeong Myeong-ho dispatched the monster with Water Creation, he released the string and lowered the bow. If it was just defense, he fired immediately.
Every arrow struck true without fail.
The process was flawlessly smooth, without a single flaw.
"Impressive. Really."
Kang Hyun-woo flicked a glance at Kim Jun but kept his eyes forward—a gesture saying he had no intention of engaging.
"You've practiced tens of thousands of times, haven't you? Drawing the arrow, pulling the string—it's all flawless. Not a single gap until the moment you release."
Praise makes even whales dance.
As Kim Jun pointed out specifics a few times, Kang Hyun-woo's expression softened slightly.
"You have sharp observation skills."
"Among the archers I've seen, you're second best at shooting."
"...Second?"
Kang Hyun-woo's face froze cold.
"You haven't surpassed your master yet."
"Ah, Yeon Archery!"
Recognizing it instantly, Kang Hyun-woo's expression thawed. Like ice melting in warm spring air, his demeanor warmed completely.
Yeon Un-jae was the undisputed master of archery.
Even as a successful item maker, no one could dismiss him when it came to archery. Being second to such a man wasn't criticism—it was high praise.
Kang Hyun-woo glanced at the captain ahead, then chattered nonstop: where he'd learned archery, how he'd acquired his current bow, the allure of the art...
Who knew he was such a talker?
He must have had to bottle it up usually.
Since Kim Jun was interested in all skills, including archery, he listened intently, asking questions to clarify. In turn, he learned the role of an archer as a ranged dealer.
"Mages dominate ranged dealing now because archery is hard to master. But once you reach a certain level, archery's power overwhelms ranged magic. The gap widens with every level."
Kang Hyun-woo was a proud archer.
They'd finally reached the end of the First Zone.
Up to this point, no unusual mana clumps had registered from floor or walls.
The captain opted for a relentless march without rest.
Darkness thickened, the air grew damp, and echoes of unknown monster howls occasionally reverberated.
About five minutes in, Jeong Myeong-ho glanced at Kim Jun.
Kim Jun shook his head.
He's too eager. Thinking we'd find a dungeon item in a place like this?">
The pace quickened slightly.
No issue for Kim Jun, but the buffers hustling behind must be exhausted.
He turned to check the rear. Mars Team trailed about 20 meters back.
Kwon Joo-chan at the lead glared daggers. He'd ignored him at the gate earlier, but now his hostility was blatant.
Kim Jun raised a hand and gave a slight wave.
No response.
A tricky type. If he expressed emotions as fiercely as Jeong Myeong-ho, he'd be easier to handle.
A Flame Vortex appeared.
Unlike the simulator's fabricated ruins, this vortex followed no pattern. It simply spewed massive flames at intruders like a living beast.
Passing through was impossible.
The captain accurately judged and chose a detour. Lincoln Team veered onto another path.
The vortex zones gradually expanded.
They avoided the Gravity Vortex area, but its influence made their bodies feel heavy, like moving with weights strapped to their shoulders.
Five minutes after escaping the frequent gravity inversions, a startling presence registered.
A cold, solid mana clump lay buried about five meters ahead, underground.
Having experienced the intensity of dungeon item mana in the simulator, Kim Jun instantly knew: this was the dungeon item Jeong Myeong-ho desperately sought.
At that moment, the captain looked at him.
Kim Jun slowly shook his head with a regretful expression.
"Looks like we need to go deeper."
"Keep your head in the game."
"Yes, Captain."
Lincoln Team pressed on.
Soon, the dungeon item pulsed strongly beneath his feet.
After advancing another 15 meters or so, Kim Jun glanced back. The trailing Mars Team had halted abruptly.
The reason was obvious.
The other sensory Raider, Kwon Joo-chan, had detected it too.
Lincoln's second tanker, Yoon Han-su, moved to the rear.
"One of Mars Team's members is injured. Probably from the Gravity Vortex. They'll catch up later, so watch the rear."
Jeong Myeong-ho said.
The captain didn't doubt Kwon Joo-chan's sly lie for a second. It stemmed from his impatience to secure the item first.
Lincoln resumed marching.