Poisoned Rampage

Long story short, I won.

I don't remember the fine details of the fight.

I struck first with my evolved Shadow Stealth, and the battle began.

As expected of a layer boss, it was no pushover.

The only clear memory I have is of the red blood everywhere.

So much crimson that it turned the pristine oasis blood-red.

And naturally, all that blood was mine.

I couldn't pierce its tough carapace, but it managed to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠penetrate my scales.

I fought on a single-minded resolve: endure using the energy I'd stockpiled from training and my regeneration.

I have no idea how I actually won, but in the end, I was the one left standing.

Looking at its corpse with barely a scratch on it, it must have slowly succumbed to my poison.

Eaten away from the inside beneath that sturdy shell.

It wasn't the ending I'd imagined, but a win was a win.

Exercising my rights as the victor, I devoured it just as I'd wanted from the start.

And then...

It was the same notification I'd heard once before.

Asking if I wanted to become the layer boss.

My instincts screamed a fierce warning, just like last time.

I paused, checked my status window, then slowly shook my head.

My choice was the same as before.

Power gained without cost could vanish just as easily.

Strength obtained too simply could never truly become my own.

I'll grow strong on my own, without borrowing anyone else's power.

Reaffirming that resolve, I turned away.

I wanted to rest.

I left the oasis, now too ruined to deserve the name.

I think I heard a notification about stat or skill changes, but I'd check later.

How long had I slept?

The desert felt a bit chaotic.

Dragging my groggy body around for a look, I saw hunters scurrying about busily.

I sensed confusion from those roaming the sands.

What was going on?

After a moment's thought, it hit me.

It's because of me.

More precisely, because the layer boss vanished after fighting me.

With a couple of A-rank hunters mixed in, they were clearly a subjugation team here for the boss.

Fortunately, even those two A-rankers couldn't see through my Shadow Stealth, now grown to S-rank.

Truly fortunate.

The subjugation team moved with frantic urgency.

They were combing the entire layer to find the suddenly missing boss.

Overhearing talk of a "dungeon anomaly," the association seemed to be taking this seriously.

Dangerous.

I didn't need instincts to warn me; I knew it was bad.

If the hunters reported my existence to the association, what then?

No matter how I looked at it, I saw only a future of being hunted down.

The very thing I'd been guarding against.

Gloomy.

For a fleeting moment, I wondered about revealing I was once the porter Yu Jun-young.

Setting aside the issue of the hunters I'd killed, what if I came clean?

This time, all I could picture was being dragged to some research facility as a lab rat.

Truly gloomy.

Of course, there's no guarantee it'd end that way.

I might luck into some unforeseen best-case scenario, but I reject uncertain futures.

As I said before, I don't welcome variables that threaten me.

I'm already a monster.

I'll suffer, but I'm content with this life.

I sometimes feel lonely without someone to share warmth or talk to, but I have no regrets.

I'm a monster.

Repeating that to myself, I moved on.

I planned to hurry away before the hunters spotted me.

Destination: 36th floor.

Deeper in we go.

* * *

Was the whole 35th floor under subjugation team control?

I didn't run into ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠any other hunters while searching for the gate to the next floor.

Very fortunate for me.

If I'd clashed with any, the noise would draw the rest of the team.

Seeing them hunt even lone sandmen on sight, the association—or at least this team's leader—was treating this gravely.

Either way, it didn't matter to me anymore; I was off to the 36th floor.

Without encountering hunters or even fighting monsters, I arrived on the 36th floor smoothly.

Welcoming me, as always, was brilliant sunlight.

I basked in its impartial glow, heedless of monster or hunter, dead or alive, and slithered leisurely onward.

After my duel with my rival, my confidence had soared.

I could take on Cha Ye-ji again and win solidly now.

Not relying on her carelessness or external factors—just my own power.

I wanted to test it.

No, with the subjugation team still on 35, I couldn't stir up trouble.

Deaths in the labyrinth were common for hunters or monsters, but in this tense time, they'd notice even tiny traces.

Best to stay quiet.

Instead of rampaging, I scouted the area calmly.

Mapping monsters' habitats and hunters' hunting grounds.

With 35 under control, 36 had fewer hunters than expected.

Actually, this deep in the Desert Zone, hunters were naturally sparse.

And those few were highly skilled elites.

A sort of refined force.

Considering the Plains Zone's need for large expeditions, this was where the best small raid teams gathered.

I didn't rampage, careful not to leave traces.

I just quietly took down passing monsters to stock energy in Gluttony.

Absolutely no intent to go wild.

But the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠labyrinth wouldn't let me be.

I ended up rampaging purely by accident.

The ambush came from a higher undead monster called a Ghoul.

Rank B to A.

Mine was B-rank, with sharp claws and agile movements unlike sluggish zombies—a real threat.

First B-rank since my rival, but I was confident.

No comparison to a former layer boss.

It was just a regular monster, no matter how fierce.

I could take it down easily.

Its undead nature would resist my poison and poison magic, but I had plenty ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of other ways.

My true strength lay in raw physical prowess over poison or magic.

With my tough durability and endless regeneration, I could beat anything.

With that in mind, I dove into battle without hesitation.

It went smoothly, as expected.

Its B-rank speed and undead stamina pressured me, but its claws couldn't pierce my scales.

Aside from speed, it felt easier than other B-ranks.

Maybe because my prior B-rank was a near-endgame layer boss?

That made sense.

Soon, my tail crushed it, ending the fight.

Too easy.

Feeling my growth, I claimed my victor's right.

Zombie-types taste like rotten kimchi, so I rarely eat them, but a B-rank should aid my progress.

Good for you tastes bad, right?

Thinking that, I gulped it down.

And then I suffered.

There's this thing called Corpse Poison.

Unique to zombie undead; low-rank ones were fine against my poison resistance, but this one hit different.

I felt like I was dying.

Poison resistance kicked in first.

Then regeneration, as if waiting.

Tenacity followed.

And even Limit Break—how agonizing must it have been?

Pain that broke my limits.

Nothing like this before.

Is this food poisoning?

As I writhed, a group of hunters arrived—the trigger for my rampage.

I swear, I had zero intention of rampaging.

Poison resistance rose, but it still hurt.

Half-mad from the gnawing agony deep in my guts, they appeared suddenly.

Too busy resisting poison to go stealth.

"...Look over there, everyone."

"Eek? S-s-snake!"

"M-my God!"

Faint voices pierced my sharp mind amid the pain.

They appeared before me, coiled in a cave, suppressing my torment.

Eight in total: one B-rank, five C-ranks, two D-ranks.

"A B-rank monster."

"Too much for our force...? Run?"

"Wait. We're this close, and no reaction."

"Dead?"

"Nah, looks like it got hit by the ghoul's poison. It's suffering."

Initially startled by me, they grew curious at my lack of response.

Then crept closer cautiously, soon openly observing.

"Whoa... this close and no attack? From a monster?"

"That ghoul poison. Leave it; it'll die on its own."

"Heh... first tame B-rank I've seen."

"Wanna snap a pic for SNS."

"Quit the SNS already. It's an addiction."

At their cheerful banter, I cracked my eyes.

One hunter met my gaze, screamed "Eeeek—", and fell on his ass.

"I-it just looked at me?!"

"Not dead yet. Don't worry; no attack means it's dying. Can't even move properly..."

I saw a hunter frown, glance at his comrades, and steel himself.

To attack me.

Yes, that's hunters for you.

Kill the monster first, ask questions never.

Any state, hostile or not.

That's the monster-hunter dynamic.

Perfect timing.

Stress piling from the agony.

Body not fully free, but first-strike the B-rank, then handle the rest.

Irritation surging, no detailed plan.

Just kill the ones in sight.

Regeneration would refill my energy.

The excruciating pain suddenly ebbed.

Not fully healed, but no hindrance to movement.

What perfect timing.

Just as I geared to move, my body cleared.

Ideal.

"Heh heh... jackpot? Bet it drops a good mana stone."

"We're making bank this time."

"Neat decapitation. Those scales look premium—fetch a high price."

"Who does it? Raid leader?"

"Yeah, I'll take it."

The B-rank shrugged and stepped forward.

Smoothly drawing his waist sword, he stood before me.

Gazing calmly a moment, he raised it high.

As always, I gaped my maw wide—crack.

"Kyaack!"

"R-raid leader—!"

"R-run!"

"No, block it first...! Urk!"

"G-gurgh!"

"S-save...!"

More hunters arrived at the commotion.

Hunting nearby, it seemed.

No choice—I had to gape again.

I really didn't want trouble.