Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: The First Hunter
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The First Hunter.
What kind of bow was the bow of the Ten Emperors' German?
A branch of the blessed world tree.
A dragon's skull.
The hair of the goddess of abundance, and more.
It was a legendary weapon crafted from only the most carefully selected materials.
Growing alongside its wielder's abilities was a given.
As an ego bow, it possessed special abilities as well, yet that legendary bow was nowhere to be seen.
It was a weapon he had shared his entire life with—his one and only.
—My successor, where is my bow?
German asked.
About the bow he had sealed away in some ruins long ago.
If one had come this far, it meant they had been acknowledged by his descendants and had already undone the first seal on the bow.
Then, they would have received a map along with the equipment he had used in his prime, leading them here—yet for some reason, this self-proclaimed hunter's heir wasn't holding the bow.
Even the other equipment had been perfectly replicated, but no matter how hard he looked, the bow was simply gone.
—I, German, the First Hunter, sealed it within the Arindel Ruins, if my memory serves me right.
"……."
—To unseal it, to prove your worth, you must have met our descendants and shown them the bow.
"……."
—Reaching this place is proof of that, so why is the bow not here? Answer me, heir of the hunter. Where on earth is my bow?
A strange silence hung in the air.
In the end, the heir gave no reply.
He merely hung his head in mute silence.
—Why won't you speak? I said answer me. Where is my bow...?
That was when it happened.
The hunter's heir suddenly lifted his head, his lips splitting into a wide grin.
"So, there was a bow, huh?"
What was that?
That devilish smile.
How could anyone gaze upon the world with eyes brimming with such malice?
He couldn't fathom it.
He simply couldn't understand.
Was this truly human?
No, more importantly—was this really his successor, come to inherit his will?
German's mind reeled in confusion.
—My successor?
So he asked once more.
To confirm if this was truly the hunter who had come to become his successor.
But no answer came.
"A hunter might wield daggers too, but without their main weapon, the bow, their combat power drops by over 50%, right?"
Instead, only incomprehensible mutterings spilled out.
—What nonsense...
Only then did German sense that something was wrong, but it was already too late.
"Hey."
—...?
"That ring looks pretty tasty."
Umjil!
The devil, sensing his advantage, was already licking his chops at the fresh prey before him.
* * *
Honestly, he hadn't expected things to unfold like this.
He hadn't even known the bow was sealed away, let alone that it triggered a prerequisite quest.
'I had no idea this hidden quest was tied to the Ten Emperors.'
It was a coincidence so absurd it could only be called fate's prank.
But right now, he welcomed that coincidence with open arms.
'The hidden scenario fizzled out a bit, but whatever—I'm not even a hunter class. From what they said about the seal, it seems you need the bow to continue the hidden scenario.'
Plus, combat had begun, locking out returns and even logouts.
And the exit was blatantly sealed off.
'I've already reclassed as the Night King's successor anyway.'
So instead, he'd take that ring German had.
Luke kept the pressure on with that in mind.
This setup held strong even against an estimated level 85 boss monster.
True to form as a bowless hunter, he couldn't draw out more than half his true power.
And no matter how much he incorporated daggers, hunters had their limits.
'Ultimately, it's a ranged-main class.'
No bow to boot.
And being pushed this hard in close quarters? German couldn't help but feel stifled.
'Dagger skills aren't even his main specialty.'
That wasn't all.
The 29 stat points he'd gained breaking through the dungeon's trials had nearly closed the gap with the estimated level 85 German.
In pure stats, Luke's effective level was actually higher.
Not to mention, the opponent's class was a top-tier one in Agas, with a solid player base like dual wielders.
Naturally, he had plenty of data on skills and abilities.
Thus, he could press ahead.
Against a hunter handling both mid and rear positions.
A pure nuker dealer like a thief could outperform in close range.
'Pure classes look versatile, but they're really jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none awkward picks.'
Of course, it depended on how you used them, but a bowless hunter like this was different.
Even as the First Hunter and one of the Ten Emperors, filling that gap wouldn't be easy.
'The real issue is...'
His perfectly replicated gear.
Thanks to the missing bow, German lacked one too, but that didn't mean total safety.
Other items like Braincleaver had activated perfectly.
'He can use Shadow's Grudge just like me.'
So no complacency.
He kept maximum pressure while staying ready for counters, fighting at full readiness.
'Gotta watch that ring's ability too.'
He hadn't figured out what it did yet.
With that thought, Luke thrust Braincleaver again.
—...?!
Shadow's Grudge triggered as if waiting.
A black shadow mimicked Luke, swinging Braincleaver along the same arc.
—You bastard, how do you have that ability?!
German's red eyes trembled.
He looked utterly flustered by the unexpected shadow barrage.
"Look at this punk running his mouth."
—Answer me, you filth!
"What're you saying? The map's activating and everything. Just ripen up and take the bea—"
Luke narrowed his eyes.
Something was off.
German had counterattacked dozens of times already.
Yet the shadow hadn't emerged once.
For replicated gear, that didn't add up.
'Braincleaver and everything else triggers fine, so why not Shadow's Grudge?'
The question lingered only briefly.
German soon provided the answer himself.
—Nonsense! That ability can only be used by the tribe of night...!
"Oh ho?"
—Wait. You... you can't mean...?!
"Whoa, didn't know that. Thanks for the tip, asshole!"
In short, this gauntlet's ability was exclusive to him alone.
'So even if someone else equips it, they can't use the options here? Or maybe the options don't even show up?'
He couldn't be sure exactly.
But German's words made one fact crystal clear.
'Some of the Night King's gear can only be used by me.'
Realizing that, Luke grinned wickedly.
"If only I can use it, that's even better—thanks a ton!"
—Impossible! That can't be. I eradicated every last one of them back then!
"No clue about that!"
—Gah, don't mock me!
"...?!"
The aura shifted suddenly.
His crimson gaze deepened.
The chamber churned.
Dozens of trajectories materialized in the air.
'This is a hunter's advanced skill...!'
One of the rare dagger techniques.
—Yes, you're a ghost from the past. Just an illusion before my eyes. I won't fall for it twice.
Ferocious.
—I'll cut you down here and prove it once more. That the night tribe is gone from this land. I'll show you with these hands!
Feral.
—Begone, ghost of the past!
Awful speed skills unfolded before him.
Alarms blared in his mind.
[Wrist sliced!]
[Limb hit!]
[Bleeding occurs!]
[Right hand attack speed slowed!]
Dangerous.
[Leg sliced!]
[Limb hit!]
[Balance disrupted!]
[Right leg movement speed slowed!]
These attacks couldn't be brushed off lightly.
[HP below 90%!]
[HP below 80%!]
[HP below 70%!]
[HP below 20%!]
His life force plummeted rapidly.
Grazes alone inflicted serious damage.
'He can do this with his limited dagger skills?!'
No way this was a standard hunter.
Ancient power surpassing known data.
No—the superior abilities unique to the First Hunter.
Even his hunter skills outclassed known ones in power and efficiency.
His combat style and abilities were on another level from any hunter Luke knew.
'Damn, he won't even let me parry easily.'
Despite no bow—the hunter's main strength—and Luke's slight item edge from the shadow.
'Can't think of him like those PK-era hunter players. This guy's a hunter from another dimension.'
Data still insufficient.
Speed.
Techniques.
Combat patterns.
Adapting to Ten Emperors German would take more time.
'This is one of the continent's Ten Emperors.'
Worthy of being called the continent's strongest.
'Game devs cranked the Ten Emperors' power way up.'
Proof? He showed no signs of faltering despite massive penalties.
'And this guy was raging moments ago, but now he's denying reality to suppress it.'
What a disaster.
—No tricks!
He tried throwing poison-coated daggers mid-flow to shift momentum, but German deflected them head-on like it was nothing.
'Reaction speed's beyond Kotaro.'
And the daggers' power too.
Kang!
Immense force pushed his body back.
'If he had the bow on top of this?'
Terrifying to imagine.
Absolute ruler.
Though he'd overwhelmed the Night King with other Ten Emperors, he boasted explosive firepower worthy of mastery in his domain.
'...Gotta change the flow somehow.'
Luke judged thus and bided for an opening to use Muteseal.
But in that instant.
Puk!
The blade before him plunged into his side.
—Vanish, fake.
It wasn't just speed.
No Ten Emperor could circle behind in that split second.
So the answer was...
'Blink?'
* * *
Blink.
The word meant a flicker of eye or light.
But in fantasy settings, it differed.
Short-range teleportation.
A spell named for vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Some called it Flicker.
Yet this Blink popped up mid-fight against a hunter.
[Bleeding occurs!]
[Movement temporarily slowed!]
[HP below 20%!]
His vision stained red.
The effect when life hung by a thread.
'Not seeing things. That was definitely a Blink-type spell.'
Luke grimaced and leaped back.
'But how's a hunter using it?'
Then he spotted the ring on German's finger.
The one way a hunter could use Blink.
Item effect!
Worst case.
Out of all item effects, Blink.
The absolute worst draw.
'A hunter with Blink? Disgusting just thinking about it.'
And now it was reality.
—Persistent bastard.
"Tch."
—Won't let you escape!
He's coming.
Any second now.
A Blink ambush.
'One more hit and it's game over.'
No more chances.
So prepare.
'If I can't track it with my eyes...'
React purely on body sense.
'Yeah right.'
As if.
He wasn't some wuxia hero.
Impossible was impossible, game or not.
'Didn't want to use this, but...'
For a Blink ring, it was worth it.
An item he'd splurged on before climbing Horn Mountain.
His ace in the hole from PK days.
"Trying to win with item crutch? Coward!"
—What?
"You brought this on yourself!"
A flag materialized in his hand.
He slammed the flag into the ground, and the room flushed red.
"You fucking punk, fight fair and square now!"