Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Crushing the Mud Steeds Alone
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I lightly teased Park Sun-oh and made a bet with him.
The terms were simple.
If I took down a steed without any party support, he'd speak to me with respect.
If I failed, I'd hand over my share of the loot distribution to him.
In the midst of it all, Park Sun-oh threatened that he wouldn't heal me even if I got hurt.
But I had only one concern: just how much of my strength should I reveal?
'Winning is a given anyway.'
Besides, smashing Park Sun-oh right then and there wouldn't do me any good.
You never knew what kind of boss might pop out in a hidden dungeon.
I just planned to drill some basic manners into him.
It wasn't long before we ran into nine mud steeds.
"Lee Han, you sure about this?"
Kim Tae-hyun asked me with a concerned look on his face.
'What a clown.'
If he was really that worried, he should've stepped up aggressively from the start to prevent this mess.
Kim Tae-hyun was just going through the motions.
"If it gets dangerous, just yell. I'll help."
Cha Si-won was the same.
She voiced her concern but didn't try to stop me from fighting the steeds.
The reason was obvious.
'They just don't want to see me succeed.'
They wanted to lower the average level to hog the honey, but weren't keen on sharing the spoils?
A perfect mindset.
More than qualified to become one of my skeletons.
The only regret was that I didn't have spare slots.
At least one relatively normal person existed among these weirdos.
"Hurry up and fight! Let's watch…!"
Lee Eun-joo.
Her eyes sparkled with pure curiosity about my power.
"Don't worry, everyone. Just sit back and enjoy the show."
I responded to their so-called concern and took a step forward.
"Lee Han! Hold on! My skeletons need to take out eight first and leave just one, right?!"
Kim Tae-hyun hurriedly tried to stop me.
Sure, the bet was for one steed, but that wasn't enough.
To shut all their mouths and prepare for the boss fight…
"No need."
I needed to show them I could handle all nine mud steeds solo.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Kim Tae-hyun asked again, clearly confused.
A level 23 like me facing nine mud steeds head-on? Utterly impossible in practical terms.
It was the natural reaction.
"Exactly what I said. Just watch from there. What else could it mean?"
I left the stunned Kim Tae-hyun behind and stepped forward again.
"So pull back your skeletons. They're in the way."
Was it my baseless confidence and tone that pissed him off?
"Hoo… Fine."
Kim Tae-hyun didn't ask twice and withdrew his skeletons.
As I started moving again…
"Lee Han. Wait a sec!"
This time, Cha Si-won grabbed me.
"Aren't you taking this skeleton? You're a summoner, right?"
She pointed at Kkaebi, who was standing quietly by her side.
"I can handle it alone."
I planned to show just enough power to silence them—nothing about revealing my full hand.
Kim Tae-hyun had gotten a glimpse of Kkaebi's abilities before, but that was then. This Kkaebi was different now.
The more we fought together, the less it felt like fighting alongside a mere skeleton and more like a human.
It wasn't just about levels rising; it was expanding its thinking through experience, almost like a person.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Kkaebi doesn't know what to do with itself from its master's praise.] Kind of cute, in its own way.
"You really okay?"
Instead of answering Cha Si-won, I drew the sword from my waist.
"Hah! Fine! I give up. Do whatever you want!"
She wasn't completely clueless.
Cha Si-won glared at me with fire in her eyes and took a step back.
Probably because she'd offered her goodwill, only for a nobody like me to brush it off.
Whatever. I focused on the steeds ahead.
No emotions whatsoever—their mechanical steps brought them straight toward me.
The one in the center of the pack.
I charged at it without hesitation.
"Huh? What's that guy doing? Tae-hyun! Shouldn't we stop him now? Charging in like that—what's his plan?!"
"Eh, he's so confident it's hard to intervene. Let's just watch. If he's not suicidal, he's got something up his sleeve."
"Plan? Mark my words, I'm not healing him no matter what. This is about my pride!"
"Gutsy."
Worries, curses, and cheers filtered into my ears.
Anyone looking would call it insane.
Not only was there a huge level gap, but I was solo against nine elite monsters from a hidden dungeon.
One swing from each of their swords could mean a fatal wound.
But I was confident. This was what I'd prepared for all this time.
'Time to get started. My stamina stats are overflowing.'
The moment I reached the mud steed pack, I activated Acceleration and slipped into a slowed world.
'Whose sword is the fastest?'
I eyed the razor-sharp blades thrusting from all directions.
The key to this fight was simple.
Block and endure the attacks reaching me first, one by one.
Because Lava Shield only triggered with a chance on attacks that hit me.
'This one's the fastest.'
The sword from the central mud steed I'd spotted earlier. It was thrusting straight for my throat.
About an arm's length from my neck.
With my current strength, blocking it head-on was impossible.
'Just a bit more.'
So I timed it to deflect the mud steed's blade.
'Now!'
I raised my sword and struck the side of the incoming blade, inches from my face.
Tsiiiing!
The clash of steel rang slowly in my ears.
At the same time, the deflected blade grazed past my neck, a paper's width away.
This was my limit with my current stats.
'Next?'
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ [Lava Shield (B)] Mechanically, I dodged and parried the sword strikes.
.
'Right side.'
This time, a blade came down toward my shoulder.
As I twisted to evade…
It was after roughly fifty or sixty exchanges.
'Lower probability than I thought.'
From empty air, crimson lava poured out, instantly forming twelve turtle-shell patterned circles.
Lava Shield positioned itself around me protectively.
It melted all nine blades reaching for me, rendering them useless.
Now for the counterattack.
I dropped my sword and reached for the heads of the steeds on either side.
A change in approach.
Lava Shield was a defensive skill, but depending on how you used it, it could become a devastating attack.
Before my hands even touched their heads, the shields guarding my arms melted them away.
12 seconds.
The duration once Lava Shield activated.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
I'd forced my way into their center to end this in one go.
I swung my fists rapidly at the surrounding mud steeds.
No need for defense.
Lava Shield was already melting their fists on contact.
Thud!
The last mud steed's head melted, and its heavy body crashed to the ground.
Done.
I returned to normal time.
A combat style the original owner of Lava Shield could never pull off.
The guy had dumped all his stats into magic power due to his traits, making it hard to use.
'Oh yeah, I'm a summoner too.'
One lesson from the war against the Demon Realm: no need to be bound by your traits.
That was just stupid self-limitation.
Speaking of which, the signal was coming.
The backlash from Acceleration.
After seeing the slowed world, the aftershock hit hard. My high stamina kept me from passing out, but my vision blurred and pain flooded my head.
'Gotta endure.'
I clenched my teeth behind a calm facade.
I turned to the four stunned onlookers with mouths agape and shrugged.
A lot had happened, but barely 30 seconds.
A level 23 soloing nine level 30 elite monsters? No wonder they were shocked.
"Old man. You said no heal even if I got hurt, right?"
I looked at Park Sun-oh.
"Th-that's…"
He stammered in panic. Proof I'd risen to their level.
"Let's see your power this time, old man. Are you really a healer? Use a full-body heal on me."
"H-heal?"
"Yeah. You are a healer, aren't you?"
"Of course I am! But you don't look injured."
"Talking casually now?"
"Of course… I mean, no… sir…"
At least he honored the bet.
"I'm tired. Hurry up and heal me."
I urged him while barely holding on. Obviously to ease the pain in my head.
Heals included regeneration, after all.
'Gotta tough it out like this.'
If alone, I could've used Sia, but…
"Alright, sir…"
Park Sun-oh reached out, and white light enveloped me.
The pain in my head gradually subsided.
Not dramatic, but effective.
"Yep, you're a healer. Confirmed."
As I spoke, the white light faded.
"Good job."
I grinned at Park Sun-oh, but he averted his gaze.
Probably didn't even want to talk to me now.
"Good job, I said. Say it back, old man. Don't be stingy."
But was I going to let that slide?
"Old man. Answer me."
I kept prodding him.
"Good job… sir…"
Park Sun-oh finally spoke, face like he'd eaten shit.
"Lee Han! Hahaha! My eye for talent never fails!"
Kim Tae-hyun jumped in with a big laugh.
"Where'd you get that skill? Doesn't look like a unique one."
No plans to pick a fight with Kim Tae-hyun. My goal was the hidden dungeon rewards, first and foremost.
"Picked it up in a dungeon. Suits me perfectly."
"I can see that. Perfect for someone who charges in headfirst like you."
Kim Tae-hyun flashed a friendly smile and kept questioning.
"So when can you use that red shield again? Must guzzle mana with power like that—long cooldown, right?"
This guy.
He mistook my Lava Shield for an active skill.
"60 minutes. Eats a ton of mana."
Cooldown was only 5 minutes, but no way I'd tell potential enemies the truth.
"Figures. A cheat skill like that probably costs 60 mana at least."
Why I'd ditched actives for passives.
The system fixed mana recovery at 1 per minute after use.
Sure, items and skills could shorten it.
But in a beast horde war, you couldn't chug potions nonstop.
With Burning Vitality, no fatigue meant that under certain conditions, I could theoretically sustain combat longer than in past rounds.
Even surpass it.
Thud! Thud!
"Monsters incoming."
Cha Si-won spoke up, staring ahead.
"Same movement as before?"
"Yeah. My skeletons will handle it."
Kim Tae-hyun repositioned his skeletons forward.
"Idiots. Sounds heavier."
Lee Eun-joo.
Growing on me more by the minute.
"Heavier sounds? What're you calling us idiots for?!"
Cha Si-won glared sharply, offended by the idiot remark.
To think they still didn't get it after all that. Useless in the future war.
That's why you can't judge solely by levels.
In the early Demon Realm war, so-called elite vanguard high-levels blew up first for a reason.
"New monster type, huh."
Kim Tae-hyun finally caught on.
The footsteps grew closer, revealing their owners.
Steeds again.
Different: bodies of hard stone, not mud.
Seemed like steeds with progressively tougher materials kept coming.
"Real new ones. Should I step up?"
Cha Si-won asked Kim Tae-hyun.
"No, save your stamina, Si-won. Might not be the end. Eun-joo instead?"
Kim Tae-hyun called Lee Eun-joo.
"When I signal, buff the skeletons. I'll test and judge."
What?
"Buff the skeletons?"
Cha Si-won looked skeptical too.
"Yeah. One reason I brought Eun-joo. Her buffs work on summons too."
Normally, only a summon's owner could buff it.
"Let's go."
Kim Tae-hyun's 50 skeletons charged.
Opponents: 10 stone steeds.
The biggest skeleton led with its bone axe, clashing with a stone steed.
Boom!
"Eun-joo. Buff."
Quick judgment. The axe embedded but only chipped slightly.
Lee Eun-joo extended her tiny hand toward the skeletons and spoke.
"Bear-like strength, wind-like speed, steel-like hardness. All granted." ⟨ [Reinforcement Chant] ⟩
At her words' end, all of Kim Tae-hyun's skeletons glowed blue.
It was real.
Buffing someone else's summons.
"5 minutes max."
5 minutes was no issue.
I had one Kkaebi, but Kim Tae-hyun was a textbook necromancer with hordes.
Synergy with Lee Eun-joo would be insane.
Clang! Boom! Clang!
Unlike the shaky start, it ended fast.
Empowered strength, speed, and durability—even tanking steed hits without shattering.
Overwhelmed from all sides, the 10 stone steeds crumbled in seconds.
'Impressive.'
Buffing summons was wild, but the buff's potency was crazier.
Nearly double the power, if my eyes weren't lying.
"Amazing, Eun-joo."
"Whoa, kid. You've got some serious skills."
Not just me—Cha Si-won and Park Sun-oh openly admired her.
"I'm awesome."
As Lee Eun-joo patted herself on the back amid the victory high…
Grrrch! Grrrch!
A faint, irritating mystery noise scratched my ears.
I scanned for the source.
'Ceiling?'
I looked up.
The ceiling gaped wide, as if to devour us.
Something dropped fast from there.
With a heavy thud, it revealed itself: a single dark iron steed, forged like the dungeon entrance gate.
It landed right in front of Park Sun-oh.
Slash—!
A sword strike like lightning.
Incredibly, Park Sun-oh's head rolled across the floor.