The End of the Tail (2)
The barrier that had begun forming over the abandoned building expanded in an instant, cutting across Lee Yeonhee and Cha Jin-hyeok until it sealed off the entire alleyway.
"Damn it...! Move!"
"Urgh...!"
Cha Jin-hyeok tried desperately to pull Lee Yeonhee free, but—
"Well, well~ So the summoner girl was chasing us because she had you backing her up? That's a little annoying."
"Oh my—! What an unexpected combination~"
They were already surrounded from both sides.
"It looks like they came prepared..."
"......"
The wide-range noise barrier made it clear they had planned to capture Lee Yeonhee here from the start.
"Choi Seong-woong! What the hell are you doing?!"
At Cha Jin-hyeok's wary shout, Choi Seong-woong let out a hollow laugh.
"Haha, that damn toad bastard. Now you're dropping honorifics?"
He smacked his forehead with his palm as if dumbfounded, then smiled thinly.
"I don't know what you two were planning when you started tailing us, but too bad. We sensed you following us loud and clear."
In truth, Choi Seong-woong hadn't noticed Cha Jin-hyeok joining the pursuit, but he bluffed anyway.
Cha Jin-hyeok narrowed his eyes at the taunt and glared at him.
They're definitely stronger overall. No way a short nap could cause this.
While chasing Lee Yeonhee, Cha Jin-hyeok had also found it strange. Choi Seong-woong and his two companions had clearly done something.
......Guess there's no choice.
Words were pointless now. Cha Jin-hyeok began preparing to activate his ability. The two female hunters who had circled around from behind the building stopped moving and fixed their gazes on him. They knew all too well how dangerous his gravity powers were, so they didn't rush in recklessly.
But that caution came from their naturally wary personalities. With a three-to-two numerical advantage and a pincer formation, there was no reason to fear a duo that included a D-rank hunter.
Whoosh—!
Their movements, boosted by a single dose of Evolution Water, were nothing like what Cha Jin-hyeok remembered.
[Gravity Suppression]
Attacks came from all directions, so Cha Jin-hyeok unleashed the maximum output he could manage.
"Kgh! Damn it!"
The moment the ability activated, a crushing weight like two orcs perched on their shoulders pressed down on the three hunters. However, because he had to cover a wide area including Lee Yeonhee instead of targeting individuals, the power was significantly reduced.
While their movements slowed under the gravity, Lee Yeonhee activated Preset 1 and summoned thirty summons at once.
—Kwoooaaargh!!
—Churrrrp—!
The elite orcs and lizardmen already knew exactly what to do. They charged straight at the enemy.
"These worthless bugs!"
Choi Seong-woong and his group had already gauged the combat strength of Lee Yeonhee's summons during the fight with Tarantara. Even with their movements restricted, they weren't particularly worried. They still had a hidden card up their sleeves.
Thud— Boom-boom-boom-boom—!
The three hunters' skills exploded among the charging summons. Every lizardman except Lizard No. 1 and Deonni No. 1 and No. 2 was blown apart and rendered combat-incapable.
Gulp—
Lee Yeonhee had believed she could hold out with Cha Jin-hyeok, but the enemy's strength far exceeded her expectations. And then—
"This is bad...?! Yeonhee-ssi. I'm sorry. I should have gotten us out faster. More of them are coming."
"What?! H-how many?"
"About three. All at least C-rank or higher. That's all I can tell."
"No..."
Both Lee Yeonhee and Cha Jin-hyeok blamed themselves. They felt guilty for dragging someone else into danger because of their own actions. Yet their judgment hadn't been wrong. They simply hadn't accounted for the variable called Evolution Water. Without that—and without the three hunters somehow detecting their tail—they wouldn't have been caught like this.
Seeing Lee Yeonhee and Cha Jin-hyeok visibly flustered, the three hunters burst into loud laughter even while dealing with the remaining summons. Still, they were inwardly surprised.
These guys? They're completely different from before.
They didn't know Lee Yeonhee had reached level 60 and that her summons' combat power had risen dramatically. On top of that, the elite members of the orc and lizard units—Deonni No. 1, No. 2, and Lizard No. 1—had undergone another evolution, growing larger and tougher. Though they were still being pushed back by B-rank hunters whose ranks had risen, their sheer vitality made even the three hunters click their tongues in disbelief. Especially when striking the summons, the attacks felt strangely ineffective, leaving an unpleasant aftertaste.
"Why do they feel so squishy?"
"There's something on their bodies!"
It took longer to deal with the three elite summons than it had to wipe out the other twenty-seven. But even with the extra time required, the summons' movements looked like sluggish worms to the B-rank close-combat hunters boasting superior physical abilities—even while under Cha Jin-hyeok's debuff.
The worst part was the arrival of three more C-rank hunters as reinforcements.
"We're here! Looks like you already started without us."
"Shut up and help!"
"Yes, sir!"
The newly joined hunters consisted of a dagger thrower and two archers, making the situation even more difficult.
Eventually, the tide that had been gradually turning against them shifted sharply. Lee Yeonhee and Cha Jin-hyeok were driven into a corner.
"Huff— Huff—"
"Haa—"
They were so exhausted they could barely stand without leaning against each other. The fact they had lasted nearly twenty minutes despite the overwhelming power gap was proof of just how exceptional their talents were—top 0.1%.
"Whew— Good work. I'll make sure you go out nicely. Look forward to it."
"Ugh. They really were stubborn. Took way longer than expected."
"Cockroach bastards. Go grab a coffee or something. I'll call you when it's over."
"Understood, hyung-nim!"
Choi Seong-woong promised the three late-arriving C-rank hunters a share of the spoils, and they immediately left.
"Now then— what should we do with you? Hm?"
Ji-yeon and Eun-bi began stomping on the mana-exhausted Cha Jin-hyeok. They left Lee Yeonhee alone because Choi Seong-woong had told them not to touch her.
Leaning against the wall, Choi Seong-woong swept his sticky gaze over Lee Yeonhee, who was clutching the orb.
"Hah— Lee Yeonhee. I'd heard rumors, but she's the real deal. Heh heh—"
"Ugh...!"
Choi Seong-woong used his dagger to pull back Lee Yeonhee's hood and licked his lips. The lust burning in his eyes made her want to vomit. Yet she no longer had the strength to even hold the orb. Her mana was recovering, but the rate had slowed drastically. She couldn't muster a meaningful attack.
"Ah, oppa! Seriously. You know we don't have time for this, right? Just hand her over and take the money!"
Ji-yeon, who had deep feelings for Choi Seong-woong, couldn't stand seeing him show interest in Lee Yeonhee and shouted in irritation. Choi Seong-woong scratched his ear with an annoyed expression, then reached toward Lee Yeonhee.
"Still, I should at least have a taste. Doing it outdoors has its own special flavor—"
Seeing the hand approaching her face, Lee Yeonhee tried to activate her earring artifact, but unfortunately the one obtained from the hidden dungeon required the wearer to be within a certain distance.
Ilwol's summoning is only two minutes away! I have to do something.
"What connection do you have with the organization that makes Evolution Stones?!"
With Ilwol's re-summoning imminent, Lee Yeonhee tried to buy time.
At her sudden outburst, Choi Seong-woong shook his head.
"Evolution Stones... That fad died out ages ago. You're way behind the times, summoner girl. We don't use such crude methods like grinding people alive."
"W-what?! We just defeated a hunter who swallowed one recently! Are you saying there's a more advanced form?!"
Puhahaha—!
Choi Seong-woong and the two hunters who had been beating Cha Jin-hyeok burst into laughter together.
"Don't compare us to those pathetic low-level groups. By the way, this bitch talks too casually. Ink's barely dry on her ID card and she's already got no manners."
The moment Choi Seong-woong's expression hardened and he raised his fist to strike Lee Yeonhee's face—
A brilliant light burst from Cha Jin-hyeok's body, which had been beaten to a pulp.
"Ugh! What the—?!"
Thud—!
Choi Seong-woong's body was flung several meters away. Ji-yeon and Eun-bi flinched and stepped back. Realizing something had manifested around Lee Yeonhee's body, Choi Seong-woong immediately threw a dagger to test it.
Whoosh—!
Surprisingly, the dagger never reached Lee Yeonhee. It spun against the barrier, reversed direction, and flew back at Choi Seong-woong at the same speed. He casually snatched the dagger aimed straight at his face, but his brow was deeply furrowed.
Watching from the side, Eun-bi and Ji-yeon cried out in shock.
"W-what? Reflection? Does it bounce attacks back entirely?"
"Whoa... That toad bastard is seriously something."
"...It came back at the exact speed I threw it. This is a higher-tier version of the usual [Reflection]."
While [Reflection] only returned a portion of the attack's power, this ability reflected it completely without any loss of force. Even the three hunters, who despised Cha Jin-hyeok, were left speechless by the sheer magnitude of the power he had just awakened. His body glowed, and his stamina visibly recovered.
The three hunters, who had always envied his talent, hurriedly drew their blades.
"Tearing him apart right now would feel so satisfying."
"So he gets to keep receiving that kind of ability just by standing still? Pisses me off."
"We crawled up from the bottom through blood and sweat to get here. Both the toad and that girl have lived life way too easily."
Witnessing the ability manifest right before their eyes flipped something inside them. Their hatred for Cha Jin-hyeok wasn't simply because of his ugly appearance. Looking back, it was strange they had even recruited him into the party in the first place.
Thud—!
"N-no! W-why can't I get out?!"
Lee Yeonhee was safe thanks to the barrier, but ironically, it now forced her to watch Cha Jin-hyeok's peril helplessly.
"Haha, what a useless ability. It's just a half-baked one that traps your own ally."
"It'll disappear soon anyway. Won't even be recorded anywhere."
Stab—! Stab-stab!
The three hunters left Lee Yeonhee alone for now and began stabbing Cha Jin-hyeok's abdomen and thighs in unison.
"Kugh— Aaaagh!!"
"Jin-hyeok-ssi!! You bastards! Stop it!"
"Where's that dog barking from~"
"Don't kill him yet. And don't touch the heart. It's important material."
"Ah, oppa, seriously. How many times are you going to say the same thing?"
Lee Yeonhee trembled with rage at their cruelty—deliberately avoiding Cha Jin-hyeok's vital points.
"Taunt!"
Fortunately, she could still summon outside the barrier. Lee Yeonhee squeezed out her remaining mana and summoned the Screaming Mushroom behind them.
—Kiyaaaaaaaak!
"Aagh! Shut up, you trash mushroom!"
It burst and vanished from a single dagger throw by Choi Seong-woong. Lee Yeonhee kept summoning as her mana recovered, but the small numbers couldn't hold them back. Arrows shot from inside the barrier simply bounced off and fell at her feet.
"Sob... Stop... Please..."
She felt so guilty that Cha Jin-hyeok had ended up like this because she had gotten involved. The surging emotions made her forget the re-summoning time was almost here—until a system message appeared and snapped her back to reality.
[Infernal Boneblade Pyromancer Ilwol - Lv.60] summoning has been activated.