Chapter 184
Chapter 184
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 184
Chapter Title: Return to the Centaur Plains
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The "Centaur Plains" once again.
Last time, they hadn't been able to venture far from the entrance because Ye-rin had immediately launched a preemptive strike against Kim Du-yeol's gang the moment they entered the gate. But this time was different.
They could properly walk across the vast expanse of grassland.
Even though no one knew when a herd of centaurs might appear, strolling through the grassy plains with the gentle breeze was a fairly pleasant experience.
But Jeong-hyeon felt none of that pleasure.
The reason was obvious: Ye-rin.
"How is the artifact a pickaxe?"
"What's wrong with it being a pickaxe!"
"I'm just surprised, that's all. Just surprised."
He thought he'd endured all the embarrassment from the pickaxe already, but who could have imagined a massive mountain named Ye-rin still loomed ahead.
Ye-rin's teasing had started the moment she first saw Jeong-hyeon with the pickaxe slung over his shoulder, and it had been going on for over ten minutes now.
If she were openly mocking him, he could at least get angry, but she kept slyly slipping in references to the pickaxe, making it hard for him to snap back without looking petty.
'Centaurs, just show your faces already. I'll take it out on you.'
In the end, all Jeong-hyeon could do was hope the centaurs—his righteous outlet for frustration—would appear as soon as possible.
Who knows.
Maybe if he showed off the pickaxe's amazing power, even Ye-rin would change her mind and acknowledge it.
As he swallowed his anger, Jeong-hyeon suddenly realized the situation was a bit odd.
'When did I become the pickaxe's spokesperson?'
Jeong-hyeon had always been the one badmouthing the pickaxe, never defending it. Yet now he was advocating for it harder than anyone.
This must be what they mean by "If you're gonna diss it, I'll diss it harder."
Anyway, they'd been walking the plains for quite a while, but not a single centaur had shown up yet.
"But are centaurs usually this hard to encounter?"
Won-ho asked, gripping the handle of his axe tightly with a tense expression ever since entering the gate.
"Centaurs have such a wide roaming range. It varies each time, but yeah, sometimes it's like this."
Ye-rin answered in a completely serious tone, utterly different from when she was teasing Jeong-hyeon.
'She's not like this only with me, right?'
It was natural for Jeong-hyeon to wonder, seeing that.
The way she treated the two of them was 180 degrees apart.
"But didn't you say that pickaxe was from Vice Guild? I thought they'd like it."
"Ah, they said they have separate tools for mining, so no thanks—are you teasing me?"
"Pfft."
Tremble-
He'd been lost in thought for a moment, and her voice had sounded genuinely serious, so Jeong-hyeon had answered properly. But midway through, something felt off.
When he paused to ask, it was exactly as he suspected.
Seeing Ye-rin's smirk, Jeong-hyeon's hands trembled with rage.
He'd been tricked again!
'I swear, never again with this woman in a gate—or dealing with her at all!'
He was furious, but what could he do?
The more he got angry, the deeper he fell into her trap.
And right then, his senses picked up an anomaly.
"Centaurs approaching!"
They were still far away, so he couldn't pinpoint the direction or distance, but vibrations were transmitting through the plains' ground.
They said in ancient wars, cavalry demoralized infantry not just with destructive power but with their mere momentum. It seemed true.
Vibrations reaching even Jeong-hyeon's senses from an indeterminable distance.
What would it be like when they got close?
"Battle formation!"
Ye-rin immediately issued the order upon hearing Jeong-hyeon's warning.
Ji-hee and Yun-ji clustered together, while the vanguard members spread out at intervals.
Jeong-hyeon, however, took position in the center where he could protect Ji-hee and Yun-ji.
Thanks to his ability to handle both close and mid-range combat.
In effect, this formation countered the centaurs' encirclement.
A dense charge like traditional cavalry would make their spread-out formation suicidal, but against an encirclement, expanding their own territory to dilute the enemy's density was better.
Plus, considering their overpowered party that far exceeded a typical level 6 gate group, this was the superior choice.
Thud thud thud-
The hunters, including Jeong-hyeon, formed up quickly, but the centaurs were just as fast.
By the time hoofbeats faintly joined the vibrations, Jeong-hyeon shared more detailed info.
"Direction: 2 o'clock! Number: estimated 20!"
The B-rank synergy mixed with A-rank traits was incredible.
The system had said his Combat Sense trait now detected invisible threats, and apparently this included approaching enemies.
With his even stronger Thought Acceleration, time slowed for Jeong-hyeon.
In his mind, info on the approaching centaur herd updated like a minimap in a strategy sim game.
His detection had always been unmatched, but now he was practically a human radar.
"Enemy distance: 500m! Crossing the hill—now!"
No sooner had Jeong-hyeon's briefing ended than centaurs began appearing atop the low hill directly ahead.
"Kiyoooo!"
Though half-human, half-horse, the centaurs charging with bizarre war cries looked a bit different from imagination.
First, their lower bodies were far larger than normal horses.
Not quite double, but their massively swollen muscles bulged under tough hide, suggesting that much volume.
Their muscular upper bodies, too, were covered in thick fur like apes or primitives, far from modern humans.
'Less Greek-Roman myth, more Planet of the Apes.'
That was Jeong-hyeon's first impression of the centaurs.
Of course, whether they looked that way or not, they were still threats.
So they needed to hit them hard before full combat began.
As a few crested the hilltop, Ye-rin shouted sharply.
"Wall up!"
"Yes!"
Ji-hee unleashed her prepared spell simultaneously.
Whoosh-
A scorching wall of flames erupted along the hill's ridge, hot enough to feel from afar.
"Hiiing!"
The leaders passed through, but the followers startled at the sudden obstacle.
Not a physical barrier, so passable—but at the cost of damage.
Even the leaders glancing back lost momentum, on top of those who passed through.
A measure to slow their greatest asset: speed.
"Kiyoooo!"
But when the lead centaur bellowed again, they accelerated through the flame wall.
Still fast, though not as initial.
Screaming their cries, the centaurs split around the hunters' widely spread frontlines.
Ye-rin's warned encirclement began.
Next move: Jeong-hyeon's.
"Interception incoming!"
Prepped daggers.
He hurled two each toward left and right.
Hitting fast-moving centaurs with daggers wasn't easy, but golem cores could adjust trajectories.
Swoosh-
"Kihyung!"
The daggers curved exquisitely, embedding precisely in temples or necks of flankers.
All vital spots: instant kills, or collapsing to be trampled by followers.
In seconds, four gone from twenty.
They'd planned two rings of ten each, but now a huge hole in their forces.
Still, this was a level 6 gate.
Centaurs didn't just take it lying down.
Twang-
"Arrows incoming!"
Those who'd circled behind started shooting at the party.
Short bows suited their build, but renowned for elasticity—highly threatening.
Some archer hunters even used centaur bows as-is.
Whoosh-
Jeong-hyeon yanked Ji-hee's arm, who hadn't reacted in time.
Crack-
Two arrows slammed into the ground where she'd stood.
They'd instinctively targeted their blocker.
"Get low! Yun-ji too!"
On open plains without cover, only way to dodge stray arrows: crouch.
Confirming Ji-hee and Yun-ji ducked, Jeong-hyeon threw more daggers.
All at archer centaurs.
As numbers thinned and encirclement loosened, hunters pressed.
"Advancing!"
Ye-rin on left flank leaped forward.
"Kiyoo!"
The centaur there thrust its spear.
Normally two-plus would coordinate, but Ye-rin targeted a gap widened abnormally by Jeong-hyeon's throws.
Even one couldn't fully blunt her charge—not mere momentum.
Thud-
"Kihee-"
Dodging the spear artfully, she leaped and kicked its lower flank.
- To encircle, they inevitably expose sides. Good for us.
Her pre-briefed strategy.
'Still, that kick sound is overkill...'
It sounded less like a kick than a drum bursting; Jeong-hyeon shook his head.
The centaur matched the horrific noise with massive shock, wailing pitifully as it toppled sideways.
A human rider might shield better, but centaurs' forward-leaning upper body left flanks vulnerable.
No matter agility or spear range, no blocking an A-rank Martial Arts hunter at that speed.
Hence thinning numbers pre-encirclement.
With front/back cover, even Ye-rin couldn't strike flank easily.
"Hah!"
Her rampage didn't end.
Slipping encirclement's edge, she now attacked inward.
Neutralizing two more with pure kicks showed her skill beyond rank and level.
Whoosh-
Seizing the gap, Ji-hee—who'd ducked arrows—began attacking.
Unlike Lizardman Sanctuary's fireballs, sharp spear-like flames now.
Penetration plus power.
Three spears flew, piercing centaur chests before embedding far off.
'What are these people?'
Nearly half of twenty gone in moments.
Jeong-hyeon's daggers took most, but Ye-rin and Ji-hee exceeded imagination.
Unfamiliar to Jeong-hyeon, used to soloing insane gates.
Meanwhile.
"Kyao! Kyao!"
'That guy's still doing that.'
Soul slightly advanced from position, stabbing at approaching centaurs wildly.
Same unique grunts from before, berserker vibe suggesting Berserker trait.
Mystery how such a meek guy goes feral in battle.
Clang- Clang-
'Won-ho... bro's holding too.'
Won-ho expressionless but steadily axing a centaur at his post.
Dwarfed like a child by its size, yet Strength Enhancement held firm.
Overwhelming the infamous level 6 monster, not pushed.
Jeong-hyeon's four kills pivotal, but party stellar.
'Maybe this party's... a dream team?'
Always wanting passenger seat but forced to drive, Jeong-hyeon.
By the time all twenty centaurs lay fallen, bliss lit his face.
And he had another reason this hunt was pure joy.
'Centaur leg tendons: 500 million per 10m! Centaur blood: 800 million per 5L!'
Not just hunt fees—byproducts fetched top dollar. A golden goose.
Three days since Ye-rin's call.
Jeong-hyeon had researched centaurs thoroughly, including lucrative drops.
'Haven't grabbed byproducts lately—time to cash in big!'
Feeling back at "work," he buzzed with excitement.