Chapter 21
Chapter 21
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Battle with the Twin-Headed Ogre
-----------------------------------------------------------------
My tattered clothes were bothering me, so I ripped off the sleeves. The stretchy fabric prevented any mishap of ending up naked, but it had torn in places from the previous battle, and the remaining parts were stretched taut to fit my enlarged body.
I hadn't cared much when traveling alone or with Sanghun, but now that I was partying with a woman, wandering around half-naked felt awkward.
That said, wearing regular armor wouldn't help with my stat growth. Most armors were inferior to my body in performance anyway, pointless, and required repairs if damaged—unlike my self-regenerating body, which offered unmatched cost-performance.
Another issue was my weight. As my energy reserves increased, so did my body weight. It was useful in combat but hindered movement otherwise.
I knew the perfect item for my situation, so after clearing this gate, I'd seek out the famous craftsman from my past life.
"But no ogres in sight. At this rate, it's going to take too long...."
Bad luck. After walking and chatting with Nayeong for 30 minutes, not a single ogre appeared.
"I'm sorry. It's because I'm slow."
I'd said it casually, but Nayeong apologized.
Truth be told, she wasn't slow. She had typical ranged hunter stats and kept up effortlessly without complaint. It was just that I usually zipped through gates like lightning, making her pace feel slow by comparison.
"No, it's my impatient nature. So... mind if I carry you and run?"
"Me?!"
Nayeong jumped in surprise.
"At this pace in a gate this size, we'll have to camp here. It could take a day or two."
Old gates had somewhat mapped layouts, but most were based on hunters' vague memories like "about this big," so they were often inaccurate. This gate was considerably larger than the info from the Awakener Management Bureau suggested.
Monster distribution and numbers were random too, so clear times varied each reset. That's why hunters always prepared thoroughly before entering.
If another party entered and hunted, it might speed things up, but that was pure luck.
"I'm heavy, though...."
Nayeong's face flushed. At around 170 cm, she wasn't short, and she looked slim—no way she was heavy. Women always thought they were.
"I'm strong. You saw me take down that ogre, right? Your call, Nayeong. Camp or let me carry you."
"Then I'll trouble you. But put me down if I get too heavy. I'll walk faster."
She hesitated, face turning bright red, then replied.
"No worries."
There was already a height difference, but in my gigantified state, it looked like I was carrying a child.
The plates on my protective suit at chest level kept her body from directly touching my torso, but the softness against my arms distracted me briefly.
"Ahem... Here we go."
"Yes."
I started slow, gradually accelerating to full speed. With agility over 30, my pace rivaled a car.
"Eek!"
Hitting over 100 km/h made Nayeong scream in shock. I slowed down and checked.
"You okay?"
"Yes.... Just startled. I'm fine. You can go fast again."
With permission, I sprinted at full throttle once more.
Cars had windshields; motorcycles had helmets. Facing 100 km/h barefaced without cover was indescribably terrifying.
No vibrations made it bad enough, but my running added up-and-down jolts, doubling the fear.
Still, it was necessary for fast hunting.
Nayeong squeezed into my arms, eyes squeezed shut.
"Found one."
My heightened senses and vision spotted an ogre hundreds of meters away.
No response from Nayeong—whether she heard or not. I set her down behind a rock out of the ogre's sight and checked her face: pale as a ghost.
Her heart pounding, she gasped for breath. I gently patted her back.
"Okay? Gonna puke?"
"....I'm fine. Just need a moment to rest."
I let her recover and pulled portable rations from my bag to eat. Offered some to her, but she shook her head, stomach unsettled.
After about five minutes' rest, color returned to her face.
"Alright, same as before."
Nayeong nodded.
We approached within the ogre's range together and cast the curse. Blinded, it flailed about, letting me flank it.
I kicked its knee to unbalance it, then hammered its head as it dropped perfectly into position.
Boom!
A thunderous impact, but it swung its arm weakly, searching blindly. The damage from my gigantified fist had weakened it, making its attacks feeble and off-target.
I punched its incoming arm away from my torso, exposing its face for a barrage of fists. It collapsed.
Getting the hang of it made this easier than before.
After that, it was carry, run, drop, curse, kill—repeat. No time for chit-chat at this speed.
[Level up.]
Hunting higher-grade monsters leveled me nicely.
After hours of this, planning one more kill then a longer break, three ogres charged from afar. But four heads total—the middle one was a Twin-Head Ogre. Rare in D-Rank Gates, classified as C-Rank, a life-or-death foe for D-Rank parties.
I snapped the neck of the one I held and leaped into line with the Twin-Head and Nayeong's firing lane.
"Nayeong, don't release the curse! Dropping it now would be worse!"
She nodded.
The two single-headed ogres in curse range hesitated, but the Twin-Head approached straight at us, eyes half-lidded. Strong monster—despite her high skill level, Nayeong's low level and intelligence meant her curse was still weak.
Up close, the Twin-Head towered a meter taller, bulkier, looking like a different species.
It stood before me, club bigger than my height slung over its shoulder. It scowled, snorted derisively, gripped the club two-handed, and smashed down.
Obvious path, but the speed was insane—cold sweat beaded my forehead even dodging.
Bigger bulk, yet faster than regulars.
I evaded the falling club and punched its side. Shock rippled through its hide like waves, but it swung relentlessly as if tickled.
Its swings accelerated; mine matched.
Curse-affected, eyes half-shut, face full of irritation. Occasional misses confirmed poor vision.
Hit-and-run stalemate dragged on.
I'd take hits to land blows if needed, but the grade gap was too wide. One stun from that club, and Nayeong dies; I might too. Dodged desperately.
"Guerrgh! Graaak! Two ga! Pruuudraa~!"
The right head gibbered nonsense; the two minions turned toward Nayeong.
It had directed them. She'd be in danger soon.
Dodging its club, I spun like a wheel, snatched a rock, and hurled it seamlessly.
Strength over 50, agility nearly 40—gigantified higher. Past-life technique made the rock fly like tank fire, smashing a minion's head.
"Graaah!"
Left head roared in fury. Earsplitting, body froze momentarily.
Like a Lion's Roar skill.
Frozen, I ate the full club swing.
Ribs cracked; I flew.
Mid-air, I twisted for balance, rolled on landing, grabbed a rock, sprang up, and flung at the last minion.
Thud!
Its head exploded, collapsing.
Twin-Head closed in after blasting me. As I threw, it clubbed my shoulder.
Focused on the throw, no dodge—bones snapped with a gruesome crack.
Shocks that'd instant-kill most hunters twice over dazed me.
Tough Body skill prevented fatalities. Enduring pain, I burrowed inside its reach.
If one hit fails, ten, hundred—punches and kicks flew.
Barely breathing, dodging club, I obsessively targeted sternum, knees, sides. Regenerating mid-fight, my bones knit; it tired, damage accumulating.
Club useless up close, it discarded it, reaching to grab me.
Duck low, mount its back, choke both necks with my arms.
Solo, I'd drag to endurance war—but Nayeong's mana worried me. Curse drop could reverse momentum.
Strangling, it pounded my head, flailed wildly.
Head back to evade fists, I squeezed with all might. Arms ballooned.
It leaped back, slamming down to crush me—breath caught on impact.
Now, who blacks out first.
[Strength increased by 3.]
Desperation spiked strength; new power surged forearms.
"Guh...."
Its arms weakened, hands clawing air before flopping limp.
[Level up.]
Level up, and gate-clear light enveloped the sky.