Chapter 84

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 84

Chapter Title: The First Quest is Rewarding!

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"Cheolsan, why the hell are you here?"

I had a rough idea of the reason, but I asked anyway.

If Cheolsan were the cautious and cool-headed type, he wouldn't have answered even if I asked.

"Kuhahaha, obviously!"

The hot-blooded, brutish Cheolsan, overflowing with a need to show off, spilled the reason without hesitation.

"To pay back the humiliation you dealt me last time! You dare look down on me?"

In other words, he couldn't hold back his temper and had shown up early, deviating from the story.

Hm, had I teased him too much?

"Today is the day you die! Hup!"

Cheolsan leaped up and landed on the Great Fire Boar's back.

"I'll slaughter you and your entire party!"

Cheolsan bellowed with full fighting spirit.

But I wasn't focused on his words—I was fixated on the fact that he'd mounted the Great Fire Boar.

'Rider Form...!'

Cheolsan was basically a solo operator as a Stranger.

But Strangers had another trait besides their ominous magic: the ability to command monsters.

The early-game boss Cheolsan didn't use it, but starting from Chapter 2, enemies and bosses appeared that used monsters as minions or main forces.

And yet... not only was Cheolsan using his rarely employed monster-commanding ability to try and kill me for sure, but he'd even hopped on top of a Great Fire Boar!

It filled my chest with joy and pride, like I'd just witnessed new game content or an unannounced DLC boss.

Different from the Blaze Blood story I knew, but this kind of surprise event... it was actually great!

Cheolsan was easy enough to handle, so safety wasn't an issue either.

"Rubelt! What do we do?!"

Isihoon looked to me, waiting for orders.

His eyes held resentment toward Cheolsan, of course, but also a hint of tension and fear.

He harbored strong hatred thanks to the power of blood, but it was inevitable to feel fear at the skill gap he couldn't yet bridge.

Plus, Kim Yesl—the girl he had feelings for—along with his friends Rize and Yume were behind him.

I could sense Isihoon's gentle heart worrying that someone precious might get hurt in this fight.

"Obviously, we take him down right here. Don't worry—I've got this."

"...Right!"

Isihoon steeled himself and glared at Cheolsan.

My presence gave him a strong sense of security.

"Rize! Fight Cheolsan with us! Yume, Yesl—keep the buffs up without a break!"

I shouted energetically, snapping the tense, fearful group ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back to focus.

"Understood, Young Master."

""Got it!""

Rize moved into position beside me and Isihoon.

Yume and Kim Yesl alternated buffs from the rear.

"Dieee!"

Cheolsan tapped the Great Fire Boar's back with his foot as a signal.

The Great Fire Boar charged at us, its red mane fluttering wildly.

"I'll keep Cheolsan pinned! Rize, Isihoon—deal with the Great Fire Boar!"

"Got it!"

"Yes!"

I nocked an arrow and fired at Cheolsan.

Screeeee!

"You think this crap will work?!"

Clang!

As expected of a chapter boss, even if it was Chapter 1.

Cheolsan blocked my arrow with the greatsword in his hand.

He sneered like my attack was meaningless, but my goal was just to stop him from targeting Rize and Isihoon.

Shoosh-shoosh-shoosh!

Mana Arrows—far weaker than physical ones.

But the advantage was I could fire them just by drawing the bowstring, no need to pull arrows from the quiver.

That let me keep peppering him, forcing him to keep blocking without lowering his guard.

"Guh! You little punk!"

While Cheolsan blocked my barrage, Isihoon and Rize closed in on the Great Fire Boar.

Isihoon's flaming strike and Rize's nine swift dagger slashes carved into the Great Fire Boar's flank.

"You punks! Haaap!"

Seeing his mount attacked, Cheolsan swung his greatsword at Isihoon and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Rize.

Whoooosh!

But he'd delayed blocking my attacks, so his swing came too late to hit them.

On the contrary...

"Guhk!"

Three Mana Arrows pierced Cheolsan as he forcibly swung his blade.

"Damn it! Keep charging! You pig bastard!"

Furious from the arrows, Cheolsan didn't retreat—instead, he spurred the Great Fire Boar straight at me faster.

""Rubelt!""

"Young Master!"

All four called out to me in worry.

It was satisfying to see how my connections and bonds shone through in a moment like this.

"Yesl! Yume! Max out strength buffs on me!"

At my shout, Yume and Kim Yesl cast their buffs right away.

Power surged through my body.

Especially Yume's Power Strength, amplified by White Prism, granting me even greater might.

"You think some buffs will stop this powered-up charge?! You'll be crushed before you can even use your secret art!"

"Number eight."

My bow and quiver transformed into a large shield and mace.

"Run faster!"

Cheolsan paled at my gear change.

No wonder.

This shield had blocked his secret art before.

He'd planned to smash me before I could pull mine off.

A Stranger's magic boosted the level of their commanded monster.

The E-rank boss Great Fire Boar was probably up to D-rank now.

But D-rank boss specs were far weaker than mid-to-late game trash mobs from A-rank dungeons.

With my mid-to-late game stats plus strength buffs, this was doable.

I charged at the incoming Cheolsan-mounted Great Fire Boar, slamming my shield into it.

A heavy boom echoed as the Great Fire Boar flew back to where it had started.

"What?!"

Cheolsan gaped in shock at what just happened.

"Huh? What was that just now?"

And he wasn't the only surprised one.

Isihoon alternated looks between the flying Great Fire Boar and me.

Mid-to-late game stats plus strength buffs could easily send a powered-up E-rank boss flying.

And this time, it launched spectacularly.

'This is why you grind stats.'

I wasn't the type to enjoy tough fights in games—I preferred overwhelming stats and DPS to crush everything.

No need for stress in a game meant for fun.

I love easy mode.

"Rubelt did that just now!?"

"Who else? Told you to relax."

"Uh... yeah."

"As expected of the Young Master."

"Incredible..."

"Amazing, Rubelt!"

My dominant display wiped away the party's excessive tension and anxiety.

Good, but they couldn't let their guard down completely.

"Don't get cocky yet—the enemy's still up."

"You monstrous punk bastard... Get up, you pig!"

Cheolsan, seething with rage, grabbed the Great Fire Boar's flesh and forcibly poured in more magic.

Overloading it beyond capacity.

This boosted combat power temporarily but shaved off the monster's life force.

The overcharged Great Fire Boar rose again.

Its once-conscious eyes were now dyed red with twisted magic, filled only with berserk madness to kill.

Everyone grimaced at the transformed Great Fire Boar.

"Even for a monster, that's too much..."

"So cruel."

"Ugh..."

"Typical Stranger."

"Kuhahahahaha! Come on! This time, you're dead!"

Cheolsan channeled magic into his greatsword and declared it—but this time, he didn't remount.

In game terms, Phase 2 had begun.

I couldn't keep soloing with my stats forever if we wanted to fight ahead.

So.

"Rize, Isihoon. Handle the Great Fire Boar. I'll take Cheolsan."

Leave appropriately matched foes to the others.

"Got it!"

"Leave it to me, Young Master."

"Hey, punk. You think you can take me solo?"

"Obviously. Who's the guy who tucked tail and ran from me last time?"

"Grr...!"

"Plus, it pains me to beat up a bunch of weaklings on you. Even enemies, I don't like picking on the feeble."

"You son of a—!"

Properly baited, Cheolsan ignored Isihoon and Rize, closing in solely on me.

"Dieee!"

Cheolsan's magic-infused greatsword swung down.

I easily sidestepped.

"Gack!"

To keep the fight from affecting the others, I bashed Cheolsan with my shield and sent him crashing into the cave wall.