Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: The True Blunt Technique
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Chapter 163
Chapter 163
'This is Blunt Technique...?'
Honestly, up until now, Jeong-hyeon hadn't felt much need for the Blunt Technique trait, even though he'd been using the mace as his main weapon.
The Throwing Skill trait already packed a punch on its own, and with his existing traits, he could wield the mace at a high level anyway.
But swinging the mace with an A-Rank Blunt Technique trait made it click.
This was a mace.
This was a blunt weapon!
Thud- Thud- Thud-
Just moments ago, the mace had been repeatedly blocked by Ashurek's claymore, but now it struck cleanly and unerringly into the lizardman's body every time.
No matter how tough its skin was, the mace was a weapon made to kill enemies from the start.
And with the addition of Jeong-hyeon's strength—now on par with Ashurek's through raw power alone, boosted by his new traits—there was no need to say more.
Blunt Technique found the most lethal ways to hit Ashurek's weak points, while Projection and Strength Enhancement made full use of them in the attacks!
No matter how hardened and tough Ashurek's scales were from the power of nature, they tore like flimsy cloth before this combination and spat out blood.
'Should I just live in this gate from now on?'
It had come to the point where even such a thought crossed Jeong-hyeon's mind.
It wasn't just because of the overwhelming strength he felt right now.
'How the hell am I supposed to endure an S-Rank Adaptation Pain!'
The Adaptation Pain issue, which had been the condition for this unlock, still remained.
He'd have to go through it all at once the moment he left the gate.
The system had screwed up the difficulty adjustment, so why was the Adaptation Pain unchanged?
He'd bought the trait while holding back tears, knowing he had to survive somehow.
That was also why he'd held back from buying anything else, leaving just 10 coins behind.
The thought of enduring Adaptation Pains from two A-Rank traits and one S-Rank trait all at once was unbearable.
His other traits were so strong that even the C-Rank Toughness trait barely registered as a concern!
While Jeong-hyeon leisurely pondered such things, Ashurek had no idea why his opponent had suddenly grown so strong and could only take the beating.
Just when it seemed the one-sided pummeling—though somewhat uneasy—would continue forever.
"Kkiiiii...!"
Ashurek let out a pitiful wail, unlike his initial ferocity.
Unworthy of his title as Warrior Chief, he'd lost even the will to resist. The claymore he'd seemed glued to slipped from his hand and rolled across the clearing.
Of course, by now he was too battered to even care about the claymore.
Without the regenerative power from nature's force, he'd have been a corpse rolling around with no surprise.
Even that seemed to have run its course now.
"Huu..."
Only then did Jeong-hyeon, finally with time to look around, take a deep breath.
But even in his exhausted state, he had no intention of relaxing while leaving Ashurek alive.
"You wait right here."
"Kie..."
Ashurek, barely able to stand on two legs without collapsing, painfully followed Jeong-hyeon with his eyes.
He ran to where Ashurek had thrown the pickaxe earlier and retrieved it.
Then he returned to the lizardman.
Thud-
Jeong-hyeon planted the mace into the swampy ground and gripped the pickaxe with both hands.
Realizing his fate at the sight, Ashurek bowed his head.
"I should finish it with the weapon I started with."
Thank goodness he'd asked Yeon-hee to bring the mace before the fight began; when he'd lost the pickaxe, he'd thought he was done for.
To repay that humiliation, Jeong-hyeon intended to end Ashurek with the pickaxe.
And like most final moments, Ashurek's end was nowhere near as grand as his entrance.
The murderous glint in his eyes, which hadn't faded until his last breath, was now almost gone.
Thud-
With the last of nature's power vanished.
Ashurek knelt pathetically.
Jeong-hyeon watched calmly, then swung the pickaxe at the lizardman's head.
Splatter-
The fully enhanced pickaxe pierced the weakened Ashurek's skull like paper.
That was the end.
[You have acquired 1 coin.]
The Lizardman Warrior Chief, who had exuded such a terrifying presence, was now worth just 1 coin.
[Sudden Coin Quest 'Blood Revenge' cleared.
Rewards will be distributed.]
To be precise, including the sudden quest, it was 8 coins.
"Uwaaaah!"
Thud-
Confirming Ashurek's death from the two consecutive messages, Jeong-hyeon shouted and collapsed backward.
The swamp's sticky, unpleasant mud caught his body, but it didn't matter now.
He turned his head with effort to survey the surroundings, and his neglected party members came into view one by one.
The first he checked was the healer, Yun-ho.
He hadn't looked good since the Lizardman Warrior Chief appeared, and after seeing nature's power, he'd been completely out of it.
With Su-chan and Yeon-hee seriously injured saving Ji-hee, his role was crucial now.
'At least he's come to his senses.'
Fortunately, he was already treating the two.
The environment meant worrying about contamination or infection, but at least no one would die.
Yun-ho was a B-Rank healing trait holder who caused a stir outside, after all.
Meanwhile, Ji-hee, who had suddenly unleashed unexpected power.
"...Ji-hee?"
She was slumped where she'd raised the pillar of fire.
Worried she might have Mana Burn—like mages who overused mana to their limits—Jeong-hyeon urgently called out.
Mana Burn varied in severity, but in bad cases, it could prevent casting magic ever again.
He tried to get up for a closer look, but with his body drained, he couldn't manage.
"..."
"Huu..."
Fortunately, Ji-hee responded properly to his call, lifting her head.
Her face was unnaturally pale, and her body trembled slightly, but that was normal for now.
Her expression said it all without words.
'The stabilizer must have worn off.'
She'd taken the third pill just before, but the duration varied by trait power.
The effect, lasting up to 6 hours, ending so quickly was surprising, but understandable given her firepower.
For a moment, she'd bound Ashurek, who wielded the absurd cheat ability of nature's power.
If not for her, Jeong-hyeon would have died without properly using his difficulty adjustment or trait unlocks.
Having confirmed the party's safety despite the dangers, a system window announced the Mission Gate clear before Jeong-hyeon's eyes.
'This damn system window. The more I see it, the more I hate it.'
But somehow, his eyes narrowed as if displeased.
One thing was clear from this raid.
Jeong-hyeon had thought he just had terrible luck, but his EX-Rank trait was actually increasing the difficulty.
Whether this applied to normal gates or only Mission Gates needed checking, but he'd been wronged, so even good news like a clear couldn't please him.
[You have cleared the mission of the 5-level Gate 'Lizardman Sanctuary.']
[「Trait Shop」 Mission Gate clear reward granted.
Reward: 15 coins]
The clear reward was 5 coins more than 'Merrillium Mine's Gems'.
'But thinking 5 coins will appease me is a mistake.'
Of course, it wasn't enough to sway Jeong-hyeon.
Who would compare this gate to something like Merrillium Mine?
Unlike the Grand Mantis gate, where he'd struggled a bit but otherwise toured leisurely.
But it didn't end there.
As he tried to dismiss the unwelcome window and rest more, another appeared.
[System difficulty adjustment failure coin reward bonus applied.
Additional Reward: 10 coins]
'...I knew it!'
25 coins was too much to stay mad.
'There were 44 coins in the shop earlier, plus 8 from before, and now 25 more... Oh my god!'
It was practically coin duplication.
One Mission Gate raid netting over 70 coins!
70 coins matched the amount needed to upgrade the 「Trait Shop」 from level 3 to 4.
Even immediately, it was 1/10th of the coins for level 6.
'You adjusted the difficulty, fine, but giving extras like this?'
Jeong-hyeon's view of the system flipped instantly, as the saying goes about the difference between 'ah' and 'eo'.
From a vile system dumping its mistakes on hunters,
to a gracious one correcting errors and compensating generously.
Whoosh-
Anyway, with everything claimed.
Feeling strength return, Jeong-hyeon stood up.
It was always like this after clearing a gate.
Exhausted to death, but the raid only truly ended after exiting.
Injured or not, they couldn't wait for full recovery here.
"Everyone, good work. I know you're tired, but let's head out now."
"Ugh... Got it."
At Jeong-hyeon's words, Su-chan groaned in pain but nodded.
His arm broken protecting Ji-hee was routine for a tank.
Painful but familiar.
The concern was Yeon-hee.
"How's Yeon-hee?"
"The bleeding's stopped for now, but she's still unconscious. ...I'm truly sorry, Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon."
Yun-ho, still healing beside the supine Yeon-hee, bowed his head in shame.
No position could relax during hunts or raids, especially healers.
Protected at the rear, a healer's mental collapse could crumble even winnable fights.
The hunter saying—first mentality, second level, third rank for healers—captured that perfectly.
Having blanked out mid-fight and failed emergency aid, Yun-ho couldn't face Jeong-hyeon.
"...We'll talk about that outside. No threat to her life, right?"
"Yes. Fortunately..."
"Ji-hee, can you move a bit?"
Jeong-hyeon cut him off, turning to Ji-hee.
It wasn't a conversation to finish anyway.
Ji-hee looked up in slight surprise, then nodded and stood.
Light movement helped recovery if no major issues.
"Rest more if it's hard. Nothing left to do anyway."
"I'm fine..."
Worried she might force herself due to others' eyes, but she stood easily.
Confirming Ji-hee following, Jeong-hyeon slowly walked toward the sanctuary.
To exit, they needed the gate that appeared on clear.
Likely in the sanctuary they'd entered from.
Plus, the artifact symbolic of Mission Gate rewards remained.
'Well... I kinda know what it is.'