Bare-Handed Victory and the Wild Ride
The Blue Lightning team members could no longer cheer for their leader as they watched Kim Jun dodge the earth bullets with unbelievably agile movements. They realized with their own eyes that the newspaper article hadn't been exaggerated.
Kim Jun closed in to within four meters.
"What the hell are you?"
Do Jin-yong asked, breathing heavily.
"Just a carrier."
"No way. No carrier could dodge earth bullets like that. Don't tell me... you're awakened too?"
"I've never awakened..."
As Kim Jun started to reply, Do Jin-yong lunged forward and grabbed his shoulder tight.
"You're done."
"You think so?"
Kim Jun placed his hand on his shoulder, seizing Do Jin-yong's wrist instead.
A pure contest of strength began.
The Blue Lightning members were convinced the match was decided now that they'd caught the squirrel-like dodger, but contrary to expectations, bewilderment appeared on Do Jin-yong's face.
Do Jin-yong's arm trembled.
Kim Jun's arm was shaking too.
Sweat dripping from both, they glared at each other.
'This bastard's no ordinary guy.'
Do Jin-yong realized he could lose if he let his guard down.
Muscles bulged on Do Jin-yong's thick, burly arm, tilting Kim Jun's upper body forward under the pressure. But moments later, Kim Jun explosively surged his strength, straightened his back, and pried Do Jin-yong's arm off his shoulder.
"No way. That carrier's strength is on par with the team leader?"
Dealer Lee Hyo-jeong's jaw dropped.
Realizing he couldn't overpower Kim Jun with raw force, Do Jin-yong kicked at his knee. But Kim Jun pulled his leg back, and Do Jin-yong whiffed, nearly tumbling forward in an embarrassing sprawl.
'Just twist the joint.'
As Do Jin-yong grabbed Kim Jun's arm with both hands to wrench it backward, Kim Jun yanked it free, circled to his side, and swept his ankle.
Do Jin-yong staggered, on the verge of collapse.
Kim Jun stood at a distance where a hand could still reach.
Every time Do Jin-yong unleashed his skilled close-quarters techniques, Kim Jun parried with counters, dodged lightly, and exploited openings. Do Jin-yong kept making a fool of himself.
He even hit the ground twice.
'If I had enough mana... I'd bury this bastard in one go.'
Do Jin-yong felt his team's stares. They'd be disappointed seeing their leader—who enforced sports haircuts and led with brute strength and grit—played by a mere carrier.
"You're no carrier, are you?"
"If not a carrier, then what am I?"
Kim Jun shot back playfully, his breathing ragged from exhaustion.
Every wild thought raced through Do Jin-yong's mind. Maybe it was some plot to screw him over. Maybe Uramata Guild had hidden a raider as a carrier to boost their fame and sneaked him into the dungeon.
Then, for the first time, Kim Jun dove into Do Jin-yong's guard.
Grabbing his arm and collar, Kim Jun hoisted him by the waist, flipped him spectacularly into the air, and slammed him down with a shoulder throw. Riding the momentum, he dropped atop the fallen Do Jin-yong.
At impact, he drove his elbow into Do Jin-yong's solar plexus to maximize the shock.
"Ugh."
Do Jin-yong groaned in pain.
Kim Jun sprang up instantly and clamped his right and left hands on Do Jin-yong's jaw and the back of his head—the man frozen stiff.
'I know this technique... If the head twists, the neck snaps and it's over.'
Do Jin-yong went pale.
Kim Jun twisted his head with a grin.
No neck bone crack sounded. Kim Jun had released at the last second.
Kim Jun stood slowly and backed away.
Do Jin-yong, dragged to hell's doorstep and yanked back alive, lost all his fight.
"...What the hell are you, really?"
"A carrier."
"Th-that's impossible."
Kim Jun explained the contamination phenomenon to the desperate Do Jin-yong.
The venom drained from Do Jin-yong's face. It made sense now.
"It's not just contamination making you strong. You must've trained like hell."
"How'd you know?"
"I can tell just by looking."
Do Jin-yong hauled himself up. Mana depletion was bad enough, but the close-quarters brawl had exhausted him utterly.
"Name your wish."
He admitted defeat.
"I'll tell you later."
"If Pink Team ever kicks you out, come find me."
"Will do."
"Watch your back. Everyone's gunning for you."
Kim Jun bowed to Do Jin-yong.
The barrier dropped, and Pink Team rushed over cheering.
His blood still ran hot.
Kim Jun knew exactly why he'd beaten Do Jin-yong.
'Tankers like him are used to defense. Blocking charges from big, strong monsters like Gelu Saurus is their job. They're relatively weak against small, agile foes that slip through gaps. If I hadn't sparred with Muhyun and learned tankers' unique style, I'd be the one buried in the dirt.'
He'd deliberately ignored Blue Lightning. No need to psych himself out.
His breath still came hard. Do Jin-yong was strong. Without wasting mana on needless earth walls, he really could've been dangerous.
'But a win's a win.'
Kim Jun grinned inwardly. Barehandedly subduing a raider like Do Jin-yong felt unreal.
He turned to the massive monster, built like a draft horse.
Its glaring eyes held a wild, ruthless edge. It merely suppressed its instincts under the Domoto Ring's power.
Break free of those unseen chains, and those feline eyes would unleash pure violence, claws ripping leather and flesh, spilling blood and guts.
Kim Jun liked this savage beast.
'I want to tame it. If mana can force submission, maybe other ways work too?'
He reached out, stroking its neck and chest. It just glared—no growl, no retreat.
"You're a warrior, aren't you?"
Whispering that, Kim Jun hopped onto its back. A thick carnivore musk hit him. Even that, he liked.
The Haren Saurus circled as Kim Jun directed.
Pull the mane left, it went left; right, it went right.
Tanker Seo Sang-cheol, glaring at Kim Jun, sidled up to Do Jin-yong and whispered.
"You went easy on him, right, team leader?"
"No. That guy's... no ordinary carrier. You saw it."
Do Jin-yong eyed Seo Sang-cheol, bound by Absorption Tree roots.
"I can't accept it."
"Fight Kim Jun yourself. Then you'll get it."
Seo Sang-cheol just huffed silently.
Yoo Min-jeong, fiddling with the Domoto Ring, found Kim Jun atop the Haren Saurus amusingly absurd—like a kid with a new toy.
'He really fits here.'
Kim Jun beamed like a boy on his first bike.
Yoo Min-jeong asked Yeom Sang-taek.
"How's outside?"
"Nothing within forty meters all around."
"Warn me if anything comes."
"...Think the plan'll work?"
"Of course."
Yeom Sang-taek nodded slowly at Yoo Min-jeong.
She stepped out of the thatched hut toward Do Jin-yong. Blue Lightning raiders' stares prickled.
"Laugh if you want. I lost."
Do Jin-yong felt strangely refreshed. Rare to lose and feel this unburdened.
"Wasn't planning to. One-on-one with Kim Jun wouldn't be easy for me either."
"A lone dealer can't catch someone that fast. And he fights well too."
"Exactly."
"Protect that guy."
"I will."
Yoo Min-jeong looked at Do Jin-yong anew. Who knew the vicious team leader had this side? Kim Jun had proven his worth in combat.
"You borrowed this ring from your master, right?"
"......"
Do Jin-yong's eyes wavered.
That uneasy silence was affirmation.
Yoo Min-jeong had researched team leaders joining raids. She'd never heard Do Jin-yong owned a Domoto Ring.
But she knew Cheonroe Guild's master, Song Si-hun—Do Jin-yong's guild leader—had been famous for hunts using one in his active days.
Having found her answer, Yoo Min-jeong fell silent.
Song Si-hun had lent the ring to Do Jin-yong and ordered him to crush Uramata's Pink Team.
Song Si-hun.
Ultimately, he'd commanded it.
Kill 'Kim Jun'.
Would a master lend such a pricey item just to eliminate an arrogant carrier?
No.
Something more.
Yoo Min-jeong glared coldly at Do Jin-yong. Fury simmered.
Do Jin-yong met her eyes.
Open hostility.
And faint unease.
Yoo Min-jeong stared back deliberately.
"Answer from now on, or I'll kill you."
Do Jin-yong quelled his rage at her icy calm.
"Losing this ring would be bad, huh?"
She dangled the Domoto Ring.
"Damn it! Gotta go this far? You do this, and when we get out, you'll regret it! Give me the ring!"
Yoo Min-jeong stepped back, raising her hand. Flame bloomed at her fingertip.
"Tricky spot. Keeping you alive's annoying anyway. Ah, here's an idea—I'll burn 'Loser' on your forehead to show my warning's no joke."
Choi Muhyun chimed in.
"Add 'Beaten by a Carrier' too."
"Guh!"
Do Jin-yong, barking like a mad dog, now gazed up meekly like a pet.
"I-I'm sorry."
"Good. I'll ask some questions now. Answer honestly, and we'll all leave happy."
Nod.
"Where are An Seong-ho Team and North Face Team?"
"At the gate. Waiting for your team."
Do Jin-yong answered promptly.
"The three guild masters decided to attack us this raid, right?"
"......"
Do Jin-yong bulged his eyes like a toad but clamped his mouth.
"No need to answer. I already know."
Yoo Min-jeong toyed with the ring.
Then Seo Sang-cheol, listening beside Do Jin-yong, sprang like a spring and body-slammed Yoo Min-jeong.
She toppled backward.
Choi Muhyun charged, kicking Seo Sang-cheol's side. Bound by roots, he rolled groaning.
Yoo Min-jeong, feeling empty, checked her fingers. The ring was gone—slipped off, rolling amid severed grass and dirt like a coin.
Startled, she rose toward it but was a step late. The Haren Saurus carrying Kim Jun had broken free of the ring's chains, charging at her.
It bucked wildly to shake Kim Jun off.
He clung tight to the mane.
With a long roar, the Haren Saurus bolted beyond the buffer's light pillar into the dark.
"Kim Jun!"
Yoo Min-jeong, ring back on, yelled.
Choi Muhyun pursued, but it vanished at impossible speed.
"Kuhahaha, hahaha! That bastard's dead! Cocky carrier punk! Haha!"
Yoo Min-jeong strode to bound, laughing Seo Sang-cheol.
Her hand blazed crimson.
Without hesitation, she slapped his cheek with the flaming palm, then the other side hard.
"Aaaagh!"
Seo Sang-cheol screamed from the burns.
"Laugh again. Next time, I rip out your tongue."
She turned away.
"Choi Muhyun, kill anyone who opens their mouth."
"Yes, team leader!"
Leaving Blue Lightning to Choi Muhyun, Yoo Min-jeong eyed the thatched hut.
"Five o'clock direction."
Yeom Sang-taek gave her what she wanted.
"Fire flares into the sky every fifteen minutes. So he can spot it and return."
"Got it."
Yoo Min-jeong poured mana into the Domoto Ring and dashed into the darkness.
One goal: rescue Kim Jun.
Hands clenched in tawny fur.
Kim Jun gripped the mane more desperately than scaling Yeongun Island's cliffs. His legs clamped the beast's torso like a vice. The digger on his belt whipped against him with every jolt.
The Haren Saurus tore through the twilight plain like a mad thing. Sharp grass blades sliced his arms and legs like knives as they whipped past.
Its roars calling kin echoed far.
Stuck fast to its back, Kim Jun wouldn't budge, so it began bucking like a deer or stag. Realizing that failed, it rolled to crush him.
He felt its full weight.
Kim Jun heard his collarbone and spine creak ominously.
'Oof, it'll toughen me up... but damn, it'll ache.'
Anxiety gnawed, but recalling this was an F-rank dungeon eased it.
'Since it's like this... might as well tame it now.'
Kim Jun wrapped his arms around its neck, squeezing with all his might.
The rampaging Haren Saurus tired, breath heaving, movements slowing.
Foul sweat stench rose from its body.
But as Kim Jun eased his grip, wild tenacity revived—it thrashed like a feral colt to dislodge him.
The struggle repeated several times.
The Haren Saurus began to stumble.
Kim Jun sat up. Loosely holding the mane, it no longer resisted, obeying his pulls.
"Good boy."
He stroked its nape.
No reaction, but no defiance either.
Then the Haren Saurus lifted its head, glaring behind with a menacing growl from its jaws.
"...Trouble."
Following its gaze, Kim Jun spotted dozens of eyes gleaming sickly blue in faint light, spreading wide as they approached.
Not Haren Saurus. Those eyes screamed Ulpen Saurus pack.
Kim Jun grabbed his belt digger. Could he club them down with this iron rod?
"Run first."
Yanking the mane and kicking its belly, the Haren Saurus bolted.
The Ulpen Saurus horde chased.