The Gap in Strength
Currently, the only team in South Korea raiding the 60th floor was the Bureau's Baekho Team, led by Choi Muryeong.
Most of the top ten guilds were focusing on the 40th floor.
The White Night Guild was in the mid-50s, the Taeguk and Hyeonmu Guilds were in the early 50s, while Core and Nexus mainly targeted the 40s.
GR had also been on the verge of moving up to the 50th floor, but since they had basically shut down their operations, they were out of the equation.
As for me, I had just finished raiding the 30s.
Perhaps they thought it was too absurd to drag me straight into the 50s, even if I had successfully cleared the special floor in China?
The Core and Nexus Guilds proposed raiding one of the floors in the 40s, while the Taeguk and Hyeonmu Guilds suggested the 44th and 45th floors, respectively.
White Night, perhaps having high expectations for me, suggested the 49th floor.
'Then...'
Wouldn't I be able to enter the 50s as soon as these guild collaborations were over?
For me, it was a win-win situation.
The main monsters in the 40s were various beastmen and wild beasts. Just like the Orcs and Trolls of the 20s, they were creatures driven mad by slaughter.
However, unlike the Orcs and Trolls, whose attacks were simple and mindless, the beastmen and wild beasts each had different combat styles, making them quite tricky to deal with.
Of course, because of the nature of the enemies, the resources they dropped were diverse and plentiful, which made them a preferred target for some.
Personally, I didn't really care either way.
"Are you ready?"
The first partner for the collaboration was the Core Guild.
I wasn't joining their first-tier team raiding the 45th floor, but rather their second-tier team on the 42nd floor.
'Well, I guess they don't fully trust me yet.'
After all, I had just finished the 30s.
I had only run the 40th floor a few times by myself.
Not that it felt particularly difficult, though...
The 40s had a strong vibe of a wild hunting ground.
The maps were diverse, too. Sometimes it was a desert, sometimes a jungle, and other times it could be mountainous or polar regions.
Today was a mountainous region.
Which meant...
"...It's Lycans!"
Grayish-brown fur was visible beyond the thick underbrush.
They possessed massive statures over two meters tall, with protruding fangs and claws.
Blood was already dripping from their muzzles, though what they had eaten was anyone's guess.
There were about ten of them.
"...There are more than I expected. Let's avoid a head-on collision."
Huh? Ten is considered a lot?
Wouldn't it be better to just slice them up before any wild beasts show up?
"..."
But I couldn't say that out loud.
I was only here as support, after all.
I might be the leader in my own team, but here, I was just a helper. A helper.
The Core Guild leader's plan was simple: send out a decoy, draw their aggro, and strike from behind.
'Wait... I have a feeling I'm going to be the decoy.'
My hunch proved correct.
"Alright, once Taepyeong-ssi draws their attention, we'll strike immediately."
"Got it."
What else could I say?
They were probably wary because I was a rookie who had just started raiding the 40s.
Even if I had cleared that special floor in China.
'They probably think I just rode Choi Muryeong's coattails...'
Tsk.
Still, I had to do my best. It was a "collaboration," after all!
Following the Core Guild's instructions, I circled through the forest, avoiding the Lycans' line of sight.
'Is this far enough?'
But how was I supposed to draw their attention?
Should I shout? Or just run out?
'But standing out too much would be annoying...'
Hiding in the bushes, I looked around.
'Ah, this will do!'
I picked up a stone about the size of a fist.
Throwing this at them should draw their aggro easily enough.
Alright, get ready...
*Inhale.*
...Fire!
*Whoosh!*
The stone flew through the air, making a much louder sound than I had expected.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The Lycans were quick-witted. Four of them turned their heads toward the incoming projectile.
*Crack!*
One of them failed to dodge despite seeing it.
The stone struck the Lycan dead center in the forehead.
*Thud!*
Perhaps its skull had shattered.
The Lycan collapsed instantly without making a single sound.
"Oops..."
I didn't mean to kill it!
I was just trying to draw aggro!
"Grrr...!"
"Grrrrrr!"
Well, I guess aggro is aggro.
The remaining Lycans immediately charged toward the direction the stone had flown from.
*Slash!*
Claws as sharp as daggers sliced through the bushes in a single sweep.
"Whew."
I narrowly dodged the claws.
'I drew the aggro, so why aren't they attacking?'
I immediately drew Jeoldanchamgeuk.
*Muffled chanting...*
I could hear human voices in the distance.
Were they chanting a spell?
'That's way too slow!'
If I waited, I would definitely get hit.
*Squelch!*
I instinctively stabbed a Lycan in the back of the neck.
*Splurt!*
The twin blades, Jeol and Dan, crossed and severed the Lycan's head.
*Thud!*
*Roll, roll...*
The Lycan's head rolled away.
Seeing this, the faces of the other Lycans contorted in shock.
*Tick.*
Fortunately,
*Tock.*
I had my trusty Killing Time passive.
Killing Time
*Thwack!*
I kicked the severed Lycan head on the ground.
*Smash!*
It flew straight into the face of another Lycan that was about to pounce with its claws bared.
Thanks to Execution Eye, it hit the weak spot perfectly.
Execution Eye
*Thud!*
The Lycan collapsed on the spot.
*Tick.*
Killing Time activated once again.
*Tock.*
Killing Time
'Wait, is it okay for me to take all the kills?'
This was supposed to be a "collaboration." Was this really fine?!
*Slash!*
But my body moved faster than my thoughts.
*Thud!*
One,
*Slice!*
Then two...
*Thud!*
The Lycans fell one after another.
In the blink of an eye, five of them were dead.
Before I knew it, I was drenched in blood.
"Grrr..."
"Grrr..."
No matter how frenzied they were, they couldn't help but feel terror when watching their own kind get slaughtered.
The remaining Lycans hesitated, taking step after step backward.
But seriously, why hadn't their spells gone off yet?
Even if Killing Time made me incredibly fast, by now, the spells should have...
"Huh?"
Not far away, the Core Guild's second-tier party was standing still.
Every single one of them had a dazed expression.
The leader, who had been drawing his sword, and the mage, who had been chanting, had both frozen in place, staring blankly in my direction.
"W-what just happened...?"
"I don't know... Five Lycans just died like that..."
"Is this even possible?"
"I thought he wasn't even level 30 yet...?"
Ah, so that's why the spells didn't go off.
"Hey!!!"
I shouted at the slack-jawed second-tier party.
"You need to kill them, quickly!!!"
Finally, focus returned to the leader's eyes.
"A-ah, right!"
Seriously, even if they were the second-tier team, freezing up like this was a problem.
"Sigh..."
I let out a sigh and wiped the blood off my face.
Honestly, it would be faster and easier if I just killed them all myself.
But doing that would make me feel like I was stealing their thunder.
"Tsk."
While I was catching my breath...
*Rumble, rumble...*
*Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!*
The ground began to vibrate.
'This is...'
I instinctively turned my head toward the source of the heavy thuds.
Trees were collapsing in all directions.
And then...
'...Dire Wolves!'
They were giant wolf-like beasts, easily five—no, eight times the size of a Lycan.
Attracted by the scent of blood, the Dire Wolves were charging straight toward the Core Guild's second-tier team.
'Wait, at this rate...'
The Core Guild members were still busy pouring attacks on the remaining Lycans.
Why were they taking so long...?
No, my standards were probably just skewed.
I drew Jeoldanchamgeuk from my waist once more.
Then,
*Whoosh!*
*Whoosh!*
I threw both Jeol and Dan simultaneously.
*Thwack!*
The two blades pierced straight into the Dire Wolf's eyes.
*Howl!*
It didn't die.
Was it because of its massive size? Or did the impact lose power because I threw them from a distance?
'At least...'
The effect of Death Slash had triggered, dealing a fixed 20% damage to the boss.
Death Slash
*Awooooo!*
The Dire Wolf howled in agony, the swords still embedded in its eyes.
'I should put it out of its misery quickly.'
Torture wasn't my style.
I dashed toward the Dire Wolf.
"H-Hunter Lee!"
"Don't worry about me, just focus on the Lycans!"
"Whaaat?!"
I bypassed the Core Guild's second-tier team, who were already struggling with the remaining Lycans.
*Crash!*
The thrashing Dire Wolf was wild. One wrong move, and I'd be trampled to death.
*Boom!*
The moment its forepaw slammed into the ground again...
*Flash!*
I used Echo Walker to blink forward.
I landed right on the back of the Dire Wolf's neck.
Echo Walker
*Shring.*
Delaying would only prolong its pain.
I immediately drew the Elf's sword.
'Will this be enough to pierce a Dire Wolf's skull?'
I had some doubts about Elven craftsmanship, but...
*Squish...*
I drove the sword into the crown of the Dire Wolf's head with all my might.
Whether it was luck or because Elven craftsmanship was better than I thought...
*Squelch!*
The Elven sword sank in all the way to the hilt.
And then...
*Thud!*
The Dire Wolf collapsed.
A vibration far stronger than before shook the ground.
*Schlip!*
I pulled the Elven sword out.
*Whoosh!*
Before a single drop of blood could fall from the blade, I threw it toward the Lycan that the Core Guild's second-tier team was struggling with.
*Thunk!*
The Elven sword pierced the Lycan right in the solar plexus.
"Urgh...!"
I watched the last Lycan collapse.
*Schlip!*
*Schlip!*
I retrieved Jeol and Dan from the Dire Wolf's eyes.
And then...
"H-Huff..."
"Pant, pant..."
Turning around, I saw the members of the Core Guild's second-tier team gasping for breath.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes... Huff, pant..."
The leader, who was exhausted from fighting the Lycans on the front line, barely managed to answer.
"Hmm..."
I guess the second-tier team was just the second-tier team.
It was true that their levels were higher than mine, but their skills felt lacking.
Of course, it was also because my traits were incredibly overpowered.
"Good work, everyone."
"Good... work... pant..."
"Take a break for now. Drink some potions."
"Yes... huff..."
Just as the Core Guild members were catching their breath...
*Flash!*
A reward chest materialized before them.
"I-It's gold!"
"A Gold Chest!"
Was a Gold Chest really something to be that surprised about?
*Click.*
I opened the Platinum Chest in front of me.
◈ Cures almost any injury or status ailment.
Oh, an Elixir.
I should keep this for later.
"Wait, is that..."
"P-Platinum?! Isn't that a Platinum Chest?!"
"A Platinum Chest in the 40s?"
The Core Guild members whispered among themselves.
Listening to their chatter, it seemed that for the second-tier team, a Gold Chest was the absolute best they could hope for in the 40s.
So, seeing me—someone who hadn't even reached level 30 yet—pull a Platinum Chest, they couldn't help but be shocked.
Haha.
This is a bit embarrassing.
"Oh, come on. I could never have done this alone," I said, looking at the Core Guild members with the most innocent face I could muster.
"It's all thanks to everyone's help!"