Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: First Theme (1)
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“What the hell?”
“What is this?”
“Kill the other guy? What kind of dungeon is this shit...?”
Naturally, chaos erupted around us.
The shock I felt seemed no different from what the other hunters were experiencing.
Everyone was at a loss for words.
‘What, this isn’t some Squid Game.’
An out-of-the-blue deathmatch declaration with no prior warning.
The rules were simple.
- Kill someone.
- Killing grants ordeal points.
Everyone was murmuring, and a few hunters shouted up at the sky.
“Fuck, what kind of ordeal is this to create a ranker? We’re not fighting dogs!”
“Delaila or whatever the hell... you bastard...! So in the end, it was just entertainment at the expense of the weak?”
“......”
I quietly retreated to the outskirts.
In times like this, it wasn’t smart to be the one venting your anger first.
The best move was to fall back a good distance, assess the surroundings, and observe the situation.
The Demon Sword Master, Luca, had clearly warned us.
Those who valued their lives should leave immediately.
He’d even given us the chance.
Staying silent then and now cursing Delaila or harboring grudges?
That wasn’t wise.
“Hmm.”
I backed away and slowly watched the situation unfold.
Then, I spotted three distinct types.
First, those mindlessly raging or showing aggression.
In truth, they were the least dangerous group.
No matter how strong they were, nothing was easier to deal with than the simple-minded.
Second, those with murder in their eyes.
In other words, the predators eyeing their prey.
They hung back alone, quietly scouting for those who looked weak or were isolated.
These were the scariest ones.
‘Really...’
To become a ranker, they could kill people that easily?
Finally, the third type.
Those forming teams.
In a deathmatch like this, survival rates were far higher in groups than alone.
And I was one of the third type as well.
Just like the three hunters in front of me.
Olena, James, Kapu.
The three of them naturally gravitated toward me.
Soon, James spoke up.
“Heh, Hoon. We’re not fighting each other, right?”
“......”
Olena and Kapu next to him looked at me too.
An awkward silence.
What? Why was everyone asking me?
You’d think I was the leader or something.
“Hmm.”
Olena nodded right away too.
“With so many other opponents out there, do we really need to fight among ourselves when we already know each other?”
She sided with James.
“......Yeah, sure. Whatever.”
In the end, I nodded.
They were right.
Jumping into the fray now would gain me nothing.
Even if I wasn’t your average A-rank, everyone here was a top-tier talent from their respective countries.
Extraordinary individuals recommended by no less than five rankers each.
Picking a fight with them unnecessarily?
Two outcomes.
Death, or exposing my full strength.
Both were the worst-case scenarios.
Death meant game over.
Exposing my power would make me a prime target for the second type... or rather, the latent killers.
“I think the same as you all. We should stick together for now.”
Regardless of their actual skills.
They approached first, so I’d accept without hesitation.
I could judge later.
Just as I was about to accept their alliance proposal.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion rocked the center.
Crash! BOOM!
Trees were uprooted, and mud flew through the air.
“W-What’s that?”
Kapu furrowed his brow.
Mud had splattered onto his dark skin.
“Tch.”
I clicked my tongue.
“Looks like it’s already started.”
One of the first type, the aggressive ones, must have attacked someone.
Amid the rising clouds of dust, hunters’ voices rang out.
“You fucker? You dare hit me?”
“Yeah, die! You’ve been glaring at me since earlier! Thought I wouldn’t notice you planning to ambush me?”
“What bullshit!”
“Shut up and just die nicely!”
Someone ambushed someone, the victim misunderstood and attacked another...
It was the start of total pandemonium.
“For now.”
I gripped my staff and adjusted my backpack.
“Should we get out of here?”
* * *
We left the center behind.
It was a vast tropical rainforest field at first glance.
Did we really need to duke it out in the center from the start?
Whatever the case.
No need to get dragged along by the situation.
As we walked along a path.
“Hmm, hey, Hoon.”
About 3 km from the center, on a ridge, James spoke up.
“Is just running away like this going to work? Ordeal points might be super important. If we get eliminated for no reason...”
He looked displeased.
Yeah, I get the anxiety.
I felt it too.
I’d come prepared to risk my life, after all. Wouldn’t want to get knocked out.
‘But.’
Would Delaila, world ranking 5th, really massacre people just to “create a ranker”?
Plus, hadn’t Seoul’s Five Stars all passed through amicably in the end?
We needed to think deeper.
“I see it differently, James.”
Then Olena stepped in.
“Just because we want those ordeal points doesn’t mean we should charge in recklessly now, right? Didn’t you see? Dozens of vultures eyeing gaps with wolfish gazes. You want to just rush in there?”
Her tone scolded him like he was whining.
James bristled.
“That doesn’t mean we keep running forever? I signed up to face the ordeal. I didn’t come all this way just to run.”
“Ugh, it’s not running, it’s strategy. Don’t you get it? We’re not fleeing out of fear right now.”
Olena thumped her chest in frustration.
Their conversation had us all stopped before we knew it.
“......”
Looking up, the sky was dyed yellow with sunset.
The sun would set soon.
This was a mountain with no streetlights.
The dark forest would probably be worse than imagined.
Anyway.
Their argument dragged on.
Five minutes passed, and they were still bickering.
“You really confident in this ‘strategy’? Sorry, Olena, but for your words to have logic, you need a plan for what we do after moving like this.”
“A plan?”
Olena’s eyes widened.
“Honestly, what plan? Do you have one?”
“So we’re just running with no plan?”
“One thing’s for sure: jumping into that mess earlier would’ve been the dumbest plan.”
“......”
Kapu and I just blinked at them.
Kapu especially kept glancing at me with a [What the...] shrug.
“Besides.”
Olena spoke again.
“You chose to come this far, didn’t you? We agreed to team up as four, and when Hoon said to leave, if you had complaints, you should’ve jumped into that chaos. Why complain now and ruin the team vibe?”
“Why are you getting so emotional from the start? I’m just saying my thoughts, Olena.”
Their opinion clash continued.
This wasn’t the time for this.
I sighed.
“For now, both of you, ease up.”
For some reason, they were listening to me.
Was it because I seemed reliable?
Or experienced?
Even now, as I spoke.
They both shut their mouths and looked at me.
“Like both of you said, no concrete plan, but we can make some guesses.”
“Guesses?”
James tilted his head.
“Yeah, Delaila set the first rule. Kill people.”
“......Right.”
“But that’s just the rule as stated. I don’t think we have to follow it.”
“......Why?”
“No time limit or headcount limit.”
“......?”
Not just James—Olena and Kapu’s gazes turned to me too.
I smiled at them deliberately.
Alright.
Listen up from here.
Words from a veteran who cleared three ultra-hard dungeons that even rankers struggled with.
“Limit...?”
“Yeah, limits.”
Atop the ridge.
My low voice echoed softly through the now-quiet forest, free of explosion sounds.
“If it was an ordeal where you had to kill to pass, they should’ve given a time limit or target number. Like, survive until whenever, or be among the last few.”
“......What if they were just unhelpful?”
“Of course, possible. But the examiner, the Demon Sword Master, said it.”
- There are six themes to the ordeals provided by Delaila. Pass according to those themes, and it’s done.
“There are six themes total.”
“......”
“Looks like this is the first one, but you gonna kill all 50 hunters?”
Not in my view.
“There’s a saying in Korea that’s popular. Always grasp the examiner’s intent.”
Not 100% sure.
But my dungeon senses were top-notch.
Probably right this time too.
“Well, makes sense.”
James nodded.
“A grand ordeal to ‘make a ranker’ wouldn’t just be ‘kill each other!’ Nah, it tracks.”
“Yeah, exactly.”
“So what’s the theme?”
“No idea on that. But they dropped us in this vast tropical rainforest. And the sun’s setting soon. Doesn’t that mean... survive?”
“......Survive?”
“Actually, I checked the backpack I brought earlier.”
I set down the bag I was carrying.
[Item: Demir’s Supply Backpack]
[Grade: S]
[Type: Bag]
My precious treasure, lightly made by Demir.
I’d filled it with emergency rations to last the ordeal.
But.
Zap!
As I reached in, electricity sparked.
[Ding!]
[Subspace cannot be used in this dungeon.]
“See. Subspace is blocked.”
“What?!”
James panicked at my action.
Kapu and Olena’s eyes went wide as they rummaged through their own bags.
Zap! Zzzap!
They couldn’t access their items either.
“I-It’s real.”
Olena clicked her tongue.
“So the theme really is survival? They blocked food entirely.”
“What the damn hell...”
The hunters were flustered.
No wonder.
High-rank hunters always packed ample rations for tough dungeons.
I nodded.
“Yeah, first things first: secure food, clothing, shelter in this rainforest. While running a battle royale against other hunters. Especially if any are darkness-specialized, that’ll be a headache.”
“Fucking hell...”
Finally, a curse slipped from James’s lips.
“So.”
I glanced around at them.
“This isn’t the time for grown adults to bicker.”
“......Hoon.”
“Finding a plan is good, sharing opinions is good. But if you’re sticking with me, no more pointless fights.”
My quiet tone.
Gulp.
The hunters swallowed.
“Got it... I’ll remember.”
“Sorry on my end too.”
Surprisingly, they apologized readily.
I grinned.
All A-rank or higher hunters.
We barely knew each other yet.
If we were teaming up for a while, we should at least share our unique abilities roughly.
Whoosh!
I swung my staff.
Clatter clatter!
And out came my lovable bones.
White bones assembled in midair.
“My lord.”
Stalwart Taeyangi.
“Hoo, the scent of a deep forest.”
High Elf, Eldrin.
And.
Thud!
Bonesa slamming his shield into the ground, Boneo raising his staff, Bonechil.
Finally.
The eldest, Boneil, swinging his sword.
I’d left Demir at the workshop, so no need to summon him.
“For starters, my unique ability is...”
I looked at them with my skeletons.
“A bit unusual necromancer. Before we survive together, shall we open up about our abilities first?”
Alright, let’s navigate this slowly.
I’d definitely pull through this time too.
Just like always.
I vowed firmly in my mind.