Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Want to Hear About That Chicken-Shit Windfall?
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Want to hear about that chicken-shit windfall?
Then wait until I finish off these guys!
Don't like it?
Gut yourself!
“…….”
A brief silence fell after my bold declaration.
Kang Jae-ho's crew let out disbelieving snickers.
The A-rank Assassin just stared at me with cold eyes.
“U-Um... what are you planning to do?”
The porter siblings grabbed at my sleeve with anxious looks.
I gave a sly smile and nodded.
Then I locked eyes straight with the Assassin.
“Bear with me. I've got a kind of mental illness. No matter how dire the situation, I can't stand anything that bruises my pride. Those bastards who stabbed me in the back... I have to deal with them myself.”
“Perhaps.”
Thud.
That was when the Assassin spoke up.
His expression was still hard.
“You're not just bullshitting me, are you?”
“Nah.”
I waved it off.
Even as his icy gaze pierced me like frost, I tried to act confident.
“Anyway, this is inside a dungeon. There's no way I could run off ahead of you guys.”
“You sure about that?”
“Absolutely. Even if I had a hidden dagger or some clever trick up my sleeve, could it fool an A-rank Hunter's eyes and senses?”
“True enough.”
The Assassin nodded.
Then he closed his eyes.
No doubt coldly weighing his options.
‘Looks like he's almost hooked?’
These guys are vicious criminals from a brutal outfit.
No way they'd have any loyalty.
They're the type who'd smash their own comrades or underlings in the back of the head anytime it benefited them.
So if I, in that position, threw a tantrum and refused to spill about the windfall?
If I said I'd rather die than talk?
Would he look out for his underlings!?
Or would he want the windfall!?
“Honestly.”
I opened my mouth again to drive the nail in.
In the Assassin's eyes, I had to look like a guy with nothing to lose.
“I know I'm dead meat anyway. Right? With the Shadow Squad right in front of me, who'd think they could survive?”
“…….”
“But even if I die, I won't let those fuckers have a good end? The kind who approach with friendly faces and then stab you in the back. So if you can't accept it, just kill me. Or should I end it myself?”
“......Hold on, wait.”
As I pressed Bone One's sword to my throat, urgency flashed across the Assassin's face.
The leisure from when he'd flung a dagger at my neck upon first appearing was long gone.
“B-Bro? What are you even concerned about... Are you seriously falling for that bullshit trick?”
Kang Jae-ho panicked.
“Ho ho, that's quite the gutsy play. Using the enemy's greed against them— is this the strategy of the weak? Ha ha, I've learned something.”
The old man standing with hands behind his back watched with amusement.
“Bro?”
“Shut it.”
Kang Jae-ho's pupils dilated at the Assassin's icy tone.
Ignoring him, the Assassin looked at me.
“What if they overpower you?”
The gist of the question was this.
Fine, let him fight.
But what if I lose?
“Then I'll admit defeat clean and clear.”
“Admit defeat?”
“Yeah. Win or lose, I'll spill everything about the windfall I got in that dungeon and how it can help you guys. No holding back.”
“Hmm, good.”
The Assassin nodded.
He tapped his wristwatch.
“I'll give you exactly 30 minutes. But if I catch you pulling any funny business midway... you'll live out your days in agony without ever dying. I've got the skills for it.”
“Of course. Thank you.”
I bowed my head.
Swish!
The Assassin sheathed his dagger and stepped back.
A clean acceptance of my proposal.
“You......”
Kang Jae-ho's face twisted in rage.
“You think that'll let you beat me?”
“Who knows.”
I grinned.
At the same time, I repositioned my skeletons.
“Guess we'll find out once we try.”
Creak! Clack!
The bones clutching weapons rattled.
Meaning they were ready to charge.
At any moment.
With just the command.
The watching old man nodded too.
“Alright, the stage is set. Guess I should join in. Training's over— let's make this live commentary. So, to take on that Assassin waiting over there, what should you do from now on?”
‘Save as much strength as possible.’
“Right, getting big results with minimal effort. I'll teach you the trick of turning the enemy's power against them.”
‘Thank you, sir.’
My eyes gleamed.
With the old man's advice, overpowering Kang Jae-ho's crew should be no problem.
Savoring their slightly flustered expressions, I commanded.
“Wipe them out.”
The clash began.
* * *
‘Hmm......’
Inside the desert dungeon.
A hooded man stood with arms crossed.
He was Go Jae-young, the Shadow Squad's A-rank Assassin.
‘Clean moves.’
Go Jae-young closely observed the movements of the man fighting Kang Jae-ho right in front of him.
A Necromancer controlling five skeletons like extensions of his own body.
‘Definitely no rookie.’
And that wasn't all.
His fighting style was exquisite too.
Each skeleton seemed sturdy yet flowed softly.
Like they were borrowing the opponent's force, moving fluidly.
Bones, of all things.
Go Jae-young was convinced.
‘Kang Jae-ho was right. He got a windfall.’
He didn't know the form it took.
Could be an item, a skillbook.
Maybe even an awakening of a new unique ability.
‘But.’
Kang Jae-ho had told him clearly.
The reward from that dungeon was sure to be guidance from some old monster that overwhelmed Gi So-yul.
The circumstances pointed to nothing else.
‘I was shocked.’
Who was Gi So-yul!?
The dream and role model of Hunters.
Especially those with assassination abilities!
At first, he hadn't believed it.
A dungeon boss toying with her like a plaything?
That boss saving his disciple?
‘But.’
Seeing the 'Confidentiality Oath' from Parang that Kang Jae-ho had filed convinced him.
Gi So-yul, famous for her cool demeanor, making a contract to protect someone?
Going out of her way to silence survivors?
‘Maybe it's real.’
Hope sparked.
Hope to achieve the dream he'd harbored all this time.
‘If only I could sever her neck......!’
Shiver.
Go Jae-young trembled with excitement.
Assassinating the emperor of assassins, Gi So-yul, and claiming her title of Dark Emperor.
That was Go Jae-young's ultimate goal and dream, tucked in his heart.
And now.
The opportunity had finally come.
The man who held Gi So-yul's hidden windfall.
He had to seize that man's windfall.
No matter the form or method.
Make it his own.
Even if it meant abandoning his direct subordinate, Kang Jae-ho.
What did it matter?
Boom! Crash!
“Gah, you damn pest!”
“Fuck! These skeletons are weird! Were they always like this? They deflect all my attacks!”
“Party leader! It's breaking through here! Support!”
The battle's tide turned swiftly.
Kang Jae-ho's crew panted and flailed in chaos.
While the skeleton controller's expression grew even more relaxed.
‘Ho, he's actually winning?’
Even as his subordinate struggled, Go Jae-young didn't move.
No worries.
No matter how skilled the man was, he'd be a mouse before this A-rank cat.
‘He'll keep his promise.’
He was glaring at the fight with a chilling look when—
‘Hm?’
Go Jae-young raised an eyebrow.
He sensed a comrade's presence from the desert dungeon entrance.
Another A-rank Hunter from the Shadow Squad, on watch outside.
‘Why's he entering?’
His eyes twitched slightly.
* * *
“Urk!”
Exhausted, Kang Jae-ho desperately raised his sword.
To finish him, Bone One swung his blade with full force.
Screeech!
The air tore with the slash.
Clang! His sword cracked under the pressure.
“Fuck!”
Cursing as he fled, Kang Jae-ho took a full-power kick from Bone One.
“Argh!”
He tumbled, covered in sand.
And he wasn't the only one neutralized.
[‘Skeleton 5’ uses the skill, Fireball (Lv.1).]
Fwoosh!
“B-Block it!”
“Gaaah! Hot!”
“That's cheating! Where's a skeleton that uses magic?!”
Bone Five's flame barrage.
[‘Skeleton 3’ uses the skill, Basic Rapid Fire (Lv.2).]
“More arrows?!”
“Knock 'em down! Shield!”
Bone Three's arrow volley.
“Don't just block— counter! They're just bones, so defense is...!”
[‘Skeleton 4’ uses the skill, Basic Block (Lv.1).]
“Fuuuuck!”
The skeletons methodically subdued the Hunters one by one.
Their bodies were covered in scratches.
Exhaustion plain in their movements.
“Ha ha, good job.”
The old man laughed.
“Weaklings for real combat experience, but not bad for a first time.”
‘Real combat experience can come from that Assassin guy.’
“Hey now! Don't get cocky. At your level, taking him on means betting everything.”
‘I've been betting my life since earlier, sir.’
Chatting with the old man, I slowly walked toward Kang Jae-ho.
“N-No! Stay back! Spare me!”
Pathetic, scrambling backward on the ground.
Classic bully picking on the weak.
Totally different from how he'd treated the porters earlier.
‘The fight's over.’
Time to wrap it up.
Shing!
At my signal, Bone One raised his sword high.
The desert sun glinted off the blade like a flash.
‘If you're gonna take someone's life, be prepared to lose your own.’
With resolve, as I prepared to swing down—
“Hm?”
My senses caught a chilling presence.
Undoubtedly, someone with immense power approaching at tremendous speed.
“Sigh, kid.”
The old man beside me sighed.
I asked.
‘What is it?’
“What do you mean? Another one like that Assassin just joined.”
‘......?!’
“No clue now. Sheesh! You're great and all, but no backup plan—that's the issue.”
“Ah......”
It was absurd.
Everything was going perfectly to plan.
What now!?
‘Hate to admit it.’
But I had to.
What confidence had I to tackle this dungeon solo!?
I should've been more suspicious.
More cautious.
I'm still a 'weakling' after all.
“Kh, khihihi. Kahaha!”
Kang Jae-ho, sensing my plight, burst into laughter.
“Thought the Shadow Squad only had one senior here? Heh heh, look at you now.”
With his mocking sneer.
Swish!
Another A-rank Hunter materialized in the air.
The hood bore the unmistakable spider emblem of the Shadow Squad.
“......?”
But his expression was off.
Not relaxed— extremely urgent.
He shouted at his comrade.
“Hey, bail! Gi So-yul's here!”
“......?”
Gi So-yul?
The ranker Gi So-yul, in this dungeon?
I blinked.
The Assassin tilted his head like he'd misheard.
The A-rank Hunter pounded his chest in frustration.
“Forget thinking—just run! If we get caught, we're dead too!”
“......Even for a ranker.”
“Shut up! You know it! Rankers are different! How do we fight a monster that tops even S-ranks?!”
“True...... Fine. What about them?”
The Assassin pointed at Kang Jae-ho's crew.
The A-rank Hunter gave him a what-kind-of-dumb-question look.
“Since when do we care about trash like that?”
“B-Bro?”
Kang Jae-ho, who'd been laughing his ass off, panicked.
But reality was stone-cold.
Swish!
The Shadow Squad Hunters vanished like shadows, leaving him behind.
“......”
The noisy area fell silent.
In the boss stage remained just me, Kang Jae-ho's crew, and the porters.
“......What the hell is this?”
I let out a deep, disbelieving breath.
At the same time, I felt it.
‘Is this a ranker's power?’
Two Hunters strong enough to make my heart race.
Scared shitless and fleeing at just the name Gi So-yul.
Impressive, no doubt.
“T-This... damn it!”
Kang Jae-ho cried out in despair.
He'd already lost to me alone.
With Gi So-yul showing up too, no wonder.
‘But that's separate.’
Step, step.
I walked toward him.
Gi So-yul was Gi So-yul.
This guy was mine.
“We still have unfinished business, don't we?”
My reckoning wasn't over.
* * *
At that moment.
In front of a C-rank dungeon.
A woman rested her chin, deep in thought.
‘Hm, am I overdoing it?’
The golden plaque at her waist marked her as the ranker, Gi So-yul.
“Following him this far... feels too much like stalking.”
Curiosity about Joo Dong-hoon had kept her up all night.
Ultimately, using Parang's intel network, she'd tracked him to this dungeon.
For about 10 minutes.
She pondered at the entrance.
Her conclusion?
“Nah, no.”
He'd said clearly.
It'd be hard to answer right away.
Give him a little time, and he'd sort it out and tell her. He'd promised.
Since she'd accepted that, chasing him into the dungeon felt rude.
Besides.
Didn't it look like she was the one clinging?
‘Later, then. I'll find him when he comes out.’
After a moment's hesitation, Gi So-yul.
Turned her back and left.