Chapter 52

Translator: Penny

Chapter 52

Han Yuseong was still standing in the back.

It didn't matter since he was confident he could be at the front whenever a battle broke out.

A muttering voice came from the diagonal.

Josephine's gaze alternated between Han Yuseong and the American Matthew Bennett on Hard Difficulty.

"There seems to be a big gap even among Hard Difficulty people."

Josephine Bernard, a Frenchwoman on Normal Difficulty, naturally regarded Han Yuseong as a 'Hard Difficulty' Climber.

Matthew seemed taken aback and moved his right hand holding the axe.

But he quickly glanced at Han Yuseong and quietly lowered his arm.

"Ah, I haven't done anything yet. You saw that, right? Uh-huh."

The effect of Han Yuseong establishing discipline on the first day still lingered.

Matthew spoke again.

"...Isn't that the same for you Normals? Huh?"

Josephine nodded. Josephine shifted her gaze to Han Yuseong.

"That's true. I just think that guy looks special, so I feel it more."

Kim Joo-eun's voice was heard.

"Kyaaaa!"

It was a very high-pitched scream.

There were no clearly visible enemies in front. Han Yuseong approached Kim Joo-eun and understood why she had screamed.

Spiderwebs.

Dense spiderwebs were laid out starting from the front where Kim Joo-eun was standing.

"You managed to see this."

When Han Yuseong said that while looking at her, Kim Joo-eun spoke urgently.

"I know, right! I would have been in big trouble if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I had just walked without looking, right? This?"

"Yeah."

He touched the spiderweb lightly with his gloved hand.

'If Kim Joo-eun had touched it, she would have either been tied up or cut.'

Swish!

Han Yuseong created Sword Qi in Mundum Exstinguit.

He slashed the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sword down vertically.

The spiderwebs that had been densely spread out in front instantly fell to the ground.

The fact that spiderwebs were spread out like this meant that Kabarax or an Insect Manipulator was nearby.

There was also a chance that other Monsters would appear.

"Everyone, prepare to fight."

The 20 Knights and soldiers that Jerado had carefully selected.

And the Players reorganized their weapons without questioning Han Yuseong's words.

As expected, Monsters appeared.

The Players, full of enthusiasm, defeated Sikeron, a mantis-type Monster that was one of the weaker ones among the Monsters handled by the Insect Manipulator.

Han Yuseong, wanting to master the spear, helped with the hunt by stabbing the bugs from the back.

After five Sikerons, two more giant spider-type Monsters, Kabarax, appeared.

Unlike when they were dealing with Sikeron, the Players did not actively step forward when facing Kabarax.

They had no confidence in breaking its shell.

Han Yuseong also didn't bother to tell them the strategy for Kabarax that he had learned thanks to Senior Light Sword.

Because he didn't think there was anyone among the Players who could properly execute it even if he told them.

To gain experience, Han Yuseong once again faced the four Kabarax alone.

The last, fourth one.

Creak...

The bizarre cry of Kabarax seeped into his ears.

Fwoosh!

He activated Sword Energy Explosion in the state of piercing its heart.

Kabarax's body exploded.

[Your level has increased!]

[Lv.38 → Lv.39]

Han Yuseong shook off the blue blood from his sword and smiled bitterly.

'Finally leveled up.'

He was now convinced that there was an Insect Manipulator, so he advanced diligently.

And when he encountered a fog that was more dense than the fog he had encountered so far.

The smell of blood began to stimulate the sense of smell of Han Yuseong and his party.

He could see ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the length of a single bloodstain on the floor.

Han Yuseong could quickly realize.

This was like a performance that appeared right before the Insect Manipulator appeared.

In Han Yuseong's eyes, who walked through the fog and advanced, he saw a tall man who seemed to be 2 meters tall.

Spiderwebs were visible at the ends of the man's hands, who was wearing dark green clothes.

[NPC - Insect Manipulator Nepier]

As the Insect Manipulator's hands moved, a bizarre noise was heard from above.

The sound of some creature being twisted by pressure.

A scream like a death rattle was heard from beside Han Yuseong.

"Th, th-that! It's tied up!"

Han Yuseong also just saw it.

A woman hanging in the high sky, so high that you could say she was standing right next to a giant tree.

Her body was wrapped several times in very thick spiderwebs.

"It seems that bugs have come to save a bug."

Thanks to the bugs lined up next to the Insect Manipulator, he felt a terrible ominousness even though they weren't emitting any particular aura.

"Seeing that you've come in such a group, it seems that this woman is very precious to you. If so, I am even less willing to release her."

As soon as the Insect Manipulator finished speaking, a notification window appeared in front of Han Yuseong.

[Additional Sudden Mission Occurred!]

[Sudden Mission - Rescue the Player in Mortal Danger!]

[Additional experience will be granted to the rescued Player!]

[The experience distribution ratio will be determined according to the mission execution contribution!]

'I was going to fight the Insect Manipulator very leisurely.'

Until just now, Han Yuseong was thinking of playing together with the other Players appropriately.

Because he had already given up on the expectation that he could reach level 40 here at the Exchange Meeting to some extent.

But to publicly announce this and give additional experience.

Han Yuseong changed his mind and gripped Mundum Exstinguit again.

"Ad, additional experience...?"

"Let's prepare quickly and go in."

Okada Yuji and Matthew's voices were heard in succession.

Of course, the sudden mission was given to all eight Players except Nora Brooks, who was the person involved in the content.

Han Yuseong quickly scanned left and right.

"I'm taking that sudden mission. Take care of the bugs on either side of the Insect Manipulator."

He had no intention of giving up even a little of the experience he could clearly eat.

'I'll monopolize it.'

Han Yuseong stepped down hard.

Bang!

With a single flash, Han Yuseong's figure stretched out long.

Dragon Slayer Sword Footwork Style 3.

Micatus.

He reached the Insect Manipulator's nose in an instant.

A look of bewilderment was visible on the face of the Insect Manipulator, Nepier.

'...It's too different.'

He thought they were enemies of a similar level to the ones he had played with two days ago.

But there was one being of a different level mixed in there.

The one who had reached right in front of him right now.

He couldn't even continue that thought.

Because a ray of light came crashing in.

─Thwack!

Han Yuseong, who slashed the sword diagonally, looked at Nepier sprawled on the floor.

He had killed him instantly with one blow.

The Insect Manipulator was dead, but the battle did not end there.

Screech!

As if to avenge their master's death, the Insect Manipulator's Familiars charged at Han Yuseong.

After forming Sword Qi again. He deployed Horizontal Slash, Thursahǫgg.

Blue blood spread out widely in a circular shape.

Zurakin, a spider-type Monster with a size equal to that of an adult male, was cut in half.

The head of Sikeron, which had appeared several times until just before, rolled on the floor.

The spiderwebs that had been tying up the American woman, Nora Brooks, as if displaying her, drooped down.

Han Yuseong accepted her.

Nora Brooks stroked her neck.

It was to confirm that her neck was intact.

"Cough...cough! Haa...!"

And she regained her breath and began to pant.

Han Yuseong placed a Low-Grade Healing Potion next to Nora.

"Calm down and apply it if you have any injuries."

"Hoo...hoo, thank you."

Nora Brooks, who had been to the brink of death, recognized that the person who had saved her was Han Yuseong even in the midst of her confusion.

Notification windows were plastered in front of Han Yuseong.

[Sudden Mission Cleared.]

[Acquire additional experience.]

[1st Mission 'Defeat Kabarax' Cleared.]

[2nd Mission 'Defeat the Owner of Kabarax' Cleared.]

['Tower Exchange Meeting' Mission Successfully Completed!]

[Level Up!]

[Lv.39 → Lv.41]

['Strength' stat increases by 16.]

['Agility' stat increases by 10.]

['Stamina' stat increases by 13.]

['Mana' stat increases by 12.]

This increase was possible because he was already close to reaching level 40 before facing the Insect Manipulator.

['Tower Exchange Meeting' Mission Achievement Contribution Points are being calculated.]

[You are '1st Place'.]

[1000 coins are awarded as 1st place reward.]

[An item is awarded as 1st place reward.]

Han Yuseong was going to go back to the 9th floor staircase waiting room and leisurely check what the 1st place reward item was.

Because of the many gazes towards him.

Gazes that were different from before facing the Insect Manipulator.

'I did a little too well.'

In a situation where Nora Brooks' life was uncertain if he didn't kill the Insect Manipulator in an instant.

So he released most of his original power.

Even if it was only for a moment.

Due to that brief battle, the eyes of some Players who had been looking at him with admiration until now had changed slightly.

Half awe.

Half fear.

It wasn't the fear that came from feeling threatened, but the fear of something too alien.

'They won't ask to be friends anymore.'

Han Yuseong's prediction was correct.

The Players who were originally going to ask for a friend request one more time after being rejected yesterday.

Matthew and Lena. Kim Joo-eun, Okada Yuji. All four of them gave up on that will.

While vaguely realizing why their friend requests were rejected.

The Exchange Meeting ended like this.

"I'm leaving! Thank you everyone! Especially Mask-nim, thank you even more! Don't die everyone! Live long!"

Kim Joo-eun waved her right hand energetically and said goodbye.

Han Yuseong, who was called Mask-nim, also waved his right hand at her.

Matthew Bennett bowed deeply towards Han Yuseong, awkwardly but deeply.

"Red Mask, I'm really sorry for acting out of line without knowing my place. I'll reflect on it. If we meet next time, I'll know my place."

"Yeah, okay. Goodbye."

The Knights and soldiers could only stare with their mouths open at the Players who were swept away by the circular light that appeared on the ground and disappeared.

When half of the Players had returned to their Towers.

[Would you like to leave the Exchange Meeting and return to the Staircase?]

[Yes / No]

Han Yuseong also pressed return.

He had confirmed in advance from the Transcendental Gallery Seniors that the mission theme did not have hidden bosses like Dungeon types.

[Entering the 9th Floor Staircase Waiting Room.]

He hadn't been standing still while half of them were returning.

He took off the ring that the Insect Manipulator was wearing and put it in his Inventory.

It was a dark green ring.

[Mist Ring]

Classification - Accessory (Ring)

Effect: Neutralizes the detection ability of bug-type Monsters. This effect may not work for some higher-level individuals.

Grade: B+

It was a good item that could be used effectively in forest backgrounds that appeared quite often.

Han Yuseong took out his Terminal and accessed the Transcendent Gallery.

Title: Return.

Writer: XX*

I was just going to slack off, but I had to monopolize the experience, so I pulled up my original power a bit at the end, and they looked surprised.

It doesn't matter since I was wearing a mask.

I also got 1st place.

Han Yuseong scanned the Transcendent Gallery and organized his thoughts.