Chapter 252
Chapter 252
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 252
Chapter Title: Ice Worm Hunt
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The ice worm was a demonic beast that roamed not on the surface, but underground.
That was why there was no way to spot them from above ground.
They only revealed themselves in one instance.
When they hunted.
Just like right now.
GRRRRRRR-!!
A colossal body incomparable to Drakeas burst up through the earth.
“Gross.”
“So gross.”
“Disgusting.”
The group let out hollow laughs as they stared at the ice worm.
“We’ve seen a ton of monsters so far, but this is the first one that’s both that huge and utterly repulsive.”
What if you inflated a seven-arm eel thousands of times over? Would it look like that?
It was enough to make even Goo Dong-hwan grimace, never mind the women.
“That one’s old. At least thirty years, by the looks of it.”
Eileen gauged its size and spoke up.
“Sis, are there even bigger ones than that?”
When Lee Ji-ah asked, she nodded as if it were obvious.
“The one the lord subjugated last year was at least twice that size.”
Lee Ji-ah stuck out her tongue at Eileen’s words.
“This thing’s already massive, and twice that...”
It was hard to even imagine how big that would be.
“Hey, over there! Quit gawking and help me out!”
Just then, Kang Byung-gyu’s desperate shout rang out.
He was too busy dodging the tentacles sprouting all over the ice worm’s body.
“Oh, right. Byung-gyu was the bait.”
They’d forgotten for a moment, stunned by the ice worm’s majesty.
The bait to lure out the ice worm buried underground.
“You think I can just chill like this?!”
Kang Byung-gyu barely evaded a tentacle thicker than his own body and yelled again.
“I’m seriously gonna die here!”
The ice worm was strong.
At least too strong for Kang Byung-gyu, a B-rank non-combat hero.
“If we don’t wanna hear more whining from him, we’d better step in soon.”
At Seo Woo-jin’s words, everyone nodded.
“We all need to rack up contribution, so like we said earlier, let’s attack in order starting from Da-hye.”
No matter how tough the ice worm was, it wouldn’t last long against A-rank heroes.
So Kim Da-hye, Park Min-seong, Yoo Hong-seol, and Kim Woo-ram would strike first.
That way, they could share the experience points fairly.
“Summon.”
“Iron Giant!”
“Thunderbolt Twelve Swords.”
“Giant Spear!”
The four launched their attacks.
The first to land a hit on the ice worm was Kim Da-hye’s new weapon, the FGM-148A.
Commonly known as the Javelin.
The mana-infused missile rocketed forward at supersonic speed, piercing straight into the ice worm’s massive body.
KABOOOOOM-!
It was unbelievable that a missile just over a meter long could cause such a massive explosion.
GRAAAAAAAH-!
A scream erupted from the worm’s maw.
But the assault didn’t end there.
The ‘Iron Giant’ conjured by Park Min-seong charged in and tackled the ice worm’s lower body.
BOOM-!
It was tiny by comparison, but not in terms of power.
The ice worm’s pillar-like body, which seemed to hold up the sky, staggered.
Already writhing in agony from the internal explosion, it lost its balance and began to topple helplessly.
Seizing the opening, Yoo Hong-seol and Kim Woo-ram surged forward.
SHHHHFFFFFT-!
Yoo Hong-seol wielded two swords in her hands, slashing at blinding speed that left no afterimages.
Blood sprayed, chunks of flesh flying through the air.
Seo Woo-jin let out a hollow laugh at the sight.
Yoo Hong-seol, covered head to toe in ice worm blood as she swung her blades—it was pretty terrifying.
‘...Brutal.’
Feeling a chill, Seo Woo-jin averted his gaze to Kim Woo-ram.
‘Oh?’
His eyes widened.
The spear in Kim Woo-ram’s hand had grown to half the ice worm’s size.
“Haaaah!”
With a shout, Kim Woo-ram thrust the spear.
SPROOOOONG-!
Packed with mana, the spear pierced the ice worm cleanly and thoroughly.
GRAAAAAAAAAAH-!
A scream of pain and rage shook the frozen ground.
“That should do it. Everyone, pile on.”
Wounded beasts turn ferocious.
The same went for demonic beasts like the ice worm.
The four A-rank heroes waiting in the rear leaped in with vigilant expressions.
BOOOOOOM-!
The ice worm collapsed.
It had already taken massive damage; there was no way it could withstand the combined assault of A-rank heroes.
Its body was charred golden by Jin Tae-seong’s flame magic, then shredded to rags by Kyesooji and Lee Ji-ah’s attacks.
Goo Dong-hwan’s magic wand delivered the finishing blow.
FWOOSH-!
Bright light burst from Kim Woo-ram and Kang Byung-gyu’s bodies.
“Yes! Level up!”
“Finally!”
The two pumped their fists in celebration.
“Congrats.”
“Congratulations!”
“Tch, I figured I’d get one too.”
Everyone gathered to congratulate them.
Only Goo Dong-hwan grumbled, having failed to surpass Kyesooji.
“How’s the experience feel?”
Seo Woo-jin asked him.
“No numerical readout like in a game, so I can’t say exactly, but it feels like a ton.”
The entire group except Seo Woo-jin had jumped in for the kill.
Yet two of them leveled up, and the sense of fullness surging inside was substantial.
At this rate, it was basically a walking experience piñata.
Or crawling, in the case of ice worms.
“There are about a hundred of these things, right?”
Kyesooji asked Kang Byung-gyu.
“Precisely 132. Within a 10-kilometer radius.”
The group’s faces lit up at his answer.
“Power-leveling heaven.”
“Within 10 klicks means there could be more. Just these could push us to level 100, easy.”
Park Min-seong said with wide eyes.
But Seo Woo-jin shook his head.
“Nah, that’s pushing it. Experience requirements skyrocket the higher you go.”
“Oh...”
A hint of disappointment showed.
Seo Woo-jin smiled and added,
“Level 90’s possible, though. It’ll just take time.”
They’d probably need at least a week of nonstop hunting in the ice worm habitat.
‘After that, head to Massive Guardian for resupply.’
Their prepared rations were dwindling bit by bit.
Still plenty now, but tight after a week.
“Way faster than just eating academy grub.”
“Yeah. Even faster than the Ancient Orc subjugation.”
“Those were thousands of weaklings.”
By contrast, northern monsters were high-level.
No match for the heroes, but they gave hefty experience.
“Even mob farming low-level stuff isn’t that efficient.”
Kim Woo-ram shrugged, and everyone nodded.
It was a bit like comparing to games, but he wasn’t wrong.
“This level’s perfect for us right now.”
Goo Dong-hwan said, looking pleased.
He’d hit level 80 over the past few days of hunting, matching Kyesooji.
“Short break, then bag another one?”
“Sounds good.”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
The hunt itself was easy, but combat was exhausting.
A moment’s lapse could cost your life, so it was only natural.
It fatigued the mind more than the body.
Seo Woo-jin decided they’d rest with the group.
“Da-hye, mind doing me a favor?”
“Summon.”
At his apologetic request, Kim Da-hye summoned the house without hesitation.
“Go in and rest. Dry off those damp clothes.”
The coat kept out the cold, but melting snow left their outfits soggy.
The group rushed inside without a word.
They’d all felt grimy but hadn’t said it.
Seo Woo-jin chuckled at the sight and moved to enter, then paused.
Kim Da-hye, the one who’d made the house, stood motionless by the door.
“Why’re you just standing there? Come on in.”
Seo Woo-jin tilted his head and approached her.
“Thinking important.”
“Thinking?”
He scratched his head at the subjectless sentence.
He’d realized it before, but talking with Kim Da-hye was a bit tricky.
Not that it bothered him.
He just worried she’d get frustrated by the communication gap.
“What’re you thinking about?”
Seo Woo-jin asked again.
Kim Da-hye turned to look at him.
“Ice worm.”
“Hmm...”
No clue.
As Seo Woo-jin made a troubled face, Kim Da-hye blinked and continued.
“Better hunting method.”
“Ah!”
Now it clicked.
She was pondering an easier way to hunt ice worms.
“So, got any ideas?”
Hoping for more dialogue, he asked.
Kim Da-hye nodded and pulled out her sketchbook, drawing something.
Scribble-scribble-
She finished the picture in an instant, like a printer spitting it out, then held it out.
“This?”
Seo Woo-jin took it and examined it.
“...What’s this?”
His eyes widened.
It was a long, missile-shaped drawing.
He wasn’t sure exactly, but he had a guess.
‘Ice worm, missile, easier hunting.’
Combine those keywords, and one answer popped out.
“This a bunker buster?”
Seo Woo-jin asked.
Kim Da-hye blankly nodded.
“Yes.”
A weapon to burrow underground and strike ice worms preemptively.
Realizing what she’d drawn, Seo Woo-jin let out a hollow laugh.
“You’re amazing, you know that?”
A bunker buster wasn’t some ultimate weapon.
A-rank combat heroes had skills of equal or greater power.
Still, Seo Woo-jin was impressed because she never stopped thinking, always seeking better ways.
Ice worms were fine as-is.
One lures, the rest focus fire once it surfaces—easy.
Yet Kim Da-hye kept brainstorming even simpler methods.
Seo Woo-jin reached out and patted her head.
Uncomprehending, she blinked up at him.
“Don’t push too hard. Take breaks, slack off a little if you want.”
Burn out too fast looking ahead, and you crash.
He gave the admirable girl some earnest advice.
Kim Da-hye nodded.
“Got it.”