Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Cut Losses (2)
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Kang Hyun-soo paused while about to feed Song Ha-na's B-Rank longsword to the Sword of Gluttony, then handed it over to the Beast Emperor instead.
"Just in case, try channeling mana into the Beast King's Gauntlets."
At Kang Hyun-soo's words, the Beast Emperor nodded and sent mana into the Beast King's Gauntlets.
But.
There was no reaction.
"Try holding it yourself."
At Kang Hyun-soo's words, the Beast Emperor gripped Song Ha-na's former B-Rank longsword.
However.
Again, no reaction.
"This doesn't seem to be a growth-type item either?"
The Beast Emperor said with a crestfallen expression.
"Just in case, let's try a bunch of different methods."
The Beast Emperor nodded at Kang Hyun-soo's words.
From then on, they experimented in various ways to grow the Beast King's Gauntlets.
But nothing worked.
*What a headache.*
Kang Hyun-soo frowned.
Before his regression, the Beast Emperor had definitely used the EX-Rank Beast King's Gauntlets as his main weapon.
That meant the Beast King's Gauntlets were a growth-type item, and the Beast Emperor had raised them from B-Rank to EX-Rank through his own power.
*So how the hell do you grow them?*
The unfortunate part was that he had no idea how.
"For now, keep at it."
"Got it."
The Beast Emperor replied weakly, his long ears drooping limply at Kang Hyun-soo's words.
*Well, we'll figure it out eventually.*
He'd wracked his brain over the Guardian Ring's growth method too but eventually found it.
The Beast King's Gauntlets would follow the same process.
Kang Hyun-soo tossed Song Ha-na's B-Rank longsword to the Sword of Gluttony as food.
The Beast Emperor watched enviously.
*Anyway, time to fulfill the promise.*
He'd taken their food, so he had to pay up.
And pay up big.
* * *
BOOOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the Kabal Guild's guild house.
"Chase them!"
Furious Kabal Guild members pursued the attackers.
But the attackers weren't a small group like before.
Over a hundred had launched the raid.
Their numbers meant lower skill levels, so pursuit was easy enough.
The problem was.
"Where the hell did they disappear to?"
The fleeing enemies slipped between buildings.
They followed quickly.
But the enemies vanished without a trace.
This kept happening.
In the end, the second raid ended with them only taking hits.
And the third raid.
The fourth as well.
The same thing repeated over and over.
"There has to be a spy cooperating with the enemy. Root them out!"
The Kabal Guild tore through the major city of Dion like a comb.
But no matter how much they searched, they found no trace of the enemy.
Instead, arresting innocents under the guise of investigation only soured public opinion.
With things this bad, the Kabal Guild fully sealed the city gates.
Yet the raids continued.
Public sentiment plummeted.
They blocked hunting, failed to stop raids, arrested innocents, and now blocked merchants with the gate closure.
Naturally, their built-up good image faded, replaced only by negativity.
* * *
*These guys are persistent.*
Despite the constant provocations, not a single step came outside Dion's walls.
*Let's see how long you hold out.*
Kang Hyun-soo summoned more summons and sent them toward Dion, where the Kabal Guild was.
Dion was a major city.
The Kabal Guild couldn't guard every wall.
But with skills, they could monitor.
Crossing the walls triggered detection, and Kabal's rankers would deploy.
*But summons aren't human.*
Kang Hyun-soo's way to infiltrate Dion was simple.
The underground waterways.
*Humans need water to live.*
A small village might manage with wells, but a major city like Dion couldn't even meet drinking water needs that way.
So they dug underground channels connected to rivers.
*Living creatures can't pass through underground waterways.*
They were enormously long.
And filled with water.
No matter how high a player's stamina stat, humans had limits without air.
Dion's waterways were long enough to drown even high-level players.
But.
*Doesn't matter for summons.*
Summons weren't living beings—they were made of mana.
No need to breathe.
*Please come out today.*
It was practically the last chance.
Tomorrow was when the Blade King Kyung Wi-gang was due.
*The Blade King Kyung Wi-gang won't deal with me.*
Why did Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong deal with Kang Hyun-soo?
Because he lacked the power for a big achievement.
But the Blade King was different.
He had the strength to crush Kabal Guild without Kang Hyun-soo's help.
Plus a solid political position.
No need to pay a huge price for help.
*Today, let's poke a little deeper.*
That might get a reaction.
* * *
SHRRRIIIP!
The summons emerging from the underground waterways attacked all at once.
BOOM! BOOM!
The half-destroyed guild house, already looking like ruins, exploded with massive blasts.
Kabal Guild members rushed in from all sides.
But the summons dodged easily by fleeing or being unsummoned.
Especially Sword Ghost and Kabal 1 through 4.
SLASH! SHRRRIP!
They massacred charging Kabal Guild members while fighting on.
*Time to pull back now.*
Kabal Guild Master, Knight of Flames Jamie, appeared with rankers.
Kang Hyun-soo ordered Sword Ghost and Kabal 1-4 to retreat.
Sword Ghost and Kabal 1-4 scattered and fled.
Up to here, aside from heavier damage, the pattern was the same as usual.
The change came.
After Kabal 3 reached the walls.
Grab!
A player guarding the wall seized Kabal 3's leg.
CRUNCH!
Kabal 3's leg crumpled like paper in an instant.
WHOOSH!
Kabal 3 unleashed aura for a counterattack.
Clang!
The aura-infused sword was caught barehanded.
SMASH!
It shattered instantly.
*What the hell is this guy?*
Kang Hyun-soo was quite startled.
Kabal 3 was a summon based on a ranker.
Far below the real thing in skill.
But not someone to be subdued that easily.
Kabal 3 abandoned the leg and fled.
Thud!
The enemy pursued.
*They deliberately let it escape.*
Like leading it to a trap.
*That level seems about equal to Knight of Flames Jamie.*
Maybe even stronger.
*The others are similar.*
Kabal 1 had lost both arms while fleeing.
Kabal 2 and 4 were badly wounded and fleeing too.
Kabal 4 fell to Knight of Flames Jamie, but 1 and 2 to unknown players.
*They had hidden strength after all.*
And stronger than Kang Hyun-soo expected.
*Can Jin Gu-pyeong handle it?*
Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong had set a trap.
But based on Knight of Flames Jamie's level.
Now three at Jamie's level exposed.
Plus Jamie bringing Kabal's elites.
*They know it's Zhonghua Guild's trap.*
Chasing summons anyway meant.
They were prepared to smash the Zhonghua Guild trap.
*This'll be tough.*
Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong couldn't handle it.
*Well, not my problem.*
Kang Hyun-soo only promised to lure Kabal elites outside Dion's walls.
*Could help for extra pay, but.*
Even with his help, it looked rough.
*First, collect the post-paid items.*
Kang Hyun-soo unsummoned Sword Ghost, resummoned him, and sent to Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong.
Collect before Knight of Flames Jamie's Kabal clashed with Jin Gu-pyeong's Zhonghua.
"The plan worked. Hand over the promised reward."
Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong smiled satisfied at Sword Ghost's words.
He'd heard Knight of Flames Jamie and elites were heading here.
"Good. Here."
Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong coolly handed over 15 A-Rank items.
"But help us in this fight."
"The price?"
"I'll give you the S-Rank items you wanted so bad. Two of them. This one's upfront."
With that, Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong offered a massive axe.
*Howling Storm.*
Kang Hyun-soo knew the S-Rank item.
Rare type, but definitely S-Rank.
"Deal."
Sword Ghost took the S-Rank item Howling Storm.
"Then block the enemies up front."
And mid-sentence from Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong.
Shhh!
Sword Ghost vanished like evaporating.
"Huh?"
Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong panicked hard.
Then urgent reports came.
"The ones luring Knight of Flames Jamie and Kabal Guild vanished into thin air!"
At the subordinate's report, Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong's face twisted viciously.
"Those bastards!"
They'd promised help, taken the S-Rank item, and ditched.
Grit!
His teeth ground automatically.
"What now, sir?"
A head-on clash with Kabal Guild.
Victory was assured including Korean players' help.
But this backstab.
"No choice. We handle it ourselves."
They had a plan ready.
Kabal's power was worn down by Korean guerrillas anyway.
Accounting for that?
Plan success meant good odds.
*Sorry.*
Through a surveillance summon's eyes, Kang Hyun-soo watched raging Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong and apologized inwardly.
*But your trap's too obvious.*
He'd stubbornly refused S-Rank items before, now offering freely.
And another post-paid.
*Not the type to give freely, so super suspicious.*
Logically, smash Kabal, recover A and S-Rank losses.
But Zhonghua Guild wasn't logical.
*Probably planned mutual destruction with my summons and Kabal.*
Asking them to lead confirmed it.
If summons survived luckily?
Jin Gu-pyeong wouldn't let that slide.
*After Kabal, attack summons to recoup losses.*
Obvious as day.
*If not planning that, I'd have no issue helping.*
If not so blatant, Kang Hyun-soo would've helped Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong.
But this obvious? Hard to fall for.
No need to sacrifice high-stat summons for that guy.
*Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong and Zhonghua elites make fine materials.*
Even if Kabal wins big, Kang Hyun-soo gains.
*After Blade King Kyung Wi-gang returns, hit Kabal from the rear.*
Zhonghua weakened plenty.
*Maybe even deal with Blade King Kyung Wi-gang.*
All considered, 'cutting losses' with Extinction Demon Spear Jin Gu-pyeong now.
Seemed like the best choice.