Chapter 518
Chapter 518
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 518
Chapter Title: New Skill
-----------------------------------------------------------------
〈 Chapter 518 〉 New Skill
New Skill
"Swift Wind."
Swift Wind
Body lightens. Reaction speed temporarily enhanced.
The wind from Miryung's spell settled into my body. I felt my body lighten and my reaction speed temporarily heighten.
I dashed through the field of yellow flowers. My feet mercilessly trampled the pretty blooms, and the crushed flowers spewed out yellowish poison gas.
"Purifying Sky."
Purifying Sky
Poison gas cleansed. Immunity to further toxins granted.
Miryung cast another spell.
The poison gas clinging to my body was purified and vanished, and the other gases could no longer invade me.
Now safe, I reveled in my lightened body as I flew toward the massive yellow flower at the center of the flower field. It was a monster called the Flower Gas Cluster. Its calyx tilted toward me.
At the flower's core were grotesque sharp teeth and a mass of yellowish mucus.
Snap! Clack clack!
It chomped its teeth as if savoring its meal.
'Thunderbolt.'
To kill it more surely, I ignited crimson lightning along my blade and swung.
The monster's body tore apart. That alone was a fatal wound. But I didn't stop attacking. Plant-type monsters that feel no pain could move calmly right up until the brink of death even after sustaining fatal damage.
'This one was a piece of cake too.'
I collected the magic stone and petals from the ground and approached Miryung.
"Miryung. Your support was top-notch."
"Support? What's with the sudden nonsense?"
Miryung glared at me sharply.
Her spells had provided perfect assistance. Plant-type monsters each had unique traits, requiring various preparations for safe hunting. But with Miryung's spells, I could skip all that and charge straight at the enemy without a second thought.
Her support using spells was downright impressive.
"Where's the next monster?"
"South. Five minutes on foot."
She calmly stated the monster's location. She'd set up a barrier around here, she said. One that grasped the situation within a certain range. She called it simple, but to me, it was an incredible barrier.
"Let's go right now. My hands are itching."
In a typical open dungeon, it took an average of thirty minutes to find the next monster after finishing one fight. Thirty minutes was plenty of time for the battle excitement to fade. But right now, that thrill was holding steady.
"......"
Miryung stopped walking. She furrowed her brow, displeased by something.
"What is it?"
"Those guys are moving."
My excited body cooled like I'd been doused with cold water.
"......The Cool Raiders or whatever? How are they moving?"
"Looks like they had another teammate here. Total of ten. They're splitting into pairs to search for us."
"Which way are they?"
"You gonna run?"
I pondered briefly. If we bolted at full speed back to reality now, they wouldn't find us. I could avoid the fight by swallowing my pride.
"No."
But fleeing in fear from those scum? My pride wouldn't allow it. And they'd set out to kill me. They might pull this crap again later.
"They think this dungeon is their backyard. Time to teach them it could be their graveyard."
"Heh."
Miryung's eyes curved. Her pink lips formed a smile.
"I almost would've been disappointed if you said we were running. I've got a plan. Wanna hear it?"
"Fox cunning. I'm intrigued."
Miryung's plan was simple.
Dig a trap and pick them off one by one.
???
Miryung and I deliberately left traces behind.
The guys who found them came chasing after us in delight. Fish with the bait in their mouths.
We left them alone for now. They weren't hooked on the line yet.
We monitored their movements via hidden cameras and bugs.
"Found them. Man and woman's footprints."
One of two men spoke into his radio.
-Those damn bastards' footprints for sure?
"You think there are other idiots leisurely dating in this dungeon?"
-Fair enough. Where? We're heading there.
"Southwest from where we gathered earlier. About 600 meters. Hurry, Kim Ji-oh. They might notice our tracking and bolt."
-There in five. Heh heh heh. Gonna kill that smug prick everyone hypes up, then fuck the girl. Damn, I'm getting excited already.
"Kim Ji-oh. We have to kill the girl too."
-Too much of a waste to kill her here.
"......What if she reports us?"
-Just lock her up somewhere and keep her as a pet. You won't say kill her once you see her either.
"......That good?"
-First girl like that in my life. Seen a few beauties that level, but... she's special. We have to catch her.
"......Got it. Hurry up."
After the call, he stood guard with his buddy.
I glanced at Miryung beside me.
"What?"
"Did you do something to that Kim Ji-oh guy earlier? He's got an unhealthy obsession."
"Just eye contact for a second. That's enough to enchant him. Pathetic level."
"......"
Come to think of it, foxkin didn't just drain essence—they could enchant too.
"I'm not enchanted, right?"
"It's passive normally. Locks eyes and boom, enchanted. Never used it on you intentionally."
I stared straight into Miryung's eyes. Pretty eyes. But that was it. No sense of falling for her.
Five minutes passed.
All ten gathered.
"Shall we start?"
Miryung shook a tree branch and asked.
"Start."
Miryung stabbed the branch into the ground. That activated the formation array she'd prepared over twenty minutes in this area.
'Used up every magic stone we got so far to set this up. Spent today's earnings, so gonna wipe them all out here.'
Great Eight Wheel Formation. It twisted external and internal space, making enemies who entered endlessly wander. A formation, but also a kind of barrier.
"Great Eight Wheel lasts only an hour. Not enough materials to hold it longer."
The sweaty girl sighed. She'd tired herself rushing the setup.
"One hour's plenty."
I stood with sword in hand. My gaze went to the tablet. The moment the formation activated, they scattered alone.
'Start with this bastard.'
???
I approached Kim Ji-oh, who was bristling like a lost cat dumped in unfamiliar territory.
Spotting me, Kim Ji-oh recoiled in horror and pointed his sword.
"Sung Yu-jin! It was you after all.... Damn it. What's with that look?!"
"My look?"
I looked down at myself.
My whole body was drenched in blood.
I'd deliberately saved Kim Ji-oh for last. Meaning his nine buddies all died to my sword.
'Easier than expected.'
Even same C-rank Hunters, one-on-one I had the edge. My honed skills and experience outmatched them.
"Why the creepy stare? This is all your friends' blood. Yours'll mix in soon, so be happy."
I said that, but it felt gross. Wanted to kill Kim Ji-oh and shower immediately.
"You psycho bastard."
Kim Ji-oh cursed, sweating bullets. His sword tip shook. His comrades' deaths must've hit hard.
"You're exhausted now. Think you can beat me like that? The blood mixing in is yours, you dogshit!"
Kim Ji-oh attacked first.
Surprisingly skilled in martial arts. He stepped forward in a flash and swung.
"......Not amateur stuff—proper training. Why waste that on bandit crap?"
I blocked with my sword.
Playing it cool, but I was tired like he said. Body heavy. Legs like iron weights, arms barely movable.
So I moved minimally without thinking.
'Doesn't matter if I die. Can use Complete Recovery.'
But I didn't want to just die.
'......What is this.'
I couldn't understand myself.
Minimal movement was basically flailing. Yet Kim Ji-oh's sword couldn't pierce me. Every attack missed by a hair, a paper's thickness.
'Is this guy really C-rank? Maybe I misjudged and he's D-rank?'
Kim Ji-oh's guard opened. Shoulder exposed. Stab there and I'd win. I was sure.
'Compared to those lawless zone punks, he's nothing. Boring even.'
My sword moved smoothly. Not fast—slow even—but Kim Ji-oh couldn't block. It sank into his shoulder.
"Gaaahhh!"
"Kim Ji-oh. Bye. Thanks to you, I get it now."
I eyed the sword aura. The blue blade aura was sharper than before.
"F-Fuck...!"
Kim Ji-oh kicked at me. Blade popped from his shoe tip.
'Flash.'
I slashed his leg, then thrust into his throat.
"Should've carried bombs instead. ...Oh, legs might blow off, so can't, huh?"
Kim Ji-oh collapsed.
That wiped out all ten targeting me and Miryung.
First, I shook blood off my sword, then pulled water from inventory to wash the blood from my body.
"Ugh, why're you washing naked?"
Miryung approaching froze.
"Feels gross. And going out like this? Association staff would arrest me on sight."
"......What about the bodies? Burn 'em? Bury?"
"In this situation, feed 'em to monsters. Fastest, safest cleanup in a dungeon. Oh, not absorbing?"
"No need for these losers' essence."
Leave bodies and other Hunters might find and drag 'em out. Traces could lead back to me, so had to dispose.
Changed into fresh clothes, I sighed while cleaning up. Midway, exhaustion made me stumble; Miryung steadied my back.
"Ah. Thanks. Didn't expect this much help from you."
"Just cooperating as agreed. ......And you see how great I am now, right? Couldn't have handled them this smoothly without me."
"True."
I grinned.
Why Miryung worked so hard helping me. To prove her competence.
"Hurry and finish up. Let's head back. Pork ribs for dinner?"
"I want hanwoo."
"Hanwoo sounds good."
???
Waking up, I shuffled to the living room in boxers and tee. Past 7 PM. I'd rolled in bed with Han Ha-rin and Han A-young till dawn. Black-and-white twins were a topping that never got old.
"......Why so many boxes?"
Over twenty empty boxes stacked. Delivery stickers on them.
I'd never ordered this much.
'Miryung? Clothes and streaming cams...? What got into her.'
Told her to spend freely with my card, and she really did. Curious, I searched one: all luxury. Minimum tens of thousands won. Streaming cam over a million.
'Obsessed with something again.'
Good sign she was attached to reality.
'Wonder what she's up to.'
Stopped short of knocking on Miryung's door. Music leaked from inside.
'Blasting tunes while probably masturbating.'
Two weeks since summoning Miryung. Never caught her at it.
Expecting her startled reaction, I opened the door.
No such scene.
Upbeat music blared as Miryung danced wildly in skimpy clothes showing cleavage.
"Ahh, Cheonggyecheon Brawler-nim! Thanks for the 30k coins! Sexy dance for oppa!"
Her white fox tail swayed seductively.