The Grade D Disaster (2)
A regional boss was a monster that appeared in each grade’s labyrinth at irregular intervals of several years.
The F-grade Skull Scorpion and the E-grade Sky-Diving Hawk had been such monsters—bosses so powerful that dozens of hunters had to gather before they could be slain.
The defining trait of these regional bosses was simple yet terrifying: even after you finally killed one, a new one would be born within a few years and turn the entire zone into a wasteland.
Another crucial point was that they could only be stopped if you destroyed the safety zone first. The only beings capable of shattering a safety zone were themselves.
And the more thoroughly you destroyed the safety zone, the stronger the regional boss became.
In the end, once a certain point was passed, only the hunters inside the zone would be powerless to stop it.
Therefore, the moment these monsters appeared, every hunter had no choice but to gather every ounce of strength and fight with everything they had.
The D-grade labyrinth zone had a regional boss named the Death Worm—the labyrinth’s ultimate predator.
The last record of its appearance was five years ago; it had been slain then, and hunters had been quietly waiting for the next one ever since.
“This time we absolutely must hold the line.”
“Huuu, they say the Fifty-Second Shaft has already been swallowed.”
“It’s not going to be easy.”
“Why today of all days…….”
A few party members were growing uneasy. That was only natural.
In the past, several upper-species would have gathered for a D-grade regional boss. But here, not a single one of the six upper-species had shown its face in the party.
The reason was simple: four out of the six upper-species did not even exist in the D-grade zone.
And on top of that, the boss had appeared today—right in front of the Fifty-First Shaft, swallowing it whole the instant it emerged.
Because of that, the prepared defense force had been swallowed along with the safety zone, and the entire party had been caught off guard.
Thanks to the Death Worm’s early appearance, it had already devoured the Fifty-Second Shaft as well.
This forced every D-grade labyrinth hunter to assemble the largest force in history.
The Yoon-in clan had already advanced to the next rank and no longer remained in the D-grade zone. The elves, along with the other upper-species still in the D-grade, had reduced to two—Mifhu clan members.
Both of them had flatly refused the call-up. The elves said they had “business to investigate,” while the Mifhu claimed the situation “wouldn’t be interesting.”
With no other choice, the mid-tier species Bruton Dragon had been selected as the party commander.
“Everyone, calm down.”
Even as the commander, Bruton Dragon still radiated dignity and skill, so several party members looked at him with respect.
Yet he was also feeling intense pressure. His sturdy antennae twitched nervously as he stood before the Fifty-Third Shaft.
‘The ground is trembling.’
Bruton Dragon was just as uneasy as everyone else, for he knew the power of upper-species better than anyone.
Even though he was one of the strongest hunters in the First Shaft, the gap between upper-species and the other tiers was simply too vast.
As a proud Coleon species, he raised his hand and roared with resolve.
“Let’s defeat this Death Worm right here and now——!!!”
“Defeat it——!!!”
“Kill it——!!!”
“Crush this monster to pieces——!!!”
The roar echoed through the assembled hunters, and although fear still lingered in their hearts, it was gradually being burned away.
Then Bruton Dragon’s gaze fell on one species among them.
A group of black-haired hunters with smooth, pale skin stood out—no special traits, nothing remarkable. One of them raised a hand and shouted.
“Gazaaa——!!!”
“Ji, Ji Yu-chan……”
“S-Shame on you, be quiet.”
Bruton Dragon glared at the slightly more handsome pair shouting beside him with a competitive edge, but they were still too loud.
Though a bit grotesque, he tilted his head as he watched them.
“……?”
They were extremely rare species, but he was not ignorant of their names.
Humans—the lowest of the lower-species—had even been recorded as having gone extinct in the Black Gate era.
Now they had reappeared, and here they were again in this zone.
Bruton Dragon found it surprising, but as a warrior species he respected their spirit.
Gathered here were only the aggressive mid-tier and lower-species, yet three human hunters had even joined the fray. It was almost absurd.
‘As long as even the inferior humans show such courage, I must fight with even greater resolve.’
He clenched his fists tighter and, to fight with more passion, called up one of his party members to the temporary stage.
Sokseorum, a Coleon species with a brilliant mind—another beetle-like insect.
The moment Sokseorum stepped onto the stage, the briefing began. Everyone fell silent.
“The Death Worm normally lives deep underground, devouring the labyrinth’s mana. The moment it surfaces, it keeps draining mana until it withers and shrivels up. Its main tactic is to force it to emerge by sealing the underground entrance.”
Everyone groaned in dismay. There was no way to lure it out of the ground, and if it did emerge, they had no way to stop it from returning underground.
“Direct combat is another option, but the Death Worm’s shell is harder than even our Coleon exoskeleton. Mana-based damage deals less than half the normal damage.”
“Therefore, you must strike when its mouth is open.”
“If the timing is off……”
“……it could swallow you whole.”
“No, the chance of being eaten is actually higher.”
How many here could outrun the monster faster than it could swallow them? None of the species could survive being eaten and then endure the acid anyway.
Even Bruton Dragon, a dragonfly-like insect, couldn’t.
The party members voiced their dissatisfaction, yet no one gave up hope—there were still tactics.
Just then, the mood darkened. The three human hunters began whispering among themselves.
“Hmm, everyone looks so worried.”
“Not a single impressive species here. The dragonfly one is decent at least, and that beetle too.”
Hana Rin and Ji Yu-chan were speaking exactly like that. In fact, it was true.
Although their sound-blocking barriers kept the voices in, many other species were staring at Do-hyun’s party with open curiosity.
‘Do those humans even have any fear? A lower-species has appeared here? So many comments like that.’
Yet Hana Rin and Ji Yu-chan completely ignored them.
Do-hyun, like them, scanned the surroundings and gained quite a few AP points.
He spent every single one copying two skills.
[800 AP consumed to acquire 『Bruton Dragon』’s skill “Exoskeleton [B]”.]
[800 AP consumed to acquire 『Bruton Dragon』’s skill “Horn Rush [B]”.]
[The skill exceeds your current stats.]
[Stats will rise slightly above original.]
[Permanent +5 Health acquired.]
[Permanent +3 Strength and Agility acquired.]
[You cannot use the acquired skill at its original power.]
The process didn’t end there.
With so many upper-skills clustered in one mid-tier zone, the training levels of Do-hyun’s main skills had also risen.
[Analyzing and leveling upper-skills simultaneously. Skill “Insight [D]”, “Rush [D]”, “Counterstrike [D]”, “Mana Manipulation [D]” each gain +1.]
[Skill “Insight [D]”, “Rush [D]”, “Mana Manipulation [D]” are now maxed.]
[Grade has risen.]
[Insight [D] ▶ Insight [C]]
[Rush [D] ▶ Rush [C]]
[Counterstrike [D] ▶ Counterstrike [C]]
[Mana Manipulation [D] ▶ Mana Manipulation [C]]
[Grade increase grants permanent +2 Strength, Agility, and Mana.]
Do-hyun couldn’t help but smile at the sudden surge of power.
‘If things keep going like this, I really will become a true omnipotent character.’
He put the joy aside for a moment and quietly listened to the briefing delivered by the beetle-like hunters.
Analysis was automatic, but he still paid close attention. Hana Rin and Ji Yu-chan were doing the same.
Among the gathered parties, Bruton’s was the strongest. Three others followed.
Every other party was also keeping an eye on Do-hyun’s group.
Although Bruton wasn’t slow, he was secretly stunned by the sight of Do-hyun’s party.
‘That human party is no ordinary sight. Their mana control is remarkably steady.’
‘Even our species mages struggle with this level of control…….’
‘Impressive. Even among lower-species humans, such a party exists.’
‘I heard that as you climb higher, certain human parties start to stand out…….’
Do-hyun glanced at them in return and gave them the opposite evaluation.
‘They’re missing one skill at least.’
He felt a faint tremor and spoke softly, still thinking Bruton was the strongest in ability.
“Here it comes.”
The instant the words left his mouth, Hana Rin and Ji Yu-chan tensed up. A blood-curdling roar echoed from afar.
“Kiiiiiiii——!!!”
The machine-like cry sent every hunter’s nerves into overdrive.