EP3. S-Rank Hunter's Outing
Whiiirrr—
The energies swirling around the lich gradually took solid form, whipping up a blizzard.
The blizzard grew until it engulfed the entire vast boss chamber.
Crackkk—
The sound of every bit of moisture in the cave freezing and splintering echoed through the air.
“M-Magic defense!
Magic defense!”
Jeong-hwan cast magic defense on the raid party members.
A barrier formed around their bodies, seeming to push back the chill for a moment—only to shatter with a crack.
“Magic defense!
Magic... defense!”
Jeong-hwan kept chanting without pause.
But the intensifying ice storm shattered each new barrier the instant it appeared.
Even Jae-jun, who had blinked back to safety, felt the chill seeping in.
Every breath drew the cold into his mouth, freezing his whole body from the inside.
Inferno
Whoosh!
A faint blaze enveloped Jae-jun's body, driving out the cold.
'Phew.'
He could see the raid members slowly freezing like ice sculptures.
There was no escaping the ice storm that now blanketed the entire chamber.
One by one, including Tae-seong, they began shivering uncontrollably before collapsing.
'At this rate, they'll all die.'
“Hestia.”
Miyuu—
A pocket dimension ripped open, and a small red dragon emerged.
She flapped her wings and perched on Jae-jun's shoulder, rubbing her face against his.
Grrr—she growled in displeasure at the pervasive chill wrapping around her body.
Fwoosh.
Flames leaked from the corners of Hestia's mouth with every breath.
She glared at the lich causing this frost storm, poised to unleash her breath at any moment.
But her Flame Breath was still on a 6-day cooldown.
“Hestia, can you protect these people?”
Miyuu.
Hestia flew up over the fallen raid members on the floor.
Streams of fire poured from her mouth, forming a barrier of flames that pushed the cold air outward.
“W-What is this?”
Dengchi came to his senses in the gradually warming air.
Something was fluttering in front of his eyes.
“...A lizard?”
Miyuu!
Hestia zipped over at his words and landed on top of Dengchi's head.
Snap—her sharp claws gripped his hair.
“Aaaagh!
S-Stop!”
“Boss!
Oh no!
A monster's tearing into our boss's head!”
“W-Wait!
This lizard—no!
It's a dragon lord! Stay still or we're all dead!”
Dengchi calmed the recovering raid members and sat them down.
Hestia seemed pleased, staying perched on his head without moving.
Fwoosh!
She only occasionally added more flames to the fiery barrier.
Beyond it stood Jae-jun, wreathed in flames.
—
The lich's ice storm grew ever fiercer.
Keeeeeek!
A human-like wail, like a scream, pierced through the gale.
Inferno
Whoosh—
Flames danced, tracing patterns in the air.
Fiery tendrils writhed around Jae-jun like serpents swaying drunkenly.
Sizzzzz.
Where the chill met the flames, steam billowed thickly.
Without hesitation, Jae-jun plunged into the frost storm.
Whiiirrr!
Fierce winds and razor-sharp ice shards pelted his face, but they couldn't pierce his barrier.
'It should be around here.'
No sooner had the words crossed his mind than the lich appeared, hovering darkly in the air.
For a split second, Jae-jun felt its black eyes lock onto his.
Grrrrrr.
Human! Die!
A massive ice block materialized in the air above Jae-jun's head and plummeted down.
But dodging such a sluggish hunk of ice was child's play for him.
Boom!
Shattered ice fragments were swept into the storm, hurtling toward him like daggers.
Whiiirrr!
Another ice block came crashing down simultaneously.
Jae-jun kicked off the ground, soaring up and swinging his sword.
The ice block split cleanly in half.
Krunchhh—
Through the gap emerged the lich's grotesque skull.
'Time to end this!'
He spotted the lich's finger slowly rising.
Jae-jun swung his sword with all his might.
Viiiing!
He shattered the barrier already cracked from earlier attacks.
Ice spears shot toward him with every twitch of the lich's fingers.
They stabbed harmlessly into the ground, sending dirt flying.
Acceleration!
Blink!
Jae-jun's body blurred, and he instantly escaped the attack range.
He reappeared right behind the lich.
Charging forward, he slashed horizontally with his sword.
Shlick!
“Kraaaagh!”
'Got it!'
The lich staggered, its two arms flailing as it turned.
Bony fingers reached for Jae-jun, but he wasn't about to get hit by such a sloppy attack.
Shred!
Brilliant mana gathered along the blade, then spread out, accelerating it further.
The curving sword slashed down at the lich repeatedly.
Shlick!
The blade neatly severed the lich's outstretched hand.
Kraaaagh!
'Shut up!'
The lich's other hand fumbled for its necklace.
But Jae-jun spotted it and sliced that arm off too.
“Eeeeeek!”
The necklace chain snapped under the blade, scattering skulls and human heads everywhere.
The chanting from the skulls and heads cut off abruptly, and the lich's ice storm halted.
'Now finish it!'
Jae-jun's blade arced toward the lich's neck.
The lich desperately raised its arms—but both were already gone.
Shlick!
“Gurk!”
With a final gurgle, the lich's head tumbled free.
And then a system window appeared before Jae-jun's eyes.
Lich defeated!
“Nice.”
Jae-jun landed with a satisfied grin.
As expected of a boss—taking it down had leveled him up.
Only 11 levels from the lich.
Leveling was starting to slow down.
Come to think of it, the One Who Transcends Rank title had no effect anymore either.
With his lowest stat past C-rank, it no longer boosted him there.
Ding.
Do not let a single casualty occur!
Quest completed!
Reward: Highest-grade C-rank magical core granted.
Highest-grade C-rank magical core added to inventory.
Dungeon exit gate opening.
A gate opened behind Jae-jun, forming the exit.
He spotted something sparkling nearby.
'An item?'
What was it?
A long metal necklace, its sharpened ends designed to interlock.
◈ Skill Chant Speed +50%
◈ Special: Multi-Chant
◈ Description: Necklace used by ancient shamans. Thread a victim's head onto it just before they close their eyes to chant spells through their mouths.
◈ Note: Wearer cannot chant themselves.
It was the necklace the lich had worn.
'Multi-Chant?'
The special ability sounded useful, but threading on heads right before they died? Creepy.
He could still see those human heads muttering chants.
'I'll sell it if I get the chance later.'
His skills didn't need multi-chanting anyway.
He stowed the Necklace of the Dead in his inventory for now.
Miyuu—
With the battle over, Hestia flew to him.
Then she pecked at his finger with her mouth.
“What's up?”
Her voice echoed in his mind.
'How does she even know about the core already.'
Jae-jun pulled out the quest reward magical core from his inventory.
Hestia snatched it in her mouth and crunched it down.
'A C-rank... that would've sold for 30 million won last time.'
Watching 30 million won vanish in one snack hurt his heart.
Even the leftover core dust looked precious.
'Maybe I can collect and sell the scraps.'
Miyuu—?
Hestia tilted her head at him.
“...Nah.
Eat up and grow big and strong.”
“H-Hunter sir?”
He turned to see the raid members lined up.
He'd completely forgotten about them.
“Uh... thanks for all your hard work today.”
Dengchi bowed and handed over a small pouch.
Inside were four E-rank magical cores.
Miyuu—
Hestia flapped excitedly at the sight.
“That's too much.”
Even E-rank cores were 1.5 million won each—six million total.
They hadn't even hunted properly today.
“...No, sir.
We'd be dead without you.
Hahaha.”
Dengchi's awkward laugh spread to the others.
The mood felt off.
Do they suspect I hid my rank?
“Uh... Hunter sir.
Dungeon's cleared, so... can we go?”
Dengchi glanced at him slyly.
“Yeah.
You're free to leave.”
They bolted through the gate the moment he spoke, Dengchi included.
Only Tae-seong and Jae-jun remained.
“You not going?”
“We're headed the same way home, hyung. Gotta stick together.”
“Good kid.”
Jae-jun ruffled Tae-seong's hair.
He'd seen Jae-jun's true power and was still acting normal. Not bad.
“Let's head out.”
Jae-jun and Tae-seong passed through the gate.
But the moment they exited the dungeon—
'Hm?'
Level reached 150.
Additional system function unlocked.
Arena participation now available!