Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Woo-hoo~ One-on-One with Team Leader Sow Pig☆ Arrogant Sow Bitch, Brace Yourself—I'll Ram Morality Deep into Every Gap You Show!
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“Kim Taeyang! Where the hell are you?!”
The team was thrown into chaos by Kim Taeyang's sudden stunt.
They'd rushed through the gate after him in a panic, but he was nowhere to be seen at the site.
“Split into three groups of three and search. I'll move solo but won't stray too far.”
Rumors were already swirling that Justice Guild was trying to drive Kim Taeyang into a death trap.
If he died here, it'd be a devastating blow to the guild's image.
Meanwhile, Abigail saw this as her chance.
'If I find him first, this'll be a piece of cake.'
Her goal was to assassinate Kim Taeyang.
Killing him without the team noticing was key, so him vanishing on his own was a stroke of luck.
Even if he'd come back briefly before.
Click-
A camera shutter snapped from beyond the bushes.
“Hey! Got your dumbass faces perfectly!! This is hilarious!!!”
“You little shit…!”
“Think we're playing around with this raid?!”
Grip!
An enraged team member grabbed Kim Taeyang by the collar.
It was A-rank hero Kim Jun-hwan.
“Hey. Let go.”
“You might be king at Ark, but out in society, you're just a punk. So don't give orders, asshole. Only the team leader gives 'em…!”
Kim Jun-hwan channeled mana into both hands.
Rooooar-!!
It was an intimidating pressure that could kill a normal person outright.
He meant to crush Kim Taeyang's spirit completely.
But.
“Get lost.”
Kim Taeyang wasn't your average student.
“Graaahhh…?!”
Kim Jun-hwan was flung back by a single shout from Kim Taeyang.
It was Hecate's Stigma.
A simple curse he'd pre-cast to repel targets.
Kim Taeyang strode toward the fallen hero.
“Bro. This is the last time I go easy. The only guy who can touch me and still breathe is my old man.”
“Urk……”
“Hey. You screw up, you apologize, right? Huh?”
“That's enough.”
Abigail, who'd been watching, stepped in.
“Don't stir up trouble. And a warning: pull any more solo stunts or attack teammates again, and I'll treat you as a troll and take you down.”
Heroes turning on each other in a dungeon was illegal.
But just like insubordination during wartime, executing or neutralizing trolls in dungeons was more common than you'd think.
“Solo action's fine, but they struck first. Warn the idiot if you're warning someone.”
“If you behave, there won't be trouble. That's why I'm telling you.”
“Hah? What kinda bullshit is this unfair treatment? Can't you hear Solomon groaning from hell? You're unfit to lead!”
“No need to worry. I'm already an excellent leader.”
“Kukuku. Praising yourself? True leaders don't do that.”
“……”
'Talking to this guy warps my words somehow…'
Kim Taeyang's speech was pure thug lingo.
His looks matched.
But his words hid massive thorns.
Thorns that pricked sharply, unnerving Abigail.
'Type that bewitches with words? Better cut conversation.'
“I'll take point. Everyone, follow.”
The team moved with her in front.
Emerging from the tall grass, a massive bridge came into view.
A bridge littered with half-wrecked vehicles.
Below, in the river, massive black shadows swam.
Too enormous and complex for river life—unthinkably so.
“Whoa! Sick-!!”
“Kim Taeyang. Be careful. Those things below are colossal-class monsters.”
Abigail warned him.
Little was known about the colossal shadows in the river.
Just that they were colossal-class.
“Hey! Colossal-class are super rare, right?!”
“They are. Few heroes survive eye contact with them.”
Monsters over 30m were classified colossal-class.
At that point, it wasn't fighting monsters—it was battling buildings. Even S-rank teams couldn't handle them.
Best to avoid colossal-class.
That was the unwritten rule.
“Up close, they look brutal…. Hey, bro! For old times' sake, selfie with a colossal monster backdrop!”
Kim Taeyang suddenly slung an arm around Kim Jun-hwan.
Adjusting the angle to frame the black silhouette in the river.
“Ugh…?! What the hell? Get off me?!”
“Kukuku. Open up, man? Sulking like a whiny bitch after one spat is lame.”
“W-who're you calling a bitch?! I ain't holding grudges!”
“Hah? Then quit pissing me off and take the damn selfie!! Before I beat your ass!!!”
“……”
Click-
Kim Taeyang finally snapped the selfie with Kim Jun-hwan.
“You two. Keep up. This is a dungeon.”
“Yeah- coming now.”
“Gah…! Let go already!”
Kim Taeyang dragged Kim Jun-hwan along by the collar.
Beyond the bridge, it looked like a post-apocalyptic game city.
Huge concrete buildings half-collapsed, weeds sprouting between them.
Streets turned rivers, leaning lampposts and rusted, mossy cars in eerie harmony.
“This vibe is killer? Like stepping into a game.”
Kim Taeyang rambled freely.
Not wrong, but annoying as hell.
Meanwhile, Abigail watched his moves closely.
'Zero guard down.'
Her aim: separate from the team with him.
'No tension either. Perfect.'
He seemed ripe for the taking.
No reason to delay.
“Search nearby. Split into three pairs. Kim Taeyang. You're with me.”
“Woo-hoo~ One-on-one with team leader sow pig-☆ Arrogant sow bitch, get ready—I'll ram morality deep into every gap you show?”
“Told you? Call me sow pig again, and brace yourself.”
“Oops- forgot. This team leader bitch sow!”
“You bastard!!”
Kim Jun-hwan exploded, not Abigail.
But she held him back.
“Calm down. I'll handle the anger.”
“Hah. Fine.”
Soon-to-be-dead trash wasn't worth the emotion.
“Kim Taeyang. Quit clowning and follow.”
Abigail and Kim Taeyang entered a massive ruined building.
Inside was wrecked beyond repair.
Abigail gripped her main weapon, the crossbow, and ordered.
“Draw your weapon and search. I'll cover.”
“Hah?! Proves you're no leader!! Don't dump grunt work on the newbie—lead by example like a real boss!!!”
“I'm covering 'cause I'm experienced. Disobey, and I'll neutralize you-”
“Not refusing. Just saying think about your leadership role?”
Kim Taeyang stuck out his tongue and began searching.
'More diligent than expected.'
Not enthusiastic, but not slacking either.
Attention nicely split—perfect for ambush.
Shh.
She aimed the crossbow.
Kim Taeyang, oblivious he was prey, cleared concrete debris.
Finger on the trigger.
Aim: his head.
'Big head's a blessing.'
One shot should do it.
Target too large to miss.
Held her breath,
Predicted his movement,
Pulled the trigger—
KABOOOM─────!!
The concrete tomb erupted.
“Urk?!”
Kim Taeyang was blasted back into a wall.
Thwip-!
Abigail's bolt flew at the intruder.
The attacker from the concrete twisted gracefully, dodging.
Now she saw it clearly.
Grrrrrr….
A girl.
Would've been pretty, sans exposed bones and rotting flesh.
Some undead type. It charged full tilt.
“Use your wings!”
“Fortis-nim…!”
Ring constellation Fortis empowered her.
Angelic wings sprouted from Abigail's back.
She low-flew, reloading the crossbow.
Thwip! Thwipp!!
Bolts barely missed.
The girl grinned creepily.
Dodging like a game.
But she didn't know the rule.
Abigail's bolts swam back like eels.
Thuck!
Grurk…?
The undead girl's back twitched from the bolt.
No pain in her expression.
Just rising fury.
Not a lethal hit by looks,
But Abigail figured the fight over.
“Holy Explosion.”
KABOOOOOM!!!
The bolt in the undead's back detonated.
Blast so fierce it kicked up dust.
Part of the ceiling collapsed.
In the chaos, Abigail scanned around.
'Kim Taeyang….'
Where he'd lain was now a concrete grave.
No sign of escape.
Crushed under boulders, surely dead.
-Team leader! You okay?!
Team radioed after hearing the clash.
“I'm fine. Monster ambushed. Dealt with it.”
-Join up?
“Meet at the building front. Risk of collapse—don't get too close.”
Abigail exited swiftly.
“Team leader? Where's Kim Taeyang?”
Kim Jun-hwan asked, puzzled.
“Seems the monster got him.”
“For real? A monster you couldn't check?”
“He rushed ahead solo, blind to the ambush from a blind spot…. Happened too fast for me to act.”
“……”
Tension hung heavy.
No matter how punchable Kim Taeyang was, no one wanted him dead.
But they were seasoned heroes.
Death was familiar.
“This dungeon was too much for him after all.”
“Can't be helped. His fault too. Let's head back.”
The raid's goal was scaring him anyway.
No point sticking around now.
The team retraced to the bridge.
Thinking home was moments away.
Until they met the undead girl again.
“That…?”
“Her. The one from the ruins that ambushed Kim Taeyang…. Moves insanely fast—stay sharp.”
She'd seemed abnormal from the first clash.
The undead girl was no ordinary monster.
She tapped the ground toe-first, smiling with rotten lips.
Then.
Rumble-rumble-ruuuuumble-!
“What the…?!”
“The bridge!”
Screeeeech-
Snapping metal rods and explosions rang out.
Beyond the girl, the gate-bridge collapsed.
“She cut our retreat…”
“Intelligent type.”
Colossal monsters swarmed below.
“Weapons out.”
No gate? One way out.
“We take her down and 'clear' this dungeon.”
Clear it to escape.
Heroes took positions fast.
“She strong?”
“Not to get cocky about.”
Abigail's words ironically implied cockiness okay.
Manageable if careful, she judged.
But Skulla hadn't used her real power yet.
Thwip!!
Bolt incoming.
Skulla flicked it away casually.
“D-did you see? Not seeing things?”
“Flicked a bolt like a knuckle-shot?”
They were stunned speechless.
Skulla's real tricks started then.
Crack-!
She spun the front tank's jaw,
Snatched an incoming bolt and jammed it into the mage's back.
“Gaaah!”
“Yuri…!”
No time to fret over allies.
Skulla's speed was untrackable.
“Guhk…!”
10m away one blink, in your face the next.
Close eyes? Fist flies.
Thwack-!
Seconds into combat, five high-rank hunters including Abigail lay sprawled.
Ghostly movement.
“D-damn…!”
Downed Abigail barely reloaded.
Ring constellation Fortis advised.
“Why hasten death missing shots?! Don't rush—wait till it closes!”
“Got it…”
Abigail aimed prone—best she could with leg pain like a fracture.
'Coming…!'
Skulla zigzagged in.
Crossbow tracked.
'Not yet.'
Finger on trigger.
Held fire.
Waited closer.
'A bit more….'
Distance for straight charge.
Terror of striking first crushed her,
But.
'Almost… there…!'
Abigail endured stubbornly.
Seized perfect timing.
'Now!'
FWOOOSH──────!!
Unavoidable range, angle.
No dodge space, reflexes too slow.
Crunch-!
Bolt pierced Skulla's mouth.
Abigail yelled instantly.
“Holy Explosion!!”
No monster survives a mouth bomb.
Shouldn't.
But the undead girl laughed.
Riiiiiip-!
With the blast, transformation.
Arms to huge wings, spine to tail.
Swollen body—overwhelming.
“C-colossal-class…?”
Bone Dragon.
Size fit for colossal label.
Bone Dragon revealed, Abigail despaired.
Kiiiiieeeeek-!
Roar shredded eardrums.
Facing death, her arrogance hit home.
“...We're screwed.”
Lame last words.
No one to hear anyway.
Snap- Dragon jaws neared.
Will broken, Abigail awaited death.
Then.
An unwelcome voice.
“Hey.”
“?”
Step.
Kim Taeyang blocked her path.
Stood unflinching before the Bone Dragon.
His back looked impossibly broad.
“Not dead…?”
“This body's immortal.”
“……”
Laughable outside.
But not now.
“Team leader sow pig. Giving up?”
“G-give up? What changes?”
“Kukuku. Genius at early quits? Total leader fail.”
“What're you…”
No more talk needed.
Kim Taeyang showed it.
“Hey, Bone Dragon.”
Kieeek?
“Take this. My 'sincere punch.'”
Whoosh-
Kim Taeyang punched air.
Proper form.
But plain straight punch.
Watching it irked her somehow.
“Kim Taeyang!! Clowning till death?!! Can't take anything seriously…… Huh?”
She shut up.
The plain punch's result shocked.
Kieeeeeek…?!
Huge Bone Dragon flew back, tumbling.
Like hit by a giant fist.
“Ah……?”
Air punch repels dragon?
Incomprehensible.
Coincidence more believable.
But undeniable.
Coincidences become fate.
“Urp! 'Sincere barrage' incoming…!!”
Whoosh- whoosh- whoosh-
Kim Taeyang unleashed combos.
Each hit, Bone Dragon.
Kieeeeeek?!
Kiaaaaaah…!?
Kweeeeeeeeek!!!!!!
Shrieked dying cries, rolling.
“Hey hey!!! Enough hits—get lost!!!!”
Kiaak…!
Bone Dragon finally rocketed skyward.
Kim Taeyang turned to Abigail.
Offered a hand.
“No complaints if I call you team leader sow pig from now on?”
Team leader sow pig.
Unforgivable insult.
Abigail glared furiously.
“Fine…!”
Hated the term or not, survival first.
He was her lifesaver!